SPIRIT, he will also be solicitous that he may be born of water,' and so 'fulfil all righteousness.' But it will never follow from hence, that being born of water and born of the SPIRIT are the same thing. The text rather implies they are different; and I think every body must own they may be actually separate. Nothing, therefore, can be more absurd, than to infer from this text that if there be two persons, one of whom is born of the SPIRIT, and not of water; another of water, and not of the SPIRIT ;-the latter, that is, the wicked man, who has perhaps with some iniquitous design been baptized, may properly be said to be regenerated, or born of GOD, and consequently to be an heir of GoD,' (Rom. viii. 17,) rather than a truly religious man who has not yet been baptized, either through want of opportunity, or through some unhappy mistake, as to the nature and design, or the perpetuity and obligations of that ordinance. Now this I take to be precisely the question, and must declare that when a baptized person is destitute of true religion, that birth which he had by water seems to me as it were an evanescent thing, or a thing that disappears as unworthy the mention; and that it must be therefore most safe and advisable, as well as most agreeable to the scripture sense, to appropriate the title of regenerate persons to those sanctified by divine grace, rather than to use it of all who are baptized. "As to the text in TITUS, (chap. iii. 5.) where God is said to save us by the washing of regeneration,' or, as some earnestly contend it should be rendered, by the laver of regeneration; I might answer, that as that interpretation is by no means necessary, it cannot be proved that baptism is here designed; though I acknowledge there may be a graceful allusion to it: the Apostle may mean, we are saved by God's washing our hearts by his sanctifying SPIRIT, a phrase so often used in the Old Testament, and thereby making us his children; and in this sense it might have been used, though baptism had never been instituted. But granting that aurpov may be ren dered laver, and that baptism may be the laver referred to; and that there is indeed an allusion to the washing new-born children,' as MR. MEDE in his Diatribe on this text contends; I think this text will be so far from proving that ST. PAUL meant to call baptism regeneration, that it will prove the contrary for regeneration itself, and the laver of regeneration, cannot be the same thing; and whatever TERTULLIAN and other ancients may fancifully talk of our being generated like little fishes in the water, in a weak allusion to the technical word IXOTE, common sense will see how absurd it would be to apply this to a child, and will teach us rather to argue, that as children must be born before they can be washed, so they must be regenerated before the washing of regeneration, that is, the washing which belongs to their new birth, can be applied to them. But on the whole, as washing an infant refers to its pollution, and no pollution attends our regeneration as such, I am more and more inclined to think there is no reference at all here to a laver, or to the washing new-born children; and therefore that this washing and the renewing of the HOLY GHOST are exegetical, and that the latter clause might be rendered, even the renewing of the HOLY GHOST;' which makes the text decisive for the sense in which I use the word." Reserving my remarks upon the other subjects, mentioned at the commencement of this letter, for a future communication, I am, Ma. EDITOR, yours, &c., &c. London, April 20th, 1824. T. J. 202 MISCELLANEOUS COMMUNICATIONS. ACCOUNT OF A REMARKABLE SERMON, PREACHED IN EDIN BURGH. (Related by a Clergyman.) SOME time ago, I was sent for to visit a person named ADAM WATSON, who was thought to be dying. On entering his apartment, I saw a venerable looking old man in a chair, and apparently much distressed from a difficulty in breathing. His daughter told me that he was then a good deal fatigued with the exertion of rising out of bed, but that he would be able to speak to me in a little time. Being told who I was, he said to me, after a short pause, “ I am glad to see you, Sir, and thank you for coming so readily to visit me in this poor habitation." I then asked him a few questions about his bodily health: these he shortly answered, and then said, "You see me, Sir, on the verge of eternity; but I bless GOD I have no fears of death. I hope that I can truly say, I know whom -I have believed; and my chief reason for sending for you at present is to help me to praise the LORD for his great and wonderful mercies to me." "What mercies do you mean?" said I. "I mean his great and wonderful mercies in CHRIST JESUS. I am now an old man, in my eighty-fourth year, and, blessed be his name, I can say, I have known the LORD since I was eighteen." "Since you was eighteen! pray did any thing very remarkable happen at that time, that you remember it so particularly?" "Yes, yes," said he, "something very remarkable indeed; something that I shall never forget while I am able to remember any thing, and for which I shall bless GOD through all eternity." "May I ask what it was?" "Certainly," he replied, "and when I get a little breath, I shall tell it you with pleasure." Afer pausing for two or three minutes, he spoke, as nearly as I can remember, to the following purpose. "When I was about eighteen years of age, I happened to be in Edinburgh, following my business. Though I was not addicted to any gross immorality, I was a stranger to true religion. I had something like the form of godliness, but it was nothing but a form. One Sunday I went to the West Church. It was about the time of dispensing the Sacrament, and a Minister of the name of PITCAIRN was preaching. I shall never forget his text; it was in 1 Pet. ii. 7: Unto you, therefore, which believe, he is precious.' The church was exceedingly crowded, and the congregation very attentive. Nothing very particular happened till about the close of the discourse, when MR. PITCAIRN made a long pause. A dead stillness immediately ensued. Every eye was fixed on him, and several of his hearers seemed to be a good deal agitated. When he resumed his discourse, he spoke, to the best of my recollection, nearly as follows: Last night, when I was on my knees before GoD, pleading with him in the prospect of this day's service, it was impressed on my mind in a very unusual manner, and as if I had heard a voice from heaven, charging me, that this day I should make a full and particular offer of CHRIST to all who hear me; and also, that I should require of them an immediate answer whether they accept the offer or not. I do therefore, in the name of the MOST HIGH GOD, offer to all and every one of you the LORD JESUS CHRIST, with all his benefits; I offer him to the young and the old, to the rich and the poor, to sinners of every kind and degree; assuring you, that if you accept of him as he is offered in the Gospel, you shall be blessed in time, and blessed through eternity. Well, what do you say? Do you accept of him or not? What answer am I to carry back to him whose servant I am? Consider the matter, and make up your minds.' On saying this, he sat down in the pulpit, and the most solemn silence followed that ever I witnessed. I was very much affected, and the tears ran down my cheeks in abundance. My sins crowded into my mind. I saw myself to be a lost and ruined creature, and was enabled to cast my guilty soul on JESUS CHRIST, believing that he, and none but he, could save me. On looking up, I saw many persons in tears around me. "MR. PITCAIRN continued sitting, I think, about five or six minutes; then rising up, and looking round on the congregation, he said to them with great solemnity, Well, my friends, what is your determination? Are you now willing to obey the command of GoD, to believe in his SON JESUS CHRIST? Do you accept of the SAVIOUR, as he is offered in the Gospel, and give yourselves up to Him, as God hath commanded, that he may wash you in his blood, clothe you with his righteousness, and sanctify you by his SPIRIT? Or, on the contrary, do you proudly and wickedly reject him? Or, which amounts very much to the same thing, are you resolved to delay this important business to a more convenient season?'-Then, in a very earnest and forcible manner, he urged his hearers immediately to accept of CHRIST, and to comply with the invitations of the Gospel. In the name of GoD he conjured them neither to decline nor to delay so important a duty. 'Many,' said he, to whom the same offer was made are now in hell, bitterly lamenting their guilt and folly in rejecting it. And, O! were they permitted now to address you, with what earnestness would they beseech you to beware of what must assuredly bring you to that place where they are tormented! (Luke xvi. 28.) Many of your pious friends and relations, who lately worshipped with us in this place, were enabled through grace to accept of CHRIST, and to give themselves up to him, and are now before the throne; and were they permitted to address you, O! with what earnestness would they join in the exhortation I am now giving you; and beseech you to accept of CHRIST, that you may by and by be united to their blessed society, and made partakers of their joy.' In this manner did MR. PITCAIRN exhort and beseech his hearers to comply with the calls of the Gospel, and to embrace the LORD JESUS CHRIST. It was the most solemn season I ever witnessed. It was much spoken of in Edinburgh and its neighbourhood, and many dated their conversion from that day." The old man added, that he himself kuew several persons who were then awakened to a serious and lasting concern about their salvation; and no doubt, as he justly observed, there would be many of whom he had no opportunity of hearing. I was surprised at the distinctness and animation with which the poor old man narrated the above particulars. His weakness and difficulty of breathing obliged him to stop from time to time, but the whole circumstances seemed to be as fresh in his recollection as if they had lately occurred. As soon as I returned home, I wrote down all I could remember of what he told me; and, from the deep impression it made on my mind, I believe that I remembered the greatest part of it. I soon called on him again, but found him greatly worse. He was unable to rise, and, though perfectly sensible, he had become so deaf, that it was almost impossible to make him hear. He continued tranquil and resigned to the will of God; and enjoyed to the last a steady hope in the divine mercy through JESUS CHRIST. EXAMPLES OF DILIGENCE IN ENDEAVOURING TO DO GOOD (Extracted from "An Enlarged Series of Extracts from the Diary, &c., of MR. JOSEPH WILLIAMS, of Kidderminster i” p. 304-307.) FRIDAY night, Dec. 30th, 1748.-It hath long been my earnest desire and prayer, that the blessed GoD would make me instrumental in awakening and converting precious souls. For this purpose I took pains with many of my young friends thirty or forty years ago. He gave me a desire to travail in spirit for every one of my children; particularly, when in baptism I solemnly devoted each of them to GOD the FATHER, SON, and HOLY GHOST; and for those that are dead, during their last sickness, that their guilt and filth might be washed away in the blood of CHRIST; and more especially for the three which survive, from the time they came severally to seventeen years of age. At sundry times my very heart hath been drawn out in earnest prayer for each of them; as also, for each of my domestic servants, that "CHRIST may "be formed in" them. How far my poor prayers and endeavours have contributed to the working a saving change in them, perhaps GOD only knows. However, I have the "joy" of seeing, or hearing, that they all "walk in the truth." I have the joy of hoping and believing, I think on good grounds, that no less than seven young souls have been born to God in my family within these three or four years. May all the praise be ascribed to Him "who worketh all in all." I am just now not without hopes, that the LORD hath made use of my poor endeavours to awaken one, if not two, who before seemed to lie fast asleep in sinful security. Last October, at Bradford, Wilts, after transacting business with a dissenter in that town, among other things which fell from him in conversation, he let me know, that he had once in his life failed, or broke. Presuming thence that he had paid his debts only by composition, I asked,-Whether he had ever paid the surplus, or that which was due to his creditors over and above the composition? He owned he had not. I therefore told him with a degree of stern solemnity, that he must do it. I even asked him,-How he would dare to stand before the judgmentseat of CHRIST, his just debts not being paid, and he being able to pay the whole? Many more things I said to the same purpose, and in the most solemn manner; for he appears to be in affluent circumstances. The same person told me also, that he intended to ride out in the country next day. I inquired,-What necessity there was for his travelling from home on the LORD's day? Perceiving there was none, I laboured to dissuade him from his purpose, but could not find that my dissuasions availed any thing. I saw nothing of him at the two first meetings; but in the evening he came, and sat in the table-pew, where I also sat. He seemed to be greatly affected under the sermon. I was very glad to see how he melted under the word, and resolved to spend part of the evening with him. Accordingly, I went to his house, and spent about two hours with him in very free conversation and prayer. I spared not to set his sins in order before him, and to show him the necessity of repentance and faith in the blood of CHRIST, in order that he might obtain acceptance with GOD. He wept sore, and freely owned to me many convictions he had had, and resolutions he had formed, which had all come to nothing; and that to that day he had lived in the neglect of prayer, but signified his conviction of the necessity of it, and his resolution, by the help of GoD, to begin, and constantly keep up prayer in his family. I prayed with them, had great enlargement, and he, by his groanings and tears, seemed to be much engaged. I took an opportunity of speaking to his wife, who seems to be a truly pious woman, and endeavoured to convince her of the necessity for his paying all his just debts, if he would make his peace with God by repentance and faith in the blood of CHRIST. She seemed to hearken to me. He accompanied me afterwards to my inn, and promised to act agreeably to the advice I had given him. Since that, I wrote to him to the same purpose. May the LORD set my addresses home to his heart! Before I entered on the same journey, MR. JOSEPH GREEN, a young man of Bristol, desired leave to travel with me. I quickly found iny companion had conversed with some Deists, and, though he would not own it, had too much given in to their infidel notions. Many a dispute we had upon the road, while we travelled together almost a fortnight. Many times I had it in my mind to talk with him in the most searching manner. At last Providence gave me a most fit opportunity, at Lyndhurst, a night or two before we were to part. Many a struggle I had with myself; but at length all my foolish objections were silenced, and I conversed with him about three hours, concerning "the deep things of GOD." Before I had done, he seemed to be convicted, and frankly owned his want of love to GoD and to our LORD JESUS CHRIST, and appeared to be sensible he was no more than a nominal Christian. This gave me great encouragement, and I parted with him at Salisbury, with full intention to prosecute, by writing, what had been begun in conversation. When I returned home, I found a letter he had sent me a few days before; and it was no small disappointment to me to find it was about a small pecuniary affair, but not a word about the state or interest of his soul. His letter lay before me some weeks, before I found an inclination to answer it. At last I could forbear no longer. I wrote to him on the 17th of this month. He answered me on the 28th. But, O! how was I transported with joy, to find that God had set home the searching queries and considerations I had sent him, to the awakening and deep conviction of his conscience. How honestly and nakedly does he lay before me the temper and unusual workings of his soul! He owns he hath no love to the duty of prayer; that he can omit it, and can go a whole day without any sensible concern. He laments the sad state he is in, and seems to be in good earnest in his applications to the "throne of grace," through a Rr DEEMER, for deliverance from the body of sin and death. May the LORD carry on and perfect the good work he hath begun in his soul! AN EXTRAORDINARY INSTANCE OF CONVERSION IN EXTREME OLD AGE. Ar a village, in the Hastings Circuit, where the Gospel has been recently introduced by the Methodist Preachers, a poor labouring man was induced to hear "the joyful sound." By the blessing of GOD, it proved effectual to his salvation. Having felt the power of divine grace himself, he was anxiously concerned for the spiritual welfare of others. One of the first objects of his solicitude was his mother. She was up wards of ninety years of age ;-deaf, dim-sighted, and very infirm; totally in the dark as to the nature of true religion, and altogether unconcerned about her best interests. The preaching was removed to her son's cottage, which was situated about a mile from his mother's residence:-he wished to bring her under the sound of the Gospel; but her infirmities, and his poverty, presented considerable difficulties. She could not walk ;-be had no conveyance, and could not afford to hire one. His intense desire for her salvation, however, surmount ed all hinderances. He borrowed a cart ;-put himself in the place of a horse ;-and regularly drew her to his house on the Sabbath-mornings, and back again to her home in the evenings, when the weather would permit. Being thus brought to hear the Word of Reconciliation, divine light shone into her mind ;-her conscience was awakened, after a slumber of ninety years ;-and she began to "call upon the name of the LORD." The GoD of all grace hearkened to her cry; lifted upon her the light of his countenance; and made her happy in the enjoyment of his salvation. It is a singular fact, that she can now see better and hear better than she did before; and the great change wrought in her mind has been the occasion of producing such a change in her appearance, that she looks several years younger than she did a few months since. Hastings, May, 1824. JOHN GEDEN. |