CP.ap. l. Sect. 3· Book IV. 173 words, the Lord om· God, anfwer the three perfons; and the middle word ourCod, dedI fi 1 thefecond perfon who affumed our Nature : how fir then was It , that at P1 lebrs ·t Y.ngof the new wo;ld, and the new Law, and the Baprifm of Chrifr, the three t le egtnnt fi J-. dB .fi b d . fl d . 11 erfons lhould be revealed ; efpecially mce he or""tne apt! m to e a mmt re tn a ·• • fheir names ? Bapti:z:.ingthemintheNameofrheFarber, anJof the Son, andofrheho!y M ... oc. ·?o Ghoft : But where is it revealed? fee Mat. 3· 16, 17. where the ~ather fpeaksfrom heaven, rile Son comesout of the water, and the holy Gboll: appears Ill rhe l1kenefs of a Dove. This was the greatell: Mewng t~ar was ever upon the earth ; every perfon of the Trinity gives fome fenfible evtdence or hts prefenceat It. To tbe !econd; why in the form of a Dove, rather than fomeotherform? Many reafons are given ; as,-· . . . . 1. To fhew Chrills Innocency, pumy, fimpltwy, chanty, and love. 2 • To fhew what innocency and harmlefnefs lhould be In thofe that are baptize~. To anfwer the Figure in Noahs Hood; for as a Dove at rlm time brought riding• of ,'he abatings of thewaters, fo :1ow it brings tidings ?f the abatin~ of Gods wrath upon rhe preaching of rhe Gof~el : rhe lirlt Dove we find m the Btble, IS Noahs Dove, with t!1e Olive-brmch 10 her Btii, proclatmtng peace; the next ts Davtds Dove, wub Feathers lilvrr-white; as noting finceriry ; then E{'lys Dove, mourning with her voice as fignifying Patience; and lall!y, Chrilts Dove, inn()'(ent and harmlefs; now ail rh:fe properries met in this Dove, the Spi~it of God, Much m01;e might I adde to rhefe. bur I delire to ha!l:en to fome more edtfylllg truths. Fr~rn rhis Baptifm of Chrifr, we may learn a practical nece.!fary Truth ; There isa V fe . Generation that cries down Baprifm of water, and opon thts fcore, becaufe they fup– pofe it was proper to John to bapti:z:.e only w~th. wat_cr ; and eo Chrifl:_to bapti:z:.e on!J with the holy Ghoft and with fire. Indeed Chnfr mhts own perfon bapuzed noae orherwife, but wirlt the holy Ghofr; immediately after his Afcenfion, he fent his Spirit upon the Church, and baptized them :vi rh fire, _rhe ~pirir_appearing like aflame ; and_ to ·this day, (though not vilibly) he bapuzerh ai!lus Samrs wnh the holy_ Gholl and wtth fire: bur for all this, he appointed John, and not onlyJohn, but ail hts Apoflles, and their Suc– ce.!forsfor ever, to baptize with water; an they did fo, and yet do fo, obeying rhe - preceprive words of Chrifl, which were almoll: the latt words that he fpake upon the earth.And rhonghChrifi ltimfelfdid nor baptize with warer,yer Chrill: himfelf(we fee here) was baptized with warer;he himfelfenters at that door,by which his Difciples mull:.for .ever foilow after him;and indeed therefore he went in at that door ofBaptifrn,thar he might hal– low, or fandifie the entrance, which himfelf made to rhe houfe he was now a :Building. And for the difference they make betwixt Chrifls Baptifm, andJoh!ls Baprifm : what's this to the purpofe? we all know rhat in Baptifm are two parrs, the outward part, and the inward part; you may call them (if you pleafe) the outward B2prifm, ana the inward Baprifm : the outward Baptifm is of the Minifler , but the inward Baptifm is of Chrifr. Bur mull we feparat~ thefe? or rather join the~ (if thefe in ordinary mufl: be joyned) as w~ find them in Chrift, ~nd as we deflre they Mark 1 , 4 ; may be mus I 1 cannot fee, but the Bapttfm we ufe, and the~apufmof John, are in nature and fubllance one, and the very fame. I. John preached the Baptifm of Repentance Mar: 3· If; [~~rthe remijfionof f!n_s; they have rhere~ore the fame Doctrine, and the fa_me Promife. lukc 7 ,, 9 oJ• 2. The Bapufm mtmfrred by John, perramed ~o the fulfiUing of all Righteoufnefs ; and LHk§ telltfies, that the Pubitellns and people bemg bapuzed of [ohn, they juflified God · but the Ph_ari(ees dejfi{ed the Counfel of God ag~injt them(elves, and were not baptiz.e/ only herem fies rhedttference, that John baptized in Chritlthat lhould die, and rife again: ?ut we baptize.into the Name of Chrill:' that is dead, and rifen again; it is a difference mrefped_of Ctrcurnfiance, but nor of the fubfrance ; Oh rake heed of throwing away the ~apttfrn of water, upon the pretence of Baprifm, only with fire! · Chrill: (we·fee) hlth JOyned them rogerher, and lee no man feparare them afunder: Chrill: himfclf was bapuzed wuh fire, and yet Chrifihimfelf was baptized with water. 1 - SECT.
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