ments of divine wrath. How important a diftinction ! and can any man refrain from faying, "Lord thou know"eft all things-to which of thefe claffes do I belong?"

But there is fomething, if poffible, ftill more preffing in the paffage of scripture which I have placed at the head of this difcourfe. Not only are all men of two different and oppofite characters now, but all men are originally of one character, unfit for the kingdom of God; unless a change has paft upon them they continue fo; and unless a change do pafs upon them hereafter, they must be for ever excluded. This our Lord introduces with a ftrong affeveration, and signal note of importance: "Verily, verily, I "fay unto you, Except a man be born again, he cannot fee "the kingdom of God." Thefe words were fpoken to Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This "mafler in Ifrael" came to Jefus by night. Convinced he feems to have been of the power which attended his miniftry, but, under a ftill stronger attachment to his worldly intereft, he durft not openly avow his conviction. Our Lord, at once to enlighten his mind with the most falutary of all truths, and level his pride of understanding by the manner of conveying it, faith to him, "Except a man be born again, "he cannot fee the kingdom of God." This appears to have been extremely aftonishing, by his anfwer in the following verfe; "Nicodemus faith unto him, How can a "man be born when he is old? Can he enter the second "time into his mother's womb and be born?"

It is not my purpose to give a tedious explication of the paffage, or entertain the reader with a profufion of criti cifm upon the words. This expreffion, the kingdon of God, hath various fignifications in fcripture, but chiefly two in the New Teftament, (1.) The gofpel difpenfation, or government of the Meffiah, as diftinguifhed from the preceding periods; (2.) The kingdom of heaven, where the fincere difciples of Chrift shall be put in full poffeflion of the bleffings of his purchase. I take it to be the last of thefe, that is, either only, or chiefly intended in this place. Both of them, indeed, may be meant in their proper or der, and for their different purposes. An open profeflion and receiving the external badge, was neceffary to a con.

cealed friend and cowardly difciple; but a right to the fpiritual privileges of the gospel, and the promife of eternal life, was the only thing that could make the profeffion valuable or defirable. Accordingly our Saviour feems to speak of both in his reply to Nicodemus's admiffion into the visible church by baptifm, and renovation by the Holy Gholt, Jefus answered, Verily I fay unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he "cannot enter into the kingdom of God."

46

I am fenfible that regeneration or the new-birth is a fubject, at present, very unfashionable; or, at least, a stile of language which hath gone very much into defuetude. It is, however, a fubject of unfpeakable moment, or, ra. ther, it is the one subject in which all others meet as in a centre. The grand enquiry, in comparison of which every thing else, how excellent foever, is but fpecious trifling. What doth it fignify, though you have food to eat in plenty, and variety of raiment to put on, if you are not born again if after a few mornings and evenings spent in unthinking mirth, fenfuality and riot, you die in your fins, and lie down in forrow? What doth it fignify, though you are well accomplished in every other refpect, to act your part in life, if you meet at laft with this repulfe from the Supreme Judge, " Depart from me, I know you not, "ye workers of iniquity?"

If this fubject is, indeed, unfashionable and neglected, we are miferably deceiving ourselves. If a new nature is neceffary, to attempt to repair and new model the old will be found to be loft labor. If the fpring is polluted and continues fo, what a vain and fruitlefs attempt is it to endeavor, by addition, or by foreign mixture, to purify the ftreams. Juft fo it is by no means fufficient, or, to fpeak more properly, it is altogether impoffible, to reform the irregularities and vicious lives of finners, and bring them to a real conformity to the law of God, till their hearts are renewed and changed. It is like rearing up an old fabric, adding to its towers, and painting its walls, while the foundation is gone. See what the prophet Ezekiel fays of fuch foolish builders, "Wo to the foolish prophets-because, even because they have feduced my people, faying,

66

ments of divine wrath. How important a diftinction ! and can any man refrain from faying, "Lord thou know"eft all things-to which of thefe claffes do I belong?"

But there is fomething, if poffible, ftill more preffing in the paffage of scripture which I have placed at the head of this difcourfe. Not only are all men of two different and oppofite characters now, but all men are originally of one character, unfit for the kingdom of God; unless a change has paft upon them they continue fo; and unless a change do pass upon them hereafter, they must be for ever excluded. This our Lord introduces with a ftrong afleveration, and fignal note of importance: "Verily, verily, I "fay unto you, Except a man be born again, he cannot fee "the kingdom of God." Thefe words were spoken to Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This "mafler in Ifrael" came to Jefus by night. Convinced he feems to have been of the power which attended his ministry, but, under a ftill stronger attachment to his worldly intereft, he durft not openly avow his conviction. Our Lord, at once to enlighten his mind with the most falutary of all truths, and level his pride of understanding by the manner of conveying it, faith to him, "Except a man be born again, "he cannot fee the kingdom of God." This appears to have been extremely aftonishing, by his anfwer in the following verfe; "Nicodemus faith unto him, How can a "man be born when he is old? Can he enter the fecond "time into his mother's womb and be born?"

It is not my purpose to give a tedious explication of the paffage, or entertain the reader with a profufion of criticifm upon the words. This expreffion, the kingdon of God, hath various fignifications in fcripture, but chiefly two in the New Teftament, (1.) The gofpel difpenfation, or government of the Meffiah, as diftinguifhed from the preceding periods; (2.) The kingdom of heaven, where the fincere difciples of Chrift fhall be put in full poffeffion of the bleffings of his purchase. I take it to be the laft of thefe, that is, either only, or chiefly intended in this place. Both of them, indeed, may be meant in their proper order, and for their different purposes. An open profession and receiving the external badge, was neceflary to a con

cealed friend and cowardly difciple; but a right to the fpiritual privileges of the gofpel, and the promife of eternal life, was the only thing that could make the profeffion valuable or defirable. Accordingly our Saviour feems to speak of both in his reply to Nicodemus's admiffion into the visible church by baptifm, and renovation by the Holy Gholt, Jefus anfwered, " Verily I fay unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God."

66

I am fenfible that regeneration or the new-birth is a subject, at present, very unfashionable; or, at least, a stile of language which hath gone very much into defuetude. It is, however, a subject of unspeakable moment, or, rather, it is the one subject in which all others meet as in a centre. The grand enquiry, in comparison of which every thing elfe, how excellent foever, is but fpecious trifling. What doth it fignify, though you have food to eat in plenty, and variety of raiment to put on, if you are not born again if after a few mornings and evenings fpent in unthinking mirth, fenfuality and riot, you die in your fins, and lie down in forrow? What doth it fignify, though you are well accomplished in every other refpect, to act your part in life, if you meet at laft with this repulfe from the Supreme Judge, "Depart from me, I know you not, "ye workers of iniquity?"

If this fubject is, indeed, unfafhionable and neglected, we are miferably deceiving ourselves. If a new nature is neceffary, to attempt to repair and new model the old will be found to be loft labor. If the fpring is polluted and continues fo, what a vain and fruitlefs attempt is it to endeavor, by addition, or by foreign mixture, to purify the ftreams. Juft fo it is by no means fufficient, or, to speak more properly, it is altogether impoffible, to reform the irregularities and vicious lives of finners, and bring them to a real conformity to the law of God, till their hearts are renewed and changed. It is like rearing up an old fabric, adding to its towers, and painting its walls, while the foundation is gone. See what the prophet Ezekiel fays of fuch foolish builders, "Wo to the foolish prophets-because, "even because they have feduced my people, faying,

"Peace, and there was no peace; and one built up a "wall, and lo, others daubed it with untempered mortar: "fay unto them which daub it with untempered mortar, "that it fhall fall: there fhall be an overflowing fhower, "and ye, O great hailftones, fhall fall, and a ftormy wind "fhall rent it."*

But, perhaps, the fubftance of the doctrine is retained while the language is held in derifion. We are told, it is but a figurative expreffion, and the fame in its meaning with repentance or reformation. Doubtlefs it is fo. And it were greatly to be wifhed, that many did thoroughly understand what is implied in repentance unto life. But the reader is intreated to obferve, that it is a metaphor frequently used in the holy fcripture, I think, alfo, it is a metaphor of peculiar propriety and force; well adapted to bring into view both the nature of the change which it describes, and the means by which it is accomplished. If there are any who in writing, or speaking on this fubject, have introduced or invented unfcriptural phrases, and gone into unintelligible mysticism, this is neither wonderful in itself, nor ought it to be any injury or difparagement to the truth. There is no fubject either of divine or human learning, on which fome have not written weakly, foolishly or erroneoufly; but that ought not to excite any averfion to the doctrine itself, which hath been perverted or abused. I pray, that God may enable me to write upon this interesting fubject, in a clear, intelligible and convincing manner; to fupport the truth from the evidence of fcripture and reason; to refolve, in a fatisfying manner, any objections that may feem to lie against it; but, above all, to carry it home with a perfuafive force upon the confcience and heart. I contend for no phrases of man's invention, but for fuch as I find in the holy fcriptures; from these I am refolved, through the grace of God, never to depart. And, in the mean time, I adopt the words of the eminent and useful Dr. Doddridge, " If this doctrine, in "one form or another, be generally taught by my bre"thren in the ministry, I rejoice in it for their own fakes,

* Ezek. xiii. 10, 11.