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in this respect: not that I would discourage good books of any kind; but I suspect the temptation does exist, and is too often successful in drawing the Christian from his Bible. I am persuaded, that a few hours may very profitably be employed in converse with the Divine writings. Let prayer be joined with meditation; and the Scriptures divided into three parts. First, the Old Testament, as far as Isaiah, secondly, The testimony of the prophets themselves; thirdly, The New Testament. Let one of these sections be chosen, and read on attentively; and it may be profitable to consult the marginal references, especially in the writings of the prophets. Remember, O Christian! it is the quality, and not the quantity, of thy reading which renders it most profitable. Be careful what kind of expositors you consult; for many false prophets are gone forth into the world. There is one mode which some have adopted; but I cannot fully approve of it. Some cases may occur, in which ancient customs may throw a degree of light on the text; but many of these interpretations are calculated to excite an idea that the Scriptures are veiled with great obscurity. They remind me of a good man of the past age, who preached from that text, 'Fools make a mock at sin.' It was usual, in those days, to introduce a doctrine as explanatory of the text, and preach from it. This person proceeded in his usual course; and the doctrine founded on his text, was 'Fools make a mock at sin;' which explanation left the text where it found it; so it is with many expositors. If I were inclined to dispute any passage in the word of God, I should smile at an opponent who should endeavor to convince me, by the custom of a modern heathenish

brahmin, or practice of some wandering Arab. Let us not darken counsel by words; but rather be concerned that the word of Christ may dwell in our hearts richly in all wisdom.

ON REGENERATION.

CAN it be clearly proved, either from the nature of the subject itself, or by any Scriptural evidence, "That regeneration is ever a gradual, and not always an instantaneous effect?"

SIR,

ANSWER.

To answer the question of your correspondent respecting regeneration, it only requires to be understood what he includes in the term Regeneration, and then the question will answer itself. If it simply mean that change which passes in the soul by the influence of the Holy Spirit, whereby it is delivered from a state of spiritual death, and raised to newness of life, Scripture and reason teach us, that such a change, as a work of God, must be instantaneous; because, in spiritual as in natural things, there is no medium between life and death, light and darkness, a being delivered from the wrath of God, and an acceptance into his favor. If, however, by the term Regeneration, be meant the whole work of fitting a sinner for heaven, then the term containing under it the actings of the new-birth, or the work of sanctification, it must be gradual and progressive; because there is "a growth in grace,” “a

making men meet for the inheritance with them that are sanctified," "a growing up into Christ Jesus in all things."

THE NATURE OF REGENERATION CONSIDERED.

"Does the Spirit of God in regeneration produce a new principle in the heart, or only impart a new light in the understanding?" TARDUS.

MR. EDITOR,

THE question, as stated by your correspondent, I consider as important; and as admitting of a satisfactory answer. Whether I shall be able to afford him satisfaction I cannot tell, but will do the best I can towards it. If we were called to determine how, or in what manner the Holy Spirit operates upon the human mind, great difficulties might attend our inquiries; but the purport of this question seems to relate not to the modus of his operations, but to the nature of what is produced. To this I should answer, The Spirit of God in regeneration does produce a new principle in the heart, and not merely impart a new light to the understanding.' The reasons for this position are as fol

low:

First, That which the Holy Spirit imparts in regeneration corresponds to his own nature: it is holiness, or spirituality; "That which is born of the Spirit, is spirit." But mere light in the understanding, as distinguished from the bias of the temper of the heart, has nothing in it spiritual or holy; it is a mere exercise of intellect, in which there is neither good nor evil. The Scriptures, it is true, make frequent mention of spiritual light, and of such light being imparted by the Spirit of God; but VOL. III.

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the terms light and knowledge, as frequently used in Scripture, are not to be understood in a literal, but in a figurative sense. As spiritual darkness or blindness is not a mere defect of the understanding, so spiritual light is not the mere supplying of such defect. Each of these terms conveys a compound idea, the one of ignorance and aversion; the other of knowledge and love. Hence the former is described as a blindness of the heart, and the latter as an understanding with the heart.* If I understand any thing of the theory of the human mind, there is a kind of action and re-action of the understanding and the affections upon each other. We are not only affected with things by our judgment concerning them; but we judge of many things as we are affected towards them. Every one feels how easy it is to believe that as true which corresponds with our inclinations. Now, so far as the decisions of judgment are the consequence of the temper of the heart, so far they are either virtuous or vicious. Of this kind is spiritual blindness. Men do not like to retain God in their knowledge. They desire not the knowledge of his ways. Hence ignorance, in this figurative or compound sense of the term, stands threatened with the most awful judgments, Pour out thy wrath upon the heathen that know thee not; Christ will come in flaming fire to take vengeance on them that know not God. Of this kind also is spiritual light: hence the following language, I will give them a heart to know me. God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus. This is

Eph. iv. 18. John xii. 40.

that holy or spiritual knowledge which it is life eternal to possess; of which the natural man is destitute; which would lead us to ask for living water; and which, had the Jewish rulers possessed, they would not have crucified the Lord of Glory. Ye neither know me nor my Father, said our Lord to the Jews; if ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also. The want of this knowledge was the sin of the Jews; and, as we have seen already, stands threatened with Divine judgments; but the mere want of knowledge, according to the strict and literal meaning of the term, and where it arises not from any evil bias of the heart, which has induced us to slight or neglect the means, is not criminal; but, on the contrary, excuses that which would otherwise be criminal. Abimelech pleaded his ignorance of David's supposed rebellion before Saul; and it ought, no doubt, to have acquitted him. If the Jews had not enjoyed such means of knowledge as they did, comparatively speaking, they had not had sin. Further: Spiritual knowledge, or knowledge according to the figurative or compound sense of the term, has the promise of eternal life; but knowledge, literally taken, as distinguished from the temper of the heart, may exist in the most wicked characters, such as Balaam and Judas; and though in itself it be neither good nor evil, yet it may be, and generally is, an occasion of greater aversion to God and religion. Thus our Lord told the Jews, Ye have both seen and hated both me and my Father. Thus many amongst us, who have long sat under the preaching of the gospel, and long been the subjects of keen conviction, feel their enmity keep pace with their knowledge; and thus, at the last judgment

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