SECTION T. 251 see God; Mat. v. S. Except a man be born again, be born ofwater and of the Spirit, he cannot see the kingdom of God, nor enter into it;. John iii. 3, 5. That is, except his nature, which was sinful, be renewed unto holiness, so that he begin to live a new life, as a new born child, he cannot be admitted into the kingdom of divine grace : 'Except he he cleansed from the power of sin, by the in- fluence of the spirit of God, as the body is cleansed from out- ward defilements by w::ter, which is typified and represented in baptism, he cannot be saved ; for nóthing that dsfileth shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; Rev. xxi. 27. and he that bath not the spirit of Christ to sanctify him, to enable him to mortify sin, and create him anew untogood works, such aone, is noneof his Rom. viii. 9. that is, he does not belong to Christ, nor bath any interest in him as a Saviour. IV. Another necessaryrule we must observe is this, viz. To draw near to God, and to seek his favour by a Mediator. This seems to be designed in the words of St. Paul; which I have chosen for the foundation of this discourse. He that will be crowned must strive lawfully, and, in the following' verses, he bids Timothy consider what he teaches him, and remember that Jesus Christ of the seed, of Davidwas raised front the dead according to his gospel: that is, remember that Jesus Christ approved him- self to be the Messiah, the anointed Saviour, by his rising from the dead. This is the only lawful way of striving for the hea= veiny crown, that is, by Jesus the Mediator. This doctrine of' the mercy of God to guilty creatures by a Mediator, was the plain design of the first promise made to Adam after his fall, the seed of thewoman shall bruise the serpent's head, as it is written; Gen. iii. y5. Those very words led him to a Mediator, that is, to one born of a woman, that should relieve mankind under the mischief Satan bad brought upon them. This blessed Mediator and our Saviour has been always kept in view, through all the succeeding revelations which God has made to the children of men. The Messiah, the anointed of God, who was tei be the light of the Gentiles, and the glory of Israel, and the Saviour of men, even to the ends of the earth, was continually expected by the ancient saints. And in these latter days we are now bound not only to trust in God, manifesting his mercy through some Mediator, but to believe that Jesus of Nazareth is he, that the great appointed Mediator between God andman, is the man Christ Jesus ; 1 Tim. u. 5. for Christ himself has said it, If ye believe not that .I am he, ye shall die in your sins; John viii. 24. It is sufficiently manifested in the gospel, that there is no other hope or refuge There is salvation in no other, nor is there any other stame given under heaven, whereby we can be saved, beside the name of Jesus ; Acts iv. 12. Our Lord assures us, that he is the way, that no
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