as well as for that of the people who are under their "care." The plan of the following treatise is this: I. To make fome general obfervations upon the metaphor used by the apostle John, the apostle John, "Except a man be born. again ;" and the fame, or fimilar expreffions, to be found in other parts of the word of God. II. To fhew wherein this change doth properly and directly confift, together with fome of its principal evidences and effects. III. To fhew by what fteps, or by what means, it is ufually brought about. IV. In the laft place, to improve the fubject, by a few practical addreffes to perfons of different characters. M CHAP. I. Some general observations on the metaphor used by the Apostle John, EXCEPT A MAN BE BORN AGAIN, and the same or similar expressions, to be found in other parts of the word of God. I T deferves the ferious attention of every Chriftian, that, as this declaration was made by our Saviour in a very folemn manner, and by a very peculiar metaphor, so this is not the fingle paffage in which the fame metaphor is ufed. We find it in the Apostle Paul's epiftle to Titus, "Not by works of righteoufnefs which we have done, but "according to his mercy he faved us, by the washing of "regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghoft."* We find one perfectly fimilar to it, in the fame apostle's fecond epiftle to the Corinthians, "Therefore if any man be in "Chrift, he is a new creature; old things are paft away, "behold, all things are become new." It is elfe where called a new creation, with reference to the power exerted in the production: "For we are his workmanship, "created in Christ Jefus unto good works, which God "hath before ordained that we fhould walk in them." It is still a figure of the fame kind that is used when we are exhorted "to put off, concerning the former conver"fation, the old man, which is corrupt according to the "deceitful lufts and to be renewed in the spirit of our "mind; and put on the new man, which after God is "created in righteoufnefs, and true holinefs " Το name no more paffages, the real believer is faid to be "born of God;" in which the very expreffion of the text is repeated, and the change attributed to God as his proper work. Whoever believes in the perfection of the fcriptures will readily admit, that it is intended we fhould learn fomething from this very way of speaking itself. Let us therefore confider what may be fafely deduced from it. *Titus iii. 5. And, as I would not willingly ftrain the metaphor, and draw from it any uncertain conclufion; fo it is no part of my defign to run it out into an extraordinary length. Many fmaller refemblances might eafily be formed between the image and the truth, but they would be more fanciful than ufeful. The reader is only entreated to attend to a few leading truths, which feem naturally to arie from this metaphor, and may be both fupported and illuftrated from the whole tenor of fcripture doctrine. SECT. I. I. From this expression, ExCEPT A MAN BE BORN AGAIN HE CANNOT SEE THE KINGDOM OF GOD, we may learn the GREATNESS of that change which must pass upon every child of Adam, before he can become an heir of life. N ftronger expreffion could have been chofen to fignify a great and remarkable change of state and character, whether we take the metaphor in a stricter or a loofer fenfe. If we take the metaphor in a stricter sense, it may be intended to point out the change of ftate in an infant newly born, from what it was in, immediately before the birth. The manner of its exiftence, of deriving its nourishment, the ufe and application of its faculties, and its defires and enjoyments, are all entirely different. If we take the metaphor in a loofer fenfe, being born may be confidered as the beginning of our exiftence. To this fense we seem to be directed by the other expreffions, of being created in Chrift Jefus, and made new creatures. Does not this ftill teach us the greatnefs of the change? We must be entirely different from what we were before, as one creature differs from another, or as that which begins to be at any time, is not, nor cannot be the fame, with what did formerly exift. This may alfo be well fupported from a variety of other pallages of fcripture, and is a confequence of different truths contained in the word of God. For example, our natural ftate is, in fcripture, compared to death, and our recovery to our being reftored to life. Thus the apofile N VOL. I. แ Paul in writing to the Ephefians fays, " And you hath he quickened who were dead in trefpaffes and fins." And a little after," But God, who is rich in mercy, for his แ great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were "DEAD in fins, hath quickened us together with Chrift."* To the fame purpofe the apoftle John fays, "We know "that we have paffed from DEATH to life." The change is sometimes described by pafling from darkness to light, than which two things, none can stand in greater oppofition to one another. "Ye were sometimes darkness, but "now are ye light in the Lord." Every one must be fenfible how easy it would be to multiply paffages of the fame kind. But this I forbear, and only wish we had all of us a deep impression of the meaning and importance of these upon our hearts. It will not be improper, however, to obferve how plainly the fame truth appears from the power which the fcripture represents as exerted, in bringing a finner from a ftate of nature to a ftate of grace. It is conftantly affirmed to be the work of God, the effect of his power, nay, the exceeding greatness of his power. "By grace ye are "are faved, through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is "the gift of God." "Work out your own falvation "with fear and trembling, for it is God that worketh in you to will and to do of his good pleasure. And what "is the exceeding greatness of his power to us ward who "believe, according to the working of his mighty power "which he wrought in Chrift when he raised him from "the dead, "** Now is there any need of a divine agent to perform a work of no moment? Would it be celebrated as an effect of the power of God, if it were not truly great? Let me now, in the most earnest manner, befeech every person who reads thefe lines, to confider deliberately with himself what is the import of this truth, and how firmly it is established. It appears that regeneration, repentance, converfion, or call it what you will, is a very great change * Eph. ii. 1, 4, 5. † 1 John iii. 14. Phil. ii. 12. Eph. v. 8. || Eph. ii. 8. ** Eph. i. 19. from the state in which every man comes into the world. This appears from our Saviour's affertion, that we must be" born again." It appears from a great variety of other fcripture phrases, and is the certain confequence of fome of the most effential doctrines of the gospel. With what jealoufy ought this to fill many of the state of their fouls? How flight and inconfiderable a thing is it, that with multitudes paffes for religion? especially in these days of ferenity and funfhine to the church, when they are not compelled by danger to weigh the matter with deliberation? A few cold forms, a little outward decency, some faint defires, rather than endeavors, is all they can afford for securing their everlasting happiness. Can the weaknefs and infufficiency of these things poffibly appear in a fironger light than when true religion is confidered as a new creation, and a fecond birth? If the infpired writers be allowed to exprefs themselves either with propriety or truth, it is painful to think of the unhappy deluded state of fo great a number of our fellow-finners. Will fo great a change take place, and yet have no vifible effect? Had any great change happened in your worldly circumftances, from riches to poverty, or from poverty to riches, all around you would have speedily dif cerned it. Had any fuch change happened in your health, it had been impoffible to conceal it. Had it happened in your intellectual accomplishments, from ignorance to knowledge, it would have been quickly celebrated. How comes it then to be quite undifcernable, when it is from fin to holiness? I am fenfible that men are very ingenious in justifying their conduct, and very fuccefsful in deceiving themselves. They will tell us that religion is a hidden thing, not to be seen by the world, but lying open to his view who judgeth the fecrets of all hearts. And doubtlefs this is, in one view, a great truth: true religion is not given to oftentation; diffident of itself, it is unwilling to promise much, left it should be found wanting. But it ought to be confidered that, however concealed the inward principle may be, the practical effects muft of neceffity appear. As one table of the moral law confifts entirely of our duty to others, whoever is born again, and renew. |