# Further Observations Concerning The Deplorable State Of The Worship Of God In This Century. · Page 2 of 8

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Hence, when he here speaks of the good will of
man, it is quite evident, that he treats neither of
infants nor of infant baptism, seeing infants have no
knowledge of either a good or a bad will, nor of
baptism, nor of regeneration, to which said passage
of Giselbert also has reference; much less have they
the ability to worthily begin and execute all this,
for the proper reception of baptism. He intends
simply to say, that baptism is indeed necessary, yet
not without regeneration; which regeneration he
regards as the most important of all, according to
John 3:5,7, from which he concludes that it is not
in the power of man to reject this way, namely, to
separate regeneration from baptism, or baptism from
regeneration, which is a stricture upon those who
were wont to reject the baptism of the regenerated
or penitent, and to go another way, as did the Pharisees
in the days of John the Baptist; who, rejecting
the counsel of God against themselves (namely,
the baptism of John), were not baptized of him.
Luke 7:30.

But, in order that no one need sorrow, who, having
attained to regeneration, could not receive baptism,
on account of serious obstacles or the want of
a fitting opportunity, and, hence, might imagine
that there was no grace or mercy of God for him,
he adds this consolation, namely: “That it is in
God’s power, if man cannot obtain the means (baptism),
to accept graciously his good will.”

Whatever others, especially papistic writers, may
have recorded of Giselbert’s belief, detrimental to,
or, at least, against the point in view, we let them
be responsible for it; this is certain, that we have
not as yet been able to find anything to the contrary,
in any authentic writer.

About A. D. 925.—Shortly after, or very near
the time of Giselbert, Ansbert is mentioned, who,
writing on several matters of faith, or articles of
religion, also makes mention of baptism, approaching
herein very closely the language, or, at least, the
sense of the holy apostles, which appears from the
following testimonies:

Bapt. Hist., page 568. Ansbert (on Rev. 19),
says, according to the words of Christ, John 1:13:
“Which were born not of blood . . . but of
God.” “Of God, that is, through the preached
word and the washing of regeneration, by which
mysteries (namely, preaching and the washing of
241
regeneration, that is, baptism) Christ still daily begets
and brings forth unto himself heirs.”

He here connects the word of God, or preaching,
with the washing of regeneration, or baptism, and
says that by them Christ begets and brings forth unto
himself heirs. How could anybody more plainly
declare: 1. what true baptism is; 2. what belongs
to it; and 3. what fruit proceeds from it. For,
firstly, what true baptism is, he expresses by these
words: Washing of regeneration, according to Tit.
3:5, indicating thereby, that true baptism is peculiar
only to the regenerate; that is, to the penitent.
Secondly, what belongs to baptism he expresses by
these words: The preached word; for, as the apostle
declares, “Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing
by the word of God,” Rom. 10:17. The preached
word is therefore the means by which to attain to
the faith, and faith is the foundation upon which
truly to receive baptism. As necessary, then, as
faith is, in order to be truly baptized, upon it, so
necessary also is the preached word, in order to
truly believe; consequently, Ansbert has justly joined
the preached word to baptism, as a proof that it
belongs to it, according to the words of Christ
(Mark 16:15,16): “Preach the Gospel . . . he
that believeth and is baptized.” Thirdly, what fruit
proceeds from such baptism, when it is accompanied
with regeneration and the preached word of God,
he expresses with these words: “By which mysteries
Christ still daily begets and brings forth unto
himself heirs,” which well agrees with the words of
Paul, Gal. 3:26,27: “Ye are all the children of
God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you
as have been baptized into Christ have put on
Christ.” These, then, who by this means become
children of God, also become his heirs and joint
heirs with Christ. Rom. 8:17. Hence, said words
of Ansbert are conformable to the holy Scriptures,
and speak of the baptism of the regenerate, but in
no wise of infant baptism.

Page 569. Ansbert (on Rev. 21) teaches: “The
trinity of the Godhead we dare not, and shall not
pass by unnoticed, especially when we are baptized
upon the confession of the holy Trinity, and are
saved in the faith of the unity of the same.”

Here he again connects baptism with confession
and faith, yea, he says that we are baptized upon
confession, and saved in faith. Certainly, there is
not a letter in the above passage, which savors of
infant baptism, but every word denies, yea, opposes
it, inasmuch as here such a baptism only is spoken
of, as is received with faith and the confession of
the same; but that this can be done by infants,
militates not only against the holy Scriptures, but
also against nature.



## Original source

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