of Infidels, without Christ, Aliens from the Commonwealth of Ifrael, and Strangers to the Covenant of Promise; having no Hope, and without God in the World; as the ApoAle describes the Misery of our natural State, Eph. 2. 12. In this forlorn Condition we are unworthy of the Christian Name, till we, who by Nature are afar off, are by Baptifm brought nigh, and engrafted into Christ. The Name we receive from our natural Parents, is the mark of the Guilt and Shame we derive from them. 'Tis the Christian Name that inrolls us in the Regifter of the Church, and is alone written in the Book of Life. And this shews us the high Esteem we are to have of this facred Rite of Baptifm, by which alone we begin to be somebody in God's account, and are lifted into the number of his People. Memorable to this purpose is the Story we find mention'd in the Life of Lewis IX. of France, for his Piety call'd St. Lewis; who being ask'd, By what Title he would be Signaliz'd to Posterity after bis Death? answer'd, By Lewis of Poify. And being told, That that was an obscure Place, and not fit to adorn the Character of so great and fo good a Prince; answer'd again, Lewis of Poify. And being farther told, That there were other Places which he had fignaliz'd by bis Valour, and made renown'd by the Victories be bad obtain'd in them; answer'd still, That he would be remember'd by Lewis of Poisy, because there be obtain'd the greatest Victory he ever bad, even that over the Devil : meaning, that he was chriften'd there. By which we fee what a high Efteem he had of his Baptifm; how he valu'd no Name like that of a Christian; and no Place like to that where he receiv'd it. Lastly, The new Name we receive in Baptism, should put us in mind of leading a new Life. This is the Sense of the Apostle in those words, We are buried with Christ in Baptism, that like as he was rais'd from the dead by the Glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in Newness of Life; Rom. 6. 4. Where the rifing out of the Waters of Baptifm, into which they were antiently plung'd, represents the rifing again from the Dead. And the washing off the Impurities of the Flesh by that means, represents that Newness or Purity of Life they were oblig'd to ever after. As many as are baptized into Chrift (faith the same Apostle) have put on Christ; that is, they have taken his Name upon them, in token of a new Nature they receive from from him; and therefore they are not to put it off again, or to walk unworthy of it. We read of an antient Custom among the Romans, to write the Soldier's Name upon his Shield, to fignify that his Honour was engag'd to keep it, and that he could not part with one without the loss of the other. In like manner, our Bleffed Saviour hath so order'd it, that we receive our Name and our Faith together; by which we stand oblig'd to preserve both, and may not, without eternal Infamy, shrink or depart from either. 'Twas a smart Rebuke that was given to a Coward, who bore the Name of Alexander; Vel mutes nomen Alexandri, vel fortiter pugnes; Either change thy Name, or shew thy Valour, that the renown'd Name of Alexander be not dishonour'd by thy Cowardice. The same Item may be given to all that are call'd Chriftians; Either quit that facred Name, or live answerable to it, that so honourable a Title be not disparag'd by an unfutable Conversation. Let us then often call to mind this sacred Name that is call'd upon us; and by it remember that we are Chriftians, that we may not do any thing unbecoming so noble a Title : let it serve as a Spell or a Charm to drive away the Devil from us, or as a Shield to repel all the fiery Darts of the wicked. We read of a holy Virgin that conquer'd all the Temptations of the Devil, by saying these words, I am Baptiz'd, lam a Christian, whenever she was affaulted by them. And indeed, the frequent and serious Confideration of these things, would mightily help to arm us against the strongest Temptations. Thus I have confider'd all that is necessary to be known touching the Time of giving the Christian Name; which is, in our Baptifm. The next thing is concerning the Benefits and Privileges confer'd in it, in these words: Wherein I was made a Member of Christ, a Child of God, and an Inheritor of the Kingdom of Heaven. Of which hereafter. DISCOURSE VII. EPHES. V. 30. We are Members of his Body. E are yet upon the Second Question and Answer W in the Catechism; in explaining whereof, I have spoken, First, To the Parties that give the Christian Name, viz. Our God-fathers and God-mothers; together with the Antiquity and Use of them. Secondly, To the Time of giving the Christian Name, viz. In our Baptism : together with the Grounds and Reasons of this antient Practice. I proceed now to the Third Thing to be spoken to in it, and that is the Benefits and Privileges convey'd by, and confer'd in our Baptifm, contain'd in these words; Wherein I was made a Member of Christ, a Child of God, and an Inheritor of the Kingdom of Heaven. And this will lead me to confider Baptifm as a Covenant made between God and Man, which (as all other Leagues and Covenants) hath Promises and Conditions annex'd to it. The Mercies and Blessings promis'd on God's part, are those before recited; Wherein I was made a Member of Chrift, &c. The Duties and Conditions to be perform'd on Man's part, are rehears'd in the following Question and Answer; where the baptized Party engages to renounce the Devil, &c. I begin, as our Catechism directs us, I. With the Mercies and Blessings promis'd on God's part; and they are these three: First, To be made a Member of Christ. Secondly, A Child of God. And, Thirdly, An Inheritor of the Kingdom of Heaven. All which are very noble and invaluable Privileges, as will appear by a particular Explication of them: Accordingly I shall speak to the First First of them at this time, from these words of the Apostle, We are Members of his Body. For the better understanding whereof, I must enquire what is meant by the Body of Chrift; what by being a Member of this Body; and what are the Benefits and Privileges that appertain to, and are convey'd by it. I. By the Body of Christ we are to understand the Chriftian Church, which is frequently in Scripture styled the Body of Chrift, Rom. 12.4, 5. Yea, sometimes it is styled Christ himself, as 1 Cor. 12. 13, 14. As the Body is one, and hath many Members, and all the Members of it being many, are one Body; so also is Christ: that is, so is the Chriftian Church. Now this Christian Church is a Spiritual Society of all Christian People, called out of the World, and united unto Christ as the Head, and to one another as the Members. Which Description of the Church, because 'tis a matter fo neceffary to be known, I shall endeavour to explain, and bring down to the meanest Capacities. I call it then, (1.) A Society, to diftinguish it from a confused Multitude, that hath no Order or Subordination of Parts; whereas a Church is a regular Society, consisting of Superiors to teach and govern, and Inferiors to be taught and govern'd by them. Again, (2.) I call it a Spiritual Society, to diftinguish it from Political Bodies and Corporations, made by human Authority and Compact; whereas the Church is a Body made and animated by a divine Spirit. Again, (3.) 1 call it a Spiritual Society confifting of all Christian People all the World over, to diftinguish it from the Jewish Church, which was confined only to one Nation; the Jews being then the peculiar People of God, having a Partitionwall to separate them from others: for to them only appertain'd the Adoption, the Glory, the Covenant, and the giving of the Law, and the Promises, Rom. 9. 3, 4. But now that Inclosure is taken down by the Acceffion of the Gentiles: For Christ is our Peace, faith the Apostle, and hath made both one, and bath broken down the middle Wall of Partition between us ; Eph. 2. 14. So that the Christian Church is now no longer confin'd to one particular Place or Nation, but is become Catholick and Universal, and spread over the Face of the whole Earth; infomuch that in every Nation, he that feareth God, and VOL. I. worketh E worketh Righteeusness, is accepted with him, Acts 10. 35. Morcover, (4.) I style it a Society of Christian People, called out of the World, to diftinguish it from the Synagogue of Satan, and to separate Chritt's Flock from the unfanctify'd Herd of reprobate and wicked Men; for the Church is a. select Body of People, called out and separated from the profane part of the World, to be a chofen Generation, a royal Priesthood, a boly Nation, a peculiar People, 1 Pet. 2.9. St. Paul tells us of the Christians, that they are called out of the World to a holy Profeffion or Calling, Eph. 4. 3. 2 Tim. 1. 9. and therefore in many places of Scripture, they are styl'd the Called. And our Saviour declares of them, That tho they are in the World, yet they are not of the World, but are called or taken out of it; John 17. 6, 11, 16. Again, (5.) I style it a Society of Christians 'call'd out of the World, and united unto Christ as the Head; whereby being united, 'tis diftinguish'd from an aggregate Body, or confused Heap, that hath no Union or Connexion of Parts, but lie loose and disjoin'd from one another: whereas the Church is a compact Body, knit together by that which every joint supplies, Eph. 4.16. And therefore we find it often compar'd to a House, a Building, a Temple, where all the Parts are cemented and joined together. And this Union is faid to be first and chiefly to Christ, as the Head, from whence they derive all spiritual Strength and Grace: for as in the natural Body, the Head is the Fountain of Life and Spirit, from whence it is deriv'd into the other Parts; fo from Chrift, the mystical Head of the Church, all the Body, by joints and bands, having Nourishment minifter'd, increaseth with the Increase of God, Col. 2. 19. Lastly, I style it a Society of Chriftians, not only united to Chrift as the Head, but to one another as the Members: and by this the Church of Christ is diftinguish'd from the Conventicles of Sectaries, which are all divided and disjoined from one another: whereas the Members of Christ's mystic..l Body are join'd together by one Communion and Fellowship, which are as it were the Nerves and Sinews to keep them together: For we being many (faith the Apoitle) are all but one Bread; that is, one Communion nourished by the fame fpiritual Food, eating the fame fpiritual Meat, and drinking all of the fame fpiritual Cup. For the Bread |