Chap. i7. about Baptifsne. conGfceth in the free offer ofgrace. So long therefore as God conrinuerh to offer grace, fo long may a mans baptifine be effe,;,ual. On thisground we are but once baptized ; and as the Prophet put the people in mind oftheir circum: difion, 7erem.4.4. So the. Apoffles of their Baptif9ne long after it was adminifired. Yea , they. fpeak of it ( though the a& were long before pall) as if it were in doing in the time prefent. 73aprijnne faverh, I 'Pet. 3. 2I. Q.Eefl. what kindeofmeiîns grare is baptifrne? Anfw. Baptifme is no Phyfical, or natural means of workin-; grace, as if the grace that is fealed up thereby were inherent in the water , or in the Minitfers a& of fprinkling it (as inmedicines, falves meats , &c. there is an inherent virtue which proceedeth from the ufe of thetn ; and being applied they have their operation whether a man believe it or no.) But it is only a voluntary in- firument, which Chrill ufeth as it pleafeth him , towork what grace , or what meafure ofgrace feemeth beft to him:fo as grace is only alli,fant to it, not inclu- ded in it : Yet in the right ufe thereof , Chrittby his Spirit worketh that grace which is receivedby ir, in which refpec} the Minifier is faid to baptize with water, but Chrill with theholy Ghoft and with fire, t_21 r. Quell. whether is bapifine nccefary tofalvation ? Anfw. A meanes of working a thin: may be faid to be neceffary two wayes. t. Abfolurely, It) as the thing cannot polfibly bewithout ir. Thus are the proper caufes of a thing abfolutely neceffary : is in this cafe Gods Covenant: Chriltsblood, and the operation of the Spirit are abfolutely necefiiy for the obtaining any grace. Secondly, by confequence, fo as according to that course and order which If. Godhath fer down, things cannot be without them. Now Baptifirie is not abfolutely neceffaryas a caufe : For then it fhould be equal toGods Covenant, Chrifls blood , and the work of theSpirit ; Yea, then all that are baptized fhould be cleanfed. But its neceffary by cmnfequence, and that ina double refpea. r. In regard of Gods Ordinance. 2. In regard of our needthere- of. s. God having ordained this Sacrament to be ufed, its neceffary it fhould be ufed,iffor no other end , yet to manifefl our obedience. He that carelefly neglebîs, Or wilfullycontemns any Sacrament enjoynedby God , his foul !bail be cut off, _en.s7 .14, 2. Great is the need that we have thereofin regard of our dolneffe in con- ceiving things fpiritual, and of our weiknefIc in beleevin:; things invisible. We ,are carnal and earthly, and by things feniible and earthly, do the better conceiveofthings fpiritual and heavenly : The efore God hath ordained vitible elements tobe Sacraments ofinvifible graces Again we are flowto believe fuch things as are promifed in the Word, therefore the more to help and ftrengthen our faith , God hath added to his Covenant in the Word, his feal in, and by theSacraments : That by two immutable things (( aods Covenant, and Gods feal) in which it is impoffiblefor Gbd to lre, u- might have thong cenfolarian. Befides, though ingeneral we believe the truthof Gods Word,yet we are doubtful to apply it to our (elves ; Wherefore for the better applying pfGods Covenant to our own foul , God bath ar'ded his Sacraments to his Word. (weft. therein do the Papifls erre about this Do rive óf Ba- ptif ' ine'? e4 ifw. Iirfl, in thenecelfity ofit , they making it CO àbfolately nectiTary, I. that if any die unbaptized they cannot be faved, which doome they palle up- I 55
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