The Catechizing of Families, Chapter 45
CHAP. XLV. Of Baptism.
Qu. 1. WHat is Baptism.
A. It is a Sacred action (or Sacrament) instituted by Christ, for the Solemnizing of the Covenant of Christianity between God and Man, and the solemn investing us in the State of Christianity, obliging us to Christ, and for his delivering to us our Relation and right to him as our Head, and to the gifts of his Covenant.aMat. 28. 29. Act. 2. 38, 41. & 8. 12, 13, 16, 37, 38▪ & 19. 5. & 22. 16. Rom. 6. 3, 4. Gal. 3. 27 Eph. 4. 5. Col. 2. 12. 1 Pet. 3. 21.
Q. 2. Why did Christ institute such a Ceremony as Washing in so great and weighty a Work as our-Christening?
A. 1. A Soul in flesh is apt to use sense, and needs some help of it. 2. Idolaters had filled the World with Images and outward Ceremonies, and the Jews had been long used to abundance of Typical Rites. And Christ being to deliver the World from these, and teach them to Worship in Spirit and Truth, would not run into the extream of avoiding all sensible signs and helps, but hath made his Sacraments, few and fitted to their use, to be instead of Images, and mens vain Inventions and the Jewish burdens, as meet and sufficient helps of that kind to his Church, that men might not presume to set up any such things of their own, on pretence of need or usefulness.
Q. 3. What doth this great Sacrament contain?
A. 1. The Parties Covenanting and Acting: 2. The Covenant as on both parts, with the Benefits given of God, and the Duty professed and promised by man. 3. The outward signs of all.
Q. 4. Who are the Parties Covenanting and Acting?
A. God and Man: that is, 1. Principally God the Father, Son and Holy Ghost, and Ministerially under him, the Baptizing Minister: 2. The party baptized; And if he be an Infant, the Parent or Owner on his behalf:
Q. 5. In what Relations is God a Covenanter with man?
A. 1. As our Creator and Governour, offended by sin and reconciled by Christ, whom his Love gave to be our Saviour. 2. As Christ is our Redeemer and Saviour. 3. As the Holy Ghost is our Rgenerator and Comforter; sent▪ by the Father and the Son.
Q. 6. In what Relation stands the person to be baptized?
A. As a Sinner miserable by guilt and pravity, and loss of his blessed Relation to God, but Redeemed by Christ and called by him, and coming to receive him and his saving Grace.
Q. 7. What is it that God doth as a Covenanter with the baptized?
A. You must well understand that two Covenanting acts of God are presupposed to Baptism, as done before. I. The first is Gods Covenant with Jesus Christ as our Redeemer by Consent; In which God requireth of him the work of mans Redemption as on his part, by perfect Holiness, Righteousness, Satisfactory Suffering, and the rest: And promiseth him as the reward to be Lord of All, and the saving and Glorifying of the Church with his own perpetual Glory.bIoh. 17. 1, 2, 3. & 3. 35. & 5. 22, 27▪ & 6. 39.
II. A Promise and Conditional Covenant, or Law of Grace made to lost Mankind by the Father and the Son, that whoever truly believeth, that is, becometh a true Christian, shall be saved.cIoh. 3. 16. 2 Cor. 5. 19, 20. 1 Ioh. 5. 11, 12.
Now Baptism is the bringing of this Conditional Promise upon mans consent to be an actual mutual Covenant.
Q. 8. And what is it that God there doth as an actual Covenanter?
A. First, he doth by his Minister stipulate, that is, demand of the party baptized whether he truly consent to his part. And next on that supposition, he delivereth him the Covenant-gifts which at present are to be bestowed.
Q. 9. What be those?
A. 1. The Relation of a pardoned reconciled sinner and adopted Child of God, or that God will be his God in Love through Christ.(d) 1 Pet. 3. 21, 22.
2. A Right and Relation to Christ as his actual Saviour, Head, Teacher, Intercessor and King.
3. A Right and Relation to the Holy Ghost, to …e to Him the Illuminating, Sanctifying, quicken…g Spirit of Light and Love and Holy Life; and deliverance from the Devil, the World and Flesh, …nd from the Wrath of God.eGal. 3. 27. 1 Cor. 12. 13.
Q. 10. What is it that God requireth of Man, and …e professeth?
A. That he truly believeth in this God the Father, Son and Holy Ghost, and Presently and Resol…edly consenteth to be His in these Relations, taking …im as His God and Father, his Saviour and his San…tifier, repenting of his sins, and renouncing the …ontrary Government of the Devil, World and …lesh.fMat. 28. …, 20. 1 Ioh. 5. 7, 11, 12.
Q. 11. What are the Outward signs of all this?
A. 1. The Water, 2. And the Actions of both …arties. I. The Action of the Minister on Gods …rt is to wash the body of the baptized with the Water, which in hot Countreys was by dipping …em over head and taking them up. To signifie, …. That they are washed from the guilt of Sin by …e Blood of Christ. 2. And are as dead and bu…ed to sin and the World and Flesh, and risen to a …ew and Holy Life and heavenly Hope. 3. And …at by this act we are solemnly bound by God to …e Christians.
II. The Action of the baptized is, To be a wil…g receiver of this Washing, to signifie, his believ…g and thankful receiving these free Gifts of Christ, and his solemn self-engagement to be henceforth a Christian.
Q. 12. Are Infants Capable of doing all this?
A. No: They are personally capable of receiving both the sign and the Grace, even Right to Christ and Life, but not themselves of actual believing and covenanting with Christ.
Q. 13. Why then are they baptized, who cannot Covenant?
A. That you may understand this rightly, yo… must know. 1. That as Children are made Sinne… and miserable by their Parents, without any act o… their own; so they are delivered out of it by th… free Grace of Christ, upon a Condition performe… by their Parents: Else they that are visibly born i… sin and misery should have no visible or certain wa… of Remedy: Nature maketh them as it were pa… of the Parents, or so near as causeth their Sin a… Misery: And this nearness supposed, God by fr… Grace hath put it in the power of Parents to acce… for them the blessings of the Covenant, and to e… ter them into the Covenant of God, the Pare… Will being instead of their own, who yet have no… to Choose for themselves.g1 Cor. 7. 14. Isa. 65. 23. Psal. 37. 2… Act. 2. 39.
2. That Baptism is the only way which God ha… appointed for the entering of any one into the Ch… stian Covenant and Church.
3. That the same Sacrament hath not all the sa… Ends and uses to all, but varyeth in some things … their capacites differ. Christ was baptized, and yet n… for the remission of Sin: And the use of Circu… cision partly differed to the Old and to the In…ants.
4. It is the Will of God that Infants be Members … the Christian Church, of which Baptism is the en…ance. For 1. There is no proof that ever God …ad a Church on Earth in any age, of which Infants …ere not members.
2. The Covenant with Abraham the Father of the …aithful was made also with his Infant Seed, and …ealed to them by Circumcision. And the Females …ho were not circumcised, were yet in the Church …d Covenant: and when the Males were uncircum…ed forty years in the Wilderness, they were yet …embers of the Jewish Church: And Deut. 19. the …arents entered their little ones into the renewed Co…enant: And Christ came not to cast all Infants out … the Church who were in before.
3. Christ himself saith, that he would have ga…ered Ierusalem as a Hen gathereth her Chickens, …d they would not: so that he would have taken … the whole Nation, Infants and all that were in be…re.
4. And Rom. 11. it's said, that they were broken …f by unbelief: Therefore if their Parents had not …een unbelievers, the Children had not been broken …f.
5. And Christ himself was Head of the Church in …s Infancy, and entered by the Sacrament then in …rce, though as Man he was not capable of the …ork which he did at age: Therefore Infants may … members.iMat. 19. 13, 14. & …. 3.(h) Mat. 23. 37.
6. And he rebuked his Disciples that kept su… from him, because of such is the Kingdom of God▪ He would have them come as into his Kingdom.
7. And plainly the Apostle saith to a believing P… rent, that the unbeliever is sanctified to the believing (for the begetting of a Holy Seed) else we… your Children unclean, but now they are Holy; mee… Legitimation is never called Holiness; nor are He… thens Children Bastards.k1 Cor. 7. 14.
8. And most plainly, Christ when he institute… baptism saith, Go, Disciple me all nations, baptizi… them: which fully sheweth that he would have M… nisters endeavour to Disciple and baptize Nation… of all which Infants are a part.lMat. 28. 19, 20. R… 11. 15.
9. And accordingly many Prophesies foretell, th… Nations shall come in to Christ; and Christians a… Called, A Holy Nation. And it's said [The Ki… doms of the World are become the Kingdoms of t… Lord and of his Christ.]
Q. 14. But though Infants be Church-Member… is it not better that their Baptism be delayed till th… know what they do?
A. Christ knew what's best: And he hath to… us of no other door of entrance into the visib… Church regularly but by Baptism. And if he … intended so great a change to the believing Iems▪ to unchurch all their Infants, he would have told … And the Apostles would have had more ado to qui… them in this, than they had for casting off Circum…on: But we read of no such thing; but the c… stant baptizing of whole housholds.
Q. 15. But Infant-Baptism seems to let in all the Corruption of the Churches, while Infants receive they know not what, and are all taken after for Christians, how …ad soever, or without knowing what Christianity is: Whereas if they stayd till they understood …t, it would engage them to be resolved Christians indeed?
A. This is not long of Infant-Baptism, but of unfaithful Parents and Ministers. For 1. If the Parents were told their Duty, and also what a Blessing … is to have their Children in Christs Church and Covenant, it would awaken them better to do their …rt, and comfort them in their Childrens state of Grace.
2. And if Infants were not betime engaged, the …sage would tempt Multitudes to do as some did of …d, even sin on as long as they durst, that Baptism …ght wash it away at last.
3. And doubtless with unfaithful Ministers, Bap…ism at age also would be made but a Ceremony, …d slubbered over as Confirmation is now, and as …stomary going to the Church and Sacrament is.
4. But that which should be done is, that at age …ery baptized person before he is admitted among …ult Communicants, should be as diligently Cate…ized, and as solemnly own and renew his Baptis…al Vow and Covenant, as if it were now to be …st done. The full nature of Baptism is best to be …derstood by the case of the adult who were ca…ble of more than Infants are. And no adult Per…n must be baptized without serious deliberate un…rstanding Profession of Faith, Repentance and ho… Obedience to Christ. Infants cannot do this: …hough they must not do that again which they did and could doe, viz. receive Baptism; yet they must do that which they did not nor could do.
I confess to you, of the two evils, I think the Church is more corrupted for want of such a solemn serious renewing of the Baptismal Covenant at age, and by turning Confirmation into a Ceremony, than by those Anabaptists, who call People to be seriously rebaptized, as the Africk Councel did those that had been baptized by Hereticks.
Q. 16. Do you think that Anabaptists should be tolerated, or that all should not be forced to bring their Children to Baptism?
A. 1. Infant Baptism is no such easie Controversie or Article of Faith, as that no one should be tolerated that receiveth it not.
2. The ancient Church which we most reverence left all men to their liberty to be baptized only when they pleased, and compelled none for themselves or their Children. Tertullian was for the delay till they understood: Gregory Nazianzen was …o… staying some years. Augustine and other of the Fathers were baptized at age.
3. Baptism giveth so great a gift, even Christ a… Pardon and Adoption, and Right to Life Eternal, … Condition of thankful acceptance and believing Co… sent, that undoubtedly the unwilling have no rig… to it. The ancient Church baptized none till the desired and sought it (for themselves or Children▪ Yea they must be willing of it on self-denyal-term… forsaking the Flesh, the World and the Devil, a… taking God instead of all. So that to force any … be Baptized by Mulcts and Penalties, and bapti… those so forced, is to deceive Souls, defile Chris… Church, and profane the Sacred Ordinance of God.
Q. 17. I have oft wondred what harm twice baptizing doth, that it should be accounted a Heresie and intolerable?
A. It is a fault, because it's contrary to Christs appointed Order: Baptism is the Sacrament of our New-Birth: and we are born but once. To be baptized again implyeth an Untruth, that we were not baptized before: But I suppose none do it, but through Ignorance: And Cyprian and the Bishops of many Countreys in many Councils were so ignorant is to be guilty of rebaptizing all that Hereticks baptized. The great fault of the Anabaptists is their Schism, that they cannot be contented when they are rebaptized to live in Love and Communion with others, but grow so fond of their own Opi…on, as to gather into separated Churches, and avoid Communion with all that are not of their Mind, and …end their time in contentious Endeavours to draw …en to them.
Q. 18. What the better are Infants for being baptized?
A. The Children of the Faithful are stated by it … a Right to the foresaid Benefits of the Covenant, …e Pardon of their Original sin, the Love of God, …e Intercession of Christ, and the help of the Holy Ghost when they come to Age, and title to the Kingdom of Heaven, if they die before they for…e…t it.
Q. 19. Rut how can we judge all such in a state …f Salvation, when we see many at age prove wicked …d Enemies?
A. This is a point of so great difficulty, that I …ay but humbly propose my Opinion to tryal. …. There is a degree of grace or goodness, which doth only give a man a Power to believe or obey God, but not give a rooted habitual determination to his will: such the fallen Angels had, and Adam before his fall, who was thereby in a state of Life, till he fell from it by wilfull sin: And so it may be with the baptized Infants of Believers: But when the special sanctifying gift of the Holy Ghost is given them, and they are habitually rooted in the Love of God, as the seed sown in good ground, they fall not totally away. 2. As Parents and Children are Covenanters for their several Duties, if Parents will per…idiously neglect their promised duty for the holy Education of their Children, or Children rebelliously sin against that Power and Measure of Grace which they received, they may perish by Apostacy, as the Angels did, or need as Adam a renewing by Repentance. All Christs Grace is not confirming: As the best may lose much and fall into foul sin, and grow worse than they once were, so common Grace, and I think this middle Infant Grace which Children have as related to their Parents, may be lost.
Q. 20. But is it not safer to hold that Baptism put… none but the Elect, who never lose it, into a title to Salvation?
A. 1. Then it would be little comfort to Parents when their Children die, who know not whether one of ten thousand be Elect. 2. And it would be little satisfaction to the Minister to Baptize them, who knoweth not the Elect from others. 3. It's plain that it is not another, but the same Covenant of Gra… which is made with Infants and Adult. And th… Covenant giveth pardon of Sin, and right to Life to all that have the requsiite qualification; And … that qualification in the Adult is Faith and R…pentance, so in Infants it is nothing but to be the Children of the faithful dedicated to God. God never insti…uted any Baptism which is not for Remission of Sin. If I thought Infants had no visible right to Remssion in which Baptism should invest them, I durst not Baptize them. I think their Holiness containeth a certain title to Salvation.
Q. 21. But is it not enough to know that they are of the Church visible?
A. All at Age that are of the visible Church are in a state of Salvation except Hypocrites. Therefore all Infants that are of the visible Church, are also of the Mystical Church, except such as had not the requisite qualification; and that is, such as were not the Children of the Faithful.
All the World are in the Kingdom of the Devil who are not in the Kingdom of God. And if there be no visible way of Salvation for them, what reason have we to hope that they are saved.
Q. 22. Some say we must leave their case to God as unknown to us, and that he will save such of them as he electeth?
A. True Faith and Hope is grounded on Gods Promise. What reason have we to believe and hope that any are saved whom God never promised to save? This would reach wicked men to presume that God will save them too, though he do not promise it. And this giveth no more comfort to a Christian than to an …nfidel: How know we but by his promise whether God elect one of ten thousand, or any at all. But God hath promised a special blessing to the Seed of the Faithful above all others.
Q. 23. You make the Mercy so very great, as maketh the denyal of it seem a hainous sin in the Anabaptists?
A. There are three sorts of them greatly differing: 1. Some say that no Infants have Original sin, and so need no Baptism nor Pardon: Or if it be sin, it's done away by Christs meer death, and all Infants in the World are saved.
2. Others say that Infants have Original sin, but have no visible Remedy, nor are any in Covenant with Christ, nor Members of his Church, because no Pardon is promised but to Believers.
3. Others hold that Infants have Original sin, and that the Promise is to the Faithful and their Seed, and that Parents ought thankfully to acknowledge this Mercy, and devote them to Christ as Infantmembers of his Church: but that Baptism is not for Infant-members, but only as the Lords Supper for the adult; This last sort are they whom I speak of as such whom I would not separate from, if they separate not from us: But the other two sorts are dangerously erroneous. When God hath made so many plain Promises to the Seed of his Servants; and in all Ages before Christ, hath taken Infants for Church-members, and never made a Covenant but to the faithfull and their Seed, to say that Christ the Saviour of the World, came to cast all Infants out of the Visible Church, into the visible Kingdom of Satan, and give them no greater Mercy instead of it, seemeth to me very great Ingratitude, and making Christ too like to Satan, as coming to do much of his destroying work.
Q. 24. But every where Salvation is promised only to Believers?
A. The Promise is to them and their Seed, keeping Covenant. The same Text that saith, He that believeth shall be saved, saith, He that believeth not shall be damned. Which sheweth that it is only the Adult that it speaketh of; Or else all Infants must be damned for Unbelief. It shuts them no more out of Baptism than out of Heaven.
Q. 25. But the Scripture speaks of no Infants baptized?
A. 1. No Infants are to be baptized but the Infants of the Faithful: Therefore the Parents were to be made Believers first. 2. The Scripture speaks of baptizing divers Housholds. 3. No Scripture mentioneth that ever any Child of a Believer was baptized at age. 4. The Scripture commandeth it, and that's enough; Disciple Nations baptizing them, Mat. 28. 19.mAct. 16. 15, 33. & 18. 8.
Q. 26. How can Infants be Disciples that learn not?
A. 1. Did Christ mistake when he sent them to Disciple Nations, of which Infants are a part? 2. Cannot Infants be Disciples of Christ, if Christ an Infant can be the Master and King of his Church? Christ was our Teacher, Priest and King in his Infancy, by Right, Relation, and Destination, and undertaking, and Obligation to what he was after to do: and so may Infants be his Subjects and Disciples: May not an Infant be a King that cannot rule? And are not Infants the Kings Subjects, though they cannot obey? May not they be Knights and Lords, and have right to inheritances? 3. Yea, are not Infants called Gods Servants, Levit. 25. 42. Yea and Christs Disciples, Act. 15. 10. Peter saith, those that would have imposed Circumcision would put a Yoak on the neck of the Disciples: But it was Infants on whom they would have put it.
Q. 27. We are all by Nature Children of Wrath, and none can enter into Heaven that is not regenerate and born of the Spirit?
A. But we are all the Children of God (we and our Seed) by the Grace of Christ: And Infants are capable of being regenerate by the Spirit. Or else they would not be called Holy, 1 Cor. 7. 14.
Q. 28. The Apostle only giveth a reason why a believing Husband may lawfully live with an unbelieving Wife.
A. True: But what is the Reason which he giveth? The doubt was not whether it be Fornication: that was past doubt: But the Faithful must in all their Relations be a peculiar Holy People, and the doubt was, Whether their Conjugal Society became not such as Infidels, common and unholy; And Paul saith, No: To the pure all things are Sanctified: The Unbeliever is not Holy in her self, but sanctified to the Husband for conjugal Society: Else saith he, (Your Children were unclean, not Bastards, but unholy as those without are;) But now are they Holy, as the Israelites adult and Infants were a Holy People, separated from the World to God, in the Covenant of peculiarity, and not common and unclean.
Q. 29. Is it the Infants of all professed Christians and Hypocrites, or only the Infants of sincere Christians, who have the Promise of Pardon and Salvation delivered and sealed by Baptism?
A. As the Church is to receive all the adult who make a credible profession, so are they to receive all their Infants: For God only knoweth the Heart. But it is with the Heart that man believeth to righteousness, Rom. 10. And as adult Hypocrites are not pardoned by God who knoweth the Heart, so neither is there any promise of pardon to their Seed. No text of Scripture giveth any pardon but to sincere Believers and their Seed. And the Child is in the Covenant as the Child of a believer devoted to God: And that Faith which qualifieth not the Parent for pardon, cannot qualifie the Child for it. I know no more promise of Pardon and Life to an Hypocrites, than to a Heathens Child.
Q. 30. But what if the Godfather, or Grandfather be a true Christian, or the Ancestors and the Parents both Infidels: may not the Child be baptized and pardoned?
A. The further you go from the Parent, the darker is the Gase. We are all the offspring of Righteous Noe, and yet that maketh not the Infants of Heathens baptizable or pardoned. But the case of Abrahams Covenant maketh it probable, that whoever is the true owner of the Child by Nature, Purchase or Adoption, may devote it acceptably to God in baptism: Because the Infant having no choosing power, the Will of his Owner goeth for his own, in accepting the Mercies of the Covenant and obliging him to such conditions as are for his good; which if he like them not, he may renounce when he comes to age. But if the Grandfather or Godfather be no Owner of the Child, I know no proof that their causing him to be baptized helps him to Pardon and Salvation. If we dream that Baptism giveth pardon to all Infidels, and Heathens Children, whose owners were not in the Covenant themselves, we make a Gospel, which as far as I can find, Christ never made.
Q. 31. May not any man take an Infant out of the Street and give him food and rayment; much more offer him to Baptism, which is an Act of greater Charity?
A. The first God alloweth: But Pardon and Salvation is none of ours to give, but Gods; and we can ministerially deliver the investing signs to none that have no title to which God hath promised the gift: If as some think, bare Redemption hath given a right to all the World, then all Infidels and Heathens shall be saved if baptized: If they say it is to all Infants in the World, then whether they have Godfathers or no they may be baptized: And if all that are baptized are saved, it's irrational to think that want of Baptism without their fault shall hinder their Salvation. But though God offer to all men Pardon and Life for themselves and their Infants, yet no Scripture giveth it to either without Acceptance and Con…ent of the adult: we must not make a Gospel of our own.
Q. 32. Some say, that so much Faith will serve for a Title to Baptism, as taketh Christ for a Teacher and maketh us Disciples, that we may after attain to saving Holiness, but that it is not special saving Faith, that must needs be then professed?
A. This is to make a new Baptism and Christianity to vie with that which alone Christ made. No adult person is a Christian in Scripture sence, who believeth not in Christ as Christ. Which is as Saviour, as Prophet, Priest and King: The essentials of Christs Office and gifts as offered, are essential to that accepting Faith, which makes us Christians: A Disciple and a Christian were words of the same importance, Act. 11. nMar. 16. 16. Rom. 10. 10, 14.Christ made no Baptism but for the remission of Sin, and giving men a Relationright to Father, Son and Holy Ghost: Baptism saveth by the answer of a good conscience to God. Arise and wash away thy sins; was the word to Saul. We are Sacramentally buryed and risen with Christ; as dead to Sin, and made new Creatures, when we are baptized, Rom. 6. Therefore it is called The Laver of Regeneration, Tit. 3. 5. All the Church of Christ from the Apostles, taught that Baptism put away the guilt of Sin, to all that were truly qualified for that Sacrament. And they required the profession of a Saving Faith and Repentance: And all the form of Baptism used in England and the whole Christian World, so happily agreeth in expressing this, that whoever will bring in the Opinion, [That the Profession of a Faith short of that which hath the promise of Pardon and Life, entitleth to Baptism,] must make a new Baptismal form.
Q. 33. But many Divines say, that Baptism is not administred to Infants on the title of a present Faith, nor to give present pardon; but on a promise that they shall believe at age, and so have the Ben…fits of Baptism at age?
A. None dare say so of the adult: If they say, we repent not nor believe now, but we promise to do it hereafter, no wise man will baptize them. It is present Believing, and not a meer promise to believe that is their Title. And Infants title is the Parents Faith and dedication. By this Doctrine, Infants of Christians are not in the same Covenant or Baptism as their Parents, nor are any more pardoned than Heathens.oAct. 2. 39.
Q. 34. What use are we to make of our Baptism ever after?
A. It is of great and manifold use. 1. We must live under the humble sence of that miserable state of Sin from which Christianity doth deliver us.pRom. 3. Rev. 1. 5. & 7. 14. Rom. 6. 1, 2, 3. 1 Cor. 6. 10, 11, 12. Heb. 10. 22.
2. We must live in the thankful sence of that Grace of God in Christ which did deliver us: and in the Exercise of our belief of that Truth and Love which was then Sealed to us.
3. We must live in the faithful remembrance of that Covenant which we Sealed, and that Obedience which we promised, and in that War against the Devil the World and the Flesh in which we then engaged our selves.
4. It is the Knowledge of the Baptismal Covenant which tells us what Christianity is, and who we must take and Love as Christians, while Sects and Dividers by narrow false measure, do limit their Christian Love and Communion, and hate or cast off the Disciples of Christ.
5. Accordingly it is the baptismal Covenant that must tells us what true Faith is, viz. Such a Belief as causeth us truly to consent to that Covenant; and what true Conversion is, viz. Such a change as containeth a true consent to that Covenant: And so it tells us how to judge of our sincerity of Grace; viz. When we unfeignedly consent to that Covenant; And tells us what sin is mortal, that is, inconsistent with true Grace and Title to Salvation, viz. All sin which is not consistent with an unfeigned consent to the Covenant of Grace.qIoh. 13. 8. Eph. 5. 26. Tit. 3. 5. Act. 22. 16.
6. It tells what the Catholick Church is, viz. Visibly all that profess consent to the baptismal Covenant, and forsake it not: and mystically all that sincerely do consent to it.
And 7. So it tells us how to exercise Church Discipline, that we cast not out those as none of Christs members for their Infirmities, who are not proved by sufficient witness to have done that which cannot stand with the sincere keeping of that Covenant.
And thus Baptism, not as a meer Outward washing, but as including the Grace which it signifieth, and the Covenant and Vow which it sealeth, is the very Kernel of the Christian Religion, and the Symbol, or Livery of the Church and Members of Christ.
Q. 35. Are all damned that die unbaptized?
A. Baptism is the solemn devoting men in Covenant to Christ. All that hear the Gospel are condemned that consent not to this Covenant. But the Heart-consent for our selves and Children is our Titlecondition before God, who damns not men for want of an outward Ceremony, which by Ignorance or necessity is omitted: Believers Children are Holy because they and theirs are devoted to God, before Baptism: Baptism is to Christianity what publick Matrimony is to Marriage, Ordination to the Ministry, listing to a Souldier, and Crowning to a King.