It is possible that people may agree in their notions upon the manner of administration, and be never the better for it. Whatever my opinion is about dipping or sprinkling, without the washing of regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Ghost, it is all as water spilt upon the ground, that cannot be gathered. What signified the circumcision of Ishmael in his infancy, or the baptism of Simon Magus in his riper years? They were each of them called the external seals of a covenant, which these persons knew nothing of: the one was a mocker, Gen. xxi. 9 and the other in the gall of bitterness, Acts viii. 23. And therefore, as I said, it is of much greater importance, to know what it is to be baptized; for as many of you as have been baptized into Christ, have put on Christ, Gal. iii. 27.

I do not speak this with any contempt of the outward sign. I believe the use of water in this solemnity is by the appointment of Christ Jesus, and what he has bound upon his Churches to the end of the world. But it is the spirit, the meaning, the instruction, the advantage of the ordinance, that you and I are concerned in.

The words of the text are well known to give us some account of both. They are the last orders that our great law-giver left with his disciples, after he had finished transgression, and made an end of sin; after he was raised from the dead, and had received all power both in heaven and earth. In this fulness of authority he directs those whom he had chosen and ordained to go into all nations.

His empire was now unconfined. He himself was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, but his servants were to make disciples every where. To which purpose he does not only appoint the preaching of the Gospel, but a new solemnity, in which, they expressed their dedication to him, being baptized into the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

The persons employed in this work, were the same who should be endued with power from on high, and sent out as witnesses to him. Luke xxiv. 48, 49. It is a part of the ministerial office, and joined with our teaching men to observe all things that he has commanded. We find that the preachers of the gospel always did it, and the people who gladly received the word, desired it. How indifferent soever it appears to some in our day, yet the grace of God never failed, to stir up an early regard to it, in times of old. The three thousand souls converted at Peter's sermon, were baptized and added to the Church the same day. Acts ii. 41. Though we do not read, that Philip did any more to the eunuch than preach Christ Jesus from the 53d of Isaiah, yet the spirit that opened his understanding to a mystery, did the sane to an ordinance. As they

came to a certain water, the eunuch makes the proposal. He was not prompted to it, or pushed upon it, but speaks as soon as he saw; here is water, what hinders me to be baptized? Acts viii. 36. And though Saul after his conversion was not thus hasty, yet Ananias would

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have him so; why tarriest thou? arise and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord. Acts xxii. 16. And thus saith Peter upon the success of his ministry at Cesarea; can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized? Acts x. 47.

The words of our Lord's institution, baptize them into the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, lead us to consider this great solemnity; first, as it is an external action; and secondly, as the design and meaning of it is explained at large. The external sign is baptizing; the heart, the soul, the signification of it is, that it is done in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

1. The thing that he directs them to, is Baptism, which signifies the use of water upon the body. That the action itself is of no value, we can own as readily as they who deride it but the question is, whether it is not the will of God concerning us. Has he not bid us do it? have we not received it of the Lord Jesus?

The argument drawn from this, for human ceremonies, is of no weight at all. We may justly contend against any subjection to the will of man, upon reasons, that are never to be used against an institution of our great lawgiver. The question is not whether there are shadows, ceremonies, and outward signs in his worship, but who has the right to appoint them?

God begun with figures of religion in Paradise; making the tree of knowledge to be the

test of Adam's duty, and the tree of life the pledge of his acceptance. He was worshipped by sacrifices from the first revelation of a Messiah. Righteous Abel brought a lamb of the flock, no doubt of it, by divine appointment. This was a type of God's design, and a token of Abel's faith in the Lamb, who takes away the sins of the world. He gave circumcision to Abraham, and the passover to Moses: and the soul who neglected either of them was to be cut off from among his people. These were each of them carnal ordinances in their nature, as afterwards they are called in contempt; things outward in the flesh, bodily exercises: Heb. ix. 1. Nevertheless, as none but God could appoint them, none but God could dissolve them, and set up others. Now, he that had all power both in heaven and earth, from a divine authority, from a fulness of Godhead, sent forth his servants to disciple all nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

That this is to be done by water appears from all that the scripture has told us, both before the institution that Christ gave, and afterwards. John was called the Baptist, from that which was to be, the chief part of his ministry; he sent me, saith he, to baptize with water. The apostles acted in the same way, Though there is a spiritual baptism, and the other signifies nothing, where that is not; yet if this was all that our Lord designed; if there was no outward action, there had been no oc

easion for the eunuch to stop his chariot, and for him and Philip to get out of it, when they

saw water.

I have no inclination to draw out this matter any farther; because all this while, I am held back from my chief design. But, my friends, I ought to warn you, that the main debate in a little time will be, not how much water should be used, but whether any at all. They who deny the doctrine of the trinity, are so uneasy at the form of words, that our Saviour has made essential to baptism, that they have a great mind to lay aside the ordinance, as Socinus did in Poland. They write and argue, that it is not necessary, by which if they mean any thing that is worth our heeding, it must be, that it is not commanded. For though we dare not say that it is necessary to God's grace, yet the question is whether he has not made it so to our duty. And when they ask you whether a man may not be saved without it, do you ask them, whether he is obedient without it; whether he stands complete in all the will of God, wheth er he fulfils all righteousness; or whether he neglects to do, what the scripture told him he ought to do:

I would therefore hope that by baptism, you understand the washing with water. I do not determine whether this water should be applied to the body, or the body to it; let every one be fully persuaded in his own mind. Happy is the man who condemns not himself in the thing that he allows, nor condemns others