liveth and
abideth forever." We have shown that neither this birth, nor any of
the spiritual changes, can be experienced in this life only through
_faith_ in their correspondent truths, even as they are revealed to us
in the gospel of Christ. We have shown that by the phrase, "kingdom of
heaven" we were to understand, _first_, a holy, happy and immortal
existence "beyond the grave, incorruptible, undefiled and that fadeth
not away, reserved for us in heaven," and which, with all its
perfections and joys, was revealed to us by Jesus Christ; and
_second_, a sincere and living _faith_ in this interesting _reality_,
produced that divine enjoyment, called "the kingdom of heaven within
us," the kingdom of heaven among men, &c. This kingdom the Pharisees
"shut up"--they "neither entered it themselves, nor suffered those
that were entering to go in." That is--they prevented the people from
_believing_ those interesting _realities_--those sublime doctrines of
a future world that their Messiah had brought to light through the
gospel for the present happiness of men.

We have shown that water baptism is but a _figure, a shadow_ of our
death and resurrection, or of the washing of regeneration and renewing
of the Holy Spirit, and that this figure is of but little consequence
to us in this present day. In fine we have shown that if there were no
future existence--if nought were held up to man but the dreary
prospect of a beamless eternity, he could not be justified,
sanctified, born again, pass from death to life or enter the kingdom
of God through faith, because in such case the _objects_ of his _faith
and hope_ would be annihilated, his faith would be vain, he would be
yet in his sins. In this view of our subject, we perceive that Christ
is but "the author and finisher of our faith," having been ordained of
God "to bring life and immortality to light," to set us an example for
our imitation and happiness here below--and to die and rise in
attestation of the truth involved in his mission. Consequently his
kingdom will be delivered up when _faith and hope_ shall be lost in
certainty and joy.

It now remains that we urge the importance of the _new birth_ through
faith in the truth. And here we shall probably meet with one objection
from the reader, viz. As we argued in sermons, No. 5, 6, and 7, that
faith was the first exercise of the creature, and that no one could
_believe or disbelieve_ what he pleased, the reader may then ask,