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
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
in Puerum Extend not thy hand against the Child So I hope God will one day at his pleasure put you in a better mind to recall these Cruelties and penall exactions incline you to mercie send his Comforts to his afflicted and giue to euerie one in the end their right In the Intherim this must be our daylie prayer which the Church vseth on the Sabaothe of Quatuor Tempora in Lent Missa Rom. Adesto quaesumus Domine supplicationibus c. Be thou Present ô Lord we beseech thee to our supplications that we may deserue thou being the giuer of all graces in prosperitie to be humble and in aduersitie secure and stedfast And thou ô Lord our Protector looke vpon vs that we who are pressed downe with the weight of our miseries may being partakers of thy mercie serue thee with freedom of mind and courage Some enuious or litigatorious fellowe may say that by these kind of words we should seeme to looke for a day and libertie of Conscience I answere Herein we must referre our selues to the goodnes and mercie of God And thus farre we assure our selues and this Confidence we haue vpon the veritie of our cause that if we haue no restitution or relaxation of our miseries in this life we hope to receaue Centuplum Matth. 6. ver 20. an Hundred sold in the next VVhere neither thiefe can stealâ— nor canker corrupt Fourthlie I thinke the principall cause and true motiue and intention of the Parlament might be to with drawe the The fourth reason Lay Catholike People from all conuersation with their Priests and Cleargie in that they should haue no vse of them in Sacraments and Ceremonies and therfore they intended to forbid them all and put a great penaltie euen vpon Baptisme Mariage and Buriall For preach they must not by reason of the Statute of Persuation say Masse they may not you know the penaltie and daunger heare Confession they may not the Statute of Absoluing forbiddeth nor burie the Dead nor Baptise nor marrie So that they would haue them cast of as vnprofitable seruants What thinke you of the Counsell of Iulian the Emperour Was it not as graue as wise as politike as the Parlament of England to suppresse Catholike Religion Did they not shed their bloud and martyr them Did they not disarme them take from them all their forces Did they not by lawes and Statutes spoyle them of their Lands and goods and begger them Yet Christianitie florisheth and Iulians Counsell confounded Was not also the Counsell of the Iewes as politike wise carefull and prouident to suppresse the Apostles and commaund they should not speake in the name of Iesus as the Parlament is to expell Catholike Priests and the vse of their Religion and function I would to God they would hearken to the Counsell of Gamaliel a graue Counseller a doctor of the law honorable to all people who brought vp and instructed Act. 5. S. Paule in the lawe what was his Iudgment Let these men alone sayeth he for if this Counsell or worke they goe about be of men it will be dissolued but if it be of God you are not able to dissolue them least perhaps you be found to resist God also Finallie and fifthly The fifth reason It may be I haue missed my ayme all this while in the reasons alleadged For the true meaning and purpose in deed was to bring the Catholikes to obedience and Conformitie with the Protestants in the Administration of this Sacrament and other publike practises of their Religion In verie deed there were great reason in making and enacting this lawe and imposing these grieuous penalties if the Catholikes of England were innouators bringers in or deuisers of nouelties or in administration of this Sacrament should derogate or take away any essentiall parte or should practise any rite or Ceremonie which they had not receaued from their Auncestours euen from their first Conuersion to Christianitie But considering that the Catholikes are verie respectiue and more carefull in the due administration of this Sacrament then Protestant or Puritan there is small or no reason in my opinion for this seuere penall Statute and lawe to vrge and force them to bring to the Church vpon so great a penaltie their Children to be Baptised of Puritan or Protestant For it is manifest to the whole world where Christianitie hath bene professed and may appeare by this small ensuing treatise how obseruant and vigilant the Catholikes haue euer beene in the prouision of Baptisme as well in tyme of necessitie in Priuate Baptisme both concerning the Minister as also touching the matter the forme which are the two principall partes and also in publike and solemne Celebration in obseruing the auntient rites and Ceremonies therof Farther it is open and plaine to the eyes of all men that the Catholikes doe not decline nor swarue one iote from the Institution of Christ bur are guided by the Canon of holy Scripture â—â—an 3. especialy concerning the two essentiall parts that is that by the speciall ordinance of Christ the matter must be true elementall water and the forme to be In the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the Holy Ghost which was prescribed by no other then Christ himself after his glorious Resurrection Matth 28. when he gaue Commission to his Apostles to Baptise And as for the rites Ceremonies which we Catholikes vse as shall appeare in the 5. Booke of this treatise they are not idle nor superstitious as the Protestants would haue them but most honorable significant instructiue profitable and comfortable to Christian people And for Confirmation of them we haue the practise of the Apostles the Tradition of the auntient Primatiue Church the testimonie of all ages with the approbation of the Fathers and holie Doctours of the Church And it is worth the noting and in particular to be obserued that the Catholikes at this day in England vse in the Celebration of this Sacrament no other matter nor no other forme nor Ceremonie then that which was deliuered them by antiquitie euen from the first founders and Conuerters of this Iland to Christianitie either among the Britons Beda li. 2. hist Angl. cap. 17. partly by those who were sent from Rome by Pope Elutherius at the instance of King Lucius or afterwarde by S. Germanus and S. Lupus appointed by Pope Celestine for their Reformation concerning the Pelagian heresie or amongst the Scots or Picts by S. Palladius or finallie amongst vs English by S. Augustine the monke sent by S. Gregorie the Great All which considered Gentle Reader I referre to thy owne Iudgement what great necessitie there should be so eagerlie and with such penaltie to vrge Catholikes to present their Children at Church or Chappell to be Baptised of Puritan or Protestant Now hauing diued into the viewe why the Parlament enacted so seuerely against Catholike Baptisme by compelling all Catholikes vpon such penalties to
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
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