19 very reason to think : but water and fire in each place, added to the Spirit, shew only the efficacy of the Spirit; and so you may as well bring in the use of material fire in baptism, from the text in Matthew, as of material water from the text in John. So that this place in John, proves no authority of Christ for water baptism in his kingdom, which is the church of the New Testament. Now the other place, Mat. xxviii. 19, “ Go ye and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit,” is also of as little force as the former, to prove water baptism to be an institution of Christ. Indeed I find, that where- ever men have met with the words baptism or baptize in the Scriptures, presently their thoughts have descended to material water; they not so well considering or understanding that water which is the Spirit, which is the only water that performs all the baptism in the kingdom of God. Now for that place, “ Go teach all nations, baptizing them,” they understand it thus : teach them and baptize them with material water, using this form of words, “ I baptize thee in the name of the Father,” &c. But herein they err from the mind of Christ: for by these words Christ leads his disciples from John’s baptism to his own; as if he had said, John indeed baptized with water, and ye have hitherto used his baptism, but I shall now shortly baptize you with my own baptism of the Spirit; and from that time I would have you go teach all nations, and by the ministration of the Spirit, not baptize them, or dip them in cold water, (as John did in his own baptism, and you in his) but baptize them, or dip them into the name of God the Father, Son and Spirit; and note, that he saith not here duim e» t<v 6vo/xa7i, in the name, but to 0^2, into the name of the Father, &c. and by the name of God, is meant the power and virtue of God, or God himself, as Mark xvi. Christ saith, “ In my name they shall cast out devils that is, in my power and virtue ; so that the sense lies thus, Teach the nations, and baptize them into the name, &c. that is, by your ministry, which shall be of the Spirit, and not of the letter, you shall baptize them, or dip them, or inter
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