The begetting and conception, which is called quickening - Stanley Phillips

...in time, the Holy Spirit quickens (An Old English word which means to “make alive,” or “to smart” or “be pricked” etc.) those that are saved by Christ on the cross, giving to them spiritual life. This is referred to in Scripture as “being born from above,” or “begotten again,” and often Bible students call it regeneration. Freewillers call it “getting saved.” Hollywood artists call it “being born again.” However, these terms are rather confusing and often inaccurate. “Begetting” takes place before “birth.” A sensible sinner will already be “begotten,” but may not as yet have been “delivered” in birth. Principally, regeneration in both places in the Bible where it is used seems to refer to the re-introduction of life into someone prior to the resurrection of the body. But, we will not now go there. Rather, let us still “simply put” the order of the gospel of Christ.

The spiritual life begotten and conceived in a previously dead elect sinner produces various effects. They can now feel the awful sinfulness of their sins very clearly. Their conscience is quickened. They smart under the felt judgment of God's law. They now know their acute need for salvation. They now desire evidences that God loves them, and that Christ died for them. They now are brought by the Holy Spirit under the condemnation of God's holy law. They now mourn, being depressed spiritually, over their sinfulness. They have spiritual eyes to see their need, and feel that they yet walk in darkness. (Isaiah 50:10.) They become beggars at mercy's door, longing for a hope and evidence that they are one of God's people. Simply put, they are alive! They are in the process of birth – “being born from above.” (John 1:12-13.) And the first step in this process of birth is the begetting and conception, which is called quickening. This gracious and necessary work will ultimately and unfailingly be produced in them “at the appointed time.” (Galatians 1:15.) They are sinners, and will immediately confess themselves to be such. As sensible sinners they are the only kind of people for whom Christ came to save. “I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” Again, “Christ died for the ungodly.” (Romans 5:6.) Simply put, the gospel is that Christ did in fact die only for sinners; that is, those who are in time made feeling so. It is the work of the Holy Spirit to reveal this sinnership to them; and that Christ died for such sinners as they! That is gospel!

When a Sinner is thus Quickened - Gilbert Beebe

"When a sinner is thus quickened, the incorruptible seed, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth forever, is implanted in his heart, and the evidence of this implantation is first given by a sense of the purity and holiness of God, and the spirituality of his law, contrasted with a sense of guilt, pollution and just condemnation of the person to whom this communication is made, and consequently a struggle for deliverance. The ear is now opened to hear the thunders of Sinai, and the eye is made to see the justice of God as a sin avenger; a brokenness of heart that he or she, as the case may be, has been all their lifetime in open rebellion against so holy, just and righteous a God, who has followed them with his mercies all their days. A sense of his goodness leads them to repentance, contrition and humble acknowledgment of their guilt. Now the quickened and awakened sinner becomes burdened with the load of depravity, which they vainly try to put away from them; an effort is made to reform; a resolution is formed to sin no more; tears flow in anguish of spirit, and prayers are offered for pardon; the sinner is pricked in the heart, and cries out, Men and brethren, what shall I do? But all that he can do for himself, and all that kind, sympathizing friends can do for him, does not ease his pain or lighten his burden. At length he concludes there is no hope in his case, he sees that all his efforts, cries and tears, have been unavailing, and all hope of salvation seems to be shut out from his view.

 Now all this conviction, contrition, lamentation and distress, is the legitimate consequence resulting from life implanted, and indicates to all who know experimentally the way of life, that the poor sin-burdened soul is drawing near to the time of his birth, or deliverance. He who has thus arrested him, and brought him to a sense of his lost and helpless estate, will perform the work in his own time, but the burdened soul must wait until "God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, shines in [not into] his heart, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ." -2 Cor. iv. 6. Or, as Paul relates his own experience, "When it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace, to reveal his Son in me." - Gal. i. 15. Then by the revelation of Christ in us the hope of glory, the way of salvation through him is brought to view, the burden of guilt is removed, the blood of Christ is applied, the demands of the law are canceled, the curse is removed, the prison doors are opened, the captive is delivered, the love of God is shed abroad in the heart, old things are passed away; behold all things have become new; a new song is put in his mouth, even praise unto God, the gospel pours its joyful sound into his quickened ears, his goings are established and he is a new creature..."

The quickening spirit - Gilbert Beebe

"First, the Spirit of the Lord God, which is the quickening spirit, makes them alive, quickens and animates them with spiritual vitality, and makes them feel the need of living water, which can only be found in Christ, who is the place of broad rivers and streams. So far as we can perceive any distinction between being born of the water, and of the Spirit, the Spirit first operates upon the sinner, and makes him sensible that he is guilty before God, righteously condemned by the just and holy law, and utterly helpless and bankrupt. Then the water of life flowing through Christ from the throne of God and the Lamb, with cleansing, cheering and life inspiring power, is applied, and he is born of the water into the liberty of the sons of God." - Gilbert Beebe

Immediate Infusion - John Gill

The instrumental cause of regeneration, if it may be so called, are the word of God, and the ministers of it; hence regenerate persons are said to be "born again by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever" (1 Pet. 1:23), and again, "of his own will begat he us with the word of truth" (James 1:18), unless by the Word in these passages should be meant the Eternal Logos, or essential Word of God, Christ Jesus, since λογος is used in both places; though ministers of the gospel are not only represented as ministers and instruments by whom others believe, but as spiritual fathers; "though you have ten thousand instructors in Christ", says the apostle to the Corinthians (1 Cor. 4:15), "yet have ye not many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel"; so he speaks of his son Onesimus, whom he had "begotten in his bonds" (Philemon 1:10) yet this instrumentality of the word in regeneration seems not so agreeable to the principle of grace implanted in the soul in regeneration, and to be understood with respect to that; since that is done by immediate infusion, and is represented as a creation; and now as God made no use of any instrument in the first and old creation, so neither does it seem so agreeable that he should use any in the new creation: wherefore this is rather to be understood of the exertion of the principle of grace, and the drawing it forth into act and exercise; which is excited and encouraged by the ministry of the word, by which it appears that a man is born again; so the three thousand first converts, and the jailor, were first regenerated, or had the principle of grace wrought in their souls by the Spirit of God, and then were directed and encouraged by the ministry of the apostles to repent and believe in Christ: whereby it became manifest that they were born again. Though after all it seems plain, that the ministry of the word is the vehicle in which the Spirit of God conveys himself and his grace into the hearts of men; which is done when the word comes not in word only, but in power, and in the Holy Ghost; and works effectually, and is the power of God unto salvation; then faith comes by hearing, and ministers are instruments by whom, at least, men are encouraged to believe: "received ye the Spirit", says the apostle, "by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith": (Gal. 3:2), that is, by the preaching of the law, or by the preaching of the gospel? by the latter, no doubt.

Spiritual life discovered by the Gospel - William Styles

Spiritual life discovered by the Gospel. We believe that the principle of spiritual life received by the elect at their Regeneration is acted on by the gospel; by which its presence is disclosed, its powers developed, and its actings directed (Rom. 1:16 and 10:17; 1 Cor. 1:18, and 4:20; 2 Pet. 1:20, 21); and we hold that the mysterious and secret operations of the Holy Spirit are thus manifested by the evident entrance of regeneration persons into the kingdom of the Redeemer (John 3:5; 1 Thess. 1:5, 6).

“But souls enlightened from above, With joy receive the Word; They see what wisdom, power and love Shine in their dying Lord.

“The vital savour of His name, Restores their fainting breath; His power upholds their mortal frame, And saves their souls in death.”

Note.—Distinguish between Regeneration and the New Birth. Regeneration is the impartation of spiritual life, and is a sovereign and direct act of the Spirit within the soul. The New Birth is the entrance of the new-born soul into actual and experimental spiritual existence. Regeneration is effected by the Spirit without instrumentality, whereas in the New Birth, the Word of God is employed and brought into spiritual connection and union with the mind and heart. Thus “of His own will He brought us forth, by the Word of truth,” James 1:18 (Revised Translation). “Being born again by the Word of God,” 1 Pet. 1:23. “Except a man be born of water (used metaphorically for the word, as in Eph. 5:26), and of the Spirit” by the agency of the Spirit, and the instrumentality of the word, “he cannot enter into the kingdom of God,” John 3:5).

All passages which speak of the gospel as a power in the effectual calling of sinners presuppose the existence of spiritual life in their souls. It is the power of God “to every one that believe,” Rom. 1:16, and faith is the act of a living soul. To us “that are saved it is the power of God.” It saves “those that believe,” 1 Cor. 1:18-21.

Its influence on the mind is well illustrated by passages in which it is likened to falling rain (e.g., Psa. 72:6; Isa. 55:10), which exerts its fertilizing power only where vegetable life pre-exists. Dead sticks and stones remain unaffected. So the gospel has no innate and inherent power of itself to regenerate men. The Spirit is the Lord and giver of life, and having imparted life, He acts on the life which He has imparted by the word which He inspired. The efficient power of the word lies in the agent who employs it, not in the instrument employed.

The first evidences of the renewed life - Robert Hawker

"...What were the secondary means which the Lord in his providence was pleased to employ, it is not so interesting to the reader to be informed of, as to behold their efficacy under grace. It will be sufficient for him to know, that from an ardent pursuit, like that of the generality of the world, of the several objects which attract attention in the circle of life, I found my mind suddenly arrested by matters of an higher nature; and among the first evidences of the renewed life, I discovered two or three leading principles manifesting the mighty change. As for example—from being occupied in an unremitting regard to things temporal, I now found my heart earnest to pursue the things which are eternal—and if at any time the necessary and unavoidable claims of the world broke in upon me, to call off my attention, my heart, like the needle under magnetic influence, which cannot be long diverted from the object of its attraction, soon was turned again to its favorite pursuit. In like manner the troubles of life and the disappointments necessary to the present preliminary state, which in the days of my unregeneracy operated with all their severity, now lost their power, or at least became lessened, in the great anxiety of what might be my situation in the world to come. This, like the ocean, whose boundless bosom takes in all the rivers flowing into it, swallowed up every lesser stream of sorrow; and an awakened concern for the "one thing needful," made me forget every other consideration.

Add to these, I had been exceedingly prodigal of time, while I knew not its value; and have been literally sending out into the streets and lanes of the city to invite passengers to take it off my hands; but when it pleased God to call me by his grace, I found every part of it to be so precious, that, like the fugitive man-slayer hastening to the gate of Refuge, I dreaded every moment lest the adversary should seize me before I had found a sanctuary from his fury. As well as I recollect (and great cause have I to recollect everything connected with a situation so critical) I was in this state of mind when my desires were first awakened to an inquiry after Zion—and the question involuntarily was bursting from the fullness of my heart, "Who will show me any good? Lord, lift up the light of your countenance upon me; and it shall put more gladness in my heart than in the time when corn, and wine, and oil increase!"

Awakened to a concern which I had never before experienced, and called upon continually by a voice from within, which neither the engagements of pleasure nor the clamor of business could wholly stifle, I found myself, insensibly as it were, entered upon the road to Zion, eagerly disposed to ask everyone by the way, "Who will show me any good?" though unconscious at that time what that good meant, or whether there were any means of attaining it."

"[At a later time in the story, the gospel is preached to him and he then writes]... I knew not what to reply, and therefore remained silent. The poor man, bidding me farewell, left me to ruminate on the solemn inquiry, "How should man be just with God?" (Job 9:2.)

I felt the same force of what he said. It was a harsh sound; and the vibration long dwelt upon my ear, "How shall man be just with God?" It followed me to what Job calls the "visions of the night;" (Job 4.) and even then, like the spectre which he saw, the same expostulating voice seemed to cry, "How shall man be just with God?"

The stern demand rang through all the chambers of the conscience, as if a thousand voices had concurred to proclaim the utter impossibility of answering the question in the very moment of proposing it; and as an echo reverberates from broken walls, so the sound of conviction returned from my broken heart. "By the deeds of the law no flesh can be justified in his sight." (Rom. 3:20.)

It is with some degree of grateful recollection that I look back upon this part of my history; and bless God, while I trace his divine hand graciously interposing by the instrumentality of this poor man, to rescue me from the dangerous path of delusion into which I had turned, when seeking justification by the deeds of the law. I can now enter into the participation of David's experience upon a similar occasion, and feel somewhat of that spirit which he felt in the instance of the wife of the Carmelite, when under a deep conviction of that sin-preventing providence, he cried out, "Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, who sent you this day to meet me; and blessed be your advice, and blessed be you." (1 Sam. 25:32.) In like manner I find cause to bless God in the review of this instance as the Author, the poor man as the instrument, and his advice as the means, which the Lord was pleased to commission, for the emancipation of my mind from a self-confidence which, if cherished, must have ultimately ended in my eternal ruin."