The Buckler of the Faith, Part 2 · Article 35 · Subpart 19
An examination of that which our Aduersaries produce out of the Scriptures for the absolute necessitie of Baptisme.
Sect. 21 M. Arnoux, to proue that no man can be saued without baptisme with water, alledgeth the third and fift verses of the third chapter of S. Iohn, where Iesus Christ saith to Nicodemus, Ʋerily verily I say vntounto thee, except a man be borne againe, he cannot see the kingdome of heauen. And, Except 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. But our Aduersaries seruing their turnes with these places, ouerthrow that which they hauehave set vp. For the Church of Rome is of opinion, that this place doth not proue the absolute necessitie of baptisme with water to all persons: seeing it saith, that Martyrs may be saued without baptisme with water; that those which hauehave vowed to be baptized, and hauehave not had conuenient time and commodious thereunto, may be saued without it; and those also that are sanctified by the holy Ghost, as we hauehave already declared. All those may be saued (as they say) without baptisme with water. And which is more, although our Lord Iesus Christ spake vntounto Nicodemus, yet our Aduersaries say, that baptisme with water was not necessarie for Nicodemus, because he was circumcised; and that the baptisme of Christ was not necessarie to saluation (by their iudgement) but after his resurrection, as we shewed before. Aboue all things, it is to be considered, that Christ did not onelyonly speake to Nicodemus, but also for Nicodemus, which spake of himselfe, and in respect of himselfe, when he said, How can a man be borne againe when he is old? By this is discouered the nature of errour, which is, to interrupt it selfe, and to vndo that which it hath done. For it is euident, that the Lord spake of a new birth, without which Nicodemus could not be saued. But our aduersaries say that Nicodemus might be saued without baptisme, because he was circumcised. How should a man beleeue these Doctors, seeing they beleeue not themselues? and hauing set downe a generall rule to proue, that no man can be saued without baptisme with water, presently after they breake that rule by a multitude of exceptions? The sence of this place is cleare, Iesus Christ spake to Nicodemus, and in him to all those persons that are capable of instruction, and sheweth them that they cannot enter into the kingdome of heauen, if they be not borne againe in newnesse of life, and regenerated by the holy Ghost: whose grace being infused into our hearts, is a baptisme without the which no man can be saued. And it is most certaine that this rule can beare no exception. For as in Matth. 3.11. it is said, that Iesus Christ baptizeth vsus with the holy Ghost and with fire, vnderstanding thereby the Spirit mouing and purifying our hearts: so in this place Iesus Christ saith, that to enter into the kingdome of heauen, We must be borne againe of water and of the spirit; vnderstanding thereby, a spirituall washing, or the Spirit washing and purifying the heart. The words to be borne againe, can receiue no other exposition. For, to be borne againe, doth not signifie to be baptized with water, but to be renewed and regenerated in a new life by the Spirit of God. And Iesus Christ plainely sheweth, that he speaketh onelyonly of the efficacie of the Spirit secretly working in our hearts, when (verse the eight) he addeth and saith, The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth; so is eueryevery man that is borne of the Spirit. Then to be borne of water and of the Spirit, by our Sauiour Iesus Christs owne exposition, is to be simply borne of the Spirit: and this comparison of the winde blowing inuisibly cannot agree with any thing but onelyonly with the Spirit of God.
Yet to gratifie our aduersaries, let vsus grant them that Iesus Christ in this place would say, that without the Sacrament of Baptisme with water, we cannot enter into the kingdome of heauen; why should they not herein vse the same equitie of iudgement, and the same discretion which they vse in the exposition of those places whereby they say that Iesus Christ speaketh of the necessitie of the Eucharist? In Ioh. 6.53. Iesus Christ saith, Except you eate the flesh of the Son of man, and drinke his bloud, ye hauehave no life in you. There our aduersaries restraine Christs words to persons that are of the age of discretion, and that are capable of instruction, and that hauehave meanes to participate the Eucharist. Then let vsus say the same in this place, that is, that Iesus Christ speaketh to men that hauehave attained to yeares of instruction, and to those that hauehave meanes to be baptized, which cannot be saued if they despise baptisme. By this meanes our disputation would be at an end, and we should be at agreement with our aduersaries touching the necessitie of baptisme.Lomb. lib. 4. Sententiarū. Dist. 4. litt. & illud intelligendum est de illis qui possunt & contemnunt baptizari. And that is it which the Maister of Sentences acknowledgeth, saying, That the same place ought to be vnderstood of those that may be baptized, and despise baptisme.
The marriage of pride with superstition hath begotten this errour. For pride seekerh to exalt the necessitie of the ministerie of men, and to perswade that the grace of God necessarily passeth through their handes. And superstition layeth hold vponupon the exteriour action, as if God did nothing without it.
But in the meane time, while the Church of Rome exalteth the necessitie of baptisme, it imbaseth the worthinesse thereof, perswading those that beleeue her, that the benefit of Iesus Christ is in such sort applied vntounto them thereby, that by the same they are not exempted from satisfying Gods iustice for the punishments and paines of sins by them committed after baptisme. They hauehave abridged the benefit of Iesus Christ, to make way for their trade. They say that it is no reason that the benefit of the redeemer should as equally exempt those from punishment which hauehave wittingly sinned after baptisme, as those that sinned by ignorance before baptisme. But may it not fall out, that a man may sinne willingly before baptisme, and ignorantly after baptisme? Then why shall sinne which is wittingly committed before baptisme be remitted without any satisfaction: and rhat which is committed by ignorance after baptisme, not be remitted without satisfactorie punishments imposed vponupon it by God?
The Church of Rome also hath embased baptisme, by permitting women and Pagans to administer the same, whereas Confirmation is onelyonly conferred by the Bishop: as also by adding thereunto spittle, salt, and blowing into the eares of those that are baptized: and by baptizing bells and gallies, as if they condemned baptisme to the gallies.
And in like manner the booke of Sacred ceremonies, lib. 1. cap. 8. in the seuenth Section saith, that the*Omnibus baptizatis per Pontificem &c. Pope baptizeth Lambes made of waxe.
THE XXXVI. ARTICLE: Of the Confession of faith.
We confesse, that the holy Supper, which is the second Sacrament, is a witnesse vntounto vsus of the vnion that we hauehave with Iesus Christ, because he not onelyonly died and rose againe for vsus, but also truly feedeth and nourisheth vsus with his flesh and with his bloud, that we may be one with him, and that his life may be common vntounto vsus. And although that he is in heauen vntill such time as he cometh to iudge all the world, yet we beleeue, that by the secret and incomprehensible vertue of his Spirit, he nourisheth and quickeneth vsus by the substance of his body and of his bloud. We say that the same is done spiritually, and place not Imagination and Thought in stead of Effect and Truth. But for that this mysterie farre surmounteth the measure of our senses, and all order of nature, as also because it is celestiall, it cannot be comprehended but by faith.
THE XXXVII. ARTICLE.
We beleeue (as it hath bene said) that both in the Supper and in Baptisme, God really and effectually giueth vsus that which by them he prefigurateth. And that therefore with the signes we ioyne the true possession and enioying of that which is presented therein. And that thereby all those which come to the sacred table of Iesus Christ with a pure faith, like vntounto a vessell, truly receiue that which the signes testifie vntounto them: that is, that the body and the bloud of Iesus Christ are no lesse nourishing to the soule, then the bread and the wine are vntounto the body.