Note (N) on page 144.
Burges (Baptismal Regeneration of Elect Infants) produces three passages from the Fathers, to prove that though they speak of regeneration as universally accompanying Baptism, yet they are to be understood as limiting this to the elect. "It is true," he says, (p. 129) "that the Fathers except none; but this proves not that they therefore held none as excepted by God, nay they often declare the contrary." The three passages he produces are of course the strongest he could find: they are from St. Chrysostom, St. Jerome, and St. Augustine.
The passage of St. Chrysostom is mistranslated. Burges translates "Some, when ready to breathe their last, run unto Baptism, and yet are never a whit the more purged by it;" and argues that "these persons are not such as resist the Spirit by a wicked heart and corrupt life: but men, even at the point of death, apprehending a necessity of remission of sin by Christ, and hastening to initiation, which argues an earnest desire after the grace of Baptism, and yet they go away without it. Therefore they of whom he speaketh are not such as do resist the Spirit, when they are baptized." But St. Chrysostom says, "How am I pained when I see others hastening to their last gasp, and not even thence coming to a better mind!" And he is speaking of those who delay Baptism, and at last receive it ungratefully, and "even if they recover, think that an injury has been done them;" [in that they could not now again have the full remission of Baptism.]
St. Jerome, in Gal. iii. 27, is speaking manifestly of adults, of those "who, whether heretics, or hypocrites, or living in sin, (qui sordide victitant,) appear to receive Baptism, but he doubts whether they have the clothing of Christ;" and with these he joins Simon Magus, who "had received (acceperat) the washing of water, but because he had not (habebat) the Holy Spirit, had not put on Christ." "There are many washings," he says on Ezek. xvi. 4. "which the heathen in their mysteries, and the heretics promise, who all give a washing, but not to salvation. Wherefore it is added, 'and thou wast not washed in water to salvation.' Which may be understood not only of heretics, but of members of the Church, who do not with full faith receive saving Baptism: Of whom it must be said, that they received water, but not the Spirit, as also that Simon Magus, who wished to purchase the grace of God with money, was baptized with water, but by no means to salvation." St. Jerome then looked upon Simon Magus' sin as commencing with his Baptism, not as a subsequent relapse; that he came to Baptism feignedly; not led by the Spirit of God, but for filthy lucre, and therefore he of course received not its grace. This all Christians who adopted the same view of Simon Magus' case (see above, p. 172 sq.) would alike hold. But it is not thereby implied that he failed of receiving that grace,
