are set forth and represented vnto vs. First of all The diuers mysteries represented in baptisme our washing and clensing by the bloud of Christ according to that of the Apostle Christ loued his Church and gaue himselfe for it Eph 〈…〉 2â— that he might sanctifie it and clense it with the washing of water by the word According to his mercy hee saued vs by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the holy Ghost And againe Such were ye but ye are washed ye are iustified ye are sanctified Not simply by water but by the holy Ghost and the Spirit of our God Secondly our Mortification for so saith the Apostle Rom. 6 3. Know ye not that so many of vs as are baptised into Iesus Christ were baptised into his death And againe Being buried with him in Baptisme Col. 2 â— wherein also you are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God who hath raised him from the dead That euen as the body being once dead hath in it no motion at all euer after to sin euen so such as are baptised into Christs death become as dead men in respect of sinne Thirdly herein is represented vnto vs our spirituall resurrection to newnesse of life â—ol 2 1â— We are risen with him And againe Rom. 6.4 We are buâ—ried with him by Baptisme into his death that like as Christ was raised vp from the dead by the glory of the Father euen so we also should walke in newnesse of liâ—â— For as Christs death is powerfull in all his members to their mortification of sinne So is his resurrection no lesse effectuall to their viuification and quickening to righteousnesse Fourthly herein and hereby our repentance is set forth for Baptisme is a Symbole of our regeneration for sinne and newnesse of life He came into all the countrey about Iordane Luk. â— 3 preaching the baptisme of repentance for remission of sinnes they were baptised of him in Iordane Mat. 3.6 confessing their sinnes And it is the counsell of the Apostle Peter that hee gaue vnto the Iewes Act. 2.38 Repent saith he and be baptised euery one of you in the Name of the Lord Iesus for the remission of siâ—nes And last of all through our Baptisme our vnion and communion is â—erein signified and represented vnto vs 1 Cor. 12 13. For by one Spirit we are all baptised into one body So that we must now grow vp together with Christ in holinesse So Peter 1. Pet. 3.21 The like figure whereunto euen Baptisme doth also now saue vs not the putting away the filth of the flesh but the answer of a good conscience towards God by the resurrection of Iesus Christ Not with water but our consciences being sprinkled with the bloud of Christ So that in Baptisme is represented 1. Our sanctification 2. Our mortification 3. Our first resurrection 4. Our repentance from sinne 5. Our vnion and communion with Christ Which manifold fruits and benefits which accrue vnto euery true beleeuer through the reuerent vse of this sacred ordinance should teach vs to desire it and to prise the same at a high rate as the dearest pledge of Gods loue vnto his Church But doth Baptisme of it selfe conferre all these excellent gifts and graces to such as are baptised Quest No corporall thing properly can worke vpon a spirituall Answ The water in baptisme cleanseth not the pollution of sinne without the Spirit of Christ which in baptisme regenerateth the true beleeuer So that indeed all the worke of inward grace in and through this Sacrament of Baptisme comes properly from the holy Ghost For so saith the Apostle According to his mercy he saued vs by the washing of regeneration and the renewing of the holy Ghost So that vnlesse the Spirit of God cooperate and worke together with the outward washing in water in Baptisme the soule remaines still polluted and the conscience defiled and the Sacrament profiteth not at all â— Cor. 12 1 By one spirit saith the Apostle we are all baptised into one body So that it is not water alone but the Spirit accompanying the outward washing that sets vs into the body of Christ by Baptisme The true materiall cause of all our good is the bloud of Christ the holy Ghost applying the same to the soule and conscience of euery true beleeuer VERSE 39. And as soone as they were come out of the water the spirit of the Lord caught away Philip And the Eunuch saw him no more and he went on his way reioycing WE haue in this Verse the happie fruite and effect that followed the ministery of Philip wherein are obseruable two things 1. That miraculous transportation of Philip. 2. The wonderfull ioy that followed First it is said that the spirit of the Lord tooke away Philip. After what manner were curiositie to enquire For as one faith well why should we with danger determine that that without danger we may be ignorant of It is sufficient for vs to know that the Lord hauing effected what was the good pleasure of his owne will in the Eunuchs conuersion he remoued his seruant to another place euen to Azotus to preach the word to another people as we haue it in the last verse of this Chapter Now it came not to passe but by the good prouidence of God that Philip in this strange and miraculous manner should be taken away at this time for herein and hereby the Lord would confirme this Nobleman in the truth that Philip had preached vnto him when he should now consider that he was sent from heauen by a diuine prouidence to instruct him in regard of that his strange and miraculous departure from him Wherein we may take notice Doct. of the wonderfull loue of God towards his people The Lord would haue his seruants setle in the truth that he would not haue them wauer or bee doubtfull in the weightie matter of their saluation but he would haue them to bee grounded and stableshed in the truth and hence is it that the Lord would haue this Eunuch setled in the faith by this miracle that hee wrought Thus he was pleased to confirme his Gospell at the first by miracles from heauen that men might see that it was not from men but from God as our Sauiour saith The works that I do beare witnesse of me And with those signes and wonders we ought to rest satisfied and not to looke for new ones daily as the Church of Rome doth to confirme so cleare a truth For thus to doe were but to calâ— the truth againe into question and to require signes from heauen as the Iewes did We will bee content that the Popish Imposture should bragge and boast of their Miracles as their Straw miracle at Garneis death not worth a straw the miracles daily done by the reliques of some of their he Saints and she Saints this they bragge and boast of this they make a Marke of the true Church
admittance into the kingdome of heauen By that new and lining way which he hath prepared for vs through the veile that is his flesh Heb 10 19 20. Whereas in the sacrifice of the Masse there is no benefit at all to any of these vses And last of all this great worke that Christ hath wrought for vs should worke in vs thankfulnesse towards God there is nothing in all the world should affect our hearts more with thanksgiuing then this The common blessings that we receiue should at all times moue vs to thankfulnesse as our meat drinke c. but this aboue all Christs sufferings are the Christians treasure let our hearts be there and neuer let this worke of his be forgotten of vs. So opened he not his mouth Here we haue the reddition or application of the whole vnto the person of Christ that as the sheepe goeth vnto the slaughter and Lambe to haue his fleece shorne off so was it with Christ in the putting off of his tabernacle and laying downe of his life And herein hath left vs in his admirable patience of his an admirable paterne of patience and an example as the Apostle Peter saith of suffering affliction 1. Pet. 2.21 Christ also suffered for vs leauing vs an example that we also should follow his steps who when he was reuiled reuiled not againe when he suffered Vers 23 he threatened not but committed it to him that iudgeth righteously Now should we thinke much to take vp his crosse and to follow him to suffer afflictions for his sake and for his Gospels sake that hath suffered so great things for vs. Shall we not bee content to loose a little nay all if need be seeing wee shall receiue an hundred fold Mat. 29. And what though we meet with mockings and scoffings at the hands of men say with Dauid It may bee that God hath bid him do it 2. Sam. 16.11 Num. 12 Mat. 11.29 Moses suffered Aarons and Miriams reproofe patiently Take my yoke vpon you saith Christ The greatest honour that can betide any of Gods children is to suffer for Christ Phil. 1.29 So Paul To you it is giuen not only to beleeue on him but also to suffer for his sake But of this before VERSE 33. In his humiliation his iudgement was taken away and who may declare his generations for his life is taken from the earth THe Spirit of God hauing spoken of Christs humiliation of his death and passion how he was smitten and afflicted of God his Father for our sinnes Now lest any should bee dismayed beholding nothing but his death and those vnsufferable sorrows he vnderwent and think that he was swallowed vp of these as the nature of man is to feare at such a spectacle Hee therefore comes here to shew the notable victory he got ouer these In his humiliation his iudgement was taken away The meaning is Christ hauing beene thus humbled and brought so low not willingly but voluntarily seeing he had power to resist hee could haue commanded legions of Angels to fight for him for by his owne word he made those that apprehended him to fall backward to the ground yet was he content to be humbled to the death And in this his humiliation so meeke and humble so perfect and so exceeding great His iudgement was taken away that is the sentence he vnder went by Pilate vnder whom he suffered was remoued For that it was impossible he should be held downe by death Act. 2.24 He was at last taken away from prison Isa 53 and from Iudgement for as Christ saith Ioh. 19.18 I haue power to lay downe my life and to take it to me againe And who shall declare The meaning is that now that he is deliuered and set at libertie from the graue and from death Pilats Iudgement being remoued and the bitternesse of death being ouer past Who shall declare That is who shall set forth or expresse to the sonnes of men the meaning is it is beyond all humane art and Science to demonstrate the number of his dayes the length of his life or the perpetuitie of his kingdome the exceeding glorious successe of his death and resurrection againe according to that of the Prophet Who can number his seed Isa 53.10 or measure his dayes For his life is taken from the earth That is he liues now no longer vpon earth a place of mortalitie but in heauen a place of immortality he layed downe his life that he might take it to him againe He was cut off from the land of the liuing not for his owne transgressions for his very Iudge pronounced him innocent Mat. 27.24 But hee was taken off for the transgressions of the people euen for those whom God had giuen him to redeeme by that death of his according to that of the Prophet For the transgressions of my people he was smitten Isa 53.8 9. And now his Iudgement being remoued and hee againe raised from the dead dyeth no more Death hath no more dominion ouer him for he indeed dyed vnto sinne or for sinne once but now liueth vnto God or for God The summe then of this verse is this That Christ so humbling himselfe and meekly submitting himselfe to death and the graue in the very depth of his humiliation he was extolled his iudgement remoued the bands of death broken and himselfe set at libertie And now being raised vp againe his life is euerlasting his dayes past numbring and his kingdome shall neuer haue an end And therefore no man can be found that is able fully to expresse his generation for his life is no longer on earth but in heauen He is no longer subiect to mortality but is he who onely hath immortalitie and shall enioy the same for euermore Thus of the sense of the words In his humiliation was hiâ— Iudgement c. The Spirit of God hauing spoken of the death of Christ and how he was afflicted of God his Father for our sinnes lest any should now thinke the state of the Church desperate and forlorne or that Christ was swallowed vp of these miseries He comes now to shew the happy victory hee got ouer them all And herein will teach vs Doct. As Christs death is cause of mourning Christs resurrection is cause of reioycing That to behold Christs death that he dyed for our sinnes and not to consider his resurrection will cause nothing but sorrow vnto vs. It is the consideration of his glorious resurrection That he arose againe for our Iustification that yeelds the most solid comfort vnto a Christian soule And hence is it that the Apostle Paul doth vsually ioyne these two together Christs death and Christs resurrection that as the one doth cast downe the other might raise vp as the one might cause vs to mourne the other might cause vs to reioyce So Paul Phil. 2.8.9 He humbled himselfe and became obedient vnto the death euen the death of the Crosse rests he
spirit of faith as he dealt with Iacob Ieremy the Baptist c. That were sanctified from the wombe Howsoeuer we are not able to describe the Lords manner of secret working by his spirit herein Thirdly God forbid that we should imagine that Adams corruption should do more to the pollution of Infants then Christs bloud should do to their sanctification and clensing who neuer wanteth meanes to effect what is the purpose of his owne will euen from the wombe to sanctifie them and make them his owne though wee be not able to fathome the depth thereof Thus much for the baptising of Infants But now of men of riper yeares the point is cleare for both the Sacraments of the Church If a Iew Turke or Pagan were a mongst vs and should desire baptisme it is requisite such a one should first be instructed in some good measure to giue an account of his faith before he were admitted to be baptised And as for the Sacrament of the Lords Supper the place is cleare 1. Cor. 11.28 Let a man examine himselfe and so let him eate of that bread and drinke of that cup. For he that eateth and drinketh vnworthily Mar. 16. c. He that beleeueth and is baptised saith our Sauiour shall be saued And Rom. 10. Whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne Vse 1 Here the Anabaptists ground their doctrine That since that faith precedeth Baptisme therefore Infants are not to be baptised till they come of yeares of discretion for say they where there is no capablenesse of faith there ought to bee no baptisme They may as well reason from the words of the Apostle 1. Thes 3.10 That hee that will not worke should not eate That therefore Infants ought not to be nourished because they cannot labour But say they it is not found in all the Scriptures that any one Infant was baptised by the Apostles Neither is there mention made that they were excluded If this Argument were good then might we say as well that women ought not to be permitted to the Sacrament of Christs Supper because we finde not in the Scripture that the Apostles administred the same to any such Yet the Scriptures shew that Crispus beleeued on the Lord and all his house and were Baptised and the same is said of Lydia and Stephanus and their housholds who were all Baptised and it is not vnlike but that there might bee some Infants amongst them For the further clearing of this truth we are to know that Baptisme serues to the same end to vs that Circumcision did to the Iewes in the time of the lawe Namely to be a seale of Gods covenant Now it is apparent that their children must bee Circumcised when they were eight days old Are Infants of Beleeuers now vnder straighter conditions in the time of the Gospel then the Infants of the Iewes in that time of the Law God forbid Doth not Christ say Suffer little children to come vnto mee and forbid them not and againe Mat. 19.14 To you is the promise made and to your children Act. 2.39 Obiect If Infants then haue an interest into the couenant and so vnto the Seales of the Couenant the Sacraments why then are not Infants permitted to the Sacrament of Christs Supper Resp Some of the Antients as Cyprian and Augustine mistaking the words of our Sauiour Ioh. 6.53 Except ye eate the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood ye haue no life in you Vnderstod these words to bee ment of the Sacrament of his last Supper and hence conceiued the vse thereof absolute necessary to Salvation and would haue little Infants to participate therof Wheras indeed the Reasons that doe interest the infant into the Sacrament of Baptisme doe not proue a necessity of the vse of this Sacrament likewise The one giues men an admittance into the Church and so belongs to Infants the other of proceeding grouth in Christianity and so belongs to men of riper yeares Besides to this Sacrament of the Lords Supper heare is required of all that would receiue the same worthily that hee examine himselfe and that he bee able to Discerne the Lords body which Infants are not able to doe therefore vntill they come to yeares of discretion are not to be admitted to that Sacrament Vse 2 The second vse concernes parents who by this occasion of their children being Baptised haue good cause to examine theÌ„selues whether they bee within couenant with God yea or no. What greater comfort to a man then to haue his Seede within the Couenant of grace Iustified Sanctified washed with the blood of Iesus made a Member of the Church this comfort maist thou haue if thou beest a beleeuer yea thou maist boldly chalenge the same at Gods hands in regard of the couenant made to thee and thy Seede But if thou beest an vnbeleeuer that lyest in thy sinnes without repentance thy Circumcision will bee counted for vncircumcision and thy baptisme will not profit thee at all O that Parents did duely consider this for themselues and for their children It is not Baptisme that will auaile as if it did confer grace as the Church of Rome doth teach without the inward Baptisme of the Spirit Thou maist goe to Hell for all thy Baptisme if thou beest not a beleeuer Rest not then in this thou that art a Parent that thy child hath beene Baptised but labour to bring him to be a beleeuer that he may likewise receiue the inward grace of Baptisme without which the outward cannot saue Faith is the tenure by the which we all hold heauen Baptisme is but the seale to confirme it what is the Seale if wee haue not an interest into the couenant it selfe Vse 3 Thirdly seeing that Faith is so necessary to the due participation of the Sacraments this shewes that Doctrine of the Church of Rome to bee most ridiculous and absurd that teach that Baptisme doth ex opere operato conferre grace This is to lifte vp the Sacrament aboue it selfe Was not Simon Magus baptised Act. 8.23 and yet remained in the gal of bitternesse and bond of iniquity Were not many of the people of the Iewes Baptised vnder Moses and vnder the cloud and had not God in many of them no delight So that the Sacraments are effectuall vnto men so far as they beleeue To the vnbeleeuer they profit not at all Vse 4 And last of all this may serue to admonish men to labour to make a right vse of their Baptisme namâ—ly by getting the comfort of the Spirit by getting a beleeuing hart that so he may bee Baptised with the holy Ghost it is Faith that is all in all Thy Faith makes the Sacrament effectuall if thou wantest Faith thou wast neuer yet Baptised with the Spirit and that which the holy Ghost speaketh of the word preached The word thy heard profited them not Heb 4.2 because it was not mixed with faith in them that heard