things, they are called facraments; which fhews to how small purpose the disputes are, yea, on what small grounds the decrees are, concerning the number, general nature, and efficacy of facraments: for where a name or form of a facrament is of fo large, ambiguous, and indeterminate fignification, there can be nothing but confufion in the disputes about it.) But those which chiefly at least, and in way of eminency, have obtained this name, are thofe two inftituted by our Lord, Baptifm and the Lord's Supper; of which I fhall in order difcourfe; and fo of each, as very briefly to confider the occafion of their inftitution; the actions enjoined in them; the nature of them, or wherein their mystery doth confift; the ends for which they were intended; and the effects they produce; together with the difpofitions and duties (antecedent, concomitant, and confequent) required of us in the use and practice of them. And first, b Nimis autem longum eft convenienter difputare de varietate fignorum, quæ, cum ad res divinas pertinent, facramenta appellantur. Aug. Ep. 5. In cunctis Chrifti actionibus facramentorum myfteria corrufcarunt. Leai, Ep. 4. Βαπτισμῶν διδαχή, Heb. vi. 2. OF BAPTISM. Seld. de 4. 6. 16, 18, 27. xxii. 6. 7, &c. THERE were, as the Apostle to the Hebrews telleth us, Heb. ix. 10. in facred ufe among the Jews diápogo Bantioμoì, Several kinds of baptifms. The learned in their laws and customs teach, that they never did receive any person into their covenant, whether that which was more ftrict, (to which natural Jews and profelytes of righteoufnefs were tied,) or that which was more lax, with which ftrangers and proExod. xxix. felytes of the gate did comply, without a baptism. And Numb. viii. that priests and Levites entering into their office were to be fanctified by washing with water, we fee plainly prescribed in their Law; likewife that all perfons who had contracted any kind of defilement were purified by the Levit. xv. 8, like ceremony, particularly children new born, is expreffed there. Moreover, that it was in ufe for perfons, who were Numb. xix. confcious to themselves of having tranfgreffed God's law, being in God's name invited by fome person of eminent authority (a prophet, or like a prophet, one commiffionated by God) unto repentance and amendment of life, to be washed by him, in teftimony of their stedfast purpose to amend, and in hope to obtain pardon from God of their paft offences, and to be reinftated in his favour, appears John i. 25, probable by St. John the Baptift's undertaking, and the fuccefs thereof. For if the manner of his proceeding had been altogether unusual and unknown, so many, it seems, would not fo readily (without any ftir or obftacle) have complied therewith; especially among the Scribes and Pharifees, those zealous adherents to traditionary practice, who, to maintain their credit and interest with the people, were so averse from all appearance of novelty. This practice then, of washing in fo many cafes, and to fo many Ezek. xvi. 4. 33. purposes, cuftomary among God's people, to fignify men's entering into a new ftate or courfe of life, being withal most apt and proper for his defign, our bleffed Saviour, who never favoured needlefs innovations, was pleased to affume and impose upon the difciples and followers of his religion, accommodating it to those holy purposes, which we shall now endeavour to declare. What the action itself enjoined is, what the manner and form thereof, is apparent by the words of our Lord's inftitution; Going forth therefore, faith he, teach (or dif- Mat.xxviii. ciple) all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, 19 and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghoft; teaching them to 15. obferve all things which I have commanded you. The action is baptizing, or immerfing in water; the object thereof, those persons of any nation whom his minifters can by their inftruction and perfuafion render difciples; that is, such as do fincerely believe the truth of his doctrine, and seriously resolve to obey his commandments. It is performed in the name; that is, it is ministered by the authority, and bears special relation unto the Persons of the bleffed Trinity, as the chief objects of the faith profeffed, and the fole objects of the obedience undertaken therein; as exhibiting gracious favours unto the perfon baptized, and as receiving fpecial obligations from him. Such is the action itself declared to be; the mystery thereof confifts in its being a notable fign to represent, and an authentic seal to ratify, the collation then made of certain great benefits to us; and our undertaking correspondent duties toward God. The benefits which God then fignifies, and (upon due terms) engageth to confer on us, are these : 1. The purgation or absolution of us from the guilt of paft offences, by a free and full remiffion of them, (the which washing by water, cleanfing from all ftains, doth moft appofitely reprefent ;) and confequently God's being reconciled unto us, his receiving us into a state of grace and favour, his freely justifying us, (that is, looking upon us, or treating us as just and innocent perfons, although Mark xvi. 1 Vid. Juft. Acts xxii. 16. ii. 38. before we flood guilty of heinous fins, and thereupon liable to grievous punishments,) that these benefits are conferred in baptifm, many places of Scripture plainly fhew; [and the primitive church, with moft firm and unanimous confent, did believe.] And now, said Ananias to St. Paul, why doft thou tarry? Arife and be baptized, Bapt. &c. and wash away thy fins and, Repent, faith St. Peter, preaching to the Jews, and let every one of you be bapEph. v. 26. tized for the remiffion of fins: and, Christ, saith St. Paul again to the Ephefians, loved his Church, and delivered himself for it, that he might fanctify it, purging it by the washing of water, év píμarı, (that is, he effectually in baptifm configned to the members of his Church that mercy and remiffion of fins which he purchased and merited by 1 Cor. vi.11. his paffion :) and again, Such, faith he to the Corinthians, were fome of you; (that is, ye were perfons guilty of heinous fins ;) but ye have been washed, ye have been fanctified, ye have been juftified in the name of our Lord, and by the Spirit of our God: where having been washed in Chrift's name doth (in congruity with what is faid in other places) denote baptifm in his name; being fanctified and juftified do express the firft benefits accompanying that baptism. And indeed, wherever a general remiffion of fins, or a full fanctification, or confecration, and juftification of men's perfons in God's fight, are mentioned; that remiffion of fins, that feparation, or dedication unto God's service; that reception into grace, which are configned in baptifm, are (I conceive) understood; there being no other season or occafion, wherein ordinarily and vifibly God doth exhibit those benefits. Quid fefti cens ætas catorum? Tertul. It may be demanded, How children, by reafon of their nat inno- innocent age, are capable of these benefits; how they can ad remif- be pardoned, who never had offended; how they can be fionem pec- juftified, who never were capable of being unjust? I briefly anfwer, that because they come from that race, which by fin had forfeited God's favour, and had alienated itself from him; because also they have in them those seeds of pravity from which afterward certainly, life continuing, (without God's reftraining grace,) will fprout forth in numerable evil actions; therefore that God overlooking all the defects of their nature, both relative and abfolute,--impletur apud nos or perfonal, doth affume them into his fpecial favour, is Spiritu no small benefit to them, anfwerable to the remiffion of Sancto pueactual fin, and reftitution from the ftate confequent thereon nocens in others. rorum in ætas, &c. Cypr. Epift. 2. In baptifm, the gift of God's holy Spirit is conferred, 10. qualifying us for the state into which we then come, and enabling us to perform the duties we then undertake, which otherwife we fhould be unable to perform; for purification of our hearts from vicious inclinations and defires; for begetting holy difpofitions and affections in our fouls; for to guide and inftruct us, to fuftain and ftrengthen us, to encourage and comfort us in all the course of Christian piety: the which effects are well also figured by water, which purifieth things both from inherent and adherent filth. That this benefit is annexed to baptifm, the Scripture alfo teacheth us; Be baptized, Acts ii. 38. faith St. Peter, in the name of Chrift, to the remiffion of fins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghoft: eis êv πveũμa šτorioInμev, We being baptized in one body, are 1 Cor. xii. made to drink of one Spirit, faith St. Paul: and with the laver of regeneration, St. Paul again joineth the renovation surgòv xaof the Holy Ghoft: and it is represented as an advantage is, of our Saviour's baptifm above that of John, that our Lord not only baptized with water to repentance, but with the Holy Ghoft, and fire. 13. ανακαίνωσις μroS iii. s. Tit. Some preventing operations of the Holy Ghoft (whereby God freely draweth men to Chriftianity, perfuading their minds to affent thereto, infpiring their hearts with refolutions to comply with it) do precede baptism; but a more full communication thereof, (due by compact, affured by promise,) for the confirming and maintaining us in the firm belief and conftant practice of Chriftianity, is confequent thereon; After ye had believed, ye were fealed by Eph. i. 14. the Holy Spirit of promife, faith St. Paul. To fignify which benefit then conferred, the ancient Chriftians did to baptism annex the chrism, or holy unction, fignifying the collation of that healing and cheering Spirit to the |