156 eff:ons,andCafe.rofConfcience Chap. ii on Infants, though they be deprived thereof without any fault oftheir own,or of their parents, when they be fill-born : which is a mercileffe opinion again!} Gods Word, and againft the order which he bath prefcribed. For he hath e - (lablilhedhis Covenant, and pro:nifedto be the God of the faithful , and of their feed. Hence, e/Icëls 2.29. the promife is to you,and to your children ; and I Cor.7.14. Tour children are holy. If thefe pro:nifes fhould be made void by an inevitable want of baptifine , why would God haveenjoyned circumcifion (1\hi, h to the Jews was as baptifine is to Chriflians) to put it off to the eighth day , b.foc e which time manyof their infantsdied ? Or would ullofs have fuffered it to be foiborn all the time that the Ifraelites were in the Wilderneffe? If they fay that baptifine is more neceffary then circumcifion, I anfwer, that I the Sciipture layes no more necellity upon it : and if it were fo neceffary as they make it, then the virtue of Chrifts death were leffe effeaual fince he was actually exhibited thenbefore. For before it was effeciva1 for Infants with- out a Sacrament,but belike not now. Secondly they add fuchefficacy to Baptifine, as it gives grace, ex opere ope- rato, or thewog k it felf: wherein they make it equal wi:h the very blood of Chri(l,and take away the peculiar workof thcSpirit,&the ufe offaith,repentance, and fuch like graces. Can therebe more in the water then therewas in the blood of beafls offered in Sacrifices? But it is not polhible that their bloodfhould take a- wayfn,Heb.ro.4.they themfelves attribute no fuch verme to theWordpreached, and yet they cannot chewwhere the holyGhoft bath given more vertue to the Sacrament then to theword.The Apoflle,ICor.1.2/. Jaynes them both together; that he might çleanfe it with the wafhing of water through the 14 ord. What can be more Paid of it then of the Word , porn. a: 16. Jr pleafed God bypreaehing to fave them that klieve. The Gofpel is the power of God to falvatian. Queft. wherein do the Anabaptifls erre about this Doïirine of Bap- tifine ? .Anfw. They too lightly efteem thisholy and neceffary Ordinance of God in that they make it only a badge of our profefíion: a note of difference be- tween the trueand falfe Church,a fignc ofmutual fellowlhip : a bare firne of fpiritual grace : a refemblance ofmortification, regeneration, infcition into Chrifi, &c. but no more : Thefe indeed are Tome of the ends, and ufes of Baptifine : But in that they reltraine all the efficacy thereof hereunto,theytake away the greateft comfort, and trueft benefit which the Church, reapeth thereby as is above laid. Queft: what is the inward wafhing by Baptifine ? Anfw. In that whofoever is fully baptized is cleanfed from finne. Fully , i. e. powerfully and effeêtually, as well inwardly by the fpirit , asoutwardly by the Mintier : Cleanfed, i.e. both from theguilt of fin by Cb6(1s blood , and from the power of finne by the workofhis Spine : Hence , Rom. 6.3 , 4. As many aóare baptized into Chrifl, are baptized into his death : Buried with him by baprifine: Baptifinefavethsu, I Pet.3.at. Quell. Is it neceffary that the Word and Baptifine go together ? Anfw. It's very requihte that where this Sacrament is adminiftred, the Do- trine thereofbe truely and plainly taught, fo as the nature , efficacy , and ufe thereof, may be made known, and theCovenant of God leafed up thereby, may be believed. Hence, Matth. aß.19. Teaching and baptizing are joyned together. So did john, Luk3.3 and the Apofiles, Ails 2.38. and 8.12,37. and 16.15, 33. For, a. A Sacrament without the Word is but an idle Ceremony.. Like a felle without a Covenant : It's the Word that makes known the Cove- nani ofGod. 3 it'f
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