The Whole Body of Religion, Chapter 15
CHAP. XV. Concerning Baptiſme.
BEſides what hath been ſaid of the Sacraments in generall: we further believe and confeſſe, as followeth, concerning the Sacrament of Baptiſme in ſpeciall.
DOCTRINE I. What Baptiſme is: and what the effects thereof.
aMatt. 21.19.BAptiſme is the firſt Sacrament of the New Covenant: by which both all they, which either having made confeſſion of their ſins, and profeſſion of their faith in Chriſt, and ſo likewiſe in God the Father, the Son, and the holy Ghoſt, or ſuch as at leaſt we believe for the pietie of theirb1 Cor. 7.14. parents do belong unto the Covenant; and they more eſpecially, which truely belong unto the Covenant, arecEph. 1.1…. ſealed in Chriſt, being as it wered1 Cor. 6.15. incorporated into him by the holy Ghoſt, in ſuch manner that they aree1…. no longer their own, but his, by whom they are ſaid to be received unto the fellowſhip of the Covenant, and ſo become one body with him and all the Saints, and are made partakers of all Spirituall and celeſtiall benefits: being by this Baptiſme as the laver of regenerationaEpheſ. 5.26. cleanſed from their ſins by the bloud of Chriſt, andbRom. 6.4. buried with him into death, that like as Chriſt was raiſed up from the dead by the glorie of the Father, even ſo we alſo ſhould walk in newneſſe of life: For which cauſe it is uſually called, the Sacrament, orcMark 1.4. The Baptiſme of repentance for the remiſsion of ſins, The ſeal of faith, the ſeal of the Covenant, the laver of regeneration, the waſhing away of ſins, and the Sacrament or ſeal of newneſſe of life.
DOCT. II. That the power and vertue of Baptiſme hath onelyonly place in the elect: and that they alone are Baptiſed not onelyonly with water, but alſo with the holy Ghoſt.
BUt yet, notwithſtanding ſuch excellent things are ſaid of Baptiſme, and are truely attributed unto it as an inſtrument uſed by the holy Ghoſt, and ſo Sacramentally, all they which are Baptiſed, are truely ſaid to be made, and to be ſuch: We believe that it is fulfilled really onelyonly in the elect, which are endued with the holy Ghoſt, foraſmuch as they onelyonly do truely believe, and truely belong unto Chriſt and his myſticall body. And therefore, that all indeed are Baptiſed with water, but the elect onelyonly with the holy Ghoſt; and, that all receive the ſigne, not all the thing ſignified and offered by Baptiſme, but that the elect onelyonly are made partakers thereof.
DOCT. III. What be the integrall parts of the Sacrament of Baptiſme.
WE believe that, for the making of the Sacrament of Baptiſme to be entire, thoſe two things are ſufficient which Chriſt hath inſtituted, to wit, the ſimple element of water, with which men are Baptiſed whether by way of immerſion, or dipping in the water, or aſperſion, & ſprinkling on the water; and that form of words which Chriſt taught his Apoſtles to uſe when they Baptized,Matth. 28.9. to wit, In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Ghoſt. And we are fully perſwaded, that they neither uſed any other forme of words, nor added any thing elſe unto the water.
DOCT. IV. That infants being the children of believing parents are to be Baptized.
WE believe alſo with all the ancient Church, that to the Sacrament of Baptiſme are to be admitted, not onelyonly thoſe which are of ripe years, which repent and confeſſe their ſins, and make profeſſion of their faith in Chriſt: but alſo infants being the children of ſuch parents, foraſmuch as we are to judge that they alſo belong unto the Covenant, according to the Apoſtles ſaying to this purpoſe,a1 Cor. 7.14. That the children of believing parents are holy: eſpecially, conſidering that Chriſt in no place hath changed Gods commandment made unto Abraham, concerning the ſealing of the children alſo of the faithfull and believers with the ſeal of the Covenant; yea more, conſidering that Chriſt hath ſaid expreſly,aMatt. 19.14. Suffer little children, and forbid them not to come unto me: for of ſuch is the Kingdome of heaven.
DOCT. V. How far forth Baptiſme is neceſſarie in the Church, and how far forth neceſſarie for every one unto ſalvation.
WE believe that Baptiſme is altogether neceſſarie in the Church, as a Sacrament inſtituted by Chriſt; and ſo farre forth neceſſarie, that where it is not when it may, there we cannot acknowledge the Church of Chriſt to be. But in ſuch manner do we think it neceſſary for every one unto ſalvation, that yet, if it ſo happen that any one for defect of a Miniſter, and not out of contempt, do depart out of this life without Baptiſme, we do not therefore believe that he is damned, and ſwallowed up of eternall deſtruction. For the children of the faithfull, and believers are therefore ſaved, becauſe they are within the Covenant of God, and ſo holy. But they which are of ripe years are ſaved by true faith in Chriſt, which certainly cannot ſtand together with the contempt of Chriſts commandments.
DOCT. VI. That Baptiſme once rightly adminiſtred ought not again to be repeated.
WE believe farther that, as circumciſion was made in the fleſh but once onelyonly, ſo Baptiſme alſo, which ſucceeded in the place of Circumciſion, once duely and rightly adminiſtred ought not again to be repeated. Now we underſtand that it is duely and rightly adminiſtred, when as according to Chriſts inſtitution, firſt the Doctrine of the Goſpel is premiſed, concerning the true God, Chriſt, and his office: and then men are Baptiſed with water, and that by a lawfull Miniſter,aMatt. 28.19. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Ghoſt. For Chriſt alſo died but once, and was buried: and we arebRom. 6.3, 4. Baptiſed into his death, andcCol. 2.12. buried with him by Baptiſme. Neither do we reade that the Apoſtles ever rebaptiſed any, but onelyonly Paul: and theſe were ſuch as before hadaAct. 19.5. not rightly been Baptiſed.
DOCT. VII. That the power and vertue of Baptiſme laſteth for ever.
ALthough we come unto the Sacrament of Baptiſme but once: Yet we believe that the thing it ſelf of the Sacrament, and the power and vertue thereof laſteth for ever, that is, our ingrafting into Chriſt, and ſo the participation of his benefits the waſhing away of ſins, and regeneration, which every day is more and more perfected in us by the holy Ghoſt. For the Apoſtle ſaith, thatbEpheſ. 5.26. Chriſt hath cleanſed the Church with the waſhing of water by the word, c27.that he might preſent it to himſelf a glorious Church, not having ſpot or wrinkle. d1 Ioh 1.7.And the bloud of Ieſus Chriſt cleanſeth us [eyery day] from all ſin. And therefore we think that the faithfull and believers being content with the Sacrament of Baptiſme once received, ought dayly, to be put in mind thereof, and recall it to their memorie: as alſo, into whom they are Baptized, and what God hath conferred upon them by Baptiſme; and again, what they likewiſe have promiſed unto God: That we may be all every day more and more confirmed in our faith, and grow up together in our communion with Chriſt, and be made more ſtudious and diligent in the performing of our dutyes. Neither is Baptiſme ordained for the remiſſion either of Originall ſinne onelyonly, or the ſinnes of our life paſt; but alſo for all the ſinnes of our whole life: As our plucking out of the water is a ſigne of new life, not for one day onelyonly, but for all the dayes of our life, according to the ſaying of the Apoſtle,aRom. c. 4. We are buried with him by Baptiſme [for ever] into death, that, like as Chriſt was raiſed up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even ſo we alſo ſhould walk [for ever] in newneſſe of life. We were but once waſhed outwardly with water; but the bloud of Chriſt is an everliving ſpring which dayly waſheth and cleanſeth us from all ſinne.
DOCT. VIII. By whom Baptiſme ought to be adminiſtred.
WE believe, that by whom the Goſpel is preached, by the ſame alſo ought holy Baptiſme to be adminiſtred: For to whom Chriſt ſaid,aMark. 16.15. Go ye into all the world, and preach the Goſpel: to the ſame alſo he ſaid,bMatt. 28.19. Go and teach all nations, Baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Ghoſt c20.Teaching them to obſerve all things whatſoever I have commanded you.
DOCT. IX. Errours condemned.
WE therefore condemne all hereſies as well old as new, which are or have been ſpread abroad concerning Baptiſme, contrarie to ſound Doctrine; either by Seleucus and Hermias, which Baptized with fire; or the Cerdonians and Marcionites, which uſed another form of words then that which was preſcribed by Chriſt, and that in the name of another God then in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Ghoſt: Thoſe which Baptiſed in the name of Iohn or any other: The Cataphryges which Baptiſed even the dead; together with the Donatiſts, and Anabaptiſts, which rebaptiſed all that come unto them: Thoſe likewiſe which deny that infants are to be Baptiſed; and thoſe alſo which deny that Baptiſme to be true, whereunto there is not added Exorciſmes, Spittle, Salt, and other ceremonies which are the meer inventions of men.