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love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ."

We need be at no loss concerning the leading idea communicated in these passages. Under whatever circumstances men are regenerated, nothing can be plainer, than that the work is performed by the Spirit of God. He claims the honor of it, as being the efficient agent. It is by his special influences that men are brought to submit themselves to God, and to become his willing and obedient people.

III. God is pleased to make use of divine truth in performing this work of

grace.

Such is the fact as represented in the sacred Scriptures. "For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth.”—“ For after that, in the wisdom of God, the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God, by the foolishness of preaching, to save them that believe." "Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth." God also employs the agency of men in presenting truth to the mind, and enforcing it upon the conscience; and hence the work is sometimes ascribed to human influence, in this subordinate sense. Paul could say to the Corinthian Christians, "For though ye have ten thousand instructers in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the Gospel."

It appears, then, that the gospel of Christ, including the whole system of revealed truth, is the appointed means of the conversion and salvation of men. As far as we are capable of ascertaining, it is only in connection with divine truth that God is pleased to bring men "out of darkness into his marvellous light." Whatever God may do in the exercise of his wise sovereignty in regenerating individuals who are ignorant of the gospel of Christ, yet we have no knowledge of his performing this work except in connection with his own appointed means.

And we can readily perceive the important influence which divine truth is calculated to exert in connection with this work of the Spirit. It is in view of the truth, clearly presented to the minds of sinners, that they perceive their guilt and ruin; and thus the way is prepared for those operations of the Spirit by which men are "renewed in knowledge after the image of Him that created them." It is in view of divine truth that men perceive the obligations under which they are laid to holy obedience, and the whole array of motives by which they are urged to return to God, and consecrate themselves to his service.

And, besides this, a knowledge of the truth is essential to the exercise of the Christian graces. Whatever may be the work of the Spirit on the heart, it is difficult to conceive how a man can actually love God, unless he has some knowledge of God's character. Without a knowledge of duty and of guilt, it is not seen how there can be any repentance for sin; or how there can be any faith in the Savior without some knowledge of the Savior. Hence we can perceive that an important use is made of divine truth, in connection

with the whole work of the Spirit, in convicting, and converting, and sanctifying men. It is in view of the truth that he excites in their hearts love to God, repentance for sin, and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. And without some knowledge of the truth, it is not seen how they could exercise these holy affections.

IV. Besides the use that is made of divine truth, in the performance of this great work, the Bible evidently speaks of an additional influence on the part of the Holy Spirit in regenerating men. It speaks of an influence on the heart, over and above that which consists in presenting and urging truth upon the conscience.

In proof of such an influence, let us examine a few passages of Scripture. The text seems to be very explicit and conclusive on this point: "Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean; from all your filthiness and from all your idols will I cleanse you. A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you; and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them." Previous to this, the people had enjoyed the means of religious instruction. They were taught their duty, and their guilt as transgressors, and were warned of their danger. Means and motives were employed to reclaim them from sin and induce them to become holy and obedient. And God had granted them his Spirit, to strive with them; but they uniformly resisted the Holy Ghost, and all the means and motives which had been employed to bring them to repentance. But, at the time here alluded to, God would exert a special and additional influence-a direct and supernatural influence, on them, which would secure their obedience. The reason why they had hitherto resisted the motives to holiness was, they had no love to God in their hearts -no regard for his authority and honor. They took no delight in serving him; they felt no interest in pleasing and honoring him. They were completely under the control of a selfish regard to their own interest and happiness, and supremely bent on the love and pursuit of forbidden objects. And while this state of mind continued, they would revolt more and more, in spite of all the motives placed before them. Now, in order to secure their return to God, and their continuance in the way of holiness, God promises in the text, "A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you; and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments and do them."

Whatever may be understood by this new heart and new spirit,whether it means right exercises of the will, or a principle of holy love as the foundation of such exercises, still the influence which is here spoken of seems to be totally distinct and different from the mere influence of means and motives. The idea seems to be, not merely that God will persuade them, by the influence of motives, to be obedient and holy, but that God will give, or impart, a new heart

and a new spirit. According to the plain, obvious meaning of language, this can be nothing less than a direct influence on the mind. It is a special influence, over and above the mere influence of motives, however plainly presented to the mind, and however forcibly urged upon the conscience. It is a supernatural influence, something beyond the stated operations of divine power through the medium of second causes. It is an influence exerted directly on the source of the evil which is to be remedied. God gives a new heart and a new spirit; and the consequence is, that a new direction is given to all the powers and faculties of the mind, and there is no longer an inclination to resist the motives to holy obedience, which had been previously exhibited in vain.

Another passage particularly worthy of notice is found in Deut. xxix., commencing with the second verse: "And Moses called unto all Israel, and said unto them, Ye have seen all that the Lord did before your eyes, in the land of Egypt, unto Pharaoh, and unto all' his servants, and unto all his land; the great temptations which thine eyes have seen, the signs, and those great miracles; yet the Lord hath not given you an heart to perceive, and eyes to see, and ears to hear, unto this day." Moses was lamenting the fact, that so many of that generation had failed of being spiritually and savingly benefited by all the kindness which God had shown them. The motives to holiness had been placed before them in the most striking and impressive manner. The whole series of events which they had witnessed in Egypt, and at the Red Sea, and in the wilderness, was calculated to awaken their attention to spiritual concerns, to remind them of their obligations to God, and to convince them that it was for their highest interest to become his willing and obedient people. Why, then, did they not become obedient and holy? The answer probably will be, it was because of the wickedness and obstinacy of their hearts. Still the question returns, why was it, that, under the influence of the most powerful means and motives, when they saw the power and mercy of God in their deliverance from Egypt, and the terrible effects of God's wrath in the overthrow of their enemies; when they witnessed the awful displays of the Divine majesty on Mount Sinai; when they saw God's vengeance executed upon their rebellious fathers and brethren in the wilderness, while they themselves experienced his preserving and protecting care over them, defending them from their enemies, feeding them with the bread of heaven, and supplying them with water from the stream which followed them through all their journeyings in the desert; when they were so fully instructed in their duty and in the things which belonged to their peace;-why was it that the obstinacy of their hearts was not subdued,-why was it that they were not persuaded to be obedient and holy? "Yet the Lord hath not given you an heart to perceive, and eyes to see, and ears to hear, unto this day." He had employed means and motives till it was manifest that this kind of influence was wholly ineffectual to reclaim them. But he had not exerted that direct special

influence on their hearts, which would secure their obedience,-he had not given them an heart to perceive.

See, also, Acts xvi. 14: "And a certain woman, named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard us; whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul." Nothing can be more manifest, from the natural import of the language here used, than that the influence which was exerted on Lydia was a direct influence on her heart. The change which was wrought in her consisted in opening her heart; and this change is ascribed directly and immediately to God. The form of expression and the connection of thought seem absolutely to exclude the supposition that the work was performed merely by the instrumentality of truth, operating as a motive in persuading her to open her heart to receive and obey the Gospel. Her heart was opened under the preaching of the Gospel, and in connection with the exhibition of divine truth; but, so far from its being done simply by the truth as a second or instrumental cause, it seems to have been done preparatory to her attending to the things which were spoken by Paul,-preparatory to her receiving the truth, and her being brought under its holy and genuine influence. It was in consequence of her heart being opened by the Lord, that she attended to what was spoken, so as to be benefited.

Another passage is found in Rom. v. 5: "And hope maketh not ashamed, because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost, which is given unto us." This language most clearly denotes an immediate and direct operation of the Spirit on the heart. It seems to imply necessarily that this love is produced in the heart, or communicated to the heart, by a direct influence of the Holy Ghost. To say that there can be no exercise of love without some knowledge of the truth, is doubtless correct. But to infer from this that love is excited in the heart of an unrenewed sinner simply by means of the truth, is an inference which the premises do not warrant, and which is at variance with the plain and obvious import of the language here employed. Doubtless, there can be no actual love to God without a knowledge of his character, so that it is proper to say that this love is exercised in view of the truth, and only in view of the truth. And hence the importance of understanding and believing the truth. But the truth may be known and felt by the sinner without being loved and obeyed by him. He may have a correct view of God's character, and yet remain an enemy to God. According to the language of the apostle, when this enmity is changed to love, it is done by the agency of the Holy Ghost, shedding abroad the love of God in the heart.

There are many other passages which speak of this direct influence on the heart, which it is needless now to mention.

The general argument, as drawn from this source, is briefly this. The Bible teaches us that God employs various means with sinners to reclaim them from sin, and bring them back to the paths of obe. dience. He instructs them, and warns them, and invites them.

He places before them the most solemn considerations of duty and interest, to persuade them to be reconciled to him. But all this influence has ever proved ineffectual to bring men to repentance. Over and above this influence, in addition to all the means and motives which are employed with men, God is pleased by his own act to open the heart to the reception of the truth. He is pleased to give a new heart and a new spirit, to put his Spirit within them, and thus cause them to walk in his statutes. He actually sheds abroad his love in their hearts, by the Holy Ghost, which is given unto them. This influence is very properly styled direct, and special, and supernatural. It is not exerted without the truth, or in the absence of the truth; but always, as far as we can judge, in connection with the truth, and in view of the truth. At the same time, it is an influence which is exerted in addition to all the influence exerted through the instrumentality of the truth. Besides presenting the truth, and enforcing it on the mind and conscience, the Holy Ghost takes away the stony heart, and gives an heart of flesh. The Bible makes a plain and palpable distinction between exhibiting light, and giving eyes to see,-between employing the means of instruction and persuasion, and giving a new heart and a new spirit. The former is necessary, according to the established order of divine operation; but without the latter, none are ever converted to God.

The conclusion to which these remarks necessarily conduct us may be supposed, by some, to be attended with serious, and even insurmountable, difficulties. It may be important, therefore, to make a few remarks with particular reference to these difficulties.

1. There is nothing in this kind of influence which the Bible ascribes to the Holy Spirit in regenerating the sinner, that is unphilosophical, or inconsistent with the laws of moral agency.

The doctrine of the Bible is, that God exerts a direct influence on the mind, changing it from a state of rebellion to a state of submission. But it is objected to this, that we cannot conceive how mind can be moved by such an influence. Neither can we conceive whence the wind cometh, and whither it goeth. Most evidently, our ignorance cannot furnish a valid objection to the testimony of God.

Another objection is, that there is no other way than that of the instrumentality of motives for men to exert an influence upon each other. But admitting this to be the fact, does it prove that there is no other way in which God can exert an influence upon them? The premises do not warrant any such conclusion. For aught we know, God may act upon men in a way very different from what they are capable of acting upon each other. And we know that in some instances this is the fact. There is no way in which men can communicate their thoughts to each other but through the medium of the senses. There is no other way in which they can have access to each other's minds. But God has access directly and immediately to their minds, aside from the instrumentality or medium of their senses, as in the case of inspiration. In communicating ideas to their minds by inspiration, or immediate suggestion, there

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