heart, and exhibited in the whole of the life and con- versation.
Before we proceed, we will beg leave to ask, Is this, or is it not, a reasonable statement and a rea- sonable requirement ? I speak as mito wise men ; and I call upon you to judge, as in the sight of God, whether these requirements can justly be branded with enthusiasm, or severity, or any odious character whatever ?
But to proceed : — This change far exceeds the power of fallen man. Whatever powers you may be pleased to invest him with, they fall very far short of this. A semblance of these things he may put on ; but he cannot form them really and truly in his heart. This is the work of the Spirit of God, who is promised to us for this very end : " A new heart will I give you, and a new Spirit will I put within you : and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh : and I will put MY Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my commandments to do them*^." As to the mode of effecting this great work, we have already observed, the Spirit is not restricted : but whenever it is truly effected, then we say, that the man is born again, and born of the Spirit ; and the change that has taken place within him, we call the new birth.
Now the question is. Whether this be the new birth or not ? and whether we do right in insisting upon it as necessary to man's salvation ?
In answer to this, we reply, not only that the Scriptures call this a new birth, a new creation, a being born of God, and a being born of the Spirit, but that an experience of it is predicated of all who are in a state of favour with God now, or shall find admission into his kingdom hereafter. " If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature, or a new crea- tion," says the Apostle : " old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new*." And
d Ezek. xxxvi. 26, 27. " 2 Cor. v. 17.