Dr. Edwards* takes notice,) that they will not "fail to desire this sincere milk of the word, which "yields solid and proper nourishment for their souls, if they have tasted that the Lord is gracious, that "is, they having had an experimental knowledge of the tender love of Christ to sinners, namely to "themselves, they having felt the particular good"ness and grace of God, in changing and renewing "their hearts, they cannot but passionately long for, and breathe after this spiritual food and nou"rishment." If faith, and love, and victory over the world, are the effects of regeneration, then those who do not bring forth these fruits, are not regenerate. Every good tree bringeth forth good fruit, saith our Saviour: but, if the tree doth not bring forth good fruit, how doth it appear to be good? And if men do not exhibit the proper evidences of regeneration in their lives, how doth it appear to others that their hearts are regenerate? And, please to observe, our Lord doth not say the tree which bringeth forth bad fruit; but, every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit, is hewn down and cast into the fire, Matt. vii. 19. only trees that yield corrupt fruit, but they that yield no fruit also shall be cast into hell fire: every branch in me that beareth not fruit, he taketh away, John, xv. 2. As our Saviour saith to the Jews, If Not * See his Hearer. ye were Abraham's children, ye would do the works of Abraham, John, viii. 39. So we may say, if ye were born of the Spirit, ye would abound in the fruits of the Spirit; now the fruits of the Spirit are love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance. If you have not these fruits, and especially, and above all, faith in Christ, in vain do you pretend to be regenerate. Where the heart is internally renovated, the life will be externally reformed; where the inward work really is, the outward work will follow. There may be an outward reformation without an inward regeneration, but there cannot be an inward regeneration without an outward reformation. How is it with your soul? Do you love all who love God? Have you put off the old man, and put on the new? Is your conversation in heaven? Do you walk as a child of light? Have you Christ in you the hope of glory? A man may go a great way in religion, and yet be unregenerate: yea, the unregenerate frequently go farther in externals than the regenerate; but, their souls are dead for want of Christ and a living faith in him. are born of the Spirit, believe in Christ. the life of the soul, just as the soul is the life of the body; and the soul is as dead without Christ, as the body is without the soul. Hence, Christ is called our life, Col. iii. 4. And he that hath the Son hath life, 1 John v. 12. He that believeth, is born of God, 1 John, v. 1. so, that if you believe in Christ, you need never question your regeneration. Therefore, rejoice in Christ All who Christ is Jesus, make him your all; extol him highly, and give him all honour and praise. Though thousands of doubts and fears circulate around you, let none of them settle upon you; but drive them all away, as Abraham drove away the fowls from the carcases, Gen. xv. 11. No more doubt of your second birth than of your first. This faith in Christ is the beginning of the gospel in the heart; it is heaven in miniature, and will dilate itself into all the fullness of the glory of the eternal state. FINIS. They crucified him and two others with him, on either side one, and JESUS in the midst― Behold the MAN! John, xix. 5. 18. I. THERE hangs the Saviour of mankind, II. His flesh is bruis'd with whips and nails; III. Two thieves expiring on each side IV. Jesu, and didst thou bleed for me? |