A golden chaine: or The description of theologie containing the order of the causes of saluation and damnation, according to Gods word. A view whereof is to be seene in the table annexed. Hereunto is adioyned the order which M. Theodore Beza vsed in comforting afflicted consciences.

The Confutation.

Wee denie that Baptisme is of absolute necessitie to saluation. Reasons. I. Sacraments doe not conferre grace, but rather confirme grace, when GOD hath conferred the same. The children of faithfull parents are borne holy, not by naturall generation, but by the grace of God, and are not first made holy by baptisme: and as for such as are of yeares of discretion before they be bap∣tized, they cannot be baptized vnlesse they beleeue. Nowe all such as beleeue, they are both iustified, and reconciled to God; and therefore, albeit they with∣out their owne default, are depriued of the Sacraments it is vnpossible for thē to perish. II. God did precisely appoint circumcision to be on the eight day, not on the first, or the second: nowe there is no doubt but that many infants

before their eight daie were preuented of circumcision by death, all which for a man peremptorily to set downe as condemned, were very absurd. III. If cir∣cumcision were of such absolute great necessitie, why was it for the space of fourtie yeares in the desart intermitted? and that onely because the Israelites beeing often in iourney, such as were circumcised were by it in ieopardy of death: no doubt Moses and Aaron would neuer haue omitted this Sacrament so long, if it had bene absolutely necessarie to saluation. IV. This doctrine of the absolute necessitie of Baptisme was vnknowne to the auncient Fathers. For the primitiue Church did tollerate very godly men (though we allow not this their fact) that they should deferre their baptisme many yeares, yea often to the time of their death. Hence was it that Constantine the great was not baptised till a little before his death: and Valentinian by reason of his de∣lay, was not at all baptized: whome notwithstanding Ambrose pronoun∣ceth to be in heauen. And Bernard in his 77. epist. disputeth, that not euery depriuation of Baptisme, but the contempt or palpable negligence, is damna∣ble.