s baptism a "washing of regeneration," [Tit. 3:5] since in
this washing man is born again and made new. As Christ also says,
in John iii, "Except ye be born again of water and the Spirit of
grace, ye shall not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven." [John 3:5]
For just as a child is drawn out of its mother's womb and born,
and through this fleshly birth is a sinful man and a child of
wrath, [Eph. 2:3] so man is drawn out of baptism and spiritually
born, and through this spiritual birth is a child of grace and a
justified man. Therefore sins are drowned in baptism, and in
place of sin, righteousness comes forth.

[Sidenote: Its Incompleteness]

IV. This significance of baptism, viz., the dying or drowning of
sin, is not fulfilled completely in this life, nay, not until man
passes through bodily death also, and utterly decays to dust. The
sacrament, or sign, of baptism is quickly over, as we plainly
see. But the thing it signifies, viz., the spiritual baptism, the
drowning of sin, lasts so long as we five, and is completed only
in death. Then it is that man is completely sunk in baptism, and
that thing comes to pass which baptism signifies. Therefore this
life is nothing else than a spiritual baptism which does not
cease till death, and he who is baptised is condemned to die; as
though the priest, when he baptises, were to say, "Lo, thou art
sinful flesh; therefore I drown thee in God's Name, and in His
Name condemn thee to thy death, that with thee all thy sins may
die and be destroyed." Wherefore St. Paul says, in Romans vi,
"We are buried with Christ by baptism into death"; [Rom. 6:4] and
the sooner after baptism a man dies, the sooner is his baptism
completed; for sin never entirely ceases while this body lives,
which is so wholly conceived in sin that sin is its very nature,
as saith the Prophet, "Behold I was conceived in sin, and in
iniquity did my mother bear me"; [Ps. 51:5] and there is no help
for the sinful nature unless it dies and is destroyed with all
its sin. So, then, the life of a Christian, from baptism to the
grave, is nothing else than the beginning of a blessed death, for
at the Last Day God will make him altogether new.

[Sidenote: Its Completion]

V. In like manner the lifting up out of baptism is quickly done,
but the thing it signifies, the spiritual birth, the increase of
grace and righteousness, though it begins indeed in baptism,
lasts until death, nay, even until the Last Day. Only then will