The Sum of Christian Religion, Aphorisms · Article 9
ARTICLE. IX. Of Baptiſme.
I. WE beleeve that Baptiſme is the laver of water in the Word, by which Chriſt cleanſeth his Church, regenerating and renewing it by the holy (a) Ghoſt; that is to ſay, that it is a Sacrament inſtituted by Chriſt, in which God witneſſeth to thoſe that are baptiſed with water, in the Name of the Father, Son, and holy (b) Ghoſt, that he receiveth them into the Covenant of grace through Chriſt, and that he reneweth and cleanſeth them from ſin, by the holy Spirit through his bloud.
Teſtimonies of Scripture.
(a) Epheſ. 5.26. Even as Chriſt loved the Church, and gave himſelfe for her, that he might ſanctifie her, having cleanſed her by the laver of water in the Word.
Tit. 3.5. By his mercy he hath ſaved us, through the laver of regeneration, and renewing of the holy Ghoſt.
(b) Mat. 28.19. Go and teach all Nations, baptizing them, in the Name of the Father, Son, and holy Ghoſt.
Mark 16.16. He that beleeveth and is baptiſed, ſhall be ſaved.
1 Cor. 6.11. You are waſhed, you are ſanctified, you are juſtified, in the Name of the Lord Jeſus.
1 Cor. 12.13. By one Spirit, we are baptiſed into one body.
II. We ſay, that it conſiſteth of the Element, and the (a) Word, according to that vulgar ſaying, Adde to the Word the Element, and it becomes a Sacrament; as if it were a viſible word: and therefore it conſiſteth of a two-fold (b) waſhing; the one external, of water, obvious to the ſenſe; the other internal, of bloud, and of the holy Ghoſt, and of this the Word inſtructs us. The externall ſignifying waſhing, which is a ſigne, is done by the Miniſter, touching the body externally; the internall, which is the thing ſignified, is performed by God, waſhing the ſoule inwardly; for, I (ſaith the Baptiſt) baptiſe you with water; Chriſt baptiſeth you with the holy Ghoſt. And Ambroſe, With water the body is waſhed, by the Spirit the ſoul is cleanſed from ſin.
Teſtimonies of Scripture, and of others.
(a) Auguſtine in Joh. Tract. 8. & de Catechiſ. c. 3.
(b) 1 Pet. 3.21. Baptiſme alſo ſaveth us, not as if by it the filth of the fleſh were done away, but the anſwer of a good conſcience toward God.
(c) John 1.33. He it is who baptiſeth you with the holy Ghoſt.
Epheſ. 5.26. Chriſt ſanctifieth his Church, having purged her through the waſhing of water in the Word.
(d) Ambroſe in Luc. lib. 2. cap. 3.
III. Yet we do not for this make a double Sacrament of Baptiſme, when we name the waſhing of water, and of the Spirit; or externall, and internall: but we ſay, there are two parts of one Baptiſme, that we may diſtinctly teach, what is done by man the Miniſter, and what by God the Authour. Neither did Paul divide the Sacrament of Circumciſion into two, when he diſtinguiſhed the circumciſion of the fleſh, and of the (a) heart; which diſtinction whoſoever takes away, either they leave nothing, or ſurely leſſe to God in the Sacrament, then to the Miniſters; allowing to God onelyonly the internall parts, but to the Miniſters, both externall and internall.
Teſtimonies of Scripture.
(a) Rom. 2.28, 29. For he is not a Jew which is one outwardly, neither is that circumciſion which is outward in the fleſh: But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly, and circumciſion is that of the heart, in the ſpirit, and not in the letter.
IV. In the lawfull uſe of Baptiſme, the internall is ſignified by the externall, and is truly exhibited and ſealed, according to the promiſe, He that beleeveth, and is baptiſed, ſhall be ſaved. As for hypocrites and Infidels, when they are dipt in water, they are not baptiſed by the Spirit, becauſe the holy Ghoſt flies from a counterfeit man, and he dwels not in a body ſubject to ſins;Hom. 5. in Mat. operis imperſ. and therefore, he cannot be the child of God, as Chryſoſtome moſt truly ſaith.
V. Baptiſme then waſheth away ſins, it regenerates, it ſaves, &c. not by any ſecret force annexed or imprinted in the water, nor by the work wrought, but by a Sacramentall phraſe; becauſe there is a neere conjunction of both the waſhings in the lawfull uſe that is attributed to the externall, which is proper to the internall; or, by a Synecdoche, that is given to the whole, which belongs to the part.
VI. Whereas Baptiſme hath ſucceeded Circumciſion, that it might be the Sacrament of initiation in the new Covenant, it ought not to be iterated, although it hath beene unworthily received, or before converſion; becauſe it remaines alwaies ratified to thoſe that are converted, as the promiſe of the Goſpell is, and the Covenant: but to thoſe that repent, it is both ratified, and it is ſaving; and the uſe thereof, before unlawfull, is now made lawfull to them: to which purpoſe Auſtine ſaith, If he that receiveth the Sacrament,Contra Creſcent. l. 2. c. 28. had never received it, is not ſo cut off, but is acknowledged, which of it ſelfe was hurtfull, to him that is amended, will be profitable.
Teſtimonies of Scripture.
Jerem. 3.1. Thou haſt gone a whoring after many lovers, but returne to me, ſaith the Lord.
Ezek. 16.59, 60. I will even deale with thee as thou haſt done, which haſt deſpiſed the oath, in breaking the covenant. Nevertheleſſe, I will remember my covenant with thee in the dayes of thy youth; and I will eſtabliſh unto thee an everlaſting covenant.
VII. The Church ſhould conferre Baptiſme, as Chriſt hath commanded, upon all that are in yeares, profeſſing the faith of Chriſt, and (a) repentance; and upon Infants alſo borne in the Church, or who with their parents are come into the Church; becauſe, to theſe alſo the promiſe and covenant (b) appertaine, and theſe are to be brought to (c) Chriſt: which ſhould be done by the ordinary Miniſters, not by women, or other perſons, having no calling to the Miniſteriall (d) function, the adminiſtration of which is a part of the (e) Sacrament.
Teſtimonies of Scripture, and of others.
(a) Mat. 28.19. Teach all Nations, baptiſing them.
(b) Mark. 16.16. He that beleeveth, and is baptiſed, &c.
Gen. 17.7. I will be thy God, and the God of thy ſeed.
Acts 2.38, 39. Repent, and be baptiſed every one of you, in the Name of Jeſus Chriſt, for the remiſſion of ſins, and ye ſhall receive the gift of the holy Ghoſt. For the promiſe is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are a far off, even as many as the Lord our God ſhall call.
(c) Mat. 19.14. Suffer theſe little ones, and forbid them not to come to me, for to ſuch belongs the kingdome of heaven.
(d) Mat. 28.19. Mark 16.16.
(e) Concil. Carthag. 4. Canon. 100. Let not a woman preſume to baptiſe; for that addition, Except neceſſity urge, is not in the Canon of the Councell, but is foiſted in by the Pope (Decret. diſt. 4. de conſecr. C. Mulier.) againſt the meaning both of the Councell, and the command of Chriſt, which cannot, without ſin, be violated, except ſome other ſpeciall command from God ſhould be given.
VIII. Theſe contrary doctrines we impugne, 1. That Baptiſme is no ſigne of grace, but onelyonly a badge or marke, by which Chriſtians are diſcerned, tying them to faith, and to the Croſſe. 2. That water and the Word, are not the eſſentiall parts of Baptiſme; but water, and the perſon of the holy Ghoſt included in the Word. 3. That there is annexed and affixed a ſecret vertue, which confers upon the baptiſed the grace of the holy Ghoſt. 4. That the holy Spirit, with his effects, are tied to Baptiſme. 5. That the effects of the holy Spirit, and of Baptiſme, are alike or equall. 6. That baptiſed Hypocrites and Infidels, as Judas, and Simon Magus, &c. are regenerated in Baptiſme by the holy Ghoſt, no leſſe then the faithfull. 7. That Miniſters baptiſe not onelyonly with water, but alſo with the holy Ghoſt; and ſo they do more in baptiſme then Chriſt himſelfe did. 8. That the Infants of the Church are not to be baptiſed: that the baptiſed are to be re-baptiſed. 9. That the Infants of the Church, before Baptiſme, are ſpiritually poſſeſſed by Satan, and therefore are to be exorciſed with certaine words and croſſings. 10. That the children of the Church, before Baptiſme, do no more belong to the Covenant of God, then the children of Turks; and that there is no difference at all betweene Turkiſh and Chriſtian children. 11. That in caſe of neceſſity, Mid-wives, or any other that have no calling, do duely baptiſe.