Now this Baptifm that makes us one with Chrift, makes us to partake both of his Death and Refurrection. I t 3 t 1. Through Baptifm of the Spirit we are dipt into the Death of Chrift, Rom. 6. 3, 4. Know ye not that so many of us as are Baptized into Jefus Chrift, are Bapti.d zed into bis Death? And this is, as the Apoftle unfolds it, Verfe 6. The Crucifying of the Old Man with him, that the Body of Sin may be deftroyed, that henceforth we Should not ferve Sin: And all this is done, not thro' any Water-wafb, but thro' the Gift of the Spirit; for it is thro' the Spirit only, that we are able to mortifie the Deeds of the Flfb; and nothing but the Prefence of the Spirit in us is the deftruction of Sin; fo that the Spirit of Chrift Baptizes us into the Death of Chrift. 2. Spirit-Baptifm makes us partake of his Refurrection as well as of his Death, yea, therefore do we Dye with him, that we may Live a better Life, Rom.6.3,4. Therefore we are Buried with him by Baptifm (that is, Spirit-Baptifm) into Death, that like as Chrift was raifed up from the Dead by the Glory of the Father, i. e. the Spirit, fo fhould we alfo Live in newness of Life; for n e t t I a V t for if we have been planted together in the Likeness of his Death, we shall be alfo in the Likeness of his Refurrection. Where you see the fame Baptifm of the Spirit that makes us Dye with Chrift, doth alfo quicken us into his Refurrection, and deprives us of our own Life; not that we remain Dead,but that it may communicate to us a better Life than our own, even the Life of Chrift himself, that we that are Men may Live the very Life of the Son of God in our own Souls and Bodies, and may be quickned with him, and raised up with him, and fet in Heavenly Places in him. 6. As Spirit-Baptifm makes us One with Chrift the Head, fo with the Church the Body, 1 Cor. 12. 13. For by one Spirit are we all Baptized into one Body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be Bond or Free, and have been all made to drink into one Spirit; fo that by drink. ing into one Spirit with the Church, we become one Body with it, and no otherways: I fay, not by being dipt into the fame Water, but by receiving the fame Spirit do we become one Body with the Church; and it is not being of one Judg E 3 ・ment, ment, or Opinion, or Form, or the like, that makes Men one true Church or Body of Christ,but the being of one Spirit ; and there are no more of that Church,which is the Body of Chrift, than they that are Baptized with that one Spirit of Chrift. S 7. Spirit-Baptifm it truly washes and cleanses from Sin: What Water-Baptifmt doth in the Sign, this doth in the Truth, a éven cleanfes from all carnal and fpiritu al Filthiness: And no Man is cleansed t from Sin, but by the Washing of the Spirit; the pouring forth of the Spirit on t all Flesh, is the killing of Sin in all Flefb, t 1 Cor. 6. 9, 10, 11. Neither Fornicators, nor Idolaters, nor Adulterers, nor Effemi-1 nate, nor Abusers of themselves with Mana kind, nor Thieves, nor Covetous, nor Drun- ] } kards, nor Revilers, nor Extortioners fball f Inherit the Kingdom of God; and fuch were Some of you, but ye are Wafhed, but ye are Sanctified in the Name of the Lord Jefus Chrift, and by the SPIRIT of our God: So that Spirit-Baptifm cleanfes from all Sin whatever it is, and there is no Man cleansed from Sin, but thro' this Baptism. And again, Eph. 5. 26, 27. Christ gave himself for the Church, that he might fancti fie 0 fe and cleanfe it with the washing of Water by the Word, that he might prefent it to himself a glorious Church, not having spot e or wrinkle, or any fuch thing, but that it fhould be Holy and without Blemish; and nothing doth thus purifie the Church, till it be without fpot, wrinkle or blemish, and till it be perfectly Holy, but the Baptifm of the Spirit. And therefore, tho' the Baptifm of John was adminiftred but once, yet the Baptifm of Christ is a continued Baptifm; for as long as Corruption is in the Flesh, the Baptifm of the Spirit is in ufe: So that the Nature and Life of a Chriftian are under a constant and continual Baptifm, God every Day pouring forth his Spirit upon a Believer, for the Purifying and Sanctifying of him, and making him meet for the immediate Prefence of God,whither no unclean thing comes, nor the leaft uncleaness in any thing. 8. Spirit-Baptifm faves: Whatever in us is washed with the Spirit, is faved as well as fanctified; and how much any one hath received of the Spirit, fo much is he already faved: Tit. 3. 5. According to his Mercy he hath faved us by the washing of Regeneration, and renewing of the Holy } Spi Spirit, which he shed on us abundantly, through Jefus Chrift our Saviour: Where the Apostle teaches us how God faves, and that is not by John's Baptisme, or Water-washing, but by the Laver of Regeneration, which is the renewing of the Holy Spirit, poured on us abundantly thro' Chrift; fo that he calls the Baptifm of the Spirit, the Laver of Regeneration; fuch a Laver that renews the old Nature; yea, and begets a new One; fo that a Man thro' this Baptifm is whol ly changed, not in a few good Works, but in his whole Nature; and from his Newness of Nature flows Newness of Life; fo that he is no more as he was, but is, and lives, and loves, and thinks, and speaks, and acts otherwife than he was wont; and this cannot be the work of Water in any measure, but wholly of the Spirit; for where Men are deftitute of the Spirit, tho' washed with Water a Thousand times, there is no change of Nature in them; but the Change of Nature, wrought by Spirit-Baptifm, is fo much prefent Salvation, even in this prefent World. There is another Scripture witnesses the fame thing, and it is, í Pet. 31 |