by Nature Children of Wrath. 'T is the Sacrament of Adoption as our Church affirms Thanksgiving after Baptism which seems to mean these two things by that Regeneration which in so many places it ascribes to Baptism namely The being grafted into the Body of Christ's Church and being made the Children of God by Adoption and Grace Thanksgiving after Baptism and Collect for Sunday after Christmas There is something more in this Baptismal Regeneration than barely being admitted into the Church or having the Guilt of original Sin washed away It relates to some actual positive Benefit conferred on the Believers and is the effect of our being engrafted into the Church and therefore not the thing it self only Except a Man be born again of Water and of the Spirit says our Saviour he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God St. Iohn 3. 5. By Water then as a means the Water of Baptism we are regenerated or born again whence it is also called the washing of Regeneration Our Church affirms no more of Baptism ascribes no greater Virtue to it than Christ himself has done Nor does she ascribe it to the outward washing only but to the inward Grace which is added to the outward to make it a Sacrament We say not that Regeneration is always compleated in this Sacrament but that it is begun in it a Principle of Grace is infused which we lost by the Fall which shall never be wholly withdrawn unless we quench God's Holy Spirit by obstinate habits of Wickedness There are Babes as well as strong Men in Christ. A Christian's Life is progressive as is our natural Life and tho' the Seeds of Grace should like the reasonable Soul the Principle of Life and of all Action be infused in a Moment yet there requires time to produce strong habits of Grace as well as of Reason as every one knows who is any thing acquainted with his own Mind or with the Word of God And the same our Church affirms in her devout Collect for the Nativity where she prays That we being namely already in Baptism regenerate and made God's Children by Adoption and Grace may daily be renewed by his Holy Spirit Which we learn from St. Austin to have been also in his time the Judgment of the Catholick Church who has these Expressions near the end of his Discourse de morihus Eccles. Cathol In that most holy Law says he the Renovation of the new Man is begun that by going on it may be perfected in some indeed this is done sooner in others later but in many it proceeds to a New Life if any Man diligently regard it For thus saith the Apostle Tho' the outward Man perisheth the inward Man is renewed day by day He says 'T is renewed that it may be perfected Thus far he and indeed 't is evident that this Renovation tho' to be daily perfected in the course of a Religious Life is yet begun in Baptism That which is born of the flesh is flesh and that which is born of the spirit is spirit St. Iohn 3. 6. The Holy Spirit of God descended visibly on our Saviour at his Baptism St. Matt. 3. 16. It descended miraculously on the first Christians after they were baptised on Simon Magus himself there seems to be little doubt Act. 8. 13 17. as well as on others and doubtless 't was his own Fault that he lost it because he did not improve it but grieve and quench it by wilful obstinate Sin And from hence it is that the Apostle says that the Bodies even of very bad Christians were the Temples of the Holy Ghost 1 Cor. 6. 19. And we are not to doubt but this Holy Spirit descends as really still on those that are baptised tho' not so visibly so miraculously as he did formerly whence Christians are in Baptism sacramentally washed sanctified and justified in the name of our Lord Iesus and by the Spirit of God 1 Cor. 6. 11. Nor will this Holy Spirit ever leave us but strive with us to perfect what is now begun unless we finally leave him and forfeit his Protection by neglecting to perform our Engagements in Baptism Now in consequence of this Baptismal Regeneration and our being therein made the Children of God we are also Inheritors of the Kingdom of Heaven For by this we enter into it If Children then Heirs Heirs with God and joynt Heirs with Christ and Inheritors of that Kingdom which cannot be moved Rom. 8. 17. Baptism doth now save us if we live answerable thereunto repent believe and obey the Gospel 'T is that which admits us into the Church here and Glory hereafter And many have been of Opinion that by the Sea of Glass like unto Crystal which is mentioned in the Revelation Rev. 4. 6. before the Throne of God was figured out our Baptism through which we must pass if we ever come to Heaven § X. But all these Privileges imply Obligations Something to be done on our parts for the obtaining them a Contract or Covenant without Conditions being little better than a Contradiction and the Conditions of this Covenant are Repentance Faith and Obedience Baptism is but the way of our Entrance into Covenant with God into the Church of God but the Obligations thereof remain as long as our Lives as the Benefits reach yet further Faith only without Repentance will never save us The Doctrine of the Apostles was Repent and be Baptised Acts 2. 38. for the Remission of Sins and Repent and Believe the Gospel and Truth itself has assur'd us that except we Repent we shall all perish But yet we are indispensibly obliged by our Baptism First To believe all Divine Revelation especially the Holy Gospel to believe Christ the true Messiah the eternal Son of God the Saviour of the World and actually to trust in him for Remission of Sins and eternal Happiness And because all the Gospel cannot be repeated at Baptism the Church has all along made use of a Form of sound words comprehending the Substance thereof and for many ages that particular Form which is called the Apostles Creed containing that Doctrine which they preacht to all Nations And to this the Person to be Baptised is obliged to testify his assent either by himself or others But tho' this be a good Step yet this alone will not save him For he must not only believe Gods Word but likewise obediently keep his Commandments Those who are buried with Christ in Baptism must remember they are to be Dead to Sin to walk in newness of Life and to be careful that they maintain Good Works Rom. 6. 3 4. Tit. 3. 8. agreeable whereunto is the excellent Advice of our Church to the Baptised Office of Baptism Exhortation at the End That 't is their Parts and Dutys being made the Children of God and of the Light by Faith in Jesus Christ to walk answerably to their Christian Calling and as becomes the Children of the Light Remembring always that Baptism represents unto
the Custom of Christians to close their Agapae or Love-Feasts with singing either some portion of Scripture or something of their own Composure * Tertull. Apol. cap. 39. p. 106. Edit Cantab. I 've insisted the longer on this Head because there are some Persons who I think very unreasonably not only neglect the Practice of this Angelical Duty themselves but even censure it as unlawful in others to whom we may answer We have such a laudable Custom and so have the Churches of God had in all Places and all Ages § X. Yet farther there is a remarkable Analogy or resemblance in the End of their Institution between the Passover and the Supper of the Lord God said concerning the Passover to the Children of Israel This day shall be to you for a Memorial †Exod. 12. 14. Ver. 27. and you shall keep it a Feast to the Lord throughout all your Generations ‖ Exod. 12. 3. Remember this day in which you came out of Egypt and thou shalt shew thy Son c. * Exod. 13. 8. Lxx. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And the Red Wine which they made use of therein was to signifie either the Blood of their Children shed by Pharoah or rather the Death of Pharoah's first-born as well as afterwards of himself and the rest of the Egyptians in just Vengeance for their Cruelty to the Israelites and of the Blood which was on their own Door-Posts whereby they were preserv'd from the Pestilence Thus in the Lord's Supper our Saviour commands his Followers to do this in Remembrance of him and thereby to shew forth his Death till he come as the Israelites were to keep the Passover for ever or throughout all their Generations Much the same word being here used by the Apostle to express our Celebration or Annuntiation of our Saviour's Death in the Sacrament that is used by the antient Greek Translators of the Bible to signifie that of the Passover enjoyn'd to the Iews †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In which sacramental Feast we are to preserve the Memory of our Deliverance from the slavery of Sin much worse than that of Egypt § XI Lastly There are several Expressions in the New Testament which will not suffer us to doubt of the Analogy between them Thus the Baptist calls our Saviour The Lamb of God * St. Ioh. 1. 29. and St. Peter says That we were not redeemed with corruptible things but with the precious Blood of Christ as of a Lamb without Blemish †1 St. Pet. 1. 18 19. And St. Paul alludes most manifestly unto it Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us therefore let us keep the Feast not with the old Leaven c. ‖ 1 Cor. 5. 7. From all which it appears that the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper was instituted in the room of the Passover and that our Saviour retained many of the Ceremonies therein as well such as God himself had immediately Vid. Cudworth and Discourse of the Holy Eucharist p. 6. appointed as such as the Jewish Church had added either for the more lively Representation of the thing or else for decency and order and from what has been said we may have great Light into the Nature of the Holy Communion especially as to the last Head insisted on that 't is a Memorial and Representation of our Saviour's Death of his Body which was broken and his Blood which was shed for us § XII I proceed to the Matter of this Sacrament the exterior Matter or outward Elements the visible and sensible Signs namely Bread and Wine which the Lord has commanded to be taken and received 'T was from the Fruits of the Ground that the first Offerings were made to the Lord Some have been of Opinion that Noah was the first that offer'd Bread in Sacrifice and that thence he received a Name among the Antients * Dickenson in Delphi Phoeniciss p. 169. And Dr. Spencer de Sacrificiis thinks that Noah was called Ogyges from Ogh which signifies Panis subcineritius Bread baked under the Embers and offered in Sacrifice p. 659. Melchisedeck's bringing forth Bread and Wine has also been thought an Act of his sacerdotal Office and not an Instance of Hospitality only We are sure that the Mincha Meat-offering or Bread-offering so often mention'd by Moses which was to be offer'd every Morning and Evening and is call'd the Most Holy of all the Offerings of the Lord was composed of Fine-Flower with a proportion of Wine added unto it †Exod. 29. 40. Levit. 2. 3. Bread is the most simple and common Food the most easie to be obtained and yet the most necessary the Staff of Life Wine was also as common in those Countries as it is useful and refreshing making glad the Heart of Man Psal. 104. 15. Nay cheering God and Man Iudg. 9. 13. That is Wine was acceptable to God in Sacrifices For some or all of which Reasons was our Saviour pleased to make Choice of Bread and Wine in the Celebration of these Mysteries as well as because they were used by the Iewish Church in the Passover And these are in the Sacrament solemnly offered to God as an acknowledgment of his being the Creator of all things and Sovereign Lord of the World according to the antient Doxology * Vid. Mede of Christian Sacrifice p. 359. at the presenting of them on the Lord's Table which was much the same with that in the Revelations Thou art worthy O Lord to receive Glory and Honour and Power for thou hast created all things and for thy pleasure they are and were created § XIII And Bread and Wine they are still after the Consecration not common but Sacred and Sacramental They are changed in their Use but not in their Substance They are not changed into the Substance of the Natural Body of Christ which hung upon the Cross and his Blood which was there shed for us a monstrous and novel Opinion first established by the Concil of Lateran above twelve hundred Years after Christ and then by that of Trent among other Articles of their New Creed no where to be found in Scripture as some of the most Learned Romanists have confessed but directly contrary to it as 't is to the Writings of the Fathers not believed at present by many Learned Men in the Church of Rome * Vid. Preface to Discourse of the Eucharist overthrowing the very Nature of a Sacrament and leaving nothing for an outward Sign destroying the Foundation of our Faith which is grounded on Miracles which imply the certainty of the Judgment of our Senses on their proper Objects introducing the most monstrous absurdities which if granted would render the Christian Religion which is the only reasonable Religion in the World the most absurd and most unreasonable supposing actual length without any thing long and the same of whiteness redness solidity moisture breadth and thickness involving the most horrid as well as most
greatest Ioy and the greatest Reverence the first thing we do would be to sequester our selves from the World nay even from all worldly Thoughts and the troublesome Cares of Life To do this with all possible Intention and with the whole force of our Minds with firm Resolves and full purpose of Heart not to admit any other Business any other Thoughts unsuitable to this great Work Which having begun with devout Prayer for the Divine Assistance let us proceed in the impartial Examen of our Consciences on the following Heads 1. Of our Repentance 2. Holy Resolutions 3. Faith 4. Thankfulness And 5. Charity All which if we find in some good degree wrought in us by God's Holy Spirit we may approach with comfort to this Sacrament § VIII And first We are to examine our selves concerning our Repentance wherein the Nature of it consists whether habitual or actual and under actual Repentance may be included our particular Examination by the Rule of God's Commands before we approach the Sacrament The general Nature of Repentance consists in a thorough Change of Heart and Life so as to hate all Sin and turn to God to love God more than the World or our Lusts or even than our own Lives in the prevailing bent the settled Choice of our Minds and to evidence this by keeping his Commandments To live in the course of no greater Sin such as Drunkenness Swearing Uncleanness neglect of Publick Worship or the like which waste the Conscience and are a perfect Contradiction to true Repentance and must be left immediately as we would avoid eternal Misery not to indulge so much as Sins of Infirmity nor to say is it not a little one such as sloth passion forgetfulness of our Duty in some Instances wandring Thoughts or the like for a Christian is to fight against all Sin and such as are at first comparatively little yet do all deserve God's Anger and eternal Punishments and will if they are neglected grow bigger and at last perhaps irresistible I say true Repentance is a thorough Change of the whole Man the Principles Inclinations and Desires as well as outward Actions and hence it 's call'd in Scripture the New-Man the New-Heart the New-Creature because we are all by Nature the Children of Wrath and guilty of Original Sin * Vid. Discourse of Baptism nor is there any who has lived to years of Discretion but what has made that sad use of his Reason to sin against his Maker and to commit many actual Transgressions if not to fall into grosser habits of wickedness from which God knows very few can say they are wholly innocent in this degenerate Age Now there is no way to recover from this and to escape God's Anger but by forsaking Sin with the greatest abhorrence and detestation 'T is therefore evident that those are miserably and dangerously mistaken who fansie they repent because they have some Fear of Hell some light checks of Conscience and transient Sorrow for offending God without effectually leaving all wickedness and coming to God from whom they have wander'd and leading a Holy Life Then have we this habitual Repentance when by God's Grace we do in the main course of our Lives express our Love to God and hatred of Sin and sorrow for it and are become New Men and make it our chief Business to strive against our Corruptions manfully to resist them effectually to work out our own Salvation To have that Image of God renewed in us which we lost by the Fall And thus much for habitual Repentance § IX Actual Repentance is that which every good Man puts in practice on his falling into any Sin and which he should renew more particularly and exactly before he comes to the Lord's Table whereunto we are directed in the first Exhortation on the Sunday before the Communion which we would therefore do very well seriously to peruse in order to our Preparation for it Wherein we are taught That 't is our Duty to search and examine our own Consciences and that not lightly and after the manner of Dissemblers with God but so as that we may come Holy and Clean to this heavenly Feast And we are further directed to do this by the Rule of God's Commands and whereinsoever we shall perceive our selves to have offended either by Will Word or Deed there to bewail our own sinfulness and to confess our selves to Almighty God And to assist us herein we may find large and exact Catalogues of Sins in several Books of Devotion particularly those annexed to the Whole Duty of Man which if you have not you may if you please make use of this following and examine your self concerning the particular Breaches of God's Commands either of the first or second Table § X. The Breaches of the first Command of the first Table are 1. Atheism or at least Atheistical Thoughts or Discourse too common among the foolish Wits of the Age 2. Polytheism or believing or worshipping more Gods than one the main thing forbidden in this Command under which may be included Ditheism or worshipping two Gods of which those cannot clear themselves who pay Divine Honours to any whom they believe not essentially one with the Father and Tritheism if any now are guilty of it which is worshipping three Gods whereas there is but One Supreme there can be but One God tho' Three Persons who is over all blessed for ever 3. Covetousness which is Idolatry Immoderate Love of our selves or of the World that Carnal-mindedness which is Death A violent and unreasonable Passion for any Person or Thing in this World 4. Wilful Ignorance of God or of his Word carelessness of our Souls neglecting or despising Instruction 5. Presumption upon God's Mercy A false Peace and Security in Sin As on the other side distrusting his Power or Goodness or murmuring against him or despairing of his Mercy 6. Worshipping Angels or Saints 7. Witchcraft or doing interpretative Homage to the Devil by using Charms consulting with Wizards cunning Men and the like which is esteemed by our greatest Divines a degree of renouncing our Christianity * Bp. Hopkins Bp. Andrews W. D. of Man c. 8. Unthankfulness Lukewarmness Indevotion Pride Impenitence 9. Want of Love to God Faith in him Dependance on him Submission and Resignation The Breaches of the second Command are 1. Idolatry which is making any Images with intent to bow down to them or worship them or actually paying such Worship to them even tho' God himself be represented by them any visible corporeal Representation of God being a contradiction to his pure spiritual Nature and a high Breach of this Command * Deut. 4. 15. as is even the forming any corporeal Image of him in our mind much more believing a material God 2. Sacrilege Robbing or profaning Churches detaining Tythes or any thing that is dedicated to God God forgive all Nations Families and Persons that are guilty of it 3. Loathing Manna neglecting or
the Mind from all wordly things till it acquires a contrary bent and inclination and mounts freely and vigorously towards Heaven despising and trampling all the ridiculous trifles of this perishing World and counting all things but Dung and Dross for the Knowledge for the Love of a crucified Redeemer which every very good Man experiences in some happier moments of his Life Now the way to obtain this is the vigorous acting of Faith Repentance Humility and Divine Love and the Energy and inward free motion of the Mind towards Heaven And to this the Church invites in those Words which were used on this occasion in the Primitive times The sursum corda or Life up your Hearts to which the Congregation replys We lift them up unto the Lord which we have the highest reason to do when he confers such inestimable Favours upon us and when Christ instituted this Feast as has been said principally for this Reason that we should think upon him our absent Friend give our selves a little ease and breathing from the amusements and care of Life escape from this World and fix our Hearts upon a better upon that happy place where Christ sits at the right Hand of God and whither if we are faithful to him we shall at length also arrive seeing he has prayed to his Father That all those whom he has given him may be with him where he is that they may behold his Glory St. Iohn 17. 24. § X. A fourth Grace is Humility This is indeed included in Repentance for a true Penitent must be humble But we must be more explicite in it and are directed by the Church to form a particular Act thereof immediately before the Consecration when the Priest kneeling at the Lord's Table says in the name of all that communicate We do not presume to come to this thy Table O merciful Lord trusting in our own Righteousness but only in thy manifold and great Mercies We are not worthy so much as to gather up the Crumbs under thy Table And indeed one would wonder that any Christian should think he could express too great Humility either of Body or Mind when he comes before the Throne of God to receive his Pardon 'T is this most humble prostration of Soul this abasement and annihilation of our selves and utterly disclaiming our own merits which seems to be the bottom of that seraphical Divinity which has made so much noise in the World If they make it more than this 't is dangerous Enthusiasm as has appeared both in the Church of Rome and others If they rest it here as is done in some part at least of Sancta Sophia it is accountable and rational and may be of great Advantage in the course of a Christian Life especially in the Sacrament where the lower we abase our selves the higher will God raise us And this we ought particularly to exercise when we see the Minister approaching to us with the Bread or Wine and firmly to believe that we shall receive our Saviour together with them § XI But yet fifthly this ought not to hinder but rather to encrease our Thankfulness because as has been said the Sense of God's Goodness must needs be advanced by the consideration of our own unworthiness To this the Church especially directs us Above all things ye must render most humble and hearty Thanks to God the Father Son and Holy Ghost for the Redemption of the World by the Death and Passion of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. And again after the Sursum Corda we are invited To give Thanks to our Lord God to which the Congregation answers 'T is meet and right so to do On which follows that solemn Act of Thanks and Praise which the Priest alone pronounces as 't is said our Saviour did in St. Luk. 22. 19. and in 1 Cor. 11. 24. He took Bread and when he had given Thanks he broke it From which Actions the whole Sacrament obtained two Names the Eucharist from giving Thanks as 't is expresly called in two or three places of the New Testament in the Syriac Version and breaking of Bread as 't is stiled in the Acts of the Apostles Now this praising God and acknowledging and adoring his infinite Goodness ought to spread it self thro' every part of the Office And even our Repentance and Humility would be so managed as to encrease our Praises But we should more especially exercise our Thankfulness when the Minister says It is meet right and our bounden Duty that we should at all times * 1 Thess. 5. 16. and in all places give Thanks unto God on which follows that Seraphical Anthem repeated by Saints here below and Angels above Therefore with Angels and Arch-angels c. In which the pious Communicant joins both in Heart and Voice as well as in the particular Prefaces before it wherein we are directed to praise God either for the Birth of Christ or his Resurrection or Ascension or for his sending the Holy Ghost or else we adore the Divine Trinity in the Unity of the Godhead which Prefaces seem to have been added because the Church does not doubt but that so often at least as these greater Festivals return there will be a Communion And after we have received We entirely desire our heavenly Father mercifully to accept our Sacrifice of Praise and Thanksgiving and we most heartily thank him that he has vouchsafed to feed us who have duly received these Holy Mysteries with the spiritual Food of the most precious Body and Blood of his dear Son and assured us thereby of his Favour and Goodness towards us And then we again break out into that Hymn of Praise to the whole Blessed Trinity part of which is the same that was sung by the Angels at the Birth of our Saviour Glory to God on High on Earth Peace Good-will toward Men. But more especially are we to have our Hearts filled with the most exalted Praises in the very Act of Receiving to which the Minister exhorts us in the delivery both of the Bread and Wine Nothing but Faith and Holy Ioy and humble Praise are then to be admitted Then when the Holy Soul is in the Mount with God and says 't is good for her to be here and if any thing of disturbance can find Entrance 't is because she must so soon return again to a sordid vexatious impertinent World when she is now already on the Wing for Heaven is advanced so far upward in that glorious Road and would so gladly fly away and be at rest in the Bosom of her Redeemer § XII The last Grace is Charity taken in the largest Sense for Love to God and to our Neighbour 1. Love to God the Soul of all Piety which quickens and enlivens every Christian Duty This is here encreased by remembring God's Love to us in sending his Son and our Saviour's Love in giving himself to die for us This Sacrament is the dearest Token of his Love and the
continue who are not constant Communicants Many of these indeed are likewise engaged in the Business of the Reformation and so on the other side but this is only accidental and these two are distinct Bodies of Men one from the other I cannot tell whether I can give you a better Character of those Persons who compose these Religious Societies and their Design and Employment in them than what Tertullian and other antient Writers have left us of the first Christians in the best and purest Ages of the Church I am sure I cannot speak more Truth of them in fewer words They often meet together say the Antients of those first Christians ad confoederandam Disciplinam and to pray and sing Hymns to Christ as God We assemble our selves says Tertullian to the Repetition of the Holy Scriptures we support our Faith by Religious Discourse we excite our Hope we fix our Confidence we encrease our Knowledge by the Exhortations of our Teachers we gather a Stock for the Poor according to every Man's ability which we expend not in riotous Feasting but in helping the Indigent and Orphans and the Aged and those who are persecuted for the Cause of God This is their Design and Employment in their Meetings and for the Methods whereby they regulate them they appear to be chosen with all Christian Prudence but they are too large to be here inserted and therefore I must again refer you to Mr. Woodward's Book for a full Account of them The main thing for which I am concerned is to give you my Reasons why I believe such Societies as these if further propagated would be so far from being any Injury to the Church as may be the Opinion of some Persons who either may not fully understand them or are prejudiced against them that I think I can make it appear they would be of great Advantage to it I know few good Men but lament that after the Destruction of Monasteries there were not some Societies founded in their stead but reformed from their Errors and reduced to the Primitive Standard None who has but lookt into our own Church History can be ignorant how highly instrumental such Bodies of Men as these were to the first planting and propagating Christianity amongst our Forefathers 'T is notorious that the first Monks wrought honestly for their Livings and only met together at the Hours of Prayer and necessary Refection as do most of those in the Eastern Countries to this day And those who read the Exemplary Piety of the old British Monks and what indefatigable Pains they took and what Hazards they ran in the Conversion of our Heathen Ancestors as well as how stoutly they withstood the early Encroachments of Rome cannot but entertain an extraordinary Opinion of them and will be apt to judge charitably of their great Austerities and Ascetic way of Living tho' perhaps we may be in the right when we think they were in some things mistaken However this is certain that a great part of the good Effects of that way of Life may be attained without many of the Inconveniencies of it by such Societies as we are now discoursing of which may be erected in the most populous Towns and Cities without depriving the Commonwealth of the Service and Support of so many useful Members It will be owned a desirable thing that we had among us some places wherein those who are religiously disposed might have the Liberty for a Time of a voluntary retirement that they might escape the World vacare Deo sibimet ipsis This was once practised with great Applause of all good Men by Mr. Farrar of which we have an account in Mr. Herbert's Life and a larger as I have heard in Bishop Hacket's Life of Bishop Williams and the same has been lately attempted by Mr. St But if this should not be practicable at least generally by Men of Trade and Business tho' of never so devout Inclinations I see nothing that could come nearer it than these Religious Societies The Design of that excellent Person Archbishop Cranmer to have founded so many Collegiate Churches out of the broken Monasteâ—ies to consist of some Laity as well as Clergy seems to have had something in it of the same Nature tho' in a higher degree with that of these Christian Societies now erected namely to make a stand for Religion and Virtue so many Redoubts against an encroaching World where any might receive Counsel and Advice who addressed themselves unto them but since we were not so happy to have this accomplished Why may not these Societies in some measure supply the want of them For if they were once erected in the most considerable Towns and populous Villages or where one was not large enough out of more neighbouring Villages united they might be able notably to assist the Rural Deans where there are any and in some measure supply their Want where there are none and would not this disarm that Objection against Diocesan Episcopaey which is brought from the extent of its Iurisdiction However if this be ultra crepidam it 's certain that this would hold of Parish Priests and they would as some have already done soon find extraordinary Advantages by it There are a great many Parishes in this Kingdom which consist of several Thousands some of some Myriads of Souls Now what one Man or two or three is sufficient for such a multitude What Strength to visit them What Memory unless very extraordinary to retain but their Names Those who have but one or two thousand will find their Cares heavy enough especially now they have neither the Catechists of the Antients to assist them nor those Clerks which are mentioned in the Rubrick and seem to have been designed for that End at the Reformation And may not we say of these great Numbers as the Disciples did to our Saviour when they saw the multitudes from whence shall we buy Bread that these may eat But would not these things be rendred much more easie to the careful Pastor when such considerable Bodies should act in Subordination to him and with Direction from him to promote those great Ends for which he has so solemnly dedicated himself to God They would be as so many Church-Wardens or Overseers or almost Deacons under him caring for the Sick and Poor giving him an account of the Spiritual Estate of themselves and others persuading Parents and Sureties to Catechise their Children and fitting them for Confirmation discoursing with those who have already left the Church to bring them back to it or who are tempted to leave it in order to preserve them in it the effect whereof we may guess by the contrary there being it 's likely Ten who are persuaded to leave the Church by their Neighbours to one who is immediately wrought upon by the Dissenting Teachers This assistance would in all probability conduce as much to the Health of the Minister's Body by easing him of many a weary step and fruitless
and even Heathens have been sensible of a Fall though they have been ignorant of the manner of it and means to recover from it and yet as before they generally used washing or sprinkling for Purification I believe they had it from Orpheus as he from the Phoenicians and they perhaps from Jacob. And it is no less certain that we all feel the Effects of this original Guilt tho' there may be difficulties in the manner of its propagation For no modest good Man can be insensible of an inward strong propension to Evil And the Scripture plainly asserts That we were shapen in Iniquity and in Sin did our Mothers conceive us Psal. 51. 5. That we were all by nature Children of wrath and dead in trespasses Ephes. 2. 1 3. and sins That none can bring a clean Iob 14. 4. and 25. 4. thing out of an unclean That in Adam all died 1 Cor. 15. 22. That by one Man's disobedience many that is all Rom. 5. 10 12. were made Sinners By one Man Sin entred into Rom. 3. 10 23. the world and Death by Sin which came upon all Men for that all have sinned and come short of the Glory of God Nay this almost in express Terms as to Infants who if they had not any Sin at all no original Sin How come they to die and what need would they have of a Saviour since they have no actual Sin But 't is said That Death reigned from Adam to Moses even in those who had not sinned actually according to the similitude of Adam's transgression Rom. 5. 13 14. which can relate to Infants only which Texts are allowed by all but Pelagians to be clear Proofs that the whole Race of mankind are obnoxious both to the Guilt and Punishments of Adam's Transgression To the Punishment as well as the Guilt of it which doubtless was not only temporal Death but extended likewise to spiritual and eternal The Scripture having concluded all under Sin as the Iews under Unbelief that God might have mercy upon all Gal. 3. 22. Rom. 11. 32. Which takes off any mistaken Imputation on God's mercy or his Iustice since the Remedy is as wide as the Wound the Obedience and Death of the second Adam have repaired the Ruins which were occasioned by the Crime of the first and brought mankind into a possibility and capacity of Salvation And as by the offence of one Iudgment came upon all Men to Condemnation so by the Righteousness of one the Free-Gift came upon all Men to Iustification of Life Rom. 5. 18. Which virtue of Christ's Death and Resurrection are applied to us in Baptism Rev. 1. 5. For he loved us and washed us from our Sins in his own Blood He gave himself for the Church that he might sanctifie and cleanse it with the washing of water by the Word Ephes. 5. 25 26. namely by Baptism as an Instrument of our Iustification as our Church fully asserts in the Office of Baptism That all Men are conceived and born in Sin First Exhortation before Baptism in the old Adam Ministers certifying after private Baptism in original Sin and in the Wrath of God and prays That the Person to be baptised may be washed and sanctifyed with the Holy Ghost and delivered from God's Wrath and by Baptism receive Remission of Sins and enjoy the everlasting Benediction of God's heavenly washing and again That the Water may be sanctified to the mystical washing away of Sin Prayer immediately before Baptism and teaches us That those who are born in original Sin and in the Wrath of God are by the Laver of Regeneration in Baptism received into the Number of God's Children c. And accordingly does upon good Ground affirm in the Rubrick at the end of the Office That it is certain by God's Word that Children which are baptised dying before they commit actual Sin are saved and this is agreeable to the unanimous Opinion of the antient Fathers St. Cyprian Theophylact. Lactant Greg. Naz. Origen St. August St. Ambrose St. Ierom c. and of the Primitive Church which differ'd from the Pelagian Hereticks in this very point those Hereticks pretending that Children were baptised only that they might be admitted into the Kingdom of Heaven whereas the Orthodox held that they ought to be baptised especially in case of danger for the washing away the Guilt of original Sin § VII Another Benefit of Baptism is that we thereby enter into Covenant with God without which as has been said on the other Sacrament What has a sinful Creature to do with his offended Maker Into that everlasting Covenant which he has commanded for ever Psal. 109. 11. that New Covenant which he has promised to make with the spiritual Israel To give them a new Heart and a new Spirit new Principles new Inclinations to sprinkle clean water upon them that they may be clean and to remember their Sins and iniquities no more In short to be their God as he promised to Abraham in the Evangelical Covenant which he made with him and all his spiritual Offspring Gen. 17. 7 8. That Circumcision was then the way of admitting into Covenant with God and that Baptism is the same now I suppose none deny who own any Sacraments Baptism being also stiled in Scripture the Stipulation Contract or Covenant of a good Conscience as good Interpreters translate that place in St. Peter already mentioned § 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 stipulatio Luther Beza Grotius c. Our part of the Covenant which includes an Oath and a Vow is to renounce the Devil to believe what God has revealed to observe what he has commanded God's part to give us his Grace to perform what we promise and unspeakable Rewards for our imperfect Obedience § VIII By Baptism we are admitted into the Church and consequently made Members of Christ the Churches Head The Iews were admitted into the Church or made Proselytes by Circumcision the Christians by Baptism For as many as are baptised into Christ have put on Christ Gal. 3. 27. that is are mystically united to him and made one with him For by one Spirit we are all baptised into one Body 1 Cor. 12. 13. namely the Church which is called the Body of Christ Ephes. 4. 12. whence the Fathers stile Baptism the Door of the Church and the Sacrament of our initiation or entrance into Christianity From which vital more than political because spiritual mystical and sacramental Union with Christ proceeds the Influence of his Grace on those who are baptised the Honour and Exaltation of our Nature the Benefit of his Protection and Intercession for us with the Father as from our Union with the Church a share in its Instructions in its Privileges in all the Promises Christ has made to it in its Intercessions and Supplications and in the other Sacrament of the Lord's Supper as soon as we come to Age and Understanding to receive it § IX By Baptism we are made the Children of God who were
Mercy we having need of it because all born Sinners and that it was free for all Persons to receive it Iust. Mart. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and therefore he must include Infants as well as others And to the same purpose Irenaeus Bishop of Lyons in France who was partly cotemporary with Iustin Martyr both of them flourishing near the middle of the Second Century for he mentions Infants Children young and old as born again unto God by Christ Now 't is notorious that by being born again or Regeneration the Fathers understand Baptism which is called in the Scriptures also as has been already observed The Laver of Regeneration Nor is it any valid Objection that several in the Primitive Church did delay their Baptism and some of them to the Hour of Death since this proves more than the Objectors would have it who are not for delaying it till this time and besides they did this upon particular Reasons See this elaborately handled by Mr. Walker in his excellent Treatise of Infant-Baptism some because they thought all Sins damnable which were committed after Baptism others because they were of Opinion that Baptism purg'd away all Sin original and actual and it may be more than either because they were unwilling to leave their Sins and live a strict and an holy Life but this no more shows the deferring of Baptism to have been the received Doctrine of the Church than it is the Doctrine of the Church of England that People may without Sin absent themselves from the other Sacrament because too many actually do it and 't is to be feared for the same Reason namely lest they should be obliged to forsake their Sins and lead a better Life But this we affirm that there is not one Instance to be found in Antiquity of any Orthodox Christian who denied Baptism to Children when brought to be baptised and believe we may be positive that not one of the Fathers or antient Writers for the first Eight Hundred Years at least ever held it unlawful And that it has been the Practice of all the regular Churches ever since is as clear and manifest whereas we know that whenever the Popish Errors were brought into the Church they were neither early nor universally received For not only our own Ancestors when first converted to Christianity not only all our European Churches but the African too formerly did and still do baptise their Children both the Coptis in Egypt and the Abyssines in Ethiopia as well as the Churches of Asia and even those of St. Thomas who had for many Ages scarce any Correspondence with our Parts of the World The Matter of Fact being thus cleared we may reasonably conclude from it that since Infant-Baptism has been generally received and practised by the Church of God in all Places and Ages since we can track it up as high as those who lived in the purest Ages of the Church and were almost cotemporaries with some of the Apostles for Polycarp who was Irenaeus his Master lived in some part of the First Century for these Reasons we cannot think it unlawful we must believe as St. Austin says that it was certainly handed down from Christ and his Apostles and that as it has now continued without interruption in the Church of God for near Seventeen Hundred Years so it will by God's Grace continue therein in like manner to the End of the World Whereas on the contrary it would follow that if Infant-Baprism were not true Baptism there has been yet no true Church since our Saviour since there has been none which did not baptise Infants no entire Church which has thought it unlawful though some private Persons should have had private Opinions Not even those of Piedmont though it is true they often delaid Baptism when they could not have it without the superstitious Appendages of the Romanists and if there were any sheltered amongst them who did wholly deny Baptism to Infants they also denied Baptism it self and the other Sacrament I shall close this Head and the whole Argument for Infant-Baptism with this one Remark That if there be no true Church but that of the Antipoedobaptists that Promise has never yet been fulfilled That Kings should be nursing Fathers and Queens nursing Mothers to the Church for they never had but one King and Queen of their Opinion and those they do not love to hear of Now we are not to think that God has forgotten this Promise for 1700 Years together nor will they affirm it there having been many excellent Kings and Princes Protectors of Churches which have baptised Infants and have been in their Infancy themselves baptised whence it it follows that Infant-Baptism is true Baptism and that tthose are true Churches who use it if there ever yet were any since our Saviour § XXI To sum up the Evidence for Infant-Baptism If outward Baptism be generally and in an ordinary way necessary to Salvation if Infants may be saved as well as others and we ought to neglect no means to save them If our Saviour commands such to come to be brought unto him and did himself put his Hands upon them and bless them and called them Believers and says That of such is the Kingdom of Heaven and was angry with those that would have kept them from him and said It was better for any to have a Mill-stone tied about his Neck and be cast into the Sea than to offend them and it be the greatest Offence to keep them from Baptism which is the Gate to the Church and so to Heaven If the Children even of one believing Parent have Holiness federal Holiness by their Parents Charter and may have the beginnings of real actual Holiness wrought in them by the Holy Ghost because they have had extraordinary Gifts and are therefore much more capable of the ordinary if they are capable of making a Covenant or having a Covenant made for them by others with Privileges and Obligations annexed if they have right to be Members of a Church if they were in the Iewish Church and even in Abraham's Covenant which was a Covenant of Faith an Evangelical Covenant and were never excluded by Christ who would rather give them new Privileges than lessen the old if supposing our Saviour had designed that Children should not be baptised he must have expresly and formally excepted them from Baptism and have forbidden his Apostles to baptise them which otherwise they would certainly have done because the Iews did admit Children to be Proselytes by Baptism as well as grown Persons and yet 't is not so much as pretended that he ever did thus forbid them nay he commanded his Apostles to make Disciples out of all Nations by Baptism as the Iews did before them if it is highly probable even from the Letter of the sacred Scripture that the Apostles did baptise Children because they frequently baptised whole Housholds and it would be strange if there should be no Children among them and
it was the way among the Iews to make Proselytes of whole Families small and great together if the whole Church of God has in all Places and Ages for almost Seventeen Hundred Years together baptised Children and continue it now and were never opposed till the last Century by some in Germany who were far from being of the best Characters and if they were in the right and we mistaken it would follow that there has been no true Church since our Saviour and his Apostles and that all the old Fathers and Bishops and our first Protestant Reformers and Martyrs were either deceived themselves after their most diligent search for the Truth or else did delude wilfully and deceive others Lastly if there are so many high and inestimable Benefits conferred in Baptism no less than washing away the damning Guilt of original Sin and weakning the Power of it by the application of our Saviour's merits the engrafting us into Christ by making us Members of his Church and thereby giving us a right to all the Graces and Promises of the Gospel the beginning of Regeneration the solemn early sacramental Dedication of us to the Service of the blessed Trinity all which Infants are capable of as well as grown Persons If all this be true as I hope I have made it out from the Word of God from good Reason and from the Iudgment and Practice of the universal Church then surely it follows that Infants may be baptised that they ought to be baptised that our Church does well in baptising them that the Universal Church has done well in baptising them that those do extremely ill who neglect it that those are dangerously mistaken who forsake the Church because she continues in the true Faith Doctrine and Practice of the Apostles and yet deny not to communicate with those who hold dangerous and damnable Heresies who some of them deny the Lord that bought them by denying the Divinity of our Saviour who many of them believe affirm and too many teach that the Soul sleeps till the Resurrection As on the other side it will follow that those are in a safe and happy Condition who lead a Holy Life and continue in the Fellowship of the regular established Church of this Nation a sound Member of the Universal Church of Christ and therefore tho' some may leave it tho' many live unworthy of it yet we are assured Christ will not forsake his own he will not forget his Promises it is founded on the Rock of Ages and we trust the Gates of Hell shall never prevail against it § XXII Having thus established the Truth in Controversie I come to answer those Objections which are commonly brought against it tho' indeed they may be all or most of them easily answered from what has been already said and an honest and well meaning Christian may be well established in the Faith and yet not fit for doubtful Disputations which are to be left to those who have more Learning Time and Ability to manage them § XXIII I think their main Objection and which they most frequently make use of is drawn from the mistaken Interpretation and Application of our Saviour's words to his Disciples in the 28 of St. Matthew and 19. Go and teach all Nations baptising them in the Name of the Father c. Here say they Teaching is put before Baptising whence they argue that all Persons ought to be taught before they are baptised and that since Infants are uncapable of being taught they are also uncapable of Baptism In answer 1. The Order of Words is no certain Rule for the Order of things either in common Speech or in Scripture We usually say a Man was bred and born in such a place and the Latins accordingly nutrit peperitque by a common Figure and many Instances of the same nature might be given from the Scripture which as the Rabbies tell us speaks with the Tongue of the Sons of Men. Instances we have of this in the first of St. Mark v. 4. Iohn did baptise in the Wilderness and preach the Baptism of Repentance Again v. 5. They were baptised of him in Iordan confessing their Sins Now either the Order of Words in Scripture does not always infer the same Order of Things or else it follows that St. Iohn did baptise before he preached and before his Hearers Confession and Repentance Again it is said in St. Mark 1. 15. Repent and believe the Gospel But Repentance does not always go before Faith for Faith rather in order of Time as well as of Nature precedes Repentance because the Belief of the Promises and Threatnings of the Gospel is that which induces Sinners to repent Last of all the place is certainly mistranslated For whereas we read Go and teach all Nations baptising them And again Teaching them to observe all things c. which makes a plain Tautology or improper and undecent Repetition of the same Word in the same Sense it ought to be render'd Go and make Disciples of all Nations by Baptising them This is plain from the very Construction of the Words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 must agree with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 included in the Verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but if it had only been teach or preach to all Nations baptising them it might have agreed with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and must have been 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to proselyte or make Proselytes Disciple or make Disciples has been sufficiently proved by Learned Men who have wrote on this Controversie This is now owned by the Antipedobaptists themselves for Dr. Russel in the late Dispute at Gosport renders the word Disciple or make Disciples the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the same signification being here used by the Syriack but the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the 20 v. which answers the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 truly rendered Teaching But that Children are capable of being made Proselytes has been already proved as they are of being further taught when they are by Baptism entred into the School of Christ. § XXIV Their next Objection is taken from those Expressions in Scripture Repent and be baptised believe and be baptised He that believes and is baptised shall be saved and the like whence they argue as before that Faith and Repentance are to go before Baptism In answer as to the order of the words we have already proved that there is nothing in it tho' it is not denied but that where a Person is capable of making an actual Declaration of Faith and Repentance he is obliged to do it before Baptism And such were those adult or grown Persons to whom the Gospel was at first preached as Oral Profession was required by the Iews of adult Proselytes and the same does our Church require in the most solemn manner of those who are