faith, Jesus by his intuitive knowledge well understood; and for this reason he did not trust them, or commit himself unto them. If then it was a reproach to those, who heard the gracious words, and saw the miraculous works of Christ, that they were superficial believers, and persevered not unto the end; the same is a reproach to us also, if we resist the evidence of the truth, and reject those means which are afforded us, and fail to establish in our hearts a thorough belief that Christ is indeed our hope and our salvation, and that the continued observance of his precepts is the only condition upon which we are entitled to partake of the benefits which his blood hath purchased for us. The pattern of a true faith is well delineated in the fervent profession of an apostle; "I am persuaded," saith St. Paul, "that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Jesus Christ our Lord *."

* Romans viii. 39.

CHAPTER III.

NICODEMUS being a man of some distinction, "a ruler," as it is said, "of the Jews," might, without any imputation upon his integrity, be cautious of embracing hastily the opinion that Christ was the expected Messiah. Precisely the same thing is said of Joseph of Arimathea, that he was "a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews;" yet we have the testimony of an evangelist, that he was "a good and righteous man t." It is very difficult for a Christian of the present day to appreciate justly the effect of the prejudices formerly entertained by the Jews, who were fond of the superiority of their own nation, and looked for a temporal Messiah, to deliver them from their subjection to the Romans, and to raise them to worldly grandeur. In this way they interpreted the magnificent terms, in which their prophets, animated with the prospect of Christ's kingdom, had declared, that "the Lord should reign, and all the ends of the earth should see the salvation of God." It is reasonable to suppose that Nicodemus, while he honestly inquired after

John xix. 38.

+ Luke xxiii. 50.

Isa. lii.

the truth, was not wholly exempt from the prevailing sentiments of his countrymen. He therefore chose to visit Jesus at a season when he would be least exposed to public observation. From a subsequent part of the history* it appears, that if he did not openly follow Jesus, yet he was so far convinced, as to check the proceedings of the Council, when they would have judged him unheard; and again †, we find that he brought spices to embalm the dead body; there is therefore no reason to doubt his being in his heart a believer. In his very first address to Christ, Nicodemus acknowledges, from the evidence of his miracles, that he was a teacher come from God." For of this, miracles, however in themselves contrary to nature, are in truth the most natural testimony. They afford that testimony which we see the Jews demanded, and which every prudent man would demand, as the proper credentials of one sent from God. Nicodemus accordingly confesses that "no man could do those miracles, that Jesus did, except God were with him." The reply of Jesus was calculated at once to try the sincerity of Nicodemus's faith, and to withdraw him from worldly considerations, * Chap. vii. 50. + Chap. xix. 30.

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and to lead him on to further information in spiritual matters. And the explanation he afterwards gives, declares to us, as well as to him, that it is through Christ alone we can enter into the kingdom of heaven. For by water, is signified the being cleansed from our sins, and received by baptism into the church of Christ; and by the Spirit, that reformation of our hearts and affections through the influence of the Holy Spirit, which is, as it were, putting on a new man, or being born again.

The same sentiment occurs in St. Paul's epistle to Titus. "Not by works of righteousness, which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and the renewing of the Holy Ghost, which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; that being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs, according to the hope of eternal life *."

Ver. 8. The illustration which Jesus familiarly draws from the wind, is applicable to all spiritual essences, even to God himself, who is "about our bed, and about our path," like the air, which fills all space, and exerts very sensible effects,

* Tit. iii. 5.

though "no man hath seen it at any time*" So likewise one that is born of the Spirit, enjoys the effects of his regeneration, without the intervention of any external and visible operation.

Ver. 10. The more learned among the Jews might be expected to have carried their views from the things that are seen, to the things that are not seen; and therefore to be in some measure prepared to admit the truth of heavenly doctrines. What was before taken notice of in the case of Nathaniel, is observable likewise here; that Jesus's discourse, though it is addressed in the first instance to Nicodemus, yet, by the change of number in the original, as well as by the sense which it conveys, appears to have been designed for general instruction, drawn, as was our Saviour's custom, from the incidental circumstances of Nicodemus's conversation, whence he takes occasion to admonish all his hearers, that if they did not receive his testimony on plainer subjects, and things which pass in the hearts of men in this life, it was not to be expected that they would be *It is remarkable that Socrates uses the very same illustration of the operations of God::-και ανεμοι αυτοι μεν ουχ όρωνται, ἁ δε ποιουσι φανερα ήμιν εστι, και προσιόντων αυτων αισθανομε0a. Xenoph. Mem. book iv. chap. 3.

† Chap. i. 52.