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WHAT COMFORTS FLOW FROM THE SACRAMENT OF BAPTISM.

[JOHN HACKET, D.D.]

BEING past the general survey of visible sacraments, it is time to enter into the consideration of baptism; which God hath exalted to marvellous virtue and consolation, by his omnipotent appointment. The Jews, that first received it, will teach us, that they expected this new and gracious ceremony upon the coming of Christ. For the priests and Levites sent to ask John, Why baptizest thou, if thou be not the Christ ?"a &c. It seems they had a tradition, that baptism should come into the Church with the Messias; which they derive, as I take it, from two of the prophets. Isaiah b states out a famous praise of Christ's kingdom; then it brings in this: "In that day shall the branch of the Lord be beautiful and glorious; when the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Sion, and shall have purged the blood of Jerusalem from the midst thereof." The other place is a plain prophecy of Christ's kingdom, and he thus describes it: "Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be cleansed from all your filthiness." John made way unto this

a John, i. 25.

b Isa. iv. 3.

Ezek. xxxvi. 25.

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sacrament, and it came from heaven; therefore, the "Pharisees rejected the counsel of God, being not baptized of John." But in the fulness of the Gospel, Christ confirmed it. For he that made the promise was the only able person to set the seal to ratify it. Except his admired doctrine and his miracles, all things else about Christ did make no show to outward appearances, so he would go no higher in the institution of an outward sign of cleansing and regeneration than to bring the people to a river to be washed, or to a vessel of water to be sprinkled. For faith is drawn through these narrow and abject means, that, like himself, have no comeliness in specie; and when we see them, there is no comeliness that we should desire them. b

Nevertheless, it is fit we should be well taught in the contemplation of the hidden virtue enclosed in baptism, or else we could never think it worth our labour and obedience. Our Common Prayer Book (a storehouse of rare divinity) tells us what is to be expected at that laver for them that come to be baptized.

1. That God hath promised to be the father of the faithful and of their seed, and will most surely perform and keep his promise with them; and by this introduction we are incorporated into the holy congregation. Behold, they whom we love above all others by nature, our children, are naturalized to be the citizens of the heavenly kingdom, and enter into it through this door of grace.

2. Secondly; as God did save Noah and his family

from perishing by water, and safely led the children of Israel through the Red Sea, while their enemies were drowned; so the millions of the nations whom God hath not given to Christ for his inheritance, are drowned in their own lusts and corruptions. But, oh what a privilege is it to be among those few that are received into the ark of Christ's Church, to be exempted from the common deluge, and to be the faithful seed of Abraham, led through the channel of the sea, and baptized in the cloud, that went along with them, when the armies of the mighty are mightily consumed!

3. Thirdly; we may gather out of our church-office for baptism, that the everlasting benediction of heavenly washing affords two comforts: it signifies the blood of Christ to cleanse us per modum pretii, as the price that was paid to ransom us from death; and the sanctifying of the Holy Spirit to cleanse us per modum habitûs, by his inbeing and celestial infusion: and both are put together in one collect: "that all that are baptized may receive remission of sins by spiritual regeneration." "There is no remission of sin without blood "," says the Apostle, meaning the invaluable blood of the Lamb of God. And the heavenly thing is represented by the visible element of water; for there must be some aptitude between the sign and the thing signified, else it were not a sacrament; that as water washeth away the filth of the body, so the blood of Christ delivereth our souls from the guilt and damnableness of sin. "The blood of Christ, his Son, cleanseth us from all sin." The metaphor of cleansing must have respect to baptismal

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c 1 John, i. 7.

water. Again, "Who loved us, and washed us from our sins in his blood." Where the Scripture speaks of washing from sin, it must be taken from the water of baptism, figuring the virtue of Christ's blood, that in the sight of his Father makes us white as snow. The Scriptures, indeed, strike most upon the other string, and more directly; as, "Christ loved the Church, and gave himself for it, that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word." b "He saved us by the washing of regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Ghost:" and in many other places. Therefore, our liturgy falls most upon the purifying operation of the Spirit, to be shadowed in the outward washing of water. As when it prays, "Send thy Holy Spirit to these infants, and grant that they may be baptized with water and with the Holy Ghost:" and,

grant that all that are baptized may receive the fulness of thy grace." Spiritual regeneration is that which the Gospel hath set forth to be the principal correlative of baptism. Oh, happy it is for us to be born again by water and the Holy Ghost! For better it were never

to be born than not to be born twice.

and

God put a good mind into us, and reform one great fault in us, which is, that our baptism being passed over a great while ago, we cast it out of our memory, meditate but little upon the benefits and comforts of it. We are got into the Church, and do in a sort forget how we got in. Whereas the whole life of a Christian should be a continual reflection how in

man and woman

baptism we entered into covenant with Christ; "to

a Rev. i. 5.

b Ephes, v. 25.

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< 1 Tit. iii. 6,

believe in him, to serve him, to forsake the devil, the vanities of the world, and all sinful desires of the flesh." Water is a pellucid element to look through it to the bottom: so often look through the sanctified water, to see what Christ hath done for you, and what you have engaged to do for Christ. And there is no heart so full of blackness and melancholy, but will recover upon it, and be as fresh in sound health, as if it were filled with marrow and fatness. Well did St. Paul put baptism among the principals and foundations of Christian doctrine; for all the weight of faith, sanctification, and mercy doth lie upon it. Recount this by particulars.

1. The first thought that my soul hath upon it is, that I am no longer "a stranger and foreigner, but a fellow-citizen with the saints, and of the household of God." I am no more "afar off," but "made nigh by the blood of Christ," partaker of the privileges of the Church, and called by "the new name, which the mouth of the Lord shall name"," a Christian.

2. Secondly; I find that I have gained to have the highest point of faith unfolded to me, which was but darkly discerned in the Old Testament, to confess the Holy Trinity, in which faith I was baptized. For because that mystery was revealed at Christ's baptism, it goes ever along with this sacrament: all nations being baptized in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.

3. Thirdly; I observe that my Christian engagement allows me not the liberty of sinning after the custom of

a Heb. vi. 2.

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Ephes. ii. 19.

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c Isa. lxii. 2.