"lo, others daubed it with untempered mortar: fay unto "them which daub it with untempered mortar, that it shall "fail: there fhall be an overflowing fhower, and ye, O "great hailstones, fhall fall, and a ftormy wind fhall rent "it."

But, perhaps, the fubftance of the doctrine is retained while the language is held in derifion. We are told, it is but a figurative expreffion, and the fame in its meaning with repentance or reformation. Doubtlefs it is fo. And it were greatly to be wifhed, that many did thoroughly understand what is implied in repentance unto life. But the reader is intreated to obferve, that it is a metaphor frequently used in the holy fcripture. I think, alfo, it is a metaphor of peculiar propriety and force; well adapted to bring into view both the nature of the change which it defcribes, and the means by which it is accomplished. If there are any who in writing, or speaking on this fubject, have introduced or invented unfcriptural phrafes, and gone into unintelligible myfticifm, this is neither wonderful in itself, nor ought it to be any injury or disparagement to the truth. There is no fubject either of divine or human learning, on which fome have not written weakly, foolifhly or erroneously; but that ought not to excite any averfion to the doctrine itself, which hath been perverted or abused. I pray, that God may enable me to write upon this interefting fubject, in a clear, intelligible and convincing manner; to fupport the truth from the evidence of fcripture and reafon; to refolve, in a fatisfying manner, any objections that may feem to lie against it; but, above all, to carry it home with a perfuafive force upon the confcience and heart. I contend for no phrases of man's invention, but fuch as I find in the holy fcriptures; from thefe I am refolved, through the grace of God, never to depart. And, in the mean time, I adopt the words of the eminent and useful Dr. Doddridge, "If this doctrine, in "one form or another, be generally taught by my brethren "in the miniftry, I rejoice in it for their own fakes, as well "as for that of the people who are under their care."

Ezek. xiii. 10, II.

The plan of the following treatife is this:

1. To make fome general obfervations upon the metaphor ufed by 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 some of its principal eviden. ces 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.

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.

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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, fo this is not the fingle paffage in which the fame metaphor is used. We find it in the apoftle Paul's epifile to Titus, "Not by works of righteoufiefs which we have done, but according to his mercy he faved us, by the washing of "regeneration, and renewing of the holy Ghoft."* find one perfectly fimilar to it, in the fame apoftle'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 elsewhere called a new creation, with reference to the power exerted in the production : "For we are his workmanship, crea"ted in Chrift Jefus unto good words, which God hath "before ordained that we fhould walk in them." It is ftill a figure of the fame kind that is ufed when we are exhorted" to put off, concerning the former conversation, "the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful "lufts and to be renewed in the fpirit of our mind; and

put on the new man, which after God is created in righ "teoufnefs, and true holinefs."* To 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 feriptures will readily admit, that it is intended we fhould learn fomething from this very way of fpeaking itfelf. Let us therefore confider what may be fafely deduced from it. And, as I would not willingly flrain the metaphor, and Ephef. ii. 1.

* Titus ii. 5. ↑ 2 Cor. v. 17.

* Ephef. iv. 22, 23, 24.

John v. 4.

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 useful. The reader is only intreated to attend to a few leading truths, which feem naturally to arife 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.

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O ftronger expreffion could have been chofen to fignify a great and remarkable change of ftate and character, whether we take the metaphor in a firicter or a loofer fenfe. If we may take the metaphor in a ftricter fenfe, it may be intended to point out the change of flate in an infant newly born, from what it was in immediately before the birth. The manner of its exiftence, of deriving its nourishment, the use and application of its faculties, and its defires and enjoyments, are all intirely different. If we take the metaphor in a loofer fenfe, being born may be confidered as the beginning of our exiftence. To this fenfe we feem to be directed by the other expreflions of being created in Chrift Jefus, and made new creatures. Does not this ftill teach us the greatneis 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 paffages of fcriptare, and is a confequence of different truths contained in the word of God. For example, our natural state is, in fcripture, compared to death, and our recovery to our being reflored to life. Thus the a

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poftle Paul in writing to the Ephefians fays, "And you "hath he quickened who were dead in trespasses and fins.” And a little after, " But God, who is rich in mercy, for "his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we "were DEAD in fins, hath quickened us together with "Chrift." To the fame purpose the apostle John fays, "We know that we have paffed from DEATH to life."+ The change is fometimes defcribed by paffing from dark nefs to light, than which two things none can ftand in greater oppofition to one another. "Ye were fometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord." Every one must be sensible how eafy it would be to multiply paffages of the fame kind. But this I forbear, and only with we had all of us a deep impreffion of the meaning and importance of thefe upon our hearts.

It will not be improper, however, to obferve how plainly the fame truth appears from the power which the fcripture reprefents as exerted in bringing a finner from a state of nature to a state 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 faved, "through faith and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of "Gol."* "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 exceed"ing greatnefs of his power to us ward who believe, ac, cording to the working of his mighty power which he "wrought in Chrift when he raifed 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?

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Let me now, in the most earneft 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 eftablifhed. It appears that regeneration, repentance, converfion, or call it what you will, is a very great change from the state in which every man comes into the world.

* Ephef. ii. 1,4, 5. † 1 John iii. 14. † Phil. ii. 12.

↑ Ephef. v. 8. * Eph. ii. . Eph. i, 19.