2. The conformity, or similitude on our part, ' Even so we should walk in the newness of life.'
First, In the pattern propounded you may observe two things : —
1. Christ's state after his burial, ' He was raised up from the dead.'
2. The efl&cient cause, ' By the glory of the Father ; ' that is, by his glorious power, as it is explained, 2 Cor. xiii. 4, ' He was crucified through weakness, but he liveth by the power of God ; ' and elsewhere by * the glory of God,' is meant ' his power.' So John xi. 40, ' If thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God,' that is, his power in raising Lazarus to life. The agreement to this purpose is observable of Eph. iii. 16, ' That he would grant you according to the riches of his glory to be strengthened with all might ; ' with Col. i. 11, ' Strengthened with all might according to his glorious power.' And this power doth effect that great change in us which fits us for the new life ; as Eph. i. 19, 20, ' And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, which he wrought in Christ, when he raised bim from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places ; ' Col. ii. 12, ' Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.' It is the mighty operation of God that beginneth this life in us ; the same power raiseth us first to a new life, then to a glorious eternity.
Secondly, The apodosis, wherein it is applied, 'Even so we also should walk in newness of life.' The similitude holdeth good in these things : —
1. As the resurrection of Christ followed his death, so doth newness of life our death to sin.
2. As Christ was raised to a blessed immortal life by the glorious power of the Father, so are we renewed and quickened by the same p«wer.
3. The effect of the new birth is mentioned ; our walking in new- ness of life, rather than regeneration or the new birth itself, which yet is signified by baptism, and Christ's resurrection is the pattern and
VeR. 4.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS VI. 173
cause of. The similitude holdeth good in the power, and in the new state of life, which supposeth such a principle.
Doct. That baptism strongly obligeth us to walk in newness of life.
1. Let me speak of the nature of this new life.
2. How strongly we are obliged by baptism to carry it on through the power of God.
First, This newness of life, it may be considered —
1. In its foundatioij, which is the new birth or regeneration ; for till we are made new creatures we cannot live a new life : John iii. 5, 6, ' Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God : that which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit ; ' 2 Cor. v. 17, ' If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature : old things are passed away ; behold, all things are become new,' A bowl must be made round before it can run round ; all creatures are first made and fitted for their use before they can perform the operations belonging to that creature ; so a new being and holy nature is put into us, and we are powerfully changed before we can live unto God. Man's nature is not in such a condition as to need some reparation only, but is wholly corrupt. Therefore we must be born again, there must be a change of the whole man from a state of corruption to a state of holiness, and a principle of new life must be infused into us, whence flow new actions and delights.
2. The first regeneration consists of two parts — mortification and vivification. Mortification doth conquer the fleshly inclination to things present, and vivification doth quicken us to live unto God. There is need of both. Of mortification, that we may die to the flesh and to the world, for there is a seducing principle within, and a tempt- ing object without: within there is the flesh, without the world; we die to both. To the flesh : Gal. v. 24, ' They that are Christ's have crucified the flesh, with the affections and lusts.' To the world : Gal. vi, 14, * God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified to me, and I unto the world.' While the mind and heart is captivated to the flesh, we can never cease to sin. There is need of vivification, that you may live to God ; for the recess from the world is not enough, unless there be an access to God ; and therefore the immediate principles that carry us to God are love kindled in us by faith in Christ. For the new creature, being interpreted as to vivification, is nothing else but faith working by love. Compare Gal. v. 6, ' In Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision availeth any thing ; but faith worketh by love,' with Gal. vi. 15, ' In Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircum- cision availeth any thing, but a new creature.' These two, faith and love, are the principles and springs of all christian practice and con- versation. You are never changed till the heart be changed ; and the heart is never changed till the will and love be changed. Well, then, it is not enough to die to sin, but we must walk in newness of life ; both must be minded ; but we begin first at mortification, and then proceed to the positive duties of a new life. Holiness consists not in a mere forbearance of a sensual life, but principally in living to God; the heart of it within is the love of God, its inclination towards him, delight in him, desire after him, care to please him, loathness to ofiFend