forced to quit our Lives that we may secure our Religion and our Consciences Blessed be God we can enjoy these here and carry them with us into another World afterwards But if ever the Divine Providence shall call us to lay down our Lives and spend our Bloud in the service of our Lord and Saviour let us not count our Lives dear unto us so that we may finish our course with joy and testifie the Gospel of the grace of God as our Apostle speaketh Let us like the Primitive Saints rejoyce that we are counted worthy to suffer shame and even Death for the Name of Christ. Let us chearfully sacrifice our Lives for the sake of him who Died for us let us drown our Affections to the world in our own Bloud thereby propagating our Holy Religion and therein following the Pattern of the Blessed Apostles and Primitive Saints who manfully and undauntedly died for the faith on whose account and by virtue of whose Example it was that Thousands of Converted persons flock'd to the Waters of Baptism and were ambitious to Assert that Cause for which they saw those Excellent Christians lay down their Lives The Death of an Eminent Saint made a great number of Disciples in those days the Bloud of a Holy Martyr baptized whole Cities This I conceive was to be baptized for the dead This I offer as the most Plain and Easie the most Natural and Genuine Meaning of the Text. The fourth TEXT Enquired into viz. 1 S t Peter III. 19 20. By which also he went and preached unto the Spirits in prison which sometime were disobedient c. THIS is another Difficult Text of Scripture and in order to the Clearing of it I will give you a brief account of the Chapter It begins with the Peculiar and Proper Duties of Man and Wife which take up the first 7 verses but the rest of the Chapter treats of the Common Vertues and Graces which are required in all Christians as Meekness Patience Mercifulness and all the obliging and indearing offices of Love The Apostle chiefly exhorts to Patience that is to suffer with submission and chearfulness what ever should be inflicted on them And here he shews particularly how they ought to behave themselves towards their Persecutors They must not be Revengeful and render evil for evil v. 9. and he subjoins the Reasons of it in the following verses Again They must not be afraid neither be troubled v. 14. They must take courage maugre all their distresses and strive to banish all Fear and Cowardice all Disorder and Perplexity of mind Moreover they are obliged to sanctifie the Lord God in their hearts and to be ready to give an answer to every one that asketh them a reason of the hope which is in them and that with meekness and fear v. 15. The meaning is that they were not to disguise their perswasion but to make open profession of their Religion even before their Persecutors Further the Apostle tells them that they must not only profess Christianity but lead Holy Lives that thereby they may shame their Adversaries who falsly accuse them as evil doers v. 16. Lastly therefore he bids them be sure that they look to their Lives and Conversations that they suffer for well-doing not for evil-doing v. 17. And that they may not be unwilling to suffer thus here is set before them the Example of Christ who suffered for them For Christ also hath once suffer'd for sins the just for the unjust v. 18. This highly commends the Sufferings of the Blessed Iesus that he was himself an Innocent person and that he suffer'd for those that were Guilty whereas no Christians that suffer can altogether plead Innocency they all in some measure deserve what they suffer And now the Apostle takes occasion to expatiate on Christs suffering and the Happy effects of it to the end of this Chapter and in part of the next He shews the Design of our Saviours Passion viz. that he might bring us to God v. 18. that he might make us Holy and Righteous and indue us with the Divine and Godlike nature and that he might at last lead us to Heaven and Eternal Glory And this He was effectually enabled to do because though he suffer'd death yet he soon rose from the dead as you read in that 18. v. Being put to death in the flesh but quickned by the Spirit To pass by the Notion of those men who think they find some ground here for their Aethereal or Spiritual Vehicles understanding the words thus Put to death in his Terrestrial body but quickned or enliven'd with a Spiritual one for Christs soul and the souls of all the Saints after death say they are clothed with Subtile and Aetherial bodies To let this pass the Plain Meaning of the place is this and it is confirmed by several of the Fathers that this Iesus though he suffer'd and was put to death for us in the flesh as a Man as he had a Humane Body yet he was quickned by the Spirit that is he rose from the dead by the vertue and power of the Holy Spirit who was ever with him Or thus he was put to death in the flesh i. e. crucified in his Humane Nature but he was quickned in the spirit i. e. he was raised from the Dead by his Divine Nature A Parallel place is that in 2 Cor. 13. 4. Though he was crucified through weakness his body being but Weak and Frail and subject to death as all Humane bodies are yet he liveth by the power of God he reassumed his soul and lived again and still liveth by vertue of his Divine Power He died as Man but restored himself to life as he was God It was by Christs Divine Spirit that his separated soul and body were reunited which you find thus asserted by S t Paul Rom. ◠4. He was declared to be the son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness by the resurrection from the dead The humane spirit of Christ was joyned again to his body by his Eternal Spirit By Christs Divinity his Humanity was raised up and restored And now our Apostle inlarges here further upon this Quickning Power of Christs Spirit or Divinity in these words By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison which sometime were disobedient c. The Greek which is here translated By which is rendred by others wherefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is as much as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ideò saith Oecumenius and so t is thought that these words bring in the Reason of what was said before But there are few that follow this Interpretation Our own Translation is more Plain and more Probable for those that are acquainted with the stile of the New Testament know that By is the frequent signification of the Praeposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and it is most obvious and rational to refer the Article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the word
this custom of deferring Baptism Gregory Nyssen hath a whole Oration against it and Gregory Nazianzen and Chrysostom inveigh against it very zealously So S t Augustin whose parents delay'd his Baptism on purpose because they fear'd the Young mans Relapse into his former vices complains of This Abuse in the Church which prevail'd in his days It seems it was grown into a Custom to omit the receiving of Baptism as long as they were in health and perhaps the Example of Constantine and his son Constantius who did so gave some repute to this evil usage but as soon as they fell sick they bethought themselves of their duty and when they perceived the Malady grew desperate and themselves irrecoverable then they sent presently for the Christian Priests and solemnly gave up their Names to Christ in Holy Baptism as being desirous to carry out of the world with them the Seal of their Eternal Salvation These are call'd by the Council of Laodicea which was under Sylvester 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those that were admitted to Baptism when they lay sick for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here signifieth Baptism as it doth frequently among the Antients This was call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by Gregory Nyssen because they desired to be Baptized and to Die at once Of these speak S t Cyprian Eusebius and many Writers of the Primitive Times and the Canons of several Councils Of such as These viz. the Moribundi who lay on their Death-Beds and called for Speedy Baptism some interpret the words of the Text. But that they have but little reason I shall prove from these following Particulars 1. It is not probable that that sort of Clinicks who were newly converted from Paganism is here meant because in those first days Fear and Faint-heartedness did not possess men as they are known to have done afterwards A singular Zeal and Ardency inspired their minds and they were not ashamed to own and publickly maintain the Faith they had espoused yea they gloried in their sufferings for the Cause of Christ and rejoyced in their persecutions for it as the Acts of the Apostles assure us It is not likely therefore that These deferr'd their being baptized on the forenamed account and consequently it is not likely that the Text speaks of these 2. It is not certain that it was the opinion of the Christians in the Apostles days that Sin after Baptism is Irremissible which was another ground of the Custom of deferring Baptism And consequently it is to be said and that with evident Truth that it doth not appear in the least that the foremention'd Custom of the believers requesting baptism in the very close of their lives prevail'd in the times of the Apostles but it seems rather to have crept in after those first Guides of the Church were gone and therefore that Glosse on the words can have but a slender foundation Or 3 ly say that such an Use obtained even in the Apostles days yet will not S t Pauls Argument have any force at all by relating unto That For thus it must proceed What shall the baptized Clinicks do if the dead rise not at all why are they also baptized just at the point of death why have they that Holy Sacrament given to them at the last gasp if there be no Rising again why do they thus It may be answer'd that though there should be no Resurrection of the dead yet it follows not that they were Baptised in vain for that Sacred Office of Baptism was thought in that case and that rightly too chiefly to have respect to what was Past. Though the dead bodies rise not yet that Administration was useful to the Soul and available to the Absolution and Remission of their sins which plainly appears from the Reason of deferring baptism heretofore namely left they should sin and so defile themselves after washing Though the dead should never rise again Christs Ordinance might be conducible to this Present Life whilst by That they were admitted into the Church and had their former sins washed away and their consciences cleansed and also it might be seviceable to the Future Life for the salvation and happines of their Souls though their Bodies were unconcerned But 4 ly to say no more This Interpretation of the words is faulty in the same kind that the two former were that is it is irreconcileable to the Propriety of speech and the Usage of the Tongue in which the Apostle wrote which I cannot but believe till it is proved to me that These two are of the same import viz. to be baptized for the dead and to be baptized when they are dying or at their death which is the thing that the Abettors of this Exposition contend for but it could never yet be made out by any Parallel place of Scripture or the least Testimony of Approved Authors â— 5 Another Acception of the words is countenanced by the Authority of Luther Piscator and the Admirable Vossius in his Thesis concerning the Resurrection They will have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rendred by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 over the dead i. e over the dead corps as they lay in the Coemeteries or Buâ—ying places or over the dead i. e. upon the Tombs and over the Sepulchres of the newly deceased Martyrs which were call'd Memoriae Martyrum and so the words refer to the Custom of baptizing persons over the dead Martyrs graves or tombs Here first I shall grant that according to the Syriack it is rendred super mortuos upon above or over the dead Secondly I grant that the Innocent Commemorations of the Holy Martyrs even at the Time of administring of Baptism were no unusual things of old and have Great Antiquity to Assert them But then This I have to say that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not so Easie and Obvious an Acception as That which I have to offer and certainly the Easiest and Plainest is to be deemed the most Natural and Genuine Again though the Praeposition in the Text frequently signifies over or above and that with a Genitive case when it is applied to a place yet it may be question'd whether it hath the same signification when it is joyned with persons as here for though the baptizing be supposed to be over the Graves yet it is properly over those that areâ—dead who are considered as persons here at least their bodies not the places they were in are spoken of here But I will not insist on this but will rather suppose it to be Good Greek for the sake of the Chief Author of this Opinion the Admirable Vossius who was as Eminent a Grammarian as he was a Divine But further I could object against this Custom as a Superstitious one and therefore not fit to be made an Argument of the Resurrection by S t Paul Again if this Ceremony of administring Baptism over the dead were wholly void of
Mystiâ—al notion of being Baptized is but seldom used in the Stile of Scripture and then one place of S t Luke excepted it hath an Explanation added after it as Vossiâ—â— hath well observed There can be no reason therefore in This place especially to think that This Allegorical Baptisâ—â— i. e. the Baptism of Suffering is intended I might annex here the Opinion of our Learned Rabbi D r Lightfoot who is the only Protestant of any note except Vostius who interprets this place of the Metaphorical Baptism the Baptism of Suffering What shall they do that are baptized for the dead if the dead c. is as much saith he as if the Apostle had said If the dead rise not again what will become of those that are baptized with a Martyrial Baptism or that do suffer Death for the profession of the Truth And he adds to confirm this Interpretation that the Iewish Baptizings or Dippings in their purifications were a very sharp piece of Religion when in frost and snow and wind and weather they must over head and ears in cold water from which the phrase was used to signifie Death and the Bitterest Sufferings Whence he gathers that Baptism for the dead in this place is suffering of Martyrdom and consequently he makes this to be the sense of the Text What shall they do who have or do undergo Martyrdom what shall become of them if their bodies rise not again Thus he But who sees not that this is a very groundless notion and taken up only from that Iewish way of speaking which he mentions whereas if we consider it well there is no affinity at all between the one and the other Though the Iewish Baptisms might be made use of to express Great Severities yea Death it self yet what is this to being baptized for the dead Baptism may represent Martyrdom but who can reasonably thence infer that the baptized for the dead in this place are those that were Martyred There is not the least Connection between these two It must be said then that this Worthy and Reverend person espoused this notion merely upon the account of that great reverence which he always paid to the Jewish and Rabinical Writings of which most of his Opinions have a tincture There are some Other odd fancies which I have met with on the words as that of Lyranus Lombard and Aquinas who by the dead understand mortal sins called by the Apostle dead works Heb. 9. 1. 6. 14. for the expiation and washing away of which Holy Baptism was ordained But their own Stapleton refutes This saying the Apostle speaks not of Sins but Men not of Works but Persons This and the rest of this sort I pass by as unwilling to entertain you with Trifles Some of the Other Interpretations before mention'd carry with them a greater semblance of Truth or Probability and have some Antiquity and Authority to recommend them But This and some of those lately mentioned are invented on purpose to be assistant to a Bad Cause which they are willing to support by the Multitude of Arguments seeing they are not able to do it by the Goodness and Solidity of them V. I will now at last offer to you the Interpretation which I conceive is most Reasonable and Accountable and which I doubt not will gain your Suffrage and Assent upon a deliberate consideration of it Before I present you with This Exposition I will make way for it by premising These three things 1. That I intend to adhere to the First rank of Expositors who as you may remember understand the words of Baptism Properly so call'd i. e. some kind of Real Washing and particularly of the Sacramental Baptism whereby we are Initiated into the Church of Christ. For why should we without Necessity and Urgent Reason and I can see no such thing here understand the words of a Metaphorical Baptism It is a General Rule delivered by S t Austin that we ought not to interpret those things Allegorically which are spoken Properly and that we must never depart from the Literal and Proper sense of Scripture unless it be manifestly proved that such a sense is not to be followed The Usual and Proper signification is first to be attended to and it is not fit we flie to Borrowed and Figutative senses so long as the Natural and Genuine one will serve our turns This then I assert that the Apostle speaks here of the Usual and Received Baptism of the New Testament But the main thing in the words is the Praeposition Therefore 2 ly I premise this that the Praeposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is here translated for is as much as because of or by reason of or for the sake of and consequently 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is as much as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mortuorum causâ—acirc sen gratiâ because of the dead or for the sake of the dead for 't is well known that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is in gratiam alicujus This is the Plain and Ordinary import of That Praeposition and it is Usual and Obvious in Writers of all sorts so that it is a Wonder it hath been overlook'd here Socinâ—s to promote his beloved doctrine maintains that by no means an Impulsive but a Final Cause is denoted in the New Testament always by This Particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but Grotiâ—â— hath largely shew'd this to be notoriously false and thereby convinced the Learned how faulty the Grammar as well as the Divinity of that Heretick is I doubt not therefore that the Paaeposition signifies here an Impulsive Cause and is taken in the same sense that it is in those places where it is said the Gentiles should glorisie God for his mercy Rom. 15. 9. i. e. because of his mercy shew'd unto them and where the Apostle saith I cease not to give thanks for you Eph. 1. 16. i. e. because of you of whom I have heard so great and laudable things this excites me to thank God and where you read of suffering for Christs sake and for the kingdom of God Phil. 1. 29. 2 Thess. 1. 5. But most palpable is That of the Apostle in 2 Cor. 12. 10. where he saith he takes pleasure in his persecutions and distresses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for Christs sake as we rightly render it and so the Praeposition ought to be rendred in the Text. I might observe that this Praepositive particle in the Greek answers exactly to the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in many places of the Old Testament which signifies for the sake or because of So then This Version of the words is Plain and Easie and hath the Greatest Authority to vouch it What shall they do that are baptized by reason of the dead or for their sakes How This is to be applied I will shew you anon Having thus laid down what I understand by the Verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Praeposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in which