vtterlie abolished in this life and in the next but part of the temporall punishment which was inflicted for Originall sinne onlie doth remaine in this life As for example death was a punishment imposed for sinne yet notwithstanding all must die Also hunger cold nakednesse sicknesse and other such like molestations and penalties of this life we sustaine after Baptisme and are not thereby taken away but remaine in this life as the miseries of mortalitie But in the next life they shall be vtterlie extinguished according to that of S. Iohn Absterget Deus c. God shall wipe away all teares from their eyes and death shall be no more nor mourning nor crying neither shall there be sorrowe anie more Also the reason whie Concupiscence raigneth in our flesh not vterlie extinguished by Baptisme may be that man may by striuing to suppresse cōquere it merit the more But if by Baptisme our bodies should be made impassible in this life that is not subiect to death hunger nakednes and other calamities we should flie vnto Baptisme rather for this present life then hope for the life to come which were a great inconuenience in Christian profession Thom. 3. p. q. 69. ar 3. Therefore I say with S. Thomas the great Diuine that the Sacrament of Baptisme hath power vertue to take away all the penalties and punishments due for sinne yet notwithstanding it doth not De facto take them away in this present life but by the vertue thereof in the death and Passton of Christ they shall be extinguished and vtterlie taken away in the generall resurrection when these our mortall bodies shal be endued with immortalitie as it is sayed 1. Cor. 15. And this not without reason by God ordained First because by Baptisme man is incorporate to Christ and made his member And therefore it is conuenient that the same should be performed in the member incorporate which was acted in the head But Chrict from the begining of his Conception being full of grace and veritie notwithstanding had a passible bodie which after his death and Passion was raised to a glorious life Wherefore although euerie Christian in Baptisme doth obtaine grace for the beautifying of his soule yet not withstāding because he hath a passible bodie to suffer for Christ and with Christ he must for the tyme present sustaine the penalties thereof yet shall he be raysed at the generall resurection to an impassible life Rom. 8. which S. Paul declareth Qui suscitauit Iesum c. He that raysed vp Iesus from the dead shall quicken also your mortall bodies because of his spirite dwelling in you Wherefore although Baptisme hath power and vertue to take awaye all the penalties of this life and punishment due for sinne yet it is conuenient they remaine temporallie and for a tyme in this life and be accomplished and fulfilled in the generall resurrection in the next life when we all shall receaue our bodies againe CAP. 5. VVhether Baptisme doth remit sinne and giue grace Ex opere operato that is By force of the word and worke done and sayed in the Sacrament It is a generall cōclusion amongst all Catholike Diuines that the Sacraments are causes of our Iustification and that God doth applie the merits of Christs Passion vnto our soules Wherefore we conclude that in Baptisme by force and vertue of the word and worke done and sayed sinne is remitted grace giuen and Iustification wrought Therefore we do not attribute the obtaining of grace and Iustification to the merits of the minister ministering it nor to the partie receyuinge but as Christ hath taught vs to the water and the holy Ghost working it And for better vnderstanding of Iustification and grace wrought in Baptisme let vs consider how manie things concurre thereunto First doth concurre Almightie God who is the principall and chiefe agent worker and first cause of Iustification Then Christs death and Passion by which we are redeemed and he hath meritted this grace for vs. Then the sacramentall action that is the concurring and applieing togeather the water and the word in due forme according to the Institution and ordinance of God This externall action is this Sacrament which God doth vse as his instrument for the iustification washing and cleansing of the soule of man Then is the Priest ordained the ordinarie minister of God to execute this sacrament or externall action in whome there is required that he haue power authoritie and cōmission to doe it and intention to effect it Finalie in the receyuer that is in him who is to be Baptised if he be of age and vnderstanding there is required a will and desire to receaue it also faith and beleefe in Christ with a penitent harte These are not causes of Iustification but dispositions in the soule onelie to make the soule apte to receaue the Sacrament and to remoue obstacles and letts that the Sacrament may worke his effect And this S. Peter after his first sermon in the day of Pentecost insinuated told the people when they asked him after the preaching was donne what they shoud doe Act. 2. Dispose your selues sayeth he doe Penance and be euerie one of you Baptised But for Infants what is required in them we will entreate afterwards Wherefore we will conclude Baptisme to be the instrument of God and by Diuine ordinance to haue as an instrumentall cause efficacie and efficiencie to remit sinne and worke saluation and iustification in the soule of man CAP. 6. VVhether Baptisme be reallie and in deed an instrumentall cause of iustification or onlie a meanes to excite stirre vp or moue to faith IT is an absurd and vnconscionable dealing yea a great slaunder and calumnie of Caluin and his complices to say that Catholikes in their Doctrine doe resigne and tye the vertue and power of God to externall simboles and signes As though they taught that in Baptisme the water the word without God did remitte sinne It were a vaine thinge to thinke that when the carpenter doeth vse his sawe as an instrumentall cause to breake cut or deuide timber to say that the sawe doth cut worke or breake timber of it self without the carpenter So Almightie God although he vse the externall signes that is the word and water in Baptisme to cleanse the soule and remit sinne as secondarie and instrumentall causes yet not so that they should worke of themselues without God but God by them doth effect iustification and remission of sinne Neither doth he resigne his power so to these externall signes that they worke these effects in them selues and not he in them and with them but as in the precedent chapter I sayed God doth vse in Baptisme water and the word as his instrument and by force of the word and worke done grace is giuen and sinne remitted Therfore they are not vsed as some heretikes of this tyme auerre as bare signes and simboles or onlie meanes to excite stirre vp or moue to
after he instituted Circumcision and threatened all those who had it not that they should perish but CircumcisioÌ„ was a figure of Baptisme Therfore although we be partakers of the benediction yet we must be Baptized or els we perish eternallie Secondlie this promise and benediction is to be vnderstood either carnally or spiritually If carnallie then it belongeth only to the Iewes who where of the seed and flesh of Abraham and the carnall children of him If spirituallie then they onlie are partakers who Rom. 9. as S. Paule sayeth Doe imitate the faith workes of Ahraham For so are they made the Children of Abraham But the Children of the faithfull doe no way imitate Abrahams faith or workes vntill they be Baptized and receaue the Sacrament of faith wherby they are in deed Verè fideles and become trulie faithfull For as we haue proued before the ChildreÌ„ caÌ„ not haue faith but by Baptisme For actuall faith they are not capable of and habituall faith they haue infused in them only by Baptisme Therfore that they be the children of Abraham it is necessarie they be Baptized to receaue faith Thirdlie this absurditie would follow that children should not contract Originall sinne which were to reuiue the Pelagian heresie For if children be iustified by this that they are of the seed of Abraham yf you vnderstand it according to the flesh there is no doubt but in the first instance of their conception they are of Abrahams seed and so consequentlie iustified Therfore not borne in Originall sinne Wherfore we must needes conclude that this place of Scripture no way can proue M. Caluins opinion The second obiection is out of S. Paule Ob. 1. Cor. 7. where he sayeth That the vnbeleeuing man is sanctified by the faithfull woman and that the Children of them are cleane and holy Therfore the children may be borne sanctified by the Fathers faith To this I answere Sol. that no man will thinke if a Turke should marrie a Christian woman and be content to liue with her and let her vse her conscience that the Turke therby should be sanctified and made lust Or if a ProtestaÌ„t marrie with a Catholike womaÌ„ be coÌ„tent to liue with her let her vse her coÌ„science that therfore the Protestant becomes a Papist But it may verie well be thought that by the prayer of the wife by her perswasion by her good example of life the Turke may become a Christian the Protestant a Catholike but the one must be Baptized and the other reconciled or els the faith of the woman will not suffice So I say the faith of the Parents without the Sacraments of Baptisme can not cleanse or wash the soule of the Infant from Originall sinne contracted But this benefit the Child may haue being borne of Christian Parents that they will and are bound to haue care and seeke the onlie remedie for the soule of their Children which is Baptisme Therfore Saint Augustine sayeth Aug. li. 3. de anima c. 9. Si vis esse Catholicus noli dicere noli docere noli credere Infantes c. If thou wilt be a Catholike doe not say doe not teach doenot beleeue that Infants dying before the come to Baptisme can obtaine indulgence pardon or remission of originall sinne Secondly I answere that the Pelagians vrged this place of Saint Paule against Saint Augustine to proue that Children borne of faithfull Parents did not contract Originall sinne and so consequentlie were not to be Baptized to take away Originall sinne And Caluin vrgeth the same place not daring plainly to say that Infants doe not contract from their Parents Originall sinne but to proue by their Fathers faith that they may be saued without Baptisme because Originall sinne shall not be imputed Therfore the same answere Saint Augustine gaue to the Pelagians I thinke may also satisfie the Caluinists Aug. li. 2. de Pect meritis ca. 26. l. 3. ca. 12. First Saint Augustine sayeth that the cleannesse sanctitie and holines that the children haue from their parents the Apostle doth not meane to be sanctitie or holines to Iustification saluation or to remission of sinnes For then it would follow that the Turke or Infidell should be saÌ„ctified by the beleeuing woman and that by the verie coniunction of matrimonie he should become Iust and saued which were against Scripture and reason Haeb. 11. because it is impossible to please God without faith Also it is manifest by Scripture that Christ hath layd an other foundation of Iustification saluation then the beleeuing woman for the husband and the faith of the Parents for the Infant and that is to be borne againe by water and the Holy Ghost and to be incorporate to Christ by Baptisme No doubt but the true sense and meaning of the Apostle was not to seperate man and wife although they were different in Religion because who knoweth whether one may be an occasion of the others Conuersion sayeth the Apostle So also the Parent may be a cause of the Saluation of the Infant in seekeing to haue the Sacrament dulie ministered And thus expoundeth S. Chrisostome vpon this place of S. Paule the Infidell man to be sanctified by the faithfull woman Chry. in hunc loc Quia spes est quod 〈◊〉 fideli pertrahatur ad fidem because there is hope that by the faithfull woman he may be drawen to true faith and beleefe And concerning the Infants of the faithfull Saint Ierome doeth interpret those words of Saint Pauâ—e Nunc Sancti id est Fidei Candidati Iero. li. 1. cont Ioui c. 5. ep ad Paulin. â—oc est deputati ad Christianam fidem Now â—hey are holy that is now they are cloaâ—hed in white endeauoring to obtaine â—aith That is as much to say Now â—hey are deputed vnto Christian faith and sanctitie esteemed and admitted as Christians because there is a great hope that by the industrie and care of the one Parent being faithfull the children may be brought to Baptisme This was S. Ieromes opinion and this I hope may satisfie anie reasonable man CAP. 7. VVhat punishment Children dying without Baptisme shall haue after this life HAuing sufficientlie proued in the precedent Chapters that Infants and Children contract Originall sinne and are by nature therby become the Children of wrath and in deeâ— constituted sinners and that the only ordinariâ— meanes to restore them to grace Innocenciâ— againe is by Christs institution the Sacramenâ— of Baptisme without which if they departe thiâ— life they can not be saued It must needes consequently follow that they shall absolutlie bâ— depriued of the Kingdome of heauen that theâ— shall neuer possesse eternall beatitude and blessednes which consisteth in the fruition anâ— sight of God they shall perpetuallie want thâ— blessed vision that is neuer to see God anâ— consequentlie they shall be no companions oâ— blessed Angells nor Saintes of Christ in heauen So that it is the generall opinion of
quem vult indurat vnto whom God will he sheweth mercie and doth indurate whom he will Those who come of their owne accord Christ accepteth and not those who are forced Therfore sayeth the Councell Non vi Con. 4. Toleta can 56. sed liberi arbitrij voluntate vt conuertantur suadendi sunt They are not by force to be compelled but they are to be perswaded that freelie willinglie they may be conuerted For it is necessitie that the partie who is to be Baptized giue his Consent and good will to Baptisme For if by force without his consent not hauing faith he be vrged he hath no Sacrament no Baptisme In thise case of Sisebutius the Iewes being compelled either to make their choyce to be banished depart the realme or els to be baptized they consenting by this coaction or compulsion rather to be Baptized then to be banished because it is a consent although coacte by compulsion they receiue Baptisme that is the Character and signe of a Christian but not grace saluation or Iustification as shall be proued in the sequent chapter Read C. maiores de Baptismo eius effectu lib. 3. docretalium titulo 42. CAP. 18. VVhether he who cometh to this Sacrament fainedly not hauing in deed faith in Christ be Baptized TRue it is and we can not denie that he who fainedlie cometh to be Baptized doth and may receaue the Sacrament of Baptime that is the character signe and seale of a Christian and therfore not to be rebaptized when he cometh after to beleeue aright But he that thus fainedlie and without faith doth approche shall neuer be saued for as S. Paule sayeth Rom. 3. The Iustice of God is by faith of Iesus Christ. He that will come to God must beleeue Hâ—b 11. And it is impossible to please God without faith Therfor Christ sayed Quicre diderit c. He that beleeueth is Baptized Mar. 16. shall be saued and he that beleeueth not shall be daÌ„ned Wherfore seeing and considering that faith is so necessarie to the obtaining of Baptisme we conclud that euen in children and naturall fooles there must be faith And because neither of them children nor fooles are capable of actuall faith as those at mans estate and vnderstanding are therfore we Catholikes say that Aliena fides The fait of an other that is of the Church is sufficient for them But for those of the elder sorte and of vnderstanding we defend that it is necessarie they haue actuall faith or els it will be with them as it was with Iudas who receaued the Sacrament of the Bodie of our Lord at the hands of Christ in his last supper but not the effect of the Sacrament because he receaued vnworthelie to his owne damnation So also he that approcheth to Baptisme fainedly without faith may doth receaue the Sacrament and hath the character and signe of a Christian but he shall neuer haue the effect and end of the Sacrament that is grace Iustification or saluation For example some Iewes desire Baptisme not for the faith they haue in Iesus Christ but because their flesh and skinne doth sauour and stinke therfore they are called Iudai foetentes stinking Iewes But as soone as they are Baptized this filthie sauour of their bodies is gone and they smell as sweet as anie other Christians doe so that some of them may for this cause onlie require Baptisme I say they may haue the Sacrament although they come with this corrupt intention but neuer shall they haue the effect and end of this Sacrament In like manner we read of some Sarracens Turkes who desire baptisme not with true faith in Christ but being sore sicke or troubled and vexed with an euill spirit hauing experience that by Baptisme they may be deliuered they seeke and desire Baptisme for this cause onlie that they may receaue their health and be deliuered from the vexation of the Deuill These kind of men also may receaue the Sacrament but they shall not haue saluation and iustification if they haue not true faith and beleefe in Christ Wherfore to conclud one may come to this Sacrament faineldlie and with a false harte without faith with a corrupt intention and be Baptized but he shall neuer haue saluation and iustification therby as hath beene proued CAP. 19. VVhether he that is Baptized may be compelled to liue according to Christian Catholike lawes NO man ought to be compelled to Christian faith nor forced to receaue Baptisme as hath bene proued but they must approch and come voluntarilie and willinglie and to be wonne by reason perswasion preaching And therfore the Church hath no authoritie iurisdiction nor power to force or compell those who neuer receaued Baptisme to the obseruation of Christian lawes or Ecclesiasticall Constitutions And this S. Paule hath taught and practised and would not iuge them 1. Cor. 5. who were not Baptized Quid mihi de ijs qui foris sunt iudicare what is it to me to iuge of them that are without But if once they submitted themselues vnder the yoake of Iesus Christ receaued the Sacrament of Baptisme and were incorporate as members of the bodie of Christ misticall then no doubt but they are vnder the iurisdiction and power of the Church And therfore S. Paule although he would not iudge the Infidell or vnbaptized yet it is plaine he excommunicated the publike incestious Corinthian 1. Cor. 5. and coÌ„maunded not to keepe companie or so much as to eate with him Therfore in so much as one by Baptisme is incorporate and made a member of the Church he is subordinate to the Iurisdiction of the Church and so consequentlie subiecte to the Censures lawes and Constitutions of the same and therfore may be compelled to obserue Christian rites and Constitutions and be forced to liue accordinglie THE FIFTH BOOKE of the Ceremonies CAP. 1. VVhat a Ceremonie is A Ceremonie is an externall actâ— of Religion which is exhibited acted and done to the honour and worshippe of God Considering that man doth coÌ„sist of soule and body not of body only nor of soule onlie but of both ioyntlie therfore there is internall worship and honour proceeding from the soule and there is also externall exhibited acted and done by outward acts and signes The first honour or adoration which we call internall is the chiefe and principall and that which most pleaseth God and it is threefold that is exercised by three speciall vertues ffirst by faith true beleefe in God secoÌ„dly by a firme hope of Gods mercie grace towards vs a coÌ„fidence of life eternall a trust that God will performe his promises made to his Church thirdlie by a feruent loue of God Aboue all creatures These are the three Theologicall Diuine vertues fayth hope and charitie proceeding from the operation of the soule working internally by the assistance of the Holy Ghost Therfore Christ sayed Ioâ— 4. God is a Spirite and
faith and theÌ„ afterward by faith onelie to be iustified This were to destroy the efficiencie and force of the Sacraments and to make no more of them then we make of an Iuie garland which is onlie set forth to signifie that there is wine to be sold bought and drunke It is manifest that the Ghospell the word of God preached is a greate motiue and forceable meanes to moue vs to beleeue and to strengthen our faith and S. Paule sayeth it is Virtus Dei in salutem omni credenti Rom. 1. the power of God vnto saluation to euerie one that beleeueth much more then is the Sacrament of Baptisme the power of God not mouing onlie to faith but working in it self as his instrument to saluation And in deed faith because it cometh vnto those of age vnderstanding by hearing as S. Paule sayeth Rom. 10. Fides ex auditu Faith is by hearing therefore faith is in them as a necessarie dispositioÌ„ to Baptisme Where vpon Christ sayeth Qui crediderit Baptizatus fuerit Mar. 16. saluus erit He that beleeueth and is Baptized shall be saued So that faith going before Baptisme is a cause dispositiue and necessarie vnto Baptisme but not the onlie effecte of Baptisme as some would haue it For that the immediate effecte of Baptisme by applying the merits of Christ Passion is remission of sinnes to saluation is a newe regeneration and opening the gate to heauen And this plainlie Christ spake to Nicodemus Io. 3. Nisi quis c. Vnlesse a man be borne againe of water and the holy Ghost he can not enter into the kingdome of heauen Where we see our regeneration and second Birth attributed vnto Baptisme which consisteth in an externall element of water and an internall power of the holie Gost and that no man can enter into heauen without it Who seeth not then that it is the instrument of God working to saluation and not a bare signe or motiue onelie to faith That the effect of Baptisme is the remission of sinne the Scripture is plaine The people of Ierusalem and Iurie at the first sermon S. Peter made act 2. being as it were conuerted Et compuncti corde and compuncte of harte sayed VVhat shall we doe S. Peter answered Be euerie one of you Baptised in the name of Iesus for remission of your sinnes Note that he sayeth for remission of your sinnes shewing the effect of Baptisme to be remission of sinne Act. 22. And S. Paule as he reporteth himself being stroken blind and called of Christ to be the vessell of election for the conuersion of the Gentiles Ananias came vnto him restored him to his sight and then sayed vnto him Et nunc quid moraris Act. 22. v. 16. Surge Baptizare ablue peccata tua inuocato nomine eius And now what tarriest thou Rise vp be Baptised and wash away thy sinnes inuocating his name S. Paule beleeued before he was Baptised but his sinnes were washed away by Baptisme I will therefore conclud vpon these testimonies of Christ and his Apostles that the Scripture is plaine that Baptisme of it self as the instrument of God doeth wash away sinnes by the force vertue of the word and worke done and sayed and that faith going before Baptisme is but a disposition to remission of sinnes Auoyd then the doctrine of Heretikes whoe affirme and teach that this Sacrament of Baptisme doth not remit sinnes but signifie remission of sinnes and doth worke of it selfe nothing but is as a bare signe and simbole onlie to excite and moue to faith as the Iuie garland is onlie a bare signe to excite and moue men to buy wine and to signifie that in such a place it is to be sold Flie this Hereticall doctrine I say which killeth the life of the Sacrament contrarie to the Doctrine of S. Paule Christus dilexit Ecclesiam Ephes 5. tradidit seipsum pro ea mundans eam lauacro aquae Christ sayeth he loued his Church and deliuered him self for it cleansing it by the lauer of water Also in his epistle to Titus Saluos nos fecit per lauacrum regenerationis he sayeth Christ hath saued vs and made vs safe by the lauer of regeneration and renouation of the Holie Ghost Ad Titum 3. Can anie man more forceablie or plainlie expresse the working effecte and force of Baptisme then S. Paule in caling it the Lauer of regeneration and that we are to be cleansed made safe and saued by this lauer of water And withall let vs consider what Ezechiell the Prophet prophesied of the effects and force of Baptisme Ezech. ca. 27. Effundam super vos aquam mundam mundabimini ab omnibus inquinamentis vestris I will powre out sayeth the Prophet in the person of God cleane water vpon you and you shall bâ— cleansed from all your filthes and staines Baptisme therefore reallie and in deed is an instrumentall cause of our Iustification and not a bare signe and meanes onlie to excite stirre vp and moue vs to faith or a Single seale or signe as Caluiâ— would haue it of former Iustice. CAP. 7. Whether he who once is Baptised can not sinne but shal be saued Bellar. li. 1. de Bapt. ca. 14. This controuersie is excellentlie and compendiouslie handled by that most worthie learned Prelate Cardinall Bellarmine It was the errour of Iouinian the heretike against whom S. Ierome wrote That he who was trulie and in deed Baptised Ioro li. 2. con Iouin could not be damned or become a reprobate or sinne after Baptisme And for this his errour he brought Scripture as all other Heretikes doe Christs owne words and his Apostles S. Iohns Christ sayed Non potest arbor bona malos fructus facere A good tree can not bring forth euill fruite Therefore being made good by Baptisme can not sinne and consequentlie can not be damned But what if this tree be corrupt the roote be withered either it will bring forth no fruite or bad fruite which this Heretike considered not And for that he alleadgeth out of S. Iohn Io. ep i. ca. 3. 5. Euerie one that is borne of God committeth not sinne because his seede abideth in him and he can not sinne because he is borne of God By which words of the Apostle this Heretike would proue that the Baptised can not sinne But the sense of the Apostle is that no man continuing the sonne of God committeth mortall sinne because mortall sinne can not stand togeather with the grace of God therefore so long as we keep the Innocencie of Baptisme we can not sinne S. Iohn then would not say that the Baptised could not fall from their first estate of Innocencie For S. Paule doth reproue this as an errour Rom. 11. ver 19. 20. and proueth that he who now hath faith may fall and become incredulous as the Iewes were the faithful people of God but by incredulitie are become repâ—obate so also may
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
the Father secretlie his wife being a sleepe tooke away and brought him vnto a preaching minister to be Baptized who being readie to Baptise in the presence of the assemblie perceyued the child to be dead Whervpō presentlie he did expostulate and reason with the Father what he meant to delude and mocke him and to bring a dead child to be Baptized The father being stroken in a maze with this vnlooked for mischance returned home and layd againe the dead Infant by the mothers side And so secreetlie departing from the chamber a litle after returning called vpon his wife and asked how she and the Infant did She being ignorant what was done answered all was well and turning her self with pleasing countenance offered the child aliue and in good liking to the Father He being astonished with this miracle reiected his Caluinian errours and heresies embraced the Catholike faith became one of his wifes profession and caused the Infant to be Baptised Catholiquelie And for the Minister that he be not too hastie to Rebaptize the Child alreadie Baptized by a Catholike midwife let him read what happened at Amsterdame in the yeare of our Lord 1579. as testifieth Bredenbacius Bredē li. 7. coll Sacra c. 51. So it was a Catholike woman being married vnto a Caluinist and deliuered of a Child she caused the Infant priuatly to be Baptized by a Lay Catholike woman because she would be sure of Baptisme The Father tooke the Child according to Caluins rule brought it to the preaching to be Baptized by the Minister So it fell out that the minister being readie to baptise in the assemblie of all the people suddenlie he became dumbe not able to speake one word Wherat the Father being astonished tooke his child in his armes and came home vnto his wife charging her to tell him the truth whether the Infant had not bene Baptized before according to the Catholike order Which shee confessed to be true Wherupon he with the rest of his familie were cōuerted reconciled to the Church and became Catholikes CAP. 9. VVhether one may Baptise many at one tyme. I Say one may vnder this forme saying Ego Baptizo vos I Baptize yee which is as much to say I Baptize thee and thee determining euerie person But you must vnderstand that this must be onlie in case of necessitie as in danger of death or some extraordinarie cause otherwayes it is not to be done For this Sacrament bing of such necessitie that without it no saluation it must and ought carefullie and respectiuelie to be ministred Therfore it is more secure and better that it be seuerallie done and acted that the water and the word may goe togeater and the intention of the Baptizer may particulerly be applied to euerie partie who is to be Baptized Act. 2. There were three thousand Baptized vpon one day by the Apostles but the Scriptures doe not expresse in what manner they were Baptized It may be they had helpe of others of the Disciples but verie probable they Baptized many at once Wherfore I may conclude that in case of necessitie or vppon some extraordinarie cause one may Baptize many at once otherwise it must and ought to be done seuerally and distinctlie that is one by one CAP. 10. VVhether many at one tyme may togeather Baptize one Child Tho. 3. p. q. 67. art 6. SAint Thomas is of opinion that manie can not well concurre togeather to the Baptizing of one For when there are multiplicite of Ministers there may be many Baptismes which were dangerous For if the one should be before the other then the first did Baptize and the other Rebaptize which were a great fault Also S. Paule sayeth Eph. 4. There is one God one faith one Christ and one Baptisme So it were fitte there should be but one Minister to Baptize one partie CAP. 11. VVhether one may Baptise himself THe generall opinion is that one can not Baptize himself no not in danger of death or what other necessitie soeuer For better vnderstanding I will propose the case For example A Iew or a Pagan hauing heard or read of Baptisme or liued sometyme amongst the Christians and being desirous of Christianitie lying at the poynt of death amongst his owne neere no Christian and so consequentlie haueing no meanes to get any other man to Baptize him taketh water putting himself therin saying I Baptize thee in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the Holy Ghost The question is whether in this case he be Baptized and receaue the Sacrament of Baptisme The resolution is that he is not Baptised nor can of himself receaue the Sacrement of Baptisme The reason is for that Baptisme is a spirituall birth or regeneration but no man can be generated or borne of himself but necessarilie of an other so no man can be Baptized of himself but of necessitie must be Baptized of an other Also it is gathered out of Christs owne words that the Baptizer must be a different person from the Baptized For he sayed to his Apostles Goe yee and Baptize all nations And to signifie thus much we may also thinke that Christ would not Baptize himself but be Baptized of Iohn If you doe aske me what I thinke of this Iewe or Pagan in this case whether he should be saued or not I answere with Pope Innocentius the Third that he could not be saued by the Sacrament of Baptisme for that he had it not but no doubt he might be saued by the fayth vowe and desire of baptisme and the zeale feruour and loue to Christ and so he might haue it supplied by Christ in will and affection Read Innocentius libro 4. decretalium tit 42. de Baptismo eius effectu CAP. 12. VVhether the intention of the Minister be necessarie that the Sacrament take effecte ALL Diuines agree it is decreed in two generall Councells of Florēce and Trent and deduced expresslie out of Scripture that to the substance of Baptisme as necessarie are three thinges that is water as the matter the words as the forme and a minister to doe it and effect it For the two first I haue sufficiently proued before in my second booke that they are the two essentiall partes of Baptizme now that the minister must of necessitie haue intention to doe this acte I will briefly shewe When Christ instituted this Sacrament and gaue the forme he sayed to his Apostles Goe yee Baptizing no man can thinke Mat. 28. but that Christ meant that they should intend what he had instituted Secondlie if a man should take water say the words and cast it and powre it vpon an other and haue no intention to Baptize it were no Sacrament no Baptisme because there was no intention to doe the acte of Baptisme As also if a player vpon a stage should but shew the acte of Baptisme no man would say he Baptized And why There was water the word the minister and all other things
Children beleeue by others as by others they contracted sinne which is remitted in Baptisme And considering that Baptisme is a spirituall generation and hath some similitude with carnall generation therfore we say euen as children when they are in their mothers wombe doe not receaue nourishment from or by themselues but are maintained by foode from their mothers euen so we say as yet not hauing vse of reason being as it were placed in the wombe of their mother the Church doe not receaue saluation and Baptisme by and from themselues but by the faith and acte of the Church Therfore S. Augustine sayeth Our Mother the Church doth offer and lend her mouth to ChildreÌ„ Infants Aug. li. de Pect meritis remeff c. 33. that they may be indued with holy Misteries for as yet they can not beleeue with their owne hartes nor make confession to saluation with their owne mouthes Wherfore we conclude that children and Infants haue intention to be Baptized answere the Priest are Baptized by the intention by the mouth by the faith of their mother the Church Wherupon the Churche hath instituted that when the child is brougt to the fonte to be Baptized the Priest asketh him Quid Petis what intend what seeke you what aske you The child answereth by the mouth of the God-fater and God-mother or by the standers by Petâ— Baptismum I intend and aske Baptisme Then the Priest sayeth Vis Baptizari wilt thou be Baptized The child answereth as before or the Church for him Volo I will Then the Priest goeth forward Credis in Deum Patrem omnipotentem c. Doest thou beleeue in God the Father Almightie and in Iesus Christ his onlie Sonne c. The child answereth as before Credo I doe beleeue Then the child is Baptized receaueth the signe and Character of a Christian Origiginall sinne is remitted and in the soule is infused the habite of faith hope and Charitie and so the Child is made Vere fidelis A true faithfull soule This is the doctrine practise of the Catholike Church Anathema then and fie vpon these Heretikes and heresie who would leaue the poore Infants remedilesse of saluation because they are not capable of actuall faith And Isidorus sayeth Paruuli alio profitente Baptizati sunt quia adhuc loqui vel credere nesciunt c. Children are Baptized an other making profession of faith for them because the know not as yet to speake or beleeue In like manner also it is with them who are sicke dumbe or deafe in whose steed and place an other doth make profession that he may make answere for them while they are Baptized I thinke M. Luther hath much to answere for before God who gaue occasion of this heresie for that he would needes maintaine that Infants had actuall faith which is impossible and against reason and not to be content with the generall doctrine of the Church that habituall faith the faith of an other was sufficieÌ„t for Baptisme in the Infant And being dealt for reasoned with coÌ„cerninge this difficultie notwithstanding did stifflie defend against Cocleus That ChildreÌ„ haue vse of reason doe actually heare and beleeue whilest they are Baptized And also the Lutherans maintained the same in their Synode held at witenberg in the yeare of our Lord. 1556. CAP. 6. VVhether Children if they die before Baptisme can be saued by their fathers faith I Haue proposed this question not that there is anie probabilitie in the affirmatiue parte Because according to S. Paule Not only the children of the vnbeleeuing Eph. 2. but also of the faithfull all are borne the children of wrath and all conceaued in originall sinne Therfore I absolutlie answere that they can not be saued by the parents faith For as I haue sufficientlie proued before that the ordinarie meanes for the saluation of Children and remission of Originall sinne is Baptisme and therfore not the parents faith Let this then be a Caueat and warning to all Catholikes and well-minded Christians to beware of the dangerous doctrine that many of our Countreymen following M. Caluin are not ashamed publiklie to preach that Baptisme is not necessarie to Saluation in Infants so that they be borne of Christian Parents As though the Patents faith could make safe the child which is against Scripture Councells Fathers and all antiquitie For that the ordinarie meanes as I haue sayed before for the saluation of children is Baptisme It was decreed by S. Innocencius the first Pope of that name who florished in the tyme of S. Ierome and S. Augustine That children althought borne of Christian Parents ought to be borne againe by Baptisme that in them that which they contracted by birth and genration should be cleansed by regeneration and Baptisme True it is as we haue proued in the precedent chapâ—er that Infants are Baptized in their paâ—ents faith if the Parents be Christians or â—n the faith of the Church if they be Infidells but it is the Sacrament that maketh them safe and not the Parents faith for that is but an introduction to the Sacrament This priuiâ—edge and speciall helpe children haue being borne of Christian Parents that they themâ—elues being Christians will and ought to haue a speciall care that they be brougt to Baptisme and in this respect the faith of the Parents may profitte the Infant and be a secondarie cause of his sanctification Therfore no doubt it is a deadlie and mortall sinne in the Parents if by their negligence the child die vnder their hands without Baptisme Surely then I may conclude that this doctrine of Caluins is but a tricke of Satan to make Parents carelesse of this Sacrament that he may bring their Children to vtter danger of saluation and to make themselues not free from sinne I haue heard of some greate personages who for pompe at Christening and to haue some honorable person for Godfather haue delayed and neglected Baptisme and so the Infant dying without it by the Parents pride and negligence haue beene sent vnto hell What griefe this ought to be in Parents iudge you and what sinne it was in them I haue censured before Because this opinion of Caluin is too pregnant in our Countrey of England Cal. li. 4. Inst. ca. 16. Obiect and some of the best seeme to incline vnto it I will solue all his arguments The first obiection is out of the old Testament where God made pacte and promise to Abraham Gen. 17. that he would be a God vnto him and this promise was not onlie made vnto him for his owne person but to his seed and posteritie after him but all the Children of the faithfull are of the seed of Abraham Therfore they are not so properlie iustified by the acte of Baptisme as by the promise God made to the seed of Abraham Sol. Kelli â— lib. 4. Suruay But this argument hath Doctour Kellison most learnedly answered First although God made this promise to Abrahams seed yet
This ceremonie is most obserued in Italie Spaine and the Indians east and weste in which countreyes daylie are conuerted vnto the Christian faith Ieues Turkes and Pagans but in England there is no vse of this Cheremonie and that for two causes First because there are neither Iewes nor Turkes nor Pagans who publikely inhabite or are permitted in the land and therfore no dealing for their conuersion I will not say there are no Infidells for that Atheisme and heresie as hath bene sayed is a kind of Infidelitie or misbeleefe but how that countrey swarmeth with such kind of people Notum est omnibus It is knowen to all the world The second cause why this ceremonie is not in vse in England is because it was neuer heard of as yet that euer any Protestant conuerted to Christianitie anie Iewe Turke or Pagan although it be most manifest they haue had dealing and traffike with all three and haue of late sought to plant them selues in some Pagan partes of the world as Guiana and Virginea yet did we not heare of anie Conuersion to Christianitie in anie parte or place of the world And will you haue the reason why they can not effect this Conuersion of Infidells Surely Schismatikes and Heretikes diuided from Gods Church haue alwayes bene peruerters no Conuerters destroyers no builders of Christianitie and therefore we must not looke nor expecte that Protestants should conuerte Countries or bring Iewes or Pagans to Christianitie Tertul. li de Praes ad Haer. And this obserued Tertullian in his tyme that Heretikes scarse euer endeauoured to conuert Heathens and Pagans but alwaye were readie to peruert Catholikes Nostra suffodiunt sayeth he vt sua aedificent They vndermine and digge vp our foundations that they may build their owne Niceph. de Eccl. histo And for confirmation oâ— this read the historie of Alamundarus a most mightie Prince and potent King of the Saracens being conuerted to the Christian faith by the Catholikes and coming to be Baptized the Eutychean Heretikes laboured all they could that he would be Baptized by their Bishops and professe their hereticall doctrine D. Antoninus Chron. p. 2. tit 11. ca. 2. ss 5. And the rather they presumed to preuaile with him because at that tyme the Emperour Anastasius was also an heretike But so it fell out by the prouidence of God and that the world may vnderstand and take notice that heretickes can not preuaile with Infidells that this great King vtterlie refused to communicate with Heretikes in the Sacrament of Baptisme and with alâ— so confounded their hereticall doctrine that their Bishops with shame confusion departed It was my Chance being in Spaine to haue some Conference with one Mustafan à Mauritanian by birth a Turke by profession to become a Christian His answere was that in deed the new Christians in England for soe he tearmed them in respect of their new opinions and reuolt from the old came nearer to his Religion then the old Christians in Spayne did For that they of England had no Images nor pictures of Christ nor his Saintes Also they of England loued them better then they of Spayne did yet sayed he if I should turne Christian I had rather turne to the old of Spayne then the newe of England for the elder the nearer to Christ and so the more likelier to be true Thus this Mauritanian Turke could distinguish make his choyse between new and old Christians and new and old Christianitie Therefore I may conclude that the Protestants neither haue nor can haue ordinarilie the vse of this Ceremonie of the Cathecumines in their Church nor be Baptizers of Turkes or Pagans nor Conuerters of Countreyes CAP. 6. Whether the solemnitie of Baptization were especiallie to be reserued for the feasts of Easter Pascha and Pentecoste ALthough in case of necessitie as hath bene sayed we are not to expect tyme nor stand vpoÌ„ the performaÌ„ce of ceremonies of Baptisme yet it hath bene a laudable custome and solemne ceremonie in the Catholike Church euen from the tyme of the Apostles vnto this day vsed and obserued at the feasts of Pascha and Pentecoste that is Easter and Whitsontyde to haue honorable Baptization and solemne celebration of this Sacrament And the reason is first for the feast of Pascha or Easter because in the death and Passion of Christ was giuen the full power to the effects of Baptisme Quicunque Baptizati sumus c. Rom. 6. All men sayeth S. Paule who are Baptized in Christ Iesus in his death we are Baptized But at Easter is a speciall memorie and recordation of the death and Passion of Christ therefore worthelie doeth the Church reserue a solemne Baptization at the feast of Easter Secondly becauâ—â— in our Baptisme is represented the death of Christ and his glorious resurrection For as the same Apostle sayeth Heb. 6. we are buried togeather with Christ in Baptisme vnto death that 〈◊〉 Christ is risen from the dead by the glorie of the Father so we may also walke in newnesse of life Therfore true it is that remission of sinne new life and sanctification are giuen by Baptisme because it resembleth in vs and applieth vnto vs Christs death resurrection And Baptisme doeth represent both For as Christ once being dead doth alwayes liue so we being dead to sinne by Baptisme doe liue againe And as the death of Christ was cause of our Purification and his Resurrection first opened vs the gate of heauen so Baptiâ—me is the Sacrament that cleanseth and washeth our soules and maketh the first entrance to ChristiaÌ„itie Thirdly Christ after his death vpon the day of his Rasurrection gaue commission to his Apostles to Baptize all nations set downe and appoynted in what forme they should doe it that is In the name of the Father Mat. 18 and of the Sonne and of the Holy Ghost Not without cause then doth the Catholike Church at the feast of Pascha vse a solemne hallowing of the fonte and reserue a publike Baptization and celebration of this Sacrament in memorie of gratitude of this great benefit Christ leste in his Church And for the feast of Pentecoste or whit suntyde there is as great reason as for the other that on that day there should be vsed a publike solemnization of this Sacrament because on that day the holie Ghost visiblie fell vpon the Apostles and Disciples of Christ Act. 2. in so much that they may be sayed to haue bene Baptized with the Holy Ghost Also on the same day was performed by the Apostles a most solemne publike Baptization after S. Peter had spoken and preached vnto the people there were Baptized three thousand Finally Christ hath sayed That our regeneration and new birth must be by the Holy Ghost Ioa. 3. Worthelie then doth the Catholike Church at this feast also of Pentecoste reserue and appoynt a solemne and publike Baptization and celebration of this Sacrament and Consequentlie with ignominie and shame doe