Therefore we are bury'd with him by Baptifm into Death, that like as Chrift was rais'd from the Dead by the Glory of the Father, even so we alfo fhould walk in Newness of Life.

H

AVING feen the outward vifible Sign or Form in Baptifm, viz. Water, wherein the Perfon is baptiz'd in the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost; I proceed to the inward fpiritual Grace, fignify'd or reprefented by it, which in general is the washing or cleaning of the Soul from all Impurities. This is the Subject of the

Next Question, wherein 'tis ask'd, What is the inward and spiritual Grace? The

Answer whereunto is, A Death unto Sin, and a new Birth anto Righteousness: for being by Nature born in Sin, and the Children of Wrath, we are hereby made the Children of Grace. Of which I fhall treat from thefe words of the Apoftle; We are bury'd with him by Baptifm into Death, that like as Chrift was rais'd from the dead, so we also fhould walk in Newness of Life. Where we may observe,

First, The two great Benefits and Privileges of Baptism, viz. ADeath unto Sin, in those words, We are bury'd with him by Baptifm into Death; and a new Birth unto Righteouf ness, in thofe, That like as Chrift was rais'd from the dead by the Glory of the Father, even fo we also should walk in Newness of Life.

Secondly, We have the Illuftration or Confirmation of both, partly from the Mifery of our natural State, in those words; For being by Nature born in Sin, and the Children of Wrath: partly from the Happiness of the State to which Baptifm tranflates us, in thofe, We are hereby made the Children of Grace. Of which particularly, beginning

with the

VOL. II.

First Branch of this inward and fpiritual Grace, viz. A Death unto Sin, exprefs'd in the Text, by being bury'd with Chrift by Baptifm into Death: where the Apostle alludes to the antient Custom of plunging the baptiz'd Party over head and ears in the Water, whereby being a while cover'd over and loft in that Element, he feem'd to be dead and bury'd in it. This he calls a being bury'd with Chrift by Baptifm; and in the next verfe, being planted together in the likeness of his Death; that like as Chrift was swallow'd up of Death, and bury'd in the Earth, fo they were overwhelm'd in Baptifm, and bury'd in the Water. This Immerfion was defign'd to reprefent not only the Death of Chrift, which he underwent for our Sins, but likewise our dying unto Sin, and bidding adieu to it: and therefore antiently they who were baptiz'd, were wont to put off their Garments, to fignify the putting off the Body of Sin, and were a while cover'd over and bury'd in the Water, to fignify their being dead to it; which is our being bury'd with Chrift by Baptifm into Death, not a natural Death, confifting in the Separation of the Soul from the Body, nor fuch a fpiritual Death as confifts in the Separation of the Soul from God, but fuch a one as denotes the Separation of the Soul from Sin, the killing and mortifying all corrupt Defires and Inclinations, and the forfaking of all evil Courfes. How hall we that are dead to Sin (faith the Apostle) live any longer therein? Know ye not that as many as were baptiz'd into Chrift, were baptiz'd into his Death? Of this Death unto Sin we find frequent mention in the Holy Scripture: the Promise and Practice whereof was fo well known in the primitive Times, that the Apostle fpeaks of it as a thing firmly affented to and acknowledg'd by all Chriftians: Knowing this (faith he) that the old Man is crucify'd with him, that the body of Sin might be destroy'd, that henceforth we should not ferve Sin; for he that is dead, is freed from Sin: ver. 6, 7. All which plainly declare the Defign of Baptifm to be the killing of Sin in us, and deftroying the Power and Dominion of it, that it may no longer reign in our mortal Bodies. Hereby we are made conformable to Chrift's Death, by dying unto Sin, for which he died, and burying all our Iniquities in his Grave.

2. The other Branch of this inward and spiritual Grace, is a new Birth unto Righteoufnefs, reprefented in the Text by Chrift's Resurrection, That like as he was rais'd from

the dead by the Glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in Newness of Life: and as we are planted in the likeness of his Death, fo are we in the likeness of his Refurrection. This is farther fet forth by the antient Practice of Dipping or Plunging the baptiz'd Party; where, as his being put under the Water fignify'd his being dead and bury'd unto Sin, fo his rifing again out of it, betoken'd his rifing to a new State, and walking in Newnefs of Life. Hence our blessed Saviour hath made this the Sacrament of our new Birth, telling us, that except we are born again of Water and the Spirit, we cannot enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. St. Paul ftyles it the Laver of Regeneration, and joins to it the Renewing of the Holy Ghost, Tir. 3. 5. fignifying, that the Holy Spirit is confer'd in Baptifm for the Renovation of our Nature, to qualify us for that new State we then enter upon, and to enable us to perform the Duties that belong to, and we undertake in it: this is fitly reprefented by Water, which is of a healing and cleanfing Nature, and purifies from all Pollution. That this Privilege is confer'd in Baptifm, the Holy Scripture is exprefs: Be baptiz'd (faith St. Peter) in the Name of Christ, and ye shall receive the Holy Ghost, A&s 2. 38. We are baptiz'd (faith St. Paul) into one Body, and made to drink of the fame Spirit, i Cor. 12. 13. We find a Promife in Ezekiel, that God would in the latter days Sprinkle clean Water upon them, and they should be clean from all their filthiness, and then a new Heart would he give them, and put a new Spirit within them, Ezek. 36. 25, 26. That this Promife was accordingly fulfill'd, the Writings of the New Teftament may abundantly fatisfy us; where we read not only of many miraculous Gifts beftow'd in Baptifm for the Edification of the Church, but likewife of many Graces confer'd on Chriftians, for the fanctifying and renewing their Natures, by which they are faid to be regenerated and born again, that old things pafs away, and all things become new. This is the receiv'd Doctrine of the Catholick Church, both antient and modern, that the Waters of Baptifm wash away the Guilt and Pollution of Sin; that the pouring of it out in that Sacrament is accompany'd with the Effufion of the Holy Ghoft, and that a real Change is thereby wrought by the Influence of the Divine Spirit.

If it be here ask'd, How then comes it to pafs, that all who are baptiz'd are not undoubtedly fav'd, fince thofe great and falutary Effects accompany that Ordinance? In anfwer to which, I fay,

Y y 2

That

That this proceeds not from any want of Efficacy in this Sacrament, nor from the Infufficiency of Divine Grace confer'd in it; but from Mens not performing the Promifes and Conditions engag'd in it: for Baptifm being a Covenant, hath Duties and Conditions as well as Benefits and Bleffings annex'd to it; and they that will have the one, muft perform the other. The inward fpiritual Grace of Baptifm is not fo abfolutely and infeparably annex'd to the outward Rite and Performance of it, but that it may be forfeited and loft by not obferving the Conditions promis'd and requir'd in it; and this is the unhappy case of too many nominal Chriftians, who give up their Names to Chrift, and take his Name upon them, and yet afterward defert him, flying to the Enemies they renounc'd, and breaking the Articles of their baptifmal Covenant; whereby they lose all the Grace and Favour promis'd and bestow'd in it. Some fall back to the Works of the Devil, which they promis'd to forfake; others are led away by the Vanities and Allurements of the World, which they folemnly renounc'd; others again yield themselves up to the Power and Dominion of their Lufts, from which they engag'd to abstain: All which, by violating the most facred and folemn Vows, justly forfeit all the Grace and Mercy of Baptism, and fall into all the Miseries of a Heathen ftate; for that which faves us in Baptifm, is not (as St. Peter tells us) the outward washing of Water, but the Anfwer of a good Confcience towards God, that in Simplicity and godly Sincerity we have had cur Converfation. But this will be more fully dif cours'd of in the next.

Secondly, "Tis by Baptifm then that we are regenerated or new-born, thereby becoming dead unto Sin, and living unto Righteoufnefs; which things are farther illuftrated and confirm'd in the next words of the Catechifm: For being by Nature barn in Sin, and the Children of Wrath, we are bereby made the Children of Grace. Where we have,

1. The Mifery of that state in which we are born: And,

2. The Happiness of that to which we are tranflated by being baptiz'd.

1. We are faid to be born in Sin, and thereby the Children of Wrath. This, however deny'd by fome Hereticks, hath ever been acknowledg'd and bewail'd by the best of Men: David confeffes that he was bapen in Wickedness, and in

Sin did his Mother conceive him, Pfal. 51, 5. St. Paul felt a Law in his Members warring against the Law of his Mind, and leading him captive to the Law of Sin and Death; Rom. 1. which made him cry out, O wretched Man that I am, who fall deliver me from this Body of Sin! And we all find thofe Seeds of Sin rooted in our Nature, that incline us too strongly to all manner of Evil. This Root of Birternefs fprang from the Stock of our first Parents, which corrupted the whole Race of Mankind, and deriv'd the Contagion to all their Pofterity: So that we are become the Children of Wrath by being the Children of Difobedience; liable to the juft Indignation and Vengeance of our heavenly Father, and obnoxious to all the Punishments due both to our original and actual Tranfgreffions. This is the wretched and miferable State in which we are all born into the World; which may well enough make us enter into it crying, and take poffeffion of it with our Tears.

But God Almighty in pity and compaffion to our Souls, hath help'd us out of this forlorn Condition; he hath taken us into the Ark of his Church, to fave us from Shipwreck and Destruction; he hath given us a new Birth to preserve us from the Miseries of the old, for thereby the old Man is bury'd, and the new Man is rais'd up in us. And this

leads us to confider,

2. That happy State to which we are by Baptifm tranf lated, in which we are faid to be made the Children of Grace; that is, from Children of Wrath and Heirs of Damnation, we become Children of God and Heirs to his heavenly Kingdom: infomuch, that we who had alienated ourselves from God, and forfeited his Favour, are hereby brought home to him, and reftor'd again to his especial Care and Affection. We are made the Children of Grace,

(1.) By being taken as Children into his Family, admitted into his Church, and made Members of his myftical Body; which is a fignal Favour to those who were before Strangers and Enemies unto him by evil Works: We are all baptiz'd (faith St. Paul) by one Spirit into one Body, 1 Cor. 12. 13. And as many as have been baptiz'd into Chrift, have put on Chrift, Gal. 3. 27. that is, have put on the Relation of Children, and are receiv'd into his Grace and Favour.

(2.) As Children of Grace we receive the Remiffion of Sin: Arife,and be baptiz'd (faith St. Peter) for the Remiffion of Sin. Our original Guilt is wafh'd away in that Laver of Regene

Y y 3

ration,