V. QUESTIONS. S87 Does not the scripture say, " A man must be born again, if he would enter into the kingdom of heaven?" John iii. 3, 5. What is this beingborn again, or regeneration ? Here perhaps, this maybe described by other expressions and metaphors of scripture, such as " being converted unto God, being new created in Christ Jesus unto good works, being raised again from the dead, or dying to sin and living to righteousness ;" all which denote a great and general change made in the soul. What evidences have I that I am born again, or that I have had such a change wrought upon me ? What difference can I find between what I once was, and what I now am Whether my thoughts and desires, my chief hopes, wishes and delights, are the same that ever they were ? Or whether I find any change in the temper of my mind from sin to holiness? Note here, Such a change will commonly be less apparent in those, who have enjoyed a religious education from their childhood. What are my present chief desires, and purposes, and holy resolutions ? Or what is, and shall be the chief aim, end and design of my life ? Have 1 a settled bent and bias of soul, to hate and avoid every sin, and to followafter God and godliness, according to the rules of the gospel Note, This is a better evidence of true conversion, than any passionate effects or sensations, either of love, grief or joy. Am-I able of myself to fulfil these purposes, and to perse- vere :n them, or how shall I be made able ? What is my duty then in order to this happy end ? Here watchfulness, and prayer to God, trust and depen- dence on Christ, or the holy Spirit, will come in. Have1, in any instances, been enabled to suppress my sin- ful inclinations, my irregular passions, and to resist the tempta- tions of sin, which I have met with in the world ? In all these religious exercises, in secret and in public, what help have I had from any particular incidents of life, from any providences of God, toward myself, or towards others? Have any particular sermons, occasional discourses, texts of scripture, viz. commands, threatenings, promises, reproofs, ex- amples, &c. been of any special use to me? and whatare those texts of scripture, that have been made so useful to my own special occasions ? What have been the evident good effects, and particular laa- fluences of any of these things upon me ? And have I endea- voured to preserve and improve them ? Have they been vanish- ing or lasting ?
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