nmbition. Dut the kingdoms cf this world, and their glory, have no chann for Chr,Ht. It is in humn.n hearts that he desires and loves to reign. He has undou Lterlly an external empire; but this ho possesses in virtue of his spiritual sway. III. T11E SPinlTUAL KINGDOM JS GOVERNED BY R!GHTF.OUS LAWS, The ordinances of earthly governments aim at justice, and in varying degrees they· secure thrir aim. Yet they partake of human imperfection. But of the laws of Christ, and of his arostlt•s, who spoke with his n.uthority, we may say that they are the expressions of the Etern;;[ Mind. It is no grievance to obey them. They realize our moral ideals, i.e. in their intention and requirements. Their observance tends to the highest human good an,[ well-being. Their practical and universal prevalence would make earth heaven. IV. Tim SPIRlTUAL KINGDOM IB ENTERED BY COMPLIANCE WITH CONJJITIO~S PF.P.SO~.I r, AND SPIRITUAL. Men are born subjects of the Queen of England; but they mmt he born anew of water and of the Spirit, in order that they may become subjects of the Lord Christ. Both the Catholic and the Puritan ideas of regeneration convey this trutl,. The one lays more stress upon the baptism, which symbolizes a heavenly i1,fluence; the other upon the individual experience, which emphasizes the ~piritual personality. Bot\ alike agree with the scriptural assertion that Christianity, in its Divine com,,letencss, involv:es men's participation in newness of convictions, newness of feeling-, newness of principle, newness of life. The new birth begins the new life. The birth, no douht, directs our thoughts to a. Divine agency; the new life leads us to think of the hnman co-operation. And the kingdom of the just and holy Christ is characterized both by tht1 Divine provision and by the hll.llla.n acceptance, both by the Divine authority and the human submission. V. THE SPIRITUAL KINGDOM IS DISTINGUISHED BY MANY AND VALUABLE PRIVILEGES. The citizenship of a great nation, of a powerful city, is prized :i.rnong men for the sake of-its accruing honours and advantages. Oivis Romanus sum was no empty boast. Far greater a.re the immunities and honours and joys connected with citizenship in the kingdom of Christ. The safety which io experienced beneath Divine protection, the happiness which flows from Divine favour, the spiritual profit which accompanies sub- mission to Divine requirements,-these are some of the privileges accorded to such ad are within, unknown to t1uch as are without, the heavenly kingdom of the Son of God. VJ, _THE SPIRITUAL KINGDOM HAS BEFORE IT A DESTIN_Y BRIGHT AND GLORIOUS, All earthly kingdoms bear within them the seeds of corruption and decay. From these the spiritual state is free. H is subject to no "decline and fall.* Because Divine, it is incorruptible; and because incorruptible, imperishable-" an everlasting kingdom, a dominion enduring unto all generations."-T.
Ver. 7.-" Born anew I" The turn which our Lord Jesus gave to this conversation with Nicodemus must have been a great surprise to the "t~acher of Israel." The thoughts of the rabbi seem to have run, naturally enough, upon outward and tangible realities. To him a prophet was allthenticated by " signs; " a "kingdom " was some- thing of political interest, "birth" was physical, etc. Christ's way of looking at religion, and a.t the religious life, evidently perplexed him. Yet it would seem that afterwards, when these new ideas had penetrated his mind, he came to sympathize with the mis- sion and the methods of the Messiah. He exchanged his carnal views for such as were spiritual, his timidity for boldness, his questioning for a confident faith. I. THE SUBJECT OF TIIE NEW BIRTH. In opposition to the prejudices of Nicodemus, who at first could think only of a body 11,11 susceptible of birth, our Lord taught that the spirit of ma.n ma.y be born anew, and must be so born iu order to the experience of highest blessing. II. Tw: NEED OF THE NEW BIRTH. This is to be remarked in the nature of the old and 'Unregenerate life. 'l'he soul which is misled by error, which is abandoned to siu, which is strange to the favour of God, needs to be born anew. Carnal views of religion, selfish principles of life, need to be eradicated from the soul. But evil is so iuwrought into man's constitution and habits that he needs to be spiritually reconstructed in order thnt he may see as God sees, feel as God feels, act as God wills. III. THE POWEn OF THE NEW DIRTH. 'l'ho chnnge to be effected is so radical and so complete that no human means can avail to bring it a.bout. Hence, as our Lord teache,, the necessity for the opArations of the Spirit of God-mighty, though mysterious, as thu 14-4 THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. JOHN. [oH, m. 1-30
rush of the wind when it bends the trees of the forest and rous in its fierceness, though man can neit.her see nor oomprehend it. This we know: that if the spirit of mnn iR t.be scene of transforming operations, if spiritual results are to be wrought, the Spirit of GCld alnne can account for such a process. IV. TnE PROOF OF THE NEW BIRTH. In a word, this is the new life. The interest ot birth lies in the life to which it is the introduction. So is it in the spiritual realm. The higher, the spiritual life, is a contrast to the old; it is marked by all that is divinely excellent and beautiful, and it is immortal, beincr0 perfected only in the presence and the fellowship of God himself.-T.