nected with it; but it is not the thing itself. Others, again, regard reformation and regeneration as synonymous; but this notion is as incorrect as either of the former. Regeneration may accompany baptism, repentance, or reformation; but it is more than either of them. Saul became " another man," without becoming a new man: Ahab "humbled himself," yet became not truly humble: many repent of some great iniquity, but relapse again into evil courses: and some reform their conduct, because the state of their health, or perhaps the monitions of conscience, lead them so to reform; though they still remain ignorant of " the " one thing needful," and have hearts as unimpressed as the "unwedgeable and gnarled oak."

To guard you against these and other erroneous views of conversion, to which your attention may sometimes be called, I shall endeavour to describe it concisely as it is pourtrayed in Scripture, our only unerring guide with respect to this and every other Christian doctrine.

And here you cannot fail to remark, for it must be evident to every impartial reader of the word of God, that the mutation, which we are now to contemplate, can neither be slight, nor transient, nor, in general, slow. In the principal texts, where it is delineated, it seems either named or characterised in reference to one or other of two modes or circumstances of change, both of which are important and usually rapid, compared with the corresponding duration of existence: these are conversion and regeneration; the one indicating frequently a turning from one thing towards another,

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and in theology, according to Dr. Johnson's definition, " a change from a state of reprobation to a state of grace; " and the other, a new creation, or a new birth; or, according to the same lexicographer, " birth " by grace to a Christian life." The selection and classification of a very few texts will show that the two general terms I have just mentioned, are not artificially forced into the technology of theologians, but are those which most naturally convey the idea of the change they are chosen to describe.

The prophet Jeremiah had manifestly something more in view than a mere nominal passage from one religion to another, when he fancied Ephraim, after bemoaning himself, to pray-" Turn thou me, and I " shall be turned; for thou art the Lord my God." (h) And again, in his faithful exhortation to the Jews"Turn ye again now every one from his evil way, " and from the evil of your doings." (i) More expressive still is the language of Joel-" Rend your hearts, " and not your garments, and turn unto the Lord "your God, for he is gracious and merciful." (k)

The language of our Lord to his disciples was, "Except ye be converted, and become as little chil “dren, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven." "He that heareth my word, and believeth on him " that sent me, hath passed from death unto life." (l) The apostles speak of this change as equally momentous: their divine Master taught them to preach

(h) Jer. xxxi. 18. See also Lam. v. 21.

to the Gentiles, that they might "turn them from " darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto "God, that they might receive forgiveness of sins by "faith." How great must be the transformation from the darkness of ignorance and vice to the light of knowledge and holiness; how delightful the emancipation from the thraldom of the devil to be placed under the merciful government of God! They therefore acted under the persuasion that "if any one erred from the "truth, and one converted him, that he, which con"verted the sinner from the error of his way, saved a "soul from death:" and considered this conversion as a deliverance from the power of darkness, and a "translation into the kingdom of God's dear Son." (m) Among the numerous texts which evince this great change to be no less than an entire renovation of character, the following deserve notice. "Create in me a "clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit " within me." (n) "I will put a new spirit within them; " and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, " and give them a heart of flesh; that they may walk " in my statutes, and keep mine ordinances, and do "them." (0) "Unless a man be born again, he can"not see the kingdom of God." (p) "Born, not of "blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of

man, but of God." (q) Though they are "dead," they shall " hear the voice of the Son of God, and "they that hear shall live." (r) " In Jesus Christ

(m) Acts, xxvi. 18. Jam. v. 19. Col. i. 13.

(0) Ezek. xi. 19, 20.

(q) John, i. 13.

(n) Ps. li. 10.

(p) John, iii. 3.
(r) John, v. 25.

" neither circumcision is any thing, nor uncircum"cision, but a new creation." (8) "Love one another " with a pure heart fervently, having been born again "not from corruptible seed, but from incorruptible, " by that word of God which liveth and remaineth." (t) "Every one that doeth righteousness (habitually) is " born of Him." (v) " Whosoever is born of God doth "not commit sin" habitually, "and loveth and be"lieveth that Jesus is the Christ, and overcometh the "world." (w) "Christ saved us, according to his

mercy, by the washing of regeneration, and the " renovation of the Holy Spirit." (x) "We are his "workmanship, having been created through Christ "Jesus to his good works." (y) "Ye have been in"structed to put off the old man, who was corrupt "according to deceitful desires, and to be renewed

" in the Spirit of your mind; and to put on the new

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man, who is created according to God in righteous"ness and true holiness." (x) "Wherefore, if any

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man be in Christ, there is a new creation: the old " things are passed away, behold all things are be" come new." (a) "That which is born of the flesh " is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is "spirit. Wonder not that I said unto thee, Ye must "be born again. The wind bloweth where it will, " and thou hearest its sound, but knowest not whence "it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one " that is born of the Spirit." (b)

From these passages it must appear, that the grand transformation we are now contemplating is not ideal : nor does it consist merely in enlightening and convincing the understanding, in a change of sentiments, or a change of outward conduct; though it often includes all these. A man may change his religious opinions, or his outward conduct, without experiencing a change of heart: and, on the other hand, a person may experience a genuine and complete change of heart (and the heart it must never be forgotten is the seat of true religion), without being able to trace the slightest difference in any one article of his creed. Every one knows, that in a certain sense the world is vanity, that he must die, that in the hour of death riches will not profit him, that time is precious, that the portion of it allowed us to prepare for eternity is uncertain and often short, that a death-bed repentance is not an infallible passport to heaven; and many know that they are sinners, that "Christ Jesus came to " save sinners," that there is one, and only one, way of salvation. Yet though these are known and received as truths, they are not felt as such: they want the Promethean fire to give them life and animation; or, to drop so profane an allusion on so solemn an occasion, they are but as the new-formed body of Adam, before "God breathed into his nostrils the breath of " life," and need a touch from Him, who alone can effectually (whether immediately, or by his own appointed instruments) reach the soul, to render them living, operative, efficacious sentiments.

In regeneration, so much of the light of heaven is