And a man that is clean shall gather up the ashes of the heifer, and lay them up outside the camp in a clean place, and it shall be kept for the congregation of the children of Israel for a water of purification: it is a purification for sin.
All Commentaries on Numbers 19:9 Go To Numbers 19
Cyprian of Carthage
AD 258
And again: “The water of sprinkling is a purification.” From this it appears that the sprinkling with water is also equal to the lifegiving bath. And when these things are done in the church, when the faith of both the recipient and of the minister is unblemished, everything is present and can be accomplished and consummated through the majesty of the Lord and the truth of faith.