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The Evangelist useth this title or epithet, in opposition Cir∣cumcision, and baptizing of Proselytes, which had been the way and doore of admission into the Church before. They might very fitly be called the Circum••ision and the baptisme of performance, as this the
baptisme of repentance. For whosoever received circumcision was ingaged by it to the performance of the whole Law, Gal. 5. 2. And the like was every Proselyte ingaged that received Baptisme. But this baptisme of John, or the baptisme in the Christian Church is cleane of another nature. For whereas those two challenged of every one that went through those doo••es into the Church, that they should stand debtors to the whole Law, and bee obliged to a legall righteousnesse: our baptisme requireth a cleane contrary thing, namely, that we should bee obliged to repentance, in regard that the performance of the law is a thing that is to us impossible, and that we should be buried with Christ in his death, and seeke af∣ter his righteousnesse, seeing that we have none of our owne. Hence appeareth clearly, first, a reason why the baptisme of John is cal∣led the beginning of the Gospel, for it opened a doore, and gave an inlet into the Church upon other termes, then had ever been before. And, secondly, that baptisme belongeth to Children, though it be the baptisme of repentance, and they know not what repentance meanes: For it requireth not their repentance at their receiving of the Sacrament, when they stand but in the doore or entry of the Church, but it ingageth them to repentance for the time to come, or when they being now entred into the Church, shall come to the use of reason, and knowledge of the ingagement: And so was it with the children that were circumcised: for they when they under∣went that Sacrament, undertooke obedience to the whole Law, and yet they knew not what, either obedience, or the Law meant: But that undertaking was, what they were to doe when they came to the yeeres of knowledge and apprehension.