Moral regul 12. cap. 3. tom 2. p 423. places as in alledging the Comission of Mat. 28. where sometimes the Translator gives his originall but with our point in hand that in his (5) Tom. 2. p. 316. Book of the Holy Ghost Chap. 12. notably shews the connexion between Faith and Baptism which is born out by the (6) Joan. 1.12 And in conjunction with the like signification application to Baptism Acts 19.4 5. John saith Paul in his speech referred further 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which when they heard those there were baptized 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Into the name of the Lord Jesu phrase of the holy Text and opens also that Article of declaration of our Creed wherein we profess in a distinct and somewhat unusual form of speech to believe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In God and his Son Jesus Christ the words are these Faith and Baptisme are two means of our salvation connaturall inseparable for faith is perfected by baptism and baptism leans on faith and both depend on the same words for as we believe one Father Son and Holy Ghost or our faith relies on them so we baptize into Father Son and holy Ghost Thus faith goes before and leads the way to salvation Baptism follows after and perfects the work Two other lights of magnitude not much inferior give shine the same way they were so faithfull and diligent Watchmen over Christs flock that Providence hath wrapped up Diligence and watchfulness into their names the two Gregories He of Nyssa in Caria elder brother to St. Basil finds (7) Orat. 11. contra Eunom tom 2. p. 706. fault with the Baptisme of Eunomius whereof before from Epiphanius that it was not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Not into Father Son and holy Ghost as he gave order that gave the mystery to us but into Maker and Creator c. (1) In this plaâ—e though Grotser there translate In nomine yet Siphanius was after more wary in alledging the same Commission Quae sunt verba Dominici praecepti baptizantes eos in Nomen c. Serm. in Bapt. Christi tom 3. p. 372. And so he appeals to the form in Matth. 28.19 Again when the hand was in finding no fault with the preposition or termination which preocupates reply if any should say The ground was here an error and so unstable to raise any thing of observation or argumentation for the error was here in the matter not in the form which was left untouched as I am confident to note so much once for all that sence can hardly be made of the matter accompanying this and many other both posititions and oppositions of the Writers of this Language if the name of the Trinity be interpreted to import either authority vouched or any thing invoked or but this intention of active initiation declared and to make it more then likely so here The Name whose mis-interpretation gave occasion of all the mistake is very observably not mentioned but simple Baptism into the Trinity only And as our confession of Faith might be whole and sound though not so clear and sweet if we did declare to beleeve in the Son of God or the holy Trinity though we take not in so much as in the name of the Son of God or the name of the Trinity which does but adde emphasis and grace the expression so but that it is not safe to meddle with those are given to change Prov. 24.21 might be our (2) The learned Vossius declares for this liberty Baptizare in alicujus Nomen est ei per ablutionem initiari consecrari in religionem cultum ut illius arbitrio vivamus To baptize is to devote Atqui hoc fit seu dicas In Nomen Dei seu Trinitatis seu Patris Filii Spir. Sancti seu Jesu Christi seu simile quid 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Thes 5. de Bapt. Disp 2. p. 307. Quoniam aggregor Christo Credo Baptizor in unum ingenitum meum verum Deum omnipotentem patrem Christi c. Et in Dominum Jesum filium unigenitum ejus primogenitum omnis creaturae c. in Spiritum Sanctum hoc est paracletum c. Carnis resurrectionem peccatorum remissionem regnum coelorum vitam venturi saeculi Constitut Apost l. 7. c. 41. Baptism and the declared Administrations thereof for As we Believe so we Baptize But now from St. Basil The other Watchman of those days Gregory of Naziansus in Cappadocia makes (3) Oration 40. cap. 51. tom 1. p. 671. known before hand to his Expectant how he meant to enter them into their new Law Who would lend him the tables of his heart he would be a Moses to him nay he would borrow the finger of God to inscribe a new Decalogue and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. When I take thee in I will baptize thee into the name of Father Son and Holy Ghost Whereupon Nicetas in his Commentaries Primùm in Sanctam atque individuam Trinitatem te Baptizabo cujus nomen commune Divinitas est First I will baptize thee into the Holy Trinity c. And they both give the heads of faith into which Batism was to be administred Believe that the world which we see and which we not see is Gods Creation c. A little (4) Cap. 48. p. 669. before the Father If I should please men I were not the servant of Christ as saith the Apostle If I should worship any Creature or be baptized into any Creature 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I should not have the benefit of a divine Change And the same Preposition and Case kept a little after upon which place the same (1) Tom. 2. Col. 1083. Nicetas likewise commenteth Si filium ut creaturam adorarem aut in filium ut creaturam baptizarer nunquam Deus futuru essem Epiphanius (2) Haeres 7. cap. 11. This he after more fully expounds this way in the recapitulation of his greater work tom 2. p. 137. and yet again in the very end of that recapitulation p. 157. proves the Deity of the Holy Ghost from conjunction with the persons in Baptism to make a Trinity for so saith he the Scripture order d As ye go Teach Baptizing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Remember what before from another place in him and of the forms of Heretical Baptism right in this and when he was to raise the Emperors sisters Son to life (3) In vita S. Epiphanii per Johannem unum ex discipuliâ— ipsius cap. 51. p. 36â— which if I shall will ye then believe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and be baptized into that contemned but powerful Name of him that was crucified Whereto they answer they would He did and they performed the conditions Elsewhere differencing the Jewish from the Christian Rites (4) Ad versus Haeres lib. 1. Haer 8. sect 6. tom 1 p. 19. They had saith he a carnal
places before is plainly and clearly set down under Johns own hand of acknowledgement Mar. 1.7 I indeed baptize with water but when he cometh who is mightier then I He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost 't is added elsewhere and with fire View also to which purpose and compare Mat. 3.11 Luc. 3.16 John 1.26 Act. 19 4. That last (1) Vid. Bellarmin lib. 1. de sacram Bapt. cap 20. secundò place seems indeed to contradict as if John baptized no less into Christ in his baptisme of repentance telling the people they should believe in him that was to come after himself but the Original well heeded and texture of speech gives no such thing but the evident or probable contrary For the Ephesians had not yet heard of the Holy Ghost that gift to be powred out in the later days No! says the Apostle Whereunto then were ye baptized They say Vnto Johns Baptisme yet it seems nothing of that inspiration ye might indeed replys St Paul ver 4. for John did baptize a kind of baptisme sc of repentance or some change of minde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a transmentation such a regeneration but this not effectual to the end now spoken of which being of the Holy Ghost that or light so much as that it was he nor had nor gave And therefore he went farther to strike the matter home saying unto the people They should believe on him that should come after that is on Jesus Christ And when they heard this they were baptized INTO the name of the Lord Jesu ver 5. and so obtained their desire This although it be not the usual is I doubt not the true and natural meaning of the place giving the right sense grounded upon a genuine unforced free offer of the words and withall affords a new and better ground to raise answer to the (1) Vid. Cassand Consultat cap. de discrimine Baptismi Iohannis c. p. 87 88. Anabaptists who hence not altogether irrationally derive colour of Rebaptization after Christian baptisme compleat if Johns Baptisme of Christ were such or at least after (2) Which all must grant but they distinguish Nec iteratum est in his Baptisma sed innovatum Lombard â—ent l. 4. dist 2. neque ibi fuit baptismi iteratio sed veri Baptismi prius non habiti collatio Clictov in Comment ad Damascen de fide orthod lib. 4. cap. 10. The corrupt form Iohn had used was mended say the Centurists lib. 2. Centur 1. cap. 6. de ritibus circa Bapt. Dominus Iesus Christus tali Baptismo mundat ecclesiam quo accepto nullum alterum requiratur Iohannes autem tali Baptismo praetingebat quo accepto esset etiam Dominicum Baptisma necessarium non ut illud repetatur sed ut iis qui Baptismum Iohannis acceperant etiam Christi Baptismus cui viam praeparabat ille traderetur Augustin de Bapt. contra Donat. lib. 5. cap. 9 tom 7. pa. 60. so had he determined before in the beginning of that chapter And he lays it down for observable that the first Baptisme of these Ephesians was but Iohns not Christs and so no occasion of repetition of the same lib. de unico Bapt. cap. 7. tom Eod. pa. 84. For this reason he prefers the Baptisme of Iudas before the Baptisme of Iohn and need not be renewed as Iohns was Quos enim baptizavit Iohannes baptizavit Iohannes Quos autem baptizavit Iudas Christus baptizavit Tract 5. in Iohan. tom 9. pa. 20. taken after into the Decree de Consecrat dist 4. cap. Aliud and see also Caus 1. Quest 1. cap. Dedit Summa est quòd Paulus discipulos illos erudiverit de doctrina Christiana atque ita eis ut iterum baptizentur praeceperit quum non fuissent rectè baptizati Piscator in Act. 19 1. These things pass and are the more likely because the teacher of the Ephesians the mighty Apollos was as to the way of the Lord yet no more then Catechized 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cap. 18. ver 25. hough fervent in Spirit some kind of holy Baptisme precedent which Protestants that say Johns Baptisme and Christs were all one I do not see how can deny to be compleat then other or former various dark uncertain interpretations diversions distortions possibly could And moreover other I believe all places of Scripture treating on this argument might be better brought in to correspond then those senses others various incoherent and sometimes contradictory interpretations have been forced to put upon them (3) Part. 3. Quest 38. per tot Aquinas was put to use of his best wits and had much adoe to make things cohere or in any tolerable sort piece together and let him take heed of but as nimble strong rationall Logicall opposition Those that led or follow of either side are troubled no less to bring things about or comply with their own Veritas simplex (4) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clem. Alexand. Strom. 1. pa. 298. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost Homil. 3. in Epistol ad Roman Truth is nothing so much as ONE error multiplex and it is not much like they are all of the right who agree chiefly to cross one another Ob. I confess some difficulties do spring out of this new way but withall not no likelyhoods to countervail Divers things flatter to a more then probability but some sowre oppositions would again cross and overturn all The chief I foresee is this That our Saviour was an Hebrew Hebraeus ex Hebraea by one side at least though not Hebraeus ex Hebraeis as (1) Philip. 3 5. Whereof see â—n Moses and Aaron pa. 9. lib. 1. cap. 3. Paul which was the most noble and so not capable of proselytisme who yet was baptized Mat. 3. Mar. 1. The (2) There wâ—nt to Him Ierusalem and all Iudaea and all the region round about Iordan and were baptized of him in Iordan confessing their sins Matt. 3.5 6. All the people and the Publicans Luc. 7 30. whole people no less dwelling about Jordan who came and were received Matth. 3.5 Luc. 7.29 and those other of Act. 19.4 yea the very Scribes and Pharisees the inside of that Nation as many understand Matth. 3. though a very (3) Observed by the late Bishop Montague in Origin Eccles tom 1. part 2. sect 62 pa. 392. that although all the people and the publicans justified God and were Baptized with Johns Baptisme yet the Pharisees and the Lawyers rejected this way of God and were not baptized Luc. 7.30 31. But these might be different times In Matth. 3.5 they might come and speed but here reject themselves Conjectured by H. Grotius that Iohn was now in prison as very like from Matth. 11.2 John in Bonds heard the same of Iesus which bred the message of this chapter And Calvin in his Harmony of the Gospels places these Baptismes far enough asunder pa. 79 80. compared with pa. 244 245. approved by Marlorate
With which the poor people were so taken and terrifyed as it were thunder-striken with fear and amazement that neither pleasure nor fear of their past sins can offer any rub but in they com thick and threefold paleness is in their cheeks and the word of terror on their lips even of those that were compuncti corae suo Acts 2.38 Wounded at the heart Men and Brethren Alass Men and Brethren Now what shall we do A confused multitude comes in and crys out first What shall we do The cheating (3) Publicani ut est genus hominum avarum rapax crudele saepe iniquis vexationibus plebem vexabant vitia quibus ut plurimum laborabat ordo ille taxat Baptista prohibens ne in exigendis tributis modum excedant id pa. 89. Publicans toll-gatherers tribute-mongers purveyers excisemen Customers c. and what shall we do They had not wont to make such conscience of their ways or doubt of gain (1) Luc. 3.10 11 c. Lucri bonus odor quâlibet ex re as he said but now they will be bounded by rule and that rule the strictest of Religion (2) Hanc solicitudinem gignit verus recipiscendi affectus ut cupidè inquirat peccator quidnam velit Deus ac praecipiat Responsio autem Johannis breviter definit fructus poenitentia dignos Calvin Harmon Evangel pa. 88. What! Now Any thing The ravenous rapacious greedy plundering Souldiers with iron sides and harder hearts whose swords had wont to be their rule and their power their Law have now a case of conscience to propose to a Prophet Vivitur ex rapto is laid aside Rara fides pietasque viris qui bella sequuntur become to them as bad as heresie their spirits are mollified and hearts softened their consciences ductile to follow or take any impression And What say they shall we do To which they receive such answers severally as may teach others to whose guilty souls the (4) Johannes quid facto opus esset à turbis interrogatus periti medici more singulis opportuna praesidia salutariaque pharmaca praefinit Et quidem turbis ut mutua benevolentia se invicem complectantur injungit Publicanis vero ad telonium sedentibus ad immoderatam avaritiam insaciabilemque illam habendi sitim viam obstruit militibus autem ne quem temerè concutiant non absque singulari providentia Praecepit Deus namque nullum omnino modo justè ritéque vitam instituat rejicit Tit. Bostrensis ad Luc. 3. in Biblioth Pat. Gr. pa. 781. salve of like wholsome and saving counsell might come fitly applicable the proof of repentance to this very day To the closehanded parcimonious people Be not so saving and distrustfully fearfully covetous but (5) Tobit 4.7 Give almes of that is yours and never turn the face from any in want and then the face of the Lord shall not be turned from you To the Officers of the Customes receivers deceivers Leave off those hooks from between your fingers Wash off that birdlime wrongs all you touch with your hands 'T is an injurious Chimistry that meddles not with any thing of anothers but it extracts and purloyns somewhat for it self Do not plunder insteed of take and make publick power a stalking horse to creep to privat unjust gain but take that belongs to you and be therewith contented To the rude and Masterless Soldiers Remember that ye also have a Master in heaven Do not tyrannize insteed of Rule and spoyl insteed of Protect grating exacting worrying fliecing that the poor afflicted people may look upon you as so many wolves sent to guard the sheep * As a roaring Lyon and a ranging Bear so is a wicked Ruler over the poor people Proverb 28.15 or bears and lyons to oversee the quiet fold your profession is honorable do not disgrace it by unsuitable actions staining the beauty of your Nobility by unlawful deeds and casting dirt upon the face of your own glory Trouble or misinform against none but get your pay and be contented These were the parts works fruits effects of Johns Baptisme and do they not all look much like or toward a business of Repentance The rather yet for 4. things more Because 1. Most practical Divines have looked upon John as a severe Prophet a legal teacher a Minister of the Law a terrifyer of consciences the needle going before the thread (1) Mat. 3.10 Luc. 3.9 one that carryed the axe c. 2. For what Joseph the son of Matthias hath left of his whole dispensation himself an Historian a Jew and (2) This he owns of himself in his Preface to his History Of the Wars of the Jews a Priest it so fell out of the same tribe and line and not only so but of some nearer alliance as being of the highest (3) Compare for proof hereof what is in Luc. 1. ver 5 8. with what this Authour hath left us of himself in the beginning of the Relation of his own life course of 24 with Zacharias the Baptists Father living in or near (4) For John came out of the Wilderness but in the 15. year of Tiberius Luc. 3.1 and Joseph was born in the first of Caius Coesar as himself writeth there the time of his tragedy not above ten years difference and one that had tryed the same (1) After I had heard that a certain man called Banus lived in the desart clothing himself with that which the trees brought forth and feeding on no other kind of meat but that which they willingly yeilded him compare herewith Johns Locust and wild hony washing himself often-times by day night in cold water to keep himself chast I began to imitate his course of life and after I had lived with him the space of 3 years and satisfied my desires at last I returned into the City ib. severe course of institution by Eremiticall life which John did in the Wilderness even to a Baptisme of himself in a penitentiall way who gives this account Divers were of opinion saith (2) Antiqu. Heb lib. 18. cap. 7. he that Herods Army miscarried for the execution of John sir named Baptist For he had done this man to death who was replenished with all vertue and who exhorted the Jews to addict themselves thereto and to execute justice towards men and piety towards God Exhorting them to be baptized and telling them that that Baptisme should at that time be well pleasing to God if they should renounce not only their sins but if to the purity of their bodies they should annex the cleanness of their souls re-purified by Justice 3. I have somewhere read a Question to which I never saw or could frame to my self an answer clearly satisfactory in the affirmative Whether it can be proved by holy Scripture that John ever baptized in or into the name of Father Son and Holy Ghost Which I piece out a little farther Or into Moses or Christ
lib 31. cap. 8. sect 7. Sed apud Ethnichos expiationes veluti purgationes per aquam fiebant c. Id. lib. 2. cap. 4. sect 7. another Whence the Graecians kept always a pot of water at the door where a dead man lay unburied to sprinkle and cleanse as well at going in as coming out the like they had at their temple doore for the same use 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they called it and by their Alcoran it is no lesse appointed to be used by the Mahumetanes Lastly as if there were still a naturall perswasion inhaerent in the mind of Man of some such naturall force and power inhaerent in Water to hold forth meanes of purification reaching to the soul it is observable that not onely the Heathen washed at their Temple-doore as (3) Ad Annum 57. num 108. Baronius hath from Herodotus Cicero Persius c. and from the reliques of that opinion finding consent in the mind of man may have grown up the sprinkling with Holy Water among the Papists as they enter the Church but also their Temples obteyned both place and name from vicinity of Healing springs Notandum quod Pagani sive Gentiles circa fontes templa sua facere solebant vel saltem ibi aquam habebant per cujus aspersionem purificari credebant inde Delubra vocantur quasi Purificantia says (4) Rational Divinor lib. 6. cap. 83. sect 1. Durand Which when I read it comes into my minde to compare the scituation of our English Churches most of them upon (5) Some congruity with what is ours in both these the instances of holy scripture seem to hold out to us for safe imitation 1. The Hillock for not to inlarge on the known things of Jerusalems Temple and its high scituation Her foundations are upon the holy hills the Lord loveth the gates of Sion more then all the dwellings of Jacob as Psal 85.1 or the averred place of old Shiloh upon a Mount in Ephraim in an Oratory of Mount Olivet our Saviour spent his whole night the next before the mission of his Apostles a fit preparation and the place most fit for so holy a work Luc. 6.12 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And a like preparation upon a place of like ascent again the night before his treacherous delivery chap. 22.39 for there is a departure from an Oratory 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to remove to his drowsy disciples at ver 45. 2 The Brook for to another Oratory near the gate of Philippi the Metropolis of Macedonia which was by a Brook side went St. Paul to preach to the devout women Act. 16.13 Where it so fell out there was a seasonable and present use of the waters for initiating divers converted by him at that meeting ver 15. And that Gethseman the particular place of M. Olivet where before our Saviour prayed and rose from his Oratory is in St Johns consent of Story about the Brook of Cedron Our text goes thus far When Jesus had spoken these words he went forth with his Disciples over the brook Cedron where was a garden into which he entred c. Jo. 18.1 but the Syriack is punctual and restraining he went 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ad vadum or ad transitum pedis Kedrun to the ford of Kedrun thither and no farther As we would say From London to a place named of Windsor forest Gethseman is as much as Vallis pinguedinis the valley of fatness or the valley of Olives whose Mount of that name was at hand Of like nature and use whereto were the pleasing retirements of this place but nearer scituation to the Metropolis made and resorted to by David and Solomon The chief stress of this whole conjecture lays upon an unwonted but rational interpretation of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which in the places alledged is commonly rendred to give the Act of Praying I take it for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a place designed and devoted thereto as Synonymon with what from Esai 56.11 is in Matth. 21.13 and Mar. 11.13 My House shall be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A House of prayer to all Nations and as in Maccab. 7.37 where thus the Priest Thou Lord didst choose this House to have thy name called over it that it might be a HOUSE OF PRAYER and supplication for thy people For 1. The word will in all those places and moreover in Act. 16.16 It came to pass as we went 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to an Oratory the Syriack is plain 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to a House of prayer and in Ecclesiasticus 39. ver 6. ver 8. chap 50.21 very well bear that sense if not in some require it rather for how odd were it to say Christ continued all night in the prayer of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with an article or S Paul traveled with his company to prayer and not rather the one went the other spent time in that which all allow Churches for an HOUSE of GOD for Prayer 2. Mr. Pasor warrants this possible and likely signification in his Lexicon p. 326. in vocab 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3. The Syriack the best Comment and indeed better then any Comment gives its vote clear Etegressi sumus die sabbati extra portam urbis juxta ripam fluminis quia ibi conspiciebatur DOMUS ORATIONIS 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 again as before an HOUSE OF PRAYER Act. 16.13 as we would say they went on Sunday to Church Not to speak of the smiling glance of the English this way We went out of the City by a Rivers side where prayer was wont to be made 4. Epiphanius helps us a little farther a Jew born but Proselyte to us Learned even among the Fathers Who speaking of the Messalians who had their Places of Prayer abroad as had the Jews and Samaritans Of them says he it is so proved from the instance of Act. 16. Where the woman seller of purple met St Paul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for there seemed to be a place of prayer· Haeres 80. cap. 1. tom 1. pa. â—68 exaâ—tâ—â—â—greeing with what Mr. Mede in his excellent Diatribae pa. 284. who both gave me and there aâ—serts this interpretation says the Arabick must import LOCUS ORATIONIS 5. Noâ— was this sense unheard of abroad The Roman Poet brings in his drunken Gallant thus vâ—pouring and quarreling with the man he met the Picture as the whole is there together of what our age shews daily exemplified in glistering colours To shame and sin the dregs of corruptest Gentilisme being not yet purged out of our Christian Congregations nor any Reformation prevailing that the most sacred pledges of our even heavenly Communion be not still prostitute and profaned to a sort of lewd and ungodly varlets the scum of the world the shame of men unworthy of civil societie Pagan Rome scorned them her Poets made sport with them Usque quò Domine LORD When will Sion be it self His words are Ede
Gentiles abroad or have leisure opportunity means books to search may I beleeve yet add many more as out of Alexander ab Alexandro Carolus Sigonius Caelius Rodiginus c. chiefly from Gyraldus his Syntagma de Diis gentium about the 17 chapter But these may be enough to make good what I undertook that as vvell in ours as elder times baptizing hath been known and used vvithout and beyond Christendom may do now and many Religions have heretofore thus entred into their severall vvays some of vvhich vvere possibly on foot in our Saviours time from all which it behoved his Baptisme should differ and in this vvay it is expressed to differ and difference from them all and singular Some glance or offer whitherward the other in interpretation may chance hold forth for none of them vvill or vvould invoke our Trinity or act from it but they come not home to fasten the difference full and clear vvhere it ought in the nature of the thing vvhich is to be a sacrament of innovation or admission to vvhom or vvhatsoever nor in the vvay of administration to express a purposed and present entry INTO this or that which is the thing in hand As if it were said what ever others do or mean this admits enters into Christs Church Into what Colledg or Society soever sacra sacrilega vvould them lead this brings unto the Congregation of Beleevers the Church of the first-born a fellowship with all Christian souls of what profession soever of truth they stand at the door to let in this gives admission TO the Name faith religion profession of that which none of them will allow or not defy Father Son and holy Ghost Strange words vvhich they would abhorre as we defie the Divell and all his works In the nature of a charm vvhich they might not come neer or as abominable as an Idoll but we reverence and cast our souls upon vvhat we derive from them to Us there is bound up in them all our comfort and hopes for this and the next life and vve are solemnly entring into the Porch of those rich possessions by them vvill bring us further to eternall life Some one may perhaps say These are things distant from us both in time and place yet farther from vvhere we would be in the heart of religion shew us if you can them or the like from the Scripture that book of God vve vvill beleeve the rest of the vvorld is large and vvide contract thither and we vvill hearken to you Good Who hath appealed unto Caesar unto Caesar let him go Let this holy Scripture vvhich Christ hath bid us Search be the Umpire and Rule the sole and supreme Judge and Oracle from whose last and definitive sentence in this case shall lye no appeal There is first our present (1) Nemo certè insiciari poterit baptizari debere juxâ—a Christi institutum in Nomen Patris Filii c. Cassâ—nder in append de Spir. Sancto invocando pa. 298. Nec enim disputamus quomodo haec verba intelligi possunt sed quomodo debeant Debent autem eo intelligi sensu quo à Christo dicta sunt non quem sibi animo quisque finxerit Maldonat in loc And so far resolute well Though he warp to In Nomine which Chr nor meant nor said Text to be heeded vvhich for the thing in question let be heeded also speaks full home clear and indubitable And this one worth many if there vvere many other texts or reasons to contradict because it is the first originall scaled Patent and Commission in this case for the Officers of the most High to do as they may ever after justifie Other examples in practice or other places in transcription or conjectures by derivation might perhaps give shew of other things But against them all this one would hold up the Buckler and make good the ground how many soever for baptize INTO I am not ignorant I should have noted but have in part intimated before how commonly Translators have both used and rendred this Text otherwise even those of fairest note and greatest reverence the whole body of the (2) Ambr. lib. 1. de fide cap. 1 2. lib. 1. de Sp. Sancto cap. 14. lib. 2 cap. 10. lib. de institut Virginis c. 10. c. I was going on to have mustered the rest but the places are so obvious and numberlesse that as he that runs may read so he that begins can hardly tell where to finde an end I confesse enough the whole stream to run this way Latine Fathers at least besides others as Cyprian Ierom Ambrose Augustine Leo Fulgentius Hilary Lombard Aquinas Calvin Bellarmine and who not But against them all our affirmative of that question in the Schools An soli (3) Ut enim veterum librorum fides de Hebraeis voluminibus examinanda est ita novorum Graeci sermonis normam desiderat Hieron Epist 28. ad Lucinium taken after into the Decree Distinct 9. c. 6. Et est hic argumentum quod quantumcumque authenticum sit aliquod instrumentum si tamen de ipsa aliquid in dubium revocetur semper exhibendum sit illud à quo originem ducit ut distinct 76. cap. Jejunium and other places Gloss Graeci ad distinct 9. c. 6. fontes Scripturarum sint authentici is armor of proof to repell and keep off what ever in Translation or Logicall probability can be brought in opposition or contradiction Besides the counterpoise of tradition of the (4) As Justin Martyr in exp sit fidei de recta invocat pa. 376. Antiochus Monach-Hâ—mil 1. de fide in Biblioth pat tom 1. pa. 1028. and infinite others as well in their casuall allegations of the Text as how it could be otherwise without manifest corruption of the Text it self Greek Fathers and some Councels as univocally standing forth on the contrary part And as to Translation 't is onely INTO can give the originall truth emphasis and business And lastly so also beside other formerly touched upon by occasion divers (5) As Calvin in institut lib. 1. cap. 13. sect 16. In Patris Filii Sp. Sancti Nomen baptizamur in Comment ad 1 Cor. 1.13 And Brentius Hoc autem nihil aliud est speaking on this Text quam baptizare Ordinatione mandato vice Patris Filii est Sp. Sancti ac per Baptismum IN NOMEN Domini hoc est in haereditatem proprietatem omnium divinorum bonorum quae per Christum parta sunt inaugurare Homil. 23. in Luc. 3. And a little after Jussit Apostolos baptizare in Nomine sive IN NOMEN Pat Fil Sp Sanct Nimirum significans quod qui baptizatur sanctificetur per Baptismum ad communionem omnium bonorum DEI recipiatur IN NOMEN hoc est in gratiam misericordiam potentiam Majestatem DEI Patris c. But it must be confessed these and other wavered and were inconstant That truth which
propter Hebraeos eos qui sunt sub lege par est fieri Judaeum sed etiam propter Graecos Graecum ut omnes lucrifaciamus Clem. Alexand. Strom. 1. p. 277 Reynolds whom I believed That there is no part of Learning in the whole Circle thereof which is not helpful and may not contribute to the understanding of holy Scriptures and some part or other of a Divines imployment I particularize his general into Jews and Gentiles Councels and Fathers Schoolmen and Historians Decretals and Imperials and hope one day to be better acquainted with the Alcoran and the Sybils the Talmud and the Sanhedrim For how else should we understand out sundry things of the Bible our Religion depending on these or how make toward the requisite perfection of that Scribe in the Gospel throughly furnished to the Kingdom of God who is like an House-holder well stored who contents not himself with neighbour provision some single Commentary or broken patched systeme but hath ready by him for all supplies and as the occasions of the Family call for it both New and Old With an evil eye these Mouldy remnants are looked upon by many who could peradventure readily enough wish the whole heaps of them thrown away at once and all of Jewry or Samaria dealt with as those Magick books were upon conversion to sound knowledge Acts 19.19 I am perhaps too far on the contrary part as wishing our Libraries may be the safest part of our Land so that these jewels may be treasured up in the safest Archives of our Libraries hoping for more light yet to shine out of the east by them and if ever the Bible be made plain and legible to the vulgar or Learned those Divine Oracles unsealed to sure and certain sense and the Book of our Redemption it self redeemed from that cloud of darkness and mist of obscurity the delusion of false Glosses corrupting emendations interest of States and Tyranny of times and manifold such impositions have cumbred it withal that from the rising Sun alone we must expect the soveraign healing beams to proceed whose fresh and morning influence hath POWER to produce that dispersion being not without temptation to some kinde of Idolatry in worshipping with a face settled toward the East and thence really expecting another Homines enim Hebraei agregia eruditione sagacique ingenio cum sacri codicis sensa patrio Sermone evoluta nobis darent multa faeliciter repererunt quae aliorum nunquam assecuta esset industria Pet. Cunaei lib. 3. de repub Hebraeorum cap. 5. p. 422. Star as full of Corporeity soon it may be as was the last to guide all those shall be accounted amongst us Worthy Watchful and Wise to the yet unknown things of Jesus the Son of a Virgin born in Bethlehem For that was the Land where the affairs of our Religion were done whence else should we expect an illustration and elucidation of them That was the scaene of wonderful things to raise expectation of a wonderful knowledge There was Power shewn likely to breed an amazing Light Nor may the full sense of Isa 2.3 The Law from Zion and the Word from Jerusalem be so wholly already drawn out but that our Merchants may bring us some rich Remainders God bless our Merchants of Knowledge and their neglected despised moth-eaten Rolls and Records help us to see our own light or to make a right use of it and inrich us thereby beyond Caesar and Craesus and Crassus 4. Here I would be accounted earnest Christian if thou be deal with me as thou art and wouldest remembring thy Saviours Rule and mine Both our Masters Meekness not only as his Quality but our Qualification and our Duty in his Example Learn of me Matth. 11.29 for I am so we never read His voyce was heard in the streets Matth. 12.19 We no where hear him loud in venemous and and boisterous reproaches we finde him not at any time raging for truth passionately Religious truly Seditious bitterly Zealous but if the weightiness of the occasion had need to draw from him powerful reproof Luke 4.32 They were amazed at his teaching for his word was with power Mat. 7.29 he taught as having Authority not as the Scribes Mark 1 22. Percellebantur super doctrina ejus The soberest moderation may be most effectual in power his Word was with power but his Severity with some Lenity his strongest Physick ministred in an inoffensive dose and nothing dropped from him ever but what bespake declared and left assured a most soft and gentle Genius Oh! this is that for which Christendom hath cause to mourn and lie down in sackcloath and ashes that Truth comes often a woing apparelled like a Hag or a Fury the Orators of Heaven mix wilde-fire with their zeal perswasives labour their end rather with teeth to bite then arguments to convince The tongue that should lick whole mistakes in an erring Brother ministers venome to wrankle rather then salve to heal up Vinegar is not sharp enough but Aqua fortis must be taken in and that ink is blackest is fittest not to write the cause or convince the Arguments but besmear the reputation of a tractable recoverable adversary As David observed in his time and complained Psal 64.3 And I lie even among the children of men that are set on fire whose teeth are spears and arrows and their tongue a sharp sword Psal 57.5 They shoot out their arrows even bitter words in speaking with their mouth Psal 59.7 Swords are in their lips for who doth hear nay their poysons have reached to my very soul This this is that but for the permission whereof Christendom hath much to answer by men of sober and Gospel Spirits not to be remembred without tears of blood and which God grant it turn not the grave and prudent advice of an admonishing Apostle into the misfortune of a Prophetick curse so calculated and composed as 't were of purpose for the Religion Meridian Clime and Age under which we live Gal. 5.15 If ye will needs go on to bite and tear one another take heed ye be not devoured one of another As it hath been seen oft enough before Where malice hath fretted it self quite away on both sides two obstinate Champions have left neither alive both have ceased to be because one would have had victory May it never be so with us where CHRISTS name is reverenced and at top of all as the prize of all our concertations that strife should ruine what it fights to preserve and that word and Gospel which is now the rule of Princes Psa 103. â—6 The Place that hath known it shall know it no more 5. Think not thou hast to deal with an untractable adversary but one would be glad to turn the ear to reproof as being not yet past the Learners form 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the utmost a very Seeker of Truth and Verity which Tertullian so much commended and pursued and that loves that of the Psalm Let the righteous smite Psal 141.5 6. it shall be a favour but let not the precious balms of flatterers break mine head I will yet pray seven times more against all such wickedness There was peradventure too much of the Stoick even in Socrates himself of whom St. Augustine somewhere Hoc tantùm scio quòd nihil scio he presumed no farther knowledge then onely of his ignorance But as much as following times have too little where presumption of knowledge attained already bars forwardest resolutions of seeking any more Prejudice and Pride will admit no increase of former riches the active inquiries of the soul are stopped and our wings clipped that would soar to any new discoveries Therefore we know not because we think we do sitting still in little more then a dull and contented ignorance scorning to learn what we think we have already attained I thank God I know many things I do not know I thank God I see many have cause to doubt of what they think they know I thank God I have assurance that what I think sure yet I may have more abundant confirmation of And what I nor know nor opine I am willing to learn I pray my darkness may be enlightned my ignorance instructed my errors reformed my true perswasions strengthened but above all that Truth may conquer and be glorious As Christ is TRUTH John 14.6 To whom be due praise for ever His te volebam Now judge and be charitable My last thoughts may not unfitly come out in the concluding words of whosoever was the not over-confident Author of the second History of the Maccabees And here shall be an end if well I have said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and hit the mark 't was that I aimed at if otherwise that I could And so with offer of mine wishing and hoping to meet a return of the courteous imbraces of thy love I bid thee Christian heartily FAREWEL March 29. 1647. Immortali DEO Immortales gratias FINIS
or for initiation any way No question of his Baptisme the text is clear for that but whether to this end keeping to Scripture or where may it be found It hath been otherwise generally Received But this was Delivered and all know how low the credit of bare Tradition is now grown in most Parts of Christendom Divers opinions may have been no better then pious presumptions Religious mistakes which having had the hap to meet with able defenders Divinity Readers or Writers at first have by degrees prospered into Axioms and almost Articles of Doctrin having yet little of credibility very little of Truth Nothing of solid Scripture at bottom but a strong faith holpen by inclination to tread in the steps of the Wise and Learned hath carried them currant along and made them like Jerusalem Ezek. 16. prosper into a Kingdom May it not have been so here 4. Take in the large reigne of that opinion that water quick and living water as before had power in it self in Nature to purifie the conscience from dead works I do not say it was so or St John thought so but thought it was so all abroad both within and without the pale of Jewry which might bring multitudes to Iordan though upon erroneous account and Iohn took occasion thereby to exhort them to serious and real repentance nor was he himself altogether free from errour as appears by repelling One it was just should come Matth. 3.15 and as to our Saviour he might conform to custom in what he absolutely needed not as Iohn told him or take the best of what had some mixture of error or superstition Sure this Gratious enlivening quality was all over the East believed to be in water to sanctify and make clean the spotted soul The (1) Quam rationem baptizandi observabant Esseni à Pythagoraeis ipsorum Patriarchis mutuatam sic enim illi statuebant Puritatem consequendam per purgationes lavacra irrigationes Montacut Apparat. 7 sect 77. pa. 278. Pythagoreans thought purity to be attainable hereby and so did the Pharisees among the Iews in (2) Ad Luc. 12. pa. 140. And hereto belongs what is in Mar 7.2 3 4 5. what was unwashen was there common as 't were opposed to sanctified clean Lavandi istam consuetudinem à Lustrationibus Paganorum mutuari credi possunt Pharisaei Aegiptiis praecipuae Persis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 enim 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 frequenter apud illos usurpabantur unde se expiandos mundandos credebant Appar Eod. sect 26. pa. 253. Titus Bostrensis The Egiptians and Persians had their frequent Bathings whence they thought themselves to be freed from guilt and cleansed So did the Samaritans who were that it might seem no less then very usual like the Ebionites in (3) Et aquis se identidem tam hyeme quam aestate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nimirum sanctitatis sibi conciliandae gratia in Anacephal tom 2. pa. 140. Of whom see before adversus haeres 30. sect 21 32. in tom 1. pa. 145. 158. Epiphanius who reverenced some Deitie in the waters Washing themselves as well winter as summer to sanctifie themselves thereby The like thought may have born sway with (4) Habes homo in primis aetatem venerari aquarum quòd antiqua substantia dehinc dignationem quòd divini spiritus sedes gratior scilicet caeteris tunc elementis alluding to the spirit of God upon the face of the waters Genes 1.2 lib. de Baptismo cap. 3. Sanctum autem utique super sanctum ferebatur aut ab eo quod superferebatur id quod ferebat sanctitatem mutuabatur cap. 4. Tertullian when he commended the liquid Element as in nature and from the beginning the habitation of some divine spirit dignum Deo vectaculum a fit convoy for a Deity and with (5) Siquidem jam inde ab orbis initio spiritus Dei super aquas ferebatur ac lustrandi facultate jam olim praeditam aquam esse Scriptura testis est Quippe tempore Noë Deus mundi peccatum per aquam Eluit Orthod fid lib. 4. cap. 10. Io. Damascene another of ours that from the beginning the spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters whence it had a cleansing power seene in washing away the sinnes of the old world (1) Add and with those superstitious Christians who sticking too much upon the letter of 1 Tim. 2.8 I will that Men pray every where lifting up PURE hands and Jam 4.8 Cleanse your hands ye sinners as well as purifie your hearts ye double minded made it conscientious to wash their hands always before their heavenly address that so they might be morally clean and fit to lift to heaven as Chrysostome tels us in Homil. 72 in Joan. tom 2 in Novum testam pa 466. Tertullian in lib. de Oratione cap. 11. Cornel. à Lapide in 1 Tim. 2.8 The Mahomedans were wont to say Orationis clavis est Mundities Cleanlyness was the Key of the work of Devotion Non accepit Deus preces absque mundatione sen lotione God accepts not the prayers of the unclean as from Algazal is remembred by Mr. Pocock in his late notes on the Arabian History pa. 302. For the Gentiles washing their hands before sacrifice and from them the Christians may be seen Polydore Virgil de rerum inventor lib. 3. cap. 5. lib. 5. cap. 11. Cicero giving the reason why the old Law continued to (2) As appears by Institut lib. 4. tit 18. de publicis judiciis sect 6. Digest de lege Pomp. de Parricid L. paena parricidii Cod. 9. tit 16. de his qui parentes Iustinians time was that he that had killed his father should be sewed up in a sack with a dog an ape and a viper c. and so cast into a river or the sea alledges The sack was to preserve the cleansing waters Ne cùm delati essent in mare parricidae ipsum polluerent quo caetera quae violata sunt expiari putantur as (3) Lect. antiqu lib. 11. cap. 21 22. This particular is remembred in Paulus Merula in dissertat de maribus cap 1. Who from other discourse had inferred a little before Non igitur obscurum quam ob causam marinas Aquis omnibus tribuunt purgandi vim alii scriptores undas usurparit Antiquitas in Purgationibus ut videre est apud Catulâ—um de aversis incestisque Gellii Veneribus Senecam in Hippolyto Apuleium c. Et hinc cùm apud alios tùm Julium Obsequentem de Prodigiis leguntur Hermaphroditi Aruspicum praecepto in Mare deportari quondam soliti quòd nullis nisi aequoris undis ejusmodi portentum lavari expiari posse arbitrarentur Coelius Rhodiginus which he farther clears by that the Scholiast on Aristophanes expounds some verses of that author about ones coming to the sea and washing there by Mos erat antiquis illic expiare