2.  We cannot exhort the impenitent baptised, though apparently dead in trespasses and sins, to pray for a new heart and a new spirit; for these, as regenerated persons, they have obtained.

3.  The minister who believes in baptismal regeneration, cannot with Paul proclaim, “If any man be in Christ Jesus and is a new creature, old limits are passed away, behold all things have become new;” for his ungodly baptised hearers are all new creatures by baptism, and yet their old sinful habits have not passed away, and all things have not become new to them.

4.  He cannot consistently preach, that those who have put on the new man (Ephes. iv. 24,) are created in righteousness and true holiness; for the majority of those said to be regenerated, or to have put on the new man by baptism, continue in sin and are destitute of righteousness and trim holiness.

5.  He cannot, with the blessed Master, preach, “by their fruits ye shall know them; for here, on his theory, are regenerate souls bringing forth the fruits of death, good (regenerate) trees bringing forth rotten fruits,” which is as incredible as thorns producing grapes, and thistles yielding figs.

6.  The believer in baptismal regeneration cannot consistently preach, that “not every one who saith, “Lord, Lord,” shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but only those who also do the will of our heavenly Father; for here are regenerate men who have the germ of eternal life in them (by baptism) who do not the will of God.  Now as these on his theory are regenerate men, the bible promises them salvation.  But according to the Saviour they shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.

The apostle James Inquires, [sic] “What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith and have not works?  Will his (dead) faith save, him?” Or we may add, can his dead baptismal regeneration do it?  As the apostle of the Gentiles declares, that circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God:  so as baptism occupies the place of circumcision, baptism is nothing and the want of it nothing, unless accompanied with a sincere, universal and irrevocable purpose to keep the commandments of God.

If any one responds, we do not mean regeneration in its proper sense, when we ascribe it to the influence of baptism; then do not deceive yourselves and others by employing the name, when you do not mean the thing.  The Saviour uses it for an entire, and radical change, and we have no right to use it for anything else.

Or does any one say, by baptismal regeneration, we understand an inferior kind or degree of regeneration, the beginning of the change.  If so, then do not mistake the beginning for the completion of this great spiritual renovation; nor ascribe to the one, the precious promises and spiritual benefits which belong only to the other.