to relieve Mankind from the ill Effects, not only of Adam's Sin but their own: and the divine Wisdom provided a Method of doing it, confiftent with the Honour of God's Government, through the Interpofition of our bleffed Redeemer: which Method, from the Beginning, was intimated to Men fufficiently, though obfcurely; and afterwards by Degrees more explicitly unfolded. But that he should be reconciled to Sinners, wilfully remaining fuch, was quite impoffible. And therefore, together with a Provifion of Mercy on his Part, there must also be a Provision of Amendment on the Part of the Offenders: and in these two Things, infeparably united, the Restoration of the human Race to a State of Happiness muft confift. Accordingly we find them closely joined, not only in the more direct and formal Declarations of Scripture concerning this momentous Change, but in all the various Images, under which it is represented.

Sometimes it is expreffed by Adoption: because that implies our being Aliens and Strangers, received into God's Family and Inheritance but then it implies alfo an Obligation to obey him, as dutiful Sons. Elfe

where, by a stronger Figure, it is called a Regeneration, or, which means the fame, a new Birth; because it brings Perfons forth into a new State of Things, where they are to act from other Principles than they did before or would have done elfe, in another Manner, with other Expectations, and grow up to the Maturity of another Character: In fome Places again, the fame happy Change is defcribed, as a Refurrection from the Dead: becaufe it raises and reftores Men, both to the Activity of a spiritual Life now, and to the well-grounded Hopes of eternal Life hereafter. But the most emphatical Phrase of all is that in the Text, of a new Creature, or Creation. The inward Condition of Man, under the full Effects of his first Parents Tranfgreffion, anfwers too exactly, and yet more after the Addition of his own perfonal Guilt, to that Account in the Beginning of the History of the old Creation: And the Earth was without Form and void, and Darkness was upon the Face of the Deep. But it follows: And God faid, Let there be Light, and there was Light. Thus the human Soul, in the abovementioned State, is unformed and diforderly, void of

e Gen. i. 2.

Bb 2

* Verse 3.

Reafon

Reafon and Rule, gloomy and comfortless; till God, who commanded the Light to shine out of Darkness, fhine upon the difmal Chaos, and produce in it new Appearances and Views of Things; till he bring forth Order from Confufion, and form again in the Heart the illuminating Image of his own holy Nature.

But here it must be obferved, that, in some Senfe and Degree, the Scripture Expreffions and Privileges of a new Birth and Creation belong to all, who are admitted by Baptism into the Chriftian Covenant, though none are intitled to future Happiness by them, but fuch as complete their Right to them, if God allows them Time for it, by performing, from a Spirit of inward Piety, the feveral Obligations of the Gofpel. When that is preached to Jews or Heathens, every one who believes and is baptized, is buried with Christ in that facred Ordinance, raifed up to Newness of Life", and adopted of God for his Child. When the Infants of Believers are baptized, they are, by the Solemnity which Heaven hath appointed, born again of Water and the Spirit, into a better State, than that of Nature. And till either Sort of Perfons forfeit their Claim by

* 2 Cer. iv. 6.

Rom. vi. 4.

i

1 John iii. 5.

wilful Wickedness; which it may be hoped fome never do, though in many Things we offend all; they continue Heirs of everlasting Life. And even when they fall under the Dominion of Sin; though, were they to die in that Condition, future Mifery would be their Portion; and therefore, in Respect of any present Title to their heavenly Father's Inheritance, they are no longer Children of God: as earthly Sons or Subjects, when they rebel, are no longer such, in Respect of any Right to the Favour of their Parents or Princes: yet as, in other Regards, thefe latter continue Sons and Subjects ftill; fo the Covenant with the former, by which they were made the Children of God, fubfifts, notwithstanding their Failure of Duty, thus far, that not only by the Terms of it, if they perfift, they will be condemned, but by the Terms of it also, if they repent, they will be pardoned. And neither. the Penitence, nor the Forgiveness, of those, who before were initiated into Christianity, and have not fince rejected it, is ever expreffed in the Word of God by the Phrafe of the new Birth or new Creature, but these are ap

propriated almost, if not altogether, to our original Admiffion into the Gofpel State; inte which we enter once for all, by one Baptifm, the Laver of Regeneration. Nicodemus, to whom our Saviour in St. John gives Inftructions on that Head, was not then become a Chriftian, The Galatians, of whom St. Paul faith be travaileth in Birth again, until Chrift be formed in them', either had apoftatized from the Faith intirely, or wanted, not the Whole, but the Completion only of the new Birth, by juster and fuller Conceptions of the Gospel Doctrine. Nor is there the leaft Appearance elsewhere in the New Teftament, of telling any profeffed Believer, though he had finned ever fo grievoufly, that he must be born again; (otherwife the fame Perfon would be born again as often as he falls into any great Wickedness, and recovers from it:) but that he must repent, and do the first Works", and be renewed in the Spirit of his Mind"; which belongs, in its Degree, to the beft of good Chriftians. And therefore, though inculcating perpetually, that without Holiness no Man fhall fee the Lord, Eph. iv. 23.

Gal. iv. 19. Heb. xii. 14:

Rev. ii. 5.