some of which are dead and some living But I find he is so subject to mistake both in quoting Authors and Scriptures that I dare not lay any weight upon what he says of them 1. In pag. 4. saith Mr. K. I shall begin with Mr. S. pag. 5. viz. I think there is more to be said for sprinkling or pouring water on the Face in Baptism then there is for dipping or ducking over head and ears in a River or Pond for the latter is more like a punishment of Criminals than the solemnizing of an Ordinance of God c. To which I Answer I am of the same mind still and can see no reason at all to alter it for you cannot produce any positive Command for it nor clear Example of it in all the Book of God but the Learned will tell you that the word Baptize is frequently used for pouring and washing with water 2. What was the signification of all those Sprinklings and Pourings and Washings with Blood and also with Water but to set forth and Typifie the cleansing Vertue of the Holy Ghost and the absolute necessity of Regeneration and Sanctification Isa 52.15 So shall he sprinkle many nations c. that is God will sanctifie many Nations or some of many Nations and what is Baptism but a Sign or Token of Sanctification and Regeneration Exod. 24.8 And Moses took the blood and sprinkled it on the people and said Behold the blood of the covenant which the Lord hath made with you And yet that was but the Sign of the Blood of the Covenant for the real Blood of the Covenant was the Blood of Christ who was given for a Covenant of the People Isa 49.6 8. Heb. 9.13 For if the blood of bulls and of goats and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh Mind it was but the purifying of the Flesh not the Spirit it was but an External Sanctification or a Sign thereof and is Water-baptism any more But mind the 14th verse How much more shall the blood of Christ who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God purge your consciences from dead works to serve the living God Ezek. 36.25 26. Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you and ye shall be clean from all your filthiness and from all your idols will I cleanse you A new heart also will I give you and a new spirit will I put within you and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh and I will give you an heart of flesh And I pray mind all these following Scriptures of Sprinkling and Pourings c. Heb. 12.24 1 Pet. 1.2 Isa 44.3 Exod. 29.16 20 21. Levit. 1.5 11. chap. 9.18 chap. 32.8 13. ch 4.6 17. ch 5.9 ch 8.11 24. chap. 14.7 8 9 16 51. Numb 19.18 19 20 21. 2 Chron. 29.22 chap. 30. 16. Here you see are sprinklings c. both of blood and water under the Old Testament and also the New which Types out Regeneration viz. blood for Justification and water for Sanctification which is very compatible to the signification of Baptism Now pray find us out so many Scriptures if you can wherein Dipping or Immersion in blood and water do so nearly represent and parallel the Ordinance of Water-baptism and also that have the Covenant for their Center as all these I quoted have both in the Old and New Testament 3. It is a practice among the Heathens as I have been informed when they Dedicate any thing to their Idol-Gods to take it and dip or plunge it all under water and if so then it is plainly forbidden in Levit. 20.23 And ye shall not walk in the manners of the nations which I cast out before you c. 4. Suppose for Arguments sake that it should be granted That dipping in Baptism was the Mode in those Hot Countries where it could not be so prejudicial to their Health yet it doth not therefore follow that Persons should be dipped all under water in these Northern Countries where it is so extream cold especially in the Winter unless there had been a positive Command given for so doing for Baptism is a Duty at all times of the Year for God never Appointed any Ordinance that would put his People in Jeopardy of their Lives 5. The Anabaptists will have Dipping to be the only Mode of Baptism For say they John baptized in Enon near Salim because there was much water there But the Learned do tell us that it should be read thus viz. Because there were many waters there And so I have it also in a Spanish Testament which I may as well make use of as Mr. B. K. hath of the Dutch Tongue Viz. John 3.23 Y Baptizava Tambien Juan en Enon junto a Salim porque Avia muchas Aguas y venian y eran Baptizados If it had been much water then it must have been mucho agua in the singular and not muchas aguas which is many waters in the plural And Travellers that have been in those Countries do say that there is scarcely water enough to cover a Mans Ancles much less to bury their Bodies 6. Another Scripture they lay great stress upon for Dipping is Rom. 6.4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism c. In which Text is Typed out unto us the new Birth which consists of two parts namely the death of Sin and the Resurrection of Spiritual Life c. And both these are pointed at in Baptism as a Sign thereof and so it was in Circumcision both which you have represented together to the same purpose in Col. 2.10 11 12. which seems also to refer to or point out unto us the change of the Ordinance from Circumcision to Baptism viz. And ye are complete in him which is the head of all principality and power In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ Buried with him in baptism wherein also you are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God who hath raised him from the dead Ver. 13 14. And you being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh hath he quickened together with him having forgiven you all trespasses Blotting out the hand-writing of ordinances that was against us which was contrary to us and took it out of the way nailing it to his cross Here are several things to be observed from these Scriptures 1. Here is Circumcision and Baptism both pointing at one and the same thing viz. The death of the body of Sin for all the Elect of God vertually in the death of Christ and the Resurrection of their Spiritual Life when Christ arose from the dead which is the First Resurrection on whom the Second Death shall have no power for under the Figure of Circumcision it is said putting off the body of the sins of the flesh Secondly Under the
Christ hath forbid all wanton Looks to prevent Luxury and Uncleanness therefore he never appointed the Holy Ordinance of Baptism to run parallel in this muddy Channel with it viz. For Women and young Maids to be made such a shameful spectacle to Angels and Men which is most abominable for it is against the Law and Light of nature as well as against the Express Commands of God namely To abstain from all appearance of evil and let all things be done decently and in order 5. Were we in a State of Innocency such a Mode of Baptism might be Authentick but it can never be good in our depraved laps'd Estate especially if we consider these Things 1. There is no Saint of God either Man or Woman but is liable to Temptations 2. Satans great Work and Business lieth chiefly among Christians to tempt them to sin 3. That there are the Remainders of corrupt nature in all the Saints of God whilst they are in this Life 4. The greatest Saint upon Earth hath a deceitful Heart within him and that Soul that knows nothing of this hath little acquaintance either with God or his own heart The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked who can know it Jer. 17.9 6. For a Man to go hand in hand with a beautiful brisk young Gentlewoman or Maid into the water and to handle her back and breasts and trip up her heels and flounce her over head and ears is a very immodest tempting thing because there are as many Remainders of sin in a Believer as there is in an old Sinner only here lieth the difference Sin doth not reign in a Believer 1. Though the domineering power of sin in the believer be destroyed yet the being of sin is not for though it be not in him as a King yet it is in him as a Tyrant 2. But sin reigns over the sinner as the Heart of a believer is a Throne for Christ and Grace so the Heart of a sinner is a Throne for sin and Satan 7. These Men that Transact this Mode of Baptism must put great confidence in their own Hearts otherwise they could never dare be so bold thus to dally with a Temptation But what saith the Scripture He that trusteth his own heart is a fool and the reason is plain because it is so deceitful as nothing can be more for it is deceitsul above all things and desperately wicked who can know it And this many a dear Child of God have found by woful experience therefore it is every Christians Duty to keep a strict watch over his own heart and against the Temptations of Satan to keep them asunder for our Hearts are like Tinder that no sooner the Tempter strikes Fire but it takes unless the Heart be well guarded 8. By this unseemly Mode of Baptism they go not only into the water but at the same time they run into the Fire of Temptation and dally with the Tempter wherefore I will appeal to these Mens own Hearts and Consciences that ingage in this Mode whether they can perform this Thing with those Female Subjects aforesaid without being tempted by Satan to vain lascivious Thoughts Pray remember to watch and observe your Hearts the next time if ever you ingage in it again and if you do I am sure you will find what I say to be true But in the baptizing the Infant Seed of Believers by sprinkling water upon them there is none of all this danger because there is no Object to draw out the Hearts Lusts for Satan to fasten his Temptation upon therefore Dipping or Immersion for Baptism cannot be good 9. The Words for Administration of the Ordinance of Baptism ought to be used at the same Instant when the water is applied to the Person baptized but if Dipping or Plunging be the Mode of Baptism then these things would necessarily follow 1. They must go into the water very near as deep as their Waste before the words of Administration are spoken and so they are half baptized before the words are spoken 2. If the words are spoken before their heels are tript up then they are baptized before they are dipped 3. And Lastly If they speak the words while they have them under water they cannot be active in their own Baptism which is to overthrow one of their own grand Arguments they produce to prove that none but Adult Believers ought to be baptized viz. Because that all Persons ought to be Active in their own Baptism Pray what Grace can they exercise under Water when they can scarcely exercise their Reason much less their Graces 10. Saith Mr. K. pag. 6. Sir you should take more heed to your Words and to what you Assert Is it said they were baptized in the Jaylors house c. How can you say pag. 7. that they were all baptized in his own house when the Text speaks not any such thing How can you presume to Assert that they did not go out of the House Reader observe the Text well And so say I too Pray Reader observe the Text well and therefore I will fairly repeat it in Acts 16.23 And when they had laid many stripes upon them they cast them into prison charging the jaylor to keep them safely Ver. 24. Who having received such a charge thrust them into the inner prison and made their feet fast in the stocks Ver. 25. And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed and sang praises unto God and the prisoners heard them Ver. 26. And suddenly there was a great earthquake so that the foundations of the prison were shaken and immediately all the doors were opened and every ones bands were loosed Ver. 27. And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep and seeing the prison doors open he drew out his sword and would have killed himself supposing that the prisoners had been fled Ver. 28. But Paul cried with a loud voice saying Do thy self no harm for we are all here From this Passage we may observe that the Jailors House or Appartment and the Place of Paul's close confinement were both within view and call one of another for Paul perceiving that the Jaylor would have murdered himself crys out unto him to prevent it Ver. 29. Then he called for a light and sprang in and came trembling and fell down before Paul and Silas Ver. 30. And brought them out and said Sirs what must I do to be saved This seems as if that Inner Prison where they were thrust was a dark Dungeon because the Jaylor called for a Light and sprang in and brought them out of it and not out of the House for then they preached the Word of God to him and to all that were in his House as you may see in Verse 32. And they spake unto him the word of the Lord and to all that were in his house Thus you see they were not out of the House which I look upon to be the Jail-keepers Appartment for they preached to
the Jews did for the Covenant of Grace consists of two parts an Inner Court and an Outer Court So it was under the Law Ezek. 8.16 And so it is under the Gospel Rev. 11.1 2. And it hath Internal and External Members or Worshippers in it Rom. 11.17 John 15.1 2. And there are Spiritual and Temporal Blessings and Priviledges belong unto it Rom. 3.1 2. Mat. 6.33 2. In the second place let us take a View of the Lineal Descent of the Covenant of Grace viz. After our first Parents fell into a State of Sin and Misery by which the first Covenant was broken namely that of Works then God made a Second or New Covenant with Adam and his Seed the Covenant of Grace in Gen. 3.15 But Cain sinned himself out of it and God Excommunicated him with a Curse Gen. 4.10 11 13 14. And God gave Adam Seth in the room of Abel whom Cain slew ver 25 26. 2. The Covenant of Grace continued from Adam to Noah a Preacher of Righteousness 2 Pet. 2.5 that is he was a Gospel Preacher for he preached the Righteousness of Christ for Justification and Salvation and God confirmed and ratified the Covenant with Noah and his Seed before the Flood Gen. 6.18 But with thee will I establish my covenant and thou shalt come into the ark thou and thy sons and thy wife and thy sons wives with thee Now was not this distinguishing peculiar Love and Grace that God should spare and preserve Noah and all his House when all the rest of the World were drowned and utterly destroyed Therefore they were in the Covenant of Grace 2. God renewed his Covenant with Noah and all his Seed after the Flood Gen. 9.9 And I behold I establish my covenant with you and with your seed after you And we have the Token of the Covenant in the 12 and 13 Verses And God said This is the token of the covenant which I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you for perpetual generations I do set my bow in the cloud and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth 3. This Covenant was principally made with Noah and his Seed and consisted of special and common Mercies both to Man and Beast 2. The Token of this Covenant is extended to all good and bad Saints and Sinners but chiefly and principally it is for God himself to remember his Covenant Verse 16. And the bow shall be in the cloud and I will look upon it that I may remember the everlasting covenant c. The Rain-bow is a Token that God will never destroy the World by Water again as in ver 11 12 13. and that Token remains as a Witness unto this Day In which Token we may see the Goodness and also Severity of God Goodness to Noah and his Family which is extended unto us for had Noah and his Family been drowned also we had never been and Severity against sin in that he destroyed all the ungodly World From hence I shall make some Observations 1. If the Token of that Covenant had disappeared at the coming in of the Gospel in its Splendor and full Latitude it might have been concluded that the Covenant God made with Noah and Abraham had been Repealed and Dissolved and so the Infant Seed of Believers cast out and in no Covenant at all for that was the Token of the Covenant in the largest Extent both with a respect to God and Man For if we do but observe the Terms and Tenure of the Covenant God made with Noah before the Flood and after the Flood it is much the same with a respect to Noah and his Family and so likewise with Abraham's Covenant to him and his Seed wherefore let us compare them together and also the Tokens Gen. 6.18 But with thee will I establish my covenant and thou shalt come into the ark c. Gen. 9.9 And I behold I establish my covenant with you and with your seed after you 2. Abraham's Covenant runs thus Gen. 17.7 And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee c. 2. For the Tokens of the Covenant Gen. 9.12 And God said This is the token of the covenant which I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you for perpetual generations Gen. 17. And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations c. And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your fore-skin and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt me and you Mark that of Noah's Covenant is called The Token but this of Abraham's Covenant is called A Token The first might be called The Token because it was to have no Successor and that of Abraham's might be called A Token because it was to have a Successor namely Baptism for the Token of Noah's Covenant is to perpetual Generations but so is not Circumcision it self though it is said in Gen. 17. And my covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant So that when Circumcision was abolished the Covenant remained in the flesh therefore Baptism succeeded Circumcision for no Ordinances but them two have to do with the Flesh in the Covenant in Initiation as Circumcision had and Baptism hath Thus you see the Analogy there was between the Covenant and the Tokens thereof God made with Noah and Abraham 3. Let us bring this Covenant God made with Noah and Abraham down into Gospel-Times 1. Let us observe what that Gospel-Prophet saith in Isa 54.8 In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee saith the Lord thy redeemer Ver. 9. For this is as the waters of Noah unto me for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth so have I sworn that I would not be wroth with thee nor rebuke thee Ver. 10. For the mountains shall depart and the hills be removed but my kindness shall not depart from thee neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee Ver. 13. And all thy children shall be taught of the Lord and great shall be the peace of thy children This is a Prediction of the conversion of the Jews in Gospel-Times Heb. 8.10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days saith the Lord that is after the days of their Captivity I will put my laws into their mind and write them in their hearts and I will be to them a God and they shall be to me a people Compare to Jer. 31.8 9 27 to 34. and Ezek. 36.22 to 27. 2. Noah's Covenant or the Dispensations of God towards Noah is set forth in the Gospel in a two-fold manner 1. By way of Figurative Allusion 2. By way of clear Expression 1. By Figurative Allusion Rev. 4.2