Church enioyneth 1 The Minister alone thus to bespeake the Congregation when any children are presented at the Font I beseech you to call vpon God the Father through our Lord Iesus Christ that of his bounteous mercy hee will grant to these children that thing which by nature they cannot haue that they may be baptised with water and the HOLY GHOST The Church enioyneth further 2 Both Minister and People to pray Wee beseech thee for thine infinite mercies that thou wilt mercifully looke vpon these children sanctifie them and wash them with the HOLY GHOST Againe in the second Prayer We call vpon thee for these infants that they comming to thy Holy Baptisme may receiue remission of their sinnes by SPIRITVALL regeneration Yet againe in the Third Prayer Giue THY HOLY SPIRIT to these infants that they may bee borne againe and bee made heyres of everlasting salvation The purpose of the Church then is to teach vs that wee should expect the Spirit of Christ to be communicated in Baptisme to elect infants or else it must be concluded that the Church meant to mocke vs by putting vs to pray for that which shee doth not beleeue we shall receaue If any shall say the Church teacheth vs to pray indeed for the Regeneration of a child when hee is baptised but not for his present regeneration I answere yes for his present Regeneration not actuall ordinarily such as that he after attaines vnto in his effectuall calling by the Word yet Initiall and Potentiall as was before distinguished as shall appeare in the proofe of the second branch of the Assumption which is this viz 2 The Church concludeth in her Leiturgie that the child is initially regenerate in his Baptisme For 1 It pronounceth him to be regenerate enioyning the Minister thus to speake vnto the people seeing now D. B. that these children be regenerate and grafted into the Body of Christs congregation let vs giue thankes vnto God for these benefits c. And least any should shift this off by saying they are Sacramentally regenerated but not spiritually by any actuall reception of the spirit at that time the Solemne Thanksgiuing following is added to cut the throat of this shiftlesse glosse Let vs examine it in the next place 2 It teacheth vs all thus to ioyne in Thanksgiuing vnto God Wee yeeld thee hearty thankes most mercifull Father that it hath pleased thee to regenerate this infant how and with what with thy HOLY SPIRIT to receiue him for thine owne child by Adoption what words can more fully manifest the Churches intention to teach vs that all infants truly belonging to the couenant of grace doe ordinarily receiue the spirit in Baptisme not as a thing which none of them had before but as that of which there was no certainty vnto vs nor confirmation vnto them before in the ordinary course of diuine Dispensation of the Spirit by meanes If the matter be not yet cleare enough to such as shut their eyes against it Let them further attend to what the Church requireth vs that are Ministers to pronounce touching a child baptized rightly in private In the forme of Priuate Baptisme I certify you that in this case all is well done and according to due order concerning the baptizing of this child who being borne in Originall sinne and in the wrath of God is now by the Lauer of Regeneration in baptisme receiued into the number of the CHILDREN OF GOD AND HEIRES OF EVERLASTING LIFE for our Lord doth not deny his grace and mercy vnto such infants but most louingly calls them to him as the Holy Gospell doth witnesse vnto our comfort on this wise At a certaine time they brought Children to Christ c. Picke any other sense then I haue done out of the Leiturgy especially when it shall be further cleared by the Doctrine of the Church eris mihi magnus Apollo But some will be readdy to stop me here with sundry Obiections which must be answered 3 Obiections before my way will be cleare to goe forward Obiect 1 1 Some will be apt to say The Church perhaps teacheth vs thus to pray and iudge of infants baptized but doth not well in so doing and that if this be the meaning of our Booke of common prayer we ought not to ioyne in such a prayer To this I answere that it is indeed very true that some haue beene so bold as to put the ly vpon that which the Minister pronounceth touching regeneration of the infant baptized saying in plaine termes That is a ly Bvt sauing their fowle mouthes I trust this shall appeare euen out of the Scriptures themselues in our next chapter to be the truth and that Gods owne infallible truth will beare vs out in it I may not here preuent my selfe Howbeit something to stay the stomacks of such as quarrell our Church for this point or me for misinterpreting our Church let me alleadge out of a good Author whom both they and I doe reuerence and shew his iudgement in the point Mr Tho. Tailor The person I meane is the learned industrious author of the English Comentarie vpon S. Paules Epistle to Titus Hee in writing vpon the 3 cap. and ver 5. of that Epistle is so expressely engaged in this point that all the wit of man cannot fetch him off without tergiuersation which is the iudgement of all men that euer I yet met with who haue throughly read and considered both the place and ALL THAT EITHER GOES BEFORE OR FOLLOWES AFTER in that Author to that purpose Nor am I afraid to referre my selfe to be iudged by the whole World whether I haue abused him or not promising that if it appeare to able and impartiall iudges that in what I haue alleaged out of him I haue wronged him I will aske him forgiuenesse vpon my knees as publique as euer I made the fault· That Author hauing treated of the efficacy of Baptisme and proued that in men of yeares faith is required to receiue the grace offered therein descends to a Question which in the margent of Pag. 642. he thus giues the Summe of How baptisme is effectuall to infants His words in explication hereof are these Quest But howsoeuer in men of yeares faith is required vnto Baptisme yet we are most to respect it as administred vnto children in whom we cannot expect faith and therefore vnto them either faith is not requisite or by the former answere their Baptisme is vnprofitable Answ This well is deepe and we want wherewith to draw certainty of resolution but will assay in some propositions to deliuer summarily that which may be extracted out of the SCRIPTVRES EXPOSITORS * Marke Mr Tailor could find Scriptures and Expositors too for thi◠Position that he here deliuers as MOST Probable for the vnfolding of this difficulty To which purpose let vs first DISTINGVISH of INFANTS of whom some be elected and some belong not to the electiō of grace These latter
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
metaphorically described vnder the terme of Fire Nor can it be vnderstood either of baptisme administred by Christ in his owne person for Iesus himselfe baptized not but his Disciples g Ioh. 4.2 or only of extraordinary gifts of the spirit conferred on the Apostles to worke miracles and to speake with tongues h Act. 2.2.3.4 vid. Luk. 24 49 Act. 1.4.5 but it is meant also of that which all the elect may expect in the right vse of that ordinance by virtue of Christs Institution ordinarily when his Ministers doe rightly dispense the outward element For marke Iohn speakes not this to Christs Apostles afterwards assembled at Hierusalem but to the promiscuous multitude that came vnto his Baptisme Therefore it cannot bee meant only of those extraordinary gifts bestowed on the Apostles in the day of Pentecost but of the ordinary course of Divine dispensation vnto all the elect The better to iustifie this exposition consider the Apostle Peter speakes vnto such as vpon hearing of him were pricked in their hearts and demanded what they should doe For he answers thus Repent and bee baptized every one of you in the name of Iesus Christ for the the remission of sinnes and yee shall receaue the gift of the Holy Ghost * Act. 2.38 Hee requires them to repent indeed before Baptisme because they were of yeares but vpon their baptisme hee assures them of the Holy Ghost to bee bestowed on every one of them True you will say but that was because they repented I deny that for howeuer if they had not repented being such growne persons as they were they had not receaued the Holy Ghost yet their repentance was not the cause of their receauing the spirit in Baptisme but Christs owne institution promise to accompany his owne ordinance with the inward grace Else what needed they to bee baptized For if repentance would certainely fetch the spirit baptisme in that respect should be superfluous It cannot honestly be denied that those very persons had receaued the spirit in some measure before baptisme how else could they haue repented If then they receaued not the spirit first vpon their repentance but before it shall this seeme a truth impregnable that infants who cannot actually repent doe not ordinarily receaue the spirit in baptisme for want of repentance Or can it bee inferred from any of the places before quoted that they speake of the efficacy of Baptisme in persons of yeares only Some perhaps will bee ready yet to presse me that both the place in Mathew and those alleaged out of the Acts also doe clearely intend an extraordinary manifestation of the spirit visibly vpon the men there spoken of and of extraordinary gifts bestowed on them and so cannot be drawne to proue what is ordinarily conferred in Baptisme now But let such consider that how euer the places doe indeed comprehend an extraordinary manner and measure of conferring the spirit to those that were then baptized yet baptisme was the ordinance wherein those extraordinary gifts were giuen And what can this teach vs but that in baptisme the spirit is stil bestowed although not in like manner or measure as at the first That miraculous way of conferring the spirit was then necessary to gaine honour to the Gospell from vnbeleeuers This necessity being remoued wee haue no reason to expect the like extraordinary manner of dispensation But because we haue as much need of the spirit to regerate and sanctifie vs as ever they had therefore haue we even from thence as good warrant as they to expect the donation of the spirit in our baptisme so farre as the spirit is vsefull and necessary for vs in these times to fit vs for Christs worke and kingdome But some will yet obiect that place in Mathew is so farre from prouing the actuall conferring of the spirit in baptisme that it rather proues the cleane contrary for Iohn speaking vnto such as he had baptized saith of Christ HE SHALL baptize not HE HATH baptised you with the holy Ghost they therefore did not receaue the spirit in baptisme but were to expect it as a thing then to come How then can it follow hence that Water and the Spirit doe ordinarily goe together in Baptisme of the Elect To this I answere 1. That it cannot bee proued that this speech was directed vnto such as were baptised although it were vttered at that time it was spoken to such as came to his Baptisme to be rather spectators then to be baptized of him For the 7th verse makes it manifest that this was spoken to the Pharisees Saducees who if wee beleeue S. Luke Luk. 7.30 reiected the councell of God against themselues and were not baptized of him i. If this answere will not passe then I adde 2. The Bapist meant not to shew a difference of time betweene the outward washing and cōferring of the Holy Ghost but only to note a difference betweene him the ministeriall Agent and Christ the Author of that Sacrament thereby to raise their thoughts higher and to teach them to depend vpon Christ for the conferring of his spirit which Iohn his Minister could not conferre although he baptized them outwardly with water He distinguisheth not de Baptismis as if his baptisme differed from that of Christ but de baptizantibus of the persons baptizing shewing what was proper to himselfe namely to baptize outwardly with water what to Christ namely to conferre the Holy Ghost saith the Learned Chamier k De Sacram. lib. 5. cap. 13. par 21. who makes good his exposition out of Augustine Chrystome and Hierome The speech therefore notes not a distance of time but a difference of Agents it shewes not what they that were then baptized did not receiue at the present but from whom that gift is receiued and to whom the conferring of it is to be ascribed * So Caluin lib. 4. instit cap. 15. sect 8. He speakes no otherwaies of Christ baptizing them in the future tense then he doth of his coming in the same tense also He that cometh after me saith our Translation shall baptize you c. But in the originall it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which word for word is to be rendred thus qui venturus he that is comming or about to come after me as if he were not presently come and yet we know that he was come euen at that time therefore both Beza and our translators render the text in the present tense Qui venit hee that cometh and in the same sense must wee vnderstand that which followes of Christs baptizing with the Holy Ghost he shall baptize that is saith Beza Qua etiam ratione dixit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 futuro tempore potius quam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Beza in Math. 3. he doth Baptize you with the Holy Ghost To this I may adde that which learned Bucer saith of so many of them as were truely baptized vnto repentance that to the intent they might
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
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
Confessions of Reformed Churches I Doubt not but that I shall meet with some spirits that will deride and scorne all these testimonies of the Fathers as the dreames of erring men * Nec tamen Patres aliud dicunt quaÌ„ quod nos dicimus fieri nos in baptismo novos homines peccata nobis remitti et spiritum sanctuÌ„ esse efficacem omnia haec nos damus sed non ideo sequitur sacramenta conferre gratiam ex opere operato quasi quia sunt efficacia organa spiritus sancti ideo ex via sua ex opere operato efficacia sunt Whitak de sacram in genere quest 4. cap. 2. Et paulo post ibid. Tribuunt illi Patres nempe multum baptismo merito quidem remissionem peccatorum gratiam vivificationem regenerationem alia huiusmodi forsan aliqui nimium tribuunt quanquam re vera nihil dicunt quod non satis commode exponi potest Non enim dicunt illam gratiam esse inclusam in aqua aut ex opere operato couferri sed spiritum sanctum esse in aqua per aquam efficacem quod ex eo Basilij loco constare potest quem affert bellarminus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. vide ibi plura in pag. 73. 74. and so will bee ready to say it is not much matter what the Fathers speake forasmuch as they spake and wrote a great deale more than any sound Diuine will take vpon him the iustification of or is able to defend Therefore it is requisite that I now shew what the Churches of Christ since the last happy Reformation haue all conspired to acknowledge and professe in their severall Publique confessions printed at Geneva concerning this point by which it will appeare that herein they doe in substance concurre with those Fathers that some shallow braines please to set so light by The iudgment of our owne Church as it is expressed in the Forme of Baptisme the Catechisme and Articles of Religion wee haue already seene at large We are therefore now to produce the Confessions of forraine Churches only which here follow in order 1 The Helvetian confession cap. 20 runs thus a Baptizari in nomine Christi est inscribi initiari reâ—ipi in faedus atque familiam adeoque haereditatem filiorum Dei immo iam nuncupari nomine Dei id est appellâ—ri filium Dei purgari item à sordibus peccatorum donari varia Dei gratià ad vitam novam innocentem To be baptized in the name of Christ is to be inroled initiated and receaued into the couenant and family and so into the inheritance of the sonnes of God yea to be euen now called by the name of God that is to be called a sonne of God to bee purged from the filth of sinne and to bee endowed with the manifold grace of God vnto a new and innocent life And a little after b Nam intus regeneramur purificamur renovamur à Deo per spiri uÌ„ sanctum c. for we are inwardly regenerated purified and renewed by God through the Holy Ghost And for a close of that Chapter they adde c Damnamus Anabaptistâ—â— qui negant baptizandos esse infantulos recens natos à fidelibus Nam iuxta doctrinam evang liâ—am horum est regnum Dei sunt in foedere Dei 〈◊〉 itaq non daretur eis signum foederis Dei Cur non per sanctum baptisma initiarentur qui sunt pecâ—â—um in Ecclesia Dei Wee condemne the Anabaptists who deny young infants borne of faithfull parents to be admitted vnto baptisme For according to the doctrine of the Gospell theirs is the kingdome of God and they are within the covenant of God why therefore should not the signe of the couenant of God be giuen vnto them Why should they not bee initiated by holy baptisme that are Gods peculiar and within his Church 2 The confession of Scotland d Certò credimus per baptismum nos in Christo Iesu niseri 〈…〉 quam omnia nostra peccata teguntur remittuntur participes fieri We doe certainely beleeue that by baptisme wee are ingraffed into Jesus Christ and made partakers of his righteousnesse whereby all our sinnes are done away 3 The Belgicke confession art 34. thus speakes e SVOS igitur OMNES iussit Dominus in nomine Paâ—ris filii spiritus sancti pura aqua baptizari vt signâ—ficaret sanguinem Christi per spiritum sanctum idâ—m praestare efficere internè in animâ quod aqua externè operatur in corporibus Therefore did the Lord command all of his to be baptized with pure water in the name of the Father the Sonne and the Holy Ghost that he might signifie that the bloud of Christ by the Holy Ghost doth performe inwardly in the soule that which the water doth effect outwardly vpon our bodies And that they vnderstand this of Infants also they afterward expresse theÌ„selues by declaring against the Anabaptists that even infants partake of Christ in baptisme pro modulo suo according to their capacity as well as others saying f Re vera Christus non minus sanguinem suum effudit vt fidelium infantes quam vt adultos ablueret ideoque signum seu sacramentum rei quam Christus eorum causa est operatus illos recipere concenit certainely Christ shed his bloud that hee might no lesse wash infants of faithfull parents then those of yeares and therefore it is requisite they should also receaue the signe or Sacrament of that thing which Christ for their sakes accomplished 4 The confession of France which is also the confession of Geneva professeth this g Agnoscimus duo tantum sacramenta toti Ecclesiae communia quorum prius est baptismus nobis testificandae nostrae adoptionis datus quoniam in eo inserimur Christi corpori vt eius sanguine abluti simul etiam ipsius spiritu ad vitae sanctimoniam renovamur Art 35. We acknowledge only two Sacraments common to the whole Church the former whereof is Baptisme given vnto vs to witnesse our adoption because in it we are ingraffed into the body of Christ that being washed with his bloud wee might also be renewed by his spirit vnto holinesse of life Againe in the 37. Art h Credimus sicut antea dictuÌ„ est tam in coena quam in baptismo Deum nobis re ipsa i verè efficaciter donare quic quid ibi sacramentaliter figurat ac proinde cum signis coninâ—gimus veram possessionem ac finitionem eius rei quae ibi nobis offertur We beleeue as is aforesaid that as well in the Lords supper as in baptisme God doth bestow vpon vs in very deed that is to say truly and effectually whatsoeuer hee therein sacramentally doth represent vnto vs and therefore with the signes we ioyne the true possession and fruition of that thing which is therein offered to vs.
in a medicine and that ex opere operato by vertue of the bare outward administration of that sacrament every one partakes certainly and indeed of the inward grace This The founder Fathers disclaimed as wee haue proued at large this B. Iewel makes good out of them against his aduersary that the inward grace comes from God immediatly and not from the water or outward act of the minister In summe he thus shuts vp the whole matter i Defence of Apol pag. 219. As for that M. Harding here toucheth as an error defended by certain I know not by whome that haptisme giueth not full remission of sinnes he may command it home againe to Lovaine amongst his fellowes and ioyne it with other of his and their vanities For it is no part nor portion of our doctrine Wee confesse and haue euermore taught that in the sacrament of Baptisme by the death and blood of Christ is giuen remission of all manner sinnes and that not in halfe or in part or by way of imagination or by fancy but full whole perfect of all together so that now as Saint Paul saith there is no condemnation to them that be in Christ Iesus I hope no man duly considering the controuersy betweene him and Harding will haue the face to say that the Bishop speakes not this of the present efficacy of baptisme but of that which at actuall cōuersion is to be expected For the thing whereof Harding complaines is this that wee deny the present efficacy of baptisme and make it only a signe or at best but a seale to confirme future grace vntill wee haue attained actuall faith And the answere what it is you now see viz. that wee allow and teach that in baptisme is giuen full remission of all sinnes which if the Bishop should not meane of the present effect of baptisme his aduersary might iustly complaine for want of answer to his vniust complaint Thus much then we haue gained out of this Iudicious Father that at least remission of sinnes is ordinarily communicated to infants in their baptisme when it is administred And if remission of sinnes be then giuen it must needs be yeelded further that he held that the spirit of God is communicated then also vnto infants for the applying of that benefit vnto them Therefore in the very same place k Defence Apol. pag 218. he voucheth a passage of Cyprian * De baptismo Christi to this purpose Remissio peccatorum c. The remission of sinnes whether it be giuen by baptisme or by any other sacraments is indeed of the Holy Ghost and to the same Holy Ghost only the priuiledge of this worke doth appertaine The solemnity of the words and the invocation of Gods holy name and the outward signes appointed to the ministry of the Preists by the Apostolicall institutions worke the visible outward sacrament but touching the substance thereof which is the remission of sinnes it is the holy Ghost that worketh it Likewise saith Saint Hierome * In Esaiam cap. 4. Homo aquam tantum tribuit The Minister being a man giueth only the water but God giueth the Holy Ghost whereby the sinnes be washt away If any passionate opposite should be so farre transported as to obiect that all that haue beene hitherto spoken out of Bishop Iewel tends only to proue that Remission of sinne is giuen to infants in Baptisme which is another thing from the present point of Regeneration therefore all this is as much as nothing to the purpose I answere first that this obiection is so silly that it deserues no answere for what Author euer taught plenary Remission of all sinnes to be giuen to him that doth not in some measure partake of the spirit vnto sanctification was it euer knowne that these two were separated Why then is it required that our author should in expresse termes affirme both or else be denyed to allow of both although he expresly avouch it of the one of them He had no occasion to speake directly touching Regeneration nor could he well doe it without digression For the Question betweene him and his Antagonist was only touching the present efficacy of Baptisme vnto Remission of sinne if therefore he should haue fallen vpon the other hee should idly haue runne out of his way and fallen vpon another controuersy not so much as named by the Aduerse party Notwithstanding that I may not leaue the least shaddow of an argument vnanswered secondly I adde that the same author in his * You shall find this Treatise at the end of B. Iewels workes of the last edition frō Page 261 to the end Treatise of the sacrament affirmes the efficacy of baptisme vnto Regeneration also For of Baptisme in particular he thus speaketh l 265 Page Baptisme is our regeneration or new birth whereby wee are borne anew in Christ and are made the sonnes of God and heyres of the kingdome of heauen it is the sacrament of the remission of sinnes and of that washing which we haue in the blood of Christ. And a little after among other places of holy scripture by him alleaged for proofe hereof he brings that of our Sauiour in John 3. Except a man be borne of water and of the spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdome of God and then addeth for this cause are infants baptized because they are borne in sinne and cannot become spirituall but by this new birth of the water and the spirit They are the heyres of the promise the couenant of Gods fauour is made vnto them c. It is very true that in the very next page he speakes of the necessity of faith in some that are baptized for thus he saith m Pag. 266. It is the Couenant and promise and mercy of God which cloatheth vs with immortality assureth our resurrection by which wee receiue regeneration forgiuenesse of sinnes life and saluation His word declareth his loue towards vs and that word is sealed and made good by baptisme Our faith which are baptized and our continuance in the profession which we haue made establisheth in vs this grace which wee receiue as it is said * De consecrat dist 4. Verus Verus baptismus constat non tam c. True baptisme standeth not so much in washing of the body as in faith of the heart As the doctrine of the Apostles hath taught vs saying Art 15.9 1 Pet. 2. by faith purifying their hearts And in another place baptisme saueth vs not the putting away the filth of the flesh but the examining of a good conscience before God by the resurrection of Iesus Christ Therefore Hierome saith In Ezek. c. 16. they that receiue not baptisme with perfect faith receiue the water but the Holy Ghost they receiue not But this no way makes against our position touching the efficacy of baptisme vpon infants For marke first of whom he speaks those words not vniversally of all that are baptized but
loath to declare himselfe against that charitable conceipt of Antiquity viz. that for as much as infants having in them no sinne that is every way their owne but originall which is done away in baptisme if any faith be farther required to bring them to heaven in case they then depart this life they may be saved by the faith of their parents But this he doth as admitting this rather then the other touching actuall or habituall faith of their own which in the ordinarie course he thinkes as all other judicious Divines ever doe and ever did to be very incongruous and absurd whether we consider the nature of grace or the capacitie of nature in an infant for reception of such grace But for a Conclusion however he following the iudgment of many more in the ancient schooles of the Papists themselues * Vid Alex. Hâ—l par 4. q. 8. 〈◊〉 â—rt 3. 〈…〉 espâ—t 〈…〉 â—ast in 4. sen dist 4. c. non Extrast de Bapt. maiores will not heare of any infusion of so much as of the habit of faith in infants hee commeth backe to his former position wherein wee saw his accord with Peter Martyr and S. Augustine and shuts vp all thus o Sed etsi infantes non habere fidem habitualem tamen à spiritu sancto purgari dicimus sieri novas creaturas quia caro sanguis regnum culorum non possiarbunt â—â—â—ex aqua spiritu sancto râ—nati suerint 〈…〉 in regnum 〈◊〉 â—â—â—cperaâ—t spiritum saâ—ctum â—â—dabiliter 〈◊〉 Contâ—â—â—ce Bapt. quâ—dâ— 4. cap 6. in conclus But although infants haue not habitual faith yet we say that they are purged by the holy Ghost and made new creatures for as much as flesh and blood shall not inherit the kingdome of heaven and vnlesse they be borne againe of water and of the spirit they cannot enter into the kingdome of God therefore wee conclude that the spirit of God worketh in them in such a manner as cannot by vs be expressed I willingly admit that this purging and renuing of infants which he speakes of is to be vnderstood of the worke of the Spirit in such as die in infancie and are saved Howbeit he yeeldeth the spirit to be in all the rest also that belong to Gods election although the same effects bee not produced till they coâ—â— to age as those two plaine and pregnant pâ—â—ces alleadged but now our of his 5. Chapter concerning the efficacie of baptisme clearely and fully proclaime to all the world And so I haue done with him also D. White B. of Norwich Our next witnesse is that learned Doctor Francis White now L. Bishop of Norwich in his Answere to Fisher the Jesuite whom though I haue alleadged before and might therefore well be excused if I should passe him over here Yet because some that are resolued neuer to assent to this truth when they see or heare any testimonie produced out of anie good Author that is clearely for me they vse to shift it off among those that either cannot or will not examine the Authors themselues with this aspersion cast vpon me It is true say they that he makes a noise with quotations out of many Authors but how He catcheth vp here and there a word or a sentence that seemeth to make for his purpose and vseth them quite contrary to the Authors meanings as would easily appeare by examination of what goeth before and followes after in those Authors I am therefore constrained to bee tedious in many things not only to others but to my selfe also in being more large then I intended at the first meerely to vindicat my selfe from that which I am afraid they too well know that they vniustly lay to my charge vpon all occasions And for this reason am I compelled to repeate what formerly I alleadged out of this Author and to adde therevnto all that he hath spoken of the point that it may be manifest that I haue not wronged him as some giue out to their disciples The charge which Fisher commeth on withall vpon all Protestants at once is this Their errors against Baptisme the gate and entrance into Christian life wherof they deny the virtue to sanctifie men and the necessity thereof for infants to whom they grant salvation without Baptisme In which complaint the Iesuite would faine perswade that Protestants deny both the efficacie and the necessity of Baptisme Our Author answeres him to both particulers We haue here to deale only with the former touching which the whole passage runnes thus viz. p Pag 175.176 Although some persons haue beene Christians before their Baptisme as S. Augustine saith of Cornclius Even as in Abraham the iustice of faith was precedent and the seale of circumcision followed after so likewise in Cornelius spirituall sanctification by the gift of the Holy Ghost went before and the Sacrament of Regeneration in the Laver of baptisme succeeded yet notwithstanding the ordinary gate and entrance into Christian life is baptisme S. Ambrose sive Prosper d. vocat Gent. li. 1. ca. 5. The beginning of true life and righteousnesse is laid in the Sacrament of regeneration that looke where man is new borne there also the verity of vertues themselues may spring Neither doe Protestants deny the virtue and efficacy of Baptisme to sanctify men But according to the Holy scriptures Ephes 5.26 Tit. 3.5 Gal. 3.27 1 Pet 3 21. Act. 22.16 Rom. 6.3 And the ancient church they teach and maintaine that this sacrament is an instrument of sanctification and remission of sinnes The Leiturgy of the Church of England in the forme of administration of Baptisme hath these words Seeing now D.B. that these children be regenerate c. Wee yeeld thee hearty thankes most mercifull father that it hath pleased thee to regenerate this infant with thy holy spirit to receiue him for thine owne chiâ—d by adoption c. And master Hooker saith Baptisme is a Sacrament which God hath instituted in his Church to the end that they which receiue the same might be incorporated into Christ and so through his most pretious merit obtaine as well that saving grace of imputation which taketh away all former guiltinesse and also that infused diuine virtue of the holy Ghost which giueth to the powers of the soule their first disposition toward future newnesse of life Zanchius hath these words When the Minister baptizeth I beleeue that Christ with his hand reached as it were from heaven be sprinkleth the child baptized with water with his blood to remission of sinnes And in another place The Holy Ghost moveth vpon the water of Baptisme and sanctifieth the same making it to be a Lauer of Regeneration Calvine saith Per Baptismum Christus nos mortis suae participes fecit vt in eam inseramur By baptisme Christ hath made vs partakers of his death that wee may be ingraffed into it And in another place If any demand how can infants which want vnderstanding bee