The Sacraments Generally and of Baptism and the Supper, Part 2
Of Baptiſme.
The nature of Baptiſme.BAptiſme is the Sacrament of regeneration in water, wherby our ſinnes are clenſed, we clad with Chriſt, endued with his ſpirit, our names entred among the number of Chriſtian profeſſours, in the name of the bleſſed Trinitie.
The inſtitution.Touching the inſtitution, whether it growe out of ye earth, or deſcende from aboue, be of men, or of God, being of all confeſſed to be a Sacrament, and a Sacrament being already proued to be alwayes a diuine inſtitutiō, it is needleſſe to repeate or ſay further therein. Yet moreouer and aboue that, our Sauiours owne example and general commandement, Go preach, Mat. 3 15.baptize, &c. are euident warrants, autentike, and ſpecial for proofe herein, that it is of God.
The forme of the adminiſtration.The fourme of the action declareth what we receiue of God, and there withall enformeth vsus what we owe and ought to render him againe. Through ſingular merciemercy in the name of the Father, by like merit and mame of the Sonne, by the vertue of the Holy Spirite, name & power thereof, we are made partakers of all the priuiledges, that may be incident to ſuch as ſhall be ſaued in the houſe & Church of God. In whoſe lap, we are as it were newe borne, newe waſhed, new apparelled, made new creatures in Ieſus Chriſt. Such is the forme, ſo great the force of this ſacrament.
Wherein yf any man vponupon a farther deſire to be inſtructed in the myſteries of his profeſſion,The marueilous operation of Baptiſme. muſe in minde, breake foorth, and ſay as Mary did to the Angel,Luke 1.34. How may this be, that a materiall element ſhoulde thus worke in ſpirituall things, that water touching the body ſhould clenſe the ſoule, that water in ye fountaine where it is cleaneſt, hauing no ſuch operatiō, ſhould thus change and be changed in the Church and fonte whither it is brought from his ſpring? are theſe effectes naturall?Exod. 11.25. Of olde ye waters of Marah were made ſweete, water in Cana,Iohn. 2.8. turned into wine,Exod. 7.17. the riuers of Nilus into bloode: and though eueryevery of theſe mutations were marueilous in the ſight of the wiſeſt eye, yet in this caſe there is more done. Meere and bitter water in compariſon, is made exceeding ſweete, ſweeter then the fruite of the ripeſt & pureſt grape: yea, yet more then this is done. Cold and vſual water, is really changed, truely, and indeede turned after the maner of Sacramēts, from a common moiſture, into ye dewe of gods ſpirit, and into the bloode of the Lambe,Reuel. 7.14. wherein the ſoules of ye Saintes are waſhed. For although it leaue not off to be water, but remaineth as before, a viſible ſigne, yet by the acceſſe of Gods worde, and the omnipotent power of his ſpirite, the Angell as it were deſcending vponupon the poole in the Goſpel,Iohn 5.4. the change is greater, then mans wordes can expreſſe.
By ſimilitudes framed and vttered to our capacities, fayth conceiueth conuenient inſtruction & ſufficient comfort. Where the ſunne warmeth not, water is a ſterile and bare moyſture, neyther can it engender any thing without the heate and helpe of the ſpirite, that moued vponupon the waters at their firſt creation.Gen. 1.2. For as it was then, ſo is it ſtill, & as it was and is ſo in ye generation of things: ſo much more is it ſo in the regeneration of man. Water of it ſelfe cannot make a man, much leſſe a Chriſtian man.The proportion of the ſigne with the graces ſignified. The ſpirite of God is ſometymes ſayde to enflame and purifie like fire, and in this caſe to regenerate in water, to clenſe and waſhe like water. And as verily as cleare water clenſeth and cooleth the body: ſo, and as truely, the like graces by the bloode of Chriſt and his ſpirite, are wrought vponupon the ſoule, by entrance into this bathe. Wherin we may obſerue a further ſimilitude, that as in waſhing pooles, when men goe into thē, they doe off their aparell, and then enter the bath, and bathe their bodies: ſo in this the olde man is put off, Adams fig leaues throwen aſide, & then with niter & fullers ſope, nay rather with the bloode of the ſonne of God, all our former filthe is ſcoured away. This diſſimilitude is in this ſimilitude, our former rags are neuer reſumed, as ſinners reſume their garmentes when they hauehave waſhed. Thoſe plaguy clothes that tooke ſtayne and infection from ſinfull Adam, we burie or we burne. The regenerate man hath done away his former generation, dyeth to ſin, the gylte and dominion whereof lyeth as a dead body in the graue, and hath no more power ouer the creature which is endued with the newe man, freed from Satan, accepted into ſeruice and fauour in the familie of GOD, weareth the cloth of righteouſnes, and is apparelled as the womā in the Reuelation with the ſonne of God.Reue. 12.1.
Wherein notwithſtanding it is expedient, ſtill and euer to remember from what rocke we were he wen, on what ſtocke we grewe, what we hauehave loſt, and what wee hauehave founde, howe fowle we were, howe cleane we are, that taſting howe ſweete the Lord is, we may as it were, feele the difference betweene ſoote and ſugar, ſee and view the oddes betweene our crimoſin & blood red ſinnes, and the ſnowe white innocencie we hauehave obteyned in him.
To compare the ſtate wherin we were by creation, & then in nature corrupted, and nowe by grace and regeneration, were to compare an innocent lyfe, a deſerued death, & life euerlaſting together, that is, Paradiſe, hell, & heauenly bliſſe, betwixt themſelues. For our caſe at ye firſt was no worſe, afterward no better, and in Chriſt betterthen euer before.Rom. …. For as by one man came ſinne, and by ſinne death, which preſuppoſeth a former innocencie, and life: ſo by the man Chriſt, much more excellent is the righteouſneſſe that is imputed to faith, imported by this Sacrament, and ſhalbe enioyed without end. As the firſt Adam, eating of the forbidden tree, he (ſuſteining the perſon of al mankinde) by his diſobedience did ſet on edge his poſterities teeth: ſo the ſecond Adam trode the wine preſſe alone, and yet wee his poſteritie alſo drinck neuer the leſſe of his wine. And here let no man ſay,Prou. 9.2. I hauehave mixed mine owne wine, I hauehave compaſſed theſe thinges my ſelfe. Strength, if it leane to preſumption, is weaker then water, and the broken reede: and yet the ſtrongeſt thinges of man, are but meere weakneſſe, the puritie of nature, pollution, libertie of will, thraldome, and the merite of workes, a ſtayned cloute. And then if the clothe be ſo courſe, howe courſe is the liſt: or if the wooll be courſe, can the clothe be fine? Adam begate Seth,Gen. 5.3. and all his children in his owne likeneſſe. For as the man that is not, cannot beget himſelfe that he may hauehave a being: ſo man being naught, can neuer of him ſelfe beget any thing els, or him ſelfe to bee good againe. Why thē do we preſume? A puffe of pride bloweth out the candle that was lightened of another at the firſt, and cannot kindle it ſelfe the ſeconde time. The debter in the Goſpel was not able to make payment for the ten thouſand talentes,Matt. 18.24. and the more in debte in proceſſe of time, the more vnlike to come out of debt, albeit he ſayd as the aduerſaries of the trueth ſaye, if his Lorde would hauehave patience, he would pay and ſatiſfie all. The three parables in Saint Luke, tende all to this purpoſe,Luke 15. to ſhewe mans inhabilitie in eueryevery reſpect, and the Lordes exceeding merciemercy altogether. The loſt groat lacketh ſenſe, the ſtrayed ſheep witte, the prodigall ſonne wiſedome. The woman lighteth ye candle, ſweepeth the houſe, ſeeketh diligently. The ſhepheard goeth out into the wilderneſſe, and bringeth home on his ſhoulders. And as for the waſtfull ſonne, God in his prouidence diſpoſed ſo, that by afliction and famin, he ſhould be taught and conſtrained to returne backe, making a moſt true confeſſion, that hee had ſinned againſt heauen and his father, and was no more worthie to bee called his ſonne. Had ſinned, and therefore nowe onelyonly was to ſtande vponupon grace & pardon: had ſinned againſt heauen, and therefore in earth vnfit and vnable to make ſatiſfaction: had ſinned againſt ſo louing a father, & therefore vnworthy the name of a ſonne. Notwithſtanding, while he ſtoode yet a great waye off, his father ſawe him, and had compaſſion, ranne, (preuented him with merciemercy) fell on his necke and kiſſed him, killed the fatte calfe, put ſhoes on his feeete, and a ring on his finger, hyred muſicians, and called for the beſt robe, & clad him therewith that was vtterly deſtitute of al attire, except ſuch as Job ſpeaketh of:Iob. 9.31. Mine owne clothes defile me.
Many excellent and rich ornaments are layde together in one heape in the Prophet Ezechiel: embroydred works,Ezech. 16. bracelets, ſilke, ſiluer, golde &c. and all theſe God beſtowed on them ye lay dead in their blood, whome he raiſed to life, circūciſed with his owne hand, dryed their corruption with ſalte, waſhed their vncleannes with water, ſwadled and clad them with newe & precious apparell, euen with Ioſephs party coloured coate, or rather with the Queenes garment of needle worke, which yet was not of her owne making.
The olde purifyings did prefigure out, and as it were made the firſt draught thereof: but the water of Baptiſme moſt liuely expreſſeth his mercy & compaſſion, whoſe onelyonly eye, & no mans els, tooke pitie on vsus then, when we lay, not wounded, but dead & long dead in our ſinnes. In this water ye litle fiſh & humble Chriſtian reſumeth life againe, ye lay gaſping & dead on the ſhoare before. In this water ye Scorpion loſeth his venim,Cypr. 4. lib. epiſt. 7. and can not ſting. In this water, Sinne, Satan, the fleſh and the worlde lye floting & drowned, as in the deluge in Geneſis,1. Cor. 10.1. 1. pet. 3.21. and red Sea in Exodus, where Noah ye preacher of righteouſneſſe and a few with him were ſaued in ye Arke, which after a ſorte was a figure of Baptiſme. The Iſraelites went through on dry foot, Pharao and all his hoſte drowned in the red ſea. But for all this, this is true in the letter of theſe ſtories, and certaine in the trueth of a farther meaning, ye though Noah eſcaped drowning, yet he was ouercome afterward with wine: though the Egyptians were ouerwhelmed al, yet there remained other enemies in ye deſert: neither did Iſrael ſtraightwayes enter the promiſed land, wtout further labour & fightes firſt had with ſundry and diuers nations.
Hierom. ad Ocean. Aug. retract. lib. 1. cap. 7. Ephe. 5.25. Rom. 7.In this Sacrament, though generally iniquity be pardoned, and ſinne drowned, and wee ſaned, yet for all this, al infirmitie is not quite aboliſhed, wee are waſhed al,Ioh. 13.10. but our feete (ſuch are ye wayes wherin we tread) neede daily and continuall waſhing. The effect of Baptſme worketh not in a moment, but by litle & litle, as the leauen ſeaſoneth the whole fiue peckes at length. After a great ſickneſſe, ſtrength is not recouered but in continuance of time: the wound is healed, but it muſt be ſkinned ouer alſo. When this mortalitie ſhall change for immortality, corruption put on incorruption, ye olde Phenix be made a newe, then, & neuer till then perfectly, eueryevery wrinckle ſhall be made plaine, eueryevery ſpot waſhed, & eueryevery teare wiped away from our face, our nakedneſſe couered ouer, or quite done away, and we preſented blameleſſe to the iudgement ſeat of God.Col. 1.22. In the meane time, while our dwelling is in this vale of miſerie & houſes of clay, it is our continuall duetie daily more and more to contende and proceed from faith to faith, from ſtrength to ſtrength, frō vertue to vertue, crucifying the old mā, hauing ſtill recourſe to that generall graunt of pardon we obtained in Baptiſme at the firſt, remiſſion of ſinnes in the death of Chriſt.
Not that this Sacrament be eftſoones repeated & reiterated againe in fact,Anabaptiſtes. but afreſh recorded in faith, godly meditation,Auguſt. 11. tract. in Ioh. vterus non repetitur. & humble prayer. The father doth not often begette his ſonne, but the ſonne remembring that hee was begottē of a louing father, bethinketh himſelf, conſidereth his duetie, increaſeth in pietie, reuerent awe & obedience. Neither the ſeede one and the ſame graine is often ſowen, but being once ſowen in due ſeaſon, it bringeth foorth his fruite. The harueſt of mans perfectiō is not in this worlde. The ſowing which is once, and the growing time which is ſtill, is here: full ripeneſſe is foūd els where.Auguſt. de Ieiunio. Imus nondum peruenimus: we are but in the way to heauen, going on and trauailing till we come thither, euen growing toward it, & groning after it. In ye midway, no man ſpinneth ſo euen a thred that neuer breaketh, treadeth ſo right that neuer trippeth. For beſides diuers actuall ſinnes, ye ineuitable ſinne of concupiſcēce which luſteth againſt the ſpirit, is left ſtill as a ſting in the Bee, notwithſtanding his hony and diuers graces by grace receiued. The aduerſaries to the trueth, in their Couent at Trent,1. Decr. 5. Seſſ. Cat. Tri. de. bap. ſacr. and in their Treatiſe of Baptiſme, woulde extenuate & make light of it, ſaying, it is not in any wiſe ſinne, except it be conſēted vntounto. Saint Iames teaching what will be the ende of ſinne,Iacob. 1.14. ſayeth, that concupiſcence tēpteth, draweth and entiſeth to (actual and externall) ſinne: and is this no ſinne? It is the mother of ſinne, and are not ye mother & daughter both of one nature? Againe the very name Luſt carieth with it a kinde of conſent, deſire, and will to ſinne. But ſuppoſe, that by diſſenting the external acte of ſinning be reſtrained, what then? God conſidereth the hearte, and he with all our ſtrength, power and faculties, is to be ſerued: the leaſt defaulte in any parte of our inward parts, is an offence and ſinne againſt his Maieſtie. But doeth conſent or diſſent, make our luſtes eyther ſinnes or no ſinnes? Is not an enemie an enemie if he be conquered? Is not rebellion treaſon, if it be preuented? Is not ſedition ſedition, if it be repreſſed? Is luſt no ſinne if it be kept in? Is fire no fire, except it flame? What neede many words? Doth not the Apoſtle in expreſſe words, ſundry times cal concupiſcence ſinne, becauſe it hindereth the good he woulde, & helpeth forward ye euil he would not? They ſay the Apoſtle ſpeaketh improperly: a wonder. He that framed the eare, made the eye, faſhioned the tongue, ſhall he not heare, doth he not ſee, can he not ſpeake as properly as the children of men? were there nothing but this, yt we are taught to pray with ſighes as S. Paul doth againſt this temptation, it were ſufficient & proofe plaine ynough, yt it is ſinne. For in praying yt it be not, we cofeſſe yt where it is, it ſhoulde not be, and ſo becauſe it is, it is ſinne, eſpecially being forbidden in ye Lawe. A litle feeling of a good conſcience, might take away all controuerſie in the queſtion, as hath bene wel declared not long ſince.Reply to the cenſure 5. articulo. And thou, O man, which haſt a ſence what ſinne is, ſubmitte thy ſelfe vnderunder the power of Gods hand, powre forth thy ſoule in prayſe to ſo mercifull a Lorde, who hath forgiuen the gylte of this and al other thine offences, who bindeth them dayly in a bundell, & will one day drowne or dye them all to an other colour in ye blood of his ſonne, whereof thy Baptiſme is a ſure ſeale.
This knowledge and confeſſion belongeth to al people, from the cleauer of the woode, to the Prince and counſeller, from the Cedars of Libanus, to the Hyſſoppe of the wall backe agayne: high and lowe, rich and poore, old and yong, one with another, without reſpect of perſons, they are the Lordes equally. Ancient men muſt not forget who was hee that tooke them from their cradle, and caried them along in his armes to their gray heares.Eſa. 46.4. Children muſt learne that they alſo are conteyned in his couenant. Iohn was ſāctified in his mothers wombe,The baptizing of children. Samuel in his childhoode conſecrated vntounto the Lorde,Mar. 10.14. Children brought to Chriſt that he might lay handes on them. Bring wee then alſo our children, that Chriſt may bleſſe them in his owne inſtitution,Gen. 17.12. as of old God did ye circūciſed infantes of eight dayes age. Delayes may be dangerous and are needleſſe,Auguſt. de verb. a poſt. hom. 9. the vſage is an ancient rule of fayth. It is true, yt not the lacke,Bern. ad Hugon. Epi. 77. but the neglecte of the Sacrament doeth hurt: beware then of contempt. Chriſt baptizeth with ye ſpirit & wt fire: with the ſpirite, that is, wt ſpiritual graces he endueth thē who in faith & thankfulneſſe obſerue his word, receiue his ſacramēts, are ingraffed into him, & growe vp in him as liuely brāches in ye true vine.Iohn 15.1. Againe hee baptizeth with his ſpirite,Luk. 3.16. able to diſcerne hypocrites, & with fire red hote, readie to conſume al chaffe & corruption, as both the ſuperſtitiō of the Popiſhe, and alſo the ſecuritie of ye Anabaptiſt, that eyther preſume, or peruert, or any way pollute ye right vſe of this his holy ordinance, which to the reuerent receiuer, is the bath of his regeneration in Chriſt, ye badge of his profeſſion, and the bonde of brotherly louelove in the houſe of our God.Epheſ. 4.3.