in circumcision but in uncircumcision and he received the signe of circumcision a seale of the righteousnes of the faith vvhich hee had yet being uncircumcised c. We come now to deduct Corollaries from these differēces From the first coroll 1 Then to the participation and use of the Sacraments the use of reason is necessary our reason must be most busy active whilst our sences are ingaged the hearing of the tone or sound of the word spoken doth no good therefore wee preach it not to children or fooles so the seeing of the coullors of things to feele the water cold or hot the touch or tast is not the thing but what the elements and ceremonyes about it teach us which must be discerned by the use of reason in comparing the thing signified according to the Scripture application the proportion it holds so as here is a knowledge of things already layd in and reason in the act required So the teaching by similitudes or resemblances doth not require lesse reason or lesse the use of reason but the advātage it brings is that by the mediation of severall senses it strykes our reason differently more strongly and God descends to that way of teaching that he might more forcibly worke upon our reason speake to it all manner of wayes From the second coroll 2 it is supposed the word should go before for that is the way of teaching by thinges of lesser representation to things of fuller when Iacob heard of Iosephs message he was mooved but when he saw the Chariots that affected him exceedingly that spoke a clearer language it was fit the message should goe before the chariots so the word before the Sacraments From the third coroll 3 see one prerogative the word hath men may be saved by hearing without the Sacraments to comfort those that want them but slight them not Secondly see the order first the word must be as first the writing for the Sacraments are but the appendix From the fourth coroll 4 Then the word hath much a larger compasse of motion then the Sacraments and as the word may be where the Sacraments are not so the Sacraments cannot be but where the word hath bene for the word supposeth nothing but comes at aventure to every creature under heaven but the Sacraments supposeth faith wrought already by the word to make this playner we must know that men are by nature children of wrath by the disobedience of Adam all vvere made sinners Rom. 5.19 And the Lord lookt dovvne from heaven and savv that all vvere gone out of the vvay vvee neither perceive nor knovv the thinges of God 1. Cor. 2.14 And though the light shine in darknes the darknes comprehends it not and our carnall mind is emnity against God our vvhole soule is filled vvith all unrighteousnes Rom. 8.7 and 1.29 Now while men are in their infancy they lye onely exposed to Gods inward and secret workes if they belong to the election of grace hee knowes how to deale with them and worke wonderfully in wayes wee know not nor can conceive of so long wee cannot cōmunicate our selves to their soules at all nor can reatch them any otherwayes then by our prayers for all things are here secret if there be a change wrought it is more then wee know or can conceive the manner of it But when they come to yeares of understanding and to be capable of ordinances the first thing wee doe to them is to bring them under the ordinance of the word and to leade them into a right knowledge of themselves to convince them of their naturall estate to preach to them conversion repentance faith in Iesus Christ that they may have life when wee find this operate and that by their profession and by their workes which is the onely way of evidencing their faith to others they make it appeare they beleeve then we gladly goe one and leade them into further ordinances give them the Sacraments to confirme them thus wee make things runne parralel as they must doe There is an outward preaching of the word there is a conversion and change of heart made visible by workes and so a faith evidenced and the visible and outward seales and markes are given them to seale them up to themselves and to others Thus you see a naturalnes a coherency and a comelines in things thus layd and stated by which also as by a right rule you may be help'd in discerning errours CHAP. VII In which is layd downe the relative and personall qualifications by which infants are usually intituled to Baptisme by our most considerable Protestant Divines BY what hath bene said wee have fully shewed the nature of Baptisme what is the proper and adequate subject of this ordinance namely a beleever one qualified by the use of faith and reason for the confirmation sealing up to him by this great ordinance his ingrafting into Christ and union with him by faith secondly as an immediate fruit thereof his justificatiō of which we largely spoke and also his adoption by being consecrated to the Father Sonne and holy Ghost and baptized in their names Thirdly his sanctificatiō consisting in the death of sinne the life of holynes as a fruit of that and which cannot be separated from it his glorification Rom. 6.8 Novv if vvee be dead vvith Christ vvee beleeve vvee shall also live vvith him To which on the other side the party baptized puts his seale and makes his sponsion to be to God and Christ in all those relations But now because it hath for a long time and almost generally obtained that children should be baptized wee must consider how they can pretend to these qualifications what right they have or by what title they hold it The right which the world gives them to it is a right imputative a right derivative from Father to Sonne a right of succession a birthright this is that which they call a foederall holynes Nor doe children onely clayme by this derivative imputative title but also those who are adopted by Christian parents for as by adoption in Christ wee are rendred the children of God so by the adoption of Christian parents such are to be accounted for their children as some argue Ger. p. 582. Also those who by lawfull meanes as just warre bargaine gifte fall into the hands and governement of beleevers and whom Christians will answer for that they shall for the future be instructed in the Christian faith and this appeares by divine institution they say from the parallell of circumcision since not onely Abrahams children but his servants those bought with his money were circumcised Gen. 17.12 And hee that is eight dayes old shall be circumcised among you every man-child in your generations hee that is borne in the house or bought vvith money of any stranger vvhich is not of thy seede This also some illustrate apply more particularly from that place Acts 2.39 For the promise is
OF BAPTISME The heads and order of such things as are especially insisted on you will find in the table of chapters Printed in the Yeare 1646. THE PREFACE THE Authour of these follovving thoughts professeth that hee vvas necessitated to them partly in duty to himself that he might discover vvhat vvas the good thing of that ordinance vvhich the Scripture magnifyes so greatly and himself understood so little but particularly by reason of a controversall scruple vvhich a providence of God put him to conflict vvith and all the present light hee had could not manadge to satisfaction to vvhich also may be added as another just reason that the desires of a fevv friends vvho have a reall interest in him ingaged his indeavours also in their respect and contributed to the production of these meditations vvhich last reason vvas necessary to be knovvne in regard that they vvhose desires vvere accessary to the dravving forth of this discourse have bene principall in the publishing of it and have offered a kind of violence partly by importunityes and partly by venturing upon the community and liberty of friendship to make it publike vvithout any order obtain'd from the Author to that purpose vvho needs no fuller vvitnesse then God his ovvne conscience and a fevv friends vvith vvhom hee hath more particularly convers'd hovv little hee hath delighted to ingage his thoughts in the controversall parts of truths and hovv in a constant tenour his meditations have form'd othervvise But since it is done certainly vvith no ill vvill to the publike The Authour findes good to accompany these papers vvith these good vvishes That they may by no meanes be the occasion to any of angry or quarrelsome disputes that blood vvhich vvas shed for us and vvhich this ordinance exhibites as a fountayne to bath in should qualify our heates and correct that Chagrin distemper vvhich often manifests it self in the agitating of things diversly apprehended Particularly that they may escape the unhappinesse of the censures of idle men vvho because they say nothing publike enough for an ansvver thinke they may say any thing and having found an easie vvay to religion to vvit the suffrage of learned men and the practise of the most judge them vayne and impertinent that take a greater boute To vvhich hee adds also this vvish that they may be delivered from such vvho triumph in discovering some lesser mistakes and place a great part of their abilityes in critisizing upon a vvord or phrase not so vvell plac'd or pertinently exprest such not to mention their charity as their talent is commonly very little so that vvhich is seemes fitted not so much for argueing as vvrangling vvith vvhich he vvould have nothing to doe and is levissimus fructus ingenij vvhich you may english The froth or scumme of witt And lastly hee desires that any vvho shall examine them more seriously and particularly and shall not in every thing be of the same minde for light is not administred to all by the same measure vvould be content that men should injoy their judgement since nothing is more our ovvne till cause be given to alter them vvould in the meane time be so friendly to him vvho professes to be greatly a friend to truth in order to the truth Iesus Christ that in the difference of opinions there might be a just simphathy and unanimity of the Opiners These escapes the Reader is desired to correct before he read the ensueing discourse Page Lyne Error Correct 11 4 us as 30 14 offense offence 31 3 terrifie can terrifie 33 4 blot out after the word death  17 discarge discharge 50 14 obliging obligeinge 56 14 or our 58 14 proceeding preceading 87 9 or as 88 17 which with 98 12 hnit hint 101 14 opposite apposite 113 19 Christ Christ's 128 13 put out That  133 8 chaine clayme 135 11 forner former 144 15 recte una 156 13 host hast 171 16 anquietnes an acutenesse 177 15 to two 181 18 rationall nationall 185 14 infaithfullnesse unfaithfullnesse 186 16 oath each  19 rationallity nationallity 187 9 blot out the at sinne 189 1 yooke yoake 195 11 a beginning our beginning 198 3 gave have 210 3 antientnes ancientnes  12 we workers coeworkers 224 4 come came 226 6 Iohn Iohn 1. 240 5 typising typifieing 274 20 pole pale 293 17 wo woe 324 6 â—â—ite â—int 328 10 differring deferring 329 10 differring deferring 348 16 provooke provoake 369 3 bewtifull beautifull The table of chapters the Reader will find at the end of the booke OF BAPTISME CHAP. I. Wherein of the first and great end of that ordinance the sealing up of our union with Christ and more particularly of the most illustrious tipe of Baptismeall sealing in the Baptisme of Christ THE Scripture holds forth no point with more glory and certainty then the onenes which we have with Iesus Christ which union is the rise and ground of all that is good and happy in us this therefore is the first and great thing that is made ours by Baptisme wee are baptized into the name of Christ for wee though wee be baptized into the name of the Father and Holy Ghost likewise and have an union with them yet the Fathers love is made good to us through Christ and the Spirits efficacy is derived through and for Christ who is the Mediatour the middle person the bond betweene God and us so Rom. 6.3 Ye are baptized into Iesus Christ And Gal. 3.27 For as many of us as have beene baptized into Christ This therefore is the great ordinance assuring and sealing up If God had kept his minde to himself touching our eternall estate there had beene a surenesse in it but there had not beene a sealing to us but when he tells us his heart and his minde and bids us beleeve it doubting nothing when hee shall yet speake more sensible to us to our sight and to our touch and ingage almost all our sences when hee shall marke us with sensible signes and seales and speake visible words also this must needs assure and of all assurances there is none so great as this first peece of our union to have this sealed and signed to be baptized into Christ to be ingrafted into and made one with him how great a matter is it Now God is not wanting to our faith in the truth of the representation betweene the signe and the thing signed betweene the seale and the thing sealed therefore Abraham in his beleeving received the signe of circumcision a seale of the righteousnes of his faith Rom. 4.11 that is the righteousnes which he had by faith the acceptation hee had was sealed up to him by the signe of CircumcisioÌ„ by that marke now what Abraham had by circumcision that the Saints have by Baptisme for so the Apostle intimates in Coloss 2.11.12 which place wee shall have occasion to open hereafter where hee shewes the use of Circumcision which was a
by putting under the water some stay under it and emersion or rising out of it First the element which is used is water extreamely fit proper to represent our cleansing both from the guilt and stayne of sinne Arise and be baptized and vvash avvay thy sinnes sayes Ananias to Paul Acts 22.16 So Christ gave himself for his Church that hee might sanctifie and cleanse it vvith the vvashing of vvater by the vvord Eph. 5.26 So Tit. 3.5 According to his mercy hee saved us by the vvashing of regeneration So as this washing of water represents our cleansing that is our justification and sanctification The Iewes had many sprinklings with blood fit for their grosse capacities but which indeed rather serve to make spots then to cleanse them First therefore the dipping or drowning in the water signifies the great depth of divine justice with which Christ for our sakes was swallowed up so we are dead and buried with him reaping in a ceremony the fruit of that which he suffered indeed pertaking of his death for sinne and thereby obliging our selves to death to sinne Secondly the stay under the water though never so little represents unto us Christs descending to hell that is the lowest degree of his abasement when hee was seald up and watcht in the grave and was as it were cut of from amongst men of this abasement wee reape the fruit by Baptisme are hereby secured against that abasement and everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord to which sinne would have brought us therefore sinne as it is destroyed in us in respect of the guilt and cut of by this abasement of Christ so it should be apprehended by us for our justification and it should be utterly dead mortified to us in respect of its power and vigour dead and buried to sinne Thirdly the Emersion or rising out of the water is a representation to us of that victory which Christ being dead and buried got over death and in his rising triumphed over it with whom also we rise triumphing over sinne death and all evill whatsoever clearly above the guilt of all sinne and secure against the evill of sin rising up to holines newnes of life And thus there is a sweete and excellent proportion betweene the ceremony and the substance the signe the thing signified and wee are confirmed to be of the union and communion with Christ in every thing that is for our good and comfort Now having shewed the severall ends of Baptisme how the ceremony makes them all good to us I shall gather some Corollaries from the mayne notiō of this ordinance which is our being dead with Christ and rising againe according to the forementioned place of Rom. 6.11 Reckon your selves to be dead to sinne but alive to God through Iesus Christ our Lord. Reckon that is build upon this this is a thing exceeding sure First if wee be dead to sinne Coroll 1. and sealed up to this death by Baptisme into the death of Christ then let us be in the world as dead men in that respect let us not understand the reasonings of sinne nor hearken to the persuasions of sinne nor looke upon the baites of sinne the Apostle made this an argument in a better thing If you be dead vvith Christ from the rudiments of the vvorld vvhy as though living in the vvorld are ye subject to ordinances touch not tast not handle not Col. 2.20 These things had once a good being but were become old but sinne was never of any worth or account Barzillai 2. Samuel 19. thought it reason to refuse the Kings table because his appetite and sences were decayed hee was eighty yeares old but our sences are not decaying but dead and sinne is not old but dead it is dead in a mistery it is dead in Christ and wee have the Sacrament upon it therefore if lusts tempt turne not onely a deaf but a dead eare to them persuasiōs should not worke on a dead man objects should not take or affect a dead man Secondly if we be risen and alive with Christ Baptisme seale that also then act not onely as a living man but as a risen man moove and walke reason conclude as a man raised from the dead have your sences and your reasonings as quick to God as taking of spirituall things as they are dull and shut up to things below breath in the ayer of another life hasten after the full and reall possession of another life let God and Christ heavenly things be great unto you though they be little to the world and what ever is great to the world let it be little to you proportionating your object to your life love those ordinances those times that feed your life Thirdly the worke of this ordinance or dying and rising is advanced much by holy reasonings both in the time of communicating afterwards for wee are apt to forget our selves and our conditions as he that would have forgot that he was an Emperour if he had not bene remembred of it by others Thinke therefore much on these things what you have done in this ordinance what are the consequences results of it which wil be a mighty not onely help but ingagement to faith holines it is a seale on both sides wee seale to God as well as he to us it is in our owne choyce no more wee are ingaged by our owne act wee have subscribed and can recall no more and certainely this as it ingages much so it helpes much to act an act of faith in thought is much but to speake it is more but to signe seale it in an ordinance by professing subjection by going downe into the water by suffering your selves there to be drowned or buried by rising or coming out againe all as a ceremony or ordinance for such an end is both a great ingagement and a great help to us in beleeving CHAP. V. In which the proper ceremony of Baptisme is vindicated by the force of the word Scripture practise the suffrage of learned men and the use of ancient times IN the proceeding discours wee have taken it for graunted that the antient and usuall forme of Baptisme hath bene by dipping or plonging the whole body under the water according to which notion we have found what great proportion the ceremony hath to the substance and the signe to the thing signified But because the possession which the Churches have had of a long time of sprinkling is become a strong argument in the thoughts of many for that ceremony it will be necessary to speake something more particularly to this point and to show that as the ceremony of dipping sutes with the ends and use of Baptisme so it agrees perfectly with the force of the word the Scripture practise and the use of antient times First therefore the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies properly mergo seu immergo that is to drowne or sinke
abominate also the Christian education of their children so as in this respect the unbeleevinge husband or wife and the children also though themselves for the present unbeleevers by reason of the willingnes of the one to cohabite and the subjection of the other to Christian education may in that sence be said to be sanctified or made holy being as it were deputed to it and in the way of preparation for it so as the unbeleeving parent the childrē of that mixt birth may be called as Tertullian sayes Candidati timoris and as afterward by others Candidati fidei Probationers or compettitors for feare and faith the words following vers 16. seemes to favour such an interpretation For vvhat knovvest thou O vvife vvhether thou shalt save thy husband or hovv knovvest thou O man vvhether thou shalt save thy vvife there being already wrought a good pleasure or willingnes to abide and cohabite on the unbeleevers part husband or wife and the children in that respect being subjected to Christian education and to the beholding of holy examples true cōversion and faith which brings them into estate of salvation may be in time accomplisht in them to which they seeme in some sort destin'd by the providence of God in such a yoake-fellow or such parents So sanctification is predicated of those who are destined or prepared to such an end so God sayes of the Medes and Persians Esay 13.3 I have commanded my sanctified ones that is such as I have prepared for so Calvin upon that place sayes that sometimes sanctification is referred to regeneration which is peculiar to the elect of God sometimes it signifies to prepare or destine to a certain end so those unbeleeving parents by their willingnes to abide with beleevers their children in regard of the opportunity of a holy education seeme to be as it were destined or prepared for regeneration and for that state which accompanies salvation and in that respect as in a large sence may be called sanctified or holy Which consideration if it may give them a greater accesse to ordinances proper for them or stirre up others to lay out themselves in a more peculiar and particular manner for their conversion I shall not hinder it but on the contrary thinke that such providences speake much and that as they give grounds of hope and so of endeavour so there may be much of duty towards them in regard of the opportunity that families and churches that parents masters ministers have to doe good to such who though strictly they may not be called church members no more then strictly sanctified that is regenerated by the holy Spirit yet so farre as in the respects before mentioned they may be tearmed sanctified that is by a providence destin'd as it were and prepared for God so farre the church within whose pole they seeme by a providence to live and to be cast ought to have a more especiall eye after them and care of them by vertue at least of that generall injunction As you have opportunity doe good to all men especially to the houshold of faith under the shadow of which these are come But whether you take either of these sences or both for they may both stand in severall respects and regarding the text with a different aspect you will surely find nothing to ingraft Baptisme upon For whether the children are sanctified to the beleeving parents use as all other things are not unholy in themselves which to the unbeleever are not or whether in the second sence they are sanctified that is as it were destined for holynes of which by vertue of a great providence in respect of their education they are made Candidati that is probationers or competitors as when men stand for a place or office and as the Catechumini of old were called yet can they by no meanes in either of these respects be qualified for or made the subject of Baptisme which presupposeth as hath formerly bene shewed another kind of holynes proper to and inherent in the party namely regeneration and nevvnes of life not such an one as is competible to an unbeleever either parents or children It was but necessary to speake something to this place which beares amongst many the weight of so great a building as infant Baptisme though if I could find here such a holynes for infants as wee all wish to ours namely justifying faith regeneration yet I should no more judge it meete to baptize them then to preach to them or to administer the Lords supper to them they being as capable of the word as baptisme and of one mysterious ceremony as well as another which hath bene a reason I doubt not why many formerly and many at this day doe administer the Lords supper to infants by vertue of a parallell ordinance to Baptisme Nor doe I know the reason why the one should be refused where the other is deem'd a due But enough I hope for this which truely the contests of others rather then any scruple which hath fallen upon my spirit from these words hath made me say so much of CHAP. XV. In which the authority of the Fathers and the practise of antiquity touching the subject of Baptisme is considered THe authority of the Fathers and the practise of ancient times is to many a great argument for the Baptizing of infants to me that looke upon such argumentations as not of the first magnitude collaterall and such as may truely and as often be brought for the patronising of errors as truth they are of no great consideration yet to satisfy others more then my self there must be something spoken to this head In which I shall consider especially these two things first whether by the witnesse of story Infant Baptisme have injoyed a quiet and peaceable possession in the church from the Apostles times downeward till of late it was interrupted by some few evill spirits in the times of Luther as some men would give us to beleeve Secondly upon what grounds those Fathers which are alleadged for the chief patrons of Infants Baptisme went for if they have erred in the reason of the foundation it will be easilyer beleeved that they did also in the building We will consider first of this latter I will give you their grounds either as I have reade them my self or as I find them quoted by Bellarmine Tom. 3. lib. cap. 8. whose quotatiōs I shall take for truth till I find the contrary for here hee hath to doe with the Anabaptists enemies in this point alike common to him with most of those that are tearmed Protestants First hee quotes the testimony Dionisij Areop qui lib. Eccles Hier. c. ult part ult ab Apostolis traditum affirmat ut infantes baptizentur Iusti five quicunque est auctor earum quaest qu. 56. parvulos baptizatos salvari alios non item That infants baptized are saved others not Orig. lib. 5. in cap. 6. ad Rom. Ecclesia inquit ab Apostolis traditionem