from the table of my pursuits, and humbly and devoutly supplicate the Father of Lights. O Thou, who by the light of Nature doth enkindle in us a desire after the light of grace, that by this thou may'st translate us into the light of glory. I give thee thanks, O Lord and Creator, that thou hast gladdened me by thy creation, when I was enraptured by the work of thy hands. Behold I have here completed a work of my calling, with as much of intellectual strength as thou hast granted me. I have declared the praise of thy works to the men who will read the evidences of it, so far as my finite spirit could comprehend them in their infinity. My mind endeavoured to its utmost to reach the truth by philosophy; but if anything unworthy thee has been taught by me--a worm born and nourished in sin-do thou teach me that I may correct it. Have I been seduced into presumption by the admirable beauty of thy works, or have I sought my own glory among men in the construction of a work designed for thy honour? O then graciously and mercifully forgive me; and finally grant me this favour, that this may never be injurious, but may conduce to thy glory and the good of souls."

C. A. H.

AN ESSAY ON REGENERATION.

By the Rev. E. Strickland, M.A., of Queen's College, Cambridge, and Curate of Brixton Deverill, Wiltshire.

THE word regeneration in Greek is palingenesia, which is derived from plin again, and genesis generation or origin, and is applied to different subjects, but nearly in the same signification. It is used among the Phythagoreans to express the transit of the soul from a dead body to animate another body. Plutarch, in the fable of torn Bacchus, explains regeneration paliggenesian) by calling it (ten tou alogou kai ataktou kolasin) the restraining of an unreasonable and disorderly person. Greek writers use this word to express the state of the earth in spring, when, after the sleep of winter, the vegetable world is quickened into life, and puts on the mantle of gaiety and beauty. This movement of nature should remind every being of God's rational creation, that there is a spiritual regeneration to be sought and maintained, and that it will be a fatal case, if the night of sin is not succeeded by the light of heavenly life. Cicero, writing to Atticus, represents the state to which he was reappointed after his exile by regeneration : "The letters of my friends call me to a triumph, a matter not to be neglected by me, as I think, (propter hanc palingenesian nostrum) on account of this my regenera tion. Wherefore, do you also, my Atticus, begin to desire this, that we may seem the less foolish."-(Letters to Atticus, book vi. 6.) Josephus, speaking of the Jews, who were made acquainted by Zorobabel with the edict of Darius, which permitted them to return to Jerusalem, says,-" He brought the good news to his countrymen, of what grants he had procured for them from the King; who, when they heard the same, gave thanks also to God, that He estored the land of their forefathers to them again. So they betook themelves to drinking and eating, and for seven days they continued feasting,

It was common among

and kept a festival for the rebuilding and restoration (palingenesian, regeneration) of their country" (Aut. b. 2, c. 3. sect. 9.) the Jews to call their returning from captivity a regeneration. Agair, peaking of the strict observance of the law, he says,-"As for attempts of unjust behaviour towards parents, or for impiety against God, though they be not actually accomplished, the offenders are destroyed immediately. However, the reward for such as live exactly according to the laws, is not silver and gold; it is not a garland of olive branches or of smallage, nor any such public sign of commendation; but every good man hath his own conscience, bearing witness to himself and by virtue of our legislator's prophetic spirit, ind the firm security. God Himself affords such an one, he believes that God has made this grant to those that observe these laws, even though they be obliged readily to die for them, that they shall come into being again (genesthai de palin, shall be regenerated or born again,) and at a certain revolution of things, shall receive a better life than they had enjoyed before. (Contra, Apion, v. 2, c. 31. Whiston's translation.) Philo uses this same word; he asks,—"Whence came the soul? Whither will it go? How long will it live with us? Can we say what is its essence, seeing we have received it? Can we tell what it was before generation? No: for we did not exist. Or after death? No: for we shall not be composed of such bodies as we have, but shall go uncompounded with incorporeal bodies to our nativity, (palingenesian, regeneration.)-Philo de Caino. Clement, in his Epistle to the Corinthians, calls the restoration of the world, after the deluge, by the same name, viz, palingenesia, regeneration. Irenæus spoke of a regeneration; meaning thereby a resuscitation, or being raised up to a new state of existence. In the epistle of the Gallic Church to the Asiatic churches, when it had been related that the ashes of the Martyrs were cast into the river Rhone, it is added,-" And these things they did, as if they should be able to overcome God, and to take away from the dead their new birth (paliggenesian, their regeneration,) so that they should not have, as they said, even the hope of a resurrection." Thus we have seen, that by this word an ancient sect of philosophers represented the supposed passage of a soul from body to body--an ancient historian, reformation of life-Josephus and Cicero, restoration to country-Josephus, and Philo, and Irenæus, the resurrection-certain Greek writers, reviviscency in spring-one of the Apostolical Fathers, the new world after the deluge --and the Gallic Church, the birthday of the saints to eternal glory. What has now been brought forward may be serviceable in explaining the meaning of this word as used in Scripture.

This word occurs twice in the New Testament, in Mat. xix. 28, and in Titus iii. 3. First, it is found in St. Mathew's Gospel, where Jesus said to his disciples, "Verily I say unto you, that ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of Man shall sit on the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel." The only difficulty with respect to the meaning of the word here is, whether we shall read it in connection with the former or latter part of the passage,whether thus-"Ye which have followed me in the regeneration," or "in the regeneration when the Son of Man shall sit, &c." In the former way of reading it, it means a change of heart and mind by the Gospel; in the latter way, it means a change in the state of things-the renovation that will take place at the general resurrection; or as the Syriac has it, "in the future age,"

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when the kingdom of the Messiah shall flourish in all its glory, after the dissolution of all things. Dr. Lightfoot understands this as meaning a renewing of manners and doctrine, but the Syriac seems to decide the meaning in the latter sense, for in the oriental idiom "a new age" expresses a new state of being. The generality of interpreters, both ancient and modern, incline to the latter interpretation; but as the mater is doubtful, why not put a comma before and after the words, "in the regeneration," as is the case in the Genevan and Rhemish versions, and consider them as including one or both meanings; for we have seen from the above quotations that the word is used in both senses? Dr. Campbell rn tes the verse thus: "Verily I say unto you, that at the renovation, when the Son of Man shall be seated on the glorious throne, ye, my followers, s t ing upon twelve thrones, shall judge (i. e. preside over, Jud. xii. 7) the twelve tribes or Israel;" and in a note he adds—“We are accustomed to apply the term regeneration solely to the conversion of individuals, whereas its relation here is to the general state of things." "Behold (says God) I make all things new." (Rev. xi. 5.) The first production of things was wont to be called (gene's) creation; and a remarkable restoration or renovation of the face of things, was very suitably termed (palingeneia) regeneration. Tyndale's translation runs thus, and Cranmer's is nearly the same: "Verily I say to you; when the Son of Man shall sit in the seat of his majesty, ye which follow me in the second generation shall sit also upon twelve seats, and judge the twelve tribes of Israel." Calvin speaking on the words, "in the regeneration," says, "Some do refer this point to that which followed in the text. So regeneration should be nothing else but the newness which should follow our restoring, while that which is mortal shall be swallowed up of life, and our weak body shall be made like to the heavenly glory of Christ. But I do rather refer this regeneration to the first coming of Christ, because the world began then to be renewed, and the Church sprung up out of the darkness of death into the light of life. And this manner of speaking is found everywhere in the Prophets, and doth very well agree with the circumstances of this place. For the renewing of the Church, so often promised, made them hope for some great happiness, when as the Messias should appear. Christ, therefore, that he might take away that error, distinguisheth between the beginning and end of His king. dom."(Harmony of the Three Evangelists.) Instead of, "when the Son of Man shall sit," Origen has it, "when God shall sit." He might quote the pasfrom memory, but be this as it may, the substituted word shews that he had been in the habit of considering the terms, "Son of Man," and "God," as synonymous. No manuscript is said to have this reading. (See Orig. Exhort. ad Mart. § 14, in Dr. Burton's testimonies of the Ante-Nicene Fathers.)

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Secondly, this word occurs in Tit. iii. 5: "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost." Wickliff translates thus: "By His mercy he made us safe, by washing of, again begetting, and again newing of the Holy Ghost." Tyndale, Cranmer, and the Genevan version, have it: "He saved us by the fountain of the new birth," and the Rhemish version, " by the laver of regeneration." In the term regeneration, when joined with baptism, there is an allusion to the phraseology of the Jewish doctors, who, when they admitted a proselyte into their Church by baptism, always spoke of him as "one born again." (Macknight.) The Jews.

acknowledged in order to proselytism some kind of regeneration or new birth as absolutely necessary. But then this was easily attainable: "If any one (said they) become a proselyte, he is like a child new born." Now a new state supposes a new nature-proselytism, celestial generation- and baptism, "the answer of a good conscience towards God." Baptism divests Jews and heathens of their former state; and "the renewing of the Holy Ghost" works in them a spiritual and moral conformity to the law of God. Baptism is a sign and seal of renovation. Though works of righteousness done before faith and baptism connot please God or put away sin, yet they are not excluded after faith and baptism, but considered and admitted as evidences of spiritual life. The proselytes to Judaism were said to be changed in such a manner as to be born again. They put off their former relations, worships, manners, and ties of kindred, as if new born of a new mother, as the Talmud expresses it (Dr. Hammond.) Our Lord's words in St. Mark x. 29, and St. Luke xvii. 29, are supposed to allude to this. Maimonides (Isurei Biab., c. 14) says, "that when a heathen was made a proselyte, ora slave was made free; behold he became like a new-born child. All the former relations which he had whilst a heathen or a slave did from that time cease or were annihilated." Tacitus, a heathen historian, speaking of those that went over to the Jews' religion, says: "They are taught by their first admission to despise the Gods, to put off their country, parents, children, and to esteem them vile" (Hist. b. 5.) Arrian, the Stoic philosopher, in his Epictetus, b. 2, c. 29, styles the proselyte Jew (bebammenos) dipt or baptised. "The washing of regeneration" means a professional or ritual change of life, of personal habits, of objects, purposes, and endeavours; in short, it means Christian baptism. In this sense Phavorinus understood this passage, for referring to it, he says, "The holy rite of baptism is called regeneration." Irenæus and Clement of Alexandria use the word in the same way. Justin Martyr, speaking of those about to be baptised, says: "They are brought to a place of water, and there regenerated in the same manner with ourselves." (Apol. sec. 79. See also sec. 80, and sec. 88.) St. Augustin also uses the word in the same way; he says, "I dare not say that from what time thou regeneratedst her (Monica) by baptism, no word issued from her mouth against thy commandment." (Confess. b. ix. 34. See also b. viii. 4, and b. ix. 6.)

In the Scriptures we never read of an uncircumcised Jew, nor of an unregenerate, Christian; nor could Christians have been called so in any other sense than we say a covetous, drunken, or lewd christian, and the like; but when we interpret regeneration of christian baptism, we de not mean that every christian by baptism, was, or is, actually rendered pure and holy; but that they were thereby set apart for purity and holiness, and were obliged in future to be pure and holy, if they would see God. So he that was circumcised was not thereby made necessarily, inherently, and immuta. bly, holy, but was set apart to be holy; and obliged to keep the whole Jewish law. Baptism: teaches christians to consider themselves like persons dead to all their old relations, and born into a new family. As such they are taught to quit all their irreligious and low habits-all their sins and vices whatever, and to live in conformity to the laws of the new family into which they have been admitted. (Dr. Dodd's Commentary.) There can be no doubt that all who receive baptism properly meet with God's blessing, as all they do who receive the Holy Communion properly. "Except a man be

born of water and of the spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God" (Jo. ii.5.) Compare Acts xxii. 16, with Eph. v.26, and Coloss. iii.9-11, with 1 Pet. iii. 21. "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy, hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation, ready to be revealed in the last time." (1 Pet. i. 3-5.) We read of " Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God which liveth and abideth for ever." (v. 23.) It is worthy of remark, that the words "begotten" and "born again" are here different in the original from regeneration. They were addressed to Hebrew christians, and seem to imply that the Jews who had the hope of a glorious resurrection, had lost it but it was revived, reanimated, rebegotten, by the resurrection of Christ.

I will now produce a passage in which the word "regenerated" is used by a modern writer. Curran, in speaking of the spirit of the British law, which makes liberty commensurate with the British soil, and inseparable from it, which proclaims even to the stranger and sojourner, the moment he sets his foot on British earth, that the ground on which he treads is holy, and consecrated by the genius of universal emancipation, says of the liberated slave, "He stands redeemed, regenerated, and disenthralled by the irresistible genius of universal emancipation." This word is constantly used by political writers to signify a change in states; why then should we hesitate to use it in a higher sense with holy writ, our own Church, and ancient Christian Fathers, concerning baptised children, and baptised adults who come to the laver of regeneration with repentance towards God, and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ? Children are fit recipients of baptism in virtue of Christ's command, (Matt. xxviii. 19,) and are as capable of spiritual benefits as were the Jewish children. Infants and children are baptised, that they may be admitted into the number of God's children, or according to Irenæus (renascantur in Deum), that they may be regenerated. St. Paul seems to declare this when he says, "The unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy," (I Cor. vii. 14.) Otherwise they would be unclean, i. e., heathen children; but now are they an holy seed, admitted among God's people. In Is. xxxv. 8, Is. lii. 1, and Acts x. 28, is a like signification of unclean. The Jews produce Ezra ix. 2, Neh. ii. 20, Is. vi. 13, to show that they are dedicated to God as clean. They were federally holy. If a child had a heathen parent, the principles of the bette parent were to be followed. Clemens Alexandrinus says: I suppose tha the seed of those that are holy is holy, according to that saying of th Apostle Paul," The unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband, &c. What can "the washing of regeneration" be but what is called baptisma regeneration? Baptism," says the late Dr. Adam Clarke, "is a rite com manded by God himself, and therefore the thing signified should never b expected without it."

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The consequent bad conduct of too many baptised persons is frequent! urged as an objection against the benefits of baptism; but it might as we be urged against Scripture itself, and the benefits of the Holy Communion Bad conduct does not invalidate but establish the true doctrine of the Sacra ments. We do not say that all baptised persons will lead holy lives, but w