initiation into Christ and for their future actuall renovation in Gods good time if they liue to yeares of discretion and enioy the other ordinary meanes of Grace appointed of God to this end This Position I am now to make good to be agreeable to the Doctrine 1 Of the Church of England by which it appeares to be no priuate fancy 2 Of the Holy Scriptures vpon which this Doctrine of our Church is founded 3 Of the Ancient Fathers of best note in the truly Primitiue church 4 Of the Reformed churches beyond the Sea and particularly of Geneva 5 Of the most famous and eminent Divines both at home and abroad particularly of calvine and Dr Whitaker beside sundry others Lastly I will adde Answers to all the Obiections that euer I could heare of against this Assertion CAP. 3. This agrees to the Publique Doctrine of our Church BEfore I goe further I must aduertise the Reader of one thing constantly to be obserued throughout this Treatise and it is this Wheresoeuer I shall for brevities sake only say thus much that the Elect doe receiue the spirit in Baptisme my purpose is to haue it vnderstood with all those conditions and limitations before expressed in the stating of the Point So that it must alwaies bee thus interpreted viz That it is most agreeable to the Jnstitution of Christ that All Elect Jnfants that are baptised vnlesse in some extraordinary cases doe ordinarily receiue from Christ the Spirit in Baptisme for their first solemne initiation into Christ and for their future actuall renovation in Gods good time if they liue to yeares of discretion and enioy the other ordinary meanes of Grace appointed of God to this end This premized I may more securely goe on with my worke Nor shall any man that findes oftentimes in that which followes a more compendious expression of this Position haue cause to complaine that I deale ambiguously and sophistically because my resolution is to be alwaies tryed by this Conclusion so largely deliuered and so bounded as in the former Chapter you may behold it The first part of my taske is to make it good that this assertion is agreeable to the publique and established Doctrine of the Church of England And this I propound in the first place not as if I meant to tye any mans faith to beleeue the point meerely because the Church of England saith it For She will not assume so much Authority ouer any mans faith hauing declared her selfe expresly in the 21 Article of her Doctrine that euen Generall Councells which represent the whole Church of Christ on earth in things ordeined by them as necessary to salvation haue neither strength nor authority vnlesse it may bee declared that they be taken out of holy Scripture I vrge not then the Doctrine of our Church to proue the point by it as some haue giuen out but only to shew the agreement that it hath with our Publique Doctrine that no man might proclaime it to bee a peece either of Popery or Arminianisme nor yet a priuate conceit of mine owne dissonant from the Churches of Christ but that it is a branch of that truth to which all the Ministers of our Church either haue subscribed or ought so to doe and so are as deeply engaged in the defence of it as my selfe whom some of them either ignorant or carelesse of what they subscribed to doe now so much oppose That this accordeth to the Doctrine of our Church may appeare in one or two plaine Syllogismes the first whereof shall be this Syllogis 1. Maior That which the Church in the Publique Leiturgie thereof exhorteth requireth vs to pray for when any Infant presumed to be truly and indeed within the couenant of Grace is brought to baptisme and that which it also teacheth vs to pronounce concerning that and euery such infant so soone as he is baptised must needs bee granted to bee agreeable to the Publique Doctrine of our Church touching all elect Infants that are baptised ordinarily Minor But the Publique Leiturgie of our Church exhorteth and requireth vs at the baptizing of euery infant presumed to haue interest in the Couenant of Grace as being within Gods Election a That our Leiturgy hath an eye to the covenant of Grace and presumes of any particular infant that vnto him the kingdome of Heaven doth indeed belong and therevpoÌ„ pronounceth the child after baptisme is administred to be regenerate may appeare most evidently by this viz That it leadeth vs to that which our Saviour spake in the Gospell touching those infants that were brought vnto him blessed by him vpon this ground that theirs is the kingdome of heaven Not that all children haue right to the kingdome for Esau had none Rom. 9. Yet because men cannot see Gods secret decree they are not to make doubt of any particular but knowing that some infants are elected and haue right to the Kingdome vpon this ground they know for certaine that this Child is regenerate by the Spirit if he be elected and if to him doe belong the Kingdome of God And therefore our Church in charity pronounceth so much of every Child considered individually and apart because in charity shee presumeth that vnto that very particular belongs the Kingdome of God For vpon this ground is the following exhortation and assurance built which vpon this consideration saith Doubt yee not therefore but earnestly beleeue that hee will likewise favourably receiue these present Jnfâ—nts that he will embrace them with the armes of his mercy that he will giue vnto them the blessing of eternall life and make them partakers of his everlasting kingdome to pray for the Spirit of Regeneration to bee giuen vnto him and so soone as hee is baptised to conclude him to be regenerated with the Holy Spirit and accordingly to giue thankes for this in Prayer vnto God Conclus Therefore it is agreeable to the Publique and established doctrine of the Church of England that all elect Jnfants doe ordinarily receaue the spirit of Christ in Baptisme in such manner and sense as is before expressed The Maior Proposition cannot be doubted of vnlesse we shall say that the Doctrine and Leiturgie of our Church are contrary to one another which no man wel in his wits will affirme and yet subscribe to both The Minor or as some tearme it the Assumption is the only Proposition then that must be proued I pray you therefore with patience see it done in the severall branches of it There are in it these two particulars 1 The Church in her Leiturgie requireth vs to pray for the spirit of Christ to be communicated to every particular infant brought to baptisme presuming of the particular that he is within the election of Grace 2 She concludeth him to be regenerate so soone as he is baptised that is to haue receiued the Spirit of regeneration as the first principle thereof 1. For the former let the Leiturgie it selfe be produced wherein the
from hence against the baptizing of infants that they are not capable of the inward grace If that be true Which Dr Ames affirmeth that they be as capable of baptisme in respect of the cheife vse thereof as persons of yeares who shall deny them the inward grace Doe we not know that in Gods account the sacrament of circumcision was not accounted circumcision when it was only outward in-the flesh and not inward also in the heart For he is not a Iew which is one outwardly neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh But he is a Iew which is one inwardly and circumcision is that of the heart in the spirit and not in the letter whose praise is not of men but of God Rom. 2. Circumcision We know was a seale of the righteousnesse which is by faith b 6. Rom 4.11 Now I demand whether any sound diuine did euer affirme that only the outward ceremony of circumcision of the flesh was vnto the elect the proper and only seale of the righteousnesse which is by faith Sure I am the Scripture euery where teacheth that the spirit is the seale of God set vpon the saithfull c 2. Cor. 1 22. Ephes 1.13.4.30 If then Circumcision were accounted vncircumcision where it was not accompanied with the inward grace what shall we say other of baptisme where the spirit is not communicated Therefore also in baptisme of the elect for whose sakes only this and all other ordinances of Christ were set vp in thâ— Church there must be ordinarâ—ly not only the outward element of water sprinkled on the child but the inward grace also else it must necessarily follow â—hat either in the baptizing of elect infants but halâ—e baptisme is ordinarily conferred which in Gods account is no better then no baptisme or Baptisme is not to infants what the scriptures affirme it to be to men of yeares And if this last be true in the ordinary course of diuine dispensation I will maintaine that infants are not to be baptised If those infants which may bee saued without baptisme receaue no more then the outward signe when they are baptized why are they baptized Can the outward signe saue them or make them more certaine or more capable of salvation then they were before so long as they remaine void of faith Were it not as good to deferre their baptisme till they be of yeares as to offer them to baptisme in infancy which doth them no more good then it doth to a reprobate till their actuall conversion To say that Baptisme admits them to the outward meanes is to say iust nothing to the purpose For aske these men what is it that makes a person capable of the inward grace of baptisme They will answer faith But how is this faith wrought By preaching of the word say they Well admit this may not an infant vnbaptised come to heare the word read or preached Anabaptists doe not shut their children out of the Church when the word is preached but onely exclude them from the Sacraments And wee also permit excommunicate persons to heare Sermons howeuer we debarre them from other ordinances Therefore infants need not baptisme meerly for their admission vnto the outward meanes of faith and conuersion for as much as they may participate of the word without baptisme and the word being by these mens telling the onely outward ordinary meanes of begetting faith If Anabaptists might as freely shew themselues here among vs as they doe in other countries this doctrine of Baptismal grace would bee better entertained by such as now oppugne it without consideration of this sequele This therefore to mee is without all controuersie that What the Scriptures doe attribute to Baptisme as the principall part and as it were the soule of Baptisme is ordinarily communicated from Christ vnto the Elect although infants because in them actuall faith is not required in their baptisme Where the Scripture makes no difference why should we What else doth the Author of the Commentary on the Epistle to Titus meane where he saith d Pag. 63 9. We must conceaue that in every Sacrament there bee three essentiall parts the absence of any of which destroy the whole 1. The Signe 2 the thing signified 3. the analogy betweene them which is the vnion of them both The first is some outward and sensible thing the second inward and spirituall the third mixt of them both To this agree all learned Divines and confessions of Reformed Churches so farre forth at least that they vnanimously conclude Sacraments to be not naked signes but certâ—ine sure witnesses and effectuall signes of grace and Gods good will towards vs by which he doth worke invisibly in vs e Articlâ—s of Relig. art 25. and convey some inward grace ordinarily from Christ vnto all that haue true interest in the couenant of Grace whereof Sacraments are the Scales And so my Maior stands good against all Sacramentarians and their vnwitting Proctors whatsoever I come therefore to the Minor The Minor Proposition now to be proved is this But the Scriptures doe attribute the conferring of the Holy Ghost to that ordinance as the principall part of it This I make good by all such Scriptures as mention the conferring of and washing with the Holy Ghost as well as with the outward element without difference of yeares and without mention of actuall faith to apply the same I might begin with that place in Ioh. 3.5 Except a man bee borne of WATER and of the SPIRIT c. where Water and the Spirit are ioined as going together into all heyres of the Kingdome Which place how ever some make a doubt whether it be meant of the Sacrament of Baptisme yet not onely the Ancients but Beza f Sed de Baptismo â—â—cagâ— siue simpliciter sive alâ—quà ad legalâ—s ablutiones allusione omnino existimo Beza in lâ—cum also without all doubt doe interpret of Baptisme so also the learned Bucer * Nec enim audiendos puto eos qui hic per aquam non aquam sed Spiriâ—um Sanctum volunt intelligi qâ—asi vero Dominus voluerit spiritum Sanctum bis ponere eoâ— dicere vel qui nâ—n fuerit gentâ—us ex â—piritu saâ—cto spiriâ—u saâ—cto vel quâ— non fuerit geâ—ituâ— ex aqua quae est spiritus sanctus Bucer de vi effic Baptis inteâ— scripâ— Anglic pag. 596. But because I did not vse it in my Lectures and some may wrangle at the exposition therefore resolue to waue it and quote only three other Texts The first is that in Math 3.11 I indeed baptize you with water vnto repentance but hee that commeth after me is mightier then I whose shooes I am not worthy to beare he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire In which place Iohn makes the Baptisme of Christ to consist non onely of Water but of the Holy Ghost and of the powerful operation of the Holy Ghost
spiritus sanctus in iis apprehendat illa illis consentiat vt dicitur idem spiritus nobis nescientibus intercedere pro nobis orare quemadmodum oportet deum cum nouerit eius sensum illum audiret tamen cum scriptura non dicat parvulos credere neque hoc videat esse necessarium ad salutem satis essè indicat vt dicamus eos qui servantur cum sint de peculio Domini per praedestinationem electionem spiritu sancto perfundi qui radix est si lei spâ—i charitatis omnium virtutum quas postea exerit declarat in filiis dei cum per aetatem licet Posse ergo sic dici fideles vt dicuntur rationales Nam eâ—si non possunt infantes ratiocinari lamen animam habent ea facultate praeditam vt possint cumaetas accesserit rati cinariâ— ergo rationales dicuntur non propter praesentem vsum rationis sed propter insitum principium rationis nempe animam quae artium doctrinarum omâ—ium capax est fidem igitur expressamâ— equiri in adultis in parvulis suffirere fidem inchoatam in suo principio radice id est spiritu sancto quo praediti sunt ex quo fides suo tempore virtutes aâ—ae manam nam infantes a spiritu purgari cum sint in Ecclesia ad ecclesiam pertineant Ecclesiam autem Christus sanctificavit mundans cam lavacio aquae per verbum Si ad ecclesiam pertinent spiritu ornantur si in caelum recipiuntur a peccato purgantur c. Peter Martyr a man of most profound iudgment saith he dares not embrace their opinion that ascribe faith to infants not but that God can if he will infuse faith into them and enable them to reason before the ordinary time cause that though they doe neither vnderstand nor know the things which are to be beleeued notwithstanding the spirit in them may apprehend and giue consent to those things for them as the spirit is said to make intercession for vs vnto God euen when we know not what to pray for as wee ought and then God who knowes the minde of the spirit heareth the same Howbeit seeing the. Scriptures doe not say that infants doe beleeue nor doth this seeme necessary to them vnto saluation he thinkes it sufficient that we say that they who are saued for as much as they are part of Gods peculiar by Predestination and election are endewed with the Holy Ghost who is the roote of faith hope charity and all other virtues which afterward he produceth and declareth in Gods children when they come to yeares Thus farre he voucheth the words of Peter Martyr then he goes on in his owne words thus to illustrate the same They may therefore be called faithfull or beleeuers as they may be said to be reasonable creatures For although infants cannot rationally discourse yet they haue a soule whereby when they come to some yeares they may be able to discourse So that they are called reasonable creatures not because they haue present vse of their reasonable faculty but by reason of the principle of reason in them to witt the reasonable soule which is capable of all arts and sciences Therefore we say expresse faith is required in all of yeares but in infants only faith begun or in his first principle or roote namely the HOLY GHOST with which they are endewed and from whom faith and other graces in due time doe flow or issue forth For infants are purged by the spirit seeing they are in the Church and of the Church Christ sanctified his Church purging it in the Lauer of water through the word If then they belong to the Church they are adorned with the spirit if they be receiued vp into heauen they are then purged by the spirit The former passage is aboundantly sufficient both to proue that I haue not abused Peter Martyr and that D. Whitaker is fully of the same iudgment with him Yet let me haue leaue since I promised much out of this Author to alleadge a place or two more to the same purpose In the n Pag. 286. Sed ait ChristuÌ„ habitare in infantibus per fidem ergo â—abere eos fidem saltem quoad habitum Respon deo At hoc non minus de actu quam de habitu intelligitur Quid is enim dicamus in nullis Christum habitare n si qui actu creduat Et pueri habent tum actum tum habitum fidei in suâ—semirie id est in spiriâ—u sancto vt antea diximus Postremo ait trsands parvuâ—s occultam gratiam cum baptizentur idq Augustinam docere Respondeo Id nos quoque nicimas Sed Augustimes non ait habitum fidei insued sed gratiam Bellarminus â—escit an haec gratia sit Charitas cum side spo an qualitas alia cum qua tres illae virtutes perpâ—tuo sunt contunctae Quis vnquam de eusmodi qualitate audiuit quae nec spes nec charitas nec fides est sed has secum coniunctas habet Infundi gratia potest sine harum virtutumaut actu aut habâ—tu Vid â—â—r Augustinus id ensâ—sse hancgratiam esse spiritum sanctum qui efficit sidem licet non statim in infantibus next page following that we last cited answering that of Bellarmine who obiecteth that Christ is said to dwell in infants by faith therefore they must needs haue the habit of faith He answers thus But this may as well be vnderstood of actuall faith which Bellarmine denies to be in them as of the habit which the Iesuite saith they haue And what if wee should say that Christ dwels in none but such as actually beleeue he meanes what would Bellarmine haue to plead against it seeing he maintaines habituall faâ—th But euen infants haue both the act and habit of faith in the seede thereof that is to say in the Holy Ghost as we before spake Lastly the Iesuite saith that Augustine teacheth that there is a secret grace infused into infants when they are baptized I answere so say we too but Augustine saith not the habit of faith is infused but grace and Bellarmine knowes not what to make of this grace whether he should call it charity ioyned with faith and hope or any other quality with which all these graces are perpetually linked But who euer heard of such a quality which is neither faith hope nor loue yet hath all these conioyned with it Grace may be infused without either the act or habit of any of these S. Austustine seemes to be of this opinion that this grace is the Holy Ghost which indeed worketh faith but not instantly in infants Ibid. cap. 6. I will not dissemble that in the next chapter Dr Whitaker taking vpon him to lay open the Doctrine of the Fathers touching the faith by which infants are partakers of the grace of Baptisme and are saved if they die in infancie is very
perseverantibus proficit ibid. The Holy Ghost is said therefore to dwell in them because he secretly workes in them that they may bee his temple which hee afterwards perfecteth in those that profit and make further proceedings persevere in the same Then which speech what can be said more plaine and full to my present purpose touching the Holy Ghosts ceazing vpon infants even in baptisme to prepare them in his owne time to be Temples for himselfe Such as would extend the efficacy of baptisme indifferently to all infants will be perhaps ready to wrest all these testimonies out of my hand make vse of them against mee for asmuch as all these allegations doe seeme to make for the vniuersall extent of grace to all that are baptized without restraining it to the Elect as I doe It is true the Fathers except none yet this proues not that therefore they held that none are exempted by God nay they often declare the contrary They considering the charge which Christ hath laid vpon his ministers to deny baptisme to none to whom belongs the kingdome of God and not taking vpon them to pry into Gods secrets to know who they be that belong to his election and who not as they baptize all so they pronounce of each one that his sinnes are remitted and the spirit is giuen him in baptisme yet withall confining the donation of these gifts only to such as haue indeed interest in the kingdome although they take not vpon them to declare who they be in particular that haue no share therein Now that notwithstanding their indefinite and illimited speeches touching the efficacy of Baptisme they did holde and declare that all are not indeed partakers of the grace of baptisme shall appeare by one or two of them which I thinke is enough to declare the iudgement of the rest that were sound among them Not to repeat what I formerly vrged out of Chrysostome to shew that he was not of opinion that all without exception did certainely receiue grace in baptisme although they did not actually resist it when they were baptized I will mention only one passage out of Hierome and another out of Augustine concerning this point St Hierome if it be not falsely fathered on him writing on Galath 3. d In Gal. 3. si igitur qui in Christo baptizati sunt Christum induerunt manifestum est eos qui non sunt induti Christum non fuisse baptizatos in Christo Ad eos enim qui fideles baptisma Christi consecuti putabantur dictum est Induite ves Dominum Iesum Christum Rom. 13. Si quis hoc corporeum quod oculis carnis aspicitur aquae tantum accepit lavacrum non est iudutus deminum Iesum Christum Nam Simon ille de actibus Apost acceperat Lavacrum aquae verum quia sanctum spiritum non habebat indutus non erat Christum Et Haeretici vel Hypocritae si qui sordide victitant videntur quidem accipere baptismum sed nescio an Christum habeant indumentum Itaque consideremus ne sorte in nobis aliquis deprebendatur qui ex eo quod Christi non habet indumentum arguatur non baptizatus in Christo As many of you as haue beene baptized into Christ haue put on Christ hath these words If they who haue bin baptized into Christ haue put on Christ it is manifest that they who haue not put on Christ were not baptized into Christ For vnto such as were thought to be faithfull and to haue attained the baptisme of Christ it is elsewhere said put ye on the Lord Iesus Christ Jf any hath receiued only that which is corporall and visible viz the Lauer of water he hath not put on Iesus Christ For euen Simon magus receiued the externall washing yet because he had not the Holy Ghost therefore he did not put on Christ And so Hereticks Hypocrites wicked liuers seeme indeed to receiue baptisme but I know not that they haue put on Christ as a garment Therefore let vs lay this to heart least any man be found among vs that being not cloathed with Christ should proue not to haue beene baptized into Christ Some perhaps may snatch at this testimony and say that St Hierome speakes here of such as are of yeares that doe obicem ponere make resistance to grace and not of infants of which the question is if he did speake of infants yet here is not a word of election as the reason why some doe receiue that which others goe without To these two cauills I must make answere in order First I deny that he speakes only of persons of yeares for from the generall obseruation thâ—t there be some who were not indeed baptized into Christ he makes application in particular to himselfe and others most of which were baptized in infancy though some of yeares were daily added and euen them would he haue to consider seriously whether it were not thus with themselues although baptized in infancy Nor doth he make reluctation in Simon Magus to be the reason why he was not baptized into Christ but his not hauing of the spirit and this is as much in effect as if he had said he was not baptized into Christ because he was not in the number of Gods sonnes by election for the scripture assignes this as the reason why some doe partake of the spirit because they are sonnes e Gal. 4.6 The rule of opposition therefore must needs make the contrary true no son no spirit no spirit none of Christs f Rom. 8 9. Wherefore secondly I say that in effect he restraines the grace of baptisme only to the elect and for this reason that they be elected For if Simon could not be baptized into Christ for want of the spirit it is true that he could not be baptized into Christ because not elected for if he had beene a sonne by election hee could not haue missed of the spirit as is clear both in Galath 4.6 and in Rom 8.14 Now forasmuch as the Holy scriptures doe so clearly teach that none partake of the spirit vnto sanctification and saluation but only the elect as by and by we shall by occasion see confessed also by Lombard himselfe it were too great a wrong to so worthy a Father as St Hierome was to interpret his speech vttered according to scripture as hauing in it a meaning contrary to the Scripture to bolster vp a tottering error of some that drew it immediatly from Bellarmine and the rest of that crew What need many words If Hierome be not thought cleare enough then see my other witnesse St Augustine who if Lombard abuse him not I am sure will put all out of doubt The g Sacramenta in solis electis efficiunt quod figurant ita Lombard 4. sent dist 4. in A. sacraments saith he doe effect or worke that which they signify only in the elect I willingly admit that Lombard seekes to giue an
answere to him but such as rather stablisheth then opposeth our present position See what hee writes Peter Lombard takes vpon him throughout his fourth distinction of his fourth booke h In princ Sacramentum rem simul suscipiunt omnes parvuli qui in baptismo ab originali mundantur peccato quamvis quidam diffiteantur illis qui perituri sunt parvulis in baptismo dimitti peccata innitentes illi verbo Augustini Sacramenta in solis electis efficiunt quod figurant non intelligentes illud ita esse acc piendum quia cum in alijs efficiunt sacramenta remissiâ—nem non hoc iis faciunt ad salutem sed solis electis to shew the efficacy of baptisme He begins with infants as his owne opinion affirmes first that they all obtaine remission of sinne in baptisme Then he alleadgeth the opinion of others that seemed to thwart his Some saith he thinke that some infants notwithstanding baptisme may perish grounding themselues vpon that of Augustine the sacraments doe effect that which they represent only in the elect But to euade this he saith that they want vnderstanding in S. Austin who doe not so interpret him as that the Sacraments doe not procure remission of sinne vnto saluation but only vnto the elect In which answere of Lombard to the allegation of the aduerse parties out of Augustine wee may behold these three particulars 1 A distinction betweene that remission of sinne which is indifferently sealed vnto all in baptisme and that grace which is necessary for them to obtaine in it that are vndoubtedly saued by it 2 A confession that this last to witt grace vnto salvation is peculiar only vnto the elect * Gab. Biel in 4 Sen. dist 4. 42 concl 7. assigning some causes why some receiue more grace in baptisme then others doe among the rest he puts down this for one Cum Christus communiter ponitur nosse omnia quae Deus scientia visionis per consequens novit electos omnes ad quem gradum gloriae sint electi Potuit ergo pro praestinato ad maiorem gloriam offerre plenius passionem suam praecipue eum se obtulit pro genere humano ad hoc vt impleretur praedestinatio divina And this be saith is a meritorious cause of the inequality of grace giuen in baptisme And a little before ibid. he assigned election to greater glory to be the cause why some receiue greater grace so he vrgeth it out of Scotus which shewes clearely that the sounder Schoolemen did euer take it for granted that the efficacy of baptisme was extended only to the elect 3 A concession that all they doe receiue in baptisme what is represented thereby in the outward signe I willingly acknowledge that his owne opinion is that in some sense all infants doe receiue remission of sinne in baptisme but yet in such a sense as doth not suffice for their saluation if they be not of the number of the Elect as his owne words doe expressely manifest in the place alleadged which restraint of his is full the same with that I hold * St Aug. de Pec. Mer. remis ad Marcellinum lib. 2. cap. 27. Sicut generatio carnis peccati per vnum Adam in condemnationem trahit omnes qui eo modo generantur sic generatio spiritus gratiae per vnum Iesum Christum ad iustificationem vitae aeternae ducit omnes qui eo modo praedestinati regenerantur Sacramentum autem baptismi prosecto sacramentum regenerationis est And the same S. Augustine De bono perseuerantiae cap. 11. Proinde sicut Apostolus ait non volentis neque currentis sed miserentis est Dei qui parvulis quibus vult etiam non volentibus neque currentibus subvenit quos ante constitutionem mundi elegit in Christo daturus etiam iis gratiam gratis c. And thus out of the first Father of the Popish schoolemen that euer reduced the body of Diuinity into a method out of the Fathers you haue a confession that S Augustine was clearely of this iudgement that only the elect doe receiue the spirit grace in baptisme which therefore we haue reason to beleeue to be also the iudgment of all the Fathers that liued in his age or before him vnlesse we will make him a priuate opinionist that dissenteth from the rest which were a miserable shift with palpable iniury offered to so eminent a Lamp in Gods Church who hath on his side Chrysostome Hierome that for substance speake as much as he doth which is enough to acquit him of the staine of a priuate opinion and sufficient to stop the mouthes of all gainsayers that would faine shake out this arrow shott out of his bow into the sides of that error touching the equall efficacy of baptisme vpon all that are partakers of the outward Element an absurdity not hatcht in the Church by the spirit of error till after Peter Lombard was dead rotten It may not be denyed that the Fathers in many passages speak not so distinctly cautiously as the grosse mistakes of after ages would haue required yet their excessiue speeches and flowres of Rhetorique must not be so farre vrged as to weaken their authority in what they tooke vpon them to speake positiuely properly and determinatiuely according to the Scriptures When no Aduersary as yet appeared to abuse their speeches to a wrong sense they spake more securely and freely not giuing such exact bounds to their words as otherwise they would haue done If they found any that would presume vpon saluation because they had beene outwardly baptized whether they were Hereticks Hypocrites or lewd liuers Chrysostome and Hierome as we haue seene begin then to restraine the sauing grace of Baptisme only to such as beleeue and liue as they ought And if any thinke that Election makes no difference betweene man and man but that such as are not elected as well as the elect may bee partakers of Baptismal grace equally S. Austin will take off that opinion with protestation that the Sacraments doe not effect what they signifie but only vpon the elect and this Lombard himselfe will confesse to bee true of the efficacy of baptisme vnto saluation When therefore we meet with any of the Ancients that doe not thus limit their assertions we must yet conceaue them to be of the same mind with S. Hierome S. Augustine in this point especially considering that the Scriptures themselues as in the former Chapter hath beene declared doe so bound the same from which we ought not to conceaue that those sounder Fathers would dissent forasmuch as those three Worthies before alleaged who are better Expositors of the mindes of the rest of their Brethren that liued with them or before them then any peruerse Papist or Arminian either is or can be haue so fully and perspicuously declared themselues agreeable therevnto And thus much concerning the iudgment of the Fathers CAP. 6. The