rants the hope of salvation in the unregenerate person? All scriptural hope is of a purifying nature, and evermore productive of an holy life, 1 John iii. 3,

If you say, Christ died for the greatest of sinners, and you trust to be saved through him; it is true, he did so, but conversion is his only method of salvation, Tit, ii. 14. and those that are not washed by sanctification, have no part in him, or in his blood, John xiii. 8, He came not to save men continuing in their sins, but to save his people from their sins, Mat. i. 21. His way is to lead you through sanctification unto salvation, 2 Thes. ii, 13. If you have a mind to see whom, and how he saves; you have it before your eyes, Tit. i. 14. "Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works." Those only are saved by him, that, " denying ungodliness, and worldly lusts, live not only soberly and righteously, but godly in this present world.”

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And this is the change I am here pressing you to; and until this change be made, you cannot find yourselves within the compass any covenant-promise, Eph. ii. 12. But if you will turn to Heb. xii, 14. you may, the very next minute, find yourselves barred out of heaven by a scripture threatning. Let no man, therefore, impose so great a cheat upon his own soul, as once to imagine, that any thing short of sound conversion can ever put him out of the danger of damnation. Flavel,

Now of the persons to whom we not only may, but must preach the doctrine of conversion plainly and directly, are those, who with the name of Christians, bave hitherto passed their lives without any internal religion whatever; who have not at all thought upon the subject; who, a few easy and customary forms excepted, (and which with them are mere forms) cannot truly say of themselves, that they have done one action, which they would not have done equally, if there had been no such a thing as a God in the world; or that they have ever sacrificed any passion, any present enjoyment, or even any inclination of their minds, to the restraints and prohibitions of religion; with whom indeed religious motives have not

weighed a feather in the scale against interest or pleasure. To these it is utterly necessary that we preach conversion. At this day we have not Jews and Gentiles to preach to; but these persons are really in as unconverted a state as any Jew or Gentile could be in our Saviour's time. They are no more Christians, as to any actual benefit of Christianity to their souls, than the most hardened Jew or the most profligate Gentile was in the age of the Gospel. As to any difference in the two cases, the difference is all against them. These must be converted, before they can be saved; the course of their thoughts must be changed; the very principles upon which they act must be changed; considerations which never, or hardly ever entered into their minds, must deeply and perpetually engage them; views and motives which did not influence them at all, either as checks from doing evil, or as inducements to do good, must become the views and motives which they regularly consult, and by which they are guided; that is to say, there must be a revolution of principle. The visible conduct will follow the change; but there must be a revolution within. A change so entire, so deep, so important as this, I do allow to be a conversion; and no one, who is in the situation above described, can be saved without undergoing it; and he must necessarily both be sensible of it at the time, and remember it all his life afterwards.

It is too momentous an event ever to be forgotten. A man might as easily forget his escape from a shipwreck. Whether it was sudden, or whether it was gradual, if it was effected, (and the fruits will prove that) it was a true conversion; and every such person may justly both believe and say of himself, that he was converted at a particular assignable time. It may not be necessary to speak of his conversion, but he will always think of it with unbounded thankfulness to the giver of all grace, the author of all mercies, spiritual as well as temporal. Archdeacon Paley.

This gracious change shines forth in the conversation. Even the outward man is renewed. A new heart makes newness of life. When "the king's daughter is all glorious within, her clothing is of wrought gold," Psa. xlv. 13. "The single eye makes the whole

body full of light,” Matt, vi. 22. This change will appear in every part of one's conversation, particularly in these following things:

In the change of his company. Though sometimes he despised the saints, now they are " the excellent, in whom is all his delight," Psa. xvi. 3. “I am a companion of all that fear thee," saith the royal Psalmist, Psa. cxix. 63. A renewed man joins himself with the saints: for he and they are likeminded, in that which is their main work and business; they have all one new nature; they are traveling to Immanuel's land, and converse together in the language of Canaan. In vain do men pretend to religion, while ungodly company is their choice; for " a companion of fools shall be destroyed," Prov. xiii. 20. Religion will make a man shy of throwing hsmself into an ungodly family, or any unnecessary familiarity with wicked men; as one that is clean will beware of going into an infected house.

In his relative capacity he will be a new man. Grace makes men gracious in their several relations, and natively leads them to the conscientious performance of relative duties. It does not only make good men and women; but makes good subjects, good husbands, good wives, children, servants, and, in a word, good relatives in the church, commonwealth, and family. It is a just exception made against the religion of many; namely, that they are bad relatives, they are ill husbands, wives, masters, servants, &c. How will we prove ourselves to be new creatures, if we be still but just as we were before, in our several relations? 2 Cor. v. 17. "Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature; old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." Real godliness will gain a testimony to a man from the consciences of his nearest rela tions, though they know more of his sinful infirmities than others do, as we see in that case, 2 Kings iv. 2. « Thy servant my husband is dead, and thou knowest that thy servant did fear the Lord."

In the way of his following his worldly business there is a great change. It appears to be no more his all, as some time it was. Though saints apply themselves to worldly business, as well as others, yet their hearts are not swallowed up in it. It is evident they are carrying on a trade with heaven, as well as a trade with

earth: Philip. iii. 20. "For our conversation is in heaven." And they go about their employment in the world as a duty laid upon them by the Lord of all; doing their lawful business, as the will of God, Eph. vi. 7. working, because he hath said, "Thou shalt not steal."

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They have a special concern for the advancement of the kingdom of Christ in the world: they espouse the interests of religion, and prefer Jerusalem above their chiefest joy;" Psa. cxxxvii. 6. How privately soever they live, grace makes them a public spirit, which will concern itself in the ark and work of God, in the gospel of God, and in the people of God, even those of them whom they never saw in the flesh. As children of God, they naturally care for these things: they have a new and unwonted concern for the spi ritual good of others: and no sooner do they taste of the power of grace themselves, but they are inclined to set up to be agents for Christ and holiness in the world; as appears in the case of the woman of Samaria, who, when Christ had manifested himself to her, went her way into the city, and saith unto the men, Come, see a man which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ?" John iv. 28, 29. They have seen and felt the evil of sin, and therefore pity the world lying in wickedness. They would fain pluck the brands out of the fire, remembering that they themselves were plucked out of it. They will labour to commend religion to others, both by word and example; and rather deny themselves their liberty in indifferent things, than, by the uncharitable use of it, destroy others; 1 Cor. viii. 13. "Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend."

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In their use of lawful comforts there is a great change. They rest not in them, as their end; but use them, as means to help them in their way. They draw their satisfaction from the higher springs, even while the lower springs are running. Thus Hannah, having obtained a son, rejoiced not so much in the gift, as in the Giver; 1 Sam. ii. 1. “And Hannah prayed, and said, My heart rejoiceth in the Lord." Yea, when the comforts of life are gone, they can subsist without them, and "rejoice in the Lord, although the fig-tree

do not blossom;" Hab. iii. 17, 18. Grace teacheth to use the conveniences of a present life passingly, and to show a holy moderation in all things. The heart which formerly immersed itself in these things without fear, is now sby of being over-much pleased with them, and being apprehensive of danger, uses them warily; like the dogs of Egypt run while they lap their water out of the Nile, for fear of the crocodiles that are in it.

This change shines forth in the man's performance of religious duties. He who lived in the neglect of them will do so no more, if once the grace of God enter into his heart. If a man be new born, he will" desire the sincere milk of the word;" 1 Pet. ii. 2, 3, Whenever the prayerless person gets the spirit of grace, he will be in him "a spirit of supplication;" Zech. xii. 10. It is as u tural for one that is born again to fall a-praying, as for the new born babe to fall a-crying; Acts ix. 11. "Behold, he prayeth." His heart will be a temple for God, and his house a church. His devotion, which before was superficial and formal, is now spiritual and lively; forasmuch as heart and tongue are touched with a livecoal from heaven: and he rests not in the mere performing of duties, as careful only to get his task done; but in every duty seeketh communion with God in Christ, justly considering them as means appointed of God for that end, aud reckoning himself disappointed if he miss of it. Thus far of the nature of conversion.

Boston's Four-fold State.

Where profaneness, assuming the mask of wit, spawned the irreligious jest, and solicited the hellish laugh, prostituting, perhaps, even the language of scripture to purposes of licentious mirth, and playing on the very words of the Holy Ghost, trifling with sacred subjects, at which angels tremble, and lightly mentioning that adorable name, at which angels bow:-there, from the moment of conversion, grace introduces a total change; the renewed sinner abhors himself, as in dust and ashes, for all that he has done, and can never sufficiently adore, admire, and revere that infinite goodness, which, instead of turning him into hell, has turned him to God, and made him a living monument, not of deserved vengeance, but of unmerited

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