Page:The New View of Hell.djvu/216

 no other. He comes forth, not suddenly nor in any miraculous manner; but slowly, gradually, after years of hard study, close application and unremitting toil. The student learns certain musical rules or laws, and then compels himself to reduce those rules to practice. And so at last the musician is produced, developed, formed, or born.

And the painter, sculptor, architect, and mechanic are born in the same way. Each of these comes forth, generally not until the physical man has attained maturity. The individual first makes himself acquainted with the rules of the art, and then learns, through patient and protracted effort, to reduce these rules to practice.

And in a way precisely similar is "the new man" or angel born. In other words, we are introduced or born in a similar manner, into a state of supreme love to the Lord and the neighbor;—are lifted out of that low natural state, which is hell, into that high spiritual state, which is heaven. And this is what is meant by being "born again," "born of the Spirit," "born from above," and "born of God," whereof the Bible speaks.

The only possible way, therefore, of escaping the hellish and attaining unto the heavenly state, is, by first learning the laws of the higher or heavenly life, and then (in humble acknowledgment of our utter and constant dependence on the Lord) reducing them to practice. These laws are all contained in the Sacred Scripture, and are full of the Saviour's own life which is love. But