Ver% 5. the fixth Chapter of the ROM A N S. I. A publick and open Profeffion. 2. A folemn Bond, wherewith we bind our Souls. 1. A publick and open Profeflìon, wherein we profefs a Communion with Chrifts Death and Refurre &ion, or to dye and rife with Chrift. In the general , that Baptifm is an open Profeffion ; for it is required as a fign of the Faith that is in our hearts; Rom. 1o. I O. With the heart man believeth unto righteaufnef, and with the mouth confer floes is made unto falvation.. And Mark t6. 16. He that believeth , and is baptized, fhall be faved ; but he that believeth not, fhall be damned. Alts 2. 38. Repent, and he baptized every one of you in the Name of f efus Chrifl , for the remilon of fins , and ye (ball receive the gift of the Holy Ghoft. As Circumcilion was the Badge of the Jewifh Profeffion , fo is Baptifm of the Profeffion of Chriflianity. Therefore the Jews are called Circum- cifton, and we are called the purified people, Tit. 2. 14. Who gave himfelf fns fee, that he might tedeem us frem all iniquity , and puri fie unto himfelf a peculiar people , zealous of good works : and thole that are purged from their fins, 2 Pet. 1. 9. And more dìftinály what we profefs is plain and evident in this Ordinance, we profefs to dye and rife whit Chrift. I. Death , yea in the Text not only and limply to be dead , but to be buried with Chrift. If Baptifm expreffeth an image of Burial , and every Burial fuppofeth Death; not only of Chrift, but us; Curtly we are bound not only to dye unto fin at firft , but to make our mortification more thorough and confiant : for as Burial noteth the con. tinuance of Chrifts Death ; fo fhould we perfevere and increafe in the mortification of fin, for Burial is a continued dying to fin ; we fhould not only renounce and give over all the fins of our former lives, but perfevere in this refolution , and increafe in our en- deavour againft fin daily. A Chriflian living in fin and ferving his tufts , is like a Spethre and Ghoft arifen out of the grave. 2. So for Chrifts Refurre &ion. In this Ordinance we profefs to rife again with Chrift , and therefore fhould not only put off the old Man, or body of fin; but have an earneft impullïon within our felves to the duties of Holinefs, and be breathing after, and preffing on yet more and more to the purity and perfet ion of the heavenly Eftate: Phil. 3. 14. I pre" toward the mark for theprice of the high calling of God in Chriji fetus, Well then , unfelt thole that are baptized into Chrift change their courfe of -life, all their Profeffion is but an empty Formality , a Mockery, a meer Nullity as to reward; not as to punilhment : Th,ir circumcifion is made uncircumcifon, Rom. 3. 25. As when God came to reckon with his People, ter. 9. 25, 26. Behold, the days come , faith the Lard, that I will punifh the circumcifedwith the uncirctmcifed , Egypt , 'Judah and Edam, with the children of Ammon and Moab and all that are in the utmofl corners , that dwell in the wilderneff ; for all thefe nations are uncircumcifed (in flefh) and all the houfe of Ifrael are uncircumcifed in the heart. Circumcifion was the Sign and Seal of the new Covenant to them, as Baptifm is to us ; they were diftinguifhed from other Nations that were without it, and this Prerogative they flood not a little upon, Gen. 34. 14. We cannot do this thing , to give our filer to one that is uncircumcifed ; for that wire a reproach unto us. They quarrelled. with Peter, Ads t I. 3. Thou wenteft in to men uncircumcifed, and didit eat with them. Now to cut off this prefumption God telleth them , this was a lorry (lay for them to truft to: for he intended fhortly to hold a Vifitation , wherein he would proceed againft wicked perfons, without difference whether circumcifed or uncircumcifed, and would deal impartially with the one and the other, becaufe the one were fuch in heart, as the others were inflefb. The outward Rite is of no force and worth in Gods account. 2. It is a Bond , wherewith we bind our Souls. It is enough to evidence that, be- caufe it is an Anfwer to the Covenant, t Pet. 3.24. as there God undertaketh to renew and ftrengthen us, and give us Grace by his Almighty Power; fo we undertake to im- prove this Grace, and to put off the old Man, that we may walk in newnefs of life g and Covenant-ingaging is the molt folemn ingaging, Ezek. 20. 37. I will caufe you to pall under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant. As alto by Analogy, GA. 5. 3. I teflife to every man that is circumcifed , that he is a debtor to the whole Law r He obligeth himfelf to the whole Oeconomy of Mofes ; fo by parity of reafon, he that is baptized is a debtor to the Law Of Faith. And fo Debtors is the word tared by the, Apof e, Rom. 8. 12. Therefore, Brethren, we ore debtors, not to the fefb , to live after the flefh. A Covenant-bond is ucred , as that of an Oath or Vow , a folemn PromiCe made to God hath.the nature of a Vow, Numl. 30. 2. If a man vow a vow to the Lord% or fwear an oath to bind his foul with a bond , he (hall not break his word, be fhall do ac- C c e c c 2 cording
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