EXPOSITION OF SCRIPTURE ON BAPTISM.
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| Acts xii. 16—(continued). | |
| Zuingli-Calvinists. | Socinians. |
| "Gospel. But Baptism is a mean or instrument which the Holy Spirit uses to confirm faith." Willett, Synops. Papismi, contr. 11. q. 2. "Wee answer, that the text joineth with the Sacrament the invocation of the name of God, to the which salvation is promised. (Rom. x. 13). Wherefore that place (Acts xxii. 16.) maketh nothing to your purpose," (that the Sacraments wash away sins). In nearly the same words, Fulke, Rhem. Test. Zuingli, ad Fridol. Dindov. t i. f. 204. "Baptism is here ( 1 Pet. iii.) taken for faith, for it alone saves us." Calv. ad loc. "Paul's sins were already remitted to him. He was not then washed by Baptism, but had a new confirmation of that favour which he had obtained." So Malcolm, ad loc. ap Gat. p. 104. See also above, pp. 47. 119, &c. | "those words, 'wash away thy sins,' may be referred, not to the preceding, but to what follows; so that the washing away of sins may be attributed, not to Baptism itself, but to the calling on the name of the Lord, and what is contained under it." Crell. Opp. Exeg. t. iii. p. 135. "Remission of sins is attributed to Baptism, not by virtue of the outward rite, but by the profession of the name of Christ, which is inseparably united with this rite, if duly performed." Socinus, de Bapt. Aquæ, c. 7. approves of the last expedient, quoted above, from Wolzogen, and again—"Though it should be admitted that Ananias, when he exhorted Paul to be baptized, and wash away his sins, calling upon the name of the Lord, meant that sins were washed away by Baptism, i.e. by that outward washing, it would not follow that he said that the sins themselves were really effaced by Baptism, but only that it was openly shown, and as it were sealed, that they were effaced." |
| Gal. iii. 27. | |
| P. Martyr, in 1 Reg. 8 f.73.v.—"On the whole, this is to be held, that outward signs do not in anywise unite us with Christ, but are given to us when so united. What is said to the Galatians is so to be understood. If 'to put on Christ,' is to be a member of Him, this precedes Baptism; if to express, in action and life, the character of a son of God, this follows after Baptism." | Crellius, Opp. Exeget. t. iii. p. 233.—"'To put on Christ,' is not only to take the disposition and actions of Christ, but His state and condition in the grace of sonship with God. Christ could and ought to be put on before Baptism, which took place doubtless in the house of Cornelius, to whom the Holy Spirit was given before Baptism (Acts x. 44.); and it may be repeated afterwards, as we |
