THE LIFE AND GATE OF CHRISTIANITIE ENTREATING OF THE SACRAMENT OF BAPTISME DEVIDED INTO FIVE BOOKES Contayning the effects the mater the forme the Baptiser and the partie Baptised with the reasons and vse of all the auntient rites and Ceremonies Wonderful necessarie duringe these times to be vnderstood and perused of all sortes of persons Composed gathered and written by O. A. Effundam super vos aquam mundam mundabini ab omnibus inquinamentis vestris Ezechi cap. 34. With permission Anno M.DC.XIIII THE PREFACE TO THE CVRTEOVS READER COnsidering with my selfe Gentle Reader what should be the principall cause and most effectuall motiues that should vrge the kings maiestie and most high Court of Parlament to enacte and make that rigorous lawe and penall Statute concerning the Baptisme of Catholikes Children First that they should not be Baptised by their owne Priests nor anie Catholike Layman or Mydwife of their Profession in Religion Secondlie that they must be forced contrarâ—e to their consciences vpon paine of forfeiture of an hundreth pounds to bring or cause their Children to be brought to a Minister of a contrarie Profession in Religion and that Publikely in Church or Chapell there to be Baptised vnlesse the Child were in danger of death then the Minister to be sent for home to the Catholikes house and ther to minister this Sacrament The first reason or cause may be The first reason of tâ— Statute for that perchaunce they thought it could not be so sufficientlie performed by anie other then of their owne ministerie profession and Religion But if they imagined any such thing surely they were mightely deceaued and some of the learned amongst them I meane the Lords Spirituall might haue informed them that this conceit or opinion inclined to the practise of the old Heretikes the Donatists against whom S. Augustine writte many bookes aboue a thousand yeares agoe Aug. lib. 1. con Donat. who were perswaded that the Children Baptised by anie other then them selues were not sufficiently Baptised but they Rebaptised againe euen Catholikes if any returned or came to be of their profession Not much vnlike by reason of this statute it is nowe practised For if any Catholike doe present his Child at Church or Chappell for auoyding the penaltie with protestation that the Child is all readie christined yet not withstanding say the most part of the vnlearned ministers I will doe my dutie and office and so rebaptise the Child although this be expresslie contrarie to the constitutions of the Canon Law De CoÌ„secra dist 4. can qui bis and by the same Canon Law they incurre by the acte of Rebaptization Irregularitie Some in deed of the Ciuiller and learneder sort of Ministers doe not absolutly Rebaptise but with Condition If thou arte not Baptised I Baptise thee But this will not serue their turne but rather betrayeth their ignorance For they ought not to Rebaptise vpon Condition but when there is probable doubt that the partie presented vnto them is not Baptised Here is no such matter but protestation made by the parents or others that the Child is allready Baptised For a second reason The Second reason I imagine they could not so much as thinke that the Baptisme practised in the Roman Catholike Church or by a Roman Catholike Priest was no Baptisme was not auaylable and therfore they made this statute and law For if this doctrine were true woe then to their Protestanticall congregation For first then many of them were not Christians Secondly they neuer had any head of their Church a Christian They haue had but fower heads of their Church and they of diuerse sorts An old man a man of middle age a woman and a child and these fower all different in age or sexe and all fower baptised Catholiklie by a Catholike Bishop or Priest according to the Roman vse But if Baptisme acted and done by a Catholike Bishop or Priest according to the Roman vse were not auaylable why then no Baptisme no Christianitie and consequentlie the head of their Church no Christian For K. Henrie the eight the first head of the Church of England was Catholikly Baptised before Protestancie was preached King Edward the sixth a Chid a boy he also was Baptised according to the Roman vse by Henry his Father And for the woman Queene Elizabeth she was baptised Catholiklie God saue all good tokeÌ„s as the report goeth she berayed the font And for our King Iames Premonition who now raigneth he reporteth him self that he was Baptised by a Catholike Bishop And for the Circumstances I had rather an other should examine then my self But what milke he sucked from his nurces breast I know not but sure I am his mother from whom he had his being and first entrance into this world was a Constant Roman Catholike and a worthie Queene and Martyr But to conclud the statute sure was not acted vpon conceat that Catholikes did not trulie Baptise and that by Catholike Baptisme they were not true Christians Some other reason they had and what may that be Thirdly their motiue surely might be to gette monie The third reason and begger and impouerish Catholikes This in deed hath wrought some effect For some Gentlemen haue bene brought in question by some Promoters for not bringing their Children to the Church to be Baptised W. C. R. B. and so forced to compound or else by Publike Court to haue beene censured for the whole penaltie The Composition hath cost some twentie pounds some ten pounds some more some lesse We know that God doth suffer temptations tribulations miseries wants pouertie and some tyme beggerie it self to fall vpon is seruants 1. Cor. 10. v. 13. yet we are instructed by the Apostle S. Paule Deus autem fidelis est qui non patietur vos tentari vltra id quod c. That God is faithfull and will not suffer vs to be tempted aboue that which we are able But will make also with tentation yssue that we may be able to sustaine and withall to take cheere and Comfort Tobi. 2. We read that old Tobie by reason he did obserue his Religion burie the dead releeue and comfort the afflicted who were persecuted for their Consciences and this he did contrarie to the lawes and commaundement of the King Sennacherib he grewe into miseries was stroken blind by mischaunce had wants became verie poore yet afterward the Scripture sayeth God sent his Angell restored him to his sight and he became againe verie rich In like manner God suffered Iob to be tryed in the losse of his wealth and goods Iob. 1. 2. in the death of his Children and sore punishment of his bodie yet afterward his welth was restored his Children multiplied and he recouered his former health Almightie God commaunded Abraham that he should with his own hand Gen. 22 sacrifice his owne Sonne yet presently God sent his Angell who sayd Ne extendas manum tuam
erroneous must needs be the opiniō of Caluin And not onlie are the Sectaries of this age content to approue allow with Caluin that parents rather should permitte their Children to dye without Baptisme then in any case whatsoeuer to seeke or suffer ther Sacrament to be giuen or ministred by any Lay person Not onlie I say doe they mayntaine this wicked position and dangerous doctrine concerning children and Infants but also would counsell and aduise men of age and vnderstanding newlie conuerted if they should be in danger of death not hauing any Priest or minister readie rather to relie vpon their faith then to demaund Baptisme at a Lay-mans hand This is manifest for at the Conference the Sectaries had at mount Peglier as reporteth Florimond de Roemond in his Historie of the heresies of this age where Beza being present Flor. Roem li. 8. ca. 11. asked this question of Smedeline Brentius Disciple what he would doe or what Counsell he would giue if a Iewe or Pagan in case of necessitie should demaund Baptisme at the hands of a Lay-man not hauing a minister readie I would aduise him sayeth he to repose himself vpon his faith and not to require Baptisme at the hands of any lay person But put the case sayed Beza that the Iewe or Pagan thought with himself and were fullie persuaded that his fayth were not sufficient to saluation without Baptisme Then answered Smedetine I would say vnto him Goe then to the Diuells and dwell with them Wherupon Beza iesting replied what M. Doctor I perceaue you will be a miserable Conforter in this miserable case of necessitie CAP. 5. VVhether Baptisme may lawfullie be ministred priuatly in priuate houses by priuate Persons IT is manifest and doubted of few or none that in the Primitiue Church in the begining of Christianitie this Sacrament was ministred in priuate houses not in publike places by reason at that tyme there were no publike Churches or Chappell 's builded neither were the Christians suffered anie publike vse or exercise of their Religion but continually pursued by Purseuants and other such like officers extreamly persecuted by the Pagan Empeperours I may well compare this tyme and state now of England with that of the Primitiue Church For it is euident to the whole world that Christian Catholike people of England are forced to Baptize priuatlie in their houses and that with hazarde of great penaltie they are allowed no publike Church nor Chappell no publike vse or exercise of their Religion but their Priests the true Ministers of this Sacrament are continuallie pursued by Purseuants and other Officers and extreamlie persecuted by Protestans euen to death But after the Church began to be setled persecution to cease Christianitie to florish the vse and exercise of Religion permitted then were Churches builded fonts and Baptisteries publiklie erected as is euident and at this day extant in the Mother-Church of the world in the Cittie of Rome There is now standing Baptisterium Constantin◠The Baptisterie of Constantine the first Christian Emperour And the like you shall find by the generall vse and practise of the whole Church throughout all Catholike countreys publikes fonts and Baptisteries erected in their Churches for the publike vse of this Sacrament And in processe of tyme because some began rather to Baptize in their priuate houses then publiklie at the fonts and Baptisteries of the Church in the Councell of Vienna priuate Baptisme was forbidden in houses and publike communded as may appeare by the Constitution of Clement the Fifth Clem. tit de Baptis except alwayes in case of necessitie in danger of death or as a prerogatiue for Princes Children Wherfore I may conclude that in England notwithstanding this Constitution we may lawfullie Baptize in priuate houses because we are in case of necessitie as in the Primitiue Church no Churches fonts nor Baptisteries allowed no publike exercise of Religion our Priests pursued and persecuted to death So that our necessitie compelleth vs not to be subiect to this Constitution but exempteth vs as the Glosse doth expresse Necessitas legi non subiacet Ibid. lor. cit Necessitie hath no lawe And thus much for the place Now concerning the Persons whether a priuate Person may lawfullie Baptize First we must not what we vnderstand by a priuate person A priuate person is he who hath no publike authoritie by imposition of hands or holi Orders solemnlie to Baptize that is we call a priuate person a meere Lay-man And priuate Baptisme we call that which is performed in case of necessitie by a Lay-man or woman priuatlie without solemnitie or Ceremonies not in Church nor Cappell but in priuate houses I suppose in the precedent chapter I haue sufficientlie proued that it may lawfullie be done and being so done to be sufficient and auaylable This controuersie was particularlie handled betweene the Proetstant Bishops and the Puritans in the presence of Kinh Iames at the Conference at Hampton Court 1603. The Bishop of Worcester to proue that other besides Bishops or Priests Bils of worces meere Lay-mē might also lawfullie Baptise and that their Baptisme might be sufficient brought vrget the facte of the Apostles that vpon one day three thousand were Baptised VVhich was sayeth the Bisoppe impossible or at least improbable for the Apostles to performe in their owne Persons Wherfore in case of necessitie in this multitude of people they permitted Lay-men for there were no other at that tyme to assist them and Baptize and approued their Baptisme as sufficient and auaylable Bish. of winch Also D. Bilson Bishop of Winchester earnestlie vrged that to denie priuate persons in case of necessitie to Baptise were to crosse all antiquitie seing it had bene the auncient common practise of the Church when the Priest or minister can not be had that Lay-men performe it Also that it was a rule agreed vpon amongst Diuines That the Minister was not of the essence of this Sacrament Bils fo 18. therfore in case of necessitie it might lawfullie be executed by any other then Priest or Minister Not withstanding the Kings maiestie being earnest against priuate Baptisme by Lay-persons answered the Bishop and replyed Although sayed the King the Ministers be not of the essence of the Sacrament yet is he of the essence and lawfull righ and ministerie of the Sacrament But if it be an essentiall point in the administration of Baptisme that the Baptizer be a lawfull Bishop Priest or Minister then it must needes followe if it be acted or administred by any other then a Bishop Priest or Minister that it wanteth an essentiall parte in administration and consequentlie not auaylable of no force nor perfect For nothing is perfect that wanteth his essentiall parte Why then doe they admitte for baptized those who haue had Lay-men for their Baptizers and not Rebaptize them againe For either they must needes say that Baptisme is not absolutlie necessarie to saluation and therfore
Because there wanted in the player intention to doe the acte of Baptisme In like manner if a drunken man who had lost the vse of reason or if a madde man or if a Priest should rise in his sleepe and doe all that belongeth to Baptisme Yet it were no sacrament because in none of these thee there were properlie anie humane acte with freedome of will or intention to direct this action or free mind to worke or not to worke to Baptize or not Baptize So also when the nource doth wash or bath the child if she should say I bath or wash thee in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost no man would be so madde as to thinke she Baptized the child And why For no other reason but because shee had no such intention as to Baptize Wherfore I cōclude it is necessarie to the true effecting of this Sacrament that the minister ought to direct this his exteriour acte to this end and purpose that is to Baptize that thereby he intend to performe that which Christ instituted and commaunded to be done Absurd then is the opinion of M. Luther and other his followers Luth. de cap. Bab. cap. de Bap. who doe not require anie intention in the Minister of this Sacrament but mayntaine that Baptisme is sufficiently performed if there be the water the word although they doe the acte of Baptisme like a minstrell or player in iest or in earnest idly or fainedly No man can thinke that the Iewes when they bowed their knees to Christ and sayed Aue rex Iudeorum Haile king of the Iewes they intended in deed and veritie to adore him but rather to iest and scorne him Worthely therfore is this opinion condemned as Hereticall by the Councell of Florence against the Armenians Concil Floren. Arme. Trid. sess 7. can 11. And now also by the Councell of Trent where Anathema and cursse is layed vpon him who doth not require in the Minister of this Sacrament intention to doe that which Christ instituted when he Baptizeth Not without cause then was Doctor Iohn Rainoldes one of the agent for the millinarie ministers by the Bishops of England reiected Cōfer at Hap Court 1603. Fol. 71. when he moued the King that this proposition should be inserted in their booke of Articles That the intention of the Minister was not of the necessitie of Baptisme CAP. 13. VVhat kind of Intention is necessarie THat the minister of this Sacrament must of necessitie haue intention I haue declared in the precedent Chapter The schoole-Diuines dispute what kind of intention may suffice For there are three kinds of intention Actuall Habituall and virtuall The Habituall all Diuines exclude as not sufficient for that it may be say they in a drunken man a madde man or in any man that is asleepe for it extendeth not to the acte but onlie to an inclination or promptitude gotten by the habite Arist. Phys 2. And therfore the Philosopher Aristotle sayed that Habitus non est actus The Habite cannot be the acte but a promptnes and power to the acte The Actuall intentiō is verie good and to be wished to be in all who Baptise which is De facto and in deed to haue and produce a mentall intention to execute the acte of Baptisme and to doe that the Church doeth Christ instituted But this is not alwaies of necessitie of the Sacrament For that men are often subiect to many distractions and hardly it is in mans power to be alwayes attentiue vpon those things we haue in hand although they be holy Wherfore if this actuall intention were alwayes of necessitie it would often breed much trouble and scruple in the mindes of the pious Baptizers and make vncertaine the acte of Baptisme Therfore it is generally holden that the virtuall intention is sufficient that is when one prouideth and intendeth actually to Baptise but yet when he doeth the acte his mind may be so dulled that he thinke of nothing or so distracted that he haue quite other cogitations Therfore when we purpose to Baptize it is sufficient to intend the externall acte of Baptisme as instituted by Christe or vsed by the Church although our mind at the tyme of the acte may be wandering vpon other things Neither is it necessarie that we extend our intention to the effect of Baptisme that is that we intend by this actiō to giue grace to remitte originall sinne and to sanctifie the soule For if this were necessarie we might iustly doubt of the Baptisme of many Heretikes For the Pelagians and some in these dayes denied that Baptisme did remitte Originall sinne Also it may be thought that neither Pagan nor Iew do thinke of grace or sanctification of the soule when they Baptize And it is probable that the Caluinists and Puritans of England will not be behind anie of them in this poynt their dangerous opinion leading them therunto Wherfore to conclude it is sufficient to haue internall intention to doe in deed and veritie the acte of Baptismes in the maner a foresaide for ther in is included to doe that which the Church doeth and Christ instituted To take away all intention in the Baptizer as Luther would were to make a Parrate that can speake to Baptise CAP. 14. VVhether the Deuill can Baptize I Moue this question the rather that you may vnderstand what a friend M. Luther is to the Deuill Luth. de mis pri v. painted 1554. For in his opinion the Deuill can Baptize if he obserue the forme Which Baptisme of the Deuills he approueth and alloweth as auaylable But to me it is strange and vnheard to imagine that the Diuell should sanctifie a soule being the common defiler and corrupter of the soule of man That you may not thinke this an idle dreame of his or a fained storie of mine you must vnderstand that he goeth about by argument to proue it Iudas sayeth he The betrayer of Christ and traitor to his Maister did Baptize but Iudas was a limme and member of the Deuill why then cannot the Diuell doe as much as anie limme or member of his can do◠M. Luther might haue considered if he would that Iudas when he Baptized he was an Apostle and no traytor at that tyme. Also he might as easilie haue conceaued that Iudas Baptized as an Apostle and minister of Christs and not as a limme and member of the Deuill Finally it is most manifest by Scripture that Christ gaue his commission for ministring of this Sacrament onlie to men for their good and not to Diuells the vtter enemies of mankind Therfore let vs leaue M. Luther with his Deuills it is likely he is amongst them take heed beware of his doctrine least thou be brought were he is CAP. 15. VVhether an Angell may Baptize THere is no doubt but the ordinarie commission for the administring of this Sacrament was granted and committed only to man Haeb. 5. Omnis