(1.) Because there is more need that you should be born again, that you may receive the effect and fruit of your baptism, that it may not be an idle ceremony. Because they had ' put on Christ,' the apostle biddeth them ' put on Christ,' Col. iii. 10, 12 ; and again, because 'risen with Christ,' therefore ' set your affections upon things above'; ' and because ' dead,' therefore ' mortify,' Col. iii. 3, 5. We are more engaged to look after regeneration by our profession and covenant sealed in baptism. If you have put on Christ sacramentally, then put him on really. That putting off and putting on, Eph. iv. 22, 24, relateth to baptism. So Kom. vi. 11, 12, ' Likewise reckon ye yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto' God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Let not sin reign in your mortal bodies, that you should obey it in the lusts thereof.' However God may deal with infidels, be sure it will not fare well with you. If you mock God with an empty for- mality, and put him off with baptismal regeneration without a real regeneration, if you put on Christ in profession, and do not really put him on, and know his grace in truth, you can never speed well at last. There is a common necessity upon all mankind of seeking after the re- conciling and renewing grace of the Redeemer, but especially those that live in the church, because of their covenant vow and profession : Rom. vi. 3-5, ' Know ye not that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death ? Therefore we are buried
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with him by baptism into death, that, like as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life : for if we bave been planted together in the likeness of his deatb, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection.'
(2.) In baptism you were entered by others: Deut. xxix. 11, 'Your little ones.' In grown years you must enter yourselves disciples to Christ. There is required a personal act of all that come to age, that they may stand to the covenant, and own what their parents promised for them, and subscribe with their own hand to the God of Jacob : Isa. xliv. 5, ' One shall say, I am the Lord's ; and another shall call him- self by the name of Jacob ; and another sliall subscribe with his hand unto the Lord, and surname himself by tbe name of Israel.' As they grow up they must engage themselves to the Lord. As the parents of the blind man said, ' He is of age, let him speak for himself,' John ix. 21 ; so when persons are of age, then the renouncing of Christ's enemies, profession of faith in Christ, and the resignation of ourselves to God, should be made with our own mouths when we are able. Therefore Christianity is called a ' confession,' Heb. iii. 1 ; and every christian is a confessor : Eom. x. 10, ' For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made to salvation.' You may openly own Christ. There must be a ' professed subjection to the gospel of Christ,' 2 Cor. ix. 13.
(3.) This personal consent must not only be outwardly professed, but the heart must be renewed, and the bent of it set towards God ; for we have not only to do with men, but with God; and God will not be mocked : 1 Peter iii. 21, ' The like figure whereunto even baptism doth now save us, not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience towards God, by the resurrection of Jesus Christ ; ' Rom. vi. 13, ' But yield yourselves unto God as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.'
[2.] It is not a moral reformation or a change of life, but regenera- tion or a change of nature. Many change their manners and course of living, and yet are far enough from the new birth, which signifieth the infusion of a principle of sjuritual life into the soul. To change our actions whilst our hearts are unchanged will never bring us to heaven ; for God requireth not only good fruit, but a good tree, and maketli actions to be the fruit of a new life : Ezek. xi. 19, 20, 'And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you, and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and give them an heart of flesh; that they may walk in my statutes, and keep mine ordinances, and do them.' A man may change his course, as he that was lewd before may become sober, and yet his nature may be the same, a carnal wretch for all that ; as a sow that is washed is a sow still. 0 christians ! let not this seem a paradox to you. The scripture doth everywhei'c distinguish between the old man and liis deeds and the new man and liis actions, the nature and the fruits ; and therefore do not deceive yourselves. Holiness of life floweth from a renewed heart, and the Lord's method is first to infuse the principles of the new life, or gracious habits or powers into the soul ; next to actuate those powers, making them actually to do those things that are spiritually good :