overwhelming the Person in Water II. That true penitent Believers are the right Subject of Baptism III. That the Ordinance of Baptism is now in being and is to continue to the End of this World I. I shall shew that Baptism must be administred by Dipping c. if we consider these four things 1. The Etymology or Signification of the Word the Holy Spirit uses to express it by 2. Those Metaphors used in Holy Scripture to represent it to our Understanding 3. From the Practice of the first Baptizers 4. From the grand Commission of our Saviour Mat. 28.19 1. From the Etymology or Signification of the Word The word Baptism is from the Greek ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã to dipt Baptisma a Dipping from ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Bapto to dip plunge or drown It implieth the washing of the whole Body ãâã even such a washing as is used in Bucks where Linen iâ plunged and dipt For the native and proper signification of it is to dip into Water or to plunge under Water see Leigh's Critica Sacra It is a Metaphor taken from the use of the Dyers Vat ãâã and is such a Dipping by which the Cloth put into it is dyed and not a bare washing only from whence cometh Baptism Zepperus de Sacramentis saith ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Baptism ãâã vocis notationem attendere velimus vocabulum Baptismi mersionem significat in aquam c. If we will attend to the Notation of the word Baptism it signifies to dip into Water ãâã or the Act it self of Dipping and Washing From hence therefore and from the Etymology of the Word it self iâ doth appear what was the Custom of administring Baptism from the beginning Whereas now saith he we ââââther use Rantism viz. Sprinkling in the stead of Baptism which is Dipping Alstedius in his Lexicon Theologicum printed Anno 1612. ãâã 310. saith thus ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Tingere lavare inficere unde deductum aliud verââââ ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã intingere immergere maximè quidem aquâ ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã tantum significat immergere non lavare nisi ãâã unsequenti From whence it may plainly be seen that this Learned ââââhor doth assert That Baptism is to dip plunge or ãâã whelm the Person baptized in Water And that its ââââper signification is to dip or dye and not to wash but âââây by Consequence For which he cites for his Authoââââ both Plutarch and Nazianzen as may be seen at large ãâã the Book it self Besides this is so well known that every School-boy in ãâã Greek-Grammar can tell you that ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã bapto is ââââre rendred mergo immergo to dip to plunge or overwhelm âlso in a Greek Lexicon published and recommended to ãâã for the encrease of Knowledg by Joseph Caryll George Cokayne Ralph Vening William Dell Matthew Barker William Adderly Matthew Mead and Henry Jessey ââey tell us that the signification of ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is to dip ââââge or drown And in the Passive Voice ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã to be plunged or overwhelmed And that ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã to plunge to overwhelm to baptize to dip And in ãâã Passive Voice ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã to be plunged to be baptized or dipped In Clavis Graecae Linguae printed at London Anno 1640. ãâã is thus rendred ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã mergo tingo to dip ãâã dye ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Idem the same ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã mersio to drown and thereââââ ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is often rendred to dip into to drown ãâã from thence the Latins use mersus à mergo drowned ââââered or over whelmed with Water And therefore it âââsed in the New Testament for that Holy Ordinance of Baptism it being performed by dipping the whole Body of the Person baptized under Water The Learned Robertson my singular good Friend in his Thesaurus Graecae Linguae saith Baptizo mergo ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Intingo mergo to dye to dip plunge c. Hence saith he is Baptizo which signifies the same As also Baptismos Baptisma c. But the Greek word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Rantizo he saith is aspergo to sprinkle ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Rontismos Aspersio Sprinkling So that you may eaââly ãâ¦ã is as much difference betwint these two Greek ãâ¦ã Baptismos and Rantismos in Greek as there is betwixt these ãâã words Dipping and Sprinkling in English and therefore surely not to be conceived to be syâââimous so as to signity the same thing I now presume from what hath been said that if the word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and its Derivatives are used in all places in the New Testament where this Ordinance of Baptism is spoken of Then it will follow by an unavoidable Consequence that Dipping is the right manner of Baptizing and that Sprinkling is not Baptizing That it is so will evidently appear from an Enumeration of Particulars I will instance in some of the principal when I come to shew you what was the Practice of the first Baptizers But of that in its proper place I now come to treat of the second Particular under this Head viz. Dipping the Persons baptized into Water appears to be the right way of administring this Ordinance if we consider the Metaphors used in Holy Scripture ãâã express it by There are two I shall chiefly insist upon 1. A Burial 2. A Resurrection We are to consider that our Lord Jesus Christ hath noâ burdened us under the Gospel with a multitude of Ceremonies as it was in that Oeconomy of the Jews under the Legal Dispensation But only with some few and those very significant this being a more spiritual Dispensation As therefore the Holy Supper of our Lord in the breaking of the Bread signifies the breaking of his Body and the pouring out of the Wine the shedding of his most precious Blood and both of these in conjunction his Death 1 Cor. 11.26 For as often as you eat this Bread and drive this Cup ye do shew forth the Lord's Death till he come Even so Holy Baptism doth shew forth his Burial and direction Rom. 6.4 Therefore we are buried with him baptism into Death that like as Christ was raised up from Dead to the Glory of the Father even so we also should walk âââess of Life âow consider the Metaphor when Men are dead we ãâã them by covering the whole Body under Ground ãâã not by scattering or sprinkling a little Dust or Earth ãâã their Faces only âprinkling you know hath no resemblance to Buâââ but dipping or plunging the whole Body under Waâââ is a most express and lively representation thereof But perhaps Humane Testimonies will please you and ãâã Pastor better than Divine And therefore I shall ãâã you the Opinion of some Learned Bishops to corroborate what I say who may be supposed to understand ãâã Original as well as Mr. James The late
the Apostles and first âââisters of Christ pursuant to that Commission And ãâã these in their Order 1st Therefore let us examine who they were that John ãâã admit to his Baptism The first Syllable we read of its being practised is in ãâã 3. by John the Dipper so called by the Evangelist ãâã Eminentiae as being the Beginner of that Holy Ordinance where we have an Account in Ver. 2. what Doâââne he preached before he baptized Repent ye for the ââââdom of Heaven is at hand And in ver 5. Then went out ãâã Jerusalem and all Judea and all the Region round aâââ Jordan Ver. 6. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã were plunged of him into Jordan confessing their Sins ãâã Hebrew word also is Vaitabelu and were dipped c. Upon this I shall observe some things and so pass it 1. That those he baptized were Adult Persons and ãâã Infants for they went out to him 2. That they were penitent Persons such that confesâââ their Sins 3. That no others were admitted to his Baptism For in ver 7. it 's said But when he saw many of the Pâârisees and Sadduces come to his Baptism he said unto theâ ãâã Generation of Vipers who hath warned you to flee from ãâã Wrath to come Bring forth therefore Fruits meet for Repent 4. That no Birth-Privileges will entitle any Person ãâã that Holy Ordinance without Repentance For the Baptist tells them in ver 9. Think not to ãâã within your selves We have Abraham to our Father ãâã in ver 10. now also the Ax is laid to the Root of the Trââ therefore every Tree i. e. every Person which bringeth ãâã forth good Fruit is hewen down and cast into the Fire And to inform them more fully of the Nature of ãâã Commission and the Qualifications of the Subjects ãâã further saith I indeed baptize you with Water unto or ãâã the Original hath it upon Repentance Which agrees most exactly with the Design of Joââ Ministry he being to make ready a People prepared ãâã the Lord Repentance being a necessary Qualification without which they could not be admitted thereunto But some may query How I prove they were to believe as well as repent I answer in the words of the Apostle Paul Acts 19. ââ John verily did baptize with the Baptism of Repentance sayââ unto the People That they should believe on him which shoâââ come after him that is on Christ Jesus From all which it appears beyond dispute That ãâã little Infants were the Subjects of John's Baptism For 1. They could not come from Jerusalem to the Riverââ Jordan and desire to be baptized 2. Nor could they confess their Sins 3. Nor yet be able to understand his Preaching with ãâã Nature and Design of his Baptism 4. Nor lastly could they be expected to bring foâââ Fruits worthy amendment of Life All which agrees only to Adult Persons they can ââpent they can believe in Christ they can confess thââ sinful Deeds and come to tender themselves for Baptism as all those did whom John baptized which things ââtle Infants are not capable to perform Therefore Petent Believers and not Infants were the right and oâ proper Subject of John's Baptism 2ly I shall consider the grand Commission of our Lord Mat. 28.18 19 20. And Jesus came and spake unto them ââing All Power is given to me in Heaven and in Earth Go ãâã therefore and teach all Nations baptizing them in the Name of ãâã Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Teaching ãâã to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you âââo I am with you alway even unto the End of the World ââem That the Gospel of Matthew was written in Hebrew ãâã I have touched above I find it to be the Opinion of âââers Men eminently Learned And among others Hieâââ in the Life of this Evangelist saith Mâtthaeus qui ãâã Levi ex publicano Apostolos primus in Judaea propter eos qui ãâã Circumcisione credidernt Evangelium Christi Hebraicis literis âââbisque composuit And further notes In quo animadvertenâââ quod ubicumque Evangelista sive ex persona sua sive ex ââââona Domini Salvatoris veteris Scripturae testimoniis utitur ãâã sequatur Septuaginta translatorum autoritatem sed Hebraicis Here you see he tells us That the Gospel of Christ ãâã Matthew for the sake of those of the Circumcision ãâã believed was written in Hebrew Words and Hebrew âââters And that he every-where in his Quotations out ãâã the Old Testament followed the Hebrew and not the âââpâuagint Translation In Mr. William Robertson's Hebrew New Testament I ãâã these words between the 18th and 19th Verses which do not find in any Greek Copy ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã And as my Father hath sent me even so also I send you Go ãâã therefore c. I pray observe in what a solemn manner our Saviour beââââs this Commission 1. By declaring his own Authority All Power in Heaven ãâã Earth is given to me 2. The Fulness of that Authority he gave to his Apoâââes As the Father hath sent me even so also I send you He then comes to give forth the Commission it self as in ãâã 19th and 20th Verses The first thing in this Commission is this Christ commands them to make Disciples by their Ministry The Word that is translated Teach is in the Hebrew ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Velamedu it signifies to make Disciples by teaching for the Root is Lamad he learned And from thence is formed the Heemantique Noun Talmid a Scholar or Disciple one that hath learned The plain meaning therefore is That they were first to make Disciples by their Ministry and after that to baptize them If we also examine the Greek Copy we shall find it to agree with the Hebrew ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã That word upon which the whole Stress of the Argument depends is Matheteusate which signifies to make Disciples The Learned render Mathetes a Scholar a Disciple and Matheteuo to be a Scholar or Disciple And upon this word in this place the Greek Lexicon renders it to make Disciples But if Mr. James will not believe our Lexicographers I can give him the Opinion of all the Translators of the New Testament for it who have rendred it so in a multitude of Places and so far as I have found in every place where the word is used except only in this Commission and here for some Reason best known to themselves instead of Disciples they have only rendred it Teach And that which is most remarkable they have five times in this Chapter rendred it Disciples till they came to the 19th Verse and there only it must be rendred teach as in ver 7 8 9 13 and 16. And in John 4.1 2. Jesus made and baptized more Disciples than John but his Disciples in both which the same word is used And I pray observe the Order of the words They were first made Disciples and afterwards baptized as a prerequisite to fit
had commanded them to ââize Penitent Believers which were Persons of grown âââs to which Command they were obedient And we have great Reason to account them saithful ãâã the Apostle Paul protests before an Assembly of Miâers Acts 20.20 He had kept back nothing that was ââable to them And in ver 26. he saith I have not shunââ to declare to you all the Counsel of God If thereââ the Sprinkling of Infants had been profitable for ãâã or a part of the Counsel of God concerning the ââches we had certainly heard of it in some of Paul's ââeches or Epistles But not one Word being mentioned about it we may safely conclude it was wholly unknown to those Times both as to Subjects and Manner it ââing a Practice both unprofitable and vain as being bââ upon Humane Authority only having no Foundation ãâã the Word of God In vain do they worship me teaching ãâã Doctrines the Commandments of Men Mat. 15.9 I will offer an Argument or two to prove that Infanâ Sprinkling is not of Divine Authority The Sprinkling of Infants is either from Heaven ãâã of Men. But it is not from Heaven Ergo It is of Men. If it be from Heaven the Holy Scriptures have soââ where revealed it so to be But it is no where so revealed in the Holy Scripture ãâã Ergo It is not from Heaven If it be any where so revealed in the Holy Scripture you or some other are able to shew it But you nor no other are able to shew it Ergo It ãâã not any where so revealed in the Holy Scriptures If Mr. James should tell you he can shew it so to bâ let him give you an Instance where it is written as alââ ãâã gician ought to do the Minor being an Universal Negative or let him for ever be silent upon this Subjectâ For it is written Rev. 22.18 If any Man shall add ãâã these things God shall add unto him the Plagues that are written in this Book I cannot well go off of this Head without taking âââtice of a pernicious Notion which some of the Learned have espoused They will allow us that we are in the right as to whâââ we assert about the practice of the Primitive Churcheâ but tell us that their Ceremonies may be lawfully uââ also which they ground upon this following Suppositionâ That it is lawful for Men to bring in things indifferent into the Church and join them with the Worship ãâã God And as this refers to the Point of Baptism I will briâly relate what past some Years ago betwixt Dr. Bailââ late Bishop of Lincoln and my self It was upon ãâã Occasion A Name-sake of mine being taken up upon a ãâã and committed to Ailesbury Goal for not having child sprinkled I went to his Lordship after ãâã Months confinement to desire his Discharge âold him my Friend was not a Member of any ââte Congregation but only doubted of the ãâã of Infant-Baptism which I supposed his ââhip thought he might do and yet be a good ââian ãâã told me Yes for he had tumblings and tossings âââout it in his own Mind in his younger Days but now ãâã was satisfied ãâã desired then to know the Grounds of his Lordship's âââstion ãâã said The Apostle Paul in Rom. 13. and the beââing exhorted the Christians to submit to the ââgher Powers c. And also the Apostle Peter said ãâã vour selves to every Ordinance of Man for the ââââd's sake c. Now saith he you must know ãâã the Convocation met and concluded that Infants âould be baptized and the King and Parliament enâââed it And forasmuch as we are required to be obeâent to every Ordinance of Man for the Lord's sake âherefore we ought to do it ãâã answered My Lord If the Convocation had so conââd and the King and Parliament so enacted That ãâã should have been baptized in the King's Name or âhe Name of the King and Parliament as Legislators I âere those People might have complied with it ãâã answered That would have been odd ãâã reply'd As odd as it is if they had comply'd with it ãâã Controversy had been at end He said That is true But why cannot they comply ãâã with it now My Lord They have got a Notion in their Heads that ãâã not in the Power of any Man or number of Men in ãâã World to alter the Nature of Institutions so as to ãâã that Divine that is in it self Humane or that Huââe that is in it self Divine The Bishop reply'd They are right in that for none ãâã alter the Nature of things but God alone Why then my Lord forasmuch as you do not baptized Infants in the Name of the King or King and Parliament as an Humane Institution but in the Name of the Father Son and Holy Spirit as a Divine Institution they cannot comply with it Well saith he there is never a Word of God against it It is no where said in the Scriptures ye shal not baptize Infants I reply'd My Lord I shall only put your Lordship in mind of thâ Notes of a Learned Man upon that of Lev. 10.1 2. concerning Nadab and Abihu Sons of Aaron Priests of the Lord who offered strange Fire before the Lord which the Lord commanded them not He saith It is not sufficient to say about instituted Worship It is nowhere forbidden For it was nowhere said before this time ãâã shall not offer up strange Fire upon mine Altar But because there was a Divine Precept what Fire they should offââ what Perfume they should mix with their Sacrifices anââ the manner of its Composition And they not observing that Divine Precept but offering strange Fire which thââ Lord commanded them not they were destroyed by ãâã from his Presence His Lordship only gave me this Answer He would speak to his Official to be kind to ãâã Friend that was in Prison c. but wholly waved ãâã Matter in Controversy and so I took my leave and departed I mention not this as if I thought this Learned Mââ singular in this Point for it is too manifest that mââ others are of the same Sentiments without which the could not satisfy their Consciences in the Practiââ of Infant sprinkling and other things which they ãâã practise without either Precept or Precedent from ãâã Word of God There are many things very ridiculous that have ãâã Degrees been brought into the Church of which it is ãâã where said in the Holy Scriptures they shall not ãâã done And that about this very Ordinance as well as ãâã other Matters As for instance 1. Where is it forbidden to baptize Bells This ãâã ãâã practised by the Popish Priests and that very lately ãâã Where is it forbidden to use the Sign of the Cross Baptism as the Popish Priests do thrice and the Epiââ once Where is it forbidden to use Cream and Spittle as ãâã Papists do to anoint the Childrens Eyes Nostrils ãâã Ears in their Practice of Baptism ãâã Where is it forbidden to put