A PRACTICAL TREATISE ON REGENERATION. JOHN iii. 3. "Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." INTRODUCTION. 66 THE condition on which ministers of the gospel hold their office, is extremely awful. They must render an account unto God" of their fidelity to the souls committed to their charge. Their duty and danger, as servants of God, are jointly and strongly expressed in the commission given to the prophet Ezekiel: "Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me. When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand. Yet if thou warn the wicked, and he turn not from his wicked ness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul." It is natural for us, in such a situation, to be often revolving in our minds this great and weighty trust. It is at once our duty and interest, to consider, with all possible care, in what way we may have the easiest and most effectual access to the hearts of sinners; what views of divine truth will be most convincing; what forms of address will make the strongest and most lasting impression: in one word, how we may acquit ourselves in our ministry, so as to be a savour of life unto life," to many of those who hear us, and "deliver our own souls" from the blood of those that perish. to 66 Such indeed is the undeniable moment and importance of the truths of the gospel, that I am often ready to think it will be easy to set them in so clear and convincing a light, as no person of common understanding shall be able to resist. I am often ready to say within myself, Surely if they be warned, they will no more dare to rush on the thick bosses of the Almighty's buckler; surely the boldest sinner must tremble at the thoughts of death, judgment, and eternity fast approaching, and from which it is impossible to flee. But when we see how many are able to sit unmoved under the most awful threatenings from the word of God; how many continue unchanged under the most alarming dispensations of Providence, our thoughts are immediately carried to the unsearchable depth of the divine counsels, and we must say with our blessed Saviour, "Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in thy sight;" or with the apostle Paul, "But if our gospel he hid, it is hid to them that are lost in whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them that believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them." The secret counsel of the Most High, however, though we must adore with reverence, it is impossible for us to comprehend. What influence this has upon the final state of particular persons, no man in the present life is, and probably no created being shall ever be able fully to explain. This only we know, that it is not such as to take away the guilt of sin, or destroy the efficacy of means. A sense of duty, therefore, constrains us to resume the arduous and difficult task, entreating the assistance and blessing of God, under a firm persuasion that he will hear the prayer of faith, and make his own word quick and powerful, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and the marrow, and a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." 66 The subject I have made choice of, and intend to handle in the ensuing treatise, immediately regards the substance of religion, and is happily as little entangled in controversy as any that could be named. We are told that "except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." In this all parties, every profession and denomination of Christians, do or ought to agree. By whatever name you are called, whatsoever leader you profess to follow, whatever ordinances you enjoy, if you are not "born again," you shall not enter into the kingdom of God. That manner of preaching the gospel, explaining or recommending divine truth, appears to me most |