A PLEA for the Use of Gospel Ordinances: Against the Practice And Opinions of certain men of these times. Unto which is added By way of an illustrious Instance; A Vindication of the Ordinance of BAPTISM: AGAINST Mr. Dells Book, ENTITLED The Doctrine of Baptisms. Wherein it's proved That the Ordinance of Baptism is of Gospel Institution, and by Divine appointment, to continue of use in the Church, to the end of the World.  
By HEN: LAURENCE Esq  Beware lest any man spoil you through Philosophy, and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the Rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. Col. 2.8. 
London, printed by M. S. for Livewell Chapman, at the Crown in Popes-head Alley. 1652.   

TO My most Dear, and most Honoured Mother, the LADY LAURENCE:  
Most Honoured Mother,  
WE hear much of late of certain civil Heretics, they call the LEVELLERS; Men, who by pretending Salus Populi, and the common good, would render their own share in the World, better than it is: And finding (as their Lots are cast) community more advantageous to them, than propriety, would take away all those troublesome bounds, and meats, which Laws or Customs have established upon particular rights, that all things might be reduced to their Primitive (as they pretend) and Original Community.  
I design not the process of these Men at this time, how great soever their crime may be, and great enough certainly it will be judged, if this Charge be true: But the Charge that this Discourse intends, is against another, and more audacious kind of Levellers, spiritual Levellers, men that would level God; and as it was the vanity and ambition of Adam, to make himself like God, so it is the presumption, and pride of these men, to make God like them. We have formerly had to do with some, who would bring the Justice of God, to the model and scantling of their justice, which hath been the occasion of that great controversy with the Pelagians, and their followers the Arminians. And now we are importuned by a Generation of men, who would subject the wisdom of God to the model and scantling of their wisdom, would give laws to God, for the government and Oeconomy of his own house, and judge all at an undue and under rate, that lie not level with their either reason, or fancy. And because (self-love making up in us all defects) men are usually reasonably well satisfied with their own wisdoms, howsoever others are; and that as the Scripture says, Vain Man would be wise, though Man be as a wild Ass' Colt; Hence it is, that men who have not learned sufficiently, that the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and therefore if any man would be wise he must become a fool that he may be wise; men that have not been taught this of God, are vying still with God for wisdom, and are extremely scandalised at his method of saving men by the foolish, and base, and weak, and despised means of Preaching, with all other Ordinances and Institutions.  
Our Saviour and Master taught us better by his own example, when considering of the reason why God had hid the great things of the Gospel, from the wise and learned men of the World, and revealed them to Babes: He resolved it easily into the good pleasure of God; Even so Father, for so it pleased thee. But these will rather dispute it out with God and Men, than they will suffer such a blemish to their wisdom, as the aid and assistance that these foolish, and weak, and base despised things, (as the Scripture calls them) brings with them. And yet because it is hard to make an open War against God, and apparent and evident truths, held forth in his Word, they employ all the pittance of wisdom they have, to this great work of Levelling, either in wholly taking away the use of the Scriptures, to themselves and others of their elevation, or by so mincing and altering them by their liberty of allegorising (Which you must believe although it be nonsense to be the Mystery of the History, as they call it) as they make them speak what they judge in wisdom they should, since of themselves and naturally they are fare from speaking what they would.  
But I shall trouble you no farther (most Honoured Mother) with prefacing, having given you a short account who they are, and what it is that this discourse pretends against, as the title tells you what it pretends to.  
I am not (I thank God) so vain as to imagine that this Essay should convert this kind of men, especially such as are highest flown, and who having been accustomed to defy reason and Scripture, do not use to be satisfied when they are answered. But I am not without hopes (through the grace of God) but that it may be of use to some, truly godly (for these temptations are fitted to persons and places of light) who have not known the depths of Satan, nor are yet effectually ensnared by these stratagems and wiles of the Devil. And I am assured, it will be accepted by you (my Dear Mother) to whom I present it, not only upon that just account that you commanded it (and the commands of Parents to their Children are of the highest Prerogative:) But because it will be satisfaction to you to see the Asserting and Vindicating of those things endeavoured, which have so much of truth, and God in them; and in a time, when the profession and practice of them is exposed not only to the insultings of men openly and professedly profane, but which is less sufferable, and more abominable, to the scorn and contempt of such as would be esteemed Saints of the highest elevation. But Wisdom is justified of her Children, whose condition is very easily supportable with this assurance, That as Christ was in the World, so are they in the World; and if Their life be hid with Christ in God, when Christ who is their life, shall appear, they shall appear with him in glory: I am,  
Most Honoured Mother, Your most obedient Son, and Most Humble Servant, Henry Lawrence.   

A VINDICATION OF THE SCRIPTURES, And Christian Ordinances.  
NOTHING seems more to speak the misery of these evil and calamitous times in which we live, than the extreme debordment of extravagant Opinions in matters of Religion, divers of which tend not only directly to the undermining of Holiness, and Christian Religion (which by the grace of God hath been long acknowledged and professed in this Kingdom) but to the subversion also, and destruction of civil society, and communion with men as men.  
The rise of which exorbitancy (so far as my observation leads me) is laid. First in a slighting of the Ordinances of worship, as things less profitable and useful and more befitting Children then grown men, and then (according to the nature of error which is easily multiplying and increasing, for one absurdity granted a hundred will follow and grow out of it) in a reprobating and utter casting of those Ordinances as things hurtful and destructive to the nature of of Saintship, and altogether unproper and unmeet for that state of growth and perfection which they pretend to have attained unto.  
This wile of the Devil is not by all good men easily and at the first observed, not do they consider that by a show of rational and spiritual pretences, he deprives them at last of all the Ordinances and Institutions of God, that his inspirations and revelations may be in stead of them, and he at last may be all in all unto them.  
For I beseech you, what else is the effect of those methods in these men in whom he hath gained most upon this way, but a form of unsound words, by which evil communication they corrups good manners; stuffing their Preach and Writings with an uncouth and most unsavoury gibberish, or jergon language, which the Scriptures own not, which rational and truly spiritual men understand not, till at last growing bolder in the vanities of their minds and expressions, they come to this to which some of them are come to make themselves Christ and God, and to style themselves the Lord of Hosts. Blasphemies unheard of in other ages, and such as are capable of astonishing the most debauched and profane spirits, and such as tend not only to the utter subversion of all Religion, but as a necessary consequence of that, to the destruction and dissolution of all bands of civil government.  
Notwithstanding the horror of these things, yet I must profess, when I think seriously of them I cannot but rest satisfied in the wisdom and goodness of God to his; who by letting them see the miserable consequences and effects of opinions so depraved as the casting aside of all Ordinances of worship, and yet of that seeming holiness and spiritualness as the pretence of a more immediate and spiritual converse with God is, are bounded and kept in order by these exorbitancies, and taught that which the Scripture teacheth frequently; that The weakness of God is stronger than men, and the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and therefore if any will be wise (for all these vanities arise from nothing but from a carnal and vain Philosophating about spiritual things) he must become a fool that he may be wise.  
Now as to be instrumental, to turn sinners and such as err from the truth, from the error of their ways, is a thing of the greatest concernment, and highly acceptable to God, so is it no way of more consideration, then in such errings and mistake as are about the fundamentals of Religion and Worship, and which are so fertile of ill, as having gained once a prevalency and authority, there is no stop or bounds to any thing, which a vain and carnal heart, deluded and emboldened by the Devil, shall broach to the World for good Doctrine.  
That which immediately debauches the spirit of men this way, is (as I said) a slighting and undervaluing of the Ordinances of worship, and holy Institutions; and after that, a despising and abhorring of them as things carnal and unbecoming a spiritual and raised state: But that which is yet a deeper, and more bottom root of this untoward production: is,  
Secondly, Low and mean thoughts of the holy Scriptures, the Word of God; or which is as bad, and arises from the same root of pride and vanity, such a bold and ridiculous allegorising of them, under a colour of going fare enough from the Letter, and understanding the mystery of them, as they obtrude upon you all the vain reasonings of a carnal heart, and that (as the Preach and Writings of these times will abundantly witness) with such folly and madness, as that after that rate a man may not despair to see the Turkish Alcoran brought out of the New Testament; or (if there be any greater) the greatest absurdities and follies that ever entered into the heart of any ignorant or carnal man, since the World stood.  
He therefore that would endeavour the recovery of these men, or prevent the fall and disorders of others, in these matters of greatest concernment, had need speak something to such errings as are about the Scriptures. And,  
First, Not to speak (if there be any such) of those that question the Divine Authority of Scripture, as if it had not God for its Author, and Original; that which I shall speak something to, is that Opinion which seems to be received amongst some, as if it were a straitning to the spirit of God, and indignity offered to it, to bring spiritual revelations to the touchstone and Examen of the Scriptures. On the other side, to me, the Scripture seems amongst others, to have t●o excellent ends for our advantage; the one, as other Ordinances of God, to be a Medium of his own setting up, and which he delights to use, for the conveying of himself to our spirits, in enlightening and sanctifying us, and making us partakers of the Divine nature. The other, to be a certain and fixed Standard, to which we may bring any thing that is broached, under the name of spiritual truth; and may thereby (as the Scripture says) Try the spirits whether they be of God; may know the voice of God from the voice of the Devil, and the voice of the holy spirit and good Angels, from that of Satan, even when he transforms himself into an Angel of light. Nor is this any indignity offered to the spirit of God, as is before pretended, since he is confined to no Rule, but what is of his own forming. If the Scriptures were a rule form by man, or by Angels, it were unsufferable to subject the spirit of God to any rule so infinitely below itself, but, All Scripture being of Divine inspiration, holy men of God speaking as they were moved by the holy Ghost, as it is of great use to us against the wiles of the Devil; so it is a particular honour to the spirit of God, which by the means of such a Standard, and rule, appears ever like itself, that is, uniform, and constant, and which is a high attribute of God, without variableness and shadow of changing.  
From this good understanding between the spirit of God, and the word of God, the Scriptures dictated by the same spirit, it is that in all matter of faith and worship and all things spiritual, the appeal is still to the Scriptures, as to the visible and lawful Judge. So Christ convincing the Jews of their sin of unbelief, tells them, There is one that accuseth them even Moses, for he wrote of him, John 5.45. And as for the Jews, so for all others, our Lord saith, That he that rejecteth him, and receiveth not his word, hath one that judgeth him; the Word, saith he, that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day. So Paul glories in this, that the Thessalonians received the word spoken by them, not as the word of man (a thing subject to exceptions and limitations) but as it is in truth the word of God, which effectually worketh in them that believe, 1 Thes. 2.13. Hence, when Christ would convince the Sadduces of the Resurrection, he told them, They erred, not knowing the Scriptures, nor the power of God, Matth. 22.29. and then makes out his assertion by Scripture authority, Have ye not read that which was spoken by God unto you; And then brings them the very Scripture words, I am the God of Abraham, etc. vers. 32. So when Christ would prove himself to be the Messiah, he bids them Search the Scriptures, John 5.39. You see therefore it is no disparagement to the spirit of God, that there is a visible Standard and Rule manifest to all men, to which we may have a constant, and easy recourse in any doubt or controversy of faith or worship.  
Obj. If any shall object further, that though this be not a disparagement or a lessening to the spirit of GOD (since the authority of God itself, and the reason of the thing seems to vindicate it from this:) Yet the Scriptures are capable of senses and interpretations so various (as we see in all experience) as it will be difficult to make it a Sandard and Rule of Faith and Worship, or a Medium to try the spirits by, since it needs the assistance of the spirit, to the right interpretation of itself.  
Ans. I answer, that the ignorance or perverseness of Interpreters, can by no means take away that Honour from the Scriptures, that it should not be the Standard and Rule in things spiritual; no more than in civil things, the ignorance or perverseness of a man in giving the interpretations of the Law, should detract from the honour of its being the rule and standard of judging in things civil. It is certain, that in respect of the things spoken, or in respect of the Speaker, the Scripture hath not various and uncertain senses, but it seems to have so oftentimes, in respect of our vanity or ignorance: Which leads me into consideration of the second charge, I lay to some perverse spirits of these times, which by obscure and mysterious Allegories, draw a veil, and cast thick Clouds between us and the Scriptures; and then cry out, that they are mysterious, obscure, dark, and hidden; but If our Gospel be hid (as the Apostle saith) it is hid to them that perish, in whom the God of this World hath blinded their eyes: Pride, or some evil lusting hath blinded their eyes, and then they cry out, that there is a defect on the part of the object; that that is not visible, and the way by which they would spiritualise and enlighten it, renders it a thousand times darker, whilst under a pretence of running far enough from the Letter which they judge carnal and kill, they subject it to the vanities and dream of every addle head, and make the holy Scripture Echo to the sound that is already in their ears, according to that English Proverb, As the fool thinketh, so the Bell tincketh.  
But first here they greatly mistake who in alluding to that place of 1 Cor. 3.6. Not of the letter but of the spirit, think there is an opposition put betwixt the letter of the Gospel, and New Testament, and the spiritual sense of it, for here plainly by Letter is meant the Law, and by spirit is meant the Gospel, or New Testament in the very letter of it; as you have, John 1. The Law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. Not as if the Jews were only under a literal external administration, which did not affect their spirits: God knew how to speak to his in those times, but that was not the office of Moses, or of the Law, which propounded rules of living, with promises and threaten; therefore, When the Law came, sin revived and I died, saith Paul; But the Ministry of the Gospel he calls spirit, because the things it declares, are quickening, enlivening, and restoring, and such (as speaking comparatively also) the spirit accompanies, much more than it did the Law, as being the instrument of the grace of Christ in his Ministry. The mistake of this place, made Origen first, and since very many, lose themselves and their auditors in senseless and idle Allegories, supposing that the allegorical sense was spiritual, and the literal kill; whereas the literal sense in most scriptures, is not only a spiritual sense, but the only spiritual sense of it, and if besides what sense I have given of this place of the Law and the Gospel, it reaches further; the letter and the spirit, is not to be understood of the Exposition of the words, but of the fruit and effect of it, it then being only received in the Letter, when it affects not the heart, nor works saving changes upon us, and then in the spirit when it indeed converts, and turns us and moulds us into that holy frame and form to which God ordains his people.  
Now that these expressions of the Spirit and the Letter, are meant particularly of the Law and the Gospel, appears evidently in the following verses, 7, 8, 9 For verse 7. speaking of the Letter he calls it, The administration of death, written and engraven in stones, which we know was the Law; this he proves glorious from the glory and shining of Moses countenance: In opposition to this, he calls the Gospel, The ministry of the spirit, verse 8. and shows in one point more the excelling glory of this Gospel beyond the Law, that it is to abide and remain evermore, whereas the other is done away and past; verse 10, 11. It is true that what the Law is of itself, that the Gospel is by accident, killing and destructive, 2 Corinth. 2, 16. To the one we are the savour of death unto death, etc. But though the Gospel be the occasion of damnation to very many, notwithstanding it may be called the Spirit or Doctrine of life; for as much as God uses it as the instrument or vehiculum of our conversion or new life; and that it holds out, and offers free reconciliation to us with God, whereas the Law (taking it simply and alone as it is here taken) is the Letter that killeth; and the ministry of death prescribing only an exact rule of life (by which comes the knowledge and reviving of sin which kills) without showing any relief or way to escape.  
And thus have I briefly opened this place, which hath been the cause to many of such gross errings and mistakes.  
But to proceed; It is certain the Scriptures have a plainness and easiness in them to be understood, and therefore are said to be, A light to our feet, and a Lantern to our paths; and a light shining in a dark place: Thy words they give light, they give understanding to the simple. And if this may be affirmed of the Writings of the Old Testament, with much more reason may it be affirmed of those of the New. For Grace and Truth came by Jesus Christ. They had many things formerly in Types and Allegories, as things that concerned others more than themselves, For it was revealed to them, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things which are now reported unto you, by them that Preached the Gospel unto you, 1 Pet. 1.12. Therefore Moses their Prophet was veiled to them, But we with open face, beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed from glory to glory, 1 Cor. 3.13, 18.  
Nor will it be to any purpose to object here, that which is affirmed by Peter, 2 Pet. 3.16. That some things in Paul's Epistles, are hard to be understood: For even those things be made easy by diligence, prayer to God, communication and conference with others. God hath made in all things, indigency, the bond of Society, without we need one another, we should not value and esteem one another, we should not have love, nor converse one with another. But who doth this difficulty or hardness here spoken of, hurt? Men unlearned and unstable; whose sluggishness makes unlearned, and whose corruption and depravement makes unstable; men that are double in their ends, and therefore unstable in their ways, as appears by their wresting and destroying of the Scriptures, which is there spoken of; and not only those hard places, but other Scriptures also to their own destruction.  
But if there be any difficulty in Scripture-expressions (which God sometimes permits for holy ends, as I have said) will the way to help ourselves be to fall a Figurizing and Allegorising, making the Word of God sapless and fruitless, by the vanity of our Traditions? Or because (as the men I complain against use to do) there are some figurative and allegorical expressions in the New Testament, as when our Saviour calls himself, a Vine, or a Door (which figurative speeches are to ordinary ears as easy to be understood as the most literal) shall we take liberty from hence to confound Heaven and Earth? And upon every itching of our own fancy to dissolve the whole Scripture and Word of God, into Figures and Allegories? Which in stead of enlightening, brings us into clouds and darkness; that in that mist the Devil may use as he will. I will not deny, but some things are to be expounded allegorically.  
The legal Ceremonies may be handled allegorically, because they were shadows and types of good things to come, as the Paschall Lamb of Christ Christ our Passeover is sacrificed for us, 1 Cor. 5.7: Christ was the scope and Butt of the Old Testament, and therefore the Paschall Lamb, the brazen Serpent, and a hundred other things are accommodated justly to him, also several Histories upon this account have their allegorical use, so there be a care had to preserve the Historical truth stable and unshaken: So our Saviour accommodates the History of Solomon and Ionas to himself, as having besides the Historical truth, an use of typifying out him in his office, and sufferings; and if a man by way of allusion or similitude, will allegorise a History, as to say that as David overcame Goliath, so Christ doth the Devil, so the spirit doth the flesh, if it be done pertinently, may have its use. But without all question, the literal sense of Scripture, especially of the New Testament is principally to be sought after, as that you may safely build upon for Doctrines, Exhortations, and Conclusions, Symbolica Theologia non est argumentativa; except such as the holy Ghost propounds and interprets, in which case we may safely follow and conclude from Allegories.  
I would not therefore expound any Scriptures allegorically (except as before) but such as could not be expounded literally; as for instance, When without the supposition of a type or figure the Scriptures would imply a falsehood; or when in a Gramaticall sense, the words of the Scripture would imply an absurdity, as that Christ is a Door, or a Vine; or when the literal sense is contradictory to a rule of Faith, as when we are commanded to pull out an eye, or to cut off a hand, or foot, but to departed needlessly from the Grammatical and literal sense of Scripture, to subtelize it with Figures and Allegories, is that which destroys the majesty and integrity of the Word of God, makes it a Nose of Wax, and subjects it to the fancies of every crazy and unsound brain; so that as in another case one complaines, they do Verborum minutiis rerum frangere pondera.  
And if it be objected (as it is by some) that if the literal and Gramaticall sense, be the Scripture sense, the natural man may be very able, in understanding Scripture.  
I Answer, that no question they may, and to their greater condemnation, but yet they want the glory and life of this understanding, which is the spiritual impression affecting their hearts, and making them God like. Those things which are words of life and peace to one, are but a dead letter to them, there wants that infusion into the words, which makes them mighty and converting, Changing them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God; to one, it is the word of Men, to others, it is the word of God, the power of God to salvation, effectually working in them that believe. Whereas those absurd Allegorizers we complain of, boast of the spirit, and revelations, and think they have got all, when they have mudded, and defiled, and nonsensifyed a Scripture with their Figures and Allegories, though they feel nothing of the spirit and life, which should change and convert them into the form of Doctrine delivered to them. And according to this sense must several Scriptures be accommodated; particularly, that, 1 Cor. 2.14. The natural man receiveth not the things of the spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him, neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned.  
That which we translate the natural man, is in the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 animalis, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ab anima, the soul, so as he is a natural or an animal man which walks according to sense, or to the flesh, that judges of things after a carnal and humane reasoning; other things are foolishness to him, so you have it in the 23. of the former Chapter, We Preach Christ crucified to the Greeks foolishness, And in the words of the Text, The things of the spirit of God are foolishness unto him.  
Yet the notion of Christ Crucified, as it is laid down in Scripture in plain and significant words, is certainly intelligible to an animal man; but the spiritual reason of it, which is the beauty and glory of it, which should alter and convert, and transform, by beholding that he sees not; and therefore though custom and commonness have taken away the seeming absurdity of such a notion, so as men can bear it, and take it up, and profess it with others; yet the spiritual beauty of it, which is the taking and converting thing, they see not. As the eye of sense sees the figure and superficies of a thing, but cannot tell the reason of it, for want of a principle to judge by; so a natural man that hath no other principles but sense and reason, sees the truth aright, and as it is; but it is a foolish and weak thing to him, in order to the end for which it is appointed, because there is a spiritual beauty which he hath no eye to see, nor sense to taste.  
I deny not, besides this, but that when there are diversities of interpretations and allegorical senses, of which I spoke before; the spiritual man hath advantage of all the World besides, and that not only in the sense of which I have already spoken; but in opposition to one more raised, and more spiritual, a man may be called a natural or carnal man, so you have it in the beginning of the next Chapter, And I brethren could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ, verse 3. For ye are yet carnal, for whereas there is among you, envyings, and divisions, and strife, are ye not carnal and walk as men? Which as it shows that the opposition of spiritual to carnal, may be made in respect of more or less spiritualness in the same party; so it leads us bacl to that sense I gave before:  
That he is to be judged the spiritual man, and to comprehend best the mystery of Divine things, and of the holy Scriptures, not who can most misteriously (that is, as these men use it, obscurely and enigmatically, and if you will irrationally, and absurdly) discourse of Divine things, and of interpretation of Scripture; but he, Who laying aside all malice and superfluity of naughtiness, receives the word, and he who by seeing and beholding it, is transformed into that which is most opposite to envying, strife, and divisions.  
The Apostle Judas, after he hath made a list of the worst and vilest of men, Unclean persons that despise Dominion, and speak evil of Dignities; he tells you, verse 10. That these are sensual, or animal, or natural (for it is the same word that is used here) having not the spirit; These were all Christians, and Professors, and perhaps could Philosophate as mysteriously as their neighbours, for they were such as separated themselves, verse 10. and it is like were well opinionated of their abilities; but because the beauty of the Word gained them not to the love of God, what ever light they had besides could not defend them from the denomination of sensual or animal, which is the word here opposed to spiritual.  
And thus have I done with what I intent to say, in answer to the objection above made. To conclude with what I first mentioned in this point of the Scriptures.  
The spirit of God, and the Word of God the holy Scriptures, hold so good an intelligence, as we try the spirits by the Scriptures, and the holy spirit enlightens us to understand the Scriptures; so Christ by his spirit enlightened the Disciples going to Emaus to understand the Scriptures; he did not make them wise without them, which he could have done, but he chose that medium as a vehiculum of his spirit suitable and proportionable to them, and to his ways and dispensations towards his people.  
In like manner when Paul had exhorted the Thessalonians, not to quench the Spirit, he doth not lead them from the Word of God to vain speculations, but immediately subjoins a command, Not to despise Prophecy; intimating, an aptness in men under the notion of magnifying and advancing of the spirit to despise Prophecy; and showing also that the means to quench and extinguish the illuminations of the spirit, is to have low and unworthy thoughts of the Word of God, and of Prophesying, according to the Analogy and Proportion of that Word.  
Now as some think it an indignity to try the spirit by the Scripture, and others with vain allegorising, make the Word of God of none effect (to both which I have spoken already) so there doth not want of them which think the use of the Scripture hath its period and time with men, beyond which it is useless and improper to attend to it, though before that time it be a duty and of use to us. According to this sense they interpret that place of Peter, 2 Pet. 1.19. Where the Apostle, speaking of the Scripture of the Prophets, tells them to whom he writes, That they do well to take heed to them as to a light shining in a dark place, till the day dawn, and the day star arise in their hearts: That is, till God have set up such a light in them, as they need no more help of Prophecy; according to which interpretation, they adapt also other Scriptures, as that of John 6. quoted out of Isaiah 54.13. They shall all be taught of God, that of Jeremiah 31.34. They shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord, for they shall all know me from the least of them to the greatest of them; and particularly also that place of John, 1 John 2.20, 21, 27. But ye have an unction from the holy one, and ye shall know all things: Verse 27. But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you, but as the same anointing teacheth you all things.  
To speak a little to these places, and first to speak something to this last of John: The Apostle seems to do two things, one is to bring what he says to the examen of the spirit, who only is the full and sufficient judge; who seals to our spirits, to the end that we may be certain that God speaks it: Secondly, he would the better authorise his doctrine by referring them to the judgement of the spirit within them which teaches them, that finding something that bears witness within to the word, without it might have a full effect upon their spirits, and work in them a strong persuasion. But then particularly, and perhaps especially in this place, the Apostle seems modestly to excuse himself for seeming to deal with them as with learners, and beginners, when as he tells them they have the unction of the spirit, and know all things: In like manner is that which Paul says, Rom. 15.14. and to the same purpose when he tells them, that they were full of goodness and filled with all knowledge, and able also to admonish one another; and yet he tells them, he thought it his duty to admonish them, to put them in mind as he says; so here, Verse 21. I have not written unto you, because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it. For if they had been altogether unlearned, and unbottomed and had not known something, if they had not had foundations laid, and been principled, they had not been fit for the Doctrine he delivered: Whereas he says, Verse 21. They knew all things, that cannot be taken in the full extent that the words seem to bear, for we know but in part, 1 Cor. 13. but either with restriction to the subject in hand, or else to show as before, that he doth rather remember them and admonish them of such things as he writ, than altogether lay foundations or deliver principles that are new to them, and with which they are not acquainted. Therefore Verse 24. he admonisheth them that that might remain with them which they have heard from the beginning, as intending rather to confirm what they knew already, and have been taught from the beginning by the word and spirit, then to add in this exhortation any thing in which they were raw and unprincipled.  
But because John says here, that they have an unction from the spirit and know all things; and Vers. 27 that they need not that any man should teach them: To conclude that therefore they needed no other Ministry or teaching but the spirit, neither Scriptures, nor Prophecies, were to make John himself ridiculous: For wherefore did he labour in this Doctrine, and wherefore did he teach them at all, if there were no need at all of his, teaching, when Paul says (as he doth) 1 Thes. 4.9. Touching brotherly love, there is no need that I writ unto you, for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another: Doth he forbear therefore to exhort the Saints to that duty, or rather show that he need not doubt of the success of that Doctrine of brotherly love (which he and other Apostles inculcates exceedingly) because they have a principle taught them by God himself and his holy spirit that renders them apt to receive any hints or intimations that way.  
It is a great piece of Oratory, when ye can persuade your hearers that the things ye would enforce and make out more fully, they assent unto already. Therefore John here professes that he wrote to them, because they knew the truth already, and upon that very ground, that they were taught, and did know, and that they needed not teaching; he was encouraged to the Doctrine and exhortation he gave them. It is one of the best arguments we draw from reason, to prove there is a God, and in the virtue of which we use many others, that this point is a thing they need not to be taught, this they are all taught of God, no man so barbarous, no Nation so remote from the knowledge and converse with others, that hath not this engrafted in their nature, this notwithstanding, we do not cease to multiply arguments to this purpose, to confirm and draw out that principle into use and practice, of which there is so fair a beginning laid deep, even in the nature of every man living.  
The sum is (besides what I have said in the beginning that the Apostle would use them to bring all things to the Examen of the spirit, and that he would improve the confirmation of the truth of his Doctrine by the principles already laid in them by the spirit of God) he uses these expressions, that they know all things, and need not that any man teach them, but as the same anointing teaches them, and that he writes to them, because they know the truth already; Both to avoid the seeming to deal with them as learners, and beginners, altogether unprincipled and untaught, when as the things were such as were built upon principles, laid into them by the anointing of the spirit, as also to fetch an effectual rise of arguments for the assenting to such things as they knew and were taught already; as there is no better bottom argument (as I said) to prove there is a God, than this, that they know it already, being all taught it of God, nor no better foundation to the exhortation of brotherly love, with which the Scripture abounds above any one thing, then that which Paul lays in the place above quoted out of the Thessalonians; That there is no need to be taught that, For that they are all taught of God to love one another. We say it is the part of a wise man; Rerum manifestarum causas quaerere, and it is especially the duty of those who have the care of instructing others to improve principles already lodged into them of which the foundations are most generally and most clearly laid by the holy spirit in all the Saints, for those commonly are of the greatest use and concernment. So as here will be no good warrant to departed from the use of Scripture, or the Ministry of teaching (for which God hath in all times, and in these particularly in which John wrote, endued men with gifts, and power) to follow vain Enthusiasms, unless we will put ridiculous and contradictory actions and ways upon the Doctrines of this holy Apostle, and the dictates of the holy spirit.  
Having largely and sufficiently I hope, opened these words, I proceed now to those other texts I quoted out of Isaiah and Jeremiah. That of Jeremiah is in Chap. 31. Vers. 31. etc. which is certainly a Prophecy of those times in which the Apostle John lived, and of that state of the Church in which in the place before discussed he speaks.  
Here the Prophet (as it was usual with the Prophet Isaiah, and the rest rising from the Type to the Antitype) having before discoursed of the enlarging and bettering of the condition of the Israelites, he falls naturally and easily into the discourse of the times of the Gospel and New Testament. Behold, the day's come saith the Lord, that I will make a new Covenant, etc. what this Covenant is not, he tells you, Verse 32. Not the Covenant he made with their Fathers, when he brought them out of the Land of Egypt. What that Covenant was, we shall not need here to consider of; but then Verse 33. he tells you what his Covenant shall be, I will put my Law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts, and I will be their God and they shall be my people, and they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord; for they shall all know me from the least of them to the greatest of them, saith the Lord, for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sins no more.  
The great benefit of this New Covenant in opposition to the Old, lies in this, that in this New Covenant God doth not only propound the terms, but engages himself to perform the condition, whereas the Old Covenant set before you life and death, good and evil, but engaged you to the performance of the good without assistance (for the Law was without you) or to the suffering of evil. But in the new Covenant, the Law is within, written in your hearts, by which you are made holy and disposed for all good. If you sinne (as if any man says he has no sin he deceives himself, and the truth is not in him) He will forgive your iniquity, and remember your sin no more. And because the knowledge of God and his ways is of the greatest consideration to us, for our happiness and holiness, ye shall be enlightened, have the holy unction, and be taught of God. This enlightening (especially in things of the greatest concernment, as that instanced in here, Knowing the Lord; that is, with a practical knowledge, such as changes the heart and converts) is so much the work of God himself, and of the holy spirit, as of the principal and chief agent, that the subordinate instruments who contribute under God, by the will and institution of God to that work are scarce considerable.  
It is well known, this being the promise of the New Covenant, the time of opening and beginning of which was after the death and resurrection of Christ, as Heb. 8. Christ became the mediator of a better Covenant: It is known I say, that in those times (in the course of which we live) there was the institution of Apostles, Prophets, Pastors, and Teachers, for the perfecting of the Saints, for the work of the Ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, Ephes. 4. and 2 Tim. 4.2. Paul commanded him there, To preach the Word, and to be instant in season and out of season; and Rom. 10. How shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard, and how shall they hear without a preacher; so that gifts and Offices and teaching were judged by the holy Ghost, extreme necessaries to faith, holiness, and the right knowledge of God in Christ.  
This notwithstanding in respect of that great part the holy spirit acts, the agency and working of men deserves scarce a thought or mention, so as on that consideration it may be said not to be. And it is not unusual (as elsewhere) so in Scripture phrase that that should be affirmed of one, and den●ed of others, which more illustriously or more frequently appears in that one, though in some sort it be common with others. It is certain Isaac loved Jacob and Esau too, but because he more loved Esau, it's said, Isaac loved Esau, and Rebecca loved Jacob, Gen. 25.28. And though Christ loved all the Disciples, it is said notwithstanding that John was the Disciple whom Jesus loved. But especially that place of Matth. 15. where Christ says, He was not sent but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel; and yet if Christ were not sent as well to the Gentiles as to the Jews, it were little for our comfort.  
The preaching of the Word, how necessary soever to the begetting of faith (for how can they believe in him, on whom they have not heard, and how can they hear without a Preacher) yet how little doth it contribute, and how truly may so great an effect be said to be alone from God. What can the sound of words do, but strike the ear, but it is the unction, that must affect the heart. 'Tis not the noise of a voice without, but something within, that produces such great and mighty effects. The great weight that turns the balance, and that ignea vis, that fire that inflames the mind, and carries it up to God, to move after God, to follow God, is some greater and higher thing than the voice of man or sound of words, and is nothing else but the unction within us, and the voice of God himself.  
In a word, it is the effect of that which is here, and more particularly in Isaiah promised; That they should be all taught of God; which place as it is expounded and applied by our Saviour (the best Expositor) will give the surest witness to the exposition we have given of this: The place is, John 13.45, It is written in the Prophets, they shall be all taught of God, every man therefore that hath heard and hath learned of the Father cometh to me. Our Saviour seems to have respect to the place we have been speaking of all this while, where God undertakes to do so much as he makes the Ministry of man in comparison nothing, or more especially to that place in Isaiah 54.13. where the Prophet speaking of the restauration of the Church, affirms, that their Children shall be taught of God. Now when our Saviour comes to apply and improve this passage of the Prophet, doth he reject the Ministry of man, as a thing of no use, altogether carnal and unprofitable? Doth he reprobate Preaching, Exhortation, and Doctrine? No such thing: He himself Preached, that he was the Messiah that was to come, and he sent our Apostles, and Disciples, to Teach and Baptise, promising great rewards to those that shall not only prophesy, but shall receive a Prophet in his Name; so fare was he from abolishing the use of the Ministry, or the Agency or assistance of men, in that great work of begetting and improving faith, but tells the Jews, to whom he spoke, and who were offended with him, for the meanness of his birth and condition, that the reason why they believed not, was because they fell not under that great promise, To be taught of God: That no man could come to him, except the Father drew him. That teaching of God was especially necessary, and that drawing of God, that secret language, and those invisible Cords without which all the words of man, no of the man Jesus would do no good, nor contribute effectually to so great and high an end as coming to Jesus Christ, and believing in him. So as clearly the use of this and other Scriptures of this kind is fare from excluding the Ministry of man, and the use of the Scriptures and other Ordinances, which the wisdom of God in the days of this new Covenant, hath made extremely necessary and useful to us; but to show us where we must expect the Energy, force, and power, which as an infusion into these Ordinances, must produce these blessed effects, and to give us an account of the difference that is found amongst men under the same Ordinances and dispensations, that some come to God in Christ, and forsake all things for him, and others lie still dead in their sins for want of this Unction, this being taught of God, and of this strong and powerful drawing which our Saviour speaks of in this place.  
Having spoken that which is sufficient to the places last treated on, I come now to that which I first propounded out of 2 Pet. 1.19. but this yet we have gained already (if we assent to the expositions given) that the highest teachings we are capable of in this life, the teachings of God, and of the anointings of the spirit, are nothing of Supersedeas to the teachings of others, or to our own reading, and meditation in the Word of God. So as according to the truth already made out, this Scripture will receive the easier accommodation.  
First, It is generally believed, that those two Epistles were written to the Jews, of whom Peter was more particularly the Minister, and the Apostle: that this second Epistle was writ to the same persons to whom the first was, appears by the first Verse of the third Chapter, This second Epistle, beloved, I now write unto you, etc. Now the first Epistle is entitled, To the Strangers scattered abroad, which James in his inscription calls, The twelve Tribes scattered abroad, James 1. For the Gentiles were not strangers in those Countries which Peter mentions, but the Jews which dwelled in them. So as by the dispersed strangers, or the strangers of the dispersion, were meant the Jews.  
Peter therefore writing to the Jews his Countrymen, and of whom he was the Apostle, exhorts them to constancy in the Faith, and profession of the Doctrine delivered to them by the Apostles. This he enforces from an argument of the excellency of that Doctrine, the subject of which he calls the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, Verse 16. by which he understands his coming in the flesh, and putting forth his power for the salvation of his people. He further enforces this exhortation from an argument fetched from the certainty of this Doctrine, which had for his author Christ, and God, and was not cunningly advanced by devised Fables, and sophistical reasons, but we were eye-witnesses of his majesty, says he, Verse 16. and heard also the voice that came from the excellent glory, saying, this is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased. So that as John says, what we have heard and seen, that declare we unto you. Another argument which he uses to confirm them in this excellent doctrine is the consent of ancient prophecies, to the Jews well known, vers. 19 We have also a more sure word of Prophecy. Beza translates it Non firmiorem sed firmissimum sermonem propheticum, and shows the parallel of other Scriptures, where the Comparative is used for the Superlative. But if you read it not most sure, but more sure, it is in respect of those to whom he writes, the Jews, amongst whom the Writings of the Prophets were of the greatest and highest authority: Whereunto you do well that you take heed as to a light shining in a dark place, till the day dawn and the day star arise in your hearts.  
This Doctrine of the Prophets, which in Verse 20. he commends from the infallibility of it, as having the spirit for its author is another argument for the asserting and proving of that great truth which he mentions, Verse 16. (Viz.) The coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with power, etc. For both arguments confirm the same thing, this from Prophecy and that from the voice of God; to wit, That Jesus Christ was the Son of God, come in the flesh for the saving of the World. He tells them therefore, they do well to make use of this head of argument, and to attend to it, for it is like a light shining in a dark place: the prophetical Scripture, like a Lantern (as the word is) had a narrow and restrained light, and the times before the coming of Christ were times of darkness; whereas the light of the Gospel is more day light, like the morning star that chaseth away darkness, and this was true in the very beginning of the Gospel to those who had received it, in the power of it; and so ye have it, 1 John 2.8. The darkness is past, and the true light now shineth. If therefore you attend to the Scripture of the Prophets, which had for author not any private or particular spirit, but the spirit of God, you will have a light to guide you in your darkness, till the day at last appear, and the morning Star, the sign thereof, scatter altogether your darkness; that is, till the light of the Gospel (which he compares with that of former Prophecies) bring a clearness and a brightness, like to day light, in stead of the Candle, or Torchlight, ye enjoyed before; so as there shall be no doubt or scruple in you concerning this great mystery of godliness, asserted by the voice of Heaven, and confirmed by prophetical predictions, scilicet, Christ manifested in the flesh.  
And if you say here, that the Jews to whom he writ, being believers, were clear in this point already: I answer, that it is more than appears: That there was a day light clearness, ye have it in the 17 Acts 10. That those that received the Word with all readiness of mind, searched the Scriptures daily, to see whether those things were so. And yet as ye may see in a parallel place to this, Acts 2.41. They who readily, or as it is there, gladly received the Word were Baptised, which employed them Believers, that being the condition of Baptism: So although these Jews were already Believers in Christ, as having readily and gladly received the Word, yet it would be mightily to their advantage and establishment, that they should search the Scriptures, and attend to the Writings of the Prophets, that so there might a day light clearness, and assurance, concerning matters of this great moment arise in their hearts: So as many of the Jews that believed, amongst which number some of these might be, were not come to that clearness in believing, to which the preaching of the Gospel, joined to the search of Scriptures would bring them.  
Nor here, doth the Apostle at all give a term or period to the searching or attending to the Scripture, or written prophecies, but shows the great use of them for the attaining the ends above mentioned. We know things are preserved by the same way by which they are formed, or procured. No man will deny me, that Timothy had attained a great degree in the knowledge of God and Jesus Christ.  
Paul had no man like minded to him, who naturally cared for the things of the Lord. A man he was destined to great works by prophecy, 1 Tim. 1.18. Gifted also and enabled for his Ministry, by prophecy and laying on of hands, and instructed in the holy Scriptures from a Child. And yet this Timothy forearmed already by Prophecy, and gifts, and study in the Scriptures, is commanded, 1 Tim. 4.13. to give attendance to reading, and in the 15 Verse he is commanded to meditate upon those things, and to be in them, and give himself wholly to them, that his profiting might be evident and appear to all: Nay Paul himself who gave the rule of not knowing Christ after the flesh, and understood, surely, the mystery of godliness, as well as these men, in that very place where he says, that he is ready to be offered up, and that the time of his departure is at hand, 2 Tim. 4.6. When having fought a good fight, his thoughts run of Crowns and glory Verse 7, 8. commanded Timothy expressly to bring with him when he came the Books which he left at Troas, and the parchments. That great Apostle was not of these men's minds, that it was a carnal and unspiritual thing to read and meditate, and use such helps, as God who knows us better than we do ourselves, judges meet for us, but is forward and ready himself to do what he exhorts Timothy to, to give himself to reading and meditation, and think it no dishonour to use that means as well as others.  
And thus have I done with that which I propounded to myself, to say concerning the Scriptures in order to the discourse I have in hand.  
Those things which in the next place come into consideration, and need to be vindicated from the dishonour and scorn put upon them, by a Generation of these Times, who impose their vain and addle fancies under the name and title of Spiritual Revelations, are Gospel Ordinances, such as Preaching the Word, Baptism, the Lords Supper, Church fellowship and assembling, with what ever institutions our Lord hath left to entertain us with in this state, whilst we are absent from the Lord, and present in the body, whilst we live by faith and not by sight.  
In order to this, that which I first pitched my thoughts upon, was that place of the 1 Corinth. 1.21. For after that in the wisdom of God, the World by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of Preaching, to save them that believe; which seems particularly to strike at the Vanity of such men, who being as little able as others in a way of wisdom to know God, by the wisdom of God, are yet extremely scandalised at the weakness and foolishness of Preaching and other Ordinances of that kind.  
That I might the better discover the scope and drift of this place, I thought it would be necessary to consider something the coherence.  
In this Chapter therefore, after the usual salutations and gratulations in the nine first Verses, in the tenth he falls upon the first subject which he handles in this Epistle, to wit, the dissensions and divisions which were amongst the Corinthians, with which he charges them, Verse 11, 12. and from which he dehorts them. He gives them this authority for what he charges them with, The household of Cloe, Verse 11. then shows what their fault was, that they were taken, and captivated with the names of men, which though of good and holy men, was not lawful, nor fit for them to be; nay not of Christ himself, as if doting on his person after the flesh, his words, his deeds, his miracles, should be only extolled and magnified, with the despising or vilifying of the gifts, and miracles, and doctrines of others, though as Christ, God, Man, they proceed from him. This Christ seems himself to reprove in the young man, Matth. 19.16. One came and said, Good Master, what good thing shall I do? Why callest thou me good (saith Christ) there is none good, etc. But keep thou the Commandments: Whereby Christ shows that that which the man considered, was not so much God the chief good, and holiness the way of converse with him, but looked upon him as some excellent and famous Master: Why callest thou me good? Why lookest thou so much upon my person, and outward man? Rather all acceptance of persons laid aside, mind my Doctrine. This knowing Christ after the flesh, as a gifted man so endowed, etc. with difference from others, Paul disclaims, 2 Cor. 5.16. he knew him not now, as a Preacher of the Gospel, as a Minister conversing here on earth, full of excellent gifts and parts, of such a spirit and nature, but in a divine and heavenly manner, as he that was the Captain of their Salvation, that reconciled them to God, that died for them, and rose again, after such a heavenly manner he knew him, and therefore was to be new himself, both in the manner of his knowledge, and the rule of his life, Verse 15, 16, 17, 19  
Verse 13. He tells them, this their factious dissension shows as if there were many Christ's, many Gospels, many Saviour's of the World, whereas Christ is but one, and not divided; or as if they were baptised into another Name than Christ's, for so they gave themselves up as Disciples to particular Teachers and Ministers, as if they held their Baptism of them, or they were crucified for them.  
I thank God, saith he, it is fallen out by a good providence, that I have baptised a very few, Lest any should say I had baptised in my own name; That is, I had form me a Generation of followers and sect of Disciples: For that was, it seems, a corrupt fashion amongst them, that those who baptised should be followed and adored by them as their spiritual Father and Master, Verse 17. For Christ sent me not to baptise, but to Preach the Gospel: that is, the principal piece of my Ministry to which I was adorned with such gifts and graces, and miracles, was Preaching. Baptism indeed was an appendix of preaching and was in the Apostolical Commission, but being every one's work as the serving of Tables, was committed when it grew burdensome to others, that the Apostles might give themselves to the word and prayer. For conversion from Atheism, and Judaisme, being the great work, the administration of the Seals which needed not those gifts nor labour, was done ordinarily by other hands; so Peter instructed the house of Cornelius, but he commanded them to be baptised by others, Acts 10. So Christ Preached, but his Disciples Baptised, John 4.  
Paul had Commission to Baptise, else he would not have baptised any, but not principally: Suitable to this is that place, Jer. 7.22. I spoke not to your Fathers, concerning burnt offerings and sacrifices, but this thing I commanded them, obey my voice, etc. Although in Egypt they sacrificed the Passeover, and in Mount Sinai he commanded them concerning Sacrifices, but the other was the principal: Like also unto which is that phrase, I will have mercy and not sacrifice; that is, I require mercy rather, and more principally than sacrifice: So the Apostle said, It was not meet for them to leave the word of God, and to serve tables; yet Paul did gather money for the poor Saints at Jerusalem; that is, that was not their chief and ordinary work, but the other.  
Not with wisdom of words, etc. He had no sooner made mention of Preaching the Gospel, but he taxes the principal vice of these Sectaries, which was a certain vanity in preaching the Gospel, not only with Rhetorical inlargements and expressions, but even so Philosophating the Gospel, as they made it hold rather of humane wisdom, than that divine simplicity which became so holy and heavenly a subject. Lest the Cross of Christ, etc. that is, lest the Gospel of Christ Crucified should be rendered vain and useless, as needing the power of humane wisdom to uphold it.  
Verse 18. For the preaching of the Cross, is to them that perish foolishness: This preaching of Christ crucified, or a crucified Saviour, seems to proud, and seeming wise men, the foolishest thing in the world, that a dying man should give life to others, that he that could not save himself, should save the World. But unto us who are saved, etc. Those who being predestinate to eternal life, believe and are saved, they feel it is the power of God; and what is a more admirable effect of power, and of God, then that a crucified Saviour, by a company of illiterate poor men should render the spirit quiet and stable in God, and give that conversion in life, which all the learned discourses of Philosophers were not able to do.  
Verse 19 For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, etc. God hath resolved on this long ago, that by strength no man shall prevail; wise and prudent men in the business of Religion shall be no more than others, so as you may ask where is the Scribe, and disputer of this World, either of Jew or Gentile, their wisdom is made folly, and in those things wherein they have thought to be wise, they have showed themselves the weakest and foolishest of any other.  
Verse 21. For after that in the wisdom of God, etc. Here he gives the reason why God hath made the Gospel so opposite and contrary to humane wisdom, because that the World in the wisdom of God, by wisdom knew not God.  
By the World is meant the whole World consisting of Jews and Gentiles: To them both, God spoke in several manners, in the moral Law, and visions and apparitions, in the fabric of Heaven and earth, the subordination of all things to their first cause, etc.  
But the World by wisdom knew not God, in these things, in this wise and excellent way suitable to principles in them which they might have improved, they knew him not, nor glorified him as God, though that which was invisible was manifest, etc.  
It pleased God, or seemed good to God: Here the sin was the abuse of divine wisdom, the punishment was the infatuation of humane wisdom; so as by the foolishness of preaching, God would save them that believe: By that which to carnal and wise men, was the foolishest thing in the Word, the simple and plain preaching of a crucified Saviour, by that it pleased God to save them that believe, that denying their own wisdom, and renouncing wholly themselves, did believe that God could by the most weak, foolish, and unlikely mediums, produce the greatest and most considerable effects.  
From this place thus considered, it will evidently follow, that worldly humane wisdom in the knowledge and judging of God and heavenly things, is a foolish useless thing, and that the foolishness of preaching, etc. are the means of the salvation of the Elect. And that also which I lay especially to the charge of these men, That the Gospel and all Gospel Ordinances, as Preaching, Baptism, etc. are to such worldly men I speak of, no better than foolishness and weakness, and therefore as poor and weak things, are despised by them and cast away, No man need seek fare for reasons, why these things should have that Notion and Character in the spirits and reasonings of men not subjected to the spirit.  
Certainly because things indeed spiritual suit with none of their principles, they have nothing they can take their measure by; a man that would judge of any thing, judges by some principles within him: But then again, because there is a means and lowness in them, which is abominable to carnal wisdom, as the washing of Naaman the Leper in Jordan: As also because they can see no suitableness and correspondence between the means and the effect, as Epicurus disputes against the making of the World, where (says he) were the Engines, the Ladders, what devices to raise such a mighty building?  
But upon what ever ground this may be, which I purpose not here to enlarge in; no man that considers the premises will deny me this, That to be scandalised and offended at the Gospel, Christ crucified, and the Ordinances of Preaching, Baptism, the Lords Supper (for they hold of the same weakness, hold out a dying suffering Christ) is a sign of a carnal, worldly heart.  
But here I must stand the Butt of some Objections which I shall be sure to meet withal, and be engaged to answer certain demands, which these pretended spiritualists will be sure to make to me: In the answer and consideration of which, that truth which I contend for, will, I hope, be made manifest.  
Object. 1 First, therefore it will be said, those men that are prejudiced against Ordinances, are not against a crucified Christ.  
Secondly, that such seem to be the most spiritual of any other.  
For the first, they must needs be prejudiced as well against a crucified Christ, for it is no more weak and foolish to be baptised in water, or break bread, according to the institution; than it is to believe in a Saviour hanged or crucified.  
Secondly, De facto, they are so, and make the crucifixion of Christ, a kind of figurative allegorical thing, which was to make such a representation of God's mind to us, and then to end, not a thing enduring and remaining, they make a kind of notional thing, of all the birth, life, suffering, resurrection, and session in Heaven of Christ a thing for weak men, and weak times.  
Object. 2 Secondly, For their seeming to be most spiritual.  
Answ. By way of answer to that, I would consider that the Apostle in the second of the Collossians, seems to forewarn those to whom he writes, of two sorts of errings; the one, about antiquated forms of worship and Jewish ceremonies, which men naturally superstitious, and of a more gross and dull spirit are apt to be deluded by; this he mentions, Verse 16. Let no man therefore judge you in meat and drink, or in respect of an holy day, or of the new Moon, etc. Which are but the shadow of things to come, but the body is of Christ. Those things which were but shadows, and typical, are vanished at the appearing of the body and substance: The other was about such deceptions and delusions as men of more raised and notional spirits were in danger of; of those he speaks, Ver. 8. Take heed lest any man spoil you, through Philosophy and vain deceit.  
There seems to have been in those days, as there are in these, certain spirits, who not contented with the meanness and lowness of the Doctrine of Christ crucified, with such Ordinances and administrations as the spirit of God judged proper for the exhibiting and making good to us such a Doctrine, would frame a kind of Philosophical rational Divinity, savouring rather the spirit of Plato, and Aristotle, then of Jesus Christ, and which being full of uncouth and unusual expressions, made the people admire what they understood not, and caused that to pass for spiritual (though it were but vain deceit) which seemed most remote from the common and usual, though the truest and rightest apprehension. I affirm therefore, that it is but a carnal spirituality which these men have, and hold out; such as Philosopher's subtelizing spiritual things with worldly distinctions, and notions, not holding the head, and indeed covering their carnal apprehensions under the name of spiritual; for that which a Socinian calls plainly and more honestly, Humana ratio, that they call the spirit, covering it with a fairer name, but both the one and the other, are transgressors alike; both philosophating as wildly the one, as the other, about spiritual things, saving that these latter are worse, keeping neither to the form of wholesome words that the Scripture gives us, nor to principles of right reason, having this for an unanswerable cloak when ever they are driven to a wall, that that is dictated to them by the spirit. And I doubt not but that the evil and unclean spirit is fertile of notions and supplies, by his suggestions, the irrationality of their opinions and practices.  
Quest. If you ask now why God ordained such mediums as these, things so unsuitable and unproportionable to the reason and wisdom of men.  
Answ. I answer, That no flesh should glory in his presence, 1. Cor. 1.29. Wherefore would God destroy Jericho by the blowing of Rams-hornes, Joshua 6. If all the men of War had taken it by an ordinary siege, they would have had the glory, and God would have lost his; but when the walls of a mighty City shall fall down flat before the blowing of Rams-hornes, and a little instituted ceremony of encompassing it in such a manner, so many days, God alone had the glory, and no flesh could glory in his presence, upon the same account in this great work of salvation (wherein if in any he would entirely have the praise, and is especially jealous lest his glory should be given to another) God hath chosen foolish things, and base things, and weak things, and things which are despised, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are, Verse 27, 28, 29. Such as Christ crucified is, and all the seeming foolish, weak, and low Ordinances of Christ, as Preaching, Assembling, Church-fellowship, Baptism, breaking of bread, etc.  
But secondly, God doth this because we are poor, low, and foolish creatures, and God would have us by such things, remembered of it continually. Our bodies are one half of us, our souls and bodies make but one person; our bodies as well as our spirits, are the temples of the holy Ghost, and yet what pitiful, languishing, needy pieces are they; how do they subsist in a continual succession of fillings and emptyings, how are they wound up by meat and drink, and lie fallow by rest; so mean are they, as the Apostle knows no Epithet more proportionable to them, then that of Our vile bodies; so are our spirits, weak and foolish things, such as if they were let alone, to run to the utmost bounds of their own speculations, would run out to the greatest vanities and extravagancies, would be vain in their reasonings, and professing wisdom, would become fools; therefore like fools and children, God deals with us: And why do we not pretend as well that our bodies should live angelical lives, without the aids of food and raiment, as that our souls should not need such Ordinances, and Institutions, for there is the like reason of both, and when our bodies shall not need those aids, but be as the Angels, our spirits shall also be freed from any such tracts or forms of worship, as for the present God hath made our portion and blessing. Though some I hear (wisely in that making the notion go round) say they are in a glorified state also, in respect of the body, and that they do but seem to eat or drink, or do any other actions of life.  
If you ask then, what difference is between us and the Jews, who were under Moses, who had ceremonies and mediate Ordinances.  
I answer, Very much, as much as between open-facednesse, and vailing, between seeing in a Picture and seeing in a glass; Quod videtur in speculo non est Image, 'tis the thing itself, not the picture or image of it; and therefore the Apostle, speaking of the difference between the Jews and Christians: The veil (saith he) is over their hearts, but we all with open face behold as in a Glass the glory of the Lord, 2 Cor. 13.18. But the same Apostle speaking of our present state, with the times that are to come, says, That we see as a child, and understand as a child, and that we see through a glass and in a riddle, but then face to face; and the seeing on this manner is to continue till Prophecy shall fail and tongues shall cease and knowledge shall vanish away: I think, in this life there is no body that will deny that there is use of ability in tongues, of the gifts of science or knowledge, and prophesy, which are of great use to the people of God, for the begetting them to the faith, and for their building up as long as is use of faith or hope, but when we come to live by sight and not by faith, to be absent from the body, and present with the Lord, 3 Cor. 5.7. Then, and not before, tongues, prophecies, faith, and hope, shall cease together; then we shall know as we are known and not in part, and shall see no longer through a glass, darkly, but face to face, 1 Cor. 13. That is, all those eclipsing mediums, which are proper, and necessary to this state whilst we are in the body, and in this earthly Tabernacle shall vanish together, and there will be a seeing and converse with God, more raised, and more divine, than we can now conceive of: In a word, every body will easily, I conceive, discern the vast difference of these Ordinances, from those of old, by considering the difference of the two Covenants, and the glory of the Gospel, from what was that of the Law; as for Prophecy or Preaching, common to us, with the Jews, it holds out the whole mind of God in Christ, the great mystery of godliness, God manifested in the flesh, gives us that in history and accomplishment, which the Jews that lived under another Covenant had but darkly in predictions and types, they but a shadow and not the image, Heb. 10. Now we see the things have more than the image, as I said, that which is seen in a glass is not the image; 'tis the thing, and as this is true of prophesying or preaching, so there will be found to be the same reason of other administrations, those we call Sacraments, Baptism, and breaking of bread, which is the administration of the same Gospel to us, by the mediation of other senses; therefore these Ordinances have the same advantage over the Sacraments of the Law, that the Gospel itself hath over the Law, confirms to our faith by the mediation of other senses all the riches and glory of the Gospel, and what ever revelation the spirit of God makes to us therein, scales to us that in history, and performed, which was darkly before represented in types, and God having made himself visible now at last in his Son, makes his Son and all his beauties and glories visible to us in his Ordinances, the holy Ghost speaking to our senses, by the mediation of words, or things, or signs of the same efficacy, with words set apart for that purpose, the great mystery of the Gospel. But lastly, and particularly to those two Ordinances of Baptism and breaking of bread (which besides other things, holds forth to us directly and immediately the death and sufferings of Christ) why may it not be thought that our Lord hath particularly instituted these to keep fresh to us for our comfort and his honour, that great love wherewith he loved us when he gave himself for us to death, which the Scripture magnifies and values so much as to give it for the highest instance of the love of God the Father; God so loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son, 1 John 3. and also of the greatest and highest engagement of our love to him. 2 Cor. 5.14. The love of Christ constraineth us: Now this which speaks God's love so much, and engages ours so fully, and which in respect of the condition of our state in this life is of so great concernment, God would have kept fresh to us, by most visible and sensible demonstrations, and the rather to prevent and meet with the ingratitude of unworthy men, who after they have served their turn of him, fling away Christ crucified, as an element as beggarly as any of those Ordinances which represent it, and under I know not what vanity or pride of notion, cast that behind their backs, which Paul in his preaching desired especially to know and manifest, 1 Cor. 2.2. Thus much for what I thought to say to this head concerning the difference between us and the Jews in our forms of worship and ministration.  
Object. But if any shall be yet unsatisfied with this, as pretending after a more spiritual converse with God then is suitable to such Ordinances of preaching, Baptism, Church fellowship, breaking of bread, etc.  
Answ. 1 I answer first, That for some part of these, to wit, Prophecy, or Preaching, neither God, nor the Devil, will easily part with that under any notion whatsoever; not God, because by the foolishness of preaching he saves them that believe, it is a mighty Ordinance in his hands for the converting and building up his in the faith and knowledge of him; nor the Devil, what ever in a kind of gallantry he or such as are acted by him may pretend to, for he would want the most proper, and natural, and easy medium to diffuse and propagate his lies; and therefore when I have heard of some who having prophesied notorious lies in the name of the Lord, have by the same spirit of lying feigned themselves in the state of the resurrection, and that therefore they were to pray and preach no more; I always said, before the event proved it true, that for the business of preaching I would undertake they should not long refrain that, what ever became of other things, for as much as the Devil would not long lose that mighty engine of diffusing his principles, and accordingly these persons have been since the most constant and diligent Preachers, and the Devil hath not been wanting to his usual methods of transforming himself into an Angel of light, and mingling abominable lies with seeming raised, and high, and spiritual expressions, that the one may be set of, and take better by the aid and assistance of the other.  
Then if prophesying, or preaching, or conference, which are of the same nature will be allowed by these men that are scandalised at the foolishness of Ordinances; why not Baptism, breaking of bread, and the rest, which are no more foolish, nor no more carnal than the other; for cannot the holy spirit speak as spiritually and as effectually by these Hieroglyphicks of its institution, as by the words and reasonings of any man? Cannot it tell you the love of the great God, the merits of the death of Christ, what conformity and assimilation God expects from you to your head, with all the rest of those things, wherein these Ordinances instruct you, as well as by the words or reasonings of any man, which unless the spirit inform and inliven it, is as dull and improper to convey spiritual things to us, and in itself as low and carnal as any other medium you can imagine?  
This being granted, as it cannot be denied, they who will admit of prophesying or preaching or conference which go all under one head, cannot deny any of the rest, Church-fellowship, Church-assembling, Baptism, breaking of bread, etc. to be proper and fit mediums for Gods conveying himself to us in any piece of spiritual knowledge or manifestation, for since it is the holy spirit that must do all that is done in us, and upon us, for good, the holy spirit hath and can make as good use of these mediums and preach to us upon that text as well as upon the word, or expressions, or reasonings of any man whatsoever, and it is as proper and suitable to that blessed spirit to speak to us by things, as by words, etc. Words in themselves and in their letter are as carnal and unfit for our spiritual edification, as any thing you can imagine.  
This answer therefore is a Pari, if you will allow of preaching or conferences (which as I said none will be found to deny long) there will be no good reason to reprobate or reject Baptism, breaking of bread, Church-fellowship, or the rest, as things in their nature improper and unspiritual; for whatever reason comes from institution we shall examine that afterwards.  
Answ. 2 But than secondly, for those who would lay aside these mediums as things more carnal and bodily then befits their state (whether wilfully or ignorantly they deceive themselves and others) I would entreat them to consider how they come to apprehend any things spiritual, or whether whilst they are in the body, whilst their souls live in these houses of clay, they can reason, understand (by which spiritual impressions are conveyed) without the aid and assistance of the body: For though God hath this pre-eminence effectually to enlighten the understanding, and determine the will in respect of the event, which no creature, man, or Angel, can do; yet the way by which he accommodates himself to us in the doing of these things is still human● more, and after the rate and proportion of our weaknesses, as we are able and fitted to receive things being in the body, and in this mixed, lame, and imperfect state in which we are, when Gods speaks to us by men or things, it is always by the mediation of our external senses, but when he goes another way to work, it is not without the body, but by the mediation of phantasms either formerly received, or newly injected (which God can do, though perhaps neither men nor Angels can) he represents objects to our understandings and wills, which take and move us as it peaseth him to give the blessing; so as you cannot contemplate nor meditate, nor reason, nor think of God, without the assistance and use of the body, nor receive impressions from him upon your understanding, and will, and affections, but by the same way. It is therefore gross ignorance in men, as it is in the most (assisted and improved by pride) or wilfulness, which makes them subject to these mistakes to judge that converse with God unholy and unspiritual which is administered to us by the mediation of Ordinances, which are outward and subjected to our senses.  
Answ. 3 But than thirdly, I would have these men consider the true nature and reason of this word spiritual, as it stands in order to the discourse we have in hand.  
The notion of spiritual lies not in this, that one is more raised and improved in parts then another, as when the French say, C'est un homme bien spirituel, they mean a man of good parts, or of a raised spirit: Though I very much fear that this goes fare for spiritual with many, and a great deal of that language and converse which is called spiritual, is nothing but the expressions of men of a more raised reason, or exotic and extravagant fancy, which because the language is unusual goes amongst a great many ignorant and well meaning men for spiritual, as appears by their inordinate affecting certain preach and writings, which a sober, holy, and indeed spiritual man would look upon with other eyes. Wherein the luck is, that such kind of Authors are best and most readily understood, by those who as the Apostle saith, are ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth, which suits very happily with such Teachers, who as the same Apostle saith, Know neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm. spiritualness therefore lies not in the following or affecting such Preachers, or Authors, or ways as come under a show of raised or improved reason or fancy.  
Nor doth it lie in this, that such ways or worship are more proportionable or more suitable to the guise and fashion of the next, or a more raised state: If any one could by the spirit of prophecy or divine revelation, peep into another World, and see what the converse of that shall be, such a search would be of excellent use to us as it was to the Prophets of old, who inquired and searched diligently after the times that were to come, 1 Pet. 1.10. But would be no warrant to alter or change from the way of life, or worship of the present state; for then Jeroboam had hit it, though not in his end perhaps, yet in the thing, who by altering the times and places of worship did but anticipate Gospel practice, when it should be lawful every where and at all times and seasons to offer up sacrifices acceptable and agreeable to God. Then also it had been more spiritual in the last state, or times of the Jews, to signify Christ's death by breaking of bread, then by slaying of Oxen, or by worshipping God without Priestly adornments and ceremonies, rather than with them. Some of the Prophets, Isaiah particularly, and David saw fare into the way of that state that was then to come, yet neither did the one nor the other nor any of the holy Prophets dissuade from the practice of the ceremonies or ordinances of that time, though such as the Apostle since hath called beggarly rudiments, but encouraged and exhorted still to the constant persevering in them, only blamed them when they were alone without holiness of life and conversation, and faith in God, which they all tended to and taught, who of all the Prophets understood the way of a spiritual converse more than David, as appears by his frequent calling upon the spirit, bemoaning the absense of glorying in the enjoyment of it, and yet this excellent and spiritual David thought it not a carnal and unspiritual thing to converse with God in the Ordinances of that state wherein he lived, though he saw so clearly and happily into another and better, but longed after the ceremonious worship of those times, and envied even the condition of the Sparrows that found a resting in God's house, and by God's Altar, from which he was excluded.  
And if we consider it particularly, how absurd would such a thing be, the wise God hath fitted the liquor to the vessel, our way of converse with him in things spiritual according to our present receptive faculty, how ridiculous would it be to suit the garment of a man to a child's body, or because a child hath a principle in him that is rational, to labour in that uncapable age to improve that principle by rational discourses and discipline: So and much more absurd and vain is it to suit and proportion the converse of a future and more raised state to the lowness and incapacity of a former and more weak and childish one; yet nothing is more frequently done by these men we have been speaking of, by which means it falls out that being wholly unfit for the converse of a more excellent and future state, and neglecting and slighting that way of converse which God hath made their portion for the present, they lose the blessing of their present state, and all those influences which God conveys to us, by mediums of his own fitting, and in stead of increasing in light which they so much pretend to, they grow vain in their imaginations, and have their foolish hearts darkened (as their abominable and cursed opinion evidently makes appear) by that Prince of darkness who transforms himself into an Angel of light. So that to conclude, it is the word of institution for the present state in which we live, that gives the notion of spiritualness to Ordinances, and actions, and neither the vanity of our reasonings, nor a pretended or real sight into the state of those times that are to come.  
Coral. To all this, and as a Corollary to this discourse, I would add this, That never any state or way of worship was changed without a very great visibility and notoriety to those whom it concerned. When by the hands of Moses there was but a gradual change, and a greater formalizing of the worship of the same Covenant; no man will deny me, but that it was by the appointment of God made so visible and so public, as there was nothing left of obscurity or doubtfulness in it: Moses the Minister of so great a change, was a man who had his Letters of credence from Heaven, written in the most visible Characters; a man that wrought ordinarily, many and great miracles, that was owned by God by many heavenly apparitions: and yet besides all this, when the rule of life and worship was given, God himself talked to them from Heaven, as he says, Exod. 20.22. and after the greatest preparation of the people for receiving those heavenly Oracles, that there might be no doubt but that they were from God; Mount Sinai (whither the people assembled) was altogether in a smoke, because the Lord descended upon it in fire, and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a Furnace, and the whole mount quaked greatly, and when the voice of the Trumpet sounded long and waxed louder and louder, God answered him by a voice, Verse 18, 19 Of which voice of God the people were so assured, As they besought Moses that he would speak with them, and that God might not speak with them lest they die, Exod. 20.19. So as though afterwards they proved a stiffnecked people, who having received the Law by the disposition of Angels did not keep it, Acts 7.51, 53. Yet no man could pretend their ignorance of the mind of God, or that the form appointed to them by Moses was not of Divine institution and command.  
In like manner when those Ceremonies and that way of worship was to cease, and a new and a very different administration both of Doctrine and worship was to be in the World, the wisdom of God judged it meet (as before) to give the World a good account of it, that no man might justly pretend ignorance in a thing of that great moment and concernment; and although the World (the Jews especially to whom the first addresses were made) were particularly prepared for it by a long series and consent of prophecies which told them of very famous and notable changes, which had form their spirits to a steady and earnest expectation of them, yet God intending to make a greater change in the World then was before, used a greater Minister than Moses, having therefore formerly contented himself to speak by the Prophets, He spoke unto us now by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and by whom he made the World; and that we might be obliged to hear him, and to receive from his mouth this new Series of Doctrine and Ceremonies which have been the rule of our Faith and Worship ever since, it pleased God to declare this Son of God with power according to the spirit of holiness by the resurrection from the dead; and to anoint others (according to their measure) with the same spirit of holiness which should be under Ministers, to this great Shepherd of our souls, and which by most real and mighty signs and miracles should confirm that Doctrine, and those institutions of Worship which he brought from Heaven and gave unto the World. So as this change was most visible to all, manifested not only to the reason and faith of men, but to their very senses, so as no man could pretend ignorance, or reason of doubting, so as the fault must rest in their will, they would not come to him that they might have life, and they loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. Yea, our Lord appeals to his works and miracles, and says, that if he had not done, amongst them the works that never any man did, they had been without sin, but now they had no cloak nor no excuse: Thus it hath pleased God to deal with us when ever he hath given a rule of Faith or worship, or hath shaken and removed old forms of administration (which were the tracts and ways in which he hath met his people, and communicated of himself to them) he hath ever given such visible and sensible testimonies of these things to the World, as was fit to give a general and full satisfaction, that such was undoubtedly the pleasure and will of God in things of so great moment and concernment.  
Now that Christians in the days of Christ and his Apostles, and since to these very times have been possessed of certain Ordinances and forms of worship, such as Preaching, Conference, Baptism, breaking of bread, and to comprehend all these under one head, Church-fellowship, in all its administrations of gifts and offices (though with much variation in the way & reason of administering these things) I think no body will deny.  
But where (in the name of God I ask it) are those Divine Warrants which formerly have not been wanting to these cases made manifest and visible to us, as formerly by mighty miracles, by the voice of God, or the Son of God from Heaven (as formerly still) which should destroy that was built, and make such changes our duty, which else without them would be the highest and greatest Sacrilege.  
I appeal to God and man, whether any such things be or no; nay I dare be bold to say it in the Name of God, to all holy and rational men, that there hath no such thing been, and that what ever hath been held out for any such mighty change and alteration for the present hath been nothing but an absurd and ridiculous allegorising, of certain passages of Scripture, which very Scripture, these men that would destroy Ordinances, look upon generally, with as ill an eye as they do on any of the rest of these forms, as they call them, but find good to make use of it now and then, for the more assured deceiving of themselves and others: I say there having been no such mighty and visible and authentic warrant for this change as becomes so great a business, and as formerly God hath been used to give in things of this nature, nor nothing like it, nor nothing at all, but the bold vanity and speculation of some men which would intrude their reasonings and revelations as good Gospel upon the world; I hope we shall learn to be sober, Not to be wise above what is written, nor to think that God hath altered or quitted all his methods in matters of so great moment and concernment to the World, because it is suitable and agreeable to the fancies of a few men, the principal and most leading of which have been sufficiently deceived to the view of all men in those things wherein they have most avowedly and confidently interested the name and authority of God himself, and of whom I will be bold to say, that the best and ingenious excuse their own friends and followers can make for them is, that they are in some degree of madness and distraction.  
This I would spare to affirm, but that it is notoriously known, and it is fit also that the judgements of God should be known, and that the hand of God is eminently out against those who fear not the curse of adding to, or taking away, and either out of the vanity of their own reasonings, or from Diabolical inspirations are bold with him in things of so great concernment as are the utter racing and taking away of Gospel Ordinances, and Institutions.  
Having said what I intended about the nature of Ordinances in general, and the reason of their continuance, I shall labour now more particularly to vindicate from that contempt and scorn which is put upon it by some men, the Ordinance of Baptism, not only to rescue that Institution from the violence that is offered to it, but by an illustrious instance in one of the same kind with the rest, and one at this time more opposed and undermined then any, to give a further account and show more cause for the abiding and continuing with us of all the rest.  
There hath been a great and much agitated controversy between the Papists and those of the reformed Religion concerning the identity and efficacy of John's Baptism (as it is called) compared with Christ; The Papists thundering Anathemaes against them who shall affirm the Baptism of John to have the same virtue and power with that of Christ's: Those of the reformed Religion on the other side are generally of opinion, that the Ministry of John was the the same that was after delegated to the Apostles, and that the Baptism of John was the same which was administered after by the Disciples and Apostles of our Lord, and which by the command of Christ was to be propagated into all the World, and all Nations to be Baptised with it.  
This controversy though in the terms of it, it remains much the same, yet in sense and meaning it is exceedingly changed by some men of this generation, who would have us believe that there is no use of Water in the Baptism of Christ (that belonging only to John's Ministry, the last term of which was the Ascension of Christ) but that Christ's Baptism and the rule and Institution of it, Matth. 28.29. Go teach all Nations, baptising them, etc. is not to plung and dip them in cold Water, as John did his Disciples, But baptise them or dip them into the Name of God the Father, Son, and Spirit; that is (to use their own words) by the Ministry which shall be of the Spirit, and not of the Letter, You shall Baptise them, or dip them, or interest them into the Name of God, who is the Father, Son, and Spirit, or sprinkle his Name upon them, that they may be holy, just, true, merciful, righteous, good, etc. The drift of all is (as they affirm distinctly) to exclude Water Baptism, in lieu of which as a thing contradistinct, they would bring you in Spirit Baptism.  
To make this good, they draw most of their best weapons out of the Popish Quiver, in the disputes between us and them, of the difference of John's Baptism from that of Christ's, though they manage them to a quite other purpose than they meant them, for we and they differ about the efficacy of Baptism by Water; they (the Papists) affirming that Baptism doth ex opere operato, confer grace; that is, by the force and virtue of its administration without any respect to the foregoing Faith and Repentance in the party baptised, in which respect they prefer it to the Baptism of John administered also by Water; but these would have us believe that there is no such thing remaining to Christians as Baptism by water: When therefore I say they have helped themselves by these borrowed arguments to show that the baptism of Christ and that of John are two things, and abused the Popish arguments to their own ends, then with many a specious flourish they acquaint you with the excellency of spirit Baptism above water Baptism, wherein as in a Theme very easy they make a great flourish, and show us (forsooth) how much the efficacy of the spirit is more than water, which (for honour sake no doubt) ever and anon they call cold water, and so at length conclude with that which all the premises drive at, that all outward and carnal and earthly things are put to an end (in which number all outward administrations are contained) by the inward spiritual and heavenly things of a better and second testament. In which how little sincerely and faithfully they deal with holy Ordinances, and the great Master and Institutor of them, Jesus Christ, by imposing their Apocryphal novelties upon the people under the specious title of a more raised and spiritual administration, as I have in part shown already more generally in the preceding discourse, so I shall endeavour more particularly in the vindication of the Ordinance of Baptism to make manifest.  
For my own part, I have thought that the difference of Johns and Christ's Baptism was not very considerable, for we, by the acknowledgement of all, enjoying Christ's baptism, it was of less moment to know what the difference of the two Baptisms were if there were any.  
But as it comes stated to us by new hands (and it is the particular credit of error that it is new) there is nothing more considerable, since by virtue of that distinction of Johns and Christ's Baptism, they would utterly take away the Ordinance of Baptism itself, and by a like reason all the rest, which with so much comfort and edification the Saints of God have known how to use as pledges of love, and paths and tracts of Communion with God in Jesus Christ, without adoring them or putting them in God's place; though I confess according to what our corruption is, that is not without danger, but it is the part of good and wise men to reform error without overthrowing foundations; on the other side, folly ever rests in the extremities to which the Devil drives it.  
That there is a Gospel, New Testament, Baptism, that these men will grant, and that it is particularly held out in these places, Matth. 28.19, 20. and Mark 16.15, 16. The words of Matthew are Go teach all Nations, baptising them in the Name of the Father, the Son, and holy Ghost, teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you, and so I am with you unto the end of the World. To say here that Christ might mean baptism by water, of which ceremony there should be an end within a certain time, is to contradict the express words of the Scripture, that says he will be with them in these things unto the end of the World, and they may with as good reason prefix a time to the ending of Faith and Hope, or any Christian grace or Ordinance according to their own fancies, or pleasures, or to Preaching also, since Preaching and Baptism are here put together.  
But some would Philosophate more subtly and tell you, that by baptising here, is not meant dipping or plunging in water, in the Name of the Father, etc. But to Baptise them, or dip them, or interest them into the Name of God, or sprinkling his Name upon them, that they may be holy, just, merciful, righteous, good. But besides that this is boldly affirmed, how ridiculous and absurd it is, you will easily see; boldly, because in a thing of this moment, upon a ba●e affirmation, without any proof, they go against what hath been the sense of all ages, and of all men if you will judge of their sense as we must needs do by their preach and by their practice; but ridiculous I say also, and absurd it is. The words are, we know, Go teach all Nations, or disciple them, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, and then Baptise them, that is, first make them Disciples, first make them believers, and then baptise them; therefore in Mark, the place before quoted, He that believes and is baptised, shall be saved.  
According to this word of Institution and command, ye have exactly the Apostolical practice (and this I dare affirm, there can be no better way of finding out the nature of any Ordinance then by comparing the practice with the Institution.) The practice you will find in several places, particularly, Acts 8.34, 35. When Philip had Preached to the Eunuch, Jesus, and the Ordinance of Baptism, as it appears, because the Eunuch demands it instantly upon the sight of water, Philip tells him the condition of Baptism, which was believing in Christ with all his heart, which when the Eunuch affirms he did, Philip, according to the command of our Lord, went down into the water with him, and baptised him: Where you have the institution run parallel with the practice as exactly as is possible.  
I shall name but one place more amongst many, which is that of the 10 of the Acts, where, after that Peter had Preached largely to Cornelius and his Family, the Lord Jesus, and the great things of the Gospel through him, and that their Faith which was the condition of Baptism, was gloriously manifested by the pouring down of the holy Ghost upon them, Peter putteth them presently upon baptism, as the second piece of his Commission, which was to baptise those which by his Preaching were made Disciples, and did believe, and therefore commanded them to be baptised in water.  
Thus you have the rule verified in the practice, and there is no Comment so good upon the rule or precept, as Apostolical practice.  
I have said before, that this forced interpretation was bold, as you may see it further evidently, by what hath been last said in the exact correspondency between the rule and practice; but you will easily see it also foolish, for I beseech you what is that which denominates any man holy, just, and good, but believing in God through Christ? And what is it to be a Disciple, or to be a Christian, but to be all that? He that believeth, and is made a Disciple, is baptised or interested, as they call it, into the Name of God and is made holy, just, true, righteous, merciful, good, which is all that they understand by Baptism expressed in these places; then if believing, or being made a Disciple, be all that, that interpretation which they would enforce upon these places is nothing but a loathsome and absurd tautology, thus; indoctrinate, teach or Disciple all Nations; that is, make them holy, just, righteous, good, merciful, etc. interest them in God (for that no question they are when they are made Disciples and believe) and then baptise them; that is, make them holy, just, righteous, good, interest them in God; or as it is Mark, Chap. 16. vers. 15, 16. Preach the Gospel to every Creature, he that believeth, that is, is interested in God, is made holy, just, good, merciful, etc. And is baptised; that is, is interested in God, is made holy, just, good, merciful, etc. shall be saved. What a monstrous and absurd thing is this new exposition to make the holy Scriptures speak not only any thing to the jingle of our own fancies, but even the most abominable and loathsome tautologies and Nonsense.  
Things thus stated, I am not solicitous about that question concerning John's baptism, whether in all respects it be the same with that, concerning which Christ Commissioned his Disciples, and was used by the Apostles after the Ascension of our Lord; that is, whether it were generally of that efficacy and virtue before the Ascension of Christ, as after; which is the question as it lies between us and the Papists: but as it is urged by these men, that Christ's or the Gospel-Baptisme, had not the same ceremony, especially in respect of the same Element of water, with that which they call John's baptism, can never be made out by any one argument of theirs; on the other side I take it to be sufficiently made out already (though it will be more also in the examination of particular objections) that the Gospel's baptism which was by virtue of the Apostolical Commission to continue, as the Preaching of the Word, unto the end of the World, was administered by water.  
To come now to their arguments, and particularly as I find them laid down by a nameless Author, who boasts to have been the first that broached this Doctrine; but if none will contend with him for the glory of this, there are those that will not yield an inch to him in things of as great and considerable revelation, if to make themselves God, or calling themselves the Lord of Hosts, be things of as great and high a nature as this. This you must carry along with you, that the great business is to prove that Christ's baptism is not by water: He affirms therefore, as an argument to confirm his premises, that John's Baptism and Christ's were distinct in their appellations; What will then follow? Ergo, Christ's baptism was not administered by water? Absurd, Where lies the consequence, or what Logic will enforce it?  
But to go on, Was not Circumcision I beseech you, a leading Ceremony in Moses Law, in as much as all the worshippers of that Covenant were styled the Circumcision: it belonged properly and particularly, and was the great Ordinance of the Mosaical Law, as you may find, Acts 21.21. where the prime instance of forsaking Moses, was, not to be circumcised, and that also, Gal. 5.3. Who ever is circumcised is a Debtor to do the whole Law: This notwithstanding, Christ says, Circumcision was not of Moses, but of the Fathers. So Baptism by water is a leading and principal Ordinance to Christians, as Circumcision was to the Jews, and yet in the same sense may it be said to be not of Christ, but of John, that is, he whom it pleased God to make use of in the first administration of it, was John.  
I beseech you, is not the Law of the Old Covenant as often called Moses Law, as Baptism is the Baptism of John, doth that make Moses therefore the Author or Institutor of that Law, as a thing distinct from the Law of God.  
In like manner, calling Baptism by the name of John's baptism, doth by no means conclude, that it should not be Christian; and Gospel baptism.  
Secondly, our Author allegeth, that the Scripture affirms that Christ's baptism was to follow john's, not to go along with it at the same time, I have Baptised you with water, but he shall Baptise you, excellent, therefore Christ's Baptism was not by water, because it was to follow in time; this Logic is as new as his so much boasted of notion.  
In other places, as Matth. 3.11. and Luke 3.16. John saith, I do Baptise you with water; In Mark ye have it, I have Baptised you with water, and he shall Baptise you, etc. Mark 18. It seems here apparently, that John describes the course of his Ministry, which was to administer the outward Element, and to give Christ his part, which was to do the spiritual work, therefore when he says, he hath, he doth not mean that he will do it no more, and when he says, he doth, it doth not exclude the times past, but speaks as I say of the proper course and parts of his Ministry.  
Again, for that of Christ, He shall Baptise, the future is often put for the present, particularly in the Hebrew Idiom, when perpetuity or continuation is designed, Psal. 1. He shall bring forth his fruit in his season, Why not here he shall baptise, for he doth baptise; that is, hath this work or office to baptise with the spirit: Besides, John 1.33. ye have it in the Present Tense affirmed of Christ, This is he that Baptizeth with the holy Ghost.  
Ob. But than it is told us out of Acts 1.4, 5. he commanded them they should wait for the promise of the Father, For John Baptised with water, but ye shall be baptised with the holy Ghost not many days hence, according to what John says of himself, I Baptise you with water, but he shall Baptise you with the holy Ghost and with fire: Therefore John's baptism was the baptism of water, and Christ's the baptism of the spirit, and so not one but several baptisms.  
Answ. Answer, I do not speak still of the efficacy of baptism, but of the Ceremony or Element. It is certain that here is not a distinction of baptisms, but of Baptizers, I Baptise you with water, but he shall baptise you with the holy Ghost: Therefore when John says, I Baptise you with water, he doth not handle that point, what his baptism was, but what he was himself, to the end that they should not attribute to him that which was proper to Christ; for so ye have it, Matth. 3.11. He that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to lose, he shall Baptise with the holy Ghost and with fire. So here ye have what is the virtue of John, or of the Minister in baptising, and what of Christ: This distinction is common to the New Testament, and runs through the whole course of the Ministry, I have planted; Apollo watered, but God gave the increase: No Minister ever gave the holy Ghost, ever baptised with the holy Ghost and fire, that was Christ's part: So as when ever baptism is administered, the Power and Ministry are to be distinguished. The Power is Christ's, the Ministry john's, or any other man qualifyed for it. The baptism of the Minister is external, conferring but the sign, that of Christ internal, conferring the thing signified: and because John who had so great an opinion amongst the Apostles, was to decrease, and our Lord to increase, therefore Christ instances in him, in this place of the first of the Acts, in opposition to his part in the Ministry.  
But last of all, I ask any man, whether men were not baptised with the holy Ghost and with fire, before that time, for first the Apostles were baptised with the holy Ghost before that, the Saints and Believers were sanctified, and regenerated, and made holy before then, which is all these men would have to be that Ordinance, so as things were not annexed and affixed to that famous sending down of the holy Ghost in the shape of fiery tongues, but was before long, during all the course of the administration of baptism, though perhaps not with that efficacy and fullness, and glory, as after; for so it is true that the holy Ghost was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified: So as clearly this place of the Acts holds out the excellency and glory of Christ's administration, in respect of all under-Ministers, and particularly in respect of John, who being the first Minister of baptism, had a peculiar honour from it, and the whole Church here was spiritually baptised as in a type; the Apostles receiving eminently the holy Ghost, not for themselves but for the Churches.  
This extraordinary administration, Luke (as Calvin observes) improperly, that, is out of the ordinary signification, calls Baptism (for baptism properly signifies Immersion) to the end that the Antithesis and opposition between Christ and John might be entire; by the same reason as Paul after he had mentioned the Law of works, to the end that the Antithesis might lie on both sides, faith, The Law of Faith, Rom. 3.27.  
After this, we have a new Interpretation framed upon Acts 19 where we are made believe that those twelve Disciples found to be baptised only by John's baptism, were baptised again in the name of Christ, and this baptism into the Name of Christ, he says was not the repeating of any water, but merely the gift of the spirit: This as the rest is boldly affirmed, but where lies his proof, or how doth he make it out? It is most probable (as it hath been taken by all to this day) that if this were another baptism, or a repetition of baptism, it was by water, as well as in several other places in the Acts, where any are said to be baptised, he himself understands it by water, why not as well here? But truly I am of opinion with those that think that Paul did not here command any to be baptised in the Name of the Lord Jesus, which were already baptised with the baptism of John, but rather taught that those who had received John's baptism were rightly baptised into Christ, and therefore had no need of any new, or other baptism: It is very probable notwithstanding that from this place did either arise, or was confirmed in many, the opinion of the difference of these two baptisms of John and Christ; though as it is now stated to us by our nameless Author, he, for any thing I shall say to the contrary, shall have the honour of the novelty of it.  
But to consider the place a little particularly, Paul being come to Ephesus found certain Disciples, which afterwards, Ver. 7. are said to be about twelve, he presently asks them if they had received the holy Ghost since they believed? The sense must certainly be (as it will appear by what follows) have ye received the gifts of the holy Ghost, which ordinarily accompanied faith and baptism in those days, according to that in the Acts, Repent and be Baptised in the Name of the Lord Jesus (which our Author will not deny, I suppose, to be administered by water) and ye shall receive the gifts of the holy Ghost, and according to that, Gal. 3.2. Received you the spirit by the works of the Law or by the bearing of Faith; also Verse 5. He that ministereth the spirit and worketh miracles among you; where they are joined together as things of a kind. Besides, being Christians, and having believed, they could not want the spirit of God regenerating, and sanctifying, for no man can say that Jesus is the Christ, but by the spirit, therefore it must needs be meant of those extraordinary gifts which were peculiar to those times as an effect of believing and baptising, and yet not common to all.  
They answered simply, as the thing was, and particularly to his question, that they had not so much as heard whether there were an holy Ghost or no. The sense whereof must clearly be, that they were ignorant of the holy Ghost or knew not whether there were any such thing or no, to wit, as he was then visible or exhibited to believers, in miraculous, and extraordinary gifts, for else being Christians they felt the power of the holy Ghost, and being Jews as they were, they knew that there was a holy Ghost by many Scriptures, Psal. 51. Lord take not thy holy spirit from me; also in the 1 Kings 22. Which way went the spirit of the Lord from me to speak to thee; also Isa. 11. The spirit of the Lord was upon him. So as the sense must needs as I have said be understood of the gifts of the spirit, scil. to speak with tongues, prophecy, and the like, for they are said to receive the holy Ghost which are adorned with any new or extraordinary gift.  
Having received an answer of this question, he presently subjoins another, and asks them, Ver. 3. Unto what then they were baptised? which follows very pertinently the other, for as he took it for granted, that baptism immediately followed believing, so the administration of spiritual gifts, called receiving the holy Ghost, or the gifts of the holy Ghost, ordinarily accompanied baptism, sometimes before it, as a witness they were worthy of baptism; as in Cornelius and his Family, Chap. 10. sometimes after baptism, as to the Apostles, yea and our Lord himself received the holy Ghost in the shape of a Dove immediately after the receipt of baptism.  
Having therefore asked them how they were initiated into Christian Religion; that is, by whom was that ceremony administered, or how or to what purpose were they baptised? They answer, that they were baptised into John's baptism; which was proper enough, signifying that they in baptism professed the Doctrine taught by John, sealed to them by the administration of that Ordinance, but otherwise their progress was not great, as having neither heard Christ himself, nor his Apostles. The like of which was said of Apollo, that he knew only the Baptism of John, Chap. 18.25. being instructed, or as Beza reads it, initiated in the way of the Lord, knowing little or nothing more of Christ then what John preached, and sealed with his baptism.  
So as to be baptised into any one's baptism, as in this place, into the baptism of John, signifies to profess, and by the receiving of baptism to embrace the Doctrine which John preached and sealed with that sign, the preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, signifying the final cause.  
And indeed baptism seems to have a threefold signification, one proper, which signifies immersion or dipping, which from the effect is also called ablution, or washing: The other two translations, as when it is taken for pouring out the gifts of the holy Ghost, or when it is taken for the Doctrine which John delivered with the seal and ceremony accompanying it, as when it is said, that Apollo's knew nothing but the baptism of John, for new Doctrines had new Ceremonies accompanying them. After this in the next Verses, scil. 4, 5, 6. Paul was so fare from bidding them to be baptised in the Name of the Lord Jesus, that he taught them rather that those who had received John's baptism were duly baptised into Christ, and therefore had no need of a new baptism, but rather as a consequence and due of it, might receive the gifts of the holy Ghost. For the fourth and fifth Verses are spoken by Paul, giving a right account and narrative of the baptism of John with the ground of it, whereas the fourth Verse, is commonly taken to be spoken by Paul to those Ephesians, but the fifth to be spoken by Luke, showing what followed the word of Paul: whereas it plainly appears by the Particles, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, which are adversative, that both those Verses were spoken by Paul.  
Verse 4. john verily baptised, etc. Verse. 5. But when they heard this, His vero auditis, so as both these expressions were Paul's, teaching that those who having heard john had received baptism, were baptised into the Name of Christ, that is, as before were consecrated or dedicated by baptism unto Christ. Then Verse 6. gins the words of Luke telling the success of this discourse: And when Paul had laid his hands on them, etc. signifying that Paul did nothing else after he had informed them that they were rightly baptised into the Name of Christ, then to lay hands on them, upon which followed the gifts of the holy Ghost, speaking with tongues, and prophesying.  
So as here is nothing of two baptisms, but a right explanation of john's baptism to be the Gospel baptism, or baptism into the Name of Christ.  
Ob. As for that they object, that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a transitive, and expletive, and a note of transition, and so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 expletive.  
Answ. The Answer is, That it may be when 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 precedes not, but when 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 precedes, than no wise man will deny it to be adversative, and to correct the other part of the narration, as when Mark 14. Truly the Son of man goeth as it is written of him: But woe to him by whom the Son of man is betrayed: No man here will grant that in the first place Christ speaks, and in the second Mark.  
Having thus vindicated the Ordinance of Gospel-baptisme from the mistakes and objections against it, I might here make an end, but that the forementioned nameless Author takes upon him to answer the objections brought against his novelty, several of which are certain men of straw set up by himself to be the easier by his addresses overthrown. As, that by this means we are rob of our Christendom. Again, then so many ages have erred; also, that he is the first man that opposed it: Then, that Christ justifies and commands water baptism, john 3. Mat. 28. How that place of Matthew which holds out by way of Institution Gospel baptism is to be understood; I have formerly showed also what a sympathy & correspondency there is between the institution and the practice, the one being the Comment upon the other, and therefore shall trouble you no further with that which is sufficiently cleared already, nor not at all with those petty objections I told you of before, which he so easily forms and answers. That argument which he frames against Baptism from Paul's not being Commissioned for it, and thanking God that he had baptised but very few, as Crispus and Gaius, and the house of Stephanas, I have particularly considered and answered already, when I gave the exposition of the greatest part of that Chapter, scil. 1 Cor. 1. out of which it is raised, to which I refer the Reader, not affecting needless repetitions.  
But one objection would trouble him, if he would give it liberty, and let it have its scope, and himself says, it seems to be the strongest, which is the constant practice of the Apostles in this c●●e not only before Christ's baptism came in 〈◊〉 ●fter, as he says, as appears by many places which he quotes out of the Acts of the Apostles.  
This Objection notwithstanding doth not much trouble him, for he answers it easily thus; That the Apostles indeed did practice water baptism, but not from Christ but from john, whose baptism they took up, and an outward ceremony of honour and account is not easily laid down. This he helps himself in, and proves by a parallel instance, to wit, that some of the Apostles used Circumcision, and that, after the Ascension of Christ, for Circumcision was an honourable Ceremony used from Abraham's time, and so they could not abruplty lay it down, but used it for their sakes who were weak: and so in like manner the Apostles used the baptism of john, or water baptism, etc.  
This Objection that in his account seems so strong, if he had dealt ingeniously he should have beat it out thinner, and considered more particularly some of those places in the Acts, and he would have found that so general an answer would scarce have served the turn.  
But I confess in this place as well as in some others I have much ado to keep myself from questioning the morals of these men more than their intellectuals. It is true that Paul did once use a liberty in circumcising one, to wit, Timothy, as ye find, Acts 16. Paul was to visit the Churches, and having a desire to take Timothy along with him in that work who was well reported of by the brethren he took and circumcised him; Because (saith the Text) of the jews which were in those quarters, for they knew all, that his Father was a Greek: Lest therefore the brethren of the Circumcision should be scandalised in the converse of a Gentile, the breaking down of the partition wall being yet not so manifest as was needful for the satisfaction of their scrupulous consciences, Paul took the advantage of his Mother's being a Jewesse, and to avoid the scandal and offence of those brethren, circumcised him.  
But the same Paul, who to avoid the scandal of some weak brethren, circumcised Timothy (such ceremonies as Divines use to say, having then a kind of indifferency in them not being yet honourably buried) would by no means circumcise Titus, Gal. 2.3. for when there were false brethren who might draw that liberty into an ill example, he would not be constrained by them to circumcise Titus, or he would not do that upon any occasion or ground, which they might prsently reproach him with, as varying from his principles, that he being the great Doctor and Preacher of liberty should yet at Jerusalem, and in the presence of the Apostles, altar his practice.  
And generally where this liberty was known and averred, Paul was zealous we know to defend it, as we see in the case of Peter's eating with the Gentiles, and withdrawing afterwards, fearing them of the Circumcision, Verse 11, 12. and told him, that by his example he compelled the Gentiles to Judaisme, which was intolerable, for even the Jews by believing in Christ were delivered from the bondage of such ceremonies, much more the Gentiles whose portion they never were: You see now the force of this parrallell in one part of it Circumcision, let us compare it now with the other of Baptism.  
Circumcision was sometimes administered, once (as we see) and but once that I know by the Apostles, after absolutely refused, the reason and ground manifest, and given for the satisfaction of some Jews that were in those quarters, who not having sufficient light about those ceremonies would have been scandalised to have seen Paul taken Timothy with him as a companion and fellow-worker uncircumcized; after this, and in another circumstance, this was absolutely refused as I have said.  
But baptism by water administered frequently by the Apostles and Ministers of the Gospel, to all Nations, to all sorts, Jews and Gentiles, who were taught and instructed in it, to take it up upon the most spiritual and Gospel grounds, to the most spiritual and Gospel ends, and that from the beginning of the preaching of the Gospel to this day, now above sixteen hundred years together, without any interruption in any age, till the age of this Doctor, who boasts of a particular felicity in administering this light to the World.  
Here than I call Heaven and Earth to witness whether these men deal equally and uprightly or no, in the way of their reasonings and parallels. To omit other things which will be confessed by all men, as that not only Jews, but Gentiles, were led into, and instructed in this practice of baptism by the Apostles, and that after the ascension of Christ, when they would have the term put to this water baptism, even after that, the Gentiles received it as a new thing and light from the Apostles Circumcision was forbidden the Gentiles, and those that would have Preached it to them were said to be troublers and subverters of their souls, Acts 15.24. but where ever they Preached Christ among the Gentiles, they Preached also this baptism either to Jews or Gentiles, as a Gospel and New Testament Ordinance, which was to continue as long as Preaching, even to the end of the World, Mat. 28. So Peter, Acts 2. had not sooner Preached and converted men, made them Disciples, but he led them into the Doctrine and Preaching of Baptism, Verse 38. Acts 8. Those of Samaria and the Eunuch had baptism preached and administered to them as a Gospel's Ordinance, and appendix of Preaching; so Cornelius, Acts 10. who waited on Peter, to hear all things commanded of God, Verse 33. was led with his Family into the Doctrine and practice of baptism by Peter.  
For the ends of Baptism, every one knows they were the same with the Preaching and believing of the Gospel (this being nothing but another way of administration of the same Gospel) namely, our union and communion with God in Jesus Christ.  
But then for the grounds of Baptism that they were Gospel and spiritual (if any can be) the whole course of the Scripture shows. Is not Faith in the Lord Jesus, believing with all the heart, a spiritual and Gospel ground? Must not that needs be a spiritual and Gospel Ordinance that hath that for the rise? But this is the ground and rise of this Ordinance, Acts 8.37. To instance but in one place more, is not the receiving of the holy Ghost, a spiritual and Gospel's ground? Can that Ordinance be legal, and servile, and ungospell, that hath the baptism of the holy Ghost, for the rise and ground of it? Yet so it was that this baptism by water (which they so villyfie as pretending to a Metaphysical Religion) after the root of their own carnal and fleshly wisdom and not after the foolishness of Gospel administrations, which yet is wisdom to those that are perfect:) I say this baptism by water had for its rise and ground, the pouring out of the gifts of the holy Ghost: That spiritual Baptism being an appendix either a due to it when this went before, as Acts 2. Repent and be baptised, and ye shall receive the gifts of the holy Ghost; or else a ground and rise of it, as here, the pouring out of these heavenly gifts giving warrant or title for the administration of this ordinance.  
But enough to show the vanity and falsehood of these men in their argumentations and parrallells, who like Orators that manage an ill cause, make lest stay in the most important places.  
And here I should put an end to this discourse of The Vindication of Gospel Ordinances, having shown by general grounds of Scripture, the reason of the thing itself, and a particular instance in a leading and prime Ordinance, to wit, baptism, that there are certain forms and institutions remaining with us, suited and proportioned to our state, which are pledges of Christ's love to us, tracts and ways wherein he delights to meet us, and means by which he conveys himself to us in this state of our Pilgrimage, Whilst we are at home in the body and absent from the Lord, whilst we live by Faith and not by sight, whilst we see in a glass darkly, and not face to face, whilst we know in part and not as we are known. But least any should think that this tends to an undervaluing of the spirit of God, or a lessening of his Empire (though no such thing but the contrary is to be gathered out of all the premises) yet I am not unwilling by way of Corollary, and conclusion to this discourse, to spend a few words particularly upon this subject; and to profess before all the World, that nothing ought to be so dear to us, and so much esteemed, and so much sought for by us, as the accesses and influences of the holy spirit: That it is the spirit that leads us into all truth, it is the spirit that quickens, the spirit that comforts us, without which since our Lord went into Heaven, we had been left Orphans and Fatherless: It is the spirit that searcheth all things, the spirit that inables to judge all things, the spirit by which we live, in which we walk when we walk with God, and do any thing that is agreeable to his will; it is the spirit that seals us to the day of redemption, and witnesseth with our spirits, that we are the Sons of God.  
It is the spirit that hath done all the wonderful things which the holy Scriptures record; it is the spirit that hath given boldness in all ages to do, and to suffer great things, for the Name and Testimony of Jesus: If I should pursue this Theme at large, there would be no end or mean found of the Encomiums and Elogyes of the spirit: It is the fellowship therefore and communion of the holy spirit which my soul breathes after, and longs for, above any thing imaginable. But that which I affirm is, that the spirit is communicated to us particularly, and especially in such Ordinances as we have been speaking of: It was the spirit that strove with the old World in the Ministry of Noah a Preacher of righteousness, and in the administration of the old Covenant the things they were taught and provoked to, were things spiritual, and they were said to have the good spirit of the Lord to instruct them, Nehem. 9.10. Which was undoubtedly the reason, why the Saints of those times breathed so much after those Ordinances, which God had fitted to their present state and capacity, as things in which the spirit instructed them, and God blest to them, to know more of his mind then all the World by any other way or wisdom could do: For the new and better Covenant under which state and condition we live, the spirit is conveyed to us by certain forms and institutions of Gods own inventing; Preaching is a great Ordinance in the hand of God for the conveying of the holy spirit, the Galatians received the spirit by the hearing of Faith preached, Galat. 3.3. And we know that generally all the great and famous conversions which are seen in the World, by which men are said to be borne of the spirit, are administered by the Preaching of the Gospel in the mouth of the ordinary Ministers and dispensers of it, former times for the greater glory of the beginnings of the Gospel had greater Harvests, but the way of administration was the same; then at one Sermon there were added to the Church three thousand, and whilst Peter was Preaching to Cornelius and his friends, the holy Ghost fell upon all them that heard the word, but the way as I said, is the same ever since, and it pleases God by the foolishness of Preaching to save them that believe. And as the holy Ghost doth preside the Ministry of preaching, so the ordinary Officers and Elders of the Church were said to be made Overseeers by the holy ghost to feed the Church of God which he had purchased with his own blood, Acts 20.28. And for that Ordinance for which we have more particularly contended, Baptism, we are said, by one spirit to be all baptised into one body; and usually the administration of the spirit accompanied baptism, either after it as an appendix, or before it as a qualification for that Ordinance, as I have already showed.  
That therefore which makes me contend for the holy Ordinances of God, and value them to that height, which through the grace of God I do, is that inestimable value and esteem I put upon the holy spirit of God, who is pleased to meet us in these tracts, and to offer himself to us in these administrations.  
But such is the vanity and perverseness of men, that to avoid errors they run ever into extremities: We see it in civil things, those who have found the pressures of the Tyranny of one man, think themselves never safe till they have cast off all Government, and run willingly into Anarchy, or that which is next to that worst Democracy, or the Government of the People. Whereas in all things (especially in things of God and Religion) truth and right is that which lies in the middle, as divers in its own nature from either extreme, as one extreme is from the other. It were certainly absurd in nature, because it is our spirits that immediately act our bodies, for us to fall out with our blood, as with a gross and dull substance that we would have nothing to do with, when as our blood is the Vehiculum of our spirits: And it is not less absurd for us in the present state wherein we are, to cry out of Ordinances as of things gross and disproportionable to a spiritual life and man, when God who knows our temper better than we ourselves, uses them to convey his spirit by, and makes them tracts and ways wherein he is wont to meet us. To Idolise and make a God of Ordinances, as if the opus operatum, rendered us spiritual and agreeable to God, as it hath been the fault of Christians in many ages, so it is the most uncomely and most unsprituall thing that can be, but for the avoiding of this folly and fault, to fling them all away as things not at all useful, because not suitable to our carnal reasonings about spiritual things, or capable of an abuse, is an unspiritualnesse and uncomelynesse no less great than the former. For my part, whilst God is pleased by the foolishness of Ordinances to save them that believe, I shall make it my endeavour to be in the possession of them, and shall expect God in them, for whom only I desire them; for others that count themselves above these foolish things, it were well for them to learn, that the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and it will certainly be found their wisdom (as I said in the beginning) to become fools, that they may be wise.  
FINIS.   

A Table, directing to several particulars in the preceding Discourse.  

THE Introduction expressing the unhappiness of these times, in respect of extravagant opinions in Religion with their tendency and rise. Pa. 1. 2.  
The good which God brings out of this evil. p. 3.  
That which immediately debauches men's spirits, is an undervaluing of Ordinances, and unworthy thoughts of the Scriptures. p. 4.  
Two excellent ends of the Scripture. p. 5.  
In all matters of Faith and Worship, the appeal lies to the Scripture as to the standard. p. 6.  
The Scripture is the rule or standard, notwitstanding the ignorance or perverseness of Interpreters. p. 7.  
The vanity of affected and mysterious Allegorising. ibid.  
The 1 Cor. 3.6. Not of the Letter but of the Spirit, opened. p. 8, 9  
Scripture in itself plain. p. 10.  
Whom the difficulty especial hurts. ibid.  
Scripture difficulties not relieved by the Allegorizers of these times. p. 11.  
When Allegories may be used. p. 11, 12.  
In what sense natural men be able to understand Scripture, and where they fall short. p. 13, 14.  
1 Cor. 2.14. opened. ibid.  
What advantage a spiritual man hath in interpretation of Scripture, and who he is. p. 14, 15.  
The good intelligence between the Scripture and the spirit. p. 16.  
The objection of those which think the Scriptures have their periods and times with men, beyond which they are not of use, considered. p. 17.  
1 John 2.20, 21, 27. Ye have an unction, and ye know all things, opened. ibid. etc.  
To know all things, and to know but in part, opposed. p. 18.  
It is no unusual Oratory to persuade men they know already what we would further enlighten them in. p. 19  
The benefit of the new Covenant in opposition to the old, wherein it lies. p. 22.  
2 Pet. 1.19. Considered. p. 26, ●7, etc.  
The Vindication of the use of Ordinances. p. 30, 31. cum sequent.  
1 Cor. 1.21. Considered. p. 31.  
What is knowing Christ after the flesh. p. 32.  
In what sense Paul was said to be sent not to Baptise, but to Preach. p. 33, 34.  
Accommodating that scripture by others parallel to it. ibid.  
Reasons why the Ordinances of Institution appear so foolish to men unspiritual. p. 36.  
Men prejudiced against Ordinances, are also against a Crucified Christ. p. 37.  
Col. 2.8. Take heed lest any man spoil you through Philosophy, and vain deceit, considered. p. 38.  
Men opposing Ordinances do but carnally Philosophate about spiritual things. p. 38, 39  
Considerations why it pleased God to ordain Mediums for worship, so unproportionable to the reason and wisdom of men. p. 3●, 40.  
Of the difference between Us and the Jews, who were under Ceremonies, and mediate Ordinances. p. 41. come sequent.  
Our sacraments have the same advantage over the Jews Sacraments, that the Gospel hath over the Law. p. 42.  
Many after they have served their turn of Christ Crucified fling him away, as an element as beggarly as those Ordinances they cry down. p. 43.  
The same reason of Preaching or conference in respect of spiritualness with Baptism, or the Table of the lord p. 44, 45.  
The vanity of such as would lay aside Ordinances, because outward and carnal, manifested by the consideration of our way of holding communion with God in this life and state. p. 46, 47.  
The true notion of the Word Spiritual, in order to the discourse in hand. p. 47, 48, 49, 50.  
Never way of Worship was changed without a great noteriety to those whom it concerned. p. 50, 51, 52, 53, 54.  
The Ordinance of Baptism vindicated, being an illustrious instance for the abiding and continuing with us, of other Institutions. p. 55. come sequent.  
The state of the controversy as it lies between us and the Papists, and between us and the men we contend against. p. 55, 56, 57  
The new exposition of Mat. 28.19, 20. Go teach all Natione, Baptising them, etc. shown to be bold and absurd. p. 59, 60, 61.  
Institution of Baptism, Mat. 28. and Apostolical practice which is the best comment upon the rule, exactly agreeing. ibid.  
Several arguments of these new men against Baptism by water, examined. p. 62. come sequent.  
John's Baptism and Christ's was distinct in their appellations, considered. p. 62  
Christ's Baptism was to follow john's, considered. p. 63.  
John Baptised with water, but ye shall be Baptised with the holy Ghost, considered. p. 64, 65.  
Objection against baptism out of Acts 19 considered. p. 66, 67, 68, 69.  
Receiving the holy Ghost, ordinarily accompanied Baptism, either before or after it. p. 68  
Three several significations of Baptism. p. 69.  
A weighty argument for Baptism, the constant practice of the Apostles, very easily slighted by these Novellers, how ingenuously let the Reader judge. p. 71, 72.  
The forementioned Argument with the Answers of these men particularly urged and examined. p. 72, 73, 74, 75, 76.  
Baptism by Water administered constantly by the Apostles and Ministers of the Gospel to all sorts, upon the most spiritual grounds, to the most spiritual ends. p. 74, 75, 76.  
Contending for Ordinances, no undervaluing the spirit, or lessening his Empire. p. 76.  
Nothing ought to be so dear, and so much sought for as the accesses of the spirit. p. 77.  
Encomiums of the spirit in respect of its wonderful Operations. ibid.  
The holy spirit is communicated particularly and especially in the Ordinances. p. 77, 78, 79.  
Men usually to avoid errors, run into extremities, as is to be seen in other things, as well as in the matter of Ordinances. p. 79.    

Some of the faults escaped in the Printing, the Reader is desired to mend, as followeth.  
Page. Line. Error. Correct. 2. 25. After the word jergona Comma. 4. 8. The word Secondly to be left out. 7. 2. For sandard, read standard. 14. 14. put out the Comma after transform, and add it after beholding. 18. 2. make a Comma after the word without, and put out that which follows the word Word. 21. 3. for into, read in. 23. 16. for extreme necessaries, read extremely necessary. 27. 8. for his, read its. 41. 26. after the word as, add the word there. 43. 3. blot out the Comma after the word efficacy. 45. last. in stead of etc. read and. 49. 12. after the word of, put a Comma. 79. 2. for accompanied, read accompanied.  
The Reader is also desired to mind, that by reason of the Author's distance, amongst other mistakes, there is one in the running Title: It should have been, A Vindication of the use of Scriptures; etc.