Chap. 17. about Baptifine. in the Name of God applies the Promife of mercy to the baptized, itsas much as if God had made a peculiar Promife tohim. Secondly, it may be (aid ro confer grace, becaufe the outward waffling of the Body is a token or pledge of the Grace of God, and by this pledge faith is confirmed, which is an inllrument to receive the Grace ofGod. Ob. A Sacrament is not only a figne and feale, but alto an infirument to con- vey the Grace of God to us ? Anfiw. Itsnot an inftrument having, the grace of God tied to it, or (hut up in it : but an inilrument to which grace is prefcntby affillance in the right ufe ther- of : becaufe in, and with the right ufe of the Sacrament, Godconfers Grace, fo that its a moral, not a phyfical inftrument. Quell. wh.therdoth Baptifine imprint a mark or charafter upon the foul, which is never blottedout. Anfw. In Scripture there is a twofold mark of diftinelion ; onevifible , the other invifibk. Of the fir kinde was the blood of the Pafchal Lamb in the firfl Paíleover : Foc by it the firfi borne of the 1fraclites were marked, when the firft-borne of the Egyptians were Rhine : ofthis kinde is Baptifme ; for by it Chrihians aredi- Ringuiihed from ]ewes, 7 ssrls, C7c. The invisible mark is twofold : Firfl, the eternal ele&ionof God, z Tim. 2. 19. by venue of this ChriR faith, I /know my fheep, John io. 14. and by this the eletl of all Nations are marked, R v.7. and 9. Secondly, the fecond is the gift of Regeneration, which is nothing elfe but the imprinting of Gods Imageupon the foul : by which believersare laid to be Pealed, Eph. r. 53. e Cor. t. 22. and Baptifine is a meanes to fee this mark in us, becaufe its the Laver of RSçreneratson. Ob. The male children amongff the (ewes that were not circumcifed were to be cat off? Gen. 17. 14. therefore it feemes that Baptifine is necefary to falvation ?' Anfw. Its meant not ofInfants, but of men, who being till then uncircum- cited, defpifed the Ordinance of God, and refufed ro be circumcifed, as appears by the words following : For h, hath made my Covenant void: Now Infants do not this, but their Parents, or men of yeares. Quell. whether may fach as are called Layperfons, or private men, fier Ba is m ? Minillers of the Word only may do it. For to baptize is a part of the publick MiniRry, cAl.at. z8. 18. where preaching and baptizing are joyned togerher ; and chinos that Godhash joyned may no man feparate. He that per- formes any part oe the publick Minitlry mull have a lawful Call, Rini. I o. 54. Heb. 3. s. but private perfons have no Callto this bufineffe. Again, what- foever is not of faith is fin : Now for. private perfons to baptize, is not of faith ; for they haveneither Precept nor Examplefor itin the Word of God, therefore its fin. Ob. Bat Zipporahcireumcsfed her childe ? Exod. 4. 4.. Antra. The example is many wayes difcommcndable : For the did it in the prefence of her husband when there was no need. She did it inhale, that the might prevent her husband. She did it in anger, for the call theforeskin at his feet ; and it feems the was no believer but ameet Midianit.: for the contemn- ed Circumcifion when fhe called her husband a man of blood, becaufe of the drcumcifion of the childe, v. e6. and in this refpe& it kerns Mofes either Pent herback, or thewent away when he went down into Egypt. Some others think that vtitofes was fo Rricken by the Angel, that he was unable to do it, yet her fadwas not ¡unifiable. Z; Ob. 173 II. I. II.
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