A Complete Body of Divinity, Sermons · 231 (Questions 93-94)
SERMON CCXXXI.
QUESTION XCIII.
WHICH are the Sacraments of the New Teſtament?
ANSWER.
THE Sacraments of the New Teſtament, are Baptiſm, and the Lord's Supper.
WE have taken a brief Account of the Nature of a Sacrament, according to the uſage of the word in the Church of God, about which there are many hot diſputes in the World, which I omit to Diſcourſe diſtinctly of; tho' there are ſome that may be conſidedered in the ſequel. That which now lies before us is the … them, about which alſo there are …all …putes …we… us and our Popiſh Adverſaries. And it is to be obſerved, that … Divines have a…ther our…ed t… Diſcourſe of thoſe of the Old Teſtament; ſome of which were Ordinary others Extraordinary; but whether they were more or …wer, they all of them ceaſed with the Abolition of the M…ſacal P…dagory. Whereas they were al deſigned to be … …ward to a Chriſt to come. He …eing come, who was the End of them, they have c…ſed to be Ordinances to Chriſtians. Hence that in, Heb. 9.10 11. Which fl…d in means and …, and divers waſhings, and carnal or …ces … …ed …th, m…n… the t…me of …. But …r…ſt being come, &c. Now it is …ece…ty for ſuch as would ſerve God with Underſtanding, to be well acquainted … w…d, are to … koned to be Sacraments under the Now Teſtament, and how man… there are … them; eſpecially ſince our Advrſ… have endeavour…d to imp…ſe on us the … Number of S…v…n. And it is dangerous for us to be miſ…; in this, ſince the Sacraments are given us to be helps of our Grace, and if als of our Go…d… ence to God, whic… we are not to admit of …ind ſold, but to prove them by the u…tring Rules of the Goſpel. And the conſideration of the Deſcription …f…e given us, will … good help for us in this matter, ſince nothing that will not agree with it can be allowed. And if we take this Rule, it will cut off all the ſpurious Sacraments which have been introduced by the vain Imaginations of Men. The matters that ly before us for our Diſquiſition, and are contained in the Anſwer, are theſe.
1. That there are Sacraments appointed by Chriſt under the New Teſtament, as well as there were under the Old.
2. That there are but Two in Number; viz. Baptiſm and the Lord's Supper.
3. That theſe are Sacraments.
4. That there are no other but theſe.
1. THAT there are Sacraments appointed by Chriſt, under the New Testament, as well as there were under the Old. This is ſuppoſed in the very Queſtion before us, for we are not to ſuppoſe that our Divines would ſpend time in Diſputing or Diſcourſing about a thing that is not; and if there be n… Sacraments at all under the Goſpel, it is vain for any to aſſert that there are two, and it would be a contradiction. And there is occaſion to Diſcourſe of this, becauſe the En…h…ſia…s of our Age, as well as of former times, have rejected all external Ordinances, as inconſiſtent with the ſpiritual Diſpenſation of the Goſpel times, and have therefore made a flout of Water Lap…ſm and carnal b…ead & Wine, as they call it; and tell us, that ſuch thines only belonged to the legal State of the Church, and were ſhadows that muſt paſs away, when the ſubſtance came; and no more ſerviceable to Men who are called to ſerve God in Spirit and in Truth. Not need we to ſpend time in ſhewing the Vanity of this Allegation of Men againſt this: Yet tho' the Goſpel be a more ſpiritual Diſpenſation than that of the Law in lev… … inſpects yet this is a great T… th… …et… this difference between God's diſcovering of himſelf to his People in this Life, and that which is to come; that here it is …diate, and there it will be Immediate: Here we muſt ſ…e through a gloſs darkly, but then Face to Face, 1. Cor. 12.11. And that all Chriſt's Inſi… ticns which be leſt with his Diſciples, are to continue to the end of the World, is a juſt Inference from, Matth. 28 19, 20. And Baptiſm in there expreſly mentioned as one of them. Beſides, There is as much uſe of them now, as there was before inaſmuch as our Faith and other Graces do ſtand in need of being ſupplied with that which may corroborate them; and theſe are adapted to our preſent State, God could have ſaved them of Old without them, and ſo he can now; but he choſe this wa…, as being accommodable to our preſent ſtate of Imperfection. But.
2. THIS will further appear, if we conſider, That there art Two of theſe, and a more; and that they are Sacraments, v.z. Baptiſm and the Lord's Supper. And here three things will come under conſideration, viz.
1. THAT Chriſt hath appointed Baptiſm and the Lord's Supper as Ordinances to be attended on by Chriſtians, in the Days of the Goſpel. Touching the Names of them, we have them exp…eſt more than once in the Goſpel; and they are enjoyned by Chriſt. …t belonged to the Commiſſion of the Apoſtles and their Succeſſors, that where they Preached the Goſpel they ſhould Adminiſter Baptiſm to thoſe that were Diſcipled; Matth. 28.19. And when Chriſt celebrated the Supper, he commanded that this Ordinance ſhould be kept up in the Church in remembrance of him, till he come, i.e. Till the great Judgment ſhould commence, 1 Cor. 11.26. Theſe Ordinances therefore we find in the Hiſtory of the New Teſtament, were uſed b… the Apoſtles every where, where they Preached the Goſpel. Of the Nature of each of theſe we may come to conſider afterwards; but of the Injunction of them it is evident.
2. THAT theſe were Sacraments, If once we grant them to be Goſpel Ordinances, we can reduce them to no other Head but this. And that they are Sacraments is evident,becauſe the Deſcription of Sacrament agrees to them; and that is a proper Rule of out Judgment about the Nature & Kind of things; ſo that if there be nothing which belongs to a Sacrament in general, but what is to be found in them, they muſt needs be ſuch. Tho' it is true, that every Sacrament hath it's ſpecial differences, in which it is diverſe from others. And here obſerve, (1) IT is an holy Ordinance, appointed for holy Ends, and to be adminiſtred to holy Perſons. A thing is then ſaid to be Holy. when it is ſet apart from common, and conſecrated to ſacred Uſe: And that theſe two are ſuch is evident, becauſe they were to be Adminiſtred to the People of God, and no other. They are to put a difference between the Clean & Unclean; and this were the Miniſters of the Sanctuary to look carefully to, and ſo are the Miniſters of the New Teſtament. It is true, there is a ſ…ral H…neſs, on ſuch as are ſeparated from the Word & devoted to Chriſt, whom he will have acknowledged as his and they are to be ſealed for him; but ſuch as are not thus of the Viſible Church, but ly out from it, are not to be admitted to this Privilege; for Children's Bread is not to be given to Dogs. (2.) THEY are both of them Inſtituted by Chriſt. They are not the Inventions of Men, nor fetch their Authority from human Inſtitution, but they fetch their Original and Authentickneſs from the Power or Authority of Chriſt, who appointed them. This we have fully expreſſ concerning the Supper, in 1 Cor. 11.23. And we are to obſerve, that Paul bring this in for reducing of the Diſord…r that had crept into the Church, in the Diſpenſation of that Ordinance, to the Primitive Inſtitution (3.) THERE are in them ſenſible Signs appointed. There needs no more to make this good, than to enquire into them; in ſearch whereof theſe are to be found. There is ſomething external and ſenſible in either; of Water in one, Bread and Wine in the other; nor can they be omitted, without a treſpaſs upon the Ordinance it ſelf; as will farther appear, when we come to treat of them ſeverally. (4.) CHRIST and the Benefits of the Covenants of Grace are herein repreſented and applied to Believers. It is true, all that partake in the outward Signs do not diſcern theſe; but herein they make the Sacrament void of them, and loſe the Good of it. But Believers have this Benefit by them; and it muſt needs be ſo, becauſe they are appointed Means, for the Salvation of God's Choſen, and the promiſed Bleſſing is annexed to them, in regard of ſuch as are ſpiritually entituled to the New-Covenant. Hence Baptiſm is called a putting on of Chriſt, Gal. 3▪27. And partaking of the Lord's Supper, is called the Communion of the Body and Blood of Chriſt, 1 Cor. 10 16. And ſuch Sacramental Phraſes as theſe, wherein the thing ſignified is applied to the Sign, give us to underſtand the cloſe connection there is between theſe two, in all thoſe that do worthily Partake.
3. THAT there are no other Sacraments but theſe, appointed in the New Testament. Our Adverſaries do acknowledge theſe, but they have tacked Five more to them, for which they have no warrant in the Goſpel. We acknowledge that there were diverſe Ceremonies in the Days of the Old Teſtament; but that all the Sacraments and Ceremonies of that Diſpenſation are ſuperceded, and have loſt their Authentickneſs, is certain, and the ſpiritual Vertue ofthem is gone; and thoſe who ſtand to uphold them, do therein what lies in them, to make the Goſpel void, Gal. 3.2. Now, 1. IT is certain that Chriſt Inſtituted no more but theſe Two, under the Goſpel. This being a Negative Aſſertion there needs nothing more for the Proof of it, than to challenge thoſe who deny it, to produce the Charter for any other; and till they can, it muſt ſtand good; for we are aſſured, that it any ſuch be, there muſt be His Authority for it; and this is no where elſe to be ſought but here. He had his Life…les to do do whatſoever be commanded them, Matth 28.20. And without his Command, he will ſay to Men, Who hath required th… … year ham…s? 2. THOSE Five which Papists have added, … want, if not all, yet ſome of the things that are …ſſ…ntial to a Sacrament, the want whereof makes them not to be ſuch: Either the ſenſible Sign is wanting, or the thing ſignified in a Goſpel Sacrament is not to be found, as hath been th…nd…ntly made good by ſuch as have laboured in this Affair; and to make everything to be a Sacrament, which hath a Myſtery in it, proc…eds from Ignorance, and hath no warrant for it in the Word of God. 3. THERE were but Two Ordinary ſtated Sacraments, under the Old Testament, viz. Circumciſion and the Paſſover; in the room whereof theſe Two under the New Teſtaments are ſubstired. It is true, there were others extra… dinary, viz. the R…ck, and the Cl…u…, and the Manna; but there were none but theſe, which were inſtituted Ordinances in the Church of Iſrael, as the Hiſtory will ſatisfy us. Now, theſe were not Types of the Sacraments of the New Teſtament, but Repreſentations of the ſame Grace, and the other came in their room: Chriſt therefore finiſhed the Paſſover with bringing in the Supper; and when he ſent forth his Apoſtles to the Gentile, they were prohibited Circumciſion, and enjoyned Baptiſm. And as for their Sacrifices, they were not Sacraments, for they were offered to God, whereas theſe are given to Believers. 4. THERE need no more, for theſe anſwer the whole deſign of Sacraments. They are viſible Signs and Seals of the New-Covenant, and all the Benefits that are to be enjoyed by ſuch as are entituled to it: And there are but two things which need to be Sealed up to us in the Covenant, viz. our Ini…atien or Entrance into it, or our being taken into Covenant with God; and this is ſigned and ſealed in Baptiſm; and our Continuance in the Covenant, our growth in Grace, and perſeverance in it to the end; and this is ſigned and ſealed in the Lord's Supper: And he that is put into Chriſt, and ſhall abide in him, and his Grace, is ſecured to grow up to Glory, & is in ſafe and good Condition.
QUESTION XCIV.
WHAT is Baptiſm?
ANSWER.
BAPTISM is a Sacrament, wherein waſhing with Water, in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy-Ghoſt doth ſignify and ſeal our ingraſting into Chriſt, and partaking of the Benefits of the Covenant of Grace, and our engagements to be the Lord's.
WE have already been conſidering the Nature of a Sacrament in general, to which every particular Sacrament is to be red…ed and can be no f…rther acknowledged to be ſo, than as it agrees with the Deſcription given of it; which will therefore facilitate our conſideration of the particular: Nevertheleſs, there are the differences between the one and the other, which will need a particular Diſquiſition, which we are now to paſs to. We obſerved, that under the New-Teſtament, there are Two and no more; and the firſt of theſe, which now comes under our Confieration, is Baptiſm: And that this is the firſt in Order will be evident, if we conſider, what It is nextly a Sign and Seal of, and that is the New Birth, or our entrance into Covenant with Gel; whereas the other points to our Growth, or our Eſtabliſhment in the Convenant Now an Infant muſt be Born, before it can Grow; it muſt have Life, in order to it's receiving of Nouriſhment; we muſt be United unto Chriſt, before we can have Communion with him in all his Benefits. Here then, we may make ſome little enquiry into the Nature of this Ordinance. Concerning the word Baptiſm, there need not much be ſaid, tho' there are hot Diſputes about it. The word it ſelf is uſed either in a proper, or a tranſ…titious ſenſe. Properly it ſignifys two things indifferently, viz. to Sprinkle and to Immerge; either to caſt water upon a thing or to Plunge it into it; and is uſed in both ſenſes in Greek Claſſick Authors; and hence from the Etymon of the word, there can be no Argument made for the one, more than the other. In a tranſlatious ſenſe, it is uſed ſometimes for the ſuffering grievous Affictions, and for the communication of the ex…rordinary Gifts of the Holy Ghoſt: But here we are to underſtand it properly: and thoſe that would have it meerly Metaphorical, do err… not knowing the Truth, or ſeeking to pervert it. We have therefore the true Nature of this Ordinance laid before us in the Deſcription give…; where obſerve,
1. THE general Nature of it; it is a Sacrament: And that it is ſo will appear in the laying open of the Deſcription; in every part wher of it agrees with what hath before been ſaid about the Nature of a Sacrament; as to the Iſtitution, Parts, and Deſign of it.
2. We have the ſpecial Nature of it; containing the things in which it is differenced from the other. And here we are to conſider,
1. THE outward Sign, the waſhing with Water. And here,
1. THE Element it ſelf which is to be uſed in the Adminiſtration of this Ordinance, viz. Water. Some obſerving a difference between external and internal Baptiſm, do conſtitute two Sacraments of them, but very abſurdly; for theſe only point out the two parts material. viz. the Sign, and the thing ſignified by it; or the external act Miniſterial, and the internal Act of the Spirit of God: ſo then the Element is Water; and no other thing is to be uſed inſtead of it: This is the Sign, and is not Natural, but Arbitrary, and depended on his Pleaſure. And this is expreſly ſet down in the Goſpel: Hence that, Matth. 3.11. I indeed baptize you with wa…er unto repentance; but he that cometh after, is might…er than I, wh…ſe ſhoes I am not worthy to bear: he ſhall baptize you with the bo…y Ghoſt, and with fire. Acts 3.36. And as they want on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch ſaid, See here is teater, what doth hinder me to be baptized? John the Baptiſt uſed Water; and for that reaſon he choſe places to Baptize, where there was a ſufficiency for it. As to thoſe that make additions and mixtures of Salt, Spittle, Oyl and Ho…ey, they are Superſtitious, and do ſo far recede from the Primitive Simplicity of this Ordinance. And the reaſon why Chriſt choſe this Element, was doubtleſs from the aptitude of it, to repreſent and ſignify the thing aimed at in it, and that is our Regeneration, in which we are waſhed and cleanſed. And for this reaſon the Spirit is frequently compared to Water; and the Promiſe of Regenerating Grace is expreſſed by this Metaphor, Ezek. 36.2…. Then will I ſprinkle clean water upon you, and ye ſhall be clean: from all your filthineſs, and from all your idols will I cleanſe you. Our Juſtification is alſo comprehended in it, becauſe by it we are made legally Clean; for which reaſon we are told, 1 Joh. 1.7. And the blood of Jeſus Chriſt his Son, cleanſeth us from all ſin. We are therefore told of a Fountain which God would open for this purpoſe, Zech. 13.11. which hath a reference to this; and hence we are told of the waſhing of Regeneration, Tit. 3.5.
2. WE have the Uſe which is to be made of this Element, in the Administration of this Ordinance; and that is, Waſhing with it. The meaning whereof is in general, that it is to be applied to the Fleſh: It is therefore called the putting away the filthineſs of the fleſh, 1 Pet. 3.21. And when he ſaith it is not ſo, the meaning is, that this is not the thing ſignified by it; and this had not been needful to mention, but becauſe it was the external Sign, but that it had an higher aim in it; hence it is not to be applied to the Garment, but to the Body it ſelf. And here is that Queſtion to be looked into, about which there have been ſuch grievous Contentions in the World; viz. Whether this Ordinance, as to the Cer…monial part of it, is to be applied by Aſperſion or by Immerſions. True, there would be no need of Controverſy here, if our Oppoſites would be as Candid in this Affair as we are; who do not Diſpute for the neceſſary affixing of it to one, but account it indifferent in it ſelf, and may be governed by Circumſtances. But there are thoſe that make Immerſion Eſſential, and deny the reality of our Baptiſm, becauſe it is applied by Aſperſion. As to the Plea from the Notation of the words, which is made ſo much of i…s weakneſs is ſufficiently evident, not only becauſe the uſe, of words is not always limited to the Notation, but is to be underſtood according to the prevailing Cuſtom; but alſo becauſe the words themſelves do not enforce it: Touching that of Baptiſm, we have already obſerved, that it is uſed in both ſenſes, and ſo we have as good a Plea for it, as our Oppoſites: and the word … properly ſignifies Spira…ing, and is uſed Meraphoric…l…, Heb. 12.2…. & 1 Pet. 1.2. And if there were any word uſed in this Affair, which only ſignifies to Immerge, it would make nothing againſt us, who never de…ed the lawfulneſs of is, or it's ſignificancy: But we account he making either the one or the other to be neceſſary, and the Ordinance made void withou… it to … equally Superſ…itious. And altho' in the Primitive times, that of Immerſion was the moſt frequently uſed in the Churches, tho' after a various manner, (and it is very likely, tho' not certain, that John the Baptiſt did ſo uſe it.) yet Eccleſiaſtical Hiſtory acquaints us, that in the co…der Regions where Religion was entertained, they uſed Aſperſion in the room of the other: and it was rational to think that the Apoſtle uſed it, when there were three thouſand baptized is one Day, Acts 2.41. But theſe are only Problematical, and may be debited Pro and C… But that Aſperſion will anſwer the end of the Ordinance, and come up to the Inſtitution, if proved, is ſufficient to vindicate this Practice, and make it to appear that the Ordinance is not depraved by it; and there are Arguments to prove this abundantly, a few whereof may be juſt named to ſatisfy doubling Conſciences in this regard.
1. THE words uſed for Baptism do at leaſt ſignify this as well as the …ther; and if they prove no more, yer they give us to underſtand, that there is no expreſs Command for one more than the other: and from this we may argue, that they are left in Medio, and are to be uſed according to the Rules of Prudence, which may vary in their Circumſtances. And ſurely where God hath not limited us, there is a room left ſo far as may be agreable to the Inſtitution itſelf.
2. AND it is certain, That the thing which is intended in Baptiſm, is in the New Teſt…ment expreſſed alluſive… by Sprinkling. We before obſerved, that there are Sacramental Phraſes uſed frequently in the Word of God, in which the Sign is put for the thing Signified, & doth therefore teach us in the uſe of the Sign. Now we before took an account of ſuch Texts where it is ſo uſed, Heb. 12.24. 1 Pet. 1.2. So Heb. 10.22. And ſeem to make it evident, that Springkling is a Ceremony well expreſſive of the Application of the outward part of this Ordinance.
3. ASPERSION it at agreable to the Analogy of the Sign with the thing Signified as I…ſion. This Analogy is between Water, and the Blood of Chriſt ſignified by it; and as by the one the Fleſh is applied to the Water ſo by the other Water is applied to the Fleſh. Now in either of theſe ways the Scope of the Ordinance is Anſwered, and the Signification Expreſſed, which is to ſet forth the Vertue of Chriſt's Blood by that of Water and the Efficacy of it, by Appl…cation of it to the Subject. And it is not from the q…ity of it, but the quality of it, that the Sign was app…ated: and we may have ſome Argument from that of our Saviour, Joh 13.10 Jeſus ſaith to him, He that … …ſ…ed, needeth …, ſave to t…ſ… …is f…et, but is cl…an every …. And hence it will ſuffice to apply it to the Face, which is the moſt Co…ſpicuous part of the Body. We might elſe plead from the Ceremonial. Aſper…o…s appointed in the Law, which had a Spiritual ſignification, and aimed at the ſame that this doth; as alſo for the Convenience of Health, eſpecially in Cold Seaſons; and from the Modeſty which is required of us, in all our Religious Attendances, which, if the thing will anſwer the Inſtitution is to be conſidered. As to the threefold Me…ion of which we are told that it … formerly Practiſed by ſome Churches, to expreſs the Triplicity of Perſons in the Godhead as if there muſt be ſo many Applications as there are Perſons in the Sacred Tr…lty, there is no inſtitution for it; and whatſoever good meaning there was in it, there ſeems to be an Addition to the Ordinance: And we fi…d that in the Primitive Church it was never preſſed as neceſſary, but all were left to their Liberty without offence: and it is certain, that Baptiſm is to be but … Adminiſtred, as we are but once Regenerated. And though there be Three Perſons, yet it is but One God in Subſtance; and the mention of the Three Perſons in the Adminiſtration is ſufficient, otherwiſe it might look rather li…e T…ice Baptiſms than one; this therefore ſeems to be more agreable to the Simplicity of the Goſpel, to do it but once, and is fartheſt from the hazard of Innovation in the Goſpel Myſteries: And it were to be wiſhed that God's People would be more careful to … to their being made truly partakers in the Spiritual part of this Ordinance, inſtead of making diſturbances about Circumſtances, which not a little hinders the Efficacy, while by them Men hinder the Peace and Edification of the Church of God.