the Holy Ghost and so though three immersions yet but one Baptism for that Bâ—nav l 4. disp 3. as Bonaventure well observes Non est completum Sacramentum quousque terminatum sit verbum The Sacrament in its administration is not perfected till the word of Institution be ended And now where Baptism is thus rightly administred as to the application of the Word and Water there it is certainly valid and good though administred by an Heretick Even an Heretical Church like a diseased Mother may bring forth sound Children though indeed their health and life too be presently hazarded by the infection of her Milk the corruption of her Doctrine Which rightly considered proves that we are discipled unto Christ not so properly by doctrine as by baptism But how are we assured Object that the Apostles baptized in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Act. 2 38. 8.16 19.5 seeing the Scripture so often speaks of their baptizing in the name of the Lord Jesus Answ I answer To baptize in the name is to baptize according to the institution with the invocation and in the confession of the Lord Jesus And so that the Apostles notwithstanding they are said to baptize in the name of Jesus did baptize expressly in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost besides the precept of Christs institution which they could not violate and besides the witness of universal Tradition which we may not reject hear one Scripture-proof which none can evince which proof is taken from that passage in the Acts Act. 19.2.3 c. concerning the Ephesian Disciples of John who tell S. Paul that they had not so much as heard whether there were any Holy Ghost Which seeming strange to the Apostle he asks with wonder Unto what then were ye baptized intimating that Christian baptism did certainly admit them into the faith of the Holy Ghost being administred in his name and he supposing they had been baptized with the Baptism of Christ did not question their believing but their receiving the Holy Ghost And therefore having rightly instructed them in John's Baptism as differently administred from that of Christ's he gives them Confirmation after Baptism and by his imposition of hands they then receive what they were taught to believe and in Baptism to profess even the Holy Ghost This that genuine and clear interpretation of that Text consenting with the Judgment of the Antient Fathers which will bear up against all that forced and wrested sense which is urged by Modern Opponents And so hereby we make good Scripture-practice as well as sacred precept confirming the right manner and form of Baptisms administration to be in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost 2. Having done with the Administration of Baptism in what is necessary as to the essence of the Sacrament we proceed to the second particular What is requisite as to the Solemnity of the Church viz. Especially that the Infant baptiz'd make its abrenunciation of sin and Satan and its profession of the faith of Christ by the mouth of its Sureties According to that of S. Augustine speaking of Infants Baptism Accommodat illis mater Ecclesia aliorum pedes ut veniant aliorum cor ut credant aliorum linguam ut fateantur The Church as an indulgent Mother accommodates them with anothers feet that they may come with anothers heart that they may believe with anothers tongue that they may confess And this the Church does upon a sure perswasion that it is agreeable to the grace and goodness of the Almighty ut qui aliena culpa cecidit aliena fide resurgat that he who fell by anothers fault should rise again by anothers faith Et ad verba aliena sanetur Aug. serm 14. de verb. Apost c. 11. qui ad factum alienum vulnaretur and he might be healed by anothers profession who was wounded by anothers sin so S. Augustine intending the sin of Adam As for the original of Sureties in Baptism the Learned deduce it from Apostolical tradition sure we are very near the Apostles times we read plainly this custom setled in the Church and the same piety and prudence which first instituted this ceremony does still perswade its continuance For as formerly to preserve from Heathenism so now to preserve from Heresie it is the pious and prudent care of the Church to engage the promise of Sureties with the duty of Parents to secure their Childrens instruction and education in the Faith Enquir ng into the original of Suretiship in the behalf of Infants we find it commonly known and used of old among the Jews The Rulers of the Consistory taking the care and charge of the young Proselytes and the House of Judgment that is the Congregation entring promise to instruct them in the knowledge of what they had undertaken And passing from the Jewish Synagogue to the Christian Church we find Higinius the eighth Bishop of Rome whose seat was in the time of Antoninus Pius Eusâ—b hist eccles so Eusebius about an hundred and forty years after Christ long before Popery was entred that Sea This Higinius I say we find to have first enacted this pious and prud ntial order of Godfathers and Godmothers But however this Bishop may be said to have regulated yet sure methinks he cannot be said to have first introduced this custom which whether it be of Apostolical tradition or Ecclesiastical constitution we may well esteem it as Peter Martyr stiles it utile institutum a profitable ordination Pet. Mart. loc com and as profitable so just and reasonable too For the abrenunciation of Satan and the reciting of the Creed made in the Infants name by the Sureties is no egregious prevarication as the Adversaries call it but a Christian reception as the Church intends it like the interest of Minors and Pupils undertaken by their Guardians So that the Questions Doest thou forsake and Doest thou believe are Interrogatories pro more fori according to the manner of Civil Courts known and allowed by the prudent derided and despised only by the ignorant And know we do not catechise the Infants when we interrogate the Sureties Lomb. l. 4. dist 6 c. 1. but require a profession of repentance and faith in their names ut obligentur non ut instruantur so the Schools for their obligation not their instruction to bind them to act and perform in their persons what their Sureties do promise and vow in their names Which Promise and Vow made in their names Children catechised take upon themselves when confirm'd by the Bishop Which Confirmation if stript of the rags of Romish superstition and vindicated from the disrepute of Vulgar misapprehension is certainly of excellent use for the furthering the benefit of religious education for the restraining the enormities of licentious youth and for the preserving the unity of our holy faith That Confirmation
faith and a keeping firm a good conscience is that Integrity and uprightness which shall preserve us preserve us by fixing us upon God in Christ as the Rock of our salvation § 8. A Rock this is so deep that no floods can undermine it so high that no waves can overtop so strong that no storms can shatter it when the Soul is set upon this Rock it views the swelling waves how they some and break themselves but neither hurt nor hazard it and therefore does the Soul raised by faith triumphantly conclude that neither height nor depth neither the height of wicked violence nor the depth of worldly troubles shall separate it from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Rom. 8.29 Whereas then amidst the worlds changes and worldlings violences the upright man seems likeliest to be lost yet shall his Integrity preserve him For that this Maxim of sure truth Piety is the best Policy shall confound all Machiavels Principles in the end Ps 94 14.15 So fâ—â—m is that sacred word of promise The Lord will not cast off his people neither will he forsake his inheritance but Judgment shall return into Righteousness and all the upright in heart shall follow it § 9. 2 The Argument of faith wherewith David backs his Petition For I wait on thee As preservation is a continued creation so is waiting a continued trusting for what Trust believes by faith it waits for by hope and thus is Trust a Compound of both When we trust in God we look to the Word of promise and in that 1 Joh. 2.25 to the authority of him that speaks the word and this is the act of faith Again we look to the object of the promise and in that to the goodness of the object and this is the act of hope Yea further when we trust in God we rely upon his promise as from him who is the first Truth and this is faith And we wait for the promise Heb. 6 12 15. as from him who is the chief Good and this is hope Now that God oftentimes suspends the blessings we desire it is to try the trust we profess and if our trust be upright it will be constant the reliance of faith and the expectance of hope make our trust perfect so that the same grace which casts our souls upon God to trust in him will sustain our souls to wait till we enjoy him Ps 27.13 14. § 10. The truth of faith the sincerity of our trust and the integrity of our hope is never more evident then when help is deferred for if any unruliness of passion if any corruption of self love if any base interest of a temporal end if any such thing have tainted our trust our faith our hope it will then appear and our shame will accompany our sin the deserting a good cause by reason of great calamities will manifest to the world our hearts were not upright 1 Ioh. 2 19. however our professions seemed zealous Hereby shall it appear then that we truly trust God when we firmly rest in him Disquiet of mind discovers weakness of trust and a distracting fear argues a disturbed faith § 11. If with integrity we trust God we shall in piety and prudence commit our way to him Ps 37 5. we shall wait patiently the success of our faith and the effects of his providence Thus when the three Children had committed themselves to God Dan. 3 16. they are not careful to answer Nebuchadnezar they know their duty and let God work his will Indeed it is grace in act more then in habit in function more then in affection in use more then in stock that does quicken strengthen support and save And therefore the waiting Saint hath a waking soul his graces are not dormant slugg'd with security presumption or sloth no but still exercised in the duties of holy devotion and a sincere obedience in an active vigor of life and strength § 12. As in nature so in grace motion is the preservatâ—ve of purity and the incentive of heat even life it self is the more lively by action God say the Schools is a pure act and every creature hath the greater excellency of being by how much it hath the greater perfection of working Rev. 7.15 Rev. 4.8 the heavenly bodies have their rest in motion and the heavenly Saints their blessedness in operation the more holy the soul is the more heavenly aâ—d the more heavenly the more active It is then in the exercise of grace and duties of obedience that we wait for the accomplishment of Gods promise his promise of deliverance in time of trouble upon which promise David founds his prayer Psal 50.15 and fixeth his faith when he thus bespeaks God saying Let integrity and uprightness preserve me for I wait on thee § 13. Oh what is the best temper of soul then what the best exercise of grace what the best duties of devotion wâ—en in publick calamities or private distresses we wait for the salv tion of God 1. What the best temper of soul Answ When compos'd to a holy frame of divine patience this resolution we have from our Saviour when he gives the admonition to his chosen amidst the afflictions of his Church that in their patience they possess their souls Luke 21.19 which words compared with the contâ—xâ— admit this Paraphrase As if our Saviour had said though such shall be the persecution of my Church that men rob you of your goods by oppression rob you of your liberty by imprisonment rob you of your lives by cruelty yet let them not rob you of what is more dear and precious then ten thousand worlds your souls and that by sin through impatience of spirit apostatizing from God But in your patience possess your souls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 possess them so as to preserve them preserve them as your best of treasure even in the profession of faith and a good conscience which is still accompanied with peace and rest in the inward man So that the heart of the upright like the center of the earth amidst all the storms tempests and commot ons of the world Psal 112.7 it remains unmoveable from its stedfastness it is still fixed trusting in the Lord. § 14. 2. What the best exercise of grace Answ The exercise of humility of faith and of hope First humility tâ—is that dispels all secret murmurings at the publick order of Gods providence prompting the soul to an acknowledgment of his Justice and an advancement of his Mercy an acknowledgment of his Justice thus Daniel Dan. 9.7 8. O Lord righteousness belongeth unto thee but unto us confusion of face as at this day to the men of Judah and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and unto all Israel that are near and that are far off through all the Countries whither thou hast driven them because of their trespass that they have trespassed against thee O Lord to
Anabaptists subtleties with which we find him to puzzle some of his eminent opposers In that the Apostle says then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The unbelieving husband hath been sanctified by the wife and again 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The unbelieving wife hath been sanctified by the husband the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being in the Praeter-tense hath been sanctified the Apostle speaks of what had been experienc'd that the wife had been a means to sanctifie the unbelieving husband and the husband of sanctifying the unbelieving wife in their converting to the faith of Christ A good reason this why the believer should not separate from the unbelieving upon this hope of gaining him or her unto the Church And this interpretation is apt to what the Apostle subjoins to confirm his judgment and opinion v. 16. What knowest thou O wife whether thou shalt save thy husband or what knowest thou O man whether thou shalt save thy wife Which saving answers so pat to the former sanctifying that to be sanctified seems plainly to be a converting to the faith and so bringing in to the communion of the Church in respect of which communion says the Apostle your children are holy which otherwise were unclean Act. 10.14 And that this is so S. Peter's Vision will resolve us where by unclean is meant not fit to be received into the communion of the Church and so by holy opposite to unclean must be interpreted one already received or fitted to be received into the Churches communion So that from these three Arguments 1. That Infants of believing parents were members of the visible Church under the Jews and that this priviledge is not repealed 2. That our Lord and Saviour hath testified that to such Infants belongs the kingdom of God 3. That S. Paul hath asserted it of all such Infants that they are holy From these three arguments the surest and soundest we can fix upon to plead the Infants cause against the Anabaptists from these I say I may make my infallible inference of holy truth That the Infants of believing parents have a right and interest in the communion of the Church as the Disciples of Christ This I have been the more large in because I intend this my sure foundation whereon according to the method of my Text to build the structure of Infants baptism according to our Saviours commission and instruction Go disciple all Nations Baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost c. 2 Having proved that Infants of believing parents as Disciples of Christ have a right and interest in the communion of the Church I shall now give you the ground and reason of that interest and right which ground and reason is this most sure and firm Their being parties in the same Covenant of grace with their parents upon which Covenant of Grace is founded the Communion of the Church and therefore they who are parties in that Covenant must needs be partakers of this Communion And that children are parties in Covenant with their Parents is most plain from the express words of the Covenant first made with Abraham Gen. 17 7. I will establish my Covenant between me and thee and thy Seed after thee in their Generations for an everlasting Covenant to be a God unto thee and to thy Seed after thee and that this thy Seed after thee doth relate to the Infant posterity of all Believers as well as of Abraham is not onely evident from the Seal of the Covenant-Circumcision Deut. 29.10 11. but also from that renewing of the Covenant to Israel where are present before the Lord to enter into his Covenant not onely the men of Israel but also their wives and their little ones Now this same Covenant which God made with Abraham Jere. 31.31 and established with Israel we finde renewed by the Prophet which is therefore called the New Covenant and as renewed by the Prophet so published and declared by the Apostle Indeed God had told Abraham Heb. 8.10 that he did establish with him an Everlasting Covenant and such as is the Covenant such must be the Communion both Everlasting and therefore Infants admitted in the Jewish Church must not be excluded the Christian And further That children of believing Parents do retain their interest in the Covenant of Grace is confirmed by the doctrine of St. Peter in that his powerful Sermon where he tells the Jews Acts 2.38 39. The promise is to them and to their children as if the Apostle had said Now God hath remembred his Covenant unto Abraham and performed it he hath sent that blessed Seed the promised Messiah in whom all Nations of the Earth are blessed Deprive not then your selves of the Blessing of Grace and Life through obstinacy and unbelief for according to the tenor of the Covenant so runs the promise of the Gospel To you and to your children And that what is here said unto the Jews does also reach the Gentiles and what is spoken to those then present does extend to all that shall come after is fully implied if not plainly exprest in that the Apostle addes And to all that are afar off even as many as the Lord our God shall call Which clause As many as the Lord our God shall call no ways excludes Infants they being called in their Parents And observe the Apostles argument is purposely framed in a regard to that benefit which their children should receive under the Gospels administration of the Covenant by Baptism And if this sense be not purposely intended children will seem but needlesly exprest But the Adversaries urge None but Believers ever had Object or shall have a right to the Covenant of Grace I answer True Answ none but Believers ever had or shall have a right in themselves yet this excludes not Infants for it is the Parents right who is a believer that brings in the infant by vertue of the promise Herein then is the ground of error that men imagine we affirm the childs right to the blessing of the promise is in himself as a child whereas it is in the believing parent who conveys the right in this relation to the infant that it is his child his to whom God hath oblig'd himself by the promise of his covenant that he will be his God and the God of his seed Indeed it is worth our observing that in the right manner of entring covenant with God no parent can enter single but he must stipulate for himself and his children And this is plain both from the condition on mans part and the promise on God's On God's part the promise runs to us and our children that he will be our God and on our part the condition runs from us and our children that we will be his people That as by vertue of the promise God makes it his act of grace that the seed of the godly be blessed so by vertue of the
condition the godly make it their duty of obedience that their children be given up unto God and tutour'd to fear him Thus apparent it is that our infant-children have an interest in the covenant of grace for that the tenor of the covenant in promise and condition so takes in the children with the parents that the parents cannot covenant either excluding or not including their children This then remains as a firm ground and sure reason of infants being parties in the communion of the Church that they are parties in the covenant of grace And thus we have done with the second particular of the Text the Apostles Commission Disciple all nations Where we have shewed you what it is to disciple and who they are that are to be discipled What it is to disciple even to receive into Church communion and Who they are that are to be discipled and receiv'd into the communion of the Church evâ—n all Nations as many as believe and the believing parents bringing in with them their infant-children We proceed to Application Applic. 1. Do we here sharply reprove and seriously admonish those who deny Infants Church communion whereby as much as in them lies they do separate them from Christ and as it were pluck them out of his arms offering them greater injury then to dash them against the stones Know ye not vain men that either Infants are Christs disciples and servants or the Devils pupils and slaves That they are Christs disciples and servants you loudly deny That they are the Devils pupils and slaves you are loth to declare Can you then tell us a medium 2 Cor. 6.14 15. No sure for what communion hath light and darkness Christ and Belial Certainly to deny Infants Church-communion is to deprive us of all sound hope of their salvation For where can we find a sacred promise and therefore how can we have any found hope of any being saved that are not of the Church the Church the treasury of Christs promises and blessings to which God is said to adde such as shall be saved Act. 2 47. not saved without the Church but in being added to the Church so that without her communion we know no salvation On how do the Anabaptists in cutting off Infants from the Church how do they like those which in their heat cut off a tribe from Israel Judg. 20 21. And though with Benjamin this be the youngest tribe yet it is not the least the Infant age making up a chief part of the body of Christ For this Oh that our Brethren would with Israel sit down and weep yet at length repenting of their indiscreet and blind if not malicious and proud zeal drenching themselves with a baptism of tears for denying the Church the baptism of Infants 2. Comfort we those parents whose children God shall please to pass ab utero ad uterum from the womb to the grave yea that shall make their grave in the womb the place of conception the place of dissolution Here O ye afflicted parents mourning over the untimely deaths of your tender babes know ye that our Lord Jesus Christ owns your Infants as parties in the Covenant of grace and thereby partakers of his fulness in a communion with his Church And though they have not the seal they have the promise yea though not the outward sign as to the visible ministration yet the inward grace as to the invisible dispensation Though they have not actual baptism yet they have intentional in voto parentum Ecclesiae Eph. 1.22 23. in that desire and devotion of their parents and the Church which is accepted of God to account them as Disciples of Christ who took upon him the several states of humane being was conceived and lay in the womb was born and nurs'd up an Infant did grow up to youth and manhood Mat. 18.3 And thus did he take upon himself every age that he might sanctifie every age unto himself Even he when an Infant was Head of the Church that Infants might be members of that Church whereof He is Head 3. See we to our duty as Disciples of Christ and this by imitating our pattern even little children without which our Saviour is express we cannot enter the kingdom of heaven Except ye be converted and become as little children How is this why by self-denial in being harmless without malice innocent without guile humble without haughtiness contented without murmurings Yea in this imitate we our pattern as children submitting our understanding and judgment unto God Ps 131.3 in the mysteries of his grace and the truth of his promises Submit we our wills and affections unto him in the precepts of his Word and the dispensations of his Providence Yea further as Infants and tender Babes ordered by the Nurses hand in the day and by the same hand got to bed at night do neither question nor quarrel at the time or place or manner of their disposal but quietly fall asleep in the Nurses lap Ps 131 3. Thus O that we could with David we an our affections from the world that we might become as Children resigning up our selves to our heavenly Father submitting with all contentedness of humility and faith to the order of his wisdom and providence whether for day or for night for life or for death And when we go to bed and hasten to the grave O that we could fall asleep in Christs lap depart this life in his arms in his love as being of the number of his Disciples by vertue of his Commission here given his Apostles Go ye Disciple all Nations c. THE THIRD SERMON UPON Matth. 28. V. 19. and part of the 20. Go ye Disciple all Nations Baptising them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost c. THough they are not the dictates of men Introduction nor the definitions of Councils no nor the Revelations of Angels but the Word of God and of Christ into which we make the ultimate resolution of our Faith yet sure I am in Controversies of Religion we have most reason next Christ to trust his Spouse his Church Universal and next her or rather with her our Mother this Church National Whose judgment and practise is most Orthodox and Religious in that great question and dispute of our present times the doctrine and duty of Infants Baptism And to justifie the judgment and practise of our Church into whose communion we have been baptised when Infants I shall keep me to the matter and method I have begun in giving you the evidence of divine Reason the authority of sacred Scripture and the consent of the Universal Church Remembring that sure rule of St. Austines Aug. de Trin. l 4 c. 6. Contra rationem nemo sobrius contra Scripturam nemo Christianus contra Ecclesiam nemo pacificus senserit No man that is a sober man will oppose reasons evidence no man that is a