death and sin; and over the strength of sin." igure through his own n, and having manifests baptized by the Holy and "powers of the erfectly lived up to his committing one sin. He e from transgression as dy in eternity. When approached, he said, ave a baptism to be bapam I straitened" [Greek accomplished." Here his being buried in death, attended with extreme g again from it, which ty of which his baptism figure.

water signifies our death, again signifies our resn, who is baptized, ought avor, as much as in him gh he were already in his Enjoying in faith the oly Spirit and of fire," he imself as dead to the world walking in newness of life. ce Rom. vi. 3, 4. "Know any of us as were baptized inwere baptized into his death? e are buried with him by baph; that like as Christ was raised dead by the glory of the Father, also should walk in newness of re we perceive they were baptized eath, and were rejoicing in hope of rrection, having their hearts purified in the reality, Acts xxii: 16 And now arriest thou? arise, and be baptized,

our first parents, for transgressing the law, he pronounced all the miseries of life, and uttered the closing sentence, “Dust thou art and unto dust shalt thou return." Here the doctrine of endless misery (if that be the sentence of the violated law) ought to have been clearly stated to the "covenant head” of our race, so that the same sentence might pass upon all that have sinned, unless they complied with the conditions set before them.

But we leave this point, and will notice the 5th verse which may, perhaps, be considered as an objection to my views, and urged as proof that the new birth is wholly confined to this life. Except a man be born of water, and of the spirit," &c. What is here meant by "water"? Ans. baptism by immersion. This, instead of being an objection to my views, will strengthen them. Baptism in water is nothing more than a figure of our death and resurrection, by which we manifest our faith in the resurrection of the dead, by which faith our hearts are baptized into the spirit and truth of the gospel of Christ.

Paul says, 1 Cor. xv: 29 "Else what shall they do, which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? why are they then baptized for the dead?" Baptism being only a figure of our death and resurrection, is perhaps, in a gospel sense, of but little consequence to christians in the present day.

Christ went to John and was baptized of him in Jordan. His being put under water signified his death, when the condemning power of the law under the first dispensation should lose its force-and his being raised out of the water signified his resurrection from the cold jordan of death to immortal life in the kingdom of God, where the victo

ry shall be sung over death and sin; and over the law which "is the strength of sin." Having passed in figure through his own death and resurrection, and having manifested to man that he was baptized by the Holy

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Spirit into the faith and powers of the world to come," he perfectly lived up to his obligation, by never committing one sin. He went through life free from transgression as though he were already in eternity. When his crucifixion hour approached, he said, [Luke xii: 50,] "I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how am I straitened" [Greek -pained]" till it be accomplished." Here he had reference to his being buried in death, (which was to be attended with extreme sufferings) and rising again from it, which would be the reality of which his baptism in Jordan was but a figure.

To be put under water signifies our death, and to be raised out again signifies our resurrection. A person, who is baptized, ought therefore, to endeavor, as much as in him lies, to live as though he were already in his resurrection state. Enjoying in faith the baptism of the "Holy Spirit and of fire," he ought to consider himself as dead to the world and alive to God walking in newness of life.

Let us introduce Rom. vi. 3, 4. "Know ye not that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ, were baptized into his death? "Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death; that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life." Here we perceive they were baptized into his death, and were rejoicing in hope of the resurrection, having their hearts purified

faith in the reality, Acts xxii: 16 And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized,

and wash away thy sins, &c Now, it is not only a scripture doctrine, but all denominations acknowledge, that baptism in water is an emblem of the washing away of our sins. We then ask-are our sins to be washed in a stream of water? No. Where then? The objector says, our sins are taken away in this life by the baptism of the "Holy Spirit and with fire." This cannot be; because Paul told the believers that if there were, no resurrection, their faith was vain, and they were yet in their sins. [See 1. Cor. xv. 17.] This proves that believers receive the forgiveness of their sins in this life by faith only, not in reality.

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The question returns, are our sins washed away in a stream of water? No. Where then? Ans. Through death and the resurrection, for that is the real baptism. And it is certain that the reality must embrace all that the figure in water teaches. We then solemnly ask the reader-if baptism in water is a figure of our death and resurrection, and if that water baptism signifies the washing away of our sins, will not then our sins be washed away through death and the resurrection? Yes; otherwise the figure in water has no meaning.

Thus we perceive that being born of the water is no objection to our views of the new birth, but affords them an unshaken support. If any one contend that the sins of our race' are not to be taken away through death, we would then ask, where will the christian's sins be washed away? The scriptures declare that there is not a just man upon earth that doeth good and sinneth not,-and if there is no change through death then there will not be a just man beyond the grave that doeth good and sinneth not. But the baptism "with