The Christians Alphabet, Part 2 · Section 19
T Of the Sacrament of Baptisme.
Q. Rehearse the letter T?
A. THe Sacrament of Baptisme is, when the persons baptized, professing repentance, and faith in Iesus Christ, and the children of such are by the Minister of the word washed with water, in the name of the Father, the Sonne, and the holy Ghost: being thereby admitted into the communion of the body of Christ, which is the Church: assured of the remission of their sinnes: doe vow and promise, and are by Baptisme confirmed in grace, to beleeue in Iesus Christ, and to liue no more in sinne, but in newnesse of life.
For Baptisme is the signe of our regeneration, or new birth: and therefore is once onelyonly to bee receiued, as it is sufficient to be once borne, and yet the virtue of Baptisme is perpetuall.
Q. Proue that the persons baptized must professe their repentance.Baptisme requires
A. Those that are of yeeres of discretion ought to professe their repentance, 1Profession of repentance.before they bee admitted into the Church by Baptism…. Therefore Iohn Baptist is said Mark. 1 45. to preach the Baptisme of repentance. And it i… added further, that they were all baptized of him, confessing their sinne▪ So the Apostle Peter dire…ted those that were to become Christians, Act. 2.38. Repent, saith he, and bee baptiz…d eueryevery one of you, in the name of Iesus Christ.
Q. Proue that the baptized must professe faith in Christ?
2Profession of faith.A. This the profession of faith in Christ is also required of such, may appeare by the answere of Philip to the Eunuch, desiring to be baptized, Act. 8.37. If, saith he, thou beleeued with all thy heart, thou mayest. And in the example of the …alour, Act 16.31.33.34. who was by Paul and Silas directed to beleeue, and beleeuing was baptized with all his house. And it is said, Act. 8.12. That when they beleeued, they were baptized both men and women.
Q Proue that the children of such are to be baptized?
A. The parents, Ch…ldren are t… b… b…ptized.or at least one of them, beleeuing and being baptiz…d, their children are al…o to be baptized. Therefore the Apostle saith, 1 Cor 7.14. that such children are holy. The reason is, because 1. they are within the couen…nt. see Gen. 17.7. God is the God of Ab…aham and h…s …d. And it is …aid, Acts 2.39. The prom…se is made to you and to your ch…ldren. 2. Baptisme is to vsus Christians, as circumcision was to the Iewes: and therefore as their children were circumcised, so ours are to be baptized. For otherwise Christian children were in worse condition then the children of the Iewes.
Q. What is the outward element in Baptisme?The outward element is water.
A. The outward element or signe in Baptisme is, and ought to be water, and only water; and that naturall, common, pure and cleane water. Therefore we read, Matth. 3.6 that Iohn baptized in the riuer Iordan. And Ioh. 3.23. that he was baptizing in Enon, neere to Salim, because there was much wa…er there, And speaking of his Baptisme, Matth. 3.11. he saith, I baptise you with water. And Acts 8.36. The Eunuch trauelling vponupon the way, said to Philip, See here is water, what doth let me to bee baptized?
Q. What is the action or ceremony vsed about water?
The action is washing.A. The action is washing, which is done either by dipping the parties baptized into the water, or by sprinkling the water vponupon them. So the Apostle alluding to Baptisme, saith, Heb. 10.23. Hauing our hearts sprinkled from an euill conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. And …. Cor. 6.11. but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified. The same allusion is in 1 Pet. 1.2. where it is said, that they were elect through sanctification of the spirit vntounto obedience, and sprinkling of the blood of Christ.
Q. What is the inward grace signified by the washing with water?
A. The inward grace represented vntounto vsus by the washing with water in Baptisme, The inward grace, what.is the spirituall washing away of our sinnes by the blood of Christ through faith. Therefore it is said, 1 Io. 17. The blood of Iesus Christ cleanseth vsus from all sinne.
Q. What is the forme of words to be vsed in Baptisme?
A. The forme of words ought to be according to the institution of Christ, The forme of words▪ what.as it is in Matth. 28.19. Baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Ghost. Which words doe intimate thus much, namely, that the party baptized is receiued into the fauour of God: and into the seruice and worship of this only true God: who is one in essence, and three in person, the Trinity in vnity, and vnity in Trinity.
Q. Who are to administer the Sacrament of Baptisme?
Who must administer Baptisme.A. They only are to administer Baptisme, to whom the commission is granted, that is, the Apostles and their successors, the Pastors and Ministers of the Church is the end of the world. See the commission, Matth. 28.19.20. where our Saui…ur Christ hauing said, All power is giuen vntounto mee in heauen and in earth, doth vponupon the ground of that authority, presently adde these words, containing the tenour of the commission. Goe ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Sonne, and of the holy Ghost. Teaching them to obserue all things, whatsoeuer I hauehave commanded you. And …e, I am with you alway, euen vntounto the end of the world.
Q. What is the end or vse of Baptisme?
A. The maine end and vse of Baptisme may be reduced to these few h…ads. The end or vse of Baptisme.First, by Baptisme we are admitted into the communion of the body of Christ, 1End.which is the Church, or congregation and company of Gods faithfull people; and thereby become partakers of Christ and all his benefits to our eternall saluation. Therefore the Apostle saith, Gal. 3.27. As many of you …s hauehave beene baptiz…d into Christ, hauehave put on Christ. And 1 Cor. 12.12.13. As the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of the body, whi…h is one, though they be many, yet are but one body euen so is Christ. For by o…e spirit are wee all baptized into one body, whether we be Iewes or Grecians, whether we be bond or free.
Q. What is the second end or vse of Baptisme?
2End.A. Secondly, by Baptisme wee are assured of the pardon of our sinnes. Whereupon it is that Peter said vntounto them, Acts 2.38. Amend your liues and bee baptized eueryevery one of you in the name of Iesus Christ, for the remission of sinnes. And therefore Ananias said vntounto Saul, Act. 22.16. Arise and bee baptized, and wash away thy sinnes, in calling on the name of the Lord.
Q. What is the third end or vse of Baptisme?
3End.A. Thirdly, in Baptisme wee vow, couenant, and promise our saith and obedience to God. So the Lord said of circumcision, Gen. 17.10. This is my couenant, which ye shall keepe betweene me and you. And of Baptisme it is said, 1 Pet. 3.21. that it is not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answere of a good conscience toward God. Therefore as was shewed before, when any were to bee baptized they professed their faith and repentance, and tooke the Sacrament vponupon it, as thereby vowing, and couenanting so much with God.
Q. What is the fourth end of Baptisme?
A. Fourthly wee are by Baptisme confirmed in grace, 4End.both to beleeue in Iesus Christ, as also to liue no more in sinne, but in newnesse of life for that which is said of circumcision Rom. 4 11. that it was the scale of the righteousnesse of faith, is true also of Baptisme tovs Christians: it being to vsus as circūcision was to the Iewes. And for regeneration, see Rom, 6.3.4. Know ye not, saith Paul, that all we which hauehave beene baptized into Iesus Christ, hauehave 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 we also should walke in newnesse of life.
Q. Proue that Baptisme is the signe of our new birth?
Baptisme is the signe of regeneration.A. That Baptisme is the signe of our regeneration or new birth: and therefore is but once to be receiued▪ as it is sufficient to be once borne, is euident in that our Sauiour alluding vntounto Baptisme, Ioh. 3.3.5. saith, Except a man be borne againe of water and if the spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdome of God: where we see, that Christians in their Baptisme are resembled to children new borne, and therefore are fuly called, 1 Pet. 2.2. new borne babes.
Q. Proue that the vertue of Baptisme is perpetuall?The vertue … it is perpetu…ll.
A. The Apostle intimateth so much, Eph. 5.26.27. where hee saith. That Christ gaue himselfe but his Church, that hee might sa…ctifi…, and clea…se i… by the washing of water through the word▪ that hee might make it vntounto▪ himselfe a glorious Church, not hauing spot or wrinckle, or any such thing▪ but that it should be holy▪ and without blame: now wee know, that this perfection is not attained in the very act of Baptisme, but is then onelyonly begun, and after daily increased to the end of our life. And the Apostle referreth our death of sinne, and n…wnesse of life, which is daily to be exercised of vsus, Rom. 6.3.4.vntounto the vertue of Baptisme.