shall gather Paleness in that Day Oh therefore be intreated in tender Love I beseech you to Return Return out of Babylon unto the Gift of God the True Light that makes ye all manifest and in which ye are all seen and comprehended I say in the Name of the Lord my God and in much Love to your Souls be intreated to return unto it its near you to instruct you and to make all things manifest to you if you will come unto it Oh turn your Minds How oft have you been reproved by it and you never found Guile in his Mouth though he hath told you all that ever you have done yet you regard him not but prefer fading finite and unprofitable Things above him Oh! haste haste out of Babylon tarry not the Day of Vengeance is near and then will you come to know the True Baptism is not into Water but into the Name of the Father Son and Spirit and that Christ in the 28th of Matthew 18 19. when he sent his Apostles out to teach all Nations and that the Baptism there spoken of commanded by Christ was not into Water but into the Name of the Father Son and Spirit neither is there any such a word as Water mention'd in his words there spoken to them but into the Name of the Father Son Hoâ—y Ghost he bad them baptize But some may say It must needs be Water there intendâ—d because that none can baptize with the Holy Ghost but Christ. I Answer True None can but He and by his Power only therefore he tells them in the first place that All Power is given unto me saith he both in Heaven and in Earth and they now must not go in their own Strength or Power but in his Power and it was his Power in them and by them that did the Work he sent them to do and so he saith unto them Without me ye can do nothing but lo I am with you alwayes even to the End of the World and all Power is mine And now you Water-Baptists let me ask Now where is Iohn's Power Iohn hath now no Power nor Moses hath now no Power in a way of Administration if all be given to him and be his as I am satisfied it is And here its plain he only is here established Now it must not be admitted for any other to have a Tabernacle standing or builded with his No Though Peter would have had Three one for Moses one for Elias and one for Christ That Elias was already come mind and they have done to him whatever they would And is it not plain to you that this was Iohn the Baptist here spoken of and intended And yet mind neither Moses nor Elias must have a Tabernacle built with his but a Cloud came and took them away mark and Christ only left and a Voice from Heaven came saying This is my Beloved Son in whom I am well pleased hear him Oh! what would you have How clearly is it manifest unto all who walk not in Darkness that he only is by himself established to be heard in all things And saith the Apostle He that refuseth to hear this Prophet shall be cut off from off the Earth And again See ye refuse not him that speaketh for if they escaped not that refused him that spoak on Earth even Moses how shall ye escape if ye refuse him that speaks from Heaven whose Voâ—ce then shook the Earth but now says he Yet once more will I not shake the Earth only but also Heaven mark that those things that cannot be shaken may remain Mind what must remain and how he alone even Christ is above all established And it s said again by Paul God saith he who at sundry Times and in divers Manners spakâ— in days past to the People by the Prophits hath in these last dayes spoken unto us BY HIS SON mark not by his SON and JOHN but by his SON whom He hath appointed Heir of all things mind So All Power is given unto me saith Christ Go ye therefore teach all Nations Baptizing them into the Name of the Father Son and Spirit or if you had rather have it Holy Ghost teaching them to observe whatever I command you and lo I am with you always even to the End of the World but tarry at Jerusalem till ye have received Power from an high for without me ye can do nothing So 't is not saith Peter by our Strength or Righteousness that this man is made whole Why stand ye gazing upon us as though by our Power Holiness it was done Be it known unto you that by the Name of JESUS whom ye crucified even by Faith in his Name is this Man made whole And said Paul I have laboured more abundantly then ye all yet not I but the Gift or the Grace of God that 's in me And so it was in his Strength that they were more then Conquerors and could do all things through Christ that strengthned them but before they could not before I say that they went in his Strength So there was need for them to wait at â—erusalem till they had received of his Fulness of which they all received Grace to help in Time of Need. But now mark They had not Need to have stay'd at Ierusalem for Power to have Baptized with Water for they had been doing that before and were Able enough for that Baptism but now they were to enâ—er upon a Greater Work and it is not they must do it but the Gift of God in and by them or the Power they received so saith Christ Lo I am with you and as many as received him to them he gave Power for all Power is given to me saith Christ ALL mark So though the Apostles as Men could not baptize into the Name of the Father Son and Spirit no more then we as men can do yet mark Christ in and by them can or us either and in and by them did and when the Apostles laid their Hands on them that believed the Holy Ghost fell upon them and sometimes when they were preaching unto them the Holy Ghost fell upon them yet it was not them that could so much as preach as they ought but Christ in and by them God speaks by his Son through his Vessels of Honour fitted for his Use so it s not them but Christ who also Raised the Dead Opened the Eyes of Blind Healed the Sick Cleansed the Lepers and many great and good Works did they yet not they but the Gift of God in them and by them and so they went in the Demonstration of the Spirit and of Power and preached Christ the Wisdom of God and the Power of God the Savour of Life unto Life IN THEM mark in them that are saved and the Savour of Death unto Death in them that perish But they never cryed out Water-Baptism is the Door for Christ Jesus said I am the Door by ME mark not Me and Water nor Me
Him and now he is come behold Him the Lamb of God He taketh away the Sins of the World but look not now at Me I am not that Light but am sent before a Witness and am come Baptizing that He might be made manifest and if He were manifest to Israel then were my Desire answered and the End of my Labour in Water-Baptism accomplished so that they might believe in him Iohn bare Record saying I saw the Spirit descending like a Dove and it abode upon him and I knew him not but he that sent me to Baptize with Water said unto me Vpon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending and remaining on him the same is he that baptizeth with the Holy Ghost and I saw and bear Record that this is the Son of God See how plainly Iohn preached Christ and his Baptism and all along put this Distinction I Baptize with Water He with the Holy Ghost and Fire I must Decrease He must Increase But they might have said Why John why must thou Decrease Why Iohn might have said Because my Baptism is but wâ—th Water that He might be made manifest but His Baptism is with the Holy Ghost and Fire a Baptism that exceeds mine as far as the Light of the Sun exceeds the Light of the Moon So its clear that Iohn was sent to Baptize with Water and Christ was sent to Baptize with the Holy Ghost and Fire And Christ fulfilled Iohn's and the Law and all the Righteousness required by them and then was himself alone established a Priest forever of an Unchangeable Unalterable Priesthood But further for I am desirous to clear my self of this Matter at this time from all Opinions concerning this thing I have already made it appear that Iohn himself was on my side and his Record is clear to prove That the Baptism of Christ Jesus is that of the Holy Ghost and that he himself was sent to Baptize with Water and he no where makes mention of any other that was sent to Baptize with Water but himself I say that was sent In the next place I shall bring the Testimony of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ who also at all Times asscribeth Water-Baptism unto Iohn Acts 1. 5. And being assembled together with them commanded them That they should not depart from Jerusalem but wait for the Promise of the Father which saith he ye have heard of me for John Truly or might he not have said and is it not all to one sense had he said so John its True Baptized with Water But mind he doth not say Do you so too or I will baptize you with Water also No no John said he Truly baptized with Water but YE mind Ye YE shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many dayes hence This is the Baptism they were to wait for and to be by Christ baptized withal no Water at all injoyned to it by Christ Jesus though he owned it in its Time and fulfilled it as aforesaid But mark now was the Time of Promise at hand Not many dayes hence saith Christ ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost So also Peter in Acts 11. 16. saying Then remembred I the Word of the Lord how that he said John indeed baptized with Water but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost Still Water Baptism is asscribed to Iohn by himself and by Christ Jesus let us hear what the Apostles say concerning it In Acts 1. 22. Peter in his Declaration to the Disciples concerning Iudas and choosing another in his stead makes mention in the 22th Verse on this wise Beginning said he from the Baptism of John mark unto that same day that he was taken up from us must one be ordained to be Witness with us of his Resurrection Here it is still asscribed unto Iohn Again in Acts 13. 23 24 25. Paul speaking of the Promise God hath saith he according to his Promise raised unto Israel a Saviour Jesus when John had first mark first preached BEFORE HIS COMING mind before his coming the Baptism of Repentance to all thâ— People of Israel and as John fulfilled his Course Mind here Paul still asscribes it to Iohn Again in Acts 19. 1 2 3 4. And it came to pass that while Apollos was at Corinth Paul having passâ—d through the uppermost Coasts came to Ephesus and fiâ—ding certain Disciples there he said unto them Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed And they said unto him WE HAVE NOT SO MUCH AS HEARD WHETHER THERE BE ANY HOLY GHOST And he said unto thâ—m Vnto what then were ye Baptized They said Vnto JOHN's BAPTISM Mark Had Iohn's Baptism been in the Name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost then how should they but have heard of a Holy Ghost So that here before I proceed any further I shall take notice of this place a little Water Baptism is still asscribed here to Iohn I indeed baptize with Water said John John indeed baptized with Water said Christ and say the Apostles John verily baptized with the Baptism of Repentance saying unto the People that they must believe on Him that was to come after him that is said he on Christ Iesus So I shall yet bring no more Proofs for this Point these being sufficient But before I leave this Place take notice That though they had been baptized unto Iohn's Baptifm yet they had not heard whether there was ANY Holy Ghost which doth clearly manifest that although it should be granted that Iohn's Baptism was still of Necessity which far be it from me to do yet how doth it thwart all our Water-Baptists of our Age who baptize with or into Water using the words Father Son and Holy Ghost which they cannot bring Precept or Example for For though the Apostles did by Permission baptize it was but in Condescension unto Iohn's Baptism for Commission they cannot bring from Christ no where nor that they did use the words now used by you saying I Baptize thee in the Name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost So that your Practice all of you Water-Baptists is contrary to the Holy Scripture for in this place Paul baptized those in the Name of the Lord Jesus And Peter in Acts 10. commanded to be Baptized Repent and be Baptized in the Name of the Lord Iesus But no where can they find that either Iohn or any of the Apostles used to say I baptize thee in the Name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost so that your Practice in this is grounded of a sandy Foundation and will undoubtedly fall Prop as hard as you can and take ye altogether ye Water-Baptists of all sorts and work never so hard with both Hands your Babel-Buildings will all fall and great will be the Fall thereof and all your Props and all your cunning Work will be broken to pieces and you shall never be able to raise your Buildings again but the chiefest of your Workmen shall be ashamed of their own Doings and you
was then was the True Baptism known then came the Holy Ghost upon them then did the True Light shine and the Darkness fled way then were they inwardly washed and their Understandings opened then was the Circumcision of the Heart known then was he entred into that within the Vail into the true Tabernacle which God pitched and not Man And so Iohn went before as a Type but willingly gave place to the Substance So that its clear the Baptism you use is not Iohn's and it it much more clear that it is not Christ's Baptism and so it must needs be your own done by you in Imitation of the Holy Men of God gone before who did what they did in Obedience to the Lord and in his Power and were sent by him but oh who ever sent you Baptists in this great and notable Day of the Lord It will one day be said Who hath required these things at your Hands Either shew us your Commission or else acknowledge your great Error Repent and come unto the true Light and walk in it prize it and obey it that ye may be saved by it For it is not a fair Outside of the Cup or Platter but the inward Washing of Regeneration by the Spirit and a living in the Spirit and the whole Worship of God say we and say the Scriptures the same That the True Worship of God is in Spirit and in Truth but that your Water-Baptism is Spiritual I deny or that it ought to be observed in the Worship of God you cannot prove but Iohn's was ordained to be used as a Type before the Spirit 's Worship or the true Worship in the Spirit was fully established and of it self a thing that I believe none of you dare say doth in any measure sanctifie and wash the Soul And if it be of so little Effect unto the Soul why what Necessity is there for the Continuance of it to the World's End since also ye cannot prove it so commanded for once more let me tell you that the Baptism commanded in the 28th of Matthew was INTO the Name of the Father Son Spirit or Holy Ghost but I say this was not Iohn's for they that had been baptiz'd unto Iohn's Baptism had not so much as heard of a Holy Ghost Acts 19. 1 2 3 4. which they must needs have done if they had been baptized with the use of these words In the Name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost But further you acknowledge your selves that it is but a Type well I ask you then What doth it type forth unto us or what is it a Type of If it be a Type of the Baptism of Christ then I ask you What further need is there of it when the Thing signified by it is come Or do you think that the Type and Substance must remain together to the World's End Was it not always from the Foundation of the Law that when the Substance came that the Shadows fled away But although you should still say Why then did the Apostles use it after the Spirit 's Baptism was accomplisht I answer as before The Apostles had Power over it after they saw beyond it and could submit unto the Weakness of Believers Capacities in many things as above is mentioned but that they saw not beyond it till it was reveal'd unto them is clear but then they spoak of the one Baptism of the one Lord of the one Faith And so Iohn himself when he saw Jesus walking he said unto his Followers Behold the Lamb of God that takes away the Sins of the World and John 's Disciples LEET John mark they Left John and walked no more with him For Iohn's Baptism could not wash them from their Sins but behold the Lamb of God takes away Sin puts an End to Sins finishes Transgression brings in everlasting Righteousness he makes every whit whole and fully saves to the utmost them that come to God by him and makes clean them he washeth And if I Wash thee not saith he thou hast no Part in Me He satisfies for he is the Bridegroom himself but Iohn was not he its true was the Bridegroom's Friend and would not rob him of his Prerogative or Honour but rejoyced to hear his Voice and when it was heard said This my Ioy therefore is fulfilled So we own Iohn in his place and Time but we own the Bridegroom above Iohn although Iohn was his Friend did what he was commanded but thought not much to give him place who had commanded him And so my dearly beloved Friends it is in much Love to all but chiefly to you called Anabaptists that this is written as I can truly testifie in the Manifestation of that true Light spoaken of in the Scriptures of Truth unto which I once more beseech you to turn your Minds and believe in it and come to walk in it and obey it and then will you have Fellowship with us and truly our Fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Christ Jesus by whom we have also received the Attonement and in whom we live out of whom we cannot live for He is our Life To him be Glory forever Written the 7th of the 1st Moneth 1674. Iohn Gratton GReat hath been the Travail of my Soul for the Prosperity of Sion and for her Establishment above the Top of all the Mountains and blessed be the Lord my God my Eyes behold her and see her Beauty to exceed all the Glory of the Earth and her coming out of her Wilderness State is come I say the Time is come and many have lyed or lain in the Way side to have drawn her aside and would gladly have allured and inticed her from her Beloved gladly would have had her turned aside unto other Lovers and have cryed out unto her What is thy Beloved unto anothers Beloved and have spoken against her and when they could not prevail with her have evil-entreated her and per secuted her for her Beloved's sake and many have been her Troubles but the Lord hath delivered her out of all And great is her Ioy at this Day and her Glory exceeds all the Glory of the Nations Her Beauty is Perfect she is a Virgin and never was defiled but is all Glorious The King's Daughter is all Glorious within her Garments are of wrought Gold wholely pure she has no Blemish she is all fair without Spot the only beloved of the Lord Glory to his Name He hath remembred her in Love and her Sorrows has he seen and will plead her Cause and subdue Kingdoms for her sake and make her Way plain before her Oh! come unto Sion all ye that desire her Prosperity and be not so foolish as to sit down short of her her City is free her Gates are open hy Day by Night she has no need of the Sun by Day nor of the Moon by Night but the Lord God the Lamb are the Light thereof Her Light will never grow dark her Sun will never set Night shall be no more upon her for her Sun is arisen and as one to run a Race is marching on his Strength is as a Lyon his Voice is heard to Roar and great Fear is fallen and a falling upon the Beast of Prey Oh! who would not live in her Her Gates are paved with precious Pearles her Inhabitants are all Kings and Priests unto God she is altogether Comely and her Glory shall never have an End Amen Oh! who who would not dwell here Come come unto Sion all ye that are sincere to what ye know Turn ye turn at her Call and embrace her Counsel Why will ye bestow your Money for that which is not Bread and your Labour for that which satisfieth not Oh! come unto me saith the Lord my Voice is near you How often have I called and ye regarded not nor have not answered my Requirements but are imitating them whose Life and Power you are out of But now turn ye unto the Lord with all your Hearts believe in his Light and Life will you know that never can have End but if you still Refuse you will one day know that you were Warned and Invited by one that truly seeks not himself but earnestly travails for the Welfare of all men and is become Servant to all for Iesus's sake To Him be all Honour Praise and Dominion forever and for evermore J. G. THE END