good Secondly I obserue negatiuely what saueth not namely the outward washing of Baptisme water of it selfe being readier to drowne then to saue seeing of old they baptized with their bodies vnder the water Act. 8.38 Matth. 3.16 and not sprinkled alone which yet was indifferent as appeareth Act. 9.17.18 Act. 16.33 Cyp. lib. 4. epist 7. Thirdly that it is necessarie and fit to bee had if it may bee had after Christs institution So that the Prince Minister or parent or whosoeuer he bee sore offendeth by whose negligence or meanes it is omitted or cannot be had For the first all scripture aimeth onely at this poynt Iesus to be the Christ all the sacrifices of the old Testament did foresignifie it Iohn did poynt at him This lambe takes away the sinnes of the worlde GOD proclaimed it from heauen by an apparition of a Doue with a celestiall oracle when he was crowned with the holie Ghost This is my welbeloued sinne in whom I am well pleased that is Matth. 3.17 I am not pleased in the Prophets in any holie men or women not in thee nor in thy people O my seruant Iohn Baptist nor in this water of Iorden but in him I am well pleased euen for all other that beleeue in his name 1. Iohn 2.1.2 of him saith Iohn If any sinne we haue an aduocate with the father and he is the propitiation for our sinnes Act. 4.12 There is no saluation in any other no name vnder heauen by which we may be saued no name neither of person as Angels or Saints nor yet of other creature as Water Bread or Wine This I neede not to stande vpon among Christians the meanes of application to vs must bee thought vpon rather which is by faith vnfained which maketh the questioning of a good conscience towards God here a good conscience well examined is mentioned But to Timothie and to the Hebrues it is thus expressed vnto Timothie thus 1. Tim. 1.5 * The end of the commandement is loue out of a pure hart from a good conscience and faith vnfained Againe to the Hebrues thus Heb. 10.22 * Let vs draw neere with a true heart in assurance of faith sprinkled in our hearts from an euill conscience Then what sanctifieth the conscience faith Now a good conscience is here described to bee such an one that maketh such an enquirie into it selfe by straight examination as in Gods presence examination of a good conscience to God-ward tho men mislike So that that is not an ill conscience that sinneth for then who is free but that which suffereth sinne to lie vpon it selfe vnexamined that flattereth it selfe that bolstereth sinne in it selfe and others Paul would bee one among them that stoned Steuen Act. 7.58 Act. 22.20 at least he would keepe their garments if it should come to voyces he would giue a voyce Act. 9.1.2.3 yea he put himselfe to paine to molest men women that loued the trueth Act. 23.1 Act. 24.16 and yet when he had beleeued in Iesus Christ he professed before the Councell that he had serued GOD in a good conscience Therefore that is not an euill conscience alwaies that hath been defiled but that which lyes in the defilement For if thou risest from sinne this rising sitting at the right hand of God this ascension this subduing of heauenly powers are for seruiceablenes vnto thee they bee as a bunch tyed together to besprinkle thine heart Thou art cleane euen as Dauid professeth of himselfe after he had been bathed in pleasure and been dyed red as scarlet in the bloud of Vrias that if God wash him Psalm 51.7 bloud it selfe and adulterie shall bee as cleane washt off as though they had neuer been A man so scoured shal be as white as snowe in his cleanenes from the clowdes a man so spotted shall bee as cleare as the picked the smooth and cleare transparent glasse when the sunne beames do shine vpon it Yea but some wil say though with God it bee so that my sinnes bee taken away Psalm 51.3 yet my sinne is alwaies before me it runnes in my mind I can haue no rest for it Yet againe remember as the scripture sayth 1. Ioh. 3.20 Though thy heart condemne thee yet this Christ so rising so ascending so sitting in glorie that Angels that do homage vnto him euen as he is man is greater then thy condemning heart to saue thee And therefore beloued to the man or woman whom sinne or sathan hath deceiued his owne flesh or the world I say let not sinne lye vnexamined vnquestioned with neuer examining the hart and raines but rather still as sinne stealeth vpon thee search it out as with tents wee search the bottome of our sores lance the wound 1. Cor. 11.31 sit in commission vpon thy selfe cast thy selfe and damne thy selfe and thou shalt bee saued if thou doest thus thou hast the right vse of Baptisme of the Supper of the Word of Prayer and all the good that can come to a man by Christes death resurrection ascension sitting in glorie and power ouer Angels thou shalt stop the mouth of Sathan Apoc. 12.10 He is an accuser of the brethren Doe thou therfore step to God before him when sathan seeth that thou hast done so much against thy selfe by accusing thy selfe as he desired to doe he will depart confounded Lastly it appeareth that a man that beareth with his own soule in sinne or with others that winketh at it that lends thē countenance of letter cloth good word excuses colours shifts that neuer calleth himselfe to question whether he stand in state of grace in what case hee is with God being frosen in his dregges this man hath no part with Iesus in the holie citie his Baptisme washeth him not his bodie sprinkled towards men but not his conscience to God Christ rose from death he lyes still in sinne Christ sits at Gods right hand he sits vpon the seate of wickednesse Christ ascended he descendeth downward to hell Christ hath Angels vnder him he diuels aboue him The 2 part Now by the way of passage of speech to the next part euen out of this place I reason thus He that saueth vs must haue risen from death ascended into heauen sit at Gods right hande Angels also to adore him but no Angel nor holie man or woman euer did rise for vs or ascēded for vs Baptisme hath no such power to raise frō death nor hath it selfe mounted to heauen nor hath any place at Gods right hand nor do the Angels worship it Therefore no saluatiō of necessitie depēdeth vpon Baptisme though it should bee most holilie ministred The Popish Church hath two errors in it the one Concil Trid. censur Colon. in dial 7. de Sac. that sacraments by the work wrought by the receiuing of them bring grace to the receiuer vnles some enormous sinne be vpon him which they tearme mortall Another that children infants innocents if
12.17 in euery house a dead childe to fall dead from a windowe as Eutichus to sicken in the field and die at home presently as the woman of Sareptaes childe especially if it enioy not the next morning sunne as Ionas shade especially if it dye as Dauids child did before circūcisiō so it before baptisme the former ioy doubleth the grief sillie leauened people lift vp their voice as Agar did for hers Gen. 21.19 in a gentiles distrust as a people without hope 1. Thess 4.13 as though their babe were Ismael of Aegypt not of the Israell of God as though they were Agar of Sina engendring vnto bondage not of Sion bearing childrē vnto God moning there is no water they blame not thēselues that they keep not houres with God and his Church in regarde of gossips and outward complement breaking out as the Sareptane 1. King 17.18 O thou man of God what haue I to doe with thee Would to God they would thinke also with that good woman God in my childe brings my sinnes to remembrance that departure of children might cause departure from iniquitie For many take on piteously with God and man if their children misse Baptisme but take no care if they miscarie their owne Baptisme Math. 28.19 forgetting the fellowship of the blessed Trinitie into which they were baptized so that the water of Baptisme is not the sweet water of life vnto life Act. 8.23 but Marah as in Simon Magus A gall of bitternes still in him Christ should dissolue the workes of the diuell 1. Ioh. 3.8 but a bond of iniquitie in him still To such it should bee fearefull in their eares which is written The children which yee sayd should bee a praye Deut. 1.19 and your sonnes daughters which haue no knowledge between good and euill they shall possesse mine inheritance but as for you Numb 14.32 Your carkeises shall fall in the desart Where is he that hath Dauids hart a man after Gods owne hart he moned for feare of death 2. Sam. ◠but neuer moued to haue respite of life for circumcision which no doubt he would if it had beene so daungerous to haue dyed without it at least where is the mouth of Iob Blessed be the Lord that gaue mee children blessed bee the Lord that tooke away my children blessed is he in giuing blessed in taking away and blessed in the manner though strange of him it is sayd Iob. 1.21.22 Hee sinned not with his mouth nor charged God foolishly But thy child is thine Image and thy shadow and behold as Ionas shade it vanished from thee in a night it vanished before thou well lookedst vpon the face of it howe pitifull a thing Ionas 4 11. But the pitifull God telleth him and thee also that hee pitieth little ones that cannot discerne betweene right hands and left euen to the number of six score thousand in one citie and that in Ashur and Niniueh and is his compassion shut vp from the seede of Christians Yea but if it had beene sprinkled with water of Baptisme Iohn 5.7 When the bedridden man for 38. yeares had none to helpe him into the souereigne water Christ healed him without water saying vers 17. Though the Angell moue not alwaies the water vers 4. but at times yet saith he My Father still worketh and I also work And though the spring of Baptisme should sometime be dammed vp it followeth not infants to bee damned for as Christ said to his Disciples Gen. 21.19 Ioh. 4.32 I haue meate that you know not of so the Angell telleth Agar and all mothers of water that she seeth not and Christ here telleth of saluation which the Angell and the water wrought not Thou missest thy children in thine armes beholde they are in the hand of God they are pluckt from thy brests but are in Abrahams bosome not in thy cradle below but in the throne of immortalitie aboue How oft is it seene amōg men that friendes take a babe from a weake mother a daughter a nurse and bring it vp for their owne Exod. 2.10 as Pharaos daughter did Moses so that the parents peraduenture neuer see it or not till long after What else doth God when he taketh the childe from the wombe or breast to haue it nursed in heauen lost it should haue ill bringing vp here A conflict with such dispositions vpon a like sodaine accident made mee gather against the next Lords day these remembrances touching this argument which nowe I haue more perfectly recognized Then it bred such alteration in their apprehensions and opiniōs that heard it that as once they who sayd of Paul Act. 28.4 hee was a murderer as if some should say infancieida when they sawe the reuealed glorie of God they changed their mindes These also are a holy seede Luk. 15.31 The childe that was dead to mee is aliue he that was lost is found blaming themselues as Dauid Psal 73.23 so foolish were wee euen as beastes vntill wee wēt into the sāctuary of God where we vnderstood the end euē of these little ones Math. 9. The Lord of the haruest giue blessing to this according to the riches of his glorious wisedome and teach vs to abound not with captious knowledge which by scanninges descantings comparings puffeth vp 1. Cor 8.1 But to abounde with loue which buildeth vs vp to one heade ouer all euen the Lord Jesus to whom be ascribed saluation for euer A SERMON PROOVING THAT THE VNBAPTIZED PREVENTED BY DEATH may be Gods children and by his election may be saued THE TEXT 1. Pet. 3.21 To this Arke of Noah the figure also that now saueth vs euen Baptisme agreeth not the putting away of the filth of the flesh but the questioning of a good conscience to God by the resurrection of Iesus Christ. 22. Who is at the right hand of God gone into Heauen to whome the Angels and powers and principalities are subiect THis Scripture as touching my purpose at this time openeth the meanes of our saluation and that two waies touching GOD in Christ touching vs. Touching god in Christ who is the cause of it the supreme and soueraigne cause of it the cause of causes euen Christ the alone cause of our saluation The meanes of performing and purchasing it are set downe by foure actions the first his rising from the dead the second his sitting at the right hand of God thirdly his ascending into heauen fourthly his subiecting of Angels vnto him The conditiō on our part is two-fold outward the element of water in Baptisme inwarde the questioning of a good conscience to God Of the type Noahs Arke and the complement of it in the correspondence of Baptisme vnto it elsewhere hath been at large handled Now further I obserue affirmatiuely what saueth Namely Christ apprehended by faith from a good conscience as being risen ascended sitting at Gods right hand subduing Angels and all for thy
they dye without Baptisme they are damned O cruell sentence and bloudie decree The first is refuted by that wee haue sayd alreadie that in them that haue yeares no grace commeth by the sacrament but a disgrace rather no good but euill if there bee not a good conscience towards GOD examined and washed with the fruites of Christs death and passion For here are vnderstood the workes of his humiliation as his incarnatiō dwelling in the shape of a seruant his crucifying and such like though there are touched onely foure workes of his exaltation And our Apostle sayth plainly though Noahs Arke saued yet saying that the washing of the flesh saueth not he seemeth to say gather not that outward washing saueth How then say our aduersaries that all are damned that haue not Baptisme Test Rhemis Ioh. 3. vers 5. or doe they say so No not all say they Who then and who not All infants say they that dye without Baptisme O pitifull cruell sentence whose eares will not tingle at it infants who cannot speak think or do ill the child whose flesh is scarce curded in the wombe whose bones are scarce gristled out of the wombe from the darknes of the wombe passe to the vtter darknesse for euer Thus speaketh the dragon all gored with bloud Apoc. 12.3 But doth the lambe of God say so also no doubt this lambes bloud extendeth it self euen to these little lābes and sucklings Is there no pardon from this general dānatorie sentence cruell definitiue are none excepted Yes God doth accept thē as baptized who are martyred before they could be baptized Rhe. in Ioh. 5. vers 2. and they that depart this life with desire and vow of Baptisme Onely they Yea onely they who earnestly intend desire and seeke for the same that is a fewe very fewe O happie rare case of them aboue all others to be singled out vnto life What is their proofe that the vnbaptized must needs be dāned Ioh. 3. Vnles a man be borne of water and the holy Ghost This is generall euen against all whosoeuer haue not outward water and if generall why not to martyrs and the other that dye with desire of Baptisme But they can make general whē they will Pighius Hierar eccl l. 1. c. 4. and speciall when they will euen as blasphemously they haue sayd of the Word it is a nose of waxe Linda in praef so they make the sacrament a scale of waxe But suppose a Martyr or a Christian conuerted not yet instructed in the doctrine of Baptisme as they that led the Martyrs to death seeing their patience faith zeale were suddenly conuerted and cried out Christianus sum I am a Christian and thereupon suffered with them how could they desire that they knowe not of were they damned for this Popish diuinitie maketh all damned who in their owne persons doe not earnestly intend desire and seeke for Baptisme of water euen as earnestly as the proportion of the speech carrieth it as the man desired to bee in the water Iohn 5.6.7 when it was troubled and had none to helpe him What then became of Iohn Baptist for who baptized him He indeede sayd to Christ Math. 3 14. I haue neede to be baptized of thee and commest thou to me He desired it but that is not enough seeing hee liued in a time when hee might haue had it Iohn 3.22 4.2 for Christs Disciples then baptized Or what shall wee say of the Apostles who seeme Act. 1.5 to be borne indeede of the spirit but not of the outward water except Paul or Andrewe Iohn 1.36.40 and some that were Iohns disciples to haue been baptized with the holie Ghost but not with water What dare they say of the theefe who was neither Martyr Acts 9.18 nor yet was so farre instructed to desire baptisme of water but by speciall influence of Gods sudden touch of his heart and lightening of his minde Luk. 23.42 desired to bee with Christ in his kingdome and obtained that princely paradise Last of all seeing themselues cōfesse that the desire of parents or godfathers Catech. Trident as they tearme them serueth for to procure grace to children baptized who haue not the wit nor grace yet to aske it why should not the desire of parents or friends who hunger and thirst for the righteousnes of God in Baptisme for the infants to bee borne or alreadie borne and yet dying without baptisme be accepted in Gods sight Themselues for the innocents and Martyrs whom Herod tragicallie murdered in the massacre of Bethlem and yet they not baptized nor baptisme desired for them least of all this baptisme of blood which al lamented al fathers and mothers cryed out vpon themselues I say confesse these not only saued Rhe Test in Math. 2.16 but gloriously saued to bee Martyrs and solemnize their feast And thus the ground and foundation is weake their building also vpon it paūcheth In the primitiue church of the world no doubt many children dyed before the eight day vncircumcised as Dauids childe begotten in adulterie 2. Sam. 12.18 which dyed euen the seuenth day the greater griefe if it bee as they would haue it in baptisme that it came so neere the iust time and missed the seale of the couenant as it were a man escaping all shipwracke to die in the port hauen Likewise the Israelites remained vncircumcised without all desire to haue it counting it a rebuke because they learned heathenishnes of Aegypt Iosh 5.8 or kept themselues vncircumcised as meaning to returne into Aegypt Num. 14.4 Yet who dare be so peremptorie Baptisme the great Circumcision so called by Epiphanius as to pronounce damnation vpon them for looke howe baptisme answereth circumcision so the deceasing without baptisme should be by suite and proportion no worse thing then dying without circumcision Vnles a man will say that the state of the Gospell hath lesse mercy and pitie then the lawe and that it went harder with infants vnder Christ then infants vnder Moses seeing Christ also became an infant to saue and redeeme infants seeing also on them by Herod was laide the first testimonie that the world should hate the Lord Iesus euen yet as it were a babe and suckling Math. 3.16 and that vnto death Adde hereunto that seeing the Lorde appointed a set time to circumcision Gen. 17.12 which was hard and dangerous somwhat for life * Ge. 34.25 in the Sichemites who were soare for the cutting three daies and not able to defend themselues I meane the eight day and designed no certaine time to baptize that seeing it is freer for disposing of that least of all necessitie dependeth vpon it whereas if the 2 or 3. * As some in Cyp. time l. 3. cp 8. ep the 7. or 8. day had beene appointed or such like then the deferring of baptisme beyond that time had beene great offence but the departing of
Doth our Church alone thinke so and doth not other Churches make vp the harmonie Rogers in the English Creed set out by authoritie pag. 33. par 2 art 25 The Creede of our Church confesseth this among the errors of the Papists that so many as are not incorporated into the visible Church by the Sacraments at the least of Baptisme are assuredly damned So doth two cōfessions of Switzerland the confession of the Church of Bohemia the Protestant Church of France so of Flanders so of Auspurge so of Saxonie and Sweueland which may be seene more at large in the booke of the Harmonie of confessions Alanus Cope reckoneth this vp as one of our errors in England Dial 6. cap. 9. Infants before they are baptized to belong to the people of GOD And to this agreeth most soundly euen he which hath now by the disposition of God the chief place in this Church In his replie in the great volume pag. 516. and professeth that he misliketh the opinion of these who thinke out of Ioh. 3. infants to be condemned being not baptized as much as any It shall bee ambition to muster the names of them who haue borne the standard in their places and are on our side so doth * Aret. proble theol par 2 de 〈◊〉 sacr Aretius at Barnes * Caluin instit l. 4. c. 16. sec 26. Caluin and * Confess c. 4. sect 49. Zuingl de prouid Dei c. 6. tom 1. pa. 369. Beza at Geneua certainly Zuinglius at Zurich calleth them sacramentaries who attribute so much grace to the sacramēt so much vertue to Baptisme of it selfe Such a cloud of witnesses hath this trueth and this is not only the consent of the later Churches but euen a long hath testimonie from this Apostle Baptisme saueth but I meane not sayeth hee the washing of the water but the examination of a good conscience towardes God Ephe. 5.26 The Apostle Paul saith Christ gaue himselfe for the Church to sanctifie it by the lauer of water but how through the word Psalm 8.2 In Dauids time the Church professeth GODS praise out of the mouth of sucklings In the primitiue Church the Cathecumen the not baptized not onely saued but glorified as Martyrs such an one was Heraclides Origens scholler beheaded vnder Seuerus and Rhais a woman whō Origen saith to haue obtained Baptisme by fire Cyp epist ad lubia Cyprian about the 260. yeare after Christ professeth that not only suffering for Christ De conse distinc 4. ca. Baptismi but faith and conuersion of the heart supplieth the want of Baptisme The councell of Nice sayth our Baptisme is not to bee considered with sensible eyes but with the eyes of the mind Ambros in sine Ora. sunes de obitu Valē Ambrose about 380. yeare after Christ sayth of Valentinian the Emperour who dyed without Baptisme Christ baptized him when mens offices failed againe his faith washed him Saint Austen Aug. in l. de side ad Petrum though he is alone almost except them that suruiued in his owne age in the necessitie of Sacraments making out of the sixt of Iohn a necessitie of the supper euen for infants Ioh. 6.53 because it is sayd Vnlesse you eate the fleshe of the Sonne of man and drinke his bloud you haue no life in you contrary to the rule of the Apostle that none should eate but they who can examine thēselues 1. Cor. 11.23 yet in diuers places where God assisted him more and hee remembred himselfe Aug. l. 13. de ciuit Dei ca 7. he yeelded also to this truth making faith and a contrite spirit to be in stead of Baptisme for thus hee saith he that sayd Vnles a man be borne of water and the spirite hee cannot enter into the kingdome of God Ioh. 3. sayd as generally Hee that confesseth mee before men Luk. 12.8 I will confesse him before my Father and the holy Angels And againe Luk. 9.24 Hee that leeseth his life shall saue it and againe Psal 116.15 Precious is the death of the Saints in the sight of God Nay hee rather commendeth them that dye sometimes without Baptisme for others for feare of death defer not their baptisme further but these for loue to God deferre to liue longer he exemplifieth also in the theefe and * Aug. lib. 4. de baptis in don cap. 24. againe then is Baptisme fulfilled when not the contempt of religion but when the instant or momēt of necessitie excludeth from visible Baptisme * Serm ad infantes Againe none is depriued of the benefit of the sacrament so long as hee findeth in himselfe the thing which the sacrament signifieth again among whom do you reckon children vnbaptized verely among beleeuers Aug de verbis Apostoli ser 14. So. l. 3. de quaest vet test The inuisible sanctification may bee without the visible signe as the visible signe without the true sanctification * In serm de 40. Martyribus Basile sayth of the iaylour or keeper of the 40. Martyrs who became a Martyr hee was baptized by his owne faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not by the hand of another not in water but in his owne blood Hieromes iudgement of Asella we heard aboue Yet the diuersitie of customes and practise of olde is strange herein with the multitude of humane inuentions crept in euen in the primitiue church that wee may blesse God for this puritie of Baptisme which we enioy De consecr dist 4. cap. non ratione in seq Terrul de Baptis dutiusculè loquitur For they vsed only solemne times for baptizing as Easter at Rome by Victors constitution at Easter and Pentecost in Tertullians time or the time of mariage or at their dying day or on the feast of the Epiphany as in Asia insomuch that as Christ at 30. yeares of age was baptized Baptisme more syncerely performed now then of olde so Gregorie at 30. yeares olde though his father were a Bishop So Austen about the same time so Ambrose a Bishop elect before hee was baptized and in a Synode of Rome 40 yeares are appointed except for the sicke In 4. Orat. de Lauac sanct and great with childe who might at all other times bee baptized And Nazianzene appointed the 4. yeare when they could giue a reason of their faith so that when a man once departeth from this that any thing saueth speedy Baptisme or Baptisme deferred Baptisme or no Baptisme nay prayer or no prayer word or no word whē any thing saueth but this onely Sauiour Christ who rose ascended raigneth ouer men and Angels one error increaseth vpon another one inuention accrueth vpon his former hence came the crosse * Origen ho. 2. in Psal 38. Tertul. de resur Cyp. de haer bapt hence a kisse in Baptisme l. 3. ep 8. Cyp. hence a ring Tertul. l. de pudicitia hence to haue oyle * Tertul. de
in parents and friends as in these two last cases or when parents and minister and all are willing death creepeth in and preuenteth both Such occurrents may bee matter of meditation to parents and Ministers and the whole people of the suddennes of death of the vncertaine ioy and stay of posteritie that he suffereth vs to beget but not to possesse to haue a sight of our babes and then suddenly taketh them to himselfe of Gods almightines that he doth what he will and that sometimes hee saueth with meanes sometimes without meanes as sometimes damneth with meanes sometimes without meanes but yet not so that any of these accidents ouerthrow the election of God What then establisheth the substance of Baptisme what ouerthroweth it Here wee must consider the institution Matth. 28. Goe Who The Minister Do what baptize that is powre on the water or dippe it in water Whom all nations that is men not bels c. How not in the name of the water or power of it or any other name in heauen or earth but of the blessed Trinitie So that a Midwife to baptize or a priuate man to whom it was neuer sayd Goe and baptize likewise to vse sande as sometime hath bin or some other licour * As oyle and water by Haeret Iâ—â—n ib. 1. cap. 18. also to applie it to bels then forsooth Bishops alone must do it as the Papists vse and lastly not to doe it in the name power and vertue of the Trinitie I take it to bee the violating of the Lords institution in which kinds wee ought to refuse it But if other circumstances onely be annexed or not accompanie it Eccle. 7.31 as it may be truly sayd of this sacrament God made it simple and righteous and vncompounde but man founde out many inuentions these things may a little exercise our zeale and faith and patience but they cannot abridge the counsel of God in thee and thine and therefore if thou maist haue it without the additamentes of men the better it is if not yet the seale of God remaineth sure they shall beare their iniquitie of stubble so meane a matter built vpon so good a foundation that haue brought it vp or maintaine it vntil God purge them by his triall of fire as in the worde so in the sacrament * 1. Cor. 3.15 when as the stubble shall vanish but the good foundation shall saue them Doe thou as much as thou canst communicate with God in his institution for as we are to desire not onely the milke of the worde 1. Peter 2.2 but the syncere milke of it so in the Lords seale wee ought rather to take his engrauing alone then any characters of man And to drawe to an ende I would not onely haue men peremptorie for the Sacrament but for the word also which is the life of the Sacrament what is water without the worde but water therefore if the neglect or the contempt of the Sacrament bee a sinne is not the despising of the word and neglect of it a sinne also because many are wonderfull passionate The necessitie of the word to be thought on as of Baptisme if God himselfe preuent of Baptisme but themselues for themselues and others are nothing compassionate making no care nor conscience of their assiduitie and diligence to heare the word Surely the worde hath saued without Baptisme but baptisme without the worde neuer Ioh. 15.3 You are cleane because of the word and that you may knowe the words despising hath power to damne also consider what the scripture saith Ioh. 12.48 The word shall iudge you and againe Hee that despiseth the worde his prayer is abominable Prou. 28.9 and againe Math. 10.40 He that reiecteth the Preacher reiecteth him that sent him which is the Lord and againe Faith commeth by hearing Rom. 10.14 Rom. 14.23 which faith alone pleaseth GOD. Christ Math. 23.16 calles the Pharisees blind guides fooles and blind because they counted it sinne to sweare by the gold of the Temple but by the Temple to sweare was nothing so to sweare by the Aultar nothing but by the offering vpon the Aultar a sinne Now fooles and blind which is greater gold or Temple Altar or offering For the Temple conteineth God that dwelleth in it the Altar that is God worshipped at it So let the despisers of the word either vanish wonder Act. 13.31 for Gods work vpon their blindnes that can see a mote of contempt in Baptisme and not the beame of contempt in the worde or else acknowledge their blindnes Baptisme is as gold it is as a holy offering but yet the word sanctifieth it and if it be not offered as it were vpon the holy Altar of the word this golde becommeth drosse because there wanteth Gods word as fire to trie it though it bee the offering of the fruite of thy body thine owne flesh to the Lorde yet vnles thou doe it as the Lord hath commanded there is a sauour of death in it and not of life The propoâ—tion must be kept Leuit. 17.4 In sacrifices disobedience is as murder and why not in sacraments Wherefore beloued let vs not despise Baptisme let vs not despise the word Baptisme is good and holy and comfortable with the word the word is wholsome and comfortable in his place with Baptisme and without it let vs get a spirite of discerning spirits to distinguish betweene outward washing and inwarde betweene the leauen of poperie who sowre the sweete water of baptisme make it Marah let vs rather season it with casting in some part of the tree of life 2. King 2.21 as Eliza did to the waters of Iericho and healed the land from vntimely birth Let vs preserue a good conscieÌ„ce by communing with our hearts dayly examined so shal neither we nor our church haue vntimely birth for saluation as they had in Iericho so shall not Baptisme be vnfruitfull to vs but be laden with all the benefites of Christs resurrection ascension glorie at Gods right hand and dominions ouer Angels and then neither death nor life Baptisme nor not Baptisme neither things past present nor to come shall separate vs from the loue of Iesus Christ Rom. 8.38 which shal bring vs vnto God Errata In the epistle to the reader page 4. line 27. for insancicida reade infanticida p. 45. l. 18. for Secondly r. Seuenthly p. 59. l. 17. for that is God r. God thatâ—s