Baptismal Regeneration of Elect Infants Professed by the Church of England, Treatise · Chapter 8
CAP. 8. The iudgment of ſome Diuines of speciall note in our Owne Church.
WHat iudicious Hooker, Mr Thomas Rogers; Dr Ames, Mr Aynſworth, & the Author of the Engliſh commentary vponupon St Paules Epiſtle to Titus, hauehave written touching this point, I hauehave already ſhewed in the third and fourth chapters of this Treatiſe: by which it is euident that I am not the firſt*Nam multi proteſtantes etſi non fidem actualem infantibus tribuunt: tamen inclinationes quaſdam bonas, novoſ que motus in pueris eſſe dicunt cum baptizantur. Whitak. de Sacram. cont. de Bapt. quaeſt 4. cap. 5. in princ. that hauehave ſet abroach this doctrine in the Church of England, nor the firſt Engliſh man that hath publiſhed this point to the world; although it be my hard hap to be firſt chalenged for it. I will not in this place repeat what hath beene formerly produced out of any of theſe, nor yet ſtay you with a large view of all thoſe that, vponupon further ſearch, might be added vntounto theſe, to witneſſe the ſame truth with them. It ſhall ſuffice that I alledg only theſe 6. viz. Biſhop Iewel, Doctor Whitaker, Doctor Francis White now Lord Biſhop of Norwich, Doctor Davenant, now Lord Biſhop of Saliſbury, Doctor Fulk, and the learned Author of the ſecond Parallells.
B. Iewel.1 I begin with that rare and much honoured and admired Iewel, the firſt champion of our Engliſh Church, ſince the laſt happy reformation, that, (both by publique Apology for our refuſing to communicate any longer with the preſent Romiſh ſynagogue, and alſo, by open chalenge made to that ſide, for prouing their principall tenets now in difference betweene vsus, to hauehave bin ſo much as knowne to the Ancient Fathers for the doctrine of truth, within the first ſix hundred yeares after Chriſt;) entred the liſts with that great Goliah, in the name of the Church of England, and came off ſo happily, that all that wiſh well to the truth, doe, to this day, (and for euer, ſhall) call him bleſſed. What teſtimony & approbatiō this worthie mans workes frequently receiued from our late learned K. Iames, they, who laſt publiſhed B. Iewels Workes, in their Epiſtle Dedicatory, to giuegive publique witneſſe: viz. that they hauehave long and frequently vponupon all occaſions had a moſt ſingular teſtimony & approbation of his Maieſtie for the moſt rare and admirable workes that hauehave beene written in this laſt age of the World. And what generall acceptance they finde in the whole Church of England, is euident by this, that eueryevery pariſh in England is enioyned to buy them, and to hauehave them opē in the pariſh Churches, for all that deſire inſtruction in the truth, to read and pervſe. And laſtly, what extraordinary approbation he receiued from the moſt iudicious and eminent diuines beyond the ſeas, their frequent epiſtles, and dedication of bookes vntounto him (of which wee may read in the hiſtory of his life) doe amply declare. Therefore I thinke that what I alledg out of him, may iuſtly be receiued (if not as the doctrine it ſelfe of the Church of England, yet) as that which no iudicious ſonne of this Church will refuſe as diſſonant from, much leſſe repugnant to the publique doctrine of our Church, but as moſt agreeable both vntounto it, and vntounto the truth of God maintained therein.
This Chariot of Jſrael and Father of our Church, in his Apology of the Church of England (which was firſt written in latine and tranſlated almoſt into all languages, for the great eſteeme it receiued in all the Churches of God,) ſpeaking of the ſacraments, and denying tranſubſtantiation in the Lords ſupper, thus ſaith:aNec tamen cum iſta dicimus, extenuamus coe…m Domini, aut eam frigidam tantum ceremoniam eſſe dicim…s, vt in ea nihil fieri, quod multi nos docere calumniantur. Chriſtum enim aſſerimus verè ſeſe praeſentem exhibere in ſacramentis ſuis in baptiſmo, vt eum indumus; in Coena, vt eum fide & ſpiritu comedamus, & de eius cruce ac ſangume habeamus vitam aeternam: id que dicimus non perfunctorie & frigide, ſed re ipſa & vere ſieri. In B. Iewels workes laſt ſet forth, you ſhall finde this in engliſh in the defence of the Apology cap. 14. divil. 1. pag. 269. And in speaking thus wee meane not to abaſe the Lords ſupper, or to teach, that it is but a cold ceremony only, & nothing to be wrought therein: (as many falſly ſlander vsus that wee teach.) For wee affirme that CHRIST DOTH TRVLY AND PRESENTLY giuegive himſelfe in his Sacraments. In baptiſme that wee may put him on: and in his ſupper that wee may eate him by faith and spirit, and may hauehave euerlaſting life by his Croſſe and blood. And we ſay not, this is done ſlightly or coldly, but effectually and truly. Now, in this paſſage this renowned Prelate makes no difference betweene the efficacy of the ſacraments; he allowes a preſence of Christ in the one, as well as in the other: he profeſſeth, that in Baptiſme Chriſt is as truly put on, as he is fed vponupon in the Supper: and when he ſaith that, in the Supper he is fed vponupon by faith and the spirit, ſaying no ſuch thing of the neceſſity of faith for putting on of Chriſt in Baptiſme, when an infant is baptized: he plainly yeeldeth that, in baptiſme of infants that truely and indeed belong to God, Chriſt is truly and indeed put on, although they be not endewed with actuall faith, which is required of perſons growne to yeares of diſcretion. And when M. Harding quarrelled him for this, and charged him of error, in making the preſence of Christ in baptiſme, like to his preſence in the ſupper. He thus anſweres;bDefence of Apology: pag. 264. Chryſoſt. in Epiſt. ad Epheſ. hom. 20. Bernard, ſuper miſſus eſt. hom. 3. Leo in ſerm. de 4. feria. c. 1. Here is one error more then any of the learned Catholique Fathers euer noted. Saint Chryſoſtome ſaith; In the ſacrament of Baptiſme wee are made fleſh of Chriſts fleſh, and bone of his bones. Saint Bernard. ſaith Lavemur in ſanguine eius: Let vsus be waſhed in his blood. Leo ſaith: Chriſti ſanguine rigaris quando in mortem ipſius baptizaris: Thou art waſht in the blood of Chriſt, when thou art baptized into his death. By theſe few it may appeare, that Chriſt is preſent at the ſacrament of baptiſme, as he is preſent at the holy ſupper: vnleſſe ye will ſay, we may be made fleſh of Chriſts fleſh, and be waſht in his blood, and be partakers of him, and hauehave him preſent without his preſence. Therefore Chryſostome, when he had ſpoken vehemently of the ſacrament of the ſupper, hee concludeth thus; Sic & in baptiſmo, euen ſo it is alſo in the ſacrament of baptiſme. The body of Chriſt is likewiſe preſent in them both. Beda in 1. Cor. 10.And for that cauſe Beda ſaith (and he ſaith it out of Saint Auguſtine,) nulli eſt aliquatenus ambigendum, tunc vnumquem que fidelium Corporis ſanguiniſ que Dominici participem fieri, quando in Baptiſmate membrum Chriſti efficitur. No man may doubt, but eueryevery faithfull man is THEN made partaker of the body and blood of Chriſt, when in Baptiſme he is made the member of Chriſt. All this B. Iewel vrgeth out of the Fathers, and by approuing their doctrine, confoundeth his Aduerſary. If any queſtion be made of the word faithfull, I hauehave ſufficiently ſhewed how that is to be taken. And if Saint Auguſtine be not miſtaken, he tells vsus that euencVbi ponis parvulos non baptizatos, profecto in numero credentium. De verb. Apoſt. Serm. 1. Infants were reckoned among the faithfull; nor was there euer any queſtion among the Fathers in any Age of the Church, but that elect infants did receiue remiſſion of ſinne, in baptiſme; and by conſequent, regeneration, for as much as theſe two are inſeparable. All this, that reuerend Iewel, very well knew; yet is not afaid to ſubſcribe to their doctrine. Yea, in the ſame Apology, he thus particularly deliuereth his iudgment concerning infants:dDefence chap. 11. diviſ. 3. pag: 216. Wee ſay that Baptiſme is a ſacrament of there-miſſion of ſinnes, and of that waſhing which wee hauehave in the blood of Chriſt: and that no perſon that will profeſſe Chriſts name, ought to be reſtrained or kept back there from: no not the very babes of Chriſtians; for as much as they be borne in ſinne, and doe pertaine vntounto the people of God. I thinke his words are plaine enough to proue that infants partake of remiſſion of ſinne, in Baptſme: becauſe, ſaith he, baptiſme is a ſacrament of remiſſion, and becauſe infants are to be baptized vponupon this ground, viz: (not only becauſe they are part of Gods heritage; but) vponupon this ground, that they be borne in ſinne. Now, if they ought to be baptized vntounto remiſſion of ſinne, becauſe borne in ſinne, will any man, well in his wits, conclude other then thus; therefore they doe partake of remiſſion of ſinne in Baptiſme.
I doe imagine ſome will be ready to pull me by the ſleeue, and ſay; I pray, Sir, looke againe, B. Iewel, calls baptiſme the Sacrament of Remiſſion, not remiſſion it ſelfe: and this he may doe, yet neuer hold remiſſion of ſinnes to bee conferred in baptiſme of infants; but only that it is a ſeale of that grace hereafter to be conferred, when by faith they apply the ſame?
Indeed ſo M. Harding the PapiſteSee in B. Iew. ibid. pag. 217. would needs vnderſtand him, charging him and the reſt of the Proteſtants, with ſpeaking too ſlenderly of baptiſme, in that they call it a ſacrament of Remiſſion; whereby (if yee will beleeue him,) they meane that it is only a ſigne or token, or at the beſt but a ſeale of our new birth; and not beleeuing with the Catholique Church, accord…ng to the Scriptures, that in and by baptiſme ſinnes be fully and truly remitted, and put away. All this M. Harding would father vponupon our Church, but pray marke the note that Jewel puts in the margent (pag: 217) ouer againſt that calumny of Harding viz. vntruth. For wee ſay not ſo.
And whereas M. Harding is pleaſed to goe on in his railing veine, profeſſing that the Church beleeues that remiſſion of ſinnes is giuen in baptiſme;fIbid. and that, not through the faith only of the giuer or receiuer, or of any other, (though herevnto it be neceſſary in thoſe that be come to age of diſcretion;) but through the power and virtue of the ſacrament, and Gods promiſe. B. Jewel, to that word faith, giues this note in the margent; This tale is needleſſe, and out of ſeaſon. As if he ſhould ſay, in the baptiſme of infants, we require not faith, but rely only on Gods promiſe. For ſo, more at large, in his anſwere to Harding, Hee explicates himſelfe. Firſt, he granteth it as a truth, that the ſacrament dependeth, neither of the miniſter, nor of the receiuer, nor of any other: for though they be all the children of ſinne, yet is baptiſme the ſacrament of remiſſion of ſinne. The place he alledgeth out of Saint Augustine, ſpeakes his minde plainly, that, he depends vponupon Chriſt himſelfe for the efficacy of baptiſme, and not vponupon the faith of the receiuer, if he be an infant, of which only the queſtion betwene Him and Harding was (by Harding himſelfe) put vp, who chargeth the Proteſtants with denying the preſent efficacy of baptiſme vntounto Remiſſion of ſinnes vponupon infants, for want of actuall faith.
Notwithſtanding, becauſe the Aduerſary is ſo brag and confident that the Fathers ſtood not vponupon faith in the baptizing of infants, the Biſhop is pleaſed a little to take downe his pride, and to diſcouer his ignorance in the Fathers, and ſhewes out of S. Auguſtine and S. Hierome, that to the intent Baptiſme might be effectuall vntounto infants, they thought it requiſite that the faith of their parents ſhould then be imployed on their behalfe, and be imputed to them. But yet for his owne part he profeſſeth his diſſent from that opinion, although, it might be further backed out of Iuſtine Martyr; S. Cyprian, and Saint Hierome. For thus they write, ſaith he: How truly, I will not ſay. But their words be plaine. The Prophet Habbacuck ſaith, Iustus ex fide ſuâ vivet, the iuſt man ſhall liue (not by the faith of his parents but) by his owne faith. Then he approueth a ſpeech of Auguſtine more conſonant to the truth, affirming thatgHabent fidem propter fidei ſacramentum. Epiſt. 23. ad Bonif. Infants hauehave faith of their owne, becauſe they hauehave baptiſme which is the ſacrament of faith: for he ſaith; quemadmodum ſacramentum corporis Christi, ſecundum quendam modum, corpus Chriſti est, ita ſacramentum fidei fides eſt. As the ſacrament of Christs body (not verily and indeed, but) after a certaine manner of ſpeech, is Christs body: ſo baptiſme is faith, becauſe it is the ſacrament of faith. Therefore ſaith Iewel Cardinall Caietane is worthily blamed by Catharinus, in that he ſaith, An infant for that hee wanteth inſtruction in faith, therefore hath not perfect baptiſme. Out of all which I can picke no other Engliſh but this: There is no neceſſity that we ſhould holde a neceſſity of faith in infants: yet, if they hauehave any, it is but improperly ſo called, it is that, not which they brought with them to the ſacrament; but that which they are reputed to receiue in the ſacrament it ſelfe. And this, in effect, is the very doctrine ofhInſtit. lib: 4. cap. 16. ſect. 21. compared with other paſſages in the ſame chapter. Caluine, ſet forth at large in the former chapter: viz. that it is not requiſite alwaies that a Chriſtian ſhould bring grace vntounto baptiſme, to make him capable of the grace of baptiſme; but he muſt come to baptiſme that there he may receiue it, if he be not of yeares; as he that is of yeares, receiues a confirmation of that which was wrought in him before. And ſo much this ſame Biſhop in his Reply to M. Hardings Anſwer. Art. 1. Div. 13. (of which place wee ſhall perhaps hauehave fitter occaſion afterwards to ſpeake) in effect declareth alſo.
For the preſent, you ſee, that what euer becomes of the faith of infants, he ioynes with Catharinus in condemning of Caietane denying infants to be perfectly baptized for want of instruction in faith. Then, he expreſſeth that, as the Antient Fathers did, ſo doth he hold baptiſme to be efficacious; yet not the outward element, but the ſpirit of Chriſt doth the deed when it is effected. In breefe, he denyes not the thing to be conferred even on infants, but only the manner which the Romaniſts contend for. They ſay that the blood and ſpirit of Chriſt is in the very outward clement, by the conſecration of the Preiſt, as the virtue of healing is naturall in a medicine, and that ex opere operato by vertue of the bare outward adminiſtration of that ſacrament every one partakes certainly and indeed of the inward grace. This, The founder Fathers diſclaimed, as wee hauehave proued at large, & this B. Iewel makes good out of them, againſt his aduerſary, that the inward grace comes from God immediatly, and not from the water, or outward act of the miniſter In ſumme, he thus ſhuts vp the whole matter,iDefence of Apol pag. 219. As for that M. Harding here toucheth as an error defended by certain, I know not by whome, that haptiſme giueth not full remiſsion of ſinnes, he may command it home againe to Lovaine amongſt his fellowes, and ioyne it with other of his and their vanities. For it is no part nor portion of our doctrine. Wee confeſſe and hauehave euermore taught that in the ſacrament of Baptiſme, by the death and blood of Chriſt is giuen remiſſion of all manner ſinnes: and that not in halfe, or in part, or by way of imagination, or by fancy, but full, whole, & perfect of all together: ſo that now, as Saint Paul ſaith, there is no condemnation to them that be in Chriſt Ieſus.
I hope no man duly conſidering the controuerſy betweene him and Harding, will hauehave the face to ſay that the Biſhop ſpeakes not this of the preſent efficacy of baptiſme, but of that which at actuall cōuerſion is to be expected. For the thing whereof Harding complaines is this that, wee deny the preſent efficacy of baptiſme, and make it only a ſigne, or at beſt but a ſeale to confirme future grace, vntill wee hauehave attained actuall faith. And the anſwere what it is, you now ſee: viz. that wee allow and teach that in baptiſme is giuen full remiſſion of all ſinnes; which if the Biſhop ſhould not meane of the preſent effect of baptiſme, his aduerſary might iuſtly complaine for want of anſwer to his vniuſt complaint.
Thus much then we hauehave gained out of this Iudicious Father, that, at leaſt, remiſſion of ſinnes is ordinarily communicated to infants, in their baptiſme, when it is adminiſtred. And, if remiſſion of ſinnes be then giuen, it muſt needs be yeelded further, that he held that, the ſpirit of God is communicated, then alſo, vntounto infants, for the applying of that benefit vntounto them. Therefore in the very ſame place,kDefence Apol. pag 218. he voucheth a paſſage of Cyprian *De baptiſmo Chriſti.to this purpoſe; Remiſſio peccatorum, &c. The remiſſion of ſinnes, whether it be giuen by baptiſme or by any other ſacraments, is indeed of the Holy Ghost: and to the ſame Holy Ghost only the priuiledge of this worke doth appertaine. The ſolemnity of the words, and the invocation of Gods holy name, and the outward ſignes appointed to the miniſtry of the Preiſts by the Apoſtolicall inſtitutions, worke the viſible outward ſacrament, but touching the ſubſtance thereof (which is the remiſſion of ſinnes) it is the holy Ghoſt that worketh it. Likewiſe, ſaith Saint Hierome, *In Eſaiam. cap. 4.Homo aquam tantum tribuit, The Miniſter being a man giueth only the water, but God giueth the Holy Ghost, whereby the ſinnes be waſht away.
If any paſſionate oppoſite ſhould be ſo farre tranſported, as to obiect; that all that hauehave beene hitherto ſpoken out of Biſhop Iewel, tends only to proue that Remiſſion of ſinne is giuen to infants in Baptiſme, which is another thing from the preſent point of Regeneration: therefore all this is as much as nothing to the purpoſe?
I anſwere, firſt, that this obiection is ſo ſilly that it deſerues no anſwere; for what Author euer taught plenary Remiſſion of all ſinnes to be giuen to him, that doth not in ſome meaſure partake of the ſpirit vntounto ſanctification? was it euer knowne that theſe two were ſeparated? Why then is it required that our author ſhould in expreſſe termes affirme both; or elſe, be denyed to allow of both, although he expreſly avouch it of the one of them He had no occaſion to ſpeake directly touching Regeneration, nor could he well doe it, without digreſſion. For the Queſtion betweene him and his Antagoniſt was only touching the preſent efficacy of Baptiſme vntounto Remiſſion of ſinne: if therefore he ſhould hauehave fallen vponupon the other, hee ſhould idly hauehave runne out of his way, and fallen vponupon another controuerſy not ſo much as named by the Aduerſe party.
Notwithſtanding, that I may not leaue the leaſt ſhaddow of an argument vnanſwered, ſecondly, I adde that, the ſame author, in his*You ſhall find this Treatiſe at the end of B. Iewels workes of the laſt edition frō Page 261 to the end. Treatiſe of the ſacrament, affirmes the efficacy of baptiſme vntounto Regeneration alſo. For of Baptiſme in particular, he thus ſpeaketh.l265 Page. Baptiſme is our regeneration or new birth, whereby wee are borne anew in Chriſt, and are made the ſonnes of God, and heyres of the kingdome of heauen, it is the ſacrament of the remiſſion of ſinnes, and of that waſhing which we hauehave in the blood of Christ. And a little after, among other places of holy ſcripture by him alleaged, for proofe hereof, he brings that of our Sauiour in John 3. Except a man be borne of water and of the spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdome of God; and then addeth; for this cauſe are infants baptized, becauſe they are borne in ſinne, and cannot become spirituall, but by this new birth of the water and the ſpirit. They are the heyres of the promiſe; the couenant of Gods fauour is made vntounto them, &c.
It is very true that in the very next page, he ſpeakes of the neceſſity of faith in ſome that are baptized: for thus he ſaith;mPag. 266. It is the Couenant and promiſe, and mercy of God, which cloatheth vsus with immortality; aſſureth our reſurrection, by which wee receiue regeneration, forgiueneſſe of ſinnes, life, and ſaluation. His word declareth his louelove towards vsus: and that word is ſealed and made good by baptiſme. Our faith which are baptized, and our continuance in the profeſſion which we hauehave made, eſtabliſheth in vsus this grace which wee receiue, as it is ſaid, *De conſecrat. diſt. 4. Verus.Verus baptiſmus conſtat non tam, &c. True baptiſme standeth not ſo much in waſhing of the body, as in faith of the heart. As the doctrine of the Apoſtles hath taught vsus ſaying; Art. 15.9. 1 Pet. 2.by faith purifying their hearts. And in another place; baptiſme ſaueth vsus, not the putting away the filth of the fleſh, but the examining of a good conſcience before God, by the reſurrection of Ieſus Chriſt. Therefore Hierome ſaith; In Ezek. c. 16.they that receiue not baptiſme with perfect faith, receiue the water, but the Holy Ghost they receiue not.
But this no way makes againſt our poſition touching the efficacy of baptiſme vponupon infants For marke, firſt, of whom he ſpeaks thoſe words; not vniverſally of all that are baptized; but only, of perſons of yeares. For hauing in page 265. ſhewed the efficacy of baptiſme vponupon infants, at the foote of that page he makes a tranſition of his ſpeech from infants, and comes on to declare the efficacy it hath vponupon others alſo. His words are theſe: And as the children of the faithfull by right ought to be baptized: ſo ſuch others alſo as were borne of vnbeleeuing parents, and were aliens from the common wealth of Iſrael, and were ſtrangers from the couenant of promiſe, and had no hope, if they acknowledge the error in which they liued, and ſeeke the forgiueneſſe of their former ſins, may well receiue this ſacrament of their regeneration. So, when they which heard Peter, were pricked in their hearts, and ſaid to Peter and the other Apoſtles: Men and brethren what ſhall we doe, Peter ſaid vntounto them. Amend your liues, and be baptized eueryevery one of you in the name of Ieſus Chriſt for the remiſsion of ſins. They were buried with Chriſt by baptiſme into his death, & made partakers of his blood, and continued in the Apoſtles Doctrine and fellowſhip. Then he goes on with his diſcourſe of theſe, in the words before cited out of the 266 page. Now in all this there is not one word of infants, of whom he had ſpoken before; and ſo that paſſage cannot be taken as a deny all of the efficacy of Baptiſme in any without faith, ſaue only in perſons of years. And if this were not thus to be vnderſtood, he ſhould directly contradict all that he had before ſpoken of the regeneration of infants, in whom there is no actuall faith, by his owne confeſſion, in his defence againſt Harding, as I hauehave ſhewed before: And to make this yet more cleare that, he did certainly beleeue that infants in baptiſme receiued ſome principle of regeneration, although not actuall renovation of the whole man, ſee what he ſaith afterwards in the ſame Treatiſe of the ſacraments, touching the ſtate of infants baptized, and of the care of parents in their education.nPage. 282. God ſaith, your children are my children. They are the ſonnes of God. They are borne anew, and well ſhapen in beautifull proportion: make them not monſters. He is a monſter whoſoeuer knoweth not God. By you they are borne into the world, be carefull alſo that by your means they may be begotten vntounto God, you are carfull to traine them vp in nature and comely behauiour of the body, ſeeke alſo to faſhion their mindes vntounto Godlineſſe. You hauehave brought them to the fountaine of baptiſme to receiue the marke of Chriſt: bring them vp in knowledge, and watch ouer them that they be not lost. So ſhall they be confirmed and will keepe the promiſe they hauehave made, & will grow vp vntounto perfect age in Chriſt. He ſaith, they are borne anew; and yet bids parents be carefull that they may be begotten vntounto God: Therefore he well diſcerned the diſtinction of initiall and actuall regeneration. This is our firſt anſwere, and this is abundantly ſufficient. Howbeit, ſecondly, I pray marke, in thoſe words of his that are found in page 266: that euen they that hauehave faith, if they be ſuch as were baptized in infancy, are not then ſaid to receiue the grace of baptiſme, when they hauehave faith, as if that were the firſt time of their reception of grace: but only then they come to be aſſured and confirmed ſenſibly and euidently in that which before, in their baptiſme, they did receiue, for ſo he ſpeaketh in expreſſe termes, OVR FAITH which are baptized, and our continuance in the profeſſion which we hauehave made, ESTABLISHETH in vsus this grace which we RECEIVE. And ſo, in his Reply to Harding, Artic. 1. Diviſ. 13. pag. 27. to like effect he ſpeaks of perſons of yeares that their coniunction and incorporation into Chriſt is firſt begun and wrought by faith: and then, the ſame incorporation is aſſured vntounto them and increaſed in baptiſme. But yet well knowing that it is otherwiſe with vsus that were baptized in our infancy, hee preſently remembreth a place of Saint Augustine touching the baptiſme of infants,Auguſt: de baptiſmo parvul. Ad hoc baptiſma valet, &c. To this availeth baptiſme, that men being baptiſed, may be incorporated into Chriſt and made his members. Now this muſt needs be meant of ſuch as are baptized in infancy, or elſe it were directly contrary to his owne aſſertion immediatly preceding, wherein he ſaith that, ſome are incorporated by faith, and that incorporation is aſſured them afterwards in baptiſme: and then produceth this of Austin, which affirmes vsus by baptiſme, to be incorporated into Ieſus Chriſt. Therefore he goes on to ſhew of what vſe the other holy myſteries are vntounto vsus that were baptized in infancy, on this manner: And for that wee are very imperfect of our ſelues, and therefore must daily proceed forward, that wee may grow into a perfect man in Chriſt, therefore hath God appointed, that the ſame incorporation ſhould be often renewed and confirmed in vsus by the vſes of the holy mysteries (which c…nnot be meant of baptiſme, for that may not be repeated) Wherein must be conſidered, that the ſaid holy myſteries doe not begin, but rather continue and confirme this incorporation. All this which he ſpeakes of the vſe of the holy myſteries, after incorporation) hee ſpeakes, not of baptiſme, as if either wee were ordinarily, by meanes, firſt made members and then, baptized: or yet, were not members, although baptized, till by faith wee actually apprehend Chriſt on our parts; (for then, woe to all infants that dye in infancy) but he ſpeakes directly of the Lords ſupper, when he ſaith, thoſe myſteries doe not beginne, but rather continue and confirme this incorporation. And this is cleare by the very next clauſe following: First of all, wee our ſelues muſt be the body of Christ, and afterwards we muſt receiue the ſacrament of Chriſts body: as it is well noted by St Auguſtine, *…nf…m… ad infames, e…atur a Pedu in 1. Co… 10.Corpus Christi ſi vis intelligere, &c. If thou wilt vnderſtand the body of Chriſt, he are what S. Paul ſaith to the faithfull: ye are the body and the members of Chriſt. Your myſtery is ſet on the Lords Table. ſee receiue the myſtery of the Lord. To conclude then, the ſumme of all is but thus much. It is not the bare receiuing of the Lords ſupper, as*M. Harding pleaded that wee are made one body with Chriſt, in the ſacrament of the Lords ſupper; as appeares in the place cited This Iewel denies, ſaying that ſome are engraſſed firſt. by ſa th; ot…s, by bapt. but none by the Lords ſupper: for they muſt iuſt be of his body before they can partake of that ſacrament. M. Harding dreamed, that makes vsus members of Chriſt: but all that partake of that ordinance, were firſt, made members of Chriſt, by faith, if they were ſuch as were not baptized in their infancy, but conuerted firſt by the word from gentiliſme, and then baptized; for vntounto ſuch baptiſme alſo is a confirmation of their incorporation. But vntounto all others, baptiſme is the firſt ordinary meanes that initiateth vsus into Chriſt; and we, from that time, grow vp vntounto more and more perfection in his body; then we partake of the myſtery of the Lords ſupper, wherein, and whereby we are yet further nouriſhed and confirmed in the body of Chriſt: ſo as M. Harding ſhot beſide the marke when he contendeth that the ſacrament of the Lords ſupper doth first, vnite vsus vntounto Chriſt. And this is all that the Biſhop aimed at in all theſe words.
D. Whitaker.In the next place, come wee to D. Whitaker, whom none but a corrupt Barowiſt, or Tompſonian will refuſe to honour among men of greateſt parts and higheſt worth. He in that learned Treatiſe of the Sacraments; howeuer he denyeth all manner of efficacy to be in the ſacraments ex opere operato, by virtue of the meere externall adminiſtration of the ſacrament: yet he eueryevery where diſclaimes, as an intollerable calumny, that which Bellarmine & the reſt of that rout ceaſe not to lay to our charge: viz. that wee make the ſacraments, and particularly Baptiſme, to be without all efficacy at the time of adminiſtration: or thataDe Sacram. Controv. de Baptiſ. quaeſt. 4. cap. 1. Calumniatur ergo Bellarminus: & ſic etiam Patres Tridentini, qui aiunt nos dicere, peccatum tantum radi in baptiſmo, non tolli: quod olim Auguſtino Pelagiani obiiccrunt, quorum ille calumniam diluit. Non enim peccatum in baptiſmo tanquam novacula reſecatur, ſic vt radex haereat, & ſtarim renaſcatur, quemadmodum isti inſulſi nos ſentire putant; ſed nos in Baptiſmo dup…tcem gratiam conſequimur: prima eſt remiſſio peccatorum ſecunda, regeneratio. Remiſſio eſt p…riecta, regeneratio inchoa…a, propter peccati reliquias, & propter originale peccatum, quod in nobis perpetuo quoad ſuam ſubſtantiam remanet. we will hauehave ſinne to be only pared, and not wholy taken away in baptiſme in reſpect of the guilt of it. For ſinne is not only ſhauen or clipt (as ſome young thing newly ſprout vp, which though it be cut, yet the roote ſtill ſtaies behind and will preſently spring vp afreſh againe, may be ſaid to be) as thoſe abſurd obiectors imagine vsus to hold: but we obtaine a double benefit in baptiſme: the firſt is remiſſion of ſinnes; the ſecond is regeneration. Remiſſion of ſinnes is perfect: regeneration, in reſpect of the remainders of ſinne, and of originall ſinne, that for ſubſtance ſtill abideth in vsus, is then only inchoate, or but in the beginning.
Nor doth he ſpeake this only of perſons of yeares, (that can hauehave neither of theſe, without actuall faith to apprehend them, as hee proues ſtrongly and at large, in the firſt part of thatbDe ſacram: in genere quaeſt. 4 cap. 3. Tractate:) but he affirmes it alſo of infants, that ſome of them, viz. the elect, are partakers of theſe graces in their baptiſme: as may be ſeene in ſundry paſſages of his booke collated; for marke, when Bellarmine obiecteth that,cIbid de ſacr. in genera queſt. 4. multotus. ſome reape benefit by the ſacraments without actuall faith; and particularly, infants, in their baptiſme: it is Doctor Whitakers conſtant anſwere, not ſimply to deny that propoſition: but to deny it in two reſpects only: viz. 1 If the propoſition be vnderſtood of all infants, becauſe, all are not ſaued that be baptized. 2 If it be meant that they partake of theſe graces meerely by virtue of the outward worke done, or that the outward element ſhould be thought to containe in it any efficacy to convey theſe graces vntounto any infant at all: then alſo he reiecteth it as falſe: but otherwiſe he admits it to be true. So doth he receiue thedIbid cap. 2. p g. 72. counſell of Nice; ſo, the Mileuitane counſel eIbid▪ c… 2. pag. 73. Ter… …n teſtimoniū ſurui…ur ex Cō …lio Milovitano. Parvuli qui nihil peccatorum in ſemetipſis adhuc committere potuerunt, ideo in remiſſionē peccatorum veraciter baptizantur; vt in cis regeneratione mundetur quod generatione trax… runt. Reſpond…o, Ba…tiſmum eſſe ſacramentum regener…tionis, et… in parvulis, non negamus, ſed non ex opere operato. Deas operatu… libere, ei… i… b…tiſ…o ſadi… at quos …i…lt, &c.which ſpeaks expreſly of infants thus: Litle children who yet cannot commit any actuall ſinnes of their owne, are therefore truly baptized for the remiſſion of ſinnes, that ſo that filth which they hauehave contracted by generation, might be purged out by regeneration. True, ſaith he, wee deny not Baptiſme to be the ſacrament of regeneration euen to infants: but not by vertue of the externall worke done. Yea, but (you will ſay) he denies this to be done in all infants? True; and ſo doe I. But, of what ſort are they that he admitteth to partake of the efficacy of Baptiſme? Surely none but the Elect. For, thus He:eDeus in baptiſmo ut ſignificat remiſſionem peccatotum & ſalutem, ita re operatur: & veritas cum ſigno coniuncta eſt in electis. De ſacram. in genere quaeſt. 4. cap. 2. Jn baptiſme, as God doth ſignifie the remiſſion of ſinnes and ſalvation, ſo indeed he workes the ſame: and the truth of the things is i…ined together with the ſigne, in the ELECT. Againe;fIbid. quaeſt. 1. cap 3. pag. 15. Quare falſum eſt quod ait Bellarm. baptizari apud nos infantesea ſolum de cauſa, vt ſint membra Eccleſia externae quemadmod… … circiiciſi eli n infantes Iudeorum ſum, illa tantum de cauſa, ſed vt illis ſignum diuini ſoederis imprimatur. quod etſi non venati… & praedeſtinatis nal p edeſt, tanun electis predeſt co modo quo D…us nov…t. Nam infantes clect…s, mo…te…ies antequom adoleverint, Deus virtute ſp ritus ſui renovat, ſi vero vitun longius p…opagare illis contigerit, comacis ad ſtudium renouationis accenduntur, quod eius teſſ…ram ſe infantes accep…e ſc…t. Ergo etſi infantes baptizantur, tamen non ſemper infantes count, ſed tandem ſi vita … longiu… contedatur vim eius Baptiſmiſentient, quem infantes ſuſciperunt. Wherefore it is falſe that Bellarmine affirmes that Infants with vsus are baptized, only that they might become members of the viſible Church: for neither were the Infants of the Jewes circumciſed only for that reaſon; but that the ſigne of Gods covenant might bee stamped on them, which although it profit not ſuch as are neither regenerated nor predestinated, notwithſtanding it is availeable in the Elect, in ſuch manner as is well knowne to God. For ſuch Infants as being elected, doe die in infancy, God renueth by the power of his spirit: but if it happen that they liue, they are thereby the more incited to the ſtudy of renovation, the badge whereof they then come to know that they received in Infancy. Therefore although they be baptized Infants, yet they will not alwaies remaine ſuch; gTum ſiverum ſit quod Bell…rminus ait, infantes perſolum ſacramentum ſeruari, tum omnes qui baptizatur, ſeruarentur. Verum aſia cauſa est, propter quam ſeruanturiafantes, nempe diuine bonitate, gratia, electio, non ſolus baptiſmus. ibid quaeſt. 4. cap 3. pag. 88.89.but at length, if they liue, they will feele the force of that baptiſme, which in their infancie they did receiue. And yet againe, to that obiection of Bellarmine that, Infants are ſaved without actual faith, by baptiſme alone; he anſweres by denying that, only Baptiſme ſaveth them; for, ſaith he, many Jnfants do periſh that are baptized; and many are ſaved that were never baptized *Th…s Bern…rd made good againſt H…go…t S. Vict. vnderunder the perſon of another enquiring whether infants can be ſaued without baptiſme E…ſt 77. And euen G…b. Biel. in 4 ſent. diſt. 4. quaeſt 2. dub. 2. was not afraid to affirme as much, although ap p…ſh ſchooleman ſaying: Voluit (Deus) ita que remedia inſtituere con ram rburr p cca…tun Eccleſia, per ſacramenta diſpenſanda, his qui noti eſſe poterant Eccleſiae. …orum vero qui nondum in lucem notitiae predicrunt remedia in ſua poteſtate ſola conſtituit quos cum voluerit ſ…te exteriori remedio & ſanctificare & ſalvare poteſt, ſicut factum de quibuſdam ſcriptura teſtatur. Inſuper quod paucis in privilegium factum eſt, poteſt quibuſcun que voluit, impartiri qui potentiam ſuam ſacramentis non alligauit.: and a little after, If that were true which Bellarmine affirmeth that Infants are ſaved only by baptiſme, then all that are baptized ſhould be ſaved. But there is another cauſe alſo of the ſalvation of Jnfants: viz. Gods goodnes, grace, and Election. By all which it is evident that Dr. Whitaker, ever reſtrained the efficacie of Baptiſme to the Elect only, and vntounto them he never denyed it.
And that hee meant ſome preſent worke of the Spirit to bee wrought vponupon elect Infants in the act of baptiſme, will appeare farther by his approving of all that the ancient Fathers hauehave ſpoken touching this point. Now, we know that they were all for a preſent efficacie of baptiſme even vponupon Infants as well as others, as before hath beene declared. I will not repeate what I hauehave*Chap. 5. there alledged;hNon est falſa etiam in parvulorum b ptiſmate, Rem ſſio peccatorum, nec verba tenus dicatur, ſed veraciter agitur, Auſtin. Epiſt. 157. only I wil adde one place more out of St Auguſtine. It is no fable that we ſay Remiſſion of ſins is given in the baptiſme even of Infants: nor is it ſaid only to make a ſhew, but it is verily done.
This is not diſliked, but both this and all the ſpeeches of the Fathers produced by Bellarmine, are approved by ouriDe Sacram. in gen. queſt. 4 ca. 2 pag. 73. Author, being rightly vnderſtood: viz not as if they held that the outward elements could convey this to every infant by vertue of the outward worke done; but that the grace of Baptiſme commeth immediatly from God, and is wrought by the ſpirit, as he declareth out of Baſil. Yea he is not afraid to adde; that, kEt quanquam Lutherus & Calvinus ſcribuat, quaedam dici a Patribu foreign, & eſſe immodica quaedam apud illos enconna ſacramentorum, vt ſic non eſſe contemnenda, & eſſe Iudaicis meliora docerent: tamenre vera nullum eſt ex omnibus teſtimonius, qua Bellarminus offert quod non ſatis commodè ſine hyperbole exponi poteſt. ibid vt immediate ſupra. pag.74.however Calvine & Luther were pleaſed to ſay that ſome things were spoken by the Fathers hyperbolically, and that ſometimes we ſhall meet with advancings of the Sacraments beyond meaſure, in their writings, which no doubt they tooke liberty to doe, meerely to preſerue them from contempt, and to preferre them before the Sacraments of the Jewes: notwithſtanding to ſay the truth, there is not one of all thoſe places quoted by Bellarmine, but will admit of a good construction, without any hyperbole at all: Thus He. And if wee obſerue how, every where, he expounds them, we ſhal finde him thus to ſenſe them: viz. that what they ſay muſt bee taken not as intending to place any efficacy in the outward element; nor, that grace is given to any but to the Elect; & to them, not by vertue of the outward Baptiſme outwardly adminiſtred, but by the immediat operation of the Spirit in that Ordināce, as both the places already alleaged, together with many moe, too long to recite in this place, doe ſufficiently proue.
Moreover, when he commeth profeſſedly to treat of the efficacie of Baptiſme, and of the ſaith of infants, he firſt avoucheth that,lNam multi Prtoteſtantes, etſi non fidem actualem infantibus tribuunt, tamen inclinationes quaſdam bonas, novoſ que moti… in pueris eſſe dicunt, cum baptizantur. De Sacram. controv. … Bapt. quaeſt. 4. cap. 5. many Protestant Divines, however they aſcribe not actuall faith to Infants, yet they affirme that certain good inclinations & new motions are wrought in them, when they are baptized. Which opinion he doth not, I confeſſe, take into his protection; becauſe he hath afterwards occaſion given him to diſclaime that imputation caſt vponupon Proteſtants by Bellarmine; that they aſcribe actual faith to Infants: (which, hee acknowledgeth, to hauehave once vnadviſedly fallen from Luther;) and to make it good that infants do not receiue ſo much as the habit of that or any other particuler grace, in baptiſme, as the Papiſts contend. Howbeit in that very paſſage hee declares enough to cleare me of novelty, for as much as many Divines hauehave gone farther then I hauehave done: for they that affirme that in baptiſme, there are ſome good inclinations and new motions, in Infants, muſt needes acknowledge the reception of the Spirit, by which thoſe motions are infuſed: and ſo they affirme all that I doe, and ſo much more. And thus that Mirrour of learning Phillip Melancthon, held, in his Common place of Baptiſme: as our Author alſo hath obſerved before mee. And this thoſe Divines vſe to terme ſeminal or potential grace.
But what ſhould I ſtand beating of many buſhes? In the Chapter now laſt cited, Dr Whitaker ſpeakes plaine enough: for hauing ſpoken ſomewhat of Calvines opinion touching the worke of grace in Infants, he proceedes to Peter Martyr, whoſe opinion he firſt briefly, yet fully, ſets down; then, explaineth it and embraceth it as the truth. In ſubſtance thus he writes.mP…trus Martyr vir graviſſimi iudicij ait ſe non audere eorum ſententiam amplecti, qui fidem tribuunt infantibus, non quin Deus iis infundere fidem poſſit, ſi velit, & rationem producere in eorum mentibus ante naturae tempus, et eſſicere, vt quanquam ipſi non intelligant ne que congoſcant quae creduntur, tamen 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, ne que 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, ſp…i & charitatis, & omnium virtutum, quas poſtea exerit & declarat in filiis dei, cum per aetatem licet. Poſſe ergo ſic dici fideles, vt dicuntur rationales Nam e…ſi non poſſunt infantes ratiocinari, lamen animam habent ea facultate praeditam, vt poſſint, cumaetas acceſſerit, rati cinari… ergo rationales dicuntur, non propter praeſentem vſum rationis, ſed propter inſitum principium rationis, nempe animam, quae artium & doctrinarum om…ium capax eſt: fidem igitur expreſſam… 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 a…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 giuegive conſent to thoſe things, for them; as the ſpirit is ſaid to make interceſſion for vsus vntounto 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 vntounto 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 hauehave 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 hauehave 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 hauehave not abuſed Peter Martyr, and that D. Whitaker is fully of the ſame iudgment with him. Yet let me hauehave leaue (ſince I promiſed much out of this Author) to alleadge a place or two more to the ſame purpoſe. In thenPag. 286. Sed ait Chriſtū habitare in infantibus per fidem: ergo …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 ſu…ſemirie, id eſt, in spiri…u ſancto, vt antea diximus. Poſtremo ait, trſands parvu…s occultam gratiam, cum baptizentur, idq Auguſtinam docere. Reſpondeo, Id nos quo que nicimas, Sed Auguſtimes non ait habitum fidei inſued, ſed gratiam, & Bellarminus …eſcit an haec gratia ſit Charitas cum ſide & ſpo, an qualitas alia, cum qua tres illae virtutes perp…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 hab…tu. Vid …r Auguſtinus id, enſ…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 hauehave 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 hauehave) And what if wee ſhould ſay that Chriſt dwels in none, but ſuch as actually beleeue? (he meanes, what would Bellarmine hauehave to plead againſt it, ſeeing he maintaines habituall fa…th:) But euen infants hauehave 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 louelove, & 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 vponupon him to lay open the Doctrine of the Fathers, touching the faith by which infants are partakers of the grace of Baptiſme, and are ſaved, if they die in infancie; is very loath to declare himſelfe againſt that charitable conceipt of Antiquity: viz. that for as much as infants having in them no ſinne, that is, every way their owne, but originall, which is done away in baptiſme, if any faith be farther required to bring them to heaven, in caſe they then depart this life, they may be ſaved by the faith of their parents. But this he doth, as admitting this rather then the other touching actuall or habituall faith of their own, which, in the ordinarie courſe, he thinkes (as all other judicious Divines ever doe, and ever did to be very incongruous and abſurd, whether we conſider the nature of grace, or the capacitie of nature in an infant for reception of ſuch grace. But, for a Concluſion (however he, following the iudgment of many more in the ancient ſchooles of the Papiſts themſelues*Vid Alex. H…l. par. 4. q. 8. … …rt. 3. … eſp…t. … …aſt in 4. ſen. diſt. 4. &c. non Extraſt. de Bapt. maiores., will not heare of any infuſion of ſo much as of the habit of faith, in infants;) hee commeth backe to his former poſition, wherein wee ſaw his accord with Peter Martyr, and S. Augustine, and ſhuts vp all, thus;oSed etſi infantes non habere fidem habitualem, tamen à spiritu ſancto purgari dicimus, & ſieri novas creaturas, quia caro & ſanguis regnum culorum non poſſiarbunt, & …ex aqua & ſpiritu ſancto r…nati ſuerint. … in regnum … …cpera…t ſpiritum ſa…ctum …dabiliter …. Cont…ce Bapt. qu…d… 4. cap 6. in concluſ. But although infants hauehave not habitual faith, yet we ſay that they are purged by the holy Ghoſt, and made new creatures, for as much as fleſh and blood ſhall not inherit the kingdome of heaven, and vnleſſe they be borne againe of water and of the ſpirit, they cannot enter into the kingdome of God: therefore wee conclude that the ſpirit of God worketh in them in ſuch a manner as cannot by vsus be expreſſed. I willingly admit that this purging and renuing of infants, which he ſpeakes of, is to be vnderſtood of the worke of the Spirit in ſuch as die in infancie, and are ſaved. Howbeit he yeeldeth the ſpirit to be in all the reſt alſo that belong to Gods election, although the ſame effects bee not produced till they co… to age, as thoſe two plaine and pregnant p…ces alleadged but now our of his 5. Chapter concerning the efficacie of baptiſme, clearely and fully proclaime to all the world. And ſo I hauehave done with him alſo.
D. White B. of Norwich.Our next witneſſe is that learned Doctor Francis White, now L. Biſhop of Norwich, in his Anſwere to Fiſher the Jeſuite, whom though I hauehave alleadged before, and might therefore well be excuſed if I ſhould paſſe him over here. Yet becauſe ſome that are reſolued neuer to aſſent to this truth, when they ſee or heare any teſtimonie produced out of anie good Author that is clearely for me, they vſe to ſhift it off, among thoſe that either cannot, or will not, examine the Authors themſelues, with this aſperſion caſt vponupon me; It is true, ſay they, that he makes a noiſe with quotations out of many Authors: but how? He catcheth vp here and there a word, or a ſentence that ſeemeth to make for his purpoſe, and vſeth them quite contrary to the Authors meanings, as would eaſily appeare by examination of what goeth before and followes after, in thoſe Authors. I am therefore conſtrained to bee tedious, in many things, not only to others, but to my ſelfe alſo, in being more large then I intended at the firſt, meerely to vindicat my ſelfe from that, which, I am afraid, they too well know that they vniuſtly lay to my charge, vponupon all occaſions. And for this reaſon am I compelled to repeate what formerly I alleadged out of this Author, and to adde therevnto all that he hath ſpoken of the point; that it may be manifeſt that I hauehave not wronged him, as ſome giuegive out to their diſciples.
The charge which Fiſher commeth on withall, vponupon all Proteſtants at once, is this; Their errors againſt Baptiſme, the gate and entrance into Chriſtian life, wherof they deny the virtue to ſanctifie men, and the neceſſity thereof for infants, to whom they grant ſalvation without Baptiſme. In which complaint the Ieſuite would faine perſwade, that Proteſtants deny both the efficacie, and the neceſſity of Baptiſme. Our Author anſweres him to both particulers We hauehave here to deale only with the former, touching which the whole paſſage runnes thus. viz.
pPag 175.176Although ſome perſons hauehave beene Chriſtians before their Baptiſme, as S. Augustine ſaith of Cornclius. Even as in Abraham the iustice of faith was precedent, and the ſeale of circumciſion followed after: ſo likewiſe in Cornelius, ſpirituall ſanctification, by the gift of the Holy Ghoſt, went before, and the Sacrament of Regeneration in the Laver of baptiſme ſucceeded; yet notwithstanding, the ordinary gate, and entrance into Chriſtian life is baptiſme. S. Ambroſe (ſive Proſper) d. vocat. Gent. li. 1. ca. 5. The beginning of true life and righteouſneſse, is laid in the Sacrament of regeneration, that looke where man is new borne, there alſo the verity of vertues themſelues may ſpring.
Neither doe Proteſtants deny the virtue and efficacy of Baptiſme, to ſanctify men; But according to the Holy ſcriptures, Epheſ. 5.26. Tit. 3.5. Gal. 3.27. 1 Pet 3 21. Act. 22.16. Rom. 6.3. And the ancient church, they teach and maintaine, that this ſacrament is an inſtrument of ſanctification, and remiſſion of ſinnes. The Leiturgy of the Church of England, in the forme of adminiſtration of Baptiſme, hath theſe words: Seeing now D.B. that theſe children be regenerate, &c. Wee yeeld thee hearty thankes moſt mercifull father, that it hath pleaſed thee to regenerate this infant with thy holy ſpirit, to receiue him for thine owne chi…d by adoption, &c. And maſter Hooker ſaith; Baptiſme is a Sacrament which God hath inſtituted, in his Church, to the end, that they which receiue the ſame, might be incorporated into Chriſt, and ſo through his moſt pretious merit, obtaine as well that ſaving grace of imputation, which taketh away all former guiltineſſe, and alſo that infuſed diuine virtue of the holy Ghoſt, which giueth to the powers of the ſoule their first diſpoſition toward future newneſſe of life. Zanchius hath theſe words, When the Miniſter baptizeth, I beleeue that Chriſt with his hand reached as it were from heaven be ſprinkleth, the child baptized with water, with his blood, to remiſsion of ſinnes. And in another place, The Holy Ghoſt moveth vponupon the water of Baptiſme, and ſanctifieth the ſame, making it to be a Lauer of Regeneration. Calvine ſaith, Per Baptiſmum Christus nos mortis ſuae participes fecit, vt in eam inſeramur, By baptiſme Chriſt hath made vsus partakers of his death, that wee may be ingraffed into it. And in another place; If any demand, how can infants which want vnderstanding bee regenerate? I anſwere, Although we are not able to fadome or vnfold the manner of this worke of God, yet it followeth not from thence, that the ſame is not done.
And the ſame Author, with others of his part, maintaine the former doctrine concerning the efficacy of the Sacrament of Baptiſme, and they differ only from Lutherans and Pontificians. Firſt, in that they reſtraine the grace of Sanctification only to the elect. Secondly, in that they deny externall baptiſme to bee alwaies effectuall, at the very instant time when it is adminiſtred. Thus far our Author, word for word. I forbeare to adde his margent, becauſe I am here to vſe his words, and not his Authors, from whom he had them. Wee ſee that, in the name of all ſound Proteſtants, he profeſſeth an efficacy of baptiſme even in infants elected; and this, hee tells vsus, is the doctrine of our Church, of Antiquity both in reſpect of particular Fathers, and of whole Councels alſo; and this is the profeſſed doctrine of Mr Hooker, Zanchius, Calvine, and of all others that are not Lutherans and Papists. So as now, our Author muſt by all men be confeſſed to be a Lutherane and a Papist, (from both which, in that whole worke, hee ſufficiently cleareth himſelfe) or elſe to bee directly, fully, and eueryevery way of the ſame opinion with our Church in this point, touching the efficacy of Baptiſme in and vponupon the elect only.
Fourthly, I produce that learned & worthy ſucceſſour of Biſhop Iewel in Sarisbury, D. Davenant, D. Dauenant B. of Sarisb.now L. Biſhop of Sarum, whoſe worth is ſo well knowne, that no man that knowes a profound ſcholler and ſound Divine, but will yeeld him to be of the higheſt forme. He, in his excellent Commentary that he lately put forth in Lattine, vponupon the epiſtle to the Colloſſians, ſaith thus, (vponupon thoſe words of the Apoſtle Colloſ. 2.12 buried with him in baptiſme, wherein alſo ye are riſen with him through the faith of the operation of God, &c.) qNon ſolum in perſona Chriſti, ſed in nobismet-ipſis etiam ſepulta dicuntur peccata in baptiſmo: quia illa mortificatio & ſepultura peccati non ſolum ſacramentaliter vno momento peragitur in actione baptiſmi, ſed realiter etiam per ſpiritum gratiae IN BAPTISMO ACCEPTVM, per totam vitam Chriſtianam protenditur.Not only in the perſon of Christ, but alſo in our owne ſelues our ſinnes are ſaid to be buried in baptiſme: becauſe that mortification and buriall of ſinne is performed not only ſacramentally in the very moment of baptiſme; but alſo really, by the ſpirit of grace receiued IN BAPTISME throughout the whole life of a Chriſtian. And a little after, when he ſpeakes of mortification as a grace actually wrought, he ſaith that,rIn fieri non in facto …ſſe. it is rather a thing not yet begun, then in the actuall worke done, in our baptiſme. And afterwards, in expoſition of that clauſe, in whom alſo yee are riſen by the faith of the operation of God, he thus explicates the meaning thereof;ſNon fruſtra eſt quod exigitur fides ab Apoſt…lo, vt beneficium ſpiri…ualis reſurrectionis obtineamus. Nam vt in baptiſmo adultorum requiritur fides praevia, iuxta dictum Saluatoris Mar. 16.16, qui crediderit & baptizatus fuerit, ſaluus fuerit. Sic ab illis qui baptizantur cum iam infantes ſint requiritur fides ſubſequens: quam ſi non praeſtiterint poſtea, retinent externam tantummodo baptiſm… ſanctificationem: interna ſanctificationis effecta non habent. The Apostle doth not in vaine require faith, to the end wee may obtaine the benefit of a ſpirituall reſurrection. For as in the baptiſme of thoſe of yeares, precedent faith is required, according to that of our Saviour Mar. 16.16. He that beleeueth, and is baptized ſhall be ſaued: ſo, of thoſe that are baptized in infancy, future faith is required: which if they performe not, they retaine only the externall ſanctification of baptiſme, not hauing the inward effects thereof. Againe ſpeaking of the faith of infants, he thus determines that doubt:tIbid. in ſol. dub. 2 ſufficit qu…d peccati mortificationē & fidem habeant non proprio actu ſeſe exerentem, ſed in habituali principio gratiae incluſam Spiritus autem Chriſti principium hoc habituale gratiae in illis efficere p…ſſe & ſolere, nemo ſanus negauerit It is ſufficient that they hauehave mortification & faith, not actually declaring it ſelfe by any act of theirs, but included in the habituall principle of grace. And that the ſpirit of Christ both can and ordinarily doth worke this habituall principle of grace in them, no man well in his wits will deny. Now in theſe fowre paſſages who ſees not theſe 6 things. 1 That infants doe not only partake of an externall waſhing, or obſignation, in baptiſme, but they then RECEIVE the Holy Ghoſt. 2 That though they then receiue the Holy Ghoſt; yet hee doth not preſently regenerate actually: for then, the worke is rather in fieri then in facto eſſe, as a thing not yet begun, rather then for the preſent, done. 3 That all that are outwardly baptized, if they liue muſt attaine actuall faith, ere their baptiſme will appeare effectuall vntounto them. 4 That there are ſome who doe partake only of the outward lauer, without the inward effects: elſe, their faith would ſpring and ſhew it ſelfe, when they come to yeares. 5 That it is ordinary with the Holy Ghoſt to worke ſeminall grace in thoſe infants that belong indeed vntounto Gods election. 6 That they ſavour of cract braines that deny it. I am afraid the reader wilbe impatient to be ſtaied longer in a point ſo plaine I will therefore adde only one Teſtimony more out of D. Fulk; and another out of D. Featly, who, vnderſtanding from my ſelf how I stated my Poſition, gaue this anſwere; neminem habebis aduerſarium: ſure you will hauehave no aduerſary.
Iudicious and induſtruous D. Fulk, D. Fulk.in his Anſwere to the Rhemiſts Annotations vponupon the New Teſt. ſaith thus,vIn 1 Pet. 3.21. Neither is baptiſme an efficient cauſe of ſaluation vntounto infants, but a ſeale of Gods ſpirit regenerating them to eternall life. Where he doth not more deny the ouerplus which Papiſts vniuſtly attribute to baptiſme, then he willingly acknowledgeth, what is due vntounto it: viz. that it is outwardly a ſeale of Gods ſpirit, which ſpirit inwardly regenerateth vntounto eternall life. So then Doctor Fulk could alſo diſcerne the ſpirit in the baptiſme of thoſe ordained to life.
D. Featly.Laſtly that Learned and nimble Author of the ſecond Parallell, (who is thought to make againſt mee,I was at firſt much preſſed with the Authority of the Author of t…e perpetuity of the regene…a…e mans eſtate. But he that ſhall pervſe page 353. 354. of his booke in the fi…ſt edition, ſhall find that ſtill he runs vponupon theſe two points. 1 That not all, but only the elect receiue any kind 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 vntounto 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 hauehave 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.