notwithstanding their dissent from me in this particular I must craue leaue to professe and protest before him that knoweth all things that my aime is not so much as in my secret thoughts to despise or disparage any of them hereby but only to set downe their arguments that thereby occasion might be taken more throughly to discusse this subiect It is true that I haue sometimes made vse of the same phrases first vsed by my friends to me yet I desire them to take notice that I haue only weighed their arguments impartially in the ballance of reason and truth without the least glaunce vpon any of their persons And if I could haue beene ascertained that none but they would euer haue lighted on the same obiections I could as willingly haue suppressed them as J doe the names of the obiectors But because what friends doe octiect in loue others may also presse to the preiudice of this truth I haue made bold to make those arguments thus publique that their mouthes may be stopped who else might happen to vrge the same with violence and passion enough and thinke them vnanswerable if there should no answeres be sent out to meet them For their sakes therfore haue J thus presumed on my friends whom I earnestly desire still to hold deare vnto me hoping they will not bethinke it to the publique good nor hold themselues disparaged hereby but rather reioice that they haue beene a meanes of a more exquisite debate of this point wherby the truth may be better knowne 3 I haue a request to all that shall vouchsafe to make vse of this booke that they will be at the paines to read ouer the whole or forbeare to censure it by any peece therof that they may happen to cast their eye vpon For in a point of controversy wherein method requires only explication in one part confirmation in another refutation in another and often references from one part of the discourse vnto other places thereof for avoiding of confusion and tedious repetitions it is impossible to receiue full satisfaction by reading any one peece only how satisfactorie soeuer it may proue when it is considered altogether and when the rest is pervsed and weighed as well as that branch on which hasty and forward censurers doe sometimes passe a sharpe and heavy sentence If you pervse the first part of this booke only without the residue yee may perhaps obiect divers things and remaine vnsatisfied because ye goe not on to the latter part wherein all such obiections together with answers to them doe present themselues in their proper rankes On the contrary if wee looke only on the latter part to see how the maine obiections be answered yee may sometimes haply sticke through your owne fault at some of the answeres because I take sundry things for graunted which ye may doubt of till ye haue read the former part wherein the same things are proued at large and to which in my answers the rules of Method often compell mee to referre you Farewell A Table of the severall Chapters of this Booke CAP. I. The Introduction declaring the Occasion and Necessity of this Treatise p. 1. CAP. II. The State of the Position pag. 11 CAP. III. The Agreement of this point to the Publike doctrine of our church p. 22 CAP. IV. The point proued by Authority of Scripture pag. 70 CAP. V. The iudgment of the Fathers of the Primitiue Church in this point pag. 117 CAP. VI. The Agreement of it to the confessions of Reformed Churches pag. 138 CAP. VII The Iudgement of Forraine Divines in this point p. 157. particularly of Calvine Chameir M. Bucer â— Martyr Musculus Fran Iunius Zanchius Danaeus Gerhardus Vossius CAP. VIII The Iudgment of some Divines of speciall note in our own Church p. 185 Bishop Iewel Doctor Whitaker Dr Francis White now L. Bishop of Norwitch D Davenant now L. Bishop of Salisbury D. Fulk and D. Featly CAP. IX Six Obiections against the maine Position answered pag. 231 CAP. X. Six other Obiections against the same Position answered p. 296 The principall Authors quoted in this Treatise as giuing testimony to the maine assertion handled herein Fathers Cyprianus Gregorius Nazien Athanasius Basilius Mag Chrysostomus Hieronymus Ambrosius Augustinus Confessions of Churches Heluetica Scoticana Belgica Gallicana Genevensis Argentinensis Augustana Saxonica Wirtembergica Palatini Forraine Diuines Ioannes Calvinus Petrus Martyr Hieron Zanchius Wolfgangus Musculus Fran. Iunius Aug Marloratus Mart. Bucerus David Pareus Lamb. Daneus Daniel Chameir Ger. Vossius English Divines Bishop Iewel Dr Whitaker Dr Fulke Dr Dauenant B. of Sarum Dr White B. of Norwitch Dr Featly Dr Ames Mr Richard Hooker Mr Thomas Rogers Mr Thomas Taylor D. of Divinity Mr. Aynsworth BAPTISMALL REGENERATION ORDINARILY COMmunicated to Elect Infants CHAP. 1. The introduction declaring the occasion and necessity of this treatise THere is no Ordinance set vp by Christ in his Church more vsefull and comfortable vnto a Christian throughout the whole course of his Militant condition then sacred Baptisme the Laver of regeneration and of the renewing of the Holy Ghost Nor is there any fountaine which the Arch-enimy of mankinde a Tit. 3.5 hath more endeauoured to trouble and corrupt with multiplicity of poisonous errors then that which is set open to all the inhabitants of spirituall Hierusalem for sinne and for vncleannesse b Zach. 13.1 For proofe hereof I shall not need to thrust any mans head so much as Within the doore of that Augaean stable of Popish absurdities we haue too many instances else where Some aduance Baptisme too high Others depresse it as much too low There are that hold it so absolutely necessary as that none can be saued without it On the contrary there are that in scorne call it Elementish water Others that thinke it a thing indifferent and deny it to infantes notwithstanding that to them belongs the kingdome of God c Mar. 10 14. Others that make it a bare signe and badge to distinguish the members of the visible Church from the rest of the World some in tearmes yeeld it to be somewhat more yet deny to it all present efficacy in vpon infants ordinarily in the act of administration Some grant an efficacy but such as is equally communicated to all infantes that are outwardly baptized Some admit the efficacy of it vnto remission of sinne in Infants elect but any present worke of the spirit vnto Regeneration in them they either flatly deny or refuse to acknowledge Against all these errors and particularly against the last the Church of England hath iustly opposed her selfe in her Publique Doctrine for the defence whereof haue I taken vpon me this difficult province The occasion this In the course of my ministry in mine own cure I was lately * In Hilary Terme 1627. cast vpon this point viz That all elect infants doe ordinarily in Baptisme receiue the spirit of Christ to seaze vpon them for Christ and to be in them
onely those that belong truely and indeed to the election of Grace I must be content to beare this brand as many doe the name of Puritane without desert Obiect But they will say Both the Leiturgie Catechisme and Article speake generally excluding none therefore if you be in sober sadnesse resolued to sticke so close to the Doctrine of the Church of England you must hold this not of the Elect only but of all infants whatsoever Answ It is very true that our Church excludes none from participation of the inward Grace in the Sacrament but knowing for certaine that all the Elect doe partake of it and not knowing at all that this or that particular infant is not elected suffers not any of her children to speake or iudge of any particular infant that hee doth not receaue the inward grace no more then she permits him to say that such a particular is not elected For who hath knowne the mind of the Lord g Rom. 12.34 And who art thou that iudgest another mans servant h Rom. 14.4 Howbeit our Church knowes very well and presumes that all her children knowe also that in respect of Election knowne only to God They are not all Israel that are of Israel i Rom. 9.6 and that of those many that be called but a few be chosen k Math. 20.16 But who those few bee shee will not determine yet thus much shee doth determine that any particular infant rightly baptized is to be taken and held in the iudgment of charity for a member of the true invisible elected sanctified Church of Christ and that hee is regenerated indeed in the sense aforesaid And so doe I. Notwithstanding mistake not Her or me It is one thing to speake of all infants distributiuely singling them out individually one by one and passing iudgment of each particular apart and another thing to speak of them collectiuely and in the lump without restraining our speech to any particular To say that wee cannot iudge of any particular sonne of Adam not discouered by God himselfe to be reiected that he is reiected of God doth not proue that no sonne of Adam is reiected when we speake of all mankind in the general Masse or Lump for then what need of a Hell for cast awaies Thus that learned Bishop By the iudgment of charity the Faithful iudge every professed member of the visible Church when they speake of the particular persons to be a member of the invisible elected called iustified sanctified howbeit they knowe in generall that many are in the church which be not of it and that many be called but few are chosen l Dr Iohn Downham on Psal 15. ver 1. pag. 19. The like phrase wee haue in the forme of Burial wherein when wee bury any particular person whatsoeuer wee are taught to say and pray that wee with this our Brother c. may haue our perfect consummation and blisse c. and yet no man will say that all men that dye doe goe to heauen for euen in that very prayer we are taught to restrain this only to the elect Almighty God with whom doe liue the Spirits of them that depart hence in the Lord and in whom the Soules of them that bee elected after they be delivered from the burden of the flesh be in ioy and felicity So then neither our Leiturgie in the Publique Forme of Baptisme nor Catechisme nor Article doe intend to bind me or any man else to beleeue that every man without exception doth indeed partake of the inward Grace of Baptisme although it bind me and every man to conclude no other when wee pitch our speech vpon any particular Nor is this my Glosse alone but that Iudicious Hooker saith also that all receaue not the grace of the Sacrament that receaue the Sacrament of his Grace m Lib. 5. Sect. 57. So Mr Tho Rogers in his so often printed Commentary on the Articles of Religion For in Article 25 hee makes this one of the Propositions coutched in that Article All which receaue the Sacraments receaue not there with all the things signified by the Sacraments n Propos 11. Hee that shall hold otherwise doth in effect bring in opus operatum againe For although he will say that grace is giuen by virtue of the institution yet hee also saith that by virtue of the institution every infant outwardly baptized is partaker of the inward grace why so because baptized forsooth Now no Pp. will say that baptisme could confer grace if it were not by virtue of divine institution for there are none of theÌ„ so absurd as to say that the outward signes of themselues naturally without respect to the institution doe conferre grace This opinion therefore for substance is the very same with that of the Papists only they haue put on other cloaths vpon it It is as much â—lvâ—sh as the other onely it hath gotten on a Lambs skinne Therefore Dr Whitaâ—â—r disclaimes it in his Treatise de Sacram. in genere quaest 4 cap 1. Non enim ex opere operato ne parvulis quidem gratiam conferri à Sacramentis affirmamus vt necesse sit habere gratiam omnes qui Sacramenta percipiunt And before in explication of the third Proposition he saith In some the Sacraments doe effectually worke in processe of time by the helpe of Gods word read or preached which ingendreth faith Such is the estate principally of infants elected vnto life and salvation and encreasing in yeares And vpon Art 28. Prop. 4. The life spirituall is PECVLIAR to Gods elect Mr Hooker deliuers as much for hauing said that infants receiue the divine virtue of the Holy Ghost in baptisme which giueth to the powers of the soule their first disposition towards future newnesse of life afterwards addes Predestination bringeth not to life without the grace of externall vocation wherein our Baptisme is implied For as we are not naturally men without birth so neither are wee Christian men in the eye of the Church of God but by new birth nor according to the ordinary manifest course of divine dispensation new borne but by that Baptisme which both declareth and maketh vs Christians In which respect we iustly hold it to be the doore of our actuall entrance into Gods house the first apparent beginning of life a seale perhaps to the Grace of ELECTION before receaued but to our sanctification here a step that hath not any before it o Lib. 5. Sect. 60 pag 316. Some it may bee will cavill at the word PERHAPS and say that hee makes it but a Perhaps that men receaue baptisme as a seale of Election But before they doe so let them duly weigh the place and they shall finde that he makes no PERHAPS of this that such as partake of the Grace of Baptisme are elected but only of this that they doe perhaps receaue Baptisme as a seale of grace of election before bestowed on them For hee is dealing with
videre est vt providentissimi erga nos patris familias personam suscipit qui ne post mortâ—m quidem nostram solicitudinem nostri deponit quin liberis nostris consulat ac prospiciat Calvin Instit l 4. cap. 16. Sect. vlt. where the Holy Ghost hath seazed vpon him for Christ so as whether himselfe liue or die he may conceiue good hope that Christ hath taken the charge of his child will prouide all things needfull for it and giue it both grace and glory What a comfort saith a learned writer * M. T. Taylor vpoÌ„ Tit. 3.5 making it one Vse of this very Doctrine is it for a father to see his child washed with the bloud of Iesus Christ Clensed from sinne Set into the visible Church yea into the Body of Christ in the right vse of this Sacrament Wherein a Parent ought more to reioyce then if hee could make it heyre of the world All these considered I appeale to any Vnderstanding Man whether I haue not cause to publish my Labours vpon this subiect out of duty that I owe to the Church of Christ and whether considering how little is done in this kinde it were not worth the best search and greatest labour of the most able Diuines in the kingdome * I am sure D. Whitaker was of this minde Tract de Sacram controu de Bapt quaest 4. c. 5. in principio Where speaking of the efficacy of Baptisme in Infants he hath these words Est autem ea quaestio cum difficilis plena controversiae tum digna quae tractetur explicetur diligenter This is a question that is both difficult full of controversie and such also as is worthy to be haÌ„dled and carefully opened to cleare this point to the full for the edification and comfort of pious and peaceable Christians †What I haue performed herein I humbly offer to bee freely censured by the more Iudicious who truly and indeed are both able and willing to maintaine the publique Doctrine of this Church already established I will not take vpon me to tie all men or any man to my private opinions I knowe that the Learned may without blame dissent from each other in many things so long as they obtrude them not vpon others nor trouble the peace of the Church thereabout Howbeit if this of mine be a private opinion I renounce it and craue pardon of the whole Church of God for troubling the world with such a toy But if it appeare to impartiall Iudges able to weigh it in the ballance of the Sanctuary to be a truth such a truth as the whole Church of England is as much engaged in as my selfe I trust that then it shall finde acceptance with all sober men and by Gods blessing proue profitable to all that in humility and loue desire endeavour to imbrace the truth As for others I shall passe them by with pitty and prayer that they may at length come againe to themselues CAP. 2. The State of the Position NOt to trouble the Reader with any discourse touching the Name or Definition of Baptisme nor yet with the efficacy of Baptisme touching Remission of sinne which I willingly admit let vs now fall vpon the state of the Position touching the efficacy of this Ordinance vpon the Elect vnto Regeneration I shall haue occasion to declare my selfe in the other particulars as I passe along There is no terme in our Position needing explication vnlesse Two the Spirit and Regeneration By Spirit I meane not onely grace wrought by the Spirit but the Holy Ghost dwelling in every true Christian and working Grace Howbeit I consider this Holy Ghost not essentially not personally as the third Person in Trinity but operatiuely as the Spirit of Christ communicated from him to all his members to vnite them vnto himselfe and to bee in them the first principle and as it were the soule of spirituall life It is the Spirit himselfe and not his Graces that first knits vs to Christ * 1. Cor. 12.13 Graces are effects of the vnion not the bond it selfe Nor can some of those things which are attributed to the Spirit dwelling in a Christian possibly be applied to any created Gift or grace infused but only to the Holy Ghost himselfe as for example our Saviours speaking of that Comforter which he would after his departure send to his Disciples to dwell in them saith that when hee is come hee will reproue the world of sinne of righteousnesse and of iudgement Ioh 16.8 which must needs be the act of a person not of a created inanimate gift and in ver 13. whatsoeuer he shall heare that shall he speake and hee will shew you things to come He shall glorify me for he shall receiue of mine and shall shew it vnto you c. In breife no place of Scripture can be produced wherein 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The HOLY GHOST is put only for grace wrought or bestowed and not for the Author of it I am not ignorant that some moderne writers doe holde otherwise but sauing their iudgements I cannot but follow the Fathers soundest schoolemen who soundly maintaine this truth I will not trouble the reader with heapes of Authors * Of this see more in Zanth de Nat. Dei lib. 2. cap. 6. Quaest 2. 3. As also in my learned and much honoured friend Mr. I. Downham Christ-warf part 4. lib. 1. cap. 3. Choquet Lillan De Gra. Sanctific Tom 1. lib. 1. disp 1. ca. 4. I only pray the learned to consider well whether the admitting of this exposition of such texts of Holy writ as mention the dwelling of the Holy Ghost in a Christian viz. that by the HOLY GHOST is meant only Grace wrought or working doth not vnawares giue some countenance to the heresy of the Pneumatomachists Sure I am S. Augustine b Cont. Serm. Arrianorum cap. 20. cap. 29. Cont. maxim lib. 1. lib. 2. cap 11. lib. 3. cap. 21. alibi passim was wont to proue the Godhead of the holy Ghost by this very argument that wee are said to be his Temples and he to dwell in vs. That other of regeneration I take to be all one with spirituall life taken in the largest sense which life according to the Scriptures I distinguish into Initiall and Actuall For as in the naturall sometimes the soule which is vsually called the forme by which and sometimes the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 esse the being it selfe of such or such a creature animated by his soule is put for life as that learned Zanchius well obserueth a De Nat. Dei lib. 2 cap. 5. quest 1. so is it in the Spirituall life whereof we are now to treat And vpon this foundation it is that wee rightly build our present distinction which hath cleare footting also in the sacred Volumes of Eternall Truth 1 Initiall which we may also terme Seminall or Potentiall life I call that which
Church enioyneth 1 The Minister alone thus to bespeake the Congregation when any children are presented at the Font I beseech you to call vpon God the Father through our Lord Iesus Christ that of his bounteous mercy hee will grant to these children that thing which by nature they cannot haue that they may be baptised with water and the HOLY GHOST The Church enioyneth further 2 Both Minister and People to pray Wee beseech thee for thine infinite mercies that thou wilt mercifully looke vpon these children sanctifie them and wash them with the HOLY GHOST Againe in the second Prayer We call vpon thee for these infants that they comming to thy Holy Baptisme may receiue remission of their sinnes by SPIRITVALL regeneration Yet againe in the Third Prayer Giue THY HOLY SPIRIT to these infants that they may bee borne againe and bee made heyres of everlasting salvation The purpose of the Church then is to teach vs that wee should expect the Spirit of Christ to be communicated in Baptisme to elect infants or else it must be concluded that the Church meant to mocke vs by putting vs to pray for that which shee doth not beleeue we shall receaue If any shall say the Church teacheth vs to pray indeed for the Regeneration of a child when hee is baptised but not for his present regeneration I answere yes for his present Regeneration not actuall ordinarily such as that he after attaines vnto in his effectuall calling by the Word yet Initiall and Potentiall as was before distinguished as shall appeare in the proofe of the second branch of the Assumption which is this viz 2 The Church concludeth in her Leiturgie that the child is initially regenerate in his Baptisme For 1 It pronounceth him to be regenerate enioyning the Minister thus to speake vnto the people seeing now D. B. that these children be regenerate and grafted into the Body of Christs congregation let vs giue thankes vnto God for these benefits c. And least any should shift this off by saying they are Sacramentally regenerated but not spiritually by any actuall reception of the spirit at that time the Solemne Thanksgiuing following is added to cut the throat of this shiftlesse glosse Let vs examine it in the next place 2 It teacheth vs all thus to ioyne in Thanksgiuing vnto God Wee yeeld thee hearty thankes most mercifull Father that it hath pleased thee to regenerate this infant how and with what with thy HOLY SPIRIT to receiue him for thine owne child by Adoption what words can more fully manifest the Churches intention to teach vs that all infants truly belonging to the couenant of grace doe ordinarily receiue the spirit in Baptisme not as a thing which none of them had before but as that of which there was no certainty vnto vs nor confirmation vnto them before in the ordinary course of diuine Dispensation of the Spirit by meanes If the matter be not yet cleare enough to such as shut their eyes against it Let them further attend to what the Church requireth vs that are Ministers to pronounce touching a child baptized rightly in private In the forme of Priuate Baptisme I certify you that in this case all is well done and according to due order concerning the baptizing of this child who being borne in Originall sinne and in the wrath of God is now by the Lauer of Regeneration in baptisme receiued into the number of the CHILDREN OF GOD AND HEIRES OF EVERLASTING LIFE for our Lord doth not deny his grace and mercy vnto such infants but most louingly calls them to him as the Holy Gospell doth witnesse vnto our comfort on this wise At a certaine time they brought Children to Christ c. Picke any other sense then I haue done out of the Leiturgy especially when it shall be further cleared by the Doctrine of the Church eris mihi magnus Apollo But some will be readdy to stop me here with sundry Obiections which must be answered 3 Obiections before my way will be cleare to goe forward Obiect 1 1 Some will be apt to say The Church perhaps teacheth vs thus to pray and iudge of infants baptized but doth not well in so doing and that if this be the meaning of our Booke of common prayer we ought not to ioyne in such a prayer To this I answere that it is indeed very true that some haue beene so bold as to put the ly vpon that which the Minister pronounceth touching regeneration of the infant baptized saying in plaine termes That is a ly Bvt sauing their fowle mouthes I trust this shall appeare euen out of the Scriptures themselues in our next chapter to be the truth and that Gods owne infallible truth will beare vs out in it I may not here preuent my selfe Howbeit something to stay the stomacks of such as quarrell our Church for this point or me for misinterpreting our Church let me alleadge out of a good Author whom both they and I doe reuerence and shew his iudgement in the point Mr Tho. Tailor The person I meane is the learned industrious author of the English Comentarie vpon S. Paules Epistle to Titus Hee in writing vpon the 3 cap. and ver 5. of that Epistle is so expressely engaged in this point that all the wit of man cannot fetch him off without tergiuersation which is the iudgement of all men that euer I yet met with who haue throughly read and considered both the place and ALL THAT EITHER GOES BEFORE OR FOLLOWES AFTER in that Author to that purpose Nor am I afraid to referre my selfe to be iudged by the whole World whether I haue abused him or not promising that if it appeare to able and impartiall iudges that in what I haue alleaged out of him I haue wronged him I will aske him forgiuenesse vpon my knees as publique as euer I made the fault· That Author hauing treated of the efficacy of Baptisme and proued that in men of yeares faith is required to receiue the grace offered therein descends to a Question which in the margent of Pag. 642. he thus giues the Summe of How baptisme is effectuall to infants His words in explication hereof are these Quest But howsoeuer in men of yeares faith is required vnto Baptisme yet we are most to respect it as administred vnto children in whom we cannot expect faith and therefore vnto them either faith is not requisite or by the former answere their Baptisme is vnprofitable Answ This well is deepe and we want wherewith to draw certainty of resolution but will assay in some propositions to deliuer summarily that which may be extracted out of the SCRIPTVRES EXPOSITORS * Marke Mr Tailor could find Scriptures and Expositors too for thi◠Position that he here deliuers as MOST Probable for the vnfolding of this difficulty To which purpose let vs first DISTINGVISH of INFANTS of whom some be elected and some belong not to the electiō of grace These latter
vs by the Lauer of regeneration Vide etiam Iucer de vi effic Bapt. iâ—ter opera Anglic. pag 597. and of the renewing of the Holy Gost which he shed on vs abundantly by Jesus Christ our sauiour Lastly the Author of the Commentary vpon Titus as hath bin already declared at large in our former chapter is expresse for this that not only persons actually beleeuing but euen elect infants also doe ordinarily receiue in the right vse of Baptisme the inward grace And this he speakes as grounded on this very text vnlesse we will say that he forgate his text when he spake it which to impute vnto him were in my apprehension a wronging of him wherefore I conclude this argument thus If the iudgment of Caluine Zanchius Peter Martyr And the Author of our English commentary on Titus be sound in exposition of this scripture it doth proue the ordinary communication of the spirit of Regeneration as well to infants elect as to persons of yeares that actually beleeue which is the substance of our maine Position My third and last argument is drawne Arg. 3 from another vse of baptisme to wit our insition and incorporation into Christ I frame it thus Maior That which baptizeth elect infants into the death of Christ initially incorporateth them into the true mysticall body of Christ in their baptisme must needs be ordinarily communicated to them in that ordinance Minor But it is the spirit of Christ that thus doth Conclus Therefore the spirit of Christ according to the scripture is ordinarily giuen to the elect in Baptisme The Maior is confirmed thus The elect are baptized into Christs death when they are baptized outwardly and sacramentally therefore they must needs then receiue that by which this is done The Antecedent is expresse scripture Rom. 6 3.4 Know ye not that so many of vs as were baptized into Christ were baptized into his death Therefore we are buried with him by Baptisme into death c. What is this to infants May some man say Yes saith S. Augustine e Ac per hoc etiam ad ipsos nempe parvulos pertinet quod sequitur dicens consepulâ—i illi sumus per baptismum in mortem Aug. Enchirid cap. 52. it doth pertaine euen to infants also when it is said wee are buried with him by baptisme into death And Learned Danaeus commenting on that passage of Austin defends him in it if it be restrained to the elect and vnderstood only of initiall regeneration f Ergo siâ—em regenerationem habent parvuli electi Dei et si nondum illius opera nobis apparent ea dona habent pro ratione aetatis i. pro capacitate vasis I amb Dan. in Augustin Euch. ibid. And doth Calvine set narrower bounds vnto this Text Calvine doth not say as some doe that the Apostle wrot thus because they were actuall beleeuers to whom he writeth but he affirmes it to be from the very institution it selfe the common benefit of all vs that are now baptized although hee could not but know and remember that we were not baptised at mans estate but in our infancy His words are these It is a thing saith he out of all controversie true that we put on Christ in Baptisme were baptised vpon this very ground that we should be one with Him g Extra controuersiam induere nos Christum IN Bâ—ptismo hac lege nos baptiza ri vt vnum cum ipso simus Caluin in Rom. 6. Was Calvine thinke we asleep when hee wrote this or they not in a dreame rather that doe deny it Let no man tell mee that hee and all the Authors I haue named or can name doe more often speake against this very Position then for it and that it is easie to produce them in more then an hundred places avouching this expressely that the sacraments doe profit no man but him that hath faith to apply the grace offered in them and so Caluine himselfe speakes plainly in that very place besides sundry other passages that he hath elsewhere to this very purpose touching the efficacy of Baptisme I am not either so ignorant as these men would make me in the Authors I quote nor yet so impious as to corrupt mine Authors in such manner as some insinuate It is very true that Caluine * Instit lib. 4. cap. 14. cap. 15. nec non in Commentarijs eius super Sanct. script passim and other reuerend Diuines doe often require faith as the hand of the soule to apply vnto the beleeuer the grace offered in the Sacraments But is it not also as true that both Caluine and the rest haue also written all that which I haue alleadged out of them If not then let mee beare the blame for euer If so why doe men complaine that I wrong mine Authors If I alleadge a passage out of Bellarmine against the Popish Tenet in any particular will any man conclude that I haue wronged him because they are able to shew that Bellarmine himselfe writes the quite contrary in some other parts of his workes If I finde an Author speaking for me I cannot be iustly taxed of falsifying him although he speake neuer so directly against me in another place vnlesse it appeare that he retracted the first and professeth an alteration of his iudgment So then these Quick and Great-Read men are too hastie in their sentence that J haue wronged mine Authors although I had no other Plea in Barre but only this Howbeit that I may giue them a little further satisfaction then they deserue know all men by these presents that for asmuch as Caluine and the rest doe acknowledge a present efficacy of Baptisme in infants elected although they doe not actually beleeue and for asmuch also as these Authors haue neuer recanted such their iudgement of those infants those other speeches of theirs which require actuall faith must of necessity be vnderstood with limitation and reference only to such as are of years * So Caluin in Mat. 19.14 talium est regnum Dei thus writeth against the Anabaptists cauill Quod autem non aliter reconciliari ros Deo adoptionis haeredes fieri contenducit quam fide hoc de adultis fatemur sed quod ad iâ—fantes attinet falsum esse convincit hic locus whereas they contend that wee are only by faith reconâ—iled to God and made heires of adoption we acknowledge it to be true of persons of years but that it is false in the case of infants this very place of our Sauiour conuinceth because it saith that eueÌ„ of such is the kingdâ—me of God for asmuch as none of these can haue any actuall comfort and sensible evidence of the inward grace conferred vpon him in his Baptisme nor bee actually a partaker thereof on his own part without actuall faith to apprehend and apply the same Thus that Acurate Chameir expresseth himselfe in treating of this very Argument sometimes hee affirmes
verè Goulartius in hunc ipsum notauit locum Quaecunque profere sâc epistola Cyprianus noster de S. Baptismi in electis Christi varijs effectis vt orthadoxè ad fidei analogiam scriptum amplectimur Cham. de sacram lib. 2. c. 6. parag 38. 2 Gregory Nazianzen calls Baptisme That Good thing which giues vs initiation into Christ Gregory NazianzeÌ„ which common benifit and foundation of new life we all receiue from God f 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Imitationis diuina bonum quod commune beneficium secundae vitae fundamentuÌ„ a Deo omnes habemnus Greg. in Laud. Gorgo In his Oration or Homily touching baptisme after a large and eloquent narration of the efficacy of baptisme he saith that it hath force euen vpon Infants also and therefore would haue them baptized vpon this ground that he takes it for granted that they also are in some degree sanctified euen in baptisme Witnesse that speech of his It is better that they be sanctified without any apprehension of the thing done then that they should depart this life without baptisme and initiation And of this thing circumcision may afford vs president for that being the fore-runner of baptisme was administred vnto such as could n thy the vse of reason discerne what it meant g 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Edit Graecolat Billii Pa is 1609. Praestatu absque sensu sanctificari quam sine sigillo initiatione abscedere Atque huius rei ratio nobis est circumcisio die octauo pagi solita quae Baptismi figurâ—m quodammodo g râ—bat aâ—que tis qui rationis adhuc expertes erant offerebatur which place I vrge not to proue the necessity of Baptisme as if without reception thereof it were impossible for infants to be saued for I make no doubt that in the time of the Law many infants were saued that dyed before the eighth day wherein they were to be circumcised But I make vse hereof only to shew what that Gregory beleeued and taught touching that which is ordinarily communicated in Baptisme even vnto Infants as well as others supposing them to be admitted therevnto 3 That Great Athanasius who Athanasius in his time was the chiefe and in a manner the only professed Champion the Truth had left her when as Hierome complaines the whole world seemed to be turned Arrian A man that was by the sentence of all Divines the most approued Doctor as Vigilius h Omnium Ecclesiasticorum virorum iudicio probatissimus Vigil cont Eutich l. 2. c. 4. the Martyr titles him Hee in his Booke of Questions dedicated to Antiochus Quaest 2. propounds this Question Whence may a man knowe plainely that he hath beene baptized and receaued the Spirit in baptisme seeing hee was but an infant when he was baptized The answere hee giues vnto it is this As a woman with child by the springing of the babe in her wombe knowes for certaine that she hath conceaved fruit so the soule of a TRVE CHRISTIAN knowes not by the reports of his parents but by the springings of his heart especially vpon those solemne dayes wherein Baptisme and the Lords Supper are administred and by the inward ioyes that then hee conceaues that he receaued the Holy Ghost when he was baptized i 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This testimony is so cleare and full that I knowe not what can be said to evade it He speakes indefinitly therefore he excludeth none that are Christians indeed but vnto them he doth restraine it in expresse termes so he speaks directly to our present point 4 Chrysostome one of the best and clearest Expositors of the New Testament among all the Fathers calls Baptisme our initiation into Christ k HoÌ„ 1. in Act. And to let vs see that hee meanes it not of an outward admission only into the visible Church hee afterwards declares himselfe when he makes the spirit to be the cheife part of baptisme as if there were no baptisme worth that name which is not accompanied with the presence of the spirit to make it efficacious Jn Baptisme the cheife part is the spirit by which the water becomes effectuall l 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hom. 1. in Act. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hom. 40. in Act. If any shall say that this proues not that the spirit doth alwaies accompany the outward washing but rather the contrary because Chrysostome speakes this of the Apostles that had beene baptized and yet were commanded by Christ after his resurrection to stay at Hierusalem in expectation of the Holy Ghost saying Yee shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many daies hence m Act. 1.5 I answer that Chrysostome admits that in them the case was such indeed but saith he in vs both are performed together n 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aom 1. in Act. I stand not to iustifie his Exposition of the place in respect of what he saith touching the bestowing of the Holy Ghost vpon the Apostles as if they had not receaued of the spirit in some measure before that time Let that opinion shift for it selfe as it can I only vrge the words to shew his iudgment of this thing viz that now we Christians receaue the spirit in baptâ—sme as well as the outward signe * That this was his iudgment even of infants also appeares in his Homil. on Ps 14. i 15. iuxta Heb. Adducit quispiam infantem adhuc vbera sugentem vt baptizetur statim Sacâ—rdos exigit ab infirma aetate pacta conventa assensiones mâ—noris aetate fiâ—â—â—ussâ—râ—â— accipit susceptorem interrogat Renunciat Satanae non dicit In finem vel cum Christo â—â—mungitur in sineÌ„ sed statim in principio vitae petit renunciationes coniunctiones And yet least any should imagine him to be so grosse as to thinke that all that partake of the outward washing doe receaue the inward grace heare him afterwards in the same Homily expressing his griefe for the contrary What anguish of heart saith hee doe J sustaine so often as I see some even when they are ready to breath their last runne vnto Baptisme and yet are never a whit the more purged by it o 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eduio Savil. Ibid. Quos aestus pectoris sentio quoties alios video subextremum balitum festinantes ad initiatioâ—em nec hinc fieri puriores ibid. prope sin edit Lat. This Father therefore did not hold that all that are baptized doe partake of the Spirit in Baptisme how euer his iudgment were cleare for it in the Ordinary course of Divine dispensation Nor let any Arminian thinke to take me tardy as if I abused the Reader by alleaging that which mine Author speakes of Persons of yeares who doe oftentimes ponere obicem actually oppose the spirit of grace even while they be present at the meanes of grace to proue the like in the case of Infants For howeuer it be too
consequent regeneration for as much as these two are inseparable All this that reuerend Iewel very well knew yet is not afaid to subscribe to their doctrine Yea in the same Apology he thus particularly deliuereth his iudgment concerning infants d Defence chap. 11. divis 3. pag 216. Wee say that Baptisme is a sacrament of there-mission of sinnes and of that washing which wee haue in the blood of Christ and that no person that will professe Christs name ought to be restrained or kept back there from no not the very babes of Christians for as much as they be borne in sinne and doe pertaine vnto the people of God I thinke his words are plaine enough to proue that infants partake of remission of sinne in Baptsme because saith he baptisme is a sacrament of remission and because infants are to be baptized vpon this ground viz not only because they are part of Gods heritage but vpon this ground that they be borne in sinne Now if they ought to be baptized vnto remission of sinne because borne in sinne will any man well in his wits conclude other then thus therefore they doe partake of remission of sinne in Baptisme I doe imagine some will be ready to pull me by the sleeue and say I pray Sir looke againe B. Iewel calls baptisme the Sacrament of Remission not remission it selfe and this he may doe yet neuer hold remission of sinnes to bee conferred in baptisme of infants but only that it is a seale of that grace hereafter to be conferred when by faith they apply the same Indeed so M. Harding the Papist e See in B. Iew. ibid. pag. 217. would needs vnderstand him charging him and the rest of the Protestants with speaking too slenderly of baptisme in that they call it a sacrament of Remission whereby if yee will beleeue him they meane that it is only a signe or token or at the best but a seale of our new birth and not beleeuing with the Catholique Church accordâ—ng to the Scriptures that in and by baptisme sinnes be fully and truly remitted and put away All this M. Harding would father vpon our Church but pray marke the note that Jewel puts in the margent pag 217 ouer against that calumny of Harding viz. vntruth For wee say not so And whereas M. Harding is pleased to goe on in his railing veine professing that the Church beleeues that remission of sinnes is giuen in baptisme f Ibid. and that not through the faith only of the giuer or receiuer or of any other though herevnto it be necessary in those that be come to age of discretion but through the power and virtue of the sacrament and Gods promise B. Jewel to that word faith giues this note in the margent This tale is needlesse and out of season As if he should say in the baptisme of infants we require not faith but rely only on Gods promise For so more at large in his answere to Harding Hee explicates himselfe First he granteth it as a truth that the sacrament dependeth neither of the minister nor of the receiuer nor of any other for though they be all the children of sinne yet is baptisme the sacrament of remission of sinne The place he alledgeth out of Saint Augustine speakes his minde plainly that he depends vpon Christ himselfe for the efficacy of baptisme and not vpon the faith of the receiuer if he be an infant of which only the question betwene Him and Harding was by Harding himselfe put vp who chargeth the Protestants with denying the present efficacy of baptisme vnto Remission of sinnes vpon infants for want of actuall faith Notwithstanding because the Aduersary is so brag and confident that the Fathers stood not vpon faith in the baptizing of infants the Bishop is pleased a little to take downe his pride and to discouer his ignorance in the Fathers and shewes out of S. Augustine and S. Hierome that to the intent Baptisme might be effectuall vnto infants they thought it requisite that the faith of their parents should then be imployed on their behalfe and be imputed to them But yet for his owne part he professeth his dissent from that opinion although it might be further backed out of Iustine Martyr S. Cyprian and Saint Hierome For thus they write saith he How truly I will not say But their words be plaine The Prophet Habbacuck saith Iustus ex fide suâ vivet the iust man shall liue not by the faith of his parents but by his owne faith Then he approueth a speech of Augustine more consonant to the truth affirming that g Habent fidem propter fidei sacramentum Epist 23. ad Bonif. Infants haue faith of their owne because they haue baptisme which is the sacrament of faith for he saith quemadmodum sacramentum corporis Christi secundum quendam modum corpus Christi est ita sacramentum fidei fides est As the sacrament of Christs body not verily and indeed but after a certaine manner of speech is Christs body so baptisme is faith because it is the sacrament of faith Therefore saith Iewel Cardinall Caietane is worthily blamed by Catharinus in that he saith An infant for that hee wanteth instruction in faith therefore hath not perfect baptisme Out of all which I can picke no other English but this There is no necessity that we should holde a necessity of faith in infants yet if they haue any it is but improperly so called it is that not which they brought with them to the sacrament but that which they are reputed to receiue in the sacrament it selfe And this in effect is the very doctrine of h Instit lib 4. cap. 16. sect 21. compared with other passages in the same chapter Caluine set forth at large in the former chapter viz. that it is not requisite alwaies that a Christian should bring grace vnto baptisme to make him capable of the grace of baptisme but he must come to baptisme that there he may receiue it if he be not of yeares as he that is of yeares receiues a confirmation of that which was wrought in him before And so much this same Bishop in his Reply to M. Hardings Answer Art 1. Div. 13. of which place wee shall perhaps haue fitter occasion afterwards to speake in effect declareth also For the present you see that what euer becomes of the faith of infants he ioynes with Catharinus in condemning of Caietane denying infants to be perfectly baptized for want of instruction in faith Then he expresseth that as the Antient Fathers did so doth he hold baptisme to be efficacious yet not the outward element but the spirit of Christ doth the deed when it is effected In breefe he denyes not the thing to be conferred even on infants but only the manner which the Romanists contend for They say that the blood and spirit of Christ is in the very outward clement by the consecration of the Preist as the virtue of healing is naturall