being convinced that He could work them only through the power of God, was desirous of being acquainted with the doctrines which He taught. He accordingly came to Him, and from fear either of discovery or of interruption, came to Him by night. Addressing Him in terms of great respect, he professed his conviction that He was a teacher come from God: "for no man," added he, "can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him." Jesus, without any delay, proceeded to put his profession to the test. He proceeded to try, whether he was so convinced of His divine mission, as implicitly to receive the doctrines which He taught, however opposed they might be to human prejudice and human pride. In a most solemn and decisive manner, He said to Nicodemus, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." This declaration astonished the Pharisee, who, taking the new birth of which our Lord spoke, in a literal sense, asked with surprise," How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?" But the birth, to which Christ referred, as He went on to show, was not a literal, but a spiritual birth. Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born of water, and of the Spirit, he

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cannot enter the kingdom of God." The birth which He meant was a birth, of which the application of water was the figurative emblem, or sign, but which was really to be effected by the agency of the Spirit of God. It was, in short, an inward and a spiritual change, a change of heart and nature, by the influence of the Holy Spirit; the reason and necessity for which our Lord immediately adduces, "That which is born of the flesh, is flesh and that which is born of the Spirit, is spirit."-This statement so clearly pointed out the nature and necessity of the new birth, to which he alluded, that He directly adds in the text, "Marvel not, that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. As if he had said, Be not surprised at my assertion. That new birth, which, as a • teacher sent from God, I declare to be so indispensably necessary to salvation, that without it, no man can see or enter the kingdom of God, contains nothing in itself impossible; nothing contradictory; nothing, in fact, but what is perfectly agreeable to reason, to Scripture, and to experience; nothing but what you, as a master in Israel, might easily have known, ⚫ and ought to understand.' In discoursing further on the text thus explained, I shall enter more fully,

I. On the Doctrine contained in it.

word, that he may grow thereby." His eyes are now opened to discern spiritual objects; his ears to listen to spiritual truths; his lips to utter spiritual language. He is no longer carnally-minded, but spiritually-minded: no longer walks in the flesh, but in the Spirit. His desires are now spiritual. They are directed to those objects which the Spirit has revealed, and teaches us to value. His hopes and fears are spiritual. Instead of being a formal, he is become a spiritual worshipper of God. He worships Him in spirit, and in truth. Instead of being as he once was, blind, and ignorant, in respect to those things which are really good, and averse from following them, he is now spiritually enlightened to discern the true riches, and eager, and earnest, and constant, in pursuing them. In a word, how great a change is wrought! Sin, once the delight and idol of the soul, is hated and cast out. Holiness is loved and followed. Christ, who before was disregarded, is esteemed, and accounted precious, The sinner, once dead in trespasses and sins, now lives to God; fears, serves, and honours Him; delights in His law; rejoices in His Gospel; and reveres Him, as a kind and loving Father.This is the man "who is born again." This is the change produced by the "new birth."

But the text not only illustrates the Na

ture of this change, it declares also the Necessity for it." "Ye must be born again." Christ does not say, 'ye may be born again,' or 'ye ought to be born again;' or it would be better, and happier for you' -but "Ye must.” —“ I said unto thee, Ye must be born again." And when had He said thus to Nicodemus? When He had just told him," that except a man be born again of water and of the Spirit, he cannot see, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." This spiritual change is indispensably necessary to salvation; so necessary, that there can be no salvation without it. If a man would see, would enter into the kingdom of God, he must be born again. And what are we to understand by the expression of "the kingdom of God?" Not merely His kingdom in heaven, but His kingdom also on earth. In heaven God's kingdom will be perfected in glory, security, and felicity. But it is begun on earth. It is set up, and established in this world; and all, who will share the blessings of it hereafter, must become subjects of it here. Here they must enter into it: here they must acquire a taste for its peculiar pleasures and duties. But these pleasures, and these duties, like the kingdom to which they belong, are of a spiritual nature. The kingdom of God is a spiritual kingdom. Its pleasures are spiri

tual. Its duties are spiritual. None, therefore, but those who are spiritually alive, born of the Spirit, can belong to this kingdom. None others can enter into it, and become subjects of it for none others in fact can see it; none others can discern its beauty, excellence, and value: none others can relish. the pleasures belonging to it, nor take any delight in the duties which it prescribes. "That which is born of the flesh, is flesh." Water cannot rise higher than the spring from which it flows. Man, "in the flesh, in his natural, unrenewed state," receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God; for they. are foolishness unto him; neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." Thus, as the Apostle says, "they that are in the flesh, cannot please God." * They cannot become his subjects; they cannot enter into, nor even see his kingdom. Hence results the Necessity of this "New Birth," this spiritual change. Hence it is, that if ye would be saved, if ye would now live unto God, and hereafter live with Him, "ye must be born again."

Such is the Doctrine contained in the text. Let us next consider,

II. Its Agreement with Scripture, Reason and Facts. When our Lord in this passage insisted on the Necessity of the New *Romans, viii. 8.