and impartial mind to suppose that the apostle meant, "born of water," or the regeneration of baptism? On what principle can such an opinion be founded? Does it not appear with a noon-day plainness, that he designs that regeneration which takes place on the reception of God's testimony; and which consists in the exercise of faith and love? That "new man man" which consists in knowledge and other Christian graces, is formed by the union of a gracious. principle with divine truth: the soul is regenerated, properly speaking, by the Spirit, but the body of Christian graces requires for its formation the word of truth, before either knowledge, faith, love, hope, fear, and the like, can have existence: baptismal water is corruptible seed, but "the word of our God abideth for ever."

$ 21. "Baptism doth now save us, by the resurrection of Jesus Christ."* These expressions, in their detached form, undoubtedly carry a semblance of proof in favour of his Lordship's interpretation; but the words with which they stand connected entirely deprive him even of that semblance. "Once the long suffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls, were saved by water. The like figure whereunto

* 1 Pet. iii. 21.

even baptism, doth also now save us (not the putting away the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), by the resurrection of Jesus Christ."* It is obvious that St. Peter institutes a comparison between the unbelieving inhabitants before the deluge, and those who reject the gospel, on the one hand; and between believing Noah with his family, and professing Christians, on the other: the rejectors of God's testimony, in both cases, were the objects of divine displeasure; but those who believed and obeyed this testimony were objects of the divine approbation and care: the water of the deluge formed a separation between two dispensations; and so does that of baptism. But, we are expressly told, that "by faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith." He was a partaker of saving faith, righteousness, and true holiness, before he was saved by water. Consequently, his being preserved in the ark related only to God's external dispensation towards him; he was delivered from that calamity which divine judg ment brought upon the unbelieving and disobedient, in consequence of his being "found

1 Pet. iii. 20, 21.

+ Heb. xi. 7.

righteous in his generation." In like manner believing Jews and Gentiles entered into the Christian church (typified by the ark), that they might escape the righteous judgment of God which awaited professed unbelievers, and God sealed to them by baptism his new covenant. Christ's obedience, as our substitute, was sealed by his blood and death; but his testamentary grant of privileges and blessings to be enjoyed on gospel terms, is both signified and sealed by the institution of baptism. A seal affixed to a wil is designed to certify that it is the real testament of him who seals it,

§ 22. But it is very observable, how particularly the apostle cautions us against the inference of water baptism effecting our salvation, as if aware that some might be disposed to form such conclusion: "Not the putting away the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God." The spiritual salvation is secured to us not by the external rite, but by a conscientious regard to God's covenant, of which that rite is the sign and seal. Not the profession of repentance towards God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, which was expected to be made by the candidate, but the godly sincerity of that profession. A hypocrite might be admitted to the church, as Ham was admitted into the ark; but as the ark and the deluge made no one

partaker of spiritual salvation who was destitute of it before, so neither does the baptismal institution. In short, St. Peter seems, from the whole drift of his discourse, to shew the obligation of professing Christians to answer the design of their initiation into the gospel dispensation; and this they were to do by "sanctifying the Lord God in their hearts," by being "ready always to give an answer to every man that asked them a reason of the hope that was in them" with meekness and reverential fear, and by having "a good conscience toward God." The "resurrection of Jesus Christ" was the basis both of their hope, and of their baptismal confession,

§ 23. "According to his mercy he saved us by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost."* His Lordship asserts, that these words also relate to baptism, as an act essential to the character of a Christian, and of such importance that it is declared to be instrumental to our salvation. St. Paul, writing to Titus, observes, "we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another. But after that the kindness and love of God our

*Tit. iii. 5.

Saviour toward man appeared-not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us by the washing of regeneration (&), even the renewing of the Holy Ghost; which he shed on us abundantly, through Jesus Christ our Saviour: that being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life."* In this passage we observe, first, the deep depravity of mankind, Paul and Timothy not excepted, before their conversion to Christianity; secondly, that the remedy for so great an evil was provided by the loving kindness of God our Saviour, to the exclusion of all human works; thirdly, that we are saved, or made personally partakers of new covenant blessings, according to the mercy of God,-not only the preparation being made by divine love, and announced in the gospel, but also the application of the remedy being effected by the merciful act of God; fourthly, that the change itself produced is compared to the washing of a new-born infant; lastly, that the cleansing which belongs to, and is performed upon one "born again," is the renewal of the soul by the Holy Ghost. The washing with water belongs to the natural birth, the renewing of the Holy Ghost belongs to the spiritual birth; and this is

Tit. iii. 3-7.