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the undeviating virtue of their of stone, and to give the heart of conduct, deem the doctrine of re-flesh. Meditate also continually pentance and conversion wholly on the sufferings of Christ,-the foreign to their case. I have heard dignity of the sufferer, and the persons of this description gravely exhibition God hath given us, in observe, that it would be much that great transaction, both of his better to preach the necessity of a holy hatred of sin, and his compasgood life, than to dwell on repent-sionate love of sinners. This is ance, except among the refuse of the most effectual cure for a hard the species, of whom indeed little heart, and an unfeeling conscience. hope could be entertained.' But" I will pour upon them the Spirit how can such men help seeing, of grace and supplication, and they that they only repeat the objections shall look on me whom they have of the Pharisees against Christ pierced and mourn." Zech. xii. 10. himself, and exactly resemble these But remember that life is uncerancient opposers of the gospel. Itain; God, whom thou provokest, would however at present only say: especially by impenitence, is the If any one of you had a son, whom arbiter of thy life and death. "The you had tenderly treated from his Holy Ghost saith, To-day if you will birth, and who should yet act with hear his voice, harden not your as much disregard to your counsel hearts." Even if your days should and authority, as you have done to be prolonged, you may be given those of your Creator, would you over to final obduracy, and continunot think that he ought to repentance in sin will be sure to increase of his ungrateful behaviour? And the anguish of repentance, should have you then no cause for repent- you at last by a miracle of mercy, ance? Verily whatever you may be plucked as a brand out of the think, it will hereafter appear, that burning.

there" is joy in heaven over one Above all, my fellow-sinners, sinner that repenteth, more than beware lest you be deceived with a over ninety and nine such just per- false repentance, for nothing so sons that need no repentance." effectually hardens men in impeniBut does any one say, 'I own tence. Some transient convictions, in general that I ought to repent; fears, and sorrows, some partial yet I find a strange insensibility of reformation; a new creed, sect, or conscience, backwardness to hum- form of religion; enthusiastic joys ble myself before God, or to re- and comforts, or delusive fancies of nounce the pleasures of sin, and a visions and revelations, frequently grievous propensity to delay the satisfy men's consciences, and fill necessary business, till my alarms them with spiritual pride, while and convictions vanish without any their hearts remain unchanged, the abiding effect. To you, my friend, root of sin unmortified, and no works I would observe that repentance is are found meet for repentance! the gift of God; and that Jesus is Beware also of the partial despairexalted “to give repentance and ing repentance of Judas, the temremission of sins." Pray therefore porary repentance of king Saul, the to the Lord to give you repentance extorted repentance of Pharaoh, and his Holy Spirit; cry in the and the case of him who was almost language of Ephraim, "Turn thou persuaded to be a Christian.-Nor me, and I shall be turned;" and let it be imagined, that repentance beg of him to take away the heart and conversion to God are confined

to the beginning of a religious pro-| fession for as long as we continue sinful, and prone to depart from the Lord, they must constitute our habitual practice, form the disposi-2 tions of our hearts, and influence all our tempers, and our conduct.

SERMON VI.

ON REGENERATION.

COR. v. 17.--If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature; old things are passed away, behold, all things are become new.

On the other hand, let not the contrite mourner for sin despond : THE circumstances of the church at remember, poor trembling penitent, Corinth obliged the apostle to use that "there is joy among the such methods of re-establishing his angels of God over one sinner that authority, as he apprehended might repenteth." Yea, the Lord of be misunderstood and censured; angels" sees of the travail of his he therefore says, "whether we be soul, and is satisfied." Only then beside ourselves it is to God, or beseech the Lord, that your repent-whether we be sober it is for your ance may be genuine, and your cause." The zealous servants of conversion entire; thus you will God have constantly been slighted surely find the Lord ready to for- and despised, as beside themselves; give, and plenteous in mercy; and nay, the Son of God, the perfection ere long you will joyfully sing, of wisdom and excellency, was "O Lord, I will praise thee; though involved in the same charge, even thou wast angry with me, thine by his friends and relations, as well anger is turned away and thou as by his enemies. 2 Kings ix. 11. comfortest me." "For they that Jer. xxix. 26. 27. Hos. ix. 7. Mark sow in tears shall reap in joy." iii. 21. John x. 20. The apostle "Let then the hearts of those rejoice therefore had no great cause to comthat seek the Lord." plain, if not only Festus said, "Paul

Finally, my Christian brethren, thou art beside thyself, much learnwhile you are careful in other res-ing doth make thee mad," but if pects to do works meet for repent- some of his Corinthian converts ance; let me exhort you to enter formed a similar judgment of him. into the spirit of the gospel, by Surely then we ought not to be using every means, and encouraging disconcerted by such surmises, every endeavour to bring sinners to provided we give no just cause for repentance: and to welcome every them and all, who attend to the penitent with cordial joy and affec-Scriptures, should be very careful, tion, as Ananias did the converted lest aspersions of this kind prejudice persecutor," Brother Saul, the them against the ministers and disLord Jesus hath sent me, that ciples of Christ. thou mightest receive thy sight.' But,' says the apostle, both Thus you will manifest the excel- the ardour that gives occasion to lency of your principles, and be such imputations, and the wisdom honoured as instruments in promot- which regulates its effects, spring ing that cause, for which the divine from regard to the glory of God, Saviour came into the world and and affectionate longing after your shed his blood upon the cross; and souls:' "For the love of Christ all men will know that you are his constraineth us; because we thus true disciples.

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judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead; and that he died for all, that they which should not

henceforth live unto themselves, sion may seem to many who are but unto him which died for them now called Christians, it is the uniand rose again. Wherefore hence- form language of the Scripture, forth know we no man after the especially of the New Testament: flesh; yea though we have known and whenever any set of men seem Christ after the flesh; yet now earnest to change the language of henceforth know we him no more." inspiration, we may be sure that No ties of blood, friendship, or grati- they either mistake its meaning or tude, must influence the conduct of have some concealed objection to the minister of Christ, to render him its doctrines. "If any man speak, partial in his pastoral office. Even let him speak as the oracles of the brethren or nearest friends of God." New terms will impercepChrist himself, according to the tibly introduce new doctrines; nor flesh, might not be regarded by the has any subtlety of Satan or his apostles, in dispensing instructions, servants better succeeded, in "prireproofs, censures, or encourage- vily bringing in damnable heresies." ments; but they were required, and than that of modernizing the lanconstrained by spiritual love to him guage of divinity.

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who had died for them, to do all The words under consideration things with unbiassed impartiality. commonly signify a true disciple of And this must be our conduct like- our Lord and Saviour. "There is wise in respect of our relations, bene- therefore now no condemnation to factors, or patrons, if we would ap- them that are in Christ Jesus." prove ourselves to be indeed their knew a man in Christ fourteen genuine successors in the sacred years ago." "He was also in Christ ministry. Therefore," says the before me." "Of whom are ye in apostle, "if any man be in Christ Christ Jesus, who of God is made he is a new creature; old things unto us, wisdom and righteousness, are passed away; behold all things and sanctification, and redemption." are become new and all things are Rom.viii. 1. xvi. 7; 1 Cor. i. 30. And of God who hath reconciled us to in this chapter, "That we might be himself by Jesus Christ." made the righteousness of God in The text contains the following him." Many of the epistles also subjects for our present discussion. are addressed " to the saints in Christ Jesus," or "to the church

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I. The apostle's definition or in God the Father, and in the Lord description of a real Christian; "If Jesus Christ."-Which accords to any man be in Christ." the language of the prophet, IsII. His account of that inward rael shall be saved in the Lord with change, which every real Christian an everlasting salvation." "Surely, has experienced, "He is a new shall one say, In the Lord have I righteousness and strength."

creature."

"In

III. The effects of this change, the Lord shall all the seed of Israel "Old things are passed away; be justified and shall glory." 2 Cor. behold all things are become new." xii. 2. Isaiah xlv. 17, 24, 25.

The apostle John also employs

I. Then we consider the apostle's similar expresions: "And now, definition or description of a real little children, abide in him." We Christian, "If any man be in are in him that is true, even in his Christ." Son Jesus Christ." 1 John ii. 28; However strange this expres- v. 20. But the words of our Lord

himself are most decisive; "He that | According to the illustrations of eateth my flesh and drinketh my Scripture, the believer is in Christ, blood dwelleth in me and I in him." as the stone is in the building. John vi. 56. Accordingly when we God is preparing a spiritual temple, administer the Lord's Supper, that in which he may dwell and be glooutward sign of this inward life of rified for ever. The person of faith in a crucified Saviour, we pray Christ is the precious foundation that we may so eat the flesh of and corner stone of this temple, Christ, and drink his blood;-that and believers "come to him and we may dwell in him and he in as living stones are built up a us.'" Neither," saith our divine spiritual house," an habitation of Redeemer, when interceding for God through the Spirit." 1 Peter his disciples, " pray I for these ii. 4-8. Eph. ii. 20-22. But alone, but for them also which shall this emblem, taken from things believe on me through their word; wholly inanimate, only represents that they all may be one as thou, our dependence on Christ and conFather, art in me, and I in thee, that secration to God through him: we they also may be one in us." John therefore learn more fully the naxvii. 20-23. ture of this mystical union, by the

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But we must endeavour to ex-parable of the vine and its branches. plain this language and to show its Nominal Christians, who are related propriety and energy; lest it should to the Saviour merely in an exterbe thought, that the whole argument nal manner, continue unfruitful; rests upon our translation of the and at length are taken away, withoriginal particles. St. Paul says, ered, and gathered to be burned: "The wages of sin is death, but the but true believers are vitally united gift of God is eternal life through," to him, and abiding in him receive or in "Christ Jesus our Lord:" for the fructifying influences of the Holy John says, "This is the record, Spirit. John xv. 1-8. Yet even that God has given to us eternal this illustration falls short of fully life, and this life is in his Son: he elucidating the subject; nay, the that hath the Son hath life, and he nearest of all relative unions does that hath not the Son of God hath not entirely answer to it: for benot life." Rom. vi. 23. 1 John v. lievers are in Christ, as the members 11, 12. The salvation of Christ is are in the human body. He is the completed as far as his mediatory Head of the church, and every work is concerned: but who are Christian is a part of his mystical they that shall eventually be "saved body, bone of his bone, and flesh of from wrath by him?" To this ques- his flesh. All believers live spiritution the Scripture answers with the ally by virtue of this union with most decided precision; "they that their Head; they are placed under receive him," they that believe in his guidance and authority; have him," "they that are found in him." one common interest, and fill up —Union with Christ is necessary their stations in the church for the in order to communion with him: benefit of the whole. 1 Cor. xii. he saves all those, and those only, 12-31. Thus says the apostle, who thus stand related to him." I am crucified with Christ; neverTrue faith forms this union and theless I live; yet not I, but Christ relation, and makes the sinner aliveth in me." "Your Life is hid partaker of Christ and his salva- with Christ in God; when Christ, tion. who is your life, shall appear, then

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shall ye also appear with him in cution to which this may expose glory." Gal. ii. 20. Col. iii. 3, 4. him.

And whatever difficulties he There is, however, another way may now encounter; his wisdom of illustrating the subject, which will be acknowledged, and his may help us to conceive aright of felicity envied, when no unbeliever this great mystery, Eph. v. 32, shall find any shelter from the and explain the way in which a overwhelming deluge of divine sinner attains to so high an honour, vengeance, which perhaps he now and so blessed a distinction. The despises or blasphemes. believer is in Christ, as Noah was in Under the Mosaic dispensation,

the ark. 66 By faith Noah being the guiltless man-slayer was exposed warned of God was moved with to the sword of the avenger of fear, and prepared an ark." Heb. blood, the nearest relation of the xi. 7. 1 Peter iii. 20. He believed deceased; but cities of refuge were the sure testimony of God, both provided, to which he might flee respecting the deluge, and the ap- for security.-In this perilous situapointed method of preservation; tion an Israelite had no choice: he he feared the impending judgment, must scarcely turn back to take and revered the justice and power his clothes, and by no means go of God; and thus he was moved to home to bid farewell to his dearest follow the directions he had re- relatives: he must leave all his ceived. To prepare the ark was a outward comforts, employments, vast undertaking; his labour and and interests: he must flee without expense must have been exceed- delay, and hardly stop for necessary ingly great, and his perseverance, refreshment: he must not yield to amidst the scorn and hatred of an indolence, or sit down when weary; unbelieving world, most exemplary. and could never think of loitering, -But when the deluge came, he to interfere with other men's busiwas found in the ark, and preserved ness, to view curiosities, or to join to be the progenitor of a new race in vain diversions. With all speed of men; and even of the promised he must urge his course to the city Redeemer, on whom doubtless his of refuge; as if he had seen the faith had ultimately been placed: avenger of blood with his drawn while all the rest of the human sword close behind, and heard him species, however distinguished, or uttering most dreadful menaces. to whatever refuges they fled, were When he had gained the appointed swept away with one common de- asylum, he was required to abide solation. Thus the sinner, hearing there, at a distance from all his of "the wrath of God revealed connections, those excepted who from heaven against all ungodliness chose to follow him; and this reand unrighteousness of men," be- striction continued, till the death lieving the divine record "is moved of the high priest set him at liberty with fear," and takes warning to from his confinement.

flee from the wrath to come. He In like manner, the sinner, perhears also of Christ, the true ark, ceiving himself exposed to the which God himself hath provided; wrath of God, and the curse of his and renouncing all other confi- violated law, must "flee for refuge dences, by faith he betakes himself to lay hold on the hope set before to this sure refuge, applies for ad- him" in the gospel. Without mission into the ark, and endures delay he must diligently use all the self-denial, contempt, and perse- the means of grace, and separate

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