Two texts more remain to be considered in relation to our subject. The first is found in that passage in the iiird Chapter of St. Paul’s Epistle to Titus, from the 4th to the 7th verse. “But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost, which He shed on us abundantly, through Jesus Christ our Saviour; that being justified by His grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” The word here translated “washing” signifies also a laver, or vessel for washing: but the translation is undoubtedly correct, and ablution or the act of washing, is intended. This word only occurs here and in Ephes. v. 26., which we have already considered; where it must be translated (as it is) “washing:”—“the washing of water by the word.” That regeneration washes or cleanses the soul from the filthiness of sin, is all that can be proved by this passage. The washing is by the regeneration, and not the regeneration by the washing. There may be an allusion to the Christian Sacrament of baptism; but it is not at all necessary to the understanding of the Apostle’s words. St. Paul is here describing what God does when He saves any. He sheds on them abundantly the Holy Ghost through Jesus Christ the Saviour, and this Holy Ghost regenerates, and washes and renews; and, in connection with this, God justifies the subjects of this change by His grace, and so makes them heirs according to the hope of eternal life. The regeneration and the renewal are not two distinct things; but the latter is the declaration of the former;—the transforming of the soul into the divine image, consequent upon and in necessary connection with its regeneration. But does this text prove, that all who are washed by the water of baptism partake of regeneration? Then it also proves, that all baptized persons are saved, and that they are renewed by the Holy Ghost, and that the Holy Ghost is shed on them abundantly, and that they are justified by God’s grace, and that they are heirs of eternal life! It is impossible, without doing violence to God’s word, to rend the blessings, here spoken of, asunder. They are links in one and the same golden chain, both the ends of which are in Heaven;—beginning with “the love of God” and terminating with “eternal life.” And are these things true in the case of all who are baptized? If this were taught in the Scripture, what then might the infidel say of it? He might then say, that Scripture and matter of fact directly contradict each other. Or it would follow, that regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Ghost and justification and salvation, are terms which mean nothing, because the things they profess to represent have no practical influence upon the lives of men! We must, then, take the passage altogether, or not touch it at all. We must not choose a word or two out of it,—caught by the sound,—and affix a meaning to them, which is inconsistent with the context and other plain portions of revealed truth. If baptism be the washing here spoken of, it is accompanied with regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Ghost, shed on the baptized abundantly; and this cannot be without the exhibition of the fruits of the Spirit in the life and conduct. And if this be Christian baptism, where these things are not, Christian baptism is not. And this is incontestably established by the testimony of St. Peter, in the text about to be noticed. Let it only be farther observed, in connection with this passage in St. Paul’s Epistle to Titus, that a no mean authority in the interpretation of Scripture (Mr. Joseph Mede) thinks, that the Apostle here alludes to the cleansing of the new-born infant from the pollutions which attend its birth: and he refers to the description given in the beginning of the xvith Chapter of the Book of the prophet Ezekiel in confirmation of this:—“Neither wast thou washed in water.” (v. 4.) Here, then, life is first found, and then there is the washing for purification.
The text, already referred to, in St. Peter, is the 21st verse of the iiird Chapter of his First Epistle. This perfects the proof of the view hitherto taken of the Christian Sacrament of baptism; and is a key which would unlock any difficulty which other portions of Scripture might present;—if indeed such assistance were needed. St. Peter is speaking of the days of Noah, and he says, that “the long-suffering of God then waited, while the ark was preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water;” and then he adds, “The like figure whereunto,”—the corresponding type with it, and the antitype of it—(as was observed before respecting circumcision) “even baptism, doth now save us,”—but before he completes the sentence, he breaks off to tell us what this baptism, of which he speaks, is, “not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience towards God,” and then he finishes what he had begun to say,—“by the resurrection of Jesus Christ.” Now if the two things here spoken of in relation to baptism were always found together, the words of St. Peter would be without meaning; for none, possessing them both, could be so blind as to imagine that it is the outward washing which saves them, and not “the answer of a good conscience;” though it is possible (as experience shows) that men might be satisfied with the outward sign, and look no farther, as the Jews had done in the case of circumcision. The Holy Spirit, therefore, by the pen of St. Peter warns against this error, and assures us, that the baptism which is unto salvation consists of, not only, nor chiefly, the application of water to the body, but “the answer of a good conscience toward God.” It is thought by some, that a reference is here made to the custom of putting questions to those who were about to be baptized as to their faith and repentance: and something of this kind had passed between Philip and the Eunuch, when Philip told him that “if he believed with all his heart he might be baptized, and the Eunuch answered, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.” In every such case there doubtless is the baptism—because there has been the birth—of the Spirit. But though St. Peter’s words may be applicable to such a custom, if it prevailed in his time, yet, as Archbishop Leighton says in his Commentary on this text, ‘This questioning and answering farther expresses the inward questioning and answering which is transacted betwixt the soul and itself, and the soul of God. The word,’ he says, ‘is judicial, and means the interrogation used in law for the trial and executing of processes: and this is the great business of conscience, to hold courts in the soul; and it is of continual necessity that it be so. This “answer of a good conscience unto God” (as likewise its questioning to enable itself for that answer) is touching great points that are of chief concern to the soul, its justification and sanctification; for baptism is the seal of both, and purges the conscience in both respects. Now, the conscience of a real believer inquiring within, upon right discovery, will make this answer unto God;—“Lord, I have found that there is no standing before Thee, for the soul in itself is overwhelmed with a world of guiltiness; but I find a blood sprinkled upon it, that hath, I am sure, virtue enough to purge it all away, and to present it pure unto Thee.” And this the Lord does agree to, and authorizes the conscience, on this account, to return back an answer of peace and safety to the soul. So for the other: “Lord, I find a living work of holiness on this soul. Though there is yet corruption there, it is as a continual grief and vexation: and if I cannot say much of high degrees of grace, yet I may say, there is the beginning of them;—at least this I most confidently affirm, that there are real and earnest desires in the soul after these things. It would know and conform to Thy will, and it would gladly walk in all well-pleasing unto Thee.” Now He that sees the truth of these things, owns it as His own work, and engages to advance it and bring it to perfection.’
Such is the intercourse which the purified conscience hath with God; and wherever this is, there is the “baptism” which is unto salvation.
In the examination which has thus been made into the Scripture-testimony concerning the Christian Sacrament of Baptism, no text has been—at least intentionally—overlooked, from which any additional information could be obtained on the subject.
From the passages which have been considered, the following conclusions may be taken as the Summary of the whole:—
1. That baptism with water has been appointed by Christ as the door of entrance into His Visible Church, and is the token of the Covenant of grace under the Christian Dispensation, in the place of circumcision, which was the token of this Covenant upon its formal establishment with Abraham. To be baptized with water, therefore, is necessary to constitute any one a member of the Visible Church of Christ or Kingdom of God upon earth.
2. That since faith hath from the beginning been appointed by God, as the instrument or means by which men are admitted into Covenant with Him, it was the command of the Lord Jesus Christ that baptism, which is now the token of the Covenant, should be administered only to believers. It was the same with respect to circumcision. Abraham believed God: and, as a believer, he was circumcised. And true believers only are acknowledged by Christ as rightful members of His Church. Yet as Abraham’s children were admitted to circumcision together with himself, it is hence inferred, that the children of believers in Christ should be baptized, as well as their parents: no prohibition of their admission to the Ordinance having been given. This conclusion is confirmed by Christ’s kind reception of the children that were brought to Him—by the application of Old Testament promises after Christ’s resurrection—by the declared continuance of the root and fatness of the Olive-tree planted at first in Abraham—and by the description given of the children of even one believing parent, namely, that they are holy; that is, such as ought to be presented to the Lord. Still, no direction to administer baptism to children has been found, nor is any instance of it recorded.
3. That although Christ, the Head of the Church, sows only good seed in His field, His enemy has succeeded in sowing tares among the wheat; and thus it comes to pass, that evil men are in the Visible Church mingled with the good. Hence we learn, that neither baptism nor any outward Ordinances are necessarily attended with spiritual blessings. “All were not Israel, who were of Israel.” “He was not a Jew, who was one outwardly; neither was that circumcision, which was outward in the flesh.” And we have seen that the “baptism” which “saves,” is “not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God.” Simon Magus, though baptized, was not sound in heart from the beginning. And if during the life-time of the Apostles, and when persons were baptized upon their own profession, men thus found admission into the Church, who “had the form of godliness, but denied its power,”—no wonder that in later times, and since baptism has been administered almost exclusively to infants, the case should have been the same. For we have met with no promise that God will give His grace to any particular persons, except in connection with the state of mind and the character which He prescribes. In no place of Scripture has God bound the first communication of His grace to any Ordinance, time, or circumstance whatsoever:—and for this simple, but sufficient reason, that if He had done so, it would have been an abdication of His authority; His sovereignty would have ceased; and man would have become—what in truth he wishes to be—the virtual ruler in God’s Kingdom. God no where promised to circumcise the hearts of all the children of the Israelites, although He commanded them to be circumcised in the flesh. And with respect to the baptism of children, how can any thing absolute and unconditional be predicated concerning it, since no command or direction was given for it? The administration of baptism to infants is certainly most agreeable with the spirit of Christ and of His Dispensation, and it is but a continuance of what was begun in the family of Abraham. But resting, as it does, upon inference and analogy, it is not possible to assign any specific spiritual influence with absolute certainty to it.
4. That with respect to the advantages and uses of baptism,—besides its being appointed by Christ as the door of admission into His Visible Church, and the practical purposes to which it is applied in the course of the Christian’s conduct and experience,—very little particular instruction is given in Scripture. To the corresponding rite of circumcision, therefore, we chiefly look for direction here.
It may be said, then, of baptism, as of circumcision,