Children of God Ch. 3.26 27. or by way of distinction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sons of God under great external priviledges of Christian freedom and also inwardly Sons and Heirs of life if they live as becometh the profession of Christianity whilst they who were under the Law were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Children under age being in bondage under the Elements of the World Gal. 4.1 3. And since all those who by Baptism do enter upon Christianity are entituled Sons of God which Sonship proceedeth not from their natural Generation but from their entrance into the Covenant of God persons baptized may according to the same sense be hence called regenerate and born again and such expressions also are sufficiently allowed and defended from the Scripture speaking of being born again of Water and of the Spirit Joh. 3.5 and calling Baptism the washing of regeneration Tit. 3.5 9. 4. Concerning baptized persons being called Heirs of Everlasting Salvation we may observe that those Members of the Church visible who shall be cast into outer darkness are yet called Children of the Kingdom Mat. 8.12 And they may well be called Heirs to whom the promise referring to the inheritance is confirmed and who are by Baptism received under the Seal of the Covenant of Grace which alone giveth right of inheriting Gal. 4.30 On this account the Gentile Church and every Member embracing the Christian Faith are called Fellow-Heirs and Members of the same body Eph. 3.6 they also being now by the Gospel grace received to be the Children of the Covenant And S. Peter exhorteth Husbands and Wives embracing Christianity to mind their duties as being Heirs together of the grace of life 1 Pet. 3.7 And when S. Paul exhorteth the Thessalonians to walk worthy of him who hath called them unto his Kingdom and Glory it is manifest that he speaketh to them all and even to them who were most negligent of the Christian life to whom such titles of dignity do belong from their Christian profession and being under the Gospel Grace though the inward priviledges exhibited under those Titles are only the portion of those who do perform the Conditions of the Gospel Covenant And upon the same account that baptized persons may be called the Sons of God they may be also thence concluded Heirs of Salvation 10. 5. On the same manner may Christians by Baptism be acknowledged to be regenerated by the Holy Ghost because the entrance into the body of Christ by Baptism is a priviledge obtained by the Grace of God or by the Holy Spirit For in Baptism the Minister acteth in the name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost and therefore as Calvin asserteth Baptism is to be received as from the hand of God Baptismus accipiendus est quasi ex manu Dei Wherefore in like manner as Baptism which is performed in the name of the Holy Ghost hath been shewed to regenerate persons may be properly said to be therein regenerated by the Holy Spirit to which agreeth that Phrase of being born of Water and of the Spirit Joh. 3.5 And as all gifts and diversities of operations in the Christian Church are derived from the Holy Spirit 1 Cor. 12.4 11. So particularly this gift or priviledge of being baptized and received into Membership with the body of Christ is acknowledged by the Apostle to flow from the holy Spirit unto whom all benefits of Divine Grace and favour are ascribed For the Apostle saith concerning every visible member of the Church of Corinth as is manifest from the design of that Chapter 1 Cor. 12.13 By one Spirit we are all baptized into one body to which place Zanchy referring saith Vi Spiritus Sancti baptizamur c. De Trib. Eloh Par. 1. l. 7. c. 5. Sect. 6. By the power of the Holy Ghost we are baptized of the Father into one body of Christ and thereby regenerated as well by the Spirit as by the Father and the Son And again Haec regeneratio seu insitio in Christum fit à patre sed per Spiritum Sanctum And this is agreeable to our Book of Articles Artic. 27. expressing that in Baptism the promise of forgiveness of sins and of adoption to be the Sons of God by the Holy Ghost are visibly signed and sealed 11. Besides these expressions the Scriptures speak of persons baptized being buried with Christ Col. 2.12 and being dead unto sin and buried with Christ by Baptism unto death and being planted together in the likeness of his death Rom. 6.2 4 5. And as Zanchy at large observed Tom. 7. de Persever c. 2. p. 118. 137 138. Notanda est Scripturarum consuetudo c. The usual way of the Scriptures is to be observed they call as many as give up their names to Christ and are baptized into his name persons justified sanctified and the Sons of God And in another place he saith All who are baptized are sealed unto Christ Tom 8. de Relig. Christ Fides De. Baptismo Sect. 1. as being now incorporated into him by the Holy Ghost that they may not be under their own power but under his by whom they are said to be taken into the fellowship of his Covenant and to be made one body with him and all Saints and to be partakers of all spiritual and heavenly good And in his next Paragraph he saith All who are baptized tales esse fieri Sacramentaliter vere dicuntur Sect. 2. are sacramentally and truly said to be such and to be made such 12. But it may be said that according to this sense these expressions of being regenerated born again members of Christ c. have but a low signification not suitable to the excellency and dignity of those names Ans 1. These expressions even as they are used at the Baptism of the adult do enclude a considerable hope and evidence of true spiritual Communion and Membership with Christ and of inward regeneration and a right to Eternal Life which are benefits certainly attained in Baptism by persons duly qualified for the receiving them 2. They declare the very high priviledge of the Christian calling the entrance into which is the way to the Communion with Christ and to the highest enjoyment of the priviledges of the Children and Heirs of God which those persons do enjoy who do neglect the Christian life And the Scriptures usually mention those who are under the tenders of Salvation by terms of great priviledge and dignity not to make them secure in the disregarding true piety but partly to amplify and exalt the Gospel grace and goodness of God whereby so great benefits are set before us partly to manifest our great engagements to exemplary Piety and Obedience from so great encouragements partly to testifie that if we perish by willful neglect of God and disobedience to the Gospel this will be to fall into dreadful misery out of that state which encluded excellent means and great opportunities of obtaining Eternal
speak or declare they believe are baptized alio protestante with another persons making the profession on their behalf and this usage hath been also embraced by divers Protestant Churches Rat. Discip c. 3. Sect. 2. herein following the Bohemian which was the first reformed 5. That the true intent and benefit hereof may be understood we must consider 1. That every person baptized thereby undertaketh to renounce the Devil to embrace the Christian Faith and to become the Servant of God and Disciple of Jesus Christ This is evident from that Command of Christ mat 28.19 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 make them Disciples by baptizing them and from the form of of Baptism in or into the name of the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost and from such expressions as these concerning them who have undertaken Baptism That they are dead unto sin so as that they should not live any longer therein that they are baptized into Christ and into the likeness of his death and that they have put on Christ 2. That Infants are capable of being engaged to God and may stand obliged to believe in God and serve him and to reject the ways of sin and wickedness This is manifest from the Circumcision of Children under the Law and from their little ones entring into Covenant with God Deut. 29.11 12 c. and is encluded in the Baptism of Infants which is a dedicating them unto God and layeth an obligation upon them to entertain and persevere in the Christian Life and Faith whether they have any Sureties or no and he that owneth not this obligation from his Baptism doth go far toward the renouncing of Christianity 3. That when the Sureties answer in the Childs name I believe I renounce c. this is a more solemn representation or declaration of what the Child undertaken by his Baptism and hereby as the Master of the sentences determineth Sent. l. 4. Dist 6. g. parvulus hac sponsione tenebitur non sponsor the Child and not the surety standeth bound by this engagement only the Surety is obliged to be careful of admonishing him This explicite Declaration of what the baptized Infant undertaketh is fitly used in Baptism conformably to Antiquity because it tendeth to express clearly a considerable part of the design and end of Christian Baptism and to put all other baptized persons in mind of their engagement that they may live answerably thereto And the matter of this baptismal vow being expressed in the publick Congregation in the Childs name where all who are present may bear witness thereto may be a considerable argument to be urged upon him when he cometh to Age to induce him to the greater diligence in the Christian life And these words of the Sureties I believe c. are not directly words of promise of what they undertake shall be performed but words expressing contract and engagement in the baptismal vow and declaring in what profession and practice this Infant by his Baptism standeth obliged to live and die 6. There is a further advantage by the the use of sureties in that they are as is expressed in the exhortation to them to see that the Child be taught what a solemn vow promise and profession he made in Baptism that he be vertuously brought up And that he be instructed in those points of Christianity which a Christian ought to know and believe to his Souls health and to call upon him to hear Sermons All this which is in our Church required may well be performed by the Surety and imposeth no heavy burden upon him and besides the Parents care which may hereby be quickned it may be of great advantage to the Religious life of the Child The ancient Church either did require more than this from the Sureties Tert. de bapt c. 18. Dionys ubi supra De Cons Dist 4. Vos ante omnia touching their particular ordinary care of the Childs Education or else their sense was over-severely expressed by several particular Writers as Tertullian the Author de Ecclesiastica Hierarchia and some others 7. Having thus far discoursed of the use of Sureties and the intent of the Interrogatories referring to the baptismal engagement it may be further observed that when they are asked Wilt thou be baptized into this Faith and they answer in the Childs name That is my desire the plain meaning thereof is to express that the intent of the Childs being present is to receive Baptism which upon its account and in its right and name they desire for it And when in the Catechism there are these Questions and Answers Q. What is required of persons to be baptized A. Repentance whereby they forsake sin and Faith whereby they stedfastly believe the promises of God made to them in that Sacrament Q. Why then are Infants baptized when by reason of their tender age they cannot perform them A. Because they promise them both by their Sureties which promise when they come to age themselves are bound to perform the sense of the former answer is that he who cometh to Christian Baptism is not left at liberty to lead a loose life but he ought to practise faith and repentance as a previous qualification unto Baptism in the adult and as a consequent duty upon Baptism both in them who are baptized in their Infancy and at riper years And the sense of the latter Question and Answer is That though Infants be not capable of the particular acts of faith and repentance in their present state yet by those expressions of contract whereby their Sureties in their name only declare what their Baptism obligeth them unto it is manifested that they do undertake faith and repentance as much as is possible for the infant state and do stand engaged from their Baptism more particularly to act Faith and Repentance when they come to Age. 8. Another expression in the baptismal Office hath been misunderstood viz. Who by the Baptism of thy wel-beloved Son Jesus Christ didst sanctifie water to the mystical washing away of sin Now we may well say that water is sanctified for Baptism when by divine authority water is selected from all other things and determined to be the proper matter or outward Element of Baptism and that is sanctified which is set apart or determined to such a sacred use to which other common things are not admitted And Christs Commission to his Disciples to baptize all Nations in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost is an Authoritative determination of the form of Baptism or the Sacramental words and of the extent of its use And both from thence and from our Saviours passion doth it receive an efficacious vertue But water was the matter of Christian Baptism for the remission of sins and admission into the number of Christs Disciples before either that Commission or our Saviours Passion And as water was appointed for the Disciples of John by Gods commanding him to baptize with Water so that
contended for amongst us I shall observe that this hath been many ways also grosly abused First it was the ordinary gesture of worship in the Romish Pagan Idolatry The ancient laws of their Pagan worship required ut adoraturi sedeant which as Plutarch affirmeth Plut. in Numa was appointed by Numa Pompilius and Tertullian informeth us that at their Gentile solemnities even in his time they worshipped their images sitting Tertul. de Orat. c. 12. adoratis sigillaribus suis residendo 11. And in the Romish Church it is by some asserted and appeareth very probable that the Pope himself at some solemnities receiveth the Eucharist sitting When the Emperour receiveth his Coronation their Master of Ceremonies telleth us that at the time of Mass the Pope with the Emperour following him in the place of a Sub-Deacon goeth to the Altar whence Pontifex ad sedem eminentem communicaturus revertitur Sacr. Cerem l. 1. Sect. 5. Cap. 3. the Pope who at that time doth himself celebrate goeth to his seat of eminency therein to receive the Communion And a Book called the Quench-Coal written many years since as an Answer to Dr. Heylins Coal from the Altar produceth this testimony from William Thomas in his History of Italy who declared himself an eye witness thereof in the year 1547. that the Altar in the Cathedral Church of Rome Quench Coal p. 12. even in the time of Mass when the Pope received the Sacrament was standing in the midst of the Quire and the Pope sitting in a Chair of State about it And Didoclavius telleth us which is the only instance he produceth out of any History for sitting at the Sacrament and he may be mistaken in that that the Benedictine Monks receive the Sacrament sitting upon the Thursday before Easter Altar Damasc c. 10. and yet I suppose if his observation be true he will not imagine that they receive it with less adoration of the Host than other Papists do 12. And sitting at the Sacrament hath yet been much more abused by the Arians in Poland as their Synods called the Socinians who as denying the Divinity of Christ In Synodis Cracoviens Petricoviens Wlodislav Toruniens in Corp. Confessionum and not giving due reverence to him were the first Authors known to those Churches of this sitting gesture upon which account the Churches both of the Bobaemian Augustan and Helvetick Confessions residing in Poland and Lithuania disclaimed the use of that gesture though they esteemed it lawful in it self as being upon this occasion scandalous Wherefore to assert that every gesture grosly abused by others ought to be utterly relinquished is not only contrary to truth and to the practice of the Church of England but is herein opposite to the use of all the reformed Churches and it would make void Christs institution of the Sacrament by admitting no gesture to be lawful to communicate therein 13. Yet that we may discern the various working of mens minds in their arguments against this kneeling gesture and how copiously every thing affordeth matter to them who will take up with any thing we may observe Div. Right of Ch. Gov. Ch. 2. q. 1. p. 195. that as kneeling is sometimes disliked as having been Idolatrously abused so sitting is sometimes pleaded for as being the gesture practised and allowed by Christ because it was the gesture say they in the Idols Temple Thus Mr. Rutherford in these strange expressions undertaketh to prove that Christ did sit at the Lords Supper because sitting at the Idols Table 1 Cor. 8.10 declareth that in Religious Feasts sitting was ordinary and a sign indicant of honouring the spiritual Lord of the Banquet and a religious Communion with the Lord of the Feast was hence signified 14. Another thing urged against kneeling at the Sacrament Obj. 5. Rutherf Divine Right of Ch. Govern Ch. 1. Qu. 5. Sect. 1 3. which of the others is most strange and uncharitable is this that kneeling at the Sacrament is Idolatry and is parallel with worshipping god by an Image and even with the Pagan Idolatry it self upon this ground Altar Damasc c. 10 p. 801. because to kneel before any Creature as a memorative object of God though there be no intention of giving divine adoration to that Creature is Idolatry in the opinion of some men 15. Ans 1. This rash position tendeth to make the Jews worshipping God before the Ark or mercy Seat and before the Temple at Jerusalem or the Tabernacle in the Wilderness to have been equally Idolatrous with the serving Jeroboams Calves or worshipping Baal which was so far from that great sin that it was then a necessary duty of Religion And the cause of this gross mistake is the want of considering the vast difference of worshipping a false God or making use of a memorative object to represent the likeness of the divine being which is contrary to his nature and forbidden by his Precepts and of using such a memorative object in worship as is to be a memorial of the Covenant and grace of God and Christ and his Communion with us being to that end appointed and instituted as a remembrance of him If these things be not accounted vastly different it must be concluded not very considerable whether we do things appointed of God or forbidden of him and things agreeable to the nature of God or apposite thereto And besides this to worship God alone making use of such memorative objects as an help thereto which do properly call to our minds Gods mighty works and glorious Attributes is far from being either Idolatrous or blameable If a pious man taking a view of the mighty works of Gods Creation or any part thereof should upon this sight be put in mind of the power and wisdom of their Creator and thence should glorify admire and worship not the Creature but God alone such actions are not evil but devout and religious 16. 2. This assertion is of so dangerous consequence as to disown this holy Sacrament from being an Ordinance of Christian worship and to hinder the principal duties therein to be performed For it is directly contrary to the duties of this Sacrament to condemn the worshipping of Christ as sinful at the view of this memorial of Christs Death in this Sacrament when Christians here ought to magnifie his grace mercy and love to glorifie him for the wonderful Salvation and Atonement effected by his Death to implore his grace and spirit with all the blessings and benefits of the New Testament to acknowledge him and submit to him as our only Soveraign Lord with other such like which are proper actions of our worshipping and inwardly adoring him And it is unreasonable as well as uncharitable where these inward acts of Religion are necessary and a duty to condemn the outward expression thereof as either Idolatrous or any was sinful being directed to him who is Lord both of our Souls and Bodies 17. And though some mens