Spirit on the souls of men intended in the writings of the New Testament, but only a reformation of life, then they must be allowed to be more obscure than any other writings whatsoever; as some have dared already_to publish to the world, concerning the epistles of Paul; but so long as we can obtain an acknowledgment from men that they are true, and in any sense the word of God, we doubt not to evince that the things intended in them are clearly and properly expressed.

Both regeneration and the doctrine of it were under the Old Testament. All the elect of God in their several generations were regenerated by the Spirit of God; but in that enlargement of truth and grace under the Gospel, which came by Jesus Christ, as more persons than of old were made partakers of it, so the nature of the work itself is far more clearly and distinctly revealed :—and because this is the great internal remedy of our diseased nature, which the Physician of Souls came to cure, one of the first things he preached was the doctrine of it. He laid bare the wound of our nature, and shewed the ruin it exposed us to, that we might know, and be thankful for its reparation. Hence no doctrine is more fully and plainly declared in the Gospel; and it is a sad fruit of the depravity of our nature, that against the full light and evidence of truth, this great and holy work is despised and opposed.

Secondly. Regeneration is the same work, for the kind of it, and wrought by the same power of the Spirit in all that are regenerate, or ever were, or shall be so, from the beginning to the end of the world. There is indeed great variety in the application of outward means employed in it; nor can the method used be re

* But what would our worthy author have said to the riper blasphemies and more consummate impudence of some in the present day? A dignitary of the church, when pressed hard with some arguments of the apostle Paul, is affirmed to have said, with no little warmth, "It had been better for the church if St. Paul had never written a line of his epistles." And a well-known philosophical divine has dared to charge our apostle with false and inconclusive reasoning! Should we now wonder if Jesus Christ himself should be charged with mistake, or even with sin? [Ed.]

duced to any certain order; but generally, God makes use of the preached word; thence called "the incorruptible seed." Sometimes it is wrought without it; as in the case of infants. Sometimes men are called in an extraordinary manner, as Paul was; but mostly by the use of ordinary means, instituted and sanctified of God to that end and purpose.

There is also great variety in the perception of the work itself, by those in whom it is wrought; for in itself it is secret and hidden, and discoverable only by its effects. John iii. 8. In the minds and consciences of some, this is made known by infallible tokens and signs. Paul knew that Christ was "revealed” and "formed" in himself. So he declares that "whoever is in Christ Jesus is a new creature;" that is, boru again; whether they know themselves to be so or not; and many are in the dark as to their own condition all their days; they "fear the Lord, and obey the voice of his servant," yet "walk in darkness, and have no light."

And there is great variety in the growth of the new creature, or in the carrying on of this work towards perfection. Some make a great and speedy progress; others thrive slowly, and bring forth little fruit; but yet the work itself, in its own nature, is one and the same. The elect of God under the Old Testament were not regenerate one way, and those under the New Testament another. Those who were miraculously converted, as Paul; or who received miraculous gifts upon their conversion, as multitudes of the primitive Christians did, were no otherwise regenerate than believers at this day are. Those miraculous operations of the Spirit were no part of the work of regeneration; for many were the subjects of them, who were never regenerate; and many were regenerate, who never partook of them; and it is a fruit of the highest ignorance imaginable, to affirm that in regeneration the Holy Spirit wrought of old miraculously, but now only in a rational way, leading our understanding by the rules of reason; for all whoever were regenerate, became so by the same effect of the Holy Spirit on their souls.

This will be more evident, if we consider, 1. That the condition of all men, as unregenerate, is absolutely the same; one man is not more unregenerate than another. There are different degress of wickedness in the unregenerate; but there is no difference in their state. They are all alike alienated from God, and all alike under his curse. Now, it must be the same work, as to the nature of it, which relieves men from this condition, and translates them from death unto life. 2. The state into which men are brought by regeneration is the same. Nor is it capable of degrees, so that one should be more regenerate than another. Every one that is born of God is equally so, though one may be more beautiful than another, as having the image of his heavenly Father more evidently impressed on him, though not more truly. Men may be more or less holy; more or less sanctified; but they cannot be more or less regenerate. 2. The efficient cause of this work, the grace and power whereby it is wrought, with the internal manner of the communication of that grace, are the same.-To this standard then all must come. Men may bear themselves high, and despise this work of the Spirit, or set up an imagination of their own in its stead; but whether they will or not, they must be tried by it; and no less depends on their interest in it, than their admission into the kingdom of God; and let them pretend what they please, the true reason why any despise the new birth, is because they hate a new life. He who cannot endure to live to God, will as little endure to hear of being born of God; but we shall by the Scripture enquire what we are taught concerning it, and declare both what it is not, of things which falsely pretend to it; and then, what it really is.

First. Regeneration does not consist in a participation of the ordinance of baptism. This is all that some will allow to it, to the utter rejection of the grace of Christ. The vanity of this presumptuous folly, invented to countenance men in their sins, and to hide from them the necessity of being born again, and therein of turning to God, will be exposed hereafter; for the I

present, the following reasons will serve to remove it out of our way.

Regeneration does not consist in those things which are only outward signs of it; or at most, instituted means of effecting it; for the nature of things is distinct from the means and pledges of them, such as baptism is. The apostle Peter states this case (1 Pet. iii. 21.) : "In answer whereunto even baptism doth also now save us; not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience towards God, by the resurrection of Jesus Christ." The outward administration of this ordinance considered materially, extends only to the washing away the filth of the flesh; but it signifies the answer of a good conscience ;-a conscience purged from sin, and quickened by virtue of the resurrection of Christ to holy obedience. The apostle Paul also plainly distinguishes between the outward ordinances and regeneration: "In Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature." Gal. vi. 15. By circumcision, he intends the whole system of Mosaical ordinances; and by uncircumcision, the participation of all gospel ordinances among the professing Gentiles; but from them all he distinguishes the new creation; as that which they may be without; and being so, are not available to salvation. Again: If baptism were regeneration, then all baptized persons must of necessity be regenerate: but this we know to be otherwise. For instance, Simon the magician was baptized by Philip the Evangelist, yet he was not regenerate; for it is said of him, "he had no part or lot in the matter, his heart not being right in the sight of God; but was in the gall of bitterness, and bond of iniquity;" which surely is not the description of a person newly rege

nerate.

Secondly. Regeneration does not consist in a moral reformation of life. Let us suppose such a reformation to be extensive to all known instances. Suppose a man to be changed from sensuality to temperance, from rapine to righteousness, from pride and passion to humility and moderation. Suppose this change to

be accurate according to the rules of the strictest moralists; suppose it also to be brought about by the preaching of the Gospel; yet all this, and all this added to baptism, and accompanied with a profession of faith and repentance, is not regeneration, nor do they comprise it in them.

But we must stop awhile. This assertion of ours is not only denied, but derided by some; and whoever maintains it, is called an enemy of morality and virtue. -Whether we oppose and exclude morality by this doctrine, or by any other, Christ will hereafter judge and declare; and, were the confession of truth consistent with their interest, the decision of this doubt might be referred to their own consciences; but, not being free to commit any thing to that tribunal, unless we had better security of its freedom from corrupt principles and prejudices than we have, we shall at present leave the world to judge of our doctrine by the fruits of it, compared with theirs, by whom it is denied. In the mean time, we affirm that we design nothing in virtue and morality, but to improve them by fixing them on a proper foundation, or ingrafting them into that stock whereon alone they can thrive, and grow to the glory of God and the good of men; nor shall we be moved in this design by the clamours or calumnies of ignorant or profligate persons; and as to the assertion laid down, let those who despise and reproach it, attempt an answer to the ensuing arguments, before they are too confident of success.

If there be in regeneration the infusion of a new real spiritual principle into the soul, then it does not consist in a mere reformation of life, however exact. Before we prove and confirm this assertion, let it be observed, 1st, That this reformation of life, which we say is not regeneration, is the indispensable duty of all men ;-2. That the principle before described infallibly produces this reformation; therefore, 3dly, The difference comes to this, we say, Regeneration consists in a spiritual renovation of our nature;-our modern Socinians say, It consists in a moral reformation of life. Now, as we grant that this spiritual reno