error.

that the above account of regeneration involves essential But wherein lies the essential error? Is it essential error, to affirm that the expressions, new creature, created anew, His workmanship, are metaphorical? They most undeniably cannot be literally interpreted: for to create, is to produce something out of nothing, to give that a being which had none before, and which in the nature of things, none can do but God. If they must be literally interpreted, then do we err, as will be seen, along with one of the great father's of the Presbyterian church, and whose fame will long be dear to the hearts of the American people, and then it will certainly follow, that Regeneration is the result of an effort of physical power, on the part of God. But more of this presently.

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The writings of many Theologians contain expressions which betray at one time, utter ignorance, and at another erroneous views with regard to the nature of Life. It seems to be taken for granted by not a few, that physiologically, Life is a created essence, and itself a cause of those actions and processes in our animal frame, which we call vital; and speaking analogically, therefore as our terms are borrowed from material things, the impression is almost indelibly made, that they considered regeneration literally to be the infusion, implantation or creation of some inherent principle, essence or substance which is specifically the cause of those actions we account spiritual or holy. Regeneration, accordingly, in their estimation, consists in a simple effort of God's physical or creative power, producing this essence, substance or principle of spiritual life, which itself becomes and is designed to be the immediate cause of those actions and exercises denominated holy or spiritual.

The falsity of the idea that life physiologically considered, is an essence or principle, has been already exposed. The reality of its existence has never been proved. The

most specious of all the arguments in support of its being a real essence, "a first principle in nature," is but an apparent influence which in fact is a mere hypothesis or a begging of the question. The whole philosophy, therefore, which would explain Regeneration as the injection, or creation of a new principle or essence of spiritual life, being based on a false theory as to natural life, must be erroneous, and must lead to consequences both dangerous and heretical. Well therefore did the apostle charge us to beware of a false philosophy.

It is true that when the subject is presented in this way, and the advocates of what we must pronounce a false philosophy, are charged with maintaining the docrine of a physical Regeneration, or Regeneration by the physical

:

1. "It is no evidence," says Dr. Copland, "of the non-existence of this principle, that it does not become visible to our senses, in an uncombined form it is, however, sufficiently demonstrable by its effects, in alliance with matter, in which state it presents proofs of its being equal to those from which we infer the existence of matter itself." Bicherand's Elements of Physiology-Appendix, p. 2. Who does not see that he takes for granted the existence of the cause, which is the very thing to be proved, for he calls the phenomena of life, effects of a vital principle? If they are called effects, we have shown that their cause is something different from a crcated essence "a vital principle which allied to matter controls its changes and forms." The phenomena of life are the results of the divine Spirit's agency, according to established laws or modes and not of a created essence which possesses in itself a controling influence over all the properties of matter, with which we are acquainted. The following while it furnishes a specimen of the same mode of false reasoning just noticed, will serve to illustrate in its fullest extent, the false physiology which lies at the basis of false theology.

"As however we can form no just conceptions of such a principle, but by its effects, and as we have no experience of these effects unconnected with matter, so we are warranted in the conclusion, that the vital influence is associated with the molecules of matter, forming the impregnating secretions, and the sensible bulk of the ovum. This is its lowest state of activity or energy and its influence is chiefly manifested, under such circumstances, in preserving the elements of matter with which it is associated from entering into the combinations to which the chemical affinitics of these elements dispose them."-Idem.

power of God, there are those who utterly disclaim such an idea. But either their language is utterly and absolutely unintelligible, or it does imply the idea of a real creation by an act of mere physical power on the part of God! We say physical in the proper meaning of that term ;--not material but as real and substantial, as in the first production or creation of the human soul. We must certainly mistake the obvious meaning of words, if some theologicial writers do not use the word create in reference to the regeneration of a sinner, in its plain and literal import, and conceive of life as being an essence or substance, possessing the power of a cause in and of itself. We cite a few quotations for the reader to examine.

"Second instance of the Spirit's work upon the soul in effectual calling, in which the soul is wholly passive; and that is, in the act of quickening the soul by giving and effecting a real vital union to Christ, as the head and root of all spiritual life and grace; from whom every member of his body, being thus spiritually and vitally one in him, receiveth all the necessary supplies of nourishment and edification suited to the new creature life and motions: and as the Spirit of God and Christ knits or ties this vital knot of everlasting union betwixt the soul and Christ; so he himself becometh the eternal vital bond by which the two being "joined to the Lord become one spirit," as truly and properly as the union between husband and wife, by God's ordination make them one flesh."

"As there must be life in the principle or habit, before it can be in the act; so there must be union to Christ as a head before there is life in the member: for as well may we imagine a branch cut off from the old wild olive to have good juices in it, received from the root before it is grafted in, as to pretend that any have a life of grace or faith before spiritual vital union to Christ. How this is effected, and exactly when it beginneth I will not pretend to be positive

in, it being much more hidden and mysterious than the way of the spirit of man, in its first entrance into and qaickening the body before it is born into the world, the which, whatever men pretend, is to mortals inexplicable."

"We are sure we are passive in our being quickened by and from our life-giving head and spiritual Adam as we were in our first union to, and quickening in our natural parent: for as a life-giving Spirit he first conveyeth life from himself into us by his Spirit which he giveth to us; and this very life is our union, even as life is the bond uniting and tying soul and body together, so life and union are coeval."

Who does not feel bewildered after passing thro' such a labyrinth of perplexity? There is such a confounding of literal and metaphorical expressions, and at the same time such false physiology and false philosophy suggesting the analogical illustrations, that we are glad to escape. Nor are we to be deterred from the rejection of such "vain philosophy" by an appeal to the mystery of the Spirit's operations, for this is too often done to prevent the exposure of mere mysticism and obscurity in the conceptions and language of those who discern not where the mystery lies.

Witsius defines Regeneration to be "a supernatural act of God by which a new and divine life is put into (inditur) an elect man spiritually dead, and that from the incorruptible seed of the word of God impregnated by the mighty power of the Spirit."

"It is that intrinsic constitution of the soul, in which by virtue of the Spirit's uniting it with God it is born fit to put forth those actions which are pleasing to God in Christ; whether actions of this sort may follow from that principle, or, as fruit in the seed, may even there for a little while lie hid. "2

1 Skepp's Divine Energy, pp. 238, 239, 240.

2 Regeneratio est actio Dei hyperphysica, qua homini electo, spiritualiter

The same vagueness of speech is here observable, and it seems to us very clearly to be the result of an attempt, physiologically to explain the nature of regeneration, and ex press some mystic notion about the infusion of a vital principle into the soul. He speaks of a life put into the soul, of the intrinsic constitution of the soul, of its being impregnated while a germ and there for a while lying hid, and that too, not when he might have been expected to abound in metaphor, but when theologically and philosophically defining regeneration.

Dr. Charnock says that "the new creature is a vital powerful principle, naturally moving the soul to the service and obedience of God, and doth animate the faculties in their several motions, as the soul doth quicken the members of the body."

"Tis the form whence the perfection both of understanding and will do flow; 'tis not therefore placed in either of them but in the essence of the soul. "Tis by this the union is made between God and the soul: but the union is not of one particular faculty, but of the whole soul. He that is joined to the Lord is one Spirit, 'tis not one particular faculty that is perfected by grace but the substance of the soul.1

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We see

The above is capable of but one construction. in it clearly the philosophy of this celebrated divine. It is impossible to employ terms more expressive of the idea of Regeneration's being a physical change. He talks of grace operating in the essence of the soul, and perfecting the sub

mortuo, nova ac divina vita inditur, idque ex, semine incorruptibili verbi Dei, fœcundati per immensam spiritus virtutem.

Est illa intrinseca animæ constitutio, qua virtute Spiritus eam cum Deo unientis, apta nata est eas exscrereas actiones, quæ Deo in Christo grate sunt: sive actiones ejusmodi mox ex isto principio consequantur, sive in ibi uti fructus in semine, aliquantisper delitescant. Witsius de Economia Fæd. Dic. lib. III. cap v.

1 Charnock's works fol. ed. vol. ii. pp. 51, & 46.