would perswade vs. That in the proper signification there is nothing either why regeneration should signify only the first infusion of grace or rather this then the daily growth of it nor why Renouation should not signify the first beginings of the new creature as well as the growth of it those that are skilfull in the Tongues will easily bare me witnesse and I take them that make this nice distinction betweee these two words to be better skilled then to say that these words in their proper signification will iustify this conceit Therefore they must of necessity fly to the Scriptures and proue that there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vsually translated Regeneration is euer so restrained as that it alwaies signifies the first infusion of grace and not that further worke of the spirit which admitteth of degrees and is ever expressed by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Renouation or else their conceit will proue but a fancy too weake to ruine the distinction of Jnitiall and Actuall regeneration But the Holy Ghost in the scriptures doth not obserue this nicely of words for sometimes we shall find regeneratioÌ„ put for sanctification exprest by obedience vnto Christ his Gospell or else for the begining of glory and not for the first infusion of grace only So in Mat. 19.28 Our Sauiour thus giues answere to Peter demanding of him what they should haue who had forsaken all to follow him verily I say vnto you that ye which haue followed mee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the regeneration when the sonne of man shall sit in the throne of his glory yea also shall sit vpon twelue thrones c. where the word regeneration cannot be taken for the first infusion of grace only because it notes such a thing as Christs disciples did actually exercise and expresse in receiuing of his Gospell or else as Beza rather thinketh it signifies the very state of glory wherewith they shall be invested at the latter day and the words ought to be read thus yee that haue followed me here making the comma in the regeneration when the sonne of man shall sit in the throne of his glory yee shall sit c. that is you that follow me now shall hereafter when the elect being perfectly sanctified begin their kingdome of glory namely at the latter day when I shall come againe in glory then shall ye sit vpon twelue thrones And so did Saint Augustine * Aug. de Pece Mer. Remis lib 2. cap. 7. long before expound that text Therefore the word is not restrained only to signify the first infusion of the spirit of grace by the spirit Againe sometimes wee shall finde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Regeneration and Renouation put one for another the one to explicate the other for so Zanchius saith expresly in his commentary vpon Ephes 5. And he saith the truth for so the Apostle vseth them Tit. 3.5 according to his mercy he saued vs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the lauer of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost e Ista vero Regeneratio Renovatio non sunt duo diversa sed haec est illius declaratio Beza in loc where the Apostle vseth those two words of regeneration and renouation not to signify two things but the latter declares the meaning of the former as Beza well Wherefore I conclude that for as much as the holy scripture doth not restraine the word Regeneration to the first infusion of the spirit or of grace by the spirit wherein there be no degrees but extends it further euen to that further worke of the spirit wherein as all grant there be degrees the distinction of Regeneration into initiall and actuall still stands vpright without battering by this second Obiection that will admit of no degrees in that which the scripture euery where calleth by the name of Regeneration Obiect 3 3 Obiection The Apostle expresly ascribeth the conferring of the spirit to the word of faith preached Gal. 3.2 Therefore the spirit is not giuen in Baptisme Answ Answere Consider the quality of the persons spoken of by the Apostle and compare them with those of whom we speake in the present question and then the Obiection will fall to the ground of it selfe If we should consider those Galathians only as persons of age vnderstanding that would in Caluines iudgment so much alter the case if the same words should be vsed to deny the communication of the spirit vnto infants in baptisme as would giue iust occasion to deny the consequent of that proposition For so Calvine to Seruetus obiecting that f Addit postea neminem fieri fratrem nostrum nisi per spiritum adoptionis qui tantum ex auditu fidei consertur Respondeo semper in eundem relabi paralogismum quia praepostere ad infantes trahit qu d de solis adultis dictum est Docet illic Paulus hanc esse deo ordinarium modum vt electos suos ad fidem adducat dum illis suscitat fides doctores quorum ministerio opere manuÌ„ porrigit Quis inde legem imponere ei audeat quo minus arcana alia ratione infantes Christo inserat Instit lib. 4. cap. 16. sect 31. resp â—d obiectionem 15 tam Serveti no man is made our brother but by the spirit of adoption which is coÌ„ferred only by the hearing of faith giues this answere He euer falls into the same sophisme because preposterously he drawes that to infants which is spoken only of persons of yeares Paul in that place teacheth that the hearing of faith is Gods ordinary way of calling whereby he brings on his elect vnto faith raising them vp faithfull teachers in whose ministry he reacheth out his hand vnto them Now who shall dare to set such a law vnto God that he should not by some other secret way ingraffe infants into Christ But there is more in that case of the Galathians and so in that of Cornelius his company Act. 10.44 then this that they were persons of yeares when in hearing the word preached they receiued the Holy Ghost for they were till that time no part of the visible Church and flock of Christ but gentiles and meere aliens from him and all his ordinances till the Gospell was preached to them And it is one thing to be a Gentile without the Church that hath nothing to doe with Christ or his spirit till he heares him published in the preaching of the Gospell which is the first ordinance of Christ that he partakes of for first Christ is preached vnto him then beleeuing he is to be baptized and it is another thing to be borne of parents that are visible members of a setled and stablished Church so as the party so borne is to be held and reputed for one of the faithfull euen from the womb It is no wonder if the former sort receiue the spirit in the hearing of the word for how else should they come by it
in the ordinary course of dispensation by meanes But it cannot but be wondred at that any should inferre that elect infants borne and baptized in the Church should not ordinarily partake of the spirit before they come to age sufficient to be capable of the word preached vpon this ground that the Galathians and others mentioned in scripture that were conuerted by the word from Paganisme did not receiue the spirit before they heard the Gospell preached I shall not need to spend time and paper to proue that the Apostle speaks of the former sort only not of the latter Therefore this Objection doth not at all touch the point in hand 4 Obiection If the spirit bee given in Baptisme Obiect 4 then Baptisme can saue without actuall regeneration which is confessed to be wrought by the Word But Baptisme without actual Regeneration cannot saue any as appeares by that in 1. Pet. 3.21 Therefore the spirit is not given in Baptisme Answ Answere A feeble Argument Neverthelesse let vs examine it I answere therefore both to the Maior and to the Minor also 1. To the Maior I answere by denying the sequele For in the case of infants dying in infancy the spirit can and no doubt doth actually regenerate them without the word how else should they enter into the kingdome of heauen In what manner the spirit doth regenerate such is to vs vnknowne Nor will I take vpon me to determine that which the Scripture is silent in They that deny all actuall regeneration till the word come without exception of such as dy in infancy doe conclude all infants dying before they be able to make vse of the Word to be damned A damnable conclusion not to be endured in the tongue or penne of any sober Christian Thus we see in few words that the Consequent of the Major is an idle non sequitur grounded on a false supposition For although we say that actuall Regeneration is not wrought but by the Word yet we grant not this Vniuersally of all but only of persons of yeares 2 To the Minor I answere thus 1 I deny that the Apostle in that place doth speake of Regeneration wrought by the Word for hee speakes not at all either of Regeneration strictly and formally so called but only of an act which supposeth regeneration nor of that act as wrought by the Word but of an act wrought without declaring by what meanes it is wrought so as for ought appeares in the Text to the contrary it may be wrought in baptisme as well as by any other meanes Therefore in this respect the proposition is weak and lame because I may as well drawe it to my purpose and say that baptisme hath such efficacy in it as to enable a Christian to make answer vnto God because the Apostle saith that Baptisme although not the outward washing yet the inward Grace saueth as others may vrge it against mee by inferring thence that Baptisme cannot saue without the VVord For there is not in that place any mention or so much as the least insinuation of the Word but only of Baptisme 2 I adde that Expositors agree not in the exposition of that Text and yet notwithstanding their disagreement there is nothing to be drawne either from the Exposition of any one of them or from all of them together that concludes any thing against this Position That Expositors agree not in the rendring of the Text is euident by their different rendrings of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which in our last Translation is rendred the answere of a good conscience c. in which word lies all the difficulty of the whole passage 1 Some would not haue it translated the answere of a good conscience but the request or confident demand made by a good conscience vnto God So the old Translators and so M. Cartwright also in his answere to the Rhemists vpon Math. 3.11 but what the conscience makes request for these Authors speake no syllable of And how a request made to God should be the inward part of baptisme here opposed to the outward washing which purgeth the filthinesse of the flesh is beyond my capacity to comprehend But I let that passe wishing they had more clearely explained themselues 2 Some take it for an allusion to the vsuall Jnterrogatories in baptisme and to the Stipulation made by the partie baptized to performe the conditions tendred vnto him and accepted by him in his baptisme which stipulation he must answere and make good ere hee can expect that his baptisme should saue him So Beza tooke it saith D Fulk vpon the place Yea and so Mr Cartwright also when he comes to write vpon that Text to vindicate it from Rhemish falsifications But he addeth that those Questions were made to persons of yeares and vnto such the Apostle writeth so this in his iudgment belongs not vnto infants nor is spoken touching the efficacy of Baptisme vpon infants Howbeit he denieth not the spirit to bee giuen to infants for g T.C. against D. Whitgift touching interrogatories in baptisme p. 134. the last Section elsewhere he saith thus I will not deny but that children haue the spirit of God which worketh in them after a wonderfull fashion But this by the way All that may by this exposition be concluded hence is this That baptisme saues none of yeares no not as an instrument till there bee a faithfull performance of the Covenant on their parts But in the case of infants the matter is farre otherwise forasmuch as they cannot ordinarily actually beleeue or repent So Dr Fulk Stipulation and solemne promises are necessary to bee acknowledged that baptisme may bee effectuall to them that are of age 3 Some as Oecumenius and others interpret the word somewhat otherwise Oecumenius who should best knowe the force of the Greek phrase expounds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by three other words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an earnest a pledg and a demonstration vsing so many words not to signify divers things but more fully to set forth the force of that one word which he could not sufficiently expresse by one But what hee meanes by this earnest pledg and demonstration hee leaues to his Readers to divine I thinke it can be vnderstood of nothing else but the inward grace signified by the outward washing to wit the blood and spirit of Christ giuen to a Christian in his Baptisme as a seale and pledg and demonstratiue evidence both of the remission of his sinnes by the blood of Christ and also of Regeneration by the Spirit of Christ whereby the conscience is purged from dead works and sanctified that a man doth now answere and make good his promise and vow in Baptisme which now not as a cause but as a meanes instituted by Christ to seale vnto him iustification by the blâ—od and sanctification by the spirit of Christ is said to saue him So Basil h 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If there
consisteth in participatiō of the spirit of Christ as the forme of this spirituall life the spirit being the first principle of Regeneration by whom the first seede and foundation thereof is laid in a Christian And this is life as it were in the roote like vnto the first principles of reason laid vp in the soule rationall before it haue actually enabled the body to moue and act rationally And of this saith acute Iunius * De Paedobapt the◠7. our Saviour spake in John 3. more clearely to our purpose is that of the Apostle Rom 8.10 The spirit is life because of righteousnesse where the spirit which is the cause of life is put for life it selfe and by the spirit is meant not the reasonable soule but the Holy Ghost if Caluin and before him Chrysostome and Ambrose and after him Peter Martir hit right in the exposition of it b Gal. in loc Vocabulo spiritus ne animam nostram intelligas sed regenerationis spiritum quem vitam appellat Paulus whereof for my part after serious pensitation of all that any haue said to carry it to another sense I make no question 2 Actuall I call that which consisteth properly in the very spirituall being it selfe actually produced in a Christian by the spirit bringing him forth a new man in Christ in the ordinary course of Regeneration of such as liue to yeares whereby he is enabled actually to beleeue repent c. Rom. 6.11 Likewise ye reckon your selues to be dead indeed vnto sinne but aliue vnto God through Iesus Christ our Lord. So Galath 2.20 and elsewhere The severall members of this distinction I further illustrated thus The former of these is as the transplantation of a tree into a new soile the later as drawing the fatnesse of the soile into the tree causing it to shoot vp spring blossome and beare fruit The former saith Iunius c ibid. Hac regenerantur infantes electi cum Christo inseruntur huius obsignatio sit iis dum baptizantur is as the transplanting of a man out of the first Adam into the second the later as his drawing vertue from him and liuing thereby The former is as the stretching of Elisha vpon the dead child the first time whereby the flesh of the child waxed warme but as yet it moved not * 2. King 4.34 the later is as his stretching himselfe vpon it the second time which caused it to neese seuen times and to open his eyes c Ver. 35. The former of these is like vnto the first incubation or resting of the spirit vpon the face of the waters while the earth was yet without forme and voide Gen 1.2 the later as the production of each particular creature afterwards in his kinde time and order appointed of God when it pleased him to speake the word The Spirit rested vpon the waters from the beginning yet the creatures were not presently produced by the spirit they came forth in their due time and place when God gaue his Fiat and not before This Distinction laid as a ground will of it selfe beare vs out in this conclusion There may be euen in order of time a communicating of the spirit of grace as a principle of future newnesse of life before any ordinary actuall infusion of actuall or habituall graces whereby a man on his part actually makes declaration thereof by a thorough change of his heart and life as a new man in Christ This being granted I adde further touching the ordinary meanes of manifest conferring on vs and confirming to vs the Spirit of grace a second Conclusion which is this The first ordinary and certaine meanes whereby we that descend of Christian Parents haue any initiall Regeneration begun in vs and doe ordinarily receiue and come to be ascertained of the spirit of Christ for this end that he may produce in vs future actuall spirituall life is the first ordinance of Christ that wee partake of to wit Baptisme This is our first certaine and manifest initiation into Christ Rom. 6. and receiuing of the Holy Ghost in the ordinary way of divine dispensation by meanes Act 2.38 and our ingrafting into the body of Christ 1. Cor. 12.13 So also saith the 27 Article of our Church f This Article is vrged and opened in the next cap. This is the Blocke at which so many haue stumbled This is the Arminianisme Popery and Doctrine of Deuills that I am charged with This therefore is the Point I am now to Labour in after I shall haue stated it somewhat more distinctly and fully for the effecting whereof I must first more punctually set downe 1 How farre all that are not Papists Lutherans or Arminians doe agree with me herein 2 what be the differences betweene mee and some others that though they hold neither with Papist nor Arminian doe yet dissent from me The things on all hands agreed vpon are these 1 That some Infantes may doe receiue the spirit to vnite them vnto Christ before Baptisme The question here is only of the first certaine reception of it by externall ordinary meanes applied 2 That by Baptisme is vnderstood the whole Ordinance consisting of the inward grace as well as of the outward signe 3 That there is as much efficacy in Baptisme vnto Remission of sinne as vnto Regeneration although we are now to treat only of the latter 4 That the spirit is not giuen to all but to the Elect only 5 That the outward element hath not in it any physicall force either by vertue of the consecration institution or administration to conferre the spirit to any at all but the spirit is communicated immediatly from Christ himselfe when the Sacrament is administred if then it be at all conferred 6 That God both may and doth euen in Baptisme bestow the spirit vpon some infants that liue and come to yeares as well as vpon other some that dye in infancy The differences then are only two which will be most breefely discerned in these 2 Quaere's 1 whether the communication of the spirit vnto infants from Christ himselfe for their first apparent engrafting into his body and to be in them as the first seede principle of Regeneration in the ordinary course of regenerating such as after Baptisme doe liue to yeares of discretion be ordinarily in the baptisme of the Elect 2 whether the former being graunted it doth also follow that All the Elect doe ordinarily receiue the spirit in baptisme so that such as receiue him before or after and not in Baptisme are to be held to receiue the spirit in an extraordinary and not in the ordinary course of divine dispensation thereof I hold the Affirmatiue in both these Questions and determine them thus viz It It most agreeable to the Jnstitution of Christ that All Elect Infants that are baptized The maine point fully stated vnlesse in some extraordinary cases doe ordinarily receiue from Christ the Spirit in Baptisme for their first solemne
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
receiue only the outward element and are not inwardly washed THE FORMER receiue in the right vse of the Sacrament the INWARD GRACE not that hereby we tythe Maiesty of God to any time or meanes whose spirit bloweth when where he listeth on some before baptisme who are sanctified from the womb on some after but because the LORD DELIGHTETH TO PRESENT HIMSELFE GRATIOVS IN HIS OWNE ORDINANCE we may conceiue that in the right vse of this Sacrament HE ORDINARILY ACCOMPANIETH IT WITH HIS GRACE HERE according to his PROMISE we may expect it and HERE we MAY and OVGHT send out the prayer of FAITH for it These are his words Doe they need any interpreter Doe they require any labour to draw them home to my present point viz. that it is most agreeable to the institution of Christ that all elect infants doe ORDINARILY receiue the spirit in baptisme especially considering that this Author in the end of the 639 page had laid out this for a Doctrine raised out of Tit. 3 5. that God in baptisme not only offereth and signifieth but truly exhibiteth grace whereby our sinnes are washed and wee renewed by the HOLY GHOST and in explication of this Doctrine hee clearely deliuereth his minde in the words before quoted how farre forth this Doctrine concerneth INFANTS and how farre forth it may be granted as true euen of them also I am afraid I shall abuse the Iudicious Readers Patience to stay him so long as to shew how all that I collect out of this Author who lately professed vnto me viva voce that he will stand to what soeuer he hath written which makes me the bolder with him comes full vp to my purpose Howbeit because I am published to the world for a corrupter of this mans writings in this particular and by that is my sincerity iudged in the allegation of all others that I make vse of in this Treatise I must intreat the intelligent reader for a little while to Imagine himselfe to be some puny that knowes not how to construe plaine English and to be contented to learne of me that which a boy of 14 yeares old would deserue to be whipt for if he could not vnderstand without teaching It is said I haue corrupted my Author In what in falsifying his words or wresting the sense The sense How so He neuer meant that elect infants DOE receiue the inward grace but only that they May doe it No doth he not say that God ordinarily accompanieth it with his grace and is not this all one with this specch GOD DOTH ordinarily accompany it with his grace His meaning is mistakē he doth not say it is done But WE MAY CONCEIVE it is done Good But vpon what ground are we to conceive so Is it not this BECAVSE THE LORD DELIGHTETH TO PRESENT HIMSELFE GRATIOVS IN HIS OWNE ORDINANCE or is it this BY VIRTVE OF HIS PROMISE We may expect it or is it this HERE WEE MAY AND OVGHT SEND OVT THE Prayer of FAITH for it Or is it because this Author hath searched both SCRIPTVRES EXPOSITORS and findes this most agreeable to them Now when a man tells me that because this is MOST agreeable to Scriptures and expositors because the Lord delights to present himselfe gratious in his owne Ordinance because this is according to his promise and because here J may and ought send out the Prayer of FAITH for it that therefore J may conceiue that God ordinarily accompanies it with his graces doe I abuse him to say that hee is of my minde that it is most agreeable to the institution of Christ ordinarily to doe this Oh but he addes in the right vse of this Sacrament c which perhaps in his sense implies as much as a receiuing by faith Nay hee himselfe confesseth in the very place alleaged that in infants we cannot expect faith Therefore hee can meane no other by the right vse of this Sacrament then a Reverend administration of it according to the Institution of our Lord both for matter manne◠vnto one within the Couenant But he saith not this of ALL elect Infants In common construction his speech must be equivalent to an Vniversall For when he distinguisheth of infants whereof hee saith some are elect and some belong not to the Election of Grace doth hee not giue vs a generall distribution Be there in his iudgment some infants that are neither elect nor not-elect Againe when hee speaketh of such as are not elect and saith these latter receiue only the outward element doth hee not meane in any mans apprehension ALL these receiue only the outward element Then by the rule of opposition when he comes to speak to the other member of his Distinction and to say the Former viz the Elect receaue in the right vse of the Sacrament the INWARD GRACE can any reasonable Creature of the slendrest capacity beyond a child take him to meane lesse then ALL the Elect Yes you will say they may and ought to take him to meane lesse for himselfe saith expresly not that hereby wee tie the Maiestie of God to any time or meanes whose spirit bloweth when and where hee listeth on SOME BEFORE on SOME AFTER Well And what followes hence but only this that howeuer God hath set downe this to be the ordinary course which hee ties Vs vnto yet it is not to be denied but that hee can and sometimes doth extraordinarily bestow his spirit at other times Now this makes nothing against me for I neuer said that All ABSOLVTLY but All ORDINARILY doe receiue the Spirit in Baptisme And so much this Author must yeeld mee out of his owne words For hee that saith that the Elect doe receiue the inward Grace and that God ordinarily doth accompany the Sacrament with his Grace although he put a correction of his words for the explication of himselfe that hee speakes not this as laying an absolute tye vpon God he can bee no otherwise vnderstood then thus viz. that in some extraordinary and speciall cases it may bee and is otherwise To what end else should he add the word ORDINARY It is true that God is not absolutly tied to times and meanes and what euer he doth he doth it most freely but yet when God hath set vp a standing Ordinance in his Church and made such a promise of the presence and bestowing of his grace as may giue his people ground to expect it and hath bound them to send out the Prayer of FAITH for it hee that shall say that God hath not tyed and engaged himselfe ORDINARILY to giue the Grace promised or that to beleeue this is to tye God where he hath not tied himselfe speaks not like a Divine but makes God a Lier But the Author hath expressed himselfe that it is but sometimes and in some speciall cases wherein the Elect receiue the Spirit in Baptisme Then he contradicts himselfe when hee saith that God ORDINARILY accompanies it with his Grace I tooke not vpon me
to quote what he speakes either in private or publique but what he hath written vpon Tit. 3.5 where he saith this is done ORDINARILY Well but when all is done this Author doth not positiuely determine the point but onely speake what in charity may probably be coniectured for he saith We want wherewith to drawe certainty of resolution It is true Hee saith so indeed but what then are those collections out of the SCRIPTVRES and EXPOSITORS hee after talkes of They are but probable coniectures you will say True yet he saith that what he here deliuereth is MOST PROBABLE I looke for no more for what could he say more that is not divinely inspired with an infallible spirit which no man takes this Author to be Yet hee saith enough afterwards to make the last words a plaine contradiction to the first if he would be taken in this sense viz that he speakes only coniecturally and professes that if any should aske him whether any elect infant doe receiue the spirit in Baptisme hee would answere that hee cannot tell For mark hee that saith first that this is not certaine whether elect infants receiue the inward grace in Baptisme or not yet afterwards saith that they doe receiue it that by virtue of HIS PROMISE wee may expect it and here we MAY and OVGHT send out the PRAYER of FAITH for it what doth he but contradict himselfe Will not a PROMISE where the promise is to bee found lies vpon the Author to shew if any man doubt thereof will not the Prayer of Faith which wee OVGHT to put vp to God make this thing certaine Againe if the thing be yet vncertaine why doth hee collect such a certaine vse of comfort from this very discourse of his For afterwards making vse of the point he saith pag. 647. What a comfort 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 the Sacrament wherein a Parent ought more to reioice then if hee could make it heyre of the world And doe I yet mistake this Author Or rather are not they Incendiaries Who haue bruited it abroad endeavoring to set him and me at oddes if it were possible Yea doe they not by such reports as daily fly vp downe of the contrariety of his iudgement to this point doe what in them lies to endamage him more then either he I hope will deserue or then those Boutifeu's will bee able euer to recompence againe vnto him if notice should bee taken thereof by some that watch for our halting and make a man a transgressor for a word Thus haue I cleared both my Author quitted my selfe of the vniust imputation of doing him wrong His iudgment thus according with mine will I hope somewhat allay their heat and fury who for this point accuse both mee of Arminianisme and our Church of Popery Obiect 2 2 It is obiected further Our Leiturgie is to be vnderstood to speake thus in the judgment of charity only and not as binding vs to beleeue infants to be so regenerated indeed Ans It is true our Church doth indeed teach vs to hope well of every infant that shee admits to baptisme and in charity to beleeue it is indeed regenerated because for ought any man knowes touching any particular infant it is elected yet bindes vs not absolutely to beleeue it de fide of all infants collectiuely taken because it is certaine that all are not elected But the judgment of charity must haue a certaine foundation to build vpon else it is not the iudgment of charity but foolish and sinfull credulity void of all iudgment For vnlesse such a thing bee true indeed of some infants yea ordinarily of all that belong to Gods election I am not bound to beleeue it of euery one in the ordinary course of divine dispensation nay I am bound not to beleeue it no not so much as in charity For charity beleeues nothing but things possible and probable yea more probable then the contrary and things sometimes certainely true of some particulars of the same kinde No charity could bind mee to beleeue Peter to be a reasonable creature if it were not certaine to me that some men that all men were such I am not tyed to beleeue this Professor to be an honest man no not by the bonds of charity if it were certaine to mee that no Professor is an honest man I were not bound in the iudgment of charity to beleeue that any of those stragling Athenian Hearers that in such multitudes flockt about me while I preached this point more then at other times did come for any other end then either to beare some new thing meerly out of curiosity or to catch carp to wrest my words to run away with wilful mistakes to censure and iudge to hope to see me foyled and shamed because forsooth I deliuered that which they haue heretofore rashly and vnsoundly taught or vnprofitably learned and because I will not conceale a truth which might convince them of error c. vnlesse it were either certainly knowne vnto me or vpon certaine ground to be presumed that some yea that many are better affected and more humbly and devoutly minded There must be a certainty in the Thesis else no iudgment of charity bindes a man to beleeue any thing in the Hypothesis Nor is it charity but folly that I should beleeue Peter receiues the spirit in Baptisme if hee that bids me beleeue it of him will not warrant me to beleeue it as a thing certaine of any at all And it were a very vncharitable speech to say that our Church meant to stretch my charity to beleeue impossibilities or improbabilities or that which is neuer yea not ordinarily certainely done Therefore when the Church when it teacheth me to beleeue in charity that this and that and t'other infant receiue the spirit for initiall regeneration in Baptisme teacheth and requireth me vpon this ground that for ought I know of those particulars they are elected to beleeue her meaning to be this that there are some yea that all elect infants doe ordinarily receiue the spirit of regeneration in Baptisme from the hand of Christ truly and indeed 3 Lastly it is obiected The Leiturgy of our Church is not the Publique Doctrine of our Obiect 3 Church therefore it followes not that this is the Doctrine of our Church because found in the Leiturgy thereof Answ I grant that the Leiturgie is not formally the Doctrine of our Church no more then the superstructure is formally the foundation Howbeit the Leiturgy is founded vpon the Doctrine and the Doctrine vpon the Scriptures as shall anon appeare If the Church teach mee such a prayer it is because it presupposeth the Doctrine to allow it else the prayer were without Ground The prayers of the Church are not intended principally for doctrinall instruction but yet they take this
for graunted that the doctrine is correspondent and warranteth such prayers else were they but blind deuotions Notwithstanding to put the matter out of all doubt and to driue the naile to the head let me in the next place shew what is the formall Doctrine of our Church in this point And here I must giue you the substance and force of my proofe in another Sylogisme Syllogis 2. Maior That which the Publique Catechisme conteyned in our booke of Common prayer and which the Articles of Religion concluded in 1562. teach is to be acknowledged for the Doctrine of our Church Minor But both our Catechisme and those Articles doe teach thus much Conclus Therefore this Position is agreeable to the Doctrine of our Church There will be no Question of the Maior by any vnderstanding man therefore the Minor only requires proofe This is proued by the parts thus 1 For the Catechisme The Answere to the Second Question teacheth euery child to professe this viz. that in Baptisme hee was made a member of Christ the child of God and an inheriter of the Kingdome of heauen But no man can be made such without the spirit of Christ to initiate him into Christ for by one spirit are we all baptized into one body 1. Cor. 12 13. yea it cannot be that infants should be truly members of the Church of Christ vnlesse they were endowed with the Spirit saith Peter Martir a Ecclesiae partes verè esse non possunt nisi spiritu Christi ornati Loc. Com. clas 4. cap 8. Sect. 15. Therefore euery elect infant receiues in his Baptisme ordinarily the spirit to initiate him according to the Doctrine of our Catechisme 2 Touching the Articles of Religion I alledge only the 27 Art which is this Baptisme is not only a signe of profession and marke of difference whereby Christian men are distinguished from others that be not Christned but it is also a signe of regeneration or new birth whereby as by an instrument they that receiue baptisme rightly are grafted into the Church the promises of the forgiuenesse of sinne and of our adoption to be the sonnes of God BY THE HOLY CHOST c. In which words wee are to obserue three things especially 1 what Baptisme doth outWardly It doth visibly signe and seale regeneration and is not only a bare signe of profession c. 2 What inwardly Tbey that receiue it rightly are grafted into the Church the promises of the forgiuenesse of sinne and of adoption to be the sonnnes of God by THE HOLY GHOST 3 who they are that are partakers of this inward grace they that receiue it rightly and this the Article deliuers indefinitely which in common construction of Logick must be vnderstood as excluding none in the ordinary course An indefinit Proposition in a matter necessary is equivalent to an Vniversall So then we are now come home to the very head of the point viz that All elect infants by the Doctrine of our Church are ordinarily partakers of the spirit in baptisme for they that receiue it rightly all that so receiue it are partakers of the Spirit Obiect But soft and faire the article saith not all elect Infants but they that receiue it rightly Answ Answ The Article in those words speakes the same thing for substance that I now contend for as may appeare by shewing what it meanes by receiuing rightly To receiue Baptisme rightly imports two things viz. 1 That Baptisme be for matter and forme the same that Christ appointed namely that the Baptized party be dipped in or sprinkled with water in the name of the Father and of the sonne and Holy Chost with all due reuerence for the manner also 2 That the Person to be baptized be sufficiently qualified to giue him right to baptisme viz. that he be within the covenant of Grace at least so farre forth as the Church can iudge of him Else he doth but vsurpe the Ordinance for what hath he to doe with the seale of the Couenant if he be not comprised in the Couenant Now then to qualify an infant it is sufficient that he be within the Couenant If he be borne of Christian parents hee is so farre forth to be held within the couenant that the Church ought to admit him to baptisme if he be presented to it But yet we say not that he is instantly or at all partaker of the inward grace of baptisme vnlesse he be truly in the couenant of Grace and vnder election Howbeit supposing him to be such an one we say that this is enough to make him capable of the Spirit and to receiue the Sacrament of Baptisme rightly For more then this is not required at his hands by the consent of all iudicious Diuines that vnderstand what they say or whereof they affirme And it is a blind conceit of Anabaptists to say that no infants are capable of the inward Grace of baptisme vnlesse they haue actuall faith and doe actually beleeue But least any should take offence if I bring not proofe of what I say I will produce a few of many Divines that plainely affirme that it is not required of infants that they haue actuall faith to make them capable of the inward grace of Baptisme that notwithstanding they want that faith they may and doe partake of the inward grace by the spirit For this purpose I propound vnto you 1 Peter Martir Jn Jnfants saith he who by reason of their tender yeares cannot beleeue the holy Ghost supplies the roome of faith And the effusion of the Holy Ghost is promised in Baptisme as the Apostle expressely writes to Titus who saued vs by the Lauer of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost which he shed abroad on vs aboundantly b Infantibus autem qui adhuc per aetatem credere non possunt spiritus sanctus in eorum cordibus fidei vices gerit Effusio quoque spiritus sancti promittitur in baptismo vâ— in epist ad Titum diserte scrìbitur qui saluos nosfecit c. Loc. Com. class 4. â— 8. sect 2. 2 Zanchius vpon those words in Ephes 5.26 washing it with water through the word thus writeth On the behalfe of the receiuer if he be of yeares faith is required but this faith is not here expressed because the Apostle speakes of baptisme wherein infants although destitute of actuall faith are grafted into the body of the Church c Ex parte accipientis si advltus sit requiritur fides c. Sed hec fides hoc in loco non exprimitur quia de baptismo quo etiam parvuli licet actuali fide destituti in corpus Ecclesiae inseruntur verba facit Apostolus dicendo muâ—dans eam lavacro aquae in Ephes 5. Externa media sunt verbum aqua per ministrum Christi administrata medium autem â—fficax ex parte tuâ—s qui mundatur est fides vt in advito vel saltem spiritus fidei vt in pueris spiritus enim ipse applicat
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
Iustification Regeneration to be conferred in baptisme h Lib. 5. de Sacram cap. 4. par 8 9. 10. yet in some places seemes to deny either Iustification or Sanctification to be giuen to any till they come to age and beleeue i Lib. 2. de Sacram cap. 7. par 24. 25. Howbeit the cleare expression of his meaning purgeth him from the guilt of contradictioÌ„ preserueth his Reader from stumbling and mistaking For in one place for all he shewes what hee meanes by that sanctification and Iustification proper vnto such as are of yeares that in the moment of baptisme of infants is not conferred viz 1. Not any iustification or sanctification at all by any physicall efficacy in the externall Sacrament either in or after the administratioÌ„ of it 2. Neither the sense of iustification nor yet sanctification as it imports an actuall change By the former he meanes that by which actually a man applies that iustification vnto himselfe which is properly not in vs but in God which sense can bee in none but such as are of yeares by sanctification hee vnderstands an actuall change both of the vnderstanding and will from falsehood to truth from evill to good k Apello autem iustificationis sensum cum per quem actu nobis applicatur iustificatio illa quae propriè est extra nos in Deo qui sensus non est nisi in adultis iudicio vtentibus Sanctificationem verò notum est significare actualem immutationem tum intellectus tum voluntatis à falso in verum à malo in bonum Cham. ibid. lib. 2. cap. 7. par 12. This is that which he denies to bee ordinarily communicated to Infants So did Calvine and so doe I * Fatemur ergo baptismum pro cotempore id est ante fidem non profuisse nobis hilum quando in eo nobis oblata promissio siue qua baptismus nihil est neglecta iacebat Instit lib. 4 cap. 15. sect 17. And in Sect. 15. of the same Chapter Ex hoc Sacramento quemadmodum ex aliis omnibus nihil assequimur nisi quantum fide accipimus All this he speakes of actuall application and sensible evidence on the part of the receaver or else he must needs be held a contradictor of himselfe in all the sixteene Chapters But least any should imagine that I cunningly play the Lapwing in carrying away my Reader from the Obiection made against me out of Calvine with telling him a faire tale out of Chameir I will returne to Calvine againe and make good what exposition I formerly gaue of such passages as may be vrged against me out of Calvine or others and that by Calvine himselfe This learned man hauing largely confuted the blind error of the Anabaptists that furiously deny the baptisme of Infants shewes also that how ever he admit of some present efficacy of Baptisme even in and vpon them his meaning is not that they doe ordinarily partake of actuall Regeneration in that Ordinance vnlesse they bee such as die in their infancy For thus hee explicates himselfe in this particular Whom God vouchsafeth to elect if after they haue receaued the Sacrament of Baptisme they dye before they come to yeares them he doth renew by the power of his spirit by vs incomprehensible as it seemeth best vnto himselfe But if they liue to yeares of discretion whereby they may be instructed touching the truth of their Baptisme they are then thereby the more provoked to the study of newnesse of life the impression whereof they then come to learne that they were endowed with from their very infancy whereby they ought more seriously to meditate vpon the same all the daies of their life And hither is to be referred that which Paul teacheth touching our burial with Christ by baptisme in those two places Rom 6.4 Col. 2.12 For there the Apostle meant not to shew that it is necessary for him that is to bee baptized to be thus buried with Christ before hand but what simply baptisme doth effect in and vpon them that are now baptized l Quos electione sua dignatus est dominus si accepto regenerationis signo pâ—aesenti vita ante demigrent quam adoleverint eos virtute sui spiritus nobis incomprehensa renovat quomodo expedire solus ipse providet Si grandescere in aetatem contingat quâ baptismi veritatem edoceri queant hinc magis ad renova ion is studium accendentur cuius tessera se a prima statim infantia donatos esse discent quo eam toto vitae decursis meditarentur Eodem referatur quod duobis locis Paulus docet nos Christo per baptismum consepeliri Rom 6 4. Col 2.12 nam eo non intelligit consepultum Christo iam prius eam esse oportere qui baptismo sit initiandus sed quae baptismo subest doctrina simpliciter declarat idque iam baptizatis Instit lib. 4 cap. 16. sect 21. If any shall quarrell the translation of the word tessera which is rendred properly enough let them knowe that Calvine meant more by it then only an outward badge or signe as appeares by what he had spoken in the very next Sectiâ—n before viz. Baptizari in futuram paenitentiam fidem infantes dicit quae etsi nondum formatae sunt arcana tamen spiritus operatione vtriusque semen in illis latet In English thus They viz Infants bee baptized vnto future repentance and faith which graces although they be not yet formed yet by the secret operation of the spirit the seed of them both lies hid within them So in cap. 15.1 Proinde quibus visum est baptismum non aliud esse quam tesseram ac notam qua religionem nostram apud homines profitemur quo modo Imperatoris sui insignia praeferunt milites in suae professionis notam ij quod primum erat in baptismo non perpenderunt By this all men may perceiue that howeuer he affirmes that the vigor life of this Sacrament cannot bee sensibly applied on the part of the Receauer by any but by persons of yeares that haue actuall faith yet hee admits of some initiall work of the spirit euen vpon infants if they belong to the election of grace The like may bee said of all other moderne Divines that require actuall faith for the application of the inward grace of baptisme on the part of the Receauer Thus much be spoken to this so often iterated obiection by which so many doe thinke to strip mee at once of all those Testimonies of Calvine or others whom I haue produced And so much also of the Maior Proposition of my present syllogisme The Minor Proposition was this Jt is the spirit that thus incorporateth vs into Christ This is evident in the expresse words of St Paul For by one spirit are we all baptised into one body 1. Cor. 12.13 Vpon which words the learned Morton thus writes Why doth not the Apostle say simply
that by one spirit wee are made one spirituall body but rather thus we are baptised into one body certainely that hee might shew that a man is then incorporated into the Church in the beginning of his conversion and regeneration at what time Christ communicating his spirit vnto him makes him a member of the invisible Church as the Minister in the administration of baptisme doth admit and ingraffe him into the body of the Church visible m Quare non simp iciter dicit per vnum spiritum simus vnuÌ„ spirituale corpus sed potius baptizamur in vnum corpus Certè vt ostenderet hominem in Ecclesiam incorporari in initio conversionis regenerationis suae quo tempore Christus spiritum suum communicans eum invisibilis Ecclesiae membrum facit vt Minister baptismi administratione eum in visibilis Ecclesiae corpus admittit inserit Morton in locum If it bee answered that all this may bee granted and yet the maine point still denied because the spirit may be giuen to the elect not at the moment of baptisme but at their effectuall calling by the Word I reply then betweene the time of Baptisme and effectuall calling outwardly by the word baptisme is but a bare signe to such as liue to yeares But this is confessed by all sound Divines to be a meere fancy derogatory to Christs Institution and is condemned in the Sacramentarians This Marlorat vpon Ephes 5.26 well saw and therefore saith that therefore the Apostle teacheth that in Baptisme we are washed because there God doth both testifie our ablation and also effect what hee represents For vnlesse the truth of the thing were ioined with the outward signe it were improper to call Baptisme the Laver of the soule n Quod baptismo nos ablui docet Apostolus ideo â—st quod illic ablutionem nostram testatur Deum simul efficit quod figurat Nisi enim coniuncta esset rei veritas exhibitio impropria haec esse locutio Baptismus est Lavacrum animae Marlor in Eph. 5. And in that very place saith Calvine Paul comprehends the whole church of Christ no lesse then where hee saith in another place o 1. Cor. 12.13 that by baptisme wee are ingraffed into the body of Christ so as from both wee collect that infants whom Christ reckons among the rest of his members are to be baptized least they should bee torne from his body p Vniversam enim Ecclesiam complectitur Paulus vbi dicit mundatam lavacro aquae Nihilo secius ex eo quod alibi dicit nos in Christi corpus per Baptismum esse insertos colligimus infantes quos meÌ„bris suis annumerat baptizandos esse ne à suo corpore divedantur Ins t. lib. 4. cap. 16 Sect. 22. If yet they answere that this followes not by their doctrine viz that baptisme is a bare signe because they grant it to bee also a seale of after Grace I reioyne this helpes not vnlesse they grant as Calvine freely doth some principle and seed of grace bestowed ordinarily in Baptisme because by their opinion it is a seale of some thing absent that is to be expected in reversion only They deny all present exhibition and collation of any grace in the moment of Baptisme by virtue of Christs institution and so they doe not make it a signe signifying but rather prognosticating only some future effect which is a new kind of Divinity that so farre as I am able to iudge destroyes the nature of a Sacrament by denying to it both the cheefe part of it viz the inward grace thereby signified and together with the signe exhibited and conferred on those that truly and indeed be within the couenant as also the vigor and efficacy of the word of institution which makes the vnion betweene the signe and the thing signified lastly this spoiles elect infants of the inward seale to wit the spirit of Christ which incorporates them into Christ as members of his body Were not such possessed with too much prejudice they would not so easily leap ouer all these materiall arguments but bee more sober in their censures and wary in their doctrines I deny not future efficacy of baptisme after the act of administration but I onely plead for some efficacy of it when it is administred In a word I will conclude this matter in the very termes of Calvine before alleaged Infants are baptized vnto future repentance and faith which graces although they bee not yet formed in them yet by the secret operation of the spirit the seeds of them both ly hid within them q Ibid vt supra Inst lib. 4. cap. 16. Sect. 20. I see me thinkes some ready to wrangle further and to obiect Obiect to me after this manner Some places haue beene alleadged indeed to proue that in baptisme the spirit is giuen to the faithfull but yet wee heare not of one text that saith directly and expreslly that elect infants doe then receiue the spirit To this I answere That when any of you will shew me any expresse text of scripture that in direct termes mentions the baptizing of infants I will also shew you an expresse Text to proue their reception of the spirit in Baptisme But if you cannot doe the one nor is it much materiall so long as there is such solid ground in the scriptures and such vndoubted arguments may be thence drawne to proue the lawfulnesse and necessary vse of Paedobaptisme what equity is it to require of me the other How is it possible to shew an expresse text prouing that infants doe receaue the spirit in Baptisme when no text is found that mentions their baptisme If in the iudgement of all the Churches of Christ it be sufficient as indeed it is to confute all the Anabaptists in the world that infants are within the couenant therefore ought not to be debarred of the seale of it no more then infants of old were debarred of Circumcision by reason of their inability and incapacity to vnderstand that mistery that to them belongs the kingdome of heauen and therefore the admittance into it must be yeelded them that they are a part of Christs Church yea of his body lastly that although they haue not actuall faith yet they haue the spirit of faith to apply vnto them the grace of baptisme if God so please and therefore in all these respects they may be baptized notwithstanding that no Text of scripture enioyne it in so many words Then this also ought to satisfie all ingenuous and moderate men that by like sound and necessary consequences I haue from the scriptures made good this point in hand The places alleadged I haue seriously weighed and found them all cleare for the proofe of my conclusion Nor haue I beene mine owne iudge or expounded them out of mine own head but taken such expositions as the most Learned Iudicious Reuerend and eminent Diuines of this last age as well as
others of lesse note had set vpon them long before I medled with them least any man should say that I take vpon me to coine expositions of mine owne that might looke fauourably vpon that which is taken to be mine owne cause One thing more remaines that in a word must be dispatched There are some I know will like well enough the allegations of Scripture brought to proue that the Elect that all the elect doe receiue the spirit in Baptisme but with all they finde fault at the restraining of those scriptures to the Elect only for they will haue it thus that the scriptures are cleare to proue that all that are baptized doe receiue the spirit in Baptisme as well as the Elect. To this I breefly say thus much The scriptures doe not warrant any such extent of baptismall grace but plainly teach the contrary For What doe these men make of that place in Rom. 8.30 Whom be did predestinate them he also called and whom he called them he also iustified and whom he iustified them he also glorified The Apostle restraines iustification and effectuall calling to those that are predestinated to what to Grace only No to glory saith the Text expresly The ground of these mens mistake is this that they thinke the efficacy of baptisme depends so certainly and vniuersally vpon the Jnstitution that where there is no wilfull actuall opposition in the party baptized he cannot misse of the effect to wit the spirit of grace But they must know that howeuer by vertue of the institution we may assure our selues that the elect partake of the inward grace yet it is not the institution alone but Gods * See afterwards in cap. 6. 7 the iudgments of Caluine Iunius Dr Iewel and Dr Whitaker preordinatioÌ„ of them vnto grace and glory that makes the sacrament effectuall vpon them and not vpon others Wee admit the word in its kinde to haue efficacy to beget faith as an instrument in the hand of the spirit yet it begetts not faith in all Why Because they doe resist That may be true but why doth it worke faith in others Cheifly because they are elected vnto eternall life so saith the scripture as many as were ordained to eternall life beleeued r Act. 13.48 Doth S. Luke in that place thinke wee meane other then this that they and only they that were elected did beleeue Lastly doe but consider one plaine place more it is in Gal. 4.6 Because ye are sonnes God hath sent forth the spirit of his sonne into your hearts crying Abba Father He doth not say because they had receiued the sacrament of Baptisme which yet they had done nor yet because they did beleeue which no doubt many of them did but because ye are sonnes now this sonship depended not vpon the sacrament or any ordinance of Christ no nor yet vpon their faith inward grace but vpon the eternall decree of Gods free Election Ephes 1.4.5 So much of â—â—e Proofe of this point by the Holy Scriptuâ— CAP. 5. The iudgment of the Fathers in this point I Am now come to the third part of my taske which is to proue that this hath beene the iudgement and Doctrine of the cheife and best approued Fathers of the Primitiue Church In this I will enforce my selfe to all possible breuity contenting my selfe with a few instances least the worke grow too large and tedious to the reader And that I may be as good as my word I will mention only such as liued within the first 500 yeares after Christ because they that came after may be liable to chalenge 1 Then Cyprian to begin with Cyprian that eminent Doctor and famous Martyr who is stiled by Gregory Nazianzen the cheife and most approued Pastor of his time and the principall light so as not only the Churches of Carthage and Affrick but throughout the whole Christian world his fame and admiration did spread it selfe a Greg. Naz. in laudem Cyprian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Pastorum optimus probatissimus c. Hee in his epistle ad Pompaeium De Haeret baptizandis giues this for a reason why such as were baptized by Hereticks cast out of the Church were to be rebaptized viz because there is noe presence of the spirit among such as are not of the Church of Christ and therefore their baptisme is not sufficient His words are these Wherefore saith he let them grant that either the spirit is present where they say true baptisme is or that it is no true baptisme where the spirit is not because baptisme cannot be without the spirit b Quare aut spiritum esse concedâ—m illic vbi baptisma esse dicunt aut nec baptisma esse vbi spir tus non est quia baptisma esse sine spiritu non potest It is true that out of his zeale against Hereticks of that time who grosly erred in maine Fundamentalls he was ouer vehement against baptisme administred by such as the Church had then eiected out of her society because he thence inferred a necessity of rebaptization of all such as were so baptized by such Hereticks yet the allegation reacheth home to our present purpose in that this shewes his iudgment to be clearely for this truth that the spirit is ordinarily communicated in Baptisme Hence he afterwards inferrs in the same Epistle The natiuity of Christians is in their baptisme c Natiuitas Christi noâ—um in baptismo est And to make it euident that hee vnderstood this to be the ordinary effect of baptisme euen vpon Infants he elsewhere declares himselfe expressely For in his epistle ad Fidum de Infant Baptiz he vseth this as an Argument prouing the lawfulnesse of baptizing of infants that the spirit refuseth not to communicate himselfe euen to them The Holy scripture saith he declares that diuine grace is dispenced vnto all as well infants as others which was shadowed out in Elisha's stretching of himselfe vpon an infant insensible of the Good which the Prophet did vnto him d Esse denique apud omnes siue infantes siue maiores natu vnam diuini muneris aequalitatem declarat nobis scripturae diuinae fides cum Helisaeus super infantem viduae filium qui mortuus iacebat ita se Deum deprecans superstrauit vt capiti caput faciei facies adplicaretur supersusi Helisaei membra singulis parvuli membris pedes pedibus iungerentur By which it is manifest that had not Cyprian beleeued that the spirit communicats himselfe to infants in their baptisme he would scarce haue allowed them to be baptized for asmuch as this is the cheife ground that he builds vpon to iustifie their admittance vnto the same If any shall except against what is vrged out of this last epistle as being no other then an Heterodox opinion Goulartius will defend it if it be restrained to the Elect and Chameir iustifies Goulartius in that assertion e Et
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
on the contrary we knowe that the effect of Baptisme which is performed immediatly by God himselfe sometimes goes before the very celebration of baptisme therefore wee say that either then there is some effect in truth and indeed when the Sacrament is administred or else there will never follow after any at all that is then our sinnes are truly remitted and our adoption made sure to vs but all this morally and not by vertue of any inherent force in the outward signes to convey those graces naturally to the receiuer by vertue of the outward act performed in such manner as the vertue that is in a potion conveies it selfe necessarily to the expelling of corrupt humors out of that body into which it is receiued This Physicall efficacy as they terme it is a thing which both hee and all sound diuines doe professedly disclaime To make an end with this Author He allowes an efficacy we see expounds himself to mean only a morall efficacy this morall efficacy he affirmes to be found not in all yet in all the elect as he also presently after declareth himselfe x Quid ergo nimirum benè diximus effecta sacramentorum non aliter expectanda quam ex institutione extra quam externa signorum administratio vim nullam habet Hoc modo sacramenta ipsa valent per se plurimum id est etiamsi nulla adsit actu presens fides vt in infantibus saltem electis De sacram lib. 2. c. 6. par 40. Wee rightly say saith he that the effects of the sacraments are to be expected only from their institution without which the externall administration of the outward signes hath in it no force at all But in this respect viz. of the institution the sacraments of themselues availe very much that is although no actuall faith be present to the receiuer as for example in infants at least in those that are elect Thus much of the iudgment of Caluine and Chameir the glory of France and indeed of all Christendome I will be very breefe in the rest Our next witnesse shall be that great and profund diuine whom Caluine stiles a most potent man in the Scriptures Martin Bucer who treating of the efficacy of baptisme plainely avoucheth that y Nec emim seruat Baptisma adultos nisi credentes salus quidem baptismate offertur omnibus recipiunt autem illam adulti non nisi per fidem infantes per arcanam spiritus sancti operationem qua ad vitam aeternam sanctificantur Ex bis iam omnibus locis clare perspicimus baptisma commendari nobis vt instrumentum divinae misericordiae quo deus non sua sed nostra causa dignatur vti vt quo electis suis quibus ipse haec sua destinauit dona conferat vsus suorum ad id ministerio quod eis praescripsit peccatorum salutarem paenitentiam certamque ablutionem remissionem mortem sepulâ—uram purgationem spem certam resurrectionis in Christum incorporationem eius induitionem i salâ—ificam communionem regenerationem innovationemque spiritus Nec minus efficax est horum omnium donorum Dei instrumentum baptisma electis Dei quos eo statuit Dominus regignere quam est vllum remedium quantumvis efficax ex natura vt dicitur ad conferendam sanitatem corpori ad suscipiendum hunc effectum maxime parato accommodato Ex dei enim verbo pendet effectus vtriusque rei Imo multo certius pâ—rcipiunt electi Dei enumerata Dei beneficia per baptisma quam corpora humana sanitatem suam per illa quae vocantur romedia naturalia Bucer De vi effic Bapt. in clas inter scripta anglica Baptisme saues none of yeares but beleeuers Saluation indeed is offered in baptisme vnto all but those of yeares receiue it not but by faith and infants by the secret operation of the holy Ghost by which they are also sanctified vnto externall life Then for a Conclusion of all that he had said collected from many scriptures cited to this purpose he thus shuts vp the whole matter From all these places we now clearely perceiue baptisme to be commended vnto vs as an instrument of diuine mercy which God vouchsafeth meerely for our sakes to vse whereby he might conferre vpon his elect by the ministry of his seruants all these gifts sauing repentance certaine ablution and purgation of our soules vndoubted hope of the resurrection incorporation vnto Christ putting on of Christ that is the sauing communion regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost Nor is this instrument of baptisme lesse effectuall vnto all these vses in the elect whom God hath resolued to regenerate than is any remedy how effectuall soeuer by a naturall energy to giue health to a body that is most capable of such remedy when it is applied thereunto For on Gods word the effect of each thing depends Yea much more certainely doe the elect of God partake of all the forementioned benefits by baptisme than humane bodies doe receiue health by naturall meanes applied Thus wee see Bucer to averre the efficacy of Baptisme not only to persons of yeares beleeuing but to infants also and this to be ordinarily in the baptisme of the Elect of all the eelct and only of the elect Peter Martir writing of the very same subiect and endeauouring to make good the solid doctrine of the Church touching the baptizing of infants affirmes that they are not vncapable of baptisme for want of actuall faith because the spirit in them supplies the roome of faith nor are they excluded from present efficacy of that ordinance because that vnto them as well as to the rest of the faithfull the holy Ghost is promised at that time His owne words are plaine and full enough therefore take the paines to read and marke them z Infantibus autem qui adhuc per aetatem credere non possunt spiritus sanctus in eorum cordibus fidei vices gerit Effusio quoque spiritus sancti premittitur in baptismo vt in Epist ad Tit. diserte scribitur qui salvos nos fecit c. Loc. Com clas 4. cap. 8. sect 2. Jn infants saith he who by reason of their tender yeares cannot beleeue the Holy Ghost supplies the roome of faith Also the effusion of the Holy Ghost is promised in baptisme as the Apostle expresly writes to Titus saying who saued vs by the lauer of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost which he shed abroad on vs aboundantly Afterwards in the same chapter he taking occasion to debate what efficacy in particular infants are partakers of in their baptisme modestly refuseth to determine it punctually and thus waueth the point a Iudico satis est vt statuantur quod seâ—uan di sunt eo quod per electionem praedestinationem ad pecultum Dei pertineant spiritu sancto profundi qui radix est fidei spei charitatis omnium virtutum quas postea exerit declarat cum per aetatem
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
of regeneration at al in baptisme 2 That the elect doe receiue a cleansing and washing from the guilt of original sinne so as if they dye in their infancy before their ACTVALL Regeneration and reall conuersion vnto God they shall be saued And all this he saith is done by the spirit Which is as much for mee as I can desire If my aduersaries haue no worse weapons to beat me withall I shall neuer complaine at their blowes because in page 89 he saith as I also euer said from the beginning viz. that all that are regenerated sacramentally are not necessarily and infallibly regenerated spiritually is cleare of this opinion pag. 90. Although the inward grace ordinarily accompany the outward signe and wee ought to beleeue by the iudgment of charity that all who are baptized are truly regenerate yet indicio veritais as Iunius distinguisheth that is by the iudgment of precise and infallible truth all are not so as the Fathers speake roundly plainly In which words we see first a concession of that wee contend for viz that the inward grace ordinarily accompanieth the outward signe Secondly that yet this is not alwaies for it is not done at all in the baptisme of some But who are those some They that are not elected for he denyes it of all that fall away and perish as the maine substance and drift of that discourse declares Thus you see that many English Diuines of best note speake clearely and fully to this point as well as I that alone am singled out and worried by passionate and heady men CAP. 9. 6 Obiections against the maine position answered I Haue at length gotten through all those particulars propounded in the end of the Second chapter of this Treatise and I hope made it euident to Iudicious and impartiall readers that in the iudgment of our Church according to the scriptures as they haue beene vnderstood by the Ancient Fathers by the present Churches of Christ beyond the seas and by particular Divines of cheifest note both forraine and domesticall All elect infants doe ordinarily receiue from Christ in Baptisme the spirit of regeneration as the soule and first principle of spirituall life for the first solemne initiation into Christ and for their future actuall renouation in Gods good time I haue also giuen answers to all such obiections as might occasionally fall in against my aâ—guments brought for confirmation of the point Now it remaines that I adde Answers to all such Obiections as either haue beene made by others or conceiued by my selfe as likely to be vrged by others against the maine assertion it selfe which I haue laboured all this while to proue and make good by so many witnesses In the performance hereof I shall endeavour to deale as clearly and plainly as possibly I can although I thereby be constrained to vse more words then may be needfull or perhaps gratefull to more acute capacities that I may not be thought to darken my meaning on purpose in the foggs of needles termes of Art not generally vnderstood which might giue ordinary Readers cause to complaine of Obscurity or sophistry And vnto ordinary readers I must premise one aduertisement which others need not viz. That in this part they expect not further corroboration of the maine conclusion but only a manifestation of the impertinency and weaknesse of their arguments that obiect against it If I can in that which remaines make it appeare that nothing of all that hath beene or can be said against my position is able to ouerthrow it but that it is possible for the point to stand whole and vnbroken notwithstanding all their battery I haue don enough how weak so euer mine owne grounds on which I haue hitherto built may to those that proclaime mee a dreamer and a broacher of a grosse and pestilent error seeme to bee 1 Obiection Christians are regenerated by Obiect 1 the word Jam. 1.18 1 Pet. 1.23 therefore not by baptisme in their infancy Answ Answere The Antecedent Proposition is granted being vnderstood of actuall regeneration of persons of yeares as it importeth an actuall and through chang of the whole man vpon their effectuall vocation inwardly by the spirit and outwardly by the Word in ordinary course And of this only those places are to be expounded For the words are spoken only of the worke of the word in vpon aged persons called either from Iudaisme or Gentilisme by the preaching of the Gospell who as Lidia Act. 16.14 had their hearts opened by the spirit to vnderstand and receiue the things preached vnto them and so were begotten anew vnto God that is made new men in Christ to performe new obedience actually vnto God contrary to their former course in the state of corrupt nature In this actuall conuersion and renouation the spirit is the efficient cause and the word an instrument only that he pleaseth to make vse of not as if hee could not dispatch this worke without it but this is that which he hath sanctified and commanded vs to attend vpon so soone as wee are able by accession of yeares to vnderstand the vse of it for conuersion in the ordinary course thereof Now marke the weaknesse and imperfection of this argument S. Iames and S. Peter doe both of them affirme that the persons to whom they wrote being persons of yeares were actually renewed by the Word therefore it is false that elect infants doe receiue the spirit in baptisme for their initiation into Christ and as the soule and principle of after actuall renovation by the word This is all the strength that this obiection hath in it when they haue improued it to the vtmost And how weake this strength is who doth not see It doth not reach home so much as to touch much lesse to peirce the point in question For the Apostles speake of persons of yeares wee of Infants they of actuall renouation wee of initiall regeneration only They of such as are able to make vse of the word wee of such as are not capable of any speech Those places therefore doe well proue that which I deny not viz that * Let the reader obserue that Whereas I often vse this phrase my meaning is not at any time to vnderstand thereby any other thing then what in the stating of the question c. 2. I haue expressed viz. such a worke of the spirit as doth actually renew a man and makes him a new man in Christ by effectuall conuersion wherein he receiues the habits of all sauing graces by the spirit actuall regeneration in persons of yeares is vsually wrought by the word but they doe not restraine regeneration either to persons of yeares only or to this meanes only nor deny the spirit to be giuen to infants before they come to make vse of the word for their first ingraffing into Christ and as the first principle of the new Creature If any shall doubt whether I be right in expounding the places alleadged and suppose that
the words do not only affirme the Word to be the ordinary meanes of Regeneration but the only meanes also of regenerating all that are regenerated in any kinde or degree whatsoeuer let them be pleased to consult M. Calvine who interpret S. Peter that saith the same with S. Iames in the very same sense that I doe in his answere to the Anabaptists who were the first Fathers of this obiection and of all that follow against this point Thus Hee a Quâ—d câ—ntra obiâ—ctant spiritum in scripâ—uris nullam nâ—si ex incorruptibili seruine id est Dei verbo regenerationem agnoscâ—re perperam illam Petri sententiam interpretanâ—ur quâ fidâ—les modo comprehendit qui evangeliâ— praed catione edâ—cti fuerant Talâ—bus quâ—dem fâ—tentâ—â— verbum D miâ—i spiritualis esse reâ—â—nâ—râ—â—ionis â—emeâ— vâ—icum sed ex eo neâ—â—mâ—s câ—â—ligenguÌ„ nâ—n poâ—se â—ei virtute â—â—generari infâ—ntes quae illi tam â—â—ciâ—â—s prompta eâ—t â—â—â—n nobâ—s inâ—oâ—â—â—â—henâ—â— admâ—rabiâ—is Inst l. 4. cap. 16. Sect. 1â— Whereas they obiect that the spirit of God in the Scriptures doth acknowledge no regeneration at all but that which is by the incorruptible seed of the Word they do most absurdly interpret that place of Peter wherein the Apostle only comprehends such as had beene taught and instructed by the preaching of the Gospel Vnto such we confesse the word of God is the seed and the only seed of spiritual Regeneration but we deny that from thence may be gathered that God by his power cannot regenerate infants without it which to him is as easie and ordinary as it is to vs incomprehensible and admirable The like hee saith in the particular of faith in the very next Section as there more at large appeares Nor did this speech fall from him only once or vnadvisedly but it was the constant Answere he ever gaue to this obiection as himselfe professeth in his Answere to Servetus disputing touching the same subiect of the Baptisme of Infants as may be seene in the end of the same Chapter last cited For to Servetus obiecting that b Obijcit rursum Infâ—ntes nâ—n posse â—ovos homineâ— câ—nâ—eri quia non gignâ—ntur per sermonem Ego vere quod saepius iam dixi nunc quoque repeto ad nos regenerandos dâ—ctrinam semen esse incorâ—uptibiâ—e siquidâ—m ad eam percipiendâ sumus idonâ—i vbi verò nondum per aetatem nâ—bis inest dâ—cilitas Deum tenere suos regenerandi gradus Instit 4. ca. 16 sect 31. Infants cannot be thought new men because they be not regenerated by the Word Calvin makes this answere I haue said often and I now repeat it that the Word is the incorruptible seed of regeneration vnto vs provided that we be capable of it but where infancy makes vncapable of instruction by that meanes God doth retaine his course of working some degrees of regeneration without it If it be replyed Calvin speakes what may be and what in some extraordinary cases sometimes happens but not what is vsually done in the baptisme of the Elect I reioine That if Calvine meant only thus much his Answere could not satisfie the Anabaptists who therefore denie baptisme to infants because they are not then capable of regeneration and faith and hee on the contrary saith they be capable of some regeneration and therefore ought to be baptized If he meant not baptismall regeneration how can their possibility of regeneration be a warrant for baptisme seeing they haue or may haue that without baptisme Lastly if it were not ordinary with God to regenerate elect infants in baptisme his answere would fall short too For they might iustly reply that an ordinary practise of baptizing all infants is not to bee warranted from some extraordinary cases If you confesse that it is not ordinary that elect infants are regenerated in baptisme what reason haue you to tie all men to that wherein you cannot promise them the grace that is represented thereby and promised to all that vse it with vnderstanding and faith This and much more might be vnanswerable returned vpon Calvine by Servetus and his Clients if they had vnderstood him to deny Initiall Regeneration of elect infants to be ordinarily communicated to them in Baptisme I conclude therefore with iudicious Calvine However it be true which the Scriptures speake of the actuall regeneration of persons of yeares that they are regenerated by the Word yet Elect infants may be and are for ought appeares in either of the places of scripture obiected to the contrary partakers of Initiall Regeneration by the Spirit in their Baptisme and so this Obiection doth our Position no harme 2 Obiection But there is no such thing as Initiall Obiect 2 Regeneration distinct from Actuall as here is supposed Where ever the spirit is infused to regenerate he doth in the first instant actually regenerate therefore there being by your owne confession say they no actuall regeneration in any infant ordinarily at his baptisme there is then no regeneration at all this distinction of initial and actual regeneration being but a toy and a new device without warrant from the Scripture Answ â—â—sâ—ere If this Obiection containe a truth without equivocation I confesse the Posiâ—ion to be a toy indeed But there may ly some ambiguity in the termes of Initial and Actuall which being cleared the obiection may perhaps appeare as weake as they declare themselues rash and vncharitable who tooke vpon them to confute that distinctioÌ„ which they never vnderstood nor would ever vouchsafe so much as to heare explicated by my selfe either in publique or private Touching the distinction of Initial and Actual Regeneration I haue sufficiently declared before in my second Chapter in what sense I vse it I will therefore forbeare to repeat what there I haue written The Reader may view it at his pleasure If any man demande expresse Scriptures for the very termes he will soone declare of what Spirit he is But if by sufficient consequence the distinction be not clearely deduced thence he shall then haue cause to complaine Let him view the foundation on which it is built and afterwards tell me his minde if he remaine vnsatisfied In the meane time I shal only adde thus much that by Initial and Actuall Regeneration I doe not meane to insinuate two severall kindes of spirituall life for which I acknowledge there is no footing in Scripture but I vnderstand only two distinct considerations in respect of the degrees of spirituall life in the same subiect which the places of Scripture before alleadged in Chapt. 2. doe sufficiently warrant For by life in Scripture is sometimes meant the soule infused as the principle of life sometimes the very actuall being and enliuening of the subiect by that soule making it actually to produce the actions of life Hence I distinguish of life into Initiall and Actuall Not as if the Spirit were not actually communicated or did not actually worke or actually beginne from the very
first instant to dispose and prepare the soule to future actuall newnesse of life by infusing some potentiall and seminall grace but my meaning is that the Spirit doth not at that time ordinarily so plenarily change renew the whole man as to worke in him either actuall faith hope or loue c or so much as the habits of these or other particular graces for the present as afterward he doth Something the spirit doth from his first entrance toward actual regeneration therefore we cal that first worke Initiall thereby vnderstanding the first disposition to or degree of actuall regeneration But for as much as that first worke doth not for ought we know extend to a present actuall change of the whole man in the same manner and degree that afterwards is wrought in him at his effectuall calling therefore we call that latter worke Actuall Regeneration This ought not to seeme strange to any for iust so is it in the course of nature * Ipse Deus scil itaque animae â—umanae mentem dedit vbi ratio intellgentia in infante sopita est quodammodo quasi nulla sit excitandâ— sâ—ilicet atque exercendâ— aetatis accessu qua sit scientiae capax atque doct inâ—e habilis perceptioni veritatis amoris boni August de Civit. Dei lib. 22. c 24. To the same purpose also he wâ—â—te h lib 2 â— Peccat 〈…〉 25 aliâ—i So soone as the reasonable soule is infused there is in some sense not every way in respect of degrees a rationall life But how The soule is there and in that soule are included all the principles of reason but the soule doth not send forth those principles vnto action vnlesse in some insensible manner by little and little preparing the infant vnto humane actions till afterwards that the senses beginne to act Before that time the reasonable life cannot wholly be denied to be in an infant because the soule rationall is actually in his body yet forasmuch as the infant hath not at that time the actuall vse of reason for this cause we call the further perfection of his naturall principles by tract of time attained when reason puts it selfe into act actuall rationall life and wee terme the same life in respect of the first degree and principles thereof which together with the reasonable soule in the first infusion thereof it receiued Initiall life This is no more in substance then what wee haue learned from S. Augustine Calvine Peter Martyr Iunius Daneus Dr Whitaker Zanchius and sundry others whose iudgments haue beene at large set downe in this treatise in sundry places vpon sundry occasions And shall any man thinke it nothing in a magisteriall humor to traÌ„ple so many worthies vnder his feete at once as if he were wiser than all others if it be only the termes that displease him because perhaps the same are not found in any of these Authors he shall but shew himselfe a caueller to quarrell them vnlesse hee can shew that the termes are vsed to signify that which in substance these Authors doe not allow and teach Breefly then this Obiection is grounded vpon a false information and supposition for it supposeth mee to vse the termes of Initiall and actuall regeneration as intending thereby to teach that there be two distinct species or kinds of regeneration whereas my meaning is only to speake of the same spirituall life in two distinct considerations in respect of degrees And so the Obiection fights with a shadow and not with me But it will be replyed that in Regeneration there be no degrees but that it is performed and dispatcht at an instant as naturall generation is It is true say they that there be degrees in c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Renouation which noteth a growth in sanctification in a man regenerated But d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Regeneration is never taken for any other than for the first act of the spirit entring into a Christian and begetting him a new man in Christ in the very first moment of his entrance Therefore the distinction of actuall and initiall regeneration cannot bee admitted in any sense I Answere That those two words Regeneration and Renovation may perhaps by some be vsed the one to signifie the first infusion of grace making a man actually a new creature in all parts at once and the other to note the continual growth of a Christian in grace infused if men wil before giue notice of their meaning and for the more cleare expression of themselues will say when I speake of the first infusion of grace I will vse the word regeneration to expresse it by and when I speake of continuall growth from one degree vnto another I will ever call that Renovation Men may if they please make vse of words as they doe of Counters in casting of accounts wherein of the same set and value some Counters are made to stand for pounds some for shillings some for pence And yet as those Counters which stand for pence might as well haue stood for pounds as those that do stand for pouÌ„ds if it had pleased him that set them to haue so disposed them So men may put words of the same value and natiue signification to signifie diverse things by a liberty iustifiable enough in vse of speech yet those words may without wrong be vsed by others to signifie other things alwaies provided that when a man vseth a word in a sense different either from the prime signification of it or from the common acceptation of it he giue warning that where ever he vseth such a word he would be vnderstood in such or such a sense and not according to the etimology of it nor according to the common vse of it And thus I graunt that if it please any Divine to say that he will ever restraine Regeneration to note the first infusion of grace and by Renovation signifie a dayly encrease of grace in all his speeches or writings for want of fitter termes to expresse himselfe in he may doe it But if any man shall say that the proper meaning of the word Regeneration and of that which the Scriptures call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the first infusion of the Spirit actually to make a man a new Creature in all parts at once so as in this there can be no degrees affirme that so the Scriptures doe ever vse that word and also adde that by Renovation the Scripture never meanes the same thing that it intends by Regeneration but that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Renovation is ever put for another thing to wit for continuall growth in grace once infused I must craue leaue to dissent from him and to deny his assertion For neither is there any such difference in the proper signification of these words but that they may both signifie one and the same thing Nor is the Scripture so nice as to obserue such a difference between them as the Obiectors
bee any grace or vertue in the water it is not from the nature of the water but from the presence of the spirit for baptisme is not the deposition of the filth of the flesh but the answere of a good conscience vnto God Vpon which words of Basil i Vides v m purgandi denegari aquae asseri spiritui sancto praesenti quidem argumento á verbis Petri De Sacram lib. 2. c. 9 par 11. Chameir thus descanteth You see that the power of purging the conscience is denied to the water and affirmed to be in the spirit there present and this hee proues by an argument drawne from the words of Peter And in the same manner iudicious k De sacram in genere quaest 4. cap 2. pag. 73. Whitaker vnderstandeth approueth that of Basil Bullinger is of the same iudgment for thus l In 1. Pet. 3.21 Ne quis pâ—aecedentia de nudo baptismi signo intelliâ—eret hoc addit non is quidem baptismus nos salvaâ— quo abluimus sordes externas humani corporis sed per baptismuÌ„ intelligo illam vim fidei illum spiritum virtutem Christi quae cum externo signo coniuncta est qua sit vt conscientia nostra pacata secure agat coram oculis Dei Marlorat alleageth him vpon the place Least any man should vnderstand him to speake those words of the naked signe of baptisme he addes these that baptisme saues not which purgeth the outward filth of the flesh but by baptisme J vnderstand that efficacy of faith the spirit and power of Christ which as Marlorat addes is ioined with the outward signe whereby it comes to passe that the conscience being pacified it may confidently appeare and plead before the Lord. To the same purpose speakes the English note in our old Bibles which vnderstands hereby Christs inward vertue which the outward baptisme shadoweth So that the purpose of the Apostle here is only to teach what it is in baptisme that is so efficacious as to saue a man namely not the outward element or washing with that element but the inward grace thereby signified which grace is here set forth by the effect of it in such as are of yeares which is the enabling of them with a good conscience to make good their vowes as also confidently to depend vpon God through Christ for their saluation Bucer is large in the explication of this Text his conclusion is this m Neque enim seruat Baptisma adultos nisi credentes Salus quidem baptismate offertuâ— omnibusâ— reâ—ipiuat autem illaÌ„â—dulti non nisi per fidem infantes per arcanam spiritus sancti operationem qua ad vitam aeternam sanctificantur In script Anglic. de vâ— essic Bapt. in calce Baptisme saues none of yeares but beleeuers Indeed saluation is offered in Baptisme vnto all but none of yeares receiue it but by faith As for infants they are saued by the secret operation of the spirit which sanctifieth them vnto eternall life Now take the words which way soeuer any of these Worthies haue expounded theÌ„ what doe they make when they are cleared so much as in shew against the present Position that Elect infants doe ordinarily receiue the spirit in baptisme as the first efficient principle of future actuall regeneration For let any man frame an argument from this place though he make the best improument that any exposition of it will yeeld he cannot make â— more forcible then this viz. Saint Peter saith that Baptisme is effectuall to none of yeares vnlesse they partake of the inward grace of the spirit and blood of Christ by faith that may both assure then on Christs part that they are ingraffed into him haue their sinnes pardoned and the old man in them buried and also enable them to keepe touch with Christ actually on their parts in all such things as they promised Therefore elect infants doe not receiue the spirit in baptisme to beget faith and other graces in them afterwards by the word when they come to yeares Would not such a kinde of arguing seeme very ridiculous It is iust as if one should dispute against the slowing of the water at London Bridg at any time saue only about three of clock in this wise It is neuer high water at London Bridg about three of clock but when the moone is either at the full or the chang therefore there is not the least beginning of any new flood ordinarily at all till either it be about three of cloâ—k or till the moone be at the full oâ—â—hâ—ngâ—â—o here persons of ripe age baptisme doth not saue without faith therefore not infants yea therefore there can be no seed of grace no spirit of grace communicated to infants till they doe come to yeares as if there could be no beginning of a following of the water till it be high tide This and no other is the force of the Obiection founded on this place so as now I appeale to any ordinary capacity whether our PositioÌ„ haue any cause to feare the least shaking by it I haue beene larger in answere of this obiection then the strength of it deserueth because I was willing to cleare the Text which hath difficulty in it Obiect 5 5 Obiection Wheresoeuer the spirit is hee worketh faith and regeneration else it would follow that the spirit were idle which were little lesse then blasphemy to affirme But in elect infants ordinarily no such worke appeares rather on the contrary many of them shew manifest opposition to all grace and goodnesse for many yeares together notwithstanding their baptisme Therefore we must conclude that either they loose the spirit receiued in Baptisme so soone as they be able to commit actuall sinne or else that they doe not ordinarily receiue him in their Baptisme Answ Answere This is the argument which of all others is thought to haue in it greatest strength and is supposed to be impregnable Wherefore I must endeavor to giue it a full and satisfactory answere or else I shall loose all my labour in answering of all the rest And here before I begin to answere to either Proposition I must entreat the reader to take notice that this argument would draw the matter vnto an Impossibility that any such thing as the conferring of the spirit on infants in Baptisme should ordinarily be because of the grosse absurdities that thence doe follow viz that then the spirit must either be confest to be idle which is no better then blasphemy to affirme or else that the spirit of sanctification and adoption may be wholy lost so as a maÌ„ once truly regenerate may totally loose all regeneration be in the same state in which he was before his baptisme which is flat Popery to maintaine * The whole company of Remonstrants convented at the synode of Dort in their declaration touching the 5 Art set forth by themselues doe with one consent disclaime such a falling from grace as renders
Martyr affirmeth the roote also out of which all grace in due time floweth in all Gods children as the same Author who is also seconded by Dr Whitaker further speaketh and as Calvin had done before him This Principle of Grace lies hid as seed vnder ground as wheat vnder chaffe as fire vnder the ashes as the faculty of reason seemes to lye asleep till a child bee growne vp to some capacity and as the spirit of God moued vpon the waters before the severall creatures were actually produced by the word of his power By this wee may discerne what answere to giue to that Dilemma vrged by some to this effect viz If the spirit bee giuen to an infant in baptisme either the infant is aliue or dead regenerate or vnregenerate Regenerate he is not because there is in him no actuall change and how can the spirit of regeneration abide in him that is vnregenerate for a long space after the Spirit first entreth into him To this I say that the infant is aliue and regenerate seminally initially in respect of the roote and principle of life but not actually in respect of the particular habits actually wrought in him An infant may be said to be aliue so soone as he hath receaued a soule yet he cannot be said to be aliue actually in respect of a rationall life till the soule bee able to act in a rationall manner Of such an one wee cannot say hee is not aliue because hee hath in him the reasonable soule the principle of life nor yet can we say that he liues a rationall life till his reasonable soule doe put it selfe forth to rationall actions Therefore all men conclude such an infant to be aliue potentially and not actually in respect of that rationall life whereof we now speake The same distinction wil solue the present Argument and so is it resolued by all that touch vpon the point as I haue often shewed That which I haue vrged out of St Augustine Calvine Peter Martyr D. Whitaker and Daneus I will not rehearse in this place which yet I might doe in so large a Treatise for their sakes that cannot easily carry all with them Only I will adde one passage more of Daneus not before mentioned u Denique per baptismum infantes Christo inseruntur quia natura sua à Deo sunt alieni Baptizantur autem non vt statim suae in Christo regenerationis fructus edaÌ„t qui sint nobis conspicui sed vt interim foederis sigillo obsignati donati Deo conserventur et maneant Nam quum tempus advenerit sui baptismi fructus proserent eosdeÌ„ quos ii qui iam adulti baptizatisunt De sacram lib. 5. cap. 35. Infants by Baptisme are ingraffed into Christ forasmuch as by nature they are aliens from God And they are baptized not that they should presently expresse the fruits of their regeneration in Christ which might be conspicuous to vs but that in the meane season till they come to yeares being confirmed with the seale of the Covenant giuen vnto God they might be preserued and remaine vnto his vse For when the time shall be accomplished they will bring forth the same fruits that they doe who are baptized in riper age There is then in them a seed of grace howeuer it doe not presently spring vp and beare fruit and in respect of that seed wee say they are not wholy without life and regeneration as the smoaking flax so soone as it beginnes to smoake is not wholy without fire in it although as yet it bee not wholy kindled by that fire This is I confesse a great secret a deepe mystery of His whose works are vnsearchable and his waies past finding out Howbeit the incomprehensiblenesse of it must not make vs to deny it vnlesse we resolue to beleeue no more then we see or can fathom with the short line of our weake reason which were a sinfull resolution that would breed many * August de peccat Mer. Remiss l 3. c 8 Ecce vnde plerunque convalescit error cum homines idonei sunt bis rebus interrogandis quibus intelligendis non sunt idonei Idem de bono persev c. 14. Nunquid ideo negandum est quod apertum est quia comprehâ—ndi non potest quâ—d occultum est Nâ—quid impâ—â—m proptere a dicturi sumus quod iâ—a esse seâ—â—pâ—cimus non ita esse quoniam cur ita sit non pâ—ssumus inveniâ—e errors both in iudgment and practise of dangerous and desperate consequence There are workes as strange in nature yet no man makes doubt of the truth of them because he cannot come to see how they are done Therefore we must take heed how wee deny the spirit to bee in infants to worke in such a strange manner forasmuch as the workes of grace are more strange admirable then any worke in nature The wise King wisely giues a check to their curiosity that are too bold in prying into the secrets of God and that by posing them in a point of Naturall Philosophy As thou knowest not what is the way of the spirit nor how the bones doe grow in the womb of her that is with child euen so thou knowest not workes of God who maketh all Eccles 11.5 3 I answere that howeuer I will not affirme any actuall grace to be ordinarily in infants yet we may oft times see strange and admirable sparkes of grace and footsteps of the spirit in diuers infants long before they come to any ability of discourse so as for ought wee know the elect might ordinarily attaine to actuall Regeneration much sooner then many of them doe if there were that care taken of them by parents that ought to be in catechizing and training them vp in their infancy in the way that they should walke for so would they not forget it when they be old if Solomon mistooke not And how could hee mistake in that which the spirit himselfe dictated vnto him That part therefore of the obiection which saith that for many yeares they make opposition to all grace c. howeuer it make a great noise and seeme to aggrauate the matter much against this Position yet hath it in it more sounde than weight For the reason why so many stand out so long is not alwaies or ordinarily from the want of efficacy in their Baptisme but from defect of education Either they liued not vnder carefull faithfull religious parents that would haue beene diligent with all their might to teach them the feare of the Lord by all waies and meanes of instruction and good example to pray continually for them to watch ouer them narrowly to keepe them from euill company and euill practises or else they wanted a powerfull Ministry or both And if they want either the other for the most part does little good Cast your eyes vpon such as haue not wanted for either of the former helpes and tell mee how many you can
finde of those that euer come to good at all in respect of the best good who doe not ordinarily take in Religion and grace insensibly euen from their tender youth so as many of them cannot with their best search finde out directly the time of their Conversion although they cannot when they bee themselues free from temptation deny themselues to be conuerted As for such as haue enioyed the former meanes and yet fly out into debauched courses they seldome or neuer returne to God at all and therefore no marveile if they stand out long notwithstāding the helpes afforded for they by this declare themselues not to be of the number of Gods elect so not of those in whom baptisme is so efficacious as here wee affirme it to be And as for such as stand out longest come in at last you shall ordinarily obserue them to be such as had vngodly or carelesse parents or no sound and powerfull Ministry or had the reins too soone let loose vnto them or were poisoned with bad examples of Parents gouernors or companions or were not instantly pluckt out of some delightfull sinnes ere they were rooted in their wickednesse by long custome c. And then what wonder if they liue many yeares without apparent conuersion and actuall regeneration Notwithstanding if you aske some of these after they be conuerted whether in the time of their rebellion they had not sometimes strong conflicts in themselues to breake off their wickednesse and to come in and whether they did not sometimes finde inward risings of heart against their secret sinnes euen for the very filthinesse of them as well as for the danger and they will for the most part answere yea if they had had the grace to accept and follow those good motions within them but they found the contrary that after such inward stirrings vnto conversion their lusts haue presently raged and burst out more strongly than at other times This is the confession in substance of diuerse of them which shewes them not to be wholy destitute of the spirit euen when the flesh was most violent and insolent in them before actuall conuersion And this obseruation seconded by others of farre greater experience is mentioned here meerely to still their cry which tell vs that many are vnconuerted thirty forty fifty yeares and is it likely say they the spirit should be all that while in them and neuer actually convert them vnto God Although he can worke without meanes yet that he might grace those of his owne institution hee doth not vsually worke without them when hee vouchsafeth them And when he vseth them he doth not alwaies performe the worke at the first or second or many assaies of his Ministers because hee would haue vs to know vpon whom after Paul hath planted and Apolloes watered the increase dependeth By all that haue beene spoken wee now see that it is not vniuersally true which the Maior Proposition supposeth viz. that the spirit must either worke actuall faith and regeneration or else be confessed to be idle and that it is of no validity which the Minor assumeth and affirmeth viz that in infants ordinarily no such worke appeareth but rather the contrary for many yeares after baptisme For it is possible for the spirit to worke although hee doe not worke actuall grace nor is it materiall that such grace doth not appeare because there is no necessity that any particular habit of grace should bee at that time in them at all And therefore I conclude that this Obiection is of no strength forasmuch as it concludes nothing against the point in Question the premisses being thus examined and searched to the bottome 6 Obiection The very seede of grace cannot Obiect 6 be in the same subiect in whom there is reigning sinne as is plaine by that of the Apostle 1 Ioh. 3.9 Whosoeuer is borne of God sinneth not for his seede remaineth in him and he cannot sinne because he is borne of God But in infants baptized till they be actually regenerated sinne reigneth Therefore the spirit is not giuen vnto them as the seede of after grace Answere Answere 1 To the Maior proposition I answere three waies 1 There is an ambiguity in the word seede For seede may be taken two waies Actiuely and Passiuely 1 Actiuely for some actuall efficient principle of grace going before both the acts and habits of particular graces which as in the naturall so in the spirituall seed wee may terme seed seeding Euen as those first plants or hearbs in the Creation were termed hearbs * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seminificantem semen vt vertit Arias Montanus seeding seed Gen. 1.29 2 Passiuely for that yeeld or fruit which is produced by the actiue principle thereof which may be called seed seeded as in the former place of Gen. 1. may also be seene Now when with other Diuines I say that the spirit is giuen to elect infants as the seed of future actuall grace I speake not of seede passiue or produced but of seede actiue or produceing a further seed in due time and season But contrarily the Apostle S. Iohn speakes of seede in the other sense which imports at least the particular habits of sanctifying sauing grace infused by this seeding seed wherof we treat This is manifest in the words of the Text Whosoever is borne of God sinneth not that is whosoever is actually regenerated doth not commit sinne as all expound the place and the reason is giuen because his seede abideth in him which is no other then the habits of grace infused by the spirit as all acknowledge Therefore this proposition speakes not to the point because it vnderstands by seede another thing from that wee meane in our assertion I speake not of seed in the eare but of the first seed cast into the ground that afterwards yeelds and brings forth the blade the stalke the eare and all that growes vpon it 2 I answere that I cannot see what absurdity would follow by granting that initiall regeneration may stand with actually reigning sinne because howeuer a man hath by the first principle of Regeneration a possibility of making opposition against sinne when that possibility comes into Act yet he is not by that possibility alone enabled for the present actually to resist sinne which resistance is a fruit of actuall conuersion no more than a man is enabled actually to reason and discourse so soone as the reasonable soule is infused before his senses doe actually exercise themselues vpon their proper obiects and thereby giue occasion to the rationall faculty to exercise it selfe Therefore as in an infant which may afterwards proue a very wise man the principle of reason may and doth consist with actuall folly till that child haue his senses excercised to discerne betweene good and euill so in the same infant the first principle of regeneration which wee terme initiall or * I call initiall regeneration potentiall in respect of the habits acts
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
baptisme in respect of the more solemne confirmation thereof vnto them so as those places of scripture that proue the spirit to be giuen before baptisme doe not disproue him that saith the spirit is giuen in baptisme 9 Obiection Obiect 9 Jf there be no difference between an heyre and a seruant an elect child and one not elected till they come to yeares and be effectually called by the word then the spirit is not giuen to elect infants in their baptisme But the Antecedent is true for Saint Paul saith it in expresse termes Gal. 4.1 Noâ— I say that the heyre as long as hee is a child d ffereth nothing from a seruâ—nt though he be Lord of all but is vnder Tutors and Governors vntill the time appointed of the Father Therfore the Consequent that the spirit is not giuen to elect infants in their baptisme is true also Answere 1 I grant the Maior Answere if it can be proued that there is no difference at all betweene one elected a reprobate either inwardly or outwardly But there may be a difference inwardly by some seâ—ret worke of the spirit although no outward worke appeare as hath beene proued before 2 I deny the Minor for betweene the elect and reprobate there may be an inward difference notwithstanding the place brought to confirme it For that text is so miserably drawne awry that any one may discerne it at the first casting of his eye vpon that which followeth in the same place so as I hold not this Argument worthy of an Answere The Apostle intends not there to shew the difference betweene the elect and reprobate in their infancy nor to declare that then they differ when they come to age by the actuall conversion of the one and the finall impenitency of the other but as Mr Perkins vpon the place well saith The Apostle vseth a similitude borrowed from the Ciuill Law and it may be framed thus Heyres in their minority liue in subiection to Tutors and Gouernors but when they are of riper yeares at the appointment of their parents they are at liberty Euen so the people of God before Christ were in their infancy vnder the law as vnder a Tutor but when the fulnesse of time was come which God had appointed they entred into the fruition of their liberty Thus hee And he speakes truly and pertinently For let any man view the place well and he shall finde the Apostle to haue no other purpose at all then to proue Christian liberty from Mosaicall ceremonies of the Law by the comming of Christ in the flesh who was the body and substance of all those shaddowes and that vntill this time even the true heires by virtue of Gods election were as much bound to the observance of those legall rites as any others whatsoeuer but now were freed from them in the fulnesse of time by the coÌ„ming of Christ Here is not one sillable touching our present Argument Therefore for pitties sake I will lay aside this Obiection and goe on to the next 10 Obiection 10 Obiect That Position that ties the spirit of God to meanes can neither bee safe nor true for as much as Gods spirit is not tied but bloweth where it listeth Ioh. 3. But such is this Therefore it cannot be true Answere If wee distinguish of the Major Answere we shall finde that it doth our assertion no hurt and that wee shall haue cause to deny the Minor That position which ties the spirit of God to meanes where God hath not first tyed and engaged himselfe can neither be safe nor true God is a free Agent cannot be tied by any creature and so I admit of that place in Ioh. 3. although to speak properly and precisely it is to bee vnderstood rather of the freedome that Gods spirit takes to worke where in what persons he pleaseth then of the time when hee worketh in those persons For howeuer this last in some sense be true too yet it may well deserue to be questioned whether it bee the true meaning of that Text. But admit this also yet I say what formerly I haue said in chap. 3. that there is no danger to say that God is tied so farre forth as he hath vouchsafed to promise to be present in his owne Ordinance ordinarily nor is it vntrue to say so nor vnwarrantable to expect it yea and in an humble manner to require it of him Whatsoeuer God hath promised we may safely say hee is tied to performe for he is tied by that which cannot but hold him viz his owne Fidelity Therefore the Psalmist challengeth God as engaged to him Psal 119.49 Remember the promise vnto thy seruant wherein thou hast caused me to put my trust And God bids his children doe it yea to command him Isay 45.11 Thus saith the Lord the Holy One of Jsrael and his Maker Aske of me things to come concerning my sonnes and concerning the worke of my hands COMMAND yee me That is what euer I haue promised require it spare not so they doe it in any humble manner Now that Position which only affirmes God to be present ordinarily where hee by virtue of his promise hath engaged himselfe to bee doth not lay any vnwarrantable tye vpon God but rather giues him the honour of his fidelity puts comfort into his people by giving them assurance of it Thus hauing distinguished of the Major and made it appeare that there may bee an affirmation safe and true which saith God is tyed or engaged vnto some things so long as any promise going before can bee found to engage him I come now to deny the Minor because how euer that Position which ties God where he hath not tied himselfe must needs be not only false but full of presumption also yet this position is no way guilty of any such thing For God hath made a promise to shew himselfe thus gratious in the ordinance of baptisme ordinarily when it is administred to elect infants as the learned Author of the Commentary vpon the Epistle to Titus expresly avoucheth saying here by virtue of his PROMISE we may expect it here we may and ought send out the prayer of faith for it If any man shall doubt hereof and demand where any such promise is to bee found I would referre him to Zach. 13.1 to Math. 3 as also to the Institution of Baptisme wherein a promise is involued to Tit. 3.5 wherein a promise is supposed to sundry places moe If the doubting party rest not satisfied with these theÌ„ I referre him to the Author himself who surely caÌ„ name some promise for it else he would neuer haue set down so much vnder his hand Hee is still aliue and hath engaged himselfe both privatly publiquely to make good any thing written in that Commentary touching this point Therefore I leaue this worke to him hasten to another obiection after I haue added one short Advertisement to such as will not be satisfied either by
me or by him or by any man else with any reason Some there are who complaine that howeuer many Scriptures haue beene alleaged by mee and others to proue that the spirit is giuen in baptisme yet they cannot see any one place of Scripture that saith directly in expresse termes that The spirit is giuen to elect infants in Baptisme Shew them but that they say and they haue done But if they bee such as allow of the baptisme of infants let them satisfie me in another thing and I will soone giue content to them in their demand Let them shew me where the Scripture speaks in expresse termes of the Baptisme of infants by name and I will shew them an expresse text for the communication of the spirit vnto elect Jnfants by name in their baptisme Here I knowe they will say that it is not necessary to bring expresse words of Scripture that saith the same thing in so many syllables but it is enough if it bee concluded thence by sound consequence and herein they say the truth Now if they require that all Anabaptists should for euer lay their hands vpon their mouthes that haue beene opened so freely and erroniously to plead against the baptisme of infants because however the Scripture saith not in so many words let Infants be baptised yet the thing is grounded on the Scriptures and may by sound consequence be sufficiently proued thence Let them forbeare to presse me or any man else to produce an expresse Text that nameth elect Jnfants so long as the thing is made good by vndoubted and impregnable consequence from many Scriptures alleaged for this purpose And if either I or the Author last aboue named in this kind of proof haue failed let them shew vs our error and they shall finde vs no Hereticks 11 Obiect 11 Obiection That Position which offensiuely trencheth too neere vpon Popish error and aâ—surdity ought not to bee taught and published by faithfull Ministers of the Gospell although the point should not bee altogether vntrue But so doth this for it seemes to ascribe too much to the outward worke done and is of neere affinity with that absurd fancy of the Indelible Character which Papists talke so much of and affirme to bee imprinted in Baptisme Therefore whether the point be true or false it was ill done to publish it in such a manner Answ Answere This Obiection comes double charged for it falls not only vpon the point it selfe obliquely charging it with Popery but vpon mee also for publishing of that which if it be not Popery yet comes too neere Popery and so should haue beene buried in silence I answere therefore 1 To the Major two waies 1 by way of protestation 2 By way of distinction First I protest although I thinke I am so well knowne to all those that take offence at this particular that I need not to make such a solemne protestation that I doe vtterly from my heart abhorre and renounce all points of Popery whatsoeuer and that as I haue done so I shall euer endeauour to confute them by all the waies and meanes that possibly I can vpon all occasions Secondly I distinguish of the present Proposition that some things doe truely and indeed trench too neere vpon Popish absurdity and haue such affinity with them as that whosoeuer venteth them shall giue iust occasion of suspition that he hath a Pope in his belly what euer he hath in his mouth or pen. And these things by whomsoeuer they are vented and published doe giue iust occasion of offence and so doe argue great indiscretion if not a false heart to the truth in him that publisheth them Other things there are which doe only seeme to trench too neere vpon Popery in the opinions of those that heare or read them either because they doe not or cannot or will not vnderstand the difference betweene those and Popish absurdities And these againe are either Positions or Actions As for Actions done which Actions haue in them no small appearance of euill in that in euery mans iudgment that is a looker on they symbolize with Popish superstition and no course being taken to explaine and declare in what sense they are done how they differ from their practise who vse the selfe same Actions in an vnlawfull manner I ingenuously confesse that it should bee a fault in him that should so neere trench vpon Popery as to vse those actions in such a manner because the Apostle giues charge abstaine from all appearance of euill 1 Thes 5.22 And the same Apostle professeth in the particular of meats offered vnto Idols that he would eate no flesh while the world standeth wherby he might make his brother to offend 1 Cor. 8.13 But as for Positions wherein the truth is explained and the contrary disclaimed I must craue leaue to be of another opinion For I cannot be of their minde who hold that nothing must be deliuered which may seeme to some hearers or Readers to trench too neere vpon Popish absurdity so long as it be not indeed a popish absurdity but the truth and that the difference betweene that truth and the popish absurdity to which it is supposed to leane be so fully manifested and cleared as all that are capable of truth and willing to receiue the same may discerne it if they please I like not that vaine conceit which hath drawne after it many absurdities indeed and those of dangerous consequence that wee should in all points goe as farre from Papists and other Hereticks as possibly wee can This is that which neuer did good ever did and will doe hurt when men will take that to be the truth only which standeth in most direct opposition to that which is knowne and confessed to be a grosse error for as in some persons it is only a degree of heat or cold ouer and aboue the iust temper that makes them of such a poisonous quality so as if they be corrected by some other ingredient they may not only proue safe but very vsefull to the party to whom they are administred so it is in many Propositions which as they are propounded may containe some falshood in them yet may be so qualified and bounded as that a small addition or substraction might make them passe current by drawing out all that venome of falshood contained in them when they stand without those qualifications added to them If wee goe any one step in any one point from the grossest Hereticks in the world further than meere necessity of truth compeleth they will soone and that iustly open their mouthes against vs and complaine that wee study not so much to maintaine the truth as to crosse them and that it is enough for vs to disclaime any truth because they hold it What can follow hence but extreme obstinacy in such as are out of the way and vnder obloquy for it when they shall discerne and be able to plead that wee doe hold that a direct
Baptisme seemes to be turned out of the society of the meanes of grace and saluation and which is insinuated further that for the ill consequences which by accident carnall persons may haply drawe from it I should rather haue taught the contrary doctrine as some others seeme to doe or else haue held my tongue what euer the truth be in this point how deeply soeuer I haue beene charged with Error and Heresie in which cases no good man ought to be so patient as not in a faire manner to cleare himselfe if he know himselfe to be innocent Forbearing I say all such aggravations I deny the Antecedent and render a reason of my deniall as followeth The bare and cleare propounding of this truth giues no occasion at all of any such corrupt deductioÌ„s If any such abuses follow Occasion by accident is taken vp by them who are too apt doe too vsually attempt to abuse all other the ordinary meanes of saluation to their owne destruction as well as this This giues no more occasion of such ill consequences then the doctrines of Gods free and absolute Election of particular persons vnto life and glory and of the finall perseuerance of the Saints doe For what ever ill collection may be drawne from this Position may as well be drawne from either of those but now mentioned A carnall person say you when he heares it proued and so much inculcated that the Elect doe ordinarily receiue the spirit and first principle of grace in their Baptisme will be ouer apt to conclude thence as followeth Why then there is no such need of so much preaching hearing praying fasting c. For if I belong to God J haue the spirit in me already how wicked soeuer J appeare to others to be and I haue had the spirit euer since I was baptized And if the spirit I cannot misse of grace and saluation though J neuer heare sermon nor pray all the daies of my life but follow my lusts as freely as any man To this I say that if a man will be so wicked he may But who is in fault but himselfe May not he conclude as much from both the other is it not perpetually bawled by the Arminians viz. that the doctrine of Gods absolute election taught by the Calvinists as they please to nickname all maintainers therof doth make many men exceedingly presumptuous and secure it occasioneth in them such desperate conclusions as these If I bee elected I shall certainly be saued let me liue as J list and doe what I will what need I care for prayer sermons holinesse of life c. If I shall be saued I shall bee saued let mee doe what I will to hinder it But if J be not elected I shall be damned let me doe what I can to preuent it Againe how is the comfortable Doctrine of finall perseuerance daily calumniated as if it taught no lesse security and presumption than the former will not this saith the Arminian make men carelesse and impenitent when they shall be told that let them doe what they will they cannot either finally or totally loose all grace if euer they had any at all Will not such persons coÌ„clude against any man that shall exhort them vpon any falls into some grosse sinnes to speedy and serious repentance that hee is much mistaken in them they are sure that they had grace once and they are taught by such and such Divines that they can neuer loose all grace againe by any sinnes never so grosse and scandalous therfore no necessity of any such hast vnto repentance as he pretendeth Their state is good and sure enough They haue that in them which cannot be lost and that being not lost they cannot miscarry It may not be dissembled that such wicked conclusions may be made from those heauenly Doctrines by hellish men But yet we can finde answers to all such obiections easily enough and those not shifts but sufficient abstertions of all such calumnies We can tell such obiectors that the Doctrines of Election and Perseuerance doe not in themselues lay any grounds for such divelish conclusions no more than good meat intends to yeeld matter of corrupt humors in a bad stomack but doe sufficiently declare and teach the contrary and all that are vnder the one and partakers of the other doe take out the contrary lesson from them Wee can tell theÌ„ that they who are elected to the end are elected to the meanes to a conscionable vse of the means wherby the end may be attained So also the doctrine of perseuerance teacheth that though perseuerance be certaine yet it is also of the nature of that grace in which men perseuere to make and keepe them diligent in the vse of all good means wherby they may and doe perseuere and worke out their saluation with feare and trembling according to that of Saint Peter 2 Epist 1.8 If these things be in you and abound they make you that ye shall neuer be barren nor vnfruitfull in the knowledge of our Lord and sauiour Iesus Christ Therfore we vsually adde that if any shall or doe make any other vses of these sweet and divine Truths therby to continue in sinne this is not to be imputed to the Doctrines themselues but to their wicked heads hearts that dare thus damnably to draw them awry The Gospell which is the wisdome of God and the power of God vnto salvation to all that are saued is yet held for no better than foolishnesse to the rest of the foolish and vnbeleeuing world So the law which was ordained for the means of life worketh death in all that abuse it But neither the law nor Gospell are in fault of this nor must therfore be concealed not taught inculcated because wicked men doe daily wrest them to their owne damnation And will not the same answere be good enough to vphold the point in hand against the same obiection And if it will why should it be held a greater indiscretion to publish this doctrine so daily vsefull and so fully comfortable to all the Elect both parents and children than to publish those other points before touched as deepely charged with the same ill consequences as this is When I say that Jn the baptisme of Elect infants Christ doth ordinarily bestow his spirit I adde withall that this is not sufficient for the saluation of such as liue to yeares of discretion but actuall conversion and renouation is to be expected and laboured for in due and conscionable attendance vpon the vse of all those further helps and means which God hath sanctified to that purpose For so God vouchsafeth to grace all his ordinances that hee will not haue any of them despised nor neglected by leauing either of them vnvsefull through such an efficacy of any one that haue gone before as might leaue nothing to be done by those that follow after As he puts his spirit in the hearts of the elect in their baptisme so he afterwards puts power into his word effectually to call them home vnto himselfe then the same spirit workes mightily by that word and infuseth the habits of faith and all sanctifying graces that doe accompany salvation The word therfore and the rest of Gods ordinances must be carefully humbly and constantly attended vpon by all that expect any actuall and sensible assurance comfortable feeling of the spirit bestowed on them in their baptisme As for such as rely vpon baptisme alone making no conscience of the word and other means of grace ordained of Christ but liue securely in their sinnes they therby giue iust cause of suspition that they neuer receiued the spirit in their baptisme nor were in the number of Gods elect whose names are written in the booke of life If they will needs take offence at this doctrine they take what was neuer giuen The Godly Will imploy it better and for their sakes it ought to be not only somtimes taught but often pressed to the vttermost vnlesse wee should suppresse euery good necessary truth wherof wicked men will make an evill vse Musculus on Math 19.14 Ratio humana non sustinet agnoscere gatiam Dei in hacre sed putat vbique opus esse vsu rationis scientiae alioqui nihil commercij posse homini infanti esse cum Deo Videmus autem hic potiores esse in regno Dei infantes tam abest vt non sint illius participes Humane Reason cannot endure to acknowledg the grace of God in this particular but thinkes that without all difference there is need of the vse of reason and knowledge or else that a man whiles hee is an infant can haue no commerce with God But by this Text wee see that infants rather than others haue interest in the kingdome of God so farre are they from not being at all partakers of it FINIS ERRATA PAge 5. line 14. read see p. 8. l. 15. r. of battaile p. 12. l. 20. r saui ur p. 20. l. 19. r. Ordinary p 37. l. 3. r. race p. 45. l 11. dele the first when p. 41. l. 1 r professe p. 52. in marg l. penult r. de Sacram. l. 5 p 58. in mar r. D. George p 69. l. 12. 1 Art p 77 l. 10. r vnto p. 83. in marg l. 9. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ibid. l. 12. r 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 106. in marg l. vlt r. 16 cap. p. 117 l 17. r in the Churches p. 151 l. 11 r â—dhere p. 154 in marg r. Dan. Chameir tom 4 l b. 2. De sacram â— ip 2. par 8. p. 157. in marg l antepenult r. Migrabimus p. 174. l. 10. in mar r. perfundi p. 176 mar l. 14. dele vt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 r. verò p. 181. l. the last r. abrood p. 187 l 5 r doe giue somtimes in the top of the leafe viz p 231. pag 240. odiections is put for obiections p. 248 l. 5. r. nicity p. 262. l 6. r. slowing p. 266. l. 9. r. Dardanum p. 297. l. 15. r. obiection p. 300. l. 22. r. is There are also some errors in the pointing which haue happened by the Authors absence from the presse and those the Charitable reader is requested to correct or pardon as he passeth by them