3. It is not to be wondered at, that such as deny the Man Christ Jesus, but preach up the Light within to be a Saviour, should reject these two great Ordinances stated in the Scripture, (viz. Baptism, and the Lord's Supper) because such as deny the Substance, are necessitated to deny the Sign. Persons of this Judgment may be easily confuted: For when ever the Term Baptism is mentioned, and God or Christ represented as the Agent, it must be understood of the Baptism of the Spirit, in the Sense before spoken of. When ever Baptism is mentioned as the Act of any Apostle or Minister of the Gospel, it denotes Water-Baptism, because these have neither Power nor Commission to baptize with the Spirit, and with Fire. And when ever the Baptism of Blood and Suffering is mentioned, it must be understood of Persecutors, or ungodly Men, who murder, destroy, or afflict the Godly; for neither God (without Blasphemy) nor good Men) without a wrong application of the Term) may be said to baptize that way. So that when we meet with the Act of Baptism, as the Act of a good Man, we must of necessity understand it of Water-Baptism, in the same Method and Mode of Administration, as was practised by the Apostles and Primitive Christians; and that being a positive Institution, (with respect to the Subject and Manner of Administration) is not to be deviated from, upon any pretence whatsoever, unless we will suppose the Laws of the Almighty to be in the Power of Man, so as that he may dispense at pleasure with them; which is not to be done without sufficient Authority from God himself, which is no where to be found.
3. It is not to be wondred at, that such as deny the Man Christ Jesus, but preach up the Light within to be a Saviour, should reject these two great Ordinances stated in the Scripture, (viz. Baptism, and the Lord's Supper) because such as deny the Substance, are necessitated to deny the Sign. Persons of this Judgment may be easily confuted: For when ever the Term Baptism is mentioned, and God or Christ represented as the Agent, it must be understood of the Baptism of the Spirit, in the Sence before spoken of. When ever Baptism is mentioned as the Act of any Apostle or Minister of the Gospel, it denotes Water-Baptism, because these have neither Power nor Commission to baptize with the Spirit, and with Fire. And when ever the Baptism of Blood and Suffering is mentioned, it must be understood of Persecutors, or ungodly Men, who murther, destroy, or afflict the Godly; for neither God (without Blasphemy) nor good Men) without a wrong application of the Term) may be said to baptize that way. So that when we meet with the Act of Baptism, as the Act of a good Man, we must of necessity understand it of Water-Baptism, in the same Method and Mode of Administration, as was practised by the Apostles and Primitive Christians; and that being a positive Institution, (with respect to the Subject and Manner of Administration) is not to be deviated from, upon any pretence whatsoever, unless we will suppose the Laws of the Almighty to be in the Power of Man, so as that he may dispense at pleasure with them; which is not to be done without sufficient Authority from God himself, which is no where to be found.
