Propositions and Principles of Divinity Disputed, Section 58
PRINCIPLES TOVCHING BAPTISME BEING THE FIRST SACRAMENT OF THE NEVV TESTAMENT. LVIII.
HAVING IN THE FORMER PRINCIPLES ſet down the nomber of the true Sacraments of the new Teſtament: we now come to handle the firſt of them, namelie, Baptiſme: where we will deale with the cauſes and effectes thereof, referring other things that belong vntounto this argument, vntounto the next diſputation.
1 BAPTISME beeing a Sacrament of the newe couenant, teſtifying that Chriſt is come, came in the place of Circumciſion, which vnderunder the old Teſtament, did prefigure Chriſt to be manifeſted.
2 Both of them are the ſame in deede, yet differing in ſignes.
3 The ſame is to bee ſaide of all types both ſingulare and extraordinarie (of which ſort was the paſſage through the ſea vnderunder the cloud) and alſo legall and ordinarie, of which ſort were ſprincklings and diuerſe waſhings, ordayned vnderunder the olde Teſtament.
4 By Baptiſme, beeing one of the two Sacramentes of the new Teſtament; we vnderſtand in this treatiſe, that holie and myſticall action which is proper vntounto the Chriſtian Church, and ordained for thoſe ends wherof we will ſpeak anone.
5 The matter of Baptiſme, are the ſignes, & the things ſignified. The ſignes are water, and the ſacramentall rites which are a dipping into the water, and a taking out of the ſame againe, whence waſhing doth follow. The thing ſignified is the blood of Chriſt, vntounto the remiſsion of our ſinnes,, and that ſpirituall and deuine force whereby wee are regenerated, which regeneration, conſiſteth partlye in the aboliſhing of the olde man, which decaieth by little & little, and partlie in the creating of the new, which is to be perfected by degrees.
6 The formall cauſe of Baptiſme conſiſteth in the lawfull vſe of the inſtitution: the eſpeciall part whereof, is the inuocation of the name of the Father, of the Sonne, and of the holie Ghoſt, together with the rite either of dipping into the water, or of the ſprinckling of the ſame.
7 For it is not greatlie materiall, whether the perſon that is to be baptiſed, be whollie dipt vnderunder the water, or whether the water bee onelie ſprinkled either vppon his head, or his face.
Vaine therefore, and void is that waſhing, where either Baptiſme is not done into the name of the Father, the Sonne, and the holie Ghoſt, or water is not vſed.
8 Thoſe vaine queſtions that hauehave riſen from that falſe abſolute neceſsitie of Baptiſme, as whether it be lawfull to baptize with diſtilled water, with vrin or ſtale, or with ſand where naturall water cannot be gotten; wee reject, as abſurd and ridiculous: neither thinke we, that any contention ought to be made, whether the water is to bee once or thriſe applied.
9 It is not lawfull, no not for any Angell in heauen, to ordaine any Sacramentall rites, ſeeing the ſignification of them doeth reſpect the promiſe of grace. For it is in the power of GOD alone, both to promiſe what hee thinketh good, and alſo to eſtabliſhe his promiſes by what ſignes it pleaſeth him.
10 They did greatly offend therefore, who not contented with the ſimplicitie of the Lordes inſtitution, thought that they could adorne Baptiſme, by adding curious rites thervnto: where as of the contrarieſide, the Lord will hauehave the Sacraments of the newe couenant, which are oppoſed vntounto the olde, to be therefore moſt few and ſimple, to the end, that wee ſhould ſo much the more readilie be drawen from theſe corporall and ſenſible things, to the conſideration of ſpirituall and heauenly matters.
I Thoſe innumerable added trifles therefore, which hauehave preſentlie growen into manifeſt ſuperſtition, (and wherof ſome were added by the Papiſts) as chriſme, ſpittle, Tapers, wee hauehave juſtlie abolliſhed (though they be of antiquitie) as being will-worſhip.
II Now as touching Exorciſme, (if by that name be vnderſtood, not the ſolemne couenant of Chriſtianitie, but the conjuring of Sathan, and Spirites:) wee altogeather refuſe the ſame, as being raſhly and fooliſhly drawen from thoſe that were poſſeſſed with Diuels, to be applied vntounto men that were in their right wits, and to the infants of Chriſtians.
III Yet did not theſe ſpots, though filthie, and loathſom, and therefore to be carefully abolliſhed, anihilate Baptiſme, as long as the eſſentiall forme thereof remained.
11 The firſt that the Lorde appointed to publiſhe this action was IOHN, therefore called the Baptiſt; but the Author hereof is properly Chriſt, who onelyonly hath this authority in the houſe of his Father.
12 Nowe, the outward adminiſtration of this Sacrament, as alſo the ſimple preaching of the worde, hee hath committed vntounto Paſtors lawfully called.
Their error therefore is very greeuous, who commit this office vntounto priuate men, and much more greeuous, who giuegive women leaue to intermeddle in this action, in the cauſe of neceſsitie, as they call it.
13 ALTHOVGH, they are not to be accounted to hauehave a lawfull calling, who hauehave inuaded the places of true Paſtors, either by a common error, or by long permiſsion: yet are they to be DISTINGVISHED from meere priuat mē.
Therefore, Baptiſme adminiſtred by them, according to the forme appointed by Chriſt is to ſtand: Yet are not they to be excuſed, who, now that the holy Miniſterie is in ſome ſort reformed; doe as farre as in them lyeth, confirme the falſe calling of theſe men, by giuing their children to be Baptized of them.
14 To the end in the mean time, that all theſe things may bee lawfully done, they are to be ſo performed in the Church, as it may be vnderſtood what is done, & therfore a certaine forme (togeather with meet & conuenient praiers) is to be vſed in the vulgar tongue, which may declare the originall vſe, and end of Baptiſme.
Therefore alſo, Baptiſme is profaned by them, who either adminiſter the ſame without any expoſition, or depraue the adminiſtration thereof by ſome falſe worſhippe, or adminiſter it in a ſtraunge and an vnknowen tongue: Although it be true Baptiſme, as long, as that remaineth which is the chiefe thing therein; namelie, the ſigne, and the right inuocation of the Father, the Son, and the holy Ghoſt; for Baptiſme doth neither depend vppon the faith, nor yet is defiled by the ſinnes of him that adminiſtreth it, but is grounded onelyonly vppon the ordinance of the Sonne of God.
15 The Analogie furthermore, of the ſignes and the things ſignified is manifeſt: For the element of water, vſed for the waſhing of the outwarde filthines, doth moſt fitlie repreſent that blood, which was ſhead, for the taking away of the ſinnes of the world, and applied to purifie vsus: Briefelie, that either dipping into, or ſprinckling of the water, though it bee but done in a ſhort ſpace, doth yet clearelie repreſent the firſt part of our regeneration; that is, the ſealing of our inward and ſpirituall ingraffing into Chriſt his death and buriall; whereby our olde man, togeather with all our ſinnes, being by little and little brought to decay, is altogeather buried. Laſt of all, in that hee who is baptized, whether hee bee dipt vnderunder the water, or ſprinckled duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page with the ſame, doth yet riſe again: it laieth open, as it were before our eies, the remiſsion of our ſinnes, and the riſing againe of our new man.
16 The proper end of Baptiſme is, that by this ſolemne and holy action, wee might bee knowen by the teſtimony of men and Angels, to bee in the number of the viſible Church, & alſo that by meanes of this action, the adoption of the elect, might to their full aſſurance, bee more & more ſealed by the holy Ghoſt in their hearts.
17 The principall efficient cauſe heereof, is the holie Ghoſt; who in his good time doth inwardly performe, that which by the word of promiſe, accompanied with outward ſignes, is declared vntounto the mind: Whence alſo may be gathered, what are the effects of Baptiſme.
18 Now, the inſtrumental cauſe of the efficacie of baptiſme is the very ſame, that maketh the worde alone to bee powerfull; namly, faith wrought by the holy Ghoſt, throgh the hearing of the word in thoſe that are of age.
I Their error therefore is intollerable, who dreame, that there is any diuine power, either in the water, or in the rites of Baptiſme, ſeeing that whole efficacie, is ſolie the worke of the holie Ghoſt, which can bee communicated vntounto no creature.
II Now, whereas in the Scriptures, and in the writing of the Fathers, that is ſometimes aſcribed vntounto the outwarde Baptiſme, which is properlie belonging vntounto the inward, or that vntounto the ſigne, which appertaineth vntounto the thing ſignified, or to the Miniſter which is proper vntounto the holy Ghoſt alone: this commeth to paſſe, not becauſe that that thing which is the onelyonly worke of the power of God, can bee any waies transferred to any other thing: but that the truth of that, which is ſignified by the Sacrament, may in regard of God who promiſeth be knowen to be alwaies preſent.
III They are alſo greatly deceiued, who thinke, that Baptiſme was properly and chiefly ordained, to the end that Chriſtians might by that outward mark, be diſcerned from all other people.
19 Now the ſignes themſelues, hauehave no other force, then of Sacramentall ſignification; that is, to call the thing ſignified, not onelyonly vntounto our remembrance, but alſo offer the ſame vntounto vsus to be receiued by faith.
20 Seeing Regeneration, wherof Baptiſme is the pledge, is onelyonly begun in the Saints, the jangling Sophiſters doe greeuouſlie erre, who thinke that originall ſinne, which is the corruption of nature, is altogether taken away by baptiſme, and that by the worke wrought; that is, by the verie action of Baptiſme, and that it is abolliſhed from the verie ſame moment that Baptiſme is receiued; neither will they hauehave that fire of concupiſcence, which remaineth in thoſe that are baptized, to be accounted a ſinne.
Defended by ANTHONY THYSIVS a Low-countrey man.