hold wondrous things out of his law; that they might be filled with the knowledge of his will, in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that they might walk worthy of him unto all well-pleasing, and strengthened with all might according to his glorious power, and be made fruitful in every good work. And they have experienced, that by frequent application to God for his gracious influences, they have been delivered from the prevalence of vicious inclinations, and enabled to relish the duties of religion, in such a manner as to regard it as their meat and their drink to do the will of their heavenly Father. When, however, they have fallen from their integrity, and be come careless of performing their religious services, they have felt a degree of languor in the divine life, which continued till their minds were again confirmed in the ways of well-doing. If this be the case, then the soul seems to be quickened by the influence of divine grace, or suffers a partial decay of spiritual vigour by its depri vation, as the body is strengthened by food, or weakened by the want of it.-The testimony of scripture agrees with the experience of the godly, in affirming that spiritual influences are the cause of that superior holiness which some men exhibit above others, and by imputing the prevalence of sinful dispositions in the heart to the perversity of human nature, which provokes God to withdraw his grace from those who refuse to comply with its suggestions. Accordingly, our Lord says that" none can come unto him, except the Father who hath sent him draw them:"" and that God hid the knowledge of the gospel from the wise and prudent, while he revealed it unto babes, because it seemed good in his sight;"" and that he hath mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth." He gives his grace to those that ask it, which proves effectual to convert the good and honest heart, and build up every sincere Christian through faith unto salvation; while he withholds it from such as have rendered themselves unworthy of it, by grieving his spirit, and resolving to reject the counsel of God against themselves, till by following their own devices, they fall into perdition which awaits ungodly men. This appears to be

the doctrine of scripture respecting the efficacy of divine grace; so that we have reason to ascribe our salvation to the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost; while we fall short of it by resisting the Holy Ghost, and refusing to return from the error of our ways, to the wisdom and obedience of the just.

Having thus endeavoured to prove from reason and scripture, that the influences of the Holy Ghost are necessary to renew us in the spirit of our minds, I proceed to shew,

II. The nature of these influences, and the means by which they are produced.

They may be described as a supernatural impulse imparted to the mind, by which it is inclined to believe in Christ, and live in obedience to his commands. They are denominated in scripture by the general term grace, or the favourable interposition of God in converting us from that state of original depravity in which we are born, to newness of life and conversation.

Grace has been designated by divines under three characters, common, preparatory, and special. The first is that general influence on the human mind, which the Holy Spirit excites in it by the suggestions of conscience, and application to religious ordinances. The second is that disposition after holiness, which the mind conceives when it becomes sensible of the importance of salvation, and the necessity of securing it. The third consists in the possession of that faith, repentance, and new obedience which every good man attains, and in which he increases more and more till he stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.The agent by whom these influences are communicated to the mind is the Holy Spirit, or third divine person in the Godhead, who hath undertaken to regenerate and sanctify believers in Christ, and render them meet for the inheritance of the saints in light. He hath been employed in all ages of the church to stir up in the minds of men a concern for their salvation, and induce them to make their calling and election sure. Accordingly we find, that he strove with the Antediluvians

in the days of Noah to convince them of their ungodly deeds, and incline them to return to God before it was too late for repentance; that he would have persuaded the Israelites to keep his statutes and his judgments, but they rejected him, they and their fathers; and that in all succeeding generations he is represented as standing at the door of our hearts and knocking, so that if we hear his voice he will come in and make his abode with us. But these common suggestions which are addressed to our reason and conscience are often disregarded, and we thus do despite to the Spirit of grace. If indeed we listen to his admonitions which remind us, "this is the way, walk ye in it," then he will stir us up to give heed to the things which belong to our peace, and lead us to inquire what we must do to be saved. He will enlighten our minds in the knowledge of the truth as it is in Jesus, enable us to apprehend the suitable provision made in the gospel for saving us from sin and misery, and dispose us to acquiesce in the discoveries therein revealed for our instruction in righteousness. He will next produce conviction of sin in the conscience, which will be accompanied with apprehension of the wrath of God, with sorrow for having violated his holy laws, with humiliation, contrition, and confession of unworthiness, and an earnest desire to obtain forgiveness through the atonement of that Saviour who taketh away the sins of the world. Such a sense of guilt being thus effected, the Holy Spirit will urge the penitent to labour after newness of life, and teach him to renounce those sins which easily beset him, to avoid all appearance of evil, and endeavour to maintain a conscience void of offence.

These are generally preparatory means of grace, which when duly improved, do in most cases issue in that change of heart and life implied in regeneration. This change consists, in giving a new direction to the mental faculties, by which they are gradually renewed, and employed in such a manner as is suitable to our rational nature. Henceforth our reason is exercised to discover the value of those objects which religion unfolds: it teaches us to regard the knowledge of the Deity as the principal study

which should engage our attention; enables us to perceive that Christ is the power of God, and the wisdom of God for our salvation; and that as we are obnoxious to divine wrath for our transgressions, we must trust in his merits for their expiation and reconciliation with our heavenly Father. Our will is inclined to pursue holiness in heart and life as the chief end of our existence, disposed to obey the divine commandments, and walk in all his ordinances blameless. Our affections are placed on God as the portion of our inheritance, so that we henceforth can say, "whom have we in heaven but thee, and there is none in all the earth that our souls desire besides thee, our flesh and our heart may faint and fail, but thou art the strength of our heart, and our portion for ever."

The mode of divine influence on the human mind cannot be understood by us in the present imperfect state of our knowledge; but as it must be consonant with our mental feelings, such a direction of the human faculties may perhaps be effected by the Holy Spirit in the following manner. He may impress the truths of religion so deeply on our brain, (which is the sensorium of all our ideas,) that they shall frequently recur to our thoughts, and thereby produce that serious frame of mind which shall have a corresponding influence in rendering all the operations of our intellectual and moral powers agreeable to the perceptions of rectitude. He may by means of our animal spirits convey such lively sensations of divine things, that we shall be convinced of their importance, and be led to resolve on a course of religious obedience as most suitable to us as rational and immortal beings. Since there is a mutual connexion betwixt our physical and moral constitution, it is very probable, that the operations of the mind are thus influenced by certain alterations on the state of the body: if so, then regeneration may be accounted for on the same principles as any other mental phaenomena with which we are acquainted, either by consciousness or observation.

As the mind however is influenced chiefly by motives addressed to the will, hence conversion is effected in a great measure, by having lively ideas of the beauty of

holiness and vileness of sin presented to our view, and repeated from time to time by the agency of the Holy Spirit. Thereby the truths of religion are represented more clearly to our understandings, so that we have a strong conviction of their reality. And thereby also they are brought more frequently to our remembrance, so as to encourage us in the performance of our duty, and engage us to resist all the temptations which would seduce us from our purposes of well-doing. From the recurrence of such reflections as the Holy Spirit suggests, we are gradually induced to yield to their impressions; and, after many struggles with our corrupt inclinations, at last resolve to devote ourselves to the service of God, as our reasonable and incumbent duty. Hence the distinguish ing characteristics of that renovation which ensues, consists in apprehending and choosing religion as our chief good, and in a persuasion that sin is our greatest evil, which leads us to abstain from it and avoid every wicked way. This we find to be consistent with experience, and therefore we conclude that regeneration is a real change produced on the state of the heart and the tenour of the actions, by which "old things are done away, and all things become new."

There have been various questions agitated respecting. the gracious operations of the Holy Ghost upon the minds of the faithful which require consideration, when treating of this subject. Thus, it has been often disputed, whether we are entirely passive in our conversion, or whether our own co-operation accompanies the influences communicated to our souls in producing newness of life. It seems to be the doctrine of scripture, that the Spirit of God first worketh in us to will and to do his good plea sure, by inclining us to give heed to the things which concern our salvation; and that we are led to form such determinations as issue in a stedfast purpose of new obedience. Hence the operations of grace and our own endeavours concur; so that without it we can do nothing but through its efficacious energy we are enabled to do all things. It has been also matter of controversy, whether our conversion takes place in an instant, of