Vermigli:

1) If a Ethnic [Pagan] hear that Christ was raised from the dead, he will think it to be a fable. But a Christian not only believes that the same was done, but also will not doubt but that he himself as a member of Christ shall one day be raised up from the dead. Afterward Chrisostom comes to the visible Sacrament, and says: If an Infidel see Baptism, he will judge that there is but water only: but the faithful behold the washing of the soul by the blood of Christ. Peter Martyr, “Of Sacraments, namely Circumcision,” in The Common Places, trans., and complied by Anthonie Martin, 1583, part 4, p., 97.

2) There is offered unto us remission of sins, in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost. And yet ought we not to think that it is given by reason of the work wrought as they use to speak: as though a holiness, or the spirit lay hidden in the water, and that it can regenerate us by the outward touching. For it is not so, but by the word of GOD, and the outward sign is signified unto us our reconciliation with God made by Christ: upon which reconciliation if we lay hold by faith, we are both justified and also sanctified. Wherefore Augustine upon John says: “From whence comes this so great a virtue unto the water, that it should touch the body and wash the heart, unless the word wrought it: not in that it is spoken, but that it is believed. But in infants which by reason of age cannot yet believe the Holy Ghost works in their hearts in the stead of faith. The effusion also of the Holy Ghost is promised in baptism, as it is expressly written in the Epistle to Titus, “Who has saved us by the fountain of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost which he has plentifully poured upon us. Peter Martyr, “Of Baptism,” in The Common Places, trans., and complied by Anthonie Martin, 1583, part 4, p., 113.

3) Aristotle denies that children can be happy, but we on the other side affirm them to be happy, seeing Christ said, “Suffer them to come unto me,” (Mar 10:14), he embraces them with great favour, and with singular clemency. We know, indeed, that they as yet cannot be workers of excellent actions, but yet by Christ both original sin is forgiven them, and a way unto eternal life is opened to them. Peter Martyr, The Common Places, trans., and complied by Anthonie Martin, 1583, part 1, pp., 157-158.

4) Lastly, unto sin death is due as a reward (Rom. 6:23.): therefore, where no sin is, there death can have no place. For this only appertains unto the Son of God, to die an innocent; For he died for our sins: but we therefore, die; because we be not without sin. And if it be so, then let us see what our adversaries can allege; why infants, which be now born anew in Christ, do die? For actual sins they have not, and the guiltiness or blame of original sin is taken away: there remains only lust and corruption of nature, not wholly amended: & corrupt motions, which Augustine in his eleventh book of confessions says, are found in infants; and he does confess, and accuses them as sins: and therefore, seeing these be sins, they do not unjustly die for them….

But they will object unto is, that we do injury against baptism, if we say that sin is not taken away thereby. But we cannot justly be accused of this crime: for we affirm that the guiltiness or imputation of fault is taken away by regeneration. For although these vices remain, as does the scripture declare, and experience teaches, yet their bond [of punishment] and guiltiness is discharged. Wherefore Augustine sundry times says; that Concupicience indeed remains, but the blame is taken away by Christ. Peter Martyr, The Common Places, trans., and complied by Anthonie Martin, 1583, part 2, pp., 272 and 274.

5] [Theses for Debate:]

14. PROPOSITIONS FROM THE I6th AND 7th CHAPTERS OF
GENESIS

NECESSARY

14.N.1. The covenant of the fathers and what we have now after the
coming of Christ, are the same regarding the foundation which is Christ,
although there is some diversity in rites and ceremonies.

14.N.2. Circumcision and baptism are the same in regard to the matter
of the sacrament, despite the difference of ceremony.

14.N.3. The infants of Christians belong to God at birth no less than did
the children of the Jews in antiquity; therefore, in the same way they should be baptized with water as those were circumcised.

14.N.4. A sacrament is an outward sign instituted by God to signify and
exhibit grace to those who rightly receive it.

14.N.5. Sacraments in the Old Testament not only signified but also
exhibited the grace of God.

14.N.6. Sacraments are not the cause of grace, but means which God
uses while he sanctifies his own through them.

14.N.7. Sacraments are not such necessary means that God has tied his power to them completely as though he could not give salvation without them.

14.N.8, Just as sacraments cannot be neglected without the severest
fault, even so are they received with the greatest benefit.

Peter Martyr Vermigli,”Theses for Debate: Propositions from Genesis,” in Early Writings: Creed, Scripture, Church, trans., by Mariano Di Gangi and Joseph C. McLelland, (Kirksville, Missouri: Sixteenth Century Essays and Studies, 1994), 1:107.

6) 38.N. 11. Baptisms were before the Law, within the Law, and under the Gospel; in regard to their substance all have the same efficacy.

38.N. 12. It is not true that the ceremonies of the old fathers were only outward exercises in which there was no remission of sins.

Peter Martyr Vermigli,”Theses for Debate: Propositions from Genesis,” in Early Writings: Creed, Scripture, Church, trans., by Mariano Di Gangi and Joseph C. McLelland, (Kirksville, Missouri: Sixteenth Century Essays and Studies, 1994), 1:139.

[Vermigli to Bullinger, an extract from a letter:]

7) The enterprise which all good people were hoping for and which was dear to His Royal Majesty’s heart could not be brought to birth. Things therefore still stay in large part as they were before, except that the Book or Plan of Ecclesiastical Rites and of the Administration of the Sacraments has been revised, for everything that could have fostered superstition has been removed from it. The main reason why the other things that were being proposed did not prevail was because the sacramentarian question blocked the way–not indeed as regards transubstantiation or the real presence (if I may speak that way) either in the bread or in the wine since, thanks be to God, there seems to be no controversy about them among those who profess the Gospel, but many people wavered over whether the sacraments confer grace. There were some who asserted it absolutely and wanted a decision to that effect. Since others saw clearly how many superstitions that opinion carried along with it, at first they tried in every way to show that nothing more should be attributed to the sacraments than to the external word of God, for both kinds of the word signify and show to us the salvation gained for us through Christ. All those who believe in these words and signs partake of that salvation, not indeed through the power of the words and sacraments, but through the efficacy of faith. It was also stipulated that it is impossible to partake worthily of sacraments unless the recipients previously possessed what is signified through the sacraments. Without faith the sacraments are always put to an unworthy use. But if those who come to the sacraments are endowed with faith, through faith they have already taken hold of the grace which is proclaimed to us in the sacraments. The subsequent reception and use of the sacraments is then a seal and sign of a promise already received. Just as through faith the external words of God have power to arouse and awaken a faith that is often lazy and somehow asleep, so too by the power of the Holy Spirit the sacraments can do the same thing. Their use is very helpful in fortifying our otherwise weak minds about the promises and grace of God.

When children are baptized, due to their age they cannot make the assent to the divine promises, which is faith. In them the effect of the sacrament is that the forgiveness of original sin, reconciliation with God, and the grace of the Holy Spirit bestowed on them through Christ are signified in them, and just as they already belong to the church, so they are also visibly grafted into it. Still we should not deny that great good and advantage comes to those who are baptized, whether children or adults, from the invocation of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, which takes place over them, for God always hears the faithful prayers of his church.

We wanted these teachings about the sacraments to be decided and established so that their pure and simple use might finally be restored. But there was an outcry, and many people, including those who were otherwise not unlearned or evil, maintained that grace is conferred, as they say, through the sacraments. They also do not want to concede that children are justified and reborn before baptism. But when it comes to their arguments, there are none which have not been refuted, and that very easily. From this affair no little hostility was stirred up against us because we differed sharply from Augustine. If our teaching had been approved by public authority, they say that then Augustine would have been openly condemned. Why say more? People cannot be torn away from the merit of works. What is even more to be regretted is that they do not want to admit it. There are always infinite roadblocks, and they are mutually reinforcing so that day after day they postpone the restitution of divine worship. What a heavy task it is to bring back the pure truth into the church! But this is no reason to despair; indeed, we are quite confident that things can turn out differently than what has now unhappily transpired. Peter Martyr Vermigli, “Letter No. 72: Peter Martyr to Henry Bullinger,” in Life, Letters and Sermons, trans., by John Patrick Donnelly, (Kirksville, Missouri: Sixteenth Century Essays and Studies, 1999), 5:123-125.

Calvin:

“Who taketh away the sin of the world.” He uses the word sin in the singular number, for any kind of iniquity; as if he had said, that every kind of unrighteousness which alienates men from God is taken away by Christ. And when he says, the sin OF THE WORLD, he extends this favor indiscriminately to the whole human race; that the Jews might not think that he had been sent to them alone. But hence we infer that the whole world is involved in the same condemnation; and that as all men without exception are guilty of unrighteousness before God, they need to be reconciled to him. John the Baptist, therefore, by speaking generally of the sin of the world, intended to impress upon us the conviction of our own misery, and to exhort us to seek the remedy. Now our duty is, to embrace the benefit which is offered to all, that each of us may be convinced that there is nothing to hinder him from obtaining reconciliation in Christ, provided that he comes to him by the guidance of faith. Besides, he lays down but one method of taking away sins.

Calvin, Commentary, John 1:29.

John Calvin:

1] Behold our Lord Jesus Christ the Lord of glory, abased himself for a time, as says S. Paul Now if there were no more but this, that he being the fountain of life, became a moral man, and that he having dominion over the angels of heaven, took upon him the shape of a servant, yea even to shed his blood for our redemption, and in the end to suffer the curse that was due unto us (Gal 3:13): were it convenient that notwithstanding all this, he should nowadays in recompense be torn to pieces, by stinking mouths of such as name themselves Christians? For when they swear by his blood, by his death, by his wounds and by whatsoever else: is it not a crucifying of God’s son again as much as in them lies, and as a rending of him in pieces? And are not such folk worthy to be cut of from God’s Church, yea, and even from the world, and to be no more numbered in the array of creatures? Should our Lord Jesus have such reward at our hands, for his abasing and humbling of himself after that manner? (Mich 6:30) God in upbraiding his people says thus: My people, what have I done to you? I have brought you out of Egypt, I have led you up with all gentleness and loving-kindness, I have planted you as it were in my own inheritance, to the intent you should have been a vine that should have brought me forth good fruit, and I have tilled thee and manured thee: and must thou now be bitter to me, and bring forth sower fruit to choke me withal? The same belongs to us at this day. For when the son of God, who is ordained to be judge of the world (John 5:22), shall come at the last day: he may well say to us: how now Sirs? You have borne my name, you have been baptized in remembrance of me and record that I was your redeemer, I have drawn you out of the dungeons where into you were plunged, I delivered you from endless death by suffering most cruel death myself, and for the same cause I became man, and submitted myself even to the curse of GOD my father, that you might be blessed by my grace and by my means: and behold the reward that you have yielded me for all this, is that you have (after a sort) torn me in pieces and made a jestingstock of me, and the death that I suffered for you has been made a mockery among you, the blood which is the washing and cleansing of your souls has been as good as trampled under your feet, and to be short, you have taken occasion to ban and blaspheme me, as though I had been some wretched and cursed creature. When the sovereign judge shall charge us with these things, I pray you will it not be as thundering upon us, to ding us down to the bottom of hell? Yes: and yet are there very few that think upon it. Calvin, Sermons on Deuteronomy, Sermon 33, 5:11, p., 196.

2] And so in the next where it is said, It is he that has created thee and fashioned thee: it is because it is a more excellent gift, that is to wit, that God prints is mark upon us, as who should say that we should be reckoned for his children, so as he gathers us unto him, and makes us in effect new creatures; by reason whereof our sin becomes more heinous, if we deface the same again, and fall to wallowing ourselves again in the filth of uncleanness of this world, as who would say it grieved us that God had not made us brute beasts at such a time as he took us to be his children…

For we have the very pledge itself, which the Jews had not: that is to wit, our Lord Jesus Christ. He is the only Son of God, and is come down to us from the bosom of the Father. He has yielded us record of our adoption: the gate of paradise is now opened unto us: we may now not only call upon God as our Father, bit also call unto him with full mouth, so as we may cry “Abba Father,” for that is the word which Saint Paul uses expressly. Seeing then has discoursed himself more fully to us than to the fathers that have lived under the law: Surely our fault will be more grievous and less excusable, if we yield so poor a recompense as is spoken of here. Again, has he not purchased us to himself? If he possesses the people of old time because he brought them out of the land of Egypt: let us see how much more he has done now for us than for them. True it is that God’s redeeming of the Jews was by the power of the death and passion of our Lord Jesus Christ: but that thing was not yet declared unto them, they had but the figures and shadows thereof. But as now we see that the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ has been shed for our redemption, and for the purchase of our salvation. And shall we now go trample under our feet the holy blood, whereby the covenant of the spiritual kindred which God has entered into with us, is ratified and confirmed? And as touching the law, how does the Apostle speak of it in the epistle of Hebrews? As many (says he) as violated the tabernacle that was made by Moses, were not spared, their fault was unpardonable (Heb 2:3): and what shall become of us nowadays?

Is not our lewdness much more shameful? Therefore let us bear now in mind that we be God’s precious possession, to the intent that we give not ourselves over to Satan. Moreover let us understand, after what manner he has created us and fashioned us, and let us not refuse that grace: but sith [since] he has vouchsafed to reform us, let us not stain ourselves with reproach, by going about to deface the image and workmanship which he has put into us. Calvin Sermons on Deuteronomy, Sermon 179, 32:5-7, p., 1114.

3] For the faithless have no profit at all by the death and passion of our Lord Jesus Christ, but rather are so much the more damnable, because they reject the mean that God had ordained: and their unthankfulness shall be so much the more grievously punished, because they have trodden under foot the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, which was the ransom for their souls. Calvin, Sermons on Galatians, Sermon 2, 1:3-5, p., 39/27

4] …[A]nd men make us to alter our mind in less than the turning of a hand, what else betokens it, but that we willfully refuse God’s grace, as if we would shut the gate against him that he might not come in unto us? Or else, if after we have once known, that he offers us so inestimable a benefit in his Gospel, we cast it down and trample it under our feet: think we that God will suffer his grace to be so lightly esteemed and held scorn of? No. For we cannot despise the doctrine of the Gospel, but we must unhallow the blood of God’s son, which he did shed for our redemption: for the one cannot be separated from the other. Whensoever and how often soever God speaks to us, and offers us forgiveness of our sins, showing himself ready to receive us to mercy: so often is the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ sprinkled upon us. All the teaching in the world cannot do us any good, except our Lord Jesus Christ be with it, to apply the shedding of his blood unto us. And if we despise the doctrine of the Gospel, it is all one as if we did spit at the holy blood of God’s son, which thing is an intolerable traitorousness. Calvin, Sermons on Galatians, Sermon 15, 3:1-3, p., 319/226.

5] Must we leave the poor church of God in the power of wolves and robbers? Must all the flock be scattered, the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ trampled under foot, and souls which he redeemed at so costly a price go to destruction, and all order be set aside, and must we still be silent and shut our eyes… Moreover let us mark that also that which is added, “That they subvert whole houses.” If one man only were misled by them, it would be too much: for mens souls ought to be precious to us seeing that our Lord Jesus Christ has esteemed so high of them, as not to spare his own life, for our salvation and redemption.” Calvin, Sermons on Titus, Sermon 7, 1:10-13, p., 1103.

Peter Martyr Vermigli:

1] Further also, seeing by the mercy of God, through the death of Christ, we are so steadfastly placed; we must take heed, that through wicked and shameful acts, we throw not ourselves down headlong from thence. For they, which after they have been once reconciled, persist in defiling themselves with vices, do not only fall headlong from their most excellent state and condition; but also (as it is written unto the Hebrews) do tread under foot the Son of God (Heb. 10:29), and pollute his blood, which was shed for them. By this place also we are taught to love our enemies, not after that ordinary manner; as when men are wont to say, that it is enough to wish well unto their enemy, they will put no endeavor, either to amend him, or to bring him to salvation. And that, which is more grievous, they not only are not beneficial towards their enemies; but also through their slothfulness, they suffer the weak brethren to perish. They wink at their faults, neither do they use their admonitions and reprehensions to amend them. Peter Martyr, The Common Places, trans., and compiled by Anthonie Martin, 1583, part 2, p., 611.

Thomas Lever (1521–1577):

1] Woe, woe, woe unto you hypocrites that stumble at a straw, and leap over a block, that strain out a gnat, and swallow up a camel, that pity more the loss of men’s bribery, which was given to corrupt some men, than the treading under foot of Christ’s blood, which was shed, to save all men, that do imagine it pity to drive the thieves, murderers and wolves from among the lambs of God, redeemed with Christ’s precious blood, and committed unto your governance and keeping.   Thomas Lever, Sermons, ed. Edward Arber (London: Bloomsbury,1871), 85–86.

David Paraeus:

1] Furthermore other places occur which seem to impart unto the wicked the benefit of redemption; as when Peter says that they “deny the Lord which has bought them,” that they were “purged from their old sins” (2 Pet. 2:1, 1:9), and Paul also says that they are “sanctified with the blood of the Testament” (Heb. 10:29): all which the Scripture elsewhere enforces us to interpret either of the vain glorying of Hypocrites of their redemption and sanctification: or else to understand them no otherwise then of the extent and sufficiency of Christ’s satisfaction.  Source here.

William Bates:

1] The Son of God hath emptied all the treasures of his live, to purchase deliverance for guilty and wretched captives; he hath past through so many pains and thorns to come and offer it to them ; he solicits them to receive pardon and liberty, upon the conditions of acceptance and amendment, which are absolutely necessary to qualify them for felicity: now if they slight the benefit and renounce their redemption, if they sell themselves again under the servitude of sin and gratify the devil with a new conquest over them, what a bloody cruelty is this to their own souls, and a vile indignity to, the Lord of glory! And are there any servile spirits so charmed with their misery, and so in love with their chains who will stoop under their cruel captivity, to be reserved for eternal punishment? Who can believe it? But, alas, examples are numerous and ordinary. Saviour, and love that which is the only just object & hatred, and hate him who is the most worthy object of love. It is a most astonishing consideration, that love should persuade Christ to die for men, and that they should trample upon his blood, and choose rather to die by themselves, than to live by him that God should be so easy to forgive, and man so hard to be forgiven! This is a sin of that transcendent height, that all the abominations of Sodom and Gomorrah are not equal to it. This exasperates mercy, that dear and tender attribute, the only advocate in God’s bosom for us. This makes the Judge irreconcilable. The rejecting of life upon the gracious terms of the gospel, makes the condemnation bf men most just, certain, and heavy. William Bates, The Harmony of Divine Attributes in the Contrivance and Accomplishment of Man’s Redemption, (New York: Published by Jonathan Leavitt, 1831), 157-8.

2] It is true, those who sin against the Holy Ghost, are excepted from pardon; but the reason is, because the death of Christ was not appointed for the expiation of it; and there being no sacrifice, there is no satisfaction, and consequently no pardon, Heb. x. 26. The wisdom and justice of God requires this severity against them; for if “he that despised Moses’ law died without mercy, of how much sorer punishment shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant wherewith he was sanctified an unholy thing, and hath done despite to the Spirit of grace?” Heb. x. 28, 29; that is, they renounce their Redeemer as if he were not the Son of God, and virtually consent to the cruel sentence passed against him, as if he had blasphemed when he declared himself to be so; and thereby out-sin his sufferings. How reasonable is it they should be for ever deprived of the benefit who obstinately reject the means that purchased them! William Bates, The Harmony of Divine Attributes in the Contrivance and Accomplishment of Man’s Redemption, (New York: Published by Jonathan Leavitt, 1831), 199.

Polanus:

The hatred of God, is either the withholding or denying of his goodwill, or reprobation itself, or his decree not to choose to everlasting life. Malac 1:2,3. Rom. 9:13. And the cause of this divine hatred, is only God, and that is his own good pleasure.

Or else it is his displeasure, detestation, abomination, or turning away. Isa. 1:14. My soul hates your new moons, and set feasts. But the cause of this hatred is in men themselves.

Or else it is the execution of the decree of God, to punish and to destroy the wicked, Psal. 5:6. Thou hates all them that work iniquity: that is, thou doth punish and destroy the ungodly, as they was want both to punish and destroy them. And the cause of this hatred also, is even in men themselves.

Amandus Polanus, The Substance of Christian Religion, (London: Arn. Hatfield, 1600), pp., 34-35.