Part 113

*But perhaps the sinner himself, to whom in real charity we say, “_You must be born again_,” has been taught to say, “I defy your new doctrine; I need not be born again. I was born again when I was baptized. What! Would you have me deny my baptism?” I answer, first, There is nothing under heaven which can excuse a lie. Otherwise I should say to an open sinner, If you have been baptized, do not own it. For how highly does this aggravate your guilt? How will it increase your damnation? Was you devoted to God at eight days old, and have you been all these years devoting yourself to the devil? Was you, even before you had the use of reason, consecrated to God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost? And have you ever since you had the use of it, been flying in the face of God, and consecrating yourself to _Satan_? Does the abomination of desolation, the love of the world, pride, anger, lust, foolish desire, and a whole train of vile affections stand where it ought not? Have you set up all these accursed things in that soul, which was once a _temple of the Holy Ghost_? Set apart for _an habitation of_ God _through the Spirit_? Yea, solemnly given up to him? And do you glory in this, that you once belonged to God? O be ashamed! Blush! Hide yourself in the earth! Never boast more of what ought to fill you with confusion, to make you ashamed before God and man! I answer, secondly, You have already denied your baptism; and that in the most effectual manner. You have denied it a thousand and a thousand times; and you do so still day by day. For in your baptism, you renounced the devil and all his works. Whenever therefore you give place to him again, whenever you do any of the works of the devil, then you deny your baptism. Therefore you deny it by every wilful sin: by every act of uncleanness, drunkenness, or revenge: by every obscene or profane word; by every oath that comes out of your mouth. Every time you profane the day of the Lord, you thereby deny your baptism: yea, every time you do any thing to another, which you would not he should do to you. I answer, thirdly, Be you baptized or unbaptized, you must be born again. Otherwise it is not possible you should be inwardly holy: and without inward as well as outward holiness, you cannot be happy even in this world; much less in the world to come. Do you say, “Nay, but I do no harm to any man; I am honest and just in all my dealings; I do not curse, or take the Lord’s name in vain; I do not profane the Lord’s day: I am no drunkard; I do not slander my neighbour, nor live in any wilful sin.” If this be so, it were much to be wished, that all men went as far as you do. But you must go farther yet, or you cannot be saved: still you must be born again. Do you add, “I do go farther yet; for I not only do no harm, but do all the good I can.” I doubt that fact; I fear you have had a thousand opportunities of doing good, which you have suffered to pass by unimproved, and for which therefore you are accountable to God. But if you had improved them all, if you really had done all the good you possibly could to all men, yet this does not at all alter the case: still you must be born again. Without this nothing will do any good to your poor sinful, polluted soul. “Nay, but I constantly attend all the ordinances of God: I keep to my church and sacrament.” It is well you do. But all this will not keep you from hell, except you be born again. Go to church twice a day, go to the Lord’s table every week, say ever so many prayers in private, hear ever so many good sermons, read ever so many good books, still you must be born again: none of these things will stand in the place of the new birth: no, nor any thing under heaven. Let this therefore, if you have not already experienced this inward work of God, be your continual prayer, “Lord, add this to all thy blessings, let me be _born again_. Deny whatever thou pleasest, but deny not this, Let me be _born from above_. Take away whatsoever seemeth thee good, reputation, fortune, friends, health. Only give me this, To be _born of the Spirit_! To be received among the children of God. Let me be born, _not of corruptible seed, but incorruptible, by the word of_ God, _which liveth and abideth for ever_. And then let me daily _grow in grace_, and _in the knowledge of our_ Lord _and Saviour_ Jesus Christ!”