Page:Tracts for the Times Vol 2.djvu/486

must always be understood as connected with it, an infusion of sanctifying grace, which, in another sense, gives life. For, when sin is remitted, not only is guilt taken away, but the will, which had been disordered by sins and slain, is restored to life and order through grace. An infusion then of grace is always united with forgiveness of offence.") Often then as St. Augustine speaks of those who miss of Baptismal grace, they are always these two classes, those who are wanting in faith or love, hypocrites or heretics. (Ep. 93. ad Vincentium Rogatistam, § 46. Ep. 108. ad Macrobium. In Joann. Evang. c. 1. Tract. 6. § 14. Serm. 268. § 2. c. Faust. L. 12. c. 17. against the unfaithful, Quæst. ad Num. L. 4. § 11. against both, in Psalm 77. § 2. Serm. 90. in Evang. Mt. 22. § 5.) and so also in this passage of the Hom. de Baptismo Parvulor. in Ps. 78. which alone has any reference to the matter for which it is alleged—"and yet," he says, "the grace of Baptism is not alike to all," "for," he adds, "heretics have the same Baptism, and false brethren in the communion of the Catholic name." The parallel between these two classes runs through the whole of his books against the Donatists; of which might be named, especially, the De Baptismo contra Donatistas and the Contra Cresconium Donatistam. If then, innumerably often as he specifies these classes, he names no others, one should infer, on this ground alone, that St. Augustine held, that all baptized persons, of whatever age, received the benefits of baptism, those excepted who placed a bar of unbelief in heart or life against it. Even these, St. Augustine maintained to have received real baptism, (since it could not be repeated,) and that its benefits lay, as it were, in them, then to be realized, whenever they should, in heart and mind, turn to God. "When Baptism," he says, "is given in the Gospel words, however perversely he may understand it, through whom it is given, or he, to whom it is given, it is in itself Holy, for His sake, Whose it is. But if he who receives it be a perverted one, neither does that which is given, avail such to salvation, and yet that which is received remains holy in him, nor is repeated to him, if he be reformed." (de Bapt. c. Don. L. 4. §. 18.) There can, then, be no ground why we should limit St. Augustine's full and positive language, wherein he declares the undoubted regeneration of all baptized infants; and if St. Augustine not only doubt not, but assert thus earnestly, the Baptismal regeneration of all infants, it will not be readily supposed, that any other teacher of the Ancient Church hesitated thereon. Two short declarations of his belief may yet be subjoined. "In little ones born, and not as yet baptized, be Adam acknowledged: in little ones born and baptized and therefore (ob hoc) regenerate, be there acknowledged Christ." Serm. 74. (al. 8. de verbis Ap.) §. 9. "From the little one just born, to the decrepit old man, as no one is to be kept from baptism, so there is none who does not die to sin in Baptism; but little ones only to original, the