this but if the receiver hinder and stop the benefit it is his fault the sacrament is the same for Children wee must look at them as God allows us and then they were within the covenant for none could say the contrary if there be any inconveniency against Baptisme in this I say if they had it according to their own desire to men of years I will say as much for children as they for them it is a seal of remission of sins suppose hypocrites offer themselves to it as Symâ—n Magus did how did it seale up him when he was still in the gaâ—le of bitternesse so as there is the same inconveniency in men professing faith if we say therefore baptisme is not a seal of our incision it is blasphemy if we look at baptism as from God it intends it the unworthines of it doth hinder but God intends it As the Gospel it is the favour of life unto life if it be worthily received but if it be abused then it is the savour of death unto death If men creep into the Church that are unworthy and hinder the benefit yet it hinders not the seal As the Charter of a City is all that serve out their years and sue out their libertie shall be made free a man comes out of his time and gets out this freedome if after the Master come in and shew how he dealt basely with him in his service and he forfeit all his freedome will you say such a Cities Charter is broken No but his bare carriage was the cause so the ordinance of God is the same and is not to be blamed although the receiver be unworthy So in the Supper of the Lord He that receives it unworthily eates and drinks his own damnation and is guilty of the body and blood of the Lord and it is sealed up to him and yet the fault is not in the Seale 2. Conclusion is this being in the covenant of grace is to be judged according to rationall charity and accordingly it is to be discerned and determined according to the rule of rationall charity and this liberty God hath deligated to the Church for the dispensation of it God gave it to the father of the family in the wildernesse in the time of the New Testament it is given to the Ministers the seale is outward because it is impossible for man to search into the heart and to discover it really it is the Prerogative of God to search the heart Jer. 17.10 The heart is deceitfull above measure who can know it I the Lord search the heart c. God knows the heart many a man judges highly of the things that are naught God hath commended these to his Church and it is impossible to search the heart to finde out a close hypocrite God allows his Church to go to rationall charity to the rule of reason and love by the bounds of love inlightned by the rule of reason and Religion and according to the rule the Church may judge men thus John took a taste of the men that came to him in Jordan by confessing their sins thus we must proceed according to the bounds of love enlightned by Religion and rationall charity 3. This judgement according to the rules of rationall charity is lyable to mistakes Paul was long with Demas and Peter was mistaken by Symon Magus and it is said they went out from us because they were not of us for if they had been of us c. a man may deceive himself Galas 6.3 If a man think he is somewhat c. yet the Church is bound to go according to Religion we must judge and may pâ—â—â—tice without sin when we are mistaken because it is our ruâ—â— if subtiltie of heart go beyond us it is not the Churches fault God doth require it if he deceive himself and me in the judgement of charity and verity charity may be out-bid therefore covenant grace is one thing and saving grace is another according to the eye of man and the Church such a man is fit Now federall grace is such as all false hypocrites have federall grace they have enough to shew and may receive the seals Now it is possible hypocrites may be in the Church that the Church are not able to condemn nay suppose there were a thousand Churches in England and they receive the best according to the rules of charity in reason there may be many hypocrites come into the Church for it is as a draw net it hath bad as well as good and it is a barn flâ—ore that hath câ—affe as well as Wheat if all were admitted there are millions of persons wee cannot say this man is one sealed for salvation and here is one sealed for perdition no man can say this child or this man shall be damned I cannot say this or that man is a reprobate if all the Churches on earth were together there are many that shall be damned yet I cannot say this man or that shall be damned 4. Conclusion this judgement of charity must proceed on divers grounds according to the divers conditions of the men we have to deale withall of necessity for instance in the Old Law no heathen might be made partaker of the priviledges Esay 56.4 Thus saith the Lord to the Eunuches that keep my Sabbaoth and take hold of my Covenant c. before wee receive him wee must heare him expresse himselfe as they did not receive him nor would not untill he exprest himself Ephes 2 12. They must renounce their Idolatry and imbrace the Law the childe of this man is made partaker of the seal I must judge him in covenant how shall I have reasonable charity here is no profession there are divers wayes of proceedings so that we must proceed upon severall grounds Hence you may observe men of years must be received by profession and confession and practice and therefore they must be divers from Children how must it be done on Children thus in reference to the covenant of their fathers from the reference the Childe hath to the covenant of the father it is made partaker of the covenant with the father and by the father God hath promised that should be a means not that the father conveyes grace to the childe that is a dream but he uses the father as a means and he will communicate himself to the childe as he sees fit here is my ground thou art a means to do good to the childe hence again observe that if according to the judgement of reasonable charity they did judge in Abrahams dayes upon the self-same ground men may and ought to judge children to have right to the covenant if they might we may our grounds are the same the covenant and seal are the same then and now this for the generall 5. Now to the speciall the subjects capable and they are men of years and children First What makes men of years capable Secondly What does make Children capable of this seal
same I proved that the possession of Christ is the stablishment of the heart in it there lies the power of the Sacrament 2. The manner of it as theirs did in the old so ours in the new it lies in three things 1. It signifies God and grace 2. it conveyes And 3. it exhibits grace the same spirituall efficacy in those in the law and of ours and of the like vertue Gen. 17. compared with Rom. 4 12 And the Father of Circumcision not unto them onely that were of the Circumcision c. it was the seale of the covenant of Faith it exhibits the meaning there in the law and so theirs and ours are alike insignifying sealing exhibiting to the party an interest in Christ as in the Law so in the Gospel Here they are alike in degree they differ but for the kinde they are the same This I proved to you I will cleare it by reason In 1 Cor. 10.1 2 3 4. I would not have you ignorant that all our fathers were under the Cloud and all passed through the Sea c. I wil shew you the scope of the Apostle His aim is to pull a way the carnall confidence which they placed in their priviledges which they thought would preserve them from plagues They could say we have Baptisme and the Supper of the Lord we eate the flesh of Christ and drink his blood and are advanced so that we shall be preserved from such plagues No saith the Apostle these will not doe it for I can shew you a people had these as well as you which were overthrowne and destroyed in the wildernesse they were as eminent as you and yet they were destroyed they had the Cloud and the Sea as well as you have Baptisme and they had Manna and the water out of the Rock as well as you have bread and wine in the Supper of the Lord yet their priviledges would not preserve them no more will yours preserve you This is the meaning of God in the words so as it is a folly for us to think if we sin as they did that we should not be plagued as they were They that are truly said to be truly baptized in the right use of their Sacraments their Sacraments are the like with ours but so they are said to be by the Spirit of God Thry were baptized are the words of the Text and therefore if we should deny it we deny the words of the Spirit of God which is blasphemy to doe The reason lies in the phrase not because the signes are the same though the same thing be signified instead of Baptisme is the Cloud and Sea the red Sea held forth the like good to them as ours to us the force is the same there is the like vertue in the one as in the other They are the flesh of Christ and drank the blood of Christ as we do The Manna and the Water out of the Rock was the same with our Supper of the Lord for the good of the Suuper is Christ he is there and our spirits feast His flesh is meat indeed and his blood is drink indeed the whole does signifie and exhibit CHRIST it is like ours the elements are not the same but there is the same spirituall food and they seale up the same Christ to them as to us Christ is presented as spirituall refreshing to them and us It is a dream of Bellarmine they were not the same with ours for though theirs were extraordinary yet that hinders not the Argument we look at it as a Sacrament not at the extraordinarinesse of it The third Argument That sense that overthrowes the sense of the Apostle that is to be rejected But to say that Israel did not enjoy the same priviledges in the kind of them is to make the sense of the Apostle void and therefore it is to be rejected The Jewes provoking God shall be punished so shall you It had been easie to have answered they are not of that excellency that ours be and therefore though theirs could not preserve them ours may But now if yee attend the mind of God it is cleare theirs are the same with outs in the kinde of them And this is the first thing that may prevent all cavils The second is from that Rom 4 11. Abraham received the signe of Circumcision as the seale of the righteousnesse of faith c. that is the righteousnesse of Christ received by faith sealed by circumcision that was the seale of the righteousnesle of faith by Gods appointment so as they have spirituall efficacy with baptisme they have the utmost power a Sacrament hath to signifie seale and exhibite the spirituall good of the covenant of Grace it is a seale God appointed and it doth exhibit When a man hath set to his Seale he stands ingaged this promise he doe accomplish Every promise a man makes if he perform it not it is because he is feeble and cannot or because he is unfaithfull and will not but these cannot befall God so there is exhibition where there is sealing if it be appointed for the same and baptisme can doe no more but signifie seale and exhibit so is circumcision a covenant of Faith so there is no gainsaying but the Argument is plain in the Text. I will make some collections 1. Hence it is plain that Abraham had was the covenant of the Gospel and Grace It is proved thus That which was the Covenant of the righteousnesss of faith is the covenant of the Gospel that this is so we may see it by the Apostle If it be of workes it is not of faith if it be of faith it is not of workes Rom. 3 But Abrahams covenant is a covenant of the righteousnesse of faith That which circumcision sealed was a covenant to Abraham to say it was a carnall covenant is grosse and to say it was not a covenant of Faith is to deny the text and dig it up by the roots So we see that it was a covenant of grace 2. The Sacraments in the old Testament require and presume and presuppose in the right use of them Faith in the receiver as being the righteousnesse of God I know not how any can deny it it is so clear theirs did require faith as well as ours doe The efficacie of a Sacrament rightly used is to seale up our salvation but abused it sealts up our condemnation The right use of it is to establish our hearts but the abuse of it doth hasten our condemnation 3. Some persons my rightly use a Sacrament with allowance from God and may receive the good thereof that have not the exercise of reason as Infants as we may see in Abrahams time And this will give an answer to all them that shall say How can infants get good by Baptisme when they have not the use of reason Abrahams children had the good of the Sacrament sealed up unto them and yet they had not the use of reason yet they had a right
is baptized c. But he that believeth not c. And Eph. 5.26 That he might sanctifie it and cleanse it by water through the word 2. The Sacraments as instruments put forth a spirituall efficacie when they are lawfully used according to God but not when they are abused in an unlawfull manner and unworthily received then they doe not put forth any spirituall efficacie Thus the Supper of the Lord puts forth spirituall efficacie when it is ordered in a lawfull manner as the Apostle saith Is is not the communion of the body of Christ And the Cup of blessing is the same and yet be that receives is 〈◊〉 â—â—rthily eates and drinkes his own damnation and makes himselfe guilty of the body and blood of Christ because he abuses the seale He that abuses the Kings seale is punished and therefore much more these The Gospel is the power of God to salvation but it must bee mixed with faith and then it is the savour of life unto life but without it is the savour of death unto death And so is the Sacrament therfore when a thing is lawfully done it is no sinne but if it be abused then it is sinfull therefore that the Sacrament is abused it is from sinne but the spirituall work of a Sacrament helps forward to salvation 3 The spirituall efficacy a Sacrament puts forth is not as a Physicall instrument but as a Morall I put it in these termes that I might cleare it up in their termes which they use which darken the truth Now see the explication Instruments are of a double nature some have qualities inherent that is sticking in them by nature as some physicall hearbs are of a purging nature others comfortable they have it in their nature put into them so to work and it abides in them but other are made serviceable by Art they are made sharp or sweet Or in tooles some are made sharp fit for use as a bone wil not cut our bread but we must have something made sharp so things are made physicall either by Nature or by Art The Papists call it Physicall in the Sacrament they say the Sacraments work naturally if taken they have a quality to convey grace the Sacrament taken they say will worke of it selfe but it is a grosse conceit to satisfie a carnall heart then a drunken wretch must have grace if he can but have the use of the Sacrament Thus the Papists derogate from Christ by making a quality to be inherent in the Sacraments to convey grace into any man that receives them The 2d distinction is they are morally good as some instruments that have no power of themselves but as they are stated by way of ordination as he that uses them doth appoint them As a piece of wax is appointed to seale up a bargain the Wax conveys nothing it is appointed to be a witnesse to set forth the truth as the party is ingaged according to agreement as Elijahs Cloke divided the waters it was not in the Cloke but it was a signe to intimate that God would be with him So the Brasen Serpent was appointed of God for the people that were stung by looking on it they should be healed there was no vertue in the brasse to heale them for afterwards in Heâ—â—ekiahs dayes he called it Nehushtan a piece of brasse But by Gods institution God used it as a meanes to work by but the vertue was in himselfe there was no inherent vertue in the brasse but God appointed it for this end as a morall instrument 4 When the Sacraments are thus taken for such an end and to such a work there is a divine vertue goes along with them for that end the same power that did appoint them will goe along with them and will work in them for that end There be three things in the institution of them 1 God appointing them out according to his will in wisdome and power the bread signifying the body of Christ as meat the water signifying the blood of Christ washing a way the guilt and filth of our sins the wisdome and good pleasure of God going along with them for that end 2 They are seales of Gods ingagement to man that is signified by these his Faithfulnesse and Truth alwayes goe with it Rom. 4. It is called The Seale of the Righteousnesse of Faith So as it is as sure as that 3 There is the accomplishment and performance thereof here shall we find the good Spirit of God going along with this ordinance to see it done Matth. 3 11. He shall baptize you with the holy Ghost c. And Rom. 2.29 That is Circumcision that is of the heart c. So as the Sacrament is stated for that use it hath alway this the good Spirit of God going along with it carrying it to the understanding it signifies all spirituall good to the understanding to a man that worthily receives it it carries it sacramentally So as it is plain no man can institute a Sacrament to have the good of it as the Seale the Spirit of God must make good Gods engagement so as the heart cannot get away from the goodnesse 3 The Sacrament exhibits grace so the Spirit of God go along with it and see it accomplished thus theirs is the same with ours for theirs and ours comunicate the vertue of it by the Spirit of God And hence it followes that it is of force as under the motion of that blessed Spirit so that there is no more of the Bread nor of the Wine that have this fruit but so much as is used to this end And as the Brazen Serpent was not of that use to heale but at that time the Lord had set it apart for that use and therefore afterwards it was called Nehushtan Hence followes a threefold collection 1 Hence this will bee a meanes to â—â—se and help you to see how the Spirit can work in Baptisme The main worker is the Spirit all is possible to him he can secretly doe it to a childe he is not confin'd to our work he can overshadow the heart of a Child as he did the Virgin 2 In the manner of the working in which we may see foure thing for our help 1 The Sacrament of Baptisme is a seale of our first entrance and the Supper is our nourishing in the family of Christ And this being the scope of Baptisme sealing our first work into Christ that whereby we are implanted into Christ in which work we are meetly passive but when wee are setled on Christ the truth is this wee have a gracious principle put into us and so we work by our selves and by the help of the Spirit but at the first the Spirit makes us willing that we may will it This is the confession of all our orthodox Divines 2 In this first grace wherein we are passive God works in us without us all the workes we are passive in 3 Hence we may see the Spirit may as well seale
of incission that is my main scope The Lord Christ hath different seals he looks to the entertainment of his servants he suites his own end and then he provides for them that is the supper of the Lord Baptisme is the entrance into his family there is much more to be looked at to make a person capable of the supper of the Lord a man must be able to examine himself he must not onely have grace but growth of grace he must have so much perfection in grace as to search his own heart and he must be able to discern the Lords body or else he is guilty of the body and blood of Christ so as there is more required in this for there must be a growth But Baptisme is our entrance and the lowest degree of grace will serve here in the judgement of charity 1. I will shew how it must be dispensed to men of years what must be in them to make them capable and I shall be short here because the difficulty lies not here What makes them capable and how it is to be discerned we must consider it in three things according to the word I speak of men of years because if any black-Mores or of other nations should come and offer themselves they must be thus admitted First Those are worthy that be sensible of then sin and misery that attend upon them and be willing and ready to bewaile their sin and must be freely willing to know them and know the manner of the committing of them and confesse them after that manner that the intelligent hearer that is judiciously charitable may think they have true repentance that he may have good hope his heart is in such a frame of sorrow as all may passe sentence upon reasonable charity and then we may practice according to a rule and not be missed thus did John Matth. 3.6 Those that came to him were baptized of 〈◊〉 confessing their sins and in the 8th verse he 〈◊〉 them what they should doe bring forth fruits worthy c. as if he should have said you have professed repentance let your practices shew it your actions must cary weight for weight your conversation should hold correspondency with your profession you make a profession here make it reall by your conversation let it be as you professe Acts 2.37 They were pricked in their hearts c. so let your carriage be that we may have hope you are the same within that you professe outwardly Secondly They must not onely be sensible of their sin but they must be sensible of their insufficiency to help themselves and be willing to yeeld to Christ to help them Luke 30.9 10. where the story of Johns preaching is recorded wherein the spirit of God shews his great wisdom to use severall expressions from that in Matthew that we may read all the Evangelists that we may be acquainted with them there he calls them a generation of Vipers and forewarns them of wrath to come when this word came then they began to be troubled and beeing driven to a stand see how they speak the people they come and ask what shall we doe and the souldiers they ask what shall wee doe as if they should say we see our sins and here is guilt we are willing to heat what we shall doe they did not know how to deliver themselves and so Peter in the Acts 2. Repent and be baptized for the remission of your sins that is see your need of a Saviour and look to him for help through baptisme that is your incision into Christ and having participation of the obedience of Christ baptism seals up this in men of years why should we come to Christ else both these last are required when Christ gave a commission to his Disciples Matth. 28.18 Go teach all nations c. teach is make them Disciples or Proselytes and then Baptise them the Apostles were sent among the heathen and they were men of years make them Disciples for me and then baptize them this was their commission Thirdly It is Gods method to look at people as they are in covenant with the Church it is a Church ordinance that is the reason now in these dayes that none but Officers of the Church can dispence them the seale makes good the communion Hence in the Old Testament it was to the Jews to Abraham and his seed if the Gentile be partaker of it they must first be made Proselites so it was to the Jews onely and those that joyned with the Jews the frame of the scriptures Iye that way Ephes 2.11 Circumcision was the proper name of a Jew and Vncircumcision was the proper name of a Gentile and Rom. 3.30 One God justifies Jew and Gentile that which is said of circumcision may be said of the other ordinances they are to them that are in a Church estate Hence it is observed Exod. 12.43.44 No stranger may eat thereof but those born in the house and bought with money might when they were circumcised so as it is in a Church way as we shall debate more afterward If a man come out of the East-Indies if he were fit to receive the seales wee cannot constrain him to receivâ—â—hem the Church hath no power to constrain him to be baptized But if he will submit to the covenant of the Church then the Church hath power but if he refuse to receive the Sacrament we have no power to constrain him Now the evidence and equity of the reason is plain If a Church have no power but in a Church-way then a person hath no rule to challenge it but in a Church-way If he say I will not be baptized but will deprive himselfe we have nopower to impose it upon him but if he submit we may Luke 7.29 30. The Publicans were baptized but the Scribes and Pharisees would not and he did not force them nor he could not force them but make Disciples and then baptize them bring them into the covenant and then baptize them Acts 2. They were joyned to the Church and then they continued with the Apostles Vse You see what God calls for of men of yeares It is a word of advice to those that be now men of yeares Understand what you should doe that you may have the benefit of the Ordinances according to Gods appointment doe not satisfie your selves in the judgement of the world but search your hearts if you be fitted for a Church estate how ever the world think of you labour tobe so really or else the seales will be uneffectuall to you circumcision is effectuall if you keep the Law or else it will be nothing you profesâ—e your selves Christians your Baptisme is good if you keep the Law and walk sutable thereunto otherwise you may deceive your selves Galat. 6.3 If hee thinke himselfe something c. therefore try your own hearts if you bee more in shew then in substance you have no cause to joy in the ordinance of God that you doe enjoy