jects will most certainly and effectually destroy all their apparently good frames, and call forth all the latent enmity and rebellion of the heart, which were merely soothed and humoured, instead of being dethroned and crucified. So indispensably necessary is regeneration to a real belief of the uncorrupted gospel of Christ.

"I was," says the apostle, "alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived and I died.” “I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God." "For by the law is the knowledge of sin." In general, the preaching of the holy law of God, in its spirituality, extent, excellency, and awful sanction, is the method which is most blessed to bring sinners to renounce every kind of self-confidence, and to feel their need of Christ and his salvation: but that moral preaching, which is commonly called legal, is widely different both in its nature and tendency. It by no means exhibits the awful, perfect, and glorious law of God, "the ministration of condemnation," to honour which, the eternal Son of the Father became incarnate, and was obedient even unto the death upon the cross: but on the contrary it calls men to practise duties, according to a scanty, imperfect, and indeterminate rule; which consequently leads to self-complacency and contempt of the gospel. Let any man thoroughly preach the holy law of God, with close application to the conscience, and a fair declaration of the sinner's condition according to it; and if he do not discover and preach the gospel too, he will soon despair himself, and drive all who continue to regard him to despair likewise.

Sometimes, however, the Holy Spirit leads the sinner at once to the cross of Christ, and in that single object shows him both his guilt and his redemption. Here he learns the glory of the law itself, with the evil and desert of transgression: but he cannot thus learn all the particular requirements of the law, or clearly discover in what respect he needs repentance, forgiveness, and divine grace to enable him to "walk in newness of life." The whole word of God should therefore be preached, and his whole counsel declared, in proportion as the minister is enabled to get acquainted with it, and as the people are able to receive it; and then the Lord will bless what part of truth he sees good. But neither law nor gospel, precepts nor doctrines, threatenings nor promises, will change men's hearts or produce true faith, without the life-giving power of the Spirit. The same view of the divine perfections and government is set before us in every part of Scripture; and facts prove, that sometimes one part and sometimes another, are first made effectual to impress the minds of sinners with salutary conviction.

It is argued, that faith in Christ must precede regeneration, because spiritual life springs from union with Christ, and faith is the principle of our union with him. But I apprehend that this argument rests on no solid ground. The Holy Spirit is the Life, or animating Soul, of that Body of which Christ is the Head. The Spirit of life in Christ Jesus quickens the dead in sin: thus they are made alive to God, and by this uniting Cause and Agent they become Spiritually one with Christ, as living by his life, frequently even before they have explicit knowledge of him. "He that is joined to the Lord is one spirit."" By one Spirit we are all baptized into one body." We become alive to God, not by our apprehending Christ, but by his apprehending us: and in consequence we are brought to believe in his name. So that living faith in Christ is the effect and not the cause of our union with him; if we would speak of the subject in an exact argumentative manner.-Faith constitutes our relation to Christ, as "made the righteousness of God in him :" and till we are conscious of explicitly believing in him, we cannot know, or warrantably take any comfort from an union with him and as this is the case, we generally speak of faith as uniting us to Christ, when discoursing in a popular style. But surely this is a feeble foundation on which to rest a conclusion, that is evidently repugnant to the constant tenor of Scripture! "Of Him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us, Wisdom, Righteousness, Sanctification, and Redemption." According to these words

of the apostle, even the wisdom, by which we count all but loss for Christ, was derived from Christ by the grace of that Spirit, by whom we are baptized into him, and are One with him. Who then can think, with these words before his mind, that the faith of an unregenerate sinner is the uniting principle between Christ and his soul?

"Because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying Abba, Father." This and similar texts evidently refer, not to regeneration, but to that holy joy and confidence in God as a Father, by which "the Holy Spirit witnesses with our spirits that we are the children of God:" and which are connected with the lively exercise of all other filial affections. It will hardly be maintained that we are actually the children of God while unregenerate, whatever may have been the secret purposes or predestination of God respecting our future adoption: but we must be the children of God in very deed, when the Spirit of adoption witnesses that we are so ; for he bears witness to nothing but the truth. Indeed the expression, "Because ye are sons," clearly marks this distinction: and our Lord confirms this when he says to his disciples, "If ye love me keep my commandments; and I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever." John xiv. 15-18. The apostles were certainly regenerate when these words were addressed to them, as the supposition of their loving Christ and keeping his commandments most clearly proves: yet the promise evidently referred to the holy consolations of the Spirit, and not to his miraculous powers. This may suffice to show, that the Scriptures, which mention the Spirit of adoption, as given subsequent to faith, being the witness, zeal, earnest, and first-fruits, of our blessedness as the children of God, not at all relating to regeneration, prove nothing against the doctrine maintained in this part of our subject.

The Scriptures indeed speak of those who believe not in Christ, as being under wrath and dead in sin: but these declarations are general truths, which must be explained by the constant tenor of holy writ. If any person persist in rejecting Christ and his salvation, after a fair opportunity of hearing the gospel, he is no doubt dead in sin, and the wrath of God abideth on him.

But supposing the Bible put into any person's hand, along with the evidence of its being a divine revelation, no warranted conclusion can be drawn as to the state of his mind, while he is employed in diligently examining the subject; or till it appear whether he is disposed to welcome, or reject the salvation of Christ. Even when a man is convinced that the Scriptures are divinely inspired, and disposed to believe the record of God which they contain, some time will be requisite for him to discover" the truth as it is in Jesus," in order that he may explicitly believe in him; unless he be taught by immediate inspiration, and not by the ordinary influences of the Holy Spirit accompanying the diligent use of instituted means. Should the gos

pel be heard with the docility of a little child, the hearer must have time to compare the instructions of the preacher with the infallible standard of divine truth, that he may "know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether men speak of themselves." This was the conduct of the Bereans, "These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the Scriptures daily, whether those things were so." Therefore many of them believed. Their attention, teachableness, impartiality, diligence, and willingness to be determined by the oracles of God, constituted the honest and good heart, which suits the good word of the kingdom; and this essentially distinguished them from prejudiced and obstinate despisers and persecutors of the apostles, who persisted in contradicting and blaspheming.

The Lord finds his people in different situations and of widely dissimilar characters; and he leads them in a vast variety of ways: but he brings them all in his appointed time to count all things but loss that they may win Christ. So long, therefore, as men neglect this great salvation, we must continue to warn them, that " he who believeth not the Son of God shall

not see life; but the wrath of God abideth upon him." In popular addresses it is by no means expedient to make many distinctions, exceptions, or limitations; yet it is of great consequence that the public teachers of religion should themselves be familiarly acquainted with such distinctions as are important: and then they will so propose the simplest general truths as not to contradict the deepest parts of heavenly wisdom; which" are strong meat, belonging to those that are of age, even such as by reason of age have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil." Nay, "if men (as one well observes,) will distinguish ill, they must be opposed by those who distinguish better, and not by such as do not distinguish at all.” If any one should attempt to expound certain precepts of our Lord's sermon on the mount, in an unqualified and unlimited sense, and to deduce the utmost practical consequences from them; every solid divine would protest against such a mode of interpretation, show it to be contradictory to other parts of Scripture, and justly remark that those exceptions and restrictions must be admitted, which common sense could not fail to suggest, and which needed not be particularized in a public discourse. And ought not the same rules of interpretation to be adopted, when declarations, such as these which we are now considering, are made in a general manner? Certainly they ought; otherwise the Scriptures must perpetually appear to be in opposition to themselves. And when thus explained, they are not in the least repugnant to the proposition, that true faith is always the effect of regeneration.

There may be a vital spark, or a dawning ray, where nothing but darkness and death are discernible by us; and we should remember, to copy him, who "will not quench the smoking flax, nor break the bruised reed."-For "the path of the just is like the shining light, which shineth more and more unto the perfect day." A ray of light breaks in upon the previous reign of entire darkness, and imperceptibly diminishes the gloom: but coming from the sun, it indicates his approach, and will continue to advance till it arrive at the full blaze of noon. "On you that fear my name, shall the Sun of righteousness arise, with healing in his wings." "Then shall ye know, if ye follow on to know the Lord; his going forth is prepared as the morning." "If any man will do the will of God, he shall know of the doctrine whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself." "I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not; I will lead them in paths, which they have not known; I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight." These and similar passages in Scripture naturally lead us to consider the work of God, in drawing the sinner unto himself, by Christ the living Way, in many instances at least, as very gradual; and they by no means can be made even to appear consistent with the opinion, that a man continues absolutely dead in sin, till after he has come to Christ, and has explicit knowledge of him, and faith in him; or even, as some state it, a full assurance of an interest in his salvation.

The new-born infant instinctively craves the milk of the breast, though incapable of understanding the nature of its wants and desires: but various circumstances may retard its actual satisfaction in the wholesome nutriment provided for it. Thus the new-born babe, in the spiritual world, feels a strong desire after the sincere milk of the word, yet often scarcely knows what he wants or seeks for: but the salvation of Christ alone can satisfy these new desires which he experiences; and whatever may hinder his progress, he will still continue uneasy and inquiring, till brought to live explicitly by faith in the Son of God. Then he will seek no further, except to secure and enjoy the satisfying blessings he has discovered.

And now let the reader seriously and impartially consider these several arguments, and endeavour to estimate their collective force: after which, let us determine, whether it has not been completely proved, that, according to the word of God, saving faith is always the effect of regeneration; and consequently that it is holy in its nature, as well as in its fruits.

SECTION III.

Saving Faith always accompanied by other things essentially holy.

ANOTHER most conclusive argument to prove the holy nature of faith, may be deduced from the other holy exercises of the heart with which it is inseparably connected.

No man ever yet truly believed in Christ, without some measure of humiliation for sin; and where this is totally wanting, a professed believer can at most rank no higher than a stony-ground hearer, who has no root in himself, in whatever manner slavish terrors have been succeeded by selfish comforts. But when a careless sinner, or a proud despiser of the gospel, is brought with down-cast eyes, to smite on his breast, and from his inmost soul to cry, “God be merciful to me a sinner;" he certainly thus far manifests a right spirit.— In the parable here alluded to, the question is not, what the Pharisee proudly assumed concerning his own sanctity; or what the publican humbly confessed of his own sinfulness; but whether the humble confession of the one was not intrinsically better, than the proud boastings of the other? And whether the publican's self-abasing cry for mercy was not an exercise of true holiness?— That it sprang from humility and contrition, and was not extorted by mere terror, our Lord himself testifies; "I tell you, that this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that humbleth himself shall be exalted." Luke xviii. 14. And this testimony ought to be decisive: for it evidently proves that genuine humility inseparably attends on justifying faith, even in its feeblest and most discouraged applications for pardoning mercy.

The Pharisee did not arrogate the honour of making himself to differ from other men; at least the words ascribed to him imply the contrary: and indeed the same is observable in the language of many who are notorious for spiritual pride. But he presumptuously deemed himself eminent in holiness, when he was altogether unholy; and established in the full favour of God, from which he was entirely estranged. If a man say, "God, I thank thee for giving me humility, repentance, and newness of heart;" and then rely on these supposed endowments as the meritorious ground of his justification; let him be classed with the Pharisee: but surely we may know that God hath given us these holy dispositions, and that "by his grace we are what we are," and heartily thank him for his special love in thus making us to differ, without in the least "trusting to our own righteousness, and despising others." Or else the most eminent believers, both of the Old and New Testament, must be joined with us under this condemnation. In whatever measure we have experienced "the sanctification of the Spirit unto obedience," we shall not, if properly instructed, depend on it in the smallest degree for justification: and if this be the case of the most eminent saint on earth, why should it be supposed, that the least conceivable spark of true holiness, even when not discerned, must lead the new convert to a self-righteous confidence, and indispose him to seek the righteousness of God by faith in Jesus Christ?

Saul of Tarsus, when a proud Pharisee, expressed the most contemptuous enmity against the holy Jesus, and "breathed out threatenings and slaughter" against his harmless disciples. But view this same person, prostrate on the ground, trembling with apprehensions of merited vengeance, supplicating undeserved mercy, and saying to the Saviour, "Lord, what wouldest thou have me to do?" Then observe him, when "what things were gain to him, these he counted loss for Christ ;" and determine whether no degree of genuine humiliation was connected with his first exercises of faith in the Son of God.

But if we carefully examine the language of Scripture, we must be convinced, that humility is a radical and most important part of holiness; and especially that humiliation for sin is essential to the existence of holiness in the heart of a fallen creature." To this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and that trembleth at my word." "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." "God resisteth the proud, and giveth his grace unto the humble." Nay, a great part of the holiness of redeemed sinners, even in heaven, seems to consist in a disposition to ascribe all their salvation to Him that sitteth upon the throne, and to the Lamb that was slain; and in feeling and acting consistently with the recollection of their own deep guilt, and their inexpressible obligations to the special mercy and love of the Redeemer. Indeed if pride were the first sin of apostate spirits, humility must be most essential to the holiness even of angels.

The degree of genuine humility, connected with the sinner's first actings of faith in Christ, may be very small: but will any Christian say, that there is absolutely none at all? Or that pride is at that moment in full dominion? Can a sinner embrace the salvation of Christ in a cordial manner, without the least disposition to abase and condemn himself? Can he, when merely alarmed by the dread of a punishment which he does not allow that he deserves, sincerely seek the deliverance from free unmerited mercy? Can he sincerely seek this mercy, in the most humiliating way imaginable, without the least degree of humiliation? And if his professed reliance on the free grace through Immanuel's atoning blood, be insincere, will a heart-searching God justify him on account of a hypocritical pretension? "Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile.” In a word, it has often been said, and it never has been disproved, that "there can be no more mercy in the sinner's salvation, than there was justice in his condemnation:" it is therefore absolutely impossible for any one cordially to welcome salvation altogether of mere mercy, unless he sincerely allow that he might justly have been left under condemnation.

Again, did our Lord, in the parable of the prodigal son, design to represent the returning sinner as driven merely by distress to seek deliverance from God? What did he then mean by the expression, When he came to himself ?— The prodigal is supposed to have felt his misery before, (as devils and damned spirits do, with proud and determined alienation of heart from his father, and the rules of his family: but "when he came to himself," he awaked as out of sleep, he recovered as from intoxication, he was restored as from insanity; and then he became sensible of his sin and folly. Other thoughts now arise in his mind concerning his father's character, authority, and conduct; and his own past behaviour and present situation: and he breaks out into this exclamation, "How many of my father's servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! 1 will arise and go to my father; and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and before thee, and am no more worthy to be called thy son." Are not these expressions of sorrow and humiliation for sin, and of deep self-abasement? No extenuation of excuse is so much as thought of by the self-condemned penitent; but he deduces his whole encouragement to return home, from the known kindness and compassion of his offended father. Thus is he represented as resolving to return home, from right principles, and in a right spirit: and when welcomed with immense kindness, and without any upbraidings, by his loving parent, he alters not the terms of his intended confession, except by leaving out the concluding words, as superseded by the undeserved and unexpected reception he met with. As this parable was purposely named by our Lord, to illustrate the dealings of our merciful God towards the vilest of sinners, who come to him in his appointed way, it is absolutely decisive, that he considered godly sorrow, humiliation, and unreserved confession of guilt, as never-failing attendants on saving faith. Luke xv. And the arrangement of the parable contains a demonstration, that regeneration is at all times antecedent to faith, as the cause is antecedent to the effect.

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