Note again, that as it admitteth of none to membership without it, so as I said, the very act of circumcising them, without the addition of another Church act, gave them a being of membership with that very Church, by whom they were circumcised. Exo. 4.24, 25, 26. But none of this can be said of Baptism: First there is none debarred or threatened to be cutoff from the Church; if they be not first baptized: Secondly, neither doth it give to the person baptized, ⟨p. 74⟩a being of membership, with this or that Church, by whose members he hath been baptized. John gathered no particular Church, yet was he the first, and great baptizer with water; he preached Christ to come, and baptized with the baptism of repentance, and left his Disciples to be gathered by him. Acts 19.3, 4, 5. And to him shall the gathering of the people be Gen, 49.10, Besides after Christs ascension, Phillip baptized the Eunuch; but made him, by that, no member of any particular Church: We only read, that Phillip was caught away from him, and that the Eunuch saw him no more, but went on his way rejoicing to his Masters and country of Ethiopia. Acts 8.35.40. Neither was Cornelius made a member of the Church at Jerusalem, by his being baptized at Peters commandment at Caesarea. Acts 10. chap. 11. Neither were they that were converted ⟨p. 75⟩at Antioch, by them that were scattered from the Church at Jerusalem, by their baptism (if they were baptized at all) joined to the Church at Jerusalem. Acts 11.19. No, they were after gathered, and embodied among themselves, by other Church acts. Acts 16. What shall I say? Into what particular Church was Lydia baptized by Paul, or those first converts at Philippi? Yea even in the second of the Acts, Baptizing and adding to the Church, appear to be acts distinct: but if Baptism were the initiating ordinance, then was he that we Baptized made a member; made a member of a particular Church, by the very Act of water baptism: Neither ought any by Gods ordinance to have Baptized any, but with respect to the admitting them by that Act, to a being of membership in this particular Church. For if it be the initiating ordinance, it entereth them into the Church: What Church? ⟨p. 76⟩Into a visible Church; Now there is no Church visible but that which is particular; The Universal being utterly invisible, and known to none but God.
Note again, that as it admitteth of none to membership without it, so as I said, the very act of circumcising them, without the addition of another Church act, gave them a being of membership with that very Church, by whom they were circumcised. Exo. 4.24, 25, 26. But none of this can be said of Baptism: First there is none debarred or threatned to be cutoff from the Church; if they be not first baptized: Secondly, neither doth it give to the person baptized, ⟨p. 74⟩a being of membership, with this or that Church, by whose members he hath been baptized. John gathered no particular Church, yet was he the first, and great baptizer with water; he preached Christ to come, and baptized with the baptism of repentance, and left his Disciples to be gathered by him. Acts 19.3, 4, 5. And to him shall the gathering of the people be Gen, 49.10, Besides after Christs ascension, Phillip baptized the Eunuch; but made him, by that, no member of any particular Church: We onely read, that Phillip was caught away from him, and that the Eunuch saw him no more, but went on his way rejoycing to his Masters and countrey of Ethiopia. Acts 8.35.40. Neither was Cornelius made a member of the Church at Jerusalem, by his being baptized at Peters commandment at Caesarea. Acts 10. chap. 11. Neither were they that were converted ⟨p. 75⟩at Antioch, by them that were scattered from the Church at Jerusalem, by their baptism (if they were baptized at all) joyned to the Church at Jerusalem. Acts 11.19. No, they were after gathered, and imbodyed among themselves, by other Church acts. Acts 16. What shall I say? Into what particular Church was Lydia baptized by Paul, or those first converts at Philippi? Yea even in the second of the Acts, Baptizing and adding to the Church, appear to be acts distinct: but if Baptism were the initiating ordinance, then was he that we Baptized made a member; made a member of a particular Church, by the very Act of water baptism: Neither ought any by Gods ordinance to have Baptized any, but with respect to the admitting them by that Act, to a being of membership in this particular Church. For if it be the initiating ordinance, it entereth them into the Church: What Church?
