THe occasion of these words lieth thus: Our Christ who was at­tached, arraigned, con­demned, crucified, and now is risen from the dead, appears to Mary Magdalen, and the other Mary, verse 9.

Christ giveth the woman a gra­cious salute, An all hail; and the wo­man again do him worship.

O! A word of Christ first to us is able to make us fall down at his feet and worship him.

O! Christ cometh to us via gratiae, or we can give him meeting via Ec­clesiae.

But it seems the two good old women fall a trembling; but saith our Saviour, Be not afraid.

He would have them fear him, but not be afraid of him; fear him as the Childe the Father, not be afraid of him like Malefactors of the Judge. Nay, they have just cause to rejoyce, and again I say to rejoyce; for they have foud him whom they had lost, they have found him whom their soul loves, even the Lord Jesus, God blessed for ever. Amen.

These are his servants, and he sets [Page 9]these to work, verse 10. The two Maries must go tell the eleven, nay more saith Christ, Go and tell my Brethren.

Brethren? But such Brothers as Josephs, who had sold him, so did some of them; at best left him, so did most of them, the prime of them for­swearing him, so did Peter.

And yet he calls them Brethren, Go tell Brethren, and bid them go into Galilee, and there they shall see me; me, lately left in the grave, now the Lord of Life; me, and my side which the Jews wounded; me, and my head which Jews crowned with thorns; me, to whom all pow­er is given in heaven and in earth.

But as the women, so the eleven, they are now come, they come whither Christ did command, into Galilee, unto the Mountain.

Yea, as the women, so the ele­ven, they worship him; but the [Page 10]women begin this divine worship, the Apostles are onely their seconds. They at the Grave, Christ newly come out of the grave; these Apo­stles not, till the two women in­structed them.

And thus as our first Mother Eve by sin threw down the first Adam; so now, these two women throw themselves down at the feet of the second Adam; as if not onely wil­ling to bewail Eves evil and fall, but also, as a woman first wronged mankinde, so these the same Sex, first desire to do service to mans Messias.

These first after the Resurrection met with Jesus, and Jesus sends them to tell his Disciples his Apo­stles.

They are met, verse 11. now the Apostles see him; they worship him, even that Jesus who was deli­vered up to death for us all, Rom 8.

Yea, this is he hath overcome him who hath brought to the ground all our Ancestours; Death, Death: as sath the Apostle, He hath swallowed up death in victory, and therefore that sacred Christ­tide carrol is made in his praise, 1 Cor. 15.55. O death, where is thy sting? O hell, where is thy victory?

Ride on O Lord with thine Ho­nor full of Majesty and Power; thou who guidest the Heavens, and go­vernest the Earth; thou art now met with thy servants the Apostles; and it is now that thou hast issued our a Warrant for them to execute: The contents of Christ his Warrant is my Text, and my Text is this.

Go ye therefore and teach all Nati­ons, baptizing them in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.

In which words take notice of two parts; the Apostles Mission and Commission.

The Mission, Go ye therefore.

The Commission, And teach all Nations.

In the Mission we have two in full view: Here is

• 1. Persona mittens inclusivè.
• 2. Personae missae expressivè.

The Person sending is Christ Ie­sus, implied, though not exprest.

The Persons sent are ye. In this ye

• The Ite are considerable.
• The Ergo are considerable.
• The Ite involves the Journey.
• The Ergo the cause of the Jour­ney.
• The Ite, Go.
• The Ergo, Therefore; Go ye therefore.

Therefore, wherefore:

• Look ad Christum.
• Lood ad Patentiam.

And first at Christ, He bids go; who dyed for us, nay, rather who is risen again, sits at the right hand of [Page 13]God, and maketh intercession for us. Hath he done so much for us? go ye therefore.

Again, he hath all power; a bar against dilatory delay, he can make us go; go ye therefore.

But I must onely do with these waters which run under the thresh-hold of the Temple, as the Egyp­tian Dod doth as he goeth by the Banks of Nylus, lap and run on.

The second part of my Text is the Apostles Letters Pa­ents for

• 1. Preaching. and
• 2. Baptizing.

Let us read their Commission at large, 'tis this, Go teach all Nations, baptizing them in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Ho­ly Ghost.

See here

• 1. What they are allowed to do.
• 2. How they must do it.

What they are allow­ed to do, it is this, to

• Teach,
• Baptize.

To teach, not then to be taught by them who Christ hath sent them to teach; we have such forward fel­lows in our Congregations, who will not stick to teach as blinde Byard, had they either learning or commission to do it, I would be si­lent, but the want of both avows it is high presumption.

The Commission to instruct and teach in publick, you see, is onely granted by Christ under his own hand to the Apostles, and their un­doubted successors, the Ministers of the Gos;pel, who have leave, and by commission, and from Christ to

• Teach.
• Baptized.

• 1. You see the Act licensed, is to teach.
• 2. For extent, it is all Nations.

The other part of our Office, and we hold it from Christ, and by Chatter form him, it is to baptize; [Page 15]For Quiddity, it is to baptize, Universality, all Nations. Why not Children then?

This and other Argumetns we shall use to confute the Herefie of the Anabaptists, and all that rabble sent from Hell.

Next follows the Modus, or how this sacred Sacrament must be ad­ministred, In nomine Patri [...], Filii, & Spiritus sancti.

The Jews and Turks they cir­cumcize, Christians and none else they baptize.

The Jews believe not that the Messias is come; and so deny the second Person.

The Turks deny both the second preson & the third, the holy Ghost.

Onely Christians believe a Trine Unity, one God, and three Persons; and we baptize into this Faith, Baptizing in the Name of [Page 16]the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

Nor run we without our War­rant, this to teach, a Trinity; and thus to baptize, In the Name of the three Persons; since it is Christ him­self who saith, Ite & praedicate, Go and teach all Nations, baptizing them in the Name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.

I would not like a careless Porter keep you without doors, till you have lost your stomachs.

Each several part of my Text is a several Service; I will say to you as Abakkuk to the Prophet, Take the meat your God hath provided for you.

And the first whole serive this day to be served up is missio Apo­stolorum, the mission of the eleven, intimated while said, Go ye there­fore.

The Persona mittens, or he that sends, is our Jesus; so he sayes, Go. This is the first dish of the first ser­vice; [Page 17]but of this and divers others we must onely take a taste, and keep our stomachs for a Christening Dinner, I mean the Doctrine of Baptisme, which is the last course, and the most fitting these Times and Seasons.

Briefly then to give you a taste and no more: and first of the Send­er, it is Christ, he bids go.

And whosoever is desirous to go about this great work, our Master Christ, our Lord Christ must send; therefore Luke 10.3. himself saith, Ego mitto, I send you; but how, as Lambs among Wolves; yet ego mitto Go ye therefore.

You might be disheartened you poor Ministers of my Gospel to go among ravenous Wolves; but ego mitto, I send you, I bid go, Go ye therefore.

Fear not to go and preach my Gospel among men as fierce as [Page 18] Wolves, of whom it is reported, that after they have slain the innocent Lambs, lick their lips when they reek with their hearts blood; be the time such, even to these Blood­hounds we must preach, not weigh­ing the danger, but the Sender, casting our eyes up to his Greatness. Goodness.

And first his Greatness, who is sole Independent, that is, under no authority, and a Name onely fit for the Lord of Heaven and Earth; and it is high ambition, yea, high Teason to attribute it to any mor­tal man.

He sends, who is a King of abso­lute independent Power, who pur­poseth and disposeth all things as he pleases, as one saith, ‘Tyrants are the Kings of slaves, Princes are the Kings of men, Christ is the King of kings, here dispatch­ing us his Legats on his Embassage to the world.’

This doth divulge his Greatness, and his Commission begets in us a courage to tell Judah of her sin, and Israel of her transgressions.

I cannot but likewise take notice of the Senders Goodness, to send to us men, a sort of miserable, treache­rous wretches, qui pulvis, & cines, & Del hostes; he sends to us who are dust and ashes, and Gods grand foes.

Here is Love surpassing mans ex­pression; God grant that our Love may be reciprocal, and to this let all the people say, Amen.

Our Lord and Saviour he sends to us miserable sinners, he sends to man, man else meant not to make to him.

Christ is the way, the truth, the life, & if the way had not found out us, we should never have found out the way: herein appears Gods good­ness, that early and late Messengers [Page 20]are sent unto you, to beg to you to be reconciled to God in Christ Je­sus. Such a message, and from such a Statist, & non sauciare sanos, se [...] sanare saucios; not to slay the sound but to make well the wounded: this shows Gods infinite goodness to us wretched creatures, and obliges all the people to the Lord of life for ever.

But in haste I will pass along from the Person sending to the Persons sent; and therein first of the Ite, then the Ergo.

The Persons sent by Christ are ye; the cause why they must assent to be sent lieth hid in this therefore.

Well, the Sender being Christ, the Messengers being sent and these Apostolick Ministers; first they re­ceive Order, and then they go, but not before, for not authorized.

Mark and minde it.

Without Christ bid go, he is an [Page 21]Intruder into Christ his Harvest, hat undertakes his labour to Preach, Baptize.

None must dare to go, but such is have a calling for it; while Christ was on earth it was a suffici­ent warrant, ego mitto, Matth. 10.16. or Ite, go ye, as here.

As out of his cloathes, so out of his mouth passed vertue to fit and furnish those he called to go.

But what were they to go and do? Read my Text, To teach and baptize, Mat. 18. to binde, to loose, John 20. to remit and retain sins; yet more saith S. Paul, 2 Cor. 5.18. God hath given unto us the Ministery of Reconciliation, which stands in the dispensation of the Word and Sacraments. But as none have these high priviledges till called by Christ to this high Office the Mi­nistery, so it plainly appears this was not a personal Legacy onely [Page 22]given to the then Apostles, but Church Legacy legated to the Suc­cessors of those Disciples of Christ Jesus; for I must tell you, there were not onely Apostles, but some Prophets, some Evangelists, some Pastors, some Teachers, which were to joyn in the work of the Ministery for the gathering of the Saints, Ephes. 4.11, 12.

And as Christ ordained his twelve, they the seventy; so we be­ing ordained by their Successours, our Bishops, our Ordination is ac­knowledged valid, while with holy Prayers, holy Imposition of hands is laid upon us as was upon Timothy by Paul, 2 Tim. 1.6.

Again, since all Nations were to be taught and baptized, and the commissionated could not by them­selves do what commanded, many ages succeeding, after their depar­ture out of this life; and since all [Page 23]Saints to be born in all Centuries were to be gathered by the work of the Ministery; hence necessarily it follows, some debitated were to make Imposition of Hands upon some adjudged by the Church suffi­cient for so high a calling. And as some few among many thousands in the Apostles dayes were onely thought sufficient to be cull'd out by Ordination to this high calling, so since the Apostles deceased, their supervivers, or succcessors in office, have trod in their steps, chusing some to be admitted-into the Holy Office, not daring promiscuously to lay hands upon all, as do those He­reticks the Anabaptists.

And to make it more manifest how it is a Catholick and Funda­mental Doctrine, Imposition of Hands, and that not upon all, but onely such approved by Power Episcopal, the Christian Church [...] [Page 22] [...] [Page 23] [...] [Page 26]a most horrid sin suffered? No, ne­ver, but in a distracted Common­wealth, or a Kingdom God meant to ruine: Portenta dira, these are sad presages. O ye presumptuous spi­rits, who despise all Government and Order of God in his Church; remember to your everlasting hor­ror Nadab, and Abihu, and Uzza, and their fearful ends for the like sins.

You who will ire & praedi­care, know you have gone, but the Lord sent you not; you have preached, but the Lord spoke not by you.

If you will yet take upon you the Ite, know my Lord hath given me command to divorce from your ite, praedicate, and to joyn together to your eternal terror, Ite maledicti.

If you have not so much learn­ing as to know my meaning, how dare you lay hands on these high [Page 27]Mysteries, the Word and Sacra­ments.

After the ite in cometh the ergo, therefore; as much, as if Christ had said since I have all Power in Hea­ven and Earth, you who be but earth, must obey me the God of Heaven: you cannot have a greater to command then I, nor I finde weaker to withstand then you: Ite igitur, Go ye therefore.

There is no resistance, Ion as may be shipt for Tarshish, but he who bid go to Nineve will finde him out, unship him, and make a Whale fer­ry him to the place he had his first commission for; ite igitur, go ye therefore.

Note it, the power God hath over us, must overawe us, and prick us forward to go about the work of the Lord: Ite igitur, Go ye there­fore.

Again, Christ hath power to in­spire [Page 28]us with his spirit: Moses is a man of a stammering tongue, the Apostles ignorant what to answer; remember what is said to the com­missionated, in the same hour it shall be given unto you, for God com­monly furnishes them with gifts who are lawfully ordained: Here is magna potentia, Gods great power made manifest in weak contempti­ble Instruments. Since it is thus, Ite igitur, go ye therefore.

Again, our God, our Christ hath power to defend us: Thus Elias when an Army sent to attach him, and an Host of Angels sent to re­lieve him; thus Daniel in the Den, the three in the Furnace, and the Preacher Noe in the Ark, when the whole world, except eight persons, where drowned.

Who so have Gods Commission to go and teach and baptize, I mean to be Ministers of the Gos­pel, [Page 29]let them not fear the arm of man, God can preserve; Ite igitur, go ye therefore.

And the rather, for that our Lord and blessed Saviour hath power to reward; call to minde what is said, and by that Minister of the Gentiles, Henceforth is laid up for me a Crown of immortall glory.

What though we have been in perils by land, in perils by water, in perils amongst false Brethren, yet our reward is laid up in heaven; a prize so good, and a place so se­cure, so that none can deprive us of it.

Here for preaching the true Do­ctrine of Christ Jesus, and severing the tares from the wheat, Heresies from Gospel Truths, perchance we may suffer Imprisonment, con­fiscation of our Livings, it may come ad sanguinem, to loss of life. [Page 30]But that come ye children of my Father, receive the Kingdom; tha [...] venite commands this ite: fince but this world to be lost, heaven to be had, and ensured at our end; ite igi­tur, go ye therefore.

And now to give you the Collect of all, since we Teachers shall have our reward in the world to come; since here, if God think meet, he can defend us from the violence of unruly men; since he can fit us for this high calling, the work of the Ministery; and since to resist is to resist the power of God, Ite igitur & praedicate, Go ye therefore and teach all Nations, baptizing them in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.

The act licensed is to teach. The extent extends to all Nations; go teach all Nations.

What and how must be thought of, teach them verbum Christum, ver­bum Christi.

Teach the word Christ, for so he is stiled, Iohn 1.1. It was Pauls religious ambition to know no­thing but Christ and him crucfied; saith he, I count all as dung to the ex­cellent knowledge of Christ Iesus.

This is that unum necessarium, one thing onely needful to know Christ Jesus, Iohn 17.3. his birth, death, resurrection, ascention, and his for ever making intercession for us.

This must be subjectum & basis praedicationis, the subject of our ser­mons Christ Jesus; and the reason is given by St. John the Evangelist, who said, Haec est vita aeterna, this is life eternal, to know God, and whom he hath sent, Christ Jesus. O what a plentiful Harvest is here! I wish we had had more time to inn this divine grain.

But as we must reach you to know verbum Christum, the word [Page 32]Christ, so verbum Christi, the word of Christ; two places I will press upon you, one threatning judge­ment without repentance, Matth. 3.10. where it is said, And now also the ax is laid to the root of the tree, and every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit shall be hewen down, and cast into the fire. The other place promising salvation to all that con­fess and believe, Rom. 10.9. the words be these; who so confesseth with his mouth the Lord Jesus, and shall believe in his heart, that God hath raised him from the dead, shall be saved.

I cannot give you a less Manuel of the Law and Gospel, the one place steering you off the rock Presumption; the other preserving you from being crushed upon the rock Despair; while the one threat­ning punishment, the other pro­mising salvation: and now betwixt [Page 33]these two, the Lord grant we may sail in safely to that haven the kingdom of heaven.

And so I pass along from the quid to the quomodo, how we must teach the people of God the good Word of God.

• Quoad se.
• Quoad nos.

Quoad se

• purè.
• integrè.

Purè purely, not teaching for Doctrine the Traditions of men; God will not be pleased that we preach what we please; the gold must all of it be fined and refined, which we hammer upon that anvil the Pulpit: we have no licence to disburse any other Peters pence unto Gods people, save such as have been delivered to our hands out of the Treasury of the Scriptures.

And therefore our sacred Bel­lows have in them no winde to blow and bouy up a people into [Page 34]rebellion against their Sovereign; we know better how to interpret that Text, Curse ye Meroz, then some have done; who for (I had almost said their unpardonable sin) conscience enjoyned a publique penance.

Again, you may long be hear­ers of Orthodox Divines before they give the least encouragement for a Civil State to rob Christs Church.

Nor yet hear till that they ap­prove of those numberless Locusts the Enthusiasts, who being taught by a white devil, pretend Gods Spirit to destroy Christs Go­spel.

No, we honour the gospel of Christ Jesus, praise God for those that bring purple and fine blue to adorn the Sanctuary; and preach, ever since we have heard of [Page 35]the mutinous angels, obedience to the Sovereign Power, under whom we have lived for many years a god­ly and peaceable life.

And thus having winnowed out the chaff, we feed you with the kernel of the Scripture; the Babes with Spoon-meat, milk; the strong men with Manna, meat for An­gels: neither must we be spiritual niggards, but integrè, wholly im­part, and make known unto you the Gospel of Christ Jesus; we must endeavour to imitate the Apo­stle, who sayes, I have hid, no, no­thing from you.

What shall we think then of such Ministers, that have hid the truth in unrighteousness; who many years have concealed, while not read, the Ten Commandments in our Churches: surely these are those new kinde of Ministers, that would have their hearers forget [Page 36]their duty to God, and charity to­wards their neighbours.

What shall we think of those Teachers sprung up of late like Mushrums, who have hid, while hindered their Parishioners for ma­ny years from receiving the Holy Communion? Had the good peo­ple detained their Tythes, when these Mungril Ministers first re­frained giving Communion, I will warrant you, ere they would have wanted the Pig and Goose, they would have given you the Bread and the Wine.

What shall we say now to those Preachers, who deptive poor In­fants of their jus divinum, I mean Baptisme; but of this I shall make a large discourse, to the Anabap­tists shame, and our Mother the Churches renown.

These are the Preachers who have detained from Infants their [Page 37]due, and also stoln from us Christs Legacy; while instead of peace they have cryed up war; in the room of Subjection, voted up Rebellion; in the stead of Religi­on, brought in Atheism; nay, their false Doctrine so commonly venti­lated hath made as fearful a rent in our Church and State, as was at the death of the King of Salem in the Temple of Jerusalem. As our sins have brought upon us this misery, so none can help us but the King of glory.

Now Lord for thy ancient mercies sake, for thy Son his merits sake, be good unto Zion, and build up the brea­ches in the walls of our Jerusalem.

And thus having prayed for our selves, let us look quoad nos, at our selves, and take into consideration how we the Ministers of Christ Je­sus ought to preach the Gospel: this must be done with a quick [Page 38]speed, deliberate discretion, with a constant continuance, to joyn all together.

Haste without discretion, is like wings without eyes; discretion without haste, is like eyes without wings; both without constancy, is like feet and eyes without an heart.

First, we must hasten to our business, and teach; saith St. Paul, I conferred not with flesh and blood, when it pleased God to send me to preach his Son among the Heathen, Gal. 1.16. And to shew what speed all the Apostles were to make, they are commanded to salute none by the way. Remember what Solomon saith, As vinegar is to the teeth; and smoak to the eyes, so is a sluggard to them that send him, Prov. 10.26. Remember Peter and John were at the Temple at the third hour of the day.

Secondly, Discretion is mighti­ly [Page 39]required in teaching, to make our spiritual receipts; we stand in need to be inspired with Gods Spirit; and all this to know how much ole­um, and how much acetum we must pour in.

3. We are to hold on teaching, for 'tis said, Cursed is he that puts his hand to the plough, and pulls it back. A Ministers work is never at an end; for as we make, the Devil mars, we must therefore to our work again; as we sowe the wheat, the envious man sowes tares; when therefore tilth time is past, preach­ing the Law, seed-time past, preach­ing the Gospel, The weeding time comes in, and never ends till our end, till you, Gods, harvest, be inn'd into that common barn the grave.

Here is work for us then all our lives; you finde us work, a long life-lasting work; 'tis an hard case to work so long for no wages, for [Page 40]small wages; nay more, for all our pains to be scourged out of the Temple, plundered of all our goods, as Iob was by the Devil; imprisoned, and fed with the bread of affliction, as was Micaiah; well, he was an Ahab who used Gods Prophet thus; and one sold himself to do wickedness in the sight of the Lord: yet for all this despite, this is our comfort, Our reward is with the Lord.

But now I pass from the act to the extent; from the act, Teach, to the extent, all Nations. It is an Apo­stolical charge to go and teach all Nations. Hence it is Saint Paul sayes, The care of all the Churches are upon me. If so much had been said by Saint Peter, it had been a good plea for an universal Bishop­ship.

But why will Christ have us to go and teach all Nations? that what [Page 41]is said might be verified; the sound of his word is gone through all the World, all Nations in the World.

Again, thus goeth the com­mand, Go and teach all Nations; and why, to leave all inexcusable: all Nations must be taught as to con­vince all, so to call home some; all Nation, as Jews so Gentiles: that I note is, the partition-wall is broken down, Ephes. 2.15. And peace is preached to you, who are afar off, as well as to them who were nigh at band; yea, Christ by the Preach­ing of his word is become a light to us Gentiles as well as the glory of his people Israel. We are not now strangers to the Covenant of Gods pro­mise, but of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the Prophets. Christ being the head corner-stone, Ephes. 2.20.

Again, by all Nations, may be meant all of all Nations, without exception.

That I note is, we are to teach all of all sorts, Kings, and tell them, of whom they hold their Crowns, immediately of the Lord, Prov. 8. 15. is my witness, where said, By me Kings do reign. We must tell sub­jects, that they ought to be subject to the King, and that for the Lords sake, 1 Pet. 2.13. Preachers, that it is their office, Pascereoves, to feed that flock over which God hath made them overseers, Iohn 21.17. Soldiers, that they must be content with their wages, and do violence to no man, Luke 3.14. Traytors, that whoso resisteth the higher power, resisteth the power of God, Rom. 13.2. Church robbers, that they are God robbers, Mal. 3.8. Head­strong Hereticks, that in the latter time perillous times shall come, 2 Tim. 3. pray you read the whole chapter. Our commission extends to all, to instruct and reprove all, all in all Nations.

I could tell you how it comes to pass, that a sort of our brother­hood do not, dare not do their of­fice to instruct, reprove all of all sorts; some do not, they are affraid to reprove them, who have pre­ferred them to other honest mens Livings, but how justly, let God be judge.

Another fort dare not, they are afraid to tell Inda of her sin, lest some of the Bulls of Bashan or curst Kine of Samaria push them with their horns; and thus they had ra­ther hazard their poor souls, then endanger their fat Benefices. I wish these Trencher-chaplains and time observers would remember what is said, If my people perish for want of knowledge, their blood will I require at thy hand.

I speak it from the bottom of my heart, that this muzzling the mouth of the Ministers with fear, or else [Page 44]gagging them with the gift of a fat Benefice hath made an Atheistical Nation, and a purblinde people; yea, some of them are grown so ve­ry blinde in all Divine duties, yea, I say as blinde as Carders in Christ­tide, who having sit up night after night, and being long overwaked, when they look at their cards, they know not a King from a Knave.

But I fear too long I have insisted upon this part of my Text; through all the other parts of this verse, I will make as much haste as the Isra­elites made in their passage thorow the Red Sea.

The other part of our Office is to Baptize, In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.

• 1. See what we have commission to do, to baptize.
• 2. See how we must baptize, In nomine Patris, Filli, & Spiritus sancti.

And this is one of the great works [Page 45]we Ministers of Christ Jesus are enjoyned, to administer the sacred Sacrament of Baptisme.

It is not much to our purpose, yet may serve to lead us orderly on to our business to begin at the be­ginning of the Institution of Sacra­ments, and to give you a summary of them briefly.

Briefly then, there were Sacraments

• before the fall.
• after the fall.

Before the fall two.

• Sacramentum immortalitatis.
• Sacramentum probationis.

The Sacrament of Immortality, the tree of life; the Sacrament of trial, the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

After the fall. Some were Sacra­ments enjoyned under the

• Old Testament.
• New Testament.

Those in the Old Testament were extraordinary, and ordinary.

Extraordinary, such as Diluvium, Transitus per mare, Mana è Calo, Aqua è petra.

Ordinary were, Universal and Special Sacraments.

Universal, one and no more, the Rainbow.

Special, in the Old Testament were two, by name

• Circumcision.
• The Paschal Lamb.

Lastly, there were Sacraments ordained under the New Testa­ment, and they were 2.

• Baptisme.
• The Lords Supper.

These are the last were instituted, and it is of the last, but the last, I am now to treat, by name Baptism.

All the foregoing Sacraments I have as lightly touched, as the wo­man in the Gospel, Christ, who touched but the hem of his gar­ment; and it is all, that I may hasten to that sacred Sacrament of Bap­tisme.

Look upon the words of our Sa­viour, Go ye therefore and teach all Nations, baptizing them in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. It needs no collect­ing, onely your observing how it is a part of the office of the Mini­sters of Christ Jesus to baptize, to administer the Sacrament of Bap­tisme; of which Sacrament while I speak, Lord grant I may do it sacra­mente, with an holy heart.

I mean, God willing, to treat of this Sacra­ment,

• Conjunctim.
• Disjunctim.

Conjunctim, as being one of the two; Disjunctim, as singled out by it self.

We Protestants acknowledge our Christ left us onely two Sacra­ments, whereof this is one, Baptism; and that, the other, called, The Sup­per of the Lord.

And yet the Papists will [Page 48]have seven Sacraments, videlicet, Baptism. 2. Confirmation. 3. The Eucharist. 4. Penance. 5. Extream Unction. 6. Orders. 7. Matrimo­ny; and the Council of Trent cur­ses all Christians that say there are more or fewer.

Accursed then must be their own Cardinal Bassarion, for he confesses but two Sacraments. Accursed then must be Isidore, for he will have but three. Accursed then must be their Alexander de Hales, for he four. Ac­cursed must be the Author bearing the name of Cyprian, for he holds five onely. And lastly, accurst must be Cajetan and Durandus, for these maintain there are more then two, and less then seven, while they teach there are are onely six.

And yet the Papists maddle upon the number seven, especially Bellar­mine; for sayes he, The seven Ver­tues, the seven capital Sins, the se­ven [Page 49]Planets, the seven Defects, the seven golden Candlesticks, the se­ven Seals, the seven Trumpets, the seven Angels, blaze there are seven Sacraments. I wonder they for­gat the woman in Rev. 17.3. with her seven Heads.

But if this plea were satisfactory, I could likewise countenace the number of two, with two Tables, two Testaments, two Trumpets, two Swords, two Witnesses; but this is childishness.

That these are two Sacraments it is confessed by our adversaries; that these two are all, is justified by us of the Reformed Churches, and proved by Gods word, 1 Cor. 10.1, 2, 3, 4.

And we have the unity of the Fathers, St. Jerome, St. Ambrose, St. Angustine, all averring two one­ly and necessary to salvation. The fountain out of which they did flow was Christs side, when he swet [Page 50]water and blood. These two Go­spel Sacraments he left us instead of the two Sacraments under the Law; the one we once recieve, the other oft; Baptisme presently after our birth, the Lords Supper when we come to maturity, or full growth: and as the childe is once born, but must oft eat, so we are baptized but once, oftentimes feed upon the body and blood of our Lord and Saviour Christ Jesus.

Having spoken upon these two Sacraments conjunction, now give me leave to speak upon this Sacra­ment of Baptisme disjunction, single by it self.

And since it belongs to my Office to baptize, I think it very fit to let you know what is Baptisme. Se­condly, what is covenanted at it. Thirdly, why the Church requires Sureties. Fourthly, why common­ly administered at the Church door. Fifthly, whether absolutely [Page 51]needful. Sixthly, what good got by it. Lastly, whether lawful to baptize Children.

And of every of these a word, and but a word, till we come to the last so much controverted. And first of the first, I take Baptism to be primum novi foeder is Sacramen­tum, in quo elect is in Dei familiam re­ceptis externae aquae aspersione, pecca­torum remissio, & regeneratio per sanguinem Christi & Spiritum san­ctum obsignatur. Baptism is the Seal set to the New Covenant, whereby we being received into Gods Hou­shold by the washing of water, have sealed unto us by Christ and his Holy Spirit, Remission of our sins, and Regeneration.

The Word of God is Gods hand writing, which he passes to ensure us we shall be saved, and this Sacra­ment is his Seal; what would you have more then hand and seal? O [Page 52]this Sacrament seals our pardon, and ensures us heaven; yea, it is the general Tenet of the Catholique Church, That no Christians childe baptized, dying before it come ad usum rationis, was ever damned, but of this suo proprioloco, in its pro­perplace.

The next thing to be considered is, what covenanted when the child is baptized; & know it, this is the good, the adulti, which those of ripe years get by staying out the Administra­tion of this Blessed Sacrament. O! it puts you in minde what covenant­ed when you were Christened.

I will give you it in my Common Prayer Books Language, and the rather, Because I dearly love it, nei­ther care I who know it.

At you Baptism you covenant to forsake the Devil and all his Works, the vain Pomp and Glory of the World, with all covetous [Page 53]desires of the same, the carnal de­sires of the flesh, so that you will not follow, nor be led by them; in one word, you promise to forsake the world, Flesh, and Devil, to leave being at the command of those three, and be obedient unto the other three, Father, Son, Holy Ghost, but why will not the Anabaptists suffer their new born children by their Sureties to make this holy League with God? Is it because, that as their fathers have made a league with Hell, Death, and the Devil, freely giving themselves over to a reprobate sense, to work all maner of wickedness with gree­diness, so their children being kept from Christendom, as being free from the Tripertire Bond in Bap­tism, might more swiftly run to the devil after them; the contempt of this Head of Christs Ordinance, and the practice of the Church Ca­tholick [Page 54]imbitters my charity to­wards them, while they show so little love to their young ones.

Know this for certainty how that Gods Ordinance is a Teacher which stints us from running into gross sin, which as Infants, while Infants, are uncapable to commit, so after their mature age, as oft re­ceiving lifts up their hearts from earth to heaven, so this bond past in Baptisme, and their calling to minde their solemn Covenant past at Font, draws them from the love of the world, to love our Lord God who made the world, and our Lord Jesus who died for our sins, and rose for our righteousness.

The third thing to be enquired after is, why the Church, but we are grown in this age wiser then the Church, why the Church appoints Sureties at the Font, and three at the least.

• [Page 55]1. For that the Infant is to pass promise by the three Sureties to forsake three, the World, Flesh, and Devil.
• 2. To make the baptized co­ming to years of discretion, have more care to hold promise with God.
• 3. That if Parents were neglect­ing, among so many, some might have a care of the Bond past to God in Baptism.
• 4. To rub up our memories, and put us in minde, how man is more likely to break Bond with God, then man with man; and therefore in common Contracts there are no more then the Principal and two Sureties, but at the Christening, the Principal, the Baptized, and three Sureties; and to countenance this commendable custom, the Council of Mentz in the ninth Century or­dained Godfathers to be, and to [Page 56]attend, and see that their spiritual children be brought up in the true Faith.
• 4. And now in the fourth place, These Sureties of the Baptized In­fant commonly stand over against the Church Door, and there this Sacrament of Baptisme usually is administred. O! our Mother the Church, there set the Font, that you may know how Baptism is the Door lets us into Gods Church, by it we enter in into our Masters House, the Church Militant.
• 5. But not in the fifth place, it is enquired whether Baptism be of absolute necessity. To this I an­swer, No, for we have this Sa­crament instead of Circumcision, enjoyned by the Lord, not to be administred till the eighth day; and I am confident, that as all the children which died before the eighth day were not damned, no [Page 57]more those who dye unbaptized; but I will end with Saint Bernard, who saith, Non privatio, sed contem­ptus damnat; it is not the want, but contempt that damns, & the default being in the Parents, let them fear the punishment; and since the neg­lect is dangerous, let us be sure, that there be no defect in us, but let us bring our young to be washed in this Jordan.
• 6. And so I come to the sixth thing considerable, viz. What good is got by Baptism, ne parum quidem, yet we will begin at the leaft: Novum Nomen, a new name, now christened, you have two names, the one is nomen naturae, the other nomen gratiae, commonly cal­led, Sirname, Christen name. But objected, what am I bettered? Much if thou have wit or grace; thy two names put thee in minde of thy two natures; and with Rebesca [Page 58]that there are two strugling within the womb of thy heart, Nature and Grace, Old Man, New Man; the Flesh, the Spirit; yea, thy Sir­name puts thee in minde of thy sin­ful Generation, thy Christen Name of thy Spirituall Regenration by the Grace of our Lord Jesus; thus whilest the one makes me fear, the other puts me in hope; whilest the one tells me, I am of a sinful seed, and to suffer, and the other com­forts me, assuring me I am a Mem­ber of Christ Jesus.

2. The second good got, is re­corded, Gal. 3.27. I can assure you it is a very comfortable place, and a spur to prick every Christian on to baptize their yong ones; the words are these, Ye who are baptized have put on Christ, you are hapt with him as with a garment; he is the Robe of Righteousness all over-spread­ing the late Biptized, you are arm­ed [Page 59]with his as with a coat of mail, able to bear off all the fiery assualts of the devil. Saith the Spouse in the Canticles, I have put off, how can I put on again. Being baptized we put on Christ with a resolve never to put him off any more; and it is this Church Cognizance, whereby we are known to be of the House­hold of God.

The third good got is, Admittance into Heaven, and hence sayes our Saviour, Except you be born again of Water and the Spirit, you cannot enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. The Baptism of Water assures the Vi­sible Church, that you are made Members of Christs Congregation here; the Baptisme of the Spirit when you are of ripe years, asserts you shall be Members of the invisi­ble Church hereafter; our outward Baptisme ingrafts you into the Church Militant, an Ordinance of [Page 60]Grace conducting to the Baptisme of the Spirit, being an assurance you shall be admitted into the fellow­ship of the Church Triumphant; if wilfully you sleight this, 'tis not probable how God will bestow upon you the other; the laying hold on this Ordinance within hu­mane reach, puts me in hopes to at­tain that other onely conferred by the Divine Power; when I scorn­fully neglect what proffered by Gods Church, what hopes have I to attain that without which I can­not come to Gods Kingdom; since you cannot enter into Gods King­dom, except you be born of Water and the Spirit, let us use the water, lest we deprive our selves of the hopes we have to acquire Gods Spirit. The words recorded by the Evangelist are spoke to all of all Sexes, Ages, and since the major part are Younglings, there being [Page 61]more children then men, let not us disinherit so many Infants to hu­mour a few Hereticks; hinder not your children from Baptism for not having the perfect use of reason, since we are unsure whether theel­der, believe, but onely by professi­ion; it were to be wished at one in­stant we might be baptized flumine, flamine, with water and the Spirit; but the aged may receive the first; want the latter. Let us then who have prayed for the Infant, that he may receive the latter, not debar him from the former. The Catho­lick Church way is a safe way to walk in, and who so obstinately, scorns Baptisme, hath small hopes that the Spirit will land at the ha­ven, his heart; nay 'tis to be feared that he shall never enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. As none in Rome could enter into the Temple of Honour, but first went thorow [Page 62]the Temple of Vertue; so none can be admitted into the Kingdom of glory, but such who first have had admitttance into the Kingdom of grace. And this Sacrament is the ordinary key, which opens your children the door, that they may enter in by, and may rest assured, this Water Baptisme takes away the mulct, though not the guilt, the blame, though not the stain; and that the Infant baptized who dies before it have usum rationis, to sin with a free will, shall certainly de­part in peace to a place of immor­tal bliss, whither God of his mer­cies send all of us.

And so I come to the sixth and last thing to be discust upon, Whether it be lawful to baptize In­fants; in discoursing upon this con­troversie, I shall first set down the Adversaries Arguments against Baptisme and by the help of my [Page 63]God, the answer to every of them, then give you my Reasons, why Infants ought to be baptized; last­ly, shew you the punishments have been enacted to be inflicted upon Anabaptists. And because this age is desirous to read much in few lines, therefore I will rather offer the courteous Reader matter then words; and as much as I can, match solidity and brevity both together; and with the one win the ear of the more judicious, and by the other prove my self not much to preju­dice such as have high employ­ments.

The Anabaptists the more hope­fully to lay their foundation against Infants Baptisme, have first cun­ningly gone about to prove rebap­tizing lawful, which Block I pur­pose to remove out of our way, that so we may the better answer all they object against baptizing In­fants.

To countenance their cause they labour to prove out of the Acts, That those whom John baptized that had not heard of the Holy Ghost, Paul again baptized.

To this hear what St. Augustine saith, Discipulos Joannis iterum bap­tizatos fuisse, non iterato Baptismate; for as Philip Melancton saith, Ioannis Baptismum, The Baptisme of John was signum mortificationis; Christi Baptismum, signum vivificationis; for to Christs was added condonatio peccatorum, & oportuit iterum bapti­zari, qui Ioannis Baptismo loti erant, quo certi essent, se jam consecutos esse remissionem peccatorum: To Christs Baptism was added remission of sin, and it was most might and right; for those who were washed with Iohns Baptisme, to receive also Christs Baptism, that so they might be ensured of remission of sin, by being baptized into the Faith.. of [Page 65]our Lord Jesus. The Anabaptist let him produce any so baptized by Iohn, and we shall not refuse them Christs Baptism, till such a one be produced, this Argument must be shouldered out.

We have not now to do either with the Novatians, who were admitted into the Church without any new Baptism, or yet with the Hereticks sprung from the corrupt lungs of Samosatenus, who were excluded from being members of the Church Catholick till anew baptized, be­cause they denied Fundamentalls; but with Anabaptists, who will allow no Infant to be baptized; and yet this Heresie the very Here­ticks called the Donatists, and Pe­lagians, cried down. It is at least a thousand years since this execrable Tenet sprang up, and the new Fo­menters of it in Germany were Ni­cholas Stock, Iohn of Leiden, and [Page 66] Knipperdolin, but now it is ferried over into England, and by such bloody Saints, who will either force us to lose our estates, if not lives, or else put in peril our Infants souls; hard chap-men who would force upon us so hard a bargain. I need not recount unto you the se­veral forts of Anabaptists, fourteen in all, Alstedius hath saved me this labour; nor will I blur my paper with their abominable Opinions, lest my making them too publickly known, might move the spiders to suck in poison whence the labori­ous Bees might gather honey; yet since our Land is infested with these Locusts, who contumeliously against the Tenet of the Church Catholick maintain it is unlawfull to baptize children, for this cause, give me leave to shew you the wea­pons they fight against us with, and then disarm them: what are these [Page 67]weapons but so many Arguments which they use wherewith to a­buse us.

Cassander, pag. 740. hath quoted their champion reason; this they say, Non sunt capaces Baptismi, quod doceri & profiteri nequeant, Children are not capable of Baptism, that are not capable to learn and believe.

To this we answer, that the ground of their Argument is taken out of Matthew 28.19, 20. where it is said, Go and teach all Nations, Baptizing them in the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost; teaching them to observe all things which I have commanded you.

Upon this foundation they reer up this building, that teaching must go before baptizing; my answer, The words in the Original are not [...] teach, but [...], that is to say, make Disciples, which infants in their swadling belts may [Page 68]attain to, by being by Baptisme ad­mitted into Christs School, while their Sureties give in their names, and by this Sacrament record them amongst Christs Disciples. And again it is plain from the Text, that baptizing ushers in teaching, as ap­pears verse 20. Teaching them to ob­serve all things: to which they have several conducts, their Christian Parents instructing, & the Bishops Confirmation, with prayers for them, and their growth in the my­stery of the faith of our Lord Jesus.

2. We might answer, that all the world but a few were Jews and Gentiles, ignorant generally of Christ and Christianity, and deny­ing the Saviour of our souls; now if we were to go to such, as are now the Indians, teaching must pre­cede baptizing, but you know what is said, The Covenant is made to you, and to your seed.

[Page 69] 3. The Anabaptists might as well say, that since it is said, Mark 1.25. Repent and believe, that repentance goeth before faith, which is as known an untruth, as that preach­ing to Infants must necessarily pre­cede baptizing of them. And thus since the setting repentance before faith bindes me not to believe how faith is not before repentance. Se­condly, since these words, Mat. 28. were spoke concerning people un­converted, and therefore first to be taught. Thirdly, since all enjoyn­ed, is first make disciples, then bap­tize, and after teach. This consi­dered makes the Anabaptists Argu­ment weak and invalid.