Principles of Faith and Good Conscience, Chapter 50
CAP. L.
Of Baptiſme.
Q. WHat is Baptiſme?
A. It is a Sacrament of our engrafture into Chriſt out of old Adam. [It is unto us an entrance into the Church, witneſſing unto us, that whereas we were before ſtrangers from God, a God doth now receive us into his family & people, and we again b give up our ſelves together with our names unto God through Jeſus Chriſt to walk in newneſſe of life. a 1 Cor 12.13 Gal. 3.27. Eph. 2.11, 12, 13 b Mat. 3.8, 11. Rom. 6.3, 4.
Q What's the owtward ſigne in Baptiſme?
A. The dipping or ſprinkling of water in the name of the Father, Sonne and Holy Ghoſt, Mat. 28.19. for dipping ſee Iohn 3. 23. Mat. 3, 6 16. Acts 8.38 And for ſprinkling, read Ac… 16.33. in Houſes: Marke 7.4. with Heb. 9.10, 19, 20, 21, 22. Heb. 12.24.
Q. What is the ſpiritual thing ſignified by this ſprinkling of water?
A. The clenſing of the ſoule from all ſinne by the bloud of Chriſt ſprinkled on it, Acts 2.38. Rom: 6.3. Col: 2.12, 13. Baptiſme teacheth and ſignifieth unto us that in Chriſt we, who were dead in ſinnes, are quickned, & waſhed, and all our ſins forgiven, by the mighty operation of God. Eph: 5.26. Tit: 3.5. In and by Baptiſme God doth two things: 1. He doth inſtruct us touching Chriſt crucified, that our ſins are waſhed, and our ſouls clenſed from all ſinne by his bloud. 1 John 1.7. Rev. 1.5. 2. He doth apply the ſame in particular to the party Baptized, Acts 22.16. For the Sacraments, by reaſon of the word of command [go and Baptize them] and of the word of promiſe of a benefit to worthy receivers [Be Baptized for remiſſion of ſinnes, Acts 2.38.] They do tell us that Chriſt is ours, given to us, and his bloud ſprinkled on us, and by this means, (it being a word of promiſe (and every word of promiſe is a word ſerving to beget faith) the ſpirit of God doth ſtir up faith, ſtrengthen and confirme faith in us: God doth not put any ſuch virtue into the ſigns, as to pardon our ſins and make us Holy, ex opere operato, neither doth God ſo tie his preſence to the water, as if where the Miniſters Action is, there God is alſo, and at the ſame time; for many have the ſigne, that never have the thing, as Simon Magus, Judas, &c. and ſome have the benefit of Baptiſme long after, as Infants when they come to age: But none have the benefit of Baptiſme▪ but ſuch as come by Faith to behold Chriſt crucified in and through the outward ſigns, & ſo uſe the ſigns as means of applying Chriſt to their own ſouls for remiſſion of ſins. See Art. 27. of Ch. of Eng.
Q What is it to be baptized in the Name of the Father, Sonne, and Holy Ghoſt?
1. Goes par- of the Covenant,A. Two things are meant by it: Firſt, thereby is teſtified to the party Baptized, that he is received into the flock & family of God. [God doth avouch him for his child, God doth bind himſelfe to us; and make over his Covenant to us. Gen. 17.7.
Q. What ſecondly?
2. Our part.A. The party that receiveth Baptiſme doth enter into an Oath and Covenant, to take the Lord for his God; thereby binding himelfſ to believe, and ſerve that true God who is Father, Sonne and Holy-Ghoſt. [We are then enrolled, and written among the Sonnes of God, Gen. 17.1. Gal. 3.27. 1 Cor. 1.13.15. We avouch God to be our God.] Deut. 26.17, 18.
Q. Is it thus with all that are baptized? Doe all receive thoſe benefits?
A. No, only they that have, or come to have faith to believe the promiſes, and repentance to forſake ſinne, Gal. 5.6. 1 Pet. 3.21. Acts 8.21, 23 Marke 16, 16. [In Scripture they are reputed aliens and ſtrangers from the covenants of promiſe, who have not the ſign of the Covenant: 2. And they that reject the ſignes are reputed to reject the Covenant it ſelf, Eph. 2.11. Gen. 17.14. Luke 7.30. 3. So they that receive the ſigne of the Covenant, joyning themſelves to the people of God, are in Scripture reputed to be of the houſhold of faith, & Saints confederate with the Church of God, Eſay 56.3. Heb. 9.13. 4 But really and effectually they only receive the benefits which come to have the conditions of the Covenant, viz. Faith, and repentance. Act. 8.21, 23. 1 Cor. 10, 3, 5. Act. 3.26. 1 Pet. 3.21.The duties of them that be Baptized. The duty of all that be Baptized is reduced to three heads. 1. To Renounce The divell, the World, & the Fleſh. 2. To Believe in Jeſus Chriſt, and to maintaine the Faith once delivered to the Saints againſt all Sects and Hereſies whatſoever. 3. We promiſe to walke obediently in all Gods Commandements.
Q. Are the conditions of faith and repentance required in all that are to be baptized?
A. Yes, in all that be Baptized when they be of ripe age; but in little Children it is ſufficient that they ſhew forth faith and repentance when they come to age.
Q. May little Children be Baptized?
1. Practice.A. Yes: the Apoſtles did baptize whole houſholds, in which number were their Children: [As Abraham & his houſhold were circumciſed (that is) He and his Children, for Iſmael was but thirteen years old whē he was circumciſed, Gen. 17.25. And there is reaſon for it; becauſe there is the ſame relation frō the believing parents to the children already born, as to them that ſhall be born; and therefore if the children of Stephanas and the Jaylor, which were borne after their converſion, ought to be baptized by vertue & priviledge of the parents faith, why not alſo the children that were already born, ſeeing they are the children of believers: moreover this practice of baptizing Infants by the Apoſtle is gathered frō that Phraſe, Heb. 6.2. (laying on of hands) which was a ceremony uſed in prayer for them that had been-Baptized in their Infancy, See Calvin Inſt. lib. 4. c. 16. § 4. de Confirmatione.when they were Catechized in the doctrines to be known and believed by grown men that were admitted to Baptiſme Calv on Heb. 6.2.] Acts 16 33. 1 Cor. 1.16 Gen. 17.25.
Q. Why are Infants of believers to be Baptized?
A. Becauſe they belong to the covenant of grace,2. Promiſes. & Commandement. and be of the number of Gods people, and are inheritors of the bleſſings which God promiſed to the ſeed of the faithfull. 1 Cor. 7.14. Rom: 11.16. Acts 2.39. Mark 10.13, 14, 15. Gen. 17.7, 9, 12, 14. with Gal. 3.16. Rom. 4.11, 12. In thoſe Scriptures Note five things. 1. That Infant-memberſhip, & Admiſſion by an outward ſigne, is as Ancient as any viſible Church recorded in Scripture. 2. That the Covenant made with Abraham was the Goſpel-Covenant, wherein Bleſſedneſſe was promiſed in & through Chriſt the Promiſed ſeed. Gal. 3.8. with Gen. 12.3. and that Covenant is to endure to the end of the World. Gal: 3.16, 17. 3. Note the perſons with whom God made the Goſpel-Covenant, it was Abraham, and his Infant-ſeed & ſo with beleevers of all Nations, who have as much right to that promiſe, (I wil be thy God, & the God of thy ſeed) as Abraham had. 4. There is a command to marke the Infant-children of the Covenant, Gen. 17 10, 12. The which command is no where reverſed, but rather eſtabliſhed▪ Mat. 28.19. Baptize al; Infants are not excepted, but rather included in that Promiſe. Act 2.3…. And though the ſigne of the Covenant be changed, yet neither is the Covenant it ſelf, nor the commandement, to Marke Infants, reverſed. 5ly Note what Chriſt did, and the reaſon why he did it. 1. what Chriſt did, He ſayd, forbid them not to come unto me—And albeit Infants did not knew what was done unto them. yet Chriſt gave them both his bleſſing & an outward ſigne of it, He layd his hands on them. 2. Next Chriſt gives a reaſon why he did this, becauſe to them belongs the Kingdome of Heaven, and remiſſion of ſins. Now if Chriſt eſteeme it a ſufficient reaſon, why Infants ſhould be admitted to the ſignes of his bleſſing, becauſe the Kingdome of Heaven belongs to them, then who ſhall dare forbid them? or debarre them from baptiſme, the firſt ſigne of the Covenant of Grace?
Q. What if the immediate parents be believers onelyonly in ſhew, may their Children be baptized?
A. Yes, for, Firſt, the profeſſion of the faith is ſufficient: 2ly Children of profeſſors have right to Baptiſme by vertue of the firſt Covenant with Abraham, in whom we have as true an intereſt as the Jewes ever had, Acts 8.12, 13, 37. with Acts 10.47. Gal. 3.29. Rom. 11.17. [So that the wickedneſſe of the immediate parent doth not prejudice the right of the child: for then Hezekiah ſhould not have been circumciſed, becauſe he had a wicked father. No covenant or condition of mans making muſt be ſet above the covenant & conditions ſet by Chriſt, to make them void to beleevers.] Godly parents have ſometimes graceleſſe children, & Carnal Parens have ſometimes gracious children.
Q What can Baptiſme profit Infants, ſeeing they have no faith?
A. Very much: for as men by deed and ſeale convey lands to heirs that ſhall bee borne, as well as to them that be already born, ſo doth God by his Promiſe, which takes its effect in due time. [As Gods Promiſe that Abrahams ſeed ſhould inheri-Canaan, did not take effect till 430 years after, yet then it ſpake and failed not. And as our children are taken Tenants, and made members of ſome Manour or Lordſhip by the delivery of a white wand, or the like ceremony, when they be little; the which Tenements they enioy when they come to age: ſo doth Gods covenant of peace and Grace made in Baptiſme, take its effect in due time.] God is the great Landlord of Heaven, he puts our Childrens life into that coppy, &c.
Q. What if they doe not perform the condition when they come to age?
A. Then they can have no good of their Baptiſme, 1 Pet. 3.21. Neh. 5.13. [God will ſhake them out of his Church.] Rom. 2.28. As you put a childs life into a Living, when he is of age he enjoys it: But if he refuſe to do Homage, or to pay the Lords rent, then he forfeits his Living: ſo &c.