of the doctrine which requires men to seek from God an entire change both of heart and hfe ; and declares them to be incapable of entering into the kingdom of heaven till they have experienced this change ? Its tendency manifestly is to awaken men from their slumbers in the way of sin, and to stir them up to seek a conformity to God in righteousness and true holiness. But what is the tendency of the doctrine that identifies baptism with the new birth ? Is it not to lull men asleep in their evil ways ; to make them think that they do not need a new nature, but only a little reformation of some things, which may easily be amended whenever they please ? I ask any candid man, Are not these the true and natural tendencies of the two opposite doctrines ? and do not these ten- dencies strongly mark which of the two is right ?
Lastly ; Let us view them in reference to their Ji?ial issue. — Suppose that the doctrine of baptismal regeneration should prove erroneous, what will be the consequence to those who, having relied upon it as true, have never sought that spiritual birth which we maintain to be necessary to salvation ? According to their own principles, they must perish : for, let it be remembered, that our opponents maintain the necessity of a new birth as well as we ; only they maintain that they experienced it in their baptism. But suppose that our doctrine prove erroneous ; shall we perish because we were fearful that we had not yet attained that new birth, and continued with all diligence to seek it after we had actually attained it ? The worst that could in that case be said, would be, that we had given ourselves some unnecessary con- cern and trouble : but our very opponents must ac- knowledge, that by that diligence we had '* made our calling and election sure ;" yea, if I may be allowed such an expression, we had made it doubly sure. Can any one who considers this, sit down contentedly with the doubtful notion of having been regenerated in his baptism, and not exert himself to put the matter beyond a doubt ? The pains used to obtain a new and spiritual birth will injure no man : but a neglect
264 I CORINTHIANS, X. 15. Ll^^D.
to seek it, from the idea of its having been imparted in baptism, will, if that idea be erroneous, plunge us into irremediable and endless misery. Which alter- native, then, will any man of wisdom, yea, of common prudence, choose ?
I think, enough has been said to shew what the new birth really is, and that it must be sought and experienced by all who would find admittance into the kingdom of heaven.
But we will yet further confirm what has been said, by two or three passages of Scripture, which bear directly upon the question, and shew us the danger of listening to such delusions as are set in opposition to the truth which we are insisting on. " All are not Israel," says St. Paul, " who are of IsraeP ;" or, in other words, all are not true Christians who are nominally so. Again, " In Christ Jesus, neither cir- cumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature V Here substitute the term baptism for the corresponding rite of circumcision, and you have in one single sentence every word that we have spoken. Once more : " He is not a Jew who is one outwardly ; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh : but he is a Jew who is one inwardly ; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter ; whose praise is not of men, but of God™." Can there be plainer language than this ? O that we may not trifle with God, and our own souls! It is an easy matter to adopt an opinion, and to maintain it in opposition to the most convincing statements : but we cannot change the truth of God ; nor, when we have passed into the eternal world, can we come back to rectify our errors. We may laugh at the new birth, and persuade our- selves that we have no need to be alarmed at the declarations of the Lord Jesus Christ in relation to it ; but we cannot make him open the kingdom of heaven to us when once the door is shut : we may knock, and say. Lord, I thought my baptism was