JESUS CHRIST. SECT. 5. Jefus, confulted by Nicodemus, declared to him the nature and necefity of regeneration-the operation of the Holy Spirit the attointed method of deliverance from condemnation—and the different flates and characters of thofe to whom the gospel is fent. WE have not yet feen any promifing appearances of fuccefs, upon the first opening of our Lord's miniftry at Jerufalem. His ftrenuous exertions in purg-ing the temple could not but excite a commotion through the city; and, though his claims were not generally regarded, many were at least convinced of his divine miffion by the miracles which he wrought. Very few of higher station gave any serious attention to him; as that contemptuous queftion implied, "Have any of the rulers or of the Pharifees believed on him?" But we are here introduced to one of that very rank, who fought after Jefus, with an earnest defire to be acquainted with his doctrine. Nicodemus, a perfon of confequence, as a magiftrate, and a member of the great council, the Sanhedrim, probably a man of learning, and as a Pharifee exact in all religious obfervances, paid him a vifit: but it is remarked, that " he came by night +." He might be afraid or ashamed to have it known, aware it a free and open intercourfe with Jefus would upon him reproach and oppofition; and there vii. 48. John iii. 1, &c. fore fore to conceal it from public notice, and prefèrve his reputation, he went in the dark. But even allowing, that he was under a very improper influence' of the fear of man, he was not thereby prevented from applying to this divine Inftructor for information ia the truth. Our Lord, who never rejected or difcouraged any fincere enquirer, overlooking or not upbraiding him for his weakness, received him kindly, and without referve declared to him the most important myfteries of the kingdom of heaven. He conftantly spoke with a regard to the circumftances and difpofitions of his audience, and opened the Gofpel, more or lefs as they could bear it. Here was no fcornful, captious difputant, but an humble, teachable fcholar, feeking direction in the way of righteoufnefs. Here, therefore, we fhall find, within a few verfes, a more clear and explicit reprefentation of the great fyftem of Chriftianity, than in any other paffage, of equal compafs, throughout the four Evangeliffs. It is recorded for our benefit, and every particle of it concerns each of us as much as it did Ni codemus himself. May we, like him, be willing to fit at the feet of Jefus, and hear his words, "which are able to make us wife unto falvation!" How gracious and condefcending was our Redeemer, in giving his time and his company for the inftruction of an individual! The falvation of one fout is inconceivably more important than all the momentous affairs of mightiest empires, which employ the councils and the armies of princes. The minifter of Chrift, therefore, who like his Mafter is attending to the fpiritual welfare even of a single perfon, has a more honourable poft, and a better object in view, than the statesman or the hero, on whom the eyes of thoufands are fixed. The main fubjects of the conference with Nicodemus may be reduced to four: E 6 I. The ject is myfterious; for there is a fecret in it, which God hath thought proper to conceal from us; which, therefore, it is not needful, or perhaps poffible, for us to know. Is this urged as an objection? Recollect, that the doctrine was reprefented to Nicodemus in this very light: for our Lord taught him to expect the fame difficulties in grace, which occur in creation. "Marvel not, that I faid unto thee, Ye muft be born again. The wind bloweth, where it lifteth, and thou heareft the found thereof, but canft not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth." Thus the Spirit acts upon the human mind, in a fovereign and unintelligible manner: for we cannot direct or control his influence, and, though we clearly difcerir his effects, it would baffle all our understandings to trace out and explain the methods and the reafons of his operations. The fubject may appear to be involved in fo many and great difficulties, that our faith may ftagger, and we may cry out with Nicodemus, "How can thefe things be? But if we fincerely defire instruction, he, who condefcended to the ignorance and prejudices of that "mafter of Ifrael," will have compaffion on our weakness, and "guide us into all truth." Such is the pride of man, he is not content to "know in part," and hence frequently the vain pretender to right reafon rejects the grand doctrines of revelation, when he finds in them unfathomable depths. But let us remember "the certainty of thofe things wherein we have been inftructed," and on whose authority we have received them. "Verily, verily," fays our divine Teacher, "We speak that e do know, and teftify that we have feen; and ye eive not our witnefs." There are matters ftill ther removed from our comprehenfion: and if alare difpofed to object," how fhall we betell us of heavenly things?" Yet how trovert his teftimony? "No man hath afcended afcended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man, which is in heaven.' He declared himself, then, to be in heaven, at the very moment he was converfing with Nicodemus upon earth. And if we admit this account, why not admit, what is not more unintelligible, the influence of the Spirit in regenerating and fanctifying the foul? Jefus, having afferted his own authority as a divine and infallible witnefs of the things of God, proceeded to inform the Jewish ruler of the important benefits resulting from his miffion: and hence we learn III. The deliverance of finners from condemnation through his gracious interpofition. This doctrine should be confidered in connection with that already established; for it is a part of the fame glorious plan; and the one is as interefting to us as the other. The foundation of both is laid in man's fallen condition: for, if that could be difproved, the whole fyftem would be fhaken, and fall to the ground together. We are aware, that it is an offenfive truth, but we are compelled by the strongest conviction to maintain, that "we were by nature the children of wrath *;" and it is clearly implied in our Lord's addrefs to Nicodemus. For, while he opened the grand scheme of divine mercy, he evidently argued upon the fuppofition, that we are in a ftate of ruin, obnoxious to justice. Thus, when he afferted, "that whofoever believeth in him, fhould not perifh, but have eternal life;" did he not plainly intimate, that all, confidered only in themfelves, without the remedy propofed, are liable to perifh for ever? From the very grace, offered through the Saviour, we infer, that the whole human fpecies, without excepting a fingle instance, ftand in need of redemption, and that there is fuch depravity in their nature, as without reftraint Eph. ii. 3 would would infallibly lead them to final deftruction. "God fent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be faved." Now, where would have been the peculiar mercy, of forbearing to execute the sentence of wrath, if we had not deferved it? or, of preventing the mifery, into which we are not likely to fall? Let us enter deeply into this important truth, without which the Gofpel will be no more to us than an entertaining ftory, which may furnish amusement, but will not promote our falvation. Are we affected, as we ought to be, with a conviction of our guilt and danger? What plea can we offer in arreft of judgment? Let us thankfully accept the propofal of deliverance, and urge with our offended God the mediation of his own Son. The difpenfation of grace is here fully opened to Nicodemus. God is reprefented as looking down in compaffion on our ruined race, and, through the incarnation of Jefus Chrift, effecting redemption. He interpofed to rescue us, not through any view of merit in us, or the expectation of receiving a recompence; but we are taught to afcribe it to his own fovereign, free, and abundant mercy. "God fo loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son." Well may we exclaim with the Apostle, in devout admiration," Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and fent his Son to be the propitiation for our fins *." Jefus, then,, according to the divine counfel, laid afide his glory, and affumed "the likeness of finful flesh," that he might make reconciliation. He came down from heaven, not armed with vengeance for our destruction, but inviting finners of every defcription to return unto God, with affurances of a full emiffion. Yet forgiveness is bestowed, not merely |