CONTENTS.

ESSAY ON JUSTIFICATION.

LETTER to the Rev. JAMES HERVEY,

An ESSAY on the connection between the doctrine of Justi-

fication by the imputed righteousness of Christ and Holi-

ness of Life,

TREATISE ON REGENERATION.

INTRODUCTION,

CHAP. I.

Page

21

. 25

89

Some general observations on the metaphor

used by the apostle John, Except a man be born again ;`

and the same or similar expressions to be found in other

parts of the word of God,

SECT. I. From this expression, Except a man be born again,

he cannot see the kingdom of God, we may learn the great-

ness of that change which must pass upon every child of

Adam, before he can become an heir of life,

SECT. II. This expression, Except a man be born again,

and other similar expressions, imply that the change

here intended is not merely partial, but universal,

SECT. III. From these words, Except a man be born again,

he cannot see the kingdom of God, and other similar ex-

pressions in the holy Scriptures, we may infer that the

change here intended is not merely external and imper-

fect, but inward, essential, and complete,

97

98

104

113

SECT. IV. From this metaphor, Except a man be born again,

he cannot see the kingdom of God, and other parallel ex-

pressions in the holy Scriptures, we may learn that the

change here intended is supernatural,

Page

142

CHAP. II. Wherein this change doth properly and directly

consist, and what are its principal evidences and fruits,

154

SECT. I. Wherein the change in regeneration doth pro-

perly and directly consist,

ib.

SECT. II. The second part of this change,

161

SECT. III. The effects of regeneration, with some of the

principal evidences of its sincerity,

SECT. IV. A more particular inquiry into what properly

constitutes the sincerity of the change,

171

189

CHAP. III. Of the steps by which this change is accom-

plished,

211

SECT. I. There must be a discovery of the real nature of

God,

214

SECT. II. There must be a discovery of the infinite glory

of God,

225

SECT. III. There must be a conviction of sin and danger, 236

SECT. IV. Of the degree of sorrow for sin in true penitents, 249

SECT. V. Acceptance of salvation through the cross of

SECT. VI. How the believer recovers peace of conscience, 273

SECT. VII. How the Christian is governed in his daily

conversation,

CONCLUSION, .

281

288

AN

ESSAY

ON THE

CONNECTION

BETWEEN THE

DOCTRINE OF JUSTIFICATION

BY THE

IMPUTED RIGHTEOUSNESS OF CHRIST

AND

HOLINESS OF LIFE.

TO THE

REV. JAMES HERVEY.

SIR,

WHEN Christ our Saviour was about to go to his Father, he told his disciples, "If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own; but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you." I am persuaded that by this he did not only intend to forewarn the twelve of the offence which that generation would take at the ignominy of the cross, but also to intimate that the case would be the same in all ages; that his doctrine would meet with great resistance and opposition; and that the temper and character of his real disciples would be very different from the spirit that would generally prevail in the world. This hath been continually verified in experience. For as many in the highest stations, and of highest repute for wisdom in the world, did set themselves against the Gospel at its first publication, so even where there is a nominal profession of it, there is still an