THE LIFE AND GATE OF CHRISTIANITIE, EN­TREATING OF THE SA­CRAMENT OF BAPTISME, DE­VIDED INTO FIVE BOOKES.

Contayning the effects, the mater, the forme, the Baptiser, and the partie Baptised: with the reasons and vse of all the auntient rites and Ceremonies.

Wonderful necessarie, duringe these times, to be vnderstood and perused of all sortes of persons.

Composed, gathered, and written by O. A.

Effundam super vos aquam mundam, & munda­bini ab omnibus inquinamentis vestris. Ezechi. cap. 34.

With permission.

Anno M.DC.XIIII.

THE PREFACE TO THE CVRTEOVS READER.

COnsidering with my selfe (Gentle Reader) what should be the princi­pall cause and most effectuall motiues, that should vrge the kings maiestie and most high Court of Parlament, to enacte and make that rigorous lawe and penall Statute concerning the Baptisme of Catho­likes Children: First that they should not be Baptised by their owne Priests: nor anie Catholike Layman or Mydwife of their Profession in Reli­gion: Secondlie that they must be forced contrar [...]e to their consciences vpon paine of forfeiture of an hundreth pounds, to bring or cause their Children to be brought to a Minister of a contrarie Profes­sion in Religion, and that Publikely in Church or Chapell there to be Baptised; vnlesse the Child were in danger of death, then the Minister to be sent for home to the Catholikes house, and ther to mi­nister this Sacrament.

The first reason or cause may be;The first reason of t [...] Statu­te. for that perchaunce they thought it could not be so sufficientlie performed by anie other then of their owne ministerie, pro­fession [Page] and Religion. But if they imagined any such thing surely they were mighte­ly deceaued: and some of the learned amongst them (I meane the Lords Spiri­tuall) might haue informed them, that this conceit or opinion inclined to the practise of the old Heretikes the Donatists, against whom S. Augustine writte many bookes aboue a thousand yeares agoe,Aug. lib. 1. con. Donat. who were perswaded that the Children Baptised by anie other then them selues, were not sufficiently Baptised: but they Rebaptised againe euen Catholikes if any re­turned or came to be of their profession. Not much vnlike by reason of this statu­te it is nowe practised. For if any Catholike doe present his Child at Church or Chap­pell for auoyding the penaltie with pro­testation that the Child is all readie chri­stined: yet not withstanding, say the most part of the vnlearned ministers, I will doe my dutie and office, and so rebaptise the Child, although this be expresslie contrarie to the constitutions of the Ca­non Law:De Cō ­secra. dist. 4. can. qui bis. and by the same Canon Law they incurre by the acte of Rebaptization Irregularitie. Some in deed of the Ciuiller and learneder sort of Ministers, doe not [Page] absolutly Rebaptise, but with Condition: If thou arte not Baptised, I Baptise thee. But this will not serue their turne, but rather betrayeth their ignorance? For they ought not to Rebaptise, vpon Condition, but when there is probable doubt, that the partie presented vnto them is not Baptised. Here is no such matter, but protestation made by the parents or others that the Child is allready Baptised.

For a second reasonThe Second reason. I imagine they could not so much as thinke that the Baptisme practised in the Roman Catholike Church or by a Roman Catholike Priest was no Baptisme, was not auaylable, and therfore they made this statute and law. For if this doctrine were true, woe then to their Protestanticall congregation. For first, then many of them were not Christians. Second­ly they neuer had any head of their Church a Christian. They haue had but fower heads of their Church, and they of diuer­se sorts: An old man, a man of middle age, a woman, and a child; and these fower all different in age, or sexe, and all fower baptised Catholiklie by a Catholike Bishop or Priest according to the Roman vse. But if Baptisme acted and done by a [Page] Catholike Bishop or Priest according to the Roman vse were not auaylable, why then no Baptisme no Christianitie, and conse­quentlie the head of their Church no Chri­stian. For K. Henrie the eight the first head of the Church of England, was Catholikly Baptised before Protestancie was preached. King Edward the sixth a Chid a boy, he also was Baptised according to the Roman vse by Henry his Father. And for the wo­man Queene Elizabeth she was baptised Catholiklie, & God saue all good tokēs) as the report goeth, she berayed the font. And for our King Iames,Premo­nition. who now rai­gneth, he reporteth him self that he was Baptised by a Catholike Bishop. And for the Circumstances I had rather an other should examine then my self. But what milke he sucked from his nurces breast I know not, but sure I am his mother, from whom he had his being and first entran­ce into this world, was a Constant Roman Catholike and a worthie Queene and Mar­tyr. But to conclud the statute sure was not acted vpon conceat that Catholikes did not trulie Baptise, and that by Catholike Baptisme they were not true Christians. Some other reason they had, and [Page] what may that be?

Thirdly their motiue surely might be to gette monie,The third reason. and begger and impouerish Catholikes. This in deed hath wrought some effect. For some Gentlemen haue bene brought in question by some Pro­moters for not bringing their Children to the Church to be Baptised, W. C. R. B. and so for­ced to compound, or else by Publike Court to haue beene censured for the whole penaltie. The Composition hath cost, some twentie pounds, some ten pounds, some more, some lesse. We know that God doth suffer temptations, tribulations, miseries, wants, pouertie, and some tyme beggerie it self to fall vpon is seruants,1. Cor. 10. v. 13. yet we are instructed by the Apostle S. Paule: Deus autem fidelis est, qui non patietur vos tentari vltra id quod, &c. That God is faithfull, and will not suffer vs to be tem­pted aboue that which we are able. But will make also with tentation yssue, that we may be able to sustaine, and withall to take cheere and Comfort.Tobi. 2. We read that old Tobie by reason he did obserue his Religion, burie the dead, releeue and comfort the afflicted, who were persecuted for their Consciences (and this he did contrarie to [Page] the lawes and commaundement of the King Sennacherib) he grewe into miseries, was stroken blind by mischaunce, had wants, became verie poore: yet afterward the Scripture sayeth: God sent his Angell restored him to his sight, and he became againe verie rich. In like manner God suffered Iob to be tryed in the losse of his wealth and goods,Iob. 1. & 2. in the death of his Children and sore punishment of his bo­die: yet afterward his welth was restored, his Children multiplied, and he recoue­red his former health. Almightie God commaunded Abraham that he should with his own hand,Gen. 22 sacrifice his owne Sonne: yet presently God sent his Angell who sayd: Ne extendas manum tuam in Pue­rum: Extend not thy hand against the Child. So I hope God will one day at his pleasure put you in a better mind to recall these Cruelties and penall exactions, incline you to mercie, send his Comforts to his afflicted, and giue to euerie one in the end their right.

In the Intherim this must be our daylie prayer which the Church vseth on the Sabaothe of Quatuor Tempora in Lent: Missa Rom. Adesto quaesumus Domine supplicationibus, &c. Be thou [Page] Present ô Lord, we beseech thee to our supplica­tions, that we may deserue thou being the giuer of all graces in prosperitie to be humble, and in ad­uersitie secure and stedfast. And thou ô Lord our Protector looke vpon vs, that we who are pressed downe with the weight of our miseries, may, being partakers of thy mercie, serue thee with freedom of mind and courage. Some enuious or liti­gatorious fellowe may say, that by these kind of words we should seeme to looke for a day and libertie of Conscience. I answere. Herein we must referre our selues to the goodnes and mercie of God. And thus farre we assure our selues, and this Confidence we haue vpon the veri­tie of our cause, that if we haue no resti­tution, or relaxation of our miseries in this life, we hope to receaue Centuplum, Matth. 6. ver. 20. an Hundred sold in the next, VVhere neither thiefe can steal [...]; nor canker corrupt.

Fourthlie I thinke the principall cause and true motiue and intention of the Parlament might be, to with drawe the,The fourth reason. Lay Catholike People from all conuersation with their Priests and Cleargie, in that they should haue no vse of them in Sacraments and Ceremonies; and therfore they intended to forbid them all, and put a great pe­naltie [Page] euen vpon Baptisme, Mariage and Buriall. For preach they must not, by rea­son of the Statute of Persuation: say Masse they may not, you know the penaltie and daunger: heare Confession they may not, the Statute of Absoluing forbiddeth: nor bu­rie the Dead: nor Baptise: nor marrie. So that they would haue them cast of as vnpro­fitable seruants. What thinke you of the Counsell of Iulian the Emperour? Was it not as graue, as wise, as politike as the Parla­ment of England to suppresse Catholike Reli­gion? Did they not shed their bloud and martyr them? Did they not disarme them, take from them all their forces? Did they not by lawes and Statutes spoyle them of their Lands and goods and begger them? Yet Christianitie flo­risheth, and Iulians Counsell confounded. Was not also the Counsell of the Iewes as politike, wise, carefull, and prouident to suppresse the Apostles and commaund they should not speake in the name of Iesus, as the Parlament is to expell Catholike Priests, and the vse of their Religion and function? I would to God they would hearken to the Counsell of Gamaliel a graue Counseller, a doctor of the law, honorable to all, [Page] people, who brought vp and instructed.Act. 5. S. Paule in the lawe, what was his Iudg­ment: Let these men alone (sayeth he) for if this Counsell or worke they goe about be of men it will be dissolued: but if it be of God, you are not able to dissolue them, least perhaps you be found to resist God also.

Finallie and fifthly,The fifth reason. It may be I haue missed my ayme all this while in the rea­sons alleadged. For the true meaning and purpose in deed was to bring the Catho­likes to obedience and Conformitie with the Protestants in the Administration of this Sacrament, and other publike practi­ses of their Religion. In verie deed there were great reason in making and ena­cting this lawe, and imposing these grie­uous penalties, if the Catholikes of England were innouators, bringers in or deuisers of nouelties; or in administration of this Sacrament should derogate or take away any essentiall parte, or should practise any rite or Ceremonie which they had not receaued from their Auncestours, euen from their first Conuersion to Chri­stianitie. But considering that the Catholi­kes are verie respectiue, and more care­full in the due administration of this [Page] Sacrament, then Protestant or Puritan; there is small or no reason in my opinion for this seuere penall Statute and lawe, to vrge and force them to bring to the Church vpon so great a penaltie, their Children to be Baptised of Puritan or Pro­testant. For it is manifest to the whole world, where Christianitie hath bene pro­fessed, and may appeare by this small ensuing treatise, how obseruant and vi­gilant the Catholikes haue euer beene in the prouision of Baptisme, as well in tyme of necessitie in Priuate Baptisme, both con­cerning the Minister, as also touching the matter & the forme, which are the two principall partes: and also in publike and solemne Celebration, in obseruing the auntient rites and Ceremonies therof. Farther it is open and plaine to the eyes of all men, that the Catholikes doe not decline nor swarue one iote from the Institution of Christ, bur are guided by the Canon of holy Scripture, [...]an. 3. especialy concer­ning the two essentiall parts, that is: that by the speciall ordinance of Christ the matter must be true elementall water: and the forme to be: In the name of the Fa­ther, and of the Sonne, and of the Holy Ghost: [Page] which was prescribed by no other then Christ himself after his glorious Resurre­ction, Matth, 28. when he gaue Commission to his Apostles to Baptise. And as for the rites & Ceremonies which we Catholikes vse (as shall appeare in the 5. Booke of this trea­tise) they are not idle, nor superstitious, as the Protestants would haue them: but most honorable, significant, instructiue, profitable, and comfortable to Christian people. And for Confirmation of them we haue the practise of the Apostles, the Tradition of the auntient Primatiue Church, the testimonie of all ages, with the ap­probation of the Fathers, and holie Do­ctours of the Church. And it is worth the noting and in particular to be obserued, that the Catholikes at this day in England, vse in the Celebration of this Sacrament no other matter, nor no other forme, nor Ceremonie then that which was deliue­red them by antiquitie euen from the first founders and Conuerters of this Iland to Christianitie, either among the Britons: Beda. li. 2. hist. Angl. cap. 17. partly by those who were sent from Rome by Pope Elutherius at the instan­ce of King Lucius: or afterwarde by S. Ger­manus and S. Lupus appointed by Pope [Page] Celestine for their Reformation concerning the Pelagian heresie: or amongst the Scots or Picts by S. Palladius: or finallie amongst vs English by S. Augustine the monke, sent by S. Gregorie the Great. All which consi­dered (Gentle Reader) I referre to thy owne Iudgement what great necessitie there should be so eagerlie and with such penaltie to vrge Catholikes to present their Children at Church or Chappell, to be Baptised of Puritan or Protestant.

Now hauing diued into the viewe why the Parlament enacted so seuerely against Catholike Baptisme, by compelling all Catholikes vpon such penalties to Bapti­ze publikely at their Church or Chappell by their Ministers. I will briefly put downe the motiues that moued me to write this small ensuing treatise.

The motiues to write this treatise.And first (Good Reader) I tooke this matter in hand to let thee vnderstand what Baptisme is, and the necessitie ther­of to saluation. It is here on earth the 1 first begining of Christianitie: the en­trance into the Catholike Church the house of God:The reason of the title of the boo­ke. the high-way to all other Sacraments, in so much that without this no other Sacrament is auaylable: a washing [Page] and cleansing our soules from all sinne Originall and others: a Satisfaction for all paines due for sinne eternall or tempo­rall: a deliuerie from the bondage and power of the Diuell: a restorer of Inno­cencie: an incorporation to Christ as members of his bodie mysticall: and final­lie a reconciliation vnto the grace & fa­uour of God Almightie, wherby we are made the adopted Sonnes of God, Coheyres and inheritors with Christ of the kingdome of heauen. Hath it all these effects? Take heed then that thou lay the foundation sure of thy Christiani­tie, that is: that thou be truely Baptised and Christened.

The second motiue was to lay open 2 and make plaine vnto thee by way of questions and doubts (which I suppose to be the easiest and plainest Course for thy better vnderstanding) the effects, the matter, the forme, the minister as well in necessitie as in publike Celebration, with the solemnitie and Ceremonies of this Sacrament; For that thou being more fullie herein instructed, thou mayest haue a more especiall care to haue it per­fectlie effected and trulie performed in [Page] these daungerous tymes of heresie. For assuredly this is the gate that openeth to heauen: which if it should be shutte and not duely ministred, there were no hope of saluation, but all open to hell and damnation.

3 Thirdly to giue thee a Caueat and warning of the daungerous opinions and assertions,The daun­gerous points of Do­ctrine concer­ning Baptis­me. which are taught and spread abroad of this Sacrament by the Sectaries of this age. The first daungerous poynt of doctrine is, that the Sacrament of Ba­ptisme was institued by S. Iohn Baptist: and that the Baptisme of Christ, and S. Iohns, is all one and the selfe same; which is against 1 Scripture and reason. For then we must needs say, that the first and chiefe Sacramēt of the new Testament and Ghospell of Christ, should be instituted by a precedent pro­phet, and not by Christ him self, which were absurde, seing all Sacraments of the New Testament, haue their institution by 2 Christ, and their force and vertue from his death and Passion. Secondly that this Sacrament doth not conferre grace, cleanse the soule from sinne as an effi­cient instrumentall cause by Christ insti­tuted and endued with that vertu; which [Page] were to destroy Baptisme. Thirdlie that it 3 doth not impresse in the soule a seale, signe, and Character of Christianitie inde­lible for euer; which is to make no distinction betweene Iewe, Gentill, Pa­gan and Christian. Fourthly that he, who 4 is once Baptised, can not be damned; which were to set all at libertie; and make men carelesse of all other Christian life. Fifthly that the only memorie of 5 Baptisme doth iustifie from our sinnes, which we shall commit after Baptisme, which were to take away all satisfaction, repentance and penance; and other such like absurdities, and daungerous poynts of Doctrine against Scripture, Councells, Fa­thers, and all antiquitie.

Finallie I would haue thee to consider with what subtiltie the Deuill hath endeauoured in these latter tymes by his instruments the Heretikes, The fourth motiue. to disgrace the beautie of Christs Spouse the Church, to depopulate roote vp, and destroy like wild boares the vineyard of our Lord. And I compare the Sacrament of Baptisme to the tree of life placed in the middest of Paradise; which the Heretikes of this age, some of them haue hacked and hewed at [Page] the verie chiefe boughes and branches therof: some others haue pilled the bar­ke, and pulled of all the leaues, the beautie therof: and some others haue destroyed all the fruite and vertu therof, and put the axe euen to the verie roote to destroy all. Martin Luther endeauoured at one blowe to cutte of two of the essentiall parts of this tree of life; that is: the forme and mater of Baptisme; Luther in Sym­posiati­cis collo. ca. 17. For (sayeth he) no forme of words is necessarie. It is suffi­cient with him: To Baptise in the name of the Lord. And as for the matter, anie li­quor that is apte to washe, as Ale, beere, or milke, is sufficient. Thus this Impe and instrument of Sathan, maketh no scruple to destroy the two essentiall parts of this Sacrament to appoint anie li­quor for matter, and no forme of words. Although this errour of Luthers be against Christs institution, and expresse Commaun­dement, who hath ordayned water to be the matter: and the forme to be: In the name of the Father, Ioan. 3. Matth. 28. and of the Sonne, and of the Holy Ghost: M. Brentius will make himself so bould with Christ and his Church, as to set downe an order of his owne, neuer heard of before: Let the Minister (sayeth [Page] he) recite the Creed, and say: Bren­tius de Baptis. In this faith I Ba­ptise thee; and this shall passe for currant without anie other forme of words.

But M. Iohn Caluin goeth farther, almost impudēt and blusheth not to say: That the forme of words in Sacraments are meere Magi­call charmes and enchauntments. Caluin li. 4. in­stitu. cap. 17. And thus you may see how these Agents for Sathan doe dismember the essentiall parts of this Sacrament of Baptisme, and doe cutte of the principall boughes of this tree of life.Prote­stants. Read S. Aug. li. 2. de nup. & Concu­pisc. ca. 29. Then come the Protestants in parte ioy­ning yssue with the Pelagians, and pull of the leaues, and pill of the barke of this tree of life, that is: they deride, neglect and contēne the auncient Ceremonies of this Sacrament of Baptisme, as well the pre­cedent Ceremonies, such as goe before the acte of Baptisme, as exorcismes, ex­sufflations, hallowing of the fonte &c: as the Subsequent such as are after Ba­ptisme, videlicet: holy vnction, with holy Chrisme, the vse of the waxe-candle or taper light, the cloathing with the white garment commonlie called the Chrisome. All which Ceremonies although they be auncient, profitable, significant, and deliuered by Tradition as from the [Page] Apostles, as shall appeare in the sequell: yet are these derided, neglected, and con­temned by the Protestants.

Last of all come the Puritans Puri­tans. withe the axe of M. Caluin, laying load at the very roote of this tree of life, to ouer­throw all, to beat downe this gate and entrance to saluation. This Sacrament say they, is not necessarie to Saluation for all men, because Children borne of faith­full Parents may be saued without Baptisme; either by Predestination, or by the fayth of their Parents; the elder sort being of vn­derstanding, may be sure of their Saluation only by faith. Also they extinguish and condemne the two principall effects of Baptisme that is Remission of sinnes, and in­fusion of inherent grace wherby the sou­le is cleansed and iustified. Although this be contrarie to Christs owne wordes, who expresseth the necessitie of Baptisme vnto all saying:Ioan. 3. Nisi quis renatus, &c. Vnlesse euerie one be borne againe of water and the holy Ghost, he can not enter into the Kingdome of hea­uen, Also that Baptisme doth remit sinne the aunciēt Fathers when they compiled and made the Nycen Creed, which is one of the three Creeds beleeued of all Pro­testants, haue these wordes: Confiteor vnum [Page] Baptisma in Remissionem Peccatorum: I Confesse one Baptisme vnto Remission of sinnes. Some will haue it onlie an externall washing, no in­ternall cleansing. And the Anabaptists ex­clud all Infants and Childrē from Baptisme, and onlie will admit such as haue the vse of reason, are aged, & mē of vnderstāding.

Take heed therfore (Curteous Reader) of this daungerous doctrine, beware of these wicked brood, who hack and hewe, pill and poll, yea cut downe euen at the root this tree of life, planted in Paradise by God himself, instituted by Christ in the Church as the onlie ordinarie meanes, ga­te, and entrie to saluation. They will haue it vsed onlie as a Commaunded Ceremo­nie to incorporate vs as the members of the Church, and as a bare sign [...] and seale of Iustice: not as the ordinarie meanes for all to saluation, not as conferring grace inherent, not as cleasing and washing the soule internallie, not as remitting sinne; And so cutting downe by the roote the efficacie, force, vertue and power of this Sacrament, which is to ayme at the ouer­throwe of all Christianitie. For if no Baptis­me no Christianitie: no Christianitie, no Christ Vigila ergo & Vale. Be watchfull ther­fore, and so farewell. This 30 of Iulie, 1614.

Thy true friend and well willer in Christ O. A.

The generall Pointes con­tayned in this treatise are fiue.

  • 1. First of the effects of this Sacra­ment, and the necessitie therof to Saluation.
  • 2. Of the two essentiall Parts of Baptisme, that is: Concerning the matter and the forme, the water and the word.
  • 3. Of the Baptiser, that is of the ordinarie minister, to whom by office, function, or Commission it belongeth to Baptise: or the Extraordinarie who are allowed to Baptise in case of necessitie, as the layeman, midwife, or any other woman.
  • 4. Of the Parties who are to be Ba­ptised, as Infants, and Children, and such as haue vse of rea­son, as aged, and men of vn­derstanding.
  • 5. Of the reasons, vse, and anti­quitie of the Rites and Ceremo­nies of this Sacrament.

THE FIRST BOOKE OF THE LIFE AND GATE OF CHRISTIANITIE, ENTREATING OF THE EFFECTS OF THE SACRA­MENT OF BAPTISME.

CAP. I. VVhat a Sacrament is, and why God would vse externall sensible things for the Sanctification and Iustification of man.

AFTER our most great, Almightie, and good God had taken by the singular benefit of our Redemptiō mankind into his guardion safe­keeping, and protection, being, cor­porall and carnall men (I say) consisting of flesh and bloud: would of his ineffable omnipotēcie, power, and singular goodnes conferre and giue vs his inuisible grace, vsing and appoynting [Page 2] externall elements and creatures, as it were con­descēding to the weaknesse of our natures, state, condition,Chrys. ho. 60. ad po­pulum. & 83. in mat. and necessitie, where vpon S. Chry­sostome sayeth: Si incorporeus esses, nuda, & incor­porea tibi dedisset dona: sed quoniam anima corpo­ri inserta est, in sensibilibus intelligibilia tibi prae­bet: If thou werte a man incorporeus without bo­die, flesh and bone, God had giuen thee gifts ba [...]e, vncouered, and vncorporate: but because thy soule is inserted and put to thy bodie in sensible things subiect to sense he doth offer vnto thee things of vn­derstanding. Wherfore a Sacrament is defined to be: A Signe of an holie thing; or. A visible forme of an inuisible grace. Or â Sacramēt is: A matter, or thing subiect to our senses, which hath by the institution of God power both to sign [...]fie, and also to effect sanctitie and Iustice. Or it is that, by which the Diuine power vnder the couer of visible things doth worke mo [...]e secretly salua­tion, health, and sanctitie in the soule of man. And such is the wisdome of God to vse and institute these inferiour and base creatures, wherby it may clearlie appeare that the grace which is giuen by these Sacraments, proceedeth from God onlie. And for this cause Christ did giue sight vnto the borneblind man with myre and dirte made of spittle;Ioan. 9. and did not vse anie pretious oyntments, that it might appeare to come from Christ God alone, ad by his insti­t [...]t on to worke his effect. This is the power of God onlie by base, and bare externall elements according to his institution & word to worke internall effects:Gen. 1. Ipse dixit & facta sunt: He sayd the word, and it was done.

CAP. 2. What Baptisme is, how it is defined, and what are the effects in generall.

IT may be defined briefly out of the third of S. Iohns Ghospell,Ioan. 3. Ephes. 5. and out of the fifth of S. Paule to the Ephesians, to be the Sacrament of Regene­ration by water in the word of life. It is called Re­generation or second birth, in respect of our na­turall and carnall birth. As no man can enter in­to this world, nor haue his life and being in the same, vnlesse he be borne of his carnall parents: no more can any man enter into life and state of grace, which is in Christ, or attaine to life euer­lasting, vnlesse he be borne of water and the holie Ghost. You must vnderstand, that I say it is by water, for it is not the water it self, that is: the element permanent, but the lauer, ablution, washing, or the vse of water. And therfore S. Paule sayeth: That Christ so loued his Church, Ephes. 5. that he deliuered him self for it, that he might sanctifie it cleansing it by the lauer of water and making vs safe by the lauer of Regeneration. And as by the washing of the water the bodie externallie is cleansed: so also by the water and word, by the vertue and power of this Sacrament and ope­ration of the holy Ghost the soule internallie is sanctified, and borne anewe in Christ Iesus. Or we may make a more full definition, or rather an absolute description of Baptisme, containyng the matter, forme, institution, effects, and ne­cessitie therof to saluation, saying: Baptisme is the first and principall Sacrament of the newe [Page 4] lawe and Gospell, consisting (according to to in­isttution of Christ) in an exteriour ablution and washing of the bodie, with a due and lawfull pro­nuntiation of the forme of words: which is of neces­sitie to Saluation for all sortes of people as well chil­dren and Infants, as those of riper yeares, aged, or men of vnderstanding: and we receyuing by this Sacrament a full and perfecte remission of our sinnes, are spiritually regenerated and borne againe a newe creature: also we, who were before the chil­dren of wrath, nowe are made the Children and heyres of God, and in deed the Coheyres of Christ our Redeemer. Which description shall be par­ticularlie discussed and proued hereafter.

The Prero­gatiues of Bap­tisme.Now the effects and prerogatiues of this Sa­crament are great and manie. First it is the begining of Christianitie: the first entrance into the Catholike Church, and house of God here on earth: the verie high-way to all other Sa­craments; insomuch that no other are auailable without this: It is the first gate that openeth to the Kingdome of heauen; by this we re­ceyue such singular grace, that thereby we are cleansed from all maner of sinne: as Originall, Actuall, be it mortall or veniall. The Infants not hauing actuall, are cleansed from Originall: and the elder sorte, or at mans estate, young or old haue by this Sacrament their soules cleansed and washed of all manner of sinnes, as Origi­nall, actuall, mortall, or veniall, and the paines due for sinne either eternall or temporall fullie satisfied. Yea we are deliuered from the bondage and power of the deuill, restored to in­nocēcie, incorporate to Christ as members of his [Page 5] bodie, reconciled to the grace and fauour of Almigtie God: made his adopted sonnes, and coheyres and inheritours with Christ of the Kingdome of heauen. The soule is beautified, made beloued of God, splendent and shining in the sight of Angells. Heare what S. Basill, called [...]he Greate for his sanctitie, holinesse, and [...]earninge, in his exhortation to Baptisme sayeth: It is, Mors peccati, animae regeneratio, ami [...]tus spendens, Character indelebilis, Coeli iter, Regni coelestis conciliatio, adoptionis gratia: The death of sinne, the Regeneration of the Soule, the splen­dent amise or glorious apparell, the indelible Cha­racter, or the marke, badge, printe of a Christian man, the way or iourney to heauen, a winning of the Caelestiall kingdome, the grace of adoption. And to this holie Father subscribeth almost in the same words S. Cyrill Bishop of Ierusalem saying: Proto­cathesi. Baptis­mus est Captiuitatis liberatio, Peccatorum remis­sio, mors Peccati &c. Baptisme is the deliuerie out of captiuitie, the remissiō of sinnes, the death of sinne, the regeneration of the soule, the white garment wherwith they are clothed who follow the lambe im­macu [...]ate, the holy and indelible seale, the chariote into heauen, the delight of Paradise, the winning of the heauenlie kingdome, the Chrisme or vnction of the children of adoption. These priuiledges, graces, prerogatiues & efects, I haue the rather expressed that in these daungerous [...]ymes of heresie parēts may take greater care to haue this sacrament duely executed, and trulie ministred to their chil­dren, considering it so much concerneth the life and eternall saluation of their soules.

CAP. 3. Whether if by errour or other wayes this Sacra­ment of baptisme be not dulie administred, one be capable of the other Sacraments.

To this question it may be answered, that it is a chief priuiledge and prerogatiue of this Sacrament, that it onelie and by it self without anie other Sacrament may be receyued to salua­tion; and all other Sacraments suppose this at the gate and entrance, so that without this they can take no effect. For howe can the bodie be strengthned, or take armes and weapons to fight against his enemies that hath no life in it. So [...] say of Confirmation the next Sacrament after Baptisme, Confir­matiō. which strengthneth and armeth the soule by the inuocation of the holie Ghost to fight against the enemies of mankind, that is the world the flesh and the deuill; and to stand con­stantlie in confession of fayth in tyme of perse­cution of Pagan, Turke, or Heretike: to weare the cognizance of a Christian: to receaue the standard of Christ, that is his Crosse, that he be not ashamed to professe Christ crucified. But how can this be if the soule be dead in sinne, haue not the life of grace, and neuer entred the gate of Christianitie? Sacra­ment of the Alt. As for the Sacramēt of the Altar S. Paule saieth: Qui manducat &c. He that vnworthily receaueth, doth eate and drinke his owne damnation. And how can he worthilie eat Christs Bodie, 1. Cor. 11. whom Gods grace hath not yet made [Page 7] worthie, and who in deed as yet is no Christian? Confes. And for the Sacrament of Confession, if it be as S. Ierome sayeth: Secunda tabula post naufragium: A second table or planke after shipwracke: it must needes suppose a first entrance before a recoue­rie of the shippe. And how can he haue helpe by the table or planke who neuer entred the shippe? Also in Extreme vnction, Extre­me vn­ction. how can the Priest by holie vnction and prayer purge the re­mainder, before the soule hath euer bene clean­sed? Or obtaine pardon of veniall sinnes, who hath not as yet Originall sinne remit­ [...]ed? Or offer the soule to the hands of An­gells to be presented before the throne of God, who hath not as yet the character, signe, or seale of a Christiane? And for Matrimonie Matri­monie. how can it be a Sacrament where Christianitie is not pro­fessed? Dico magnum Sacramentum in Christo & Ecclesia. Holy Orders. I say (sayeth S. Paule) it is a great Sacra­ment in Christ and his Church. And for holie Orders certainlie it is generally concluded, that he can be no Priest or minister of Christ, who is no member of his Church. Innocē. de Pres­bit. no [...] Bapti. can. ve niens Apost. Read the decree of Innocentius the third, written to the Bishops of Ferrara, where he concludeth: that he who is not Baptised can not be a Priest. How can anie house be builded, where no foundation is layd? wherefore I conclude, he that is not trulie Christened, can not be capable of anie other Sa­ment, for that the effect of Baptisme is to giue life, to open the gate, and giue power to the receiuing of all the other Sacraments.

CAP. 4. VVhether all punishment due for Originall sinn [...] be remitted in baptisme.

THere is no doubt, but he that shall die im­mediatlie after Baptisme shall be freed fro [...] all manner of punishment temporall or eternal [...] due for sinne, and his soule shall incontinentli [...] flie to heauen. The difficultie of this question is for that we see and feele our selues after Baptisme to be subiect to hunger, famine, thirst cold; and Concupicence to raigne in our flesh and we to tremble at death and other calamitie [...] which were inflicted vpon man as punishmen [...] of our first parent Adam. How then are we free by Baptisme from all manner of punishment an [...] penalties of this life, which were due for Originall sinne, seing these infirmities were inflicte [...] for sinne; and yet remaine in vs after Baptisme I answere; First we must consider the state o [...] man as he is in this world, and also as he shal [...] be in the next: Secōdlie we must note that there is temporall paine and punishment and also eter­nall. The eternall is by Baptisme vtterlie abo­lished in this life and in the next: but part of the temporall punishment, which was inflicted for Originall sinne, onlie doth remaine in this life. As for example death was a punishment impo­sed for sinne, yet notwithstanding all must die. Also hunger, cold, nakednesse, sicknesse, and other such like molestations and penalties of this [Page 9] life we sustaine after Baptisme, and are not the­reby taken away, but remaine in this life as the miseries of mortalitie. But in the next life they shall be vtterlie extinguished, according to that of S. Iohn. Absterget Deus &c. God shall wipe away all teares from their eyes, and death shall be no mo­re, nor mourning nor crying, neither shall there be sorrowe anie more. Also the reason whie Con­cupiscence raigneth in our flesh not vterlie extin­guished by Baptisme may be: that man may by striuing to suppresse & cōquere it, merit the more But if by Baptisme our bodies should be made impassible in this life, that is, not subiect to death, hunger, nakednes, and other calamities, we should flie vnto Baptisme rather for this pre­sent life, then hope for the life to come, which were a great inconuenience in Christian profes­sion.Thom. 3. p. q. 69. ar. 3. Therefore I say with S. Thomas the great Diuine: that the Sacrament of Baptisme hath power & vertue to take away all the penalties and punishments due for sinne: yet notwithstanding it doth not De facto take them away in this present life, but by the vertue thereof in the death and Pas­ston of Christ they shall be extinguished, and vtter­lie taken away in the generall resurrection: when these our mortall bodies shal be endued with immor­talitie, as it is sayed.1. Cor. 15. And this not without reason by God ordained; First because by Baptisme man is incorporate to Christ, and made his member; And therefore it is conuenient that the same should be performed in the member incorpora­te, which was acted in the head. But Chrict from the begining of his Conception being full of gra­ce and veritie notwithstanding had a passible [Page 10] bodie which after his death and Passion, was raised to a glorious life. Wherefore although euerie Christian in Baptisme doth obtaine grace for the beautifying of his soule: yet not withstā ­ding because he hath a passible bodie to suffer for Christ and with Christ, he must for the ty­me present sustaine the penalties thereof: yet shall he be raysed at the generall resurection to an impassible life,Rom. 8. which S. Paul declareth: Qui suscitauit Iesum &c. He that raysed vp Iesus from the dead, shall quicken also your mortall bodies, be­cause of his spirite dwelling in you. Wherefore although Baptisme hath power and vertue to take awaye all the penalties of this life, and punishment due for sinne: yet it is conuenient they remaine temporallie, and for a tyme in this life; and be accomplished and fulfilled in the generall resurrection in the next life, when we all shall receaue our bodies againe.

CAP. 5. VVhether Baptisme doth remit sinne and giue grace Ex opere operato, that is: By force of the word and worke done and sayed in the Sa­crament.

It is a generall cōclusion amongst all Catholike Diuines, that the Sacraments are causes of our Iustification, and that God doth applie the me­rits of Christs Passion vnto our soules. Where­fore we conclude that in Baptisme, by force and vertue of the word and worke done and sayed, [Page 11] sinne is remitted, grace giuen and Iustification wrought. Therefore we do not attribute the obtaining of grace and Iustification to the merits of the minister ministering it, nor to the partie receyuinge but as Christ hath taught vs, to the water and the holy Ghost working it. And for better vnderstanding of Iustification and grace wrought in Baptisme, let vs consider how manie things concurre thereunto. First doth concurre Almightie God, who is the principall and chiefe agent, worker and first cause of Iustification. Then Christs death and Passion by which we are redeemed, and he hath meritted this grace for vs. Then the sacramentall action that is the concurring and applieing togeather the wa­ter and the word in due forme according to the Institution and ordinance of God. This externall action is this Sacrament, which God doth vse as his instrument for the iustification, washing and cleansing of the soule of man: Then is the Priest ordained the ordinarie minister of God to execute this sacrament or externall action in whome there is required that he haue power, authoritie and cōmission to doe it and intention to effect it. Finalie in the receyuer that is, in him who is to be Baptised, if he be of age and vn­derstanding, there is required a will and desire to receaue it, also faith and beleefe in Christ, with a penitent harte. These are not causes of Iustification, but dispositions in the soule one­lie to make the soule apte to receaue the Sacra­ment, and to remoue obstacles and letts that the Sacrament may worke his effect. And this S. Peter after his first sermon in the day of Pentecost [Page 12] insinuated & told the people, when they asked him after the preaching was donne, what they shoud doe.Act. 2. Dispose your selues sayeth he, doe Pe­nance, and be euerie one of you Baptised. But for Infants what is required in them, we will entrea­te afterwards. Wherefore we will conclude Baptisme to be the instrument of God, and by Diuine ordinance to haue as an instrumentall cause, efficacie and efficiencie to remit sinne, and worke saluation and iustification in the soule of man.

CAP. 6. VVhether Baptisme be reallie and in deed an in­strumentall cause of iustification, or onlie a meanes to excite, stirre vp or moue to faith.

IT is an absurd and vnconscionable dealing, yea a great slaunder and calumnie of Caluin and his complices to say that Catholikes in their Doctrine, doe resigne and tye the vertue and power of God to externall simboles and signes. As though they taught that in Baptisme the wa­ter & the word without God did remitte sinne. It were a vaine thinge to thinke that when the carpenter doeth vse his sawe as an instru­mentall cause to breake, cut or deuide timber, to say that the sawe doth cut, worke, or breake timber of it self without the carpenter. So Almightie God, although he vse the externall signes, that is the word and water in Baptisme [Page 13] to cleanse the soule and remit sinne as seconda­rie and instrumentall causes: yet not so that they should worke of themselues without God, but God by them doth effect iustification and remis­sion of sinne. Neither doth he resigne his power so to these externall signes, that they worke these effects in them selues, and not he in them and with them: but as in the precedent chapter I sayed, God doth vse in Baptisme water and the word as his instrument, and by force of the word and worke done grace is giuen, and sinne remitted. Therfore they are not vsed (as some heretikes of this tyme auerre) as bare signes and simboles, or onlie meanes to excite, stirre vp, or moue to faith; and thē afterward by faith onelie to be iustified. This were to destroy the efficien­cie and force of the Sacraments, and to make no more of them, then we make of an Iuie garland, which is onlie set forth to signifie that there is wine to be sold, bought, and drunke. It is ma­nifest that the Ghospell, the word of God preached is a greate motiue, and forceable mea­nes to moue vs to beleeue and to strengthen our faith: and S. Paule sayeth it is: Virtus Dei in salu­tem omni credenti: Rom. 1. the power of God vnto saluation to euerie one that beleeueth: much more then is the Sacrament of Baptisme the power of God, not mouing onlie to faith, but working in it self as his instrument to saluation. And in deed faith, because it cometh vnto those of age & vnderstanding by hearing as S. Paule sayeth:Rom. 10. Fi­des ex auditu: Faith is by hearing: therefore faith is in them as a necessarie dispositiō to Baptisme. Where vpon Christ sayeth: Qui crediderit & [Page 14] Baptizatus fuerit, Mar. 16. saluus erit: He that beleeueth and is Baptized shall be saued. So that faith going before Baptisme is a cause dispositiue and ne­cessarie vnto Baptisme, but not the onlie effecte of Baptisme, as some would haue it. For that the immediate effecte of Baptisme by applying the merits of Christ Passion, is remission of sinnes to saluation, is a newe regeneration and opening the gate to heauen. And this plainlie Christ spake to Nicodemus: Io. 3. Nisi quis &c. Vnlesse a man be borne againe of water and the holy Ghost, he can not enter into the kingdome of heauen. Where we see our regeneration and second Birth attributed vnto Baptisme, which consisteth in an externall element of water and an internall power of the holie Gost, and that no man can enter into heauen without it. Who seeth not then, that it is the instrument of God working to salua­tion, and not a bare signe or motiue onelie to faith.

That the effect of Baptisme is the remission of sinne the Scripture is plaine. The people of Ierusalem and Iurie at the first sermon S. Peter made,act. 2. being as it were conuerted: Et compuncti corde: and compuncte of harte, sayed. VVhat shall we doe? S. Peter answered: Be euerie one of you Baptised in the name of Iesus for remission of your sinnes. Note that he sayeth for remission of your sinnes, shewing the effect of Baptisme to be re­mission of sinne.Act. 22. And S. Paule as he reporteth himself being stroken blind, and called of Christ to be the vessell of election, for the conuer­sion of the Gentiles, Ananias came vnto him, restored him to his sight, and then [Page 15] sayed vnto him: Et nunc quid moraris? Act. 22. v. 16. Sur­ge, Baptizare, ablue peccata tua, inuocato no­mine eius. And now what tarriest thou? Rise vp, be Baptised, and wash away thy sinnes, inuocating his name. S. Paule beleeued before he was Baptised, but his sinnes were washed away by Baptisme. I will therefore conclud vpon these testimonies of Christ and his Apostles, that the Scripture is plaine that Baptis­me of it self as the instrument of God, doeth wash away sinnes by the force & vertue of the word and worke done and sayed, and that faith going before Baptisme is but a disposition to re­mission of sinnes.

Auoyd then the doctrine of Heretikes, whoe affirme and teach that this Sacrament of Baptis­me doth not remit sinnes, but signifie remission of sinnes, and doth worke of it selfe nothing, but is as a bare signe and simbole onlie to excite and moue to faith: as the Iuie garland is onlie a bare signe to excite and moue men to buy wine, and to signifie that in such a place it is to be sold. Flie this Hereticall doctrine (I say) which kil­leth the life of the Sacrament, contrarie to the Doctrine of S. Paule: Christus dilexit Ecclesiam, Ephes. 5. & tradidit seipsum pro ea, mundans eam lauacro aquae. Christ (sayeth he) loued his Church, and deliuered him self for it cleansing it by the lauer of water. Also in his epistle to Titus: Saluos nos fecit per lauacrum regenerationis: he sayeth: Christ hath saued vs and made vs safe by the lauer of regeneration, and renouation of the Holie Ghost. Ad Ti­tum. 3. Can anie man more forceablie, or plainlie expresse the working, effecte, and force of [Page 16] Baptisme, then S. Paule, in caling it the Lauer of regeneration; and that we are to be cleansed, ma­de safe, and saued by this lauer of water? And withall let vs consider what Ezechiell the Pro­phet prophesied of the effects and force of Bap­tisme: Ezech. ca. 27. Effundam super vos aquam mundam, & mundabimini ab omnibus inquinamentis vestris: I will powre out (sayeth the Prophet in the person of God) cleane water vpon you, and you shall b [...] cleansed from all your filthes, and staines. Baptisme therefore reallie and in deed is an instrumentall cause of our Iustification, and not a bare signe and meanes onlie to excite, stirre vp, and moue vs to faith; or a Single seale, or signe (as Calui [...] would haue it) of former Iustice.

CAP. 7. Whether he, who once is Baptised, can not sinne, but shal be saued.

Bellar. li. 1. de Bapt. ca. 14.This controuersie is excellentlie and com­pendiouslie handled by that most worthie learned Prelate Cardinall Bellarmine. It was the errour of Iouinian the heretike against whom S. Ierome wrote: That he who was trulie and in deed Baptised, Ioro. li. 2. con Iouin. could not be damned, or become a reprobate or sinne after Baptisme. And for this his errour he brought Scripture (as all other Here­tikes doe) Christs owne words, and his Apostles S. Iohns. Christ sayed: Non potest arbor bona [Page 17] malos fructus facere: A good tree can not bring forth euill fruite. Therefore being made good by Bap­tisme, can not sinne and consequentlie can not be damned. But what if this tree be corrupt, the roote be withered? either it will bring forth no fruite or bad fruite; which this Heretike con­sidered not. And for that he alleadgeth out of S. Iohn: Io. ep. i. ca. 3. & 5. Euerie one that is borne of God committeth not sinne; because his seede abideth in him, and he can not sinne because he is borne of God. By which words of the Apostle this Heretike would proue that the Baptised can not sinne. But the sense of the Apostle is, that no man continuing the sonne of God, committeth mortall sinne; because mortall sinne can not stand togeather with the grace of God: therefore so long as we keep the Innocencie of Baptisme, we can not sinne. S. Iohn then would not say that the Baptised could not fall from their first estate of Innocencie, For S. Paule doth reproue this as an errour,Rom. 11. ver. 19. 20. and pro­ueth that he who now hath faith, may fall and be­come incredulous: as the Iewes were the faithful people of God, but by incredulitie are become re­p [...]obate, so also may doe the Gentiles And there­fore sayeth he: Tu fide stas: noli altum sapere, sed time: thou by faith doest Stand: be not too highlie wise, but feare. Wherefore beware the vaine pre­sumption and securitie of Heretikes; for he who standeth by faith may fall:Aug li. 20. de ciuita. Dei ca. 25. and he who hath the Innocencie of Baptisme, may loose it. S. Augustine doth reprehend some Catholikes of his tyme of grosse errour who held that, those who were Baptised, should not be damned, although they liued wickedlie, so that they kepte themselues in the Catho­like [Page 18] Church. Against whom he wrote a whole booke intitleing it: de fide & operibus: Of faith and good workes. Also against this heresie spake. S. Paule, prouing that by the lawe of Christ by Baptisme we are freed from the state of damna­tion, vnlesse we againe willfullie giue our selues ouer to the flesh.Rom. 8. ver. 13. And therefore he concludeth: Si secundum Carnem vixeritis moriemini. If ye liue according to the flesh ye shall die. And he plainlie telleth the Corinthians, and willeth them to know: that the vniust, the wicked (although they are Christians and Baptised) shall not pos­sesse the kingdome of heauen And biddeth them not erre in their opinion:1. Cor. 5. Nolite errare: for neither fornicatours, nor seruers of idolles, adulterous, nor the effeminate, nor theeues, nor the couetous, nor drunkards, nor railers, nor extortioners shall possesse the kingdome of God.

Caluin lib. 3. inst. ca. 22. §. 11.Yet after all this comes M. Iohn Caluin with his Hereticall proposition: vera fides semel habita non potest amitti. True faith once had can not be lost. Which is contra­rie to the expresse words of the Apostle be­fore cited, and examples in Scripture [...] the Acts of the Apostles it is written of Si­mon Magus, Act. 8. that at the preaching of S. Phillippe the Deacon he beleeued, was baptised an cleaued to Phillippe: Yet it is also manifest that he became a reprobate. For S. Peter sayed of him that his par­te was not right before God: and sawe in him the gall of bitternes,1. Timo. cap. 1. and obligation of sinne. S. Paule exhorteth Thimothie to be stedfast in faith, and haue a good consience: Quia quidam naufragauerunt circa fidem: For some repelling [Page 19] their good conscience, haue made also shipwracke about the faith. And he absolutlie affirmeth that there shall be Apostatates in the latter dayes:1. Timo. cap. 4. In nouissimis diebus discedent quidam a fide: In the last dayes certaine shall departe from the faith. Also Martin Luther hath this libertine proposi­tion: Non potest homo Baptizatus damnari: Luther lib. de Capti. Babil. cap. 6. nisi nolit credere: He that is Baptized can not be dam­ned: vnlesse he will not beleeue. Against which idle position I will sette downe the decree of the generall councell of Trent: Si quis dixerit Bapizatum, non posse etiamsi velit gratiam amit­tere, quantumcumque peccet, nisi nolit credere, anathema sit: If any man shall say, that he who is Baptised, can not loose grace, if he would, let him sinne neuer so much, vnlesse he will not beleeue, let him be accursed. Werefore I may well conclude, that he who hath bene once Baptized, may sinne, may be damned, may be a reprobate. It is too frequent to heare of rene­gate Christians who becomes Turkes, and Apo­statates, and Chatholikes also, who fall from their Church and faith.

CAP. 8. VVhether Baptisme hath force to remitte sinne committed after Baptisme.

THere is no question (as hath bene declared before) but that Baptisme hath force te re­mitte [Page 20] all manner of sinnes, either contracted in our first parents, or committed in acte by our selues, that is either originall or actuall, be they mortall, or veniall. The difficultie nowe is, in that there are sinnes besides Originall prece­dent, that is: sinnes past and going before Bap­tisme in those of perfect age: and there are sinnes subsequent; that is committed after Baptisme. Nowe the question is, whether Baptisme extend it self to sinnes committed after, or onlie contained it self within the bounde of those committed before. Ins the generall doctrine of the Catholike Church, that if we committe any sinne after Baptisme, we must seeke to releeue our selues not by Baptisme, but by other meanes; that is: by the sacrament of Penance.Aug. ep. 23. ad Bo­nif. And S. Augustine expresseth saying: Semel acccptam paruulus gratiam Christi non amittit, nisi propria impie­tate, si aetatis accessu &c. The Infant Baptised looseth not the grace of Christ, vnlesse it be by his owne proper impietie and wickednesse. For if he become euill, when he cometh to vnderstanding and vse of reason, then properlie shall he begin to haue sinnes, which sinnes may not be taken away by regeneration and Baptisme, but are to be cured by some other medicine. This S. Augustine: So that it is plaine by this auntient Doctour, and learned Fathers opinion, that sinnes commit­ted after Baptisme, are not releeued by Baptis­me, but by other meanes. S. Paule exhorteth men to be perfecte, and warneth them to be carefull that they fall not from their faith and grace they receiued once in Baptisme:Heb. 6. Impos­sibile [Page 21] est eos qui sunt illuminati, iterum renouari ad Poenitentiam: It is imposible (saieth the Apostle) for them whom are illuminated and Baptised, to be Baptised againe, to be renewed again by Baptismall Penance: that is: by that easie remedie that Baptisme affordeth. But if thou sinne after Baptisme then must thou goe to the Sacrament of Penance, which is open to all sinners, called the second table after shi­pwracke, a remedie, a medicine more painfull then Baptisme, requiring much fasting, praying corporall affliction, confession, contrition,Ambr. li. 2. de Paenitē. cap. 3. satisfaction &c. So taught S. Ambrose en­treating of Penance; so preached S. Iohn Chry­sostome in his ninth Homilie vpon the sixth chapter to the Hebrewes. And there is no doubt to be made, but Christ after his resurrection gaue commission and commaundement to his Apostles to Baptise all nations and people in re­mission of their sinnes and those who beleeued, Mat. 28. and were Baptised should be saued. So it is also as plaine as may be in S. Iohns Gospell,Mar. 16. that the same day of Christs Resurrection, he instituted the Sacrament of Pena [...]ce, knowing the infirmitie and weaknesse of man, that after Baptisme he might loose his first grace, and former estate, and fall into mortall sinne: therefore he prouided a second remedie to reuiue him againe. And as he gaue commis­sion to remitte sinnes in Baptisme: so also after Baptisme he gaue power, authoritie, and commission to forgiue sinnes. The words of Christ in the Gospell are these. As my Fa­ther sent me, I also send you When he had sayed [Page 22] thus he breathed vpon them and he sayed to them: Receaue ye the Holy Ghost, VVhose sinnes you shall forg [...]ue, they are forgiuen them: and whose you shall retaine, they are retained. Lo the institution of the Sacrament of Penance. Wherefore Baptisme is not the remedie for sinnes committed after that Sacrament re­ceaued, but we must recurre to the Sa­crament of Confession by Christs owne in­stitution.

Let therefore no Heretike lull you a sleepe in this plausible doctrine and Epicurian practi­se: that if you fall out of the shippe you entred into by Baptisme, and make shipwracke, and loose by sinne your first grace receaued in Baptisme, that you shall not need to take hold and handfast of the second table, that is the Sacrament of Penance: but that the memorie onlie of Baptisme, shall be sufficient to recouer you without contrition, confession, or satisfa­ction either to God or man, or anie other pu­nishement due for sinne. It was also decreed in the great and generall councell of Lateran, vn­der Pope Innocentius the Third, at which coun­cell were our English Embassadours and ora­tours amongst the rest of the Princes of Chri­stendome the words of the Councell are:Concil. Later. cap. 1. Si post susceptionem Baptismi contingat prolabi in pecca­tum, per veram Penitentiam potest semper recupe­rari: If it happen that any man, after he hath re­ceaued the Sacrament of Baptisme, fall downe into sinne, he may alwaies continuallie from tyme to tyme recouer himself by true repen­tance.

Wherefore I conclude with the venerable councell of Trent: Si quis dixerit peccata omnia, Con. Trid. sess. 7. canon. 9. quae post Baptismum fiunt, sola recordatione, & fide suscepti Baptismi, vel dimitti, vel venialia fieri, anathema sit: If anie man shall say; that all sinnes, which are committed and done after Baptisme, are by the onlie recordation, remembrance and faith of Baptisme before receaued, either remitted, or become veniall, let him be accursed. It can not therefore be, that those sinnes we shall committe after Baptisme, by Baptisme should be relieued: but the Sacrament of Penance must be our refuge and thither must we flie with an humble and contrite harte. This is Christs ordinance and in­stitution for the helpe and succour of man.

CAP. 9. VVhether Baptisme be necessarie to saluation.

THere is no doubt in Catholike Doctrine, but ordinarlie it is of necessitie to salua­tion, and the onlie meanes by Christs institu­tion to enter into the kingdome of heauen, ac­cording to that saying of Christ:Ioan. 3. Nisi quis rena­tus &c. vnlesse a man be borne againe by water & the Holy Ghost he can not enter into the kingdome of heauen. As no man can enter into this world, nor haue life and being, vnlesse he be borne of his carnall parents, no more can any man enter into life and state of saluation, vnlesse he be bor­ne [Page 24] of water and the Holy Ghost. He must be, denuo natus: Borne againe: who will see the kingdome of God. Therefore they can no way be saued (sayeth S. Thomas) who receaue not this Sacrament:S. Tho. 3. p. q. 68. ar­ticu. 4. In re, or in voto; that is: In deed, or: In desire, vowe and will. For they that re­ceaue it not: are neither in deed, nor in vowe, neither Sacramentallie, nor mentallie incorpo­rated to Christ, nor made his members, by whom onlie, saluation is obtained. He therefo­re that shal be preuented by death before he actually obtayne this Sacrament in acte and deed realie, if he haue an ardent desire to be Baptised, may be saued for and by the desire of Baptisme, which did proceed of faith working by loue, by which God inwardly sanctifieth him. The reason is because God hath not so bound himselfe or his power to these externall Sacraments (although he haue made them his ordinarie instruments) but that he may and doth in some cases of necessitie, accept them as Baptised, who either are martired before they could be Baptised, or els departe this life with vowe and desire to haue the Sacrament, when by some extreame necessitie it could not be ob­tained.Con. Trid. sess. 7. ca. non. cap. 5. Therefore I conclud that he, who shall neglect or contemne the Sacrament of Baptisme as necessarie to saluation, and so commaunded by Christ, can not be saued. For this cause the generall councell of Trent doth Anathematize those who affime Baptisme to be free at libertie, and not necessarie to saluation.

CAP. 10. VVhether in the third of S. Iohn Christ did treate of Baptisme.

I moue this question in respect of Caluin, because he willing to maintaine Baptisme not to be necessarie as the ordinarie meanes by Christ instituted to saluation, doth absolutlie denie, That Christ here in this Chapter recor­ded by the Euangelist, doth intreate of the Sa­crament of Baptisme:Caluin lib. 4. inst. ca. 16. §. 25. and so abuse the expresse words of Christ, with idle glosses, and false in­terpretations, contrarie to the vnderstanding of generall Councells, auncient Fathers, and meaning of vniuersall Church. And therefore by these words: vnlesse a man be borne againe by wa­ter and the Holie Ghost he can not enter into the kingdome of heauen. Anti­do. con. Triden. ses. 6. Christ intendeth (sayeth he) onlie internall renouation, no externall Sacrament: therefore by this word (water) we must vnderstand onlie the Holie Ghost to make cleane and purge as wather doth. But this glosse is absurd, & the interpretation fained. For if Christ did not in­tend an externall Sacrament consisting of wa­ter, but onlie an internall renouation, what need had he to vse this word (Water) at all, but he might haue sayed absolutlie: vnlesse a man be borne of the Holie Ghost onlie he can not enter into the kingdome of heauen. But he plainlie sayed: vnlesse a man be borne of water & [Page 26] the Holie Gost to signifie the Sacrament of Bap­tisme externallie to be water, and the Holie Ghost internallie to worke: and therefore he put them ioyntlie together, that by water and the holie Ghost our entrance to heauen should be effected. I call it a fained interpretation, be­cause it proceedeth from Caluins owne fancie. For he can bring no generall councell, no cōsent of Fathers, no practise of the primitiue Church for his interpretation, because they all stand fir­me in this place of Scripture: and the words of Christ here related are manifest for the Sacramēt of Baptisme, as the ordinarie meanes for mans saluation, & that by Christs institution; as shall & may appeare by the processe of this treatise.Ob.

But Caluin may say: If I haue no councells nor Fathers: Yet I haue Scripture for my purpose. It is sayed,Matth. 3.11. Luc. 3. ver. 16. that Christ shall Baptise in the Holy Ghost and fire: but fire maketh no Sacrament, nor is necessarie to saluation, but onlie expres­seth the effects of the Holie Ghost: so why should the word (water) doe anie more. I an­swere:Sol. these words recited: that Christ should Baptise in the holie Ghost and fire, were not spo­ken by Christ himself, but by his Prophet S. Iohn Baptist whereby he might foretell & prophecie of the the power of Christ in sending the Holie Ghost vpon the Apostles in the day of Pentecost visible in the forme of fierie tongues: Where vpon the Apostles & Disciples might be sayed to be Baptised in the Holie Ghost and fire. But this was but once effected and done and that vpon the Apostles onlie, and neuer proposed by Christ as an ordinarie meanes for all [Page 27] men: and therefore as much difference in these two places of Scripture, as betweene fire and water, two contrarie elements.

Secondly Caluin might haue marked, if he 2 would, and so may his Complices: that this word (fire) is put after the word (Holy Ghost) as expressing the effects, that the Holie Ghost may worke: as to illuminate, enflame, and heate the hart and soule with faith and Charitie, as fire doeth the bodie externallie. But the word (water) is put before the Holie Ghost by Christ as in his proper signification, and concurring togeather with the Holie Ghost to the spirituall generation and new birth of man to life in Christ: therefore [...]here is not like reason in the one as in the other.

Thirdlie S. Iohn Baptist spake those words 3 comparatiulie, that Christ, who was to be after him, should Baptise in the Holy Ghost, and fire: and that he was not worthie to carrie his shooes after him: to signifie that his Baptisme was but weake, did not remitte sinne, but mo­ue to Penance, had not so absolutlie conioy­ned with it the operation & power of the Holie Ghost: and therefore no way comparable with that of Christs. How then can that saying of Caluin and his partakers be approuable and al­lowed. That Iohns Baptisme and Christs is all one, Ob. and that Iohns was as forceible as Christs? I an­swere: the proposition and saying is most vntrue; and it was spoken by Caluin not so much to extoll Iohns Baptisme, Sol. as to derogate from Christs. And therefore he would that Christs Bapti­sme: should not haue efficacie and force to re­mitte sinne to giue grace, to cause Iustification, [Page 28] and so Consequentlie not necessarie to saluation [...] but onlie an externall signe of admittance to the Congregation. And thus shall Christs Sacra­ments be disgraced, to maintaine Caluini conceit and idle dreame against all anti­quitie.

CAP. 11. VVhen and at what tyme Christ institute Baptisme.

Math. 3. Mat. 1. Luc. 3.THere are three diuers opinions concerning the institution of this Sacrament, by reaso [...] that three seuerall times in holie Scriptur [...] Christ hath in acte or word made speciall men­tion 1 of this Sacrament. The first opinion is that Christ instituted this Sacrament, when h [...] came himself in person to Iohn Baptist to b [...] 2 Baptised of him. The second opinion is: the [...] Christ to haue instituted Baptisme, when h [...] instructed Nicodemus, and shewed the necessitie thereof saying:Io. 3. Nisi quis renatus &c. vnlesse eueri [...] one be borne againe of water. and the Holy Ghost, h [...] 3 can not enter into the kingdome of heauen. The third opinion is: that this Sacrament was insti­tuted after Christs Resurrection, when he gaue Commission to his Apostles to Baptise all na­tions and people, and withall prescribed vnto them the forme thereof saying: Omnis potesta [...] data &c. All power is giuen me in heauen and in earth; Going therefore teach ye all nations, [Page 29] Baptising them, In the name of the Father, and of the Sonne, and of the Holie Ghost. To make as it were a reconciliation of these three opinions, I will put downe what I thinke, sub­mitting not withstanding my self to better iudgment.

In the first action I suppose that Christ decreed the institution of this Sacrament, when perso­nallie himself was Baptised. In the second action, when he instructed Nicodemus, he gaue as is were the precept, shewing the necessitie thereof. Finallie in the third action after his Resur­rection,Tho. 3. par. q. 66. a. 2. Tertul. li. con. Iudaeos cap. de passione Hilla. c. 2. in Math. Amb. li 2. in Luc. Ie­ro. in dialogo con. Lu­cifera Greg. Nazi in orat. in Sancta Lumi­na. when he gaue Commission to Baptise all nations and people, and withall expressed the forme, he declared the obligation thereof, that then it was obligatorie, and began to bind all men to receaue it. For proofe of the first that [...]t was decreed and instituted in Christs Baptisme, is the opinion of S. Thomas, and by common con­sent the auncient Fathers doe teach: that Christ, when he was Baptised in Iordan, did giue force and vertue of Sanctification to the waters. Read Tertullian, S. Hillarie, S. Ambrose, S. Ierome and S. Gregorie Nazianzen. And no doubt he determi­ned water to be the matter of Baptisme when he would vouchsafe to consecrate, illustrate, and make famous the water by the touch of his most holie and pure flesh. The forme also was suffi­cientlie declared (although not in words expres­sed, as it was in the last action after the Resurre­ction) for the voyce of God the Father was heard from heauen: the Holy Ghost appeared in forme of a doue: and Christ IESVS the Sonne of God was there present in humayne flesh. So that here [Page 30] was the forme and matter declared.

2 For the second: that Christ gaue as it were a precept and declared it necessarie to saluation, it is playne by the words of Christ to Ni­codemus. Yet that men were not bound to recea­ue Baptisme, nor this precept obligatorie before the Passion of Christ, and promulgation of the newe Lawe, and abrogation of the old, S. Tho­mas proueth in the place before cited. For the third: that the obligation, and necessitie to vse Baptisme was declared and proclaimed vnto all men after the Passion and Resurrection of Christ, it is manifest. Because at that tyme, and after the Passion of Christ all the Ceremonies and fi­gures of the old lawe ceased, and in place of them succeeded Baptisme, and other Sacraments of the Ghospell and newe lawe. And also because man by Baptisme is configurated and fashioned alike to the Passion and Resurrection of Christ. For as Christ died for sinne: so also man should die to sinne. And as he rose to life and glorie: so also he should begin the newe life of Iustice. There­fore Christ must first suffer his Passion, and rise againe to life, before man could of necessitie configurate and conforme hims [...]lf.

Wherefore I conclude, that Baptisme might be instituted, and commaunded by Christ in his life tyme: but not obligatorie, nor of bond ne­cessarilie to be obserued before the death and Passion of Christ. It were no improbable opinion to thinke, that Christ might haue instituted this Sacrament of Baptisme, when he in person Bapti­sed his Apostles.

CAP. 12. Whether the Sacrament of Baptisme by Martir­dome or Contrition of harte may be supplied. And whether the definition of three Baptismes, that is: Of Bloud, of Charitie, and water be in holie Scripture.

THere is no doubt but from the begining in the Primitiue Church, and all a [...]es vnto this day the threefold distinction of Baptisme that is: Sāguinis, flaminis, & fluminis: Of Bloud, charitie and water, hath bene approued and allowed of all; and that the Sacrament of Baptisme might be supplied by the other two, that is: a man by Martirdome may be sayed to be Baptised and bathed in his owne bloud, cleansed and washed from sinne. Also by the flames of Charitie and loue towards God, the Holy Ghost working with the teares of Contrition and compunction of har­te, may be sayed to haue his soule purged from sinne; and the rust and canker thereof consumed. It is manifest that Martirdome in Scripture is called Baptisme. Mar. 10. For Christ sayed to Iohn and Iames the sonnes of Zebede: Potestis bibere cali­cem, &c, Can you drinke the Cuppe I drinke: or be Baptized with the Baptisme, where with I am to be Baptised? And he sayed, they should, signifiyng that Martirdome is Baptisme. Also it is sayed in the Apocalyps: Hi sunt qui venerunt ex magna, Apoc. 7. &c. These are they who are came out of greate tri­bulation, and haue washed their stoles, and haue made them white in the bloud of the lambe. And [Page 32] for flammis, no doubt but, when the soule shall be enflammed with perfect Charitie, and the hart by the worke of the Holy Ghost be moued to beleeue in God, to loue him, to be penitent for his sinnes, it is a kind of Baptisme, and will supplie the want of the Sacrament in case of necessitie. And it is plaine in Scripture that Penitencie is called Baptisme; for it is sayed:Luc. 3. Mar. 1. Ezech. 18. Iohn was preaching the Baptisme of Pe­nance vnto remission of sinnes. And thus much Ezechiel the Prophet confirmeth: If the im­pious man shall doe Penance fore his sinnes, I will remember no more his iniquitie. Wherefore I conclude, that by Martirdome, and Penance in necessity, the Sacrament of Baptisme may be supplied.

CAP. 13. How there can be vnitie of Baptisme, if there be three in distinction.

Ephes. 4WE make no doubt, but S. Paule sayeth: Vna fides, vnum Baptisma, vnus Christus. Thereis one faith, one Baptisme, one Christ. Also the Nicene Creed maketh professiō of one Baptisme: Credo vnum Baptisma in remissionem peccatorum: I beleeue one Baptisme vnto remission of sinnes. Howe then can there be a distinction of Baptismes? Or how can these three keepe vnitie of one Baptisme? S. Thomas answereth: That the vnitie of Baptisme is not taken away by this di­stinction, Th. 3. p. q 66. a. 11 ad 1. because the two first of Bloud and Charitie Sanguinis & flamminis, are included in the third of [Page 33] vvater, which hath his efficacie and force from one [...]untaine the Passion of Christ and the Holy Ghost. [...]lso they worke all one effect, and by one princi­ [...]all cause: the effect is Remission of sinnes, confe­ [...]ng of grace, washing and cleansing of the soule; [...]he principall cause is the Holie Ghost. For [...]lthough the meanes be different, that is: By [...]loud, by fire by water: yet the effect and prin­ [...]ipall Agent being all one, the difference of [...]eanes doth not take away vnitie.

Moreouer the two first are included in the Sa­ [...]rament of Baptisme, and onlie take place in case of necessitie, when Baptisme can not be had. As [...]or example: If a man should be iustified, and ha­ [...]e Originall sinne blotted out by Penance, by [...]oue towards God, by Contrition and vowe of Baptisme: yet afterwards, although his sinne [...]hould be thus remitted, and he made Iust, if [...]he should contemne the Sacrament, that is Ba­ [...]tisme of water, he should for this his con­ [...]empt be damned, and neuer enter into heauen. And this is proued by the example of Nicode­mus; for although when he came to Christ he had faith and Charitie and beleeued in him: yet Christ sayed vnto him. Vnlesse one be borne of water and the Holy Ghost,Ioa. 3. Aug. li. 4. de Bap. ca. 21. Act. 10. he can not enter into the Kingdome of heauen. And S. Augustine wri­ting against the Donatists, sayeth: Although Cor­nelius the Italian Centurion, of whom it is written in the Acts of the Apostles, were a Iust man, and had receaued the Holy Ghost: yet if he should haue neglected the Sacramēt of Baptisme: Contēptus tāti Sacramenti reus fieret: He should haue bene guiltie of the contempte of so greate a Sacrament, which is the gate to saluation.

CAP. 14. Whether if one Baptised in his owne bloud should ouerliue, were after of necessitie to be Baptised with water.

THe case is, if one sholud be leaft by his Per­secutour as dead, but yet after reuiue againe (as it happened to S. Sebastian) although he were readie to shed his bloud, and yeald his life for Christian faith: yet I make no doubt, if he should thus ouerliue, but that he ought to be baptised with water; And in no respect, nor for anie rea­son of being ready to suffer martirdom or other wayes, to cōtemne or neglect the Sacrament. My reason is, because this Sacrament being ordained and commaunded by Christ as a necessarie reme­die for the soule of man, is of necessitie to sal­uation In re, or In voto, that is: In deed, or In vowe: Wherefore he that should neglect it, or contemne it, although other wayes iustified, should doe against the ordinance and commaun­dement of Christ. For Christ sayed vnto Nicodemus a beleeuing man, a faithfull man, but not fullie instructed in Baptisme: Ioa. 3. vnlesse a man be borne of water and the Holy Ghost, he can not enter into the kingdome of heauen. Also the example of Cornelius is more apparent,Act. 10. and conuinceth that Baptisme is necessarie, because the Scripture doth say: That he was a Iust man, in respect of his morall ver­tues: one that feared God, who also had receaued the Holie Ghost at the preaching of S. Peter, yet was he Baptised by S. Peter. Although such may [Page 35] be the grace of God to some, that they may haue remission of sinnes and sanctitie, also receaue the Holie Ghost before anie Sacrament be ministred: yet not withstanding they must of necessitie be Baptised with water. Wherefore I conclude that although martyrdome and Contrition may in ne­cessitie supplie the want of this Sacrament: yet they are not sufficient to saluation, but in case of necessitie, when the other can not be had: but if euer it come so to passe, that they may receaue it, they are bound vnto it. And I am of opinion, that if one should be a Martyr and die, and after be raysed miraculouslie againe to life, and ouerliue, that he ought to seeke and receaue the Sacrament of Baptisme, that he may thereby receaue the in­deleble Character of a Christian.

CAP. 15. Whether Baptisme of Bloud be more worthie then Baptisme (Flaminis) of Charitie, or then the Sacrament.

TO suffer death for confessing of Christ to be true God and man, to shed his bloud for testimonie of the true Church of God, to suffer persecution for Gods cause, to yeeld his life for Religion and Iustice sake, finallie to be a Martyr, hath euer beene accounted the perfectest acte, and greatest signe of the loue of God that could proceed from man in this mortall life. And this Christ hath confirmed: Maiorem charitatem &c. Ioa. 15. Greater loue then this no man hath, that a man yeeld his life for his friends. Wherefore no doubt, but the worthiest, and perfectest Baptisme is, to [Page 36] be Baptised in their owne bloud.Aug. li. de ec­cles. dogma. cap. 74. And S. Augu­stine comparing them togeather, preferreth Martirdome: Baptizatus aqua confitetur fidem suam coram Sacerdote: Martyr coram persequutore, &c. He that is (sayeth this holie Doctour) Bapti­sed vvith vvater, doth confesse his faith, but before the Priest: but he that is Baptised in his bloud, doth confesse his faith, doth proteste Christ and his Church in the face of the Persecutour & enemie of Christ and his Church. The first is vvashed vvith vvater: the second is cleansed vvith bloud. Thus S. Augustine. And no doubt but Martirdome in­fuseth more grace, then either Contrition or the Sacrament. Thus much the Holy Church hath defined, all ages haue confirmed, and S. Augu­stine maketh it a rule: Qui orat pro Martyre, in­iuriam Martyri facit: It is iniurie to pray for a Martyr: to doubt of the glorie of a Martyr, were but impious.

Tho. 3. p. q. 67. ar. 12.Wherefore I conclude with S. Thomas, that the worthiest Baptisme is in Bloud: because therein is expressed liuelie by imitation the Pas­sion of Christ, and the vertue of the Holie Ghost by the feruour of loue: But if we speake of the necessitie (as we did in the precedent Chapters) then the Sacrament is to be preferred before them both, as hath bene sayd.

CAP. 16. VVhether by Baptisme a character, or indeleble Signe be imprinted in the soule of the Baptised.

IT is the generall opinion of Catholike Diui­nes auncient and moderne; that the Sacrament [Page 37] of Baptisme doth not onlie giue grace, but im­printeth and sealeth the soule of the Baptised with a spirituall signe, marke and badge indele­ble, which can neuer be blotted out, but remay­neth for euer, the soule being immortall, as the Cognizance and badge of their Christendome, whereby they shall be knowen as a distinct peo­ple from those; who were neuer vnder Christs bāner, nor of his fold. Therefore S. Paule sayeth:2. Cor. 1. That God also hath sealed vs, and giuen the pleadge 1 in our hartes. And he doth exhorte the Ephe­sians:Ephes. 4 That they doe not contristate the Holie Spirite of God, in vvhich they are signed vnto the day of Redemption: that is, the day of regeneration by Baptisme. And if by Circumcision, which was but a figure of Baptisme, God would that the iewes should haue a marke and token in their bodies, wherby they should be knowen to be his speciall people, and therby discerned from others, whie then should it be impious or incon­uenient to thinke, that Christs Baptisme would haue the soule of euere Baptised man to be mar­ked and sealed with the Character and signe of a Christian, whereby he may be knowen for the souldiour of Christ, and distincte from Iewe, Turke, or infidell? This is not onlie the opinion of Scholasticall Diuines, but conforme to the consent of auncient Fathers, and defined in the Councell of Florence & Trent. Therefore Ana­thema to Caluin and his followers, who would seeme to impugne so auncient and consonant doctrine.

THE SECOND BOOKE. Of the matter and forme of Baptisme.

CAP. 1. Whether water be by Christs institution the matter of the Sacrament of Baptisme.

THERE is no doubte, the Scripture is most plaine, that Christ ordained and instituted water for the matter of Ba­ptisme as an essentiall parte of this Sa­crament. And first when Christ our Sauiour would vouchsafe to be Baptised in the waters of Iordan by Iohn the Baptist, out of question he decreed, instituted and sanctified the waters to be the matter of this Sacrament, euen at that tyme by the touch of his holie bodie. This is the com­mon consent of the auncient Fathers as I haue before cited.C [...]b. 1. cap. 11. Also when Christ tolde Nicodemus that there was no way to heauen but by regene­ration, by a newe birth, he expressed the water as necessarie when he sayed:Ioa. 3. Vnlesse one be borne ex aqua: of water. And moreouer by the practise of the Primitiue Church it is pregnant and plainlie proued;Act. 8. for when S. Philippe the deacon had in­structed in the beleef of Christ a man of Aethio­pia, [Page 39] one greate in authoritie vnder Queene Can­daces, queene of the Aethiopias her chief and high Treasurer, and as they went by the way, they came to a certaine water, the Treasurer sayed: Lo water, quis prohibet me Baptizari? Who doeth lett me to be Baptised? And commaunding the Chariote to stay, they went both into the water and he was Baptised. And S. Peter when he came into Caesarea vnto the house of Cornelius the Italian, who expecting S. Peters coming,Act. 10. ga­thered togeather his kinred and speciall friends, S. Peter Catechizing and instructing them of IESVS and Christian faith, as he was speaking, the Holy Ghost fell on them; Whe­re vpon he sayed to the faithfull of the Cir­cumcision: Can anie man forbid water that these be baptised. Whereby it is most manifest, that wa­ter is the onlie matter of this Sacrament. I need not alleadge S. Paule who sayeth:Ephes. 5. That the Church was to be sanctified and cleansed in the lauer of wa­ter. And S. Peter compareth Baptisme to the water of the Deluge. 1. Pet. 3. For as the waters bearing vp the Arke from sinking, the persons in it were saued from drowning, that is eight soules were saued by water: so now Baptisme bearing vp our sou­les, we doe swimme and are saued by water.Aug li. 2. con. Faust. cap, 14. & 17. Whervpon S. Augustine sayeth: As Noe and his was deliuered by the water and the wood: So the fa­milie of Christ by Baptisme signed with Christs Passion on the Crosse.

That water should be the matter of this Sacra­ment the Prophet Ezechiel did prophesie, saying in the person of God, Ezech. 37. Nu. 29. Effundam super vos aquam mundam: I will powre out vpon you pure cleane [Page 40] water. Also as Moyses the first Redeemer of the people of Israëll out of the Captiuitie of Aegypte did make the waters of the well to ascend: so the second Redeemer Christ our Sauiour in a higher degree then to refresh the bodie, hath exalted the waters to the cleasing of the soule. And Ioël the Prophet foretold as much prophesieing of the Sacrament of Baptisme:Ioel. 3. Et fons de domo Dei egredietur, &c. And a vvell shall goe forth of the house of God, and shall vvater the brookes of thor­nes. By the brookes of thornes is vnderstood the multitude of sinners, which this water shall washe and cleanse. Zacharias prophesiyng of the Baptisme which was to be instituted by Christ,Zacha. ca. 13. sayth: In illa die, &c. In that day there shall be a fountaine opened to the house of Dauid, and to all the Inhabitants of Ierusalem: In ablutionem pec­catorum & menstruate: For the ablution and cleansing of sinnes, and distayned vvith flovvers. Wherefore I may conclud by the foretelling of the Prophets; by Christs institution, by the pra­ctise of the Apostles, by the vse of the Primitiue Church, by the consent of Fathers, and the agree­ment of all ages, water to be true and onlie mat­ter of this Sacrament.

CAP. 2. VVhat are the reasons whie water aboue all other things was chosen and taken for the matter of this Sacrament.

PRincipallie because water by operation doth mundifie, purge, cleanse and washe all filth [Page 41] away: and being thus significatiue doth expresse the effects of Baptisme, that is: to mundifie, purge cleanse and washe the soule from sinne. And S. Cyrill Bishop of Ierusalem doth yeeld aboundant reasons. First,Cyril­lus Ca­tech. 3. water is one of the chiefest elements of the fower, and no terrene Creature hath a being of life without this ele­ment; So of the Sacraments Baptisme is the first and chiefe Sacrament, and no terrene ear­thlie man borne into this world hath ordinarilie his being and birth in Christ, his spirituall life without the water of Baptisme. Second heauen is the habitacle of Angells; but the hea­uens are from the waters: so man,Gen. 1. being bor­ne to be Cittizen with Angells, is to haue his heauen and habitacle from and by the water of regeneration. Third, the earth is the pla­ce for the waters, but the earth is from the wa­ters: so man, although his place and nature be earth: yet he hath a spirituall being by the water of regeneration. Fourth, before the distinction of all things created, and the di­uision of the sixe dayes, the spirite of God moued ouer the waters: so that as water in the begining of the world,Gen. ca. 1. v. 2. receaued certaine virtue of the Holie Ghost to giue life and produce liuing creatures: so the wa­ter of Baptisme receaueth virtue of the same Holie Ghost, to regenerate man anewe, and to giue him life in Christ. Fifth. At the waters of Iordan,Math. 3 Mar. 1. Luc. 3. when Christ came to be Baptised, the distinction of persons in the Blessed Trinitie shewed it self. God the Father spake from heauen: This is my Beloued Sonne. [Page 42] God the Holie Ghost in the forme of a doue light vpon the shoulders of our Sauiour. And God the Sonne Christ Iesus in humane nature came to be Baptised of Iohn. So in Baptisme Christ commaun­ded the forme to be in the name of the Blessed Trinitie the Father, the Sonne, and the Holie Ghost. Sixth. S. Marke began his Ghospell with the Bap­tisme of Iohn, and the waters of Iordan: so we begin to enter into the Church of God, to be members of Christs Bodie misticall, and to enioy the fruites of the Ghospell by the waters of Bap­tisme. Gen. 1. ver. 6. Seauenth. As water was at the first the be­gining of the world: so the water of Baptisme. by Christs institution is the begining of spirituall life Eight.Ezo. 14 The deliuerie of Israelites from Pharao was effected by the waters of the seas: so deliuerie of the world from sinne was in the lauer of water in the word of God. Ninth. After the deluge and ouerflowing of the earth with water, God made a league,Gen. 9. pacte, and promise with Noe that he would neuer destroy the world with water againe; but as water was vsed as a punishmēt for sinne: so should it now be a preseruatiue against sinne.4, Reg. 2. Tenth. Elias first passed the waters of Ior­dan, and then after he was rapte into heauen: so we must first passe by Baptisme, before we can enter into heauen. Eleauenth. Aaron and his son­nes by the commaundement of God,Exod. 29. were to be washed in water before they could be made Priests. so in the lawe of Christ no man can be capable of holie Orders, or made Priest, before he be washed in the water of Baptisme. Exod. 38. And the brasen lauer or cesterne of water, which God commaunded Moyses to make in the old Testa­ment, [Page 43] was a figure of Baptisme. And it was com­maunded to be set and placed betweene the Tabernacle of testimonie, and the Altar being filled full of water:Exo 40. and that none should enter vnder the roofe of the Couenant, no [...]ot Moyses, nor Arron, nor his sonnes, before [...]hey had washed their hands and feete: to signifie, how cleane in all partes the water of baptisme did make the soule of man.

These are the reasons, which S. Cyrill giueth, why water especiallie was elected and chosen [...]o be the matter, and one of the principall and essensiall partes of Baptisme.Tho. 3. p. q. 66. a. 2. Arist. li. 2. Phys. And S. Thomas [...]ddeth: that there is no generation of terrene [...]nd earthlie Creatures, but by humiditie and [...]ater; and therefore as Aristotle reporteth, according to the opinion of some Philoso­ [...]hers: Aqua erat principium omnium rerum: [...]ater was the begining of all creatures: so Bap­ [...]isme is the begining of all Spirituall life: and we are borne anewe and regenerated by water and the Holy Ghost. Water is humide, & moyst, and therefore apte to washe and cleanse. It is frigide and cold: and therefore apte to refrigerate, coole and temper heate: It is Diaphanike, and cleare as Cristal: and there­fore apte to receaue light; So Baptisme doth washe and cleanse the soule from sinne, coole and temper the heate of Concupiscence, cleare and illuminate the soule with the light of faith and true beleefe in Christ Iesus.

CAP. 3. VVhat kind of water was instituted the mat­ter of this Sacrament.

THere is no doubt, and it is generallie con­cluded of all Diuines, that elementall wa­ter is the true wather and matter of this Sa­crament. And the elementall water, we call either fountaine water, well water, rayne water, riuer water, running water, poole water, or standing water, and sea water. Concernig sea water, some there are; who moue some que­stion, and make some difficultie, because it is not simple and pure water as the other waters are; but troubled, mixte, muddie and salte: yet all Diuines generallie hold, that sea water is sufficient, and true water for this Sacrament. Because it is elementall, hath the Species and forme of true water, and all other elementall water doth issue, spring, and hath his begining from the seas, and neuer resteth, but runneth continually vntill it arriue vnto the sea againe, from whence it had his begining, because the sea is the naturall and proper place for the waters. And no doubt Christ made choyse, and instituted this naturall, elementall, and com­mon water, for the vse of this Sacrament, be­cause it is vsuall, and ordinarie in all places and countreys, and common to all people, rich and poore. This was most conuenient, for that this Sacrament is of necessitie to salua­tion, [Page 45] the gate and entrie to life eternall, and wthout this no Christianitie. Therefore it was necessarie as S. Thomas and other Do­ [...]tours say, that the matter thereof should [...]e easie to be gotten of all, vsuall in all places, & common to all people.

CAP. 4. VVhether one may be Baptised with Ice, Snow, or hayle.

IT is the generall opinion of all Diuines, that Baptisme can not be ministred in anie of these [...]hree, Snow, Ice, or haile. The reason is for [...]hat they are, Corpora densa, non fluida: thicke, [...]ot resolued, liquid, not fluent bodies. Although [...]n the opinion of all Philosophers (as in deed [...]rue it is) that in euerie one of them there is [...]eallie and trulie contained the element of water, and that they are nothing but aqua Congelata: water congealed. Yet as long as they contayne these species, and want the pro­prieties of water, they can not be the suffi­cient matter of Baptisme. The proprieties of water are, to be liquide, fluent, and abluent, which neiter Ice, show, nor haile haue, remay­ning in that forme of Ice, snow, and haile. But if they be melted and receaue againe the forme of water, and proprieties thereof, that is to be liquide, fluent, and abluent, there is then no doubte but they may be the true matter of Baptisme. So also if you take a sponge or [Page 46] linnen cloth, and dippe them in water, no doubt there is water contained in them both: but yet with them you can not Baptise, vn­lesse you wring or squiese out the water, that there may be apparently the forme and Spe­cies with the proprietie of water, as I sayed before.

CAP. 5. VVhether water of the Bath, Brimstone-water▪ Allume-water, or wyche-water whereo [...] Salt is made, may be vsed in Baptisme.

I Aske this question, and make a doubt, for that we haue here in England in the Cittie of Bath, the water of bathe, which doth spring vp verie hoate, and the water of S. Anne of Buxtons also hoate, but somewhat more tem­perate. This calor or heate of these waters, is contrarie to the qualitie and proprietie of elementall water, which is cold & frigide by nature. Also there be springs, and wells, whe­re the water of some of them haue the taste of Brimstone, some of Allume, some of Salt, as it is well knowen, and proued by experience. But the Philosopher sayeth, that the elementall water ordinarilie is not Saporosa, Hath no sapor or taste at all. Ob. The difficulte doth arise, for that I sayed in the third Chapter before, that Christ instituted the naturall elementall water for the matter of this Sacrament? But these waters haue their proprietie and qualities contrarie [Page 47] to the element of water, as to be hoat, to tast of brimstone, of allume, and of salt. Notwith­standing I say in necessitie these waters may be [...]sed in Baptisme.Sol. For that I make no doubt [...]ut in these springs, wells and waters, there is [...]he true elementall water, although the Acci­ [...]entall proprieties or qualities be altered. As [...]he water of the Bath or Buxtons passing or [...]pringing from some hoat metall or matter [...]auseth this alteration of heat. So also the brim­ [...]tone or allume-water haue those tastes and [...]apours by springing and passing through or [...]rom some mine of brimstone or allume. Wher­ [...]ore for a further resolution, I will put downe [...]he opinion of S, Thomas the most worthiest Schoole-diuine:Th. 3. p. q. 66. art. 4. In quacunque aqua quomodo­cunque transmutata, dummodo non soluatur spe­ [...]ies aquae, potest fieri Baptismus: In anie water howsoeuer it be altered, so that the species or for­me of water be not altered, or taken away, Bap­tipme may be effected and done in it.

The reason why these waters of the Bath, brimstone, allume & wiche may be vsed in ne­cessitie for Baptisme is, because they retaine the nature of elementall water, and only are altered Accidētallie by spring or passage of those mines.

CAP. 6. VVhether one may Baptise in Rose-water, or any other distilled water.

I Answere with all Catholike Diuines, that no water made by arte, as Rose-water, [Page 48] and all distilled waters are, can be vsed in Baptisme: but of necessitie it must be naturall elementall water. And thus much I haue po­ued before by they institution of Christ, by the practise of the Apostles, and consent of the vniuersall Church. I haue heard of one who was baptised in Rose Water; but I dare boldlie pronounce he neuer had true Baptisme.

CAP. 7. VVheter one may Baptise in VVine, Al [...], Bere, or Milke in necessitie, when water ca [...] not be had.

I Answere absolutlie, that in no case, i [...] no necessitie there can be Baptisme in wine, ale, beere or milke. My reason is, because by the institution of Christ himself this Sacra­ment must haue his due matter, which is no other then naturall elementall water; Ergo there can be no Baptisme nor Sacrament mi­nistred in them. But if you aske me, if there be no doubt or question of it, why the [...] doe I moue it? I answere onlie to giue you warning to beware of the errour and madnesse of Martin Luther,Luth. in Col­loquijs fimpo­siaticis ca. 17. the prime Apostle of Protes­tancie. For in his banqueting Communications, or rather I may say his drunken Conferences being asked the question, at first he stood doubtfull and sayed, it was to be remitted to the diuine Iudgment: but afterward he added and resolued himself saying. VVhatsoeuer was fitte to be applied for bathing, or to make [Page 49] a bath might be applied to Baptise; but there is no doubt, but wine, ale, beere and milke may be vsed for bathing. Therfore in his idle con­ceit vsed also in Baptisme. But against this errour, and fond imagination of this Heretike the Councell of Trent hath defined: That true and naturall water is the onlie matter or Bap­tisme, And therfore:Cōcill. Triden. sess. 7. can. 2. Si quis dixerit aquam veram & naturalem non esse de necessitate Baptismi, Anathema sit: If any man shall say that true and naturall water is not of necessitie of Baptisme, let him be accursed.

CAP. 8. VVhether it be conuenient the font should be hallowed, and the water blessed before Baptisme.

WE neuer held that it was of the essence o [...] Baptisme that the font should be hallowed, or the water consecrated and blessed; but in case of necessitie we allwayes allowed Baptisme to be avayleable without benediction of the water. And it was decreed as a matter in question aboue 1200. Yeares agoe by S. Victor Pope and Martyre: Vt quauis aqua, modo naturali, si necessitas cogeret quicun­que Baptizari posset: That anie one, if necessitie did vrge & cōpell might be Baptised in any kind of water. So it were naturall elementall water whe­ther it were hallowed, or not hallowed, conse­crated or not consecrated. Yet you must vnder­stand that this decree doth take place on­lie [Page 50] in case of necessitie, as in imminent daunger of the child, or some other vrgēt cause. Other­wayes no doubt but the font ought to be hal­lowed, and the water blessed. And we Catholi­kes make no question but that the consecration of the font, Exorcismes and blessing of the water was instituted by the Apostles, or their immediate Successours, and euer vsed as a so­lemne Ceremonie in the auntient Church of Christ Therefore no reason why it should be abrogated and abolished by the Sectaries of this age, and not vsed by the Protestants of our Countrey, hauing continued so many ages and hundred of yeares both in the vniuersall Church and our Church of England. Is it not conue­nient, that water being common and triuiall to all prophane vses, being assumed and taken to the vse of a holy Sacrament, should be conse­crated and blessed? Considering that water by Christ was constituted for the matter of rege­neratiō of mankind for the washing and Clean­sing of sinne, to make vs readie for heauen, and fitte Companions whit Angells, (I say) to so high and holie a vse: What inconuenience were it to haue the water consecrated, and blessed before Baptisme, that we may learne to discerne and distinguish sacred and holie thinge, from prophane and Common thinge? By this hallowing and Consecration of the water sayeth S. Thomas:Tho. 3. p. q. 66. a. 3. ad 5. Excitatur deuotio fidelium, & impeditur astutia Daemonis ne im­pediat Baptismi effectum: The Deuotion of the faithfull is stirred vp, and the craste & subtiltie of the Deuill hindered that he may not with stand the effects of Baptisme. And S. Paule [Page 51] his rule was: Let all things be done honestly, Bona­uen. in Quar­to. Siluest. ver. Bap. §. 2. num. 10. Dionis. Are op. Eccles. Hier. p. 2. c. 2. Basil. lib. de Spir. S. ca. 27. Amb. li. 2. de Sacra­mentis ca. 25. Cyp. Aug. li. 6. de Baptis. cō. Do­nat. tract. 8. in Ioā. & epist. 118. ad Ianua­rium. comely and according to order among you Al­tough (sayeth S. Bonauenture) it be not of neces­sitie, that before Baptisme the water be conse­crated: Yet it is: Congruum: It is conuenient and comely, that the water be consecrated and Sanctified by the prayer of the Priest. And Therefore sayeth Siluester: that the Priest sinneth mortallie, if he Baptise: Extra necessita­tem: Except in case of necessitie: If the Water be­fore be not consecrated and sanctified. Dionisius S. Paule his Scholler, aduised that before Bap­tisme the waters be consecrated and sanctified: Regenerationis aqua sacris inuocationibus prius consecretur: Let the Water of Regeneration whit Sacred & holy inuocations and prayers before hand be sanctified and Consecrated. S. Basill maketh no doubt constantlie to affirme: That the Benediction of the font descended to them in his tyme from the Apostles, and was vsed by Apostolicall Tradition. S. Ambrose one of the fower principall Doctors of the Church, sayeth: That the Priest before Bap­tisme cometh to the font and maketh his prayers, and inuocateth the name of God ouer the water &c. And S. Cyprian warneth that before Baptisme there must be Consecration of the font: Oportet mundari & consecrari aquam prius a sacerdote: The water must first (sayeth he) be cleansed and Sanctified by the Priest. And finallie S. Augustine in manie places speaketh of hallowing the font, and santifiyng the water.

CAP. 9. VVhat is the forme of Baptisme.

HAuing sufficientlie entreated and spoken concerning the matter of Baptisme: now followeth to speake of the forme, for these two are essentiall partes of the Sacrament, yf either should be wanting, there could be no Baptisme. There is no doubt but the forme of this Sacrament was instituted and deter­mined by Christ our Sauiour himselfe, after his glorious Resurrection, when he appea­red to his eleauen Apostles vpon the mount in Galilie saying:Mat. 28. All power is giuen me in heauen and in earth: Going therfore teach yee all nations, Baptizing them, In the name of the Father, and of the Sonne, and of the Holy Ghost. This recordeth S. Mathew in his Gospell. The forme then the Church giueth and com­maundeth according to the institution of Christ is: N. Ego. Baptizo te, In nomine Patris, & Filij, & Spiritus Sancti. Amen. Iohn or Thomas, I Baptise thee in the name of the Father, and of the Sonne, and of the Holie Ghost: Amen.

I say these two are essentiall partes of Batisme; for neither the water without the word, nor the word without the water, can worke anie effect; but it is neces­sarie that the matter & the forme goe ioyntlie [Page 53] togeather. For if I should say these wordes ouer the child: I Baptise thee in the name of the Father, and of the Sonne, and of the Ho­ly Ghost, and haue no water it were no Baptisme. Also if I had water and powred it vpon the child, and did not say the words, it were nothing. The word then and the water must goe togeather ioyntlie that Baptisme may haue his effecte.Ephes. 5. And this S. Paule expres­sed when he sayed: Mundans eam lauacro aquae in verbo vitae. Cleansing her. (that is: his Church) with the lauer of water in the word of life.

In this forme sayeth S. Thomas, are expres­sed the two causes of Baptisme, that is:Tho. 3. p. q. 66. a. 5. the Prin­cipall cause, and the instrumentall: the Princi­pall cause in these words: In the name of the Fa­ther, and of the Sonne, and of the Holie Ghost. Wherby is singnified that this Sacrament hath his efficacie, vertue, power and effect from Al­mightie God: and that the Blessed Trinitie is the principall Agent, and worker of remission of sinnes, and cleansing the soule of man by this Sacrament. And here note that we are taught in this forme of Baptisme by Christ and his Church to say: In the name, and not In the na­mes: to signifie that there is but one God in essence and substance; Yet also we must say: the Father, the Sonne, & the Holie Ghost; to vn­derstand and knowe, that there are three persons and one God, all three concurring to the sanctifieing of the soule of man. The Instrumentall cause is declared in the­se words: Ego Baptizo te. I Baptise the; Wherby it is declared that necassarilie the Minister must concurre as the instrumentall [Page 54] cause externally, to deliuer and giue this Sa­crament to the people, and God internallie to worke the effect of it. Therfore Christ sayed to Nicodemus:Ioan. 3. Vnlesse one be borne againe of water and the Holie Ghost, he can not enter into the kingdome of heauen. Wherby Christ would haue vs to vnderstand that the Sacrament, that is, the water and the word externallie must be ministred, deliuered, and giuen vs by the Priest, and the Holy Ghost working internallie, and both concurring ioyntlie, the one as the Principall cause, the other as the Instrumentall, or else no entrance into the kingdome of heauen.Mat. 28. In the last of S. Mathew (as I cited before) Christ sayeth to his Apostles: Goe yee Baptising in the name of the Father, and of the the Sonne, and of the Holie Ghost. Whe­re he appoynted his Apostles as the Instru­mentall cause, to minister and deliuer this Sacrament to all nations: but in the na­me of the Father, and of the Sonne, and of the Holy Ghost: to signifie that the Blessed Trinitie was the principall cause. Whevpon sayeth S. Augustine: Sacerdos tangit corpus, & Christus interius abluit: Aug. cō. Petil. li. 3. c. 49. The priest doth externallie touch the bodie, powre Water on it, or dippe it saying the words: but Christ inwardlie doth washe and cleanse the Soule.

CAP. 10. VVhether it may not laufullie be sayed that the Priest, or that man by this Sacrament dothe washe and cleanse the Soule of the Infant from Originall Sinne.

I Thinke no man Protestant or other can with reason denie, but the Baptizer, that is he that Baptiseth, may lawfullie say after Baptisme, that he hath by this Sacrament washed, and cleansed the soule of the Infa [...]t from Originall sinne as the instrumentall cause, and that God hath giuen this power vnto him to worke this effect, that is to washe away sinne as the In­strument and Minister of God. And therfore Christ sayed to his Apostles: Goe yee Baptising, washing and cleansing of sinne.Mat. 28. The forme also of Baptisme, which the Church prescribeth im­portes no lesse: Ego Baptizo te: I Baptize thee, is as much to say, I washe, I cleanse thee from thy sinnes in the name of the Father, and of the Sonne, and of the Holy Ghost. And that the Disciples, nor anie other should thinke this no straunge, nor vnlawfull matter, Christ gaue the reason saying: All power is giuen me in heauen and in earth; And this power to this end, I giue vnto you as my Ministers, and inssrumentall causes. Therfore goe yee, teach yee all Nations, Mat. 28. and Bapti­se them, cleanse them, and washe them, In the name of the Father, and of the Sonne, and of the Holy Ghost.

Soe I thinke there ought to be no doubt, [Page 56] but the Priest in the Sacrament of Confession by the power that Christ hath giuen and left in his Church, may lawfullie and trulie say: Ego te absoluo ab omnibus peccatis tuis, In nomine Patris & Filij, & Spiritus Sancti. Amen. I absolue thee from all thy sinnes, In the name of the Father, and of the Sonne, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen. For as Christ instituted and gaue this pow­er and Commission for the Sacrament of Baptisme: so also did he institute and giue the like power in the Sacrament of Confes­sion. And thus much S. Iohn as playnly expres­seth in his Gospel, as S. Mathewe did for the Sacrament of Baptisme. Reade S. Iohn, he re­cordeth thus: After the glorious Resurrection the same day Iesus came where the Disciples were gathered togeather, Ioa. 20. and stoode in the middest and sayd vnto them: Peace be vnto you; as my Father sent me, I also send you (Loe the force of Commission.) And when he had thus sayed, he breathed vpon them, and saied to them: Receaue yee the Holy Ghost, whose sinnes yee shall forgiue, they are forgiuen them: and whose you shall retayne, they are retayned. Marke the Circumstances of the Commission for the one Sacrament and for the other. First as Christ gaue his commission after his gloriours Resurrection for the Sacra­ment of Baptisme: so also vpon the same day of his Resurrection did he institute and giue his commission for the Sacrament of Confessiō. Secondlie as in Baptisme, that there should be no doubt of his power, he made mention therof, and told them: All power was giuen him in heauen and in earth so also in the in­stitution and commission for the Sacrament of [Page 57] Confession he sayed to his Disciples: As my Fa­ther sent me, so doe I send you. If then Christ as he was man, had power here on earth to re­mitte sinnes (as no Christian man can denie) no doubt but the same power he lefte and gaue his Apostles, and all Priests their Successours to doe the like.

And for further Confirmation hereof, that men should not misdeeme of those highe fun­ctions of his Apostles and Priestes, he breathed vpon them and sayed: Receaue you the Holy Ghost, whose sinnes you forgiue, are forgiuen &c. to signifie that they should doe those things, that is: remette sinnes, not of them sel­ues, but by the commission of Christ, and by the vertue and power of the Holy Ghost. Wher­fore S Cyrill sayeth:Cyr. lib. 12. ca. 56. in Ioā. It is not absurd that Priests forgiue sinnes, for when they remitte or retaine the holy Ghost remitteth or retaineth in them: and this they doe both in Baptisme and Confession. And no doubt as they are the Instruments of God in Baptisme to purge and cleanse Origi­nall sinne: so no doubt they are the Instruments of the Holy Ghost after Baptisme to remitte and retayne Actuall sinne.

S. Ambrose contending with the Nouatians old Heretikes,S. Amb. li. 1. 6. 7. de Panitē. who denied this power in Priests to remitte and retayne sinne asked of them this question: VVhy it should be more dishonour to God, or more impossible or inconuenient for men to haue their sinnes forgiuen by Confession then cleansed by Baptisme: seing it is the power of God, and the Holy Ghost that doth worke it by the Priests office and ministerie in them both, as well the one as the other? I thinke the same [Page 58] demaund may be made to the Protestāts of this age, and I suppose they will answere with as much shame as the old Hereticall Nouations did: Who can (say they) forgiue sinnes but God only? True it is that he is the only Principall cause of releasing all sinne: Yet we may not de­nie but the Priest is Gods Instrument and vicar here on earth to minister his Sacraments; Wherby first we are receyued to be of the houshold of God, and made his Children, and then after, if we offend him, we haue the mea­nes to be reconciled and vnited to him againe, the one no doubt as beneficiall, profitable, and necessarie for man, as the other.

CAP. 11. VVhether it be necessarie that all the words be spoken, that are of the forme of Baptisme.

THe forme of Baptisme is (as I sayed before) Iohn, or Francis, I Baptise thee in the name of the Father, and of the Sonne, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen. which wordes (I say) it is neces­sarie distinctlie and trulie to be spoken, or else there can be no Baptisme. The reason is, because first the Minister of this Sacramēt, must expres­se the facte he intendeth; secondly, he must de­clare the person for whom he intendeth it; thir­dly, he must manifest in whose name; and by whose vertue and power he effecteth it. The Minister, and the fact intended are declared in these wordx: I Baptise thee: the person vnto whom this Sacrament is giuen by these words: [Page 59] Iohn or Francis. In whose name, and by whose [...]ower it is done, is shewed in these worde: In the name of the Father, and of the Sonne, and of the Holy Ghost. All which three poynts (I say) [...]re necessarie to be expressed. For if one should [...]ake or leaue out the first words: I Baptise [...]hee; and only repeat the words following: In the name of the Father, and of the Sonne, and of the Holy Ghost, it were no Baptisme. Also if one should say only these wordes: I Baptise thee: and leaue vnsayd the words that followe, which are: In the name of the Father, and of the Sonne, and of the Holy Ghost, it were also no Baptisme. This I say for a Caueat, and war­ning to all middwifes, and other Laye Persons, that if in necessitie, or daunger of death they be vrged to Baptise, that they haue a speciall care to speake and pronounce, trulie, and distin­ctlie, the whole forme of Baptisme, not lea­ning anie parte or word out, for yf they doe, nothing is performed. Also I would aduise them to be carefull, not to inuerte or chaunge the forme of Baptisme, that is, when one sayeth that last which is to be spoken first. As for example to say: In the name of the Father, & of the Sonne, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen. I Baptise thee Francis: wheras they should say as before is expressed: Francis I Baptise the: In the name of the Father, and of the Sonne, and of the Holy Ghost: Amen.

If you aske me to auoyd scruple, whether if the words should be thus inuerted, altered, or chaunged, the Child wert trulie Baptised: I dare not say that the words thus altered, did take away the forme of Baptisme, and so con­sequentlie [Page 60] that the child were not Baptised. For although wordes be altered: yet if the sense re­maine, Baptisme is effected: yet I must needes confesse, that he or shee, who shall willinglie and wittingly inuert, alter, or change the words from the forme prescribed and ordained by Christ, and his Church, should sinne greatlie. Wherfore let them be carefull, who vndertake a matter of such importance, that they know the forme of Baptisme prescribed, and truly and distinctlie pronounce it accordinglie.

CAP. 12. VVhether if one should leaue out to expresse the partie who were to be Baptised, it were Baptisme.

THe difficultie of this question consisteth in the word (thee) which expresseth and designeth the person, who is to be Baptised. I sayed in the precedent Chapter that the deno­mination, and designation of the partie present to be Baptised, was necessarie in the forme of Baptisme particullarlie to be expressed and de­clared. Wherfore if anie one should leaue out to expresse the partie who is to be Baptised, it were no Baptisme. As for example, yf one should say: I Baptise: In the name of the Fa­ther, and of the Sonne, and of the Holie Ghost: and leaue out this word (thee) which doth expresse the person to be Baptised, it were of no valewe.Mat. 28. For Christ insinuated as much when he sayed not onlie: Goe yee Baptising: [Page 61] but also added: Baptising them; which word (them) was particularlie added by Christ, to [...]ignifie that the person, or partie to be Bapti­ [...]ed, were necessarie to be expressed. So also if [...]he Priest should say, when he absolueth his Penitent; I absolue, In the name of the Father, [...]nd of the Sonne, and of the Holy Ghost; lea­ [...]ing out this word (thee) and so should not [...]ay: I obsolue the, designing and denoting the Penitent and partie present, it were no Absolu­tion. Wherfore I conclude, it is necessarie to expresse the partie, who is to be Baptised, in [...]aying: Iohn or Francis I Baptise thee.

CAP. 13. VVether the forme which the Greeke Church vseth, be sufficient for Baptisme.

THe reason of this question is, because the Greeke Church doeth differ somewhat from the forme of the Latine Church. Their forme is: Baptizetur seruus Christi. N. talis. In In nomine Patris, & Filij, & Spiritus Sancti. Amen. The seruant of Christ Iohn or Thomas, be he, or let him be Baptised: In the name of the Father, and of the Sonne, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen. The Latine Church, that is, the Roman hath al­wayes vsed this forme. Iohn or Thomas, I Baptise thee: In the name of the Father, and of the Sonne, and of the Holy Ghost. The difference of and in these two formes of Baptisme is, that the Gree­kes in their Baptisme doe not attribute the acte of Baptisme vnto the Priest, or Minister, [Page 62] who Baptizeth, as the Roman Church doth. For they say cōmaunding, or in the Imperatiue Moode: Be he, or let him be Baptised: but the Priest in the Roman institution doeth absoutlie saye in the present Tense: I Baptise thee. The reason of this difference and alteration in the Greeke Church, and amongst the Grecians was, because at the first in the verie begining of Christianitie amongst them, there grewe a Schisme and errour in that they did attribute too much vnto the partie, who Baptised them; As appeareth by S. Paule, who dehorteth the Corinthians from their Schifmaticall boasting against one an other in their Baptisers,1. Cor. cap. 1. telling them that they must boast only in Christ for their Baptisme. Some contentiously say: I certes am Paules; and I Apolloes. But I take Baptisme of Cephas, I of Apollo; I of Paule. So that to auoyd this errour and Schisme, this alteration of the forme of Baptisme grewe: Yet not with stan­ding there is no doubt but this their forme is sufficient and auailable: For although the per­son Baptising, or the Baptizer, be not particular­lie declared: Yet the acte, which is performed by the Sacrament is expressed, which is sufficient. And the forme in substance really doth not dif­fer from the Latine Church: neither is there anie essentiall parte left out, nor reall alteration in the forme. And this was defined and decreed in the Councell of Florence.Cō Flo­ren sess. vlt. de Bap. Wherby it may be gathered, that by the generall consent of the Church, for the auoyding of Contention Schis­me or Heresie, there may be alteration, in the verie forme of Sacraments, so that they doe not take away or touch anie essentiall part thereof. [Page 63] So teacheth S. Thomas,Tho. 3. p. q. 60. ar. 8. and practise confir­meth.

CAP. 14. VVhether the Arrian Heretikes in their forme did trulie Baptise.

THe Church of God alwayes acknowledged the Baptisme of Heretikes to be sufficient, when they haue not altered anie essentiall parte of the forme. Only the Arrian Heretikes, and some of their followers haue bene condemned, for that some of them would alter the forme of Baptisme according to their erroneous and He­reticall conceit and opinion of Christ: in that they would haue Christ not equall, but inferiour to his Father. So that some did Baptise, as repor­teth Nicephorus Calixtus in this forme:Niceph. hist. lib. 16. c. 15. In no­mine Patris, per Filium, in Spiritu Sancto: In the name of the Fhather, through the Sonne, in the Holy Ghost. And some otheres: In nomine Patris maioris, & Filij minoris: In the name of the Father the greater, and the Sonne the lesser: as recor­deth S. Thomas.Tho. 3. p. q. 60. art. 8. Which formes of Baptisme doe peruert the essentiall partes of the true for­me, and consequentlie take awaye the effects of Baptisme. Therefore there was greate care taken in the first Arelatense Councell,Conc. Aret. de Conse. dist. 4. cap. de Arria. and commaundement giuen to examine those of the Arrian heresie, when they returned to the Catholike Church, how and in what forme they were Baptised; & if they were not found to be Baptized in the right forme, then to be Bapti­sed [Page 64] againe. Not that they allowed Rebaptiza­tion, but because Baptisme tooke no effect wi­thout the right forme. Wherefore I conclude that the Arrian Heretikes in this their particu­lar forme did not trulie Baptise.

CAP. 15. VVhether Baptisme giuen only in the name of Iesus Christ be auaylable.

THe diffigultie of this questiō doth arise ou [...] of two difficultes and hard places of Scriptu­re, that is: the tenth and ninth of the Acts o [...] the Apostles. In the first S. Peter commaunde [...] Cornelius the deuour Italian, with his kinre [...] and freinds to be Baptised in the name of ou [...] Lord Iesus Christ. In the second: S. Paule co­ming to Ephesus,Act. 10. v. 48. finding some twelue Baptized only with Iohns Baptisme, told them that Iohns Baptisme, was not sufficient; for that Iohn Bap­tised the people with the Baptisme of Penance: saying that they should beleeue in him that was to come after him,Act. 19. that is to say: in Iesus. They hearing these things, were Baptised in the name of our Lord Iesus. Out of which two places some haue gathered, that Baptisme onely mini­stred in the name of Iesus without the inuoca­tion of the Blessed Trinitie, the Father, the Sonne, the holy Ghoste, was sufficient and auaylable; also so commaunded and permitted by the two Chiefe Apostles S. Peter & S. Paule.

Not withstanding these two places of Scriptu­re, in myne opinion there ought to be no doubt (as hath bene proued before) but that the for­me of Baptisme was instituted, determined and commaunded by Christ himself to be: In the [Page 65] name of the Father, and of the Sonne, and of the Holy Ghost. And therfore no way to be alte­red, because it was Christs Institution; nor suf­ficiēt or auaylable without the Inuocatiō of the whole Trinitie, the Father, the Sonne, & the Holy Ghost. Wherfore as I sayed, these two pla­ces of Scripture are hard & difficul [...]e. The gene­rall doctrine of the auncēt Fathers, & the practise of the Church hath euer beene to Baptise: In the name of the Father, and of the Sonne & of the Holy Ghost: and neuer to awarrant or approue Baptisme ministred onely in the name of Iesus Christ, or onely in the name of the Father, or onely in the name of the Holy Ghost. Ther­fore we are not to thinke that S. Peter, nor S. Paule commaunded or permitted Baptisme to be onely in the name of Christ or Iesus. As concerning S. Paule it is plaine he asked the twelue he found at Ephesus, whether they had receyued the Holie Ghost? They ansuered:Act. 19. Nay neither haue we heard whether there be a holy Ghost. But he sayed: In whom then were yee Baptised? As if he should haue sayd: why then no Baptisme without the Father, the Son­ne, and the Holy Ghost. They answered: In Iohns Baptisme. But that not being sufficient, he farther instructed them in Christ, and the Holy Ghost. So that there is no doubt but Christs Baptisme according to S. Paule was: In the name of the Father, and of the Sonne, and of the Holie Ghost.

Werefore we must vnderstand S. Luke who writeth the two Apostles to haue commaunded Baptisme in the name of our Lord Iesus, not so, that it was onlie in the name of Iesus, but [Page 66] with all in the name of the Father, and the Holy Ghost, Or we may suppose that S. Luke na­med Christ Iesus onlie for the greater honour of his name: altough the Baptisme was in the name of the whole Trinitie. Or we may inter­prete S. Luke that he would say the Apostles to haue Baptized in the name of Christ Iesus that is: In the fayth of our Lord Iesus, or by the au­thoritie of Christ, or with the Baptisme, vhich Christ had instituted; and so for breuities sa­ke to haue named onlie Christ, not deni [...]ing the Trinitie. And Iustinus Martyr thinketh that the Apostles might adde the name of Iesus to the forme which Christ had instituted saying: Ego Baptizo te, In nomine Patris, & Filij eius Iesu Christi, & Spiritus Sancti: I Baptise thee, In the name of the Father, and of [...]is Sonne Iesus Christ, and of the Holy G [...]ost. And this they might doe at that tyme for to make more honorable the name of Iesus, because his name was in con­tempte and hatred amongst the Iewes.

Wherfore I conclude, if any should vpon mi­staking or errour of these places Baptise onlie in the name Christ, or onlie in the name of Iesus, not inuocating the Blessed Trinitie, it were no Baptise.

THE THIRD BOOKE. Of the Minister Baptizing, & the Partie Baptized.

CAP. 1. VVhether Christ in his owne Person with his owne hands did Baptize.

SAINT Chrysostome was of opi­nion;Dionis. Car. in ca. 3. Ioan. as reporteth Dionisius Car­thusianus, that Christ did not Ba­ptize in his owne person with his owne hands, because the Scriptu­re sayeth: Quamquam Iesus non Baptizaret, sed Discipuli eius: Howbeit Iesus dit not Baptize, Ioa. 3.5. but his Disciples. Secondly if Christ did Baptize any in his owne person with his owne hands, it must be in most likliehood his Apostles and Disci­ples: but after his resurrection vpon the day of his ascension Christ sayed to his Apostles:Act. 1. Vos Baptizabimini Spiritu Sancto &c. After these few dayes yea shall be Baptized with the Holy Ghost. Therfore it may seeme Christ did not Baptize any, for that the Apostles may be sayed to haue bene Baptised vpon the day of Pentecost by the Holy Ghost.

Yet not withstanding S. Augustine is of opi­nion, that Christ did in proper person with his owne hands Baptize his Apostles, and some of his Disciples, which opinion is rather to be approued as more probable. For S. Iohn in his Ghospell sayed:Ioa. 3. v. 22. That Iesus came and his Disciples into the Countrey of Iewrie, and there he abode with them, and did Baptize. Secondlie no man can or will denie; but that all the Sacraments were instituted by Christ, and the two principall, as Baptisme and the Sacrament of the Altar, or holy Masse were executed & performed in pro­per person with his owne hands. For as we haue sayed, the first Sacrament, which is Baptisme, Christ in proper person with his owne hands did Baptise the Apostles. And for the other Sacrament of the Altar, or holy Masse, the three Euangelist with the Apostle S. Paule re­cord;Math. 26. mar. 14. Luc. 22. 1. Cor. 11. that Christ after his last supper: Tooke bre­ad in his hands, blessed it, brake it, gaue it to his Apostles saying: Hoc est Corpus meum; and so con­secrated it. And in like manner tooke the Cha­lice in his hands saying: This is the newe Testa­ment in my bloud, which shall be sed for you Wher­fore we may cōclude, that seing it is plaine that Christ did Baptize and minister this Sacrament in his proper person with his owne hands, it is likely that it was first to his Apostles and Disci­ples. For if Christ thaught it good for others, why also should it not be profitable for the Apostles? why should any man thinke that Christ would ba wanting with his own hands to Baptize his Apostles,Ioa. 23. who did not disdaine with his owne hands to wash their feete? And surely considering Christe, was to committe [Page 69] this office and function of Baptizing by speciall commission to his Apostles and Disciple [...], it is likely he would first Baptize his seruants, who were to be Baptizers of others. VVe must take heed (sayeth S. Augustine) that we doe not say, Aug. ep. 108. that the Apostles were not Baptized with water, but only with the Holy Ghost, least, we giue occa­sion to others to contenme Baptisme, and that we our selues in so saying, be not found to striue against Apostolicall practise, discipline and order. For Cor­nelius, and those who were with S, Peter, although they receaued the Holy Ghost: yet notwithstanding they were Baptized with water. So that the recea­uing of the holy Ghost did nor take away the Baptisme of water.Ibid. And further sayeth this holy doctour. VVe ought in no case to doubt, al­though there be no exprese mention in Scripture made therof, but that the Apostles were Baptised with water in respect of that generall sentence which Christ hath pronounced: Ioa. 3. Nisi quis renatus &c. Vnlesse a man be borne againe of water and the Holy Ghost, he s [...]all not enter into the kingdome of heauen. And in particular he proueth S. Peter to haue bene Baptised out of those words of Christ: Qui lotus est, non indiget nisi vt pedes lauet &c. He that is washed, needeth not but to wash his feete, but is cleane whollie. As if he should haue sayed: you haue bene washed & Baptised by me alreadie, and therfore you are whollie cleane, now you need no more. Or, my will is no further but to wash your feete only. When. S. Peter vpon humilitie thought him­self vnworthie that Christ should wash his feete. Christ sayed: If I doe not washe thy feete, thou shalt haue no parte withe me. S. Peter hea­ring [Page 70] this made this petition: Non tantum pedes, sed caput & manus: Then o Lord, not only my feet, but my head, and handes. Christ answered: He that is washed, needeth not but to washe his feete. So that I may conclude that Christ with his owne handes did Baptise his Apostles or some of them: it remaineth only to accord those two places of Scripture in S. Iohn, which seeme contrarie.

Christus Baptizabat; &: Christus non Baptiza­bat, Io. 3. & 4. sed Discipuli eius: Christ did Baptize; and: Christ did not Baptize, but his Disciples. I an­swere they are not contrarie but both true. Christ did Baptize at the first institution and begining of his Baptisme: and then afterwarde Christ did not Baptise himself, but committed this office and function to his Disciples as pro­per vnto them; and he himself tooke a higher charge and care vpon him, which was: to preach, and teach and confirme by miracles. So did also the Apostles after Christs ascension in the begining Baptize them selues: but after­wards that their preaching might not be hinde­red, they committed this office and function as proper to the Priest, and betooke them selues, To Euangelize,1. Cor. 1. and not Baptise, as S. Paule sayeth. So that we may vnderstand S. Iohn, when he sayeth: That Christ did not Baptize, but his Disciples: that is, he did not ordinarilie by himself with his owne hands Baptize all sorts of people, but only some of his Apostles and Disciples. And when he had done thus, he gaue commission to them as his Ministers to Baptize all others. Wherfore when Christ sayed vpon the day of his ascension, that his [Page 71] Apostles should be baptized with the Holy Ghost vpon the day of Pentecoste, we must not so vnderstand, as though they had not bene Baptized before with water: but that they should be cleansed, Baptized, and inflamed with a speciall internall infusion of the grace of the holy Ghost, vnder the visible forme of fierie tongues, as hauing therby no ordinarie baptisme, but an extraordinarie gift of the Holy Ghost to speake with tongues, and by an especiall grace of his heauenly spirit, that they might Euangelize with courage Christ crucified, which was then: Scandalum Iudaeis, & stultitia Gentibus. A Scandall to the Iewes, and foolishnes to the Gētiles, & therfore stood in nee­de of extraordinarie gift, grace and fortitude.

CAP. 2. VVhether it doth belong to the Priest only, Ex of­ficio: by Office and frunction to Beptize.

IT is the generall opinion of Catholike Diui­nes, that ordinarilie by office and function it appertaineth onlie to Priests to Baptize. This word (only) must not exclude Bishops, for that they are also Priests, and doe Baptize as Priests. Yea in the opinion of some, although the Priest by office and function in his ordina­tion, in that he is made Prieste, hath this power to Baptize: yet because it is a matter of Iuris­diction, he doeth exercise it with a subordina­tion and dependencie of the Bishoppe. As also the Priest hath by ordination, in that he is ma­de [Page 72] Priest, power to absolue from sinne: Yet because the acte of Absolution is an acte of Iurisdiction, and Iurisdiction is proper to a Bishoppe, he can not vse and exercise this power except in case of necessitie, but within such limites as the Bishops shall appoynt. So then ordinarilie by office and function it, appertayneth to the Priest on­ly to Baptize, and not to the Bishop as Bishop. Werfore altough the Bishop may doe it: yet we can not say he doth it: Ex officio, as Bishop, but as Priest. And this appeareth and may be proued out of S. Paule, of whom there is no doubt but he was a Bishop: yet he sayeth that Christ sent him:1. Cor. 1. To Euangelize, not to Baptize: for that it is not by Christs Commission and institution the office of a Bishop to Baptize by himself as in his owne person, but ordinarilie it is committed by office and function as belonging to the Priest. Yet in the same place S. Paule recordeth that he Baptized some fewe as Crispus and Caius, and the house of Stephanus, but not as be­longing to the office of a Bishop, but as he was a Priest.

Obiect. True it is, and may well be obiected, that, that Christ gaue this commission to his Apostles, not only to teach, but also to Baptize saying: Going teach yee all nations Baptizing them:Mat. 28. but the Bi­shophs are successours to the Apostles: Therfore the Bishops haue by office and function also to Baptize. To this obiection [Page 73] I answere with that worthie Doctour S. Thomas:Tho. 3. p. q. 67. art. 2. that Christ gaue in charge to his Apostles, and so consequently to Bishops both functions, that is: to teach and to Baptize; The first as principall to be exer­cised, and performed by themselues in their own persons; The second, that is: to Bap­tize, to be committed by them to the Priests as proper to their office. To manifest and make this plaine S. Iohn in his Ghospell say­eth: That Iesus himself did not Baptize,Io [...]. 4. but his Disciples were they, that did Bap­tize. Wherby it is gathered, that it is or­dinarilie the proper office of Priests to Bap­tize; for that the Priests are the Suc­cessours of the Disciples, as the Bishops are to the Apostles. Werfore I conclude that ordinarilie it belongeth Ex officio: By offi­ce and Function, to the Priest to Bap­tize, although with subordination and dependencie of the Bishop: and that also the Bishop may Baptize, because he is a Priest; for no man can be a Bi­shop, vnlesse first he be a Priest. Whervpon I leaue to your Iudgmentes what Bishops we haue now in England con­sidering there hath bene no true ordi­nation, Consecration, or imposition of hands of Bishop, or Bishops amongst them, since the begining of Queene Eli­zabeths raignie, and so consequentlie neither Bishop nor Priest;2. Tim. cap. 1. for both Bi­shop and Priest must haue their ordi­nation by imposition of hands from [Page 74] their Predecessours. But no one, but all the Bishops in England forsooke Queene Eliza­beths new-deuised Religion, so that she remai­ned without Bishoppe.

CAP. 3. VVhether a Deacon may Ex officio, by office mi­nister this Sacrament.

I Answere that absolutlie he hath not by office and function to baptize; but he may by sub­ordination or dependencie of the Priest; that is in absence of the Priest, or in imminent daunger of the Child, or by commission or permission of the Priest. For properlie his office and function is to assist the Priest, to read the Ghospell, to minister at the Altar, to compose, set in order, and prouide althinges necessarie for the administration of the Sacraments; also to serue the widdowes, and other such like offices. Therfore Gelasius the Pope decreed:Gelas. ep. ad Episco. per Lu­caniā. ca. 9. & 10. Act. 8. that Dea­cons did vsurpe the office of Priestes, if the did pre­sume to baptize in presence of priestes, they not commaunding or permitting of it. True it is that S. Philippe the Deacon baptized the Eunuch the Queene of Aethiopia her high-treasurer but it was not Ex officio, but in absence of the Apostles. Read Gratiam. Dist. 93

CAP. 4. VVhether a meere Layman, who hath no holy Orders, neither Priest nor Deacon, may law­fully Baptize.

YOu must note and vnderstand that one thing it is to Baptize by function and office, and an other thing to Baptise in necessi­tie, that is when the Priest can not be had, or in daunger of death. The generall opinion of Catholike Diuines is, and the practise of the Church hath euer bene A Cunabulis, From the Cradle, that in absence of the Priest, in case of necessitie a meere Lay-man may lawfullie Bap­tize. The reasons for proofe of this Conclusion are pregnant and many. First it is not of the es­sence of Baptisme that the Minister, that is, he that Baptizeth, be in holy Orders: therfore in necessitie it may be lawfull for a meere Lay-man to minister this Sacrament. Secōdly it stan­deth with the mercie of God, who would haue all men saued, that in those things, which are of necessitie to saluatiō, man may easilie find a re­medie. But amongst all the Sacramēts Baptisme is most of necessitie to saluation (as hath bene proued) therfore seing Christ our Sauiour would ordaine that cōmon water should be the matter of this Sacrament, because it was com­mō to all & in all places to be had, that it might not be wanting to this Sacrament being of such necessitie to saluation: there is no doubt also [Page 76] but the minister in case of necessitie should and might be euerie man, not only of the Cleargie, but also of the layety: that for want of a mi­nister the Infant, or anie other in danger of death should not per [...]sh, or be in way of dam­nation, or destitute of the remedies of their saluation. For Christ hath spoken the word: That vnlesse a man be borne anewe an regenerated by water and the holy Ghost he can not enter in to the kingdome of heauen Therfore sayed Saint Ierome:Iero. dial. cont. Lucif, Baptizare, si necessitas cogat, scimus etiam licere laicis: VVe know also, if necessitie vrge or compell, that it is lawfull for euerie Layman to Baptize. Thirdlie Ananias in the first yeare after Christs Passion Baptized S. Paule: but Ananias was none of the Apostles, nor Deacon,Act. 9. nor Priest; therfore in absence of the Bishop, Priest or Deacon a Lay-man may lawfully Baptize. And although Ananias in Scripture be called a disciple: yet that ma­keth him not a Bishop, Priest, or Deacon; For Tabitha a widdowe woman is called also a Disciple.Act. ca. 9.36. Wherfore we haue example in Scripture that Ananias a Lay-man by vi­sion and speciall commaundement from God was sent vnto S. Paule, restored him to his sight, and in absence of the Apostles in case of necessitie did Baptize him; We neede not then doubt, but in absence of the Priest a Lay-man may lawfullie Bap­tize. This confirmeth Saint Isodorus, and giueth the reason why Lay-men may Baptize: Ne quisquam sine remedio sa­lutari de saeculo euocetur: Least (sayeth [Page 77] he) any should be called out of this world [...]ithout the sauing helpe and remedie of Sal­ [...]ation.

Not withstanding these reasons and the ne­ [...]essitie of Baptisme with the generall consent [...]nd practise of the Primitiue Church, and all [...]ges sithence; Caluin to crosse all antiquitie,Cal. li. 4. Inst. cap. [...]eremptorilie doth denie: That in anie case of [...]ecessitie a Lay-man ought to Baptize: Because Christ sayed onlie to the Apostles: Goe yee and Bap­ [...]ize; which we graunt, and haue proued in the precedent Chapter that by office ordinarilie it [...]elongeth and appertaineth to the Priest: but extraordinarilie; and in case of necessitie we allowe it lawfull for all men. And our rea­son is, because in the same place it was also sayed only to the Apostles: Teach yee all Nations: yet notwithstanding not only the Apostles, but also the Disciples and others did theach; why may not others also in case of necessitie with the Apostles Bap­tize? Yf Caluin should meane, or any other should thinke, that none were trulie Bap­tized, but those who were Baptized by true Bishops or Priests, and that Lay-mens Baptisme were not auailable or of force, which doth consequently follow in his opinion; Or else why should they be denied in case of necessitie, but that he would ma­ke the minister an essentiall poynt for the rightfull administration of this Sacra­ment? In what case then were our poore Countrey of England, which hath had no true Bishops, nor Priests since the first of Queene Elizabeth, as hath bene [Page 77] sayed. For all the auncient Bishops of Queene Maries tyme, standing firmlie to the Catholike fayth, there was by them no impositiō of hands, nor cōsecratiō vpon any Protestant Bishop: but onlie letters Patents from Queene Elizabeth, & Confirmation afterward by Parlamēt. But how auaylable, or of what force the one or the other, or both ioyntly are to make Bishops, may easi­lie be discerned, and discried. Let vs then allow the Baptisme of Laymē to be auaylable, or else we shall proue the most part of England to be Infidells, and no Christians. Idle then and erroneous must needs be the opiniō of Caluin, And not onlie are the Sectaries of this age content to approue & allow with Caluin, that parents rather should permitte their Children to dye without Baptisme, then in any case what­soeuer to seeke or suffer ther Sacrament to be giuen or ministred by any Lay person, Not on­lie (I say) doe they mayntaine this wicked po­sition and dangerous doctrine concerning chil­dren and Infants: but also would counsell and aduise men of age and vnderstanding newlie conuerted, if they should be in danger of death, not hauing any Priest or minister readie, rather to relie vpon their faith, then to demaund Bap­tisme at a Lay-mans hand. This is manifest, for at the Conference the Sectaries had at mount Peglier (as reporteth Florimond de Roemond in his Historie of the heresies of this age) where Beza being present,Flor. Roem. li. 8. ca. 11. asked this question of Sme­deline Brentius Disciple; what he would doe, or what Counsell he would giue, if a Iewe or Pa­gan in case of necessitie should demaund Bap­tisme at the hands of a Lay-man, not hauing a [Page 79] minister readie. I would aduise him (sayeth he) to repose himself vpon his faith, and not to require Baptisme at the hands of any lay per­son. But put the case (sayed Beza) that the Iewe or Pagan thought with himself and were fullie persuaded, that his fayth were not sufficient to saluation without Baptisme. Then answered Smedetine: I would say vnto him; Goe then to the Diuells and dwell with them. Wherupon Beza iesting replied: what M. Doctor, I perceaue you will be a miserable Conforter, in this mise­rable case of necessitie.

CAP. 5. VVhether Baptisme may lawfullie be ministred priuatly in priuate houses, by priuate Per­sons.

IT is manifest and doubted of few or none that in the Primitiue Church in the begining of Christianitie this Sacrament was ministred in priuate houses & not in publike places, by reason at that tyme there were no publike Churches or Chappells builded, neither were the Christians suffered anie publike vse or exercise of their Religion; but continually pur­sued by Purseuants, and other such like officers, & extreamly persecuted by the Pagan Empe­perours. I may well compare this tyme and state now of England with that of the Primi­tiue Church. For it is euident to the whole world, that Christian Catholike people of En­gland, are forced to Baptize priuatlie in their [Page 80] houses, and that with hazarde of great penal­tie, they are allowed no publike Church, nor Chappell, no publike vse or exercise of their Religion, but their Priests, the true Ministers of this Sacrament, are continuallie pursued by Purseuants and other Officers, and extream­lie persecuted by Protestans euen to death. But after the Church began to be setled, persecution to cease, Christianitie to florish, the vse and exercise of Religion permitted, then were Churches builded, fonts and Baptisteries publiklie erected, as is euident and at this day extant in the Mother-Church of the world in the Cittie of Rome; There is now standing: Baptisterium Constantin [...] The Baptisterie of Constantine the first Christian Emperour, And the like you shall find by the generall vse and practise of the whole Church throughout all Catho­like countreys publikes fonts and Baptisteries erected in their Churches, for the publike vse of this Sacrament. And in processe of tyme because, some began rather to Baptize in their priuate houses, then publiklie at the fonts and Baptisteries of the Church, in the Councell of Vienna priuate Baptisme was forbidden in houses, and publike commun­ded, as may appeare by the Constitution of Clement the Fifth;Clem. tit. de Baptis. except alwayes in case of necessitie, in danger of death, or as a prerogatiue for Princes Children. Wherfore I may conclude that in England, notwithstanding this. Constitution, we may lawfullie Baptize in priuate houses, because we are in case of necessitie as in [Page 81] the Primitiue Church: no Churches, fonts, nor Baptisteries allowed, no publike exercise of Religion, our Priests pursued, and persecu­ted to death. So that our necessitie compelleth vs not to be subiect to this Constitution: but exempteth vs as the Glosse doth expres­se: Necessitas legi non subiacet: Ibid. lor. cit. Necessitie hath no lawe. And thus much for the place.

Now concerning the Persons, whether a pri­uate Person may lawfullie Baptize. First we must not what we vnderstand by a priuate per­son; A priuate person is he, who hath no pu­blike authoritie by imposition of hands, or holi Orders solemnlie to Baptize, that is: we call a priuate person, a meere Lay-man. And priuate Baptisme, we call that, which is perfor­med in case of necessitie by a Lay-man or woman priuatlie without solemnitie or Ce­remonies, not in Church, nor Cappell, but in priuate houses. I suppose in the precedent chapter I haue sufficientlie proued, that it may lawfullie be done, and being so done, to be sufficient and auaylable, This controuersie was particularlie handled betweene the Proetstant Bishops, and the Puritans, in the presence of Kinh Iames at the Conference at Hampton Court, 1603.

The Bishop of Worcester to proue that other besides Bishops, or Priests,Bils. of worces. meere Lay-mē might also lawfullie Baptise, and that their Baptisme might be sufficient, brought, & vrget the facte of the Apostles, that vpon one day three thousand were Baptised: VVhich was (sayeth the Bisoppe) impossible, or at least improbable for the Apostles to [Page 82] performe in their owne Persons. Wherfore in case of necessitie in this multitude of people, they permitted Lay-men (for there were no other at that tyme) to assist them, and Baptize, and approued their Baptisme as sufficient and auay­lable.Bish. of winch. Also D. Bilson Bishop of Winchester earnestlie vrged, that to denie priuate persons in case of necessitie to Baptise, were to crosse all antiquitie, seing it had bene the auncient & common practise of the Church, when the Priest or minister can not be had, that Lay-men performe it. Also that it was a rule agreed vpon amongst Diuines: That the Minister was not of the essence of this Sacrament, Bils. fo. 18. therfore in case of necessitie it might lawfullie be executed by any other then Priest or Minister. Not withstanding the Kings maiestie being earnest against priuate Baptisme by Lay-persons, answered the Bishop and replyed: Although (sayed the King) the Ministers be not of the essence of the Sacrament: yet is he of the essence and lawfull righ and mini­sterie of the Sacrament; But if it be an essentiall point in the administration of Baptisme, that the Baptizer be a lawfull Bishop, Priest, or Minister, then it must needes followe, if it be acted or admi­nistred by any other then a Bishop, Priest, or Minister, that it wanteth an essentiall parte in ad­ministration, and consequentlie not auaylable, of no force, nor perfect. For nothing is perfect that wanteth his essentiall parte. Why then doe they admitte for baptized those who haue had Lay-men for their Baptizers, and not Rebaptize them againe? For either they must needes say, that Baptisme is not absolutlie necessarie to saluation, and therfore not necessarie to Re­baptise [Page 83] them againe: or else they must needs confesse, that they had the Sacrament sufficiēt­lie and auaylable, being administred by Lay-men, although there were mortall sinne com­mitted in the administration, because some es­sentiall parte was nor performed. And thus they cast them selues into manie incumbrances and inconueniēces, which might be auoyded by ad­mitting priuate Baptisme by a Lay-man in case of necessitie, conforme to the Traditions of the Apostles, the practise of the Church, and consent of Fathers.

CAP. 6. VVhethe the midwife or any other woman may in case of necessitie Baptize.

CAluin detesteth the midwife,Caluin. Cont. VVest. pa. 157. 128. and conten­deth that it were better that the Infant should die without Baptisme, then to giue power or allow a woman to Baptize, let the necessitie be neuer so great. And our Puritans at home following M. Caluin, are verie peeuish, froward, and obstinate in this poynt. For they will by no meanes grant that the mi­dwife, or any other woman may lawfullie in case of necessitie what soeuer Baptize. This hath bene a great Controuersie betweene the Puritans and the Protestants: but the Prote­stants haue in some sorte yeelded, for they haue reformed their Communion-booke,Booke of Com. Pray. Baptis. and that libertie which was before for midwifes is blotted out, & taken away. And by the way we may note, that the Puritans in this poynt [Page 84] disagree and depart from their first Euangelist martin Luther, and the Protestants in thus yeel­ding, from them selues. Also the Puritan partie in their letters to their friends at Oxford write, that King Iames the first day of their Confe­rence,In the end of the booke of Cōfer. was so earnest against Priuat Baptisme of women, that he should say: That he had as liefe, & liked as well, that an Ape, as a woman should Baptize. But of my Conscience I thinke they misreport his maiestie.

Let vs but consider that the principall A­gent in Baptisme is Christ, and that he onlie as the principall cause, doeth worke the effect therof; and that man is but the Instrumentall cause, and minister onlie of Christs. If then in the absence of the Priest, who was by Christ appoynted as the ordinarie minister of this Sa­crament the Lay man in case of necessitie may lawfullie supplie his roome and Baptize, (as I haue proued before) why may not also in the like case of necessitie the woman supplie the place of the man in his absence?Cap. 3. The difference of the sexe in this case of necessitie, whether it be male or female, is nothing. But because the man is the head of the woman,1. Cor. 11. and Christ the head of the man, the woman ought not to Bap­tize in the presence of the man, nor the Lay-man in presence of the Priest Christs minister. And for that it is not conuenient nor decent that men should be present at the birth of Children, the Church hath commaunded that the midwi­fe vpon payne of sinne, learne distinctlie the forme of Baptisme: because she hath spe­ciall [Page 85] licence and commission in danger of death to minister this Sacrament. It is true that the fourth councell of Carthage doth forbid women to Baptize, that is:Concil. Carth. cā. 99. & 200. publi­kelie or with solemnitie, or in the presen­ce of men, or not in case of necessi­tie; and so all Canonists vnderstand. Al­so it is thus at this day obserued, com­maunded, and onlie permitted, that wo­men priuatlie in case of necessitie, and when it is not fitte men to be present, to Baptize.

For Confirmation that women may Baptize, we haue an example in Scripture of Sephora Moyses wife;Exo. 4. she circumcised her sonne in ca­se of necessitie, and although Moyses was pre­sent: yet he was sore sicke, vexed with an an­gell, threatned death that he could not perfor­me it himself. For no doubt (although he had delayed it) at that tyme if he could, he would haue donne it himself, and therfore signified to his wife that she should doe it, which when it was done, Moyses was deliue­red from that sicknesse, or vexation of the an­gell. But Circumcisiō was a figure of Baptisme: Therfore as in circumcision, so also in Baptisme in case of necessitie as Sephora did the one, why may not the midwife doe the other? It is a world and wonder to consider, that these kind of men can approue and allow a woman to be head of the Church, and not permitte in case of necessi­tie a woman to Baptize. Wheras otherwayes for want of this Sacrament the Infant were in danger to perish eternallie, as hath bene proued.

Obiect. But against this fact of women Baptizers they alleadge these places of S. Paule: That women should hold their peace in the Church:1. Cor. 14. 1. Tim. cap. 12. And that he would not permitte them to teach, but be Silent. Therfore (say they) they ought not to Baptize, nor to minister anie Sacrament.

True it is in deed, and they may wnderstand if they will,Sol. that S. Paule doth forbidd women publiklie to preach or teach in Churches or pu­blike assemblies, for that it is the proper fun­ction & office committed by Christ onlie to Bishops and Priests: yet I thinke they will not denie, nor no man can mislike, but women may lawfullie admonish, instructe, and teach priua­tlie both women, and men, and children: and olso deliuer their mind concerning matters of fayth, doctrine, good life and pietie. And this is confirmed when Priscilla and Aquila tooke priuatlie Apollo the eloquent Iewe,Act. 18. who prea­ched and taught Iesus but not sufficientlie grounded, and they women instructed him, ex­pounded vnto him diligentlie the way of our Lord. Wherfore we doubt not, but that a wo­man may lawfullie in extreamitie, in danger of eternall saluation of the poore Infant priuatlie,Breden. li. 1. c. 51. Coll. sacra. Baptize and minister this Sacrament. And for farther confirmation hereof, you may read a miracle related by Bredenbacius: In the yeare of our Lorde 1579. it happened in Amsterda­me that a Catholike woman being married vn­to a Caluinist, and deliuered of a child, she cau­sed the Infant priuatlie to be Baptized by a Ca­tholike woman of her own profession in Reli­gion, because she would be sure her child should be trulie Baptized. So it fell out, that [Page 87] the husband being hotte and earnest on the contrarie, caused the child to be brought to a publike preachind, where after the sermon the minister being readie in the assemblie of people to Baptize the Infant, sodenly he became dum­be, not able to speake one word. Wherat the Father being astonished tooke his child in his armes, came home to his wife, & charged her to tell him the truth, whether she had not caused the child before to be Baptized Catholiklie ac­cording to her professiō. She cōfessing the truth sayed, that it was soe. Whervpō he with the rest of his familie, seing the worke of God, were con­uerted frō their heresie, became Catholikes, were reconciled vnto the Church, & so liued & died.

This question was moued in the Conference had at Poissi by a minister of Mets: whether the Infant Baptized by the midwife ought againe to be Baptized by the Minister.Beza cont. Hessu. pag. 533. Beza in the name of all present at that Conference an­swered: That a great number of the Ministerie had alreadie iudged, and that with his consent, that this Baptisme of the Midwife was of no effect. Yet forasmuch (sayeth he) that the Contrarie opinion is not without ground of reason, it is fitte and ve­rie conuenient, that the matter be remitted to the Resolution and determination of the Congregation of Geneua and Zurike. Whervpon worthelie (sayeth Florimond) the Catholikes of France iested at their Conclusion in this their Confe­rence,Florim. li. 8. c. 11. ane could not but maruell at the madnes­se of these kind of people, who could not deci­de this difficultie by Scripture, by the written word, wherevpon they would seeme wholie to relie in decideing matters of Controuersie, [Page 88] but were now forced to referre themselues and the subiect to the Censure and Iudgment of men, that is: a fewe Ministers of Geneua and Zurike gathered togeather in a corner of the world. And in this and the like cases stike not to skorne and cotemne the decisions, resolu­tions and indgments of generall Councells law­fully gathered of the most vertuous,Concil. Later, Floren. Trid. the wisest, and best learned throughout the Christiā world and no doubt, but according to the promise of Christ, they were guided by the Holy Ghost. As for example: 1. That Children ought to be Baptized in their infancie. 2. That the Bap­tisme of Lay-men is allowable and auaylable in case of necessitie in absence of the Priest. 3. That the midwife in extreamities in danger of death may Baptize. The resolution and deter­mination of these cases haue bene decided by generall Councells, and haue bene deliuered vnto vs as a Tradition from the Apostles, as a practise of the primitiue Church, as the sen­tence of antiquitie, descending in the Church throughout all ages vntill this day. And nowe to be condemned and censured by a fewe vnle­arned ministers of Zurike and Geneua? I say no more but leaue this (Gentle Reader) to thy best thoughts and considerations.

CAP. 7. VVhether an Heretike, an Infidell, or a Iewe may Baptize, and if they doe, VVhether it be auailable.

I Ioyne these three togeather, and first I put an Heretike; for that heresie is a kind of infidelitie or misbeleefe of Christ, of his ministeries, his Sacraments, and his Church. Or heresie is: An obstinate re­sisting or striuing against the true faith of Christ, his ministers, his Sacraments, or his Church. S. Thomas sayeth: More grieuous, Tho. 2. 2. q. 10. art. 6. or greater is the infidelitie of heretikes, then of Pagan or Iewe. For the Heretike, in that he is a Christian hath promised true faith and fidelitie to Christ, to his Sacra­ments, and Church, which neither Iewes nor Pagan did. It was the opinion of Saint Cyprian, or rather his errour: That Baptisme giuen out of the Church by Heretikes was no Baptisme, nor auaylable. Concerning which point S. Stephen Pope and Martyr writ­te to S. Cyprian: That there should be no Innouation in the Church; but that the auncient Tradition should be obserued, forbidding those who were Baptized of Heretikes to be Baptized againe. Wher­vpon this question was much agitated, han­dled and disputed in his tyme, and by the Church concluded: That if the Heretikes did Baptize in the name of the most [Page 90] Blessed Trinitie, the Father, the Sonne, and the Holy Ghost, with intention to doe and effect that which Christ instituted, that their Baptisme was auailable, and those by them Baptized, were not to be Baptized againe.

Aug. li. 10. de Baptis. con. Do­nat. c. 1. Idem. ep. 48. ad Don. Aug. li. 5. de Baptis. con. Donat. ca. 20. Aug. li. 1. cont. Cresco. And S. Augustine confuted this errour in many bookes; his reasons were; for that Baptisme was: Vnitas orbis: One through out the whole world: And that Heretikes agreed generallie with Ca­tholikes in this poynt. And that it was not the goodnes of the Ministres that caused this Sacra­ment, but Christ the principall cause therfore in necessitie auaylable of whom soeuer it was gi­uen. And in his fifth booke of Baptisme against the Donatists, he proueth that God doth giue this Sacrament by euill persons, because they doe not minister this Sacrament: Sua potestate, sed virtute Dei: By their owne power, but by the vertue of Christ. And therfore he conclu­deth: Although there be no certaine example brought forth out of Scripture to proue that Bap­tisme of Heretikes is true Baptisme: yet because the whole Church hath decreed it, we obserue (sayeth he) the truth of Scripture; for that the Scripture commendeth her authoritie, and telleth vs that the Church being guided by the Holy Ghost can not erre in her decrees, and deciding of doubtfull questions. Therfore we doubt not of the Baptisme of heretikes so long as they obserue the true forme instituted by Christ and commended by his Church.

Some difficultie there was in the tyme of the Arrian heresie, for that they held Christ not to be equall with his Father and consequentlie not God but man, Yet it was concluded that their Baptisme was auaylable so long as they kepte [Page 91] the forme of Baptisme instituted by Christ, and commaunded by his Church.Niceph. lib. 16. ca. 15. Nicephorus Ca­ [...]ixtus recordeth in his historie of one Deutrius [...]n Arrian Bishop Baptizing at Constantinople one who was called Barbas, and not obseruing [...]he auncient forme of the Church, but altered and changed it according to his hereticall hu­mour saying: Baptizetur Barbas in nomine Pa­tris, per Filium, in Spiritu sancto: Barbas be he Baptized In the name of the Fater, through the Sonne, in the holy Ghost: the water presentlie dried vp, and vanished a way out of the font. At which miracle Barbas being moued, ranne forth, and published the facte: where you may see how God by miracle condemned the Arrian heretike, wen he did not obserue the forme of the Church.Concil. Nicen. can. 19. Gratiā. 1. q. 1. can. Si quis cōnfu­gerit. Grego. li. 9. e­pistol. epis 61. Idē de cons. dist. 4. cap hi. vero. Wherfore those Heretikes who kee­pe not the forme of Baptisme by Christ institu­ted, as the Paulianists & Cataphrigians, not be­leeuing aright of Christ, nor the Holy Ghost: the Councell of Nice appoynted that those should be Baptized againe: Statutum est eos omnino rebaptizari: we decree and appoint in any case those to Baptized againe. Yf any of the fore na­med heretikes flie for helpe vnto the Catholike Church. Read Gratian. And the same hath S. Gregorie of the Cataphriges and Bonosians, who did not Baptise in the name of the Trini­tie, because they thought the Father only to be God, and the Sonne, and the Holy Ghost to be but men. I will conclude with this Corrola­rium or addition; Although in case of necessitie an Heretike may Baptise, and that the Baptis­me of Heretikes obseruing the forme of the Church be auaylable, also that their ought not [Page 92] to be Rebaptization: Yet notwithstanding this can not be no warrant for Catholikes or Schis­matikes to sent their children to be Baptized of Heretikes, or to communicat with them in this Sacrament, or to permit them to be by them Baptized. For no penall statute, or Com­maundement to the contrarie can free them from the Censure of Communicating with He­retikes in Sacraments and Diuine thinges Besi­des no man knoweth how farre he may en­danger the soule of the Infant therby, conside­ring that some of them maintayne this dange­rous opinion: That baptisme is not necessarie to Saluation. And so growe carelesse whether they Baptize or not.

Now concerning the Pagan and Iewe, who neuer were themselues Baptized, whether they could giue an other that they neuer had them­selues.Nichol. de cons. dist. 4. can. a quodā Iudaeo. It was decreed by Pope Nicholas at the consultation and petition of the Bulgars, what was to be done with those, who were Baptized by Pagan or Iewe; his resolution was, that if they were Baptized in the name of the Holie Trinitie, whether by Iewe or Pagan, they were not to be Rebaptized againe. Wherfore I will put the case: If two Iewes or Pagans were to­geather where no Christians were being in danger of death, and both desirous of Baptis­me:Concil. Floren. can. de minis­tris Baptis­mi [...] if in that case the one should Baptize the other, no doubt they both should be saued and their Baptisme auaylable. Wherfore I conclude with the Councell of Florence: Minister hu­ius Sacramenti &c. That the Minister of this Sa­crament is the Priest, to whom by office and fun­ction it appertaineth to Baptize: but in case of ne­cessitie [Page 93] not only the Priest or Deacon, but also the Lay-man and woman yea also the Iewe Pagan, and Heretike may Baptise, so that they obserue the for­me of the Church, and intend to doe that the Church doth.

CAP. 8. VVhether Catholike Parents or others may send or permitte their Children to he Bapti­zed of Hereticall or Schismaticall Mini­sters, without grieuous mortall sinne.

ALthough the Baptisme of Heretikes, as I haue proued in the precedent Chapter, be auailable, and that those children, who are Baptised by them, are not to be Rebaptized againe: yet you must vnderstand this not be law­full but in case of necessitie.

Now the question is: whether it be a grie­uous mortall sinne for Parents to send their children to be Baptized of Hereticall or Schis­maticall ministers. I thinke no man can iustlie make any doubt therof. My reasons are. First if it be a grieuous mortall sinne for any man to participate or communicate, In Diuinis: In Diuine seruice or Sacramēts with Heretikes or Schismatikes, as generallie all agree it is: but they who send their children to be Baptized of, or by Schismatikes, doe communicate in Sacra­ments with them. Ergo it is a grieuous mortall sinne to send their Children to be Baptized of such kind of persons. The Parent can not excu­se himself saying, that he doth not communi­cate, [Page 94] but the child, for the Infant is capable of no such action more then is imposed or layed vpon him: Therfore the acte of communica­ting is the Parents, and not the Childs. And if it be a heauier offence to God to communicate in Sacraments, then to be present, at their ser­uice: then I may lawfully conclude, that they haue more to answere for before God, in sen­ding their Children to Church to be Baptized, then in being there present them selues. The se­cond reason may be, for that they expose their child to greate danger of Irregularitie if he be a boy. For if he were Baptized at home either by the midwife or otherwayes, & be rebaptized againe, he is irregular, that is, not capable of Holy Orders.De Cō ­se. dist. 4. Can. qui bis. Sciēter. The Constitutions and Canons of the Church are: that Rebaptizans, & Rebapti­zatus: The Rebaptizer, and the Rebaptized are both Irregular. But the Canonists doe interpret the lawe, if they doe it willinglie and witinglie. But you will say; some of the ministerie if they be told the Child is Baptized, will not absolu­tlie Rebaptize, but Conditionallie If thou be not Baptized, I Baptise thee. And so they auoyd Irregularitie in them selues, and the Child: Yet they can not be excused from sinne in this their doing; because they ought not to doubt of the Baptisme, and thervpon take occasion to Re­baptize againe, but vpon probable cause, which in this case is not. The third reason. Siluester a learned Casuist affirmeth:Siluest. verbo Baptis. cap. 3. num. 7. That it is a mortall sinne for any man to require Baptisme at the hands of him, whom he knoweth probablie to be either an Heretike, Schismatike, Excommunicate or suspen­ded person, vnlesse it be in extreame necessitie; For [Page 95] in such a case (as hath bene sayed) I may re­quire it at the hands of an Heretike, Iewe or Pagan. But you will say: The lawe vrgeth and compelleth vpon forfeiture of an hundred pounds; I answere: Iniqua & iniusta est lex: Wicked and vniust is that Lawe, that vrgeth and compelleth a man against his Conscience to committe a mortall sinne, and consequentlie no lawe. Therefore not to be obeyed. Read the Constitutions of Pope Felix the Third in his first Epistle and second Chapter.Felix. de Cōse. dist. 4. can. Eos quos. And the Glosse hath: Magis mors est eligenda, quàm con­sentire rebaptizari: That one ought rather to suffer death, then to consent to Rebaptization,

For a Caueat to Catholike Parents for sen­ding their Children to Church, to be Baptized of Protestant or Puritan, I haue thougt good to relate what happened here in England in the Countie of Glocester about the yeare of our Lord 1583. as was reported vnto me by an an­cient graue man, worthie of credite, who ca­me immediatlie after the fact was done. So it was that a Catholike gentlewoman being brought to bed of a Sonne, a Protestant Ladie their neighbour,Cas. cas. being verie desirous to be Gossippe to the Child; the parents refusing to haue it Catholiklie christned at home for satis­fiyng the Ladies request, were content it should be carried to the Church to be Baptized of a Protestant Minister. But what happened? Pre­sentlie as the Minister layed water vpon the Child, it fell a crying vehementlie, and could in no case be stilled, but continued crying all that day and night following, euen so long as it had strength, and was able to crie, and so dyed. A [Page 96] worthie punishment no doubt for the parents fault. Also I haue read of a child in Flanders, who being brought by the Father vnto a prea­ching Minister to be Baptized, the Infant sud­denlie appeared as dead: but being returned ba­cke vnto the mother being a Catholike, the child miraculouslie reuiued againe.Bredē. li. 7. coll. Sacra. ca. 50. Bredenba­chius relateth the historie from D. Walter, Ca­non at Antwerpe as an eye-witnesse.

A Catholike woman being married vnto a Caluinist brought forth a child, whom the Fa­ther secretlie, his wife being a sleepe, tooke away and brought him vnto a preaching mini­ster to be Baptized; who being readie to Bap­tise in the presence of the assemblie, perceyued the child to be dead. Whervpō presentlie he did expostulate and reason with the Father, what he meant to delude and mocke him, and to bring a dead child to be Baptized? The father being stroken in a maze with this vnlooked for mischance returned home and layd againe the dead Infant by the mothers side; And so secree­tlie departing from the chamber, a litle after returning, called vpon his wife, and asked how she and the Infant did. She being ignorant what was done, answered all was well, and turning her self with pleasing countenance, offered the child aliue and in good liking to the Father. He being astonished with this miracle reiected his Caluinian errours and heresies, embraced the Catholike faith, became one of his wifes pro­fession, and caused the Infant to be Baptised Catholiquelie.

And for the Minister that he be not too hastie to Rebaptize the Child alreadie Baptized by a [Page 97] Catholike midwife, let him read what happe­ned at Amsterdame in the yeare of our Lord 1579. as testifieth Bredenbacius.Bredē. li. 7. coll. Sacra. c. 51. So it was a Catholike woman being married vnto a Calui­nist, and deliuered of a Child, she caused the Infant priuatly to be Baptized by a Lay Catho­like woman, because she would be sure of Bap­tisme. The Father tooke the Child according to Caluins rule, brought it to the preaching to be Baptized by the Minister. So it fell out that the minister being readie to baptise in the assemblie of all the people, suddenlie he became dumbe not able to speake one word. Wherat the Fa­ther being astonished, tooke his child in his armes, and came home vnto his wife, charging her to tell him the truth, whether the In­fant had not bene Baptized before according to the Catholike order. Which shee confessed to be true. Wherupon he with the rest of his fa­milie were cōuerted, reconciled to the Church, and became Catholikes.

CAP. 9. VVhether one may Baptise many at one tyme.

I Say one may vnder this forme saying: Ego Baptizo vos: I Baptize yee: which is as much to say: I Baptize thee, and thee, determining euerie person. But you must vnderstand that this must be onlie in case of necessitie, as in danger of death, or some extraordinarie cause, otherwayes it is not to be done. For this Sacra­ment [Page 98] bing of such necessitie; that without it no saluation it must and ought carefullie, and respectiuelie to be ministred. Therfore it is mo­re secure and better that it be seuerallie done and acted, that the water and the word may goe togeater, and the intention of the Baptizer may particulerly be applied to euerie partie who is to be Baptized.

Act. 2.There were three thousand Baptized vpon one day by the Apostles, but the Scriptures doe not expresse in what manner they were Bap­tized. It may be they had helpe of others of the Disciples: but verie probable they Baptized many at once. Wherfore I may conclude, that in case of necessitie, or vppon some extraor­dinarie cause one may Baptize many: at once otherwise it must and ought to be done seue­rally and distinctlie, that is: one by one.

CAP. 10. VVhether many at one tyme may togeather Baptize one Child.

Tho. 3. p. q. 67. art. 6.SAint Thomas is of opinion that manie can not well concurre togeather to the Bapti­zing of one. For when there are multiplicite of Ministers, there may be many Baptismes, which were dangerous. For if the one should be befo­re the other, then the first did Baptize, and the other Rebaptize, which were a great fault. Also S. Paule sayeth:Eph. 4. There is one God, one faith, one Christ, and one Baptisme. So it were fitte there should be but one Minister to Baptize one partie.

CAP. 11. VVhether one may Baptise himself.

THe generall opinion is that one can not Baptize himself, no not in danger of death, or what other necessitie soeuer. For better vn­derstanding I will propose the case: For exam­ple. A Iew or a Pagan hauing heard or read of Baptisme, or liued sometyme amongst the Christians, and being desirous of Christiani­tie lying at the poynt of death amongst his owne, neere no Christian, and so consequentlie haueing no meanes to get any other man to Baptize him: taketh water putting himself the­rin saying: I Baptize thee in the name of the Fa­ther, and of the Sonne, and of the Holy Ghost. The question is, whether in this case he be Bap­tized, and receaue the Sacrament of Baptisme. The resolution is, that he is not Baptised, nor can of himself receaue the Sacrement of Bap­tisme. The reason is, for that Baptisme is a spi­rituall birth or regeneration but no man can be generated or borne of himself, but necessarilie of an other: so no man can be Baptized of him­self, but of necessitie must be Baptized of an other. Also it is gathered out of Christs owne words; that the Baptizer must be a different per­son from the Baptized. For he sayed to his Apo­stles: Goe yee and Baptize all nations. And to signifie thus much, we may also thinke that Christ would not Baptize himself, but be Bap­tized of Iohn. If you doe aske me what I thinke [Page 100] of this Iewe or Pagan, in this case, whether he should be saued or not? I answere with Pope Innocentius the Third: that he could not be saued by the Sacrament of Baptisme, for that he had it not: but no doubt he might be saued by the fayth, vowe, and desire of baptisme, and the zeale, feruour and loue to Christ, and so he might haue it supplied by Christ in will and af­fection. Read Innocentius libro 4. decretalium. tit. 42. de Baptismo & eius effectu.

CAP. 12. VVhether the intention of the Minister be neces­sarie that the Sacrament take effecte.

ALL Diuines agree, & it is decreed in two generall Councells of Florēce, and Trent, and deduced expresslie out of Scripture, that to the substance of Baptisme as necessarie are three thinges; that is: water as the matter, the words as the forme, and a minister to doe it and effect it. For the two first I haue sufficiently proued before in my second booke, that they are the two essentiall partes of Baptizme: now that the minister must of necessitie haue intention to doe this acte I will briefly shewe. When Christ instituted this Sacrament, and gaue the forme he sayed to his Apostles: Goe yee Baptizing: no man can thinke,Mat. 28. but that Christ meant that they should intend, what he had instituted. Secon­dlie, if a man should take water, say the words, and cast it, and powre it vpon an other, and haue no intention to Baptize, it were no Sacrament, [Page 101] no Baptisme, because there was no intention to doe the acte of Baptisme. As also if a player vpon a stage should but shew the acte of Baptis­me, no man would say he Baptized: And why? There was water, the word, the minister, and all other things. Because there wanted in the player intention to doe the acte of Baptisme. In like manner if a drunken man, who had lost the vse of reason, or if a madde man, or if a Priest should rise in his sleepe, and doe all that belon­geth to Baptisme: Yet it were no sacrament; because in none of these thee there were pro­perlie anie humane acte with freedome of will or intention to direct this action, or free mind to worke or not to worke, to Baptize, or not Baptize. So also when the nource doth wash or bath the child, if she should say: I bath or wash thee in the name of the Father, and of the Sonne, and of the holy Ghost; no man would be so madde, as to thinke she Baptized the child. And why? For no other reason, but be­cause shee had no such intention as to Baptize. Wherfore I cōclude, it is necessarie to the true effecting of this Sacrament, that the minister ought to direct this his exteriour acte to this end and purpose, that is to Baptize, that there­by he intend to performe that which Christ in­stituted and commaunded to be done.

Absurd then is the opinion of M. Luther and other his followers,Luth. de cap. Bab. cap. de Bap. who doe not require anie intention in the Minister of this Sacra­ment but mayntaine that Baptisme is sufficien­tly performed, if there be the water & the word, although they doe the acte of Baptisme like a minstrell or player, in iest or in earnest, idly or [Page 102] fainedly. No man can thinke that the Iewes, when they bowed their knees to Christ and sayed: Aue rex Iudeorum: Haile king of the Iewes, they intended in deed and veritie to adore him, but rather to iest and scorne him. Worthely therfore is this opinion condemned as Hereti­call by the Councell of Florence against the Ar­menians.Concil. Floren. Arme. Trid. sess. 7. can. 11. And now also by the Councell of Trent, where Anathema and cursse is layed vpon him, who doth not require in the Mini­ster of this Sacrament intention to doe that, which Christ instituted when he Baptizeth. Not without cause then was Doctor Iohn Rainoldes one of the agent for the millinarie ministers by the Bishops of England reiected,Cōfer. at Hap Court. 1603. Fol. 71. when he mo­ued the King, that this proposition should be inserted in their booke of Articles: That the in­tention of the Minister was not of the necessitie of Baptisme.

CAP. 13. VVhat kind of Intention is necessarie.

THat the minister of this Sacrament must of necessitie haue intention, I haue decla­red in the precedent Chapter. The schoole-Di­uines dispute what kind of intention may suffice. For there are three kinds of inten­tion, Actuall, Habituall, and virtuall. The Habituall all Diuines exclude as not suffi­cient; for that it may be (say they) in a drunken man, a madde man, or in any man that is aslee­pe, for it extendeth not to the acte, but onlie [Page 103] to an inclination or promptitude gotten by the habite.Arist. Phys. 2. And therfore the Philosopher Aristo­tle sayed, that Habitus non est actus: The Habite cannot be the acte, but a promptnes and power to the acte. The Actuall intentiō is verie good, and to be wished to be in all, who Baptise, which is: De facto, and in deed to haue and pro­duce a mentall intention to execute the acte of Baptisme, and to doe that the Church doeth, & Christ instituted. But this is not alwaies of ne­cessitie of the Sacrament; For that men are of­ten subiect to many distractions, and hardly it is in mans power, to be alwayes attentiue vpon those things we haue in hand, although they be holy. Wherfore, if this actuall intention we­re alwayes of necessitie, it would often breed much trouble and scruple in the mindes of the pious Baptizers, and make vncertaine the acte of Baptisme. Therfore it is generally holden, that the virtuall intention is sufficient, that is when one prouideth and intendeth actually to Baptise: but yet when he doeth the acte, his mind may be so dulled, that he thinke of no­thing, or so distracted, that he haue quite other cogitations. Therfore when we purpose to Bap­tize, it is sufficient to intend the externall acte of Baptisme, as instituted by Christe or vsed by the Church although our mind at the tyme of the acte, may be wandering vpon other things. Neither is it necessarie, that we extend our in­tention to the effect of Baptisme, that is that we intend by this actiō to giue grace, to remit­te originall sinne, and to sanctifie the soule. For if this were necessarie, we might iustly doubt of the Baptisme of many Heretikes. For the Pe­lagians, [Page 104] and some in these dayes, denied that Baptisme did remitte Originall sinne. Also it may be thought, that neither Pagan nor Iew, do thinke of grace or sanctification of the soule when they Baptize. And it is probable, that the Caluinists and Puritans of England will not be behind anie of them in this poynt, their dangerous opinion leading them therunto. Wherfore to conclude, it is sufficient to haue internall intention, to doe in deed and veritie the acte of Baptismes, in the maner a foresaide for ther in is included to doe that which the Church doeth and Christ instituted. To take away all intention in the Baptizer (as Luther would) were to make a Parrate that can speake, to Baptise.

CAP. 14. VVhether the Deuill can Baptize.

I Moue this question, the rather that you may vnderstand what a friend M. Luther is to the Deuill.Luth. de mis. pri. v. painted 1554. For in his opinion, the Deuill can Bap­tize, if he obserue the forme. Which Baptisme of the Deuills, he approueth and alloweth as auaylable. But to me it is strange and vnheard, to imagine that the Diuell should sanctifie a soule, being the common defiler and corrupter of the soule of man. That you may not thinke this an idle dreame of his, or a fained storie of mine, you must vnderstand that he goeth about by argument to proue it Iudas (sayeth he) The [Page 105] betrayer of Christ, and traitor to his Maister did Baptize: but Iudas was a limme and member of the Deuill; why then cannot the Diuell doe as much as anie limme or member of his can do [...]. M. Luther might haue considered if he would, that Iudas when he Baptized, he was an Apostle, and no traytor at that tyme. Also he might as easilie haue conceaued; that Iudas Baptized as an A­postle and minister of Christs, and not as a lim­me and member of the Deuill. Finally it is most manifest by Scripture, that Christ gaue his com­mission for ministring of this Sacrament, onlie to men for their good, and not to Diuells the vtter enemies of mankind. Therfore let vs lea­ue M. Luther with his Deuills, it is likely he is amongst them; take heed & beware of his doc­trine least thou be brought were he is.

CAP. 15. VVhether an Angell may Baptize.

THere is no doubt but the ordinarie com­mission for the administring of this Sacra­ment, was granted and committed only to man;Haeb. 5. Omnis ponti­fex. therfore no angell by ordinary Commission can Baptize. But if God hath or should send an Angell from heauen, with extraordinarie com­mission and warrantise to Baptize, I would make no doubt, but his Baptisme were auayla­ble, because it is ordinarie for Angells, to be assistants and friends to Gods people here on earth.

Now hauing spoken of the minister Bapti­zing: it followeth that we entreate of the par­ties who are to be Baptized; that is of Infants and children, & those who are of riper yeares, and of vnderstanding, at mans estate, young or old. And first we will examine concerning Infants, whether they contracte originall sinne, and whether the onlie ordinarie remedie for that sinne be Baptisme. And if they die without Baptisme, what place & punishement they shall possesse, and haue after this life. And so forth as followeth.

THE FOVRTH BOOKE. Of the partie to be Baptized, as Infants and others of vn­derstanding and age.

CAP. 1. VVether Infants doe contracte Originall sinne.

IT is manifest both in the old and new testament, that euerie man borne by man and of woman since Adam, are subiect to Originall sin­ne, and in, and by them are con­ [...]eaued, borne, and constituted sinners. The [...]e [...]s exception to be made of Christ who was not [...]orne by man; and also the blessed virgin is to be exempted by speciall priuiledge, because Christ was borne of her. That all others are subiect and borne in Originall sinne S. Paule proueth saying:Rom. 5. ver. 12. Per vnum hominem peccatum &c. By one man sinne entered into this world, and by sinne death and so vnto all men death did passe, in which all sinned. But this sinne wherwith we are infected by Adam can not be Actuall sinne, because Infants are not capable to doe good or euill; therfore it must needs be Originall sinne. [Page 108] And holy Iob plainly telleth vs: that no man is cleane from the filth of sinne, no not the Infāt of one day old,Iob. 14. Nemo mundus a sorde, ne Infants cuius est vnius diei vita super terrā. And ther vpō asked this questiō of Almightie God: Quis potest &c. who cā make cleane him, who is cōceaued of vnclea­ne seed? Nōne tui qui solus es? Is it not thou Lord, who onlie arte? So that it is plaine by the testimonie of holy Iob, that Infants are borne in sinne, and by nature vncleane, and that God onlie is to purge theis vncleannes contracted by Conception. And kind Dauid in the Miserere Psalme con­fesseth of himself, and consequently of others: Ecce in iniquitatibus conceptus sum, Psal. 50. & in peccatis concepit me mater mea: Behold I was conceaued in iniquities and my mother conceaued me in sinne. But no man can imagine anie other sinne, that king Dauid should be conceaued in, then Ori­ginall sinne: therfore there is no doubt but In­fants in conception contracte Originall sinne. And S. Paule hath this generall proposition:Rom. 3.23. Omnes peccauerunt, & egent gloria Dei: All men haue sinned, and doe stand in neede of the glorie of God. If all men haue sinned, why then no ex­ception to be made of Infants & Children; But children haue no actuall sinne; therefore it must needes be that they are infected with Originall sinne. And the same Apostle cōfesseth. Eramus & nos natura Filij irae sicut & caeteri: Ephes. 2.3. And were by na­ture the children of wrath as also the rest: But they could no way be the children of wrath, but on­lie by Originall sinne: therfore euerie one was, and is subiect vnto it. And thus by Scripture it is manifest, that all men are cōceaued in Origi­nall sinne, and borne sinners. The like may be [Page 109] proued out of the aunciēt Councells & Fathers of the Primitiue Church, especially after the ty­me of Pelagius the Arch-heretike, who maintai­ [...]ed this heresie: That Infants & children did not contract Originall sinne; and therfore were not of necessitie to be Baptized in remission of sinne. Con­cerning which subiect, and against this heresie S. Augustine wrote diuerse bookes: As De Pec­cato Originali, and foure bookes Contra duas epistolas Pelagiani, three bookes De Peccatorum meritis, and in diuerse other places of his wor­kes. Wherfore if anie man desire to be farther satisfied in this poynt, let him read S. Augustine.

CAP. 2. VVhether it be of necessitie that Children be Bap­tized for remission of this originall sinne.

IT is necessarie, and as hath bene proued by the sentence of Christ himselfe. For he hath made this generall decree without exception of young or old:Ioa. 3. That no man shall enter into the kingdome of heauen, vnlesse he be regenerated and borne againe by water and the Holy Ghost. But there is no cause to exclude Infants and chil­dren from the kingdome of heauen but Origi­nall sinne, therfore it is necessarie they be Bap­ [...]ized for remission therof. Secondly the Church of Christ, euen from her cradle and infancie, hath euer had a Vigilant eye, and carefull solli­citude grounded vpon the Traditiō of the Apo­stles, continuallie to Baptize Infants and chil­dren, especially if in that age they were in dan­ger [Page 110] of death. But this was principallie that they should not departe this life without the Sacra­ment of Baptisme, which is the ordinarie mea­nes by Christ instituted for remission of Origi­nall sinne, because it is necessarie they be rege­nerated and borne againe by water and the Ho­ly Ghost. Also they, who are Baptized are sayed by the Apostle: To die to sinne, that they may walke in newnesse of life; Rō 6.4. Ephes. 5.26, And to be cleansed by the lauer of regeneratiō. So it is manifest they haue sinne frō which they are to be purified and washed; wher­fore it is of necessitie that children be Baptized for remission of this sinne. Thirdlie the Apostle S. Paule writeth to the Romans that:Rō. 6.23. Stipendium peccati est mors: The stipend of sinne is death. Ther­fore where death is, there is also sinne. But death is as well amongst children as aged folkes; Therfore Childrē are also subiect to sinne. Christ is sayed by the Apostle: To die for all, as well Infants as aged.2. Cor. 5.15. 1. Pet. 3.18. Rom. 5.8. But S. Peter sayed: That Christ died for the vniust & wicked. And this doth S. Paule also proue, asking the questiō: why Christ died for the impious? He yeeldeth the reason, and giueth answear: for herin God cōmendeth his Charitie in vs; because when we were Sin­ners Christ died for vs. But Infants and children are no way vniust & wicked by anie acte of their owne; wherfore it must needes be they are vniust and wicked by Originall sinne. The con­clusiō thē follweth that they must be cōsepul­ted & buried againe with Christ in his death & Passiō by Baptisme, that they may rise with him to glorie; necessarie thē it is, that childrē be Bap­tized in remissiō of sinne S. Agustine to proue that Infants are infected with Originall sinne, & [Page 111] so cōsequentlie vnder the power & might of the Deuill, vseth this argument: The Church doth vse that most ancient Cer [...]monie in Baptisme, Aug. li. 1. de pe. m [...]ritis ca. 34. & l 6. in Iu­lian. c. 2. that is, by exorcismes & Insufflations to expell the Deuill euen from Infants and children, before the [...] be Baptized, which she would not vse, but that therby she intendeth to instructe & teach, that euē childrē by Originall sinne were subiect to the power of Sathā. The Meleuitane councell vnder S. Innocentius the First of that name, hath decreed & Anathe­matized those: Quicun (que) paruulos recentes ab vteris matrum Baptizandos negat, aut dicit eos in remissionem peccatorum Baptizari, sed nihil ex Adamo trahere originalis p [...]ccati, quod lauacro re­generationis expietur, Anathema sit: VVhosoeuer do­the denie that children newly borne, are not to be Baptized: or doeth affirme that children are to be Baptized vnto remissiō of sinne, but so that they cō ­tracte from Adā nothing of originall sinne, which is to be purged & cleansed by the lauer of regene­ration, let him be accursed. Wherfore to conclu­de, it is necessarie that Infants and Children be Baptized for remission of Originall sinne.

CAP. 3. VVhether Originall sinne doth appertaine or be to be imputed to Child [...]ē, borne of Christiā Parēts.

I Haue in generall proued in the precedent chapters that all men borne of man and woman since Adam (except Christ and the B. virgin) are conceaued and borne in Ori­ginall sinne and therby constituted and ma­de sinners: also that it is of necessitie that Children and Infants be Baptized in [Page 112] remission of this sinne, and for the cleansing and taking away therof. Now the question is in par­ticular whether to be borne of Christian pa­rents, be a sufficient meanes to remoue Ori­ginall sinne from their children, that it may not appertaine, or be imputed vnto them. I moue this question not that Christian people shoulde make any doubt of the val [...], vertue and force of Baptisme instituted by Christ vnto remission of sinne, as the ordinarie meanes for Originall sinne in children and In­fants: but to decypher the dangerous doctrine of Caluin,Caluin li. 4. Inst. c. 16. §. 24. Antid. ad can. 5 sess. 6. who dares not auouch with the Pela­gian Heretikes, condemned by the Church of God aboue some twelue or thirteene ages past, that Children borne of Christian Parents doe not by birth and conception contract Originall sinne.

Yet notwithstanding hath this newe Ghos­peller found out this new deuise, that this sin­ne shall not be imputed, nor layd to the charge of children borne of Christian Parents, but co­uered and hidden in the sight of God. And what is his intent hereby? Surely no other then. Iu­daizare, to play the Iewe, to debilitate and weaken the vertue, power, and strength of the Sacrament, and to take away the necessitie ther­of for the saluation of Infants and Children, and withall to make Christian men carelesse of Christianitie in their children and posteritie. If I should demaund of anie in different man, whether it were not better and a more safer way, to haue Originall sinne cleane washed by Baptisme, vtterlie abolished, and taken away by the Holy Ghost, working in, and by that [Page 113] Sacrament, and so to haue the wound and sore perfectlie cured, then to haue the sinne remaine, although not imputed, but couered, not perfe­ctlie cured, but plastered? I thinke this would be a sufficient argument to confute this errour, & to make mē beware to endāger their childrēs saluation vpon this slipperie doctrine. For what warrant hath Caluin, or any of his Complices; or partakers our Contreimen out of Scripture; That children borne of Christian Parents, shall not haue Originall sinne imputed vnto them? But sure I am, that we haue the testimonie of Christ and his Apostles, that Baptisme doth open the gate to heauen, [...]nd regenerate, and cause vs to be borne a new to Christ.Ioa. 3. Eph. 5. And that it is a washing and cleansing of our soules, in the word of life. And that we therby die to sinne, that we may walke in newnesse of life.Rō. 5. Therfore let all Chri­stian Parents of our countrey, with all their Predecessours, and the whole Christian world round about them, seeke the saluation of their children by the Sacrament of Baptisme, and not trust vnto the new deuise of Caluins not impu­tation, least they be guiltie of their Childrens damnation.

But for further confutation, I will allead­ge two or three examples out of Scripture, that to be borne of faith full parents, is not a sufficiēt meanes to free them from contracting Originall sinne, or being contracted, therfore not to haue it imputed. Dauid was the sonne and child of faithfull parents, and true beleeuers in God, as also of the seed of Abraham: yet he confesseth: That his mother conceaued him in sinne.Psal. 50 But where can it be found in Scripture, that his Pa­rents [Page 114] was the cause that this sinne should not be imputed, and not rather Circumcision to be, the true cause which was a figure of Ba [...]tisme? And S. Paule when he was borne, his Parents were of the faithfull & true beleeuers: yet sayed he, that he as well as the rest, was by nature the child of wrath. But how became he the child of God, and to be cleared of all sinne? By his Pa­rents, in that they were true beleeuers? No. The Scripture telleth vs no such thing; but rather by the Sacrament of B [...]ptisme.Act. 22. For Ananias bidde him arise, and be Babtized, and so to w [...]sh away his sinnes. And the same Apostle proueth the Iewes to be reprobate; although they ca­me of Abrahams flesh; And that to be the sonne of God, goeth not by birth, but by the grace of God. For example Esau, twinne to Iacob, was borne of Isaac the Father,Rō. 9. and Rebecca the mother faithfull Parents, and immediatlie from Abraham: yet Esau was a reprobate (sayeth S. Paule) from his birth. Wherfore we may conclude, that it is not the parents that freeth their children from Originall sinne, let them be true beleeuers and faithfull before Christ, or now Christians after Christ.

Cyp 11. 3. Epist. ep. 8. de Infāt. Bapti­zādis.Therfore S. Cyprian writing to fidus the Priest concerning Baptizing of Infants before the eight day, willeth that no man be hindred frō Baptisme & the grace of God, but especiallie children and Infants newly borne, taken euen from their mothers wombe. For although they haue no actuall sinne: yet because they are bor­ne carnallie according to Adam, they must needs contract Originall sinne. Worthely then we may conclude with S. Augustine: Quicunque dixe­rit [Page 115] &c. Aug. ep. 28, non lō ­ge a fine. VVhosoeuer shall say that children [...]lso shall liue in Christ, who departe this life without par­ticipation of the S [...]crament of Baptisme by him in­stituted, in verie deed that man doeth oppose him­selfe against the open Apostolicall declaration, and condemneth the whole Church, seing that for that cause, she doth hasten the Baptizing of c [...]il­dren; because without doubt it is beleeued that no other way at all they can be saued, or haue life life in Christ.

Thus S. Augustine. Idle then is this not imputation of sinne by Caluin maintained, be­cause they are borne of Christian Parents.

CAP. 4. VVhether Infants and children are to be Bap­tized, before they come to yeares of discre­tion.

THe Anabaptist maintaine this heresie, that children and Infants ought not to be Baptized, but onlie those who are of yeares and vnderstanding, and doe seeke it and desire it of themselues. And some of this sect doe con­tend, that they ought to stay vntill they come to thirtie yeares of age, because Christ was at that age Baptized of Iohn. All men may plain­lie see in this age the worke of the Deuill, who not only by heresie endeauoureth to de­stroy in Christēdome the soules of a great parte of the elder sort, but also to send to hell, euen the poore Infants & children, in taking away frō [Page 116] them the vse of this Sacrament of Baptisme.

The Catholike Church, and all Catholike Doctours, haue alwaies practised and taught, that Infants and children ought to be Baptized. And first they proue it by example out of the old Testament:Colos. 2. Circumcision sayeth S. Paule was a figure of Baptisme: but Circumcision was commanded to be giuen to children of eight dayes old. Wherfore then may not Baptisme be ministred to children?Gē. 17. Secondlie Christ hath pronunced, and giuen this sentence generally without exception, that there can be no salua­tion without Baptisme.I [...]a. 3. Vnlesse (sayeth Christ) a man be borne againe of water and the Holy Ghost he can not enter into the kingdome of hea­uen. And that we may not thinke children to be excluded, Christ hath recorded by three Euan­gelists:Mat. 19. Mar. 10. L [...]c. 18. Esay. 49.22. Sinite paruulos &c. Suffer children to come vnto me for the kindome of heauen is for such; To signifie that he would not that children and In­fants should be lest without remedie to salua­tion. And that children should be members of the Church of Christ prophesied Esay: Ecce le­uabo ad gentes &c. Behold I will lifte vp my hands to the Gentiles, and will exalt my signe vnto the people, and they shall bring their sonnes in their ar­mes, and shall carrie their daughters vpon their shoulders. Therfore Children are to be ad­mitted to the Sacrament of Baptisme.

Thirdlie the Church hath euer taught, ob­serued, and deliuered it as from the Apostles to be lawfull, yea necessarie to Baptize children and Infants. And no man can denie, but that Baptisme of children hath bene euer held as an Apostolicall tradition. Wherfore although [Page 117] it be not expressly commaunded in Scripture, yet it is sufficientlie collected and deducted (as I haue proued) and no way contradicted, ther­fore lawfullie to be practised. We read in the historie of the Apostles:Act. 16. that they Baptized who­le families. No doubt but their were some chil­dren amongst the familie.

Wherfore we must nedes conclude that Bap­tizing of children proceeded from the direction of the Holy Ghost, or else we must confesse, that the Apostles spake and practised not with the Spirite of God which were blasphemie. Dio­nisius Areopagita S. Paules Scholler sayeth:Dionis. Areop. Eccle. Hier. ca. vl­timo. Duces diuini nostri, scilicet Apostoli probauerunt Infantes recipi ad Baptismum: Our heauēly guides the Captaines of our God, the Apostles haue appro­ued and allowed Infants to be receaued vnto Bap­tisme. Finally no man can doubt, vnlesse he will become a Pelagian Heretike, but that Infants are borne in originall sinne; therfore it is of ne­cessitie that children be Baptized, or els that they be left without remedie for their saluatiō, as the Anabaptists would haue it. Which were against the mercie of God, who would haue all saued, The difficultie of this question is, becau­se there is faith required in the Baptized, and a will and desire to receaue the same. How this can be in children that they may be admit­ted to Baptisme is the question. Wherfore in the next ensuing Chapter, we will put downe, what faith is required in children, and how this may be performed.

CAP. 5. VVhat faith is required to the Baptisme of Chil­dren and Infants.

Mat. 28.WE must vnderstand when Christ sayed to his Apostles: Goe yee first & teach, & then Baptize. as S. Matheu reporteth. And: mē must beleeue before they be Baptized, as hath S. Marke.Mar. 16. And when the Eunuch asked whether he might not be Baptized, S. Philippe answered: Si credis licet: If thou beleeue thou ma­yest, Act. 8. to signifie that he must first beleeue before he could be Baptized. And S. Paule sayeth: That faith is by hearing: Fides ex auditu, and other such like places of Scripture we must vndestand (I say) that Christ spake of the Conuersion of nations, of men of vnderstanding, and such as had vse of reason, who were by preaching; teaching, instructing, and miracles to be brought to the faith, and beleefe in Christ. And for those, who are at mans estate, ca­pable of vnderstanding, apte to be taught, rea­die to heare the word of God preached, I say it is requisite, yea necessarie that they haue actuall faith and beleefe in Christ, and that of themselues they seeke and desire Baptisme, before it can, or ought to be ministred vnto them; because the Scripture doth require this actuall faith and beleefe in full age, the elder sorte, and those at mans estate, making no men­tion of Children.

Therfore, say these Anabaptists, that Chil­dren [Page 119] are not to be Baptized before they be capable of teaching, & preaching to receaue actuall faith, & to require of them selues Baptesme. So that Infants and children, if they neuer come to age, should perish, and be without reme­die of saluation in these mens opinion. But to confound these Heretikes, and satisfie anie reasonable man, in the precedent chap­ter it hath bene sufficientlie proued, that children may and ought to be Baptized in their childhood and infancie. Now because they are not capable of actuall faith, for that they can not distinguish betweene good and euill,Deu. 1. Ionas. ca. vl­tim [...]. nor be able to knowe the right hand from the left (as Ionas the Prophet sayeth. Therfore it is sufficient for them to be Baptized: In fide aliena: In the faith of an other; that is in the faith of their Pa­rents, or those who offer, and bring them to be Baptized, if they be Christians; Or In fide Ecclesiae: In the faith of the Church, if they be the children of Infidells. This is the doctrine of the Church, and the opinion of Catholike Doctours, both ancient and mo­derne, and that with reason. For as these Infants contracted Originall sinne from their first pa­rents Adam and Eue and were infected in their soules: Alieno peccato: with an others sinne: so now also they should be cured, and haue this sinne remitted in the faith of an other. Therfore Saint Augustine writing to Bonifa­cius sayeth: In Ecclesia Saluatoris paruuli per alios credunt &c. Aug. ep. 23. In the Church of our Sauiour Children beleeue by others, as by others they contracted sinne, which is [Page 120] remitted in Baptisme. And considering that Bap­tisme is a spirituall generation, and hath some similitude with carnall generation, therfore we say; euen as children, when they are in their mothers wombe, doe not receaue nourishment from or by themselues, but are maintained by foode from their mothers: euen so we say as yet not hauing vse of reason, being as it were placed in the wombe of their mother the Church, doe not receaue saluation and Baptis­me by and from themselues, but by the faith and acte of the Church. Therfore S. Augustine sayeth: Our Mother the Church doth offer and lend her mouth to Childrē & Infants, Aug. li. de Pect meritis & re­meff. c. 33. that they may be indued with holy Misteries; for as yet they can not beleeue with their owne hartes, nor make confes­sion to saluation with their owne mouthes. Wher­fore we conclude, that children and Infants ha­ue intention to be Baptized, answere the Priest, & are Baptized by the intention, by the mouth; by the faith of their mother the Church.

Wherupon the Churche hath instituted, that when the child is brougt to the fonte to be Baptized, the Priest asketh him: Quid Petis? what intend? what seeke you? what aske you? The child answereth by the mouth of the God-fater and God-mother, or by the standers by: Pet [...] Baptismum: I intend, and aske Baptisme. Then the Priest sayeth: Vis Baptizari? wilt thou be Bap­tized? The child answereth as before, or the Church for him: Volo: I will. Then the Priest goeth forward: Credis in Deum Patrem omnipo­tentem &c. Doest thou beleeue in God the Father Almightie: and in Iesus Christ his onlie Sonne &c. The child answereth as before: Credo: I doe [Page 121] beleeue. Then the child is Baptized, receaueth the signe and Character of a Christian, Origi­ginall sinne is remitted, and in the soule is in­fused the habite of faith, hope, and Charitie, and so the Child is made. Vere fidelis: A true faithfull soule. This is the doctrine & practise of the Catholike Church. Anathema then, and fie vpon these Heretikes and heresie, who would leaue the poore Infants remedilesse of salua­tion, because they are not capable of actuall faith. And Isidorus sayeth: Paruuli alio profiten­te Baptizati sunt, quia adhuc loqui vel credere nesciunt &c. Children are Baptized, an other making profession of faith for them; because the know not as yet to speake or beleeue. In like man­ner also it is with them, who are sicke, dumbe, or deafe, in whose steed and place an other doth make profession, that he may make answere for them, while they are Baptized.

I thinke M. Luther hath much to answere for before God, who gaue occasion of this he­resie, for that he would needes maintaine that Infants had actuall faith, which is impossible, and against reason; and not to be content with the generall doctrine of the Church, that habi­tuall faith, & the faith of an other was sufficiēt for Baptisme in the Infant. And being dealt for & reasoned with, cōcerninge this difficultie, notwithstanding did stifflie defend against Co­cleus: That Childrē haue vse of reason, doe actually heare, and beleeue, whilest they are Baptized. And also the Lutherans maintained the same in their Synode held at witenberg, in the yeare of our Lord. 1556.

CAP. 6. VVhether Children if they die before Baptisme can be saued by their fathers faith.

I Haue proposed this question, not that the­re is anie probabilitie in the affirmatiue par­te. Because according to S. Paule: Not only the children of the vnbeleeuing, Eph. 2. but also of the faithfull, all are borne the children of wrath, and all conceaued in originall sinne.

Therfore I absolutlie answere that they can not be saued by the parents faith. For (as I haue sufficientlie proued before) that the ordinarie meanes for the saluation of Children, and re­mission of Originall sinne is Baptisme, and ther­fore not the parents faith. Let this then be a Caueat and warning to all Catholikes and well­minded Christians, to beware of the dangerous doctrine, that many of our Countreymen fol­lowing M. Caluin are not ashamed publiklie to preach; that Baptisme is not necessarie to Salua­tion in Infants; so that they be borne of Christian Parents. As though the Patents faith could make safe the child; which is against Scripture, Councells, Fathers, and all antiquitie. For that the ordinarie meanes (as I haue sayed before) for the saluation of children is Baptisme.

It was decreed by S. Innocencius the first Pope of that name, who florished in the tyme of S. Ierome and S. Augustine: That children, althought borne of Christian Parents, ought to be borne againe by Baptisme, that in them that which they contracted by birth and genration, should be [Page 123] cleansed by regeneration and Baptisme. True it is (as we haue proued in the precedent chap­ [...]er) that Infants are Baptized in their pa­ [...]ents faith, if the Parents be Christians, or [...]n the faith of the Church, if they be Infi­dells; but it is the Sacrament that maketh them safe, and not the Parents faith, for that is but an introduction to the Sacrament. This priui­ [...]edge and speciall helpe children haue being borne of Christian Parents, that they them­ [...]elues being Christians, will and ought to haue a speciall care that they be brougt to Baptisme, and in this respect the faith of the Parents, may profitte the Infant, and be a secondarie cause of his sanctification. Ther­fore no doubt it is a deadlie and mortall sin­ne in the Parents, if by their negligence the child die vnder their hands without Baptis­me. Surely then I may conclude that this doctrine of Caluins, is but a tricke of Sa­tan to make Parents carelesse of this Sacra­ment, that he may bring their Children to vt­ter danger of saluation, and to make them­selues not free from sinne. I haue heard of some greate personages, who for pompe at Christening, and to haue some hono­rable person for Godfather, haue delayed and neglected Baptisme, and so the In­fant dying without it, by the Parents pride and negligence haue beene sent vnto hell. What griefe this ought to be in Parents iudge you, and what sinne it was in them, I haue censured before. Because this opi­nion of Caluin is too pregnant in our [Page 124] Countrey of England,Cal. li. 4. Inst. ca. 16. Obiect. and some of the best seeme to incline vnto it, I will solue all his arguments.

The first obiection is out of the old Testa­ment, where God made pacte and promise to Abraham,Gen. 17. that he would be a God vnto him; and this promise was not onlie made vnto him for his owne person, but to his seed and poste­ritie after him: but all the Children of the faith­full are of the seed of Abraham. Therfore they are not so properlie iustified by the acte of Bap­tisme, as by the promise God made to the seed of Abraham.Sol. Kelli. [...]. lib. 4. Suruay.

But this argument hath Doctour Kellison most learnedly answered. First although God made this promise to Abrahams seed, yet after he instituted Circumcision, and threatened all those who had it not, that they should perish; but Circumcisiō was a figure of Baptisme; Ther­fore although we be partakers of the benedi­ction; yet we must be Baptized, or els we pe­rish eternallie. Secondlie this promise and be­nediction is to be vnderstood either carnally or spiritually; If carnallie; then it belongeth only to the Iewes, who where of the seed and flesh of Abraham, and the carnall children of him; If spirituallie, then they onlie are partakers, who,Rom. 9. as S. Paule sayeth: Doe imitate the faith & workes of Ahraham. For so are they made the Children of Abraham. But the Children of the faithfull doe no way imitate Abrahams faith or workes, vntill they be Baptized, and receaue the Sacrament of faith, wherby they are in deed: Verè fideles, and become trulie faithfull. For as we haue proued before, the Childrē cā not haue [Page 125] faith but by Baptisme. For actuall faith they are not capable of, and habituall faith they ha­ue infused in them only by Baptisme. Therfore that they be the children of Abraham, it is ne­cessarie they be Baptized to receaue faith. Thir­dlie this absurditie would follow, that children should not contract Originall sinne, which we­re to reuiue the Pelagian heresie. For if children be iustified by this that they are of the seed of Abraham, yf you vnderstand it according to the flesh, there is no doubt, but in the first instance of their conception, they are of Abrahams seed, and so consequentlie iustified; Therfore not borne in Originall sinne. Wherfore we must needes conclude, that this place of Scripture no way can proue M. Caluins opinion.

The second obiection is out of S. Paule,Ob. 1. Cor. 7. whe­re he sayeth: That the vnbeleeuing man is sancti­fied by the faithfull woman; and that the Children of them are cleane and holy. Therfore the chil­dren may be borne sanctified by the Fathers faith. To this I answere,Sol. that no man will thin­ke if a Turke should marrie a Christian wo­man, and be content to liue with her, and let her vse her conscience, that the Turke therby should be sanctified and made lust. Or if a Pro­testāt marrie with a Catholike womā, & be cō ­tent to liue with her, & let her vse her cōscien­ce, that therfore the Protestant becomes a Pa­pist. But it may verie well be thought, that by the prayer of the wife, by her perswasion, by her good example of life, the Turke may be­come a Christian, the Protestant a Catholike, but the one must be Baptized, and the other reconciled, or els the faith of the woman will [Page 126] not suffice. So I say the faith of the Parents without the Sacraments of Baptisme can not cleanse or wash the soule of the Infant from O­riginall sinne contracted. But this benefit the Child may haue being borne of Christian Pa­rents, that they will, and are bound to haue care, and seeke the onlie remedie for the soule of their Children, which is Baptisme. Therfore Saint Augustine sayeth:Aug. li. 3. de a­nima. &c. 9. Si vis esse Catholicus, noli dicere, noli docere, noli cre­dere, Infantes &c. If thou wilt be a Catholi­ke, doe not say, doe not teach, doenot beleeue, that Infants dying before the come to Baptisme, can obtaine indulgence, pardon, or remission of originall sinne.

Secondly I answere that the Pelagians vrged this place of Saint Paule against Saint Augustine, to proue that Children borne of faithfull Parents did not contract Originall sinne; and so consequentlie were not to be Baptized to take away Originall sinne. And Caluin vrgeth the same place, not da­ring plainly to say, that Infants doe not contract from their Parents Originall sinne, but to proue by their Fathers faith, that they may be saued without Baptisme, because Originall sinne shall, not be imputed. Ther­fore the same answere Saint Augustine gaue to the Pelagians I thinke may also satisfie the Caluinists.Aug. li. 2. de Pect. meritis ca. 26. & l. 3. ca. 12. First Saint Augustine sayeth, that the cleannesse, sanctitie, and holines, that the children haue from their parents, the Apo­stle doth not meane to be sanctitie or holines to Iustification, saluation, or to remission of sinnes. For then it would follow, that the [Page 127] Turke or Infidell should be sāctified by the be­leeuing woman, and that by the verie coniun­ction of matrimonie he should become Iust and saued, which were against Scripture and rea­son,Haeb. 11. because it is impossible to please God wi­thout faith.

Also it is manifest by Scripture that Christ hath layd an other foundation of Iustification & saluation then the beleeuing woman for the husband, and the faith of the Parents for the Infant, and that is, to be borne againe by wa­ter and the Holy Ghost, and to be incorpora­te to Christ by Baptisme. No doubt but the true sense and meaning of the Apostle was, not to seperate man and wife, although they were different in Religion; because who knoweth whether one may be an occasion of the others Conuersion, sayeth the Apostle.

So also the Parent may be a cause of the Saluation of the Infant, in seekeing to haue the Sacrament dulie ministered. And thus ex­poundeth S. Chrisostome vpon this place of S. Paule the Infidell man to be sanctified by the faithfull woman,Chry. in hunc loc. Quia spes est quod [...] fideli pertrahatur ad fidem, because there is hope that by the faithfull woman he may be drawen to true faith and beleefe. And concerning the Infants of the faithfull: Saint Ierome doeth interpret those words of Saint Pau­ [...]e: Nunc Sancti, id est: Fidei Candidati, Iero. li. 1. cont. Ioui. c. 5. & ep. ad Paulin. [...]oc est deputati ad Christianam fidem: Now [...]hey are holy, that is: now they are cloa­ [...]hed in white, endeauoring to obtaine [...]aith. That is as much to say: Now [...]hey are deputed vnto Christian faith and [Page 128] sanctitie, esteemed and admitted as Christians; because there is a great hope that by the indu­strie and care of the one Parent being faithfull, the children may be brought to Baptisme. This was S. Ieromes opinion, and this I hope may sa­tisfie anie reasonable man.

CAP. 7. VVhat punishment Children dying without Bap­tisme shall haue after this life.

HAuing sufficientlie proued in the prece­dent Chapters, that Infants and Children contract Originall sinne, and are by nature ther­by become the Children of wrath and in dee [...] constituted sinners, and that the only ordinari [...] meanes to restore them to grace & Innocenci [...] againe, is by Christs institution the Sacramen [...] of Baptisme, without which if they departe thi [...] life, they can not be saued: It must needes consequently follow, that they shall absolutlie b [...] depriued of the Kingdome of heauen, that the [...] shall neuer possesse eternall beatitude and blessednes, which consisteth in the fruition an [...] sight of God, they shall perpetuallie want th [...] blessed vision that is, neuer to see God, an [...] consequentlie they shall be no companions o [...] blessed Angells nor Saintes of Christ in heauen So that it is the generall opinion of Catholik [...] Diuines, that Children dying without Bapti [...] me, being their ordinarie onely meanes of sa [...] uation, shall suffer the paines of damnatio [...] You must vnderstand there are two kinds an [...] [Page 129] manners of punishmentes or paines to be exe­cuted vpon sinners after this life; that is: Poe­na damni, & poena sensus: The Paine of Damna­tion and the Paine of sense. The first doth consist of the perpetuall want of the blessed vision and fruition of the sight of God: The other which is Poena sensus: The paine of sense, doeth consist in the eternall torment of hell fier, wherwith the soule for the present shall be tormēted, and after the generall resurrection, both soule and bodie eternallie witthout intermission. For the first (as hath beene proued) it is manifest that childrē dying without Baptisme, are subiect vn­to death eternall, & accounted as damned, who shall neuer see God. And the reason is plaine out of Scripture as hath beene sayed,Io. 3. For by Originall sinne, euen children are depriued of, and exiled from the glorious cittie and king­dome of heauen; they are become by nature the children of wrath.Eph. 2. Also they haue the ire of God hanging ouer them, & continue as Capti­ues vnder the power of Satan Prince of dar­knesse; but those who are in this estate, are in state and way of damnation. Therfore childrē dying without Baptisme are subiect to eternall death, and are accounted as damned, and so consequentlie neuer in possibilitie to [...]nioy the fruition and sight of God: but incurre Poenam damni: The punishment of damnation. So that now the question is whether Infants dying wi­thout Baptisme shall feele and suffer the tor­ments of hell fire.Fulgē. de fide ad Pet. 3.27.

There are some of opinion as Fulgentius an ancient writer, who seemeth to make no doubt therfore, but that they shall in some degree en­dure [Page 130] the verie torments of hell fire. And to this inclineth Ariminensis a Scholeman.Arimi. 2. dist. 33. q. 3. Dried. de grā. & lib. arbit. tract. 3. c. 2. And Driedo writing of controuersies. But the generall sentence of Fathers and Diuines is to the Contrarie: that Infants dying wi­thout Baptisme, shall not suffer the paines and torments of hell. The reason is, because Positiue actuall punishemēt is not inflicted, but for actuall offence: but Infants neuer did nor can offend actuallie (for Originall sinne is in them but habituall) wherfore it is sufficient for them to be reiected from the sight of God, and ba­nished the kingdome of heauen, and not to be punished with the torment of hell fire. Wher­fore the want of the blessed vision and sight of God is attributed the ordinarie penaltie and paine for Originall: and the torment of hell fier as the paine due for actuall sin­ne. And Saint Iohn heard the voyce from hea­uen speaking of the sinnes of Babilon saying: Quantum se glorificauit &c. Apoc. 18.7. As much as she hath glorified her selfe, and hath beene in delica­cies; soe much giue her torment and mourning. As if he should haue sayed; the measure of paines and damnation, is according to the wicked pleasures, and vnlawfull delights of this life, but children and Infants could not any way be proud, nor giue themselues to anie sensuall delight or pleasures of this world: therfore no way sensiblie to be tor­mented. And Esay the Prophet sayeth that God, Reddet increpationem &c. will shew his threatnings in the flame of fire; Esai. 66, 45. because our Lord shall iudge betweene the good and the badde in fire. And S. Marke the Euangelist descri­beth [Page 131] the punishment for them, who committe scandall, that is to goe into hell; Into the fire vn­quenchable, where their worme dieth not, Mar. 9.45. and the fire is not quenched. But there is no action to be discerned good or badde in Infants; neither can they committe anie scandall, or haue re­morse of conscience, or worme gnawing for anie euill workes; Therfore the paines of hell fire are not due or to be executed vpon them but vpon elder sorte, who cōmitte actuall sinne. Wherfore we may cōclude, that Children dying without Baptisme, shall haue: Poénam damni: the punishment of damnation, that is to be damned for their Originall sinne: but not haue Poenam sensus: The paine of hell fire, because the haue no actuall sinne.

CAP. 8. Vhether that Infants shall after this life be here on earth, and enioy the pleasures as men doe now, or be in hell, or what place they shall possesse.

SOme there are of opinion, that children dying without Baptisme, after the gene­rall resurection, shall haue amiddle place neither in heauen, nor in hell, but shall li­ue here on earth,Bellar. lib. 6. de sta­tu pec­cati. c. 2. and enioy a certaine kind of natuall felicitie and pleasure such as the earth can yeeld. But this opinion, or rather I may say this errour, is worthelie con­futed by that religious Cardinall Bellarmine. I call it an errour, because Saint Augu­stine [Page 132] doth record it as speciallie maintained by the Pelagian Heretikes.Aug. li. de haer. ca. 8 8. & l. de Orig. animae. ca. 9. And writing of the origine of the soule sayeth: Nemo non Baptizatis paruulis promittit inter damnationem & regnum coelorum locum quietis &c. No man doth giue or promise to children dying without Baptisme, as it were a middle place of quiet and felicitie betweene heauen and hell, damnation and saluation. And why? Because (sayeth S. Augustine) Hoc enim haeresis Pelagiana eis promisit: thus much the Pela­gian heresie hath promised. Aug. li. de orig. animae. ca. 14. And intreating of the same matter, he sayeth further: Nouellos Hereti­cos Pelagianos iustissime &c. Most iustlie the late new-sprong vp Pelagian Heretikes hath the Catho­like Councells and sea Apostolike by their authori­tie worthely condemned, because they presumed boldly to appoint and giue to children not Baptized an other place of quiete and felicitie besides heauē. Wherfore I doubt not but that it may lawfullie be called an errour, to assigne to children not Baptized, a middle and third place of quiete and felicite, as shall be proued hereafter by Scripture and reason.

First S. Iohn in the Apocalyps sayeth: Blessed and holy is he that hath parte in the first resurre­ction, Apoc. 20.9. for in those the second death hath no power Also he sayeth: He that is not found written in the booke of life, shall be cast in stagnum ignis into the lake or poole of fier. Ibid. 16. But Children dying wi­thout Baptisme are not partakers of the first resurrection, that is the washing and cleansing the soule from Originall sinne, that therby they may haue the grace of God to rise to saluation, and consequentlie haue not their names writ­ten in the booke of life. Whervpon it fol­loweth, [Page 133] that the second death, that is damna­tion must raigne in them, and their place of a bode must be the lake of fire, which is hell. And S. Paule doeth tell the Collossians:Colos. 1.13. That by Christ we are deliuered from the power of dar­kenes. But the onlie meanes by Christ instituted to deliuer Infants and children from darknesse and the power of Satan, is Baptisme; wherfore vntill they be Baptized, they remaine captiue and vnder the power of Satan in darknesse. But they, who conuerse with Satan in the dungeon of darknesse can not be in place of pleasure, nor enioy great felicitie. Ergo it is manifest they re­maine in hell. It is plaine in the Gospell that in the latter day, when Christ shall come to iudge the world,Mat. 25.23. all men must goe either on the right hand, or on the lefte. There are then but two wayes; but children dying without Baptisme are not for the right hand, then of necessitie they must goe on the left hand; but the way on the l [...]ft hand is damnation and hell: if damna­tion and hell, then no place of pleasure and fe­licitie.

Werfore to conclude, what care ought Pa­rents to haue that this Sacrament of Baptisme be duly ministred to ther Children? And what griefe it ought to be in them, if by their negli­gence, or by inclining vnto this new deuise of Caluin, they should send their Infants vnto the darke dungeon of hell vnder the power of the deuill, & captiuitie of Satan? There is but one difficultie or obiection of any importance, Obiect. that may be vrged against the alleadged reasons, that is: After the generall Iudgment, and destuction of the world by fire, Al­mightie [Page 134] God will make all new:Apoc. 21. A new heauen, and a new earth; but this new earth shall not be vacant without inhabitans: The Angells and Saints, and seruants of Christ shall ha­ue heauen, the deuills and damned shall ha­ue hell; It soundeth probablie that the In­fants and children dying without Baptis­me, who neuer committed actuall sinne, may haue this middle place, inhabite the earth, and enioy the pleasures therof. To this argument I answeare:Sol. that this earth shall not be inhabited neither by man nor beast. And that by the heauen is vnderstood the ayre. Heauen and earth shall be a new: that is; all the fower elementes, the ayer the water, the earth and the fire shall be renewed, made pure without mixture, and put in their naturall places. The ayre shal haue no liuing thing in it, the birds and fow­les of the ayre shall be gone, the waters shall enuiron and compasse about the whole earth, there shall be no fish in it, the earth shall haue no cattle, no beasts, no liuing crea­ture in it, no trees, no fruite, no flowres, no grasse on the ground: Non erit arida: There shall be no drie land. But as I haue sayed, all shall be enuironed and compassed about with the wathers. The reason is pregnant out of Saint Iohn.Apoc. 21. Who sayeth: Prima terra abijt, mare iam non est: The first earth is gone the seas now are not. For the wather shall be without tearme or limitte. For what are the seas but waters limitted within such a compasse that they shall not passe to enuiron, or ouerwhel­me the whole earth. Therfore after the first [Page 135] creation of the elements God sayed:Gen. 1.9. Congregen­ [...]ur aquae in locum vnum, vt appareat arida: Con­gregationes (que) aquarum appellauit maria: Let the wathers be gathered to geather in one place, that the drie land may appeare: and the gathering to geather of the wathers he called the seas. So thar we may conclude that when in the innouation the seas shall be no more, the waters shall haue their full course ouer the face of the whole earth.Tho. in sup. a. q. 91. ar. 5. And the reason in this innouation of the destruction of all things both in the ayre, the wathers, and on the earth may be, be­cause all these creatures as the fowles of the ayre, the fishes of the seas, the beast and fruits of the earth, were ordained of God only for the vse, maintenance and comfort of man: but man being taken away, all the elements shall be renewed and restored to [...]heir naturall course; So that there can be no [...]abitatiō at all vpon the earth of man or beast. Two places there shall remaine only habitable [...]hat is; heauen and hell; heauen for the good Angells and Saints, and hell for the deuills and damned soules. Therfore the ordinarie opi­nion of School-diuines is, that the place for Children dying without Baptisme,In. 2: senten. dist. 33. v. in 4. dist. 45. shall be [...]he horrible prison and dungeon of hell. And [...]his onlie reliefe they shall haue (as hath bene [...]ayed) they shal not suffer anie sensible pai­ [...]e, nor be tormented with hell fire, nor ha­ [...]e anie worme of conscience grawing on [...]hem, nor remorse for anie fault they did [...]pon earth, because they neuer committed, [...]nie actuall sinne: Wherfore I conclude, [Page 136] they can haue no middle place betweene hea­uen and hell: neither can they inhabite or liue on the earth to enioy anie naturall kind of fe­licitie or pleasure.

CAP. 9. VVhether they shall haue anie excessiue grief in hell, for that they are depriued of the frui­tion and sight of God.

Aug li 6. in Iu­lianū cap. 4. vltra mediū. B. Greg. lib. 9. moral. c. 16. Fulgē. de fide ad Pet.IT is the opinion of some Doctours, as S. Augustine, S. Gregorie, and Fulgentius, that the Infants dying without Baptisme, can not be exempted, nor freed from all sorrow and grief; because they know they were created to the Image and liknesse of God, and that they want their finall end, for the which they had their be­gining, which was to prayse God, to see God, and to haue a certaine beatitude and blessednes, the want wherof can not but be a certaine great grief vnto them.

Yet it is the more generall opinion of the greater part of Diuines that their sorrow and grief can be but small and litle; because they haue manie causes to lenifie and mitigate this their grief and sorrow. Although they had a knowledge of God, and were not ignorant of some kind of beatitude and blessednes: yet be­cause they neuer had any acte or habite to exe­cute it, wherby they might attaine vnto it but a weake, remote, and farre of disposition onlie, which could effect nothing: therfore their grief cā not be great for the losse of that, wher­of [Page 137] they neuer had perfect knowledge, nor in them selues meanes to attaine.

Againe it was nor by their proper negligēce, but by the fault of an other, that they haue lost so great a good: Also these Infants neuer tasted of the delights of heauen or earth; but we know by experience, that we neuer grieue so much for the want of those things we neuer had, as we doe for the losse of those things we haue possessed, or were in power to enioy. We are ea­sely cōtent to want tose things we neuer had vse of, and neuer looked after neither in Spe, nor In re: Neither in expectance nor in deed, But so it is with the Infants: therfore their grief can not be great. Besides all this it must needes be a great relief and comfort to them, when they shall see great multitudes farre more vnfortu­nate, and in more miserable case then themsel­ues. Because they shall see others for their owne proper action grieuously tormented by the torment of hell fire, and with all the know themselues freed from it, because they neuer had anie proper vse of action in themselues, wherby actuallie they could offend. Wherfore we maie conclud their griefe and sorrow to be but remisse and small, although they are depri­ued of the sight of God, and wante of some kind of beatitude and blessednes, because they had but an vnperfect knowledge therof, and no meanes to obtaine it.

S. Thomas his opinion is,Tho. de malo. q. 5. a. 3. although Children vnbaptized be in hell, and suffer Poenam damni: punishment of damnation: Yet for all that they shall take no serrow nor grief at all, neither externall, nor internall; because (saieth he) [Page 138] they haue no perfect knowledg that they are frustrate of their beatitude; and vnderstand full well, that they neuer had anie naturall meanes to obtaine it. For what man but a foole would grieue and sorrow that he were not a king or Angell, when he knoweth there is no means for him to become a King or Angell. And S. Bonauenture sayeth:Bon. 2. Sent. dist. 33. That so it cometh to passe that the consideration of the lose of the kingdome of heauen is in such manner tempered with the es­cape of the paines of sense; and the euasion of the torments of hell, that all grief and sorrowe is auoy­ded. So that we may conclud that children al­though damned in hell, yet they haue no exces­siue griefe in respect of their depriuation of the fruition or sight of almigtie God.

Obiect. You may obiect that it is a common Maxime and saying amongst Diuines that: Dolor amissa beatitudinis grauissimus est: The griefe of the los­se of beatitude and the blessed vision of God is the greatest and most grieuous torment that is in hell; But children haue lost bea [...]itude and the blessed visiō of God; therfore their grief must be great: I answere;Sol. that the Proposition and saying of the Diuines is most true, that the losse of bea­titude, and the blessed sight of God is the grea­test grief and torment that can be; But this Pro­position must be vnderstood as proper onlie to the elder sort of men and women, who are damned by their owne fact, and not as apper­taining to Infants, who haue no fact of their owne, but are punished for an others, In verie deed it can not but be an excessiue griefe in the elder sort of the damned, because t they lost heauen and blessednes by their owne proper [Page 139] actuall offence and sinne. And therfore haue with all conioyned to their damnation, the per­petuall torments of hell without intermission; and their grief the greater by reason they had by faith a confident hoppe to haue obtained that which they haue lost. Wherfore we conclud, that Infants and children damned may haue so­me small grief, but no excessiue sorrow for their losse of beatitude, and depriuation of the sight of almightie God.

CAP. 10. VVhether the Infant in the mothers wombe may be Baptized.

SAint Augustine solueth this question and sayeth,Aug. ep. 57. ad Dard. that the Infant in the mothers wom­be can not be Baptized; and yeeldeth the rea­son: Quia nemo renascitur nisi primò nascatur: No man is said to be borne againe, vnlesse he be [...]rst borne carnallie. Also to the same effect spea­ [...]eth Isidorus:Isidor. li. 10. sent de summo bono c. 24. Tho. 3. p. q. 68. art. 11. Qui adhuc natus non est secundum Adam, non potest per Christum renasci: He that [...] yet is not borne according to Adam, can not be borne againe by Christ. And S. Thomas proueth it by an other reason. It is of necessitie and the essence of Baptisme that the bodie of the Infant be dipped in water, or haue some water layed vpon it; But the bodie of the Infant can not ha­ [...]e wather in the wombe of the mother before it be Borne. Therfore it cannot be Baptized be­fore it be borne.

CAP. 11. VVhether if some parte of the Child appeare, although the whole bodie be not borne, it may be Baptized.

THe difficultie of this question ariseth, be­cause the child may be sayed to be borne totallie, whollie, and perfectlie, also to be bor­ne in parte, that is: when the hand, foote, or head appeareth out of the wombe of the mo­ther; as happened to Thamar, when she brought forth Phares and Zaram,Gē. 38. for Zarams hand first appeared. The question is, when it so happe­neth, that parte of the child appeare out of the wombe of the mother, that then according to that parte the child may be Baptized. The opi­nion of some learned Casuists is: That it were conuenient and good to expect the whole and perfect birth of the child. But if it be imminent danger of death, and the principall parte appea­re, as the head, and no hope of totall birth (for the hand and foote there is more difficultie) then the child may and ought to be baptized. If thou desire to be better informed concerning this case, read Siluester a learned Casuist, In Summa, verbo Baptismus. §. 4. nu. 2. And S. Thomas. 3. p. q. 88. ar. 11. ad 4.

CAP. 12. VVhether if the mother being greate with child being Baptized, the child also in her wombe b [...] also Baptized.

THe case is, if a Iewish or Turkish woman, being conuerted to Christianitie, and being [Page 141] great with child desire to be Baptized, whether the Infant in her wombe at the same tyme, and by the same action be also Baptized. For if one parte of the bodie be Baptized, all the members of the same bodie be also Baptized. But the In­fant in the mothers wombe is a member of her bodie. Therfore it is also Baptized with the Baptisme of the mother.Tho. 3. p. q. 68. ar. 11. S. Thomas resolueth this doubt and sayeth; That the Infant is not Baptized by the Baptisme of the mother, be­cause properlie the child is not a member of the bodie of the mother; but hath a distinct bodie and soule from hers; onlie vntill it be borne it is knitte and tyed to the bodie of the mother, but this doth not make it a member of her bodie.

There was one Iulianus an Heretike who liued in S. Augustines tyme, and he was of opi­nion, that the Infant was parte of the mother; and therfore Baptized in the mothers wombe by the mothers Baptisme. Against whom S. Augustine wrote manie books.Habe­tur d [...] Cōsec. dist. 4. C. si ad matris. Read him in his sixth booke and fifth Chapter against Iulian the Heretike.

CAP. 13. VVhether if the mother should be martired, the Infant in her wombe were also a martyr.

I Thinke in this case the Infant should be Baptized in his owne bloud, and so conse­quentlie a martyr with his mother. The Infants who dyed for Christ after his birth, the Church [Page 142] alwayes honoured for Martirs, and they Con­fessed Christ: Non loquendo, sed moriendo: Not by tongue and mouth, but by bloud and death. Therfore as the mother by constant confession and death was a Martyr: so also the Infant in her wombe being slaine in contempt of the mother, and the cause she died for, must also be a Martir by bloud and death. I may put for example that worthie woman mistris Clea­throw, who was put to death at Yorke in Queene Elizabeths tyme for receauing a reue­rent Religious Priest into her house, and for constant confessing the Chatholike faith. She was a worthie martyr and true Imitatrix & fol­lower of S. Alban the Protomartyr of England. If she were withe child, & confessing as much, but the Iudges not regarding it, I make no doubt, but the child dieyng in her wombe dyed also a Martyr.

CAP. 14. VVhether the Mother may be cut and opened if other wise the Child cā not be borne & so takē from her aliue that it may be Baptized.

Th. lo­cis sup. citatis.I answere with S. Thomas and learned Silue­ster, that the mother, so long as there is life in her, in no case is to be cut and opened. For no man ought to kill the mother for the Bap­tizing of the child. But if the mother die, and the child be aliue in her wombe, then f [...]e ought to be opened & the child Baptized. You may obiect that tēporall death in the mother is lesse euill, Obiect. then the eternall death of the child, [Page 143] which must needs follow if it die without Bap­tisme; but of two euills the lesser is to be cho­sen. Wherfore we should rather chuse the tem­porall death of the mother, then the eternall damnation of the child.Sol. Rō. 3. To this obiection we answere with S. Paule: That no man may doe euill that good may come of it. Therfore we may not murther the mother that the child may liue spirituallie or corporallie.

If it be true (as is reported of King Henrie the eight, when his Queene Iane Seymer could not be brought a bed, and deliuered of her Son­ne Edward the sixth, he yeelded and gaue con­sent that shee should be opened & cut, & sayed: I may haue an other wife, but I doubt whether I shall haue an other child; and so the mother dyed for the life of the child. But what followed? The child neuer liued to be a man, and by rea­son of his noneage, the whole realme was dis­turbed, Religion contemned, and heresie plan­ted. A plague no doubt for the Fathers iniqui­tie and sinne.

CAP. 15. VVhether the children of Iewes or other Infidells, may lawfullie be Baptized against their Pa­rents will.

IT is a hard and difficulte question, especial­lie were Iewes and Infidells are subiect vnto a Christian Prince, as both Iewes and Indian Infidells are to the King of Spayne. A man would thinke it were but Christian dutie and Charitie to take the children of these Iewes and Indian Infidells and Baptize them, educate, [Page 144] instruct and bring them vp in Christian faith and beleefe whether the Parents will or nill. For if vpon malice or other displeasure; the Father should endanger the corporall or tem­porall life of his child, one might lawfullie by violence resist him. Why not also may one for the eternall & spirituall life of the soule against the parents will, or contrarie to their consent, baptize their children? Notwithstanding it is the generall opinion of Diuines, and practise of the Church, not to Baptize Iewes & Infidells chil­dren, without the parents consent and freewill. And the reason is (as sayeth S. Thomas) becau­se it is against the law of nature.Tho. 3. p. q. 68. For by the lawe of nature children are vnder the gouernment, tuition and care of their parents vntill they co­me to the vse of reason, and yeares of vnder­standing; but the lawe of grace doth not destroy the law of nature; therfore they cannot be Baptized without the parents consent.

CAP. 16. VVhether Iewes, Turkes or Infidells being conuer­ted are presentlie to be Baptized.

HAuing spoken of the Baptisme of children: now [...] will entreate of those, who are at mens estate adults, & elder sort, what is requi­red of them before they are Baptized. First concerning Iewes, Turkes and Infidells con­uerted, it was the practise of the Primitiue Church, and is continued vntill this day in the Catholike Church, that presentlie after their conuersion they are not Baptized; but for a ty­me [Page 145] instructed and trained vp in the beleefe and life of a Christian, and therfore called, Cathecu­meni, Men to be instructed and Cathechised. True it is in deed, that the Apostles in the begining did not vse this practise: for in the Acts of the Apostles we read that on the first day of S. Pe­ters preaching,Act. 2. there were three thousand Bap­tized, and afterward on an other day fiue hun­dred. And S. Philippe the Deacon, presentlie the same day after conference with the Eunuch the Queene Candaces Treasurer,Act. 8. he Baptized him. Also S. Peter at the first meeting, Baptized Cornelius the Italiā with his kindred & Friends. Yet we must not thinke that the Church imme­diatlie after the Apostles, & so continueth vntill this day in making Cathecumins, doth anie thing contrarie to the Apostles proceedings. For we must vnderstand, why the Apostles did imme­diatlie vpō the conuersiō of the people, Baptize. Because at those tymes the Holie Ghost fell vpō them, and they were sufficientlie instructed by the Holy Ghost himself. Yet cā we not say for the approuing of this practise of the Church, but that they were also instructed and Catechi­sed by the Apostles, as partly by S. Peters prea­ching, partlie by priuate conference, as S. Phi­lippe had with the treasurer, and S. Peter with Cornelius. But to conclud they were all taught to beleeue before they were Baptized. The reasō of this practise of the Church, that they should not presentlie after theyr Conuersion be Bap­tized, but for a tyme instructed, Catechised and made Catecumins, is, because Baptisme is a certaine profession of Christian faith, and ther­fore called the Sacrament of beleefe: but faith [Page 146] cometh by instruction:Rom. c. 10. Quomodo credent &c. How shall they beleeue in him whom they haue not heard? And how shall they heare without a prea­cher? Therfore in these kind of men it is neces­sarie,Mat. 18. Mar. 16. that instruction and Catechising goe be­fore Baptisme. Wherfore Christ in his cōmis­sion for Baptisme, spake first of instruction, then of Baptisme: Going yee (sayeth he to his Apostles) teach and preach Baptizing.

CAP. 17. VVhether Iewes and Infidells may be compelled to Baptisme.

TRue it is that Sisebutius King of the Goa­ths when he entred into Spaine about the yeare of Christ 595. the Iewes, who at that ty­me dwelled in Spaine, he compelled by force & feare of punishement to receaue the Christian faith; which facte of the Kings was not then approued, but after in the Councell of Tole­do decreed and commanded that none should be forced to the Christian faith. For: Cui vult Deus miseretar: & quem vult indurat: vnto whom God will he sheweth mercie; and doth indura­te whom he will. Those who come of their owne accord Christ accepteth, and not those who are forced. Therfore sayeth the Councell: Non vi, Con. 4. Toleta. can. 56. sed liberi arbitrij voluntate vt conuertan­tur suadendi sunt: They are not by force to be com­pelled, but they are to be perswaded that freelie & willinglie they may be conuerted. For it is neces­sitie that the partie, who is to be Baptized, giue his Consent and good will to Bap­tisme. [Page 147] For if by force without his consent not hauing faith he be vrged, he hath no Sacrament, no Baptisme.

In thise case of Sisebutius, the Iewes being compelled either to make their choyce to be banished & depart the realme, or els to be bap­tized, they consenting by this coaction or com­pulsion rather to be Baptized then to be bani­shed (because it is a consent although coacte & by compulsion) they receiue Baptisme, that is the Character and signe of a Christian, but not grace, saluation or Iustification, as shall be pro­ued in the sequent chapter. Read C. maiores de Baptismo & eius effectu. lib. 3. docretalium ti­tulo 42.

CAP. 18. VVhether he who cometh to this Sacrament fainedly, not hauing in deed faith in Christ, be Baptized.

TRue it is and we can not denie, that he who fainedlie cometh to be Baptized, doth and may receaue the Sacrament of Baptime, that is the character, signe and seale of a Christian, and therfore not to be rebaptized when he cometh after to beleeue aright. But he that thus fained­lie and without faith doth approche, shall ne­uer be saued. for as S. Paule sayeth:Rom. 3. The Iustice of God is by faith of Iesus Christ. He that will co­me to God must beleeue. H [...]b. 11. And it is impossible to please God without faith. Therfor Christ sayed: Quicre. diderit &c. He that beleeueth & is Baptized, Mar. 16. shall be saued: and he that beleeueth not shall be dāned. [Page 148] Wherfore seeing and considering, that faith is so necessarie to the obtaining of Baptisme, we conclud, that euen in children and naturall foo­les there must be faith. And because neither of them, children nor fooles, are capable of actuall faith as those at mans estate and vnderstanding, are therfore we Catholikes say that: Aliena fides: The fait of an other, that is of the Church is suf­ficient for them. But for those of the elder sor­te and of vnderstanding, we defend that it is ne­cessarie they haue actuall faith, or els it will be with them as it was with Iudas, who receaued the Sacrament of the Bodie of our Lord at the hands of Christ in his last supper, but not the effect of the Sacrament, because he receaued vnworthelie to his owne damnation. So also he that approcheth to Baptisme fainedly wi­thout faith may & doth receaue the Sacrament, and hath the character and signe of a Christian, but he shall neuer haue the effect and end of the Sacrament, that is grace, Iustification, or saluation. For example, some Iewes desire Baptisme, not for the faith they haue in Iesus Christ, but because their flesh and skinne doth sauour and stinke: therfore they are called: Iu­dai foetentes: stinking Iewes. But as soone as they are Baptized this filthie sauour of their bodies is gone, and they smell as sweet as anie other Christians doe; so that some of them may for this cause onlie require Baptisme, I say they may haue the Sacrament, although they come with this corrupt intention: but neuer shall they haue the effect and end of this Sacrament.

In like manner we read of some Sarracens & Turkes, who desire baptisme, not with true faith [Page 149] in Christ, but being sore sicke or troubled and vexed with an euill spirit, hauing experience that by Baptisme they may be deliuered, they seeke and desire Baptisme, for this cause onlie that they may receaue their health, and be deli­uered from the vexation of the Deuill. These kind of men also may receaue the Sacrament, but they shall not haue saluation and iustifi­cation, if they haue not true faith and beleefe in Christ. Wherfore to conclud, one may come to this Sacrament faineldlie and with a false harte, without faith, with a corrupt intention, and be Baptized: but he shall neuer haue sal­uation and iustification therby, as hath beene proued.

CAP. 19. VVhether he that is Baptized may be compelled to liue according to Christian Catholike lawes.

NO man ought to be compelled to Christian faith, nor forced to receaue Baptisme, as hath bene proued, but they must approch and come voluntarilie and willinglie, and to be wonne by reason, perswasion & preaching. And therfore the Church hath no authoritie, iu­risdiction nor power to force or compell those, who neuer receaued Baptisme, to the obserua­tion of Christian lawes, or Ecclesiasticall Con­stitutions. And this S. Paule hath taught, and practised, and would not iuge them,1. Cor. 5. who we­re not Baptized: Quid mihi de ijs, qui foris sunt, [Page 150] iudicare? what is it to me to iuge of them that are without? But if once they submitted themselues vnder the yoake of Iesus Christ, receaued the Sacrament of Baptisme, and were incorporate as members of the bodie of Christ misticall: then no doubt but they are vnder the iurisdi­ction and power of the Church. And therfore S. Paule, although he would not iudge the Infi­dell or vnbaptized: yet it is plaine he excommu­nicated the publike incestious Corinthian,1. Cor. 5. and cōmaunded not to keepe companie, or so much as to eate with him. Therfore in so much as one by Baptisme is incorporate and ma­de a member of the Church, he is subordinate to the Iurisdiction of the Church; and so con­sequentlie subiecte to the Censures, lawes and Constitutions of the same, and therfore may be compelled to obserue Christian rites and Constitutions, and be forced to liue accor­dinglie.

THE FIFTH BOOKE of the Ceremonies.

CAP. 1. VVhat a Ceremonie is.

A Ceremonie is an externall act [...] of Religion; which is exhibited, acted, and done to the honour and worshippe of God.

Considering that man doth cō ­sist of soule and body, & not of body only nor of soule onlie, but of both ioyntlie: therfo­re there is internall worship and honour pro­ceeding from the soule, and there is also exter­nall exhibited, acted and done by outward acts and signes. The first honour or adoration, which we call internall, is the chiefe and principall, and that which most pleaseth God, and it is threefold, that is; exercised by three speciall vertues; ffirst by faith & true beleefe in God: secōdly by a firme hope of Gods mercie & grace towards vs, a cōfidence of life eternall, & a trust that God will performe his promises made to his Church; thirdlie by a feruent loue of God Aboue all creatures. These [Page 152] are the three Theologicall Diuine vertues fayth, hope, and charitie, proceeding from the opera­tion of the soule, working internally by the as­sistance of the Holy Ghost. Therfore Christ sayed:Io [...]. 4. God is a Spirite, and they that adore him must adore in spirite and veritie. Yet there is also externall adoration & worship of God, which is guided and gouerned by the internall, as the Sacrifice and ceremonies were of the old law. And in the new law instituted by Christ are the Sacraments of the Church, the making of the signe of Christ crucified, the crosse, the bow­ing of the knee at the name of Iesus, praying with our mouth, lifting our eyes and hands towards heauen &c. In Baptisme making the signe of the crosse vpon the Infant, vsing Ex­vfflations, Exorcismes, holy vnction, Chrisme, and the rest. Therfore the verie wisdome of God in ordaining and instituting this Sacrament, would expresse the state and condition of man and institute and ordaine the Sacrament of Bap­tisme, to consist of water and the Holy Ghost, externallie signifying what internallie should be wrought; The water washing externallie the bodie, and the Holie Ghost internallie sancti­fying the soule, both ioyntlie concurring to the cleansing of man.

CAP. 2. VVhat distinction and diuision there is of the Ce­remonies in Baptisme.

THe ceremonies of Baptisme are of three sorts: Some precedent, going before Bap­tisme: [Page 153] Some concurring with Baptisme; and so­me subsequent, and following Baptisme. Or we may make our diuision: some before the Bap­tized come vnto the fonte: some at the fonte and other some after he is taken out of the fon­te. The precedent, or before the Infant come to the fonte, are such as are giuen for the bet­ter preparing of the Infant to be Baptized, and to take away all obstacles, lettes and hinderan­ces that the Sacrament may haue his full ef­fect. Also to weaken the power of Satan, who would plead posession by reason of sinne in the soule: The other Ceremonies, such as are, when the partie to be Baptized cometh to the fonte, are the naming of the child, the Godfathers and Godmothers, the abrenuntiation of Satan, and all his pompes and pride, the profession of faith, the Baptizing with the water & word ioyntlie, with three mersiōs. The ceremonies subsequēt, or after the Baptised is taken out of the fonte, are the vse of holie Chrisme, the annoynting on the crowne of the head, the Godfathers and Godmothers laying their hands on his head, the cloathing with the white garment commonlie called the Chrisome, the giuing him the can­dle or taper light in his hand; all which in this booke and sequent treatise in seuerall Chapters I will sette downe, and shew the vse and reason of them. And there is not the least rite or cere­monie of this Sacrament of Baptisme now vsed in the Catholike Church, which either die not descend by Tradition from the Apostles, or we­re not instituted by the Holie Church, confir­med by the ancient Fathers, and practised for many ages, vntill of late tyme these Nouelants [Page 144] and new-opspronge Heretikes began to bay and barke against them.

CAP. 3. VVhether these Ceremonies are of necessitie to this Sacrament of Baptisme.

I answere they are necessarie: Ad bene es­se, but not simpliciter, that is they are no essentiall parts of the Sacrament: yet they are to the Decorum and beautie of the Sacra­ment. For in case of necessitie there is no doubt (as I haue proued before) but this Sacrament may be ministred without these Ceremonies, because they are not of the essence and substan­ce of Baptisme. Yet no man shall or can denie; but that they are helpes and comforts to the Baptized, instructions, and signes to the standers by, and ornaments for the more solemne re­ceauing of this Sacrament, Which is the gate and first entrāce to Christianitie. We know full well, that the leaues of the tree are not the substance of the tree: yet no man can denie, but that they are the ornaments and beautie of the tree. Also the hedge is no essentiall parte of the vine: yet all men know it is a protection and defence to the vineard. Wherfore I hold it a grieuous mortall sinne in Catholike Christian people, negligentlie & caressely, otherwise then in case of necessitie, to omitte these ceremo­nies; and statte Schisme and an open signe of an Heretike proudlie & contemptuously to reiect and contemne them; hauing bene practised in [Page 155] the Primitiue Church, descended from an­ [...]iquitie, and vsed generally in the Church of God.Tho. 3. p. q, 66. a. 18. And why the Church vseth Ce­remonies S. Thomas giueth the reason: The Church (sayeth he) which is guided by the Holy Ghost, vseth and commaundeth the rites and Ce­remonies of Baptisme for three seuerall causes and considerations; although they be no essentiall or substantiall parte of the Sacrament: yet are conuenient for the Decorum and solemnitie of this Sacrament. First because they are means to stir­re vp and moue the minds of the beleeuing and faithfull people to greater deuotion and reuerence vnto this Sacrament, for that there is greater misterie in this Sacrament more then the exter­nall washing which is shewed by water. Secondly because these Ceremonies instructe and teach many things more then doe the bare essence and substan­ce as shall appeare hereafter in the examination of euerie rite and ceremonie of this Sacramēt. Thirdly because by these Ceremonies the force and power of the Deuill is much weakened, that he may not hinder the effect of Baptisme in the Baptized. Thus farre S. Thomas.Concil. Trid. s [...]s. 7 ca­non. 13. Not without cause ther­fore, the Generall Councell of Trente doth Anathematize and condemne, whosoeuer shall contemne the approued and receaued rites and ceremonies of the Catholike Church, which are accustomed to be vsed in solemne celebration of Sacraments. Maruell not (Good Reader) that the Heretikes of this age regard not the Ceremonies of this Sacrament, seing they en­deauour to take away all force from the Sacra­ments themselues.

CAP. 4. VVhether the child be not to be Signed with the signe of the Crosse in the forehead and breast.

THe Custome of the Catholike Church is, that the Priest come to meete the Child at the Church dore, to signifie that the Infant as yet is not of the houshould of the faithfull and congregation of Christ, but standeth at the gate readie to enter into the Church of God. And the first action he doth is to signe the Baptized with the signe of the Crosse first in the forehead saying: Signum Saluatoris &c. The signe of our Sauiour our Lord Iesus Christ I place or put in thy Forehead. And then to the breast saying and doing the like: The signe of our Sauiour our Lord Iesus Christ I put vpon thy breast. This is the practise of the Chatholike Church. Concerning this Cheremonie of the Signe of the Crosse, the Protestants Commend highly as a lawfull Ceremonie, and honorable badge, wherby the Infant is dedicated to the seruice of Christ, who dyed on the Crosse.Confer. fol. 72. Therfore it is Commaun­ded in their Communion-Booke, approued by the supreame power the King and Cleargie, and defended against the Puritan, and preciser sort of Ministers in their booke of Constituti­ons;Can. 30. and to satisfie thee better, I will put downe the reasons of this Ceremonie. First because amongst the Iewes the Crosse was ignomini­ous and hatefull, and the Apostles were deri­ded for beleeuing in Christ, who was Crucified [Page 157] vpon the Crosse. Notwithstanding the Apostles and Primitiue Christians therby were not dis­mayed, but the rather gloried in the Crosse of Christ, according to that of S. Paule: God forbid that I should glorie, sauing in the Crosse of our Lord Iesus Christ, Aug. tract. in Ioa. 43. And therfore sayeth S. Augu­stine: The Crosse is fixed and fastened to the fo­rehead of the faithfull, that they being Christians may say: God forbid that I should glorie, sauing in the Crosse of our Lord Iesus Christ, and not be ashamed of Christ crucified. Gal. 6. Secondly in the Apostles tyme the signe of the Crosse was of such honour, dignitie, and esteeme among Christians, that not onlie the vsed it in all their actions to signe themselues with the signe of the Crosse, but also to dicated their children by that signe to the seruice of Christ, when they were to be Baptized; therfore an ancient, honorable and lawfull ceremonie: Thirdlie it began not onlie to be a bage & Cog­nizance of a Christian, to be distinguished from Iewe and Gentill, but also a defence and weapon against Satan, and the assaultes of the diuell. For Satan when he sawe the signe of the Crosse made, he remembred the victo­rie Christ had ouer him vpon the Crosse; and therfore abhorreth and flieth from that signe, as a signe of his destruction and Calamitie: And we read that not on­lie Christians, who haue faith in Christ crucified, haue bene defended from power of Satan by the signe of the Crosse, but such vertue hath God shewed by that signe, and daylie doth, that euen [Page 158] Iewes and Pagans haue bene protected by it. Read the historie of Iulian the Apostata recor­ded by S. Gregorie Nazianzen,Greg. Naz. orat. in Iulian. Epiph. haeres. 30. and of Ioseph the Iewe as Epiphanius. Iulian being desirous to practise with Coniurers, and consult with diuells that he might knowe whether he should be Emperour or no, he was by a Necromancer brought into a Temple of the Idolls, where the diuells solemne­lie appeared, at whose presence and sight being sore affrighted: Terrore compellitur in fronte sua Crucis formare signaculum: tunc Daemones, Hist. Eccle. trip. li. 8. ca 1. &c. Was (sayeth Theodorete) for feare compelled to make the Signe of the Crosse in his forehead: then the diuells loo­king backe, and seing the figure of our Lords banner, and remembring the fall and ouer­throwe they had by the Crosse sodenlie vani­shed out of sight. Gr [...]g. Naz. orat. in Iulian. And S. Gregorie Nazian­zen recordeth, that after he had bene once frighted, yet being animated, and encoura­ged againe the second tyme the diuells ap­pearing, he also againe fled to the refuge of the Crosse, and so put the wicked spi­rits to flight.Greg. lib. 3. dial. ca. 7. And S. Gregorie one of the fower Doctors of the Church, reporteth the historie of a Iewe, who had no faith nor hope in the Passion of Christ: yet in trauell being benighted, and so forced to lodge in the temple of Apollo, he made the signe of the Crosse vpon him; and as he thus lay signed with the Crosse, a great companie of diuells entred. The maister di­uell seeing one ly in the temple, sent some of the other diuells to see who he was that [Page 159] presumed to take vp his lodging, in the temple of Apollo. They brought word that he was: Vas vacuum, sed signatum: A voy­de and emptie vessell, but signed with the sig­ne of the Crosse. At which words the who­le companie vanished out of sight. By which examples and authorities, we may ga­ther the signe of the Crosse to be a defence against diuells, and a putter to flight of euill spirits, as also spirituall vertue against the snares and wiles of Satan. Wherefo­re worthilie vsed not onlie as a badge of a Christian, but also as a protection a­gainst all ambushes and crastie fetches of the enemie of mankind. And this may be effected either by the apprehension of the diuell, for then they flie when they see the Crosse, whereby they were con­quered; or among the Christians by him that maketh the signe of the Crosse with deuotion, for that the Crosse is a memorie and a certaine inuocation of the merits of Christs passion; or a­mongst the Infidells and Pagans, in whom there is no fayth nor beleefe in Christ, it doth worke euen by the verie doing and making of the Crosse, as may appeare in the examples alleadged, where the ve­rie making of the signe of the Crosse made the diuells to flie. Wherfore to Con­clude laudable, ancient, and profitable is the vse of the signe of the Crosse in Baptisme.

Although the Protestants agree and [Page 160] accord with vs to vse the signe of the Crosse in Baptisme: yet because they will be Schismatikes from the Catholike Church, and from the first founders of Christianitie in this land, both among the Brittons and Saxons, they differ in three poynts. First, for that they signe the child after Baptisme and not before, as we Catholi­kes doe, as though the Crosse were not a mea­nes as well to expell Satan the enemie of man, as to be a badge and Cognizance of Christian profession. Secondlie, they omitte to signe the Child in the breast, for if it be lawfull and con­uenient to vse the Crosse in the forehead, for an outward signe of profession of Christ cruci­fied vpon the Crosse, why also doe they not vse it vpon the breast, where the harte is, that it may signifie that this profession of the Crosse, proceedeth also from the harte and inward af­fection. Thirdlie, the Protestants seeme to in­sinuate that the Catholikes make the signe of th [...] Crosse an essentiall and substantiall parte of Baptisme, as though we held that there could be no Baptisme without it, which is a slander and calumnie. For if it be but a ceremonie an­nexed to this Sacrament (as we haue sayed) it can be no essentiall parte of Baptisme.

CAP. 5. VVhether they who are of yeares and vnder­standing being conuerted, ought to be Cathe­cumines before they be Baptized.

I haue spoken something of this ceremonie in the precedent booke. It was a laudable [Page 161] ordinance, ri [...]e and ceremonie vsed in the Pri­mitiue Church, and to this day diligentlie ob­serued in the Catholike Church, that those who being at mans estate, and were conuerted and desired Baptisme, should before they were Baptised be Cathecumines, that is to be instru­cted and trained vp in Christian beleefe and life, and taught the rudiments and principles of Christian Catholike Doctrine,Concil. Bra­cha. can. 1. The second Bracharense Councell, apointed twentie dayes before Baptisme, that the newlie conuerted should be cathechized, instructed and learne the Creed &c. And this practise is plainlie pro­ued out of S. Augustine,Aug. d [...] Symb. ad Ca­the. li. 4. ca. 1. for he wrote a booke of the exposition of the Creed, and deliuered it to the Cathecumines, that is, the newlie con­uerted. This ceremonie is most obserued in Italie, Spaine, and the Indians, east and weste, in which countreyes daylie are con­uerted vnto the Christian faith, Ieues, Turkes, and Pagans; but in England there is no vse of this Cheremonie and that for two causes First because there are neither Iewes, nor Turkes, nor Pagans, who publikely inhabite, or are permitted in the land, and therfore no dealing for their conuersion. I will not say there are no Infidells, for that Atheisme and heresie (as hath bene sayed) is a kind of Infidelitie or misbeleefe; but how that countrey swarmeth with such kind of people. Notum est omnibus: It is knowen to all the world. The second cause why this ceremonie is not in vse in England is, because it was neuer heard of as yet, that euer any Pro­testant conuerted to Christianitie anie Iewe, Turke or Pagan, although it be most manifest, [Page 162] they haue had dealing and traffike with all three and haue of late sought to plant them selues in some Pagan partes of the world, as Guiana and Virginea: yet did we not heare of anie Con­uersion to Christianitie in anie parte or place of the world. And will you haue the reason why they can not effect this Conuersion of In­fidells? Surely Schismatikes and Heretikes di­uided from Gods Church, haue alwayes bene peruerters, no Conuerters, destroyers, no buil­ders of Christianitie; and therefore we must not looke nor expecte that Protestants should con­uerte Countries, or bring Iewes or Pagans to Christianitie.Tertul. li de Praes. ad Haer. And this obserued Tertullian in his tyme, that Heretikes scarse euer endeauou­red to conuert Heathens and Pagans, but al­waye were readie to peruert Catholikes: Nostra suffodiunt (sayeth he) vt sua aedificent: They vn­dermine and digge vp our foundations, that they may build their owne. Niceph. de Eccl. histo. And for confirmation o [...] this read the historie of Alamundarus, a most mightie Prince and potent King of the Sara­cens, being conuerted to the Christian faith by the Catholikes; and coming to be Baptized, the Eutychean Heretikes laboured all they could that he would be Baptized by their Bishops, and professe their hereticall doctrine?D. An­toninus Chron. p. 2. tit. 11. ca. 2. ss. 5. And the rather they presumed to preuaile with him, be­cause at that tyme the Emperour Anastasius was also an heretike. But so it fell out by the prouidence of God, and that the world may vnderstand and take notice that heretickes can not preuaile with Infidells, that this great King vtterlie refused to communicate with Hereti­kes in the Sacrament of Baptisme; and with al [...] [Page 163] so confounded their hereticall doctrine, that their Bishops with shame & confusion de­parted.

It was my Chance being in Spaine, to haue some Conference with one Mustafan à Mauri­tanian by birth, a Turke by profession, to beco­me a Christian. His answere was, that in deed the new Christians in England, (for soe he tearmed them in respect of their new opinions and reuolt from the old) came nearer to his Religion then the old Christians in Spayne did. For that they of England had no Images, nor pictures of Christ nor his Saintes. Also they of England loued them better then they of Spay­ne did; yet sayed he, if I should turne Christian, I had rather turne to the old of Spayne, then the newe of England, for the elder the nearer to Christ, and so the more likelier to be true. Thus this Mauritanian Turke could distinguish & make his choyse between new and old Chri­stians, and new and old Christianitie. There­fore I may conclude that the Protestants nei­ther haue, nor can haue ordinarilie the vse of this Ceremonie of the Cathecumines in their Church, nor be Baptizers of Turkes or Pagans, nor Conuerters of Countreyes.

CAP. 6. Whether the solemnitie of Baptization, were especiallie to be reserued for the feasts of Ea­ster Pascha, and Pentecoste.

ALthough in case of necessitie (as hath bene sayed) we are not to expect tyme nor stand [Page 164] vpō the performāce of ceremonies of Baptisme; yet it hath bene a laudable custome, and solem­ne ceremonie in the Catholike Church, euen from the tyme of the Apostles vnto this day vsed and obserued, at the feasts of Pascha and Pentecoste that is Easter and Whitsontyde to haue honorable Baptization, and solem­ne celebration of this Sacrament. And the reason is, first for the feast of Pascha or Easter, because in the death and Passion of Christ was giuen the full power to the ef­fects of Baptisme, Quicunque Baptizati sumus &c. Rom. 6. All men (sayeth S. Paule) who are Baptized in Christ Iesus, in his death we are Baptized: But at Easter is a speciall memorie and recordation of the death and Passion of Christ, therefore worthelie doeth the Church reserue a solemne Baptization at the feast of Easter. Secondly be­cau [...] in our Baptisme is represented the death of Christ, and his glorious resurrection. For as the same Apostle sayeth,Heb. 6. we are buried togea­ther with Christ in Baptisme vnto death, that [...] Christ is risen from the dead by the glorie of the Father; so we may also walke in newnesse of life. Therfore true it is that remission of sinne, new life and sanctification are giuen by Baptisme, because it resembleth in vs, and applieth vnto vs Christs death & resurrection. And Baptisme doeth represent both; For as Christ once being dead, doth alwayes liue: so we being dead to sinne, by Baptisme doe liue againe. And as the death of Christ was cau­se of our Purification, and his Resurrection first opened vs the gate of heauen: so Bapti [...]me is the Sacrament that cleanseth and washeth [Page 165] our soules and maketh the first entrance to Christiāitie. Thirdly Christ after his death vpon the day of his Rasurrection gaue commission to his Apostles to Baptize all nations, set downe and appoynted in what forme they should doe it, that is: In the name of the Father, Mat. 18 and of the Sonne and of the Holy Ghost. Not without cause then doth the Catholike Church at the feast of Pascha, vse a solemne hallowing of the fonte, and reserue a publike Baptization and celebra­tion of this Sacrament, in memorie of gratitude of this great benefit Christ leste in his Church. And for the feast of Pentecoste or whit sunty­de, there is as great reason as for the other, that on that day there should be vsed a publike so­lemnization of this Sacrament; because on that day the holie Ghost visiblie fell vpon the Apo­stles and Disciples of Christ,Act. 2. in so much that they may be sayed to haue bene Baptized with the Holy Ghost. Also on the same day was per­formed by the Apostles a most solemne publike Baptization, after S. Peter had spoken and preached vnto the people, there were Baptized three thousand. Finally Christ hath sayed: That our regeneration and new birth must be by the Holy Ghost.Ioa. 3. Worthelie then doth the Catho­like Church at this feast also of Pentecoste re­serue and appoynt a solemne and publike Ba­ptization and celebration of this Sacrament; and Consequentlie with ignominie and shame doe the Protestants exile, banish and reiect this Ceremonie. Read the fourth epistle of Po­pe Leo written to all the Bishops of Sicilie,Leo ep. 4. ca. 3. where he exhorteth to this Ceremonie, and proueth it by Apostolicall authoritie. And in [Page 166] the sixth Chapter of the same epistle, he gi­ueth the reason, why the Romain Catholike Church doth not vse anie solemne Baptization on the Epiphanie day commonlie called the twelth day, although in the opinion of some vpon that day Christ himself was Baptized in Iordan by Iohn Baptist. Because Iohns Baptis­me was instituted to an other end and pur­pose then Christs Baptisme,De Cō ­secra. dist. 4. can. Si quis Epiph. neither had it that effect as remission of sinnes or especiall operation of the Holie Ghost. And therefore no such reason for solemne Baptization vpon the Epiphanie day, as vpon the day of Pascha, and Pentecoste.

The puritan or preciser sort of Ministers, would seeme to ayme at this laudable ceremo­nie and custome of the Catholike Church; for willinglie they would, if anie Child be borne in the weeke day, differre and put of his Bapti­zation vntill the Sunday. Which if they doe, because euerie sunday is and so we account it as the Octaue day of Pascha or Pentecoste; then I thinke, if the Child be strong and no way in danger of death, this ceremonie of differing Baptisme vntill the sunday, may be approuable. But if they doe differre Baptization for an other end and purpose, which rather is to be feared, and that is to broach, approue and allow the opinion of M. Caluin, that Children may be sa­ued without this Sacrament, and soe to induce & breed in the mind of the Parēts a carelessnes, and negligence to see this Sacrament duelie performed; and so consequentlie to endanger the saluation of the child, then this Ceremonie is not to be sufferred, but dangerous and into­lerable. [Page 167] For in doubtfull and dangerous cases, the securer & safer way is euer to be followed. And for cōfirmation of this I will recite the hi­storie of Samuel Hubert the minister,Rescius in A­thism. who ba­ptized a chyld on the weake daye, beinge called vp at middinght by the Parents, and vrged ther vnto, in respect the Infant was in danger of death. Musculus the superintendent hearinge of it, complayned to the counsell of the citie, be­cause he did baptise before the soundaye. Hu­bert beinge cited to appeare was accused for this fact of heresie and rebellion: but he plea­dinge for himselfe, sayed, that he did baptise before the soundaye in case of necessitie, which he thought lawfull in respect of the danger of the chyld, who dyinge without baptisme myght be in danger not only of death of bodie, but al­so of soule. But Musculus with other ministers replied, yet the wante of baptisme did not hyn­der the Infant from the sight of God and salua­tion. But Hubert constantly auerred befor the counsel and senat that this proposition was he­reticall, because it mayintaned yet children could be saued without baptisme. Vppon this contention Beza in his oldage, (for this was in the yeare of our lord 1595.) was called and consulted with all, also other ministers of basill and Zurike were present, the matter being debated among them, Hubert was by them for this fact condemned, and depriued of his ministerie: so that we may conclud, that this delayinge of baptisme vntill soundaye, is but to pach vp this heresie, and make parents carelesse of Christianitie in their posteritie.

CAP. 7. Whether the Imposition of the Priests hands, with his benediction and prayer be a Ceremo­nie allowable.

AFter the Priest hath signed the Infant with the signe of the Crosse (as hath bene sayed) he layeth his right hand vpon the head of the Child vsing this Benediction or Ceremonie: Omnipotens, &c. Omnipotent sempiternall God the Father of our Lord IESVS-CHRIST vouch­safe to looke backe vpon this thy seruant, whom thou vouchsafed to call vnto the first Documents or instruction of faith: expell from him all cecitie and blindnes of harte, breake a sunder all the bands of Satan, with which he hath bene tyed and bound: open, O Lord, vnto him the gate of thy pietie, &c. This is the benediction or prayer. And for the lawfull vse of this Ceremonie we haue the example of Christ himself. In the Ghospell of S. Mathewe we read,Mat. 19 Mark. 10. Luc. 18 that the people brought, offered, and presented vnto Christ Chil­dren that he might and should touch them, impose his handes vpon them, and pray ouer them, And this no doubt Christ did to leaue an example for his Apostles and Disciples to doe the like. And this the Church doeth especiallie before Baptisme,Dionis. Areop. de ec­cles. hier. ca. 7. that the enemie of man may not hinder the effects of this Sacrament. For the an­tiquitie of it and that it was practised in the Primitiue Church we haue the testimonie of Dionisius Areopagita S. Paules scholler.

CAP. 8. Whether Exorcismes, adiurations, and ex­vfflations are conuenient to be vsed before Baptisme.

NO man can denie but Christ gaue to his Disciples commission and power ouer di­uells to exorcise them, to suppresse them,Mar. 9. Luc. 10. Act. 10. to cast them out of the possessed persons for all which the Scripture is plaine. No man also can denie vnles impudent and ignorant of Ecclesia­sticall histories, but that the same power, au­thoritie and practise ouer diuells to exorcise them, to suppresse them, to weaken their power by Exorcismes, Adiurations, Exufflations, prayer and fasting, hath bene continued and practised in the Catholike Church of God, euen from her cradle and infancie euer to this age 1614. Further also no man can denie but that among the holy Orders giuen in the Church, the third of the Minores Ordines is Exorcist [...], the Exorcist, and so called for the power and authoritie he hath giuen him ouer diuells, in so much as his function and office is by Exorcis­mes, holie prayers, adiurations, insufflations, imposition of hands to expell diuells, to wea­ken his power in Infants and Cathecumines, that the enimie hinder not in them the effects of Baptisme; and for full proofe of this,Pet. Greg. lib. 16. cap. 5. Mar. 9. read Syntagmata Iuris Petri Gregorij: And that you may not thinke that this ceremonie is onlie for the elder sort, and not for Children, it is mani­fest in S. Markes Ghospell, that not onlie aged [Page 170] people, but also Children and Infants haue be­ne, and may be molested with euill spirits euen from their Infancie, with all considering as S. Paule sayeth; we are all borne, and by nature are filij irae:Ephes. 3 The Children of wrath, and be­gotten in originall sinne, and so consequentlie subiect to Satan. Therefore worthilie the Church of God hath ordayned this precedent Ceremonie of Exorcismes before Baptisme, to debilitate the power of the enemie, that he may no way hinder the effects of this Sacrament. In the first generall Councell of Constantinople held vnder Damasus Pope in S. Ieromes tyme the vse of Exorcismes before Baptisme was enacted,1. Conc. Cōstāt. can. 7. commaunded, and the order set dow­ne: We (sayeth the Councell) make them Ca­thecumines, we exorcise and adiure; Ter simul in faciem eorum insufflando: Breathing three tymes one after an other in their faces, and so we Cate­chise, Cele­stin. de Consec. dist. 4. c. Siue paruu­li. and then we doe Baptize. Celestinus Pope the first of that name about the yeare of our Lord 423. aboue a thousand yeares agoe, wri­ting to the Bishops of France, aduised that young or old, Infant or aged before they come to the fonte of regeneration should haue the vncleane spirit cast out of them by the Exor­cismes, and exufflations of the Priest or Clear­gie. The sentence and opinion of S. Augustine is pregnant and manifest in many places of his workes. First in his booke De Symbolo, spea­keing to the Cathecumines:Aug. li. 1. de Symb. ca. 10. You know (most deare brethren) that not only aged, but also In­fants and Children are exufflated & exorcised, that this aduerse power of the Diuell may be dri­uen from them. Non ergo creatura Dei in Infan­tibus [Page 171] exorcizatur, aut exufflatur: sed ille sub quo omnes, qui sub peccato nascuntur: Let therefore no man say, that the Creature of God in the Infants are exorcised or exufflated, but the enemie of man, who deceaued man, that he might possesse man, and vnder whose power we all are, who are borne vnder sinne. Thus S. Augustine.Aug. li. 2. de Nupt. & Cō ­cup. ca. 29. And the same holy Doctor in an other place, writing against the Pelagian Heretikes, who contemned then, as now our Protestants doe, the Ceremonies of Exorcismes and Exufflations, proued first plainlie that Infants are infected with Originall sinne, and for remedie and remouing therof are to be Baptized with Exorcismes and Exuffla­tions, which Ceremonies the Church doth pra­ctise as deliuered vnto her by auncient Tradi­tion as from the Apostles. And they are Exor­cised and breathed vpon before Baptisme (sayeth he) that by these meanes they may be translated from the power of darknesse of the diuell and his Angells, vnto the kingdome of Christ. Wiselie doeth that man order his wor­ke, who first seeketh to take away the impedi­ments that may hinder him; and this is the in­tention of the Church in the exorcismes to de­bilitate the power of Satā, that he doe not hin­der the effect of Baptisme. You know the the ploughman will tyll his ground againe and againe, and seeke to kill all weeds, and to remoue all impediments, before he will sowe his good seed, according to the aduise of the Prophet Ieremie and Osee:Ierem. 4. Ose. 10. Nouate vobis no­uale, & nolite serere super spinas: Make newe your fallow fields, and doe not sowe vpon thornes.

We read in Eusebius historie that it was [Page 172] particularlie noted in Nouatus the Archereti­ke,Eus. li. 6. ca. 34 who being vexed with an vncleane spirite, and hauing spent some tyme with the Exorcists but falling desperatlie sicke, that there was small hope of his recouerie, they were forced hastelie to Baptize him lying in his bed with­out the Ceremonies. And after neuer hauing them supplied, nor receauing the Sacrament of Confirmation, was neuer ridde of the vncleane spirite, nor neuer could obtaine the gift of the holie Ghost.Lib. 7. cap. 48. And Bredenbachius reporteth, that a number of children in the lowe Coun­tries neare Delphs beinge christened, without the exorcismes and ceremonies of baptisme appoynted by the Catholike church, were all strangly stroken sore sycke. Their parents be­thought them selues for remedie and humblie entreated a Catholike priest to supplie the wants of the exorcisme and other ceremonies, which beinge performed, presently they all re­couered their healthes. Worthy examples fitly declaringe the effects of exorcismes & the force of the ceremonies, and with all a caueat & war­ninge that parents be carefull to haue the cere­monies of baptisme supplyed whē in necessitie or otherwayes they are christened withou [...] them. Therfor not without cause doth the Ca­tholike priest commaund the deuil with these and the lyke exorcismes. Maledicte diabole, &c Thou cursed deuil call to mynd with me the senten­ce geuen of thee, and geue honor vnto the true an [...] lyuing God, geue honor vnto Iesus Christ his sonn [...] and to the holly Ghost, and departe from this seruant of God, because God and our lorde Iesus Chris [...] hath vouchsafed to call him to his holy grace an [...] [Page 173] gyfte of the holy Ghost. This is the intention of the church, this ceremonie hath bine practised from the begininge vnto this daye: what then maye be the reason that the Protestants of this age should contemne and deride this so aun­cient and profitable a ceremonie? I knowe no reason but on, and that is, because they haue no power nor commission ouer diuels, no other I saye then that which dependeth of waxe and parchment, no other holy orders of priest­hood then they can deriue from their letters patents of Queene Elizabeth. But how weak that aucthoritie and power is to deale with the diuels, maye easely be discryed, therfor maruel not that these ceremonies are derided and reie­cted by them.

CAP. 9. Whether Salte be to be blessed and geuen the Infant before baptisme.

COncerning this ceremonie of salt, the priest after he hath blessed it, taketh it, and putteth it in the mouth of the chyld sayinge. Accipe sal sapientiae, &c. Take and receaue the salt of wisdome, that God maye be propitious and mer­ciful vnto thee vnto life eternall, And then ma­keth this prayer followinge. Deus patrum nostro­rum, &c. God of our fathers, God the maker of all creaturs. We humble beseeche thee, that thou wilt vouchsafe mercifully to looke backe vppon this t [...]y seruant, and hauinge tasted this first foode of salt, doe not suffer him any longer to be hungrie, but that he maye be filled with heauenly sustenaunce, in so much O Lord as he maye be feruent in spirit, [Page 174] ioyefull in hope, and bringe him vnto the new la­uer of regeneration, that he maye deserue to obtay­ne with the faythfull the eternall reward of thy promises. This is the ceremonie of the Catholike church, and this is the prayer. Christ hath sayed that his Apostles should be (Sal terrae) the salt of the earth to season the world,Mat. 5 that is man­kind with the wisdome vnderstandinge and doctrine of Christ. And moreouer Christ sayed to his Apostles salt is good,mar. 9. Coll. 4. haue salt with you. And S. Paule Counselled the Collossians that their mouth and talk should be seasoned with salt. So the priest doth put salt into the mouth of the Infant, to signifie that he should and ought to be seasoned with salt, and make pro­fession with his mouth of Christian faith Ca­tholick religion and trwe beleife.lib. 10. instit. cleric. In Es­dram. lib. 2. c. 9. Leuit. 2. mar. 9. Habe­tur. de Consec. dist. 4. Ca. sal calestis Hom. 6 super Ezech. can. 3. Salt beinge blessed sayeth Rabanus, is put in the mouth of the Infant that therby maye be fygured and si­gnified that he beinge seasoned with the salt of wisedome, maye be voyde of all fetor and stin­ke of synne and iniquitie, and that heareafter he maye not be putrified and corrupted with the maggotes of synne, but rather beinge vn­touched maye be preserued to receaue greater grace. S. Bede alludinge to that of the old lawe where god commanded that no sacrifice should be offered with out salt or not seasoned with salt. And Christ also hath sayed that euerie vi­ctima shalbe salted with salt. where vppon I say, S. Bede sayeth, Sal calestis? The salt of heauenly wisedome wherewith the Cathecu­mens, or those who are to be baptised were first instructed and seasoned we, are commaunded to offer in all the sacrifices of our workes. And [Page 175] of this fyrst tast of salt speaketh Origen. and the same hath the thyrd Counsel of Carthage. Con­sideringe then that this ceremonie of salt hath his signification and instruction, as you haue heard, also of such antiquitie in the church, what reason haue the Protestātes of this age to cōtēne and neglecte it? I will tell you the salt of their doctrine is infatuate vnsavorie, without smacke of salt, and therfor not fitt to be putt in the mouth of the baptised. For salt that hath loste his saltnesse & vertue is profitable nether for ground nor middinge nor dunghill,Luc. 14 but it shalbe cast forth sayeth Christ, he that hath ea­res to heare, lett him heare.

CAP. 10. Whether the vse of spittle before baptisme, be a superfluous ceremonie.

THe order of this ceremonie is that the priest takinge spittle to the ears and nostrels (not to the mouth as some mistake it, for that salt is proper for that part) and puttinge it fyrst on the right eare, sayeth Epheta, quod est adaperire, that is be thou opened: then to the nostrels, say­inge, in odorem suauitatis, and be thou opened vnto the odor of sweetnes: and at the leafte eare he concludeth. Tu autem effugare diabole: ther­for o thou diuel be thou put to flight and driuen awaye, for the iudgment of God will drawe nyghe, and baptisme now is at hand. We read in the ghospel that our sauiour twice vsed this cere­monie of spittle, fyrst when he healed the deafe and dume man, who was brought vnto him, then he vsed spittle and put his fingers into his ears and lookinge to heauen sayed these wor­des Ephata, quod est adaperire, mar. 7. which is as much to saye as, be thou opened. Secondly in [Page 176] the Ghospel of S. Iohn when he cured the man who was borne blind,Ioh. 9. he spitte on the ground and made claye of the [...]pittle and layed it vppon his eyes and sayed, Goe Washe in Siloe. The church of God to the imitation of Christ doth vse these ceremonies of touchinge and spit [...]le. And fyrst for the ears that the deafe deuil doe not hynder nor stopp those sences, but that the ears may be open to heare the worde of God,Rom. 10. for fayth is by hearinge as sayeth S. Paule. This ceremonie def [...]ndeth that worthy Doctor S. Ambrose, it hath no worse a piller to leane vnto,Li 1. de sacra 6. 1. also this washinge of the blind borne man in the waters of Siloe was a figure of baptisme, and therfor baptisme is called the sacrament of illuminatiō, for which cause man beinge borne in synne & blindnes, is sent thether for illumi­nation sight and light of fayth and beleife. And as Christ before he sent the blind borne man to washe at the poole of Siloe made a plaster with spittle: so the church doth vse this cere­monie of spittle befor baptisme. To conclud therfor we maye lawfully and laudablie mayn­tayne with S. Ambrose this ceremonie, and that it is no waye superstitious, seeinge it hath his imitation from Christ, is also significant and worketh his effect. Then with out cause doe the Caluinists and Protestants make this ceremo­nie ridiculous or superstitious. We knowe Christ could haue healed the dume man and blind borne without touchinge, speach, spittle, claye, washinge or any other ceremonie, & we affirme that baptisme maye haue his effecte without these ceremonies: but dare any man saye, that in Christ the vse of spittle was ridicu­lous [Page 177] or superstitious? I knowe no man dare who beareth the face of a christian. Beware therfor in tyme of such as M. Caluine who cal­leth this ceremonie ridiculous, and M. Willet who tearmeth it an interpretatiue toye, and all other who deride the ceremonies of the church, which are done to the imitation of Christ, for they may become scorners of Christs owne actions. The ears and nostrels, sayeth Rabanus, are touched with spittle,De in­stit: cle­ri: lib. 1 ca. 27. and those wordes of the ghospell which Christ vsed when he cured the dume man are spokē, that through the tipicall and shaddowed spittle of the priest and his touch, the deuine wisdome and vertue may worke health to the Cathecumine, that his nostrels maye be opened to the receauinge of the sweet smell of the knowledge of God and misteries of christian fayth: and that his ears maye not be shutt to heare the commaunde­ments of God and sound Catholike doctrine. I haue heard that a parson of high estemee, whom I honor for his parson and place, and ther­for of me not to be named, should reporte that his parents commaunded that this ceremonie in his baptisme should be omitted, because the priest should not spit in his mouth. But he was certaynly misinformed, for this ceremonie doth not concerne the mouth but the ears and nostrels only. And the priest doth not spitt vp­pon any parte of the child, but only out of his owne hand takinge spittle, and with touch therof doth effect this ceremonie. What was done God he best knoweth; but it appeareth his ears were neuer trwly opened to the Catho­like Roman doctrine, nor he neuer tasted nor smelled [Page 178] of the Roman mother church, nor greatly e­steemed of the rites and ceremonies of that re­ligion; It is our parte to hope the best and to praye hartely, vt Dominus daret scientiam & intellectum, that our lorde would vouchsafe to geue him knowledge and vnderstanding.

CHAPTER. 11. VVhether it be a superstitious ceremonie to take the right hand of the child, and deliuer vnto him, the signet seale or signe of Christ, wich i [...] the crosse, that therby he may learne to blesse himselfe agaynst the deuil and heresie the greatest emmies of man and to remayne Constant in Catholick sayth.

THe priest taketh the Cathecumine, Infant or partie who is to be Baptized by the right hand and doth signe him in the bale or palme of the hand with the signe of the crosse, and so deliuer vnto him the signet or seale of Christ which is the crosse: sayinge. Trado tibi signaculū domini nostri Iesu Christi in manu tua dextra, vt te signes. & te de aduersa parte repellas & in fide Catholica permaneas & habeas vitam aternam & viuas in saecula saeculorum Amen. Iohn or Thomas I deliuer and geue vnto thee the signet seale or signe of our lord Iesus Christ in thy right hand that thou mayest signe thy selfe and repell thy enimies, defend thee from the aduerse parte and that thou mayest remayne steedfast in the Catholick faythe haue life eter­nal & liue for euer amen. and withall vseth this benediction Benedictio dei &c. The blessing of god the Father omnipotent and of the sonne, and of the holy ghost, let it descēd vpō thee and [Page 179] continewe with thee for euer. By this Cere­monie the Catholicke Church would en­struct the Baptised in two poynts. Fyrst that he learne to blesse him selfe with the signe of our lord that is the crosse, which is geuen him in his right hand. Secondly that this signe may be a means to protect and defend him agaynst the diuel, all his worckes, heresie or any other misfortune. For the vse of this ceremonie we haue the practise of the Apostles and sayncts of the primatiue church: who not only blessed thē selues with the signe of the crosse as an ar­mor and weapon agaynst any euil that might happen: but also exhorted and counseled all other Christian people to doe the lyke. Ab­dias who did see Christ in flesh, liued with the Apostles, and was a disciple of theirs, recordeth and wryteth of S. Paule,lib. 2. Apost. Histo. that when he came to the place of execution, turned himselfe towar­des the East, lyfted vp his handes and eyes to heauen Gentibus flexis Crucisque signo se muniens ceruicem praebuit percussori, kneelinge on his knees fortifinge and blessinge himselfe with the signe of the crosse yelded and offered his necke to the execu­tioner. Loe the practise and example of the A­postle S. Paule for the vse of blessinge thy selfe with the signe of the crosse. It is wrytten also of S. Andrewe who travelinge vp from Bizan­tium into Thracia;Abdias lib. 3. Hist. Apost. nō log [...] a prin­cipio. ther mett him and his com­panie a multitud of men with drawen swordes and speares in their handes readie to rūne vp­pon them, which when the Apostle perceaued, Faciens signum crucis contra eos, makinge the signe of the crosse agaynst thē sayed. Oro domine nelaedā tur sperantes in te. I praye thee o lord, that they maye not be hurt, who put their trust in thee. By the synge of the crosse ād prayer of the Apostle [Page 180] the Angell of God appeared terrified the eni­mie, and so the Apostle with his companie had free and safe passage. In lyke manner the same Apostle S. Andrewe beinge at Patras a cittie in Achaia,Ibidem prope finem. in the palace of Aegeates the procon­sul with his wyfe Maximilla and many other christeans ther gathered together in christean exercise. Aegeates sodaynly vnlooked for and vnawars returned from Macedonia, so that he had like to haue taken them all together: which the Apostle perceauinge: Singulis manus imponens & Consignatis cruce eos abire permisit, nouissime autem se signans discessit. Layinge his handes vppon euerie on of them, and withall signin­ge them with the signe of the crosse, suffered them to depart, and last of all, also he blessinge himselfe and signinge himselfe with the signe of the crosse departed, so that no man was apprehended. It is reported of S. Iohn the Euangelist when he was at Ephesus,Abdia. lib. 5. Hist. Apost. and had distroyed the temple and Idoll of Diana, beinge therfor persecuted by Aristodemus the chiefe minister of that Idoll, the Apostle willinge to haue him satisfyed, sayed vnto him. Quid faciam vt tollam indi­gnationem de animo tuo? what shall I doe to take awaye this rancor and malice out of thy hart? He answered, take and drinke this poyson which I haue prepared; which yf thou drinke and dye not it will appeare, that thy God is the trwe God. S. Iohn boldly without feare tooke the cuppe of poyson in his hand, Et signaculum cru­cis faciens, and makinge the signe of the crosse ouer it prayed, and also blessed his mouth and armed all his bodie with the crosse and drunke vp all that was in the cuppe, and so passed without any harme [Page 181] at all. Thus you maye see in the practise and example of S. Iohn the power of prayer and vertue of the crosse. And for this cause S. Iohn the Euangelist is commonly pictured with a chalice or cuppe in his hand. It is wrytten by S. Hierome of S. Anthoine a holly saynt of the pri­matiue church goinge to visit S. Paule the fyrst Eremite sawe by the waye a monster,In vita sancti Pauli Eremi­tae. in the vp­per parte lyke a man, in the nether parte lyke a horse, presently at the syght therof, Salutaris impressione signi armat frontem. Armed his fore­head with the signe of the crosse beinge a signe of health and comfort. And incontinently the mon­ster rāne awaye and vanished out of syght. Also S. Martine Bisshope, a worthy Prelate of the primatiue church a man of great virtue and hol­lines, se aduersus diabolum signo crucis & oratio­nis auxilio protegebat, protected and defended himselfe against the deuill with the signe of the crosse and helpe of prayer. S. Chrisostome setteth a rule for Fathers and mothers to teach their children to blesse themselues. A primis annis, Homil. 12. in primā Cor. &c. Defend and arme your chyldren, euen from the begininge in their tender age with spirituall armor and teach them to make the signe of the crosse in their forheades, and before they be able to doe it themselues, doe yee it for them. In vita eius. Thus S. Chrisosto­me, of whom it is also wrytten that immediatly before his death after he had receaued the sa­crament of the alter, se (que) crucis signo muniens ani­mam Deo reddidit, and blessinge himselfe with the signe of the crosse yealded vp the Ghost. And S. Hie­rome exhorteth Demetriades often to make the signe of the crosse,Epist. ad De­metr. Crebro signaculo crucis munias frontem tuam ne exterminator Aegipti [Page 182] in te locum reperiat: thou must often and sundrie tymes fortifie and defend thy Forehead with the si­gne of the crosse, least the exterminator of Aegipt finde place in thee. de cu­stodia virgi­nitatis. The lyke instruction he gee­ueth to the virgine Eustochium. Ad omnem a­ctum ad omnem incessum manus pingat crucem: at euerie action, whatsoeuer you doe, at euerie ty­me you goe forth, lett your hand make the signe of the crosse. Athe­nasi, in vita e­ius. And S. Anthonie exhortinge his monkes and followers to take courage to fight agaynst the deuil and shewinge with what wea­pons they myght ouercome him, amonge the rest putteth the signe of the crosse: mihi credite fratres vnico Sanctissmae crucis signo debilitatus aufugit: beleeue me brethren with one only signe of the crosse the deuil beinge weakned is put to fligh [...]. Thus you maye see by the example of the Apo­stles by the practise of the sayncts of the prima­tiue church, by the aduise and instructiō of the auncient fathers, this ceremonie to blesse our selues with the signe of the crosse, and to in­struct others to doe the like is not superstitious Idle or vn profitable, as protestants would haue it, vnlesse they will accuse the three A­postles of superstition and condemne the saynctes & Doctors of the primatiue church in their practise doctrine and instructiō thervnto: wherfor to conclud this ceremonie of takinge the right hand of the Infant or partie to be Ba­ptised to deliuer and geue vnto him the signet seale or signe of our lord Iesus Christ therby to protect and defend himselfe from the ad­uerse part the deuil and heresie and remaine in the Catholick fayth, this ceremonie I saye is ancient profitable and conforme to antiqui­tie [Page 183] the practise of the the Apostles and prima­tiue church. What reason then haue the pro­testants not only to condemne contemne and blot it out of their bookes, but also to forbid both younge and old to blesse them selues with the signe of the crosse? sure I knowe none but one, and that is to take awaye from Chri­stean people their armor of defence, that they may lye open to Satan and heresie.

CAP. 15. VVhether the abrenunciation of sathan and his worckes and pompes be a Ceremonie appro­uable.

HAuinge spoken of the precedent ceremo­nies such as are acted befor the chyld be brought to the font. Now we are to entreat of such as are done and performed at the font. The priest takinge the chyld by the right hand, bringeth him into the church, sayinge, Enter thou into the temple of god that thou mayest haue eternal life and liue for euer. And so beinge brought to the font, the priest extendeth his hand ouer him, the god father or godmother holdinge the chyld; then sayeth the priest, Abrenuncias sathanae. Doest thou renounce satan? the godfather and godmother make answere Abrenuncio, I do renounce him; the priest pro­ceedeth, & omnibus operibus eius, and all his workes? I renounce them all. & omnibus pompis eius, and all his pompes and pride? I renounce them. For the proofe of this ceremonie we neede not much to stand [Page 184] for it is manifest that it hath discended vnto vs from the Apostles by tradition and so conti­nued in the church vntill this daye, and not contradicted by the Protestants. S. Clement the fyrst of that name and the thyrd pope after S. Peter in his constitutions speaketh of this ce­remonie of the renunciation of sathan his wor­kes and pompe.Lib. 4. Const. can. 41. & 42. And S. Dionisius Areopagita conuerted by S. Paule in his ecclesiasticall Hie­rarchie in the chapter of baptisme Tertullian and others.

CAP. 13. Whether multiplicitie of God Fathers and God mothers are necessarie.

BY the generall and ordinarie constitution and custome of the church, yf the Infant be a boye, on God Father is sufficient without Godmother, yf it be a wench or girle, on God­mother without Godfather: yet accordinge to the custome of the countrie we maye admitte both,De Cō ­secr: dist. 4. Cānon plures. De re­for. ses. 24. c. 2. De eccl. Hiero. c. vlt. Lib. de baptis. that is a God Father and a Godmother to on child, but not aboue. So pope Leo de­creed: lett no man sayeth he come to receaue or take the Infant from the fonte and baptisme but one and that a man or a woman. Accordinge to this order hath the Tridentine Counsell made a reformation agaynst multiplicitie of God Fa­thers and God mothers and instituted that on was sufficient or two at the most. S. Dionisius calleth them susceptores, that is vndertakers for them whome they receaue out of the fonte in baptisme. And Tertullian calleth them sponsores, [Page 185] for that they doe promise on the behalfe of the baptized.Aug. homil. 3. ad Neo­phit. And some other call them fideiussores that is suerties for that they make themselues pleadges for the baptized.

CAP. 14. VVhether the God Father is to geue-the name vnto the child.

I Make no doubt of the question but it hath allwayes bine a lawdable costome in the church, that the God Father doth impose or ge­ue the name of the child. And the ancient chri­steans euer called them after some of the Apo­stles as Peter, Andrewe, Iames; or some other of the saynctes, as Frances, Edward and so forth. It is a prophane custome of late crept into our countrie to name their children after their sur­names, as Hatton Dudley, Baggot, Brase, Win­ter Talbot &c. Much more prophane is it to call them after hethenish names, as some haue vsed, contrarie to the custome of the ancient chri­steans,Can. 30 and the constitution of the Counsell of Nice.

CAP. 15. VVhat God Fathers and God mothers are bound vnto who Christen Children.

SAyncte Augustine exhorteth God Fathers and God mothers to remember that they are Suerties and pleadges for their spirituall children;Sermo post pasc. hodier. dies. and sayeth that they are to instruct [Page 186] them in good workes and aboue all thinges that they learne the Apostles Creed, the Pater noster, and the tenne cōmandementes: and that they hold constantly the Catholike fayth and beleeue the doctrine of the church.3. p. q. 68. a. 8. S. Thomas conclusion is, that euerie on is bound to execut the office they take vppon them: but the God Father at the font doth take vppon him to in­struct and teach the baptized: ergo he is bound to haue care of their instruction, more particu­larly when there is iust cause, as yf the baptised were to liue amonge Infidles, or amonge here­tikes as nowe at this tyme our countrie stan­dinge as it doth, euerie God Father is bound to haue a speciall care of his spirituall children. But in christean catholike countries his charge is not so great, because ther is no danger in education, for the parents and pastors of their churches will see the children sufficiently in­structed, and for this cause now there is no ex­ception taken of the God Fathers and God mo­thers concerninge their sufficiencie to instruct. But in the primatiue church it was not so. For as Dionisius sayeth. Oportet doctū esse in diuinis: the God Father ought to be able to instruct in the rudiments of Christean doctrine and beleife. eccles. Hiera. c. 7.

CAP. 16. VVhether the vnction or annoyntinge of the breast and shoulders be allowable.

THe priest doth exequut this ceremonie in this manner, he taketh hollie oyle sayinge, I doe annoynt the vppon thee breast with the [Page 187] oyle of health, And between thy shoulders in Christ Iesu our lord, that thou mayest haue life eternall. The reason of this ceremonie, as S. Ambrose sayeth is,lib. 1. de Sa­cramēt c. 2. because he beinge an­noynted vppon the breast and showelders, he is made a champion of almightie god, that he maye be able to wrastel in gods cause and take courage and force agaynst the enimie. And Innocentius the 3. of that name sayeth, that the child is annoynted in the breast,lib. 1. decre. tit. 15. de sa­cravn­ctione. can. cū venis­sent. that by the gyfte of the holy ghost he may expell from his harte and cast of error and ignorance that he may receaue the trwe Fayth, because the iust man doth liue by faith. And he is annoynted betweene the shoulders, that by the grace of the same heauenly spirit, he maye shak of ne­gligence and Idlenes, and take vppon him the exercise of good workes because fayth with­out good workes is dead. therfor by the miste­rie of fayth let cleanenes be in his breast, and by the exercise of good worckes, let fortitud of la­bour be vppon his shoulders. Yf this ceremo­nie of annoyntinge the breast and shoulders haue this signification to make vs champions of Christ, to encrease our fayth, to geue cora­ge for the exercise of good workes. Why doe the protestants exile and banishe it out of their books? In verie deed maruel not therat, for of fayth they haue mad shipwrake, and for good workes they account them as not neces­sarie to saluation. And so they nether annoynt nor are annoynted as champions of Christ to fight agaynst deuil or enimie, nor yet to make them selues nimble or fitt for the exercise of good worckes. And of this vnction of holly [Page 188] oyle speaketh,Homil. 6. c. 2. in E­pist. ad Collos. approueth and alloweth S. Chrisostome. And S. Cirile Cataches. 2. mista­gog And to proue it to haue discended by tra­dition from the Apostles we haue an Aposto­licall constitutione recorded by S. Clement And for breuitie sake I remite thee to read the 3.lib. 7. const. Apost. c. 23. Homilie of S. Augustine to the Neophits o [...] newly baptised.

CAP. 17. VVether profession of faith be necessarie befo [...] baptisme.

COncerninge this ceremonie I haue spoken befor in the forth book and fith chapter; That men of vnderstandinge beinge conuerted to the Christian fayth are to make profession of their fayth with their owne mouth at the interragotorie of the priest befor they be bapti­zed. But children and Infants because they are not able to make answere for them selues, no [...] as yet haue not vnderstanding, make profession of their faith by the mouth of the church, o [...] by the mouth of the godfathers and godmo­thers or standers by: therfor when the priest as­keth them and maketh these interragotories Credis in deum patrem omnipotentem &c. lib. 2. offic. c. 24. Does [...] thou beleeue in god the father almightie, and does [...] thou beleeue in Iesus Christ his only sonne our lor [...] who was borne and sufferd, and doest thou beleeu [...] in the holy ghost, the holly Catholick church, the communion of saynctes, the remission of synnes, the resurrection of the flesh and the lyfe eternal after death. Vnto which answere is made by the [Page 189] mought of the godfather. Credo, I doe beleeue Therfore Isidorus sayeth, paruuli alio profiten­te baptizati sunt, quia adhuc loqui vel credere nesciunt. children therfor are baptized a nother makinge profession of faith for them because they knowe not as yet, nether can they speak or beleeue. Wherfor we conclud that this ceremonie of profession of fayth is necessarie not only in mē of vnderstadinge who are conuerted to Chri­steanitie and are able in their owne parsons with harte and mouth to professe the same, but also it is required in Infants and children, and because they can not performe it with their owne mouth and hart, the church their mo­ther lendeth them her mouth and tounge to speak and professe the fayth for them. For the Antiquitie of it and that it was an Apostoli­call tradition, I will only note tow authers who were in the Apostles tyme as S. Clement. lib. 7. constit. can. 39. 40. & 41. and S. Dionisius. de eccl. Theologia c. 2.

CAP. 18. VVether Immersion or dippinge of the Infant be necessarie.

WE must distinguish between case of ne­cessetie and solemne celebration of the Sacrament. For baptisme beinge the only sole ordinarie means of saluation, the Catholike church doth not stand vppon solem­nities rites and ceremonies; but in case of ne­cessetie as in danger of death, requireth only the substance and essence of baptisme to be per­formed, [Page 190] that is, the matter and forme to be dewly excuted: wherfor seeinge water is the matter of this Sacrament and assumed to the a­blution and washinge of the bodie, wherby is signified the internal washinge of the soule: ther is no doubt but incase of necessetie, or for so­me other respect, baptisme maye be ministred not only by Immersions or dippinges three or one, but also by aspersion, sprinklinge effusion or pooringe of water on the head or face of the child or partie to be baptized. as for example when ther is little or smale quantitie of water, or vrgent necessetie of baptisme, or the priest be sickly or weake, not able to beare the child, or on the other syd the Infant be so feable that it might be dāger to dippe it. In these cases im­mersions or dippings are not necessarie, but it shalbe sufficient to poore or laye water vppon the head or face of the baptised. So that we may conclud that immersions are not absolutly necessarie; yet without case of necessetie in so­lemne ordinarie, or publick baptization, vppō wilfulnes, negligence or contempt, to omitt or neglect immersions were a grieuous mortall synne: because it is an aunciēt rite and ceremo­nie cōmaunded by the church, and also because it is so significant a ceremonie, and so cōfigurat to the passion of Christ as is pregnant and pro­ued by Scriptur and fathers. S. Paule compareth the baptised to those who are layed in the se­pulcher with Christ and rise with him to glorie. All we sayeth he, who are baptized in Christ Iesus, in his death we are baptised, for we are buried together with him by baptisme vnto death, that as Christ is risen from the dead by [Page 191] the glorie of his father, so we also may walke in newnes of lyfe. And therfor sayeth S. Chri­sostome,Homil. 24. in Ioan. we are as it were layed in a sepulcher when we are submersed and dipped in the font & vetus homo sepelitur, and the old man is bu­ried submersed and hidden, then after ariseth and ascendeth the new man most liuely, then doth immersion represent the figure of the se­pulcher of our lord, wherfor a ceremonie not [...]o be contemned. Also by immersion the who­ [...]e bodie is washed and dipped: who feeleth not but by the effects originall syne doth work the whole bodie is infected. What inconue­nience then were it, yf the whole bodie be dip­ped and washed with the water of baptisme. You will saye the head is the principal part of mans bodie because therin are most vigent and liuely the internal and external senses o [...] man, as vnderstandinge, witte, memorie, sight, hea­ringe and smellinge: wherfor it is sufficient that water be layed vppon the head or face of the child. Trwe it is indeed in case of necessitie, or when conueniently immersion can not be, but you must learne to distinguish, as I sayed befor between vrgent cause, and solemne ordi­narie Christeninge.

CAP. XIX. Wether one or trinall immersions are to be vsed in baptisme.

THe church of god ordinarely doth vse and cōmaund three immersions or dippings of the child. Wherfor although one myght suffice [Page 192] yet it were a great synne to infringe and break the rite and ordinarie custome of the church. By three immersions is signified the trinitie of persons in God, that is, the Father the sonne, and the hollie ghost, and as the forme doth ge­ue so the immersions followe.Rom. 6. Also because S. Paule sayeth that by baptisme we are sayed to be buried with Christ, therfor the three im­mersions are done to signifie the three dayes Christ was in the sepulcher.serm. 3. & 4. ad Neo­phitas. wherfor S. Augu­stine in a sermon he made to the new baptised hath these wordes, recte tertio mersi estis &c. You who haue receaued baptisme in the name of the trinitie, rightfully you are three tymes dipped, and with reason also bee thrice dipped who haue bine baptised in the name of Iesus Christ who the thyrd daye rose from death, for that thyrd immersion doth expresse the ty­pe and figure of our lordes buriall, by which you are consepulted and buried together with Christ in baptisme, thus much S. Augusti­ne. And to the same effect speaketh S. Hiero­me, ter mergimur &c. We are three tymes di­ped that the mysterie of the trinitie may be shewed and appeare. And we are not baptized in the names, in the plurall number but in the name in the singular number, wherby is sig­nified on God: wherfor although we are thrice dipped to declare the misterie of the trinitie, yet it is but one god on baptisme,lib. Epist. 41. vnus Deus vnum Baptisma, one god, on baptisme. Also S. Gregorie wrytinge vnto Leander bisshope in Spayne doth approue three immersions, and al­so not disallowe yf there be but one. So that for this ceremonie of three immersions we ha­ue [Page 193] three Doctors of the church S. Hierome S. Augustine and S. Gregorie besides these there is an Apostolicall constitution,Can. 49. as recordeth S. Clement which doth depose that priest who shall baptize without trinall immersion: by reason of some heretick in the verie begeninge and infancie of the church, who baptized not in the name of the trinitie, but only in the death of Christ, and because Christ dyed but once, he would vse but one immersion. You maye obiect that in the forth Counsell of To­ledo, baptisme was commaunded to be effe­cted with one immersion. I aunswere, it is trwe it was so commaunded, and this was to avoyed the scandall of schisme and the vse of hereticall doctrine, wherfor S. Gregorius say­eth baptisme may be effected with one immer­sion to signifie one deitie in three parsons. And this was at that tyme done because some Ar­rians began to baptise with three immersions, not to signifie as the Catholikes did the three parsons in one deitie, but to signifie three na­turs, which was to make the sonne and the holly ghost not to be of one substance with the father; wherfor one immersion was permitted in Spayne by S. Gregorius and also commaun­ded by the counsel of Toledo because these hereticks should not thinck that Catholicks did vse the trinall immersion to cōfirme their doctrine. And therfor all Catholicks of that countrie at that tyme agreed to vse but one immersion, but now that occasion of one im­mersion being taken awaye all Catholick coū ­tries ordinarely doe returne to the auncient costome of the primatiue church and doe pra­ctise [Page 194] and commaund three immersions. an [...] this power and right the Catholick church hath and euer had concerning ceremonies & rites t [...] alter as occasion by heretickes was geuen to e­dification. But for any essentiall parte of any sa­crament, she newer hath nor can alter or per­mitt to be altered vppon any occasion whatsoeuer: for the essentiall part Christ himselfe instituted and leafte the rites and ceremonies to his church.

CAP. 20. Wether the vnction with holie chrisme on the crowne of the head after baptisme be allowa­ble.

NOw being come to our thyrd diuision of ceremonies which are to be done and a­cted after baptisme, you shall vnderstand that they are three in number, which the Catholick church doth specially practise; The fyrst is vn­ction with holy chrisme vppon the topp or crowne of the head. The second is the chriso­me or white garment which is put vppon the baptised. The third is the taper or waxe candle light and burning beinge geuen and putt in the right hand of the baptized. All which three the Protestants neglect or contemne as vnprofita­ble, not honorable nor significant, and haue quiet blotted them out of theire bookes. Con­cerninge the fyrst. Soe soone as the child is ta­ken out of the font, the priest doth annoynt him not with holy oyle as before on the breast and shoulders: but with holy Chrisme and that on the crowne of the head; to signifie that now he is become a Christeā and so called of Christ, [Page 195] which is as much as vnctus, annoynted; and therfor an annoynted Christean, and then he vseth this orison or prayer. God omnipotent fa­ther of our lord Iesus Christ, who hath regenera­ted thee of water and the holy ghost, and also who hath geuen thee remission of all thy synnes, he doth annoynt the With the crisme of oyle of health into life everlastinge. lib. 30. de Sa­cra­mentis c. 1. S. Ambrose after this ce­remonie is perfected sayeth to euerie Christean man. vnctus es quasi Athleta Christi. Now thou art annoynted as the champion of Christ vnto life eternall. And Rabanus wryteth to this ef­fect, after sayeth he, the child is taken out of the font presently he is signed in cerebro, in the crowne of the head with sacred Chrisme to­gether with the prayer of the priest, that he may be made partaker of the kingdome of Christ, and of Christ be called a Christean. S. Ambrose goeth farther and asketh the que­stion. Quare Caput? lib. 3. de sa­cra. c. 1. & 2. Eccles. 2. why hast thou receaued oyntment and holy Chrisme vppon thy head? he maketh the answere and geueth the reason quia sensus sapientis in capite eius. because the sense and vnderstandinge, the eyes of the wise are in his head, And thus much to shewe how significant this ceremonie is. Now for the antiquitie therof that it was vsed in the prima­tiue church, we haue amonge the decrees and rites of the church which were published and instituted by S. Syluester the fyrst pope of that name who baptised Constantine the great and fyrst christean Emperor; vt praesbiter baptizati Chrismate summum liniret verticem. That the priest should annoynt the crowne of the head of the baptized, with chrisme. [Page 196] Also S. Hierome reporteth that in his tyme,in dia­logo contra lucife­ranos. it waz not lawfull for the priests to baptise with­out chrisme. What reason then haue the pro­testants of this age not to allowe, but to ne­glect and contemne so significant a ceremonie I knowe no reason but one because they are not vncti domini, the annoynted of our lord. And as the Spayniards commonly saye Chri­steanos may no veros Christeanos. Christeans by name, but not trwe Christeans in dead, but misbeleeuers of Christian misteries, contem­ners of the rites and ceremonies of the Chri­stean Catholick church.

CAP. XXI. Whether the vse of puttinge vppon the baptised the white garment be not significant.

THe vse of this ceremonie of clothinge the baptised with a white vesture or garment or with a linnen cloth commonly called the chrisome, as the manner and custome of our countrie of England hath bine, is on this for­me. The priest after he hath annoynted the ba­ptised vppon the head, taketh the chrisome or white garment and sayeth, Accipe vestem candidam &c. Receaue and take the bright, white holly and immaculate vesture, which thou mayest carrie befor the tribunal of our lord Iesus Christ and that thou mayest haue life eternall and liue for euer, this is the ceremonie with the prayer. The sacred scripture doth often allude to this [Page 197] ceremonie of white vestments and clothinge. And fyrst in Christs transfiguration did not his garments turne and become white as snowe?Matth. 17. Luc. 9. Mar. vlto. Act. 2. And the Angelicall vesture was it not white when they appeared to the holly women the three Maries at the sepulcher of our lord the daye of his resurrection? also when they spake to the Apostles after the Ascension of Christ they were all in white. And how often doth S. Iohn in the Apocalips discribe the sayntes to be clothed in white garmentes, white stolles,Apoc. 3. white robes. In the thyrd chapter it is sayed, that there were some in the church of Sardis, who had not after baptisme defiled their gar­mentes with deadly synne, and those are they who shall walke with god in whites, ambula­bunt mecum in albis, because they are worthie. he that shall ouercome, shall thus be vested in white garments, and I will not putt his na­me out of the book of lyfe. Also describeth how he sawe the foure and twenty seniors a­bout the throne clothed in white garments also he declareth that the soules who were vn­der the alter had white stolles geuē them eue­rie one had on.Apoc. 4. Apoc. 6. Apoc. 7. And the multitud of sayncts standinge befor the throne in the sight of the lambe were all clothed in white robes. The white vesture which is geuen immediatly after baptisme to the baptised hath three or foure significatiōs deduced out of Scriptur. Fyrst it is geuen in the memorie and signe of the glorious resurrection, for all those who are regenerated and borne agayne by baptisme, are capable and may be made partakers of Christs glorious re­surrection, and so to walk with god in whits. [Page 198] Secondly to signifie what we haue gotten and obtayned by baptisme, that is innocencie, a­white soule, cleane washed from all spottes and staynes of synne. Thyrdly to signifie and putt vs in mynd, of that puritie of lyfe which euerie one ought to obserue and keepe after baptisme,Rom. 6 accordinge to that of S. Paule, that we maye walke in newnes of lyfe; Forthly and last of all, to putt vs in mynde of the glorie of the next life, for there we must be standinge in the sight of the lambe clothed in white robes, For nullum coinquinatum nothinge defiled shall enter into heauen, and thus much for the si­gnification. Wherfor I doubt not but that I maye conclud this ceremonie to be significant to haue his instruction and signification. Now for the antiquitie we haue the testimonie of S. Dionisius in his ecclesiasticall Hierarchie. and the same confirmeth S. Ambrose lib. de ijs qui initian: miste c. 7. Also of auncient tyme the octaue daye of pascha or Easter, is and was called dominica in albis, the sounday in whites, because after that daye the Neophits, that is to saye those who were newly baptised, ether vp­pon Easter euen or vppon the daye, beinge clothed at their baptisme in whits, did vsually on the soundaye after put of those white gar­ments. Ita tamen, sayeth S. Augustine, vt can­dor qui in habitu deponitur, Sermo deocta­ [...]a pas­chalis. semper in corde te­neatur. But so notwithstandinge, that the puri­tie and whitnes which the garment did signifie, although layed awaye in the habite, yet allwayes to be kept and reposed in the har­te and mynd. The Roman church, the mother church of this part of the world, solemnely [Page 199] doth obserue euen vntill this daye this ceremo­nie; And ther you shall see from Easter daye vntill the sounday after, the Neophits, or new baptised Iewes, to walk in their white garmēts. And all other Catholick countries omitt not this ceremonie: what may we imagin myght moue the protestants, to contemne neglect and deride this ceremonie, so significant and so ge­nerally practised throughout Christendome. I can say nothinge but that they are coinquina­ted with schisme from their mother church, Candidi non sunt, they are not white.

CAP. XXII. Wether the geuing of the waxe candle light into the hand of the baptized be a ceremonie vn­profitable.

THe order of this ceremonie is, that the priest after the white garment geuen he ta­keth a taper or waxe candle light, and putteth it into the right hand of the baptised sayinge. Accipe lampadem ardentem &c. Take and recea­ue the burninge and irreprehensible lampe, keepe thy baptisme, obserue the commaundements, that when our lord shall come to the mariage thou ma­yest meet him together with the sayncts in the hea­venly hall, that so thou mayest haue eternall lyfe and liue for euer. The meaninge of this ceremo­nie is, and so the church intendeth to instruct, that the baptised hath geuen him by this sacra­ment the light of fayth, and the light wi­thall of gods grace, that he maye and ought therby to worke the works of light and vir­tue, and not of darknes and synne, accor­ge to that sayinge of christ, let your light shine [Page 200] before men;Matth. c. 5. that they may see your good works and glorifie your father which is in heauen. And also that they haue alwayes their lampes readie in their hādes, light and full of oyle that when the bridegrome cometh they may be readie to enter in with him: alludinge vnto the parable of the fiue wise virgins. For the lampe will not serue the turne without light and oyle, which is as much to saye, that fayth is dead without the oyle of charitie and good worcks to lighten it.Matth. 25. And therfor the gate was shut agaynst the foolishe virgins; so that they could not enter, nor would be knouen, because they had no oyle nor light in their lampes: wherfor I conclud that this ceremonie of gevinge a ta­per light in the right hand of the baptized to be profitable, comfortable and significant. What is the reason then that the protestantes forsake this ceremonie, blot it out of their books, will haue no light in their churches? I feare me al­though they beare the name of Christians, yet they are become darknes, they wilbe lampes without oyle, or light which is contrarie to Scriptur and reason; lett them take heed the gate be not shut agaynst them, and that in the latter daye they will not be knowen of Christ and to their confusion, they heare not that voi­ce Nescio vos. I knowe you not. I praye god lightē their parts and geue them vnitie of fayht, that we may once be all mēbers of one Catho­lik and Apostolik church, and therin to haue the trwe vse of the sacraments with the rits and ceremonies therof Amen.

EPILOGVS.

IN this treatise gentle reader, hath binne briefly shewed and by questions declared vnto thee, what baptisme is, the effects therof, the matter, the forme, the minister, the partie baptized, and finally the reasons of the rites and ceremonies, and with all howe honorable, significant, profitable, and comfortable they are to christian people. The lyk may be declared of the other syxe sacraments, but not to be ex­pected at my hands. For I will promise no more then I meane to performe. The catholik church hath euer mayntayned seauen sacramēts, which christ himselfe and no other could institute. And this was the bountie and goodnes of our sauiour christ, therby to assist and comfort man to make this his passage in this vale of miserie. So that christ would not leaue vs without a re­medie all the tyme of our life, euen from the houre of our birth vnto the daye of our death, baptisme at our birth, Confession, the Eucha­riste with the other sacraments all the middle of our life, and extreame vnction at our death. It is wonderfull to consider, what easie way the protestans haue found out, they haue cutt of fiue of these seaven sacraments, and would seeme to retayne only two. But in verie deed they haue but bare one, And that is baptisme, which is allowed to be ministred by them and of them in case only of necessetie. And this one which they retayne, god knoweth they haue pilled and pouled, and the puritans issuinge from them haue endouered to roote it quit vp, [Page 202] as may appeare by this precedēt treatise. As for the lords supper as they call, it it is with them no Sacrament for they haue no cōsecration, no change of bread into the bodie of Christ, bread befor and bread after, you maye make as good a Communion ar home in takinge bread at break fast, in memorie that christ dyed for you. And as concerninge the rites and ceremonies of the Catholick church, dayly in their pulpits they baye and barke at them; that they are comber­some, troblesome, to manie in number, super­stitious: what wilbe the end of this? what tē ­deth this vnto? surely to extinguish all externall honor of christ, all communication of Sacra­ments,de do­ctrina Cijri­stiana. lib. 3. c. 9. and all assotiation of christean people in rits and ceremonies of religion. But S. Au­gustine shall answere these kind of men and so I will end. Some fewe, sayeth he, Sacraments and ceremonies we haue for many in the tyme of moyses law, most easie to be done, most ho­norable for signification and most cleane and pure to be obserued and kept, and such as our lord him selfe hath instituted, and Apostolicall discipline deliuered.

LAVS DEO VNI ET TRINO
23. Iunij 1614.

A TABLE OF THE Chapters.

THE FYRST BOOK
  • CAp. 1. What Saacrament is and why god would vse externall sensible things for the sanctification and iustification of man. pag. 1.
  • Cap. 2. What baptisme is, how it is defined, and what are the effectes. pag. 2.
  • Cap. 3. Whether yf by error or otherwise this Sacrament of baptisme be not dewly administred, on be capable of any other Sacrament. pag. 6.
  • Cap. 4. Whether all punishment dewe for ori­ginall synne, be remitted by baptisme. pag. 8.
  • Cap. 5. Whether baptisme doth remitt synne ex opero operato, and geue grace by the force and virtue of the word and work done and sayed in the Sacrament. pag. 10.
  • Cap. 6. Whether baptisme be really and in deed an instrumentall cause of iustification, or only a means to excite, stirre vp, or moue to fayth. pag. 12.
  • Cap. 7. Whether be that is once baptized, can synne, but shalbe saued. pag. 16.
  • Cap. 8. Whether baptisme hath force to remitt synnes committed after baptisme. pag. 19.
  • Cap. 9. Whether baptisme be necessarie to sal­uation. pag. 23.
  • [Page]Cap. 10. Whether in the thyrd chapter of S. Iohn, Christ did entreat of baptisme. pag. 25
  • Cap. 11. When and at what tyme Christ instituted baptisme. pag. 28.
  • Cap. 12. Whether the sacrament of baptism [...] by martyrdome, or contrition of hart may be supplied. And whether the distinction of the three baptismes that is of blood, Charitie, and water be i [...] scripture. pag. 31
  • Cap. 13. Howe there can be vnitie of baptism [...] yf there be three distinct baptismes. pag. 32.
  • Cap. 14. Whether yf one baptized in his blood, should ouer liue, were after to be baptized with water. pag. 34.
  • Cap. 15. Whether baptisme of blood be mor [...] worthy, then baptisme of Charitie or the Sacramē [...] pag. 35.
  • Cap. 16. Whether by baptisme a character or indelible signe be imprinted in the soule of the bap­zed. pag. 36.
The second book.
  • Cap. 1. Whether water be, by Christs institu­tion the matter of the Sacrament of baptisme. pag. 38.
  • Cap. 2. What are the reasons that water aboue all other thinges was chosen and taken for the mat­ter of this Sacrament. pag. 40.
  • Cap. 3. What kynd of water was instituted the matter of this Sacrament. pag. 44.
  • Cap. 4. Whether on may be baptized with Ice, Snowe or hayle. pag. 45,
  • Cap. 5. Whether on may baptise with the water of the Bath, Brimstone water, ot Allume water or [Page] wich water, wherof salt is made. pag. 46.
  • Cap. 6. Whether on may baptise in rose water [...]r any other Distilled water. pag. 47.
  • Cap. 7. Whether on may baptise in wine, Alle, Beer, or mylk in necessetie, when water can not be had. pag. 48.
  • Cap. 8. Whether it be conuenient the font should be hallowed and the water blessed before ba­ptisme. pag. 49.
  • Cap. 9. What is the forme of Baptisme. pag. 52.
  • Cap. 10. Whether it maye not lawfully be sayed, that the priest by this Sacrament doth Washe and cleanse the soule of the Infant from originall synne pag. 55.
  • Cap. 11. Whether it be not necessarie, that, all the wordes be spoken, that are of the forme of bap­tisme. pag. 58.
  • Cap. 12. Whether yf one should leaue out to expresse the partie, who were to be baptised, it were baptisme. pag. 60.
  • Cap. 13. Whether the forme which the greek church vseth be sufficient for Baptisme. pag. 61.
  • Cap. 14. Whether the Arian heretiques in their forme, did trulie baptise. pag. 63.
  • Cap. 15. Whether baptisme geuen only in the name of Iesus Christ be a vayable. pag. 64.
The thyrd book.
  • Cap. 1. Whether Christ in his owne parson, with his owne hands did baptise. pag. 67.
  • Cap. 2. Whether it doth belonge to the priests only, ex officio, by their office and function to bap­tise. pag. 71.
  • Cap. 3. Whether a deacon may ex officio by office [Page] and function administer this Sacrament. pag. 74
  • Cap. 4. Whether a meere lay man vvho hat [...] no holly orders, that is nether priest nor Deacon may lavvfully baptise. pag. 75
  • Cap. 5. Whether baptisme may lavvfully A [...] ministred priuatly in priuat houses and by priua [...] parsons. pag. 79
  • Cap. 6. Whether the mid vvife or any othe [...] vvoman, may in case of necessitie Baptise. pag. 83.
  • Cap. 7. Whether an heretique, an Infidel, or a Ievv may Baptise. And if they doe, vvhether it be auayleable. pag. 89.
  • Cap. 8. Whether Catholique parents or others, may send or permit their children, to be baptised of hereticall or scismaticall Ministers, vvithout gre­ueous mortall sinne. pag. 93.
  • Cap. 9. Whether one may Baptise many, at one time. pag. 97.
  • Cap. 10. Whether many at one time, may to­gether baptise one child. pag. 98.
  • Cap. 11. Whether one may Baptise him selfe pag. 99.
  • Cap. 12. Whether the intention of the minister be necessarie, that the Sacrament take effect, pag. 100.
  • Cap. 13. What kind of intention is necessarie. pag. 102.
  • Cap. 14. Whether the deuil cā baptise. pag. 104.
  • Cap. 15. Whether an Angel may baptise. pag. 105.
The fourth booke.
  • Cap. 1. Whether Infants doe contract originall sinne. pag. 107.
  • Cap. 2. Whether it be of necessitie, that chil­dren [Page] be baptised for the remission of this originall sinne. pag. 109.
  • Cap 3. Whether originall sinne doth appertai­ne, or be to be imputed to children, borne of Chri­stian parents. pag. 111.
  • Cap. 4. Whether Infants and children are to be baptised, before they come to yeares of discre­tion. pag. 115.
  • Cap. 5. What faith is required to the baptisme of children and Infants. pag. 118.
  • Cap. 6. Whether Children, if they dye before baptisme, can be saued by their fathers faith. pag. 121.
  • Cap. 7. What punishment children, dying vvi­thout baptisme, shal haue after this life pag. 128.
  • Cap. 8. Whether that Infants shall after this life be here on earth and enioy the pleasures as men doe novv, or be in hell; or vvhat place they shall posesse. pag. 131.
  • Cap. 9. Whether they shall haue any excessiue griefe in hell for that they are depriued of the frui­tion and sight of God pag. 136.
  • Cap. 10. Whether the Infant in the mothers vvombe, may be baptised pag. 139.
  • Cap. 11. Whether if some part of the childe appeare although the vvhole bodie be not borne, it may be baptised. pag 140.
  • Cap. 12. Whether if the mother being great vvith child, being baptised, the child also in hir vvombe, be also baptised. pag 140.
  • Cap. 13. Whether if the mother should be mar­tyred, the infant in hir vvombe vvere also a mar­tyr. pag. 141.
  • Cap. 14. Whether the mother may be cut and [...]pened, if other vvise the child can not be borne, [Page] and so taken from hir aliue that it may be baptised. pag. 142.
  • Cap. 15. Whether the children of Ievves or o­ther Infidels, may lavvfullie be baptised against their parents vvill. pag. 143.
  • Cap. 16. Whether Ievves, Turkes, or Infidels, being conuerted, are presentlie to be baptised. pag. 144.
  • Cap. 17. Whether Ievves and Infidels may be compelled to baptisme. pag 146.
  • Cap. 18. Whether he vvho cometh, to this Sa­crament fainedly, not hauing in deed faith in Christ, be baptised. pag. 147.
  • Cap. 19. Whether he that is baptised, may be compelled to liue according to Christian Catholique lavves. pag. 149.
The fifth book.
  • Cap. 1. What a Ceremonie is. pag. 151
  • Cap. 2. What distinction and diuision there is of the Ceremonies in baptisme. pag. 152.
  • Cap. 3. Whether these Ceremonies are of neces­sitie to this Sacrament of Baptisme. pag. 154.
  • Cap. 4. Whether the child be not to be signed vvith the signe of the Crosse, in the forehead and breast. pag. 156.
  • Cap. 5. Whether they vvho are of yeares and vnderstanding being conuerted, ought to be Cathe­cumins before they be baptised. pag. 160.
  • Cap. 6 Whether the solemnitie of baptization vvere especiallie to be reserued for the feastes of Easter and Penticost. pag. 163.
  • Cap. 7. Whether the impositiō of the Priests hā ­des, vvith his benediction and prayer, be a cere­monie [Page] allovvable. pag. 168.
  • Cap. 8. Whether Exorcismes, Adi [...]rations and Exufflations, are conuenient to be vsed before bap­tisme. pag. 169.
  • Cap. 9. Whether Salt be to be blessed and geuen to the infant before baptisme. pag. 173.
  • Cap. 10. Whether the vse of Spitle before bap­tisme, be a superfluous ceremonie. pag. 175.
  • Cap. 11. Whether it be a superstitious ceremo­nie to take the right hande of the child, and deli­uer vnto him the signet, feale, or signe of Christ, vvhich is the Crosse, that therby he may learne to blesse him selfe against the diuell and heresie, the greatest enimies of man, and to remayne constant in Catholique faith; pag. 178.
  • Cap. 12. Whether the Abrenuntiation of Sa­than and his vvorkes and pompes, be a ceremonie approueable. pag. 183.
  • Cap. 13. Whether multiplicitie of godfathers and godmothers are necessarie. pag. 184.
  • Cap. 14. Whether the godfather be to giue the name to the childe. pag. 185.
  • Cap. 15. What godfathers and godmothers are bound vnto vvho christen children, pag. 185.
  • Cap. 16. Whether the vnction or anointing of the breast and shoulders, be alovvable. pag. 188.
  • Cap. 17. Whether profession of faith be neces­sarie before baptisme. pag. 188.
  • Cap. 18. Whether immersion, or dipping of the infant, be necessarie. pag. 189.
  • Cap. 19. Whether one, or trinall immersions are to be vsed in baptisme. pag. 191.
  • Cap. 20. Whether the vnction with holie Chri­sme on the crowne of the head after baptisme be allowable. pag. 194.
  • [Page]Cap. 21. Whether the vse of putting vpon the baptised the white garment, be not significant. pag. 196.
  • Cap. 22. Whether the giuing of the wax candle ligth in to the hand of the baptised, be a ceremonie vnprofitable pag. 200.
  • Epylogus pag. 201.

The errors, thus correct. pag. 50. lin 23. whit. with. pag. 51. lin 15. whit, with. pag. 62. lin. 4. absoutlie, absolutlie pag. 68. lin 32. ba, be. pag. 98. lin. 1. bing, being. & ibid lin. 1. 2. it no, it, is no. pag. 101. lin. 12. thee, three. pag. 108. lin. 7. tui, tu. ibid lin. 12. kind, king. ibid lin 28. And were, and we were. pag. 110. lin 28. wiched wicked. pag. [...]5. lin. 31. grawing, gnavving. pag. 148. lin. 8. fait, faith. pag. 153. lin 30. die did. pag. 154. lin 32. stat [...]e, flatte. pag. 167. lin. 19. yet, that, Ibid lin 23. yet, that.

Some other faultes which are of lesser importan­ce, I dout not but thou thy selfe in the reading, wilt castlie correct them.

A DOV AY, par PIERRE AVROI, au Pelican d'or. Anno 1614.

This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Text Creation Partnership. Searching, reading, printing, or downloading EEBO-TCP texts is reserved for the authorized users of these project partner institutions. Permission must be granted for subsequent distribution, in print or electronically, of this EEBO-TCP Phase II text, in whole or in part.