doing in the time present Baptisme saueth §. 43. What kinde of meanes of grace Baptisme is II. Baptisme is no physicall or naturall meanes of working grace as if the grace which is sealed vp thereby were inherent in the water or in the Ministers act of sprinkling it as in medicines salues hearbs meats and the like there is inherent that vertue which proceedeth from the vse of them and being applied they haue their operation whether a man beleeue it or no but it is only a voluntarie instrument which Christ vseth as it pleaseth him to worke what grace or measure of grace seemeth best to him so as grace is only assistant to it not included in it yet in the right vse thereof Christ by his Spirit worketh that grace which is receiued by it in which respect the Minister is said to baptize with water but Christ with the Holy Ghost and with fire Matth. 3. 11. §. 44. Of the necessitie of Baptisme III. A meanes of working a thing may be said to be necessarie two wayes 1. Absolutely so as the thing cannot possibly be without it Thus are the proper causes of a thing absolutely necessarie as in this case Gods couenant Christs bloud and the operation of the Spirit are absolutely necessarie for attaining any grace 2. By consequence so as according to that course and order which God hath set downe things cannot be without them Baptisme is not absolutely necessarie as a cause for then should it be equall to Gods couenant Christs bloud and the worke of the Spirit Yea then should all that are baptized without any exception be cleansed But it is by consequence necessarie and that in a double respect 1. In regard of Gods ordinance 2. In regard of our need thereof 1. God hauing ordained this a Sacrament to be vsed it is necessarie it should be vsed if for no other end yet for manifestation of our obedience He that carelesly neglecteth or wilfully contemneth any Sacrament which God shall enioyne him to vse his soule shall be cut off 2. Great is the need that we haue thereof in regard of our dulnesse in conceiuing things spirituall and of our weaknesse in beleeuing things inuisible We are carnall and earthly and by things sensible and earthly doe the better conceiue things spirituall and heauenly therefore hath God ordained visible elements to be Sacraments of inuisible graces Againe we are slow to beleeue such things as are promised in the word therefore the more to helpe and strengthen our faith God hath added to his couenant in the word his seale in and by the Sacrament that by two immutable things Gods couenant and Gods seale in which it is impossible for God to lie we might haue strong consolation Besides though in generall we doe beleeue the truth of Gods word yet we are doubtfull to apply it to our selues wherefore for better applying Gods couenant to our owne soule God hath added his Sacrament to his word §. 45. Of the contrarie extremes of Papists and Anabaptists about the necessitie and efficacie of Baptisme There are two extremes contrarie to the forenamed points about baptisme One in the excesse which is of Papists that attribute too much thereunto and make it a plaine Idoll Another in the defect of Anabaptists and Libertines which derogate too much from it and make it an idle ceremonie In two things doe Papists exceed 1. In the necessitie Of Baptisme 2. In the efficacie   They make it so absolutely necessary as if any die vnbaptized he cannot be saued which doome they passe against infants though they be depriued thereof without any fault of their owne yea or of their parents being still borne A mercilesse sentence without any warrant of Gods word yea against his word against the order which he hath prescribed He hath established his couenant promised to be the God of the faithfull of their seed on which ground S. Peter saith The promise is vnto you vnto your children S. Paul saith your children are holy Shall all these priuiledges be made void by an ineuitable want of baptisme if so would God haue enioyned circumcision which to the Iewes was as baptisme is to Christians to be put off to the eighth day before which day many infants died or would Moses haue suffered it to be forborne all the time that the Israelites were in the wildernesse If it be said that baptisme is more necessarie then circumcision I answer the Scripture layeth no more necessitie vpon it If it were so necessarie as they make it then the vertue of Christs death were lesse effectuall since he was actually exhibited then before For before it was effectuall for infants without a Sacrament but belike not now Had the ancient Churches conceiued so of the absolute necessitie of baptisme they would not haue had set times for the administring thereof nor suffered it to be put off so long as they did Some Churches appointed it to be administred only at Easter Some at Easter and Whitsuntide And though many who gaue euidence of their true faith died before they were baptized yet they did not thereupon iudge them to be damned This practise and iudgement of the ancients hath made many Papists somewhat to mitigate that absolute necessitie and to say that In this case God which hath not bound his grace in respect of his owne freedome to any Sacrament may and doth accept them as baptized which either are martyred before they could be baptized on else depart this life with vow and desire to haue that Sacrament but by some remedilesse necessitie could not obtaine it If remedilesse necessitie can helpe the matter what necessitie so remedilesse as for a childe to be still borne Againe they adde such efficacie to baptisme as it giueth grace of the worke it selfe wherein they equall it to the verie bloud of Christ and take away the peculiar worke of the Spirit and the vse of faith repentance and such like graces What can there be more in the water of baptisme then was in the bloud of such beasts as were offered vp for sacrifices But it is not possible that the bloud of Buls and Goats should take away sin They themselues attribute no such efficacie to the word preached and yet they cannot shew where the holy Ghost hath giuen more vertue to baptisme then to the word This text ioyneth them both together that he might cleanse it with the washing of water through the word What can be more said of a meanes then that which is said of the word It pleased God by preaching to saue them that beleeue The Gospell is the power of God to saluation c. On the other side Anabaptists and such like Libertines too lightly esteeme this holy and necessary ordinance of God in that they make it only a badge of our profession a note of difference betwixt the
fruit of iustification in which respect S. Iames saith that we are iustified by works that is declared so to be Admirable is the comfort which the Saints in this world reape hereby For their sanctification being imperfect and the flesh abiding in them and lusting against the Spirit yea sinne being present with them when they would doe good they are oft forced to complaine and crie O wretched mâ—n that we are who shall deliuer vs from this bodie of death If they had no other ground to fasten the anchor of their hope vpon but their sanctification it could not hold them fast enough against the tempests of Satans temptations But in that their sanctification is a fruit and euidence of their iustification they take heart to themselues and thanke God that with the minde they themselues serue the Law of God though with the flesh the law of sinne And thus vpheld and comforted they continue to striue against sinne till it be cleane rooted out of them as well as remitted §. 40. Of Sacramentall washing of water One of the meanes which Christ vseth for the cleansing and sanctifying of his Church is expressed vnder this phrase with the washing of water Water is the outward element vsed in Baptisme Washing is the principall Sacramentall rite therein Water setteth forth Christs bloud Washing noteth out the application and efficacie thereof which is the purging and cleansing of our soules As water without washing maketh nothing cleane so the bloud of Christ without a right application thereof cleanseth no mans soule This washing of water here mentioned being applied to an inward spirituall cleansing what can it else set forth but the Sacrament of Baptisme wherein both water and washing is vsed Obiect There is but little washing vsed in the Sacrament of Baptisme nothing but sprinkling a little water on the face of the partie that is baptized Answ That sprinkling is sufficient to shew the vse of water The partie to be baptized is not brought to the Font to haue his face or any other part of his bodie made cleane but to haue assurance of the inward cleansing of his soule Now that our mindes may not too much dote on the outward thing done but be wholly raised vp to the mysterie the outward element is no further vsed then may serue to put vs in minde of the inward thing signified thereby answerably in the Lords Supper there is not so much bread and wine giuen and receiued as would satisfie ones appetite or slake his hunger and quench his thirst but only a little bit of bread and taste of wine to declare the vse of bread and wine and so to draw the mindes of the Communicants to a consideration of their spirituall nourishment by the bodie and bloud of Iesus Christ §. 41. How Baptisme is a meanes of cleansing and sanctifying The manner of inferring this Sacramentall washing vpon the sanctifying and cleansing of the Church thus with the washing of water sheweth that Baptisme is a meanes of sanctifying and cleansing the Church All those places of Scripture that attribute Regeneration Iustification Sanctification or Saluation thereunto proue as much But that the truth thereof may more fully and distinctly be conceiued I will briefly shew 1. In what respect Baptisme is a meanes of our sanctifying and cleansing 2. What kinde of meanes it is 3. How necessarie it is In foure especiall respects it may be said to be a meanes as aforesaid 1. In that it doth most liuely represent and set forth euen to the outward senses the inward cleansing of our soules by the bloud of Christ and sanctifying of vs by the Spirit of Christ Apply the vse of water by the washing whereof foule things are made verie cleane to the vertue of Christs bloud and efficacie of his Spirit and the truth hereof will euidently appeare For the better helpe in this application read Rom. 6. 4. c. 2. In that it doth truly propound and make tender or offer of the grace of iustification and sanctification to the partie baptized In this respect it is thus described Baptisme of repentance for remission of sinnes and S. Peter to like purpose saith Repent and be baptized euerie one of you for the remission of sins 3. In that it doth really exhibit and seale vp to the conscience of him that is baptized the forenamed graces whereby he is assured that he is made partaker thereof Thus Abraham receiued the signe of circumcision as a seale of the righteousnesse of faith Hence is it that the Eunuch and others when they were baptized went away reioycing 4. In that it is a particular and peculiar pledge to the partie baptized that euen he himselfe is made partaker of the said graces therefore euerie one in particular is baptized for himselfe yea though many be at once brought to the Font yet euerie one by name is baptized To this purpose faith the Apostle Whosoeuer are baptized into Christ haue put on Christ whosoeuer whether Peter Iohn Thomas or any other particular person Ananias said to Paul in the singular number Be thou baptized and wash away thy sinnes §. 42. Obiections against the efficacie of baptisme answered 1. Obiect Many that are baptized receiue no such grace at all they are neither cleansed nor sanctified Answ They are only outwardly washed with water they are not baptized with the Holy Ghost The fault is not in that no grace accompanieth that Sacrament but in that they receiue not but reiect the grace which appertaineth thereto what if some beleeue not shall their vnbeleefe make the faith of God without effect God forbid 2. Obiect Many receiue the forenamed graces before they are baptized as Abraham before he was circumcized and such as were baptized after they beleeued How then is baptisme a meanes thereof Answ Their spirituall cleansing is more liuely and fully manifested thereby and they the more assured thereof 3. Obiect Many who long after their baptisme haue liued like swine in sinne and so haue not beene cleansed or sanctified yet diuers yeeres after haue beene effectually called what meanes hath baptisme beene hereof Answ The vse and efficacie of baptisme is not as the act thereof transient but permanent and perpetuall so long as the partie baptized liueth Whensoeuer a sinner vnfainedly repenteth and faithfully laieth hold on the promises of God baptisme which is the seale thereof is as powerfull and effectuall as it could haue beene when it was first administred For the efficacie of baptisme consisteth in the free offer of grace So long therefore as God continueth to offer grace so long may a mans baptisme be effectuall On this ground we are but once for all baptized and as the Prophets put the people in minde of their circumcision so the Apostles of their baptisme long after it was administred Yea they speake of it though the act were long before past as if it were in
true and false Church a signe of mutuall fellowship a bare signe of spirituall grace a resemblance of mortification regeneration inscition into Christ with the like but no more These indeed are some of the ends and vses of Baptisme But in that they restraine all the efficacy thereof hereunto they take away the greatest comfort and truest benefit which the Church reapeth thereby as may be gathered out of the points noted before §. 46. Of the inward washing by Baptisme In that with this washing of water Christ cleanseth his Church I obserue that Whosoeuer are fully baptised are cleansed from sinne Fully that is powerfully and effectually as well inwardly by the Spirit as outwardly by the Minister Cleansed both from the guilt of sinne by Christs bloud and from the power of sinne by the worke of his Spirit To this purpose tend the many emphaticall phrases attributed by the Apostles to Baptisme as that we are baptised into Iesus Christ baptised into his death buried with him by baptisme that Baptisme doth saue vs that Baptisme is the washing of regeneration with the like Vaine is the reioycing of many who boast of their baptisme and thinke themselues by vertue thereof to be as good Christians as the best and yet liue and lie in their sinne being more besmeered and defiled therewith then they were when they were first borne Iohn saith Christ baptiscth with the holy Ghost and with fire the Apostle saith Christ cleanseth with the washing of water If that fire of the holy Ghost burne not vp the drosse of sinne in thee and this water wash not away the filth of sinne thou wert neuer fully baptised It may be the hand of some Minister hath sprinkled a little water on thy face but Christs bloud hath not as yet beene sprinkled on the soule all the benefit which thou reapest by thy baptisme is that another day thou shalt dearely answer for the abuse of so honourable an ordinance §. 47. Of ioyning the word with Baptisme The other meanes of sanctifying and cleansing the Church here expressed is the word This being applied vnto Baptisme and ioyned with it must needs be meant of the promise of Grace sealed vp in Baptisme which is Gods promise of iustifying vs freely and sanctifying vs effectually plainly made knowne and truly beleeued This meanes being thus added to this Sacrament we may well inferre that It is necessary that the word and Baptisme goe together that where this Sacrament is administred the doctrine thereof be truly plainly intelligibly taught so as the nature efficacy end and vse thereof may be made knowne and the couenant of God sealed vp thereby beleeued So saith Christ Goe teach all nations baptising them So did the Baptist and the Apostles they preached the Gospell to them whom they baptised 1. A Sacrament without the word is but an idle ceremony no more then a seale without a couenant for it is the word that maketh knowne the couenant of God 2. It is the word which maketh the greatest difference betwixt the sacramentall washing of water and ordinary common washing 3. By the word the ordinary creatures which we vse are sanctified much more the holy ordinances of God whereof Baptisme is one of the principall Quest Is it not then lawfull to administer Baptisme without a Sermon Answ Though it be a very commendable and honourable manner of administring that Sacrament then to administer it when the word is preached yet I thinke not a Sermon at that time to be so necessary as it should be vnlawfull without one to administer Baptisme For the ioyning of the word and Sacrament here spoken of is that they who are baptised or who present children to be baptised and answer for them or are present at the administring of Baptisme or liue in the places where it vseth to be administred should be instructed in the Gospell and taught the couenant which Baptisme sealeth vp Besides the liturgie and publike forme prescribed for the administring of Baptisme both in our Church and other reformed Churches laieth downe the nature efficacy end vse and other like points appertaining to that Sacrament plainly declareth the couenant of God sealed vp thereby so as in our and other like Churches where such formes are prescribed to be alwaies vsed the word is neuer separated from Baptisme though at the administring of Baptisme there be no Sermon The Church of Rome doth directly transgresse against the forenamed rule of ioyning the word and Baptisme together For though they haue a publike forme prescribed yet it being in an vnknowne tongue not vnderstood of the people nor expounded to them it is all one as if there were no forme at all no word at all for that which is not vnderstood is all one as if it were not vttered Much more hainous is their transgression who liue vnder the Gospell where it is preached plainly to the vnderstanding and capacity of the meanest and yet are carelesse in comming to it or in attending vnto it and so remaine as ignorant as if they liued in places where the word is not preached at all or in an vnknowne tongue Such ignorant persons if they were not baptised are not worthy while they remaine so ignorant to be baptised nor yet to present their children to be baptised or to be present at the baptisme of others As Ministers that baptise ought to preach the word so ought they who are baptised to be instructed in the word §. 48. Of the Inference of Glorification vpon Iustification and Sanctification EPHES. 5. 27. That he might present it to himselfe a glorious Church c. THe most principall end in regard of the Churches good which Christ aimed at when he gaue himselfe for her is her glorious estate in heauen this is the end of the forenamed end For why did Christ giue himselfe for the Church That he might sanctifie it hauing cleansed it why did he cleanse and sanctifie it That he might present it to himseife a glorious Church Hence note these three points 1. Iustification and sanctification must goe before glorification 2. The end why the Saints are cleansed and sanctified in this world is that they may be presented glorious to Christ in the world to come 3. The only meanes to make vs glorious before Christ our spouse is righteousnesse 1. All those places of Scripture which set our righteousnesse in this world before our glory in the world to come as very many places doe doe proue the first point that Iustification and Sanctification must goe before Glorification Among other proofes note especially the order of the seuerall linkes of that golden chaine that reacheth from Gods eternall counsell before the world vnto our euerlasting glory after this world Whom he did predestinate them he also called and whom he called them he also iustified and whom he iustified them he also glorified 1. Heauen the place of our glorification is
childe he gaue in charge to the Parent so to name him saying to him Thou shalt call his name thus and thus It is also euident that the time of Baptisme is the fittest time for giuing the name Vnder the Law childrens names were giuen at their Circumcision and so vnder the Gospell it hath in all ages beene vsed and that for these reasons 1. That their names may be a testimonie of their baptisme 2. That so oft as they heare their names they may be put in minde of their baptisme 3. That they might know how by name they are giuen to Christ to be his souldiers and therefore there must be no starting from him 4. That they may also be assured that being baptized with water and the spirit by name they are registred in heauen Now because names are so solemnly giuen and of so good vse most meet it is that fit names should be giuen to children And for proofe hereof let the names which in Scripture are recorded to be giuen by God himselfe and by such holy men and women as were guided by his spirit be obserued and we shall finde them to be holy sober and fit names For direction to parents in this dutie I will set downe some sorts and kinds of names as be fit and beseeming Christians 1. Names which haue some good signification and among them such as are warranted by the Scripture as Iohn the grace of God Ionathan the gift of God Andrew manly Clement meeke Simeon obedient Hannah gratious Prudens wise and such like that thus their name may stirre them vp to labour after the vertue signified thereby 2. Names which haue in times before vs beene giuen to persons of good note whose life is worthy our imitation as Isaak Dauid Peter Marie Elizabeth and such like that the names may moue them to imitate those worthies 3. Names of our owne ancestors and predecessors to preserue a memorie of the familie which appeareth to haue beene an ancient practise euen among Gods people in that the friends would haue had Zachariahs sonne named Zachariah and when the mother had iust cause to name him Iohn they answer none of thy kindred is called by this name 4. Vsuall names of the country which custome hath made familiar as Henry Edward Robert William and such like among vs. §. 21. Of Parents care in bringing their children to be baptized in due season Though Christians are not so strictly tied to a set day as the Iewes were to the eight day yet from that strict direction giuen to the Iewes we may well gather that it is not meet for Christians to defer the baptizing of their children beyond eight dayes for a young childe of that age may with more ease and lesse danger be baptized then circumcised The most seasonable time I take to be the day whereon Gods people vse in the place where the childe is borne publikely to assemble together to worship God next after the birth of the child if at least it fall not out within two or three dayes after which is somewhat with the soonest both for mother and childe Whether we respect the honour of God the riches of whose mercy is liuely set forth in the sacrament of baptisme or the good of our childe which in that sacrament receiueth a pledge and seale of that rich mercy of God Baptisme is of great consequence and therefore the first season of performing it to be taken For parents by their diligence and due speed therein giue euidence both of their zeale to Gods glory and also of their earnest desire of the childs spirituall good §. 22. Of Parents faults in neglecting their childrens Baptisme Contrary to the forenamed dutie of Parents about well baptizing their children are many aberrations as 1. The corrupt opinion of Anabaptists who denie the lawfulnesse of baptizing children The arguments before noted are sufficient to stop their mouthes 2. The practise of Separatists comming too neere to Anabaptisme who excepting against the ministerie and orders of our Church doe what they can to keepe their children from that Sacrament And to that end carry their wiues ready to be deliuered vnto a strange place where they are not knowne and anon after they are deliuered priuily conuey wife childe and all away that so the Magistrate may not against their will cause their childe to be baptized and hauing no ministerie of their owne nor meanes to conuey the childe ouer sea keepe it many yeeres vnbaptized Where is the euidence of their faith in Gods promise of their respect to Gods ordinance and of their desire of their childs spirituall good Though it be a great wrong to children to be kept from baptisme yet the sinne lieth on such parents as procure not baptisme for their children especially at that age when their children cannot gainsay it 3. The peruerse opinion and practise of certaine ancient heretikes who in stead of baptizing children with water had them branded with an hot iron They grounded their error on a false interpretation of this phrase he shall baptize with the Holy Ghost and with fire Answ 1. They erre in taking this word fire literally and properly which was meant mystically and metaphorically 2. They erre in applying that to the outward action of a Minister which was meant of the inward operation of Christ By this their misinterpretation they thwart the maine scope of him who first vsed that phrase which was to manifest the difference betwixt all other Ministers and Christ Iesus 4. The opinion and practise of those who vse other formes of Baptisme besides this In the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the Holy Ghost Their opinion and practise is grounded on certaine concise phrases vsed by the Apostles such as these Baptized in the name of Iesus Christ In the name of the Lord In the name of the Lord Iesus c. Answ Those phrases rather set forth the very substance and inward matter of Baptisme then the forme thereof 5. Their opinion and practise who care not by whom their children are baptized whether heretiques idolaters laicks or women Little doe they regard the comfort of conscience and strength of faith that ariseth from this that a lawfull Minister in Gods roome and name as Gods ambassador putteth the seale of God to his couenant 6. The practise of those as I know not vpon what nicenesse or state must haue their children baptized at home in their priuate house This manner of baptising taketh away much from the honour of that high ordinance which ought to be done with all the seemly solemnitie that may be 7. Their practise who bring their childe to Church to be baptised accompanied only with the Midwife and three witnesses It were almost as good be baptised in a priuate house for it is not the walls of the Church but the assembly of Saints that addeth to the honour of the Sacrament and is most of all