sprinkling from the former clause, your hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, for this is mere jingling upon words. And indeed I think the argument no better, if any should attempt to demonstrate, that washing signifies dipping. Your concern and mine from those, words, and in this ordinance, is about greater things. It is the doctrine engraven and exposed upon our baptism, that we are are to contend earnestly for. It signifies nothing, with what quantity of water that man was baptized, who either denies or conceals, the trinity of persons in the unity of the Godhead. If he was sprinkled, he carries a lie in his forehead; if he was plunged, it had as good have been in the ditch; for his clothes will abhor bim.

...The word washing, denotes no particular way of making clean. It may be done by sprinkling, as well as dipping. It was a common thing in those ages and countries, to wash the feet of strangers. And I am sure this was once done by sprinkling, when the poor woman did it with tears. Luke vii. $8. But I do not love striving about words to no profit. Let us join in this, that according to the reve lation, God has made of his will to us, we speak the same thing, that is, about the great design of this ordinance.

It will never lead me into any quarrel, if they who call themselves baptized believers, take care to approve themselves believing baptists ; that we may know what is within them, hy the acknowledging of every good thing; and that

they may not be, like the generation who are pure in their own eyes, but are not washed from their filthiness. Washing an infidel, is but like washing an Ethiopian. However, the phrase in which the Holy Ghost has spoke of baptism, may lead us into several things, that are designed by it.

1. It is a pledge of our justification. Hence we read of the baptism of repentance, for remission of sins. Mark i. 4. This is sometimes conveyed to us, under the similitude of water. Wash me thoroughly, saith David, from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sins. Ps. li. 2. Thus runs the promise, though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be white as snow, though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. Isa. i. 18. Thus I choose to take the metaphor, as our Saviour uses it to Peter, when he went to wash his feet. He tells him, it was an emblem of something, that he should know hereafter; and explains himself thus, if I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me. John xiii. 8. That which makes me apply this to his justification, is what he adds, he that is washed, needs not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit; for this can hardly be understood of their sanctification. Thus he told them in the days of old, Ezek. xxxvi. 25, I will pour clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean; from all your filthiness and all your idols I will cleanse you; i. e. from the guilt of them; for we know that the blood of Christ cleanses from all sin. 1 John. i. 7. Thus does Ananias speak of the ordinance, to Saul, why tarriest thou?

Arise and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord. Acts xxii. 16.

2. It is an emblem of our sanctification. We are saved by the washing of regeneration, and the renewing of the Holy Ghost. 2 Tit. iii. 5. To call baptism the laver of regeneration is dangerous, false, and foolish. That it is a token, a sign, or a representation of it, is true; but to say that it is the means or the efficient of a thorough change, is wrong, and only serves to make people trust in a lie. However, the external action is spoken of in the same way, with the influence of the Holy Spirit. Ye are washed, ye are justified, ye are sanctified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. 1 Cor. vi. 11.

3. It signifies our growth in religion. Though the ordinance is administered but once, yet the obligation arising from it, to a dependance upon Christ, and a derivation from the Holy Spirit, continues all along. We are to be sanctified throughout in our whole spirit, soul, and body. These words, in my opinion, carry in them no discovery of three parts in us, but rather only of two. For the prayer of the Apostle is, that our whole spirit ὁλόκληρου τό πνεῦμα, our entire frame, which is called spirit in honour to the change, that is wrought upon us, and the glorious author of it, who is the Spirit (as the believer is called a spiritual man) be preserved. And he distributes what he means by this general word Spirit, into two particulars, καὶ ἡ ψυχὴ καὶ τό σῶμα, both your soul and

even your body. These are to be sanctified every day.

4. It signifies our devotedness to the Lord.. It is the badge, the mark, the signature of our subjection to him. By baptism, we declared ourselves to be entered into his service, and into his family.

5. It engages us to a continual attendance upon the means of grace; because he that sanctifies us through the washing of water, does it by the word, Eph. v. 26. Baptism is the figure of our being saved; now we are saved by faith, and faith comes by hearing. They that separate themselves, being sensual, and having not the Spirit, have no benefit by their baptism, but are blind and cannot see afar off, and have forgotten they were purged from their old sins. 2 Pet. i. 9. Such as were baptized upon Peter's sermon continued steadfastly in the Apostle's doctrine, and fellowship, and breaking of bread, and in prayers.

6. It is an emblem of those joys and comforts, that a believer may hope for. Out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. John vii. 38. A cheerful life and temper, is very properly set out by this figure. Let thy garments be always white, and let thy head lack no ointment. Eccl. ix. 8. Baptism represents both, the satisfaction Christ made for our sins by his blood, and the victory he has over them by his grace. And how happy a state is that, "a fountain of gardens, a well of living waters, and streams from Lebanon." Cant. iv. 15. 7. It is an earnest of the felicity above.

There our robes are to be washed in the blood of the Lamb. Rev. vii. 14. There our persons are to to be sanctified, so as to be without spot or wrinkle, or any such thing. There our entertainments are from a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. He leads to the fountains of living waters, and wipes away all tears from our eyes. Rev. xxii. 3.

Application 1. If baptism contains all this, what need have we to take care that we lose none of it!

2. How great is our obligation to be steady in the doctrine, that is engraven upon this ordinance? Holding fast the profession of our faith without wavering.