Seeing him rather anxious, I said, "My dear friend, make yourself quite easy on that subject, I will come to see you daily." At this, his countenance wore a smile, and with much apparent pleasure he said, "Will you? then I am satisfied." Perceiving his eyes directed to the table, I asked him, if he wanted any thing? "Yes," he replied, "give me that book; look at that page, fold down the leaf, and recollect that I give it to you as my charge, that if the disease increases, and death is approaching, you read to me that chapter; it has afforded me much peace and comfort already, and I hope it will again: put it in your pocket." It was Doddridge's Rise and Progress of Religion; and the chapter entitled, "The Christian rejoicing in the views of death and judgment."

Saturday, about 2 P.M. I visited him again. In the most solemn and affecting manner he said to me, "There is a great work going on, and all of it is preparing for the judgment-day; there it will be tried: what a scrutiny! what a day!" I made no reply; but he looked as if he anticipated an answer, when I said, "That day will be the most joyful and glorious that you have ever seen." "Yes, if I am saved," he replied. It was then observed, "All who believe in Jesus shall be saved; and you have believed, have you not?" " O yes." ." "Christ is the only refuge, and you have fled to him, have you not?" "He is my only refuge." "Christ is the foundation of his church, and for many years you have been resting on him, have you not?"" Yes, O yes, this subject has occupied my mind a good deal this morning, and very pleasant it has been to my soul." After a short time, I arose to come away. He perceived it, and said, "What! are you going to leave me?-you shall not leave me -stop,

I wish to say to you, Knill, Labour for Jesus Christ, as long as you have breath in your body." It entered into my very soul; I felt it as a voice from the tomb! " Yes," said I, "that is my desire; I have devoted myself to his service; for this cause I left my native land."-" That is right," he replied, "Christ is worthy, Christ is worthy; preach the pure gospel, warn every man to beware of trusting in their own riglıteousness. O what a day is coming! what a day will the judgment-day be! what scenes will then appear! you know there is a propensity in men to trust in themselves, but warn them. O could I but give you a view of my thoughts on that subject! - It is too vast; - but this let me tell you, that dreadful beyond description will it be for all those, who are not placing all their hopes of heaven on the Lord Jesus Christ!" These were almost the last words he said to me, or to any person. He rapidly sunk under his disease, and on Monday night, about midnight, he died. Dr. Paterson and some other Christian friends were present praying for an easy dismission, at the moment when the spirit took its flight to realms of day.

March,

Mr. Kuill intimated his intention on the ensuing Lord's day, to preach from Rev. xiv. 13. "Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord." His pastor communicated the substance of this Memoir to the congregation in New-court, on the 18th of in a discourse on Rev. xvii. 14. "They that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful." And it is highly honourable to his memory, that at the Annual Meeting of the General Committee of the St. Petersburg Prison Society, held on the 27th of January, o. s. His Excellency Prince Alexander Galitzin delivered an address containing a high eulogium on the character of this excellent man, expressing affec

tionate regret at the loss of so active and efficient a fellow-labourer, who was indeed the prime mover, under Providence, in this great work; and exhibiting in the mind of the noble and eminent speaker, the warmest attachment to real vital Christianity. This admirable address concludes with the following animated passage. Having proposed to ask of his Imperial Majesty permission to erect a monument on the spot where his mortal remains were deposited, he proceeds thus, "While Russia has to shew near our frontier the ashes of his countryman, who marked the first traces of amelioration in the condition of prisoners, of the sick, and the suffering, let her also shew a second monument of another Howard here; a worthy follower and imitator of the good deeds of the first. The Lord blesses his work when he bestows the instruments of his grace on the earth. The Lord has accomplished his work, when he takes them to himself in heaven." R. W.

SIR,

ON REGENERATION.

BY THE LATE REV. T. CHARLES.
To the Editor.

THE following piece is translated from the Scriptural Dictionary of the late Rev. T. Charles, of Bala, by an esteemed friend of mine, and a relative of the deceased. It was given me to be revised, and offered for insertion in your valuable Miscellany. Independent of the comprehensiveness of this article, and the memory of its excellent author, it will probably be valued by your readers, as a specimen of one of the most learned and elaborate works in the

is the source of that holiness which is brought forward in sanctification, and shall be perfected in heaven.

I. The term "born again" implies that the subjects of it were born before, and therefore previously existing as creatures. Regeneration does not consist in giving a new existence to the soul as it respects its faculties, but is an inward operation which gives them new qualities, and brings the soul into a state of union with Christ. The two births are opposed to each other: our first birth is from sinful parents, and we are born in their image; but the second birth is of God, and in his image. The first is of corruptible seed, but the second is of incorruptible; the first is in sin, but the second in righteousness and holiness; the first is of the flesh, and therefore carnal-but the second is of the Spirit, and renders its subjects spiritual. By the first we are the children of wrath, but by the second we appear as the objects of God's eternal love. Regeneration is sometimes termed quickening, or vivification, Eph.ii. 1. Before regeneration, the subjects of it were as others, "dead in sin:" they were quite destitute of that life which is communicated in regeneration; they were not only dead to divine and holy things, but

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in trespasses and sins"-that is, they loved sin, and, on that account, were dead under the curse due to it. They were dead as it respects living to God, and were at enmity with him, Rom. viii. 7. There was darkness in the understanding, obstinacy in the will, carnality in the affections, vanity in the mind; and the whole man was a slave to a variety of lusts, while there was a moral deadness in the whole soul towards God. The principle of sin was alive, operating powerfully, restlessly, and unweariedly;-domineering over the man in all respects. There was nothing in him that in

A

clined him to God or godliness, or that meetened him for receiving spiritual life. The carnal mind is enmity to God, and that is the mind of an unregenerateman. Now Christ is the resurrection and the life, and every thing less than quickening and vivifying the soul into a holy and divine life is short of regeneration. person may be baptized and not regenerated: baptism is only an outward sign of spiritual grace, but regeneration is the possession of it. A person may be washed and enlightened, reformed and moralized, he may have experienced a great deal of spiritual sorrow and joy, may possess great gifts and an honourable place in the church, and yet remain without this spiritual life through regeneration. This quickening, and washing of regeneration, far transcends the most excellent things that the hypocrite can posThe best of the hypocrite is but flesh, for " he that is born of the flesh is flesh;" but he that is born again, possesses at all times a principle of holy life, that inclines him, under the influence of the Holy Spirit, to live to God and with Godto walk after the Spirit, according to the rules of God's holy word-to hate sin, and to die to sin. In this vivification the whole soul is wrought upon: the understanding, the will, the conscience, the memory, and the affections, are all renewed; the old man is put off, and the new man is put on; the man has new thoughts, feelings, inclinations, and affections; there are objects and ends which govern all his actions, and his outward life and conduct correspond with the inward change he has undergone. He no longer lives to himself, but to him who died for him; he walks " in newness of life."

sess.

new

Regeneration is sometimes called a forming of Christ in the heart, Gal. iv. 19.-In the glass of the

Gospel, we have, doctrinally, a faithful exhibition of Jesus Christ, 2 Cor. iii. 18.; and by beholding him in this glass, we are " changed into the same image." The new man is after the image of him who created him anew-that is, the image of Christ. The subjects of regeneration were predestinated to be conformed to this image, and it is wrought in them in regeneration, Rom. viii. 29, and Col. iii. 10. They resemble God as their father, and the Lord Jesus Christ as their brother. There is something in the operation of holiness in the new man, suited to the wonderful circumstances of a lost sinner brought into a state of salvation, to an enemy brought into the near relation of a child of God; and to Christ, who is the first-born of many brethren. There is a humble, thankful, affectionate reverence in his love to God as his Father, and to Christ as his Saviour. Every thing in God, in Christ, in the law, in the whole plan of salvation, appears to him peculiarly excellent and glorious; while he resembles Christ in holiness, righteousness, love, meekness, longsuffering, mercifulness, The image of him who begot, is on him who is begotten of him, Matt. v. 48, and 1 John ii. 29. It is not merely the holiness of a creature that is in the regenerate, such as was in Adam, and is in the angels; but holiness operating in a sinner that has been adopted and regenerated, whose temper and character are answerable thereto.

&c.

Regeneration is called a partaking of a divine nature, 2 Peter i. 4.; not of God's nature considered as subsisting in himself, of which no creature can partake. Many of the divine attributes are incommunicable; but, in regeneration, that is wrought in the soul which resembles the divine nature in its spiri

tuality, purity, goodness, &c. on which account it is called a divine nature.

Regeneration is designated by a variety of other names, such as circumcising the heart, Deut. xxx. 6; giving a new heart and spirit, Ezek. xxxvi. 26, 27; taking away the heart of stone, and giving a heart of flesh, ver. 26; putting the law in the mind, and writing it in the heart, Heb. viii. 10; a being made free from sin, and made the servants of God, Rom. vi. 22; being buried and risen with Christ, ver 4, 5; a new creation, Eph. ii. 10. It is called spirit, John iii. 6; seed, 1 John iii. 6; by which we understand the principle of grace implanted in the soul.

II. God himself is the only efficient cause of this change. Man himself is not the efficient cause of it; for it clearly appears, in the case of Nicodemus, that he neither knows its nature, nor feels its necessity. This is one of the things of God, which the natural man neither understands nor receives, 1 Cor. ii. 11, 12. We have not, in reality, any desire, i nclination, or will, towards it. Whatever we know of it by hearsay, the whole bent of the carral mind is enmity against it. We are also destitute of power to accomplish it. This will evidently appear by considering the various names given it, such as creation, resurrection, &c. &c. It is positively said of it that it is not of man, John i. 14, 13. Titus iii. 5. Ez. xvi. 3, &c. It is attributed to God, John i. 13. 1 John iii. 9. and v. 1. It is attributed to each of the divine Persons: to the Father, who, of his great mercy, " hath begotten us again to a lively hope," 1 Pet. i. 3; who also " predestinated us" to it from eternity, and effects the same in us in time, Rom. viii. 29. This work is also attributed to the Son, 1 John ii. 29. He is " the resurrection and

the life;" he "quickens whomso ever he will," as well as the Father; and "the dead hear the voice of the Son of God" in the gospel, and live. But in the glorious plan of salvation, this work is more реси liarly attributed to the Holy Spirit, John iii. 4. Although it is the Deity in the three Persons that produces every good and saving operation on the human mind, yet some works are more peculiarly attributed to one person than to the others; and the same work, in different views of it, is frequently attributed to each of them. Regeneration is called a being "born of water and the Spi rit," John iii. 5. By the water, we are to understand the grace of the Holy Spirit, because of its cleans ing nature. On the same account it is called the washing of regeneration, and the renewing of the Holy Ghost, Titus iii. 5. It is the Spirit that quickens and vivifies, John vi. 63; it is he that convinces of sin; it is he that unites the soul to Jesus Christ, and quickens and strengthens it to lay hold on him, while it abides in the heart as the root of every grace; and is the efficient cause of every holy disposition, inclination, and action. The Spirit of the Son is " in their hearts, crying, Abba, Father," Gal. iv. 6. It would be absurd to suppose that the Holy Spirit produces this glorious change distinctly, and independently of Christ, because it is effected by uniting the soul to him. For he is the fountain and source of all sanctification to a sinner, as well as the cause of his justification before God. 1 Cor. i. 30. Christ in his conversation with Nicodemus, connects regeneration with believing, and eternal salvation with both of them. 1. It is the work of God, because it is produced by the greatness of his creating power, yea, "the exceeding greatness of his power;" it is "according to the working of his mighty power, which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead," Eph. i. 19, 20. It is the same infinite power that raised the head, which quickens the body also, and every member of it. As it was not possible that he could be holden by the pains and bands of death, Acts ii. 24; so neither is it possible for the members to be holden by the strength of corruption or the powers of darkness; 2 Cor. x. 4, 5. 2. It is of God, that is, of his grace alone; the kindness and love of God our Father, is the moving cause; Tit. iii. 4. It is "of his own will that he begat us," James i. 18; it is of his sovereign will, the "good pleasure of his will;" the moving cause is entirely in himself and not in men. Man has every thing in him before regeneration that is odious and hateful to God, and he has nothing else; on which account he is to the utmost degree unworthy of that grace. And if God were not "rich in mercy," and of "great love," there never would have been one sinner regenerated, Eph. ii. 4. In order to shew the sinner's inability to save himself, he is compared to a child newly born, "cast into the open field," without an eye to pity or a hand to help him. While in this condition, God passes by, and says, Live, Ez. xvi. 3, 6. 3. There is a power in the resurrection of Christ, which has an influence on many things in the salvation of sinners, such as on our justification; he "rose again for our justification," Rom. iv. 25; so likewise on our regeneration it is said, we are "begotten again to a lively hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead." 1 Pet. i. 3. The one is a figure of the other; " for if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection." Christ was "declared to be the Son of God with power" through his re

surrection. So also regeneration makes us, and declares us to be, the sons of God. The resurrection of Christ was through the greatness of the divine power; so is the quickening of a dead sinner. The resurrection of Christ was the first step to-wards his glorification; so regeneration is our first step, in order to "see, and enter into the kingdom of God." John iii.

III. This divine change is generally effected by the Holy Spirit through the medium of the word, viz. the gospel of our salvation. On this account, we are said to be "born again by the word of God," 1 Pet. i. 23. Begotten again "with the word of truth," James i. 18. - And ministers of the gospel are called spiritual fathers; "for though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers, for in Christ I have begotten you through the gospel." The same he says of his son Onesimus, whom he had " begotten in his bonds," Philemon 10. The ministry of the gospel the mean through which the Spirit operates, and communicates grace to the soul of a sinner.* The preaching of the Gospel is an ordinance of divine appointment for this end, Ez. xxxvii. Mark. xvi. 15, 16. Rom. i. 16, and x. 14, 15, &c. 1 Cor. i. 17, 18. 2 Cor. x. 4, 5. 1 Pet. i. 23. James i. 18. The Gospel is the word of God, possessing the authoritative greatness and power of God, when used by the Holy Spirit for the purpose to which it was appointed. For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to

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* See Owen on the Spirit; Charnock on Regeneration; Witsins on the Covenants; Dr. Goodwin on the Spirit; Leighton on Peter; Westminster Assembly's Confession, &c. &c.