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be coincident or revolting to his humour, his disposition, and his temporal interests.

taste, and render us alive to pleasures more worthy of the excellence of the soul.

good.

Christian religion are altogether above the sphere of the human understanding, and which our reason would never have discovered, 3. An unregenerate man has no taste but though it had been perfectly exempted from for the pleasures of the age. But this princierror and prejudice. Such are all those that ple is incompatible with the principles of our relate to the means God has chosen for the re-religion, which is designated to purify our demption of the human kind. God alone could reveal those, because none but God could know what he had chosen. This is the 4. An unregenerate man founds his hopes doctrine of all the sacred authors; it is par- on second causes; on the favour of the great, ticularly that of St. Paul, in the second chap-on the course of the winds, on the fertility of ter of his first Epistle to the Corinthians. fields, on the prosperity of trade. But these "The wisdom that we preach," he says, "is principles are incompatible with the design of not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes our holy religion, which prompts us to found of this world:" (by the princes of this world I our hopes solely on the Divine favour, and elehere understand doctors of the first rank, whe-vate the soul above dependence on all created ther they were Rabbins, which in Hebrew means masters, or whether princes imports philosophers,) "but we speak the hidden wisdom of God in a mystery;" that is, hidden. Why is this the wisdom of God? Why is it a mystery? Because none but the God who had formed it could have discovered it, and no man could reason out those things by the efforts of his own understanding. The apostle adds, these are the things, "that eye hath not seen, nor ear heard; neither have entered into the heart of man, the things that God hath prepared for them that love him:" that is to say, these are plans of God's sovereign pleasure, in favour of the faithful. Now, the plans which God had formed by his sovereign pleasure, the "things which had not entered into the heart of man, God hath revealed to us by his Spirit; by the Spirit which searcheth the deep things of God," and most impenetrable to man; as the mind of man is conscious of its own designs, and most impenetrable to others. "For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him; even so, the things of God knoweth no man save the Spirit of God."

The design of the gospel with regard to truths of the second order has been to substitute authority for reason, to substitute the decisions of Jesus Christ for the natural weakness of man, who is inadequate to discover these things. One cannot therefore be a Christian unless one bow down to divine authority. By consequence, to be a Christian one must be born again, and change our ideas; hence the religion of the unregenerate, and that of a Christian are not only different, but incompatible.

What we have said on the change of ideas we equally affirm with regard to the other changes, in which we have made the nature of regeneration to consist: but the limits of our time, and the importance of the subjects, which remain for discussion, prevent our proving it in all its extent.

2. An unregenerate man follows his own will, and admits no rule of conduct, but that of his passions. He becomes attached to virtue, when it may happen to be in unison with his humour, with his disposition, with his worldly interests. But these principles are wholly incompatible with those of a Christian, who has vowed, on embracing Christianity, to renounce his own will, and to acknowledge no rule of conduct but the laws of Christ; and to become attached to holiness, whether it may

5. An unregenerate man forms projects of terrestrial happiness. He says, as the worldlings in the 4th Psalm, Who will make "our corn and wine to increase?" Who will augment our revenues? Who will amplify our fortunes? Who will give us the lustre of a name, and the glare of reputation? Who will gratify this mad ambition which absorbs the soul, and prompts us to trample on our species, and look on men who have, in common with ourselves, the same Creator, the same faculties, the same grandeur, and the same baseness, as diminutive worms unworthy of our regards. But these principles are incompatible with our holy religion, whose grand design is to inspire us with the sentiments of confiding in God alone the care of our happiness, how difficult soever the road may appear in which he calls us to walk.

II. We have proved from the nature of our holy religion that to be a Christian, we must be born again; let us now prove it by what is requisite for the happiness of man; let us prove, that God in giving us a religion which appeared so rigorous, has not acted as a tyrant, but as a lenient legislator, and a compassionate Father, whose sole design was to provide for the wants of his creatures. This appears at first insupportable. It seems that the love of God would have shone in the gospel with quite a different lustre had it been his pleasure to exercise over us a sovereignty less despotic; had he left us the uncontrolled disposal of our faculties, and had he been mindful to dispense with those renovations which cost so much to the flesh. I am confident, however, of demonstrating to you, that had God relaxed any part of this pretended rigour, he must have retrenched it from your happiness.

The happiness of man demands that religion should effectuate a change in his ideas in the sense already explained; the happiness of man demands that Jesus Christ himself should condescend to exercise a sovereign control over our reason, and himself decide whatever we ought to believe on the subject of religion. To the proof of this we now proceed.

One of the most dangerous, and at the same time the most cruel, dispositions of the mind, is to revoke in doubt the fundamental truths of religion. Assuredly this is one of the most dangerous, for that doubt plunges us into one abyss after another. The speculative truths of religion are the basis on which the practical are supported. The basis of this practical

truth, that we must detest injustice, is a belief that there is a God who detests it. If you hesitate with regard to the speculative truth, that there is a God who detests injustice, you will hesitate with regard to the practical truth, that we ought to detest injustice.-The foundation of this practical truth, that we ought not to love the world, devolves on the speculative truth, that the friendship of this world draws down the enmity of God. If then you should hesitate with regard to the speculative truth, that the friendship of this world attracts the enmity of God, you would hesitate with regard to the practical truth that we ought not to love the world, Jam. iv. 4.

But it is equally cruel as dangerous, to cherish doubts with regard to the fundamental doctrines of religion. You do not feel the cruelty of this disposition, now that you have a little health, a little strength, and a share of prosperity; you consider the game of life which you play, as the most important subject that can occupy your mind: but when you shall enter into yourselves; when you shall extend your views beyond your senses, and the confined circle of surrounding objects; ah! when you shall arrive at the period in which the world shall present nothing but a scene about to vanish away; Oh! my God! how cruel will those doubts then appear! when you shall be unable to satisfy your mind on those most important inquiries. Am I only a material substance, or is this material substance united to a spiritual substance? Will this spiritual substance to which my body is united be involved in its dissolution, or will it rise above its ruins? Is the religion to which I have adhered, the religion of Jesus Christ, or is it the religion of anti-christ?

But is it possible for one to avoid a disposition so dangerous and cruel when one has no other guide in the theory of religion than one's own ideas? I know that all men have propensities to religion on coming into the world; I know that "the gentiles who have not the law, are a law unto themselves." But after having seriously meditated on the confined limits of my understanding, on the force of my prejudices, on the rashness of my decisions, and on so many other truths which induce me to distrust myself: when after having been profoundly engaged in these reflections, I find myself called upon to determine by my own light on the grand question of religion; when I transport myself into the midst of all those systems to which the imagination of men has given birth; when I find myself called upon to dissipate all those chaoses, to develope all those sophisms, and take a decided part among so many controversies, and learned characters; when I find myself, as before stated, left to determine by my own efforts whether the soul be immortal, whether there be a Providence; and especially when I say to myself, that on the manner in which I shall determine these questions my everlasting happiness or misery depends, that to deceive myself is to destroy myself, and that there can scarcely be a mistake on these grand points which may not be fatal; I frankly avow that I fall under the weight, and that the terror only excited by the magnitude of the task imposed, deprives me of the courage of

undertaking it, and reduces me to an incapa bility of discharging it.

In this state Jesus Christ extends to me his hand. I find a religion which demonstrates its divine authority by proofs so adapted to my capacity, that a serious attention, aided by a moderate capacity, suffices to perceive its force. I find a religion which guides me to eternal life. I understand this truth which decides on all the propositions, on whose account I had doubts so cruel and dangerous: this truth substitutes, if one may so speak, the Spirit of God for the knowledge of man; it requires that truths so important, which have so great an influence on my happiness, shall not be decided by the wisdom of man, but by the spirit and wisdom of God. Let us acknowledge it, my brethren, let us acknowledge that there is nothing more assortable to the wants of man than a religion formed on this plan; there is nothing we can more desire than the like tribunal; and there is nothing more advantageous than an entire submission to its decisions.

But if the happiness of man demand that religion should require a change of his ideas in the sense we have explained, it equally requires that he should change the objects of his pur suits. What men could wish, as most advan tageous, is, that Jesus Christ should condescend to leave to themselves the sole care of their happiness. Two considerations withhold our assent to this notion. The first is, that we are not sufficiently aware of our ignorance when we form imaginary schemes of happiness; the second is, that we have no idea of the manner in which the Saviour loves, nor in what respects he really loves mankind.

1. Let us acknowledge our ignorance with regard to the schemes of happiness. Do we really know in what true happiness consists? we who do not know ourselves; we who do not know to what extent the faculties of the soul may be improved; we who know not of what operations an intelligent being is capable who has ideas but of two or three substances, and who wants information to know, whether there are ten thousand substances besides those we know; we who have had but perception of a few sensations, and who could not form any sort of notions of an infinity of others; of whose attainment our souls are susceptible? Do we really know in what happiness consists? We, who resemble those clowns who have never gone beyond their village or hamlet, and who affect to judge of politeness, of high life, of courtly airs, of polished manners, of real grandeur, conformably to the ideas formed of them in those hamlets and villages? Do we know in what true happiness consists? We, who have never gone from the little spot of the universe where the Creator placed, but not confined us; we, who have never joined the choirs of angels, of archangels, of cherubim, of seraphim? We, who have never been in the heavenly city of God, in the Jerusalem from above, where the Divinity discovers the most glorious marks of his presence, receives the adorations of the myriads who serve him, and are continually in his presence? Do we know in what true happiness consists? We, whose taste is spoiled by intercourse with corruptible beings, with the avaricious, who think to be

happy by making their heaps of gold and silver; ferred upon us the pleasures of eternity reserv with the impure, who think that happiness con- ed for virtue, could he not in this case bave sists in impudence, and in violating the bound-made a better provision for the happiness of aries of modesty; with the vain and haughty, man? That is to say, that because you have who think that to be happy one must be able obstinately adhered to your sins, you would to trace a pedigree with kings and princes in have God cease to be just; that is to say, bethe line of our ancestors; and that a connexion cause you have refused to be holy, you would with worms of earth, with dust, with those have the Holy One become an accomplice in phantoms of grandeur, can make us truly your crimes; to say all in a word, because you great-Do we know in what true happiness would not change your corrupt nature, you consists? No, Lord, if thou should this day would have him cease to be holy, who is all place my destiny in my own choice; if thou pure, all holy; I would say, purity and holishould bid me form for myself whatever kindness itself. For I do contend, that when the of happiness I should please; if thou should place before me the whole scale of grandeur and glory, leaving me at full liberty to take whatever portion I might please, I would entreat thee still to let me retain those bonds with which I willingly fettered myself on embracing religion; I would address to thee the most ardent prayers, not to leave my felicity in hands so bad as mine, and that thou alone should be the dispenser of my happiness.

degree of indulgence which God has extended to sinners in the gospel, is fully viewed, he could not have extended it farther, without laying aside his perfections. This is what was understood when we indicated the necessity of regeneration for our third head, as founded on the attributes of God. This part demands our serious attention. I will therefore proceed to considerations of another kind, provided those among you who have formed the habit of thought and reflection, will deign to follow me in this short meditation.

III. The finest idea that we can form of the Divinity; and at the same time, that which is the foundation of the confidence we place in his word, and the assurance with which we rely on his promises, is that of a uniform Being, whose attributes have the exactest harmony, and who is always in perfect accordance with himself. The want of harmony is cha

finite intelligence; that when one of his attributes is opposed to another, or even at variance with itself; when his wisdom fails to second, or rather to support his power, in such sort, that though he has means to collect materials for building a town, yet he may want the talent of arrangement; or, though he may have the wisdom of arrangement, yet he may be destitute of power to collect the materials. It is the same in all like cases. This charac

2. But we should especially feel how salutary it is, that Jesus Christ should require us to renounce ourselves with regard to schemes of happiness, if we knew the greatness of his love to men. Yes, my brethren, if we fully knew this love, we should leave all to its decision. Venture, O my soul, on this ocean of love that thy Saviour expands in the gospel; lose thyself in the immensity of the love of God; make vigorous efforts to attain "to its length and breadth, its height and depth, which pass-racteristic of the greatest imperfection in a eth knowledge." Ŏ think of what thy Redeemer has done for thee. Think, that in the bosom of the Father, enjoying infinity of delights, he thought of thee. Think, that he has come to thee, that he has clothed himself with thy infirmities; that he has placed himself in the breach before the tribunal of his Father; that he has covered thee with his person that the arrows shot by celestial anger might not reach thee, but stick fast in himself alone; think that when enduring those tor-ter of imperfection, inseparable from all creatments which men and demons caused him to suffer, he sustained himself by the thought that his sufferings and death would render a creature happy who to him was unspeakably dear; think, that from the height of glory to which he was exalted after having finished the work the Father had given him to do, he cast his eyes on thee, makes thy salvation his grand concern, and tastes redoubled delights of felicity by the thought, that thou must become a joint-heir with him. Lose thyself in this most delightful, this ravishing thought, and see, see now whether there be any thing hard, any thing difficult, any thing which ought not to transport thee with joy in the conditions which thy Saviour imposes, of sacrificing to him thy imaginary schemes of happiness, and leaving thy condition wholly to his love.

Is it then, speaking absolutely, beyond the Divine omnipotence to harmonize our happiness with our concupiscence? If God had testified a greater lenity towards our defects than what he has revealed in the gospel; if he had deigned to receive us into favour with our errors, prejudices, our passions, our caprices; and if after we have indulged during life in the pleasures of the age, he would have con

ed intelligences, is the cause of all our disappointments whenever we have placed our confidence in an arm of flesh. "Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help. His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish. Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm." Ps. cxlvi. 3, 4; Jer. xvii. 5. Why so? Because we cannot safely trust a being unless he has the harmony of the perfections of which we have spoken, and because this harmony is never found in man. His power may be favourable to you; but his wisdom failing in the support of his power, he may make you miserable by the very means he employs to make you happy. His power also may not act in unison with his wisdom. Though he may today be adequate to your wants, he may not be so to-morrow. This man, this first of men, who lives to-day, may die to-morrow; the breath which animates him, may be gone; he may return to earth, and all his flattering designs to promote your happiness shall vanish away. But this harmony of attributes, which cannot be found in the creatures, may be found in the Creator.

This principle being established, I discover, my brethren, in the perfections of God a new source of reasons for the doctrines already advanced; and I ask, which of the two religions best represents the Divinity as a Being, whose attributes are exactly harmonized, and ever in perfect unison with himself? Is it the religion of the regenerate, or that of the unregenerate? When is it that the power of God is in perfect accordance with the wisdom of God? It is when his wisdom destines to a certain end, the things proper for that end, which his power has produced. This is the idea of the Divinity every where found in the religion of the regenerate. God has provided in the gospel whatever is requisite to make us holy; light, motives, examples, aids. These are the effects of his power. The things which his power has afforded, so proper to make us holy, he has connected with their destination. God requires that we should be holy; these are the effects of his wisdom. Here is the harmony of his wisdom with his power; while, on the contrary, in the religion of the unregenerate there exists not the smallest trace of harmony between his wisdom and his power. God confers upon us in the gospel every requisite to make us saints: here is an effect of his power: but if he should dispense with our being made holy, what would become of his wisdom?

When is it that the goodness of God accords with his justice? It is when the rights of his justice are not invaded by the effects of his goodness. This is the idea of the Divinity which is given by the religion of the regenerate. God saves sinners; here is the effect of his goodness: but it is on condition of their renouncing sin; here is the right of his justice. See now the harmony of justice and goodness. On the contrary, in the religion of the unregenerate there exists no harmony between goodness and justice. God saves sinners; here is the effect of his goodness: but should he dispense with their being saved from sin, what would become of his justice?

When does the justice of God appear to accord with his goodness? It is when testifying his love of order on one occasion, he evinces no indifference for order on another occasion. This is the idea of the religion of the regenerate! His love of order has appeared in the most striking manner in the satisfaction he has required of the Redeemer. This love is demonstrated by the conditions under which he proposes to rescue the fruits of his passion. On the contrary, in the religion of the unregenerate, there is not the slightest harmony between his justice and his goodness. He requires of the Redeemer a perfect satisfaction. Here is the effect of his love of order. If he put the redeemed in possession of the fruit of his passion, however rebellious their passions, however execrable their purposes, however notorious their ingratitude, where would be his love of order? where would be the harmony of his goodness with his justice?

Let us therefore conclude, that unless God should renounce his perfections, unless he should set one attribute at variance with another, and sometimes the same attribute at variance with itself, he cannot save hardened sinners, without changing his own nature;

without setting one of his perfections against another, and even the same perfection against itself. And if the same perfection of God be at variance with itself, if one perfection be in opposition to another, if God must renounce himself, if the perfect nature of the Divinity be liable to change, as is supposed by the system I now attack, how can we in future repose confidence in his word? How can we venture on his promises? Let a God imperfect and contradictory be once supposed, (and such he is in your system,) let it once be supposed, that he has said you may enter heaven without regeneration, and all faith in his word, and reliance on his promises must for ever cease.

Thus, what we pledged ourselves to prove, we have endeavoured to execute; that to be a Christian, we must be born again. But we fear lest a remark we made in our first discourse, and which was repeated at the beginning of this, should frustrate our expectation. The proposition of our Saviour "ye must be born again," we said, ought to be restricted; that the term ought not to be applied indifferently to all; that it regarded those only whose sins separate them from his table; that one must not confound the change Jesus Christ requires of a man who is not a Christian, but would embrace religion, with that which he requires of a weak Christian who recovers from his defects.

This remark, then, so requisite to illustrate the nature of regeneration, does it not enfeeble, in some of our minds, the necessity of the change we proposed to establish? The evasions of the heart are innumerable, and when the multitude of those Christians is considered to whom "our gospel is hid, because the god of this world hath blinded their mind," I fear lest many nominal Christians should reason in this way: at least, so far as to say, that what we enforce concerning the necessity of regeneration does not concern them. I belong to a Christian congregation, and though some farther reformation must yet be effectuated in my conduct, it is only such as Jesus Christ requires of the weak and wandering Christian; I am not the character which he requires to be born again. My brethren, if I have opened a breach, I must endeavour to heal it; if I have given occasion to false inferences, I must endeavour to correct them; if I have preached the necessity of regeneration in general, I must now preach it in particular, and as applicable to Nicodemus, to whom Jesus Christ spake; and in drawing the character of many of my hearers, and say to them as the Saviour said to Nicodemus, "marvel not that I said unto thee, ye must be born again; Verily, verily, I say unto thee, that except a man be born again, he cannot enter the kingdom of God."

What was the character of Nicodemus? Nicodemus was one of those men who temporize between Christ and the world; whose minds are sufficiently enlightened to know the truth, but who have not a sufficiency of courage to honour it, except it can be done without danger; who would indeed be saved, but who cannot find resolution to make all the sacrifices which salvation requires; who come to Christ, but they come by night; who are Christians in

judgment, but they dare not avow it to the Jews.

What was the idea which Jesus Christ formed of the real state of this ruler in Israel? What duties did he impose upon him? On what conditions did he receive him for a disciple? Did he regard him as already a Christian? Did he require merely the change which subsists in a weak and wavering Christian, or the change indispensable in one who is yet in a carnal state? Did he prescribe the merely superficial change, or require the transformation of a new birth? It is not you, my brethren, but the gospel, which gives the answers to these inquiries. Jesus Christ said to this doctor, to this man, who was a teacher from God, to this man whose mind was enlightened to know the truth, to this man who wished to be saved, who came to him, and who was a Christian in judgment; Jesus Christ said, "Except a man be born again he cannot enter the kingdom of God. Marvel not that I said unto thee, ye must be born again." I

But why did the Saviour address the ruler in so decided a manner? Because the ruler was a Christian in judgment, and would not be one in conduct; because this man came to him by night, and would not come by day; because this man wished to be saved, and would not make the sacrifices which salvation required; because this man was sufficiently enlightened to know the truth, and had not courage to avow the truth; and to say all in one word, because this man was a servant of God by profession, and at the same time a servant of the world; because such a man, according to the morality of Jesus Christ, cannot be a Christian; I would say, he cannot, conformably to the new covenant, be a member of the Christian church. "Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born again he cannot enter the kingdom of God. Marvel not that I said unto thee, ye must be born again. Art thou a master in Israel, and knowest not these things?"

APPLICATION.

Conclude then, my brethren; preach, and make yourselves the application of this discourse: see then to what end you pervert our doctrine, that one must not confound the change Jesus Christ requires in a man who has not yet embraced Christianity, with that he requires of a weak and inconstant believer! But ah! we must not abandon so important a conclusion to the caprice of man; it belongs to us to enforce it; it belongs to us to make its whole evidence, its whole propriety felt as much as is in our power; it belongs to us to unite our whole mind, and strength, and voice, to dissipate, if possible, so many evasions which the most part of us cease not to oppose to the decisions of eternal truth.

First, the whole of what we have said on the necessity of regeneration, has a direct bearing on you, the true disciples of Nicodemus; who, finding yourselves in similar circumstances, adopt a similar conduct; and unable to come to Jesus Christ by day without danger, venture to approach by night: you, whom we know not for the future how to determinate, because of certain feelings of com

passion we cannot eradicate, and which forbid the refusal of the appellation of brethren; but which a supineness of many years continuance, does not allow us to regard you as Christians. These incessant evasions; those procrastinations of making an open profession of religion; these complicated pretexts; these frivolous excuses; this obstinate resistance of the voice which cries, “Come out of Babylon, my people;” all these dispositions which give you so striking a resemblance to Nicodemus, and which give you so just a title to be called Nicodemites, do but too much justify the proposition addressed to the Rabbi, your hero, and your model, "Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born again, he cannot enter the kingdom of God." Verily I say unto you, if you do not abjure so monstrous a system of religion on which you form your conduct, if you continue to confound the communion of light with darkness, and Christ with Belial; if you persist in the wish to drink the cup of Christ, and the cup of devils; if you rally not under the banners of the reformation, and seek places where you may profess Christianity, verily I say unto you, that you cannot enter the kingdom of God; and that so far as you shall resemble Nicodemus, so far will the declaration of Christ affect you as Nicodemus.

But what is it I say, that you are like Nicodemus? Ah! your state is incomparably worse. What do I say, that the words of Christ regard you as they regarded Nicodemus? They regard you in a more serious manner. Nicodemus feared the Jews, but you have nothing to fear from them. Where are the barriers, where are the guards, where are the obstacles which hinder you from emigrating to a land of liberty? Where are the galleys? Where are the dungeons? Where are the fagots reserved for those only who bid defiance to them? Nicodemus neither built houses, nor formed establishments, nor married his children, in a country which his conscience pressed him to abandon: these are modes of conduct which seem reserved to you. Nicodemus had not promised, had not sworn on the august symbols of the body and blood of Christ, that he would decide for the true religion; but many of you have taken this solemn oath, and after having unworthily violated it, you sleep secure in carnal enjoyments. Nicodemus had not been exhorted for ten, for twenty, for thirty years, to come to a decision; but we have announced to you for ten, twenty, or thirty years, in the name of God, that "without are the fearful." "Whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.-Whosoever shall be ashamed of me, and of my words, before this adulterous and sinful generation, of him shall the Son of Man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father, and with his holy angels. If any man shall worship the beast and his image, or receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God; he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone; and the smoke of their torment shall ascend for ever and ever," Matt. x. 33; Mark viii. 38; Rev. xiv. 9-11.

Perhaps you will say, that we dwell too

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