Holy Baptism (against the Calvinists)

Synod of Jerusalem, 1672  (Orthodox)
https://archive.org/details/actsanddecreess00lucagoog/page/n152/mode/2up?view=theater

Decree XVI

We believe Holy Baptism, which was instituted by the Lord, and is conferred in the name of the Holy Trinity, to be of the highest necessity.  For without it none is able to be saved, as the Lord saith,  "Whosoever is not born of water and of the Spirit, shall in no wise enter into the Kingdom of the Heavens".  And, therefore, it is necessary even for infants, since they also are subject to original sin, and without Baptism are not able to obtain its remission.  Which the Lord shewed when he said, not of some only, but simply and absolutely, "Whosoever is not born [again]", which is the same as saying, All that after the coming of Christ the Saviour would enter into the Kingdom of the Heavens must be regenerated.  And forasmuch as infants are men, and as such need salvation; needing salvation, they need also Baptism.  And those that are not regenerated, since they have not received the remission of hereditary sin, are, of necessity, subject to eternal punishment, and consequently cannot without Baptism be saved; so that even infants ought, of necessity, to be baptized. Moreover, infants are saved, as is said in Matthew; but he that is not baptized is not saved.  And consequently even infants must of necessity be baptized.  And in the Acts it is said that the whole houses were baptized, and consequently the infants.  To this the ancient Fathers also witness explicitly, and among them Dionysius in his Treatise concerning the Ecclesiastical Hierarchy; and Justin in his fifty-sixth Question, who saith expressly, "And they are vouchsafed the benefits of Baptism by the faith of those that bring them to Baptism."  And Augustine saith that it is an Apostolical tradition, that children are saved through Baptism; and in another place, "The Church giveth to babes the feet of others, that they may come; and the hearts of others, that they may believe; and the tongues of others, that they may promise"; and in another place, "Our mother, the Church, furnishes them with a particular heart".

Now the matter of Baptism is pure water, and no other liquid.  And it is performed by the Priest only, or in a case of unavoidable necessity, by another man, provided he be Orthodox, and have the intention proper to Divine Baptism.  And the effects of Baptism are, to speak concisely, firstly, the remission of the hereditary transgression, and of any sins whatsoever which the baptized may have committed.  Secondly, it delivers him from the eternal punishment, to which he was liable, as well for original sin, as for mortal sins he may have individually committed.  Thirdly, it giveth to such immortality; for in justifying them from past sins, it makes them temples of God.  And it may not be said, that any sin is not washed away through Baptism, which may have been previously committed; but to remain, though not imputed.  For that were indeed the height of impiety, and a denial, rather than a confession of piety.  Yea, forsooth, all sin existing, or committed before Baptism, is blotted out, and is to be regarded as never existing or committed.  For the forms of Baptism, and on either hand all the words that precede and that perfect Baptism, do indicate a perfect cleansing.  And the same thing even the very names of Baptism do signify.  For if Baptism be by the Spirit and by fire, it is manifest that it is in all a perfect cleansing; for the Spirit cleanses perfectly.  If it be light, it dispels the darkness.  If it be regeneration, old things are passed away.  And what are these except sins?  If the baptized puts off the old man, then sin also.  If he puts on Christ, then in effect he becometh free from sin through Baptism.  For God is far from sinners.  This Paul also teacheth more plainly, saying:  "As through one [man] we, being many, were made sinners, so through one [are we made] righteous."  And if righteous, then free from sin. For it is not possible for life and death to be in the same [person].  If Christ truly died, then remission of sin through the Spirit is true also.

Hence it is evident that all who are baptized and fall asleep while babes are undoubtedly saved, being predestinated through the death of Christ.  Forasmuch as they are without any sin; without that common [to all], because delivered therefrom by the Divine laver, and without any of their own, because as babes they are incapable of committing sin; and consequently are saved.  Moreover, Baptism imparteth an indelible character, as doth also the Priesthood.  For as it is impossible for any one to receive twice the same order of the Priesthood, so it is impossible for any once rightly baptized, to be again baptized, although he should fall even into myriads of sins, or even into actual apostacy from the Faith.  For when he is willing to return unto the Lord, he receives again through the Mystery of Penance the adoption of a son, which he had lost.