in circumcision but in uncircumcision and he received the signe of circumcision a seale of the righteousnes of the faith vvhich hee had yet being uncircumcised c. We come now to deduct Corollaries from these differēces From the first coroll 1 Then to the participation and use of the Sacraments the use of reason is necessary our reason must be most busy active whilst our sences are ingaged the hearing of the tone or sound of the word spoken doth no good therefore wee preach it not to children or fooles so the seeing of the coullors of things to feele the water cold or hot the touch or tast is not the thing but what the elements and ceremonyes about it teach us which must be discerned by the use of reason in comparing the thing signified according to the Scripture application the proportion it holds so as here is a knowledge of things already layd in and reason in the act required So the teaching by similitudes or resemblances doth not require lesse reason or lesse the use of reason but the advātage it brings is that by the mediation of severall senses it strykes our reason differently more strongly and God descends to that way of teaching that he might more forcibly worke upon our reason speake to it all manner of wayes From the second coroll 2 it is supposed the word should go before for that is the way of teaching by thinges of lesser representation to things of fuller when Iacob heard of Iosephs message he was mooved but when he saw the Chariots that affected him exceedingly that spoke a clearer language it was fit the message should goe before the chariots so the word before the Sacraments From the third coroll 3 see one prerogative the word hath men may be saved by hearing without the Sacraments to comfort those that want them but slight them not Secondly see the order first the word must be as first the writing for the Sacraments are but the appendix From the fourth coroll 4 Then the word hath much a larger compasse of motion then the Sacraments and as the word may be where the Sacraments are not so the Sacraments cannot be but where the word hath bene for the word supposeth nothing but comes at aventure to every creature under heaven but the Sacraments supposeth faith wrought already by the word to make this playner we must know that men are by nature children of wrath by the disobedience of Adam all vvere made sinners Rom. 5.19 And the Lord lookt dovvne from heaven and savv that all vvere gone out of the vvay vvee neither perceive nor knovv the thinges of God 1. Cor. 2.14 And though the light shine in darknes the darknes comprehends it not and our carnall mind is emnity against God our vvhole soule is filled vvith all unrighteousnes Rom. 8.7 and 1.29 Now while men are in their infancy they lye onely exposed to Gods inward and secret workes if they belong to the election of grace hee knowes how to deale with them and worke wonderfully in wayes wee know not nor can conceive of so long wee cannot cōmunicate our selves to their soules at all nor can reatch them any otherwayes then by our prayers for all things are here secret if there be a change wrought it is more then wee know or can conceive the manner of it But when they come to yeares of understanding and to be capable of ordinances the first thing wee doe to them is to bring them under the ordinance of the word and to leade them into a right knowledge of themselves to convince them of their naturall estate to preach to them conversion repentance faith in Iesus Christ that they may have life when wee find this operate and that by their profession and by their workes which is the onely way of evidencing their faith to others they make it appeare they beleeve then we gladly goe one and leade them into further ordinances give them the Sacraments to confirme them thus wee make things runne parralel as they must doe There is an outward preaching of the word there is a conversion and change of heart made visible by workes and so a faith evidenced and the visible and outward seales and markes are given them to seale them up to themselves and to others Thus you see a naturalnes a coherency and a comelines in things thus layd and stated by which also as by a right rule you may be help'd in discerning errours CHAP. VII In which is layd downe the relative and personall qualifications by which infants are usually intituled to Baptisme by our most considerable Protestant Divines BY what hath bene said wee have fully shewed the nature of Baptisme what is the proper and adequate subject of this ordinance namely a beleever one qualified by the use of faith and reason for the confirmation sealing up to him by this great ordinance his ingrafting into Christ and union with him by faith secondly as an immediate fruit thereof his justificatiō of which we largely spoke and also his adoption by being consecrated to the Father Sonne and holy Ghost and baptized in their names Thirdly his sanctificatiō consisting in the death of sinne the life of holynes as a fruit of that and which cannot be separated from it his glorification Rom. 6.8 Novv if vvee be dead vvith Christ vvee beleeve vvee shall also live vvith him To which on the other side the party baptized puts his seale and makes his sponsion to be to God and Christ in all those relations But now because it hath for a long time and almost generally obtained that children should be baptized wee must consider how they can pretend to these qualifications what right they have or by what title they hold it The right which the world gives them to it is a right imputative a right derivative from Father to Sonne a right of succession a birthright this is that which they call a foederall holynes Nor doe children onely clayme by this derivative imputative title but also those who are adopted by Christian parents for as by adoption in Christ wee are rendred the children of God so by the adoption of Christian parents such are to be accounted for their children as some argue Ger. p. 582. Also those who by lawfull meanes as just warre bargaine gifte fall into the hands and governement of beleevers and whom Christians will answer for that they shall for the future be instructed in the Christian faith and this appeares by divine institution they say from the parallell of circumcision since not onely Abrahams children but his servants those bought with his money were circumcised Gen. 17.12 And hee that is eight dayes old shall be circumcised among you every man-child in your generations hee that is borne in the house or bought vvith money of any stranger vvhich is not of thy seede This also some illustrate apply more particularly from that place Acts 2.39 For the promise is
alone but to you also that the prophecy and promise of Ioel foremētioned ℣ 16.17.18 is to be accommodated yea to all who ever God shall call but with this difference by these degrees that it is first to you which are Iewes which are night then though you may wonder at it to the gentiles also which are afarre of and that you see in the event prooved a wonder for it is said Acts 10.45 that they of the circumcision vvhich beleeved vvere astonished as many as came vvith Peter because that on the Gentiles also vvere povvred out the giftes of the holy Ghost Now these gentiles are called afarre of suitable to the expression of Ephes 2.13 Yee that is the gentiles vvho sometimes vvere farre of are made night by the blood of Christ where the same expressions of nigh farre of are used that are here now hee makes mention particularly of their children under which also he intends the childrē of the gentiles when by calling they should be made nigh to accommodate to them more fully the mentioned place of Ioel as if he should say those are the last dayes when this promise vers 16.17.18 is to be fullfilled both to Iew and gentile as a consequence of their faith in the Messiah that they shall receive that eminent gift of the holy Ghost as a badge of their profession the glory of God by which they shall be able to doe such thinges as wee have done but with this difference that according to what is foretold the spirit will accommodate and vent it self proportionable to their states and capacity some things are proper to old mē they shall dreame dreames others to young men they shall see visions and according to the manner of their revelatiō shall their gift be and the venting of it by prophecy But all you and your childrē shall receive gifts of the holy Ghost and so be made partakers of that illustrious promise here therefore ye have that which might first and especially comfort them the remission of their sinnes so as no man can object against Peter for comforting them onely with giftes Secondly as a consequence of this and as Christ elsewhere saith a signe of them that beleeve they shall have the same gift of the holy Ghost both Iewes Gentiles in their order that the Apostles had this should be just accommodated according to the prophecy of Ioel to fathers and children to young men old according to their proportions and capacities for prophecy Now that by the gift of the holy Ghost and so consequently the promise of Ioel is meant abillity of speaking tongues prophecies as it is cleare by the context in it self so according to the judgement of Calvin who sayes clearly that this ought not to be understood of the grace of sanctification but of those primitive gifts vvhich though vve novv receive not yet vve have something analogicall and proportionable to them Now as the gift was not the grace of sanctification so neither the promise by which it is made ours for all gifts are ours by promise this is the generall judgement of expositers Protestant and others and is most cleare by Acts 10.45.46 where sayes hee they of the circumcision vvhich beleeved vvere astonished because that on the gentiles also vvas povvred out the gift of the holy Ghost for they heard them speake vvith tongues c. where the gift of the holy Ghost the same words used that is here is discribed by speaking with tongues Peter therefore calleth them that were pricked at their hearts were weary and heavy laden to repentance and Baptisme in the name of the Lord Iesus that they might receive and have sealed up to them the remission of sinnes which was the great thing they desired as a symbole and signe of which they should partake also of the effect of that illustrious promise made in Ioel and mentioned formerly that they should receive the gifts of the Holy Ghost so as nothing could be spoken more to the harts of distressed men then this nor nothing could more incourage them to repentance and Baptisme then the remission of sins sealed to them in that ordinance and yet more further signified and sealed by that famous promise of extraordinary gifts of the holy Ghost which for that time Christ himself made a signe and effect of beleeving to them that were nigh and farre of that is both to Iewes and Gentiles and so you see the Iewes incouraged to repentance and Baptisme upon great and noble and most considerable grounds with this distinction difference that the offer of all those great things according to the way of God and the Gospel comes first to them and after to them which are afarre of that is to the gentiles who indeed were afarre of being aliens and in the estimation of Peter so farre that God was forced to give him a particular vision as you shall heare Acts 10. to persuade him to looke upon them as those nigh And thus wee have what the Iew as a naturall sonne of Abraham may pretend to Baptisme and new Testament ordinances to wit a priority in respect of the offer whereby the way wee have taken occasion to cleare that place that some have indeavored to bring to prove infant Baptisme by then which truely nothing seemes to be lesse properly raised out of it The next considerable thing is where the stop lyes where the Iewes goe equall with others Now for that wee will consider that place of Matt. 3. chap. ℣ s 7.8.9 VVhen hee savv many of the Pharisees and Sadduces come to his baptisme hee sayd unto them O generation of vipers vvho hath vvarned you to flee from the vvrath to come Bring forth therefore fruites meete for repentance And thinke not to say vvithin your selves vve have Abraham to our father for I say unto you that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham The Pharisees and Sadduces men especially the Pharisees strict in their religion come many of them to Iohns Baptisme upon this pretence and clayme that they were descended from Abraham and were his children that they come in this confidence and pretence was manifest by what Iohn said unto them Luke hath it Luk. 3.8 Begin not to say vvithin your selves that is doe not take this subterfuge to oppose to repentance change of heart which onely qualifies for Baptisme that you have Abraham to your father Matthew sayes thinke not to say vvithin your selves which notes a persuasion of a prerogative of carnall generation that you have Abraham to your father such carnall and birth prerogatives stand you in no steed in this covenant for of these stones God can raise up children to Abraham that as when Isaack was borne who was the sonne of promise Abrahams body and Saraas wombe were dead as a stone so those which are now to be accounted the sonnes of Abraham God can raise from nothing evē from stones from the
abominate also the Christian education of their children so as in this respect the unbeleevinge husband or wife and the children also though themselves for the present unbeleevers by reason of the willingnes of the one to cohabite and the subjection of the other to Christian education may in that sence be said to be sanctified or made holy being as it were deputed to it and in the way of preparation for it so as the unbeleeving parent the childrē of that mixt birth may be called as Tertullian sayes Candidati timoris and as afterward by others Candidati fidei Probationers or compettitors for feare and faith the words following vers 16. seemes to favour such an interpretation For vvhat knovvest thou O vvife vvhether thou shalt save thy husband or hovv knovvest thou O man vvhether thou shalt save thy vvife there being already wrought a good pleasure or willingnes to abide and cohabite on the unbeleevers part husband or wife and the children in that respect being subjected to Christian education and to the beholding of holy examples true cōversion and faith which brings them into estate of salvation may be in time accomplisht in them to which they seeme in some sort destin'd by the providence of God in such a yoake-fellow or such parents So sanctification is predicated of those who are destined or prepared to such an end so God sayes of the Medes and Persians Esay 13.3 I have commanded my sanctified ones that is such as I have prepared for so Calvin upon that place sayes that sometimes sanctification is referred to regeneration which is peculiar to the elect of God sometimes it signifies to prepare or destine to a certain end so those unbeleeving parents by their willingnes to abide with beleevers their children in regard of the opportunity of a holy education seeme to be as it were destined or prepared for regeneration and for that state which accompanies salvation and in that respect as in a large sence may be called sanctified or holy Which consideration if it may give them a greater accesse to ordinances proper for them or stirre up others to lay out themselves in a more peculiar and particular manner for their conversion I shall not hinder it but on the contrary thinke that such providences speake much and that as they give grounds of hope and so of endeavour so there may be much of duty towards them in regard of the opportunity that families and churches that parents masters ministers have to doe good to such who though strictly they may not be called church members no more then strictly sanctified that is regenerated by the holy Spirit yet so farre as in the respects before mentioned they may be tearmed sanctified that is by a providence destin'd as it were and prepared for God so farre the church within whose pole they seeme by a providence to live and to be cast ought to have a more especiall eye after them and care of them by vertue at least of that generall injunction As you have opportunity doe good to all men especially to the houshold of faith under the shadow of which these are come But whether you take either of these sences or both for they may both stand in severall respects and regarding the text with a different aspect you will surely find nothing to ingraft Baptisme upon For whether the children are sanctified to the beleeving parents use as all other things are not unholy in themselves which to the unbeleever are not or whether in the second sence they are sanctified that is as it were destined for holynes of which by vertue of a great providence in respect of their education they are made Candidati that is probationers or competitors as when men stand for a place or office and as the Catechumini of old were called yet can they by no meanes in either of these respects be qualified for or made the subject of Baptisme which presupposeth as hath formerly bene shewed another kind of holynes proper to and inherent in the party namely regeneration and nevvnes of life not such an one as is competible to an unbeleever either parents or children It was but necessary to speake something to this place which beares amongst many the weight of so great a building as infant Baptisme though if I could find here such a holynes for infants as wee all wish to ours namely justifying faith regeneration yet I should no more judge it meete to baptize them then to preach to them or to administer the Lords supper to them they being as capable of the word as baptisme and of one mysterious ceremony as well as another which hath bene a reason I doubt not why many formerly and many at this day doe administer the Lords supper to infants by vertue of a parallell ordinance to Baptisme Nor doe I know the reason why the one should be refused where the other is deem'd a due But enough I hope for this which truely the contests of others rather then any scruple which hath fallen upon my spirit from these words hath made me say so much of CHAP. XV. In which the authority of the Fathers and the practise of antiquity touching the subject of Baptisme is considered THe authority of the Fathers and the practise of ancient times is to many a great argument for the Baptizing of infants to me that looke upon such argumentations as not of the first magnitude collaterall and such as may truely and as often be brought for the patronising of errors as truth they are of no great consideration yet to satisfy others more then my self there must be something spoken to this head In which I shall consider especially these two things first whether by the witnesse of story Infant Baptisme have injoyed a quiet and peaceable possession in the church from the Apostles times downeward till of late it was interrupted by some few evill spirits in the times of Luther as some men would give us to beleeve Secondly upon what grounds those Fathers which are alleadged for the chief patrons of Infants Baptisme went for if they have erred in the reason of the foundation it will be easilyer beleeved that they did also in the building We will consider first of this latter I will give you their grounds either as I have reade them my self or as I find them quoted by Bellarmine Tom. 3. lib. cap. 8. whose quotatiōs I shall take for truth till I find the contrary for here hee hath to doe with the Anabaptists enemies in this point alike common to him with most of those that are tearmed Protestants First hee quotes the testimony Dionisij Areop qui lib. Eccles Hier. c. ult part ult ab Apostolis traditum affirmat ut infantes baptizentur Iusti five quicunque est auctor earum quaest qu. 56. parvulos baptizatos salvari alios non item That infants baptized are saved others not Orig. lib. 5. in cap. 6. ad Rom. Ecclesia inquit ab Apostolis traditionem
Sufficiunt divinae divinitùs inspiratae Scripturae ad omnem instructionem veritatis The holy divinely inspired Scriptures suffice to all instructions of truth Then Basil in serm de fidei confess Infidelitatis argumentum fuerit signum superbiae certissimum si quis eorum quae scripta sunt aliquid velit rejicere aut eorum quae non scripta introducere It vvould be an argument of infidelity and a most certain signe of pride if any man should reject things vvritten or should introduce things not vvritten Also Cyril lib. de recta fide Necessarium nobis est divinas sequi literas in nullo ab eorum praescripto discedere It is necessary for us to follovv the divine letters and in nothing to depart from their prescript So Theoph. lib. 2. Paschali Diabolici spiritus est aliquid extra Scripturarum sacrarum auctoritatem putare divinum It is the part of a diabolicall spirit to thinke any thing divine vvithout the authority of holy Scriptures So Tertull. lib. contra Hermogenum Adoro Scripturae plenitudinem scriptum esse doceat Hermogenis officina si non scriptum est timeat vae illud adjicientibus vel detrahentibus destinatum I adore the fullnes of the Scripture let Hermogenes shevv that it is vvritten if it be not vvritten let him feare the vvo destin'd to those vvhich adde or detract The end of all that hath bene said amounts to this that those Fathers or Churches that tooke up and practized Baptisme as an Apostolicall traditiō that is a thing not written nor found in the word but for the antiquity sake call'd Apostolicall as those forequoted did and most will be found to have done that being their best plea are justly to be reputed ours and of our side for they judge it not from Scripture and therefore are forced to fetch the rise of it from tradition which traditiō because it will not beare the weight of an institution as you have heard therefore the whole building is to fall which is falsely bottomed and their authority upon that ground is nothing saving that by flying for a bottome and refuge to tradition they doe with us affirme that there is no better ground for infant Baptisme then humane traditiō which is indeed none at all So as you find how all these testimonies authorities and many of the same kind become ours And here by the way I am not ignorant that some of ours whofeele themselves prest by the Papists as if they admitted of a tradition in this ordinance of Baptisme which they refuse in others and being loath to loose the authority of the Fathers in this point who put it upon tradition as upon its proper basis would fayne wrest their necke out of this noose and therefore shew you also how the Fathers fastned it upon some Scripture ground so Chemnit in his answer of Lindan Exam. Concil Tridentin de Trad. p. 69. To which I answer according to truth that the forequoted Fathers fastned Baptisme upon tradition as upon its owne ground and basis being no more able then other men to find a word of institution for that which had none and for the credit of the tradition calling that Apostolicall which they found ancient which as the same Chemnitius acknowledgeth was an ordinary practise in other things but withall some of them give some ground of Scripture of their owne framing for the colour of such a tradition so Origen Iraeneus Cyprian and those others quoted by Chemnitius to this purpose which reatch not to any word of institution but to the reason of it as Origen sayes That the Apostles knevv that there vvere in all the stayne of sinne vvhich ought to be vvasht by vvater and by the spirit So Cyprian VVhen the Lord saith in the Gospel hee came not to destroy the soules of men but to save vvee also should prevent as much as may be that no soule be lost For God as he accepts not the person so nor the age I shall give you no more this onely for a tast Now those I said are no words of institution but some generall reason as they conceave and doth not at all hinder but that Apostolicall tradition as they call it beares the weight of the institution I deny not but that there hath bene such a thing as the tradition of Christ and Apostolicall tradition which are of the highest and greatest authority but they were such things as afterwards were committed to writing by the Euangelists and Apostles as Chemnitius well observes p. 61. and other traditions of Christ his Apostles wee avow none but esteeme them all Apocryphal Againe for those Fathers and ancient writers together with the Papists Lutherans that judged Baptisme simply necessary to salvation and some of them condemning infants to eternall damnation without it as Austin Bernard c. unlesse they were happily rescued by martyrdome you see what necessity lay upon them to deffend infant Baptisme but upon a most false ground namely the necessity of it to salvation which fayling as wee know it doth wee may see both how they might be tempted necessitated to such an opinion what good reason there is why their foundation and building should fall together And if any man shall here object as before in the case of traditions that this peremptory necessity to salvatiō was indeed a false hypothesis or supposition not fit to beare the weight of infant Baptisme but that the Fathers also might possibly have other mediums by which to proove this as those before instanc'd in I answer that the weaknesse of those mediums or any other I have mett withall in this particular as alleadged by them declare plainly that there was some other great thing which inforced them to it namely the necessity of it to salvation as whē we see wise men contend earnestly for that for which they give no good visible or apparent reason it may well be conceived that there is something of interest which supplies to them the want of reason and this interest of the salvation of our children sitts so neere us as it may beare the weight of many reasons and cause us to admit conclusions though of great moment and concernement upon very easy considerations So as wee have fully examined this head namely upon what grounds the Fathers which are alledged for the chief patrons of infant baptisme went have found that so many as build it upon tradition as generally all doe are of our side for avouching that for their best authority they acknowledge there is no better to wit the Scripture and so conclude with us that Baptisme of infants is not an institution of God which hath the Scripture for its foundation And those which give it to infants because it is simply necessary to salvation will be of no authority against us nor of no credit to their cause because the building must be level'd according to the foundation that being false they are
signe thereof should not be to this agrees that place Heb. 6.4.5.6 For it is impossible for those vvho vvere once inlightned and have tasted of the heavenly gift and vvere made partakers of the holy Ghost and have tasted the good vvord of God the povvers of the vvorld to come if they shall fall avvay to renevv them againe to repentance c. The Apostle speakes not here of theft perjury adultery or any sinne in particular but of an intire revolting and falling away when a sinner offends not God in any particular but renounces wholly to his grace bids him adieu for ever Now he falls thus who revolts from the word of God who extinguisheth the light of it who deprives himself of the tast of the heavenly gift and quits the communion of the spirit in the participatiō of its grace which cannot be without the sinne against the holy Ghost and a totall falling from God Now it is impossible sayes hee those should be renevved by repentance having sinned against the holy Ghost they have a heart that cannot repent now they having broken covenant with God in the highest manner and being uncapable of repentance which is to precede Baptisme they are incapable of Baptisme for others though they sinne the same covenant repentance Baptisme stands good for ever Secondly because the signification the fruit use of Baptisme is not for a moment or respecting the time past onely but respects the future also and the whole life of the baptized person as appeares Rom. 6.2 So as the Baptisme of repentance once receaved for remission of sinnes remaynes as a pledge by us of the covenant of God and that perpetuall washing which we have by the blood of Christ Marke 14. Iohn did baptize in the vvildernes and preach the baptisme of repentance for the remission of sinnes which is to be often thought of for the full assurance of our pardō for that promise is of perpetuall use and influence He that beleeveth and is baptized shall be saved and Gal. 3.27 As many as have bene baptized into Christ have put on Christ. But thirdly the greatest reason why Baptisme is not to be repeated is because neither in precept or example wee find it repeated which is the word of our institutiō But on the other side There is one Lord one faith one Baptisme which is one Vnitate usus legitimi in the unity of the lawfull use as well as in other respects so as there is no thought of leaving Christ as if there were to be exspected a new regeneration and a new Baptisme The Fathers also were of this opinion Tertull. lib. de Baptis Semel lavacrum inimus semel dilicta diluuntur So Cyprian lib. 2. Epist 3. Baptisma semel sumitur nec rursus iteratur Baptisme is once received nor is it repeated againe The question then will be what shall become of those that have bene baptized into a false name by heritickes that erre about the Trinity as the Arrians Marcionites c. The receaved answer is that they are to be baptized aright with the baptisme of Christ in such cases Baptisme is not to be said to be repeated the former being no baptisme or a nullity and this according to the decree of the Counsell of Nice cap. 19. as Bucan quotes it p. 635. The like decree also hath a Counsell of Carthage Ii sunt baptizandi de quibus incertum est an fuerint baptizati necne Concil Carth. 50. cap. 6. They are to be baptized of whom it is uncertain whether they were baptized or no. The like also saith Cyprian in his epistle 71. ad Quintum fratrem Here was some difference in opinions Cyprian and his Bishops were of opinion that Baptisme in an heretick church was null and therefore those who came to them were baptized as supposing that vayne and nothing others have thought that those onely were to be baptized againe who had bene formerly baptized by such a church and in such a manner as the essentialls of Baptisme were wanting so the Arrians baptized which rendred that ordinance vayne and null The same may be affirmed more fully of infant Baptisme that it is null and nothing and therefore that the partie so supposed to be baptized is indeed still unbaptized and therefore ought to be baptized according to the institution of Christ which Baptisme when he hath once receav'd he cā in no way as is before shewed be sayd to be rebaptiz'd for those thinges which cannot be shewen done no reason allowes that they should seeme to be reïterated To proceed therefore The Sacraments in generall particularly Baptisme is that by which wee pledge our selves to God or in which a formall covenant is made in which wee promise obedience and God protection defence to be our God and therefore 1. Pet. 3.21 it is stil'd a stipulation or covenanting also the word Sacrament is from sacring making holy dedicating or initiating as juramentum an oath is à jurando from swearing In the civill law it signified an oath Sacramenti praestatio recusatio the taking or refusing an oath The word Sacrament also is taken for a mystery for the visible signe of an invisible grace In a word Baptisme seemes to be nothing else but the ceremony of a mysticall spirituall marriage for it is a dedication a covenant and a mystery and as in marriage besides the words there hath bene usually some ceremonious signe as the giving of a ring or money or a kisse or the taking by the hand so here c. To examine this therefore by that similitude and resemblance that which is the first and principall ingredient into marriage is consent Nam nuptias non concubitus sed consensus facit Not the bed but consent makes marriage for otherwayes that joyning which is fornication or adultery would be marriage This stands by vertue of the first institution A man shall leave his father and his mother and cleave to his vvife Ge. 2.24 How By covenant and consent This is so essentiall an ingredient as Beza calls it the formall cause of marriage others the efficient cause therefore the lawyers say Solus consensus matrimonium facit Onely consent makes the marriage But then this consent must be exprest outwardly Nisi quatenus consentiunt consensum suum exterius exprimunt because the covenant contract is externall But then lastly and especially it must be the proper consent of the parties married for the consent of the parents who have some the greatest power besides cannot doe it hence an error of the person makes the marriage also null and invalid as if I marry one another be put in the place by the same reason if one of the parties be mad constantly because they cannot consent because that supposes not the consent of the marryers so as here is a formall or efficient fayle in respect of the consent and a materiall fayle in respect of the persons married which is as
of this Sacrament that wee may know whence and how to receive it And here to omit many things which might be considered under this head more generally also not to trouble our selves with the handling of this controversy as it is stated betweene us and the Papists who putting a more simple and absolute necessity upon this ordinance then is its due expose it in case of such necessity to the administration of all sorts of people of what condition or sex soever they be wee shall onely take those two things for graunted or at least deny them not first That the errour of the Minister doth not enter the essence of Baptisme nor is of those things that can destroy it and make it null And secondly that by the opinion of antiquity and learned men there were certain necessitous extraordinary cases wherein others might be used for Baptisme then such as were the ordinary Ministers of it But now because it is one thing to be and another thing to be rightly or well in relation to our selves and the ordinary and orderly administration of Baptisme we shall consider whether Baptisme be a thing of publick or private cognisance and to what predicament it belongs and whether it pretends which will be the bounds of this discourse and shew us whence it is to be fetcht and derived That it is a thing of publicke cognisance appeares to me both by the primitive commission and primitive practise the commission lyes Matt. 28.19 Go ye therefore and teach all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost In the 18. verse Christ tells his Disciples that all povver is given to him in heaven earth these were his letters patents by which hee shewed hee did nothing without power and good warrant now he goes into heaven as into one part of his kingdome which was quiet and at peace and sitting there at the right hand of his Father gives an Apostolicall commission for all the earth so Marke 16.15 Go into the vvhole vvorld preach the Gospell to every creature here hee opposes the whole earth to the bounds and limits of Iudea by which the Prophets of old were bounded in their administrations That he had by an hereditary right hee sent therefore to them first with this caveat that they should not go into the vvay of the Gentiles nor enter into any city of the Samaritans Matth. 10.5 But now by his death resurrection having acquired a right of reigning over all men he gives a commission for all the world this is Apostolicall for hee bids them go forth into all the world which is properly the word of Apostolicall commission whose diocesse had no bounds and if not here where can any Apostolicall commission be found And he tells them their great workes which was to preach and baptize for although Paul sayes 1. Cor. 1.17 that hee vvas sent by Christ not to baptize but to preach the Gospell that must be understood with a limitation that he was not sent especially to baptize because the administration of the Sacraments which are the appendixes and seales though it need as much power yet a lesse gift then the preaching of the word And behold I am vvith you to the end of the vvorld Here is a word of great incouragemēt comfort Christ had told them before hee was Lord of heaven earth he sends them to manage a great worke but sayes hee I will be with you that is who ever is publikely deputed for such a service as they need more especially assistāce so they shall have it and here he makes a playne difference betweene the makers of Disciples Disciples to be made Hee vvill be vvith them especially as they need it most to vvhom the charge of teaching and baptizing is deputed for the Apostles were not to continue alwayes as the world was to be gone through but once and institutions to be set up but once but a publike power was still left which succeeded this Apostolicall which in the next place we come to consider of that so finding where the commission rests wee may addresse our selves thither for ordinances and expect the blessing of Christs being with it unto the end of the world for this is a state continuing to the end of the world to the change of all things Now this clearly is the Church which is the subject of Ecclesiasticall policy and power as the common-wealth is of civill power so as Ecclesiasticall and Church power is essentially and primarily in the Church as in the subject Mat. 16. ver 18.19 And I say unto thee that thou art Peter and upon this rock I vvill build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevaile against it And I vvill give unto thee the keyes of the kingdome of heaven c. So as though the use of the keyes be divers according to the variety of callings and conditions in the Church yet the power of the keyes originally and primarily is given to the Church for Peter here beares but the person of the Church as in other places in which hee answers for others and Christ also speakes to him as adressing himself to the Church by him This is a thing so commonly avowed and defended by Protestāts against Papists as I shall not need here to proove it Also that other knowne place of Matth. 18.17 Tell the Church where both Church state and Church power are clearely spokē of Now where the power of admitting receaving and casting out is there is the power of administring and communicating all ordinances to the edification of the same body and they which have power of administring the kingly office of Christ consisting in casting out and receaving in have also power of administring his Propheticall office of which the Sacraments are a part therefore to the Christian churches as to the Iewes of old pertaineth the publike dispensations and services of God Rom. 9.4 And hence it followes that such as were deputed by the church for their Ministers and officers were called overseers made by the holy Ghost and were to be imitators of the Apostles to whom ordinarily in the executive part they succeeded Acts 20.17.18.19.28 Hence Peter calls himself a fellow Elder with the ordinary Elders 1. Pet. 5.1 The Elders vvhich are among you I exhort vvho am also an Elder c. To conclude this head a man becomes a Prophet and able to teach by vertue of a gift namely of knowledge and utterance 1. Cor. 1.5 But no gift renders a Baptizer but a call as being a thing of publike cognisance commissiō Teaching out of a gift hath its foundation in nature which ariseth from a personall gift and grace of the spirit But Baptisme censures ordination and the like depend not upon a speciall gift but are acts of power conferred authoritatively upon a speciall person And thus much for the primitive commission for Baptisme which falls under a