Thursday, October 17, 2019

Cornelius Burges (1589-1665) on Baptismal Regeneration of Elect Infants in Reformed Confessions


Cornelius Burges (1589-1665), an English minister and theologian, wrote a volume in 1629, Baptismal Regeneration of Elect Infants, arguing that, for infants who are members of the "elect" received regeneration at their baptism. In chapter 6, "The Confessions of Reformed Churches," he defends this view from the creedal statements of the Reformed faith:

. . . it is requisite that I now shew what the Churches of Christ, since the last happy Reformation, have all conspired to acknowledge and professe in their severall Publique conffessions, printed at Geneva, concerning this point: by which it will appeare, that henin they doe, in substance, concurre with those Fathers that some shallow braines, please to set so light by. The judgment of ouw owne Church, as it is expressed in the Form of Baptism, the Catechisme, and Articles of Religion, wee have already seene at large we are therefore now to produce the Confessions of forraine Churches only, which here follow in order.

1. The Helvetian confession, cap. 20 runs thus: To be baptized in the name of Christ, is to be inroled, initiated, and receved into the covenant and family, and so into the inheritance of the sonnes of God: yea to be even now called by the name of God, that is, to be called a sonne of God, to bee purged from the filth of sinne, and to bee endowed with the manifold grace of God, unto a new and innocent life. And a little after: for we are inwardly regenerated, purified, and renewed by God through the Holy Ghost. And or a close of that Chapter, they adde; Wee condemne the Anabaptists, who deny young infants borne of faithfull parents to be admitted unto baptisme. For according to the doctrine of the Gospell, theirss is the kingdome of God, and they are within the covenant of God: why therefore should not the signe of the covenant of God be given unto them? Why should they not bee initiated by holy baptisme, that are Gods peculiar, and within his Church?

2. The confession of Scotland We doe certainly believe that by baptisme wee are ingraffed into Jesus Christ, and made partakens of his rightousnesse whereby all our sinnes are done away.

3. The Belgicke confession. art. 34 thus speakes. Therefore did the Lord command all of his to be baptized with pure water, in the name of the Father, the Sonne, and the Holy Ghost; that he mighte signifie that the blood of Christ by the Holy Ghost doth performe inwardly in the soule, that which the water doth effect outwardly upon our bodies. And that they understand this of infants also, they afterward expresse themselves by declaring against the Anabaptists, that ven infants parake of Christ in baptisme, pro modulo suo, according to their capacity, as well as others;: saying, certainly Christ shed his bloud that hee might no lesse wash infants of faithfull parents, then those of yeares, and therefore it is requisite they should also receave the signe or Sacrament of that thing which Christ or their sakes accomplished.

4. The confession of France, which is also the confession of Geneva, professeth this, We acknowledge only two Sacraments common to the whole church, the former whereof is Baptismse, given unto us to witnesse our adoption, because in it we are ingraffed into the body of Christ, that being washed with his blood we might also be renewed by his spirit unto holinesse of life. Againe in the 37. Art: We believe, as is aforesaid, that as well in the Lord’s supper, as in baptisme, God doth bestow upon us in very deed; that is to say, truly, and effectually whatsoever hee therein sacramentally doth represent unto us: and therefore with the signes we ioyne the true professions and fruition o that thing which is therein offered to us. And in Art. 38 thus.

5. The Argentine confession, cap. 17. thus determineth; Touching Baptisme we confesse that which the scripture every where affirmeth of it: that, thereby wee are buried into the death of Christ, knit together in one body, we put on Christ; it is the laver of Regeneration to wash away our sins, and to save us, Rom. 6 3. 1. Cor. 12. Ga. 3. Tit. 3. Act 22. 1 Pet. 3.

6. The Augustane confession. art. 9. teacheth that infants being by baptisme commended unto Go, are received into the favour of God, and made his sonnes as Christ testifeith. Math. 18. Saying it is not the will of our father which is heaven that one of these little ones should perish.

7. The Saxon confession cap. 14 thus. We retaine that baptisme of infants also, because it is most certaine that the promise of grace belongs even to infants &c. nor doe we judge this a mere idle ceremony, but that then they are truly received by God, and sanctified.

8. The confession of Wirtemberg, cap. Do. Baptito to the same effect: We teach that he that is baptized in the name of the Father, of the sonne, and o the Holy Ghost is anointed with a spirutall chrysme: that is, he is made a member of Christ, and endowed with the Holy Ghost.

9. To all these we mae add the pious and orthodox confession of the Palatine, extant in the same Harmony of confessions; Touching the force and efficacy of holy baptisme, I believe & confesse that our children (forasmuch as they also are include together with us in the covenant before spoken of) when they are baptized into the Articles of the ancient and catholike faith (as in them also they ought to bee traind up and instructed) are made partakers as well as we of the bloudy death of our Lord Jesus Christ, and of all other good things which in that his death he hath procured: and that in this manner; viz: that as they receave the otward seale, to wit the holy Sacrament, the elementary water from the Minister of the word externally in the body; so also together at once by Christ they are washed with his bloud in their soules; that is to say, they are internally baptized, and are regenerated a new as new creatures by the Holy Ghost. (Cornelius Burges, Baptismal Regeneration of Elect Infants, Professed by the Church of England, according to the Scriptures, the Primitive Church, the present Reformed Churches, and many particular Divines apart [Oxford: 1629],138-44, italics in original, spelling in original retained)