principal Ways in which it was applied, by God's exprefs Comind, to betoken Perfons to be boly: Or, that it va religious Ceremony, by which Men were taken from a State of Diftance, into a State of Nearness or accefs to Almighty God, in the very Church, wherein John and JESUS CHRIST were brought up, and from which they borrowed this religious Rite of BAPTIZING For it is carefully to be observed that this is but a borrowed Rite.

BUT, perhaps, it will be replied "That "none of the Inftances, now mentioned, of applying Water for Purification, were really_Bap

tizing; for the true and the only Import of that "word is Plunging or Dipping"-If this, indeed, can be proved, all that has been alleged must be owned of little Weight. But if the contrary be. clearly fhewn; if it can be evidently demonftrated that the Word Bar, to baptize, is frequently (and even generally) used in Scripture, where the act of Pouring or Sprinkling, not Dipping, is intended; and that the above-mention'd applications of Water, under the Jewish Law, are expressly called BAPTISMS, the Point will be then fully cleared; and, there remains no farther room for doubt, as to this matter. But both thefe, I apprehend, are very evidently to be fhewn-To begin with the latter.

1. The above-mentioned applications of Water, under the Jewish Law, are, in Scripture, accounted and actually called Baptifms. For, Heb. ix. 10. it is faid the Jewish Difpenfation ftood in meats, and drinks, and DIVERSE BAPTISMS, Sagopals BatigMos. All, who understand the Original, know, that the words do and must mean diverfe SORTS of Baptifms, or Baptifms of different Species or kinds.

It

It is not faid πολλοις many, nor ποικίλοις various, but Sapogas diverfe, or differing Sorts. The only place, in the new Teftament, wh e the word (Sagop) is ufed, befides this, Rom. xii. 6. Where, by διαφορα χαρισματα differing, or diverfe Gifts, is indifputably meant feveral differing KINDS of Gifts; as the words following demonstrate, viz. Prophecy, Teaching, Ruling, &c. The Word Baloo Baptifms, in the one Place, like the Word xagoμala Gifts, in the other, is used as a Genus, or general Term, under which are comprehended several Species or Kinds; and, when here joined with rapopo diverfe, muft neceffarily fignify feveral different Manners, or Modes, of applying Water, for ceremonial Purification, under the Jewish Law. Some of these were by Dipping, fome by Sprinkling or Pouring. Should, then, a Person now fay-That there is No Baptifm but by Dipping, he would most plainly and undeniably contradict the Apoftle; For he would hereby affirm, that there is but ONE kind of Baptifm; whereas the Apoftle declares there are MORE kinds than ONE *.

As, in the forecited Paffage, Rom. xii. 6. by calling the feveral Powers in the Chriftian Church, viz. Prophecy, Ruling, Teaching, Siapopa xaproμała differing Gifts, the Apostle does, undoubtedly,

pronounce

* Concerning the Sense of the Word Stagog diverse, fee alfo Wisdom vii. 10. Siapogas QUTU Diverfities, or diverfe Sorts, of Plants. Dan. vii. 19. Angiov Siagogov Taça Tav Ongiov a Beaft of a Kind or Species different from all other Beafts. So the Word diapogatep is twice ufed, in this fame Epiftle. Heb. i. 4. and viii. 6. in both which Places, it fignifies of a very different kind. A Name, of a very different kind and a Miniftry, of a very different kind from their's.

pronounce each to be a Gift; fo, by calling the Several Ways of Jewish Purification, viz. Sprinkling, Pouring, Dipping, Stapepot Baliouo differing Baptifms, he does, as certainly and undoubtedly, pronounce each to be a Baptifm. Yea, that the Apostle has, in this Place,a more particular regard to the Jewish SPRINKLINGS, than DIPPINGS, feems highly probable (to say the least) from his exprefs mention of the SPRINKLINGS, Verse 13. as fome of the principal of those legal Purifications, or differing Baptifms, concerning which he had spoken. Verse 10. For if the Blood of Bulls and of Goats, and the afbes of a Heifer, (with which the Water of Purification was made) SPRINKLING the unclean, fanctifieth to the Purifying of the Flesh; How much more, &c.

Ir any fhall imagin that the Baptizing of Cups, IF Pots, Tables, buman Bodies, &c. is meant by these diverfe Baptifms: The Reply is obvious. These, if they must be all Dipt, in order to their being baptized, can with no Truth or Propriety be called diverfe or differing kinds of Baptifms; for they are then but one and the fame Baptifm of differring Things.

HERE, then, is full Proof that the Scripture ufes the word Beloos, Baptifm, in fo general and large a Senfe, as evidently to comprehend Sprinkling, if not chiefly to intend it. Sprinkling then, in the Judgment of an infpired writer, is an authentic and divinely inftituted manner of Baptizing. I proceed,

2. To fhew, that the word Ball, to baptize, is frequently used, in Scripture, where the act of Pouring or Sprinkling, not Dipping, is intended: And, that a Perfon is faid to be baptized, when not his

whole

whole Body was plunged under Water, but when Water was applied only to a Part.

LUKE xi. 38. The Pharifee, who invited our Lord to dine with him, marvelled that he had not first been BAPTIZED before Dinner, ots #gwTOY Calin. Did he expect that our Lord should have plunged his whole Body under Water before Dinner? Undoubtedly not. But what his expectaions were, may be learnt from thofe of his Brother-Pharifees, in the very fame Cafe, as to the Difciples; They found Fault with them for eating with defiled, that is to fay, with UNWASHEN HANDS *. + So Grotius explains it- ECarlin baptized; that is, fays he, valo Tas xegas, bad not first washed bis Hands. And "Dr. Pocock obferves, and quotes Beza as faying, that Balıα, to be baptized (Luke xi. 38.) means the fame as a "and xle to wash, and to wash the Hands. "And fince that washing the Hands might be "done, either by putting them into the Wa

ter, or by pouring Water on them; here is

a Word ufed, Calin, which comprehends "both the one and the other of thefe Ways t".

MARK Vii. 3, 4. The Pharifees, and all the Jews, when they come from the Market, εαν μη βαπλίσωνται ε cept they are BAPTIZED, eat not. Did they think themselves obliged, on every fuch Occasion, to be DIPT wholly under Water? Abfurd to imagine! For it is faid, not only the Pharisees, but

Mark vii. 2.

C

ALL

† Note, Aaron and his Sons, even when they went into the Tabernacle, and officiated in the most folemn manner, to offer up the Burnt offering upon the altar unto God; are directed (Exodus xxx. 18-21.) to wash their Hands and their Feet at the Laver, Verse 19-(not to bathe the whole Body) And again, Verse 21. So fhall they wash their Hands and their Feet, that they die not.

Dr. Wall's Defence, &c. page 111

1

ALL the Jews-If the Pharifaic Severity might, poffibly, fubject those very precife Perfons to fuch a total Immerfion, at all Times, even in the depth of Winter, whenever they came from Market; it can never be imagined, that ALL the Jews did the fame. Dr. Pocock proves, from Maimonides and the whole Body of the Rabbins, that the Jews had no fuch cuftom . Some, indeed, to weaken this Teftimony of the Rabbins, have alleged the many whimfical and filly notions with which their Writings abound: but this is, certainly, it felf extremely weak. The enquiry is about a national custom, a common, familiar, well known Fact. Were their Heads fo ftrangely turned that they could not tranfmit to us a credible Account what their national Ufage was as to wabing the Hands? Should a Papist, or Mahometan be called into a Court of Judicature to give Teftimony to any public, indifferent Fact; would not any Perfon draw upon himfelf the fmiles of the Court, who fhould attempt to fet afide their Evidence, by alleging their abfurd notions and fpeculations in Religion?

OTHERS aware of the Force of this Text, endeavour to evade it by a different Rendering, viz. And what they buy in the Market, unless it be washed, dipt, they eat not. But this will, by no means, help off the difficulty. They might, indeed, thus baptize, or dip, the Flesh and Herbs they brought from the Market; but did they alfo dip their Corn, Honey, Meal, Salt, Oyl, Milk, &c?

OTHERS object, That, not to fuppofe the Evangelift here to mean a total Immersion, by