THE WAY TO HEAVEN BY WATER Concomitated By the Sweet-breathing gales of the Spirit Wherein the Point of Originall sinne is touched Infants Baptisime justified and how far the guilt of Originall sinne in the Elect is therein ordinarily removed c. Delivered in severall Lectures at Kingston upon Hull by JOHN WAITE B.D. and Lecturer there for the present JOHN 3.5 6. Jesus answered verily verily I say unto you except a man be borne againe of Water and the Spirit hee cannot enter into the Kingdome of GOD. That which is borne of the Flesh is Flesh and that which is borne of the Spirit is Spirit Imprimatur Ja Craford Decemb 2 1644. YORK Printed by Tho Broad Anno Dom. 1645. To the Right Worshipfull Nicholas Denman Maior of the Town of Kingston upon Hull and to the worshipfull the rest of his Brethren John Wait in all humble acknowledgement of his many received favours dedicateth these his Water-workes GEntlemen it was the saying of that blessed Saint Acts 3.6 aurum argentunt non est mihi silver and gold have I none but such as I have I give unto you Ingratitude is a great defect in duty but qui beneficitan grate accepit saith that sententious Seneca lib. 2. de beneficiis cap. 22. primam ejus ponsionem solvit he that receives a kindnesse thankfully therby dischargeth his first payment I desire to be no worse Officia etiam ferae fentiunt lib. 1. de ben cap. 3 even Beasts themselvs that have but instinct of nature and want reall reason yet can be sensible of kindnesses done unto them I came amongst you as a stranger you received me as a friend as a Christian yea as a Minister of Christ allowed me competent maintenance to support my selfe in these cloudy and unhappy dayes let it be left upon record for a memoriall and encomium of Kingstone that its a Towne courteous kind respective generous and liberall to such as labour in it in the Word and Doctrine a Town neither in docile nor kicking against the prickes many of you have seene Gods wonders in the Waters as the Prophet speakes Psal 107.23 24 c. And he that shall but reade the Poet lib. 1. de Tristibus elegia tertia Me miserum quantis nigrescunt aequora ventis Erut aque eximis ferver arena fretis Monte nec inferior prorae puppique recurvae Insilit pictos verberat vnda Deos c. As it followes might easily be perswaded that the Poet had stollen it out of the Prophet seeing that the Scriptures were translated into the Greek Tongue by the Septuagint many yeers before Ovids time for divers Historians rank him born within 60. years before Christ yea Saturni Ephemerides not 50. before he was born in Augustus his time in whose raign we know our Saviour was also born as you may see Luke 2.1 compared with v. 7. Some Historians say he was banished by the Emperour the 9. yeer of Christ and dyed in banishment Anno Christi 16. So that being Ore vtroque potens a man skilfull in both the Greeke and Latine Tongues it was very probable that he saw the Scriptures after they were translated In like manner he seconds himselfe lib. 2. Nunc quoque contenti strident Aquilone rudentes Inque modum tumuli â—rneavu surgit aqua Ipse gubernator tollens ad sydera palmat Exposuit votis immemor artis opern Quocumque aspexi nibil est nisi mortis imago Quam dubia timeo menti timensque precor c. Attigero Portam c. Compare this with Psal 107. from 25. to 31. I know that the most ooyu want not so much learning but that you are able to conceive of it But more of you have seen Gods wonders by Land and what great things he hath done for you already whereof you have cause to rejoyce for my self I may say with the Prophet Psalm 31.21 The Lord hath show'd me marvellous great kindnesse in a strong City and as for you and it it shall be my care to pray for your prosperity that God would still watch over you and that Peace may be within your Walls that you may never know the common misery of other men in these calamitous times wherein I have deeply had my share It is not unknowne to the World how God had blessed me with a competencie neare the place of my Nativity and I might say with Job Job 29.2 3 4. Oh that I were as in times past when God preserved me when his light shined upon my head and when by his light I walked through darknesse As I was in the dayes of my youth when Gods providence shined upon my Tabernacle But as the poor Exile complained En ego cum patria caream vobisque domoque Raptaque sint adimi quae potuere mihi Ingenio tamen ipse meo comitorque fruorque Caesar in hoc potuit juris habere nihil Which I think may not unfitly be rendred thus Behold my Countries wanting wherein I Was borne Friends Houses where I meant to dye All I possessed is clean swept away Which unto Rogues and Rapin open lay Onely the guifts of minde God left as free Of which great Princes cannot plunder me Yet safely I may adde Ipse ego nunc miror tantis animique finistris Fluctbus ingenium non cecidisse meum Sure I am that if Gods mercy had not bin many so great and grievous crosses and losses and disgraces as have fallen upon many of the faithfull Ministers of Christ had been able to have marred their pretious wits and to have defaced the richest of their gifts but Gentlemen the Lord preserve you and yours as in a Land of Goshen under whose protection let those lines walk of which you have beene both the attentive Hearers and worthy Rewarders Thus he commits you to God Who is yours and the Churches Servant JOHN WAITE THE WAY TO HEAVEN BY VVATER Concomitated with the sweet breathing Gales of the SPIRIT JOHN 3.5 6. Jesus answered verily verily I say unto thee except a man be born again of Water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God That which is born of the Flesh is Flesh and that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit IN this Chapter we have a Divine Dialogue between a most illuminate Doctor and a blind Pharisie Christ and Nicodemus the Pharisees were chiefe among the Jews but Nicodemus was one of the chiefe among the Pharisees he was a Teacher in Israel ver 10. a Ruler of the Jews v. 1. The Pharisie had got the leading of all others in a three-fold respect 1. In regard of the repute of their Learning Mat. 23.2 They sate in Moses Chair and were accounted for their knowledge the onely Rabbins of those Times 2. For their Piety they were supposed to be the most religious and strict Sect of this Sect was Paul before his conversion Phil. 3.5 By 〈…〉 a Pharisie yea and Act. 23.6 a Pharisie saith Paul and the Son of a
or else answers sharply so that they had no great mind to meddle with him Mat. 22.18 Why tempt ye meye Hypocrites and if he spoke what they understood not they were too proud to be instructed in the meaning Nicodemus was not so John 2.19 when he bid them destroy the Temple and that in three dayes he would build it up againe in the next verse they reply frowardly 46. years was this Temple in building c. Thus he spoke of the Temple of his body but they understood not nor desired And John 8.21 when he had said Whither I goe ye cannot come In the next verse they reply what will he kill himselfe because he saith whither I go ye cannot come c. thus when the speeches were dark they never desired to know the meaning of them of Christ as Nicodemus did for when Christ had told him of being born againe and he knew not the meaning of it yet he behaves not himselfe like them nor was to proud to learn but never lets Christ rest untill he knew the meaning of it and our Saviour seeing him bent to learn was as willing to teach him as here in the Text Verily verily I say unto thee that except a man be born again of Water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdome of God c. In the words of the Text we have these five particulars 1. A vehement asseveration Amen amen dico tibi Verily verily I say unto thee 2. A change of Lifes specification except a man be born again 3. The manner of it of Water and the Spirit 4. The necessity of it he cannot enter into the Kingdome of God 5. Lastly the reason of it in the latter verse that which is born of the Flesh is Flesh and that which is borne of the Spirit is Spirit In order and first of the vehement asseveration Iesus answered verily verily I say unto thee Jesus answered that was more you have heard than he would do to many of his fellow Rulers 2. He answered him courteously and that was more than he would do to any of them when he did answer 3. He answers earnestly and with a vehement asseveration as arguing that he desired to have him understand the Truth for you shall never finde our Saviour using this asseveration but upon weighty businesse and in the Gospell of Saint John more usually than any where else Here it s doubled verily verily I say unto thee Amen Amen The word Amen is in all the Cardinall Languages its Amen in the Hebrew Amen in the Greek and Amen in the Latine and we so continue it in the English in many places the reason is this The Septuagint who first translated the Hebrew Text into Greek they left is untranslated The Latine Interpreters finding it so left of them they left it so to Our English Translators finding it so left of the Latine they left it in most places so too Thus again v. 11. verily verily I say unto thee we speak what we know and thou mayest beleeve what I say unto thee I speake authoritative by that authority which I have received from the Father and therefore Mat. 7. two last verses it 's said That when Christ had ended his word the people were astonished at his Doctrine For he taught them as one having authority and not as the Scribes the majesty and power of Gods Spirit appeared in his speeches they felt the dint of them upon their Consciences and were not able to withstand the power of the Spirit by which he spoke John 7. from 45. forward Then came the Officers of the High Priests and Pharisees and they say unto them why have ye not brought him the Officers answered never manspoke like this man How happy was Nicodemus then to have this man speaking unto him but the Pharisees said are ye also deceived q.d. we took you to have bin faithfull and firme Officers to us to have executed our pleasure upon this deceiver Nunquid et vos seducti estis and are ye also deceived Doth any of the Rulers of the Pharisees beleeve in him yea Iohn 12.42 many of them but durst not professe him for fear of you it was more than they knew and here Nicodemus one of them Beleeves in him yet durst not let them know as much q.d. If he had been a true Prophet and if his Doctrine had bin from Heaven doe not you think that many so wise and so learned men and so religious men would not have received him and it No for Christ and his Doctrine were received of more poor men then rich Rulers and great Potentates of the World Mat. 11.5 The poor receive the Gospel Jam. 2.5 Hath not God chosen the poore rich in Faith 1 Cor. 1.26 Brethren you see your calling how that not many wise men after the flesh not many mighty not many noble are called And Jer. 5.45 as though the poor did not receive correction nor turn unto God when they were smitten yet the Prophet thought that the great men and Rulers understood more had bin better educated could conceive better of Gods Truth I said of the other that they were poor and foolish and undestood not Gods way but he supposed that the great men knew the judgments of their God but they proved the worse for they had altogether broken the yoke and burst the bonds It was therefore an ill Argument mone of the Rulers nor Pharisees beleeved on him ergo others might not lawfully do it or his Doctrine was not of God As for this people that know not the Law that know not the meaning nor interpretation of it as we do they are accursed Thus basely and contemptibly they spoke of those that beleeved on Christ these you see are but a poor base and abject people come of no great stock nor bred in any famous Schools of the Pharisees what great matter is it what they do thus they vent their pride and labour to block up the passage of Christianity well but Mat. 11.25 these things were hid from the wise and men of understanding God opened them unto Babes And if the people knew not the Law the more shame for themselves that should have taught them Again if the people did but follow him that did not know the Law it seems that it was but of ignorance that the people did sinne if they had offended in following Christ But many of themselves sinned of knowledge and set malice therefore by consequence they will excuse the People and accuse themselves But it may be objected Mat. 5.37 that our Saviour taught That our communication should be yea yea and nay nay for whatsoever was more came of evill And Jam. 5.12 let your yea be yea and nay nay lest ye fall into condemnation but our Saviour seems to use more here for he doth not simply affirme but with a double asseveration verily verily I say unto thee I answer the meaning of the words is that we should simply
hold that the Fathers dying before Christ came in the flesh were not in Heaven but in Limbo and that because say they they were not thus baptized of Water and the Spirit or thus born again Yet when Christ suffered they say they were baptized with that water that came out of his sides and so were conveighed to Heaven at his comming out of Hell but we must know that this Text will afford them no such collection for first you have heard that this Text is not meant of absolute necessity but in some respect 2. Though they could not go to Heaven by Water yet might they by Circumcision as the outward signe or by the Sacâ—aments of the old Testament 3 And lastly this way to Heaven by Water was a new way and not ordinarily required before the comming of Christ this Sacrament was not restituted before his comming in the flesh therefore the Ancients could not be debarred Heaven for want of being born again thus as wee may The Water as it cannot regenerate without the Spirit so the Spirit ordinarily will not without this where it may be had and where it is contemned therefore God is pleased to joy ne them together in this sense also then those things that God bath put together let no man separate Seeing God hath beene pleased to put together Water and the Spirit let no man separate them Christ taught Nicodemus that hee must be born thus of Water and the Spirit except a man be born againe of Water and the Spirit I now come to the next point the necessity of it He cannot enter into the Kingdome of GOD except a man be borne againe of Water and the Spirit be cannot enter into the Kingdome of GOD. He cannot enter you have heard in some respect there is an impossibility he cannot take this Kingdome of God by violence as they did the Kingdome of God in another sense Mat. 11.12 The Kingdome of God is severally taken in Scriptures as sometimes for the Administration of the Gospell in which Christ did raigne in mens consciences as a King in his Throne or in his Kingdome thus 1 Cor. 4.20 The Kingdome of God is not in word but in power which words St. Paul expounds 1 Thes 1.5 For our Gospel came not unto you in word onely but also in power and in the Holy Ghost c. In the former place it s called the Kingdome of God in this latter the Gospell into this Kingdome of Heaven the Pharisees would neither enter themselves nor suffer others like Aesops Dog in the Hay that would neither eat it himselfe nor suffer the Cattle that would have made good use of it Mat. 23.13 Wee therefore unto you Scribes and Pharisees Hyporites because ye shut up the Kingdome of Heaven before men for yee your selves goe not in neither suffer yee those that would enter to come in 2. For the new estate of the Church in the time of the new Testament under Christ Mat. 5.19 He that shall breake one of the least of these Commandements and shall teach men so hee shall be accounted the least in the Kingdome of Heaven 3. And lastly to let other acceptions goe it s taken for the Kingdome of the blessed in the estate of glory thus Luke 12.32 Feare not little Flocke it is your Fathers will to give you the Kingdome and that you may see in the next verse is meant of the Kingdome of Heaven Whither no Theeves can come to steal and Mat. 25.34 This is the Kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the world Acts 14.22 Through many afflictions we must enter into the Kingdome of God that is that aeternall Kingdome reserved for us in the Heavens Gal. 5.21 having spoken of the workes of the flesh he tels us that they which doe such things shall not in herit the Kingdome of God that is that Kingdome that is here spoken of in the Text Ephes 5.5 it s called the Kingdome of Christ and of God not that these are two Kingdomes but one and the same so called in severall respects Christ merited this Kingdome for us God gave us the Kingdome which Christ merited And Luke 22.29 where our Saviour speakes of his Disciples and how they continued with him in his Temptations therefore saith he I appoint unto you a Kingdome as my Father hath appointed unto me and that is the Kingdome into which the faithfull shall all enter but such as are not prepared for it like the foolish Virgins may cry Lord Lord long enough and yet the gate of this Kingdome will be shut against them Mat. 25.12 Christ will not know them that will not know him they shall not enter into this Kingdome of God except a man be borne againe of Water and the Spirit he shall not enter into the Kingdome of God He cannot enter Hence observe That regeneration is of absolute necessity to salvation John 3.3 except a man be born againe he cannot see the Kingdome of God Heb. 12.14 follow peace and holinesse without which no man shall see God for Mat. 5.8 it s the pure in heart that must see God And Heb. 11.6 without Faith its impossible to please God now where God is not pleased a man cannot be saved and where no regeneration is there is no faith and so by consequence no salvation I stand not upon the manner of regeneration whether it bee by Water as the outward signe and by the Spirit and inward grace as here in the Text or it be by the Spirit without Water where it cannot be had or it be sacramentally or habitually or howsoever yet there must be a regeneration even in Infants that dyes before they come to riper yeeres some meanes to cleanse and free a rationall nature from the guilt and damnable nature of originall sinne as well as actuall in riper yeers before there can be salvation but before we proceed any further let us propound two questions concerning this baptisme First whether the Water ought to be consecrated in which we are to baptize or no or we may baptize in common water I answer if by consecrated water be meant that superstitious popish consecrarion wee deny it for that is thus performed 1. By certain carefull crossings 2. By secret words 3. By some odde gestures 4. By these breathing on it as if like Christ these blind hypocrites would thus give the holy Ghost 5. By taking a burning wax Candle and putting it thrice into the water and saying Let the power of the Holy Ghost come down into this plentifull Fountain and let it make the whole substance of this water faithfull with the fruit of regeneration this they did upon that grosse conceipt that water was a Physicall Instrument to convey grace we have no such warrant in the Word of God or direction for any such thing But if by consecrated water no more bee meant but water set a part for an holy use and good end and such as concerning which we use prayers
alwayes absolutely necessary respectu medii but necessary in some respect where God offers it and men may have it But this baptisme by the Spirit or regeneration by some means or other is absolute necessary none ever was or shall be saved without it 1 Cor. 6.9 Know yee not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdome of God c. The reason is because no unclean thing shall enter into the Kingdome of Heaven Rev. 21. last and there shall enter into it no unclean thing Now we are all unclean by nature Ephes 2.3 and we by nature saith St. Paul were the children of wrath as well as others that is by our corrupt nature being born with Adams guilt upon us so that wee may all cry as the Lepers did under the Law I am unclean I am unclean Lev. 13.45 and as the Lord said to Jerusalem so may we say to you O Jerusalem wilt thou not be made cleane when shall it once be and you have heard how this cleansing must be by regeneration 1 Cor. 6.11 having spoken of grosse sins he addes And such were some of you but ye are washed ye are sanctified q.d. Without this washing this sanctifying this cleansing yee had been in the same estate with the unrighteous and so could not have inherited Heaven Well is this so that regeneration is absolutely necessary to salvation this then may first afford us an Use of exhortation for every one of us to use the means to be regenerate if we mean to be saved Be diligent in hearing Gods Word taught reade good bookes of practicall Divinity and of such men as have writ for thee that which they have found by experience in themselves frequent Prayer desire it from others to pray for thee that God would come and make himselfe knowne to thee God workes by means and not by any means but by such as are of his owne directing If wee use these means Gods blessing is ready to attend them and make them effectuall to as many as he will save Secondly If so then an Use of Reproofe to such as dream of salvation and say they hope for it as well as the best when in the mean time they labour not for regeneration but hates the meanes God hath ordained to save them by and cannot indure those that use them but revile them and slander them and persecute them because they affect not any such goodnesse themselves Or else 2. they use but the meanes in part and have not a care to share in all the Ordinances of God if they practice one they will not another if they heare they have no great mind to remember or practice accordingly or to joyn prayer to it that 's a wearinesse to the flesh before they durst not quando satis fuit criminis fuesse bonum when it was matter enough of accusation to have been good but now by Gods mercy they may but because its wearisome to the flesh though great comfort to the conscience they decline if Or 3. if more amply yet but of custome and superficially not as in conscience and as in obedience to Gods direction or in care to grow in grace o out of any experimentall sweetnesse they have found in the Ordinances 3. And lastly if so then an Use of Justification of such as have a care 〈◊〉 labour for regeneration and experience of Gods love in Christ so they must either do or be damned it s a matter of no lesse consequence then life and death Suppose a man had committed such a capitall Crime as for which he knew by the Law he was to be hanged or should suffer some shamefull kind of death oh how would it break his sleepe and how would he imploy all his friends how would he ride and run night and day to procure his freedome or pardon which his deeds had merited and all this but to free him from a temporall death Well and every unregenerate sinner in that estate is in as great danger of Hells eternall Torments for the sinne he hath done as this man is of his temporall death Oh! doth it not concern them thon to be disquieted in mind on the night seasan to procure the prayers of all their friends to fast pray cry and what not and say with those heart-pricked Jewes Act. 2.37 Men and Brethren what shall wo doe to be saved who would raile against such a man as he saw to he troubled or to run and ride to save himselfe from a temporall Death yet so shamelesse are many wicked men that they revile and raile against such men as they see thus troubled to escapean eternall death Fooles and blind how long will it be ere they understand the errour of their way how long would they be taught how should they see their errour and cry mightily unto God for the pardon of it Seeing then that regeneration is of absolute necessity to salvation let us lay downe some motives to inflame our affections to be in love with that estate First God himself is much affected with it if therefore we would sympathize with him let us be so too Great men what they affect their servants either affect the like or at leastwise make show of it to the end that sympathizing with their Lords they may obtaine more favour from them Well and God I say is in love with this estate 1 Thes 4.3 This is thr will of God even your sanctifieation and Rom. 6.12 he would not have sinne to raign in your mortall bodies The second motive may be the reward that men shall have when the work is over though this be painfull yet the reward is gainfull Rom. 8.13 If ye morrifie the deeds of the body by the Spirit ye shall live not as Nestor tertiam aetatem hominum as long as 3. men in this life present but eternall in the life to come 1 Tim. 4.8 Godlinesse is profitable to all things which hath both the promise of this life and of that which is to come The third that Christ may attaine his end in dying for them Titus 2.14 which was that he might redeeme us from all our iniquity and purge us to be a peculiar people to himselfe zealous of good workes performe them not coldly or outwardly but zealously and conscionably for as St. Augustin and Bernard haze spoken though they be not causa regnandi yet they are viâ—â—d regnum though they be not the cause of reigning yet they are the way hither and the Apostle tells us that we were created in Christ Jesus to good workes that wee should walk in them I now come to the last point in the Text the reason of the other for that which is born of the flesh is flesh but that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit First for the former branch quod natum est excarne caro est that wich is born of the flesh is flesh It s worth our observation that when our Saviour had told Nicodemus the necessity of
being born againe of Water and the Spirit that he stayes not for Nicodemus his asking him a reason of this Doctrine sed ipse ultro rationem raddit he willingly renders a reason himselfe in this verse of the Text That which is borne of the Flesh is Flesh which may let us see how a sound Teacher should render a good reason of his Doctrine and not onely dictate and afford no proofs to establish the faith of his hearer If the men that pretend so much now light would do so it werewell I have lately seen a little Pamphlet concerning Church offices in New-England wherein it is reported how that American Jezabel one Hutchinson a Gentlewoman under the pretence of this new light did exceedingly trouble the Churches and yet of a long time could not cleerly discover the originall of it that linnen prophetesse under pretence of new light did so gull and infatuate old Professors that they sleighted and undervalued their old Teachers in regard of it whom they had followed by Sea and Land and forsaken the places of their nativity for the love of them which light was indeed nothing else but a mere imaginary flash in the Pharisie by which the Divell changing himself into an Angell of light beguiled them untill at length her impostures were found out she after long debate of the matter convicted and adjudged to be banished that their Churches might have rest some of the beames of this light are extended to our Nation there may bee such imaginary illuminates in it but qua tales wee know they are not of us The enemy that too well loves his crosse rowes is still in hand with his A. and his B. ANABAPTISTS and BROWNISTS but they will not C. that the Church of England deselaims these Suppose the graces of Gods Spirit may be in such men as are of the more tollerable temper amongst them yet St. Paul would not forbear Peter because of his graces when he did wrong but reproved him roundly for it the peace of the Church should be valued at an high rate of all such as do sapere ad sobrietatem and such as speak not the words of sobernesse as well as truth deserve censure as Paul said to Festus Act. 26.25 Gen. 1.16 God made two great lights the Sun to rule the day the other the night he made also the Stars but these borow their light from the Sun Now if any man should tell us of new light and yet after that of more new light be it of Candle or Torch or the like I would aske what these were in comparison of the light of the Sun Moon c. So god made other two great lights in the Firmament of the Church the Old Testament to governe the Jewes the New to governe both Jewes and Gentiles that Lumen innatum or light God lent from Heaven contained in them wee willingly receive from them and all the Stars of the Churches horrow their light from hence Lord open their eyes to distinguish betweeen this light to be drawn from it and that lumen adventitium or adventitiall light brought to it Hos 6. latter part of the 5. vers thy judgements are as the light that goeth forth Now this adventitiall light in comparison of the innate light is but as a Candle before the Sun between which there is no comparison and where the Sunne can have accesse a candle is needltsse so where the light of the Scriptures can take place there is no need of this imaginary light of man If a man should conceive that there were not innate light enough in the Sunne to illuminate our hemisphaere but should devise some new light of Torches to set upon every Beacon to illuminate the Ayre and let men see how to travell would not all men laugh at him knowing that this was but a superfluous conceipt and that many ages had travelled well enough without any such light as well as with them even so here If we shall boast of new light and more light which cannot be found in the Scriptures nor drawne from them and set up that and magnifie it amongst men as though the other contained not sufficient may not men either think them proud or ridiculous in not being content to travell by that light in which so many ages of the Church have gone to Heaven before them surely yes But they will say that they have a greater measure of Gods Spirit infused to see and interpret that innate light than hath been before them I answer 1. That divers points of their illuminate Doctrine cannot be made good by the Scriptures neither are they according to the analogie of Faith 2. That Light in the Scriptures being the Light of Gods Spirit if their Light agree not with that it cannot be from God 3. Many of Gods people that have the Spirit in as great a measure as they have and shew it by the effects cannot conceive their opinions to be truth as consonant to that sacred Truth of God Es 8.20 To the Law and to the Testimony if they speak not according to this Word it is because there is no Light in them let them boast of what they will and Gal. 1.8 If an Angel from Heaven preach any other Dectrine let him be accursed 1 John 4.1 Try the Spirits whether they be of God or no and beleeve not every Spirit c. that is every Doctrine that is pretended to come from the Spirit intimating that there may not be Doctrines pretended from the Spirit that are not of the Spirit c. This indeed I willingly grant that there may lye a truth in a text which a carnall eye may travell over many yeeres and not be discovered thus the Rabbins of the Jewes the Scribes and Pharisees did often reade over many Texts in Moses the Prophets and the Psalmes which concerned Christ and which they understood not these very places Christ himself and his Apostles whose understandings he had opened to understand the Scriptures Luke last 49. did often quote against them and confute them Hos 6.6 It s said I will have mercy and not sacrifice this though often read yet not understood of them therefore Mat. 9.13 Goe yee saith our Saviour and learne what that meaneth I will have Mercy and not Sacrifice See againe Psalm 100.1 The Lord said unto my Lord sit thou on my right hand untill I make thy Foes thy Foot-stoole This place though they had often read yet they did not understand as may appeare by Mat. 22. from 44. to the end When those learned Pharifies were assembled verse 41. our Saviour begun to pose â—hose Owle-eyed Doctors and moves his question upon these words The Lord said unto my Lord c. whereas they had said before verse 42. that CHRIST was DAVIDS Sonne he replyes If be bee Davids Sonne how doth he then call him Lord but they could not answer him a word neither durst any from that day forth aske him any more questions thus you
see how a truth may lye in a Text which carnall eyes cannot discover though otherwise learned But this will not hold that because they before Christ could not ergo not wee 2. That carnall eyes could not ergo not those that are illuminated by Gods holy Spirit and being the righteous to whom he reveales his secrets these could never be so far over-sighted but if the light came from the Scripture they would see it as well as others yet the most excellent of them cannot finde this new pretended light justified there so much for that point I now come to the last That which is borne of the Flesh is Flesh and that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit Our Saviour having showne Nicedemus the necessity of regeneration stayed not as you have heard to see whether hee would aske a reason of it or no but willingly renders one as also the manner of it of Water and the Spirit without which you have heard he could not enter Now if our Saviour had not said thus man might have imagined that he might have gone to Heaven by his owne Wisdome or civill righteousnesse or humane strength or depth of Learning or the like nay alas whatsoever is in a man naturally or from mans naturall strength will not do it for so he is but flesh Quod natum est excarne caro est That which is born of the Flesh is Flesh These words are dark we must therefore draw the vaile of them and then we shall the more cleerely conceive of them the Flesh in Scriptures is taken in severall senses it vvill be our labour therefore to finde out the true sense of it in this place First the Flesh in Scriptures is sometimes put for this present Life 1 Peter 4.2 the Apostle would have men for the space of their lives yet unspent for as much time as remained in the Flesh not to live after the lusts of men but after the will of God and 1 Phil. 1.24 It s better for you saith the Apostle that I abide in the Flesh that is in this present life Secondly we are sometimes to understand the body of Flesh the one essentiall part of man Levit. 19.28 Yee shall not cut your flesh for the dead nor make any print of a marke upon you either by burning lashing or flashing as the Gentiles did I have not thus taught you to hate your flesh neither can this any way benefit the dead Thirdly by the flesh we are somtimes to understand the humane nature of CHRIST 1 Peter 3.18 He was put to death concerning the Flesh that is in his humane nature for in his divine nature he could not suffer that supported his humane nature in his suffering Fourthly for the unregenerate estate of a man when he is in his corrupt nature which he drew from Adam and in many actuall sinnes drawne from that unhappy roote thus Gen. 6.3 My Spirit shall not alwayes strive with man because he is but Flesh that is a corrupt and sinfull creature naturally devoid of grace and that which is born of this flesh is flesh like unto it for Job 14.4 who can bring a clean thing out of filthinesse there is not one but of sinfull nature is born sinfull nature Gen. 5.3 It s said that Adam lived one hundred and thirty yeere and begot a sonne in his owne likenesse after his owne Image and called his name Sheth that is he was like him in Sex 2. Humano specie in humane shape in all the members of the body 3. And lastly after his Image in the corruption of nature for he had corrupted and defaced that Image of GOD after which he was created which was in righteousnesse and true holinesse Ephes 4.24 for the most principall part of Gods Image did consist in these and so did not beget a sonne in that Iniage in which GOD created him but in his likenesse and after his Image such a one as by sinning he had made himselfe here was ex earne caro flesh of flesh quod natum est ex earne card est that which is born of the Flesh is Flesh thus againe Rom. 8.5 they that are after the Flesh doe savour the things of the Blesh that is those that are as yet in their unregenerate estate they affect those courses the most that suite the best with the corruptions of nature they are in love with them and doe the most delight in them and cannot endure to be crossed in them yet verse 6. The wisdome of the flesh is death not onely temporally for so all dye but eternally yet how doe men beare themselves by their carnall wisdome yea so much that it teacheth them how to sleight the wisdome of God revealed in his holy Word and will and will be subject no further to it then where it erosseth not theirs but see the misery of their wisdome verse 7. This wisdome is enmity against GOD it is not subject to the Law of God true say some that is de facto but it may be if it will nay the next words marre that neither indeed can be and verse 8. they that are in the flesh cannot please GOD that is they that are in an unregenerate estate in the pleasure of these sinnes and have not had the guilt of repentance from God they cannot in this estate please God all they doe in point of Religion are but splendida peccata as St. Augustine termes them guilded sinnes or sinnes per accidens sinnes in that respect that the person is not justified or sanctified that doth them their cause therefore is lamentable the wrath of God abides upon them for sinne though they will not be sensible of it 5. And lastly to stand upon no more acceptions the flesh is sometimes taken for the unregenerate part of a regenerate man for wee are but regenerate in part either in faculty of soule or instruments of body we are not perfectly and wholly sanctified so that no corruption or sinne remains in us therefore in Scriptures that is in us is called flesh and the regenerate is called Spirit thus Rom. 8.1 you have them opposed there is then no condemnation to those that are in Christ that walke not after the Flesh but after the Spirit and thus againe verse 4. that the righteousnesse of the Law might be fulfilled on us who walke not after the Flesh but after the Spirit And Verses 12.13 therefore Brethren we are not Daughters to the Flesh to live after the Flesh that is to live after the motions and corrupt imaginations of our owne corrupt heart is minde for of those can come no good we are no debtors to the flesh for any thing wee can doe after the wisdome of it or the direction of it but wee are debtors to the Spirit who is still moving to goodnesse and to put us forward in that way which will save our poore soules If we live after the Flesh we shall dye but if we mortifie the deeds of the
body by the Spirit we shall live thus againe Gal. 5.17 the Flesh lusteth against the Spirit and the Spirit lusteth against the Flesh these are contrary one to another that is the unregeneracie that is in man strives against the regeneracy that is in him and these are so contrary one to another even as fire and water that ye cannot do what ye would St. Paul found this by experience you have heard that hee perceived a Law in his members rebelling against the Law of his mind and when he would haved one good yet evill was present with him Rom. 7.21 and Rom. 7.18 I know that in me that is in my Flesh in me by nature in me in as much as such unregenerate there dwells no good thing In quantum renati for as much or in as much as we are regenerate so farre forth we both will and do that which is good but the defect in either is from the imperfection of regeneracie or that unregenerate part that is in us throughout the whole man in the understanding will and affections and in all parts of our bodies and that which is born of the flesh in this sense is flesh also for we must know that our children are ours naturali propagatione not spirituali regeneratione by naturall propagation not by spirituall regeneration wee beget them as we are naturall not as we are spirituall we can convey unto them all that Adam by guilt and generation conveighed unto us but what spirituall grace God conveighed unto Adam that was not in his power to convey unto us it was Gods free gift to his person not intayled upon his posterity and lineally to descend upon them as was his nature no more is grace then to any of us or to the most holy men in the world they can but convey what they have by nature grace is Gods free guift not any essentiall part of mans nature and that is the reason why many good men have oftentimes had bad children as Abraham had an Ismael Isaac an Esau David an Absolam c. because they were there by nature not by grace And before God bestowed grace upon their fathers they were wicked and walked and swayed by sinne as well as others and as they though it may be in a more remisse manner St. Aug. observes of the Jewes that though they were themselves circumcised yet they begot children uncircumcised because themselves were such by nature even as the corn which if you winnow it never so clean in fanning away the chaffe yet if you sow it it will grow with chasse on again as much as ever it had before because it was naturally so it was but by art even thus conceive of the Text that whether a man be in the flesh as to tally unregenerate uncircumcised unfanned or of regeneration yet that part of unregeneracie was naturall to him and according to that estate he begets his children even as the circumcised Jewes begot uncircumcifed children as well as did the uncircumcised amongst the Gentiles because uncircumcision was in both naturall even so regenerate men beget unregenerate children as well as unregenerate men do because unregeneracie whether in part or in whole is naturall in both and may bee called flesh in both and in either of these accoptions flesâ— quod natum est ex carne caro est that which is borne of the Flesh is Flesh and thus by this time I hope you may perceive that the vaile is taken from the sence of the Text. Whence we may observe that our Parents which begot us can convey no spirituall abilities for regeneration conversion or salvation of us unto us that we have heard is beyond the power of nature and by increasing and multiplying they can conveigh no more to us but that for if they could we should stand in lesse need to be born againe in which second birth we have our abilities from God Phil. 2.13 It s God that works in you both the will and the deed of his good pleasure your Parents can neither give you wills nor good works for the power of these come ab extra from without above the compasse of nature 1 Cor. 2.14 The naturall man perceives not the things of the Spirit of God the naturall man that is he that hath no more abilities then meer nature can afford him such as he drew from the loynes of his Father for they are foolishnesse unto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned as if he should have said a more naturall man wants the meanes and the light of knowing of them nature can afford him no such thing Eph. 2.3 we are by nature saith Paul the children of wrath as well as others thus we have the Doctrine illustrated This may first teach us that as wee must have a second birth as well as a first as we have heard that for this second birth we must rely upon the Lord for ability we must look higher than our Parents not they nor the Angels of God nor any creature can be the Author of the grace of regeneration or conversion onely God must do that Acts 11.14 though Peter by his preaching was an instrument of conversion to those Gentiles that heard him He shall speak words unto thee whereby both you and all thy house shall be saved yet God was the Author of that grace they then received v. 18. Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life And Lam. 5.21 Turne us unto thee and we shall bee turned 2 Tim. 2.25 proving if God at any time will give repentance that they may know the truth 2. If whatsoever be born of the flesh be flesh this may let us see what free will we have to any spirituall good by nature or what grace to salvation by nature from it we can receive nothing but nature Mat. 7.19 do men gather grapes of thorns or figs of Thistles No we know that Thorns naturally bring out no such things as Grapes nor Thistles Figs even no more can we looke that corrupt nature should bring forth spirituals no but like its selfe flesh quod natum est excarne caro est that which is borne of the Flesh is Flesh It followes and that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit In the former verse the words runne thus except a man be born again of Water and the Spirit In these no mention made of Water or being born of Water because that without the concomitance of this the other cannot do it but whatsoever is born of the Spirit is Spirit because the efficiencie of the birth proceeds from that though Water be the outward visible signe which it pleased God to use in working you have heard that a man may be born again of the Spirit and yet want water but none can bee borne again of Water onely if the Spirit be wanting therefore the birth of the Spirit is here mentioned that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit The Spirit in Scripture is sometimes put for the soule of a man but here the Spirit is not opposed to the Flesh or body as Heb. 12.9 where mention is made of the Father of our bodies and how we gave them reverence much more should wee bee subject to the Father of Spirits Prov. 18.19 a wounded Spirit who can beare and Eccles 3.21 Who knowes the Spirit of a man that goeth upward but that cannot be meant here 2. The Spirit is sometimes taken for the Divell the evill Spirit Mark 9.26 then the Spirit cryed and rent him sore but neither can that be meant here 3. That Spirit is put for the holy and sanctifying Spirit of God and that is meant in this place as may appeare by the vers going before except a man be born again of Water and the Spirit and Ephes 5.18 be not drunke with Wine wherein is excesse but be filled with the Spirit the Spirit of God where it is in any speciall operation is accompanied with the graces of it which are also called the Spirit and where the graces of God are the essence of the Spirit is there also to cherish and inrich those graces as Gal. 3.2 received yee the Spirit by the works of the Law c. and whosoever is born of the Spirit is said to be born of God as you have heard 1 John 5.1 that is he is regenerate and born againe by the vertue and power of the Spirit upon his heart minde and soule and so far forth as he is regenerate pure gratious and spiritually good so farre forth is be born of the Spirit for 〈◊〉 â—â—at good Spirit there can be no bad effects but whatsoever is born of it is of a spirituall and holy nature that which is borne of the Spirit is Spirit see what the Lord saith Ezek. 36.25 26. speaking of the return of his people out of Captivity and out of the Countries into which he had scattered them then saith he will I power clean Water upon you and yee shall be cleane yea from all your filthinesse and from all your Idols will I cleanse you this cleane Water is expounded in the next words after a new heart also will I give you and a new Spirit will I put within you and I will take away the stony heart out of your body and I will give you an heart of Flesh that is I will take away your hard and unregenerate heart from you that nothing could work on and I will give you ◠〈◊〉 eart softened with the oyle of the graces of my Spirit and by the 〈…〉 wash away your filthinesse Luke 11.3 If ye which are evill can give good gifts unto your children how much more shall your Heaâ—â—â—ly Father give the Holy Ghost unto them that desire him And so make you truly spirituall being born of this Spirit Quod natum est ex spirituâ—… spiritus est that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit FINIS
sincerely and truly affirm what we affirm without dissembling oaths vows or the like in our ordinary talk And secondly I answer that this asseveration was but a more graduall Yea and vehement than ordinary or a more intensive Yea And thirdly this were upon a weighty point otherwise Christ did not use it and so in him it was no offence he did not sinne neither was any guile found in his mouth 1 Pet. 2.22 Blasphemy therefore was that of the Pharisees who said that they knew that this man was a sinner Iohn 9.24 Then Jesus answered and said verily verily I say unto thee I am the way the truth and the life John 14.6 and no man comes unto the Father but by me I am the Way without wandring the Truth without errour the Life without death yea I am the Resurrection and the Life if any man beleeve in me though he were dead yet should be live John 11.25 I that am the good Shepheard that lay down my life for my sheepe I say unto thee therefore mark what I say 1. Unto thee blind Pharisee that had too much conceit of the knowledge of the Law or else thou might have had more knowledge of the Gospel 2. A man ignorant of a main necessary Truth namely of the new Birth of regeneration and continuing without this might have dyed and bin damned in Hell-Fire 3. Unto thee halting between two opinions between Moses and the Messias whether thou shouldest imbrace wheras if thou had beleeved Moses thou had beleeved me for he writ of me yet 4. unto ye because though weak yet mindfull to be made stronger therefore I will not despise thee nor loath the tediousnesse of teaching of thee for thus it was prophesied of me Esa 42.3 a bruised reed shal be not breake nor smoaking Flax shall he quench such art thou and I will fulfill the Prophesie 5. Lastly I say unto thee though thou came unto me by night when I should have reposed my self and have taken rest an unseasonable time yet I upbraided thee not nor stood upon it with thee nor reproved thee for incivility but seeing thou was so fearfull and weak thou durst not come by day I 'le receive thee kindly take pains with thee and teach thee by night this for the first part The second followes the change of life specified Except a man be born again this again notes once being born before so that hence it appears that there is a double Birth as in Scripture we reade of a double death the first and the second Death The first is nothing but separation of soul from body the second is a separation both of body and soule from God eternally Revel 2.11 He that overcomes shall not be hurt of the second death and what this second is you may further see Rev. 21.8 In the Scriptures we also read of a double Resurrection 1. and 2. Rev. 20.6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first Resurrection of such the second death hath no power The first Resurrection I conceive as do many others to be the resurrection from the dead estate of sinne to newnesse of life so that the first Resurrection is the second Birth Ephes 2.1 there is a spirituall Death and from that a spirituall Resurrection And you hath he quickned that were dead in trespasses and sins and this quickning was in Christ v. 5.1 Pet. 1.23 being born a nâ—w not of mortal Seed for so is our Naturall Birth So is our first Birth but of immortall by the Word of God who liveth and endureth for ever there is our second Birth far more noble than our first Luke 8.11 the Seed is the Word of God In this Birth they have power to be the Sons of God John 1.12 and they are said to be borne of God 1 Io. 5.1 because they are born anew by the working of Gods holy Spirit in them this is the change of life being born thus again except a man be borne againe 1. This being born again is that which few men eye but at being borne Claro de Stemmale of some noble race oâ— bâ—oud that pustes us up as if we were more than men I remember I have somtimes read a passage between an upstart Gentleman and a faccâ—tious Herald the Herald perswaded this Gentleman of the first Head that he was able to derive his Pedigree lineally from Adam This parchment Gentleman was very importunate to have it effected but upon second thoughts the Herald told him he had better remain as he was because the nearer quoth he that we come unto Adam such poor men as I shall be found of kinne to you Truly spoken all mankind rich and poore are made of the same Elements 2. All of them have soules given them of God that are immortall 3. All are born naked there is no King that hath any other Birth 4 All are equally subject to death the Poet truly observed as much when he said aequopede puisat mors pauperum tabernas regumque turres 5. All are equally subject to be turned again into dust and to be dissolved into their first principles and what better dust do the rich make then the poore The Scriptures tells us that God made of one blood all Nations under Heaven Diogenes therefore to quell the pride of A exander whâ— bore himself so much by his discent when he heard that be was to march that way got him into the place wherein his father Philip had bin buried and busied himself in tumbling over dead mens bones with the end of his staffe whom when Alexander saw he must needes know the reason of his imployment I said Diogenes am here seeking the bones of Philip thy Father but they are so like to poor mens that I cannot know them This might give Alexander an hint what his pride would come to after his death Gen. 3.19 Dust thou art and to Dust thou shalt return belongs to all men alike though in civill respects God makes a difference as by qualification of mind or exaltation to office or by the meritorious managing of some humane affairs c. and herein honour to whom honour belongs Yet alas small advantage will this be to them in any spirituall respect or in matter of salvation for in this sense God is no respecter of persons Acts 10.34 Therefore though they may own the former birth yet let them labour for the second and take more delight in it and bee more thankfull to God for their personall worth than for their lineall the former may be advantagious for the next world but the latter only for this Nam genus proavos quae non fecimus ipsi vix eanostra voco as the Poet That which our kindred and fore-fathers have done in which we have had no hand we can scarcely own for ours So that as Christ said of food I say of bloud labour not for the food that perisheth so labour not for the bloud that perisheth It 's
a wonder to hear what hours ambitious men take up in wearying of mens ears with relating from how many great personages they are descended to how many such like they are of kindred to how many allyed c. what famous acts these and these have done it may be so their times afforded them honour for it and their posterity others esteeme for their sake but in the meane time what have themselves done Their Ancestors I feare dyed without Executors of any of their Heroick Acts the most that any of them have done is to talk of them in a Tavern to swear big at an Ordinary to fight with sheild of Brawne to flash shoulders of Mutton and use the case shot of Olives and Capers to march under the colours of Sacke and Claret and to give fire upon their friends in a Tobacco pipe egregias sane laudes spolia amplarefertis Surely noble atchievements and high estimates to men of such Memorials let them know that God requires another kind of noblenesse another kind of action to bring them to Heaven not the first birth will do this but being born again Nisi quis natus fueritdenua except a man be born again I come now to the manner of it it must be of Water and the Spirit except a man be born again of Water and the Spirit Learned Interpreters are somewhat troubled about these words especially about the word Water all agree in this that we must be born again onely de modo de medio or de necessitate medij is the question about the manner of our being born again or the medium of it or the necessity of the medium Some understand the word Water figuratively for the grace of Gods Spirit and it cannot be denyed but that in Scripture it may sometimes so signifie as Iohn 4.10 He would have given the water of Life and John 7.38 Rivers of water of Life Yea but the word Life is added to it which more explicates it as it is not in this place Well but John 4.14 it 's not added there Whosoever shall drink of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst againe Yea but this is added the water that I shall give him and that is spirituall water Esa 44.3 is most like to favour this exposition I will power water upon the thirsty there is no addition to Water and floods upon the dry ground in that place no doubt but Water may be taken for the spirituall Water of Gods grace And some would illustrate this Exposition of the Text by Mat. 3.11 He will baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire whereby Fire is meant the zealous and fervent grace of Gods Spirit and is exegeticall or expositorie of the former word Yea but against this illustration it is excepted that when a word is exegeticall it must follow the word it expounds not go before it as it doth here not Water and the Holy Ghost but the Holy Ghost and Water 2. That it ought to be more plaine then that it expounds and not more dark as here I answer some reason and truth must be admitted in this exception I conceive that it holds cata polu but not cata panto's it holds true very often but not alwayes without any exception and in all places for sometimes one and the same thing one and the same truth may bee expressed in divers manner of speaking metaphoricall and literall and yet the sense aequipollente and all one and sometimes the latter more dark than the former Thus Lamen 3.19 Remembring mine affliction and my mourning the Wormwood and the Gall. Here the manner of speaking is divers the one sentence literall the other metaphoricall literall my affliction and my mourning metaphoricall the wormewood and the gall yet the sense aequipollent they come to one and the same sense yet the latter is more obscure then the former 2. Take the place of Esaiah before quoted Es 44.3 I le powre water upon the thirsty and floods upon the dry ground then it follows I le powre my Spirit upon thy Seed and my blessing upon thy Buds Here againe the manner of speaking is divers metaphoricall and literall in the words Spirit and Blessing yet the sense is aequipollent one and the same thing is meant by both so they think that the like may in this Text Water and the Spirit though the former be taken metaphorically the latter literally yet the sense aequipollent of the Spirituall graces of God and the Spirit present in those graces This I have said to shew the reasonablenesse of the Exposition of the Text in this sense and I know that divers modern Divines so take it But now for the second opinion to understand the Water literally and so of the Water of Baptisme I conceive a difference betweene this speech Water the Spirit and this Water and the Spirit the former may note out one and the same thing the latter two distinct things In the former instance where the words are expositorie or meant of one and the same thing they are spoken without any conjunction between them The words run not thus The affliction and the mourning And the wormwood and the gall but thus the affliction and the mourning the wormwood and the gall without any And between them and the like we may observe in the latter Esa 44.3 Rivers and floods my Spirit and my Blessing Not thus Rivers and Floods And my Spirit and my Blessing for that might have argued them to have been two distinct things For further explication or illustration thus Socrates Philosophus And Socrates Philosophus may admit of divers meanings For Socrates Philosophus by apposition may be meant of one and the same man being a Philosopher But Socrates Philosophus Socrates a Philosopher may be meant of him and of some man else that were a Philosopher So Water the Spirit may be meant of one and the same thing but Water And the Spirit may be meant of different things And so Christ speakes here except a man be born again of Water and the Spirit of Water as the outward element or medium of the Spirit or of the operatings and inward graces of God And this sense the most of the Ancients give of it and take the word Water literally here for the Water in Baptisme And indeed this sense will agree with the like expresses of the Spirit of God in Scriptures Act. 8.36 Here is the water saith the Eunuch what doth let me to be baptized v. 37. more then water is required of those that are of ripe yeers and that is actuall Faith If thou beleevest with all thine heart thou mayest the Eunuch answered Philip I beleeve that Jesus Christ is the Son of God upon this he was baptized And Ephes 5.26 That he might sanctifie and cleanse by the washing of Water through the Word through his powerfull promise made in the Word to do so This was required in Nicodemus as well as the
as the immediate subject of it as you have heard and then all others that are theirs by vertue of them 4 The word in the origin all is matheteusate to coyn a word Discipulate make Disciple now they might make Disciples Baptismi administatione as well as verbi praedicatione by admitting them into the visible Church by baptisme as well as by preaching unto them 5 Illustrate it thus Suppose a mighty Prince should send a Message into the West Indies into all the parts therof and make it known unto them that he would be their King and labour for their well-fare maintain and defend them against all their enemies and graciously accept of them for his subjects Do you thinke that the people then of ripe yeeres that were capable of the Message and to whom it was immediatly sent would conceive themselves concern'd in that Message and Covenant and none else Surely no but though they were the immediate subjects to receive it first yet they would conceive that it should also extend as well unto their children by vertue of them even so conceive it here 6 The Jewish children were to be circumcised at 8. dayes old and our Baptisme succeeds their Circumcision Col. 2.11 12. and why then not the like subject in the one as in th' other I know the common exception because they say there is an expresse command for the one and not for the other I answer that there is command in generall for the one from which the particular may soundly be deduced as well as for the other 2. No good reason can be rendred why the Seal of the Govenant should not as soon be applyed to the children of Christians as to the children of the Jewes they are under no lesse priviledge than they 3. There is no hinderance in the subject of Christian children but want of understanding and that also was equally wanting to the children of the Jewes and if that be the reason it might as well have hindred them But this I conceive it may be said of them as Christ did of Peter about the washing of his feet John 13.7 What I doe thou knowest not now but thou shalt know it hereafter So though what Christ doth to Infants they know not then yet they shall know it afterwards for though the act of Baptisme be transient yet the vertue is permanent 4. The Kingdome of Heaven is theirs and to such it belongs and why then not Baptisme as the way thither 7. And lastly We find in Scripture Infants baptized as thus 1 Cor. 10.1 2. All our Fathers were under the Cloud and all passed through the Sea and were all baptized unto Moses saith Paul in the cloud and in the Sea Now many hundreds of those that Paul calls Fathers were then Infants and children yet all then baptized But it may perhaps be replyed that this Baptisme was extraordinary never was the like before nor shall be the like after For answer I say it may be so granted in a two-fold respect 1. In regard of the Minister which was Moses 2. In regard of the manner as in comming through the Sea which was the outward Visible Sign Their comming out of Egypt might signifie comming out of the Kingdome of Darknesse the drowning of Pharoah and his Host in the Red Sea the drowning of all our sins in the Red Sea of Christs blood to which Micah may allude Micab 7.19 When he saith that God will cast all our sinnes into the bottome of the Sea Yet in other two things it agrees with ours in Water as in the outward wisiblesigue And in the end which was for the remission of sins August tract 26. in Joh Sacramenta illa fuerunt in signis diversa in rebus quae significabantur paeria Wee are brought visibly within the compasse of that when we are admitted members by baptisme except a man he born again of Water and the Spirit Of Water not that Water I say contains grace Physically and conveyes it to the Soul Physically but Morally not inhaerenter but concomitanter not that grace is inhaerent in the Water and there conveyed to the soule but God waits upon the the outward meanes with his grace to bestow it as hee will Not ex necessitate but ex libera voluntate not of any such necessity that whosoever receives baptisme by Water must needes also receive the Holy Ghost but of Gods free favour and will to give the Holy Ghost with the water or after it where he thinks good 2 King 5.14 The Water in which Naaman washed was not able to have healed him of his Leprosie by any inherent vertue in it selfe so the Waters of Abana and Pharpher Waters of Damascus might be as good as it But when God had appointed it by the Prophet as a means God was pleased so to wait upon it with his sanative powre that so concomitantly he was healed by the use of this appointed Element God could have healed Naaman without washing in Jordan onely by a word of the mouth of the Prophet but he would not he would appoint a visible means and must look upon that and wait upon God in his way that way he will blesse so he could regenerate us and we might be born again without water onely by the Holy Ghost yet you see God is pleased to appoint the visible signe and will have us therefore wait upon it as a morall Instrument to convey his grace by There are two extreams of this Doctrine one maintained by the rigid Papists the other of the Anabaptists and of later times some of the newly minted Separatists but before them Auxentius Arianus and his Sectaries as also the Pelagiâ—ms Petrobraisians but upon other grounds The rigid Papists attribute so much to the Water in Baptisme as Physically to conveigh grace as you have heard and makes it so necessary that none can be saved without it and St. Augustin himself was once deeply enough engaged in this way and by reason of this Text Of the Anabaptists and the other Sectaries which sleights it and think too meanly of it as if the Elect might bee borne againe of the Spirit without this either Infants or others Theodoret lib. 4. cap. 11. writes that the Messalians and the Enthusiasts attributed the means of Salvation onely to the inward work of the Spirit without any outward means but this is not to wait upon God in his way but to go to Heaven per saltum a nearer way than God hath taught us wherein they erre and are much to blame True it is Deus non alligatur mediis God is not tyed to meanes nor to outward Elements if wee respect his potentiam absolutam or absolute Power but if we respect potentiam ordinatam or that Power by which God ordained he would most ordinarily work then God usually works by meanes and wee must wait upon the means if we mean to have his grace Yet though the rigid Papists hold as you have heard the Saniâ—res Scholastici
or more moderate Schoolmen as Bonaventure in this point and others upon the 4. of the Sentences make not Baptisme of so absolute necessity as if none could be saved without it But whereas they make a threefold Baptisme Baptismus fluminis Baptismus flaminis Baptismus sanguinis a Baptisme with Water a Baptisme with the Spirit and a Baptisme with blood a Baptisme with Water as here in the Text a Baptisme with the Spirit Luke last 49. Act. 2.4 they were all filled with the Holy Ghost a Baptisme with blood Luke 12.50 I must be baptized with a Baptisme and how am I streitghtned untill it be ended Now they say that baptisme of blood may suffice where a man is crowned with Martyrdom ex motu charitatis and cannot have the other 2. With the Baptisme of the Spirit Luke 23.43 The good Theife that was a Christian that dyed so was not baptized with Water but with the Spirit by which he beleeved that Christ was able to save him 3. Voto When a man hath an earnest and hearty desire to it and yet is prevented by death Thus Valentinian the Emperour sending for St. Ambros to baptize him yet dyed before he taught him being but in the way Ambros was not afraid to say that he was baptized voto and was in caelo in Heaven to the same effect St. August lib. 4. contra Donatestas cap. 22.23 and its worth our observation Mat. 16.16 in this point He that beleeveth and is baptized shall be saved Some might object what needs a man baptizing if he beleeve The Scripture tells us he needs and you have heard of many that beleeved before yet must be baptized then it follows but he that beleeveth not shall be damned It s not said he that beleeveth not and is not baptized So then where the Text saith except a man be born again of Water and the Spirit we must not understand it absolutely but in some respect that is when God offers it and we may have it if no then he cannot enter For as St. Bernard hath it Epist 77. it s not omnis deprivatio baptismi but contemptus or palpabilis neglectus not every deprivation of baptisme but contempt or palpable neglect when God gives time enough and we will not take it the death of such a man without it is fearfull 2. Consider to whom Christ speaks in this Text to Nicodemus a man of ripe yeers The immediate subject of Baptisme Except such a one be born of Water and the Spirit in such a case as you have heard he cannot enter for Baptisme is alwayes necessary necessitate praecepti in regard that God hath commanded it though not alwayes absolutely necessary necessitate medii thus much for ripe yeers especially and de ecclesia constituenda Now de ecclesia constituta of a Church constituted wherein all that are of ripe yeers are actuall Christians in such a Church Infants themselves are the immediate subject of Baptisme though I know that in the primitive Times or in the Times of the ancient Fathers many men that professed Christ would not be baptized till neere their death because they thought that by Baptisme all their sins were washed away which they had committed before it and if they had been baptized sooner they were afraid to have sinned again not well considering the vertues of it afterward this they did de facto but it was not commendable in them nor should be imitable by us though their intent was honest Now of Infants that dye without Baptisme what shall we say of them shall we account them all for damned that dye without Baptisme with Water as rigid Papists do or bury them on the North side of the Church where no Sun can shine on them to signifie that no Light of Heaven nor Sun-shine of Gods countenance belongs unto them Surely no it s an harsh an uncharitable opinion for Gods eternall election cannot be over-turned for want of the outward element where it cannot be had God having deprived them of it in taking them away by death It s true St. August was of this opinion Ep. 28. ad Hieron and 106. contra Pelagianos And lib. 1. de anima cap. 9. disputing against Vincentius Victor urgeth this Text To which I answer 1. That St. August was driven upon this rock of extremity by the Pelagians importunity who denying that Infants were born in originall sinne he had no better Arguments than Baptisme for one to shew the contrary for if not uncleane then they stood in no need of washing 2. I answer That St. August did as vvell arre in the other Sacrament of the Lords Supper lib. 1. de peccatorum meritis cap. 20. that it was necessary also to salvation for Infants to receive being mistaken from John 6. v. 53. See Maldonate in 6. Johannis how long this errour remained in the Church yet since the Councell of Trent hath condemned it and the practice of the Christian World is to the contrary But Rom. 11.16 If the Roote be holy so are the Branches If the Parents be holy we are to thinke the best in charity of their Children till they come to yeers of discretion and declare the contrary Gen. 17.7 God established a Covenant with Abrahams Seed as well as Abrahams selfe 1 Cor. 7.14 If either of the Parents be sanctified the Children are said to be holy 2. We know that the Infants under the Lavv vvere not to bee circumcised before 8. days old novv vvho knovves not that many of them dyed before that time and yet vve read not that they might be circumcised before it Now if all had been damned that wanted circumcision then had God beene unmercifull to his Creature to prevent this but this we know he is not the like we may conceive of Infants dying before they were baptized by water Mat. 2.16 Herod slew the Males in Bethlem and in the Coasts thereof of two yeeres old and under now its probable that many of those were so young that they were uncircumcised yet the Papists acknowledge they dyed Martyrs in Christs cause and were saved 3 Josh 5.5 By the space of 40. yeeres in the wildernesse they were not circumcised because Moser still waited for removeall and so they being sore were not so fit for it Now if all those that dyed there had been damned Moses and Aaron had been guilty of an horrible sin 4. And lastly wee know that in the Primitive Times they baptized but twice a yeer at Easter and Whitsuntide which they would not have done if the Popish Divinity had been true but this is no warrant forus to deferre baptisme when it may be had but we are to use the means seasonably which God hath prescribed so Cyp. ad fidum to take care for new born Infants Ep 3. The Element must be Water none else not Milke nor Wine nor Sand nor the like St. Aug tells us of Seleucus and Hermias two Heretiques that baptized with an hot Iron
mistaking that place Mat. 3.11 but that was fulfilled Acts 2.3 when cloven tongues of fire fell upon the Apostles Niceph. lib. 3. hist eap 3.4 tells us of one that was baptized with sand but when it was known to the Church he was further baptized The former was not sufficient because it had not Christs prescription for his was the Element of Water who as it is the most common liquor to wash filthinesse from the body so it most fitly resembles Christs bloud to wash away all manner of filthinesse from the soule Ezek. 16.6 God saw the people of Israel in their blood and in their filthinesse in that corrupt state of nature that every man is born in but verse 9. Out of His meere mercy He washed her with Water and annointed her with Oyl that was the graces of his holy Spirit So here a man must be born again of Water and the Spirit As for the circumstances of Baptisme they are not so much materiall whether the whole body be dipped in water or it be sprinkled upon the Party In the Primitive Times and especially in those hot countries the whole body was put in water as now it s buried under the ground hence Rom. 6.4 they were said to have been buried with Christ in their Baptisme unto his death and the taking of them up again which presented our resurrection concerning which you may reade more at large in the Counsels of Laodicea and Neocesaria But we must know that many of ripe yeeres were then baptized that were able to indure it and for Infants the Country was hotter but now where Infants onely are baptized and such as are in cold Countries diving their whole bodies into the waters were enough to bury them indeed oâ— cause them to dye not onely to baptize them Againe in those times some dipped them thrice into the vvaters some but once of those that dipped them thrice some would signifie Christs three dayes lying in the grave as Tertull and Cypr. others the Trinity in whose name they were baptized those that dipped but once would signifie the unity in Trinity but wee stand not upon these And even as a man can but be once born naturally no more can he but bee once born spirituall which in the Text is called being borne again grosse therefore is the opinion and practice of the Anabaptists who re-baptize their prosylited into their errour St. Cypr. fell about rebaptizing of Heretiques against whom Cornelius did justly oppose himselfe c. In this Baptisme the Papist say that originall sinne is so taken away that after it it s but an occasion of sinne but we say with St. Aug. whom all orthodox Divines in this point have followed tollitur reatu remanet actu though the guilt of it betaken away in elect Infants yet it remaines a sinne as a Serpent remains a Serpent when his sting is gone yet cannot kill and it s kept under and diminished in the faithfull by degrees Epiphanius compares it to a Tree growing in the Walls of some stately building which may bee lopped and kept under but the root vvill never be pulled out untill the Wall be pulled down no more will originall sinne untill the body and soule bee pulled asunder by death Originall sinne remains a sinne in the Elect and regenerate after Baptisme Yet secondly the guilt of that sinne is taken away in elect Infants And ordinarily in baptisme where it is compleat If I had not bin occasioned to the handling of these two points I should not have fallen so fully upon them but the most vvise God hath his providence in every thing I shall point a little at Originall sinne and then come home to the point And in it we vvill first consider the quod sit that it is and secondly the quale sit what it is for the former briefly Ephes 2.3 natura filii irae and vvere by nature the children of vvrath that is by reason of our corrupt nature infected vvith originall sinne and Rom. 7.23 There was a Law in Pauls members rebelling against the Law of his mind c. by vvhich Lavv of his members is meant vitiositas naturae the corruption of his nature which did inhaerere stick in them and as a Law irritated him to what was evill 2. The quale what such it is It s a defect of Originall justice with an aptitude to all manner of evill haereditarily come upon us by vertue of Adams guilt The Schoole Divines make two branches of it and in it consider the materiale and the formale the muteriale they conceive to be concupiscence the formale the defect of originall Justice or privation of it thus Aquinas and his followers who were both many acute and learned though other wise carried â—â—ay with the errours of their times In his pr. sec qu 82. art 3. in corporit calce thus in particular Cajetan Alexander Alensis Durandus this infected the whole man both in all the faculties of the soule or organs of the body as instruments to vent execute that inward corruption and this is the Doctrine of all our Orthodox Divines And Aquinas herein said well in his pr. sec qu 82. art 2. ad jum in peccato originali virtualiter praeexistant omnia peccata actualia sicut in quodam principio In originall sinne all our actuall sins do praeexist as in a certain common root or principle but I would be briefe in every passage And seeing that this is an haereditary disease or inhaerent corruption in our nature not the substantiall nature it selfe first hence Illyricus was much to blame who in his book de essentia justitiae and injustitiae originalis atque etiam in tractatu quodam adjuncto disputationi quam habuit cum Victorino Strigetio vivariae held that originall sinne was a substance a daemone factam made by the Devil which was viva essentialis ejus imago his living and essentiall Image not much unlike that of the Maniches asserted by Augustine Tom 7. lib. 6. contra Julianum cap. 1. Aug. in quod vult Deum haeres 88. who held that it was extranea mali naturanostrae naturae admixta 2. Hence the Pelagians are condemned who denied originall sinne in Infants contrary to Rom. 5.12 3. The Anabaptists Armenians and Albaneuses as Castrensis hath it lib. 12. haeres And now I come to the point that it remains in the regenerate as a sinne even after baptisme Amesius Tom. 4. lib. 2. Bell. enervati cap. 3. affirmes it to be sinne in such properly And in the Argument of that booke in the name of the reformed Churches 2. Mr. Rogers on the Articles of Religion condcluded for the Church of England whose propositions thence deduced were printed by authority Anno 1585. and 87. upon the 9. Art concerning originall sinne Proposition 3. Originall sinne remains in Gods children 3. Perkins in the order of causes page 98. It s the root of all actuall sinne and therefore even after baptisme saith he it
by the outward sign he represents unto us and what have beene said of this of Faith in elect Infants you have heard and how in time it fructifies Dr. Fately in his Childrens Baptisme in page 59. saith the effects of the Spirit are begun at our Baptism c. p. 60. they have purg'd away the guilt of their sins and Christs righteousnesse is imputed to them Yet onely give me leave to relate what St. August saith of this Ep. 23. ad Bonif. seme perceptam parvulis Christi gratiam non amittit nisi propria impietate si aetatis accessu tam malus evaserit c. this grace of Christ once received the child looseth not except by his own vilenesse when he comes to yeers and then his actuall sins are not removed by his baptismall regeneration sed alia curatione sanentur they must be healed by actuall repentance and yet as Mr. Prinne Obs this will not follow that therefore a converted child of God may fall either totally or finally from actuall grace Our own Church Art 25. printed 1562. they are called effectuall signes of grace Now if God doe not effect grace in some sort by them they are not effectuall In our Forme of Baptisme in the Church of England we have been taught thus to pray That the child may be baptized with water and with the Holy Ghost be received into Christs Church and made a lively member of the same and that comming to baptisme it may receive remission of its sins by spirituall regeneration and give thy Holy Spirit to this Infant that it may be born againe And after Baptisme seeing now that this Child is regenerate c. and I do not quote this as any authority of its selfe any further then made good by Orthodox Divines Ames Tom. 3. lib. 2. cap. 3.75 page though all Infants receive not grace in Baptisme neither say we so Deum tamen quibusdam cum baptizantur habitum vel Principium gratiae in fundere non negamus Davenant in Col. 2.12 Spiritum gratiae inbaptismo acceptum Dr. Featley Part. 2. inward grace ordinarily accompanieth the outward signe Except a man be born again of Water and the Spirit Our Saviour you see begins at Baptisme with Nicodemus and the Spirituall Birth when he would have him a Christian And as in the Scriptures we reade of a twofold Circumcision so there is a twofold Baptisme a twofold Circumsiod Rom. 2. two last For he is not a Jew which is one outwardly neither is that Circumsion which is outward in the flesh that is it is not that Circumcision alone that makes a man acceptable to God without the other whereof that was a symbole but he is a Jew which is one within and the Circumcision of the heart in the Spirit not in the Letter whose praise is not of men but of God So hee is not an acceptable Christian to God that is onely baptized outwardly with Water but he that is one inwardly baptized also with the Spirit therefore our Saviour puts them both together Except a man bee born again of Water and the Spirit 2 Kings 4.31 When the Shunamites Child was dead the Prophet sent Gehezie with his staffe to lay upon the face of the child and to quicken it but no life nor motion did appeare by that then vers 35. the Prophet himselfe comes and hee layes his mouth to the Childs mouth c. and then presently it begins to revive and life was restored unto it Thus we may lay Water alone upon the Body but it can introduce no Spirituall life but when the presence of Gods sanctifying Spirit â—omes together with it then life is infused into the soule And secondly as a man can perceive nothing of the things of this life except he be first born into the world naturally no more can he perceive any thing of the sweetnesse of the life to come except hee bee first borne againe spiritually Thirdly even as the Children of Israel when they came out of Egypt were first to goe through the Red Sea 2. Through the solitary wildernesse 3. To be fed with Manna 4. To passe through Jordan and then 5. and lastly into the Land of Promise even so are we first to passe through the water of Baptisme 2. Through the Wildernesse of Temptation 3. God therein affords the Manna of consolation 4. After both Death and 5. and lastly then that aeternall Canaan or rest of glory Fourthly our Saviour saith not except this man or that man be borne againe but speakes indefinitely except a man be born againe that is as much as except every man be born again that may for the Logitians tells us as you have heard that in materia necessaria propositioni definita est instar vniversalis though in contingenti but particularis In a matter necessary an indefinite proposition is as an universall so that it s not left to every mans judgement as a thing indifferent whether he will be baptized or no but he must if he may if he mean to enter Heaven Fifthly we may observe that this is spoken to a Jew a man that had been circumcised before Amen Amen dico tibi to ye yet to circumsion he addes Baptisme putting an end as it were to the one and beginning the other therefore the Jewes do wrangle in vaine contending for Circumsion to bee for ever and never altered because it s said Gen. 17.7 That God made an everlasting Covenant with Abraham and his Seed and Abraham believed before he was circumcised and afterwards received the signe of Circumsion which is also called a Seale of the Righteousnesse of Faith and to Ahraham it was given as a signe that hee believed the divine promise of the Seed to come Gal. 3.16 He saith not as to the Seeds as speaking of many but to thy Seed as to one which is Christ in whom all the Nations of the Earth were to be blessed Circumcision then was an open signe of the confession of this Seed to come now the Seed being come if any man should retain circumsion as still necessary he should as much as signifie he were not come Gal. 5.2 Behold I Paul say unto you that if ye be circumcised Christ shall profit you nothing So that to the Jewes objection out of Gen. I answer thus faedus Dei cum populo sempiternum but signumillud particul are non esset aeternum although the Covenant of God with his people was to be aeternall yea their particular signe of circumcision was not to be so for though the covenant held yet the sign of the covenant was alterable for circumcision was not pactum but signum pacti circumcision was not the covenant its selfe but the signe of the covenant It s observeable in sacred Writ quod Deus ter faedus suum cum homine renovavit renewed his covenant three times with man and the sign was every time preximius perfectius the nearer to him and the more perfect First he made a
covenant with Noe of not drowning the world again by Water and his signe for this was his bow in the Clouds Gen. 9.12 13. This is the token of the Covenant which I make between me and you c. I have set my bow in the Clouds and it shall be a signe betweene me and the earth Secondly with Abraham and his Seed and promised Christ Gen. 17.10 And that in his Seed all the Nations of the Earth should be blessed as you have heard and then he instituted the signe of circumcision 3. And lastly he renews the covenant in Christ to all believers and of this covenant Baptisme was the more perfect than the former Sixthly observe that he joynes two things in the Sacrament together that are valde dissimili greatly dislike Water and the Spirit the former corporall the latter spirituall the former visible and the latter invisible and herein answers to the two essentiall parts of man his body and his soule where of the former is visible the latter invisible the Water visible the Spirit invisible the Water washeth the body the Spirit works upon the soule and minde John 3.8 the manner of our regeneration is compared to the blowing of the winde The winde bloweth where it listeth and thou hearest the sound thereof but thou canst not tell whence it comes nor whither it goes so is every one that is borne of God Now in the winde two things are observeable 1. we feel it blowing but 2. we cannot see the wind that bloweth for though it be a body yet naturall Philosophy teacheth us that it is corpus tam tenue so subtle a body that we cannot see it even so it is here we feel the sweet working of the Spirit but we cannot see that spirit that worketh The Papists that hold the Sacraments Phyficall Instruments as you have heard they say that the body is no lesse sanctified by the Water than the soule by the Spirit and they instance thus quemadmodum aqua viribus ignis intensius calefacta non aliter quam ignis vrit c. Even as Water made very hot by the fire doth no lesse burn then the fireits selfe so the Water in baptisme by the operation of the Spirit of God adjoyned to it doth cleanse the body of him that is baptized as the Spirit its selfe but as some of the sounder Schoole Divines have well considered Water being but Creatura insensibilis an insensible creature it s not capable to be the subject of any inhaerent grace as one body or element is capable of the heating by another 2. You have heard that Spiritus is not alwayes necessario sihi adjunctus the Spirit is not alwayes and of necessity joyned to it 3. And lastly the corporall substance of water cannot immediately touch or work upon the soule But even as the meat is first digested inwardly in the stomack and then by secret passage the spirit and vigour of it is conveyed to the outward parts of the body even so grace first infused into the heart and mind of a man spread it selfe into all the faculties of the soule and then into all the parts of the body so that the whole man is infected So grace when God doth infuse it spreads it selfe as farre thus in this sense in regard of parts where sin hath abounded there grace also may abound And in what sense God may be said to have sanctified us by the water of baptisme you have heard heretofore But you will say what need Christ water in baptisme as any outward signe to sanctifie us by cannot he sanctifie us by his Spirit without this I answer what needed our Saviour clay or spittle or washing in Siloam to have opened the blinde mans eyes could he not have done it onely by a word and it should have served Or why did God create man of the dust of the earth could hee not have created him of nothing I answer yes but he was not pleased so to doe but would use meanes to teach us not to despise the use of meanes but to waite upon God in the use of them when he appoints them Rom. 9.20 O man who art thou that disputeth with God shall thou teach him how he shall work his work or by what meanes Gen. 1. the latter part of the second ver it s said That the Spirit of God moved upon the Waters even so doth it upon these waters to sanctifie us by them as by an outward signe giving us by that which we see that which we see not in what sense you have heard before This water in Baptisme is thought to have been typified per aquam expiationis by the sprinkling water mentioned Numb 19.9 But ver 2. this water must have the ashes of a red Cow mingled that which was without blemish to note out that this water must have the red blood of Christ without sinne to goe with it As also by the Waters issuing out of the Sanctuary as some will have it Ezek. 47. from v. 1. forward c. as also by the Waters of the flood Gen. 7.7 and this is plain by St. Peter 1 Pet. 3.21 Seventhly he saith not nisi quis baptizatus fuerit sednisi quis natus fuerit ne quis de solo externo baptismo gloriaretur he saith not except a man be baptized but except a man be borne againe least any man should glory onely of his outward baptisme for outward baptisme with water you have heard will not serve without inward baptisme with the spirit by which the old man is put off and the new man put on or otherwise as many come through the red Sea that afterwards perished in the Wildernesse and never saw the Land of Promise so many may passe though the Water of Baptisme that afterwards perish in aeternall misery and never see the spirituall Canaan no more then they did the temporall Eightly As in naturall generation there is a concurrence of father and mother even so in this spirituall generation the Church as the mother she affords water and God as our Father he gives his Spirit and so a man comes to be born a child of Light 9. And lastly seeing that a man can but be once borne naturally no more can he spiritually as you have heard therefore Donatus of old and the Anabaptists of these latter times have been much to blame to baptize men over again seeing that their former baptisme was by lawfull Ministers and according to Christs prescription both for matter and forme Donatus upon conceipt that the Ministers were faulty in their lives that baptized them as though the efficacy of the Sacrament did depend upon the bounty of the Instrument and not upon GOD. Many that have been baptized by faulty Ministers prove good men and on the contrary many that have beene baptized by good Ministers prove bad men But before I passe this point I cannot but give you one collection from some of the Papists out of this Text. You know they
about baptisme and for no other use imployed than baptisme this ought to breed no quarrell amongst intelligent Christians nor to denominate any man superstitious for the thus setting it apart and revising of it seeing that it s used in no other manner nor for any other end than the Apostles used water in their times for wee acknowledge no more inhaerent holinesse in this than in other Water as the Papists do and in this sense water in the Font is no worse than water in the Fountain nor to be accounted more superstitious being but thus used though the Fonts have been abused we know the Apostles and Apostolicall men baptized in common Water and such as was most obvious for that occasion devoy'd of any ceremonious consecration Mat. 3.6 John baptized in Jordan in the faire open River because he baptized many at one meeting and those of ripe yeers and Acts 8.38 Philip baptized the Eunuch in the Water by the high way side as they travelled and if we wanted other places as they did we might also doe the like Secondly where our Saviours mentions being borne again of Water and the Spirit but expresseth not in the Text who should apply it the second question may be who should administer baptisme I answer he that hath a lawfull calling to meddle in the Administration of the Church Sacraments and to touch the people and can shew the nature the end of them c Mat. last 19. those that went out to baptize went out also to teach such as were capable of it Yea that 's ordinarily but in case of necessity may not Lay-men baptize or Midwives c. the Papists say they may for whom thus much may be said in briefe First for private men to administer Sacraments the master of every family killed the Passeover in his owne private house Exod. 12. â— to 7. and distributed it to them why may not private men now as well minister Sacraments I answer that when the Passeover was first appointed then the Aaronicall Priesthood was not instituted but the eldest of every Family was a Priest if not uncapable and performed all Priestly duties unto God but after the Lord had chosen the Tribe of Levie and setled the Priest-hood in that then these things were done by them to whom it appertained and not by others 2. For Midwives it s usually urged that Zipporah circumcised the sonne of Moses Exod. 4.24 25. God met Moses in the Inne and would have killed him for neglecting the Circumcision of his Child Let negligent Parents take notice hence how Gods anger will bee also kindled against them if they neglect baptisme now the like to their children then Zipporah Moses his wife took a sharp knife and circumcised her son then Gods wrath ceased To which I answer 1. That one example makes no rule as one Swallow makes no Summer Judg 4.4 Deborah a woman judged Israel yet it will not honce follow for a rule that any woman may be Judge neither may we hence collect like that wise man in Norfolke who reading how Deborah judged Israel would needs hence collect that a woman might be a Justice of Peace there are divers particulars in Scripture out of which we cannot well draw generall Rules if we do we shall conclude many absurdities 2. I answer that this was an extraordinary example and therefore can no more make a rule for ordinary actions than Moses his baptizing in the cloud and in the Sea or his making of Aaron a Priest Moses and Aaron among his Priests c. this might not be drawn into a rule no more might Zipporahs Objection that neither doe they make this common rule but in case of necessity or in anticulomoâ—tis in danger of death To which I answer 1. That they make it more common many times then they need because they would be doing and be accounted some body 2. That there is no such absolute necessity as to compell them to abuse the Ordinance of God as if God had no other wayes â—o save by but by the powring on water by the hand of a woman they are no such grace-wives as to conferre grace thus 3. Moses was then sick when Zepparah circumcised the child and was not well able to do it yet what if Moses speak of this rather by way of indignation then any point of Religion or commendation of her 4. She did it not in any love or reverence to the Sacrament but for by respects she did not performe it in that reverend manner that Sacraments use to be performed but very unreverently and furiously both in deeds words and gestures In deeds she threw the fore skinne in an anger at his feet In words a bloudy husband hast thou been unto me grudging against God that instituted the Sacrament as well as Moses In gestures frowning and looking disdainfully upon him 5. And lastly though God was pleased when the Child was circumcised yet it followes not that therefore he was content with the manner of it or with the approving of the party that did it and the case I say was extraordinary Obj. 2. But howsoever they may apply the element and use the right form of words and better so than no baptisme at all I say that more is required to baptisme than water and the words and that is authority from God and a solemn calling from the Csturch to do it which they cannot have and necessity is no sufficient authority to Priest a woman though I know how some have cavelled amongst the reformed as I have known such as have been baptized by them afterwards brought to the Minister to be baptized of him and wee know that the opinion of absolute necessity put them upon the point But 1. Christ hath had a setled order of men since the beginning of the preaching of the Gospel to do this therefore no need of them 2 Mat. 28. 19. Teach and baptize this is a Sacrament of the Church and the Sex of a woman excludes her from Teaching and by consequence from administring Sacraments Joh 4.2 Jesus baptized not but his Disciples which some understend exclusively none but they did it yet no doubt but many Children were then in danger 2 Tim. 22. I permit not a woman to teach that is publiquely to instruct in the open Congrcgation 1 Cor. 14.34 Let your women keepe filence in the Church for it is not permitted them to speake their Sex deprives them of such Ministeriall functions Tertullian de velgandis virginibus it s not permitted a woman to speake in the Church much lesse to teach or to baptize or to offer neither to take to her selfe the execution of any mans office much lesse the Priests And Concil 4. Carth aginensi Epiphanius disputing against divers Heretiques and confuting Marcion complained that he also gave women leave to baptize he said the like of the Quintilian and Pepatian Heretiques and concerning the necessity of Baptisme by Water you have heard before that it s not