Choice Grounds and Principles of our Christian Religion, Treatise · Question 17 – Question 18
Quest. 17. How many Sacraments are there?
Answ. There are onelyonly two Sacraments instituted by our Lord Iesus Christ: the Sacrament of Baptisme, and the Sacrament of the Lords Supper, Deut. 12.32.
EXPOSITION.
THis I néed not stand much vponupon, it being plaine by that which hath already beene shewed; that there can be but two Sacraments of the New Testament ordained by Christ to confirm our hearts in the assurance of Gods promises to eternall life; namely, Baptisme, and the Lords Supper. No other outward signes, obseruations, or ceremonies tending to this confirmation, but onelyonly these two. And whereas the Papists say, that besides these there are fiue other; Confirmation, Penance, extreme Vnction, Order and Wedlocke; in which (as they say) vnderunder the couer of visible things, the power of God worketh mans health: It is false, and blasphemous. For vntounto eueryevery Sacrament (as you hauehave heard) and (speaking properly of Sacraments) there must bee a sensible outward signe, and the word of institution. Now these fiue which they call Sacraments, do want either the Word, or the outward signe, or else both of them together. As for example: Matrimonie, Order, and Penance, as they terme them, hauehave in some sence, the Word of God to approoue them; but they hauehave no outward element, or creature ioyned therewith. Extreme Vnction, and Confirmation, hauehave neither outward creature, nor any Word of God to warrant them. And therefore if these fiue be to bee accounted Sacraments, it will be a very easie matter to proue many more.
Quest. 18. What is the Sacrament of Baptisme?
Answ. Baptisme is a Sacrament of the New Testament; wherein is signified, and sealed vntounto vsus, that wee are as assuredly washed from our sinnes by the bloud of Christ, as our flesh is washed with water, in the name of the Father, of the Sonne, and of the Holy Ghost, Mar. 16.16. Ephes. 5.25, 26, 27. Tit. 3.5. 1. Pet. 3.21.
EXPOSITION.
FOr the better vnderstanding of this most excellent principle of our Christian Religion: it shall be requisite to consider, according to this definition, these especiall notes: What it is: By whom it is to be administred; and in what place; after what manner; at what time; vntounto whom; and what is the comfortable and and effect thereof.
As touching the first: What it is?
That Baptisme is a Sacrament of the New Test…ment, we hauehave séene already in the generall consideration of the Sacraments. Reason 1, 2, 3. And it is rightly called ye first Sacrament of ye new Couenant, not only because it was iustituted by our Lord Iesus Christ before the other Sacrament of his Supper, and is succeeded into the place of Circumcision, which was the first Sacrament among the Iewes: but also because it is sanctified, and set apart, to bee (as it were) the wombe of the Church, whereby the Elect of God, through the ioynt-work of the Holy Ghost, are new borne, and become, of the children of wrath, the children of God, and prepared by this their second birth, to enter into the Kingdome of Heauen. According to that of the Apostle, Tit. 3.Tit. 3.5. Not by the workes of righteousnesse which we had done; but according to his mercy he saued vsus, by the washing of the new birth, and the renuing of the Holy Ghost. And Ephes. 5.E…. 5.25.26. he saith, Christ loued the Church, and gaue himselfe for it, that he might sanctifie, and cleanse it, by the washing of water through the Word.
By whom it is to be administred?
Wee hauehave learned in that which goeth before, that forasmuch as a Sacrament is a publike worke of the Church; therefore Baptisme being a Sacrament, ought not to be administred by any other, but onelyonly by the publike Minister lawfully called thereunto: Our Lord Iesus Christ giuing Authoritie and Commission for the same, onelyonly vntounto them, and vntounto no other.
And whereas it hath been held & maintained, as a lawfull action, that Midwiues (in the time of necessity (as they call it) and when the Child is likely to dye, and cannot conueniently bee brought to the publike ministery) may baptize. …his we say, that forasmuch as women are flatly forbidden in the Scripture to teach: It thereupon also plainely followeth, that they are at no time to baptize: the administration of this Sacrament of right belonging vntounto none, but vntounto such as bee called to teach: Teaching, and baptizing, by the ordinance and commandement of the Lord, being so necessarily ioyned together; that although it be lawfull to preach the Word without baptisme, yet not lawfull to baptize without preaching, and declaration of the couenant of Gods grace and mercy, sealed to our soules in the bloud of Christ. And now, that no woman hath this commission of teaching or preaching the Word, the Apostle, 1. Tim. 21. Tim. 2 12. doth plainely declare, saying, I permit not a woman to teach. And whereas the example of Zipporah, the wife of Moses, is commonly obiected, who circumcised her Sonne, as Exod. 4.Exod. 4.25. This wee are to obserue for answere: that her action (with what affection soeuer it were done) establisheth no common rule, or law, no more then the particular example of Deborah, maketh all women Iudges.Iudges 4.4. There bee many peculiar things recorded in the Scriptures, out of which if any man shall goe about to draw generall things, and common rules, he shall bring in absurdities innumerable. And whereas, to colour baptisme by women, there is a necessity pretended, as though if the Child dye vnbaptized, it doth incurre the danger of damnation: the answere is easie, that the saluation of Infants in this time of the Gospell, is no more tyed vntounto the outward receiuing of the Sacrament of baptisme, then it was vntounto circumcision in times past. And in the Law we read,Gen. 17.12. Leuit. 12.3. that it was not lawfull to circumcise a Child vntill the eight day. And many no doubt departed out of this life before the eight day, and yet was there neuer any condemnation imputed vntounto them.
In what place.
It being manifest, that the Sacrament ought not to be administred by any, but onelyonly by the lawfull Minister authorized thereunto: It followeth thereupon as plainely, and euidently, concerning the place, that in no other place, but onelyonly in the Church, and before the congregation ought it to be administred, vnlesse in the time of persecution. Not that Baptisme is tyed to one place more then to another, in regard of the thing it selfe. For wee read, Acts 8.Acts 8.36, &c. that Philip baptized the Eunuch in a certaine water as they trauailed vponupon the way: but onelyonly in regard of circumstances, because Baptisme is a publike worke of the Church publikely to be administred, and the Church is the ordinary place for the assembly of the faithfull, to the vse and obseruation of all Gods ordinances belonging to the publike worship, and seruice of his name.
After what manner.
As touching the manner of the administration of this Sacrament, it must be administred with water,Mat. 28.19. and in the name of the Father, the Son, and the holy Ghost. If it be administred with any other element or creature, but onelyonly water, it is vnlawfully done, neither is it any Sacrament: the Lord instituting no other outward thing, but onelyonly water, for the true Reason 1 and full administration of the same. Water holding this proportion with the bloud of Christ, and after this manner representing the same, that as water washeth away the filthinesse of the flesh, so doth the grace of God through Christes bloud, taken hold vponupon by a true and liuely faith, wash the soule, and clense the fame from the gilt and pollution of sinne, so making vsus the sonnes and daughters of GOD, which were before the children of wrath. Againe, if Baptisme be administred in any other name, but onelyonly in the name of the blessed Trinity, the Father, the Sonne, and the holy Ghost, it is no true baptisme, but a flat prophaning and mocking of Christs ordinance. For the force and effect Reason 2 of baptisme, can no otherwise be truly perceiued or vnderstood, th…n by beginning at the frée mercy of the Father, who reconcileth vsus vntounto himselfe by his onelyonly begotten Sonne: Then secondly doth Christ appeare before vsus, with the sacrifice of his death: And thirdly, the holy Ghost, by whom we are washed, and regenerated, and in the end made partakers of all good gifts. For we doe not rightly know God, except our Faith doe distinctly conceiue thrée persons in one Essence, and that the efficacie and fruit of baptisme doth come from hence, that God the Father adopteth vsus in his Sonne, and that wee being purged from the filthinesse of our flesh, he reformeth vsus by his Spirit to holinesse and righteousnes all the dayes of our life.
At what time.
As touching the time of Administration, it is in it selfe frée▪ and not tyed to one time more then to another: but the time of resorting thereunto is not frée. They that beléeued the preaching of Peter at Ierusalem in the day of Pentecost, Acts 2.Acts 2.41. The Eunuch whom Philip baptized, chap. 8.Chap. 8.36. Cornelius chap. 10.Cha. 10.47. Paul the Apostle at Damascus, chap. 9.Chap. 9.18. Lydia, and the kéeper of the prison, chap. 16.Cha. 16.15, 33. they of Philippos, and other faithfull men and women, assoone as they had tasted of the gifts and graces of Christ, and beléeued his Word, forthwith they desired to be baptized, and did not deferre, nor put it off till another time. Whereupon I conclude, that they doe very well, who neither in themselues, nor in their families, doe linger in receiuing this holy Sacrament.
VntoUnto whom.
This Sacrament belongs to all such as are comprehended within the couenant of Gods grace, and mercy in Christ Iesus, whether they be old or young. Such as are of full age, are not to be receiued vntounto baptisme, before such time as they be instructed, and hauehave yéelded a confession of a true faith, together with a protestation, that they will glorifie God in newnesse of Reason 1 life. But as touching Infants: Séeing our Adoption doth not depend vponupon our selues, or vponupon any outward thing, but onelyonly vponupon the election of God; therefore although Infants be not indued with actuall faith, which is by hearing, yet are they iustly baptized (as in times past they were circumcised) because they are comprehended within the couenant of eternall life, by meanes of the faith of their Parents, who, according to the condition of the couenant, apprehend the promise of GOD, both to themselues, and to their children. To whomsoeuer God promiseth himselfe Reason 2 to be their God, and whom hee acknowledgeth for his, those, no man, without great impiety, may exclude from the number of the faithfull: but hee promiseth not onelyonly that hee will be the God of such as doe professe him, but also of their séede, as appeareth in these words of the couenant made to Abraham, Gen. 17.Gen. 17.7. I will establish my couenant (saith the Lord) betweene thee and me, and thy seede after thee for an euerlasting couenant, to be God vntounto thee, and thy seede after thee. Now to this couenant was circumcision added, as a seale and pledge thereof, as well in children, as in men, the substance whereof remaineth …o this day, and not abolished by Christ. For hee came to fulfill the promises, and not to dissolue them. And therefore said he, Math. 19.Mat. 19.14 Suffer little children, and forbid them not to come to me: for of such is the Kingdome of God. And Marke 10.Marke 10.14, 15, 16. Verily I say vntounto you, whoso…uer shall not receiue the Kingdom of God, as a little child, hee shall not enter therein. And hee tooke them vp in his armes, and put his hands vponupon them, and blessed them. By this it is euident, that séeing the promise of saluation appertaineth as well to children as to men, there is no reason why the signe and seale of the promise, namely, Baptisme, should be with-holden from them, but that they should be baptized in their infancy at this day, as the children of the Iewes were circumcised the eight day after their birth, baptisme being succéeded into the place of circumcision, as hath béene shewed, and as the Apostle witnesseth, Col. 2.Col. 2.11, 12
What is the comfortable end, and effect thereof?
Know ye not (saith the Apostle, Ro. 6.Rom. 6.3, 4, &c.) that so many of vsus as were baptized into Iesus Christ, were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptisme into death, that like as Christ was raised vp from the dead by the glory of the Father, euen so, wee also should walke in newnesse of life. In which words the Apostle doth not onelyonly exhort vsus to the following of Christ; but his meaning is, that by Baptisme Christ hath made vsus partakers of his death, that wee may be grafted into it. For as the graffe receiueth substance, and nourishment from the root into which it is graffed, so they that receiue Baptisme with a true and liuely faith, they doe truly féele the effect of the death of Christ, in the mortifying of their flesh, and therewithall also the effect of his resurrection in the quickning of the Spirit. Whereupon afterward, doth hee gather matter of exhortation, that if we be Christians indéede, wee ought to be dead vntounto sinne, and to liue vntounto righteousnes.
If the Sacraments of the old Testament did vrge, and require regeneration, and sanctification, and witnessed our communion with the death of Christ: the Sacraments of the new Testament must also do the like, as touching the substance, and graces signified, there being no difference at all betwéene them. In this sence, Tit. 3. is Baptisme called, The washing of the new birth. And for this cause most notably, Col. 2.Col. 2.11, 12. doth the Apostle Paul (speaking of circumcision, and baptisme, make the one no more spirituall then the other: for he saith, that we are circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the sinfull body of the flesh, through the circumcision of Christ. Afterward, for declaration of that saying, he addeth, that wee are buried with Christ through Baptisme, whereby hee meaneth nothing else, but that the fulfilling, and truth of Baptisme is also the truth, and fulfilling of circumcision, because they figure both one thing: Baptisme being the same to vsus Christians at this day, that circumcision in times past was vntounto the Iewes.
The Ministers outward washing with water in Baptisme, is a most certaine signe, seale and pledge, of the inward washing, whereby wee are clensed from our sinnes by the bloud of Christ. For euen as water purgeth the flesh, so are our sinnes purged by Christs bloud, as 1. Pet. 3. and 1. Ioh. 1.1. Pet. 3.21. 1. Io…. 1.7. Now to be washed with Christs bloud, is to be made partakers of the couenant of grace, that is to say, to be reconciled, iustified, regenerate, and adopted into the liberty of the Sonnes of God. The outward man féeleth the force of the water, but the inward man féeleth the efficacie of Christs bloud. All they that are baptized with water, are not regenerated, nor washed with the bloud of Christ, but onelyonly such as are elected: it being most sure and certaine, that the Ministers of Gods Word hauehave no preeminence in the Sacraments, but onelyonly the administration of the outward signes, all the force, and efficacie of the graces signified, resting and remayning onelyonly in the power and dispensation of Christ. I baptize with water (saith Iohn the Baptist, Ioh. 1.Ioh. 1.26, 38. but hee baptizeth with the holy Ghost. The Baptisme with water washeth the flesh, but it cannot make the soule cleane, nor regenerate the inward affections of the heart. To doe this, is the onelyonly office of Christ, through the gracious worke of his holy Spirit, yea, and so properly and peculiarly hath he reserued it to himselfe, that hee will not communicate it with any other. So that, looke what difference there is betwixt water and the holy Ghost, betwixt a ceremoniall signification, and the thing it selfe, so great difference there is betwixt the Baptisme of Christ, and the worke of all faithfull Ministers of his Word, and Sacraments, in the ministery and dispensation of the same.
Vse 1 First then in way of vse, here is offered vntounto vsus very fit occasion to examine our selues in what estate we stand before God. It is no sufficient argument to approue our selues to be in the state of grace and saluation, because we hauehave béene baptized with the outward Baptisme of water, and because wee are receiued into the Church, and accounted members of the same: but if by the worke, and witnesse of Gods Spirit in our hearts, we féele our selues to be regenerate, and sanctified to holinesse and righteousnes, then hauehave we a comfortable testimony, that we are baptized with the holy Ghost, and shal be sure of the remission of all our sinnes, and of eternall life; the outward washing with water, being a seale, a signe, and an assurance of the same. Whereas on the other side, if we féele not these effects of Gods grace and blessed Spirit, then, although we hauehave béene baptized, yet can wee hauehave no true peace of conscience, nor any hope or assurance of Gods louelove, and fauour in Christ Iesus, to the forgiuenesse of our sinnes, and to the saluation of our soules. This I hauehave made manifest in the example of Ananias, and Simon Magus, who although they were baptized, yet remayned neuertheles most horrible hypocrites, and blasphemers. And it doth appeare from time to time in experience; many that hauehave béene baptized with water, hauehave giuen apparant testimony by their lewd and vngodly conuersation, that they were neuer baptized with the Spirit of Christ, as directly treading the steppes of reprobation.
Secondly, we must remember to make Vse 2 this profit of Baptisme throughout our life, that wee are thereby baptized for dead, (according to the Apostles phrase, 1. Cor. 15.1. Cor. 15.29.) that is, that the death of sinne might be abolished in vsus. This, I say, wee ought religiously to remember at all times, and especially when wee féele the motions, and flattering enticements of the world, the flesh, and the deuill, that by the consideration thereof, wee may be strengthened, and stirred vp to fight, and striue against them, knowing, that wee grieuously sinne, and transgresse euen against the nature of our Baptisme, if after our calling, and conuersion, wee giuegive our selues to the delights of sinne, and suffer it to raigne,Rom. 6.12. and exercise a dominion in our mortall bodies, so as we obey it in the lusts thereof.
Vse 3 Thirdly, we must remember, that by Baptisme is made a solemne stipulation, or obligation, betwixt God and vsus: God witnessing that hee doth receiue vsus into the couenant of being his people; and wee giuing faith vntounto God, to renounce sinne and Satan, and to serue him in holinesse and righteousnesse, all the dayes of our life. For to bee baptized in the name of Christ, is to be enrolled (as it were) entred, and receiued into the couenant, and family, and so into the inheritance of the Sonnes of God, to be purged also from the filth of sinne, and to be endued with the manifold graces of God, for the glorifying of his Maiesty in an innocent life. As they then who delight in sinne, and follow the lusts and motions of the flesh, doe sinne against the nature of Baptisme, so do they also violate, and breake the couenant made betwixt God and them: Yea, hereby are vnsealed (as it were) the seales of Gods louelove, the Sacrament doth become vnprofitable, and more worse and wicked are such men before God, then they that neuer had the Sacrament at all: As Rom. 2.Rom. 2.25. where the Apostle saith, that by transgressing the Law, the Iewes circumcision was made vncircumcision, that is, it stood them in as little stead, as if they had neuer receiued it. So fearefull and dangerous a thing it is, for men wilfully and licenciously to giuegive themselues to the affections, and wayes of vngodlinesse, after they hauehave béene admitted to the partaking of the Sacraments, they by this meanes being guilty of making voyde the grace of God, and his wholesome and holy ordinances which he hath instituted, and sanctified for the good, and saluation of his people. The which vndoubtedly is a most great and haynous offence.