videre est vt providentissimi erga nos patris familias personam suscipit qui ne post mortâ—m quidem nostram solicitudinem nostri deponit quin liberis nostris consulat ac prospiciat Calvin Instit l 4. cap. 16. Sect. vlt. where the Holy Ghost hath seazed vpon him for Christ so as whether himselfe liue or die he may conceiue good hope that Christ hath taken the charge of his child will prouide all things needfull for it and giue it both grace and glory What a comfort saith a learned writer * M. T. Taylor vpoÌ„ Tit. 3.5 making it one Vse of this very Doctrine is it for a father to see his child washed with the bloud of Iesus Christ Clensed from sinne Set into the visible Church yea into the Body of Christ in the right vse of this Sacrament Wherein a Parent ought more to reioyce then if hee could make it heyre of the world All these considered I appeale to any Vnderstanding Man whether I haue not cause to publish my Labours vpon this subiect out of duty that I owe to the Church of Christ and whether considering how little is done in this kinde it were not worth the best search and greatest labour of the most able Diuines in the kingdome * I am sure D. Whitaker was of this minde Tract de Sacram controu de Bapt quaest 4. c. 5. in principio Where speaking of the efficacy of Baptisme in Infants he hath these words Est autem ea quaestio cum difficilis plena controversiae tum digna quae tractetur explicetur diligenter This is a question that is both difficult full of controversie and such also as is worthy to be haÌ„dled and carefully opened to cleare this point to the full for the edification and comfort of pious and peaceable Christians †What I haue performed herein I humbly offer to bee freely censured by the more Iudicious who truly and indeed are both able and willing to maintaine the publique Doctrine of this Church already established I will not take vpon me to tie all men or any man to my private opinions I knowe that the Learned may without blame dissent from each other in many things so long as they obtrude them not vpon others nor trouble the peace of the Church thereabout Howbeit if this of mine be a private opinion I renounce it and craue pardon of the whole Church of God for troubling the world with such a toy But if it appeare to impartiall Iudges able to weigh it in the ballance of the Sanctuary to be a truth such a truth as the whole Church of England is as much engaged in as my selfe I trust that then it shall finde acceptance with all sober men and by Gods blessing proue profitable to all that in humility and loue desire endeavour to imbrace the truth As for others I shall passe them by with pitty and prayer that they may at length come againe to themselues CAP. 2. The State of the Position NOt to trouble the Reader with any discourse touching the Name or Definition of Baptisme nor yet with the efficacy of Baptisme touching Remission of sinne which I willingly admit let vs now fall vpon the state of the Position touching the efficacy of this Ordinance vpon the Elect vnto Regeneration I shall haue occasion to declare my selfe in the other particulars as I passe along There is no terme in our Position needing explication vnlesse Two the Spirit and Regeneration By Spirit I meane not onely grace wrought by the Spirit but the Holy Ghost dwelling in every true Christian and working Grace Howbeit I consider this Holy Ghost not essentially not personally as the third Person in Trinity but operatiuely as the Spirit of Christ communicated from him to all his members to vnite them vnto himselfe and to bee in them the first principle and as it were the soule of spirituall life It is the Spirit himselfe and not his Graces that first knits vs to Christ * 1. Cor. 12.13 Graces are effects of the vnion not the bond it selfe Nor can some of those things which are attributed to the Spirit dwelling in a Christian possibly be applied to any created Gift or grace infused but only to the Holy Ghost himselfe as for example our Saviours speaking of that Comforter which he would after his departure send to his Disciples to dwell in them saith that when hee is come hee will reproue the world of sinne of righteousnesse and of iudgement Ioh 16.8 which must needs be the act of a person not of a created inanimate gift and in ver 13. whatsoeuer he shall heare that shall he speake and hee will shew you things to come He shall glorify me for he shall receiue of mine and shall shew it vnto you c. In breife no place of Scripture can be produced wherein 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The HOLY GHOST is put only for grace wrought or bestowed and not for the Author of it I am not ignorant that some moderne writers doe holde otherwise but sauing their iudgements I cannot but follow the Fathers soundest schoolemen who soundly maintaine this truth I will not trouble the reader with heapes of Authors * Of this see more in Zanth de Nat. Dei lib. 2. cap. 6. Quaest 2. 3. As also in my learned and much honoured friend Mr. I. Downham Christ-warf part 4. lib. 1. cap. 3. Choquet Lillan De Gra. Sanctific Tom 1. lib. 1. disp 1. ca. 4. I only pray the learned to consider well whether the admitting of this exposition of such texts of Holy writ as mention the dwelling of the Holy Ghost in a Christian viz. that by the HOLY GHOST is meant only Grace wrought or working doth not vnawares giue some countenance to the heresy of the Pneumatomachists Sure I am S. Augustine b Cont. Serm. Arrianorum cap. 20. cap. 29. Cont. maxim lib. 1. lib. 2. cap 11. lib. 3. cap. 21. alibi passim was wont to proue the Godhead of the holy Ghost by this very argument that wee are said to be his Temples and he to dwell in vs. That other of regeneration I take to be all one with spirituall life taken in the largest sense which life according to the Scriptures I distinguish into Initiall and Actuall For as in the naturall sometimes the soule which is vsually called the forme by which and sometimes the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 esse the being it selfe of such or such a creature animated by his soule is put for life as that learned Zanchius well obserueth a De Nat. Dei lib. 2 cap. 5. quest 1. so is it in the Spirituall life whereof we are now to treat And vpon this foundation it is that wee rightly build our present distinction which hath cleare footting also in the sacred Volumes of Eternall Truth 1 Initiall which we may also terme Seminall or Potentiall life I call that which
Church enioyneth 1 The Minister alone thus to bespeake the Congregation when any children are presented at the Font I beseech you to call vpon God the Father through our Lord Iesus Christ that of his bounteous mercy hee will grant to these children that thing which by nature they cannot haue that they may be baptised with water and the HOLY GHOST The Church enioyneth further 2 Both Minister and People to pray Wee beseech thee for thine infinite mercies that thou wilt mercifully looke vpon these children sanctifie them and wash them with the HOLY GHOST Againe in the second Prayer We call vpon thee for these infants that they comming to thy Holy Baptisme may receiue remission of their sinnes by SPIRITVALL regeneration Yet againe in the Third Prayer Giue THY HOLY SPIRIT to these infants that they may bee borne againe and bee made heyres of everlasting salvation The purpose of the Church then is to teach vs that wee should expect the Spirit of Christ to be communicated in Baptisme to elect infants or else it must be concluded that the Church meant to mocke vs by putting vs to pray for that which shee doth not beleeue we shall receaue If any shall say the Church teacheth vs to pray indeed for the Regeneration of a child when hee is baptised but not for his present regeneration I answere yes for his present Regeneration not actuall ordinarily such as that he after attaines vnto in his effectuall calling by the Word yet Initiall and Potentiall as was before distinguished as shall appeare in the proofe of the second branch of the Assumption which is this viz 2 The Church concludeth in her Leiturgie that the child is initially regenerate in his Baptisme For 1 It pronounceth him to be regenerate enioyning the Minister thus to speake vnto the people seeing now D. B. that these children be regenerate and grafted into the Body of Christs congregation let vs giue thankes vnto God for these benefits c. And least any should shift this off by saying they are Sacramentally regenerated but not spiritually by any actuall reception of the spirit at that time the Solemne Thanksgiuing following is added to cut the throat of this shiftlesse glosse Let vs examine it in the next place 2 It teacheth vs all thus to ioyne in Thanksgiuing vnto God Wee yeeld thee hearty thankes most mercifull Father that it hath pleased thee to regenerate this infant how and with what with thy HOLY SPIRIT to receiue him for thine owne child by Adoption what words can more fully manifest the Churches intention to teach vs that all infants truly belonging to the couenant of grace doe ordinarily receiue the spirit in Baptisme not as a thing which none of them had before but as that of which there was no certainty vnto vs nor confirmation vnto them before in the ordinary course of diuine Dispensation of the Spirit by meanes If the matter be not yet cleare enough to such as shut their eyes against it Let them further attend to what the Church requireth vs that are Ministers to pronounce touching a child baptized rightly in private In the forme of Priuate Baptisme I certify you that in this case all is well done and according to due order concerning the baptizing of this child who being borne in Originall sinne and in the wrath of God is now by the Lauer of Regeneration in baptisme receiued into the number of the CHILDREN OF GOD AND HEIRES OF EVERLASTING LIFE for our Lord doth not deny his grace and mercy vnto such infants but most louingly calls them to him as the Holy Gospell doth witnesse vnto our comfort on this wise At a certaine time they brought Children to Christ c. Picke any other sense then I haue done out of the Leiturgy especially when it shall be further cleared by the Doctrine of the Church eris mihi magnus Apollo But some will be readdy to stop me here with sundry Obiections which must be answered 3 Obiections before my way will be cleare to goe forward Obiect 1 1 Some will be apt to say The Church perhaps teacheth vs thus to pray and iudge of infants baptized but doth not well in so doing and that if this be the meaning of our Booke of common prayer we ought not to ioyne in such a prayer To this I answere that it is indeed very true that some haue beene so bold as to put the ly vpon that which the Minister pronounceth touching regeneration of the infant baptized saying in plaine termes That is a ly Bvt sauing their fowle mouthes I trust this shall appeare euen out of the Scriptures themselues in our next chapter to be the truth and that Gods owne infallible truth will beare vs out in it I may not here preuent my selfe Howbeit something to stay the stomacks of such as quarrell our Church for this point or me for misinterpreting our Church let me alleadge out of a good Author whom both they and I doe reuerence and shew his iudgement in the point Mr Tho. Tailor The person I meane is the learned industrious author of the English Comentarie vpon S. Paules Epistle to Titus Hee in writing vpon the 3 cap. and ver 5. of that Epistle is so expressely engaged in this point that all the wit of man cannot fetch him off without tergiuersation which is the iudgement of all men that euer I yet met with who haue throughly read and considered both the place and ALL THAT EITHER GOES BEFORE OR FOLLOWES AFTER in that Author to that purpose Nor am I afraid to referre my selfe to be iudged by the whole World whether I haue abused him or not promising that if it appeare to able and impartiall iudges that in what I haue alleaged out of him I haue wronged him I will aske him forgiuenesse vpon my knees as publique as euer I made the fault· That Author hauing treated of the efficacy of Baptisme and proued that in men of yeares faith is required to receiue the grace offered therein descends to a Question which in the margent of Pag. 642. he thus giues the Summe of How baptisme is effectuall to infants His words in explication hereof are these Quest But howsoeuer in men of yeares faith is required vnto Baptisme yet we are most to respect it as administred vnto children in whom we cannot expect faith and therefore vnto them either faith is not requisite or by the former answere their Baptisme is vnprofitable Answ This well is deepe and we want wherewith to draw certainty of resolution but will assay in some propositions to deliuer summarily that which may be extracted out of the SCRIPTVRES EXPOSITORS * Marke Mr Tailor could find Scriptures and Expositors too for thi◠Position that he here deliuers as MOST Probable for the vnfolding of this difficulty To which purpose let vs first DISTINGVISH of INFANTS of whom some be elected and some belong not to the electiō of grace These latter
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
T.C. about Baptisme T.C. affirmes that Baptisme is only the seale of Grace before receaued Mr Hooker answeres by distinguishing of Grace into Grace of Election and grace of Sanctification admitting his words with a perhaps to bee true in the former sense but not in the latter ordinarily * Deus in Baptismo vt significat remissionem peccatorum salutem ita re operatur veritas cum signo coniuncta est in electis Whitak de Sacram. in gen quaest 4. cap. 2. respons aâ— 7. tessim And doth not that Reverend Prelate D. Francis White p Now L. Bishop of Carlile in answere to the calumny of the Iesuite Fisher say as much For first he makes good the efficacy of Baptisme out of Scriptures Fathers our owne Church Forraine Divines and particularly out of Calvine Then he addes not without approbation of it why else should hee speake it And what vse would it be of against Fisher The same Author with others of his part maintaine the former Doctrine concerning the efficacy of the Sacrament of Baptisme and they differ onely from Lutherans and Pontificians first in that they restraine the grace of sanctification only to the Elect Secondly in that they deny externall baptisme to be alwaies effectuall at the very instant time when it is administred q Answ to Fisher Pag 176. * If any shall pâ—esse mee with the Rubrick before Confiâ—mation my answere is That Rubrick hath reference to Confirmation giving vs to vnderstand that if an infant dy without Confirmation it is certaine by scripture that he is as vndoubtedly saued as if he had beene Confirmed 2 That Rubrick speakes of the state of infants dying before they come to yeares as the old Rubrick of the first book saith expresly which doth not concerne our present Position which hath reference onely to such infants as liue to yeares of discretion shewing what ordinarily is conferred on them in Baptisme and not what they receaue that liue not so long bur dy in infancy In these I doubt not but that the spirit of God doth work more effectually To make an end our owne Catechisme teacheth as much in expresse termes What need we further witnesse That teacheth me to beleeue in God the Holy Ghost who hath sanctified me and all the elect people of God The elect all the elect only the elect if my learned friend Doctor Iacksons word may bee taken for the exposition for hee would haue the Reader to obserue a difference between the extent of the sufficiency for so I take him of christs death and the efficacy of Christs Spirit Although saith he in that place we are taught to beleeue in the Holy Ghost yet this we are taught with this caveat that he doth sanctifie all the elect people of God not all mankind r Treat of Gods Essence and Attrib Sect. 2. cap. 15. pag. 171. Now compare our Leiturgie Article and Catechisme all together The Leiturgie teacheth mee to beleeue of this and every particular infant considered single and apart that he is indeed regenerate with the Holy Spirit The Article saith that they that all they that receaue baptisme rightly are grafted c by the Holy Ghost The Catechisme shewes how this is to be limited and extended saying that the Holy Ghost sanctifies me and all the elect people of God Therefore by the doctrine of our Church all the elect and only the elect * This restraint is clear in the Scripture see Gal. 4.6 And wee must expound the doctrine of our churâ—h by that Rule See the next Chapter doe certainly indeed ordinarily receaue the Spirit in Baptisme Yea our very Leiturgie is cleare in this point as I haue before shewed in that it presumeth the child to be one to whom belongs the kingdome of God vpon which ground wee are taught not to doubt but stedfastly to beleeue that he will favorably receaue the present infant that he will imbrace him with the armes of his mercy that hee will giue vnto him the blessing of eternall life and make him partaker of his everlasting kingdome Againe in the end of the praier which is appointed to be vsed immediatly before the act of baptisme in the name of the Father of the Sonne and of the Holy Ghost wee pray that the children may receaue the fulnes of Gods Grace and ever remaine in the number of his faithfull and ELECT children which shewes plainly that the Church supposeth that all such as doe indeed receaue the Spirit in their baptisme bee of the number of Gods Elect. And so Bucer expounded it of old as shall hereafter appeare in due place * See Cap. 6. when we come to shew the judgment of forraigne Divines in this point Nor is this to bee put off with that new coyned distinction of election to Grace and not to Glory For the Leiturgie speaks onely of Election to glory inasmuch as it had assured vs before that God will giue vnto the infant baptized the blessing of eternall life and make him partaker of his euerlasting kingdome so concluds this prayer that the infants may be inheritors of his euerlasting kingdome through Christ our lord And why should any presume to obtrude vpon the Church such a distinction which hath not the least shew of any footing in the word of God For how euer I deny not but that the scripture sometime speaketh of a temporary election of some persons vnto some particular offices seruices in the Church of God yet it neuer speakes of election vnto the grace of sanctification but as it is a beginning of glory which certainly followes sanctification and is vndoubtedly conferred on all that are sanctified so as no man is elected to the one but he is elected vnto the other also For such grace is but glory begun 2. Coâ— 3.18 And when S. Paul Act 20.32 commends the Ephesians to God that is able to giue them an inheritance among all that are sanctified he most euidently shewes that as none partake take of the inheritance but such as are sanctified so none that are sanctified can misse of the inheritance The like might be demonstrated out of Rom 8.29 30. where the Apostle shewes that all predestination to effectuall calling and iustification ends in glorification as S. Augustine doth most soundly vnanswerable collect from this very text Yea this is so cleare a truth that Bellarmine himselfe could not but confesse maintaine it against all opposers u De praedest Sanct. cap. 17. vide locum although hee could not but know it to be contray to the doctrine of many of his owne side who were the first authors of the distinction of election into election to grace and election to glory which is still maintained by the later Iesuites Cornelius a Lapide * Com in Ephes 1.4.5 and others from whom the Arminians haue made bold to borrow it as they doe sundry other wares of that society
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
from hence against the baptizing of infants that they are not capable of the inward grace If that be true Which Dr Ames affirmeth that they be as capable of baptisme in respect of the cheife vse thereof as persons of yeares who shall deny them the inward grace Doe we not know that in Gods account the sacrament of circumcision was not accounted circumcision when it was only outward in-the flesh and not inward also in the heart For he is not a Iew which is one outwardly neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh But he is a Iew which is one inwardly and circumcision is that of the heart in the spirit and not in the letter whose praise is not of men but of God Rom. 2. Circumcision We know was a seale of the righteousnesse which is by faith b 6. Rom 4.11 Now I demand whether any sound diuine did euer affirme that only the outward ceremony of circumcision of the flesh was vnto the elect the proper and only seale of the righteousnesse which is by faith Sure I am the Scripture euery where teacheth that the spirit is the seale of God set vpon the saithfull c 2. Cor. 1 22. Ephes 1.13.4.30 If then Circumcision were accounted vncircumcision where it was not accompanied with the inward grace what shall we say other of baptisme where the spirit is not communicated Therefore also in baptisme of the elect for whose sakes only this and all other ordinances of Christ were set vp in thâ— Church there must be ordinarâ—ly not only the outward element of water sprinkled on the child but the inward grace also else it must necessarily follow â—hat either in the baptizing of elect infants but halâ—e baptisme is ordinarily conferred which in Gods account is no better then no baptisme or Baptisme is not to infants what the scriptures affirme it to be to men of yeares And if this last be true in the ordinary course of diuine dispensation I will maintaine that infants are not to be baptised If those infants which may bee saued without baptisme receaue no more then the outward signe when they are baptized why are they baptized Can the outward signe saue them or make them more certaine or more capable of salvation then they were before so long as they remaine void of faith Were it not as good to deferre their baptisme till they be of yeares as to offer them to baptisme in infancy which doth them no more good then it doth to a reprobate till their actuall conversion To say that Baptisme admits them to the outward meanes is to say iust nothing to the purpose For aske these men what is it that makes a person capable of the inward grace of baptisme They will answer faith But how is this faith wrought By preaching of the word say they Well admit this may not an infant vnbaptised come to heare the word read or preached Anabaptists doe not shut their children out of the Church when the word is preached but onely exclude them from the Sacraments And wee also permit excommunicate persons to heare Sermons howeuer we debarre them from other ordinances Therefore infants need not baptisme meerly for their admission vnto the outward meanes of faith and conuersion for as much as they may participate of the word without baptisme and the word being by these mens telling the onely outward ordinary meanes of begetting faith If Anabaptists might as freely shew themselues here among vs as they doe in other countries this doctrine of Baptismal grace would bee better entertained by such as now oppugne it without consideration of this sequele This therefore to mee is without all controuersie that What the Scriptures doe attribute to Baptisme as the principall part and as it were the soule of Baptisme is ordinarily communicated from Christ vnto the Elect although infants because in them actuall faith is not required in their baptisme Where the Scripture makes no difference why should we What else doth the Author of the Commentary on the Epistle to Titus meane where he saith d Pag. 63 9. We must conceaue that in every Sacrament there bee three essentiall parts the absence of any of which destroy the whole 1. The Signe 2 the thing signified 3. the analogy betweene them which is the vnion of them both The first is some outward and sensible thing the second inward and spirituall the third mixt of them both To this agree all learned Divines and confessions of Reformed Churches so farre forth at least that they vnanimously conclude Sacraments to be not naked signes but certâ—ine sure witnesses and effectuall signes of grace and Gods good will towards vs by which he doth worke invisibly in vs e Articlâ—s of Relig. art 25. and convey some inward grace ordinarily from Christ vnto all that haue true interest in the couenant of Grace whereof Sacraments are the Scales And so my Maior stands good against all Sacramentarians and their vnwitting Proctors whatsoever I come therefore to the Minor The Minor Proposition now to be proved is this But the Scriptures doe attribute the conferring of the Holy Ghost to that ordinance as the principall part of it This I make good by all such Scriptures as mention the conferring of and washing with the Holy Ghost as well as with the outward element without difference of yeares and without mention of actuall faith to apply the same I might begin with that place in Ioh. 3.5 Except a man bee borne of WATER and of the SPIRIT c. where Water and the Spirit are ioined as going together into all heyres of the Kingdome Which place how ever some make a doubt whether it be meant of the Sacrament of Baptisme yet not onely the Ancients but Beza f Sed de Baptismo â—â—cagâ— siue simpliciter sive alâ—quà ad legalâ—s ablutiones allusione omnino existimo Beza in lâ—cum also without all doubt doe interpret of Baptisme so also the learned Bucer * Nec enim audiendos puto eos qui hic per aquam non aquam sed Spiriâ—um Sanctum volunt intelligi qâ—asi vero Dominus voluerit spiritum Sanctum bis ponere eoâ— dicere vel qui nâ—n fuerit gentâ—us ex â—piritu saâ—cto spiriâ—u saâ—cto vel quâ— non fuerit geâ—ituâ— ex aqua quae est spiritus sanctus Bucer de vi effic Baptis inteâ— scripâ— Anglic pag. 596. But because I did not vse it in my Lectures and some may wrangle at the exposition therefore resolue to waue it and quote only three other Texts The first is that in Math 3.11 I indeed baptize you with water vnto repentance but hee that commeth after me is mightier then I whose shooes I am not worthy to beare he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire In which place Iohn makes the Baptisme of Christ to consist non onely of Water but of the Holy Ghost and of the powerful operation of the Holy Ghost metaphorically described vnder the terme of Fire Nor can it be vnderstood either of baptisme administred by Christ in his owne person for Iesus himselfe baptized not but his Disciples g Ioh. 4.2 or only of extraordinary gifts of the spirit conferred
on the Apostles to worke miracles and to speake with tongues h Act. 2.2.3.4 vid. Luk. 24 49 Act. 1.4.5 but it is meant also of that which all the elect may expect in the right vse of that ordinance by virtue of Christs Institution ordinarily when his Ministers doe rightly dispense the outward element For marke Iohn speakes not this to Christs Apostles afterwards assembled at Hierusalem but to the promiscuous multitude that came vnto his Baptisme Therefore it cannot bee meant only of those extraordinary gifts bestowed on the Apostles in the day of Pentecost but of the ordinary course of Divine dispensation vnto all the elect The better to iustifie this exposition consider the Apostle Peter speakes vnto such as vpon hearing of him were pricked in their hearts and demanded what they should doe For he answers thus Repent and bee baptized every one of you in the name of Iesus Christ for the the remission of sinnes and yee shall receaue the gift of the Holy Ghost * Act. 2.38 Hee requires them to repent indeed before Baptisme because they were of yeares but vpon their baptisme hee assures them of the Holy Ghost to bee bestowed on every one of them True you will say but that was because they repented I deny that for howeuer if they had not repented being such growne persons as they were they had not receaued the Holy Ghost yet their repentance was not the cause of their receauing the spirit in Baptisme but Christs owne institution promise to accompany his owne ordinance with the inward grace Else what needed they to bee baptized For if repentance would certainely fetch the spirit baptisme in that respect should be superfluous It cannot honestly be denied that those very persons had receaued the spirit in some measure before baptisme how else could they haue repented If then they receaued not the spirit first vpon their repentance but before it shall this seeme a truth impregnable that infants who cannot actually repent doe not ordinarily receaue the spirit in baptisme for want of repentance Or can it bee inferred from any of the places before quoted that they speake of the efficacy of Baptisme in persons of yeares only Some perhaps will bee ready yet to presse me that both the place in Mathew and those alleaged out of the Acts also doe clearely intend an extraordinary manifestation of the spirit visibly vpon the men there spoken of and of extraordinary gifts bestowed on them and so cannot be drawne to proue what is ordinarily conferred in Baptisme now But let such consider that how euer the places doe indeed comprehend an extraordinary manner and measure of conferring the spirit to those that were then baptized yet baptisme was the ordinance wherein those extraordinary gifts were giuen And what can this teach vs but that in baptisme the spirit is stil bestowed although not in like manner or measure as at the first That miraculous way of conferring the spirit was then necessary to gaine honour to the Gospell from vnbeleeuers This necessity being remoued wee haue no reason to expect the like extraordinary manner of dispensation But because we haue as much need of the spirit to regerate and sanctifie vs as ever they had therefore haue we even from thence as good warrant as they to expect the donation of the spirit in our baptisme so farre as the spirit is vsefull and necessary for vs in these times to fit vs for Christs worke and kingdome But some will yet obiect that place in Mathew is so farre from prouing the actuall conferring of the spirit in baptisme that it rather proues the cleane contrary for Iohn speaking vnto such as he had baptized saith of Christ HE SHALL baptize not HE HATH baptised you with the holy Ghost they therefore did not receaue the spirit in baptisme but were to expect it as a thing then to come How then can it follow hence that Water and the Spirit doe ordinarily goe together in Baptisme of the Elect To this I answere 1. That it cannot bee proued that this speech was directed vnto such as were baptised although it were vttered at that time it was spoken to such as came to his Baptisme to be rather spectators then to be baptized of him For the 7th verse makes it manifest that this was spoken to the Pharisees Saducees who if wee beleeue S. Luke Luk. 7.30 reiected the councell of God against themselues and were not baptized of him i. If this answere will not passe then I adde 2. The Bapist meant not to shew a difference of time betweene the outward washing and cōferring of the Holy Ghost but only to note a difference betweene him the ministeriall Agent and Christ the Author of that Sacrament thereby to raise their thoughts higher and to teach them to depend vpon Christ for the conferring of his spirit which Iohn his Minister could not conferre although he baptized them outwardly with water He distinguisheth not de Baptismis as if his baptisme differed from that of Christ but de baptizantibus of the persons baptizing shewing what was proper to himselfe namely to baptize outwardly with water what to Christ namely to conferre the Holy Ghost saith the Learned Chamier k De Sacram. lib. 5. cap. 13. par 21. who makes good his exposition out of Augustine Chrystome and Hierome The speech therefore notes not a distance of time but a difference of Agents it shewes not what they that were then baptized did not receiue at the present but from whom that gift is receiued and to whom the conferring of it is to be ascribed * So Caluin lib. 4. instit cap. 15. sect 8. He speakes no otherwaies of Christ baptizing them in the future tense then he doth of his coming in the same tense also He that cometh after me saith our Translation shall baptize you c. But in the originall it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which word for word is to be rendred thus qui venturus he that is comming or about to come after me as if he were not presently come and yet we know that he was come euen at that time therefore both Beza and our translators render the text in the present tense Qui venit hee that cometh and in the same sense must wee vnderstand that which followes of Christs baptizing with the Holy Ghost he shall baptize that is saith Beza Qua etiam ratione dixit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 futuro tempore potius quam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Beza in Math. 3. he doth Baptize you with the Holy Ghost To this I may adde that which learned Bucer saith of so many of them as were truely baptized vnto repentance that to the intent they might escape the wrath to come it must of necessity follow that they receiued the Holy Ghost as the spirit of
sauing repentance and faith in Christ euen in that Baptisme of Iohn * Bucer in script Anglic. De vi efficacia Baptis pag. 595. So also Dr Whitaker de Sacram in Genere quest 4. cap. 2. Nec sequitur Baptizabit ergo non baptizat nam illud baptizabit continuum actum siue continuam actionem significat The reason of this exposition is that which was giuen before viz that the scope of the Baptist is not to point at the time when but at the Person who baptizeth with the Holy Ghost nor to restraine his speech only to such as were then baptized but to assure all other the elect of God of like benefit of baptisme when thy should by Gods prouidence be partakers of it Which being so I conclude hence that the Baptist in that passage declares what in baptisme is ordinarily communicated to all the elect infants themselues being not excluded For as Dr Ames saith well m ibid vt supra it is not in baptisme as in other ordinances of God that a man must necessarily lay hold on the thing signified by an act of his owne or else he should not receiue it here receptio tantum passiua only a passiue capacity to receiue grace offered is sufficient * The same author answering to that of Bellar. Baptismus aliquid sacramentale confert etiamsi detur non percipiatur fide Takes vpon him to giue this answere in behalfe of the Protestants Nihil omnino in ternae qualitatis consert adultis absque fide Colleg. Anti-Bellarm tom 3. Disp 9. thâ—s 7. And who will not thence inferre a concession of that I contend for in infants Why else doth he not absolutely deny Bellarmines proposition but only limit it which vnto elect infants is neuer wanting because theirs is the kingdome of God A Second place is that in 1 Cor. 12.13 For by one spirit are we all baptized into one body c. Here the Apostle makes baptisme to consist chiefely in the spirituall insition of a man into the body of Christ by the Holy Ghost as if he would giue vs to vnderstand that that deserues not the name of baptisme wherein the spirit doth not ingraft vs into Christ Nor doth he note this as some speciall priuiledge in extraordinary conferred only vpon a few but hee manifestly declareth it to be the common benefit of all that by election belong to Christ when he sayeth by one spirit are we ALL baptized into one body This is true saith Caluin vpon the place of all the faithfull for howeuer vnto many baptisme is but a symbole without any further effect yet the faithfull doe together with the outward Sacrament receiue the thing represented thereby And therefore in respect of God it is alwaies true that baptisme is an insition into Christ because God doth not represent any thing but what he is ready to fulfill if we be capable thereof Now that infants are capable hereof he proues in his Comentary vpon the 7th chap of this same Epistle where he shewes that the children of faithfull parents are holy ex beneficio faederis by virtue of the couenant and if holy then faithfull although not yet endowed with actuall faith saith Musculus n Omnes Christianorum infantes ad Christum pertinentes deque numero fidelium existentes recte dicuntur esse in fide Christi fideles credentes licet nondum sint imbuti fide Muscul in Math 18. Another place to proue that the Scriptures doe attribute the conferring of and washing by the Holy Ghost vnto baptisme as a principall part of that ordinance is that in Tit. 3.5 where the Apostle speaking of Baptisme describes it to be the Lauer of Regeneration and of the renewing of the Holy Ghost in which words it is as cleare as the sunne at noone day that baptisme is not the Lauer of Regeneration alone but of the renewing of the Holy Ghost also so as he that is partaker only of the former is but halfe baptized that is he is partaker but of the body of the sacrament without that which giues life forme being vnto that ordinance And to make the baptisme of the elect to be no more ordinarily then a participation of the carkase of Christs institution would I thinke be an harsh doctrine euen in their owne eares that deny the spirit to elect infants More soundly Caluin o in locum The Apostles saith hee are wont euen from sacraments to draw arguments to confirme vs in assurance of our participation of the things therein signed and sealed to vs. For this ought to be an vndenyable principle maintained by all the Godly that God vseth not to abuse his people with empty signes but by his power doth inwardly make good what by externall signes he representeth to vs. Wherefore fitly and truly is Baptisme stiled the Lauer of Regeneration Now if Baptisme be fitly and truly invested with this title because God doth vndoubtedly make good vnto his owne inwardly that which is externally signified who will call that baptisme in the language of scriptures that is destitute of inward grace I know the shift which is laid hold on Obiect to beat off all these plaine pregnant proofes viz. that none of these places speake of baptisme with reference vnto any but such as bring with them actuall faith to lay hold vpon the grace of Baptisme and that therefore these texts proue nothing touching the communicating of the spirit to Jnfants Answere Answ Although I haue said enough before to keepe off any intelligent Reader from this euasion yet for their sakes who thinke no obiection sufficiently answered that is not fully remoued euery time it is vrged I will be content to take the paines of giuing a fowrefold answere herevnto 1 I answere by denying the proposition obiected viz. that all the places before cited speake only of persons growne and endowed with actuall faith This were answere enough till the thing obiected be proued as well as said For that which is but only affirmed without proofe may be denyed without wrong to any I willingly admit that some places of scripture speake of faith some of repentance when the speach is of actuall sensible apprehension and application of the inward grace of baptisme by an act of the person himselfe making vse of receiuing comfort sensibly from his baptisme o Col 2.12 Act 2 3â— 1 Pet 3.21 But this proues not that the inward grace is neuer at all conferred vpon the elect where there is not actuall faith to apply the same no more then those places which require actuall faith in all persons of yeares vpon paine of damnation if they be capable of the ordinary meanes of grace admitted to them doth proue that not so much as an infant can be saued without actuall faith An opinion so harsh and rash as
no learned man would willingly be guilty of 2 I answere that of infants actuall faith is not required for that cannot be iustly required whereof in the ordinary course their very infancy makes them altogether vncapable This I haue so largely proued in the former Chapter as I should rightly bee condemned of tautologizing if I should stand to repeat all the testimonies before alleaged out of Zanchius Martyr Chameir D. Ames D. Davenant and the Author of the Com. vpon Tit. who all confesse that in infants it is enough to make them capable of the inward grace in Baptisme that they haue the Holy Ghost in them insteed of faith to apply the same 3 I answere that if these men will yet so farre gratifie the Anabaptists as to contend further that elect infants cannot be capable of the inward grace in baptisme without faith infants may in some sense bee admitted to haue faith and so not vncapable of the inward grace of that Sacrament Hee that said whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that beleeue in me p Mat. 18. would giue vs to vnderstand that it is no extraordinary thing for infants elected to haue in them some degree of faith not actuall but potentiall initiall seminall which is no other then the spirit of faith communicated as Zanchius and Peter Martyr well If my words bee worth nothing with these men if none of the worthies before alleadged may prevaile let them yet giue some credit to Mr Aynsworth a man farre enough off from from Popery and also from conformity to our present Church He in his Censure of a Dialogue of the Anabaptists when hee comes to that objection of theirs against the Baptizing of Infants viz that if it cannot be proued that infants haue their hearts sprinkled from an evill conscience haue faith repentance c. they ought not to be baptised giues a double answere 1. That this makes as much against circumcision of old as against baptizing of infants now 2. That Christian infants haue the graces they speake of repentance faith regeneration c. though not actually or by way of declaration to others yet they haue through the worke of the SPIRIT the seed and beginning of faith vertually and by way of inclination so that they are not wholy destitute of faith and regeneration though it bee a thing hid and vnknowne vnto vs after what manner the Lord worketh these in them This hee proueth solidly and fully and among other his arguments this is one They to whom God giueth the signe and seale of righteousnesse by faith and of regeneration they haue faith and regeneration for God giueth no lying signe hee sealeth no vaine or false covenants But God gaue to infants circumcision which was the signe and seale of the righteousnesse of faith and regeneration Gen. 17.12 Rom 4.11.2.28.29 Col. 2.11 Therefore infants had and consequently now haue faith and regeneration though not in the crop or harvest by declaration yet in the bud and beginning of all Christian graces Then marke his censure of such as deny this They saith hee that d ny this reason must either make God the Author of a lying signe seale of the covenant to Abraham his infants or they must hold that infants had those graces then but not now both which are wicked and absurd to affirme Or they must say that circumcision was not the signe and seale of the righteousnesse which is by faith and then they openly contradict the Scripture Rom. 4.11 And after more full proofe hee makes this sharpe conclusion Wherefore they are but a faithlesse and crooked generation that notwithstanding all that God hath spoken and done in this kind doe deny this grace of Christ to the infants of his people and the seale or confirmation of this grace by baptisme now as it was by circumcision of old Thus Hee pressed hereto by the Anabaptists Read the Author himselfe pag. 42. 43. 44. 45. whom it is not possible otherwise to shake off 4 Lastly I answere by retorting the argument vpon them that make it The same necessity which lies vpon an infant to haue actuall faith ere hee can partake of the spirit of Regeneration by his baptisme will also be as strong to exclude him from participation of the outward signe For baptismall washing is at least significant and obsignant too sealing to the party baptized the inward grace signified and exhibited by their owne confession that so much quarrel me for this Position of Baptismall Regeneration And if so what should an infant doe with this honourable mystery and sacred Ordinance he being not able to put any difference between baptismall washing by the Minister and ordinary washing of his face at home by his Nurse Now then if his present incapacity hinder not his partaking of the outward element which yet in the ordinary course of dispensation requires faith to discerne the vse and mystery of this Divine Institution as well as to apply the inward grace thereby signified what should hinder but that an infant belonging to the election of grace should partake initially of the grace of the Sacrament by the Spirit which is in him insteed of actuall faith Deny him this and deny him the Scacrament it selfe By all this I hope it is now evident out of the Scripture it selfe that either elect infants doe ordinarily partake of the spirit in Baptisme or else they receaue not whole Baptisme but only a peece if wee consider this Ordinance as the Scripture doth viz not only as an outward signe but as that which euer is accompanied with the inward grace to all that are elected My other Arguments drawne from Divine Testimony are two and both taken from two distinct vses of Baptisme which now follow in order Arg. 2 2. Argument Major That which was ordained to bee the Laver of spirituall regeneration renovation vnto all that are saued by it must needs containe in it the donation of the spirit by which this worke may be done Minor But Baptisme was ordained vnto this end that it should bee the Laver of regeneration and of the renewing of the Holy Ghost vnto all that partake of it and are saued ordinarily Therefore Baptisme taken as the Scripture takes it for all that which in baptisme is vsually giuen to the elect containes in it ordinarily the conferring of the spirit to all the elect that partake of it The Maior is vndeniable vnlesse we will maintaine that the effect may bee produced without it's proper cause for how can Baptisme wash and renew a man spiritually without conferring of the Spirit This is as if I should grant a man to speake yet deny him to haue a tongue or to admit him to act and moue rationally and yet not yeeld him to haue a reasonable soule This Proposition therefore I take for granted This place was alleadged in the former argument but to another purpose there to proue the spirit of Regeneration to be
one maine branch of whole baptisme here to declare the end of baptisme in respect of regeneration The Minor is expresse Scripture Tit. 3.5 Of his mercy he saued vs by the Laver of regeneration and of the renewing of the Holy Ghost which he shed on vs abundantly through Iesus Christ our Saviour Therefore the Conclusion is sound But you will perhaps except and say that the Apostle speakes here of Actuall Regeneration which by my former distinction and foundation cannot agree to infants Answ That he speakes of Regeneration the Text it selfe will cleare it but that hee speaks only of actual Regeneration wrought by the Word is not apparent yea no circumstance of the Text will warrant any man so to restraine it The Text tells vs that Baptisme is the Laver of Regeneration but that it is only to actuall beleeuers such what words will beare such an exposition But to make all sure let vs heare what Iudicious Calvine and other of the Learned speake of the true meaning of this place that so in the mouths of two or three witnesses every word may be established 1 Mr Caluine in his answere to the Anabaptists who deny baptisme to infants vpon pretence of their incapacity of the end of Baptisme to witt Regeneration till they be able to make vse of the Word brings them in thus obiecting But how say they are infants regenerated in baptisme they being not capable of so much as any knowledge either of good or euill To this saith he wee answere that this is the secret worke of God which although to vs it be not euident yet we may not say that therefore it is none at all a At quomodo inquiunt regenerantur insantes nec boni nec mali cogniâ—ione praediti nos autem respondemus opus Dei etiamsi captui nostro non subiaceat non tamen esse nullum Instit lib 4 cap. 16. Sect. 17. Now if he meant not this of what God ordnarily workes in and at baptisme it were no answere to their obiection which lies only against all present efficacy of Baptisme in the ordinary course in and vpon Infants The same Author prosecuting the same businesse to that obiection which they further make viz. that Circumcision and therefore Baptisme is the sacrament of repentance and faith Saith thus Although infants in the moment of their circumcision were not able to comprehend what that signe meant they were yet truly circumcised for the mortification of their corrupt and defiled nature which after they came to yeares they meditated on In a word this obiection is easily answered they are baptized vnto future repentance and faith which graces although they be not formed actually yet by the secret operation of the spirit the seedes of both doe lye hid in them By this answere is at once ouerthrowne whateuer these men obiect against vs from the signification of Baptisme such as that for example where Paul calls baptisme the Lauer of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Ghost from whence they would conclude that this sacrament is to be administred vnto none but to such as are capable of these graces b Etsi infantes quo circumcide bantur momâ—nto quid sibi vellet lignum illud intelligentia non comprehendebant vere tamen circumcidebantur in naturae suae corruptae as coâ—taminatae mortificationem quam adulti postea mâ—ditarentur Denique nullo negotio solui potest obiectio haec baptizari in futuram paenitentiam fidem quae etsi nondum in illis formatae sunt arâ—ana tamen spiritus operatione vtriusque semen in illis lateâ— Hac responsione semel euertitur quicquid aduersum nos torquent a baptismi significatione petitum Quale estielogium quoa Paulo insignitur vbi vocat lauaâ—rum regenerationis renovationis vnde ratiocinantur nemini nisi earum rerum capaci conferendum Idem ibid Sect. 20. So then Caluine you see avoucheth infants to be partakers of Regeneration in Baptisme although not actuall yet seminall and initiall and that from this very place of the Apostle 2 Zanchius in his Confessions affirmeth that not only those of yeares but infants also if they doe truly and indeed belong to the couenant are in baptisme so sealed as they that euen now are incorporated by the Holy Ghost into Christ and that therefore among other titles giuen vnto baptisme in scripture it is called the Lauer of regeneration c Baptismus primum Novi Faederis sacramentum est quo cum omnes qui vel paenitentiam peccatorum professi fidem etiam in Christum adeoque in deum patrem Filium spiritum sanctum profitentur vel altem propter parentum pietatem ad faedus pertinere creduntur 1 Cor. 7.14 tum maxime illi qui vere ad faedus pertinent Christo tanquam ei iam per spiritum sanctum incorporati obsignantur vt non sint amplius sui turis sed illius per quem in faederis societatem eâ—que in vnum corpus cum eo sanctisque omnibus in omnium spiritualium caelestiuinque bonorum participationem asciti esse dicuntur Act. 19.5 1 Cor. 6.19 Per hunc baptismum tanquam lauacrum regenerationis a peccatis vi sanguinis Christi mundati cum Christo consepulit 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 â—ymbolum faederis Lauacrum regenerationis c. appellari consueuit lib. confess cap. de Cap. de Bap. sect 1. 3 Peter Martyr expounds this place not only of that which is conferred on persons of yeares endued with actuall faith but euen vpon elect infants also by virtue of the Holy Ghost supplying in them the roome of faith I alleadged the place before yet because hee speakes so fully to this purpose I will repeat the same againe This Author hauing declared himselfe for the efficacy of baptisme doth with al giue vs to vnderstand that in persons of yeares faith is so requisite that without faith they neither receiue the seale of iustification nor yet of sanctification in their baptisme For as Austin well the efficacy of baptisme is from the word of institutioÌ„ indeed yet not as it is pronounced by the minister but as it is beleeued by the receiuer But what benefit then can baptisme may some say bring to Infants who cannot actually beleeue This d Loc. Com. clas 4. cap. 8. sect 2. See our former Chap. where the Authors own words are quoted in the Margent pag. 51. our Author wisely and roundly preuents by adding that in Jnfants who by reason of their tender yeares cannot beleeue the Holy Ghost supplies the roome of faith And to assure vs that such infants haue the spirit he alleadgeth this very place of our Apostle to Titus saying The effusion of the holy Ghost also is promised in Baptisme as the Apostle expressely writes to Titus where he saith who saued
verè Goulartius in hunc ipsum notauit locum Quaecunque profere sâc epistola Cyprianus noster de S. Baptismi in electis Christi varijs effectis vt orthadoxè ad fidei analogiam scriptum amplectimur Cham. de sacram lib. 2. c. 6. parag 38. 2 Gregory Nazianzen calls Baptisme That Good thing which giues vs initiation into Christ Gregory NazianzeÌ„ which common benifit and foundation of new life we all receiue from God f 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Imitationis diuina bonum quod commune beneficium secundae vitae fundamentuÌ„ a Deo omnes habemnus Greg. in Laud. Gorgo In his Oration or Homily touching baptisme after a large and eloquent narration of the efficacy of baptisme he saith that it hath force euen vpon Infants also and therefore would haue them baptized vpon this ground that he takes it for granted that they also are in some degree sanctified euen in baptisme Witnesse that speech of his It is better that they be sanctified without any apprehension of the thing done then that they should depart this life without baptisme and initiation And of this thing circumcision may afford vs president for that being the fore-runner of baptisme was administred vnto such as could n thy the vse of reason discerne what it meant g 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Edit Graecolat Billii Pa is 1609. Praestatu absque sensu sanctificari quam sine sigillo initiatione abscedere Atque huius rei ratio nobis est circumcisio die octauo pagi solita quae Baptismi figurâ—m quodammodo g râ—bat aâ—que tis qui rationis adhuc expertes erant offerebatur which place I vrge not to proue the necessity of Baptisme as if without reception thereof it were impossible for infants to be saued for I make no doubt that in the time of the Law many infants were saued that dyed before the eighth day wherein they were to be circumcised But I make vse hereof only to shew what that Gregory beleeued and taught touching that which is ordinarily communicated in Baptisme even vnto Infants as well as others supposing them to be admitted therevnto 3 That Great Athanasius who Athanasius in his time was the chiefe and in a manner the only professed Champion the Truth had left her when as Hierome complaines the whole world seemed to be turned Arrian A man that was by the sentence of all Divines the most approued Doctor as Vigilius h Omnium Ecclesiasticorum virorum iudicio probatissimus Vigil cont Eutich l. 2. c. 4. the Martyr titles him Hee in his Booke of Questions dedicated to Antiochus Quaest 2. propounds this Question Whence may a man knowe plainely that he hath beene baptized and receaued the Spirit in baptisme seeing hee was but an infant when he was baptized The answere hee giues vnto it is this As a woman with child by the springing of the babe in her wombe knowes for certaine that she hath conceaved fruit so the soule of a TRVE CHRISTIAN knowes not by the reports of his parents but by the springings of his heart especially vpon those solemne dayes wherein Baptisme and the Lords Supper are administred and by the inward ioyes that then hee conceaues that he receaued the Holy Ghost when he was baptized i 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This testimony is so cleare and full that I knowe not what can be said to evade it He speakes indefinitly therefore he excludeth none that are Christians indeed but vnto them he doth restraine it in expresse termes so he speaks directly to our present point 4 Chrysostome one of the best and clearest Expositors of the New Testament among all the Fathers calls Baptisme our initiation into Christ k HoÌ„ 1. in Act. And to let vs see that hee meanes it not of an outward admission only into the visible Church hee afterwards declares himselfe when he makes the spirit to be the cheife part of baptisme as if there were no baptisme worth that name which is not accompanied with the presence of the spirit to make it efficacious Jn Baptisme the cheife part is the spirit by which the water becomes effectuall l 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hom. 1. in Act. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hom. 40. in Act. If any shall say that this proues not that the spirit doth alwaies accompany the outward washing but rather the contrary because Chrysostome speakes this of the Apostles that had beene baptized and yet were commanded by Christ after his resurrection to stay at Hierusalem in expectation of the Holy Ghost saying Yee shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many daies hence m Act. 1.5 I answer that Chrysostome admits that in them the case was such indeed but saith he in vs both are performed together n 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aom 1. in Act. I stand not to iustifie his Exposition of the place in respect of what he saith touching the bestowing of the Holy Ghost vpon the Apostles as if they had not receaued of the spirit in some measure before that time Let that opinion shift for it selfe as it can I only vrge the words to shew his iudgment of this thing viz that now we Christians receaue the spirit in baptâ—sme as well as the outward signe * That this was his iudgment even of infants also appeares in his Homil. on Ps 14. i 15. iuxta Heb. Adducit quispiam infantem adhuc vbera sugentem vt baptizetur statim Sacâ—rdos exigit ab infirma aetate pacta conventa assensiones mâ—noris aetate fiâ—â—â—ussâ—râ—â— accipit susceptorem interrogat Renunciat Satanae non dicit In finem vel cum Christo â—â—mungitur in sineÌ„ sed statim in principio vitae petit renunciationes coniunctiones And yet least any should imagine him to be so grosse as to thinke that all that partake of the outward washing doe receaue the inward grace heare him afterwards in the same Homily expressing his griefe for the contrary What anguish of heart saith hee doe J sustaine so often as I see some even when they are ready to breath their last runne vnto Baptisme and yet are never a whit the more purged by it o 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eduio Savil. Ibid. Quos aestus pectoris sentio quoties alios video subextremum balitum festinantes ad initiatioâ—em nec hinc fieri puriores ibid. prope sin edit Lat. This Father therefore did not hold that all that are baptized doe partake of the Spirit in Baptisme how euer his iudgment were cleare for it in the Ordinary course of Divine dispensation Nor let any Arminian thinke to take me tardy as if I abused the Reader by alleaging that which mine Author speakes of Persons of yeares who doe oftentimes ponere obicem actually oppose the spirit of grace even while they be present at the meanes of grace to proue the like in the case of Infants For howeuer it be too
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
induit in qua perfectam causa viceque nâ—stra obedientiam praestaret ita ex spiritu sancto conceptus fuit vt eius sanctitute in assumpta carne ad plenum pâ—rfusus ipsam ad nos transfunderet Instit lib. 4 c. 16. sect 18. Christ was sanctified from his first incarnation that he might sanctify his elect of euery age without any difference For as he tooke to him our flesh in which he perfectly performed perfect compleat obedience for our sakes and in our roomes for the abolishing of the sinne of disobedience committed by vs in the flesh so he was conceiued of the holy Ghost that being fully endowed with the spirit vpon the assumption of our flesh he might transfuse the same holinesse vnto vs All which he speakes not of such as dye in infancy but of such as liue to ripe yeares also And if he meant not to affirme this to be the ordinary course of diuine dispensation in the baptisme of such as liue to yeares he could not possibly repell the argument of the Anabaptists who therefore disclaime the baptisme of infants because they receiue no part of the inward grace signified by the outward signe For if He should make such an imperfect answere as this viz that although elect infants who liue to yeares are not then in any degree partakers of the inward grace yet such as dye in infancy doe partake thereof and therefore for their sakes atleast infants should be baptized if I say he should thus answere they would hisse at so poore a shift and reply thus if you would haue all infants baptized because some of them may dye and in that regard may need baptisme for as much as they are to be regenerated in baptisme to make them fit for heauen this is a beggerly kind of reasoning for by your owne confession Å¿ At periculum est ne is qui aegrotat si absque baptismo decesserit regenerationis gratia priuetur minime vero Jnfantes nostros antequam nascantur se adoptare in suos pronunciat Deus quum le nobis in deum sore promittit seminique nostro post nos Hoc verbo continetur eoâ—um salus Instit lib 4. c. 15. sect 20. elect infants dying before baptisme cannot perish so as there is no necessity for baptizing of all infants for the regenerating of a few thereby that may happen to dye in infancy in as much as they would be sanctified although they should neuer be baptized and the rest although baptized would not by your owne doctrine be then sanctified at all Thus haue I largly declared the iudgment of that iudicious iustly honoured Caluine touching this point and haue beene more tedious herein then a iudicious reader will perhaps beare with patience but if any finde fault my apology is this they who should haue had more wit and honesty haue filled the heads of the multitude with this conceit that howeuer I made a great flourish with the name of Caluine for giuing countenance to my opinion yet the truth is Caluine deliuered no such thing but is rather against me then for me as they are able to shew at pleasure to any man that shall require it Now to cleare my selfe of this foule aspertion vniustly cast vpon me I held my selfe bound by a kinde of necessity thus copiously to set downe Calvines opinion and to meet with all obiections that could possibly be put vp against me to weaken the seuerall testimonies I take out of Caluine for my defence to the intent that after all that can be said on both sides the impartiall reader how meanly soever gifted may be able to iudge whether Caluine speake with or against me What was the conceit of Chameir touching the iudgment of all sound Diuines and particularly of Caluine you haue seene in part already And because Chameir is of such eminent note in the Church and so expresly deliuereth the iudgment of all Protestants and therein his owne concerning the efficacy of baptisme vpon elect infants v Constat vtrinque consentiri in prius caput de Iustificatione nempe quo ad culpam paenamque omnium peccatorum quam in baptismo significari id est effici neutri negant In altero itidem capite hoc saltem vtrinque poni sanctificationeÌ„ i. novitatem vitae conferri Quid igitur controuerti Nâ—mirum hâ—ius sanctificatioâ—is modulum mensuram c. De sacram lib. 5. cap. 4. par 10. I will produce a place or two more out of him He writing of this very point and stating the controuersy betweene the Papists and vs therein saith thus The question betweene them and vs is not 1 Whether iustification from all our sinnes be offered and conferred in baptisme for this neither part denies nor 2 whether any sanctification at all be then conferred for that both allow but the punctuall difference is only concerning the quantity and measure of sanctification The Papists contend that sanctification compleat is then giuen and this we deny saying that it is only then begun and is daily perfected by degrees Here least any man should dreame of an ambiâ—uity in his speeches take notice that Chameir in that very chapter had before shewed his meaning to be of that which is ordinarily communicated in the very instant of the administration of Baptisme v Duo dissentionis capita sunt primum de effectu praesenti alterum de futuro Praesentem effectum dico qui assignandus sit huic sacramento in ipso celebrationis legittimae momento futurum vero qui post eam celebrationem ibid. par 6. For thus He The present difference betweene vs and Papists touching the efficacy of baptisme may be reduced to two heads the first touching the present effect of it the other touching that which is future By the present effect J meane saith hee that which is assigned to be wrought in the very instant of the right administration of baptisme by the other that which followes after the celebration ended Then he goes on with his discourse that was but now propounded to shew that euen in the moment of Baptisme all Orthodox diuines doe allow of some present efficacy of baptisme vpon infants vnto sanctification as more at larg appeares in the Author himselfe Yea so resolute is he for the efficacy of baptisme vpon infants that he feares not to affirme that either theÌ„ or neuer it takes effect vpon theÌ„ See his own words m Etenim tantum abest vt dâ—ceamus nihil agere baptismum nisi cum adoleuerint infantes vt contra effectum baptismi quem Dâ—us ipse per se praestet sciamâ—s praecedere ipsam celebrationem baptismi Itaque aut nunquam vllum futurum aut tum esse reapse quum celebratur vere inquaÌ„ remitti peccata vere adoptione sed fieri moraliter de sacr l. 2. c. 6. par 4. So farre is it froÌ„ vs that we should teach that Baptisme effecteth nothing vpon infants vntill they come to age that
spiritus sanctus in iis apprehendat illa illis consentiat vt dicitur idem spiritus nobis nescientibus intercedere pro nobis orare quemadmodum oportet deum cum nouerit eius sensum illum audiret tamen cum scriptura non dicat parvulos credere neque hoc videat esse necessarium ad salutem satis essè indicat vt dicamus eos qui servantur cum sint de peculio Domini per praedestinationem electionem spiritu sancto perfundi qui radix est si lei spâ—i charitatis omnium virtutum quas postea exerit declarat in filiis dei cum per aetatem licet Posse ergo sic dici fideles vt dicuntur rationales Nam eâ—si non possunt infantes ratiocinari lamen animam habent ea facultate praeditam vt possint cumaetas accesserit rati cinariâ— ergo rationales dicuntur non propter praesentem vsum rationis sed propter insitum principium rationis nempe animam quae artium doctrinarum omâ—ium capax est fidem igitur expressamâ— equiri in adultis in parvulis suffirere fidem inchoatam in suo principio radice id est spiritu sancto quo praediti sunt ex quo fides suo tempore virtutes aâ—ae manam nam infantes a spiritu purgari cum sint in Ecclesia ad ecclesiam pertineant Ecclesiam autem Christus sanctificavit mundans cam lavacio aquae per verbum Si ad ecclesiam pertinent spiritu ornantur si in caelum recipiuntur a peccato purgantur c. Peter Martyr a man of most profound iudgment saith he dares not embrace their opinion that ascribe faith to infants not but that God can if he will infuse faith into them and enable them to reason before the ordinary time cause that though they doe neither vnderstand nor know the things which are to be beleeued notwithstanding the spirit in them may apprehend and giue consent to those things for them as the spirit is said to make intercession for vs vnto God euen when we know not what to pray for as wee ought and then God who knowes the minde of the spirit heareth the same Howbeit seeing the. Scriptures doe not say that infants doe beleeue nor doth this seeme necessary to them vnto saluation he thinkes it sufficient that we say that they who are saued for as much as they are part of Gods peculiar by Predestination and election are endewed with the Holy Ghost who is the roote of faith hope charity and all other virtues which afterward he produceth and declareth in Gods children when they come to yeares Thus farre he voucheth the words of Peter Martyr then he goes on in his owne words thus to illustrate the same They may therefore be called faithfull or beleeuers as they may be said to be reasonable creatures For although infants cannot rationally discourse yet they haue a soule whereby when they come to some yeares they may be able to discourse So that they are called reasonable creatures not because they haue present vse of their reasonable faculty but by reason of the principle of reason in them to witt the reasonable soule which is capable of all arts and sciences Therefore we say expresse faith is required in all of yeares but in infants only faith begun or in his first principle or roote namely the HOLY GHOST with which they are endewed and from whom faith and other graces in due time doe flow or issue forth For infants are purged by the spirit seeing they are in the Church and of the Church Christ sanctified his Church purging it in the Lauer of water through the word If then they belong to the Church they are adorned with the spirit if they be receiued vp into heauen they are then purged by the spirit The former passage is aboundantly sufficient both to proue that I haue not abused Peter Martyr and that D. Whitaker is fully of the same iudgment with him Yet let me haue leaue since I promised much out of this Author to alleadge a place or two more to the same purpose In the n Pag. 286. Sed ait ChristuÌ„ habitare in infantibus per fidem ergo â—abere eos fidem saltem quoad habitum Respon deo At hoc non minus de actu quam de habitu intelligitur Quid is enim dicamus in nullis Christum habitare n si qui actu creduat Et pueri habent tum actum tum habitum fidei in suâ—semirie id est in spiriâ—u sancto vt antea diximus Postremo ait trsands parvuâ—s occultam gratiam cum baptizentur idq Augustinam docere Respondeo Id nos quoque nicimas Sed Augustimes non ait habitum fidei insued sed gratiam Bellarminus â—escit an haec gratia sit Charitas cum side spo an qualitas alia cum qua tres illae virtutes perpâ—tuo sunt contunctae Quis vnquam de eusmodi qualitate audiuit quae nec spes nec charitas nec fides est sed has secum coniunctas habet Infundi gratia potest sine harum virtutumaut actu aut habâ—tu Vid â—â—r Augustinus id ensâ—sse hancgratiam esse spiritum sanctum qui efficit sidem licet non statim in infantibus next page following that we last cited answering that of Bellarmine who obiecteth that Christ is said to dwell in infants by faith therefore they must needs haue the habit of faith He answers thus But this may as well be vnderstood of actuall faith which Bellarmine denies to be in them as of the habit which the Iesuite saith they haue And what if wee should say that Christ dwels in none but such as actually beleeue he meanes what would Bellarmine haue to plead against it seeing he maintaines habituall faâ—th But euen infants haue both the act and habit of faith in the seede thereof that is to say in the Holy Ghost as we before spake Lastly the Iesuite saith that Augustine teacheth that there is a secret grace infused into infants when they are baptized I answere so say we too but Augustine saith not the habit of faith is infused but grace and Bellarmine knowes not what to make of this grace whether he should call it charity ioyned with faith and hope or any other quality with which all these graces are perpetually linked But who euer heard of such a quality which is neither faith hope nor loue yet hath all these conioyned with it Grace may be infused without either the act or habit of any of these S. Austustine seemes to be of this opinion that this grace is the Holy Ghost which indeed worketh faith but not instantly in infants Ibid. cap. 6. I will not dissemble that in the next chapter Dr Whitaker taking vpon him to lay open the Doctrine of the Fathers touching the faith by which infants are partakers of the grace of Baptisme and are saved if they die in infancie is very
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
By this little so much is gotten that if all the diuines who haue professedly entred into the particular consideration of this point be not out and if the Anabaptists be not in the right there is a possibility for the spirit to be in an infant and yet not presently manifest his presence by any worke of grace actually so as it may be seene and knowne either by the infant himselfe or by the beholders 2 Wherefore in the next place I say that since the spirit may be in an infant and yet not worke actuall faith and regeneration therefore the consequent of this proposition that concludes the spirit to be idle if hee worke not such grace must needs bee false also Must he needs be idle that doth not alwaies let vs see his worke Shall wee conclude hee doth nothing because he will not tell vs what he doth Hath hee no worke but one in an infant Doe we knowe all the workes of God Or shall wee deny all that wee knowe not This is a bold speech to say either the spirit must worke this or that particular worke in an infant which hee vsually worketh in all persons of yeares where he pleaseth to dwel or else he is idle Was Great Basil a blasphemer when he q De spiritu sancto cap. 26. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. affirmed that like as Art is in the Artificer so is the spirit in him that hath receaued him hee is alwaies present but doth not alwaies worke For Art is alwaies in the Artificer potentially but then is it said to bee in him actually when he exerciseth it so the spirit is alwaies present to such as are worthy but he workes only as their benefit and necessity may require To such therefore as are ready to say to mee of the worke of the spirit as Thomas of Christ except I see and feele I will not beleeue I can doe no more then the Disciples did to Thomas viz let them alone till the spirit himselfe doe bid them feele and see by perswading them to beleeue this truth For however I cannot demonstrate in what manner the spirit initially worketh in an infant the first principles of Regeneration because the worke is secret and both the worke manner of working are hidden from vs * I lle in quo omnes vivificabuntur praeterquam quod se ad iustitiam exemplum imitantibus praebuit dat eâ—iam sui spiritus occultissimam fidelibâ—s gratiam quam latenter infundit parvulis Aug. de peccat meritiâ— remiss lib. 1. cap 9 yet I answere such as put mee to it as Calvine did the Anabaptists r At quomodo inquiâ—nt regenerantur infantes nec boâ—i nec mali cognitione praediti Nos autem respondemus opus dei etiamsi captui nostro non subiaceat non tamenesse nullum Instit l 4. cap. 16. Sect. 17. There is a worke of the spirit in them although we cannot comprehend what it is yet we must not therefore conclude that there is no worke at all and as Dr Whitaker determined the question of the worke of grace in infants for a close of his disputation touching that subiect Å¿ In eis operari spiritum sanctii ineffabiliter dicimus De Sacr. Contro de Bâ—pt Quaest. 4. cap. 6. Wee say that the Holy Ghost workes in them in a manner to vs inexplicable Both Calvine and Peter Martyr and Doctor Whitaker are all cleare of opinion that there is some worke of the spirit in an infant and yet not any of them apart nor all of them together dare to determine what that worke is Calvine saith it is certaine there is some worke Peter Martyr saith it is enough that wee beleeue they haue the spirit the roote and principle of future grace and that if they dye in infancy they are saued Dr Whitaker comes after and saith the very same illustrates his and Peter Martyrs opinion by the former comparison of the reasonable soule commends Calvine for his modesty and professeth that hee would most willingly be his Scholler that could take off all difficulties from this point It is therefore an vnreasonable and captious demand of the Aduersaries to this position to require of me to shew what the spirit doth in an infant or else to confesse that he is idle or rather nor there at all So much for answere to the Major which would conclude from a false ground and groundlesse position that the spirit cannot be in infants because where he is he cannot be idle and he cannot but bee idle if he worke not in them actuall grace 2 I come now to the Minor Proposition which was this But in elect infants ordinarily no such worke doth appeare rather on the contrary many of them shew manifest opposition to all grace and goodnesse for many yeares together notwithstanding their baptisme and to this I giue a threefold answere 1 * Câ—lv in Mat. 19.14 Talâ—um est regnum Dei Sic scribit de Infantibus Quod poenitentiam vitaque novitatem simul illic figurati abâ—iciuâ—t facilis solutio est renouari Dei spiritis pro ae atis modulâ— donec per gradus suâ— tâ—mpore quae in illâ—s occulta est virtus auâ—escat palam refulgeat That infants doe cast off aâ—l repentance and newnesse of life that are iointâ—y figured in baptisme the answere to such as obiect this against the baptizing of infants is easie that they are renewed by the spirit of God according to the capacity of their age vntill by degrees that efficacy or virtue which lies hid in them doe in due season increase and openly sparkle shine forth That although no such worke doth appeare in them yet this proues not that no such worke is begun secretly in the soule as I haue before shewed in answere to the former Proposition Nor is it impossible that even actuall grace should ly hidden so as neither others nor the party himselfe in whom that grace is can discerne the same at all times as after shall be declared 2 That I never affirmed any actuall change of the soule in the baptisme of infants that afterwards liue to yeares of discretion no nor so much as any particular habits of particular graces answerable vnto those that are vsually wrought in others at the time of their actuall Conversion Yea so farre haue I been from affirming hereof that I haue alwaies vpon all occasions disclaimed it But I only say that the spirit is giuen to elect infants in baptisme ordinarily pardon my so often repetition of the substance of the Position which the Adversaries so often forget to be the first principle of regeneration in them and as the first seed whereby the heart is seized vpon for Christ and the whole man taken vp for his vse and made in a secret manner capable of a further worke in Gods good time This spirit is vnto such in the roome of grace as t Loc. Câ—m class 4 cap. 8. sect 14. Peter
in a more remisse degree as sinne is taken for a masterly tyrant that hath by want of vigilancy in a Christian gotten the vpper hand in some particular Vnto this they to whom he wrote were subiect if they looked not the better about them For the Apostle himselfe euen after his actuall regeneration complaines that sinne was yet a Law in his members warring against the law of his minde and bringing him into captiuitie to the law of sinne Rom. 7.23 Now in that hee calls the power of sinne by the name of a Law that did captivate him hee plainely intendeth to giue vs notice of some kinde of soueraignty which sinne at some times exercised ouer him after his conuersion This will appeare by comparing this phrase with the very same in ver 1.2 The Law hath dominion ouer a man as long as he liueth For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liueth but if her husband be dead shee is loosed from the law of her husband that is frō the power and soueraigne authority which in the family her husband did exercise ouer her So that where there is a law in force exercising it selfe there is a kinde of dominion for none can set vp a law and giue such life vnto it but such as haue soueraigne authority And if it might be thus in Paul then much more in the Romanes to whom hee wrote Therefore he bids them to take heed and not to let it raigne that they should obey it in the lusts thereof And yet they were regenerated for hee saith they were vnder grace ver 14. and so vnder grace that hee assureth them sinne should not haue dominion ouer them as there he speaketh that is not an absolute compleat dominion which cannot stand with sauing grace although they were in danger to be vnder some kinde of Dominion of it notwithstanding Grace So then there is an absolute dominion which cannot consist with saving grace and there is an improper more remisse dominion which may bee for a while in the same subiect with sauing grace If any man aske me what that absolute dominion is in a word I conceiue it be this viz Such a compleat soueraignty over the whole man as makes him to be totus totum in toto peccato whole wholy in the whole sinne he giues himselfe vp vnto wittingly willingly wilfully desiring he may euer liue in that sinne and enioy his fill of it that there were no law forbidding it nor God to punish it and although there be both yet hee will follow it still and cannot for his heart so much as get free of the loue of it desire after it but will part with any thing rather then with his sinne This in scripture is called presumptuous sinne Psalme 19. But this no man can warrantably affirme to be in Elect persons after their baptisme euen before their actuall regeneration And I thinke if I should deny the proposition they that frame it had neede to take day enough to proue it For to tell me that they commit many grosse and scandalous sinnes that they be some of them as Paul was persecutors and blasphemers doth not sufficiently proue that sinne hath any absolute Dominion ouer them ordinarily although in respect of their outward carriage no man can discerne their sinnes to be other then reigning sinnes for so you know doe many sinnes committed by such as are actually renewed Therefore their outward carriage alone is not enough to warrant such a censure of them That sinne reigneth and domineereth as a tyrant ouer them in a more remisse degree than he doth in reprobates is too too euidēt by daily leading them into captiuity to the law of sinne This is not denied But for any man to say that the elect after their baptisme till their actuall conuersion and regeneration are vnder that absolute and compleat dominion of sinne that the diuells and reprobates are is a thing which may be said but will neuer be proued For suppose the spirit did not worke any generall dispositions and inclinations vnto grace in infants which yet the soundest diuines affirme yet it is something that there is that in them which will so farre abate the edge of the malice of sinne that they cannot sinne that great sinne against the Holy Ghost No elect person can according to the principles which the adversaries to this point and I agree in sinne that sinne against the Holy Ghost as the opposites will freely confesse for if he could how were it possible for him to be at all converted and saued And if notwithstanding his want of actuall regeneration he cannot sinne against the Holy Ghost I demand then what is it that keepes him from that sinne Is it not the spirit that restraines and curbes the malice of his corruption against God and his grace But you will say this restraint is common to reprobates as well as to the elect for the most part and therefore I may say you as well proue the spirit to be in the one as in the other if this be all the ground I haue for it To which I reioyne that there is a maine difference betweene the elect and reprobate viz. that the Elect not only doth not but cannot commit that sinne for the spirit keepes him that hee may be a vessell of grace and honour but the reprobates are restrained not by the spirit of Christ but rather by the powerfull prouidence of God meerely that they might not hurt the Elect as otherwaies they would doe And yet notwithstanding that restraint they are neuer cōuerted nor saued which shewes that they neuer had the spirit of Christ Nor is there in the elect so neere approaches to that sinne as there is in reprobates But of this I shall haue some occasion to speake more afterwards therefore I spare to adde more thereof in this place praying the reader to remember that I haue sundry other grounds beside this so as what euer becomes of this the point it selfe cannot suffer by it so long as the other stand vnbattered And thus much of this sixth Obiection CAP. 10. 6 Obiections more against the maine position answered I Haue in the former Chapter giuen answere to such obiections as are thought to be of cheefest ranke and to make most strongly against the maine tenent here discussed In performance wherof I haue not God is witnesse strained my witts to set a shew vpon any one passage Which hath not substance in it so farre as I am able to iudge betweene substance and shaddowes but haue dealt candidly and syncerely throughout to the full satisfaction of mine owne conscience and I hope to the content of others also that are not studious of parts but of the truth I might therefore iustly demand my quietus est and craue a discharge here because the maine worke is ouer and those obiections that follow after are of lesse weight But because I
This place therefore proues not Paul to bee without the spirit in his circumcision no more then it proues him to bee destitute thereof euen after his actuall Regeneration Wherefore now I turne this weapon backe vpon the Obiectors themselues and vrge it thus against them If the spirit may be in such as are carnall and sold vnder sinne then hee may be in elect infants although carnall and sold vnder sinne For if he may be yet in part carnall whom no man will deny to haue the spirit the spirit may bee in elect infants that are not after Baptisme vnder an absolute dominion of sinne as hath beene before proved So farre as there is any flesh not totally subdued so farre there is a want of the spirit even in a person regenerated therefore so farre as there is the least abatement of the absolute Dominion of sinne there is the spirit notwithstanding that the party be yet so far carnall as that he is sold vnder sinne and led captiue to the law of sinne in the generall course of his conversation till actuall regeneration be wrought within him 2 That place in 1. Tim. 1.13 where Paul saith J was a blasphemer a persecutor iniurious proues not Paul to be vtterly void of the spirit till his actuall Regeneration for if it doth it must bee either because the facts were so haynous as cannot agree to a regenerate man or because he committed them with such a witting malice as cannot subsist with the spirit of God in the same subiect 1 For the quality of the facts David after his conuersion committed as great sinnes for kinde haynousnesse as eâ—er Paul did in his kinde before his conversion What greater did Paul commit then Adultery Drunkennesse and murther committed by Dauid Now if the spirit were in Dauid notwithstanding so many crying sinnes at once especially in a time of warre when aboue all other times he should haue kept himselfe from euery wicked thing Deut. â—3 9 why might hee not bee in Paul If you say that to kill a Christian as a Christian that is because hee is a Christian is a greater sinne then to commit any other murther I answere that it is so indeed if the Persecutor doe willingly murther a Christian knowing him to be such and doing it out of malice to Christ and his religion Otherwise not Let vs therefore search a little further into the particular of Paul and wee shall finde That Paul did not commit those sinnes out of malice to Christ goodnesse nor so much as out of knowledge but onely out of ignorance that the way which hee blasphemed and persecuted was the truth He made conscience of the Law of God so farre forth as hee knewe it to bee the Law Phil. 3.6 and was zealous towards God Act. 22.3 even before his conuersion It was a blind zeale of the Law that made him to persecute the Gospell which he vnderstood not and not any malice to God So it followes in that very Text now vrged against me but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly Yea further he professeth that he did no more then what he thought himselfe bound in conscience to doe meerly in obedience vnto God For saith he J verily thought with my selfe that I ought to doe many things contrary to the name of Iesus of Nazareth Act. 26.9 And vpon this ground he did all those things wherewith hee so deeply chargeth himselfe Now if Dauid that committed as great sinnes for kinde and greater in regard of circumstances for hee did it wittingly willingly with premeditation knowing very well that hee ought not to haue done any thing of that he did shall be allowed to haue the spirit euen at that very time with what reason can wee deny the spirit to St Paul when he did those things which in that text of 1. Tim. 1.13 he so much bewaileth and condemneth in himselfe for as much as hee protesteth that all this was but through ignorance of the truth blind zeale towards God and the truth doing nothing wittingly either against God or his conscience but only that which he erroniously supposed would be acceptable vnto God All this therefore makes for mee and no way against me 3 As for that place in Tit 3.3 which is thought to make strongest against me it is as weake as those other two already examined Wee were sometimes foolish c. saith the Apostle When was that After Circumcision say some But how doth that appeare Those to whom hee writes were neuer circumcised for they were Gentiles Nor is there one syllable of his own Circumcision nor any circumstance of the Text that requires vs so to vnderstand it But he himself was circumcised True yet there is no mention in that place that he was such after circumcision as that he could not haue the spirit at all in him He only shewes what he they and all men are by nature before their effectuall calling or rather before their first initiation into Christ It will bee replied that this place shewes what he was euen after Circumcision for it containes a confession of sundry actual sinnes which must needs bee committed after his circumcision because hee was circumcised the eight day after his birth at which age he could not commit those actuall sinnes To this I answere that hee might be guilty of committing all those sinnes there reckoned vp and yet not wholy destitute of the spirit as hath beene proued before If the spirit may bee in such as are not actually conuerted they may commit many grosse sinnes in their course of life And in such hee may be notwithstanding the commission of such sinnes since they may sometimâ—s commit as grosse sinnes who are actually conuerted as we saw but now in the instance of David and others I neuer affirmed as the Obiection drawne from this Text would suppose that the spirit is so giuen either in Circumcision or in Baptisme as to keepe the elect from actuall sinnes it is enough that the spirit takes off that extremity of malice which is to be found in the sinnes of such as are not elected But haply there may bee more pregnant evidence in the words following viz in ver 4.5.6.7 I am content to ioine issue here also The words are these But after that the loue and kindnesse of God our Saviour toward man appeared not by workes of righteousnesse which we haue done but according to his mercy he saued vs. By what By the lauer of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost which he shed on vs abundantly through Iesus Christ our Saviour that being justified freely by his grace wee should bee made heyres according to the hope of eternall life And what of all this Doth any of this proue that Paul had not the spirit in his Circumcision Yes you will say it doth For Paul herein declares how and when hee and the rest of whom he there speakes were regenerated viz in their Baptisme of which
they were partakers not till they were of ripe age so as by faith they apprehended the inward grace and so came to be partakers of the spirit But doth this place proue that Paul had not the spirit before his baptisme I trow not for then who wrought in him that faith to appreheÌ„d the grace of his baptisme Rather therfore it proues the contrary that he receiued it in his circumcision for it is plaine he had it before And if he had it before why not in his Circumcision No may some man say not so for in Acts 9.17 Ananias deales with him as with a meere carnall man wholy destitute of grace and tells him that God had sent him to him that he might be filled with the holy Ghost and it followes in the next place that he was baptized which shewes that hee had not the Holy Ghost before that time But to this I answere breefly that this proues not that he had not the spirit in any measure before that time for it is not said that God had sent Ananias vnto him that he might receiue the Holy Ghost but that he might bee filled with the Holy Ghost and that not only vnto sanctification but to the performance of an Apostolicall function for it is afterward added that straight way he preached Christ in the Synagogue ver 20. Now although he receiued the spirit in his circumcision yet he was not filled with the spirit nor was he filled with the spirit in the first instant of his reception of it at what time soeuer hee first receiued it for the spirit doth not worke all his graces at once but by degrees It may here bee remembred what haue beene formerly spoken vpon that place in Acts 2.38 Saint Peter bids those that were pricked at their hearts to repent and be baptized telling them that so they should receiue the gift of the Holy Ghost Now if they must repent certainly they must haue the Holy Ghost to enable them herevnto else they could not repent Therefore it must be confessed that their receiuing of the spirit in baptisme was no sufficient proofe that they were not at all partakers of him before they were baptized Before they receiued him but more secretly and sparingly now they receiued him againe but more solemnely and plentifully And thus wee see that none of these places apart or together no not when they be wyre drawne to the vtmost haue in them any solid proofe to make good the Minor proposition that the spirit was not giuen in circumcision and so wee haue ouerthrowne this argument also without the least preiudice to our position 8. Obiection Those places of scripture that speake of baptisme Obiect 5 doe vsually speake of the spirit giuen before baptisme as that in Acts 10.44 the Holy Ghost fell on all them that heard the word and then afterward it followeth in vers 47. Can any man forbid water that thâ—se should not be baptized that haue receiued the Holy Ghost as well as we or else they speake of Faith or repentance going before baptisme which is equivalent to the former speech for it supposeth a reception of the spirit before baptisme Therefore baptisme was not intended for the conferring of the spirit nor can the places of Scripture brought to proue it be sufficient proofe of it but rather of the contrary Answere Answere 1 I confesse it to be very true that some places speake of the giuing of the spirit before baptisme Howbeit that place in the 10. of the Acts is improperly alleaged for it because it speakes of an extraordinary bestowing of the spirit vpon such as Peter preached vnto in respect of the gift of tongues as appeares in vers 45.46 where it is said that they of the circumcision which beleeued were astonished as many as came with Peter because that on the gentiles also was powred out the gift of the Holy ghost for they heard them speake with tongues and magnified God Notwithstanding I say It is manifest that faith and repentance were to precede the baptisme of such as were of yeares at least the publique and solemne profession of those graces was to be made by them before they were baptized Yet as not only Saint c Vide supra in cap. 7. Ambrose and Saint d Quaest 84. super Levit. quaest 33. in Num. Augustine and after them e Instit lib. 4. cap. 16. Calvin well speaketh they receiued the spirit in Baptisme more solemnly which they had receiued more secretly before They being of yeares ought to expresse their faith therefore there was a necessity of their receiuing of the spirit before Baptisme But this concludes not that therefore it must needs be so in infants also forasmuch as in them actuall faith is not required nor yet that therfore elect infants doe not receiue the spirit in baptisme because there is no neede of faith to receiue the spirit but only need of the spirit to work faith in due time 2 I say that howeuer some places doe suppose the spirit to be giuen before baptisme yet that proues not that therefore those places of scripture which I haue alleadged doe proue no such thing as I would inferre thence because I haue not brought one of those places for a proofe which mention actuall faith and repentance forasmuch as they concerne persons of yeares only Now this obiection would haue the world beleeue that I haue taken vp some of those places for my vse which speake clearly of faith and repentance going before baptisme which is not so And so it doth cast an vniust aspertion vpon me and not giue any blow to the point it selfe 3 I neuer affirmed that infants doe not at all receiue the spirit before their baptisme but only that Baptisme is the first instrument or meanes applied for their first solemne receit of the spirit that may be taken notice of by vs as also for their first manifest initiation and engraffing into the body of Christ Admit that they had the spirit before yet it followes not that they receiue him not also in baptisme in respect of confirmation therof if not in respect of a further degree and measure of his grace The Holy Ghost descended vpon Christ in his baptisme yet no man will say Christ had not the spirit before he was baptized They in Acts 2. before mentioned were bid to repent before they were baptized and no doubt they did so which yet could not be without the spirit as I haue often said And yet for all that The Apostle assured them that in Baptisme they should receiue the Holy Ghost What letteth then why elect infants should not doe so too I conclude therefore that in persons of yeares the spirit must goe before to qualify them with actuall grace thereby to make them capable of the inward grace of baptisme and to elect infants also the spirit may be giuen before baptisme but yet both vnto the one and vnto the other he is giuen againe in