Preface
THIS little treatise, reader, is written chiefly for the help and information of such as are in a state of honest enquiry, and who have not yet seen clearly beyond some of those former observances, which at the very best were but preparatory, and pointing to him, and his work on the soul, in whom they all end, and are done away forever; but partly for the confirmation and establishment of such as have been already convinced of the unshadowy dispensation of the gospel.
I have long seen with sorrow, that many sincere souls are much detained from the substance^ by undue attachments to the sign. I have once known and groaned under this bondage and entanglement myself; for though I was never a partaker in any of those outward ordinances, yet I was divers years blinded in my understanding, through the vail that was over me. In reading the accounts of baptism in the New Testament, I could not understand why the Apostles used water, especially after Christ's resurrection, if it was not Christ's baptism ; nor how men could possibly baptize with the Holy Ghost ; and thereiv PREFACE.
fore finding men commanded to baptize, and that they did baptize with water^ I concluded, very ignorantly, that water was commanded by Christ. — This conclusion, I have since seen, was the natural result of inexperience, in an anxious investigation of things not known by mere human wisdom, or creaturely abilities, but only spirit* ually discerned ; and as my mind was sincerely engaged to see for myself, and avoid all deception, it pleased him who has the key of David, (after I had passed several years of doubt and hesitation, some times concluding! should, before long, be baptized in water, and then struck with an inward and feeling conviction of its utter insufficiency towards effecting the renovation and cleansing which my soul at times longed for) to open my understanding, chiefly by his own internal operations and illuminations in my enquiring mind, without much of any instrumental means, either reading or hearing; so that I saw clearly, (which I had too long been very dull in believing, and fearful in receiving) that Christ himself in spirit had long time been striving with me, moving in me, wooing, calling, knocking, checking, restraining, constraining, and powerfully impressing my mind ; but I knew him not, and in that inward and immediate way sought not after him. When, alas ! had I but known the gift of God, and ivho it was that inwardly talked with me, I might have asked of him, and received the living water of his heavenly kingdom; as afterwards I did, to the full satisfaction of my thirsty soul. And when this became my joyful experience, wherein the beloved of my soul met with me, as with many others, in the garden, saying, " eat,
PREFACE- v
O friends— drink, yea drink abundantly, O beloved," Cant. v. u I became perfectly satisfied that outward bread, wine and water, were no part of the baptism or supper of the Lord, nor any way necessary to his anointed, in things pertaining to salvation. — It was not very long after this, before I not only believed, but knew, by most consolatory experience, that men, even in our day, though helpless of themselves, are through divine assistance enabled instrumentelly, in a very powerful and heart-watering manner, to baptize with the Holy Ghost For being now engaged to feel after God, if happily I might from time to time renewedly find him, he was not only pleased in these my silent approaches, in religious meetings, and more retired waitings, to arise in me immediately, with the brightness of a morning without clouds, and powerfully to manifest himself to me and in me, as a fountain of living waters; but was also graciously pleased to send among us, of his servants, such as were well qualified to do the work of evangelists, and who being largely acquainted with the soul-saving baptism of Christ in themselves, were so filled with the Holy Ghost, and spake so demonstratively, in the life, evidence and divine virtue and vigour of it, that it was like the oil poured on Aaron's head, which ran down to the very skirts of his garment— it even reached, overflowed and filled my poor soul.
Much I could write respecting these blessed days of my espousals, but enlargement here may be improper; I shall therefore just say, that had I not felt living desires that others may come to a
As vi PREFACE.
full participation of the same blessed experience, and that none may be longer unprofitably amused and detained, by lifeless signs and symbols, from the all-sufficient substance, thou, reader, hadst never heard from me in this way.-— I know many find their interest in keeping up a shew in these things, and representing them of exceeding great importance. — I have no doubt many very sincerely urge them upon their friends and acquaintance, as believing them injunctions of the gospel ; but I am also sadly sensible that too many " seek their gain from their quarter," and ob> tain it, by keeping up a lifeless round of prayers, preaching, singing, eating, drinking, dipping, sprinkling, &c. and am convinced beyond scruple, that the mammon of unrighteousness, this way increased, is a powerful obstruction to the coming of the kingdom of our Lord, in life and power, unclouded and uneclipsed by the retention of vailing and darkening observances.— Babylon is not yet so fallen, as to rise no more; she is still lurking in a mystery. — She is still mystery Babylon the great, and still the mother of many harlots—thousands are ensnared among some or other of her daughters, and are not aware of her cup. — May the Lord graciously pre-* serve the honest-hearted, of every denomination, from the harmful influences of all her many and artful sorceries, and keep alive their hunger and thirst after true righteousness.— I have no doubt but that, jfl am finally so happy as to reign in life by J^sus Christ, my only hope and Saviour, 1 shall be there accompanied by thousands, who have through their whole lives lived under the vail, as to outward ordinances ; but who, having
PREFACE. vii
in great sincerity, done what they believed was their duty, in singleness as unto God, and not unto men, are, and finally will be, well accepted of him, who seeth nat as man seeth, but looks through all outside things to the heart. And yet, on the contrary, I do firmly believe many, who have began and ran well for a season, have been by degrees, as outward things have become more and more considerable with them, drawn more and more from the true hunger, and been more and more easy and satisfied with little or nothing of the true bread, water and wine, of the kingdom, till at length they have centered in formality, and sat down in a rest short of the soul's salvation.— That thou mayest shun this danger* ous rock, dear reader, and be preserved living and growing in the holy root of divine life, to the end of thy stay here, and finally admitted to the joys of the blessed, forever to adore and bless the God of all grace and true consolation, is the prayer of thy sincere friend, and willing servant in the labour and travail of the gospel,
THE AUTHOR,
THE
BAPTISM OF CHRIST
A
GOSPEL ORDINANCE :
BEING ALTOGETHER
INWARD AND SPIRITUAL:
Not, like John's, into Water ; but, according to the real Nature of the Gospel, into the very Name, Life and Power, of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.
Shewing that the Apostles' Use of Water Baptism was by no Means as an ordinance of Christ, but as the Baptism of John ; and that all who are baptized into Christ, have put on Christ, not only professionally, but substantially—that is, have put him on as the whole Armour of Light, and walk in him in Newness of Life.
Chapter I
Of the regular order and succession of divine dispensations. Signs and figures pointed at life and substance. Hence Christ deferred his gospel ministry, till John's course in a baptism, but figurative of his own, was fulfilled. John's baptism and Christ's are type and antitype. Christ sent his disciples to baptize with his own baptism. So breathes on them the Holy Ghost. Great wisdom even in the timing our Lord's baptism by John, also in his answer to John. John preached the king- * dom but at hand. In its nature and fulness, it is after , not before, nor joined with the type. John prepared the way. Some took the kingdom by force. All types end in the antitype. Christ's baptism cleanses thoroughly, as John's was total immersion. A picture, as truly a man, as water baptism Christ's. A single eye full of light, and then the shadow is behind us. Christ was baptized in water, not to continue, but fulfil that decreasing sign ; and so to make way for the increasing substance. He also ate, and thus fulfilled the pass over.
IT is very observable, that our Lord Jesus Christ deferred the open and express promulgation of the gospel of the kingdom till John the Baptist, his immediate forerunner, had fulfilled his course; and that not before, but after John had finished his preparatory ministration, ceased the voice crying in the wilderness, prepare, &c. quite ended his own decreasing work in that outward elementary baptism, which as a sign was to precede and prepare the way for Christ's, and was shut up in prison; he, the Lord of life and glory, the end and ender of all typical dispensations, immediately entered upon the publication of the gospel word; the new, the encreasing and ever continuing dispensation of life, substance and salvation. For we read, Mat. iv. 19, * now when Jesus had heard that John was cast into prison, he departed into Galilee." And, verse 17 % " from that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, repent ; for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.*' This kingdom, now so near at hand, and which John had just before proclaimed to be so, was and is inward and spiritual; for our Lord himself declares, " the kingdom of God is within you." Luke xvii. 21. And it is clear that he waited for John's course to be first fulfilled, before he ever began publicly to preach it. See also Mark i. 14, 15. " Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God ; and saying, the time is fulfilled f and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent ye, and believe the gospel." The gospel is not sign or figure, but life and substance, the M power ot God to salvation," free from all types and shadows, being the last and lasting dispensation ; and which was not to commence in its general fulness, till after all others. Christ is often spoken of as coming after John ; and John, as going, or coming, or being sent before Christ; and therefore as John's course in the very last ot the shadows, water baptism, was now completed, the great minister of the sanctuary very pertinently, at the very beginning of his own gospel preaching, proclaimed, the time is fulfilled. I know not what words he could have used more proper and significant to introduce the glorious gospel, and teach mankind that all signs were to end in the substance. And from a sincere wish for the real good and solid information of mankind, I desire this one word, fulfilled, in this and divers other places, may be specially noticed, and deeply considered. It is of vast importance,
And why did Jesus wait till John's course was fulfilled? why, then, immediately on hearing of his imprisonment, did he begin to preach the gospel of the kingdom as then just at hand ? and why was he so careful, at his very entrance on this great work, to make this special declaration, " the time is fulfilled f y There is deep instruction in it all. He knew the times and seasons, though many who could discern the face of the sky, and had understanding in the forebodings of change in regard to the weather, were and are ignorant of the signs of the times; and through this ignorance many did, and many still do, retain the shadow out of all proper season. But Christ, as he knew, so he carefully observed the right time. He would have all things pertaining to his kingdom, especially his own immediate transactions, take place in their proper seasons. He would not hasten his first great miracle in Cana, of turning water into wine, even though his own mother solicitously prompted him to that glorious exertion of his divinity.— He would not go up to the feast, till the right time. So neither would he begin his own public ministration (which was for the ending of a!!
shadows, the abolition and blotting out the hand-writing of ordinances) till John's (which was much in the shadow) was fulfilled. " The law and the prophets prophesied until John." John was himself both a prophet and under the law, yet he and his ministration were until Christ. He coming after the rest of the prophets, being sent immediately before the face of the Lord, and to prepare his icay, in no wise hindered his being a prophet himself. Christ testifies, among them that are born of women, there hath not risen a greater, Mat. xi, 11. He also says, Mat. v. 17, 18, <c think not that I am come to destroy the law or the prophets; I am not come to destroy \ but to fulfil ; for verily I say unto you, till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled." Here we see he came to fulfil both the law, and the predictions of the prophets. Accordingly we read of divers things said to be done, that it might he fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets or spoken aforetime. Hence, though John came after the others, and as it were reached from them to Christ, yet he too came under the law, and was one among the prophets, which Christ came not to destroy, but whose predications and fore-running dispensations he came to fulfil. John's prophetic declaration was eminently pertinent, in regard to the great work of Christ in gospel baptism, the sanctification of souls; and so was his figurative immersion ; and Christ, in his saving baptism, amply/?///z7,?botii the prophecy and the sign. Christ was " made under the law" himself, Gal. ivv 4 ; then sureso was John. And seeing John's watery mi-
B
IV
8 THE BAPTISM Or CHRIST
nistration was to prepare Christ's way, and lead to his saving baptism; Christ having thus carefully deferred his own public ministration till John's was fulfilled, as Boon as this was doi>e, and John cast into prison, (he right time being 'now exactly arrived, he went forthwith, on hearing of John's imprisonment, into Galilee; and there ana " from that time began to preach/ 1 and proclaim the word and gospel of that unshadowy dispensation and kingdom, which ends and fulfils all mere signs and figures, and is to increase and remain of perpetual continuance. Hence Peter declares the word " was published throughout all Judea, and began from Galilee, after the baptism which John preached," Acts x. 37; and may we not safely conclude, from Peter's so particularly mentioning this, as bein£ after John's baptism, and from the evangelist's mentioning it as after his imprisonment, that they had heard our Lord express his acting on special principle in thus deferring his oivn public ministry, till his forerunner's, in that forerunning baptism, wag fulfilled; and especially as his going into Galilee, to begin his said public ministry, is expressly said to be. " that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the pro* phet ?" Mat. iv. 14.
Thus it seems he acted with special design, both as to the place where and the time when he &egtmthe open publication of the glorious gospel. It was therefore with divine pertinency, that as he began this gracious publication, he first of all announced " the time is fulfilled: 1 His hour was now come. For well knowing when it
A GOSPEL ORDINANCE V
was and when it " was not yet come," he had now waited till John had first preached, according to Paul's testimony, " the baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel ;" and so had " fulfilled his course." See Acts xiii. <24 9 25. All this tends forcibly and beautifully to open hoth the necessity of his being baptized of John, just then, when he was, and the meaning of his answer, when John forbade him. John knew his own baptism was not saving, was not Christ's; but was to decrease and end in Christ's, being only designed for our Lord's manifestation to Israel, and to prepare the people for his saving baptism.— And knowing this, John plainly and honestly testifies, that be should be made manifest to Israel, •' therefore am I come baptizing with water," John i. 31. This plain and lull testimony, from the mouth of John himself, at once evinces that his baptism, being but with water, was far different from Christ's, and inferior to it; and that it was to introduce, or as a sign to assist in turning the minds of the people to look for, receive and submit to the burning*, purifying baptism of the gospel.— In short, water baptism and Christ's are plainly type and antitype; and accordingly Peter, speaking of the baptism which now saves, uses the Greek word antitypon, 1 Pet. iii. 91.
Peter doubtless knew the type ox figure could not save. It is u the ingrafted word which is able to save" the soul, James i. 21. Christ sanctifies and cleanses the church " with the washing of water by the word" Eph. v. 26. This " ingrafted word," this sanctifying " washing of water by the word," is all inward and spiritual. It is the antitype of the divers washings under Moses, and equally so of water baptism, in every form. This cleanses the soul, as outward water does the body, and puts away the filth of the spirit, as that does the filth of the flesh." Hence, and hence only, it is saving: herein is the alone propriety of Peter's words, * baptism doth also now save as" As Christ came to fulfil the law of commandments, contained in outward ordinances, and to end every dispensation of signs and shadows, he had many things to submit to, on purpose to fulfil the typical righteousness of those dispensations. Hence he was circumcised, kept the law, celebrated the passover, &c. On the same ground, it behoved him to be baptized in water, the last lively typical representation of his own great work of sanctification, that is, the last in the course of time preceding his beginning the publication of the gospel word from Galilee. But when he came to John to be baptized of him, John not knowing his design in it, nor why it must be so, forbade him, saying, u I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?" Mat. iii. 14. It is not at all strange that John forbade him ; for he knew his own baptism, being outward, typical, and preparatory, was to decrease, and give place to Christ's. It was *• un* to repentance;" by a total outside immersion, it jDointed out the necessity of the removal of all sir), and bringing " forth fruits meet for repentance/' It was used for his manifestation to Israel, whose fiery baptism alone could effect this inward cleansing from all sin. Christ was neither ignorant of himself, nor guilty of sin.
Hence he could not receive John's figurative immersion upon the same grounds as others did, neither in order to repentance and remission of sin, nor in order to be made manifest to himself. John doubtless marvelled, therefore, to see him come to his baptism. For though it seems he did not, before this, so fully know him to be the Christ as he did afterwards, yet on his now coming to him, it seems he had some sense and knowledge of it, and marvelled at his coming. But our Lord graciously condescended to shew on w T hat grounds it was now necessary: that it was neither in order to repentance in him, nor to a manifestation of him to himself nor yet to perpetuate a symbolical institution under the gospel ; but, on the contrary, Xo fulfil it. Christ knew the sign must precede the substance. He knew the many symbols of the law were but "a shadow of things to come," Col. ii. 17; that the law, with all its figurative offerings, cleansings, and divers washings, was a school-master for a season, to lead to himself, the substance; see Gal, iii. 24. He knew "the baptism which John preached" was the peculiar sign or representation of his cicn, and was used to prepare the people's minds for it, and thereby prepare m their hearts the way of the Lord, and lead forward to his saving manifestation to Israel. Therefore had he began the publication of the gospel of that spiritual kingdom, which is with* out signs and shadows, and cometh not with outward observations, before John, the administrator of a baptism figurative thereof, had first fulfilled his course in that figurative administra* tion, it would by no means so fully, striking
B 2 and instructively have answered and illustrated the designs of eternal wisdom, as his deferring it till afterwards; for, how then could John's work have been strictly according to God's de* sign in sending him? that is, to prepare the way of the Lord— to go before him — and make ready a people prepared for him; see Luke i. 17.
Hence it was necessary, that, in the course of God's divine Providence, and divers dispensations, he who was to go before our Lord in the power and spirit of E lias, thus to prepare his way, should be sent seasonably to begin and 9 ' fulfil his course," in that ministration and baptism which was in order to the manifestation of the great gospel baptizer, before the publication of that word which began from Galilee, after his baptism. Hence also it was necessary that Jesus should be baptized in the figure, and thus accomplish what he had to do outwardly in the fulfilment ot water baptism, previously to that wonderful descent of the Holy Ghost upon him. For as he was to be " anointed to preach the gospel" (see Luke iv. 18) and as this anointing was by the spirit of the Lord that was upon him, and not by his baptism in water, therefore, as the time drew near that he must enter, thus anointed, upon his public ministry, it behoved him first to submit to John's baptism, that all things might be done in proper season, and foL low in regular succession, one after another.
The Almighty had given John beforehand to understand, that he on whom he should see the Holy Ghost not only descending, but also remaining on him, " the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost," John i. 33. Thus was the descent and abiding of the Holy Ghost, even on our Lord himself, pointed out as that which alone could qualify to baptize others with it; and it will hold good of all his disciples and ministers to the world's end. Therefore they have his promise to be with them by his spirit, the Holy Ghost, in the execution of his great commission, to baptize into the divine name and power of Father, Son, &c. And as all sent by him to baptize with the Holy Ghost must be first so baptized themselves, he sat the glorious example. And when he came afterwards to send them forth in the great work of baptizing, he declared with divine propriety, " as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you." And shewing plainly how that was, he " breathed on them, and saith unto them, receive ye the Holy Ghost/' John xx. 21, 22. See how exactly he sent them to baptize, &c. as his Father sent him. His Father, sending him to baptize "with the Holy Ghost, breathed it, or caused it to descend ziv\ abide upon him. This proved and proclaimed him to be the baptizer with it ; he sending his servants to baptize with the same baptism, breathed on them , that they might receive a measure of the qualification as he received of his Father. And this was truly necessary —the same work requires the same qualifications — " he that believeth on me," (says Christ) " the works that I do, shall he do also," John xiv. i2.
He was not baptized with water, to qualify him so to baptize others ; for he baptized none in water; the work which he did in baptism, was inward, and with the Holy Ghost— the spiritual purifying fire of the Lord. He did not breathe on his disciples, and baptize them with the Holy Ghost, to qualify them to baptize others in water ; that had not been sending them as his father sent him: it had not been sending them, nor enabling them to do the same work, and baptize with the same baptism, as he did. Had he, after breathing on them, sent them, qualified with the Holy Ghost, to baptize with a mere element, it had been very different from his Father's sending him in the power and baptism of the Holy Ghost, to baptize others with the same. And as their qualification to administer his spiritual baptism was that of the Holy Ghost, coming upon them; so, in his own case, the descent and abiding thereof upon him was the very thing made use of by the wisdom of God, whereby to manifest him more clearly unto John as the gospel baptizer. Seeing, therefore, this bis qualification for baptizing with hisowngreat gospel baptism, which is after and superior to all signs, must be received from on high, before he began that glorious gospel ministry, which is also without signs, it was, as before noted, necessary for him previously to submit to that baptism, which being but a sign, was to decrease and end in the substance, which the sign pointed to — Hence the necessity of his waiting till John had first baptized many of the people, borne testimony to one coming after him, and turned their minds to the necessity of his more spiritual and refining baptism.— And hence also the necessity of his receiving that baptism which was only in the sign, and to vanish as the substance was experienced ; not after, but before he received that descent and abiding of the Holy Ghost upon him, which pointed him out as the great administrator of that baptism which, in the very order of things, is after that which is but a shadow of the good things to come, Thus the type was kept in its time and place ; before, not after, the antitype.
But bad not Christ's baptism in the type, to fulfil it, as a thing ending in the antitype, been preposterous, had it been after his glorious antitypical baptism and anointing, by the descent and abiding of the Holy Ghost upon him?— This being the case, there is evidently a very beautiful display of wisdom and propriety in our Lord's answer to John, when John forbade him. Indeed every part of it, to me, seems full of divine instruction. It satisfied John, and removed all his scruples; for though he did not at first know that Jesus must be baptized, as well as circumcised, in the figure, and submit to the other figurative institutions of the law, in order to fulfil all the figurative or typical righteousness of the several dispensations preceding the gospel ; yet he seems well to have known that his baptism_ must vanish and decrease, as being in its nature outward, and in its design but preparatory to Christ's. Hence, says he, " he must increase, but I must decrease," John iii. 30. " I indeed baptize you with water, but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost? verse 11. And thus, knowing the preparatory, decreasing and terminating nature and design of water baptism, what further he wanted to know, to induce him to baptize our Lord, was, that in order properly to decrease and fulfil what he already knew must decrease and be fulfilled, the Lord of life and glory mus stoop to it himself; and therefore, as soon as the blessed Jesus had convinced liim of this, he readily, without more ado, baptized him.— And of this our Lord's answer at once convinced him, it being full to the purpose. Let us trace it.
The very first word is instructive. " Suffer it to be so." Mat. iii. 15, as if he bad said— I indeed have no need of it, no sin to repent of— nor do I wish it done to manifest me to myself '; it is not at ail of necessity to me in this sense; thou, John, art therefore rather to suffer it, than administer it as thou dost to others, to teach them their necessity of a thorough cleansing, and turn their minds to me and my baptism, which alone can effect it— Tt is true, as thou art sensible, this is not my baptism, nor any part of my gospel dispensation : mine, all have need of; thou art right in saying thou thyself hast need to be baptized of me. And as mine is the alone gospel baptism, it is not strange that thou admirest at my submitting to that of water; for truly it would be highly contrary to the purity and simplicity of my gospel, to perpetuate any ceremonial observances under the full sun* shine thereof: but this is by no means my intention, but directly the reverse; I do it on purpose Xo fulfil outside things, and make way for me to introduce, and publish to the world, that gospel which is after, and to end all types and shadows:. and which, for that verv reason, I
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