This change is more important than all the gifts of providence, if man therefore be the author of it, he is his own greatest benefactor, and must have the highest glory. If the Holy Spirit acts no otherwise on the human soul, than by addressing motives, angelic natures do also this; and no more power is ascribed to the Searcher of hearts, than to them. Then also it will follow, that all professing christians are of the same kind; and that it was improperly said, that they “were not of us,” who afterwards have “departed from us.” Then also the advice to those who are in the visible church “to examine,” and “prove themselves,” whether Christ be “in them,” is without meaning, or utility; because the thing to be inquired for is notorious, that is, their visible profession. And to “be born again,” is but “to see the” visible “kingdom” of Christ: and so the proposition spoken to Nicodemus was merely identical. Footnote 19: _See Charnock, Vol. II. page 220, 221, &c. and Cole on Regeneration._ Footnote 20: _See Charnock, Vol. II. page 232, who speaking concerning its being an instrument, appointed by God, for this purpose, says, That God hath made a combination between hearing and believing; so that believing comes not without hearing, and whereas he infers from hence, that the principle of grace is implanted, by hearing and believing the word, he must be supposed to understand it, concerning the principle deduced into act, and not his implanting the principle itself._ Footnote 21: _See Charnock on Regeneration, Vol. II. page 70, 71._ Footnote 22: _See Quest._ lxxv. Footnote 23: When it is said “_no man can come unto me, except the Father who hath sent me, draw him_,” the negation must be understood as expressive of _moral_ impotency, and as if it had been said “_ye will not come unto me that ye might have life_;” but nevertheless as direct proof of the absolute necessity of divine grace to the salvation of every person who is saved. That the aid is not merely necessary to the _understanding_ is evident from the guilt of unregeneracy, and from the supposition of the Saviour whose reproof implies that it was the carnality of the _heart_ which created the impotency to come unto or believe on him.