CHAP. made of all Nations, by baptizing them in the IV. Name of all Three. As Repentance and Remiffion of Sin was to be preach'd among all Nations, beginning at Jerufalem*, the chief Confeffion qualifying for Baptism we find in the Cafe of the Jayler of Philippi, an Heathen of Macedonia, to be the believing on the Lord Jefus Chrift†, of the Eunuch an Heathen of Africa, that Jefus Chrift is the Son of God, and of Cornelius of Cæfarea, a Jewish Profelyte, we may prefume from St. Peter's Sermon, that he believed in bis Heart the Lord Jefus, that God raised him from the dead, that he was Fudge of quick and dead, Lord of all, that our Peace with God was by him, and that whoever believeth in him fball receive Remiffion of Sin. THE falling down of the Holy Ghost, or receiving him in thofe Days, was for Signs and Wonders, fometimes, as in his Cafe, before Baptifm; yet Water Baptifm, to the Confutation of fome who deny the Neceffity of it, was exprefly commanded for that very Reafon, of having receiv'd the Holy Ghoft, to follow after, as an inftituted Means, and indifpenfible Divine Appointment, for entering into the Profeffion of Chriftianity. Sometimes not till after Baptifm, especially after Prayers, and laying on of Hands of the Apostles (for confirming the Churches, or appointing proper Perfons to the Miniftry) who were extraordinarily qualified for it, being themselves previously baptiz'd with the Holy Ghoft and with Fire, defcending upon them *As xxiv. 47. + Acts xvi. 31, 33Afis x. 36, &c. IV. in cloven Tongues, as of Fire. It appears then CHAP. that the chief Effect and Purpose of Baptizing in the Name of the Father, &c. both Jews and Gentiles, was putting on Christ *, in whom Jew and Greek are one new Man, εις καινὸς ἄνθρωπος, Eph. ii. 15. For confeffing, calling upon his Name (reciprocal to his Name being first called upon them) than which there is none other under Heaven given unto Men, whereby they must be faved, or have their Sins remitted; doing all Things in his Name for Acceptance with God. AND as there is a Summary or Abridgment of all Things in Heaven or Earth in Chrift+, much more of all Things in Chriftianity; fo the chief Knowledge of him is recapitulated, in being Son of God, and Son of Man, as the compleateft Mediator between both, dying for us, rifing from the dead, fitting Interceffor at the right Hand of God, and coming to judge the World. God without a Mediator will, at the final Confummation, be all in all ‡; which supposes him now to be all in all to us, in and through the Mediator, who is the Alpha and Omega of God's Difpenfation towards Man. BAPTISM in the Name of the Father, &c. being then chiefly (whatever other Belief there was as to the Trinity and Unity) for promoting Faith and Fidelity to the Lord Jefus the Mediator, for Remiffion of Sins, eternal Life, and making Disciples to him; in the Acts of the Apofles, fome are, therefore, particularly faid to be baptized in the Name of the Lord, or Lord Jefus, * Gal. iii. 27. ‡ 1 Cor. xv. 28. + Εph. Η. 10. ανακεφαλαίωσις. at CHAP. at the fame time they were moft likely baptized IV. according to the express and feemingly indifpen fible Commandment, in the Name of the Father, &c. Baptizing in the Name of Jefus, may not unfitly mean being baptiz'd in Virtue of his Authority, and according to his pofitive Commandment, in the Name of the Father, &c. Or a Part may be exprefs'd for the Whole, as being fo principal a Thing of that Rite. FORASMUCH as initiating into the Name or Profeffion of Jefus Chrift, that he is the Son of God, the Lamb dying, according to the Paffage then read out of Isaiah, Acts viii. 32. or into the Way, or that Way, often mentioned in the Alts of worshipping and coming to God, through the Lord Jefus the Mediator, for the Remiffion of Sins, and all other Benefits of his Mediation, was the principal Thing in that Form of Baptifm, and the chief View of the Commandment; this may serve to folve the Difficulty, why fome are faid to be baptized in the Name of the Lord, or Lord Jefus, at the fame time the Command and the Form of Words ftand peremptory, in the Name of the Father, &c. THERE is mention, Heb. vi. 2. of the Doctrine of Baptifms in the plural Number, tho' we are affured elsewhere there is but one Baptifm: As written to the Hebrews, many of whom were baptized with John's Baptifm, it probably means that of John, and that alfo in the common Chriftian Form; becaufe this laft was never repeated; but to the Baptism of John was afterwards added that in the Chriftian Form†; or, the Doc+ Acts viii. 16, 17. xix. 5. trine * Eph. iv. 5. trine of Suffering, then a Fondamental, of Chri- CHAP. ftianity, may be implied in the Plurality of Bat- IV. tifms, as above explain'd. That the trine Immerfion was the Occafion of the Expreffion, there is no Grounds to believe, because fo much later than that Time. IF then there is any new and farther Obligation, in firmly refolving, covenanting, and ftedfaftly undertaking to perform what is antecedently our indifpenfibly Duty; if any Fidelity in being true to ones Profeffion and Engagement; any Force in a Promife, in a Promife before many Witneffes; any Sacredness in a Vow and Promise to God: All thefe concur in accumulating the folemn and facred Obligation fo wifely intended to be fuperinduced in Baptifm., And if fuch folemn foederal Undertaking is an excellent moral Means for furthering good Manners; and if there is a notorious Reasonablenefs, Honour, and Morality in performing one's Contract, as all Books of Civil Law agree, especially when made in the Solemnity of a Rite, exhibiting an outward and visible Sign and Form, typifying, indicating, and fœderally engaging, inward Purity and Holiness: We must acknowledge, there is great Reafonableness and Morality in the plain eafy Rite of Baptifm, as it is a Divine Inflitution; not arbitrary, but generally neceffary; and therefore pofitive, because most useful for effecting the Religion of the End, and of the Means. NAY, before it became an Inftitution of Chriftianity, it was called by our Saviour himself, a Branch of the Law of Righteousness, Mat. iii. 15. not because it was any where exprefly commanded to the Jews, for that is no where to be found, IV. CHAP. but because it is a right Means, of a moral Tendency for better performing the great moral Law of everlafting Righteoufnefs, obligatory upon all Men, the Roman Soldiers, as well as the Jews. And therefore our bleffed Lord and Mafter, intending to adopt Baptifm into his Religion, that he might be an Example, in using the moft folemn Means and Method of undertaking to discharge the moral Law of perpetual Obligation, which he was about to preach up, and practise; over-ruled the Baptift, (at the fame time he attefted his Function, as his Fore-runner, and that his Baptifm was from Heaven, and not from Men,) and was baptized with his Baptifm of Repentance, which leads the Way to Righteoufnefs and better Obedience. That we, who have indeed Sins to repent of, might more readily follow his Steps, as well as obey his Commandments, in embracing the Method he has instituted for entering into Covenant, and being a Member of his Church, where Remiffion of Sins, and all other Bleffings of his Mediation, are particularly promised and infured. AND as the Defign of Baptifm, or the Chriftian Calling to eternal Life, is profeffing a good Profeffion before many Witnesses, 1 Tim. vi. 12. So our Lord, before he enter'd upon his great Undertaking of faving the World, had many Witnesses at his Baptifm. The Voice of the Father from Heaven, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; the Holy Ghoft lighting upon bim, demonftrated him the Lamb of God for taking away the Sins of the World; as well as by many miraculous Works, wrought by the fame Spirit, bearing witness afterwards, that he was fent of God, 1 Tim. iii. 16. Said to be justified in, or by |