18 SERMONS upon Serm. II L whereunto , even Baptifm, doth now alfoPave us (not the putting away of the filth of the fiefh, but the anfwer of a good confcience wards God) by the refurrelïion of ye* Chriff. Anima non !ovation , fed refionfione fancitur 5 the Soul is dedicated to God to live a new life, not by the water , but by the anfwer to the demands of the new Covenant, and this is by the Refurreetion of Chrift. 2. As it is a Pledge of his Power, by which that great change is wrought in us, Fph. 20. And what is the exceedinggreatnefi of his power to upward who believe, accord- ing to the working of his mighty power: Which he wrought in Chriff , when he raìfed him from the dead. To convert Souls to God there needeth a mighty working of effica- cious Power , which exceedeth all contrary power , which might hinder and impede that work. Men by Nature. are averfe from God , the Devil feeketh to detain them from him, and his powerful Engine is the World : But now if they are to be railed as Chrift was railed , what can oppofe this work ? So that we have not only the Merit of his Humiliation, but the Power of his Exaltation. And befides, that this Power is like- ly to be exercifed for us, we may confider, that Chrift is faid to rife by his own Power, yoh. 2. 19. Del /roy this Temple , and in three days I will reife it up. Job. i0. 17. 1 lay down my life , that I may take it again : and to be railed by the Power of his Father, which noteth Authority to rife again , and having fully done his work , upon which account he is Paid to be brought again from the dead, Heb. 13.20. and the Apoftle in- ferreth from thence , verf 21. Being made perfelï in every good work to do bis will, work- ing in you that which is well-pleafing in his fight , through yefea Chreff. Now if both there be implied in Baptifm , it doth mightily oblige the Parties baptized to look after the ef- fehf. of thefe two Ads of Chrifts Mediation : for Chriftians fhould not only believe the Death and Refurreítiou of Chrift, but feel it 5 by the Merit of his Death, and Efficacy of his Refurrehtion we obtain this new life, and both are the caufes of our dying to fin, and living to God. Secondly , What it fealeth or confirmeth ? The new Covenant , wherein God bath' promifed the gift of the Spirit , to renew , fanhtifie and heal all chofe that enter into it. We have the Grace to deftroy fin by virtue of the Death and Burial of Chrift, but the Promifes are in the new Covenant. That the new Covenant is fealed in Baptifm , fee Mat. 28. 19, 20. Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the Name of the Father , and of the Son , and of the Holy Ghofl : Teaching them to obferve all things what - föever I have commandedyou. Mark 16. 16. He that believeth and is baptized, ¡ball be fazed ; but he, that believeth not, ¡hall be damned. Now the great Promí a of the new Covenant is the Spirit to renew and cleanfe the Soul : Surely this is properly fignified in Baptifm, Yob. 3. 5. Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit , he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. And Tit. 3. 5. According to his mercy he faved us by the wafh- ing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Gliofl. As the body is walked with water without, fo is the Soul deanfed by the Spirit within. As at the Baptifm of our Saviour, the defcending of the Holy Ghoft upon him was a vilible Pledge of what fhould be done afterward : for at his Baptifm the fruit of all Baptifms was vifibly reprefented 5 we are admitted Children of his Family , as Chrift was declared to be the well- beloved Son of God , Mat. 3. 17. and we have the Spirit of his Son , Gal. 4.6. Becaufe ye are Jens , God bath fentforth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying Abba, Father. As God promifeth to pour out water on him that is thirfly, and floods on the dry ground , fo to pour out bis Spirit on the feed, and his bleng upon thy off,,_ ring, Ifa. 44. 3. And the Spi- rit it Pelf is figured by Water, 7017. 4. Whofoever pall of the water that I(hall give him, (hall never thirfl ; but the water that I¡hadgive him , ¡hall be in him a well of water fringing up into everlaffing lift. Joh. 7. 37. If any man thirfl , let him come unto me and drink. Rev. 22. 17. Let him that is a-thirft come, and whofoever will , let him take the water of life freely. Now unlefs we will receive this Grace in vain, we are bound to wait for and obey the Spirits motions, either by way of reftraint or excitation, Rom. 8. 13, 14. If ye through the Spirit mortise the deeds of the body, ye (hall live : For as many as are led by the Spirit of f God,are the fans of God,we that pretend to come to God for this Promife of the Spirit, as in Baptifmwe do : AEIs 2. 38. Repent, and be baptized every one of yon in the Name of 7efus Chr, for the remi/ffon of fins, andye ¡hall receive the gift of the Holy Ghoff. Thirdly, It obligeth , as there is a kind of undertaking to thew forth the likenefs of Chrifts Death and Refurrefkion by our fubmiffion to it. Our receiving Baptifm im- plieth two things. I. A
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