REGEiVERATI0I0'. 333 we can have no unfailing persuasion of forgiveness with God." This is the sum of the objections which per- plexed souls urge against themselves as to their state. Hence, indeed, they draw forth reasonings with great variety, as they are suggested by their particular sins, failures and fears. My purpose is to lay down some general principles, which may be applied to particular cases. I. It is most certain that there are two states into which all mankind are divided; and every one that lives in the world completely and absolutely belongs to one of them. These are the state of nature and the state of grace; of sin and of righteousness by Christ: every man in the world belongs to one of these states. This the Scripture so abounds in, that it seems to be the principal thing that we are taught in it. It is as clear that there are two different states in this world as that there are in that to come ; yea, all our faith and obedi- ence depend on this truth: and not only so, but the co- venant of God, the mediation of Christ, and all the pro- mises and threats of the law and Gospel are built on this supposition. And this lays naked to a spiritual eye the abounding atheism that is in the world. Men are not only, like Nicodemus, ignorant of these things and wonder how they can be, but they scorn them, despise them, scoff at them. To make mention of being regen- erated exposes one to reproach in the world. But whe- ther men will or not, unto one of these conditions they must belong. II. As these two states radically differ, there is a spe-
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