Another point of their Commission, is, to Teach All Nations; as it is in
Mat. 28.19. or as in St. Mark 16.15 "Goe into all the world, and Preach
the Gospel to every creature." Teaching therefore, and Preaching is the
same thing. For they that Proclaim the comming of a King, must withall
make known by what right he commeth, if they mean men shall submit
themselves unto him: As St. Paul did to the Jews of Thessalonica,
when "three Sabbath days he reasoned with them out of the Scriptures,
opening, and alledging that Christ must needs have suffered, and risen
again from the dead, and that this Jesus is Christ." But to teach out
of the Old Testament that Jesus was Christ, (that is to say, King,)
and risen from the dead, is not to say, that men are bound after they
beleeve it, to obey those that tell them so, against the laws, and
commands of their Soveraigns; but that they shall doe wisely, to expect
the coming of Christ hereafter, in Patience, and Faith, with Obedience
to their present Magistrates.
To Baptize;
Another point of their Commission, is to Baptize, "in the name of
the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost." What is Baptisme?
Dipping into water. But what is it to Dip a man into the water in the
name of any thing? The meaning of these words of Baptisme is this. He
that is Baptized, is Dipped or Washed, as a sign of becomming a new man,
and a loyall subject to that God, whose Person was represented in old
time by Moses, and the High Priests, when he reigned over the Jews; and
to Jesus Christ, his Sonne, God, and Man, that hath redeemed us, and
shall in his humane nature Represent his Fathers Person in his eternall
Kingdome after the Resurrection; and to acknowledge the Doctrine of the
Apostles, who assisted by the Spirit of the Father, and of the Son, were
left for guides to bring us into that Kingdome, to be the onely, and
assured way thereunto. This, being our promise in Baptisme; and the
Authority of Earthly Soveraigns being not to be put down till the day of
Judgment; (for that is expressely affirmed by S. Paul 1 Cor. 15. 22, 23,
24. where he saith, "As in Adam all die, so in Christ all shall be
made alive. But every man in his owne order, Christ the first fruits,
afterward they that are Christs, at his comming; Then Commeth the end,
when he shall have delivered up the Kingdome of God, even the Father,
when he shall have put down all Rule, and all Authority and Power")
it is manifest, that we do not in Baptisme constitute over us another
authority, by which our externall actions are to be governed in this
life; but promise to take the doctrine of the Apostles for our direction
in the way to life eternall.
And To Forgive, And Retain Sinnes