This testimony of our Saviour would already be sufficient to prove that holy baptism is the means of regeneration ; but because this is so much denied, and for the sake of illustrating this subject more amply, I shall quote sundry other scriptural testimonies, explain them, and infer the most necessary doctrines. The first I shall quote is that copious text of St. Paul, in his epistle to Titus : he saith, chap. 3, 5 6, ' 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.' Every expression in this passage plainly indicates that the Apostle has a peculiar reference to Holy Baptism. Every requisite thing to constitute baptism is therein mentioned. Thus, as baptism consists of water, the Apostle also speaks of a ' washing of regeneration.' There can be no washing without a liquid,–I mean without water. Hence, since the Apostle mentions a washing of regeneration, it is as obvious as it can be, that he must refer to an institution performed with water. But as baptism does not consist of mere water only, forasmuch as the spirit is connected with it, even so the Apostle also connects ' the renewing of the Holy Ghost, that is shed on us abundantly,' with the 'washing of regeneration.' In short, the same as our Saviour spake of water and the spirit, so does also the Apostle. This is confirmed the more, when I add what the inspired writer to the Hebrews saith, ch. 10, 22, viz : ' Let us draw near with a true heart, in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.' The writer in this passage manifestly refers to two things, viz : to the sprinkling of the heart, and the washing of the body with pure water ; hence an invisible and a visible thing. The holy spirit is shed abroad in the heart, whilst the body is washed with pure water. The writer thus evidently alludes to baptism, by which our bodies are washed and our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience. He must mean baptism, because that is not only water, but pure water ; for God's holy name, with which it is connected, makes it pure. And yet it must nevertheless be an elementary water, otherwise our bodies could not be washed with it. The writer here can have no reference to any of the washings or purifications under the law, because he is writing to believers under the new testament dispensation ; and as there is no washing with water in the Christian church but baptism, the allusion here must be to the same.

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