Now suppose that some of had said—­the Son of God has declared “except we are born of the flesh, we cannot see the natural world.”  This must mean some great change we are to experience in the womb—­we must be born some number of days before we enter the natural world, as a preparation, otherwise we can never see it.

We now ask the reader, whether it would not be folly to give to the word birth such an explanation?  The Conclusion is unavoidable.  We then ask, whether it does not involve the same folly to contend, in view of our text, ("except a man be born again, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God”) that it means, he must be born again in this world, as a preparation for another?  It certainly does.

We once more repeat it—­that as natural birth was the very thing that introduced us all into this world of imperfection, sorrow and pain; so the spiritual birth will be the very thing, that shall introduce us all into another, where, imperfection, sorrow and pain shall be no more.

The poor heathen, and infants, and all, will therefore be born again into the kingdom of God, and “be equal unto the angels, die no more, and be the children of God, being the children of the resurrection.”  The only advantage we enjoy above them is, that we have heard the good news, believed it, are “born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God which liveth and abideth forever,” and “have entered into rest.”  We are rejoicing in hope of the glory of God to be revealed in us, while they are groping in darkness, inasmuch, as they cannot believe in him of whom they have not heard.

In our next, we shall close this subject by urging the importance of the new birth through faith in the truth.

SERMON XI

“Jesus answered and said unto him, verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”  John iii. 3.

In our last three discourses we have endeavoured to lay our views of the new birth thus far plainly before the reader, and wish him to bear in mind that the three sermons, preceding those on the new birth, are also to be read, and carefully kept in view, so that, from the whole connexion, the gospel doctrine of salvation by faith may be made clear to his understanding.  We dwelt so long, and laid so much stress upon faith, because it is the first christian grace, we are exhorted to put on, and is the first assent of the mind to the great and interesting truth revealed in the gospel of Jesus Christ, which is life and immortality for the human family.