SERMON LL 111 before you in this plain easy method, as I think they may be de-. rived from scripture. L I shall consider what this ordinance of baptism is, and what it doth imply or signify. lI. Who are the persons to whom it is to be administered.III. In what manner this ceremony is to be performed. IV. What practical inferences or exhortations may be drawn from thissubject. First, " What is baptism, and what is implied in it, or in- tendedby it ?" the ordinance itself, that is christian baptism, is thewashing aperson with water in thenameof the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. When it was introduced by John the Baptist it was but imperfect, and therefore it was re- peated in the name ofChrist to the Ephesians, who had received the baptism of John before ; Acts xix. 3 -5. And even as our Lord himself practised it in the days of his personal ministry, it did not seem to bedrawn out into its complete form : John bap- tised his disciples, pointing their faith to Jesus who should come after him : Jesus might possibly baptize into his own name-as a great prophet, but not under the character of the Messiah, since be kept that pointvery muchconcealedfrom his common followers or disciples in his life time. However, all that was doneboth under the ministry of Christ and of John the Baptist, seem to be continued and included in this most perfect form of baptismwhich our Lord appointed to his apostles afterhis resurrection from the dead, and just before his ascent to heaven. 'Whatsoever I find therefore in the baptism of John as well as of Christ himself or his apostles, I may reasonably presume are contained also in the outward form, and in the spiritual signification of christiau baptism. Let us consider now, "What doth this baptism, this wash- ing with water, mean and imply in a spiritual sense." And under most of the followingparticulars, I shall endeavour toshow . what is the use of the sacrednames of Father, Son and Spirit iu this ordinance. 1. " Christian baptism implies a humble acknowledgment of some defilement ; otherwise there would be no need of washe ing." Sin is often represented in scripture as a matter of un- cleanness 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 ofour actual sins exposes us to his punishing justice on ac- count of thebreach of his law, for every sin is a transgression of the law of God, and deserves death. Whosoever therefore is baptized, loth profess and declare that he is a defiled creature, u.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=