The Buckler of the Faith, Part 2 · Article 35 · Subpart 14 – Subpart 15
Of Baptisme, and of the necessitie thereof.
The same 35. Article of our Confession speaketh of Baptisme, and particularly of the baptisme of little children, in these words:
Neuerthelesse, because God receiueth little children into his Church with their fathers, we say, that by the authoritie of Iesus Christ, young children that are begotten by Christian parents ought to be baptized.
Against this M. Arnoux reasoneth in this manner.
ARNOVX.
Sect. 16 By this Article they pretend to inferre, that children begotten by Christian parents are receiued into the Church by the faith of their fathers.
MOVLIN.
This is vntrue: we pretend not to auouch that, neither is it our beleefe. Baptisme is conferred to diuers children whose fathers and mothers are both without faith and pietie. That was Bernards opinion, in his 77. Epistle, saying, Who knoweth not, that touching little children the faith of their fathers onelyonly auayleth for them, yea and is sufficient? But we say not so.
ARNOVX.
Sect. 17 By this Article also they pretend to iustifie, that although little children ought to be baptized, if they be not baptized, yet that they are saued without it, which is a point of their beleefe.
Places alledged to the contrary. Iohn 3.3. Verily verily I say vntounto thee, Except a man be borne againe, he canot see the kingdome of heauen. Note this word againe, which manifestly proueth that he which is not regenerated by Baptisme, is not receiued into the Church. And verse 5, Verily verily I say vntounto thee, Except that a man be borne of water and of the spirit he cannot enter into the kingdome of God. And verse 7. You must be borne againe. To what end then serueth it to be begotten by Christian parents?
Places noted in the margent of the Confession, Matth. 19.14. But Iesus said, Suffer the little children, and forbid them not to come to me, for of such is the kingdome of heauen. Doth it therefore follow that they are receiued into it with their fathers, and that we must not baptize them as we say onelyonly by Tradition, or that they are saued without Baptisme? 1. Cor. 7.14. For the vnbeleeuing husband is sanctified by the wife, and the vnbeleeuing wife is sanctified by her husband, else were your children vncleane, but now they are holy. If this word holy were not an equiuocation, this place would hauehave some shew for them; but it is too manifest & plaine, that the word holy when it is spoken of children, ought to be taken in the same sence as a little before in the same place it beareth, where and when it is spoken of a man and his wife. For neither the one nor the other being infidels, are properly sanctified by him that is faithfull. Then this sanctification as well of the married couple, as of their children, consisteth herein, that as marriage is holy because it is lawfull, and in this sence those that are married are sanctified one by the other: so the children that are borne of that marriage are holy, because they are lawfully begotten, and issued from an holy marriage. Therefore the Apostle vnderstands, that if the faithfull should by diuorce separate himselfe from the infidell, onelyonly because of infidelitie, two mischiefes would thereby ensue; the one, that the infidell thereby should not hauehave the meanes to be conuerted, nor to be sanctified by conuersation with the faithfull: the other, that the children left with the infidell, which would conuert then to his owne religion, could not be taught the faith and worshipping of God, as they are when their fathers and mothers liue together.
Of the signification of the word Baptisme.
MOVLIN.
This discourse is intangled and badly contriued. Whereunto whosoeuer should exactly answer, he must not respect the soundnesse of his reasons but the importance of the matter: but to proceed orderly herein, first I will speake of the word Baptisme, and of baptizing, and then of the thing it selfe.
To baptize is a Greeke word, which signifieth to dip into the water or to wash. In this generall sence washings in the old Testament are called baptismes,*foreign, Marke 7.4.**foreign. Hebr. 9.10.
The word Baptisme is sometimes taken figurately, for affliction and persecution for the Gospell: as Marke. 10.38. where it is said, Can ye drinke of the cup that I shall drinke of, and be baptized with the baptisme that I shall be baptized with? Speaking of the participation of his afflictions. See Luke 12.59. Oftentimes also it is taken for purging and sanctifying of the heart, and for effusion of the graces of the holy Ghost. So Acts 1.5. Christ promiseth his disciples, That they should be baptized with the holy Ghost, within few daye. And Iohn Baptist saith, That Iesus Christ baptizeth vsus with the holy Ghost, and with fire, Math. 3.11.
But ordinarily Baptisme is taken for the Sacrament of our entrance into the Christian Church, and of the clensing of our sinnes by the bloud of Iesus Christ, and by the power and efficacie of his Spirit. A Sacrament which Iesus Christ hath sanctified in his owne person, and established by his owne ordinance. Which succeeded circumcision, by Saint Paul called the seale of the righteousnesse of faith, Rom. 4.11.
This Baptisme is conserued by dipping him into, or sprinckling of water vponupon him that is baptized, saying, I baptise thee in the name of the Father, and of the Sonne, and of the holy Ghost, Matth. 28.19.
If we take this word Baptisme generally for a washing or a sprinckling, or in a figuratiue sence for affliction, or for the effusion of the graces of the holy Ghost, we confesse that there are diuers baptismes: As the Apostle Hebr. 6.2. speaketh of the doctrine of baptismes in the plurall number. But if we take it for that sprinckling of water which is a marke of Christianitie, and a Sacrament of our entring into the Church, there is but one Baptisme: as the Apostle saith Ephes. 4.5.6. There is one Lord, one Faith, one Baptisme, one God, one Father of all. The Greeke saith Baptisme is one.
Touching this Baptisme, men dispute whether it be necessarie to saluation. First, we will speake of the necessitie thereof in those persons which are capable of instruction, and after of the same in little children.