foul is regenerate, born of God, and shall not come into condemnation.

It is objected here, that many have had strong defires, and earneft wishes for falvation, with fome degrees of joy and comfort in the means of obtaining it, who in all human probability died impenitent, were these regenerated and born of God? It is readily granted that many have desired salvation, and earnestly wished for heaven, whofe defires and wishes did in no wife fpring from true grace in the heart; but from the ftings of natural / confcience, and the fears arifing herefrom, of after mifery. This is very common when persons are either alarmed with some sudden, striking, and unexpected providence; or when threatened with death and the awful thoughts of a future ftate, to which before time, they had too little attended. Self-love, naturally prompts to felf-preservation, and the apprehenfions of danger, naturally rouse the most careless, and fupine to feek security; but who can be fo inattentive as not to obferve daily some of thefe, raised from fick beds, fnatched by a kind of miracle from the yawning grave, or thrown into the greatest commotions by the death of a friend, or relation, or fome unexpected and afflictive providence, or threatning calamity, returning at the removal of the rod like a dog to its vomit, or a fwine to its wallowing in the mire. It is no uncommon thing for perfons to wish for heaven, who have no relish for holinefs on earth, nor could poffibly find any fatisfaction there, were it poffible, they could be indulged in their vain defires; the paradife fpoken of by Mahomet, might fuit their unrenewed tafte, but the holy, sublime, spiritual, and exalted pleasures, the chrif tian

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tian hopes for, would yield nothing of comfort to the carnal mind; for as the natural man difcerns not the things of the Spirit of God, because they are fpiritual, for the fame reason it is, they are empty and unfatisfactory to him.

Again, we have good authority to affim, that some may hear the word with joy, and immediately produce fome figns of grace, and yet are not regenerated; the feed did but fall on ftony ground. Yea fome may for a season run well, and apparently produce more fruit than others, who produce better; and yet bring nothing to perfection; the feed fell among thorns, and is choked. Whereas, the truly regenerate hear and understand the word, receive it cordially, and bear fruit to perfection.

5thly. Where the spirit of God has begun a work upon the heart, he fo humbles it from a fight of its own helpleffness, that the person is willing and defirous to be faved any way infinite wisdom shall appoint, for he is now made willing in the day of God's power, and the language of his heart is, Lord, what wouldeft thou have me to do? When Jefus Chrift is holden forth to him in the gospel, as every way fufficient to relieve and fave him, he prefently fees fuch a fuitableness in him, to his forlorn condition, that he longs to embrace him, and is content to cast himself upon him; and this is an act of faith, in the firft, or lowest degree. As a new born child, can receive no kind of food fo fuitable for nourishment as milk, fo the new born child of God, can receive no food or nourish. ment fo agreeable, and ftrengthening, to the spiritual nature it now partakes of, as the word of God; called by the Apostle, the fincere milk of the word. The reafon of this is, because the

word,

word, is the word of God, concerning Jefus Chrift; it is the gospel of his son, and falvation to finners through him; and as falvation is by faith, fo the foundation of faith is the word, for faith comes by bearing this word, the word of God. Such perfon now renounces (for the reasons before mentioned) all his own righteoufneffes as filthy and vile, and rejoices in the righteousness of Chrift holden forth in "the gofpel; therefore he willingly takes Jefus for his priest, by whose facrifice his fins are expiated, and who being now entered into the holy of holies, takes away the iniquity of his holy things.

He has now an ear open to inftruction, and is convinced of his own foolishness, for, fays he, I was even as a beast before thee; he afks wifdom from above, and the language of his heart is, Speak Lord, for thy fervant heareth. Chrift is now gladly accepted in the character, and office of a prophet; and the words of his mouth are fweeter than honey, or the honey-comb to his tafte; he like Mary fits at the mafter's feet, and catcheth with pleasure the words that have fallen from his gracious lips, and are, as dictated by his bleffed fpirit left on record in his book. Tell this man

that the Meffiab muft reign, and fubdue all his foes; it is well fays he, "I am content that he "rule over me and in me; I am taught in his "word that his yoke is eafy, and his precepts are "not grievous." Thus the weakeft babe in Chrift, receives him, in the fulness of his offices as impartially, and extenfively, as the aged father, and the lowest degree of faith, as falvifically, as the strongest believer: for grace in the smallest degree, as it is the effect of regeneration; and

the lowest degree of faith, as it is an act of the living foul, indicates fuch a divine work begun from the mere good pleasure of God, as his word and promife (humbly be it spoken,) will engage. him to perform.

In thefe few particulars, you may perceive my defign was, to point out and defcribe, not the young man, or the father in Christ, but the babe, in order to ftrengthen the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees; for if there be any good and folid ground, for these to build their hopes upon; the cafe of those who are more grown in grace, are more ftrong in faith, and who abound much in love, is lefs difficult to speak to, and their condition more comfortable, though not more fafe.

Since therefore falvation is most certainly fecured by Christ, and that a falvation most ineftimable and glorious, and that even babes in him are not excluded from the fulness thereof; I fhall conclude the subject with advice, ift. To babes in Chrift, or to the weakeft in faith. 2d. To the young man in Chrift, or thofe more ftrong in the faith. 3dly. To the fathers in Chrift, or fuch as are stablished, strengthened, settled.

ift. To you whofe condition I have been labouring to defcribe, and whofe confolation is, what I principally aim; permit me to address you in the angel's word to Mary, "Hail, highly favoured "are ye, bleffed among men, bleffed among wo"men, for the Lord hath bleffed you, and ye "fhall be bleft. Ye are poor in fpirit, and the

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kingdom of heaven is yours;" ye mourn under a deep fenfe of fin, "bleffed are ye, for ye fhall "be comforted," with a more clear and full dif

covery of the loving-kindness of the Lord unto you here, and an everlasting fruition of him hereafter. This is a comfortable truth, I would have you often meditate upon, that being children of God, although but new-born babes, ye are really and truly heirs; heirs of God, and joint heirs with Chrift. The king's fon is as much a prince when lying in his cradle, and fretting and fuming with childish difquietudes, and as truly an heir to the crown and dignity of his father, as when he rides in the royal chariot with all the diftinguishing marks of majesty, and engages the attention of the applauding throng. You rob and deprive yourself of the happiness you are heirs of, and of the comforts to which you are entitled by your fecond birth, by not fettling the perfuafion of your condition in your heart; and because at prefent you are not kings poffeffed of all power and glory, ye refuse to rejoice in the privileges and bleffings of being the king's fon. You now labour under many trials and difficulties, and are exercised with various and fore temptations; but call to mind the peaceful, blissful state that is referved for you, reserved in heaven, even an inheritance incorruptible, undefiled, and that fadeth not away; there the wicked ceafe from troubling, and the weary are at reft; no temptation, nor trial shall moleft you there, no doubts, no fears, no unbelief, or hardnefs of heart, fhall grieve your peaceful fouls; but Jefus whom ye now fo much defire, will feed you with his love, enkindle heavenly raptures in your hearts, by the fmiles of his bleffed face, and ye fhall be with him for ever and ever.

Again, while you are fojourning here below as

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