resurrection, and if _that water baptism_ signifies the washing away
of our sins, will not then our sins be washed away through death and
the resurrection? Yes; otherwise the figure in water has no meaning.

Thus we perceive that being born of the water is no objection to our
views of the new birth, but affords them an unshaken support. If any
one contend that the sins of our race are not to be taken away through
death, we would then ask, where will the christian's sins be washed
away? The scriptures declare that there is not a just man upon earth
that doeth good and sinneth not,--and if there is no change through
death then there will not be a just man beyond the grave that doeth
good and sinneth not. But the baptism "with the Holy Spirit and with
fire" in all its solemn and interesting reality will take place in
death and the resurrection, and to exercise a living faith in that
truth, so as to influence our life and conduct according to the spirit
of the gospel, is what the scriptures term being baptized with the
spirit and with fire in this life. But this present enjoyment is not
the _reality_, but an antepast of _that reality_; because "we walk by
faith and not by sight." It is immaterial whether the scripture speaks
of _pardon, of justification; of sanctification, of redemption, of
regeneration, or baptism_ "with the Holy Spirit and with fire," it
simply means that those facts in the divine counsels unchangeably
exist, and will burst upon the whole groaning creation in the
resurrection world, while the believer only enjoys them in this state
of being through faith, which baptizes him into the spirit of Christ.
But if there be no resurrection, and nought is presented to our
anticipation but the dreary prospect of a beamless eternity, then
"preaching is vain," "faith is also vain," "christians are yet in
their sins," "and they that are fallen asleep in Christ are perished."