rUo CORNELL UNIVERSITY LIBRARY THE WORDSWORTH COLLECTION FOUNDED BY CYNTHIA MORGAN ST. JOHN THE GIFT OF VICTOR EMANUEL OF THE CLASS OF I919 K^lsf.Q^^im W«^^iyf5i, The Dippers O R, The Anabaftifis Duck'd and Plung'd over Head and Ears, at a Xyi^^wtmon mSmthwarK ALSO ^ A large and full D j s c ou R s e of ' I. Originall. z. Severaif lorts. * Their evotlonsy as clear and Light fame in hii Dilutes-, truly ohfervethy that the -pure do- lifine of the Gojpel never appears as it were above the water, but Satans V^Mchfuli eje is upon ity and he cafis an enviom gloat <3r //> and hath his Tobiafes c^Sanballats,«V^(fr to jeer or fright thejincere Profeffors out ofthepo^erfull preaching thereof. In '^hich regard it is i that as the '^evoes in their edifying the A'f ate- ridlTemple^fo joh in the repairing of the Spiritually have a. wea- pon in the one hand, and a took in the other; and joh have hi- therto more employed the Si^ord then the Mattock or Spade, by rea- fan of the great oppofition on all hands ■: and afteryoujhall (^through Gods bleffing) have laid the roofe on this facred bmlding, and grate- full fofierity put zgSithndiof glory upon your heads for it,yet fiill there will be ufe ofans.tm'ingiwotdjmt of War, but of lujlice, to cut off Superfiition and Idolatry on the one ^de, and Prophaneneffe and Sacriledge on the other : Heretiques with one edge, and Schif- matiques with the other* For as in the beginning of the Reformati- on, fo no^ in the endeavoured perfe^ion thereof the mortall enemy of our immortall fouls fets on workjill forts of Heretiques and Schif- matiques to hinder^ difiurbe, and (if it tvere pofible) defiroj this A 3 excellent Caly. prizf. ad Reg. Gal. Efi hicdivlni v&fbi quafi quidam genius y ut nm- quam emergat, quieto & dor- mieate Sataaa, Nehem, 4. 17. With one of his hands he wrought ia the work, with the other he held a weapon. The EpiiUe Dedicatory. excellent work. The Heretiques he employeth to pervert the Ctu tholique doBrme, the Schifmatiques to fiibvert the Afojtoliks dp* fcifline of the Church : the Heretiques endeavour tojhake thefoun' dations, the Schifmatiques to make breaches in the wals : the Here' tiques to rot the main timber , the Schifmatiques to full infunder the rafters of this facredftruBure. Now of all Heretiques and Schifmatiques the Anabaftifi in three regards ought to be moft carefully looked unto ^ and fever ely puni- fhed, if not utterly exterminated and banijhed out of the Church and Kingdoms ^ Firfly in regard of their affinity with many other damnable Here- tiques^ both Ancient and Later y for they are Sillycdunto, and may claim kindred with, i.The'm\tx\2.n2.n%inthefirfl Age^frocUi- ming Chrifts Temporall Kingdoms upon earth for a thoufand years, before the day of judgement, 2. With the Marcionites in thefecond - , . \ ■4?^5 ^^^ denyedthe fubfiance ofChrifts humane body made of a Gal, 4. 4, woman. 3 . The Catharifts or Novatians m the third Age^ Vpho de- ny ed Repentance and refiitution to the Church thereuponyto thofe that fell in time ofperfecution, 4. With the D^natifts in the fourth Age^ who re-baptiz,ed all thofe that had received Baptifme before in the Catholique Church. Laf}ly,>^ith a rabble of Heretiques in the later Agesymmely,theA^oi\o\id,theAd3imitcSjtheEnthuii3i{^s,the Pfycopannychitt v/;^ Polygamifts, ?^^ Jefuits, ?/;^ Aoninians, ^«^ the Bro wnifts ; of all which, and their errors^ I havefet down a par- ticular Catalogue^ Ch.2. As it -wa^faid of C^'ms Cjefar, In uno Cx- htemukiMzvii; and as Cicero faith of the Familie of the Briitli that it hadin it miiltoram infitam atque illuminatam virtutem : fo in one Anabaptifiyeu have many Heretiques, and in this one Sek fisit'^ere one flockj many erroneom and fchifmatkallpofitionsymd praBices ingrajfed, and as it were inoculated. Secondlyyinregetrdof their audacious attempts upon Church and St ate ^and their infolent Ms committedin the face of the Sun and in the eye of the high Court ofParlikment, Whereas other depravers 4 theDoBrine, or difiurbers of the Peace of the Church, Vphether Fapifts,Sor^or Antichrillian Confciences and worfliips be granted to all Parliament men in all Nations and Countries ; That Ciyill States with their prove them- Officers of juftice are notGovernors or defenders of theSpiritual ^'^" loving andChriftian ftate and worfhipjThat the do(flrine of Perfecutiort l^^^^^^^ ^° J in cafe of Confcience(maintained byCalviniBe^a,Cotton,^nd the men, bearing Miniftersof the New Englifh Churches jis guilty of all the bloud: refpeft unto of the fouls cry ing for v<'Bgeance under the Altar. Witnefs a Tra- all* a"i the hra- ^enfucd Amhotir blujheth not to brand nH the Reformed Churches^ And the whole Chrijiian tvor/d at this d^j, which chriften their chil- drenyandjigne them with the fed of the Covenant ^ ^'Ith the odlom »^wz^ (9/<^» Antichriftian fac'Tiion. Th'ird/j, in regard of the peculiur r/ialignity this herefe hath to ... Magtfi:racy ; other her e fie s are firicken by Amhoritj-)ihis firih^s at Amhoritfit felfe^undermlneth the'^ovitx'i, that are Ordained of God, And endeavoureth to wreft the fvcord out of the Ai'^giftrates hand, to whom God hath given it for th? cutting offofallherefie, and impiety, and ifthiiSeFt prevail, wejhall have no Afonarchj in the State, or Hierarchy in the Church, but an Anarchy in both. It grie- veth a Religions eye to fee other vermine corrupting other FloWfers cf Paradife, as our {wsezViolets, and fragrant Rofcs, ar-^d faireft;, Lillies, and various Julyflowers, and bluThing Emmenies, and' beauciftill Tulips : but moj} of all to fee this herefie, like a venemom . ferpent, lying at the root of the Crown-Imperiallj which if it be not killed, ^Hllfopoyfon it, that the leaves will fall off by degrees, and the ftalk itfelfe fhortly wither. We read in the Prophecy ofZ2Lc[\3i- ry offidojlavesjthe ftafFe of beauty, and the ftafFe of bonds, which fupported the State and Church ef IfraeL By the ftafFe of beauty «r comei'i neflfe, the Laws of every Kingdome and Common- wealth may ke underfiood, which bear up the. State, and preferve decent order andcomelineffe among men • By the ftaflfe of bonds, the covenants and oaths whereby the members are firmly tyed to their head, and one to another, Tf r^^ftaffe of beauty ^^ broken, there will be a down-fallof aligood order and government : (f/Af ftafFe of bonds be broken, all things '^illbe at a loofe end. Aie thinks I fee thefe t^ofiaves Jhining in the go\'^QX\ MsLCCsborn before you; the ftafFe ofbezuty in that born before the Houfe of Commons, in which the tegiflative power ifi!»z^ r^/^- beaut i full order of the feverallEflates of this Kingdome are con^lcuous ; the ftafFe of bonds in that which is carried before the Hotife of Peers, in which the power of 1\\^\q2,' tme,eventf hon^S and death, principally refideth. Nd^ becaufe- SeeBloudyTfi- thefe her etie^nes alone prof ejfedly teach the exatttorating all Chri-'^ ^ netj pag. 2, j^.^^ MagiflrateSj and in exprejfe terms deny both the Legifatlve power intheCommons to propound or' enaB Laws in matter of Re ^A ligion^ The Epiftle Dedicatory J >^\^ iigtofi, and aJlcoerk:ive power in thehoufe of Peers, er a^jother, to i:-ifii^ civill pHHiJhment for the violation of them ^ andfo as much as in them Ijethy they endeavour te break both thefe ftaves of the Prophet, they deferve the fmarteft ftroak from hoth. TVith thefe Hereticks I enter into Lifls in the enfuing TraBate, and without any flonrijb of Rhetorick^ at all fall upon them with Lo' gicall andTheologicall weapons, weilded after a Scholuflicatl man- ner ; for it is mofi true which Papirius Curfor fometimes fpake in the head of his Troops^advancing on in their march againfl the Army of the Samnites, more gloriom infhew then formidable ^ as confining of men more fumptmuflj then firongly armedt encouraging his Soul- diers after this manner : Feare not this Pageant rather then A'cnVj y their large feathers and embroyderedfcarfes give no wounds j. their rich belts, and painted tar get s, and thin gilt bre a f plates will not endure the pufh of the Roman pike. It is not beauty and gorgerom apparelly but flrength,and valour ^ and Armour of p roof that makes^ aivarriour. Andtherefwe that brave Commander of the Trojans, Heflor, defervedly checkt his brother V Mis, a Paragon of beauty, and an excellent Qzt^et Knight, in the flo\\>er of his age, for under- taking a Jingle combat with JAcnclaxisffaying, *^OvK S.V rot X^'^'^'^fi"' ''-'9*?'<' Tar* S^^Koma. rums. * The Epiflle Dedicatory, fendanj more challenges. And I had then pf^yfued the comhate with my peny had not the more nece^arj funBions of my Pafiorall charge hindered me. But noiv being difcharged again fi my rcill^ of preach - '''ng at my Cnres,and hatting lately publijhed an Anfwer to a po- pijh Challenge : I could not thinks of any fitter employment for the prefent, then to perfeB the notes taken long fince in that D I (put a- tiany and to fupply ^^hatfoever might feem tacking to the fuller confutation of thofe erroneotis tenets^ and to commend both to the pnblike vieVt^y that the Antidote ml^ht be there ready, where the Solin. polyhift. infedlion firft brake out. As Solinus ivriteth, that in Sardinia (^f.p.Fofis eft y^fj^^.^ ^i^^yp is a venemous Serpent calledSo\\hp2i, (r^hofe bitinff id omiL-umenum T^^P'^t death) there is aljo at hand a tountain, m which they ^ho olifngte {efie- t^ajh themfelves after they are bit ^ are prefent ly cured, Thisvene- m aniinantis niom Serpent (stxh So\i^\ig3i) flying from, andjbunning the Haht '^ J^f-ft? of Gods Wordy is the Anabaptifi, who in thefe later times firft Jhew 7aomtmopC ^d his Jhining head, and Jpeckled skin, and thrufi out his fling neer ^e in re^edi" the place of my refdence,for more then tiventy jeers : And if thefe dtmtSriditm^y Di^utations and Writings of mine may prove like the Waters of «W wUm ma" the Fountain in Sa.tdmi3i,foveraign againfi the fling and teeth of lm,thl^uem this Serpent^ I Jhall account my pains ^ell (hent • and vphillt T ^L ptu remediiim. deavonr to free others from fpirttuall thraldomeyforget the tediouf- Petron. Arbh. »^/^ ofi^y corporally and poflefle my foul in patience, titlGod Jhall ?ligioJ4s endeavoursyfor the Reformation of Church and State, withfuchfuccejfey that this your meeting may be like to that in the 2 ^.year o/Edw. 3 . which is kf^own to poflerity by the name of h^ncdiaum'^zdhmcntiim, the blejfedParliafn^nt, ' \ From Frifon in the Lo: Tet&/s houfe in Alderfgare*ftre6f>, faa: 10. 1644. Yours in the Lord Jefus. "'f^v, To mj Reverend And much eft eemed Friend y M'^^ J O H N D o W N A M . TVarthy Sir, Have now finifhed my Polemical! Tra(^ate a- gainft the Anabaptifts • which hid Jlept fecurely hy me in a ^hol^ skin of Parchmentj had not the cla- ,, raours of the Adverfaries awaked it, who cry -' down P£cdobaptifme,and cry npAnabaptiiine,not onely in the Pulpit, but alfo from the * Preffe, to the great of- * See a eot- feBce of godly minds, and the fcanda 11 of the Church. ber his Trea-^ tife of Dipping Fr. CorneweU his-Pamphlet, entituled. The Commfjl&nofJ^ijig lefus : A. K. hisLibell, calico j The yanity o^ehild'ifh Baptifme : Ch.BleclirvoocLjThe forming of Antichrift^^A The Confejfist of the Anabaptifts, printed at London, i ^44. You will pera.dveftture return me an anTwer in the words of the Poet, Ote quid ad te ? What doth this concern mc, whof^ Reftraint is a ntctS^t^ Suferfedeas from proceeding agaifift j thefe prefumpttious and daring Sedaries ? And the unfurniftiing i me of all Books^ and help of mine own Notes and Colledions ^ (lately taken from me) furni/heth me with too juft an excufe for not writing. I confelfe to my grief it doth, but what will you have me doe ? Situ & otio torpefcere ? Such a reft would be moft reftleffe and tedious; The lefle I doe, the more I muft needs | fufFcr ', and rfie more I do, the lelTe I fuffer. And belceve me, a Sir, it is not an ambition to be feen in the Preffe, but a defire for thctimetoforgetmyunfujfFerable;?^-fjf»r'ula a-aut^ upon dubia EwaiXigdiciiand every handy-crafts man will be handling n^^'^L^^^^'f^'^'. the^iirtJVordof God with im^me and unwajhed hands. This the fia'vtrbof;^ pratlinghufwife,r/;;nhe old dotard,r/;/i- the wrangling fophifter, banc umverfi in a word,this ratn of all profeffi3ns,& men of no profeflion,take prafumunt^ do- upon the to have skill in,readily teaching that they never learn'd, ^J!f P'f^'^fquAm & abundantly pouring out that w^^^vasnev^rinfufed into them* ''J^^^^- The Apojile comparing the dignity of the AiinifteriallfunUion with the indignity and infufficiency ofmofi mens gifts for it, cry s out^Who -g^j.^ -^ ^ is fufficient for thefe things ? But if we confider mens opinions of rdnu charita- their orvn gifts,md their prafiife at this day ,we may fay, Who is not tufuntpcr quos fufficient for thefe things? Aror^s of the Archangel, lude 9. The Lord rebuke thee, thou falfe tongue: Bftt now thofe rohofe Religion, if they have any t is a negative one^ andfiands in a meer of^ofition to Pope' perj, nofivithfianding herein ftrengthen the Papiits hands agah^ft MSy and puts us to that miferaHe Apology of the Poet, .Pudethaecopprobria nobis, Et dici potuifle, & non potiiifle rcfelli. It is a thonfand pities, that not in the dawning of the d,v^ from the night of Popery, and firfi glimmering of the light of Reformation, See Sleid. Cm- as in Luthers firfifianding up for the Truth ; i>ut no^in the noone lib. J. tide of the Gofpe!, fuch owles ^nd bats Jhopild fiie abroad every Vphere, and flutter in our-Churches, andi\k upon our Fonts, Pulpits, Mnd Communion Tables, and not either be caught^ and confined to %. their nefls /» barns, or rotten ttecs, or put inCsigesfit for fkch night-birds. / wonder that our doors, pofs, and walls fweat noty upon which fuch Notes as- thefe have been of late affixed, On fuch a day fuch a Brewers Clerk Exercifcth, Such a Taylor expoundeth, » Ptrf. po\. Such a Waterman Teacheth. Jf^e have ^ Crow-Poets, andVyt- Szt.i. corvos PoetefTcsj */ Turners f«r» Bez-aliels, ««WAholiabs, to mend the Toetas&Voe- ^(^x^^^^ vvorks of the Temple; »/ Cooks, ^ith Demofthenes, b T^ol^htft. (defervedly reproved by ^ S. Bafil) injiead tf/mincing of their meat \,4. c. 17' i&2«t- f^^^ ^P^^ dividing of the Word ; if Taylors leap up from the Shop- l,^'^a/Jt505^. Atip- b»ara to the Pulpity and ^itch up Sermous out of ftoln fhreds ; if ^i.m d rpttf/; not only of the loweft of the people, as in Jeroboams time, Priefts ^fviMKfZ ^^^ confecrated to the moft high God; but if like as No\nus MAi%M'^" confecrated himfelf aBifhop,y2> thefe ordain themfelvesPriefis and ffi*, &v. Deacons ; if they enter not into the Churchy but break into it • if they take not holy Orders,^«f fnatch them to themfelves:do we marvell to fee fuch confufion in the Church as there j&f? As Chrififometimes (pake,S[ lumen tenebrae,quant2E tenebr»?If the light that is in thee i Mat. 6. i?. txe darknefle, how great is that darkneffe ? So may we truly fay If in Order it fe If there be Confufion, ho^ great is the confufion ? what are all the Prophets become mad, that the afles mouth muft nttdisht o^tntd by miracle to reprove them f Though fame ^onld * ' be content to have it thought fo, and we mufl not refufe to wear our Mafters cognizance, whowaefaid by fame ofhk kindred to be be- Mar. 3 . z I . tides himfelf : yet ree mufi teU them the cafe is far different-, for there Numb, 16. zi' the Affefm the Ayfgel in his way ^ but here the Angels fee the Alfes To the Reader. ij in their places; there the AJfe jpake oncejyecaufe he wof t'^ke firuck^ hut here the j^ffes (heAk ofteny becnufe they dre not Co mttch as once _ ^ , >-, n a 1 r i-^r^.- AT -r ^ J r 1 s *Iohan.Galt. jtruck^jor their prejumpttorj. Now tj any man depres to kitowjrom jgexord.Anab. whence thi* Clergy of Laicks comey that he may not think, that thefe p. g j. Anabap- Ruflet Rabbicsj <«»^ Mechanick Enthu{iafts,^K,{/profound Water- tifiafHmnntfi- men,and fublime Coachmen, andiWaminzttd Tradefmen ofalmofl bi omne^pr'^^i- all forts are dr opt from the^louds : Let him perufe the Catalogues of '^^^ d'ali^ H^reticks written by Alfonfus a Caftro, Pontanus, SlufTenburgius, ^qurie&time « and Arabrofiiis de KiikomhuSitogether with the Hifiorj of Sleiden, cbriftiaais Ec- Buikngcr ^and Gsibrki Ahrcs,<^ othersyand he JhaH find that they ak clefiis inauStO' proceeded Dolors out of the School of one Stock * the Anab. Of '^^^'' /««^/"/"~ whom ^e may fajy as Irenaeus fometime Jpake of the Heretickfihion , '^'^f^^' °^ -^ - theFather oftheihionites^is name in cheHebrevf/ fignifyeth filly, „^ - y-^^ o»i^?^ or fimple,and fuch God wot was he: So we mayfay^the name of the caco-Ecciefia. father of the Anabaptiib fignifieth in EngHjhd. lenfelefle piece of muantur. ^ woodjo/- block,/«»i!jfa very blockhead was he lyet ont ofxhU blacky '^^ theHift. o£, v^recut thofe chips that kjndled fuch a fire in Germanyy Halfatia, ^.^^ ^^ \!oa~ and Suevia, that could not be fully quenched'^no not with the bloud of ^on, 1641. 1 5 0000. of them killed inwar^ or put to death in fever all places by Et Joh. Gaft. I. the Magiftrates. ' deexordAnab, This fire in the reigns ofQ.EVizzhtthyandKAzmes'andom' zr^- •P;M7.£|;<» We ctous Soveratgn^till noWy was covered /» b n gla n a under the ajhes ; or pfi-^^ i^ Gem^ if it brake out at any time^by the care of the Ecclejiafiicall and Civill videtur ^arfijfe ^ Afagifirates it wasfoon put out. But oflatejince the unhappy difira- venemm iUud iiions which our fins have brought upon m , the Temporall Sword be- '■f^piomm dog- ing other ways employed, and the Spiritual!, locked up faft in the 2*^*»£^''- fcabberd, this SeH:, among othersjiathfo far pre fumed upon the pati- netarm &Fhi~ ence of the State., that it hath held weekly Conventicles, re-baptised ferm , quibus hundreds of men and women together in the tVcilight in Rive lets, and "^^li^t emi^arm fome arms of the Thames^and elfewhere, dipping them over heddand ^-/f^ totamfer- ears. It hath printed divers Pamphlets in defence of their lierefe^yea pont.Cata h:er! Md challenged fome of our Preachers todi^utation. Now although commota fedi- my bent hath been always hitherto againfi the mofi dangerous enemy t'lone rufika per ofmr Church and State,the lefuite^to extinguifhfuch balls /Siloam upon it, to extinguifb it. Thine in the Lord Jefus,D,F. Cal.Ian,i^4j, Vx&Qi\Kxm,Vmr-hQufe, A Table of the efpeclall Coatents. '!• \ True relation cf aDi^utatioK >«Soiithwark ivith four £\ Jftahaptifls. page I .II. Additions to the former Disputation : imvhichy to deer Texts of Scripture hforea^Iedgedj are joyned divers Arguments drawn from the ieflimony of the Father Sy andconfent of the Church^and Reafonsfor Childrens Baptifme . ^ o III. A TraBate of the names and fever all forts of Anabaptifis» 26 IV. of the Err ours of the Anabaptifis^ both common to other SeBsf andthefe yvhich are peculiarly their o\\>n. 3 ^ y. A particular confutation of fix of their erroneot4^ tenets : I . Concerning Dipping, and the pretended neceffity thereof. 3 6 1 . Concerning the baptizing of Children,^ -^3 'To which U added', A cenfure of Mafler Cornwell his Boaf^, intituled. The Vindi- - cation of the Commiflionof King Jefus, p. 66. As alfo of A.K. bis Traftate, intituled. The vanity of childiih Bap- tifme. 72 ^* Concerning fet forms of Prayer. 83 4. Concerning the difiinBion of the Clergy and Laity i 12 g 5. Concerning taking Oaths before the Alagifi:rate, ejpecially the Oath Ex officio. i j i 6. Concerning the Office of the 'Civill Magiflrate. 153 yi. Animadverfions' upon the Anabaptifis Confeffion, printed at London, Anno T>om. 1644. jyj VII. Orationes Synodicje. Beingfeverall Speeches before the Af- femblj of Divines. 1S7 VIII. A Earning for England, efpeciallyfor London ; in the famous Hifiory of the frantic l^Anabaptifi^s. 2ip IX. Remarkable Stories of the Anabaptifis ; wherein it is proved experimentally f I . That they are an illiterate andfottifb SeEl. 1 3 5 ■2. That they are a lying and a blafpemopu Seil,falfiy pretending to divine Vifions and Revelations, 2.4Q 3 . That they are an impure and carnaH SeEh. 24c 4. That they are a cruetl andbloudy SeB. 247 5 . That they are a profane andfacrilegiom SeB, 2^0 <5. The fearfull judgements of God inpBed upon the ring-leaders ofthatSeB, 256 X. The conclufion of all, 257 A true Relation of what paflTed at a meeting in Southwarkybctw cent D.Featly^ and a company of A n a b a p t i s -r s , Qlleber i, 7. 1642. Peer the company were placed , and Df. Featly had made a fliorc ejaculatory Prayer to God j,to give a blefling to the meeting, a Scotchman began thus : Alafler Duflor, we come to dijjmte with yoH at this. Scotch-man time^not for contention fak^n hut to receive fatisfa^ion'. We hold that the Baptifme of Infants cannot be proved, la'^full by the tefii- ntonj of Scripture^or by ^poftolicall tradition 'y if you therefore can prove the fame either ^ay, wejha/l willingly fubmit unto you.. Are you then Anabaptifts ? I am deceived in my expe(5lation,I d. Vmilj' thought that the end of this meeting had been to have reafoned with you about other matters,and that my task would have been to have juftified our Comunion-Book, & the lawfulnefs & necef- . fity of coming to the Church,which I am ready to doe. Anabap- tifme (which I perceive is the point you hold) is an hereffe long fince condemned both by the Greeke and Latine Church, and I could have wifhed alfo that you had brought Scholars with you, who knew how to difpute, which I conceive you doe not, fo farre asl gueffe by your habit, and. am informed concerning your profeflions : for there are but two ways of difputing, Firft, by Authority, Secondly, by Reafon. Firft, by Authority, ifyou will difpute in Divinity, you muft be able to produce the Scriptures in the Originall Languages. for no Tr an flat ion isfimply Authenticall, or the undoubted word of God. In the undoubted word of God thei'e can be no Error. But in Tranjlations there may bcy and are errors. The Bible Tr an fated therefore is not the undoubted VVord^f God, butfo farre onely as it agreeth Vcith the Originall, which {as. I fim informed') none, of you under fiand% : C 3 ■ ^ Secpndly, Scotchman. D. Veatly, Sefi'm I. Two gueftions of the Trinity propounded. Seotch-man," J Diffutation with Ambapifts Secondly, if you difpute by Rcafon, you miift condade fyl- logiftically inmood andiigure, which I take to be out of your element. However, fith you have focarneftly defired this meet- ing, and have propounded aQueftion to me I little expeded : before I anfwer yours,'I will propound a queftion or two to you concerning the blefTedTrinityjthat Imay'know whether you are well inftf uded in the principles of Catechifm,who yet arefo well conceited of your felves,that you take upon you to teach others. ThiijM^ 'DoBor, is nihil ad Rhombum, "^e would know of you whether the Baptifme of children can he f roved la!^full {ju roe [Aid before ) as it u praElifed among joh. Whereas you fay this my Queftion is not ad Rhombum) you miftake the matter : For it is ad Rhombum,i{ you know what the phrafe meaneth. Is not the forme of Baptifme thiSj J Bap^ ti^e thee in the name of the Father^ the Son, and the Holy Ghofi f Therefore my Queftions concerning the Trinity appertaine to the Dodrine of Baptifme. Before therefore I anfwer you con- cernmg the perfons fit to be baptized, whether men and women onely in riper years, or children alfo : to try your skill, I wEl propound an argument to each of you out of Scripture, con- cerning the bleffed Trinity. And firft ( turning to the Scotch-man ) Doe you belceve, faith he, that each of the three Perfons is God > how then doth Chrift, Joh. 17. 3. fay, that the Father is the onely true God ? 1. After turning to the other, Doe you beleeve that the Holy Ghoft proceeds from the Fa- ther and the Son ? if you doe fo, how then doe you anfwer the words of our Saviour, foh. 15. 26. The Spirit which proceeds from the Father > there is no mention at all of proceeding firom the Sonne, but the Father onely. To the latter of thefe paries nothing was anfwered, by either of them ; to the former they both anfwered. Firft,the Scotch-man. We never intendto deny that every Perfon in Trinity u God, for the Text yon alledge^ it proves not what you bring it for, • Here the Text being read, the Scotch- man anfwered, Chrifi oppofeth his Father ^as the trtte God, t* all falfe Gods, I doe not urge the wstitrae, for that k«ked is fpoken in oppo- in semhwath, ©ppofition to falfc gods, but the word onelj^ and thus I frame the argument. If God the Father be the onelj true God, then theHoIjT Ghoft is not God. But God the Father is the onely true God j, MrgOy the Holy Ghoft is not God. The Father isfaidto be the onely God mreJpeSt of JEjfence. This anfwer contains in it Blafphemy : tor if the Father be the onely true God, in refpedl of Eflence j then is not the Son or the holy Ghoft God in refped of Eflencejbiit that is falfe and blafphemous, for then the three Perfons ibould not be one God tn Effence,. or in refped of Effence. Here the Scotch-mans anfwer being exploded, he wrote Something, and gave it fome there prefenr,^ and in the raeane wbile one Mafter C»/»interpofing^faid, J come not he-re to dijpHtey hut to receive fat isfaBion of fome doubts, which if jou can refohe me in I fhatlfnbmit^ Now for the ^lace yon alledge out of Saint John, / conceive it maybe thm an?- fwered: Chrifl (pake this as Man, and his meaning is, that his Fa- ther is onely God, and no creature is fo* It is very true, that onely excludes all' creatures ; bivt whereas you fay that thefe words are fpoken by Chrift, as Man onely, it cannot ftand with the Text ; ior it is added, and wham thou hafi: fent, fefus Chrift. Chrift faith it is life eternall to know the Fa- ther to be the onely true God, and whom he hath fent, Jefus Chrift ; but it is not life eternall to know Chrift onely as Man, but as trueGodandMan,andfo a perfedlMediatonr : neither is Chrift faid onely the Sonne of God, in refpe^t of his tempo- raU generation, as Man; but alfo in refpecft ofhiseie ma II ge- neration, as he \s the fecond Perfon in Trinity ; this Anfwer therefore of yours is not fiifficient nor pertinent. Ma^er DoFlarythe company is notfatisfied Vsith their Anfwer s, I prajy refolve the doubt your felfe. I will as fo one as they have propounded their objeflions ; for I moved thefe Queftions onely to make it appeare to the Auditoursjhow unfit thefe men are to take upon them the oSce of Teachers, who are fo impeif^d in the FundamentaJl po»ints of Catecfefme. Now let them-propound? wfeat Queisioffs they jgleafe.. , w-hm^ 3 ■v**^ Scotci>man. D. Featy. The venturous Scotch-man was fo ftunnied with this blow, that he gave in,, and fp^e no more for a good fgace, CufifF^ D.Fmfy^ Sir ^obn ten* than. See the fo- lution of thefe doubt*, in the additions to the cpaference. Cufitt. * ThkCufi/i is faid to be one of the firit that ijLibfcribed the Anabaptifts confeffion printed 1644. London. D. Featly. Cufin. D. Featly. Se£lion 2. Of the definiti- on of a true Church. Cufin. D. Teatly. Cufm. ly.Featly, Cufin. D. Featly, SeSim 3. That the Church oiEng' land is a true Church. Cufin, D. Teatly. A Lifputatm with Anabaftijts what « the nature of a vljible Church ? rvhat k the matter and forme of it ? or what ii the vifble Church of Chriji made up of by (Authority of the Serif tures ? Your Que'iion is, Quid conjiituit vifibiletn Bcclefam / What makes a vifible Church"? Tes. I anfwer, according to the Scriptures, and the joint confent of all Proteflant Churches in the world, French, Dutch, &c. in the Harmony of Confcflions, that the (incere preaching of the Word, and the due adminiftration of the Sacraments, confticutes or makes a true vifible Church. The Papifts make many notes of the Church, as Antiquity, Univerfality, Succeffion, Miracles,and divers other: but the Reformed Churches make but twoonely, namely, thofe above mentioned. what is a true particular vifible Church ? A particular company of men, profefling the Chriftian faith, knowne by the two marks above mentioned, the fincere preach- ing of the Word, and the due adminiftration of the Sacraments. Js the church of England fuch a church} It is fo. Hovo prove you that ? Firft, I aniwer, I need not to prove it, but you are to dif- prove it. For as Hooker teacheth,in his Ecclefiafticall Politic, They who are in pofTeflion are not bound to prove the ri^ht but they who goe about to thruft them out are to difprove their right, and bring a better title for themfelves. Secondly, yet to give you further fatisfadlion, thus I prove the Church of jE»^/^«att Iciie; the Lord thfGod with aH thyhe^t, and with a^ rhy foule., and with aU't^ ^zV^r, which lawis morall and perpmiall,as all grant. -^ -^ ** Prove that any ought to be compelled by theXjope^U. "^'^^-'''l That which fofah did agreeably to the morall law, bindtth iisttnder the GofpeH ; for Chrift in t!be Oofpell bo tfa rcpfateth and confirmeth this Comman^pment oUoving the Lord npfth aU ' our ^(5j4. 19.) . rBut it is a thing lawfull and no way repugnant to Gods word, but molt agreeable, to come to our i'ff^/?/£'-^tf«/£'x, . (as. you call them) where thefervantsofGodafTemble on the Lords day and other times, to WQrfhip him in fpirit and truth* D 2 Ergo^, 8 * Anabaptift. D. Ttatly. Anabaptift. Here, the Ana- baptift yeildeth the buckler, •vi^ That the Magiftrate ought to be o- beyed when he commandeth men to heare Gods Word in ^he Church. D. Vcatly, This was the plea of the old Ponatifts. pedlon 5. "That the Ana- baptiftshave no Church. Anabaptift. B.Featly, ' Aitabaptift. D. leatly. Anabaptift. Citfin. D. Featly- ScSiion 6. Of the Chrifte. uing of chil- dren. A DifpHtatiort with Anabaftifts BrgOy.t\\t King hath power to command you to come to our'Church. * The King makes an Idoll of the Ch/trch, where doth Chrifi com- mand m to come to it ? Where he commandeth us to heare the Word preached; for in our Church the Word of God is preached, and therefore there we ought to heare it. / am not fo averfe, but if one of our Society Jheti Id freach in Olaves or Mary Ove'ries Church.^ I voould heare him^ I Tveuld come where the Church is gathered, for therein I obey, Chrifi, Then you will heare none but one of yourfociety, as if your fociety were the true Church, and none of the trae Church but thofe of your fociety. I have proved already that we have a true Church among usjbut you have none. For where there are no lawful! Paftors, pof Flocks, there i& tiot a true Churchy But amongft you there are not lawfull I^ftors, nor Flocks. jBrg^i?, No true Church. JVe have amongfim lawfull PafiorS' : There are no lawfull Paftors but thofe who are (tntyRont.io.if, No man ought to a^ume unto himfelfe that honour ^ but he that is called-, as was Aaron^ Heb. 5.4. all Presbyters are to be made by impofition oj hands., i Tim. 4.. 14, & \ .22. 2_Tim. i. (5. But your Paftors have no fending, no calling, no impofition of hands on them. Ergo, You have no lawfull Paftors. None amongft us teach, but they have Ordination ',for f hey are eleBed, examined, and proved. Have you no impofition of hands of the Presbyterie ? fr..r.ma,H.Jt. teUj,ou;lfyo«r.ie c<^ t, cur Church,. you may Jee. I pray you M. Doftor come to the point : ho"^ prove joh the Baptifme of children to be lawfull by the Word of God ? It feems yon will willingly fall upon no other point but this of Ar^abaptifme; which Herefie was condemned neare fifteen hundred yeares agoe. Here, after a long fpace,the Scotch-man ■ puts in a wordj faying, Not ftxteen hundred years agoe. If li i» Somhtvark, 9 If it were but a thoufand, it is long enough, being condemned D. Teatly, by the whole Chriftian Church, Greeks and Latine, Sir, that ii neither here nor there, yon know what the rooman of cufin, Samaria faid, John 4. Our Fathers rvorjhippedin this Afountainer and ye fay that at Jerufalem^ the place where men onght to wor- Jbip ', they continued in an error above 2000 years. You are miftaken in your Chronologic, for there were not V.Featly. 2000 years between facoif and Chrifi,. But to let that your er- rour pafle, the iy^i/w^/V^w/ indeed were in an errour a long time j. but this is naerrour,but a dodrine oftnith^that children ought to be baptized* There are three forts of Arguments of great force with all; underftanding men ; the firft and chiefeft from I. Scripture. * 2. From confent of the univerfall Church. . .^. From evident reafon. ) ' I will prove all thefe for the baptifme of Children. We dejiye to have it proved by Scripture,. Scotchman, Our proofs out of Scripture are of two forts ; fome probable, d. Bei^tly. fome neceffary. Firft probable ;as where it is faid in the ASis i<5. 3 3. That the Apofile baptiz.ed the Gaoler with all that. belonged to him, 9ind Lydia and her houjhold, AHs 16. 15. a.^di Cor, i, i6,.th3Lthe baptized the houjhold of Stephanas ; and in a whole houfhold in all probability there were fome children. , / cannot telLthat y let us he are your neceffary proofes. out of Scotch-man,' Gods ^ord. There is as good ground,reafon,x)r warrant for the baptizing ^- "^^Atlg* of children now, as there was of old for circumcifing them. But Deut. 10. 1^. children under the Old Teftament were to be circumcifed, many Jolh. 5 , i. &c* plaine places there are where that was commanded. £r^<7, now by the fame warrant they are to be baptized. We deny that there is the fame warrant or ground now for the g ntA^.^^ baptiz^in^ of children, that therewas (fold for the circumcifing of them. For there is an exprejfe command for circumcifing of chil- dren y. but there is none for the baptizing of any but thofe who can heare the Word preached, Matth, % 8 . Goe teach and baptize. I , That which Circumcifion was in the old law to the Je wes, D. lemi^^ ^ D 3 that To this Argu- ment drawne from Analo- gic, the Ana- bjptitts anfwe- red nothing at all. Scotch-man D. really.. ^® A Difpttttmnwiih Andapiffls that is Baptifme now co us, the Sacrament of entrance into the Churchy for fo Saint Augujiine and all found Divines hold, that our Sacrament of Baptifme anfwereth theirs of Circumcifion, as the Sacrament of the Lords Supper doth their Pafchall Lambe. 2, Circumcifion was inftituted, as appears, Rom* 4. 11. to be afeule of the righteaufn-effe of faith. But for the fame end alfo was Baptifme inftituted, to be a feale of the covenant of grace, and the free remiffion of our finnes by faith. And though chil- dren in the old law before eight dayes had not aftuall faith, nor could make profeflion thereof, yet th^y received the Sacrament thereof. Therefore by the fame reafon children undcrtheGo- fpel, though they have not adtuall faith, nor can make profefli- on thereof, yet may and ought to receive the Sacrament of Bap- tifme, which is a feale of the Covenant of grace, and righteoul^ neife by faith. Children ought not to h Baptized, ^ecaufe there is no com- mand for it.. Marke, I pray, how uncertaine they are in their groimds; fometimes they fay that children are not to be baptized, becaufe they have not a^uall faith, which I overthrew but even now; fometimes, becaufe there is no commandement for it. Which as the future Arguments difprove, fo fee a puncfluaii refiitation of this Anfwer, /«/r<« ^rr. 2. 0^. I. Prove it by Scripture that they ought to he Baftiz,ed. So I will : firft I will alleage you the Text of Scripture, and then frame my Argument from it; the place of Scripture is, '^dh. 3-. 5. Verily-, verily I fay unto jout * except a r/ian be borne of V^ater^md of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdome of God: My Argument from this place for the baptizing of Infants is this : Jderftand not this text of Baptifme, but of a fpiiituall Laver or grace 'of the Spirit, wartiinc^and cleanfing the heart, as if Chrift in this Text ufed the figure called %i S'lci c»^ 00/:', like to that j^^s 14. ij.andiJf/iftfe. 3. ii.Bapti^abit vas ^iritu fanlio & ipi.' ^nS. Augufime amd the more aircit;rit''Ex'po{itors underftand it of B3ptifmc,and we mult not depart from the letter where • it may Hand j neither will this interpretation more conclude the abfolute neccffity of Baptifme to falvation, then thofe words of our Saviour, Marl^. 16. i6.Hethatb€lieveth and ubaptiK^^,^ Jhait be faved 5 all that can be inferred from both is, that Baptifme is the ordinary meanes of falvatron and that Baptifme is fo farre neceffary, as well ratione pracepths ratimemedii, no orthodox un- ci erftanding- Pfoteftani; ev^r denied, neither is there any reall controverfiip bctwe^ne the Prote- ftants and Papift in this point i but only verballj asDodor Reymlds excellently clearly pro veth in his Leftures, De cenfura 4pocryphomm. If Scotch-man. D.Featly. * Although forne of our latter Com- mentators of good note un- inScttthwArk, If none can enter into the kgigtift. Ted^butthey are goodmen "thorny our Bijhops perfecute a d cannot except the B^op o/Armagh ; for tfhen I was caJled "* ^°^ fiion before the High Commiffionythe Primate ^fltthnd fateth^^' and by filence gave confent, ^^^' t>, Tmly- The Primate of Ireland was never a Judge in ouj; High Co Jniflion i» SouthwArk, mifllon in England, as it is well knowne : fomedmes he might fit with the reft, but he had no power to give fentence in the High Commiflion m England; and if I might know truly foe what caufe you were brought into the High Commiflfion,! doubt not but to prove the fentence given againft you to be juft j for you are one who come not to Church, nor will heare our Prea- chers, but onely fome of your owne fed, and thofe no better then meere Laymen. TVee doe not rend of any fuch difiinEtion in the TVordofGod,as Lay-men and Clergy men^ thefe are Popijh difiinBions j the wotd ► Lay is not in all the Scriftttres, No more is the word Trinity, nor Sacrament, nor manyo- thers read in the Scripture, yet the fenfe of them is there, and fo is the diftindion of Clergy and Laity ; for God commandeth that the people fhould learne the La^ from the Priefls month ; the Priefts were no other then the Clergy, and the common people the Laity. Their Priefihood ^as not the fame with yours. It was the fame for fubftance, but not for ceremony and man- ner ofworlhip; their Priefthood was typicall, ours Evangeli- cally they by the figures of the ceremoniall law fore-fhewed Chrift to come, we preach that Chrift is come. Can y OH f rove any fuch dlfiinEiions in the JVeVc Tefiament ? We can : for we read in the New Teftament of Paftours and flocks J they who feed with the Word, are the Clergy ; and the flocks, who are fed, are the Laity. All are not Paftours or Tea- chers, I Cor, 12. 29. Are all Afofiles .? are all Prophets ? are all Teachers ? That is, all are not fo. Deacons treached^they ^ere Lay-men, therefore may Lay-men f reach ; I infiance in Steven, (^c. The Deacons were not meere Lay men, but men full of the Holy Ghoft, and of wifdome, upon whom the Apoftles laid their hands, AB. 6. 6, Prove that any Preached who had not im- pofition of hands. Here that Anabaptift failing, Cnfin undertopke itjjTaying; '' In the 8. of the Ads we read plainly, that-, after that great per- fecution of the Church.^ at Jerufalem, they w^e all fc uttered abroad throughout the Regions <>/Judea, and Samiria, except the Apofil^^i £ and ^3 Anabaptift.' Sedm 7» Ot the diftin- aion of the Clergy and Laicks. D. FecOly. And that none jnay exercife the funftion of aMinifter of the Gofpel, without a fpc- ciall calling thereunto. Anabaptift. 'D.Fea.tly* Anabaptift. V.Feaily.^^ Anabaptift. "P'Featly. cap. , 14 ^ Difptatim mth Ambaptifls and that they who were fcattered abroad went every >^>here, prea- ched the Go^eh, and that God gave a blefftng to their preaching, it isplaine, AEt, 1 1. 13. Againe, {Peter faith) i Pet,^. 10. As eve- ry man hath received the fpirit, even fo minifter the fame one to another, as good Stewards ofthemaoifold grace ofChrift. Jf God have given m a talent, it id onr duty to improve it. D. Vicals, ^^^y ^^'^^ ^^•^^ fcattered and preached the Gofpel, were fiicfi as the Apoftleshad laid hands onj& fent to preach, and among' them Philip the Deacon there mentioned. For the Text of S": Peter \ he fpeaketh not there of pnblick preaching, and ad- miniftring the Sacraments, which appertainerh oncly to Paftors . by their fpeciall fundlion ; but of edifying one another, and tea- ching and admonifhing in private, according to the Precept of I Tbeff. < II' ^^ Patili CoU ^» 16. Let the Word of God d'^eS. richly among you, in all "^ifdome, teaching and admomjhing one another : this was no publick preaching, or expounding the Word, but godly conference in private houfes with thofe whom they met, fuch as every godly Mafter of a family ufeth in his houfe, inftrufting his children & fervants the beft that he can,telling them their duty out of Gods Word. It is true, in time of perfecution we read of one Trumentim a Lay-man, who in his travels converted fome to the Chriftian Faith, c©nfirming the truth of Chriftian Reli- . gion by Scriptures. ^ Cafef. ^^^^ ^ '^^ "^^ ^^/r^ to doey as Frumentius did^ D. Teath. '^^^^ ^^^ "^ Preaching publiiiely by vertue of a Paftorall fun- dton,or expounding Scriptures, but holy conference and ex- hortation J fuch as that of A^uila and PrifeUla And the Hifto- rian addeth, after the Church had notice how Godbleflfed Fru- mentim his labours, in turning many Heathen to Chriftianiry, the Bifhops fent Minifters unto them, to confirme them and ad- minifter the Sacraments unto them 5 and himfelfe alfo received holy Orders, to accomplifti that worke which he had fo happi- ly begun. Another Xhe Sc ripture puts no difference betwixt publike and private ' Anabaptilt. it is as tawfull to wor/hip God in a private Hmfe,to Preach there as in one of yoftr Steeple-Houfes. .D. Itaily. The Apoftle puts a difference, i Cor. 1 1 . 22 . fpijat'J Have yon. not hoftfes t« e^atmddrinke ht ? Or defpife yon the ChttrchofGod ?■ The in S$uthwdrk, The mrditf the Original us Ecclefia, not Templura, which ne- ver fignifieth fQur Steeple- houfe in all the Scripture, The word Ecclefia is taken diverfly in holy Seripture : fome- times, 1. For a company of men, and that either of the wicked, 2iS Pfal, t6, ^,Odi Ecclejiam maligftantiffm; Or, of the godly, Jft. 20. 28. & 1 1 . 26. &c. 2. For the place of their publike meeting • and fo the word Ecclefia is here taken. If the people of Gad meet in a private place, i4 not that then the heufe of God} There is a piiblike houfe of God, that is, a place fequeftred from common ufe, and dedicated to Gods fervice, and there is a private houfe of God, as we read, Rom, 16. 5. where fome of the faithfuill privately meet, and that alfo is called the Church; Greet the Church in thine houfe : and in fuch private houfes it is lawfuU to Pfeach in time ofperfecution, but not now, when we have publike Churches for the fervice of God, to which we may and ou^t to repaire, and in thefe Churches no Lay-man ought to Preach, nor at all exercife the f aftorall function, either there or any where elfe. Which Improve by two reafons cfpecially . Firft, none omght to take upon them the Office of a Paftour, or Minifter of the Word, who ar^ not able to reprove and con- vince Hereticks,and allgain-fayers : but your lay and unlettered men are not able to convince Hereticks, and ftop the mouthes of gaine-fayers, becaufe they can alledge no Scripture but that which is translated into their mother-tongue, in which there may be and are fome errours : for,^though the Scriptures be the infallible Word ofGod,yetthe Tranflators were menfubjed to errour, and they fometimes miftooke. WiU you fdf that the fe learned men rvho tranflated the Bible at Gqrcvsl committed any errour in their Tranflation? I will J and for inft?ince, Lf^kt 22. 25. in the GenevaTtsindm- on printed 156^ we read, the ^irigs of the Gentiles reigne over themiand:thejthatkeare rule over them Are catted gracious Lords: whereas in the Originall it is Euergetaiy that is, bcnefadors, or bounti≪ yet this place hath been much urged againft the titles af our iAfch-Bifhop« and Biftiops, as HfChrift forbade any Da Minifters ^5 Anabaptift. D, Veatljf AnabajJtift. Jb.featiy. I. Keafon,' Scotch-man. D. Veatly. The Anabap- tifts blafphemy againft.the Scripture. D. Teatly. Anabaptift. D. Ttdtly, ,^ A Dif^umisn whh Anabapifts Minifters of theGofpelto be called by the titles of Lords or g-r^d(?/*f, whereas there is never, a word in the Text that figni- fieth either Lord or gracious, neither dothChrift there fpeake onely to the Minifters of the Gofpel,but to allChriftians. Be- fidesthis,! could produce many other errours in that tranfla- tion, which are corrected in the Kings tranflation. Though vpee cannot prove the letter to be yoell tranjlatedy that matters not much, for the letter of the Scripture is not Scripture. That is blafphemy, I pray take notice of it, he denieth the letter of the Text to be Scripture. The letter of the Word of God is not Scripture, without the re- velation of the Spirit of God j the Word revealed by the Spirit is Scripture* Very fine Do^rine j if God reveale not to us the meaning of the Scripture, is not the letter of the text Scripture? By this reafon, the greateft part of the Revelation and other dimcult texts of Scripture fhould not be Scripture, becaufe God hath not revealed to us the meaning of them. Here one that ftood by demanded of the Anabaptift; ; How prove you the Bible to be Gods Word ? Anabaptift. By experience. For, V(>hatfoe:ver is written in the Word of God tometh to palfe, concerning Chrift and Antichrifi 5 experience is the befi DoElor that teacheth m, p. JiMy. This reafon alone will not prove the Bible to be Gods Word; for Mofes faith, Jf afalfe Prophet jhall arife^and foretell any thing, and it come to pajfe, Deut. 13.2. thou /halt not hearken to the words of that Prophet, for the Lord thy Godprovethy.ou : it is true^ that argument with others make-s a good proofe. Aflabaptift. There is no falfe Prophet in Scripture, the pen-men thereof were all true Prophets, and jpake from the mouth of God, Dj^FMly. I grant you they did ; yet by this argument alone, you cannot convince an Atheift, or a Mahumetan ".: for in J/<^/7tf«»ffri- y^/r^- ron it is faid, that Mahomet was a true Prophet, and that the An- gel fpake to him from God -, you fee to what a miferable plunge you are put, if you have no more knowledge then nieeriy th,Femty. DStatfy* Cufin. T>. Featfy, Here it grew late and the Conference brake ofi» F J N I S. 10 A DlffHtatm with Ambaptp Additions to the former Conference^ 1 "D.Veatly' Chriftian Church for the baptifme of infants. N the Conference above mentioned, D.F. promifed to prove the Baptifme of Children, i . By Scripture. 2. By confent of the univerfall Church. And 3. By evident reafon. And the Ar- guments drawne from the firft head, he profecuted, but was not permitted at that time to urge the Arguments drawne from the fecond and third heads ; yet becaufe they were defired by fome perfons of note, it was thought fit they fhould be added to the former. Next to the arguments drawne from exprefTe teftimony of Scripture for the Baptifme of Children, we have a moft forcible Argument drawne from the confent of the univerfall Church, The confent of teftified by their conftant pradice of admitting Children to the Cathohke Baptifme, even from the Apoftles daycs unto this prefent. This argument, if it be well weighed, is of very great moment, and may convince the confcience of any ingenuous Chriftian. For no Chriftian doubteth, but that the Apoftles were infpired by the Holy Ghoft, and Chrift promifed his Spirit to lead his Church into all truth; which promifc he hath hitherto made good in fuch fort, that it cannot be proved that ever the whole Church of Chrift univerfally erred; it is true, particular Chur- ches have erred, and may crre, and generall Councels, which the Schooles tearme the reprefentative Church, are fubjeft to er- rour, and have fomctimes decreed herefie and falftiood for truth; but the formall Church as they fpcake, that is, all the Aflemblies of Chriftians in the world cannot be impeached with errour at any time : whence 1 thus frame my argument. That which the Apoftles in their days began, and the whole Chriftian Church fcattered over the face of the whole earth, hath continued in all ages^ and all countries where Chriftianity hath been, and is profefled, cannot be an erroneous pradice. But the Catholicke Chriftian Church, in all places and ages, even from the Apoftles times, hath admitted the children of faithfull parents to holy Baptifme. Ergo, the pradife of Chriftening Children cannot be erroneous ©r unwarrantable, as the Anabaptifts teach. The in Somhwark. The major or firft Propofition is already fufficiently proved ,• the minor or fecond Propoficion is proved by the teftimony of Origen for the Greeke Church, and S' Aufiine for the Latine, and the Ecclefiafticall (lories in all ages. Origen^ in his Com- mentary upon the fixt Chapter of S. Panlto the Romans^ having filledged the words of the Prophet Davidj Pfal. 51. 5. I ivas hbrne in iniquity y and in fin hath my mother conceived me -^ ad- deth, Proper hoc Ecclefia ab Apofi:oli6 traditionem accepit parvu- Ik dare baptifmum : (for thU reafon^ namely, becaufe all are con- ceived in finne) the Church hath received a tradition from the A- po files to adminifter baptifme to little infants. And S. Augufiine, 1. 10. de genefi ad literam, c. 23. Confuetudo matris Ecclepte in baptizjmdk parvtilis non fpernenda efi, nee omnino credenda ejfet ■ mji Apoftolica eJfet traditioy The cuflome of our mother the Church) in baptising infants^ is no Vcay to be (leighted or rejeEied ; neither were at it all to be beleeved if it rvere not an ApofiolicM tradition. As for the continuance of it, the hiftory of all ages of the Church confirmes it ; neither can there be brought an inftance in any Chriftian Church in the world that denied Bapr tifme to Children, till this Sefliarofe in Germany, fince the re- formation began there, in the days oi Henry the eight. After the teftimonies of Scriptures, and the pra6tice of the Catho like Church, we have a third proofe drawne from evi- dence ofReafon; againft which if it be excepted that the eye of reafon in matter of faith is but dim ; and therefore, that fuch arguments are no way convincing : I anfwer, that it is true, that fuch arguments drawne from reafon, as have no other ground but Philofophicall axioms, or fenfible experiments, are of little force in matter of faith, which is above reafon ; but fuch reafons as have ground and foundation in Scripture, and are firmly built upon thofe foundations, are of exceeding great force, and fuch are thofe I purpofe to alledge. I. Where the difeafe is, there ought the remedy to be applied. But the difeafe, to wit, originallfin, is in children, as well as men. For, all have finned in AdamtKom. 5.12. and are by na^ ture the children of wrath, Ephef. 2. 3 , Ergo, the remedy, which is Baptifme, ought to be applied to Children as well as Men. 2% Thofe wh© are comprifed within the Covenant of F grace,' 2t Arguments drawne from reafon for Chriftening children. ^^ , A Dtffumm With Anahaplfts ^ace, ought to be admitted into the Church by Baptirme, For to them appertaine both the proraifes of the New Teftament and the feale thereof, which is Baptifme. But the children of the faithfull are comprifed within the Covenant of Grace, Gen. I'j.j. I mil eflahlijh my Covenant be" ttveeyie me and thee ^ and thy feed, after thee, for ;att. ^verlafiitiff Covenant* ErgOi Children ought to be admitted into the Church h^ Baptifme. . 3^y, No means of falvation ought to be denyed to the Chil- dren of the Faithfull, whereof they are capable. But Baptifme is an outward means of falvation, whereof Children are capable under the Gofpell,as well as the Children of the Jewes were capable of Circumcifion under the law. Ergo, Baptifme ought not to be denyed to Children. 4^y, All thofe who receive the thing fignified by Bap- tifme, ought to receive the outward figne. It is the argument of Saint Peter ^ K&.S i®. 47. Can any man for bid water that thefe fhould not be baptizedt which have received the Holy Ghofl as ^eU as ^ee ? But the children of the faithfull receive the thing fignified hy baptifme ; to wit, regeneration and remiffion of fins. Ergo, they ought to receive the figne j to wit, the baptifme of water. The Propofition or major part is proved already : the af- fumption or minor is thus proved : Chrift bade children to com to him^andhebleff'edthemi ( Sihd C^Lid) of fuch ^ the Kingdome of Cod, Mark, lo. id. and that their Angels continually behold his Fathers face in heaven, (.Mat. 1 8. 10. and unleife the Ana- baptifts will grant that children are regenerated, and receive remiflion of fins, th?y muft needs hold that all children ar© damned, which is a moft uncharitable and damnable a{rt:rtion. ' The An a b a p ti s t s ObjeBion. Yea, but the Anabaptifts obje^:^, Mat.2^.iU. Go teach all Tutttonsy baptizing them. Whence they would inferre that none are to be baptized but thofe to whom the Gofpei hath before heenepr^chedi and confequently, that children ought not to be baptized before they can heare and- underftand the GofDeJ preached to them. * Answer, in Smthmrk. ij An S WE R. lb The fetting preaching before baptkitig; doth fib iflOr^ prove that preaching muft always gb6 before Baptifme, then thd naming repentance before faithj {Mark; 1.25. Repent, and he- leevetheGofpet ) proves, that repentance goeth always before toh, which the Anabaptifts themfelves hold not. -u Chrift fetteth in that place preaching'before baptizing, for two: reafons,neitherof which make any thing againft thebap- tifme of children. The firft is, becaufe it is the more principall adl of the Minifteriall fundion,for it is preaching which through^ the operation of the holy Spint begettcth faith, which the Sa- craments onely confirme ; preaching draw^th the inftrument as' it were of the Covenant betweene God and us, whereunto the Sacrament is fet as a feale. Secondly, becaufe Chrift there fpea- keth of converting whole nations to the Chriftian faith, in which alwayes the preaching of the Word goeth before the ad- miniftration of the Sacraments. For, firft men believe, and after ate admitted to Baptifme, but after the parents are converted, their children being comprifed within the Covenant are admit- ted to Bapcifme : and whenfoever any Profelyte is to be made, this courfe is likewife to be taken, they muft profeffe their faith before they be received into the Church by Baptifme : but the cafe is different in children, they have neither the ufe of reafon to apprehend the Gofpel preached unto them, nor ufe of their tongue to prof-{re their faith, and God requireth no more of them then he hach given them; the like courfe God himfelfe tooke in the old law, before any men of riper years were Cir- cumcifed, the commandement of God was declared, and his covenant made knowne unto them, but children were circum- cifed the eight day before they were capable of any preaching unto them, or fuch declaration. Nothing remaineth, but that the two objedions concerning, the dodrine of the Trinity in the beginning propounded by D.F, . for no other end, but to try how well verft chefe ring-leaders of the Anabaptifts were in the more neceflary points of Cate- chifme, be anfwered : The firft was framed out of fohn 17. 3. Thu ulife eternally to know thee to be the onely true God, and rphom thou hafi fenty ^eCm Chrift, If the Father be the onelyuwz God, how is the '^ •' F2 Sonne Sonne or the Holy Ghoft very God ? hereunto the Anabaptifts gave twoanfwers: the firft, blafpheihous : the fccond, uhfuffi- cient and impertinent,as appears in the beginning of the confe- rence. The true anfwer is, that Chrift, fohn 17. prayeth to God, and not to any of the three Perfons particularly : for th®ugh he ufeth the word Father) verf. i. yet Father is not there taken fo- the fiirft Perfon in Trinity, but as a common attribute of the Deity, as it is alfo taken, Mat.6,g. Our Father,\etf. 1^. youn heavenly Father )Gd\. i, ^. God and our Father, J 2Lmes 1.27. Be- fore God and the Father, i Pet. I • 17. If ym call him Father, ^ho jttdgeth ^ithoHt refpeB of ferfons : So then, the meaning is,0 God, Father of heaven and earth, This is life eternally to know thee, to be the onely true God, and whom thou hafifent,7efm Chrifi* According to which interpretation,this text is parallel to that of the Apoftle, one God, and one Mediatour betwixt God and man, St Yet if any ^^^ manChrifl Jefrn,! Tim. 2.5.* conceive that The fecond objedion was out. of foh. 1 5, 26, The Spirit of the words F^S^fi-'^^K' on. For although there are Schifmaticall and Heretical! per- ^fJ'/Jeat fons,that have neare affinity with Anabaptifts, knowne by all coUe^'mtsgra^ thefe names: yet thefe are not fo many diftinfl and feverall tiam fibi ha^eat forts of Anabaptifts. For fome of thefe differ onely in refpe(^.Q.f eleBmUmor theirDo(?lors and Teachers, and not of their dodrines, as th^ ^^'''^^'^^ Muncerians, Hiitites, and MenoriiftS; others werd Hereticks, more ancient then the Anabaptifts properly fo called : as name- !yj the Apoftolicall, the Catharifts, the Adamites, and Enthu- (iafts ; though as I fhall fticw hereafter, fomc of onr prefent A^ nabaptifts wencb upon tbeitfeefefks: the AugWftiniaii$,-Mct^ chiorites^. and GeO^iansj aref Affabi^tifts, 1^ ■ Miqiiid' Jimptim ° ^ugh. theg a^ice vwith * them ih' their maiiie dodrirte of re- -: baptizing. ?8 SeverAll forts of Andbapifis baptizing, yet they goe beyond the ordinary Anabaptift^ hol- ding farre more damnable tenents then they. For the Auguftl- niam beleeve that none ftiall enter into Paradife till the Prince of their Seft, Aufline the Bohemian fliall open the way. The Melchiorites exped: Melchior Hofmannm to come with Bliasy to reftore all things before the laft day. The Georgians blafphe- moufly boaft, that their mafter David George was a holy perfon, compofed and made of the foule of Chrift, and the third perfon in the Trinity. Laftly,he omitteth one fort of Anabaptifts, cal- led Hemerobaftifisi who in the fummer time qaotidie bapiz^nban' Gaftius de A- ^^^j were chriftened every ^2,^ -. fenferunt enim aliter nonpoffe nakapexord. hominem vivere , Ji nan Jingulis diebusin aqua merger eturt it ant P %^- abluatur & fan^ificetur ab omni culpa* To leave therefore thefe . deteftable Sedarics, whom to deted is to conflite, and to name, is everlaftingly to brand .• there are but three only forts, to whom that name properly and peculiarly appertaincth. I. The firft broached their doftrine about the yeare 250. which was this : That all thofervho had been baptized by Nova- tus, or any other Here ticks, eftght to be re-baptized bj the ortho^ dox Paflors of the Church, ^, The fecond broached theirs about the yeare, 3 80. which was this : That mne Tvere rightly baptized but thofe that heldmth Donatus, and confequently that a,ll other ^ -who had received bap- tifme in the Catholicke Churchy by any other fave thofe of hii party y ought to be re-baptized, 2 , The third broached theirs in the yeare 1525. which was this : That baptifme ought to be adminifired to none^ but fuch a^ can (rive a good account of their faith ; and in cafe any have been baptized in their infancy, that they ought to be re-baptized after they come to yeares of dffcretion^ before they are to be admitted to the Church of Chrift, For the firft fort, though their opinion and praftife were er- roneous, yet fome conceive, caufas habet error honeftas that they had very plaufible pretenfes for it ; namely, that He- rcticks were mifcreants, and had no place themfetves in the true Church of God j and that therefore they had no power by their baptifme to admit any into it : that they had not the' Holy Ghoft, and therefore could not conferre the gifts thereof upon .-. Sever all fdrts.df An ahajfHfts, sp upon any/: that they were foiile £hetnfelves,how then coiild they by their Baptidne walli others deane ? aAA&)^ k7f Of, ctulo? IxKidi j^ycifm. adng. C^^ik Againft this opinion and pradice of theirs, P^opei're'j&/;£'» mainly oppofed himfelfe,and in a Synod held at Rome condem- ned it, as being repugnant to the tradition of the Church; whichjasheaffirmeth, received Hereticks upon their fubmiffion, and recantation of thdr herefies, without re-baptizing them. But S. Cyprian, a famous Bifhop in Africa in thofe dayes, and afterwards a glorious Martyr, tooke Pope ^r?/?^^« to taske, re- felled his argument drawne from unwritten tradition by Scri- ptui:e, and in a provincial! Synod held at Carthage, whereof he was Prefident, ^w(?Do«^.258. with the joynt fuflrages of 87 BiQiops, condemnes the fentence of the Roman Synod, and de- '' termines the flat contradidory thereunto ; namely, that the Baptifme adminiftred by Hereticks was invalid and, Null; and that all that had no better Baptifm.e ought to be brought agame ' to the Font, and be chriftened anew, and no other ways to be accounted members of the true Church. And truly J?r^y?»/^, in his Preface to his Edition of Saint Q/'^/^^j affirmeth it to be an even /^jr betweene both opinions ; and that though the Church in later ages tooke part \N\t)\ Stepheyij yet that they " , might as well have confirmed Saint Cyprians opinion, without any prejudice at all to the Catholicke faith. Howbeit, with J?- -^ rafmmhls good leave be it fpoken, whofoever fhall dive deep into the point, and ponder what Saint Aftfiinehnh written in his exquifice.Tratflates againft tht Donatifis, efpecially in his ^^ ^^P- '^^■ third booke, where profeifedly he fcans all the Arguments al- ^%^^i ^^/.j* leaged by Saint C7/>n4??j ai^^ his colleagues in the above-named third Synod 2itCdrthagey will finde that Saint Cj/^nV^w had the better parts and gifts, but yet the worft of the caufe; and there- fore in the firft and moft celebrious Councell of Nice it is or- dered, can. 8.; that the.C^fW//?JOr Npvatiansi yi\\() {h.2\\t^t jiounce their Herefie, and feeke to be reconciled to the Churchi, {hall be received by impofition of hands, without requiring any new Baptifme of them : yet in the nineteenth C^w« itisde- Syn.Nlc.c.i^. creed, t(i4t; if jhe.Hereticks;, called the i^^/^^^/, (taking that tJtTsWa/ d- naijie it^m PaHit^ SamoJaienmJ)9^ittpt\i&Cjit^^ ^f^f-iK:^ ^ that:tt^y(lialli39xiE.|rbapt allmeanes. By whichifceming ^'^^-^''^*'"* 30 L.io.hifl:.c.35- Refert quendam Efifcopum AT' rianum nomine Deutrnm bapti- \^ffe'm nomine faiYis ptf pli- um in Jpiritii fando) & addit miraculofe acfi- tiiffe,ut aqua, qute ad baptif- mum parata e- rat repente ia dettftatiomm Arrianie htcre- ftos,quam iRe frxdidis ver- itis pfofiun in- tettdebat, difpa" Severall firts 9f jimbaptifts. contradiftion of the decrees of this moftfacredSynod.as it were by the coUifion of flint-ftones, the fire of truth is thus clearly haten out. That we muft diftinguiOi of Hereticks, whereof fome deftroy the foundation, as the Pattliam, Gnojticks, Cataphry- gians, and the like 5 others held the foundation, but built upon it Hay and Stable, as the Catharifis and Novatiam^ and fuch Hereticks as had a right beliefe in the bleflfed Trinity, and the natures and offices of Chrift, yet upon this good kcd^fufer- feminarmt s^izama : fome depraved the eflendall forme of bap- tifme prefcribed by our Saviour, as did that Arrim of whom Nkephorui writeth ; that after he had ufed an hereticall kind of forme, and dipt his hand in the Font to chriften the child, all the water fuddenly vanifhed away : Others, though they had ill opinions concerning other Articles of Faith, yet were right in dodrine of the Trinity, and maintained the true forme of bap- tifrae ; and all thofe, who were baptized by thefe latter fort of Hereticks, the Church held tbeirbaptifme good, and therefore did not re-baptixe tliem when they received them into the Church, but only en>oyned them publickly to renounce their er- roursjbut thofe who had been baptized by the former fort of Hereticks, in regard their baptifme was indeed no baptifine, the Church appointed agreeably unto this decree of the Synod of Kice^ that they (hould not be admitted without a new bap- tifme. For the fecond fort of Anabaftifis, they were farre worfc then the former ; for they made a feparation from the catho- lick Chriftian Church,holding that none were members there- of, but thofe that held with Dow^fMf, all other they accounted no Chriftian«; and thercfore,if any were converted, or rather perverted to their herefic, they chriftened them againe. The former fort of Anabaptifis were accounted onely erroneous and fchifmaticall,but not hereticall, but chefe were ftigmatized for hereticks alfo, and that *jli Anahapti^a 0- ngmtmtfahant a. DonatiftUi proximo tamm fupmo-ntempsm n author fuit TJio. Moneta* tiusfeu Man- cerus. * Alftedius compend. jia. I $ zf. S]ci4anus coml.io. Ca'vett fmeu i^igantuf fin^ gulh&adjum' mam tyrrem Hrbis cxfih nmun 3^ See Eudaemon Johan. Aplog. Garneti. . The Smurs ofAnabapufis. which were hung upon the higheft fteeple in Mmfier, where they dance in the aire. And as Garnet the Jeluite, the great Par tron and pracflifer of equivocation, in his hfe time, is faid to have equivocated in fome fort after his death, fof two faces of his were {hewed by the Ronvan Cathoiicks;, the one upon an Iron polcj the other upon a Straw ; fo thefe Ring- leaders of the Anakiftifis^\\\\o ftickled fo much.for re-baptizing in their life timej have been a thoufand times re'baptiz.€4 fince their death, by every lliowre of raine beating through their Iron lettice. \ I, Ch A P. jr, of the err ours of the Anabaptifts both common to other SeUs^and thofe \\>hichare fecHliarlj their owne, 'T'Kofe who have raked into this mud, flnde feverall beds of thefe flipperyEeles, or rather indeeid Lafnpyejs -j fox they have all of them fome firing oi oi\\ttoipojfon in them. Their errours they rankc into three kindes. Firft, EcclefiafticaiJjOr inpoint of the Church, or matter of faith. Secondly, Politicall, or in point of policy, or matrter of S^atei Thirdly, Oetonomicall, or in point of family-government, t Firfi, their Ecclejiafiicall err ours- [uch as ■^eculiarh concern the do^rine or dijcifline of the Church, are, Firft, ^ that Chrift tooke not flefli from the Virgin ^/^r/,.but that hepaftthroughher as the Sun-beames doe through glafle^ or raine through a fpout. Secondly,^ that there isnooriginall finne. Thirdly, ^ that children ought not to be baptized. Fourthly, ^ that fuch as have been baptized in their infancy, ought to be re-baptized when they come to years ofdifcre- tion. " , ^ Ib-nuUnm efe peceatum origmale. ' Tueros fion effe haptl%andos^ Gaftius de Anabcip. exQid. p. i zp. dicmt bap- tvfmurn pdYvulorum effe exDiabolOi&Pap^ figmntum, ^, ?om. ib,qm in teneris amisUpti-^ti ■ fmrmPffrntrebapti^andh' • . - - ' - •.<,■. --'-qp Jnd. •" - ■: ', ■ .' ' ' :: ' Fifthly, *?ont({a.Catd._ beerei. in verba jinabap. Dicmt Chriftum per . Mariam edium tit ■uifmm fol fenetratyveiper eanakm pliivia in terram fer- tur. TheBrroursofAmba^ttfts. 33 Fifthly, « that lap -people may preach and admihifter the Sa- ' Pont. ib. do- craments, C?^/?/?^, p. 3 5 . Ambapti(i:a fummt fihi omnes prxdican- <^£'<^(^i Partes fibi mojpctum. ■' 1 10 Cffi. Sixthly, f that men have free-will, not only in naturall and na pera6ia rex morall, but alio in fpirituall a ft 1 ■ r, /• • n • r n le, wqiiH, an-'" Secondljttbeir PoliHcall errours tn matters oj state ^ are ^ mmciate mor^ -Firft, ithat the people may depofe their Magiftrates and l^po^t^iy^libe- chiefe ^\x\txs,Sliid,ih. licere phbeis in Magiflratvtm arrndfrnmere. fum in jp'mtm- Secondly, ^that a Chriftian with a good confcience may not llbmeffe homi- take upon him, or beare the office of a Magiftrate, or keep any nisarhUnum. n^ ^/ C • a- sSleid. p, zkB. ^T^'f.^f'^^' . • -a ^ 1. u Lapfopcccalori Thirdly, '■ that none may admmilter an Oath to another. demgant abfo- Fourthly, "Uhat no Malefadlors ought to be put to death. Utionem. ^ Skid ib. Lu- Thlrdly, their Oeconomicall errours^ are, thcmm&Von- ' Firft, "thatno man hath a propriety in his goods, but that nSmZilmtffe ailthings ought tobeheld in commion, ; fdfos Frephc- Secondly, ^that it is lawfull to have more Wives then one tas, hmhevum at once. ' . tamen altero Thirdly, Pthata man may. put away his Wife, if llie diflxT ^'^Z'"^;,^. from him in point of Religion, and be not of their Sed;. ubertatem per Thefe indeed are the moft of their knowne errours, yet alL pmcipes exdn~. the Lamprejs are not found in thefe beds, there be fome drag-, ^^f^, ^'''^^ # lers ; and to the end that none of them efcape, we will put ^po^nJ^/Si- them all as it were into two great Weels. All the errours of the ^^^.^g \^^.^ ^p. Anabaptifis MQ. oi two (ovts^ Imtim g^reu Magiftratum ■ vel teneu imperium. ^ Sleid. 1. 10. Non licere Chriftimis in foro contende/e, non-jiisjurandum Mcere. ">Pont. i&. Facimrofos a. Magiftrati bus ultimo fuppUcio a ffici uon debere.. " Pom.ife. Oportere facuUaies ejfe comr^unes,&^^^ii- 1. 1®. Noit licere Chriftimo habere quid preprium ^ Vont. ib. Lickum ejfe ducere plures uxores. p Pom. Licere proprias-M^ores relinquere, fia. dogmaie Anabciptiftcvrurn abhorrreant. S\dd. loc. Cuip, dt,j^icurit mtrmof^iutn illomm qtii vaa fidenonfnntiUupaUpoUutiimeireatqiievmm-mi ; . .i.,,ii.. " ..^y. G 3 Firfi, 54 The Errours of the AnAb^ftifis, Firp, fiich as they hold in common with other Hiretickt* Secondly iftich ks are peculiar to their SeH:, Firft, concerning the common errours, we are to note, that as the wilde beafts in Africa meeting at the rivers to drinke, engender one with another,and beget ftrange Monfters; whence is that Proverbe, Semper Africa aliquid apportat novi : fo divers kinds of Hereticks and Schifmaticks meeting together at unlaw* full Conventicles, and having conference one with the other, have mingled their opinions, and brought ioixkimnngrell here- fies. Epifhanim inftanceth in divers ancient Here-ticks ; but I ftiall only at'this time in thofe Hereticks I am now to deal with, \jp» & eU{li reg- vi^. the laft and worft fort of Anabaptifis ; thefe joyne their nent,impm om- opinions, and if I may fo fpeake, engender, Firft, qwith the Millenaries i and their joynt iffue is. That Chrift before the day of Judgement fliall come downe from Heaven, and reigne with the Saints upon eartha thoufand years; in which time they fliall deftroy all the wicked, binding their Kings in chaines, and their Nobles in links of iron. Secondly, "^with the Catharifis or Novatians ; and their joynt iflfue is, That they are a communion of all Saints, and that none that hath fallen into idolatry » or any other grievous crime, for which he hath been^xcommunicated, ought to be reftored up- on his repentance to the Church. Thirdly, ^with the Donatifis ; and their joynt iflue is, That in the true Church there are no fcandals,or lewd and vitious livers; pend. Melchio- ^^at the Church of God is confined to their Sefl ; that we ought ivilS'^"^"^* to feparate from all aflemblies of Chriftians, wherein there are Hofaiannf ^"V abufes or fcandals, yea, though the Church alloweth them muem in die not, but feeketh to reform them ; that all fuch as have been bap- j>Qmmcum E- tized by any other then thofe of their Se^, ought to be re-bap- lia prjecomniy tized. pgftoUat^r ; Fourthly, ^with the Prifcillianifis ; and their joynt ifTue is SX ckrffii That Chrift took not flefli from the Virgin Marj. farentm fed Fiftjy, " with the Adamites j and their joynt iflue is;, Th?it v(lut CAHidetft fuilfe decent. " Alfted. compcnd. OSiavafefh An4ihapiifi€fumflt emm qni Mamt^ vttaatm, ^dveftrn omncmextQrmtHTitiHK datafitinpeeMmpefcm, iquofc mdmtimmmes. clothes Erafm.Adag, iSldd.l.io. Tradunt rater iiliay rezimm Chriftifuturum tjfe ejufmodi ante fupremum judiaidiemi ut mm deletiSy &c. ' Sleid. com. 1. 10. p. 1^6. Xapfo peccatsri denegantabfO' lutionem, *^Compend.Al- ftcd. Hutitxfe folos ja^itaat filios tetemx feLkitatis,di£ii a. Johanne Huta,«^f. ,' Alftcd.com- The Brrours of the Ambaftifts. clothes were appointed not fo much to cover {hame, as to dif- cover fin ; and that therefore they being fuch as Adam was in his innocency, ought to goe naked and not to be afhamed. Sixtly, '^ with the ApoftoUci , that is, a fort of Hereticks, who perverfly and prepofteroufly imitated the firft Chriftians in the daysoftheApoftlesj and their joint iffne is, That none ought to poflefle any lands or goods to himfelfe, but that they ought to have all things in common. This was Mnncerus his dodrine at Alfet^ and it very much took with the common people ; who prefently left working, and what they wanted they took by force from them that had it. Seventhly, y with the Enthufiafls ; and their joint ifllie is,That the Scripture is not our only rule of fai£h,and manners, but that God revealeth his will to his children at this day by vifions and dreams:&therfore^(?/;i«ofZ«W(?»,after he had fet himfelf to deep, and had dreamed three days and nights, when he awaked, fai- ned himfelf fptechlefle, and called by fignes, with Zachary^ for a table-bookjOr pen and inke, and there writeth downe certain pofitions as revealed to him from God, and commanded the Preachers to publifh them : the firft and principall whereof was, that a man was not tied to one Wife, but that he might have more J and thisdoflirine he put prefently in pra,:.: ^ Author, hiftor. Anabapt. Prin- ted i64i.Skid. 1. 10. Noulicere rhiiflianis in foro contendere. Alft. compend. Kejpuunt viu' dUtam publi- -catn, & diunt nefas ejfe ulLo rnodo armA fumm. The En ours ofAmbaptifis. TenthlVj.wich the Brownifis or Barrowlp ; and their joint idiie is, That there ought to be a parity in the Church ; that the government by Arch-bifhops and Bifhops, &c. is PopilTi and Antichriftian; that the fervice and Ceremonies of tht Church are idolatrous and fuperftitious ; that in regard of thefe and jllich like abufes and corruptions, the Chnrchof jE;?^/^;?^ is no true Church of Chrift, and confequently, that all that have a care of their fouls muft of neceflicy feparate from her. Eleventhly, with a peculiar Sed, called the Separati-, and their joint ifliie is, That no Chriftian may goe to law, or in any cafe to right himfelf by arms or violent mearis. . Secondly^ fuch as are peculiar to their SeEt^ and thefe are fix. Firft, that none are rightly Baptized but thofe who are dipt. Secondly, that no Children ought to be Baptized. . Thirdly, that there ought to be no fet forme of Liturgy or prayer by the Book, but onely by the Spirit. Fourthly, that there ought to be no diftindion by the Word of God between the Clergy and the Laity, but that all who arc gifted may preach the Word, and adminifter the Sacraments. Fifthly, that it is not lawful! to take an Oath at all, no, not though it be demanded by the Magiftrate. Sixtly, that no Chriftian may with a^ood confcience execute the office of a civill Magiftrate. A RT I C. I, Concerning Dipping. Anabaptist. NOne are rightly Bapiz,ed hut thofe '^ho are Dipt, The Refutation. .^-^. ,,-V See iEdw0d Though Dipping may be ufed in Baptifme j and if the'childe Bivfber his trea- j,e ftrong, and the weather and climate temperate, it is verv tife of Bsp- *^ ' 7 tifme, or Dipping, wherein it is clearly (hewed, that the Lord Chrift ordained dipping; printed, London 1 64 1 . and a Tr eatife intituled. The vanity of Childish Baptifme 3 wherein it is proved f f6 faith tli title-page) that Baptking is Dipping, and Dipping Baptizing, fimtzA London i6^z. by A.K. idem p. i z . They that have the adminiftration of Baptifme without Dipping, have not tfaq Baptifme of the New Teftament. fit No necefity of Dipping in BapHfm. ' 37 fit to be ufed, and the Charch oi England both alloweth It, and pradifeth it ; yet it is no way neceffary, or elTentiall to Bap- tifme : neither ought they who have been waOied or fpnnkled according to the forme prefcribed by our Saviour, In the name of the Fatherland of the Son, and of the HolyGhofi, by a lawfull Minifter, by any means be re-baptized ; which I prove. ^ A R G U M E N T I. That which Chrift, who is the Authour and Ordainer of Bap- tifme, requireth not, cannot be neceffary or eflehtiall to the right adminiftration of the Sacrament. But Chrift no where requireth Dipping, but onely Bapttzwg; which word, as Hefychim, znd Stefhanm, ^na Scapula, ^nd Bud4iHs,x.\it great maftersof the Greek tongue make good by very many inftances and allegations out of Claffick wri- ters, importeth no more then Ablution or wafhing C^^^^- C«. fay they in their Lexicons and Commentaries, A««, tdefi, lava, ^ci'Trrtffi^ct^ lavatio, ablmio) which may be done with- out Dipping. . , • TL • r Ergo, Dipping is not neceflary to the right adminiftration of Baptifme. Argument II. ^ , . . , If the words. Baptise and Baptifme, are often ufed in holy Scripture where the perfons or things faid to be Baptized were not Dipt ; then certainly Dipping is not necelTary to Baptifme, neither will the word Baptize inforce any fuch 3uuhe words BaptUe and Baptifme are ufed in Scriptures, where neither the perfons nor things were ^^F^^^^PPf f bv thefe texts of holy Scripture x Mat. ^. 11. Be (hall bap- tlTyou^ith the HolyGhofi^and^nh ^^ ^ /f ^JjXrhoft ' Aa I. %. is applied to the fending down of the Holy Ghoft in the fbape of fiery tongues ; and AB, 2. 3 . it was fulfilled whn the Apoftles were filled with the Holy Ghoft, and fp.ke with o?her tongues . yet were they not D^pt into that &tcame downelrom Heaven, but as the text fai^^^^^^^^^^^^ cloven tonmes like fire fate upon each of them. And againe, %Z%. h . Chrift foretelling his Difciples that they ftjodd partake with him in his fufferings, and drmk deep of the jS No fiecffity of J)ipfing in BapHfme, cup of tremhllfi^, ex^rciicth It hy t^e^hY2ik of BaptUm^, Mark, lo. 38. faying ; Tejhallbe baptizedwlth the Baptifme that I am bdp- ti^ed with : yet neither was Chrift, nor any of his Difciples, that we read of, dipt into blond, but onely fprinkled, walhcd, or befmeared therewith ; likewife, Mark. 7. 48. we read of ^ArrliayMi '7ro\>mct)V ^ ^sraV, wofd for WOrd, baptifme ofcufs^ potsy tablesy or beds : yet cups or pots when they are wafhed or rinfed, (as viz. at a pump) are not neceflarily dipt into the water,but only water poured into them and upon them, with rubbing, &c. And for tables and beds, they are not wafhed by Dipping ; for in mens houfes they have 130 com- modity of fo great lavers or broad wels, wherein tables may be Dipt ; and the dipping, efpecially of beds, will doe them more hurt then good. Laftly, we read, i Cor. 10. 2. of bap- tizing in the cleudf and Heb.g. 10. of cPia^o^^i ^ccTflio-iMot, di- rh^ ^i'^' % ^^^"^ Baptifmes, or fvajhings, and carnall .ordinances impofed Baptifm^ on the fews, untill the time of reformation, yet were not the Jews, who are faid to be baptized, dipt in the clotidy but they Wire onely wa{hed with it as men are in a fhower of raine j neither did Mofes in the ceremonial 1 Law prefcribe different kinds of Di;?;?/»gj, though he did feverall kinds of cleanfing,, purifying or wafting; nor did the Apoftle deJiver any dodrine of many Dippings, but ablutions, ^r^o, Dipping is no way neceffary to Baptifme. ArGUME NT ill. If the thing, or fpirituall adl or grace fignified by Baptifme may be fufficiently expreffed without Dippings then is not Dipping neceffary in Baptifme : for the whole ufe of the figne in Baptifme, and in all other Sacraments, is but to re- prefent the thing fignified, and inwardly wrought upon the fouleby the means of that ordinance of God. But the thing fignified, to wit, the cleanfing of the foulefrom the guilt and fikh of finne, may be fufficiently expreffed by wafliing or rubbing with water, and fo putting away the 6Ith of the flefh, i ?et. 3.21. without any plunging or Dip- ping of the whole body, or any part thereof. jEr^c/j Dipping is not neceffary in Baptifme. A R G 11- iVtf meepty »f Dipphg in S apt if me. 3^ A R G U M E NT IV. Sprinkling may be done, and is ufually, without any Dipping at all. But the outward aft of Baptifme reprefenting the inward ablution of the foule is exprefled in holy Scripture by [brinks imgjHth. 9. 13. The blond of buls ani goats (prhikiina- the unt'lean fanfiifieth to the purify ing of the flejht Heb. i®. 22. Having our hearts jprinkled from an evill confcience , and our bodies ^ajhed with pure water ^ i Pet. i. 2. Through the fan5iification of the Spirit, and ^rink/ing of the b/oud off efm Chrifi, ' ^r^Ojthe outward aft of Baptifme may be rightly performed without any Dipping at all. Argument V. Baptifme is a Sacrament, though not of abfolute neceflicy^yet of very great, (as all confeffe) and it falleth out often that it ought to be adminiftred to fick and infirme perfons, even fometimes lying upon their death-bed, they making profcf- fion of their Faith, and earneftly defiring it. But in fuch cafe thefe infirme perfons cannot after the man- ner of the Anabaptift-s be caried to Rivers, or Wels, and there be Dipt and plunged in them , without evident and apparent danger : yet may they fafely be baptized by fprinkling, or gentle rubbing with water. £^^•(7, Sprinkling, or rubbing the flefh with water in the name of the Trinity, by thofe who have authority and com- mifllon from Chrift, is fufficient without any Dipping at all. Arc u ME NT YI. All the Sacraments of the Church may and ought to be admi- niftred without giving any juft fcandail. But the refort of great multitudes of men and women toge- ther in the evening, and going naked into Rivers, there to be plunged and Dipt, cannot be done without fcandail, efpe- cially where tne State giveth no allowance to any fueh pra- ftice, nor appointeth any order to prevent fuch foul abufes as are like at fUeh diforderly meetings to be committed. Ergo^thQ Sacrameiit of Baptifme ought not to be admio ftred with fuch plungingx)r Dipping. H ?- The 4® ^0 mcefHy of Difpng in Baptifme. The OhjeElions of the Anabapifis anptvered. Now let us hear what they can fay for their Dippmg, alid with what weake bulrufhes they fight againft the truth. Ohjefi. I. Firft they objcd, chat the word Baptize is derived from ^c/^'/lcff, A. R. Treatife fignifying, to Dip,ot Die ; therfore, fay they, wafhing or fprink- of Baptirm p.?. ijng with water is not Baptizing, but pUinging the body, or the j)jp^^ ' But we anfwer, firft, out of Aquinas and the Schoolmen, in Mat. 26. 23. verbis von tarn jpeB;undum ex qm,qHam ad quid fumantury in Mart 14. 20. words we are not fo much to refped from whence they are de- Luk. 16. 24. rived, as how they are ufed : as we fee the branches of trees Sol. I. fpread much farther then the roots, fo the derivative words are often ofa larger extent offignification then their primitives jfor inftance, >t*)»x'-'*' is derived from n^^y, and fignifieth originally and properly, Catechiz,ing, or fuch a kind of teaching wherein the principles of Keligion,or of any Art or Science are often in- culcated, and by continud.\[ founding and refounding hesit into the ears of children and novices: but yet it is taken in holy Sai- pture in a larger fenfe, not onelyfor C^f^c^z^m^ of Children, but inftrudling men of riper years in the dodlrine of falvation, as Luki I. -4^ That thou mighteft know the certainty of thofe things, '^^ ^i' Kctitj^/i^yiii Vpherein thoH hafi been inftruBed^ and ^6rt7i;5c«a-ff, follo'^ the things where'^ith one may edifie another : and Gal. 6. 6. koivccvhto) K%\nx^ixzv®- r Koyov^ Let him that is, taught in the Word communicate to him that teacheth him* In like manner, the word Prophecy is derived from '^ & (pn[j.}^ which tignifieth originally and properly to foretell things fu^ ture : yet it is taken, in the New Teftameht efpecially, in a lar- ger fenfe,for ail fuch as reveale the will of God, and declare his promifes, as well paft and already fulfilled,as to be fulfilled here- after, as namely, i Cor. 1 1. 4. Every man fraying or prophecyin^ having his head covered,, dijhonoureth his head, I Cor. 1 4. i. De- Jtre jpirituall gift9y.but rather that ye may frophefie • and verf. 2. He that prephejiethf jpeak^th unto men to edificationjt,o exhortatittn. No ntcefitj of Dipping in Bdptifwe, 41 to comfort i verf.3 i. Te mAj allfrofh^fy one by one: verf. ^2. The ^irits of the prophets arefubjeEi to the Prophets.So the word Bap- tize,though it be derived from 0d'7rla> tmgo,to dip or plunge into the water, and fignifieth primarily fuch a kind of wafhing as is ufed in buciis where linen is Plmged and Dipt : yet ic is taken inorelargely,for any kind of walliing,rinfing, or cleanfing,even where there is no Dipping at all, as yl/^/^^ 3 1 1. C^ 20. 2 2.y^^rit J. ^. & lOf"^^, Luk^ -^.16. ABs I, $.& 11, i6. iCor.iG.i. Secondly, iSsiV^a, from whence Baptize is derived, fignifieth ^^ as well to Bie, as to Dip : and it may be, the holy Ghoft, in the word Baptize,hath fome reference to that fignification, becaufe by Baptifme we change our hiew ; for as Varro reporteth of a ri- Sol'mus 1 1". ver in Boeotia^thdit the water thereof turneth fheep of a dark or Varro refm in dun colour into white:fo the jfheep of Chrift which are wafhed in ^^^^i^jumen the Font of Baptifme, by vertue of Chriftspromife, though be- jJoS;»7^ fore they were of never fo dark^, fadyor dirty colonr, yet in their cusfi fufci fit fouls become vhitejandpure,8i. are as it were new Z)/^^: therefore eolom •vertUm' admitting that in the w^ord Baptize there were fomething of in mdidum. ^ctTrlca tingo to Dip or Die ^ yet it will not follow, that it necef- farily fignifieth Dippingjfot it may afwell imply this fpirituall Die, to which no Dipping is neceffary. Secondly, they argue from the example of Chrift, and fohn, Obj. 2.' ' and of philips and the Eunuch : fefnsS^iY l^ty^^nA lohni^ent Match. 3. 16. both into Jordan, and there lohn baptiz,ed lefus, and- likewife Phi- ^^^ ^'^^' lip and the Eunuch went both down into the Eatery and there Phi- lip ^aptiz,ed the Bmuch\ therefore, fay they, fprinkIing,or wafli- ing with water will not fuffice, but the parties that are to be baptized ought to goe into the water, and there be Dipt over- head and ears. But we anfwer, Firftj an example of Chrift, or his Apoftles without a precept doth not neceffarily binde the Church, as may be proved by many inftances j for Chrift wailied his difciples feet before his fupper, and he adminiftred it at night, and to twelve men onely and no women : yet we are not bound fo to doe. In the Apoftles dayes widows were maintained to ferve the Church at the publique charge, yet wc are not bound to have fuch. Likewife, the firft Chriftians fold their poftefllons, and goods,and parted them to all men, and lived together, and had H 3 all 41 2. lohnj. 23. lohn baptized in t^non neer to Salimj bc- caufe there was much water; there. Oi>p 3. So/. I.' J^o neceptj of Dipping in Saptifme, all fhiirgs common,y^(?2/ 2.44. yet are not we obliged fo to doe. Secondly, the reafonis not alike : at the beginning Chrifti- ans had no Churches, nor Fonts in them, and therefore they were conftraincd to baptize in fuch places where were (lore of waters .- befides, the climate of/udea is far hotter then ours,and men of riper years that were converted to the Chriftian Faith were baptized in great multitudes, and they might without a- ny danger goe into the Rivers, and be baptized after fuch a manner: but now the Gofpell having been long planted in chefe parts, we have feldome any baptized but children, who cannot without danger to their health be dipt and plunged over head and eares in the Font, or Rivers, efpecially if they be infirme children, and the feafon very cold, and the aire fharpe and piercing. Laftly, they urge the cuftome of many ancient Churches, in which a threefold dipping was ufed, and if they dipt thofe that were baptized three times, it fhouldfeem they thought dipping very neceffary. But we anfwer, Firft, that what thofe ancients did, they had no precept for it : and if they follow fome of the ancients in dipping the baptized, why doe they not follow the example of all the ancient Churches in Chriilening children? Secondlyjthofe ancient Churches,which ufed the trinaimmer' fiot (they fpeake of j did it for this end,to exprefle the three Per- fons, which may as well be done by thrice fprinkling, or wafli- ing the baptized, as.well as thrice ^/;?^/»^. But the the truth is, that neither is requifite, becaufe the Trinity is fufficiently ex- prefledin the very forme of baptifme,-when the Miniftcrfayth, / baptiz.e thee in the name of the Father, and of the Sonne y and of the Holy Ghoft. Thirdly, we anfwer with the Apoftle,that though fome of the ancients had fuch a cuftome for a time ; yet now we have no fuch cftftome^ neither the Churches of God, i Cor. 1 1. 1<5, Artic. CkM^m Ba^fm jufiified. A3 Title page. Art I C.I. Concerning the Bapifme of children, Anabaptist, .•: None fight to be bapti:z^d bm thofe thatprofefe repentance ^ faith ; md confequentlyi no children ought to be chrifiemd. The R e f ii t a t i d n. The children of fuch parents as profeflfe Chriflian rcligion,and are members of the vifible Church, fith they are comprifed with- in Gois Covenant made to the faithful! children of ^^r^^^»? & their feed, may axidought to receive the feale of that Covenant, which was circumcifion under the law; but now is baptifmc, which I prove. Argument I. That which extends* to all Nations, belongeth to children * AH Nations as well as men : for children are a great part, if not the halfe '"'''e Scripture of all Nations. , FethSiEt ButChrifts command of baptizing extendeth to all Nations, well as men as Matth. 28. 19. Goe therefore teach all Nations, baptizing Gc». 18. is! them: and Mark^ I J . 1 6. Preach the Gojpell to every creature: In ihy feed fhal He that heleivethmd is baptized Jhall befaved, tlXd^'i ^vr j?r^^, Chrifts command of baptizing belongeth to children, xij^lvtzlft^ and they ought to be baptized as well as men. him \\{ y^ "„.£,-: oi\s;and ctfe- wfccygjfor certaine it is that thoufands of children were bleffed in Abrahams feed as well as their' bieieeving parents : and children are commanded to praife the Lord, PfaLS. z.Exore mfantur/i & k^mtium : and ffal. 148. v. i z. Yoimg men and maids, old men and children, praife the Lord. Anabaptists Anftver, . Chrifis command extends onely to fuch as are capable of teaching and infiruEiion, which children in their infancy are not ; for Chrifi /^;V/7, teach all Nations, baptizing them. Reply. 'Firfl:,the w@rds of our Saviour .are not cr/crA'£rKgT£jteach,but ^.ar j- ^nTsi/'sTf, that is, ?»4% Vifciples : & though children in their non- ° age cannot be taught, y^et they may be made Chrift^ J>ifciples^^ being admitted into his Tchoole^their Parents giving their names to 44 Ch'tldrens Baptifmt )ufitfied, to Chnft,botb for themfelves and their families. AndinChrifts precept, teaching doth not goe before, but follow baptizing, ver. 2 o. teaching them to obferve all things,&c. which is pundual- \y obferved in the children of the faithfull, who,after they are baptized, when they come to years of difcretion, are taught fo obferve all things vohatfoever Chrifi hath commanded. a. ! Secondly.though children in their infancy are not capable pf teaching, or inftrudion, becaufe therein they mufl: be aclive,both by apprehending what is delivered to them , and affenting to the truth thereof: yet are they capable of baptifme wherein they are meerly pasfive, being wafhed in the name of the Trinity, prayed for, and bleffed and received into Chrifts congregation : this may fitly be illuftrated by Circumcifion, which by the com- mand of God was to beadminiftred to children at the eighth day, though then they were no way capable of teaching or in- ftrudion in the fpirituall meaning of that outward fign made in their fleih : and our argument drawn from the analogy of Bap- tifme and Circumcifion, may be truly called, in regard of the A- Of whrchfee nabaptifts, fans afmorumy a bridge,which theft affes could never " """ paffe over j for to this day they could never, nor heareafter wil be able to yeild a reafon why the children of the faithfull under the Gofpel are not as capable of baptifme, as they under The ^ord houjhold or family is taken in the places aUeaqed for the greater part of the family • neither 14 itfaidy thai there were.anf children at all in thofe families. Reply. Firft, to refelt the firft anfvycr* the words of S, Luke are fufti? K^&i$, 3 ^ cient of themfelves 5. where it is faid? that the Gaoler W^ bapti-^ Childrem Baptifme jufiifed^ ^fd, ^9 ol etuTK 'sravTif, and aUthat rvere hii, &r aUthat belonged unto him: therefore notoneiy the major part of his family, accor- ding to the falfe and corrupt gloffe of the Anahaptifi/^ but fiiil- ply and abfolutely all that I'ived under his roof. Secondly, as it is not faid in expreffe words, that there were any children in thefe families/o neither is it faid that there were any women or fervants; yet no man doubteth but there were of both fexes and conditions, at leaft in fome of thefe families. Thirdly, it is tobeobferved,that itis not faid that the Apo- ftle baptized one family, but many; namely, that oiLydia^thzt of the Gaoler and 6i Stephanas ; and it is no way credible, that in all thefe families bleffed hy God, and converted to the Chri- jftian faith, that there fhould be no women fit to bear children, but all barren and unfruitfull. Laftly, if there were any children in the families, and the Apo- ftle had not baptized them,he would undoubtedly have excepted them, as he doth in the like cafe, i Cor. 1. 14. I thank^Gody I kaptisied none of you hnt Crifpus and Gajus. / baptiz.ed alfo the houfiold of Ste^hzna^s. He, who is fo exad and pundluall in re- ckoning of thofe whom he baptized, if he had baptized no chii- dren,would have added;/ baptized alfo the houfhold as then;>felves (will they, nili they) ravift needs confefie t forchey can produce no cxpreflfc and particular commandement, either f^rthe baptising otwomen> or admini- ftring the Lords Supper to them, or forfanftifying and keeping holy the eight day from the Creation,, or firft day of the week, called nowthe Ghriftian Sabbath, nor for re-baptizing any that were baptized in their infancy^ which the Anabaptifis generally piadife,, and from thence take their names. If they underftand a generall and impltcite command; fuch an one we produced before for the baptifme ©f children in the profccution of the fir^ Argument,. and ftiall many other in the Arguments enfuing. Secondly J where the reafon and equity of law Eemaines, there the law is ftill in force,at leaft for fubftanceythottgh not foreve- ry circumftance. But the reafon and equity of the lawof cir- £umci{ing children dill remaineth : fornothingcanbealleaged why children then ^oiild be by circumcifion admitted to the Church, and not now as well by baptifme ;, Hkaqita adverfariis femper hareto Thirdly, if the children of Chriftian. parents fhonld be exclu- ded from baptifme, they fhould be in a worfe condition then the children of the ^^wj were under the Law ; for they by re- ceiving the SacraiBcnt ^f circumcifion, were adimttedinto the vifible congregation o>f Gods people, and accounted partakers *-jn6im.l.4. of hispromifcs : But it were abfurd, nay,.(as '^ C4/^/» further f.ie.pa/e.Nt^ enforceth this Argument) execirable blafphemy to think that P forte AYbma- Chrift fliould abridge thofe priviledges to the children of the mnr chnfinm f. jthfuU under xhe Gofpel, which God granted to children CS^SLI "■"'"thelaw. mrmfe ant de- A » G u M .E N T > V, - 0Hmfe, quod All they who *re comprifed within the covenant, and axeno tgeframbiaf- where prohibited to Kccivf the feale thereof, may and ;i^ww»^*. ought toKceivck, mt CUldrens Bdftifme jufiiped, 4P ; But children are compnfed wtthin the covenant of faith, whereof circumcifion was a feale, Rom. 4, 1 1 , and now bap- tifme is, and they are no where prohibited^ • ErgOi children may and oaght to receive baptifme. Of the major or firft proposition there can be no doubt ; for tt is unjuft to deprive a man of the confirmation of that to which he ha:h a true right and title. And for the minor or affumpdony it is as cleare, for fo are the words of the covenant. Gen, 1 7.7 ./ wiB cfiahlifhmj Cfrvcnant hftwetn me andthee^ and thy feed after thee. Anabaptists Anfrper* That jn-omife there belongs only to the feed of Ahnh^m etccoT" iingtQ the f,efh, and not tone. Reply. Firftj this anfwer is in cflfeft refuted by the ApoftJe,7?^w.4. 15. V^ll'^ The p-omifs that hefhonld be the Heir of the World ^as not given ^^^qutLm Sdt to Abraham or hk ferd through the Law, but through the right e^ jujtt^catui trsS eufneffe ef faith, as he "^ai the father of all the faithfull', and in dmtm-0m that notion we are as well hischiMren as thebeleeving fewest AbrahK.Lw, and we read €X.prefly»/^^J 2.39. that theyromife » ma^ unto you '^' ^'- und to jour children^ and to aU that are afar off, and e'ven as many as the Lord our Godjhall call ; and Gal. 3.7. Know ye therfore^ that they that are of faithare the children of Abraham. Secondtyjihe covenant which God made with Abraham and his feed, is faid to be eternall; the chiefe heard whereof, was, • that he would be their God : but this is not verified of i^^r*i- i?4«r/ feed according to the flefh ; for very few of them for thefc many hundred yeares have been Gods people, being ptofeifed enemies to Chrift and his Church: this promife therefore muft neccflarily be underftood of his children according to |>r6milej among which all true bekevers and their chiMreit are to be rcc* koned , and if they are comprifcd within the Covenant, why 0iould not they receive the feal of their initiation and admit- tance therennto, which was Circumcifion, but now is Baptiiine every way correfponding theteunto ? as is folidly proved, and ' cfcarly iiluftratcd by S. Cjfrian 1. 3. ep,^, LaBan. 1. 4. divin, snfiit, cap, 13. Augufiintu ef^ ad Dardonnm ^-j, & €em* fnL felag. I. 2. ! 5 A%6% • 50 I Cor. 10. 1, Childrem Saptifme jujiified. AaCUME NT, VI. Sucli who were typically baptized under the law, are capable of reail and true baptifrae under the Gofpel : for the argu- ment holds good<« tj^o ad veritatem^ from the type to tne truth ; from the figns in the law to the things fignified in the GofpeL But children were typically baptized under the law, for they with their fathers w^r^ under the cloudy andpajfed throngh the red fea ; and their wafhing with rain from the cloud prefi- gured our wafliing in baptifme, and by the Spirit ; and the red fea in vvKichPharoah and his hoft were drowned, was an ertibleme of Chrifts bloud, in which all our ghoitly enemies are drowned and deftroyed. ErgOfchMren are capable of true andreall baptifme under the Gofpel. Anabaptists Anfroer, The cloud, and the redfea^ and the reckjhat followed them-, were not types, hut onely metaphors and allegories from which no firme arguments can be drawne in this kinde. Reply. Firft,this anfwer whets a knife to cut their own throats. *For, as Gaflim affirmeth, it is the don-: j!cipH{>.«T tiroj'i d'tarv'Tr^v k^iv iuroU m-f'.ivct,. Et i /erift, de JeiM' akj Aliam ejfe prophetlam, Si^ tj-tt^ five ■wt^yi^a.rav, aliam Chrift chrifiren any ofthem^ though he tao^themintG his armes^ . » and blejfed them^jo fbew that he VPM the Savkpsr m vi'eE ef '>'> ygnngm of old^ ' 5* Childrem Bdptifme juftified. Reply. f irft, S4rhr deferveth to be trinmied himfclfe for thus reproa- ching his mother the Church oi England^ who, if (he be a whore, what mi:ft he needs be but a baftard, who cannot deny himfelfe to be bom of her ? if fhe and other reformed Churches who have excluded the Papacy, and banlChed the great whore out of their precinfts, be no better then whores, what true fpoufe hath Chriftinthe world? or what had he for 1500. yeares? during which time all Churches through the Chriftian world baptized infants, even thofe who were the fore-runners of thefe Anabap- tiflsy and bare alfo their name becaufe they pradifed re-bapti- zing as thefe doe ; yet they condemned not fimply the baptifmc of infants, as I noted before. Secondly, though it be faid that thefe children came to Chrift in a large fenfe, that is, had acce/Tc to him, yet they came not to him upon their owne legges ; for S. Z/^j^ faith, ^?jy«pfe?r « uViT, they brought unto him babes, Cj??»., who were no other then fuch as we tearm fucklings, or infants : and though it be true that Chrift chriftened them not ; for he chriftened none himfelfe,but Xohn 4. 1. his Difciples only, as S. lohn teacheth us ; yet his receiving them and blefllng them, and commending humility to all by their ex- ample, faying, that offt^h, and none but fuch, is the klngdome of Codyis a fufficient ground and warrant for us to chriften them : for, why fhould not we receive them into the bofome of the \^ Church, whom Chrift took into his arms ? Why fhould we not ' V Hgn thejn,oji whom he laid his hands ? Why (hould not we bap- \ tize and pray for them whom he bleffed > If he be the Saviour of young as wclUs old^Cand to perfwade us of this truth,cxpref- fed fuch love to infants) why ihould we exclude them from bap- tifmc, an outward means of falvation, whom Chrift (as they confeffe) excludes not from falvation it felfe ? See more below m the anfwey to A* /? . ArgumentVIIL ,A11 they who are partakers of thegrace bothfignified andcx- hibited to us in baptifme, may and ought to receive the Iigne and lacrament thereof; this is the bafis and foundati- on upon which S. Peter himfelfe builds, ABs 10. 47 Can any man forbid water, that thefe fiouUnot be baptpced ^hlch have Childrens Ba^tifme jttfiified, have received the holy Ghofl as Bellas we ? And It maybe far- ther confirmed both by an argument drawn a majore ad mi- ntHy after this manner : If God beftow upon children that which is greater, the inward grace ; why rtiould we deny them the lefler, the outward element? or by an argument drawn arelatu. They to whom the land is given ought not to be denyed the fight and keeping of the Deeds and eviden- ces thereof; neither ought we to fever thofe things which God hath joined, to wit, the fignes and the things fignified : they divide the fign from the thing fignified who deny them tohzytgrAccordmzri\yimodotto»po»atolficemy who receive the outward figne ; and they againe fever the thing fignified from the figne who allow unto children the grace of remif- fion of fins, and regeneration, and yet deny them the fign and feai thereof, to wit, baptifme. But children receive the grace fignified and exhibited in bap- tifme : for the Apoftle tcacheth us, they are not unclean but holy ;' and therefore have both remiflion of fins and fandi- fication. Brgoy children ought ro receive the fign and facrament there- of, to wit, baptifme. AiiABAPTl STS Anfwer, The Apoft let meaning is that the children of beleevers are not unclean, that », bafiards ; but holjy that ii^ born in holy -wedlock^ Reply. Firft, this anfwer is no way pertinent to the fcopc of the Apoftle, which is to perfwade the Chriftian husband not to for- fake his unbeleeving wife, nor the Chriftian wife to depart from her unbeleeving husband ; becaufe the unbeletver rs fandified by the beleever; whert byfanftificationthe Apoftle cannot under- ftand legitimation* For faith in the husband doth not legitimate the wife, that is, make her no baftard if fiie were fo born, or a legitimate wife if {he were not lawfully contracted, but fantflifi- eth her to himfelfe,and maketh her a part and member of an holy- family dedicated to God. SeGondly,neither is fandification here nor in any other'place of Scripture taken otherways then for feparating fome away from prophane, as perfons, times and places, are faid to be fand^ified : K neither 55 BuUcnget adv. Anabap. I. 6. Cum id quod majus eft mfan- teshabeant^nm fcilicet pgna- tatn, gratiam Dei & remjffie- ni peccatorum ; quisiUisidquei miftus eft y fig- Hum, aquam videlicet, dmt' gabit ? I Cor. 7. 14 Edw0d Barkni' f.17. 54 ^ Childrens Baptifme jufiified. neither doth holy neceflfarily imply no baftard, for fome holjr men have been bafe-born : nor doth nst bafiardim^\y\\o\y ; for both the children of damned hereticks, yea, and infidels too, * Manp.loc. * if they be begotten in wedlock, are no baftards; yet in the communxUff.^ ftate and condition they are in, are far from holy. See more here- quarta c. 8. Si Q^infra in the anfwer to A. JR. tantum civdem puritatem prelis inde fufcepta adduxer^,quldfiobii fnagMtribMsquammfideleshabeant? illorum cn'im -filii fi ex matrmonio procreentur kgitimi funt, & utjujli haredes admuuntur. ^imc vide- tm Paidiis quiddam aliud indicaffe quod liber U infideimiH non fit dutum, fed qued ad ecclefiam Dei pertineant} &' adcleSiioncm ac promi£ionem ^. 823, 814. A R G U M E N T IX. All ApoftoHcall traditions (which are truelyfuch) ought to be had in reverent efteem, and retained in the Church. For what the Apoftles delivered they received from Chrifthim- felfe, either by word of mouth, ©r the infallible infpiration of his Spirit : fuch things are part of that facmm dep&fitHw, 1.6.20. whkh Timtthy is charged fo deeply, {O Timothy keep that a, 2. 1 J. v?hich Is committed unto thee) and the Theffalonians to keep, Stand f.zfl and keep, imp^S'o'jfr.S: word for word, the traditions V^hich you have been taught either by word or by Epiflle, But the Baptifme of children is an Apoftolicall traditioiitru- lyfo called. Ergoy it ought to be had in high efteeme and retained in the Church, Anabaptists Anfwer. Though it hath been an ancient cufiome in many Churches to chriflen children, yet it uno •Apofioiicall tradition^ but an humane ordinance, which hath its originall from the P&pe, the man of fin. Reply. . Firft, there was chriftening of children in the Church before there was any Pope in the fenfe they take the word for oecumeni- caUbi.fhop,challenging unto himfelf and ufurping authority over ^L.i.depec. the whole Church • for not onely* S. Augufiine, Sind Pro iher, mem.& remf and ferome, make mention of this cuftome and good ufe of it to %lcGenctU ^^^^^'^l.^^^ Pelagian herefie which denieth originall fin, but llMn.PeUg' alfotheCouncell of C^rr%^,inthedayesof ^ ^.Cyprian,V]ho * cyp. epM flouriflied m the yeare 250. detefmined, not onely that children Fjdm might and ought to be baptized, but alfo even before the eighth dayj ehildrens Baptifme jttftified. 55 day; upon which fome inthofe days ftoodftridly,buterrone- ^Tlacukutqul- oudy ; and conformably hereunto we find a canon in the Mi- cunq-y parvdos levitan counceil,, ^in which the Synod decreed, that whofoever recentesab uu- JJjall deny bapifme to children^ even as foon as they come out of their '^^'^^^^^^^ ^^P' mothers womb (in cafe the children be weak, and in apparent '^J^hmaft. ' danger of death) /ff/7/w heaccurfed', and before the Synod of ^Salvanturom* Carthage,or this Milevitan^ Iren,f,^t,ti _,,.,,. 't-' I I . n < • « I I • • f Ciena m odpn" Thtrdly, it may be proved to be an ApouolicaI5 tradition by ^^^^^^ parvulie that ground which S. Aujiine layeth, and every mans reafon rea- mquaqmrn diiygivcth afTent thereunto, namely, "^that whatfoever is obfer- fpe-menda efi, ved Hniformly in all Churches, and no man can tell^hen it b'Cgan, ^^^ ^*y moao mu/i' needs be thought either to be done by the Decree of fame ge- fj^l ^^^ J^ nerall Counceil, or to have defcended from the tradition of the A- nino eredendx foftlesthemfehes. niff Apoftslm But the baptifme of children hath been obferved, and pradi- #^ ^"^^f^T \, fed through the whole Chriftian Church, as « Auftine affirmeth, i^fJiAuoTti- neither was it firft appointed by any Canon of generall Goun- ni,verfa tenet ec-^ cell that can be produced : for though it be mentioned in the defidnec conci- Councell of /^^W/^^, and the fecond Counceil held at ^r^cW/?, '^^ inftimum, Vind in SynodoGerunden^, yet was it far more ancient then any ^^^'^^1',^^ of thofeGotincels, neither can any name the time when firft it ^^y^ mimtate began ; and therefore we cannot otherwife conceiveof it, then Apofioiica txit- it had itsfirjl originail from the Apoftles. dmmvenffi- AltGH„l(l£«T %. m&euditm'.' All members of ttiCj^ormed Protefiant Churches in Chri- l^-%l'' ■''"''' K 2 ftendomc 5« Childrem Bdptlfme juftified. ftendome ought to conform their judgements to the har- mony of the Pro^-^«?f»^ of faith and repentance, yet in as much as children ar- tur iii fignum reckoned with their parent fin the Church of God, we affirm, that in ffisderuDeii cur /^»f/ that are born of holy parents ought to be baptized by Chrifi tns non per fan- authority. Mautl^Hi ^^^'^^*.'^" ^'^^''^ confeffion,h^. beleeve that children ought JffinnmHS infantes fanliis parentibus natoy effe ex chrifii atdhoritate bapti-randes ^ I^J^' ^ ^* N09 infantes eadm ratiwe bapti-^andos & figm faderis obfignandos effe credimus auaonJ^ MraeteparviHKimmidebimtur, mmiYHmyfrepttr tM^mprmigq^fiinfantibusnofimfaaZ fHf Childreits ^dptifmejuftified, 57 to be haftiz^edy and figned with the Jlgne of the Covenant^ for the fame reafon for Tvhich the children in Ifrael "^ere circumcifed, namely y for that the fame promifes are made to them atid to m. Sixtly* the Afigufiane conkf[ion,they '^condemn rA^ Anabap- ^ Anic.g.Dam- tifts, who dijlike the haftifme of children^ and affirm, that infants nant Anabapti- withott^ taptifmet and ^yingwithoHt the Church may be faved. ft as qui impro- Scv^thly, the Saxon confeffion, ^ ^^ retaine the Ltptifme of ¥'f bapiifmum infants, eecaufe tt ts mojf certatne, that the promije oj grace be- * j^^j j 2?f ??'- longeth alfo to infants : and beeattfe of them it is f aid, Sujfer little nemm &infm' children to come unto me, for offuch is the kingdome of heaven. tum baptifmUy To drive this naile to the head, I ftiall need to adde nothing ^'^^^ cctu0~ fave the capitall punMaments inflided upon fuch as taugr.c and Ztftonm m"- pn&ikd Anabaptifme : thofe Chriftian States accounted it no t'ne etiam adia- light error upon which they laid foheavie a load of punifhment; fames perti-- in fome places the broachers of this herefie, and pradifers of re- ^^'^^' baptizing, have been punifhed with beheading, in fome with drowning, and in fome with burning. There is a law againft this feA in the Code of^fn/Hnian, written withbloud rather then ^L.i.m.j. si ink, I f any man be conviked to re-baptize any of the Miniflers of gt^'^'f^baptiYre the CatholikefeEiy let him who hath committed this hainopts crime ^ ^bifirUc th together with him whom he hath feduced to be re-baptiz,ed, fuffer Hca feSia f«c- the fir oak^of death. At "' Vienna the Anabaptifis are tyed together rit reteSus, ma with ropes, and one draW'eth the other into the river to be drowned : **^ ^^ ?^^ /'W- as it fhould feem, the wife Magiftratesof that place had an eye to that old maxime of juftice, ^m quispeccat^eo puniaturr let the punijhment beare upon it the print of the finne : for as thefe fe(3;aries drew one another into their errour, fo alfo into the guUe ; and as they drowned men fpiritually by re-baptizing,and foprophaning the holy facrament, foalfo they were drowned corporally. "In the year of our Lord, i 559. two Anabaptifis were burned beyond SouthVf^ark^ in the way to Newington ; and a little before them, five Dmch Anabaptifis were burned in Smithfield, If Ihavebeenfomewhat the more prolix in the profecution cutare erimn commifiti& hit cui perfuafum ftj ultimo fup-- pliciopfi'f cellar tur. ""GaflimdeA' nabapt. error. l.ip.ijS.rrj^ enn^ uno die rnulti ol^ cata- baptifmumfitb- merfifmt 5 /«- nibus enim ttOr' ligati erant ut alter alterum pofi. fe trtdHvet dmee mnes praeipkts rnerent fufoearmttrque. iHotv hiS' Chronickj j). 456. <^ 57^ K 3 oB tanto magis pr» wfantibui loqui debemus quanto minus ipji pro fe loqni pofunt' Obj.. I, Sol, I, P If they al- leage that a;- 9f*T@- is a name common to women as well as men J it is true, when the Article « is foyned to it, but the ApoiUe ufcth the maC- culine estiTf^r, Childrens B apt if me jajftfied, of the arguments which make for the baptifme of infants, S. Jh- jiine fliall plead for this my large plea for them, ""fVe are in confcience bomidto fpeukCthe more for poor infant Sy becaufethej are not able to ^eak^for themfelves* Now there remaineth nothing, but that we ftop the mouthes of their adverfaries, by refellingfuch objeAionsas they ufually make, and unchriftianly urge againft chriftening them at our Font. The OhjeEhions of the Anabaptifts anfwere^. Firft, they argue from the Scripture negatively,thus : The bap- tifme of children hath no warrant in Gods Word ; for we find therejio command for it, no example of it, no promife to it : therefore it is to be rejed:ed as an humane invention, and con- demned aifo as an addition to the Scripture. But we anfwer,that by the like argument they might prove that no woman ought to be admitted to the facrament of the Lords Supper ; for there is no command f'Or womens participa- tion of the facrament, nor example of it, nor promife to it in Scripture. P If they anfwer, that women are comprifed under the name of belcevers, fo are children under the name of whole houfkolds and families, which are reported in holy Scripture to have been baptized. If they fay further, that by a like reafon women are to be admitted to the Sacrament, as men, bccaufe Chrift dyed as well for them as men, and they as well incorpo- rated into Chrifts myfticari body, as men : we re/oyne in like manner, for the fame reafon that children were^ circumcifed un- der the law, they ought to be baptized under the Gofpel. For fiththey are comprifed in the covenant, why lliould not they re- ceive the feale thereof fet to it in the new law, as well as the children of the Jewes received the feale fet thereunto by the aid? • Secondly, I have produced before both command for bap- tizing of children, ^r^«w^«f I. and example of it. Argument 2. and promife alfo unto it. Argument j. The command of bap- tizing all Nations, Matth. zS. 2p. the examples of baptizing whole families, AElsiS, ij.jj. iC4k.i. 16. and the promiil^ m-ade to us and our feed, ^^s 2. 3^. evidently extended co q\\\U dren. The„ childrens Baptifme jujiifed. ^9 They argue from Scripture affirmatively- our Lord Jefirt Ol^j. 2. Chrift in that great Charter, Mat. 28., 18, 19,20. faith, Goe teach (ili nations^ hapizing them in the name of the Father^ Sonne, and Holy Ghofi ; teaching them to ohferve all things whatfuever I have commayidedyopt : and Mark^ 16.15. Goe ye into all the '^orldy and f reach the Gojpel to every creature ; he that Jhall believe and be baftizedjhall befaved j but he that mil not believe Jhall be damned. From thefe texts they would infer that none ought to be baptized but fuch who are firft taught, and inftruded in the principles of Chriftian faith j and confequently, that no chil- dren ought to be baptized, becaufe they are not capable of teaching. That the placing the word teaching before baptiz^ing in that Sol, i. text doth no moreconclude that teaching muft always precede baptifme , then the fetting repentance before faith in thofe words. Repent ye, andbeleeve the Gojp(tl,Mark. !• 15. and fet- ting water before the Spirit, John 3. 5, {except a rnan be borne of veaterand the j^?>^) necerfarily infer that repentance goeth before faith, which yet is but a fruit of faith : or that the out- ward baptifme with water goeth before the inward baptifme of the Spirit j whereas the contrary is clearly proved out of that fpeech of Peter to Comelim, Ad:s 10. 47. Can any man forbid vpater that thefe fhould not be baptiz>ed, which have received the Holy Ghofl as re ell as we ? Secondly, if there be any force in this argument drawne from ^' the order of the words, it maketh againft them : for thus we wound them with their Dudgeon- dagger, (Chrift faith) baftixje them in the name of the Father, teaching them to obferve all things : baptizing therefore muft go before teaching, efpecially in chil- dren, who may be baptized before they can be taught. Thirdly, they mif-tranflate the words : for Ghrift faith not 3. Go, teach all nations, baptizing them, and teaching them to obferve all things: neither is there a tautology in our blefftd Saviours words; for his words are fi^tStflsi^'e'/f, (^r. Gs^make F>ifciples a- mong all Nationsjbapti^ing them^ and teaching them. Now though thildren cannot be taught before they are baptized, yet they may be after a fort made Chrifis Difiiples by their Parents or Godfathers offerkg them unto God, and undertaking for them, " that. 6o Childrens Baptifpte jitflified: that they fliall be brought up in the Chriftian Religion. 4. Fourthly, Chrift fpeaketh here of the plantation of the Chri- ftian faith, and the converfion of whole Nations, in which al- ways the preaching of the Word goeth before the adminiftrati- on of the Sacrament. Firft, men are taught to repent of their finnes, and believe the Articles of the Chriftian faith, and after they have made confeffion of the one, and profeflion of the 0- ther, then they are to be received into the Church by baptifme. This courfe was taken by the Apoftlesin the beginning, and muft at this day be taken by thofe who are fent into Turkl^, or the Eaft or Weft Irfdies, to convert Pagans, or Makumetansy or un- believing Jewes to the Gofpel. They are to baptize none before they have taught them the principles of Chriftian Religion ; but after the Gofpel is planted, and the parents are believers, and received into the Church by baptifme, their children are firft to be baptized, and afterwards taught fo foon as they are capable of teaching. oh]* 3. They argue from examples after this manner : fuch are to be baptizedt who with the fc^es in femfalem. Mat. 3. 6.confeJfe their Jimes j who with the Profelytes, AUs 2. 41. gladly receive the "^ord j who with the Samaritans, An:s 8. 6. give heed to the word f reached I who with thofe ofCor/teliut his family, A^s 10. 44. receive the Holy Ghoft by the hearing of the word ; who V/ithLjdia, have their hearts opened to attend the things that are Q>ok£n by the Apofilesy 4Sls i5. 14. who with the Gaoler, heart the Tvord preachedy and feek after the meanes of falvation, ABi 16.30. But children can neither confefle their finnes, nor at- tend to the Word preached, nor aflually believe, nor defire baptifme : they therefore ought not to be baptized. Sol, I. But we anfwer, all that can folidly be concluded from thcfe examples is but this in the affirmative ; all fuch who were fo qualified as thefe were, viK,, hearers of the Gofpel, penitent fin- ners and true believers, unfainedly defiring the means of their falvation, ought to be admitted into the Church by baptifme, which we freely grant : but they cannottonclude from thefe examples negatively, that none other ought to be chriftened, no more then it will follow, that thofe of Comelins his family received the gift of the Holy Ghoft, and fpake with divers tongues Chitdtetis Bdptifme juftifed, 6i tonguesbeforethcy^erebaptized with water; therefore none ' but fuch who have reeeived fiich gifts of the Holy Ghoft may & ought to be baptized. To confefTe fins, and a.'tually profefTe faith makes a man more capable of baptifme ; yet dumbe men who can doe neither, if they have a good telHmony of their life andxronverfation, and by fignes make it appear they unfainedly defire ithe Sacraments, may receive them. Secondly, if there be any force at all in an Argument drawne t, from examples affirmatively, it muft be from examples in the likekinde j as from men to men, and from children to children ; not from women to men, or from men to children, or from children to men. For it will not follow, women in the Apoftles times were covered in the Church, therefore men ought to be (oi or men may fpeak in the Church, therefore women may: or children are ufually fed with milk and not ftrong meat, there- fore men in riper years ou^ht to ufe fuch diet : no more will it follow, men in riperyears, who arc capable of inltrudion ought to hear the Word, to give their affent thereunto, and enter into a ftrift covenant with God to lead a new life before they have acceffe to the Font. Therefore the like duties are required of children, who have not yet the ufe of rcafon, nor knowledge of good or evill. By this reafon they might ftarvc children becaufe the law is, He that will not labour let him not eat. It holds in men, but no way in children, who are not able to labour in any cal- ling by reafon of the infirmity of their joynts, and want of rea- fon and underftanding. Baptifine is a feale of the-righteoufnefle of faith, therefore it qu ^^? ought to be adminiftred only to believers ; elfe we fet a feale to ' a blank. But children are no believers, nor can be while they are fuch, becaufe they cannot underftand the word nor give affent thereunto. Mrgo, children ought not to be baptized. ^ But weanfwer, that unbelievers or not belivers may be ei- '$'<''• i* thcr taken for, firft , fuch as when they heare the Word of God, rejeA it : or fecondly, fuch who neither have means to hear it, nor defire it, fuch unbelievers arc to be excluded from baptifme. For to give baptifme to fuch,* were worfe then to fet ^ feale to a blanks it were to give holy things to Dogs^ and cafi fearle before fwine. Or thirdly, for fuch who aje^orne within the precinds L oi ^ Childrm Baftiftne ]ufilpd. of the Church, & care is taken that they {hall he. taught the prin- ciples of faith, as foon as they are capable thereof. Thefc though they cannot give yet an aduall confent to the myfteries of faiths are not to be tearmed infidels or unbelievers pofitively, but ne- gatively only ; and we ought in charity to believe, that they* will adively believe as foon as they fhallhaveufeof reafon, and God by his Spirit {hall open their hearts to attend to the Word preached : to unbelievers in this latter fenfe, as circumcifion, , the feale of the rightcoufnefle of faith under the law was given, fo may baptifme though not in token of their prefent, yet of their future faith. 2, Secondly, the children of the faithfull parents whom the A- poftle calleth holy, receive fome meafure of grace even in their infancy, as the text faith exprefly of S. fohn Baptifi, he Jhallbe filled with the Holy Ghefifrom his mothers "^ombe, Luke 1. 1 5,41. a£ Elizabeth heard the falutation ofMaity, the Bahejprang in her f Adhuc in ute- '^^^^^' Upon which words, P Amkrofe commenting, faith j John ro pofitus jpiri- Bap-tifi, while he was yet in his Mothers womhe, received the grace tus accepti gra- of the Holy Ghofi, and his leapngwith joy argnedfome fenfe and tia defignavit; apprehenfon of that joy full menage. t^nditnL Now, fith children that dye fhortly after baptifme have the qui exuUandi f"^^ H^^ of Gods face in Heaven, why may they not have fome habebat affe- glimpfe of it even while their foule is in their body ? q S. Au- Stum. fline is confident, that God after a moft hidden manner infufeth his up^'ie^'^^uo's ^^^'^^ into children ',^nd in his S7 ^P'P^ ad Dardanum, it is a plena luckfua ^'onderfull thing, yet true, that God d^els not in fome who know fulgore illufira- him, as. thePhilof&pherSy Rom. i. .and/ji? dme^th infonie-who kpow turui eft Demir- him not, as in Infmts baptised. Wemayfiifely therefore coft- Tim, curnoniis elude with "^Tilenn^^chiUrcnhave faith as they have re af on', in fenlJiUa tiki- ^j^^ ^^^^'. though not in fruit -, in the root, though not in the leaf; . eritl utiq; fcin- ^^ f"^^ inward operation^though not in any outward expreffion. tiUa irradiaret? . , ^; ^L. i.depec. mer. &nmf:eap. 9. Dat fui pritMD{cultifmam-gmi4mjquam etiam latenter^ infundit & parvulis.^ "^ Syntag. difp. par. ^. c. De ba.pt. ut/aque ipfis inefi aiiu prima nrnfe- cmdo, in femente non in mejfe, in radke non in ftuBu j interna, fp'witus virtute, nen externa 0- peris demenftratione- ' . Obj. 5 , They argue alfo,^^ *z<^^,indeed abfurdly,aft€r this manner: fgnumfrHfirft daiw mmiitilUgenti^it is a vaineaBd abfurd thing to Childrens Bapifme juftifed, ^, to admihifter the Sacrament to fiich as know not what it means- as it is to no purpofe to prefet a beautifullpidure to a bhnd man^ or found a (ilver Trumpet in a deafemanseare,orminifterphy- fick to a dead body. But children know not what the Sacrament means : when the cold water is powred on them, they are offen- ded with it, and f^prefTe their diflike with crying and teares : therefore 'tis in vaine to chriften children. But we anfwer ; in this objedion the Anabapifls Gyant-like ^^^' !• fight with God. For if there be any force in this Argument at all, it will be as availeable to overthrow the circumcifing of chil- dren inftituted in the old Law by God himfelfe, as their bap- tifme inth^new. For the children among the J^^W^-j under the law, who were circumcifed the eighth day, knew no more what Circumcifion m^eant, then ours doe what Baptifme j only they felt the pain of the knife, as thefe do the coldneffe of the wa- ter, yet were they circumcifed by Gods exprefle command. Will they fay, that Chrift uttered many Parables, and wrought many fignes and wonders before his Dificiples and other of the Jewes in vaine, becaufe at the prefent they underftood them not, though afterwards they underftood them, and made lingu- lar ufe of them ? In like nlanner dare they affirme that Chrift did in vaind lay his hands upon children and bleffe them, becaufe children knew not what it meant?* or that Minifters in vaine baptize them, becaufe at that time they knew not what it figni- fieth, or why it is done ? Secondly, it is not in vaine to offer to any that which may doe • 2, them good, whether they be fenfible of it or no. Phyfick is mi- niftred to children, naturall Fooles,and mad men, to cure them, although in the cafe they are in they have no knowledge what good it may doe them. A man that is in a fwoon hath ftrong water powred downe his throat, even when he is paft fenfe, and it fetchethhim againe: fo though children perceive not what they receive, yet the Sacrament may be and is foveraigne unto them for their fouies health. Thirdly, though children for the prefent underftand not why 5 . they are baptized, and what is undertaken for them, and what fruit they reape by baptifme, yet order is taken by the Church, that as foonc as they come to years of difcretion and a and by occaflon elfewhere alfo alledgeth a teftimony out /i. ct , of S. Cyprim to that purpofe, who wrote in the yestf of our Lord 250. nay, which is molt confiderable, Or/g^f-;? in h^s Com-'^'Ty^, ment upon the Epiftle to the i2tfw^;?j-,r.6./. 5. ('quoted by \A.Corn~ ' Tvell himfelfe;;7.io.)affirmeth in expreflfe tearms, that the Church from the Apoftles received a tradition to baptize children : whence I thus frame my argument. All Chriftians ought to hold the traditions which have been taught them by the Apoftles, either byword or Epiftle, 2 The f 1,1%, But the baptizing of children is a tradition received from the Apoftles, as Origen 3iffitmnh,loc.fup. cit. & Augufiin.l. i o de Gen. ad lit, c.2^,c^de hapt. com, Donatif.l.^. Ergoy the baptizing of children ought to be retained in the Chriftian Church. Thus M. Cornvpell\\^t\\^un a fair thred, of which a ftrong cord may be made to flrangle his owne aflertion. Yea,but M.Cornwell chargeth al Minifters deeply to anfwer this his negative demonftration faying, t> O that the learned Englifh » Miniftery would inform me,left my blood,like AbelsyZty aloud « from heaven for vengeance, for not fatisfying a troubled con- cc fcience: how (hall I admit or confent to the admittance of the