Against Idolatry and Superstition, Sermon 2 · Part 2
II. The Sign of the Cross in Baptism.
THis is another popish Idol; for it is a thing which the Lord never commanded, and which never came into his heart. It is a manifest adding to the Institution, and the Arguments that are usually brought against other Popish Corruptions, against oyl, cream, salt, spittie, &c. will hold as well against the Cr…ss. Nay more may be said against this▪ the… against so…e of those. For oyl formerly was of some use in the worship of God, which the Cross never was; and oyle was never instrumental to any crue…ty of man against the Lord Jesus Christ, as the Cross was. If a Child should …ve and kiss the knife that cut his Fathers throat, or worship the Gallows on which his Father was hanged, you would …ay, he were an ungracious Child, or else a meer fool, for nature and Reason wou…d …ch him rather to detest it. But then what shall we think of the Papists and others, who thus Idolize the Cross, upon which Christ was crucified, why is not as much honour due to the Spear that pierced him? and to wh…ps, and nails, and thorns? why may they not as well worship Iudas who betrayed him? and why may we not by the same Reason take a thorn when we bapt…ze a Child, and give it two, or three pricks in the forehead, to shew that it must suffer for Christ? for Christs head was crowned with thorns, we may do this with as much Reason, and with as good devotion for lEpip…. heres 49 Apud Parker of the cross p. 1 pag 103ought I know, as Sign it with the Sign of the Cross. I have read of some who were wont to use bread and Cheese in the Lords Supper, called Artotyritae, and there is as much Reason for this, for ought I know, as for the Cross in Baptism; If the Churches Authority be all that can be said for it, if there be no other Reason for it, as indeed some pretend that this is enough; The Church then may do things which she can give no Reason for, and we must yield blind obedience to her dictates, and so pin our faith as the Papists would have us, upon the Churches sleeves.
It is true, the Scripture speaks honourably of the Cross of Christ, God Gal. 6. 15.forbid, (saith Paul) that I should glory in any thing save in the Cross of our Lord Iesus Christ, whereby the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the World: but by the Cross of Christ is meant the deat… of Christ, for it is by the death and Sufferings of Christ that our lusts are crucified, and not by the Cross of wood. As when the same Apostle saith, th… preaching of the Cross, it the power of God to save Souls, 1 Cor. 1 18. it is not meant of a woodden Cross, nor yet an aery, or watery Cross, but the preaching of Christ crucified, as he explains himself, ver. 23, 24. Is any man so blind as to think that the great Apostle made it the great work, and buisiness of his preaching to ery up the Cross of wood, which was nothing else but the instrument of mans cruelty against our Lord Jesus Christ? And therefore as Mr. Parker shews mParker of the Cross part 1. pag. 82it ought to be as odious to us as is the Gallow… to a child on which his Father was hanged. And in that learned Book of his, a Book which the Bishops durst never undertake to Answer, he hath proved that this by some so much applauded Sign of the Cross, i… a sin against all the Ten Commandments, and a breach of the very letter of the Second C…mmandment, being an Image in use religious of mans devising, and taken from the Brothel house of Gods greatest enemy, npa 104yea, amongst all the Signs of Rome, there is not a more gross and dirty Harlot. He shews that▪ opa. 59it is the greatest Devil amongst the Idols of Rome. For it is adored by the Papists ppa. 5.as a distributer both of temporal blessings, and heavenly graces. It is supposed by them to qpa. 45.bless, to convert sinne…s, to wrok miracles, to save all that are marked with it, to sanctifie and consecrate the water of Baptism, to make it effectual to procure reverence unto Baptism, to put us in mind of our vow therein, to fortify and strengthen us against temptations, to drive away the Devil, though as he saith well, rp. 132.this pretended use of it against the Devil is no better then a straw to run at Tilt with. But what higher and greater things then these can be said of any Ordinance of Christ? But instead of these glorious effects, it hath done a world of mischief, as much I do believe as ever any Idol did. For God hath accursed it to be a snare, and so it hath proved accordingly. sIbid. part 2. page 60, 61It hath shed much precious blood, which the Earth will not Cover, tNapier in Rev 13 16 and propo… 31 Dr Layton Sions p…a against Prelacy page 102, 103 parker of the Cros… part 1 Chap 3 Sect 6 pa… 136And it is conceived by very learned men, that the Sign of the Cross is that special mark of the Beast, Rev. 13. 16. But all our Writers do consent, that the Ceremonics of the Romish Church, are a part of the mark of the Beast, of which Ceremonies, the Cross is chief. And shall such a principal badge of Popery? such an Ensign of Anti-Christ, such a Trophee of Anti-Christ, his Conquest and desolation of the worship, and Churches of Christ be retained and continued amongst Protestants? shall we suffer such a mark of the Beast to be set upon our Fore-heads, and upon the Foreheads of our Friends and Children? God forbid. They may be the Instruments of Christ to eat the Whores flesh, and to burn her with fire, and shall they wear the Whores mark? I say again, God forbid. The Idolatry of this Ceremony is so gross and palpable, th… some, who have made a Shift to swallow down almost all the …st, the very Orga…s and all, yet they have stuck at this, they have not been well able to digest the Cross in Baptism.