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Having considered the Mode and Subjects of Baptism, we come now to shew what is its import and design,—and this is a branch of the subject but too little attended to. The universal practice of sprinkling infants, with the arguments used in support of that human inventions have, in a great measure obscured its signification; so that it is amazing to observe the ignorance of professors on this head. Amongst the various views entertained as to this,—some conceive it to be a christening, or making them christians; hence their anxiety to have them sprinkled betimes, lest they should die pagans. Others, again, view it as a sign whereby their infants are initiated into thevisible church though they are neither agreed as to what ⟨that⟩ church is, nor admit them into the full communion of any visible church. If we ⟨consult⟩ the word of God, we shall find that this ⟨divine⟩ ordinance is intended to be a sign of regeneration, or that the person baptized is born of ⟨the⟩ Spirit. Jesus says to Nicodemus,—Except ⟨a⟩ man be born of Water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. Water here undoubtedly means the water of baptism for it is distinguished from the Spirit; so that to be born of water, is to be baptized, even as to be "born of the Spirit," is to be regenerated; and as the former is connected with the latter, and termed a birth in reference to it, ⟨it⟩ must be the visible sign or representation of this spiritual birth. This is farther evident from Titus iii. 5, This ordinance also represents ⟨to⟩
