speciAL
coLLecirioNS
DouqLas
LibRARy
queeN's uNiveusiiy
AT kiNQSHON
kiNQSTON ONTARIO CANAt)A
LETTER
TO A
QUAKER
I N
IS O'RTO LK,
PROVING
That OTatet ©aptWm is the Ordinance
ouf Saviour (who came down from Heaven
to inftrudt us in the Way thither) has ap-
pointed ioiOne of the Means of Salvation ;
without which, according to the Terms of
the Go/pel^ we cannot enter into that
Kingdom.
In Aleeknefs i7iJlniEiing thoje that OPpofe themfelves ;
if GOD per adventure ■iv ill give them Repejitance to the
Achwjt^ledging of the Truth, z Tim. ii. 25,
NOR W IC H:
Printed by Henry Crofs-grove^ and Sold by y. Carlos in
2>ove-Lane, and A. Settefivorth in ^ater-NoJier-
Ro-iv in Lo?uiorh [Price, Six Tsnte.'i
A<iqf|.i7^-o. (iMr)
i-
[ UJ J
A
LETTER
T O A
QUAKER.
Indeed Neighbour !
WAS well pleafcd, that you
would be fo free as to begin
a Difcourfc of JSaptffttl
with me ofj'o.vr ozvn Accord ^
but the more, at that good
Difpofition of Mind which
inclined you to declare. That could it be
flicwn, that Winter Baptifm was necejjary tv
Sakation^ you fliould be willing to take it.
I think I can do you no greater A<^ of Friend-
A 2 fhip
08435
4 e^ Letter to a Quaker.
iliip, than to endeavour to rcfcue you out of
the fatal J^rrour you have fo long laboured
under, and put you in the right Way of 4$'^/-
catiojiy by dcmonftrating, that JV^ter Bap-
tifm is the Ordinance our Satfiotir ( zuho came
dozvnfrom Heaven to inftru^ us in the W^'
thither) has appointed for One of the Means
of Sahation -, without zvhich^ according to the
Terms of the Gofpel, we cannot enter into
that Kingdom.
To give you a right Notion of this Matter,
it will be convenient to fliew you. That our
Gracious and All-wife Creator has revealed
and appointed fome Methods of Salvation in
all Jges^ whereby He expedted the Race of
Fallen Man lliould approach and reconcile
themfelves to their Offended GOD, in Order
to obtain his Favour here in this, and an
happy Station in another World.
Our Firft Parent Adam was placed in a
State of Happinefs in Paradife, but he defpi-
ling the Riches of God's Goodnefs towards
liini tranfgrefTed the Law of his Maker, and
thereby forfeited his original Rightcoufnefs
and Felicity ,• became Subject to Death, and
the Sorrows and Inconveniencies of a depra-
ved
\.»
aA Letter to a Quaker. 5
ved and mortal State. In this fad and deplo-
rable Condition he and all his Poftcrity muft
for ever have been, had not GOD out of his
own Free-will and Mercy took Pity on him,
and propofed a Remedy, which he could
never have thought of or cffcclcd for him-
felf, mz. That though the Dedl hy Eve had
fediiced him, there JJmtld hereafter arifefrom
the Seed of that very Woman a Bleffed Off-
spring {e'ven]d\xs Chrift the McfTiah) that
Jhould ever break the Pozver of the De^il, de-
flroy his Kingdom, and be the compleat Saviour
of all Men that zvoiild believe in, and obey
him. Gen. iii. 1 5.
And to reprefent to Poflerity this future
and great Saciifice of Chrift the Saviour of
the World, Jdam was ordered to ofrcr fom«
outward Thing to GOD's Glory, to remem-
ber him of the Redemption to come, and to
nourifh him and his Children's Faith in that
Promife. Accordingly we find his Two Sons
Cam and y^bel making Offerings to the Lord
of the feveral Produ^s of their Stock, and
and that GOD by a villble Token accepted
and was well plcafed with the Dcfign and
Way of addrclfing Him.
A 3 This
6 qA Letter to a Quaker.
This was the firji Method GOD appoiitcd
for the Recovery of Fallen Man.
When the Earth had been overflown and
drowned by the Waters for the Iniquity of the
Inhabitants, the firft Thing Noah did after
his going out of the Ark was to build an Al-
tar unto GOD, and to offer unto Him upon
it an Offering of every clean Beaji -, making
it his firfl Care to reftore the Exercife of Re-
ligion, and cftabliili the true Worfliip of
GOD. Hereupon it is recorded. That the
Lord finelled a Jhect Sa-joiir^ Gen. viii. 21.
was highly pleafed with this Ad; of Piety
and Gratitude, fliewed himfelf appeafcd, and
his Anger to reft.
Though the Worfliip of GOD was thus
fettled by Noah^ yet in Procefs of Time
Men fell away from it, and Idolatry fo far
prevailed, that GOD thought fit for the
Prefer vation of the true Religion to call
Abraham from the City of Ur in Chaldea^
and ingaged him to fear and ferve Him:
Promifed him, that he zvould hlefs him^ and
his Seed after him^ with rrumeroiis Increafe
and wonderful SucceJJes : That Jfe would he-
ft ozv
^ Letter to a (iiiaker. 7
Jim upon him the Land of Canaan j admit
him into an e-verlafting Cofcnant with Him-
felf: And that in Iris Seed all the Families of
the ^arthjhouldbe blejfed. Gen. xii. 15, 17.
This was the Original oi the ^ezuiJJj
Church-y into which GOD himfelf ordered a
Rite of Initiation^ viz. Circiinicijion^ where-
by all faithful People were received into
god's Family, made Heirs of the Cocenant,
wherein GOD promifcd to be their GOD,
and the)' his People. By this Rite, every
Son of Abraham was to bear in his Body the
Seal of the Inheritance of the Land of Pro-
mife, and the Badge of Diflin(ftioti from all
othe-r People ^ and this oijible Sign was to
make them (Irivc after the ini'ifihle Greet
which it foaled, the Inheritance of Heaven
and walking as the Peculiar of the Lord.
GOD was fo flridl for the Obfervance of
this Rite^ that the Negled of it was thrcatncd
with a feverc Punifliment, no lefs than Ex-
cifion or Cutting off that Soul from his Peo-
ple iox breaking his Covenant, Gen. xvii. 14.
Hence we read of the Lord's meeting Mq/es
in the Way, and fecking to flay him for not
Circumcijing his Child ; nor was his Anger
A 4 (laid
8 (^ Letter to a Quaker.
ftaidj till Zipporah took a fljarp Stone and
Circiimcifed hinu Exod. iv. 24, 25.
Befides Circiimcifion^ the j^ews had an-
other Rite^ Baptizing or Jfafiing. They
reckoned they were all of them, at their
entring into Covenant with GOD at the
Time of their receiving the Law in Mount
Sinaij zvaJJoed or baptized. So they undcr-
ftood thefe Words, Go unto the People and
fanSiife them to Day and to Morrozv^ and let
them waJJj their Chaths^ Ej^od. xix* 10.
They underftood the Meaning of that Com-
mand, by which Mof'es was to fan&ifie the
People on thefe Tav Dajs, to be the JVaJIj-
ing of them, and fo the Word to fanciife
does commonly lignifle to z^^ajh in the yezoijtj
Law, when it is fpoken of a Man San^if)'-
ing other Men. They looked upon them-
feives as having entered into Covenant by
Baptijln. St. Vaul faid, JU our Fathers
tvere baptized unto Mofes* i Cor. x. 2.
They did never receive any into their
Covenant, whether that which was moft
ftrickt (to which natural ^czjcs and Prqfelites
of Kighteoufnefs were tied) or that which
was more lax (with which Strangers and
Pro/elites
t*A Letter to a Qjiaker. 9
Pro/elites of the Gates did comply) with-
out a Baptijin or Wajlnng*
Moreo'ver, that it was in ufc for Pcrfons
who were confcious to themfelves of having
tranfgrcffed GOD's Law, being in GOD's
Name invited by fomc One of eminent Au-
thority (a Prophet or like a Prophet^ one
Commiflioned by GOD) unto Repentance
and Amendment of Life, to be waJJoed by
him, in Tcftimony of their fledfaft Purpofe
to amend, and in Hope to obtain Pardon
from GOD of their pafl Offences and to be
xeinflated in his Favour, appears probable
by St. j^ohn Baptijl his Undertaking and
Succefs. For if the Manner of his Pro-
ceeding had been altogether unufual and
unknown, fo many would not readily (with-
out any Stir or Obflacle) have complied
therewith j efpecially among the iymfe and
Pharifees^ thofe zealous x^dhcrents to tradi-
tionary Pradiccj whoto maintain their Credit
and Intcrefl with the People, were fo averfe
from all Appearance of Novelty.
But to put it without Doubt, our Saviour
himfelf owned Baptijm as a Righteous Or-
dinance and In/fit ution : For when St. ^ohn
Baptift
10 qA Letter to a Quaker.
^z?/??//? refufed to baptize him, CM^ argued
with him from the Fitnefs oi the Aiftion:
For as He was to be an Example to all
others. He faid it was his Duty to own
every Divine Inftitntion^ and to ihew his
Readincfs to comply with all Righteous In-
jtiiicfiofis. Suffer it to he fo now^ (let me be
baptized by thee) for thus it hecometh us to
full 0 all Righteoufnefs^ Mat. iii. 15. The
Word Us in this Place, muft mean Me and
all the People of GOD.
Nay afterwards, when there was to be no
more Diftindion between the Children of
Abraham and other People, and no one
Land more particularized than another i but
of every Land or Nation, he that feared
GOD and worked Righteoufncfs was to be
accepted of him ; he took away Ciycumcifwn
the Badge of Appropriation^ and Seal of
Singularitj'y and commanded Baptif/n to be
fettled in its Room, as the initiating Rite
or Entrance into his Church, and the Door
of Salvation.
j^efus came and fpake uuto them (his
Difciples) faj'ing^ All Pozcer is gicen unto
me in Hea^jen and in Earth. Goje therefore
and
qA Letter to a Qiiaker. 1 1
and teach all Nations^ baptizing them in the
Name of the Father^ and of the Son^ and
of the Holy Ghoft,
Teaching tdem to ohfeA^e all Things what-
foe<ver I have commanded jou ,- and lo, I am
with joii^ alivay ecen unto the End of the
World, Mat. xxviii. 18, 19, 20.
You ^takers {dy , The Baptifnt here men-
tioned is not Water Baptifm ; but the
Baptifm of the Spirit or Holy Ghoft, But I
hope to make it plain to you, that it was
not the Baptifm of the Spirit ov Holy Ghoft ^
but Water Baptifm -y and that W^ter Baptifm
is the initiating Rite hy tvhich all true Be-
lievers ought to enter into the Church of
Chrift^ and is made and appointed as the
Means of Salvation*
The Baptifm commanded Matt, xxviii.
was not Baptifm hy the Holy Ghoft,
To be baptized with the Holy Ghoft ^ figni-
fics to be endued with the Gifts of the Holy
Ghoft ; which Gifts are Twofold^
Ordinary
II e^ Letter to a Quaker.
Ordinary and JE^xtraordinafy,
The Ordiva}j\ are all thofe Helps and
Afliftanccs which are necellafy for the Per-
formance of thofe Conditions upon which
our Salvation depends ,• partly by illumi-
nating our Underftandings, in our finccre
and diligent Enquiries after Divine Truth ,•
and partly^ by exciting our Wills to that
which is Good, and ftrengthening our vigo-
rous Endeavours in the Profecution of it.
The Jt^xtraordinarj\ are thofe whereby
we are inabled to perform (not neceflary
and {landing Duties, but) Wonders and
Miracles, in order (not to our own Salva-
tion but} to the Benefit and Advantage of
others.
Pray obferve the Difference between thcfe
A Man cannot be ^ufty Temperate^ Chaff e^
C^c. without the Ordinary Gifts and Com-
munication of god's Spirit i but he may
pradifc all thofe Graces of yuftice^ Tem-
perance^ Chajiit)\ O'c* without the Extra-
ordinary
(L^ Letter to a Qiiakcr. 13
ordinary Gifts or Communication of GOD's
Spirit, whereby the jdfpojiles and Primitive
Chrijiians were inabled to raife the Lead^
fpeak with TongtieSy heal the Sicky and do
other Miracles.
So that every good Chriftian may receive
the Holy Ghofl in an Ordinary, but not in
the JE^xtraordinary Manner. For the Bap-
tifm with the Holy Ghofl, which in Scripture
always (ignifics the being indued with his
Extraordinary Gifts, is now wholly ceafed,
and the Ordinary Communication of GOD's
Spirit only remains. Therefore it muft be
plain to any impartial Judge, that lince the
Baptifm with the Holy Ghofl is long ago
ceafed, the Baptifm in Mat* xxviii, which
is ftill pra(ftifed5 and will continue to the
End of the World, was Water Baptifvi,
But let the following Obfervations (ink
deep in your Mind : Suppofe yoil could
have the Extraordinaiy Gifts of the Holy
Ghofl, they would be no Hindrance to Water
Baptifm, but rather a Qualification for re-
ceiving it i for it is plain, upon St. Pftcr\
preaching his Sermon, the Holy Ghofl fell
upon the Gentiles, who fpokewithT'or'/^.'.vj,
and
14 e^ Letter to a Quaker.
and magnified GOD, Whereupon Feter
appealed to the People, whether this was
not a clear Evidence, that GOD intended
thefe Men the BlelTtngs of the Got pel Co've-
nant^ and that having the extraordinary
Gifts, they might and ought to be baptized
zvith Water into the Chriftian ProfelTion.
Catianj Man forbid W9.tcry that thefe JJooiild
not be baptized which ha-ve recei'ved the Holy
Ghoji as well as we? And he commanded
them to be baptized in the Name of the Lord^
A&s X. 47, 48. Nay, the Promife of the
Gifts of the Holy Ghoft are through Bap-
tifm : Be baptized, and je fiall recei've the
Gift of the Holy Ghoft, KOls ii. 38.
Water Baptifm // the initiating Rite Ify
which all J^iie Belie'vers muft enter into the
Church of Chrift, and is made, conftituted,
and appointed as the Means of Salvation.
The Church is an outward and ''i^ifihk So-
cietj : Our Saviour calls it a City that is
Jet on a Hill, Mat. v. 14. And as it is fo,
has an outward and 'vifible Form of admitting
Men into it: For otherwife it would not be
known or diftinguifhed from the reft of
Mankind j as a River is loft in the Sea, be-
caufe
(t4 Letter to a Qiiak^r. 15
caufe it is no longer diftinguiflied from it,
but goes to make up Part of it.
When Chrifi fcnt his j^pojiks to convert
all Nations, his Commiflfion to them was to
baptize them. Go teach all Nations hap-
tizing them. Mat. xxviii. 19. that is, bap-
tizing all thofe who ihall receive your
Word. Accordingly it is faid. They that
receiced the Word zvere baptlzedy Adsii. 41,
purfuant to what the Apoftle had preached
to them, ver. 38. Repent and he baptized.
And we find it the conftant Cuftom to
baptize all thofe that were converted to
the Faith. Thus Faul^ though miracu-
loufly converted from Heaven, was com-
jnanded to be baptized^ jiSfs xxii. id. He
baptized Lydia^ the yaylor^ and their Hbu-
jjjolds as foon as he had converted them,
y/cfs ^v'l. 15, 33. And the Corinthians^
J^s xviii. 8. And the Difcipks of ^ohfiy
who had not yet been made Chriftians,
j^cis xix. J. Philip baptized the I^unuch,
as foon as he believed in Chrift ; they tvens
dozvn into the Water both Philip and the
£'unuchy and he baptized him, Adsviii. 38.
And Peter immediately upon the Converfioii
of
i6 qA Letter to a Quaker.
of Cornelius^ and thofe with him, Hiid, Can
anj forbid Water ^ that thefe fioiild not he
baptized? A&s x. 47. It was fo well known
to be the initiating Rite into the Chrijiian
Cbiirchj that whoever became a Convert
immediately rcqueftcd, whether ^ew or
Gentiky Water Baptifm,
Chriji did pradfife it.
It is written, y^nd they came unto ^ohn,
and faid unto him^ Rabbi , He that was
zvith thee bej'ond Jordan to whom thou beareft
Witnefs^ behold the fame baptizeth (by his
Dlfcipies) and all Men come unto him^
^ohn iii. 26. This Baptifm muft be with
Water^ bccaiife the Holj Ghoji was not as
yet given, untill the Day of Pentecoji Fi(ty
Days after the Refurre<5tion of Chriji^
J5fs ii.
It is faid. The Fhanfees heard that Refits
made and baptized fnore Di/ciples than yohuy
^ohn iv. I. How could the Pharifees hear
it, if it was not an outward and 'vifible Bap-
tifm ? And fince it was outward^ it muft be
Water Baptifm j for there was no other.
Ifis
(*A Letter to a Quaker. ly
His j^pojlles after Him^
Can any forbid Water, fays Peter, that
thefefljould not he baptized ? A5fs x. 47.
Philip baptized the J^umich with JVater^
y^dfs wiiu 36.
The Words of Ananias to St. Paul upon
the Recovery of his Sight, are very parti-
cular in this Matter. And why tarrieft thou ?
Arife and he baptized and wafli away thy
Sins, A^s xxii. 16.
The Argument from thefe Places h*es
thus ; the tfpqftles did pradife that Bap-^
tifm which Chrift commanded Matt, xxviif.
But the Apoftles did pradife Water Bap-
tifm, therefore Water Baptifm was that
Baptifin which Chrift commanded.
And the CathoUck Church after them to
this Lay,
The publick Nature of Water Baptifm
being an outward Matter of Fad, of which
Men's outward Senlcs are Judges, it is im-
B polfibic
1 8 qA Letter to a Quaker.
pofTible for the World to be impofcd upon,
nor ever can it be in fuch a publick Matter
of Fart.
As the Prcictice of the Apoftles is a moft
fure Rule to underfland the Meaning of that
Command they put in Execution, fo the
Practice of thofe who immediately fuccee-
ded the Apojlles^ who were Contemporaries
with them, and learned the Faith from their
Mouths, is a certain Rule to know what
the Pradice, and what the Scnfe of the
yfpojiks were.
And thus the Pradicc of the prefent Age
in the Adminifir.ition of Water Bciptijni is
an undeniable Evidence, that this was the
Pradicc of the laft Age ; the flimc Perfons
being many of them alive both in the laft
and the prefent Age. For one Age does
not go off the World all at once, and an-
other fucceed all of perfe<5t Age together i
but there arc old Men of the laft Age, and
young Men and Children growing up to an-
other Age, all alive upon the Earth at the
fame Time ; and Mankind being difperfcd
into diftant Countries and Climates, far
afundcr from one another, without any
Cor-
qA Letter to a Qiiaker. 19
Correfpondcnce to hold a Cheat, it is moral-
ly impoJilblc for any Man or Men to deceive
us in what has been the univcrfal and re-
ceived Practice of the laft Age, to which
the prellnt Age is fo jinked, that it is even
a Part of it.
All this makes it undeniably plain, that
the laft Age did pradtife the fame outward
Water Bapti/m which ispradifcd in this Age,
and that the fame was as certainly pracftifed
in the Age before the laft Age, and by the
fame Rule in the Age before that, and fo
onward to the Age of the Apoftlcs. All
Hiftory of the fcveral Ages confirm the
Truth of it j and no one can imagine, but
that if Water Baptlj'm was an Human
Inceiitiojiy or fupcrftitioufly either obtruded
or contmucd in the Church, fome one would
be found in lefs Time than Sixteen Hundred
Years, to have opened his Mouth againfl: it,
when Thoufands facrificcd their Lives for
Matters of much Icfs Importance.
God has commanded us to he baptized with
W^ter as the- Afcans of Salvatioiu
Our Saviour fays, Except a Man he horn
of Water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into
B 2 ihe
lo qA Letter to a Qiiakcr.
the Kingdom of GODj John iii. 5. Which
plainly fhcws, that baptizing or v:ajl3ing
with JV^ter nuifl: be done, before we can
have any Hope of Entrance or Admittance
into the Kingdom of GOD. You may ob-
fcrvc Chrijl reprimanded Nicodemus who
was a Majler of IJraclj a Teacher and Ex-
pounder of the Law, one alfo of the Great
Cotmcil, that he did not apprehend what
every cr dinar y yezv might well underftand,
C72. That they themfelves made Vrof elites
by zvajhing them with Water, and then
counted them Kezv-horn Perfons.
The Wafhing of Water upon the oiita^ard
gives us a Title, and is the Means of con-
veying the Sandification of the Spirit in the
inward Man -y which effects a new aud fpiri-
tual Birth upon all thofe, who being duly
difpofcd receive t\iQ Kite,
It is our Saviour s own Word and Promifc,
He that helie-jeth and is baptized, fljall he
faved^ Mark xvi. 16. What Words can be
plainer? Baptifm is here joined with Faith
itfclf as neceflary to Salvation. He that re-
cciveth and imbraceth the Gofpel, and
thereupon becomes a Profelfte and Difciple
of
(^4 Letter to a (Quaker. li
of Chrift^ and receives Baptifm the Seal of
the Nezo Ccrjenant^ lliall for aJi his former
Sins receive Pardon, and upon his Pcrfe-
vcrance obtain eternal Life. O Glorious
Promije ! O BleJJed Means ! Who can refufe
it ?
The Apojiles exhorted all their Converts
to he baptized in the Name of the Lord
yefus^ that they might receive Salvation
from him by that Means j as we read at
large in the Acls of the Apojlks,
St. Faul tells us, That Chrifl loved his
Churchy and delicered hinifelf for it, that he
might fan5ii fie it ^purging ifwith the JVafiing
of Wafer, Epi>. v. 26. meaning, that^^p-
ti/in intitles us to the Graces of the Spirit
to purge away the Guilt and Defilement of
Sin, without which they both lie upon us,
and leave us in the Gall of Bittermj}^ and
in the Bond of Iniqititj; Andfnch (faith he
to the Corinthians) werefomeofjou, till ye
were wafhed (in the Waters of Baptifm)
juflified in the Name of the Lord yefiis, and
fan^ifed hj the Spirit of our God^ i Cor.vi.
II. which great BlcfTings of y///?(/fCJ//o« and
SanElificatioii arc firft and chiefly derived on
us in Q\u Baptifm,
B 3 St. Peter
2Z itA Letter to a Onakcr.
St. Fcter nflurcs us, that Baptifin doth
Wd) face tiSj I Pet. iii. 21.
I know your common Objedion to this is
from the following Word^, 7wt putting azvay
tJ:e Filth of the FkJJj^ hut the An fiver of a
good Confcience tozvards GOD; faying that
this Baptifm in St. Feter is not U^ater Bap-
tijm^ but the inzvard Baptijin of the Spirit^
which is the Anfwer of a good Confcience
towards GOD.
But it mil ft be Water Baptifin^ or you
cannot make Senfc of the Apoftles Words,
or the Figure alluded unto by St. Veter^ who
fays, The long fuffering of GOT) zvaited in
the Lays of Noah^ zvhik the Ark ivas a pre-
paring^ zvherein feiv^ that is, Fight Souls
zvere faced hj Water, The like Figure where-
unto ecen Baptfm doth al/b nozv face tis;
that is, as the Souls in the Ark were favcd
by Water J fo now Water Baptifm doth alfo
Jace us,
I would hav^c you take Notice, that the
Words not and hut^ do in Scripture Phrafe,
frequently fignific 770^ onlj'^ hut alfo : As
yofeph
qA Letter to a Qj^iakcr. 23
yofeph fays to his Brethren, It ivas not you
that fent me hither^ but GOD, Gen. xlv. 8.
Now the Scripture tells us exprclly, that
yofeph's Brethren lifted up yofeph out of the
Pit^ and fold j^ofeph to the IflnnaeUtes for
Twenty Pieces of Silver^ ani they brought
ybfeph into Kgypt^ Gen. xxxvii. 28. there-
fore it muft be interpreted thus i It was
not only you that f^.-nt me hither, but alfo
GOD; that is, GOT)'s Providence had a
Hand in my Journey as well asyourfehes.
Our Saviour fays, Jj/'ho/oeccr fiall recei'-^'e
me J recei'veth not vie^ but him that fent me^
Mark ix. 39. that is, receivcth not only me,
but aljb him that font me.
Again, I/e that believeth on ;;/t, bcHc-veth
not on me^ but on him that fent mc^ John xii.
44. that is, he believeth not only on mc, but
alfo on him that fent me.
I will mention but one morcy Labour not
for the Meat zvhich periJJjes^ but for that
Meat zvhich indiircs to everlaflingLife^ John
vi. 27. Our Lord means, that we fhould
labour not only for the Meat that periilics,
but alfo ox principally for that which indurcs
to everlafting Life.
B 4 And
24 ^ Letter to a Quaker.
And thus St. Peter's Meaning is, that the
j]aptifm that now Hives us, is not only that
oiitzvard Baptifm or JV^Jljing with W^ter^
which is a putting away of the Filth of the
Flcili, hut aljb a good Confcience towards
GOD. And this will be more evident, if
you confidcr, that the Baptifin chiefly ad-
niiniftrcd, when this Text was recorded, was
to xho Acliilt^ Pcrfons at their full Age, who
were examined, and were to give a good
Account of their Faith and Repentance^ and
a^iially promifed before the People, that
they would lead good Lives for the future ;
and fo Baptijm was faid to Jh've them, and
doth now alfo iis^ not fnerel}' as it is the put-
ting away the Filth of the Fleflo^ but as it
leads us to the Anjv:ei\ or Stipulation^ or Co-
rjenant of leading good Lives. But left any
fhould miftake St.Peter^ and apply Baptifm
(as thofe of your Perfuafion do) to Works of
Right eoufnefs^ St. Paul has in his ^piffle to
TitiiSj told us, that the Mercy of GOD in
the Gofpel-Re<velationj was not by any Works
of Righteoufnefs, but of receiving Men into
the happy Privileges of the Chriflian Co've^
nant by Baptifm^ whereby they partook of
the gracious Influences of the Holy Spirit at-
tending their Admillion into it.
The
qA Letter to a Qudktx. 15
The Kindnefs and Lo've of GOD our
Samour towards Man appeared^ not hj Works
of- Righteoufnefs which we ha've done, but
according to his Mercy he faced iis^ hy the
Wafliing of Regeneration, and Renewing of
the Holy Ghoft, Tit. iii. 4, 5. Which
Words plainly fct forth not only the Bene-
fits, but Necejfity of Water Baptifm in order
to Regeneration j without which our Sa-
viour tells us, we cannot enter into the King-
dom of GOD^ either his Kingdom of Grace
here, or Glofy hereafter.
Both which are intailed only on thofc
who by Faith and Baptifm follow him in the
Regeneration^ Matt. xix. 28, and by Bap-
tifm will he favcd J Mark xvi. 16. For as
majty as ha've been baptized into Chrifi^ hace
put on Chrift^ Gal. iii. 27, and JJjall obtain
Retnilfion of SinSj Ads ii. 38.
Before I difniifs this Subjed, I muft
anfwer One Objccfion much infilled on by all
of your Pcrfuafion, ciz.
That Water Baptifm is ceafcd^ for that
JohnV Baptifm was Water Baptifm ; and.
his Baptifm being ceafed^ Water Baptifm is
ceafcd. Let
z6 qA Letter to a Qiiakcr.
Let it be noted, that there were Three
W^tev Baptifms in the World at one Time;
the ^ezviJJj, St. ^obns^ and our Saviour'' s.
The Two firft are abolifhed, but the latter
remains, and will do fo by the Promife of
Chriji to the End of the World.
It will be proper here to fliew you, what
it is that makes the Difference of Baptifms ;
not the oiitzvard Matter in which they are
adminiftred j for all outward Baptifms were
Water Baptifms^ as the Word Baptifm
WafJjing fignifies j but they differ,
if^. In the Ends for zvhich they were infli-
tiited.
2dly, In the Form in which they are ad-
miniftred.
iftj The Fnd of the Chriftian Baptifm
is highly diflant and different from the Ends
cf other Baptifms. The Fnd of the yezvifh
Baptifm was to give the Baptized a Title to
the Privileges of the Lazv of Mofes : And
the £^nd of yohns Baptifm was to point to
J{im who was to come and to prepare Men
by Repentance for the Reception of the
Gofpel
^ Letter to a Quaker. 17
Gofpel. But tlie End of Chrift^s JBaptifm
was to inflate us in all the unconceiveable
Glories, and high eternal Frerogath'es which
beloi^g to the Members of his Bocij, of his
Flcfij, and of his Bones ^ Gal. i v. 5. Henceforth
fio more Ser-vants^ hut Sons of GOD ! and
Heirs of Heaven !
Thefe arc the Ends fo far tranfcendent
above the Ends of all other Baptifms^ that,
in Comparifon, other Baptifms are not only
lefs but none at all ^ like the Glory of the
Stars in Prefence of the Sun, they not only
are akjfer Lights but when he appears, they
bcconne altogether incifible*
2^/j', As to the Eorjn : Perfons were bap-
tized unto thofe whofe Difciples they were
admitted by their Biptifm. Thus the Pro-
felites to the jfezufl? Religion were baptized
unto Mofes j and Men were made Difciples
unto j^ohn hy hisBaptifm: But the Chrijli an
Baptifm alone is adminiftrcd in the Name
of the Father J and of the Son^ and of the
Holy Ghofi, This is the Form of the
Chriftian Baptifm^ and which diftinguilhcs
it from all other Baptifms whatever,
Chriji's
28 qA Letter to a Quaker.
Chrift's Baptifm could not be ^ohns
Baptifju^ for Chrift made Difciplcs to him-
fclf not to 'John ; he kffened yohn : John
himfclt owned. He (that is Chrift) miifi
increafby but I mufl decreafe^ John iii. 30.
But if Chrift did baptize with the Baptifm
of Johiy then John ftill increafcd, and
Chrift decreafed. Again, all the Jews who
had been baptized with Johns BaptiJ'm^ did
not turn Chriftians, but thofe that did,
were baptized o^'er again in the Name of
Chrift^ of which there is a remarkable
Xnftance in A^s xix. to Verfe 7.
But that Water Baptifm did not ceafc
with John is undeniably evident, for after
Johns Death, moft of the remarkable Bap-
tifms by Water recorded in the y^cls of the
y^pcftles^ and St. Paiifs Epiftles, were per-
formed i which plainly ilicws, that Water
Baptiffn did not ceafe with John^ but was
continued after his Death.
Uat'ing nozv ftjezvnj'on^ that in the feveral
Ages of the World, our gracious GOD did
appoint fome Method and Condition of Sal-
vation, that he conftitutcd a Churchy made
Circiimcifion the initiating Rite^, till the
coming
qA Letter to a Quaker. 29
coming of the Mejfiasy when our Saviour
and Redeemer changed it into fVater Bap-
tifm^ which He pra(5tifed by his Difciples'oW
the Time he was upon Earth ^ his y^pojiks
after him ,• and the Cntholick Church to this
Day.
Having JJjezvn j'ou^ that our Sa'vioiirs
Baptijin could not be the Baptifm of the
Holy Ghoft only, becaufe the Baptifm infti-
tutcd by Chrift was to laft to the End of
the World, but the extraordinary Gifts of
the Holy Ghoft are long ago ceafed ; that
even when they were in Being, they did
not abolifh Water Baptifm^ but the better
difpofed thofe that had the Gifts for it ;
nay, all that had them were afterwards
baptized with Watcr^ and the Promife of
the Holy Ghoji was made t\ixo\jigh Baptifm
by Water,
Hamng alfo fliewnyou^ that our Saviour
commanded Water Baptifm to be received
by his Adherents as the Condition of Salva-
tion, and the Means of Entrance into the
Kingdom of GOD ; that this Water Bap-
tifm did not cealb with yohn^ but continued
to be ufcd after his Death even to this Day;
Let
30 e^ Letter to a Quaker.
Let me nozv argue friendly mth j'ou upon
this Account.
<
As our Saviour came down from Heaven
on Purpofe to ilicw and lead us the Way
thither, why fhould weak, fhort-fightcd
Man pretend to be wifcr than Wifdom It-
felf? Why iliould we find fault with his
InfiitiitionSj as being too much upon the
outwardy and think he can and may fpiri-
tualize them finer, and mnke the Wqyfloorter
than he has done ?
I muft fay unto you, as Nnamans Ser-
vants faid unto him, 2 Kings v. If Chriji
had hid thee d) fame great Things zvouldft
thou not hat'e done it ? How much rather
zvhen he faith unto thee^ Z'jaflj^ he haptizedj
and he clean. And as neceffary as the Waters
of Jordan were to the cleanfingof iV^r/wj^,
fo nccclfary arc the Waters of Baptifm to
the clcanfing our Souls. None dare fay,
that GOD could not have cleanfed Naaman
othcrvvife : But GOD having by his Prophet
appointed that Means^ if Naaman had neg-
le(5tcd it, you muft believe he had not
othcrvvife been cured. So alfo, I would
not be undcrflood, as if GOD had tied Him-
felf
aA Letter to a Quaker. 3 i
felf fo far as not to fave, if he pleafes, with-
out Baptifm : His Power is infinite, and his
Mercy over all his Works. He prcfcrvcd the
Bodies of the IJraelites in the Wildcrnefs
without the Staff of Bread, the common
Support of them ; and faved their Souls
without CirciimcifioUy the Seal of the Co-
venant for that End. But we muft diftin-
guifli between the ordinary Methods of
Divine Providence, and Ca{cs extraordinaiy.
The former arc to be the Rules and Di-
redions of our Duty, though the latter may
not always be defpaircd of, or depended
upon. It would be a vain Prefumption for
any one to refufe his daily Bread, bccaufc
GOD can and hath fupportt-d feme with-
out it; lo is the Folly and Danger no Icfs
to negled: the Welters of Baptifm^ bccaufc
GOD is able to fave as well without as with
them. As he has made them the Condition
of Salvation, and commanded us to ufe them,
whoever willfidl}' ncgle(5ts being /o baptized
after fevcral Rcmonflranccs of his Duty,
cannot have any Grounds lor Hope of Sal-
vation by the Gofpel Covenant : Bccaufe he
zvillfidly neglcdts a Pofaive Precept, the Ob-
fervance of which our Saviour has com-
manded,
I have
Jl qA Letter to a Qiiaker.
I have read that a worthy Divine arguing
with an Atheift^ told him, he ran the moft
foolifli Hazard imaginable in denying a Deity,
and/6 leading a loofe and vicious Life : For
if there was no GOD^ a fober, virtuous, and
regular Courfe of Life would lengthen and
heighten his prefent Happinefs,- but if there
iwas a GODy in what a miferable Condition
muft he be, when he finds his Miftake ? I
may with a Imall Variation apply this Argu-
ment to j^ou* That there is a Baptiftn to
be ufed, even thofe of your Pcrfuafion allow
as well as we ; but the Qucflion is. Whether
Baptifm by the Spirit or JVater ; and fince
there is a Douht^ why fhould you not fecure
yourfcif by uiing Water Baptifm^ which
was never known in the Record of Scrip-
ture to hinder, but in many Places to bring
the BiefTings of the Spirit upon the Ufe of it c
Should it not be required, it can be no Harm
to youi but if it JJjoiild^ as Reafon and
Scripture feem to urge, what fatal Confe-
fequence mufl the Ncglcd of it bring ? He
that dcfpifcd Mofes's Law died without
Mercy : How much forer Puniiliment, fup-
pofe you, Hiall he be thought worthy, who
treads under Foot the Injiitution of the Son
of GOB. and counts it a needkfs Thing c*
Was
(tA Letter to a Qtiaker. 33
Was you about the Purchafe of an Eftate
in Land, the Title whereof would be ^oz/Z'/-
fiil without a Fine-, would not Prudence
dire(5t you to have it fued out ? Let the fame
Wifdom guide you in fettling your fpirittial
Eftate ?
Water Baptifm cannot be Sijinfiil Ad, for
our Samour, who was without Sin, required
and fubmitted to it -, his Apoftks followed
him, and if you follow them, what Incon-
veniency can polTibly attend you ? The
clofer you follow fuch illuftrious Patterns,
the nearer you will furely come to Perfection.
Nor is it againft Reafon ; for you knoW
the Spirit of GOD moved at firll: upon the
Face of the Waters, Gett, ?. 2. to impreg-
nate them, and make t hem fruiSifie, and gave
a miraculous Virtue to the Waters of ^ordan^
of Siloam^ and Bethefda^ for healing of the
Flcfh ; why fliould we then doubt, that the
fame Spirit can and will fan5fi- fie the Waters
of Baptifm to the myftical WaJIjingAway oi
Sin?
Confider how the Men of this World
manage their Temporal Affairs. You your-
C fclf
34 ^ Letter to a Qiiaker.
■fclf arc a Man in Trade and do know, that
for the better carrying on of worldly Bufi-
Dofs, Men form themfelves into diftin<5t
Coinpanies and Societies^ according to their
feveral Profejjions, Trades, and Occupations,
The Scholars enter themfelves into fome
Univerfity or Inn of Court ; the Mechanicks
and Traders become apprentices, and all of
them are intitled to the Benefit and Privileges
of the feveral Societies to which they are
jdined and entered, and from which others
are excluded. And will you not allow our
^^ll"ivife Direcior to be as prudent for our
Jpiritiial Welft^re as Men are for their Tem-
poral? Omi Saviour Cbrift has conftituted a
Clnircb, invited all Men into it to partake of
the Privileges of it, c/-?. the Remijfion of
Sin, and the Pj^mife of etenial Life: Has
appointed Water Baptifm as the initiating
Sign and Seal, whereby Men arc to be made
Members of his Church, and incorporated
thereinto : And whatever you may think,
until you have thus in a puhlick Manner en-
tred yourfclf into the Congregation of Chrift's
Flock, and by the Sign or Seal of JVater
Baptifm been admitted into his Church,
you can plead no Claim to. the Promifcs of
the Gofpel which, are atiaexed to that eery
Sign
qA Letter to a Qiiaker. 35
Sign or Seal. You cannot even call your-
fcif a Chrifiian. You have no Right or
Title to that Name, till you have made
yourfclf ChriJVs Difcipk in the Manner and
If^ay which he has prefcribed, appointed,
and commanded, which is IVater Baptifm*
You may remember, you urged very
much your Opinion, that let Men talk what
they would of Ordinances' or Inftitiition^
a good 'Life zuas all in all; whoever led a
good Life would be favcd, whether baptized
or mt.
I muft tell you, there is a moft flagrant
Inftance recorded in Scripture againft this
Opinion. Cornelius was undoubtedly a good
Liver : His Prayers and Alms came up to
Heaven, and were had in Remembrance in
the Sight of GOD. And in Token of his
Acceptance with GOD, GOD thought it
worth the while to fend an Angel to him,
whofc Errand was, that he fhould fend for
Peter^ who fhould tell him what be ought
to do. And when St, Peter came, he prea-
ched up Chriji ,and commanded him to be
baptized ivith Water^ particularly mention-
ing the Word JVater^ Ads x.
C 2 But
36 (tA Letter to a Quaker.
But if the moft pious Liver upon Earth
fays He hath no Sin, he deceiceth himfelf and
the Truth is not in him, i John i. 8. Holy
JDadd pleaded with GOD not to enter into
judgment with him, for the moft innocent
Man's Life could not ftand the Trial : In his
Sight no Man living can he jufiifiedy
Pfal. cxliii. 2.
Though you believe yourfelf baptized
with the Spirit, and may think you 'have
lived in upright Converflition hitherto ^ yet
were all your evil Thoughts, idle Words,
and corrupt Deeds laid together before you,
(as to be fure they are regiftred in GOD's
Book) you would behold fuch a dark Scene,
as would make you tremble at the difmal
Sight, and caufe you to own the Necejfitj
of a Mediator and Redeemer to plead and
attone for you. But how can you expeft to
reap the Benefit of his Redemption, if you
wmU not ufe the Means your Redeemer has
ordered and appointed ? If you will not be
baptized with Water, be ingrafted into
Chrijfs Church, and become an outward
Member of it, and a Profejfor of Chriftia-
nity?
It
aA Letter to a Qiiaker. 37
It is written, Rom, x. 10. With the Heart
Man helicveth unto Right eoiifnefsy and with
the Mouth ConfeJJion is made unto Sahation.
The Belief of the Heart is Jiecejfajy to make
us Righteous before GOD^ but the out-
ward Confejfion of the Mouth is likewife as
neceffary toScAwsition: As Chriji (aid. Matt.
X. 3 2. IVhofoe'ver JJmll confefs me before Men^
&c. We niuft outzvardly and before Men
confefs to Chrift by the due Performance of
his outward Ordinances^ without which our
inwardhQlici in him will not be fuflficient to
Salvation.
Baptifm is an outward Badge of Chriftia-
nity, by being the outward Form appointed
to admit People as Members of the Church
of Chrift, and whereby they own thcm-
fclves to be fuch before Men, But thofc.
who will not wear this Badge as a Confeflton
to Chrifi before Men, Chrift will not con-
fefs them before his Father in Heat'en.
And thus having fct forth the Folly and
Danger of ncgleding this Condition of Sal-
vation i let me now turn the comfortable
Side towards you, and flicw the Benefit
and
3 8 qA Letter to a C^uakcr.
and Advantage joii cfpecialiy may reap by
receiving Water B apt iff n.
Knozv ^jfuredly. that if you will come
before the 'vijlhk Church oi GOD, and pro-
fefs unfeigned Sorrow for thy paft Sins,
promife Amendment of Life for the future,
and declare thy fincere Belief, that our
Sa-vmir yefiis Chriji is the Son of GOD^ the
Meffiah fent into the World for the Re-
demption of Mankind; that he fuffered for
our Salvation, and is now fct down at the
Right-Hand of GOD interceding for us,-
that he planted a Churchy into which thou
defireft to be admitted -, as foon as thou art
made Member thereof by the initiating Rite
of Water Baptifin^ AH thy Sins which thou
haft committed from thjy Tbiith up to that
Day^ fiall he forgi'ven thee. Thy Pardon
will hefealed and con'veyed to thee in the Ordi-
nance of Water Baptifm, Our Saviour has
promifed it to Thee by his Apoftle St. Teter^
who fays, Repent and he baptized every one
of yon in the Name of ^cfus Chrifiy for the
Rcmilfion of Sins, and ye fiall receim the
Holy Ghofi, For the Fromife is toy on, and
your Children, and to all that are afar off,
A(5tsii. 58, 3p.
Obfcrvo
qA Letter to a Quaker. 39
Obfcrvc thefe Words parti cularlj. You
cannot gainfay, but the Baptifm here men-
tioned muft be Water Baptifm^ for upon the
Reception of this Ordinance^ the Promife of
RemiflTion of Sins was made, and the Gifts
of the Holy Ghofi^ which they had not he-
fore^ were conferred and given. Follow
thou the Converts upon this Sermon .; Sa've
thjfelf from this untoward Generation^
gladly receioe the Word of GOD^ and he bap-
tized^ A(fts ii. 40, 41.^
I am fenfiblc you fuffer much under tho
Prejudice of ^ducation^ but let not a long
Continuance in an ill-grounded Opinion in-
fluence you beyond Reafon and Scripture.
Let St. Taiil be your Pattern ^ he had been
educated longer and ftri(5ter in the yewiflo^
and had more to fay for himfclf, than you
can have inj'o/zr Way \ yet he gloried in his
Converfion, and became the more Zealous
afterwards. Your Example may influence
many poor Souls to their Salvation, and then
what llappinefs^ what Bleffings will not
the GOD of Mercy and Confolation pour
down upon thy Heady who not only fub-
mitteft to his Injlitution tl^felfy but by
thy
40 aA Letter to a Quaker.
thy Example addcft unto his Church fiich
as flmll befaved.
As I have wrote this unto thee with an
honeft Intention, weigh the Contents with a
good Difpofition, and an humble Mind, free
from Prejudice or Partiality ; and may the
Spirit of Truth influence Thee to do thy
Party as I truft. He has Jlim^ who is in
all Sincerity,
Thy Chriflian Monitor
and Faithful Friend
Y 5<: Y ¥ Jf Y *
FINIS.
(,ii ha
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