The Substance of Christian Religion, Lecture 26-27
The six and seven and twentieth Lords day.
Mat. 28. 19.
Go ye therefore and teach all Nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Sonne, and of the Holy Ghost.
HEre is expounded the command of Christ, which being now about to ascend into Heaven, he left unto his Apostles. It contains two principal duties. 1. The preaching and publishing of that Doctrine taught by Christ. 2. The administration of the Sacraments by him appointed. For in this place by Baptisme (according to that usual borrowing of speech, called Synecdoche, that puts sometimes one sort for the whole kind, and sometimes contrarily) the other Sacrament of the Supper is understood; but here Baptisme is rather named than the other: 1. Because it is the first Sacrament, and that of initiation, and receiving solemnly into the Church, on which the other for this cause doth depend. 2. Because it chiefly belonged unto the Apostles office, by themselves, or by others to see this Sacrament rightly administred, who were rather sent to plant, and gather or build Churches from their first beginnings, than to feed, govern, and further build, or advance them, after they were first planted. And Baptisme belongs particularly to the first ingrafting into Christ, and to plan…ation; and the Supper unto feeding, and growth after planting. Now Baptisme is expounded in this place… 1. From its object, or parties to be baptized▪ Baptizing them: that is, such as are already trained up▪ in Christ's Doctrine, or …ade his … or … lars, as the Greek word signifies, foreign, make them my …chollars, or Disciples. 2. From the …orme, or manner of doing it; to wit, in the name of the Father▪ Son, and Holy Ghost. By which forme or modell are designed: 1. The efficient causes, by whose authority Baptisme▪ is exercised, and made effectual; and that is by the name, or authority and power of Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. …. The union of the baptized, that they are to have with the Father, Sonne, and Holy Spirit, in the participation of all their graces of justification, sanctification, adoption, &c. that from the Father, in the Son, and by the Spirit, are derived unto all the heirs of eternal salvation; and in the profession and practice of all the outward Ordinances and meanes, that Christ taught them, whereby to attain to those inward gra…es, and to keep, and advance them, by the same Spirit in the Son and from the Father.
Doct. 1. Baptisme is the Sacrament of our ingrafting, and initiation or first reception into Christ.
This is hence gathered, in that all that are already taught Christ's Doctrine, and made his Schollars professedly, are the… presently to be haptized, that so they may be registred as it were amongst the domesticks or housholders of Christ.
Reas. 1. This appears in that baptisme came in the place of Circumcision; and Circumcision was the Sacrament of first admition amongst the people of God.
Reas. 2. In Baptisme is represented the death of fin, and mortifying of the old man; a washing and cleansing from sin; and bringing of a man from death to life: All which do most properly denote our first vocation and therefore also Baptism is called by Scripture it self, the Sacrament of regeneration, or washing of regeneration.
Reas. 3. Because by our Baptisme our first solem… reception into Christ's Family, and Kingdome is represented; and therefore also we are said to be baptised into Christ; by this therefore Baptisme is distinguished from the Lord's Supper, because however it seal the same blessings, as to the main businesse that the other doth, yet it doth it not after the same manner, but Baptisme denotates their beginning, and the Supper their progress and advancement.
Use, Of Direction, how we should make constant and perpetual use of our Baptisme; to wit, if we take occasion often to meditate on it, and the graces of God sealed in it on God's part, and our return of universal obedience sealed too on our part▪ and of the favour God did us, thus solemnly to receive us into Covenant with him, and into his Church, the true confederates of God, or number of them that are saved by Christ; and if from this faith and belief, thus sealed and continued, we more and more study to take care in all things to walk worthy of this condition, and to glorify God in Christ, as becomes, and as he requireth of us.
Doct. 2. In Baptisme by washing of water, our adoption, …ustification▪ and salvation is sealed to us.
This is hence collected, in that our union in the forme of Baptisme is designed to be with the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost▪ for sealing our communion in those benefits, which flow from this union. And we are properly adopted by the Father, justified by the Son, and sanctified by the Holy Spirit.
Reas. 1. Because these three are directly necessary for us, that we may have true entrance into the Kingdome of God. For 1. We must be accepted of as God's children, that he may be our Father; which is by adoption. 2. We must be freed from the guilt of sin, by which we are separated from God; and this is done by justification. 3. We must be cleansed and purged from the remainders and corruptions of sin, whereby men are made unfit to injoy God; and this is done by sanctification.
Reas. 2. Because the washing with water in Baptisme designeth and some way respecteth our cleansing as well from the guilt, as corruption of sinne, whereby we were made strangers to the estate of the Sons of God, that thence it may appear, that now by grace we are adopted, justified, and sanctified. Neither by any other visible sign could these things so conveniently have been shadowed out, as by the washing of water; because both of its owne nature it hath a principal fitness to cleanse, and amongst all Nations it is ea…ie to be had at hand, and then also it had been before sanctified under the Old Testament for such uses.
Use 1. Of Information, how greatly we ought to esteem our Baptisme, wherein so great benefits or blessings spiritual, were first sealed unto us.
Use 2. Of Direction, that upon occasion of seeing Baptisme administred at any time, we both with all devo…t meditation on our own Baptism, lift up our mindes unto the lively apprehensions of these blessings, of our adoption, …ustification, & sanctification, namely; and withall think upon what is due to God from us, for so great benefits, and what we engaged in and by our baptisme, to perform in all manner of holy, thankfull and Christian obedience.
Doct. 3. Those saving blessings, which are signified in Baptism, do not properly depend on the washing of water, as to their reall efficacies; but on the operation of the Father, Son and holy Spirit.
This is hence gathered, because by these words of the institution, our hearts as it were are commanded to be lifted up, that we may look for all the grace and efficacy of this Sacrament out of heaven, from Father, Son and holy Ghost.
Reas. 1. Because the Sacramental signs are no causes of grace, neither principal, nor instrumental, by any virtue or efficacy that is either inherent, or adherent in themselves; that is, are no physical causes (as the phrase is us'd & receiv'd in the Schools about this point) but onelyonly moral, and in a moral way put forth any vertue they have; to wit, in as much as they seal onelyonly that, which God the Father, in the Son, and by the Spirit worketh in us.
Reas. 2. Because our …ustification and adoption, which consists in the remission of …ins, and accepting of us into favour, are moral effects of their own nature, and not physical, and therefore cannot by any meanes be otherwayes produced than morally.
Reas. 3. Because it can no way be conceived, how these external elements of the Sacraments should physically work upon the soul to the production of spiritual effects, seeing themselves are but corporal, and therefore can onelyonly work physically upon th… body. Indeed in holy Scriptures such spiritual effects use to be attributed unto such signes, as well in the Old, as in the New Testament; but this is onelyonly in the moral sense aforesaid, and by trope or borrowed speech, because of the union, or relation of likeness that is between signes, and things signified by them; from which union, or relation of likeness (grounded partly on the analogy between the things themselves; and partly, but chiefly on the divine institution) there ariseth, in common manner of speaking, almost such a mutual & interchangeable giving or communicating of the attributes, or qualities of each of these to the other, as is found in Christ between his human & divine nature, because of the hypostatical, or personal union between them: Though otherwayes there be no other union here, but of likeness and proportion between the signe, and things signified, or sealed, when the signes are rightly used; which performance or making present of the graces signified, depend wholly on the truth of God's institution and promise; and that in a moral way, as was said before, not properly physical; though this Sacramental union was devised by School Divines, or mistaken and imagined physical, for maintaining their corporal presence of Christ's body, in propriety of words, or their monster of Transubstantiation. And all forsooth, because the things that are proper to the signes, are sometimes attributed to the things signified; and countrarily, the properties of the things signified, are attributed to the signes: The true reasons, and manner whereof we have sufficiently explained.
Use 1. Of Refutation, against Papists, who in som… sort turn the Sacraments into Idols, while not by …rope or borrowed speech (which is usual, as we have declared) but in propriety of words, they give unto the the signes, and external elements, such things as are proper unto God.
Use 2. Of Direction▪ that in the use of the …acraments, we lift up alwayes our hearts, and by faith and devout desires look for and seek from God such divine blessings, as are represented by the outward signes.
Doct. 4. All and onelyonly such are to be baptized as are the Disciples or Schollars of Christ; that is, that are of his family before, and as it were his housholders, and th…refore fit to be solemnly declared and enrolled for …uch.
This is hence gathered, because the Apostles are here commanded first to gather Disciples or Schollars unto Christ out of all Nations; and then to baptize them, after they were made such.
Reas 1. Because the Saraments are appendices of the Word, so that they are often understood under it, in Scriptures; to wit, when the Gospell and word of the Kingdome are onelyonly mentioned; because they are appendants and connexed to it: And hence it is also, that if the Sacraments be separated from the Word, they are of no value. Where therefore the Word is not received, the Sacraments cannot be received.
Reas. 2. Because the Sacraments are both priviledges, and markes or badges of the Church; and therefore they belong not but to such as are members of the Church.
Reas. 3 Because a Sacrament cannot be a sealing signe, but unto such as have some grant to be sealed. But who so are no wayes pa…takers of Christ, the…e have no grant, or promise made to them, that can, or ought to be sealed unto them.
A Question here ariseth about Infants; Whether they are to be baptized, or not, seeing they cannot be taught, or instructed about faith?
I Answer, That the Children, or Infants of believers ought to be Baptized, because while they are yet Infants, as to the external priviledges of the Covenant with God, they are accounted both persons and parties of, or belonging to their parents; and therefore they are of the family of Christ, or of the number of his Disciples. For if the Covenant made with Abraham be the same for substance; by which we are saved, and belongeth as much to us, and to our children, as it did to Abraham, and his posterity; then not only we, but our children also ought to be partakers of the seal of this Covenant. But the first is true, as appeareth by Rom. 4. and other places; and therefore the latter also is true. Furthermore, it makes to this purpose, that the grace of this Covenant after Christ's coming, is no way more straitened, or made narrow, than it was before his coming; but in many sorts made wider, larger, an… more extended. What is objected about faith, whic… is required of such, as are to be baptized, it … no more the Baptisme of Infants, than of old it … the Circumcision of them, which required faith … well as baptisme, because it was by its institution … seal of the righteousness of faith, Rom. 4. 11▪ As ther… fore in Circumcision, distinct knowledge, … faith, and profession of it, were not necessary for … fants; but the state of faith, and of its professio… where…n (by meanes of their parents professio… they were born, did suffice; so it is also in …
Use 1. Of Confutation, against Anabaptists.
Use 2. Of Comfort, in respect of this great favour done us by God, even from our Infancy, whereby he deems not to receive our selves, but also our children.