Abbildungen der Seite
PDF
EPUB

are

6. By Water-Baptifm we are baptized into Chrift's Death; being buried with him into Death, that we should walk in newnefs of Life; being alfo rifen with him, thro' the Faith of the Operation of God, who hath raised him from the Dead.. For St. Paul faies, Rom.6.3, 4. Know ye not, that So many of us, as were baptized into Jetus Chrift, were baptized into his death? Therefore we buried with him by Baptifm into death; that like as Chrift was raised up from the dead by the Glory of God the Father, even fo we also should walk in newness of Life. Now I have already proved, that the Baptifm wherewith we are baptized into Jefus Chrift, is Water-Baptifm. And confequently, Water-Baptifm is that Baptifm, of which the Apoftle faies, that fo many as are baptized therewith, are baptized into Chrift's death, and buried with him by Baptifm into death; that like as Christ was raifed up from the dead by the Glory of God the Father, even fo we also fhould walk in newness of Life. And fince 'tis Water-Baptifm, by which St. Paul here faies, that we are buried with Chrift by Baptifm into death; therefore St. Paul does alfo mean Water-Baptism, when he faies in another place, that we are buried with him in Baptifm; wherein alfo (as it follows in the very next words) we are rifen with him, thro' the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead, Coloff. 2. 12.

You fee then, what great and bleffed effects the Holy Scriptures do moft plainly attribute to Water-Baptifm. By it we are made Chrift's Difciples, and fan&ified and cleanfed; by it we are faved, or put into a ftate of Salvation; by it we put on Chrift, obtain remiffion of Sins, and are baptized into Chrift's Death, being buried with

him into death, that we should walk in newness of Life by Water-Baptifm alfo we are rifen with Christ thro the Faith of the operation of God, who hath raifed him from the Dead. These, I fay, are the effects of Water-Baptifm; and fince God has made it our duty to enjoy these effects, therefore he has commanded us to be baptized with water.

I must now add, that it appears from what has been faid, that thofe who are not baptized with water, are not to be accounted Chriftians, or Members of our Savior's body the Church. Because it appears, that by Water-Baptifm Men are made Chrift's Difciples. And we know, that WaterBaptifm is an outward folemn Rite of admiffion; and therefore thofe who have not fubmitted to it, or been entred into the body by it, are to be judged Aliens, and not acknowledged as brethren.

[ocr errors]

CHAP. XXV.

Objections answered.

ET us now confider thofe Arguments, with which our Adverfaries endevor to prove, that God has not commanded us to baptized with Water. First, They tell us, that the Baptifm of St. John the Baptift was Water-baptifm; and fince St. John's Baptifm is ceafed, therefore Water-baptifm is ceafed, and is now no longer neceffary to be pratifed by us. To this I anfwer, that all Water-baptifm is not the fame; and therefore, tho' St. John's baptifm was a Water-Baptifm, yet there may be many Water-Baptifms quite different from that of

St. John's. For if a Water-Baptifm has either a different Author, or different ends or effects; then 'tis different from all other forts of Water-Baptifm. Now that Water-Baptifm which we contend for, differs from St. John's Water-Baptifm in both thefe respects. For.

1. The Baptift was the Author of that WaterBaptifm which he adminiftred. Whereas that Water-Baptifm which we contend for, was inftituted by our Savior, and pofitively commanded by him, as I have largely proved. And our Adverfaries may as well fay, that the teaching which God has commanded, was St. John Baptift's teaching; as that the Water-Baptifm commanded by God was St. John Baptift's Water-Baptifm. For there is as much ground for the one Affertion, as for the other; both the Water-Baptifm and the Teaching being commanded at the fame time, in the fame manner, to the fame Perfons, by the fame Chrift our Lord, in the fame place, viz. Matt. 28. 19, 20.

2. The ends or effects of that Water-Baptifm which we contend for, are vaftly different from thofe of St. John's Water-Baptifm. For inftance, one effect or end of that Water-Baptifm which we contend for, is that Men are thereby made Christ's Difciples, being baptized into Chrift, or in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghoft. Whereas the Water-Baptifm of St. John was adminiftred, before ever Christ began his Miniftry; and confequently, before he was capable of having any Difciples at all. And therefore St. John's Water-Baptifm could not have this end or effect, viz. that Men fhould thereby be made the Difciples of Chrift. Nay, the Difciples of St. John and the Difciples of Chrift are plainly diftinguished one from the other in Holy Scripture. For

one

one of Christ's Difciples faid unto him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his Difciples, Luke II. I. And we read that two of St. John's Difciples left him, and followed Jefus, John 1. 37. Wherefore the Difciples of St. John and the Dif ciples of Christ are not the fame. And confequently, St. John's Water-Baptifm did not make Men Chrift's Difciples, nor does that Water-Baptifm which we contend for, make Men St. John's Difciples. And therefore the effect of St. John's Water-Baptifm, viz. making Men St. John's Difciples; and the effect of Chrift's Water-Baptifm, viz. making Men Chrift's Difciples; are by no means the fame, but vastly different the one from the other.

But I have proved, that there are also other effects of Chrift's Water-Baptifm, viz. Sanctification and Cleanfing, Salvation, Putting on Chrift, &c. which our Adverfaries will readily confefs do not belong to St. John's Water-Baptifm. And therefore St. John's Water-Baptifm is not that WaterBaptifm of Chrift which we contend for. And confequently, tho' St. John's Water-Baptifm is ceafed, yet it does not follow from thence, that the Water-Baptifm of Chrift is alfo ceased,

Secondly, 'Tis pretended that the Apostles practifed Water - Baptifm in Compliance with the Jews, who were fond of diverfe washings. But to this I anfwer, that there is not the leaft thadow of proof, that they practifed Water-Baptifm in compliance with the Jews. And Men may evade the most pofitive Precepts in the Bible, nor is it poffible to convince them of their Miflakes, if their bare Affertions must be accounted proofs.

But (befides that this pretence is utterly falfe and groundless) we are to confider farther, that the Apofles conftantly adminiftred Water-Baptifm to

the

the Gentiles as well as Jews; and this they did in all corners of the world. Now what could make the Gentiles all the world over fond of the Jewish wafhings! What reafon had they fo univerfally to imitate fuch Cuftoms? Certainly the Apoftlés conftant and regular Administration of Water-Baptifm in all Countries both to Jews and Gentiles, is a demonstration, that they thought Water-Baptifm, not an indifferent thing, which they might fafely either neglect or comply with, but a neceffary Duty and standing Ordinance: and that they acted herein, not in condefcenfion to the Jews, but in obedience to the command of Chrift, which is most plainly delivered in many Texts of Scripture, as I have largely thewn.

'Tis true, St. Paul did condefcend to the Jews in Circumcifing Timothy and Purifying himself. But we are to obferve, that Chrift had neither commanded nor forbidden him to Circumcife Timothy, or to Purify himfelf. He was left at his li berty in thefe Cafes; and therefore he might a& as Circumstances should require. And accordingly, tho he condefcended to Circumcife Timothy for fome prudential Reasons, yet he refufed to Circumcife Titus for fome other weighty Confiderations. But then, because the Apostle complyed in an indifferent thing, which was neither com manded nor forbidden; will any Man from thence conclude, that it was only an act of Complyance in him to fulfill the pofitive command of WaterBaptifm? Certainly his fulfilling God's pofitive command is not to be accounted an inftance of Complyance with any fort of Men whatsoever.

Thirdly, They tell us, that the Author to the Hebrews perfuades us to leave the doctrine of Baptifms, Heb. 6. 2. and confequently we are not

now

« ZurückWeiter »