the influence of the Holy Ghost in the renovation of the heart. It has also an intimate relation to all the leading principles contained in the Holy Scriptures. Were it not true that man had fallen from the primitive rectitude of his nature, this renewing operation would be unnecessary. Were it not true that nothing short of divine influence could produce holiness in the heart, it would be needless that the Spirit should effect it. And if sin were not infinitely evil and hateful in its nature, polluting all the pow. ers of the soul, debasing the creature and dishonoring God; Immanuel would not have descended from heaven to earth, and taken human nature into union with his divine, that the moral law might be magnified, and this regenerating work completed in a way honorary to all the divine perfections.

A very fruitful source of op. position to this work of the Spirit is the pride of man. Exalted in self-conceit, and sheltered behind the blinding clouds of carnal reason, sinners set their mouths against the heavens, and reply against God. All their invention is exerted to prove themselves independent of him, and that they have in their own power the means of obtaining real enjoyment. But this disposition demonstrates the depravity which they deny, and, unless repent ance prevent, out of their own mouths will they be finally condemned.

That regeneration is absolutely necessary to present peace of conscience and future glory, is very plainly revealed. Our di vine Savior not only taught this truth to Nicodemus, but he also

clearly preached it to his inveterate enemies, who went about to kill him. When they were offended at his faithful instructions, he intimated that the ground of their hatred of him and his doctrine, consisted in an unregenerate heart. " Murmur not," said he, "among yourselves. No man can come unto me, except the Father, which hath sent me, draw him." And again, "If God were your Father, ye would love me; for I proceeded forth and came from God." And whilst he taught them their depravity, and the necessity of divine influence, he also shewed them that this was no new doc

trine, but a principle recognized in their Scriptures, and published by their own ancestors. "It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man, therefore, that hath heard and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me."

So entirely depraved is man, that the Scriptures declare the carnal mind to be enmity against God. It is also said of sinners, that they do not like to retain God in their knowledge. If, therefore, this enmity reigns in the heart, the sinner is not desir. ous of its removal, and facts evince that no created power can subdue it. Neither will the afflictions of life, nor its blessings, effect any moral change for the better without divine influence. Thus spake the Lord to ancient Israel, and his reproof to them is an illustration of this truth"Why should ye be stricken any more? Ye will revolt more and more." The reason is assigned in what follows-"The whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint. From the sole of the foot,

even unto the head, there is no soundness in it." So powerful is this reigning enmity, that the sinner, if left to follow the choice of his heart while unregenerate, would for ever endeavor to hide himself from God, instead of seeking his favor. How glorious, then, is God, in the grace which he manifests to creatures so guilty.

The necessity of this divine teaching is readily acknowledged by all those who have any right views of God and of themselves; but the delusive calm of impenitent sinners is founded in a wilful ignorance of God, and of their obligation to love and obey him. Sinful pursuits never produce real satisfaction; but they have a tendency to blind the understanding, to harden the heart, and to silence the remonstrances of conscience. But when these external means of sinful gratification shall cease, and conscience shall be left faithfully to discharge its office in the world of wo; then all deceptive appearances will vanish, and unceasing self-accusation will complete the misery of the impenitent.

That it is solely the work of the Holy Ghost to communicate to the heart a spiritual taste, is proved from the fact, that in all those plans of happiness, which have been devised by wicked men, no soul-satisfying good is presented as the mark at which they aim. Their systems do not contemplate the production of holi. ness in the heart, but merely respect the external conduct, as it relates to this world.

The vain philosopher may boast of his abstruse speculations; the mere naturalist may amuse his mind with the wonders of

creation, which constantly elude his research; the moralist may extol his visionary theories respecting human merit; but it is the gospel alone which can raise a guilty creature from moral degradation, and fix his affections on heavenly objects; it is the gospel only that reveals a par. don, and brings to view an almighty influence, which can destroy the enmity of the carnal heart, and make the rebel an obedient subject.

Wealth, honor, and worldly pleasures, though generally pursued as the supreme good, have never failed to disappoint their pursuers; and thousands have left their testimony, that these things have, through their abuse of them, given additional keenness to the reproaches of conscience, at the hour of death. But the religion of Jesus presents a good suited to the capacious powers of the immortal soul. It lays the axe to the root of depravity, and discovers to man, that the native bias of his heart is wrong, because it disposes him to seek that in the creature, which is alone to be enjoyed in the Creator. This divine religion, while it points out the path to glory and immortality, does not leave its friends in darkness, as to the means of attaining it, nor abandon them to merely human efforts. It exhibits Jesus as the way, the truth, and the life, enabling them to rest in the immutability of the oath and promise of God, and in a dependence on the communications of grace by his Spirit.

These thoughts furnish an in. centive to watchfulness and pray

er.

"Watch and pray," said our Lord, "that ye enter not

obeying. In order, therefore, to justification by the moral law, our whole heart and life, every thought, word, and action, throughout the term of our existence, must perfectly conform to the law, in its whole extent and spirituality. The least possible deficiency is sin; and the judge must declare such deficiency, and so pronounce a legal condemna. tion. Such was the case with man and angels, respecting justification by the divine law, while in their state of innocence.

We are now to consider man in his fallen state. But it will not be necessary to my present purpose to go into a particular discussion of the nature of the first covenant, the fall of man, and derivative guilt. Let it suffice to say, that man being a moral agent, God was pleased to put him upon a trial of his obedience, in order, to establish him in moral rectitude or defection, according to his own free act and choice. The penalty of disobe. dience was death; death temporal and eternal to him and his posterity. The first man, as representative of our nature, was disobedient and the threatened penalty took effect. had forfeited life and every good, and could make no reparation to the law; nor had he any remain. ing disposition to obey it in fu

He

does it fulfil any demand of that law, which forbids all occasion of repentance.

Such is the state of man by the fall. He is lost and utterly helpless in himself. Hence arises the necessity of a divine Savior, I say DIVINE SAVIOR; because no created being, however exalt. ed and however innocent, could do more than his own duty. He could do no more than love and serve God with all his heart, and soul, and mind, and strength, which, is the present demand of law, on every intelligent creature; consequently, he could contribute nothing to the restoration of man to a state of justification before God.

This brings us to inquire how we are justified through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.

It will be necessary here, that we keep in mind the requisites of justification in our fallen state: viz. perfect conformity to the law in heart and life, on one hand; and on the other, a fair discharge from its demands, as a covenant of life, by paying the forfeiture incurred by the first Adam.

Now, if Christ has answered these two points, as the second Adam, then he is justified by law in the sight of God; I say by law, because justification, whether under the law or gospel, is the same in God's sight. The law is unalterable in its demands, and will have complete satisfaction from us, both in active and passive obedience, either in our persons or surety.

form all that the law required of us: John x. 18.

To prove that, as our sponsor, he hath actually obeyed and suffered according to the demands of law, a few texts of Scripture will be sufficient. Christ was a Savior of God's providing, "he called him in righteousness, sanctified him, and sent him into the world to redeem it. God exalted him to be a Savior, to give repentance and forgiveness of sins: He came not to destroy, but to fulfil the law. He always did those things that pleased the Father. He was the end of the law for righteousness. He was faithful to him that appointed him, not merely as a servant like Moses, but as a Son in his own house." These texts are sufficient to show the design of Christ's mission, and his faithfulness to God in holy obedience to the law.

Still, however, satisfaction was to be given for the violation of the law, by the first Adam, before the perfect obedience of Christ could redound unto justification of life. The penalty incurred by man must be paid, before any obedience can be ad. mitted by the law, in plea of justification. Hence Christ is said to "give his life a ransom for many, to give his life for the life of the world, to lay down his life for the sheep, to bear our sins in his own body, to be made a curse for us, to be our atonement for sin, to be our Passover, slain (in the purpose of God) from the foundation of the world."

The apostle informs us, that the express purpose of this atonement and sacrifice for sin, was, "that by means of death, for the

redemption of the transgressions that were under the first Testa. ment, they that are called might receive the promise of an eternal inheritance." A second covenant promising the inheritance on a footing of grace, could not be introduced, until the first was removed by the payment of the penalty of its violation. Then, and not till then, the way would be clear for God to have mercy on whom he would, consistent with his declaration, In the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. Thus, a door of mercy was opened by the removal of the first covenant; so said the apostle, Heb. x. 6. "Where fore when he cometh into the world, he saith, sacrifice and of. fering thou wouldest not, but a body thou hast prepared me: In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure: Then said I, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second."

Thus it appears that Christ, as our sponsor, has suffered the penalty incurred by the first Adam, and obtained our discharge from the demands of the law, as a covenant of life, and, by a holy life and active obedi. ence to the law, as a rule of life, hath attained to the righteousness thereof, and so, stands completely justified before God. This is evident from his resurrection. For had he been held by the power of death, his obedience and death

* This Testament or Mosaic Dispensation, was a school-master to bring us unto Christ, by teaching the utter inefficacy of all human means to atone for the violation of the first covenant, or any sin of the soul, and so, to direct us to the gospel remedy, the atoning blood of Christ, as the only efficacious sacrifice for sin.