Page:Tracts for the Times Vol 2.djvu/482

272 because had not chosen him to receive it: rather, he received it not on account of his own sin.

The statement of St. Augustine is not taken directly from his works, but (as Burges says) from Peter Lombard (Sent. L. 4. Dist. 4. A.) and with some misgiving that "P. Lombard may have wronged him." The statement is "Sacramenta in solis electis efficiunt quod figurant." "The Sacraments work what they shadow forth in the elect only." And for this the 'De Baptismo parvulorum' is alleged. This same sentiment, in the same words, and probably on the same authority, is also alleged to be St. Augustine's by Calvin, (Institt. 4. 14. 15.) But neither in the three books "de peccatorum meritis et remissione, et de Baptismo parvulorum," nor in the Homily so entitled (Serm. 294. alias 14. de verbis Apostoli), nor, as far as I can discover, in any other work of St. Augustine, is there any such sentiment. And not this only, but it appears to be in contradiction with St. Augustine's genuine sentiments. On the contrary he uniformly contrasts (as above said, p. 88.) the case of infants baptized and those unbaptized, the one being elected to the gift of regeneration, and so (if they die early) to the kingdom of Heaven; the other, as being unregenerated, being 'left.' "Rightly thou sayest, he answers Julian, 'that justice lies in the depth of Deity.' In this depth is it, that it is 'neither of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of that showeth mercy.' In this depth is it, that that little one is adopted to honour by the washing of regeneration, that other is left in dishonour, not to be admitted into the kingdom, where there is no merit or demerit in either by any choice of will. Behold, two little ones lie there; one of them dies baptized, the other unbaptized: to which of them will you say that  is merciful? If to the one, show wherein is the ill desert of the other, thou who deniest original sin: if to both, show me any good deserts of the baptized, thou who deniest grace, where there is no accepting of persons; and say, if thou canst, why He would not adopt both, who doubtless created both in His own image? Neither of them refused, so that you might suppose the Divnne power hindered by the demerits of the human will: here then to neither can say, 'I willed and thou wouldst not.' And yet one is taken and the other is left, because great is the free mercy of  and true is the justice of. But why the one more than the other? 'The judgments of are unsearchable.'" (Op. Imperf. c. Julian. L. 1. § 38, 9.) And so he on each occasion shuts up the question by the appeal "Oh the depth of the riches!" (e.g. de Bapt. Parv. § 7.) but doubts not that all baptized children are regenerated, and have the full benefits of Baptism.

St. Augustine's opinions may be still further illustrated, by observing who, in his opinion, miss of the grace of Baptism, or receive the grace without any benefit. They are two classes only; first, those who