who lived many hundred years after is a notion built upon no other foundation but the manifest mis-apprehending the sense of that word Litania 6. Amongst the particular expressions in the Litany disliked by many Non-Conformists the first is where we pray to be delivered from fornication and all other deadly sin But the phrase of deadly sin is sufficiently warranted from these places of Scripture Rom. 6.23 the wages of sin is death Jam. 1.15 Sin when it hath conceived bringeth forth death Jam. 3.8 The tongue is full of deadly poison And the sense of this phrase in this place is this that we here pray to be kept from all such sins as are most destructive and pernicious which is all one with deadly and to be delivered from all sin the nature of all fin encluding a tendency to death and this extensive sense of this phrase is both suitable to the pious desires of a Christian and agreeable to the comprehensiveness of the following words From all the deceits of the World the flesh and the Devil Good Lord deliver us 7. That Petition against sudden death hath also been much excepted against and Drusius seemed to have an eye to this Drus in Job 21.13 writing upon that expression in Job concerning the wicked They spend their days in wealth and in a moment go down to the grave that is saith he they dye cita morte quam aliqui deprecantur sed viderint an recte But if that learned man had any design from this text to censure this Prayer of our Liturgy he hath greatly miscarried in his attempt For if he with others be right in the exposition of that phrase which may well be understood that the life of the wicked was so prosperous that it seemed not to them tedious and long I say if his sense be embraced these words cannot be allowed to contain such blessings as were really advantageous to the wicked and truly desireable for him but only such things at the best as appeared good to them who have their eye no farther than the things of this life unless his being in a moment cut off from all hopes of the time of grace and repentance could be a blessing 8. I doubt not but the intent of praying against sudden death is this that whereas many dangers might daily surprize us and by a sudden stroke end our lives if divine providence did not protect us we here commit our selves to Gods keeping to be preserved by his care from such judgments and dangers And such a sudden death is a dreadful estate to the wicked and to dye as Josiah or Vzzah did is not desirable to the most holy and pious men who according to the example of Jacob David and our blessed Saviour himself by their holy instructions at the time of their death may become useful for the bettering the lives of them who survive 9. But they tell us there may be sudden death in a lawful War or Martyrdom To which I answer 1. That sudden unexpected death is chiefly intended in this Prayer and in this sense Martyrdom is not always a sudden death 2. That the example of our Saviour who prayed with submission to his Fathers will that that Cup might pass from him will warrant the like submissive Prayer in any of his Disciples 3. And chiefly it is upon divers accounts both lawful and fit to pray that we may not be suddenly taken away either by Martyrdom or War For though Christianity tendeth to prepare men to be willing and ready upon just occasions to hazard or lay down their lives yet touching Martyrdom true Christian charity towards all men and sincere love to the Church of God will direct us to pray that the truth of God may ever be so countenanced in the World if God see it good and especially amongst us that the Church of God may be free from persecution and that none in the World may be so wicked as to oppose Religion with design to take away the lives of its Professors and that the true members of the Church of God may be preserved from such cruelties as were exercised in divers horrid measures and were designed in the Gunpowder-treason And so far as concerneth sudden death in lawful Wars the peaceableness of the doctrine of Christianity will not only allow bt excite us to pray that righteousness and love may so far prevail in the World that none may through any injustice pride or inordinate affections promote Wars and that Swords may be turned into Plow-shares rather than sheathed in one anothers bowells 10. However to be preserved in the day of Battel is a mercy which as it deserveth thankful acknowledgment when enjoyed so it may without all blame be desired with submission to the divine will to which purpose there are divers passages in the Book of Psalms If we further consider the state of the most pious man even upon his own account it is acknowledged that it is not considerable ferrum an febris de corpore solverit as S. Aug. expresseth it Aug. Ep. 122. whether he die in his bed or be slain in the field yet even so holy a man as S. Austen himself was did both value and make good use of the time of his sensibly approaching death that he might be found well doing Posid in Vit. Aug. c. 31. and be the better prepared to die by affectionate renewing the exercise of repentance humble confession and lively faith But in short to return to the proper and direct sense of this Petition in the Litany let that man alone who judgeth it unfit to commit himself to the protection of God to be preserved from dangers which may assault his life condemn and reject this petition against sudden death 11. Another Petition which meeteth with opposition is this Fap ◠Com. 〈◊〉 That it may please thee to preserve all that travel by land or by water for this is supposed to enclude the praying for Thieves and Robbers and Pirates and Traitors going on such errands as Faux did But this objection is a violent detorting these words for he is properly a traveller who goeth upon his allowable or ordinary occasions If the meanest man in the Country should hear of an Act of Parliament for secureing the safe passage of all travellers he would never thence conclude that they intended or provided for the safety of Robbers Highway-men and Traitors who are the great disturbers of safety Might not the instances objected be alledged against S. Paul commanding that Prayer be made for all men and against the Geneva form Prec Eccl. Genev. post Conc. in Ca. Dom. commending to Gods care singulos etiam homines all particular men in prison banishment c. as well as against this Phrase in the Litany especially if that comprehensive sense be allowed in this Petition which charity will admit that God would not only preserve the bodies of them that travel from outward danger but their souls
the institutions of Christ which is the first consideration I propound 4. Cons 2. The necessity of being duly qualified for the right receiving the Lords Supper doth not leave men at all excusable in their ordinary forbearing for the danger of performing any Religious duty carelesly is expressed in the holy Scriptures to quicken men unto the greater piety in their attendance upon those services but not to give them any liberty of neglecting them That slothful and wicked servant who hid his talent in a Napkin had at last no comfort by his pretended excuse for his neglect that he looked upon his Lord as an hard man whom he could not please Mat. 25.24 30. but was cast into outer darkness It was no way lawful for the Aaronical Priests to forbear to offer the Sacrifices which God had commanded because he had declared that he would be sanctified in them that come nigh him and had destroyed Nadab and Abihu for their undue approach Though God upbraided the Jews that they did steal and murder and commit adultery c. and come and stand before him in his House which was called by his name yet it was still the duty of every male among them religiously to present themselves there before the Lord three times in the year Deut. 16.16 and they were all enjoined to keep the Passover which encluded a yielding themselves to the Lord. 2. Chr. 30.8 and a preparing their heart to seek God v. 19. And when S. Paul had said 1 Cor 11.27 28 29. that whosoever shall eat his bread and drink this Cup of the Lord unworthily shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord this giveth no allowance to any to neglect this Ordinance but the next verse directeth but let a man examine himself and so let him eat of that bread and drink of that Cup and the following words For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily eateth and drinketh damnation to himself not discerning the Lords body are laid down as an argument to shew that men ought to examine themselves and so to eat and drink 5. He that heareth or readeth the word of God or knoweth his will or professeth the name of Christ without obedience yielded thereunto doth encrease his sin and condemnation and yet hearing reading knowledge and profession of Christianity are necessary duties but that which it here only available and is every mans indispensable duty is to join the life of Christianity with its knowledge and profession So it is a duty to receive this Sacrament and to be careful not to receive it unworthily or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unsuitably to its nature and institution Wherefore this Ordinance encluding under the Elements of Bread and Wine an Heavenly Communion of the body and blood of Christ whose death is here represented as he offered up himself to God for us and established the New Testament with the assurance of all the blessings and promises thereof the worthy receiving this Sacrament will require that Communion with Christ be both heartily desired and piously embraced that the death and mediation of Christ be acknowledged as the only way of atonement and remission of sins that the Christian Religion established in the New Testament or Covenant be owned as the only true Religion and all others rejected that the promises of eternal life pardon and grace be valued and sought after as the chief objects of desire and hope and that the Christian practice which the New Testament requireth be undertaken and resolved upon with a circumspect care of repentance and amendment of what is amiss and with a peculiar respect to peace and love by reason of this Sacrament of Unity it being noted by S. Augustine De Consecr dist 2. c. Qui manducant that he who receiveth the Sacrament of Vnity and doth not hold the bond of peace doth not receive the Sacrament for his good but as a testimony against himself which was also the Doctrine of S. Paul 1 Cor. 11.17 18. And though there be too many who do not practise according to the necessary rules of Christianity it is absolutely and indispensably necessary for them that their lives be changed and amended that they may not only be fit to receive this holy Sacrament but that they may be fit to partake of the blessing of God and to avoid the dreadful miseries of everlasting torments and to live answerable to their Baptismal Covenant that they may be advantaged by their profession of Christianity And let any man consider whether it be not as unreasonable a Plea in the sight of God for any man to avoid the holy Communion because he is not willing to live according to the Christian rules when both these things are his duty as it would be in the sight of a Prince for a Subject to refuse to take the Oath of Allegiance upon pretence that he is enclined to undertake practices of Rebellion 6. Cons 3. The Doctrine of our Church and its Rules for Communion do not allow that any persons should come to the holy Sacrament otherwise than in a suitable and Religious manner but it jointly urgeth as the holy Scriptures do also the duty of coming and the necessity of coming preparedly Amongst our Writers Bishop Cranmer declared that we ought not unreverently and unadvisedly to approach to the Lords Table but we ought to come to that Board of the Lord with all reverence Def. of Cath. Doctr. of the Sacr. l. 3. c. 14. faith love and charity fear and dread Both Bishop Whitgift and Mr. Hocker in their defence of the Order for the Communion against T. C. allow that there may be cause of present forbearance from this Sacrament because of unfitness but this ought to be amended B. Whitg Tr. 9. c. 6. Tr. 15. c. 2. and that it is not desirable that men persisting in wickedness should be constrained to come to the Lords Supper Eccles Pol. l 5. c. 68. But it is needless to add other testimonies when the Communion Book it self in the first exhortation saith If any of you be a blasphemer of God an hinderer or slanderer of his word an adulterer or be in malice or envy or in any other grievous crime repent you of your sins or else come not to that holy Table lest after the taking of that holy Sacrament the Devil enter into you as he entred into Judas and fill you full of all iniquities and bring you to destruction both of Body and Soul Wherefore it is acknowledged in our Church that the receiving the Holy Communion is not a right Christian action where it is not performed with a Christian spirit and disposition and partly upon this account and partly for the disciplinary discountenancing of wickedness both the twenty sixth Canon and the Rubrick before the Communion do require that no notorious evil liver or malicious man before their amendment be suffered to come to the Lords Table and consistently herewith must that
of God in the Ordinance of Baptism and therefore this Salvation would not be an advantage slowing from their Baptism But if it be said that by Baptism the Covenant of grace is sealed to such Infants we must here further consider that Gods Covenant by reason of his faithfulness goodness and Soveraignty cannot be sealed as mens Covenants are to make it firm and binding when it would otherwise be void and of no force Wherefore there remain two ways whereby the Sacraments as they are on Gods part Seals of the Covenant of Grace may be of great advantage unto us the one is as they give further assurance of the priviledges of that Covenant for our comfort but of this benefit these infants are not capable partly because the receiving this comfort requireth the exercise of judgment and consideration and partly because the evident sureness of Gods Covenant can be no cause of consolation to them unless we admit that there is some ordinary means appointed of God whereby they may attain the blessings so assured the other way of advantage is by the benefits of Gods Covenant being sealed or surely conveyed as the present interest and priviledge of the persons rightly receiving these Seals and in this way which encludeth saying regeneration infants are indeed capable of receiving wonderful benefit thereby 8. 5. And omitting other arguments even the Prayers of the Church with faith and confidence upon the other grounds above-mentioned not doubting but earnestly believing that God will favourably receive those infants and embrace them with the arms of his mercy doth give further assurance of forgiveness of sin and a state of salvation for baptized Infants For God who hath declared his favour towards them and encluded them in his Covenant doth direct 1. Joh. 5.16 that if any man see his Brother sin a sin which is not unto death he shall ask and shall give life for them that sin not unto death and this general command encludeth Gods gracious answer to such Prayers and Prayer which is a general means to obtain Grace is used for the obtaining saving benefits in Baptism with the greater encouragement because the blessings prayed for are tendred in this Ordinance and by Gods promise unto Infants who receive Baptism To this purpose S. Augustine saith that remission of sins in Baptism is obtained per orationem De Bapt. cont Don. l. 3. c. 18. i. e. per columbae gemitum by the Prayers and groans of them who live in Peace Love and Vnity and our Church in the Prayer before the words of the Gospel in the Baptismal Office urgeth Gods promise Ask and you shall receive seek and you shall find c. the usefulness and benefit of Prayer being here the same in Baptism as it is in the most religiously prepared person for receiving the benefits of the Communion SECT IV. The Doctrine of the ancient and divers Reformed Churches herein observed 1. In observing the Doctrine of the ancient Church Conc. Milev c. 2. I shall begin with Councils The Council of Milevis condemned those who denyed infants to be baptized for the remission of sin or who asserted that they did not draw that original sin from Adam which is purged by the laver of regeneration and they declare that by the rule of the Catholick Church Infants are baptized for the remission of sin that that may be cleansed by regeneration which was derived by generation And this Canon of Milevis is the more considerable Conc. Carth. c. 124. because it was taken into the African Code and with that-Code was confirmed by the sixth General Council Conc. Trul. c. ◠The sixth general Council in another Canon requireth that those infants should be baptized without any scruple concerning whom there can be no sufficient testimony given that they were baptized before Conc. Trul. c. 84. and this it enjoineth lest such scruple should deprive them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of this Baptismal purging for sanctification Conc. Constant And whereas the Creed of the second general Council expresseth a belief of one Baptism for the remission of sins the Council of Milevis above mentioned avoucheth Conc. Mil. ubi supra those expressions to have been always so understood in the Church as to acknowledge that baptized Infants did thereby obtain actual pardon and remission And that African Synod whose Epistle is extant amongst S. Austins Works declared Aug. Ep. 90. that whosoever shall deny that little Children are delivered from perdition and do obtain Eternal Salvation by the Baptism of Christ let him be an Anathema 2. If we consult the ancient Fathers it is beyond all contradiction evident that real remission and regeneration of all baptized Infants is acknowledged by S. Aug. Ep. 23. de peccat Merit Remis l. 2. c. 28. passim by Optatus Advers Parm. l. 5. Fulgentius de fide ad Petr. c. 30. by Prosper and generally by the suceeding Writers of the Church But some have pretended Gatak de Bapt. Infant vi effic p. 268. that this position sprung from their eager opposition of the Pelagians who denied Children to be guilty of original sin for the removing of which pretence it will be requisite to give some testimony of the judgment of the Ecclesiastical Writers who lived before the appearing of the Pelagian tares S. Cyprian night two hundred years before Pelagius did not only express the mighty sensible efficacy of his own Baptism for conferring Grace to him in his Epistle to Donatus but in his Epistle to Fidus he declareth that Infants by their Baptism do obtain the grace and favour of God Cyp. Ep. 59. and the remission of their sins and several expressions of that Epistle do intimate that this is the end for which they are baptized and comparing the state of an Infant coming to Baptism with an adult person embracing Christianity and the true Faith he doth in this respect prefer the state of the Infant because ad remissam peccatorum hoc ipso facilius accedit c. he doth upon this account the more readily obtain the remission of sins because the sins forgiven to him were not his own acts but anothers or Original sin Orig. in Luc. Hom. 14. Origen in his Homilies upon S. Luke which were undoubtedly his and translated by S. Hierome saith that Children are baptized for the remission of sins but saith he of what sins and when did they sin and a little after answereth that by the Sacrament of Baptism nativitatis sordes the sins and defilements with which they were born are laid aside and for this cause saith he little ones are baptized for unless a man be born again of Water and of the Spirit he cannot see the Kingdom of God The same Doctrine is also asserted by Nazianzen in his 40th Oration Naz. Orat. 40. as the comparing some things not far from the beginning with others towards the middle thereof will manifest and this he
8. whence the Targum mentioning the expedition against Antiochus speaketh of him under th ename of Alexander and the Prophet speaketh to the Jews under the stile of the Rulers of Sodom and the Elders of Gomorrha 2. And secondly the Objection is not sufficient to disprove the Historical truth of these Books if we consider 1. That the fixed time of the life of Job and the time to which divers Prophecies refer is not easily determined which yet is no good argument against the truth of either as it is a bad argument against the credit of ancient History either of our own or other Nations that it is hard to fix the scituation of divets ancient places mentioned by names now unknown 2. That both Josephus and other Historians do make no mention of divers considerable things which were certainly true as for Josephus some of the Prophets and the matter of divers Canonical Books and some remarkable Histories as particularly all that referred to the framing the Golden Calf are omitted by him 3. That the ancient Christians who had the use of divers ancient Jewish Writers and other Histonary now lost and had thereby greater opportunity of searching into the Historical truth of these things did esteem them to be true Relations Bel and the Dragon is cited as a true Narration containing an example for Martyrdom and an instance of the sureness of Gods provision for them that trust in him by Irenaeus Tertullian Clemens Alexandrinus S. Cyprian and Gr. Nazianzen and divers others V. Lit. African in Crit. Sacr. Tom. 8. p. 46 47. And Origen particularly undertook the defence of the truth of the History of Susanna in answer to the Letter of Africanus which containeth the sum of all the Objections against it Eus Hist Eccl. l. 6. c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which were fully and manifestly satisfied by Origen saith Eusebius S. Hierome also wrote a Comment upon Susanna and upon Bel and declareth Origen to have written upon the same And S. Hierome calling these fabulaes useth that word here as he doth elsewhere V. Epist ad Castrutium for true Narrations which we also sometimes call stories and these very things he particularly acknowledgeth for truths Apol. 2. ad Ruff. Proleg in Habbacuc ad Chromatium And Judith is propounded as a true Narration and example of love to her people or courage by Hierome Origen Tertullian Clemens Alexandrinus Clem. Ep. ad Corinth p. 70. and even by Clemens Romanus the Companion of St. Paul in that his undoubted Epistle to the Corinthians And these testimonies are the more considerable because several of these Writers and particularly Tertullian Clemens Alexandrinus Origen and Hierome were men of great knowledge in all ancient learning Wherefore there is very considerable evidence that these relations are true Histories though it would be inconsiderable matter of Objection if they were acknowledged to be only Parables 3. Obj. 2. Judith approveth the fact of Simeon against the Sichemites by desiring the like assistance from God Ch. 9. and spake things untrue Ch. 10. v. 12 13 14. and Ch. 11. and yet she was commended highly and blessed by Joacim and the Elders Ans Both in these Books and even in the Canonical Scriptures we must distinguish between things Historically related which are many times evil and the matters of precept and command which are always good The main design of this Book of Judith being to shew Gods wonderful Providence in preserving his Church divers things are mentioned in the carriage of Judith which are neither to be allowed in her nor imitated by us And in the Canonical Scriptures we read of good men uttering expressions in Prayer which were unadvised and blamerble such were Elijahs intercession against Israel and both his and JOnah's passionate desire of Death We also read of Jacob by false speaches procuring his Fathers blessing which were allowed by Rebecca and of the contrivance of Jacobs other Sons against Joseph with their lying devices to paliate their own sin and of the like wiles which Jehu used to destroy the Worshippers of Baal and in some things both Jehu and Judith deserved commendation but in other things their practices as the other now mentioned and divers more are not examples for our imitation but rather warnings to us to take heed of the like miscarriages 4. Obj. 3. From Tobit there are divers things objected Of what is said against any thing contained in the fifth Chapter which is purposely left out of our Kalendar I shall take no notice But Ch. 6.9 10. The using the heart and liver of a Fish is declared as from an Angel to be a Cure for one vexed with an evil Spirit and the Gall thereof to be a remedy for the whiteness of the eyes Concerning which place two ways of interpretation are propounded by Drusius Drâ—â—â— Tob. theone that these words concern a Disease or distemper of body occasioned by the operation or influence of an evil spirit which yet may be healed by natural remedies which the Angel did direct and he sheweth that some parts of fishes are reputed to have medicinal vertue and it is ordinarily acknowledged that some distempers curable by Medicine may be promoted by evil spirits But the other which I chiefly embrace is to this purpose that it is no ways improbable that God who more frequently manifested himself by Angels before the coming of Christ should by the Ministry of one of them vouchsafe an extraordinary help and cure to one who religiously served him though by the use of means otherwise inconsiderable that his mercy and mighty power should be manifested by the effecting such a Cure By washing in Jordan according to the Prophets direction the Leprosie of Naaman was miraculously cleansed by washing in Siloam at our Saviours command the blind man obtained a wonderful Cure So small a thing as Moses his râ—d ordered by Gods power was an instrument of working divers miracles and by Elijah's Mantle smiting the Waters they were twice divided 2. Kin. 2.8 14. and in Egypt at the sprinkling of bloud the destroying Angel passed over Now can any man think it either impossible or altogether incredible that God should produce great effects by small appearances at the direction of an Angel who had oft done the like at the direction of a Prophet And this direction of the Angel is manifestly designed for a particular preservation to Tobit and a Cure to his Father and the following Chapters declare the effect of both nor ought it to be doubted but that our great and eternal God hath done many great things besides what was thought necessary to be expressed in the Canonical Scriptures 5. Obj. 4. In the sixth seventh and ninth Chapters of Tobit the Angel who is said to Accompany him is spoken to under the name of Azarias viz. the Son of Ananias and seemeth to owne that name whereas it could not be true that the Angel was this Azarias But here it must
them but this as some other ways of reserving them as found to be of ill use Hesych in Lev. 8. Hesychius speaketh of a custom of burning them which custom I suppose took its original from those Commands of God whereby he enjoyned the remainder of the Jewish Passcover and of the Sacrifices of thanksgiving and some others to be burnt with fire Exod. 12.10 Lev. 7.15 16 17. The Council of Mascon directed them to be given in the Church Conc. Matisc 2. c. 6. to such Christians as kept their Fasts there on the fourth and sixth days of the week which were the old stationary days The direction in our Rubrick is ordered with as much prudence as any of these if it be not to be preserred before them all for as there is no reason to doubt but that they may be eaten so can there be no reason produced why the Communicants may not as well eat them as any other persons 3. The eating these Elements in the Church by the Communicants out of a reverent respect to the Sacrament for which they were consecrated is allowable and no way blameable Both our Articles and our Rubrick after the Communion Service do acknowledge that the sacramental Bread and Wine even in the Sacrament do remain in their proper substances which with other expressions in our Liturgy sufficiently exclude the Romish corruptions Yet since we believe this Sacrament to be an excellent Gospel Ordinance I suppose that out of respect thereunto devout Christians do generally acknowledge that even the Vessels particularly appointed for the Bread and Wine at the Communion and the Communion Table should not be used at mens ordinary meals and certainly a due respect to Gods Ordinance for which they are set apart will not allow this which was also condemned by the ancient Canons and it appears very reasonable that those Elements which were consecrated for the Sacrament may be used with at least as much reverence as the Communion Cup or Patine De Consc l. 4. c. 31. Sect. 3. And when Amesius truly asserteth that it necessarily followeth from the Religious honour of God that those things which have any respect unto Gods Worship ought to receive from us a privative honour even when they are not used to a holy use as heh instanceth in Bread and Wine left at the Communion which is to be honoured privatively that is care ought to be taken that it be not used contemptibly and sacred Phrases as sacramental words c. not to be used in sport even hence it will follow that they may be used with a relative honour that is so used as to express a reverence to those holy Ordinances to which they bear relation SECT III. Of the saving Regeneration of Infants in Baptism and the grounds upon which it may be asserted 1. THE next Office in the Book of Common Prayer is that of Baptism where that which requireth principal consideration is that every baptized Infant is declared Regenerate and thanks is returned to God after Baptism that he hath regenerated this Infant by his holy Spirit and the beginning of the Catechism declareth that the Child in Baptism was made a Member of Christ a Child of God and an Inheritor of the Kingdom of Heaven These expressions have been somewhat differently understood some applying them to a saving Regeneration of every baptized Infant others to a federal Regeneration or a Regeneration Sacramento tenus And I suppose it evident that if it can be certainly proved that every baptized Infant is savingly regenerated or if on the other side all the expressions in the Liturgy can be fairly and probably interpreted of a federal Regeneration which is generally acknowledged there can be then no doubt but all these expressions may be fitly and allowably used shall treat of both these senses because they both plead an allowance in our Church and indeed the latter doth not necessarily destroy but may well consist with the former 2. Beginning with the former I shall first shew what evidence there is that the acknowledging a saving regeneration of every Infant baptized hath been the Doctrine publickly received in this Church ever since the Reformation This is the more probable sense of that Rubrick before the Catechism in the former Book of Common Prayer and that at the end of Baptism in the present Book both which declare that Children baptized are undoubtedly saved that is as the first Book of Edw. VI. and our present Book do express it if they dye in their infancy and before they commit actual sin And our Book of Homilies declareth Hem. of Salvation of Mankind by Christ Part. 1. that Infants being baptized and dying in their infancy are by his Christs Sacrifice washed from their sins brought to Gods favour and made his children and inheritors of his Kingdom of Heaven To these I shall and what Bishop Cranmer who was a great Instrument in our Reformation and Bishop Juell a principal Defender thereof write concerning Baptism complying with the sense here expressed Bishop Cranmer saith Of the Lords Supper lib. 1. c. 12. For this cause Christ ordained Baptism in water that as surely as we see feel and touch water with our bodies so assuredly ought we to believe when we be baptized that Christ is verily present with us and that by him we be new born again spiritually and washed from our sins and graffed in the stock of Christs own body so that as the Devil hath no power against Christ so hath he none against us so long as we remain graffed in that stock Def. of Apol. Part. 2. c. 11. Sect. 3. c. Bishop Juell declareth the Doctrine of the Church of England thus We confess and have evermore taught that in the Sacrament of Baptism by the death and blood of Christ is given remission of all manner of sin and that not in half or in part or by way of imagination or by sancy but whole full and perfect of all together so that now was S. Paul saith There is no condemnation to them that be in Christ Jesus 3. But it must be here noted that by the saving regeneration of baptized Infants it is not intended that their understandings or wills are guided to an high esteem and love of God and the Christian life which the Infant state is not capable of but this regeneration is mainly relative so that being regenerated by Baptism they are no longer the Children of wrath and under the curse due to original sin but are brought into a new state to be members of the body of Christ and thereby partakers of the favour of God And though some small seeds of gracious disposition may be in Infants who are capable thereof in the same manner as they are of corruption yet that regeneration or renovation of an Infant in Baptism whereby he is received into a state of remission and Salvation is very different from the regeneration of an adult person whereby his
speak or declare they believe are baptized alio protestante with another persons making the profession on their behalf and this usage hath been also embraced by divers Protestant Churches Rat. Discip c. 3. Sect. 2. herein following the Bohemian which was the first reformed 5. That the true intent and benefit hereof may be understood we must consider 1. That every person baptized thereby undertaketh to renounce the Devil to embrace the Christian Faith and to become the Servant of God and Disciple of Jesus Christ This is evident from that Command of Christ mat 28.19 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 make them Disciples by baptizing them and from the form of of Baptism in or into the name of the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost and from such expressions as these concerning them who have undertaken Baptism That they are dead unto sin so as that they should not live any longer therein that they are baptized into Christ and into the likeness of his death and that they have put on Christ 2. That Infants are capable of being engaged to God and may stand obliged to believe in God and serve him and to reject the ways of sin and wickedness This is manifest from the Circumcision of Children under the Law and from their little ones entring into Covenant with God Deut. 29.11 12 c. and is encluded in the Baptism of Infants which is a dedicating them unto God and layeth an obligation upon them to entertain and persevere in the Christian Life and Faith whether they have any Sureties or no and he that owneth not this obligation from his Baptism doth go far toward the renouncing of Christianity 3. That when the Sureties answer in the Childs name I believe I renounce c. this is a more solemn representation or declaration of what the Child undertaken by his Baptism and hereby as the Master of the sentences determineth Sent. l. 4. Dist 6. g. parvulus hac sponsione tenebitur non sponsor the Child and not the surety standeth bound by this engagement only the Surety is obliged to be careful of admonishing him This explicite Declaration of what the baptized Infant undertaketh is fitly used in Baptism conformably to Antiquity because it tendeth to express clearly a considerable part of the design and end of Christian Baptism and to put all other baptized persons in mind of their engagement that they may live answerably thereto And the matter of this baptismal vow being expressed in the publick Congregation in the Childs name where all who are present may bear witness thereto may be a considerable argument to be urged upon him when he cometh to Age to induce him to the greater diligence in the Christian life And these words of the Sureties I believe c. are not directly words of promise of what they undertake shall be performed but words expressing contract and engagement in the baptismal vow and declaring in what profession and practice this Infant by his Baptism standeth obliged to live and die 6. There is a further advantage by the the use of sureties in that they are as is expressed in the exhortation to them to see that the Child be taught what a solemn vow promise and profession he made in Baptism that he be vertuously brought up And that he be instructed in those points of Christianity which a Christian ought to know and believe to his Souls health and to call upon him to hear Sermons All this which is in our Church required may well be performed by the Surety and imposeth no heavy burden upon him and besides the Parents care which may hereby be quickned it may be of great advantage to the Religious life of the Child The ancient Church either did require more than this from the Sureties Tert. de bapt c. 18. Dionys ubi supra De Cons Dist 4. Vos ante omnia touching their particular ordinary care of the Childs Education or else their sense was over-severely expressed by several particular Writers as Tertullian the Author de Ecclesiastica Hierarchia and some others 7. Having thus far discoursed of the use of Sureties and the intent of the Interrogatories referring to the baptismal engagement it may be further observed that when they are asked Wilt thou be baptized into this Faith and they answer in the Childs name That is my desire the plain meaning thereof is to express that the intent of the Childs being present is to receive Baptism which upon its account and in its right and name they desire for it And when in the Catechism there are these Questions and Answers Q. What is required of persons to be baptized A. Repentance whereby they forsake sin and Faith whereby they stedfastly believe the promises of God made to them in that Sacrament Q. Why then are Infants baptized when by reason of their tender age they cannot perform them A. Because they promise them both by their Sureties which promise when they come to age themselves are bound to perform the sense of the former answer is that he who cometh to Christian Baptism is not left at liberty to lead a loose life but he ought to practise faith and repentance as a previous qualification unto Baptism in the adult and as a consequent duty upon Baptism both in them who are baptized in their Infancy and at riper years And the sense of the latter Question and Answer is That though Infants be not capable of the particular acts of faith and repentance in their present state yet by those expressions of contract whereby their Sureties in their name only declare what their Baptism obligeth them unto it is manifested that they do undertake faith and repentance as much as is possible for the infant state and do stand engaged from their Baptism more particularly to act Faith and Repentance when they come to Age. 8. Another expression in the baptismal Office hath been misunderstood viz. Who by the Baptism of thy wel-beloved Son Jesus Christ didst sanctifie water to the mystical washing away of sin Now we may well say that water is sanctified for Baptism when by divine authority water is selected from all other things and determined to be the proper matter or outward Element of Baptism and that is sanctified which is set apart or determined to such a sacred use to which other common things are not admitted And Christs Commission to his Disciples to baptize all Nations in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost is an Authoritative determination of the form of Baptism or the Sacramental words and of the extent of its use And both from thence and from our Saviours passion doth it receive an efficacious vertue But water was the matter of Christian Baptism for the remission of sins and admission into the number of Christs Disciples before either that Commission or our Saviours Passion And as water was appointed for the Disciples of John by Gods commanding him to baptize with Water so that