A confession of faith made by common consent of divers reformed churches beyond the…A confession of fayth made by common consent of diuers reformed churches beyonde the…

Baptism was first invented, ¹and sanctified of GOD John being the first that baptised Christ with water, in the river of Jordan. Afterward this office was committed to the Apostles, who Baptised also with water: The Lord in plain words, commanded them to preach the Gospel ²and to Baptise, In the name of the father, ⟨image 118⟩and of the Son, and of the holy ghost. Peter also answered in the Acts to the Jews, demanding of him, ³what they should do: Let every one of you be baptised, in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of your since, and ye shall receive the gift of the holy ghost. Wherefore Baptism is called of many, the first sign of gods people, because by it his elect begin, to retain to the living Lord. There is but one Baptism in the Church of God, wherewith it is sufficient once to be Christened: For Baptism once ⁴received, doeth endure all our life long, being a perpetual sealing of our adoption. For to be Baptised in the name of Christ, is to be written, to be entered, ⁵and received into the covenant and family, yea and into the inheritance of God his children, yea even now to be named, by the name of God: that is, to be called the child of God, to be purged also from the dregs of our since, and to have freely sundry graces of God, to lead a new and innocent life. Baptism doeth keep in memory, ⟨p. 73⟩and renew God his benefits, bestowed on mankind. For we all are borne in the filthiness of sin, and are the children of wrath, but God who is rich in mercy, doeth cleanse us from our sins freely, by the blood of his soon, in whom he maketh us by adoption his sons, knitteth us to him with an holy covenant, & enricheth us with sundry gifts, that we may be able to live a new life. Al these benefits are sealed with Baptism: for inwardly our souls and minds are regenerate, purified, and made new of GOD by the holy ghost, but outwardly we receive, the seal of his large gifts in water, by the which those great benefits are represented, and as it were, laid before our eyes to behold. Therefore we are Baptised, that is, we are washed, and sprinkled with visible water: For as water maketh clean our filth, doeth refresh