I. THAT Matth . 28.19 . Go ye therefore and Teach all Nations , Baptizing ( or Dipping ) them into the Name of the Father , Son and Holy Ghost , contains no Institution of Baptizing with Water ; but only a singular Commission to the Eleven Apostles , and that with them it ended . There is a great deal of Difference between an Institution , and a Commission : The first is of a General Import , and includes all the Orders of the Persons included in it , thro' all Successions of Times . Whereas , a Commission is only a Special Order , to some particular Persons , and ends at some special period of Time , according to the Will of him who Gives or Grants it ; but at farthest , if not revok'd , never goes beyond the term of Life . This clearly appears from the Words of the Apostle Paul , 1 Cor . 1.14 , and 17. who says , He was not sent to Baptize , but to Preach the Gospel ; by which it appears , that not being included in the Admonition of Matth . 28.19 . That it was no Institution to descend to the Successors of the Apostles , but only a singular Commission to them , for some Special Purpose and Intention of the Holy Ghost , and that with them it ended ; for that it did not descend , nor was continued to the thirteenth Apostle , that great Apostle Paul .

II . The Reason I render for this , is , Because if it had been a real Institution of the Ordinance of Baptism to the whole Church of God , and to the Successors of the Apostles , that then it would have included in it the Thirteenth Apostle , even that great Apostle Paul . But he declares , in 1 Cor . 1.14 , 15 , 16 , 17. That he was not sent to Baptize , but to Preach the Gospel ; and he thanks God that he had Bapzed no more than Crispus and Gaius , and the Houshold of Stephanus ; besides whom , he knew not , whether he had Baptized any more . If he was included in the Admonition of Matth . 28.19 . then he was sent to Baptize , as well as to Preach the Gospel , and so prevaricated , and seems to speak that which was not true : But if he was not included in it , as his own words , I think , do sufficiently inculcate ; then it is as clear as the Day , that the Admonition was no Institution of the Ordinance of Baptism , nor included in it , any of the Successors of the Apostle , no , not those that immediately followed them ; but was only a Commission to the Eleven , which ended with their Service .

III . Moreover , If Baptism with Water had been an Ordinance of Jesus Christ , then the Apostle Paul ought not to have declined the Use of it , but to have established it , to all its Intentions and Purposes : But he is so far from that , that having Baptized some few Persons , he absoutely gives it over , and thanks God , that he had Baptized no more . If you object , that That was by reason of the abuse of the Ordinance , so called , and the ill use which some made of it , as setting up for Heads of Factions , and Parties , &c. I say , This is so far from being an Objection , that it on the contrary establishes Our Judgment : For the Apostle in this Case , ought not to have rejected , and bid a Farewel to the Ordinance , but rather Corrected the Error in Administring it , confirmed them in the Use of it , and continued the Practice thereof ; whereas it is clear , that he did the just contrary . And if he had ever done or practised it afterwards , he had then plainly been faulty against his own Rule , in Gal. 2.18 . where he says , If I build again the things which I destroyed , I make my self a Transgressor .

IV . If it is objected , That then the Apostle must Baptize without any Authority , and so be an ill Example , which in so great a Man as he was , might be esteemed almost Criminal , and going beyond his Commission ; which for the Honour of his Apostleship , none ought to think . To this I Answer , That he knew his Freedom and Liberty in the Lord : That where any Rite or Ceremony was of Service to Christ , he could use it ; and when it might become unserviceable , disuse it again : And so , tho' he declared , that if they were Circumcised , Christ should profit them nothing ; yet when he found it of use , he could Circumcise Timothy , Acts 16.3 . And this , because of the Jews , which were in those Quarters ; viz. because of their Weakness , that he might not drive them off from Christ : And yet I hope , that no Man will imagine , that Paul was sent to Circumcise . But all this was to shew , that tho' he was Free , 1 Cor . 9.19 , 20 , 21 , 22. yet he made himself Servant unto all , that he might gain the more : To the Jews , he became a Jew ; to them under the Law , as under the Law ; to them without Law , as without Law , that he might gain some of each : And therefore in Condescension to their Weakness , he became Weak with the Weak , that he might gain the Weak , &c.

V. Now if the Apostle Paul could not pretend to a Commission or Power to Baptize with Water , as not being included in the Commission of Matth . 28.19 . It is manifest , that no other , pretending to be a Minister of Jesus Christ , can pretend to the same : If he does , he ought to shew some extraordinary Demonstration , that he has received such a special Authority for the Practice and Use thereof : If he does not , Why may I not call it , with the Apostle Paul , Col. 2.22 . a Shew of Wisdom in Will-Worship , Humility , & c ? If so great a Man , as the Apostle Paul , would not pretend to such an Authority from the Commission in Matth . 28.19 . I can never believe , that any of those who came after the Apostles , much less of our Inferiour Priests , have such an Authority delegated to them from Christ , unless they confirm such their Delegation by Miracles .

VI . You may Query then , Did the Apostle Paul deny Baptism ? I Answer , No : He owned the Baptism of Christ , and preached it up , and that it is but One , Eph. 4.4 , 5 , 6. There is One Body , and One Spirit , even as ye are called in One Hope of your Calling ; One Lord , One Faith , One Baptism , One God and Father of all , who is above all , and through all , and in you all : So that you see , that as he will have but One Body , One Spirit , One Hope , One Lord , One Faith , One God , so he will have but One Baptism : And since he will have but One Baptism , conformable to all the other Things , let us enquire what this Baptism must be . It cannot be that of Water , for that he has declined , and also disused : And in 1 Cor . 1.14 , 15 , 16 , 17. tells us plainly , That he was not sent to Baptize , i.e. with Water , but to Preach the Gospel ; and thanks God that he had Baptized so few Persons as he had done . You may then ask , What is the Baptism which this great Apostle owns , or would Inculcate and plead for ? I answer , That as he would have but One , so that One Baptism is the Baptism of the Spirit , as he himself declares , 1 Cor . 12.13 . For by One Spirit ( says he ) We are Baptized into One Body , whether We be Jews or Gentiles , whether We be Bond or Free ; and have been all made to Drink into One Spirit . By Drinking into One Spirit , I understand an Immerging or Dipping into that Spirit , in the Love of it : By the Word Body , I understand the Universal Church of Christ , the Congregation of the Faithful ; into which Body or Congregation , both Jews and Gentiles , Bond and Free , are brought and incorporated , by this Apostolical and Spiritual Baptism , and by no other means .

VII . That this Spiritual Baptism is the Only Baptism of Christ , we prove from Acts 1.4 , 5. Where Christ himself advises the Apostles , That they should not depart from Jerusalem , but wait for the Promise of the Father , which , saith he , ye have heard of me : For John truly Baptized with Water ; but ye shall be Baptized with the Holy Ghost — By which it plainly appears , that the Baptism of Water , was truly , and only , John's Baptism ; and that the Baptism of Christ , was only that of the Spirit . This is evidently proved in the Succeeding Practices of the Apostles , even by that of Peter , who was the greatest Man of the Apostles in the Water-Baptism : For says Peter , Acts 11.15 , 16. And as I began to speak , the Holy Ghost fell on them , as on us at the beginning : Then ( says he ) remembred I the Word of the Lord ; how that he said , John indeed Baptized with Water , but ye shall be Baptized with the Holy Ghost . How clear a Demonstration is this !

VIII . If any one shall Object , That this same Apostle Peter , did yet afterward Baptize with Water , those very numerical Persons , who had before received the Holy Ghost , as appears in Acts 10.47 , 48. To this We Answer , That no doubt the Apostle Peter knew , as well as Paul , how to condescend to the present Weakness of his People , and therefore he did it by way of Query , Can any Man ( says he ) forbid Water , that these should not be Baptized , which have receiv'd the Holy Ghost as well as We ? By which Query , it evidently appears , that there was at that time , even in those early days , some Dispute concerning the Ceremony of Water-Baptism : And when he comes in Acts 11.15 , 16. to make a Repetition of the same thing again , he only reminds them of the Baptism of the Holy Ghost , as being the only and material thing , and leaves out ( not so much as in the least mentioning of it ) the Baptism with Water : But calling more especially to mind the Saying of our Lord , inculcates to them , That Baptism with Water , was only John's Baptism .

IX . And who can deny , that this very Action of the Apostle Peter , being done by him among the Gentiles , might be one of those things , for which the Apostle Paul reproved him , and withstood him to his Face ? Gal. 2.11 . Baptism with Water being an Ordinance of John's , and Used among the Jews : Whereas here he Practiced it among and upon the Gentiles : And why ( says Paul in Gal. 2.14 . ) did he permit the Gentiles to do as do the Jews ? But this mighty Apostle Peter , writing afterwards to the Gentiles , came to teach them another Lesson , and tells them in plain Words , what the true Baptism is , 1 Pet . 3.21 . The like unto which Figure ( speaking of the Drowning of the World in the Days of Noah ) even Baptism doth also now save us ; not the putting away the filth of the Flesh ( which External Water does ) but the Answer of a good Conscience towards God , by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ . He calls Water , or the Drowning of the World by Water , the Type or Figure , to which the true Baptism , viz. The Answer of a good Conscience towards God , does Answer ; and tells us , that it saves us ; which all the Baptisms with Water can never do ; for how many Thousands , yea how many Millions have submitted to that , and have perished ? So that we may say , as the Apostle Paul did , concerning Circumcision , Gal. 6.15 . That in Christ Jesus as neither Circumcision nor Uncircumcision availeth any thing , but a New Creature ; So , neither does being Baptized with Water , nor being Unbaptized with Water , avail any thing , but good Works unto Holiness of Life .

X. Moreover , he who was the principal Administrator of Water-Baptism , was John the Baptist , and yet he himself came to see the Declension and End thereof , from the Prophetick sight of what was afterwards to come ; the Lamb of God being revealed to him , as he was to other Prophets , and that he himself was but the Fore-runner of the Messiah , which was the Christ , of whose Kingdom there should be end : And therefore he thus declared of himself , and of his Baptism ; Matth . 3.11 . speaking of Jesus , he said , 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 . And John 3.30 . ( says John ) He must Increase , but I must Decrease . By this I understand , that the Administration of John , which was Water-Baptism , he fore-saw by the Spirit , should Decline , Decrease , and Pass away ; in the room of which , he fore-saw likewise , by the same Spirit of Prophecy , that the Administration of Christ should Come , Increase , and take Place , through all Ages , which was the Baptism of the Spirit .

XI . If it is objected , That Christ and his Disciples Baptized with Water . To this I Answer : That Christ himself Baptized none , though his Disciples did : But the Obligation he was Born under , was , to fulfil the Law , for he was Born under the Law , and therefore he could not dispence with the breaking or rejecting of it ; no not in his own Person , without becoming a Transgressor , and so would have ●ustly lain Obnoxious to the Punishment of it : But he was so far from it , that he told the People , That the Scribes and Pharisees sat in Moses Seat ; and said to them , Do what they say , but not as they do , Matth . 23.2 , 3. He also declared , that He came not to break the Law or the Prophets , but to fulfil them , and that not one jot or tittle of the Law should pass away , till all should be fulfilled , Matth . 5.17 , 18. Now whether Baptism with Water was an Ordinance of Moses ( as the Jews in their Traditions affirm ) or not , it matters not much , tho' there were divers Baptisms under the Law , as the Apostle to the Hebrews witnesses , {αβγδ} . Solumodò in Cibis , & potibus , & variis Baptismatibus , & justitiis Carnis , usque ad tempus correctionis impositis ; Which stood only in Meats and Drinks , and divers Baptisms , and Carnal Ordinances , imposed on them till the time of Reformation , Heb . 9.10 . However , as John Baptist was Born under the Law , if his Water-Baptism was Noval , and a peculiar Administration , of which he was to be the chief and principal Minister ; yet it was an Administration under the Law , and he was the Minister , who was appointed to prepare the way to the Coming of the Messiah , as the Prophets foretold , Isa . 40.3 . Mal . 4.5 . Matth . 11.10 . Mark 1.2 . Luke 1.76 . & 3.4 . & 7.27 . And if so , it was reasonable that Christ himself should submit to it , as he did to all the rest of the Mosaick Ordinances , and in especial to that of the Passover ; and he himself gives the reason for it , Matth . 3.15 . For thus it becomes us to fulfil all Righteousness ; there being a Righteousness of the Law to be perform'd , by every One that was Born under it , till he was offered up , who was to put a period to it ; and therefore it is to be observed , that our Lord never spake any thing against any of the Ordinances , Rites or Ceremonies of Moses , whilst he lived upon Earth ; nor any other who had an Administration under the Law ( as John Baptist had ) but himself obediently submited his own Person to the Yoak thereof : And so John's Water-Baptism being an Administration and Ordinance under the Law , and John being the chief Minister of it , it behoved him who was Born under the Law ( as was Christ our Lord ) to submit to it , and to receive it even by the Administration of John .

XII . It is also to be observed , That in those days , wherein the Holy Apostles of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ preached the Gospel , all the then Religious People in the World , were under either the Oeconomy of Moses , or the Administration of John the Baptist ; and therefore the Wisdom of God saw it necessary , that the Ministers of this New Religion , in their Promulgation of his New Law , which was the Gospel , or the Message of Peace and Salvation to all Mankind , Should condescend for some time to the Ignorances , Weaknesses and Prejudices of the then Religious World , least taking a false Scent , they should have spurned at those Ambassadors of Heaven , accounting them as Irreligious and Profane , in perswading to forsake at once , both the Religious Worship of Moses , Instituted by God himself , and the Exemplary Piety of John the Baptist , who called them by Baptism to an Immediate Repentance and Amendment of Life ; by which occasion they might have come to Blaspheme , and to be utterly driven off from Christ : To prevent all which , the Wisdom of God saw it necessary to continue for some time , some of those Rites , Ceremonies and Ordinances , to which the People were so extreamly Wedded ; and afterwards as they were brought to believe in Christ , and became strong in the Faith , their Eyes being opened to see into the Mystery of Christ's Death and Resurrection ; the Apostles of our Lord declined the use of many of those things ; and by a gradual disuse off them , came at length to leave them off , as plainly appears by what the Apostle Paul has said upon this subject , Eph. 2.15 . and Col. 2.14 , 20 , 22. concerning which , we shall speak more fully in what follows .

XII . In the next place , Let us consider how great a Man this Apostle Paul was . I. He was called immediately by Christ from Heaven , Acts 9.4 , 5 , 6. II . He tells us , in 1 Cor . 2.16 . That he had the Mind of Christ : And therefore in disusing and rejecting Water-Baptism , in Cor . 1.14 , ad 17. It is not to be doubted , but that he fully acted according to the Mind of his Master , whose faithful Servant he always approved himself to be . III . He farther tells us , in 2 Cor . 11.5 , 22 , 23. That he was not a Whit behind the very chiefest Apostles ; Are they Hebrews ? So ( says he ) am I : Are they the Seed of Abraham ? So am I : Are they the Ministers of Christ ? I am more . IV . He affirms also , in 2 Cor . 12.11 . That in nothing he was behind the very chiefest Apostles . So that he did not account his wanting a Commission or Authority to Baptize with Water , any abatement or lessening of the Power or Honour of his Ministerial Function ; but even Vies , in the want of that , with the very chiefest of them ; and tells us , in 1 Cor . 2.4 , 7 , 10. That his Preaching was not with enticing Words of Man's Wisdom , but in demonstration of the Spirit , and of Power : He spake the Wisdom of God in a Mystery , even the hidden Wisdom , which God ordained , before the World , unto our Glory , and which God had revealed unto him by his Spirit . If then this Man was so great an Apostle , and of so much Reputation both with God and Man , Why should we not adhere to his Judgment , and follow his Practice in this pretended Ceremony , rather than to a Succession of Ignorant and Mercenary Priests ? Who , as the best of them cannot pretend to his Call , Ordination , nor Gifts , are as much unworthy to wait upon him , to bring his Cloak , which he left at Troas , and his Books and Parchments after him .

XIV . But to proceed , This great Apostle , almost every where declares himself against Ordinances , Rites and Ceremonies ; yea , tho' they had a seeming shew of Sanctity in them , a Shew of Wisdom in Will-Worship , Humility , Mortification , &c. in Eph. 2.15 . he says , Having abolished in his Flesh , the Enmity , even the Law of Commandments , contained in Ordinances ; he made in himself , of twain , One New Man , so making Peace . That is , Christ by his coming in the Flesh , and offering himself up for us , so fulfilled the Law , as to put a period to all the Rites and Ceremonial Worship of it , and abolished the Law of Commandments contained in Ordinances , and so thereby established his Gospel-Worship ; which was a Worship only in Spirit and in Truth , as himself has said , John 4.23 , 24. But the Hour comes , and now is , when the true Worshippers shall Worship the Father in Spirit and in Truth ; For the Father seeketh such to Worship him : God is a Spirit , and they that Worship him , must Worship him in Spirit , and in Truth . And this Spiritual Worship seems to be the Only acceptable Worship , seeing the Apostle has plainly told us , 2 Cor . 5.5 . That God has given unto us the Earnest of the Spirit . And 1 Cor . 12.7 , and 13. The Manifestation of the Spirit is given to every one to profit withall : For to one is given , by the Spirit , the Word of Wisdom : To another , the Word of Knowledge , by the same Spirit : To another , the Gift of Healing , by the same Spirit : To another , the working of Miracles : To another , Prophecie : To another , the discerning of Spirits : To another , divers kinds of Tongues : To another , the Interpretation of Tongues : Now all these things works that one and the self-same Spirit , dividing to every Man severally as it will : For by one Spirit we are all baptized into one Body .

XV . But to this purpose the Apostle speaks yet more fully in Col. 2.14 , 20 , 21 , 22. where speaking of Christ Jesus , he says , Blotting out the Hand-writing of Ordinances , which was against us , which was contrary unto us , He took it out of the Way , Nailing it to his Cross . Wherefore , if you be Dead with Christ , from the Rudiments of the World ; Why , as living in the World , are ye subject to Ordinances ? Touch not , taste not , handle not ; which are all to perish with the using , after the Commandments and Doctrines of Men ? Which things have indeed a show of Wisdom , in Will-Worship , Humility , neglecting of the Body , and not in any honour to the satisfying of the Flesh . This great Man could hardly speak any thing of Rites and Ceremonies , without inveighing against them ; speaking in Phil . 3.3 . of Circumcision , he saith , We are the Circumcision , who Worship God in Spirit , and Rejoyce in Christ Jesus , and have no Confidence in the Flesh . He who Worships God in the Spirit , he is of the Circumcision , though he was never Circumcised in the Fore-skin of his Flesh : And so we may in like manner say of Baptism , He who Worships God in Spirit , is of the true Baptism , tho' he was never Baptized with Water , for he has no confidence in those works of the Flesh . The Rites and Ceremonies of the Law were a Burden , and such a Burden , as says Peter , Acts 15.10 . Neither our Fathers nor we were able to bear ; And can we believe that Christ came to take away , and ease us of those , and then again to Burthen us with others ? But I know the Objection which is usually brought against this place of the Colossians , viz. That he here speaks of the abolishing of the Mosaick or Legal Ceremonies and Ordinances ; and not of Gospel Ceremonies and Ordinances . To this we Answer , The Colossians were Gentiles , of the Heathen Religion , and not Jews ; and therefore this Discourse could not be addressed to them , as of the Jewish Religion , and so could not have that exact refference , as to Jewish Rites and Ordinances : But suppose it was directed as against Jewish Rites and Ordinances , it stands us in no less stead against Baptism , and some other Ordinances of the Christian Church . For in the first place you must then grant , That hereby the whole Oeconomy of the Jewish Church , relating to Rites , Ceremonies and Ordinances , are here abolished and taken quite away . Secondly , That if any of those Rites were either retained or used by the Apostles , or their Followers , or any ways brought into the Christian Church , yet they were void in themselves , abolished by the Death of Christ , and not to be continued ; but were only introduced for a season , in Condescention to the Jews , and to the Ignorances , Prejudices and Weaknesses of the then Religious World , and are only so to be considered , viz. That they might not be driven off from Christ .

XVI . From this place of Scripture then we observe , 1. That this Discourse was directed against certain Ceremonies and Ordinances used and practised in the Christian Church of the Colossians ; and this is manifest because the Epistle it self is directed and addressed to that particular Church . 2. That the Ceremonies and Ordinances were such as were Inculcated by these three Propositions , Touch not , taste not , handle not : These three things had a relalation to Ordinances , for they are a consequence to these Words , Why , as living in the World , are ye Subject to Ordinances ? 3. These Ordinances , be they what they will , were such as were used in a Religious way of Worship , because , says the Apostle in the following verse , They had indeed a shew of Wisdom in Will-Worship , Humility , Mortification , &c. And why a shew of Wisdom ? Because of the Piety pretended to be in them , leading to Humility , Mortification , viz. a neglecting of the Body , without any honour as to the Satisfying of the Flesh ; which , in my Opinion , is a great degree of Mortification : And why in Will-Worship ? Because they were after the Commandments and Doctrines of Men ; and used as a part of their Religious Worship and Devotion : But now let these be what they will , Christ Jesus our Lord has nailed them to his Cross , viz. dispoiled them , abolished , and utterly undone them for ever .

XVII . The next thing which we are to inquire into , is , What these Ordinances were , which being yet used or retained in the Churches of Christ , were thus abolished ? Truly this is to be understood or learned from these words , Touch not , taste not , handle not : And in considering of them , we must consider what they are Inferences from , that we may find out their Root . Now in thinking upon this , it is manifest , that for the reasons afore-mentioned , of Ignorance , Weakness and Prejudice , the Apostles had condescended to some Jewish Rites , which had their prevalence under the Law , as those of Baptism with Water , The Passover , and The Imposition or laying on of Hands . That Baptism was a Jewish Rite , is evident from Scripture ; the Apostle to the Hebrews , Heb . 9.10 . tells us , that that there were divers Baptisms which were imposed upon them until the time of Reformation . And it seems to me that John's Baptism was only a revival of some One of those , which by disusing was become obsolete , but however , whether it was so or not , John's Baptism was a Ceremony under the Law , because Christ was not yet offered up . The Passoveer was another Ordinance , which by Condescention came into the Church , whence came the Eating and Drinking in remembrance of Christ ; and because Christ did this in obedience to the Law , to fulfill the Righteousness of it , and that at his last Supper ; therefore , for the Weakness of some , it was admitted , and in after-times called The Lord's Supper , of which we have not time to speak in this place . The Imposition or Laying on of hands , was another Jewish Ceremony derived from Moses , and without doubt practised in the Jewish Church , when they chose the Members of their Sanhedrim . The Spirit of Wisdom was given to Joshua , by the laying on of the hads of Moses upon him ; Deut . 34.9 . And Joshua the Son of Nun was full of the Spirit of Wisdom , for Moses had laid his hands upon him . Israel also stretched out his hands , and laid them upon the Heads of Joseph's Children , Ephraim and Mannasseth , in blessing them , Gen. 48.14 . And in like manner the Holy Ghost was given by the laying on the hands of the Apostles , Acts 6.6 . & 8.18 . & 9.17 . 2 Tim . 1.6 . This Mosaic Ceremony was indulged to the Apostles , who had thereby the Power to give the Holy Ghost ; but with them that Gift ceased ; and when that ceased , the Apostle , through the Wisdom which was given to him ( having also the Mind of Christ ) thought fit that the Ceremony should also cease : Therefore , when he said , Touch not , it had respect to Water-Baptism , that he would have them to be so far from Dipping in the Water , i.e. being Baptized with it , that he would not have them so much as to touch it . When he said , Taste not , it had respect to the Passover , which in our day they call The Lord's Supper ; being a mere Jewish Rite brought into the Christian Church , from our Lord's eating it , which he was obliged to do ( being Born under the Law ) upon the pains of Disobedience . This the Apostle was so far from having to be continued or eaten , that he would not have them so much as to Taste it . When he said Handle not , without doubt it had respect to that Mosaick or Jewish Rite , of Imposition or Laying on of Hands : For though it was Proper , Just , and a Duty in them ; the Apostles of our Lord , who had the Gift of the Holy Ghost ; yet to those in after-times , who should not have that Gift , it would be only a piece of Mockery , or Pageantry at best : And therefore foreseeing by the Spirit of Prophecy , either that the Apostacy from that Spirit and Power should come in , and over-run the World ; or that the Gift should cease in their Persons , the Apostle fore-warned them there of , and perswaded its disuse , in these words , Hand not , or as it is in our Translation , Handle not .

XVIII . This Explication of Touch not , taste not , handle not , seems to me to be the natural Sense of the words ; if it be not , it is very doubtful what the meaning of them can be : Without doubt they referred to such a number , or at least to three Rites , Ceremonies or Ordinances , then brought in by the Teachers , into the Christian-Church ; and if so , these Ordinances were Originally either Jewish , or Christian Rites : But let them be which they will , the Spirit and Power in the Administrators ceasing , the Apostle was for having the Rites or Ordinances themselves to cease ; and therefore here , in the aforegoing Text , explodes them to the last degree . I know it must be left to every individual Man's thoughts , to be satisfied in himself , what three several Ordinances , those three several Propositions must relate to ; as to my own particular , I have pondered it in my Mind for a long time , without a Spirit of Prejudice , but with a sincere desire of being satisfied concerning the same ; but cannot after a very long season of consideration , and all my thinking of it , find any Ceremonies to which those three Propositions so naturally refer , as to Water-Baptism , The Supper , and Imposition of Hands : If any Man can shew me something more Probable and Rational , I shall be glad to receive it . I suppose my self to be a Rational Man , and therefore would no more impose upon another's Understanding , than I would be imposed upon ; but must declare , If what I have said here , be not the Apostle's sense , That I am totally Ignorant of it : Thus much I thought good to say concerning Water-Baptism , which I have levelled to the meanest Apprehension ; and I hope by what is here spoken , have Elucidated the matter , to a full understanding of the Truth , which I pray the God and Father of Our Lord Jesus Christ , to make as beneficial to others , as it has been satisfactory to my self . If it profits the unprejudiced Seeker after Truth , I have my design ; if not , I have cast my Bread upon the Waters , which after many Days I hope I shall find again .