low and languid, but actually interrupted, by directly opposite exercises. He finds opposition, instead of submission; unbelief, instead of faith; the love of the world, instead of love to God; and aversion to duty, instead of delight in it. These are positive exercises of sinful affections, which are diametrically opposed to positive exercises of grace. He knows by sensible experience, that his holy affections are not merely low and languid, but actually interrupted and excluded by the existence and interference of sinful affections, which divide and distract his heart, and disturb his peace and comfort in every duty and enjoyment. Now, nothing can remove this painful effect, without removing the cause; and nothing can remove the cause, but the removal of sinful affections; and nothing can remove sinful affections, but gracious affections; and nothing can unite the heart, but the increase of gracious affections. If it be proper, therefore, that christians should pray, that they may delightfully, constantly, and faithfully perform every duty; then it is proper, that they should pray, that God would unite their hearts, by giving them such holy affections, as will exclude every sinful exercise. This leads me to ob

serve,

2. That it is proper for christians to pray, that God would unite their disunited hearts, because no external means or motives will produce this effect, without his special influence. They may read the bible, hear the gospel preached and constantly attend all external duties and divine ordinances and be tried with both mercies and afflictions, and still their hearts remain disunited, unless God exerts his special power to produce gracious affections in them. No external means or

motives can produce holy love, or holy fear, or holy faith, or any other holy affection, without the special and powerful exertion of divine grace. As it exclusively belongs to God, to produce the first, so it exclusively belongs to him, to produce the second, and every succeeding exercise of grace in the heart of a christian. It appears from the experience and language of one of the best of men, that though he sought, he never found perfection in holiness in his probationary state. Paul says, "Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect; but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." Such perfections in holiness he ardently desired, in order that his disunited heart might be united and freed from the distressing conflict between his holy and unholy affections. He says, "O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?" He knew, that no speculative knowledge, that no external means or motives, could remove his inward conflict, his spiritual warfare, and give him that peace, which the world could not give, nor take away. He felt the propriety and necessity of praying, that God would renew, enlarge and purify his heart, by more constantly producing and increasing right affections in it. If the speculative knowl edge, which Paul possessed and the means of grace, which he enjoyed, were insufficient to produce those holy affections, which were necessary to unite his dis

united heart; then no christian has any ground to depend upon the speculative knowledge, which he possesses, and the means of grace, which he enjoys, to unite his disunited heart. The moral imperfection of every christian throws him into the sovereign hand of God to mould and form his heart, as he sees fit. And this renders it not only proper, but necessary, that every christian should pray, that, God would unite his disunited heart and give him that peace, which passeth all understanding. It is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, in the christian race, but of God that sheweth mercy. The strongest, as well as the weakest christians, are equally and constantly dependent upon God, to give them more love, more faith, more submission, more zeal, and more fortitude to fight the good fight of faith, to perform every good work, and to finish. their course with joy.

IMPROVEMENT.

1. If every christian has but one heart and that heart consists in moral exercises; then no person is passive in regeneration. Those, who maintain, that men are passive in regeneration, found their opinion entirely upon the supposition, that in regeneration a new principle, dispositon, or taste, is created in the mind, which is prior to, and the foundation of all holy exercises. And were this supposition true, it would be equally true, that men are passive, and not active in regeneration. If a new principle, or a new disposition, or a new taste, be produced in their mind, without their activity, and previous to their exercising love, or faith, or any other holy affection; then they must be entirely passive in passing from spiritual death to spirit

ual life. But if every human heart, whether good or evil, consists in moral exercises; then there is no occasion of God's implanting a new, dormant, passive principle in regeneration, in order to produce a new holy heart.

In order to give a man a new heart, all that needs to be done is to produce new holy affections, in which he must necessarily be active. We cannot conceive, that a man should be turned from sin to holiness, without his own activity, in exercising holy affections, instead of sinful ones. Were it true, that men are passive in regeneration, there would be no propriety, in God's requiring them to make a new heart and a new spirit; or in requiring them to exercise love, repentance, faith, or any other holy affection, until he had actually produced a new passive principle in their minds. For, if a new heart consisted in a new passive principle, it would be as absolutely and naturally impossible for them to make a new heart, as to make a new understanding, or any other new natural faculty of the mind. But if a new heart consists in new holy affections, then there is the same propriety in God's requiring sinners to make a new heart, as in requiring them to love him, instead of hating him. It is impossible to see the justice of the divine law, or the distinction between men's natural and moral inability to love God, without understanding wherein a good heart consists, and what God does in producing it. If a good heart consists in good exercises, and if in producing it, God produces nothing but good exercises, in which men are active; then it is easy to reconcile the doctrine of regeneration with the precepts of the divine law, and the moral obligation of all sinners to obey it. But the doctrine of

passive regeneration is repugnant to reason, conscience, and every command in the bible.

2. If a good heart consists in good affections, which are continually liable to be interrupted, by affections of an opposite nature; then it is easy to see wherein the deceitfulness of the heart consists. It is a common complaint, that the heart is deceitful, and scripture represents it to be extremely so; yea, as deceitful above all things. And on this account, Solomon asserts, that "he, who trusteth in his own heart, is a fool." The assertion is indefinite and unlimited and applies to all men, whether saints, or sinners. If the heart consisted in a mere dormant, inactive principle, it could not be deceitful, nor properly be called deceitful. But if it consists in moral, free, voluntary exercises; then it may be deceitful, and its deceitfulness may be discovered. Its deceitfulness consists in its mutability. It is as unstable as water. It is every moment liable to change. Good men never know beforehand, how soon the best motions of their hearts may be interrupted, by directly opposite exercises. They may feel right, intend right, resolve right to-day; but to-morrow their good feelings, good intentions, and good resolutions, may be superceded and excluded by directly opposite views and motives. To-day they may form and resolve to execute some noble, benevolent, and extensively useful design; but to-morrow, or next week, they may give it up, from low and mercenary motives. In this respect, St. Paul found his heart to be deceitful. For, says he, "to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good, I find not. For the good that I would, I do not; but the evil that I would not, that I do." In the same manner Peter's