into one Spirit Here is say some a Baptism mentioned by which they are brought or initiated into this Body viz. the Church Ver. 28. but say they it is the Baptism of the Spirit and not of Water Answer That which is called the Baptism of the Holy Ghost Acts 1.5 Ch. 2.12 were those extraordinary Gifts of the Holy Spirit which Christ had promised his Disciples they should receive not many days hence and was fulsilled on the day of Pentecost Acts 10.44 45 46 and given to others afterwards And we no where find the common Gifts and Graces of the Holy Spirit called Baptism And therefore this Baptism in the Text having some Relation to these excellent Gifts as appears in the preceeding Verses it must be understood either only of those extraordinary Gifts of the Spirit in the Ministry whereby the Primitive Gospel Ministers were qualified to break down the middle Wall of Partition and unite all both Jews and Gentiles Bond and Free that were Effectually called into one Body or visible Church-state or rather thus that the Apostle speaks of the Gentiles with himself and other Jews that through the extraordinary Ministration of the Spirit were baptized with Water-Baptism into one Body For seeing it cannot rationally be supposed that those of the Church of Corinth to whom the Apostle could not speak as unto Spiritual 1 Cor. 3.1 2. but as unto Carnal even as unto Babes in Christ Or that every individual Believer included in the Text was Baptized with the Spirit but as it s said by the Spirit as the efficient cause It then follows that the Baptism in the Text must be taken for Water-Baptism considering also 1 Cor. 12.1 that those Brethren the Apostle wrote unto with himself and other Jews are said in the Text in Distinction to Baptism to have been all made to drink into one Spirit which Expression is far short of being all personally baptized with the Baptism of the Spirit and therefore to me it clearly appears that the Baptism spoken of in the Objection must be taken for Water Baptism as it s said Act. 18.8 that when the Corinthians had the Gospel preached to them many of them hearing believed and were Baptized viz. not many of the Church then already formed into an orderly Church-state Ver. 10. 1 Cor. 3 6 10. Ch. 1.12 but many of the People of that City Believed and were Baptized and so the Apostle laid the Foundation of the Church of Corinth and planted the same which Apollo watered III. Object The Apostle Paul saith That Christ sent him not to Baptize but to preach the Gospel 1 Cor. 1.17 Answer The Apostle Paul was Baptized himself Eph. 4.4 5. and he tells us that there is one Body one Spirit one Lord one Faith one Baptism viz. one Water-Baptism because it is here distinguished from the Spirit as pertaining to the Body or dwelling in its Gifts and Graces in the Church And he also instructed the twelve Disciples at Ephesus to be Baptized Acts 19.3 4. tho' they were Baptized before with Johns Baptism And he Baptized Crispus and Gaius and the Houshold of Stephanus so that if he were not sent to Baptize 1 Cor. 1.14 16. he acted beyond his particular Commission and had not so much Authority as other Gospel Ministers received from the general Commission given to them and therefore the Apostles meaning is That tho' his Commission to Preach and Baptize was as large as others yet his work was not so much actually to Baptize and spend his time in that Service as to preach the Gospel he being extraordinarily Gifted thereunto for he was counted the chief Speaker Acts 14.12 and those Ministers that were his Companions being qualified to Baptize were doubtless helpful to him in that Service for when he preached to the Corinthians it is said not only Crispus and all his House believed but many of the Corinthians believed and were baptized So that Pauls Expression that he was not sent to Baptize is to be expounded as it s said of Christ Joh. 4.1 2. that tho' he made and haptized more Disciples than John yet Jesus himself baptized not but his Disciples and as when Peter had preached there were other Gospel Ministers with him who did Baptize otherwise Peter himself could not have baptized in one day about three thousand Souls And so we find Acts 2.41 that Paul had Silas and Timotheus with him at Corinth when so many of them were Baptized and that as a Son with the Father so had Timothy served with him in the Gospel And therefore the Text being fairly and most properly thus expounded the aforesaid Objection is invalid and cannot prove an Admission to Church Communion without the Ordinance of Water-Baptism IV. Object Gal. 3.27 As many of you as have been Baptized into Christ have put on Christ From whence it hath been said that some of the Members of those Churches were not Baptized Answer To explain the Mind of the Holy Ghost I shall here recite the preceeding Words Ver. 26. For ye are all the Children of God by Faith in Christ Jesus and then it follows Ver. 27. For as many of you as have been Baptized into Christ have put on Christ From whence I observe that the Word all ver 26. is in ver 28. put for the same Persons to shew there is no Distinctions of Acceptance of Persons in Christ Jesus whether Jews or Greeks Bond or Free Male or Female all are one and by Faith in Christ are alike the adopted Children of God and so the Word all must be understood in ver 26. as having Relation to ver 28. and not of every individual Member of those Churches of Galatia for who can think they were all viz. every individual Person of them really the Children of God seeing they were so far Apostatized as that the Apostle said he was afraid of them least he had bestowed on them labour in vain And then Ch. 4.11 if the Word all must be restrained to all those only or to so many as were the Children of God by true Faith in Christ it is put for no more than the Word many viz. for so many or all of them as had received both the inward Grace as well as the outward putting on the visible Profession of it by Water-Baptism And the like instance we have that the Word all is restrained to many Rom. 5.18 compared with ver 19. And therefore the aforesaid Scripture can be no Proof that any Persons were admitted into Church-Communion without Water-Baptism And farther to clear this Objection from Rom. 6.3 There is this to say that that Epistle was written to all that were in Rome beloved of God called to be Saints which comprehendeth a Direction of that Epistle Rom. 16.5 14 15. not only to one or more particular Churches in the Order of the Gospel but to all the Saints in Rome beloved and called of God
Tit. 3.10 11. after the first and second Admonition reject Knowing that he that is such is subverted and sinneth being condemned of himself Now an Heritick is one that stisly maintains false opinions against the Scriptures in matters of Faith fundamental to Salvation which tho' we should be tender of judging such Christians to be Hereticks as there is Reason to hope have more the shew in weak expressions of some such like salse Principles than a being under the Power and Conduct of them seeing the Scripture saith Jude 22. we should of some have Compassion making a difference and others save with fear pulling them out of the Fire hating even the garment spotted by the Flesh Yet our Charitable Thoughts of such Christians while they are under their cloudy Profession of such Errours tho' crouded amongst other Truths whereby they are the more concealed are no warrant nor allowance for us to hold Communion with them till we can plainly see them delivered from those Errours seeing they are clearly prohibited in the Scriptures Thirdly It is the Duty of Christians to withdraw their Communion from all disorderly Persons in false Worship or in corrupt Administrations of Gospel-Ordinances And 1. Our Lord saith The hour cometh John 4.23 24. and now is when the true Worshippers shall worship the Father in Spirit and in Truth For the Father seeketh such to worship him God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in Spirit and in Truth From hence I observe that true Worshippers must worship the Father both in Spirit and in Truth otherwise therwise they are not true Worshippers And then if we find by the Word of Truth as we are commanded to try the Spirits whither they are of God that they are such who separate themselves 1 Joh. 4.1 Jude 19. sensual having not the Spirit or that do not worship in Truth but with erroneous Matter or in a false Manner I say then we should withdraw our Communion from such as disorderly Persons in Divine Worship Mat. 15.9 And our Lord also tells us that in vain they do worship him teaching for Doctrines the Commandments of Men. So that to keep our selves from the Guilt of vain Worship we should not by our selves Isa 29.19 nor with any others worship God after the Commandment of Men but according to Gospel-Institutions 2. The Apostle saith 1 Cor. 11.2 I praise you Brethren that you remember me in all things and keep the Ordinances as I delivered them to you On this Text Mr. Will. Kissin noteth See his Book called A Sober Discourse of right to Church-Communion in his Presace That our Translation of the Greek Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rendring it Ordinances is excepted against by some Papists who would have it translated Traditions to countenance the Romish Opinion to which saith he shall be opposed that the Greek Word signifieth indeed Tradition that is in English a Delivery viz. of Doctrines Ordinances Instructions or Institutions 2 Thes 2.15 by those Evangelical Preachers to their Auditors which is nothing else but the Doctrine of the Gospel first preached and afterwards committed to writing by the Evangelists and Apostles as standing Records to future Ages so that any Traditions besides what is written are justly to be excepted against and in matters relating to Divine Worship to be esteemed Apocryphal Now as the aforesaid Author saith What was praise-worthy in those Primitive Christians to whom the Apostle Paul writes can be no blemish but really a Duty in other Christians in after times to imitate To which I add That to corrupt the worship of God with mens Traditions contrary to the Apostolical Pattern is a Sin and Disorder to be purged out by the Church of Christ as farther appears in the next Section 3. It 's said 2 Thes 3.6 Now we command you Brethren in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ that ye withdraw your selves from every Brother that walketh disorderly and not after the Tradition which he received of us 1. This general Command to the Church of the Thessalonians appears from the following Verses to be occasioned from some particular disorders that were amongst them as Ver. 11 12 14 15. For even when we were with you this we commanded you that if any would not work neither should he eat For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly working not at all but are busie bodies Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ that with quietness they work and eat their own Bread And if any Man obey not our Word by this Epistle note that Man and have no Company with him that he may be ashamed Yet count him not as an Enemy but admonish him as a Brother But yet this instance lest us on sacred Record may give us light into other Cases for seeing we are commanded to withdraw our Communion so as to have no Company with such a disorderly Brother that through Idleness when he may have work eateth not his own Bread and is a busie body who may have this to plead against such an Act of the Church that he hath not stolen nor defrauded any but getteth his Meat from House to House amongst his Christian Friends then there is ground and command for us to withdraw our selves from all those that offend in other things of the like Nature and that are guilty of frand or deceit and wrong to any Person And that this command in Ver. 6. is general including all disorders in Manners Doctrine and false Worship and so is a Confirmation of all I have said before for proof thereof appears as followeth 1. Because in Ver. 7 8. there is a plain Intimation that the command Ver. 6. To withdraw from every Brother that walketh disorderly does respect other disorders besides the particular Case of eating other Mens Bread for nought For the Apostle saith Ver. 7 8. Your selves know how ye ought to follow us for we behaved not our selves disorderly among you neither did we eat any Mans Bread for nought Observe the Word Neither imports a different disorder to what he implyed before in Opposition to his Example So that to me it 's plain that the command in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ was to withdraw from those disorders that were contrary to the Apostles examples and which were not after the Tradition which they received of them and therefore it is a general command as was said before 2. I shall give a brief Citation of what is said on the same Text in a Book intitled Asober Discourse of Right to Church Communion in Page 5. it 's said Written by Mr. Will. Kiffin quoting 2 Thes 3.6 Now we command you Brethren in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ that ye withdraw your selves from every Brother that walketh disorderly and not after the Tradition which he received of us Which last Phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Word Paradosis
3. he also saith We shall therefore direct this Discourse to our dissenting Brethren of the baptized way only And in page 13 14. he argueth saying If unbaptized Persons may be admitted to all Church Priviledges does not such a Practice plainly suppose that it is unnecessary The Baptists if once such a Belief prevails would be easily tempted to lay aside that reproachful Practice And challenge their Church Communion by Vertue of their Faith only and such as baptize Infants would be satisfied to discontinue the Practice when once they are perswaded that their Children may be regular Church-members without it and by consequence be in a likely condition to loose one of the Sacraments which would easily make way for the loss of the other both having an equal sanction in Scripture and the Arguments that disanul the one will destroy the other and consequently all Ordinances and Modes of Worship and lastly Religion it self And in page 118. In answer to an Objection he saith This Objection supposes things very dangerous As that holiness without Baptism invests a right to other Ghurch-Ordinances which is not to be supposed for Christ the Lamb of God was holy in the highest degree and in him was found no sin yet he was baptized before he entred upon his publick Ministry which is a most illustrious Example and the Pattern which the Saints followed for in a word the great Apostle Paul and all those primitive Saints recorded by the Spirit to be Believers and therefore holy were nevertheless Baptized which might have been forborn but that it was an indispensable Duty And Secondly It seemeth strange to me that any professing Obedience to Gospel-Ordinances should so far countenance others in the neglect of a positive Institution of Christ as to plead for Church-Communion with Christians without Baptism when our Lord hath plainly commanded his Apostles and Ministers to the end of the World saying Go ye therefore and teach all Nations Math. 28.19 20. Baptizing them teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you And 〈◊〉 I am with you alway even unto the end of the World For seeing the Disciples of Christ were commanded to Baptize as well as to Preach and to teach others successively to do the same It is undeniably clear if Scripture and Reason may take Place that the Gospel Ministers ought to Baptize those that obey their Doctrine Acts a. 38 41. as Peter said Repent and be baptized every one of you then they that gladly received his Word were Baptized and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand Souls And they continued stedfastly in the Apostles Doctrine and Fellowship and in breaking of Bread and in Prayer Here we find those new Converts were commanded every of one them to be Baptized and this way they were added to the Primitive Church of Christ at Jerusalem which was the Pattern for all Gospel-Churches to follow in after Ages For there were the twelve Apostles who were endowed with the extraordinary Gifts of the Holy Spirit to shew us the perfect pattern of Gods House And this was the Church that said It seemeth good to the Holy Ghost Acts 15.22 28. and to us to lay upon you no greater Burthen then these necessary things and from this Pattern given as it were in the Mount of God we find Baptism was commanded as the entring Ordinance into Church Communion or upon Confession of Faith before it for baptized Believers tho' the true visible matter of a Gospel-Church were not always immediately formed into a Gospel-Church Order for this was sometimes a work of time as we have an Instance how Paul baptized the twelve Disciples at Ephesus and went into the Synagogue Acts 19.1 to 10. and spake boldly for the space of three Months before he separated the Disciples from the Multitude Moreover we have several other Precepts and Examples that do confirm the Ordinance of Baptism immediately to follow Conversion and Faith in Christ Acts 8.35 to 39. As when Philip Preached unto the Eunuch and he believed he was immediately Baptized And when Cornelius and his Friends were Converted Act. 10.44 48. Act. 16.14 15 32 33. Ch. 18.8 Peter commanded them to be Baptized And so we find Lydia and her Houshold and the Jaylor and his Houshold were Baptized immediately after their Conversion And all these instances plainly shew that Water-Baptism was administred to Converted Believers before they were in Church-Order to receive the Ordinance of the Lords Supper and 't is called a putting on Christ viz. by a visible Profession and signifieth our dying unto Sin Gal. 3.27 Col. 2.12 Rom. 6.3 to 7. Joh. 3 3.5 Mark 16.15 16. and living in newness of Life unto God As also our being born of the Spirit and all these denote Baptism to be the first visible Sign of a Believer in Christ and it is appointed to accompany the Preaching of the Gospel as a Christian Badge on all that shall believe And it was called a Foundation-Principle viz. of a visible Church-state Act. 2.38 41. Ch. 8.12 Ch. 18.8 the matter whereof was and still should be baptized Believers And there being not the least instance in the New Testament of any one Person that was ever added to a Gospel-Church without Water-Baptism nor that any Gospel-Church was ever gathered but of baptized Believers to exclude it as no entring Ordinance into Church-Communion against so many clear Commands and Examples on Sacred Record which shews it is immediately to follow believing in Christ will lay a Foundation to deny all Gospel-Ordinances and the Holy Scriptures themselves to be of use to us to discover the Truth of Gospel-Worship and Obedience I. Object Is from Rom. 14.1 Him that is weak in the Faith receive you Answer To this Scripture Mr. Will. Kiffin in his aforesaid Sober Discourse saith The weakness spoken of in the Text hath Relation only to those Mistakes that did attend some of them touching a Liberty of eating or not eating of Meats or the keeping or not keeping of Days which were things in themselves of an indifferent Nature the doing or not doing of which was not Sin as the Apostle in that Chapter plainly shews and hath no Relation to the Order of Worship prescribed by Christ much less to the Practice or not Practice of Ordinances for then the meaning of the Apostle should be if they did Practice or not Practice it was all one there was no Sin in the Matter But to bring this Text to prove a lawfulness of receiving any that are Christians altho' never so ignorant of the Ordinances and instituted Worship of Christ and the Order prescribed by him is to wring Blood out of it and not that precious Truth that is manifested by it II. Object Is from 1 Cor. 12.13 For by one Spirit are we all Baptized into one Body whether we be Jews or Gentiles whether we be Bond or Free and have been all made to drink