Constantinople Basilius born also a Graecian and contemporary with Gregory was also brought up in humane literature at Caesarea first and then at the Vniversity of Athens under Eubulus his Master a Heathen whom he afterwards converted to the faith and coming to Libanius the Sophister and a School-master who thought to have posed him with some hard and difficult verses of Homer he expounded them with such readiness and wit that he astonished Libanius and when he could not convert him from Idolatry to Christianity he gave directions to the young-men his Scholars concerning their deportment in their Studies He was surnamed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Basil the Great and came to be Bishop of Caesarea and Cappadocia Athanasius a Graecian born was brought up by his Parents in learning and excelled in all sorts thereof was ordained Deacon and received the order of Priesthood about what time Arrius began to broach his heresies to whom Athanasius was the greatest opponent in the Nicene Councel Was after chosen Bishop of Alexandria by the general suffrages of all the Churches there and by the last Will of his Predecessor there Irenaeus a Graecian was a general Scholar in all Humane learning as himself sheweth by his refuting the Hereticks in all their Sophisticated arguments shewing them to be fetcht only out of the Fables of Poets and Philosophers and therefore himself must needs be well versed in them as who wittily useth their Proverbs Exhortations and Examples to the confutation of them and their errors whom therefore Tertullian stiles omnium doctrinarum curiosissimum exploratorem He was after Bishop of Lyons And as I have shewed this truth in the famous Bishops some of whom I have made choice I will do the like in three or four of famous Divines onely and not Bishops who were quallified at first with Humane learning And I will go downward as I went upward before Justinus Martyr was a Palaestine born and was a most acute Philosopher Ad Philosopiae tum nostrae tum posissimum prophanae summum evectus fastigium saith Photius He mostly lived in Rome as the place of his abode where both in life speech and habit he professed himself a Philosopher saying he found great profit by these Studies yet made them subservient to his Diviner ones He was the first Champion that appeared against those Hereticks Marcion and Valentinian Tertullian an Affrican born he was indeed well read in Poets Grammarians Histories Laws well seen in Physicks and Philosophy of whom Hierom testifieth that his works cunctam saeculi continent disciplinam And what a great Divine he was the world knoweth and especially Cyprian who in all his Theological doubts still said Da mihi Magistrum intelligens Tertullianum Clemens Alexandrinus a Graecian and born at Athens a great Student of History Poetry and Philosophy and excellent therein even in all the Heathens Sciences and Arts and what a great Divine proved he and a learned Priest also who having been an Auditor to Pantaenus supplying the place in the City of Alexandria next after the Apostle and he dying was chosen Master of the Catechists in which place he maintained mightily the mysteries of the Religion Origen a Graecian born at Alexandria and Scholar or Auditor of Clemens Alexandrinus where he studied and learned Logick Arithmetick Rhetorick History Poetry Cosmography and was experienced in all Arts and Sciences Where also in that City and Vniversity too of Alexandria as some make it he taught a School and professed the same Arts. Soon after he read the grounds of Religion and soundly instructed the Christians and strengthened them against the storms of persecution so that Demetrius the Bishop of Alexandria thought him a fit instrument to be placed in the Church and so called him to be Catechista or Reader of Divinity in that City in the place and room of Clemens Alexandrinus deceased They the Disciples of Christ were from these two last named Origen and Clemens first called Catechumenists being about the year 226. Lactantius Firmianus of whose Country I read nothing a Romane or Italian most likely He was the Scholler and Disciple of Arnobius and publiquely taught Rhetorick in Nicomedia quasi quidam fluvius eloquentiae Tullianae and in his old age was called to Court to teach and Tutor Chrispus the Son of Constantine the Latine tongue This made him the better able to set forth his skill in the diviner mysteries so that by the help of his humane learning he wrote the more strongly against the Gentiles and Heathens in defence of the Christians Hieronymus an Italian born at Histeria was brought up at Rome the best Academy for learning then though there were Schools for learning also elsewhere in France Affrick Spain as I have hinted His Master for Grammar there was Donatus who is thought to be the same who hath made-such learned Comentaries on Terence and Virgil and for Rhetorick Victorinus He read Porphyrius Isagoge or Introduction to Logick and the Philosophy of Plato and the Stoicks He looked into Cosmography History and Antiquities intending to study Divinity and to set it forth with all the lustre that might being now sufficiently furnished with the Arts He was also excellently learned in the Hebrew and Chaldee and Syriack and ordained a Priest at Antioch by Paulinus the Byshop there and was a great planter of the truth a rooter out of heresies in saecularibus valde eruditus in Divinis Scripturis eruditissimus I have forborn to set down the Names and Books of the Authors who report thus of these learned Bishops and Divines for that they are so many and well known and for that the same Historiographers do speak of every one of these which to write out would be too oft to repeat the same as Socrates Sozomen Photius Hyeronimus Paulinas Trithemius Sixtus Senensis Baronius and others who have set forth the lives and studies the arts and sciences of these worthies in the Churches of God And now Sir have I not shewed you the good old way here also wherein the Ancient learned Fathers and Pastors and Doctours of the Church of old walked prosperously in their ministery and which Jesus Christ laid out of old for them to walk as who ordereth the steps and wayes of these Righteous good men and his Ministers Psalm 37.23 Yea I have compassed you about with a cloud of witnesses Heb. 12.1 and those not obscure Tenebrios but of the illustrious lights and luminaries of the world who were first Humanely then after Divinely learned brought up at Vniversities and other Schools in the knowledge of the Arts and Languages before they went forth or were called into the Church and Pulpits for the preaching of the Word and Gospel Into which cloud if you will enter and come under it as you cannot avoid it and will be to use the Apostles phrase dipt or baptized into me 1 Cor. 10.2 or rather unto the Worthies I have mentioned in the cloud it will be also unto you as that
and constant custom of the Primitive and the succeeding Churches throughout the several ages to Baptize the Children of believing Parents in their Infancy then it ought to be so still continued accustomed and practised This Warrant may be Reasoned out of the word or the Reason warranted out of Matth. 19.4.9 where Christ in case of a point of difference about divorce himself argueth and reasoneth from the Ancient times and the beginning of the Church of God So out of 1 Cor. 11.16 if any man seem to be Contentious we have no such Custom neither the Churches of God Where you and I may see the case there and here to be much alike The Corinthians had got up a fashion of their mens praying covered in their long Hair and their women praying uncovered in their shorn Hair you likewise have taken up a practice of baptizing onely believers when grown persons they make profession and have shut out Infants from their right to the Seal of Baptism being Covenanters with their Parents Saint Paul refuteth that their fashion by divers arguments drawn from the headship of man over the woman from the dishonouring of the head from the shamesulness and the uncomeliness of it from the Presence of the Angels from the light of nature five good and sound arguments and when he perceived for all those that they were contentious and quarrelsome with him about and for their fashion He clappeth upon them as his last argument this taken from the Churches of God that have been before us In like manner I have refelled your Practice by sundry Warrants and Reasons raysed out of the word from such Infants some of them having the spirit and faith in some degrees from their being in the same Holy Covenant of Grace with their Parents from the proportion and succession of Baptism unto Circumcision from Baptisme's being a remedy against Original sin especially from Infants capableness of the ends effects and benefits of Baptism five good and warrantable reasons out of the word and supposing for all this you will not be conquered though overcome but will still strive and contend contrary to 2 Tim. 2.24 Now I urge upon you in the last place this Reason which is the Custom of the Church both Modern we have such a Custom of Baptizing Infants of Believing Patents and we have no Custom approved or General of Baptizing onely Grown Believers As also Ancient Neither the Churches of God have had any such For so though Saint Paul argue N gatively onely the Reason is of as much force and weight affirmatively and the Custom of the Ancient and Modern Church's is good and pleadable both against the New Lights of late scismatical Innovators as also for the old Light of former and present Orthodex Professours As for the Negative the Not or No Custom Primitive and practice Apostolieal of Baptizing again at their growth upon Confession of Faith such as had been Baptized before in their Infancy I do reserve it for at other Place your Dipping Pond of which I shall speak at last onely here I shall bring in the Affirmative That the Ancient Prinritive Churchès succeeding the Apostles what the Apostles themselve did do and practied shall hereafter soon follow did hold and practice the Baptizing of Infants And though I think it will but disturb your Brain and cause you to stop your Nostrils and Mouth who small no sweet Savour or Odour of Antiquity as being one of the New Sent or unsent rather yet notwichstanding I shall and relate the Dictates of some of the Ancient Apostles succeeding Pastors and Fathers of the Church of old and I will do it for others sake who are Lovers of Antiquity but I will do it in English for your sake whom I am Instructing who are no lover of Languages more than you can speak I know you will not take this General Custom and Practice of the Church upon my bare word and present Assertion nor do I desire you should Therefore Remember the dayes of old consider the years of many Generations ask thy Father and he will shew thee thy Elders and they will tell thee ask now of the dayes that are past which were before wheâ—â—er there hath been any such thing as the Baptizing of Infants of Believers You shall readily find the same attested by the Reverend Fathers of the Church the Bishops and Doctors of the dayes of old and years of former Generations to have been so to be the Custom and Practice In a matter of Fact or Practice one Good and Creditable witness is sufficient and that I am sure I have Saint Augustine I mean not onely for the General Practice of Infant Baptism in his dayes and those present tim 's wherein he lived as might easily be shewed our of his Books of Original Sin Chap. 40. Third Book of the Merit of Sin and Remission Chap. 9. Third Book against Julian fourth Book of Baprism against the Donatists c. But also for the former and praeceding Churches up to the Primitive dayes For so Augustine who lived in the year after the Nativity of Christ 39â— and was Presbyter first and after Bishop of Hippo saith thus in his third Epistle to Volusian The Custom of the Mother Church in Baptizing little ones is in no wise to be despised not to be thought needless and were not to be believed but that it was as Apostolicall Tradition This is a very full and clear evidence of an Ecclesiastical Custom an Apostolical Tradition whether written or unwritten that infringeth it not according to that of the Apostle 2 Thest 2.15 hold the Traditons which ye have been taught whether by word or Epistle not to be despised but believed Nor did Augustine utter this suddenly but advisedly and therefore upon second thoughts saith it over again and the more Resolutely in his 15. Sermon of the words of the Apostle Let no man saith he buz or whisper into our eares any Doctrine to the Contrary This Practice of Baptizing Ghildren The Church alwayes had this it hath this it alwayes held this it hath received from the Faith or fidelity of our Ancestors and this it keeps Constantly to the end Therefore doth the same Father so often and so much press this Argument The Churches Practice of Baptizing-Infants upon Pelagius and his followers who were Contemporary with Augustine holding Infants were not taken or tainted with original Corruption and Sin by propagation but only contracted the same by Imitation as in his 150 Epistle unto Sixtus in his second Book of Marriage and Concup 18. Chap. in his first Book against Crescon the Grammarian cap 30. in his fourth Book against the Donat. c. 23. in his sixth Book against Julian one of Pelagius his Schollars or his opinions Now if this had not been truly and undeniably The Custom and Practice of the Church even up to the first and Primitive times as Augustine affitmed Pelagius and his Disciples would soon have fallen foul upon
upon it for the strengthening themselves in their own opinion of Infant-Baptism Origen the Schollar and Disciple of Clemens Alexandrinus For the year 204. so forward a Schollar that at eighteen years of his age he set up a School and taught others in his fift Book to the Rom. 6. c. the Church hath received the Tradition from the Apostles even or also to little Children to give Baptism because in them as in all are the Genuine or ingenerated filths of sin the which ought to be washed with water and the Spirit Somewhat more of this there is in his eighth Book upon Levit 8. Homil. and upon Luke Homil. 14. Tertullain whom Cyprian read so diligently and esteemed so highly For the year 195. that in all matters of doubt he would have recourse to him saying Give me my Master meaning Tertullian in his Book of Baptism chap. 18. According to the Condition disposition and also age of every person the delaying of Baptism is more profitable especially in and about Infants for what necescessity is there if it be not so necessary to bring the suerties into danger of not performing their promise and whether this be meant of the Children which were not born of Christian Parents as some will or of the Children of believing Parents as others say its evident that Baptism was administred in all ages and he intimates the Custom and practice of the Church in his age to Baptize them even Children as well as others Though he seems not to be so well pleased with it and yet again the words import no other then that he denyed the Necessity onely of Baptism to them being out of danger of death not simply the Baptizing of them rather as in another place he doth imply they ought to be Baptized if there be danger or fear that afterwards they may not or cannot be Baptized in his Book of the Soul Chap. 39. and 40. where he saith that Infants of believing Parents or one Parent have such a Sanctity and that from the Privilege of their Birth not the discipline of their bringing up as gives them a Right to Baptism Therefore Tertullain calleth the Children of Believers The designees or destinates of Holiness or as elsewhere the Candidates of Holiness and so here is an evidence for that Birth Holiness or foederal Holiness of which I shall speak anon out of the 2 of Acts. Irenaeus 2 Book For the year 170. Chap. 39. He came to save all by himself I say all who are born again by him into God Infants and little ones and Children and yong men and old men c. The intention of the words is of Christ Jesus who as it followeth there went through every age to Infants made an Infant Sanctifying Infants to little ones made a little one sanctifying those of that age but you see there is an expression of Infants of whom he saith they are born again into or unto God that is Baptized for so Baptism is usually stiled by the Ancients especially the Greeks a Renascence or New Birth or Palingensy as might be shewed out of Athanasius and Basil who took it from the Apostolique manner also of speaking Tit. 3.5 as before I mentioned I can go no higher for Irenaeus was the Schollar and Disciple of Polycarpus and Polycarpus was the Schollar or Disciple of John the Evangelists and to you see I am come up to the very skirts and thresholds of the Apostolique Churches and Primitive Times with the Custom and Practice of Baptizing Infants Some go yet higher to Justin Martyr quaest resp ad orthod qu. For the year 130 90 60 56. and so to Clemens the Roman Bishop in his Apostolical constit lib. 6. cap. 15. and to Dyonisius Areopagita in his Eccles Hietarchy Ch. last And indeed there are pregnant places in them for Baptizing Infants if the Authors were Legitimate they are so good and sufficient against the Papists who own them and maintain them for true and Genuine but with us they are held to be suppositions and spurious and though many good and true things are in them as Infant-Baptism c. Yet they are not belonging to such venerable Names as those I have rchearsed and therefore not of that Antiquity with them and so impertinent to my purpose Onely one thing I must ad to satisfie the Reader why on this side of Augustine towards the Apostles I have mentioned no more of the Fathers and Doctors of the Church seeing there were many more or what were they discrepant in their opinion about the Baptism of Infants no sure the reason must needs be this they all lived long before Pelagius came out from the Brittish Seat and gathered to himself a Sect of Locusts which spread over the world and troubled the Churches with this matter for one they denying the Traduction of originall sin in Infants Therefore those Ancient Fathers of the Church having no occasion to intermeddle with any such matters about Infant-Baptism kept close onely to such controversies and questions as were on foot in their dayes save onely that Cyprian as I touched before was questioned hereabouts the silence of those Fathers that touched not upon it gives consent to the Practice as unquestioned by them but God would put words of it it to the mouthes of some of them to be witnesses unto posterity of the Antiquity of Infant-Baptism and the Churches Practice The like answer may be given why in those two General Councels the Nicene and the Constantinopolitan and some other Provincial ones which were before Augustine nothing is touched upon in their Canons about Baptism of Infants except that of Cyprian and his 66 Colleagues before mentioned because it was at a thing never in question amongst them never opposed by any and yet that was a very sruitful age of haeretical weeds springing up in those purer times witness the Munichees Arrians Donatists Macedonians Aaerians Eunomians Luciferians c. amongst all which not an Antipaedobaptist not any that so much as made scruple at it which sure some or other in malice or envy to the Church would have done if they could have found how to have shaken that as they did all other Foundations of Christinaity But after Augustines time when Pelagius arose Then the Councils came in against him thick and threefold as the Milevitane or Council of Carthage in the year 402. 418. Canon 11. and the Gerundense Council held in Spain 518. Can. 5. and the Bracarense Council the 2. 572. Can. 7. And so the Fathers and Doctors of the Church are ever and anon storming of Pelagius and his adhaerents And now Sir I know all this Labor is lost as to you who are and desire to be but a man of to day and for ever but for yesterday or Antiquity there you will leave even Christ and his Church and go no farther you are none of the old Martiald Souldiery but the New Modell'd Militia and yet you may remember how you began
give not the Believers And Christ of old too gave the Keyes and the power of them one part whereof is this setting apart of persons to the administring of holy Ordinances to Peter and the Apostles as bearing the persons of the Pastors and Guides of the Church Mat. 16.19 and not as representing the Church of Believers for then these also must have power to binde and loose in earth and heaven by Censures John 20.23 as well as the Apostles and Pastors and so women and children may come in for it as Believers I could never see yet that the Ministery of the separation had any separation to the Ministery just and right according to the good old way onely a kinde of popular Democratical designation they have but no authoritative or official Ordination which is Aristocratical But why do you not speak out to the full Was he your brother set apart of the Church i.e. your selves the Brethren to administer the Ordinances of Christ and was he not also authorized to give Orders or do you mean these also orders by them Ordinances how else will you be given to preaching or be a gifted Preacher ere long if not already Nay when your Church and the Brethren did set him apart to the Ministery did not your Church and Brethren give him Orders and Ordination to the purpose that so he might give back again to your Church and any of the Brethren Orders and Ordination and so make yours a very orderly Church indeed in running round in a ring until you be turn-sick and giddy-headed But enought of this having spoken largely of it in the Instruction of the Scribe § 3. Set apart of the Church but how I ask You say by fasting and prayer and this was all it seems And why not also by Laying on of Hands according to the good old way laid open and plain in the Text before cited Acts 13.3 and tracked or traced by St. Paul 1 Tim. 4.14 and 2 Tim. 1.6 Thus of old they the holy Spirit and the Apostles did set apart Brethren to the administring of the Ordinances and this of old namely the Laying on of Hands also was a note of conferring ministerial power and authority as a means also of procuring spiritual gifts and abilities Now the things which god hath joyned together in the constitution and sending out of a Minister in holy Ordinances let no man put asunder or set apart Fasting Prayer and Laying on of hands none do or will but such as have a spirit of Division and Separation an humor of Novelty and Innovation and therefore I do not wonder at it in you Besides you had no hands to impose in such a business they are too short to reach up and to lay upon the head of a Brother as to Commission or Ordain him or set him apart as from God for the sacred administration of Baptism you mouths shut up by fasting and your hearts enlarged by prayer may do well as to commend and present him to God for his blessing and confirmation of his graces when such are rightly and duly set apart § 4. You have done now with your set apart Brother but there is another matter yet to be done according to the old way for they also in the 13. Acts 4. sent away Paul and Barnabas And so Rom. 10.15 How shall or can they preach or baptize except they be sent True St. Paul saith Christ sent me not to baptize 1 Cor. 1.17 chiefly and primarily but to preach yet he baptized as well as preached and intimateth that Christ sent him to do both as being conjunct parts of the Ministery Mat. 28.19 20. though distinct offices in themselves and the one preeminent to the other at leastwise in St. Paul But now you were not in a capacity as to this sending out of a Brother to administer this or other publique holy Ordinances as he would not take this honor to himself to be an Ambassadour of Chriâ—â— so you and your Brethren could not give it unto him and send him forth for that you must be sent your selves before you can send others to go forth into the nations Teaching and Baptizing So Christ himself John 20.21 As my Father sent me so send I you In a word was or is your Brothers separation to administer Baptism and other Ordinances ordinary or extraordinary If extraordinary then your Church did nothing here for that is neither of man nor by man you did not then set apart If ordinary then your Church had nothing here to do as which it self was never set apart or sent out from Christ and his Authority to such purpose This being not done as yet to you or him you may think what you will of your Creature and admire your Feature your Brother set apart Dipper is still in the estate and condition as your selves and as before he was for any thing you have done a Brother but no Minister a Separate no Set apart a Dipper but no Baptizer a Lay Teacher but no lawful Preacher And I will tell you what Austin saith of such and I will tell it you in Latine because you understand it Si Laicus Baptismum dederit null â cogente necessitate alieni muncris est usurpatio lib. 2. contra Parmen cap. 13. This I desire you to English to your Brother And because perhaps you were enjoyned before your dipping to renounce your Latine also as a profane thing or else since your dipping you may have drowned much of your Latine or drained it from you I will give you another saying of Tertullian in English in his book of Baptism To give Baptism is in truth the Bishops right after him it belongeth to Priests and Deacons but not to them without Authority from him received for so the honor of the Church which being kept preserveth peace were it not in this respect the Laity might do the same all sorts might give even as all sorts receive But because emultation is the mother of Schisms Let it content thee which art of the order of Lay men to do it in necessity when the state of time or place or person thereunto compelleth for them is their boldness priviledged that help when the circumstance of other mens dangers craveth it Both these learned and pious Fathers yield even to a Lay man such a one as your Brother or your self to baptize in a case or state of necessity and one of them enlargeth it To time place or persons I shall but guess at the particular meanings of them if I miss let who can and will rectifie me I will thank him for you I know cannot if you would 1. The case of necessity in state of Time is when the Christian party unbaptized is in present danger of death and no lawful Minister at hand or to be suddenly procured 2. The case of necessity in state of Place is when Pagans are converted and a Church there to be planted and no ordained Minister amongst the Converters
dipping you plead it for the good old way and reject my appeaching it for a new business Now there and then when Baptism was performed by immersion or dipping yet I make some difference 'twixt the words as I shall shew they stript their bodies of all their clothes and went into the water stark naked and were baptized naked even as Adam and Eve created naked were in Paradise as naked as ever they themselves were born into the world as Christ was crucified on the cross and as the bodies shall go to heaven or hell for by these patterns the Ancients expressed the maner of it and if you see any vail or such like about or over the bodies of any of these at the time of baptizing it is the Painters fancy it was not theirs the Ancients fashion I know you look for a proof of this old way this naked truth which I shall give you to the proof and reproof of your new business of clothed or cloaked novelty Cyril of Hier. Catech. Mystag 11. saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. When ye went into the water you put off your garments as a token of the old man put off c. and so being naked you were like Christ who being naked spoiled the powers and principalities and it was a wonderful thing ye were naked and were not ashamed as Adam And so other Ancients of the Greek Church do testifie the same whom I forbear to cite onely I adde Chrysostom Homil. 6. upon Col. 2. because he addeth the mysticall of this putting off the garment at baptism to be the putting off the old man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And Elias Cretensis upon the 4. Oration of Nazianzen because he makes an addition of certain officers and helpers appointed to undress them and take off the garments of those that were to be immerged or baptized to dress them and to put them on again afterwards Ad sacerdotem quidem is adducitur qui spirituali regeneratione donandus est ipse autem pedes ejus adhibita ministrorum eorum qui ad hoc constituti sunt operâ calceis nudat corpus universum detegit And for the ancient Latine Church Ambrose testifieth the Custom and urgeth from it against the covetous persons saying Thy mother brought thee forth naked when thou camest into the world the Church thy mother too received thee naked when thou camest to the Laver and wouldst thou go clothed and rich to Heaven I will transcribe the very words of Ambrose in his own eloquent language Ideò nudi in saeculo nascimur nudi etiam accedimus ad lavachrum ut nudi qucque expediti ad coeli januam properemus quam autem incongruum absurdum est ut quem nudum mater genuit nudum suscipit Ecclesia dives intrare velit in coelum c. And because I may have occasion anon and again to make use of it I will also set down Anselmus his witness and words upon the third Chapter of Matthew where twice he saith it amongst the reasons he giveth of Christ being baptized this was one and another this That none should disdain to be baptized of his inferiour as he was of John That none should be ashamed to be naked or denudated in the sight of men as he was before John and the rest of the company there baptized Plures causae quare Christus ad baptismum accessit primò ut exemplo nos invitaret nequis fortè in conspectu hominum denudâ—â—i erubescerit c. It seems by this testimony of Anselm that Christ himself as all those baptized of John were baptized naked If you think all this to make nothing against your new business because they speak of mens dipping and yours was of womens dipping I shall therefore because I see you minde not that of St. Paul that in Christ Jesus now there is neither male nor female no discrimination of sexes as to the Gospel ordinances shew you the same old way in use for women also so Chrysostom in his Epistle to Pope Innocent relateth that women also were baptized and immerged naked for there he relateth unto that Pope how when Theophilus a Bishop of Alexandria had raised a tumult for the ejecting of himself out of the Church this amongst other things fell out That the women who were there in the Church and had stript themselves naked as prepared for Baptism upon the noise and for fear of this sudden and cruel commotion ran away naked out of the Church and through fear had no time and leisure to provide for the shamefastness and modesty of that sex by putting on their clothes again I adde somewhat to the words but nothing to the sense of Chrysostom And he also relateth that there were women appointed of purpose by the Church not to shift off the better clothes in a chamber and put on worser to be dipt in as your course is to accompany them to the water and there to take off their clothes and so also for the more decency and that nothing of immodesty might appear or be occasioned the women were baptized naked by themselves apart from men as the men apart by themselves naked To which also Epiphanius attesteth Haeres 79. and Augustine 22. Book of the city of God 8. Chap. for Augustine there speaks de parte foeminarum ad Baptisterium a certain part and place about the Fonts or where the women stood apart from the men ready to be baptized like as Epiphanius doth of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. an order of Deaconesses appointed for the safeguarding of the womens modesty and shamefastness to undress them at Baptism And Cyril also in the place aforesaid The which Custom held on until Beruards time who was made a Monk in the year 1110. in whose dayes that old way was put by because of some scandall and offences were given or taken through haughtiness and wickedness on the one or other side which the innocency and honesty of the former Ages kept off and prevented By this time Sir I hope you see that your dipping of women in their clothes is a new business in the Church and hath no print or footsteps to be seen in the old way or amongst the ancient Writers and Fathers of the former Churches Yea this your clothes-dipping also is so new a thing that not much above fourteen or fifteen years ago your predecessours and primer Anabiptists the Virgins of Sion and the precious Sons of the same the Proselytes of those dayes did in the Evening resort and run together and went naked into the Rivers their Jordan and were there dipped and plunged in their naked bodies without clothes on them by their John-Dippers or Dipper Johns I cannot deny but that Infants also as well as grown persons were according to the old way undressed or taken out of their clothes and were baptized and dipt naked and presently clothed again and so carried to the
them first Students then Graduates all these are very useful and beneficial not onely as the present aliments and encouragements of those Arts and Sciences but those Arts and Sciences and Languages are good fortifications of the understanding and the enabling of Reason yea and of Faith too to encounter with Atheists Hereticks and Schismaticks strong preparatives to the expounding of the Text of Scripture being written in two of those Languages and a fuller qualification unto the work of the Ministery to do it so as not to be ashamed through ignorance and say the book is sealed and he cannot read Sect. 3. But particularly for the learning of the Greek and Hebrew Tongue did not Jesus lay down that a man I mean an interpreter and dispenser of the Scripture should learn them he laid it down in the whole Scripture for that he caused the whole Scriptures to be written in those original Languages besides that the Title and Superscription which Pilate wrote and put on the Cross Jesus of Nazareth the King of the Jews was writen in Hebrew and in Greek and in Latine John 19.19 20. guided therein even by Jesus and confirmed in it that what he had written he had written and would not alter And again for the learning of Philosophy and the Arts and going to the Universities to do so and that in order to the Ministry did not Jesus lay it down in Scripture when as Saul for so he was then is called by Jesus a chosen vessel to bear his name before the Gentiles and to the children of Israel and in praevison of and provision for that calling was by the same Divine mercy ordered to be trained up from his childhood in the famous City and Vniversity too of Tarsus where he learned both Languages fitting him to bear the name of Christ to both Nations the Jews and Gentiles and likewise the Arts as Philosophy and the rest enabling him to disputation with and confutation of all the learned Philosophers of the Stoicks and Epicureans of another famous Vniversity of Athens Yea and Paul himself maketh it as an honourable mention of himself that he was beth born in Tarsus a City in Cilicia where there being also a University he learned the grounds and principles of Arts as also brought up in the City of Jerusalem at the feet of Gamaliel a Doctor of the Law and taught according to the perfect manner of the Law of the Fathers Acts 22.3 I shall desire the learned Readers patience a while not much caring for your or any others impatient ignorance that I may here also bring in a short Historical proof of University-learning from the persons and practice of the ancient Fathers and Divines in their times and successions as I have done before produced their practice and custome for Infant-baptism in their dayes and ages I will select out of them but some the most remarkable and that briefly Fulgentius an Affrican by birth was brought up first by his mother in the knowledge of the Greek and Latine Tongue wherein he was excellent and after though but young got to be admitted into a Cloyster or Monastery of which Faustus a French Bishop had the oversight and there lead a Students life a good while and being driven thence by the Vandals persecuting the Christians he got into another Cell where one Felix governed and driven thence by the Barbarians he went to Rome and into Sardinia where he setled himself and taught and instructed Christians resorting to his Cell in great store But Faustus the Bishop called him from that his privater life and made him Priest and not long after Bishop of Ruspa a great and populous City Once for all I shall say that Monasteries and Cloysters were such as our Vniversities and Colledges are for use I mean where many Bishops had their Seats and the oversight of them for the training up of Students in the Arts and Sciences and so also Divinity and Theology Augustine an Affrican also by birth was singularly well learned in the liberal Arts so that he taught Grammar in his own City of Thagasta and Rhetorick in the head City Carthage after going to Millain he was appointed to instruct the Emperor Valentinian being the fifth of that name and being somewhat tainted with the Heresies of the Manachees he by the wisdom of Ambrose Bishop there and by his Sermons and Disputations in publick of which he was a diligent hearer was converted from it and Baptized by the said Bishop and after he was ordained a Priest by Valerius Bishop of Hippo and so after a while with the consent and desire of Valerius being old was in the life of Valerius created Bishop of the same Hippo. Chrysostom a Graecian born at Antioch was brought up in humane learning under Libanius the Sophister or Philosopher spent some time in secular affairs and after entred into the Priesthood at Antioch was made Governor of the Church there and upon the death of Nectarius was made Governor or Bishop of Constantinople The Historians say of him that Holiness and Scholarship were joined in him that he was excellent and powerful and judicious in Morals or moral learning Gregory Nyssen a Graecian brother to the other Gregory Nazianzen addicted himself much to the study of Rhetorick and was eminent therein above all of his time who for the furthering of himself in the study of the Arts and all learning embraced a Monastical life highly respected in the Ancient times for the cause above mentioned that he might also join Theology to his other knowledge and after he was made Bishop of Nyssa of which City he took his name and even after that also addicted himself much to his former study of the Arts especially Rhetorick until his brother Gregory Nazianzen in an Epistle to him reprehended him for so long sticking upon the same Ambrose a French-man by birth was brought up at Rome then a Nursery of the Arts and learning where he gained wonderful knowledge in the liberal Arts that place being then as the Academy of the world giving himself to that study Probus then Praetor taking notice of him and the same of his learning made him Governour of Insubria Liguria and Emilia after going to Millain and Auxentius an Arrian Bishop deceased He was cryed up both of the Arrian faction as well as the Orthodox to be and was created or made Bishop there Epiphanius a Phoenician born learned the Hebrew Tongue of one Tryphon a Jew and was put to School to Hilarion to learn the Arts proved acerrimus haereticorum oppugnator and was made Bishop of Salamine Gregorius Nazianzen a Greaecian born was bred up in Humane literature at the Vniversity of Athens and spent thirty years in those Studies proved a great Philosopher and the most eloquent Orator of his time and was surnamed also of the Graecians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theologus or the Divine He was Bishop first of Sasima then of Nazianzen both in Cappadocia and lastly of