671.上面提及的施洗象征并预示，即代表了属灵的洗涤，即从恶与假中洁净，这一点从以下经文明显可知：
主要用审判的灵和焚烧的灵把锡安女子的污秽洗去，又把血腥洗净。（以赛亚书4:4）
你虽用碱水、多用肥皂洗濯，你的罪孽仍有痕迹。（耶利米书2:22；约伯记9:30，31）
求你洗涤我，我就比雪更白。（诗篇51:7）
耶路撒冷啊，你当洗去心中的恶，使你可以得救。（耶利米书4:14）
你们要洗濯、自洁，从我眼前除掉你们的恶行；要止住作恶。（以赛亚书1:16）
洁净人的灵以洁净身体来表示，教会的内在以外在来象征，如以色列教会所行的那样，这一点从主的这些话明显可知：
法利赛人和文士看见祂的门徒中有人用俗手，就是没有洗的手吃饭；原来法利赛人和犹太人若不仔细洗手就不吃饭，还有好些别的规矩，他们历代拘守，就是洗杯、罐、铜器等物。主对他们及众人说：“你们要听，也要明白。进到口里的不能使人污秽，只有从口里出来的，才能使人污秽。”（马可福音7:1－4，14，15；马太福音15:2，11，17－20）
还有：
你们这假冒为善的文士和法利赛人有祸了！因为你们洗净杯盘的外面，里面却满了贪婪和放荡。你这瞎眼的法利赛人，先洗净杯盘的里面，好叫外面也干净了。（马太福音23:25，26）
由此明显可知，被称为洗礼的施洗意味着属灵的洗涤，即从恶与假中洁净。
671. 上面提及的施洗象征并预示, 即代表了属灵的洗涤, 即从恶与假中洁净, 这一点从以下经文明显可知:
主要用审判的灵和焚烧的灵把锡安女子的污秽洗去, 又把血腥洗净。 (以赛亚4:4)
你虽用碱水, 多用肥皂洗濯, 你的罪孽仍有痕迹。 (耶利米书2:22;约伯记9:30-31)
求你洗涤我, 我就比雪更白。 (诗篇51:7)
耶路撒冷啊, 你当洗去心中的恶, 使你可以得救。 (耶利米书4:14)
你们要洗濯, 自洁, 从我眼前除掉你们的恶行; 要止住作恶。 (以赛亚1:16)
洁净人的灵以洁净身体来表示, 教会的内在以外在来象征, 如以色列教会所行的那样, 这一点从主的这些话明显可知:
法利赛人和文士看见祂的门徒中有人用俗手, 就是没有洗的手吃饭; 原来法利赛人和犹太人若不仔细洗手就不吃饭, 还有好些别的规矩, 他们历代拘守, 就是洗杯, 罐, 铜器等物。 主对他们及众人说: “你们要听, 也要明白。 进到口里的不能使人污秽, 只有从口里出来的, 才能使人污秽。 ” (马可福音7:1-4, 14-15; 马太福音15:2, 11, 17-20)
还有:
你们这假冒为善的文士和法利赛人有祸了! 因为你们洗净杯盘的外面, 里面却满了贪婪和放荡。 你这瞎眼的法利赛人, 先洗净杯盘的里面, 好叫外面也干净了。 (马太福音23:25-26)
由此明显可知, 被称为洗礼的施洗意味着属灵的洗涤, 即从恶与假中洁净。
671. It is clear from the following passages that the washings just mentioned prefigured and foreshadowed, that is, symbolized, spiritual washings that purify us from evils and falsities.
When the Lord has washed excrement from the daughters of Zion, and has washed away blood, in the spirit of judgment and the spirit of cleansing . . . (Isaiah 4:4)
Even if you wash yourself with lye and use much soap, the stains of your wickedness will remain. (Jeremiah 2:22; Job 9:30-31)
Wash me from my wickedness and I will be whiter than snow. (Psalms 51:7, 9)
O Jerusalem, wash your heart from evil so that you will be saved. (Jeremiah 4:14)
Wash yourselves; purify yourselves. Remove the evil of your actions from before my eyes. Stop doing evil. (Isaiah 1:16)
[2] As the following words of the Lord make very clear, the washing of our spirit is meant by the washing of our body, and the internal practices of the [Christian] church were represented by the external rituals of the Israelite church.
When the Pharisees and scribes saw that his disciples were eating bread with unwashed hands, they found fault, because the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they have thoroughly washed their hands. They had many other accepted practices as well, such as the washing of cups, clay vessels, copper vessels, and beds. The Lord said to them and to the crowd, "All of you, hear me and understand. Nothing exists outside of you that can make you unclean by going into you. What makes you unclean are the things that come out of you. " ( Mark 7:1-4, 14-15; Matthew 15:2, 11, )
This is also clear elsewhere, as in the following passage.
Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, because you clean the outside of your cup and plate, but the insides are full of plundering and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of your cup and plate, so that the outside may be clean as well. (Matthew 23:25-26)
This makes it clear that the washing called baptism means a spiritual washing, which is the process of being purified from evils and falsities.
671. The following passages establish plainly that acts of washing prefigured and adumbrated what was mentioned above, that is, they represented spiritual washing, which is purification from evils and falsities.
When the Lord has washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion, and has washed away the blood in a spirit of judgment and a spirit of purging, Isaiah 4:4.
If you wash yourself with soda and use soap repeatedly on yourself, still your iniquity will retain its stains, Jeremiah 2:22; Job 9:30-31.
Wash me from my iniquity and I shall be whiter than snow, Psalms 51:2, 7.
Wash your heart free from wickedness, Jerusalem, so that you may be saved, Jeremiah 4:14.
Wash yourselves, cleanse yourselves, put away the wickedness of your deeds from before my eyes, cease to do evil, Isaiah 1:16.
[2] The washing of a person's spirit is meant by the washing of his body; and the internals of the church were represented by such external rituals as were practised by the Israelite church. This is obvious from the Lord's words in this passage:
The Pharisees and Scribes, seeing that His disciples ate bread with unwashed hands, found fault. For the Pharisees and all Jews do not eat unless they have washed their hands up to the fist; there are many other things they have accepted as a practice to be kept up, such as the washing of cups and pots, and of bronze vessels, and beds. The Lord said to them and to the crowd, Listen to me all of you and understand. There is nothing outside a person which can make him unclean if it enters into him; but it is what comes out that makes him unclean, Mark 7:1-4, 14-15; Matthew 15:2, 11, 17-20.
Also elsewhere:
Woe to you, Scribes and Pharisees, because you clean the outside of the cup and dish, but the inside is full of robbery and violence. You blind Pharisee, clean first the inside of the cup and dish, so that the outside too may be clean, Matthew 23:25-26.
It is plain from these passages that the washing called baptism stands for spiritual washing, which is being purified from evils and falsities.
671. That the above mentioned washings figured and shadowed forth, that is, represented spiritual washings, which are purifications from evils and falsities, is clearly evident from the following passages:
When the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion, and shall have washed away its blood; in the spirit of judgment and in the spirit of cleansing (Isaiah 4:4).
Though thou shalt wash thee with lye, and take thee much soap, thine iniquity shall still retain its spots (Jeremiah 2:22; Job 9:30, 31).
Wash me from mine iniquity, and I shall be whiter than snow (Psalms 51:2, 3).
Wash thine heart from wickedness, O Jerusalem, that thou mayest be saved (Jeremiah 4:14).
Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before Mine eyes; cease to do evil (Isaiah 1:16).
That the washing of man's spirit was meant by the washing of his body, and that the internals of the church were represented by externals, such as were in the Israelitish church, is very plain from these words of the Lord:
The Pharisees and Scribes seeing that some of His disciples ate bread with unwashed hands, found fault; for the Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they wash their hands to the fist, eat not; and many other things there be, which they have received to hold, as the washing of cups and pots, brazen vessels, and couches. To them and to the multitude the Lord said: Hear Me all of you, and understand; there is nothing from without a man that entering into him can make him unclean but the things that come out of him, make him unclean (Mark 7:1-4, 14, 15; Matthew 15:2, 11, 17-20).
And elsewhere:
Woe unto you. Scribes and Pharisees! for ye cleanse the outside of the cup and the platter but within they are full from extortion and excess. Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first the inside of the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also (Matthew 23:25, 26).
From this it is evident that the washing called baptism means spiritual washing, which is purification from evils and falsities.
671. The washings mentioned above figured and shadowed forth, that is, represented, spiritual cleansing or purification from evils and falsities, as is clearly evident from the following passages:
"When the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion, and shall have purged the blood... by the spirit of judgment, and by the spirit of purging (A.V., burning)" Isaiah 4:4.
"Though thou wash thee with nitre, and take thee much soap, yet thine iniquity will retain the spots (A.V., is marked)" Jeremiah 2:22; Job 9:30-31.
"Wash me from mine iniquity... and I shall be whiter than snow" Psalms 51:2, 7.
"O Jerusalem, wash thine heart from wickedness, that thou mayest be saved" Jeremiah 4:14.
"Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil" Isaiah 1:16.
The cleansing of a man's spirit was meant by the washing of his body, and the internal things of the Church were represented by the external things, such as were in the Israelitish Church, as is clearly manifest from these words of the Lord:
The Pharisees and scribes "when they saw some of His disciples eat bread with... unwashen hands, found fault. For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they wash their hands oft, eat not... And many other things there be which they have received to hold, as the washing of cups, and pots, brazen vessels, and of beds (A.V., tables)." To them and to the people the Lord said, "Hearken unto me every one of you, and understand: There is nothing from without a man, that entering into him, can defile him: but the things which come out of him those are they that defile the man" Mark 7:1-4, 14-15; Matthew 15:2, 11, 17-20,
and in other places, as:
"Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees... for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess. Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside... maybe clean also" Matthew 23:25-26.
From these things it is evident that by the washing called Baptism is meant spiritual washing, which is purification from evils and falsities.
671. Quod Lavationes supra memoratae figuraverint et adumbraverint, hoc est, repraesentaverint Lavationes spirituales, quae sunt purificationes a malis et falsis, constat manifeste ex his; Cum laverit Dominus excrementum filiarum Sionis, et sanguines abluerit, in spiritu judicii, et in spiritu expurgationis, Esaias 4:4. Si laveris te nitro, et multiplicaveris tibi smegma, usque maculas retinebit iniquitas tua, Jeremias 2:22; Hiob 9:30-31. Lava me ab iniquitate mea, et prae nive albus ero, Psalm 51:4, 9. 1 Lava a malitia cor tuum, Hierosolyma, ut salveris, Jeremias 4:14. Lavate vos, mundate vos, removete malitiam operum vestrorum ab oculis meis, cessate malum facere, Esaias 1:16.
[2] Quod lavatio spiritus hominis intellecta sit per lavationem corporis ejus, et quod Interna Ecclesiae repraesentata sint per Externa, qualia fuerunt in Ecclesia Israelitica, patet manifeste ex his Domini verbis, Pharisaei et Scribae videntes quod Discipuli Ipsius illotis manibus comederent panes, sugillarunt; nam Pharisaei 2 et omnes Judaei, 3 nisi pugnotenus 4 laverint manus, non comedunt; praeter alia multa, quae acceperunt tenere, ut lavationes poculorum et testaceorum, et aeneorum, et lectorum; ad quos et ad turbam Dominus dixit, audite Me omnes, et intelligite; nihil est extra hominem intrans in illum, quod potest illum immundum reddere, sed exeuntia ex illo immundum reddunt illum, Marcus 7:1-4, 14-15. Matthaeus 15:2, 11, 17-20, et alibi, ut, Vae vobis, Scribae et Pharisaei, quia purgatis externum poculi et patinae, interna vero sunt plena rapina et intemperantia; Pharisaee caece, purga prius Internum poculi et patinae, ut fiat etiam Externum mundum, Matthaeus 23:25-26. Ex his evidens est, quod per Lavationem, quae vocatur Baptismus, intelligatur Lavatio spiritualis, 5 quae est Purificatio a malis et falsis.
Footnotes:
1. Sic Schmidt et Biblia Hebraica, sed 51:2, 7 apud Biblia Anglica.
2. Prima editio: Pharisoei.
3. Prima editio: Judoei.
4. Sic prima editio et Schmidt; forte pugno tenus.
5. Prima editio: splritualis.