heart would rejoice to think that every being in the universe could and would, sometime, in the course of the ages, be made sinless and happy.  But we should never concern ourselves about what God has not revealed.  It is our right and privilege to rejoice evermore in the free and full salvation clearly set forth and freely offered in his Word.  To the unconverted and careless sinner, I here say to-day, as I love your immortal soul, Do not rest your hope of salvation upon anything short of a saving faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.  If our Father in heaven has provided another way, as some would say, “by fire,” I know not that way.

History says that

  “Kings are men to glory known
  Who wade through fire to a throne;”

but a seared and blistered body is a great price to pay for an earthly crown.  So I think that “by fire,” even if such a thing were possible, would be a very undesirable way of getting into heaven, especially if the fire means “hell fire.”  Martyrs, it is true, have gone to glory through fire; but not the fire that burns and sears the soul.  It was only that elementary fire kindled by wicked hands around the stake.  It could kill the body, but after that there was no more that it could do; and the purified and ransomed soul of the sainted being who thus had suffered could look down from heights of glory upon the ashes of his martyrdom and sing:  “O death, where is thy sting?  O grave, where is thy victory?”

But to return to the text.  We here note this remarkable language, that “baptism doth also now save us.”  I suppose Peter uses the word “baptism” here in its authorized acceptation, which is the immersion of the body of a believer in water in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, by a properly authorized administrator of the ordinance.  But in what sense can baptism be said to save us?  My first answer is, It saves us just as the sevenfold washing in Jordan on the part of Naaman saved that leprous nobleman from being consumed by the leprosy.

I will extend my remarks somewhat concerning Naaman the Syrian.  He came to the Prophet Elisha to get cured of his leprosy.  He was well supplied with valuable presents for the man of God, to be given to him in the event of his being healed by him.  The prophet of God told him to go and wash or bathe seven times in the Jordan.  This appeared too insignificant for such a great man as he was to submit to.  Besides he regarded the waters of Damascus as superior in virtue to the waters of the Jordan, and he started off in a rage from disappointment.  But as he was leaving his servants said to him:  “If the prophet had bid thee do some great thing wouldest thou not have done it? how much rather then, when he saith to thee, Wash, and be clean?  Then went he down and dipped himself seven times in Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God:  and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.”  Now, in my view, baptism saves us as this sevenfold dipping in Jordan saved Naaman.  Not the water, but the spirit of obedience, is what saves.  It saves us as going through the door into the ark saved Noah and his family.  It saves us as passing through the Red Sea saved Israel from the host of Egyptians that were in pursuit.  This passage of Israel through the sea is called a baptism.