43.8 and more strict and circumstantial then he hath been in prescribing them to us 4. Yea I propound to Consideration that passage Rev. 11.1 2. where it 's said A Reed like a Rod was given to John and the Angel said to him Rise and measure the Temple of God and the Altar and them that worship therein but the Court that is without the Temple cast out and measure it not for it 's given to the Gentiles By the Temple of God is plainly in the Scriptures meant the Church in union and fellowship with Christ by Faith and Spirit as he is the Altar and Sacrifice and they that worship in it are the particular Saints worshipping and adoring God in the Mediation and Sacrifice of Christ and in the unity of Spirit with Christ and one another that 's the Temple worshipping These are to be measured with a Reed like a Rod or Scepter these are to be cared for peculiarly and the proportion of them diligently to be taken both Temple and Worshippers God will not have an inch of them lost nor will he have any defect or redundancy in this spiritual Worship according to this men are to be reckoned of accounted and esteemed the Sion of God By the Court without the Temple is meant that into which all the people come for it 's an evident allusion to the Temple of old the external outward profession with the things of it the worship of external Services or Forms this is not to be measured with such exactness to be insisted on and proportioned to the true Worshippers as if they were to be known or men to be reckoned such by that but to be left out as given to the Gentiles the prophane Heathen in hearts it 's given to them to come in thither to have the Name of Christ and of the outward Court whence as those things that were done in the outward Court were said to be done * 2 Chro. 6.24 Psal 12 2. with Luke 1.10 in the Temple †2 Thes 2.4 Antichrist is said to sit in the Temple of God namely in the outward Court of external Profession yea in every various Form trampling under feet the Sion and Jerusalem of God And it 's considerable to me whether all the stir and hurly-burly about external Forms and outward Ordinances is not mens endeavoring to measure the outward Court and to take it from the Gentiles that worship not at the Altar and in the Temple to whom yet it 's given and if that be not what it is I would be willingly informed 5. I consider that things not plainly exprest in the Scriptures by way of Precept or Example may yet be couched therein and the truth and lawfulness of things may be rightly deduced from places that plainly in words affirm them not As for instance Christ proves out of the Books of Moses to the Sadduces who are said to have accounted no part of the Scripture Canonical but them that the dead shall rise again whereas in all those Books there is not one expression of the dead rising He proves it as contained in the bowels of that saying of God to Moses I am the God of Abraham Mat. 22.32 and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob. And so the Apostle proved from the Scriptures the needlessness of Circumcision to the beleeving Gentiles though there is not an expression openly saying it through all the Prophetical Writings but he shews it by considering the ground and end of Circumcision and some other truths of Scripture whence he deduces it The like may be said of womens partaking of the Supper and a Christian man being a Magistrate Yea the very Denyers of Infant Baptism take or pretend to take this course in what they say against it For there is not as we said before one express saying that Infants should not be baptized or that none but Beleevers actually or such as profess Faith and Repentance should be baptized or that all rhat were baptized did so beleeve or profess only they speak of some Instances of former practise of the Apostles baptizing such from whence they draw those deductions and with which they make a great noise and easily take silly women and simple people that cannot see into the Scripture depths nor well understand reason according to Scripture Though they may exclaim against deductions in others yet they are full of them themselves It 's not said in terminis Baptize Infants or that the Apostles did so therefore they may not be baptized which is but like that It 's not exprest that women received the Supper in the Apostles times or that Christ instituted it for them also therefore they ought not to eat of it Or that of the Sadduces Moses no where mentions the Resurrection of the dead in all his Writings therefore from his doctrine it cannot be proved 6. Things couched in Scripture grounds and thence deduceable are no less truths or warrantable then truths plainly expressed As it 's as very a truth couched in Moses his Writings that Abraham and so the dead shall arise as it is in the Apostle's plain saying it though not so easily by every one perceived And so that Jesus is the Christ is a truth as really couched in the Prophetical Writings as if it had been in so many words exprest though there is no such plain expression in all the Prophets The like may be said for Justification by Faith without the Works of the Law as Paul hath thence gathered and proved substantially though such an express saying is in none of them Scriptures to be found It 's true by the Apostle they are made evident to be truths but not made truths by his evidencing them they were there couched and contained before his searching them and bringing them out nay they could not rightly have been deduced thence if they had not formerly been there couched Now they that see not the truths couched in sayings nor pierce to any truth but what is plain in the saying they cry out that such things are falshoods that they cannot there see not because they are so but because they see them not as they lie there couched As the Sadduces clamored against the Pharisees that their doctrine of the Resurrection of the dead was an Error not delivered to them from God by Moses their Lawgiver because they could not see it in his Writings though there it was and there Christ found it and as the false Apostles clamored against Paul about the doctrine of Justification by Faith without the Works of the Law and Circumcision upon the like grounds and with as little reason And this Consideration might at least stop the clamorousness of men that with the fool Prov. 14.16 rage and are confident upon this ground meerly that the Scripture hath no such open and manifest expression lest by their rashness they deny truth contained more hiddenly in the Scriptures and trouble the Churches of God needlesly as the
they have him declared and are capable of listening to and believing on him and so a professed subjection to his order and to worship God by him and take content in the grace in him even as being further baptized by his Spirit in the opening the truth to their hearts and shedding his love abroad therein they more really and spiritually put him on by way of actual confidence and faith in him as their righteousness rejoycing and compleat redemption and salvation and his vertues by being conformed to him and the more yet by being also baptized with trials and afflictions Rom. 13.14 Ephes 4.21 22. Rev. 7.13 14 15. 3. To admit the baptized into the Church and Kingdom of God and so to have the Name of God and of Christ put upon them So Matth. 28.19 may also be understood Baptizing them into the Name of the Father c. So as that they may have the Name of the true God upon them be and be called the people or Church of God Christians as of old the Name of God was by Circumcision put upon Israel and so also to bring them under the protection help and blessing of that Name For where Gods Name is put upon and own'd by any people God hath respect unto them for his Names sake and for that cause often spares helps and blesses them that he might glorifie his Name upon them and make other people know that it is better to be his people worshippers and callers upon him and under his protection then any other Gods or powers whatsoever To this purpose are these Scriptures Psal 124.8 Ezek. 20.9 14. c. Jer. 14.7 Isai 48.9 Psal 115.8 9. 4. And so to distinguish them from all other peoples that are not baptized into the Name of Christ and receive not his Gospel as Acts 11.26 Isai 63.18 19. And to oblige them to unity in judgement and affection amongst themselvs as 1 Cor. 1.10.13 I beseech you Brethren by the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ which is but one and is upon you all that ye all speak the same thing and that there be no divisions among you but that ye be perfectly joyned together in the same mind and in the same judgement Not to say I am of Paul I am of Apollos I am of Luther I am of Calvin I am of Arminius to make and maintain Parties Sects and Factions in the Church but every one to own truth from or by any one and singly follow after it and all own themselves only obliged to Christ and his Name and to every one to each other for that Name sake whence it follows were ye baptized into the Name of Paul that ye should only cleave to him and neglect and slight all other the servants of Christ for Pauls sake and only follow and cry him up Which might be applyed to our divisions were we baptized into the Name of Luther or Calvin or the like and so to divisions nearer home The being all baptized into the Name of Christ should make us all adhere to Christ and to receive his truth by any one he speaks it by and love one another for his sake according to that also Ephes 4.3 4 5. 4. Concerning the Subject of Baptism the thing principally inquired after in this Discourse 1. I find not any Scripture in so many words say That Infants are to be baptized or instancing that the Apostles did baptize Infants 2. I find not any Scripture expresly or intimately prohibit the Baptism of Infants or denying that they were baptized For 3. I find not any Scripture say That only believers may be or were baptized or none but such as have repented do confess their sins profess faith c. 4. I find indeed that in the first practise of Baptism it being preacht to men of age and understanding with the doctrine it baptized into they being perswaded to receive that doctrine and be baptized into it did some of them confess their sins Mat. 3 6. Acts 8.38 39. others profess their faith And such were baptized having not ever before they or their Fore-fathers been instructed into that doctrine or been baptized thereinto But 5. I find not that either John or Christs Disciples ever turned away any that came to be baptized of them That Position of the Antipedobaptists That John Matth. 3. turned away the Pharisees and Sadduces is without proof It 's true that divers yea prabably most of the Pharisees contemned his Baptism and rejected the counsel of God against themselves Luke 7.30 but neither John nor any other servant of Christ is ever said to have rejected them there-from John in that Matth. 3. indeed takes them up more roughly then he did some other as more needing it and yet Luke tells us he said the same to the multitude Luke 3.7 but withall says he baptized them For so are the words I indeed baptize you Mat. 3.11.6 Thence I find too That the Subject of this Baptism was not a truly spiritual seed of Abraham born of the Spirit either as administred by John or Christs Disciples for Iohn calls them he baptized a generation of vipers an Epithite too harsh for persons truly regenerate Luke 3.7 and says he baptized them not upon their repentance or that had repented but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unto repentance that they might or instructing them that they should repent Matth. 3.11 And so not upon faith but saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That they should believe in him that is to come Acts 19.3 4. Thence also it 's said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not upon or after usually but for or unto the remission of sins Yea John plainly intimates that he admitted chaff as well as wheat into the floor and such as should be burnt in unquenchable sire Matth. 3.12 he baptizing such as still received the Name of Publicans yea all the people the generality doubtless of them Luke 7.29 3.21 And for Christs Disciples they baptized and discipled such as our Saviour that well knew them tells us did not believe John 6.64 yea such as were in the gall of bitterness and bond of iniquity after their baptism Acts 8.23 yea they brought into the house all they found good and bad Mat. 22.9 10 11 12. 13.47 48. 7. I find indeed that once the Gift of the Holy Ghost preceded Baptism viz. in Cornelius and his friends Acts 10.44 48. They being uncircumcised Gentiles in the flesh and therefore God to demonstrate that they were thenceforth amongst the Gentiles to be admitted into the Church by Baptism without Circumcision the want whereof was no impediment to him for having fellowship with them and to take away scruple from the believing Jews that they might also admit them to their fellowship without it poured forth his Spirit first on them whence Peter says Can any forbid water that these should not be baptized that have received the Holy Ghost But 8. I find that usually persons were baptized before
secret purposes and intentions in Christ But will you say all Infants belong to it Object 7 then the Infans of Turks and Heathens may be admitted into it too To this what my answer is may be seen by what is said before Matth. 28.19 Answ I wish that since God hath enlarged his Kingdom and Grace to us Gentiles and that we have put on the Name of Christians we have not forgot our selves or rather the grace of God that admitted us and put on the Jewish Pharasaical principles to count the Indians and Turks as common and unclean as their Pharasees counted us Surely so far as God hath cleansed we ought not to account common Yea God hath shewed us that we ought not to call any man common or unclean that is As the Son of God Christ Jesus died for all and risen again that they that live should live to him and as God hath to that end also made him Lord of all and hath given all Nations to him even the utmost ends of the earth for his possession and hath given forth Commandment to publish in his Name glad tidings even the Gospel of his Kingdom to all and sent his servants in as much as in them lies to disciple all the Gentiles without exception baptizing them into his Name c. so bringing them into the obedience of his faith So did the whole world yeild to his gracious Proclamation they might be into his Kingdom received but such as refuse it refuse their own mercy and chusing to follow Satan do abide in his Kingdom and are out of Christs And their Infants are kept out with themselves not that they may not be discipled and brought into the Kingdom or as if the Kingdom was prohibited to them but because they are not brought or come not to it their parents and those that have the tuition of them hindring them and God for and by their refuseal lets them go and theirs with them and lye in the darkness of the world which they prefer before his Kingdom otherwise did even Turks or Indians yeild up their children to Christians to be brought up by them in the Christian way or did God by his providence bring any of them to be under their tuition they may yea ought to disciple them baptizing them and training them up in the instruction of the Lord notwithstanding that their Parents were or are Turks or Pagans Christs Kingdom is free for Infants to come into any Infants and those that come are to be entertained in it and not forbidden They do well that bring them to it to be made Disciples to Christ and they do evilly that prohibit them Object 8 By this then children of unbelievers as well as others may be admitted to Baptism But that your best Reformed Churches will not allow Answ It s not the inward reality of faith in the Parent that intitles his children to the Kingdom for of that here it is uncertain whether those that brought these children or that were Parents to them did believe with their hearts in him and were Disciples to him though its probable they were such as had an high esteem of him as a Prophet at least and so listened to his Doctrine But it s the grace of God in Christ to mankind that opens the Kingdom to them and gives liberty of admission into its outward Court to all that come to it and tells us Infants appertain to it also whence the Kingdom now gathers good and bad but the end of the world when the Net is drawn to the shore will put a difference Professed subjection to it is enough for our acting towards men of years For even such as but professed that were by the Apostles evidently admitted and that without staying to see the truth of that profession as is plain in Simon Magus and in those that were baptized in the same hour Act 16.33 that they heard the word first in or very presently upon it they and their houses for any that profess that themselves will as it may be charitably conceived be willing to bring up theirs in the same way with themselves Only this we are to mind that whom we admit we take in to be under Christs Regiment and to be trained up in his Name and so in his Fathers and Spirits in and with him otherwise we should not disciple baptizing them according to the Commission and therefore they that will not yeild their children up to that and endeavour it by themselves or yeild them up to the care and endeavour of such as will their children are deservedly to be refused in this business because they should not thereby be discipled or taken rightly into Christs Kingdom And yet herein the servants of God are to beware of rashness in judging mens intentions and ought seriously to admonish and instruct men even as John did the Pharisees and Sadduces that came to his Baptism And as the Apostle wishes those that profess themselves believers to bring up their children Ephes 6.4 When the Lord and King comes to take view of his Church he will separate the good from the bad in his baptizing and admitting into the more inward states of his Kingdom Gathering the wheat into his Garner and casting out the chaff into unquenchable burning But some object yet further Object 9 That Christ acted here as an extraordinary Prophet and so it was no work of ordinary Ministry nor rule for baptizing To which I answer 1. That it s said without preof Answ 1 or colour of proof Laying on hands and Praying was a work of Ministry yea of ordinary Ministry at least it was so in the institution of the Christian Church and therefore it is by the Apostle mentioned with other ordinary doctrines and practises Heb. 6.1 2 3. 2. The rule and ground of baptizing must come to us and hath done so from the great Prophet of the Church Jesus Christ and is to be searched for in his words and actions All that he did and said were the deeds and sayings of an extraordinary Prophet yea in his Ministration he acted and spake usually as an extraordinary one and yet in those his doings and sayings lie all the grounds of our Religion 3. We do not so much look upon and urge his action though that a so is considerable and testifies his good will to children as at his Doctrine and Instruction left for us upon that action as we said before But it s said further Object 10 That this place rather affords ground for Episcopal Confirmation then for Baptism Answ If for Episcopal Confirmation then for Baptism much more as presupposed for laying on of hands with prayer used in confirmation was evidently a customary Observation of the ancient Ordinance or Custom of laying on hands on persons baptized And we read not of laying on hands with prayers and blessings upon any but fore-baptized ones in the Church of Christ as instituted upon his Ascension If then it warrant
in justifying sanctifying owning peculiarly and absolutely as his people and making out himself to them as their God to eternal life 2. Such as were brought under the tenders of the Covenant with whom God was dealing and whom he was instructing to hear and listen to him and so conditionally holding forth the Covenant to them but not overcome as yet to be of his spiritual Seed to believe and walk in faith as Abraham did Yet to them he granted the liberty of his Ordinances and the Instructions held forth therein and therewith and such a dispensation of his presence and operation of his Spirit with them as in yeilding to which and following on after him therein they might be brought to the true Circumcision of heart in the spiritual knowledge of God and so to be of that spiritual Seed with much patience and goodness towards them with protection and defence of them against those who for their profession sake would harm them Psalm 81.9 10 11 Isai 48.17 18. and 5.3 4 5. The latter of these many of them not being by the operations of the Spirit vouchsafed brought to believe and to be circumcised in heart but contenting themselves with an outward profession after many rebellions of themselves and Fore-fathers were broken off from those ordinantial priviledges and operations and protection of God therewith afforded them and so from the way and means of participating of that juice and sweetness peculiar to the spiritual Seed much more from the enjoyment of those things themselves As many of them in their particular persons had been before-time more secretly and indiscernably for their miscarryings in the receipt of and subjection to the Doctrine held forth from Abraham and in his house broken off from liberty to the former who yet possibly might continue in the external profession and society of the Church owned by God unto their deaths so now after many desires to gather them and after their many resistings of the Holy Ghost the generality of them or the greatest part of their present springing branches with multitudes of their dependant twigs that is their posterity were broken off and unbodyed from the latter also his servants with their message being sent from them to whom God used formerly to send his Prophets to the Gentiles and not only the promises held forth to them but the Church-form-state and priviledges delivered to them And this is to be minded that the thing most evidently spoken to in this business of breaking off and graffing in is that Church-state which is more visible and outward with that presence and operation of Spirit that is suited thereto and not as some say The invisible state of the highest favour by election for that those broken off never had nor could those graffed in been in possibility to have lost as is intimated in that expression If thou that art grafted in dost not continue in his goodness thou shalt also be broken off But doth not that distinction of Branches that are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Object and others graffed in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 natural and contrary to nature imply that there is a difference put between Jews and Gentiles as to their childrens having right of branchship the Jews were under the Covenant as they sprang up naturally from Abraham but the Gentiles only by election and inward gracious implanting by faith and spirit into Christ otherwise believing Gentiles children should be natural branches too Answ 1 The Covenant-state which the Jews naturally sprung up under was not that election to eternal life for to that only spiritual-birth intituled them they being in that regard by nature children of wrath as well as others and therefore concerning that the distinction into natural and preter-natural is not made 2. It s true that no Gentile or his children hath so immediate right by nature to branchship in this root as Abraham's natural Seed had No Gentile is of this tree or stock but by insition nor ever was in the times before Christ which insition is not tyed up to election and an inward gracious implanting there-from springing as the Objection sayes for as to the branchship in Church-state the Jews rather had that by election then any other people they being in that respect called an Elect people Deut. 7.6 7 8. and 10.15 And as for the eternal Covenant-state none are more or less naturally in that then other it being meerly by grace in which there is no room for fear lest they be broken off if the Doctrine of Election be not mainly mistaken It s plain that that which the one were broken off from the other were graffed in into and that from that there is supposed a possibility of some of those graffed ones to be broken again and its plain that unto that branchship in standing in actual and visible fellowship with Abraham in the institution and profession of the faith delivered to him as to its substance and so to the external Church-state and priviledges some came according to nature as born of him and brought up from their beginning therein as out of the true Olive spring naturally many branches that never were brought from other whereunto it though even of those branches all may not prove fruitful and so many be lopt and cut off and others by natural growth or birth spring not out of that root and stock but are taken out of other wild Olives and are implanted into this fellowship and thereby have union with and partake of the sap of the root Now those twigs which naturally shoot up from these latter are also in the same root with them from which they spring by vertue of their insition into it till some way broken off though neither they nor their branches from which they spring are originally natural branches to the root but branches by insition which this root naturally and originally did not produce And so in all ages the Gentiles were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ingraffed preter-naturally When a man became a Proselyte he became of that stock by faith by first believing the Doctrine either really or professedly and so by insition or adoption into that society or tree and by vertue of that insition all his children that sprung up from him while in that Stock or Church-fellowship at least became branches of it too but yet inasmuch as they sprung naturally from an ingraffed branch and not from the natural they were originally ingraffed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They have it naturally to be branches of that ingraffed branch and so they should have been had it stood in the wild Olive and never been translocated but they have it not by nature to be branches of this tree and such or so disposed as now that they have by vertue of their being twigs or branches of an insition between which and the natural branches as to right of participation of the juice and fatness of the root there is now no more difference Thus it was with the Gentile
Apostle called a pouring forth or out upon See it further cleared by comparing Acts 10.45 with Acts 11.16 In the former place it s said That upon the Gentiles was poured forth the gift of the Holy Ghost And in the latter place Peter tells his Brethren That therein he called to mind the word of the Lord who said John indeed baptized with water but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost Plainly implying that in pouring out the Holy Ghost upon them he performed his word of baptizing them with the Holy Ghost Now if Jesus Christ himself baptized with this manner of action pouring the matter wherewith he baptized upon the parties he baptized and the Holy Ghost tells us the act signified in the word Baptize be in that manner acted who can deny that that manner of acting upon the party baptized is a right way of baptizing them Can we have a better pattern in Baptizing to imitate then the Lord himself Or can we baptize in a better form of acting then he Or can we doubt that this form of pouring out water upon the party baptized is Baptism wiâ—h water when the same form of pouring out Spirit is plainly the baptizing with Spirit The difference in the matter of Baptism changes not the signification of the act implyed in the word Baptize especially that phrase of baptizing with Spirit and pouring out of Spirit having evident allusion to and being borrowed from the pouring out of water and baptizing with water if baptizing with water be not to be performed by pouring out water upon the person we baptize neither then is it proper to call the pouring out of Spirit upon one the baptizing him with Spirit in Metaphorical Speeches words being borrowed from the things to which the resemblance is made and applyed to the things resembled Now in that way used in the Congregations in England that are Pedobaptists it cannot be denyed that the Act of Baptism is performed by pouring water upon the child or person baptized less or more and less and more herein makes no essential difference so there be water poured out upon them with intent to or for discipling to that Name of Jesus by the Holy Ghosts own interpretation of the word it may truly be called Baptism sprinkling with water being not different from pouring out much water upon them except in the quantity of the water And both Metaphors are used in the Scripture to signifie the same spiritual thing signified in Baptism As in Isai 52.15 He that is Christ shall sprinkle many Nations And truly I am not satisfied that the Holy Ghost there uses that expression only to signifie his sprinkling his grace or doctrine upon them but also to signifie and foretel the sprinkling them by way of Baptism into his Name by his Servants and that with reference to that fore-seen he uses this phrase to signifie his sprinkling them with his grace or doctrine also Why we may not interpret the Holy Ghost as literally here as in the expressions next following and all along the next Chapter I see no convincing reason as yet that can be produced So in Ezek. 36.25 I will sprinkle clean water upon you and ye shall be clean differs not in substance from that in Isai 44.3 4. I will pour water upon him that is thirsty c. Though I confess there is another Metaphor in it and another operation of the grace of God there hinted So that I hope by the light of this consideration the Antipedobaptists will see that there is no such necessity of plunging or dipping for the baptizing a person as men are ready to be perswaded by they noise the make about it Object I know some object those phrases of being buried with Christ in Baptism Rom. 6.3 4. Collos 2.12 As if the Apostle there in spoke of the external rite of Baptism burying the body of the party baptized under the water for some short space of time as is used in plunging men Answ 1 To which I answer That perhaps they might have such a rite and such a rite is very consistent with Baptism and might laudably be practised but that it is essential to Baptism or that indeed they so did in baptizing is more then any Scripture will inforce much less these instanced in the Objection And I am sure we have no express command tying us as is once and again said to the so doing It s true we read of some that they went down 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into or unto the water See Act 8.39 Matth. 3.16 and that they did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 come up again 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from or out of the water but then these phrases are evidently distinct from the act of baptizing the one prceeding it and the other after it and not either of them of the essence of the baptizing which whether it were by washing them or plunging them over head and ears or pouring water on them is not mentioned Nor are these phrases always used about baptizing as in the Baptism of Cornelius and his friends and houshold there it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Can any forbid water that these should not be baptized The phrase of prohibiting water may seem rather to signifie that water be brought to them for that purpose to baptize them however we read not that either they or the Jaylors house or Lydia's went into the water 2. But those phrases of Burying with Christ in Baptism seem not to determine or tell us the outward rite of baptizing with water for then the rising with Christ too should point to something in the same for they both are said to be in Baptism Col. 2.12 Now that the latter doth not me thinks this will evince That that rising with him said to be in Baptism is a rising by the faith of the operation of God that raised Christ from the dead which faith sure gave not the power of their bodily rising up from under the waters in Baptism but they rose from under them by the power naturally in their own persons or in them that baptized them for neither had all that were baptized that faith of the operation of God raising Christ from the dead as is evident in many of the multitudes baptized by John Who though they rejoyced in his light for a season yet abide not to the faith or understanding of Christ raised from the dead Acts 8.20 21 22 Tiâ— 1.16 And as its evident in Simon Magus and many in the Churches charged to have a dead faith a profession of knowing God but indeed were in works denyers of him c. Who either rose not from under the waters by the faith of Gods operation or else had afterward lost it again but I conceive it cannot be any where probably proved that they then had any such divine believing 3. I conceive then that those phrases speak either of the internal baptizing by Spirit which the Saints and faithful
had proved in which their hearts were broken off from self and world dead and buried to all confidences in the flesh and buried into fellowship with Christ in his death to yeild up to conformity to him therein in which also they experimented a quickening and raising up of their hearts to confidence in God and readiness to walk in newness of life Upon which grounds the Apostle after infers If then ye be risen with Christ seek those things that are above Col. 3.1 In which surely he must need speak of their internal rising by the answer of a good conscience in the inward washing them with the grace of God for as to the rising up out of the water of Baptism in the external Ordinance there could be no ground for an if as if any of them in case they ever were plunged or buried under it never came out or rose up again there Yea why might he not upon that ground put in that partitive clause 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so many of us as were baptized into Christ Rom. 6.3 Gal. 3.26 27. As if perhaps not all outwardly baptized and of the Church in its external form had experience of this Baptism here spoken of Beside Circumcision is sometime so spoken of not for the outward Ordinance but the inward frame of the heart or circumcision in the spirit as in Rom. 2.28 29. Phil. 3.3 Jer. 4.4 And why the Apostle might not speak of Baptism in such a way too as to speak of the inward real Baptism of the heart and not of the flesh I see no reason can be given of any force at all Nay it s sure the Apostle Peter doth speak of Baptism in that sence 1 Pet. 3 21. Baptism now saves us not the putting away the filth of the flesh which is done in the outward act of the external Ordinance but the stipulation or answer of a good conscience through the resurrection of Christ which place seems well to open and answer to that in Col. 2.12 Or 4. If we take them to speak also of outward baptizing then it shews not so much the external form and ceremony of it as the inward end intention and scope of it It s a coming into Christ at least so far as to the outward Institution and Government and so a professed Obligation to him and to his death to look for all salvation there-through and have fellowship with him therein In which the person baptized was deaded to the world in its former or all other Institutions Religions Hopes Fellowships Priviledges and as it were buried thereto especially as things stood in those times in which he that came under the acknowledgment and profession of Christ became therein as a man dead and buried to all esteem and repute or love of the world that so they should or might walk in newness of life after the new Institution and Doctrine of Christ unto which we are in Baptism delivered and not according to the old and wild inclinations of our nature or customs and institutions of the world And this holds true be the external form of baptizing what it will and let Baptism be understood to reach as far as it will for whether the body be dipt or washt in whole or in part into the Name and profession of Christ A man is thereby buried with him and made as a dead man out of sight to the love and esteem of the enemies of Christ and is obliged and bound to be so as to the hopes confidences delights customs and vanities of the world to be to all them as dead and buried that so he may walk in the Doctrine and Instruction of Christ which also will render a man as a dead crucified or buried thing to the world And here is a putting on Christ as to external profession and obligation so much the outward Baptism brings under the bond of and delivers up unto And where ever the soul is inwardly baptized into the death of Christ there in that death of his its buried with him to all its former hopes confidences and principles really and actually though spiritually and not carnally and therein it s quickened up to live to God in newness of life having really put on Christ as to interest in his priviledges and conformity to him crucified as to the old man but quickened in the new Which word crucified is there used of that said to be done in Baptism as also the word planting together with him ver 5 6. Though I think they should grosly mistake the Apostle that should thence argue that they had some such outward rites of resembling a crucifying and an implanting in their external baptizing In what is said I suppose their mistake also may appear who from these and the like places argue and conclude Mr Law◠That the External Baptizing is a Seal of union with Christ and forgiveness of sins c. which cannot be true Except by union with Christ they mean by way of profession or engaged subjection to his doctrine as all baptized into Moses became in that sense one with him or as they that subscribe and come under the Parliamentary Authority are in that sense one with them And so indeed its true That in Baptism we are buried with Christ to external Circumcision and so to the Observations of Moses Law and become of his party or under his way of institution and nurture obliged to his doctrine and commands in whom we receive the end of all Moses his institution and except by forgiveness of sins is meant the not imputing former trespasses or the guilt of them to the prohibiting or keeping out from his Church and Kingdom but that they may be admitted thereinto to wait upon him and attend to him therein for spiritual union with renovation by and conformity to Christ for so we grant God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself not imputing their trespasses to them and hath so blotted out the hand-writing of Ordinances against all Nations Col. 2.15 that he welcometh them in their coming in to him and reckoneth them no more unclean nor will charge their follies upon them so as to debar their coming in amongst his people to be a people to him as we noted before Only such Jews as like the elder son in the parable Luke 15. stumble and will not come in and such Gentiles as count it a foolish offer that is made them and joyn in unbelief with the Jews or make fond excuses and refuse deprive themselves of the benefit of that non-imputation of their trespasses which the Gospel proclaims to all and Baptism seals to all that come in by vertue of that general Proclamation 2 Cor. 5.19 Rom. 11.11 12 15. But if by union with Christ is meant as I conceive it is union in spirit and spiritual priviledges to eternal life and by remission of sins such a forgiveness as to take them into Covenant as proper heirs of its peculiar priviledges and blessings