Reformed Covenanter
Cancelled Commissioner
I see here two washings, one outward, another inward: the first in these words The laver of regeneration, the next. The renewing of the Holy Spirit. The first, is our Baptism: the next, the inward washing and renewing by the Holy Spirit, represented by this outward Baptism. As the water washeth away the filth from the body so the Holy Spirit purgeth & washeth the heart from sin. I will speak but thus far shortly of Baptism.
The outward washing in Baptism is not to be looked to lightly: the pouring on of the water, is but a base sign to look to: yet it is not a bare sign of the washing of the Holy Spirit: but it is the instrument that God taketh in His hand, & whereby He applieth to us the inward washing of the Holy Spirit, Col. 2. 12. Rom. 6. 4, he ascribeth our regeneration to Baptism. We by Baptism are buried with Christ, risen with Christ, and if this mean be contemned, there shall be no regeneration: if a man lightly [neglect] this Baptism, I affirm, there shall be no renewing inwardly by the Holy Spirit: and if he be not renewed, he shall never be saved: for without regeneration, no salvation. ...
For more, see Robert Rollock on baptism and regeneration.
The outward washing in Baptism is not to be looked to lightly: the pouring on of the water, is but a base sign to look to: yet it is not a bare sign of the washing of the Holy Spirit: but it is the instrument that God taketh in His hand, & whereby He applieth to us the inward washing of the Holy Spirit, Col. 2. 12. Rom. 6. 4, he ascribeth our regeneration to Baptism. We by Baptism are buried with Christ, risen with Christ, and if this mean be contemned, there shall be no regeneration: if a man lightly [neglect] this Baptism, I affirm, there shall be no renewing inwardly by the Holy Spirit: and if he be not renewed, he shall never be saved: for without regeneration, no salvation. ...
For more, see Robert Rollock on baptism and regeneration.