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"^'■^•^^k- j''''4'- ; ' ' '" ' y ' ' '■ ■'' ""■ ' ' ^ .1 ,1 [-•••' i. r _" 'y^ ■ ■ ■■'■ n-. . ■■ ■' m «K ( ^ .''.-i,.* •^, * A.i- -i\:, '•01 p^? Vi;,«-: -.. -I- ' ' ,»• >-, » ,. _ , ,.-;!' ' -M br- ., , .<* REGENERATION: \\ 0« EXEGESIS AND EXPOSITION or John* 3: 1-2. BT THS REV. D. SUTHERLAND, Oalwnit, N. 8. Caiuite, ■•♦»• CHARLOTTETOWN I PBINTBD AT THE PRESBTTEBIAN QTWlQtn 1880. m , - ' r 'i! .'.'■ ;■ •»>. m-m - 'foil .•' )-, t . -i f{5{as{Ks<^S'i'io>[- The life of Christ was so holy ; his walk among men so" inoffensive ; his ccnversalion so pure and heavenly; and his miracles, which ho wrought po powerful and extraordinary— that the people could not deny his origin, and descent, as from God. Thiere was a general understanding, as to who he was. The devils, even, knew full well, that he was the Son of God— the Son of Da\ id also— and heAce their great and unexorapled enmity, display- ed to the utmost against him, in the temptation oa the lonely mountain, and by means of wicked men, his whole life through, which tssumed a fearful measure, when he was condemned and crucified, amid honid blasphemies, on Calvarj.Men be- lieved from His miracles, which he performed, that ho was the Mess^iah sent of Gud ; who yet did not believe unto Salvation, and wert, therefore not obedient unto' Him in sincerity and truth. Nay, many believed in him with a meJ*e outward and ordinary faith, who yet persecuted him,— and, who; like the keepers of the vineyard, would have cast him out and killed hinl, before the time ap- pointed in the Divine Mind, if they could. But they were restrained; for, as King he restrains 'II .liul. u . -.■ ,1 .■/•■ : >K th.r.r.r.. « ." told .« '»• '"' "'./^'^ "h! «*"";;" b^y -tlh iir^lt. which h. did. „.m« when lh.y »w I ^^^ ^^^^^ """ 'T kit, .» r.n .nd n«d«i not that .n, bocauM he knew »ll »»•»;•"" . ,^,1 ,„ in .hould testify of mn : for ho l«ow wna t:e;'':;n-»?ythei^^^^^^^^ •t:thrur;nrnr:?::h.f.i.h«thi. • .-in the ceee of Nicodemu. : not indeed that u:o intAniioD — but he waS Wiaujr -•Lin. . »vinE faith in the Savionr, vii . the h Kh iTwaf lamentable to think that a n.an Th %ri..d ... «. i«.."- o. Di^ne tbir«. He wa. nnregenerate^a "n"" """™ * I, .M a eood sign however to find bim "Tiy itrSa^ior^orLtrnotionsandit ienot Town what b.e»ed reenlU -? ^•" J^,"» °^' of thi. intereatiog oo..fetenee. that »<>»»?'•?• tetween himself and Jeeu.. Indeed from the ^.ir made 01 him In chapter. V = *»v. and "9.39 . ,„ infer that he wa. led to embrace the G„;I ^ t ». mcerriew. Very likeiy he believed fhU Cry ..irtt in the Saviour. W. have m this ^irnce Ltly. the P.r-o. and Official Capaerty rfNicodemu, point*! out in the Beoorf ; .econdl,. hie Self-cndacted Introduction to the S.viour, thirdly, Jesas' Terms of Reception ; foorthly, Nico- demos' Rejoinder ; and fifthly, Jesas' Qreat Reply* I. The Porson and OiSoial Capacity of Kicttderooa — ver. 1. "There was a man of the Phaririees, named Nicodemus." The Jews, were, at this time divided into several sects; of thete, the sect of the Pharisees was the strictest ; and he was one of them. Being, therefore a Pharisee, we may rea- sonably suppose, that he was imbaed with more or loss of their Spirit ;— he was, probably, re^^erved, 8elf>righteoas, and refinedly proud, and i)os6e88ed of much suavity, but assumed the face of unques- tioned sanctimony ; his frame of heart, if express- ed, would possibly be well convoyed by the language, " Stand by, for I am holier than thou." Nicodemus' rank is stated ; and he was not « man of ordinary standing, and trust. He was a Ruler of the Jews. The Jews, at this time, had not a King of their own ; but they had a Chief Court or Council composed of the greatest and wisest men of the nation ; and Nioodemus was * member of this Court or Co?> . :!J. They were seventy in number. Their bubhiess mom, among other things, to watch over and supprefis here- sies. Their opinion was considered weighty and authoritative, in matters of religion. When John the Baptist made hit» app« arauce, preaching Re. pentance, and baptising, they sent Priests and Levites, to make enquiries whether he was the Messiah who was to come ; and when the Saviour, of whom John bore witness, did actually appear, they sent to him, time after time, to ascertain the nature of his doctrines ; but they pressed their t'rM ■.' " ■ ■ • ti. w^ I u ar.?rR as provonlcd tbelr pro- enquiries .n -* 7>; ^^'^.a, solf-^iUod, -elf- flU„g-v,.., n a set com ^ ^^^^^^^ ^^ wise and mal.c.c.,« .p.nl. I^a ^^^^^^ ^ *"» f"- ;J;V„": ciluTeh irabie'toconverthio. feel much el I'.fi, witn an ui of Crod, J> « "^n ^,, jho word, of t„Je.us. "'^ "■;;';,?;,„„„, i. fir.t shall be last, ami .!.» '^ ,'';"„,„ ,,„d„d of men's „„st not .H -'•';" „':.,;., ,„„,hy their judge, opinions a-, M.p.. rao , l.o«. ^ ^,^_j Courts 01 tl,e l>u.«t Chureh """y^"; » „„„„ .,,. ,H.men.; ^^^T^^^ L on.y, err; lor men at best aio u '"'"'^tlttat ::"- H::.at.'h seeu-ely :i;a\:;'-.XI-->awand,o.he^.^mon^ it they n^^'k not aocora.ng lotlm wo, d„ctUInt™iu.ti.,,t.U,oSa.„„.-™.-^^ 1^ «„„e ca,„e unto Jesn, n- "'^'"™f^, ;' Vlo from took placo-iu the time of the Pa.sover-the firs after tho Saviour'd public enioriug upon his ministry— and this agreeably to tlie requirements of the law ; for the Saviour was Bubject to it ; he was a minister of it, and also the fulflller of it. Nicodomui) must have beard much of the Saviour previously to this ; and it is very possible that ho was an eye witness to the bold undaunted part which he acted a few days previous to this limp, in driving the mouey-changers and them that sold doves, together with their cumbersome articles of merchandise out of the house of the Lord — scourg- ing them, and sayini;, " Take those hence ; make not my Father's house a house of merchandise.' Observe; it is go'od anfl highly proper to be bold in the cause of God. And there is nothing more unbecoming in Christ's cause than cowardice. It appears indeed, that there was a special chhin -of prbvideiices going on, and as it wore connected, link with' link, in Nicodemus' case; not merely in outward circumstances, but in tho inward cogita- tion's, dnd revolvings of his mind. His attention, to say tho least was seized ; and he was so arrested in his thoughts, that is, of Clirist and his wonder ful manner of procoodings, that he is forced ib malJo farther discoveries ; and consequently, of his own accord, ho is movo.1 to give Ilim a visit for the purpose of personal infonnatlun. And it is said — "Tho same came to Jesus by nifrht." lie is partieul.'irlj- dcF'i;iiatul. lie is m marked man. The eyes of God ere uj on him,, arid his name is recorded ; and these circumstances aro handed down to the notice and inspection of all time to eom^i According to P'Aubigne,' young 'Martin •./;/. jiii^ •^1 l«'«lli - %^ ■"i 'J' .'<,' lil 8 Jjather rem»rk«d, how condewendlng, the learned Treloniui, when entering the ecboel at Brmrth, would raiM hla cap and bow to aalttte the Bcbolare-, c-ad hie reason, aa expreased to hia fellow pro- feseora, prompting him to auch amazingly humbla conduct in those pedantic times, is handed down by Luther, as worthy of record: "There are, aaya Treboniue, among these boya, men of whom God vlll, one day, make burgomasters, chanceliora, doctors, and m^istratea. Although you do not yet see them with the badges of their dignity, it ^M right that you ahouU treat them with reapect • Side by Bide with this, the language of God's word ii, " Known unto God are all his works from the beginning." •' There is not a word in my tongue, but» 10,10 Lord, thou knoweat it altogether." God follows up his dealings with Nicodemua, He has not yet that grace needful to embolden him to visit Jesus, for a conference, in- the day, tame, when be and others alike might be edilled and added to the Kingdom of God. He therefore comes in the night-with the view of saving hm- M the sacrifice of hia standing with the rulers- for fear, namely, of personal trouble-and of being oast out of the synagogue, according to a law or theirs passed of which notice is given in chaptera 12-42 v., to the eflFect "that if any man should confess him, he should be put out of the syn- ^ogue; and even if there is no evidence that this decree was passed bo eariy as this visit o| Nicodemus, this is the spirit first and Bubsequontly the law at an early date and throughout, upo» which the Supreme Council of the Jews acted ^ against the S6n of God. This was yerj damagiDg ; jet it was a test upon the sinceritj of professofa to a certain extent. There is manliness or Chriss lian boldness in religion ; and this qnalifioation accompanies faith. « Add to yonr faith virtue {ot fortitade); and to virtae knowledge ; and to know« ledge temperance; and to temperance patience| and to patience Godliness; and i<> Godliness brotherly kindness ; and to brothe* ^ kindnesa charity. For if these thingiit bj in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither b6 barren or nnfraitful in the knowledge cf Our Lord Jesus Christ," 2 Pet. 1 : 6-9. De that tnketh up his cross to follow Christ, must be ready to forsake everything else, even the most darling o» jfcts and delightful pleasures — wife, brothers, sisters and kindred: his goods, honours, and woiMly estate-; and if necessary life itself. Bat. then it \» pro- mised him, that he shall receive *> nri hondred fold in this world ; and in the world to come everlasting life." Cowardice is not becoming in religion ; and there must be no compromise in onr duties to Christ. " Be not afraid of them that bill the body, and after that have no more than they can do. But I will forewarn you whom you shall fear* Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hel! ; yea, I say unto you, Fear Him.** Nicodemus accosted the Saviour Very respect- fully, as far as he know, but yet, in a great measure, derogativoly to the high and honorable character of. Jesus— calling him Rabbi simply; that is, Doctor or Master, the title of respect given by the Jews to their great men in the syn- ',: U i" Hi ; I li ■'■■.''' i ''i\!f ^i,« He w» '';«f^^:^ ^;;^tno^\he Father fa« ,,e M--»|f\ :* ^xSL .ot accord to Him of grace """^ *'"^*- , „u„e Yet it was con- HU right a»d P;j^ j'„tder.tood an,o„g them tosedly established ""^ '""'^^ „„,d „ot den, *""* I"*. ""HltrXwW^'he wrought were hie origin. His "»'«" . ^ond dispute- p, Bueh a nature, »? ?"' ^'Vy,,,. that thou »For no man ea,» '*''.*''f° " tWs ie the beet doeet except God_ be wUh b^m^ lb ^^^^ ^^^^ ^''"'"ricCttSb:::;:'^-" ^ no man can do cxcepv „^known, the pro- A miracle « °»V'Z/ ^m of "he ChurcS of found. It is the ""> t^«"^ ^^^ ,,y aod display of pomp and "''^"■f'^;":^^,^ of devotion. i„calcate ^Uat ig-rance >s the mo he ^^^^^^ and it is of the 1— ^^rCep their people ,„dence dictate^ t" «■- '^^^ ^^> ,„,,,, o . l,,i„d_80 that tl-ey "*y ^ „„a pa»s off then- tunityot i"P°^'°8t''»^ X. Yet their miracles, l,orformancesforroalm.acles ^^^ ^^^^^ ^^ -•-'f f Tuly""! -^4t«s moci.ry of the imposture. T.»lyt.^^^^^ i„ the Cl>apel Priests of.l'o™" P;; j^a bv Luther, wns .apropos; ottl,eVat,ca,, as elated ^^_^_^.^^ ^^^^^^ ^^ ^ _„ne d»y "'/".'^ ";,„ \„e «ac.-nmcnt-instcad altar, tnul ""n.vm.te. n ^^^ ^^ ^^^„^. „f pronouncing ^\'''''''\1^°'^ the wafers and for^, as ''''>y''':trnmturant divinity of the ■ ^'"''' '"?.*irX ^s time, under Luther's Saviour, they unusaaiiy, ^^n 11 own observation, yet in real and perfect keeping with tratb, derisively prononnced over the ele- ments the words:— "Panfe c«, et pants manebis; vmim eSy et vinum manebis *' — ' Bread thou art, and bread thou wilt be; wine thou art, and wine thou wilt be.' A most complete exposure we think I " Such miracles !" is the language characterising the Saviour's miracles as of a distinctive nature. This is important to note. It is not for a moment to be denied, that devils and wicked designing men have power to work counterfeit miracles, calcula- ted to deceive. There ,were wonderful feats of legerdemain practiced in Egypt by t!io niti^'icians in the time of_ Moses; there were falno iniiaclcs offered for true ones by f&Ue prophels in I.-iael, in various limeH ; and both the old and ne^v Tes^ laments bear testimony to very wonder lul ex- amples of this kind; and it cannot be denied that the devil has power to aid and abet his subjects slavishly terving him, and that ho does to this day exercise that power, and will till the utmost of bis guile is exhausted in hi^ forthputting o^ his hellish machinations against the Church of God; and till he is boun I over prosi rate and ultei'ly power- less by the glorious power of Christ Jesus iho King of Zion. Satan's work is to blindfold. " O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched j'ou, that yo should not obey the truth, lefcro whose eyes Jesus Christ bath been evidently set forth, crucified among you?" Gal. 3: Iv. Ho uses consummate craft to destroy souls, and it would appear that, to gain his purpose the better, he has organized plans of his own, established and enforced, by tho weight and ^■Jfa\i u«fe#-»»i-*»«-«""' ;,■;;/■. ■< fct.. J.4;. n- ^?i^-;'1r'' I" ,' ■ ■ • „And then '"at -•**«?"' '^tth. Spirit of ^ wbomtbeW«» .,„„ of bi» coming ! •"" :« power, .nd .ig».. ^^'^^""^ '» *«»T. .n deoeivaMeM" of """B" ^ ,„,, of tb« ?rotli. that thoy migbt be •« i^.t tbey J^ .ban send »"«" '^y aU "'g" »* """""1^ *■>-"* believe. »-:»•;*;%., ^.d pie*."" '» Bncb.nt.rB .tl..t. and ^-•» ,./,«,. Tbe.r power by wbicb he wrongb ^^ ^^,„ ^power wa. ""'♦"'Cr ,i°b\en«r, tbey .ro forc^ 5;„ger. .nd, over«.n.e w.tb^ ^^, jnger of (^ confes. onto Ph.moh • Tb ^^^^ _^^ __^^^ p™j •• No . " . "»"«'• '' ' T It i, the sign of 6od'. pre.ence. It •• *« ^''^^^ (jod then .?«*• depend, the l**' *lw c 7 t «ov«n.t«re by the „M>ior to «« »»«>» '»' ; M ,' ind. It i. » P""" "m of God to teBtify to b« ■»;°''- „ of 8.t.n. rbatan^"' i"'" ""rl P«c»te^''«'"^"TJ i^.Deyil.«e«f»«***°.,X tbe S.vio»r healed rf Cbriet. Working m.r.^l«" ,„„j. „-„ed the iend to life .g.>» ^ Tt,oa. ocean, and ■< ca.t out ,i„ds .nd the boiet^jou^^ ^.^ „u.cle.wer. peyil. by the power of GOO. , to 9X1 rkneBB« vealed, itofblB ren bita ind ^Hh bem that ,eof tbe this cause that tbey ■jQ dam'*®** leasure in eEgyr^lan iTity of tbe red. Tbeir leceive any y are forced he finger of ; no man can the sign of B power. I^ i then speaks aature by the It is ft po'»®^ werof Satan, lio forbearance javiour healed nd ; raised the ,,a-, stilled the and "cast ont , miracles were IS full of mercy and divine compaseioD. Their character was that of love, ind goodness, and mercy. Was not his death a miracle of love ? Was not his manifestation in the flesh at all, a great mystery and miracle? Is not the regeneration of a sonl a wondertal and traoscendently great miracle wrought by the Spirit of God and of Christ f III. Consider, thirdly, Jesus Terma of Reception. Ver. 3: ♦'Jesus answered and said unto him: * Verily, verily, 1 say unto thee, except a man be bom again (or from above or aoewj he cannot see the Kingdom of Ood.* " This was a very unequi- vocal reply. NicoJemns, of necessity, was sur< prised. He was not in the habit of thinking thus. He could not but have read this doctrine in the Scriptures; y«t it never gained his attention, nox did he ever give it the slightest consideration. Certainly, in a proper manner he did not, else ho would not have manifested such ignorance now. His Pbaripaism could not do, however austere and rigid. It is in vain to look to the *' mountains and hills for salvation." Man himself cannot make as much as *' one hair white or black ;*' '* neither by taking thought can he add as much as one cubit to bis siature." '* Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots ? Then may ye also do good that were accustomed to do evil." No doubt Nicodemus never expected to have his own btate brought to such a question. He would expect the Saviour to give what explanations soever he demanded of his doctrines and profession, that he would accede to all his enquiries in a recipro- cally mild and communicative spirit, as he himself r;»vj^ ; J '■ lii; i I ! i .^ ..M' .W.O It most not be 60. ,o«. But not •»;„fj;,Ucotohin.ee«.-";» ThoSaV.onrwooldnotdo] ^^ „„„,d Heavenly Father tbats."^^^ ;-„„,. ^^ ,^,„„g," ^'"In b„ak do*n destvoyed-tbe,k ngdom »^c ^ ,„d bo and destroy »» olbo- oppo =^^ ^^.^ ^.^^,^ j, proclaims its '^"«''„." 'L,„ „! God is «ivhin you, ?rom above. "'^'^^^"^'X 8-"- '" y»"' "T, that is, in your »'<>«' '"f* .^he Kingdom ot God and inmost "-"S-^.tSion,'' so that it can be cometh not w.th obscrva „„g„iaience, l^ut s-een in its ?»''"'rf J^Te ; '.oft and gentle as he ■secroUy. silently, t»»> .;'^, language of Darnel dew, yet PO-^f'' '"!:?« stoi-o cut out w.tbout the Prophet of God J^ ,„a huge .dol of hands breaketh the m „ ungodliness. imq»-tra»-»^'.„^„f God? This.s Bat, «hat then '^^he King ^^^^^ ^^^^^ j , gveat que.ii..... A ton«l^ «"«/ ,;, odness and ■ is the Sove. o gnty o God. ^,, ^^ „,t„,e care, and all the gono» ;^ ., ,„„ kingdom ol „.e .-»l">-"y,te'Som "^ ^'".^^i" ^Te grace berc, and tbe b| « ^.. ^ patber, tbe Ceaftor. l^^^^l^^t. bave not tbe Son, and tbo Sp;r^:\^\l„ot of tbis kingdom Falbcr, Son, and Sl^ir.t ti ^^^^ kingdom of but of ibe kingdom of ba^a ^^^^^ ^^ ^^ ^^ darkne., and <^-tb, and ^^^^^^^^ ^^ ^^^„ ,g,,„. the Kingdom of God yo be 60. and his I could Blonged Is of an J of the Heaven never be ak down —and he \d. It is ,hin you," )ur hearts jm ot God it can be ecnce, but otle as the 5 of Daniel, )ut without uo-e idol of s." od? This is all bear. It yoodness and 3f'hi» nature kingdom of ry in heaven e Father, the have not the thU kingdom, i kingdom of order to be of je born again- IS The honest purport or moaning of the Saviour's language, insisting on the necessity of the New Birth, as contained in the original, is: "Except a' man bo born again, or from abo>e, or from heaven, or from God. or from the beginning, or thoroughly, or completely, h3 cannot see the Kingdom of God." Again, more particularly still, it is : " Except any one be lorn, again, he or she cannot see the Kingdom of God." The Jews were accustomed to call the religious washing of their Proselytes, Regeneration ; but the general mass of the Jewish people never applied the language to Jews, but to Gentiles, for they under- stood the Jews not to need such a thing as Regeneration, it being considered and believed firmly by them that they themselves were already in covenant with God, and fit eubjocts of his kingdom, by a constant observance of the outward rights of their holy religion. With the Jews water was used sj-mbolicolly thus, it would appear, long before the lime of its use in Baptism by John, or the disciples of Jesus ; and because they were destitute of the Spirit they fell short of the Spiritual meaning which should properly accompany and invest or clothe the ordinance of washing of water, as, indeed, every other part of the Word of God ; for although 'there is no proof in the Word of Inspiration for the Divine institution of the Jewish washing of Proselytes on their admittance into the Church of God, yet it was from the washing in water of the sacritioes and sacred utensils that they derived it in its theological or dogmatic ecnse. It is not expressly stated any where, but, no doubt, it > '' ■ ■;! ■^'i ■f:iy- 16 .„M u. or ... 7:,'7j;r::in' ;;t „ tb.t for «•. *«^. « ~'^»;"i, .priokling. nor persons and .t "0« d ~ ° , . /t^, perwn .11 nniirinir nor immorslon, but Itppini, '"o 1~ pouring, »" j^ pri„u w«ro washed over in .u ordinary ••y.^» jt,;, with water •, th. ««"*°r''^,^' ' the «Mel. ,„,.rf. and l.g.. »»''«^,^''' • tn .inner., and of th. •'•'y.""^; '"'i^'To'tChonorand «r.ic ,11 other thing. I*-^""* ^Vith water or blood, or of God, were wa»h(ed .•«*•'"•« „ „, with both together, by «>» '""^"^ '^^^ „„, by the h*nd. and oy "P ° /^fwaahinisin B.,in. were provide! for the P-^l^,'^." .- t;t « »r ,b. holy -"-' •■'^' ;'„7:e whole circle of !!;l' urritJ^ad .yXlical oh^rv.no... for wi..a«dholypurpo....on the mghtcf b«b y^^. rising from »''«/'r''''\„^lTb .he LipW f«t. ie.0 . baein. and b.».n t« if^Z.rJii^ h. wa. „d to wipe them with thetow^J^^.^^.,, girded ."-John IS. 5 J" "'^^ „ffi«., fo, «.. be clear that the ll*h of"* ' .„ ;,. h„i„ purpowof waahing. waanot. ^^ rf the holy «rvice, or into . .tw ^^ „,ght have been „pon by the hand eerv.ce of the ^~' JT f ^^,.^^ the Bacrifice was out of the t:.Bin, «<> ^^^^ J^;^ ^^^er. not being « Ye are from beneain , a »•» -tho 17 words 'beneath' and 'above' being tho:«e of oontrarv meaning in the origlnal-the words • from above • beitig one word in Greek, and the same both here andm John 8:3, translated ' again ;' the words •from beneath' evidently pointing to their father the Devil and hisregion of Perdition and Darkness namely, Hell, to which the sinner's course tends ia tboend. «• He that committeth sin is of the Devil for the Devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God' wag manifested, that he might destroy the works of the Devil."_i John 3:8. Being born of God is the ifemedy or antidote provided. The old lines and relationship of Siri and Satan are by this means undermined, and uprooted, and overthrown. The ice breaks up • the fettered earth is released; and the appearance of.tlioapspririging grass is the first assurance of Spring. So faith is the awakened life of the r«?Jl^ f''"!' *!*>pentance is the means of its various lively fruits dr eflfects. Itf the original the word for Repebtance is/iPrdvota, (metanoia) and means. ♦« cbattge of mitad, thought, or mode of thhiking, of feeling, purpose, or action,' in one - word, • a radical relbrmatioft of priociplb and life.* It would be too little to consider it i? a change merely in the Jews' opinion or judgment concer- ning the claims of the Sayidur. The Ddvild believe ani„u3 wilU ,t 'xh" 87th P«U», and the 64th ohapter.of Ie«i,h are euffl. o.ent proof of thi.-and He who changed jtX name >nto Israel, and Saul", into Paul, *and ch«/ ed man, others-giving them a new „'amo-ca"|o this, giving them a new nature-'The Wolf i ahall dwell with the Lamb, and the ^T^^'/hS he down with the Kid , and the Calf and the younj J^- -■v.'':i > II 90 *i«r. and a litUo ohiU Lion a.a t.,0 f-.t""« 7;'^°c„'« and the Boar ..-11 ,b»ll lead tUem. •^"'' '"" h«,i Uo down tof-ctl.er t ,.ed ; .b«ir y"""* °":" t"ik. .he Ox. And th. .ndlh. L".» »'■"'""•', Mhe bolo «l the -p. '"f .ocking cldUl ."•> ' V>ay "" ^-^ „„d „„ tho cock- the «o».:eJ«'""' "I'^urturt nor destroy in all .trice' deu. Tl-.y ''••'^^".V "earth »h.ll be loll ef »y ''°'\t:o."e trd. a- t'- «•*"' '""' tbe knowleilgo 0' -»» ih. Sea." la' ";; Ja'Reiormation or Tran-lor- „.lion P"-"'''"* '" ■' '^!h ' nd Baptia"' of the Sp.r.t th,Bepanl»«<"«"'f"l'',:J,^n'd by Ibe Cb«reh „We» from H^^"":f"*'ririn order to her ador..- ?hro«ghgr.cein 't'» j; f^her buab»ad-wUo .. „enl «» a "'W f'^^tllt Water Bapli.m i. not the L.«lo( Glory H.™»a"^ ^^, 8""^^""; Regeneration or the »«« " ^^„i„g the Wi*f. tl: »i«d «»«"'"*'",„ Salvation or ih. «»«' U^ia not '>«t»"'7„ -"';„», of o«l-ard com. of.it«n •>»»>>"* "" '" 1 °f G«d. And Rltualia" 1^0. -i* to. «"»;'; ;X» or rather, Be. h„l„goometo.nend atl^ ^^^^ , „ ..rrection ol *"« ^'""rind of the Son. .nO «< "" th,««m.otth.Father ana ^ ^^^^^^^^ ^^ H„ly-,o.t,b«on'«''J>';y ,, ^^^, ,y„b6l i. »hi, 8. . r »•• • '"'^to««i t^.«iy - '« ,;'';^th!tn-ci.nce. of .««.'»- Srf ofght to .at^a^y „ ^,„d.ge e«tei»ed now, and «'"'■• '"?": be anT-''™ '» ^'" """" 91 iU all er: tho and ock- aall ill of ;OVQV isfor- nna of spirit l^urcb (loru- vbo is U not L Ban- belief. ^ want d cota. tualiatn liter, in id of tbe eivo, 8n ^nibol in Bignifted agloCbod k\l .Chris*- llou^e of God, on account of any carnal or \forMly ordin- ance. • Ileiivenly Biitli, like natnrni Birth introtluoea at once Inlo the lines of Infinite ard Divine and Ik iveniy Blessingh, Gifts. Eolations, Riches, Hon- ours, Friendships, and Inheritanfq-»vfhioh wo lo>tt by the Fall, and by Faith we now endue or clotho ourselves with, in a glad and w^|f;ome mind— and such as are po born are born to holiness k >re ond an everlasting home in Heaven hereafter. And, O I we bigh for that Home. This Doctrine of the new birth was prominently held forth ii. the Old Testament Scriptures. The People of God had many promises of it, and of the enlargement of tho Church— Is' 66 : 5—24. The rite of Circumcision represented it, and held it contiRually to their notice — "Circnmcise therefore the fore-skin of your heart, and be no moie stiff- necked." Deut' 10 : 16. <'For thus saith the Lord to the men of Judah and Jerusalem : Break up your fallow-ground, and sow not among thorns. Circumcise yourselves to the Lord, and take away tho forenskins of your heart, ye 'men of Judah and iuhabilants of Jerusalem ; lent my fury come forth like fir<), and burn that none can quench It, beoaaso of the evil of your doings." Jer. 4:8,4. "Be- pent, and turn yourselves from all your transgregi- sions, whereby ye have transgressed ; and make you a now heurt and a new Spirit : for why will y^ die, O Uou«»e of Israel ? For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dietb, saith the Lord God : wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye." Es. 18 : '^:'| llii-r.-'t- i- \\ < m so, 32. David prayed for it, "Create in me a clean heart O God ; and renew a right spirit within me. The Lord has very clearly indicated the means by ^hich tLi:i Wosscd change U brought about : «« Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be dean : from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, vtIU I cleanse you. A new heart a's > vdU I give you, and a new Spirit will I put wiihin you; and I will takeaway the stony hea-t oil- of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh, and I will put my Spirit within you, and cuuM^ ^out6 v^alk in My Statutes, and ye sha U k e . ky Judgments and do them: and ye shall dwell in the lind that 1 gave to your faihers ; and ye shrill be My People and I will be your God. Ez. 36 : 25. 28. For the Light of the Word and the Instruciion of the Holy Spirit, so amply and gloriously held to view, in the 19th and 119th Psalms, men ou^bt. most earnestly, to enquire, search, covet, and pray; to dispense them i'The True Light, which lightelh every man that Cometh into the world ; being born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." Eeally, before Nioodemus could understand the Saviour, he must needs be born again, for "the natural roan receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God : for they are foolishness unto him : nei- ther can he know them ; because they are spiritu- ally disceined" ; and, "as the Heavens are higher than the earth, so are His ways higher than our ways, and His thoughts higher than ouk thoughts." 23 He must have new life communicated. He must have new light imparted. His affections must bo i-enewed and changed. He mast be renewed in the Spirit of hU mind. As already quoted out of the Old Testament writings, so the same thing is pro- mised and needed in the New Testament times: « This is the Covenant that I will make with the House of Israel in those days, saith the Lord; I will put My Laws In their mind, and write them in their hearts : And I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people." Heb. 8 : 10. And this is applicable to the Gentiles as well as to the Jews— to all— to every child of humanity. Observe: There is not a possibility of evading this question. There is a "verily, verily" in it— truly, tnily-from ti.o lips of Christ; Who was in Heaven ; came down from Heavon, and knows full well what differenco there is between men's hearts and Heaven ; and what manner of change we need to undergo before we can enter Heaven; for Hea ven, in its Holiness, and Puriiy, and Spirituality, cannot lower its standard, meet us half-way, or compromise with U8. Outward reformation, how- ever great, will not do. Outward connection with the Church of God, and duo obedience outwardly to the rules of Christ's House, will not suffice. All this IS enjoined-and necessary— and brino-s the Kingdom of God near (o us. Bat absolutely, and without equivocation, or irainsaving-we must be born again, in order to see the Kingdom of God. And they that do not belong to the Kingdom of r I A u God on earth, cannot expect to enter the Kingdom of God in Heavenly Glory. Dr. A. A. Ilodge, says: "Infants as well as adults, are rational and moral agents, and by na- ture totally depraved. The difference is, that the faculties of infapts are in the germ, while those Of kults are developed. As Regeneration is a change Wrought by creative power in the inherent moral condition of the soul, infants may plainly be the Bubjects of it in precisely the same sense as adqlts ; in both cases the operation is miraculous, and there- fore inscrutable. The fact is established by what the Scriptures teach of innate depravity, of infant salvation, of infant circumcision and ba^atism." The same rule applies to idiots and to all saved by the mercy of Gpd from among the heathen who have not enjoyed the knowledge of the Revealed Word, and of the Crucified Saviour preached to 4ying men. There is no one soved except through the Regeneration of the Holy Spirit and by the Redemption that is in Christ Jesus, the Lord. On this matter there is common agreement among the best divines. Dr. Thomas Smyth, says: "The hea- then are guilty, and require pardori and justifica- tion in the sight of God ; they are unholy and de- praved, and to be maie meet for Heaven, they must become pure, ar.d po^-Hoss that holiness, with- out which no man sees God. Now, there are three ways in which these effects may be secured. There is, then, God's written Law, perfect obedience to which, entitles to perfect happiness. There is Sal- Tation through Christ, acceptance of which, will 25 secare everlastiDg life. And, there is a law writ- ten in tho heart of every man, and means of know- ing God put within the reach of every man, tho perfect use and fulfilment of which will savo from the wrath to come, 'i^ * * ^ot to believe, there- fore, that the heathen are thus without hope of Sal- vation, dying in guilt, and opposed t j everlasting mi? ry, is to deny the whole foundation, on which Christianity, as a remedial system, reblh— it is, as we have proved, to contradict reason-it i^i, to opi pose the self-offered confessions and feelings of the heathen theroselves-it is to annihilate eternal justice-destroy all moral government-make vice and virtue 8ynonymou6— dethrone the Sovereign of the universe-and unbarring the gaten of llejl, let loos© the unjustly incarcerate.] victims ;_it is to be more benevolent than tho Angels of lleaven— more benignant than the everlasting Comforter- more tender than the Crucified Pvedeemer-moro merciful than the Merciful God." The sentence that God's unerring word has pronounced upon the case 18 : "For as many as have sinned without Law Bh.ll also perish without Law ; and as many as have Einned m the Law shall be judged by the Law, that is, Bevealed Law. Hence the loud call we have to generously impart to the heathen the Light of tho Gospel which God in His love Hath so bount{. fully dispensed unto ourselves; for "Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God"- 'and where no vision is the people perish." And Death and the Final Judgment are fast approaching " and closing in upon these poor people and upon all. 26 \ «* Hark ! what mean those lamentations, Boiling sadly through the sky ? 'Tis the cry of heathen nations, Come and help us, or we die !" « Hear the Heathens' sad complaining, Christtans ! hear their dying cry, And. the Love of Christ constraining. Join to help them ere they die." IV. Consider, fourthly, Nioodetnus' Rejoinder, ver : 4. — "Nicodemua saith unto Him : How can a man be born when he is old ? Can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?" Pr. Jacobus says on this point: ^l!L is not likely that this man was so utterly ignorant of Our Lord's meaning, as to suppose, that he was speaking of a literal second birth of nature. The general idea of a new birth was already in use, as Proselytes were epoken of as new born, when they came into the Jewish Church by Baptism. And our Lord here gives the deeper, more important sense in which a new birth was necessary for coming into the Chnrch of the Messiah, that is, for being His true disciples and members. Nicodemus understood the term only as applied to Proselytes entering the Jewish Church. But how it could apply to the Jews, and be made a prerequisite for entering the MoBsiah's Kingdom, he could not see. Indeed it seemed to him just as absurd as to think of a man when he is old (already born and advanced in age) entering again into his mother's womb, and being born the second time ; as, for a Jew, already in the Church, the true and only church, going back to enter the church fcr the first time. Our Lord, therefore, more fully explains. — Beyond the form, 27 is tho inwara roality, which i« fi,„ «nd without which 1 ,7?^ , ^^"^ roquisite, deplorably i.„„„r . "'" """'■^ fenorant- foreign to ^^ZhT ^^fl'l'ZT ""'''''' but a Datura r".'r""''"''''gF'»«""o. eamal-aJd flihX or °" ,"'™"^ -Peakiog-aa unholy a, evoVlpLl ^™^;'''-''"d wickod-and «« n.ucb d ffereL. t P^^uo^^ floab , and there ia spiritual b rth a'h •T" ""'"" '"^"' «'' "■» So, in the a tu're onZ " '°"'°''° "*"' """ «P'"'- p.-.pria.e ^tr^ft °'°™" "^'''"^^^ *' -« "P^ ael.irr:d'!'™:;nr°'?n'^^'''^''"-«-«- e«e,u a man bebon ^ ' ' '"' ' '"^ ""'» ">ee, even'tho SpTrit) ^e 1 7""' """ "" ""^ «P" " (" Of God. T tlh „r ■ "'"'" ""° ""^ ■"•"""on; • -inatwhicn is born of the d <|, \ a, u and that which i, horn of '"'= "^V'" ««»!>. • Marvel not th«. i •• ^ *l""' « -Pirit. agail tL /!'/ "''" "-"^y^ ™"S' I"' born tChear?s .r 7t rr '' ''"'°'''' -" wi.enee i, co^l'rrd 'tSr" i't trtl "°r in bia ignl^n': JT'^'I'-^^.'-r'-^-odemua condesctda Jo Veach hit^'Io^'.tnr '"Tr^^ ''* Ho in.is,a«pon the fr„t of wb L'^^^d ■"«"'• ^aid ; and he now etntca further that '"'°"°""^ be born of water ,„^ „t .i „ ' ' * ■"*" "ust ihotiugdororG::"'"'^"''"""'— '- 28 f=i SA I 4 M U\i-' 1st. Q^e »how8 tho unavoidable necessity of Regeneration by tho Holy Spirit of God, in order to enl,er tho kingdom of God. It requires the direct and immediate creative power and act of tho Bolv; Ghost to recreate the soul, not in regard to its essence or essential boing, but in its.subjectivp Bt*(e and relation tp God ,and Divine things. The Spirit gives sight to the dark benighted soul ; the truth is the light discovered. - The JLIoly Spirit gives feeling or sensibility ; the truth presents tho objoct beloved ; ^and uppn this gracious view ftud eflFoctual call of God, the instant language of the Boul is : " Draw me, we "will run after thee. *' My beloved is chief among ten thousand, and altogether lovely." *'I am my beloved's, and my belove^.is mine,; bo feedeth among the lilies," Without this man cannot know God. Without it he cannot duly reverence his, naoies, titles, uttributea, ordinartces, word, or works, or anything by which he maketb ^himjieH known. He cannot know anything aright, 07 taste aright of any heavenly gift. He cannot see how the Ifather is in. the Son, and the Son in tho Frtheri He cannot serve God. He cannot repent oi his sins. He can do nothing truly pleasing to God in thi4^ life, and can clever see, the w)rld of glory. They that are in tho flesh cannot hce God* **iBorn of water a^ud of the Spirit," or "born of water, even the Spirit," as it m.iy equally well, be translated, means baptized of wat^r ard of the Spirit — giving in the pleonostic stylo adopted, * ex crescendo,' tho honor of the instrumentality to the word of divine appointment, to which pertains aVo in its own place the ordinance of Baptism— and 29 giving tlio honor of efficacious i^ower to the Holv Spirit, by whom really the soul is effootually regenerated, or born again, or from above, that U from heaven, or by heavenly graeo and power' The bloDd of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all T/ nu ""*" ^^^P"^*^^ ^y the Spirit: so ore we Christ was sanctified or baptized by the water 111 ""Z ''/" "'' ^'- '^^' ®P'^^* «°^ the word and the blood agreed to him in testimony ; 'so do they agree in evidence to us still of eternal life in God s dear Son .'He that hatb the Son hath life; and he that hath not thb Son 6f God hath not life " Approaching death. Jesus had in the Spirit, in whbm b6 offered hfmself up utlto God.o^erwhelnlinl and unutterable soul exjlerletice, fis he devotedly expresses himself to the t'aiher: « And forthei eanCMfiod through the truth." Chrlirt. '.thfonT tb^^ eternal SpiHt, oflFeted him^^lf withoutsrbt td God -He gav^ himself for the Church, that he might .ai^ctify and cleanse it with the washing of wut«r by the w6rd. " Not by works of Hghte^u*. nese wbi<:h' we have d^iie, but according tb hk nierey he saved us by the washing of reg^tieration. and renewing of the Holy Ghost, which he shod on u« abundantly thrdttgb Jesus Christ our Saviour, that bemg justified by bU grace we should ba made heirs accordinff to the eternal life/'-Gal 5 • 26 and Tit. 3;. 5, 6. The recepUou by faith of thj ^ess.ng. of God's grace and mercy in Christ is all that ig absolutely necessary to our salvation. This .* effectually brought aboutby the operation of the I ".I! '■'■'.ai-i vilUH I Uy. Spirit with the word in conjunction. It is ftiith brings the soul into the appropriate pnsf,uro for the reception of the i^reat gift of Jeaus' bl .od sprinkling the sool clean and righteous; and this faith is itself the gift of God in its relation, aspect, and operation. It is exercised with thankfulness upon a precious, lovely Saviour. The washing by water in Baptism corresponds to th 3 washing by the Blood of Jesus, the washing ot the Spirit, the washing of the word also ; and as Jesus came by water and blood distinctly, so do his members, believers. " This is he that camo by water and blood, even Jeaus Christ ; not bj water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth. And there are three that bear witness on earth-the Spirit, and the water, and the blood ; and these three agree in one."— 1 John 5 : 6, 8. "The Spirit is truth," is the same as to say the Holy Spirit is the author of and the enforcer or witnesser of the truth ; and when it is said that the three mentioned agree in one, the meaning is that they agree unto tho one thing, or purpose, or purport. Baptism with Water in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, should bedis^ pensed so as to enforce tho sense we have of the grace and spirit and troth of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost. It is a means of grace, and a valid external sign and seal of the covenant , of salvation in Christ Jesus. It points out and refers to his Blood and Spirit, and the *• showers of .blessings" that come upon us from Heanve ^1 B^P'i'-n is dispensed, tTJl\ I I!'"'" "«'« »Ppropriale thereunto fold "°\r "-^ '""S-'Se »1 regen -rate perl, " k , '" ^""^ "' S""; children ought to b« h» . ,'^'""" a«cl the.> ««»!« info \ : "S.^-P'- : -d thereby dui; gracious subjects r„,^^'°^ ° '^'^ <*" »«"!> M '•"•othe Church 'J^^^S;^ '» tjeir admittance S'cy. The oardinaT ? " ' '*"- ''» ""'"venl, Jeter's .alutat™; ;.i-,*ri?°;:« """"""cd ij knowledge of God tl,„n, ,"'■'''"«>'''' ""oforc- onhe4ritf.!;t <^: :td7^'-"-i'ioati„„ blood Of Jesus Christ. Grace um?'''"^' "' "■« lo >»ul(iplied."_i Pet I » o ^■''"' «°'*P«aco "■ator, applied i„ anv "wU ' . '. '""'''"Sr "i"- bsi ely tolerated as Chrisf^^'Hf' '" """""y- »» "'cred in the name of th l^""""' "■*" «•«">'■ Md of the Holy Ghott ' •"" °f *"« Son. 2d. He shows how the flesh o- .k natureof manadministertrf I • ' »''«>noti««l "■"I this of its ntu^rtr''' "''*'"'' ""'•^•«'> "ali^ethin . vain show . Tr' n"^?'^' "«« and good evil." HencI God',? ""'"' "" S"""'' 'This people do err In th!i . "''""' "' ^"^^ ' not known my law " ".? f ""?' '««' '""y have. - my wrath^^twl, sC 2""' J""--™ "Bt." Theflesblyandlrn!l' • h' ' '"'»'"' tions of salvation by 1^2 ""°'' »«<»- expeota- "y rearing an outward attach- i!' fc 82 ment to ft Chris* inn church ; b}' outward reforma- tion ; >.y omulating iho praiso of our fellow-beinga ; by self-created and cherished feelings, and by the outward ordinance of either circumcision or baptism — Whifh last species of deception is very common and Baptism, one of the Holy Ordinances instituted **^ !9f"'^^ '" ^•'^ Church for the edification and comT'.rl of his Church to the end of the world, is perverted by the vanity of men's minds into aa oporaMon upon the heart, as it is the case iu the Chu'rfch of Rome. 3d. He shows how reaponallo this doctrine of Regeneration by Iho Spirit is, and that it consists wltti second judgment. Also, that its demands upon our fuith are adequate or equal in importance to ihoHe on our unquestionable faith or belief in natural facts which still we cannot explain. It accords with our Experience of the very great and unquestionable, but unaccountable, changes that wA see produced in ihe character and conduct of our feUow-men. It has the testimony ef the wisest and tlje holfest. God's Son has published it ; the Spti-i't h'ais^Rpoken'it by the Prophets and Apostles. It has the double testimony of His Father and Himself. Who, there*bre, ban doubt it on any reasonable plea ? So we should, at any rate, believe it, as wo belie\»o many other unquestionable doo- trities of truths in nature which transcend our knowledge. No wonder, although the Saviour charged Nicodemus with unbelief. " If I have told you earthly tilings, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe if I tell you of _ heavenly things ?" We are forced to believe in the force of the winds bv fa our o,„ creation, binhlTnd ? *" "' "■«»"! «.«tenc6of the worid "1" .w'''™""' '"«' '» ""e "> 'hen., thoagl, w. d„ ?""' '° "■"• "'s Mieve l^ '..ent »/l: etTe r r"' " ""-'" *Bt merely the effects ™ ,1 """""ned in them 'Jon. believe ,n t^o^^T! T'^^' ''"^ »"" "od complete oomDrch.n?. ^ «' "'"••»« « foil tie-, why not tW^rC^ ""' '">''«"««^ 0' '«'o«s. The Spirit**;' c«.ZS""" ""' "■^•" ' n>n« recreate him. The Oni •! , "" "' ««« W">dstorcfre,h,Bdrei»l!^."' ""•* ""'"w the ""o «oaI. Hence tbXl " "" """> '«"■>« Dr. Brown, of Haddin.f •"'''''• Spirit, and not wind auT, LT"" ®^^^'*' ^^ HoJy -^-•-breathes where He w,,^""^^^^ *'^* 0^ not the reason or m«n ^"'P'^«*'^n, an -^ the work M "u °;,^^^^^^^^^ I «tyou obserre ita effeota f?:('* Spi yon or c If S4 » You Jc DOW His voico, the Bavelation, as ftbe ^ Bible given U9. So in>the workof Regeoeration^ - Hegivei no acoouni but by the effeo(8." Itmaj^, > however, be proper first to take tbe words ii> the- natoral sense; then in a spLritiial sense; and the < latter sense is the uppropriate use of them here, i inasmuch M that was the oonneotion in whi<^b they- weio employed, as Dr. Brown understands theiA. Wind, -in common speech, means the air in ' motioiiyfnd, as suoh, liftingupitbe chariot of God« and winging pwiftly its way with the-DiviiM : message—it subserves very important ends— the- material univerfce of God. David say* in tl^e Holy Ghost :~^ BlSM^O ttif feettl. J«boviAi 1 Jehora)!, mj Qod^ Tboa hMt been very great; Honor and majestjr Tboa haR put on. CoVevfUg-Hitaii^lf wilh Kglit m « ^nnent ; Stretcbing out tbe beavens as a. curtain ; Who is laying the beam of His upper chambers in the waters; Who is making thiclt olouds Bis cbariet i Who is walking on wings of wind, Making His messengam— the winds ; His ministers— tihe flaming fire.— Ji^s. 104 ; 1-4. '—ToungU Tram. Gnileleaa existent natuVb ib a patieiit, eloquent witnesser to the Divine £xifttenoe, and His Omniscience. Every impression and outline of existent being points this way. Modern Science— espdoially that: of Electricity, in its varioaa branches— hais of late made wonderful discoveries, glorifyinig the perfections of the great Divine Artificer over, and superlatively above, our oon- ■ tomplatibhs of His exquisite and wonderful works, end with their exaotnesa recording His omniscience 8g •« the .ir. or ^ „ '* l""!:'''^ '" ""o •*"««"- •pace, which coii.nion.oai«, „7 ""'"?/" ""aM tl.0 difr«r.„t portion T.""":',"""""^ "'rou^.h the bLziBg pi|„ Off., • ^ ""• '"'«""''••« "'''o, „r ''"d comic ,'!."«?;• °' ""^ ""••'- "^' «- Of tho ,„»'. i».crikod upon „,, '^ »PW«.ons „, „„ O'ganisn,, the feolW b?. . '^■'"'*'' """ «°« I' may bo » relief t^Thl r'^'"' "V »""« «• •fdy. W, i„,e: on. .M J*2t'° """ " "- '->«'.ordo/to,ti™o,.y,'vJf\tV"t =""■ "">"' Msure, „9 ..Qort J' ^.''heHolySpriptare, j-^g^ent, wi.r^4"l<,^ :•'« ;-£^-rk into go^ or wbcther it bf .w^l^^l^:!'^']- " -.3 br the bie«i„;ortb!"s::!r''"' *■!• '-'^ •«• 1**, .nd iight, .»d to^e Me«; J"/!""" ""^e, Meroj" ind Ttnth, (V I )^ l^'' y ^ Ifv 96 Righteousness and Peace, in glorious harmony and amity Jesus washed his disciples' f^pt, and thereby signified expressly how a partioioating and appropriating faith discriminates, but jet disre- gards the form or quantity of the earthly element of water used in washing or Baptism. - He that 18 washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean eyery whit; and ye are clean, but not all " Peace, then I Forbearance 1 Unity! "There is one body and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your cajling ; one Lord, one Faith, one Baptism ; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all."~Eph. 4: 2-6 I will now close the discussion of this important subject by drawing a few inferencos clearly con- tained therein, and profitable for personal and individual application. I. We must be united to Christ, and clothed in his righteousness, so as to enjoy fellowship with God and his people; and so to enter into the enjoyment, as subjects, of any gracious experience of the favor of God, there must first be a radical change effected uponf s. God loved his own with an everlasting love ; yes, but they must enter mto that love through the door of Regeneration. Thi^ applies to oeery one. - We are all by nature the children ol wrath, even as others." « I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood. Live ; yea, I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood, Live." n. Think of the foolishness of tho.e whonre contented to remain in their present u:iregencrat' 37 And yet thoy .prt.rd „ *^''.\ :'°^«' ''^T day." "^^ no deoiand,,^, 1"''*'' "oHd,.,.-, ^.w "hall bo turned ,„to wfL t. k " ^''* '»''«• forget God." "Did.rti *" "•« »««<»ii» th.t Solon replied: "No n! ""'"'''''» '""We. "«PPy before ,«a«br ;■:;-«"« .0 be e.,C embalmed i„ the hone 'of '"""*°* ^«yp'i«»» *;«Med ^he^beMbe d™ ^""^ f*» '- "'O • 0' honorable burial orTf ""''««»«» worthy "«d paaaed into hppil. ,;;"?'*"■''« " "'" '»« f'o-" 'ie nature Z Z 1 ^'j^I' " "*» '-'"V. **• ^ne evidence irhfAk t> fn«iah to the Kegenerate « ,^"«'"'«"«on Will 7'nted in du,t\„d the '"Xi '""'»'«' I bl'nd, nowleee." .. nTl ^'""'^ I ^M "oti. not con>„it ein, forTt !1 " '~™ »' Sod •»" he cannot ,in, b^.„t7Jfr "'"'"'""» "'». 1^- The ereat 1. t ' *'"''« "'"t" *-"• ^"o/rr::;; :ft''^i''t'««ener.te ^'"f- They are ■. partake™:^!, a ^ '"'"""^ They are beloved. By faith 1^""' ""'"o." G^- The Hoiy s,i,i[ ^tll, '"TtH*"' ""' ~- "f oodoa for them tL- " "'°°'' «nd inter- na Heaven their bo^,.'""' ''" <^»^ '"«' ^-tC,. (•v f - -1 '.»'"■■ *■ Y .f* 88 V. Consider our need of the Spirit of God. M Ottrfii>t grariodi aat. by^mMoh^tlxe Ml)wition.of jGod becaiQot oors. •• Bel i«m inutBe hotd ' Jesus -X?lii-i(it und. thoo ibalt begived.'* Pray for tbo -SpWt. SappIioatd#the:%j>frit. (J^lft^e not the ^Spirit. €hert»h thfe S|ilprt»« pfeadtegS arid t(e««3h- l*g8. H©nor thfe 'HWjr Spirit, tii^ He-WiU 1»nor H^AVSN. fir aiT. WIVLUM iuMB. KIBKHILb, ONTASIO. ' Obi for tbe>t»iglit«*|it«MlRl 4«nd, Iti MloMHSd moflt^irofoUDd, { B»AR«tbttii(|f«>nitk hoaorft«r-iUad 1 A sp«idjr Pf<4lffoiftiird wflbmRiad : Vlong tabeawajf wUh Thee, 4 loai tbj Xlofy, fiiw, toWs. l.^JLu^Ji^^V. ,1 ■ 1.* -M