disqualified to enjoy the latter. Nothing, so far as we can judge, so much resembles the life of glorified saints, as prayer, religious contemplation, and converse with those, who are most eminent for their piety. If these were gen er ally relished, there would be reason to doubt, or rather good reason for denying the assertion, just made, that a capacity for celestial enjoyments is by no means common. If you, yourselves, can deliberately and truly say, that your highest enjoyments result from devotional duties, pious conversation and from viewing the justice, benevolence, and purity of God, you are not now among those, for whom a radical change of heart is requisite; but, if the case be so clearly the reverse, that you dare not, or do not need to examine it, the inference can neither be denied, nor concealed.

I am now, in the last place, to show that the change, of which I have been speaking, is necessary for all the intelligent offspring of Adam. You will observe, however, that the truth of what has been already said, does, in no degree, depend on the success of this attempt. What has been already proved will forever remain true, even if it be impossible to show, that all the intelligent descendants of Adam need to be regenerated. That this is not impossible, however, I shall now endeavor to make apparent.

In doing this, it is obvious to remark, that the words, which our Saviour used in his conversation with Nicodemus, have no appearance of being confined to any portion of our race. It is not said, "Except a heathen be born again," nor, "Except an extravagant profligate be born again," but "Except any man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."

All those passages which show the depravity of the human character, are to our present purpose; it will therefo re be necessary to cite a number of texts, which were formerly used in proof of the doctrine.

Moses informs us, in the eighth chapter of Genesis, that the Lord said in his heart, "I will not again curse the ground

for man's sake: for the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth." Of those strong passages in the sixth chapter, asserting, that "every imagination of man's heart is evil continually," it may be plausibly said, that they describe not the character of mankind, but of that generation, which the flood destroyed: a limitation, which cannot be applied to these words in the eighth chapter. They relate not to any detachment of men, but to the whole mass.

That moral corruption is common to the whole species, appears from the following words, "The Son of man came to seek and to save that which was lost :" again, "The Son of man came into the world to save sinners;" it being likewise asserted, that he "tasted death for every man, and gave his life for the world." It appears then, that our Lord's coming had relation to the whole human race. But if so, and the object of it were to save sinners, it follows, that all men were of this character. And further, as the design of his coming is said to have been the salvation of them, that were lost, it follows, that ruin was the common condition of man; a moral ruin, exposing him to the loss of the soul.

Further, Christ speaks of the world, as hostile to his religion. "The world cannot hate you; but me it hateth: because I testify of it, that the works thereof are evil.” Here are two important assertions; 1. That the works of mankind are evil; 2. That they hated Christ for exhibiting

this truth.

They, who follow the example of Christ, are said to be a community acting on moral principles, differing from those which influence the world in general. "They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world." In connexion with this, Christ respects an idea, already noticed, namely, that there is hostility between the world and his disciples, "I have given them thy word, and the world hath hated them." The same sentiment is often conveyed in the same words. The least, that can possibly be meant by such language is, that the general current of human feelings is less favorable

to christians on account of their religion. But so far, as christians obey their religion, they resemble their master, and him, by whom their master was sent. Considering what was shown under the last particular, viz. that the gospel declares all men to be sinners, even in so high a degree, as to be exposed to perdition, it seems unreasonable to limit the term world in preceding passages, in which Christ speaks of the world's enmity to his religion; or to suppose, that none are comprehended by it, but certain individuals of uncommon depravity.

Again. That infernal being, to whom the scriptures give the name Satan, is called the god of this world. His devotees are therefore, the inhabitants of this world. It would be easy to show that not an evil principle merely, but an intelligent agent is here meant. But let it, if you please, be conceded for a moment, that by the term Satan is meant a principle of evil: the consequence will be no less formidable, namely, that mankind are under the influence of an evil principle; i. e. are universally involved in moral corruption.

The same opinion is very strongly supported by that well known passage in the second chapter of Paul's epistle to the Ephesians. "Among whom we all had our conversation in the world, and were by nature children of wrath, even as others." The connexion of the passage is this. In the latter part of the preceding chapter, the writer had men tioned, under the figure of a resurrection or revival, the change which had been produced in the character of the Ephesians; comparing the power, by which it was affected, to that which the Father exerted in raising Christ from the dead. By the introduction of this comparison, he is, according to his manner, led off for a moment, from his sub ject, and resumes it in the beginning of the second chapter, which begins thus, "And you hath he quickened, or brought unto life, who were dead in trespasses and sins; wherein, in time past, ye walked according to the course of the world, according to the prince of the power of the air

the spirit, that worketh in the children of disobedience." That thus far Gentiles are meant, is conceded without controversy. It immediately follows, "Among whom we all had our conversation in time past, in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind: and were by nature children of wrath, even as others." Nothing can be more natural, than to understand the apostle, as speaking in this latter clause, of christians in general, comprehending both Jews and Gentiles.

The last proof, to be adduced from scripture, is found in the eighth chapter of the epistle to the Romans. St. Paul there considers the whole family of man, as consisting of those, who are in the flesh, and those who are in the spirit. The character of the former is, that they mind the things of the flesh the character of the latter, that they mind the things of the spirit. It is implied further, that all would be of the former description, i. e. all would make the present world the centre of their desires and efforts, were they not the subjects of an external influence. "Ye are not in the flesh, but in the spirit, if so be the spirit of God dwelleth in you. As many, as are led by the spirit, they are the sons of God: but if any man have not the spirit of Christ he is none of his."

It would be easy to multiply quotations of the same import: but these it is believed, render it sufficiently evident, that the necessity of regeneration is universal. This change must be experienced by those, who bend beneath the weight of cares and poverty; by those, who are encumbered with superfluous wealth. It is necessary to the young, though a thousand allurements cheat them into the disbelief of it, and for the aged, in whom the habits of sin have become inveterate. It is necessary to the refined and studious, no less than to the unlettered cultivator of the desert. It is necessary to the bold despiser of religion, and to the more cautious, restrained, and reputable sinner. It is alike necessary te

the abject slave, and to those, by whom nations are brought to slavery. Without it, "the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bond man," will desire to "hide themselves in the dens, and rocks, and mountains; and will say to the mountains and the rocks, fall on us, and cover us from the face of Him, that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb.