tion, perfection ;" by Dionysius Alexandrinus, "a purgation from the filth of old and impure leaven, a participation of adoption and grace,” by Justin Martyr "regeneration, that being no longer children of ignorance, but of election and knowledge, we obtain the forgiveness of our past sins in the water;" and many othier such like appellations are every where to be met with in the writings of the fathers: by which we must not imagine, that they apprehended baptism of itself, without any regard to the qualification of its subject, to be suffi cient and effectual for the blotting out of sin, and the pardoning of iniquity, but their meaning was, that whosoever was evangelically prepared for that ordinance by a sincere repentance and an unfeigned faith, unto him, and him alone, was baptism efficacious to the remitting and washing away of his sins and crimes; according to that of our Saviour, [Mark xvi. 16.]." he that believeth, and is baptized, shall be saved;" and that of St. Peter, [Acts ii. 38.] "repent and be baptized every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, for remission of sins:" in which texts faith and repentance are made necessary ingredients of effectual and saving baptism. For, as. Justin Martyr well reasons, "what profit is there in that baptism, which only makes the flesh and body shining? Baptize, or wash the

soul from anger and covetousness, from envy and hatred, and then the body is clean."

Simon Magus, as Origen observes, "was baptized, and yet was not washed for salvation." As it was not the water but the blood of Christ which washed away sins in baptism, so neither were the sins of any washed away thereby, but of those who repented and believed. For which reason, the discipline of the church took care, that none should be admitted to baptism till they had by a conven ient time of tryal given sufficient proofs of the sincerity of their faith and repentance; during which time, they were gradually instructed in the articles of the Christian faith, and endeavored more and more to amend their lives by an increase in an holy and godly conversation . after which, as Origen remarks, "when they had to the utmost of their power lived better, then they were initiated in the Christian mysteries."

The antecedents unto baptism are thus briefly related by Justin Martyr, "that whosoever were persuaded of the truth of the Christian religion, and would endeavor to live according to the rules thereof, were instructed by fasting and prayer, to beg of God the rémission of their past sins, and then they were baptized." Agreeably whereunto Tertullian writes, "that persons to be baptized, were to

give themselves to prayer, fasting and watch. ing, and to make a confession of all their past sins." And in his book De Pœnitentia, the said father more largely discourses of the state of repentance that was to be undergone before baptism. Unto which, and the other primi tive writings relating hereunto, I refer the reader seeing it is universally known, that none were permitted to be baptized, before they had by a sufficient time of tryal, giv, en such evident proofs of their conversion and repentance, as every man according to the rule of charity, would judge them to be sincere and real..

But then, besides this state of probation, at the time of baptism itself, in a most solemn manner before God and man, they acknowl edged and protested their repentance and faith declaring before the whole congregation that they renounced the Devil, the world and the flesh; that they believed all the articles of the Christian faith; and that by the grace of God, they would walk according to the rules thereof, all the days of their lives. Upon the profession of which repentance and faith, preceded by a convenient tryal of the reality thereof, they were admitted to baptism for the remission of their sins; which by the blood of Christ were in that ordinance unto all, so re penting and believing freely remitted and fore given.

<But, if any impenitent and unbelieving pers sons were washed with the baptismal water, it profited them nothing at all, but on the con trary, extremely prejudiced them by the ag gravation of their guilt, and consequently by the augmentation of their woe: for which reason, Origen gives this seasonable and pertinent exhortation to the Catechumens, that is, to those who were in the preparatory state for baptism; "come," saith he, "ye Cate chumens, and repent that ye may be baptized for the remission of sins: he receives baptism for the remission of sins, who hath left off to sin; for if any one comés sinning to that la ver, his sins are not forgiven him. Wherefore, I beseech you, do ye not without caution and diligent circumspection come to bap tisin; but first of all bring forth fruits meet for repentance; spend some time in a good cons versation, keep yourselves clean from all filth iness and vice: and then your sins shall be forgiven, when ye yourselves begin to con temn them."

So that from all the citations it is most evi/ dent, that the fathers esteemed repentance and faith to be necessary unto the efficacy of baptism, without which it can be of no saving profit or advantage at all; and that; whensoe. ver they terined baptism" a cleansing or for giving of sin," of the like, they understood it

solitarily and only with relation to those wh were duly qualified by faith and repentance for the reception of it; as for the most part, they are in charity supposed to be, who are baptized in a church wherein discipline and government is maintained and exercised.

But, to return to the time of the remission of sins committed in an heathenish and unconverted state, which by the Nicene creed is: expressed, and by that of the apostle's sup posed to be at baptism; the reason thereof was, because every one did at the time of his baptism, solemnly renounce and forsake the Devil, the world, and the flesh, and entirely devote and consecrate himself to the worship and service of God, through Jesus Christ; and as a visible evidence, sign and token thereof, did on his part t receive the sacramental water of baptism, appointed by Jesus Christ for that very end; whilst on the other part, God through the same ordinance, sealed and conveyed grace and pardon unto every person thus sincerely qualified and disposed: for the very end of this institution was, that on the one hand, men might testify their repentance and faith in Christ thereby; and that on the other hand, God might by the same convey and assure them of the full pardon and plenary forgiveness of all their sins whatsoever. For which reason it comes to pass, that by Cypri