this is is but the porch the shell and outside all that are outwardly received into the visible Church are not spiritually ingraffed into the mysticall body of Christ. Baptisme always is attended upon by that generall grace but not always with this speciall To whom then is Baptisme effectuall to the sealing up this inward and speciall grace We must here distinguish of persons baptized the Church doth not onely baptize those that are grown and of years if any such being bred Pagans be brought within the pale of the Church and testifie their competent understanding of Christianity and professe their faith in the Lord Jesus and in Gods precious promises of remission of sins by his bloud and their earnest desire to be sealed with Baptisme for the strengthening of their souls in this faith but the Church also baptizeth her infants such as being born within her bosome of beleeving parents are within the Covenant so have right unto the seal thereof Doth the inward grace always accompany the outward sign in those of years baptized No but onely then when the profession of their faith is not outward onely and counterfeit but sincere and hearty they laying hold on Christ offered in the Sacrament by a lively faith which is the hand to receive the mercies offered Acts 8. 37. If thou beleevest with all thy heart thou maist be baptized saith Philip to the Eunuch for it were absurd to extend the benefit of the seal beyond the Covenant now the Covenant is made only to the faithfull Joh. 1. 10. Mark 16. 16. He that beleeveth and is baptized shall be saved but he that beleeveth not whether he be baptized or no shall be condemned Simon Magus Act. 8. 13. and Julian and thousands of Hypocrites and Formalists shall find no help in the day of the Lord by the holy water of their baptisme without it be to encrease their Judgement But what say you of infants baptized that are born in the Church doth the inward grace in their baptism always attend upon the outward sign Surely no the Sacrament of baptisme is effectuall in infants onely to those and to all those who belong unto the election of grace which thing though we in the judgement of charity doe judge of every particular infant yet we have no ground to judge so of all in generall or if we should judge so yet it is not any judgement of certainty we may be mistaken Is every elect infant then actually sanctified and united unto Christ in and by baptisme We must here also distinguish of elect infants baptized whereof some die in their infancy and never come to the use of reason others God hath appointed to live enjoy the ordinary means of faith salvation What is to be thought of elect infants that die in their infancy have no other outward means of salvation but their baptisme Doubtlesse in all those the inward grace is united to the outward signs and the holy Ghost doth as truly and really and actually apply the merits and bloud of Christ in the justifying and sanctifying vertue unto the soul of the elect infant as the minister doth the water to its body and the invisible grace of the Sacrament is conveyed to the outward means But how can an infant be capable of the grace of the Sacrament Very well though infants be not capable of the grace of the Sacrament by that way whereby the growne are by hearing conceiving beleeving yet it followeth not that infants are not capable in and by another way It is easie to distinguish between the gift conveyed and the manner of conveying it faith is not of absolute necessity to all Gods elect but only to those to whom God affords means of beleeving It is the application of Christs righteousnesse that justifieth us not our apprehending it God can supply the defect of faith by his sanctifying Spirit which can doe all things on our part in the room of faith which faith should doe Doe we not know that the sin of Adam is imputed to children and they defiled by it though they be not capable to understand it even so the righteousnesse of Christ may be and is by Gods secret and unknown way to elect infants and so to those that are born deaf and fools not capable of understanding for though God tieth us to means yet not himself he that hath said of infants to the belongs the kingdome of God knows how to settle upon them the title of the Kingdome and we have no reason to think but that even before or in at or by the act of Baptisme the Spirit of Christ doth unite the soul of the elect infant to Christ and cloath it with his righteousnesse and impute unto it the title of a son or daughter by Adoption and the image of God by sanctification and so fit it for the state of glory But what is to be thought of the effect of Baptisme in those elect infants whom God hath appointed to live to years of discretion In them we have no warrant to promise constantly an extraordinary work to whom God intends to afford ordinary meanes for though God doe sometimes sanctifie from the wombe as in Jeremy and John Baptist sometime in Baptisme as he pleaseth yet it is hard to affirm as some doe that every elect infant doth ordinarily before or in Baptisme receive initiall regeneration and the seed of faith and grace For if there were such a habit of grace then infused it could not be so utterly lost or secreted as never to shew it self but by being attained by new instruction But we may rather deem and judge that Baptisme is not actually effectuall to justifie and sanctifie untill the party doe beleeve and embrace the promises Is not Baptisme then for the most part a vain empty shew consisting of shadowes without the substance and a signe without the thing signified No it is always an effectuall seal to all those that are heirs of the Covenant of grace the promises of God touching Justification Remission Adoption are made and sealed in Baptisme to every elect child of God then to be actually enjoyed when the party baptized shall actually lay hold upon them by faith Thus Baptisme to every elect infant is a seal of the righteousnesse of Christ to be extraordinarily applyed by the holy Ghost if it die in its infancy to be apprehended by faith if it live to yeares of discretion So that as Baptisme administred to those of years is not effectuall unlesse they beleeve so we can make no comfortable use of our Baptisme administred in our infancy untill we beleeve The righteousnesse of Christ and all the promises of grace were in my Baptisme estated upon me and sealed up unto me on Gods part but then I come to have the profit and benefit of them when I come to understand what grant God in Baptisme hath sealed unto me and actually to lay hold upon it by faith Explain this
he gave him the Tree of life to be a pledge of his promise It was not the Tree of life that gave Adam life but the promise Adam might have lived by the promise without the Tree but the Tree could doe him no good without the promise Thus God promiseth Christ and his benefits to the faithfull and to their seed and then he gives us Baptisme to seale these promises it is not Baptisme that saves us but the promises it is not water that purgeth our sins but the bloud of the Covenant why then was the Sacrament added for our weaknesse to be a strengthening to our faith not to give any strength or efficacy to the Covenant made in the bloud of Christ Gods Word is as sure as his bond his promise is as effectuall as his seal and shall as surely be accomplished the Sacraments onely give strength to our faith in apprehending it What infer you from this That where God is pleased to dispense his seals and Sacraments they are great comforts and pledges of his love and to despise or sleight them were a horrible sleighting even of the Covenant it selfe But where he denieth means and opportunity of enjoying the signes the things signified are never the farther off or lesse effectuall It is said Gen. 17. 14. that the uncircumcised should be cut off from Gods people because he had broke the Covenant but it is meant onely of voluntary and wilfull refusing of Circumcision for the people of God in the wildernesse were forty years without the outward sign of Circumcision they were not without the inward grace Davids child died the seventh day a day before the time appointed for Circumcision and yet both his words and his cariage expresse that he doubted not of the salvation of it so the theef upon the Crosse beleeving in Christ was received with Christ into Paradise though he were never baptized hee had the inward grace of Baptisme the washing of the bloud of Christ though not the outward signe when God affordeth means wee must wait upon him for a blessing in them and by them when he doth not afford means we must not tie the working of his grace to them God who sanctifieth some in the womb knows how to sanctifie all his elect infants and by his Spirit apply the merits of Christ unto them without the outward water Some have the outward signe and not the inward grace some have the outward sign and the inward grace some have the inward grace and not the outward sign we must not commit Idolatry by deifying the outward element the rule will hold It is not the want of the Sacraments but the contempt or wilfull neglect of them that is dangerous What other errors of opinion and practise doe you observe about Baptisme As some through ignorance and superstition have too high a conceipt of the outward signs so others through ignorance and prophanenesse have too mean and base an opinion of them some there are who esteem of Baptisme as of a meer Ecclesiasticall ceremony and Church complement as if there were no serious vertue or efficacy in it or profit to be expected by it or had no other use but to give the childe a name and there is an end they look no further How doth it appear that some have so sleight an opinion of this Ordinance By their answerable practises such as these and the like 1. Often Baptism is deferred and that upon every trifling occasion as if it were a businesse of no great weight and moment but might attend every ones leisure and many times through delay the child dieth without it which though it doth nothing prejudice the childes salvation yet it will lie heavy upon the parents conscience for neglecting Gods Ordinance when he afforded opportunity 2. Often the Minister is sent for home to perform that service with few in a private chamber when no eminent necessity urgeth to the dishonour of so sacred a businesse which ought to bee a most solemne and publike action of the whole Congregation 3. Though the child be brought to Church yet often some by-day is chosen and not the Lords Sabbath and it is then done as if it were only womens worke to be present at Baptisme who have most leisure to spend time about matters of smaller consequence 4. If it be on the Sabbath then the maine care and preparation is about matters of outward pomp and state every thing is fitted and prepared for the purpose but onely that which should chiefely be viz. the hearts and mindes of those that goe about a businesse of that nature 5. While the Sacrament is in performing the demeanor of many shew that they have a slight opinion of that service some turning their backs upon it going out of the Church so soon as sermon is done as if the word was worth the minding but not the Sacrament others prating and talking all the while as if there were nothing for them to learne by but no duty for them to performe in that action 6. Lastly infants are brought to the Sacrament of Baptisme in their infancy but are never by their parents taught the doctrine of Baptisme when they come to years of understanding Baptisme is not made use of as it ought in the whole course of mens lives these things shew that men commonly have a meane conceit of this Ordinance What is the best way to reforme these irreligious practises A serious pondering considering of the high dignity of this divine ordinance that wil cause a devout reverent demeanor in that holy busines 1. Every one should consider that it is no customary formallity but an honourable ordinance instituted by the lawful authority of God himselfe who never imposed any service upon his Church in vain It was honoured by our Saviour Christ himself who sanctified it unto us by submitting unto it in his owne sacred person confirmed by his practise by his precept c. 2. Every one should consider that there are infinite mercies sealed up by it to the faithful and to their seed It is a visible admittance of thy child if thou beest a Parent into the Congregation of Christs flock signifying its interest in the heavenly Ierusalem which is above Is this a busines to be mumbled over in a corner Christ came from Galile to Jordan to be baptized is the receiving of thy child into the bosome of the Church in a full Congregation no comfort unto thee is it not mercy to see the bloud of Christ ministerially sealed up unto thy Infant to purge it from that pollution which it hath brought into the world with it which also thou makest confession of by presenting it to this mysteriall washing Is it not joy to thy heart to heare the whole Congregation of Gods Saints pray for thy childe and that God hath honoured thee so much as to count thy very childe holy and within his Covenant thinke on these things 3. Every one that
to our weaknesse 3. What miserable men they are that refuse the Sacraments Repeat the principall ends for which God hath instituted the Sacraments To help our insight as cleare glasses to releeve our memories as lasting monuments and to confirme our faith as most certain seales and pledges from whence they become our bonds of obedience and the markes and badges of our profession so the ends for which they are appointed are these foure 1. The clearing of our knowledge 2. The helping of our memories 3. The strengthening of our faith 4. The quickning of our obedience How may we more clearly consider of those things which are ministred in the Sacraments By considering distinctly the things given and received and the persons giving and receiving What are the things given and received They are partly outward and partly inward What are the outward The visible creatures ordained for signes and figures of Christ as under the time of the Gospel Water Bread and Wine Why hath God made choice of these creatures Both in respect they are for their naturall properties most fit to represent the spirituall things as also for that they are most generally used of all Nations of the world What are we to learne from hence The wonderfull wisdome of God that hath chosen base and common things for so high and singular mysteries whereas he might have chosen things more rare and of greater price to set out such excellent benefits as are offered to us in the Sacraments wherein there is great difference between the time of the Law and of the Gospel What are the inward things The invisible and spirituall graces namely Christ with all his benefits What learne you of this Not to stick to the outward elements but to lift up our hearts unto God accounting the elements as a Ladder whereby to climb up to those celestiall things which they represent So much of the things what are the persons The Giver and Receiver How many Givers are there Two the outward giving the outward and the inward giving the inward things Who is the inward giver God himself even the holy Trinity God the Father God the Son and God the holy Ghost What are the actions of God in a Sacrament They are principally two 1. To offer and reach forth Christ and his graces 2. To apply them to the hearts of the faithfull Communicant Who are the outward Givers The Ministers especially representing unto us the Lord whose Stewards they are 1 Cor. 4. 1. What is the Ministers office herein To consecrate the elements and then to distribute them Wherein consisteth the consecration of the elements Partly in declaring the institution of the Sacraments and partly in going before the Congregation in prayer unto God First in praising God who hath ordained such means for the reliefe of our weaknesse Then in suing to God that he would be pleased to make those meanes effectuall for which end they were ordained Is not the substance changed of the elements by this consecration No verily onely the use is altered in that they are separated from a common to a holy use which change and alteration continueth onely while the action is in hand Doth the Minister with the signe give the thing signified also No he onely dispenseth the signes but it is God that giveth and dispenseth the things signified Matth. 3. 11. Is God alwayes present to give the thing signified to all them that the Minister giveth the signe No not to all for some in receiving the signes receive together with them their owne judgement 1 Cor. 11 29. yet he is alwayes ready to give the thing signified to all those that are fit to receive the Sacraments and to such persons the signes and things signified are alwayes conjoyned Who are the persons that are to receive the Sacraments All Christians that are prepared thereunto Is there any speciall preparation required to the receiving of the Sacraments Yes verily for seeing men ought to come with preparation to the hearing of the Word alone they ought much more to come when the Sacraments are administred also wherein God doth offer himselfe more familiarly and visibly to us What is the preparation that is required in them that come to receive the Sacraments There is required in those that are of yeares of discretion to a worthy participation of the Sacraments knowledge faith and feeling both in the Law and in the Gospel Seeing no man is able to attaine to the knowledge of the Law and the Gospel perfectly much lesse the simple and common people tell me how farre is this knowledge faith and feeling necessary First concerning the Law it is necessary that the receiver of the Sacraments be able to understand and beleeve the common corruption of all men both in the bitter root of originall sinne and in the poysoned fruits thereof together with the curse of everlasting death due thereunto and that he be able to apply both these that is the sinne and wages thereof to himselfe Secondly concerning the Gospel that he be able in some measure to understand the Covenant of Grace which God in Christ hath made with the sons of men and then that by faith he be able in some measure to apply the same to himself VVhat ariseth from this knowledge faith and feeling to a further preparation thereunto A true and earnest desire to be made partaker of the Sacraments with a conscionable care to performe speciall duties in and after the action of receiving VVhat duties in the action of receiving are to be performed First a grave and reverent behaviour befitting such holy Mysteries Secondly an attentive heedfulnesse in comparing the outward signes and actions in the Sacraments with the inward and spirituall things which they betoken VVhat duties are to bee performed after the partaking of the Sacraments If we have a sense and feeling of the gracious work of God by them we are to rejoice with thanksgiving if not we are to enter into judgment with our selves and to humble our selves for our want thereof And though we ought to be humbled if we feel not the work of God in us in or after the Sacraments as that which argueth want of preparation before or attention in receiving of them yet ought we not therefore to be altogether dismayed for as the sick man feeleth not the nourishment of his meat because of his malady and yet notwithstanding is nourished so it is in such faithfull ones as doe not so sensibly feel the working of God in and by the Sacraments through the weaknesse of their faith and although wee cannot feele it immediately yet after by the fruites thereof wee shall bee able to discern of our profiting thereby Hath the administration of the Gospel been alwaies after the same manner For substance it alwayes hath been the same but in regard of the manner proper to certain times it is distinguished into two kindes the Old and the New Heb. 11.
is present at Baptisme should consider that that being a publike action of the Congregation every particular person ought reverently to joyn in it Shal the whole Trinity be present at Baptism Mat. 3. we be gone joyn ought every one in prayer to God for the Infant joyn in praises to God for his mercy that we and our children are brought forth and brought up within the pale of his Church whereas the rest of the world are like a wildernesse and thank God for adding at the present a member to his Church joyn every one ought in meditation of the pollution of nature of the blessed means of redemption by Christ of the happy benefits that God seals up unto us in our Baptism even before we knew them of the vowes and promises which we in our child-hood made by those who were undertakers for us and finding our failings every time we are present at Baptism we should renew our own Covenant with God and labour to get new strength to close with his promises which in our Baptism he made unto us Thus if we were wise to make a right use of it we might learn as much at a Baptisme as at a Sermon 4. Parents should alwayes bear in mind the promises which their children have made to God by them and they for their children labouring to bring them up accordingly in the instruction and information of the Lord teaching them so soon as they understand the meaning of that Sacrament unfolding unto them Gods precious promises and their strict ingagements The negligence of parents herein is a cause of monstrous profanesse in many they bring children tâ— receive Christs badge but bring them up to the service of the Divell and God hath not so much dishonour by Heathens and Pagans as by those who have taken upon them the name of Christians Lastly Baptisme should be of continuall use thorough a Christians whole life it is administred but once but it is always lasting in the vertue and efficacy of it Baptism loseth not its strength by time in all thy feares and doubts look backe to thy Baptisme the promises of God sealed up unto thee there now lay hold on them by faith and thou shalt have the actuall comfort of thy Baptisme and feele the effect of it though thou never saw it In thy failings slips and revolts to recover thy self have recourse to thy Baptism new Baptism shall not need the Covenant and seale of God stands firme he changeth not onely renew thy repentance renew thy faith in those blessed promises of grace which were sealed up unto thee in thy Baptisme So much for Baptisme What is the Lords Supper It is the second Sacrament of the new Testament wherein God by the signes of bread and wine signifieth sensibly and exhibiteth to every faithfull receiver the body and bloud of Christ for his spirituall nourishment and growth in Christ and for so sealing unto him his continuance with increase in the body of Christ which is his Church confirmeth him in the Covenant of grace Or thus It is a Sacrament of the Gospel wherein by the outward elements of Bread and Wine sanctified and exhibited by the Minister and rightly received by the communicant assurance is given to those that are ingraffed into Christ of their continuance in him and receiving nourishment by him unto eternall life Are there divers graces offered to us in Baptisme and the Lords Supper No the Covenant solemnly ratified in Baptisme is renewed in the Lords Supper between the Lord himselfe and the receiver and the same graces offered again but to divers ends In Baptisme to the investing and entring of us into Christianity for of that entrance Baptisme is a seale In the Lords Supper to the nourishing and continuance of us in it of which growth and continuance in Christiannity it is a seale And therefore as unto the Sacrament of Baptisme so unto this of the Lords Supper the Popish faigned Sacrament of confirmation is notably injurious Wherein then doth Baptisme differ from the Lords Supper 1. In regard of the thing signified Baptisme as hath been said is a seale of our entrance into the Church of God the Supper of the Lord of our continuance in the same the one of our new birth the other of our spirituall food The former is ordained to this end that being out of Christ by nature we might by the Sacrament of our new birth be ingraffed into his body Titus 3. 5. John 3. 5. the latter that being in Christ by grace we might continue and increase in him 1 Cor. 10. 16. 11. 23. 1 Pet 3. 21. 2. In regard of the outward signe water in the one bread and wine in the other 3. In regard of the Communicants Vnto Baptisme both Infants and those that are of yeares of discretion are to be admitted but unto the Supper of the Lord only those of yeares of discretion 4. In regard of the time The Supper of the Lord is to be received as often as the Lord shall give occasion Baptisme but once VVhy is this called the Lords Supper seeing we use not to make it a Supper It is called the Lords Supper 1 Cor. 11. 20. not because he appointed it a Supper to us but because our Lord Iesus Christ sitting at his last Supper ordained it in stead of the Passeover for in the night that he was betrayed 1 Cor. 11. 23. imediately after he had eaten the Passeover with his Disciples he did both himselfe with them celebrate this holy Sacrament Mat. 26. 26 c. and withall gave charge for continuance of the same in the Church untill his second comming 1 Cor. 11. 20. What may we learne by this that both our Saviour Christ and his Apostles likewise administred this Sacrament after Supper That we must not come unto it for our bellies but have our minds lifted up from these earthly elements to our Saviour Christ represented by them for men after Supper set not bread and wine but banquetting dishes upon the Table which serveth to reprove 1. Such prophane persons as come for a draught of VVine only 2. Those that rest only in the outward Elements But doth not the example of our Saviour Christ and his Apostles tye us to administer this Sacrament in the night time No because they had speciall cause so to doe which we have alone What cause had our Saviour so to doe He was to administer it after Supper First because it was to come in lieu and stead of the Passeover and therefore was presently after the eating of it Secondly that it might goe immediately before his passion the better to shew whereunto it should have relation where also is another difference our Saviour Christs Supper representing his death which followed the Supper and was to come our Sacrament representing the death of Christ already suffered and past What cause had the Apostles They did it in the night because it was not safe for the
another 10. To preserve the publike Ministery of the Word and Prayer in Christian assemblies Who are to be partakers in this Sacrament All baptized who are of yeeres and sound judgement to discerne the Lords body ought to repaire to this Sacrament But those onely come worthily who professing the true faith have duely examined and prepared themselves Esa. 66. 23. 1 Cor. 11. 27 28. whereby all not of age and sound judgement are shut from his Sacrament which are not alwayes from the other of Baptisme May none be admitted by the Church to the Supper of the Lord but such as have these things in them which God requireth at their hands Yes those who having knowledge doe make profession of Religion and are found guilty of no great error or crime unrepented of What if any thrust themselves to the Lords Table who are ignorant or guilty of such crimes They are to be kept back by the discipline of the Church What is to be performed by every Christian that he may worthily partake of the Lords Supper There must be a carefull preparation before the action great heed in the whole action and a joyfull and thankfull cloze and shutting of it All which must be performed as well by the Minister as the people For there is great difference betwixt our Saviour Christ the first deliverer of this Sacrament and all other Ministers he having no battel of the Spirit and flesh in him but being always prepared unto every good worke had no need of these things but other Ministers have as much need thereof as the people How are we to prepare our selves to this Sacrament By due search and triall of our own soules whether we can finde in our selves the things which God doth require in worthy Communicants How may we performe that By fitting our mindes framing our hearts thereunto 1 Cor. 10. 15 16 11. 28 How may we sit our mindes By examining our wisdome and knowledge both of Gods will in generall and of the nature and use of this holy Sacrament in particular whether we can give a reason of the representation of Christ in bread and wine and bring the resemblance and difference of the proportion of the bread and wine with the body and bloud of Christ and of the eating and drinking of the elements with the partaking of the spirituall things Rom. 4. 11. 1 Cor. 10. 3. and 4. 16 17. How may our hearts be framed for the feeling of the vertue and power of this Sacrament 1. By weighing with our selves what need we have of it and what benefit we may reape by it 2. By examining of our faith 2 Cor. 13. 5. 1 Tim. 1. 15. and repentance Heb. 10. 22. Iames 4. 8. attended with true love of God Zach. 12. 10. and of our brethren 1 Cor. 16. 14. 3. By servent invocation praying for a blessing upon this Ordinance of God Matth. 26 26. How may we finde what need we have of this Sacrament Partly by our wretched estate by nature and partly by our weak estate by grace What may we finde by our estate by nature That being prone to all evill we had need of this Sacrament to nourish and preserve the life of grace new begun which otherwise by our own corruption might dye or decay in us 1 Cor. 10. 16. What need have we of this Sacrament for reliefe of our weak estate by grace That being weak in understanding and feeble in memory we may by the signes of Bread and Wine have our understanding bettered and memory confirmed in the death of Christ 1 Cor. 11. 24 26. What further need may we finde of it That being fraile in faith and cold in love we may by the same creatures as by seales and pledges have our faith further strengthned and our love more enflamed to God and Gods children What benefit then may we reape by the Lords Supper We see already that the benefit is great this Sacrament being as a glasse for the mind a monument for the memory a support of faith a provocation to love a quickning to obedience and a signe and seal of all the mercies of God in Christ Iesus How must the heart be prepared to finde the power of this Sacrament for supply of these wants and obteining of these benefits The heart must be purged by repentance and purified by faith 1 Cor. 10. 14 16. 21. Acts 15. 9. How may the heart be purified by faith If I have not only knowledge what Christ hath done for his chosen but a full assurance that whatsoever he hath done he hath done it for me as well as for any other 1 Cor. 2. 2. Iohn 17. 3. Gal. 2. 20. What gather you hence That they onely are to present themselves at the Lords Table who after their baptisme are able to make a profession of the true faith and can finde that they truly believe in Christ seeing ignorant and unbelieving persons do rather eat and drink their own judgement than reap any benefit by this Sacrament 1 Cor. 11. 29 30 31. How may thy heart be purged by repentance If from my heart I do repent of my particular sins past and judge my selfe for them bewailing and forsaking them and frame the rest of my life according to Gods will 1 Cor. 11. 30 31. Gal. 6. 16. What learne you hence That it is dangerous for such as remaine in their old sins or after the Sacrament return unto them once to offer themselves to the Lords Table forasmuch as by this means they procure the wrath of God against them and those that belong unto them although not in condemnation in the world to come which the faithfull notwithstanding their unworthy receiving cannot come unto yet to fearefull plagues and judgements in this world It is not meet that we be free from all malice in our hearts when we come to the Lords Supper Yes it is for this Sacrament is a seal both of our conjunction with Christ and of our society one with another 1 Cor. 10. 17. and we must know that true repentance purgeth out malice amongst other sins and a sound faith worketh by love towards God and out Brethren Mat. 5. 22 23. Iames 1. 19 20 21. 1 Pet. 2. 1. Gal. 5. 6. So much for examination and preparation required before the action What is to be done by the communicant in the present action 1. They are to use reverent attention the better to apply the whole action harkning to the doctrine of the Sacrament delivered by the Minister joyning with him in his prayers making use of all the sacramentall actions and so commemorating the Lords death for the comfort and refreshing of their own souls 1 Cor. 11. 17. 26. 2. According as it is commanded all must take the Bread and Wine into their hands contrary to the superstition of divers which will have it thrust either into their mouthes or else take it with their gloves as if the hand of a Christian which God
therein of the things common to the godly with the wicked What are the things proper to the godly signified by the good and fruitfull ground 1. The receiving of the seed in a good heart 2. The bringing forth of fruit with patience Luke 8. 15. What is there meant by receiving the seed into a good heart By the seed is meant the word of promise whereby God hath said he will be mercifull to us in Christ By the receiving it into a good heart is meant the receiving it by faith in Christ. Where it is said that the Word must be received into a good heart it may seeme that a man hath a good heart before he receiveth that seed Doubtlesse naturally they are all alike and there is never a barrell better herring as they say but as the face answereth the face in the glasse so one of the sons of Adam is like another in their nativity they have by their parents till they be regenerated And therefore it is called a good heart in respect of Gods changing of it by the ingraffed word James 1. 21. and by these words he putteth difference between the fruits of the three former and the fruits of this last For that there is no difference in the outward shew of fruits but only in regard that those fruits proceed from an uncleane heart and these from a heart that is cleansed How may we know that we have true faith and so approve our selves that we are good ground By good fruits which are the effects of faith What are the effects of faith Reconciliation and sanctification Rom. 8. 1 2 3. Eph. 2. 6. Col. 2. 1 2 3. the fruits of the former are set downe Rom. 4. 1 2 3 4. The fruits of the latter are repentance and new obedience which have been already declared What speciall tokens observe you out of the former whereby we may discerne a justifying faith from the faith of the worldlings The end of our faith being the salvation of our soules which shall be at the day of judgement if we can willingly forsake father and mother sister and brother wife and children and abandon the world and say Come Lord Jesus come quickly we may assure our selves we are in a happy case What speciall marks of justifying faith observe you out of the latter 1. To be zealous of Gods glory 2. To love Gods children for these be the speciall effects of our holy faith What is the Word further compared with and likened unto The Apostle Peter 1 cap. 2. ver 1 2. compares it unto milke As new borne babes desire the sincere milke of the Word that ye may grow thereby teaching us that the VVord is not only of use for our begetting unto God but for our daily nourishment that we may grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Iesus Christ 2 Peter 3. 18. so it is called a light a lanthorne and is appointed to be our guide our Counsellor our Comforter c. Is this meant only of the Word preached Doubtlesse the blessing of God both in an especiall manner wait upon that ordinance when it is said That when Christ ascended up on high he gave gifts to men some Apostles Ephes. 4. 12. and some Pastors and teachers for the gathering of the Saints for the edifying of the body of Christ yet withall the reading of the Word with Prayer and diligence is of singular use and benefit and commended unto us by our Saviour Search the Scriptures Iohn 5. 39. and how readest thou Luke 10. 26. and by the example of the Bereans who searched the Scriptures daily and examined the things they heard in the publick ministery of them Acts 16. 11. So much of the Word What are the dependances annexed to it Sacraments 1 Cor. 10. 3 4. and Censures Matth. 18. 15. 1 Cor. 5. the one sealing the Promises the other the threatnings of the Gospell What are Sacraments The seales of the Promises of God in Christ wherein by certaine outward signes and sacramentall actions confirming the same commanded by God and delivered by his Ministers Christ Iesus with all his saving graces is signified conveyed and sealed unto the heart of a Christian. For Sacraments are seales annexed by God to the word of the Covenant of grace Rom. 4. 11 1 Cor. 11. 23. to instruct assure and possesse us of our part in Christ and his benefits Gal 3. 27. and to bind us to all thankfull obedience unto God in him Rom. 6 4. Was not Gods Word sufficient What need have we of Sacraments This argues our infirmity and manifesteth Gods great love and mercy who for the furthering of our understanding hath added visible signes to his word that our eares might not onely bee informed of the truth but our eyes also might more plainly see it and for the greater strengthning of our faith vouchsafeth to confirme the covenant of grace unto us not onely by promise but also by outward seales annexed thereunto The like meanes had Adam himselfe in Paradise to put him in remembraece of Gods will And if he in his perfection needed a token of Gods favour which was the tree of life how much more wee that are corrupt and sinfull if we were Spirits or Angels wee should not need these helpes but sith God knowing our frailties and what is best for us hath given us these seales to our further comfort let us use the receipt of so skilfull a Physitian unlesse wee will hasten our owne deaths How doth God by the Sacraments assure us of his mercies in Christ By the exhibiting to the worthy receiver by such outward signes whether Elements or Actions as himselfe for the reliefe of our weaknesse hath prescribed whole Christ God and men with all his benefits 1 Cor. 10. 4. in whom all the promises of God are yea and Amen 2 Cor. 1. 20. Doe they seale nothing else but the promise of God unto us Yes they seale our promise unto God that we take him onely for our God and Redeemer whom alone by faith wee rest on and whom we will obey How doe they binde us unto God Wee receiving them as pledges of his infinite love in Christ doe thereby professe our selves bound to expresse our thankfulnesse by all duties to his Majesty Col. 2. 6 7. and for his sake one to another Eph. 4. 3 4 5. Describe yet more largely what a Sacrament is A Sacrament is an Ordinance of God wherein by giving and receiving of outward Elements according to his will the promises of the Covenant of grace made in the bloud of Christ being represented exhibited and applyed unto us are further signed and sealed betwixt God and man Or it is an action of the whole Church wherein by certaine visible signes and outward things done according to Gods institution inward things being betokened Christ with all his benefits is both offered unto us and received by us offered I say to all in the Church but exhibited
wee see that wee need no more but to bee born and then to have this life preserved The Sacrament of Baptisme sheweth us the first the Sacrament of the Lords Supper the second Therefore those five other Sacraments of Confirmation Penance Matrimony Orders and extreame Unction joyned by the Papists are superfluous because some of them have no warrant at all out of the Word of God and God hath not promised a blessing upon the using of them others of them though they bee agreeable to the Word yet are without the nature and number of the Sacraments What is Baptisme It is the first Sacrament of the New Testament by the washing of water Ephes. 5. 26. representing the powerfull washing of the blood and spirit of Christ 1 Cor. 6. 11. Heb. 10. 22. and so sealing our regeneration or new birth our entrance into the Covenant of Grace and our ingraffing into Christ and into the body of Christ which is his Church Joh. 3. 5. Tit. 3. 5. Act. 8. 27. The word Baptisme in generall signifieth any kinde of washing but here it is specially taken for that sacramentall washing which sealeth unto those which are within Gods Covenant their birth in Christ and enterance into Christianity How was this Sacrament ordained and brought into the Church in the place of Circumcision At the Commandement of God Joh. 1. 33. by the Ministery of John therefore called the Baptist Matth. 3. 1. after sanctified and confirmed by our Saviour Christ himself being baptized by John Mat. 3. 13. and giving commission to his Apostles and Ministers to continue the same in his Church unto the end Mat. 28. 18. Why call you it the first Sacrament Because Christ gave order to his Apostles that after they have taught and men beleeve they should baptize them that so they might bee enrolled amongst those of the houshold of God and entered into the number of the Citizens Burgesses of the heavenly Jerusalem What abuse doth this take away That which sometimes the ancient Church was infected withall namely that they baptized men at their death and let them receive the Lords Supper twice or thrice a yeer whereas this is the first Sacrament of the Covenant What are the essentiall parts of this Sacrament of Baptisme As of all other Sacraments two the outward signes and the inward things signified where also is to bee considered the proportion and union which is between those two parts which is as it were the very form and inward excellency of a Sacrament What are the outward signes in Baptisme They are the outward element of water and the outward sacramentall actions performed about it What are those Sacramentall actions First the Ministers blessing and consecrating the water And secondly the right applying it so consecrated to the party to bee baptized May none but a lawfull Minister baptize No for baptism is a part of the publique Ministery of the Church and Christ hath given warrant and authority to none to baptize but those whom hee hath called to preach the Gospel Goe Preach and Baptize Matth. 28. 29. those onely may stand in the roome of God himself and Ministerially set to the seale of the Covenant And it is monstrous presumption for Women or any other private persons who are not called to meddle with such high Mysteries nor can there bee any case of necessity to urge as will appeare afterwards Touching the first action of the Minister how is hee to blesse and consecrate the water First by opening to them that are present the Doctrine of Baptisme and the right institution and use of it what inward mysteries are signified and sealed up by those outward signes So did John when hee baptized hee preached the Doctrine of Repentance and taught the people the inward baptisme of the Spirit signified by his baptizing with vvater Matth. 3. 11. Secondly by acknowledging in the name of the congregation mans naturall pollution that vve stand in need of spirituall vvashing by giving thanks to God the Father for giving his Sonne for a propitiation for our sins and appointing his blood to bee a fountain to the house of Israel to wash in and for ordaining of this service to bee a Sacrament and seale of so great a mystery Thirdly by making profession of Faith in Gods promises in that behalf and praying that they may bee made good unto the party that is to receive the seale thereof for as every thing is sanctified by the Word of God and prayer so in especiall manner the Sacramentall water in baptisme is blessed and consecrated by the Word of institution and prayer to God for a blessing upon his own Ordinance What is the second Sacramentall action The action of washing that is of applying the Sacramentall water unto the party to be baptized diving or dipping him into it or sprinkling him with it In the name of the Father the Son and of the holy Ghost Is the action of diving or dipping materiall and essentiall to the Sacrament or is there absolute ground and warrant for sprinkling which is most commonly practised with us in these cold Countries Some there are that stand strictly for the particular action of diving or dipping the baptized under water as the onely action which the institution of this Sacrament will bear and our Church allows no other except in case of the childes weaknesse and there is exprest in our Saviours baptisme both his descending into the water and rising up so that some think our common sprinkling to bee through ease and tendernesse a stretching the liberty of the Church further then either the Church would or the symbolicalnesse of the outward sign with the thing signified can safely admit it typifying our spirituall buriall and resurrection Rom. 6. 8. Others conceive the action of sprinkling of water upon the face of the baptized very warrantable especially in young children to whom further wetting may bee dangerous and the grounds are these First it seems that neither dipping is essentiall to the Sacrament of Baptisme nor sprinkling but onely washing and applying water to the body as a cleanser of the filth thereof Secondly then as in the other Sacrament a spoonfull of wine is as significant as a whole gallon so here a handfull of water is as significant as a whole river Thirdly the action of sprinkling beares fit resemblance with the inward grace as well as dipping and hath authority in the Scriptures read 1 Pet. 1. 2. and Heb. 12. 14. there is speech of the sprinkling of the blood of Christ and the blood of sprinkling speaks better things then the blood of Abel Fourthly it is not unlikely that the Apostles baptized as well by sprinkling or powring upon as by diving and dipping into sith wee read of divers baptized in houses as well as others in rivers However the washing the body by water is essentiall Ephes. 5. 26. though whether way it bee done seem not to bee essentiall so water bee applyed to the body
more clearly We know that an estate may be made unto an infant and in his infancy he hath right unto it though not actuall possession of it untill such years now the time of the childs incapability the use and comfort of this estate is lost indeed but the right and title is not vain and empty but true and reall and stands firmely secured unto the child to be claimed what time soever he is capable of it Even so infants elect have Christ and all his benefits sealed up unto them in the Sacrament of Baptisme yet through their uncapablenesse they have not actuall fruition of them untill God give them actuall faith to apprehend them Is Baptisme lost then which is administred in our infancy was it a vain and an empty Ceremony no it was a compleat and an effectuall Sacrament and Gods invisible graces were truly sealed up under visible signs And though the use and the comfort of Baptisme be not for the present enjoyed by the infant yet by the parent it is who beleeves Gods promises for himselfe and for his seed and so by the whole Congregation and the things then done shall be actually effectuall to the infant when ever it shall be capable to make use of them But are there not some who utterly deny the baptizing of infants to be warrantable Yes but not to insist upon answering their peevish arguments sufficient and clear ground for the practise of our Church in this behalf may both be pickt out of that which hath been spoken before and further evidenced by these following arguments 1. The first we draw from the use of Circumcision in the old Testament which answereth to Baptisme yet that was applied to the infant the eight day there can be no reason given to deprive infants of Baptisme but that which may be given against Circumcision the main whereof is their incapablenesse of the grace of the Sacrament 2. To them to whom the Covenant belongs to them belongs the seal of the Covenant that confirms the right unto them but to the infants of faithfull parents the Covenant belongs To you and to your children are the promises made saith Peter Act. 2. 39. and to them belongs the Kingdome of God if the thing it self then the sign and seal of it And the Apostle saith Your children are holy 1 Cor. 7. 14. there is a foederall sanctity or externall and visible holinesse at least in children of beleeving parents and they are to be judged of the true flock of Christ untill they shew the contrary Yea but it is objected that they doe not beleeve which is in the Scripture required of those that are to be baptized that they make profession of their faith 3. The Scripture requiring faith in the party to be baptized speaks of grown men when the Apostle gives a rule that none should eat but those that labour it were monstrous from thence to deny meat to children or impotent persons besides it is not simply an improper speech to call the infant of beleeving parents a Beleever our Saviour reckoneth them among Beleevers Mat. 18. 6. he took a child and said Whosoever offendeth one of these little ones that beleeve in me what doe we deem of Christian infants is there no difference between them and Pagans Certainly as it were hard to call them Infidels so it were not harsh to cal thē Beleevers And further it is the received judgment of our Church that the faith of the parents or of those that in stead of parents present the child in the Congregation is so far the infants as to give him right unto the Covenant And lastly as we have said before the Spirit of God in elect infants supplies the room of faith and however it be Adams corruption cannot be more effectuall to pollute the infant then Christs bloud and innocency is to sanctifie them and Gods wisdome wants not means to apply it though wee cannot attain unto the manner But the Anabaptists urge we have no rule in Scripture for baptizing infants nor example 4. But doe we read any thing in Scripture that may infringe the liberty of the Church therein nay doe not the Scriptures afford many friendly proofs by consequence of it we read of such an one baptized and all his houshold the house of Lydia of the Jaylor of Crispus of Stephanus c. why should we imagine that there were no infants there or that they were left out And if the Scriptures not expressing directly the baptizing of infants were sufficient reason why that Sacrament should be denyed them then by the same reason the Sacrament of the Lords Supper should be denyed to women for to my remembrance it is not expressed in all the new Testament that any woman did partake of it which thing yet were senslesse to doubt of Thus much of the lawfulnesse of infants baptisme But is baptisme of absolute necessity to salvation Baptisme as we have seen is a high Ordinance of God and a means whereby he hath appointed to communicate Christ and his benefits to our souls and therefore not to be neglected or sleightly esteemed but used with all reverence and thankfull devotion when it may be had yet where God denieth it either in regard of the shortnesse of the infants life or by any other unavoidable necessity there comes no danger from the want of the Sacraments but only from the contempt of them Who are here to be confuted First the Papists who have contrived in their own wicked brains a room near hell which they call Limbus infantum a receptacle for the souls of infants which die without Baptisme and whereas they fain they are deprived of Gods presence and never partake of joy and happinesse a dream not worthy the confuting being not onely uncharitable but impious Secondly many ignorant people amongst us who for want of better teaching harbour in their minds such Popish conceipts especially that Baptisme doth conferre grace upon all by the work done for they commonly look no higher and they conceive a kind of inherent vertue and Christendome as they call it necessarily infused into children by having the water cast upon their faces hence the minister is oft posted for to baptize in a private chamber to the dishonour of that Ordinance and which is more intolerable in case of the want of a Minister women will undertake to be Baptizers which is a monstrous prophanation of so high a service How may these errors of opinion and practise be avoided They proceed from grosse ignorance and therefore the means to cure them is to be informed in the right nature and use of the Sacraments and in the extent and limitation of the necessity of them How may that be done Wee must know that Sacraments properly doe not give us any right unto God and his Christ but onely seale up and confirm that right and interest which already wee have in Gods Covenant and promise God promised to Adam life and then
Church to meet in the day for feare of persecution Wherefore herein the laudable custome of the Church of administring it in the Morning when our wits and capacities are best is to be followed In which respect also there is some difference between this Sacrament and the Sacrament of Baptisme which may without any inconvenience be administred in the afternoone What is the fittest day for the Administration of this Sacrament The Lords day is the fitttest day for the administration of the Sacrament For although our Saviour Christ did administer it on another day for the reasons before declared yet he did not bid us so to doe But the Apostles example and religious practise herein is to be followed which did celebrate the Supper of the Lord on the Lords day So much of the time Now for the nature of this Sacrament how may it be knowne First by the matter and secondly by the forme of it What is the matter of the Supper of the Lord Partly outward as the elements of bread and wine partly inward as the body and bloud of Christ. For as many graines make but one loafe and many grapes but one cup of wine so I beleeve that those outward elements signifie Christ and him crucified with all the benefits of his death and passion even whole Christ with all the fruits of his mediation Mat. 26. 26 27. 1 Cor. 11. 24 25. Wherefore did the Lord make choice of Bread and Wine for the outward Elements of this Sacrament Because meaning to set forth our spirituall nourishment by them they are of all the meanes of our corporall nourishment the chiefest Psal. 104. Why did he not content himselfe with one of these only He tooke both that he might hereby shew how plentifull and assured redemption we have in Christ whom these doe represent Wherefore it is no marvell that the Papists in the prohibiting of the cup doe answerably teach our salvation to be neither wholly in Christ nor assuredly What Argument doe you observe in the institution of the Sacrament against this Robbery The foreseeing Spirit of Christ knowing the sacriledge that Popery would bring in for the robbing of the people of the use of the Cup hath prepared a preservative against it speaking here more fully of the cup which he did not of the bread Drinke ye all of this Mat. 26. 27. What Bread used our Saviour Christ Ordinary bread such as was used at the common Table at that time it was indeed unleavened bread but it was so because no other was then lawfull at the feast of the Passeover Are not the Bread and VVine changed into the body and bloud of Christ in the Sacrament No they are not changed in nature but in use 1 Cor. 10. 16. For the words of eating and drinking doe properly belong to the outward elements of bread and wine and by a borrowed speech doe improperly belong to the body and bloud of Christ to note unto us the communion we have with our Saviour Christ of whom we are as verily partakers by a lively faith as of the bread and wine by eating and drinking them And thus we say that these elements are changed in use because being seperated from a common use they are consecrate to signe and seale to us our spirituall nourishment and growth by the body and bloud of Christ Iesus Luke 22. 19. 1 Cor. 10 3 4. For as the Sacrament of Baptisme doth seale to us a spirituall regeneration so the Lords Supper a spirituall feeding and even as well the body and bloud of Christ is in Baptisme given us for cloathing as they are given in the Lords Supper for nourishment Therefore the bread and wine are not the true body and bloud of Christ but the signes and tokens of them as in Baptisme the water was onely a signe of Christs bloud not the bloud What further reason have you to overthrow the carnall presence of Christ in the Sacrament 1. If the bread were turned into Christ then there should bee two Christs one that giveth another that is given for our Saviour Christ gave the bread c. 2. If the bread be the very body of Christ there should then bee no signe of the thing signified and so no Sacrament Rom. 4. 11. Where their miserable shift that the whitenesse is the seale and signe is not worthy the answer 3. The wicked receiver might then eate and drinke Christs body and bloud as well as any true beleever Iohn 13. 2. 30. 4. The Minister cannot give the inward grace but the outward Element in the administration of the Sacrament Luke 3. 16. What reason was there to move our Saviour Christ to use such a borrowed speech in this so great a mysterie Because it is ordinary and usuall in the Scripture to give the name of the thing signed and signified to the signe as it is called the tree of life which was but a signe of life Gen. 2. 9. So in the Sacraments of the old Testament Circumcision is called the Covenant Gen. 17 10. that is the token of Covenant verse 11. Or the Lambe or Kid the Passeover whereof it was a signe onely Exo. 12. The selfe same manner of speech is also used in the new Testament of Baptisme called the new Birth taking away of sinnes whereof it is onely a seale So that unlesse the Lord would in this Sacrament have departed from the wisdome of the Spirit of God accustomably received he must needs here also tread in the same steps of a borrowed and figurative speech Howbeit it may seem that to have used a more proper speech would have been more meet for him being neare unto his death and more convenient for their understanding He did after his last Supper use as figurative speeches as this in the 14 15 16. of John and that without all danger of darknesse of speech there being often times more light in a borrowed then in a proper speech And a Trope of force must be yeelded when he saith that the cup is the new Testament It maketh further for the corporall presence that our Saviour Christ saith in his supper that his body was then broken and not that it should be broken after That is also usuall to the Scripture for further certainty to speak of things to come as of them that are present But there is nothing impossible unto God 1. The question is here not of the power but of the will of God what he will have done 2. God cannot doe those things in doing whereof he should contradict himselfe and therefore the Scripture feareth not without dis-honour to God to say that he cannot lye nor cannot deny himselfe Tit. 1. 2. 2 Tim. 2. 13. Why is the cup called the cup of the New Testament Because it is a seale of the promise of God touching our salvation in Christ which being in old time under the Law shadowed by the shedding of bloud of beasts is now after a new manner accomplished in