lô FOHGIVE\fi3S OF SIN. there any need of their testimony to the truth, faithful- ness and goodness of God? These things he. has taken upon himself. This, then, should be fixed on our souls, on our first invitation to religious worship, that God . will have a new revenue of glory from us, and therefore he declares that there is a way for the removing of our sins, without which we can give no glory to him by our obedience; and this is only by forgiveness. 5. There are some ordinances of worship appointed for this very end, to confirm to us the forgiveness of sin; especially in the worship instituted by the Lord Jesus in the new testament. Such is the ordinance of baptism. This was accom- panied with the dawning of the Gospel in the ministry of John the Baptist. And he expressly declared, in his sermons upon it, that it was institutedof God to declare the remission of sins. Mark, 1.: 4. It is true, the LordChrist submitted to that ordinance, who had no sin, and was baptized by John. But this belonged to the obedience which God required of him, as, for our sakes,- he was made under the law. He was to observe all ordinances and institutions of the wor- ship of God; not for any need he had in his own person of the especial ends and significations of some of them; yet as he was our sponsor, surety and Mediator, stand- ing in our stead in all that he so did, he was to yield obedience to them, that so he might " fulfil all righ- teousness." Matt. 3 : 15. So was he circumcised, so was he baptized; both which had respect unto sin, though absolutely free from all sin in his own person.; and that because he had failed in no obedience to any command of God. But, as -was said, baptism itself, as appointed to be an ordinance of worship for sinners to observe, was a declaration of that forgiveness that is with God. It was so in the first institution. God calls a man in a marvel-
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