favours this; that when Paul had received his Sight by Ananias's putting his Hands on him, Ananias faid to him, why tarrieft thou? arife and be baptized, and wafh away thy Sins calling on the Name of the Lord, and he arofe, or ftood up, and was baptized, and received Meat. The learned John Gregory informs us, that the Rites of Baptifm, in the primitive Times, were perform'd in Rivers and Fountains, where the Perfons to be bap tized ftood up and received that Sacrament; that therefore it is, that in the Arabic and Syriac Gospels, the word Anada to ftand up, is used to fignify Baptize; that this Manner of baptizing the antient Church entertained from the Example of our Saviour, who was baptized by John in Jordan. Thus it is more probable the Eunuch was baptized by Philip, and the 3000 mentioned by the fame Hiftorian, than that they were all laid upon their Backs under Water with convenient Garments upon them. Abdias in his Apoftolical Hiftory tells us, that the Apostle James baptized one Jofas just before his Martyrdom, by pouring Water on him out of a flagon Pot, to which the Executioner had holpen him at his Request. The fame Manner of baptizing was in Ufe by the Greek Church, as appears by their still setting their Infants upright in a large Bason of Water and pouring the Water on them. By the Apoftles and Difciples of this Church, who converted the Pias and Britons to the Belief of Chriftianity, were the Rites of it introduced here; accordingly we are assured the Britons, &c. differed in many Things from the Church of Rome, particularly as to the Time of keeping Eafter, and their Manner of baptizing. By the Council of Cealchyth, the English Clergy were forbid to baptize any by pouring Water on their Heads; a plain Intimation, that they were used thus to baptize. I only add, that this is the Manner of baptizing used by the foreign Anabaptifts, with this Difference, that the Men and Women whom they Baptize kneel in a praying Pofture, and do not ftand. The learned de Dieu, indeed, who tranflated the above mention'd Hiftory of Chrift into Latin, and wrote Notes on it, obferved, that it is certainly a doubtful Thing how Chrift was baptized; but the ignorant and unlearned Fathers of the Council of Cealchytb pofitively af ferted, that John dipped Jefus three times in Jordan, but they do not fay, that John laid him on his Back under Water three times. In the History of Naaman, Elifba is reported to have bid him wash in Jordan feven times; and Naaman is faid to have gone down, and dipped himself feven times in Jordan: Can any one think, that he laid himself on his Back under the Water feven times? however, it was the Manner of the Church of Rome, to dip or plunge three times in the Water those whom they baptized. This Manner of Baptifm was introduced by Austin the Monk, into England, contrary to the Senfe and Judgment of the Briti Bishops and Clergy; but this dipping was not laying Men, Women and Children on their Backs under Water with convenient Garments on them, but dipping first one Side of them, fecondly the other, and thirdly the Face or Forepart. Thus ran the Rubric of the Manual, according to the Ule of Sarum. Mergatur femel, verfa facie ad aquilonem, et capite verfus orientem, et iterum mergat femel verfa facie ad meridiem, et mergat tertio recta facie verfus aquam. But they had more Knowledge as well as Charity, than to make this Manner of Baptifm an effential Part of it; in Cafe of Neceffity, Infants were ordered to be baptifed aquam fuper parvulum Spargendo, wel in aquam mergenda ter vel faltem femel

By

Sprinkling

Sprinkling Water on the little One, or dipping him into it three times, or at least once. At our happy Reformation was this Manner of Baptifm continued; thus was the Rubric of the firft English Liturgy expreffed; Then the Priest shall take the Child in his Hands, and ask the Name: And naming the Child fhall dyppe it in the Water thryfe; First, dypping the right Side; Second, the left Side; The third tyme, dypping the Face towards the Font, and if the Childe be weake it shall fuffice to power Water upon it. And lette them not doubte, but, that the Childe fo baptized is lawfully and fufficiently baptized, and ought not to be baptized again in the Church. Compare this now with the following Affertions of the English Anabaptifts, The Way and Manner of the difpenfing this Ordinance of Baptifm, the Scripture holds out to be dipping, or plunging the whole Body under Water: The right and only Way of gathering Churches, is to baptize, that is in English to dip, immerfion or dipping of the Perfon in Water is necessary to the due Adminiftration of the Ordinance of Baptifm; and judge, if it be probable, that this is plainly contained in Holy Scripture. The two learned Doctors Bucer and Wiclif spoke the common Sense of Chriftians when they said, That our Lord Jefus Chrift prescribed unto us in his Word the Subftance only of the Holy Ministry of his Word and Sacraments, and granted to the Churches, the Ordinance of all other Things which belong to the comely and profitable Adminiftration of them: That it matters not whether the Perfons baptized are dipped once or thrice, or have Water poured on their Heads, but, that we must do according to the Custom of the Place where we live.

ANONYMUS.

P. S. The two Evangelifts, St Matthew and St Luke, tell us, that John the Baptift affured those who came to his Baptism, that he indeed baptized them in Water, but, that JESUS CHRIST who was to come after him, he would baptize them in the Holy Ghoft and in Fire, Autos humas baptifei en pneumati bagio kai puridi, now it is certain, that they who were baptifed in the Holy Ghost and in Fire, were not laid on their Backs under them, but the Holy Ghost is faid to be poured out upon them, and the Fire to light on and fit upon them; is not this a plain Proof, that these two Evangelifts did not use the word Baptize to fignifie laying Men on their Backs, or thus dipping them all under Water, but to pour Water upon them. Accordingly, tho' St Matthew expreffed the Baptift's Words, 1 baptize you in Water, en budati, St Luke expreffes them, I baptize you with Water, Ego men budati baptizo humas. Is it not as natural now to underftand the Evangelifts as meaning, that they had Water poured on them who were baptized in or with it, as, that the Holy Ghost and Fire were fbed or poured on those who were baptized in them?

The English Common-Prayer-Book orders Baptifm to be adminiftered by once dipping or pouring Water upon the Perfons baptized. But the Puritans, who were afterwards called Prefbyterians and Independents, ufed only pouring on Water or sprinkling, and most commonly the latter. In Oppofition to them, not to the Church of England, whofe Baptifm he never renounced, the learned Mr Jofeph Mead obferved, (in a Discourse of his to prove, that by Water in Baptifm is figured the Holy Spirit, not the

In the fecond Edition of this Confeffion, these words, the Scripture holds out, and the word Whole, are omitted,"

the Blood of Chrift), that there was no fuch Thing as fprinkling ufed in Baptifm in the Apostles Times, nor many Ages after them, and, that therefore it is no way probable, that fprinkling of the Blood of Chrift in S Peter fhould have any reference to the Laver of Baptifm.

I

Mr URBAN,

N an entertaining Traft, lately printed for Edward Cave, I fee a Letter directed to you dated Sept. 4, 1739, by Thomas Crosby. The occa fion of it, it seems, is his being charged with a Miftake in laying, in his Hiftory of the English Baptifs, Vol. I. Preface p. 20. that Bugenbagius fucceeded Luther in the Miniftry of Wittemberg. Now Melchior Adams, who wrote the Lives of the German Proteftant Divines, which were printed at Meydelberg, by John George Geyder, Printer to the Univerfity, 1620, informs us, that Simon Heinfius or Benckius, applied himself to the Study of Divinity, in which he was fo fuccefsful, that he was chofen Ecclefiaftes Wittembergenfis Primarius. Sed cum ingenium male habitaret, & cum adverfa valetudine quotidie fere ipfi conflictandum effet, Fun&ioni fuæ difficulter profuit. Itaque cum, viribus exhauftis, concionandi laborem fubire amplius non poffet, Lutherus, tunc vir triginta trium annorum, diebus Dominicis Evangelia ejus loco pro concione explicavit. Ipfe Heinfius, Anno 1522, poftremum vitæ fuæ diem claufit: Cui in Paftoratu fucceffit D. Johannes Bugenhagius, qui 36 ipfos annos ei Ecclefia deinceps præfuit & profuit, ut in ejus vita dicetur. In his Life of Bugenhagius are the following words; Reverfo ex Pathmo Luthero, fuffragiis & Academici & Oppidani Senatus [Bugenhagius] Juffectus eft in locum Simonis Benckij: & Paftor Ecclefiæ Wittembergenfis defignatus; quam Deo juvante, pie & feliciter in magna temporum varietate annos 36 gubernavit.

In the next Page he tells you, that the Rev. Mr Lewis of Margate in his Hiftory, after the Recital of the mad Rebellion of a frantic People in Germany, fays, that this is fufficient to fhew, that Infant Baptism had been the Custom and Practice of all the Chriftian Churches from the very Beginning. But it appears by that Hiftory, that this inference is not made from the Rebellion of the Boors, who, it is there faid, were fufpected to be a mix'd Multitude of Jews, Pagans, &c. and who did not rife upon a religious Account, but from the first Rife of a Sect at Zuiccaw, 1521, who taught, that they who became their Profelytes were to be admitted into their new Communion anew by Baptifm, or renouncing their former Baptifm and being baptized again, from whence they had the Name of Anabaptifts, who called themfelves Prophets. But this is no more than had been obferved many Years before by the learned, candid and confcientious Dr William Wall in his Hiftory of Infant Baptifm, first publifhed 1705. That there is no certain Evidence of any Church or Society of Chriftians who opposed Infant Baptism, till thofe in Germany about 1521.' To the fame Purpose the learned

Miscellaneous Correfpondence. No. I. p. 23.

Le

+ Adams mentions particularly the Rife of the new Prophets or Anabaptifts, who, he fays, cum Deo colloquium effe jaЯitabant & in mandatis fe babere, ut, impiis internecione sceifis, novum inftaurent mundum, in quo pii folum viverent rerum potirentur. See Camerarius's Life of Melanthon. But there and their other Enthufiafms, Mr Bayle observed, are now pretty well worn off among the Anabaptifts abroad, and I hope, were never indulged by any of the English of that Perfwafion, tho' there are fome Expreffions in their Confeflion, 7660, which favour it in Sound,

Le Blanc affures us, that Baptifmus Infantium perpetuo Ecclefia Orthodoxa confenfu probatus, and is fecundum perpetuum Ecclefia Chriftianae morem. So the learned Robert Lord Brooke, I could never find, faid he, the Beginning and first Rife of this Practice, whereas it is very easy to track • Herefies to their first rifing up and fetting foot in the Church.' Now, as Dr Courayer has observed in his Answer to Card. Tencin, Toute le monde fait, qu' en matiere de faits une depofition conftante & uniforme forme une demonftration. However, 'tis on fuch Demonftration which Chriftians have depended, in their owning or receiving the Books of Holy Scripture: Because of their Authority there was never any Doubt in the Church, and as they are commonly received.

Your very knowing and learned Correfpondent further obferves, that both Scapula and Stephens-do tell us in their Lexicons, that Baptizo from Bapto fignifies mergo, immergo, &c. that Mr Leigh, in his Critica Sacra, lays the native and proper Signification of the Word is to dip into the Water, and also fays, fome would have it to fignify washing. I have not Stephen's Lexicon, but in Scapula's I read thus: Barri mergo, Jeu immergo ut quæ tingendi aut abluendi gratia aquæ immergimus. Item, abluo, lato Marci 7. & Luc. 11. apud Chriftianos autem Barrile de folenni illo Myfterio initiationis dictum, qua Chrifto initiamur, nomen fuum retinet. Nam baptizare dicimus. Barrioμos & Barriqua merfin, lotio, ablutio, ipfe immergendi item lavandi feu abluendi actus. Marci 7. where the Evangelift mentions baptizing of Cups, and Pots, and Tables.

Mr Leigh's Words are, The word Baptize, though it be derived from Barra tingo, to dip or plunge into the Water, and fignifieth pri'marily fuch a Kind of washing as is used in Bucs, where Linnen is plunged and dipt: Yet it is taken more largely for any kind of Washing, ⚫rinfing or cleanfing, even where there is no dipping at all, as Matt. iii, 11, xx. 22. Mark vii. 4. x. 38. Luke iii. 16. Acts i. 5. xi. 16. 1 Cor. x. 2. It is put, I. generally; for washing, Luke xi. 38. Heb. ix. 10. Mark vii. 4. Santicorra, they baptized themfelves. Chrift no where requireth dipping, but only baptizing; which word (as Hefychius, • Stephanus, Scapula and Budæus, the great Mafters of the Greek Tongue, • make good by very many Inftances and Allegations out of Claffic Wri ters) importeth no more than ablutio or washing, which may be done without dipping. II. Figuratively; to plunge into great Afflictions. Matt. fxx. 22. Mark x. 38. Luke xii. 50. III. The word Baptize is put to Sprinkle or wash ones Body facramentally. Matt. iii. 11. IV. It is taken for the whole Work and Action of the Sacrament of Baptifm as Matt. . xxviii. 19. V. To wash the Confcience fpiritually. Matt. iii. 11. • Acts i. 6. VI. The native and proper Signification of it is to dip into • Water, or to plunge under Water, John iii. 22, 23. Matt, iii, 16. Acts viii. 38. But neither of thefe Places or Texts of Scripture prove this; the Baptift and Jesus's Difciples might baptife those who came to their Baptifm ftanding in the Water without dipping them. But this great Man informs you, that Erafmus oppofed Baptifms fignifying washing. But this is a Blunder owing to his not understanding what Beza faid; St Mark obferves vii. 3. that the Pharifees and all the Jews, except they wash their Hands oft, eat not: And, that when they come from the Market, except they wash, they eat not. The Word here rendered wash is in the Greck baptized; and fo it is in the Latin Vulgate.

But Beza

tranf

tranflated it, were washed; and to justify his fo doing, he observed in a Note, that Erasmus rightly thus alter'd it, cum de folenni illa ablutione non agatur cui longa jam confuetudine Ecclefiarum omnium dicata & confecrata eft Baptifmi appellatio. Don't you think now, that this learned Correfpondent of yours had not much Reafon to pronounce fo peremptorily as he does, that Immerfion or Dipping is the very thing of Baptifm, not an Accident, but an Effential fo abfolutely neceffary, that it cannot be the Act or Ordinance without it? So true is the Obfervation, that Doubts lie in knowing Breasts. PHILO CROSBYE.

P. S. Philo-Mag. tells you, that if 7. L. another of your Correfpondents, be acquainted with the Hiftory of thofe Times, in which fometimes fick or dying People were baptized by having Water sprinkled or poured on them in their Beds, he can't but know, that the Validity thereof was much queftioned, and it was greatly doubted, if the • Virtue, Force and Energy of the Sacrament attended thofe Afperfions, • &c. and, that it was not fair in him to fupprefs this.' But here is Darkness which may be felt. To what Purpose were they thus baptized in their laft Moments, if their being fo, fignified nothing? But the Occafion of this Blunder feems to have been their being denied Ordination who were thus baptized: The Reafon given for which was, that their Faith was not voluntary, but as it were of Conftraint. Such were not to be trusted with the Miniftry of the Word, who had fhewn themfelves fo far afhamed of the Gospel of Chrift, as carelessly to defer their Baptism to fuch a critical Moment as a dangerous Sickness, when they might have had it fooner, had it not been their own Fault; efpecially at a Time when God had fet forth the Minifters of the Church laft, as it were, appointed unto Death: When they were made a Theatre unto the World, and to Angels and unto Men: When they were treated as Fools for Chrift's Sake, as weak and defpifed: When they both hungered and thirfted, were naked and buffeted, and had no certain dwelling Place. These were Trials not to be overcome, but by a hearty Defire to have and enjoy what Chrift has promised, and a fincere Love of what he has commanded; and a strong and vigorous Refolution by any Means to attain to the Refurrection of the Dead. However, there was this Exception to this general Rule, unless his fubfequent Faith and Diligence, who was thus baptized in Time of Sickness, recommended him, or elfe the Scarcity of Men made it necessary to Ordain him.

☛ They believed one Baptism for the Remiffion of Sins.

A VIEW of the LEVAN T, &c.
By C. PERRY, M. D.

Flio, Pages 524. befides Preface, Lift of Subfcribers, Cuts and Index,

T has long been the Complaint of inconfiderable and unsuccessful Authors, that their Labours have not met with due Encouragement;

I

Ploravere fuis non refpondere favorem

Speratum meritis.

But