John Reading: Against rebaptism

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Reformed Covenanter

Cancelled Commissioner
Baptism is the Sacrament of Regeneration by our implantation in Christ. But we cannot be twice regenerate (for regeneration presupposeth a precedent natural birth, which can be but one: nor can we be more often regenerate or born a new, then born naturally) therefore we ought not to be twice baptized. The major is evident, Tit. 3. 5. The minor is also evident in reason. Add hereto, that whereas we are by nature children of wrath, Ephes. 2. 3. enemies to God, Rom 5. 10. and so without a new birth, aliens from the Kingdom of God, John 3. 5. but being implanted into Christ by baptism, we become, καινὴ κτίσις a new creature, 2 Cor. 5. 17. Gal. 6. 15.

Now as one and the same creature can be but once created (except that either the created essence of a man is destroyed by sin, which the sin of the Devil cannot do; or that a man may have pluralities of essences by several creations of one and the same person, which no reason can suppose) of neither can we have any more then one regeneration: Therefore we ought to be but once baptized.

For the reference, see:

 
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