Jones on Article XXVII: Of Baptism

” Then we begin ; we are washed with water ; and then the words are added ; for we are baptized in the name of the Father, the Son and Holy Ghost, whereby the baptism re- ceiveth his strength, Now this sacrament of baptism is a thing of great weight ; for as it ascertaineth and assureth us, that like as the water washeth the body and cleanseth it, so the blood of Christ our Saviour cleanseth and washeth it from all

filth and unclcanliness of sins And so it appeareth that we

may not seek Christ in the glistening of this world : for what is so common as water ? what is so common as bread and wine? Yet lie promised to be found there, when he is sought with a faithful heart.” — Set: on St. John’s Day.

” I heard of late that there be some wicked persons, despisers of God, and his benefits, which say, ‘tis no matter whatsoever

we do ; we be baptized : we cannot be damned ; for all those that be baptized and be called Christians, shall be saved.’ This is a false and wicked opinion, and I assure you, that such which bear the name of Christians, and be baptised, but follow not God’s commandments, that such fellows, I say, be worse than the Turks and heathen ; for the Turks and heathen have made no promise unto Christ to serve him. These fellows have made promise in baptism to keep Christ’s rule, which

thing they do not And, therefore, such Christians must be

wicked perjured persons, and not only be perjured, but they go about to make Cod a liar, so much as lieth in them.” — Sec. Ser. on the Lord’s Prayer.

” Except a man be born anew, he cannot see the kingdom of God.’ But how cometh this regeneration ? By hearing and believing the word of God : for so saith St. Peter, ’ We are born anew, not of mortal seed, but of immortal, by the word of God.”— Ser. on Matt. xxii. 2, 3.

” Although baptism be a sacrament to be received and honorably used of all men, yet it sanctifieth no man. And such as attribute the remission of sin unto the external sign, doth offend. John (Matt, iii.) preached penitence in the desert and remission of sin in Christ. Such as confessed their faults, lie marked and declared to be of Christ’s Church. So that external baptism was but an inauguration or external consecra- tion of those, that first believed and were cleansed of their sin, as he dcclareth himself in the same place : Ego (inquit) baptizo aqua : I christen with water. As though he said, My baptism

maketh no man the better — inwardly it changeth no man

Such as be baptized must remember that penance ’ [repentance] ’ and faith preceded this external sign, and in Christ the purga- tion was inwardly obtained, before the external rite was given. So that there is two kinds of baptism, and both necessary : the one interior which is the cleansing of the heart, the drawing of the Father, the operation of the Holy Ghost : and this baptism

is in man when he believeth and trusteth that Christ is the only author of his salvation. Thus be the infants examined concerning repentance and faith before they be baptized with water ; at the contemplation of the which faith God purgeth the soul. Then is the exterior sign added, not to purge the heart but to confirm, manifest, and open unto the world that this child is God’s. And likewise baptism, with the repetition of the words, is a very sacrament and sign that the baptized creature should die from sin all his life, as Paul writeth, Rom. vi. Likewise no man should condemn, nor neglect this exterior sign for the commandment’s sake, though it have no power to purge from sin, yet it confirmeth the purgation of sin, and the act itself pleaseth God, for because the receivers thereof obey the will of his commandment.” — Decl. of Christ and his Office.

” This ungodly opinion, that attributeth the salvation of man into the receiving of an external sacrament, doth derogate the mercy of God as though his Holy Spirit could not be carried by faith into the penitent and sorrowful conscience, except it rid always in a chariot and external sacrament.” — Answer to Winchester’s Book.

” And as praying and hearing, so the worthy receiving of las sacraments is not only a sending of his grace unto us, but also

a testifying of our godliness towards him by the one which

which is baptism we are received and incorporated into the

Church of Christ These” (sacraments) ” are God’s seals

added unto his most certain promises for the confirmation of our weak faith, weak, by reason of the infirmity of our flesh. ’ For if we were spiritual,’ saith Chrysostom, ’ we should not mind these corporal signs.’ ” — Ser. on 1 Tim. ii. 1, 2.

” Now as the graces of God, purchased for us by Christ, are offered unto us by the word, so are they also most lively and effectually by the Sacraments. In baptism, the outward wash- ing of the flesh dcclareth the inward purging and cleansing of the Spirit.”— Ser. on 2 Cor. vi. 1, 2.

ARCHBISIIOr GRIN DAL. ” So in baptism men regard not greatly the water, but account themselves washed with the blood of Christ. So saith St. Paul : whatsoever we be that are baptized, we are washed in the blood of Christ. Wherefore, to the faithful receivers you may say, that the water of baptism is the blood of Christ, and the bread and wine the body and blood of Christ.” — Dialogue between Custom and Verity.

” If any come worthily to receive, then do I confess the presence of Christ wholly to be with all the fruits of his passion, unto the said worthy receiver, by the spirit of God, and that Christ is thereby joined to him, and he to Christ.” Sixth

Examination.

” Indeed you look upon the papistical synagogue only you

might seem to have good handfast of your opinion against the bap- tism of infants. But forasmuch as it is of more antiquity, and hath its beginning from God’s word, and from the use of the pri- mitive Church, it must not in respect of the abuse in the popish Church be neglected, or thought not expedient to be used in Christ’s Church. Auxentius, one of the Arians’ sect,” (who died in 374,) “with his adherents was one of the first that denied the baptism of children ; and next after him, Belagius

the heretic But the catholic truth delivered unto us by

the scriptures, plainly determineth that all such are to be baptized, as whom God acknowlcdgeth for his people, and voucheth them worthy of sanctification or remission of their sins. Therefore since that infants be in the number or scroll of God’s people, and be partakers of the promise by their purification in Christ, it must needs follow thereby that they ought to be

baptized as well as those that can profess their faith But

God promiseth that he will not only be the God of such as do profess him, but also of infants, promising them his grace and remission of sins, as it appeareth by the words of the covenant made unto Abraham, ’ I will set my covenant between thee and

TniRTY NINE ARTICLES.

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me, (saith the Lord) and between thy seed after thee in their generations, with an everlasting covenant, to be thy God and the

God of thy seed after thee.’ ’ Take heed, therefore, that ye

despise not one of these babes ; for I tell you their angels do

continually see in heaven my Father’s face’ It is not the will

of the heavenly Father that the infants should peiish Since,

then, that the word of the promise which is contained in baptism pertaineth as well to children as to men, why should the sign of the promise, which is baptism in water, be withholden from

children St. Peter could not deny them to be baptized in

water, to whom he saw the Holy Ghost given, which is the

certain sign of God’s people. (Acts x.) None be received into

the kingdom of heaven but such as God lovcth, and which are endued with his Spirit : for ’ whoso hath not the spirit of God, he is none of his.’ But infants be beloved of God, and therefore want not the Spirit of God ; wherefore if they have

the spirit of God as well as men who (I pray you) may

well withstand children to be baptized with water in the name

of the Lord? But baptism is come instead of circumcision,

as St. Paul witnesseth, saying to the Colossians, ’ By Christ ye are circumcised with a circumcision which is without hands, when ye put off the body of sin of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ ; being buried together with him through baptism.’ Behold Paul calleth baptism the circumcision of a Christian

man which is done without hands For that children are

accounted of Christ in the gospel among the number of such as believe, as it appeareth by these words ; ’ He that offendeth one of these little babes which believe in me, it were better for him to have a millstone,’ &c. Where plainly Christ calleth such as be not able to confess their faith believers, because of

his mere grace he reputeth them for believers If the order

of words might weigh anything in this cause,” (implying that children should be taught before baptized) “we have the scripture that maketh as well for us ; for in St. Mark we read that John did baptize in the desert, preaching the baptism of repentance. In the which place, we see baptizing go before, and preaching to follow. And, also, I will declare this place of

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Matthew, exactly considered, to make for the use of baptism in children ; for St. Matthew hath it written in this wise ; ’ All power is given me,’ saith the Lord, ’ in heaven and in earth ; therefore, going forth, \iaQj\TtvauTi, that is, ’ disciple ye,’ that is, make or gather to me disciples of all nations. And following, he declareth the way how they should gather to him disciples out of all nations, ’ baptizing them and teaching :’ by

baptizing and teaching ye shall procure a church to me

Now then, baptism goeth before doctrine.” — Letters.

“But how can he be taken for a good Christian man, that tbinketh that Christ did ordain his sacramental signs and tokens in vain, without effectual grace and operation ? For so might we as well say, that the water in baptism is a bare token, and hath no warrant signed by scripture for any apparel at all : for the scripture speaketh not of any promise made to the receiving of a token or figure only. And so may be concluded after your manner of reasoning, that in baptism is no spiritual operation indeed, because that washing in water in itself is but a token. But to express the true effect of the sacraments ; as the washing outwardly in water is not a vain token, but teacheth such a washing as God worketh inwardly in them that duly receive the same ; so likewise, is not the bread a vain token.” — Of the Sacrament.

” But as in baptism we receive the Holy Ghost, and put

Christ upon us, as well if we be christened in one dish full of water taken out of the font, as if we christened in the whole

font or river; so we be as truly fed,’ &c ’ For as in every

part of the water in baptism is whole Christ and the Holy Spirit sacrament ally, so be they in every part of the bread

broken,’ &c I grant that Christ is really not only in them

that duly receive the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper, but also in them that duly receive the sacrament of baptism ; and in all other true Christian people at other times, when they receive no sacrament.” — Of the Presence of Christ.

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Our Saviour Christ ordained the water of baptism to signify unto us, that as that water washeth our bodies outwardly, so be we spiritually within washed by Christ from all our sins. And as the water is called water of regeneration, or new birth, so it declareth unto us, that through Christ we be born anew, and begin a new life towards God ; and that Christ is the begin- ning of this new life.” — Answer to the fifteen Articles, fyc.

” ’ In Sacraments,’ (saith Augustine) ’ is to be considered not what they be, but what they show. For they be signs of other things, being one thing, and signifying another.’ There- fore, as in baptism, those that come feignedly, and those that come unfeignedly, both be washed with the sacramental water, but both be not washed with the Holy Ghost and clothed with Christ : so in the Lord’s […] Of the Eating and Drinking.

” For as baptism is no perfect sacrament of spiritual regene- ration, without there be as well the element of water, as the Holy Ghost spiritually regenerating the person that is baptized, which is signified by the said water ; even so the supper of the Lord can be no perfect sacrament of spiritual food, except there be as well bread and wine as the body and blood of our Saviour Christ, spiritually feeding us, which by the said bread and wine is signified.” — Against Transubstantiation.

” St. Augustine sheweth this matter where he saith, ’ we

ought not to be reprehended as vain men, or liars, forasmuch as in common speech we use daily to call sacraments and figures by the names of the things that be signified by them, although they be not the same thing indeed. As every Good Friday, as often as it returneth from year to year, we call it the day of

Christ’s passion and the sacrament of his body, we call it

his body and our baptism, St. Paul calleth our burial with

Christ But so they be called because they be figures, sacra- ments, and representations of the things themselves which they

signify, and whereof they bear the names Therefore, as

after a certain manner of speech, the sacrament of Christ’s

body, is Christ’s body, the sacrament of Christ’s blood, is

Christ’s blood ; so likewise the sacrament of faith, is faith

And, therefore, when we answer for young children in their baptism that they believe, which have not yet the mind to believe, we answer, that they have faith, because they have the

sacrament of faith Anl likewise speaketh the Apostle of

baptism, saying, that ’ by baptism we be buried with him into death ;’ he saith not that we signify burial, but he saith plainly that we be buried. So that the sacrament of so great a thing, is not called but by the name of the thing itself.’ The answer of St. Augustine is this: that forasmuch as baptism is the sacrament of the profession of our faith and of our conversion unto God, it bccometh us so to answer for young children coming thereunto, as to the sacrament appertained, although

the children indeed have no knowledge of such things Like

as in baptism, Christ and the Holy Ghost be not in the water, or font, but be given in the ministration, or to them that be truly baptized in the water. And although the sacramental tokens be only significations and figures, yet doth Almighty God effectually work in them that duly receive his sacraments, those divine and celestial operations which he hath promised, and by the sacraments be signified. For else they were vain and unfruitful sacraments, as well to the godly, as to the ungodly.” — Of the Presence of Christ.

” The virtue of Christ’s sacrifice is so great, of so much dignity before God the Father, that it lasteth ever in full strength to put away sin ; yea, and that not only before, but also

after baptism At baptism we are purged through Christ’s

blood from original sin, and all other that we have committed before, so that we are reconciled to God, and recounted for righteous.” — The New Years Gift.

” As for an ensample, baptism beareth witness unto us that we are washed in the blood of Christ ; that all our sins be put away and cleansed by the death and passion of Christ : and

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that Christ by his blood hath so purified us, that he hath, made us unto himself a glorious congregation, without spot or wrinkle, or any such thing, that we should be holy and without

blame.’ Baptism, after the definition of St. Paul, is ’ the

fountain of the new birth, and renewing of the Holy Ghost.’ Or thus : baptism, as St. Peter doth define it, is f not the putting away of the filthiness of the flesh, but a good conscience consenting to God by the resurrection of Jesus Christ.’ Or oa this manner : baptism is an holy sacrament, instituted of the Lord Jesu, to this end, that so many as will shake off the cruel yoke of Satan, the world, and the flesh, and become his faithful soldiers and trusty servants, should be washed with water*in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the

Holy Ghost To be baptized with the Holy Ghost, (is) to be

regenerate, to be born anew, to be made of earthly heavenly,

of carnal spiritual, &c Is the baptism of the Spirit necessary

unto everlasting salvation ? So necessary, that without it, the baptism of water profiteth nothing. As in the Old Testament, the circumcision of the flesh profited the Jews nothing at all without the circumcision of the Spirit ; so likewise in the New Testament, the baptism of water availeth nothing without the baptism of the Spirit. ’ He is not a Jew,’ saith St. Paul, ’ which is a Jew outward ; neither is it circumcision which is

outward in the flesh. But he is a Jew,’ &c And St. Peter

saith, ’ baptism now saveth us ; not the putting away of the filthiness of the flesh, but a good conscience consenting unto God by the resurrection of Jesus Christ.’ What did it profit Simon Magus that he was baptized with water, not being also, through his hypocrisy, baptized with the Holy Ghost. Verily, nothing at all. ’ They that are led with the Spirit of God, they are

the sons of God.’ The wicked and the unfaithful have the

element of the sacrament, which is water, but the godly and the faithful have both the sacrament and also the virtue and strength of the sacrament, which is the Holy Ghost ; as Christ saith, ’ Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he

cannot enter into the kingdom of God.’ If our sacraments

which of themselves are nothing else than (as St. Paul termetb

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them) the ’ seals of righteousness,’ or of our righteous-making; by faith, and witness of God’s favour toward us, were of such virtue, that they could give grace, that is, the favour of God, remission of sin, justification, the Holy Ghost, everlasting life, &c. by the work wrought, as they say, or by any power that remaineth in the outward signs ; so should it follow that our justification depend not only of the free grace of God, but of works ; which is most false : ’ If it be of grace,’ as St. Paul

witnesseth, ‘then is it not now of works.’ Who seeth not now

evidently by the testimonies of these two apostles,” (St. Peter and St. Paul) ” that the outward sacraments of themselves give not grace, justify not, neither bring the Holy Ghost, which only are the works of Almighty God. ’ I baptize you with water unto repentance,’ saith St. John, ‘but he that shall come after me,’ (he speaketh of Christ) ’ shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire.’ Of these words of the holy Baptist, it is manifest, that washing with water bringeth not the Holy Ghost, but it is the gift of God. Man baptizeth with water ; but God baptizeth with his Spirit and grace. “Without the inward baptism of the Holy Ghost, the outward baptism of water profiteth nothing, as St. Austin saith, ’ Moses sanctifieth not for the Lord, but Moses, with invisible sacraments through his ministry, and the Lord with invisible grace through the Holy Ghost, sanctifieth ; where is the whole fruit of the visible sacraments. For without this sanctifying of the invisible grace what do the visible sacraments profit ?’ And afterward, in the same place, he sheweth that the invisible sanctifying, may both be pi-esent and also profit, without the visible sign, as in the thief; and again, that the visible sign without the invisible sanctifying may be present and profit nothing, as in Simon

Magus St. Ambrose also saith, ‘to forgive sins (in baptism)

and to give the Holy Ghost, is the office of God alone

For we know that the Holy Ghost was given of God without laying on of hands, and that he which was not baptized

obtained remission of sins Now what other thing is it to be

the God of the faithful people’s children, than to be their Saviour and blessed-maker ? If God, which is faithful in all

his words, which also is not only ‘true, but also the self-truth, savcth the children for his promise sake ; is it to be thought that the want of a little water, (where necessity compelleth) can make God to fall from his truth, and his promise to be both vain and void ; so that without the water, he cannot save the Christian infants, whom notwithstanding he hath promised to save ? What other thing is this than to make God servant to his sacraments, and to bind his grace and Spirit to an out- ward ceremony or sign Who seeth not now that baptism

itself bringeth not grace, but doth testify unto the congregation that he which is baptized hath already received grace and the Spirit of God, and is accepted of God for his merciful promise

sake, a dear child and heir of everlasting glory And it is

not to be doubted, but that even among the Turks and the other heathen, there are many spiritually baptized, and so are

saved, although their bodies want the water of baptism

Item, who doubted that many and divers infants of the Israelites died without circumcision ? Shall we say that all these perished and were damned for lack of circumcision?

God forbid Besides all these things, what shall we say of

God’s election ? Can the lack of outward baptism destroy and make of none effect the election of God ; so that when God hath chosen to everlasting salvation, the want of an external

sign shall cast down unto everlasting damnation ? But what

is to be said to this sentence of Christ, ’ Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God ? ’ The like manner of speaking read we in the Gospel of St. John, and they also are the words of Christ : ’ Verily, verily, I say unto you, except ye eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.’ Some of the ancient fathers understanding these words literally, thought that whosoever died without the receiving of the sacrament of the body and blood of Christ was in great danger of damnation ; and, therefore, they ordained that the young infants also, as soon as they were baptized should receive the sacrament of

the body and blood of Christ when, to say the truth, these

words of Christ are not to be understood literally, but spiri-

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tually, not of the sacramental, but of the spiritual eating and drinking of Christ’s body and blood, which is done by faith. And as these fathers grated too hard upon this sentence of Christ, ’ Except ye eat,’ &c, so likewise did these fathers cleave too much to these words of Christ, ’ Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of

God.’ .For, as many of the people of God are saved which

never received the sacrament of the body and blood of Christ, so likewise are many saved though they were never outwardly baptized with water ; forasmuch as the regeneration of the

Christian consisteth rather in the Spirit than in the flesh

This text therefore of Christ, ’ Except a man be born of water,’ &c. is to be understand of such as may conveniently be baptized, and yet, notwithstanding, contemptuously refuse baptism, and in this behalf despise the ordinance of Christ, and by this means, seclude themselves from the company of God’s

people It is notably said of St. Augustine, ’ Then is it

fulfilled invisibly, when not the contempt of religion, but the article of necessity excludetb the mystery of baptism.” — Catechism of the Sacraments — Baptism.

” Here also” (Acts ii. 37 — 41.) ” we learn how faithful be- lievers use themselves in the outward sacraments. They that being moved by the inspiration of the Holy Ghost in their hearts do hear the eternal word preached, giving credit unto it and gladly receiving it, these do not afterward despise the outward sacraments, which God hath instituted for the welfare of his Church, but use the same with all obedience, good will, and reverence. To use the sacraments without faith profiteth not, but rather hurteth : to be loth to use them declareth a compul- sion and unbelief. For though the water in baptism be an out- ward thing and cannot cleanse the soul from sin; yet the faithful do know right well, that Christ, the eternal wisdom, in whom they believe, did not institute it in vain ; and therefore will not they condemn, or leave unexercised, the ordinance of their Head, to whom they as members are incorporated by faith They

know also that sacraments are evidences of tbe promise and grace of God, which they after a visible and palpable manner do set forth, declare, and represent unto us.” — Fruitful Lessons. Of sending of the Holy Ghost.

” Truth it is that to believe with the heart justifieth ; but the confession that is made with the mouth belongeth unto health, and serveth unto love and unity of the Church and congregation

of God Therefore did Christ institute the sacraments, that

is to say, exterior signs of his grace; that his people might

be associate together.in the unity of faith Not that the grace

and health is therefore to be ascribed to the elements and out- ward things, but that it may appear how effectuous faith is, and what it worketh through charitable love in the Church.” — Ibid. The Resurrection of Christ.

” The sacrament of baptism, how far we are from disgracing, or taking away altogether, when we affirm that the grace of God’s Spirit is not so tied unto it, but he may work regenera- tion without it in them that by necessity are deprived of it, let

all men of reason and indifferency judge And a great

absurdity he thinketh he hath found out, in that we expound the water and Spirit to signify one thing: as though in Mat. iii. 16. ’ The Holy Ghost and fire ’ are not put both for one thing ; and he may as well in the one place urge the element of fire in the baptism of Christ, as by this place prove the necessity of bap- tism in water. And yet, we take not away the sacrament of baptism, or the water, the external matter thereof, which in other places is expressly commanded : when we say it is not spoken of in this text, which is of the thing signified in baptism, rather than of baptism ; as in John vi. our Saviour speaketh in like terms of the thing represented in the sacrament of his supper, not of the sacrament itself.” — Defence of English Trans- lations of the Bible.

” Here he sheweth ” (Eph. v. 25—27,) ” how Christ hath purged his church truly in the fountain of water, by his word. Although God of his mere mercy and goodness, without all man’s deserts, or merits, only for Christ’s sake hath washed and purged man from sin ; yet he useth a mean by the which he cleanseth men from sin, which is by baptism in water by the word of God ; and so in baptism are our sins taken away, and we from sins purged, cleansed and regenerated in a new man, to live a holy life according to the Spirit and will of God, It is not the water that washes us from our sins, but Christ by his word and his spirit given to us in baptism, that washeth away our sins that we have of Adam by carnal nature. In that the apostle saith that Christ ’ hath cleansed his church in the fountain of water by the word,’ he sheweth plainly that baptism is a mean whereby Christ taketh away original sin, and maketh all them that be baptized in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, according to Christ’s institution, (Matt, xxviii.) to be cleansed from all the sin of Adam…^. Children be born in sin, and shall be damned if they be not cleansed from their sin. Although God do purge us from sin only, yet he ujeth means whereby he taketh and washeth away our sins. That means, saith St. Paul, here, is by the fountain of water in the word of God, by the which means

Christ purgeth his church and his congregation This saying

of St. Paul (Tit. iii.) proveth that children of necessity must be christened, or else they cannot be purged of their sins, nor yet

saved by Christ and come to life everlasting It may be

proved by many places of the holy scripture, that children must needs be christened, or else they cannot be saved, except

God of his absolute power do save them Children may have

faith, although they have it not by hearing, yet they have faith by infusion of the Holy Ghost, as the holy prophets had, and many holy men in the old law had. Also faith is the gift of God and the work of the Holy Ghost. Who should let God to

give bis gifts where he will, seeing faith is the gift of God. (Eph. ii. Phil, i.) He may give faith as well to children as to old men.” — Com. on the Eph.

” “We say that baptism is the sacrament of the remission of sins, and of that washing which we have in the blood of Christ, and that none are to be denied that sacrament who will profess the faith of Christ ; no, not the infants of Christians, because they are born in sin and belong to the people of God.” — Apology of the Church.

” St. Augustine saith, 1 it is good and godly to believe that the child is holpen by the faith of them by whom he is offered,

or brought unto baptism.’ The like sayings might be alleged

out of Justinus Martyr, St. Cyprian, St. Jerome, and others. For thus they write, how truly I will not say. But their words be plain. The prophet Habakuk saith, ‘The just man shall live (not by the faith of his parents, but) by his own faith.’ Of this faith, Jerome saith, ’ They that receive not baptism with perfect faith, receive the water, but the Holy Ghost they receive not.’ St. Augustine saith, ‘true baptism standeth not so much iu washing of the body, as in the faith of the heart, as the doctrine of the Apostles hath taught us, saying, ’ By faith purifying their hearts ’ and in another place, ’ Baptism maketh us safe ;’ not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the examining of a good conscience before God

by the resurrection of Jesus Christ.’ Touching the virtue

or power of this sacrament, (the outward element of water) it is a common resolution amongst all his (Mr. Harding’s) own school doctors, ‘Gratia Dei non est alligata sacramentis,’ ‘The grace of God is not tied to any sacraments.’ The meaning thereof is this ; — that God is able to work salvation both with

them and without them Notwithstanding we must consider

that the learned fathers, in their treatises of the sacraments, sometimes use the outward sign instead of the thing itself that is signified ; sometimes they use the thing signified instead of the sign. As for example, sometimes they name Christ’s blood

instead of the water. Sometimes they name the water instead of Christ’s blood. This figure is called Metonymia ; that is to say, an exchange of names, and is much used among the learned, specially speaking of the sacraments.” — Defence of the Apology.

” Augustine also in his epistle written ad Bonifacium answer- ing this question ; why seeing we dare promise nothing of the infant’s behaviour and manners when he cometh to man’s estate, yet when he is brought to baptism, and the question is asked of those that offer him to be baptized, whether the infant believe or no, they answer that he doth believe ; saith on this wise ’ Nisi sacramenta quondam haberent similitudinem, §c. Except sacra- ments had a certain similitude and likeness of those things whereof they be sacraments, they were no sacraments at all ; and by reason of this same similitude, oftentimes they are called by the names of the things themselves ; therefore as after a cer- tain manner of speaking, the sacrament of the body of Christ is the body of Christ ; the sacrament of the blood is the blood of Christ; so the sacrament of the faith is faith: ueitheris it anything else to believe than to have faith ; and therefore when answer is made that the infant doth believe, not having as yet faith indeed, it is answered that he doth believe for the sacrament of

faith.’ And a little after he saith, ’ Therefore, although that

faith which consisteth in the will of the believers doth not make the child faithful, yet doth the sacrament of that faith make him faithful: for even as it is answered, that he doth believe, so is he also called faithful, not by signifying the thing itself in his

mind but by receiving the sacrament of the thing.’ Baptism

is truly called by him the sacrament of faith, because it is sig- naculum justitice fidei as circumcision the figure of it was, accord- ing to the word of the Apostle (ad Rom. iv.) The outward

sacramental signs are seals of God’s promises, and whosoever refuseth the same shall never enjoy the promises, and although the necessity of salvation is not so tied to these sacraments that whosoever hath the external signs shall therefore be saved, yet

is it so tied unto them that none can be saved that willingly and

wittingly is void of them You say that we attribute to the

sign that which is proper to the work of God in the blood of Christ, as though virtue were in water to wash away sin. You know very well that we teach far otherwise, and that it is a cer- tain and true doctrine of all such as profess the gospel that the outward sign of the sacraments do not contain in them grace, neither yet that the grace of God is of necessity tied unto them, but only that they may be seals of God’s promises, notes of Christianity, testimonies and effectual signs of the grace of God, and of our redemption in Christ Jesus, by the which the Spirit of God doth invisibly work in us not only the increase of faith but confirmation also.” — Defence of the Answer, <$-c.