The Doctrine of Baptisms, Chapter 2
CHAP. II.
That the Manner of the performance of this Ordinance, is by Dipping.
HAving in the former Chapter prov'd that Water-Baptism is an Ordinance of Jesus Christ, still in force; we shall now shew you, that the way and manner to perform this Ordinance, is by Dipping the whole body under Water.
We shall make this good by three Arguments.
First, From the signification of the Word.
Secondly, From the constant practice of Christ and his Disciples all along the new Testament.
Thirdly, From the Ends of Baptism.
First, From the signification of the word foreign, which in its proper and native signification, is to Dip.
This the Learned in all Ages, and all Lexicons or Dictionaries, do acknowledge: Nor can we find by the most diligent search, that 'tis otherwise accepted by any Author whatsoever, excepting some very few of late. I shall instance in some few, chiefly those in English, easily to be had.
Hugo Grotius, as Learned a man as any our latter Age hath afforded, faith, the Word signifies to Dip under Water, in a little piece of his, concerning his Judgment of Infant-Baptism.
Bishop Usher in his Body of Divinity, saith the same.
As also Dr. Ames in his Marrow of Divinity. Book 1. Chapter 40.
So Mr. Perkins. All these of good Authority in point of Learning in all Nations.
Ball's Catechism, washed by Dipping.
Mr. Leigh in his Crit. Sacr, on the New Testament, the last and best of this kind, saith, The native and pr…er signification of the Verb is, … to Dip into Water, or to pl…ge under Water; and, of the Substantive, Dipping into water.
So, Wilsons Dictionary.
The Dutch Translation, according to their Language, read, for John the Baptist, John the Dipper, and for, He Baptiz'd them, He Dipp'd them.
The Common-Prayer Book prescribes Dipping, as the best way, for the manner of the performance of this Ordinance: although it does allow of sprinkling, in case of weakness, yet prefers Dipping, and alwaies places it first. The Priest shall Dip &c. so, often.
The last Instance is, of Daniel Rogers, an English Writer of good esteem: He in his Treatise of the two Sacraments of the Gospel, Part. 1. Chap. 5. hath these words; It ought to be the Churches part to cleave to the Institution, which, saith he there, is Dipping, especially, it not being left arbitrary by our Church to the discretion of the Minister, but requir'd to Dip or Dive.
He further saith there, That he betrays the Church, whose Officer he is, to a disorder'd errour, i… he cleave not to the Institution, which is, to Dip.
And this I so aver, as thinking it exceeding material to the Ordinance, & no sleight thing, yea, which Antiquity constantly, and without exception, of Countreys hot or cold, witnesses unto; And especially the constant Word of the Holy-Ghost first and last approveth, as a Learned Critick upon Matthew 3. 11. hath noted, to wit, Casaubon. More to this purpose, there. And further saith, I doubt not but contrary to our Churches intention, this errour having once crept in, is maintained still by the carnal ease of such, as looking more at themselves than at God, stretch the liberty of the Church in this Case, deeper and further than either the Church her self would, or the solemness of this Sacrament may well & safely admit. I speak this, as desiring such as it concerns in their places, to look to their Duty in this behalf; Afterwards further saith, I confess my self unconvinc'd by demonstration of Scripture for Infants-sprinkling.
Thus you see we are not singular and alone in this matter, but have given you a Cloud of Witnesses, and 'twere easy to give as many more; but that we think the thing is very plain, and shall in this Chapter again bring in more testimony to this point.
But, because some say, It signifies Sprinkling also, we will consider how 'tis us'd in the New Testament.
First, The Translators themselves never once in all the New Testament, render it by Sprinkling. There is another word for that, which they constantly Translate to Sprinkle, to wit, foreign.
Secondly. They render this word in effect thus themselves, to wit, by Washing, Mark 7. 4, 8. Luke 11. 38. Heb. 9. 10. which we know is by Dipping so much as is washed.
Now when 'tis applyed unto men, it must needs take-in the whole Body or Person. In this Tenure it often runs, as, [He] was Baptiz'd, and Baptiz'd [him]; But more of this hereafter.
Thirdly, The Theme or root of this word, to wit, foreign, They translate expresly by Dipping, Luke 16. 24. John 13. 26. Revel. 19. 13.
By all this, it manifestly appears, that the word signifies to Dip, and not to Sprinkle.
The Translators themselves seem to us conscious in this matter, because they have constantly retain'd the Greek word Baptism in the Translation.
And thus we have done with the first Argument, viz. the Signification of the Word.
The second Argument to prove, that 'tis Dipping, is, from the practice of Christ, and his Disciples, all along the New Testament.
The first Baptism in the New Testament was in a River. Matt. 3. 6.—were Baptiz'd in Jordan.
The place they were Baptiz'd in, notes that Baptism was by Dipping. Deodate on this place, in his Annotations, saith, they were plung'd in Water. And the late Annotations, put forth by the Assembly, Dipping in Jordan.
The next that was Baptiz'd was Jesus Christ himself, ver. 16. Jesus when he was Baptized, went up out of the Water, which implies it was Dipping, and the parallel place with this, Mark 1. 9. Jesus was Baptiz'd of John in Jordan. The Greek is foreign. into Jordan. Now, what sense would this be Jesus was sprinkled into Jordan.
Cajetan saith, Christ was Baptiz'd, not by sprinkling, but by Dipping into the Water. And Lucas Brugensis on Matth. 3. 16. saith, The party Baptized, went into the Water, as deep as his thighs or Navel, the rest of his Body was Dipp'd, not Sprinkled.
So also concerning Philips Baptizing the Eunuch, Acts 8. 38. 'tis said, They went both down into the Water, and ver. 39. When they were come up out of the Water.
The late Assembly-Annotations on this Text, faith, they were wont to Dip the whole Body. And Piscator on the place saith, The ancient manner of Baptism was, that the whole Body was dipp'd into the Water.
In John 3. 23. the reason is given, why John was Baptizing in Aenon near to Salim, because there was much VVater there.
Now if he had not Dipped, but sprinkled, this could be no manner of reason, for a very little Water, will serve to sprinkle thousands, as Cornelius à Lapide notes.
And Piscator on this place saith, That Baptism was by Dipping the whole Body in Water.
Thus you see the Primitive practise of this Ordinance, was by Dipping the whole Body under Water, so plainly from the Text it self, that it hath forc'd the Confession of all our Commentators, both ancient and modern.
Many more Testimonies might be brought, if we thought these already urged were not more than enough.
The case is so clear, that Calvin up and down his works, doth often with many others in our daies confess, that the ancient manner of Baptism in the Primitive times was, by Dipping the whole Body under Water.
Now why their practice should not be for our example in the manner of the performance of this great Ordinance, as indeed in all other Ordinances, we see not the least shadow of reason on the contrary to dispence with.
Calvin himself confesses, That the Church hath assum'd this liberty to her self of Sprinkling; but by what power or Authority, we know not.
Mr. Mede, a great Antiquary, in his Diatribae, on Titus 3. 5. saith, That there was no such thing as Sprinkling us'd in Baptism, in the Apostles time, nor many Ages after them.
'Tis not yet past the memory of some alive, since Dipping was practis'd in some places in this Nation.
And the Font derives its name from a Fountain, a fit place to Dip in.
Thus we have done with the second Argument, A particular so clear, that we know not how there can be any rising up against it.
Thirdly, That Baptism is by Dipping and not by Sprinkling, appears from the Ends of Baptism, which resembles a Death, Burial, and Resurrection. Rom. 6. 3, 4, 5, 6. Know ye not, that so many of us as were Baptized into Jesus Christ, were Baptized into his Death? Therefore we are Buried with him by Baptism into Death, that like as Christ was rais'd up from the dead by the Glory of the Father: even so we also should walk in newness of Life. For if we have been planted together in the likenesse of his Death, we shall be also in the likenesse of his Resurrection; Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with Him, that the body of Sin might be destroyed that henceforth we should not serve Sin. So Colos. 2. 12. Buried with him in Baptism, wherein also you are risen with Him.
In these two places, Baptism is manifestly resembled unto a Death, Burial, and Resurrection; Dipping in Water, or plunging under Water, unto a Death and Burial; Our Rising again out of the Water, both to rising from a state of sin to newness of life, and our Resurrection at the last day.
When men are dead we bury them by covering the whole Body under ground, and not by scattering or sprinkling a little dust or Earth on their faces only.
What little resemblance then is there between Baptism, and a Burial, in Sprinkling? and how fully is it express'd by Dipping?
Daniel Rogers, in his sore mentioned Treatise hath these words, The Essence of Baptism in the very Symbolicalness of it, urgeth no lesse than Dipping; for what resemblance, saith he, of our Burial and Resurrection with Christ, is there in Sprinkling?
Our late Annotations on this place have these very words, The Apostle seems to allude to the Ancient manner of Baptism, which was to Dipp the parties Baptized, and as it were to Bury them under the water for a while, and then to draw them out of it, and lift them up, to represent the Burial of our old man, and our Resurrection to newness of life.
And this part of the Annotations was done by Doctor Featly.
'Tis generally agreed on, That as the Supper, so Baptism represents Christs death: And, saith the Apostle, VVe are buried with him by Baptism into death, &c. which must needs be by Dipping: else what Analogy or proportion is there between Baptism and Burial; between the Sign, and the thing signified?
Deodate on this place also saith, Baptism was by Dipping in Water.
And Piscator saith, The Apostle seems to have respect to the whole body Dipped into Water, and presently drawn out again.
Remarkable is the Testimony of Mr. Thomas Goodwin, in his Support of Faith from Christs Resurrection, Chap. 7. quoting these two places, Rom. 6. Colos. 2. he hath these very words; The eminent thing signified & represented in Baptism is Christs Death, Burial and Resurrection, in the Baptized's, being first buried under water, and then rising out of it. More there to this purpose.
Thus we have done with our third Argument, wherewith we conclude this second Chapter. viz. That the manner of performance of this Ordinance is by Dipping the whole Body under Water.