Practical truths tending to promote the power of godliness

I desire and solemnly charge such persons as in the fear of God, to consider of two things.

1. That external baptism alone will not save them. Will you say of your baptism, as the Israelites said of the Ark? It shall save us, 1 Sam. 4. 3. O deceive not your own Souls. The Apostle having said, baptism now saveth us, that no one might mistake his meaning, he adds, not the putting away the filth of the flesh, not (saith he) a meet external washing of the body, but there must be the answer of a good Conscience, you must make Conscience, to answer the Obligation, which baptism hath brought you under, or it will be no sign of Salvation to your Souls, 1 Pet.3. 21. you shall be as far off from Salvation as if you had never been baptised, if you rest there 1 Cor. 7. 19. Circumcision is nothing but the keeping of the Commandments of God. So baptism is nothing if there be not that care to keep the Commandments of God, which baptism obligeth unto. Rom. 2. 25. For Circumcision verily ⟨p. 111⟩profiteth if thou keep the Law, but if thou be a breaker of the Law, thy Circumcision is made uncircumcision. So I say, thy baptism will profit thee, if thou dost remember the awful obligation; which thy Soul is brought under thereby; but if thou shalt be unmindful of thy engagement to be the Lords, thy baptism is made no baptism, as to any spiritual and eternal benefit, to be from thence expected. Is it not said, concerning the Children of Israel, that they were all baptised in the Cloud, and yet with many of them God was not well pleased, 1 Cor. 10. 2, 5. Outward baptism alone, will make no man, woman, nor child, acceptable unto God.