Page:The works of the Rev. John Wesley, M.A., late fellow of Lincoln-College, Oxford (IA worksofrevjohnwe3wesl).pdf/306

 of God, in righteousness and true holiness: when the love of the world is changed into the love of God, pride into humility, passion into meekness; hatred, envy, malice, into a sincere, tender, disinterested love for all mankind. In a word, it is that change whereby the earthly, sensual, devilish mind, is turned into the mind which was in Christ Jesus. This is the nature of the new birth. So is every one that is born of the Spirit.

III. 1. It is not difficult for any who has considered these things, to see the necessity of the new birth, and to answer the third question, wherefore, to what ends is it necessary that we should be born again? It is very easily discerned, that this is necessary, first, in order to holiness. For what is holiness, according to the oracles of God? Not a bare external religion, a round of outward duties, how many soever they be, and how exactly soever performed. No: gospel-holiness is no less than the image of God stamped upon the heart. It is no other than the whole mind which was in Christ Jesus. It consists of all heavenly affections and tempers mingled together in one. It implies such a continual, thankful love, to him who hath not with-held from us his Son, his only Son, as makes it natural and in a manner necessary, to us, to love every child of man; as fills us with bowels of mercies, kindness, gentleness, long-suffering. It is such a love