The benefits of Baptism:

"There are two extremes," says Bishop Burnet, "that are to be avoided in this matter. The one is of the church of Rome, that teaches, that as some sacraments imprint a character upon the soul, which they define to be a physical quality, so do they all carry along with them such a divine virtue, that by the very receiving them (the opus operatum) it is conveyed to the souls of those to whom they are applied; unless themselves put a bar in the way of it by some mortal sin. But the other extreme which we likewise avoid, is that of sinking the sacraments so low as to make them mere rites and ceremonies. St. Peter says 'Baptism saves us.' St. Paul calls it the laver of regeneration, to which he joins the renewal of the Holy Ghost. These words have a sense and signification that rise far above a mere ceremony done to keep up order, and to maintain a settled form."

In the catechism, baptism is said to consist of two parts, "the outward and visible sign, water, and the inward and spiritual grace;" the latter being "a death unto sin, and a new birth unto righteousness: for being by nature born in sin and the children of wrath, we are thereby made the children of grace."

"Baptism is not only a sign of profession, and mark of difference, whereby Christian men are discerned from others that be not christened: but it is also a sign of regeneration, or new birth, whereby, as by an instrument, they that receive baptism rightly are grafted into the church: the promises of the forgiveness of sin, and of our adoption to be the sons of God by the Holy Ghost, are visibly signed and sealed: faith is confirmed, and grace increased by virtue of prayer unto God." Article xxvii.

There are several particulars necessary in order to a proper understanding of these expressions.

• Burnet on 25th and 27th Articles.

By disobedience in eating the forbidden fruit, our first parents corrupted their nature; and we, being derived from them, received of necessity an original taint of the same disorder; and therefore coming into the world under the ill effects of their sins, and being prone to sin ourselves, we are said to be "born in sin." By the same disobedience, they forfeited the favour of God; and we, descending from them, and inheriting from them by way of natural consequence, what they suffered as a mark of God's displeasure, are said to be "the children of wrath." Not that God, with whatever disapprobation he must view our native depravity, is, or properly speaking, can be angry with us personally for what is not our own voluntary fault. But He might undoubtedly both refuse us that favour which our first parents had forfeited, and to which we have no right; and leave us without help, to that weakness and misery which followed our fallen condition. But what in strict justice he might have done, in his infinite goodness he has not done. For the first covenant being broken by Adam, He has entered into a new one with mankind through Jesus Christ; by which we are freed from the punishment due to our first parent's transgression, and restored to a state ef salvation. "As in Adam we all died, so in Christ we are all made alive." And thus the Christian covenant delivering us, if we are faithful, from every thing we had to fear, and bestowing on us every thing we hope for, brings us into a state unspeakably different from our former. As the minor who is the heir of an estate, may be fitly called the heir, though he has not yet received, and may by his misconduct forfeit, his inheritance, so may we who enter into covenant with Christ, be called the heirs of salvation, though we are liable to forfeit it by our transgressions; and this new state being effected by the grace or ness of God, we, who have entered upon it, are properly called the Children of grace. Now baptism is the ap pointed sign of our profession in these matters. It is also the means whereby we receive the same and a pledge to assure us thereof, because they "who rightly receive it" have reason to hope that God will not fail to

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bless his own institutions; and they now being "grafted into the church, the promises of the forgiveness of sin, and of their adoption to be the sons of God by the Holy Ghost, are visibly signed and sealed; faith is confirmed, and grace increased by virtue of prayer unto God.*

The church is a body of men taken out of the rest of the world, as the peculiar care of our Redeemer; to whom he affords the special means of salvation, conducting them by the methods of his providence and grace in the way of eternal life. The church is therefore by St. Peter compared to the ark in the days of Noah, in which those who entered into it were saved from the deluge. They were saved," as the Apostle expresses it, "by water," or in the ark which was carried upon the waters: and he adds "the like figure where unto baptism, doth also save us." For our Lord hath appointed that all those who enter into the ark of his church shall be admitted therein by the solemn rite or ceremony of baptism, according to that express precept given to his Apostles, "Go ye and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.

In his conversation with Nicodemus he tells him, "Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." And further explaining himself, he says, "Except a man be born of water, and of the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God." This corresponds with the following passage of St. Paul; "he saved us by the washing of regeneration, and the renewing of the Holy Ghost." Here the words "born" and "born again," plainly answer to the washing of regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Ghost. And whereas our Saviour makes these necessary to our entering into the kingdom of God, St. Paul makes them the means of salvation. Thus we find baptism and the gift of the Spirit to be frequently joined together, as in the passages before cited, and in the following places. Mark xvi. 16. "He that believeth and is baptized, shall be saved." "Jesus being baptized, the Holy Ghost descended upon him."

Article xxviii.

Luke iii. 21, 22. "Repent, and be baptized, every one of you for the remission of sins; and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." Acts ii. 38.

Accordingly we find, that baptism and regeneration were used as synonymous terms by the ancient Fathers. In the early ages of the church, the baptized were principally adults, converted from heathenism; and as they incurred, by the profession of Christianity, reproach, persecution, and sometimes death, there was every reason to believe that they were sincere and genuine converts. But under any circumstances, they might be considered as regenerate, if we make the distinction recognized by our church, between baptismal and spiritual regeneration; and even where the inward and spiritual grace does not accompany the outward sign, charity would lead the church to suppose, that they who came for baptism, came with proper qualifications, and consequently received the blessings to which they were entitled by their entering into this solemn covenant.

We may learn thus to understand those expressions in our office of baptism which have been objected against for want of considering their true import. We are there taught to pray that God would "wash and sanctify the child with the Holy Ghost;" that "he may receive remission of sin by spiritual regeneration;" that "He would give his Holy Spirit to the child that he may be born again;" and finally, after baptism, we give thanks, "that it has pleased God to regenerate the infant with his Holy Spirit." In the office for baptizing adult persons, we pray for the same things on their behalf, and after being baptized, do pronounce, that they "are born again."

Now, if baptism be a means appointed by our Lord himself, for our entering into that covenant to which belong the promises of remission of sin, and the influ ences of the Holy Spirit, we are authorized to consider those who are baptized, as being regenerate. On his authority they are esteemed as being born of water," and in the judgment of charity as being born of the Spirit. St. Paul frequently addresses a whole people as being the elect and saints, in which he could only be

justified on the grounds of that "charity which hopeth all things," and which leads us to believe that they who profess, possess also the moral qualifications which alone can secure to them the inward or spiritual grace.

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We may with propriety consider the baptized person as regenerate by the Holy Spirit in another view. Supposing the change of relation produced by baptism to be merely external, and to affect the condition, and not the character of the recipient, still are we bound to thank God that this is done by the Holy Spirit, who is the author of every good and perfect gift, through whose agency, all the means of grace and the administration of them, derive their perpetuity and their effect. same effect of baptism is affirmed in the formularies of several other denominations of Christians. The liturgy of the Dutch Church of the Netherlands directs the following thanksgiving to be made after baptism: "Almighty and merciful Father, we thank and praise thee that thou hast forgiven us and our children all our sins, through the blood of thy beloved Son Jesus Christ, and received us through thy Holy Spirit, as members of thy only begotten Son, and adopted us to be thy children, and confirmed and sealed the same unto us by holy baptism." The hymns authorized to be used in public worship by the Presbyterians, assert the same blessings also as accruing to children from baptism. The Dutch Presbyterian catechism says, that "the Holy Ghost calls baptism the washing of regeneration," and again, that "we are spiritually cleansed from our sins, as really as we are washed with water." The Saybrook platform which is authoritative with congregationalists, says,"by the right use of this ordinance, the grace promised, is really conferred by the Holy Ghost." Dr. Mosheim, in behalf of the Lutheran Church, says, "these rites were baptism and the Lord's Supper, which are not to be considered as mere ceremonies, nor yet as symbolic representations only, but also as ordinances accompanied with a sanctifying influence upon the heart and affections of true Christians." The Methodists in their form of baptism, return thanks to God for "receiving