of entering into it unless they be born again; and it is clearly stated in the 6th verse: "That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit." In this comprehensive sentence, he places in vivid contrast the two great classes into which all men are divided in Scripture, I mean the regenerate and the unregenerate; but he does so in such a way as to intimate that all men belong naturally to the same class; and that, if any have been restored, it was by their being born again. When he speaks of the flesh, he does not refer to the body, but to the soul; for, although the term is sometimes used to denote our corporeal frame, as when the apostle speaks of his "living or abiding in the flesh," it is more frequently, and always when contradistinguished as it is here from the Spirit, employed to denote our whole nature, as naturally fallen and yet unrenewed; as when the apostle says, "So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God; but ye are not in the flesh, but in the spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you." In this sense it corresponds to "the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;" and to "the natural man, which receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God," and is distinguished from the " new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness." Hence we read of "sinful flesh," and the "fleshly mind," of which it is said, that the “carnal mind is enmity against God." When he says, "That which is born of the flesh is flesh," he intimates that every human being, as he is born of the flesh or of fallen parents, is himself flesh, fallen,

corrupted and depraved; that this is his natural state, his state as he is born, and in which he remains until he is born again; so that every man, without any exception, may say with David, "Behold I was shapen in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me." And when he adds, "that which is born of the Spirit is spirit," he intimates, indeed, that there are now two classes of men in the world-the one natural, the other spiritual-the one regenerate, the other unregenerate; but that this arises not from any original difference, still less from any spontaneous separation, but from a change which has been wrought on some, while the rest remain as they were,-a change which is directly ascribed to the regenerating grace of the Spirit of God. But naturally all belong to the same class and partake of the same character; and although there may be, and doubtless there are, manifold diversities of disposition, and innumerable degrees of guilt among unconverted men, yet in the one-the only point of essential importance-" there is no difference, for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God."

Such is the supposition on which our Lord's statement rests the supposition of the universally fallen and corrupted state of human nature; and did we really believe this truth,-did we receive it in its full scriptural import, and in its application to our own souls individually-we should have little difficulty in perceiving the necessity of a great spiritual change, and the impossibility of our being saved without being born again. But this doctrine of natural depravity,

although uniformly assumed in the Bible, and frequently asserted in express terms, and abundantly verified by the experience of our own hearts, as well as by the universal history of the world, is so offensive and alarming to every unconverted man, that he is prone, if not to deny its general truth, at least to mitigate and soften its meaning, in so far as it applies to his own case; and hence many a one who admits in general terms, because he cannot decently deny, that he is a sinner, shows by his whole spirit and conversation, that he has no idea of what is implied in this confession, and no heartfelt conviction that he needs to be born again. He admits that he has some imperfections—some natural frailties, some human infirmities; he may even charge himself with a few occasional delinquencies-with the omission, or careless discharge of duty, and perhaps with certain acts of positive transgression. But while he admits his imperfection to this extent, he is unwilling to believe that he is so utterly fallen as to be unable to restore himself, or to stand in need of so great a change as is implied in being "born again!" Hence, when his conscience is at any time impressed, he thinks of nothing more than a mere outward reformation, a little more attention to duty, a little more circumspection in his ordinary conduct; and thus "cleansing the outside of the cup and platter," he looks for acceptance with God, and admission into his kingdom, although, inwardly, no change has been wrought, none that can, even in his own estimation, correspond with, or deserve to be called-a new spiritual birth. If any

such shall read these lines, it should be a very solemn reflection to them, that the Lord Jesus, when he spake to a self-righteous Pharisee, a master in Israel, made no account of his exterior decency, but insisted on the necessity of his being born again; and that, too, in terms which declare that this necessity is alike absolute and universal, there being no man of whom it is not true, that he must be converted or condemned. If you imagine, then, that you may enter into the kingdom in some other way, and that you have no need to undergo that great preparatory change, I beseech you to remember that the Lord Jesus is of a different mind-that he makes no exception in your behalf, but affirms, without qualification or reserve, that " except A MAN be born again, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." That solemn statement rests on the fact of our universal depravity; and even were it more difficult than it is to discover the grounds and reasons on which it is founded,—such a declaration, coming from him who is at once the only Saviour and the unerring Judge, should impress our minds with the conviction, that the matter is finally settled and determined by an authority which no power in heaven or on earth can challenge or resist. His authority in this matter is supreme, and one distinct statement of his will should be received as a final and irreversible decision; but the same testimony is often repeated, and in great variety of language. At one time he tells you, Except you repent, ye shall all likewise perish;" at another, "If ye believe not, ye shall die in your sins ;” at a third, "Unless ye be con

verted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of God." But in his words to Nicodemus there is a remarkable peculiarity; he does not merely declare that no unregenerate man shall be admitted; he affirms that he CANNOT, that it is impossible he should be; and it is to the grounds on which this impossibility is affirmed that I now proceed to speak.

II. In the Scriptures, we read of some things that are impossible with men, but which are not impossible with God; and of other things that are impossible both with God and man. Some things that are impossible with men are possible with God, and to these the angel referred, when he said to Mary, "With God nothing shall be impossible;" and our Lord himself, when he said to the disciples, " With God all things are possible." But while, in respect to any mere natural difficulty, God's Almighty power is more than sufficient to overcome it; there are certain things which may be said to be impossible with God himself --not from any defect of power on his part, but from their repugnance to his essential attributes, and their opposition to his unchangeable will. Hence we read, that "it is impossible for God to lie," that he " cannot deny himself," and that " without faith it is impossible to please him," the things supposed being in their own nature contrary to the essential character of God, so that he cannot be as he is--he must cease to be God, before these things can come to pass. It will be found, that to this class of moral impossibilities the salvation of an unregenerate man belongs.