tion. "My son, despise not thou the chastising of the Lord, nor faint thou when thou art rebuked of him." a Q. Are these effects of regeneration, necessary to salvation? A. They are so essential, that salvation is never offered, unless some one of them, either directly or indirectly, is made an indispensable condition. "He that believeth and is baptized, shall be saved; and he that believeth not, shall be damned." b "Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish." o "Every one that loveth, is born of God. He that loveth not knoweth not God." d "Submit yourselves therefore to God." e The reasons why pardon cannot be extended to sinners, since an atonement has been made, without a compliance with these terms, have been already given.-(See pages 111, 119.) It is necessary only to remark here, that the view we have now taken of these effects, or graces of the gospel as they are usually called, cannot fail to convince us that they are essential to salvation. Each one of them, evidently implies a temper of mind, without which it would be impossible for sinners to be happy, were they in heaven. A mere declaration of pardon, cannot alter the disposition of the heart. Were sinners admitted to heaven, and a free and indiscriminate act of pardon should issue from the throne, (if it were possible) still, without confidence in God, a disapprobation of their own sin, a love to the character of God, or a submission to the divine will, they would be more unhappy than they are in the present world. Those attributes in the character of God, which now excite their bitterest opposition, will there be seen with a lustre inconceivably brighter, and eternally increasing. a Heb. xii 5. b Mark xvi. 16. c Luke xiii. 3. d 1 John iv. 7, 8. e James iv. 7.-See also Acts xvii, 30.-1 Cor. viii, 6.-1 Cor. i 9. 2. It has been shown also that if sinners were to receive pardon, without a compliance with these terms, the character of God would suffer. It would be in effect, justifying his enemies, while, if it were in their power, they would ruin him and his government. To suppose, that in order to prepare the way for a measure like this, he would consent to the sacrifice of his own Son, is to suppose that he has abandoned the cause of holiness forever. But, if the atonement has manifested the hatred of God toward sin, as much as it would have been manifested by the punishment of the guilty, as has been already shown, then every sinner who complies with these terms, or in other words, condemns himself, loves God, and justifies every measure of his government, may be consistently pardoned and restored to his favour. Although it is common for men to hope for salvation, with but little or no regard to these conditions, merely because Christ has made an atonement for sin, is it not plain from these remarks that every hope of this kind, is more baseless than a dream? In perfect accordance with this, the Scriptures universally and clearly assert, that pardon and salvation can be received only by complying with these terms. "God hath so loved the world, that he hath given his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have everlasting life." a "And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation to them that obey him." b "For by one offering he hath perfected forever them that are sanctified." c-[See also the passages quoted at the beginning of this answer.] Q. Which of these graces are first, after regeneration ? A. The Holy Spirit, in our opinion, has no where given a decisive answer to this question: We wish therefore, not to be understood as giving our opinion with decision or confi a John iii, 16. b Heb. v. 9. c-Heb x 11. dence. It will appear from what has been already stated concerning faith, repentance, love, &c. that they imply each other, and all evince the same temper of mind. They are exercises of the renewed mind, in view of different objects, In view of sin, especially when contrasted with the holiness of God, the exercise of a renewed heart will be repentance ; in view of Christ, it will be faith; and in view of the will of God, submission. We see no necessity from the nature of things, nor from the word of God, of believing that either of these graces is invariably first. It must depend, it would seem, on the object that is before the mind, at the time when the heart is changed. If this object be Christ, the first exercise will be faith. If it be sin, it will be repentance, &c. In confirmation of this, it may be observed, that as salvation is offered on a compliance with either of these terms, it is but rea sonable to conclude that either may be first. The testimony of experience, as far as it can be relied on, will certainly lead us to the same result. So far as it is possible for them to determine, or to conjecture, as to the time when their hearts were changed, different Christians give us an account of very different exercises, as those which immediately followed their regeneration, Q. What are the consequences of regeneration? A. The consequences of regeneration are in the present life, adoption, sanctification, and perseverance unto the end; and in the world to come, life everlasting. Q. What is adoption? A. It is being received into the family of God, and ad mitted to the enjoyment of all the privileges of his children. The phrase adoption, is taken from a custom that has existed n every nation, and in every age. When children are taken by parents to whom they do not belong, and made heirs to their estate, and in every other respect treated as children they are called children by adoption. Men by nature are They are enemies to his character and By regeneration they become reconciled to alienated from God. government. him, and in the act of faith are admitted through rich grace to all the privileges of his children. "To as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God; even to them who believe on his name." a The subject of adoption is one of which the Scriptures make frequent mention. It is one which presents the astonishing grace of God in the salvation of sinners, before the mind, in the most delightful point of view. When we contemplate our meanness as creatures, and our vileness as sinners, to think, that we may be admitted to enjoy the privileges, and sustain the relation of children, to a being so infinitely amiable and exalted as the eternal Jehovah, we must view it as grace and condescension, for which we can find no adequate language. Q. What is sanctification? A. To sanctify, literally signifies to make holy. It is sometimes used in the Scriptures, where the meaning is to set apart, for a holy use or purpose. Thus the "unbelieving wife is sanctified by the believing husband," &c. Here it is plain that the unbelieving wife in consequence of her connexion with a believing husband, by the appointment of God is considered holy in a relative sense. It was in this sense that the Sabbath was sanctified; it was set apart for a holy purpose. Inanimate things are said to be sanctified. The word is more generally used to denote the continuance and completion of the work of grace, which is begun in regeneration. "The very God of peace sanctify you wholly." b From this passage it is plain that the Apostle considered this work in reference to his brethren, as already partially accomplished, but not wholly. The same remark is true concerning the prayer of our Saviour for his disciples. "Sanctify them a John i, 12. 1 Thess v. 23. ་ through thy truth, thy word is truth." a The agent in sanc tification is universally considered in the Scriptures, to be the Holy Spirit. "Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father through sanctification of the Spirit." b Q. Can no evidences be given by which we may know whether we have been regenerated? A. If by this question it be meant whether evidence can be furnished while we are formal and lifeless, in the services of religion, and while we are inquiring for evidence only that we may continue in our course with less d'isquietude; it can never be furnished us. Or rather it may be said, that this selfish speculation, proceeding from no better views, furnish but too strong evidence that we are strangers to this important change. That there is such an attainment as the faith of assurance, is evident from the Bible; but it is equally true, as is observed by President Edwards, "it is always accompanied by a sense of dependence." It is an important mark of the genuineness of our hopes that their strength should ever be in proportion to our faithfulness and engagedness in the service of God. To enjoy the faith of assurance is a privilege for which we should never hope, only by uncommon spirituality and perseverance. Doddridge on Regeneration.--Hopkins' System.--Wines' Inquiry.-Erskine on Faith.-Dwight's Theology. SECTION X. Natural Ability. Q. Has the sinner by nature, power to comply with the terms of life? a John xvii. 17. bi Pet. i. 2. |