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SER
"M.
vIi.]
CHRISTIAN
BAPTISM.
99
or
his
apostles,
I
may
reasonably
presume
are
contained
also in
the outward form,
and
in
the
spiritual
signification
of
christian
baptism.
Let
us consider
now,
"
What
doth this baptism, this
washing with water,
mean and
imply
in
a spiritual sense."
And
under
most
of
the following
particulars,
I
shall
en-
deavour
to
shew
what
is
the use
of
the sacred names
of
Father,
Son,
and Spirit
in this
ordinance.
I.
"
Christian
baptism implies
a humble acknowledg-
ment
of
some
defilement
;
otherwise
there
would
be
no
need
of
washing."
Sin
is
often
represented
in
scripture
as
a matter of
uncleanness, which
pollutes the
soul,
and
this it doth
two ways.
First,
The
principle of
sin
within
us defaces
the image
of
God,
which
was
stamped
on
man
in his first
creation, and thereby it
renders
us
unfit
for
the presence
of
God, and communion with
him
as he
is
a
God of
spotless holiness
:
And, secondly,
The
guilt
of
our actual
sins
exposes
us to his
punishing
justice
on
ac-
count
of
the
breach
of
his law,
for every sin
is
a
trans-
gression
of
the
law
of God, and
deserves death.
Who-
soever
therefore
is
baptized,
doth
profess
and declare
that
he
is
a defiled creature,
a sinner; that
he
is
guilty
in the sight
of God, and
lies
exposed to
his
anger,
that
he
is
unfit
to
converse with
him,
or
to
stand before
him.
So
the Jews
who
attended
on
the
ministry
of
John;
Mat..
iii.
6.
cd
were
baptized
of
him in
Jordan,
confessing
their
sins,"
and
therefore
they came to
the water seeking
to
be
purified,
The
foundation of
our hope and
salvation
is
laid
in
the
acknowledgment
of
our misery.
This ac-
knowledgment
is
eminently
made
to
God
the
Father,
as
sustaining the
character of
supreme
Governor
of
the
world, whom
we
have offended by
sin.
II.
"
Baptism
implies
a belief
of
the
blessed
provision
which
God bath
made
in his
gospel for
the purification
of
our
souls from
sin,
and
all its
defileménts."
1.
"
He provided
for
the removal
of
the
guilt
of
sin
;"
for
he
sent
his own Son
Jesus
Christ
to
take
flesh
and
blood
upon
him,
that
he
might
die to
make
atonement
for the
sins
of
men,
and
that
God,
withoutdishonour,to
his
governing justice, might
pardon repenting
sinners.
This
is
sometimés
.called
in
scripture,
"
washing away
our
sins by the
blood
of Christ
;"
1
John
i.
7
Rev.
i.
5.
And for this
reason the blood
of Christ
is
called the
11M