it to dip and plunge in water be essential to Baptism for that some Countries have not water enough to drink and not a River or Brook within fifty no not an hundred miles compass But lastly as the Anabaptists have in this no strength of argument from the propriety of the word the signification of the ceremony the prescript of Christ so nor from any plain pattern or sure example in the Scriptures For the Baptisms we read of to have been in Rivers were as is most probable after this manner The person baptizing and the person baptized put off their sandals and without any further preparation went together up to the ankles or mid-leg into the water of which the Minister of Baptism taking up in his hand he poured out upon the head of the baptiz'd That this was the manner of John's baptism is to me plainly intimated Act. 1.5 when our Saviour gives in promise to his Apostles That whereas John baptized with water they should be baptized with the Holy Ghost Now how were the Apostles baptized with the Holy Ghost but by pouring out of the Spirit and so how did John baptize with water but by pouring out of that element No question but John when he baptiz'd all the Region round about Mat. 3.5 Act. 2 41. and Peter three thousand in one day they did preserve all good rules of modesty in so sacred a service of their Ministry they were not at all guilty of the impudence of some who baptize naked or the immodesty of others who baptize in a sleight covering of their nakedness neither sure did they plunge them in the rivers with their clothes on this had been a soaking rather then a washing If then S. John and S. Peter did baptize by plunging in the water the people were fitted with some covering for that service and that such multitudes in so short a time should be provided of necessaries for such a baptism seems to me altogether improbable And as for the Eunuch being on a journey Act. 8 27 28. he was sure very unfit for such a washing And that he is said to go down with Philip into the water it does not signifie the depth of the river but the descent of the hill for the Country being mountainous the rivers or rather brooks lay at the bottom Joh. 3.23 not deep enough for a plunging as the Anabaptists manner now is over head and ears even Aenon it self where John baptiz'd it is say Geographers a small brook shallow in depth and narrow in breadth fordable with the leg and passable at two or three steps yet it is said there was much water there in respect of that dry country where little water is But besides all this that of the Jailor's being baptized in the night and in his house yea Act. 16.33 that which Ecclesiastical history tels us of some secretly baptized in prisons Ep. 76. ad â—iagn and S. Cyprian reporting of one that brought a pitcher of water and was baptized by S. Laurence as he went to martyrdom These and the like instances sufficiently evidence what was the practice of the Primitive Church such as does not prove either plunging in the water or washing in a river to be essential or necessary to Baptism To close then Know we that moral conveyances require no large matter for their performance A bit of wax may seal me a Deed of many sheets a turf of earth may give me possession of a thousand acres one pepper-corn may testifie my homage for the greatest Manor And thus may a few drops of water by vertue of Christs institution signifie and seal convey and confirm me a right and interest in all the promises of the Gospel all the merits of Christs blood all the graces of the Spirit all the bliss of Heaven It is otherwise in the spiritual Laver then it is in the corporal Bath In this latter not to wash every part is to be unclean in some part but in that former to wash any whit is to be clean all over so that the sprinkling or pouring out of a few drops are as effectual to our spiritual washing as the dipping or plunging in an whole river It is then the use and application of the element which refers to the substance and essence of the Sacrament A washing there must be with water whether that washing be by immersion or aspersion or effusion And to the application of Water join we the application of the Word and then have we Baptism compleat as to its form of administration that of our Saviours prescription Go ye disciple all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost c. 2. From the application of the Water pass we to the application of the Word Therein observe S. Augustine's Maxim Accedat verbum ad Elementum fit Sacramentum Let the Word be added to the Element and it becomes a Sacrament even the word of institution which is accompanied with the word of precept and of promise the precept requiring and the promise encouraging our observance the precept commands the use the promise declares the benefit both oblige our obedience The precept is Go baptize the promise is Mar. 16.16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved All which our Church orderly recites in her form of ministration thereby testifying her obedience to Christs precept and begging the performance of his promise when she baptizeth according to his word of institution In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Here we have a Trinity of sacred Persons in the unity of the Divine Essence and in this faith runs not only the form of our Baptism but also the form of our Creed the form of our Doxology and the form of our Benediction Bas ep 78. cont Eunom l. 2. And that it was of old so receiv'd in the Church we have the full testimony of S. Basil 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yea adde we too 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We ought to be baptized as Christ hath instituted to believe as we are baptized to give glory as we do believe and to bless as we give glory Our form of Baptism it is in the name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost our form of Creed it is I believe in God the Father and in Jesus Christ his only Son and again I believe in the Holy Ghost our form of Doxology it is Glory to be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost and lastly our form of Benediction wherewith we dismiss the Congregation it is The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God the Father 2 Cor. 13.14 and the communion of the Holy Ghost be with you all Thus you see the faith of the Trinity in Unity and Unity in Trinity is the very life-blood of our Christianity it runs through the veins of
all our Doctrine and Worship And oh if hereby we profess our selves Christians that thus we baptize thus we believe thus we worship thus we bless how great is that Apostacie even from Christianity it self which will deny our Baptism destroy our Creed abolish our Worship and if possible deprive us of our Blessing To close this Beloved Let us as by the profession of a true faith so by the exercise of an holy life O let us so regain and keep firm the love of God the Father that by the grace of Jesus Christ our Lord we may so hold fast the communion of the Holy Ghost Act. 2.3 that our fiery trial shall be but as the Apostles fiery tongues not to consume and destroy but to fortifie and prepare us even to a more firm founding and more glorious building up the Church in the unity of divine Faith and the uniformity of holy Worship Further in the manner and form of Baptisms administration we observe that the Holy Ghost is the third Person in the sacred Trinity and very God upon which it will be very seasonable to enlarge our selves For that which brought Satan like lightening down from Heaven carrying Hell with him it was his rebellious pride of Ero similis Altissimo I will be like to the most High and failing in that proud attempt of advancing the creature to equal the Creator he hath ever since made it his malicious design to depress the honor of the Creator to the condition of a creature witness the horrid Idolatries among the Heathens and the blasphemous Heresies amongst Christians The horrid Idolatries among the Heathens Rom. 1.23 Changing the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like unto corruptible man and to birds and to four-footed beasts and to creeping things The blasphemous Heresies amongst Christians Heresies denying the thrice blessed and glorious Trinity especially the eternal Godhead and the incommunicable subsistence of the Son and of the Holy Ghost And amongst the many 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fighters against the Holy Ghost since the Pentecost tongues silenc'd the Heathen Oracles and the preaching of the Gospel banished their idolatrous worship amongst the many fighters I say against the Holy Ghost the militant Church of Christ hath been chiefly assaulted and infested by the Arians Macedonians and Photinians of old time and by the Socinians and Anabaptists of later years Yea even at this day there are too too many amongst our selves who pretend most to the Spirit yet are most blasphemous against the Spirit heretically denying the Divine nature and eternal Godhead of the Holy Ghost Wherefore in a secret zeal to this sacred truth of the Holy Ghosts Divinity a zeal enkindled by that Spirit which descended in fiery tongues upon the Apostles give me leave to explain and confirm to you these two particulars First That the Holy Ghost is the third Person in the sacred Trinity proceeding from the Father and the Son Secondly That this third Person thus proceeding is very God 1. The Holy Ghost is the third Person of the sacred Trinity proceeding from the Father and the Son And what we here speak in so ineffable a mystery let it be salvâ reverentiâ with due reverence to the Divine Majesty The Holy Ghost is the third Person of the Trinity Mat. 10.20 Joh. 15.26 and we prove it thus The Holy Ghost is called in Scripture the Spirit of the Father not as sent by the Father but proceeding from the Father his mission is temporary and his procession is eternal And it is worth our observation that the Holy Ghost here is said to proceed as the Son is said to be begotten even 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Joh. 1.14 by an immanent act so proceeding from him as being of the same essence with him And as the Holy Ghost is called the Spirit of the Father Gal. 4.6 Joh. 16.15 so also of the Son And seeing Christ saith All that the Father hath are mine what the Holy Ghost receives by procession from the Father the same he receives also from the Son and that by one immanent act of eternal spiration from them both which act of spiration was signified by our Saviour when he breath'd upon the Apostles Joh. 20.22 thereby giving them the Holy Ghost Now that the Holy Ghost thus proceeding from the Father and the Son is a distinct person from the Son and the Father is most firmly proved from that of S. John where we have expresly the Comforter Joh. 15.26 the Spirit of truth sent by the Son from the Father And lest any should think the Spirit the same in person as he is in essence with the Father our Saviour answers the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Neuter with an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Masculine to denote say the Antients the distinct person of the Holy Ghost An Heterosis like unto this we have in the Text In textu legitur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ipsum in margine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ipsa verbum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 conteret est masculinun Disciple all nations 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Neuter yet is it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Masculine The like very aptly observe in the Septuagint upon Gen. 3.15 A dispute it is whether to read ipse ipsa or ipsum he she or it shall bruise thy head The Septuagint resolves the doubt that it is not meant of mankind in general as the Rabbins would have it and so read ipsum it nor yet of the blessed Virgin in particular as the Romanist contends for it and so read ipsa she but of Christ himself and that is ipse he For so the Septuagint reads it with an Haeterosis I will put enmity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 between thy seed and between her seed where the Antecedent is in the Neuter but the Relative they give us in the Masculine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not she nor it but he pointing unto Christ He shall bruise thy head Many very many the like observations I might give you very frequent in sacred Writ but I instance in these as to second the Father's Note upon that of S. John so to hint unto you how necessary to the interpreting and so to the understanding of sacred Scripture humane literature is however cryed down and declaim'd against by the Illiterate and the Enthusiasts 2. The Holy Ghost the third Person in the sacred Trinity is very God Of this we have several proofs in sacred Scripture giving him the Names the Attributes the Works and the Worship of God To give you a cursory view only of these First The Names of God Whereas it is said the Lord Deut. 32. â—2 Isa 63.14 even Jehovah led Israel in the wilderness the Prophet he tells us this Jehovah was the Spirit of the Lord even the Holy Ghost Again that in the Acts is plain and full Why hath Satan filled thine heart saith S. Peter to
the Word of the most High God it alters not but as the Lord is gracious in his promise so will he be faithful in the performance Answ Answ General promises have their particular application and so become as the object of faith so the support of the soul in each particular condition Indeed it hath been the priviledge of some more devout souls and more divine tempers by an experienc'd communion with God in prayer to implore him for particular blessings with as firm an assurance as if they had had a particular promise Thus it is reported of good Latimer Bishop in the beginning of Reformation that he had frequent in his prayers and firm in his confidence these three things Queen Elizabeths obtaining the Crown His sealing the Truth with his blood and the third which he used to express with greatest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of devotion and vehemencey of zeal was this The Gospel restor'd once again once again in England All which God hath fulfilled But what said I all fulfilled No sure Upon perusing this passage of History I was affected in my thoughts observing the duplication of the good Fathers prayer that it was for the Gospels restoring once again and once again in England I hope the Spirit of prayer and of prophecie here went together and as the Gospel hath been already once again restor'd unto our fathers so it shall be once again restor'd unto us and unto our children as it hath been once restor'd from Romish Superstition so it shall be once again restor'd from Heretical Schismatical and Sacrilegious Profanation And this oh this do we further with our prayers our teares our deepest humiliations I call to mind the Historical tradition concerning S. Augustine That his mother Monica frequently applying herself to S. Ambrose that famous Bishop with bitter mournings for her son then a blasphemous Maniche and of a dissolute life though after an Orthodox Father and of a religious conversation S. Ambrose observing her continual lamentations dismist her with these words of comfort and confidence that Tot lachrymarum filius c. The son of so many tears should not perish Oh! did the Sons of this Church for their Mother as Monica the Mother did for her Son Isa 62 6 7. Luk. 18 7. importune God with prayers and tears day and night giving him no rest I could with confidence make particular application of Christs general promise and tell them in the words of S. Ambrose a little chang'd Tot lachrymarum Mater The Mother of so many tears the Church of so many prayers shall not be ruin'd The gates of hell even the policie of men and devils shall not prevail against her But oh I fear I fear our prayers have been so long out of the Church that most men leave the Church out of their prayers However then it be a divine priviledge of Gods devoutest Saints to have a secret perswasion and impulse of the Spirit for the asking by prayer and believing through faith particular blessings as if given in particular promises yet that which is the pattern of our practice is an application of the general promises to our particular conditions with an humble submission unto God in the order of his providence to dispose of our distress and of our deliverance as shall make most for his own glory and his Churches good And though God set a long date of time to the performance of his promise yet let not our hearts faint nor faith fail seeing there is certainly no void and empty space no vacuum in his providence but the interval is that of preparing the seed to harvest the fitting his people for deliverance and as the sharper Winter makes the Spring more fruitful the harvest more plentiful so the sharper affliction makes our graces more pure our deliverance more glorious Obj. 2. I have long expected and could with patience have Obj. 2 longer waited for the the salvation of my God did not the blasting of my hopes make my faith to wither In stead of recovery behold a festering of my wound I expected a mitigation but I find and feel an aggravation of my distress I did hope for a deliverance but now am prest down with a greater trouble Answ Answ If God increase thy burden continue thou instant in prayer and he will doubtless either increase thy strength or else hasten thy deliverance That of S. Paul stands firm God is faithful who will not suffer those that are his to be tempted above what they are able 2 Cor. 10.13 Theoph. in loc 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Theophylact God proportions our burden to our strength or else gives strength propor ionable to our burden so that the force of Satans temptations shall not exceed the power of Gods grace Wherefore Thou relying upon the promise of thy God neither shall thine affl ction in its burden of weight nor in its length of continuance so damp thy faith or dead thy devotion as to destroy thy soul Further take this admonition That thou cherish an expectation of distresses happening and withall make good a preparation against the happening of distresses for nothing more discomposeth the frame of soul or disturbeth the peace of mind then when our troubles are sudden beyond expectation and our hearts unfenc'd without preparation We say Quae alii diu patiendo sapiens diu cogitando levia facit Those things which others make light by patience in long-suffering the wise man makes light by patience in long foreseeing Good it is then in afflictions still to expect the worst And thus what ill befalls us will be the lighter and what good happens to us it will be the sweeter Expect we the worst not in a distracting fear but in a wary prudence not in an ill presaging distrust but in a well resolved faith Neither may we fancie groundless troubles and thereby create crosses to our selves To fear shadows argues either guilt of Conscience or weakness of Judgment Neither may we yet anticipate Gods work by imposing a certainty of event upon probable afflictions For this were to double our cross if the evil happens and to create a cross if it happen not Thus O thou afflicted soul it remains firm as a sure Rule of Direction That whatsoever is the weight or continuance of thy trouble thou stay thy self upon the Promise waiting by prayer and patience for the salvation of thy God O Blessed JESVS the Lord of life Prince of glory and Captain of our salvation who hast vanquisht Satan and all the powers of darkness O give victory to all languishing Souls in their Spiritual Conflicts Guide them with thy councels sustain them with thy grace refresh them with thy comforts preserve them in thy love and crown them with thy glory Amen Amen Halleluiah THE Preacher's Tripartite BOOK III. TO Establish TRVTH and PEACE IN SEVERAL SERMONS Against the present Heresies and Schisms ESPECIALLY As to The Gospels Ministry Infants Baptism The Mystery of the Trinity