Gold refin'd, or, Baptism in its primitive purity proving baptism in water an holy institution of Jesus Christ ... : wherein it is clearly evinced that baptism ... is immersion, or dipping the whole body, &c : also that believers are only the true subjects (and not infants) of that holy sacrament : likewise Mr. Smythies arguments for infant-baptism in his late book entitled, The non-communicant ... fully answered / by Benj. Keach ...

CHAP. V. Proving Baptism to be Immerging or Dip∣ping, from those Typical and Metapho∣rical Baptisms spoken of in Scripture. (Book 5)

THat we might remove every stumbling-block out of the way, if possible, we shall shew you what those Metaphorical Baptisms spoken of in the Scripture do hold forth.

1. We read of the Baptism of Afflictions or Sufferings,* 1.1 Mat. 20. 22, 23. Mark 10. 38. Luk. 12. 50. I have a Baptism to be baptized with, and how am I straitned till it be accomplished! From the literal Signification of the word Baptizo, viz. drown, immerge, plunge under, overwhelm, great Afflictions come to be called Baptism, and signi∣fies, as Vo••lius shews, not every light Affliction, but that which is vehement and overwhelming, as there are Waves of Persecution and Tribulation mention'd in Scripture; so such as are drown'd and overwhelm'd by them may seem in a my∣stical way to be baptized; the reason of the Metaphor is taken from many deep Waters to which Calamities are compared; He drew me out of great Waters, saith David, Psal. 32. 6. I am come into deep Waters where the Floods over∣flow me, Psal. 69. 1, 2. and hence great Afflicti∣ons are called Waves, or compared to the Waves of the Sea that overflow, T••y Waves and thy Billows are gone over me, Psal. 42. 7. Christ spake of his Suffering, who was as it were

drowned, or drenched, or overwhelmed in Mi∣sery, no part free: every Suffering is not the Baptism of Suffering, but great and deep Afflicti∣ons, suffering unto Blood and Death, in opposi∣tion to a lesser degree or measure of them, being dipp'd and plunged into Afflictions.

Mr. Wilson on the Baptism of Affliction renders it to plunge into Afflictions or Dangers as it were, saith he, into deep Waters; so that it appears also from this Metaphorical Notion of Baptism, to baptize is to dip, or overwhelm, or cover the Body in Water.* 1.2 See what our last and best Annotators positively affirm on Matth. 20. 22. To be baptized, is to be dipped in Water, say they, Metaphorically; to be plunged in A••flictions. I am, saith Christ, to be baptized with Blood, overwhelmed with Sufferings and Afflictions; are you able so to be? &c.

2. We read of the Baptism of the Holy Ghost and Fire:* 1.3 I indeed baptize you with Water, saith John, but he shall baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with Fire. Now the Question is, What we are to understand to be meant by the Bap∣tism of the Holy Ghost? whether the sanctifying Gifts and Graces of the Spirit are intended hereby, which all the Godly receive? or those extraordinary Gifts or miraculous Effusions of the Holy Ghost only, which many received in the Primitive Times?

I know some are ready to make use of the Baptism of the Spirit to justify their Rite of Sprinkling or Pouring, because God is said to pour the Spirit upon his People, and to sprinkle them with clean Water, which we do grant does intend the Graces of the Holy Spirit.

But certainly if they did consider the ground and reason why Persons were said to be bap∣tized with the Spirit, they would soon perceive this Argument would utterly fail them likewise, or stand them in no stead.

For we do affirm that every Believer who hath the Holy Spirit,* 1.4 cannot be said to be bap∣tized with the Spirit; like as every one that is under Afflictions and Sufferings, cannot be said to be baptized with Sufferings, as we have shewed.

But in the first place, it is necessary to under∣stand the difference between the Baptism com∣manded and the Baptism promised; the Baptism commanded is that of Water, the Baptism pro∣mised was that of the Spirit. Our Saviour after his Resurrection gave forth his Commission to his Disciples, to teach and baptize, and then being assembled together with them,* 1.5 commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait fo•• the Promise of the Father, which, said he, ye ha•••• heard of me, Acts 1. 4. What was that? why 'tis exprest in the fifth Verse, Ye shall be baptiz'd with the Holy Ghost not many days hence; and this was made good to them on the day of Pentecost, Acts 2. 1, 2 3. which was no other than the Spirit in an extraordinary manner, or the miraculous Gifts thereof; these the Apostles and believing Jews received first, and in the tenth Chapter of the Acts the same extraordina∣ry Gifts,* 1.6 or Baptism of the Spirit, the believing Gentiles received, I mean Cornelius, and those with him, for they spoke with Tongues and magni∣fied God: and Peter saith, Chap. 11. And as I spake unto them, the Holy Ghost fell on them, as on us at the first; then, saith he, I remembred the word, &c. Ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost, ver. 15, 16.

Now no other Gifts of the Spirit than these great, and extraordinary, and miraculous Ef∣fusions of the Spirit we do conclude is or can be intended or meant by the Baptism of the Holy Ghost. And that you may see we are not alone in this Opinion, see what Dr. Du Veil saith on Acts 1. 4, 5. shall be baptized,* 1.7 the Greek word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, says Casaubon, is to dip or plunge, as if it were to dye Colours; in which sense, saith he, the Apostles might be truly said to have been baptized; for the House in which this was done was filled with the Holy Ghost; so that the Apostles might seem to have been plunged into it, as in a large Fish-Pond.

Hence Oecumenius on Acts 2. saith,* 1.8 a Wind fill'd the whole House, that it seem'd like a Fish-pond, because it was promised to the Apostles, that they should be baptized with the Holy Ghost.

To the same effect,* 1.9 saith another, as is noted in our Book of Metaphors, Baptism is put for the miraculous Effusion of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles, and other Believers in the Primi∣tive Church, because of the Analogical Immer∣sion or Dipping, for so Baptizo signifies; for the House where the Holy Spirit came upon the Apostles was so filled that they were (as it were) drowned in it; or the reason of the Me∣taphor saith he may be from the great plenty and abundance of those Gifts in which they were wholly immerg'd, as the Baptized are dipp'd under Water.

And it appears by what Mr. Del••un hath written and translated out of Tropical Writers,* 1.10 that Glassius and others assert the same things.

And so likewise Mr. Gosnold,* 1.11 a worthy and learned Man, understood it, speaking of those

Scriptures; We have here cited, saith he, these places diligently compared together, evidently shew that the Baptism of the Spirit is a distinct Baptism from that of Water, and hath no Re∣ference at all to the inward sanctifying Graces of the Spirit; but notes out the most extraor∣dinary Gifts of the Spirit that ever were given to the Sons of Men, therefore called the Bap∣tism of the Spirit.

Object. But yet this Baptism however was by a pouring forth of the Spirit, and why may not Baptism be administred so?

Answ. 'Tis evident 'twas not by a sprinkling or dropping of the Spirit, and therefore no ways for your turn; and though it was by a pouring out, or a pouring forth of the Spirit, yet in such sort that the House in which they were is said to be filled, and so they immerg'd or baptized with it: But however, all confess this was but a Metaphorical Baptism, and there∣fore your Argument from hence at best is but far fetched, and signifies nothing, for 'tis a strange way to go to the Metaphorical Notion of a word to prove a Practice that is contrary to the literal and proper Signification thereof. Moreover, if this be granted which we have hinted here, it may serve to detect the Error of some Men who own no other Baptism than that of the Spirit, and think that the ordinary Gifts and Graces of the Spirit is the Baptism of the Spirit, which there is no ground, as I can see, to believe; nor was there any other Baptism to continue to the end of the World, but that of Water without doubt, sith the Baptism of the Holy Spirit was given only to the Apostles and Saints in the Primitive Time for the Confirmation of the Gosp••l, as these

Scriptures shew, Mark 16. 16, 17, 18, 20. Heb. 2. 3, 4. Therefore let such take care who say they have the true Baptism, and are baptized with the Spirit, left they are found Liars, and to be indeed without any Baptism at all; for though the Saints before that great Effusion of the Spirit, nay before Christ was manifested in the Flesh, had the Holy Spirit, and some of them in a glorious manner; yet, as some learned Men observe, they were not said to be baptized with it: so likewise Believers in these days have the Spirit of Christ in the ordinary Gifts and Graces thereof, yea and the Promise of Christ is, that the Blessed Spirit the Comforter shall abide with us for ever, yet are not we, nor any now baptized with it, nor have any (as I humbly conceive) since those miraculous and extraordinary Gifts ceased in the Church.

Thirdly, There is another Typical or Metapho∣rical Baptism spoken of, viz. the Children of Is∣rael, or the Fathers are said to be baptized to Moses in the Cloud, and in the Sea, 1 Cor. 10. Some have of late intimated, That the Rain that fell from the Cloud, sprinkled them as they past through the Sea, and from hence would have Baptism to be Sprinkling: Truly, if that was a Baptism, viz. it raining upon them, the Peo∣ple may save their Mony, and never go to Priest ••or Minister more to Christen their Children, for 'tis but to carry them abroad when it rains, and they will be so baptized; and it will be as true a Baptism, no doubt: for the using the Name of the Father, &c. doth not make Baptism, though true Baptism cann't be warrantably administred without mentioning the Names of the Sacred Trinity. But we must conclude, there was some∣thing else than that which these Men suppose in

that Case, which caused the Apostle to say, Our Fathers were baptized unto Moses, in the Cloud, and in the Sea. It was doubtless a Type and plain Fi∣gure of Gospel-dipping, or burying in Water; for they were overwhelmed, 'tis evident, as it were, in the Cloud, and in the Sea.

And we must give our late Annotators their due at this turn also,* 1.12 for they speak much the sense of the Spirit of God in that place; pray take their own words, after they have gi∣ven the sense of divers Learned Men upon the Text; this they fix upon us to be most probably the meaning of the Scripture;

Others, say they, most probably think, that the Apostle maketh use of this term, in regard of the great Analogy betwixt Baptism, (as it was then used) the Persons going down into the Waters, being dipped in them; and the Isra∣elites going down into the Sea, the great Re∣ceptacle of Water, though the Waters at that time were gathered on heaps on either side of them; yet they seemed buried in the Waters, as Persons in that Age were when they were baptized.

—A very plain Figure doubtless, they having the Water on each side of them; and to which they might have added, the Wa∣tery Cloud over them, whether it broke down upon them or no, they were, as it were, buried in the Cloud and in the Sea; so that this Notion of Typical Baptism makes nothing for Sprink∣ling.

And thus we hope we have fully evinced, and clearly proved, to all unbyass'd Men, what Bap∣tism is you have heard.

First, It is immerging, or dipping into the Water, from the proper, literal, and genuine signification of the word Baptizo.

Secondly, From the manner of Baptizing in the Primitive Times.

Thirdly, From the Spiritual Signification of the Holy Ordinances of Baptism, together with the great Design and End of Christ in the Institution of it.

Fourthly and lastly, From the Typical and Me∣taphorical Baptisms we read of in the Scrip∣tures. We shall now proceed to speak of the Persons who are the true Subjects of Baptism in the next place.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Woy great Afflictions are called Baptism.
• * 1.2

  See Conti∣nuation of Mr. Pool's Annotat. on Mat. 20. 22▪
• * 1.3

  Mat. 3. 11. Mark 1. & Luk. 3. 16.
• * 1.4

  What it is to be bap∣tized with the Spirit.
• * 1.5

  Mat. 28. 20
• * 1.6

  Act. 10. 46.
• * 1.7

  Dr. Du Veil on Act. 1. 4, 5.
• * 1.8

  Oecume∣nius on Acts 2. 2.
• * 1.9

  See Key to open Script. Metaphors, lib. 4. p. 36.
• * 1.10

  Philologia Sacra, p. 190.
• * 1.11

  Treat. of Bapt. p. 62.
• * 1.12

  See Conti∣nuation of M^r. Pool's Annotat. on 1 Cor. 10. 1, 2.