V. OF BAPTISM.

Baptism is nothing else than the word of God connected with water, commanded by his institution, or as St. Paul says: "A washing of water, by the word," Eph. 5, 26; also as Augustine says: "The word being added to the element, it becomes a sacrament." And for this reason we cannot hold with Thomas and the Dominicans, who forgetting the word and God's institution, say: "God has placed a spiritual power in the water, which washes away sins through the water." Nor can we agree with Scotus and the Franciscans, who teach that Baptism washes away sins through the assistance of the Divine will; thereby asserting that this washing away comes to pass, alone through the will of God, and not at all through the word or water.

Concerning Infant Baptism we hold, that children should be baptized; for they also belong to the promised redemption effected through Christ; and the church should administer it to them.