Discourse Concerning Baptism, Sermon

Discourse Concerning Baptism · Sermon

p. 1ACTS 16.33. ult.

And was baptized, he and all his, ſtraightway.

CHriſt having given a Command to his Apoſtles to go and teach (or diſciple,) all Nations, Mat. 28.19.Matt 28:19baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and holy Ghoſt. We find in this ſtory of their Acts, (wherein ſome of their travels are related,) that as ſoon as they had perſwaded any perſons to be Chriſtians, immediately they received them into their fellowſhip, by this Ceremony of waſhing them with water. A Truth which among all the Diſputes about Baptiſm, one would think ſhould never have been quarrelled; yet there have been p. 2thoſe buſie phanſies in the world that have called this into Queſtion,Auguſt. de haereſ. 46. & 59. and would perſwade us that our Saviour in thoſe words intended not any ſuch waſhing with water, and no other Baptiſm is to be owned, but that of the Spirit.

But ſo men may ſay, if they pleaſe, that when Philip and the Eunuch went into the water, Act. 8.38.Acts 8:38he baptized him with fire. If the Apoſtles could underſtand our Saviours meaning, thoſe men are ſufficiently refuted by their practiſe; for though our Saviour Baptized none that we read of, but with the Spirit; (and the Papiſts will have a hard task to obtain this preheminence for Peter, that he received the Baptiſm of water at Chriſts hands:) yet it will be needleſs pains to prove that his Apoſtles and their Succeſſors after them did initiate, and admit Diſciples in that manner.

But notwithſtanding this, there are others that (left the world ſhould be quiet,) do ſtart a new Queſtion, Whether that Command of our Lords extended any further, then to the firſt proſelyting of the Nations, or ought p. 3now to be followed among Chriſtian people? who might have ſpared the labour of making ſuch a doubt, unleſs they could give us ſome ground to think, that that part of their Commiſſion was after revoked, or then limited to ſuch a time, and likwiſe ſolidly expound thoſe following words, I am with you alwayes to the end of the world, and ſhew us why the work of the new birth (which the Apoſtle makes the ſignification of Baptiſm,) is not now as well as then to be ſhadowed and repreſented, Yet others will not let their wits be at reſt, but make a further inquiry, Whether the words of our Saviour include in them a Command, or only a Permiſſion, becauſe he ſaith only Baptizing, not Baptize? foreignThough the conſtant practiſe of the Apoſtles in this Book related, and of the Church afterward, might well have been ſufficient to have ſilenced theſe thoughts without any further diſpute; and the following words likewiſe Teaching them, foreign. verſe 20.&c. would have told ſuch men that their inquiry was needleſs, unleſs it can be thought, that becauſe he doth not ſay, Go teach, we may p. 4chuſe whether we will give any further inſtruction to our people.

Taking it therefore for granted, (without engaging my ſelf in ſuch queſtions,) that the words now read, do ſpeak of Baptiſm by water ſtill to be retained in the Church of God; you may obſerve in them theſe three things.

1. A Rite or Ceremony uſed, and that is Baptiſm, or waſhing with Water.

2. The perſons baptized, The Jaylor, and all his.

3. The time of its Adminiſtration, foreign, ſtraight-way, inſtantly, at that hour of the night that the foregoing ſtory was acted, without any further delay.

From which I am invited to treat of three things; Firſt, Of the Uſe and Intention of Baptiſm. Secondly, Of the qualities or diſpoſitions of thoſe that receive it. Thirdly, Of the time that is required to render them perſons fitly qualified to receive it.

For the Explication of the firſt, we need find no fault with the common language, that ſaith, Baptiſm in its general p. 5notion is an outward viſible ſign and ſeal of ſome inward and inviſible grace and favour conveyed, and made over thereby unto us. But to difference it from the other Sacrament, we muſt enquire what that grace, favour and priviledge is, and ſhew how it doth ſignifie, and ſeal it between God and us. And upon due conſideration, I believe we ſhall find, that to be Baptized, expreſſeth ſomething on our part, and ſomething on Gods, both which put together, make it a foederal Rite, whereby we and God enter into a Covenant and Agreement together, and mutually engage to the performance of ſeveral things, which are all to our behoof and benefit.

1. As we preſent our ſelves to the Miniſter of this Sacrament, and receive it, ſo it expreſſes ſomething done by us; and then 2. As the Miniſter (Gods Deputy or Embaſſadour,) doth receive us, and waſh us with this water, by the Authority, and into the name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghoſt; ſo it expreſſeth ſomething done by God. Both which it concerns us p. 6for the ſecuring of our duty, and our comfort alſo, to be acquainted withall; and therefore I ſhall ſhew you,

1. What is the true meaning and intent of it on the part of the perſon baptized who offers himſelf, or is offered to receive it: which I will lay before you in theſe particulars.

Firſt, In the general notion of it, it is a profeſſion of a Religion whereinto we enter, and to which we engage to be faithfull and conſtant Diſciples. It is a Ceremony whereby Proſelytes are made, and all that uſe it do thereby come into a new way and ſtate, forſaking all their old perſwaſions, practiſes and relations wherein they were born and bred, that are contrary to, and inconſiſtent with theſe new Ingagements. It is well obſerved by St. Auguſt. In nullum nomen rel…gionis, ſeu v…r…m, ſ…u f…lſum co…g…tari p…ſſant h… …in…s, ni… al quo Signaculorum ſeu Sacramentorum viſib lium Cono…t…o …oll g…atur. adv. Fauſt. l. 19. cap. 11.That men can be aſſociated together in no Religion, whether true or falſe, unleſs they be combined by the common tie of ſome viſible ſigns and Sacraments of their profeſſion. Which the world hath found by ſo long experience p. 7to be true, that I need not be carefull to prove it. The Jews it is manifeſt were differenced from others by Circumciſion, and (as their Doctors tell us,) entred into Covenant with God, not only by it, but by Baptiſm alſo, together with a ſacrifice unto him. And when a Heathen would become a Jew, and undertake their Religion,See Puxtorf. Lex. Rab. vocab. foreign and ſo repoſe himſelf (as their phraſe is,) under the wings of the divine Majeſty, he was to be circumciſed, baptized, and offer Sacrifice; for which Maimon (as ſundry Learned men obſerve out of him,De prohibito congreſſu.) brings no other proof, but that Num. 15.15. As ye are, ſo ſhall the ſtranger be; ſo ſuppoſing as a thing well known, that by thoſe three the Jews ſubmitted themſelves to the yoak of the Law. And it is as commonly known that they ſay their mothers entred into Covenant only by Baptiſm & Sacrifice, and ſo did ſome Proſelytes by thoſe (without Circumciſion,) ingage to worſhip the one God of Abraham, Iſaac and Jacob, and forſaking all Idols, to obſerve him only; as that paſſage of R. Joſhuahs clearly ſhews, (which is cited by Raymundus,) p. 8He is baptized,Pug. Fidei Part. 3. Diſt. 3. cap. 11. and not circumciſed, Behold this is a ſtranger converted, for loe we find of our mothers, (viz. Sarah, Rebecca, &c.) that they were baptized, but not circumciſed.

Baptiſm now hath no different ſignification, but only we lay this Ingagement upon our ſelves, to worſhip the God & Father of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt; & to come to him through his Son, & to embrace that religion which he teaches us from God, which is that whereby we are diſtinguiſhed from Jews, Mahometans, and all other people in the world, who go not to God through this Mediator, nor own that bleſſed Goſpel that he hath delivered unto us.

If any ſhould ask me, why by Baptiſm we ſhould make this Profeſſion rather then any other Rite; The anſwer methinks is eaſie, if what hath been ſaid he conſidered, together with the partiticulars that I ſhall mention after I have diſpatched this general notion of it. And beſides, it ſeems conſiderable to me, that Moſes the Mediator of the Old Covenant did receive the people into it by Baptiſm, and not by Circumciſion. For it is not only ſaid, Exodus p. 919.10. That they ſhould ſanctifie themſelves, and waſh their cloaths; but it is likewiſe plain from Joſhuah 5.5. That none were circumciſed while they were in the wilderneſs, and they are not all the while reproved or rebuked for it, and were notwithſtanding within the Covenant, which was ſure by ſome Ceremony or other; and the Apoſtle alſo ſaith, 1 Cor. 10.2. That they were all baptized into Moſes in the cloud, and in the ſea. God by the covering of the cloud, took them under his wings and protection, owning them for his people, and they paſſing through the heart of the ſea, the waters incloſing them round about, did profeſs to truſt in God, and there to drown all the thoughts of Aegypt which ſometimes they feared, and ſometimes they loved over-much. Now as only Baptiſm and not Circumciſion was uſed, when God conducted his people by the viſible miniſtry of Angels, (who marched with them in the cloud,) and delivered them from the ſlavery and bondage of Aegypt by the hand of Moſes; ſo God thought fit to uſe no other way of making Diſciples when he ſent his own p. 10Son to work a greater ſalvation for us, and to be the Mediator of a better Covenant with us, of which the antient Jews do not ſeem to have been altogether ignorant, when they ſay, that there ſhall be ſuch a multitude of Proſelytes in the days of the Meſſiah, Vid. Grot. in Mat. 3.6.Matt 3:6that they ſhal be admitted by Baptiſm only without any Circumciſion. It may not be unfit to add, that all nations uſed Waſhings ſo much, that there could not be invented (one would think,) a Rite more likely to be readily received then this. The Jews it is plain, not only when they admitted perſons into Covenant, but afterwards alſo in caſe of legal pollutions uſed divers Waſhings, as the Apoſtles phraſe is, Heb. 9.10. Three ſorts of which I find obſerved by a learned man;Gaulmyn not. in vit. Moſes. l. 1. cap. 11. Firſt, There were their foreign,**Mr. Pocock hath largely ſhewn that foreign and foreign do not ſignifie among them alwayes the Waſhing of the whole body, which is to be obſerved againſt thoſe that make it now neceſſary. Not. Miſc…l. cap. 9. their daily waſhings which were introduced by the Phariſees. Secondly, There were their Baptiſms or Immerſions of the whole body into p. 11water, which all the Jews were bound unto in their confeſſions. And thirdly, The bathings of their women which they were tied unto ſeven weeks after their delivery of a child. Unto which I may likewiſe add, that Waſhing was uſed as a token of innocency and freedom from ſuch guilt as might be thought to cleave to a perſon; which the Pſalmiſt ſuppoſeth in that phraſe, Pſalm 26.6. and the book of Deuteronomy plainly expreſſeth, 21. 6, 7. They ſhall waſh their hands, and ſay, Our hands have not ſhed this blood, &c. which perhaps Pilate would imitate, (having to do with the Jews,) when he had condemned our Saviour, Mat. 27.24. For he waſhed his hands before the multitude, and ſaid, I am innocent of the blood of this juſt man, ſee ye to it; as if it had been but an accidental murther, or that which he could no more help, then if a man had been killed by chance. Certain it is the Gentiles likewiſe uſed Waſhings very much, not only after murthers, but likewiſe in caſe of other crimes, and alſo in their admiſſions of perſons into the ſecrets of ſome of their Religions; for which p. 12ſee(*)(*)De Baptiſ cap. 5. & de Praeſcrip. cap. 40. Tertullian. And if there were nothing elſe to make us believe the Jews uſed this Ceremony in theſe caſes, this might make it very probable, for the Gentiles were but their Apes, and the Devil (as(†)(†)foreign, &c. Apolog. 2. Juſt. Martyr obſerves in this very caſe of Baptiſm,) took divine Rites, and made them do ſervice in his helliſh Myſteries; They hearing (ſaith he,) the ſaying of the Prophet, Iſa. 1. Waſh you, make you clean, &c. would have their Worſhippers ſprinkled with water when they went into their Temples to make an offering, yea and be waſhed all over before they came thither. All which being true, our bleſſed Lord might think it fit to innovate as little as he could, & ſo to accommodate this ſignificant and innocent Ceremony to his purpoſes, and tranſlate it from the Jews to be a Rite whereby to profeſs inward purity of body and ſoul, juſt as he did in the other Sacrament of the Lords Supper, wherein he hath made uſe not only of the bread and wine, but as divers have obſerved, of the accuſtomed words which the Jews then uſed at the Paſchal Supper. For ſo his Wiſdom judged p. 13it meet to make former Rites ſerve his own ends, rather then introduce ſtrange and unheard of things which had not been known in former times. His deſign was not novelty, but truth, not his own glory, but the good of men, and ſo he conformed himſelf in this to their practiſe, which (that I may ſpeak more particularly,) is to be conſidered.

Secondly, As a profeſsion of Repentance from dead works, a relinquiſhing of all ungodlineſs and worldly luſts, ſo as never more to be friends with them. This is taught us not only by the Baptiſm of John which was adminiſtred with confeſsion of ſin, and is called the Baptiſm of Repentance, Mat. 3.6, 8. Mar. 1.4.Matt 3:6Matt 3:8Mark 1:4and likewiſe accompanied with an Exhortation to bring forth fruits meet for Repentance, and in refuſing of which the Phariſees are ſaid to have rejected the counſel of God againſt themſelves;Luk. 7.30.Luke 7:30 but alſo by the exhortation of the Apoſtle to the new Converts. Act. 2.38. Repent and be baptized every one of you, &c. i. e. make profeſsion of your Repentance by Baptiſm to the remiſſion of your ſins, the ſenſe of which had p. 14pricked them in their hearts. And it is further manifeſt from all the circumſtances of Baptiſm. For they put off their old cloaths, and ſtript themſelves of their Garments; then they were immerſed all over, and buried in the water, which notably ſignified the putting off the body of the ſins of the fleſh, (as the Apoſtle ſpeaks,Col. 2.11.Col 2:11) and their entring into a ſtate of death or mortification after the ſimilitude of Chriſt; according to the ſame Apoſtles language elſewhere, We art baptized into his death, Rom. 6.3, 4, 6.Rom 6:3Rom 6:4Rom 6:6we are buried with him in Baptiſm, knowing that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of ſin might be deſtroyed, that henceforth we might not ſerve ſin. All which was rendred ſtill more ſignificant by the Antients, who baptized only on the laſt day of the week at night, i.e. on the even of two Lords dayes in the year, (called therefore by Chryſoſtome foreign,) Becauſe Chriſt then ſay in the grave, and was about to riſe again. In conformity to whom, they by this Rite did profeſs themſelves to be dead, and (coming out of the water,) there to leave all their ſins p. 15drowned and buried in that grave, never to revive again. There is one thing more (not to be forgotten,) which makes it more clear, that it was intended for a profeſsion of Repentance, & that is the Renunciation which they made to the Devil, the world, and the fleſh; or the open declaration upon the queſtion propounded which they made againſt all Gods enemies, the form of which ſo many antient Authors do record, that it is vain to cite any; but the ſenſe of it was this, Do you renounce, or do you forſake the world, and all the vanities, follies and wickedneſs thereof? I do forſake them, ſaid the perſon to be baptized. Do you forſake the Devil, will you have never any thing to do with his works? I do forſake him, and abhor them all, &c. unto which the Apoſtle is thought to have reference, 1 Pet. 3.21. when he ſpeaks of the anſwer of a good conſcience, as the Baptiſm which ſaves us, and not the outward waſhing, or putting away of the filth of the fleſh. This foreign, this queſtion, What ſhall I do to be ſaved? and conſequently the hearty anſwer to all that is propoſed as requiſite p. 16to ſalvation, is that which makes Baptiſm to be valid, and of force unto us. The Jews ſay in their tradition, that Adam ſtood a whole week up to the neck in water, begging of God to accept of his Repentance for what he had committed. Whatſoever he did, I am ſure this Waſhing with water doth moſt fitly repreſent both our acknowledgements that we are worthy to die, and be ſwallowed up in the water, and our profeſsion that we will forſake all our filthineſs, if we may but be accepted unto life.

Thirdly, It is a Profeſsion of faith in the Father, Son and Holy Ghoſt. For we are baptized into their name, and ſo it ſignifies, either firſt that we heartily accept of the Father for our God and happineſs, to love him above all; and of the Son, for our Lord and Saviour, as the way unto the Father; and of the Holy Ghoſt for our Sanctifier, Guide and Conductor to the Son; or ſecondly (which comes to the ſame,) that we embrace that Doctrine for our Rule which is delivered unto us from the Father, through the hands of his Son, by the Power of the Holy Spirit, p. 17to fear all his threatnings, to relye upon all his Promiſes, and to yield obedience to all his Commands as long as we live. That this profeſſion of Faith was made in Baptiſm is plain, not only from Acts 8.37. where Philip ſaith to the Eunuch, If thou believeſt with all thine heart, thou mayſt be baptized, and he anſwers, I believe that Jeſus Chriſt is the Son of God; but likewiſe from this, that the word Baptiſm is put for the whole Doctrine which he preached, who did baptize, as you may ſee, Acts 18.25. (knowing only the Baptiſm of John,) Acts 19.3. [Into what were you baptized? and they ſaid, into Johns Baptiſm:] By which it appears, that being baptized into ſuch a name, though one ſhould ſpeak nothing, expreſſes a conſent to embrace that word which he preaches and declares to be the Will of God. Yea, Baptiſm is an open profeſſion and Declaration to all, that we are of ſuch a faith, for it is not enough that we are perſwaded of the Truth of Chriſts Religion, but we ought alſo publiquely to own it, and manifeſt to the world our belief of it, which ſeems to me to be the meaning p. 18of that place, Mark 16.16. He that believes, and is baptized, ſhall be ſaved: i. e. He that owns the faith of Chriſt in Truth, and makes a profeſſion of his belief by receiving this mark of the Chriſtian Religion, he ſhall be accepted of God to life. For that was required by our Saviour of his Diſciples, that they ſhould not be aſhamed of him before men, nor be afraid to let the world know that they were his diſciples, by uſing all thoſe things whereby they were diſtinguiſhed from the reſt of men.

4. It is a profeſſion of holineſs and obedience, and an engagement we thereby lay upon our ſelves to maintain all purity in body and ſoul, which is the immediate conſequent of the two former, and ſeems to be alluded unto by the Apoſtle, when he ſaith, 1 Cor. 6.11. Such were ſome of you, but you are waſhed, but you are ſanctified, &c. i. e. you have betaken your ſelves by receiving of Baptiſm to a holy and pure Converſation: And it is more plainly expreſſed by him, Gal. 3.27. As many of you as have been baptized into Chriſt, have put on Chriſt. In token p. 19of which, and that they intended all Purity, (like thoſe in the Reavelation, who are ſaid to follow the Lamb in white,) they were preſently cloathed with white Garments when they came out of the water. From whence that day was called White Sunday, which was one of the principle times when the Antients did admit perſons to Baptiſm; and they all profeſſed hereby, that they hated the grament ſpotted with the fleſh, and would never return again to the dirty pleaſures of the world wherein they had wallowed. An antient Chriſtian Poet doth excellently expreſs it.

Fulgentes animas veſtis quo que candita ſignatLactantius Firm.

El groge de niveo gaudia paſtor habet.

A bright garment was caſt over ſhining and gliſtering ſouls, and the Great Shepherd took no ſmall pleaſure in his milk-white Lambs, whoſe outward luſtre did but ſignifie that they were become the Children of the Light, and of the day, and would have no more fellowſhip with the unfruitfull works of Darkneſs, Eph. 5. p. 208,Fileſacus. l. 1. ſelect. cap. 3. 10. Which place ſome would interpret of Baptiſm, called therefore by the Antients foreign, or Illumination, of which thoſe ſplendid Garments was a fit ſignification.Georg. Fhelavius annot. ad Chriſtoph. Angel. The Greeks at this day put ſuch a Robe upon the Child immediately after Baptiſm, ſaying, Receive this lucid and immaculate Cloathing, and bring it before the Tribunal of our Lord Jeſus without ſpot, and thou ſhall have eternal life, Amen. Certain it is, that all true Chriſtians have ever accounted this the great intent of this outward Rite of Baptiſm, to be an Ingagement to Holineſs; foreign is the ſenſe of them all. Be clean, not only by the waſhing of thy body, but the purgation of thy mind. Bath and ſteep thy ſoul in holy truths, till they have fetcht out all thy filth. For even a Jew can ſay, Qui baptizatur ſine intentione, perinde eſt ac ſi non baptizatur; Joſeph. de Voyſin, de Lege div. cap. 7.He that doth not intend that which is meant by Baptiſm, is as if he were unbaptized; for it is not dirt (ſaith he,) and excrementious adherencies that a man waſheth away, but there is a Reſemblance herein of the p. 21cleanſing of the ſoul from all filthineſs, i. e. from thoſe perverſe thoughts, and evil habits which he profeſſes to forſake by bringing his ſoul to the waters of Vertue and Knowledge, as Ezekiel ſaith, chap. 36.25. Thus Maimon. And therefore they well ſaid, He that comes from among the Gentiles unto us foreign for the ſake of any worldly vanity,Buxtorf. in vocab. foreign he is not a Proſelyte of Juſtice; for which cauſe they uſed to examine him, whether for the hope of gain, or honour, or compelled with fear, he betook himſelf to their profeſſion, and to ſearch whether there were any young man, or woman of Iſrael that the party made love unto, becauſe they would have them only out of holy ends undertake their Religion. And indeed their riſing again, & coming out of the water, did likewiſe ſignifie this, that they had left their filthineſs behind, & were made new men, hence-forward to ſerve God in Righteouſneſs and Holineſs all the dayes of their life.

5. It is a Profeſsion of ſelf-denial, and taking up the Croſs if we meet with it in our Chriſtian courſe. For p. 22Waters ſignifie in Scripture Afflictions and Tribulations, which ſometimes go over our heads and overwhelm us. And accordingly our Saviour ſpeaking of his ſufferings,Luke 12.50. Mat. 20.22.Luke 12:50Matt 20:22 ſaith, I have a Baptiſm to be baptized with, &c. And are you able to be baptized with the Baptiſm that I am baptized with? i. e. to take part with me in my ſufferings and indurances here in the world for Gods ſake? and immediately it follows, You ſhall indeed be baptized with my Baptiſm, you ſhall be wet in blood, and baptized in your own tears and ſweat. Whoſoever puts on Chriſt, takes upon him his ſufferings, and renounces (as you have heard,) to all thoſe things, though never ſo dear, that would deveſt him of his dearer Saviour, or make him falſe to that Covevant into which he doth enter. So the Samanaeans among the Indians (as Porphiry tells us,L. 4. foreign.) as ſoon as they were choſen to be of the ſociety of thoſe Divines, and had that Title, they ſhaved their body, and received a Stole or long Robe, after which they renounced foreign to all their Eſtates, never thinking of returning to Wife, Children, or any p. 23other thing, making no account of them; but wholly imploying themſelves in the things of God, (as his words are,) they lived foreign, without wives, or Poſſeſsions, or their former Injoyments. Such a white Garment I told you the Chriſtians ſometime received in token of their putting on Chriſt Jeſus the Lord; with that they put on new relations, and eſpouſed another Intereſt, and did profeſs to forſake Father, Mother, Wife, Children, Houſes, Lands, and all things elſe for his names ſake, and to call nothing theirs, but only Chriſt. Which likewiſe we cannot deny, they did very antiently repreſent, by ſigning them with the ſign of the Croſs, (innocently enough it is likely, till Superſtition did abuſe it,) in token of the crucified, afflicted condition into which they muſt be willing to enter, if Chriſt ſhould call them to it. And ſo we may interpret that place, 1 Tim. 6.12. Fight the good fight of Faith, lay hold on Eternal life, whereunto thou art alſo called, and haſt profeſſed a good profeſſion before many witneſſes, i.e. endure ſufferings for Chriſts ſake, for thou art p. 24called unto it, and haſt profeſſed in Baptiſm thou wouldſt be his faithfull Souldier before many witneſſes, i.e. (ſaith Hierom,) before the people of God and his holy Angels thou didſt renounce to the world, and all the ſoftneſſes and vanities thereof, and gave up thy ſelf to indure hardſhip, (as it is in another place, 2 Tim. 2.3.) Like a good Sculdier of Jeſus Chriſt. For this cauſe it was perhaps that their Baptiſteria, V. D… rum diſp. d… …ntiq. … funer.or Fonts uſed to he made where ſome Martyrs had ſuffered, that ſo they might be put in mind they entred into a War-fare, wherein they muſt reſiſt unto blood, ſtriving againſt ſin. Our very firſt Incorporation into Chriſt, is in effect an Expiration to the world; and then we begin to die, when we begin to live. As ſoon as ever we declare for Chriſt, and are liſted into his Mil…tia, the Devil raiſeth all his forces againſt us, and we muſt not expect to march quietly to Heaven. You ſhall read of nothing but ſufferings after our Saviours Baptiſm, and moſt of the reſt of his life before, for thirty years (which we may ſuppoſe had leſs trouble in it,) the Holy Ghoſt paſſes over; p. 25as if he would tell us, that when by Baptiſm we give our ſelves to him, and become his Children, we enter upon a ſtate of ſufferings,Rev. 7.14.Rev 7:14 and perhaps muſt waſh our Garments again in the blood of the Lamb.

And having thus ſhewed the greateſt Ingagement that it can lay upon us, which is to lay down our lives for Chriſts ſake if he require it; I ſhall paſs to the next part of this diſcourſe, which is to ſhew what the meaning & intent of it is on Gods part, & what bleſsings are thereby conveyed back again to us, who thus give up our ſelves to him.

2. God by his Miniſter (that doth in his name, and by his Authority baptize,) doth receive the perſons ſo waſhed into the Injoyment of ſome priviledges and benefits that otherwayes are not ordinarily to be enjoyed. For what is done by his Miniſter, is as if the hand of God ſhould do it. So it is ſaid, John 3.23. That Jeſus came into Judea, and baptized; and verſe 26. The Jews ſay to John, He to whom thou beareſt witneſs, behold the ſame baptizeth: and again, cap. 4.1. It is ſaid, That Jeſus made and baptized more Diſciples then p. 26John; yet verſe 2. We are told, That Jeſus himſelf baptized not, but his Diſciples. That which Officers and Servants do by Commiſſion and Authority of their Maſter, is accounted to be his Action; And ſo,

Firſt, God receiveth us hereby into his family, to be numbred among his people, of whom he will have a ſpecial care.…o Chryſoſt. ſpeaks to the newly baptized, foreign. It is the ſeal (as it were,) of God upon us, his Mark and Caracter whereby he owns us for his ſheep, and knows us from all other, ſo as to have a more particular inſpection over us then the reſt of the world that make not this profeſſion, & to indow us with certain peculiar favours, even before we are able to perform any part of our Duty unto him. It is the door whereby we enter into the Church, the Gate that lets us into Chriſts fold, and the firſt ſtep to fellowſhip with God and with his people. Whence it was the Font you know uſed to be placed at the door or entrance of the Church,V. Auguſt. l. 2. de. Catec. rud. cap. 1. to ſignifie that by this we come into the Congregation of Chriſts Diſciples, but yet that by Baptiſm we are brought but to the beginning of Religion, p. 27and muſt make a further progreſs to perfection, till we come to the holy place, and into a nearer communion with God. The Miniſter likewiſe uſed to take the Infants into his arms, to ſignifie I ſuppoſe, Gods receiving and embracing of them with a loving affection. Yea, he uſed to kiſs them, either to ſignifie that love of God to them, or that they were now of that community and body, whom the Apoſtle bid to ſalute one another with a holy Kiſs. And all this is ſuppoſed in the word Proſelytes, or Comers unto God, which clearly argues ſome relative Action of his, which is receiving and entertaining them graciouſly as thoſe he will have in his favour. But more particularly.

Secondly, Hereby God receives us into a ſtate of pardon and forgiveneſs. He aſſures us that Adams ſin ſhall not undo us, and that every ſin of our own ſhall not exclude us out of Heaven, but that we ſhall have the benefit of Repentance, and an allowance to retract our follies, yea, and Grace ſo to do, if we will make uſe of it. He admits us into that Covenant of p. 28Grace which accepts of Repentance in ſtead of Innocence, and Amendment in ſtead of an unerring Obedience. This is one of the ſpecial favours of the Goſpel, (which by Baptiſm is conſigned unto us,) that former Iniquities ſhall not be remembred, and that every breach of our Covenant, if there be a real chan… wrought in us, ſhall not void it, and make it null, and ineffectuall unto us. So in Mark 1.4. John is ſaid to preach the Baptiſm of Repentance for Remiſſion of ſin. And Ananias ſaith, (Acts 22.16.) Ariſe, and be baptized, and waſh away thy ſins. And the Greek Church after Baptiſm, ſings thoſe words three times,Georg. Fhelavius Ib. Bleſſed is he whoſe iniquity is forgiven. As thoſe who came to the Baptiſm of John, did thereby receive a diſtinguiſhing mark and character that they ſhould not be-deſtroyed in the ruine of the Nation, (in ſo much that he ſaith to the Phariſees that deſired Baptiſm,Mat. 3.7.Matt 3:7 Who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?) So they that are baptized into Chriſt, do thereby receive a pledge, that no ſin which they ſtand guilty of ſhall bring the anger of God upon p. 29their heads if they will keep his Covenant; but all ſhall be croſſed out which they are charged with, and be like words writ in the water, that are obliterated and vaniſhed, nowhere any more to be found.

Thirdly, We receive hereby the Promiſe of the Spirit, the Effuſion of which,Joh. 3.5.John 3:5 is likened to the pouring out of water; and ſo is in Baptiſm moſt aptly ſignified and repreſented. I will pour (ſaith the Prophet,) waters on him that is thirſty, and floods upon the dry ground, (i. e. upon the Gentiles who were as a wilderneſs.Iſa. 44▪ 3, 4, 5.Isa 44:3Isa 44:4Isa 44:5) I will pour my Spirit on thy ſeed, and my bleſſing upon thy Offſpring, and they ſhall ſpring up as among the graſs, &c. In which place, that there may be a Prediction of Baptiſm, it is very probable, for thus much ſome of the Jews do acknowledge, that the Prophet ſpeaks of Gentiles that ſhould be Proſelytes, and called by the name of Iſrael; and we Chriſtians know that we are Abrahams ſeed, and that this Promiſe hath a reſpect to the times of the Goſpel. Raſi out of R. Nathan thus gloſſes upon the fifth verſe: There are four ſorts of Converts p. 30here ſpoken of, one ſhall ſay, I am the Lords, (*)(*)foreigntheſe are they that are Proſelytes of Juſtice, or the moſt perfect Converts; And another ſhall call himſelf by the name of Jacob, (†)(†)foreigntheſe are the little Ones of the ungodly; And another ſhall ſubſcribe with his hand to the Lord, (‖)(‖)foreigntheſe are the Penitents, or the men that repent, and ſurname himſelf by the name of Iſrael, (*)(*)foreigntheſe are the ſtrangers, i. e. thoſe that obſerved the Precepts of the ſons of Noah, and particularly renounced Idolatry; and therefore this part of the verſe is by another rendred foreign they that fear God. Where obſerve,V. Raimund. pug. fidei. par. 2. cap. 14. that he calls one ſort of theſe Converts foreign the little ones, who were not thought (it ſeems,) to be unmeet to be made members of a Church, and were not judged by their fathers admiſſion to be received, but were diſtinctly admitted by themſelves by the decree (as they tell us,) of the houſe of Judgement. And obſerve likewiſe that all theſe Proſelytes being ſaid to ſpring as it were out of the water,**So Chryſoſt calls the new baptized perſons foreign, &c. Orat. prima & ſecunda de Reſurrect. theſe p. 31words may well be a Propheſie of Chriſtian Baptiſm, to which a promiſe of the Spirit is annexed, which is very well ſignified by water; for as that cleanſes and purifies from filth, ſo the Spirit of God, (called upon this account the Holy Ghoſt,) is the Sanctifier of Gods people, purging and cleanſing their hearts from all impurities. This being therefore the great work of the Spirit ſo well repreſented by water, we muſt conclude, that when the Miniſter waſheth us in Gods name, God thereby promiſeth that he will be aſſiſtant to us by the holy Ghoſt, & that he will ſend upon us his Grace,Tit. 8.5. that we may be ſaved through the waſhing of Regeneration, and the renewing of the H. Ghoſt. According to that of the Apoſtle, 1 Cor. 6.11. the place before mentioned, But you are waſhed, but ye are ſanctified, but you are juſtified in the name of the Lord Jeſus, and by the Spirit of God. Where as thoſe words [In the name of the Lord Jeſus] refers to being juſtified; ſo thoſe words [By the Spirit of God,] refers to their being waſhed and ſanctified. So in that place of Ezekiel, cap. 36.25. After p. 32he had ſaid, That he would ſprinkle them with clean water; it follows as an explication of it, verſ. 26, 27: A new heart will I alſo give you, and a new ſpirit will I put into you, &c. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cauſe you to walk in my Statutes. All which doth ſufficiently ſhew that in this Waſhing with water, the Lord ingages to give the Spirit.foreign. Chryſ. orat. 1. de reſur. foreign.

Fourthly, We receive hereby a Promiſe of Reſurrection unto life: Though we by going into the water profeſs that we are willing to take up the Croſs, and dye for Chriſts ſake; yet on Gods parts, this action of going into, and coming out of the water again, did ſignifie that he would bring ſuch perſons to live again, That he would not leave their ſoul in grave, nor ſuffer his holy one to ſee corruption. And this according to Chryſoſtome, (a very judicious Interpreter, who was ſo full of the Spirit of Saint Paul, that he dreamt ſometime that he appeared to him,) is the meaning of that difficult place, 1 Cor. 15.29. Elſe what ſhall they do that are baptized for the dead? &c. i. e. for their dead bodies. Why do they profeſs in Baptiſm, that they p. 33believe the Article of the Reſurrection of the dead, among the reſt of the Articles of Chriſtian faith? Why are they baptized into the hope and expectation of it, of which (ſaith he) the Miniſter gives them a ſign or ſymbole, foreign, by the things themſelves that he doth, putting them in, and taking them out of the water, which is a ſign of their deſcending into the ſtate of the dead, and their aſcending up from thence. Now what good do they receive by Baptiſm, if they ſhall not riſe again, but remain alwayes in the grave? If any think it harſh to render theſe words, For their dead bodies, by theſe, For the reſurrection of their dead bodies, (which in Baptiſm we profeſs to believe,) it is only for want of skill in the ſhort manner of ſpeaking, which the Hebrews uſe. And methinks they may otherwiſe be interpreted to the ſame ſenſe more plainly after this manner, Why are they baptized for their dead bodies, i. e. for the benefit and profit of their dead bodies? for foreign denotes the end, which an Agent intends in an action. (as Gal. 1.4. who gave himſelf foreign, p. 34foreign,foreign, ſome have it, which is of the ſame force. for to take away our ſins,) and there can be no end upon our dead bodies which we can have, but that they may live again; therefore for this end we are baptized, that they may riſe from the dead, which if they ſhould not, we ſhould loſe (ſaith the Apoſtle,) the great benefit which in Baptiſm was conſigned; and to what purpoſe ſhould we uſe that Rite? It may be replied, that I have already mentioned many other purpoſes which render it ſufficiently beneficial. But if it be conſidered how near ſin and death are one to the other, we ſhall conclude that ſo muſt remiſſion of ſin, and the reſurrection from the dead go together, and that if the one be not believed, we may eaſily doubt of the other, or at the beſt, we ſhall make forgiveneſs lame and very imperfect while this great puniſhment of ſin, viz. Death remains unremoved. Luther indeed in his verſion of the Bible gives another interpretation of this place, but ſutable to my preſent diſcourſe, which is grounded Dilheirus thinks upon that practiſe I mentioned of Baptizing in the places where the Martyrs were p. 35nterred. The ſenſe whereof is this, (as one that underſtands the language, interprets it to me,) What mean they to be baptized [Uber Den Toden,] over the dead? To ſtrengthen (ſaith Luther in his gloſs upon the words,) or confirm the Reſurrection; they uſed to baptize Chriſtians [Ʋber den Toden grahern,] over the graves of the dead, the intention whereof was to ſhew that the ſame, the very ſelf ſame perſon ſhould riſe again. But I doubt we ſhall not find that cuſtom ſo antient as St. Pauls days, wherein there had been but few Martyrs; and therefore I wave it, thinking the other more clear and proper. If any one like it, then from both me may conclude, that the wa…rs of Baptiſm are like the waters of heaven, which falling upon the dry earth, and the dead roots of plants, makes them ſpring forth, and live again. It gives us aſſurance, that we ſhall not alwayes ſleep in our duſt, but ſhall ſpring up and flouriſh in a better ſoil, even the Garden of God, never to die, or wither any more. And Circumciſion ſeems not to have been without this ſignification neither, for they uſed to p. 36caſt the fore-skin cut off into a veſſel full of duſt, to ſignifie it is like, that the circumciſed perſon did renounce the Devil and his luſts, by whoſe impulſe, Adam ſinned, and ſo died, and was turned again into duſt;V. Joſeph. de Voyſin de leg. Div. cap. 7. and that he did caſt away all that evil concupiſcence, by which death came into the world, hoping that that being buried, he ſhould attain the Reſurrection of the body, and live again. To which purpoſe a very antient book (the Zohar) applies a place in Job, which ſhews, though not the ſenſe of the Scripture, yet their ſenſe of Circumciſion, Job 19.26. In my fleſh I ſhall ſee God, i. e. by Circumciſion (which was the Covenant of God in their fleſh,) come to immortal life. And a tradition they have to this purpoſe, That when a man is ſigned with this holy mark, he is made worthy of the viſion of God.

Fifthly, Baptiſm is not improperly called by Divines a ſeal of all theſe things, i. e. a Rite whereby the Covenant between God and us is confirmed, whereby we aſſure God of our fidelity, and he aſſures us that as certainly as our bodies are waſhed with water, ſo certainly will he give us of his p. 37Grace, & if we perform our undertaking, continually aſſiſt us with the holy Spirit, pardon our ſins, deliver us from the power of the Devil, ſave our ſouls, and at laſt raiſe our bodies out of the grave, and make them ſpiritual and immortal, and unite both body and ſoul together i… …ernal Glory. That conditional Covenant of Grace and Mercy that was ſealed before indefinitely by Chriſts blood, is now ſealed by Baptiſm to this particular perſon which receives it. Therefore,

Sixthly, The ſum of all is that hereby we are regenerated and born again. It is the Sacrament of the new birth, by which we are put into a new ſtate, and change all our relations, ſo that whereas before we were only the Children of Adam, we are now taken to be the Children of God; ſuch of whom he will have a fatherly care, and be indulgent and mercifull unto. We have now a relation likewiſe to Chriſt as our Head, and to the holy Ghoſt as the Giver of life and grace. Yea, herein he grants remiſſion of ſin, and we are ſanctified, and ſet apart to his uſes. We being hereby given to him, p. 38and he accepting of us, do become his poſſeſſion and proper goods, and cannot without being guilty of the fouleſt Robbery ſin againſt God. We are made hereby the Temples of the Holy Ghoſt, the place where he, and nothing elſe is to inhabite; and being by this conſecrated to him …e likewiſe then enters upon his poſſeſſion, and we are ſaid thereby to receive the holy Ghoſt; ſo that if we run into ſin, we defile his houſe, and commit the greateſt profaneſs and impiety, and may be ſaid very truly to do deſpite to the Spirit of God whereby we were ſanctified. Socrates in Plato well ſaith, that every man is by his birth,In Phaedon…. foreign, One of Gods freeholds, and therefore concludes it is as unlawfull for a man to kill himſelf, as a ſervant to run away from his Maſter, ſeeing he is not his own goods, nor can diſpoſe of his life according to his pleaſure. In this ſecond birth God is ſeized again of us, he owns us in a ſpecial manner for his Children, and we may not without committing a double murder ſin againſt him, and may be called twice dead if we do, becauſe in Baptiſm are p. 39the beginnings of a new life, and the Spirit of life takes hold of us, and as far as is agreeable to our age and condition we are renewed by the Holy Ghoſt. For Baptiſm being a beginning of our performance of our duty, God doth likewiſe in it begin proportionably to make good his promiſe. We may call it therefore with Cyprian, Genetalis unda, aqua ſalutaris, &c. the Laver of Regeneration; ſeeing as the Apoſtle ſaith, 1 Cor. 12.13. By one ſpirit we are all baptized into one body, &c. whereby he intimates that the Spirit of God doth accompany this water, and therefore we muſt be in a ſort made other Creatures. I ſee no cauſe to leave this antient language which may have a very good ſenſe, and none I ſuppoſe will deny but that at leaſt a Relative change is herein made, and ſo much Grace and Favour is conferred,Apolog. 2. foreign. that we ſtand upon better terms then meer nature did inſtate us in. Juſtin Martyr relating the manner how Chriſtians were made, (that the Heathens might not he offended ſo much at their Religion,) ſpeaks of this matter. When men are perſwaded of the p. 40thing: that we teach, and promiſe to live accordingly, they faſt, and pray, and beg of God remiſsion of ſin, and then we bring them to the water, and ſo they are born again after the ſame manner that we were regenerated: to this he applyes that place, Joh. 3.5. Except a man be born again, &c. All things ſeem to grow out of water, and it was not unfitly made by one of the antient wiſe men, the firſt Principle of all, ſo that it may well ſignifie another birth, a new plantation in a better ſoil, which is watered by daily dews and ſhowers of Gods heavenly Grace; and in, it we may be ſaid to have changed our Patents, and all our relations, ſo as after a manner to become new Creatures.Li. paedag. cap. 7. If Clemens Alex. his reading of that place, Mat. 3.17. be right one would think that Chriſt was by Baptiſm admitted to his office, and had a kind of a new birth in it, Thou art my beloved Son, this day have I begotten thee. i.e. now have I appointed thee to thy office, now of the Son of Joſeph as thou art eſteemed, I declare thee the Son of God, and make thee my Vicegerent. That which was perfectly p. 41done at the Reſurrection (to which thoſe words, This day have I begotten thee are applyed, Act. 13.33.) was begun and done in ſign at Baptiſm, when the Holy Ghoſt likewiſe deſcended upon him, and anointed him unto his office. And ſo in after times they uſed to anoint the baptized perſon with oyl, to repreſent, I ſuppoſe, that God took him to be his Son, and did beſtow upon him the Holy Spirit. But becauſe Clemens muſt be thought to have expreſſed rather the ſenſe, then the very words that were ſpoken, let us conſider only what ſucceeded our Saviours Baptiſm, and it will tell us thus much, that at that time it was that God firſt owned him openly for his Son, and it may well teach us that in Baptiſm God takes us to be his Children,foreign. we are received under his ſhadow, are, and ſhall be indued with this Holy Spirit, according as it follows in him; Chriſt was our foreign, Exemplar or Pattern; and being baptized, are illuminated; and being illuminated, we are made ſons; and being made ſons, we are compleated; and being compleated, we are made immortal. There is p. 42nothing wanting after we are baptized to the injoying the whole of this, but that we be faithfull in Gods Covenant, and follow the conduct of Gods illuminating and holy Spirit, till we be made Poſſeſſors of that Immortality, unto which in Baptiſm we have a Title given us. The antient Chriſtians ſpeak of high Illuminations, wherewithall God pleaſed then to grace Baptiſm; I make no queſtion but they ſpeak as they felt, and that they talk not of a ſtrange change then wrought which never was; but if any ſay, that thoſe great Communications of the Holy Ghoſt were proper to that time when Chriſt did moſt notably atteſt to the Truth of his own Inſtitutions for the conviction of Unbelievers, I think ſo alſo: for young plantations needed larger effuſions of the heavenly dews to water and cheriſh them. But yet we may conceive that there may be ſtill ſome operations of that ſpirit in mens hearts at Baptiſm, though ſecret & inſenſible unto us; and I profeſs my ſelf one of thoſe that labour to believe very highly of Chriſts preſence with all his own ordinances; p. 43though if any cannot ſavour this, I will not contend, nor fight in the dark, but deſire the other things may be entertained which are certain, and then there will be ſufficient ground to think that it is not indifferent, whether we be baptized or no; and that it is not a naked Ceremony that neither doth good not harm, as ſome men ſeem to ſpeak againſt the conſtant ſenſe of the people of God. And thus much may ſuffice concerning my thoughts of the firſt particular, wherein you have had a ſhort account of the intent, uſe and benefit of Baptiſm. It remains that ſpeak a few words of the other two particulars in the text, and ſhew in the ſecond place,

2. Who are the perſons to be baptized?

The Text will not let us doubt but all thoſe who are willing to embrace Jeſus as the Chriſt, and the Son of the living God, and to give themſelves up to his inſtruction and teaching, are thus to be initiated and entred into his Religion. Only it is ſcrupled, whether thoſe that cannot expreſs ſuch a willingneſs, p. 44nor make any ſigns of it are ſo to be admitted, and therefore all Infants are by ſome excluded from theſe waters, as ſubjects uncapable, either to make any ſuch profeſſion and ingagement, or receive from God any ſuch benefit.

This point hath been ſo ſifted even to the very bran, that I cannot think mine eyes ſo acute as to diſcern any little Argument to lie ſtill neglected that I ſhould be able to boult out. The cuſtom of the Church hath been pleaded, which is accounted the beſt Interpreter of a doubtfull law; And the Scriptures have been ſearched in theſe late times (more I think then ever,) by many learned Authors in every ones hands, and to ſuch excellent purpoſe, that if I were able to plead the Infants title ſtrongly, my defence might be ſpared.

I will therefore briefly diſmiſs this head with theſe four conſiderations.

Firſt, That if there were any Infants in this perſons family, it is certain they were baptized, for he was baptized, he, and all his. It is doubtfull indeed, whether there were any or no; yet it is p. 45conſiderable (eſpecially in conjunction with other Arguments,) that neither here, nor any where elſe in the whole Scripture are they excepted, (and it is ſcarce to be thought that all of the families baptized were without Infants,) nor is there one word that tends to the excluding of them from Baptiſm. But,

Secondly, I conſider that Infants are capable to be ingaged and profeſſed, and likewiſe to be received into the Grace and favour of God.

Baptiſm may be looked on either as a ſign of what we are to be in our future courſe, and what God hath done, and will do for us, and ſo all muſt grant that Infants are as capable as others to receive it; or ſecondly, As a ſeal of the truth of God, under which notion we ordinarily conceive it, and then they are as capable likewiſe as grown men to have any thing conveighed and ſealed unto them, upon ſuch conditions afterwards to be performed; or thirdly, As an Obligation whereby we are tyed to perform thoſe conditions; and fourthly, As a priviledge whereby we are actually inſtated into ſome p. 46Favours and Injoyments; and if any affirm that in theſe two regards they are uncapable, let them remember that Children may be bound by deeds drawn up and ſealed between two perſons before they underſtand any thing at all, and that a Child may be crowned in the Cradle, and it will ſtand good to all purpoſes. A Parent may contract with God on his childs behalf, no otherwiſe then a Guardian doth in the behalf of a minor or one under age, which he cannot afterward retract when he is out of his Pupillage without injuſtice, and being lyable to the Law, if the contract be judged to be to his behoof and benefit. As in the Interpretation of Law that is an Act of the Pupil, or child, which is done in its name, and for its good by his Tutor or Guardian; ſo may God be pleaſed graciouſly and favourably to accept of this Act of the Parent laying ſuch an Obligation upon the child, and interpret it for the childs own Act and Deed, ſo conferring his graces upon it, and expecting performance of Faith and Obedience, and looking upon it as ſo ingaged, that it ſhall be properly p. 47ſaid to break a Vow and Covenant, if it ſin againſt him. And this will ſtill be clearer from a third conſideration.

Thirdly, That Children are in the power of the Parent, and they have a Jus or Right unto them, ſo as they have to any other things that are their proper goods. They may therefore make an offering of them to God, and dedicate them to his uſes, as well as Land or Money and there is no queſtion but God will accept of them as of any thing elſe that they conſecrate to him, and take them for his portion, ſo that it ſhall be a ſacrilegious Act for theſe Infants hereafter to alienate themſelves from him, and convert themſelves to the uſes and ſervice of any other.

This the Denyers of infant-Baptiſm cannot deny, that it is very fit Parents ſhould by ſolemn prayers and profeſſion devote and conſecrate their children to God and make an open oblation of them before all to his ſervice, only they would not have it done by waſhing with water, which is as much as to grant that they would have the thing done, but not the Ceremony or p. 48Rite uſed, and that they are capable of the thing ſignified, but not of the ſign, of the greater matter, but not of the leſs; and as it ſeems to me they make a Controverſie where there need be none; for if they are to be devoted to God, Baptiſm being the way wherein we devote our ſelves to him and being ſo ſignificant of our Duty, it is the fitteſt way wherein to devote our Children to his uſe.

Fourthly, Chriſt may well be conceived to include them when he bids his Diſciples Go and baptize all Nations in the name of the Father, Mat. 28.Matt 28&c. for that was no more then a commiſſion to go and make Proſelytes, and ingage them by Baptiſm in Chriſts Religion. Now I intimated before that there were young ſtrangers admitted by the Jews, i. e. Infants or little Children were made Proſelytes to their way of Worſhip, and it is plain that all were baptized into Moſes in the ſea and in the cloud; both old and young, the Infants as well as the grown men paſſed through the water, and were all covered with the cloud, and likewiſe Favo…es ſunt ampliandi, where none are excepted, p. 49favours and benefits are to be inlarged unto all; and to ſpare further labour of a long diſcourſe, let me only remember you how Moſes did take the Children into Covenant with God, as well as the reſt, Deut. 29.10, 11, 12. You ſtand this day all of you before the Lord your God your Captains of your Tribes, your Elders, and your Officers, with all the men of Iſrael, your little Ones, your wives, &c. that thou ſhouldeſt enter into Covenant with the Lord thy God, and into his oath which the Lord thy God maketh with thee this day. Why ſhould we not then think that the Mediatour of the new Covenant did include theſe little Ones, as well as others in that univerſal expreſſion, and that he would have them enter into Covenant with God? If any ask why our Saviour did not then expreſly mention them? the Anſwer will be eaſie, That there was no need for him to expreſs every particular ſubject of Baptiſm, ſeeing it was ſo well known before by the common practiſe of the Jews, and by the former Covenant, and therefore his chief intent in thoſe words was to tell them in p. 50what manner and form they ſhould now baptize, viz. in the name of the Father, Son and H. Ghoſt, which had not been yet uſed, but now was to be every where practiſed. I have no mind to add more, but beſeech the Lord, that all thoſe who diſpute againſt Infant-baptiſm, may behave themſelves like men baptized, and remember that humility, modeſty and peaceableneſs of ſpirit are great Doctrines in the Chriſtian ſchool; and that if ſo many good and learned men have erred (as they think,) then ſo may they.

A few words concerning the third general Head of our diſcourſe, may perhaps lend a little further light to this buſineſs, and manifeſt that there is not ſo much required as ſome imagine, to qualifie and capacitate a perſon for Baptiſm. For,

3. It is ſaid here, that foreign, ſtraight way, immediatly, without any further proof he was baptized. If you look back, you ſhall find that Paul and Silas being cloſe Priſoners at Philippi, there was about mid-night a great Earth-quake, that made both the Priſon and the Jaylor alſo ſhake, and p. 51opened both the doors of the Priſon, and of the heart of the Keeper; for this ſtrange trembling of the earth, it is very likely cauſed him to apprehend that theſe were divine perſons, for whom ſuch a wonder was wrought, and ſo to come trembling before them, and inquire what he muſt do to be ſaved? They told him,Verſ. 29, 3. that he muſt believe on the Lord Jeſus, and accordingly ſpake to him the Word of the Lord,Verſ. 31, 32. i.e. proved to him that Jeſus was the Son of God, and taught men the true Religion, and way to life. The very ſame hour he took them, and waſhed their ſtripes, and then was waſhed himſelf in the name of Chriſt.

By this it will appear, that though a Profeſſion of Faith be required, yet not a diſtinct belief of every thing in Chriſts Religion, for that could not in the ſpace of an hour be comprehended; He therefore having a general knowledge that Jeſus was the Son of God, and a Teacher ſent from Heaven to do men great good, and profeſſing a readineſs to be taught by him, was received by Baptiſm into p. 52Chriſts ſchool to learn of him. That ſuch a knowledge, together with a repentance of their fore-paſt evil life, did ſufficiently qualifie for Baptiſm; you may ſee by conſulting theſe places, Acts 2. All the Sermon of the Apoſtle tends to no other purpoſe, but to prove that Jeſus whom they crucified, was the promiſed ſeed, which he demonſtrates from his reſurrection, and the effects of it, that abundantly declared he was made Lord and Chriſt. Verſe 36. When this was cleared to them, their hearts were pricked, to think what they had done, and he exhorts them to repent of it, and receive Baptiſm, which three thouſand of them immediatly did, as you read verſe 41. And continued ſtedfaſtly in the Apoſtles Doctrine. Verſe 42. i.e. learning of that Religion, to which they ſaw ſo much reaſon to addict themſelves. So Acts 8.35. We find that Philip preached Jeſus to the Eunuch, and required only this profeſſion of him. Verſe 37. That he believe with all his heart, that Jeſus is the Son of God, and then he went down into the water with him, and baptized p. 53him. And again, cap. 18.5. Paul was preſſed in ſpirit, and teſtified to the Jews, that Jeſus was Chriſt; and then verſe 8. Criſpus believed on the Lord, with his whole houſe, and many of the Corinthians hearing, believed, and were baptized. So in all other places, you will find there was ſo little ſpace between their preaching and baptizing. that they could not well be taught more then this, that he was the Meſſiah, or Chriſt that was expected, and that all muſt be obedient to him. So that this waſhing did admit them, and ingage them to be his Diſciples, to be taught, and inſtructed by him, and to learn the way of God perfectly, which they could not but believe he would acquaint them withall, being a meſſenger ſent by God unto them. And this is moſt plainly intimated in the words of that commiſſion Chriſt delivered unto them. Mat. 28.19, 20. Go and teach, or diſciple all Nations, &c. Where there are two teachings, the one before, the other after Baptiſm, the firſt can be no more then a perſwaſion of them to become the Diſciples of Chriſt, and put themſelves p. 54into his ſchool, becauſe he was the Son of God; and then after they were baptized, follows a more accurate and full inſtruction of them in all the parts of their Duty, which is meant by thoſe words, foreign, &c. Teaching them to obſerve all things whatſoever I have commanded you. Where the word for teaching is different from that in the former verſe, (foreign,) and ſignifies a larger knowledge of Chriſts Doctrine which they had ingaged themſelves to obſerve, being aſſured the Son of God could teach them nothing but the Truth.

And this I take to be the reaſon why ſo many fell off again from this profeſſion, when the diſpleaſing Doctrines of Chriſt came to be practiſed. They had not conſidered what it would coſt them to be Chriſtians, but only as I ſaid, were in general convinced, that he was Gods Son, and that they muſt be his Diſciples, and ſo they liked no longer to be his followers, when their carnal Intereſts came to be touched, and when they ſaw that he was ſuch a Maſter as would not let them have their own will, nor enjoy p. 55this preſent world, nor (in one word,) ſerve two Maſters, God and their Mammon too. Though they did in groſs (as I ſaid,) profeſs to forſake their ſins, and lead a holy life, yet when they came to be informed in the particulars of ſelf-denial, and ſuch hard leſſons, they returned rather with the dog to the vomit,2 Pet. 2.22.2 Pet 2:22 and the waſhed ſow to the wallowing in the mire.

That I may put an end to this Diſcourſe, let me ſhew you a little how it will be uſefull to you, and have an Influence upon practiſe, and if you be believing, and obedient, I ſhall be confident I have not made you miſpend an hour in peruſing what I have repreſented.

Ʋſe 1.

TAke notice of the great Wiſdom of our Lord, that though he have left us an outward Ceremony ſtill in his Church, yet it is ſuch an one, that ſignifies not one thing, but the whole Religion, and not only ſignifies, but ingages us unto our duty. You have p. 56ſeen that Baptiſm expreſſeth the whole Covenant of Grace between God and us, and whereas the Jews had ſeveral Rites and uſages, to ſet forth and repreſent ſeveral duties, Chriſt hath left us only this, (together with the Bread and Wine in the other Sacrament,) which are ſuch as are eaſie to be had, and to be practiſed, and are ſimple, plain, & eaſie to be underſtood, and do alſo ſhew us our whole Duty, and likewiſe lay Ingagements upon us to perform it; ſo that we cannot uſe either of them, but thereby we are bound to be wholly Gods, and intirely devoted to his ſervice. And therefore,

Ʋſe 2.

SEcondly, Let me ſtrongly plead with you in the behalf of God, to take heed to your ſelves, and your wayes according to his Word. You are all baptized into Chriſt, and thereby you have put on Chriſt, you have ſolemnly ingaged your ſelves to live righteouſly, ſoberly, and godlily in this preſent evil world;Gal. 5.3.Gal 5:3 and as the Apoſtle p. 57ſaith of Circumciſion, ſo I ſay to you, I teſtifie to every man that is baptized, that he is a Debtor to obſerve the whole Goſpel. What then have you to do with the Devil whom you have renounced? Why are you ſo in love with the world, which you have forſaken, and from which you are divorced? Why are you ſo tender of the intereſts of the fleſh, which you promiſed to mortifie, and crucifie together with Chriſt? What is the reaſon that you renounce Chriſt in your lives, as if you were aſhamed of his profeſſion?

Is Baptiſm but a cold Ceremony? or do you think the waſhing of the fleſh will ſave you? Not only the Apoſtle confutes you, 1 Pet. 3.21. but you ſhall hear your ſelves put to ſilence out of the mouth of a very Jew, He that believeth not as he ought (ſaith the Author of the book, Nitzachon,) his Circumciſion doth not make him a Jew; but he that doth believe aright, V. Joſeph. de Voyſin de leg. Div. cap. 44.is a Jew, though he be not circumciſed. One would not expect ſuch language from them that glory in Circumciſion: but God hereby ſhames ſuch outward Profeſſors that glory in Baptiſm, as p. 58they did in Circumciſion, though they be not the followers of faithfull Abraham. As long as their ears, and tongue,Exo. 6.12. Jer. 6.10. Jer. 9.26.Exod 6:12Jer 6:10Jer 9:26 and heart were uncircumciſed, (for of all thoſe we read,) their fore-skin remained, and as long as our thoughts, and words, and wayes are impure, we are in effect unbaptized.

If then outward Baptiſm will not ſave, why do you not cleanſe your ſelves from all filthineſs both of fleſh & ſpirit, and perfect holineſs in the fear of God? Do you not at all value the Promiſes of God? Is it no favour to be his Children, to have forgiveneſs of ſins, and an inheritance among thoſe that are ſanctified through faith? Or is there any other way wherein theſe can be attained? Can you find a ſhorter cut to heaven by ſome other paſſage? Aſſure your ſelves, that there is no other Covenant whereby to partake of theſe promiſes, but that Covenant which is conſigned by Baptiſm, whereby we ſtand ingaged to the performance of ſuch Duties as our Saviour doth require. We ſhall miſerably flatter and abuſe our ſelves, if we imagine to come to Heaven any p. 59other way then through the Covenant of Baptiſm, wherein we promiſe to forſake all the enemies of God, and to adhere and cleave to him faithfully and loyally againſt all the perſwaſion: and temptations of the devil, world and fleſh; and therefore unleſs we can ſhew a new Goſpel, and be baptized over again by the appointment of God, and obtain ſome eaſier, and more pleaſing conditions, let us arm our ſelves againſt, and bid defiance unto them, and reſolve that no luſt ſhall eſcape with its life. What, art thou a Chriſtian, and as fond of the pleaſures of the world as a Pagan? as loth to diſpleaſe the fleſh, as if thou hadſt been initiated in the impure Myſteries of the heathen; as covetous, as if thou waſt an Idolater, and didſt worſhip a god of Gold? as ſenſual, beaſtly, deviliſh in thy affections, paſſions and converſation, as if thou waſt ſome black African, and hadſt never been inlightned? Oh! Do not live as if thou hadſt been baptized in the Devils name, and hadſt ſworn to be his bondman, and entered a Pro…ſtution againſt God and Chriſt, and all communion p. 60with Heaven. O live not I beſeech you, as if it were your Religion for to ſin; as if you had been baptized in a ditch, and waſhed with puddle water, and had profeſſed to be as dirtily and baſely imployed, as ever you were able. Did your Baptiſm ſignifie that you ſhould be drowned in drink, that you ſhould be buried vilely and covetouſly in the earth; that you ſhould riſe and lift up your head againſt heaven; that you ſhould fill the air with oaths & blaſphemies, and noyſom ſpeeches, and that you ſhould defie God, and all above? No, the Devil himſelf durſt not urge a Witch to make ſuch a Covenant with him; and therefore his Art and Subtilty is to make men live after this prophane ſort, though they make not ſuch a profeſſion: and he labours to baptize and drench their ſouls in this belief, that the Covenant of Grace ſignifies all on Gods part, nnd nothing at all on theirs. They are even ſwallowed up in theſe conceits, that they ſhall enjoy pardon, grace and ſalvation, and be priviledged from wrath to come; and in the mean time, take care only to do as they pleaſe, to live foreign, (as the p. 61Heathens phraſe is,) a moiſt, ſoft and delicate life, and to ſwim to Heaven in rivers of pleaſure, and carnal delights. What ſwarms and herds of followers ſhould a man have that went about, and preached ſuch a Baptiſm for the commiſſion of ſins? but there is no need any one ſhould do the Devil that ſervice; for the Baptiſm of Chriſt is made one of his myſteries, and all our preaching cannot root out this belief, that Chriſt will be the Author of eternal ſalvation to them that do not obey him. But 'tis as clear as the Light, that a Covenant is between two perſons, and both are ingaged to ſome performances; and that God is no otherwiſe bound in this baptiſmal Covenant, then we are bound alſo: and that he gives pardon upon no other conditions but theſe, that we forſake the Devil, the World, and all the luſts of the fleſh. If we therefore renounce this part, then we diſcharge him of all that he hath promiſed. And the truth is, it is very ridiculous to imagine, that God ſhould waſh us there clean, that ever after we might be as ſoul as we pleaſe. As if a Muſcovian Chriſtian, p. 62who ſpits upon the ground withindignation, when he renounces the Devil in Baptiſm ſhould preſently fall down, and lick it up again. Or, as if one ſhould put on a Garment of light, be clad with a white robe, that he might ſweep chimnies, and rake in kennels, or lead dung-carts about the ſtreets. If we be the Children of the Light, then we muſt have no fellowſhip with the unfruitfull works of darkneſs, nor bemire our ſelves in the filth and dirt of the world. If we be Chriſts Diſciples, we muſt not only make a face, and ſpit when we hear the Devil named, but we muſt abhor his works, and defie all his filthy luſts, and have our very ſtomack riſe at all that comes from hell. And ſo men would, were they not jugled into a belief that they defie the Devil, while he embraces them in his arms. I remember a ſtory in the life of a Romiſh Religious, S…or Maria Ma… dalena de Patſi.how that ſhe ſhould ſee one day in a viſion the ſoul of a ſinner dragged to hell, and beyond the mercy of purgatory, for not having in account the ſpiritual treaſures of the Church, but deſpiſing both indulgences, and all other graces which p. 63ſhe grants her Children. So doth the Devil labour to nurſe in mens hearts a perſwaſion that outward things can ſave them, and that he can do them no harm, if they be baptized, keep the Church, ſay their prayers, and receive the Miniſters bleſſing, which is all they think that Baptiſm ingages them unto; and they make the ſame uſe of Chriſt, that others do of the Pope, thinking to buy a pardon (if they have not one already,) by the profeſſion of ſuch a holineſs, as the Devil, if he were incarnate, need not be afraid of, but might ſwear he would maintain. O, what pitty is it, that Chriſt ſhould be thus abuſed, and his inſtitutions perverted, and ſouls undone, when it is ſo plain, what he would have us to do that we may be ſaved!

But will not ſome little ſprinklings of holineſs ſerve the turn, may ſome ſay? May we not allow ſome place for ſelf-pleaſing, and gratifie our own deſires ſometimes, ſeeing we wallow not alwayes in filthineſs? No, Baptiſm, though only upon the face, ſignifies the waſhing of the whole man from ſpiritual pollutions, and though only p. 64once adminiſtred, puts us into a ſtate of purity, which muſt not willingly admit of any defilement. And let thoſe men know that have their good moods, their cold fits of Repentance, and their hot fits of zeal, that uſe Religion as the Papiſts do holy water, when they are entring into the Church, and going to perform ſome devotion; that Chriſt owns no ſuch Diſciples. They were not baptized in luke-warm water, but were ingaged in a ſtate of mortification, and entred into Chriſts death, and he expects a conſtant performance of obedience.Aelian. l. 4. var. hiſt. cap. 1. There were a people in Illyricum, that were waſhed but three times in all their lives, at their birth, at their marriage, & at their death. And they may be a picture of moſt Chriſtians amongſt us, who in their Infancy are waſhed in Chriſts nam; and then perhaps againſt ſome ſolemn time, when the Sacrament of the Lords Supper is near, they begin to put away their ſins, and perhaps baptize themſelves in tears, and deck up themſelves, as though they would meet the Bridegroom, and be married unto him; and p. 65of this you ſhall hear no more, (unleſs at ſuch a time as that,) till death tell them that he can ſtay no longer, and ſome ſickneſs arreſts them, then they begin to ſlubber and cry, to ſigh and groan, as if by tears they could waſh away their guilt, and by a few ſighs and good wiſhes, blow away the black cloud of wrath that hangs over their heads. They make Religion to be a few ſtrong pang… of devotion at certain times of their life, and Chriſt to be pleaſed with any thing, glad of any company, and heaven to be an empty void place that wants Inhabitants, much like to the new found world, whither we ſend the moſt raſcal people. But Chriſt will ſhortly appear to all the world, to confute all ſuch men, and he will drench them in ſeas of fire, the floods of his wrath ſhall overwhelm them, and they ſhall never riſe again.

But is there ſuch great danger then, may ſome ſay? Will not God be ſomething more favourable to us then other men, and will not the waters of Baptiſm a little quench and cool the flames?

p. 66Cool them? No, they will be like water upon lime, which will make it burn the hotter. Even this will be pleaded againſt you, that you were baptized. If a Souldier ſworn to Caeſar ſhould forſake his Camp, and flie to the Turks, would he not be puniſhed more then a ſtranger when he was taken, and ſuffer as a falſe and treacherous fellow, as a Run-agate, and a perjured perſon? Who would admit of ſuch a plea from his mouth? I am no forſworn Wretch, I never denyed Caeſar, nor renounced my Allegiance to him; no man ever heard me ſpeak a word againſt him: Might it not eaſily be returned to him, but thou didſt deny him in thy Actions, thou haſt more then forſworn him, for thou haſt fought againſt him, yea, thou haſt joined with a Tyrant, with the greateſt enemy the Emperor hath, and the ſworn foe of all Chriſtians; if ſuch a Fellow ſhould live, who ſhould die? What is the Ax and the Gibbet made for, if not for ſuch trayterous Villains? The Gallows would think much, if thou ſhouldſt be reprieved. Thou readeſt thy own caſe, O Chriſtian, if thou liveſt in ſin, and fideſt with p. 67the Devil, and takeſt thy ſhare with the world, whom thou haſt renounced in word, but not in deed. What though thou doſt not call the Lord Chriſt a Deceiver? What though thou doſt not revile the holy name whereby we are called? thou doſt a great deal worſe, thou bendeſt all thy forces thou haſt againſt him, as if he were a thief and a Robber, thou laboureſt to deſtroy his Kingdom, thou trampleſt under foot the blood of the Covenant, and makeſt Chriſt unto thee of none effect. Which is the worſt enemy, he that ſpeaks thee fair, and with a kiſs ſtabs thee to the heart? or he that bids thee ſtand upon thy guard, and declares himſelf reſolv'd againſt thy life? I will aſſure you Turks are not ſuch enemies to Chriſt, as thoſe that pretend to him, and yet do him all the deſpight they can in their lives. Better had it been for them that ſome band of ſouldiers had raviſhed them from their mothers breaſts, and liſted them under Mahomets banners; better had it been for them to have been Janizaries, then to own and acknowledge the Chriſtian Profeſſion, and live ſo p. 68prophanely without God in the world.

Heathens may ſin at a cheaper rate then we, becauſe they never made any ſuch Promiſe unto God. They may do evil with a better front, and more confident countenance, that never received any ſuch mark in their forehead. But a Chriſtian face which is beſprinkled with clean water in the name of Chriſt, ſhould bluſh (methinks,) at any impurity; and the mark of Chriſt that is upon him ſhould make him more modeſt then to ſin. But if he will beſmear himſelf again, and have the impudence to outface Chriſt, he ſhall pay dearly for it. For he breaks his vow to God, and thereby comes under the curſe which is annexed to the Covenant, as well as the Promiſe. And all theſe terrible threatning… of Chriſt which in baptiſm he promiſed to believe, as well as any other Word of God, ſhall all fall upon his head, and he ſhall be caſt into a lake indeed but it is a lake burning with fire and brimſtone.Rev. ….8. Better had it been for ſuch an one, if he had been drowned in the font, or entred into the gates of death, when he entred into the gates of the Church, it had been better for p. 69him, if he had been branded with a hot iron in his fore-head, or ſcalding oil had been poured upon his face, when it was waſhed with water in the name of Chriſt. The flames of hell ſhall eternally burn and conſume without any conſumption that filthy ſoul, whoſe dirt the waters of Baptiſm, and the fires of the holy Ghoſt could not fetcht out, and ſcour away. And if any complain of their weakneſs▪

Ʋſe 3.

THirdly, Here is matter of comfort to us. We are in a Covenant of Grace, there is a Redemption for us if we have a mind to be delivered; we have aſſurance of the aſſiſtance of the Holy Ghoſt, and if we be ſincerely watchfull and diligent, he will not, becauſe of our failings, take away his Holy Spirit from us. Through the Spirit of Chriſt we ſhall be able to do valiantly, nothing ſhall be too hard to overcome, but we ſhall tread all our enemies under our feet.

Let us march out therefore as the Souldiers of Chriſt, carrying his p. 70Croſs in our Banners; let us profeſs, and declare that we are crucified to the world, that we are buried with Chriſt in Baptiſm,R…. 6 and reckon our ſelves to be dead indeed unto ſin, But alive unto God, through Jeſus Chriſt our Lord. Let not ſin therefore reign in your mortal bodies, that you ſhould obey it in the luſts thereof; neither yield ye your members as Inſtruments of unrighteouſneſs unto ſin, but yield your ſelves unto God, as thoſe that are alive from the dead, and your members as inſtruments of Righteouſneſs unto God. For ſin ſhall not have dominion over you, for you are not under the Law, but under Grace. It is a ſhame now to be overcome, when you ſerve under ſuch a Captain, and have Heaven on your ſide, and have received the promiſe of the holy Ghoſt Is there no power in the Spirit of God? or is not God as good as his word? Will not he give us what he hath promiſed, to make us to vanquiſh all his enemies? O do not ſpeak ſuch evil things of God by doing any evil. Do not diſgrace your profeſſion, nor bring a diſhonour upon your Lord, by p. 71letting every temptation uſe you at its pleaſure. Do not ſuffer every luſt to foil and worſt you, as if you were Turks and Infidels, and had none of the mark or badge of God upon you, and as if your Baptiſm was of no more avail to you, then the waſhing of your hands. But firſt reſolve that all theſe luſts of the fleſh muſt be overcome, and then conclude that they may. Perſwade your ſelves that God is with you, and that he hath appointed no ineffectual Rites, no bare ſhadows, no beggerly Ceremonies, and cold Formalities in the Religion of Chriſt; but that if you uſe your Diligence, and pray continually, you ſhall find the holy Ghoſt to accompany you, and that you are born again, not of water only, but of the Spirit, and ſhall finally inherit eternal life.

4. That you may receive greater ſupplies of the ſpirit promiſed, and be more ingaged to your duty, labour fully to underſtand your vow and Covenant, and then come, and openly own it, profeſſing you will be faithfull to it, that ſo you may be admitted to nearer familiarity with God. Let me p. 72prevail with all young perſons who are yet in the gate of the Church, and have proceeded no further then to be baptized in their Infancy, and perhaps to be catechized in the principles of Religion, to ſpend a few thoughts upon this which I propound. For though outward Baptiſm, which is the viſible ſign and ſeal of the Covenant,1 Pet. 3.21.1 Pet 3:21 is not to be renewed, yet the Anſwer of a good conſcience, wherein the inward Baptiſm doth conſiſt, may, and ought to be re-iterated by a perſonal reſumption and ratification of that vow which was made for us in our infant years. And no man is to be reputed a compleat member of the Church, untill he do own his Ingagements, and openly profeſs that he will ſtand to the conditions of the Covenant, and be a Diſciple of Chriſt. If Baptiſm did at firſt admit us into the injoyment of many priviledges, ſurely we ſhall receive more of the bleſſings of it, when we do ſeriouſly reflect upon it, and ingage our hearts by our own free conſent to God, becauſe then we begin more ſolemnly to perform the conditions that God requireth of us. When p. 73I firſt entred upon a charge of ſouls, I could think of no courſe ſo antiently atteſted unto, ſo reaſonable in it ſelf, and ſo likely to be effectual for mens good, ſo free likewiſe from the juſt exceptions of any party, as to propoſe this to my people, that all thoſe who had not yet been communicated, ſhould freely and heartily in the preſence of thoſe who were aſſembled at any time to partake of the Lords Supper, profeſs to be ſincere and conſtant in their baptiſmal Covenant, and declare themſelves enemies to the Devil, the world, and the fleſh. And I will take occaſion here to profeſs, that I am heartily glad that Mr. Hanmer hath propoſed this; and Mr. Baxter ſo earneſtly preſſed it upon the whole Nation; after whoſe pious and learned endeavours, let me contribute my little Mite to the urging thoſe, into whoſe hands this ſmall Treatiſe ſhall come, that they would not refuſe it. This Chriſtian Duty hath long paſſed under the name of Confirmation, which is a word full, and ſignificant of the thing that I. would expreſs, and conſiſts of two parts. Firſt, That a p. 74perſon do undertake in his own name every part of the vow made by others for him in Baptiſm, and ſo perſonally conſent unto Chriſt to be wholly his, according to that agreement. And ſo it is an Act of Confirmation on our part, becauſe we do hereby further ratifie and eſtabliſh that contract which is between God and us, and by confeſſing of it to be valid and good, bind our ſelves faſter ſtill to him, whoſe we were before. The ſecond part of it is; A receiving of Gods Bleſſing and Grace by the Miniſters hands, and holy prayers, to ſtrengthen us to perform our Engagement, and make good our word and faith which we have plighted unto God; which many have taken to be the meaning of that place,(*)(*)Beſide ſundry of the Antients, Calvin, Beza, Piſcator, H…nnius, I…yricus, Toſſanus, G ynaeus, do ſo expound it. See alſo Hyperius and Bu…ling. In loc. who wiſh for the reſtoring of it in thoſe Churches from which it had been baniſhed. Heb. 6.4. Where after Baptiſm, follows, laying on of hands, which the Jews uſed in their bleſsings. And ſo it is an Act of Confirmation of the perſon on the part of God, who confers a new grace to ſtrengthen, and confirm in him theſe p. 75holy Principles, and that good reſolution, of which he hath made a faithfull profeſsion, and to inable him to keep and perſiſt in it. As in Baptiſm, the Holy Ghoſt was conveyed as a Sanctifier, ſo herein as a Comforter and Strengthner now, that the perſon is entring upon a great conteſt and conflict with himſelf, the world, and principalites, and powers, and ſpiritual wickedneſſes in high places. The neceſsity of this is not now in this age of the world, as a new thing to be learned; there never could be a well conſtituted Church without it, nor can we tell that men are not Heathens, and have not revoked their word, unleſs they will tell us they underſtand what they then did, and will not ſtir from it. But if it be viſible ſouls are not like in any great numbers to be ſaved without ſome ſuch courſe, (ſo many attending upon Sermons many years that underſtand little or nothing,) it will not be diſputed by ſober men, whether it be neceſſary or no; and for proof of this, I refer to the better works of him that labours more abundantly then us all;Mr. Baxter. thinking it ſufficient for one to p. 76perſwade, what abler men do prove. Let me only produce the teſtimony of a very great and learned perſon lately in this Church, and add it to the words of the R. and learned D. Hammond, which you find at the end of Mr. Baxters book. For all ſuch as have been baptized in their Infancy, the perſonal Reſumption and Ratification of that Vow which their fathers and mothers in God did make for them at the ſacred Laver, Dr. Jackſon. l. 10. upon the Creed. Cap. 50. To which add the words of another more antient, annexed at the end of this Treatiſe, and becauſe of its length, not here inſerted.is to be exacted of them Oretenus, in ſome publique congregation, before they can lawfully be admitted to be publique Communicants of Chriſts body and blood. And though he can find no default in the Doctrine, or Laws of our Church, yet (he ſaith,) he dare not avouch ſo much for juſtifying the men, to whom the execution of thoſe Laws is commended, whether they be of lower, of higher, or of the higheſt rank. It having been ſcarce in his obſervation, that any preſentments were made in viſitations, of the parents, for not bringing perſons to; or of Miniſters, for not preparing them for confirmation, much leſs againſt Dioceſans themſelves for not executing their p. 77Office in this great ſervice of the Church. And he concludes in theſe remarkable words, Whether the ſolemn baptizing of all Infants, which are the Children of preſumed Chriſtian parents throughout this Kingdom, without ſolemn Aſtipulation, that they ſhal at years of Diſcretion perſonall… ratifie their vow in Baptiſm in publique, in ſuch manner as the Church requires, be not rather more lawfull, or tolerable, then expedient, I leave with all ſubmiſſion to the conſideration of higher powers. And he bleſſes God that he was in a convenient age, in a happy time and place, preſented to ratifie his vow made for him by his ſureties, &c. which ſure he would not have done, if he had not found it very beneficial unto his ſpiritual good and welfare.

The ſame Author hath theſe words in a Treatiſe publiſhed in his life time,Treatiſe of Faith ſect. 3. cap. 22. pa…g. He that ſets his hand unto the ſacred plough, ſhould firſt begin to ſound the depth of that rule, What it is to deny our ſelves, and forſake all we have, for in this furrow muſt the ſeed of life be ſown. Here Novices in Religion commonly begin to balk, and no wonder, ſeeing p. 78ſo few are called to any ſtrict perſonal accompt of that which others have undertaken for them at their firſt admiſſion into the Bed-roll of Chriſtians. But if that treble vow **Which w… made in Baptiſm.were diſtinctly and fully unfolded unto us, as ſoon as we had any knowledge of good and evil; and all the ſeveral branches of Gods Covenant, with as great care and ſolemnity inculcated, as Moſes commanded the Law ſhould be to the Iſraelites Children: And laſtly, The Vow it ſelf confirmed and ratified by our perſonal proteſtation in the ſight of the Congregation; the fear as well of God, as of ſhame before men, in whoſe preſence we made this profeſſion, would bind many of us to more Chriſtian behaviour, then the beſt of us, as the world goes, dare make ſhew of; as alſo reſtrain us from many deadly Enormities, which now admoniſhed of, we will not accompt any ſins. Thus prepared to receive it, it would be overmuch infidelity to diſtruſt the plentifull Infuſion of inherent ſanctifying Grace at our ſolemnities of Confirmation; were theſe firſt ſanctified with publique prayers, or performed with ſuch Chriſtian care and diligence as they ought. p. 79A religious Duty in the Chriſtian Church, which it were to be wiſhed, might be performed more often, more ſolemnly, and more religiouſly then it uſeth to be.

And indeed who ſees not that great benefits would hence flow,See the teſtimony annexed at the end of this Treatiſe. both to particular perſons, and to the Church of God? It would be a means to make men more knowing in the things of their ſalvation, to tie them more ſtrictly to mind the affairs of their ſouls, to work in them a deeper ſenſe of the great buſineſs of being a Chriſtian. It would make men more afraid to commit a ſin againſt which they had ſo ſolemnly and publiquely proteſted. It would bring Religion to be a thing credible and more in faſhion then it is, when men did ſo openly appear for it, and ingage themſelves unto it. It is at once acceptable to God, and ſafe to our ſelves, and ſo will be accompanied with his Grace, and in its own nature cut off many inticements of the world. It will bid us ſtand upon our Reputation in the purſuit of Religion, and not run the hazard of being perjured perſons. Wicked men p. 80will not have the confidence to ask us to ſin, when we have ſo publiquely diſowned them. You complain of evil company, of friends and acquaintance that ingage you; do but let them know that you intend to be religious, and they will let you alone. The Philoſophers openly profeſſed a ſevere and unuſnal life, that all men might let them live philoſophically, and not be a diſturbance unto them; Let but us do ſo, and be profeſſedly religious, and ſolemnly tell all men that we mean to keep our vows, and they will have the leſs boldneſs for to trouble us. Our work is half done, when we are heartily reſolved; and more then half, when we profeſs theſe reſolutions. It will bring us to mans eſtate, that we may feed at the Table of the Lord, whereby we may increaſe in ſtrength, and have more near communion with the Father, Son and Holy Ghoſt. Though I will not ſay, that till this be done, men are members of the Church imperfectly, yet I muſt needs think, that they are but imperfect members, they are but babes and infants in Chriſt, and not to be admitted p. 81(in the Judgement of all ages,) to taſt of the meat of men, till they ſhew themſelves to be men, by ſpeaking for themſelves. In ſhort, it will be a great ſecurity and defence againſt temptations, and we ſhall recoil upon our ſelves, when we are aſſaulted, ſaying, How ſhall we do this wi…kedneſs, and break our vows, and ſcandalize the Church, and bring the guilt of perjury upon our own ſouls?

It is obſerved by Joſ. de Voyſin out of the Author of the book Ikkarim, that the elevation of the hands of the Prieſt in the old Law at the bleſſing of the people, was impoſition of hands; and this bleſſing the Author of Tzeror Hammor cals the Weapons and Armour of Iſrael, the Artilery (as it were,) and the Bulwarks of his people. I will aſſure you that this ſolemn Ingagement, together with Gods Grace and bleſſing that will deſcend upon you, will be your great guard and defence, your ſword and buckler to beat off temptations that are apt moſt ſtrongly to aſſault your younger years, before you have had experience of the worlds vanity. Therefore he that p. 82would not be without a ſhield in the midſt of fiery darts, he that would not be weak and feeble among ſtrong enemies, that would not be a prey to the Devil and the World, let him come, and put himſelf under the wings of the divine Majeſty, by his own actual conſent, let him give up himſelf into the hands of God, to be kept by his Power through faith unto ſalvation.

There is nothing can hinder any man from embracing this motion, but that which will hinder men from being thorough Chriſtians, and living godly in Chriſt Jeſus: And we may be confident, that none are fit to receive the Sacrament of Chriſts body and blood, that are not willing to ſubmit unto it. For he that hungers after the ſweeter taſts of Chriſts love, that deſires to unite his heart more cloſely to him, and to ingage himſelf more firmly in the Covenant of God by receiving the remembrances of his love, will not refuſe to do that in word, which he intends to do in deed. If he really mean to be a Profeſſor of Chriſts Religion, and to teſtifie to the world, p. 83that the deeds thereof are evil, and contradict their manners in his converſation, then he will not ſtick to condemn them in his words, and renounce them ſolemnly by his mouth, which is the far eaſier matter.

Will any man be aſhamed to make ſuch a profeſſion, and to tread in the way of Chriſts Church, becauſe it hath been of late diſuſed, or turned into another thing? Why ſhouldſt thou bluſh to own holineſs, to ſay before Chriſts Church, thou art reſolved to lead a Chriſtian life, and renounce the Devil, and all the wayes of wickedneſs? Why ſhouldſt thou be aſhamed of thy Religion, as though it were fit to be profeſſed only in a private corner, where none ſhould hear thee? Why ſhould it be accounted a ſtrange thing to proteſt love to God? It is an honour and glory to us, that we may be Chriſtians, and ſo we ſhould eſteem it. We ſhould be glad, if we can do our Saviour ſo much honour as to confeſs him openly before men, that ſo he may confeſs us before all his H. Angels. We may be confident, that we ſhall never in a time of perſecution confeſs him, p. 84(of Which theſe places in the margent ſpeak,Mat. 12.32. Mar. 8.38. Rom. 10.8, 9, 10.Matt 12:32Mark 8:38Rom 10:8Rom 10:9Rom 10:10) if we cannot be perſwaded to do it among the Children of Peace? Will any one be aſhamed that it ſhould be told by the Miniſter, that ſuch an one declared himſelf a Chriſtian, and hath to me avowed his Religion, and ſolemnly ſaid, that he will by the Grace of God make good his baptiſmal promiſe? Will any one be loth it ſhould be publiquely ſaid, that he is a Chriſtian? Why then ſhould he not ſay ſo himſelf? Suppoſe you were not yet baptized, or had lived in the firſt times, and heard Chriſt preached, would you be unwilling to come, and proſeſs that you renounced the Devil, the World, and their luſts? Shall none own the Religion of Chriſt publiquely, but Infants that cannot underſtand it? The more we know, ſhall we be the more loth to declare our liking of his wayes? Are you unwilling to repreſent the childs perſon, and profeſs publickly for it in the congregation? Why ſhould you not do that for your ſelves which you are willing to do for others? Cannot he that comes in the name of a child, and ſaith, I believe, p. 85&c. I renounce, &c. come, and do the ſame in his own name? I do really think, that they that are unwilling to undertake Chriſts Profeſſion by an open promiſe, would not be baptized if it had not been done in their Infant years, they would remain rather Heathens and Infidels, then be received into the Church of God, for upon no lower conditions then theſe are, could they ever have been admitted to any Chriſtian priviledges. Unleſs therefore you will ſhew your ſelves to want all underſtanding, and not fit to be treated as men of common reaſon, put not away from you ſo many Intreaties. If you think your Baptiſm to be worth your owning, if you would not really be without it, and take your ſelves to be the better for it, renew ſolemnly that League and Promiſe with God, and do not perſwade your ſelves and others, that you prize the Baptiſm, while you are unwilling unto this, for if that were not done, you would certainly omit it as a needleſs Ceremony, as well as this which alwayes accompanyed it in the Church of Chriſt.**Anton. de Dom. de Repub. Eccleſ. Seeing nothing can reaſonably be thought p. 86to make you unwilling, but a lothneſs to be good, and ingaged to live well; do not by refuſing, caſt an Aſperſion upon your ſelves of having renounced Chriſt, and ſecretly entred into a confoederacy with the Devil to deſtroy his Kingdom, and trample under foot his blood as an unholy thing.

When this confirmation was lookt upon by the multitude as a means only to receive ſome thing from God, but not as laying any obligation upon men; it was a wonder (I ſhould have ſaid no wonder,) to ſee what flocks and herds of people came unto it. In Queen Maries dayes, (as Saunders tell us.De Schiſm.) when this cuſtom by a provincial decree of Card. Pooles was renewed after long neglect, the people were ſo zealous to receive the Biſhops bleſsing,There were Decrees long before to inforce it, as that of Archb. Peckham. An. 1271. Wherein he calls the diſuſe of it, Damnable Negligence. (which was all they went for,) that in ſome places the Church could not contain the people that reſorted to him, and he was fain to confirm in the Church-yard, and to be defended p. 87by armed men from the preſs of the multitude.

Why ſhould not men come now in as great Crowds, when another renewall in a more ſolemn manner is propoſed? Why ſhould not the young people aſſemble themſelves together, and ſay, Come, Let us go to the houſe of the Lord, let us own Chriſt to be our Lord and Saviour, but only becauſe men are loth to be ingaged to fear God, and do love a Chriſt of their own making that ſhall do all for them, and require them to do nothing for him? If God will have men as they are, they can be content to afford him their company; but if he expect any amendment, they deſire to be excuſed from making him any promiſe of it, and hope that they ſhall find him ſo kind in the concluſion, as not to exact it. May not he be well ſatisfied without any bond from us, when (in mens account) he will never demand the Debt? Why ſhould we paſs our word for that which will never be required? ſeeing God can bear with mens rebellions, why ſhould his Miniſters be ſo p. 88rigid, as to exact an Oath of Allegiance? Theſe are the thoughts of mens hearts, that God will croſs all ſcores at the laſt, and then to what purpoſe is it to make any ſuch ſerious Ingagements? If we had a window into mens breaſts, we ſhould ſee this Principle ingraven on their hearts, That the Goſpel is Promiſes, and all their work is to believe them to be true, and ſo there need not ſo much be done, as to make an open profeſſion of this belief.

If Popery ſhould again prevail in England, and ſuch a decree ſhould be again revived, what would theſe men do? Would they be ſo backward as now they are to preſent themſelves before the Congregation of God? It is moſt likely that fear or fancy might make thoſe men receive their Oyntment in the fore-head, and box on the ear, (as the manner is in their confirmation,) who now will not for the love of God profeſs they hate ſin, and intend to lead a holy life. So conſtantly it falls out, that what hath difficulty in it is refuſed, and all that requires our ſerious attention, upon p. 89ſome account or other is rejected, and men would go to Heaven they know not how, and be ſaved from hell, but not from their ſins. Yea, ſome are ſo ignorant, as to call this a popiſh Ceremony, when it is very plain, that if it were, they would not ſpeak againſt it. If only their Children were to be bleſſed that underſtand nothing, we might eaſily perſwade them to ſend them, when as they will rather themſelves remain Children, then make any ſolemn Covenant with God by their own mouths. If a Character (as they ſpeak,) was to be impreſſed, and the benefit to ariſe ex opere operato out of the meer doing of the work, they would willingly be ſo ſealed for Heaven, but if they muſt ſet their own ſeal to any Ingagements, they withdraw their hands, and will preſume upon ſome other way of conveyance, and making over Gods great Bleſſings to them. If they can be ſaved by ſprinkling water on their face, and the woman can carry them in her arms to Heaven, as ſhe doth unto the Font; they are content, it coſts them no trouble at all. But if it were to do p. 90again, if it muſt coſt them Repentance, a holy life, and a hearty profeſſion of it, they would ſcorn that Baptiſm wherein now they truſt ſo much, and they would rather venture to be as they were born, then be waſhed from their pollutions on ſuch conditions. O that men would take theſe things at leaſt ſo far into their thoughts, as to paſs a ſerious Judgement upon them, whether they be true or falſe! Do not read theſe lines without a little pauſe. And then go on, and conſider with thy ſelf, how unlikely it is, that they, who even break their brains with ſtudy to do men good, and ſigh till their heart ake after mens ſalvation, ſhould be the greateſt enemies of men, the troublers of their Peace, and that love to perſwade them needleſs or indifferent things, that may as well be left undone.

Let ſome honeſt Heathens (for a concluſion) be admitted for to plead the cauſe of this truth, & perhaps they may make thoſe faces bluſh who look on theſe lines, but are loth to ſhew themſelves in any publique preſence to profeſs their Religion. When the Perſian p. 91youth were out of their minority, and came to mens eſtate. They gave them an Oath which they ſolemnly took in this form,Iſidor. Peleuſ. l. 4. Epiſt. 198. I ſwear that I will deſpiſe all filthy lucre, bodily ploaſures, and vain glory; that I will rather be aemulous of vertue, and worſhip God, reverence my Parents, ſpeaking Truth, and doing good, neither will I ever wittingly and willingly violate any of theſe things. Sure theſe old Heathens would not have refuſed to do what is now deſired, had they imbraced our Religion, who thus amply proteſted, and took their oath that they would be good.

Julius Pollux likewiſe relates the like cuſtom among the Greeks in the Common-wealth of Athens. L. 8. cap. 9. and likewiſe Stobaei ſerm. 41.When their young men were twenty years of age, their names were inſcribed in the City-rolls,foreign, &c. and they ſwore in the open air, (as if they would have all the world to hear them,) I will never diſgrace my arms, nor forſake my fellow-ſouldier in his danger; I will fight both alone, and with others for God and my Country, I will ſail to any Region of the world whither I am commanded, and p. 92will neither diſturb, nor betray my Country, I will obſerve the perpetual ſolemnities, and obey the received cuſtomes, and all that ſhall be hereafter made; I will defend, and ever have in reverence **foreign.the Religion in which I was born; foreign, The Gods are witneſſes of theſe things. Will not you Chriſtians then promiſe thus much to your Lord, now that you are of age, to fight againſt all his enemies, to be true to God, and to him, and that you will never diſhonour your profeſsion, nor forſake the communion of Saints, nor deny him any ſervice that he commands, nor neglect the Solemnities that he hath appointed? Then may the Perſians and Athenians riſe up in the Judgement againſt you, and condemn you.

Do men refuſe the oath of Allegiance to their Prince, whoſe natural Subjects they are, and under whoſe Protection they have been born and bred? Would you deny to acknowledge in open Court an Inſtrument for your Act and Deed, which was ſigned in your name in Infancy, and conveighs great benefits unto you? Let p. 93the King of Heaven then have ſo much right done him. Let your own ſouls be the greateſt part of your care, and let it not be ſaid, that a rational creature will do that for an acre of Land, which he will not do to obtain Heaven, and all the territories above. What joy would it cauſe in Heaven and Earth to ſee men coming to deſire communion on theſe conditions, to behold men crowding into the Kingdom of Heaven, as they do into a Church, and longing after the food of the faithfull, as they do for meat and drink? Rejoyce I beſeech you the heart of God, refreſh the ſouls of his ſervants, and add to the ſweetneſs of the table of the Lord, by letting us have more good company at ſo joyfull a Feaſt. But if all Intreaties cannot prevail,

I think the Higher Powers had beſt enact a Law, That none ſhall be married, till they be inſtructed and confirmed, and that will do it. For thoſe that care not whether they receive the Sacrament of Chriſts body and blood, or no, will not live without this Sacrament, (as in a large ſenſe it may be p. 94called,) though they underſtand the ends and duties of it no more then of the other. And this muſt be acknowledged to have been a great cauſe of our Diſorders, that men enter into theſe relations before they know the duties of them, and beget, and bring forth Children, before they ceaſe to be children themſelves, or know how to bring them up as they ſhould. Therefore our Reformers, it is plain, intended men ſhould not marry before they were well catechized, and had taken their Baptiſmal vow upon themſelves, knowing, that thoſe were unfit to make a Covenant with each other, who knew not the Covenant of their God. For they preſcribe in the laſt Rubrick of the office of Matrimony, that the perſons new married, muſt that day receive the Communion; and in the laſt Rubrick about Confirmation, ſay in expreſs words. That none ſhall be admitted to the holy Communion untill ſuch time as they can ſay the Catechiſm, and be confirmed. Let me ſpeak to the very ſenſes of vulgar people. Do you not remember the font ſtood at the lower end of the Church, and the p. 95Communion-table at the higher? Could you come from the one to the other but by the Pulpit which ſtands in the middle between both? This teaches you (if you will learn,) that you are only entred into the Church, and are but in the beginnings of Religion by Baptiſm, and that you muſt advance higher by being inſtructed and taught in the faith of Chriſt, and can no otherwiſe be admitted from the lower to the higheſt forms of Chriſtians. Come therefore, and be inſtructed, and then profeſs you like this Doctrine, and will be obedient to it; ſo ſhall you come to be men in Chriſt, and taſt of all his dainties, and be ſatisfied with the fat things of his houſe.Quod totū ſciri non poteſt, ne omittatur totum, ſiquidem ſcientia partis melior eſt ignorantiâ totius. If all will not be granted that is here requeſted, yet do not deny all, but at leſt profeſs to the Miniſter your hearty Repentance, and your belief in Chriſt, and the willingneſs to ſubmit unto him, and to be ſaved by him, that he may declare it to all others. And really ſhew that you are come to an adult eſtate, by putting away childiſh things, and living the life of men. A Child (as one ſaith,) looketh only to p. 96things preſent, a man looketh to things to come: A child attends only to paſtime and pleaſure, a man hath alſo profit in his conſideration. A child is ready to ſell his Inheritance for a trifle or bable, of which a man maketh a greater account. His carriage and behaviour likewiſe diſtinguiſheth him, and ſo doth his confidence againſt vulgar bug-bears and affrightments.

If therefore after you are confirmed, you find your ſelves to think leſs of things preſent, and more of things to come; leſs of this world, and more of the eternal rewards of Godlineſs, and the everlaſting puniſhments of ſin; if you ſcorn to ſell your heavenly inheritance for the trifles of this world that preſent themſelves unto you; if you be more attentive to your ſpiritual profit in knowledge and mortification, and not only taken with the ſweetneſſes and raviſhments of Religion; if your converſation towards God and the world be more ſerious, grave and diſcreet, and you are not ſo eaſily amazed with the fears of ſufferings and difficulties in your Chriſtian courſe; it is a ſign that you have p. 97not received the Grace of God in vain, and the Lord will deliver you from every evil work, and preſerve you to his everlaſting Kingdom. Faithfull is he that calleth you, who alſo will do it.

5. Laſtly, Let me beſeech all the people of God to live in love and peace together. Let us nor quarrel about every little thing, nor make every petty difference a cauſe of trouble and contention. For as the Apoſtle ſaith, 1 Cor. 12.13. By one ſpirit we are all baptized into one body. We are all by this made of the ſame corporation, and taken by Baptiſm into the ſame Brother-hood, and therefore ſhould not make them the waters of ſtrife, and ſo provoke the Lord to anger againſt us. We are not baptized into this or that particular Opinion, nor received into a particular Church, but into the belief of the Goſpel, and into the Church of God in general, and therefore ſhould love all the Diſciples and followers of our Lord, and imbrace all of every perſwaſion that live godlily in Chriſt Jeſus. You were p. 98not baptized (ſaith the Apoſtle) into the name of Paul, therefore do not ſay, I am of Paul, I adhere to this man or that, for whoſoever did baptize you, it was not into the particular love of him and his opinions, but into the Communion of the whole Church of Chriſt, who hold the Catholique Faith. Though an Heretick in antient times had baptized any man, yet did not the Chriſtians therefore baptize him over again when he left thoſe mens company, becauſe being baptized into the name of Father, Son and Holy Ghoſt, he was not received into the profeſſion of their particular opinions, but of the Truth of Chriſt univerſally believed by all good Chriſtians.

And therefore let us live with them all as our Confederates, as thoſe that are tied together in the ſame bonds, and united in the ſame Covenant, and ingaged in the ſame cauſe againſt the common enemies, the Devil, the World, and the Fleſh, and let us never give theſe enemies ſo much cauſe to rejoyce, as an unhandſome word p. 99againſt any ſincere Chriſtian might adminiſter. But let us endeavour to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of Peace, for as the Apoſtle ſpeaks,Eph. 4.3, 4, 5.Eph 4:3Eph 4:4Eph 4:5 There is one Lord, one Faith, one Baptiſm, one God and Father of All, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

foreign.