Matthew Poole and continuators on Matthew 28:20

20 Teaching them to observe all things what seever I have commanded you, and lo, I am with you alway even to the end of the world, Amen.

Mark saith Ch. 16.15. And he said unto them, Go ye into all the World, and Preach the Gospel to every Creature. Hee that believeth, and is Baptized shall be saved, but he that believeth not shall be damned. And these signs shall follow them that believe, In my Name they shall cast out Devils, they shall speak with new Tongues. They shall take up Serpents, and if they drink any deadly thing it shall not hurt them, they shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover. Our blessed Lord in these three last verses, 1. Asserteth his Power and Authority. 2. He delegates a Power. 3. He subjoineth a Promise. The Power and Authority which he asserteth to himself is, All Power both in Heaven and Earth. Acts 10.36.42. Eph. 1.20.21.22. Power of Remission of Sins. Luke 24.47. of Congregating, teaching, and Governing his Church, a Power to give Eternal Life to whomsoever he pleased. This was inherent in him as God blessed for ever. Given to him as our Mediator, and Redeemer, given him when he came into the World, but more especially confirmed to him, and manifested to be given him at his Resurrection, and Assention. Philip. 2.9.10. Having declared his Power he delegates it. Go ye therefore and teach all Nations, the Greek is [non-Latin text not transcribed] make Disciples all Nations, but that must be first by Preaching and instructing them in the principles of the Chrstian Faith, and Mark expounds it, telling us our Saviour said, Go ye into all the World, and Preach the Gospel to every Creature, that is, to every reasonable Creature, capable of hearing and receiving it. I cannot be of their Mind, who think that Persons may be Baptized before they be Taught, we want Presidents of any such Baptism in Scripture, tho indeed we find Presidents of Persons Baptized who had but a small degree of the knowledge of the Gospel, but it should seem that they were all first taught, that Iesus Christ was the Son of God, and were not Baptized, till they professed such belief Acts 8.37. and Iohn Baptized them in Iordan confessing their Sins, Mat. 3.6. but it doth not therefore follow, that Children of such Professors are not to be Baptized, for the Apostles were commanded to Baptize all Nations; Children are a great part of any Nation, if not the greatest part, and altho amongst the Jews those that were converted to the Jewish Religion, were first instructed in the Law of God, before they were Circumcised, yet the Fathers being once admitted, the Children were Circumcised at eight days old, nor were they under any Covenant different from us, tho we be under a more clear manifestation of the same Covenant of Grace, of which Circumcision was a Sign and Seal to them: as Baptism is to us. Infants are capable of the Obligations of Baptism, for the Obligation ariseth from the Equity of the thing, not from the Understanding and Capacity of the Person, they are also capable of the same Priviledges, for of such is the Kingdom of God, as our Saviour hath taught us. All Nations. The Apostles were by this Precept obliged to go up and down the World Preaching the Gospel, but not presently. So it is plain that the Apostles understood their Commission from Acts 1.8. & 3.26. & 13.46. & 18.6.7. Gal. 2.7. They were first to Preach, and to Baptize amongst the Iews, and then thus to Disciple all Nations. Pastors, and Teachers who succeded the Apostles, were not under this Obligation, but were to be fixed in Churches gathered, as we learn from the Acts of the Apostles, and the Epistles of the Apostles. They by this Commission have Authority in any place to Preach, and to Baptize, but are not under an Obligation to fix no where, but to go up and down Preaching in all Nations. Baptizing them in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Baptizing them is no more then washing them with Water. We read of the Baptisme of Pots and Cups, Mark 7.8. (we translate it Washing) which we know may bee, by dipping them in Water, or by pouring, or sprinkling of Water upon them. It is true, the first Baptismes of which we read in holy Writ, were by dippings of the Persons Baptized. It was in an hot Country, where it might be at any time without the danger of Persons Lives, where it may be, we judge it reasonable, and most resembling our burial with Christ by Baptism into Death, but we cannot think it necessary, for God loveth Mercy, rather then Sacrifice, and the thing signified by Baptism, viz. The washing away of the Soul[illegible: 1 letter] Sins with the Blood of Christ, is in Scripture expressed to us by pouring, and sprinkling, Ezek. 36.25. Heb. 12.24. 1 Pet. 1.2. In the Name of the Father, &c. In the Greek it is [non-Latin text not transcribed] into the Name. In the Name, doth not only import the naming of the Names of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, upon them, but, In the Authority, or (which is indeed the chief) into the Profession of the Trinity of the Persons in the one Divine being. Dedicating the Persons Baptized to God, the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, and thereby obliging them to Worship and serve God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, for in Baptisme there is both a Solemn Dedication of the Person to God, and a Solemn Stepulation. The Person Baptized, either Covenanting for him self, that he will be the Lords, or his Parents Covenanting for him, that he shall be the Lords, which Covenant doth both oblige the Parents▪ to do what in them lyeth in order to that end, and also the Child, the Parents Covenanting for no more, then the Child was under a Natural, and Religious Obligation to perform, if such Covenant had never been made by its Parents on its behalf. Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you. There is a Teaching must go before Baptisme of Persons grown up, and this was the constant practice of the Apostles. It is fit Man should Act as rational Creatures, understanding what they do. And there is a Teaching which must follow Baptisme, for Baptisme without Obedience, and a living up to that Covenant, in which we are ingaged, will save no Soul, but but lay it under a greater Condemnation. The Apostles might Teach nothing, but what Christ had Commanded them ▪ and they were bound to Teach, whatsoever Christ had Commanded them. Here now is the Rule of the Baptized Persons Obedience. We are bound to no Obedience, but of the Commands of Christ, and to a perfect Obedience of them, under the Penalty of Eternal Condemnation. When Mark saith, He that believeth, and is Baptized shall be saved. It doth not imply that Baptisme is absolutely necessaryto Salvation▪ or in the same order with Faith in Christ, but that the Contempt of it is Damnable, as being a piece of Presumptuous Disobedience, and such a Faith is to be understood there, under the Notion of Believing as worketh by Love. And lo I am with you to the end of the World. I am, and I will be with you, and those who succeed you in the Work of the Ministry, being called of me thereunto, I will be with you, protecting you, and upholding that Ordinance▪ and ble[illegible: 2 letters]ing, you, and all others of my Faithful Ministers, that Labours for making, me, and my Gospel known, with success to the End of the [illegible: 1 word] not of this Age only, but of the World, my Ministry [illegible: 1 span] you shall not fail, nor shall the adding o[illegible: 1 letter] Souls▪ to [illegible: 1 letter]he [illegible: 1 span] of them who shall be saved (as a Token of my [illegible: 1 span] with you) fail, till the World shall be determined, [illegible: 1 span] [illegible: 1 letter]ew Heavens, and the New Earth shall appear what [illegible: 1 span] [illegible: 1 letter]oncerning the Signs that should follow th[illegible: 1 letter]se that [illegible: 1 span] particular reference to the times immediately [illegible: 1 letter]ollowi[illegible: 2 letters] [illegible: 1 span] Ascension into Heaven▪ and to be understood of those [illegible: 1 span] Operations, which were to be wrought by the Apostles, and others, for a further Confirmation of the Doctrine of the Gospel by them Preached. Matthew says nothing of them here. There is no Promise of Christs presence with his Mini[illegible: 1 letter]ters, to inable to such Operations to the end of the World, but with his Ministers, Preaching, Baptizing, and teaching Men to observe, and to do whatsoever he hath Commanded them, he hath promised to be, till time shall be no more.