likewise as he did the former concerning their being dead with Christ from their profession in baptisme vers 12. of the second chapter for unto that it is most evident he hath relation Buried with him in baptisme wherein also you are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God and from this conclusion he presseth this exhortation upon them Seek after and set your affection upon those things which are above where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God As if he should say seeing ye professe your selves to be risen with him you must ascend up with him also in your affection setting your mind upon those things which are above It is a dishonourable and an unanswerable thing for believers who professe themselves to be risen with Christ in baptism to set their affection upon things on the earth Whereas on the other side it is a glorious and an answerable thing for such to set their mind their joy and delight upon things which are above to live and converse with the Lord Jesus in the bosome of his Father Thirdly the Lord puts forth a glorious power to Believers in baptisme giving in unto their hearts in what proportion he pleaseth the power of the death and resurrection of JESVS CHRIST acting faith in them to receive the same whereby they are in some measure enabled to perform that which their baptisme doth engage them unto Rom. 6.4 We are buried with him by baptisme into death that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father even so we also should walke in newnesse of life This Scripture hath much in it for the comfort of believers Wherein this is layd downe for a certaine truth to wit that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father even so marke that expression even so we also should walke in newnesse of life that is like as the glory of the Father was put forth in raysing his Sonne from the dead even so the glory of the Father is put forth unto believers in baptisme crucifying the power of sin in them and raysing up their heart and minde as it were into heaven to sit with Christ to walke with him in a holy and heavenly conversation to live a new life which the Scripture calleth a newnesse of life And therefore those words even so we also should walke in newnesse of life doth not onely hold forth what is our duty but what is our priviledge also for they carry the force of a promise in them and are to be thus understood to wit even so we also through the glory of the Father acted in us in our baptisme shall walke in newnesse of life And so it will agree with the 5 and 6 verses of the same chapter For as we are planted together with him in the likenesse of his death we shal be also planted together in the likenesse of his resurrection And this is a greeable to that other place Col. 2 12. Buried with him in baptisme wherein also you are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God who hath raised him from the dead Wherein I observe that the same operation of God which was put forth in raysing Christ from the dead is put forth unto believers in baptisme in such proportion as the Lord pleaseth acting faith in them through which they rise with Christ or pertake with him in the power of his resurrection in a glorious measure And this is so cleare a truth that Peter is bold to say speaking unto believers Baptisme doth also now save us not the putting away of the filth of the flesh but the answer of a good conscience towards God by the resurrection of Jesus Christ That is the baptisme of believers must not be looked upon with a fleshly and carnall eye as a washing of the flesh but with a holy and spirituall eye as a holy and pretious Ordinance of Iesus Christ in which Ordinance he puts forth the power of his resurrection unto believers through faith saving them more richly then before from the power of an inward pollution or filthynesse even a filthy polluted conscience with the accusations of it and working in them more abundantly an enlightned holy good conscience which answers or speakes good to them towards God And whether that Scripture in Heb. 10.22 may not agree much to this purpose I leave to the consideration of the wise Neither doe believers enjoy this fruit and benefit in the present administration of baptisme onely but this grace and power of Christ in baptism hath an influence into after times also even so long as they continue in the estate of mortality The 4th and last thing considerable to my purpose in the two Scriptures above named is this to wit Baptisme thus considered is part of that compleatnesse which believers have in the Lord Iesus Col. 2.10 Where the Apostle speaking to believers he saith And ye are compleat in him If ye ask in what manner or in what respects he tells us in all respects as it appeares in the following verses of this chap. and the beginning of the next And amongst the rest this is one ye are buried with him in Baptisme wherein also yeare risen with him And to the same purpose is that Rom. 6.5 Believers in baptisme are planted together with Christ mark that expression planted together with him in the likenesse of his death and in the likenesse of his resurrection also And surely herein is the compleatnesse of a believer to be planted together and grow together and live together with the Lord Jesus And therefore such do in part come short of their compleatnesse in Christ who do yet come short of being baptized as believers in the Name of Christ Thus much concerning the explication of the third priviledge which believers have in baptism Wherein I have been the larger that so I might as the Lord hath helped me and not without much comfortable experience through Christ cleare up the minde of God in it partly for the instruction consolation and incouragement of believers partly to be an Apologie for them and partly to be another Touchstone or tryall of Infants baptisme First partly for the instruction and incouragement of believers who are under the injoyment of this Ordinance upon profession of faith in their owne persons Much hath been spoken to this purpose in the explication of this priviledge as those that are spirituall may understand Exhortation I shall presse this forward upon my selfe and them with a word of exhortation I beseech you in the Lord that you receive not this Ordinance of CHRIST in vaine Endeavour to walk up to that ingagement which lyeth upon you by baptisme Let not any sin therefore reigne in your Mortall bodyes that you should obey it in the Lusts thereof Be not you subiect to Ordinances after the commandements and doctrines of men Be not ye in bondage to the rudiments of the world to
A TREATISE OF BAPTISME Wherin is clearly proved the lawfulnesse and usefulnesse of Believers Baptisme As also the sinfulnesse and vanity of Infants Baptisme With many usefull Instructions concerning the same matter Grounded upon Ephes 4.5 One Lord One Faith One Baptisme By ROBERT GARNER PROVERBS 10.9 He that walketh uprightly walketh surely But he that perverteth his wayes shall be known PSAL. 119.126 127 128. It is time for thee Lord to work they have made void thy Law Therefore I love thy Commandements above gold yea above fine gold Therefore I esteem all thy Precepts concerning all things to be right I hate every false way Printed in the Year 1645. To the Churches of JESUS CHRIST in London and elsewhere in all places BEloved in the Lord My hearts desire to the Fountain of grace is that you may receive abundantly from thence a multiplication of grace and peace and a most rich enjoyment of the full assurance of understanding to the acknowledgement of the mistery of God and of the Father and of Christ and that in every thing ye may be strengthened by him with all might and enriched by him with all utterance and with all knowledge and replenished from him with that wisedome which is from above and enabled by him to walk in holinesse love and unity and to stand stedfast in the Truth as it is in Jesus that in all things he may be glorified by you Beloved our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ whose I am and whom I serve in whom also I am your Brother and Servant in the Faith and fellowship of the Gospell having brought to my hand some understanding and enjoyment of the doctrine of Baptisme and the usefulnesse thereof as it concernes Believers unto whom onely he hath alloted it I did account my self bound in duty to make you partakers of his grace given to me by recommending the same to your consideration as it is propounded in the following Treatise And the rather I was willing to do so because although I have seen the precious labours of some of my dear brethren to my edification clearing the truth of the doctrine of Believers baptisme and discovering the falsenesse of infants baptisme in way of answer to such or the arguments of such who pleaded so earnestly though carnally for the same yet I have seen no Treatise positively and directly declaring the doctrine of Believers baptism with the End and use thereof unto them I beseech the stronger Brethren not to account this undertaking arrogancie or presumption in me who am the unworthiest amongst the Saints I have writ it and sent it especially for the instruction and confirmation of the weaker having confidence through the Lord that it will be of some such use and advantage to them Some things in this Treatise do not so directly concern you my Brethren as others who upon severall grounds though but Sandy are otherwise minded as will be manifest to such as reade with understanding Neverthelesse such things will not be uselesse unto you my Brethren And so it may please the Lord that they may not be without fruit amongst those among whom more especially they do concern if the Lord in bringing this Treatise to their hands bring it to their hearts also It is their instruction that I desire If any man think himself to be a Prophet or spirituall let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the Commandements of the Lord. But if any man will be ignorant let him be ignorant Brethren pray for me Be mindfull of the Brethren amongst us Study to advance the Kingdome of Christ in these parts for there is a generall backwardnesse to cast off humane traditions and to close with the Lord Jesus in his pure Ordinances The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you My love be with you all in Christ Jesus Amen Your Brother in the love and service and riches of the Gospell ROBERT GARNER A Treatise of BAPTISME Wherein is clearly proved the lawfulnesse and usefulnesse of Believers Baptisme As also the sinfulnesse and vanitie of Infants Baptism With many usefull Instructions concerning the same matter Grounded upon Ephes 4 5. One Lord One Faith One Baptism WHich Scripture holdeth forth to us this truth to wit The Lord Jesus hath given and commanded One Baptism of water under the Gospell to be administred unto Believers onely In holding forth this truth it is needfull to clear up these things to wit First by Baptisme in this Scripture we are to understand the Baptism of water Secondly This Baptisme of water is an Ordinance of the Lord Iesus Thirdly This Ordinance of the Lord Iesus is properly and peculiarly belonging vnto Believers Or it is given and commanded unto believers onely Fourthly What is the end and use of baptisme unto believers And this I shall shew by laying downe what are those Priviledges or benefits which the Lord Jesus gives to believers in this Ordinance Fifthly What is the duty of believers in and after their partaking in this Ordinance Sixthly Whom the Lord Iesus hath appointed to be the Dispencer or Administrator of this Ordinance unto believers These things through the helpe of God being cleared up will afford to us some vsefull instructions as flowing from thence and will serve for a Touchstone to make tryall of that which is commonly called Infants Baptisme What Instructions will naturally arise to us from these generall heads I shall annexe them thereunto as I goe forward The first thing to be cleared up is this to wit By baptisme in this scripture we are to understand the baptisme of water There is indeed a threefold baptisme which we reade of in scripture The baptisme of water Acts 8.36 and 10.47 The baptisme of the holy Spirit or fire Mat. 3.11 Mark 1.8 And the baptisme of afflictions Math. 20.23 Mark 10.39 The first of these was administred to all believers we reade of in the Gospell The second was given by Christ more especially to some persons either before or after the administration of the baptisme of water in what measure the Lord Christ was pleased to dispense the same And this is called the gift or gifts of the holy Spirit Acts. 10.45 and 19.5.6 The last of these is one time or other the portion of all such as will live godly in Christ Jesus though indeed some by the appointment of God drinke deeper of the Cup and are plunged lower and longer in afflictions then others are yet so as God alwayes proportioneth richer measures of grace and strength to greater measures of tryals and afflictions What hath beene spoken concerning this threefold baptisme may serve as I conceive to give some light to Heb. 6.2 Where mention is made of Baptismes not one onely in the singular number but baptismes in the plurall number This by the way Now the main Scope or Argument of the Apostle in the forementioned Scripture Ephes 4.5 will fully prove that the baptisme of water is chiefly and onely intended
the Sonne and of the Holy Spirit carry the force of a promise in them for in that the Lord hath commanded his servants to baptize believers in his Name to Put or Call his Name upon them in baptisme he saith Amen to it he confirmeth the word of his servants he performeth what he promiseth to them Agreeable to what he saith by Moses Numb 6.27 They shall put my Name upon the Children of Israel and I will blesse them Now the summe of what the Lord promiseth or saith Amen to and which his servants declareth in his Name unto believers in baptisme is this to wit The Lord is your Father and Master and Lord requiring honour and feare and service and Obedience from you there is his Authoritie And not onely so but likewise promising loving kindnesse mercy truth peace blessing strength teaching and preservation to you there is his Grace And indeed as his Name alone is excellent in respect of Authority so in respect of Grace also The second thing which is implyed is this to wit Believers in baptisme do professe to put or call the Name of the Lord that is his Authority and Grace upon themselves for in baptisme there is as it were a promise on their parts And it is as much as if they should openly declare before the Lord and his servants thus we do now professe the Lord alone to be our Lord our God our Father and our Master and our selves to be his Children his servants his people and that we give up our selves wholly and onely to him to serve him to love him to feare him to honour him there is an acknowledgment of his Authority and not onely so but likewise to depend upon him and to trust in him onely for mercy righteousnesse peace blessing strength Wisdedome preservation and all good things there is an acknowledgment of his Grace And thus or to this purpose believers are said to put on Christ in baptisme as it is expressed by the Apostle Gal. 3.27 And thus as the Lord hath taught me I have shewed you what it is for Disciple or Believers to be baptized in the Name of the Lord. And therein I have briefly declared to you one of those glorious priviledges which the Lord Jesus gives to Believers in baptisme And indeed such to whom the Lord gives a spirituall understanding will acknowledge that this is a glorious priviledge Instruction That which I have said for the clearing up of this priviledge is usefull to instruct believers who are under the obedience of this Ordinance as believers to look upon their baptisme neither as shamefull nor beggarly but as honourable and precious through Christ whose Name is called upon them in the same Therefore be not ashamed of your baptisme but own it continually and before all men as an honourable and rich priviledge to you through the Lord Jesus And again let Believers be instructed to walk answerably to this priviledge which the Lord Jesus gives them in their baptisme Let them in all things and at all times be subject to him as their Lord and Master let them be subject to none other in the things of Christ but Christ only whose Authority only they have professed in baptism to be subject to Let them in all their ways relations walk according to the Lord Christ whose commandements they have professed to be subject to Let them likewise look for all supply of Grace from the Lord Iesus that in his grace and strength they may serve him in all things and at all times that in all their conversation they may shew forth the praise and honour of their Lord and Master whose Name is called upon them Tryall Again This priviledge which Believers have in baptisme through Christ may serve as a third Touchstone of Infants Baptisme for I thus conclude Baptisme may lawfully be administred to none but unto such onely whom the Lord hath made meet to be partakers of such a priviledge as to have his Name called upon them in Baptisme And who are these But first such as know the Lord such as know the Father and the Sonne and the Holy Spirit such as know the Authority and Grace of the Lord Iesus such as know what the Lord declareth and promiseth to them and what they promise or professe before the Lord and his people in baptisme as I have above shewed Secondly such whom the Lord hath inabled in some measure to walk answerably to such a priviledge and such a profession as the Lord puts upon them and they take upon themselves in baptisme from thenceforth to walk as the servants of the Lord whose Name therein is called upon them being subject in all things to him and depending for all things upon him onely Now then the baptism of Infants being wisely and sincerely applyed to this Touchstone it will evidently appear to all discerning humble spirits not to be of God but of men onely for hath the Lord made them to be meet partakers of this Ordinance Do they know the Lord Do they not want this necessary thing How then shall his name bee called upon them How shall his Authority and Grace be declared to them in Baptisme and they promise and professe before the Lord and his people from thenceforth to be subject unto him and depend upon him seeing they do not know him Do not therefore such as command and practise Infants baptisme goe a direct contrary course from the mind of the Lord Jesus I leave it to the consideration of the wise And heare I may take occasion to deale with such in a word or two who plead so earnestly for the baptisme of the Infants of believers upon this ground because they are holy to wit say they with a foederall holynesse by vertue of their Parent or Parents being believers which holynesse say they gives them a Right to baptisme Their alone ground is from the Apostles words 1. Cor. 7.14 else were your children uncleane but now are they holy I might answer first that not such a holynesse neither any other but a naturall holynesse contrary to a naturall uncleanesse is there intended by the Apostle as will evidently appeare to such to whom the Lord gives a discerning Spirit Secondly I might say the Apostle speaks not the last word concerning baptisme neither was it to his purpose in that Chapter But Thirdly if I grant to them seeing they are so earnest upon it that the Infants of believers are foederally holy yet this will be no advantage to them concerning the baptisme of these Infants seeing I may affirme from the Lord Iesus according to cleare scripture that no holynesse whatsoever can admit any to baptisme but a professed holynesse or knowledge or faith or repentance in their owne persons onely Yea I may boldly affirm that if the Lord should witnesse from heaven to our knowledge that such an Infant of such Parents was an elect vessell one ordained to eternall life an heire with the Lord Jesus