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the _laver of regeneration_, and _the renewing of the Holy Ghost_, God saves us, and works in us such righteousness and purification from sins, that whosoever _perseveres_ in such covenant, and reliance, _will not be lost_, but have eternal life." SECT. IV. "Baptism is the bath (laver) of regeneration, _because in it we are regenerated_, and sealed with the spirit of sonship and obtain pardon."-_Mueller's Symb. Buecher_, pp. 848, 849. That the doctrine of baptismal regeneration was taught by Luther, and the prominent older divines of our church, is well known to those acquainted with their works. 1. _Luther_, indeed, sometimes expressed the most extravagant ideas of baptism, maintaining that the water in baptism, was pervaded by the divine majesty, and was a (durch goettertes Wasser,) water penetrated through and through with God! [Note 1] He compares the water in baptism to heated iron, in which, though you see nought but iron, fire also is contained, which represents the divine name and power pervading the water. But we will not enter any further into his extravagant illustrations of the power of baptism. The result at which he arrives is thus expressed: "Therefore, he (this omnipotent name or power of God,) must also in baptism, make pure and holy, heavenly and divine persons, as we shall hereafter further see." (Darum musz er auch in der Taufe reine und heilige und eitel himmlishe, goettliche Menschen machen, wie wir hernach sehen werden.") [Note 2] In his sermon on Baptism, Luther thus describes the influence of this ordinance:--"The import of baptism is a blessed dying unto sin, and resurrection in the grace of God, that the old man that was conceived in sin, may arise and go forth _a new man_ born of grace. Thus St. Paul in, Tit. iii. 5, terms baptism a bath of _the new birth_, that in this bath men may be _born again_ and renewed. Thus also Christ, in John iii. 3, says: Unless ye are born again of water and the Spirit (of grace), ye cannot enter into the kingdom of Heaven. For just as a child is born of its mother, and by this bodily birth is a sinful being and a _child of wrath;_ thus also is man taken and _born spiritually_ from the baptism, and by _this birth he is a child of grace and a justified person_. Thus are sins drowned in baptism, and thus does righteousness arise in the place of sin." [Note 3] 2. _Melancthon_, whilst he by no means indulges in the extravagant and unscriptural views of a c
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