though mysterious, yet it is highly rational; and though not fully known, yet so much of it may be understood as to justify and demand our belief. Whatever difficulties may arise in our mind, or objections be made by others, yet "if any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God." The meek will he guide in judgment, and the meek will he teach his way. If there be any thing perverse or perplexing, it is in us, and not in the scriptures. All the words of my mouth are in righteousness: there is nothing froward or perverse in them. They are all plain to him that understandeth, and right to them that find knowledge. Prov. viii. 8, 9.

3. Do not consider this new birth to be impossi ble. With men, and with angels, it may be so ; but not with God. Nothing is too hard for omnipotence. He who created man at first can new create him; and he who raised dead bodies can quicken dead souls. Though the Ethiopian cannot change his skin, nor the leopard his spots, yet God can change them. There are no habits so rooted, but he can alter them; no coruptions so strong, and prevalent, but he can mortify them; no difficulties so great, but he can surmount them; and no disease so inveterate, but he can cure it. Let the awakened sinner remember that his help is in Him who made heaven and earth, and whose grace is allsufficient. "Son of man," saith the Lord, "can these bones live?" To which he answered, "O Lord God, thou knowest." The prophet might despair of it: but thus saith the Lord unto these bones, "Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live." This is the Lord's doing, and marvellous in our eyes. Great are thy

works, and thy thoughts are very deep! But "if it be marvellous in our eyes, should it also be marvellous in mine eyes, saith the Lord of hosts?" Ezek. xxxvii. 3, 5. Zech. viii. 6.

4. Marvel not at this change as if it were unnecessary. "Ye must be born again." Whatever may be your mental attainments or moral qualities, yet something is still wanting, and which God only can supply. The grosser pollutions may have been escaped, and various duties performed; and yet after all you may still be dead in trespasses and sins, and walking according to the course of this world. Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God. While the heart is unsanctified, and our nature unrenewed, we can have no meetness for the inheritance of the saints in light, nor capacity for its enjoyment. They that are in the flesh cannot please God: their nature is corrupt, the principle of action is depraved, and their sacrifice is an abomination in his sight. The soul must be prepared for heaven, as well as heaven be prepared for it. Heaven is a place of perfect purity, and nothing that is defiled can enter there. God gives grace, and then glory; and the one to prepare for the other. Christ's loving his church, giving himself for it, and then sanctifying and cleansing it, is in order that he may at last " present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish." Ephes. v. 24-27.

CONCLUSION,

(1.) What has been said upon the subject may convince us of the evil of sin, and its baneful effects upon mankind. None have escaped the pollutions of it; and, without a thorough change of heart, none can escape its awful consequences. "All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;" and must for ever come short of it, unless the evil be removed.

(2.) Let us not rest satisfied in any thing less than this entire renovation. We hope to be saved,' is the language of every one: but you cannot be saved,

except you be born again. Then what meanest thou, oh sleeper! Arise and call upon thy God! Pray for the teachings and influences of his Spirit, to shew thee the way of life, and to guide thee in it. Pray that he would wound thee deeply, and heal thee thoroughly. Rest in nothing short of being begotten again to a lively hope, by the resurrection of Christ from the dead; and by thine own resurrection from the death of sin, to an inheritance incorruptible, undefiled, and that fadeth not away. 1 Peter i. 3.

(3.) The less marvellous it is that we must be born again, the more surprising it is that we should be careless about it. Oh that I had an eye to weep, and a heart to bleed over the miserable, the awful state of unconverted sinners, and a voice like thunder to warn them of their danger' Great God, stir up thyself, and stir us up, that we may come to Christ, live to Christ, die in Christ, and be happy for ever! Amen.

"Not all the outward forms on earth,

Nor rites that God has given,
Nor will of man, nor blood, nor birth,
Can raise a soul to heav'n.

The sovereign will of God alone
Creates us heirs of grace;
Born in the image of his Son,
A new peculiar race.

Our quicken'd souls awake, and rise
From the long sleep of death;
Ou heavenly things we fix our eyes,
And praise employs our breath."

Nearness to God.

SERMON VI.

PSALM cxlviii. 14.

A people near unto him: praise ye the Lord.

GLORIOUS things are spoken of Zion, the city of God. Glorious promises are made, glorious privileges are given, and glorious titles ascribed to her. Israel is called God's Hephzibah, his crown and diadem, his jewels, his portion and peculiar treasure. Yet nothing can be said of them more for their honour and comfort, than what is said in our text: "A people near unto him." While in an unregenerate state they were so base and miserable that they did not deserve even the name of a people: they were no better than a multitude of dry bones or dead carcases spread abroad in the valley but now they are in the highest sense of the word, "a people." In time past they were not a people, but are now the people of God: they had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy. (1 Pet. ii. 10.) Their being called a people may also denote their number and their union. Comparatively they are few, but collectively they are many. They are separated from the rest of the world, but united among themselves, so as to form a distinct body. They have one heart and one way, one Lord and one faith. Being under a wise and holy government, they are not a disorderly banditti,

but form a regular and harmonious society, seeking each others welfare, and speaking peace to all their seed. It may also be said of them, as of Israel of old, The people shall dwell alone, and shall not be numbered among the nations. God hath distinguished them by his grace, and they distinguish themselves by their zeal and activity in his service. The world indeed may look upon them with contempt, and regard them only as "the common people," as they did the disciples; as people of the lower order, and of the baser sort; and it may be true that they are generally a poor and afflicted people: but their outward meanness is more than compensatad by their spiritual privileges-for they are a people near unto God.

The words of the text may immediately refer to the jewish nation, as God's peculiar people; but as they are applicable to true believers in all ages, we shall consider them in that view; and shall enquirewhat is implied in this nearness-and why it is matter of joy.

I. In what respects are true believers near to God.

As creatures, "God is not far from every one of us; for in him we live, and move, and have our being." But as sinners, he is far from us, and we are far from him. Sin has created an awful distance between God and us: he has left our world as a desolate heritage, and beholds its sinful inhabitants afar off. They also are alienated from him, through the ignorance that is in them, by reason of the hardness. of their hearts. The language of sinners is concerning him, "Depart from us, for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways!" But all his people are near unto him. That is,

1. The awful breach is healed, and they are reconciled. The separating wall of sin is broken down,