31 tion of the Spirit (as ye have been oft minded) we can find nothing among all outward things, through the use and exercise whereof we may attain the cleanness and purity of righteousness in our natures; and therefore Christ hath put an end to all outward, carnal, and earthly things of the first testament, by the inward and spiritual, and heavenly things of a second and better testament : and by his own death and resurrection only, not without us, but within us, through the power and efficacy of his Spirit, all the baptism of the New Testament is fully and perfectly performed. And thus, in all these particulars, you see the infinite excellency and glory of the Spirit baptism above water baptism, and this only is sufficient in the days of the gospel, as being the true and proper baptism of the New Testament: for as Christ himself only is sufficient to the faithful without John, though John was of use in his season to point out Christ: so the baptism of Christ only is sufficient to the faithful, without the baptism of John, though the baptism of John were of use in its season, to point out the. baptism of Christ; and the Baptist himself was of this judgment, who said to Christ, “ I have need to be baptized of thee which he means not of water baptism (for so Christ himself, as you have heard, did not baptize) but with the baptism of the Spirit ; and so the Baptist himself, who was never baptized with water, neither by Christ nor the apostles, nor any body else, yet was baptized with the Spirit; and the baptism of the Spirit was sufficient for the Baptist without any water baptism; and so Christ’s Spirit baptism, by the word, is sufficient for all the faithful now, without John’s water baptism; for he that is truly washed from all filthiness ol flesh and spirit, and hath the Holy Ghost in him to renew his nature, and to conform him exactly to Christ’s own image, and to work him in this present vyorld into the true similitude of heaven, and to be in him a fountain ol water springing up unto everlasting life ; what need bath he of cold material water to be poured on his body, under the pretence of any sign whatever, cither of Moses or John, when as he hath the truth, substance, and heavenly thing itself?
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