On Regeneration.
2 CORINTHIANS v. 17.
_If any man be in CHRIST, he is a new creature._
THE doctrine of our regeneration, or new birth in CHRIST JESUS, though one of the most fundamental doctrines of our holy religion; though so plainly and often pressed on us in sacred writ, “that he who runs may read;” nay though it is the very hinge on which the salvation of each of us turns, and a point too in which all sincere christians, of every denomination, agree; yet it is so seldom considered, and so little experimentally understood by the generality of professors, that were we to judge of the truth of it, by the experience of most who call themselves christians, we should be apt to imagine they had “not so much as heard” whether there be any such thing as regeneration or not. It is true, men for the most part are orthodox in the common articles of their creed; they believe “there is but one GOD, and one Mediator between GOD and men, even the man CHRIST JESUS;” and that there is no other name given under heaven, whereby they can be saved, besides his: But then tell them, they must be regenerated, they must be born again, they must be renewed in the very spirit, in the inmost faculties of their minds, ere they can truly call CHRIST, “Lord, Lord,” or have an evidence that they have any share in the merits of his precious blood; and they are ready to cry out with _Nicodemus_, “How can these things be?” Or with the _Athenians_, on another occasion, “What will this babler say? he seemeth to be a setter-forth of strange doctrines;” because we preach unto them CHRIST, and the new-birth.
That I may therefore contribute my mite towards curing the fatal mistake of such persons, who would thus put asunder what GOD has inseparably joined together, and vainly think they are justified by CHRIST, or have their sins forgiven, and his perfect obedience imputed to them, when they are not sanctified, have not their natures changed, and made holy, I shall beg leave to enlarge on the words of the text in the following manner:
_First_, I shall endeavour to explain what is meant by being in CHRIST: “If any man be in CHRIST.”
_Secondly_, What we are to understand by being a new creature: “If any man be in CHRIST he is a new creature.”
_Thirdly_, I shall produce some arguments to make good the apostle’s assertion. And
_Fourthly_, I shall draw some inferences from what may be delivered, and then conclude with a word or two of exhortation.
_First_, I am to endeavour to explain what is meant by this expression in the text, “If any man be in CHRIST.”
Now a person may be said to be in CHRIST two ways.
_First_, Only by an outward profession. And in this sense, every one that is called a christian, or baptized into CHRIST’s church, may be said to be in CHRIST. But that this is not the sole meaning of the apostle’s phrase before us, is evident, because then, every one that names the name of CHRIST, or is baptized into his visible church, would be a new creature. Which is notoriously false, it being too plain, beyond all contradiction, that comparatively but few of those that are “born of water,” are “born of the Spirit” likewise; to use another spiritual way of speaking, many are baptized with water, which were never baptized with the Holy Ghost.
To be in CHRIST therefore, in the full import of the word, must certainly mean something more than a bare outward profession, or being called after his name. For, as this same apostle tells us, “All are not _Israelites_ that are of _Israel_,” so when applied to christianity, all are not real christians that are nominally such. Nay, this is so far from being the case, that our blessed LORD himself informs us, that many who have prophesied or preached in his name, and in his name cast out devils, and done many wonderful works, shall notwithstanding be dismissed at the last day, with “depart from me, I know you not, ye workers of iniquity.”
It remains therefore, that this expression, “if any man be in CHRIST,” must be understood in a
_Second_ and closer signification, to be _in him_ so as to partake of the benefits of his sufferings. To be in him not only by an outward profession, but by an inward change and purity of heart, and cohabitation of his holy spirit. To be in him, so as to be mystically united to him by a true and lively faith, and thereby to receive spiritual virtue from him, as the members of the natural body do from the head, or the branches from the vine. To be in him in such a manner as the apostle, speaking of himself, acquaints us he knew a person was, “I knew ♦a man in CHRIST,” a true christian; or, as he himself desires to be in CHRIST, when he wishes, in his epistle to the _Philippians_, that he might be found in him.
♦ missing article “a” inserted