Baptize publikely at their Church or Chappell by their Ministers I will briefly put downe the motiues that moued me to write this small ensuing treatise The motiues to write this treatise And first Good Reader I tooke this matter in hand to let thee vnderstand what Baptisme is and the necessitie therof to saluation It is here on earth the first begining of Christianitie the entrance into the Catholike Church the house of God The reason of the title of the booke the high-way to all other Sacraments in so much that without this no other Sacrament is auaylable a washing and cleansing our soules from all sinne Originall and others a Satisfaction for all paines due for sinne eternall or temporall a deliuerie from the bondage and power of the Diuell a restorer of Innocencie an incorporation to Christ as members of his bodie mysticall and finallie a reconciliation vnto the grace fauour of God Almightie wherby we are made the adopted Sonnes of God Coheyres and inheritors with Christ of the kingdome of heauen Hath it all these effects Take heed then that thou lay the foundation sure of thy Christianitie that is that thou be truely Baptised and Christened The second motiue was to lay open and make plaine vnto thee by way of questions and doubts which I suppose to be the easiest and plainest Course for thy better vnderstanding the effects the matter the forme the minister as well in necessitie as in publike Celebration with the solemnitie and Ceremonies of this Sacrament For that thou being more fullie herein instructed thou mayest haue a more especiall care to haue it perfectlie effected and trulie performed in these daungerous tymes of heresie For assuredly this is the gate that openeth to heauen which if it should be shutte and not duely ministred there were no hope of saluation but all open to hell and damnation Thirdly to giue thee a Caueat and warning of the daungerous opinions and assertions The daungerous points of Doctrine concerning Baptisme which are taught and spread abroad of this Sacrament by the Sectaries of this age The first daungerous poynt of doctrine is that the Sacrament of Baptisme was institued by S. Iohn Baptist and that the Baptisme of Christ and S. Iohns is all one and the selfe same which is against Scripture and reason For then we must needs say that the first and chiefe Sacramēt of the new Testament and Ghospell of Christ should be instituted by a precedent prophet and not by Christ him self which were absurde seing all Sacraments of the New Testament haue their institution by Christ and their force and vertue from his death and Passion Secondly that this Sacrament doth not conferre grace cleanse the soule from sinne as an efficient instrumentall cause by Christ instituted and endued with that vertu which were to destroy Baptisme Thirdlie that it doth not impresse in the soule a seale signe and Character of Christianitie indelible for euer which is to make no distinction betweene Iewe Gentill Pagan and Christian Fourthly that he who is once Baptised can not be damned which were to set all at libertie and make men carelesse of all other Christian life Fifthly that the only memorie of Baptisme doth iustifie from our sinnes which we shall commit after Baptisme which were to take away all satisfaction repentance and penance and other such like absurdities and daungerous poynts of Doctrine against Scripture Councells Fathers and all antiquitie Finallie I would haue thee to consider with what subtiltie the Deuill hath endeauoured in these latter tymes by his instruments the Heretikes The fourth motiue to disgrace the beautie of Christs Spouse the Church to depopulate roote vp and destroy like wild boares the vineyard of our Lord. And I compare the Sacrament of Baptisme to the tree of life placed in the middest of Paradise which the Heretikes of this age some of them haue hacked and hewed at the verie chiefe boughes and branches therof some others haue pilled the barke and pulled of all the leaues the beautie therof and some others haue destroyed all the fruite and vertu therof and put the axe euen to the verie roote to destroy all Martin Luther endeauoured at one blowe to cutte of two of the essentiall parts of this tree of life that is the forme and mater of Baptisme Luther in Symposiaticis collo ca. 17. For sayeth he no forme of words is necessarie It is sufficient with him To Baptise in the name of the Lord. And as for the matter anie liquor that is apte to washe as Ale beere or milke is sufficient Thus this Impe and instrument of Sathan maketh no scruple to destroy the two essentiall parts of this Sacrament to appoint anie liquor for matter and no forme of words Although this errour of Luthers be against Christs institution and expresse Commaundement who hath ordayned water to be the matter and the forme to be In the name of the Father Ioan. 3. Matth. 28. and of the Sonne and of the Holy Ghost M. Brentius will make himself so bould with Christ and his Church as to set downe an order of his owne neuer heard of before Let the Minister sayeth he recite the Creed and say Brentius de Baptis In this faith I Baptise thee and this shall passe for currant without anie other forme of words But M. Iohn Caluin goeth farther almost impudēt and blusheth not to say That the forme of words in Sacraments are meere Magicall charmes and enchauntments Caluin li. 4. institu cap. 17. And thus you may see how these Agents for Sathan doe dismember the essentiall parts of this Sacrament of Baptisme and doe cutte of the principall boughes of this tree of life Protestants Read S. Aug. li. 2. de nup. Concupisc ca. 29. Then come the Protestants in parte ioyning yssue with the Pelagians and pull of the leaues and pill of the barke of this tree of life that is they deride neglect and contēne the auncient Ceremonies of this Sacrament of Baptisme as well the precedent Ceremonies such as goe before the acte of Baptisme as exorcismes exsufflations hallowing of the fonte c as the Subsequent such as are after Baptisme videlicet holy vnction with holy Chrisme the vse of the waxe-candle or taper light the cloathing with the white garment commonlie called the Chrisome All which Ceremonies although they be auncient profitable significant and deliuered by Tradition as from the Apostles as shall appeare in the sequell yet are these derided neglected and contemned by the Protestants Last of all come the Puritans Puritans withe the axe of M. Caluin laying load at the very roote of this tree of life to ouerthrow all to beat downe this gate and entrance to saluation This Sacrament say they is not necessarie to Saluation for all men because Children borne of faithfull Parents may be saued without Baptisme either by Predestination or by the fayth of their Parents the elder sort being of vnderstanding
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
that is a man by Martirdome may be sayed to be Baptised and bathed in his owne bloud cleansed and washed from sinne Also by the flames of Charitie and loue towards God the Holy Ghost working with the teares of Contrition and compunction of harte may be sayed to haue his soule purged from sinne and the rust and canker thereof consumed It is manifest that Martirdome in Scripture is called Baptisme Mar. 10. For Christ sayed to Iohn and Iames the sonnes of Zebede Potestis bibere calicem c Can you drinke the Cuppe I drinke or be Baptized with the Baptisme where with I am to be Baptised And he sayed they should signifiyng that Martirdome is Baptisme Also it is sayed in the Apocalyps Hi sunt qui venerunt ex magna Apoc. 7. c. These are they who are came out of greate tribulation and haue washed their stoles and haue made them white in the bloud of the lambe And for flammis no doubt but when the soule shall be enflammed with perfect Charitie and the hart by the worke of the Holy Ghost be moued to beleeue in God to loue him to be penitent for his sinnes it is a kind of Baptisme and will supplie the want of the Sacrament in case of necessitie And it is plaine in Scripture that Penitencie is called Baptisme for it is sayed Luc. 3. Mar. 1. Ezech. 18. Iohn was preaching the Baptisme of Penance vnto remission of sinnes And thus much Ezechiel the Prophet confirmeth If the impious man shall doe Penance fore his sinnes I will remember no more his iniquitie Wherefore I conclude that by Martirdome and Penance in necessity the Sacrament of Baptisme may be supplied CAP. 13. How there can be vnitie of Baptisme if there be three in distinction Ephes 4 WE make no doubt but S. Paule sayeth Vna fides vnum Baptisma vnus Christus Thereis one faith one Baptisme one Christ Also the Nicene Creed maketh professioÌ„ of one Baptisme Credo vnum Baptisma in remissionem peccatorum I beleeue one Baptisme vnto remission of sinnes Howe then can there be a distinction of Baptismes Or how can these three keepe vnitie of one Baptisme S. Thomas answereth That the vnitie of Baptisme is not taken away by this distinction Th. 3. p. q 66. a. 11 ad 1. because the two first of Bloud and Charitie Sanguinis flamminis are included in the third of vvater which hath his efficacie and force from one â—untaine the Passion of Christ and the Holy Ghost â—lso they worke all one effect and by one princiâ—all cause the effect is Remission of sinnes confeâ—ng of grace washing and cleansing of the soule â—he principall cause is the Holie Ghost For â—lthough the meanes be different that is By â—loud by fire by water yet the effect and prinâ—ipall Agent being all one the difference of â—eanes doth not take away vnitie Moreouer the two first are included in the Saâ—rament of Baptisme and onlie take place in case of necessitie when Baptisme can not be had As â—or example If a man should be iustified and haâ—e Originall sinne blotted out by Penance by â—oue towards God by Contrition and vowe of Baptisme yet afterwards although his sinne â—hould be thus remitted and he made Iust if â—he should contemne the Sacrament that is Baâ—tisme of water he should for this his conâ—empt be damned and neuer enter into heauen And this is proued by the example of Nicodemus for although when he came to Christ he had faith and Charitie and beleeued in him yet Christ sayed vnto him Vnlesse one be borne of water and the Holy Ghost Ioa. 3. Aug. li. 4. de Bap. ca. 21. Act. 10. he can not enter into the Kingdome of heauen And S. Augustine writing against the Donatists sayeth Although Cornelius the Italian Centurion of whom it is written in the Acts of the Apostles were a Iust man and had receaued the Holy Ghost yet if he should haue neglected the SacrameÌ„t of Baptisme ConteÌ„ptus taÌ„ti Sacramenti reus fieret He should haue bene guiltie of the contempte of so greate a Sacrament which is the gate to saluation CAP. 14. Whether if one Baptised in his owne bloud should ouerliue were after of necessitie to be Baptised with water THe case is if one sholud be leaft by his Persecutour as dead but yet after reuiue againe as it happened to S. Sebastian although he were readie to shed his bloud and yeald his life for Christian faith yet I make no doubt if he should thus ouerliue but that he ought to be baptised with water And in no respect nor for anie reason of being ready to suffer martirdom or other wayes to coÌ„temne or neglect the Sacrament My reason is because this Sacrament being ordained and commaunded by Christ as a necessarie remedie for the soule of man is of necessitie to saluation In re or In voto that is In deed or In vowe Wherefore he that should neglect it or contemne it although other wayes iustified should doe against the ordinance and commaundement of Christ For Christ sayed vnto Nicodemus a beleeuing man a faithfull man but not fullie instructed in Baptisme Ioa. 3. vnlesse a man be borne of water and the Holy Ghost he can not enter into the kingdome of heauen Also the example of Cornelius is more apparent Act. 10. and conuinceth that Baptisme is necessarie because the Scripture doth say That he was a Iust man in respect of his morall vertues one that feared God who also had receaued the Holie Ghost at the preaching of S. Peter yet was he Baptised by S. Peter Although such may be the grace of God to some that they may haue remission of sinnes and sanctitie also receaue the Holie Ghost before anie Sacrament be ministred yet not withstanding they must of necessitie be Baptised with water Wherefore I conclude that although martyrdome and Contrition may in necessitie supplie the want of this Sacrament yet they are not sufficient to saluation but in case of necessitie when the other can not be had but if euer it come so to passe that they may receaue it they are bound vnto it And I am of opinion that if one should be a Martyr and die and after be raysed miraculouslie againe to life and ouerliue that he ought to seeke and receaue the Sacrament of Baptisme that he may thereby receaue the indeleble Character of a Christian CAP. 15. Whether Baptisme of Bloud be more worthie then Baptisme Flaminis of Charitie or then the Sacrament TO suffer death for confessing of Christ to be true God and man to shed his bloud for testimonie of the true Church of God to suffer persecution for Gods cause to yeeld his life for Religion and Iustice sake finallie to be a Martyr hath euer beene accounted the perfectest acte and greatest signe of the loue of God that could proceed from man in this mortall life And this Christ hath confirmed Maiorem charitatem c. Ioa.
they wil be lampes without oyle or light which is contrarie to Scriptur and reason lett them take heed the gate be not shut agaynst them and that in the latter daye they will not be knowen of Christ and to their confusion they heare not that voice Nescio vos I knowe you not I praye god lighteÌ„ their parts and geue them vnitie of fayht that we may once be all meÌ„bers of one Catholik and Apostolik church and therin to haue the trwe vse of the sacraments with the rits and ceremonies therof Amen EPILOGVS IN this treatise gentle reader hath binne briefly shewed and by questions declared vnto thee what baptisme is the effects therof the matter the forme the minister the partie baptized and finally the reasons of the rites and ceremonies and with all howe honorable significant profitable and comfortable they are to christian people The lyk may be declared of the other syxe sacraments but not to be expected at my hands For I will promise no more then I meane to performe The catholik church hath euer mayntayned seauen sacrameÌ„ts which christ himselfe and no other could institute And this was the bountie and goodnes of our sauiour christ therby to assist and comfort man to make this his passage in this vale of miserie So that christ would not leaue vs without a remedie all the tyme of our life euen from the houre of our birth vnto the daye of our death baptisme at our birth Confession the Euchariste with the other sacraments all the middle of our life and extreame vnction at our death It is wonderfull to consider what easie way the protestans haue found out they haue cutt of fiue of these seaven sacraments and would seeme to retayne only two But in verie deed they haue but bare one And that is baptisme which is allowed to be ministred by them and of them in case only of necessetie And this one which they retayne god knoweth they haue pilled and pouled and the puritans issuinge from them haue endouered to roote it quit vp as may appeare by this precedeÌ„t treatise As for the lords supper as they call it it is with them no Sacrament for they haue no coÌ„secration no change of bread into the bodie of Christ bread befor and bread after you maye make as good a Communion ar home in takinge bread at break fast in memorie that christ dyed for you And as concerninge the rites and ceremonies of the Catholick church dayly in their pulpits they baye and barke at them that they are combersome troblesome to manie in number superstitious what wil be the end of this what teÌ„deth this vnto surely to extinguish all externall honor of christ all communication of Sacraments de doctrina Cijristiana lib. 3. c. 9. and all assotiation of christean people in rits and ceremonies of religion But S. Augustine shall answere these kind of men and so I will end Some fewe sayeth he Sacraments and ceremonies we haue for many in the tyme of moyses law most easie to be done most honorable for signification and most cleane and pure to be obserued and kept and such as our lord him selfe hath instituted and Apostolicall discipline deliuered LAVS DEO VNI ET TRINO 23. Iunij 1614. A TABLE OF THE Chapters THE FYRST BOOK CAp. 1. What Saacrament is and why god would vse externall sensible things for the sanctification and iustification of man pag. 1. Cap. 2. What baptisme is how it is defined and what are the effectes pag. 2. Cap. 3. Whether yf by error or otherwise this Sacrament of baptisme be not dewly administred on be capable of any other Sacrament pag. 6. Cap. 4. Whether all punishment dewe for originall synne be remitted by baptisme pag. 8. Cap. 5. Whether baptisme doth remitt synne ex opero operato and geue grace by the force and virtue of the word and work done and sayed in the Sacrament pag. 10. Cap. 6. Whether baptisme be really and in deed an instrumentall cause of iustification or only a means to excite stirre vp or moue to fayth pag. 12. Cap. 7. Whether be that is once baptized can synne but shal be saued pag. 16. Cap. 8. Whether baptisme hath force to remitt synnes committed after baptisme pag. 19. Cap. 9. Whether baptisme be necessarie to saluation pag. 23. Cap. 10. Whether in the thyrd chapter of S. Iohn Christ did entreat of baptisme pag. 25 Cap. 11. When and at what tyme Christ instituted baptisme pag. 28. Cap. 12. Whether the sacrament of baptismâ— by martyrdome or contrition of hart may be supplied And whether the distinction of the three baptismes that is of blood Charitie and water be iâ— scripture pag. 31 Cap. 13. Howe there can be vnitie of baptismâ— yf there be three distinct baptismes pag. 32. Cap. 14. Whether yf one baptized in his blood should ouer liue were after to be baptized with water pag. 34. Cap. 15. Whether baptisme of blood be morâ— worthy then baptisme of Charitie or the SacrameÌ„â— pag. 35. Cap. 16. Whether by baptisme a character or indelible signe be imprinted in the soule of the bapzed pag. 36. The second book Cap. 1. Whether water be by Christs institution the matter of the Sacrament of baptisme pag. 38. Cap. 2. What are the reasons that water aboue all other thinges was chosen and taken for the matter of this Sacrament pag. 40. Cap. 3. What kynd of water was instituted the matter of this Sacrament pag. 44. Cap. 4. Whether on may be baptized with Ice Snowe or hayle pag. 45 Cap. 5. Whether on may baptise with the water of the Bath Brimstone water ot Allume water or wich water wherof salt is made pag. 46. Cap. 6. Whether on may baptise in rose water â—r any other Distilled water pag. 47. Cap. 7. Whether on may baptise in wine Alle Beer or mylk in necessetie when water can not be had pag. 48. Cap. 8. Whether it be conuenient the font should be hallowed and the water blessed before baptisme pag. 49. Cap. 9. What is the forme of Baptisme pag. 52. Cap. 10. Whether it maye not lawfully be sayed that the priest by this Sacrament doth Washe and cleanse the soule of the Infant from originall synne pag. 55. Cap. 11. Whether it be not necessarie that all the wordes be spoken that are of the forme of baptisme pag. 58. Cap. 12. Whether yf one should leaue out to expresse the partie who were to be baptised it were baptisme pag. 60. Cap. 13. Whether the forme which the greek church vseth be sufficient for Baptisme pag. 61. Cap. 14. Whether the Arian heretiques in their forme did trulie baptise pag. 63. Cap. 15. Whether baptisme geuen only in the name of Iesus Christ be a vayable pag. 64. The thyrd book Cap. 1. Whether Christ in his owne parson with his owne hands did baptise pag. 67. Cap. 2. Whether it doth belonge to the priests only ex officio by their office and function to baptise pag. 71. Cap. 3. Whether a deacon
may be sure of their Saluation only by faith Also they extinguish and condemne the two principall effects of Baptisme that is Remission of sinnes and infusion of inherent grace wherby the soule is cleansed and iustified Although this be contrarie to Christs owne wordes who expresseth the necessitie of Baptisme vnto all saying Ioan. 3. Nisi quis renatus c. Vnlesse euerie one be borne againe of water and the holy Ghost he can not enter into the Kingdome of heauen Also that Baptisme doth remit sinne the auncieÌ„t Fathers when they compiled and made the Nycen Creed which is one of the three Creeds beleeued of all Protestants haue these wordes Confiteor vnum Baptisma in Remissionem Peccatorum I Confesse one Baptisme vnto Remission of sinnes Some will haue it onlie an externall washing no internall cleansing And the Anabaptists exclud all Infants and ChildreÌ„ from Baptisme and onlie will admit such as haue the vse of reason are aged meÌ„ of vnderstaÌ„ding Take heed therfore Curteous Reader of this daungerous doctrine beware of these wicked brood who hack and hewe pill and poll yea cut downe euen at the root this tree of life planted in Paradise by God himself instituted by Christ in the Church as the onlie ordinarie meanes gate and entrie to saluation They will haue it vsed onlie as a Commaunded Ceremonie to incorporate vs as the members of the Church and as a bare signâ— and seale of Iustice not as the ordinarie meanes for all to saluation not as conferring grace inherent not as cleasing and washing the soule internallie not as remitting sinne And so cutting downe by the roote the efficacie force vertue and power of this Sacrament which is to ayme at the ouerthrowe of all Christianitie For if no Baptisme no Christianitie no Christianitie no Christ Vigila ergo Vale. Be watchfull therfore and so farewell This 30 of Iulie 1614. Thy true friend and well willer in Christ O. A. The generall Pointes contayned in this treatise are fiue 1. First of the effects of this Sacrament and the necessitie therof to Saluation 2. Of the two essentiall Parts of Baptisme that is Concerning the matter and the forme the water and the word 3. Of the Baptiser that is of the ordinarie minister to whom by office function or Commission it belongeth to Baptise or the Extraordinarie who are allowed to Baptise in case of necessitie as the layeman midwife or any other woman 4. Of the Parties who are to be Baptised as Infants and Children and such as haue vse of reason as aged and men of vnderstanding 5. Of the reasons vse and antiquitie of the Rites and Ceremonies of this Sacrament THE FIRST BOOKE OF THE LIFE AND GATE OF CHRISTIANITIE ENTREATING OF THE EFFECTS OF THE SACRAMENT OF BAPTISME CAP. I. VVhat a Sacrament is and why God would vse externall sensible things for the Sanctification and Iustification of man AFTER our most great Almightie and good God had taken by the singular benefit of our RedemptioÌ„ mankind into his guardion safe-keeping and protection being corporall and carnall men I say consisting of flesh and bloud would of his ineffable omnipoteÌ„cie power and singular goodnes conferre and giue vs his inuisible grace vsing and appoynting externall elements and creatures as it were condesceÌ„ding to the weaknesse of our natures state condition Chrys ho. 60. ad populum 83. in mat and necessitie where vpon S. Chrysostome sayeth Si incorporeus esses nuda incorporea tibi dedisset dona sed quoniam anima corpori inserta est in sensibilibus intelligibilia tibi praebet If thou werte a man incorporeus without bodie flesh and bone God had giuen thee gifts baâ—e vncouered and vncorporate but because thy soule is inserted and put to thy bodie in sensible things subiect to sense he doth offer vnto thee things of vnderstanding Wherfore a Sacrament is defined to be A Signe of an holie thing or A visible forme of an inuisible grace Or â SacrameÌ„t is A matter or thing subiect to our senses which hath by the institution of God power both to signâ—fie and also to effect sanctitie and Iustice Or it is that by which the Diuine power vnder the couer of visible things doth worke moâ—e secretly saluation health and sanctitie in the soule of man And such is the wisdome of God to vse and institute these inferiour and base creatures wherby it may clearlie appeare that the grace which is giuen by these Sacraments proceedeth from God onlie And for this cause Christ did giue sight vnto the borneblind man with myre and dirte made of spittle Ioan. 9. and did not vse anie pretious oyntments that it might appeare to come from Christ God alone ad by his institâ—t on to worke his effect This is the power of God onlie by base and bare externall elements according to his institution word to worke internall effects Gen. 1. Ipse dixit facta sunt He sayd the word and it was done CAP. 2. What Baptisme is how it is defined and what are the effects in generall IT may be defined briefly out of the third of S. Iohns Ghospell Ioan. 3. Ephes 5. and out of the fifth of S. Paule to the Ephesians to be the Sacrament of Regeneration by water in the word of life It is called Regeneration or second birth in respect of our naturall and carnall birth As no man can enter into this world nor haue his life and being in the same vnlesse he be borne of his carnall parents no more can any man enter into life and state of grace which is in Christ or attaine to life euerlasting vnlesse he be borne of water and the holie Ghost You must vnderstand that I say it is by water for it is not the water it self that is the element permanent but the lauer ablution washing or the vse of water And therfore S. Paule sayeth That Christ so loued his Church Ephes 5. that he deliuered him self for it that he might sanctifie it cleansing it by the lauer of water and making vs safe by the lauer of Regeneration And as by the washing of the water the bodie externallie is cleansed so also by the water and word by the vertue and power of this Sacrament and operation of the holy Ghost the soule internallie is sanctified and borne anewe in Christ Iesus Or we may make a more full definition or rather an absolute description of Baptisme containyng the matter forme institution effects and necessitie therof to saluation saying Baptisme is the first and principall Sacrament of the newe lawe and Gospell consisting according to to inisttution of Christ in an exteriour ablution and washing of the bodie with a due and lawfull pronuntiation of the forme of words which is of necessitie to Saluation for all sortes of people as well children and Infants as those of riper yeares aged or men of vnderstanding and we receyuing by this Sacrament a full and perfecte remission of
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
Countrey hauing continued so many ages and hundred of yeares both in the vniuersall Church and our Church of England Is it not conuenient that water being common and triuiall to all prophane vses being assumed and taken to the vse of a holy Sacrament should be consecrated and blessed Considering that water by Christ was constituted for the matter of regeneratiō of mankind for the washing and Cleansing of sinne to make vs readie for heauen and fitte Companions whit Angells I say to so high and holie a vse What inconuenience were it to haue the water consecrated and blessed before Baptisme that we may learne to discerne and distinguish sacred and holie thinge from prophane and Common thinge By this hallowing and Consecration of the water sayeth S. Thomas Tho. 3. p. q. 66. a. 3. ad 5. Excitatur deuotio fidelium impeditur astutia Daemonis ne impediat Baptismi effectum The Deuotion of the faithfull is stirred vp and the craste subtiltie of the Deuill hindered that he may not with stand the effects of Baptisme And S. Paule his rule was Let all things be done honestly Bonauen in Quarto Siluest ver Bap. §. 2. num 10. Dionis Are op Eccles Hier. p. 2. c. 2. Basil lib. de Spir. S. ca. 27. Amb. li. 2. de Sacramentis ca. 25. Cyp. Aug. li. 6. de Baptis cō Donat tract 8. in Ioā epist 118. ad Ianuarium comely and according to order among you Altough sayeth S. Bonauenture it be not of necessitie that before Baptisme the water be consecrated Yet it is Congruum It is conuenient and comely that the water be consecrated and Sanctified by the prayer of the Priest And Therefore sayeth Siluester that the Priest sinneth mortallie if he Baptise Extra necessitatem Except in case of necessitie If the Water before be not consecrated and sanctified Dionisius S. Paule his Scholler aduised that before Baptisme the waters be consecrated and sanctified Regenerationis aqua sacris inuocationibus prius consecretur Let the Water of Regeneration whit Sacred holy inuocations and prayers before hand be sanctified and Consecrated S. Basill maketh no doubt constantlie to affirme That the Benediction of the font descended to them in his tyme from the Apostles and was vsed by Apostolicall Tradition S. Ambrose one of the fower principall Doctors of the Church sayeth That the Priest before Baptisme cometh to the font and maketh his prayers and inuocateth the name of God ouer the water c. And S. Cyprian warneth that before Baptisme there must be Consecration of the font Oportet mundari consecrari aquam prius a sacerdote The water must first sayeth he be cleansed and Sanctified by the Priest And finallie S. Augustine in manie places speaketh of hallowing the font and santifiyng the water CAP. 9. VVhat is the forme of Baptisme HAuing sufficientlie entreated and spoken concerning the matter of Baptisme now followeth to speake of the forme for these two are essentiall partes of the Sacrament yf either should be wanting there could be no Baptisme There is no doubt but the forme of this Sacrament was instituted and determined by Christ our Sauiour himselfe after his glorious Resurrection when he appeared to his eleauen Apostles vpon the mount in Galilie saying Mat. 28. All power is giuen me in heauen and in earth Going therfore teach yee all nations Baptizing them In the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the Holy Ghost This recordeth S. Mathew in his Gospell The forme then the Church giueth and commaundeth according to the institution of Christ is N. Ego Baptizo te In nomine Patris Filij Spiritus Sancti Amen Iohn or Thomas I Baptise thee in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the Holie Ghost Amen I say these two are essentiall partes of Batisme for neither the water without the word nor the word without the water can worke anie effect but it is necessarie that the matter the forme goe ioyntlie togeather For if I should say these wordes ouer the child I Baptise thee in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the Holy Ghost and haue no water it were no Baptisme Also if I had water and powred it vpon the child and did not say the words it were nothing The word then and the water must goe togeather ioyntlie that Baptisme may haue his effecte Ephes 5. And this S. Paule expressed when he sayed Mundans eam lauacro aquae in verbo vitae Cleansing her that is his Church with the lauer of water in the word of life In this forme sayeth S. Thomas are expressed the two causes of Baptisme that is Tho. 3. p. q. 66. a. 5. the Principall cause and the instrumentall the Principall cause in these words In the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the Holie Ghost Wherby is singnified that this Sacrament hath his efficacie vertue power and effect from Almightie God and that the Blessed Trinitie is the principall Agent and worker of remission of sinnes and cleansing the soule of man by this Sacrament And here note that we are taught in this forme of Baptisme by Christ and his Church to say In the name and not In the names to signifie that there is but one God in essence and substance Yet also we must say the Father the Sonne the Holie Ghost to vnderstand and knowe that there are three persons and one God all three concurring to the sanctifieing of the soule of man The Instrumentall cause is declared in these words Ego Baptizo te I Baptise the Wherby it is declared that necassarilie the Minister must concurre as the instrumentall cause externally to deliuer and giue this Sacrament to the people and God internallie to worke the effect of it Therfore Christ sayed to Nicodemus Ioan. 3. Vnlesse one be borne againe of water and the Holie Ghost he can not enter into the kingdome of heauen Wherby Christ would haue vs to vnderstand that the Sacrament that is the water and the word externallie must be ministred deliuered and giuen vs by the Priest and the Holy Ghost working internallie and both concurring ioyntlie the one as the Principall cause the other as the Instrumentall or else no entrance into the kingdome of heauen Mat. 28. In the last of S. Mathew as I cited before Christ sayeth to his Apostles Goe yee Baptising in the name of the Father and of the the Sonne and of the Holie Ghost Where he appoynted his Apostles as the Instrumentall cause to minister and deliuer this Sacrament to all nations but in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the Holy Ghost to signifie that the Blessed Trinitie was the principall cause Whevpon sayeth S. Augustine Sacerdos tangit corpus Christus interius abluit Aug. cō Petil. li. 3. c. 49. The priest doth externallie touch the bodie powre Water on it or dippe it saying the words
but Christ inwardlie doth washe and cleanse the Soule CAP. 10. VVhether it may not laufullie be sayed that the Priest or that man by this Sacrament dothe washe and cleanse the Soule of the Infant from Originall Sinne. I Thinke no man Protestant or other can with reason denie but the Baptizer that is he that Baptiseth may lawfullie say after Baptisme that he hath by this Sacrament washed and cleansed the soule of the Infaâ—t from Originall sinne as the instrumentall cause and that God hath giuen this power vnto him to worke this effect that is to washe away sinne as the Instrument and Minister of God And therfore Christ sayed to his Apostles Goe yee Baptising washing and cleansing of sinne Mat. 28. The forme also of Baptisme which the Church prescribeth importes no lesse Ego Baptizo te I Baptize thee is as much to say I washe I cleanse thee from thy sinnes in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the Holy Ghost And that the Disciples nor anie other should thinke this no straunge nor vnlawfull matter Christ gaue the reason saying All power is giuen me in heauen and in earth And this power to this end I giue vnto you as my Ministers and inssrumentall causes Therfore goe yee teach yee all Nations Mat. 28. and Baptise them cleanse them and washe them In the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the Holy Ghost Soe I thinke there ought to be no doubt but the Priest in the Sacrament of Confession by the power that Christ hath giuen and left in his Church may lawfullie and trulie say Ego te absoluo ab omnibus peccatis tuis In nomine Patris Filij Spiritus Sancti Amen I absolue thee from all thy sinnes In the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the Holy Ghost Amen For as Christ instituted and gaue this power and Commission for the Sacrament of Baptisme so also did he institute and giue the like power in the Sacrament of Confession And thus much S. Iohn as playnly expresseth in his Gospel as S. Mathewe did for the Sacrament of Baptisme Reade S. Iohn he recordeth thus After the glorious Resurrection the same day Iesus came where the Disciples were gathered togeather Ioa. 20. and stoode in the middest and sayd vnto them Peace be vnto you as my Father sent me I also send you Loe the force of Commission And when he had thus sayed he breathed vpon them and saied to them Receaue yee the Holy Ghost whose sinnes yee shall forgiue they are forgiuen them and whose you shall retayne they are retayned Marke the Circumstances of the Commission for the one Sacrament and for the other First as Christ gaue his commission after his gloriours Resurrection for the Sacrament of Baptisme so also vpon the same day of his Resurrection did he institute and giue his commission for the Sacrament of ConfessioÌ„ Secondlie as in Baptisme that there should be no doubt of his power he made mention therof and told them All power was giuen him in heauen and in earth so also in the institution and commission for the Sacrament of Confession he sayed to his Disciples As my Father sent me so doe I send you If then Christ as he was man had power here on earth to remitte sinnes as no Christian man can denie no doubt but the same power he lefte and gaue his Apostles and all Priests their Successours to doe the like And for further Confirmation hereof that men should not misdeeme of those highe functions of his Apostles and Priestes he breathed vpon them and sayed Receaue you the Holy Ghost whose sinnes you forgiue are forgiuen c. to signifie that they should doe those things that is remette sinnes not of them selues but by the commission of Christ and by the vertue and power of the Holy Ghost Wherfore S Cyrill sayeth Cyr. lib. 12. ca. 56. in IoaÌ„ It is not absurd that Priests forgiue sinnes for when they remitte or retaine the holy Ghost remitteth or retaineth in them and this they doe both in Baptisme and Confession And no doubt as they are the Instruments of God in Baptisme to purge and cleanse Originall sinne so no doubt they are the Instruments of the Holy Ghost after Baptisme to remitte and retayne Actuall sinne S. Ambrose contending with the Nouatians old Heretikes S. Amb. li. 1. 6. 7. de PaniteÌ„ who denied this power in Priests to remitte and retayne sinne asked of them this question VVhy it should be more dishonour to God or more impossible or inconuenient for men to haue their sinnes forgiuen by Confession then cleansed by Baptisme seing it is the power of God and the Holy Ghost that doth worke it by the Priests office and ministerie in them both as well the one as the other I thinke the same demaund may be made to the ProtestaÌ„ts of this age and I suppose they will answere with as much shame as the old Hereticall Nouations did Who can say they forgiue sinnes but God only True it is that he is the only Principall cause of releasing all sinne Yet we may not denie but the Priest is Gods Instrument and vicar here on earth to minister his Sacraments Wherby first we are receyued to be of the houshold of God and made his Children and then after if we offend him we haue the meanes to be reconciled and vnited to him againe the one no doubt as beneficiall profitable and necessarie for man as the other CAP. 11. VVhether it be necessarie that all the words be spoken that are of the forme of Baptisme THe forme of Baptisme is as I sayed before Iohn or Francis I Baptise thee in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the Holy Ghost Amen which wordes I say it is necessarie distinctlie and trulie to be spoken or else there can be no Baptisme The reason is because first the Minister of this SacrameÌ„t must expresse the facte he intendeth secondly he must declare the person for whom he intendeth it thirdly he must manifest in whose name and by whose vertue and power he effecteth it The Minister and the fact intended are declared in these wordx I Baptise thee the person vnto whom this Sacrament is giuen by these words Iohn or Francis In whose name and by whose â—ower it is done is shewed in these worde In the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the Holy Ghost All which three poynts I say â—re necessarie to be expressed For if one should â—ake or leaue out the first words I Baptise â—hee and only repeat the words following In the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the Holy Ghost it were no Baptisme Also if one should say only these wordes I Baptise thee and leaue vnsayd the words that followe which are In the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the Holy Ghost it were also no Baptisme This I say
Heretikes obseruing the forme of the Church be auaylable also that their ought not to be Rebaptization Yet notwithstanding this can not be no warrant for Catholikes or Schismatikes to sent their children to be Baptized of Heretikes or to communicat with them in this Sacrament or to permit them to be by them Baptized For no penall statute or Commaundement to the contrarie can free them from the Censure of Communicating with Heretikes in Sacraments and Diuine thinges Besides no man knoweth how farre he may endanger the soule of the Infant therby considering that some of them maintayne this dangerous opinion That baptisme is not necessarie to Saluation And so growe carelesse whether they Baptize or not Now concerning the Pagan and Iewe who neuer were themselues Baptized whether they could giue an other that they neuer had themselues Nichol. de cons dist 4. can a quodā Iudaeo It was decreed by Pope Nicholas at the consultation and petition of the Bulgars what was to be done with those who were Baptized by Pagan or Iewe his resolution was that if they were Baptized in the name of the Holie Trinitie whether by Iewe or Pagan they were not to be Rebaptized againe Wherfore I will put the case If two Iewes or Pagans were togeather where no Christians were being in danger of death and both desirous of Baptisme Concil Floren. can de ministris Baptismi◠if in that case the one should Baptize the other no doubt they both should be saued and their Baptisme auaylable Wherfore I conclude with the Councell of Florence Minister huius Sacramenti c. That the Minister of this Sacrament is the Priest to whom by office and function it appertaineth to Baptize but in case of necessitie not only the Priest or Deacon but also the Lay-man and woman yea also the Iewe Pagan and Heretike may Baptise so that they obserue the forme of the Church and intend to doe that the Church doth CAP. 8. VVhether Catholike Parents or others may send or permitte their Children to he Baptized of Hereticall or Schismaticall Ministers without grieuous mortall sinne ALthough the Baptisme of Heretikes as I haue proued in the precedent Chapter be auailable and that those children who are Baptised by them are not to be Rebaptized againe yet you must vnderstand this not be lawfull but in case of necessitie Now the question is whether it be a grieuous mortall sinne for Parents to send their children to be Baptized of Hereticall or Schismaticall ministers I thinke no man can iustlie make any doubt therof My reasons are First if it be a grieuous mortall sinne for any man to participate or communicate In Diuinis In Diuine seruice or Sacramēts with Heretikes or Schismatikes as generallie all agree it is but they who send their children to be Baptized of or by Schismatikes doe communicate in Sacraments with them Ergo it is a grieuous mortall sinne to send their Children to be Baptized of such kind of persons The Parent can not excuse himself saying that he doth not communicate but the child for the Infant is capable of no such action more then is imposed or layed vpon him Therfore the acte of communicating is the Parents and not the Childs And if it be a heauier offence to God to communicate in Sacraments then to be present at their seruice then I may lawfully conclude that they haue more to answere for before God in sending their Children to Church to be Baptized then in being there present them selues The second reason may be for that they expose their child to greate danger of Irregularitie if he be a boy For if he were Baptized at home either by the midwife or otherwayes be rebaptized againe he is irregular that is not capable of Holy Orders De Cōse dist 4. Can. qui bis Sciēter The Constitutions and Canons of the Church are that Rebaptizans Rebaptizatus The Rebaptizer and the Rebaptized are both Irregular But the Canonists doe interpret the lawe if they doe it willinglie and witinglie But you will say some of the ministerie if they be told the Child is Baptized will not absolutlie Rebaptize but Conditionallie If thou be not Baptized I Baptise thee And so they auoyd Irregularitie in them selues and the Child Yet they can not be excused from sinne in this their doing because they ought not to doubt of the Baptisme and thervpon take occasion to Rebaptize againe but vpon probable cause which in this case is not The third reason Siluester a learned Casuist affirmeth Siluest verbo Baptis cap. 3. num 7. That it is a mortall sinne for any man to require Baptisme at the hands of him whom he knoweth probablie to be either an Heretike Schismatike Excommunicate or suspended person vnlesse it be in extreame necessitie For in such a case as hath bene sayed I may require it at the hands of an Heretike Iewe or Pagan But you will say The lawe vrgeth and compelleth vpon forfeiture of an hundred pounds I answere Iniqua iniusta est lex Wicked and vniust is that Lawe that vrgeth and compelleth a man against his Conscience to committe a mortall sinne and consequentlie no lawe Therefore not to be obeyed Read the Constitutions of Pope Felix the Third in his first Epistle and second Chapter Felix de Cōse dist 4. can Eos quos And the Glosse hath Magis mors est eligenda quà m consentire rebaptizari That one ought rather to suffer death then to consent to Rebaptization For a Caueat to Catholike Parents for sending their Children to Church to be Baptized of Protestant or Puritan I haue thougt good to relate what happened here in England in the Countie of Glocester about the yeare of our Lord 1583. as was reported vnto me by an ancient graue man worthie of credite who came immediatlie after the fact was done So it was that a Catholike gentlewoman being brought to bed of a Sonne a Protestant Ladie their neighbour Cas cas being verie desirous to be Gossippe to the Child the parents refusing to haue it Catholiklie christned at home for satisfiyng the Ladies request were content it should be carried to the Church to be Baptized of a Protestant Minister But what happened Presentlie as the Minister layed water vpon the Child it fell a crying vehementlie and could in no case be stilled but continued crying all that day and night following euen so long as it had strength and was able to crie and so dyed A worthie punishment no doubt for the parents fault Also I haue read of a child in Flanders who being brought by the Father vnto a preaching Minister to be Baptized the Infant suddenlie appeared as dead but being returned backe vnto the mother being a Catholike the child miraculouslie reuiued againe Bredē li. 7. coll Sacra ca. 50. Bredenbachius relateth the historie from D. Walter Canon at Antwerpe as an eye-witnesse A Catholike woman being married vnto a Caluinist brought forth a child whom
pontifex therfore no angell by ordinary Commission can Baptize But if God hath or should send an Angell from heauen with extraordinarie commission and warrantise to Baptize I would make no doubt but his Baptisme were auaylable because it is ordinarie for Angells to be assistants and friends to Gods people here on earth Now hauing spoken of the minister Baptizing it followeth that we entreate of the parties who are to be Baptized that is of Infants and children those who are of riper yeares and of vnderstanding at mans estate young or old And first we will examine concerning Infants whether they contracte originall sinne and whether the onlie ordinarie remedie for that sinne be Baptisme And if they die without Baptisme what place punishement they shall possesse and haue after this life And so forth as followeth THE FOVRTH BOOKE Of the partie to be Baptized as Infants and others of vnderstanding and age CAP. 1. VVether Infants doe contracte Originall sinne IT is manifest both in the old and new testament that euerie man borne by man and of woman since Adam are subiect to Originall sinne and in and by them are conâ—eaued borne and constituted sinners Theâ—e â—s exception to be made of Christ who was not â—orne by man and also the blessed virgin is to be exempted by speciall priuiledge because Christ was borne of her That all others are subiect and borne in Originall sinne S. Paule proueth saying Rom. 5. ver 12. Per vnum hominem peccatum c. By one man sinne entered into this world and by sinne death and so vnto all men death did passe in which all sinned But this sinne wherwith we are infected by Adam can not be Actuall sinne because Infants are not capable to doe good or euill therfore it must needs be Originall sinne And holy Iob plainly telleth vs that no man is cleane from the filth of sinne no not the InfaÌ„t of one day old Iob. 14. Nemo mundus a sorde ne Infants cuius est vnius diei vita super terraÌ„ And ther vpoÌ„ asked this questioÌ„ of Almightie God Quis potest c. who caÌ„ make cleane him who is coÌ„ceaued of vncleane seed NoÌ„ne tui qui solus es Is it not thou Lord who onlie arte So that it is plaine by the testimonie of holy Iob that Infants are borne in sinne and by nature vncleane and that God onlie is to purge theis vncleannes contracted by Conception And kind Dauid in the Miserere Psalme confesseth of himself and consequently of others Ecce in iniquitatibus conceptus sum Psal 50. in peccatis concepit me mater mea Behold I was conceaued in iniquities and my mother conceaued me in sinne But no man can imagine anie other sinne that king Dauid should be conceaued in then Originall sinne therfore there is no doubt but Infants in conception contracte Originall sinne And S. Paule hath this generall proposition Rom. 3.23 Omnes peccauerunt egent gloria Dei All men haue sinned and doe stand in neede of the glorie of God If all men haue sinned why then no exception to be made of Infants Children But children haue no actuall sinne therefore it must needes be that they are infected with Originall sinne And the same Apostle coÌ„fesseth Eramus nos natura Filij irae sicut caeteri Ephes 2.3 And were by nature the children of wrath as also the rest But they could no way be the children of wrath but onlie by Originall sinne therfore euerie one was and is subiect vnto it And thus by Scripture it is manifest that all men are coÌ„ceaued in Originall sinne and borne sinners The like may be proued out of the auncieÌ„t Councells Fathers of the Primitiue Church especially after the tyme of Pelagius the Arch-heretike who maintaiâ—ed this heresie That Infants children did not contract Originall sinne and therfore were not of necessitie to be Baptized in remission of sinne Concerning which subiect and against this heresie S. Augustine wrote diuerse bookes As De Peccato Originali and foure bookes Contra duas epistolas Pelagiani three bookes De Peccatorum meritis and in diuerse other places of his workes Wherfore if anie man desire to be farther satisfied in this poynt let him read S. Augustine CAP. 2. VVhether it be of necessitie that Children be Baptized for remission of this originall sinne IT is necessarie and as hath bene proued by the sentence of Christ himselfe For he hath made this generall decree without exception of young or old Ioa. 3. That no man shall enter into the kingdome of heauen vnlesse he be regenerated and borne againe by water and the Holy Ghost But there is no cause to exclude Infants and children from the kingdome of heauen but Originall sinne therfore it is necessarie they be Bapâ—ized for remission therof Secondly the Church of Christ euen from her cradle and infancie hath euer had a Vigilant eye and carefull sollicitude grounded vpon the TraditioÌ„ of the Apostles continuallie to Baptize Infants and children especially if in that age they were in danger of death But this was principallie that they should not departe this life without the Sacrament of Baptisme which is the ordinarie meanes by Christ instituted for remission of Originall sinne because it is necessarie they be regenerated and borne againe by water and the Holy Ghost Also they who are Baptized are sayed by the Apostle To die to sinne that they may walke in newnesse of life RoÌ„ 6.4 Ephes 5.26 And to be cleansed by the lauer of regeneratioÌ„ So it is manifest they haue sinne froÌ„ which they are to be purified and washed wherfore it is of necessitie that children be Baptized for remission of this sinne Thirdlie the Apostle S. Paule writeth to the Romans that RoÌ„ 6.23 Stipendium peccati est mors The stipend of sinne is death Therfore where death is there is also sinne But death is as well amongst children as aged folkes Therfore ChildreÌ„ are also subiect to sinne Christ is sayed by the Apostle To die for all as well Infants as aged 2. Cor. 5.15 1. Pet. 3.18 Rom. 5.8 But S. Peter sayed That Christ died for the vniust wicked And this doth S. Paule also proue asking the questioÌ„ why Christ died for the impious He yeeldeth the reason and giueth answear for herin God coÌ„mendeth his Charitie in vs because when we were Sinners Christ died for vs. But Infants and children are no way vniust wicked by anie acte of their owne wherfore it must needes be they are vniust and wicked by Originall sinne The conclusioÌ„ theÌ„ follweth that they must be coÌ„sepulted buried againe with Christ in his death PassioÌ„ by Baptisme that they may rise with him to glorie necessarie theÌ„ it is that childreÌ„ be Baptized in remissioÌ„ of sinne S. Agustine to proue that Infants are infected with Originall sinne so coÌ„sequentlie vnder the power might of the Deuill vseth this
argument The Church doth vse that most ancient Cerâ—monie in Baptisme Aug. li. 1. de pe mâ—ritis ca. 34. l 6. in Iulian c. 2. that is by exorcismes Insufflations to expell the Deuill euen from Infants and children before theâ— be Baptized which she would not vse but that therby she intendeth to instructe teach that eueÌ„ childreÌ„ by Originall sinne were subiect to the power of SathaÌ„ The Meleuitane councell vnder S. Innocentius the First of that name hath decreed Anathematized those Quicunque paruulos recentes ab vteris matrum Baptizandos negat aut dicit eos in remissionem peccatorum Baptizari sed nihil ex Adamo trahere originalis pâ—ccati quod lauacro regenerationis expietur Anathema sit VVhosoeuer dothe denie that children newly borne are not to be Baptized or doeth affirme that children are to be Baptized vnto remissioÌ„ of sinne but so that they coÌ„tracte from AdaÌ„ nothing of originall sinne which is to be purged cleansed by the lauer of regeneration let him be accursed Wherfore to conclude it is necessarie that Infants and Children be Baptized for remission of Originall sinne CAP. 3. VVhether Originall sinne doth appertaine or be to be imputed to Childâ—eÌ„ borne of ChristiaÌ„ PareÌ„ts I Haue in generall proued in the precedent chapters that all men borne of man and woman since Adam except Christ and the B. virgin are conceaued and borne in Originall sinne and therby constituted and made sinners also that it is of necessitie that Children and Infants be Baptized in remission of this sinne and for the cleansing and taking away therof Now the question is in particular whether to be borne of Christian parents be a sufficient meanes to remoue Originall sinne from their children that it may not appertaine or be imputed vnto them I moue this question not that Christian people shoulde make any doubt of the valâ—â— vertue and force of Baptisme instituted by Christ vnto remission of sinne as the ordinarie meanes for Originall sinne in children and Infants but to decypher the dangerous doctrine of Caluin Caluin li. 4. Inst c. 16. §. 24. Antid ad can 5 sess 6. who dares not auouch with the Pelagian Heretikes condemned by the Church of God aboue some twelue or thirteene ages past that Children borne of Christian Parents doe not by birth and conception contract Originall sinne Yet notwithstanding hath this newe Ghospeller found out this new deuise that this sinne shall not be imputed nor layd to the charge of children borne of Christian Parents but couered and hidden in the sight of God And what is his intent hereby Surely no other then Iudaizare to play the Iewe to debilitate and weaken the vertue power and strength of the Sacrament and to take away the necessitie therof for the saluation of Infants and Children and withall to make Christian men carelesse of Christianitie in their children and posteritie If I should demaund of anie in different man whether it were not better and a more safer way to haue Originall sinne cleane washed by Baptisme vtterlie abolished and taken away by the Holy Ghost working in and by that Sacrament and so to haue the wound and sore perfectlie cured then to haue the sinne remaine although not imputed but couered not perfectlie cured but plastered I thinke this would be a sufficient argument to confute this errour to make meÌ„ beware to endaÌ„ger their childreÌ„s saluation vpon this slipperie doctrine For what warrant hath Caluin or any of his Complices or partakers our Contreimen out of Scripture That children borne of Christian Parents shall not haue Originall sinne imputed vnto them But sure I am that we haue the testimonie of Christ and his Apostles that Baptisme doth open the gate to heauen â—nd regenerate and cause vs to be borne a new to Christ Ioa. 3. Eph. 5. And that it is a washing and cleansing of our soules in the word of life And that we therby die to sinne that we may walke in newnesse of life RoÌ„ 5. Therfore let all Christian Parents of our countrey with all their Predecessours and the whole Christian world round about them seeke the saluation of their children by the Sacrament of Baptisme and not trust vnto the new deuise of Caluins not imputation least they be guiltie of their Childrens damnation But for further confutation I will alleadge two or three examples out of Scripture that to be borne of faith full parents is not a sufficieÌ„t meanes to free them from contracting Originall sinne or being contracted therfore not to haue it imputed Dauid was the sonne and child of faithfull parents and true beleeuers in God as also of the seed of Abraham yet he confesseth That his mother conceaued him in sinne Psal 50 But where can it be found in Scripture that his Parents was the cause that this sinne should not be imputed and not rather Circumcision to be the true cause which was a figure of Baâ—tisme And S. Paule when he was borne his Parents were of the faithfull true beleeuers yet sayed he that he as well as the rest was by nature the child of wrath But how became he the child of God and to be cleared of all sinne By his Parents in that they were true beleeuers No. The Scripture telleth vs no such thing but rather by the Sacrament of Bâ—ptisme Act. 22. For Ananias bidde him arise and be Babtized and so to wâ—sh away his sinnes And the same Apostle proueth the Iewes to be reprobate although they came of Abrahams flesh And that to be the sonne of God goeth not by birth but by the grace of God For example Esau twinne to Iacob was borne of Isaac the Father RoÌ„ 9. and Rebecca the mother faithfull Parents and immediatlie from Abraham yet Esau was a reprobate sayeth S. Paule from his birth Wherfore we may conclude that it is not the parents that freeth their children from Originall sinne let them be true beleeuers and faithfull before Christ or now Christians after Christ Cyp 11. 3. Epist ep 8. de InfaÌ„t BaptizaÌ„dis Therfore S. Cyprian writing to fidus the Priest concerning Baptizing of Infants before the eight day willeth that no man be hindred froÌ„ Baptisme the grace of God but especiallie children and Infants newly borne taken euen from their mothers wombe For although they haue no actuall sinne yet because they are borne carnallie according to Adam they must needs contract Originall sinne Worthely then we may conclude with S. Augustine Quicunque dixerit c. Aug. ep 28 non loÌ„ge a fine VVhosoeuer shall say that children â—lso shall liue in Christ who departe this life without participation of the Sâ—crament of Baptisme by him instituted in verie deed that man doeth oppose himselfe against the open Apostolicall declaration and condemneth the whole Church seing that for that cause she doth hasten the Baptizing of câ—ildren because without doubt it is beleeued that no other way at all they can
be saued or haue life life in Christ. Thus S. Augustine Idle then is this not imputation of sinne by Caluin maintained because they are borne of Christian Parents CAP. 4. VVhether Infants and children are to be Baptized before they come to yeares of discretion THe Anabaptist maintaine this heresie that children and Infants ought not to be Baptized but onlie those who are of yeares and vnderstanding and doe seeke it and desire it of themselues And some of this sect doe contend that they ought to stay vntill they come to thirtie yeares of age because Christ was at that age Baptized of Iohn All men may plainlie see in this age the worke of the Deuill who not only by heresie endeauoureth to destroy in ChristeÌ„dome the soules of a great parte of the elder sort but also to send to hell euen the poore Infants children in taking away froÌ„ them the vse of this Sacrament of Baptisme The Catholike Church and all Catholike Doctours haue alwaies practised and taught that Infants and children ought to be Baptized And first they proue it by example out of the old Testament Colos 2. Circumcision sayeth S. Paule was a figure of Baptisme but Circumcision was commanded to be giuen to children of eight dayes old Wherfore then may not Baptisme be ministred to children GeÌ„ 17. Secondlie Christ hath pronunced and giuen this sentence generally without exception that there can be no saluation without Baptisme Iâ—a 3. Vnlesse sayeth Christ a man be borne againe of water and the Holy Ghost he can not enter into the kingdome of heauen And that we may not thinke children to be excluded Christ hath recorded by three Euangelists Mat. 19. Mar. 10. Lâ—c. 18. Esay 49.22 Sinite paruulos c. Suffer children to come vnto me for the kindome of heauen is for such To signifie that he would not that children and Infants should be lest without remedie to saluation And that children should be members of the Church of Christ prophesied Esay Ecce leuabo ad gentes c. Behold I will lifte vp my hands to the Gentiles and will exalt my signe vnto the people and they shall bring their sonnes in their armes and shall carrie their daughters vpon their shoulders Therfore Children are to be admitted to the Sacrament of Baptisme Thirdlie the Church hath euer taught obserued and deliuered it as from the Apostles to be lawfull yea necessarie to Baptize children and Infants And no man can denie but that Baptisme of children hath bene euer held as an Apostolicall tradition Wherfore although it be not expressly commaunded in Scripture yet it is sufficientlie collected and deducted as I haue proued and no way contradicted therfore lawfullie to be practised We read in the historie of the Apostles Act. 16. that they Baptized whole families No doubt but their were some children amongst the familie Wherfore we must nedes conclude that Baptizing of children proceeded from the direction of the Holy Ghost or else we must confesse that the Apostles spake and practised not with the Spirite of God which were blasphemie Dionisius Areopagita S. Paules Scholler sayeth Dionis Areop Eccle. Hier. ca. vltimo Duces diuini nostri scilicet Apostoli probauerunt Infantes recipi ad Baptismum Our heaueÌ„ly guides the Captaines of our God the Apostles haue approued and allowed Infants to be receaued vnto Baptisme Finally no man can doubt vnlesse he will become a Pelagian Heretike but that Infants are borne in originall sinne therfore it is of necessitie that children be Baptized or els that they be left without remedie for their saluatioÌ„ as the Anabaptists would haue it Which were against the mercie of God who would haue all saued The difficultie of this question is because there is faith required in the Baptized and a will and desire to receaue the same How this can be in children that they may be admitted to Baptisme is the question Wherfore in the next ensuing Chapter we will put downe what faith is required in children and how this may be performed CAP. 5. VVhat faith is required to the Baptisme of Children and Infants Mat. 28. WE must vnderstand when Christ sayed to his Apostles Goe yee first teach then Baptize as S. Matheu reporteth And meÌ„ must beleeue before they be Baptized as hath S. Marke Mar. 16. And when the Eunuch asked whether he might not be Baptized S. Philippe answered Si credis licet If thou beleeue thou mayest Act. 8. to signifie that he must first beleeue before he could be Baptized And S. Paule sayeth That faith is by hearing Fides ex auditu and other such like places of Scripture we must vndestand I say that Christ spake of the Conuersion of nations of men of vnderstanding and such as had vse of reason who were by preaching teaching instructing and miracles to be brought to the faith and beleefe in Christ And for those who are at mans estate capable of vnderstanding apte to be taught readie to heare the word of God preached I say it is requisite yea necessarie that they haue actuall faith and beleefe in Christ and that of themselues they seeke and desire Baptisme before it can or ought to be ministred vnto them because the Scripture doth require this actuall faith and beleefe in full age the elder sorte and those at mans estate making no mention of Children Therfore say these Anabaptists that Children are not to be Baptized before they be capable of teaching preaching to receaue actuall faith to require of them selues Baptesme So that Infants and children if they neuer come to age should perish and be without remedie of saluation in these mens opinion But to confound these Heretikes and satisfie anie reasonable man in the precedent chapter it hath bene sufficientlie proued that children may and ought to be Baptized in their childhood and infancie Now because they are not capable of actuall faith for that they can not distinguish betweene good and euill Deu. 1. Ionas ca. vltimâ— nor be able to knowe the right hand from the left as Ionas the Prophet sayeth Therfore it is sufficient for them to be Baptized In fide aliena In the faith of an other that is in the faith of their Parents or those who offer and bring them to be Baptized if they be Christians Or In fide Ecclesiae In the faith of the Church if they be the children of Infidells This is the doctrine of the Church and the opinion of Catholike Doctours both ancient and moderne and that with reason For as these Infants contracted Originall sinne from their first parents Adam and Eue and were infected in their soules Alieno peccato with an others sinne so now also they should be cured and haue this sinne remitted in the faith of an other Therfore Saint Augustine writing to Bonifacius sayeth In Ecclesia Saluatoris paruuli per alios credunt c. Aug. ep 23. In the Church of our Sauiour
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
therby maye be fygured and signified that he beinge seasoned with the salt of wisedome maye be voyde of all fetor and stinke of synne and iniquitie and that heareafter he maye not be putrified and corrupted with the maggotes of synne but rather beinge vntouched maye be preserued to receaue greater grace S. Bede alludinge to that of the old lawe where god commanded that no sacrifice should be offered with out salt or not seasoned with salt And Christ also hath sayed that euerie victima shal be salted with salt where vppon I say S. Bede sayeth Sal calestis The salt of heauenly wisedome wherewith the Cathecumens or those who are to be baptised were first instructed and seasoned we are commaunded to offer in all the sacrifices of our workes And of this fyrst tast of salt speaketh Origen and the same hath the thyrd Counsel of Carthage Consideringe then that this ceremonie of salt hath his signification and instruction as you haue heard also of such antiquitie in the church what reason haue the ProtestaÌ„tes of this age to coÌ„teÌ„ne and neglecte it I will tell you the salt of their doctrine is infatuate vnsavorie without smacke of salt and therfor not fitt to be putt in the mouth of the baptised For salt that hath loste his saltnesse vertue is profitable nether for ground nor middinge nor dunghill Luc. 14 but it shal be cast forth sayeth Christ he that hath eares to heare lett him heare CAP. 10. Whether the vse of spittle before baptisme be a superfluous ceremonie THe order of this ceremonie is that the priest takinge spittle to the ears and nostrels not to the mouth as some mistake it for that salt is proper for that part and puttinge it fyrst on the right eare sayeth Epheta quod est adaperire that is be thou opened then to the nostrels sayinge in odorem suauitatis and be thou opened vnto the odor of sweetnes and at the leafte eare he concludeth Tu autem effugare diabole therfor o thou diuel be thou put to flight and driuen awaye for the iudgment of God will drawe nyghe and baptisme now is at hand We read in the ghospel that our sauiour twice vsed this ceremonie of spittle fyrst when he healed the deafe and dume man who was brought vnto him then he vsed spittle and put his fingers into his ears and lookinge to heauen sayed these wordes Ephata quod est adaperire mar 7. which is as much to saye as be thou opened Secondly in the Ghospel of S. Iohn when he cured the man who was borne blind Ioh. 9. he spitte on the ground and made claye of the â—pittle and layed it vppon his eyes and sayed Goe Washe in Siloe The church of God to the imitation of Christ doth vse these ceremonies of touchinge and spitâ—le And fyrst for the ears that the deafe deuil doe not hynder nor stopp those sences but that the ears may be open to heare the worde of God Rom. 10. for fayth is by hearinge as sayeth S. Paule This ceremonie defâ—ndeth that worthy Doctor S. Ambrose it hath no worse a piller to leane vnto Li 1. de sacra 6. 1. also this washinge of the blind borne man in the waters of Siloe was a figure of baptisme and therfor baptisme is called the sacrament of illuminatioÌ„ for which cause man beinge borne in synne blindnes is sent thether for illumination sight and light of fayth and beleife And as Christ before he sent the blind borne man to washe at the poole of Siloe made a plaster with spittle so the church doth vse this ceremonie of spittle befor baptisme To conclud therfor we maye lawfully and laudablie mayntayne with S. Ambrose this ceremonie and that it is no waye superstitious seeinge it hath his imitation from Christ is also significant and worketh his effect Then with out cause doe the Caluinists and Protestants make this ceremonie ridiculous or superstitious We knowe Christ could haue healed the dume man and blind borne without touchinge speach spittle claye washinge or any other ceremonie we affirme that baptisme maye haue his effecte without these ceremonies but dare any man saye that in Christ the vse of spittle was ridiculous or superstitious I knowe no man dare who beareth the face of a christian Beware therfor in tyme of such as M. Caluine who calleth this ceremonie ridiculous and M. Willet who tearmeth it an interpretatiue toye and all other who deride the ceremonies of the church which are done to the imitation of Christ for they may become scorners of Christs owne actions The ears and nostrels sayeth Rabanus are touched with spittle De instit cleri lib. 1 ca. 27. and those wordes of the ghospell which Christ vsed when he cured the dume man are spokeÌ„ that through the tipicall and shaddowed spittle of the priest and his touch the deuine wisdome and vertue may worke health to the Cathecumine that his nostrels maye be opened to the receauinge of the sweet smell of the knowledge of God and misteries of christian fayth and that his ears maye not be shutt to heare the commaundements of God and sound Catholike doctrine I haue heard that a parson of high estemee whom I honor for his parson and place and therfor of me not to be named should reporte that his parents commaunded that this ceremonie in his baptisme should be omitted because the priest should not spit in his mouth But he was certaynly misinformed for this ceremonie doth not concerne the mouth but the ears and nostrels only And the priest doth not spitt vppon any parte of the child but only out of his owne hand takinge spittle and with touch therof doth effect this ceremonie What was done God he best knoweth but it appeareth his ears were neuer trwly opened to the Catholike Roman doctrine nor he neuer tasted nor smelled of the Roman mother church nor greatly esteemed of the rites and ceremonies of that religion It is our parte to hope the best and to praye hartely vt Dominus daret scientiam intellectum that our lorde would vouchsafe to geue him knowledge and vnderstanding CHAPTER 11. VVhether it be a superstitious ceremonie to take the right hand of the child and deliuer vnto him the signet seale or signe of Christ wich iâ— the crosse that therby he may learne to blesse himselfe agaynst the deuil and heresie the greatest emmies of man and to remayne Constant in Catholick sayth THe priest taketh the Cathecumine Infant or partie who is to be Baptized by the right hand and doth signe him in the bale or palme of the hand with the signe of the crosse and so deliuer vnto him the signet or seale of Christ which is the crosse sayinge Trado tibi signaculuÌ„ domini nostri Iesu Christi in manu tua dextra vt te signes te de aduersa parte repellas in fide Catholica permaneas habeas vitam aternam viuas in saecula saeculorum Amen
1. decre tit 15. de sacravnctione can cuÌ„ venissent that by the gyfte of the holy ghost he may expell from his harte and cast of error and ignorance that he may receaue the trwe Fayth because the iust man doth liue by faith And he is annoynted betweene the shoulders that by the grace of the same heauenly spirit he maye shak of negligence and Idlenes and take vppon him the exercise of good workes because fayth without good workes is dead therfor by the misterie of fayth let cleanenes be in his breast and by the exercise of good worckes let fortitud of labour be vppon his shoulders Yf this ceremonie of annoyntinge the breast and shoulders haue this signification to make vs champions of Christ to encrease our fayth to geue corage for the exercise of good workes Why doe the protestants exile and banishe it out of their books In verie deed maruel not therat for of fayth they haue mad shipwrake and for good workes they account them as not necessarie to saluation And so they nether annoynt nor are annoynted as champions of Christ to fight agaynst deuil or enimie nor yet to make them selues nimble or fitt for the exercise of good worckes And of this vnction of holly oyle speaketh Homil. 6. c. 2. in Epist ad Collos approueth and alloweth S. Chrisostome And S. Cirile Cataches 2. mistagog And to proue it to haue discended by tradition from the Apostles we haue an Apostolicall constitutione recorded by S. Clement And for breuitie sake I remite thee to read the 3. lib. 7. const Apost c. 23. Homilie of S. Augustine to the Neophits oâ— newly baptised CAP. 17. VVether profession of faith be necessarie befoâ— baptisme COncerninge this ceremonie I haue spoken befor in the forth book and fith chapter That men of vnderstandinge beinge conuerted to the Christian fayth are to make profession of their fayth with their owne mouth at the interragotorie of the priest befor they be baptized But children and Infants because they are not able to make answere for them selues noâ— as yet haue not vnderstanding make profession of their faith by the mouth of the church oâ— by the mouth of the godfathers and godmothers or standers by therfor when the priest asketh them and maketh these interragotories Credis in deum patrem omnipotentem c. lib. 2. offic c. 24. Doesâ— thou beleeue in god the father almightie and doesâ— thou beleeue in Iesus Christ his only sonne our lorâ— who was borne and sufferd and doest thou beleeuâ— in the holy ghost the holly Catholick church the communion of saynctes the remission of synnes the resurrection of the flesh and the lyfe eternal after death Vnto which answere is made by the mought of the godfather Credo I doe beleeue Therfore Isidorus sayeth paruuli alio profitente baptizati sunt quia adhuc loqui vel credere nesciunt children therfor are baptized a nother makinge profession of faith for them because they knowe not as yet nether can they speak or beleeue Wherfor we conclud that this ceremonie of profession of fayth is necessarie not only in meÌ„ of vnderstadinge who are conuerted to Christeanitie and are able in their owne parsons with harte and mouth to professe the same but also it is required in Infants and children and because they can not performe it with their owne mouth and hart the church their mother lendeth them her mouth and tounge to speak and professe the fayth for them For the Antiquitie of it and that it was an Apostolicall tradition I will only note tow authers who were in the Apostles tyme as S. Clement lib. 7. constit can 39. 40. 41. and S. Dionisius de eccl Theologia c. 2. CAP. 18. VVether Immersion or dippinge of the Infant be necessarie WE must distinguish between case of necessetie and solemne celebration of the Sacrament For baptisme beinge the only sole ordinarie means of saluation the Catholike church doth not stand vppon solemnities rites and ceremonies but in case of necessetie as in danger of death requireth only the substance and essence of baptisme to be performed that is the matter and forme to be dewly excuted wherfor seeinge water is the matter of this Sacrament and assumed to the ablution and washinge of the bodie wherby is signified the internal washinge of the soule ther is no doubt but incase of necessetie or for some other respect baptisme maye be ministred not only by Immersions or dippinges three or one but also by aspersion sprinklinge effusion or pooringe of water on the head or face of the child or partie to be baptized as for example when ther is little or smale quantitie of water or vrgent necessetie of baptisme or the priest be sickly or weake not able to beare the child or on the other syd the Infant be so feable that it might be daÌ„ger to dippe it In these cases immersions or dippings are not necessarie but it shal be sufficient to poore or laye water vppon the head or face of the baptised So that we may conclud that immersions are not absolutly necessarie yet without case of necessetie in solemne ordinarie or publick baptization vppoÌ„ wilfulnes negligence or contempt to omitt or neglect immersions were a grieuous mortall synne because it is an auncieÌ„t rite and ceremonie coÌ„maunded by the church and also because it is so significant a ceremonie and so coÌ„figurat to the passion of Christ as is pregnant and proued by Scriptur and fathers S. Paule compareth the baptised to those who are layed in the sepulcher with Christ and rise with him to glorie All we sayeth he who are baptized in Christ Iesus in his death we are baptised for we are buried together with him by baptisme vnto death that as Christ is risen from the dead by the glorie of his father so we also may walke in newnes of lyfe And therfor sayeth S. Chrisostome Homil. 24. in Ioan. we are as it were layed in a sepulcher when we are submersed and dipped in the font vetus homo sepelitur and the old man is buried submersed and hidden then after ariseth and ascendeth the new man most liuely then doth immersion represent the figure of the sepulcher of our lord wherfor a ceremonie not â—o be contemned Also by immersion the whoâ—e bodie is washed and dipped who feeleth not but by the effects originall syne doth work the whole bodie is infected What inconuenience then were it yf the whole bodie be dipped and washed with the water of baptisme You will saye the head is the principal part of mans bodie because therin are most vigent and liuely the internal and external senses oâ— man as vnderstandinge witte memorie sight hearinge and smellinge wherfor it is sufficient that water be layed vppon the head or face of the child Trwe it is indeed in case of necessitie or when conueniently immersion can not be but you must learne to distinguish as I sayed befor between vrgent cause and solemne ordinarie
Christeninge CAP. XIX Wether one or trinall immersions are to be vsed in baptisme THe church of god ordinarely doth vse and cōmaund three immersions or dippings of the child Wherfor although one myght suffice yet it were a great synne to infringe and break the rite and ordinarie custome of the church By three immersions is signified the trinitie of persons in God that is the Father the sonne and the hollie ghost and as the forme doth geue so the immersions followe Rom. 6. Also because S. Paule sayeth that by baptisme we are sayed to be buried with Christ therfor the three immersions are done to signifie the three dayes Christ was in the sepulcher serm 3. 4. ad Neophitas wherfor S. Augustine in a sermon he made to the new baptised hath these wordes recte tertio mersi estis c. You who haue receaued baptisme in the name of the trinitie rightfully you are three tymes dipped and with reason also bee thrice dipped who haue bine baptised in the name of Iesus Christ who the thyrd daye rose from death for that thyrd immersion doth expresse the type and figure of our lordes buriall by which you are consepulted and buried together with Christ in baptisme thus much S. Augustine And to the same effect speaketh S. Hierome ter mergimur c. We are three tymes diped that the mysterie of the trinitie may be shewed and appeare And we are not baptized in the names in the plurall number but in the name in the singular number wherby is signified on God wherfor although we are thrice dipped to declare the misterie of the trinitie yet it is but one god on baptisme lib. Epist. 41. vnus Deus vnum Baptisma one god on baptisme Also S. Gregorie wrytinge vnto Leander bisshope in Spayne doth approue three immersions and also not disallowe yf there be but one So that for this ceremonie of three immersions we haue three Doctors of the church S. Hierome S. Augustine and S. Gregorie besides these there is an Apostolicall constitution Can. 49. as recordeth S. Clement which doth depose that priest who shall baptize without trinall immersion by reason of some heretick in the verie begeninge and infancie of the church who baptized not in the name of the trinitie but only in the death of Christ and because Christ dyed but once he would vse but one immersion You maye obiect that in the forth Counsell of Toledo baptisme was commaunded to be effected with one immersion I aunswere it is trwe it was so commaunded and this was to avoyed the scandall of schisme and the vse of hereticall doctrine wherfor S. Gregorius sayeth baptisme may be effected with one immersion to signifie one deitie in three parsons And this was at that tyme done because some Arrians began to baptise with three immersions not to signifie as the Catholikes did the three parsons in one deitie but to signifie three naturs which was to make the sonne and the holly ghost not to be of one substance with the father wherfor one immersion was permitted in Spayne by S. Gregorius and also commaunded by the counsel of Toledo because these hereticks should not thinck that Catholicks did vse the trinall immersion to cōfirme their doctrine And therfor all Catholicks of that countrie at that tyme agreed to vse but one immersion but now that occasion of one immersion being taken awaye all Catholick coūtries ordinarely doe returne to the auncient costome of the primatiue church and doe practise and commaund three immersions an◠this power and right the Catholick church hath and euer had concerning ceremonies rites t◠alter as occasion by heretickes was geuen to edification But for any essentiall parte of any sacrament she newer hath nor can alter or permitt to be altered vppon any occasion whatsoeuer for the essentiall part Christ himselfe instituted and leafte the rites and ceremonies to his church CAP. 20. Wether the vnction with holie chrisme on the crowne of the head after baptisme be allowable NOw being come to our thyrd diuision of ceremonies which are to be done and acted after baptisme you shall vnderstand that they are three in number which the Catholick church doth specially practise The fyrst is vnction with holy chrisme vppon the topp or crowne of the head The second is the chrisome or white garment which is put vppon the baptised The third is the taper or waxe candle light and burning beinge geuen and putt in the right hand of the baptized All which three the Protestants neglect or contemne as vnprofitable not honorable nor significant and haue quiet blotted them out of theire bookes Concerninge the fyrst Soe soone as the child is taken out of the font the priest doth annoynt him not with holy oyle as before on the breast and shoulders but with holy Chrisme and that on the crowne of the head to signifie that now he is become a Christeā and so called of Christ which is as much as vnctus annoynted and therfor an annoynted Christean and then he vseth this orison or prayer God omnipotent father of our lord Iesus Christ who hath regenerated thee of water and the holy ghost and also who hath geuen thee remission of all thy synnes he doth annoynt the With the crisme of oyle of health into life everlastinge lib. 30. de Sacramentis c. 1. S. Ambrose after this ceremonie is perfected sayeth to euerie Christean man vnctus es quasi Athleta Christi Now thou art annoynted as the champion of Christ vnto life eternall And Rabanus wryteth to this effect after sayeth he the child is taken out of the font presently he is signed in cerebro in the crowne of the head with sacred Chrisme together with the prayer of the priest that he may be made partaker of the kingdome of Christ and of Christ be called a Christean S. Ambrose goeth farther and asketh the question Quare Caput lib. 3. de sacra c. 1. 2. Eccles 2. why hast thou receaued oyntment and holy Chrisme vppon thy head he maketh the answere and geueth the reason quia sensus sapientis in capite eius because the sense and vnderstandinge the eyes of the wise are in his head And thus much to shewe how significant this ceremonie is Now for the antiquitie therof that it was vsed in the primatiue church we haue amonge the decrees and rites of the church which were published and instituted by S. Syluester the fyrst pope of that name who baptised Constantine the great and fyrst christean Emperor vt praesbiter baptizati Chrismate summum liniret verticem That the priest should annoynt the crowne of the head of the baptized with chrisme Also S. Hierome reporteth that in his tyme in dialogo contra luciferanos it waz not lawfull for the priests to baptise without chrisme What reason then haue the protestants of this age not to allowe but to neglect and contemne so significant a ceremonie I knowe no reason but one because they