the Prophets, concerning the numerous converts that were to be made to the Church, are, by their Rabbins, and the Chaldee paraphrase, applied to this spiritual generation, which they believed would remarkably take place in the days of the Messiah; particularly those two passages in the Psalms, in one whereof the spiritual sons of the Church are compared to the drops of the morning dew, Psal. xlv. 16; cx. 3; not only on account of its celestial purity, but also with regard to the vast multitude of them. Some of these doctors also observe, that the number of proselytes would be so great in the days of the Messiah, that the Church, omitting the ceremony of circumcision, would receive them into its bosom, and initiate them by ablution or baptism. Concerning this renovation of the mind, Philo Judæus says expressly, "God, who is unbegotten Himself, and begets all things, sows this seed, as it were, with his own hand, &c.*" Hierocles, and other Pythagorean philosophers, treat also of this moral or mystical regeneration; and under this very name, Plutarch also makes mention of it, and defines it to be "the mortification of irrational and irregular appetites." And Seneca's words relative to this subject are: "The families of the arts and sciences are the most noble, choose into which of them you will be adopted, for by this means we may be born according to our own choice; nor will you be adopted into the name only, but also into the goods of the family +." Is not, also, the common custom that prevailed among the ancients, of honouring their heroes, and those men who were remarkable for exalted virtue, with the title of sons of God, a plain allusion to this adoption we have under our consideration? And what we have observed on the philosophers, who acknowledged this moral or metaphorical regeneration, is so very * Αγέννητος ὁ Θεός, καὶτ ὰ συμπαντά γεννῶν, σπείρει μεν τοῦτο το γέννημα τὸ ἴδιον, &c. + Nobilissimæ sunt ingeniorum familiæ, elige in quam adscisci velis, hac enim ratione, nobis ad arbitrium nostrum nasci licet; nec in nomen tantum adoptaberis, sed et in ipsa bona. true, that it gave a handle to the fictions of those ancient heretics who evaded the whole doctrine and faith of the last resurrection, by putting this figurative sense upon it. As to what the Roman philosopher observes, that we may be born in this manner at our own pleasure or discretion, though, to be sure, it is not without our consent, yet, it does not altogether, nor principally depend upon us. Our sacred and apostolic doctrine presents us with much more just and pure notions on this subject, when it teaches us, that Of His own will He begat us by the word of truth. Jam. i. 18. This is also represented in express terms in those words of the gospel which immediately follow the passage we mentioned at the beginning of this discourse. Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. John i. 13. And, with great propriety, there is immediately added, another generation still more wonderful and mysterious, which is the principal and source of this renovation of ours: The Word was made flesh. For, to this end, God was pleased to clothe himself with our flesh, that He might put His Spirit within us, whereby we, though carnal in consequence of the corruption of our nature, might be born again into a new, spiritual, and Divine life. The Holy Ghost, by overshadowing the blessed virgin, was, in a very particular manner, the author of the human nature of the Son of God; and to the virtue and Divine power of the same Spirit, all the adopted children of the Deity owe their new birth. And as creation goes sometimes under the name of generation; (for instance, in the words of Moses, Deut. xxxii. 18.). Of the Rock that begot thee thou art unmindful, and hast forgotten the God that formed thee: that book also of the Bible, which, from the first word of it, is called Bereshith, is by the Greeks named Genesis, and in the oldest copy of the Septuagint, The generation of the world; and, in the beginning of it, Moses, speaking of the creation of the world, says, These are the generations of the heaven and the earth. (Gen. ii. 4.) So, on the other hand, this spiritual generation is called creation, and with an additional epithet, the new creation. It has also for its author, the same powerful Spirit of God, who of old sat upon the face of the waters as a bird upon its young, or, as St. Basil renders it, hatched: so, also, in conversion, the same Spirit rests upon our uninformed minds, that are lifeless, unprepared, and nothing at all but emptiness and obscurity, and out of this darknesss brings forth light, which was the first and most beautiful ornament of the universe. To which the Apostle also alludes in his second epistle to the Corinthians, ch. iv. ver. 6. The resurrection of the dead, is also the peculiar work of this living Spirit of God; and to Him the apostle Peter expressly ascribes the resurrection of Christ: For Christ also, says he, hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit. 1 Pet. iii. 18. And here, again, there is a mutual exchange of names; for, in the gospel according to Matthew, the resurrection of the dead is called the regeneration: Verily, I say unto you, says our Lord, that ye which have followed me in the regeneration, when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye shall also sit upon twelve thrones. Matt. xix. 28. Here, In the regeneration, must be connected with the following words, and by no means with those that go before. And that this was a common method of speaking among the Jews, appears from Josephus, "To those," says he, "whose fate it is to die for observing the law, God has given the privileges of being born again, and enjoying a more happy life, so that they are gainers by the exchange *." In like manner Philo saith, "We shall hasten to the generation after death, &c.+" On the other hand, it is very well known, that this spiritual regeneration we are speaking of, is often in Scripture called the resurrection. Of this resurrection, the word of the gospel is, as it were, the trumpet; and, at the same time, the immortal seed of this * Τοῖς ὑπέρ νόμων διαφυλάχθεντων ἀποθανοῦσι ἔδωκεν ὁ Θεὸς γίνεσθαι τέ παλιν καὶ βίον αμείνω λαβειν έκ περιτροπης. Lib. i. cont. App. * Εἰς παλιγγενεσίαν ὁρμησομεν μετα τὸν θάνατον, new birth, and therefore, of immortality itself. Thus it is represented by the apostle Peter, 1 Pet. 23, and by the apostle James, who expressly tells us, that He hath begotten us with the word of truth. Jam. i. 18. Now, the enlivening virtue and plastic power of this word is derived from the Holy Ghost, who is the true spring and fountain of this new life. Nor are the most extended powers of the human mind, or the strength of its understanding, any more able to restore this life within it, even upon hearing the glad tidings of the gospel, than it was capable of producing itself at first, or of being the author of its own being, or, after death, of restoring itself to life. To this exalted dignity are admitted the humble, the poor, the obscure, the ignorant, barbarians, slaves, sinners, whom the world look upon as nothing, and hold in the greatest contempt; of these nothing is required but true and sincere faith; no learning, nor noble extract, nor any submission to the Mosaic law; but upon every man, of whatever rank or condition, who believes this word, He in return bestows this dignity, that they should become the sons of God; that is, that what Christ was by nature, they should become by grace. Now, what is more sublime and exalted than this honour, that those who were formerly children of Satan, and heirs of hell, should by faith alone be made the sons of God, brethren of Christ, and jointheirs of the heavenly kingdom? If the sacred fire of the Romans happened at any time to be extinguished, it could only be lighted again at the rays of the sun. The life of souls, to be sure, is a sacred flame of Divine love: this flame, as we are now born into the froward race of fallen mankind, is, alas! but too truly and unhappily extinguished, and by no means to be kindled again, but by the enlivening light and heat of the Sun of righteousness, who is most auspiciously risen upon us. LECTURE XVI. Of REGENERATION. THE great corruption of mankind, and their innate disposition to every sort of wickedness, even the doctors of the heathen nations, that is, their philosophers and theologers, and their poets also, were sensible of, and acknowledged; though they were quite ignorant of the source from which this calamity was derived. They all own, "That it is natural to man to sin*." Even your favourite philosopher, who prevails in the schools, declares, that we are "strongly inclined to vicet;" and speaking of the charms and allurements of forbidden pleasures, he observes, that mankind by nature "is easily catched in these snares." The Roman philosopher takes notice, "That the way to vice is not only a descent, but a downright precipice §." And the comic poet, "That mankind has always been, in every respect, a deceitful, subtle creature." The satirist likewise observes, "That we are all easily prevailed on to imitate things that are in their nature wicked and disgraceful ¶." And the lyric poet, "That the human race, bold to attempt the greatest dangers, rushes with impetuosity upon forbidden crimes **" All the wise men among the heathens exerted their utmost to remedy this evil by precepts and institutions of philosophy, but to very little purpose. They could not, by all their arts and * Συμφύτον εἶναί τοῖς ἀνθρώποις το ἁμαρτάνειν. + Eixaragógous. Arist. Eth. ii. * Ευθήρατον εἶναι ὑπό τῶν τοιουτῶν. § Ad vitia, non tantum pronum iter, sed et præceps. || Δόλερος μὲν δει κατὰ πάντα δή τρόπον. Gens humana ruit per vetitum nefas. HoR. Carm. lib. 1. Od. 3. VOL. IV. U |