Page images
PDF
EPUB

WE fhall now endeavour to fhow that Waters Baptifm is plainly diftinguifh'd in Scripture from

the

plain by what has been cited from his Difcourfe with Trypho the Jew, That Baptifm was a Ceremony practis'd by the Jews, and that fuftin fet light by that and Circumcifion, in comparison of the Teftimony of God, and the Baptifm of Life. The Author to the Hebrews allo fpeaks of the Doctrine of Baptifms, and of laying on of Hands, as Things well known to them. And that Baptifm was a Ceremony belonging to the Law, will be farther fhown from fome Paffages in the Homilies of Macarius, who liv'à about two Centuries after fuftin, * In Homily 32. he says, 'The • Circumcifion which was in the Shadow of the Law, points ' out the true Circumcifion of the Heart then approaching; and the Baptism of the Law is a Shadow of Things that are true. For that wash'd the Body; But here does the Baptim of Fire and the SPIRIT purge and wash off the Poliutions of the Mind. In Hom. 26. The Baptifm Now, is that of Fire and the Spirit, and a certain Circumcifion perform'd in the Heart. For the Divine and Heavenly Spirit converfes in the Mind. In Hom. 47. Speaking of the Jews, he fays, They were manifefted by Circumcifion, that they were the People of God. But here the peculiar People of God, receiveth the Sign of Circumcifion within their *Heart: For the Heavenly Sword cutteth off theSuC perfluity of the Mind, that is, the unclean Foreskin of Sin. Among them Baptifm fanctified the Flesh: But with us is the Baptifm of the Holy Ghost and of Fire. For this did fohn Preach. He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghoft and with Fire.

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

This fame Macarius has alfo very truly and excellently describ'd what it is to be Born again, and be made a true and living Member of Chrift's Church. In Homily 44, He that cometh to God, and defires to be in Truth, the Perfon that jitteth with Christ upɔn his Throne, ought to come to him

upon

*This Macarius liv'd in Egypt, and Justin in Palefine among the Jews a damaritans, and therefore might know that Baptifm was pratised by the Jews.

*Rom. ii 28. For he is not a few that is one outwardly, neither is that Circumcifion which is outward in the Fleth: But he is a Few which is one inwardly; and Circumcifion is that of the Heart, in the Spirit, and not in the Letter, whole Praife is not of Men but of God.

the Baptism of the Spirit, and that the first is call'd John's, and the fecond Christ's Baptism: I

Mat.9.17.

Lev. 21. 17, 21.

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

· upon this very View, that he may be chang'd and pass off from his former State and Converfation, and to give "Proof of his being a good and a New Man, that carries nothing of the Old Man about him: For if any Man, faith the Apoftle, be in Chrift, he is a new Creature. For our Lord Jefus Chrift came for this very Reason, that he might al. ter, and change, and renew and Create afresh, this Soul that had been perverted by Vile Affections thro' the Tranf greffion, tempering it with his own Divine Spirit. He came to work a new Mind, and a new Soul, and new Eyes, new Ears, a new fpiritual Tongue, and to fpeak all at · once, to make them that believe in him New Men, or new Bottles, having anointed thern with his own Light, that he might pour into them the New Wine, which is his Spirit. For the new Wine, faith he, must be put into new Bottles. 'The true Healing of the Soul is from the Lord only. For bebold, faith the Baptift, the Lamb of God that taketh away the Sin of the World, namely of the Soul that hath believed in him, and lov'd him with the whole Heart. The Good Shepherd therefore healeth the fcabbed Sheep. But the Sheep it felf can never heal the Sheep. And unless the Ra tional Sheep MAN, be healed, there is no Entrance for him into the Congregation of the Lord in Heaven. For thus alfo was it faid even in the Law, thro' a Shadow and an Image. For this is no more than the Spirlt intimates, tho' but obfcurely, concerning him that is a Leper, and that hath a Blemish. A Leper, faith he, or one that bath a Blem. ifb, fhall not enter into the Congregation of the Lord. But 'he commanded the Leper to go to the Priest, and with much Intreaty to bring him into the House of his Tabernacle, and that there he wou'd put his Hands upon the Leprosy, the 'Place mark'd with the Infection, and heal it. After the fame 'Manner, even Chrift, the True high Priest of good Things to come, in Condefcenfion to Leprous Souls, troubled with the Leprofy of Sin, enters into the *Tabernacle of their Body, takes Care of their Dilorders and bealeth them. And

Joh.1. 14.

See the

Original.

[ocr errors]

'thus

* In the Original it is καὶ ὁ λογΘ σαρξ ἐγένετο κὶ ἐσκή vcev v uv, and the Word was made Fleth and tabernacı'd

in us.

C

Tindeed, fays John, baptize you with Water to Re- Mat. 3.11. pentance, but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whofe Shoes I am not worthy to bear, he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with Fire. This Declaration, pointing to Christ, John made before the Multitude which came to be baptiz'd of him; and as a learned Annotator †on this Place has obferv'd, it was as much as to fay, I am but the Meffenger and Foreruuner of Chrift, fent before him to baptize Men with the Baptism of Water, in Teftimony of their Repentance, but there is one immediately coming after me, who is infinitely to be prefer'd before me, fo much, ⚫ that I am not worthy to carry his Shoes, or unloose his Shoe-latchet. He fhall baptize Men ⚫ with another kind of Baptifm, the Baptifm of the Holy Ghoft and Fire. With the Holy Ghoft, inwardly washing away their Sins with his Blood, and fanctifying their Hearts, the Holy Ghost working in their Hearts like Fire, purging out their Lufts and Corruptions, warming and inflaming

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

• thus will the Soul be able to enter into the Heavenly Church
of the Saints of the true Ifrael. For every Soul that bears
the Leprofy of Sin in her Affections, and will not come to the
'true High Priest, and be taken Care of now, finds no Ad-
million into the Camp of the Saints, into the Heavenly Church.
For being herself without Blemish, and Pure, the feeks im-
maculate and pure Souls. For bleffed faith Chrift, are the
pure in Heart, for they fhall fee God. For it behoveth the
Soul that truly believeth in Chrift, to be tranflated and
chang'd from her prefent corrupt State, into another good
State, and from its prefent abject Nature into another
• Nature which is divine, and to be wrought new herself thro'
the Power of the Holy Spirit. And thus may it become
Fit for the Kingdom of Heaven. But to obtain these
Things, will be allow'd to us who believe and love Him
in Truth, and walk in all his Holy Commandments.
+ Pool's Annotations.

[ocr errors]

flaming their Hearts with the Sense of his Love, and kindling in them all fpiritual Habits. And on Mark iii. 16, 17. he fays, The Baptist in thefe Verfes doth not only affure them, that he was not the Chrift, but alfo lets them know, that Chrift was coming amongst them, and that he was more excellent than he, and fhould baptize them with the Holy Ghost and with Fire; with Fire as the Symbol of the Holy Ghoft, fo fome understand it, expounding it as a Prophecy of the Defcent of the Holy Ghoft, Acts ii. 3. Others poffibly better expound it of the Holy Ghoft, working in the Souls of Believers as Fire, purging them, and burning up their Lufts and Corruptions.

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

As this learned Annotator on the Bible thought it better to expound the Baptifm of the Holy Ghoft and Fire, of the Spirit's working in the Souls of Believers as Fire, purging them, and burning up their Lufts and Corruptions, than to limit the Operation of it to the Time of Pentecoft only, (as fome would have it) fo we doubt not but to make it evidently appear, that That is a right and true Expofition.

WHEN Chrift was about to take his laft Farewel of his Difciples, he gave them Inftructions what they should do when he was gone, and put them in Mind of the Promise he had made them a little before his Death, of fending the Holy Ghoft. Being affembled together with them, 'tis faid, he commanded them that they should not depart A&s.1.4,5 from Jerufalem, but wait for the Promife of the Father, which faith be, ye have heard of me.

For

John truly baptized with Water, but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many Days bence. Here Chrift, as john had done before, made a plain Distinction betwixt Water-Baptifm and

the

the Baptism of the Holy Ghoft, and affures the Disciples, that what John the Baptist had declar'd and foretold was now going to be fulfilled, and that they would find it verifi'd upon themselves very foon.

Acts 1.14,

15.

ACCORDING to Luke's Account, the Number of the Names of them that return'd from the Mount Olivet, to wait at Jerufalem for the Promife of the Father, as Chrift had commanded them, were about an Hundred and Twenty; And thefe ALL continued in Prayer and Supplication with the WOMEN, and Mary the Mother of Jefus, and with his Brethren. And when the Day of Pentecoft was fully come, they were ALL with one Ac- ch. 2. 1. cord in one Place, and they were ALL fill'd with the Holy Ghoft, and began to speak with other Tongues as the Spirit gave them Utterance.

AND when the Multitude which came together at the Report of this, were amazed and marvell'd ver. 6, 7. at what they faw and heard, Peter standing up with the Eleven, declar'd faying, This is that ver. 16. which was spoken by the Prophet Joel, And it shall ver. 17. come to pass in the last Days, faith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all Flesh, and your Sons and your Daughters fhall prophefie. And when he had let them know, That he whom they had by wicked Hands crucifi'd and flain, was the Chrift of whom David fpake; This Jefus, fays he, bath God raifed up, whereof we all are WITNESSES. Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their Heart, and faid unto Peter and to the rest of the A- ver. 38. poftles, Men and Brethren what shalt we do? Then Peter faid unto them, repent and be baptized every one of you, in the Name of Jefus Chrift for the Remiffion of Sins, and ye shall receive the Gift of the Holy Ghoft, for the Promife is unto you and to your

Children

ver. 32.

« ՆախորդըՇարունակել »