over into the River or water to hold forth That now he must resolve to take up the Cross of Christ and suffer and not only so but this being raised and delivered out of the water again by the hands of the Minister doth hold forth that so shall such believing souls be saved and delivered from all their afflictions as in Psal 34.17 Many are the Afflictions of the righteous but God shall deliver them out of all And that this doth sign or signify our salvation appears in 1 Pet. 3.21 the like figure wherunto Baptism doth now save us and Mark 16.16 He that believes and is baptized shall be saved So that Baptism is to sign and confirm signally our Sufferings and Afflictions with Christ so Salvation or Deliverance from them all the one in dipping and plunging him in Water the other in Raising him out again Into whose name Baptism is administred The third thing that is essential in this Ordinance of Baptism which I shall speak to will be what is meant by name of Father Son and Holy Ghost The Command is That the Mininister must dip them into the name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost the which the Lord Jesus commanding must be therefore essential to this Ordinance I shall therefore endeavour to shew you what is meant by name here That by which Father Son and Spirit are made known as a man is by his Name that is hereto be understood by the name Father Son and Holy Ghost we know the Gospel doth hold forth one God yet distinquished into Father Son and Holy Ghost the name here is to be understood that Gospel that doth so set forth God and describe him as the Subject Matter of our Faith Acts 9.15 But the Lord said unto Ananias Go thy way for he is a chosen Vessel unto me to bear my name before the Gentiles and Kings and Children of Israel for I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my names sake Now Name in this place and in the Commission is to be understood that heavenly mystery of the Gospel in which God is discovered and made known as a man by his name One part of the Gospel mystery consists of a Discovery of the name of the Father by which he is distinquishably made known from the Son and Spirit and that in these particulars First In ordaining the Son 1 Pet. 1.18 in choosing and electing the Son Isaiah 28.16 with 1 Pet. 2.5 in sending the Son Gal. 4.4 John 3.16 17 in sealing the Son John 6.27 in promising the Son Isaiah 9.6 in bruising the Son and putting him to grief Isaiah 53. and laying all our iniquities upon the Son and to justify and freely accept such as believe in the Son This I understand is the Name of the Father And by the Sons Name is to be understood that by which he makes known himself to the Sons and Daughters of men as to take Flesh Heb. 2.14 Rom. 9.5 1.3 He kept the Law in order to dy As that just one or as a Lamb without spot and his making his Soul an offering for sin as a perfect offering for the sins and transgressions of his people Heb. 10.12 14. Isa 53. and that he did not only dy for our Sins but rose again for our Justification Rom. 4.25 and ascended into Heaven and makes intercession for us Heb. 2.25 And pours down the Spirit and gives gifts unto men Zach. 12.10 Ephes 4.10 11 12. all this the Son makes himself known by as by a name distinguishably from the Father and the Spirit And in the last place the Spirit is made known in the Gospel as that which in the first place convinceth the world of sin John 16.8 and pricks men in their hearts with a sense of sin and the wrath of God due for sin Acts 2.37 29. And the work of the Spirit by which that is made known Is the revealing of the Father and the Son and those great Mysteries unto the soul of a poor convicted Sinner for as Christ saith the Spirit of God shall lead you into all truth it shall take of mine and shew it to you John 16. and so no man doth understand the things of a man but the Spirit of a man that is within him So none shall or can understand the things of God but by the Spirit of God for the Spirit of God searcheth out all things even the deep things of God 1 Cor. 2.9 10. The Spirit doth not only discover mans misery and his lost estate by reason of sin but discovers a remedy which lies in the great love of God in Christ as before mentioned and worketh in the heart true faith and repentance disposing the heart to obedience This is the proper work or office of the Spirit by which he is distinguishably known from the Father and the Son And now when the Soul shall come to the Preacher and make known to him that the Spirit hath experimentally made known unto him his lost and damnable estate by sin and that he same Spirit hath discovered unto him the great love of God the Father in the gift of Christ to be a propitiation for sin as one dying for the chief of Sinners and that the Spirit of God hath made known all this to him and hath wrought faith in his heart to believe it and hath changed his heart from a Course of sin to renewed obedience for no soul can declare to a Minister the true work of Conversion but he must in so doing discover his knowledge of the work of the Father Son and Spirit and into this doth the Minister baptize him as in the name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost And thus much for these three particulars In the fourth place The subâ—ect of Baptism we shall now come to the Subject that must be baptized and that as you have heard is one that is taught Teach all Nations baptizing them and as my Text saith Repent and be baptized every one of you which doth hold forth the person baptized to be a taught and repentant person But seeing the main thing in question hath alwaies seemed to be the Subject of Baptism who it is that is to be baptized this I shall therefore most insist upon wherein I shall endeavour to make plain to you first as I say that he is to be a believer a penitent person as appears Mark 16.16 Go preach the Gospel to every Creature he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved where observe That believing the Gospel is to go before baptizing and Matthew 28.19 Teach all Nations Faith and Repentance go before baptism baptizing or dipping them What them them that are taught or made Disciples by teaching and in my Text you find that Peter after Christ had poured down the Spirit upon them doth by that authority received from heaven when he had converted those Jews command every one of them to be baptized or dipped Repent and be baptized
unbelieving Jews the true fleshly seed of Abraham that the Apostle Paul affirms the contrary Acts 19.9 But when divers were hardened and believed not but spake evil of that way before the multitude he departed from them and Acts 13.45 46. But when the Jews saw the multitude they were filled with envy and spake against those things that were spoken by Paul contradicting and blaspheming then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold and said it was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you but seeing ye put it from you and judge your selves unworthy of everlasting life Lo we turn to the Gentiles for so hath the Lord commanded us and v 50. the Iews stirred up the devout and honorable women and raised persecution against Paul and Barnabas but they shook off the dust of their feet against them and therefore Paul is plain in Rom. 11. saying That God had a certain number that were of the eternal election among the Iews those obtained right to the remission of sins and the rest were blinded and hardened but it should seem to be the general understanding of those that urge this Text for a covenant in the flesh That if they were the seed of the Jews though they were not called nor did not believe but were hardned in their continuance in unbelief yet this promise of remission of sins and the gift of the Holy Ghost belongs to them and this interpretation that this Text must have to defend a covenant in the flesh which I leave to any intelligent man to consider how greatly erroneous it is to affirm that the promise of the remission of sins belongs to the unbelieving and hardened children of the Iews that God hath nor nor doth call So that you may clearly see that the truth lyes in this text that the promise is to no more of Fathers nor children nor those afar off but such as God by his especial grace doth call to be the Sons of of God by faith An answer to that text 1 Cor. 7.14 Another Scripture made use of or rather abused and wrested to defend this error is 1 Cor. 7.14 The unbelieving husband is sanctified by the believing wife and the unbelieving wife is sanctifyed by the believing husband else were your children unclean but now are they holy whence is gathered by those of that opinion that this holiness is as they call it a federal holiness of a covenant holiness that is to say God having taken the believing parent with the child into covenant with himself the child is in this sense holy that is covenant-holy Now for the better understanding this Text I pray consider how and in what sense God takes persons into Covenant with himself and that as you have heard is two waies either he takes souls to himself in a typical covenant so he took Israel to himself in that covenant and in that sense they may be said to be separated from the rest of the World which separation of them from the rest of the World to himself is a holiness that the carnal Iew was only partaker of such a typical and legal holiness that people being separated from all other nations in the world to God in this covenant now the word holy signifies so much as separating or setting apart and in this sense the Vessels of the Temple were holy as also the Priests being by Law set apart from the rest of Israel to offer the bread of their God Now in the 2d. place there is also a new covenant or a covenant of life that God takes a people to himself which is to write his Law in their hearts in their minds to sanctify thē to justify them Now this internal holiness which God as an effect of that Covenant infuseth into the heart is only this new Covenant-holiness for there is no other holiness that relates to the new Covenant when the heart and the inward man shall be purified through faith And when the whole heart and affections are by the powerful work of Gods grace separated from sin and those vanities below to heaven and heavenly things this is the only holiness that the covenant of eternal life conveys to souls The Hypocrite may have this in appearance but the elect and chosen have this only in truth he puts no difference between us and them purifying their hearts by faith and he hath by one offering for ever perfected them that are sanctified Heb. 10. this sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the Truth goes alwaies together 2 Thes 2.13 Therefore it is impossible that this should be the meaning of the Text that all believers carnal seed are in a covenant of eternal life and so have their hearts purified and sanctified through the work of the Spirit and faith before they are born and in this sense are born holy I know no other sanctification the Scripture speaks of belonging to a covenant of grace and eternal life and for that external or typical holyness in an outward covenant it cannot be because that was abolished through Christs death as appears in Heb. 8.9 chapters therefore far be it from the Apostle to intend here the countenancing of any such erronious opinion as that every believers Child was by virtue of his first birth internally holy with that holiness of truth as the Apostle calls it Ephes 4.24 If you please therefore hearken to the true meaning of this text which is to this effect The Corinthians having sent several doubts and questions to the Apostle to resolve and answer as appears in the first verse of this chapter he answereth them particularly and it seems among the rest they had a Jewish question started grounded as we suppose upon Ezra 9. Deut. 7.2 where you find it was unlawful for a Jew to marry with a stranger therefore Ezra caused all those men that had taken them strange wives to put them away as not lawfully married because contrary and against the Law given to them therefore they were to put them away and the children born of them as illegitimate and unclean in an unlawful fellowship These Corinthians it seems did propound in writing to the Apostle this question whether such of them as had unbelieving husbands and wives yet reimaining in idolatry might lawfully abide with them in that fellowship in the marriage-bed and whether that fellowship were not unclean and unlawfull as in Ezra's time Unto this question the Apostle answers verse 12. To the rest speak I not the Lord. If any Brother hath a Wife that believeth not and she be pleased to dwell with thim let him not put her away and the woman which hath a husband which believeth not and if he be pleased to dwell with her let her not leave him But also might they say why is not our marriage fellowship unclean Therefore in ver 14. saith he The unbelieving wife is sanctifyed as the Geneva Translation hath it to the believing Husband or else were your children
I was enlightened in my understanding to see answers to whatsoever I had heard the Lord breaking in with not onely a clear light in me as to the matter in question but three daies one after another coming into my soul with sealing manifestations of his Love and that with such Scriptures so pertinent and sutable to my condition There being a Warrant at this time issued out to apprehend and bring me before the General Court in New England which was no trouble to me being filled with unspeakable joy as I walked up and down in the Woods in that Wilderness about my businesse and this discovery from God did much settle me in that truth which in substance thou wilt find in this Treatise Upon which God wrought in me a true Repentance and sorrow of heart that I had so long both in opinion and practice gone in so sinfull a way as I found that to be I have not in this Treatise gone about to undertake a confutation of any one man but upon my long experience in this Subject matter have taken up the main Argument which is the foundation that all the rest are grounded upon and have bent my understanding in answer to that which being overthrown all other Arguments fall with it Christian Reader I judge the clear evidence of Scripture light which I do hear give out to confirm the Dipping Believers will be sufficient to reprove all that darkness generally asserted in many large Discourses about this point of christening of children But further That which I have had much in observation hath been a great deal of malice and contempt discovered from the devil against this truth First In that the Devil did by his subtilties and fair pretences in the first apostacy sow this error in the minds of people that this Ordinance was of use to regenerate and convey grace and then who should be thought unfit to receive it it had been a great unmercifulnesse to let children or any be without the same Thus that subtle enemy the Devil destroys Gods Ordinances and sets up another of his own in the room thereof which still remains upon the Papists and generally all our carnal Protestants both Preists and people concluding the dangerous estate of that child that dies unbaptized therfore Midwives on this ground were tolerated to baptize if a child were like to dy putting such a value theron as if it had conveyed grace But many good men have renounced this though the devil hath shewed his malice in blinding them still to practice the same evil though upon another ground lately found out and that is the subject this book opposeth Others see the darkness and error of Christening carnal children upon any ground but the Devil shewes his rage against that Ordinance in them that rather than they will imbrace it as from the Lord contradict and oppose the same saying There is no Ordinance or Church to be found in the world His malice also appears in such as boast of their being above Ordinances saying That Christ and Ordinances are at end that dispensation being for that time or age but now they have Christ in Spirit the substance being come the shadows vanish Thus the Devil strangely appears like himself as if he had forgot his language in the Papist and carnal Protestant that this Ordinance regenerated in the very work done and that the salvation or damnation depended upon it when now in others what is washing or dipping in a little water but a low or legal thing So that if the Devils delusions and inventions are not closed withal then Christs Ordinances are vilified and contemned And further Satan manifests his malice in throwing contempt upon the obedient and upright practisers of the same to raise prejudices from a story of what strange Creatures were of that opinion at Munster in Germany and stirs up others to pry into the dark side of the Saints I mean their personal frailties As the Egyptians in the Red Sea to their own destructions the Cloud was darkness to them but gave light to the Israelites Exo. 14.20 the Egyptians eys were only on the black or dark side of the Cloud therfore they stumbled and fell but the Israelites had the light part therof for their safety which is compared to the conversation of the Saints Heb. 12.1 where there is a light part their graces and virtues but their dark part is their failings which malice or prejudice will not suffer many men to see beyond For a man that hates his brother walks in darkness as John saith the tempter accused Job That he did not serve God for nought he was hedged about God had prefer'd him to honour and riches and place of authority in the world as appears in Job 29. which malice he now adaies manifesteth against the prosperity of his Saints desiring to stain their holy obedience with improbrious language of self seeking and preferment When the professors of this truth have been the persons ordinarily stoned and suffering the violence of the multitudes where they have not been protected by godly Magistrates Christian Friend do not read this book with a heart prejudiced against the same for the sake of the Instrument or plainess of the stile it was not intended to please men but in faithfulness to discharge a duty to God from whom I received what I have laid before thee And to answer the call of many Christians which have been for some years past neglected through my indisposedness to this work However if thou shalt by this my weak endeavour reap any satisfaction or edification in the truth let God the Author of every good and perfect gift have the praise which is only due to him and not to his Unworthy Servant THOMAS PATIENT A Table of the principal things contained in this Book THe occasion of the words in the text Act. 2.37 38. laid open pag. 1. The reasons why the holy Ghost descended in an extraordinary manner upon the Apostles p. 3. The contents of Peters Sermon to the Jews upon the descent of the Holy Ghost ib. The benefit of preaching the Gospel p. 4. What is the beginning of true Conversion ib. How they that begin to receive the saving light are affected both towards it and them that hold it forth ib. Obedience accompanieth true conversion ib. All called to repentance by the Gospel p. 5. Whoever believes and repents ought to be baptized ib. The Ordinance of baptism explained ib. The four essentials of baptism p. 6. Who a lawful Minister of baptism ib. The true form of baptism p. 8. Into whose name baptism is administred pag. 14. The subject of baptism p. 17. Faith and Repentance go before baptism ib. Believers should offer themselvs to be baptized p. 20. Lydia and her Houshold together converted p. 21. The Gaoler and his Houshold together converted ib. Stephanus and his Houshold together converted ib. The Ordinance of baptism long neglected and an idol set in its room p. 23. The
Abraham First Because this righteousness of faith the Text saith he had before he was circumcised Therefore good reason it might be sealed or confirmed having it before he received the sign of Circumcision a seal of the righteousness of faith which he had being uncircumcised But his posterity after him at eight daies old cannot be said that they had this righteousness of faith to seal having it not preceding their Circumcision The second reason the text affords us is that he might be the Father of all that believe this is the main reason the Apostle insists upon He received the sign of Circumcision a seal of the righteousness of faith that he might be the Father of all that believe This reason cannot be applyable to any of Abrahams posterity besides himself for they were not the Fathers of all that believe That was proper to Abraham to be a high Father or a Father of all nations therefore as I said before God promising in Abraham that publique righteousness as a father of all Nations in the the covenant of grace adds to that covenant an external covenant to be intailed in his line and in his flesh as a confirmation of the same A third reason is this Here is the Spirit of God affirming the sealing use of Circumcision to Abraham only and not to any one of his fleshly seed and as before upon a reason special to Abraham Now where the Scripture hath not a Mouth to speak we must not have an Ear to hear But the Scripture here only affirms Circumcision to be a Seal of the righteousness of faith to Abraham and affords no such thing as to his seed A fourth reason lies in verse 13. That the promise of Abraham to be the heir of the world was not to him nor his seed through the Law that is through the covenant of Circumcision but through the righteousness of faith For if they which are of the Law be heirs then faith is made void and the promise of none effect because the Law worketh wrath therefore it is of faith that it might be by Grace to the end the promises might be sure to all the seed Not to that only which is of the Law but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham who is the father of us all as it is written I have made thee a father of many Nations before him who believed even God who quickneth the dead So that there is not in all the Scripture a place more clearly proves the covenant of Circumcision intailed on the fleshly line of Abraham to be a covenant of works than this 4. of the Romans clearing and setting the covenant of Circumcision and Faith in opposition holding forth that Abraham and all his spiritual seed had their Justification in another covenant and not in the covenant of Circumcision clearly holding forth the covenant of Circumcision to be works and not Grace which doth sufficiently prove that the covenant of Circumcision had no promise of Justification or eternal life in it But further An Appendix to the second Argument to prove Circumcision a Covenant of works That the covenant intailed on the flesh must needs be understood to be a Covenant of works viz. that of Circumcision appears in Philip. 3.2 3 4. and so forward where saith the Apostle Beware of Doggs beware of evil Workers beware of the Concision for we are the Circumcision that worship God in the Spirit and rejoice in Jesus Christ and put no confidence in the flesh By flesh he means the covenant entailed upon the flesh the covenant of Circumcision it is plain by his answer for he saith If any man thinketh he hath whereof to trust in the flesh I more circumcised the eighth day of the stock of Israel of the Tribe of Benjamen an Hebrew of the Hebrews as touching the Law a Pharisee concerning zeal persecuting the Church touching the righteousness of the Law blameless And this he sets by no more than dung or dross in comparison of the other Covenant or Promise of Christ righteousness and salvation by him which he received by faith and he suffered the loss of all things for the sake of him and did accompt all the whole privilege of Circumcision and the covenant of works to be but as dung that he might win Christ which if the promise of Christ and salvation and justification by him had been given in the Covenant of the flesh and line of Abraham then it had been very improper for Paul to accompt this as dung and to cast contempt upon it as that which was wholly void of Christ It would be very sinful for any man in such a case to cast such contempt upon the covenant of grace it self and the privileges thereof peculiarly relating to the same But you see Paul doth here clearly distinguish two covenants The one of saith the other of Circumcision This will further appear in Gal. 3.3 Are ye so foolish that having begun in the Spirit are ye now made perfect in the flesh Where he again distinguisheth two covenants the one Spiritual the other a fleshly covenant The Gallatians having at the first hearing of him begun to imbrace the Gospel or the Spirit or Spiritual word of the New Covenant and now they would join the covenant of works in the flesh with the Gospel which it is evident he means the covenant of circumcision which here they would seek to be perfected by Therefore in Gal. 4. lâ—tter end he clearly distinguisheth between two Covenants under the figure of Sarah and Hagar and two seeds holding forth the covenant of Circumcision to be the covenant of works and to be that bond-woman as it were in chap. 5.1 2 3. Chap. 6.12 13. So that if you will seriously mind these Scriptures they do most evidently prove that the covenant of Circumcision made in the flesh or fleshly line of Abraham is a covenant of works and that which the Gospel or Covenant of grace is set in opposition to and as this covenant of Circumcision is set in opposition to the covenant of eternal life as having all the works of the Law included in it So consider the new covenant speaks thus I will put my Law in your hearts and in your minds will I write them But Circumcision is a covenant not in the heart but in the flesh only as you have heard This is the second ground why the covenant of Circumcision cannot be a covenant of eternal life but a covenant of works only The third reason to prove Circumcision to be a Covenant of works an not of eternal life 3. Argument to prove Circumcision a Covenant of Works is Because that there is no promise of eternal life in it but of temporal blessings in the Land of Canaan and that God promising himself to be a God is only in that respect as to outward Protection and Provision in the Land of Canaan and other like privileges And that is noted by the Apostle in Heb.
since Christ came for the confirming he is come these belong only to the spiritual seed in whom Christ is come already dwelling in their hearts by faith Therefore as Christ is a spiritual and substantial Mediator of a Substantial and spiritual covenant so these spiritual Administrations of the spiritual covenant belong only to such as are in Christ and this new Covenant by faith and that have Christ dwelling in them as hath been before in the former part of my discourse manifested In the new Testament Faith and Repentance are required of them that are to be baptized Here is Water what letteth If thou believest with all thy heart it is lawful Acts 8.38 implying it was unlawful to baptize any that did not believe with all their heart at least in profession And so when Christ dispenseth the Supper He commands it to be received by his Disciples Matth. 26. He saith to his Disciples take eat and he said to his Disciples Drink ye all of this and Paul saith Examine your selves and so eat of this bread and drink of this Cup. If you will not shut your eyes against the light there is nothing more plain than this That those administrations under the old covenant did not require such qualifications as are essentially requisite to be found in the persons that must partake of these substantial signs of the new Covenant As for Circumcision it was not necessary for all that were circumcised to believe and repent or to have faith in Christ or to be converted and made Disciples by preaching as necessary Qualifications to partake of the Ordinances But the institution in Gen. 17.13 saith All born in thy house or bought with thy money though never so ignorant carnal or have never so wicked parents or parentage yet such ought to be circumcised this institution running upon that family But baptism is a confirmation of our Regeneration already wrought in us and our new birth and our union with Jesus Christ by faith and therefore belongs only to them where this Regeneration is to them that are born again of Water and of the Spirit and so the Passeover was to be partaken of by the carnal Israelite after the flesh viz. the captive the slave bought with money Heathen Black Moor or of the Canaanites but the Lords Supper only belongs to Disciples able to discern the Lords body by faith without the which they bring Judgement upon themselves and make themselves guilty of the body and blood of the Lord except they are able to examine themselves Let a man examine himself and so let him eat of that Bread and drink of that Cap. So that which the Apostle drives at in this chapter is this principally that as the temporal Israel who were the Church of God then privileged in that temporal Covenant upon their falls and sins were by God visited and corrected to shew to all the world that he would not countenance sin in them without sad reproof so he concludes in this also the Gospel-Church professing the covenant of grace and enjoying the privileges thereof they should not escape if they turn aside from God and sin against him without checks reproofs and sad admonitions from him and here lies the scope and the rather might such caution be given to Gospel churches because they were in a covenant of Grace onely by a visible profession and therefore may possibly receive the greater danger by sin if their profession should not be right and saving Object But some may object That there were some precious Saints then in the Old Testament and do you think that they did not perform the Ordinances with spiritual hearts Answ No question such did as it is said of Abel By faith he offered a more excellent sacrifice than Cain Duties performed from faith with an eye to Christ were then acceptable when so performed though ceremoniously and such duties relating meerly to the covenant of works Only I would have you to observe that the carnal Israelite was without faith capable to perform every ceremonial Law Faith made not Israelite capable of performing the ceremonies of the Law required by the old covenant according to the express tenor thereof as truly as the believer So in no wise can it be said of the duties relating to the new covenant either then or now as repentance spiritual prayer thanksgiving and divers other duties perpetually at all times and universall to all Saints I deny that the carnall Jews were capable of the true performance of these I mean as to answer the Rules or Institutions given For if you look to the Catechism in the Common Prayer Book you shall find that it was a maxim received by all that own that Liturgy That no less than a profession of faith and repentance was required of them that were baptized Whence observe they thereby confirm the doctrine that I have been all this while pleading for that none but such as have Faith and Repentance in their hearts and do profess the fame should be baptized Object But may some say Did not some bring their freinds to Christ to be healed and Christ seeing the faith of those which brought them healed them And if they believed for others to the healing of their bodies why not also then for the saving of their souls Answ This is directly the Papists Argument with which some do close rather than part with their Idol But to speak to this more particularly There is nothing more plain than that God did give gifts of healing to many as that the faith of one contributed to the healing of the body of another as their Servants and children as in the case of the Centurion in Matth. 8.7 8 9. verses and Jairus the Ruler over the Synagogue But this is no way to prove that one man should come to have union with Christ and so to have justification and eternal life by the faith of another For in this case the Prophet saith The just shall live by his faith Hab. 2.4 Rom. 1.17 And he that believes not is condemned already that is every individual he that believes not shall be condemned and he that believeth shall be saved but some do bring in that text in the 7. of the Hebrews that Levi paid tyths in Abraham therefore why should not souls believe and repent in their believing Parents as well as Levi paid tythes in his believing Father Abraham It seems to me that this Act of Abraham was performed as a publique person in his paying Tythes to Melchisedeck herein representing his Posterity but not so in all the rest of his Acts It doth not follow that he believed and repented for all his posterity for this were a notable ground indeed for Papists implicite Faith We know that Adam in his fall did act sin as a publique person in which all mankind are said to sin Romans 5. But it doth not follow that all the future Acts that Adam committed he did perform as a publique person for if
When Paul had received the holy Ghost Annanias saith And now Paul why tarriest thou Arise and be baptized for the washing away of thy sins calling upon the name of the Lord. Observe that Annanias had an immediate extraordinary commission from Christ by vision to come with the message to Paul and Christ in a vision bids Paul go to Annanias and he should tell him what he should do and Annanias according to that Commission of Christ upon his being filled with the holy Ghost commands him to be baptized And this agrees with the Covenant of grace in Ezekiel 36.27 where the Lord saith I will put my Spirit in them and cause them to walk in my way and Ezek. 11.19 I will give them one heart and will put my Spirit within them and will take the stony heart out of their flesh and will give them an heart of flesh that they may walk in my Statutes and keep mine Ordinances to do them and they shall be my people and I will be their God Where you may see that God is so far from giving his Spirit to the end that souls should plead thereby freedom from the practice of those commanded Ordinances of Christ that on the contrary it is the end why God gives his Spirit to enable and to cause them to walk in his way and in his Ordinances and in particular baptism And observe the Apostles have not left us a bare example only that they did baptize after that Christ powred out the Holy Ghost and that by the authority received from heaven but doth command it as you have heard to all that repent and believe and to all that receive the holy Ghost to submit to it But again the Baptism of the Holy Ghost and fire that John foretold of it is clear was extraordinarily given upon an especial ground and reason fulfilled in Act. 2. The Holy Ghost falling down in fiery Cloven tongues in the sight and view of the bodily eyes which was that outward sign and that clear light and fervent zeal and love they had in uttering the wonderful things of God in variety of strange tongues was the inward thing signified So that herein the baptism of the Holy Ghost was an outward sign and an inward thing signified but there is now no man in the world hath this baptism only it is true that the Spirit in the saving gifts of faith repentance and the like is held to be essential to the Ordinance of Baptism of water and must be joined together with it without which it cannot be said to be an Ordinance of God there must be the inward grace as well as the outward sign This Baptism that the Apostle according to Christs Commission hath left a standing Command for cannot be Johns baptism his holding forth Christ to come baptizing them in that doctrine But in this we baptize persons in Christ already come and fully exhibited And though it may be objected that the Apostles practiced some things that were abolished as the circumcising of Timothy and the like We also say that as they practised it among the Jews so the Apostle Paul to the Gentiles saith if they be circumcised Christ should profit them nothing but they were faln from grace and we never find that circumcision was practised among the Gentiles that were void of all Religion before they taught them It is evident in the new Tastament that Circumcision is abolished as part of the Mosaical Covenant and yoke of bondage Gal. 5.1 2 3. but the case in baptism is clean otherwise Whereas you hear the Apostle did press Cornelius his family to be baptized who was a Gentile never acquainted with Johns baptism nor wedded to such a doctrine as that whereby we should think that Peter did baptize them to condiscend to that error or weakness in their minds Again he doth not only simply baptize them as a Liberty that might be done or not done but commands them to be baptized and so doth as you heard before he did in Acts 2. and it cannot be said that the Apostles commanded any duty to be done with a promise of blessing to the right performance of the same after the Holy Ghost came down upon them but it must needs be a solemn standing Ordinance of God that every soul upon pain of the guilt and rebellion against Christ his head and King ought to be subject unto But this of Baptism hath as aforesaid many standing Laws left in holy Record speaking to all that believe and repent promising remission of sins and salvation to the right performance of the same which proves it to be a standing Ordinance of the new Testament And truly with the same reason Souls may affirm that Christ ceaseth to be a Mediator as to hold the Law of dipping believers ceaseth so much and no less is affirmed by the Soul that saith the Ordinance of baptism is an expired Ordinance he may as well say Christ is expired and abolished as a a fleshly form as some have had the confidence to say For as in the time of Moses Ministration till there was a change of the Priesthood there could not be a change of the Law no more now except there be another Christ and Saviour come or another Priesthood instead of this Priest and Minister of the New Testament assure your selves there can be no change of this Law as in Heb. 7.12 18. Therefore such as pretend to profess Christ to be their Saviour that came of the seed of David and the same persons deny and slight this fundamental Ordinance of Baptism they do therein testify that they reject Christ in their heart as abolished and have got some pretended fancy-Christ instead of him It is utterly inconsistent with the Faith of the Gospel and with true Religion to hold baptism and the Supper two solemn Ordinances and Symboles of the new Covenant to be abolished for in Ephes 4. the Apostle pressing there a visible Church-union layes down the main things wherein that union consists called saith he by one hope of their calling one Spirit one Lord one Faith one Baptism this one Baptism cannot be meant the Spirit because the Spirit is mentioned distinct but baptism here must needs be meant that standing solemn Ordinance of God commanded to every one that believes Now the Apostle pressing here a Church Union doth mention these particulars that are essential to a visi lâ— Church-union without which they could not walk together if not in these things agreed and where a people in all these particulars are one no other thing coming should make a breach of their union Object But some other souls will object and say That Believers baptism is an Ordinance of God and he thinks they do well that are drawn out to practise it by a power from God But saith the soul I want a divine power upon my heart drawing me out to the practice of the same and that is the let and hinderance in me Answ This objection
like manner as for Example Cornelius and his family having a personal union with the Lord and communion with him before Peter preached to him and he not being an obstinate professed enemy against any Law of Christ but contrarywise saying to Peter We are here to hear what soever is commanded thee of God Therefore the Spirit of God falling down upon them they spake with new tongues and glorified God and Peter and the six baptized Brethren being with them no question did join in Spirit and heart in that present Spiritual service which Cornelius and his family did perform to God they none of them at that interim of time being baptized nor convinced that baptism was an Ordinance of God For till Peter had consulted with the Brethren he did not press baptism upon them And therefore we find that he did instruct them after a consultation which he had with the Brethren saying How should we forbid water that these should not be baptized that have received the Holy Ghost as well as we And Paul in like manner between the time that Christ had converted him and his comming to Annanias prayed and we find God owns a personal Communion with him in that prayer for Christ speaking to Annanias saith That Paul was a chosen Vessel for behold he now prayeth manifesting that he owned Paul in that service Now he being in a teachable godly frame though ignorant of baptism in prayer God had Communion with him In like manner I judge from these Scripture examples it is lawful for a baptized person to have fellowship in prayer or speaking with any such soul which he is perswaded of to be godly and that is not a professed enemy to any command of God But God hath not as we find ever had any Church-union or Communion with any Soul that was unbaptized and it is clear that the Ordinance of the Supper is committed to a Church yea to a Ministerial Assembly gathered according to Christs Commission Mat. 28.19 20. where I understand the order there binding is this First the Ministers should teach the Nations or make them disciples by teaching and then the command is Baptizing them what them such that are made disciples by teaching Thirdly the Command is to teach them to observe whatsoever Christ hath commanded what them is here meant but such as are made disciples and baptized teaching them to observe whatsoever I have commanded you and I will be with you to the end of the world that is he will be with a people first converted secondly baptized thirdly walking in the practical observation of all other administrations of Gods house as these eleven did and those they converted I say this his promise is to be with his people to the end of the World And this order is binding that as a Minister is commanded to baptize one made a Disciple and not any other so he is commanded to put them upon the practical observation of all his Laws and they only and till they are baptized they are not nor cannot be admitted into a visible Church to partake of the Supper of the Lord. And that this is the true meaning of Christ in the Commission appears by his Apostles Ministry and practice who by the infallible gifts of the holy Ghost were guided unfailingly thus to preach and practice as in Acts 2.37 38. with 41 and 42. verses First he teacheth them the Doctrine of Jesus Christ they hearing that were pricked at the heart and inquiring of Peter and the rest of the Apostles what they should do he saith Repent and be baptized every one of you See how he presseth the same order here as Christ doth in the Commission and afterwards in the 41. verse it is said So many as gladly received the word of God were baptized and the same day there was added to the Church about three thousand souls by Faith and Baptism and they continued in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship in breaking of Bread and prayer Therefore the way that Christ hath ordained is That souls should be joined or added to the Church by Faith and Baptism according to that word in 1 Cor. 12.13 We are all baptized by one Spirit into one body Now though the Spirit as the inward thing signified be here spoken of yet the outward sign is also included as might be by other Scriptures cleared Thus Cornelius his Family were converted then baptized before they were constituted a Church So the Gaolers and Lydia's and the Church of Samaria in Acts 8. were all gathered by faith and dipping And for a Minister to gather a Church any other way is to go not only in an untroden path but cross and point-blank contrary to the doctrine and practice of the Apostles therby slighting the Rules of Christ in the Commission by which the Apostles Doctrine and practice was guided and which all the Ministers of the Gospel ought to be guided by Why the Ordinance of Baptism is administred but once the Ordinance of the Lords Supper often But yet further the Ordinance of baptism is to confirm our Regeneration New birth and Union with Christ in his death burial and resurrection Rom. 6.3 4 5. with Col. 2.12 Tit. 3.5 and therfore is to be received but once as a man is to be regenerated but once and born but once and changed from death to life but once but that ordinance of God viz. the Supper is for Christians growth and increase of grace and of constant use to shew forth Christs death till he come and therefore to be received often Now it must needs be a profâ—nation of this ordinance of God to divert and cross the order and so the special intendment of God in them and that is to admit persons to that Ordinance which is principally for Christian growth before you have admitted them to that Ordinance which is for planting them into Christ signifying the confirmation or washing of Regeneration and the new birth and Union with Christ the true stock and root from whence all spiritual growth is to be expected Therefore Baptism must be the first Ordinance dispensed or administred after conversion before the Supper So that it would be a profanation of the Ordinances of God to divert their proper order end and use to which our holy and jealous God hath appointed them and it is a tender point for those that profess themselves friends to Christ the Bridegroom to be venturing to take his peculiar privilege or prerogative out of his hands as to order and dispose of his own order in his solemn worship contrary to his Commission I do judge such a man that hath not a tender conscience in such cases is in that much unlike Christ and shewes much carnality because as you have heard God will have the honor to direct his people both for the matter and manner of their worship and order of his house But again as you have heard before in Ephes 4.3 What things are essential
to a Particular visible Church 4. there is by the Apostle mentioned these things that are essential to a particular visible Church-union which are these First to be all called into one hope of our calling which the poor children which some admit into their society by sprinkling are not called to the same hope that believers are called into Againe One Body one Spirit one Faith one Lord and one Baptism one God and Father of us all Now it is impossible that a people should walk together acceptably that have not one hope of one and the same glorious Inheritance and that have not one and the same Spirit and assistance and guideance in his holy worship and that have not one and the same faith but in the doctrine of faith do mainly differ one from another and it is an essential difference inconsistent with Communion that the members of one Church should own two Baptisms the sprinkling of Infants and dipping of Believers and this Ordinance of baptism is one of the essentials of a true visible Church And lastly they are to own one God and Father of all Here you have from this Text a ground why such as are not inlightned in the Lords baptism cannot be admitted into Church-fellowship because in one and the same Fellowship there is to be owned as one Hope one Spirit one Lord one Faith so one and the same Baptism Again the main end of Church fellowship is That they there do practice whatsoever Christ hath commanded as you have heard before in Mat. 28.20 and as Cornelius saith in Acts 10. We are here saith he to hear whatsoever it commanded thee of God and saith Christ Ye are my freinds if you do whatsoever I have commanded you And this is without doubt that the true and lawfull Ministry in Christs Church is to see that all the members practice the observation of whatsoever he hath commanded and so to see all the Laws of Christ put in execution For that cause hath Christ given into his Church not only the key of doctrine but also the key of Discipline that if any soul in a Church shall be known wittingly or willingly to neglect any duty that the Lord hath commanded by his holy word especially a fundamental Ordinance of the New Testament as is Baptism and the Supper of the Lord it is without all question that such a soul standing out in that disobedience ought to be cast out of the Church speedily for the same without which the Church allowing or conniving at or tolerating a â—oul in one course of known disobedieÌ„ce do therby make the sin their own the whole people becomming really guilty of his sin and impiety And as the Apostle saith Thus will the whole Lump be leavened and that Church unchurched Amongst men he that concealeth murther and is privy and consenting to it and will agree to tolerate it is reckoned a murtherer in like manner in the case of theft Now the main end of Church fellowship and Ministerial power is to destroy sin and to execute the power of Christ against it and not to be fosterers and Countenancers of sin which you are if you agree to admit any person into your fellowship that refuseth to submit to Baptism that plain solemn Ordinance of the New Testament let his pretence be what it will be that person that is not brought over to yield obedience to whatsoever Christ hath commanded is not while so disobedient fit matter for a visible Gospel Church especially in those his fundamental Ordinances as Prayer Hearing Baptism and the Supper of the Lord Thanksgiving Contribution to the necessity of the Saints and maintenance of an official Ministery according to the ability that God gives them and by the same rule and upon the same ground that you will tolerate some members in the Church to live in the neglect of baptism you must tolerate such as neglect to hear the word and others that will not according to abilitie contribute to pious charitable uses and others that will not pray in half a year or at twelve moneth together under the pretence they are not moved to that duty and others that will in a gross manner neglect the duty of particular callings or relations which the Apostle in Thessal 2. doth give rule to be withdrawn from which is as the rest but the neglect of duty nay this practice lays a foundation for all disobedience and for gathering an Assembly of Rebels let me alone in my sin and I will let thee alone in thine But may some say is a godly mans omitting to be baptized or dipped a sin Yes certainly it is for 1 Joh. 3.6 the Apostle saith sin is a transgression of the Law Now you have heard several Laws of the New Testament do command that such as believe and repent should be baptized therefore to neglect is a transgression of those Laws and sincere obedience is universal obedience by this saith David I know I shall not be ashamed when I have respect to all thy Commandments But further consider if you receive a person into Communion Unbaptized persons not to be admitted into Church fellowship that doth not submit to the Lords baptism that soul justifies still a corrupt baptism that he had in his infancy and consequently is not ashamed of all he hath done amiss which Ezekiel speaks of but still stands in fellowship and Communion with a Church and Ministry which by the Bishops power dispensed the same and you receiving such a soul into Communion receive that Church and Ministery from which he had his supposed baptism and must certainly own all those Churches which that Ministery stood in fellowship with that so baptized him therefore it is a sad and serious matter who it is that is admitted into fellowship in the true Church of Christ and I would admonish souls to be careful that they do what they do in good order for God it is said made a breach upon Vzzah because he did not do what he did in due order Object But some may say Faith in Christ brings a soul into Son-ship and so to a right in all the privileges in Gods house Answ It s true Faith and Repentance doth intitle a soul but repentance according to the Gospel is a change of the heart a resolution to obey God in all his Commandments such a Repentance only the Church of Christ ought to own in those Members they receive And therefore though they ought to receive the weak in faith yet they have no rule to receive them but by faith and baptism So that though faith gives an interest to baptism yet faith and baptism are to prepare and fit a soul for Communion So many as gladly received the word were baptized and the same day there were added to the Church about three thousand souls and they continued in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship in breaking of bread and prayer So here you see the word of Christ our Lord unto whom