I WILL conclude with two or three reflections on the whole.

I. THE view we have had of this matter may ferve to teach us what it is to be led by the fpirit of God, which is fpoken of as a privilege common to all chriftians. It is not to be influenced and guided by any unaccountable impulfes, or immediate fuggeftions to the mind, of fome new truth not contained in divine revelation: or of particular texts or paffages of fcripture. But the chriftian is led by the fpirit of God, by the fpirit's dwelling in him as a principle of new life and action, begetting, maintaining and increafing a right tafte and temper of mind; and thus preparing and difpofing the heart to attend to and difcern the truths revealed in God's word, or exercise itself in a wife and holy manner, in a view and fenfe of the truths contained in divine revelation. This is all the leading and influence the chriftian wants from the fpirit of God. If he has a right taste and difpofition of heart to a fufficient degree, he will want nothing further from the imme. diate influences of the divine fpirit in order to be led into all truth, and know and do his duty in every branch of it..

II. WE may hence learn what perfons are to inquire after, in order to determine whether they are born of God or not, viz. What are the views and exercifes of their own hearts, and what influence and effect these have in practice. By this, my hear. ers, you are to determine whether you have the fpirit of God or not, even by confidering and finding out whether you have the difcerning and exercises in which converfion confifts; even all thofe holy exercifes by which men do first turn from fin to God; and believe on the name of Jefus Chrift, and in which

I.

ROM. viii, 14. GAL. v. 18.

which they perfevere in a holy life; which are in fcripture called the fruit of the fpirit.

THEREFORE, what has now been faid in the defcription of converfion, may be applied as matter of examination and trial, by all thofe who are defirous to know what their flate is, whether they are born of God, or not. They who are in any good degree engaged to get fatisfaction in this interefting point, have been hearing with felf application, in this view. And I recommend it to all ferioufly, and with impartiality to apply what has been faid, fo far as it appears to them to be agreeable to the word of God, to themselves by way of felf-examination. And may the Lord give us understanding and difcerning to determine this important queftion according to

truth!

AND have any of you good and fatisfying evidence that you are born of God? Give all the glory to his fovereign grace. And remember that this is but the beginning of fomething very great and glorious. "Think not that ye have already attained, or are already perfect but follow after, that you may apprehend that for which you are apprehended of Chrift Jefus. Forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto thofe which are before, prefs toward the mark, for the prize of the high calling of God in Chrift Jefus." "As new born babes defire the fincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby."

III. THEY who find themfelves in an unregenerate ftate may moft reasonably be concerned about themselves, in a view of the infinitely miferable condition they are in. Your cafe is fhockingly dreadful. There is nothing good or right in your hearts; but you are perfectly corrupt and wicked, devoted to that which is your destruction. And you are wholly to blame for all this, and therefore infinitely

guilty

ar

1

gullty and odious in God's fight, and most unworthy of the leaft pity and mercy from him: fo that you are eternally undone, unlefs God fhall exercife that' diftinguishing, fovereign grace towards you, which you have been always refufing and oppofing, and which he may moft justly refufe to grant.

SAY not within yourfelves, "We are utterly unable to help ourselves, we can do nothing towards our falvation: God muft do all. Why do you blame us? It fignifies nothing for us to take any pains about the matter. If God is pleafed to regenerate and fave us, he will do it in his own time. Why then do you call upon us, and givé us any trouble about the mätter ?" A's well may the man who has turned rebel against his fovereign, and by this means has undone himself; and is apprehended and condemned to the moft cruel torture and death, and exposed to be execu ted every hour; at the fame time the prince whom he has offended and injured, offers to pardon him, and put him into most happy circumstances, if he will only make his fubmiffion to him, and be willing to be his friend and fervant; and is fending perfons to treat with him about this matter, and urge him by all imaginable arguments and motives, to accept of the kind and advantageous offer: fo that all the dif ficulty of obtaining complete deliverance, is his difpofition to justify himfelf in his rebellion, and unwillingness to comply with the most reasonable and kind propofals: I fay, as well may such an one reply, "I cannot help myself, unless the prince give me a new heart, and incline me to accept of his offer, as well as make it to me, the propofal will do me no good. I am therefore, not to blame: I will not give myself the leaft trouble about it, let come what will." And as reasonably might a man use this language; who has fet his own houfe on fire, which is burning down over his head, and he fits easy and le

cure

cure in the midft of it, or is bufy in throwing oil into the flame, and increafing the fire, while he is called upon and urged to escape for his life.

It is your indifpenfable duty, your highest intere immediately to repent, believe on the name of the Lord Jefus Chrift, and give yourselves up to God: nothing can poffibly be the leaft excufe for your neglecting it one minute; you have all the opportunity and advantage you can defire; and motives are fet before you, which are, I may fay, infinitely weighty and forcible. And if divine, eternal vengeance fhould fall on your heads immediately, for the hardnefs of your hearts, and continued rebellion in these circumftances, God will be juft, and you moft juftly miferable forever. And how foon this will be your cafe you know not.

66

IT is certain this will come upon you foon, unless you wake up and attend to your cafe, and fly to the only refuge. "Cleanfe your hands, ye finners, and purify your hearts, ye double minded." Be af flified and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned into mourning, and your joy into heavinefs. Humble yourselves in the fight of the Lord, and he fhall lift you up. Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your fins may be blotted out. Believe on the name of the Lord Jefus Chrift, and ye fhall be faved."

AME N.

APPENDIX.

ས་

APPENDIX No. I.

As the doctrine of regeneration, as it has

S

been explained, has its foundation in the total depravity and corruption of man, in his fallen, unrenewed flate; and feeing many things that are faid, fuppofe this to be a truth, it may be proper here to produce fome of the evidence there is of this, which was omitted in the fermon, as time would not allow of a particular attention to it.

As true holiness confifts fummarily in difinterested, kind affection to other beings, God, and the creature; or in true love and benevolence to being in general fo, finfulness or corruption of heart fummarily confifts in the want of benevolence, and that which is directly oppofite to this, to wit, felfishness, or, as it is fometimes called, felf-love; by which a perfon regards and feeks his own private, separate interef, without any true difinterested regard to others. This felfishness is the root and effence of every thing finful and wrong in the heart. There. fore to be wholly without difinterested affection or benevolence, to others, and perfectly selfish, or altogether under the government of felf-love, in every exercise and action, is to be wholly corrupt,

ACCORDING to this ftate of the cafe, it appears that many who oppose the doctrine of the total depravity of man, and infift that all men are virtuous in fome degree, do, at the fame time really grant the thing they feem to oppofe; and even all they contend for to those whom they mean to confute for they allow that felf-love is the highest principle from which

men