truth. And if the nature of the commanding and ordering power, that suits both with the worship, and with the worshippers, which the Father of Spirits seeks for be also considered, which is not a law of a carnall commandment seconded with carnall weapons, or an arm of flesh but a spirituall law, or as the Apostle cals it, Rom. 8. a law of the Spirit of life from Christ Jesus, spoken unto, or rather written in the heart of a Christian by the Spirit of Christ, by reason whereof he obeyes from the heart, readily, willingly and cheerfully that form of doctrine which is engraven and laid up therein, Heb. 8. 10. 2 Cor. 3. 3. Rom. 6. 17. If this I say be considered, that the worship is spirituall, such as must begin in, spring up, and rise from the heart and the spirit, and so be directed to the Father of spirits, and so the commanding power that suits herewith, must speak to the heart and spirit of a man, then is there no Lord in this matter to Christ Jesus the Lord, who speaks to the heart in the Spirit, and his words are as commands from the head to the members, which conveigh together spirit and life to obey them, by reason of which his commands are not grievous, for where the Spirit of this Lord is, there is liberty, and they by beholding the glory of the Lord, are transformed into the same Image, from glory unto glory, by the Spirit of the Lord, 2 Cor. 3. 17, 18.

And that there is none with him, he is the onely Lord, and law-giver of this spirituall building, and so of the spirits in this sense, appears by such scriptures as say, One is your Lord and law-giver, James 4. 12. Ephes. 4. 5. Mat. 23. 8. 10. and by such as say, ye are bought with a price, be ye not therefore the servants of men, and the Apostles that had greater authority in this point than any men living, yet they acknowledge they had not Dominion over mens faith, and therefore declare this to be the express mind of God, that the servants of this Lord must not strive (as if they were Lords) but be patient, in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves, or as the word imports, that set themselves by covenant in opposition to that living Lord. And whereas it is declared in the testimony, that this houshold of faith was purchased by his blood as Priest, instructed and nourished by his Spirit as Prophet, &c. this will all evidently appear to be true, Acts 20.28. John 16.

from the 7. to the 16. 1 Cor. 2. 9, 10, 11, 12.

Rom. 8. John 1. 2. 26, 27. Rev. 2. 11. 17. 29. 2 Thes. 14, 15. 1 Cor. 11. 2. and 1. 7. And so is the first part of the testimony by the word of God confirmed and justified.

2. [I testifie that Baptism or dipping in water is one of the commands of this Lord Jesus Christ.] That this commandment of Jesus is by way of dipping, and as it were by drowning, overwhelming, or burying in water, and not by sprinkling with water, appears many waies.

1. In that although there be frequent mention made of that appointment of Christ in his Last Will and Testament, yet is it never expressed by the word that may be rendred rantism, or sprinkling, but by the word that is rendred baptism, or dipping.

2. In that the word by which it is so frequently exprest, doth in proper English signify to dip, to plung under water, and as it were to drown, but yet so as with safety, so that the party (as to the manner) may be drowned again, and again; see the instance of Naaman, he dipp'd himself seven times in Jordan, 2 Kings 5. 14. and to this sense of the word (at least in that place) both the Greek, Latine, and English Churches agree.

3. In that the phrase (in which there is mention made of such an appointment of Christ) doth necessarily import such a thing, and therefore when mention is made of baptizing, there generally followeth that word the preposition (ev) which is commonly translated in, or into, which suits with dipping, and not the preposition (ovv) which signifies with, and so suits with sprinkling. And therefore it may be as well rendred, I baptize you in water, and he shall baptize you in the holy Spirit, Mar. 1. 8. as it is rendred Iohn did baptize in the wilderness, and in the River Jordan, verse 4, 5. or that Iohn was in the Spirit on the Lords day, Rev. 1. 10. and they were baptized in the cloud and in the Sea, 1 Cor. 10. 2. yea it may as well be rendred, I baptize, or dip you into water, as it is rendred they were casting a net into the Sea Mar. 1. 16. for the words are the same, and it would be an improper speech to say Iohn did baptize with the wilderness, and they were casting a net with the sea.

4. That this appointment of Christ is by way of dip

ping, and not sprinkling, appears, in that for the resemblance, and likeness hereunto, the Israelites passing under the cloud, and through the sea, where the Egyptians that were their Lords, and commanders, their pursuers, and enemies, that sought their destruction, were drowned, left behind, and seen no more, is by the holy Spirit called a baptism, 1 Cor. 10. 1, 2. they were baptized in the cloud, &c. Where observe it is not here rendred with the cloud, and with the Sea, as in the other place, Mark 1. 8. with water, because it suits with sprinkling, although the word be the same; but in the cloud, and in the Sea, which suits with dipping, or overwhelming, and so with the appointment of Christ, they passing through the midst of the red or bloudy Sea on dry land, which stood on both sides as a wall, and being under the Cloud, were as men in a carnall eie overwhelmed and drowned, and yet truly saved, and safe from their enemies.

5. That this appointment of Christ was not by sprinkling, but by dipping, or putting the person into or under the water, appears by Philips baptizing the Eunuch; It is said, They went both down into the water, both Philip the baptizer, and the Eunuch that was the person to be baptized, and being there in the water, Philip baptized, or dipped him in that water, as John did Jesus in the river of Jordan, and then it is said as they descended, or went down into the water, so they ascended, or went straitway up out of the water, see Acts 8. 38, 39. Mat. 3. 16. mark the expression, And Jesus when he was baptized went up straitway out of the water, therefore had he been down in the water.

6. That this appointment of Christ was not by sprinkling, but by dipping, or as it were a drowning, appears, in that Iohn the Baptizer, his work being to baptize, remains in the wilderness by the river of Iordan, and afterward in Anon, and the reason that is rendred by the Spirit of God why there he abode, was, because there was much water there, which need not have been, if that appointment could have been performed by sprinkling, and not by dipping. See Luke 3. 2, 3. Iohn 3. 23.

7. That this appointment of Christ was not to be performed by sprinkling, but by dipping, &c. appears from the nature of the Ordinance it self, for it is such an ordi

nance as whereby the person that submitteth thereto, doth visibly put on Christ Iesus the Lord, and is hereby visibly planted into his death, holding forth therein a lively similitude, and likeness unto his death; whereby onely through faith he now professeth he hath escaped death, and is in hope to obtain life, and peace everlasting, and so to have fellowship with him in his death, as to be dead with him, and thereupon to reckon himself to be dead indeed unto sin, Sathan, the law, and the curse. See Gal. 3. 27. Rom. 8. 2. 3. 5. 7, 8. 11. 1 Cor. 15. 29. But the planting of a person into the likeness of death, is no waies resembled by sprinkling; but by dipping it is lively set forth and demonstrated, therefore.

8. This appointment of Christ, sci. Baptism, is an ordinance whereby the person that submitteth thereto, doth hereby visibly and cleerly resemble the buriall of Christ, and his being buried with him, so as in respect of the old man, the former lusts and conversation, like the Egyptians, to be taken out of the way, and seen no more. See Romans 6. 4. 6. Col. 2. 12. But sprinkling doth no way lively resemble the buriall of Christ, or the persons being buried with him, as dipping doth; therefore.

9. This appointment of Christ, sci. Baptism, is an ordinance whereby the person that submitteth thereto, doth visibly, and lively hold forth herein the resurrection of Christ, declares him, whose life was taken from the earth, to be alive again, who although he died and was buried, yet was he not left in the grave to see corruption, but was raised again, and behold he liveth for evermore; and as hereby he holds forth the resurrection of Christ, so doth he also his own, being planted into the likeness thereof, so as to reckon himself to be in his soul and spirit quickned, and risen with Christ, from henceforth to live unto God the fountain of life, and to Christ Iesus the Lord who died for him, and rose again, and so to walk in newness of life in this present evill world, being also begotten unto a lively hope, that in the world to come he shall be raised, and quickned both in soul, and body, to a life everlasting. See Rom. 6. 4. 5. 8. 11. Acts 8. 33, 35, 36. Col. 2. 12. Rom. 8. 11. 1 Cor. 15. 29. 1 Pet. 1. 3. but sprinkling doth no way lively resemble the resurrection of Christ, or the

souls or bodies rising, or being raised by him, as the way of dipping doth. Therefore this appointment of Christ was, and still is, to be performed by way of dipping or putting the person into or under the water, and not by sprinkling. And that this dipping in, or into water, in the name of Iesus, is one of the commandments of this Lord Iesus Christ, doth evidently appear Mat. 28. 19. Mark 16. 15, 16 compared with Acts 2. 38. 41. 8. 36. 38. and 10. 47, 48. And that it is also to be observed by all that trust in Christ, as other of his commands, as he is the Lord, until he come again, is likewise expressly manifested to be his will, Mat. 28. 20. Gal. 1. 7, 8. Jude 3. 2 Tim. 2. 2. Col. 2. 5, 6. Rev. 2. 25. 3. 11. Hold fast till I come. Rev. 22. 14. 19. Heb. 12. 25. But to proceed.

[That a visible believer or disciple of Christ Jesus (that is, one that manifesteth repentance towards God, and faith in Jesus Christ) is the onely person that is to be baptized with that visible baptism or dipping of Jesus Christ in water That a visible disciple or Scholar of Christ, one that manifesteth himself to have heard him, to have been taught by him, and to have yielded up himself to him as his teacher, is the only person, &c. will be made manifest,

1. By the commission itself, and the argument stands thus, they and they onely have right to this ordinance, and appointment of Jesus Christ, whom the ordainer himself, sci. Christ Jesus the Lord, hath in his Last Will and Testament appointed it to; but Christ Jesus the Lord hath appointed it to Disciples, and to Believers, and to such onely. Therefore.

The first proposition cannot be denyed, and the second will easily be proved: see the commission by which the Apostles were warranted to administer this ordinance, and so must all that baptise or they will appear but usurpers Mat. 28. 18, 19. All power is given unto me in heaven and in Earth, saith the Lord, go ye therefore and discipulize or make disciples not among the Jews only, but among the Gentiles, and Nations, and baptize them; so that if the question should have been made, Lord whom shall we baptise of the Nations among the Jews and Gentiles? his answer was given in the words before, and he would have given no other, you shall baptize amongst the Nations