第65章

Anotherpointoftheircommissionisto“teachallnations“；asitisinMatthew，28。19，orasinSt。Mark，16。15，“Gointoalltheworld，andpreachthegospeltoeverycreature。“Teaching，therefore，andpreachingisthesamething。Fortheythatproclaimthecomingofakingmustwithalmakeknownbywhatrighthecometh，iftheymeanmenshallsubmitthemselvesuntohim：asSt。PauldidtotheJewsofThessalonica，when“threeSabbathdayshereasonedwiththemoutoftheScriptures，openingandallegingthatChristmustneedshavesuffered，andrisenagainfromthedead，andthatthisJesusisChrist。“*ButtoteachoutoftheOldTestamentthatJesuswasChrist，thatistosay，king，andrisenfromthedead，isnottosaythatmenarebound，aftertheybelieveit，toobeythosethattellthemso，againstthelawsandcommandsoftheirsovereigns；butthattheyshalldowiselytoexpectthecomingofChristhereafter，inpatienceandfaith，withobediencetotheirpresentmagistrates。

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Anotherpointoftheircommissionisto“baptize，inthenameoftheFather，andoftheSon，andoftheHolyGhost。“Whatisbaptism？

Dippingintowater。Butwhatisittodipamanintothewaterinthenameofanything？Themeaningofthesewordsofbaptismisthis。

HethatisbaptizedisdippedorwashedasasignofbecominganewmanandaloyalsubjecttothatGodwhosepersonwasrepresentedinoldtimebyMoses，andthehighpriests，whenHereignedovertheJews；andtoJesusChrist，HisSon，GodandMan，thathathredeemedus，andshallinhishumannaturerepresenthisFather’spersoninhiseternalkingdomaftertheresurrection；andtoacknowledgethedoctrineoftheApostles，who，assistedbytheSpiritoftheFatherandoftheSon，wereleftforguidestobringusintothatkingdom，tobetheonlyandassuredwaythereunto。Thisbeingourpromiseinbaptism；andtheauthorityofearthlysovereignsbeingnottobeputdowntillthedayofjudgement；forthatisexpresslyaffirmedbySt。Paul，wherehesaith，“AsinAdamalldie，soinChristallshallbemadealive。Buteverymaninhisownorder，Christthefirstfruits，afterwardtheythatareChrist’sathiscoming；thencomeththeend，whenheshallhavedeliveredupthekingdomtoGod，eventheFather，whenheshallhaveputdownallrule，andallauthorityandpower。“*Itismanifestthatwedonotinbaptismconstituteoverusanotherauthoritybywhichourexternalactionsaretobegovernedinthislife，butpromisetotakethedoctrineoftheApostlesforourdirectioninthewaytolifeeternal。

Thepowerofremissionandretentionofsins，calledalsothepowerofloosingandbinding，andsometimesthekeysofthekingdomofheavenisaconsequenceoftheauthoritytobaptizeorrefusetobaptize。ForbaptismisthesacramentofallegianceofthemthataretobereceivedintothekingdomofGod；thatistosay，intoeternallife；thatistosay，toremissionofsin：foraseternallifewaslostbythecommitting，soitisrecoveredbytheremittingofmen’ssins。Theendofbaptismisremissionofsins：thereforeSt。Peter，whentheythatwereconvertedbyhissermononthedayofPentecostaskedwhattheyweretodo，advisedthemto“repent，andbebaptizedinthenameofJesus，fortheremissionofsins。“*Andtherefore，seeingtobaptizeistodeclarethereceptionofmenintoGod’skingdom，andtorefusetobaptizeistodeclaretheirexclusion，itfolloweththatthepowertodeclarethemcastout，orretainedinit，wasgiventothesameApostles，andtheirsubstitutesandsuccessors。AndthereforeafterourSaviourhadbreatheduponthem，saying，“ReceivetheHolyGhost，“*(2)headdethinthenextverse，“Whosesoeversinsyeremit，theyareremitteduntothem；andwhosesoeversinsyeretain，theyareretained。“Bywhichwordsisnotgrantedanauthoritytoforgiveorretainsins，simplyandabsolutely，asGodforgivethorretaineththem，Whoknoweththeheartofmanandtruthofhispenitenceandconversion；butconditionally，tothepenitent：andthisforgiveness，orabsolution，incasetheabsolved