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