must be Dipping of Believers The nature and end of the Ordinance proves That Baptizing is Dipping and not Sprinkling First To be a sign of the Covenant on Gods part viz. Of washing away of sin cleansing the whole man like the cleansing in the Law Lev. 15.5 Tit. 3.5 Gal. 3.27 Secondly To Figure out the Covenant on man's part that he thereby visibly declares to enter into viz. to die to sin and live to Christ in newness of Life by that figurative Death Burial and Resurrection by being put under the water Raised up again Rom. 6.4 Col. 2.11 12 13. Thirdâ—y To separate the Church from the World Fourthly To convince the Baptised that they are engaged by their own act of Baptism as their laying their hands to the â—low to hold out to the end Therefore Infant Sprinkling must be an invention of worldly wise men whose wisdom is foolishness with God and so it is a profanation of the holy Ordinance of Baptism and only Will Worship like Vzza's touching the Ark of God 2 Sam. 6.6 when another way of service was prescribed Numb 4.6 CHAP. XXXIX Col. 2.12 12. Buried with him Christ in Baptism wherein also ye are risen with him c. I note that Baptism is a Burying in the Water and a rising again out of the Water whereby the baptized shew that Christ was buried and arose again Or thus That as the baptized tho buried in the Water riseth again so Christ tho buried in the Earth did not lye long but arose again But sprinkling cannot be this sign of being Buried and risen A man above-ground cannot be said to be buried because he hath a little Dust thrown in his face neither can Sprinkling be a sign of burying with Christ Several Scripture Metaphors explain Baptizing to be Dipping When Persons are over-whelmed in great suferings they are said to be baptized therein Mat 20.22 23. Luke 12.5 When they have great measures of the spirit they are said to be baptized with the spirit Acts 1.5 When the Children of Israel were covered with a Cloud and the Sea on both sides they were then said to be Baptized in the Sea and in the Cloud 1 Cor. 10.2 with Exod. 14.12 When Ashur had the promised blessing of great plenty he is said to have his feet dipt in Oyl As the ignorant World lays up a human Faith or inherent Holiness they also lay up a Human Baptism or Infant Sprinkling And as Saints have many things of self continually apt to put in with Christs perfection so somethings do mingle with their duties and one is Infant Sprinkling CHAP. XL. Heb. 6.1 2. 1. Not laying again the foundation of Repentance from dead Works of faith towards God 2. Of the Doctrine of Baptism and laying on of Hands and of the Resâ—rrection of the Dead and of eternal Judgment I note that Baptism was a Doctrine left in charge to the Church and that it follows in order in the Third place after Repentance Faith and that it is here reckoned a Foundation Principal Then any with Wonderment may say who dares move this Foundation that the Father Son and Spirit have thus laid for Believers they only being capable to enter into a Visible Covenant with Jesus Christ for Baptism is an Ordinance for the Solemnization of the Soul 's Visible Marriage Union with Christ Mark 16.16 Acts 8.36 Gal. 3.27 Other Foundations can no man lay then what is already laid The man of sin the Mistery of iniquity the great Whore of Babylon hath robbed the Church of Christ of the names of her Ordinances and put them upon her Whorish Inventions that she may deceive the Nations therewith Again Sprinkling will not serve instead of Dipping because it is a sin to alter what God our most wise Soveraign hath appointed in his Worship Isa 24.5 Obedience is better than Sacrifice do as you are bid CHAP. XLI 1 Pet 3.20 21. 20 Noah whiâ—e the Ark was preparing wherein fâ—w that is right Souls were sav'd by water 21. The like Figure whereunto even Baptism doth also now save us not the putting away the filth of the flesh but the answer of a good Conscience towards God by the Resurrection of Jeâ—us Christ. I note that A Believer by being baptized is obedient to God's Will as Noah was obedient in building the Ark and going into it to his saving Again Baptism saith Peter doth now save us by the Resurrection of Christ which is as to say our believers baptism being our answer of a good coâ—science towards God is a sign of our Sanctâ—fication and so Dipping being an effect of our Sanctification doth now save us by the power of the eternal Spirit that wrought that sanctification which Sanctification is the qualification for heaven and so we are kept sanctified by the mighty power of God to Salvation began and continued by Christ's satisfaction of which his Resurrection was a sign Again Noah by Water dyed to the old world and lived to the new as the baptized believer dies to sin wherein he once delighted and lives to Righteousness or thus dead to the sufficiency of the Law upon which he once depended alive to the sufficiency of Christ Again There is also a â—ind of likeness between Noah's Flood the water of Baptism bâ—cause both is much Water Again The Apostle saying saved by water seems as it were a pointing at the Text He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved The Conclusion respecting the Persons that are to be Baptized Now I have noted oâ—â—â—out â—orty Texts concerning Baptism wâ—erein are variety of persons mentioned as Jerusâ—â—â—n anâ— all Judea and all the Râ—gion rounâ— about Jorâ—â—n that confest their sins Jâ—sus himself Jesus made and baptized more Discip es than John Three Thousand Souls that gladly received the Word And they of Samaria believing Philip were baptized both Men and Women the Eunuch Paul They that received the Holy Ghost Lydia the Jaylor and they that believed of their Houshold Crispus Corinthians hearing believed Epesians that were baptized by John Romans Gains Stephanus believing Corinthians Galathians Epesians Collosians Hebrews and those that have the answer of a good conscience Whereby â—elivers Baptism is clearly proved And I find not one word command nor example throughout the New Testament for Infant Sprinkling or Baptizing before signs of Repentance tho here are so many sorts of persons mentioned described and named yet no Infant Whereby Believers Baptism must of necessity be indeeâ— the Ordinance required by the Lord Jesus If the Authority of forty New Testament Texts is not convincing and swaying with those that would live Godly or be reputed Christians I know not what Argument will Where Scripture will not prevail people will remain in unbelief Tho one rise from the dead The Conclusion respecting the Mode or manner of Baptism John the Baptist according to his Commission baptized in the Riâ—â—r Jordan Mat. 3 4. Jesas came from Gallilâ—e to the River Jordan to
Signs of Repentance which John saw was wanting in some persons and those he rejected as not intended in his Commission And therefore Infants are not intended Again The Infants of believing Gentiles cannot be concerned in baptism because not so much as the Infants of the Jews or Israelites were for John required Signs of Repentance before admittance to baptism because only the true believers are the New Testament Israelites and not Infants They are not all Israel that are of Israel Rom. 9.6 Rom. 2.28 29. Again If some will make the Infants of believing Parents Church-members by baptism or by Sprinkling because they reckon them in the Covenant why will they not continue them Church-members when they are grown up as If their growing up to Maturity were a growing out of the Covenant And indeed these in the Text being a generation of Vipers shew that believers Children are not in the Covenant so much more than others as to be baptised for John hear sets that Covenant aside from giving right to baptism CHAP. III. Mat. 3.9 And think not to say within your selves we have Abraham to our Father For I say unto you that God is able of these Stones to raise up Children unto Abraham I note That Parents being believers do not entitle their Children to baptism For God hath neither so confined himself by promise or the ordinary dispensation of his Grace as Experience teacheth Tho' he had promised many things to Abraham and his Seed by natural Generation yet none could by that Generation claim a peculiar priviledge in Gospel things For instance this of baptism is now denyed them they being without Repentance an effect of another Generation A being born again born of God And if ye be Christ's then are ye Abraham's Seed and Heirs according to promise Gal. 3.29 And you hath he quickned who were dead in Trespasses and Sins Eph. 2.1 And therefore let none reckon themselves better than others because they were born of believing or professing Parents For we are all by Nature the Children of Wrath as well as others Eph. 2.3 Again If our right to this Ordinance as some would have it be founded in our believing Parents Rom. 4.4 how is it that an awakened Soul that hath been sprinkled in its Infancy sees it self in an utter lost condition by nature having no right to the Covenant of promise or the signs of it by any natural inherent Qualification or birth-priviledge And when by Faith it comes to have a view of the Lord Jesus then it sees that all religious visible priviledges are injoyed in the way of believing in him CHAP. IV. Mat. 3.11 I indeed Baptize you with Water unto Repentance But he that cometh after me is mightion than I whose shoes I am not worthy to bear he shall Baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with Fire I Note That Repentance is such an essential qualification for Baptism that God in gathering his Gospel Church Commissionates his prophet John to preach it to prepare fit Members for that Visible Church and that also upon signs of Repentance to admit them by Baptism And that without those Signs Baptism should not be administered whereby it appears that God hath made Repentance as the root or Tree and Baptism as the Branch and so Gospel Baptism cannot actually have a being without signs of Repentance God hath ordained that Gospel Baptism should be the Fruit on the Signs of Repentance If you rake away the cause the effect ceases and accordingly John Baptized none but them in whom he found the cause Again John foreseeing the coming of the Lord Jesus and considering the manner of Baptising to be over-whelming in Water takes occasion from thence to foretell of the abundance of the Holy Ghost that the Saints should be endewed with so it was fulfill'd Acts 2.2 3 4. And suddenly there came a sound from Heaven as of a rushing mighty wind and it filled all the house where they were sitting And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire and it sate upon each of them And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost c. CHAP. V. Mat. 3.13 14 15. 13. Then cometh Iesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John to be Baptized of him 14. But John forbad him saying I have need to be Baptised of thee and comest thou to me 15 And Iesus answering said unto him suffer it to be so now for thus it becometh us to fulfill all Righteousness then he suffered him I Note That baptism is of divine Institution for the son of God himself submited to it as to Righteousness that he might fulfill all the will of God notwithstanding that the Prophet Iohn the Adminstrator thought that the dignity and innocency of the Person of Christ was above that Administration yet Jesus saw his duty as man standing in the room of the sinner to give for him a perfect Obedience to divine Justice and therefore submitted to Baptism or Dipping leaving an Example for our imitation Mat. 28.19 Acts 2.38 Acts 10.48 Again It was first Jesusâ—s choice to be baptized and not Iohn the Administrators to baptize him and so in the choice Jesus was Active and Iohn Passive but Infants are altogether passive and not at all active for sprinkling but rather by crying shew their dislike Again Jesus to fulfill his Fathers righteous Will of baptizing came where was much water tho it was many miles to it but if a few drops would have done then that might have been had where he was and Iohn might have come to him CHAP. VI. Matth. 3.16 17. 16. And Jesus when he was baptized went up straitway out of the Water and lo the Heavens were opened unto him and he saw the spirit of God descending like a Dove and lighting upon him 17. And lo a voice from heaven saying This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased I Note That the Lord Jesus in his baptism had not water brought to him neither did he withdraw to a Rivolet nor stand by the River-side nor did a little water suffice nor did he it in private but he went down so far and deep into the River that the Text is express When he was baptized he went up straight way out of the water Mark he went up out of the water is the curious penning of the matter by the Holy Ghost to shew the considerable depth our Lord went into the water to be dipt that it may appear much water is necessary for the right Administration of baptism This was his solemn Entrance into his publick Ministry Again God the Father the Creator of all things the high and lofty one that inhabiteth Eternity gives his Testimony to this his own ordinance of baptism or dipping by the Holy Ghost's glorious and miraculous appearing from Heaven in a visible descent and the Father approving his Son's submiting to his righteous Will Never was any Church-Ordinance usher'd in with more Glory than the Ordinance of believers baptism CHAP.
VII Mat. 21.25 26 27. 25. The Baptism of John whence was it from Heaven or of Men And they reasoned among themselves saying if we shall say from Heaven he will say unto us why did ye not then believe him 26. But if we shall say of Men We fear the People for all hold John a Prophet 27. And they answered Jesus and said we cannot tell I Note That some Men tho in the days of Christ disowned the Doctrine of baptism upon Repentance and John the first Preacher and Administrator of it Because there was as they thought a peculiar saving Priviledge unalterably annexed to the Children of Abraham tho when grown up were impenitent Joh. 8.33 but it was but a pharasaical thought Many that are not in love with Christ discover it by not being in love with his Ordinance for his sake And some again are willing their own Invention may serve for his Ordinance And it appears John 2.23 that this baptism of John was in much Water and therefore he abode and preached in a place near much Water but if a little Water would have done then he might have Travel'd and Preached and Sprinkled in the Hill Countrey all over the Land but to baptize or Dip he must be where is much Water and therefore abode at Enon a place by the River Iordan because there was much Water there Behold our Jesus indisputation sheweth that Diping after repentance is from heaven but Sprinkling before signs of Repentance is of Man's invention CHAP. VIII Matth. 28.19.20 19. Go ye therefore and teach all Nations baptiking them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost 20. Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you and lo I am with you always even unto the end of the World Amen I Note That here is the Commission of Believers Baptism given by our Lord Iesus Christ King of Saints and Law-giver to his Church And that the Ministers of his Gospel are to preach first upon the success of their Ministâ—y baptize only those who believe the Gospel Therefore unless Infants hear the Word preached and become thereby convinc't of sin and the excellency of a Saviour they are not within the reach of the commission for baptism but that Infants do not do and therefore they that sprinkle or baptize before preaching set up their own folly against the wisdom of God by doing the last first just contrary to the Commission Moreover to baptize either Infants or Men or Women before they believe is to make all seem Church and no World or rather continue all World and make no visible Church but our Saviour will have a Church out of the World And therefore he saith to his Church Ioh. 15.19 I have chosen you out of the world therefore the world hates you and accordingly believers are appointed to be baptized to distinguish them from the World See more pag. 15. Again This promise of Christ's presence with his people is upon condition of observing the method of baptizing after preaching for preserving his visible Church from mixing with Unbelievers CHAP. IX Mark 1.4 5. 4. John did baptize in the wilderness and preach the Baptism of Repentance for the remission of sins 5. And there went out to him all the land of Judea and they of Jerusalem and were all baptized of him in the River of Iordan confessing their sins I Note that this Evangelist also relates that baptism was administred not at a river but in a rivâ—â— by dipping of persons that went out not carried out and upon confession of sins which Infants cannot do Again Tho the Pharisees that thought they knew the Law did not receive Baptism yet God found a people that did upon confession of sins and therefore let not us that are sincere for Christ and his Gospel be afraid of the reproach of some Ecclesiastical Persons but value the love of God for the text saith Whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulitrous and sinful Generation c. Mark 8.38 Matth. 10.32 Again I wonder how the Infant Sprinkling Ministers dare say In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy Ghost I baptize thee c. When they do but Rantize or Sprinkle and not Baptize or Dip. If they will sprinkle in some bodies name and not in their own it is then to my understanding more proper and safe for them to say In the Name of the Fathers Popes and religious Men I spriâ—kle thee according to the declared Will of the Milevetan Council in this case It is our Will that c. and of the 5th Council of Carthage An. 416. We will that c. but this is not God's Will and then they 'l put no fallacy upon God's Ordinance of baptism nor speak untruth in the name of the Trinity And let me here speak directly to some Christians that are for Infant Sprinkling what tho you believe personal Election is there therefore a necessity that you must sprinkle your Infants believing that that election runs only in your Line by natural Generation Tho it may be you can say as a great many can That truly I do not know whether there be another christian of my Generation or no for they all by their Lives discover Ignorance and Unbelief of the Lord Iesus or at most make but a Laodiccan profession and then my brethren what incouragement have you to reckon that Election will run to your Generation after you and that your Infants should be sprinkled Moreover personal election is a secret residing only in God then how can you personally apply Election before their personal believing Furthermore election gives no right to baptism until the elect person be taught or called according to the commission of preaching baptizing God's order of working about the salvation of a sinner is God elects and his Ministers calls and the spirit going with the Word regenerates and upon that comes a bending to obedience and profession Or thus God elects and Man preaches and then God regenerates and Man baptiseth God works first First Is the decree of salvation 2dly The publishing of it 3dly The change made in the soul 4thly The sign thereof and a profession which by the will of God ought to be done by dipping see p. 27. as a lively Emblem of cleansing in the merits of Christ the River of Water of Life As God in order of time hath placed Election before Sanctification so he hath placed teaching before baptizing CHAP. X. Mark 1.9 10 11. 9. And it came to pass in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized of John in Jordan 10. And straight way coming up out of the Water he saw the Heavens opened and the Spirit like a Dove descending upon him 11. And there came a Voice from Heaven saying thou art my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased I Note That the Evangelist Mark as well as
Matthew is imployed by the Holy Spirit of God to let us know That our Lord Jesus Christ at Man's Estate submitted to dipping notwithstanding the Dignity of his Person being God manifest in the Flesh Immanuel God with us behold this mighty person bears a Testimony too and puts a glory upon baptizing or dipping of visible Saints by being himself baptized in the River Jordan at Thirty years of Age Luke 3.23 If God hath appointed Dipping why should Man pretend to sprinkle as if Man was wiser than his Maker or had a Soveraignty over God's Worship I think none but Papists claims that Prerogative tho others practice it But sensible Christian do thou choose believers Dipping and reject Infant Sprinkling For the Lord Jesus chose to be so baptized and He hath dignity and soveraignty to command thy Obedience and this sort of Obedience even believers baptism in much water CHAP. XI Mark 11.30 30. The Baptism of Iohn was it from Heaven or of Men Answer me I Note That also the Evangelist Mark mindeth that our Saviour himself put the Question for us that profess believers baptism Was it from Heaven or of Men This Question being close to the point pusled the great Men of that Day that opposed Dipping so that they seemed to stand as it were speechless therefore our Saviour closes upon them again saying Answer me Answer the Question And then they set their carnal Reason to work to find out some sophistical Answer and preserve their Reputation among the People and the Learnedst Answer that they could find was a subtil one We cannot tell See their Policy in the Text And they reasoned with themselves not with the Scriptures if we shall say from Heaven he will say Why then did ye not believe him If we shall say of Men they feared the People would be in a rage for pretending to Divinity and yet deny Dipping a Heavenly Institution for all men counted that John was a Prophet indeed and they answer'd and said unto Jesus We cannot tell c. Mark 11.31 32 33. And thus our Lord Jesus shews That Dipping after signs of Repentance is an undeniable Doctrine God will accept nothing in his Worship but what he hath appointed and that 's sufficient to constrain me to submit to the great Gospel Ordinance of believers baptism tho many cannot tell CHAP. XII Mark 16.15 16. 15. And he said unto them go ye unto all the World and preach the Gospel to every Creature 16. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved but he that believeth not shall be damned I Note That this Promise he that believeth is baptised shall be saved seems to carry a great force in being baptised as well as in Believing But unquestionably it carries that believing is essential to saving and it is to go before baptizing and not baptizing before believing for that is just contrary to the Text Man's Will for God's Heb. 11.6 John 4.23 Believing and baptizing you see are joyned in the Text and therefore what God hath joyned together let no man put asunder And were it indeed that Infants were dipp'd which is the right Mode of baptizing it would not further their salvation they not belitving God having reserv'd the way of their salvation as a secret peculiar to himself even by the unsearchable Riches of Christ Then how can Infants have any thing to do with Baptism for Baptism here in the Commission is not annexed to a natural birth but to Preaching believing Again To secure dipping from supposed danger all the World in the Text signifieth cold Countries as well as hot and the Promise Lo I am with you preserves yea I never heard of any believer that had hurt in Baptizing Again Here 's a Commission for believers baptism but where is any Commission for Infant Sprinkling And they that act in the Kings Name without's Commission are invaders of the Kings prerogative Royal and instead of obeying they set themselves in the Throne CHAP. XIII Luke 3.2 3. 2. The word of God came unto John c. 3. And he came into all the Country about Jordan preaching the baptism of Repentance for the remission of Sins I Note That the Evangelist Luke also bears a Testimony to believers baptism upon signs of repentance and not to Infants nor sprinkling for they can give no signs nor can a little water serve for in the text it was done in a River Consider God's â—anger with Israel for among other things changing his Altar of Earth Stone or chittim wood into an Altar of Brick Isa 65.2 3. but Infant sprinklers say Why is not Sprinkling as good as Dipping seeing it will as well represent the thing signifyed by Baptism But that 's their mistake and God can tell best Why not and 't is best for us to obey and Dip when God saith Dip. So Naaman the Assyrian thought that God's choice and order was too precise and that therefore another place was better as now of Infant sprinkling some think t is better than believers baptism Said Naaman Are not Abana and Pharpar Rivers of Damascus better than all the Waters of Iâ—rael May I noâ— wash in them and be clean So he â—â—rned and went away in a rage but his servants advised him to obey 2 Kings 5.12 No repenting no baptiziâ—g If the Question be put Tho is to be baptized Why the answer is He that repenteth For the Gospel is to be preached only to such as are capable of believing and repenting and consequently of being baptised there upon Again Iohn preached in all the Country near the River because of much water CHAP. XIV Luke 3.7 8. 7. Then said he to the Multitude that came forth to be baptized of him O generations of Vipers who hath warned you to fly from the wrath to come 8. Bring forth therefore Fruits worthy of Repentance and begin not to say within your selves we have Abraham to our Father for I John say unto you that God is able of these stones to raise up Children unto Abraham I Note That being the natural Children of believing Parents tho grown persons doth not intitle them to this holy Ordinance for God is able by his Spirit in the Call of the Gospel to raise up Children unto Abraham and as he was counted the Father of the Faithful so his Children of the promise must be believers for of the Race of the Gentiles as we in England are we cannot be the seed of Abraham but as we are believers and faithful and so Abraham becomes our Father and then comes in our claim to the promise to Abraham and to his Children And accordingly hear Iohn the Baptist rejects natural generation and calls for regeneration Fruit c. for 't is not Abraham to our Father but believing that gives right to baptism Moreover every days experience teacheth us that tho multitudes of Infants are sprinkled yet but few very few of them when at maturity shew signs of Faith and Repentance And on
Christs Name 1 Cor. 1.13 15. And again the only reason Paul gives for his not baptising is least any should say that I baptized in my own name and so set up for a party to my self and divide Christ's Church among principle Ministers and this he saith only to clear himself of Schism Again Pauls buisiness was chiefly to convert and other Ministers to baptize much like the Text John 4.2 Jesus himself baptized not but his Disciples and so there is no doubt but the believing Corinthians were baptized tho' not all by Paul and so John 3.22 CHAP. XXXIV 1 Cor. 10.2 2. And were all baptized unto Moses in the Cloud and in the Sea I Note That as when believers are baptised they publickly own Christ for their head leader so the chilâ—ren or people of Israel passing with the cloud before and behind them and through the Red Sea they publickly declared Moses to be their leader so it was to them the distinguishing Sign or Ordinance and that by God's Appointment they were all that obeyed the Lord by Moses to pass through the Sea Again There is also resemblance between dipping and being in the cloud and in the sea for in both the whole body is covereâ— the cloud was before Israel and behind and it rested upon them and they were in the cloud covered all over And the Sea also was a resemblance of dipping for as they went uâ—on the bottom of the Sea the waters were abundantly higher than their heads and therefore it may be said they were in the depth of the Sea or in a sense Dipt For they were in the middle and at the bottom tho' the waters were miraculously made to stand from their Bodies that they might not be drowned and Therefore and Apostle may say as this Apostle saith And were all bâ—ptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the Sea CHAP. XXXV 1 Cor. 12.13 13. For by one spirit we are all baptised into one body whether we be Jâ—w or Gentile whether we be bond or free and have been all made to drink into one spirit I Note That the Spirit that accompanys the Preaching of the Gospel is one in all places and to all Persons that effectually believe and because of thus believing we believers were baptized into one Church The Bride the Lambs Wife part whereof were the visible Saints at Corinth to whom we were added by visible demonstration baptism whether we were servants or free all one all alike whether our Parents believing or unbelieving so the Person baptized were a believer and have been all partakers of the one Spirit in the one Body the Church through the Spirit and baâ—tism Love to the Brethren is from the oneness of that one Spirit of God and the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one Soul Acts 4.32 Again Infants are not concerned in this All baptized for Infants were not the Coâ—inthian Saints that this Epistle was writ to 1 Cor. 1.2 nor were Infants bond servants neither had Infants the comforts of the Spirit attending Faith in our Lord Jesus for that Spirit convinceth the world of sin and a soul of the want of a Saviour and also shews it the Christ that dyed not for his own sins but others An Infant cannot believe this Paul again numbereth himself among the believers and not among Infants CHAP. XXXVI 1 Cor. 1â— 29 20. Else what shâ—ll th y â—o whi h are baptized for the Dead If the Dead rise not at all why are they then bapâ—â—zeâ— for the deaâ— I Note That in â—his Chapter the Apostle is about to clear up the Resurrection of the dead and to do it takeâ— the baptising of the Saints upon theiâ— believing to be one good Argument for it and â—â—coâ—dingly argues thus The Saints baptiâ—m oâ— dipping â—o signify the Death of Christ rising again out of the Water to signify the resurrection of Christ would signify nothing if there was not indeed the Resurrection of the â—ody of Christ nor is to be indeed a Resurrection of the Saints of whom Christ's Body was the firâ—â— Fruits What signifies saith he to believers your being baptized into oâ— upon the Profession of the Faith of the Death and Resurrection of Christ if Christ did not die and rise again and if he arose again then in time shall be a Resurrection of them that are his the Bodies of the Saints being the purchase of the Blood of Christ as well as their Souls Again No Infants can be concerned in this Baptism because they could not be baptised for the dead they could not believe nor confess that Christ died rosâ— again That one dead risen Jesus should satisfy the demands of infinite Justice for thousands and millions of notorious Sinners chief of Sinners pall present to come of which his Resurrection being a discharge from the Prison of Death is a clear proof that he paid all the demands of injurest Justice CHAP. XXXVII Gal. 3.27 27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ The Apostle in this Chapter is shewing that persons in a state of nature are under the Bondage soveraignty of the Law of Works the holy yet imperfect to justify a sinner Had there been a Law that could have given Life Christ needed not to have died But Saints by faith obedience are apparently Christ's Free-men I note that As many as have upon profession of the faith of the Gospel been Baptized have given a sign of being changed from expectations of Justification by the Works of the Law to an expectation of Justification by the Blood of Christ so from a state of nature to a state of grace that you Galathians have so declared your being baptized upon prof ssion of that Doctrine is a sufficient testimony thus he goes on expect not Justification by the Law begâ—n not in the spirit end in the flesh now Baptism hath publickly distinguished you from the world fight the good fight of Faith in the Son of God Again Infants never did put on Christ for they never did from a sense of a change in nature or faith in the Gospel desire Baptism but on the contrary are after their Sprinkling in a state of nature as every days experience proves by their signs of unregeneracy the continual pressing that preachers make to turn Again As a Noble man's Servant is put in his Lords Livery to be kn wn thereby so Believers Baptism is a piece of the Livery of the Lord Jesus CHAP. XXXVIII Eph. 5.4 4. One Lord one Faith one Baptism I note that As here is but one Baptism so it ought to be Continued as it was begun by Dipping of Believers for there is but one Baptism appointed as an Ordinance in the Church as for Sprinkling of Infants it is without any Example or order from Christ or his Apostles therefore that cannot be Baptism so that there being but one baptism that baptism