the power of darkenes But the onlie meanes by Christ instituted to deliuer Infants and children from darknesse and the power of Satan is Baptisme wherfore vntill they be Baptized they remaine captiue and vnder the power of Satan in darknesse But they who conuerse with Satan in the dungeon of darknesse can not be in place of pleasure nor enioy great felicitie Ergo it is manifest they remaine in hell It is plaine in the Gospell that in the latter day when Christ shall come to iudge the world Mat. 25.23 all men must goe either on the right hand or on the lefte There are then but two wayes but children dying without Baptisme are not for the right hand then of necessitie they must goe on the left hand but the way on the lâ—ft hand is damnation and hell if damnation and hell then no place of pleasure and felicitie Werfore to conclude what care ought Parents to haue that this Sacrament of Baptisme be duly ministred to ther Children And what griefe it ought to be in them if by their negligence or by inclining vnto this new deuise of Caluin they should send their Infants vnto the darke dungeon of hell vnder the power of the deuill captiuitie of Satan There is but one difficultie or obiection of any importance Obiect that may be vrged against the alleadged reasons that is After the generall Iudgment and destuction of the world by fire Almightie God will make all new Apoc. 21. A new heauen and a new earth but this new earth shall not be vacant without inhabitans The Angells and Saints and seruants of Christ shall haue heauen the deuills and damned shall haue hell It soundeth probablie that the Infants and children dying without Baptisme who neuer committed actuall sinne may haue this middle place inhabite the earth and enioy the pleasures therof To this argument I answeare Sol. that this earth shall not be inhabited neither by man nor beast And that by the heauen is vnderstood the ayre Heauen and earth shall be a new that is all the fower elementes the ayer the water the earth and the fire shall be renewed made pure without mixture and put in their naturall places The ayre shal haue no liuing thing in it the birds and fowles of the ayre shall be gone the waters shall enuiron and compasse about the whole earth there shall be no fish in it the earth shall haue no cattle no beasts no liuing creature in it no trees no fruite no flowres no grasse on the ground Non erit arida There shall be no drie land But as I haue sayed all shall be enuironed and compassed about with the wathers The reason is pregnant out of Saint Iohn Apoc. 21. Who sayeth Prima terra abijt mare iam non est The first earth is gone the seas now are not For the wather shall be without tearme or limitte For what are the seas but waters limitted within such a compasse that they shall not passe to enuiron or ouerwhelme the whole earth Therfore after the first creation of the elements God sayed Gen. 1.9 Congregenâ—ur aquae in locum vnum vt appareat arida Congregationesque aquarum appellauit maria Let the wathers be gathered to geather in one place that the drie land may appeare and the gathering to geather of the wathers he called the seas So thar we may conclude that when in the innouation the seas shall be no more the waters shall haue their full course ouer the face of the whole earth Tho. in sup a. q. 91. ar 5. And the reason in this innouation of the destruction of all things both in the ayre the wathers and on the earth may be because all these creatures as the fowles of the ayre the fishes of the seas the beast and fruits of the earth were ordained of God only for the vse maintenance and comfort of man but man being taken away all the elements shall be renewed and restored to â—heir naturall course So that there can be no â—abitatioÌ„ at all vpon the earth of man or beast Two places there shall remaine only habitable â—hat is heauen and hell heauen for the good Angells and Saints and hell for the deuills and damned soules Therfore the ordinarie opinion of School-diuines is that the place for Children dying without Baptisme In. 2 senten dist 33. v. in 4. dist 45. shall be â—he horrible prison and dungeon of hell And â—his onlie reliefe they shall haue as hath bene â—ayed they shal not suffer anie sensible paiâ—e nor be tormented with hell fire nor haâ—e anie worme of conscience grawing on â—hem nor remorse for anie fault they did â—pon earth because they neuer committed â—nie actuall sinne Wherfore I conclude they can haue no middle place betweene heauen and hell neither can they inhabite or liue on the earth to enioy anie naturall kind of felicitie or pleasure CAP. 9. VVhether they shall haue anie excessiue grief in hell for that they are depriued of the fruition and sight of God Aug li 6. in IulianuÌ„ cap. 4. vltra mediuÌ„ B. Greg. lib. 9. moral c. 16. FulgeÌ„ de fide ad Pet. IT is the opinion of some Doctours as S. Augustine S. Gregorie and Fulgentius that the Infants dying without Baptisme can not be exempted nor freed from all sorrow and grief because they know they were created to the Image and liknesse of God and that they want their finall end for the which they had their begining which was to prayse God to see God and to haue a certaine beatitude and blessednes the want wherof can not but be a certaine great grief vnto them Yet it is the more generall opinion of the greater part of Diuines that their sorrow and grief can be but small and litle because they haue manie causes to lenifie and mitigate this their grief and sorrow Although they had a knowledge of God and were not ignorant of some kind of beatitude and blessednes yet because they neuer had any acte or habite to execute it wherby they might attaine vnto it but a weake remote and farre of disposition onlie which could effect nothing therfore their grief caÌ„ not be great for the losse of that wherof they neuer had perfect knowledge nor in them selues meanes to attaine Againe it was nor by their proper negligeÌ„ce but by the fault of an other that they haue lost so great a good Also these Infants neuer tasted of the delights of heauen or earth but we know by experience that we neuer grieue so much for the want of those things we neuer had as we doe for the losse of those things we haue possessed or were in power to enioy We are easely coÌ„tent to want tose things we neuer had vse of and neuer looked after neither in Spe nor In re Neither in expectance nor in deed But so it is with the Infants therfore their grief can not be great Besides all this it must needes be a
the day of Pentecost visible in the forme of fierie tongues Where vpon the Apostles Disciples might be sayed to be Baptised in the Holie Ghost and fire But this was but once effected and done and that vpon the Apostles onlie and neuer proposed by Christ as an ordinarie meanes for all men and therefore as much difference in these two places of Scripture as betweene fire and water two contrarie elements Secondly Caluin might haue marked if he would and so may his Complices that this word fire is put after the word Holy Ghost as expressing the effects that the Holie Ghost may worke as to illuminate enflame and heate the hart and soule with faith and Charitie as fire doeth the bodie externallie But the word water is put before the Holie Ghost by Christ as in his proper signification and concurring togeather with the Holie Ghost to the spirituall generation and new birth of man to life in Christ therefore â—here is not like reason in the one as in the other Thirdlie S. Iohn Baptist spake those words comparatiulie that Christ who was to be after him should Baptise in the Holy Ghost and fire and that he was not worthie to carrie his shooes after him to signifie that his Baptisme was but weake did not remitte sinne but moue to Penance had not so absolutlie conioyned with it the operation power of the Holie Ghost and therefore no way comparable with that of Christs How then can that saying of Caluin and his partakers be approuable and allowed That Iohns Baptisme and Christs is all one Ob. and that Iohns was as forceible as Christs I answere the proposition and saying is most vntrue and it was spoken by Caluin not so much to extoll Iohns Baptisme Sol. as to derogate from Christs And therefore he would that Christs Baptisme should not haue efficacie and force to remitte sinne to giue grace to cause Iustification and so Consequentlie not necessarie to saluationâ— but onlie an externall signe of admittance to the Congregation And thus shall Christs Sacraments be disgraced to maintaine Caluini conceit and idle dreame against all antiquitie CAP. 11. VVhen and at what tyme Christ institute Baptisme Math. 3. Mat. 1. Luc. 3. THere are three diuers opinions concerning the institution of this Sacrament by reasoâ— that three seuerall times in holie Scripturâ— Christ hath in acte or word made speciall mention of this Sacrament The first opinion is that Christ instituted this Sacrament when hâ— came himself in person to Iohn Baptist to bâ— Baptised of him The second opinion is theâ— Christ to haue instituted Baptisme when hâ— instructed Nicodemus and shewed the necessitie thereof saying Io. 3. Nisi quis renatus c. vnlesse eueriâ— one be borne againe of water and the Holy Ghost hâ— can not enter into the kingdome of heauen The third opinion is that this Sacrament was instituted after Christs Resurrection when he gaue Commission to his Apostles to Baptise all nations and people and withall prescribed vnto them the forme thereof saying Omnis potestaâ— data c. All power is giuen me in heauen and in earth Going therefore teach ye all nations Baptising them In the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the Holie Ghost To make as it were a reconciliation of these three opinions I will put downe what I thinke submitting not withstanding my self to better iudgment In the first action I suppose that Christ decreed the institution of this Sacrament when personallie himself was Baptised In the second action when he instructed Nicodemus he gaue as is were the precept shewing the necessitie thereof Finallie in the third action after his Resurrection Tho. 3. par q. 66. a. 2. Tertul. li. con Iudaeos cap. de passione Hilla c. 2. in Math. Amb. li 2. in Luc. Iero in dialogo con Lucifera Greg. Nazi in orat in Sancta Lumina when he gaue Commission to Baptise all nations and people and withall expressed the forme he declared the obligation thereof that then it was obligatorie and began to bind all men to receaue it For proofe of the first that â—t was decreed and instituted in Christs Baptisme is the opinion of S. Thomas and by common consent the auncient Fathers doe teach that Christ when he was Baptised in Iordan did giue force and vertue of Sanctification to the waters Read Tertullian S. Hillarie S. Ambrose S. Ierome and S. Gregorie Nazianzen And no doubt he determined water to be the matter of Baptisme when he would vouchsafe to consecrate illustrate and make famous the water by the touch of his most holie and pure flesh The forme also was sufficientlie declared although not in words expressed as it was in the last action after the Resurrection for the voyce of God the Father was heard from heauen the Holy Ghost appeared in forme of a doue and Christ IESVS the Sonne of God was there present in humayne flesh So that here was the forme and matter declared For the second that Christ gaue as it were a precept and declared it necessarie to saluation it is playne by the words of Christ to Nicodemus Yet that men were not bound to receaue Baptisme nor this precept obligatorie before the Passion of Christ and promulgation of the newe Lawe and abrogation of the old S. Thomas proueth in the place before cited For the third that the obligation and necessitie to vse Baptisme was declared and proclaimed vnto all men after the Passion and Resurrection of Christ it is manifest Because at that tyme and after the Passion of Christ all the Ceremonies and figures of the old lawe ceased and in place of them succeeded Baptisme and other Sacraments of the Ghospell and newe lawe And also because man by Baptisme is configurated and fashioned alike to the Passion and Resurrection of Christ For as Christ died for sinne so also man should die to sinne And as he rose to life and glorie so also he should begin the newe life of Iustice Therefore Christ must first suffer his Passion and rise againe to life before man could of necessitie configurate and conforme himsâ—lf Wherefore I conclude that Baptisme might be instituted and commaunded by Christ in his life tyme but not obligatorie nor of bond necessarilie to be obserued before the death and Passion of Christ. It were no improbable opinion to thinke that Christ might haue instituted this Sacrament of Baptisme when he in person Baptised his Apostles CAP. 12. Whether the Sacrament of Baptisme by Martirdome or Contrition of harte may be supplied And whether the definition of three Baptismes that is Of Bloud of Charitie and water be in holie Scripture THere is no doubt but from the begining in the Primitiue Church and all aâ—es vnto this day the threefold distinction of Baptisme that is SaÌ„guinis flaminis fluminis Of Bloud charitie and water hath bene approued and allowed of all and that the Sacrament of Baptisme might be supplied by the other two
are retained Lo the institution of the Sacrament of Penance Wherefore Baptisme is not the remedie for sinnes committed after that Sacrament receaued but we must recurre to the Sacrament of Confession by Christs owne institution Let therefore no Heretike lull you a sleepe in this plausible doctrine and Epicurian practise that if you fall out of the shippe you entred into by Baptisme and make shipwracke and loose by sinne your first grace receaued in Baptisme that you shall not need to take hold and handfast of the second table that is the Sacrament of Penance but that the memorie onlie of Baptisme shall be sufficient to recouer you without contrition confession or satisfaction either to God or man or anie other punishement due for sinne It was also decreed in the great and generall councell of Lateran vnder Pope Innocentius the Third at which councell were our English Embassadours and oratours amongst the rest of the Princes of Christendome the words of the Councell are Concil Later cap. 1. Si post susceptionem Baptismi contingat prolabi in peccatum per veram Penitentiam potest semper recuperari If it happen that any man after he hath receaued the Sacrament of Baptisme fall downe into sinne he may alwaies continuallie from tyme to tyme recouer himself by true repentance Wherefore I conclude with the venerable councell of Trent Si quis dixerit peccata omnia Con. Trid. sess 7. canon 9. quae post Baptismum fiunt sola recordatione fide suscepti Baptismi vel dimitti vel venialia fieri anathema sit If anie man shall say that all sinnes which are committed and done after Baptisme are by the onlie recordation remembrance and faith of Baptisme before receaued either remitted or become veniall let him be accursed It can not therefore be that those sinnes we shall committe after Baptisme by Baptisme should be relieued but the Sacrament of Penance must be our refuge and thither must we flie with an humble and contrite harte This is Christs ordinance and institution for the helpe and succour of man CAP. 9. VVhether Baptisme be necessarie to saluation THere is no doubt in Catholike Doctrine but ordinarlie it is of necessitie to saluation and the onlie meanes by Christs institution to enter into the kingdome of heauen according to that saying of Christ Ioan. 3. Nisi quis renatus c. vnlesse a man be borne againe by water the Holy Ghost he can not enter into the kingdome of heauen As no man can enter into this world nor haue life and being vnlesse he be borne of his carnall parents no more can any man enter into life and state of saluation vnlesse he be borne of water and the Holy Ghost He must be denuo natus Borne againe who will see the kingdome of God Therefore they can no way be saued sayeth S. Thomas who receaue not this Sacrament S. Tho. 3. p. q. 68. articu 4. In re or in voto that is In deed or In desire vowe and will For they that receaue it not are neither in deed nor in vowe neither Sacramentallie nor mentallie incorporated to Christ nor made his members by whom onlie saluation is obtained He therefore that shal be preuented by death before he actually obtayne this Sacrament in acte and deed realie if he haue an ardent desire to be Baptised may be saued for and by the desire of Baptisme which did proceed of faith working by loue by which God inwardly sanctifieth him The reason is because God hath not so bound himselfe or his power to these externall Sacraments although he haue made them his ordinarie instruments but that he may and doth in some cases of necessitie accept them as Baptised who either are martired before they could be Baptised or els departe this life with vowe and desire to haue the Sacrament when by some extreame necessitie it could not be obtained Con. Trid. sess 7. ca. non cap. 5. Therefore I conclud that he who shall neglect or contemne the Sacrament of Baptisme as necessarie to saluation and so commaunded by Christ can not be saued For this cause the generall councell of Trent doth Anathematize those who affime Baptisme to be free at libertie and not necessarie to saluation CAP. 10. VVhether in the third of S. Iohn Christ did treate of Baptisme I moue this question in respect of Caluin because he willing to maintaine Baptisme not to be necessarie as the ordinarie meanes by Christ instituted to saluation doth absolutlie denie That Christ here in this Chapter recorded by the Euangelist doth intreate of the Sacrament of Baptisme Caluin lib. 4. inst ca. 16. §. 25. and so abuse the expresse words of Christ with idle glosses and false interpretations contrarie to the vnderstanding of generall Councells auncient Fathers and meaning of vniuersall Church And therefore by these words vnlesse a man be borne againe by water and the Holie Ghost he can not enter into the kingdome of heauen Antido con Triden ses 6. Christ intendeth sayeth he onlie internall renouation no externall Sacrament therefore by this word water we must vnderstand onlie the Holie Ghost to make cleane and purge as wather doth But this glosse is absurd the interpretation fained For if Christ did not intend an externall Sacrament consisting of water but onlie an internall renouation what need had he to vse this word Water at all but he might haue sayed absolutlie vnlesse a man be borne of the Holie Ghost onlie he can not enter into the kingdome of heauen But he plainlie sayed vnlesse a man be borne of water the Holie Gost to signifie the Sacrament of Baptisme externallie to be water and the Holie Ghost internallie to worke and therefore he put them ioyntlie together that by water and the holie Ghost our entrance to heauen should be effected I call it a fained interpretation because it proceedeth from Caluins owne fancie For he can bring no generall councell no cōsent of Fathers no practise of the primitiue Church for his interpretation because they all stand firme in this place of Scripture and the words of Christ here related are manifest for the Sacramēt of Baptisme as the ordinarie meanes for mans saluation that by Christs institution as shall may appeare by the processe of this treatise Ob. But Caluin may say If I haue no councells nor Fathers Yet I haue Scripture for my purpose It is sayed Matth. 3.11 Luc. 3. ver 16. that Christ shall Baptise in the Holy Ghost and fire but fire maketh no Sacrament nor is necessarie to saluation but onlie expresseth the effects of the Holie Ghost so why should the word water doe anie more I answere Sol. these words recited that Christ should Baptise in the holie Ghost and fire were not spoken by Christ himself but by his Prophet S. Iohn Baptist whereby he might foretell prophecie of the the power of Christ in sending the Holie Ghost vpon the Apostles in