I. THAT Matth. 28.19. Go ye therefore and Teach all Nati­ons, Baptizing (or Dipping) them into the Name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost, contains no Institution of Baptizing with Water; but only a singular Commission to the Eleven Apostles, and that with them it ended. There is a great deal of Difference be­tween an Institution, and a Commission: The first is of a General Import, and in­cludes all the Orders of the Persons inclu­ded in it, thro' all Successions of Times. Whereas, a Commission is only a Special Order, to some particular Persons, and ends [Page 8]at some special period of Time, according to the Will of him who Gives or Grants it; but at farthest, if not revok'd, never goes beyond the term of Life. This clear­ly appears from the Words of the Apostle Paul, 1 Cor. 1.14, and 17. who says, He was not sent to Baptize, but to Preach the Gospel; by which it appears, that not be­ing included in the Admonition of Matth. 28.19. That it was no Institution to de­scend to the Successors of the Apostles, but only a singular Commission to them, for some Special Purpose and Intention of the Holy Ghost, and that with them it ended; for that it did not descend, nor was continued to the thirteenth Apostle, that great Apostle Paul.

II. The Reason I render for this, is, Be­cause if it had been a real Institution of the Ordinance of Baptism to the whole Church of God, and to the Successors of the Apostles, that then it would have in­cluded in it the Thirteenth Apostle, even that great Apostle Paul. But he declares, in 1 Cor. 1.14, 15, 16, 17. That he was not sent to Baptize, but to Preach the Gos­pel; and he thanks God that he had Bap­zed no more than Crispus and Gaius, and the Houshold of Stephanus; besides whom, [Page 9]he knew not, whether he had Baptized any more. If he was included in the Admonition of Matth. 28.19. then he was sent to Baptize, as well as to Preach the Gospel, and so prevaricated, and seems to speak that which was not true: But if he was not included in it, as his own words, I think, do sufficiently inculcate; then it is as clear as the Day, that the Admonition was no Institution of the Ordinance of Baptism, nor included in it, any of the Successors of the Apostle, no, not those that immediately followed them; but was only a Commission to the Eleven, which ended with their Service.

III. Moreover, If Baptism with Water had been an Ordinance of Jesus Christ, then the Apostle Paul ought not to have declined the Use of it, but to have esta­blished it, to all its Intentions and Purposes: But he is so far from that, that having Baptized some few Persons, he abso­utely gives it over, and thanks God, that he had Baptized no more. If you ob­ject, that That was by reason of the abuse of the Ordinance, so called, and the ill use which some made of it, as setting up for Heads of Factions, and Parties, &c. I say, This is so far from being an Objection, [Page 10]that it on the contrary establishes Our Judg­ment: For the Apostle in this Case, ought not to have rejected, and bid a Farewel to the Ordinance, but rather Corrected the Error in Administring it, confirmed them in the Use of it, and continued the Practice thereof; whereas it is clear, that he did the just contrary. And if he had ever done or practised it afterwards, he had then plainly been faulty against his own Rule, in Gal. 2.18. where he says, If I build again the things which I destroyed, I make my self a Transgressor.

IV. If it is objected, That then the Apo­stle must Baptize without any Authority, and so be an ill Example, which in so great a Man as he was, might be esteemed al­most Criminal, and going beyond his Com­mission; which for the Honour of his Apo­stleship, none ought to think. To this I Answer, That he knew his Freedom and Liberty in the Lord: That where any Rite or Ceremony was of Service to Christ, he could use it; and when it might become unserviceable, disuse it again: And so, tho' he declared, that if they were Circum­cised, Christ should profit them nothing; yet when he found it of use, he could Cir­cumcise Timothy, Acts 16.3. And this, [Page 11] because of the Jews, which were in those Quarters; viz. because of their Weakness, that he might not drive them off from Christ: And yet I hope, that no Man will imagine, that Paul was sent to Cir­cumcise. But all this was to shew, that tho' he was Free, 1 Cor. 9.19, 20, 21, 22. yet he made himself Servant unto all, that he might gain the more: To the Jews, he became a Jew; to them under the Law, as under the Law; to them without Law, as without Law, that he might gain some of each: And therefore in Condescension to their Weakness, he became Weak with the Weak, that he might gain the Weak, &c.

V. Now if the Apostle Paul could not pretend to a Commission or Power to Bap­tize with Water, as not being included in the Commission of Matth. 28.19. It is manifest, that no other, pretending to be a Minister of Jesus Christ, can pretend to the same: If he does, he ought to shew some extraordinary Demonstration, that he has received such a special Authority for the Practice and Use thereof: If he does not, Why may I not call it, with the Apo­stle Paul, Col. 2.22. a Shew of Wisdom in Will-Worship, Humility, &c? If so great a Man, as the Apostle Paul, would not pre­tend [Page 12]to such an Authority from the Com­mission in Matth. 28.19. I can never be­lieve, that any of those who came after the Apostles, much less of our Inferiour Priests, have such an Authority delegated to them from Christ, unless they confirm such their Delegation by Miracles.

VI. You may Query then, Did the Apo­stle Paul deny Baptism? I Answer, No: He owned the Baptism of Christ, and preached it up, and that it is but One, Eph. 4.4, 5, 6. There is One Body, and One Spirit, even as ye are called in One Hope of your Calling; One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism, One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all: So that you see, that as he will have but One Body, One Spi­rit, One Hope, One Lord, One Faith, One God, so he will have but One Baptism: And since he will have but One Baptism, confor­mable to all the other Things, let us en­quire what this Baptism must be. It cannot be that of Water, for that he has declined, and also disused: And in 1 Cor. 1.14, 15, 16, 17. tells us plainly, That he was not sent to Bap­tize, i. e. with Water, but to Preach the Gospel; and thanks God that he had Baptized so few Persons as he had done. You may then ask, What is the Baptism which this great [Page 13]Apostle owns, or would Inculcate and plead for? I answer, That as he would have but One, so that One Baptism is the Baptism of the Spirit, as he himself declares, 1 Cor. 12.13. For by One Spirit (says he) We are Baptized into One Body, whether We be Jews or Gentiles, whether We be Bond or Free; and have been all made to Drink into One Spirit. By Drinking into One Spirit, I understand an Immerging or Dipping into that Spirit, in the Love of it: By the Word Body, I understand the Universal Church of Christ, the Congregation of the Faithful; into which Body or Congrega­tion, both Jews and Gentiles, Bond and Free, are brought and incorporated, by this Apo­stolical and Spiritual Baptism, and by no other means.

VII. That this Spiritual Baptism is the Only Baptism of Christ, we prove from Acts 1.4, 5. Where Christ himself advi­ses the Apostles, That they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the Promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me: For John truly Baptized with Water; but ye shall be Baptized with the Holy Ghost— By which it plainly appears, that the Bap­tism of Water, was truly, and only, John's Baptism; and that the Baptism of Christ, [Page 14]was only that of the Spirit. This is evi­dently proved in the Succeeding Practi­ces of the Apostles, even by that of Peter, who was the greatest Man of the Apostles in the Water-Baptism: For says Peter, Acts 11.15, 16. And as I began to speak, the Holy Ghost fell on them, as on us at the be­ginning: Then (says he) remembred I the Word of the Lord; how that he said, John indeed Baptized with Water, but ye shall be Baptized with the Holy Ghost. How clear a Demonstration is this!

VIII. If any one shall Object, That this same Apostle Peter, did yet afterward Bap­tize with Water, those very numerical Per­sons, who had before received the Holy Ghost, as appears in Acts 10.47, 48. To this We Answer, That no doubt the Apo­stle Peter knew, as well as Paul, how to condescend to the present Weakness of his People, and therefore he did it by way of Query, Can any Man (says he) forbid Wa­ter, that these should not be Baptized, which have receiv'd the Holy Ghost as well as We? By which Query, it evidently appears, that there was at that time, even in those early days, some Dispute concerning the Ceremony of Water-Baptism: And when he comes in Acts 11.15, 16. to make a Repetition of [Page 15]the same thing again, he only reminds them of the Baptism of the Holy Ghost, as being the only and material thing, and leaves out (not so much as in the least mentioning of it) the Baptism with Water: But calling more especially to mind the Saying of our Lord, inculcates to them, That Baptism with Water, was only John's Baptism.

IX. And who can deny, that this very Action of the Apostle Peter, being done by him among the Gentiles, might be one of those things, for which the Apostle Paul reproved him, and withstood him to his Face? Gal. 2.11. Baptism with Water be­ing an Ordinance of John's, and Used a­mong the Jews: Whereas here he Pra­cticed it among and upon the Gentiles: And why (says Paul in Gal. 2.14.) did he permit the Gentiles to do as do the Jews? But this mighty Apostle Peter, writing af­terwards to the Gentiles, came to teach them another Lesson, and tells them in plain Words, what the true Baptism is, 1 Pet. 3.21. The like unto which Figure (speaking of the Drowning of the World in the Days of Noah) even Baptism doth also now save us; not the putting away the filth of the Flesh (which External Water [Page 16]does) but the Answer of a good Conscience towards God, by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. He calls Water, or the Drown­ing of the World by Water, the Type or Figure, to which the true Baptism, viz. The Answer of a good Conscience to­wards God, does Answer; and tells us, that it saves us; which all the Bap­tisms with Water can never do; for how many Thousands, yea how many Millions have submitted to that, and have perish­ed? So that we may say, as the Apostle Paul did, concerning Circumcision, Gal. 6.15. That in Christ Jesus as neither Circum­cision nor Ʋncircumcision availeth any thing, but a New Creature; So, neither does being Baptized with Water, nor being Unbap­tized with Water, avail any thing, but good Works unto Holiness of Life.

X. Moreover, he who was the princi­pal Administrator of Water-Baptism, was John the Baptist, and yet he himself came to see the Declension and End thereof, from the Prophetick sight of what was afterwards to come; the Lamb of God be­ing revealed to him, as he was to other Prophets, and that he himself was but the Fore-runner of the Messiah, which was the Christ, of whose Kingdom there should be [Page 17]end: And therefore he thus declared of himself, and of his Baptism; Matth. 3.11. speaking of Jesus, he said, I indeed Baptize you with Water unto Repentance; but he that cometh after me, is mightier than I, whose Shoes I am not worthy to bear, he shall Bap­tize you with the Holy Ghost and with Fire. And John 3.30. (says John) He must Increase, but I must Decrease. By this I understand, that the Administration of John, which was Water-Baptism, he fore-saw by the Spirit, should Decline, Decrease, and Pass away; in the room of which, he fore-saw likewise, by the same Spirit of Prophecy, that the Administrati­on of Christ should Come, Increase, and take Place, through all Ages, which was the Baptism of the Spirit.

XI. If it is objected, That Christ and his Disciples Baptized with Water. To this I Answer: That Christ himself Bap­tized none, though his Disciples did: But the Obligation he was Born under, was, to fulfil the Law, for he was Born under the Law, and therefore he could not di­spence with the breaking or rejecting of it; no not in his own Person, without becom­ing a Transgressor, and so would have [...]ustly lain Obnoxious to the Punishment of [Page 18]it: But he was so far from it, that he told the People, That the Scribes and Pharisees sat in Moses Seat; and said to them, Do what they say, but not as they do, Matth. 23.2, 3. He also declared, that He came not to break the Law or the Prophets, but to fulfil them, and that not one jot or tittle of the Law should pass away, till all should be ful­filled, Matth. 5.17, 18. Now whether Baptism with Water was an Ordinance of Moses (as the Jews in their Traditions af­firm) or not, it matters not much, tho' there were divers Baptisms under the Law, as the Apostle to the Hebrews witnesses, [...]. Solumodò in Cibis, & potibus, & variis Baptismatibus, & justitiis Carnis, usque ad tempus correctionis impositis; Which stood only in Meats and Drinks, and divers Baptisms, and Carnal Ordinances, im­posed on them till the time of Reformation, Heb. 9.10. However, as John Baptist was Born under the Law, if his Water-Baptism was Noval, and a peculiar Administration, of which he was to be the chief and prin­cipal Minister; yet it was an Administra­tion under the Law, and he was the Mi­nister, who was appointed to prepare the [Page 19]way to the Coming of the Messiah, as the Prophets foretold, Isa. 40.3. Mal. 4.5. Matth. 11.10. Mark 1.2. Luke 1.76. & 3.4. & 7.27. And if so, it was reason­able that Christ himself should submit to it, as he did to all the rest of the Mosaick Ordinances, and in especial to that of the Passover; and he himself gives the reason for it, Matth. 3.15. For thus it becomes us to fulfil all Righteousness; there being a Righteousness of the Law to be perform'd, by every One that was Born under it, till he was offered up, who was to put a pe­riod to it; and therefore it is to be obser­ved, that our Lord never spake any thing against any of the Ordinances, Rites or Ce­remonies of Moses, whilst he lived upon Earth; nor any other who had an Ad­ministration under the Law (as John Bap­tist had) but himself obediently submited his own Person to the Yoak thereof: And so John's Water-Baptism being an Admi­nistration and Ordinance under the Law, and John being the chief Minister of it, it behoved him who was Born under the Law (as was Christ our Lord) to submit to it, and to receive it even by the Admi­nistration of John.

[Page 20] XII. It is also to be observed, That in those days, wherein the Holy Apostles of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ preach­ed the Gospel, all the then Religious Peo­ple in the World, were under either the Oeconomy of Moses, or the Administration of John the Baptist; and therefore the Wis­dom of God saw it necessary, that the Ministers of this New Religion, in their Promulgation of his New Law, which was the Gospel, or the Message of Peace and Salvation to all Mankind, Should con­descend for some time to the Ignorances, Weaknesses and Prejudices of the then Reli­gious World, least taking a false Scent, they should have spurned at those Ambassadors of Heaven, accounting them as Irreligious and Profane, in perswading to forsake at once, both the Religious Worship of Mo­ses, Instituted by God himself, and the Exemplary Piety of John the Baptist, who called them by Baptism to an Immediate Repentance and Amendment of Life; by which occasion they might have come to Blaspheme, and to be utterly driven off from Christ: To prevent all which, the Wisdom of God saw it necessary to conti­nue for some time, some of those Rites, Ceremonies and Ordinances, to which the [Page 21]People were so extreamly Wedded; and afterwards as they were brought to believe in Christ, and became strong in the Faith, their Eyes being opened to see into the Mystery of Christ's Death and Resurrecti­on; the Apostles of our Lord declined the use of many of those things; and by a gra­dual disuse off them, came at length to leave them off, as plainly appears by what the Apostle Paul has said upon this subject, Eph. 2.15. and Col. 2.14, 20, 22. con­cerning which, we shall speak more fully in what follows.

XII. In the next place, Let us consider how great a Man this Apostle Paul was. I. He was called immediately by Christ from Heaven, Acts 9.4, 5, 6. II. He tells us, in 1 Cor. 2.16. That he had the Mind of Christ: And therefore in disusing and re­jecting Water-Baptism, in Cor. 1.14, ad 17. It is not to be doubted, but that he fully acted according to the Mind of his Master, whose faithful Servant he always approved himself to be. III. He farther tells us, in 2 Cor. 11.5, 22, 23. That he was not a Whit behind the very chiefest Apo­stles; Are they Hebrews? So (says he) am I: Are they the Seed of Abraham? So am I: Are they the Ministers of Christ? I am [Page 22]more. IV. He affirms also, in 2 Cor. 12.11. That in nothing he was behind the very chiefest Apostles. So that he did not account his wanting a Commission or Authority to Baptize with Water, any abatement or lessening of the Power or Honour of his Ministerial Function; but even Vies, in the want of that, with the very chiefest of them; and tells us, in 1 Cor. 2.4, 7, 10. That his Preaching was not with enticing Words of Man's Wisdom, but in demonstrati­on of the Spirit, and of Power: He spake the Wisdom of God in a Mystery, even the hidden Wisdom, which God ordained, before the World, unto our Glory, and which God had revealed unto him by his Spirit. If then this Man was so great an Apostle, and of so much Reputation both with God and Man, Why should we not adhere to his Judgment, and follow his Practice in this pretended Ceremony, rather than to a Suc­cession of Ignorant and Mercenary Priests? Who, as the best of them cannot pretend to his Call, Ordination, nor Gifts, are as much unworthy to wait upon him, to bring his Cloak, which he left at Troas, and his Books and Parchments after him.

[Page 23] XIV. But to proceed, This great Apostle, almost every where declares himself against Ordinances, Rites and Ceremonies; yea, tho' they had a seeming shew of Sanctity in them, a Shew of Wisdom in Will-Worship, Humility, Mortification, &c. in Eph. 2.15. he says, Having abolished in his Flesh, the Enmity, even the Law of Commandments, con­tained in Ordinances; he made in himself, of twain, One New Man, so making Peace. That is, Christ by his coming in the Flesh, and offering himself up for us, so fulfilled the Law, as to put a period to all the Rites and Ceremonial Worship of it, and abolished the Law of Commandments con­tained in Ordinances, and so thereby esta­blished his Gospel-Worship; which was a Worship only in Spirit and in Truth, as himself has said, John 4.23, 24. But the Hour comes, and now is, when the true Wor­shippers shall Worship the Father in Spirit and in Truth; For the Father seeketh such to Worship him: God is a Spirit, and they that Worship him, must Worship him in Spi­rit, and in Truth. And this Spiritual Worship seems to be the Only acceptable Worship, seeing the Apostle has plainly told us, 2 Cor. 5.5. That God has given unto us the Earnest of the Spirit. And [Page 24]1 Cor. 12.7, and 13. The Manifestation of the Spirit is given to every one to profit with­all: For to one is given, by the Spirit, the Word of Wisdom: To another, the Word of Knowledge, by the same Spirit: To another, the Gift of Healing, by the same Spirit: To another, the working of Miracles: To another, Prophecie: To another, the discerning of Spi­rits: To another, divers kinds of Tongues: To another, the Interpretation of Tongues: Now all these things works that one and the self-same Spirit, dividing to every Man se­verally as it will: For by one Spirit we are all baptized into one Body.

XV. But to this purpose the Apostle speaks yet more fully in Col. 2.14, 20, 21, 22. where speaking of Christ Jesus, he says, Blotting out the Hand-writing of Or­dinances, which was against us, which was contrary unto us, He took it out of the Way, Nailing it to his Cross. Wherefore, if you be Dead with Christ, from the Rudiments of the World; Why, as living in the World, are ye subject to Ordinances? Touch not, taste not, handle not; which are all to pe­rish with the using, after the Commandments and Doctrines of Men? Which things have indeed a show of Wisdom, in Will-Worship, Humility, neglecting of the Body, and not in [Page 25]any honour to the satisfying of the Flesh. This great Man could hardly speak any thing of Rites and Ceremonies, without in­veighing against them; speaking in Phil. 3.3. of Circumcision, he saith, We are the Circumcision, who Worship God in Spirit, and Rejoyce in Christ Jesus, and have no Confi­dence in the Flesh. He who Worships God in the Spirit, he is of the Circumcision, though he was never Circumcised in the Fore-skin of his Flesh: And so we may in like manner say of Baptism, He who Worships God in Spirit, is of the true Baptism, tho' he was never Baptized with Water, for he has no confidence in those works of the Flesh. The Rites and Ceremonies of the Law were a Burden, and such a Burden, as says Peter, Acts 15.10. Neither our Fathers nor we were able to bear; And can we believe that Christ came to take away, and ease us of those, and then again to Burthen us with others? But I know the Objection which is usually brought against this place of the Colossians, viz. That he here speaks of the abolishing of the Mosaick or Legal Cere­monies and Ordinances; and not of Gospel Ceremonies and Ordinances. To this we Answer, The Colossians were Gentiles, of the Heathen Religion, and not Jews; and [Page 26]therefore this Discourse could not be ad­dressed to them, as of the Jewish Religi­on, and so could not have that exact ref­ference, as to Jewish Rites and Ordinan­ces: But suppose it was directed as against Jewish Rites and Ordinances, it stands us in no less stead against Baptism, and some other Ordinances of the Christian Church. For in the first place you must then grant, That hereby the whole Oeconomy of the Jewish Church, relating to Rites, Ceremo­nies and Ordinances, are here abolished and taken quite away. Secondly, That if any of those Rites were either retained or used by the Apostles, or their Followers, or any ways brought into the Christian Church, yet they were void in themselves, abolished by the Death of Christ, and not to be con­tinued; but were only introduced for a season, in Condescention to the Jews, and to the Ignorances, Prejudices and Weaknesses of the then Religious World, and are only so to be considered, viz. That they might not be driven off from Christ.

XVI. From this place of Scripture then we observe, 1. That this Discourse was directed against certain Ceremonies and Ordinances used and practised in the Chri­stian Church of the Colossians; and this is [Page 27]manifest because the Epistle it self is direct­ed and addressed to that particular Church. 2. That the Ceremonies and Ordinances were such as were Inculcated by these three Propositions, Touch not, taste not, handle not: These three things had a rela­lation to Ordinances, for they are a conse­quence to these Words, Why, as living in the World, are ye Subject to Ordinances? 3. These Ordinances, be they what they will, were such as were used in a Religious way of Worship, because, says the Apostle in the following verse, They had indeed a shew of Wisdom in Will-Worship, Humility, Mor­tification, &c. And why a shew of Wisdom? Because of the Piety pretended to be in them, leading to Humility, Mortification, viz. a neglecting of the Body, without any honour as to the Satisfying of the Flesh; which, in my Opinion, is a great degree of Mortification: And why in Will-Worship? Because they were after the Commandments and Doctrines of Men; and used as a part of their Religious Worship and Devotion: But now let these be what they will, Christ Jesus our Lord has nailed them to his Cross, viz. dispoiled them, abolished, and utterly undone them for ever.

[Page 28] XVII. The next thing which we are to inquire into, is, What these Ordinances were, which being yet used or retained in the Churches of Christ, were thus abolish­ed? Truly this is to be understood or learn­ed from these words, Touch not, taste not, handle not: And in considering of them, we must consider what they are Inferences from, that we may find out their Root. Now in thinking upon this, it is manifest, that for the reasons afore-mentioned, of Ig­norance, Weakness and Prejudice, the Apo­stles had condescended to some Jewish Rites, which had their prevalence under the Law, as those of Baptism with Water, The Passover, and The Imposition or laying on of Hands. That Baptism was a Jewish Rite, is evident from Scripture; the Apo­stle to the Hebrews, Heb. 9.10. tells us, that that there were divers Baptisms which were imposed upon them until the time of Re­formation. And it seems to me that John's Baptism was only a revival of some One of those, which by disusing was become ob­solete, but however, whether it was so or not, John's Baptism was a Ceremony under the Law, because Christ was not yet of­fered up. The Passoveer was another Or­dinance, which by Condescention came [Page 29]into the Church, whence came the Eating and Drinking in remembrance of Christ; and because Christ did this in obedience to the Law, to fulfill the Righteousness of it, and that at his last Supper; therefore, for the Weakness of some, it was admitted, and in after-times called The Lord's Supper, of which we have not time to speak in this place. The Imposition or Laying on of hands, was another Jewish Ceremony derived from Moses, and without doubt practised in the Jewish Church, when they chose the Members of their Sanhedrim. The Spirit of Wisdom was given to Joshua, by the laying on of the hads of Moses upon him; Deut. 34.9. And Joshua the Son of Nun was full of the Spirit of Wisdom, for Moses had laid his hands upon him. Israel also stretch­ed out his hands, and laid them upon the Heads of Joseph's Children, Ephraim and Mannasseth, in blessing them, Gen. 48.14. And in like manner the Holy Ghost was given by the laying on the hands of the Apostles, Acts 6.6. & 8.18. & 9.17. 2 Tim. 1.6. This Mosaic Ceremony was indulged to the Apostles, who had thereby the Pow­er to give the Holy Ghost; but with them that Gift ceased; and when that ceased, the Apostle, through the Wisdom which [Page 30]was given to him (having also the Mind of Christ) thought fit that the Ce­remony should also cease: Therefore, when he said, Touch not, it had respect to Water-Baptism, that he would have them to be so far from Dipping in the Water, i. e. be­ing Baptized with it, that he would not have them so much as to touch it. When he said, Taste not, it had respect to the Passover, which in our day they call The Lord's Supper; being a mere Jewish Rite brought into the Christian Church, from our Lord's eating it, which he was obli­ged to do (being Born under the Law) upon the pains of Disobedience. This the Apostle was so far from having to be con­tinued or eaten, that he would not have them so much as to Taste it. When he said Handle not, without doubt it had re­spect to that Mosaick or Jewish Rite, of Im­position or Laying on of Hands: For though it was Proper, Just, and a Duty in them; the Apostles of our Lord, who had the Gift of the Holy Ghost; yet to those in after-times, who should not have that Gift, it would be only a piece of Mockery, or Pageantry at best: And therefore fore­seeing by the Spirit of Prophecy, either that the Apostacy from that Spirit and [Page 31]Power should come in, and over-run the World; or that the Gift should cease in their Persons, the Apostle fore-warned them there of, and perswaded its disuse, in these words, Hand not, or as it is in our Translation, Handle not.

XVIII. This Explication of Touch not, taste not, handle not, seems to me to be the natural Sense of the words; if it be not, it is very doubtful what the meaning of them can be: Without doubt they refer­red to such a number, or at least to three Rites, Ceremonies or Ordinances, then brought in by the Teachers, into the Christian-Church; and if so, these Ordinances were Originally either Jewish, or Christian Rites: But let them be which they will, the Spirit and Power in the Administrators ceasing, the Apostle was for having the Rites or Ordinances themselves to cease; and there­fore here, in the aforegoing Text, explodes them to the last degree. I know it must be left to every individual Man's thoughts, to be satisfied in himself, what three seve­ral Ordinances, those three several Propo­sitions must relate to; as to my own par­ticular, I have pondered it in my Mind for a long time, without a Spirit of Prejudice, but with a sincere desire of being satisfied [Page 32]concerning the same; but cannot after a very long season of consideration, and all my thinking of it, find any Ceremonies to which those three Propositions so naturally refer, as to Water-Baptism, The Supper, and Imposition of Hands: If any Man can shew me something more Probable and Rational, I shall be glad to receive it. I suppose my self to be a Rational Man, and therefore would no more impose upon another's Un­derstanding, than I would be imposed up­on; but must declare, If what I have said here, be not the Apostle's sense, That I am totally Ignorant of it: Thus much I thought good to say concerning Water-Baptism, which I have levelled to the meanest Ap­prehension; and I hope by what is here spoken, have Elucidated the matter, to a full understanding of the Truth, which I pray the God and Father of Our Lord Je­sus Christ, to make as beneficial to others, as it has been satisfactory to my self. If it profits the unprejudiced Seeker after Truth, I have my design; if not, I have cast my Bread upon the Waters, which after many Days I hope I shall find again.