me and my Father." So the fallen angels, the more they know of the truths contained in the Bible, the more they hate them. And the same may be said of all the children of disobedience, who are left of God to their own hearts' lusts, and are under the power of the prince of the air, led captive by him at his will. For the carnal mind, being at enmity against God, is, of course, equally at enmity against that whole system of truth in which his true character is exhibited. And it is this which renders the regenerating influences of the Holy Spirit absolutely necessary in order that divine truths may be seen in such a light as to beget and excite all holy affections. The regenerating influences of the Holy Spirit are not necessary to make false schemes of religion seem lovely to a carnal heart, because such schemes are calculated for it, and in their own nature are adapted to suit carnal hearts. And were the Scripture system of sentiments as agreeable to a carnal heart as the system of sentiments contained in false schemes, it might appear agreeable and lovely, and excite answerable affections, without such influences; and so the doctrine of regeneration by the Holy Spirit might have been left out of the Bible, just as it is out of all false schemes. But being what it is, except a man is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. The gospel will be hid from him; for the natural man discerneth not the things of the Spirit of God. Did the sum and substance of the gospel consist in a revelation that there is forgiveness with God for impenitent sinners, or that my sins in particular are forgiven, I might without the regenerating influences of the Holy Spirit, merely from selflove, be ravished with this. Or did the sum and substance of the gospel consist in a revelation, that such a civil, sober, honest life will entitle me to heaven, as my present comfort and worldly interest naturally excites me to, I might be pleased with the gospel revelation, without any influences from above at all. And the like may be said in all similar cases.

The Scripture system of divine truths being one harmonious, consistent whole, the true, divine beauty of no particular truth can be seen by a mind at enmity against any, part of the whole system; the nature of every particular divine truth being the same, exactly the same, as the nature of the whole. And for this reason, it is as easy to discern the beauty of one particular truth, of which the mind has a clear conception, as of another; one being, when rightly understood, no more contrary to a carnal heart than another. For instance, the true beauty of divine goodness, rightly understood, is as remote from the sight of a wicked man, as the true beauty of vindictive justice;

and the reason it seems otherwise to many wicked men, is because their notion of God's goodness, and of God's justice, are not according to truth; for in God these two perfections are perfectly harmonious. God's severity against sin harmonizes with his goodness; and his goodness harmonizes with his severity against sin; for God's nature is in perfect harmony with itself. But wicked men are very apt to view the matter in a different light; and so, while they hate one perfection, they imagine they love another. Or, to allude to the Manichean scheme, while they hate the God of the Old Testament, they love the God of the New; or, to express the same thing in modern language, while they hate God out of Christ, they love God in Christ. But all this is wholly owing to their mistaking the true nature of things. He who really loves any one of the divine perfections on the account of its real loveliness, cannot fail to love them all, and he who is blind to the beauty of one, is equally blind to the beauty of all; for, in strict truth, all the moral perfections of God are really but one, as was before observed, although differently denominated, from their different exercises toward various objects. "God is light, and in him is no darkness at all." Perfect in beauty, without a blemish. (Deut. xxxii. 4. Isai. vi. 3.)

Moreover, let it be observed and carefully attended to, that all divine truths in general, and without any one exception, are suited to beget and excite holy affections in divinely enlightened souls. There is not one truth in the whole Scripture scheme, but what is a doctrine according to godliness, (1 Tim. vi. 3;) and all jointly unite their influence to form the character of the godly man. "Ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you." Is God represented in Scripture as the Creator and Lord of all things? "O, come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord our Maker," is the effect. (Ps. xcv. 6.) Is God represented as the Governor of the world, and his government, as being like himself, absolutely perfect? "The Lord reigneth, let the earth rejoice; let the multitude of the isles be glad thereof," is the effect. (Ps. xcvii. 1.) Is God represented as the supreme good? "Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none on earth I desire besides thee," is the effect. (Ps. lxxiii. 25.) Is God's law represented as holy, just, and good, a perfect law? "The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul: O, how love I thy law it is my meditation all the day," is the effect. (Ps. xix. 8; cxix. 97.) And doth the divine law threaten eternal damnation for the least defect? And is it represented as

glorious in this view? (Gal. iii. 10. 2 Cor. 3, 7, 9.) — Thou art righteous when thou speakest, and clear when thou judgest; our mouth is stopped, and we stand guilty before God; and I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live to God, is the effect. (Rom. iii. 4, 19. Gal. ii. 19.) Is there no other name but Christ's given under heaven whereby men can be saved? To rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh, is the effect. (Phil. iii. 3.) Is it said, Be ye perfect as your Father which is in heaven is perfect? The effect is, I count not myself to have apprehended; but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth toward those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. (Phil. iii. 13, 14.) The same might be said of every divine truth in the whole Scripture system; for they are all of them doctrines according to godliness, and therefore we may easily, and with the greatest certainty, answer this question," Are men regenerated by the law, or by the gospel? If by regenerated is meant enabled to see the holy beauty of divine truths, we are regenerated neither by the law nor by the gospel, nor by any external means or instructions whatsoever; but by the immediate influences of the Holy Spirit. (Matt. xi. 25. John vi. 45. 2 Cor. iv. 6.) If by regenerated is meant holy affections being begotten and excited in the heart, in this sense we are regenerated by the law, and regenerated by the gospel, and regenerated by every divine truth in general; agreeable to that of our blessed Savior. (John xvii.)" Sanctify them through thy truth; thy word is truth;" for the divine law is God's word, as much as the gospel. Every divine truth is the word of God. To say that there are some particular divine truths, which, although known, do not beget and excite in us holy affections answerable to their nature, is to say that there are some divine truths which we do not love; which is to say that we are hypocrites.

Objection. But does not St. Paul say, "I have begotten you through the gospel "?

Answer. Very true. And does not David say, "The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul"? Only understand these texts in a consistency with each other, and you may be a consistent Christian. But if the character of God, as exhibited in the law, appears odious to you, and excites hatred and heart-risings; while the character of God, which you imagine to be exhibited in the gospel, appears lovely, and excites love and joy; you are not a Christian; you are a Manichean; you hate the God of the Old Testament, and love the God of the New; and so you have two Gods, of characters essentially

different. But St. Paul's gospel was built on this, as a fundamental maxim, that God's character, as exhibited in the law, was perfect in beauty, without a blemish. For, to do honor to this character, according to St. Paul, the Son of God became incarnate, and died on the cross, even to declare his Father's righteousness, that he might be just, and yet the justifier of the believer. St. Paul's gospel comprised the whole system of divine truths, in their proper arrangement, in perfect harmony. To be begotten by his gospel, is to have holy affections answerable to that whole system excited in us; and so, to become not Manicheaus, but consistent Christians; obeying 'from the heart that form of doctrine which he delivered.

And even reason teaches that it must be so; for, if divinely enlightened souls have a relish for holy beauty, for such beauty as there is in God's real character, then every divine truth, as it exhibits his real character, will, if it comes into our view, appear beautiful; and will accordingly beget and excite holy affections answerable to its nature. But the divine law gives a very bright exhibition of God's real character, in its precepts, promises, and threatenings, as they are holy, just, and good, a ranscript of the holiness, justice, and goodness of the divine nature, the very image of his heart. The divine law, therefore, is suited, in its own nature, to excite holy affections in the divinely enlightened soul, as well as the cross of Christ. And in fact it does so, from the very moment his eyes begin to be opened at conversion, until they are perfectly opened in heaven. "The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul: the statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart. The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether, more to be desired than gold, yea, than much fine gold; sweeter also than honey, and the honey-comb." (Ps. xix. 7, 10.)

Obj. "But what occasion was there then for the death of Christ? "

Ans. 1. Absolutely none at all, under a notion the law was too severe, a bad, an unamiable law, and we the abused, injured party, that by his death he might purchase for us the relief which was our due, and so pacify our imbittered, angry minds, which had been exasperated against the Deity, the Lawgiver, and bring us to have a good thought of God, as being "altogether made up of love to us; " and in this view to be reconciled to him, against whom, viewed as exhibited in his holy law, "we are full of hatred and heart-risings, in spite of our hearts." To believe the Son of God died for this purpose, to view his death in this light, and to grow devout in such a view, is as bad as downright infidelity; and such a religion,

resulting from these blasphemous views, must be infinitely provoking to the Deity. No American pagan, no African Hottentot, ever espoused a scheme of religion more absurd in itself, or more impious in its nature. "What occasion was there then for the death of Christ?" 2. "What occasion!" a surprisingly stupid question! When, as the beauty of the divine law, and the transcendent beauty and glory of the divine character as exhibited in the law, was the occasion, the great occasion, the only occasion, of the death of an incarnate God, in the room of a Goddespising, God-hating world, that thereby he might vindicate the divine character, declare it to be right, and give a public proof, the greatest which could have been given, that the law was holy, just, and good, to the end that, consistent with the honor of his character and government, and to the glory of his grace, God might have mercy on whom he will have mercy, open the eyes of the elect, and bring them to repent and return to God through Jesus Christ, and in his name, and simply on his account, pardon and save them with an everlasting salvation. And besides, this very view of the divine law is the very thing which leads the enlightened soul to see its need of Christ's atonement; for no man can see his need of the atonement of Christ to do honor to the divine law, unless he sees that which renders it needful: but the excellency and honorableness of the divine law, which we had dishonored, was the only thing which rendered the atonement of Christ needful, in order to our salvation. If the law had not been a glorious law, and worthy of this honor, there had been no need, no occasion for the death of Christ in order to our salvation, as has been before proved. But to return:

All holy affections, I say, are begotten and excited by the truth. On the other hand, in all false schemes of religion, their love and joy, and all their devout affections, in which a carnal heart is so much pleased, are begotten and excited by a lie; a lie invented to please a carnal heart. I say, in all false schemes of religion. And this is the reason that false schemes of religion are adhered to by deluded sinners with such an invincible obstinacy. They suit their carnal hearts; but they hate the truth. And therefore, in the apostolic age, while the apostles were yet alive, with all their inspiration, their miracles, their zeal, their tears, they could not help the matter; but in spite of all they could do, it in fact was, as St. Paul told Timothy, "Evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived." (2 Tim. iii. 13.)

Such is the nature of mankind, and such the nature of our