Aphorisms of Christian Religion, Chapter 24
CHAP. XXIIII. Of Baptiſme.
I. APHORISME.
BAptiſme is the firſt Sacrament of the new Teſtament or couenant of grace, wherein according to Chriſts aMat. 28.19inſtitution the Chriſtian is dipped in water or ſprinkled with water, by the Miniſter of the Church, to repreſent the ſhedding of the bloud of Chriſt vponupon the Croſſe, and to teſtifie to him, that the remiſſion of ſinsis purchaſed for him by the bloud of Chriſt, and to ſeale his regeneration by the holy Ghoſt, which grace is purchaſed alſo fot the elect, by the bloud of Ieſus Chriſt: and laſtly to ſeale his communion and felowſhip with Chriſt in the kingdome of heauen: and ſo in like manner the Baptiſed makes publique profeſſion, that his harts deſire is to be one of the people and Church of God.
II.
Whereas we ſay that Baptiſme is a Sacrament, we hauehave already ſhewed in the former Chapter what this word ſignifieth.
III.
We ad that Baptiſme is a Sacrament of the new Teſtament, or couenant of grace, becauſe it was inſtituted by Chriſt after his incarnation: firſt adminiſtred amongſt the Iewes by Iohn the Baptiſt, & Chriſt himſelfe, next among all nations by the Apoſtles and their ſucceſſours.
IIII.
We call Baptiſme the firſt Sacrament of the new Teſtament, in reſpect of the ſecond, which is the Lords Supper: for Baptiſme is the Sacrament of our firſt aAct. 2.4.1. Iohn. 41.entrance, and admiſſion into the viſible Church of Chriſt, that we may be of the number of Gods childrē & ſo accounted, & may enioy their bIbid. v. 42.priuiledges. And therfore men vnbaptiſed may not be admitted to the Lordes Supper, like as in times paſt vnderunder the old Teſtament, the Sacracrament of their firſt cMat. 23.15.entrance into the Church was Circumciſion, and none dExod. 13.48vncircumciſed was to eate the paſſeouer.
V.
We ſay that the perſon to be Baptiſed ought to be a aMar. 16.16 Act. 8.36.37.38. Act. 2.41. Act. 16.14.15.31.32.33.Chriſtian: by which name we vnderſtand not onelyonly men of yeares, lately conuerted to the Chriſtiā faith, but alſo young bAct. 16.33. Exod. 12.48.infants the children of Chriſtian parents: whereby may appeare that the ſpeach of the common people is erroneous, when as deſiring Baptiſme of the Paſtour of the Church for their infants, they ſay, God hath giuen me a child, I pray you make it a Chriſtian ſoule. For Baptiſme doth not make a Chriſtian, but ſignifieth and marketh vsus for Chriſtians.
VI.
We adde further that Baptiſme is to be adminiſtred by the Miniſter of the Church: bicauſe Baptiſme is a part of the Eccleſiaſticall aMat. 28.19Miniſterie, which none may bHeb. 5.4.meddle with but they which are thereunto lawfully called: for to whom Chriſt gaue cōmiſſion to Baptiſe, to them alſo he gaue charge to preach his holy word: and what God hath ioyned together, cMat. 19.6.no man may put aſunder. Thoſe women therfore ſinne, which in their fained cauſe of neceſſitie do adminiſter this holy Sacrament: yea they ſin dangerouſly, for baptizing without any commiſſion frō God, nay d1. Cor. 14.34. 1. Tim. 2.22.contrary to his word: and for aſcribing to any externall thing our euerlaſting ſaluation, which is to be ſought only in the death of Chriſt and in the promiſe of grace. The ſame is to be thought alſo if any man not called to the Miniſtery of the Goſpell do Baptiſe.
VII.
Water onelyonly is to be vſed in Baptiſme and no other liquor: for that Gods commandement is of water only, and the practiſe of the faithfull ſeruauntes of God, which firſt miniſtred the ſame (as Iohn Baptiſt, Chriſt and his Apoſtles and their ſucceſſours) can teach vsus.
VIII.
And whether the Baptized be dipped in water, and that once or thriſe, or hauehave the water ſprinkled or powred vponupon him, it is a matter indifferent, and ought to be free in the Church according to the diuerſitie of countreys. For although it be manifeſt that dipping in the water was vſed in the aIohn. 3.23. Mat. 3.16. Act. 8.38.39. Rom. 6.4.5. foreign.primitiue Church: yet the originall Baptizing doth ſignifie not onelyonly to be dipped in the water, but alſo to be wet with water any way.
IX.
Moreouer Baptiſme is giuen vsus of God to this end: firſt for the confirmation of our owne faith to our ſelues, next for the manifeſtatiō of our profeſſion among mē.
X.
Baptiſme helpes our faith three wayes, teſtifying vntounto vsus of three things, which we receiue by faith: for firſt it is an inſtruction and ſymbole thereunto, of the aAct. 2.37. &c. 22.16.remiſſion of ſinnes, next of our bRom. 6.4. Tit. 3.5.renouation by the holy Ghoſt, laſtly of our vnion and cGal. 3.28.communion with Chriſt.
XI.
Firſt concerning forgiueneſſe of ſins, Baptiſme both teacheth and ſealeth the ſame in a ſpeciall manner vnderunder the figure and type of waſhing aAct. 22.16 Soph. 5.26. Tit. 3.5.6.& purging vsus: for as by water the filthines of the body is purged and waſhed away, So by the bloud bIohn. 1.7.of Chriſt all the pollutions of the faithfull are waſhed and purged.
XII.
And this confirmation which we hauehave by Baptiſme concernes the whole life, all, and eueryevery one of the ſinnes of our life: for the bloud of Chriſt, whereof Baptiſme is the ſeale, purgeth a1. Iohn. 1.7vsus from all ſinne. Therfore ſo oftē as we fall, we ſhould call our Baptiſme to minde, and thereby arme our ſelues, that we may euer reſt aſſured of the free pardon of our ſinnes, for that the bloud of Chriſt is that fotūaine which is bZach. 13.1.opened to the houſe of Dauid and to the inhabitants of Ieruſalem, that is, to all the faithfull, to waſh them from ſin, and from vncleaneſſe.
XIII.
Let no mā by this doctrine gather any libertie to ſinne: for this doctrine is not taught, but for the conſolation of them which be truly humbled, and for afflicted ſoules and conſciences. Againe, Baptiſme doth no leſſe warne vsus of our aRom. 6.4.mortification and dying vntounto ſinne, then of the remiſſion of our ſinnes by Chriſt.
XIIII.
Therefore the ſecond end of our Baptiſme is our aTit. 3.5.regeneration: for this Chriſt promiſeth to worke in vsus by his holy ſpirite, and ſo doth indeede: and this grace alſo he merited for vsus of his father, by his death and paſſion.
XV.
Where we muſt obſerue that this renewing of nature is aRom. 7.imperfect in this life: but yet ſo be we renewed that this ſinne dwelling in vsus, raigneth bRom. 6.4.not, nor hath dominion ouer vsus: but by the grace of Gods ſpirite is dayly more and more mortified in vsus.
XVI.
The third benefite by Baptiſme, is our holy vnion and communion with Chriſt: that we may know, that we are vnited a1. Cor. 11.15.and receiued to felowſhip with Chriſt & knit vntounto him as the members to the head: and therfore ſhalbe coheires with him in heauen. For Chriſt to this end ſanctified Baptiſme in bMath. 3.16.his owne body, that he might hauehave it as commō with vsus, that ſo it might be as a moſt ſure bande of our vnion and communion with him. And Paule hereby proueth vsus to be the ſons of God, becauſe that in Baptiſme we hauehave put cGal. 3.14.on Chriſt; that is, becauſe by the ſeale and teſtimony of our Baptiſme, were are ioyned vntounto Chriſt the onelyonly begotten ſonne of God.
XVII.
And thus theſe three ends of Baptiſme ſerue right well for the confirmation of our faith, and ſo may miniſter great comfort vntounto vsus. Againe, for our profeſſion, among men, Baptiſme is a badge of that, for thereby we teſtifie that our deſire is, to be aIohn. 4.1. Act. 2.41.numbred among Gods people, profeſſing that we conſent with all Chriſtiās in one forme of the religious worſhip of one God onelyonly, and this profeſſion alſo reſpecteth the glory of God. And this meaning hath Chriſt, when he commandeth to baptize bMat. 28.19. foreign.in the name of the Father, the Sonne and the holy Ghoſt: that is, that by Baptiſme men may be bounde to worſhip the true God, who is Father, Sonne and holy Ghoſt: and that this phraſe is ſo to be vnderſtood, the very wordes of the Apoſtle can teach vsus. 1. Cor. 1. v. 12.13.14.15.
XVIII.
Now by the premiſſes learne, that they onelyonly rightly receiue and rightly vſe Baptiſme, which referre it to the ends for the which Chriſt ordained it, that is, that they may feele, and by faith receiue remiſſion of ſins, regeneration and life euerlaſting in Chriſt alone: & ſo receiue Baptiſme as Gods holy ſeale of all theſe benefites.
XIX.
Therfore thoſe men greatly abuſe Baptiſme, which ſeeke remiſſion of ſinnes in that externall actiō: as if the power of waſhing away ſinnes were ſhut vp in the very element, or at the leaſt in the bloud of Chriſt as lying hid therein.