if Christs Church for Constitution be Like Moses Church what need they disagree Cathederal It seems my Union thou approvest not This savours of Sedition or some Plot. The Land shall never quiet be untel Rulers by their Edicts all sorts compel To Uniformity in things Religious And therefore thy Opinion is Prodigious Jayl Rulers by Edicts Uniformity May well require in things transitory But Rulers as they 'r such in things divine Ought not t'compel men in the Gospel-time Rulers may miss the Truth which if they do Destruction unto their Commands is due Cathedral Until the Rulers did by force compel All to the Church which under them did dwell The Church was thin maintenance was scant But since they nourish't her she feels no want Her Honour 's great her Members like the sands As well in this as many other Lands Jayl I do confess of Christians nominal The world abounds by th'Church that 's National But it 's most plain thy Church no semblance hath With those that walked in th'Apostles path Whose Honour lay not in the outward State But with true Grace their Souls were eonsolate Cathedral Come tell not me of th'Apostles days for then Christs Church was small of the meanest men But when the Nobler sort possession took Of Christianity the Church forsook Her subterranean places and her Head Did lift up as one risen from the dead Jayl The Churches outward glory doth not prove That she from death to life doth nearer move But may as soon portend her Vacuation Of Grace as John hints in his Revelation And for the Nobler sort it seems this day They 'r too great strangers to the Gospel-way Cathedral How canst thou say this dost not daily see With one consent they do resort to me Yea they unto the Church are so united As that with none like her they are delighted And by their strength the Church is now protected And her Opposers unto her subjected Jayl The Church doth not subject by worldly powers Her Opposites Nor is this plea of yours A better plea for you than 't is for Rome To whom the Nobler sort more freely come Yea Nations Kinreds Peoples to the Whore Of Babylon resort her to adore Cathedral The Prophets do presage that Nations shall Flow to the Church and bring their Glory all Into the Church the New-Jerusalem And this my Doctors do expound of them Who now by Kingly Power their Subjects bring Into my Church my divine songs to sing Jayl Thou know'st right well the Papists do the same Their present pomp and glory to maintain But you are both deceived for 't is clear Before that blessed joyful day appear The Jews a People chiefly there concern'd In Can'ans Land must once more be confirm'd Cathedral If this be true I must confess I h've err'd When to my present state I have referr'd These Prophecies But thus much I perceive A State that 's National thou dost believe The Church may yet enjoy although it be When Isr'el their desired Land shall see Jayl This weighty case I will not undertake Here to dispute but this is what I spake I say the Prophets mainly have an eye In these Presages to the Jews Then why Shouldst thou imagine this thy present glory To be the subject of the Prophets story Cathedral Well we will leave unto consideration What hath been said of that Prophetick Nation Wherein the Jews I must acknowledge here Are often mentioned as may appear By reading of the places Now let 's see What thou hast further which must answered be Jayl Thy bringing Nations by the lump into The Name of Christian Churches plainly do Destroy the use of Preaching to convert The sons of men and makes their carnal heart Believe they 'r Christians from the womb and so Their souls deceive unto their overthrow Cathedral What though by preaching I do not convert My Members yet I have another Art Them to renew for this my Book doth say When any I receive into my way They are regenerate and born anew See therefore how thy charge is found untrue Jayl I know thy Book doth say 't but t is not true For Christs Book tells us all that 's born anew Are like the Wind which in such sort doth blow As others by their hearing it may know Again 't is said the World they overcome Of all which signs thy Converts can shew none Cathedral I grant where true Conversion is there 's ceasing From fleshly sins There 's likewise some increasing In holy life And truly in these cases My Infant Converts claim no real places ' Mongst Scripture Converts But I say unless They Converts be they have no Blessedness Jayl God doth not gather where he hath not strewed But from the Word it never can be shewed Where Infants are required to convert Nor yet canst thou with thy most subtil Art Discov'ry make 'twixt Infants eight dayes old To say This is renew'd That under sin is sold Cathedral I must confess such a discovery Doth pass my art for Babes in Infancy Do not demonstrate whereby we may know Which have the Spirit or whether or no Any whom I baptize have yet receiv'd it But as I have been taught I have believ'd it Jayl Thou said even now Infants no Blessedness Can have unless they converts be To this I answer As old Adams sin involves them ' Thout their consent in death So Christ absolveâ— them ' Thout their concurrence for Paul doth profess The Grace by Christ exceedeth Adams loss Cathedral So then this is thy judgment I perceive That look how Adam Infants did bereave ' Thout their committing sin of happiness So Christ ' thout their obedience shal them bless I hold the contrary to this but now Some other Argument I pray thee show CHAP. III. The Arg. The Minister Papal Rome disclaims The Jayle from thence doth shew Her own Prelatick state she mains If not unchurch her too Jayl IN this great Question Where the Church must be It may do well thy radix for to see The more I look the more I see thee come In thy Church-state but from great Papal Rome From whence I argue If Rome have no Church Then thou wilt scarce be found to have a Porch Cathedral Presumptuous Jayl my Chronicles do shew I cast off Rome and all her Popish crew Yea of their Bones a fire I have made And she sometimes with same coyn hath me paid Which clearly shews I have her quite disserted As an old Harlot from all Truth diverted Jayl Thou cast off Rome thou saist but thou hast neither Baptisme nor Church-power but what either Thou brought from thence this Rome thee boldly tels And thou canst find no answer which refels This their Objection So 't is evident Unless Rome be a Church thy Church is spent Cathedral What though their Baptism I do valid deem What though their Ordination I esteem Must it needs follow Rome is Christ his Spouse Or else the title of
as thou oppos'd it in your pride Jayle I know thy Conscience tells thee there is need common-prayer- Of FAITH to give admittance to the Seed Of Christians unto Gospel-Sacraments For of thy Doctrine these are the Contents That Faith and true Repentance are expected Of all ere they to Bapti'm are elected Cathederal 'T is true I say Faith and Repentance are Requir'd of All as needful to prepare Them unto Baptisme but then you know Sith Infants cannot do this I allow Them Sureties who for them do then Believe And eke Repent before I them receive Jayle Well now you grant Repentance joyn'd with Faith Must be before any Admittance hath Into the Church TO THIS I DO AGREE So that the Difference 'twixt thâ—e and me Is this thou cal'st Grown Persons to Repent And then Baptisest a poor Innocent Cathederal Though this I hold 't is not a Noval thing For proof of this Authorities I 'll bring From Antient times which are irrefragable At least they 'r such as thou canst not disable The Wisdom of the Church did Infants give This Priviledge that they for aye might live Jayle This Doctrine is too new to be esteem'd True or Perpetual though by you deem'd Of such great worth Reduce this false account For it to more than nought will ne're amount O Rotten Church not now one member's known When he 's Unchurch'd to have Faith of his own Cathederal Thou lay'st so great a stress on this one Point As if 't would prove each member out of Joynt What must my Doctrine stand or fall as here I Vanquished or Victor do appear Sure though this ground I yeeld I never shall To ruine in my Church or Doctrine fall Jayle Well yeeld this ground then thou hast no faiâ—h When th' art enchurched so thou maist be grath Thou art foundationsess therefore must fall For what 's anothers Faith a rotten Wall For thee to lean upon wherefore I say This false Prop gon thy Church soon fades away Cathederal That Doctrine which I preach for a Foundation Is Christ as Crucifi'd for mans Salvation There is no Name nor Thing whereon I found My Church save this wherefore my Root issound 'T is neither Baptisme nor yet Sureties Which a Foundation-place for me supplies Jayle Alas what 's all this Talk if without Faith Which I have shew'd none of thy Members hath At their Admission nor for many Years The least lota of true Faith appears This is thy State O Minster at the best Anothers not thy own Faith which thou hast Cathederal I told thee I can prove what here I hold To be the same the Church receiv'd of old As that 's my Task and were my Study here I 'de shew this Custom 'bove One thousand year The Church hath used wherefore 't is no new Devised Fable but a Point most true Jayle No Study can accommodate thee so As to prove Sponsers Faith the Means which do Give any entrance in a Scripture way Into Christs Church wherefore I boldly say 'T is a meer Novalty and did arise When darkness came by means of Heresies Cathederal I see thou standst upon Antiquity Only as Scripture doth it amplify From whence I must confess an Evidence Cannot in terminis be fetched thence But let us hear what further thou canst say Against the use of Sponsers Faith this day Jayle I note this further as a consequence Of what thou 'st said me thinks it follows thence That Infants must sit down at Christ his Table If others Faith to Baptism them enable For can the Church in this their wants supply And not in that This soundeth monstrously Cathederal The Case is not alike for God requires A Self-examination and desires Men should the Body of our Lord discern When they approach that holy Rite to learn That so they may not drink their Condemnation In that which is ordain'd for Consolation Jayle 'T is true God call for this then pray thee why Canst thou not learn these Reasons to apply To holy Baptisme in which our Lord More Frequently requires Faith in his Word With true Repentance thus these Cases are Alike made manifest and so appear Cathederal The Churches Judgment doth the one allow And not the other unto Infants Now Either the Church or thou O Jayle must be Deceived but canst thou more clearly see Than she who hath the eye of Learning bright Sure no then cease against the Church to fight Jayle How like to Rome is this thy Argument Dost thou not know that this same Sacrament Was also given to Infants in Old time Sure there 's as plain a ground for this as thine Alleag'd for Infant-Baptism hence 't is clear As th' one so th' other thou should'st quite forbear Cathederal I know that Rome this Argument doth bring To force us when the Text saith no such thing And sure the Churches Judgment will out-weigh The private Judgement of such as inveigh Against her doings and I 'll hold me here Until a means of greater strength appear Jayle Admit the Sentence of the Church be great In things most doubtful yet I must entreat Thee not to use it till thou 'st proved plain Thy self to be that Church Yet here again I needs must tell thee That the Doctors all Engag'd ' gainst Rome about thine ears do fall Cathederal Some of my Doctors sang a Strain too high When in this Point engag'd ' gainst Popery I likewise grant before this Plea be mine I must as a true Church conspicuous shine Which I shall do ere this Discourse have end Then to the next Objection let 's descend CHAP. II. The Arg. 'Gainst Nations by the Lump For Churches being made The Jayle Disputes the Minster strives T' uphold that golden Trade Jayle MY next Objection O Cathederal Is this Christ hath no Church that 's National But Nationall thy Church is known to be Ergo Not Christ's Church but a Pedigree Of Persons yet unfit for Church-Communion Though thou with them and they with thee have Union Cathederal Fond Jayle didst never read what David said In Psalm the second were description's made Of Christ his Church to have her propagation Amongst the Gentiles to their utmost Nations And when the Kingdom was tane from the Jewes 'T was given unto a Nation Scripture shews Jayle Peter doth well expound the second Psalm In Acts the tenth when sent with Gospel-Balm Unto Cesaria where Gods acceptation Extends to such as fear him in each Nation In Peters time no Church was National Yet Holy Nation Peter doth her call Cathederal So then it seems the Church is National But by a Figure Metaphorical Consisting but of such as joyntly hold A Union in those Laws which are enrol'd In Divine Writ as touching Church-affairs I like not this for it my Pomp impairs Jayle Christ saith The Gospel would Divisions cause Such as were not occasion'd by the Laws Of Moses for in Families there should Two this three that three this and two that hold But
Christs Church I loose This is Jayl-Logick and to Jayl must go Or else the reason I 'm resolv'd to know Jayl It follows clearly and I marvel why Any wise-man can Rome the name deny Of Church if they true Baptisme and Power In Church-concerns retain unto this hour If these Essentials be truly there For lesser faults t is hard the Church to tear Cathedral O but she 's full of faults and those most great For by unwritten things she doth defeat Poor souls of Gods most holy Ordinances VVhich Saints have counted rich Inheritances My Doctors shew how much I do detect her Of this Abuse and therefore do reject her Jayle Unwritten things Thou canst not without shame Blame her in this because thou dost the same For wher 's thy Common Pray'r-Book or thy Crossings Found in the Scripture more than Popish-Massings Were not thy Organ Pipes and Antick Dressings Found in one Chapter with the Popes Confessings Cathederal Well but they worship Images which I Reject as being gross Idolatry Indeed it is unsufferable folly For men to count a carved Post for holy And then to bow before what their own hands Have made contrary to our Lords Commands Jayle Alas thou' rt every whit as far amiss For I have seen thee do as much as this What means thy frequent bowing to that Board In this thy Quire How canst thou think our Lord Will ' low thee this and not allow them that Sith all 's but Wood by you set up in State Cathederal 'T is true I bow to th' Altar but what tho I do not worship it as these men do Their graven Images for 't is most plain They Idolize But as for me I feign No holiness inherent for to be In th' Altar when to it I bow my knee Jayle This is the Papists Plea for what they do In Image-Worship yea they tell thee so In express words accursing every one Which worship Images of Wood or Stone Now therefore if this Plea for thee will serve 'T will Image-Worship full as well preserve Cathederal I wish thou be no Papist all this while Thy disputation savours of their Stile Nor need I doubt but Rome hath her Consorts With thee who in a hidden way deports Themselves that so they may advantage take My Church and all her holy things to shake Jayle Mistake not Minster I no Papist am I only shew what thou must say and can Noâ— choose but say till thou be better grounded That when thou call'st Rome Whore thou art confounded With her because in truth she is thy Mother She tells thee so and thou canst shew no other Cathederal All this thou speak'st because I was baptiz'd By th' Roman Church and also emolliz'd Or form'd into a Church and there Ordain'd By Babylonish Priests with whordoms stain'd This I must grant We likewise had from thence The Scriptures yet thou canst with them dispense Jayle The latter will not prove the former sound For though a Jew or Turk the Book had found And so from them I should receive the same Yet hence no man could argue without shame That now if by the Jew or Turk we be Ordained Bishops it must satisfie Cathederal VVell if 't be so that th'VVhore of Babylon Can give no Baptisme then I have none Or if she could no Bishops well Ordain I must confess my calling will prove vain But yet I 'll hold me where I am till thou A way more clear than this my way canst show Jayle Who ere they be gives others holy Orders Must needs be such as are within the borders Of holy Church now sith thou dost exclude Rome from the Church to thee she 's not endu'd With power Ordinative But the way Of Ordination I 'll anon display CHAP. IV. The Arg. The Jayle the Minster doth detect As unbaptiz'd and vain The Minster doth the Charge reject The Jayle doth it maintain Jayle BEcause six Lines no Preface will allow My next Objection presently I 'll show Which on an Antient Maxime I will ground No BAPTISME No CHURCH can wel be found VVherefore the Point for thee to Answer shall Be this Thou hast no Baptisme at all Cathederal Prodigious Jayl where got'st thou this Objection 'T is some Anabaptistical infection But sith thou haâ—t my Christendom deny'd First I 'll appeal to Rome there to be try'd From whom my Infant-sprinkling I receiv'd Which to be Baptisme is now believ'd Jayle 'T is well confest and lo what shall I think How canst thou now refuse with Rome to drink Their Transubstantiated Cup sith thou Thy Babyes-Sprinkling from Rome must avow But let Rome judge and she will tell thee plain No Scripture owns thy Sprinkling so 't is vain Cathederal Rome doth indeed tell thee and all men so But she had beâ—ter have said nothing tho But as for me I Scriptures can produce Which shew Infant-Bapti'm th'Apostles use I other proves from Circumcision draw To prove the point in hand a divine Law Jayle If Circumcision be thy President The Papists say Baptism hath no extent To Femals for the Law only assigns For Circumcisions subjects Masculines And for thy other Texts 't is a vain crack The Learned Papists say such Texts you lack Cathederal What art thou turned Papist that thou dost Of their Confessions in this case so boast But see my Texts Matthew the twenty eight With Acts the second gives apparent light For Infant-Baptisme So the sixteenth Of th' Acts and seventh of the first Corinth Jayle Teaching precedes Baptizing Matthew saith Both Texts in th' Acts the same in substance hath That Text in Corinths speaks not of Baptizing So then sith Infants are of Catechizing Uncapable these Texts teach no such thing As that for which thou dost them hither bring Cathederal Infants are holy Ergo they must be Baptized in the name of th'Trinity All Nations are enjoyn'd to be baptiz'd Herein whole Families were not despis'd Here 's ground enough to prove Infant-Baptism And consequently to rebuke thy Schism Jayle The unbelieving Husband 's sanctifi'd Thy Logick saith Baptism must be apply'd To them Yea They are part of every Nation Ergo must be Baptized if thy fashon Oâ— arguing be good but this may shew How 't is unsound inconsequent untrue Cathederal Thou tak'st no notice of the Families Which I observ'd th'Apostles did Baptize This Allegation is unanswerable Ergo Infant-Baptism stands here most stable I challenge thee resolve this if thou can For 't is not yet resolv'd by any man Jayle The Texts are clear the same that were Baptiz'd Were first by Paul and Silas Catechiz'd 'T is said they did Believe in God also Th' Apostles for to visit them did go As they were Brethren which things consider'd Thy boasting of thy proof from hence is wither'd Cathederal Proud Jayle how i' st thou darest thus contemn The Expositions of my Learned men Who with one voyce these Texts do explicate My Pedobaptisme to vindicate Art thou grown wiser
hands being sent to a Friend of mine The party sending it supposing it gave very clear evidence against the Anabaptists I therefore searched what it said in that respect and found in their Answer to the ninth Question the very thing which we hold in the point of Baptism clearly asseâ—ted and proved The Question and Answer are verbatim as followeth Question What are the publick means which Christ hath appointed to Salvation Answer Christ hath appointed that fit men shall be ordained his Ministers to disciple the uncalled and to baptise all that are Disciples Mat. 28. 19 20. Mark 16. 15. This is all they say in that Book concerning Baptism nor quote they any other Scriptures whereupon I wrote is followeth What! shall nigh fixty of wise learned men Yea of the prime be contradicted when After no small debate they published This Book which seems with Zeal and Truth bespred Our Catechisers grave learned all How can a work by such performed fall Good Reader bow thine heart to understand What 's true though 't be from an unlearned hand The wisdom of the wise must come to nought For so it was foretold and now is brought In part to pass since thus much may be said Ev'n of these men they quite destroy the trade Of their so much adored baptizing Of Infants Wherefore them this song I 'l sing Our Catechisers must be catechiz'd How and what persons ought to be baptiz'd For here they lie i' th dark and will not see What 's true what 's false though by themselves it be Made manifest in this their little Book To every Reader who doth please to look In page the one and thirtieth where they say Concerning Baptising This is Christ's Way That such as are uncall'd must first be taught Now Infants are uncall'd and therefore ought By their direction not to be baptized And yet as though all this had not sufficed They further tell us All that are Disciples Baptiz'd must be into the sacred Titles Of Father Son and Spirit Then they cite Mathew the eight twenteth which gives light With Mark the sixteenth full to what they say And we say th' same and thus they cast away Their Infant Baptisme sith Infants can Be no Disciples made by th' wisest man That is amongst this Catalogue I mean Or else their skill is more than we have seen For sith Disciple doth import a Learner By others teaching he 's a weak discerner That taketh new-born Infants for to be Disciples Thus we may mans folly see Cathederal As for the Presbyters let them maintain Their plea. But for Tradition 't is most plain It stands with me And tho thou hast now shown Some few who did thy way of Baptism own Thou dost not prove that ever these men taught ' Gainst Infant Baptisme yet this thou ought To shew but this can in no wise be shown For 't is most clear they did my Baptim own Jayl Because I hate disingenuity I grant some Antients did with thee comply But yet I say th'most Antient if not all Such doctrine taught as doth in question call Thy Infant Baptisme And some did so Oppose it that their lives they did forgo In opposition to it in our Nation When first upon our Land it made invasion But ere I come to speak of these sad dayes We 'll cast our eye on some doctrinal rayes Of th' Antients that the mist they may expel And clear our way First Jerom doth us tell The Lord commanded first to teach and then Baptise such as appeared faithful men And Justin Martyr doth the same avow And Athanasius doth that truth allow Haimo avoucheth this for verity And Rabinus the same doth testifie Beda is of this mind and plainly saith Th' Apostles did instruct men in the Faith And then baptise them So Strigelius Did likewise teach So did Eusebius Basil and Austin do this Doctrine own Cyprian before them did the same make known With others whom I now refuse to name Sith these are persons of the greatest fame And now O Minster pray thee well observe What strength I have from Records which preserve The mem'ry of our Nations first reception Of Gospel-light see therefore this collection Out of Fabian his right ancient story In the fifth part where though he greatly glory Of that great Monk Augustine call'd by name Yet unto his and thy no little shame He doth confess that Brittons Bishops did Refuse to baptise Infants tho much chid By that great Monk Their reason was they say Such things had not been taught them till that day Yet they the Gospel long before obeyed And in the love thereof were firm and stayed But now alas for this their just denyal Of Austins motion they strait met with tryal For Fabian relates how they were slain And Fox upon Augustine layes the blame At least in part and can assign no cause But that they did not bow to Austins Laws Now Minster if we take the perfect time When in this Land the Gospel first did shine Which was more than four hundred years before Austin the Monk set foot upon our shore During which time no persons were baptized That I can find till they were catechised Then 't is most clear my Baptism thine out dates Four hundred years as Fabian relates In this our Island and in other places Mine hath the old foot-steps thine noval traces But why do I thy doing daign to name Baptisme for in truth it is a shame For to vouchsafe it such an appellation Only I use it ' cause our disputation Doth so require But Sprinkling never can Suit with God's Word delivered unto man For his direction in that Ordinance Of Baptizontes sith that clear instance In John the third and twenty third hath said The Reason why John Baptist us'd his trade In Enon was because of plenitude Of Water which doth Sprinkling Clear exclude From being Baptisme As also doth The act of Philip and the Eunuch both Sith both went into th' Water for to act What Baptisme requires in th' outward fact Yea Christ our Lord who knew the Father's will Went Into Water Baptism to fulfill Now whether Scripture or thy Doctors be The safest guide herein I leave to thee Cathedral Doubtless O Jayl in this bend of quotations Thou' rt guilty of no small falsifications I ask thee whether thou hast read each Father Whose words in this sort thou hast scratch'd together If not as doubtless not sith thou' rt unlearned O how presumptuous then art thou discerned Jayle I answer freely some I 've read not all The Works of these whose witness forth I call The most I 've read even as they are translated By those to whom thy self art ' sociated Which therefore must more claim thy estimation Than if they were the fruit of my translation Cathederal Whereas my Sprinkling thou so ill dost brook Thou mayst remember if thou please to look Into