and these assistances provided, is undoubtedly this, "that we may be sanctified wholly; and that our whole spirit, and soul, and body, may be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." Our Lord obviously refers to this subject, when he says to Nicodemus, "That which is born of the flesh, is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit, is spirit." And it must occur to every one who is acquainted with the language of the New Testament, that a like phraseology is employed in many other passages; perhaps in almost all that treat of the nature, and operation, of human depravity; and of that "renovation in the spirit of our mind," by which we are "created anew in knowledge, righteousness, and true holiness, after the image of him that first created us"." By our natural birth, we also, as well as Adam, are made "living souls;" but by our descent from him, we also partake of that "fault and corruption of the nature of every man, that naturally is engendered of the offspring of Adam ; whereby man is very far gone from original righteousness, and is of his own nature inclined to evil, so that the flesh lusteth always contrary to the

c 1 Thess. v. 23.

d See more particularly from Rom. vii. 14. to the 17th verse of the following chapter. 1 Cor. ii. 9-16. and iii. 1-4. xv. 42-54. Gal. v. 13. to the end, and vi. 1-8.

Spirit." The spirit of man, the intellectual and more exalted part of his nature, is, in consequence of the fall, so impaired and disordered, as to have lost its ascendancy over the body and soul, the inferior and merely animal part of his frame; which in another passage is called the flesh, with its affections and lusts"." "In our flesh dwelleth no good thing;" for "we see a law in our members warring against the law of our mind, and bringing us into captivity to the law of sin which is in our members;" so that "they that are in the flesh cannot please God." "But," adds the Apostle, "ye are not in the flesh, but in the spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you." For, as our Lord observes, "that which is born of the flesh, is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit, is spirit." And we must derive this spiritual life from "the second Adam, who was made a quickening spirit;" for he "baptizeth with the Holy Ghost," and has instituted the external and visible sign of water in baptism, as a symbol of the inward and spiritual grace of regeneration by the

a Article IX. On Original or Birth Sin.- - A reference to the remainder of that Article will further shew, how closely our Reformers adhered to the scriptural representation of the constitution of our nature, and of the disorder which the fall has occasioned.

b Gal. v. 24,

d 1 Cor. xv. 45.

e Rom. vii. 18, 23; viii. 8, 9.

e John i. 33.

Holy Ghost; to be "a means whereby we receive the same, and a pledge to assure us thereof."

He who has observed, and duly considered, this Scriptural view of the constitution of man, as consisting of "body, soul, and spirit'," will find that many passages have appeared obscure, principally in consequence of inattention to the uniformity and consistency which characterises the language of Scripture on this subject. He will see how the word of God "pierces even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirits," in its accurate descriptions of the state of human nature; and how wondrously the blessings which it announces are adapted to the spiritual necessities of man. A summary of the design of the Gospel, as "the ministration of the Spirit"," and of its necessity in order to the regeneration and salvation of mankind, is given by our Lord to Nicodemus; the whole of which we will now cite, in the hope that the preceding remarks may have tended to elucidate them. "Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh, is flesh; and that

• The original words are σώμα, ψυχή, and πνεῦμα ; and σαρξ is frequently used, and contrasted with veja, as including the two first.

g Heb. iv. 12.

h 2 Cor. iii. 8.

which is born of the Spirit, is spirit.

Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth; so is every one that is born of the Spirit."

By the comparison employed in the conclusion of these words, our Lord teaches us, that although he, "who is born of the Spirit," cannot discover the cause, or comprehend the mode, of the operations of the Spirit, this does not disprove their necessity, or their reality; for he can perceive their effects. To adopt the language of an Apostle on this subject, such an one knows that the "natural man (ψυχικός άνθρωπος) receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." He knows that there is a "spirit in man; and that the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding;" so that "he that is spiritual judgeth all things." He knows that "if he lives after the flesh, he shall die; but if through the spirit, he mortifies the deeds of the body, he shall live;"-that "if he have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his; and if Christ be in him, the body is dead, because of sin, but the spirit is life, because of righteousness;" that "they that are Christ's, have crucified

a 1 Cor. ii. 14, 15.

c Rom. viii. 13, 9, 10.

b Job xxxii. 8.

the flesh, with the affections and lusts;"—that "if he walks in the spirit, he shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh","-that "as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the Sons of God;" —that "the Spirit itself beareth witness with their spirit, that they are the children of God; and if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christe."

Thus comprehensive and important is this first and most difficult portion of the discourse of our Lord to Nicodemus. We shall now do little more than refer to the remaining parts of it; especially as some of the views, which they contain, will hereafter come under our notice, particularly in the discourse delivered after the cure of the impotent man; which is a continuation and enlargement of some of the statements made to Nicodemus.

II. Surprised and perplexed by what he had just heard, Nicodemus asked, "How can these things be? Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things? Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen, and ye receive not our witness. If I have told you earthly things and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?