accept of thee on Gospel-terms, and now, why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins.

Sixth Example: Another Example of Believer's Baptism, is the Baptism of the Jailor, Acts 16. 30, 31, 32. He went to bed in his Sins, and might have awaked in Hell; but preventing Mercy met him when his sword was drawing, and saved both his soul and his body. Paul cried aloud: Do thyself no harm, there is hope for thee. And he trembling, answered, What must I do? The soul that trembleth before the Almighty God, will not only cry out what shall I have, but what shall I do? Believe, saith Paul, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ: And to demonstrate his willingness to yield Obedience to the Lord Jesus, and to accept of him on Gospel-terms, he is baptized the same hour of the night, ver. 33. Note also, ver. 34, that all his household believed and were baptized. As many as Believed, so many were Baptized.

Seventh Example: Another Example you have of Lydia, Acts 16. 14, a godly woman, a praying woman. God opened her heart to attend his Word by Paul, and being at the River she was baptized. When the heart is shut, how backward are Souls to obey Christ!

One draw from Christ makes the Soul run: Song 1. 4. The Lord opened her heart, and she was baptized. If the Lord hath opened thy Heart to believe the Gospel, thou mayest be baptized, but not else.

Eighth Example: We have another case. in Acts 18. 8. Crispus, the chief Ruler of the Synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his house; and many of the Corinthians hearing, believed and were baptized. Crispus believed, his house believed,-all depended on their believing, and then they were baptized. All the examples are cast in this mould.

Thus you have Pattern and Precept; if Command or Example be of any force, here's both. Beware lest you sin against such plain Teaching. He who sins against both Precept and Example sins indeed.

I.

Water.

HE Greek word Baptizo, means to plunge, to overwhelm. Thus Christ

was plunged in water, Matt. 3. 16. Thus he was plunged or overwhelmed in his sufferings, Luke 12. 50. "I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how am I straitened till it be accomplished!"

2. The Dutch Translation reads, In those days came John the Dipper, Matt. 3. 1. And in John 3. 23, that version reads, John was dipping in Enon, because there was much water there. What need much water were it not for dipping?

3. They did Baptize in Rivers. They came to John, and were baptized in Jordan, Matt. 3. 6. John was baptizing in Enon, because there was much water there, John 3. 23. Why need it be in a River, and where there was

much water? Would not a little Water in a Bason serve to Sprinkle the Face?

4. Baptism signifies the Burial of Christ. Therefore we are buried with him by Baptism into death, Rom. 6. 4. Buried with him in Baptism, Col. 2. 12. Now we do not reckon a man buried, when a little earth is Sprinkled on his Face, but he is buried when Covered; thus you are buried in Baptism.

5. Christ's Sufferings are called a Baptism, Luke 12. 50. I have a Baptism to be baptized with; and how am I straitened till it be accomplished! When Christ suffered, he was plunged into pains. Did his sufferings lie only on his Head or on his Forehead? No, no; there was not one part free; he was from head to foot in pain; his head was crowned with piercing Thorns, his hands and feet were nailed to the Cross; and his whole person was so stretched out on the Cross that a man might have told all his bones, Ps. 22. 17. There was not one part free. Man hath sinned, Body, Soul and Spirit, and therefore the whole Christ must suffer for sin. Christ was baptized into pain, plunged into sorrow, not any part free: this he calls his Baptism. Thus one baptized is plunged under water, to show how Christ was plunged into sorrow for our sakes.

6. Baptism is a putting on Christ. As many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ, Gal. 3. 27. The text means that as a servant wears his Lord's Livery, a Garment which demonstrates him to be a Servant to such a great Personage, so in Baptism we put on our Lord's Livery, and he himself clothes us from head to foot. It is thus that by Baptism we put on Christ.

7. When Christ was baptized, he came up out of the Water, Matt. 3. 16. Was his baptism performed by his having a little Water thrown on his Face? Then he had not been in the Water, and could not have come up out of it ; but because he was baptized in the Water, therefore being baptized he came up out of the Water. Philip and the Eunuch went down both into the water, (and being there in the Water) Philip baptized the Eunuch. Both of them came up out of the water, Acts 8. 39; but to what End had they gone down if Philip did merely Sprinkle the Eunuch, or Pour water upon his head ?

Thus you see the place where these various persons were baptized was a River, or a certain water; their Action was on this wise they went down into the Water;