baptifin then is neceffarily included in their not believing; and that claufe, in its full fenfe, runs thus: He that believeth not, and of confequence is not › baptized, fhall be damned; which ftill further fhows baptifin to be no less neceffary to falvation than belief. Another proof we have of the neceffity of baptifin in our Saviour's converfation with Nicodemus, related John iii.; where he first declares the abfolute neceffity of a new birth before one can enter the kingdom of heaven, Except a man be born again, (fays he), he cannot fee the kingdom of God, v. 3. This new-birth, this regeneration, is the work of the Holy Ghoft in our fouls, by whom we are not only purified from the filth of fin, but alfo adorned with his grace, fo as to become new creatures in the fight of God; by our natural birth from our earthly parents we are born carnal minded, fullied with fin, subject to death, and altogether earthly; by our new-birth, which is the work of the Spirit, we become heavenly minded, holy, fit for the kingdom of heaven, and fpiritual: Thus Chrift himfelf explains this birth to Nicodemus in a few words, That which is born of the flesh, is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit, v. 6. Now, this new-birth, fo abfolutely neceffary for falvation, when do we receive it? how is it beftowed upon us? Jefus Chrift himself goes on to anfwer this, Verily, verily, I fay unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the into the kingdom of God, ver. 5. Here then we fee clearly, that this new-birth is beftowed upon us by water; that by the use of this outward rite the Spirit of God is brought unto our fouls to regenerate them, to give us that fpiritual

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birth here spoken of; and that these two, the outward rite and the inward regeneration, are fo connected, by the Divine appointment, that if the rite be not used, the new-birth will not be bestowed, and of courfe, we can never fee the kingdom of God; could any thing more clearly demonftrate the neceffity of baptism for falvation than these words? Except a man, (fays he), be born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. This is ftill further confirmed, in the third place, by St Peter, who compares baptifm to the ark of Noah, and obferves, that as the ark of Noah faved thofe who were faved from the waters of the deluge, the like figure whereunto, (fays he), even baptifm doth also now fave us-by the refurrection of Jefus Chrift, 1 Pet. iii. 21. Here you fee falvation is expressly attributed to baptifm, which confequently is a neceffary means thereunto, especially if we go on with the comparifon made here by the apostle between it and the ark of Noah; for as the ark not only was the means of faving fuch as were faved from the deluge, but fo neceffary for that purpose, that none were faved without it; fo now baptifm is not only a means of falvation, but fo neceffary, that where it can be had there is no being faved without it. Before I quit this paffage, I cannot help taking notice of another circumftance of it which illuftrates what I faid above; namely, that the apostle here observes, that baptifin faveth us, by the refurrection of Jefus Chrift; intimating thereby, that all the efficacy of this holy rite is drawn from the merits of Jefus Chrift, which by its means are applied to our fouls; and in the intermediate part of the verfe, he fhows us how this is done, viz. Not by the putting away the filth

of the flesh, but the answer of a good confcience towards God; by the renewing of the inward man, by that new-birth which it gives us, purifying our confciences before God.

Now, in all these three strong paffages of fcripture which I have brought to prove the neceffity of baptifm, I beg leave to observe, that the question, about their sense and meaning, is not, whether the art of man can wreft them to any other fenfe different from what I have here given them, and in which the whole Chriftian world has, from the very beginning understood them? but whether this sense in which they have been always underftood, be not the plain, natural, obvious sense of the words? and therefore whether the belief of the neceffity of baptifm to falvation, be not entirely conformable to the plain, natural, obvious fense of scripture? and confequently, whether or not the denial of it be not an evident wresting and perverting of the facred text? But what I have here advanced will ftill further appear when we confider the fecond point I proposed to prove; to wit, that fins are actually remitted by baptifm, and that it is a neceffary means of God's appointment for that purpose.

This, you will easily perceive, is partly proved already; for the two laft paffages of fcripture brought above, to show the neceflity of baptifin, at the fame time prove the efficacy of it; our Saviour declaring to Nicodemus the abfolute neceffity of a new-birth, at the fame time declares, that the facred rite of baptism is the means by which this new-birth is obtained, and fo neceffary for this end, that except we receive this new-birth by water and the Spirit we cannot enter into the kingdom of

God. St Peter alfo declares to us the fame truth, when telling us that we are faved by baptifin, he tells us alfo, that it does fo, not by washing away the filth of the flesh, but by the grace of juftification which it brings to the foul, by which we are washed from our fins, and acquire the teftimony of a good confcience towards God. But be fides thefe there are feveral other very strong and convincing proofs of this truth from other parts of thefe facred oracles. And, firft, From the account given us in the acts of the apoflles, of the three thousand Jews who were converted to the faith of Chrift by St Peter's firft fermon among them on Pentecoft-Sunday. These people, feeing the miraculous gifts of the Holy Ghoft, and hearing Jefus Chrift preached to them in fo convincing a manner by that great apostle, were pricked in their hearts, and faid unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what fhall we do? Here now obferve, that these people believing what St Peter had told them had true faith in Jefus Chrift; they also had at least a beginning repentance, for they were pricked in their hearts; they were, at the fame time, most fincere in defiring to know and to do, what was neceffary for their falvation, and therefore put this very queftion to the apoftles, Men and brethren, what fhall we do? To this queftion St Peter immediately answered, Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jefus Chrift, for the remiffion of fins, and you fhall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, Acts ii. 37. 38. How convincing a proof have we in this anfwer of the truth before us! he faw these people believed in Jefus Chrift, and therefore made no mention of faith which they already had; but he declares, that what was yet wanting

to them was a fincere repentance in the first place, as a neceffary difpofition for receiving the grace of juftification; and then the facrament of baptifin as the ultimate condition on our part required by Almighty God, to which he has infallibly annexed that grace; Be baptized, (fays he), every one of you, in the name of Jefus Christ, for the remiffion of fins. Is it not furprifing, that any one who attentively confiders this paffage, fhould dare to call in doubt that the grace of juftification is annexed to the external rite of baptifm? Here the very question is put to the apostles, What must be done for the remiffion of fins? and St Peter anfwers, repentance and baptifm; Would ever he have added baptifin as a neceffary means for this end, if repentance alone could have done it? But obferve how he expreffes himself, Be baptized (fays he) for the remission of fins; thereby plainly declaring that this was the means for obtaining that favour.

Another beautiful proof of this point we have from St Paul, in his epiftle to Titus. I fhall relate the whole paffage, that the connection of what he says may the better appear. We ourselves alfo (fays he) were fometimes foolish, difobedient, deceived, ferving divers lufts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another. But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness, which we have done but according to his mercy he faved us by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; which he fed on us abundantly, through Jefus Chrift our Saviour: that being juftified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life, Tit. iii. I do not know whether I should attempt to make any applica