When Philip went to Samaria, we find not that there was any Church there planted at that time, yet he baptized them that believed, Act. 8. The Jailer was not a member of an Instituted Ch. nor those in his house when baptized, Act. 16. 31. The three thousand Converts were first baptized, Acts 2. 41. then added to them, i. e. the Church, v. 47. There is little said to enervate this Argument only it is alleged that the Administrators were extraordinary, but to that there is a ready, and it should seem a rational Answer, viz. That extraordinary Officers would not apply Baptism to unlawful or undue Subjects. Certainly, the Apostles would not administer Baptism to unmeet Subjects, (therefore they never baptized unbelieving Jews or Heathens, &c,) yet so it must be, if membership in a particular Church be a necessary Qualification to render one baptizable. For many thousands that were destitute of this Qualification, did the Apostles baptize, yea, it seemeth a matter deeply to be Considered of, that we do not read in the Scripture of any one person ever baptized after he was joined to a particular Church, but of many that were so before such joining. Nor do we read of any one person admitted to the Lords Table (since the first Administration and Institution of that Sacred Ordinance) before his joining to some particular Church, but of many after that, which seemeth strongly to intimate that membership in a particular Church is a necessary requisite as to admission to the Lords Supper, but not so as to Baptism. Besides Paul was baptized before he was joined to any particular Church, Act. 9. & that by Ananias who is thought to be only an Ordinary Teacher, some conceive that he was one of the Elders at Damascus, others think he was one of the 70 disciples. But it cannot be proved that he was an extraordinary Officer. Let us further argue a little, when Children of other Churches are baptized by the Officer of this Church, into what Church are they baptized? Not into that particular Church, where the Seal is Administered to them, for they are no members there, nor into that particular Church from whence they are brought, for the Officer of one Church, hath not power to baptize a Child into another Church then his own, therefore it remaineth that they are baptized into the Church Universal.
When Philip went to Samaria, we find not that there was any Church there planted at that time, yet he baptized them that believed, Act. 8. The Jaylor was not a member of an Instituted Ch. nor those in his house when baptized, Act. 16. 31. The three thousand Converts were first baptized, Acts 2. 41. then added to them, i. e. the Church, v. 47. There is little said to enarvate this Argument only it is alleadged that the Administrators were extraordinary, but to that there is a ready, and it should seem a rational Answer, viz. That extraordinary Officers would not apply Baptisme to unlawful or undue Subjects. Certainly, the Apostles would not administer Baptisme to unmeet Subjects, (therefore they never baptized unbelieving Jews or Heathens, &c,) yet so it must be, if membership in a particular Church be a necessary Qualification to render one baptizable. For many thousands that were destitute of this Qualification, did the Apostles baptize, yea, it seemeth a matter deeply to be Considered of, that we do not read in the Scripture of any one person ever baptized after he was joyned to a particular Church, but of many that were so before such joyning. Nor do we read of any one person admitted to the Lords Table (since the first Administration and Institution of that Sacred Ordinance) before his joyning to some particular Church, but of many after that, which seemeth strongly to intimate that membership in a particular Church is a necessary requisite as to admission to the Lords Supper, but not so as to Baptisme. Besides Paul was baptized before he was joyned to any particular Church, Act. 9. & that by Ananias who is thought to be only an Ordinary Teacher, some conceive that he was one of the Elders at Damascus, others think he was one of the 70 disciples. But it cannot be proved that he was an extraordinary Officer. Let us further argne a little, when Children of other Churches are baptized by the Officer of this Church, into what Church are they baptized? Not into that particular Church, where the Seal is Administred to them, for they are no members there, nor into that particular Church from whence they are brought, for the Officer of one Church, hath not power to baptize a Child into another Church then his own, therefore it remaineth that they are baptized into the Church Universal.
