Selected quad for the lemma: water_n
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A58145
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Robert Bridgman's Reasons for leaving the Quakers, (upon examination) proved unreasonable being only a demonstration of his envy. By W. Rawlinson.
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Rawlinson, William.
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1700
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Wing R370; ESTC R217967
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22,497
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49
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not however I hope to shew that we have more reason to question Water-Baptism than we have to question outward Teaching To that end that I may both briefly and clearly state the Case I will here present what all the Evangelists that takes notice of our Saviour's Discourse at that time when he gave that Commission says concerning it by which I have some hopes we may perceive whether outward or spiritual Baptism was intended by our Saviour and if it doth appear what Baptism was the Subject of our Saviour's Discourse tho not expresly mentioned in the Commission I hope it may suffice Luke has it thus And that Repentance and Remission of Sins should be preached in his Name among all Nations beginning at Jerusalem and ye are witnesses of these things Tarry ye in the City of Jerusalem until ye be endued with Power from on high Luke 24.47 48 49. All Power is given unto me in Heaven and in Earth Go ye therefore and Teach all Nations baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Mat. 28.18 19. 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 you have heard of me For John truly Baptized with Water but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence Acts 1.4 5. Go ye into all the World preach the Gospel to every Creature he that believes and is baptized shall be saved Mar. 16.15.16 Thus we have the Substance of what Christ spake on this Subject by all which in all reason it should remain no longer a doubt what Baptism was there intended as the the Gospel-Baptism upon all which I am willing to make these few following Observations First That these Relations of the several Evangelists relating to and being an Account of our Saviours Discourse concerning this Subject at his Farewel was therefore spoke at one and the same time Secondly That it is clear that the Baptism insisted on by our Lord was his own spiritual Baptism even that of the Holy Ghost and is so particularly expressed as well as confirmed by other Phrases and Terms Synonimous as the Power from on high the Promise of the Father c. Thirdly Since it is evident that the Discourse of our Lord relating to Baptism was not of Water but the Spirit which he then promised they should witness not many days hence and thereupon bids them tarry at Jerusalem till they were endued then bids them Go Teach all Nations baptizing them into the Name of the Father c. And we know most commonly the Name of the Father c. signifies his Power Life and Vertue nay always when it relates to more than a bare naming of him and it was this the Nations wanted to be baptized into even into a spiritual and heavenly Life and the true and proper Signification of the particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Text is into and not in so it naturally followeth the Baptism in the Text was Spiritual Baptism Fourthly Seeing it was the Baptism of the Spirit our Lord was treating of there was no need when he came to give the Commission to express it afresh though I do say Baptizing into the Name of the Father c. doth signifie Spiritual Baptism it being the Subject of his Discourse at that Juncture tho' if he had intended Water there had been an absolute Necessity to have mention'd it because it had been an altering the Subject of his present Discourse even from Spiritual to Elementary Baptism Fifthly The very Nature of the Commission doth much press the necessity of spiritual Baptism since it was to the Nations that lay in much Wickedness and therefore needed that spiritual Baptism by which they might become Children of God and Heirs of Heaven Sixthly Seeing it was this spiritual Baptism the Nations wanted therefore it was our Saviour was so very particular and careful that the Apostles should tarry at Jerusalem till they were baptized themselves for he knew right well that those that were not baptized themselves could not so much as be instrumental to the baptizing of others for those that were not born again themselves could not be proper Persons to the begeting of others And because our Lord knew this to be an extraordinary work which he had commanded them to so he was equally encouraging telling them All Power in Heaven and in Earth was given unto him and he would be with them always Seventhly and Lastly How can we think our Lord intended Water-Baptism when at the same time he applies Water to John as belonging to his Dispensation saying John truly baptized with Water but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost The very relish of these Words at this instant at giving this Commission is enough I should think to satisfie all that it was far from our Lord to institute Water when he applies it thus to John as a thing past And truly very Reason it self is on our side for how should that great Messenger of the Everlasting Covenant whose Dispensation should fulfil and end all preceding Dispensations and whom they all did but darkly represent that he should take up the chief Characteristick and Material part of the very preceding Dispensation were not this rather to adopt than fulfil and end And would not this be and remain as a Vail and Cloud upon his own Glorious and Spiritual Dispensation which is Spiritually and Substantially what the others were Outwardly Materially and Typically Glory to God for ever Well I must remember I am not writing a Treatise of Baptism but only answering an Adversary yet am willing to add a few words of G. K's out of his Presbyterian and Independant Visible Churches printed 1691. p. 182 183. And if any were raised up by the Lord as John was and could prove and instruct their being sent to Baptize with Water as he was these to whom they should be sent ought gladly to receive it but to do it by bare Imitation or a meer pretended Call which they cannot prove to be either Mediate or Immediate is great Presumption yea Superstition and to call that a Command of God which he hath given them no Command to practise is to set up the Precepts of Men in the room of God's Commandments as the Pharisees did of Old and is a taking of his Name in vain for which he will not hold them guiltless and they can never prove by all their Art and Skill that water-Water-Baptism is commanded by Christ Mat. 28.18 19. for all God's Commands and Precepts especially of publick Institution relating to the Church are express in so many express words and are not left to be gathered by uncertain and doubtful Consequences When God sent John to Baptize with Water Water was expressed but in the Apostles Commission to Baptize no mention is made of Water nor no words of Institution commanded to be used but the command
all the Principles of the several Societies and so refute them and none of the several Societies to be there or if present not suffered to vindicate their several and respective Principles or he intends all to have liberty to oppugn one another's Principles tho' this is a Power R. B. I am apt to think will scarce grant Dissenters Or must the Church be sole Plaintiff and all others only Defendants The words open and free Conferences implies all the several sorts should have liberty to vindicate their several Principles of what consequence this might be to the King 's Peaceable Government I will leave to more competent Judgments and the Churches Consideration R. B. having made these Proposals to the Church proceeds very warmly declaring what a lamentable thing it is that in a Christian Nation the publick Seals and Badges of its Communion should be slighted neglected opposed and rejected by a sort and number of Men that will not be accountable in matter of Fact for their Mistakes and Abuses That he here intends the Quakers I need not to Question for I take his whole Paper to be designed as a valliant Sally against them yet seeing he doth not also tell us what these publick Seals and Badges are I must be at a loss what he intends thereby his words are general and doth imply we are guilty of slighting neglecting c. all the Seals and Badges of the Christian Religion which is a high Charge yet since it is false we may the better bear it Now with his leave I conceive the Seals and Badges of the Christian Religion are many I would ask him whether not Swearing be not one And what he thinks of Mat. 5.33 34. Also whether to preach the Gospel freely be not another And what he thinks of Mat. 10.8 And whether not to Fight nor Persecute make not up two more And what he thinks of Mat. 5.38 39. 26.52 John 18.36 James 4.1 2 Cor. 10.4 Luke 9.55 56. Mat. 13.28 29 30. Nay doth not Christianity take in the Moral Law And if so then will come in loving our Neighbour as our selves which Badge I should have been glad to have seen more worn by him that would have given some evidence of his being Religious for I am satisfied true Christianity doth not destroy Morality for I think an honest sober and just Liver is preferable to a superstitious Pilgrim and that there is more Virtue in Praying for our Enemies than visiting an old Relick I see not how he comes to reckon us a sort and number of Men that will not be accountable in matter of Fact for our Mistakes and Abuses For he gives no Instances I may say he has a fine Art in abusing by whole-sale without proof We have always been ready to give a sincere account of the Hope that is in us which is evident from the many Acounts on that Head published and all has been our readiness to take notice of every occasion that did offer wherein it might be of Service I hope R. B. would not have us take our Religion upon his Authority Would he be for Whipping in as well as out of the Temple When once Religion is turned from inward Sense to outward Prescriptions and from Conviction and Reason to implicite Faith and blind Obedience I think a true Sense of God will be far gone it will then be time for the Magistrate to see that the Laws are duly executed for Conscience must be much a-sleep All that he has hitherto offered has been only his bold and envious Say-soes and Charges without all shew of Proof wherefore it is high time for what he has further to offer to produce some sort of Evidence he begins thus It is a most lame and scandalous Insinuation against the Institution and Practice of outward Baptism which G. Whitehead advances in his Rector Examined p. 27. saying When this Rector meaning Mr. Meriton can demonstrate a probatum est of such Virtue in that poor Element as he calls it of Water-Baptism as to cure polluted and distempered Souls as if the issue or effects of a Means that is prescribed must determine the right or lawfulness of its Institution or Practice without any Exception he may at the same rate question the Authority of our Lord Jesus Christ and his Apostles in their Teaching and Preaching because many that heard them were not effectually cleansed 'T is a wonder to see a Man of such Pretentions so lame in Matter and so abusive in his Charges His charging G. W. with lame and scandalous Insinuations against the Institution and Practice of Water-Baptism and yet offer no better proof than this one saying of G. W's to the Rector we must understand that G. W's thus speaking was even natural from the Comparisons brought by the Rector viz. Naaman's washing in Jordan and the blind Man's washing in the Pool of Siloam To which G. W. argues ad hominem that if the Rector could demonstrate such Vertue in Water-Baptism to the curing Mens Souls of their Infirmities as Jordan had to Cure the Body of Naaman and the Pool of Siloam had to restore Sight to the Blind then his Comparisons were of force otherwise why did the Rector bring them Was it only to fill up Paper Now if the Rector and this R. B. would from hence allude the Efficacy of Water-Baptism to the Curing of Souls since we must grant neither of these Waters had that Vertue essentially in them being only made effectual by the Grace and Blessing of that Power which appointed them will it not then be proper to enquire into the effects to see if they be answerable and that which gives greater Suspicion that R. B. grants Water-Baptism available to Cure the Soul is his Comparison of Christ's and the Apostles Preaching that G. W. might at the same rate question their Authority because that many that heard them were not effectually cleansed Now tho' many that heard them were not yet many that heard them were So tho' a great many that are baptized with outward Water remain uncleansed yet if either the Rector or this R. B. can make proof that many or any are cleansed by Water-Baptism it will answer G. W's probatum est for G. W. is not so unreasonable as not to admit of any Exceptions so that R. B. may dispose of his lame and scandalous Insinuations elsewhere But till such time as R. B. can make such proof let him not blame us in holding to those Remedies that we know are appointed by God for that purpose and that are effectual for that end as the Blood of Christ and the Operation of the Holy Ghost R. B. adds And in the Commission that was given Mat. 28.19 there is no more mention made of outward Teaching than of outward Baptism and the Quakers may as well reject Teaching with Words as Baptizing with Water What way he has to propound to Teach the Nations the Faith of Christ save by Words I know