The Badges of Christianity, Book 2 · Chapter 10
Chap 10. Of the third inward part of Baptisme.
THe third inward part of baptisme aThe third inward part of baptisme is Christ Iesus.is Christ, represented and signified by the water. For as the A postle teacheth bHeb. 10, 4That the blood of bulles and calues cannot take away sinne: so the water in baptisme cannot wash away sinnes. It toucheth the body, washeth it, clenseth and purgeth it, but it can proceed no further. For this cAct, 2. 38 & 10, 48, & 19, 5cause the beleeuers are said to be baptized in the name of Christ, as Act, 2, 38. He baptized eueryevery one of you in the name of christ. So chap. 19, 5, They were baptized in the name of the Lord Iesus. Not meaning heerby the forme and manner of baptizing, but the fruite foundation, and end of baptisme. Likewise, d1 Pet. 3. 21.the Apostle sheweth the same, 1 Pet 3, 21. Baptisme answering to the figure of the Arke, saueth vsus by the resurrection of Iesus Christ. There is no more force in outward baptisme to saue, the whole vertue and force floweth from the streame of Christs blood, as the true materiall cause thereof, wherein the power of in ward baptisme doth consist. The truth being euident, that the pouring out of the blood of CHRIST is one of the inward partes of Baptisme, let vsus see the vses.
The vse of this part teacheth diuerse pointes. First, that the outward washing with water, is not the washing away Vse. 1.of sins: for then whosoeuer were dipped in it should receiue forgiuenesse of sinnes, repentance from dead workes, and sanctification of the spirit, whether he beleeued or not: eact. 8. 22,which is otherwise, as we see Act. 8, 22. Also, they should not, and could not be Christians, and eternally saued, which are not outwardly washed, but departing this life without baptisme, they should perish in the next world without redresse or redemption, and so our condicion were worse then the Iewes their condition in times past, and the grace of God more restrained vnderunder the Gospell, then it was vnderunder the law, Moyses offering more mercy then Christ himselfe. So then, the washing with water serueth to ratifie the shedding of Christs blood for the remission of our sinnes, and the imputation of his righteousnesse to our instification, f1 Ioh. 1, 7as 1 Ioh. 1, 7. The blood of Iesus Christ his sonne doth clense vsus from all sinne. So Reuel. 1, 5. He hath loued vsus and washed vsus from our sinnes in his blood, and made vsus Kings and Priestes vntounto GOD euen his father. And Col. 1, 14 the A postle saith, In him wee hauehave redemption by his bloode, that is, forgiuenesse of sinnes.
Againe, when wee see with our bodily eyes the Water poured vponupon the body of the baptized: we must behold Vse. 2and consider with the eyes of faith the blotting out of all our sinnes, as well originall as actuall, as well after baptisme as before baptisme, by the pretious blood of Christ, that wee may assure our selues it is no idle action. For wee must not behold the Sacramentall rites, as certaine dombe gestures or stage-like shewes without substance and signification but wee must make them serue to further our faith and edification.
Lastly, it teacheth vsus, not to be led by the outward senses to measure the truth or to iudge of the substance of baptilme vse. 3.by the outward signe and visible partes: but to hauehave our faith fixed on Christ, crucified on the Crosse, and signified in baptisme. The infidell seeing children solemnely baptized in the name of the father, of the sonne, and of the Holy-ghost, will rashly and ignorantly coniesture nothing to bee there, but naked rites, and bare Water: but the faithfull and true Christian doth beholde the washing of the soule and clensing of the heart by the dearest blood of Christ.
So in the Lordes Supper, to the vnbeleeuer appeareth nothing but Bread and Wine, because we see with our eies, wee receiue … our handes, wee tast with our mouth no more: but the beleeuer knoweth, that together with these signes, GOD the father offereth the body and blood of his Sonne to bee spiritually receiued and digested. Euen as he that is vnlettered and vnlearned, if hee looke gEsa, 29, 11, 12.vponupon the face of a booke, beholdeth onelyonly blacke coulours, and spottes vppon the Paper, seeth certaine figures and charusters of Letters differing each from other, but cannot read the writing or comprehende the meaning: but hee that hath learned his Letters and is able to reade them, reapeth greate profit and instruction thereby: So is it in the …. Hee that resteth in the outward signe, deceiueth himselfe: but hee that respecteth the thinge signified receiueth the profit and aduantage.
The Crosse of CHRIST, and preaching of the Gospell, h1 Cor. 1. 23, 24.are a stumbling blocke to the Iewes, and foolishnesse to the Gracians. For the infidell hearing that christ was crucified and nailed vponupon the crosse, is offended at him, accounting it a foolish & weak means to saue mankind, that life should spring out of death, glory come out of shame, power proceed out of weakenesse, and triumphant victory arise out of his contemptible sufferings: but the faithfull soule acknowledgeth in this mystery of Godlinesle, the high hand and vnsearchable wisedome of God. It may seeme ridiculous vntounto some men, iGen 17, 10that God should require circumcision of Abraham and of his houshold, young and old, bond and free, maister and seruants to vncouer all their shames, and to open the hidden partes of nature: yet Abraham submitttd himselfe to the ordinance of God. Naamaen the Syrian thought it a toyish precept & prescript, when he was bidden to wash himselfe 7. times in Iordin, hauing many riuers in his owne countrey as good as that: yet by k2 king. 5, 11 12, 14obeying the prophet, he was clensed of his Leprosie. The inhabitants of Iericho scorned Ioshua and the men of Israell, when they saw them compasse their Citty strong and walled, lIosh. 6, 20and to blow with their Rammes hornes: yet by this weake meanes the wall fel downe, the enemies were destroyed, the citty was sacked, and the people of God …. Christ seeing a blinde man and willing to heale him, he spat on the ground, mIoh. 9, 6and made clay of spittle, and annoynted the eies of the blinde with the clay, and said vntounto him, Go, wash in the poole of Siloam: he obeyed, he went, he washed, he returned seeing.
Thus doth God by simple, base, and weake things, oftentimes confound the mighty, strong, and wise of the world, that no flesh should reioyce in his presence, and crosseth all the high conceites and proud imaginations of mans wil and wit. Wherefore we must not follow our owne vnderstanding, nor measure the matters of God by the crooked rule of our carnall reason. Whosoeuer will yeald obedience to God must deny himselfe, and renounce his own wisedome, n1 Cor. 3. 18 19and become a foole that he may be wise in God, as 1 cor. 3, Let no man deceiue himselfe, if any man among you seeme to bec wise in this world, let him be a foole that he may be wise, for the wisedome of this world is foolishnesse with God.
Thus we see, that in the Sacramentes we must vnderstand more then we see, and beleeue more then we can behold. Such … are without knowledge and faith, … no more of baptisme then the bodily eie directeth them vntounto: but the faithfull conceiue the blood of Christ to be offered, to … the soule and conscience from all sinn, oGen. 2, xas the riuer watered the garden of Eden.