THE NEW BIRTH. JOHN iii. 7.
_Ye must be born again._
1. IF any doctrine within the whole compass of Christianity may be properly termed fundamental, they are doubtless these two, the doctrine of justification, and that of the new birth: the former relating to that great work, which God does _for us_, in forgiving our sins; the latter, to the great work, which God does _in us_, in renewing our fallen nature. In order of time, neither of these is before the other: in the moment we are justified by the grace of God, thro’ the redemption that is in Jesus, we are also _born of the Spirit_: but in order of thinking, as it is termed, justification precedes the new birth. We first conceive his wrath to be turned away, and then his Spirit to work in our hearts.
2. How great importance then must it be of to every child of man, throughly to understand these fundamental doctrines? From a full conviction of this, many excellent men have wrote very largely concerning justification, explaining every point relating thereto, and opening the scriptures which treat upon it. Many likewise have wrote on the new birth; and some of them largely enough: but yet not so clearly as might have been desired; nor so deeply and accurately: having either given a dark, abstruse account of it, or a slight and superficial one. Therefore a full, and at the same time, a clear account of the new birth seems to be wanting still: such as may enable us to give a satisfactory answer to these three questions, _first_, Why must we be born again? What is the foundation of this doctrine of the new birth? _Secondly_, How must we be born again? What is the nature of the new birth? And _thirdly_, Wherefore must we be born again? To what end is it necessary? These questions, by the assistance of God, I shall briefly and plainly answer, and then subjoin a few inferences which will naturally follow.
I. 1. And, _first_, Why must we be born again? What is the foundation of this doctrine? The foundation of it lies near as deep as the creation of the world: *In the scriptural account whereof we read, [3]_And_ God, the three-one God, _said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. So_ God _created man in his own image, in the image of_ God _created he him_: not barely in his _natural image_, a picture of his own immortality, a spiritual being, endued with understanding, freedom of will, and various affections: not merely in his _political image_, the governor of this lower world, having _dominion over the fishes of the sea, and over all the earth_: but chiefly in his _moral image_, which according to the apostle, is [4]_righteousness and true holiness_. In this image of God was man made. God _is love_: accordingly man at his creation was full of love: which was the sole principle of all his tempers, thoughts, words and actions. God is full of justice, mercy and truth: so was man as he came from the hands of his Creator. God is spotless purity: and so man was in the beginning pure from every sinful blot. Otherwise God could not have pronounced _him_, as well as all the other works of his hands, [5]_very good_. This he could not have been, had he not been pure from sin, and filled with righteousness and true holiness. For there is no medium: if we suppose an intelligent creature, not to love God, not to be righteous and holy, we necessarily suppose him not to be good at all: much less to be _very good_.