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who do not receive baptism; or to whom it is not rightly administered? But regeneration, as understood by us, is absolutely necessary, in order to 'seeing the kingdom of God:" for "the natural

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man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of "God; for they are foolishness to him; neither "can he know them; because they are spiritually "discerned." Neither can any man enter either the "church of the first born, whose names are "written in heaven," or heaven itself, "except he "be born again."

I desire profoundly to reverence the wisdom of my Lord and Saviour, and to be silent in humble submission, when he proposes instruction in language which I should not previously have expected; yet I can find no instance in which so plain and simple an observance as baptism is spoken of in language which is suited to lead every serious, unlettered reader, at least, to suppose that something vastly more spiritual, peculiar, and uniformly accompanying salvation," was intended, than baptism however rightly administered is. If then our Lord designed merely to say, "Except a man "be baptized, he cannot see the kingdom of God," I must think he would explicitly have said it.

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The answer of Nicodemus confirms this reasoning.- "Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a "man be born when he is old? Can he enter a "second time into his mother's womb and be "born "-This is the language of ignorance and astonishment, and a disposition in some degree to cavil, or object, to what he had heard: but, had he

'I Cor. i. 14.

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understood baptism to be spoken of, he might have desired further instruction concerning it, but he could not have made such a reply. He indisputably understood our Lord to mean a new birth, which he supposed must be like his birth of his mother, and he could not possibly imagine how this could be accomplished. Neither were our Lord's subsequent words at all suited to rectify his error; if merely baptism, and what inseparably accompanies it, was exclusively intended. "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."-The word again ("born again,") seems to be here briefly explained; allowedly with reference to Christian baptism. As without external baptism, ('the outward visible sign' of regeneration,) which was hereafter to be constituted the initiatory sacrament of Christianity, no one could be admitted into the visible kingdom of the Messiah; so, unless "born of the Spirit," the thing signified in baptism,' no man can become a true, and loyal, and accepted subject of that kingdom.

Further, our Lord adds, "That which is born of "the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit

is spirit." St. Paul's reasoning, in the former verses of the eighth chapter of Romans, must convince the attentive and impartial reader, that "the flesh," as thus used, denotes human nature, as fallen in Adam, and not "born again;" and that "the "spirit" signifies a new nature, or "spiritual mind,” derived from Christ, "the last Adam ;-the quickening Spirit.""That which is born of the flesh

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1 Cor. xv. 45.

"is flesh :" "The carnal mind is enmity against "God; for it is not subject to the law of God, "neither indeed can be" (dé yàp dúvalai.) "So then

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they that are in the flesh cannot please God:" (8 dúvavtaı:)] But "ye are not in the flesh but in the "Spirit," (not, if ye be baptized, but) "if the Spirit "of Christ dwell in you. Now if any man have "not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his."2 I attempt no exposition: I only intreat the reader to pause; to weigh accurately the words and the argument; and to lift up his heart to God for his gracious teaching: and then to deduce the conclusion for himself. For "that which is born of the

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Spirit is spirit;" spiritual, and capable of loving, obeying, and finding happiness in God, and perfect liberty in his service. Let it be carefully observed that our Lord, having made one allusion to the outward sign and sacrament of baptism, entirely drops it in his subsequent instructions: just as, when he had said to the apostles, "He that believ"eth and is baptized shall be saved," he afterwards omits all mention of baptism in the second clause, and only adds, "He that believeth not "shall be damned."3 It is then clear, that he who is baptized, but does not believe," shall be damn"ed;" and he that "is born of water," but "not " of the Spirit," "cannot enter into the kingdom "of God."

Observing that Nicodemus was still fixed in ́astonishment at what he heard, our Lord further addressed him thus: "Marvel not that I said unto

B. I. c. ii. § 5. On Impossibility. ' Mark xvi. 15, 16.

2 Rom. viii. 5-9.

thee, Ye must be born again. The wind bloweth " where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound "thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh or "whether it goeth: so is every one that is born "of the Spirit."-We perceive the effects of the wind most sensibly and undeniably, but we cannot direct its motions, or explain the reasons of its variations at least men in general know little or nothing concerning them; and all must allow that they are regulated by a volition and power, wholly superior to the will of man, and entirely independent of it. It may readily be perceived how aptly this illustrates regeneration, when considered as denoting the communication of divine life to the dead in sin; in those who " are born, 66 not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of "the will of man, but of God." But, if understood exclusively concerning baptism, and what always accompanies it when rightly administered, there seems no more in the similitude suited to illustrate the subject, than there does in the subject itself to excite and keep up Nicodemus's astonishment. Is not the administration of baptism evident, often public? Are its effects universally evident, and undeniably perceived? Does not this administration, with whatever necessarily accompanies it, depend on the will of the baptized person in adults, of parents or sponsors in infants, and of ministers in both cases? Is there any thing peculiarly mysterious and beyond comprehension in the transaction; unless it be that such effects, as some ascribe to it, should always and instantly

' John i. 13.

follow, and yet very seldom, alas, be visible in the conduct and character of those who are baptized? -But, if the effect, or rather the inward and spiritual grace, be not inseparable from the right administration of baptism; and depend entirely on the will of that God, "who bringeth the wind "out of his treasures;" whether "stormy winds "fulfilling his word," or the "wind" (the milder wind) which "blows, and the waters to flow;"1 then the illustration is most appropriate, and Nicodemus's amazement is satisfactorily accounted for. He was, however, still overwhelmed with wonder, and "answered and said unto Jesus, How "can these things be?" Let the reader again pause, and ask himself, what, on the ground of some modern expositions of our Lord's discourse, could give any adequate cause for this exclamation? and let him ask of God that " wisdom which " is from above," and which is "without partiality " and without hypocrisy," to enable him to return to himself the true answer.

Our Lord subjoined, "Art thou a teacher" (diddoxaños)" of Israel, and knowest not these (διδάσκαλος) "things"2 Nicodemus, as " a teacher of Israel," might, and no doubt did, know many things concerning "the divers baptisms" of the Mosaic law, the traditionary baptisms of the Pharisees, and John's baptism: but how could this enable him to know, long before it was instituted, the nature, obligation, and benefits of Christian baptism, "in"to the name of the Father, and of the Son, and "of the Holy Ghost; " or baptism in the name of

'Ps. cxlvii. 18. cxlviii. 8.

2 John iii. 10.

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