erroneous must needs be the opiniō of Caluin And not onlie are the Sectaries of this age content to approue allow with Caluin that parents rather should permitte their Children to dye without Baptisme then in any case whatsoeuer to seeke or suffer ther Sacrament to be giuen or ministred by any Lay person Not onlie I say doe they mayntaine this wicked position and dangerous doctrine concerning children and Infants but also would counsell and aduise men of age and vnderstanding newlie conuerted if they should be in danger of death not hauing any Priest or minister readie rather to relie vpon their faith then to demaund Baptisme at a Lay-mans hand This is manifest for at the Conference the Sectaries had at mount Peglier as reporteth Florimond de Roemond in his Historie of the heresies of this age where Beza being present Flor. Roem li. 8. ca. 11. asked this question of Smedeline Brentius Disciple what he would doe or what Counsell he would giue if a Iewe or Pagan in case of necessitie should demaund Baptisme at the hands of a Lay-man not hauing a minister readie I would aduise him sayeth he to repose himself vpon his faith and not to require Baptisme at the hands of any lay person But put the case sayed Beza that the Iewe or Pagan thought with himself and were fullie persuaded that his fayth were not sufficient to saluation without Baptisme Then answered Smedetine I would say vnto him Goe then to the Diuells and dwell with them Wherupon Beza iesting replied what M. Doctor I perceaue you will be a miserable Conforter in this miserable case of necessitie CAP. 5. VVhether Baptisme may lawfullie be ministred priuatly in priuate houses by priuate Persons IT is manifest and doubted of few or none that in the Primitiue Church in the begining of Christianitie this Sacrament was ministred in priuate houses not in publike places by reason at that tyme there were no publike Churches or Chappell 's builded neither were the Christians suffered anie publike vse or exercise of their Religion but continually pursued by Purseuants and other such like officers extreamly persecuted by the Pagan Empeperours I may well compare this tyme and state now of England with that of the Primitiue Church For it is euident to the whole world that Christian Catholike people of England are forced to Baptize priuatlie in their houses and that with hazarde of great penaltie they are allowed no publike Church nor Chappell no publike vse or exercise of their Religion but their Priests the true Ministers of this Sacrament are continuallie pursued by Purseuants and other Officers and extreamlie persecuted by Protestans euen to death But after the Church began to be setled persecution to cease Christianitie to florish the vse and exercise of Religion permitted then were Churches builded fonts and Baptisteries publiklie erected as is euident and at this day extant in the mother-Mother-Church of the world in the Cittie of Rome There is now standing Baptisterium Constantin◠The Baptisterie of Constantine the first Christian Emperour And the like you shall find by the generall vse and practise of the whole Church throughout all Catholike countreys publikes fonts and Baptisteries erected in their Churches for the publike vse of this Sacrament And in processe of tyme because some began rather to Baptize in their priuate houses then publiklie at the fonts and Baptisteries of the Church in the Councell of Vienna priuate Baptisme was forbidden in houses and publike communded as may appeare by the Constitution of Clement the Fifth Clem. tit de Baptis except alwayes in case of necessitie in danger of death or as a prerogatiue for Princes Children Wherfore I may conclude that in England notwithstanding this Constitution we may lawfullie Baptize in priuate houses because we are in case of necessitie as in the Primitiue Church no Churches fonts nor Baptisteries allowed no publike exercise of Religion our Priests pursued and persecuted to death So that our necessitie compelleth vs not to be subiect to this Constitution but exempteth vs as the Glosse doth expresse Necessitas legi non subiacet Ibid. lor. cit Necessitie hath no lawe And thus much for the place Now concerning the Persons whether a priuate Person may lawfullie Baptize First we must not what we vnderstand by a priuate person A priuate person is he who hath no publike authoritie by imposition of hands or holi Orders solemnlie to Baptize that is we call a priuate person a meere Lay-man And priuate Baptisme we call that which is performed in case of necessitie by a Lay-man or woman priuatlie without solemnitie or Ceremonies not in Church nor Cappell but in priuate houses I suppose in the precedent chapter I haue sufficientlie proued that it may lawfullie be done and being so done to be sufficient and auaylable This controuersie was particularlie handled betweene the Proetstant Bishops and the Puritans in the presence of Kinh Iames at the Conference at Hampton Court 1603. The Bishop of Worcester to proue that other besides Bishops or Priests Bils of worces meere Lay-mē might also lawfullie Baptise and that their Baptisme might be sufficient brought vrget the facte of the Apostles that vpon one day three thousand were Baptised VVhich was sayeth the Bisoppe impossible or at least improbable for the Apostles to performe in their owne Persons Wherfore in case of necessitie in this multitude of people they permitted Lay-men for there were no other at that tyme to assist them and Baptize and approued their Baptisme as sufficient and auaylable Bish. of winch Also D. Bilson Bishop of Winchester earnestlie vrged that to denie priuate persons in case of necessitie to Baptise were to crosse all antiquitie seing it had bene the auncient common practise of the Church when the Priest or minister can not be had that Lay-men performe it Also that it was a rule agreed vpon amongst Diuines That the Minister was not of the essence of this Sacrament Bils fo 18. therfore in case of necessitie it might lawfullie be executed by any other then Priest or Minister Not withstanding the Kings maiestie being earnest against priuate Baptisme by Lay-persons answered the Bishop and replyed Although sayed the King the Ministers be not of the essence of the Sacrament yet is he of the essence and lawfull righ and ministerie of the Sacrament But if it be an essentiall point in the administration of Baptisme that the Baptizer be a lawfull Bishop Priest or Minister then it must needes followe if it be acted or administred by any other then a Bishop Priest or Minister that it wanteth an essentiall parte in administration and consequentlie not auaylable of no force nor perfect For nothing is perfect that wanteth his essentiall parte Why then doe they admitte for baptized those who haue had Lay-men for their Baptizers and not Rebaptize them againe For either they must needes say that Baptisme is not absolutlie necessarie to saluation and therfore
that is a man by Martirdome may be sayed to be Baptised and bathed in his owne bloud cleansed and washed from sinne Also by the flames of Charitie and loue towards God the Holy Ghost working with the teares of Contrition and compunction of harte may be sayed to haue his soule purged from sinne and the rust and canker thereof consumed It is manifest that Martirdome in Scripture is called Baptisme Mar. 10. For Christ sayed to Iohn and Iames the sonnes of Zebede Potestis bibere calicem c Can you drinke the Cuppe I drinke or be Baptized with the Baptisme where with I am to be Baptised And he sayed they should signifiyng that Martirdome is Baptisme Also it is sayed in the Apocalyps Hi sunt qui venerunt ex magna Apoc. 7. c. These are they who are came out of greate tribulation and haue washed their stoles and haue made them white in the bloud of the lambe And for flammis no doubt but when the soule shall be enflammed with perfect Charitie and the hart by the worke of the Holy Ghost be moued to beleeue in God to loue him to be penitent for his sinnes it is a kind of Baptisme and will supplie the want of the Sacrament in case of necessitie And it is plaine in Scripture that Penitencie is called Baptisme for it is sayed Luc. 3. Mar. 1. Ezech. 18. Iohn was preaching the Baptisme of Penance vnto remission of sinnes And thus much Ezechiel the Prophet confirmeth If the impious man shall doe Penance fore his sinnes I will remember no more his iniquitie Wherefore I conclude that by Martirdome and Penance in necessity the Sacrament of Baptisme may be supplied CAP. 13. How there can be vnitie of Baptisme if there be three in distinction Ephes 4 WE make no doubt but S. Paule sayeth Vna fides vnum Baptisma vnus Christus Thereis one faith one Baptisme one Christ Also the Nicene Creed maketh professioÌ„ of one Baptisme Credo vnum Baptisma in remissionem peccatorum I beleeue one Baptisme vnto remission of sinnes Howe then can there be a distinction of Baptismes Or how can these three keepe vnitie of one Baptisme S. Thomas answereth That the vnitie of Baptisme is not taken away by this distinction Th. 3. p. q 66. a. 11 ad 1. because the two first of Bloud and Charitie Sanguinis flamminis are included in the third of vvater which hath his efficacie and force from one â—untaine the Passion of Christ and the Holy Ghost â—lso they worke all one effect and by one princiâ—all cause the effect is Remission of sinnes confeâ—ng of grace washing and cleansing of the soule â—he principall cause is the Holie Ghost For â—lthough the meanes be different that is By â—loud by fire by water yet the effect and prinâ—ipall Agent being all one the difference of â—eanes doth not take away vnitie Moreouer the two first are included in the Saâ—rament of Baptisme and onlie take place in case of necessitie when Baptisme can not be had As â—or example If a man should be iustified and haâ—e Originall sinne blotted out by Penance by â—oue towards God by Contrition and vowe of Baptisme yet afterwards although his sinne â—hould be thus remitted and he made Iust if â—he should contemne the Sacrament that is Baâ—tisme of water he should for this his conâ—empt be damned and neuer enter into heauen And this is proued by the example of Nicodemus for although when he came to Christ he had faith and Charitie and beleeued in him yet Christ sayed vnto him Vnlesse one be borne of water and the Holy Ghost Ioa. 3. Aug. li. 4. de Bap. ca. 21. Act. 10. he can not enter into the Kingdome of heauen And S. Augustine writing against the Donatists sayeth Although Cornelius the Italian Centurion of whom it is written in the Acts of the Apostles were a Iust man and had receaued the Holy Ghost yet if he should haue neglected the SacrameÌ„t of Baptisme ConteÌ„ptus taÌ„ti Sacramenti reus fieret He should haue bene guiltie of the contempte of so greate a Sacrament which is the gate to saluation CAP. 14. Whether if one Baptised in his owne bloud should ouerliue were after of necessitie to be Baptised with water THe case is if one sholud be leaft by his Persecutour as dead but yet after reuiue againe as it happened to S. Sebastian although he were readie to shed his bloud and yeald his life for Christian faith yet I make no doubt if he should thus ouerliue but that he ought to be baptised with water And in no respect nor for anie reason of being ready to suffer martirdom or other wayes to coÌ„temne or neglect the Sacrament My reason is because this Sacrament being ordained and commaunded by Christ as a necessarie remedie for the soule of man is of necessitie to saluation In re or In voto that is In deed or In vowe Wherefore he that should neglect it or contemne it although other wayes iustified should doe against the ordinance and commaundement of Christ For Christ sayed vnto Nicodemus a beleeuing man a faithfull man but not fullie instructed in Baptisme Ioa. 3. vnlesse a man be borne of water and the Holy Ghost he can not enter into the kingdome of heauen Also the example of Cornelius is more apparent Act. 10. and conuinceth that Baptisme is necessarie because the Scripture doth say That he was a Iust man in respect of his morall vertues one that feared God who also had receaued the Holie Ghost at the preaching of S. Peter yet was he Baptised by S. Peter Although such may be the grace of God to some that they may haue remission of sinnes and sanctitie also receaue the Holie Ghost before anie Sacrament be ministred yet not withstanding they must of necessitie be Baptised with water Wherefore I conclude that although martyrdome and Contrition may in necessitie supplie the want of this Sacrament yet they are not sufficient to saluation but in case of necessitie when the other can not be had but if euer it come so to passe that they may receaue it they are bound vnto it And I am of opinion that if one should be a Martyr and die and after be raysed miraculouslie againe to life and ouerliue that he ought to seeke and receaue the Sacrament of Baptisme that he may thereby receaue the indeleble Character of a Christian CAP. 15. Whether Baptisme of Bloud be more worthie then Baptisme Flaminis of Charitie or then the Sacrament TO suffer death for confessing of Christ to be true God and man to shed his bloud for testimonie of the true Church of God to suffer persecution for Gods cause to yeeld his life for Religion and Iustice sake finallie to be a Martyr hath euer beene accounted the perfectest acte and greatest signe of the loue of God that could proceed from man in this mortall life And this Christ hath confirmed Maiorem charitatem c. Ioa.
quem vult indurat vnto whom God will he sheweth mercie and doth indurate whom he will Those who come of their owne accord Christ accepteth and not those who are forced Therfore sayeth the Councell Non vi Con. 4. Toleta can 56. sed liberi arbitrij voluntate vt conuertantur suadendi sunt They are not by force to be compelled but they are to be perswaded that freelie willinglie they may be conuerted For it is necessitie that the partie who is to be Baptized giue his Consent and good will to Baptisme For if by force without his consent not hauing faith he be vrged he hath no Sacrament no Baptisme In thise case of Sisebutius the Iewes being compelled either to make their choyce to be banished depart the realme or els to be baptized they consenting by this coaction or compulsion rather to be Baptized then to be banished because it is a consent although coacte by compulsion they receiue Baptisme that is the Character and signe of a Christian but not grace saluation or Iustification as shall be proued in the sequent chapter Read C. maiores de Baptismo eius effectu lib. 3. docretalium titulo 42. CAP. 18. VVhether he who cometh to this Sacrament fainedly not hauing in deed faith in Christ be Baptized TRue it is and we can not denie that he who fainedlie cometh to be Baptized doth and may receaue the Sacrament of Baptime that is the character signe and seale of a Christian and therfore not to be rebaptized when he cometh after to beleeue aright But he that thus fainedlie and without faith doth approche shall neuer be saued for as S. Paule sayeth Rom. 3. The Iustice of God is by faith of Iesus Christ. He that will come to God must beleeue Hâ—b 11. And it is impossible to please God without faith Therfor Christ sayed Quicre diderit c. He that beleeueth is Baptized Mar. 16. shall be saued and he that beleeueth not shall be daÌ„ned Wherfore seeing and considering that faith is so necessarie to the obtaining of Baptisme we conclud that euen in children and naturall fooles there must be faith And because neither of them children nor fooles are capable of actuall faith as those at mans estate and vnderstanding are therfore we Catholikes say that Aliena fides The fait of an other that is of the Church is sufficient for them But for those of the elder sorte and of vnderstanding we defend that it is necessarie they haue actuall faith or els it will be with them as it was with Iudas who receaued the Sacrament of the Bodie of our Lord at the hands of Christ in his last supper but not the effect of the Sacrament because he receaued vnworthelie to his owne damnation So also he that approcheth to Baptisme fainedly without faith may doth receaue the Sacrament and hath the character and signe of a Christian but he shall neuer haue the effect and end of the Sacrament that is grace Iustification or saluation For example some Iewes desire Baptisme not for the faith they haue in Iesus Christ but because their flesh and skinne doth sauour and stinke therfore they are called Iudai foetentes stinking Iewes But as soone as they are Baptized this filthie sauour of their bodies is gone and they smell as sweet as anie other Christians doe so that some of them may for this cause onlie require Baptisme I say they may haue the Sacrament although they come with this corrupt intention but neuer shall they haue the effect and end of this Sacrament In like manner we read of some Sarracens Turkes who desire baptisme not with true faith in Christ but being sore sicke or troubled and vexed with an euill spirit hauing experience that by Baptisme they may be deliuered they seeke and desire Baptisme for this cause onlie that they may receaue their health and be deliuered from the vexation of the Deuill These kind of men also may receaue the Sacrament but they shall not haue saluation and iustification if they haue not true faith and beleefe in Christ Wherfore to conclud one may come to this Sacrament faineldlie and with a false harte without faith with a corrupt intention and be Baptized but he shall neuer haue saluation and iustification therby as hath beene proued CAP. 19. VVhether he that is Baptized may be compelled to liue according to Christian Catholike lawes NO man ought to be compelled to Christian faith nor forced to receaue Baptisme as hath bene proued but they must approch and come voluntarilie and willinglie and to be wonne by reason perswasion preaching And therfore the Church hath no authoritie iurisdiction nor power to force or compell those who neuer receaued Baptisme to the obseruation of Christian lawes or Ecclesiasticall Constitutions And this S. Paule hath taught and practised and would not iuge them 1. Cor. 5. who were not Baptized Quid mihi de ijs qui foris sunt iudicare what is it to me to iuge of them that are without But if once they submitted themselues vnder the yoake of Iesus Christ receaued the Sacrament of Baptisme and were incorporate as members of the bodie of Christ misticall then no doubt but they are vnder the iurisdiction and power of the Church And therfore S. Paule although he would not iudge the Infidell or vnbaptized yet it is plaine he excommunicated the publike incestious Corinthian 1. Cor. 5. and coÌ„maunded not to keepe companie or so much as to eate with him Therfore in so much as one by Baptisme is incorporate and made a member of the Church he is subordinate to the Iurisdiction of the Church and so consequentlie subiecte to the Censures lawes and Constitutions of the same and therfore may be compelled to obserue Christian rites and Constitutions and be forced to liue accordinglie THE FIFTH BOOKE of the Ceremonies CAP. 1. VVhat a Ceremonie is A Ceremonie is an externall actâ— of Religion which is exhibited acted and done to the honour and worshippe of God Considering that man doth coÌ„sist of soule and body not of body only nor of soule onlie but of both ioyntlie therfore there is internall worship and honour proceeding from the soule and there is also externall exhibited acted and done by outward acts and signes The first honour or adoration which we call internall is the chiefe and principall and that which most pleaseth God and it is threefold that is exercised by three speciall vertues ffirst by faith true beleefe in God secoÌ„dly by a firme hope of Gods mercie grace towards vs a coÌ„fidence of life eternall a trust that God will performe his promises made to his Church thirdlie by a feruent loue of God Aboue all creatures These are the three Theologicall Diuine vertues fayth hope and charitie proceeding from the operation of the soule working internally by the assistance of the Holy Ghost Therfore Christ sayed Ioâ— 4. God is a Spirite and
therby maye be fygured and signified that he beinge seasoned with the salt of wisedome maye be voyde of all fetor and stinke of synne and iniquitie and that heareafter he maye not be putrified and corrupted with the maggotes of synne but rather beinge vntouched maye be preserued to receaue greater grace S. Bede alludinge to that of the old lawe where god commanded that no sacrifice should be offered with out salt or not seasoned with salt And Christ also hath sayed that euerie victima shal be salted with salt where vppon I say S. Bede sayeth Sal calestis The salt of heauenly wisedome wherewith the Cathecumens or those who are to be baptised were first instructed and seasoned we are commaunded to offer in all the sacrifices of our workes And of this fyrst tast of salt speaketh Origen and the same hath the thyrd Counsel of Carthage Consideringe then that this ceremonie of salt hath his signification and instruction as you haue heard also of such antiquitie in the church what reason haue the ProtestaÌ„tes of this age to coÌ„teÌ„ne and neglecte it I will tell you the salt of their doctrine is infatuate vnsavorie without smacke of salt and therfor not fitt to be putt in the mouth of the baptised For salt that hath loste his saltnesse vertue is profitable nether for ground nor middinge nor dunghill Luc. 14 but it shal be cast forth sayeth Christ he that hath eares to heare lett him heare CAP. 10. Whether the vse of spittle before baptisme be a superfluous ceremonie THe order of this ceremonie is that the priest takinge spittle to the ears and nostrels not to the mouth as some mistake it for that salt is proper for that part and puttinge it fyrst on the right eare sayeth Epheta quod est adaperire that is be thou opened then to the nostrels sayinge in odorem suauitatis and be thou opened vnto the odor of sweetnes and at the leafte eare he concludeth Tu autem effugare diabole therfor o thou diuel be thou put to flight and driuen awaye for the iudgment of God will drawe nyghe and baptisme now is at hand We read in the ghospel that our sauiour twice vsed this ceremonie of spittle fyrst when he healed the deafe and dume man who was brought vnto him then he vsed spittle and put his fingers into his ears and lookinge to heauen sayed these wordes Ephata quod est adaperire mar 7. which is as much to saye as be thou opened Secondly in the Ghospel of S. Iohn when he cured the man who was borne blind Ioh. 9. he spitte on the ground and made claye of the â—pittle and layed it vppon his eyes and sayed Goe Washe in Siloe The church of God to the imitation of Christ doth vse these ceremonies of touchinge and spitâ—le And fyrst for the ears that the deafe deuil doe not hynder nor stopp those sences but that the ears may be open to heare the worde of God Rom. 10. for fayth is by hearinge as sayeth S. Paule This ceremonie defâ—ndeth that worthy Doctor S. Ambrose it hath no worse a piller to leane vnto Li 1. de sacra 6. 1. also this washinge of the blind borne man in the waters of Siloe was a figure of baptisme and therfor baptisme is called the sacrament of illuminatioÌ„ for which cause man beinge borne in synne blindnes is sent thether for illumination sight and light of fayth and beleife And as Christ before he sent the blind borne man to washe at the poole of Siloe made a plaster with spittle so the church doth vse this ceremonie of spittle befor baptisme To conclud therfor we maye lawfully and laudablie mayntayne with S. Ambrose this ceremonie and that it is no waye superstitious seeinge it hath his imitation from Christ is also significant and worketh his effect Then with out cause doe the Caluinists and Protestants make this ceremonie ridiculous or superstitious We knowe Christ could haue healed the dume man and blind borne without touchinge speach spittle claye washinge or any other ceremonie we affirme that baptisme maye haue his effecte without these ceremonies but dare any man saye that in Christ the vse of spittle was ridiculous or superstitious I knowe no man dare who beareth the face of a christian Beware therfor in tyme of such as M. Caluine who calleth this ceremonie ridiculous and M. Willet who tearmeth it an interpretatiue toye and all other who deride the ceremonies of the church which are done to the imitation of Christ for they may become scorners of Christs owne actions The ears and nostrels sayeth Rabanus are touched with spittle De instit cleri lib. 1 ca. 27. and those wordes of the ghospell which Christ vsed when he cured the dume man are spokeÌ„ that through the tipicall and shaddowed spittle of the priest and his touch the deuine wisdome and vertue may worke health to the Cathecumine that his nostrels maye be opened to the receauinge of the sweet smell of the knowledge of God and misteries of christian fayth and that his ears maye not be shutt to heare the commaundements of God and sound Catholike doctrine I haue heard that a parson of high estemee whom I honor for his parson and place and therfor of me not to be named should reporte that his parents commaunded that this ceremonie in his baptisme should be omitted because the priest should not spit in his mouth But he was certaynly misinformed for this ceremonie doth not concerne the mouth but the ears and nostrels only And the priest doth not spitt vppon any parte of the child but only out of his owne hand takinge spittle and with touch therof doth effect this ceremonie What was done God he best knoweth but it appeareth his ears were neuer trwly opened to the Catholike Roman doctrine nor he neuer tasted nor smelled of the Roman mother church nor greatly esteemed of the rites and ceremonies of that religion It is our parte to hope the best and to praye hartely vt Dominus daret scientiam intellectum that our lorde would vouchsafe to geue him knowledge and vnderstanding CHAPTER 11. VVhether it be a superstitious ceremonie to take the right hand of the child and deliuer vnto him the signet seale or signe of Christ wich iâ— the crosse that therby he may learne to blesse himselfe agaynst the deuil and heresie the greatest emmies of man and to remayne Constant in Catholick sayth THe priest taketh the Cathecumine Infant or partie who is to be Baptized by the right hand and doth signe him in the bale or palme of the hand with the signe of the crosse and so deliuer vnto him the signet or seale of Christ which is the crosse sayinge Trado tibi signaculuÌ„ domini nostri Iesu Christi in manu tua dextra vt te signes te de aduersa parte repellas in fide Catholica permaneas habeas vitam aternam viuas in saecula saeculorum Amen