A Key to the Key of Scripture, Chapter 2 · Exposition of verse 26
Verſe 26. Therfore if the vncircumciſion keepe the ordinances of the Law, ſhall not his vncircumciſion be counted for circumciſion.
THe firſt amplification, by Antitheſis: ſumme wherof is this; that as circumciſion without obedience auailes not to ſaluation; ſo obedience, though ſeuered from circumciſion, is in ſome caſe comfortable.
Vncircumciſion; vnderſtand metomynically, the Gentiles vncircumciſed, if it keep the ordinances of the Law. Queſt. Firſt, whether poſſible to keepe the law? Anſ. This ſcripture teacheth no ſuch thing, being hypotheticall. Ob. It ſeemes obedience is requiſite to iuſtification. Anſ. ſo we grant; but then this we diſtinguiſh; that the obedience of the law neceſſarie to iuſtification is performed by beleeuers in their ſuretie Chriſt Ieſus; and this requiſite to eueryevery perſon iuſtified: not by our ſelues, in as much as firſt nature corrupted cannot poſſibly performe iteRom. 8.3.; ſecondly, nature ſanctified is but in part ſanctified. Rom. 7.
Be counted circumciſion.] That is, as well eſteemed, Obſer. as if he were circumciſed. Now here mee thinkes, is more then intimated, that bare want of the Sacrament condemnes not a beleeuer; and that a beleeuer though he want the ſacrament, (that want not ariſing from contempt, but from ineuitable neceſſitie) may be ſaued. See verſe 26. Not to be long this way: it is that the Rhemiſts yeeld vntounto Gentiles before Chriſt not of the ſtocke of Abraham. Whence thus wee reaſon; that if vnderunder the olde teſtament ſacraments were not abſolutely and eueryevery way neceſſary to ſaluation, then may wee not imagine ſuch an abſolute neceſſitie vnderunder the new: but before Chriſt not abſolutely neceſſarie. Ergo, &c. For this were to make our condition worſe then vvas the ſtate of Iewes, &c. Obiect. If any ſhall ſay, that circumciſion was not then inioyned with ſo ſtraight charge as baptiſme now. Anſ. The contrarie appeareth. Gen. 17.14
Secondly, infants many dyed without Circumciſion before the eight day; of whom if wee ſhall conclude they were damned, we ſhall firſt impoſe cryme of tyranny vponupon Gods Commaundement; and ſecondly, (which is not probablef2 Tim. 2.19.,) be able to ſay of ſome particulars, they are damned. Now if bare want of Circumciſion damned not them, neither doth bare want of Baptiſme throw vsus out of hope of ſaluation.
Thirdly, without the Sacrament, righteouſnes and iuſtification may be obtaynedgRom. 4.10.11: if iuſtification, then ſaluation: betwixt which two, the connexion is inſeperable. Rom. 8.30.
Voti…us Baptiſmus.Fourthly, Quid quod? Some of the aduerſaries confeſſe, that there are ſome caſes wherein Baptiſme of water is not abſolutely neceſſarie as in martyrdome; ſecondly, ſpeake of a kinde of Baptiſme in vow, or deſire which in ſome caſe may auaile to ſaluation.
Fiftly, were authours of that diſtinction of neceſſitie: firſt, abſolute; ſecondly, ordinatae poteſtatis.
Whence me thinkes is eaſily concluded, that though Baptiſme be ordinarily neceſſarie to ſaluation, when it may be had; yet not abſolutely neceſſarie, where is a bare want ſeuered from contempt.
Ʋſe. And therefore audacious and vncharitable is that ſentence of Papiſts;Bellar. de Sacr. Bapt. lib. 1. cap. 4. that Baptiſme is neceſſarie as a meane to ſaluation, and that in ſuch ſort, that if a man be not Baptiſed, he periſheth euerlaſtingly, although perhaps for his ignorance, hee may be excuſed from breach of the commandement to that end giuen.
Now ſure their proofes ſhould be pregnant for ſo heauie a doome paſſed on ſo many infants, borne in the Couenant, and yet dying vnbaptiſed. Let vsus heare them.
Firſt, Ioh. 3.5. Except a man be borne againe of water and the holy Ghoſt, hee cannot enter into the kingdome of God. Anſ. How ſtrange is it? that ſo peremptory a concluſion, ſhould be built vponupon a Text, of ſo doubtfull and ambiguous interpretation? how often doth water ſignifie the ſpirithEzec. 36. Ioh. 4.? nay doth not our Sauiour intimate a diſparitie of neceſſitie? when he firſt propounds, after repeates the abſolute neceſſitie of regeneration, without mention of water; and Mar. 16.16. hauing ſaid that who ſo beleeues and is baptiſed ſhall be ſaued, in the Antitheſis ſaith not, hee that is not baptiſed, but only, he that beleeues not ſhall be damned.
And as to their ſecond reaſon from humane teſtimonies, let it ſuffice to oppoſe that one ſentence of Augustine De Baptiſ. contra donatat. Libro 4. cap. 22. that ſuffring ſometimes doth the ſteed of baptiſme, S. Cyprian hath no ſleight proofe from that theefe; to whom (being not baptiſed) it was ſaid, this day ſhalt thou be with me in Paradice. Quod etiam atque etiam conſiderans, (ſaith Austine;) inuenio non tantum paſsionem pro nomine Chriſti id quod ex Baptiſmo deerat, poſſe ſupplere; ſed etiam fidem conuerſionemque cordis, ſi forte ad celebrandum myſterium baptiſmi in Anguſtijs temporū. ſuccuri non poterit. Neque enim Latro ille pro nomine Christi crucifixus est, ſed pro meritis facinorum ſuorum: nec quia credidit paſſus est, ſed dum patitur, credit. Quantum itaque valeat etiam ſine viſibili ſacramento Baptiſmi quod ait Apoſtolus Rom. 10.10. Corde creditur ad iustitiam, ore autem fit confesſio ad ſalutem, in illo Latrone declaratum est: ſed tunc impletur inuiſibiliter, cum myſterium Baptiſmi, non contemptus religionis ſed Articulus neceſſitatis excludit. Thus farre Austine; whoſe ſumme amounteth to this, that though contempt of baptiſme be damnable, yet bare want damnes no man.
Vſe. And let it admoniſh vsus, as to forbeare ſentencing to hell all thoſe that dye without the Sacrament: ſo not to aduenture, vponupon this falſe ſuppoſition of abſolute neceſſitie, intruding into the Miniſters function: diſcomfortable is contempt, dangerous omiſſion of this ordinance, where it may regularly be had; and as dangerous without calling to vſurpe the honour of Aaron, Heb 5.5.