II. What Are the Ends of Baptism?
The chief end of baptism is, the confirmation of our faith, or a solemn declaration by which Christ testifies that he washes us with his blood and Spirit, and confers upon us remission of sins, and the Holy Ghost, who regenerates and sanctifies us unto eternal life. Or it is a sealing of the promise of grace, that is, of our justification and regeneration, and a declaration of the will of God, to this effect, that he here grants these gifts to those who are baptized, and that he will for ever grant them. For he himself baptizes us by the hand of the minister, and declares to us this his will.
That baptism is a declaration and confirmation of the will of God concerning our salvation which he promises to effect, and grant is evident: 1. From the formula of baptism, according to which we are baptized in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost. By this act we are given over to God the Father. Son, and Holy Ghost, and declared to be his property. 2. From the promise annexed to the rite of baptism: “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved.” (Mark 16:16.) God declares, therefore, by this rite that he will save those that believe and are baptized. 3. From other passages of Scripture in which baptism is spoken of as a saving ordinance. “Arise and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.” “Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ, were baptized into his death. Therefore we are buried with him in baptism,” &c. “In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ,” &c. “According to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost.” (Acts 22:16. Rom. 6:3. Col. 2:11. Titus 3:5.)
From this it is evident why baptism is not repeated; because it is the sign of our reception into the favor and covenant of God, which remains for ever sure and valid in the case of those who repent. He, therefore, that has lost a sense of God’s favor by falling into sin, does not need another application of baptism, but repentance for his sins. The same thing is also evident from the fact, that regeneration does not take place more than once in the same individual. We are born but once, and renewed but once: for he who is once truly ingrafted into Christ, is never wholly cast away: for “him that cometh to me,” said Christ, “I will in no wise cast out.” (John 6:37.) Hence it is sufficient that baptism which is the washing of regeneration, should be received but once, especially since regeneration and salvation do not absolutely depend upon baptism; otherwise it would be necessary for us to be rebaptized as often as we might sin. To these reasons we may yet add, that baptism has taken the place of circumcision, which was never performed more than once upon the same individual.
From what has been said it is also evident that the baptism of John was the same in substance with christian baptism. John preached the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins, that those who heard him might believe on Jesus Christ, who was to come after him. This now is the character of the baptism which we have, with this difference, that we are baptized in the name of Christ as already come, and not about to come. Hence the baptism of John, and of the apostles, and that which we administer is the same as to substance, differing only as to the circumstance of signification. John baptized in the name of Christ who was to suffer and rise again: the apostles baptized, and we are now baptized in the name of Christ, who has already suffered and risen again: otherwise our baptism would not be the same as the baptism of Christ, who was baptized of John.
Obj. John said, “I baptize with water.” Therefore it was a baptism of water only. Ans. John uses this language for the purpose of distinguishing his own ministry from the efficacy of Christ in baptism: for if this were not so it would follow that Christ was baptized merely with water; and that we are baptized in the same manner, or else we have not the same baptism which Christ had.
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Another end of baptism is the declaration of our duty to God, and the binding of ourselves and the Church to gratitude, or to faith and repentance. To faith, that we may acknowledge for the true God, no one but this God, who is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ; and the Son, and the Holy Ghost, and that we may worship him alone, and receive with faith the benefits which he offers. To repentance, that being continually admonished by this rite, that we are washed by the blood of Christ, and renewed by his Spirit, we may walk in newness of life, and thus shew our thankfulness to God for his benefits, according to what is said: “John preached the baptism of repentance.” “Such were some of you; but ye are washed,” &c. “How shall we who are dead to sin live any longer therein. Know ye not that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ, were baptized into his death.” Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death, that like us Christ was raised up from the dead, by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. (Mark 1:4. 1. Cor. 6:11. Rom. 6:2, 3, 4.) To be baptized into Christ’s death, is to be made the partakers of all the benefits of his death, just as if we ourselves had died; and also to die unto sin, or to mortify the lust of the flesh by virtue of his death, and with him, be raised to a new life: for God promises, and binds us to this mortification of the old man in our baptism.
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Baptism was appointed to be the sign of our entrance and reception into the church; because God will have all those who are members of his church to be admitted in this way, so that those who are not baptized, when they enjoy sufficient opportunities, are excluded from the church.
It is proper to make mention here of those passages of Scripture which affirm that all those who became christians, as the Ethiopian Eunuch, Cornelius the centurian, the Philippian Jailor, Lydia, Paul, &c, were immediately after their conversion, baptized. It is for this reason also that the Lord’s Supper is given only to such as are baptized: for they alone have been received into the church. The words of the institution of baptism are also here in place: “Go, and teach all nations, baptizing them,” &c. The word which is here translated teach, means, according to its proper signification, make disciples, so that it may more properly be translated, go and make disciples, baptizing them, &c. It is thus rendered by John, in the fourth chapter and first verse of his gospel: “The Pharisees had heard, that Jesus made, and baptized more disciples,” &c. The same thing is also established by the substitution of baptism in the place of circumcision, which was the sacrament of reception into the Jewish Church.
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Baptism serves as a mark by which the true church may be discerned from all the various Sects which exist in the world. This end naturally grows out of the former; for those who are received into the church by a public sacrament, are by this, as by a badge, distinguished from the rest of mankind. “Go, and teach all nations, baptizing them,” &c., as if he would say: “Gather me a church by my word, and those whom ye shall make my disciples, who believe with their whole hearts, baptize all of them, and them alone, and separate them for me from the rest of mankind.”
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Baptism was instituted to signify our taking of the cross, and to afford comfort concerning the preservation and deliverance of the church from all her afflictions. Those who are baptized are plunged, as it were, in affliction; but with the full assurance of deliverance. It is for this reason that Christ speaks of afflictions under the name of baptism, saying, ‘Are ye able to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?” (Matt. 20:22.) The ceremony connected with baptism intimates deliverance from our varied afflictions. We are immersed, but not drowned, or suffocated. It is in respect to this end that baptism is compared to the flood; for as in the flood, Noah and his family who were shut up in the ark were saved, yet not without much anxiety and peril, whilst the rest of mankind who were without the ark perished; so, those who are in the church, and who cleave to Christ, will most certainly be delivered at the proper time, although they may be pressed with afflictions and dangers from every side; whilst those who are out of the church will be overwhelmed with the deluge of sin and destruction. We may here appropriately refer to the passage of Paul, where ho compares the passage of the Israelites through the Red Sea to baptism: “All were baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea.” (1 Cor. 10:2.)
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Another end to be effected by baptism is to declare the unity of the church, and to establish that article of the Creed: I believe in the holy catholic Church, the communion of the saints. “For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body.” “There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism.” (1 Cor. 12:13. Eph. 4:5.) This end may be embraced under the fourth; because baptism in separating and distinguishing the members of the church from the rest of mankind, connects and unites them with the church, and with one another.
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Baptism contributes to the preservation and spread of the doctrine which promises free salvation for the sake of Christ’s death. It furnishes a suitable occasion for those who are baptized to learn who is the author, and what the signification and use of this sacrament.
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