1839 Circular Letter of the Redstone Association
THE NEW BIRTH as held forth in the Scriptures signifies a great change made in the heart of the sinner by the Spirit—it means that something is done in us and for us, we can not do for ourselves, and to which we were before strangers; and on account of which we begin to live as we did not live before—a life which lasts forever. For as by our natural birth we are born to die, so by our spiritual birth we are born to live forever, not of a corruptible, but an incorruptible seed which liveth and abideth forever. See I Peter i. xxiii. This birth is not a change of the substance and faculties of the soul; sin did not destroy the essence of the soul, but its rectitude; so grace does not give a new faculty to the soul, but a new quality—it is a new stringing of the heart to make new harmony,—as David says, he hath put a new song in my mouth; also even praises to our Lord.
The nature and greatness of this change is further illustrated in the Scriptures by the high terms of passage from death unto life— from darkness unto light — a translation out of the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of God’s dear Son, and even creation, as in Paul to the Ephesians, for we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
This change makes the sinner quite contrary to what he was before—as contrary as light is to darkness—as if an Ethiopian should change his skin or a Leopard his spots, for in this change God takes away the heart of stone and gives a heart of flesh, by which we are taught that this is an inward change, for in the understanding there is light instead of darkness, and in the will there is a compliance instead of stubbornness, and in the affections there is love instead of enmity; the carnal mind that was once enmity against God and not subject to his law, is made to delight in the law of God after the inward man. The eyes of his understanding being enlightened, he knows what is the hope of his calling and what is the riches of the glory of his inheritance among the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of his power toward those who believe according to the working of his mighty power. See Eph. i. 18, 19.
So we see in this heaven born soul there is not only a mere change of sentiment, but a radical change of heart and principle, so all he does in matters of religion is not from the terrors of a slave, but of choice, for he is in the possession of that faith, which works by love. The ways of religion are ways of pleasantness to him and all her paths are peace.
And that it appears more plain that this change pertains to the quality of the soul, let us for a moment consider the great alteration it effects in the views and apprehensions of the sinner: he has new thoughts of God—of Jesus Christ, and the way of salvation through him. Before, he lived without any true knowledge of God thinking him to be altogether such an one as himself—capable of being operated on as a creature; but now he sees that with God there is terrible majesty, perfect purity, strict justice and Divine Sovereignty, working all things after the council of his own will.
He also entertains very different thoughts of himself—he once acted as his own master, believing he possessed sufficient power or wisdom to be his own agent in matters of religion as well as in other things; vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind—he felt himself exalted above God and all that is called God, excusing his greatest enormities and glory in his own shame; but now he sees the evil of his former ways—he mourns sincerely for his former sins, and sees the wickedness of his heart from whence they flowed. He ranks himself with the chief of sinners and wonders at the patience of God and not casting him off with some sudden stroke of his judgment, and exclaims, God be merciful to me a sinner! He also entertains very different views of Christ and the way of salvation through him, he once esteemed him like a root out of dry ground. However much he might be esteemed by others, he had nothing whereof he should desire him. But he now views him every way suited to him a poor helpless sinner, in whose blood he has redemption, even the forgiveness of his sins, and esteems him the chief among 10,000, and the one altogether lovely.
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