part from iniquity, and refrain their foot from every evil way. Pfal. cxix. 101. The time paft of their lives Juffices them, to have walked in lufts and finful courfes.. 1Pet. iv. 3...

2. They lead a life of boliness. They now live to God. making his holy law the rule of their lives, and his glory the chief end of their lives. Being now made free from fin, and become the fervants of God, they have their fruit unto bolinefs. Rom. vi, 22. They are effectually taught to live foberly, righteously and godlily in this prefent world. Tit. ii. 12. They are now righteous before God, walking in all the ordinances and commandments of the Lord, Luk. i. 6. In a word, all old things are done away, and every thing is become new they walk in newness of life.

APPLICATION.

USE 1. We hence fee, that the converfion of a finner is the work of GOD alone. None but God, can turn a thorn into a fir tree, and a brier into a myrtle tree. Such a glorious change is an effect of divine omnipotency. This is indeed a greater work than that of creation. For in creation, fomething was made out of nothing; buc there was not any thing to make refiflance to God in his work. Whereas now, in the converfion of a finner, there is a world of oppofition made thereto, from the enmity that is in the heart against God, and from, the powers of the kingdom of darkness, who do all that they can to prevent this work. Yet God breaks his way through all this oppofition, conquering the obftinacy in the hearts of finners, and refcuing them by force out of the hands of Satan. This is the doing of the Lord, and is marvellous in our eyes. Even the greatness of his power is exerted in this work. Eph. i. 19. And what is the exceeding greatnels of his power to us ward, who believe, according to the working of bis mighty power.

USE 2. Let all be exhorted to labour after the experience of this great change. Though we cannot work

it in ourselves, yet we must do all that we can in the ufe of appointed means towards it. We must not be flothful and negligent, under a pretence of its being God alone that can work this change in us. For though God only can do this, yet we must be found in the way of God, waiting upon him to do this for us. Let us then be doing what is in our power to do in this affair. This change of heart and life, is fuch a neceffary work, as that without it we fhall never be happy. There will be no inheriting the glory of heaven, if we be not the fubje&s of fuch a change now on earth. Job. iii. 5. Verily, ve rily, I fay unto thee, Except a man be born of water, and of the Spirit, be cannot enter into the kingdom of God. There is no falvation, without regeneration. This is abfolutely neceflary in order to everlasting life. There is therefore a neceffity lying upon us, to endeavour after this bleffed and happy change; and wo unto us, if we attain it not. Let us diligently ufe the means ordained of God unto this end. Wherefore,

Direct. 1. Heedfully attend on the word of God. The miniftry of the word, is the great inftrument which God makes ufe of, for the working a faving change in finners. Fam. i. 18. Of his own will begat be us by the word of truth. So, Pet. i. 23. Being born again, not of corrup tible feed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God which liveth and abideth for ever. God ufually, and in the frequent difpenfation of his providence, conveys new life to the fouls of men, by weak difpenfers of his truth, that the power may evidently be of God, and not of men. 2 Cor. iv. 7. This then being God's appointment, and the way in which God has promifed to difpenfe his grace, we must wait on God therein, as ever we would expect to partake of faving grace. We fhould give diligent beed to the things we hear, if we would have God bless them to us for the converting our fouls.

Dired. 2. Earneftly pray to God, to work a real change in you. The changing our natures is the work

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of the holy Spirit; as we have heard. 'Tis God, his Spirit, that renews the fouls of men. And for this caule we must humbly and fervently beg of God, that he would fend his holy Spirit to make his word effectual to our regeneration. God will be enquired of by us, to do this for us. Ezek. xxxvi. 37. Let us then wait at the throne of grace, by daily, inftant prayer for grace; fo may we hope to obtain it. Whereas, if we refrain prayer before God, we may juftly fear that God will with-hold grace from us. Prayerlefs perfons, are in great danger, of living and dying graceless perfons.

USE 3. Of Exhortation to regenerate perfons, in two words.

1. Blefs God exceedingly, for working fuch a great change in you. This is a work of God, for which, he is in a peculiar manner, moft worthy to be praised. To Το be changed from a finner to a faint, is the moft glorious change on this fide heaven. This is a changing of us into the image of the holy God, which is the greatest glory and excellency of the creature. 2 Cor. iii. 18. We are changed into the image of God, from glory to glory. This was the dignity and honour of man, above all creatures, at his first creation. He then was alone made after the image and in the likeness of God, which exalted him far above all this vifible creation. And to be renewed after the image of God, is a reftoring us in a degree unto this primitive glory. And that which further heightens the excellency of this prefent change, is, that it fhall certainly iffue in a change into a perfect likeness to Jefus Chrift in heavenly glory. Thofe that are now the children of God by regeneration, fhall be like unto Jefus Chrift, when he fhall appear in his glory at the laft day. 1 Job. iii. 2. Now are we the children of God: but it doth not yet appear what we shall be. But we know that when be fhall appear, we shall be like him, for we fhall fee him as he is. This gracious change then, now wrought in us, will make our death to be a moft blessed

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change. Then fhall our fouls be fully changed into a conformity to the image of the Son of God. And at the refurrection day, our bodies fhall be changed into the likeness of bis moft glorious body. Phil. iii. 21. Yea, then fhall we in our whole perfons behold his face in righteouf nefs, and be fatisfied with bis likeness for evermore. Pfal. xvii. 15. Surely then God is greatly to be praised, for this renewing work of the Spirit on us. Pet. i. 3, 4. Bleffed be the God and Father of our Lord Jefus Chrift, who according to bis abundant mercy, bath begotten us again unto a lively hope, by the refurrection of Jefus Chrift from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, referved in beaven for us.

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2. Live fo as may evidence it to the world, that you have had fuch a great change wrought in you what God and man do expect. Now, no way can this be manifefted, but by a fruitful and holy converfation. Hereby it is that we make it evident, that we are the real difciples of Jefus Chrift, true converts indeed. Job. xv. 8. Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much, fruit, fo fhall ye be my difciples. This will be a demonftration of our real difcipleship, and true faintship. If, of briers and thorns, God has made us plants of renown, and planted us in bis boufe, we fhall be fruitful in works of holinefs and righteoufnefs. Pfal. xcii. 12, 13, 14. The righteous fhall flourish like the palm tree, be fhall grow like the cedar in Lebanon. Thofe that be planted in the boule of the Lord, fball flourish in the courts of our God. They fhall bring forth fruit in old age. They shall be fat and flourishing. Let us then labour to be fruitful and thriving chriftians, that we may make it appear, to the glory of God and the good of others, that we are indeed of a right feed and a noble vine, living branches in the true vine, Jefus Chrift.

In order to this, let us duly improve the boly Supper of the Lord, which may be attended on by us the next Lord's' day. That is an ordinance appointed for growth

in grace, for promoting us in holiness. Let us then come to that ordinance, looking to and depending upon Jefus Chrift, for the communications of grace, and the influ ences of his holy Spirit. If we thus do, we may hope that he will give fpiritual life to us more abundantly; whereby we fhall be enabled more and more to live foberly, righteously and godlity in this prefent world, and fo be fitted to live happily for ever in the world to come.

DocT. II. The great change wrought in finners at their converfion, brings eternal glory to God.-The glory of God is his own great end in all his works. He has made all things for himself. Prov. xvi. 4. And God has a fpecial eye to his own glory, in making finners to become new creatures. Hereby he gains to himself everlafting renown and praife. Now, real converts are to the eternal glory of God, three ways.

(1.) As they are the eternal monuments of God's glory. They are fuch in whom the glorious perfections of God are eternally manifefted. In the converfion of finners, many of the divine attributes do appear in a very eminent manner, and fhine forth with a glorious luftre. The visible creation is a standing monument of the glory of God's perfections. Pfal. xix. 1. The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament fheweth his handy work. His eternal power and godhead (his nature and perfections) are clearly feen from the creation of the world. Rom. i. 20. So likewife in the new creation, or in the fpiritual renovation of finners, the glorious excellencies of God are manifefted. For instance,

1. The glory of God's goodness is feen in the converfion of finners. The goodness of God is very evident in those outward favours, which he bestows on finners. He daily loads them with his benefits: He fills them with his hid treasures. Pfal. xvii. 14. He difpenfes to them riches. of goodness, a great plenty of good things. Rom. ii. 4. But his abundant goodness is much more manifefted in

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