Selected quad for the lemma: water_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
water_n	baptism_n	dip_v	sprinkle_v	5,026	5	11.1171	5	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A65465	The pious communicant rightly prepar'd, or, A discourse concerning the Blessed Sacrament wherein the nature of it is described, our obligation to frequent communion enforced, and directions given for due preparation for it, behaviour at, and after it, and profiting by it : with prayers and hymns, suited to the several parts of that holy office : to which is added, a short discourse of baptism / by Samuel Wesley ...	Wesley, Samuel, 1662-1735.	1700 (1700)	Wing W1376; ESTC R38528	120,677	302

to be willing to sacrifice all to make them better That there is need of a general Reformation of Manners has not been denied even by those who have had the most need of it themselves And that the Governours both in Church and State do most earnestly desire it we can no less doubt without the highest Affront to both when they have by so many repeated Acts solemnly declared as much to the Nation That a firm Combination of good Men is the best way to bring this Design to a good Issue we may more than guess by what has been already done by such methods And for all the Objections which have been brought against those who have embarkt in this pious and generous Undertaking I believe there is no unprejudiced Person who has read the Right Reverend Bishop of Glocester's Defence of them but are fully satisfied that they have but very little weight and are there fairly answered And as it is known that the late Archbishop was a hearty Friend of them and their Design so his most Reverend Successor has given them a just and noble Commendation in his Letter to the Bishops of his Province wherein he requires them To press the Clergy of their respective Dioceses to invite their Church-wardens and other pious Persons among the Laity to ioyn with them in carrying on the Reformation of Manners after which he adds We may very reasonably expect the happy Effects of such a Concurrence from the visible Success of that noble Zeal wherewith so many about the great Cities do promote true Piety and a Reformation of Manners Thus far our most Reverend Metropolitan and since that time the same Design has been publickly espoused and recommended by several others of the highest Character And indeed if the General Reformation of Mens Manners be ever effected by the Terror of the Laws without Execution or those Laws be ever effectually executed by the straggling Endeavours of a few good Men who charge singly against such infernal Hosts of Infidelity and Lewdness if any thing considerable herein be accomplished unless by such a Combination I shall own my self happily mistaken but whether I am or no the Event will teach Posterity I shall conclude this long Letter with the remarkable words of the excellent Author of the Whole Duty of Man in his Causes of the Decay of the Christian Piety the close of the Twentieth Chapter That Scandal says he which we have brought upon our Religion as it was not contracted by the Irregularities of one or two Persons but by associated and common Crimes so neither will it be removed by a few single and private Reformations There must be Combinations and Publick Confederacies in Virtue to balance and counterpoise those of Vice or they will never recover that Honour which she acquired by the general Piety of her Professors He goes on In those Primitive Days there was such an abhorrence of all that was ill that a vicious Person was lookt upon as a kind of a Monster or Prodigy and like a putrified Member cut off as being not only dangerous but noisome to the Body But alas the Scene is so changed that the Church is now made up of such as she would then have cast out and 't is now as remarkable an Occurrent to find a Good Christian as it was then to see a Bad. I shall add no more but that it was well the Worthy Author concealed his Name when he published such disobliging Truths At least if he had been now living he would scarce have escaped the Censure of Forwardness and a Zeal not according to Knowledge SIR I am Your obliged Friend SAM WESLEY APPENDIX Of BAPTISM § I. CONCERNING which I shall briefly enquire what it is what Benefits we receive by it what are our Obligations from it whether our Saviour designed it to remain always in his Church and lastly who are the proper Subjects of it § II. First What it is and Baptism may be thus described 'T is the first Sacrament of the New Testament instituted by our Saviour in the room of Circumcision and the Iewish Baptisms to continue to the End of the World wherein by sprinkling dipping or washing with Water in the name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost the damning Guilt of original Sin is washt away we enter into Covenant with God are taken into the Church of Christ and made partakers of all the Privileges thereof God's Grace here and endless Bliss hereafter on our performing the Conditions of the Covenant § III. 'T is the first or initiatory Sacrament entring us into that Covenant which we renew in the Lord's Supper 'T was instituted by our Saviour who alone has Power to institute a proper Sacrament or Sign Seal Pledge and means of Grace perpetually obligatory on all Christians We know not indeed the express time of its Institution for Iesus made and baptised more Disciples than Iohn St. Iohn 4. 1. long before he enlarged the Commission of his Apostles to go and make Disciples out of all Nations by baptising them St. Matt. 28. 19. see below of the right Translation of the words But we know 't was in the room of Circumcision for as that was a Figure Sign Rom. 4. 11. and Seal of God's Covenant and means of admission into the Church so is this It seems also to have had respect to the way of admitting Proselytes among the Iews which both formerly was and still is by Baptism Lightfoot Grotius c. Ammian Epictet and perhaps also to the Lustrations or Purifications among the Heathen which Grotius thinks with great Reason were the remains of a Patriarchal Tradition in memory of the universal Flood which the Apostle also seems to intimate when he calls Baptism the Antitype to the Ark or the Deluge 1 St. Pet. 3. 20 21. § IV. The matter of this Sacrament is Water which as it has a natural Power of cleansing is in it self more fit for such a symbolical and sacramental Use. Some of the ancients have thought that God gave the first Blessing to the Waters Gen. 1. 10. because they were designed for Baptism Which is performed by Washing Dipping or Sprinkling the Person in the Name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost That is by this Ceremony the baptised Person is obliged to believe in the Holy Trinity and to receive and obey the Gospel The Gentiles therefore were generally baptised in the Name of the whole Trinity because they did not before believe aright of any of the Three Persons Tho' the Iews and Proselytes who before did believe aright of God seem to have been sometimes baptised only in the Name of the Lord Iesus Acts 10. 42. 19. 5. § V. I said Washing Dipping or Sprinkling according to our Catechism was the manner of Baptism tho' neither of them are I think expresly determined in Scripture either by Precept or such Example as clearly proves it or by the force or meaning of the word Baptise Nay there are several

places in the Sacred Scripture which make it very probable they did wash or sprinkle as well as dip or plunge the baptised and we have Instances of it in the known Practice of the antient Churches Iohn's Baptism in some things agreeing with our Saviour's in others differing from it cannot certainly be proved from Scripture to have been performed by Dipping Not that St. Iohn 3. 23. of Enon near to Salim where there was much Water for this might relate to Breadth rather than Depth since a narrow place would not have been sufficient for so great a multitude Ierusalem and all Iudea c. St. Matt. 3. 5. that is a great part if not the generality of them Nor any of our Saviour or his Disciples Baptisms nor even that of Philip and the Eunuch Acts 8. 38 39. tho'they both went down into the Water for that going down may relate to the Eunuch's Chariot when they descended but implys no determinate Depth of Water it might be to their Knees it might not reach their Ancles The words Baptise and Baptism do not necessarily conclude for Dipping because they are used in other Senses in several places of Scripture Thus we read that the Iews were all baptised to Moses in the Cloud and in the Sea 1 Cor. 10. 2. in neither of which were they plunged the Body of the Water not touching them tho' the Egyptians were dipt indeed when they sank like Lead in the mighty Waters Exod. 14. 28. 15. 10. they could therefore be only sprinkled by Drops of the Sea water and refreshing Dews from the Cloud while in the Wilderness which seems not obscurely hinted in that of the Psalmist Thou sentest a gracious Rain upon thine Inheritance and refreshedst it when it was weary Psal. 68. 9. Again Christ said to his two Disciples that they should be baptised with the Baptism that he was baptised with St. Mark 10. 38. namely the Baptism of Blood or Martyrdom but neither he nor they were dipt but only sprinkled or washed with their own Blood Again we read in the Gospel St. Mark 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Washing 't is in the original Baptisms of Pots and Cups and brazen Vessels and Tables or Beds Yet Pots and Cups are not necessarily dipt when they are washt but Water is often poured upon them Nay the Pharisees washt the outsides of them only St. Luke 11. 39. and as for Tables or Beds none will suppose they could be dipt but only sprinkled or at most washt over Here is the word Baptism not in a figurative but natural Sense taken otherwise than for dipping namely for washing or cleansing and that this is the true meaning of the word Baptise is the Opinion of the greatest Scholars and most proper Iudges in this matter Hesychius Stephanus Scapula 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lavo to wash So 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lavatio ablutio Washing which may be done without dipping 'T is true we read of being Buried with Christ in Baptism but we cannot argue with any certainty from such a figurative Expression which if it held exactly seems as much for sprinkling as plunging because in Burials the Earth is sprinkled on the Body not the Body plunged through the solid Substance of the Earth and a Man is not buried tho' he is put into his Grave till he is covered by thus casting or sprinkling the Earth upon him and on the other side we read that Baptism is called Tit. 3. 5. the washing of Regeneration And as there is no certain Proof of dipping from sacred Scripture so there is very great probability from the History of the Apostles that great Numbers were baptised by the Apostles themselves without any such dipping only by washing sprinkling or pouring Water upon them or some part of them sufficient to a ceremonial Washing St. Iohn 13. 10. and clearly representing the inward part of the Sacrament or cleansing from Sin not the quantity but the quality being chiefly considerable as 't is not much or little of the Bread and Wine but the Substance of them only which with the Grace of God makes the other Sacrament The Iaylor and all his House were baptised in the Prison Acts 16. 33. Cornelius and his Friends at home Acts 10. 48. and several Housholds But is it likely they had all of them Ponds Pools or Rivers in or near their Houses sufficient to plunge all these I think the contrary is far more probable And the same even of the 5000 at one time and 3000 at another which were converted and baptised by Saint Peter in Ierusalem Acts 2. 41. 4. 5. where they had none but the gentle Waters of Siloam as some think the same with Gihon which were by Hezekiah brought into the City 2 Kings 20. 20. Fuller says there were no Water-Mills in Jerusalem because no Streams large enough to drive them Pisgah Sigh't Lib. 3. p. 329. 'T is true it was an antient Custom to dip the baptised which was rather refreshing than dangerous in the warm Eastern and Southern Countries But the case is otherwise in our cold and frozen Climate where oftentimes we have no Ponds or Rivers unfrozen to dip in and if we did it would endanger the Health or Life both of sick and weakly grown Persons as some of those who practise it cannot be ignorant and especially of tender Infants and be more hard to them than Circumcision it self and as the antients did undoubtedly baptise the Clinics or sick Persons on their Beds by washing or sprinkling not dipping them so may we do with Children or others in these Northern Parts where the danger seems much the same since God will have Mercy and not Sacrifice especially when he has not determined any thing concerning it in his Holy Word Tho' where adult Persons are baptised or Children are able to bear it our Church is not against dipping Vid. Rubrick in publick Baptism nor can this therefore be any valid Objection against it or just Cause of Separation from it I shall close this Head with an Observation concerning the Hebrew word which signifies to baptise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which a Reverend Person who was as well acquainted with that Language as most in Europe Dr. Lightfoot's Appendix to his Life Vol. 11. p. 16. has largely proved to imply no more than sprinkling not plunging or dipping challenging all those who are of a different Opinion to produce any place in the Old Testament where the word when it is used in Sacreds and in a transient Action is not taken for sprinkling only § VI. The first of the Benefits we receive by Baptism is the washing away the damning Guilt of original Sin by the application of the merits of Christ's Death That we are all born under the Guilt of Adam's Sin and that all Sin deserves eternal misery has been the unanimous Sense of the Primitive Church as well as it is positively and strongly asserted in the Ninth Article of the Church of England

and even Heathens have been sensible of a Fall though they have been ignorant of the manner of it and means to recover from it and yet as before they generally used washing or sprinkling for Purification I believe they had it from Orpheus as he from the Phoenicians and they perhaps from Jacob. And it is no less certain that we all feel the Effects of this original Guilt tho' there may be difficulties in the manner of its propagation For no modest good Man can be insensible of an inward strong propension to Evil And the Scripture plainly asserts That we were shapen in Iniquity and in Sin did our Mothers conceive us Psal. 51. 5. That we were all by nature Children of wrath and dead in trespasses Ephes. 2. 1 3. and sins That none can bring a clean Iob 14. 4. and 25. 4. thing out of an unclean That in Adam all died 1 Cor. 15. 22. That by one Man's disobedience many that is all Rom. 5. 10 12. were made Sinners By one Man Sin entred into Rom. 3. 10 23. the world and Death by Sin which came upon all Men for that all have sinned and come short of the Glory of God Nay this almost in express Terms as to Infants who if they had not any Sin at all no original Sin How come they to die and what need would they have of a Saviour since they have no actual Sin But 't is said That Death reigned from Adam to Moses even in those who had not sinned actually according to the similitude of Adam's transgression Rom. 5. 13 14. which can relate to Infants only which Texts are allowed by all but Pelagians to be clear Proofs that the whole Race of mankind are obnoxious both to the Guilt and Punishments of Adam's Transgression To the Punishment as well as the Guilt of it which doubtless was not only temporal Death but extended likewise to spiritual and eternal The Scripture having concluded all under Sin as the Iews under Unbelief that God might have mercy upon all Gal. 3. 22. Rom. 11. 32. Which takes off any mistaken Imputation on God's mercy or his Iustice since the Remedy is as wide as the Wound the Obedience and Death of the second Adam have repaired the Ruins which were occasioned by the Crime of the first and brought mankind into a possibility and capacity of Salvation And as by the offence of one Iudgment came upon all Men to Condemnation so by the Righteousness of one the Free-Gift came upon all Men to Iustification of Life Rom. 5. 18. Which virtue of Christ's Death and Resurrection are applied to us in Baptism Rev. 1. 5. For he loved us and washed us from our Sins in his own Blood He gave himself for the Church that he might sanctifie and cleanse it with the washing of water by the Word Ephes. 5. 25 26. namely by Baptism as an Instrument of our Iustification as our Church fully asserts in the Office of Baptism That all Men are conceived and born in Sin First Exhortation before Baptism in the old Adam Ministers certifying after private Baptism in original Sin and in the Wrath of God and prays That the Person to be baptised may be washed and sanctifyed with the Holy Ghost and delivered from God's Wrath and by Baptism receive Remission of Sins and enjoy the everlasting Benediction of God's heavenly washing and again That the Water may be sanctified to the mystical washing away of Sin Prayer immediately before Baptism and teaches us That those who are born in original Sin and in the Wrath of God are by the Laver of Regeneration in Baptism received into the Number of God's Children c. And accordingly does upon good Ground affirm in the Rubrick at the end of the Office That it is certain by God's Word that Children which are baptised dying before they commit actual Sin are saved and this is agreeable to the unanimous Opinion of the antient Fathers St. Cyprian Theophylact. Lactant Greg. Naz. Origen St. August St. Ambrose St. Ierom c. and of the Primitive Church which differ'd from the Pelagian Hereticks in this very point those Hereticks pretending that Children were baptised only that they might be admitted into the Kingdom of Heaven whereas the Orthodox held that they ought to be baptised especially in case of danger for the washing away the Guilt of original Sin § VII Another Benefit of Baptism is that we thereby enter into Covenant with God without which as has been said on the other Sacrament What has a sinful Creature to do with his offended Maker Into that everlasting Covenant which he has commanded for ever Psal. 109. 11. that New Covenant which he has promised to make with the spiritual Israel To give them a new Heart and a new Spirit new Principles new Inclinations to sprinkle clean water upon them that they may be clean and to remember their Sins and iniquities no more In short to be their God as he promised to Abraham in the Evangelical Covenant which he made with him and all his spiritual Offspring Gen. 17. 7 8. That Circumcision was then the way of admitting into Covenant with God and that Baptism is the same now I suppose none deny who own any Sacraments Baptism being also stiled in Scripture the Stipulation Contract or Covenant of a good Conscience as good Interpreters translate that place in St. Peter already mentioned § 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 stipulatio Luther Beza Grotius c. Our part of the Covenant which includes an Oath and a Vow is to renounce the Devil to believe what God has revealed to observe what he has commanded God's part to give us his Grace to perform what we promise and unspeakable Rewards for our imperfect Obedience § VIII By Baptism we are admitted into the Church and consequently made Members of Christ the Churches Head The Iews were admitted into the Church or made Proselytes by Circumcision the Christians by Baptism For as many as are baptised into Christ have put on Christ Gal. 3. 27. that is are mystically united to him and made one with him For by one Spirit we are all baptised into one Body 1 Cor. 12. 13. namely the Church which is called the Body of Christ Ephes. 4. 12. whence the Fathers stile Baptism the Door of the Church and the Sacrament of our initiation or entrance into Christianity From which vital more than political because spiritual mystical and sacramental Union with Christ proceeds the Influence of his Grace on those who are baptised the Honour and Exaltation of our Nature the Benefit of his Protection and Intercession for us with the Father as from our Union with the Church a share in its Instructions in its Privileges in all the Promises Christ has made to it in its Intercessions and Supplications and in the other Sacrament of the Lord's Supper as soon as we come to Age and Understanding to receive it § IX By Baptism we are made the Children of God who were

us our Profession which is to follow the Example of our Saviour Christ and to be made like unto him that as he dyed and rose again for us so should we who are baptised dye from Sin and rise again unto Righteousness continually mortifying all our evil and corrupt Affections and daily proceeding in all Vertue and Godliness of living And would to God all who are baptised would but act according to these Directions which would prevent the unspeakable Scandal which is given by the bad Lives of Christians the high Dishonour of God and their own eternal Ruine § XI And this Baptism is to be perpetual to last as long as the Church into which it gives Entrance to the end of the World It must doubtless be highly necessary since without it in an ordinary way there is no Entrance into the Church or into Heaven The outward Baptism is thus necessary as a means to the inward as was outward Circumcision to the Circumcision of the Heart nor would it have availed the Iews to plead that they had the inward and that was sufficient because whoever had not the outward too that Soul was to be cut off from among his People he had despised he had broken Gods everlasting Covenant by despising and neglecting the Seal of it Gen. 17. 14. A Seal must be something visible a Sacrament must consist of something outward as well as inward The very nature of a Type implys the same The Seal of Circumcision was to last among the Iews as long as the Ceremonial Law lasted whereunto it obliged them making them Debters to the whole Law Galat. 5. 3. and when that was abolished and Baptism came in its Room that must also last by Parity of Reason as long as the Gospel Covenant into which it admits and whereunto it obliges all Nations There is no doubt but our Saviour's Commission was to make Proselytes by baptizing with Water for so the Apostles did which they dared not have done had not it been contained in their Commission and this of Gentiles as well as Iews as is undeniably clear from the Acts of the Apostles nay they did not only permit but command and exhort to outward Baptism Thus Ananias to St. Paul Arise and be baptised and wash away thy Sins Acts 22. 16. Thus St. Peter to the Iews Repent and be baptised Acts 2. 38. And to the Gentiles and that with Water Can any man forbid Water that these should not be baptised And it follows he commanded them to be baptised in the name of the Lord which was certainly more than a bare Permission or Condescension Acts 10. 47. And as long as the Commission to the Apostles lasted as long as Christ promised to be with them in the Execution of it so long doubtless were they to exercise it and to baptise as well as to teach for the Commission is to both as the Promise is to both But Christ hath promised to be with them that is by his Spirit in their lawful Successors till the End of the World Which explains that Expression of the Apostle concerning the other Sacrament that therein Christians were to shew forth the Lords Death until he come that is till he come at the last day to judge the world personally and visibly in like manner as his Disciples saw him bodily ascend into Heaven Acts 1. 11. which cannot therefore relate to his coming at Pentecost by his Spirit nor his coming to destroy the Iewish City and Nation which was by his power not his person Nor can the End of the world be here restrained to the Destruction of Ierusalem because that was but about Forty Years after Christs Ascension and we are not to think the Commission was then voided or that he has forsaken his Church ever since which was rather much confirmed by this terrible Destruction which he had foretold should befal his enemies and crucifiers Besides that there 's another word added always Lo I am with you always St. Matt. 28. 20. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which strengthens and explains that Expression to the end of the World And accordingly we are sure that as well the Apostles as their immediate Successors did receive all Nations into the Christian Church by Baptism and none without it and have continued to do the same ever since and doubtless will do so to the End of the World Nor therefore are those to be heard who deny the necessity or perpetuity of outward Water-Baptism § XII But there 's a yet greater Difficulty concerning the Subjects of Baptism whether only adult Persons who can make a personal publick Profession of their Faith and Repentance or the Children also of Believers who are brought unto it on account of the Faith of their Parents and Sponsors or Sureties and may have the beginnings of Faith and Holiness wrought in them by Gods Spirit § XIII And here before I enter upon this Argument I think it may not be inconvenient to declare that I do it not for Argument's sake only I would have no Controversie with any Christian but who should be most charitable nor would I willingly provoke any but to Love and to good Works But yet I am obliged to do what I can to preserve any that are under my Charge from what I my self am convinced is an Error and such is I am satisfied the denying of Baptism to Infants and I shall be very glad if these mean Papers may be useful to any others on the same Occasion Wherein I shall first lay down the Grounds of Infant Baptism taken from Scripture Reason and Primitive and universal Custom And secondly Endeavour to answer the Objections against it § XIV Our Grounds for Baptising the Infants at least of believing Parents are such as these 1. Because all Children are guilty of original Sin and consequently cannot be saved in an ordinary way unless that be washt away in Baptism 2. Because such Children are capable of making a Covenant and were and still are under the Evangelical Covenant and consequently have a right to Baptism which is the initiating Seal thereof 3. Because they may and ought to come to Christ are capable of being admitted into the Church of God and of solemn sacramental Dedication to him 4. Because the Iews did make Proselytes of Children by baptising as well as by circumcising them and consequently our Saviour commanding his Disciples to make Proselytes out of all Nations by Baptism and not forbidding them to receive Children they must needs baptise them also 5. It is very probable if not positively certain from the Acts of the Apostles that the Apostles did baptise Infants 6. As it is certain that the first Christians did so and the Church of God have continued to do it in all Places and all Ages § XV. The first Argument for Infants Baptism may be taken from their being guilty of original Sin and consequently in an ordinary way they cannot be saved unless that be washed away by Baptism