The New Covenant, Book 2 · Chapter 11
CHAP. XI. Of the fourth inward part of baptiſme.
THe laſt inward part of baptiſme is the ſouleaThe ſoule clenſed is the laſt inward part of baptiſme. cleanſed, moſt liuely repreſented by the bodye that is waſhed. For as the outward receiuer giueth his body to be waſhed, ſo the faithfull receiuer doth conſecrate himſelfe to God with ioy, and forſake the fleſh, the world, and the Diuell, and feeleth the inward waſhing of the Spirit, as Titus 3, 5. According to his bTit. 3, 5. Eph. 2, 26, 27mercy he ſaued vsus, by the waſhing of the new birth, and the renewing of the Holy-Ghoſt. And the ſame apoſtle Eph. 5. Chriſt gaue himſelfe for the Church, that hee might ſanctifie it, and cleanſe it by waſhing of water through the word, that he might make it vntounto himſelfe a glorious Church, not hauing ſpot or wrinkle. Wherefore, this outward waſhing of the body commanded by Chriſt, ſignifieth vntounto me, that I am no leſſe aſſuredly cleanſed in his blood by the working of his Spirit from the ſpots of my ſoule, that is, from all my ſins, then I am outwardly waſhed by water, whereby the ſtaines of the body vſe to be waſhed away: and it bindeth vsus that we ought euer afterward by our workes and deeds to declare newnes of life and fruites of repentance.
Vſe 1 Let vsus now come to the vſes of this laſt part of baptiſme. Doth the waſhing of the body repreſent the clenſing of the ſoule? And doth the ſoking vp of the filthines of the fleſh ſignifie the remouing of the remnants of rebellion? Then we are all by nature vnwiſe, vncleane, vnrighteous, vnregenerate, vnholy, diſobedient, diſordered, deceiuing and being deceiued: we are the veſſels of wrath, the children of death, the bond-ſlaues of Sathan, the heires of damnation, we hauehave our part and portion in the offence of Adam, cRom. 5, 10. & 7, 23, 24.as Rom. 5. By one man ſin entred into the world: and ch. 7. I ſee another law in my members, rebelling against the law of my mind, and leading me captiue vntounto the law of ſin, which is in my mēbers. O wretched man that I am, who ſhal deliuer me from the body of this death? Hereunto alſo commeth that which thedIoh 3, 5, 6, 7. Euangeliſt ſetteth downe in the conference betweene Chriſt and Nicodemus, Ioh. 3. That which is born of fleſh is fleſh, and that which is borne of the Spirit is Spirit: maruell not that I ſaid vntounto thee, ye muſt be borne againe. For this cauſe are infants baptized, becauſe they are conceiued in ſin & borne in iniquity, and cannot become ſpiritual, but by a new birth wrought by the Spirit, which is ſealed vp by the water in baptiſme.
Vſe 2 Againe, this ſerueth to ſtrengthen our faith whē we behold the outward waſhing, pouring out of the water, and baptizing of the body, it aſſureth the inward clenſing of the ſoule by the blood of Chriſt offered to all, and receiued of thoſe that are elected to eternall ſaluation. This then is the right and holy vſe of baptiſme. Doeſt thou feele inwardly in thine heart, that through the corruption of thy nature & ſtrength of concupiſcence thou art moued, tempted, and prouoked to commit ſin? And dooſt thou feele thy ſelfe ready to yeeld to Sathan, and ſo to fall from God into euill? Begin to hauehave ſome holy meditation of that ſolemne vow which thou madeſt to God in baptiſme, when thou diddeſt conſecrate and giuegive vp thy ſelfe wholy to his ſeruice, and didſt renounce obedience to the ſuggeſtions of Sathan, to the allurements of the world, and to the corruptions of the fleſh. For baptiſme is theeBaptiſme is a Chriſtian mans enſigne to fight vnderunder it the battels of the Lord. Chriſtian mans enſigne giuen of God to vsus, that we ſhould fight as it were vnderunder it againſt al the enemies of our ſaluation, & ouercome. It is the badge and banner of our Captaine, that we ſhrouding our ſelues vnderunder his colours, ſhould not cowardly turne our backe in the skirmiſh, but couragiouſly looke the enemy in the face, nay tread him vnderunder our feete for euer. For we muſt learne, that when we are once baptized (whereby wee put on the profeſsion of Ieſus Chriſt and receiue his cognizance) we declare our ſelues to be his ſeruants, and vow our ſelues to be his ſouldiors; and therefore bee ſure of this, and ſet it downe as an infallible truth, that Sathan will bee our profeſſed enemy, both alluring of vsus vntounto himſelfe and his ſeruice, and diſcouraging of vsus from reſting vnderunder the banner of our chiefe Captaine Chriſt Ieſus our Lord. This then ought to be the continuall vſe of our baptiſme throughout the whole courſe of our life, ſo often as we think vponupon it, or ſee the ſame Sacrament adminiſtred vntounto others, to remember what place we are called vntounto, and what a ſtrong enemy we are to encounter withall, that his threatnings do not diſcourage vsus, nor his allurements entiſe vsus, nor his ſubtilties deceiue vsus, nor his roarings deuoure vsus: and by al theſe (which are ſo many baites and ſnares to entrap vsus) let vsus be made more wary and watchful, that we may know both his pollicy and our owne infirmity: his ſtrength and our owne weaknes. Chriſt our Sauiour was no ſooner baptized of Iohn, but by and by he was tempted in the wildernes, as appeareth Math. 3, 16. compared with Math. 4, 1.Mat. 3, 10. and 4, 1. Acts 7, 23. When it came into the heart of Moſes to viſite his brethren, then his trouble began, and he was driuen out of the Land of Egipt. Paul liued in great credit among the Phariſies, and in much fauour with the Iewes; Acts 9, 23.but when he was once baptized and made a Preacher of the Goſpell, he was neuer free frō trouble, but was vexed with iniuries and laden with al kinde of ſlanderous accuſations. This is a meditation moſt needfull to be thought vponupon. When we are baptized, we renounce the Diuell and all his workes, wee receiue the Preſſemony of Ieſus Chriſt, and giuegive our names to be inrolled in his muſter booke: we are thereby become his ſouldiors and fight his battels againſt ſin. We hauehave bound our ſelues to become his ſeruāts, to do that which is acceptable to God, profitable to our brethren, and comfortable to our owne conſcience, and to adorne our liues with a godly conuerſation. But if we fight vnderunder the banner of Sathan,Who are reuolters from their baptiſm. & ſwarme with looſe and vngodly practiſes, we reuolt from our baptiſme, albeit our names are regiſtred in the number of the baptized. Moreouer, haſt thou through weaknes and infirmity fallen into ſome ſin, to the diſhonor of thy God, to the wounding of thine owne conſcience, to the ſlander of the Goſpel, or to the ſcandal and offence of thy weak brother? HaueHave recourſe to thy baptiſme, as vntounto a board after ſhipwracke, as vntounto a medicine after ſickneſſe, as vntounto a plaiſter after wounding, or as vntounto a ſtaffe after falling: that thou maieſt receiue ſtrength, courage, and comfort to thy ſoule. For albeit baptiſme be once onelyonly adminiſtred for the reaſons before alledged, chap. 1. of this preſent booke: yet it being once deliuered and receiued, teſtifieth that all our ſinnes paſt, preſent, and to come are waſhed away and ſhall be forgiuen. The fruite or efficacy of the Sacrament is not to be reſtrained and tyed to the preſent time of perſonall receiuing, but extendeth it ſelfe to the whole courſe of our life afterward.
Euen as that voice which ſaid in the beginning, Gen. 1. Encreaſe and multiply, and repleniſh the earth, was ſpoken indeed but once, howbeit it hath alwayes his effect and operation,Chryſoſt. homil. de prod. Iud. nature working to generation: ſo the words in baptiſme which are once onelyonly pronounced, I baptize thee in the name of the Father, and of the Sonne, and of the Holy-Ghoſt, are effectuall, forcible, and auaileable all the dayes of our life, and ſound aloud continually in our eares, as if they were vttered afreſh, and as if we heard Chriſt ſay particularly vntounto eueryevery one of vsus as he did to the man ſicke of the palſie, Sonne, bee of good cheere, thy ſinnes bee forgiuen thee, Mat. 9, 2.Mat. 9, 2.
Vſe 3 Thirdly, ſeeing the waſhing of the bodye betokeneth the cleanſing of the ſoule, it teacheth that baptiſme is not to be handled in ſport. It is a ſerious action of the Church to be adminiſtred in the preſence of God the author of it, it is not as a ſtage-like geſture that may be counterfeited & repreſented for a ſhew only. To this purpoſe there is required a cleere, plaine, and euident rehearſall of the words of inſtitution, that the promiſe made of God may be vnderſtood of the hearers, and eſpecially a calling vponupon the name of God the Father, the Son, and the Holy-Ghoſt. True it is, what manner of element is to be applyed, and what forme of baptizing is to be vſed, is limited and expreſſed in the Scriptures: but what admonitions and exhortations, or what prayers and ſupplications are to be made, the Scripture doth not determine nor deliuer, but leaueth it free, as ſhall bee thought fit for the edification of the Church of Chriſt. By the vertue of this inuocation of the name of God and vſing the words of inſtitution according to the commandement of Chriſt, it commeth to paſſe, that the ſprinkling of water is made a certaine pledge of the ſprinkling of the bloud of Chriſt, 1 Pet. 1.1 Pet 1, 2. Titus 3, 5. a ſigne of our regeneration and of remiſsion of ſins. For what folly were it to imagine that the power of God is weaker in one Sacrament then in the other? That his word ſhould be operatiue in the one, and idle or of no force in the other? Hence it is, that the Fathers of the Church do oftentimes reaſon from baptiſm vntounto the Supper of the Lord. Epiphanius ſaith,Epiph. contra. haer. lib. 3. ca. 52 Euſeb. Emiſſen. The ſtrength of the bread and the vertue of the water are made powerfull in Chriſt, &c. Euſebius Emiſſenus, applying himſelfe to declare what manner of change is made in the bread and wine of the Supper, layeth it out by a familiar compariſon with that which is wrought in the regeneration of man; hee continueth one and the ſame, to wit, in ſubſtance, and yet is become quite another manner of man through the growth and increaſe of faith. Wherefore it muſt be miniſtred with great reuerence, and we ſhould attend religiouſly vntounto it, no leſſe then we ought to do to the word of God, and to the Supper of the Lord: foraſmuch as one Chriſt is offered, yea eaten and drunken in them all.
The Goſpell is the power of God vntounto ſaluation, it is the immortall ſeed of regeneration,Rom. 1, 16. it offereth vsus the forgiuenes of our ſinnes, and worketh in vsus the ſame that baptiſme and the Lords Supper, and it maketh vsus one with Chriſt who is the ſubſtance of the word and Sacraments, and he is communicated to vsus in them both. Wherefore whenſoeuer we come to be partakers of baptiſme and to bee preſent at it, we muſt come with a reuerent and religious conſideration of thoſe holy actions, and ſet our ſelues with all care before the Lord, of whom wee ought earneſtly to beg and deſire his Spirit to teach vsus the truth of our Baptiſme, the aſſurance of the forgiueneſſe of our ſinnes, and the purging of our conſciences from dead workes. We come oftentimes and ordinarily to this Sacrament, we ſee children incorporated into the Church, and ſealed vp to be members of Chriſt, and yet ſildome or neuer remember what vow we hauehave made to God, and whoſe we are by our profeſsion: no not in the preſent worke doth any ſuch cogitation or conſideration enter into the hearts of many, yea the moſt ſort ſee the water ſprinkled, and heare the words pronounced, but eſteeme it little, as a matter belonging nothing at all vntounto them. There is none that come to heare the word and to receiue the Lords Supper, but they thinke it pertaineth no leſſe (if not more) to them then it doth vntounto others: but touching baptiſme and making any vſe at all of it, they put it farre from them, they know they are already baptized, and are to be baptized no more; they turne it & paſſe it ouer ſlightly to the infant that is brought, & to the well-beloued friends and neighbours that bring it, ſaying to themſelues as the Phariſies did in another caſe to Iudas, Mat. 27, 4.what is that to vsus? ſee thou to that. But we cannot ſo ſhift ouer the matter, our baptiſme will cleaue more cloſely vntounto vsus, it hath made ſuch an impreſsion in vsus and ſticketh ſo neere vntounto vsus, that it can neuer be blotted out, nor wiped away, it ſummoneth vsus to God, and telleth vsus that we are not our owne, but he challengeth vsus wholy to himſelfe, and will not let vsus no from him.
Vſe 4 Laſtly, is the cleanſing and purifying of the foule repreſented by the waſhing of the body? Then from hence ariſeth vntounto vsus great comfort in baptiſme, namely that it is no idle, no needleſſe, nor ſuperfluous thing, but of great power, force, and vertue. For the water is not bare water, but the water of regeneration, being rightly vſed, and adminiſtred by thoſe onelyonly that are lawfully called to the office, and hauehave a warrant from God and commiſsion from the Church to that purpoſe. It belongeth not to any priuate perſons, men or women, much leſſe to children to make a toy or ſport of it, as it is ſaid of Athanaſius, that being yet a childe & not knowing what he did,Ruffin. lib. 1. cap 14. 1, Cor. 13, 11. or with what he medled, hee baptized. Of whom we may ſay as Paul doth, 1. Cor. 13. When I was a child, I ſpake as a ch…lde, I vnderſtood as a childe, I thought as a childe: but when I became a man, I put away childiſh things. Or as the wiſe man doth, Eccl. 11.Eccl. 11.10. Baptiſme admi…iſtred in ſport, is no baptiſme. Childhood and youth are vanity. Heereby can come no ſanctification nor cleanſing of the ſoule, and therefore are they deceiued that receiue it for good, and ratifie it for authenticall: foraſmuch as eueryevery ſuch baptiſme vndertaken by priuate perſons in caſe of neceſsity, or by children after an apiſh imitation, is no baptiſme at all, neither is that water conſecrated water but common and prophane, and therefore conſequently that waſhing or ſprinkling is to bee accounted as common and prophane alſo. If a Child ſhould take vponupon him to miniſter the Supper of the Lord, that knoweth not what it meaneth, and charge the people to examine thēſelues, that hath not learned as yet to examine himſelfe, all men muſt confeſſe this were a great prophanation of this Sacramēt by no meanes to be ſuffered: or if he ſhould ſtep vp into the chaire of Moſes, and offer fondly and childiſhly to vtter the word of God, who would regard it? Or who would care for it? Shall we ſay, this were to adminiſter the Supper of the Lord, or to preach the Goſpell of Chriſt? Or ſhall we imagine that any fruit or benefit can come hereby? So may we ſay of Baptiſm, it is prophaned by vnfit perſons, & not profitably adminiſtred. But to leaue theſe abuſes, which we hauehave touched & conuinced before, let vsus ſee what are the comforts that ariſe from this inward part of this Sacrament, which are of diuers ſorts; for hence floweth as from a plentifull ſpring comfort to the whole Church, comfort to the parents of the perſons baptized, & comfort to the infants themſelues.Comfort to the wh…le Chu…ch. It reacheth to the whole Church, becauſe when it beholdeth water ſanctified and ſet apart for baptiſme and ſpirituall waſhing of the ſoule repreſented by the outward cleanſing of the body, they may ſee as it were Chriſt crucified and his blood poured out before their eyes. When we feele our hearts at any time caſt downe by the ſight of our ſins, and finde the burthen of thē to be intollerable vntounto vsus, we muſt lift vp our eyes to heauen, and in a ſweet meditation of this holy ſprinkling of the blood of Chriſt aſſure our conſciences therby, that he hath waſhed them all away, that they ſhall not be imputed vntounto vsus, nor be able to worke our condemnation. We are alſo put in minde heereby, that we are fellow-members of one and the ſame body, foraſmuch as we hauehave all one baptiſme, Ephe. 4.Eph. 4, 5. as we hauehave all one Lord and Father, all one faith and hope of eternall life. Hence it is, that at the birth of Iohn the Church reioyced, comming together to hauehave him circumciſed. Let vsus therfore be ready to ioyne together in this worke, in praier and thankſgiuing, let vsus addreſſe our ſelues to be as witneſſes and approuers of it, that wee may receiue comfort by it, being euermore taught and confirmed in the truth of our baptiſme, and remembring what we hauehave promiſed to God, that we may be carefull to performe our promiſe, and fearefull to breake couenant with him. In this reſpect the Church is ſaid to circumciſe,*Luke 1, 59. 1 Cor. 11, 5. and to propheſie and make prayer, becauſe it ioyneth together in theſe holy actions. We hauehave all of vsus one entrance into the Church, whereby we profeſſe to go al one way, to walk one courſe, to leade one manner of life, & to ſerue the ſame God.Comfort to parents. Secondly, this comfort extendeth more principally & particularly toward the parents themſelues, then it doth in generall to the whole Church. For they ſee their ſeed together with themſelues ioyned to the Church, and waſhed with the blood of Chriſt: they hauehave the ancient promiſe of God verified vntounto them, I will be thy God and the God of thy ſeed, Gē. 17. which miniſtreth great matter of ioy vntounto thē, ſo that they ſhould reioyce more in this mercy ſhewed toward them, then if they could make thē heires of the world, and leaue them owners of a kingdome. Howbeit this comfort carrieth with it ſundry duties, & putteth them in minde to be thankfull to God, who hath verified his couenant to them and their ſeed; to remember the ordinance of God, that baptiſme is the ſeale of his couenant: and laſtly, to make them diligent in nurtering and inſtructing them in true religion, that ſo their children may learne betimes to become the children of God. For what can more inſlame vsus and ſet an edge vponupon vsus to beſtow paines and labour in the teaching and training of them vp in the feare of God and the knowledge of his waies, then to conſider that God loueth them and vsus, and ſheweth himſelfe the God both of them and of vsus. Laſtly, this comfort reacheth to the infants themſelues that are baptized,Comfort to infants baptized. when they ſhall marke that they are ſolemnly ſet into Chriſt, and receiued into the boſome of the Church. For they hauehave this lauer of regeneration, as it were a pawne of Gods louelove alwaies lying by them, and committed vntounto their truſt, to apply it in time of need, to the aſſurance of their iuſtification and ſanctification, & to the ſtrengthning and confirmation of them in all tentations againſt terrors and feares of conſcience. Ionathan Sauls ſon tooke comfort from hence, and an occaſion to reſt and truſt in God, and to aſſure himſelfe of his helpe, when hee ſpake to his armor bearer, Come & let vsus go ouer vntounto the garriſon of theſe vncircumciſed, 1 Sam. 14, 6.it may be that the Lord wil work for vsus, for there is no reſtraint to the Lord to ſaue by many or by few. The like we ſee in Dauid whē he was to encounter with Goliah, and to deliuer the hoſt of Iſrael from that blaſphemous enemy, Thy ſeruant ſlew the Lyon and the Beare that tooke a Lamb out of the flocke, 1 Sam. 17.26.now this vncircumciſed Phil…ſtim ſhall be as one of them, ſeeing he hath defied the armie of the liuing God. Wher we ſee how they cōfort themſelus in that which they went about, becauſe themſelues were circumciſed & bare a ſign of the couenant in their fleſh, & becauſe they had to do with thoſe that were vncircumciſed. Thus ought our baptiſm, wherby we hauehave put on Chriſt as a garment, to be as a ſhield and buckler to defend vsus in the houre of tentation, and as armour of proofe againſt the aſſaults and fiery darts of the Diuell; aſſuring our ſelues that our engrafting into his body is not an idle ceremony, but ſerueth to make vsus ſtrong in the Lord and in the power of his might, who will bee neere vntounto vsus and ſtand round about vsus in the day of trouble. Thus much touching the fourth and laſt inward part of Baptiſme.