Let not the reader think this part of the subject tedious, or extended beyond its due bounds; let him rather enter on a deep and careful search into his own heart, and fee how it ftands with himfelf in this particular. There is often a counterfeit humility. A proud and vain-glorious carriage is odious to man as well as to God. Pride in one man, is always in open hoftility against pride in another; nay pride, when discovered, effectually defeats its own purpose. Not only is a man who is vain of nothing, juftly and univerfally contemptible, but in all cafes, as Solomon fays, < for a man to search his own glory, is not glory." Even the most eminent abilities, the most amiable qualifications, and the most laudable actions, are greatly fullied by an apparent vanity and thirft of praise. It is hardly poffible to bring others to acknowledge that man's worth who afferts it with his own tongue, and abfolves the world by paying tribute to himself. Hence there is a remarkable obfervation of a foreign writer of eminent piety and learning, to this purpofe, That a worldly principle, when it is attended with found judgment, and in its highest perfection, does homage to religion, by imitating its effects. And, indeed, what is all politeness of carriage, but a fort of hypocritical humility, and an empty profeffion of that deference to the judgment and kindness kindness to the perfons of others, which a true Chriftian hath implanted in his heart? How felf-deceiving is pride? How many are there even of those who have a form of godliness, who are wrapt up in themselves, who would have all men to efteem them, who would have their opinions to prevail, and their measures to take place, in every matter of the smallest consequence, and are never satisfied but when this is the case? Of this they are often quite insensible themselves, when every one about them perceives it without the leaft difficulty or uncertainty. Nay, is it not very furprising and very lamentable, that there is ftill fo much pride to be found even in good men, which betrays itself by many evidences, impatience of contradiction in their fentiments, exceffive grief, or immoderate refentment, when their characters are attacked by unjust and malicious flander? It is lawful, to be fure, in fuch a cafe, to embrace every opportunity of vindication; but, as it is not wonderful that it should happen, fo the real Christian should study to bear it with meekness, and to forgive it fincerely, as he asks forgiveness of God. From all this it is eafy to fee, that the regenerate perfon must be humble. Believe it, O Chrif tian, fo much as you have of humility, fo much you have of true religion. So much as your fentiments are altered in this refpect, so much you have ground to think the change to be real; and fo much as you take root downwards in true humility, in the fame proportion you will bear fruit upwards, in all the duties of a regular, exemplary, and useful converfation. 2. Another excellent and useful evidence of regeneration, is the fanctification of natural and lawful affections. There are, perhaps, few either more fure or more plain evidences of real religion than this. Regeneration does not confift in giving us new fouls, new faculties, or new affections, but in giving a new tendency and effect to thofe we had before. There are many perfons to whom we bear naturally an affection, and it is far from being the defign of religion to destroy this affection, but to regulate it in its meafure, to keep it in its proper channel, and direct it to its proper end. This is a part of the fubject which I have always thought of great moment and importance, on more accounts than one. It hath pleased God, by joining us toge. ther in fociety, to conftitute a great variety of relations; these ties are of God's own making, and our affections to all perfons fo related to us are natural, and in fome of them very strong. How then do they operate? In what manner do they exprefs themselves? Nothing will more evidently prove what is the ruling difpofition of the heart. Whenever we love hers fincerely, we fhew it by by defiring and endeavouring to procure for them thofe bleffings which we ourselves moft highly esteem. Let us take any one of these relations for an example. Does a parent fincerely love his children Religion doth not weaken, ftrengthen this affection, and add to the force of his obligation to ferve them. But if the parent truly loveth God above all, how will his love to his children be expreffed? Surely by defiring, above all, that they may be " born again." Their following finful courfes will give him unspeakably more grief than their poverty, fickness, or even death itself. He will be more concerned to make them, and more delighted to see them, good than great; and, for this purpose, every step of their education will be directed. Would not every parent fhudder at the thoughts of fending a beloved child to a house infected with the plague, or any other scene where health or life would be in imminent danger? What then fhall we think of thofe parents who, from the fingle prospect of gains without fcruple, place their children in houfes deeply infected with the leprofy of fin, and expose them, without the leaft neceffity, to the most dangerous temptations? I know there are fome inftances in fcripture of perfons who have been confidered as very pious themselves, who yet were fhamefully negligent in this branch of their duty. Of these Eli, men tioned in the book of Samuel, is one, whofe fons, though in the most facred office," made them"felves vile, and he restrained them not." I imagine I could eafily bring in doubt, if not the reality, at least the eminence of his piety, and others of the fame kind, though often taken for granted, without much examination; but I shall only observe what an oppofite account is given of the divine conduct toward Eli and toward Abraham, the father of the faithful. He revealed his will, and employed in his meffage the child Samuel, to the neglect of Eli, grown old in his courts, and denounced the most severe and terrible judgments against him and his houfe: " Behold, I will do "a thing in Ifrael, at which both the ears of "every one that heareth it fhall tingle; in that "day I will perform against Eli all things which "I have spoken concerning his house: when I "begin I will alfo make an end. For I have "told him that I will judge his house for ever, "for the iniquity which he knoweth *." On the contrary, fee the honourable diftinction put upon Abraham: "And the Lord faid, Shall I "hide from Abraham that thing which I do, "feeing that Abraham shall surely become a great nation, and all the nations of the earth "fhall be bleffed in him. For I know him, that he will command his children and his houfhold * 1 Sam. iii. 11, 12, 13. ́ ́ << after |