with him. Christ has become the head of a new purified humanity, as Adam was of a sinful one. And as, by inheriting Adam's life in the process of natural generation, we are born into a corrupt nature, so by receiving the life of Christ in the process of spiritual re-generation we are re-born, into a holy nature. And thus to become Christian is not to have a change wrought merely upon us, but in us, and regeneration is really, and in fact, to "be born again," not the mere giving a new direction and character to our present natural life, but the actual reception of a new life.

This view the Scriptures clearly teach. Their language can be made to harmonize with none other, without violence. But in connection with the idea, that Christianity is essentially a LIFE, their declarations stand forth to the apprehension, clear and

Saviour was "without sin, holy, harmless, and undefiled," and no inference can be deduced, as we think, by any fair reasoning, from the view expressed above, inconsistent with that belief.

After writing the foregoing, it occurred to us to ascertain what Calvin might say on the passages just referred to, and accordingly taking down his commentary, we found with no little pleasure a full corroboration of our interpretation. He says on Heb. 2: 14: (We give a free rendering of extracts from the Latin, and for the faithfulness of our translation we are willing to be held to a strict accountability,) "This is the conclusion of the foregoing, and at the same time a fuller statement of the cause, than had been briefly given before, why it was necessary for the Son of God to participate in the same nature with us, and by enduring death, deliver us from it The passage is worthy of close attention, because the Apostle not only asserts the actual humanity of Christ, but also because he shows the result which thence flows down to us. The Son of God was made man, he says, that he might be a participant of the VERY SAME condition and nature with us. On verse 16, Calvin says: "The Apostle wishes to find in the person of the Son of God a brother on account of his mutual possession with us of a common nature. Wherefore he is not satisfied

to call him a man, but says that he was descended from human seed, and expressly names the seed of Abraham." (Calvin could never have used such language had he not believed that the Saviour assumed our fallen nature. Mankind now cannot be said, except by the most extreme Pelagian, to be possessed of the "very same condition and nature" which Adam possessed before the fall. Neither could our Saviour's assumption of Adam's unfallen nature be any ground for regarding the Saviour as "our brother," in the sense in which Calvin uses the term. Moreover, our Saviour is not said to have taken Adam's nature, but that of Abraham is expressly named; and Abraham surely did not possess human nature as it existed before the fall.)

On verse 17, Calvin says: "In regard to the human nature of Christ, two things are to be considered: the essence of the flesh, and its affections and passions. Wherefore the Apostle says, that he not only put on the very fleshly nature of man, ("carnem hominis ipsam "—terms which could never be applied to humanity as it existed before the fall,)" but also all the affections and passions which are peculiar to men. ⚫ Moreover, the Apostle teaches,

unambiguous, requiring no tortuous or far-fetched explanations to exhibit their meaning: "The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us." "In him was LIFE, and the Life was the light of men." "For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and show unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father and was manifested unto us." 66 am the way, and the truth, and the life." "This is the record, that God hath given unto us eternal life, and this life is in his Son." "He that hath the Son hath life, and he that hath not the Son hath not life." "The bread of God is he that cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world. If any man eat of this bread he shall live forever, and the bread that I will give is my flesh which I will give for the life of the world. I am that bread of life." "He that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life." "Because I live ye shall live also." "He that believeth on me hath everlasting life." "These things are written that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing ye might have life through his name. For if there had been a law given, which could have given LIFE, verily righteousness should have been by the law." "But thus was manifested the love of God, that God sent His only be

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that Christ was subject to human sufferings, in order that he might be a merciful and faithful High Priest,' which words I interpret, that he might be merciful and therefore faithful. For compassion is especially required in a Priest, whose office it is to appease the anger of God, to comfort the miserable, and raise up the fallen." Therefore, however often any kind of evils whatsoever distress us, let it be a consolation that nothing befalls us which the Son of God did not experience in himself, so that he is able to sympathize with us." (How could this be true, if the Saviour assumed humanity as it was before the fall, without weakness or infirmity, but full of the joyous vigor in which it was first created?) "Being about to expiate our sins, he put on our nature that he might have the price of the reconciliation IN OUR flesh, and in fine, that by the RIGHT OF A COMMON NATURE, he might introduce us into the sanctuary of God."

And

Would Calvin have written in this style, had he believed that Christ assumed, not our fallen nature, but that nature as it was originally in Adam? what becomes of the charge against Rev. Dr. Nevin of being the author of a new heresy, for believing that the Saviour assumed fallen humanity, "yet without sin." If guilty of heresy he has at least one of the "Fathers of the Reformation" to keep him company. How many more of them, as well as of other Fathers," we know not. See also Ursinus' Commentary on the Heidelberg Catechism, Williard's translation, p. 85; as well as the Catechism itself, answer to the 16th question.

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gotten Son into the world, that we might LIVE through Him; as it is written, the just shall LIVE by faith. For the gift of God is eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord."

So, in full accordance with the foregoing, our existence in a sinful state is characterized in the Scripture as death; not merely because of the eternal punishment which will be inflicted in the future world upon transgressors, but also because the principle of sin is the principle of DEATH. Sin opposes constantly the true life in which originally we were created, is antagonistic to it in all its relations and tendencies, and finally prevents it from realizing its proper end. It finds its own natural and legitimate consummation in the entire negation and destruction of all that is truly in our life as it came from God. Thus the principle of sin is really and in fact the principle of death, causes us even in this world to be wholly subject to the process of death, and literally fulfills the declaration. of Scripture, that now, while on earth, we are (not hereafter shall be) "dead in trespasses and sins."

So the believer is represented as raised from death, by regeneration, and gifted with a new life, as actually and fully so as in a state of sin he is subject to death: "Where sin abounded, grace did much more abound, that as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign, through righteousness, unto eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." "That like as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life." "Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord." "Yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead." "For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death." "For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is LIFE and peace." "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I but CHRIST LIVETH in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."

The change which is produced in the believer is called in

Scripture "being born again." Natural birth consists in the reception by an individual of the life of that sinful humanity, which Adam, as the head of the human race, embodied within himself; so spiritual birth is the actual reception by the believer, through the operation of the Holy Spirit, of the life of that sinless nature which Christ, the second Adam, the head of a new, regenerated and sanctified humanity, embodies in himself. Man is the agent in producing this birth in the one case; in the other the Holy Spirit.* For "as many as received him, to them gave he power to become (or as the same word is translated immediately below) be made "the sons of God, who were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." "That which is born of the flesh is flesh, but that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit." "Except a man be born again he cannot see the kingdom of God." Thus, not merely in reference to the resurrection, (which indeed in Scripture is always spoken of as connected with, and being the final triumph and fruit of our spiritual life,) but also to the whole process of our salvation, is it true, "that as in Adam all die, so in Christ shall all be made ALIVE."t

* There is no ground for the charge which has been brought against this view of regeneration, that it virtually ignores the existence and excludes the agency of the Holy Spirit. On the contrary, the existence and action of the whole blessed Trinity is recognized by it. The love of the Father is the moving cause; the life of Christ, the "Word made flesh," the active element or principle, and the power of the Holy Ghost, the agency by which the work is wrought. But in the view which is thrust forward as a substitute, namely, that the new life which the believer receives, is the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity, our Saviour is excluded from all participation in this part of the work of salvation.

It must be borne in mind too, that only through the meduim of Christ, and that too of his humanity as lifted up and sanctified by its union in his person with his divinity, can we be brought into actual communion with either God the Father, or God the Holy Ghost. Any view which makes us to receive the Holy Spirit, except through the medium of the "Word made flesh," is pantheistic.

The word "all," here, is not to be understood in a distributive but collective sense, meaning not every individual, but the whole, the general totality, not the universal sum of mankind. The new humanity which exists in Christ Jesus, as its head, comprehends mankind in a general, not in a universal way. It comprises potentially only, every individual of the human race, but not so in actual fact. Very many exclude themselves by their unbelief, from being ever comprehended in the new creation in Christ Jesus, and thus not being IN Him are never made alive by Him.

"For the first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening Spirit."

This life, like natural life, is given to us at first, not in full vigor and maturity, but in the form rather of a living principle, which develops itself by a gradual process. This process of growth must continue throughout our whole existence on earth. It is constantly opposed by our own natural sinfulness and the evil influences of the world. And as, consequently, we can possess this new life in its fulness and perfection only after death, it is sometimes spoken of in the Scriptures as being given to us in the spiritual world, and as the "promise of eternal life.”

It may be thought by some, that we are discussing an admitted truth, so prominently does the doctrine, that Christianity consists essentially in the reception of the life of Christ, as the head of a new humanity, by the believer, through the agency of the Holy Spirit, seem to stand forth in the creed of all who claim to be orthodox Christians. But it will be found, not unfrequently, if a fuller statement of the doctrine be required, that the community of life with Jesus is resolved into a mere community of feelings, views, and principles, a reception, not actually of the life of Christ, but only of his doctrines and precepts. In opposition to this, we contend that Christianity is really and in fact, a new life incorporated into humanity in the person of Christ; and from him, as its head and source, it flows down into those who believe, through the agency of the Holy Spirit, causing them thus to be "born again," "re-generated," "re-created" in Christ Jesus. "Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold all things are become new.'

* * * "Many who count themselves orthodox, it is to be feared, come short of the truth here altogether. They get not beyond the old Ebionetic stand-point; but see in Christianity always an advance only on the grace of the Jewish dispensation, under the same form, and not a new order of grace entirely. Greater light, enlarged opportunities, more constraining motives, a new supply of supernatural aids and provisions; these are taken to be the peculiar distinction of the New