future blessedness, are only random thoughts, expectations at a venture. Our comforts arise out of things of which they never heard. We believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so those that sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. To baptize a person, who knows nothing of Christ's abolishing death, and bringing life and immortality to light, is only mocking God and deceiving men. The very

ordinance supposes, that he is instructed about that better hope by which we draw nigh to God. And when we comply with it, either for ourselves or our children, it is no less than giving the reason of the hope that is in us.

2. Of this hope, there is a profession made, when the body is washed with pure water. The word is poλoyla; and you cannot separate the following particulars from it without garbling the solemnity of baptism, and making it good for nothing.

1. It is supposed, that for this hope, we have certain grounds, in the book of God.

2. That of this, our souls are filled with an inward persuasion.

3. That the reasons within us, we declare abroad for the conviction and establishment of others.

4. That we do this, in union with all the people of God. Ouya is a speaking together. 5. That therefore, Christians know the minds of one another, in this common faith.

6. That there are some wholesome words, to which they consent.

7. That this uniting profession, was made

at their baptism. There is but one faith in Jesus, and but one baptism to declare it.

(1.) If we are to profess, our hope of an eternal life with God, it is supposed there are certain grounds for it. These can be no other, than what the scripture has revealed. To say that God is merciful, is true; but no comfort arises from any schemes, which men talk of, without book. Thousands are damned eternally, who depended on the divine goodness. And yet it is infinitely above, what we can say or think. It is by making, the captain of our salvation perfect through sufferings, that the plan is laid, for bringing many sons and daughters to glory. Heb. ii. 11. It is the blood of the everlasting covenant, that has opened the way, for the great shepherd of the sheep, to arise himself; Heb. xiii. 20. and secure the whole train of those that follow him. By his obedience to the law, death is disarmed of an awful sting, and the grave prevented of a total victory. By his deity he is able to save; for our salvation is of God. By his death, he is worthy to redeem. By his grace, he is sure of success. If he was not the prince of life, he would not be a saviour, to give repentance to Israel and remission of sins. Acts. v. 21.

Thus the reason of the hope that is in us, is that by one offering, he has for ever put away sin; and by that one offering, he will for ever perfect them that are sanctified. Heb. x. 14. Our baptism is a declaration of the confidence we have in the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost;

in him, by whom we are elected; in him, who has made the purchase; and in him, whọ has wrought the change. This our God is the God of salvation, and to him belong the issues from death. Ps. lxviii. 20.

They that do not own him, in this distinction of persons and union of nature, are baptized in a name, they know nothing of. They are given up to an unknown God; and though they make mention of the Lord, it is not in truth and righteousness. Is. xlviii. 1. They compass him about with lies and deceit, and as their profession is vanity, so vanity shall be their recompense. They know not him, and he will profess that he knows not them. They have prepared lying words, if they use any form of their own; or they have perverted the words of the living God.

(2.) It is supposed, that we have an inward persuasion of these grounds, upon which a believer's hope is built. He that believes on the Son of God, has the witness in himself. 1 John v. 10. We must be rooted and settled in the faith, and not moved away from the hope of the gospel. Col. i. 23.

The man that brings his child to baptism, has the same obligations, as if he offered himself. He ought to know, in whom he has believed, and examine his confidence towards God. He is to prove his own work. Faith and hope are personal things, that he may have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. Gal. vi. 4. He should be always ready, to give an answer to every man, that asks

a reason of the hope that is in him; and this can never be, unless he searches the Scriptures, because in them alone we have eternal life.

In this sense ours is a rational faith. We have reason, and argument to support us. Suffer me to explain this. Religion may be supposed rational these two ways.

1st. If we take reason for that principle, which is now corrupt, and vitiated with all the other faculties of human nature, we may say that the doctrines of Christianity are not rational; that is, as the Apostle tells us plainly, the natural man does not receive them, they are foolishness to him. 1 Cor. ii. 14. The world, by all their wisdom, is not able to know the only living and true God. Their reasons must be sanctified and subdued as well as their will. Thus it was with as learned an infidel as ever lived; he thought that he ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. Acts xxvi. 9. He was guided by his reason in all the blasphemy and persecution of these evil days. His inquiry and free-thinking, his polite attainments carried him in full career, against Christ and his gospel. It is in that sense and no other, that we ever asserted the principles of revelation were contrary to reason, not only incomprehensible, but opposite. But, if you do not like the phrase, that they are against reason, we will change it, and say reason* is against them. Of this we have acknowledgements in those that are converted, and notorious evidence in those that are not.

* Corrupt reason.

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2dly, By reason we oftentimes mean a ground of persuasion; the argument that gives a bias to our way of thinking. And in this sense, the Christian religion is the most rational thing in the world, because it goes upon the record of a God that cannot lye. 1 John v. 10. Such a rational religion we are for, and desire to keep it so; and I take this opportunity to affirm, that to look for salvation from a depending or a created God, to trust in any one who is not almighty, to believe in a God who is not a person, has nothing rational in it.

(3.) At baptism there is a profession; that is, we declare abroad the reason of the hope within us. It is a public ordinance, and that can never be without a public sound of faith. Silent meetings are fit for none but those, who are neither believers nor baptized; who turn the form of the ordinance into spirit, and the spirit of it into nothing. You may be partakers of Christ, without ever being baptized at all; but Christ has called you to this ordinance, that others may know what you think; that your light be not smothered in a bushel, but blaze out to the conviction of all men.

He has given you a tongue as your glory; and if you are silent in his doctrine, you turn your glory into a shame. He has mentioned your faith and your profession together, as equal parts of an homage to him, and a care about yourselves. If thou believe that Jesus died, and confess that God raised him again from the dead thou shalt be saved. Rom. x. 9.