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We are born, not of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God, John i, 13Never think thou canst convert thyself: if ever thou wouldst be savingly converted, thou must despair of doing it in thine own strength, Jer. xiii, 33. It is a resurrection from the dead, Rev, xx. 5, Eph. ii. 1, a new creation, Gal. vi, 15, Eph. ii. 10, a work of absolute the reach of human power? If th omnipotency, Eph. i. 19. Are these out of tho If thou hast no more than thou hadst by thy first birth, a good nature, a meek and chaste temper, &c. thou art a very human rue conversio to This

18 a supernatural work.

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The moving cause is internal, or exter

The internal mover is only free grace: Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but of his but of his own mercy he saved us-by the renewing of the Holy Ghost, Tit. iii. 5. Of his own will begat he us, James i. 18.We are chosen and called unto sanctification, not for it, Eph. i. 4.

God finds nothing in a man to turn his heart, but to turn his stomach; enough to provoke his loathing, nothing to provoke his love.Look back upon thyself, O Christian: take thy verminous rags: look upon thyself in thy blood, Ezek. xvi. 6. Oh! reflect upon thy swinish nature, thy filthy swill, thy once beloved mire, 2 Pet. ii. 22. Canst thou think, without loathing, of thy trough and draught? Open thy sepulchre, Matt. xxiii. 27. Art thou not struck almost dead with the hellish damp? Behold thy putrid soul, thy loathsome

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members. Oh stench insufferable, if thou dost but scent thy own putrefaction! Psa. xiv. 3. Behold thy ghastly visage, thy crawling lusts, thy slime and corruption. Do not thine own clothes abhor thee? Job 84. How then should holiness and purity love thee? Be, astonished, O heavens, at this be mov ed, O earth! Jer. ii. 12. Who but must needs cry. Grace! grace! Zech. iv. Hear and blush, you children of the Most High; Ο you unthankful generation that free grace is no more in your mouths, fn your thoughts no more adored, a admired, commended by such as you. One would think you should be nothing but praising and admiring God, what-i ever you are. How can you make a shift to forect such grace, or to Csoftver with a slight and seldom mention? What but free grace should move God to love you, unless enmity could do it, or deformity could dan, unless vomit or rottenness could do it? How ailectiona doth Peter lift unda hands?le Blessed be the God and Father of our Bord Jesus Christ, who of his abundant mere hath begotten us again, 1 Pet. 1, 3. How feelingTy doth Paul magnify the free mercy of God?ex God who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, hath quickened us together with Christ: by grace ye are saved, Eph. ii. 4, 5.

The external mover is the merit and intercession of the blessed Jesus. He hath obtained gifts for the rebellious, Psa. Ixviii. 18, and through him it is that God, worketh in us what is well-pleasing in his sight, Heb. xifi. 21 sight,Heb.

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Through him are all spiritual blessings bestowed upon us in heavenly things, Eph. i. 3. He interceded for the elect that believe not, John xvii. 20. Every convert is the fruit of his travail, Isa. liii. 11. Oh, never was infant born into the world with that difficulty that Christ endured for us! How emphatically he groaneth in his travail! All the pains that he suffered on his cross, they were our birthpains, Acts ii. 24, the pulls and throws that Christ endured for us. He is made sanctification to us, 1 Cor. i. 80. He sanctified himself (that is, set apart himself as a sacrifice) that we may be sanctified, John xvii. 19. We are sanctified through the offering of his body once for all, Heb. x. 10.

'Tis nothing then without his own bowels, but the merit and intercession of Christ, that prevails with God to bestow on us converting grace. If thou art a new creature, thou knowest to whom thou owest it, to Christ's pangs and prayers. Hence the natural affection of a believer to Christ. The foal doth not more naturally run after the dam, nor the suckling to the dugs, than a believer to Jesus Christ. And whither else shouldst thou go? If any in the world can shew that for thy heart that Christ can, let them carry it. Doth satan put in, doth the world court thee? Doth sin sue for thy heart? Why, were these crucified for thee? 1 Cor. i. 13. O Christian, love and serve the Lord whilst thou hast a being; do not even the Publicans love those that love them, and shew kindness to those that are kind to them? Matt. v. 46, 47.

3. The instrument is either personal or real..

The personal is the ministry I have begotten you to Christ through the gospel, 1 Cor. iv. 15. Christ's ministers are they, that are sent to open men's eyes, and to turn them to God, Acts xxvi. 18.

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O unthankful world, little do you know what you are doing, while you are persecuting the messengers of the Lord these are they whose business is (under Christ) to save you. Whom have you reproached and blasphemed? Against whom have you exalted your voice, and lifted your eyes on high? Isaiah xxxvii. 23. Those are the servants of the most high God, that shew unto you the way of salvation, Acts xvi. 17. And do you thus requite them, O foolish and unwise? Deut. xxxii. 6. O sons of ingratitude, against whom do you sport yourselves? Against whom make you a wide mouth, and draw out the tongue? Isa. vii. 84. These are the instruments that God useth.to convert and save you and do you, spit in the face of your physicians, and throw your pilots over board ? Father forgive them, for they know not what they do do!

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The instrument real is the word: We were begotten by the word of truth. This it is that enlightens the eyes, that converteth the soul, Psa. xix. 7, 8, that maketh wise to salvation,

Tim. iii. 15. This is the incorruptible seed, by which we are born again, 1 Pet.i.723. If we are washeds 'tis by the word, Eph. v. 28, if we are sanctified, 'tis through the truth,

John xvii. 17. This generates faith, and regenerates us, Rom, x. 17, James i. 18.

O ye saints, how should ye love the word? for by this you have been converted: 0 ye sinners, how should you ply the word? for by this you must be converted no other ordinary means but this. You that have felt its renewing power, make much of it while you live; be forever thankful for it tie it about your necks, write it upon your hands, lay it in your bosoms, Prov. vi. 21, 22. When you go, let it lead you; when you sleep, let it keep you; when you wake, let it talk with you: Say with holy David, I will never forget thy precepts, for by them thou hast quickened me, Psa. cxix. 93. You that are unconverted, read the word with diligence, flock to it where powerfully preached, fill the porches, as the multitude of the impotent, blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water, John v. 3. Pray for the coming of the Spirit in the word. Come off thy knees to the sermon ; and come to thy knees from the sermon. The seed doth not prosper, because not watered by prayers and tears, nor covered by meditation.

4. The final cause is man's salvation and God's glory. We are chosen through sanctification to salvation, 2 Thess. ii. 13, called that we might be glorified, Rom. viii. 30, but especially, that God might be glorified, Isa. lx. 21, that we should shew forth his praises, 1 Pet. ii. 9, and be fruitful in good works, Col. i. 10. O Christian, do not forget the end of thy calling; let thy light shine, Matt.

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