Here was a world born into existence under the certain sentence of
death, and groaning in the bondage of corruption, without any hope of
being delivered from it, by an immortal birth, "into the glorious
liberty of the children of God." In this period of anxiety and
distress, the glad tidings were proclaimed to the shepherds on the
plains of Judea, announcing the birth of the Saviour of the world. A
new birth, which is not mentioned in the old Testament, was at length
proclaimed by a Saviour in the _new_. He died on the cross, and was
"the first born from the dead."

He is the head of every man, by the grace of God tasted death for
every man, and rose again for their justification. The scriptures
declare that "we shall be saved by his life" that he is "the bread of
God that cometh down from heaven and giveth life to the world." He is
our way, our truth and life, and "because he lives we shall live
also." "As in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made
alive," or born from the dead. And he that is made alive in Christ is
a new creature, old things are passed away--all things are become new.

But says the reader, though the resurrection of Jesus is set forth by
a birth from death, yet the resurrection of the human family is never
so represented. You mistake. Out of the many passage that might be
adduced, we have room, in this discourse, for only one. It shall,
however, be satisfactory. In Romans, 8th chapter, Paul says, "Because
the creature itself also, shall be delivered from the bondage of
corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God; for we
know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together
until now." [We would remark, that the word _creature, is ktisis_ in
the Greek, and is the same that is rendered _creation_ in the next
verse.] In this quotation, you perceive, that Paul represents the
whole creation as groaning in travail pains, and declares that the
whole creation shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into
the glorious liberty of the sons of God. He compares them to a woman
in pain ready for delivery; and that they are delivered from
corruption to incorruption at the resurrection is certain. [See 1 Cor.
xv:42.]

You now understand what I mean by the new birth. It is to pass from
death to life and immortality, in Christ, beyond the grave, where
flesh and blood can never enter. For that which is born of the flesh
is flesh, and that which is born of the sp