but to preach z 1. Cor. 1.17 we must not take it as spoken simply as if Paul had no commission at all to baptize for how then did he baptize Crispus and Gaius and the houshold of Stephanus a Ver. 14.16 but it is spoken comparatiuely namely that his maine errand on which he was sent was to preach and thereupon he was chiefly to attend leauing the administration of Baptisme vnto others Such a kinde of speakeing we shall finde in the Prophet I spake not vnto your fathers nor commanded c. concerning sacrifices b Ier. 7.22 did not God speake at all touching those things yes but that was not all he spake or the chiefe thing he gaue charge off So is this place of Paul to be expounded Let vs a little consider why this sacrament and ceremony of Baptisme was ordained by Christ to accompany the preaching of his word There are two maine ends of it 1. To strengthen faith 2. To be a testimony of profession Baptisme serueth to strengthen faith two waies 1. By representation 2. By assurance First the thing it representeth and the thing it assureth are all one namely a washing away of the guilt of sinne by the bloud of Christ Baptisme shadoweth out this faith Water well resembleth the purging power of Christs bloud It clenseth from all vnrighteousnesse c 1. Ioh. 1.7 Againe the outward washing of the body representeth the inward purging of the soule by the spirit which standeth in iustification before God and sanctification before men Hence the scripture speaking of those things vseth the tearme of Washing d 1. Cor. 6.11 and Regeneration is called the Washing of the new birth e Tit. 3.5 Further that manner of Baptizing which was in vse in hotter countries and in baptizing men of yeares and which was heere vsed in baptizing the Eunuch was a rite of worthy signification The going downe into the water signified mortification or fellowship with Christs death the staying vnder the water the buriall of sinne the comming out the rising from sinne to newnesse of life These were excellent significations and to these Paul hath reference in those words Know ye not that all we which haue beene baptized into Iesus Christ haue beene baptized into his death We are buried then with him by baptisme into his Death that like as Christ was raised vp from the dead by the glory of the father so wee also should walke in newnesse of life f Rom. 6.3.4 And we may conceiue a Resemblance of these three in our ordinary baptizings in the putting on of the water in the letting it to remaine a time and in the wiping it off Thus Baptisme setteth before our eies the benefit by the bloud of Christ and the good that commeth by being ingraffed into him Now as Baptisme represents so it assureth For the sacraments are not naked signes bare shadowes of spirituall things but they are appointed of God to be pledges vnto vs of heauenly grace and so is Baptisme a pledge to a beleeuing sinner that as he doth see the washing of water to purifie the body so certainly is his soule clensed from the guilt of sin by the bloud of Christ Thus is the first end of Baptisme to strengthen faith It is also a witnesse of profession First the common nature of a Sacrament is to be as a solemne oath vndertaken for the performance of some important matter Secondly the being baptized in the name of the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost signifieth an admittance into the houshold of Faith and the addicting of a mans selfe to the seruice of him whose name is called vpon ouer him in baptisme and so testifieth his couenanting with the Lord to deny vngodlinesse and fleshly lusts g Tit. 2.12 and to beware of returning after this washing to a wallowing againe in the mire of old vncleanesse h 2. Pet. 2.22 Therefore is it that Baptisme is called the Baptisme of Repentance i Luk. 3.3 because it remaineth as a witnesse of a promise of repentance with which the baptized hath bound himselfe to God This it is plaine Baptisme is of perpetuall vse in the Church of Christ and that for good ends namely to strengthen our faith and to be a continuall remembrancer vnto vs what wee professe The 1. vse Now for vse first this may further those that are ignorant in this matter how to behaue themselues in the vse of Baptisme as men of knowledge A generall vse there is of baptisme amongst vs but the warrant of vsing it is not so well knowne as the thing itselfe ordinarily is receiued and the most in offering their infants vnto baptisme are more led by custome and caried with the streame of common practize then guided by any certaine rule from him who is the law-maker of his church This maketh this sacrament to be vsed so ignorantly so superstitiously so vnprofitably It shall not be amisse therefore for those that be to seeke herein to learne hence whence it cometh that such a water is in vse That which is not done in obedience though it be done neuer so formally in he eie and outward appearance is of no account with God Secondly The 2. vse this may teach vs all or at least put vs all in minde what vse to make of our Baptisme 1. To euery one of vs so often as we thinke vpon our baptisme it ought to be a spurre to holinesse A seruant to a great man when he looketh vpon his liuery cannot for shame if he haue any common honesty be an enemy to him of whom he hath receiued it the sight of it is rather a continuall caller vpon him to be faithful to him into whose seruice he is entred So Baptisme is the cognizance of a Christian and by it we haue taken on vs to weare as it were the colours of our grand Captaine Iesus Christ the very thought thereof should restraine vs from doing the busines of Sathan and worke vs by all meanes to the willing obeying of the Lord to the studying learning and preaching of his will How excellent were it if in doing of many things which we rush vpon without any scruple we would say to our selues Is this according to promise is this agreeing to the vow of Baptisme 2. To those that thus make vse baptisme as a motiue to Obedience it is a store-house of much comfort When mens titles to land be in question they fall to perusing their sealed euidences and so a Christian must often looke to the will and deed of his heauenly father sealed vp in Baptisme and by it he shall haue comfort We seldome looke backe so far as baptisme and we limit it onely to the present vse conceiuing it as an entry into Christianity but as a spurre to walke worthy our profession and a meanes to build vs vp in Christ we doe not vse it and so we depriue ourselues of worthy comfort * ⎠*
fulfill the desires of those that feare him k Psa 145.19 and that the hearkening eare which doth as it were thirst for knowledge shall lodge among the wise l Pro. 15 31. He will guide the meeke in iudgement m Psa 25.9 He will reveale his secret vnto such n Ver. 14. Euen that which is called the hid wisedome of God o 1. Cor. 2.7 and the minde of Christ p Ver. 16. The vse The vse is to shew vnto vs the true cause why there is no such profiting by the word preached as there should bee and as there was of old in the first and purer times Then one Sermon wonne many now many Sermons scarse preuaile with one Surely the cause is men want that ready that cheerefull that forward that inclinable that humble disposition which the good people in those times had then they sued to bee taught as the Eunuch heere and those Act. 2. and the Antiochians and the Iaylor now it is well if we will heare when we be entreated then they had learned to submit themselues to the power and authority of the word now euery man is wise and able enough to instruct himselfe then their hearts trembled at the maiestie of God speaking in his ordinance now they haue a kinde of base estimation of the meanes neither is it generally apprehended to be the arme and power of God vnto saluation Heere is the very cause that so much is spoken to the men of this generation without successe and that so many Sermons be as the woman of Tekoah speake in another case as water spilt vpon the ground which cannot be taken vp againe q 2. Sam. 14.14 and that so many of the Lords Messengers may lament with the Prophet and say I haue laboured in vaine I haue spent my strength in vaine and for nothing r Is 49.4 It is a hard matter to meete with such an one as this Eunuch in a Parish that will intreat to be furthered one that will yeelde himselfe as a Disciple to him who watcheth for his soule We haue to do with gainsaying people Å¿ Rom. 10.21 with men of vncircumcised hearts and eares t Act. 7.51 such whose neckes are iron sinewes u Is 48.4 not easily bent they leane to much to their owne wisedome x Pro. 3.5 to be wise in God If then our desire be to be profitable hearers let vs labour to be desirous and humble hearers such as account it no disparagement to sitte in the schoole of Christ vpon the learners forme In the times of Popery men were taught to be too servile the Priests tooke on them to haue dominion ouer the peoples faith 2. Cor. 1.24 there might bee no asking why so if they deliuered it Now on the other side our people are as much on the other hand too much out of rule and it is not knowne what it is to depend vpon the ordinance of God and to submit to the meanes with that meeke and quiet spirit which is a thing in the sight of God much set by z 1 Pet. 3 4. The 2. Doct. A second Doctrine out of this Motion made by the Eunuch is That where the heart is truly touched and the soule indeed turned vnto God there is a desire to bee partaker of the Sacraments This Eunuch being now through Philips preaching seasoned with the sauing knowledge of Christ Iesus doth even long to bee partaker of the Sacrament which might be a pledge of his new birth and an earnest of his ingraffing into the mysticall body of his Sauiour Oh Philip as thou hast taught mee so I pray thee also to baptize mee let mee not want the comfort of the Sacrament now that I haue receiued benefit by thy doctrine This very thing may be gathered out of this that the Apostles stile vrged the vse of the Sacrament presently vpon the peoples yeelding to receiue the Doctrine as though that should bee a triall of them whether they heard in sincerity or no. If they had refused the Sacrament their Hypocrisie had beene eftsoones discouered if they embraced it in such maner as became them it was an euidence that their hearts were seasoned as was meete Thus Iohn Baptist bound his heares to the Sacrament a Math. 3. and Peter Amend your liues and be baptized b Act. 2.38 and after that order did the rest proceede I remember how the neglect of the Sacrament is made to be a marke of a dispiser The Pharises are said to haue despised the counsell of God in Iohns ministry and how doth that appeare They were not baptized of him c Luk. 7.30 In the old law he who professed himselfe to be one of Gods people and made a shew of religion and yet neglected the Sacrament was called a breaker of the Couenant and was threanep to be cut of d Gen. 17.14 There be just causes of desiring the Sacrament in him that is enlightened 1. He knoweth the vse of the Sacraments to be Gods ordinance and therefore in obedience to his will hee will make conscience thereof 2. He conceiueth them to be seales of the righteounes which is by faith e Rom. 4.11 assurances of society with Christ for which cause they must needes be sweete vnto his soule 3. Hee apprehends them to be badges of his profession and of his seruice vnto Christ and therefore he cannot but desire them 4. Hee belieueth them to bee bands of the communion of Saints and in that respect he must needs affect them This is a very behoofull point to be spoken of in these daies because among men professing godlinesse there is not that respect to the Sacraments that there should bee The Sacrament of Baptisme the truth is we haue receiued it in our childhood but what man of many laboureth to make the right vse of his Baptisme or seeketh to know what it meanes and why it was It seemeth men are led with an ignorant conceipt that the good of Baptisme is limited to the time of receiuing it and was only then as a doore of entrance into the outward society of Gods people whereas indeede there is good vse to bee made of that Sacrament at a mans last breathing and not at the first instant of partaking it only So that I say still men giuing good hopes of some religion to be in them are exceeding carelesse in this point of ioyning the vse of the sacraments to their customary hearing and so by that meanes they depriue themselues of an vnknowne and vnthought of help both to provoke to obedience and to strengthen faith and to increase the comfort of the inward man And as for the Sacrament of the Lords supper generally it is made no more reckning of then some three-halfepeny ordinary saue only at some season of the yeere or at some supposed good times as though seasons and moones and the influences of the sky gaue vertue to Gods ordinances
beliefe but alas how far be they from that which Peter calleth a Reason of their Hope The Apostle calleth Faith an euidence r Heb. 11.1 Now suppose a man should be called before a iudge in a matter betwixt party party could there be able to speake as little to the point in question as the most are able to say in the case of Faith would the Iudge account their answere a competent euidence or would hee not thinke himselfe wronged to haue his eares troubled with such heed-lesse tales Surely he that had no better to shew for his outward estate then many haue for their future inheritance into the kingdome of glory would and well might feare euery houre to be displaced This is wofull in the cleere light of the Gospell and it is one of the sinnes for which the Lord hath a speciall controuersie Å¿ Hos 4.1 with the times And it is a sinne so much the more dangerous because it is scarsely taken notice of to be a sinne To be a swearer a whoremaster a drunkard an oppressor a greedy worldling a lyer a cursed speaker these and the like partly by the light of nature partly by some generall rules gotten by continuall hearing are of the most yeelded vnto to bee sinnes But ignorance in religion yea euen in these points which are as it were the very life and soule of religion is hardly taken to be a sinne Who thinketh himselfe euer the lesse honest because he is ignorant Thus I say is this euill the more dangerous because it passeth away vnobserued vntaxed vnblamed and yet it is a principal sin against which the Lord will proceed at his iudging day t 2. Thess 1.8 and the people that doe not vnderstand shall fall u Hos 4.14 It is true there is much dulnesse much hardnesse of conceit much weakenesse of apprehension euen in the very best but yet certainly if that be not in vs which in one place is called a Minde to know x 1. Ioh. 5.20 in another an endouour to know y Hos 6 3. we can neuer be saued Remember we how the Eunuch profited by one Sermon and consider how many we haue heard who yet many of vs cannot giue so good an account as the Eunuch did For let no man thinke that this was all namely that the Eunuch was able to deliuer thus many words as are heere and no more it were an iniury to the memory of that holy man if wee should so imagine and it were a wrong to the wisedome of Philip if wee should thinke hee would let him passe with a kind of verball acknowledgement of a matter which he did not vnderstand Can wee thinke with any probability that either the Eunuch said no more then is heere deliuered or that Philip did not feele him againe and againe to see how he was setled yes vndoubtedly The Eunuch knew the person of Christ the office of Christ knew how the ancient prophecies of the old Testament were fulfilled in Christ and was able to shew cause why he for his particular part should thinke to bee saued by Christ knew how Faith coupleth vnto Christ how it doth procure to a man an interest into the obedience and righteousnesse of Christ These and the like materiall points out of all doubt the Eunuch knew Philip would neuer haue admitted him to the Sacrament of Baptisme vpon the vttering only of a few words or haue left him in such a raw measure of knowledge before hee had brought him to conceiue aright the grounds of godlinesse and that doctrine which is called the doctrine of the beginning of Christ z Heb. 6.1 I adde this lest any man should beguile his owne soule because of his ablenesse to say so much as is heer reported to haue beene spoken by the Eunuch I wish the words in euery mans heart and mouth but take heed we make not a charme of the Scripture to imagine a vertue in words of which we know not what to make Let vs labour to speake the Eunuchs wordes with the like knowledge that the Eunuch had otherwise to say we belieue that Iesus Christ c. shall not auaile vs. So much of this that the Eunuch was able to expresse his Faith and to shew for himselfe what he belieued The 4. Doct. The next thing is his readines to giue an account which affordeth vs this doctrine That where the power of Godlines beareth any sway there is no frowardnes of disposition when one is dealt with in the matter of Faith This I obserue out of the modest and yeelding disposition of this Eunuch who was thus content as it were to be catechized by Philip and to submit himselfe to giue an account of his beleeuing No doubt he held it meet that he which now tooke care of his soule should by him be made acquainted with the state of his soule If a man speake in the eares of a foole he will despise the wisedome of his words a Pro. 23.9 and such an one being questioned with about religion answereth roughly b Pro. 14.23 but Gentlenes Goodnes meekenes are the fruites of the spirit c Gal. 5.22.23 It was the humor of the Pharises in pride of heart to disdaine to submit themselues to Iohns Ministry they despised the counsell of God d Luk. 7.30 and they tooke it in soule scorne when the blind man asked them whether they would be Christs disciples e Ioh. 9.29 their stomackes could not frame to be treated with as men ignorant in ought or as liable to an account to any what they beleeued It is the commandement of God that euery man in such a case as this betwixt Philip and the Eunuch should be ready to giue an answer f 1. Pet. 3.15 religion where it is doth teach men so to be For as it abateth these high spirits which are in man by nature so it maketh a man to consider the good that may ensue by submitting himselfe with meekenes to be communed with by him that is able to instruct him If his knowledge be right this is a meanes to confirme it if it be mistaken this is the way to better it This reprooueth that sturdy and contemptuous humor which is in many now The vse who hold it for a very great disparagement to bee vrged to tell how they beleeue It is thought to be a course not vnfit to be practized vpon children but to vrge those to it that are elder yea though they neuer so much need instruction in deemed insolency in him that vndertaketh it and simplicity and basenesse of disposition in those that submit to it The greatest part therefore are so affected that if they should so bee dealt with they would haue much a doe with themselues to beare it well or not to returne the crooked answere of a froward mouth By this meanes their spirituall wounde putrisie because of their owne foolishnesse g