Truth and Falsehood, Book · Chapter 23
Of Baptiſme, whether it doe extinguiſh and kil in vsus originall ſinne, or not. CHAP. 23
THE PROTESTANTS
WEe confeſſe, that in Baptiſme is ſealed vp and aſſured vntounto vsus, the couenant that God made with vsus, for the forgiueneſſe of our ſins. Whereby we are alſo taught, that if we be Gods children, we be ingrafted into Chriſt, and planted in him, to the mortification of the olde man,Epheſ. 4.22 the whole body of ſinne, that hauing put on the new man,24 which after God is created in righteouſneſſe and true holineſſe, wee may increaſe more and more in all ſpirituall graces, ſtriuing alwayes to attaine to that perfection, which in this life wee cannot hauehave, though we faine would obtaine the ſame.
THE PAPISTS
BVt our aduerſaries will hauehave ſin in Baptiſme,Concil. Trid. Seſſ. 5. not pardoned onelyonly, but aboliſhed alſo, and taken away, ſo as nothing that is indeed ſin, remaineth in them that are baptized: Contrary to our owne experience, whereby we finde that we hauehave need continually to ſay, Forgiue vsus our treſpaſſes: contrary to the manifeſt wordes of Saint Iohn, who telleth vsus,1. Ioh. 1.8. If we ſay we hauehave no ſinne, wee deceiue our ſelues, and trueth is not in vsus. And contrary to the confeſsions of Dauid, Daniel, Pſal. 32.1.2 Pſa. 130.3. & pſa. 143.2. Dan. 9.and all the godly, who acknowledge their owne miſerie, by reaſon of ſinne, and reſt onelyonly vponupon Gods merciemercy.
Although I hauehave ſpoken before of Baptiſme,Chap. 11. yet muſt I here, as occaſion is offered, teach, that after baptiſme, ſinne is not altogether killed, no not in the faithfull. So that as before in the laſt chapters, I hauehave ſhewed the corruption of our nature to be ſuch, as that in our ſelues we finde nothing but occaſion of death: So nowe we may ſee, what remedie God of his merciemercy hath prouided for the ſame: namely, that ſeeing we hauehave in this life continually, the law of the fleſh rebelling againſt the lawe of the ſpirit, and leading vsus captiues to the lawe of ſinne,Rom. 7.23. which is in our members: we ſhould hauehave our eſpeciall comfort, in that bleſſednes which the apoſtle ſaint Paul ſaieth is deſcribed by the prophet Dauid, Rom. 4.6.euen the imputation of righteouſneſſe.Pſal. 32.1.2 Becauſe the prophet ſaieth. Bleſſed are they whoſe iniquities are forgiuen, and whoſe ſinnes are couered. Bleſſed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth not ſinne. So that the imputation of righteouſneſſe which our aduerſaries cannot well like of, is taught vsus by Paul, and confirmed by Dauid. Which imputation of righteouſneſſe wee ſtand in neede of, becauſe that euen the godly whileſt here they liue, do finde themſelues to be farre from that perfection which they ſhould hauehave, and would wiſh For (as ſaith ſaint Bernard) although their be no doubt, In tranſ. 5. Malac. ſer.but that ſin is crucified with Chriſt, yet was it ſuffered, though not to raigne, yet to dwell in the apoſtle himſelfe whileſt he liued. And therefore the ſame ſaint Bernard in another place truly ſaieth, O only happie man in deed is he, to whom the Lord imputeth not ſin. For in whom there is no ſin, Super cant. ſerm. 23. Rom. 3.23.there is none. For all hauehave ſinned, and ſtand in need of the glorie of God. And by and by after he ſaieth. Not to ſinne is only Gods righteouſneſſe but mans rightiouſneſſe, is Gods merciemercy. And in this reſpect he reckoneth Malachy in the ſermon before alledged a happie man, becauſe by death he was freed from this peril of ſinning:Gen. 39.12. 2 kin. 2, 13. Alluding to the cloke of Helia… & Putiphars wife. Helias (ſaith he) hath left his cloke, he needeth not to feare. He cannot now be touched, much leſſe holden of the adultres, meaning of fleſhly or ſinfull luſts. S. Aug. alſo vponupon the 32. Pſal. ſeemeth to be of that mind: So that we muſt needs acknowledge the complaint which the apoſtle hath made to be iuſt and true,Rom. 11.1… that God hath ſhut vp al in vnbeliefe, that he might hauehave merciemercy on all. And therfore although in baptiſme the forgiueneſſe of ſinne is ſealed vp vntounto vsus, yet that bitter roote, is not vtterly pulled out, but ſtill euen the godlie ſigh and grone, becauſe they ſinne and tranſgreſſe. Arg. 1 Bellar. de. ſacram. bapt. li. 1. cap. 13.But let vsus ſee howe they proue that after baptiſme there remaineth no ſinne. The ſcriptures ſay our ſinnes are waſhed, cleanſed, taken away, blotted out, therefore they are not onelyonly not imputed, but alſo vtterly aboliſhed. Wittingly and wilfully they indeuour to deceyue the ignorant, and would make them beleeue, that wee acknowledge no other benefite, but onelyonly that our ſinnes are not imputed vntounto vsus. But wee (as is before ſhewed) are by baptiſme aſſured, not only of the forgiueneſſe of ſinnes, but alſo of the ſanctification of the ſpirite, knowing that He that is dead in ſinne, Rom. 6.2.muſt not liue therein. We ſay therefore that a man is not iuſtified onelyonly, but ſanctified alſo. What then? muſt this ſanctification be done at that inſtant as wee are baptiſed?2. Cor. 3.18 The church of Rome teacheth vsus ſo. But ſaint Paul ſayth, Wee all beholde as in a mirrour, the glorie of the Lord with open face, and are chaunged vntounto the ſame Image, from glorie to glorie. Marke, that hee ſayth this change is not all at once,2 Cor. 4.16. ſerm. in coena domini. but that it increaſeth from glorie to glorie. Againe, the inward man is renued dayly. Which thing ſaint Bernard moſt notably confeſſeth. In the fall of the firſt man wee are all fallen: And that vponupon a heape of ſtones, and in the mire: So that wee are not defiled onelyonly, but wounded alſo and ſore bruiſed. Wee may quickly be waſhed, but we muſt hauehave much a do, before we can be healed. And afterwards confeſſing this waſhing to be in baptiſme, yet he complaineth that the beaſtly motions are not tamed, neither that the itch of that ſore may yet be abidden. By the which motions & itch he meaneth yt verie thing, which in his ſermon at ye death of Malac. before alledged, he calleth ſinne. But nowe let vsus examine the particular proofes of this argument.Pſal. 50 Dauid ſayth, Blot out mine iniquitie, waſh me throughly. Therefore all ſinne is taken away in Baptiſme. Dauid had receyued the Sacrament of Circumciſion long before hee prayed thus, which was to them in ſtead of our Baptiſme. And now hauing ſinned long after, he maketh this prayer, that God would either pardon his ſinne, or worke in him the ſubduing of the ſame, or both. But this proueth not, that ſinne is vtterly ſubdued in baptiſme: and that hee ſhould proue.Micah. 7.18. Againe, the Prophet Micah ſaieth, that God taketh away iniquitie. Wee graunt it, that hee taketh away iniquitie by forgiuing vsus our ſinnes, and alſo by killing ſinne in vsus by little and little, and ſo ſubduing it in the meane time, that it vtterly preuaile not againſt vsus. But this proueth not that ſinne is alreadie altogether vanquiſhed. Againe, Iohn the Baptiſt ſaide, Behold the Lambe of God that taketh away the ſinne of the worlde. Iohn 1.29.This alſo, to our ſingular great comfort we cōfeſſe and acknowledge, that he taketh away both the condemnation or curſſe, and alſo the guiltineſſe or corruption of our ſinne: And therefore hee is truely ſayde to take away the ſinne of the worlde. Maſter Bellarmine ſhould prooue, that this is perfectly done in baptiſme, ſo that no ſinne after baptiſme remaineth, but this proueth no ſuch matter. No not one of all theſe places make any mention of baptiſme. Only they teſtifie, that either ſinne is, or the godly would hauehave it aboliſhed, which we alſo confeſſe and deſire. But how, or when it is taken away, there is not any mention in the places alledged. Let vsus then come to the laſt proofe of this argument. The apoſtle ſpeaking of Chriſts louelove to the church his ſpouſe, ſayth: He gaue himſelfe for it, that he might ſanctifie it and cleanſe it, Ephe. 5.25 26, 27by the waſhing of water in the worde: that he might make it vntounto himſelfe a grorious church, not hauing ſpot or wrinkle, &c. Now if I ſhould expound this place,Ezec. 47. by the 47. Chapter of Ezechiel, vntounto the which the apoſtle may verie well ſeeme to allude, I knowe this expoſition would be thought newe, and ſingular. But yet as this expoſition hath nothing in it againſt the rule of faith, ſo by ſaint Ieroms interpretation of that place of Ezechiel, it ſeemeth to be warranted. For by the waters mentioned in that place, hee vnderſtandeth that which our ſauiour Chriſt taught, as alſo both hee and Primaſius doe expound this place of the apoſtle, As water (ſay they) waſheth the bodie, Ierom & Primaſius vponupon Epheſ. 5.ſo teaching doeth cleanſe the ſoule. And ſo the apoſtle doth ſeeme to expound himſelfe, when hee ſheweth that this waſhing is in the worde. And thus this place ſerueth no more for his purpoſe then the reſt. For none of them proue that baptiſme taketh away all ſinne. But admit that ſaint Paule ſpeaketh in that place of baptiſme, yet this place will not ſerue to proue that they would hauehave it. For then the apoſtle teacheth vsus, how the church of Chriſt, I ſay, that complete and whole bodie of Chriſt is ſanctified, namely by himſelfe in the worde, whereof baptiſme is the ſacrament. So that therein appeareth how, or rather by what meanes, the bodie of Chriſt, his wife and ſpouſe ſhall be without ſpot and wrinkle, but not in what maner, or in what compaſſe of time, euerie particular member of this bodie ſhall be freed from ſinne, which is in controuerſie amongſt vsus. But to ende this firſt argument. As this doctrine of the Romiſh Church ſauoureth of Pelagianiſme: ſo maſter Bellarmine and his fellowes borrow weapons of the Pelagians to fight withall. For ſaint Auguſtine doth note this place amongſt thoſe which the Pelagians did alledge to proue that man may be without ſinne.De perfect. iuſt. cont. Celeſt. But more plainly writing to Boniface, hee writeth thus.Lib. 4. cap, 1 The Pelagians doe ſay that men by baptiſme are perfectly renued, and bring for proofe the witneſſe of the Apoſtle to the Epheſ. 5. Not one ape is then liker another, than are the Pelagians and Papiſts, both in their doctrine, and in their proofe of it. But of all ſuch teſtimonies I may ſay with ſaint Auguſt. Some of them exhort them that do runne, De perfect. iuſt. cont. Celeſt.that they run as they ſhoulde, ſome other ſhewe to what ende they ſhould runne. And thus much for his firſt argument. His ſecond argument is this.Arg. 2. of M. Bellarmine. The Scriptures ſay, that our ſpots, defilings, or pollutions, and our iniquities are taken away, therefore in baptiſme all ſinne is taken away. For by theſe wordes is ſignified (ſaith hee) the verie corruption of ſinne. His argument is not good. For we confeſſe his antecedent, namely, that theſe things are taken away, as before hath beene ſhewed. But it followeth not thereupon, that by baptiſme all ſinne is taken away: wee acknowledge alſo that Chriſt is made vntounto vsus Sanctification: but in deed this holineſſe wee ſay is not in this life perfected.1. Cor. 1.30 Begun it is in Gods children, which walke not after the fleſh, Rom. 8.1but after the ſpirit. But doe what we can, we had need alwayes to pray as our Sauiour Chriſt taught his apoſtles, Forgiue vsus our treſpaſſes, as ſaint Auguſtin doth often teach vsus,De perfect. Iuſt. Celeſt. De Amiſſ. gratiae. li. 5 cap. 8 and namely in the end of his booke of the perfection of Iuſtice: which place I the rather note, becauſe moſt vntruly maſter Bellarmine writeth, that ſaint Auguſtine in that place ſaith, That the vnwilling motions of concupiſcence, are ſo farre from being ſinne, that a man neede not for the forgiueneſſe of them ſay, Forgiue vsus our treſpaſſes: But ſaint Auguſtine affirmeth the contrary. For hauing alleadged that place of S. Iohn, 1. Iohn 1.8If we ſay we hauehave no ſin, we deceiue our ſelues, and the truth is not in vsus: then he addeth, that if any will ſay, that the apoſtle ſpeaketh there of concupiſcence, & that concupiſcence if it be not conſented vntounto, is not ſinne, He putteth a ſubtill difference, which I would hauehave our aduerſaries to marke, that they may know that S. Aug. counteth that but a ſubtill ſhift. And then he ſheweth that we do ſomtimes, ſomewhat conſent to the luſts of that ſinne, becauſe otherwiſe we needed not to ſay, Forgiue vsus our treſpaſſes. So that we ſee ſaint Auguſtine maketh that a reaſon to prooue, that concupiſcence often preuaileth, becauſe wee hauehave neede ſo to pray. And thus we ſee how cleane contrarie to all ſhew of trueth, maſter Bellarmine falſifieth ſaint Auguſtine. Which I would wiſh the ſimple to conſider of: For many times either himſelfe is ſo deceiued, or elſe hee ſeeketh to deceiue his Reader. But to returne to his argument, this we ſay, that euen here in this life, Gods children begin to hauehave a miſlike of ſin, & a louelove of godlines, yea, and alſo by the aſſiſtance of Gods good ſpirit increaſe therin. But this ſhal not be perfected in vsus, vntill we be deliuered from this bodie of death,Rom. 7 VponUpon Iohn tract. 41 and that made the apoſtle to crie out as he did. And therefore ſaint Auguſtine ſaith, that none in this life can be without ſinne, yet ſinne is diminiſhed in the life of them that do profit, but conſumed it is in the life of the perfect: meaning after this life, when corruption hath put on incorruption, who then would allowe of this reaſon. The verie filth and corruption of ſin, is taken away, therefore it muſt needes be taken away here by baptiſme. Whereas on the contrarie, we are called children of God, becauſe at the firſt, not in faith onelyonly, but in life alſo we are beginners and weake, and muſt growe ſtronger and ſtronger in both. Arg. 3 His third argument. In circumciſion the fleſh onelyonly was cut away, not by imputation onelyonly. Maſter Bellarmine verie vnſkilfully doeth match togither things not of like nature. For as Circumciſion is the cutting off the foreſkinne, ſo is baptiſme the waſhing of the bodie. But this is nothing to the effect of the Sacrament, to tel vsus what the externall thing doth of it ſelfe. Out of that that hath beene ſaid it is not hard to anſwer his 4. 6. 7. 8, and 9. arguments, if wee remember that God beginneth in vsus holines here, which ſhal be perfected elſe where. But in the meane time, for his Chriſts ſake, hee accepteth our vnperfect holineſſe for perfect, and forgiueth, euen the many and great ſinnes of his children. As for his fift argument,Bella. De iuſtificat, li. 2. cap. 7. Rom. 5.19 which in another place he ſaith that it ſeemeth vnanſwerable, euen in that reſpect that he truſteth ſo much in the ſtrength of it, I would not omit.
And it is this, As by one mans diſobedience, many were made ſinners, ſo by the obedience of one, many are made iuſt. But ſaith he, by Adams diſobedience we were made indeede ſinners, and not only by imputation: Therefore by Chriſt we are not by imputation only made righteous, but alſo indeed. What if I ſhould anſwere maſter Bellarmine, that this word As, doth not ſignifie the likeneſſe in the maner of iuſtifying vsus, but in the act it ſelfe. Namely, that many were partakers of Adams ſinne, and many were made righteous by Chriſt. For this word As, doth not alwaies import an agreement or likenes in eueryevery point. Among many examples that may be alleadged, this one may ſerue for all.Ioh. 20.21. As my father ſent me, ſo ſende I you. But God ſent him from heauen, to take vponupon him a nature that he had not, with fulnes of al power and graces: the apoſtles were not ſo ſent. So that we ſee that maſter Bellarmine can not ſoundly reaſon becauſe of this worde As, that this contrariety betweene the firſt and the ſecond Adam, muſt hold in eueryevery point. But what neede we to ſtand vponupon ſo narrowe a point? Becauſe the argument pleaſeth him ſo wel, I wil yeeld to it, and confeſſe it to bee moſt true. And yet ſhall it nothing helpe maiſter Bellarmine his cauſe. But in truth the ſumme of the doctrine that is taught in that place as Saint Auguſtine doth gather,De peceat. met. & remiſſ. li. c. 3 cap. 28. it is this, That as al in Adam die in whom al ſinned, ſo they that are quickned, are quickned by Chriſt, in whom they are all iuſtified. But if hee will needes that this making of vsus righteous whereof the apoſtle ſpeaketh, ſhould be by our ſanctification, I hauehave ſhewed that it cannot heere be perfect. But whenſoeuer that ſhall bee perfected in vsus, we muſt aſcribe the glory thereof vntounto Chriſt. For, what hauehave we that we hauehave not receiued? 1. Cor. 4.7.And that is the meaning of theſe words heere, That by him many are made righteous. But becauſe that there is alſo another way wherby we are made righteous, namely, in that our ſinnes are not imputed vntounto vsus, and that Chriſts merit is accounted to vsus as ours: and that our aduerſaries wil in no wiſe heare vsus ſpeake of that: they ſhall yet heare how Saint Barnard writeth, euen alluding vntounto the wordes from whence this vnanſwerable argument in drawen. What (ſaith he) could man the ſeruant of ſinne, Epiſt. 190.and bond-ſlaue of Sathan doe, to recouer righteouſnes loſt? Anothers righteouſnes was aſsigned vntounto him, becauſe he lacked his owne. And then alluding to theſe wordes of S. Paul. Why ſhould not righteouſnes come from another, ſeeing guiltines came from another? It is one that maketh vsus ſinners, and another that iuſtifieth from ſinne. The one in his ſeede, the other in his bloud. Is there ſinne in the ſeed of the ſinner, and is not righteouſnes in Chriſts bloud? And that we may know how he accompteth himſelfe made righteous by Chriſt, he addeth If the fault conueied to me is mine, why ſhould not the righteouſnes giuen to me be mine? And verily that is ſafer for me that is giuen me, then that is bred in me. Many things he hath in that place to this end, wherby it appeareth that he knew his owne righteouſnes would not ſerue his turne, and therfore that he repoſed his truſt in Chriſt his righteouſnes imputed to him, which he calleth anothers righteouſnes.
I might alſo let you ſee how ſubſtantially Fiſher ſometime biſhop of Rocheſter proueth this. Chriſt, ſaith he, did ſay to ſome, Thy ſinnes are forgiuen thee, therefore no ſinne remaineth. But his owne friendes are aſhamed of ſuch arguments. For we confeſſe as our creede teacheth vsus forgiueneſſe of ſinnes. But he ſhould proue that wee are alſo ſo ſanctified, that whileſt heere we liue we be without ſinne. And that his argument cannot doe. Thus then wee ſee, that although we hauehave in baptiſme the promiſe of remiſſion of all our ſinnes ſealed vp vntounto vsus: yet we cannot ſay,Prou. 20.9. I hauehave made mine heart cleane, I am cleane from ſinne.