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A91846 A treatise of the vanity of childish-baptisme: wherein the deficiency of the baptisme of the Church of England is considered in five particulars thereof. And wherein also is proved, that baptizing is dipping, and dipping baptizing. by A. R. Ritor, Andrew. 1642 (1642) Wing R1542; Thomason E152_4; ESTC R20692 24,769 39

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qualifications make a Minister as some vainely imagine but only makes him fit to be chosen into Office by the Church for if gifts or qualifications were a call to the Ministry then should Judges Counsellors Lawyers and others in the Land be reputed to be Ministers because many of these have abilities to be Ministers yet not called of God to be Ministers no more then an able Citizen is called to be the Major of the Citie by his abilities without his being lawfully chosen and placed into that Office by the Citizens and therefore qualification is no such inward call of God as is dreamt of for the call and choice of the Church of Christ by the authority given unto it by Christ is now the only ordinary true call of God to this Office and Ministry and yet not debarring the exercise of any other mans gifts either within or without the Church Object But some may object That surely these Ministers issued not from the Bishops for if they did then would they plead for their authority and not against it as most of our good Ministers now doe Answ Surely these issued from the Bishops for if they did not then would they have pleaded against their authority and not for it as most of our good Ministers did but two yeares agone and therefore seeing that their authority was unlawfull then as now and these Ministers the very same men and as learned wise and Godly then as now and the Gospell the same eternall and unchangeable Truth then as now whence then cometh this great change in these great Clerks but only from the change of the times as the reasonable motion doth informe us wherefore it is most reasonable for all men to be no longer deluded by relying and tying their Faith upon the judgements of these or any other men in the world nor upon ought else save only upon the naked truth of Gods word seene and apprehended by their own eyes and judgements and not by others nor to follow any man not Paul himselfe any further then they or he follow Christ but to accompt all the holiest men upon earth holyest Angels in heaven to be accursed if they teach any thing to be beleeved or practised in the worship of God but that which may clearely be proved by the word of God or if they go about to detain the in any false way of worship or debar them from trying all things conducing to their finding out of the truth or enjoying the just liberty purchased them by Iesus Christ 1 Cor. 7. 23. 1 Pet. 1. 18. Gala. 5. 1. If it be objected that they being no Masse-Priests are not Object Antichristian I answer they have the same Office as Masse-priests Answ though reformed in many things and this both the doctrine and practise of the Church of England pleading for succession from Rome as the Booke of Ordination and place formerly quoted doth evidently confirme● All the Masse-priests in Queene Maries dayes for that purpose were upon their submitting to the Service booke continued Ministers in their severall Congregations in Queene Elizabeths dayes by vertue of their former Ordination and so are such Masse-priests at this day although Ordained at Rome received and continued in the Church of England upon the aforesaid conditions without any new Ordination And seeing it is their own constant affirmation that Ordination as they terme it makes a Minister it must follow that no new O●dination no new Minister but they remaine still the old Masse-priests only reformed from that kinde of Massing and therefore Antichristian But all are not so made Ministers because some are chosen by Object the parish Assemblies 1. There be very few so chosen Answ 2. The Parish Assemblies are not such Churches to whom the power of Christ is committed Acts 2. 41. 44 47. 1 Cor. 1. 2 Rom. 1. 7 8. Philip. 1. 7. 3. These are Ministers before the choyce and after their leaving the Parish nor can the Parish choose any but such as are Ministers ordained by the Bishops and are not therefore made Ministers by their choyce Object But these seeke that all Episcopall power and Antichristian Lording it over the Faith and consciences of any might be utterly taken away that none other of like natur might be set up to compell men to any forme of worship prescribed by the variable Lawes and precepts of men but that the just liberty of conscience herein might be enjoyed and that the sole authority and insallible rule of lesus Christ already set up and established by his own blood might take place Answ That this is their intentions is too good to be true and too true I feare to be thought good by them But is not this rather their aymes they having bin long kept in servitude and bondage under their Fathers and now desiring a freedome would only like undutifull Sonnes be rid of their Fathers that they might divide the Inheritance and dominion amongst themselves and to set out the same power in nature only in another edition and character Object But ought not we being Lay-men and unlearned beleeve our learned and Godly Divines and relie upon their judgements in divine matters and worship before our own private opinions Ans We are herein neither to relie upon our own private opinions nor upon the judgements of all the most Godly man in the world no not though they should all concurre in one but only upon Gods word alone and this I will prove first by Scripture secondly by the Doctrine of the Church of England Thirdly by reason First by Scripture we are not to relie upon men for our bodily much lesse for our spirituall safety he is pronounced blessed that trusteth only in God Ier. 17. 5. and cursed that puts trust in man ver 7. It is the Saints practise and duty to trust only in God Psal 62. 7 8. we are commanded to beleeve God and blamed if we do not Joh. 4. 21. 8. 45 46. And in respect of divine matters no man upon Earth is to be called Father Master or Doctor but Christ only and our Father which is in Heaven Mat. 23 8 9 10. Herein are we not to be servants to any into or men 1 Cor. 7. 23. but to serve God only Mat. 4. 10. And herein are we not to feare any man no not the wrath of Princes Mat. 10. 28. Heb. 11. 26 27. Dan. 3. 16 17 18. Secondly by the Doctrine of the Church of England who 2. will not assume any such authority over the faith of any man as to tie him to beleeve or practise any thing in Religion upon her credit or upon the credit of any man or men in the world in asmuch as she hath declared expressely in the 21 Article of her Doctrine That generall Counsells even these in things ordained by them as necessary to salvation have neither strength nor authority unlesse it may be declared that they be taken out of the Scripture