word here for Water-baptism and that for this Reason It 's a Baptism that is to be administred by the Messengers or Ministers of Christ Now they can administer no other but Water-baptism they can't baptize with the Holy Ghost that must be done by Christ nor they may not baptize with the Baptism of Afflictions that 's work for the Enemies of Christ they can no otherwise baptize but with Water Fourthly What are we to understand by this word Them This word respects the Subjects of Baptism it 's a Relative the Antecedent is All Nations taught or discipled to Christ Go disciple to me all Nations baptizing them that is them that are discipled Fifthly What by these words In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost This is the form of words that is to be used in Baptism and it 's a part of the form of Baptism and doth denote one or both of these 1. Their being baptized into the Doctrine of the Trinity which is owned and profest by those that are to be baptized 2. To baptize by the Authority of the Trinity To baptize in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost is to baptize by the Authority of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost From the words I shall give you this Observation or Point of Doctrine Doct. That Believers or such as are discipled to Christ by the Word are the only Subjects of Baptism according to Christ's Commission these are to be found in the Commission and there are no other to be found there nor is there any other Commission leâ—t on Record for Ministers to baptize by In the Prosecution of this Point I shall First Give you a Description of Baptism Secondly Prove the Point Thirdly Answer some Objections Fourthly Give one Reason Fifthly Make some Application thereof First I shall give you a Description of Baptism Baptism is a dipping a Believer in Water by a Minister of Jesus Christ in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Here is in this Description the Administrator the Subject Matter and Form 1. The Administrator that must be a Minister of Christ and one that hath Commission from Christ to preach the Gospel Go preach and baptize Now here I do not tie it to a Minister in Office that is to an Elder one that hath a Pastoral Relation to a particular People but to a preaching Disciple Baptism being no more tied to Office or Power than Preaching is Preaching is not restrained to Office or Power by the Commission as I have shewed already every one that is gifted and qualified by the Spirit and providentially call'd ought to have Commission to preach Acts 11. 20. therefore such have Commission to baptize Go teach and baptize 2. The Subject must be a Believer Acts 8. 37. If thou believesâ— with all thy Heart thou mayst the contrary that fairly offers it self is this If thou dost not believe with all thy Heart thou mayst not Object But some may say the Administrator can't possibly know whether the Subject do believe with all his Heart or no. Answ I grant it 's true yet it follows not but that the Subject ought so to believe a true Faith is required of the Subject to give him a right to the Ordinance as appears by the forementioned place If thou believest with all thy Heart thou mayst A Profession of Faith gives the Administrator a Call to administer the Ordinance Acts 5. 13. Then Simon himself believed that is he made a Profession of Faith and was baptized and so the Eunuch upon a Profession of Faith was baptized by Philip and the Commission gives him authority to administer the Ordinance 3. The Matter is Water that is the Element that the Subject is baptized in John was baptizing in Enon for there was much Water John 3. 23. Who can forbid Water that these should not be baptized that have received the Holy Ghost as well as we Acts 10. 47. 4. The Manner or Form and that is by dipping in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost 1. It is by dipping it 's granted almost by all that the word in the Commission signifies to dip or to plunge into the Water and signifies such a Washing as when Linen is plunged or dipp'd in Bucks this is confest by Dr. Featly who was a great Antagonist against the Baptist Interest What he after speaks concerning the baptizing of Beds and Cups and brazen Vessels that it was done without dipping is more than can be proved that being a superstitious Practice of Pharisees I suppose they would not stick at the trouble of dipping but it 's enough that he grants that the primary signification of the word is to dip The Church of England grants it to be by dipping and admits of no other way by their Rubrick for the baptizing of Children but by dipping except the Child be weak They say if the Minister be certified that the Child be strong and able to bear it he shall dip it discreetly and warily Erasmus's Paraphrase on the New Testament reads it thus Go and teach all Nations and when they have learned dip them The Addition to Pool's Annotation tells us that it 's apparent that both Christ and John did baptize by dipping John 3. 23. It is observed by those that understand the Greek that the word that is often translated dipped or dippeth comes from bapto which is the primitive word that signifies to dip And here give me leave to transcribe a few Lines made ready to my hand by one that understands the Greek Mat. 26. 23. He that dippeth his hand with me in the dish here the word is embapsas the Participle of embapto which is bapto in Composition and signifies the same Mark 14. 20. He said it is one of the twelve that dippeth with me in the dish here the Participle of the Passive Voice of the same Verb is used to wit embaptomenos which is used in the same sense Luke 16. 24. Send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in Water c. where the word is bapse the Subjunctive Mood of bapto John 13. 26. He it is to whom I give a Sop when I have dipped it and when he had dipped it he gave it to Judas Iscariot the Son of Simon In the first Clause is used the Participle bapsas from the Primitive bapto in the second Clause is used the same as in Mat. 26. 23. to wit the Participle embapsas Rev. 19. 13. Vesture dipt in Blood where the Participle of the Preterperfect Tense of the Passive Voice is used to wit bebammenon 2. It appears it is by dipping in that there was choice made of a place where there was much Water John 3. 23. And John also was baptizing in Enon for there was much Water If baptizing had been by any other way than by dipping there had been
discipled to Christ and baptized and the next day made Father of a Son of eight days old that Son must have been circumcised or he had broken the Covenant but God sent John to baptize and Christ himself did baptize by his Disciples long before he was offered up 2. Circumcision belonged only to the Male not to the Female but Baptism belongs to the Female as well as the Male. Did the Baptism of the Female come in the room of Circumcision when Circumcision had never any place with the Female or can the Baptism of the Female be argued from the Circumcision of the Male Is there any room to form an Argument here if it were granted that they came one in the room of another 3. Circumcision was to be administred the eighth day not sooner nor later how comes it about that there is now no precise time for a Child to be baptized in if Baptism came in the room of Circumcision Where did God ever declare that Baptism should be administred in the room of Circumcision But he would no longer tie you to an exact day or time as for that you should take your own time 4. The Subjects treated of Col. 2. were Believers every one of them they had received Christ Jesus ver 6. they were compleat in Christ ver 10. 5. It 's spiritual Circumcision that is there mentioned ver 11. that which is made without hands in putting off the body of the Sins of the Flesh by the Circumcision of Christ 6. It is not spiritual but outward Baptism that is intended in the 12th vers Buried with him in Baptism that is Water-Baptism Now how inconsiderately do Men argue when they say that Baptism and Circumcision are put one for the other when the one is spiritual and the other outward If you say that Baptism is here to be taken of spiritual Baptism and so they are put one for another I answer if this be granted this is foren from the Case in hand the Question is Whether Circumcision and Baptism as they are considered the Ordinances of God and outwardly to be administred are here put one for the other and that they are not is so plain and clear that he that runs may read there is then no ground from this Text to say that Baptism came in the room of Circumcision nor is there another Text to be found from whence such a Conclusion may be drawn Object 7. If Children be capable of the Kingdom of God and the Blessing of Christ which are the greater then they are capable of Baptism which is the lesser But Children are capable of the Kingdom of God and of the Blessing of Christ that is the greater therefore they are capable of Baptism which is the lesser That they are capable of the greater appears in that Christ saith Suffer little Children to come unto me and forbid them not for of such is the Kingdom of God and he took them in his Arms and blessed them To this I answer It does not follow that they are capable of the lesser tho it be granted that they are capable of the greater The Supper of the Lord may be called the lesser as well as Baptism but Children that are capable of the Kingdom of God and the Blessing of Christ which is the greater are not capable of the Supper of the Lord which is the lesser and yet there is no more required as a Prequalification to the Supper of the Lord than there is to Baptism Object 8. Children are as capable now of Baptism as they were formerly of Circumcision and why then should they be denied To this I answer I do not dispute their Capacity but the Authority thereof there was a Command for that Gen. 17. 10 11. shew me the like Command for this and I will yield the point Abraham did not circumcise his Ishmael at eight days old because there was no Command for it nor would he have circumcised his Isaac at eight days old if he had not had a Command so to do Either Believers are commanded to baptize their Children or they are not if they are produce it if they are not then there is no such thing as Infant-Baptism of Divine Institution If the Duty of baptizing Children in an Infant-state do not lie on the believing Parent then I would fain know on whom it doth lie I can't think that it lies on the Child while in an Infant-state the Child in an Infant-state is neither capable of knowing what is matter of Duty nor yet of doing Nor doth it lie on the Minister for first the Minister hath no Power to baptize the Child if the Parent refuse to have it done Secondly He hath no Commission so to do in case the Parent do consent to it They are Disciples only that are put into his Commission but the Children of Believers are not discipled in an Infant-state therefore they are not put into his Commission Where shall we find on whom the Duty of Infant-Baptism is incumbent if there be any such thing Precepts do not leave us at a loss who it is they bind to that Duty Object 9. We read of whole Houses that were baptized and it 's probable that there were Children in some or all of them To this I answer 1. If it be probable yet it is not certain and therefore no Argument can be drawn from it could it be proved that there had been Children there then there would have been some room for an Argument but that can't be done 2. It 's more probable that there were no Children there in that there are but four Housholds mentioned among so many thousands that were baptized and were all known to be Believers This affords a strong Presumption that the Apostle did not baptize the Houshold upon the Faith of thâ— Parent if he had there would have been multitudes of Housholds that would have been baptized if it had been common to baptize whole Housholds I see no reason why these four should be mentioned more than others 3. The Jailor believ'd in God with all his House Acts 16. 34. and Crispus the chief Ruler of the Synagogue believ'd in God with all his House Acts 18. 8. Here are two of the four Houses that were all Believers here are no Children in these for Children are not capable of Faith Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God but Children in an Infant-state are not capable of hearing so as to understand and to believe Stephanus and his House are said to be the first Fruits of Acaia and that they had addicted themselves to the Ministry of the Saints which is tantamount to believing Here are three of the four Housholds that had no Children and as for Lydia no body knows whether she was a Maid Wife or Widow We read of the Brethren that were in her House but we read nothing of Children there Acts 16. ult Object 10. But if Children be denied Church-membership and Baptism under the Gospel
that were admitted to Church-membership and Circumcision under the Law then Children are losers by the coming of Christ in respect of outward Privileges To this I answer 1. If this be granted where shall the â—lame be laid It was the Pleasure of God under the Legal Administration that Children should enjoy these Privileges â—nd it 's the Pleasure of God under the Evangelical Administration that they should not enjoy them Men that were known after the Flesh before Christ came were no longer known after the Flesh when Christ was offered up Birth-Privileges were utterly ceas'd 2 Cor. 5. 16. The Apostle stops â—he mouth of all Objections in this matter by letting us know â—hat all things are of God who hath reconciled us to himself â—y Jesus Christ 2. If there must be no alteration under the Gospel of â—hat there was under the Law what then do you allow your â—hildren in the room of the Passover which then they had 〈◊〉 right to there was a Lamb appointed for a House Chilâ—ren were a part of the House and we can prove that therâ— were Children in those Houses where the Passover was eaten Why do ye not plead for the Supper for your Children in the room of the Passover as well as for Baptism in the room of Circumcision you have as much ground to plead for the one as for the other And what have we in the room of the Feast of First-fruits and of the Feast of Ingatherings shall we say that we are losers by the coming of Christ in respect of outward Privileges because we have nothing in the room of these Feasts Object 11. But we are to teach all Nations and to baptize them Children are a part of a Nation therefore they must be baptized To this I answer 1. Turk and Pope are parts of a Nation tho not both of the same Nation and so are all the Pagans and Heathens in the World must all these be baptized because they are part of a Nation 2. Tho Children are part of a Nation yet they are not part of a discipled Nation they themselves being not discipled to Christ the word them is relative to all Nations so and so modified and qualified it is not all Nations considered as such but all Nations discipled to Christ that ought to be baptized III. I shall give one Reason of the Point why Believers or such as are discipled to Christ by the Word are the only Subjects of Baptism according to Christ's Commission and that is because such only are put into the Commission these are to be found there and there are none but these to be found there Ministers must keep close to their Commission and if they do they will find that there are no more to be baptized by them than are discipled unto Christ IV. I shall make some Application of the Point And first By way of Information Is it so that Believers or such as are discipled to Christ by the Word are the only Subjects of Baptism according to Christ's Commission Then 1st It may inform us that Ministers have sufficient Authority to disciple to Christ by the Word and to baptize such as are discipled That if the Question be By what Authority they do these things and who gave them this Authority they have their Answer ready at hand they have it from Christ they have it not of Man nor from Man they have it not from the Magistrate nor from Ministers that were before them nor yet from any Church or Churches but from Christ That they have sufficient Authority for what they do of this kind will appear in a few Particulars 1. They have a Commission from Christ for what they do and that under the broad Seal of Heaven Christ came and spake unto them and said Go teach all Nations baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost They are sent by Christ and have their Work assign'd them by Christ they have their Commission to show for what they do The Baptism of Disciples is not of Men but of God their Commission is from him who is God as well as Man 2. Jesus Christ had Authority to give them this Commission and he declared his Authority before he gave it Mat. 28. 18. All Power is given unto me both in Heaven and in Earth 3. Christ had his Authority from the Father who is the Lord of the whole Earth in whom all Power is originally vested by right of Creation John 5. 22 23. The Father judgeth no Man but hath committed all Power unto the Son That all Men might honour the Son even as they honour the Father 2dly It may inform us what the use and benefit of Baptism is that a Believer may expect in taking up of the Ordinance 1. It is an obliging Ordinance it binds the Soul to die to Sin and live unto Holiness Rom. 6. 2 3 4 5. How shall we that are dead to Sin live any longer therein Know you not that as many of us as were baptized into Christ were baptized into his Death Therefore we are buried with him by Baptism into Death that even as Christ was raised by the Glory of the Father we also should walk in newness of Life We are buried with him by Baptism into Death that as the Body that is buried in the Grave lies rotting and consuming away so the body of Sin should waste and consume away 2. It 's a confirming Ordinance it 's of use to confirm our Faith in the remission of Sin by the Blood of Jesus Christ Acts 2. 38. Repent and be baptized for the remission of Sin c. Baptism doth not remit Sin but it 's a figure of that Blood by which the guilt of Sin is wash'd away it 's an Evidence together with Faith of our Title to Salvation Mark 16. 16. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved It 's no Evidence by it self but together with Faith it is as it 's taken up in Obedience to the Will of God without Faith it 's of no use at all and therefore there is no reason to contend for it for such as do not believe but together with Faith it 's of great use Secondly I would make use of it by way of Caution first to Ministers and secondly to People First To Ministers and that in two Branches 1. To beware they do not mistake the Subject of Baptism and so administer the Ordinance to those that have no right to it I shall here propose a few things to be considered 1. There are a great many Ministers that are mistaken I mean such as are for Infant-Baptism I do not lay down this upon a bare Conjecture but upon certain knowledg Ministers are divided into four Parties about the Subjects tho they are all for baptizing of Children yet not for the baptizing of all Children and three of these Parties are mistaken which is ground enough to put the fourth upon a further search and inquiry
Controversy being about the Brethren not the Infants and the Yoke not being Circumcision barely considered but the false Doctrine together with Circumcision which Doctrine could not be imposed on Infants tho Circumcision might You asserted that Infants are a part of a Nation and yet I am sure you will not baptize upon this ground your selves why then did you offer it to us The vilest Wretches that are and the blackest Heathens in the World are part of a Nation will you baptize such Really I should blush to look back on such an Argument I have written these Lines in Love hoping that on second thoughts things may be better considered and that you will not stand by that you have not the Word to stand by you in The Commission saith that He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved Do you believe that all the Infants that you baptize shall be saved if not then you do not believe that they are all Believers and yet you baptize them as such That Faith that fits the Subject for Baptism it is a believing with all the Heart see Pool's Annot. on Acts 8. 37 38. it is such a Faith as doth evidence the Subject's right to Salvation Mark 16. 16. I shall offer you one Argument and so conclude If the Apostles that were injoined to teach the Observation of all things whatsoever Christ had commanded them never taught the Observation of Infant-Baptism then Infant-Baptism was never commanded them by Christ but they did not c. I shall now take leave and remain your truly loving Friend John Williams Mr. William's Sermon Matth. 28. 19. Go ye therefore and teach all Nations baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost BEfore I come to the words themselves I shall give you a brief account of this Chapter and of some remarkable Passages contained therein Vers 1. we have the Women coming to the Sepulcher and the time oâ— their coming which was at the end of the Sabbath as iâ— began to dawn towards the first day of the Week Vers 2. we have an account of a great Earthquake together with the cause thereof The Angel of the Lord descended from Heaven and rolled away the stone from the door and sate upon it Vers 3. we have a description of this Angel or this extraordinary Messenger which was sent from Heaven 1st He is described by his Countenance His Countenance was like Lightning 2ly By his Raiment that was white as Snow Vers 4. we have the effect of this Apparition with respect to the keepers They are astonished at the sight for fear of him the keepers did shake and became as dead men Vers 5 6 7. we have the Angel talking with the Women in which there are three things observable First he gives them a Caution fear not tho the Keepers did fear this bright shining Angel yet the Women should not fear their end was good in being there they came in love to Jesus Christ I know that ye seek Jesus that was crucified Secondly He preacheth unto them the Resurrection oâ— Christ the first tidings of this welcome News sounded it their ears He is not here he is risen as he said come see the place where the Lord lay Thirdly he sends them on a hastâ— errant Go quickly and tell his Disciples that he is risen from the dead and behold he goeth before you into Galilee there shall you see him lo I have told you Vers 8 9. the Women return from the Sepulcher and first we have the manner â—how and that was with fear and great joy Secondly the speed they made they did run to bring his Disciples word No doubt they thought it would be welcome News to the Disciples as it was to themselves Thirdly They have a short stop by the way being met by the Lord Jesus who saluted them with all hail Peace be unto you or rejoice Upon this they came and held him by the feet and worshipped him Vers 10. and here observe First Jesus Christ gives them another caution Fear not Secondly he sends them forward in their Errant Go and tell my Disciples that I go before them into Galilee there shall they see me Vers 11 12 13 14 15. we have a Narration of the Watchmens coming into the City to acquaint the Chief Priest with what was done and of the way they took to stifle the blessed Tidings of the Resurrection of Christ They gave them large mony to report that his Disciples came by night and stole him away while they slept Vers 16. tho the Disciples were not forward to believe that Christ was risen yet they go into Galilee and into a mountain where Christ had appointed them Vers 17. Christ comes and shews himself to his Disciples according to his promise and here we may see the effect of his coming When they saw him they worshipped him but some doubted that is they doubted for a time but at last they believed Vers 18. he declares to his Disciples the full and ample Power that he was invested withal All Power is given unto me in Heaven and in Earth By this Declaration he prepares his Disciples to receive their Commission which Commission you have in ver 19 20. together with an incouraging Promise of his own Presence Lo I am with you always unto the end of the world My Text contains in it two Branches of the Commission to teach and baptize In which words we may observe these general parts First we have their mission or sending Go ye therefore Secondly we have the Subject All Nations Thirdly their work and that is two-fold 1st To teach and 2ly To baptize In which there is the order to be observed they must first teach and then baptize 3ly we have the Subjects of Baptism in this word Them which word is a Relative the Antecedent is All Nations taught or discipled 4ly We have the Authority of the Ordinance in these words In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Before I give you the Observation I shall a little open the Terms First As to their mission or sending Go ye therefore there are three things to be inquired into 1. Who it is that sends and that is the Lord Jesus Christ as appears in the preceding Verse Jesus came and spake unto them and said go ye 2. Who they are that are sent First more immediately they are the eleven Disciples as appears by ver 16 17 18. Then the eleven went away into Galilee and Jesus came and spake unto them saying Go ye But more remotely all such as God should be pleased to gift and qualify by his Spirit to preach the Gospel and by his providence to call out and to open a door so to do The Eleven were here commissioned but the Commission was not restrained to them for First we find that there were others that did instantly preach the Gospel as well as they who had no other
no need to make choice of a place where there was much Water a little Water would have serâ—ed the turn especially if it had been by sprinkling as the manner of some is I suppose the same reason may be render'd why John did baptize in Jordan and the People came from all parts thither to be baptized for there was much Water Also Mark 1. 5. John baptized them in the River of Jordan It 's very strange that he should baptize them in the River if he did it by sprinkling a little Water on the Face 3. It appears it was by dipping in that the Subject and tâ—e Administrator went both down into the Water and then baptized and after the Subject was baptized they came both up out of the Water Acts 8. 38 39. And he commanded the Chariot to stand still and they went down both into the Water both Philip and the Eunuch and he baptized him And when they were come up out of the Water c. Mat. 3. 16. And Jesus when he was baptized went straightway up out of the Water c. But here it is objected that the word that is translated Acts 8. 38. into is sometimes used for to and not for into it may signify either and is used promiscuously for to or into so that nothing may be concluded barely from the word To this I answer suppose this be granted yet it follows not but that it may and ought to be taken here for into as it is translated For 1. We see it was the Judgment of the Translators that it ought to be so taken here or else they would have translated it otherwise I can't think they did it contrary to their Judgment 2. The Text tells you they came to the Water antecedent to their going down into it First They came unto a certain Water ver 36. Did they draw back the Chariot that they might come unto it a second time and not go down into it at all 3. It is observed that the Greek word that is translated unto is a different word from that which is translated into 4. This word into is consonant with other Scriptures where Baptism is the Point in hand Christ came up out of the Water and if so he went first down into it John baptized them in the River of Jordan how could that be unless they went down into the River Again it 's observ'd that the Greek Prepositions are used elsewhere in their proper sense for into and out of Mat. 27. 53. And came out of their Graves and went into the holy City there it 's observ'd that the Preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 out of and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into are used in their proper sense John 20. 27. and thrust it into my side there the Preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used into Mat. 16. 9. Luke 8. 2. out of whom he cast seven here in both these Texts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 out of is used Acts 16. 40. And they went out of the Prison and entred into the House of Lydia where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are both used in one Verse as well as in Acts 8. 38 39. and certainly they were both in Prison and Water before they came out here again these are borrowed Lines concerning the Greek words as the former were yet I suppose my Author hath not abused me in it 4. It appears it is by Dipping from the allusion it hath to a Burial We are buried with him by Baptism Col. 2. 12. A Person is not buried that hath only a little Dust or Earth sprinkled on his Face but he is then buried when he is laid into the Earth and covered all over Rom. 6. 4. We are buried with him by Baptism into death that even as Christ was raised by the Glory of the Father we also should walk in newness of Life 5. It appears it is by Dipping in that the whole of the Subject is to be baptized and not a part only the Commission is to baptize the Person the Face is no more mentioned than the Feet nor is there any part mentioned but the whole the word is baptizing them If it be objected that the Face doth signify the Person I answer if that be granted yet the Person doth not signify the Face It 's the Person that is to be baptized but the sprinkling a little Water on the Face doth never wash the whole of the Subject and this being done on the Face of a little Infant is neither the washing away the filth of the Flesh nor yet the answer of a good Conscience by the Resurrection of Christ there is neither the Figure nor the thing figured 2dly It must be by Dipping in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost In these two the Form of the Ordinance doth consist Secondly I shall prove the truth of the Point by Scripture And here first I shall prove that Disciples are the Subjects of Baptism according to Christ's Commission And secondly That they are the only Subjects thereof First That Disciples or Believers are the Subjects of Baptism according to Christ's Commission And here I need not multiply many Scriptures tho it be a Point the truth of which has been much opposed the Truth of the Poinâ— lying so full and clear in the Text which Text is the only Commission that Ministers have to act by and whatever Arguments are brought to prove that such as are not discipled to Christ by the Word that is by actual Instruction ought to be baptized are all insignificant unless they can prove it by this very Text if their Commission do not warrant them to baptize such as are not discipled to Christ by the Word there is no Text in all the New Testament that will warrant them so to do By the Commission it is to disciple and baptize yet I shall subjoin a few Scriptures for the Confirmation thereof First That Disciples are the Subjects of Baptism Mark 16. 16. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved this is the same Commission and here believing is to precede baptizing Acts 2. 38. Repent and be baptized every one of you in the Name of Jesus Christ If Repentance here be not to be taken for Faith yet I am sure it can't be without Faith For first there cannot be a true Godly Sorrow for crucifying the Son of God without a true sight of a crucified Christ Secondly There can be no acceptance of what is done without Faith for without Faith it is impossible to pleasâ— God Acts 8. 37. If thou believest with all thy Heart thou mayst that is thou mayst be baptized Secondly I shall prove it by Scripture Precedents And here we have not one Precedent in all the Scripture of any one Person that ever was baptized till such time as they did believe or were discipled unto Christ by the Word The first Precedent that I shall offer is those that were baptized
for tho they seem to be all confident that Children are the Subjects according to the Rule yet they are greatly divided whose Children they are that are the right Subjects according to the Rule some will baptize all Children whose Parents make a verbal Profession of Christ tho their Conversation do utterly destroy their Profession a second sort will baptize all except Bastards A third sort will baptize none but such whose Parents are true Believers in the Judgment of Charity A fourth sort will baptize none but such whose Parents one or both are in Communion with themselves Here are four Opinions and there is but one Truth therefore three of these must needs err either they are too large or too short in their Judgment and I do not in the least question but the fourth is in an Error also he that is most strict in the Point of Infant-Baptism is too large there being neither Precept nor Precedent for his Practice 2. Consider if you baptize a wrong Subject you do it in your own Name not in the Name of Christ my meaning is you do it by your own Authority not by the Authority of Christ having no Commission from him for what you do 3. Consider it 's a bold attempt for Ministers to say I baptize thee in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost if the Subject be not a Disciple of Christ This is like setting the broad Seal of Heaven to a Patent of their own drawing up 4. Ministers must give an account of their Stewardship another day The Books shall be opened and every Man shall be judged out of the things that are written in the Books according as his Works have been Rev. 20. 11. Then the Commission will be laid open once more and Ministers must be tried whether they have observed Christ's order first to disciple and then to baptize 2. I would caution Ministers to beware they do not mistake the form of Administration and make use of sprinkling instead of dipping 1st Consider there are a great many Ministers that do either mistake or alter and change the form some there are that do grant that the word in the Commission signifies to dip and that it was the Primitive Practice that Christ and John did baptize by Dipping that yet make use of Sprinkling instead of Dipping because we are under a cold Climate and alledg this for their Practice That God will have Mercy and not Sacrifice and that where moral Precepts and positive Precepts do interfere there positive Precepts must give place as when David eat of the Shew-bread and the Disciples pluck'd the Ears of Corn upon the Sabbath-day To this I answer 1. Such as do think it good to alter the form of Baptism from Dipping to Sprinkling under this Consideration had best to consider whether it were not necessary to alter their form of words too and say I rantize thee instead of I baptize thee that so they may speak truth in what they say seeing they do it in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost 2. If the coldness of the Climate be such that it will not admit of dipping why do you do any thing in the room thereof Where is your Authority for that you are to baptize if you do any thing it 's not left to your discretion which of these shall be done by you this is to rantize in your own Name 3. I grant that in some cases positive Precepts have given place when they have interfer'd with moral but this is no where made a general Rule for sometimes moral Precepts have given place to positive as when God commanded Abraham to offer up his Son Isaac a Burnt-offering the moral Precept Thou shalt not kill gave place to the positive 4. When positive Precepts have given place to moral it hath been in some case of exigency that hath suddenly fallen out where in a little time the Subject might return to his Duty unto the positive Precept again but if the positive Precept to Dip must give place to the moral because of the coldness of the Climate we shall never have opportunity to return to our Duty to the positive Precept more because our Climate will never alter it will be always cold and so the positive Precept to Dip will be of no more use to us than the Altar that was built on the other side of Jordan was to them which was not built to offer Sacrifice thereon but to be a Witness of what was formerly done Josh 22. 28. so the positive Precept for Dipping shall only stand as a Monument of what was done in the Primitive Time 5. It 's but a begging the Question in this case to say that the positive Precept doth interfere with the moral No instance can be given of any one Person discipled to Christ that ever sustain'd the least damage or had his Health impaired by being Dipt no not in the coldest season under this cold Climate 2dly Consider if you mistake the Form you mistake the Essence for the Essence of a thing lies as well in the Form as in the Matter 3dly If you mistake the Form you deceive the Subject he thinks he is baptized when it 's no such matter he is but rantized not baptized 4thly If you mistake the Form the Subject loses the benefit of the Ordinance for it 's not Rantism but Baptism that obligeth the Subject to die to Sin and to live to Holiness Rom. 6. 4. It 's Baptism not Rantism that doth evidence together with Faith our Title to Salvation Mark 16. 16. Secondly I would caution People and that in two Branches 1st To beware you do not take up this Ordinance of Baptism till such time as you are discipled unto Christ 1. Consider there are many that will desire to be baptized and are so that are not discipled in deed but only in shew Simon Magus was baptized and I suppose there is no doubt but Judas and Ananias and Sapphira and many more were baptized that were never really discipled to Christ 2. Consider you have no right to the Ordinance till you believe Acts 8. 37. If thou believest with all thy heart thou mayst the contrary that offers it self is this If thou dost not believe with all thy heart thou mayst not 3. The Ordinance will stand you in no stead if you do not believe it will be no ways acceptable unto God nor profitable to your selves Without Faith it 's impossible to please God and without Faith it will be no Evidence of your Title to Salvation it 's not the putting away the filth of the Flesh but the answer of a good Conscience by the Resurrection of Christ that will stand us in stead 4. You will make your selves Hypocrites thereby rank your selves among the number of foolish Virgins and so render your Condition worse than it was 2dly I would caution such as are discipled to Christ to beware they do not
It 's not the Faith of Assurance but the Faith of Recombance or Reliance that gives a right to the Ordinance Acts 8. 37. If thou believest with all thy heart thou mayst and this a Person may do that yet is in the dark whether he do believe or no Isa 50. 10. 4. If you can take up the Ordinance purely in obedience to the Command of God submitting your selves to the Mediatory Authority of the Lord Jesus you may go on with Comfort it 's a true sign that your Natures are changed For the carnal Mind is Enmity against God and is not subject unto the Law of God neither indeed can be Rom. 8. 7. And if your Natures are changed there is a Light infused by which you are instantly discipled unto Christ 2 Cor. 4. 6. God who commanded Light to shine out of Darkness hath shined in our Hearts to give the light of the knowledg of the Glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ For Dr. WILLIAM RUSSEL dwelling in Barbican London SIR I Have read your Narrative of the Portsmouth Disputation with some Ministers of the Presbyterians and have also seen another Book published by your Adversaries intituled An Impartial Account of the Portsmouth Disputation by Samuel Chandler William Leigh Benjamin Robinson Wherein I find such unchristian Reflections and Wrong done you as sutes not with the Profession they make of true Religion but greatly demonstrates the badness of their Cause And I wonder at their Impudence in putting so plain a Cheat upon the World as I find in pag. 79. in these words viz. Whether he might not have spared all his Dutch seeing Doop in that Language signifies only to wash and is used when they only pour on Water That this account of the word Doop is notoriously false appears from the common use of the word and the account which is given of it in their Dictionaries One I have by me which I believe is the largest and best in that Tongue it being a double Dictionary of Dutch and English and English and Dutch with Grammars to each of them by Hendrick Hexham and Daniel Manly and printed at Rotterdam 1675 and 1678. wherein the English word Dip is render'd Doop as to dip in a Sauce Doopen in een sansse to dip to the bottom Doopen tot den grondt toe Dipped Gedoopt a dipping een doopinge and Doop Doopsel Baptism Doopen to baptize Dooper Baptizer Doop dagh the day of Baptism Doopen onder her water to duck or dive under Water I also find that to wash or rince is in Dutch Wasschen ofte Spoelen to sprinkle Stroyen spreyden sprenckelen and also Besprengen is to sprinkle besprinkle or to strow to pour is in Dutch Gieten or storten poured upon Opgegoten ofte op Gestort Now seeing there is nothing of truth in what they say in contradiction to you of the word Doop but that it undeniably appears from the Dutch Dictionary to signify to dip to duck or dive and that it has nothing in its signification either to sprinkle or wash by pouring Water which things are render'd by other Dutch words I know not how they can clear themselves from the guilt of a wilful Lie to cheat the People of the true form of Gospel-Baptism which in my opinion is a greater Sin than to cheat them of their Mony And it 's greatly to be lamented that any professing Godliness should so grosly stain their Religion for the sake of Infant-sprinkling a meer human Tradition which has neither Command nor Example for it in the holy Scriptures Sir I was willing to communicate this unto you that if you need the Evidence of this Dictionary and have not already met with it you may have recourse unto it And so heartily wishing you the increase of true Wisdom and Christian Courage for the defence of the Truth of Christ which you are engaged in I rest your loving Christian Friend and Brother Isaac Marlow Leominster Nov. 17. 1699. I have examined this Letter and find it to agree exactly with Hexam's Dutch Dictionary and these Presbyters have most basely betray'd their Ignorance in that Language and have made their Reflections to consist of the most shameful Forgeries and Falshoods they could well have invented both in this and the rest of their Accusations against me and others as appears by those many authentick and undeniable Testimonies given under the Hands of so many Eye and Ear-Witnesses who have also some of them prov'd Mr. Chandler to be a most notorious Liar to his very face before divers of his Hearers and others then present And had not the Book swell'd too big there had been printed a large Letter from Mr. Williams's Son directed to those three Presbyters wherein he hath not only justified his Father but my self also from those vile Reflections they have unjustly cast both upon the Living and the Dead But if they offer to persevere in their lying Vanities and gross Abuses they may be furnished with that and much more not only from both his Sons but from an eminent Person living in Portsmouth who hath written largely upon that Subject and also in Vindication of me and my True Narrative who will neither be afraid nor asham'd to own what they have written having given it under their Hands And therefore both Mr. Sharp and my self do beg their Pardon that we have omitted to make it publick for the Reason above-mentioned There are many things which they have asserted that are utterly false which I have not took notice of but I cannot omit what they have asserted in p. 64. of their Partial Account where they bring me in saying But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a Diminutive from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and they pretend a Voucher for it but we must not know who This is like the story about Isaac Harman and is printed to no other purpose than to render me ridiculous as if I did not know that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the Theme and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Derivative from it But I must charge it upon them as a Forgery and Invention of their own for I neither said so neither was it possible for me to think so But why should I think it strange for them to belie me when Mr. Leigh hath been so bold to belie the Lord Jesus For after they have mentioned Mark 7. 4. in their Printed Account in the Page before recited they bring in these words as spoken by me That it 's render'd dipping in our English Translation as He that dippeth with me in the dish And Mr. Leigh as they say replying The word is there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now whether he means Mark 7. 4. or that Passage about Judas in the Evangelists it 's notoriously false for the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not to be found in any of those places And he discovers his ignorance in the Greek Tongue to talk after that unthinking and loose manner W.