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in the New Testament, which are applied to the same subject; for men were required to be changed, to be turned from the error of their ways, were said to have passed from darkness to light, from the power of sin and Satan, to the service of God and to the wisdom of the just. In short, a very great variety of language was used to describe the process of becoming a good man and a disciple of Christ.

But the figurative expressions just referred to, have been most constantly used in modern times, to express that change which is meant by conversion. The reason of this, I suppose, is obvious. There has been a striking and manifest disposition, ever since the primitive simplicity departed from religion, to regard and treat it as a mystery; and therefore the most obscure and mysterious expressions have in preference been adopted to set it forth. And yet, the figure in question, I shall soon have occasion to observe, if we regard its original use, is less adapted to set forth the spiritual nature of religion, than almost any of the representations that are current in the New Testament.

On every account, therefore, it is desirable that this language should be explained, and that the explanation should be fixed in our minds, even though it should require some repetition to do it.

What, then, is the meaning of the phrase, being born again?'

I. When our Saviour said to the inquiring Nicodemus, 'Except a man be born again,' we may well suppose, that he did not use language altogether new or unintelligible to him. Nor would it comport with a proper view of our Saviour's character to suppose

that he used the language of mystery. Nicodemus, indeed, affected to think it mysterious, saying, 'How can a man be born when he is old? It was not, however, because he did not understand, but from the excess of his astonishment at what he did understand. For the language in question was familiar at that day; it was in the mouth of every Jew; much more of a Master in Israel. We learn, from the Jewish writers of that day, that the phrase, 'born again,' was at that time, and had been all along, applied to proselytes from paganism. A convert or a proselyte to the Jewish religion, was currently denominated, 'one born again,' a new born child,'' a new creature.' This language they adopted doubtless. to express what they considered to be the greatness of the distinction and favor implied in being a Jew. It was nothing less than a new creation.' In the apparent misapprehension of Nicodemus, therefore, I see nothing but the astonishment natural to a Jew, on being told that he, favored of God as he had thought himself, that he, one of the chosen people, must himself pass through another conversion, another proselytism, in order to see the kingdom of God, in order to be a disciple of Christ, and obedient to the will of God.

But let me revert to the phrases, which conveyed this unwelcome truth. I say that they referred originally to proselytism to the Jewish religion. This was the known signification of these phrases, at the time. There can be no dispute or question on this point. Something like this use of these phrases, was common among other nations at that period; as among the Romans, the change from slavery to citizenship was denominated a new creation. It appears, then, as I have already ob

served, that this expression is not the best adapted to set forth the spiritual nature of religion, since it was originally used to describe a visible fact, an outward change.

II. But let us proceed from the Jewish use of this language, to the adoption of it among the first teachers of Christianity. It was natural that the christian teachers in calling men from an old to a new dispensation, from the profession of an old to the reception of a new religion, should take up these expressions, which had before been applied to an event precisely similar. There was a visible change of religion required both of Jews and Pagans, the adoption of a new faith and worship. It was an event publicly declared and solemnized by the rite of baptism.

Far be it from me to say that the Gospel required nothing but an outward profession and proselytism. This was too true of Judaism, though without doubt there were devout individuals among the Jews, who had more spiritual views. But it was too true of that nation of formalists, that they desired little more than to make proselytes to their rites and ceremonies. And on this account our Saviour upbraids them, in that severe declaration-Ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more a child of hell than yourselves :-Ye proselyte him to your own proud, Pharisaical, and conceited system of cabalistic notions and dead formalities. But surely if there ever were upon earth, teachers who most strenuously insisted on a spiritual renovation, they were Jesus and his apostles. Still, however, we are not to forget, that their language in reference to the

change required, implied an outward proselytism, as well as a spiritual renovation; implied the reception of a new religion considered as a matter of speculation, faith and visible worship, as well as the adoption of inward feelings, accordant with the spirit and precepts of this religion. Both of these things they must have demanded by their very situation as teachers of Christianity.

III. The way is now prepared to consider what meaning the language of our text is to have, when applied to members of Christian communities in modern times. And the discrimination to be made here is perfectly evident. One part of the meaning, anciently attached to this language, fails entirely; the other stands in the nature of things; and must stand forever. What fails is what relates to the outward change. There can be no proselytism to a new faith, àmong us; no conversion to a new worship; no adoption of a new system, nor adherence to a new sect. All the conversion, therefore, that can now take place, is of a purely moral or spiritual nature. It is a change of heart, a change of character, of feelings, of habits. Where the character, the feelings and habits are wrong, and in such proportion as they are wrong, this change is to be urged as the very condition of salvation, of happiness, of enjoying peace of conscience, God's forgiveness, and the reasonable hope of heaven. Except a 'bad' man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.'

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The subject, in this view of it, would seem to be exceedingly plain. Conversion is no mysterious doctrine. It is no peculiar injunction or precept of the

christian religion; it is the injunction and precept of every religion. The bad man must become a good man; the sinful must repent, the vicious must reform; the selfish, the passionate, and sensual, must be pure, and gentle, and benevolent-must, or they cannot be happy here, or hereafter. This, I say, is no mysterious doctrine. It is what every moral dictate of our nature declares. It is what every man's conscience preaches to him. Strange would it be, if, in a religion simple and reasonable as ours, that on which every thing in our moral welfare hangs, should be a mystery. Strange if a stumbling block should be placed at the very entrance to the way of religion.

But simple, obvious and unquestionable as these views of conversion are, there is no little difficulty in obtaining for them a general assent, or in causing them to be fully carried out in the minds of those who embrace them. The true and natural aspect of the subject is confounded with the ancient features of it. We are thinking of something like a proselytism; of a time, and an epoch, and a great experience, and a sudden change. We have, perhaps, been taught all this from our youth up. We have heard about obtaining religion, as if it were something else than obtaining inward habits of devotion, and self-government, and forbearance, and all goodness which it takes a life fully to acquire and confirm. We have heard about obtaining religion, or a change, or a hope, as if it were the work of a month, or a day, or a moment. It demands years, or a life, to amass a great property, or to acquire learning, or to build up a distinguished reputation, while the far greater work of gaining a holy mind, a pure and good heart

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