Answ.I answer; This Exposition hath taken Place, not because grounded upon the Testimony of the Scripture, but because it wrests the Scripture to make it suit to their Principle of Water-baptism; and so there needs no other Reply, but to deny it, as being repugnant to the plain Words of the Text; Whether two Baptisms make up the One.which saith not, That there are two Baptisms, to wit, one of Water, the other of the Spirit, which do make up one Baptism; but plainly, that there is one Baptism, as there is one Faith, and one God. Now as there go not two Faiths, nor two Gods, nor two Spirits, nor two Bodies, whereof the one is outward and elementary, and the other spiritual and pure, to the making up the one Faith, the one God, the one Body, and the one Spirit; so neither ought there to go two Baptisms to make up the one Baptism.
Obj. 2.But Secondly, if it be said, The Baptism is but one, whereof Water is the one Part, to wit, the Sign; and the Spirit, the Thing signified, the other;
Answ.If Water be the Type, the Substance must remain. I answer; This yet more confirmeth our Doctrine: For if Water be only the Sign, it is not the Matter of the one Baptism (as shall further hereafter by its Definition in Scripture appear) and we are to take the one Baptism for the Matter of it, not for the Sign, or Figure and Type that went before. Even as where Christ is called the one Offering in Scripture, though he was typified by many Sacrifices and Offerings under the Law, we understand only by the one Offering, his offering himself upon the Cross; whereof though those many Offerings were Signs and Types, yet we say not that they go together with that Offering of Christ, to make up the one Offering: So neither, though Water-baptism was a Sign of Christ’s Baptism, will it follow, that it goeth now to make up the Baptism of Christ. If any should be so absurd as to affirm, That this one Baptism here was the Baptism of Water, and not of the Spirit; that were foolishly to contradict the positive Testimony of the Scripture, which saith the contrary; as by what followeth will more amply appear.
Prop. II.Secondly, That this one Baptism, which is the Baptism of Christ, is not a Washing with Water, appears, Proof 1. The Difference between John’s Baptism and Christ’s.First, From the Testimony of John, the proper and peculiar Administrator of Water-baptism, Matt. iii. 11. I indeed baptize you with Water unto Repentance; but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose Shoes I am not worthy to bear; he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with Fire. Here John mentions two Manners of baptizing, and two different Baptisms; the one with Water, and the other with the Spirit; the one whereof he was the Minister of; the other whereof Christ was the Minister of: And such as were baptized with the first, were not therefore baptized with the second: I indeed baptize you, but he shall baptize you. Though in the present Time they were baptized with the Baptism of Water; yet they were not as yet, but were to be, baptized with the Baptism of Christ. From all which I thus argue:
Arg. 1.If those that were baptized with the Baptism of Water, were not therefore baptized with the Baptism of Christ; then the Baptism of Water is not the Baptism of Christ:
But the First is true: Therefore also the Last.
And again,
Arg. 2.If he, that truly and really administred the Baptism of Water, did notwithstanding declare, that he neither could, nor did, baptize with the Baptism of Christ; then the Baptism of Water is not the Baptism of Christ: