diligence both to know the utmost of the will of God concerning them and to do thereafter as appears by the Context ver 5 9. he doth thereby imply that to what degree men are remiss and negligent in making enquiry after the will of God touching what they ought to do or in doing what they know to be his will to the same degree their enterance into the Kingdom of Christ will be contracted made narrow and straight for otherwise if there should not be this different effect following upon diligence and negligence here about that would cease to be an Argument or motive unto this diligence which here the Apostle uses for one 4. But as for those that are or shall be regardless to know the mind of God here about not searching after it nor conscientiously attending to the means of light and knowledge when offered or else being under conviction shall labour to put out the light in their consciences and upon this account shall be found disobedient to this Doctrine of Christ especially in these times wherein the practise of it is revived I shall not judge them as Christ speaks of himself If any man hear my words and believe not I judge him not the word that I have spoken the same shall judge him in the last day John 7.47 48. But shall leave them to stand or fall by that word which saith Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God and he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved But because I know some think themselves in good and safe condition upon their believing though they be not baptized I shall thereof desire such to consider 1. That persons did believe in the Apostles times before they were baptized yet Baptism was not thereupon the less but the more necessary for them If thou believest with all thine heart thou mayst to wit be baptized saith he to the Eunuch Acts 8.37 So that faith was then so far from being a reason why men should not be baptized as that it was the true reason why they should 2. Let them further consider that that believing which is sufficient to ones present justification when he begins to believe is not sufficient unto his salvation when he hath the opportunity of obeying other Commands of God and doth not For though with the heart man believes unto righteousnes yet with the mouth confession is made unto salvation Rom. 10.10 Though we shall suppose then that a man believes in Christ and yet shall be ashamed to confess him before men which it seems was the case of many of the chief Rulers John 12.42 Christ Jesus will be ashamed of him before his Father and his holy Angels So I say if you will suppose that any man believes in Christ and yet shall refuse to put on Christ is they put him on who are baptized into him Gal. 3.27 either for the shame and contempt which the world casts upon such a practise or for any other carnal respect he may for ought I can from any word of God assure him to the contrary fall short of salvation at the last notwithstanding his present belief James 2.14 What doth it profit my Brethren though a man say he hath faith and have not works Can faith save him Christ is authour of eternal salvation but it is to such as obey him Heb. 5.9 And therefore sayes He that shall break one of these least commands as some men notion Baptism to be and shall teach men so he shall be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven Matth. 5.19 The premises considered it is to me matter of wonder as well as of offence that some who otherwise are far from being ignorant of the Scriptures should compare Baptism now with Circumcision in the Apostles dayes saying that as circumcision was nothing nor uncircumcision nothing but the keeping of the Commandments of God so to be baptized or to be un-baptized is nothing but the keeping of the Commandments of God is when as it is the express Doctrine of the Sciptures a thing urged and pressed both by Christ himself and by his Apostles and therefore sure the Commandment of God For I saith Christ have not spoken of my self but the Father which sent me he gave me commandment what I should say and what I should speak And I know that his Commandment is life everlasting i.e. being observed Whatsoever I speak therefore even as the Father hath said unto me so I speak John 12.49 50. And Paul thus If any man think himself to be a Prophet or spirituall let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the Commandments of the Lord 1 Cor. 14.37 The Doctrines then of Christ and of the Apostles whether delivered in preceptive form or otherwise are the Commandments of God But now to put an Ordinance of God as Baptism is which is now in force and will be I doubt not to the end of the world into the same capacity with circumcision in the Apostles dayes the Date whereof was then expired yea and to compare them which press the necessity of Baptism now with those that pressed the necessity of circumcision then as if the one would render Christ as unprofitable to them as the other what is it else then to make void the Commandment of God that they might establish their own tradition But as no man that does acknowledg the Authority and Divinity of the Scriptures can easily satisfie himself in living in the Breach of any of it's known rules and precepts without the countenance and protection such as it is of some vain imagination and deceitful reasoning or other so is it in this case with some who having no mind to this way of God Baptism I mean though otherwise convinced of the nullity of Infant-baptism have taken hold of certain delusive Pleas whereby to justifie their non-conformity to this rule of the Gospel and Doctrine of Christ As 1. That Baptism according to Scripture example Object 1 is not to be administred to men but at the time of their first believing and not as now it is practised by some long after the time in which they first began to believe and professe the Gospel nor to any but such as are Babes in Christ or weak Christians and not to strong men in Christ or well grown Christians and that where it is otherwise practised there that Baptism is not like the Apostles Baptism and consequently is without rule or example from the Scriptures And further that since the time of ones new-birth or Babeship in Christ is the proper season for the reception of Baptism and that every thing is beautiful in its season that therefore much of the beauty and lustre of that Ordinance is lost when administred to old Disciples and is a thing as uncomely and incongruous as it is for a man to do an action proper to a child To all which I answer 1. By way of
righteousness then was in the multitude that were baptized before him and if not this what else imaginable but this viz. that his * Iesus said unto them My time is not yet come but your time is alway ready Joh. 7.6 appointed time and season of his appearing with the Gospel in the world was not till then and therefore not his time of being baptized in as much as the one was in order to the other and was to take its rise and beginning from the other And this we have further reason the rather to conceive because of that Particle NOW emphatically here used as it relates to the fulfilling of righteousness by that which was to be done Suffer it to be so NOW saith Christ to Joh. touching his being baptized For thus it becometh us to fulfil allrighteousness Mat. 3.15 Not only in being baptized of him but in being baptized of him NOW to wit at that juncture of time in which he was to be manifested to the world to be the Son of God to manifest to the world the Gospel of God NOW to be baptized viz. upon suchterms it was a thing very comely though John seemed to think otherwise in as much as that it was a fulfilling of righteousness i.e. that righteous law or institution of God given in that behalf And thus we see that the example of Christ's Personal Baptism which was intreated to bless the opinion for Infant Baptism hath contradicted it altogether The Second Part SHEWING How necessary it is for persons to be baptized after they believe their Infant-Baptism notwithstanding as also discovering the disorderly and irregular Communion of persons baptized with such as are unbaptized in Church Fellowship HAving in the former part of this Discourse laid down part of those grounds and reasons which have swayed my judgment and satisfied my conscience in the sight of God touching the unlawfulness of Infant Baptism and which I doubt not will have the like influence and operation upon the unbyassed minds of other men It remains now that I come to speak something to these two questions following 1. Whether men may not rest satisfied with that Baptism which was administred to them in their Infancy without any further reception of Baptism afterwards notwithstanding they come to understand the irregularity of their Infant Baptism 2. Whether it be necessary for such persons who have for some considerable space of time made profession of the faith though as yet unbaptized whether it be necessary for them to be baptized since the ends of Baptism seem to be anticipated by such a continued profession As touching the former of these Questions I conceive I may affirm that none may safely and without danger of sin rest satisfied with that Baptism which they received in their Infancy they coming once to understand the irregularity and sinfulness of Infant Baptism and I do assert it upon these grounds 1. Because the Apostle Paul as may reasonably be conceived did not hold it convenient or safe for certain Disciples with whom he met to rest satisfied with such a Baptism as had been formerly either erroneously administred to them or else which was deficient as touching some special ends of that Baptism which was enjoyned the Disciples of Christ but did proceed to baptize them or to cause them to be baptized afresh The Case before us is touching those certain Disciples which Paul found at Ephesus and of whom he demanded Whether they had received the Holy Ghost since they had believed Unto whom they replyed That they had not so much as heard whether there were any Holy Ghost Vnto what then said Paul were ye baptized And they said Vnto Johns Baptism Then said Paul John verily baptized with the Baptism of repentance saying unto the people that they should believe on him that was to come after him that is on Christ Jesus When they heard this they were baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus And when Paul had laid his hands upon them the Holy Ghost came on them c. Acts 19.1.2.3.4.5.6 In this passage of Scripture there are three things which I would have observed as to my present purpose The first is touching the Baptism which these Disciples are said formerly to have received The second is touching their later Baptism which they received upon Pauls instructing them And the third is touching the reason why they were now baptized upon Pauls preaching to them notwithstanding they had formerly been baptized unto Johns Baptism 1. That these Disciples had been formerly baptized unto Johns Baptism is that which they themselves affirm verse 3. 2. That the same Disciples were now again baptized upon Pauls preaching Christ to them I conceive fairly appears by those words ver 5. When they heard this viz. that which Paul had declared to them they were baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus There are indeed two other Interpretations of these words urged by some that do much differ from that sence which I have now given but are both beside the Scope and meaning of the place as I suppose I shall presently make appear 1. Some by their being baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus as here in this place would have us to understand it not of their being baptized with water but of their being baptized with the Spirit which is Master Calvins sence upon the place and so he takes these words They were baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus and those that follow in the next verse viz. And when Paul had laid his hands on them the Holy Ghost came on them and they spake with tongues and prophesied to import one and the same thing and that the later words are only an Explanation of the former shewing after what manner they were baptized and he further saith That for the visible graces of the Spirit which were given by the laying on of hands for this to be expressed by the name of Baptism is no new thing as he does alledg from Acts 1.5 and 11.16 But 1. That their being baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus and their receiving the Holy Ghost upon the laying on of Pauls hands were not the same thing as is alledged may be discerned 1. By a due consideration both of the different nature of the actions themselves and the successive order of those different actions For the doctrine and so the practise of Baptism is one thing and that of laying on of hands is another as is apparent by that of the Apostle Heb. 6.2 where the Doctrine of Baptisms and of laying on of hands are differenced by the same note of distinction by which the Doctrine of the resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment are differenced from them both And the same thing appears from the order and suecession of these different actions as well as from the different nature of them For we have 1. Pauls teaching of these Disciples distinctly mentioned 2. The baptizing of them in Name of Christ
Infants Circumcision 3. Another thing by which it may appear that Infant-Baptism is not agreeable to the Gospel-Ministration is in that it differs from it in this property of it viz. as it is a Ministration of the Spirit for so it 's called 2 Cor. 3.6 It 's the Ministration of the Spirit in two respects 1. Because in and by this Ministration the Spirit is given unto men Galat. 3.2 5. 2. Because the worship and service which God receives from men under it is or ought to be more spiritual then that was under the Law in both which respects Infant-Baptism will be found disagreeable to it 1. That Baptism as an Ordinance of the New Testament and part of the Gospel Ministration when duly administred and received does contribute towards their receiving of the Spirit in respect of a greater presence and operation thereof then till then ordinarily hath been enjoyed by them who are thus baptized may appear from the promise of God made in that behalf Acts 2.38 Then Peter said unto them Repent and be baptized every one of you in the Name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost c. And that this was not particular and peculiar to those persons unto whom Peter then spake these words but that the same promise is made to all in all ages that shall repent and be baptized is evident by that which follows in the next Verse whereby the Apostle doth assure them of the remission of their sins and their reception of the Holy Ghost in case they did repent and were baptized upon this ground because the promise of God to wit upon the terms before mentioned was made to them and to their children and not to them only but also to those afar off viz. in respect of nation and generation even as many of them or their children or others afar off as whom the Lord our God should so call viz. by Repentance and Baptism And it is very like that it is because of that proximity or neerness of relation that is between this Ordinance of Baptism by water and this Baptism of the Spirit that mens being born of water and of the Spirit Joh. 3.5 and the washing of Regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost are coupled together in Scripture Tit. 3.5 1 Cor. 6.11 And it is not unlike neither but that the Spirits descending upon Christ immediately upon his being baptized Mat. 3.16 might have this instruction in it to teach all those that should regularly be baptized with water as he was to expect a greater measure and presence of the Spirit then before had been vouchsafed to them But now that it is not reasonable to expect that any such effect should be produced by Infants being baptized is evident upon this ground because the gift of the Spirit is still made in Scripture to follow the act of mens beleving the Gospel of which act Infants are uncapable Joh. 7.39 Acts 15.7 8. 19.2 Gal. 3.14 Ephes 1.13 And therefore when I affirm as before That the gift of the Spirit or some greater measure of the Spirit is promised upon Baptism duly received I would not be understood as if I meant that this promise is made to any meerly and barely upon their being baptized but to their Baptism in conjunction with their believing and repenting for so it is in the forecited place Acts 2.38 Repent and be baptized c. and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost The promise of the Spirit is not made either to Repentance or Baptism singly but to both in conjunction So that although Baptism be to be received with an eye to the promise of the Spirit and under an expectation of a greater presence thereof yet by such only who are under that qualification of believing for where things are promised upon several conditions or upon condition of several things in conjunction it is not the performance of one of those conditions alone that can put a man into a due and well-grounded expectation of the promise That Infants are in no present or actual capacity of believing whil'st such is evident upon this ground because they have not the use and exercise of understanding knowledg or reason without which none can actually believe For faith supposes an actual knowledg in him who does believe of these two things 1. A notion or knowledg of the thing matter record or testimony to be believed and 2. A notion or knowledg of him who is to be believed or who is the Author of that doctrine or saying which is the subject matter of Faith as namely That he is such an one as may be credited in what he says These things are clear from these and the like Scriptures Romans 10.14 17. Joh. 9 3 6. Psal 9.10 2 Tim. 1.12 That Infants have no such knowledg as to make any Judgment upon either person or thing to be believed as touching either the goodness or badness of the one or the probability or improbability of the other appears Deut. 1.39 Your little ones which ye said should be a prey and your children which in that day had no knowledg between good and evil they shall go in c. Isai 7.16 Jonah 4.11 If Infants then be in no present capacity to believe and without believing in no capacity to receive the Spirit it follows That Infants whilest such are in no due capacity of receiving Baptism in order to their receiving the Spirit and consequently that Baptism administred to them is disagreeable to the Gospel-Ministration as it is the Ministration of the Spirit where as the Baptism of Believers is most commodiously suitable thereunto Nor can it reasonably be supposed here that such a notion as this will salve this fore viz. That Baptism may be received by Infants in order to their receiving the Spirit when they come to believe and so their Baptism be agreeable to the Gospel-Ministration as it is a Ministration of the Spirit notwithstanding it be received in Infancy Because Baptism hath no influence this way as it is a work done in which respect only Infants are capable of it but as it is done submitted to and taken up out of faith and in obedience to God as hath been already proved before in part and will be further confirmed afterwards 2. Infant-Baptism is disagreeable to the Gospel-Ministration as it is the Ministration of the Spirit in this respect also viz. as it requires all Worshippers in all acts of worship in all the Ordinances of this Ministration to worship God in Spirit with the mind in faith and fear of the Lord. That these are the terms of the Gospel-Ministration appears from Job 4.23 24. with other places cited formerly upon somewhat like occasion upon which account I may spare further insisting on them here He that makes use of a Gospel-Ordinance and does not discern in some measure the nature tendency and import of it contracts sin and guilt to
as following thereupon as distinctly described And 3. The laying on of Pauls hands and their receiving of the Holy Ghost thereupon as distinctly and differentially described as either of the former The article AND which stands between the Description of their Baptism and reception of the Holy Ghost upon the imposit on of hands being a Note here not of identity or sameness of things but of transition or passing from one thing to another or else of copulation of things really distinct but yet relative 2. This is further discernable by a collation of this passage of Scripture with others where we have the same actions in the same order described as Acts 8.16 17. where speaking of the Holy Ghost the holy Historian saith That he was fallen upon none of them to wit the believing Samaritans onely they were baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus then laid they their hands on them and they received the Holy Ghost Whence it plainly appears that the Disciples were baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus before they received the Holy Ghost and that they did receive the Holy Ghost after their Baptism upon those prayers that were made for them hands laid on them for that end so that these were not one but two distinct actions Just so in the place under discussion though they were baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus yet we do not find that they received the Holy Ghost till imposition of hands was super-added thereunto 2. Whereas it is further alledged by Calvin that it is no new thing to express the gift of the visible graces of the Spirit by the name of Baptism though this is indeed true in such a sence as the Scriptures to which he refers intend it yet I do believe it is a new thing and not to be found in Scripture to express the effusion of the Spirit as divided from Baptism by water under the description of being baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus the form here used in the Text under debate For both those places produced Acts 1.5 and 11.16 speak of the Fathers or Christs own immediate act of conferring the Spirit whereas to baptize in the Name of the Lord Jesus plainly and directly notes the Agency or Ministry of man managed in the Name of Christ the one is the Baptism of Christ ministred by himself the other is the Baptism of Christ ministred by man in his Name And so Master Calvin himself at another turn will tell you that When John said I indeed baptize with water but Christ when he shall come shall baptize with the Holy Ghost and with fire he meant not to put difference between the one Baptism and the other but he compares his own person with the Person of Christ saying that himself was a Minister of water but that Christ was the Giver of the Holy Ghost Instit Lib. 4. Cap. 15.5.8 And the baptizing in the Name of the Lord Jesus and the pouring out of the Spirit are not the same individual thing but are clearly differenced and distinguished in respect of time order and action as I noted in part before from Acts 8.16 17. a place in this respect parallel with this in hand So that still you will find that to baptize in the Name of the Lord Jesus signifies such a Baptism as is not without water But some others not liking so well this construction of the words though they be of the same mind as to the impugning of that literall sence of them which I have imbraced have thought of another way to evade this and that is by understanding these words They were baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus as the words of Paul recited by Luke declaring the Baptism of these Disciples by Iohn to be the consequent of Johns preaching to them and not the words of Luke as recording their Baptism as consequential to Pauls preaching to them and so the sence they make to be this That these Disciples when they heard John in his preaching say to them that they should believe on him that was to come after him to wit Christ Jesus then they were baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus by Iohn See the late Annotators upon the place for this But that neither this is the true intent and genuine sence of the words I strongly incl ne to believe upon these grounds 1. Because this Interpretation overthrowes the Grammatical sence of the words and renders them void of Common sence For it is evident that what Paul is here brought in speaking he spake it to these Disciples themselves for here is no mention of any other persons but Paul and them Now then what ever words were spoken by Paul to them must run in the second Person if you will suppose Paul to speak common sence whereas these words They were baptized in the Name of the Lord Iesus are spoken in the third Person and therefore cannot be the words of Paul to them but of Luke concerning them For if Paul would have declared such a thing to the Disciples as that they were baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus upon the hearing of Iohn then his words should have run thus When you heard this you were baptized c. and not as now we have them When they heard this they were baptized c. Besides how uncouth and harsh is it to make the people whom Iohn taught and baptized and those twelve Disciples to be the same persons and to conceive that Paul should tell them what Iohn said to the people when all the while he meant themselves both which you must suppose if you take the words in that sence which I oppose because then the people in the fourth verse unto whom Iohn spake and those in the fifth verse which are said to have heard and to have been baptized must be the same persons and consequently both of them these twelve men because as the Pronouns they and they in the fourth and fifth verse upon that supposition that both are Pauls words cannot be understood but of the same persons so also the same Pronouns they and they which relate both to the persons baptized ver 5. and to the twelve that prophesied after Paul had laid his hands on them vers 6. are undoubtedly meant of the same persons likewise And therefore that interpretation now under examination which runs us upon such rocks of absurdity and into such Solecisms of speaking as these must be rejected and consequently these words When they heard this they were baptized in the Name of the Lord Iesus must be taken as the words of Luke and not of Paul importing the Baptism of these Disciples upon the hearing of Paul and not of Iohn 2. That these words They were baptized in the Name of the Lord Iesus are not a Description of Iohns Baptism administred to these Disciples but of that Baptism which they received upon Pauls Preaching we have this reason further to conceive because it no
For we shall find that not the baptizing of men into the expectation of Christ to come had the promise of the Spirit but the baptizing of them into the faith and acknowledgment of Christ come and of Iesus to be that Christ and so consequently that Iohns Baptism had no such promise annext to it as Christ's Baptism had on this behalf 1. That Iohns Baptism had no such promise of the Spirit appears by his own acknowledgment and assertion in which he makes this very difference between his own Baptism and the Baptism of Christ viz. that his was but a Baptism of water unto repentance but that he which should come after him should baptize with the Holy Ghost Matth. 3.11 Nay Mark hath it thus which is somewhat fuller I indeed have baptized you with water but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost Mark 1.8 His manner of speaking seems to import as if he intended hereby to beat them off from any expectation of the Spirit upon the account of his Baptism now they had received it and to put them upon the expectation thereof from and by the Baptism of Christ when he should come 2. The Apostle Peter accompanied with the rest of the Apostles herein addressing himself to that great multitude that heard him preach at Ierusalem advises them in order to their reception of the Holy Ghost to repent and to be baptized and that every one of them in the Name of the Lord Iesus Acts 2.38 Consider now who these were to whom he gives this advice And we shall find that it was the multitude as they are called ver 6. that came together flocking doubtless from all parts of the City upon occasion of that miraculous wonder of fiery cloven tongues siting upon the Apostles and of their speaking with strange tongues when this was noised abroad as there it is said And can any man imagine that when as but about four years before this the Inhabitants of this City generally went out to be baptized of Iohn and now as generally came together to hear and see this wonder that yet none of them that now came together should be of that number that had been baptized by Iohn Surely such a thing will not be any mans thought or if it shall yet will not be believed amongst considering men And yet even these notwithstanding their having been baptized by John are directed and exhorted now afresh to repent and be baptized and that EVERY ONE of them in the Name of the Lord Jesus for remission of sins and are thereupon assured that they shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost Their being baptized then in the Name of the Lord Jesus was necessary to render them meet to receive the Holy Ghost notwithstanding their former Baptism by Iohn 3. If things be well weighed I conceive it will be found that these twelve Disciples at Ephesus were baptized again though they had been baptized formerly unto Johns Baptism upon this very account especially and in order to this very thing viz. their receiving the Holy Ghost For 1. The manner form and import of Pauls questions or demands to them and their answers to him do imply that as it was common for the Spirit to be given upon the reception of Christs Baptism so also that it was not wont to be given upon the administration of Johns For when Paul queries Whether they had received the Holy Ghost since they had believed ver 2. And so when he again demands upon their declaring they had not Vnto what then they had been baptized it plainly implies that Paul did verily expect that they should have received the Holy Ghost upon their being baptized until he was informed that they had been baptized only unto Johns Baptism And not onely so but that question of his Vnto what then were ye baptized since ye have not received the Holy Ghost does also imply that Paul very well knew that there was a Baptism which was not accompanied with the giving of the Spirit and therefore the end of his question was to know Unto which Baptism they had been baptized and upon their resolution of the Case shewing that they had been baptized only unto Johns Baptism the true reason was discovered why they had not received the Holy Chost as being that which did not use to follow upon Johns Baptism the which appears hereby in that they knew Johns Baptism and the manner of it they themselves being baptized thereunto and yet they had not so much as heard that there was a Holy Ghost to wit extant in the world upon any such terms as Pauls question unto them did import of which surely they could not have been ignorant if the Holy Ghost had been wont to be vouchsafed unto men without any other Baptism save that of Iohn 2. That their re-baptizing or their being baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus mentioned in ver 5. of Acts 19 was in direct order to their receiving the Holy Ghost the thing first in question between Paul and them may easily be gathered from the connexion that is b tween the 5. and 6. verses and the matters therein related For that their being baptized as set forth ver 5. and their receiving the Holy Ghost ver 6. were neerly related the later having a dependance on the former the Conjunction copulative AND which knits both matters together shews For so the words run When they heard this they were baptized in the Name of the Lord Iesus AND when i.e. when this was done AND when Paul had laid his hands on them which imports as much I conceive as if he had said AND when also Paul had laid his hands on them the Holy Ghost came on them i.e. then or thereupon the Holy Ghost came on them So that their receiving of the Holy Ghost relates both to their being baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus and to the imposition of Pauls hands both which in their due order did prepare and dispose them for that reception To conclude this therefore if then men were to be baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus when they came to believe in him in order to their receiving the Spirit of God though they had been before baptized by Iohn then surely have they need to be baptized for the same end who come to the acknowledgment of the truth though they have been baptized as men call baptizing in their infancy because such their Infant-Baptism as hath been formerly evinced doth not operate towards their receiving of the Holy Ghost as true Gospel Baptism will do Come we now more briefly unto a second reason why it is not safe for any to satisfie themselves with that Baptism which they received in their Infancy the irregularity of it supposed and that is because it is none of Gods Baptism i. e. it is none of his ordaining but is the device of mans own heart As it is said of that Feast which Ieroboam ordained though in other
Jews stumbled at Christ himself when they saw the lowness of his condition in the world this likewise caused them to prefer works before faith as to their justification This was the stone at which Naaman the Syrian began to stumble when he was commanded to wash seven times in Jorden for the clensing of his leprosie supposing that to be an unlikely thing to produce that effect I had thought saith he concerning Elisha that surely he would have come out me and have stood and called on the Name of the Lord his God and have struck his hand over the place are not Abana and Pharper rivers of Damascus better then all the waters in Israel c. 2 King 5.11 12. And indeed I much fear that the feet of many who other-wayes are godly and wise are taken in this very snare of under-valuing and disesteeming the Ordinance of Baptism because it is a thing which according to outward appearance is despicable and promiseth so little For from what else can those dimunitive expressions of some concerning it proceed who say that if it be a duty for Christians not to baptize their children and to be baptized themselves yet it is one of the least of duties among ten thousand And as it was from that low esteem which Naaman had of his washing in Jorden seven times and the improbability of it in his eye to effect his clensing that made him to say Are not Abana and Pharpar rivers of Damascus better then the waters of Israels So doubtless is it from the like low esteem which they have of this Ordinance of Christ that some conceive that the other parts of the Christian profession are likelier to produce the effects assigned to Baptism then Baptism it self is But as many times great weights do hang on small wyers so the wisdom of God hath put much as to the good of men in those very things which many times seem least in the eyes of men that the excellency of the treasure and benefit may so much the more manifestly be known to be of God by how much the vessel is earththy and weak in which it is brought And wherefore have I thus inlarged but to shew that Baptism by water however by mens mis-representation of the matter to themselves it seems to be numbred among the least of the Commands of God or rather excluded their number as to the professors of these dayes yet being enjoyned by the same Lord in the same Gospel in order to the salvation of men as well as repentance from dead works and faith towards God and that God doth no more exempt or priviledge any man from the one then he does from the other by any word of his or does any whit more ascertain his salvation in the neglect of the one then he does in the neglect of the other that therefore it is of mans weakness and vanity and not from any wisdom received from God to make such an election and reprobation among the Doctrines of Christ as some do who while they account the one absolutely necessary to salvation yet do in the mean while with another eye look upon the other as indifferent needless and superfluous as touching any such need which the salvation of men hath thereof yea judging them deeply culpable almost as much as they who said Except ye be circumcised ye cannot be saved that urge the practise of Baptism as necessary to salvation though in the doing thereof they put no other necessity upon it then what the Scripture hath put 2. As there is one common end of believing repenting Baptism growing in grace and persevering to the end which is salvation so there are subordinately several different ends of Baptism it self and there is also a gradual accession to those ends in both which respects Baptism is necessary in persons otherwise of the largest growth in religion For though it should be granted for arguments sake that some of the ends of Baptism may be prevented by a long continued course of profession preceding it yet that any should affirm that all the ends of Baptism are anticipitated by such a profession me thinks is strange For 1. Baptism in the use influence and operation of it runs parallel with a mans life and dayes so that though the act be transient yet the Spirit or obliging power of that act is or ought to be permanent and lasting For what ever a man by his baptism does ingage himself to this baptismal engagement of his if the intent of it be observed hath an influence upon him all his dayes to walk answerable to it And so we shall find the Apostle teaching the believing Romans to improve their Baptism which they had received long before unto their then present mortification and sanctification answerable to the true intent of it Rom. 6.2 3 4 5. As a wife ought all her dayes to remember and keep that engagement of fidelity to her husband into which she entred the day of her marriage so ought a Christian to make it his continual work and daily business to answer fulfil and make good that engagement of subjection and fidelity to Christ Jesus into which he entred at the time of his Baptism So that this then running parallel with a Christians profession influencing and acting the same it cannot possibly be prevented by such a profession 2. One end of Baptism is to confirm strengthen and increase in men that which in some good measure they had before they were baptized Men either do or ought to believe before they are baptized as hath been already shewed and yet they are to be baptized for the bettering and confirmation of that faith of theirs notwithstanding So men have some presence and operation of the Spirit before Baptism in as much as they are enabled to believe before For no man can say that Jesus is the Lord as they do that believe before Baptism but by the Holy Ghost 1 Cor. 12.3 And yet Baptism is to be received for this end among others viz. that they may receive the Holy Ghost i. e. a greater measure and presence of the Spirit then before they had Acts 2.38 39. Now then unless that any professors can come forth and say that they have so much faith and so much of the Spirit that they need no more I cannot understand how their profession though otherwise never so substantial and real can carry them above their need of Baptism Certainly they have outstript Paul either in proficiency or in opinion of their own worth who can say they have attained to wit perfection of degrees Not as though I had already attained either were already perfect sayes Paul Philip. 3.12 Now that Baptism ought to be received in relation to some of its ends though others of them should be prevented by some precedanious work of grace or gift of God will appear 1. From the example of our Saviours Baptism who though he had no need of baptism in respect of some of those
ends for which Baptism was ordained and in respect whereof all other men needed it yet in some other respects we see it was necessary even in Christ himself viz. as it was a thing well becoming him to fulfil all righteousness and to obey God in this as in all other his Commands and Institutions then on foot Matth. 3.15 2. It appears from the Baptism of Cornelius and his Company For though one end of Baptism is to put men into a regular capacity of receiving the Holy Ghost as hath been noted yet God preventing this end of baptism as unto them in causing the Holy Ghost to fall upon them extraordinarily while the word of the Gospel was in speaking to them and before they were baptized the Apostle Peter hereupon is so far from making this an Argument why they should not be baptized or had no need of Baptism as that he thence infers the reasonableness of the thing why they should be baptized in reference to other ends Acts 10.47 48. Can any man forbid water that these should not be baptized which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we And he commanded them to be baptized in the Name of the Lord. I might also from what hath been now last mentioned Objection take occasion to answer another Objection against the continuation of Baptism in these dayes which Objection is this That experience shews that Baptism now produces no such effects as it did in the Apostles dayes for then those that were baptized with water were baptized also with the Spirit some visible effects thereof frequently ensuing But no such effects are now produced by that Baptism which men take up in our days for what have they more of the Spirit who are baptized with this new baptism as they call it then those that are not and if they have no more then to what purpose is the practise of it continued To this I answer Answer 1. That by what hath been just now observed about the baptism of Cornelius and his Company it appears that baptism is necessary for other ends then to render men capable of those extraordinary receptions of the Spirit For we there see that baptism was necessary to them though they had been prevented herewith 2. If this Objection were forcible against the being of true baptism now in the world it might be to as good purpose an objection against the being of any true believers in the world at least so far as known to us For there are no such effects as a miraculous speaking with tongues c. that follow mens believing in these dayes which yet were promised to believers and received by them in the Apostles dayes Mark 16.17 But as the ordinary and common effects of believing to wit obedience love c. do now follow mens believing as well as they did in the Apostles dayes though those extraordinary effects are ceased or at least suspended as having been vouchsafed for a certain time only by way of special dispensation designe for the confirmation of the Gospel-ministration whilest it was but yet new Mark 16.20 Heb. 2.4 So do the ordinary common and indeed most salvivical effects of baptism where duly used now remain when as those that were extraordinary and by way of extraordinary designe and of special dispensation for a time voucsafed are now ceased or at least suspended Neither were those gifts which we call extraordinary extraordinary in point of saving benefit above those which we call ordinary nor indeed equal to them for the Apostle having spoken of these extraordinary gifts 1. Cor. 12.10 concludes thus in ver last Covet earnestly the best gifts and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way And what was that more excellent way but the way of Christian love and charity of which he speaks in the following Chapter the which if wanting though otherwise a man had the tongue of men and Angels and the gift of Prophesie and faith to remove mountains yet he would be nothing but as a sounding brass or a tinkling Cymbal 1 Cor. 13.1.2 But 3. whereas it is demanded what have they more of the Spirit who are baptized then those who are not Though I believe they will not boast of their measures of the Spirit yet I dare say that if they have not a greater presence of the Spirit with them then others have to acquaint them with the things freely given them of God to mortifie the deeds of the body to lust against the deeds of the flesh to crucifie their affections and lusts to the old world to guid them in the wayes of truth to help their infirmities in prayer to strengthen them to suffer and to support them in suffering for righteousness sake and to fill them with that joy and peace which is unspeakable and full of glory it is not because these and the like blessed effects of the Spirit are not deducible from God by baptism if rightly improved but it is because they either rest in the work done or do not exercise faith about the Ordinance and the promise of God annexed to it or else do not frequently and seriously apply themselves to God for these supplyes from it not study how they may all their dayes make the best improvement of it for otherwise this Ordinance is not barren nor is that a vain word which assures men of the Spirit that obey God herein Indeed Baptism doth not procure these effects by any natural efficiency or by the work done neither indeed doth any other Ordinance of the Gospel but in a moral way If then there be that answer of a good conscience joyned with it of which Peter speaks it will doubtless give a good account of it self as touching both what and whose it is Let any mans heart but serve him to obey God in this Ordinance of his and he will find himself upon better terms of confidnce towards God to expect larger receptions from him then before he could do especially whilest he was under any jealousie of mind lest he had not as yet sought such and such grace at his hand after the due order of the Gospel I perceive also Objection that many stumble at this stone as to conceive as if Baptism were an Ordinance and Administration peculiar only unto the first times of the Gospel and not to continue longer then whilest the first Plantation of Chu ches by the Apostles was in hand Towards the removing of which stumbling block Answer laid in their way by Satan I will not say much in more then what I have said though much more might readily be produced on that account But I would demand of the consciences of such whether Baptism were ever at any time an Ordinance of the New Testament of Jesus Christ or no And whether that New Testament in which Baptism hath its place standing were not the last Will and Testament of Christ And if so as I suppose it will not be denied so to have been then whether