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M^ck "y'^^^ 
 
 
 The New Birth. 
 
 
 A Sermon by 
 
 REV. D. MacLEAN, 
 
 Truro, Nova Scotia. 
 
 ^«Ainc~1^feliifes of Hova Scotia 
 HAUFAX. N. S. 
 
 " Except a man be born again he cannot see the kingdot 
 God." John 3; 3. 
 
 >, 
 
-j^iw 
 
 The New Birth. 
 
 A 5ermori by 
 
 REV. D. MacLEAN, 
 
 Truro, Nova Scotia. 
 
 ■if 
 
 Except a man be born again he cannot see the kingdom of God." 
 John 3:3. 
 
 ALL RIGHTS RESERVBD. 
 
 TRURO, N. S. 
 PRINTED BY DOANB BROS. 
 1896. 
 

^m^ 
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 My object in publishing this sermon is to be of some ser- 
 vice to those who are strangers to the New Birth. I have en- 
 deavored to show the dangerous state of the natural man, the 
 necessity of the New Birth, its nature and blessings, etc. The 
 marks of this great change, which I have given, may be helpful 
 to those who, though born again, are still doubtful whether that 
 great change has taken place. 
 
 The aim of every .saved sinner ought to be to do good in 
 the world, and be, with God's help, the means of saving others. 
 This is the noblest work on earth. 
 
 I have, though with feelings of delicacy, given my own 
 experience of this blessed change ; but not very minutely, how- 
 ever, sincerely hoping that it will benefit some one. 
 
 The appeal to the UNSAVED is made with the view of mov- 
 ing the graceless to seek salvation at once. 
 
 Beloved reader, study this great subject carefully and 
 prayerfully ; and may you, through Christ, obtain the joy, and 
 the peace, and the blessedness of those who have passed from 
 death unto life ; whose sins are covered ; who have been born of 
 the WATER and of the Spirit. 
 
 The verses are but supplemental. > ■ : :w : 
 
,. ■■ f; 
 
 ■^/, 
 
 '^"::} 
 
 '\ ''■ ■' 
 
MUST BE BORN AGAIN. 
 
 A ruler named Nicodemus 
 
 Came alone by night to Jesus, 
 
 And sought with kind words to please Him 
 
 His own mind was all on learning. 
 
 Your miracles must be divine 
 He said, for none were e'er like thine ; 
 A teacher from God you must be, 
 And that we surely all do see. 
 
 Christ said " You must be born again 
 If Heaven you would then attain ; 
 You must be cleansed from guilt and sin, 
 And made a living soul within." 
 
 Nicodemus felt not his guilt, 
 
 Though on the sand his house was built ; 
 
 He trusted in self-righteousness. 
 
 And thought that all like him were blest. 
 
 Many are still in the same way. 
 Living in sin from day to day; 
 The living God they do not know. 
 Nor think at all where they do go. 
 
 Think now, my friend, of your sad case. 
 And seek for mercy through Christ's grace. 
 Apply to Him without delay, 
 For time is passing fast away. 
 
 Your body is but mortal clay. 
 
 And soon will into dust decay ; ■. 
 
 You are a flower of the field 
 
 Which none can from destruction shield. 
 
 Christ Jesus offers life today 
 To such as will His word obey ; 
 Oh, take it, friend, and do not wait. 
 For fear you'll ask when 'tis too late. 
 
 .^ 
 
Heaven is a prepared place 
 For such as will receive God's grace ; 
 For such as will now live by faith 
 And walk in wisdom's happy way. 
 
 Many are in the lowest pit 
 
 Who thought for Heaven they were fit ; 
 
 Who at Communion table sat, 
 
 And drew their faces long and sad. 
 
 But God they did not love at al' ; 
 On Him in truth they did not call ; 
 Their hearts upon the world were set, 
 And with its vanities were fed. 
 
 Some their salvation did neglect ; 
 Their need of mercy never felt. 
 These were once the fair and the gay 
 That would go on in their own way. 
 
 The pleasures of the world they sought, 
 With its enticements they were caught ; 
 They followed the ways of sin. 
 And with the giddy crowd were seen. 
 
 At last came poverty and sham^, . 
 As well as a disgraced nime^ 
 The day of mercy has gone by, 
 In darkness and despair they die. 
 
 They would not at all be advised, 
 God's counsels wise they once despised ; 
 They thought not of the day of death. 
 Nor of their sad eternal state. 
 
 Regrets after death will not heal ; 
 Upon the dead there is a seal ; 
 Once there they may forever weep 
 And at Jehovah nash their teeth. 
 
 Many are now in the lowest Hell 
 Who tried the way to Heaven tell ; 
 They were blind leaders of the blind, 
 Who the way to Heaven couldn't find. 
 
Others to ileaven they would lead, 
 Hut the way could not themselves see ; 
 They would the way to others teach, 
 Hut they both fall into the ditch. 
 
 The Scribes and Pharisees of old 
 Were to the poor and needy cold ; 
 Looked at them with high disdain, 
 And to speak to them would not deign. 
 
 Scribes and Pharisees of our day 
 Are no way better than were they ; 
 Their sins are of the selfsame dye, 
 And their profession but a lie. 
 
 None can believe what they will say ; 
 They've a face for every day ; 
 One when in the pew they will sit, 
 Another when they walk the street. 
 
 One in their own house they wear, 
 Another to their business take ; 
 They're every way double men. 
 With no stability in them. 
 
 The sinful heart is all the same. 
 In every clime and every age ; 
 'Tis full of coldness and deceit. 
 And none is able to know it. 
 
 Hypocrites do much to deceive. 
 That they may benefit receive ; 
 They have a lying bitter tongue. 
 With which they do the godly wrong. 
 
 They would have the eternal prize, 
 But to obtain it would not strive ; 
 The way of holiness despised. 
 And Christ Himself they criticised. 
 
 Their fleshly lusts would not deny. 
 Nor any sin wou'd mortify. 
 Their sins they loved with all their heart, 
 And never would from them depart. 
 
8 
 
 Oh, sinner, be advised in time, 
 When full salvation may be thine : 
 While Jesus offers mercy still. 
 To Him take all your sin and guilt. 
 
 The blood of Christ your soul will clean, 
 And make you purer than the sun ; 
 Will make you whiter than the snow, 
 And ever you'll rejoicing go. 
 
 With death you'll soon be face to face. 
 Which comes to all the human race ; 
 None can long in this vain world stay, 
 But quickly from it hastes away. 
 
 How sad for all who have no grace ! 
 When at the end of their brief race, 
 They find they have no help from God, 
 Nor any comfort in His word. 
 
 These did not His salvation seek. 
 Nor would the Gospel warning heed ; 
 They were not troubled for their sin, 
 And of the godly oft made fun. 
 
 They their salvation did put off, 
 And at the righteous did scoff. 
 They said there is yet time enough, 
 And by and bye we'll hear your stuff. 
 
 Now, man, is the accepted time 
 When full salvation you may find. 
 Receive Christ, then, with friendly kiss, 
 Lest yo'j the way to Heaven miss. 
 
 The Spirit grieve not then away. 
 While He would with you still remain ; 
 Cherish impressions He now makes, 
 /. d pray that deeper they be made. 
 
 Pray they .may end in the New Birth, 
 And fill your soul with peace and light. 
 Then you shall ever happy be, 
 And escape lasting misery. 
 
HIP 
 
 9 
 
 E re you knock when He hears no more, 
 When closed forever is the door, 
 When mercy from the Lord you beg; 
 But mercy then you cannot get 
 
 You will forthwith be sent to hell. 
 Where with the devil you must dwell. 
 The spirits there will mock your pains 
 And you'll be kept in darkness chains. 
 
 You must then live in burning fire, 
 Where the worms never, never die, 
 Where water shall not cool your tongue, 
 And blasphemy shall be your song. 
 
 Many would like with Christ to dwell, 
 Who "gainst Him on the earth rebel. 
 They would be in Heaven above. 
 But here the Saviour will not lo\'e. 
 
 Many would hell and pain escape. 
 But still the way to Heaven hate ; 
 They would go there with all their sin, 
 If they could only enter in. 
 
 If with Christ you would have ? part, 
 You must by grace get a new heart ; 
 Your heart must all be made anew, 
 And a right spirit put in you. 
 
 If Heaven's glories you would see. 
 You must from sin converted be ; 
 You must here walk the narrow way 
 That leads to the eternal day. 
 
 All who the Saviour here believe 
 Will everlasting life receive ; 
 Will triumph over sin and death, 
 And enter through the pearly gate. 
 
 They'll walk upon the golden street, ' 
 And their loved ones there will greet ; 
 They will not part forever more. 
 Nor cease the God-head to adore. 
 
mm 
 
 lO 
 
 All that here on the Lord believe. 
 Shall into Heaven be received, 
 Shall see the glory of His place, 
 And ever with Him there rejoice. 
 
 Think whether you are now prepared 
 To enter an abode so fair, 
 And sing the song of the redeemed, 
 Who are from sin and sorrow freed. 
 
 The many mansioned house is there : 
 It stands for all who are prepared. 
 Who at the straight gate entrance had. 
 And are in proper garment clad. 
 
 Let all who have hope for Heaven 
 Forgive as they'd be forgiven ; 
 Do to men, by the golden rule, 
 As you would they should do to you. 
 
 Lead then an inoffensive life ; 
 Such as will bear the clearest light, 
 That none against you sin can prove, 
 What time they wish you to accuse. 
 
 Let then the Bible be our rule, 
 In all we say, and think, and do ; 
 Until our labors here are done. 
 When Jesus comes and takes us home. 
 
Ttie New Birtln. 
 
 *'Jesu<i answered and said unto him, verilj , verily, I say unto ther. except a 
 •nail be boi n again, he cannot see the K ingdom of God." John III, 3. 
 
 This is a great subject. There can indeed be no greater, for it con- 
 cerns the whole human race. Everlasting blessedness is connected 
 therewith. But while it is of vast importance to all men, it is more 
 especially so to the unpardoned sinner. Those vho have been " born 
 again " must go on " growing in grace and in thfi knowledge of the 
 Lord." They will never forget the blessed change of the New Birth, 
 but will always look back with pleasure to the time when it took place. 
 But it is not the New Birth that troubles them most now, for it is past. 
 The struggle now is to lead a pure and holy life, and be found at last 
 prepared to enter into the joy of the Lord." 
 
 To this class belong those who were " born again " when very young, 
 and do not know the time when a change of heart took place. So far 
 as known, this class does not seem to be very large in our day, nor do 
 we learn that it was large at any time. (This does not refer to children 
 dying in infancy). 
 
 But to the unpardoned sinner the New Birth is the first of all ques- 
 tions Why? Because without it he cannot be saved. There is no 
 salvation except by this change. No one can get to Heaven unless he is 
 born again. Nor can he by any means get unto God's favor. The 
 wrath of God abideth on him ; and he must at last go to dwell forever 
 with the devil and his angels. It is then wise to study the New Birth, 
 and try to understand what it is, and get it with all its blessings, too. 
 When one is greatly in need of anything, it is of great advantage for 
 him to know where and how it may be got. God gave us reason and 
 understanding to employ them. We are accountable to God for our 
 talents, and ought therefore to employ them wisely. Think of the 
 earnestness with which the scholar studies his lessons, the business 
 man the probability of gain and loss in all his business -transactions, 
 and the farmer the time to sow and reap, * * * It is said of a cer- 
 tain astronomer that he studied one subject for seventeen years; and 
 success at last crowned his efforts. If men employ their talents in 
 gaining knowledge, improving their minds, and securing the meat 
 which perisheth, why not employ the same talents in studying the 
 word of God and seeking salvation for their souls. Surely it is worth 
 while to spend time and labor seeking everlasting life. " Labor not for 
 
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 12 
 
 the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endareth unto ever- 
 lasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you." John 6:27. 
 The Bible was given us to study and learn from it. God will hold us 
 responsible for the talents He gave us, whether they be five or one. 
 Although man cannot by reading and studying cleaily understand the 
 New Birth, yet he can learn much about it. When studying the word 
 of God sincerely good impressions are made, and these are deepened, 
 and euc*. often in the regeneration of the soul. 
 
 The conversation between Christ and Nicoderous is highly interest- 
 ing. Nicodemus was a noble Jewish ruler, a member of the Sanhedrim, 
 and a teacher of Israel. He belonged to the sect of the Pharisees, and 
 seems to have been a candid and noble minded man, but ignorant of the 
 work of the Spirit. He was carnally minded. Christ told him of the need 
 of the New Birth, but he could not understand it. Christ,full of goodness 
 and mercy, then explained it to him as being born of the water and 
 spirit, but Nicodemus was more astonished than ever. It all seemed 
 strange and dark to him. He said, "How can these things be ?" At the 
 same time, Christ's language was clear and spiritual. Nothing like it 
 had ever been spoken. It came from the lips of Him who spoke as 
 never man had spoken. The New Birth cani indeed, only be properly 
 understood by those who are " born again." 
 
 It might be asked why should men write on the words of Christ. 
 Is not the Gospel sufficiently clear as it is? In reply it may be said 
 that Christ spoke much in parables, and under symbols. And even 
 where he used the simplest and clearest language, it is so Weighty and 
 rich that a great deal may be said on it, and much blessed instruction 
 received from it. His sayings may be likened to great masses ot gold 
 out of each of which many sovereigns may be coined and given to the 
 poor- He has left to His chosen servants the work of preaching and 
 explaining His word. 
 
 There is a promise to those who will seek, that they will find. 
 Christ also said : " He that cometh unto Me, I will in no wise cast out." 
 John 6:37. Never any oa*; perished seeking salvation through Christ. 
 But there is still much ignorance on this subject. This li owing to the 
 fact that many persons ignorant of the New Birth have undertaken to 
 be teachers of the people. Such a one was Nicodemus. Many like hira 
 have since undertaken to teach others. Our Saviour said of such ; — 
 "They be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, 
 both shall fall into the ditch." Matt. 15:14. Graceless preachers only 
 mislead people, make spiritual matteis darker, and ruin souls. The 
 subject is here set forth in plain words, so as to be easily understood. 
 My object is to be o^ some service to the unsaved sinner, to show him 
 his need of the New Birth, the nature of that blessed change, and how 
 
13 
 
 and where it is to be found. I speak of things I do know. My wish is 
 to benefit others, but especially young people, who are still uncon- 
 verted. 
 
 I will try to show the sa.^. state of the natural man, his need of a 
 change ot heart, the hurtful errors that are otill held on this subject, 
 but chiefly to explain the New Birth, its nature, and the blessings of the 
 spiritual man. I will also give some of the marks of the New Birth, 
 taken mostly from the word of God, so that the reader may apply them 
 to his own case, examine himself in the light of them, and learn 
 whether he has been born again or not. The Holy Spirit brings forth 
 the same fruits in all hearts in which He dwells, produces the same 
 feelings, and bestows the same blessings. 
 
 May the Holy Spirit, the author of the New Birth, grant us His aid, 
 and shed His glorious and heavenly light abundantly upou the subject. 
 We will, then, wit.i the help of the Lord, go on to study the New 
 Birth under the following heads : — 
 
 I. THE NATURAL MAN. 
 
 II. THE GREAT NEED OF THE SOUL, 
 in. MISTAKES ABOUT THE NEW BIRTH. ' ■' 
 
 IV. WHAT THE NEW BIRTH IS. . ' ' ^, 
 
 V. BLESSEDNESS OF THE RENEWED MAN . 
 
 VI. AN APPEAL TO THE UNSAVED. 
 
 VII. MARKS OF THE NEW BIRTH. 
 
 THE NATURAL MAN. 
 
 Nicodemus is a good type of the natural man. There could be no 
 better. He was learned ; he was candid ; he was noble. His abilities 
 were at least fair. There is nothing unreasonable claimed for him here. 
 I think it can all be gathered from John's Gospel. Why he came to 
 Jesus by night is not very easily decided, as there are three or four 
 opinions advanced on that point. Some suppose that during the day he 
 had no leisure, th^it he had been busily employed. Others think that 
 he was afraid of the Sanhedrim, of which he was a member. Others 
 are of the opinion that he was ashamed of being seen in the company 
 of so poor and humble a man. Some again, suppose that he wished to 
 speak privately with Christ, and unbosom his own mind to Him more 
 fully than he would like to do in the presence of the multitude which 
 so often surrounded Jesus in public. The last opinion seems to my 
 mind the likeliest. But it is a point on which we cannot be sure. How- 
 
! 
 
 |! I' 
 
 14 
 
 ever, it is not a matter of ^rcat importance. The render may adopt 
 which ever of these opinions seems the likeliest to him. Some are in 
 the habit of finding fanlt with Nicodenius for comiii)? by night. But 
 there is such a thir.g a.s being too ready to find fault with others. He is 
 the only one that we re^d of who came by night to Christ. Our 
 blessed Saviour received him and found no fault with him for coming 
 at so late an hour. Since Christ found no fault with him, we should 
 let him alone. 
 
 1. The N*TURAt, IS Ignorant. Nico^lemus cjuld not uiulerstand 
 spiiitual thinps. He could not know what the New Birth was, nor 
 what it meant. He did not feel that he himself was a guilty and 
 ruiued sinner. He felt rot tli:; load of sin and guilt tliat was upon his 
 soul. He had not been taught that a change of heart was necessary. 
 His teachers were ignorant of it, and could not teach it to others. He 
 felt not that he was sinful and blind. On the contrary, he thought, as 
 other natural men think, that he was all right as he was, that he was 
 good enough, as good as the best men. and better than many. The very 
 nature of ignorance is to make men fee) that they are better than 
 others. He had no feelings of his need as a sinner. He was well 
 pleased with himself as he was, and marvelled that Christ spoke to him 
 as he did. 
 
 2. He was Bold. The nature of ignorance is to make a man bold. 
 When one feels that eveiylhing in his life and conduct is as it ought to 
 be, he cannot feel very backward. Besides, Nicodenius' learning and 
 standing in society helped to make him bold. He was. it appears, a 
 man highly respected by the people. He spoke boldly but respectfully 
 to Christ. On account of His wonderful miracles, he acknowledged 
 Him as a teacher come from God. He called him Rabbi, a title of high 
 honor among the Jews. His object was not to ensnare Christ in His 
 words and report Him to the authorities. He appears to us candid 
 and sincere. However, his mind was not on the New Birth, but on 
 learning. He thought, no doubt, that he would hear some great things 
 from the teacher come from God, as he called Christ. And so he did 
 hear most wonderful things from Him, but not what he expected. In 
 his address he was complimentary to Christ, and certainly expected to 
 be praised in turn. He was disappointed. Nicodemus went so far as 
 the world goes. Some worldly men can say very nice and complimen- 
 tary things. He came far short of what Christ was. He did not say, 
 You are the Son of God, Practically, he denied Christ's divinity. He 
 only placed Him on an equality with one of the prophets or great 
 teachers. Jesus was a great deal more than priests and prophets. This 
 Nicodemus did not know. 
 
15 
 
 3- Hk was Miskrablk. The nfitural nmii is in a miserable state. 
 He is ignorant of the ways of God. He is blind as to his own sinful- 
 ness, lie is in a ruinous state. The state in which tlie unpardoned 
 sinner is, displeases God. It is but a career of. sin and folly. God 
 created man for His own Rlory. But instead of honoring and glorify- 
 ing God, he is continually dishonoring Him, breaking His command- 
 ments, and slighting the blessings of His grace, The sinner in this 
 state is at enmity with God. His mind is carnal. " To be carnally 
 minded is death ; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 
 Because the carnal mind is emnity against God ; for it is not subject to 
 the law of God, neither indeed can be." Rom. 8:6-8 We learn from this 
 portion of the word of God that the carnally minded man is spiritually 
 dead. Spiritual death means that one is without love to God, and with- 
 out any holy and heavenly desires. He loves not the things that are of 
 God. This is the negative side of his case. By the negative side of his 
 case is meant that which is wanting in his nature. But there is more than 
 a want in his nature. In Rouis. 8:7, we learn that "The carnal mind is 
 emnity against God." The carnally minded man hates God, opposes 
 Him, and dislikes His ways as well as His person. He is an enemy to 
 God. T.His is the positive side of his nature. He is engaged, at least 
 in his mind, against God ; and many of the carnally minded are 
 openly and professedly opposed to God. The reason is plain: "The 
 carnal mind cannot be subject to the law of God." The very nature of 
 the " carnal mind " is to oppose God, just as it is the nature of fire to 
 burn. The natural man, kind, quiet, and obliging, is full of emnity 
 against God. 
 
 The natural man is a hypocrite. Hypocrisy, like every other sin, 
 has its place in fallen human nature. " Surely every mau walketh in a 
 vain show." Ps. 39:6. This leads men to assume to be what they are 
 not, and sometimes to make a false profession of religion. Some, 
 indeM, may be sincere in making even a false profession, so far as 
 human sincerity goes. They were thinking that they were really con- 
 verted. But all false profession is hypocrisy in the sight of God, and 
 adds to man's guilt. " Examine yourselves whether ye be in the faith." 
 2 Cor. 13:5, If people would only examine themselves in the light of 
 God's word, tUfey might be saved from making a false profession. 
 Nicodemus, though in other respects an honorable man, had made a 
 false profession of religion, and had undertakan to teach others. 
 
 Christ disapproved of a graceless ministry, whatever men may say to 
 the contrary. I know that many plausible excuses are made in favor of 
 men who undertake to preach before they are converted. But hear what 
 Christ said : "Art thou a master of Israel and kuowest not these things? 
 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, we speak that we do know, and testify 
 that we have seen." John 3:10, 11. 
 
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 John 3:18. 
 
 No one can teach others what he himself does not know, and this is 
 what every graceless teacher undertakes to do, Man cannot teach what 
 he does not know, no more than water can rise above its level. The 
 natural man also is born with his back towards Heaven and his face 
 towards hell ; and if he continues till death in his course, he will 
 perish forever. His end will he everlasting woe, He will at last fall 
 into a dark, bottomless, bnrning pit, called hell ; and once there the 
 day of mercy is past. 
 
 The graceless man is in danger every minute of his life, 
 believeth not on the Son of God is condemned already." 
 "And he that believeth not the Son shall not see life ; but the wrath of 
 
 God abideth on him." John 3:36. 
 
 The Lord trieth the righteous ; but the wicked and him that loveth 
 violence his soul hateth." Ps. 11:5. 
 
 " The curse of the Lord is in the house of the wicked. Prov. 3:33. 
 
 "Though hand join in hand, the wicked shall not be unpunished." 
 Prov. 11:21. 
 
 "God judgeth the righteous, and God is angry with the wicked 
 every day." Ps. 7:11. 
 
 " For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse ; 
 for it is written, cursed is everyone that cnntinueth not in all things 
 which are written in the book of the law todo them." Gal. 3:10. 
 
 "And you hath He quickened, who were dead in trespasses and 
 sins." Eph.2:i. 
 
 " But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of 
 God; tor they are foolishness vnto him; neither can he know them, 
 because they are spiritually discerned." i Cor. 2:14. 
 
 "And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies iu your mind 
 by wicked works, yet now hath He reconciled." Col. 1:21, 
 
 " Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye 
 will do." John 8:44. 
 
 Many other passages might be quoted to show the miserable condi- 
 tion of man as a sinner ; but surely the foregoing will suffice. All 
 natural men are endowed with the same sinful dispositions ; but some 
 have gone much farther into sin than others. By nature all men are 
 equal : one is no better than another. All have sinned and come short 
 of the glor}' of God. All the human race, from Adam down, are fallen, 
 ruined, and lost. True enough, some have gone on more in wickedness 
 than others ; but as the word of God abundantly shows, " There is none 
 righteous, no not one." Nicodemus is the highest type of the natural 
 man. But by nature he has the same sinful dispositions as the poorest 
 and most degraded man. The little child when born has the same sin- 
 ful and fallen nature as the grown up and hardened sinner. The root of 
 
 sin is the same in all mankind, young and old, male and female, learned 
 and unlearned. 
 
 Again, man is not able to save himself ^ "And ye will not come to 
 me, that ye might have life." John 5:40. " I said therefore unto you, 
 
17 
 
 that ye shall die in your sin ; for if ye believe not that I am He, ye 
 shall die in your sins. John 8:24. Salvation is to be found in Christ 
 alone. He is the only Saviour. But it is unnecessary to say much on 
 the subject of man's inability here. We learn from the ^ordof God 
 that man is condemned already ; is under the wrath of God, is cursed of 
 God on account of sin, and hated of God. He is aUo wicked, alienated 
 from God, and an enemy to God. He is dead in trespasses and sins. He 
 hates and despises God. All the powers of his nature are opposed to 
 God. He was born in the kingdom of Satan, and loves darkness rather 
 than light. To remain as he is p? <tses him well. Man by the fall is cf 
 his father the devil. He has the same wicked dispositions and lusts. 
 He is full of murder, lies, uncleaness, theft, spite, and all other sins. 
 And if he dies in this awful state, he will fall into hell. A change of 
 heart is surely needed. This change is the New Birth. 
 
 THE GREAT NEED OF THE SOUL. 
 
 When we see a dead body, we at once know that the great need of 
 it is life. Nothing can be done for it when there is no life. Nothing 
 that men can do will avail anything till life be restored. Medicine, 
 food, and raiment will be of no benefit so long as there is no life. Man's 
 dead body is but a corrupting piece of clay, blind and motionless. 
 Man's soul is spiritually dead. " For in the day that thou eatest thereof 
 thou shalt surely die." Gen. 2:17. Man did eat of the fruit of the 
 forbidden tree, and that day he died spiritually. Then the dead are 
 blind. There is no sight in their eyes. They cannot 6ee the beautiful 
 world God created, nor the Heaven's above. Those born blind have 
 never seen the sun, moon, and stars. Those beautiful orbs of light 
 they never beheld. They never saw the grandeur of the mountains, 
 nor the sweet beau ties of the valleys. They never saw the hills and 
 valleys clothed in their beautiful mid-summer garments: nor the 
 beauty of the flowers in all their varied hues and colors, like golden, 
 and crimson, and scarlet, and pure white stars, looking up from earth 
 to Heaven ; nor the waving corn fields. Neither did they see the rivers 
 and the ocean ; nor the colors of the rainbow. Neither can they behold 
 the face of man ; it delights us to see the countenances of our dear 
 ones. Still greater is the loss of those who are spiritually blind. They 
 cannot see the beauties of the spiritual world. They cannot see any 
 beauty in God's people, in spiritual worship, in the word of God, in 
 Jesus Christ. They shall not see Heaven and its glories. Spiritual 
 things they cannot understand. Great is the loss of those spiritually 
 
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 blind. Then, again, man is powerless of himself to procure spiritual 
 blessings. If the New Birth does not take place, he cannot enter into 
 the Kingdom of God. Here is inability. He is not able to gain an 
 entrance into the Kingdom of God; into His Kingdom of grace here 
 or glory hereafter. No one by his own powers can open a door 
 for himself into the Kingdom of God. Man cannot enter by his own 
 prayers or self-righteousness. Our own efforts are not sufficient to gain 
 admission to God's favor. Manyshail seek to enter in, and shall not be 
 able. Without the New Birth none can enter in. The New Birth is the 
 door of entrance into the Kingdom of God. It will be, friend, a great 
 loss to remain outside of Heaven. If one dies without the needed pre- 
 paration for Heaven, he will never be able to prepare. The day of 
 grace has passed away, and will never return. The losses of this 
 world may be repaired, but the loss of the soul never can. It is an 
 eternal loss. Man has no power in himself to prepare his own soul for 
 Heaven. Every move he makes in his own strength to make himself 
 better, is but going farther from God. 
 
 We see then that there are great wants in the unconverted soul. 
 There is no life in it ; there is no light in it; there is no power in it. It 
 is spiritually blind, powerless, and unclean. Would you not like, friend, 
 to see Jesus in His glorious beauty ? Would you not like to see the 
 glories of HeaveJi and taste its joys ? You certainly answer, " Yes !" 
 The door for ths glorious preparation for Heaven is by the New Birth. 
 This is the door to light and eternal life. 
 
 MISTAKES ABOUT THE NEW BIRTH. 
 
 There are still many mistakes made with regard to the New Birth . 
 Many errors are, even at the present time, held on this great subject. 
 The reason is that there are many teaching the people who do not 
 understand what the New Birth is. Errors on this subject were held 
 from the earliest times. We will now refer to some of the most dan- 
 gerous of those errors. 
 
 Let us begin with the Jews, as being the earliest nation that had the 
 best acquaintance with the worship of the true God, There was,indeed, 
 '.ome acquaintance with the worship of Jehovah before the Deluge, but 
 it faded away amidst the vices and corruptions of that degenerate age, 
 and sinful people. God at last destroyed the old world by a flood. God 
 gave His statutes and ordinances to Israel. But after a time the Jewish 
 church began to corrupt. The priesthood became vain, worldly, self- 
 righteous, and hypocritical. Still they kept the forms of the true wor- 
 
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 •liip. mixed with much of their own inventions. The teacheis of the 
 people laid many heavy burdens on men, but would not touch any of 
 thene burdens themselves with one of their fingers ; that is would not 
 observe any of these things themselves. When Christ came into the 
 world He found the church in a deplorable state, both the teachers and 
 people steeped in tiin. The sect of the Pharisees was particularly 
 proud and hypocritical. Nearly all spiritual knowledge was losti and 
 the people become carnally minded. 
 
 The Jews substituted r/rfttwmiow and df scent from Abraham for 
 the work of the Spirit. They substituted these things as a ground of 
 acceptance with God instead of faith in Christ. There was a tradition 
 among them that no circumcised person could enter hell. John the 
 Baptist said: "And think nut to say within yourselves, we have 
 Abraham to our Father," Matt. 3:9. 
 
 " They answered Him, we be Abraham's seed, and were never in 
 bondage to any man,'' John 8:33. 
 
 "They answered and said unto Him, Abraham is our father," 
 John 8:39.' 
 
 On circumcision and descent from Abraham, the Jews largely built 
 their hope for Heaven, making these things equal to the New Birth. 
 
 The Roman Catholics believe that they were born again when the 
 water of Baptism was applied to them, that they were then made heirs 
 of God and inheritors of the Kingdom of Heaven. Their religious 
 guides have substituted their own works for the work of the Spirit ; 
 hence they set the glorious work of the Spirit at naught, and trust in 
 an ordinance. They make Baptismal Regeneration, or the application 
 of the water of Baptism to the person, the New Birth. They exclude 
 the work of the Holy Spirit in Regeneration. 
 
 But Protestants will not err in either of the two ways described 
 above. They know much better than either Jews or Catholics, because 
 they have been taught better. They will not certainly err after the 
 same manner as Jews and Roman Catholics. They will not put circum- 
 cision, descent from Abraham, or Baptism, in place of the New Birth. 
 
 Protestants, however, fall into other mistakes with regard to the 
 New Birth ; mistakes just as ruinous to souls as those of either Jews or 
 Roman Catholics. 
 
 Tne first of these is a reformation nf character. Man will begin 
 the work thus. — Well, I find that it is not respectable to curse and 
 swear as I do. People will look down on myself and m}' family. Or 
 the man may be addicted to lying or cheating, etc., etc. He makes up 
 in his own mind that he will not swear, cheat, or lie, etc., as much as he 
 used to. " I will not, he says, "carry on as I used to. I will swear less, 
 and go to church oftener, and attend praver meeting occasionally. I 
 will be more careful in future where minister or elders hear me. Then 
 

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 I will get church privilege! — baptitm for my children, and by and by I 
 will join the church, and be a good man, at least as good an my neigh- 
 bor and perhaps better. I will be as good as any of them ; and better 
 than many, I will pay so much to the minister, and so much to the 
 schemes." However well old Adam will be patched up and painted, he 
 will bo but the old man, full of sin and corruption. 
 
 Then man will betake himself to good works, as prayers, giving to 
 the poor, speaking on religious subjects, etr. The Scribes and Pharisees 
 made very long, and likely, beautiful prayers, well worded and well 
 expressed, but without any benefit to themselves or others. I'hey stood 
 up to pray at the corners ot streets and in other public place*, where 
 they could be seen by the multitude. They also gave their gifts in 
 public, to be seen of men, and praised by them. The luw they observed, 
 in the letter, with great care. It is the same still wUh the graceless 
 professors in the church. Giving and prayer is not forgotten by them, 
 but these are always done for the praise of men, and not from love to 
 God and to men. The weightier matters, as love, justice, and mercy 
 are forgotten by them, or lightly passed over. 
 
 Without the New Birth, reformation and good works only lead one ' 
 into self-righteousness and pride. Once a man becomes self-righteous 
 there is little hope of his coming any more to Christ for salvation. 
 Certainly, some of them will turn to the Lord and be saved, but I think 
 that it 'is safe to say that the number will be few, Some of those get 
 so far as to be good enough in their own estimation ; and then they will 
 not seek a change of heart. 
 
 The third thing that people mistake for the New Birth is impres- 
 sions. Some men had impressions at some time, and these they took 
 for a change of heart. They shed tears and were in some troube about 
 their soul ; and these impressions they mistook for Regeneration. 
 When those impressions died away, all went with them, for there was 
 no more. " Their goodness was as the morning cloud and the early 
 dew that goeth away," They had tastes of the joys of the world to 
 come, but only tastes. Heb. 6:4-6. They were partly awakened, but 
 fell again asleep. They felt their guilt to a certain extent, there was 
 some conviction for sin, but it was only a partial work — feelings and 
 impression. These will die away after a time. Sometimes when light- 
 ing a fire you think it is going to burn, you go way and leave it.and after 
 
 a while return and find it gone out. Thus it is with impressions. They 
 die nway by and by. Reformation, good works, and impression are 
 got'^d in their proper place and time, but none of them, or all put 
 together, will do ;n place of the New Birth. Trusting in them is ever- 
 lasting ruin. 
 
 Many have tried to work out their own righteousness and made 
 shipwreck of salvation. We cannot be too earnest or too particular 
 
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here. To ma.:e a tiiintake Id the affair of the New Birth will lead to 
 eternal ruin. When anyone believes all it not right with him, it is 
 moMt natural that he should try to do something to put himself right. 
 When people hear the Gospel and learn that they are not right with 
 God then they begin, muny of theui, to do something in the way of 
 preparing themselves to olease Him. All that men do in this way is 
 only putting them faritict from God, and from salvation. The right 
 way is to go as you are to Christ and tell Him your case. 
 
 There are some who come near the New Birth. We read of some 
 who were not far from the Kingdom of Heaven. One of those was 
 King Saul, to whom God gave another heart, t Sam. 10:9, 10, 11 ; 16:14. 
 He prophesied also. He was quite another man for a time. Many a 
 person was changed for a time into another man. Many a man made a 
 reformation and people speaking of himjwould say that he was another 
 man. They would see his ways different altogether from what they once 
 were. But h e did not get a new heart, and he was not a new man. In 
 proof of this we may refer to the New Testament. 
 
 "When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh 
 through the dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none. 
 
 " Then he saith, I will return unto my house from whence I came 
 out ; and when he is come, he findeth it empt^', swept, and earnished. 
 
 "Then he goeth and taketh with himself seven other spirits more 
 wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there," Matthew, 
 12:43, 44, 45. 
 
 It is quite plain from this portion of the word of God that the 
 unclean spirits, or devils, can go in and out of those possessed of them. 
 In this case there was evidently a reformation. The house or dwell- 
 ing place, was found swept and garnished. Great improvement had 
 been made ; but, alas, it was found empty. It was not filled with the 
 Holy Spirit. This is simply the case of one who has changed his habits, 
 given up his sinful and filthy ways, and who continues for a while to 
 lead an exemplary lite, but after a time falls back again into his sinful 
 ways, like the sow that was washed to her wallow'ng in the mire, and 
 miserably perishes. Another case in point is Balaam. Num. 33:15-30. 
 The Apostle said of some : " Which have forsaken the right way i^d 
 are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who 
 loved the wages of unrighteousness ; but was rebuked for his iniquity ; 
 the dumb ass speaking with man's voice forbad the madness of the 
 prophet," 2 Peter 2:15, 16. 
 
 King Saul's prophecy did not amount to much. Not one word of 
 it is recorded for the benefit of the church. We have of Balaam's only 
 that which he spoke against his will. He attempted to curse Israel, but 
 had to bless the'm. The Lord could get even a dumb ass to speak for 
 Him. " Man may have the gift of prophecy, and have no love for God," 
 I Cor. 13:2. 
 
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 Both King Saul and Balaam'showed that the)' lacked love to God- 
 Both disobeyed Him. There is no greater mark of w.ut of love than 
 disobedience. Again Simon Magus professed his faith in Christ, and 
 was received by the disciples, but showed ere long that he was *' in the 
 gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity," Acts 8:23. 
 
 Like Simon, many others made fair profession. Paul was *'iu danger 
 from false brethren," 2 Cor. 11:26. " There were false Apostles; 
 "Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light, and his ministers 
 into the ministe/s of righteousness," 2 Cor. 11:14. 
 
 Then, again, we see that the seed sown on stony ground and among 
 thorns grew up all right, but brought nothing to maturity. It withered 
 away or was choked up. These had certain experiences and enjoyment, 
 but it all faded away," Matt. 13:20, 21, 22. We see the same thing in 
 Hebs. 6:4, 5, 6. 
 
 In all these cases there was a partial work of the Spirit ; certain 
 operations of the Spirit, as enlightenment, tastes, joy. etc. They 
 endured for a while. These are not they that will be saved, " For we 
 are made partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confid> 
 ence steadfast unto the end," Hebs. 3:14. It is " Those that continue 
 to the end that will be saved." To be almost a Christian will not do. 
 There is danger of putting profession in place of the New Birth. 
 
 Let us now suppose a few cases tried at the Day of Judgment, (i). 
 A false professor makes his defence thus : — " I am a church member ; 
 I have been recognized as godly ; elders and ministers said so. Besides 
 I was supporting the cause, praying, and leading a moral life." The 
 Judge says: " That ir> all true ; but you lack one thing. You are not 
 born again." (2). An elder comes before the Judge of all the earth 
 and says : " I was an elder in the church for many years, teaching Sab- 
 bath School, leading a class, and leading prayer meetings, and did 
 much good ; was zealous for the cause." The Judge answers: " You 
 lack one thing. You are not born again." (3). A minister comes 
 before the Judge, and makes his defence as follows : "I was pastor of 
 such a church, had much success in my ministiy, converted thousands, 
 wSrked miracles, cast out devils, wrote volumes of sermons, preached 
 well, had crowds hearing me : and in recognition of my services and 
 abilities, to say nothing of my learning, I received the degree of D. D/' 
 The Judge replies ; ''You lack one thing. You are not born again." 
 
 Now, impressions, reformation, profession, and learning, will not 
 do in the place of the New Birth. These are good enough in their pro- 
 per place ^ but will not do in place of a new heart. Hear what the 
 Holy Spirit says in reference to thip matter : "A new heart also will I 
 give you, and a new spirit will I put within you. And I will put my 
 spirit within you," Ezek 36:26. 27. There must be a new heart and a 
 
right spirit put in man. He must be made a ne^man. Except a man 
 be born again, he cannot see the Kingdom o( God. Do not, friend, put 
 anything in place of the New Birth ; and do not remain on the wrong 
 side of it ; do not come short of it. 
 
 WHAT THE NEW BIRTH IS. 
 
 The New Birth is a change of heart ; a change by which the sinner 
 receives a new heart and a right spirit. The old heart, as described in 
 the word of God, " is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked." 
 There are three words used in describing this change of heart, — the 
 New Birth, Regeneration, and Conversion 
 
 New BiHh is the simplest of these terms, and the one most easily 
 understood. It is figurative and means coming into new life. 
 
 The word Regeneration is also used by writers on this subject, and 
 means begetting, a creating anew. It is the same thing as the New 
 Birth, but is not so simple and readily understood. 
 
 Besides these, the term Conversion is very often used in speaking of 
 a change of heart ; but is more liable to be misunderstood than either 
 of the other words — Regeneration and New Birth. The word Conver- 
 sion means turning from, and is very commonly applied to the New 
 Birth. It is indeed a turning from a downward course of sin and folly 
 to serve the living and true God ; a turning from the way of death to 
 the way of life. And Jesus said, " Verily, I say unto you, except ye be 
 converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the 
 Kiti^dom oi Heaven," Matt. 18:3. Conversion is certainly applied to 
 the New Birth in thib place. But it is also applied to cases of back- 
 sliding, or falling into sin or error after the New Birth has taken place. 
 " Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him ; 
 let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of 
 his way shall save a soul from death, and hide a multitude of sins," 
 James 5:19, 20. We :iee from these verses that the sinner must be con- 
 verted from the error of his way when he falls into errors or backslides. 
 In other words when he errs from the right way he must be turned back 
 to it, or converted from the error of his way ; so a man may be con- 
 verted many times. But the New Birth only takes place once, just as 
 natural birth takes place once. The term conversion is then applied to 
 two diflerent cases, as may be seen from the passages referred to above. 
 
 In this little work I have generally used the term New Birth in 
 preference to the others, as being the simplest and the most expressive. 
 
 The New Birth then means a change of heart, by which change one 
 
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 gets a new heart. The testimony of the Holy Spirit concerning man's 
 heart is that it is wicked. " The heart is deceitful above all things, and 
 desperately wicked,'' Jer. 17:9. "And God saw that the wickedness of 
 man was great iu the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts 
 of the heart was only evil continually," Gen. 6:5. 
 
 Man's heart has by sin become evil and wicked. Through sin Satan 
 got possession of man's heart. Christ was casting devils out of men 
 when He was on earth. He is still casting them out, and taking posses- 
 sion. Christ dwells in men's hearts here by His Holy Spirit, and thus 
 makes it anew heart. The old sinful heart of unbelief, which we 
 received from old Adam, was full of lusts, evil thoughts, evil purposes. 
 The dispositions of the old heart are all evil. This is abundantly 
 expressed in both the Old and New Testament: "Now we know that 
 what tbfngs soever the law saith, it saith to them that are under the 
 law : that every mouth may be stopped and all the world may become 
 guilty before God," Roms. 3:19. David prayed to God to create in him 
 a new heart : "Create in me a clean heart, O God ; and renew a right 
 spirit within me," Ps. 51:10. Man needs then to be "born again," or 
 created anew. " Now, if anyone is in Christ Jesus he is a new creature," 
 3 Cor. 5.T7. " Now the works of the[flesh are manifest, which are these 
 Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatty, witchcraft, 
 hatred, variance, emulationa, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envy- 
 ings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like." Gal. 5:19,20,21. 
 
 The sins mentioned in the forgoing verses form indeed a very dark 
 picture. But such is man in hia fallen state. In heathen lands they 
 indulge in all manner of sin without any shame. In Christian lands 
 graceless men are restrained by law, and society, and education ; but all 
 the same those sins are in their heart, and they are inclined to them. 
 It is as natural to the graceless mar, when left to himself, to indulge in 
 all manner of sin, as it is for him to breathe the air or eat his food. 
 His heart is full of such sins. These sins, or body sin, is " the old man 
 which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts," Epfa. 4:22. All who 
 continue in these sins, and such like, shall not inherit the Kingdom of 
 God. A change must take place. 
 
 Let us now look at the fruit of the Spirit. " But the fruit of the 
 Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 
 meekness, temperance." These are the fruits produced in the heart 
 and in the life by the Holy Spirit. 
 
 All uncleanness and wickedness, called the works of the flesh, are 
 produced in the heart by Satan. And all the blessed fruits produced in 
 the heart, as joy, love, peace, etc.. spring from the Holy Spirit who 
 dwells there. Now the difference between those two states is very great. 
 The first, namely that of the flesh, is a state of bondage and misery ; 
 
25 
 
 fhe otlier, tlie spiritual, is a blessed state of joy, peace, ^happiness, and 
 freedom. Tbey are as difTereut from one another as mid-'winter is from 
 mid-summer, or night from day. Satan got possession first by the fall 
 of man. He must be cast out, and Christ must enter and dwell in the 
 heart by His Holy Spirit. This is a great change. Unless this change 
 takes place th« soul will perish forever. This change is what is called 
 the New Birth, It is a new creation. The soul is created anew. Then 
 man can create n otbing. It is not a new soul that man gets in the New 
 Birth. It is the sam e soul as he had before, but with new desires, feel- 
 ings, motives, purposes, and powers. We may illustrate it something 
 in this way : A man has an old wrecked, decayed house on his farm, all 
 in ruins, but the walls still there. He says to an architect : " Well I do 
 not want another house built.but I want the old one renewed. Repairing 
 will not do : I want the old walls made up new without removing any 
 material ; that's what I want." The architect replies : " What you 
 want, I am not able to do ; you ask an impossibility. I will build you 
 a new house entirely, or repair the old one ; but to make the old one 
 new again is utterly impossible to any \nan. But this is what the Lord 
 does to our ruined souls. He does not gjve us a new soul as to sub- 
 stance ; but, by His divine power, He renews the ruined old soul. He 
 makes it anew. It is like the old house made up anew, all the same as 
 it was at first, only it is enlarged and beautified and embellished. But 
 the furniture is different from that uf the first house. The furniture of 
 the first old house was of iron ; but that of the renewed house is of 
 gold. The iron furniture of the old house was thrown out, and new 
 furniture — all golden — put into the renewed house. The furniture 
 gives great beauty and value to the house. Besides this golden fur- 
 niture cannot be removed from the renewed house ; it is immovable. 
 It is gold the purest and best ; the gold of Ophir. The renewed soul I 
 compare to this renewed house. It is the sape soul that you had before 
 the New Birth ; the same walls, the same soul as to substance, but the 
 furniture is not the same as before. The Holy Spirit dwells in it now, 
 and fills it with new desires, thoughts, motives, and purposes, and 
 makes it a glorious Soul, shedding His own glorious light and knowl- 
 eidge abroad in it. The Holy Spirit cannot be removed. This golden 
 furniture frightens Satan away from the house, if he should peep in at 
 a window. 
 
 "Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is Mount Zion. 
 
 " God is known in her palaces for a- refuge. 
 
 " For lo, the kings were assembled, they passed by together. 
 
 " They saw it, and so they marvelled ; they were troubled, and 
 hasted away. 
 
 "Fear took hold upon them there, and pain, as of a woman in 
 travail," Ps. 48:2, 3, 4, 5, 6. 
 
wmm 
 
 ill £ 
 
 r 
 
 26 
 
 The Holy Spirit dwells in the renewed soul. He who has beautified 
 the sun, tnoon, and stars, who has given them their shining beautyi who 
 has given the sun its golden rays, must himself be inconceivably beauti- 
 fnl. " The King's daughter is all glorious within," Ps. 45: I3> 
 
 Not only is the Holy Spirit beautiful in the soul, and g lorious, too, 
 but He is an infinite power there. No enemy will be able to overcome 
 Him, and throw Him out. There is no power in nature to make any 
 thing that is old and decayed new again ; nor can any man renew any 
 bnildingi etc. Man can build a new house, but he cannot make an old 
 one new. This indeed, is the most difficult thing in the universe. God 
 
 , could create a world by the word of His power ; create man out of the 
 dust of the ground, and breathe into him the breath of life. But no 
 exercise of power could restore and renew the ruined soul of man. 
 There was only one way of doing it. The Son of God must become 
 man, and die in our nature. In His death our souls have life, and in 
 
 . His blood cleansing. He could create a sun to shine in tl:e firmament 
 by the word of His power ; but to renew a soul He must die. There 
 was no other way of giving life to a dead soul. Consider then, dear 
 friend, what Jesus has done 40 restore your soul to life, to create you 
 anew in the image of God, which had been lost by the /a//. 
 
 This is a great change indeed by which the soul is renewed, enlight- 
 ened, and filled with the peace of God, so that there is now favor with 
 God. This change has come by the New Birth. 
 
 THB NATURE OF fHB NBW BIRTH. 
 
 The nature of the New Birth is described in the following words : 
 "Jesus answered, verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born 
 of water, and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God," 
 John 3:5, 
 
 This is not at all a different subject from our text at the beginning 
 of our sermon, but a further explanation of it. Christ here simplified 
 the subject of th'^New Birth as being born of the water and the Spirit. 
 This is certainly an explanation of what He said in verse third. But 
 the language is still figurative and symbolic. Still Nicodemus could 
 not understand what Christ was teaching. The subject is as dark as 
 midnight to him. The language of Christ is spiritual, and the mind of 
 Nicodemus is carnal. Strange language says Nicodemus to himself. I 
 have graduated in the best schools in the kingdom, and been instructed 
 by the most learn'^d Rabbis, and I never heard the like of that. It is 
 not at all what I had expected to hear from Him. I was indulging the 
 hope that I would hear Him explain some difficult theory, explain to 
 me something mysterious out of the prophets, or show me some miracle, 
 or tell me the power by which He works them. But no ! This is not at 
 
 MB^. 
 
 
mmm 
 
 ^ 
 
 77 
 
 all what I expected ; I am disappointed in Hioi. His subject is a new 
 and strange one. I understand Him not. At last Nicodemus speaks 
 out to Christ and says, " How can these things be ?" John 3:9. He was 
 astonished at the new doctrine he heard. He understood not the mean- 
 ing of what he heard. Nor can* any natural man understand them. 
 Nicodemus as a natural man is exactly like all graceless men. The 
 natural man of our day can no more understand spiritual things than 
 Nicodemus could. Spiritual things can only be properly understood by 
 being enjoyed. Mere talk about them will not much benefit hnyone. 
 To hear that a certain man has a good suit of clothes, or a fine house, or 
 good food, will not do us any good unless we get food, clothing, and 
 shelter ourselves. We will still remain hungry and cold. Spiritual 
 blessings are only understood and enjoyed by those who have them in 
 possession. It is impossible by any language to make the natural man 
 understand spiritual things. He must get them himself ere he can 
 know what they are. We read about manna that it was sweet, white, 
 like coriander seeds. But give me a dish of it, and let me make p. good 
 dinner of it, and then I will know what it is, but not till then. We 
 must be partakers of spiritual things before we know properly what 
 they are. 
 
 I. Bom 0/ the Spirit, What does He mean by that ? He means 
 that your soul is dead, Nicodemus. Evcy man is born with a dead 
 soul. That is a soul destitute of love to God, or desires for anything 
 good ; without feelings of need of salvation ; feeling good enough ; a 
 soul perfecUy satisfied as it is. " But of the tree of the knowledge of 
 good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it ; for in the day that thou eatCiit 
 . thereof, thou shalt su- ly die," Gen. 2:17. Adam did eat of the fruit of 
 this tree and died spiiitually that very day; that is lost all love for 
 God, and all communion with Him. 
 
 "And you hath He quickened who were dead in trespasses and sins," 
 Bph. 2:1. The image of God, which was lost in the fall is here restored. 
 The dead soul is brought to life or quickened. It is made a living soul. 
 Now it is possessed of life. It has feelings of need, of pleasure, and oi 
 pain ; it has heavenly and holy desires. The man quickened into life 
 understands now the state in which he was before. He undtsrstands his 
 relation to God and man, and the duties devolving upon him. "And 
 we know, that the Son of God in come and given us an understanding," 
 I John 5:20. The new heart, given us by the Holy Spirit, is an under* 
 standing heart, responsive to the will of God, and desirous of doing the 
 will of God ; it is a feeling heart, a tender heart, a heart producing the 
 fruits ot the Holy Spirit in the life of man. Christians are known by 
 the fruits they bring forth. A good tree must bring forth good fruit. 
 
li 
 
 ll' 
 
 
 :ii 
 
 II 
 
 
 ^ 
 
 If i 
 
 a8 
 
 T^ey are risen with Christ in a spiritual resurrection. " If ye tben 
 be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ 
 sitteth on the right hand of God," CoU 3:1. 
 
 The quickened soul is a risen soul — risen from the grave of spiritual 
 death. At Christ arose from the grave by a glorious resurrection, so 
 dead souls are risen up by a glorious spiritual resurrection. Those who 
 will not be quickened into spiritual life will die the second death ; that 
 means that they will, body and soul, be cast into hell at last ; this is also 
 eternal death. Christ says : " I give unto them eternal life," John 10:28^ 
 He said also : "And whosoever liveth and believeth on me shall never 
 die," John 11:26. The quickened soul is a believing soul. The life 
 imparted to the dead soul shall never die. He receives everlasting life, 
 pure, heavenly, joyful. The life the Christian now, after the spiritual 
 resurrection, leads is as different from that which he formerly led as 
 day is from night. The sinful things he once loved, he now hates. Hi» 
 desires are now after Christ ; none but Christ will please him. 
 
 2. Born of the water. What does that mean ? It means that your 
 soul is unclean, Nicodemus. Water has a cleansing power. This i» 
 one of its chief uses, and every one needs it. We need it to clean our 
 bodies, our clothes, and our homes. Sin has defiled our souls. Sin i» 
 the filth of hell, and fits the unclean .:oul for that horrid place. The 
 teaching to Nicodemus and all others is that the soul needs cleansing. 
 If souls could enter heaven in the filth of sin, they would terrify angels 
 and saints, saints I think most of all, because they better understand' 
 what sin is, having suffered more from it when in the body. Graceless 
 souls would be the dread and disgust of all in Heaven. The image of 
 Satan himself could be seen in them, in unholy dispositions and wicked 
 desires. Satan could show himself in them, for he is in the souls that 
 are not cleansed from the nncleanness of sin. There is a vast differ- 
 ence between the blackened and soiled garment or cloth, and the one 
 pure and clean, washed and bleached. The washed, clean cloth can 
 now be spread out on the table before the King. So the cleansed soul 
 is pleasing and delighful to all in Heaven — pleasing to God Him- 
 self. The unpardoned sinner is unclean, but he does not know it. 
 David, in the 51st Psalm, is praying earnestly for cleansing and wash- 
 ing : " Purge me with hysop, and I shall be whiter than snow," Psa. 
 51:7. Diverse washings were used under the Old Testament dispensa- 
 tion, and also sprinkling. The bodies of men, their garments and ves- 
 sels, were washed and sprinkled with clean water : "And the Lord said 
 unto Moses, go unto the people and sanctify them to-day, and let them 
 wash their cloths," Ex. i9;io. 
 
 "And Aaron and his sons thou shalt bring unto the door of the 
 tabernacle of the congregation, and shalt wash them with water." 
 Ex. 29;4. 
 
29 
 
 "And I will sprinkle clean water upon you and ye shall be clean," 
 Ezek. 36:25. 
 
 '• Having our bodies washed with pure water," Hebs. 10:22. 
 
 " Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but accord- 
 ing to His mercy he saved us by the washing ot Regeneration, and 
 renewing of the' Holy Ghost," Titus 3:5. 
 
 Sin is the cause of all spiritual uncleanness, and in order to be 
 saved, we must be cleansed from all its filth. The unclean shall not 
 enter into Heaven. It is a pure place ; it is purity itself, and so every- 
 thing that enters it must be cleansed and made pure. We have here 
 the washing of regeneration spoken of. This cleansing is the New 
 Birth or Regeneration. 
 
 THB AUTHOR OP THB NBW BIRTH. 
 
 The author of the New Birth is the Holy Spirit. Christ finished 
 the work the Father gave Him to do in this world. He said on the 
 cross, " It is finished." The Holy Spirit, the Comforter, and the third 
 person of the blessed Trinity, has come into the world, and is in the 
 world, The work of regeneration is His. He is the one that begins 
 the work, carries it on, and completes it. 
 
 The commencement of the work is conviction of sin. No one will 
 accept of salvation until he feels his need of it. So long as man feels 
 well enough, or so long as he feels that he can get along as he is, or 
 that he can do anything for himself, he will never accept of Christ 
 as a Saviour. Generally, under the preaching of the word, the Spirit 
 commences His work of conviction But to this there are exceptions. 
 It may be when reading the word, in conversation with some godly 
 person, or reading the works of godly men. <But in all these there is 
 a reference to the word of God. Talking with the pious, ot reading 
 the works of gmlly authors, comes to God's word ; the word of God 
 must be their theme. Both reading and conversation are helpful in 
 leading sinners to repentance, and to seeking the Lord. The word of 
 God is the sword of the Spirit. Men take hold of a sword with the 
 hand and use it to defend themselves, and strike at the enemy. Thus 
 the Spirit takes the word of God and uses it. He defends with it as 
 Christ and His people did, and as God's people still do. " But Jesus 
 answered and said, it is written, man shall not live by bread alone, but 
 by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God," Matt. 4:4. 
 
 Christ here referred to the written word of God, and opposed it to 
 
 the suggestion of Satan ; and thus overcame Him in the temptation. 
 
 "And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, 
 which is the word of God," Eph. 6:17. 
 
 The word of God then is the weapon with which Christians fight. 
 
 It is the weapon. God Himself gave them, and must be sufficient for the 
 
 fiight in which they are engaged against the enemy of their souls. 
 
30 
 
 
 (•' i\ 
 
 
 f!^ 
 
 ' " For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty 
 through God to the pulling down of strongholds," a Cor. 10:4. 
 
 " For the word of God is quick and powerful, and sharper than any 
 two-edgf>d sword, piercing even to the* dividing asunder of soul and 
 spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts 
 and intents of the heart," Hebs. 4:12. 
 
 God's word then is a powerful, sharp, and piercing weapon, mighty 
 to the pulling down the strongholds of sin and Satan in the human 
 soul. Christ commanded His disciples to preach the Gospel to every 
 creature, in order to the salvation of those who would believe. This 
 was His last command. Matt. 28:19-20. 
 
 The effect of the preaching of the word of God is seen in the Ads 
 of the Apostles : " While Peter yet spake these words the Holy Ghost 
 fell on all them which heard the word," Acts 10:44. 
 
 This was the effect of the preached word. Then on the dajr of 
 Pentecost, when Peter preached we read : '' Now when they heard this, 
 they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter, and to the rest of 
 the apostles, men and brethren, what shall we do?" Acts 2:37. 
 
 Now this last is the effect of the preached word upon the unpar- 
 doned sinner, when he is convinced of his sin. The preached word 
 pricked their hearts and they said, " Men and brethren, what shall we 
 do?" They are willing now to take advice from the Apostles. Before 
 they used to call them fellows, Nazarenes, and such like ; but now they 
 call them men, brethren, respectful :erms, terms of endearment and 
 friendship. The way of salvation they despioed before ; they are will- 
 ing now to be saved in that way. What shall we do ? Their own 
 resources are exhausted. They know not what to do ; and yet it;?y feel 
 that something must be done, or they will be lost. They are willing 
 now, perfectly willing, to be saved. They are pricked, or pierced sore, 
 in their hearts. The " word of the living God, quick and powerful, and 
 sharper than any two-edged sword, has pierced even to the dividing 
 asunder of soul and spirit," Hebs. 4:12. They are made willing to sub- 
 mit themselves to the Lord on any conditions. What shall we do, 
 however difilcult, to be saved ? They are convinced that there is salva- 
 tion, but how to secure that salvation is with them the question. They 
 feel and confess that they are unable of themselves to accomplish any- 
 thing in the salvation of their souls. Man will never accept salvation 
 so long as he feels that he can do anything to save himself. So long as 
 he has even one straw to grasp at, he will not give up ; so long as he 
 has the least hope in his own self-righteousness, or his own good works, 
 he will not surrender himself to the mercy of God . Bvery thing he has 
 of his own to rely upon, must be removed first, or he will not feel that 
 he is entirely lost. He must first become helpless as a little child, who 
 submits to be washed, fed, clothed, and nursed by others. They do not 
 
'imwij .1!!. 
 
 'f"iPfp'^ 
 
 31 
 
 now, as formerly, feel good enough to be saved and go to Heaven, bat, 
 on the contrary, bad enough to be lost forever and sent to hell. Form- 
 erly, indeed, they felt that they were safe, but now they feel that they 
 are lost ! entirely lost and undone. Man is never prepared to receive 
 salvation till he feels that he is entirely lost ; and that God is justified 
 in punishing him forever. The cry, what shall we do to be saved ? 
 came from their heart, from a pierced heart, bleeding and painful. The 
 pierced heart will bleed, feel intense pain, and the animal life thereof 
 will ebb away. The man will die. So the soul pierced with the sword 
 of the Spirit will die to all self-righteousness, self-justification, self- 
 conceit, and will accept of the glorious righteousness of Jesus Christ, 
 our Saviour. The first work of the Holy Spirit then in the salvation 
 of souls is to produce conviction of sin — not a partial conviction, but a 
 complete conviction, a conviction that he is entirely sinful and guilty. 
 When such conviction as this is produced, the poor undone sinner 
 is willing to listen to God's servants, and take counsel from them. His 
 pride is humbled. His boastful spirit is bowed down. It is not how 
 grand a man is now, or how rich and respectable he is ; but can he tell 
 me how to be saved ? This is the question that is now uppermost in the 
 penitent man's mind. Oh ! I feel a terrible load on my soul ; my con- 
 science accuses me most awfully. This is indeed a pain that I never 
 felt before. Bodily pain is nothing to my pain ; to remain forever in 
 this way would be hell enough. Oh ! that I could get clear of this 
 burning load, heavier than the mountains ! What shall I do ? Happy is 
 inanimate creation that cannot feel. Happy are the beasts of the field 
 that have never sinned, never broken God's commandments, as I have 
 done to my own hurt and everlasting misery. 
 
 THB soul. IS RBNBWBO. 
 
 The next stage is conversion, or the New Birth. The sinner having 
 been fully and completely convinced of his own sinfulness, inability to 
 save, and the justice of his condemnation, lets go every ground of hope 
 and falls into the arms of Christ. It is then that Christ takes him. So 
 long as the sinner had any hope in anything he could do himself, two 
 things stood in the way of his salvation — ^he could not take Christ, and 
 Christ could not take him. But as soon as the sinnei is prepared by a 
 complete conviction, to receive salvation, Christ enters his heart ; Satan 
 has been cast out. The man is now a believer. The soul is enlight- 
 ened, the soul is a renewed soul. The body of the believer is become 
 the temple of the living God through the indwelling of the Holy 
 Spirit. He is now a new man ; is. now a child of God. The great 
 change has taken place. "A new heart will I give you, and a new spirit 
 will I put within you," Ezek. 36:26. 
 
 .■'■5j 
 
"J.'W 
 
 If 
 
 I 
 
 A 
 
 39 
 
 This great change it instantaneous. It takes place in the twinlcHng 
 of an eye. The work of conviction may have been going on for a long 
 time. We do not know how long. Of course, each person may know 
 this in his own case. Conviction is going on longer with some than 
 others. Some are for many years under conviction ; others not so many 
 months, or so many days. However long the work of conviction was 
 going on, the conversion was done in an instant. Christ came to take 
 possession of the soul, and Fatan could not stand at all before Him. 
 We may put it in this way. When Christ enters in Satan goes out. 
 Yes, Satan goes out to return to his place in man's soul no more; Christ 
 .has poisession forever. No power on earth or in hell will ever be able 
 to move Christ from His place. The soul has received eternal life. 
 Hebs. 12:28 ; John 10:28. 
 
 SANCTIFICATION. 
 
 Sanctiiication is the work of the Holy Spirit, whereby the unclean 
 ,and unholy soul is cleansed, made holy, and enlightened. The work of 
 sanctification commences with conversion, but goes on after conversion 
 has taken place. It is the work of God's Spirit preparing the soul for 
 eternal glory. Conversion, or the New Birth, is an act. Well, an act 
 is a thing done by an action, and an action is a thing done quickly and 
 ,not repeated. We may illustrate it thus : One stroke of a hammer is an 
 action. But striking with a hammer for an hour or a day is a work that 
 goes on. Conversion does not take one tick of your watch. It takes 
 place quick as thought. But sanctiiication goes on from the New Birth 
 till death. When the last touches of sanctification are finished the soul 
 enters glory. The New Birth and sanctification commenced together; 
 but the New Birth, being finished, was ended. It took place once and 
 is never repeated. But the work of preparing the new born sonl for 
 eternal glory goes on till it is finished ; it is a progressive work. Con- 
 version and sanctification commenced at the same time, but sanctifica- 
 tion continues till death ; that is till the soul passes into glory. Now 
 whether the life of a person is long or short after the New Birth, which 
 .was instantaneous, the work of sanctification goes on from that time 
 till death. 
 
 Some are of the opinion that the converted soul is made perfectly 
 holy the very instant the New Birth takes place. This is but an absurd 
 idea,and contrary to the experience of Apostles and Prophets ; yea, con- 
 trary to the experience of the saints in all ages and generations. It is 
 contrary to the teaching of the rvftrd of God. In proof of which see 
 the following : — 
 
 " But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour 
 JesuB Christ, to whom be glory both now and forever." 2 Peter 3:18. 
 
f',»i ,T" ii'i^ni\iimi9'm,n,'W9^'^ 
 
 mm/mmm 
 
 3S 
 
 " But we all with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the 
 Lord, are changed into the same image, from glory to glory, cveu as by 
 the Spirit of the Lord," a Cor. 3:18. 
 
 " But T dee another law in my members warring against the law of 
 my mind and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in 
 my members. O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from 
 the lody of this death.' Roma. 7:33-34- 
 
 We easily see in the above passages that the converted man is not 
 absolutely holy, that he is not perfect in knowledge, that he is not perfect 
 in grace, and that he is not perfect in Christian strength. He is grow- 
 ing in all the graces of the Spirit. The ApoHtlesays: "But grow in 
 grace and knowledge." Now if a man is perfect in these graces, that 
 is if he needs no more grace and knowledge, tnis precept must be 
 absurd. When a man is done growing in bodily stature, it will be non- 
 sense to tell him to grow. But we find that Peter, an inspired Apostle, 
 exhorted believers to whom he wan writing, to grow in grace and 
 knowledge, which proves conclusively that they were not perfect in 
 these graces. They could Increase in them. Again, Paul, writing to 
 the Corinthian Christians, says that we are changed into the image of 
 the Lord from glory to glory. Now that which is perfect and complete 
 changes not. It is finished. The change here spoken of means no 
 doubt the sanctification of the Holy Spirit, the refreshings and renew- 
 iugs of that Spirit. The Apostle says in another place that our inward 
 man is renewed from day to day. The believer is growing in the image 
 of Christ, and this work is done by the Spirit of the Lord ; that is by 
 the Holy Spirit. 
 
 Then we see in Romans 7:23-24 that the Apostle found a law in his 
 members warring against the law of his mind and bringing him into 
 captivity. This led him to cry out, "O, wriitched man that I am." 
 Now a man that is perfect cannot be in such a state as the Apostle was 
 then. A perfect man could not feel such miseries as are recorded here; 
 he could not be wretched. Then again he says : "And lest I should be 
 exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there 
 was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet 
 me, lest I should be exalted above measure," 2 Cor. 12:7. 
 
 ' If Paul was perfect what need was there of this thorn in the flesh ? 
 Would God send him such a thorn needlessly ? Surely not. Besides, 
 he besought the Lord three times that this thorn would be removed. 
 But it was not removed. The Lord showed him the good that it would 
 do him. Now a man that is ignorant, tqiserable and wretched, cannot 
 be perfect ; and people who need to grow in grace and knowledge are 
 . not perfect. If the Apostles and other Christians were not perfect, 
 neither are we. We must take things as they are, not as we would like 
 them to be. God has ordered everything for the best in the whole plan 
 
I' 
 
 S 1 "I 
 
 i 
 
 Ml 
 
 i 
 
 of Mlvation. We need to pray daily for help from the Lord. Cfariitian 
 perfection con»i«ts in the New Birth. By it we come into the kingdom 
 of grace; we are perfectly in it, being not partly born again, but com- 
 pletely born again. It cousiBtB in aincerity, and in a perfect union with 
 Christ ; and in sincerely seeking Him and serving Him. Kverything i» 
 done in the way that it conduces most to God's glory and our good. 
 
 True, we get weary here ; we feel the hardness of our own hearts, 
 and fall at times into darkness ; but then the refreshings of the Holy 
 Spirit that we get, and the renewing of the Spirit from time to time 
 more than make up for this ; yes, we receive a hnndred timen more than 
 all we suffer If all the summer was bright weather, a continual sun- 
 shine, without clouds or raiu, the crops would be very poor. They 
 would not grow properly. The dark and cloudy days are needed ; yea, 
 the wet days, in order that the crop may grow. So with us we need our 
 troubles and adversities in order to grow in the Christian graces. It is 
 after the dark and rainy days, when the sun shines out brightly, thut it 
 is valued. When we have had our days of darkness and sorrow, and 
 then get God's favor and presence anew, we rejoice and sing for joy. 
 The work of the Holy Spirit is to sanctify us and prepare us for glory ; 
 and He does it in His ov/n good way. We must go through the wilder- 
 ness to the promised land of the Heavenly Canaan. This world must 
 become a wilderness to the gracious soul ; he must become crucified to 
 its pleasures and sinful enjoyments. " The world is crucified unto me 
 and I unto the world," said Paul. The experiences of the godly in all 
 ages must be ours. This is not the place of our rest, but the place to 
 prepare for our rest. According as we are getting sanctified, we are 
 getting less attached to this world, and more desirous of Heaven. 
 According as we are growing in grace, we conform less and less to this 
 world, and are transformed more and more in the spirit of our minds. 
 The heart is being more and more cleansed from its impurities, and our 
 spiritual darkness more and more enlightened until the perfect day. 
 True, the Lord can r.^d does a short work in sanctification. Those who 
 do not live long aftLx- the New Birth are prepared in a shorter time. I^ 
 is a necessity that sanctification should go on from the New Birth to 
 death. This world is not the place for the perfectly holy and sinless. 
 The place for the perfect is Heaven, and as soon as we are prepared 'for 
 that place, we will go there. 
 
 MY OWN EXPBRISNCB. 
 
 I had been under touches of conviction tor several years. Now 
 and again these would be heavier, and at othe/ times I would 
 not be much concerned about my soul. But private prayer I 
 kept up from ray youth. Sometimes, indeed, when a little boy I would 
 
I 'l*ip« 
 
 38 
 
 omit my pmyem for r time, and then recommence them. I well rem-m- 
 l)rr ftigiiKinK i*everal times in a day in prayer, and oh, feel ao ^ood 
 after it, tliitiVing that I was surely a favorite of Heaven, and would get 
 «n entrance thete. I thought that I was so good, being full of the spirit 
 of the rharifee, justifying myself by my prayers. But the feeling that 
 I was earning Heaven for myself by my prayers was so sweet, so very 
 Hweet, that I delightetl to be thinking of it. Vanity is truly in the 
 heart of the youth. I continued to attend church, Sabbath School, 
 read the Bible and prayed. It used to astonish me to hear that good 
 people felt bad things in their heart, such as evil thoughts, hardness of 
 heart, and felt that they were sinful. My opinion was that good men, 
 as I used to call them, were free from all feelings of evil in their heart 
 and were perfectly good and holy, and that they felt that they were 
 good and holy themselves. I thought that bad men, and only bad men, 
 felt anything bad in their heart, and that thty had such a feeling 
 because they were bad. It sounded very strange to me to hear people 
 that knew better say that it was good people who hod doubts and trou- 
 bles about the things of eternity in their minds ; and that the graceless 
 ones were those who thought that they were good, and felt that they 
 were good. I was, under the influences and instruction of the gospel, 
 losing those opinions gradually. But there was another way. I was of 
 the opinion that if I indulged a bad thought, uttered a cross word, or 
 did anything improper, that a kind word, a good action, as I considered 
 it, or a good thought would make up for it ; that good and evil would 
 balance each other ; and that surely God Himself could not refuse this. 
 I imagined that there was a way within my own reach by which I could 
 make up for any sin in me. Then there was the thought that I was not 
 so bad as some sinners,though not so good as some men. There was some 
 hope yet that I would get good some future day, bat not just now ; that 
 there was some bright time ahead when I could easily become a good 
 Christian. I was thinking that I was a believer, since I assented to the 
 word of God, and that Jesus was the Son of God, and that He had come 
 into the world. I considered that I was a believer because I believed his- 
 torical facts concerning Christ. However, I was getting a little out of 
 these notions. Godly people could understand from some of my opin- 
 ions on the work of the Spirit, that I was a stranger to grace, which 
 some of them were faithful enough to tell me ; these faithful men are 
 those that do us good. By reading the word of God, hearing the gos- 
 pel, and reading good books ; and above all by hearing godly people tell 
 their own experience, and relating , the feelings and experiences of 
 godly men, I understood that I was not a Christian man ; but that I 
 
 was an unsaved sinner, and would at last be lost and go to hell, if I 
 should die in my present condition, although no man could lay any open 
 
f 
 
 '<' ■<\u 
 
 i- 1 
 
 .in to my ^^^^'^^e^ ^^ , ^head of ^^- J^^'^^^^^^ and wish were 
 
 that that g'«*^/^*;,^i' Jouid be saved. But ^b^* thought ^^^^,^^ ^^^^ 
 ,,te place, and ^haUwo^^^^ -^ indeed ^^fn,; God's glory in vie vj 
 ^"^''^VrheU ana everlasting torments^ J^^^ ^„^. Myown safety 
 I dreaded hell ana ^ ^^^ ^^„^ ^f it '« ^^ . i was troubled 
 
 nxuch.if any. I '^f ^"^\^ considered most. Sometime ^^ ^.^^_ 
 
 and comfort ^e-^- \ ,^,,, profession I >vouW not ^^^^^ ^^^ 
 with the fear o^^^^^^ ^^^^ to be good in ^^^^'^^ j,^^ the gates of 
 ness I once made a resolu ^^.^^^ ^ ^ r%\rwas r-gain^d I was 
 
 ^e. Health --^^l'^^,^^,^, but as soon -\^f *Ji^r„%oodneBS is as the 
 death to health and streng.^^^^^^ All human g ^^^ ^„d 
 
 as light minded as ever ind ^^^ , .^ ^Itat^ng decency and 
 
 .. corning cloud and^bee/^^^^^^^.^.^ ^^^ ^.^^^ . 
 
 closed my school >^^^*^ P' ^^^ children in what ^ "^^^J^^^ i wasignor- 
 xnorality. and ^^^'^^^'^^^^^ New Birth did ^ot take plac- ^^^^ 
 
 - ^^r^rl:^;^-^ ^ -!rir ^^ni: - Christ .m- 
 
 — ;;;i;.s f ^^.^^I^^^^the BU>le - the leue. a.d 
 ant of spiritual mattery. ^ ^^^^^^ ^, „ot. I k 
 as for the way of U e-I u ^, ^.^ in my so 
 
 le woo »•" 
 
 knew not Christ as my 
 antoi»F" f i:fp_i understoou iL "--■ gut I contiuuea 
 
 Saviour, and I knew ^j^^p^i P'^*^"'" „„« drue 
 
 impressiooa that were ^^^^^^ j^e l^"';°„.„o„ndintlie8U«i- 
 
 themofteaa«ay. Hr'";eott.mumon season came atour. ^^^^ 
 
 „ss, aud save "^ f" ' J% but one comn.u-- .n^H^. V^^ . 
 
 ""'"If'-lwlnt to C^"* «=""'*'i:,° „e tlpe if »e neglect »o 
 church). '"_„,,,. 1^,; "How shall we e» v , home to my 
 faithful sermon on H.b.. «^ 3^^^^ ^^^ P'-*f, "^tV"" """'^ "■"• 
 
 h:^""Tarn:;=-— s'^^^^^^^^^ 
 
 .oLtimesimagmed thatlco^^ ^^^^^ '""'"'Vauteeded in doing so 
 
 ^" r 'i'tlTto conceal from «'« V^s; wtu " "r'bly had feeling, 
 soul are-I tried 1^ boarding house w tu suspicious. 
 
 >'"'5 "i .lone at much as P<««We, and not awa ^^^^^ ^ , 
 tried to be alone a» " „oing to be saveo, ^j^^ 
 
 „, thoughts were .i-^h^;^ J J. ""'"'^ "olgM ors::.ation. I 
 ,o be lost ; that I wou ^^ ^^^ „„r ' , f L saved. I was 
 
 the devils at once. J '••^" Jat I would or could be s^ve 
 had neither *??Xne I fe" "> ■»' '""f"'"; ^e to t^e "owest heli. 
 'a-ntJiht f:; Vo^rdamn me forever, and send me 
 
37 
 
 aad that nothing else could be done, and that nothing but this would 
 be done. I would feel a little easier sometimes, but the awful feeling 
 of lost would come again to me. I felt that the day of my salvation 
 was past, that I refused Christ and trampled His precious blood under 
 in^ wicked (pet for many a day. I never had felt entirely lost before. 
 I could imagine the beauty of Heaven, which I had lost, the glory and 
 greatness of Jehovah, as well as His goodness. But I had lost all. I 
 could never see Him but in anger and as an enemy, I felt also my own 
 inability to do anything to save myself; that I was powerless to save 
 myself, and that all was lost to me forever and ever ; that soon I would 
 be along with the devils in hell, and one of them tnyself. In these 
 terrible feelings I used to wander out alone into the woods and fields ; 
 for it was beautiful summer weather. How happy inanimate nature 
 around me seemed to me. How beautiful the leafy trees and the wav- 
 ing cornfields, but I would soon be done of them, and go to my own 
 place, and yet I thought that I couM remember the beuuties of nature 
 in a terrible eternity. How happy the animuis seemed to me — they 
 would not suffer like me. They had not sinn«^ I considered that 
 Satan was let loose upon me, and that it was he who was causing me 
 these dreadful feelings, aod that he could and would take me away ; 
 that I would soon die as these troubles of my scul would increase. To 
 continue long iu this state would indeed be miserable enough. I con- 
 sidered it would be hell enough; I mean it would be misery enough, if 
 there were no greater. At night my rest was poor. I still kept my 
 trouble to myself. I was, indeed, very much afraid that people would 
 find it out. I was so sorry that I did not seek Christ and take Him for 
 my Saviour in the days that were past. The thought was so sad that 
 salvation was past, and yet I fully felt that all the fault of a neglected 
 salvation and a lost soul was mine, and mine only ; that no one else 
 could be blamed for it; that the siu and the blame were mine only. I 
 thought others would be so happy in Heaven when I would be blasphem- 
 ing God in hell. Oh ! then the thought would come to me that it would 
 be such a terribly hot place, that it would be bad enough to suffer burn- 
 ing heat before a fire, but to live in fire forever and ever, oh ! how awful, 
 and still the thought was true. It is really so. The wicked must live 
 forever And ever in hell, where increasing pain and sorrow abounds for- 
 ever. U uiade me feel so awfully sad that I could have had salvation, that 
 it had been so often offered me, and that it was once in my reach, but 
 that I had hardened my heart against Christ and grieved away His Holy 
 Spirit, and thus forever ruined my own soul. I could not find one fault 
 with minister, or elder, or anyone else but myself. I stood self-con- 
 demned, and without one ray of hope, or any means of saving myself, 
 or any hope of doing anything. I do not remember what my 'prayers 
 
 :^5# 
 
38 
 
 were at tbe time. I think that I could hardly pray. Of course I was 
 trying to pray in secret ; at least I was bowing niy knees. 
 
 I went to church Sabbath day, and tried to avoid people on the road 
 and at the church as much as possible. I offended some of my near 
 friends by seeming not to wish to speak to them. That Sabbath day 
 was the saddest to me that ever I passed on earth. There was no ray of 
 hope in my soul. 1 heard that evening that some others were awakened 
 under the preaching of the word, but this brought me no relief. My 
 feeling was that they were getting good, and I getting bad : that they 
 would be saved, but that I would be lost. I went to church Monday 
 morning worse, if anything, then before. At the close of the service it 
 was evident that many were affected — some were crying ; and the congre- 
 gation, though dismissed, would not leave the church. But I was still 
 worse. My pain and sorrow was only increasing. I felt an awful bur- 
 den on my soul, crushing me down to hell. I had by this time let go 
 all hope ; I could do nothing. I let myself, as it were, and as I felt it. 
 drop down to be lost forever ; and found myself in the arms of my dear 
 Saviour. With my head bowed down ou the back of the pew in front of 
 me,and my eyes closed,! saw before me one hanging on a cross. The cross 
 seemed a rovgh post, resembling a telegraph post, but not high. This 
 I saw before me, but understood not what it meant. This was my 
 blessed Saviour, who died for me. By and by I rose up, and found that 
 my burden was removed. I was not now ashamed of Christ. That sin- 
 'im\ shame, which the devil had put into my soul, was gone. Hell and 
 its terrors were removed from my soul. I felt the peace of God in my 
 heart for the first time. I knew then that I was saved. 
 
 I went away from the church that day rejoicing in a Saviour. I 
 never knew happiness before. The joys of this world are but poor at 
 best. Solomon has well said : " For as the crackling of thorns under a 
 pot, so is the laughter of the fool ; this also is vanity," Eccl. 7:6, My 
 heart was full of peace and joy ; everything seemed to me new. The 
 Heaven above me seemed new, the earth and all that was on it. All 
 nature appeared so beautiful to me. The torment that was in my soul 
 was gone. The fear of hell had vanished away, and the peaceful hope 
 of Heaven succeeded to it. That was indeed the first really happy day 
 in my life. It was to me the beginning of days and years, I laid me 
 down in peace that night, feeling secure and safe. I could then under 
 stand the feelings of the Psalmist as he himself expressed them. 
 " Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear ; 
 though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident," Psalm 
 27:3. This blessed portion of the word of God came into my mind 
 after I had laid my head upon my pillow. Next morning I awoke in 
 joy and peace. The fear of death had also gone away from me. Before, 
 
39 
 
 when under conviction for sin, the trees seemed ready to fall on me 
 and kill me. I used to be afraid when passing under the limbs of large 
 trees that a limb might fall down on me, in judgment for my sin, and 
 kill me and send me to hell. Thunder and lightning also I feared as 
 angry messengers from God that conld instantly destroy my body and 
 send me to the place of torment. All such fears were now gone. The 
 whole world around me was at peace with me. Peelings of pardon and 
 peace were then my first feelings. It was the second night after the 
 New Birth had taken place, so far as I now remember — and my memory 
 is quite good on these things after more than twenty-one yc&rs have 
 elapsed — my soul was filled with the love of God. Oh ! such love, an 
 unspeakable love ! My soul was filled with love and light. I loved 
 every one on earth, friend or foe. If enemies would cut me to pieces 
 with their swords, I could still love them and pray for them. I was 
 thinking that those pleasant feelings would continue unabated forever. 
 But in a f*w days there was a decline in my joyful feelings. Things 
 did not last thus. I have been finding out since that I must live by 
 faith, not by feelings. Since the happy change has taken place, how- 
 ever, I have not been as I was previously. My blessed Saviour has 
 never forsaken me. True, I have had my dark days, but also my bright 
 days. He has indeed hidden from me His countenance for my 
 foolishness, and I cried to Him in my pain and made supplication unto 
 my God, and He in mercy heard me and delivered me from all my dis- 
 tresses, and lifted up upou me the light of His countenance. I have 
 had my days of darkness, but not long. I have felt the hardness and 
 the uncleanness, and the wickedness of my own heart ; but then I have 
 had my refreshings and my joys, my sunshines and showers, my lights 
 and shadows. But still I am travelling on through the wilderness of 
 this world, Ziou-ward, looking unto Jesus. I have not yet fallen from 
 grace; nor do I believe that I will. Well, well, according to your taith 
 be it unto you. 
 
 But some one will sa>, do you waut all others to have the same 
 experience as you? No, I say ; for I have known some good and holy 
 men, who could not tell the day of their spiritual birth. But I insist 
 that all Christians must be separate and distinct from the world ; that 
 they must lead pure and holy lives, lives consistent with their profes^ 
 sion. *' By their fruits ye shall know them ; for every tree is known 
 by its fruit. Every good tree bringeth forth good fruit," Matt. 7: 16, 
 17, i8. A corrupt tree canuot bring forth good fruit. A man's life 
 shows what he is. The Christian must be sincere, honest, truthful, lov- 
 ing, holy, etc. And although he is not perfect in any of those graces, 
 yet they must be there, and increase. The Christian grows in all graces. 
 
 I 
 I 
 
 I 
 
 i 
 
 IS 
 
 ■M 
 
!IJI)^»t'J»wW-'i"1| 
 
 46 
 
 BLESSEDNESS OF THE RENEWED MAN. 
 
 I. I will now endeavor to chow the blessedness of the renewed 
 man. He has been born again — born of the water and the Spirit. He 
 is a spiritual man ; and as u spiritual man he understands spiritual 
 things : 
 
 " But the natural man receiveth not the thintrs of the Spirit of God ; 
 for they are foolishness unto him ; neither can he know them, because 
 they are spiritually discerned. , 
 
 " But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is 
 judged of no man. 
 
 " Porwhohath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct 
 him? But we have the mind of Christ." i Cor.,2:i4, 15, 16. 
 
 The miserable state of the natural man is given in verse 14. He 
 receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God. Why ? Because they 
 are foolishness to him. Nor can he understand the things of the Spirit 
 of God, because they are spiritually discerned ; and he is not a spiritual 
 maa. The spiritual man, on the other hand, understands spiritual 
 things. He has already received the Holy Spirit into his own heart. 
 He is able to understand the mind of the Lord, because the spirit of 
 the Lord is in him. "We have," says the Apostle, "the mind of 
 Christ." This is, indeed, one of the great blessings of the renewed 
 man. He has in him the understanding mind that is in Christ. He has 
 received the Holy Spirit, and '* this Spirit is in Him a well of living 
 watei , springing up unto everlasting life." John 4:14. The spiritual 
 man understands the will of the Lord, and is enabled by the grace of 
 God to do the will of God. Without knowledge of God, no one can do 
 His will. The spiritual man is able to compare spiritual things with 
 spiritual. This is one of the many blessings of the spiritual man. He 
 is also led of the Spirit of the Lord. 
 
 3. The renewed man, as the word shows, is a new man. 
 
 " And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge 
 after the image of Him that created him " Col. 3:10. 
 
 "And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in 
 righteousness and true holiness," Eph. 4:24. 
 
 " Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature; old 
 things are passed away ; behold all things are become new, 2 Cor. 5:17. 
 
 The new man then is entirely different from what he fortnerly was. 
 He has different feelings from what he once had ; he has different 
 thoughts and opinions about the world, about men, about God. There 
 are new powers at work in his heart, moving his whole life in a different 
 direction to that in which it was formerly running. His aims are now 
 different altogether. He now loves to do good, not to gain praise for 
 himself, but to please God. His heart is now tender ; formerly it was 
 
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 41 
 
 hard and unsympaihiziug ; now it is loving and tender. He loves to do 
 good to all who need his help. He loves to help the poor and needy. 
 He feels for the sick and sorrowing. He wants to lead sinners to Christ, 
 that they may be saved, and that they may be happy in time and 
 eternity. He loves to make others happy like himself. This is part of 
 the blessedness of the renewed man. Formerly he did some charitable 
 thing for his own praise, and that people might think him good ; but 
 did nothing from proper motives, as love to God and men. Before he 
 was renewed his own advantages were uppermost in his mind. His 
 knowledge is now different from what it once was. His knowledge of 
 himself, others, and of God are entirely different. He beholds himself 
 now the chief of sinners ; thinks others better than himself, and God 
 perfectly holy. He has now different ways of speaking, acting, and 
 thinking. 
 
 , 3. The renewed man is at peace with God. He was once at enmity 
 with God. He disliked God's ways and doings, and God Himself per- 
 sonally. Of course, men will not always avow this, but the bolder 
 and more hardened sinners will. Though others will not say this much, 
 they have it in their heait all the same. " The carnal mind is enmity 
 against God ; for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can 
 be," Roms. 8:7. 
 
 "So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God," Roms. 8:8. 
 
 The very spirit of the carnal man is opposed to the Spirit of God. 
 The renewed man is altogether different from this state of feeling. He 
 is pleased with God's ways and doings, and with God personally. He 
 loves Him and obeys Him. There is mutual love between God and the 
 new man. They agree. God loves him and he loves God. They agree ; 
 hence there is peace between them. There is a good feeling towards 
 one another. Peace has the meaning of quietness and agreeableness, a 
 pleasant sensation or feeling of love and joy. The new man can think 
 with pleasure of God; he can consider Him with comfort to himself. 
 He has confidence in God's goodness and kindness towards him, and 
 loves to think of him. Peace with God is a very sweet feeling of the 
 soul. It is one of the things that make the Christian happy. The new 
 man knows that God is pleased with him, and he is pleased with God. 
 No differences exist between them. They have been reconciled the one 
 to the other. The very best of feeling exists between them ; hence the 
 new man feels happy and secure. His security is of a pleasing and 
 happy nature. This peace the world cannot take away, although it can 
 injure it a little at times. " We have peace with God through our Lord 
 Jesus Christ," Roms. 5:1, 
 
 4. The renewed man has passed from death unto life. He was once 
 dead in trespasses and sins. He was once careless and unconcerned 
 
 :1, ( 
 
4* 
 
 a? 
 
 abdut his own soul, tlie good of others, and God's glory. The dead 
 are uncoacerned and pleased as they are ; they know no better ; they 
 feel not death. Thongh they dwell in darkness, they iseek not the 
 light. The graceless man is spiritually dead. He is ignorant of God 
 and His ways. But the renewed man has left that miserable state. He 
 has passed unto life ; and that life is not only of a blessed and peaceful 
 nature, but is also eternal. (John 3:15:16). He has, through that life» 
 power to obey God. Before he could not obey God ; but now he can 
 obey Him and keep His commandments. He is now spiritually alive ; 
 His soul was once dead, but is now alive ; alive to God's requirements. 
 Life shows itself in actions, feelings and needs. The living, the 
 spiritually minded, alone act on God's commands, have pleasure in 
 doing the will of God. To do His will is their delight. Before they 
 had no pleasure in doing the will of God, but an aversion to it ; a feel- 
 ing of dislike to obey Him. They have now a sense of the needs of the 
 soul, and are able to apply to God for help. They know where to go 
 for help. This spiritual life, to which they have passed, they will spend 
 in God's service. All His people serve Him ; the very humblest of them 
 are engaged in His service. They have times and seasons to give to 
 God. They will not give all their time and talent to the world. True, 
 they are, many of them, engaged in manual labor, busy from morning 
 to night to earn bread for themselves and their children, but they are, 
 even when thus engaged, praising God. Their tongues can praise Him 
 whetf their hands are employed at their work. Their thoughts can be 
 on Heavenly things when at their daily labors. Our business will not 
 excuse us from serving the Lord. " The living praise God," Isa. 38:19. 
 5. The renewed man has communion with God. This is one of his 
 greatest blessings. We cannot have communion with anyone unless we 
 are acquainted with him. There is then an acquaintance between the 
 believer and God. He knows His own people and they know Him. 
 Christ is always with them, as He himself said : "And, lo, I am with 
 you always, even unto the end of the world," Matt. 28:20. Christ is 
 then always with His people. He never leaves them nor forsakes them . 
 The Lord and His people are not strangers to one another. He knows 
 their ways, their thoughts, and doings : 
 
 "O Lord, Thou hast searched me, and known tne. 
 
 "Thou hast known my down-sitting and mine uprising, Thou 
 understandest my thought afar o£f. 
 
 " Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted 
 with all my ways. 
 
 " For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O Lord, thou know- 
 est it altogether," Psa. 139:1, 2, 3. 4. 
 
 God exercises an all-seeiog providence over man. He knows all 
 man's ways, and is minutely acquainted with him. He knows His own 
 
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 PPiPPMI"*PPiliP|^i| 
 
 . 43 
 
 also in tlie -way of mercy and salvation. He has saved them. They 
 walk with Him by a holy life and conversation. There is loving affec* 
 tion between them. He loves their soceity and they love His. They 
 agree. Unless we can agree with one we cannot keep up fellowship 
 with him. The Apostle says : " That which we have seen and heard 
 declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us ; and 
 truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with His son Jesus Christ," 
 I John 1:3, ' 
 
 Christians have fellowship with God the Father and with His Son 
 Jesus Christ, and with one another. This is, indeed, a blessed com- 
 munion. How glorious it is that poor men and women can have this 
 blessed comfort, and they do have it here. See also what is said of this 
 in Genesis : "And Enoch walked with God ; and he was not ; for God 
 took him,*' Gen. 5:24* This walk was of a spiritual nature. It was a 
 holy and loving cornmunion, of which the graceless know nothing. 
 This communion is of the nature of relationship and love. The Son is 
 the renewed man's elder brother, and God is His Father in Christ ; 
 hence theie is love and fellowship. Those that love one another are 
 glad of one another's society ; they meet in love, clasp handsi embrace, 
 and kiss one another, and look into each other's countenances, and their 
 spirits, as it were, flow together. There is affection between them. 
 Hear what the Psalmist says : " Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, and ye 
 perish from the way," Psa. 2:12. 
 
 The renewed man and Christ are of the same spirit. We must 
 receive Christ affectionately, if we receive Him at all. There must be 
 communion here on earth between Christ and His people. This loving 
 friendship and acquaintance ends in their being received into glory. 
 They will not remain always here. But this is one thing that I want to 
 say on this communion ; it is one of the great comforts of believers 
 going through the weary wilderness of this world. It cheers and helps 
 them to bear the burdens and troubles of this life. They can tell their 
 sufferings to their God, and ask His help. His blessed presence can 
 help them in their darkest hour and in their greatest affliction while 
 here. They are gladdened and comforted by this holy, Heavenly, and 
 sweet fellowship at all times. 
 
 6. God is the defence of the renewed man. This is another of His 
 blessings. God is not the defence of the wicked ; but He is the defence 
 of His own people : " Unto thee, O my strength, will I sing ; for God is 
 my defence, and the God of my mercy," Psa. 59:17. 
 
 God then is the defence of the renewed man, as we see in this Psalm. 
 He is all-powerful ; able to defend from all enemies. No enemy can 
 prevail against the godly ; for none can be able to prevail against God 
 and overcome Him. This is very comforting to the Christian going 
 
 ^%- 
 
 

 '•■ T,,IV.f-'-- - 
 
 44 
 
 through the dangerous wilderness of this world. He can fn all his dan- 
 gers raise up his soul to God and plead to Him for help, " The shields 
 of the earth belong unto God." All power in heaven and earth are in 
 Christ's hands. God is their protection by day and night. " The sun 
 shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night," Psa. iai:6. God 
 is the defence of His people at all times, even unto death. See also 
 what is said with reference to this in another place : " The Lord is my 
 shepherd," Pna. 33:1. The Lord will protect His people here as a shep- 
 herd protects his sheep from all dangers. The shepherd is appointed 
 for that purpose, so Christ is appointed to guard His own people. He 
 is their shepherd in this life. There is a further promise in the same 
 Psalm: "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of 
 death, I will fear no evil ; for Thou art with me ; Thy rod and Thy staff 
 they comfort me. Not only will Christ be with His people in the pre- 
 sent evil world, but he will be ^ith them in the valley of the shadow of 
 death. He will be their light, their strength, and their comfort. He 
 has gone through life and death for His people. He has, for them, 
 overcome the world and taken the sting out of death. He has pro- 
 mised to be with them in this world and in death. He is a very present 
 help in times of trouble and danger. Nothing can hurt them when He 
 is with them. " Halleluiah ! what a Saviour." 
 
 7. The renewed man lives a life of faith. Great are the blessings of 
 those who life a life of faith : " The just shall live by faith," Gal.3:ii. 
 How great the blessing is of those who live by faith ! They, and they 
 only, live to God's glory. Whatever is not of faith cannot glorify God, 
 " for whatsoever is not of faith is sin," Romn. 14:23. A great deal is 
 done, and by very many, without faith. This is but adding sin to sin. 
 Without faith it is impossible to please God. The graceless hp.ve no 
 faith, and cannot do anything by it, and so cannot do anything pieasing 
 to God. The godly do all their works by faith. "Their faith worketh 
 by love," Gal. 5:6. This is genuine faith. Love is connected therewith . 
 Love and faith together are beautiful. Faith looks to Jesus as its 
 author and finisher. God accepts the works of faith- only. A great 
 blessing for the renewed is that God accepts their works of faith and 
 love. Our works will be of no benefit to us unless God accepts them. 
 He will not accept the works of the unpardoned sinner ; hence many 
 will be greatly disappointed at the last great day. See Matt. 7:22, 23. 
 
 That God accepts the works of the renewed is a source of comfort 
 and happiness to them. Then, again, they are able to cast their cares 
 upon God, as He has Himself commanded them. " Casting all yonr 
 your care upon Him ; for He careth for yon." i Peter 5:7. How blessed 
 it is, indeed, to be able to cast our cares upon God, upon Him who careth 
 for us, and is able and willing to take care of us. The unrenewed are 
 
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 45 
 
 not by any means able to cast their cares and burdens upon the Lord. 
 They must bear them themselves. And what a terrible load they must 
 bear? But the renewed, who alone are God's children, can by His own 
 grace cast their cares upon Htm, and can then go with a light heart 
 through the world Man mars much of that happiness he might enjoy 
 by persisting in bearing the cares of this life. I mean here unnecessary 
 cares that man cannot help. Curking cares and worries about many 
 things, and some of those in the far future even. The renewed man 
 can cast all his cares upon the Lord, and the Lord takes them and bears 
 them Himself; so that His people can travel through the world with 
 cheerfulness and gladness. 
 
 8. The renewed man has an inheritance in Heaven. Not only has 
 he blessings going through this life below, and help and comfort even 
 in death, but he has a glorious place awaiting him in Heaven. This is 
 no fancy sketch, but a blessed reality : " I go to prepare a place for 
 you," John 14:2. " That where I um, there ye may be also," John 14:3. 
 Christ has entered Heaven in our name and on our behalf. We are 
 joint heirs with Him. The renewed man is an heir of God Himself. 
 This is what the Apostle says : " Blessed be the God and Father of our 
 Lord Jesus Christ, which according to His abundant mercy hath begot- 
 ten us again to a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from 
 the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth 
 not away, reserved in Heaven for you," i Peter, 1:3, 4. This glorious 
 inheritance, that lasts forever, is reserved for those who will be found 
 prepared for it at last. This is one of the great blessi ^s of the renewed 
 ones. This world will not last ; and a blissful, eternal dwelling place 
 is kept in Heaven for them. They will get this rich and incorruptible 
 inheritance when they leave this sinful world. Indeed all the blessed 
 promises in the word of God are for the renewed ones ; those born again. 
 
 " For him the kingdom of the just afar doth glorious shine,. 
 And he the King of Kings shall see in majesty divine." 
 
 AN APPEAL TO THE UNSAVED. 
 
 The unpardoned sinner is in great danger every minute of his life. 
 God is angry with him : "God judgeth the righteous, and God is angry 
 with the wicked every day," Psa. 7;ii. Every unpardoned sinner is 
 going on and increasing in wickedness every day. He is adding sin to 
 sin. Every unbeliever is an unpardoned sinner, and as such the enemy 
 of God, Every unbelieving sinner is also a condemned man : "He that 
 believeth on Him is not condemned ; but he that believeth not is con* 
 
 3 
 
 
ippp^pippfvpipq^nppiiiaiiiiii iiiii.,fljuiJii. "lujwimpnfpnipipiPip^ip^ippil 
 
 46 
 
 dcmned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only 
 begotten Son of God," John 3:18. 
 
 By unbelief nan is condemned in the present time ; he has not to 
 wait till death ; he is under condemnation just now. He is, besides, 
 under the ^rath of God : " He that believeth on the Son hath everlast- 
 ing life ; and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life, but the 
 wrath of God abideth on him," John 3:36. The unbelieving sinner is con- 
 demned already and under the wrath of God. The Lord may enter into 
 judgment with His enemies any time, take away their portion out of 
 this life, and banish them forever to that place where mercy is unknown, 
 that lake that burneth with fire and brimstone, where all the unbeliev- 
 ing will at last find their home. There is no way possible of giving 
 a greater insult to God than rejecting the salvation He has pro- 
 vided in His Son ; there is nothing else that angers Him so much. God 
 has said that He would be revenged upon His enemies: "Dearly 
 beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath ; for it 
 is written, vengeance is mine ; I will repay, saith the Lord," Romans 
 12:19. We see from the foregoing passages that Gi>d is determined to 
 punish sin. Every transgression and disobedience will receive from 
 Him a "just recompense of reward." He will reward every sin, and 
 give every sinner according to his works : " For the Son of man shall 
 come in the glory of His Father with His angels ; and then he shall 
 reward every man according to his works," Matt. 16:27. 
 
 " Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgres- 
 sion, and that will by no means clear the guilty," Ex. 34:7. 
 
 The Scriptures abundantly show that God will punish sin, that He 
 will reward every transgression and disobedience, and that He will give 
 to every one according to his work ; that He will by no means clear the 
 guilty. He will punish the guilty. Justice is one of the qualities of 
 the Divine nature, and must be satisfied. All who are expecting to 
 escape the justice of God on the ground of His mercy will be mistaken 
 at last.' They may now flatter themselves wich hopes. But the day is 
 coming when vain hopes and delusions will fade away from men. God 
 will put His threats into force uponis enemies. All He has said He 
 will certainly fulfil. He has spoken nothing in vain. God will be 
 bund true and every man that contradicts Him will be found a liar. 
 The day of judgment will be found a day of great realities. God will 
 not change anything He has said. He cannot do so for He is a God that 
 cannot lie. and that cannot change. We must either take Him at His 
 word, or reject Him and His word altogether. 
 
 Let us also consider for a little what He has said concerning future 
 punishment: 
 
47 
 
 " The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that for> 
 get God," Psa. 9:17. 
 
 " There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and 
 fine linen, and fared sumptuously every dav. 
 
 The rich man died and was buried ; and in hell he lifted up his eyes, 
 being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and I^azarus in his 
 bosom. 
 
 "And he cried and said. Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and 
 send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my 
 tongue; for I am tormented in this flame," Luke 16:19, *^> ^i> 34> etc. 
 
 "And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and 
 brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tor- 
 mented day and night for ever and ever," Rev. 30: 10. 
 
 We learn from the foregoing that there is a place of future punish- 
 ment, where the devil and all the wicked shall be tormented for ever 
 and ever. All unbelievers will have their abode in that terrible place. 
 Mark 16:16; Luke 13:46. 
 
 From the texts given above under this head, we learn three things. 
 First, that God will be revenged upon the unpardoned sinner ; second, 
 that there is a terrible place of punishment, a lake that burns with fire 
 and brimstone ; third, that in this awful place the unbelieving will suf- 
 fer for ever and ever. * 
 
 Friend, where will you be spending eternity ? Are you on the way 
 to that terrible place ? If you remain in unbelief, you willdfcrtainly end 
 in that place of torments. Think seriously and earnestly, beloved 
 friend, where you are going I " Broad is the way that leads to destruc- 
 tion," and many are travelling on it. It is an easy matter to be lost. 
 Man has only to continue in his sins. " How shall we escape, if we 
 neglect so great salvation?" Hebs. 3:3. 
 
 If we only neglect the salvation, we perish eternally ! There is an 
 opinion with some that in order to be lost, a man must be a great crim- 
 inal, a murderer, a thief, or a blackguard. Such is not the case. You 
 may be moral, kind and decent and yet be lost. Every one that will 
 continue a stranger to the New Birth, will perish. Hear what the word 
 ot God says with reference to this matter: "And if thy hand offend 
 cut it off; it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having 
 two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched ; 
 where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched," Mark 9:43, 
 44, etc. Now, in hell there are torments for ever and ever. The worm 
 dietli not ; that is the man, who is a worm, who is of the dust as to his 
 body. Body and soul shall be united on the resurrection day and they 
 shall continue together during the ages of eternity. Though the suffer- 
 ing ones should desire death there, it will flee away from them. Oh ! it is 
 so hot there ! It would be most painful to be chained to a stake between 
 two fires in this world, and kept without a drop of water to cool the 
 
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 tongue of the victim. We pity even an animal panting Tor the water 
 brooks and fiiiding none. But what will it be to live in fire? Oh, think of it, 
 friend! To live in a lake of fire and brimstone. How suffocating it will 
 be I How dry and hot your inward parts will be I How hot your tongue 
 will be ! The rich man, who represents the lost in hell, prayed for a. 
 few drops of water, but was denied even one drop. It could not be 
 given to him. The days of his good things were past. He had received 
 h^sgood things in his life time. In his life time he fared well, lived 
 sumptuously. He wore the robes of royalty even — " purple and fine 
 linen." He had a fine house, a rich table and beautiful garments ; all 
 luxuries. But that all passed away with using ; they will do him no 
 good in eternity, but rather torment him when thinking of them. He 
 denied Christ a place in his heart when he lived ; he revelled in luxury 
 and sin ; was unmerciful to the poor. Now his unclean tongue is burn- 
 ing in unquenchable flames. Thirst is no doubt one of the terrible tor- 
 ments of hell. Christ when bearing the sins of His people on the cross, 
 said : " I thirst." The flesh of the wicked will suffer pain and heat ; 
 for they sinned through the body, and must suffer in the same bod>. 
 The body will not waste away there, either. But will be rather like 
 heated steel that will not melt away ; but last forever. The 
 wicked vill also suffer in their souls as well as in their bodi If 
 
 you think, my friend, that this description of hell is over-dk»..u, I 
 must tell you kindly and sincerely that it is far short of what the place 
 is. Think, for instance, on the companions— Satan himself, and devils, 
 who will make fun of all your sufferings, and offer you draughts of hell 
 liquid fire to drink in yuur raging thrist, and laugh at you. If men on 
 earth were so wicked as to offer Christ on the cross sour vinegar to 
 drink, what will not devils do to j'OM ^ Ah! young jaan I speak earn- 
 estly to you, lest you should persevere in your sins and go there. You 
 may continue now in your sinful and careless course ; but a day of 
 reckoning is coming, A few days of sickness may lay you in the dust, 
 or one casualty, what men commonly call an accident, may launch you 
 into eternity ; the running away of your horse, or the upsetting of your 
 carriage, may do it. Of what benefit will it then be to you that you 
 enjoyed the sinful society of men ? Of what benefit will it be to you, 
 young woman, that you try to outshine others, despise the godly, and 
 go on in the giddy and foolish ways of the world ? You are going on in 
 the ways of the world. All who follow these ways resemble a person 
 dancing on the edge of a yawning precipice, or leaping and dancing 
 upon thin layers of ice on the top of a great glacier, such as is found 
 among the Alps, and where beneath one are vast pits and sharp rocks, 
 some thousands of feet down. You have only to miss one step and 
 down you will go, and your body will be mangled upon the rocks. 
 Your danger is a little illustrated thus. You are in danger of losing 
 
4» 
 
 your soul. Life is short and uncertain. We have no promiHC of one 
 day. Death hai all timet for itself ; death is always ready. A thou»and 
 gates arc open to the grave. There are a thousand ways and more in 
 which death may come to us any time. Here we have no continuing 
 city. Our days are as the grass, and we are but as the morning flower. 
 The grass is cut down and the flowers wither away. So we fade away 
 from this world. Again, my friend, what shall the world profit us if 
 we should gain it all, and lose our own souls ? The pleasures of sin last 
 only for a season. The feast has its feverish hour of mirth, and then 
 its pleasures are over. The pleasures of the world are neither satisfy* 
 ing nor lasting. Those who live only to gain wealth and fame in this 
 world will perish for ever and ever. The world will be the means of 
 keeping many out of Heaven. People give the^r heart to it, love and 
 worship it, and thus make it their God. Then the pleasures of sin are 
 only for a season. There is a sort of a low, carnal pleasure in sin. I 
 have read of a man who led a large herd of swine to the shambles by 
 throwing them a few beans now and again. This resembles the pleas- 
 ures by which Satan leads men to their ruin. He throws them a few 
 pleasures now and again to lead them along in the sinful way. It is in 
 this way that the great des . oyer is leading many to everlasting ruin, 
 down to the gates of everlasting destruction. He employs means to 
 accomplish his ends ; and those means are such as please the carnal 
 mind of man. Think again, friend, and think seriously, of your eter- 
 nity. How long it will be ! We think a week upon abed of sore sickness 
 very long. But just think of an eternity of pain and anguish without 
 any comfort whatever, not so much as a drop of cold water. When a 
 thousand years of suffering in hell are over, it is only beginning ; when 
 one million years are past, you are no nearer its end, for it has no end. 
 As well attempt to find the end of a ring aa try to find the end of eter- 
 nity ; it has no end. There is a broad and an easy way, and a wide gate 
 into hell ; but there is no door or way leading out of it, none at all. 
 There is no way of getting back from it. Once one goes there, he will 
 remain there during the ages of eternity, with all opportunities past 
 and gone forever. 
 
 What do you waYit me then to do? You say to me. Well, I want you 
 to give up evil companions, to begin with, if you have such ; and my 
 opinion is that nearly all the graceless have evil companions. Hear 
 what the Holy Spirit has to say with regard to it : " He that walketh 
 with wise men will be wise ; but a companion of fools will be des- 
 troyed," Prov. 13:20. 
 
 The fool in scripture language is the unbelieving sinner ; the one 
 
 who is going on in sin and folly. The companion of such a one will 
 bt destroyedt Kvil companions have proved ruinous to a great many 
 
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 young pevple. They lead them on to their ruin. Beware of those irho 
 would entice you to sin even once. Remember that "only once " is one 
 of Satan's chief means ior destruction. Adam and Bve ate the forbid- 
 den fruit only once, and think of the ruin they brought on themselves 
 and their descendants ; all the sorrow and woe and suffering that once 
 brought into the world. What would you think of a person who would 
 counsel you to let a poisonous serpent bite you " only once?" You 
 would, of course, understand that he wanted .to ruin you. Well, my 
 friend, that is exactly what any one who counsels you to sin once does. 
 One sinful act may blast your fair character and ruin you in this world, 
 at least ; and, perhaps, for the eternal world, 
 
 I want you to give up all your sinful ways. There is a promise of 
 mercy and forgiveness to all who will do so. This is what the Lord 
 says : " Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteousness man 
 his thf oughts; and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy 
 upon him ; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon,'' Isa. 55:7. 
 Here is an abundant promise of mercy and pardon to all who will for- 
 sake the evil ways of sin. Man can do this ; for many a sinner has. 
 done so. Man can make a reformation ; but too many of those that 
 made a reformation have remained contented with reformation. They 
 stayed there ; not. all of them, indeed, but, alas ! too man> of them. 
 They concluded that reformation was all that was needed. 
 
 But some will say if I am not elected, I will not be saved. Elec- 
 tion and salvation are two different things. What you can get is salva- 
 tion, and that salvation is to be had in Christ. Get the salvation, friend, 
 and your election is sure. You will then find out that election and all 
 other blessings are yours. Hear what Christ Himself said on this 
 point : "And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life," John 
 5:40. Christ has life to give to all who will come to Him. The trouble 
 is they will not come to Christ. He has never refused to give life to 
 any that applied to Him for it. He never will refuse to save the return- 
 ing and penitent sinner I 
 
 Then, again, He said in another place: ''He that seeketh findeth," 
 Matt. 7:8. 
 
 Coming to Christ and seeking salvation from Him are the condi- 
 tions on which salvation is given, and not election and predestination. 
 
 Not only is it necessary to return from the evil ways and com- 
 panions, but you must go to Christ for salvation. He is willing to save 
 even the chief of sinners. He is honored in the salvation of the great- 
 est sinner who returns to Him. Salvation is not a thing He gives 
 unwillingly, but with the greatest pleasure. Christ is glorified in the 
 salvation of sinners. They will be the vessels of God's glory in eter- 
 nity. They will manifest forth His glory, and shine in His Heavenly 
 
5X 
 
 kingdom as the sut: for ever and ever. There is joy in Heaven when 
 sinners are born again on earth. The glorious work of salvation on 
 earth is not unobserved in Heaven. There is rejoicing in Heaven at 
 every addition to the kingdom of God in this world. The Son of God 
 is now seated on a throne of mercy to receive sinners and pardon sin, 
 and grant mercy und repentance to such as will apply to Him. One 
 great encouragement is that he never turuefi any away that came to 
 Him. He is delighted to receive and pardon sinners. Mercy is not a 
 thing he tardily and reluctantly extends to sinners, but that which He 
 bestows willingly and graciously. " We have an advocate with the 
 Father, Jesus Christ the righteous." His office is to forgive and pardon 
 and bless. Some of the greatest sinners have been forgiven ; among 
 those were Manassah, the bloody king, who filled Jerusalem with inno> 
 cent blood ; Saul of Tarsus, who desolated the Christian Church with 
 bloody persecution ; among them were also Mary Magdalene, out of 
 whom He cast seven devils ; Rahab ; and the woman of Samaria, who 
 bad five or six husbands ; and the thief on the oross. The grcAtest sin- 
 ner that evei applied to Christ has been pardoned. Hence the greatest 
 sinner has the very best of «ncoaragemenc to go to Christ for salvation. 
 Then, I wish you to go because you will be so happy when you get 
 Christ for your Saviour. He is such a glorious Saviour, so full of Hve, 
 goodness, and mercy. He will make you so unspeakably happy. The 
 happiness and the blessedness that are in Christ baffles description. No 
 one can fully declare them ; and however well told you cannot under- 
 stand them till you get them for yourself. These spiritual blessings 
 and joys are only properly understood by getting possession of them. 
 You must have them for yourself, and then you will understand them ; 
 otherwise you will never understand them. It is most blessed, indeed, 
 to have Christ for your Saviour and your elder brother, God the 
 Father for your father, and the Holy Spirit for your comforter. Great 
 are the blessings of God's children in this world, though they may have 
 troubles in tha world itself. They have also joys and blessings. They 
 have the first fruits of the Spirit, and blessed peace with God. Besides 
 all this a happy and glorious eternity awaits those who believe. There 
 is a glorious place prepared for them. I would like you, friend, not to 
 miss that glorious place, where there is no pain, sorrow, crying, nor 
 hunger and thirst, nor ^ny such things. Neither is there any sorrow, 
 but joy forever more. The Lamb is the light of it. He is the sun of 
 righteousness that shines in that glorious kingdom. You will forget all 
 your sorrows and sufferings there. There will be no night there, and 
 they need no candle nor the light of the sun. There the tree of life 
 is continually blooming; there the river of life flows forever and ever ; 
 there the saved drink from the flowing fountain of eternal delights. 
 
 * li|i|iii||»l|IWHIMpHil*' 
 
The perfection of all beau' y is there ; the perfection of happiness is 
 there. Nothing that ministers to joy, comfort, and happiness is want- 
 ing there. It is a perfectly happy and glorious place. Do not miss it, 
 friend. It is such a glorious place. Its joys never know decrease, but 
 go on ever increasing ; they never end, for they are infinite ; they have 
 no end. 
 
 Then, again, you will be with loved and loving friends forever and 
 ever.' The companionship of the glorified in Heaven will be so good 
 that you will never weary of it. There are bright angels, also, with 
 whom you may commune, and with ^hom you may associate ; and, 
 above all, Jesus Christ your Saviour, who died for you and redeemed 
 you. He will be your chief joy there. You will behold His face and 
 rejoice in Him continually. Nothing will ever disturb your calm peace 
 and joy in Heaven ; you will never be moved in your thoughts and affec- 
 tions from Christ ; it will be with you a calm study, and peaceful enjoy< 
 ment without interruption and without end. I want you, my friend, 
 not to lose Heaven, whatever else you will lose. Take Christ now for 
 your Saviour, and all will be well. You go to Him for salvation, and 
 you will get it. Let not Satan, the world, and the 'flesh keep you out of 
 Heaven. I can but imperfectly describe its bliss and beauty ; but go 
 and see it for 3'ourself, and possess the fair land of glory. 
 
 There's a beautiful land beyond compare. 
 And sorrow and trouble never go there ; 
 Jesus is king of that glorious place 
 Where angels and saints forever rejoice. 
 
 Besides all those considerations your soul is so very precious. It is 
 more valuable than all the precious gems in this world . The gold of 
 the Indies is nothing in comparison to it. It is so precious that Christ 
 laid down his life to save it ; He shed His precious blood to cleanse it from 
 sin and make it fit for Heaven. The soul is the throne of God in this 
 world. It is there the Holy Spirit resides and pours forth His glorious 
 • light, and puts forth His glorious power. Then, again, the soul is 
 immortal. It will continue to live on forever and ever whether in bliss 
 or misery. The souls of the righteous will enjoy great happiness in 
 glory, and will manifest forth an inconceivable beauty. The righteous 
 will shine with Heavenly splendor in the kingdom of their Father. 
 Their beauty and glory and joy shall never diminish, but go on still 
 increasing in that glorious place, where they will forever sing the song 
 of the redeemed: " To Him that loved us and washed us from our sins 
 in His own blood," etc. 
 
53 
 
 MARKS OF THE NEW BIRTH. 
 
 Whilst giviag under this head a few of the marks of the New 
 Birth, I find it necessary also to give some of the marks of the false 
 professor or hypocrite. I place the true and the false together, that 
 the difference between them may be plainly seen, it is, indeed, like 
 placing light and darkness side by side. 
 
 1. He who has been born again hates sin. This hatred is also deep 
 in his heart. He dreads the wickedness and the filthiness of sin. He 
 hates it with a perfect hatred. This arises from his having the Spirit 
 of Christ in him. Where the Spirit of Christ is not, sin is not hated. 
 Another proof of this hatred of sin is that the new man loves God and 
 His law sincerely, which he is unable to do if he loves sin. The love of 
 God and the love of sin cannot dwell together. When the Christian 
 sins he does so contrary to his will. It is the sin that is in him that 
 does it, as the Apostle says : "Now if I do that I would not, it is no 
 more I that do it. but sin that dwelleth in me," Roms. 7:20. The false 
 professor may talk a great deal about sin and against sin ; but he loves 
 it at the same time. He never truly hated sin. His heart is still in it. 
 He resembles Lot's wife coming out of Sodom ; she could not keep from 
 looking back. Her heart was there. " Where a man's treasure is, there 
 will his heart be also." 
 
 2. He who is born of the water and of the Spirit bridles his tongue. 
 There is no human power that-can bridle the tongue and conquer it ; — 
 " If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his 
 tongue, bat deceiveth his own heart, that man's religion is vain," 
 Jas. 1:26, So long as the tongue is not bridled, there is no grace. A 
 bitter and a false tongue goes always along with a graceless heart. 
 Grace, and grace alone, is able to conquer the tongue. 
 
 3. - He is seeking things above. He is not contented with the best 
 things on earth. His thoughts and desires are higher than this world. 
 " If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, 
 where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affections on 
 things above, not on things on the earth," Col. 3:1, 2. Now every one 
 that is risen with Christ into spiritual life is seeking things above ; that 
 is spiritual things, things of the Spirit of God, as holiness, love, peace, 
 joy in the Holy Ghost, faith, etc., and Heavenly communion with the 
 Father and the Son. Every good and perfect gift cometh down from 
 God. He has received the gift of the Holy Spirit, and that Spirit soars 
 upwards to Heaven, The holy man's affections are set already on 
 things above ; hence his conversation is Heavenly. His mind is 
 Heavenly. The affections of eai'thly men are set upon earthly things. 
 
 igJSSSSBSSm 
 
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 54 
 
 They love this present world. They have given their heart to it ; and 
 would like to stay in it. Their talk is continually of it. Their conver- 
 sation is earthly. The whole drift of their mind is on earthly things. 
 
 4. The true Christian loves good and holy men. He is a lover of 
 good men. The world loves its own men, but the Godly love goodly 
 men. Just as sure as you love God Himself, you love the godly man. 
 It is the same Spirit that loves the godly man and God : "And every 
 one that loveth Him that begot loveth Him also that is begotten of 
 Him," I Jno. 5:1. This then is a true mark of the renewed man. He 
 loves those who are like himself walking the narrow way, who are 
 endeavoring to do good and live holy. Every good person is a lover of 
 good men. To love good mep comes easily to him. He himself is of a 
 kindred ispirit with them. It is impossible to love God whom we have 
 not seen, unless we love our brother, whom we have seen. Love to the 
 brethren is an unfailing proof of the New Birth, 
 
 5. He wants spiritual instruction.. Every preacher and every 
 preaching will not satisfy the spiritual man. He wants spiritual preach- 
 ing. Christ must be in the sermon or it will not please him. He him- 
 self is a spiritual man, and he really needs spiritual instruction. It is 
 not a fancy with him, but a nect^ssity. He requires that which is 
 spiritual in the worship of God. , If this element is wanting in the ser- 
 mon, he will no,t be pleased or edified, however excellent the discourse 
 may be in other respects. " Well composed and well delivered " will 
 not satisfy his wants. He wants Christ. What the graceless man seeks 
 in the sermon is botany, astronomy, history, rhetoric, eloquence, etc. 
 He wants fine composition, well rounded periods, fluency of speech. He 
 loves anecdotes about the heavenly bodies, about beautiful flowers 
 and rare plants, and much history, and then a short sermon. A short, 
 lively, pleasing, Christless sermon will do him. He does not want the 
 spiritual. 
 
 6. Humility is another mark of the New Birth. No man is a child 
 of God who is not humble. Humility is one of the distinctive marks of the 
 godly. Hear what Christ said: " Except ye be converted and become as 
 little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of Heayen. Whoso- 
 ever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is 
 greatest in the kingdom of Heaven," Matt. 18:3, 4, The believer must 
 be humble as a little child. The little child has no p»ide whatever in 
 him. He does not despise the poor and the sick. He does not think 
 himself above others in any respect. He is not envious of the success 
 of others. The graceless are proud and envious. They envy those who 
 get oni better than themselves, and would like to pull them down again. 
 They are fall of religiouB conceit. They are proud of their profession. 
 Ittde^d t^y tfOluetinieB make their profession, that people m«iy heai^ 
 
 
■ 
 
 55 
 
 about it. They love to hear what people will be saying in their praise. 
 They love the praise of men and the honor of men. Gracious souls 
 will not do this. Though they have failings, yet they are not ruled by 
 the remainders of sin that are still in them. It is not proud of their 
 profession they are, but often afraid that they made a false profession. 
 This gives them much concern at times. Let us hear what the Holy 
 Spirit has to say with reference to them : "Charity suffereth long, and 
 is kind ; charity envieth not ; charity seeketh not her own, is not easily 
 provoked, thinketh no evil," i Cor. 13:4, 5. In these verses we have 
 some very distinctive marks of the new man. He is not seeking his own 
 advantages. He is not quarrelsome and cross grained. He is not sus- 
 picious and dark. The scribes and Pharisees were envious and covet* 
 ous ; they desired the highest seats in the synagogues, and the upper- 
 most rooms at feasts. The Pharisees of our day are possessed of the 
 same spirit. They miist have the highest places in the church, or they 
 will not do anything. The sin is not so much in desiring a place in the 
 church as in desiring it when there is no fitness for it. If God's people 
 desire a place, as they sometimes do, it is to do good and to be useful, 
 and not to get praise. 
 
 7. He is a holy man. Without holiness no man can see the Lord ; 
 no man can be pleasing to God unless he is holy. No man is a renewed 
 man who is not serious and correct in his deportment. It is quite 
 necessary that a Christian should be a serious person. Those who are 
 as light and flippant as ever they were, are net holy men. Many pro- 
 fessors lack this grace, and with it lack all t^^e other graces. The light 
 and the frivolous are not yet in Christ. There is no such a thing as a 
 giddy Christian. 
 
 8. The experience of the renewed soul are fully and beautifully 
 described by the psalmist : 
 
 "I waited patiently for the Lord ; and he inclined unto me, and 
 heard my cry. 
 
 "He brought me up also out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, 
 and set my foot upon a rock, and established my goings. 
 
 "And He hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto ottf 
 God," Ps. 40: I, 2, 3. 
 
 First, he was in trouble for his soul ; he was convicted of sin. The 
 conviction was thorough. He felt that he was in a horrible pit. Sin 
 made the pit dreadful for him. He was sinking down in despair 
 almost^ The Lord heard and delivered him. He took him out of all 
 his trouble. He set his feet upon a rock ; he now trusts in Christ ; and 
 is strengthened and settled. Then He put a new spng in my mouth. 
 This is a song the world knows not ; the song of redeeming love. It is 
 new ; he did not know it before. Formerly he had the old song of the 
 world. This new song is a song of praise to God. His praises will now 
 
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 56 
 
 be given to God. He knows that God did all for him, and that he him- 
 self did nothing. 
 
 9. The jRenewed man is a man 0/ Faith. Often he thinks that he 
 has no faith ; but yet he shows that he has laith. In all his troubles 
 and perplexities, he turns to the Lord for help. In the darkest day, 
 his heart is more towards Christ than towards any man. He trusts 
 more in Him than in an arm of flesh : "And the life which I would live 
 in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and 
 gave Himself for me," Gal, 2:20. Every believer lives really a life of 
 faith, whether his faith be great or little. That he has faith, he shows 
 in his life. It may be little indeed, yet it is there. He can and does 
 commit himself, his family, and all his affairs to the Lord ; and depends 
 upon the Lord for safety and help. 
 
 10. The jRenewed man is poor and needy. Hp is not always strong; 
 he is not always happy ; he has his dark days as well as his bright ones. 
 For proof we turn again to the Psalms : "But I am poor and needy," 
 Ps. 40:17. The Christian is one who feels his own poverty. He feels 
 his own imperfections ; his own short coming. His own righteousness 
 is become as filthy rags in his sight. The hardness and the coldness of 
 his heart, he laments. He feels the need of the cleaning power. No 
 one needs to tell him that his heart is nut pure. He would like to be 
 perfect, but he finds that he is a sinner, a great sinner. He both thinks 
 and feels that there is no sinner like himself. This was also Paul's 
 experience when he said : "Oh wretched man that I am ! Who shall 
 deliver me from the bodj' of this death ?" Roms. 7:24. 
 
 Paul felt that he was wretched on account of the law of sin, which 
 he found in his members. He found the remains of sin in him a thorn 
 in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet him. This state of feeling 
 keeps the Christian humble and prayerful. Chtist said : " Blessed are 
 the poor in spirit ; for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven," Matt. 5:3. 
 That a man is poor and needy in spirit, is a good proof that he has been 
 born again, Many more proofs might be given. But, friend, if you can 
 lay claims to the foregoing, you can cbrtainly to all the other in the 
 word of God. 
 
 I will give you an illustration of the gracele&s heart, and of the 
 renewed heart as follows : — 
 
 There was said to be some debatable lands, in ancient times,between 
 England and Ireland ; and to ascertain to which kingdom they belonged 
 they had recourse to a test. They threw reptiles upon the land ; and if 
 the reptiles lived, the la ads belonged to England, and if they died, the 
 lands belonged to Ireland. 
 
 This fable fittingly illustrates the graceless heart and the renewed 
 heart. Satan can throw evil thoughts into bo^h ; he can tempt the 
 
 

 5!^ 
 
 righteous and the wicked. If those evil thoughts live and thrive in 
 your soul, you are not born again. If you cherish and indulge unclean 
 and revengeful thoughts in your heart, you are still graceless. In the 
 renewed soul the unclean and the evil thought have no dwelling place. 
 Satan can throw them into the heart, but they cannot live there. The 
 Holy Spirit, who dwells there, will destroy them. They cannot thrive 
 and grow where grace is. The power of grace will destroy them. Com- 
 pare your own heart to this and learn if you are born again. 
 
 CONCLUSION. 
 
 The New Birth is the door of salvation. None can be saved without 
 it. No one enters Heaven, young or old, except he is born again. Then 
 the New Birth is not easily accomplished. The unrenewed heart is 
 hardened against God, and full of uncleanness and wickedness. Satan 
 himself has possession of it, and is determined to keep his possession. 
 Man is not able to change his own heart, even if he should try. Still 
 worse, he resists the Holy Spirit, and opposes with all his might the 
 blessed work of the Spirit in his own heart. The Holy Spirit alone is able 
 to renew the soul of man. Again, man will be miserable forever unless 
 his heart be changed by the grace of God. He is condemned already, 
 and except he be'pardoncd, he will ere long open his eyes in hell, and 
 remain there during the ages of eternity. His great need then is a new 
 heart and a right spirit. Jesus Christ died that this glorious change 
 might be effected. 
 
 As a natural man you cannot understand spiritual things. Great is 
 the misery of ignorance of God. You cannot see the kingdom of God. 
 You cnnnot know the blessings of it nor understand its nature. Then 
 you cannot enter into it. The entrance into the spiritual kingdom of 
 God must take place here or not at all. By an entrance into it you 
 become a member of that spiritual kingdom He has in this world, and 
 a sharer of the manifold blessings which the Lord bestows upon His 
 people in this life, and become prepared for His Heavenly kingdom 
 above. If man misses the necessary preparation for Heaven, he must 
 forever remain outside of it. The blessed salvation that can be accom- 
 plished in time, cannot at all be effected in eternity. To be a stranger 
 to the New Birth is to be a stranger to Christ, and to be a stranger to 
 Christ is to be a stranger to God the Father and to Heaven. 
 
 ' The Holy Spirit, let us remember, is the person who effects this 
 wonderful and blessed change. He begins by producing conviction of 
 sin. in the heart. But the' spirit does not work without the word of God. 
 The sinners inust hear the word as Nicodefnus did from Christ. The 
 sintier is then led to seek salvation. He finds the load of sin and guilt 
 a terrible pne. In your distress take good care lest you go to the grace- 
 
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 less for help and instruction. But if you go to those who have been 
 born again themselves, they will help you, and lead you in the right 
 way. The help of those who have experienced a work of grace will be 
 of much use to you, indeed. But, as I have already said, beware of 
 going to those who do not understand spiritual things, who are strangers 
 to the work of the Spirit, and who are only false professors. They can- 
 not instruct you, but will be sure to lead you astray, if you will listen 
 to them. They will heal your wounds lightly, crying, " Peace, peace, 
 when there is no peace," Jer. 6:14. They will endeavor to soothe you 
 and quiet down your fears, and rock you agaiu to sleep in carnal secur- 
 ity. Cold, carnal professors have healed :nany in this way, and have 
 been the means of their ruin. Such professors of religion arc but blind 
 guides of the blind ; and if tne blind lead the blind, both shall fall into 
 the ditch, (Matt. T5:i4). Now, if you will apply to those blind guides, 
 whatever their standing may be in the church, even if ministers, you 
 will be apt to get damage by them ; for they will be likely to try to do 
 something for you in the way of helping you, and will be sure to do 
 the wrong thing. 
 
 Above all, you must go to Jesus Christ. He will give you the best 
 instruction. There is none like Him. But some one will say, how can 
 I go to Him now ? He is in Heaven. You can go to Him now in prayer 
 and supplication. You will not have to travel as far as Nicodemus had. 
 He is exalted a Prince and a Saviour to grant repentance to Israel and 
 remission of sins. He that will go to Him, He will in nowise caat you 
 out Quo. 6:37}. He gladly receives all who come to Him seeking sal- 
 vation, and willingly grants their request. It is His delight to do so. 
 He has never yet refused, and never will refuse, any one who comes to 
 Him sincerely seeking mercy. Nicodemus did three thin gs wisely and 
 well. 
 
 First, he went to Jesus (J no. 3:2) And he got salvation, whether at 
 the time he was present with Him or shortly afterwards, we will not 
 say. His salvation, however, followed his interview with Christ. 
 Whatever his motives were in going to Jesus, let your motive be to get 
 salvation ! Ycm must go to Jesus, friend, if you would be saved. 
 Second, he spoke for Jesus in the council, TJno. 7:50, 51) and that in the 
 face of danger, for the council was bitterly opposed to our Saviour, and 
 was bent on his destruction. 
 
 Third, he concerned himself about Jesus ; he was present at His 
 burial, wi^l. Joseph Arimathea ; he went expenses |about the burial 
 (Jno. 19:39). This all who are saved by Christ must do. They must 
 speak for Him, even in the face of shame and danger ; they will be 
 willing to give some of their time and money to "advance His cause in 
 the world. 
 
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 59 
 
 Beware of sloppiug at a reformation. Many reformed, but 
 they miserably remained there, and were lost. Reformation is good 
 and necessary and beautiful ; but it is not regeneration. You can 
 never enter Heaven trusting in your own good behaviour and morality. 
 Again, take care lest you be satisfied with impressions, and remain in 
 ignorance of a saving change. Some havejhad impressions and went no 
 further. Impressions, though they may have been deep, will not do. 
 They are, indeed, a good beginning. But if you will go no further, they 
 will, after a time, die away, and you will find at last that you were not 
 saved, and that you were building upon the sand. 
 
 Some were even made partakers of the Holy Spirit in certain of His 
 operations in their hearts, and were enlightened, and tasted the powers 
 of the world to come, (Hebs. 6:4, 5, 6), and in that way came near to the 
 kingdom of. Heaven. 
 
 Then, we have the case of the young, rich ruler that would like to 
 be saved. He came to Jesus in haste, asking what good'thinghe should 
 do to inherit eternal life. (Matt. 19:16-32). Jesus loved him. He was 
 a loveable young man, and of good behaviour; a good moral character. 
 
 Then, again, we have the case of the intelligent scribe to whom 
 Christ said, "Thou art not far from the kingdom of God," Mark 12:34. 
 
 We learn from these cases that some come near the kingdom of 
 God in feelings and enlightenment ; some in good behaviour, and some 
 in knowledge. But to come near a thing is not to have it in possession. 
 To come near getting salvation is only to perish. It is not to seem to be 
 something that will profit, but to be. Take care lest you be satisfied with 
 seeming to be a Christian. Pretence is only a failure. Make sure then 
 by all means of your salvation. Make sure that it was a work of grace 
 that was done in your case, and that your soul is renewed. And if yoa 
 ask, howi? I refer you again to the marks I have already given of the 
 New Birth. Be sure that these marks are yours, and I am not afraid to 
 say that you are born again, even if you can only make sure of one of 
 jthem. I think also that you will be sure of your salvation yourself,and 
 that you will not be disappointed at death and in the day of judgment. 
 First of all make sure of your salvation. This should be the great 
 question with every one. Then show to the world by a holy and consis- 
 tent life that you are a Christian. Let yours be a life of faith in the 
 Son of God. Ypur go jd and holy life will witness to the world what 
 you are. I^et it, friend, be a careful and prayerful lite. Be a close fol- 
 lower of Jesus. Make Him the example of your life. 
 
 Lastly, do all you can for the salvation of others. Be a working 
 Christian. Have compassion upon the perishing, and do all you can to 
 save them. Remember that Jesus saved you, and that their souls need 
 salvation as much as yours did. Laboring for the good of others is the 
 
6o 
 
 laiijiM 
 
 way to put your money to the exchan«erH. (Matt. 25:14^30). It is the 
 way to improve what you have received. There should be no such 
 thing at a slothful Christian. Your grace and also your spiritual com- 
 fort will be increased by laboring for the good of others. Your work 
 must be done out of love for Jesus and perishing souls. Then you can 
 look forward to triumphant death and a glorious eternity. When Jesus 
 comes again, He will reward every one according to His work**. At the 
 la»t great day, the day of judgment, God's servants will receive a crown 
 of life that fadeth not away. You will then be acknowledged before 
 men and angels, and shall hear the joyful welcome, " Well done thou 
 good and faithful servant, enter thou into the joy of thy I^otd." 
 
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