vs by the Lauer of regeneration Vide etiam Iucer de vi effic Bapt. iâ—ter opera Anglic. pag 597. and of the renewing of the Holy Gost which he shed on vs abundantly by Jesus Christ our sauiour Lastly the Author of the Commentary vpon Titus as hath bin already declared at large in our former chapter is expresse for this that not only persons actually beleeuing but euen elect infants also doe ordinarily receiue in the right vse of Baptisme the inward grace And this he speakes as grounded on this very text vnlesse we will say that he forgate his text when he spake it which to impute vnto him were in my apprehension a wronging of him wherefore I conclude this argument thus If the iudgment of Caluine Zanchius Peter Martyr And the Author of our English commentary on Titus be sound in exposition of this scripture it doth proue the ordinary communication of the spirit of Regeneration as well to infants elect as to persons of yeares that actually beleeue which is the substance of our maine Position My third and last argument is drawne Arg. 3 from another vse of baptisme to wit our insition and incorporation into Christ I frame it thus Maior That which baptizeth elect infants into the death of Christ initially incorporateth them into the true mysticall body of Christ in their baptisme must needs be ordinarily communicated to them in that ordinance Minor But it is the spirit of Christ that thus doth Conclus Therefore the spirit of Christ according to the scripture is ordinarily giuen to the elect in Baptisme The Maior is confirmed thus The elect are baptized into Christs death when they are baptized outwardly and sacramentally therefore they must needs then receiue that by which this is done The Antecedent is expresse scripture Rom. 6 3.4 Know ye not that so many of vs as were baptized into Christ were baptized into his death Therefore we are buried with him by Baptisme into death c. What is this to infants May some man say Yes saith S. Augustine e Ac per hoc etiam ad ipsos nempe parvulos pertinet quod sequitur dicens consepulâ—i illi sumus per baptismum in mortem Aug. Enchirid cap. 52. it doth pertaine euen to infants also when it is said wee are buried with him by baptisme into death And Learned Danaeus commenting on that passage of Austin defends him in it if it be restrained to the elect and vnderstood only of initiall regeneration f Ergo siâ—em regenerationem habent parvuli electi Dei et si nondum illius opera nobis apparent ea dona habent pro ratione aetatis i. pro capacitate vasis I amb Dan. in Augustin Euch. ibid. And doth Calvine set narrower bounds vnto this Text Calvine doth not say as some doe that the Apostle wrot thus because they were actuall beleeuers to whom he writeth but he affirmes it to be from the very institution it selfe the common benefit of all vs that are now baptized although hee could not but know and remember that we were not baptised at mans estate but in our infancy His words are these It is a thing saith he out of all controversie true that we put on Christ in Baptisme were baptised vpon this very ground that we should be one with Him g Extra controuersiam induere nos Christum IN Bâ—ptismo hac lege nos baptiza ri vt vnum cum ipso simus Caluin in Rom. 6. Was Calvine thinke we asleep when hee wrote this or they not in a dreame rather that doe deny it Let no man tell mee that hee and all the Authors I haue named or can name doe more often speake against this very Position then for it and that it is easie to produce them in more then an hundred places avouching this expressely that the sacraments doe profit no man but him that hath faith to apply the grace offered in them and so Caluine himselfe speakes plainly in that very place besides sundry other passages that he hath elsewhere to this very purpose touching the efficacy of Baptisme I am not either so ignorant as these men would make me in the Authors I quote nor yet so impious as to corrupt mine Authors in such manner as some insinuate It is very true that Caluine * Instit lib. 4. cap. 14. cap. 15. nec non in Commentarijs eius super Sanct. script passim and other reuerend Diuines doe often require faith as the hand of the soule to apply vnto the beleeuer the grace offered in the Sacraments But is it not also as true that both Caluine and the rest haue also written all that which I haue alleadged out of them If not then let mee beare the blame for euer If so why doe men complaine that I wrong mine Authors If I alleadge a passage out of Bellarmine against the Popish Tenet in any particular will any man conclude that I haue wronged him because they are able to shew that Bellarmine himselfe writes the quite contrary in some other parts of his workes If I finde an Author speaking for me I cannot be iustly taxed of falsifying him although he speake neuer so directly against me in another place vnlesse it appeare that he retracted the first and professeth an alteration of his iudgment So then these Quick and Great-Read men are too hastie in their sentence that J haue wronged mine Authors although I had no other Plea in Barre but only this Howbeit that I may giue them a little further satisfaction then they deserue know all men by these presents that for asmuch as Caluine and the rest doe acknowledge a present efficacy of Baptisme in infants elected although they doe not actually beleeue and for asmuch also as these Authors haue neuer recanted such their iudgement of those infants those other speeches of theirs which require actuall faith must of necessity be vnderstood with limitation and reference only to such as are of years * So Caluin in Mat. 19.14 talium est regnum Dei thus writeth against the Anabaptists cauill Quod autem non aliter reconciliari ros Deo adoptionis haeredes fieri contenducit quam fide hoc de adultis fatemur sed quod ad iâ—fantes attinet falsum esse convincit hic locus whereas they contend that wee are only by faith reconâ—iled to God and made heires of adoption we acknowledge it to be true of persons of years but that it is false in the case of infants this very place of our Sauiour conuinceth because it saith that eueÌ„ of such is the kingdâ—me of God for asmuch as none of these can haue any actuall comfort and sensible evidence of the inward grace conferred vpon him in his Baptisme nor bee actually a partaker thereof on his own part without actuall faith to apprehend and apply the same Thus that Acurate Chameir expresseth himselfe in treating of this very Argument sometimes hee affirmes
only of persons of yeares For hauing in page 265. shewed the efficacy of baptisme vpon infants at the foote of that page he makes a transition of his speech from infants and comes on to declare the efficacy it hath vpon others also His words are these And as the children of the faithfull by right ought to be baptized so such others also as were borne of vnbeleeuing parents and were aliens from the common wealth of Israel and were strangers from the couenant of promise and had no hope if they acknowledge the error in which they liued and seeke the forgiuenesse of their former sins may well receiue this sacrament of their regeneration So when they which heard Peter were pricked in their hearts and said to Peter and the other Apostles Men and brethren what shall we doe Peter said vnto them Amend your liues and be baptized euery one of you in the name of Iesus Christ for the remission of sins They were buried with Christ by baptisme into his death made partakers of his blood and continued in the Apostles Doctrine and fellowship Then he goes on with his discourse of these in the words before cited out of the 266 page Now in all this there is not one word of infants of whom he had spoken before and so that passage cannot be taken as a deny all of the efficacy of Baptisme in any without faith saue only in persons of years And if this were not thus to be vnderstood he should directly contradict all that he had before spoken of the regeneration of infants in whom there is no actuall faith by his owne confession in his defence against Harding as I haue shewed before And to make this yet more cleare that he did certainly beleeue that infants in baptisme receiued some principle of regeneration although not actuall renovation of the whole man see what he saith afterwards in the same Treatise of the sacraments touching the state of infants baptized and of the care of parents in their education n Page 282. God saith your children are my children They are the sonnes of God They are borne anew and well shapen in beautifull proportion make them not monsters He is a monster whosoeuer knoweth not God By you they are borne into the world be carefull also that by your means they may be begotten vnto God you are carfull to traine them vp in nature and comely behauiour of the body seeke also to fashion their mindes vnto Godlinesse You haue brought them to the fountaine of baptisme to receiue the marke of Christ bring them vp in knowledge and watch ouer them that they be not lost So shall they be confirmed and will keepe the promise they haue made will grow vp vnto perfect age in Christ He saith they are borne anew and yet bids parents be carefull that they may be begotten vnto God Therefore he well discerned the distinction of initiall and actuall regeneration This is our first answere and this is abundantly sufficient Howbeit secondly I pray marke in those words of his that are found in page 266 that euen they that haue faith if they be such as were baptized in infancy are not then said to receiue the grace of baptisme when they haue faith as if that were the first time of their reception of grace but only then they come to be assured and confirmed sensibly and euidently in that which before in their baptisme they did receiue for so he speaketh in expresse termes OVR FAITH which are baptized and our continuance in the profession which we haue made ESTABLISHETH in vs this grace which we RECEIVE And so in his Reply to Harding Artic. 1. Divis 13. pag. 27. to like effect he speaks of persons of yeares that their coniunction and incorporation into Christ is first begun and wrought by faith and then the same incorporation is assured vnto them and increased in baptisme But yet well knowing that it is otherwise with vs that were baptized in our infancy hee presently remembreth a place of Saint Augustine touching the baptisme of infants August de baptismo parvul Ad hoc baptisma valet c. To this availeth baptisme that men being baptised may be incorporated into Christ and made his members Now this must needs be meant of such as are baptized in infancy or else it were directly contrary to his owne assertion immediatly preceding wherein he saith that some are incorporated by faith and that incorporation is assured them afterwards in baptisme and then produceth this of Austin which affirmes vs by baptisme to be incorporated into Iesus Christ Therefore he goes on to shew of what vse the other holy mysteries are vnto vs that were baptized in infancy on this manner And for that wee are very imperfect of our selues and therefore must daily proceed forward that wee may grow into a perfect man in Christ therefore hath God appointed that the same incorporation should be often renewed and confirmed in vs by the vses of the holy mysteries which câ—nnot be meant of baptisme for that may not be repeated Wherein must be considered that the said holy mysteries doe not begin but rather continue and confirme this incorporation All this which he speakes of the vse of the holy mysteries after incorporation hee speakes not of baptisme as if either wee were ordinarily by meanes first made members and then baptized or yet were not members although baptized till by faith wee actually apprehend Christ on our parts for then woe to all infants that dye in infancy but he speakes directly of the Lords supper when he saith those mysteries doe not beginne but rather continue and confirme this incorporation And this is cleare by the very next clause following First of all wee our selues must be the body of Christ and afterwards we must receiue the sacrament of Christs body as it is well noted by St Augustine * â—nfâ—mâ— ad infames eâ—atur a Pedu in 1. Coâ— 10. Corpus Christi si vis intelligere c. If thou wilt vnderstand the body of Christ he are what S. Paul saith to the faithfull ye are the body and the members of Christ Your mystery is set on the Lords Table see receiue the mystery of the Lord. To conclude then the summe of all is but thus much It is not the bare receiuing of the Lords supper as * M. Harding pleaded that wee are made one body with Christ in the sacrament of the Lords supper as appeares in the place cited This Iewel denies saying that some are engrassed first by sa th otâ—â—s by bapt but none by the Lords supper for they must iust be of his body before they can partake of that sacrament M. Harding dreamed that makes vs members of Christ but all that partake of that ordinance were first made members of Christ by faith if they were such as were not baptized in their infancy but conuerted first by the word from gentilisme and then baptized for vnto
true that Persons of yeares doe oft times resist the spirit by a wicked heart and corrupt life yet this Father speakes of men of another disposition for he speaks of men euen at the point of death apprehending a necessity of remission of sinne by Christ and hastening to Initiation p Festinantes ad initiationem Ibid. which argues an earnest desire after the grace of Baptisme and yet they goe away without it Therefore they of whom he speaketh are not such as doe resist the spirit when they are baptized and so the words are pertinent vnto my purpose 5 Basil to that Question How Christians are saued Giues this answere By being regenerated by the grace receaued in Baptisme q 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 De Spir. Sanct. c. 10 And a little after Baptisme is vnto mee the beginning of life and the day of regeneration is the beginning of daies in that respect r 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ibid. In another place speaking of Baptisme hee saith that it is the death of sinne the new birth of the soule Å¿ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Conc exhort ad sanct Bapt. c. I will not adde more out of him This may suffice 6 Hierome in his third booke of Dialogues against the Pelagians brings in the Pelagian thus cavelling with the Orthodox I pray thee tell me why are Infants baptized To which he shapes this answere that in baptisme their sinnes might be remitted t Dic quaeso me omni ibera quaestione quare insantult baptizentur Orthod vt iis pectata in baptismate dimatantur And so much the Author of the Perpetuity of the regenerate mans estate acknowledgeth and professeth pag. 456. edit 2 And in the conclusion of that booke that hee might at once hisse that absurd distinction of the Pelagians that children are baptized not for remission of sinne but to make them partakers of the kingdome of heauen out of the Church hee thus speakes in the person of the Orthodox vnto the Pelagians u Hoc vnum dicam vt tandem finiatur oratio aut novum vos Pelagiani nempe lebere symbolum tradere vt post Patrem Filium Spiritum Sanctum baptizâ—tis infantes in regnum caelâ—â—â— aut si vnum in paâ—vulâ—s in magnis habetis baptisma etiam infantes in remissionem peccatorum baptizandos in similitudinem prevaricationis Adam credatis That I may at length put an end to this discourse I will say but this one thing either you must forge a new Creed and after that forme of baptisme I Baptize thee in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the Holy Ghost adde this that thou maist partake of the kingdome of heauen or if yee doe beleeue that there is but one baptisme of persons of yeares and of infants yee must hold that infants also are baptized for remission of sinne as well as others But this cannot be without the spirit in an infant then at least if not before communicated to apply the blood of Christ vnto him as the same Father against the Luciferians * Hiâ—rom â—â—uer Lucifer Nulli hominum sine spiritu sancto peccata â—imittuntur Quomodo antâ—quis sordibâ—â— anima purgatâ— quae 〈…〉 habet spiritum ibid. Neque enim 〈◊〉 lavat animaâ— sed prius ipsa lavatur à â—p ritu c. vide locum expresly teacheth Sinnes are remitted to none without the Holy Ghost And a little before thus How can that soule be purged from old sinnes that hath not the holy spirit And againe in the same Tract It is not water that washeth the soule but the water it selfe is first sanctified by the spirit not vnlike to that speech of Moses in another case The spirit of God moved vpon the waters whence it is evident that baptisme cannot be without the spirit To conclude Christ saith he was baptized and receaued the spirit in Baptisme not that hee had it not before for he never was without it but that it might be manifest to vs that true baptisme is that wherein the Holy Ghost is present And to this also Calvine giues testimony in his Institutions x Lib. 4. cap. 16. Sect. 18. 7 Ambrose speaking of the parts of baptisme y De iis qui initiantur mysteriis cap. 4. Ires sunt in baptismate aqua sanguis spiritus si vnum horum detrahas non stat baptismatis sacramentum Quid enim est aqua sinc cruce Christi elementum commune sine vllo sacramenti effectu There are saith hee in Baptisme three things Water Bloud and the Spirit Take away but one of these and yee destroy the Sacrament For what is water without the bloud of Christ or a common element without any effect of the Sacrament If any shall say that this is not cleare for the efficacy of Baptisme at the time of administration hee shall therein shew so much ignorance in that Fathers Writings as that the Learned would iustly blame me if I should take vp more time to demonstrate this vnto him and gnash their teeth at such an Ignoramus 8 Lastly Augustine that great famous Doctor of the Church is knowne to all to be very frequent in this very Argument It shall suffice to quote a place or two There is not saith he z Serm ad infantes Nulli est aliquantenus ambigendum tunc vnumquemque fidelium corporis sanguinisque Domini participem fieri quando in baptismate efficitur membrum Christi the least doubt to bee made by any man that then every one of the faithful is made partaker of the body and bloud of our Lord when in Baptisme he is made a member of Christ If any thinke that by the faithfull he meanes onely persons of yeares actually beleeuing let them consult his Epistle a Epist 23. tom 2. to Boniface a devout Earle touching the baptizing of Infants wherein they shall finde that Father to comprehend infants in the number of the faithfull and that by reason of the Sacrament of faith Againe b Epist 57. ad Dardanum Dicimus in baptizatis parvulis quamvis id nesciant habitare spiritum sanctuÌ„ Sic enim cum nesciunt quamvis sit in eis quemadmodum nesciunt métem cuius in iis ratio quâ vti â—â—â—dum possant veluti quaedam scintilla sopita est excitanda aetatis accessis We say that in infants baptized although they be not aware of it the Holy Ghost doth dwell For so are they without knowledge of his being in them although he bee in them as they are of the reasonable soule reason being in them who yet cannot make vse of it like a little sparke raked vp vnder ashes and is not stirred vp but by accesse of yeares And in the same Epistle with which I will make an end c Habitare autem ideo in talibus dicitur quia occultè in eis agit vt suit templum eius idque in proficientibus proficiendo
And in Art 38 thus i Dicimus itaq elementum aquae quantumvis eaducum nobis nihilominus vtrè testificari interiorem animi nostri ablutionem in sanguine Iesu Christi per sancti spiritus efficaciam Rom. 6.3 Ephes 5.26 5 The Argentine confession cap. 17. thus determineth k De Baptismate itaque confitemur id quod passim scriptura de illo praedicat eo sepeliri nos in mertem Christi coagmentari in vnum corpus Christum induere lavacrum regenerationis peccata abluere nos salvare Rom 6 3. 1. Cor 12. Gal 3. Tit. 3. Act. 22. 1. Pet. 3. Touching Baptisme we confesse that which the scripture every where affirmeth of it that thereby wee are buried into the death of Christ knit together in one body we put on Christ it is the laver of Regeneration to wash away our sins and to saue vs Rom. 6 3. 1. Cor. 12. Gal. 3. Tit. 3. Act. 22. 1. Pet. 3. 6 The Augustane confession art 9. l Docet quod infantes per baptismum Deo commendati recipiantur in gratiam Dei fiant filij Dei sicut Christus testatur Mat. 18. non est voluntas patris vestri qui est in coelis vt pereat vnus ex parvulis istis teacheth that infants being by baptisme commended vnto God are receaued into the fauour of God and made his sonnes as Christ testifieth Math. 18. saying it is not the will of your father which is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish 7 The Saxon confession cap. 14 thus m Retinemus et infantium baptismum quia certissimum est promissionem gratiae etiam ad infantes pertinere c. nec iudicamus hunc morem tantum otiosam ceremoniam esse sed vere tunc à deo recipi sanctificari infantes We retaine the baptisme of infants also because it is most certaine that the promise of grace belongs even to infants c. nor doe we iudge this a meere idle ceremony but that then they are truly receaued by God and sanctified 8 The confession of Wirtemberg cap. de Bapt. to the same effect n Docemus eum qui baptizatur in nomine Patris filii spiritus sancti vngi spirituali Chrysmate hoc est fieri membâ—uÌ„ Christi donari spiritu sancto c. We teach that he that is baptized in the name of the Father of the Sonne and of the Holy Ghost is anointed with a spirituall chrysme that is he is made a member of Christ and endowed with the Holy Ghost 9 To all these we may adde the pious and orthodox confession of the Palatine extant in the same Harmony of confessions o De virtute efficacia sacri baptismi credo confiteor liberos nostros quia in hoc foedere vt iam dictum etiam ipsi vna includuntur cum in articulos antiquae nostrae catholicae fidei baptizantur sicut in iis ipsis educari institui debent etiam cruentis mortis domini nostri Iesu Christi omniumque eius bonorum quae illic morte sua acquisivit vnà participes fieri idque hoc modo quod quemadmodum externum sigillum sacrosanctum sacramentum nempe elementarem aquam à ministro veâ—bidivini extrinsecus in corpore recipiunt ita quoq simul à Christo ipso effuso illius sanguine in animabus suis hoc est interne baptizantur per spiritum sanctum de integro seu in novas creaturas regenerantur Touching the force and efficacy of holy baptisme I beleeue confesse that our children forasmuch as they also are included together with vs in the covenant before spoken of when they are baptized into the Articles of the ancient and catholike faith as in them also they ought to bee trained vp and instructed are made partakers as well as we of the bloudy death of our Lord Iesus Christ and of all other good things which in that his death he hath procured and that in this manner viz that as they receaue the outward seale to wit the holy Sacrament the elementary water from the Minister of the word externally in the body so also together at once by Christ they are washed with his bloud in their soules that is to say they are internally baptized and are regenerated a new as new creatures by the Holy Ghost But some may obiect that this last is not the Confession of the Church of the Palatinate but only of Frederick the third the Palsgraue of Rhene To which I answere 1. By confessing it to bee true that it was indeed the Confession of that religious Prince yet such as was approued of by that whole Church as appeares by the inserting of it among the publique Confessions of the Churches nor is there any other confession of that Church to be found in the Harmony of Confessions but only this by which it is euident that the whole Church of the Palatinate considering how full this confession was how exactly according with their publique catechisme thought it needlesse to draw any other publique body of confession but rather to rest in this so well performed to their hands 2 I say that it doth fully agree to the established doctrine of that Church set forth in their publique catechisme For in the 69 Quest of that Catech this is demanded p Qua ratione in baptismo admoneris confirmaris te vnici illius sacrificii Christi participem esse By what ground art thou admonished and confirmed that in thy baptisme thou art made a partaker of that one and only sacrifice ef Christ q Quod Christus externum aquae lauacrum mandavit addita hac promissione me non minus certo ipsius sanguine spiritu a sordibus animae hoc est ab omnibus peccatis meis lauari quam aqua extrinsecus ablutus sum qua sordes corporis expurgari solent The answere to it is this Because Christ enioyned that outward lauer of water with this promise annexed to it that J should be no lesse certaine that J am washed by his bloud and spirit froÌ„ all the filth of my soule that is from all sins theÌ„ that I am externally washed with water wherby the staines of the body are wont to be purged away To which I may further adde that learned Pareus in his larger explication of that catechisme how euer he require faith in the receiuer that will haue sensible possession benefit of the graces of that Sacrament yet in his commentary vpon the 74 Question of the same vndertaking to proue against the Anabaptists the lawfulnesse of baptizing of infants the second argument which hee there vseth is this * Ad infantes ecclesiae pertinet beneficium remissionis peccatorum regenerationis h. e. infantibus aeque ac adultis remissio peccatorum per sanguinem Christi spiritus sanctus fidei effector promittitur ergo infantes Christianorum debent baptizari that remission of sinnes by
and another way in vs in the act thereof The first regeneration which may be termed a transplantation out of the old Adam into the new is as a cause and the other followeth as an effect thereof Of the former Christ speaketh in the 3d of Iohn The Apostle ioynes both together in Rom. 6. With this to wit the first elect infants are regenerated when they are set into Christ the obsignation whereof is made ouer vnto them in the time wherein they are baptized Thus we see the point receiuing cleare testimony from this witnesse also as full as can be desired if all the passages of the Author be laid together and considered with impartiall eyes In the next place let vs enquire of Zanchius what he thinketh of this point Wee are in part informed already what his iudgment is but this being the place which is proper for him to giue vp his verdict in let vs heare him more at large in his owne words He in the Confession of his faith thus speakes of baptisme h Baptismus primum Noui faederis sacramentum est quo cum omnes qui vel paenitentiam peccatorum professi fidem etiam in Christum adeoque in Deum Patre filium spiritum sanctum profitentur vel saltem propter parentum pietatem ad faedus pertinere creduntur 1. Cor. 7.14 tum maxime illi qui verè ad faedus pertinent Christo tanquam ei iam per spiritum sanctum incorporati obsignantur vt non sint amplius sui iuris sed illius per quem in faederis societatem ceque in vnum corpus cum eo sanctisque omnibus in omnium spiritualium caelestiumque bonorum participâ—tionâ—m asciti esse dicuntur Act. 19.5 1. Cor. 6.19 Per hunc baptismum tanquam per lâ—â—â—câ—um regenerationis a peccatis vi sanguinis Christi mundati cum Christo consepulti in mortem vt quemadmodum ille resurrexit a mortuis per gloriam patris sic nos in novitate vitae ambulemus Vnde sacramentum paenitentiae in remissionem peccatorum sacramentum fidei symbolum federis lauacrum regenerationis c. appellari consueuit Zanch. lib. Confess cap. de baptismo Sect. 1. Baptisme is the first sacrament of the new couenant wherin all that either by repentance and profession of faith in Christ and so in God the Father the Sonne and Holy Ghost or by reason of their parents piety are beleeved to pertaine to the couenant 1. Cor. 7.4 but especially they that doe truly belong to the Couenant are sealed vp for Christ as being euen then incorporated into him by the Holy Ghost that they might no longer be their owne but his through whom they are said to be receiued into the society of the couenant and so into one body with him and with all the saints and into the participation of all spirituall and celestiall blessings Act. 19.5 1. Cor. 6.19 By this baptisme as by the Lauer of regeneration they are clensed from their sinnes by the vertue of Christs bloud and are buried with Christ into death that as he rose againe from the dead by the glory of the Father even so wee also should walke in newnesse of life Whence also it is called the sacrament of repentance for remission of sinne the sacrament of faith the badg of the couenant the Lauer of Regeneration c. Lo here an efficacy of baptisme and an efficacy vnto regeneration euen in infants also belonging truly and indeed to the couenant of grace as well as to persons of yeares attaining vnto actuall faith and repentance And least any man should stumble at the ambiguity of some words here vsed wee may finde Zanchius expressing himselfe almost in the same termes which I vsed at the beginning of this treatise in the explicatioÌ„ of my distinction of initiall and actuall regeneration for which they who terme me a Dreamer must also take him and the Fathers into the same number for thus Hee i Non incongrue Patres decent effectum illum spiritus domini quem describit Moses in Gâ—n 1. typum fuisse illius quem praestat spiritus sanctus in aqua baptismi Vt enim ibi incubabat aquis illis eas fouebat animabat praeparabatque ad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rerumque omnium generationem sic spâ—ritus sanctus praesidet aquis baptismi eis quasi incubat illisque benedicit inde electos fovet regenerat animat faecundosque reddit ad bona opera Zanch. de Trib. Eloh lib. 7. cap. 1. Not vnfitly doe the Fathers teach that effect of the holy Ghost mouing vpon the Waters which Moses describeth in Gen. 1. to be a resemblance of that which the Holy Ghost performeth in the water of Baptisme For as there he rested vpon those waters that he might cherish and prepare them for the producing of liuing creatures and for the generation of all things so the Holy Ghost sits vpon the waters of baptisme and sits as it were abroad vpon them and blesseth them and thence doth cherish regenerate and animate the elect and makes them fruitfull vnto all good workes The Holy Ghost then doth rest vpon the waters not in the shape of a doue as some absurdly picture him but yet truly in a spirituall manner as best becomes him and doth communicate himselfe therewith vnto elect infants for producing of future actuall newnesse of life not presently but in due time and order in them It were easy to adde to this great cloud of witnesses many more * Oecolompadius Pareus Marlorat Melanchton but I must of necessity contract my selfe I will therefore mention only two more of this sort and then draw nearer home to our owne Diuines One of the two I meane to cite is Lambertus Daneus an Author of great learning and note in the Church He in his learned fruitfull commentary vpon St Augustines Enchiridion cap. 52. Where that Father quoting that of the Apostle in Rom. 6. wee are buried with him by baptisme into death and avouching that this belongs even to infants as well as to others allowes that saying of Augustine being restrained to the elect and vnderstood only of initiall regeneration as I had occasion to note before His owne words are these k Ergo fide regenerationem habent parvuli electi dei etsi nondum illius opera nobis apparent ea dona habent pro ratione aetatis id est pro capacitate vasis See more touching the iudgment of this Author in my answere to the 4th main obiection against this position of baptismall grace Therefore little infants that are the elect of God haue faith and regeneration although the workes thereof doe not yet appeare to vs and those gifts they haue according to the condition of their age that is to say according to the capacity of the subiect receiuing the same The other is that famous Vossius now so much bought vp of all learned men He in defence of the baptisme of
in a medicine and that ex opere operato by vertue of the bare outward administration of that sacrament every one partakes certainly and indeed of the inward grace This The founder Fathers disclaimed as wee haue proued at large this B. Iewel makes good out of them against his aduersary that the inward grace comes from God immediatly and not from the water or outward act of the minister In summe he thus shuts vp the whole matter i Defence of Apol pag. 219. As for that M. Harding here toucheth as an error defended by certain I know not by whome that haptisme giueth not full remission of sinnes he may command it home againe to Lovaine amongst his fellowes and ioyne it with other of his and their vanities For it is no part nor portion of our doctrine Wee confesse and haue euermore taught that in the sacrament of Baptisme by the death and blood of Christ is giuen remission of all manner sinnes and that not in halfe or in part or by way of imagination or by fancy but full whole perfect of all together so that now as Saint Paul saith there is no condemnation to them that be in Christ Iesus I hope no man duly considering the controuersy betweene him and Harding will haue the face to say that the Bishop speakes not this of the present efficacy of baptisme but of that which at actuall cōuersion is to be expected For the thing whereof Harding complaines is this that wee deny the present efficacy of baptisme and make it only a signe or at best but a seale to confirme future grace vntill wee haue attained actuall faith And the answere what it is you now see viz. that wee allow and teach that in baptisme is giuen full remission of all sinnes which if the Bishop should not meane of the present effect of baptisme his aduersary might iustly complaine for want of answer to his vniust complaint Thus much then we haue gained out of this Iudicious Father that at least remission of sinnes is ordinarily communicated to infants in their baptisme when it is administred And if remission of sinnes be then giuen it must needs be yeelded further that he held that the spirit of God is communicated then also vnto infants for the applying of that benefit vnto them Therefore in the very same place k Defence Apol. pag 218. he voucheth a passage of Cyprian * De baptismo Christi to this purpose Remissio peccatorum c. The remission of sinnes whether it be giuen by baptisme or by any other sacraments is indeed of the Holy Ghost and to the same Holy Ghost only the priuiledge of this worke doth appertaine The solemnity of the words and the invocation of Gods holy name and the outward signes appointed to the ministry of the Preists by the Apostolicall institutions worke the visible outward sacrament but touching the substance thereof which is the remission of sinnes it is the holy Ghost that worketh it Likewise saith Saint Hierome * In Esaiam cap. 4. Homo aquam tantum tribuit The Minister being a man giueth only the water but God giueth the Holy Ghost whereby the sinnes be washt away If any passionate opposite should be so farre transported as to obiect that all that haue beene hitherto spoken out of Bishop Iewel tends only to proue that Remission of sinne is giuen to infants in Baptisme which is another thing from the present point of Regeneration therefore all this is as much as nothing to the purpose I answere first that this obiection is so silly that it deserues no answere for what Author euer taught plenary Remission of all sinnes to be giuen to him that doth not in some measure partake of the spirit vnto sanctification was it euer knowne that these two were separated Why then is it required that our author should in expresse termes affirme both or else be denyed to allow of both although he expresly avouch it of the one of them He had no occasion to speake directly touching Regeneration nor could he well doe it without digression For the Question betweene him and his Antagonist was only touching the present efficacy of Baptisme vnto Remission of sinne if therefore he should haue fallen vpon the other hee should idly haue runne out of his way and fallen vpon another controuersy not so much as named by the Aduerse party Notwithstanding that I may not leaue the least shaddow of an argument vnanswered secondly I adde that the same author in his * You shall find this Treatise at the end of B. Iewels workes of the last edition frō Page 261 to the end Treatise of the sacrament affirmes the efficacy of baptisme vnto Regeneration also For of Baptisme in particular he thus speaketh l 265 Page Baptisme is our regeneration or new birth whereby wee are borne anew in Christ and are made the sonnes of God and heyres of the kingdome of heauen it is the sacrament of the remission of sinnes and of that washing which we haue in the blood of Christ. And a little after among other places of holy scripture by him alleaged for proofe hereof he brings that of our Sauiour in John 3. Except a man be borne of water and of the spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdome of God and then addeth for this cause are infants baptized because they are borne in sinne and cannot become spirituall but by this new birth of the water and the spirit They are the heyres of the promise the couenant of Gods fauour is made vnto them c. It is very true that in the very next page he speakes of the necessity of faith in some that are baptized for thus he saith m Pag. 266. It is the Couenant and promise and mercy of God which cloatheth vs with immortality assureth our resurrection by which wee receiue regeneration forgiuenesse of sinnes life and saluation His word declareth his loue towards vs and that word is sealed and made good by baptisme Our faith which are baptized and our continuance in the profession which we haue made establisheth in vs this grace which wee receiue as it is said * De consecrat dist 4. Verus Verus baptismus constat non tam c. True baptisme standeth not so much in washing of the body as in faith of the heart As the doctrine of the Apostles hath taught vs saying Art 15.9 1 Pet. 2. by faith purifying their hearts And in another place baptisme saueth vs not the putting away the filth of the flesh but the examining of a good conscience before God by the resurrection of Iesus Christ Therefore Hierome saith In Ezek. c. 16. they that receiue not baptisme with perfect faith receiue the water but the Holy Ghost they receiue not But this no way makes against our position touching the efficacy of baptisme vpon infants For marke first of whom he speaks those words not vniversally of all that are baptized but
loath to declare himselfe against that charitable conceipt of Antiquity viz. that for as much as infants having in them no sinne that is every way their owne but originall which is done away in baptisme if any faith be farther required to bring them to heaven in case they then depart this life they may be saved by the faith of their parents But this he doth as admitting this rather then the other touching actuall or habituall faith of their own which in the ordinarie course he thinkes as all other judicious Divines ever doe and ever did to be very incongruous and absurd whether we consider the nature of grace or the capacitie of nature in an infant for reception of such grace But for a Conclusion however he following the iudgment of many more in the ancient schooles of the Papists themselues * Vid Alex. Hâ—l par 4. q. 8. 〈◊〉 â—rt 3. 〈…〉 espâ—t 〈…〉 â—ast in 4. sen dist 4. c. non Extrast de Bapt. maiores will not heare of any infusion of so much as of the habit of faith in infants hee commeth backe to his former position wherein wee saw his accord with Peter Martyr and S. Augustine and shuts vp all thus o Sed etsi infantes non habere fidem habitualem tamen à spiritu sancto purgari dicimus sieri novas creaturas quia caro sanguis regnum culorum non possiarbunt â—â—â—ex aqua spiritu sancto râ—nati suerint 〈…〉 in regnum 〈◊〉 â—â—â—cperaâ—t spiritum saâ—ctum â—â—dabiliter 〈◊〉 Contâ—â—â—ce Bapt. quâ—dâ— 4. cap 6. in conclus But although infants haue not habitual faith yet we say that they are purged by the holy Ghost and made new creatures for as much as flesh and blood shall not inherit the kingdome of heaven and vnlesse they be borne againe of water and of the spirit they cannot enter into the kingdome of God therefore wee conclude that the spirit of God worketh in them in such a manner as cannot by vs be expressed I willingly admit that this purging and renuing of infants which he speakes of is to be vnderstood of the worke of the Spirit in such as die in infancie and are saved Howbeit he yeeldeth the spirit to be in all the rest also that belong to Gods election although the same effects bee not produced till they coâ—â— to age as those two plaine and pregnant pâ—â—ces alleadged but now our of his 5. Chapter concerning the efficacie of baptisme clearely and fully proclaime to all the world And so I haue done with him also D. White B. of Norwich Our next witnesse is that learned Doctor Francis White now L. Bishop of Norwich in his Answere to Fisher the Jesuite whom though I haue alleadged before and might therefore well be excused if I should passe him over here Yet because some that are resolued neuer to assent to this truth when they see or heare any testimonie produced out of anie good Author that is clearely for me they vse to shift it off among those that either cannot or will not examine the Authors themselues with this aspersion cast vpon me It is true say they that he makes a noise with quotations out of many Authors but how He catcheth vp here and there a word or a sentence that seemeth to make for his purpose and vseth them quite contrary to the Authors meanings as would easily appeare by examination of what goeth before and followes after in those Authors I am therefore constrained to bee tedious in many things not only to others but to my selfe also in being more large then I intended at the first meerely to vindicat my selfe from that which I am afraid they too well know that they vniustly lay to my charge vpon all occasions And for this reason am I compelled to repeate what formerly I alleadged out of this Author and to adde therevnto all that he hath spoken of the point that it may be manifest that I haue not wronged him as some giue out to their disciples The charge which Fisher commeth on withall vpon all Protestants at once is this Their errors against Baptisme the gate and entrance into Christian life wherof they deny the virtue to sanctifie men and the necessity thereof for infants to whom they grant salvation without Baptisme In which complaint the Iesuite would faine perswade that Protestants deny both the efficacie and the necessity of Baptisme Our Author answeres him to both particulers We haue here to deale only with the former touching which the whole passage runnes thus viz. p Pag 175.176 Although some persons haue beene Christians before their Baptisme as S. Augustine saith of Cornclius Even as in Abraham the iustice of faith was precedent and the seale of circumcision followed after so likewise in Cornelius spirituall sanctification by the gift of the Holy Ghost went before and the Sacrament of Regeneration in the Laver of baptisme succeeded yet notwithstanding the ordinary gate and entrance into Christian life is baptisme S. Ambrose sive Prosper d. vocat Gent. li. 1. ca. 5. The beginning of true life and righteousnesse is laid in the Sacrament of regeneration that looke where man is new borne there also the verity of vertues themselues may spring Neither doe Protestants deny the virtue and efficacy of Baptisme to sanctify men But according to the Holy scriptures Ephes 5.26 Tit. 3.5 Gal. 3.27 1 Pet 3 21. Act. 22.16 Rom. 6.3 And the ancient church they teach and maintaine that this sacrament is an instrument of sanctification and remission of sinnes The Leiturgy of the Church of England in the forme of administration of Baptisme hath these words Seeing now D.B. that these children be regenerate c. Wee yeeld thee hearty thankes most mercifull father that it hath pleased thee to regenerate this infant with thy holy spirit to receiue him for thine owne chiâ—d by adoption c. And master Hooker saith Baptisme is a Sacrament which God hath instituted in his Church to the end that they which receiue the same might be incorporated into Christ and so through his most pretious merit obtaine as well that saving grace of imputation which taketh away all former guiltinesse and also that infused diuine virtue of the holy Ghost which giueth to the powers of the soule their first disposition toward future newnesse of life Zanchius hath these words When the Minister baptizeth I beleeue that Christ with his hand reached as it were from heaven be sprinkleth the child baptized with water with his blood to remission of sinnes And in another place The Holy Ghost moveth vpon the water of Baptisme and sanctifieth the same making it to be a Lauer of Regeneration Calvine saith Per Baptismum Christus nos mortis suae participes fecit vt in eam inseramur By baptisme Christ hath made vs partakers of his death that wee may be ingraffed into it And in another place If any demand how can infants which want vnderstanding bee