28 death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection.” Where you see that the same baptism of the Spirit, that makes us die with Christ, doth also quicken us into his resurrection, and deprives us of our own life ; not that we may remain dead, but that it may communicate to us a better life than our own, even the life of Christ 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 quickened with him, and raised up with him, and set in heavenly places in him. Thirdly. As Spirit baptism makes us one with Christ the Head, so with the church the body, 1 Cor. xii. 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; so that by drinking into one Spirit with the church, we become one body with it, and no other ways : I say, not by being dipt into the same water, but by receiving the same Spirit, do we become one body with the church ; and it is not being of one judgment, 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 Christ, than they that are baptized with that one Spirit of Christ. Fourthly. Spirit baptism truly washes and cleanses from sin; what water baptism doth in the sign, this doth in the truth, even cleanses from all carnal and spiritual filthiness: and no man is cleansed from sin, but by the washing of the Spirit; the pouring forth of the Spirit on all flesh, is the killing of sin in all flesh, 1 Cor. vi. 9, 10, 11. ° Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God ; and such were some of you, but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by the Spirit of our God; so that Spirit baptism cleanses from all sin, whatever it is, and there is no man cleansed from sin, but through this baptism. And again, Eph. v. 26, 27. “ Christ gave himself for the church, that he might sanctify and cleanse it with
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTM4ODY=