others of lesse note had set vpon them long before I medled with them least any man should say that I take vpon me to coine expositions of mine owne that might looke fauourably vpon that which is taken to be mine owne cause One thing more remaines that in a word must be dispatched There are some I know will like well enough the allegations of Scripture brought to proue that the Elect that all the elect doe receiue the spirit in Baptisme but with all they finde fault at the restraining of those scriptures to the Elect only for they will haue it thus that the scriptures are cleare to proue that all that are baptized doe receiue the spirit in Baptisme as well as the Elect. To this I breefly say thus much The scriptures doe not warrant any such extent of baptismall grace but plainly teach the contrary For What doe these men make of that place in Rom. 8.30 Whom be did predestinate them he also called and whom he called them he also iustified and whom he iustified them he also glorified The Apostle restraines iustification and effectuall calling to those that are predestinated to what to Grace only No to glory saith the Text expresly The ground of these mens mistake is this that they thinke the efficacy of baptisme depends so certainly and vniuersally vpon the Jnstitution that where there is no wilfull actuall opposition in the party baptized he cannot misse of the effect to wit the spirit of grace But they must know that howeuer by vertue of the institution we may assure our selues that the elect partake of the inward grace yet it is not the institution alone but Gods * See afterwards in cap. 6. 7 the iudgments of Caluine Iunius Dr Iewel and Dr Whitaker preordinatioÌ„ of them vnto grace and glory that makes the sacrament effectuall vpon them and not vpon others Wee admit the word in its kinde to haue efficacy to beget faith as an instrument in the hand of the spirit yet it begetts not faith in all Why Because they doe resist That may be true but why doth it worke faith in others Cheifly because they are elected vnto eternall life so saith the scripture as many as were ordained to eternall life beleeued r Act. 13.48 Doth S. Luke in that place thinke wee meane other then this that they and only they that were elected did beleeue Lastly doe but consider one plaine place more it is in Gal. 4.6 Because ye are sonnes God hath sent forth the spirit of his sonne into your hearts crying Abba Father He doth not say because they had receiued the sacrament of Baptisme which yet they had done nor yet because they did beleeue which no doubt many of them did but because ye are sonnes now this sonship depended not vpon the sacrament or any ordinance of Christ no nor yet vpon their faith inward grace but vpon the eternall decree of Gods free Election Ephes 1.4.5 So much of â—â—e Proofe of this point by the Holy Scriptuâ— CAP. 5. The iudgment of the Fathers in this point I Am now come to the third part of my taske which is to proue that this hath beene the iudgement and Doctrine of the cheife and best approued Fathers of the Primitiue Church In this I will enforce my selfe to all possible breuity contenting my selfe with a few instances least the worke grow too large and tedious to the reader And that I may be as good as my word I will mention only such as liued within the first 500 yeares after Christ because they that came after may be liable to chalenge 1 Then Cyprian to begin with Cyprian that eminent Doctor and famous Martyr who is stiled by Gregory Nazianzen the cheife and most approued Pastor of his time and the principall light so as not only the Churches of Carthage and Affrick but throughout the whole Christian world his fame and admiration did spread it selfe a Greg. Naz. in laudem Cyprian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Pastorum optimus probatissimus c. Hee in his epistle ad Pompaeium De Haeret baptizandis giues this for a reason why such as were baptized by Hereticks cast out of the Church were to be rebaptized viz because there is noe presence of the spirit among such as are not of the Church of Christ and therefore their baptisme is not sufficient His words are these Wherefore saith he let them grant that either the spirit is present where they say true baptisme is or that it is no true baptisme where the spirit is not because baptisme cannot be without the spirit b Quare aut spiritum esse concedâ—m illic vbi baptisma esse dicunt aut nec baptisma esse vbi spir tus non est quia baptisma esse sine spiritu non potest It is true that out of his zeale against Hereticks of that time who grosly erred in maine Fundamentalls he was ouer vehement against baptisme administred by such as the Church had then eiected out of her society because he thence inferred a necessity of rebaptization of all such as were so baptized by such Hereticks yet the allegation reacheth home to our present purpose in that this shewes his iudgment to be clearely for this truth that the spirit is ordinarily communicated in Baptisme Hence he afterwards inferrs in the same Epistle The natiuity of Christians is in their baptisme c Natiuitas Christi noâ—um in baptismo est And to make it euident that hee vnderstood this to be the ordinary effect of baptisme euen vpon Infants he elsewhere declares himselfe expressely For in his epistle ad Fidum de Infant Baptiz he vseth this as an Argument prouing the lawfulnesse of baptizing of infants that the spirit refuseth not to communicate himselfe euen to them The Holy scripture saith he declares that diuine grace is dispenced vnto all as well infants as others which was shadowed out in Elisha's stretching of himselfe vpon an infant insensible of the Good which the Prophet did vnto him d Esse denique apud omnes siue infantes siue maiores natu vnam diuini muneris aequalitatem declarat nobis scripturae diuinae fides cum Helisaeus super infantem viduae filium qui mortuus iacebat ita se Deum deprecans superstrauit vt capiti caput faciei facies adplicaretur supersusi Helisaei membra singulis parvuli membris pedes pedibus iungerentur By which it is manifest that had not Cyprian beleeued that the spirit communicats himselfe to infants in their baptisme he would scarce haue allowed them to be baptized for asmuch as this is the cheife ground that he builds vpon to iustifie their admittance vnto the same If any shall except against what is vrged out of this last epistle as being no other then an Heterodox opinion Goulartius will defend it if it be restrained to the Elect and Chameir iustifies Goulartius in that assertion e Et
saâ—guinem Christi infantibus ibid. And least any should take him to meane only an outward admission he afterwards addes The externall meanes are the word and water administred by the Minister of Christ the effectuall meanes on his part that is cleansed is faith in one of yeares at least the spirit of faith as in infants for to them the spirit applies the blood of Christ 3 That renowned Frenchman Daniel Chameir wi lingly yeelds that elect infants may be in some sense termed Faithfull but how not actuall beleeuers but only potentiall because no man beleeues actually but hee that is capable of discourse d Quomodo inquam fideles actu ne an potentia nam si actu negatur quia nemo credit nisi compos rationis c. lib. 5. cap. 10. parag 28. 4 Doctor Ames being to proue against the Anabaptists the lawfulnesse of baptizing Infants of 5 Arguments he reserues this to the last place as if he set most by it In the very beginning of regeneration whereof Baptisme is the seale a man is meerely passiue and hence it is that of a man that is to be either circumcised or baptised no external act is required as in other Sacraments there is but only a capacity passiue to receiue Infants therefore are as capable of this Sacrament in respect even of the CHEIFE VSE thereof as men of yeares themselues e Quia in ipso initio regenerationis cuius sigillum est baptismus homo se habet merè possiue vnde etiam hominis vel circumcidendi vel baptizâ—ndi nulla actio externa requiritur vt in aliis sacramentis sed tantum receptio passiuâ— Infantes igitur sunt aequè capaces huius sacramenti respectu praecipui eius vsus atque adulti Medull Theol. lib. 1. cap. 40. Thes 13. And indeede it is absurd to say that the grace of that Sacrament cannot be attained by infants vvithout faith actuall in them when as it is cleare that one part of the inward Grace thereof is the Spirit the worker of Faith Now no man well in his wits will say that no person can first receaue the spirit but by the hand of actuall faith for how should he haue faith without the spirit to worke it in him * Spiritus autem communicari dicitur fidelibus non quia fides antecèdit omnem spiritus operationem vt quidam imperiti colligunt nam ipsamet prima regeneratio conversio aperte tribuitur spiritui sancto a Christo Ioh. 3.5.6.8 genitus ex spiritu Sed quia soli credentes postquam iam crediderunt operationem illam accipiunt spiritus sancti qua obsignantur tanquam arrha haereditatis futurae Ephes 1.13.14 4.30 Gal. 3.14 The spirit is said to be communicated to the faithful not because faith goes before all operation of the spirit as some ignorant men doe collect for the very first regeneration and conversion is plainely attributed by Christ vnto the Holy Ghost Iohn 3.5.6.8 Except a man be begotten of the spirit c. but therefore the spirit is said to be communicated to them because onely beleeuers after they haue beleeved doe receaue that worke of the spirit whereby they are sealed as with the earnest of the inheritance to come D. Ames Medull Theol. lib. 1. cap. 28. de adopt Thes 23. Hee must therefore first be partaker of the Spirit of faith to beget faith in him which spirit then hee may receaue in Baptisme without actuall faith to take him in These new lingles in Divinity against the current of all judicious Divines are most intollerable and good for nothing that I knowe but to breed quarrells to worke distractions to increase doubts to make all things vncertaine and to bring in Atheisme I neuer yet saw that Divine of note in the Church that ever durst to say stand to it that any infants though dying in infancy were of necessity actually to beleeue or else they could not be vnited vnto Christ so as to be saued nor yet that no man can ordinarily haue the spirit of Christ in baptisme or at any other time till by faith he lay hold vpon him and so receaue him into his heart But this by the way 5 That Reverend Bishop Dr Davenant in his elaborate and solid Lectures vpon St Pauls Epist to the Collossians answering that Obiection so much bawled by the Anabaptists one of the most ignorant Sects in Amsterdame viz that Baptisme hath mortification c. annexed to it whereof infants are not capable because destitute of knowledge and faith to apprehend it and therefore not to be baptised Thus saith If they speake of actuall faith and of the actuall study and profession of mortification and vivification thosâ— Scriptures which require these in persons to be baptized are to be restrained to those of yeares Touching Infants because they are sinners not actuall by any proper act of their owne but by an hereditary habit it sufficeth them to haue faith not actually exercising it selfe but included in the habituall principle of Grace and that the Spirit of Christ can worke this habituall principle of grace in them and vseth so to doe none but a crackt braine will deny f Si lâ—quantur de fide actuali de actuali studio professione mortificationis vivificationis illa scripturae loca quae â—aec requirunt ni baptizatis ad adultos esse restringenda dicimus Ad infantes autem quod attinet quia peccatores sunt non proprio actu sed haereditario habitu sufficit quod peccaâ—i mortificationem fidem habeant non proprio actu â—ese exerentem sed in habituali principio gratiae iâ—clusám spiritum autem Christi principium hoc habituale gratiae in illis efficere posse solere nemo sanus negaverit 6 The Author of the Comment on Tit answering an objection which some might make against that resolution of the Question touching the ordinary reception of the inward Grace in baptisme viz that infants want faith He saith that they want indeed actuall faith which presupposeth hearing vnderstanding c. He further saith with Musculus that children may bee called faithfull although they haue no faith and with Zanchius that it is probable that elect infants haue the spirit of faith in such as liue to yeares he adds that the spirit worketh in theÌ„ the seeds or inclinations of faith which in due time shall fructifie vnto eternall life Now we haue witnesses enow and sufficient to proue that to receiue baptisme rightly so as to partake of the spirit in it faith is not required And I think every man will acknowledg that all these Authors were far enough off from Popery Arminianisme that thus witnesse for mee And will men yet lay both these to my charge If this bee Arminianisme or Popery to say that all right receavers doe ordinarily receaue the spirit in Baptisme so long as I restraine it only to right receauers and declare that by right receauers I meane
But Bellarmine is peremptory that whosoeuer is vnder the decree of Gods election how peruerse and crosse soeuer he be to the meanes of his conuersion and perseuerance in grace a Respondeo potest ille libere gratiam repudiare sed certum est non repudia turum quia deus vocabit illum sic vt videt congruum illi esse vt vocantem non respuat Hoc enim modo gratia dei vera a nullo duro corde respuitur quoniam ad hoc datur vt cor emolliat Haec Bel. de Gra. lib. Arb. lib. 2. cap. 15. resp ad 2. obiect and in respect of the liberty of his will may be yeelded to be such an one as may possibly refuse grace yet it is certaine that he will not refuse it because God will call him in such manner as may best agree to his disposition to the end that he might not reiect God calling him For by this meanes it comes to passe that the true grace of God is refused of no hard heart because grace is giuen to this very purpose that it might mollify the heart And all this hee speaketh to shew that Gods decree cannot faile but that all who are elected freely to true grace are as freely elected to glory and doe as certainely obtaine the one as they doe the other But yet some may here obiect one thing more and that is this The Church teacheth to beleeue all the elect to be regenerate actually and not only initially as you say Why may not any man expound it in that sense as well as in yours the termes are generall Seeing this child is regenerate c. Answ If by Actuall regeneration be meant an actuall change of the heart by the infusion and operation of particular habits of grace the best expositors of the Doctrine of our Church run otherwise and the very doctrine of the Church doth it selfe declare the contrary in the ordinary course of such as liuâ— tâ— yeares For expositors take M. Rogers in the place before cited where he is allowed to deliuer this to be the sense of the Church In some the sacraments doe effectually worke in processe of time by the helpe of Gods word read or preached which engendereth faith such is the estate principally of infants elected vnto life saluation and encreasing in yeares Å¿ in Art 25. prop. 3. And this booke hath beene printed with publique allowance many times * Yea this booke came abroad wâ—th iniunction from the Arch-B shop that thâ—n wâ—s that thâ—â—e should be one of them bâ—ught for every Parâ—sh in the Prâ—uinâ—e of Câ—â—â—â—bâ—ry And 〈◊〉 it now be onâ—e worth nothing If the Church will not be tryed by him then marke what Mr Hooker hath to this purpose Baptisme is a sacrament which God hath instituted in his Church to the end that they which receiue the same might thereby â—e incorporated into Christ so through his most pretious merit obteyne as well that sauing grace of imputation which taketh away all former guiltinesse as also that infused Diuine virtue of the Holy Ghost whiâ—h giueth to the powers of the soule their first disposition toward FVTVRE NEWNESSE OF LIFE f ibid. â—op sect 60. But you will say the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the words of our booke are plaine True so is HOC EST CORPVS MEVM for you know what yet you and I know these words must be expounded according to the true sense of them explained by other Scriptures which make plainly against both Trans-substantiation and Consubstantiation So then the words of our booke in the Leiturgy must admit of what sense our Doctrine elsewhere doth set vpon it Now our Doctrine is it selfe cleare against certaine actuall regeneration in Baptisme of infants liuing to yeares For in Act. 17. touching Predestination it is said they which be indued with so excellent a benefit of God be called according to Gods purpose by his spirit working in DVE SEASON they through grace obey the calling they be iustified freely they be made the sonnes of God by Adoption c. So much of what Our Church holdeth herein CAP. 4. The point proued by authority of Scripture MY next worke is to make good the point in hand by Diuine and infallible Testimony of Holy Writt And this is that foundation only which I build vpon for proofe of the Position If any shall convince me to haue failed in this I will for euer abandon this opinion although it should be with perill of life what euer all the men and Churches in the world should professe and bind me to beleeue to the contrary a Nemo mihi dicat O Quid dixit Donatus aut quid dixit Parmenianus aut Pontius aut quilibet illorum Quia nec catâ—olicis Episcopis consentiendum est sicubi forte falluntur vt contra canonica Dei scripturas aliquid sentiant Aug. de Vnit. Eccl cap. 10. Si enim ratio contra diuinarum scripturarum authoritatem redditur quamlibet acuta sit fallit verisimilitudine nam vera esse non potest Idem epist 7. ad Marcellin That I may more methodically proceed and dispatch more speedily that which I haue to alledg out of the Scriptures I must necessarily bind my selfe to the lawes of Argumentation wrapping vp the force of my Arguments in some plaine Syllogismes as as I haue done in the former chapter and confirming the seuerall propositions that need proofe by expresse scriptures expounded by such learned expositors as mine adversaries pretend most respect vnto By this course I shall be sure not to abuse my Readers if they be able to iudge of reason When they see it My first argument shall be drawne from Arg. 1 the Nature of Baptisme in respect of the seuerall Parts of it which the scripture continually ioynes together when it speakes of that Sacrament and I frame it thus Maior That which the Scriptures attribute to Baptisme as the cheife part and as it were the soule of that ordinance is ordinarily communicated to all the elect when they partake of Baptisme Minor But the Scriptures doe attribute the confirming of the Holy Ghost to that ordinance as a principall part of it Conclus Therefore it is consonant to the Scriptures that all elect infants baptized doe ordinarily receiue the spirit in Baptisme The Maior Proposition me thinkes should not be doubted of by any vnlesse by Sacramentarians for will any man of vnderstanding deny vnto the elect that wich the scriptures doe euery where attribute as the cheife part and as it were the soule and life of that ordinance of baptisme If any man shall doe so he must grant that elect infants doe receiue but a peece of baptisme the shell without the Kernell the body without the soule And if this be true to what end are they baptized If they be not euen in infancy capable of the principall part of baptisme why are they admitted to it How shall wee answere the Anabaptists who pleade
perseverantibus proficit ibid. The Holy Ghost is said therefore to dwell in them because he secretly workes in them that they may bee his temple which hee afterwards perfecteth in those that profit and make further proceedings persevere in the same Then which speech what can be said more plaine and full to my present purpose touching the Holy Ghosts ceazing vpon infants even in baptisme to prepare them in his owne time to be Temples for himselfe Such as would extend the efficacy of baptisme indifferently to all infants will be perhaps ready to wrest all these testimonies out of my hand make vse of them against mee for asmuch as all these allegations doe seeme to make for the vniuersall extent of grace to all that are baptized without restraining it to the Elect as I doe It is true the Fathers except none yet this proues not that therefore they held that none are exempted by God nay they often declare the contrary They considering the charge which Christ hath laid vpon his ministers to deny baptisme to none to whom belongs the kingdome of God and not taking vpon them to pry into Gods secrets to know who they be that belong to his election and who not as they baptize all so they pronounce of each one that his sinnes are remitted and the spirit is giuen him in baptisme yet withall confining the donation of these gifts only to such as haue indeed interest in the kingdome although they take not vpon them to declare who they be in particular that haue no share therein Now that notwithstanding their indefinite and illimited speeches touching the efficacy of Baptisme they did holde and declare that all are not indeed partakers of the grace of baptisme shall appeare by one or two of them which I thinke is enough to declare the iudgement of the rest that were sound among them Not to repeat what I formerly vrged out of Chrysostome to shew that he was not of opinion that all without exception did certainely receiue grace in baptisme although they did not actually resist it when they were baptized I will mention only one passage out of Hierome and another out of Augustine concerning this point St Hierome if it be not falsely fathered on him writing on Galath 3. d In Gal. 3. si igitur qui in Christo baptizati sunt Christum induerunt manifestum est eos qui non sunt induti Christum non fuisse baptizatos in Christo Ad eos enim qui fideles baptisma Christi consecuti putabantur dictum est Induite ves Dominum Iesum Christum Rom. 13. Si quis hoc corporeum quod oculis carnis aspicitur aquae tantum accepit lavacrum non est iudutus deminum Iesum Christum Nam Simon ille de actibus Apost acceperat Lavacrum aquae verum quia sanctum spiritum non habebat indutus non erat Christum Et Haeretici vel Hypocritae si qui sordide victitant videntur quidem accipere baptismum sed nescio an Christum habeant indumentum Itaque consideremus ne sorte in nobis aliquis deprebendatur qui ex eo quod Christi non habet indumentum arguatur non baptizatus in Christo As many of you as haue beene baptized into Christ haue put on Christ hath these words If they who haue bin baptized into Christ haue put on Christ it is manifest that they who haue not put on Christ were not baptized into Christ For vnto such as were thought to be faithfull and to haue attained the baptisme of Christ it is elsewhere said put ye on the Lord Iesus Christ Jf any hath receiued only that which is corporall and visible viz the Lauer of water he hath not put on Iesus Christ For euen Simon magus receiued the externall washing yet because he had not the Holy Ghost therefore he did not put on Christ And so Hereticks Hypocrites wicked liuers seeme indeed to receiue baptisme but I know not that they haue put on Christ as a garment Therefore let vs lay this to heart least any man be found among vs that being not cloathed with Christ should proue not to haue beene baptized into Christ Some perhaps may snatch at this testimony and say that St Hierome speakes here of such as are of yeares that doe obicem ponere make resistance to grace and not of infants of which the question is if he did speake of infants yet here is not a word of election as the reason why some doe receiue that which others goe without To these two cauills I must make answere in order First I deny that he speakes only of persons of yeares for from the generall obseruation thâ—t there be some who were not indeed baptized into Christ he makes application in particular to himselfe and others most of which were baptized in infancy though some of yeares were daily added and euen them would he haue to consider seriously whether it were not thus with themselues although baptized in infancy Nor doth he make reluctation in Simon Magus to be the reason why he was not baptized into Christ but his not hauing of the spirit and this is as much in effect as if he had said he was not baptized into Christ because he was not in the number of Gods sonnes by election for the scripture assignes this as the reason why some doe partake of the spirit because they are sonnes e Gal. 4.6 The rule of opposition therefore must needs make the contrary true no son no spirit no spirit none of Christs f Rom. 8 9. Wherefore secondly I say that in effect he restraines the grace of baptisme only to the elect and for this reason that they be elected For if Simon could not be baptized into Christ for want of the spirit it is true that he could not be baptized into Christ because not elected for if he had beene a sonne by election hee could not haue missed of the spirit as is clear both in Galath 4.6 and in Rom 8.14 Now forasmuch as the Holy scriptures doe so clearly teach that none partake of the spirit vnto sanctification and saluation but only the elect as by and by we shall by occasion see confessed also by Lombard himselfe it were too great a wrong to so worthy a Father as St Hierome was to interpret his speech vttered according to scripture as hauing in it a meaning contrary to the Scripture to bolster vp a tottering error of some that drew it immediatly from Bellarmine and the rest of that crew What need many words If Hierome be not thought cleare enough then see my other witnesse St Augustine who if Lombard abuse him not I am sure will put all out of doubt The g Sacramenta in solis electis efficiunt quod figurant ita Lombard 4. sent dist 4. in A. sacraments saith he doe effect or worke that which they signify only in the elect I willingly admit that Lombard seekes to giue an
For Calvine even in that very Chapter so often before quoted saith expresly g Instit lib 4 c. 16. sect 21. Quare nihil plus in pâ—dobaptismo praesentis efficaciae requirendum est quâ—m vt faed is cum illis à Domino percussum ob fiâ—met sanci â—t Reliqua eius sacramenti significatio quo tempore Deus â—p e providerit postea consequetur There is no more to be required in the baptisme of infants in respect of present efficacy than this that the covenant of God made with them should be ratified confirmed the rest that is signified in that Sacrament shall follow after in Gods good time To which I answere that this is as much as I contend for viz so much efficacy as may for the present confirme an elect infant in Gods couenant But this confirmation is not in Calvines iudgement the bare reception of the outward signe but a conferring of the inward earnest of the spirit to assure theÌ„ thereby of after grace and glory For so himselfe speaketh in the 15. chap. and 12. Section of the same booke The Apostle saith hee hauing shewed that we are accepted of God through Christ hee subioynes h Subiungit eos omnes qui iustitia Christi induuntur simul spiritu regenerari huius regenerationis nos arâ—ham habere in baptismo That they all who are cloathed with the righteousnesse of Christ are also regenerated by his spirit and the earnest hereof we haue in our baptisme There is then a confirmation by an earnest and this earnest is part of the whole benefit promised and by him assigned in expresse termes to bee the Spiritâ— Baptizemur in mortificationem carnis nostrae quae à baptismo in nobis inchoatur quam quotidie prosequimur perficietur autem quum ex hac vita migradimus ad Dominum Sect. 11. yea look but into the very last words of the next Section immediatly preceding the Section now quoted and you shall finde him there affirming i That we are baptized vnto the mortification of our flesh which mortification is begun in vs from our very baptisme we daily goe forward in it and it shall be perfected in vs when wee depart hence vnto the Lord. Loe here what Calvine meanes by confirming and ratifying the covenant vnto an elect infant and what it is that is to bee expected to follow after in Gods good time even the breaking out grouth and perfection of that grace which was begun euen from his baptisme wherein he receaues the spirit as the earnest penny Author of the same But Calvine directly affirmeth that k Fatemur ergo baptismum pro eo tempore non profuisse nobis hâ—lum quando in eo nobis oblata promissio sine qua baptismus nihil est neglecta iacebat Instit lib 4. ca. 15. Sect. 17. Till by faith we lay hold vpon the promise sealed in baptisme our baptisme is not worth a rush vnto vs To this I haue sufficiently answered more then once before and particularly in chap. 4. in confirmation of the major Proposition of my third argument the summe whereof is briefly this The Sacrament profits no man of yeares without faith to apprehend the promise nor can the elect themselues sensibly perceaue the fruit and comfort of their baptisme in the ordinary course vntill after they haue obtained actuall faith at their actuall conuersion Nor doth it follow that they had not the spirit in baptisme because they were not capable of so much as knowing the same at that time much lesse of beleeuing for so saith the same Author l Etsi infantes quo circumcidebantur momento quid sibi vellet signum illud intelligentia non comprehendebant vere tameÌ„ circumcidebantur in naturae suae corruptae ac contaminatae mortificationem quam adulti postea meditarentur Denique nullo negotio solvi potest obiectio haec baptizari in futuram paenitentiam fidem quae etsi nondum in illis formatae sunt arcanâ tamen spiritus operatione vtriusque semeÌ„ in illis latet lib. 4. c. 16. sect 20. Although infants in the instant of circumcision were not able to comprehend what that signe meant they were yet truly circumcised vnto the mortification of their corrupt and defiled nature which after they came to yeares they meditated on And a little after infants are baptized vnto future repentance and faith which graces although they bee not actually formed in them yet by the secret operation of the spirit the seeds of both doe lye hid in them Now these two places laid together doe make it evident that when this Author said that Baptisme profits nothing till the promise be apprehended his meaning was not that the Spirit of God doth nothing at all at the time of baptisme in an elect Infant but only this that the party cannot haue any actuall sensible benefit till actuall faith be begotten in him and the same actually imployed in the application of those good things which were exhibited and sealed vnto him in his baptisme But it will be yet further objected that admit Calvine were of opinion that some infants are endowed with the spirit in their infancy yet he meant not to ascribe the communication of it to Baptisme but rather declares himselfe to meane it of grace receaued before Baptisme as appeares by the instances he giues of John Baptist m Documentum praebuit in IohaÌ„ne Baptista queÌ„ in matris vtero sanct ficauit quid in reliquis possit ibid cap. 16. sect 17. which he contendeth to haue beene sanctified in the wombe by God who therein gaue vs an experiment of his power to sanctifie others in like manner now what is this to the reception of the spirit in Baptisme To this I answere first that his maine scope is to confute the Anabaptists touching their supposed impossibility of the capacity of regeneration in an infant for which reason they would not haue him admitted to sacred baptisme as appeares in the beginning of the same Section n Ibid. RationeÌ„ quoque firmissima obtendere sibi videntur cur arcendi sint à baptismo pueri dum causantur non esse per aetatem adhuc idoneos qâ—i signa tum illiâ— mysterium assequantur Id autem est spiritualis regeneratio quae cadere in primam iâ—fantiam non potest Therefore hence I collect that his purpose was to ouerthrow this imaginary bulwarke by making evident not only a possibility but in that particular of Iohn a certainty of regeneration even in the womb which was sooner then baptisme so as their argument could not hold against Baptisme for if an infant bee capable of the spirit in the womb much more then in baptisme and therefore he ought to be baptized Secondly if his purpose were not thence to inferre that an infant not only may but doth receiue the spirit in baptisme it were no sufficient answere to their obiection for they might iustly reply thus if you intend
licet ibid. sect 14. I hold that it is sufficient that wee acknowledge they shall be saued for as much as they by election and praedestination belong to Gods peculiar flock that they are endowed with the spirit who is the roote of faith hope loue and all other graces which spirit afterwards doth manifest and declare himselfe in the sonnes of God when they come to years Musculus of Baptisme giues this description b Defiâ—iemus baptismum esse sacramentum regenerationis purgationis initiationis sanctificationis obsignationis incorporationis in Christum seruatorem Haec enim omni no per spiritum Christi fiunt in electu fidelibus quorum sacramentum est baptismus vt rectè in illo profici dicatur quod per spiritum Christi reipsa spiritualiter perficitur Muscul de Bapt quest 1. Sect. 8 Loc. Com. Wee define baptisme to be the sacrament of regeneration purgation initiation sanctification obsignation and incorporation into Christ our Saviour For all these are effected in the elect and faithfull by the spirit of Christ of all which graces baptisme is the sacrament so as in it this may rightly be said to be done because truly and spiritually it is effected by the spirit of Christ If any thinke to obiect against me that Musculus speakes this of the faithfull and so vnderstands it not of infants I answere out of Musculus himselfe c Omnes Christianorum infantes ad Christum pertinentes deque numero fidelium existentes recte dicuntur esse in fide Christi fideles credentes licet nondum sint imbuti fide Musc in Mat. 18 All infants belonging to Christ borne of Christian parents and being of the number of the faithfull are rightly said to be in the faith of Christ to be faithfull and beleeuers although as yet they be not endewed with actuall faith Besides he that saith Christians being elect are by the Holy Ghost ingraffed into Christ in baptisme must not exclude elect infants for as much as none but infants are now vsually baptized in the Church Therefore hee must be vnderstood of what baptisme doth ordinarily effect vpon infants or else his definition is very improper yea false being applied to children beside whom there are none vnlesse in some rare cases of proselites baptized in these latter times Francis Iunius in his Theses of Paedobapt speakes as fully to this point as any of the rest d Si enim in Christi corpus baptizandi omnes electi si omnes christum induere debent infantes non secus ac adulti eos a christi corpore separare Christo non inserere nefandum esset Thes 4. If saith he all the elect are to be baptized into the body of Christ if moreouer all of them as well infants as persons of yeares ought to put on Christ then to separate theÌ„ from the body of Christ and not to engraffe them into Christ were a most wicked thing And againe a little after e Cum baptizantur infantes deus offert confert omnia bona faederis stipulatur ibid. Thes 10. When infants What infants he meanes he had sufficiently expressed before viz. elect infants are baptized God doth both offer and conferre all the good things of the Couenant and engageth himselfe vnto it In another place thus f Baptismus est actio sacra Dei lauantis suos intus lotione spiritus foris lotione aquae Mat. 3. Ioh. 1. passim Haec igitur relata sunt aqua spiritus lotio aquae lotio spiritu Relatio vt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est iâ—â—s illa siue applicatio vntus ad alteram secundum naturam relâ—torum formam constituexs sacramenti Quemadmodum igitur homo in actionibus humanis anima corpore actionem internam externam agit vnica operatione in qua sicut anima est forma corporis ita actio interna formalis quodam modo externa vero materialis est in cundum modum Deus spiritu suo aqua agit actionem internam externam vnica operatione in qua lotio interna a spiritu formalis est in â—terialis externa prâ— vt dicebat Ioannes ego baptizo vos aqua c. Iun. in Exam. Gratian. Prosp Par. 3. Baptisme is a sacred action of God washing those that be he his owne inwardly with the washing of the spirit outwardly with the washing of water Mat 3. Iohn 1. and elsewhere These two therefore the water and the spirit the washing of water and the washing of the spirit are relatiues And the relation it selfe is that application or vnion of these one to another according to the nature of relatiues which constitutes the forme of the sacrament Wherefore as a man in humane actions doth with his soule and body produce both an inward and an outward action in one and the same operation in which as the soule is said to be the forme of the body so is the inward action after a sort the formall and the externall the materiall part of the action euen so after the same manner God by his spirit and by water doth performe both an internall and an externall action in one and the same operation in which the inward washing by the spirit is the formall part and the externall washing with water is the materiall part of that his action according to that of Iohn the Baptist I indeed baptize you with water c. but he that cometh after me shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost c. This passage passing from that learned man in a scholasticall confutation of a subtile aduersary is perhaps more abstruse then it can be fully vnderstood of an ordinary reader yet all that are iudicious cannot see lesse in it than this viz that in the iudgment of Iunius that is not held for Baptisme of the elect wherein God doth not ordinarily accompany the outward administration of that sacrament with some inward worke of the spirit inwardly washing the soule as well as the water outwardly washeth the body in the Lauer of Regeneration But what manner of worke that is which is ordinarily performed by the spirit in the matter of Regeneration the same Author also describeth in the place first cited where he thus distinguisheth of regeneration and then explaines himselfe in what sense he affirmeth infants elect to be regenerated in baptisme g De regeneratio â—e aliter consideratur in fâ—â— lâ—â—ne to id est in Christo habitu aliter in nobis actu Pâ—imâ— regeneratio qâ—â—e dici potest transplantatio a vetere Id mo in novum tanqâ—am causa eâ—â— aâ—tera tanquam fructus sequituâ— De prima inquitur Christus Iohn 3. Apostolus vtramque coniungit Rom. 6. Hac regenerantur infantes electi cum Christo inferuntu huius obsignatio sit iâ—s duâ—â— baptizantuâ— De Paed. bap châ—â— 7 Touching regeneration it is one way to be considered in the foundation that is to say in Christ the habit thereof
of regeneration at al in baptisme 2 That the elect doe receiue a cleansing and washing from the guilt of original sinne so as if they dye in their infancy before their ACTVALL Regeneration and reall conuersion vnto God they shall be saued And all this he saith is done by the spirit Which is as much for mee as I can desire If my aduersaries haue no worse weapons to beat me withall I shall neuer complaine at their blowes because in page 89 he saith as I also euer said from the beginning viz. that all that are regenerated sacramentally are not necessarily and infallibly regenerated spiritually is cleare of this opinion pag. 90. Although the inward grace ordinarily accompany the outward signe and wee ought to beleeue by the iudgment of charity that all who are baptized are truly regenerate yet indicio veritais as Iunius distinguisheth that is by the iudgment of precise and infallible truth all are not so as the Fathers speake roundly plainly In which words we see first a concession of that wee contend for viz that the inward grace ordinarily accompanieth the outward signe Secondly that yet this is not alwaies for it is not done at all in the baptisme of some But who are those some They that are not elected for he denyes it of all that fall away and perish as the maine substance and drift of that discourse declares Thus you see that many English Diuines of best note speake clearely and fully to this point as well as I that alone am singled out and worried by passionate and heady men CAP. 9. 6 Obiections against the maine position answered I Haue at length gotten through all those particulars propounded in the end of the Second chapter of this Treatise and I hope made it euident to Iudicious and impartiall readers that in the iudgment of our Church according to the scriptures as they haue beene vnderstood by the Ancient Fathers by the present Churches of Christ beyond the seas and by particular Divines of cheifest note both forraine and domesticall All elect infants doe ordinarily receiue from Christ in Baptisme the spirit of regeneration as the soule and first principle of spirituall life for the first solemne initiation into Christ and for their future actuall renouation in Gods good time I haue also giuen answers to all such obiections as might occasionally fall in against my aâ—guments brought for confirmation of the point Now it remaines that I adde Answers to all such Obiections as either haue beene made by others or conceiued by my selfe as likely to be vrged by others against the maine assertion it selfe which I haue laboured all this while to proue and make good by so many witnesses In the performance hereof I shall endeavour to deale as clearly and plainly as possibly I can although I thereby be constrained to vse more words then may be needfull or perhaps gratefull to more acute capacities that I may not be thought to darken my meaning on purpose in the foggs of needles termes of Art not generally vnderstood which might giue ordinary Readers cause to complaine of Obscurity or sophistry And vnto ordinary readers I must premise one aduertisement which others need not viz. That in this part they expect not further corroboration of the maine conclusion but only a manifestation of the impertinency and weaknesse of their arguments that obiect against it If I can in that which remaines make it appeare that nothing of all that hath beene or can be said against my position is able to ouerthrow it but that it is possible for the point to stand whole and vnbroken notwithstanding all their battery I haue don enough how weak so euer mine owne grounds on which I haue hitherto built may to those that proclaime mee a dreamer and a broacher of a grosse and pestilent error seeme to bee 1 Obiection Christians are regenerated by Obiect 1 the word Jam. 1.18 1 Pet. 1.23 therefore not by baptisme in their infancy Answ Answere The Antecedent Proposition is granted being vnderstood of actuall regeneration of persons of yeares as it importeth an actuall and through chang of the whole man vpon their effectuall vocation inwardly by the spirit and outwardly by the Word in ordinary course And of this only those places are to be expounded For the words are spoken only of the worke of the word in vpon aged persons called either from Iudaisme or Gentilisme by the preaching of the Gospell who as Lidia Act. 16.14 had their hearts opened by the spirit to vnderstand and receiue the things preached vnto them and so were begotten anew vnto God that is made new men in Christ to performe new obedience actually vnto God contrary to their former course in the state of corrupt nature In this actuall conuersion and renouation the spirit is the efficient cause and the word an instrument only that he pleaseth to make vse of not as if hee could not dispatch this worke without it but this is that which he hath sanctified and commanded vs to attend vpon so soone as wee are able by accession of yeares to vnderstand the vse of it for conuersion in the ordinary course thereof Now marke the weaknesse and imperfection of this argument S. Iames and S. Peter doe both of them affirme that the persons to whom they wrote being persons of yeares were actually renewed by the Word therefore it is false that elect infants doe receiue the spirit in baptisme for their initiation into Christ and as the soule and principle of after actuall renovation by the word This is all the strength that this obiection hath in it when they haue improued it to the vtmost And how weake this strength is who doth not see It doth not reach home so much as to touch much lesse to peirce the point in question For the Apostles speake of persons of yeares wee of Infants they of actuall renouation wee of initiall regeneration only They of such as are able to make vse of the word wee of such as are not capable of any speech Those places therefore doe well proue that which I deny not viz that * Let the reader obserue that Whereas I often vse this phrase my meaning is not at any time to vnderstand thereby any other thing then what in the stating of the question c. 2. I haue expressed viz. such a worke of the spirit as doth actually renew a man and makes him a new man in Christ by effectuall conuersion wherein he receiues the habits of all sauing graces by the spirit actuall regeneration in persons of yeares is vsually wrought by the word but they doe not restraine regeneration either to persons of yeares only or to this meanes only nor deny the spirit to be giuen to infants before they come to make vse of the word for their first ingraffing into Christ and as the first principle of the new Creature If any shall doubt whether I be right in expounding the places alleadged and suppose that