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are passed away, and all things are become new." Thus it appears, that the holy Spirit, in regeneration, produces that pure, holy, disinterested love, which is the source of all holiness and obedience. Though there is no natural or necessary connexion between the first exercise of love, and all future exercises of grace; yet there is a constituted connexion, which renders future exercises of grace as certain, as if they flowed from a new nature, or holy principle, as many suppose. For those who maintain, that a new nature or principle of grace is given, in regeneration, still suppose, that the new nature or principle of grace is not always in exercise, and never produces any holy affections, without the special influence of the divine Spirit upon the heart. And if this were true, the certainty of a continuation of holy exercises, would be no greater, on the supposition of a new principle implanted in the mind, in regeneration, than on the supposition of the production of a new exercise of love. For love will no more flow from a principle of love, without a divine influence, than joy or peace, or any

other gracious exercise, will flow from love, without a divine influence. So that upon any supposition whatever, the continuance of grace, after regeneration, must ab. solutely depend upon a continued operation of the Spirit of God upon the mind of every one who has been regenerated. And this being the case, the production of love, in regeneration, must lay as solid and permanent foundation for a holy life, as the implantation of a new principle, disposition, or moral taste, could possibly lay. When the holy Spirit produces love in the soul, in which there was nothing but selfishness before, he effects an essential change in the heart, and forms the subject of grace after the moral image of God, and prepares him for the kingdom of

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heaven. And this is as great and as good a change as can be produced in the human heart.

IMPROVEMENT:

1. If the Spirit of God produces nothing but love in regeneration; then there is no ground for the distinction, which is often made between regeneration, conversion, and sanctification. They are, in nature and kind, precisely the same fruits of the Spirit. In regeneration, he produces holy exercises; in conversion, he produces holy exercises; and in sanctification, he produces holy exercises. Accordingly, the inspired writers use the terms regeneration, conversion, and sanctification, to denote the same holy and gracious affections, But systematick divines generally use them, to signify very different things. They use regeneration, to denote the Spirit's operation, in producing a new heart, or a new nature, or a new principle, which is prior to and the foundation of, all holy exercises. They use conversion, to signify the Spirit's operation, in producing love, repentance, and faith; which are implied in embracing the gospel. And they use sanctification, to signify the Spirit's operation in producing all future exercises of grace. But the Scripture makes no such distinction, between regeneration, conversion, and sanctification. The sacred writers use these terms indiscriminately, to denote not only the first, but the following effects, of the Spirit's operation upon the hearts of christians. They represent conversion and sanctification, as continued regeneration, and produced in the same manner, by a special, divine influence. Paul tells the Philippians, that he was confident, “that he who had begun a good work in them would perfornı it until the day of Jesus Christ.”. Upon this ground, he exhorts the same persons to work out their salvation with fear and trembling. “For, says he, it is God who worketh in you both to will and to do his good pleasure.” He expresses the same sentiment in his prayer for the Hebrews. “Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is well pleasing in his sight through Jesus Christ.” These passages perfectly accord with the language of the text and context. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance.” According to the whole tenor of Scripture, the Spirit of God produces all holy exercises in the hearts of saints. He first produces love, then repentance, then faith, and every other holy affection through life, until he has carried sanctification to perfection in the kingdom of glory. The terms regeneration, conversion, and sanctification, may be used, to denote the distinction of Order in the operations of the Spirit, but not to denote a distinction of Nature, or of Manner, in his gracious operations. He produces the same exercises of holiness, and in the same manner, in renewing, converting, and sanctifying the hearts of christians. So that there is not the least foundation in Scripture, reason, or experience, for the common distinction between regeneration, conversion, and sanctification.

2. If the Spirit of God in regeneration produces nothing but love; then men are no more passive in regeneration, than in conversion, or sanctification. Those who hold, that the divine Spirit, in regeneration, produces something prior to love, and the foundation of it; that is, a new nature, or new principle of holiness, maintain that men are passive in regenera

tion, but active in conversion and sanctification. And if the Spirit of God produces something beside love, in regeneration, and implants a new principle of action in the soul, it must be allowed, that men are really passive in regeneration, and active only in conversion and sanctification. But if what has been said, in this discourse, be true, there is no new nature, or principle of action, produced in regeneration, but only love, which is actively itself. The first fruit of the Spirit is love, and nothing besides, before, or different from love; and it is universally allowed, that men are active in exercising love to God or man. Accordingly, the Scripture requires men to be active in regeneration,conversion, and sanctification; for it requires them to be regenerated, to be converted, and to be sanctified, without suggesting the idea of passivity in respect to either of these duties. This will clearly appear from the express commands of God.

Hear his command in the tenth chapter of Deuteronomy. “Circumcise the foreskin of your heart, and be no more stiff-necked.” Hear his command in the fourth chapter of Jeremiah, Thus saith the Lord to the men of Judah and Jerusalem, Break up your fallow ground, and sow not

Circumcise yourselves to the Lord, and take away the foreskins of your hearts, ye men of Judah, and inhabitants of Jerusalem: Jest my fury come forth like fire, and burn that none can quench it.” Hear his command in the eighteenth chapter of Ezekiel. “Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed, and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die, O house of Israel?” In these commands, God requires men to be regenerated, upon pain of eternal death.

God commands men to be converted, as well as regenerated, or to become cordially reconciled to him.

among thorns,

By Isaiah he says, “Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.” By Ezekiel he says, “Turn ye, turn ye from your evil

, , ways: for why will ye die, O house of Israel?” By John the Baptist he says, “Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” By Christ he says, “The

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“ time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent ye, and believe the gospel.” By Peter he says, “Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out.” And Paul says, “Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, Be

ye reconciled to God.” These divine precepts expressly require men to be converted.

There are other commands of God, which as plainly and expressly require men to be sanctified, as to be regenerated and converted. Among many others, the following deserve particular attention. holy; for I am holy.” “Keep yourselves in the love of God.” “Grace in grace.” “Add to your faith vir- . tue, and to virtue knowledge, and to knowledge temperance, and to temperance patience, and to patience godliness, and to godliness brotherly-kindness, and to brotherly-kindness charity.” “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord; forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.”

Let these three classes of commands be critically examined and compared, and every one must see, that God as plainly and expressly requires men to be regenerated, as to be converted or sanctified. And if this be true, it necessarily follows, that men are no more passive in regeneration, than in conversion or

“Be ye