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the vanity of worldly enjoyments of every kind; and a persuasion that the favour and enjoyment of God is infinitely superior to them all. Whatever other differences there may be, this will be found in every child of God, from the highest to the lowest, from the richest to the poorest, from the wisest to the most ignorant, and from the oldest to the youngest. Every such one will be able to say with the Psalmist, "There be many that say, Who will show us any good? Lord, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us. Thou hast put gladness in my. heart, more than in the time that their corn and their wine increased. I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep; for thou, Lord, only makest me dwell in safety."

I shall afterwards have occasion more fully to explain the comparative influence of this desire; but before I conclude this section, must make the two following remarks: 1. That the favour of God must appear to the believer as absolutely necessary to his comfort. 2. As full and sufficient for that purpose.

1. He that is born again considers the favour of God as absolutely necessary to his comfort. He sees the emptiness and inherent vanity of all things else. Even when the world smiles, even when things succeed with him to his wish, he will not rest satisfied with any, or all temporal mercies. He will, above all, desire an interest in that love which God beareth to his chosen people, a right by promise or covenant to the use of present comforts, and the favour and protection of his special providence. How contrary this to the temper of many, who have a name to live while they are dead! If the world

smiles, they follow it with eagerness, and embrace it with complacency, while they are cold and indifferent in their desires towards God. Perhaps when they are distressed with outward calamities, when experience constrains them to confess the vanity of the creature, they cry to God for relief. But when ease and prosperity return, they soon forget his works, are well pleased with their condition, and neither grieve for his absence, nor are afraid of his anger. This shows plainly, that whatever occasional symptoms they may discover, they are supremely and habitually possessed by a love of the world, and desire of sensual gratification. In opposition to this, every real Christian sees the favour of God to be so absolutely necessary that he cannot be without it. He sees it to be more necessary than riches, honours, or pleasures, nay, than health or even life itself; all which he values chiefly as they are the fruits of the divine bounty, as tokens of divine love, and as they afford him an opportunity of promoting the divine glory. He is ready to say with the Psalmist, "Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is

none upon earth that I desire besides thee. My flesh and my heart faileth, but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever."

2. He that is born again considers the favour of God as full and sufficient for his comfort and happiness. That is to say, he is habitually satisfied with this as his portion, whether there be abundance or straitness as to outward provision. He counts the favour of God as absolutely necessary, but nothing else is considered as such. No earthly enjoyments can satisfy him without God's favour; but this will

satisfy him, be his outward condition what it will. I am far from meaning to affirm, that every good man is free from the least rising murmur, the least impatient or rebellious thought. If it were so with any man, he would be perfect in holiness: but I mean to signify that this is his habitual and prevailing temper. He is inwardly convinced that those alone are happy, and that they are and shall be completely happy, who are reconciled to God, and the objects of his special love. His own remaining attachment to present things, and immoderate sorrow under outward calamity, he sincerely laments as his weakness, and humbly confesses as his sin. He endeavours to supply the void left by every earthly comfort, when it is withdrawn, by the fulness and all-sufficiency of God. He possesses in some measure, and breathes after more and more of the temper expressed in the two following passages of Scripture: "Although my house be not so with God, yet he hath made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things, and sure; for this is all my salvation, and all my desire. -Although the fig-tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: yet will I rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation."

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Thus I have endeavoured to point out wherein the change in regeneration doth immediately and properly consist. It is just the recovery of the moral image of God upon the heart; that is to say, to love him supremely and serve him ultimately as our highest end; and to delight in him superlatively as our

chief good. This recovery, however, is but begun on earth; it is gradually improved in the progress of sanctification, and shall be fully completed at the resurrection of the just. The sum of the moral law is to love the Lord our God with all our heart, and soul, and strength, and mind. This is the duty of every rational creature; and in order to obey it perfectly, no part of our inward affection or actual service ought to be at any time, or in the least degree, misapplied. This is the case with no mere man while he continues in the body. But regeneration consists in the principle being implanted, obtaining the ascendency, and habitually prevailing over its opposite. Even in those who are born again, there will still be many struggles between the "law of sin in their members," and the "law of God in their minds." This we find deeply lamented by the apostle Paul: "O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death ?" It ought to give unspeakable consolation to the Christian, when he reflects that the seed which is planted by divine grace shall be preserved by divine power. A gracious God will neither suffer it to be smothered by contending weeds, nor destroyed by the inclemency of this tempestuous climate, till it be transplanted into the milder regions of peace and serenity above.

SECTION III. The effects of regeneration, with some of the principal evidences of its sincerity.

In the further prosecution of this head, I proposed to mention some of the principal evidences and fruits

of a saving change. These, no doubt, it were easy, with sufficient propriety, greatly to extend and enlarge, because they include all the marks and signs of real religion, suited to every character and every situation in which a Christian can be placed. The heart being renewed, the life will of necessity be reformed; and holiness in all manner of conversation, including the duties of piety towards God, and justice and charity towards men, will be its native and genuine effect. But this would be too wide and general a field. I find most writers on this subject take particular notice of the new views and apprehensions which the regenerate person hath of himself, and every other thing or person to which he stands related. I shall therefore very shortly observe, He who is born again discovers his new nature and life by new apprehensions of God-of himself-of the world of eternity-of Jesus Christ the Saviour of sinners-and of all the ordinances of his appoint

ment.

The regenerate person has new views of God, both in respect of greatness and goodness. He really and inwardly believes the being, presence, Fower, and providence of God, which he in a great measure misbelieved before. Whereas formerly,

even what he did believe of God was seldom in his thoughts; now it is almost impossible for him to look upon any thing, or person, or event, without considering its relation to God. O what terrible majesty does his sanctified understanding perceive in this Being of beings, compared to the times of his former blindness! What a lustre and glory does the opened eye see in all the divine perfections! Above all,

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