ART. these two Baptisms were different; the one was a dawnXXVII. ing or imperfect beginning to the other, as he that administered the one was like the Morning Star before the Sun of Righteousness.

Our Saviour had this ordinance (that was then imperfect, and was to be afterwards completed, when he himself had finished all that he came into the world to do)—he had, I say, this visibly in his eye, when he spake to NicoJohn iii. 3, demus, and told him, that except a man were born again, 5,6. he could not see (or discern) the kingdom of God: by which he meant that entire change and renovation of a man's mind, and of all his powers, through which he must pass, before he could discern the true characters of the dispensation of the Messias; for that is the sense in which the kingdom of God does stand, almost universally through the whole Gospel. When Nicodemus was amazed at this odd expression, and seemed to take it literally, our Saviour answered more fully, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. The meaning of which seems to be this, that except a man came to be renewed, by an ablution like the Baptism which the Jews used, that imported the outward profession of a change of doctrine and of heart; and with that, except he were inwardly changed by a secret power called the Spirit, that should transform his nature, he could not become one of his Disciples, or a true Christian; which is meant by his entering into the kingdom of God, or the dispensation of the Messias.

Upon this institution and commission given by Christ, we see the Apostles went up and down preaching and baptizing. And so far were they from considering Baptism only as a carnal rite, or a low element, above which a higher dispensation of the Spirit was to raise them, that when St. Peter saw the Holy Ghost visibly descend upon Cornelius and his friends, he upon that immediately bapActs x. 44, tized them; and said, Can any man forbid (or deny) water,

47,

48.

that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we? Our Saviour has also made Baptism one of the precepts, though not one of the means, necessary to salvation. A mean is that which does so certainly procure a thing, that it being had, the thing to which it is a certain and necessary mean, is also had; and without it the thing cannot be had; there being a natural connection between it and the end. Whereas a precept is an institution, in which there is no such natural efficiency; but it is positively commanded; so that the neglect

ART

ing it, is a contempt of the authority that commanded it : and therefore in obeying the precept, the value or virtue of XXVII. the action lies only in the obedience. This distinction appears very clearly in what our Saviour has said both of Faith and Baptism. He that believeth and is baptized shall Mark xvi. be saved; and he that believeth not shall be damned.

Where it appears that Faith is the mean of salvation with which it is to be had, and not without it; since such a believing as makes a man receive the whole Gospel as true, and so firmly to depend upon the promises that are made in it, as to observe all the laws and rules that are prescribed by it; such a Faith as this gives us so sure a title to all the blessings of this New Covenant, that it is impossible that we should continue in this state, and not partake of them; and it is no less impossible that we should partake of them, unless we do thus believe. It were not suitable to the truth and holiness of the Divine nature, to void a covenant so solemnly made, and that in favour of wicked men, who will not be reformed by it: so Faith is the certain and necessary mean of our salvation, and is so put by Christ; since upon our having it we shall be saved, as well as damned upon our not having it.

On the other hand, the nature of a ritual action, even when commanded, is such, that unless we could imagine that there is a charm in it, which is contrary to the spirit and genius of the Gospel, which designs to save us by reforming our natures, we cannot think that there can be any thing in it, that is of itself effectual as a mean; and therefore it must only be considered as a command that is given us, which we are bound to obey, if we acknowledge the authority of the command. But this being an action that is not always in our power, but is to be done by another, it were to put our salvation or damnation in the power of another, to imagine that we cannot be saved without Baptism; and therefore it is only a precept which obliges us in order to our salvation; and our Saviour, by leaving it out when he reversed the words, saying only, he that believeth not, without adding, and is not baptized, shall be damned, does plainly insinuate that it is not a mean, but only a precept in order to our salvation.

16.

As for the ends and purposes of Baptism, St. Paul gives us two: the one is, that we are all baptized into one body, 1 Cor. xii. we are made members one of another: we are admitted to 13. the society of Christians, and to all the rights and privileges of that body, which is the Church. And in order to

XXVII.

ART. this, the outward action of Baptism, when regularly gone about, is sufficient. We cannot see into the sincerity of men's hearts; outward professions and regular actions are all that fall under men's observation and judgment. But a second end of Baptism is internal and spiritual. Of this St. Paul speaks in very high terms, when he says, Tit. iii. 5. that God has saved us according to his mercy, by the washing of regeneration, and the renewing of the Holy Ghost. It were a strange perverting the design of these words, to say, that somewhat spiritual is to be understood by this washing of regeneration, and not Baptism; when as to the word save, that is here ascribed to it, St. Peter gives that undeniably to Baptism; and St. Paul elsewhere, in two different places, makes our Baptism to represent our being dead to sin, and buried with Christ; and our being risen and quickened with him, and made alive unto God; which are words that do very plainly import regeneration. So that St. Paul must be understood to speak of Baptism in these words. Here then is the inward effect of Baptism; it is a death to sin, and a new life in Christ, in imitation of him, and in conformity to his Gospel. So that here is very expressly delivered to us somewhat that rises far above the badge of a profession, or a mark of difference.

Rom. vi.

Col. ii.

That does indeed belong to Baptism; it makes us the visible members of that one body, into which we are baptized, or admitted by Baptism; but that which saves us in it, which both deadens and quickens us, must be a thing of another nature. If Baptism were only the receiving us into the society of Christians, there were no need of saying, I baptize thee in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. It were more proper to say, I baptize thee in the name or by the authority of the Church. Therefore these august words, that were dictated by our Lord himself, shew us that there is somewhat in it that is internal, which comes from God; that it is an admitting men into somewhat that depends only on God, and for the giving of which the authority can only be derived by him. But after all, this is not to be believed to be of the nature of a charm, as if the very act of Baptism carried always with it an inward regeneration. Here we must confess, that very early some doctrines arose upon Baptism, that we cannot be determined by. The words of our Saviour to Nicodemus were expounded so as to import the absolute necessity of Baptism in order to salvation; for it not being observed that the dispensation of the Messias was meant by the kingdom of

God, but it being taken to signify eternal glory, that ex- ART. pression of our Saviour's was understood to import this, XXVII. that no man could be saved unless he were baptized; so it was believed to be simply necessary to salvation. A natural consequence that followed upon that, was to allow all persons leave to baptize, clergy and laity, men and women, since it seemed necessary to suffer every person to do that without which salvation could not be had. Upon this, these hasty Baptisms were used, without any special sponsion on the part of those who desired it; of which it may be reasonably doubted whether such a Baptism be true, in which no sponsion is made; and this cannot be well answered, but by saying, that a general and an implied sponsion is to be considered to be made by their parents while they desire them to be baptized.

Another opinion that arose out of the former, was the mixing of the outward and the inward effects of Baptism; it being believed that every person that was born of the water, was also born of the Spirit; and that the renewing of the Holy Ghost did always accompany the washing of regeneration. And this obliged St. Austin (as was formerly told) to make that difference between the Regenerate and the Predestinated; for he thought that all who were baptized were also regenerated. St. Peter has stated this so fully, that if his words are well considered, they will clear the whole matter. He, after he had set forth the miserable state in which mankind was, under the figure of the deluge, in which an ark was prepared for Noah and his family, says upon that, the like figure where- 1 Pet. iii. unto even Baptism doth also now save us. Upon which he 21. makes a short digression to explain the nature of Baptism, not the putting away the filth of the flesh, but the answer (or the demand and interrogation) of a good conscience towards God; by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who is gone into heaven. The meaning of all which is, that Christ having risen again, and having then had all power in heaven and in earth given to him, he had put that virtue in Baptism, that by it we are saved, as in an ark, from that miserable state in which the world lies, and in which it must perish. But then he explains the way how it saves us; that it is not as a physical action, as it washes away the filthiness of the flesh, or of the body, like the notion that the Gentiles might have of their februations; or, which is more natural, considering to whom he writes, like the opinions that the Jews had of their cleansings after their legal impurities, from which their washings and bathings did absolutely free them. The salvation that

ART. we Christians have by Baptism, is effected by that fedeXXVII. ration into which we enter, when upon the demands that

are made of our renouncing the Devil, the world, and the flesh, and of our believing in Christ, and our repentance towards God, we make such answers from a good conscience, as agree with the end and design of Baptism; then by our thus coming into covenant with God, we are saved in Baptism. So that the salvation by Baptism is given by reason of the federal compact that is made in it. Now this being made outwardly, according to the rules that are prescribed, that must make the Baptism good among men, as to all the outward and visible effects of it: but since it is the answer of a good conscience only that saves, then an answer from a bad conscience, from a hypocritical person, who does not inwardly think, or purpose, according to what he professes outwardly, cannot save, but does on the contrary aggravate his damnation. Therefore our Article puts the efficacy of Baptism, in order to the forgiveness of our sins, and to our adoption and salvation, upon the virtue of prayer to God; that is, upon those vows and other acts of devotion that accompany them so that when the seriousness of the mind accompanies the regularity of the action, then both the outward and inward effects of Baptism are attained by it; and we are not only baptized into one body, but are also saved by Baptism. So that upon the whole matter, Baptism is a federal admission into Christianity, in which, on God's part, all the blessings of the Gospel are made over to the baptized; and, on the other hand, the person baptized takes on him, by a solemn profession and vow, to observe and adhere to the whole Christian religion. So it is a very natural distinction to say, that the outward effects of Baptism follow it as outwardly performed; but that the inward effects of it follow upon the inward acts: but this difference is still to be observed between inward acts and outward actions, that when the outward action is rightly performed, the Church must reckon the Baptism good, and never renew it: but if one has been wanting in the inward acts, those may be afterwards renewed, and that want may be made up by repentance.

Thus all that the Scriptures have told us concerning Baptism, seems to be sufficiently explained. There remains only one place that may seem somewhat strange. 1 Cor. i. 17. St. Paul says, that Christ sent him not to baptize, but to preach; which some have carried so far as to infer from thence, that preaching is of more value than Baptism. But it is to be considered, that the preaching of the Apo