first instant to dispose and prepare the soule to future actuall newnesse of life by infusing some potentiall and seminall grace but my meaning is that the Spirit doth not at that time ordinarily so plenarily change renew the whole man as to worke in him either actuall faith hope or loue c or so much as the habits of these or other particular graces for the present as afterward he doth Something the spirit doth from his first entrance toward actual regeneration therefore we cal that first worke Initiall thereby vnderstanding the first disposition to or degree of actuall regeneration But for as much as that first worke doth not for ought we know extend to a present actuall change of the whole man in the same manner and degree that afterwards is wrought in him at his effectuall calling therefore we call that latter worke Actuall Regeneration This ought not to seeme strange to any for iust so is it in the course of nature * Ipse Deus scil itaque animae â—umanae mentem dedit vbi ratio intellgentia in infante sopita est quodammodo quasi nulla sit excitandâ— sâ—ilicet atque exercendâ— aetatis accessu qua sit scientiae capax atque doct inâ—e habilis perceptioni veritatis amoris boni August de Civit. Dei lib. 22. c 24. To the same purpose also he wâ—â—te h lib 2 â— Peccat 〈…〉 25 aliâ—i So soone as the reasonable soule is infused there is in some sense not every way in respect of degrees a rationall life But how The soule is there and in that soule are included all the principles of reason but the soule doth not send forth those principles vnto action vnlesse in some insensible manner by little and little preparing the infant vnto humane actions till afterwards that the senses beginne to act Before that time the reasonable life cannot wholly be denied to be in an infant because the soule rationall is actually in his body yet forasmuch as the infant hath not at that time the actuall vse of reason for this cause we call the further perfection of his naturall principles by tract of time attained when reason puts it selfe into act actuall rationall life and wee terme the same life in respect of the first degree and principles thereof which together with the reasonable soule in the first infusion thereof it receiued Initiall life This is no more in substance then what wee haue learned from S. Augustine Calvine Peter Martyr Iunius Daneus Dr Whitaker Zanchius and sundry others whose iudgments haue beene at large set downe in this treatise in sundry places vpon sundry occasions And shall any man thinke it nothing in a magisteriall humor to traÌ„ple so many worthies vnder his feete at once as if he were wiser than all others if it be only the termes that displease him because perhaps the same are not found in any of these Authors he shall but shew himselfe a caueller to quarrell them vnlesse hee can shew that the termes are vsed to signify that which in substance these Authors doe not allow and teach Breefly then this Obiection is grounded vpon a false information and supposition for it supposeth mee to vse the termes of Initiall and actuall regeneration as intending thereby to teach that there be two distinct species or kinds of regeneration whereas my meaning is only to speake of the same spirituall life in two distinct considerations in respect of degrees And so the Obiection fights with a shadow and not with me But it will be replyed that in Regeneration there be no degrees but that it is performed and dispatcht at an instant as naturall generation is It is true say they that there be degrees in c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Renouation which noteth a growth in sanctification in a man regenerated But d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Regeneration is never taken for any other than for the first act of the spirit entring into a Christian and begetting him a new man in Christ in the very first moment of his entrance Therefore the distinction of actuall and initiall regeneration cannot bee admitted in any sense I Answere That those two words Regeneration and Renovation may perhaps by some be vsed the one to signifie the first infusion of grace making a man actually a new creature in all parts at once and the other to note the continual growth of a Christian in grace infused if men wil before giue notice of their meaning and for the more cleare expression of themselues will say when I speake of the first infusion of grace I will vse the word regeneration to expresse it by and when I speake of continuall growth from one degree vnto another I will ever call that Renovation Men may if they please make vse of words as they doe of Counters in casting of accounts wherein of the same set and value some Counters are made to stand for pounds some for shillings some for pence And yet as those Counters which stand for pence might as well haue stood for pounds as those that do stand for pouÌ„ds if it had pleased him that set them to haue so disposed them So men may put words of the same value and natiue signification to signifie diverse things by a liberty iustifiable enough in vse of speech yet those words may without wrong be vsed by others to signifie other things alwaies provided that when a man vseth a word in a sense different either from the prime signification of it or from the common acceptation of it he giue warning that where ever he vseth such a word he would be vnderstood in such or such a sense and not according to the etimology of it nor according to the common vse of it And thus I graunt that if it please any Divine to say that he will ever restraine Regeneration to note the first infusion of grace and by Renovation signifie a dayly encrease of grace in all his speeches or writings for want of fitter termes to expresse himselfe in he may doe it But if any man shall say that the proper meaning of the word Regeneration and of that which the Scriptures call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the first infusion of the Spirit actually to make a man a new Creature in all parts at once so as in this there can be no degrees affirme that so the Scriptures doe ever vse that word and also adde that by Renovation the Scripture never meanes the same thing that it intends by Regeneration but that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Renovation is ever put for another thing to wit for continuall growth in grace once infused I must craue leaue to dissent from him and to deny his assertion For neither is there any such difference in the proper signification of these words but that they may both signifie one and the same thing Nor is the Scripture so nice as to obserue such a difference between them as the Obiectors
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
But Bellarmine is peremptory that whosoeuer is vnder the decree of Gods election how peruerse and crosse soeuer he be to the meanes of his conuersion and perseuerance in grace a Respondeo potest ille libere gratiam repudiare sed certum est non repudia turum quia deus vocabit illum sic vt videt congruum illi esse vt vocantem non respuat Hoc enim modo gratia dei vera a nullo duro corde respuitur quoniam ad hoc datur vt cor emolliat Haec Bel. de Gra. lib. Arb. lib. 2. cap. 15. resp ad 2. obiect and in respect of the liberty of his will may be yeelded to be such an one as may possibly refuse grace yet it is certaine that he will not refuse it because God will call him in such manner as may best agree to his disposition to the end that he might not reiect God calling him For by this meanes it comes to passe that the true grace of God is refused of no hard heart because grace is giuen to this very purpose that it might mollify the heart And all this hee speaketh to shew that Gods decree cannot faile but that all who are elected freely to true grace are as freely elected to glory and doe as certainely obtaine the one as they doe the other But yet some may here obiect one thing more and that is this The Church teacheth to beleeue all the elect to be regenerate actually and not only initially as you say Why may not any man expound it in that sense as well as in yours the termes are generall Seeing this child is regenerate c. Answ If by Actuall regeneration be meant an actuall change of the heart by the infusion and operation of particular habits of grace the best expositors of the Doctrine of our Church run otherwise and the very doctrine of the Church doth it selfe declare the contrary in the ordinary course of such as liuâ— tâ— yeares For expositors take M. Rogers in the place before cited where he is allowed to deliuer this to be the sense of the Church In some the sacraments doe effectually worke in processe of time by the helpe of Gods word read or preached which engendereth faith such is the estate principally of infants elected vnto life saluation and encreasing in yeares Å¿ in Art 25. prop. 3. And this booke hath beene printed with publique allowance many times * Yea this booke came abroad wâ—th iniunction from the Arch-B shop that thâ—n wâ—s that thâ—â—e should be one of them bâ—ught for every Parâ—sh in the Prâ—uinâ—e of Câ—â—â—â—bâ—ry And 〈◊〉 it now be onâ—e worth nothing If the Church will not be tryed by him then marke what Mr Hooker hath to this purpose Baptisme is a sacrament which God hath instituted in his Church to the end that they which receiue the same might thereby â—e incorporated into Christ so through his most pretious merit obteyne as well that sauing grace of imputation which taketh away all former guiltinesse as also that infused Diuine virtue of the Holy Ghost whiâ—h giueth to the powers of the soule their first disposition toward FVTVRE NEWNESSE OF LIFE f ibid. â—op sect 60. But you will say the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the words of our booke are plaine True so is HOC EST CORPVS MEVM for you know what yet you and I know these words must be expounded according to the true sense of them explained by other Scriptures which make plainly against both Trans-substantiation and Consubstantiation So then the words of our booke in the Leiturgy must admit of what sense our Doctrine elsewhere doth set vpon it Now our Doctrine is it selfe cleare against certaine actuall regeneration in Baptisme of infants liuing to yeares For in Act. 17. touching Predestination it is said they which be indued with so excellent a benefit of God be called according to Gods purpose by his spirit working in DVE SEASON they through grace obey the calling they be iustified freely they be made the sonnes of God by Adoption c. So much of what Our Church holdeth herein CAP. 4. The point proued by authority of Scripture MY next worke is to make good the point in hand by Diuine and infallible Testimony of Holy Writt And this is that foundation only which I build vpon for proofe of the Position If any shall convince me to haue failed in this I will for euer abandon this opinion although it should be with perill of life what euer all the men and Churches in the world should professe and bind me to beleeue to the contrary a Nemo mihi dicat O Quid dixit Donatus aut quid dixit Parmenianus aut Pontius aut quilibet illorum Quia nec catâ—olicis Episcopis consentiendum est sicubi forte falluntur vt contra canonica Dei scripturas aliquid sentiant Aug. de Vnit. Eccl cap. 10. Si enim ratio contra diuinarum scripturarum authoritatem redditur quamlibet acuta sit fallit verisimilitudine nam vera esse non potest Idem epist 7. ad Marcellin That I may more methodically proceed and dispatch more speedily that which I haue to alledg out of the Scriptures I must necessarily bind my selfe to the lawes of Argumentation wrapping vp the force of my Arguments in some plaine Syllogismes as as I haue done in the former chapter and confirming the seuerall propositions that need proofe by expresse scriptures expounded by such learned expositors as mine adversaries pretend most respect vnto By this course I shall be sure not to abuse my Readers if they be able to iudge of reason When they see it My first argument shall be drawne from Arg. 1 the Nature of Baptisme in respect of the seuerall Parts of it which the scripture continually ioynes together when it speakes of that Sacrament and I frame it thus Maior That which the Scriptures attribute to Baptisme as the cheife part and as it were the soule of that ordinance is ordinarily communicated to all the elect when they partake of Baptisme Minor But the Scriptures doe attribute the confirming of the Holy Ghost to that ordinance as a principall part of it Conclus Therefore it is consonant to the Scriptures that all elect infants baptized doe ordinarily receiue the spirit in Baptisme The Maior Proposition me thinkes should not be doubted of by any vnlesse by Sacramentarians for will any man of vnderstanding deny vnto the elect that wich the scriptures doe euery where attribute as the cheife part and as it were the soule and life of that ordinance of baptisme If any man shall doe so he must grant that elect infants doe receiue but a peece of baptisme the shell without the Kernell the body without the soule And if this be true to what end are they baptized If they be not euen in infancy capable of the principall part of baptisme why are they admitted to it How shall wee answere the Anabaptists who pleade
true that Persons of yeares doe oft times resist the spirit by a wicked heart and corrupt life yet this Father speakes of men of another disposition for he speaks of men euen at the point of death apprehending a necessity of remission of sinne by Christ and hastening to Initiation p Festinantes ad initiationem Ibid. which argues an earnest desire after the grace of Baptisme and yet they goe away without it Therefore they of whom he speaketh are not such as doe resist the spirit when they are baptized and so the words are pertinent vnto my purpose 5 Basil to that Question How Christians are saued Giues this answere By being regenerated by the grace receaued in Baptisme q 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 De Spir. Sanct. c. 10 And a little after Baptisme is vnto mee the beginning of life and the day of regeneration is the beginning of daies in that respect r 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ibid. In another place speaking of Baptisme hee saith that it is the death of sinne the new birth of the soule Å¿ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Conc exhort ad sanct Bapt. c. I will not adde more out of him This may suffice 6 Hierome in his third booke of Dialogues against the Pelagians brings in the Pelagian thus cavelling with the Orthodox I pray thee tell me why are Infants baptized To which he shapes this answere that in baptisme their sinnes might be remitted t Dic quaeso me omni ibera quaestione quare insantult baptizentur Orthod vt iis pectata in baptismate dimatantur And so much the Author of the Perpetuity of the regenerate mans estate acknowledgeth and professeth pag. 456. edit 2 And in the conclusion of that booke that hee might at once hisse that absurd distinction of the Pelagians that children are baptized not for remission of sinne but to make them partakers of the kingdome of heauen out of the Church hee thus speakes in the person of the Orthodox vnto the Pelagians u Hoc vnum dicam vt tandem finiatur oratio aut novum vos Pelagiani nempe lebere symbolum tradere vt post Patrem Filium Spiritum Sanctum baptizâ—tis infantes in regnum caelâ—â—â— aut si vnum in paâ—vulâ—s in magnis habetis baptisma etiam infantes in remissionem peccatorum baptizandos in similitudinem prevaricationis Adam credatis That I may at length put an end to this discourse I will say but this one thing either you must forge a new Creed and after that forme of baptisme I Baptize thee in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the Holy Ghost adde this that thou maist partake of the kingdome of heauen or if yee doe beleeue that there is but one baptisme of persons of yeares and of infants yee must hold that infants also are baptized for remission of sinne as well as others But this cannot be without the spirit in an infant then at least if not before communicated to apply the blood of Christ vnto him as the same Father against the Luciferians * Hiâ—rom â—â—uer Lucifer Nulli hominum sine spiritu sancto peccata â—imittuntur Quomodo antâ—quis sordibâ—â— anima purgatâ— quae 〈…〉 habet spiritum ibid. Neque enim 〈◊〉 lavat animaâ— sed prius ipsa lavatur à â—p ritu c. vide locum expresly teacheth Sinnes are remitted to none without the Holy Ghost And a little before thus How can that soule be purged from old sinnes that hath not the holy spirit And againe in the same Tract It is not water that washeth the soule but the water it selfe is first sanctified by the spirit not vnlike to that speech of Moses in another case The spirit of God moved vpon the waters whence it is evident that baptisme cannot be without the spirit To conclude Christ saith he was baptized and receaued the spirit in Baptisme not that hee had it not before for he never was without it but that it might be manifest to vs that true baptisme is that wherein the Holy Ghost is present And to this also Calvine giues testimony in his Institutions x Lib. 4. cap. 16. Sect. 18. 7 Ambrose speaking of the parts of baptisme y De iis qui initiantur mysteriis cap. 4. Ires sunt in baptismate aqua sanguis spiritus si vnum horum detrahas non stat baptismatis sacramentum Quid enim est aqua sinc cruce Christi elementum commune sine vllo sacramenti effectu There are saith hee in Baptisme three things Water Bloud and the Spirit Take away but one of these and yee destroy the Sacrament For what is water without the bloud of Christ or a common element without any effect of the Sacrament If any shall say that this is not cleare for the efficacy of Baptisme at the time of administration hee shall therein shew so much ignorance in that Fathers Writings as that the Learned would iustly blame me if I should take vp more time to demonstrate this vnto him and gnash their teeth at such an Ignoramus 8 Lastly Augustine that great famous Doctor of the Church is knowne to all to be very frequent in this very Argument It shall suffice to quote a place or two There is not saith he z Serm ad infantes Nulli est aliquantenus ambigendum tunc vnumquemque fidelium corporis sanguinisque Domini participem fieri quando in baptismate efficitur membrum Christi the least doubt to bee made by any man that then every one of the faithful is made partaker of the body and bloud of our Lord when in Baptisme he is made a member of Christ If any thinke that by the faithfull he meanes onely persons of yeares actually beleeuing let them consult his Epistle a Epist 23. tom 2. to Boniface a devout Earle touching the baptizing of Infants wherein they shall finde that Father to comprehend infants in the number of the faithfull and that by reason of the Sacrament of faith Againe b Epist 57. ad Dardanum Dicimus in baptizatis parvulis quamvis id nesciant habitare spiritum sanctuÌ„ Sic enim cum nesciunt quamvis sit in eis quemadmodum nesciunt métem cuius in iis ratio quâ vti â—â—â—dum possant veluti quaedam scintilla sopita est excitanda aetatis accessis We say that in infants baptized although they be not aware of it the Holy Ghost doth dwell For so are they without knowledge of his being in them although he bee in them as they are of the reasonable soule reason being in them who yet cannot make vse of it like a little sparke raked vp vnder ashes and is not stirred vp but by accesse of yeares And in the same Epistle with which I will make an end c Habitare autem ideo in talibus dicitur quia occultè in eis agit vt suit templum eius idque in proficientibus proficiendo
And in Art 38 thus i Dicimus itaq elementum aquae quantumvis eaducum nobis nihilominus vtrè testificari interiorem animi nostri ablutionem in sanguine Iesu Christi per sancti spiritus efficaciam Rom. 6.3 Ephes 5.26 5 The Argentine confession cap. 17. thus determineth k De Baptismate itaque confitemur id quod passim scriptura de illo praedicat eo sepeliri nos in mertem Christi coagmentari in vnum corpus Christum induere lavacrum regenerationis peccata abluere nos salvare Rom 6 3. 1. Cor 12. Gal 3. Tit. 3. Act. 22. 1. Pet. 3. Touching Baptisme we confesse that which the scripture every where affirmeth of it that thereby wee are buried into the death of Christ knit together in one body we put on Christ it is the laver of Regeneration to wash away our sins and to saue vs Rom. 6 3. 1. Cor. 12. Gal. 3. Tit. 3. Act. 22. 1. Pet. 3. 6 The Augustane confession art 9. l Docet quod infantes per baptismum Deo commendati recipiantur in gratiam Dei fiant filij Dei sicut Christus testatur Mat. 18. non est voluntas patris vestri qui est in coelis vt pereat vnus ex parvulis istis teacheth that infants being by baptisme commended vnto God are receaued into the fauour of God and made his sonnes as Christ testifieth Math. 18. saying it is not the will of your father which is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish 7 The Saxon confession cap. 14 thus m Retinemus et infantium baptismum quia certissimum est promissionem gratiae etiam ad infantes pertinere c. nec iudicamus hunc morem tantum otiosam ceremoniam esse sed vere tunc à deo recipi sanctificari infantes We retaine the baptisme of infants also because it is most certaine that the promise of grace belongs even to infants c. nor doe we iudge this a meere idle ceremony but that then they are truly receaued by God and sanctified 8 The confession of Wirtemberg cap. de Bapt. to the same effect n Docemus eum qui baptizatur in nomine Patris filii spiritus sancti vngi spirituali Chrysmate hoc est fieri membâ—uÌ„ Christi donari spiritu sancto c. We teach that he that is baptized in the name of the Father of the Sonne and of the Holy Ghost is anointed with a spirituall chrysme that is he is made a member of Christ and endowed with the Holy Ghost 9 To all these we may adde the pious and orthodox confession of the Palatine extant in the same Harmony of confessions o De virtute efficacia sacri baptismi credo confiteor liberos nostros quia in hoc foedere vt iam dictum etiam ipsi vna includuntur cum in articulos antiquae nostrae catholicae fidei baptizantur sicut in iis ipsis educari institui debent etiam cruentis mortis domini nostri Iesu Christi omniumque eius bonorum quae illic morte sua acquisivit vnà participes fieri idque hoc modo quod quemadmodum externum sigillum sacrosanctum sacramentum nempe elementarem aquam à ministro veâ—bidivini extrinsecus in corpore recipiunt ita quoq simul à Christo ipso effuso illius sanguine in animabus suis hoc est interne baptizantur per spiritum sanctum de integro seu in novas creaturas regenerantur Touching the force and efficacy of holy baptisme I beleeue confesse that our children forasmuch as they also are included together with vs in the covenant before spoken of when they are baptized into the Articles of the ancient and catholike faith as in them also they ought to bee trained vp and instructed are made partakers as well as we of the bloudy death of our Lord Iesus Christ and of all other good things which in that his death he hath procured and that in this manner viz that as they receaue the outward seale to wit the holy Sacrament the elementary water from the Minister of the word externally in the body so also together at once by Christ they are washed with his bloud in their soules that is to say they are internally baptized and are regenerated a new as new creatures by the Holy Ghost But some may obiect that this last is not the Confession of the Church of the Palatinate but only of Frederick the third the Palsgraue of Rhene To which I answere 1. By confessing it to bee true that it was indeed the Confession of that religious Prince yet such as was approued of by that whole Church as appeares by the inserting of it among the publique Confessions of the Churches nor is there any other confession of that Church to be found in the Harmony of Confessions but only this by which it is euident that the whole Church of the Palatinate considering how full this confession was how exactly according with their publique catechisme thought it needlesse to draw any other publique body of confession but rather to rest in this so well performed to their hands 2 I say that it doth fully agree to the established doctrine of that Church set forth in their publique catechisme For in the 69 Quest of that Catech this is demanded p Qua ratione in baptismo admoneris confirmaris te vnici illius sacrificii Christi participem esse By what ground art thou admonished and confirmed that in thy baptisme thou art made a partaker of that one and only sacrifice ef Christ q Quod Christus externum aquae lauacrum mandavit addita hac promissione me non minus certo ipsius sanguine spiritu a sordibus animae hoc est ab omnibus peccatis meis lauari quam aqua extrinsecus ablutus sum qua sordes corporis expurgari solent The answere to it is this Because Christ enioyned that outward lauer of water with this promise annexed to it that J should be no lesse certaine that J am washed by his bloud and spirit froÌ„ all the filth of my soule that is from all sins theÌ„ that I am externally washed with water wherby the staines of the body are wont to be purged away To which I may further adde that learned Pareus in his larger explication of that catechisme how euer he require faith in the receiuer that will haue sensible possession benefit of the graces of that Sacrament yet in his commentary vpon the 74 Question of the same vndertaking to proue against the Anabaptists the lawfulnesse of baptizing of infants the second argument which hee there vseth is this * Ad infantes ecclesiae pertinet beneficium remissionis peccatorum regenerationis h. e. infantibus aeque ac adultis remissio peccatorum per sanguinem Christi spiritus sanctus fidei effector promittitur ergo infantes Christianorum debent baptizari that remission of sinnes by
licet ibid. sect 14. I hold that it is sufficient that wee acknowledge they shall be saued for as much as they by election and praedestination belong to Gods peculiar flock that they are endowed with the spirit who is the roote of faith hope loue and all other graces which spirit afterwards doth manifest and declare himselfe in the sonnes of God when they come to years Musculus of Baptisme giues this description b Defiâ—iemus baptismum esse sacramentum regenerationis purgationis initiationis sanctificationis obsignationis incorporationis in Christum seruatorem Haec enim omni no per spiritum Christi fiunt in electu fidelibus quorum sacramentum est baptismus vt rectè in illo profici dicatur quod per spiritum Christi reipsa spiritualiter perficitur Muscul de Bapt quest 1. Sect. 8 Loc. Com. Wee define baptisme to be the sacrament of regeneration purgation initiation sanctification obsignation and incorporation into Christ our Saviour For all these are effected in the elect and faithfull by the spirit of Christ of all which graces baptisme is the sacrament so as in it this may rightly be said to be done because truly and spiritually it is effected by the spirit of Christ If any thinke to obiect against me that Musculus speakes this of the faithfull and so vnderstands it not of infants I answere out of Musculus himselfe c Omnes Christianorum infantes ad Christum pertinentes deque numero fidelium existentes recte dicuntur esse in fide Christi fideles credentes licet nondum sint imbuti fide Musc in Mat. 18 All infants belonging to Christ borne of Christian parents and being of the number of the faithfull are rightly said to be in the faith of Christ to be faithfull and beleeuers although as yet they be not endewed with actuall faith Besides he that saith Christians being elect are by the Holy Ghost ingraffed into Christ in baptisme must not exclude elect infants for as much as none but infants are now vsually baptized in the Church Therefore hee must be vnderstood of what baptisme doth ordinarily effect vpon infants or else his definition is very improper yea false being applied to children beside whom there are none vnlesse in some rare cases of proselites baptized in these latter times Francis Iunius in his Theses of Paedobapt speakes as fully to this point as any of the rest d Si enim in Christi corpus baptizandi omnes electi si omnes christum induere debent infantes non secus ac adulti eos a christi corpore separare Christo non inserere nefandum esset Thes 4. If saith he all the elect are to be baptized into the body of Christ if moreouer all of them as well infants as persons of yeares ought to put on Christ then to separate theÌ„ from the body of Christ and not to engraffe them into Christ were a most wicked thing And againe a little after e Cum baptizantur infantes deus offert confert omnia bona faederis stipulatur ibid. Thes 10. When infants What infants he meanes he had sufficiently expressed before viz. elect infants are baptized God doth both offer and conferre all the good things of the Couenant and engageth himselfe vnto it In another place thus f Baptismus est actio sacra Dei lauantis suos intus lotione spiritus foris lotione aquae Mat. 3. Ioh. 1. passim Haec igitur relata sunt aqua spiritus lotio aquae lotio spiritu Relatio vt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est iâ—â—s illa siue applicatio vntus ad alteram secundum naturam relâ—torum formam constituexs sacramenti Quemadmodum igitur homo in actionibus humanis anima corpore actionem internam externam agit vnica operatione in qua sicut anima est forma corporis ita actio interna formalis quodam modo externa vero materialis est in cundum modum Deus spiritu suo aqua agit actionem internam externam vnica operatione in qua lotio interna a spiritu formalis est in â—terialis externa prâ— vt dicebat Ioannes ego baptizo vos aqua c. Iun. in Exam. Gratian. Prosp Par. 3. Baptisme is a sacred action of God washing those that be he his owne inwardly with the washing of the spirit outwardly with the washing of water Mat 3. Iohn 1. and elsewhere These two therefore the water and the spirit the washing of water and the washing of the spirit are relatiues And the relation it selfe is that application or vnion of these one to another according to the nature of relatiues which constitutes the forme of the sacrament Wherefore as a man in humane actions doth with his soule and body produce both an inward and an outward action in one and the same operation in which as the soule is said to be the forme of the body so is the inward action after a sort the formall and the externall the materiall part of the action euen so after the same manner God by his spirit and by water doth performe both an internall and an externall action in one and the same operation in which the inward washing by the spirit is the formall part and the externall washing with water is the materiall part of that his action according to that of Iohn the Baptist I indeed baptize you with water c. but he that cometh after me shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost c. This passage passing from that learned man in a scholasticall confutation of a subtile aduersary is perhaps more abstruse then it can be fully vnderstood of an ordinary reader yet all that are iudicious cannot see lesse in it than this viz that in the iudgment of Iunius that is not held for Baptisme of the elect wherein God doth not ordinarily accompany the outward administration of that sacrament with some inward worke of the spirit inwardly washing the soule as well as the water outwardly washeth the body in the Lauer of Regeneration But what manner of worke that is which is ordinarily performed by the spirit in the matter of Regeneration the same Author also describeth in the place first cited where he thus distinguisheth of regeneration and then explaines himselfe in what sense he affirmeth infants elect to be regenerated in baptisme g De regeneratio â—e aliter consideratur in fâ—â— lâ—â—ne to id est in Christo habitu aliter in nobis actu Pâ—imâ— regeneratio qâ—â—e dici potest transplantatio a vetere Id mo in novum tanqâ—am causa eâ—â— aâ—tera tanquam fructus sequituâ— De prima inquitur Christus Iohn 3. Apostolus vtramque coniungit Rom. 6. Hac regenerantur infantes electi cum Christo inferuntu huius obsignatio sit iâ—s duâ—â— baptizantuâ— De Paed. bap châ—â— 7 Touching regeneration it is one way to be considered in the foundation that is to say in Christ the habit thereof
him to his former estate before grace so as he should need any new totaâ—l and vniversa l regeneration in all parts of his soule for theÌ„ as they Well saw it would follow that such a man must b rebaptized ere he could be againe regenerated by the ordinary way Therefore they say he is only set out of the state of grace that is out of the fauour of God so as then it shines not vpon him for they cannot meane it of grace in the person himselfe because they confesse he hath not wholly lost all grace so as to need a new regeneration vntill he recouer it againe by repentance For see what they write a little before the middle of that declaration circa 5. Art de Persâ—ver Ex quo consequitur cum qui a verâ— fide deficit non protinus in eundem illum statum delabi in quo erat antequam ad fidem vocaretur ac proinde totali vniuersali regeneratione quoad omnes animae patres opus non habere neque vt novo baptismo rebaptizetur necessum esse sed tantum extra statum gratiae collocari quamdiu ad statum illum a quo defecit non revertitur â—f therefore I can cleare the point from both these absurdities which are thought to lay an impossibility vpon it and make it appeare that it is possible for the spirit to be in an elect infant from the time of his baptisme vnto his actuall conuersion many yeares after although no manifest signe of grace but rather the contrary doe to vs appeare in him I shall sufficiently quit my selfe of this obiection And this I will now assay by answering distinctly to both propositions in order 1 Then let vs examine their Maior proposition which hath in it 2 parts which wee may call the Antecedent and the Consequent The antecedeÌ„t or the main body of the proposition is this wheresoeuer the Spirit is he worketh actuall faith and regeneration the consequent this or else the spirit is idle To both these parts I answere thus 1 I deny the former part if it bee taken vniversally For it is not necessary that the spirit from the very first time of his entrance should worke actuall faith and regeneration in the sense before expressed in all in whom he may be said to be as hath beene sufficiently proued in the case of infants of whom only we treat I haue made it manifest by a comparison of the reasonable soule with the heauenly spirit as many others haue done before mee The reasonable soule is infused so soone as the body of an infant is organized and made capable of such an inhabitant yet it doth not presently act or enable the infant to act rationally so soone as it is infused But it will be said that so soon as the soule comes into the body the body is quickned and stirres euen in the womb true but that motion is not rationall but only animall Euen after the infant is borne it cannot moue it selfe rationally till the senses be first able to exercise themselues and be actually conuersant about and vpon their proper obiects present the same vnto the vnderstanding faculty by the Phantasy and Common sense So it is in the Spirituall being Therefore it followes not that infants must be presently made beleeuers regenerate actually so as to moue spiritually so soone as the spirit is giuen vnto them This is the answere not only of Saint n Dicimus in baptizalis parvulis quamvis id nesciant habitare spirâ—tum sanctum Sic enim nesciunt quamvis sit in eis quemâ—dmodum nesciunt mentem cuius in iis ratio qua vti nondum pâ—ssunt veluti quaedaÌ„â—â—intilâ—a sopita est excitanda aetatis accessiâ— Augustine in his 57 Epist ad Dandanum as I haue shewed before in the 5 chapt but also of Peter Martyr D. Whitaker and others which I will not here repeat hauing already set downe their words at large Thus also Daneus o In Augustini Enchirid. cap. 52. nec eoram animae rationalis opeâ—a vlla adâ—uc cernimus neque tamen propterea potest negari eos anima rationali esse praeditos â—rgo fidem regenerationem habent parâ—â—li electiâ— Dâ—i etsi nondum illius opera nobis apparent ea dona habent pro ratione aetatis â—d est pro capacitate vasis not only vpon Saint Augustines Enchiridion but also in his Treatise of the Sacraments where he saith that p Ergo qui effectus baptismi est in adultis idem est in infantibus quaâ—quam vim eius tam cito infantes non proserunt neque illius fructus edunt quam adulti sed demu n cum aeâ—â—s adueâ—erit vsus rationis De sacram lib. 5. cap. 25. looke what efficacy baptisme hath in persons of yeares the same it hath vpon infants although infants doe not manifest the same nor bring forth the fruits thereof as those of yeares doe but yet afterwards they doe it when they come to age of discretion M Aynsworth in his Censure of the dialogue of the Anabaptists is copious in this very particular See page 44. If saith he wee cannot iustly obiect against Gods worke in nature but doe beleeue that our infants are reasonable creatures and are borne not bruit beasts but men though actually they can manifest no reason or vnderstanding no more then beasts yea a young lamb knoweth and discerneth his damme sooner then an infant knoweth his mother then neither can we iustly obiect against Gods work in grace but are to beleeue that our infants are sanctified Creatures c. And againe page 45. answering that Cauill of theirs that if infants haue any grace it would appeare by the acts and exercise of it he saith thus They reason ignorantly and perversly not only against the light of Gods word but of nature As if some bruitish person should plead thus A man is a liuing creature that hath a reasonable soule and the proper affections of a man as he is a man are the faculty of vnderstanding of thinking capablenesse of learning of remembring reasoning iudging and discerning true and false good and euill c. of willing of nilling of speaking of numbring c. Now let them which affirme Jnfants are borne men as Christ doth Ioh 16.21 proue that infants doe vnderstand thinke remember iudg discerne good euill approue will speake c. or else they say nothing Were not such a disputer worthy to be laughed hissed at who requireth the actuall vse manifestation of humane affections faculties in infants which are in them but potentially and in the seede beginning because they cannot declare these things by their workes therefore he denyeth them to be of the generation of man kind or borne men into the world or that they haue the faculties of men in them any manner of way Euen such is the argumentation of these erroneous spirits against the truth of religion Thus farre he
finde of those that euer come to good at all in respect of the best good who doe not ordinarily take in Religion and grace insensibly euen from their tender youth so as many of them cannot with their best search finde out directly the time of their Conversion although they cannot when they bee themselues free from temptation deny themselues to be conuerted As for such as haue enioyed the former meanes and yet fly out into debauched courses they seldome or neuer returne to God at all and therefore no marveile if they stand out long notwithstāding the helpes afforded for they by this declare themselues not to be of the number of Gods elect so not of those in whom baptisme is so efficacious as here wee affirme it to be And as for such as stand out longest come in at last you shall ordinarily obserue them to be such as had vngodly or carelesse parents or no sound and powerfull Ministry or had the reins too soone let loose vnto them or were poisoned with bad examples of Parents gouernors or companions or were not instantly pluckt out of some delightfull sinnes ere they were rooted in their wickednesse by long custome c. And then what wonder if they liue many yeares without apparent conuersion and actuall regeneration Notwithstanding if you aske some of these after they be conuerted whether in the time of their rebellion they had not sometimes strong conflicts in themselues to breake off their wickednesse and to come in and whether they did not sometimes finde inward risings of heart against their secret sinnes euen for the very filthinesse of them as well as for the danger and they will for the most part answere yea if they had had the grace to accept and follow those good motions within them but they found the contrary that after such inward stirrings vnto conversion their lusts haue presently raged and burst out more strongly than at other times This is the confession in substance of diuerse of them which shewes them not to be wholy destitute of the spirit euen when the flesh was most violent and insolent in them before actuall conuersion And this obseruation seconded by others of farre greater experience is mentioned here meerely to still their cry which tell vs that many are vnconuerted thirty forty fifty yeares and is it likely say they the spirit should be all that while in them and neuer actually convert them vnto God Although he can worke without meanes yet that he might grace those of his owne institution hee doth not vsually worke without them when hee vouchsafeth them And when he vseth them he doth not alwaies performe the worke at the first or second or many assaies of his Ministers because hee would haue vs to know vpon whom after Paul hath planted and Apolloes watered the increase dependeth By all that haue beene spoken wee now see that it is not vniuersally true which the Maior Proposition supposeth viz. that the spirit must either worke actuall faith and regeneration or else be confessed to be idle and that it is of no validity which the Minor assumeth and affirmeth viz that in infants ordinarily no such worke appeareth but rather the contrary for many yeares after baptisme For it is possible for the spirit to worke although hee doe not worke actuall grace nor is it materiall that such grace doth not appeare because there is no necessity that any particular habit of grace should bee at that time in them at all And therefore I conclude that this Obiection is of no strength forasmuch as it concludes nothing against the point in Question the premisses being thus examined and searched to the bottome 6 Obiection The very seede of grace cannot Obiect 6 be in the same subiect in whom there is reigning sinne as is plaine by that of the Apostle 1 Ioh. 3.9 Whosoeuer is borne of God sinneth not for his seede remaineth in him and he cannot sinne because he is borne of God But in infants baptized till they be actually regenerated sinne reigneth Therefore the spirit is not giuen vnto them as the seede of after grace Answere Answere 1 To the Maior proposition I answere three waies 1 There is an ambiguity in the word seede For seede may be taken two waies Actiuely and Passiuely 1 Actiuely for some actuall efficient principle of grace going before both the acts and habits of particular graces which as in the naturall so in the spirituall seed wee may terme seed seeding Euen as those first plants or hearbs in the Creation were termed hearbs * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seminificantem semen vt vertit Arias Montanus seeding seed Gen. 1.29 2 Passiuely for that yeeld or fruit which is produced by the actiue principle thereof which may be called seed seeded as in the former place of Gen. 1. may also be seene Now when with other Diuines I say that the spirit is giuen to elect infants as the seed of future actuall grace I speake not of seede passiue or produced but of seede actiue or produceing a further seed in due time and season But contrarily the Apostle S. Iohn speakes of seede in the other sense which imports at least the particular habits of sanctifying sauing grace infused by this seeding seed wherof we treat This is manifest in the words of the Text Whosoever is borne of God sinneth not that is whosoever is actually regenerated doth not commit sinne as all expound the place and the reason is giuen because his seede abideth in him which is no other then the habits of grace infused by the spirit as all acknowledge Therefore this proposition speakes not to the point because it vnderstands by seede another thing from that wee meane in our assertion I speake not of seed in the eare but of the first seed cast into the ground that afterwards yeelds and brings forth the blade the stalke the eare and all that growes vpon it 2 I answere that I cannot see what absurdity would follow by granting that initiall regeneration may stand with actually reigning sinne because howeuer a man hath by the first principle of Regeneration a possibility of making opposition against sinne when that possibility comes into Act yet he is not by that possibility alone enabled for the present actually to resist sinne which resistance is a fruit of actuall conuersion no more than a man is enabled actually to reason and discourse so soone as the reasonable soule is infused before his senses doe actually exercise themselues vpon their proper obiects and thereby giue occasion to the rationall faculty to exercise it selfe Therefore as in an infant which may afterwards proue a very wise man the principle of reason may and doth consist with actuall folly till that child haue his senses excercised to discerne betweene good and euill so in the same infant the first principle of regeneration which wee terme initiall or * I call initiall regeneration potentiall in respect of the habits acts