THE Catechist Catechized OR AN EXAMINATION OF AN Anabaptistical Catechism Pretended to be Published for the Satisfaction and Information of the People of God in Lancashire c. ALSO SOME OBSERVATIONS Both Old and New Concerning the pretended Visibility Universality Antiquity Infallibility Unity and Purity of the present Roman Church and Religion Sent to a Gentleman upon his revolt to Popery and now published for the Churches good By RICHARD HOLLINVVORTH Mancuniens LONDON Printed by J. M. for Luke Fawn and are to be sold at his shop at the Parrot in Pauls Church-yard 1653. SIR THere is an Anabaptisticall Catechism that walks abroad lately directed to Lancashire when it is of age and can answer for it self you shal know the name of it it is but newly brought forth to this County and therefore not Christned If you meet with it it would be a good work to Lancashire in which you dwel to the Town of Manchester the place of your Nativity and Ministry to make some Annotations of it a few smooth stones out of soft Siloam hurl'd out of your sling might lay it dead a friendly arrow shot beyond it may give warning that there is danger I would not engage you to the contest with this A. B. C. but that Error is a springing Leprosie in contagious times Wormes in children may turn to the Plague a few vacant hours will serve the business and satisfie the earnest desire of Sir Your Brother and fellow-Labourer in the Work of Christ Richard Heyricke January 1. 52. For Mr. Richard Hollinworth with my Love These To all in Lancashire that love and seek the Lord in all his Soul-filling Ordinances especially them of the associated Churches about MANCHESTER Dearly Beloved and longed for our Joy and Crown YOu shall with more praise to God light and stability to your selves read the ensuing Treatise if you first consider and lament that for abuse of Ordinances Satan transforming himself into an Angel of Light hath undermined all Ordinances of divine Light and Life The Lords-Day not moral publique solemn Assemblies turned into House-meetings publique Ministry exchanged for private Conferences publique preaching of the Word common to gifted Brethren with called Ministers no prayer but when the Spirit moves no communion in the Supper but in Churches newly gathered and no Baptism for Infants No wonder if religious Ordinances be thus undermined when the Doctrine of the holy Trinity the Deity of Jesus Christ and of the Holy Ghost the divine Authority of the Scriptures the Obligation of the Decalogue and other Fundamentals of Faith Holiness and Righteousness are by the Ministers of the Prince of Darkness professedly overturned No wonder that Children are unchurched when so many Churches are unchurched many of them that have done the former having begun at the latter They who would not be saved by Ordinances shall perish for want of Ordinances and they that would not unite themselves to the Fountain of Life by Faith shall be separated from the streams and conveyances of Life that they may apparantly wither and dye only upon the living in Jerusalem that by the subtilty of delusion or power of interest are darkened and benummed pray and weep that the Sun of Righteousness may arise with healing in his wings But the Ordinances being the purchase of Christs blood as well as the Church the gifts of his Princely Government the Ensigns of his Victory over the Kingdom of Darkness and of his glorious Ascension he will by his soveraign Power maintain And to that end successively enoble the spirits of some with beams of heavenly light and courage that they shall discover the stratagems of Opposers and adventure upon their Armies marshalled against them and triumphantly overcome by his glorious power redeeming the captived Ordinances of their King unto a just and glorious Liberty This being so high a favor from Christ the glory of his Grace and Power it is most thankfully to be accepted and his Instruments to be had in honor by all that rejoyce in the glory of his Kingdom His Ministers he hath designed to be the Executors of his last Will and Testament to them it belongs by divine appointment to give out the several Legacies there bequeathed and to put in suit all them in the high Court of sacred Scripture who shall upon any pretence whatsoever detain any Legacy bequeathed and where will their faithfulness more appear then to open their mouth for the dumb and to sue for Childrens rights whil'st they are forcibly wronged and unable to right themselves where is greater Trust and more shining Fidelity The right of Infants to Baptism hath of late been openly impleaded in reference to Lancashire and the Bill printed to be published there in special with expectation of the concurrence of the godly but blessed be God one of the Lords Executors in Manchester where part-taking was most desired and expected hath wisely and faithfully joyned issue and by clear Evidence hath procured a determinate sentence for the setling of their undoubted right upon Infants to our great comfort and the honor of the Kingdom of Christ in the Right whereof Infants are rightly baptized And our hope in the Lord Jesus is that the questioning of the Right of Infants and the shaking of their title will have that influence upon all the godly in Lancashire especially Parents peculiarly in Manchester and the rest of the associated Churches that out of enflamed love to Christ and the Souls of their Children they will so much the more settle their Judgments in this Truth by the conscionable and diligent use of this hâ—lp provided by the Lord amongst them so seasonably in respect of danger and so suitably in respect of clearness brevity and charge that will happily lead to the believing repenting and prayerful use of this Ordinance which is the Covenant-way of conveying to their Children the sure and saving Mercies of the Covenant so shall they and others who have seen the holy Seal set on in Infancy clearly behold in their holy life the lively characters of the Spirit of the Covenant the Image of the Lord Jesus in their riper years To their own abundant satisfaction the silencing of Adversaries the increase of the Church mystical the encouragement of them that have carefully and painfully pleaded their Right and above all the honor of the Lord Jesus who in their Infancy opened unto them his Arms and Bosom in his Church that in an hidden way he might warm them with a spiritual Life to be manifested in due time In this hope we pray for you and labor amongst you that we might present Parents and Children in Covenant-obedience and blessing at that great Day This is the principal Desire and Soul-travel of The Lords unworthy Servants who in reference to Infants do rejoyce in our Ministry John Angier John Harison Nathaneel Rathband William Meek March 10. 1652. THE Authors Preface to the Christian Reader IN these times the Lords Builders are compelled while they
that can beleeve yet it may be applyed without in those that cannot beleeve else how could any Infants be saved IF you know nothing of their Salvation Chap. 5. Christ doth Mark 10.14 Of such saith he is the Kingdom of Heaven He means not only those that are meek humble harmless like little children for he would not have blamed those that would have kept little children from him nor have blessed them when they came if they were only meer emblems of such as are blessed as a Lamb or a Dove may be but little children themselves David judged that his child though adulterously begotten and whom God took away in his wrath was saved else he would not have eaten and drunk and rejoyced that he should go to it 2 Sam. 12.20 If any affirm That all Infants of Christians dying in Infancy are certainly saved I know no Scripture against it and if there be no place punctually proving it we are bound to encline to the more charitable opinion Mat. 7.1 especially when we speak of this or that particular Infant You say they may be saved without Baptism true there is a possibility of it so if Infants of the Jews had not been circumcised the eight day and had dyed uncircumcised they might also have been saved their parents or governors being guilty of the contempt or neglect of the Ordinance not they and why should their Salvation or Damnation depend upon others doing or not doing their duty That phrase of cutting off Gen. 17.14 either concerns grown men only or threatens only excommunication or death not eternal damnation God had mercy on the penitent thief yet it is presumption in us to defer repentance till death or to neglect Baptism God can bring a child into the world without a midwife shall we therefore neglect the means Parents when their children are baptized before they dye may not only be comforted in the performance of their duty but also have more grounded hopes of their childrens Salvation Your Antipoedobaptistical Doctrines do take away all or most of the grounds of hope which Christian parents have of the Salvation of their dying Infants ANABAPT CAT. Q. Whether do you think it were better for persons to have Baptism deferred till they be able to make a profession of faith A. Yes it would be far better for hereby the Churches would have right matter i.e. Saints in profession and persons would be careful to get knowledg and holiness whereas now they are careless of hoth Infant-haptism brings many mischiefs besides that it fills the Church with rotten members confounds the Church and the world together and is a groundwork for more tradition and doth so darken the Doctrine of Baptism that we cannot know the true meaning of it when we read it in Scripture THe many mischiefs of Infant-Baptism and the benefis of such delaying of it Examinat Cap. 6. § 1. were unknown to the Apostolique Primitive Church else sure they would have left us some Precept or President of their delaying the Baptism of the children of Christian parents The Jewish Church had Child Circumcision and Child Baptism too as Rites of Initiation had it been better they had been deferred was not the Jewish Church to be freed from mischiefs as you call them as well as the Christian Church If Childrens admission did not bring such mischiefs upon the Jewish how comes it to be so mischievous to the Christian Church We have a Command for Child-baptism not indeed such a direct express Command as they had for Circumcision but a virtual implicite and consequential Command as you shall hear anon Chap. 10. and this is abundantly sufficient to clear it from being a cause of it self of any mischief at all You hold and pretend to prove § 2. that John Baptist and the Disciples of Christ did not baptize Infants but were no rotten members baptized when Jerusalem all Iudea and all the rigion round about Iordan came and were baptized Mat. 3. Mark 1. yea that people or multitude whom or some of whom he called Generation of Vipers Luk. 3.7 with 21. Mr Cobbet a New-England Divine saith Iohn Baptist did and might lawfully baptize those multitudes albeit in the general he knew that many yea most of them would prove false and frothy Mr Nyes another of them saith The Apostles for the baptizing of three thousand expected no testimonies nor a day much less a month or years experience nor could they in so short time make any inquisitions or hear any perswasive relations When all the Samaritans very lately bewitched by Simon Magus Act. 8.9 10. were baptized vers 12. was there then no rotten members Suppose all London Middlesex and all the region round about Thames or Trent should be Jews or Heathens and surely you account them now much better and should presently upon hearing of a Sermon make some profession of faith or confession of sins and be baptized would you judg all these right matter Saints and that there is no rotten member amongst them What became of those multitudes and Myriads of baptized ones when Christ suffered or afterwards if they were not rotten members Were not Judas Ananias Saphira Himeneus Philetus and many others rotten members Were there not amongst the Corinthians though called Saints a parte meliore as we call a Whe it-field a Corn-field though we see many tares and thistles in it known carnal Schismatiques Fornicaters Idolaters some that sacrificed to Devils drunken Communicants Heretiques denying the Resurrection Despisers of Paul Admirers of the false Teachers Men as Paul feared that had not repented of the uncleanness fornication and lasciviousness they had committed amongst whom were debates envyings wraths strifes backbitings whisperings swelling tumults c. were none of these rotten members It is the work of the Ministry to convince rotten members of their rottenness and by the blessing of God to convert them and make them sound 1 Cor. 5. 6. 10. Gal. 4.19 And if so be they remain incurable and after much means pains and patiences are not reclaimed the Church may cut them off Though the draw-net doth take in both good and bad yet the bad afterward may be cast away Matth. 13.47.48 Are there not also amongst the Anabaptists notwithstanding their rejection of Infant-Baptism many rotten members §. 3. Heretiques Blasphemers such as deny the Trinity the Divinity or Humanity of Jesus Christ the Immortality of the Soul the Morality of the Sabbath Authority of the Scriptures the guilt of original sin the necessity yea very being of the Ministry Officers and Ordinances Assertors of the whole Body of Arminianism of immediate Revelations and Enthusiasms of Antinomianism of Poligamy perfection of grace Who more then the Anabaptists I had almost said who but they have been given up by God to those strong and strange delusions to those damnable Opinions and abominable Practices mentioned in the late Act Where is there a more wicked and wretched Sect then the Ranters But
possibly you that published this Catechism may be of the strictest Sect of your Religion as the worst of these at their first separating from us seemed also to be and do abhor to have communion not only with these but with Drunkards Adulterers Swearers c. To you I say if there be not amongst you Drunkards Adulterers Swearers c. Satan himself is none of these but are there not seditious schiâ—matical persons that say all the Church is holy sacrilegious persons that devour that which is holy or dedicated to the service of God and his Church not by themselves which was Ananias his sin but by others Are there not Murderers Railers false Accusers Lyars proud boasters covetous traytors heady high minded lovers of themselves despisers of good men having a form of godliness c. Such an one is Satan As for the rotten members in Paedobaptists Congregations they are or should be duly proceeded against and much good is done that way in many Congregations where Government is set up and people help forward the work humane infirmities both in Rulers and ruled ever have been and will be And more good had been done had not the separation of some from us the exemption by the Civil Powers from Church-government of whosoever will not freely own it the unjust clamors of Presbyterian Rigidness and Tyranny together with the Tumults and Troubles of the Times hindred it As for Infant-Baptism §. 4. it is a consecrating of children to God and formally initiates them into the Church which is a great benefit as casting out or excommunicating out of the Church is a great censure it is an outward distinctive sign of Christians children from Pagans signifies their original sin and necessity of regeneration even before the commission of actual sin and the Salvation of Infants as well as grown men by Christ It makes Infants partakers of the Ordinances at least of the Prayers of the Church as members thereof it pre-engageth them to a Christian Course when they have the least prejudice and obstruction against it and as soon as they are capable to receive the nurture and admonition of the Lord to frequent Ordinances to own Jesus Christ by external profession it binds Parents to be more careful and conscientious of their Religions Education it comforts their hearts godly Parents may speak this experimentally to see their Children thus sealed in assurance that God is their God and the God of their seed Yea God doth sometimes yea always as we ought to judg till the contrary appear baptize them inwardly or inâ—use grace or the seed of it into the Soul of the baptized Infant These and the like were counted great benefits in the time of the Law and are they or can they be mischiefs in the time of the Gospel You assert indeed That delaying of Baptism would make men careful to get knowledg and holiness whereas now they viz. they that do not delay Baptism are careless of both But may they not be as conscientiously taught and as careful and apt to learn in Christs School in his visible Kingdom as out of it baptized as unbaptized Are not many grown persons as forgetful and careless of the Promises they make on their sick beds and other occasions as of those which were made in Infancy Are Anabaptists the only men that are careful to get knowledg and holiness Are not multitudes of persons which were baptized in their Infancy as careful to get knowledg and holiness and as good Proficients therein as any others Is it better not to put children into a lease or grant of a priviledg lest they should be secure and careless to pay rent and do homage then to put them in May not deferring of Baptism so long make them despise it when they come to age Satan may more easily keep children when grown up from receiving Christianity then work them to renounce it though he sometimes prevails with Witches and Wizzards to renounce their Baptism received in Infancy that they may be his vassals and more assured to him Keeping the children of Christians out of the Church is a strange way sure it is none of Gods ways nor is it likely to prevail to make them in love with Christianity If any good can be done by such mediums the warrantable deferring of the Lords Supper alone may do it as well as the unwarrantable delaying of Baptism As for darkening the Doctrine of Baptism experience teacheth us that the Doctrine thereof was clear enough in Scripture and competently understood as well as the Doctrine of the Lords Supper before such opposition hath been made to Infant-Baptism If it be now darkened the darkness is not from Infant-Baptism but from your opposite Opinion and Practice ANABAPT CAT. Q. But may not Infants be baptized if they be Abrahams seed A. Yes But we Gentiles are only Abrahams seed by believing Gal. 3.7 so Rom. 4.16 Gal. 3.29 They that would make the children of Believers to be the seed of Abraham are mistaken for the Scripture speaketh but of three seeds of Abraham viz. Christ Gal. 3.16.2 The carnal seed 3. The Believer Jew or Gentile Gal. 3.28 And they add a fourth seed of Abraham viz. the seed or children of Believers amongst the Gentiles about which the Scripture is silent EIther you do not sufficiently enumerate Exam. Chap. 7. or not rightly understand your enumeration of the Scripture-kinds of Abrahams seed or both For 1. Christ personal is not the whole of Abrahams seed to whom though he be the whole in whom 2 Cor. 1.20 the Promises were made but Christ mystical the whole Church of Christ 1 Cor. 12.12 13. all which whether Jews or Gentiles bond or free I may add young or old are but one in their Head Jesus Christ Gal. 3.28 All that are Christs are Abrahams seed vers 29. and Infants are his as well as grown persons for he became an Infant suffered much in his very Infancy was the Head of the Church while an Infant and therefore might well have Infant-members dyed for Infants as well as for grown men bad his Disciples to suffer little children to come to him if not that he might baptize them for he baptized none at all Infants or others Joh. 4.1 2. yet that he might bless them and said that of such is the Kingdom of Heaven 2. As for the carnal seed of Abraham their fleshly relation was not sufficient to entitle them to Church-priviledges except they had a spiritual relation also Rom 9 6 8. Open Apostates and Revolters though the carnal seed of Abraham were not counted of the Church but as strangers and Heathens as David calls them Psal 54.3 59.5 That Text Exod. 12.48 prohibiting strangers did by the rule of proportion prohibit from the Passover all such Jews as did forsake the Faith The Caldee Paraphrast saith No son of Israel that is an Apostate or fallen from the Faith shall eat of it Cain and his posterity were rejected Gen. 4.15
that as good testimony may be produced out of the Fathers for the absolute necessity of the Eucharist as for the absolute necessity of Baptism 15. Also that though gemina or duo Sacramenta be sometimes found yet septem Sacramenta or words equivalent to them cannot be found in any ancient Father though they did call by the name of Sacraments not only Ordination Matrimony c. but ablution of the feet sign of the Cross c. which are not properly so called 16. I desire to be satisfied why you so frequently and suspiciously the matter being so mainly controverted do in your allowed Manuals Catechisms c. leave out of the Decalogue all the second Commandment or that large passage prohibiting the worship of Images 17. Also how you can reconcile the two Bibles of Sixtus and Clement between which are so many and material differences or if you cannot reconcile them how you can satisfie your Conscience whether of them is Authentical seeing they have equal Authority from the See Apostolique equal Absolutions from Oaths of admitting any other equal Imprecations and Curses to them which receive them not for Authentical so that either you must use no Bible at all or undergo the curse of Pope Sixtus if you use that of Clement or of Pope Clement if you use the other of Sixtus 18. For as much as Traditions are defined to be the Rule of Faith and equal to the Scriptures and nothing is more necessary for the Chuâ—ch to do then to deliver the Rule of Faith clearly and precisely what is the cause I pray you that no Pope or Councel no not that of Trent hath given an exact Catalogue or List of divine and infallible Traditions is it because you are not fully as yet agreed of them or are they for some politique ends reserved in the Popes Brest 19. This Assertion that the Roman Church is infallible in all her Decrees and Definitions is the Foundation of your Faith and if it fail your Faith fails also yet it is much doubted of yea denyed by some Romanists nor as I suppose was it ever declated decreed or defined by the Church in any General Councel if it was I pray you shew me when where and in what terms 20. Suppose this was so defined and thereupon you be assured that the Church is infallible yet you cannot be infallibly assured what is meant by the Church which some of your Doctors interpret to be the Church essential some the Church representative which as some of them hold is a General Councel though without the Pope others the Councel and the Pope together some the Church virtual the Pope alone which yet are not agreed amongst themselves when where and in what matters the Pope may or may not err 21. If herein you were resolved yet you cannot be infallibly assured that the present Pope is a true and lawful Pope seeing he may be promoted by Simony or his Baptizer or Ordainer or the Baptizers or Ordainers of them or some of them might miss the right intention of Baptizing or Ordaining in which case he cannot be in the sight of God a lawful Pope 22. Put case you hope well of your Pope yet it is possible you may mistake Papal Decrees Definitions c. and not understand them in their true and genuine sence Soto and Catharinus who were present at the Trent Councel could not agree what was the Councels meaning in the Points of Original Sin and Justification but writ Books one against another of that Subject 23. You will say perhaps The Pope is a living Judg to determine these or the like doubts which if it were granted yet still you have no such infallible certainty as you pretend for you never heard the Pope preach propound Truths or resolve Doubts you only hear his Priests and Jesuits whom I hope you will not exempt from a possibility of deceiving or being deceived especially seeing both Priests and Jesuits Dominicans and Franciscans do pretend the Pope to be their Patron and their Tenents though contrary one to another to be the Tenents of the Church 24. Lastly to omit other Observations till further occasion If proof of the Churches Infallibility be demanded of you you will alledg Matth. 16.18 or Luke 22.32 or some other Scripture If again you be demanded what assutance you have that Matth. 16.18 Luk. 22.32 and the other Scriptures are of divine Authority and that they are not corrupted nor mis interpreted you must answer That the Church is infallible which keeps and interprets the Scripture Thus you prove the Infallibility of the Church by the Scriptures and the Infallibility of the Scriptures by the Church which is nothing else but to run round in a circle to beg the Question and in effect to prove the Churches Infallibility by the Infallibility of the Church Imprimatur Edm Calamy March 4. 1652. FINIS
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 having confessed but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 confessing their sins and it is not said they were baptized because they had repented but rather on the contrary that John's Baptism was a Baptism unto Repentance v. 11. This you know is consistent enough with Infant-Baptism As for Acts 2.38 it is probable that repentance to which notwithstanding their being pricked in their hearts v. 37. the Apostle exhorts was in them only in fieri before their Baptism for immediately after this Exhortation they were baptized and there could not be time to question three thousand in one day after Sermon which consisting of many main points must needs be long and three of the twelve hours of the day being spent before it begun v. 15. so as to make strict enquiry into and to take distinct notice of the repentance of each of them Of Mat. 28.19 Acts 2.38 and Mat. 3.6 more hereafter Suppose your Texts do shew that the Samaritans §. 3. the Eunuch the Jaylor the Corinthians and others which were then adult and formerly either of the Jewish or Heathenish Religion did believe or profess faith and repentance and were baptized that is nothing to Paedobaptists who never held that a Jew or Heathen should be baptized without profession of faith But grant further That actual Believers or Professors are indeed the primary and immediate subject of Baptism and in their own right and their children are but the secundary subject and may not be baptized but by a capacity derived unto them and at that time Christian Churches were but in gathering not gathered The foundation was not to be layd in Infants not in Infants only And the sacred story relating the manner of founding Churches hath not so much occasion to speak of the Baptism of Infants the secundary subject as of actual believers the primary God created the first man and woman of a perfect age though all their posterity were born Infants At first men of age were circumcised Gen. 17.24 with 14.14 and again after some intermission of that Ordinance Josh 5.4 And if any Nation had been Proselyted their men of age must first have been taught or discipled and have made profession of faith before they should have been circumcised though in the setled condition of the Jewish Church Child-circumcision was most in use If Believers and Penitents ought to be baptized will it thence follow that none but they only are to be baptized The rule is A proprio primo modo ad proprium secundo modo non valet argumentum All Crows are black therefore none but only Crows are black is no good argument If it were granted that Infant-Baptism cannot be proved by those Texts yet it will not follow that it cannot be proved by any other Texts Womens admission to the Supper though it cannot be proved by Mat. 26. Mark 14. Luk. 22. Christ admitting only men may notwithstanding be proved by other Scriptures Your notion That none are to be baptized but such as they were whose Baptism is mentioned Acts 8.12 37. 16.34 c. is by some further improved saying All those were such Believers as had been in person Jews or Heathens and therefore such only are to be baptized and those that have Christian Parents and were educated in Christianity from their childhood are not at least not by virtue of any of those Texts to be baptized at all neither in Infancy nor when they make Profession As they in their case so also you in your case are to blame to insert into your Answer the word only which you find in none of your Texts Our Scripture-grounds for Infant-Baptism you shall hear anon Chap. 10. ANABAPT CAT. Q. hat grounds have you against Infant-Baptism A. Many but chiefly Christs Commission Mat. 28.19 where the subjects of Baptism are those that are made Disciples and this Commission is to last to the Worlds end v. 20. and reacheth to every creature that is to partake of Baptism Mark 16.15 16. MAtth. 28.19 is not the first Commission for baptizing Examinat Cap. 2. §. 1. no more then for preaching John Baptist Mat. 3. and Christs Disciples Joh. 4.1 2. did baptize before this and had commission for it Joh. 1.33 Mat. 21.25 26. which Christ confirmed by his being baptized by John Mat. 3.13 Yea we have express Examples in Jewish Records of a Baptism See Mr Selden Dr Hammond Dr Lightfoot Mr Ainsworth Mr Tombes which was a Rite of initiation into the Jewish Church a concomitant of Circumcision if not ancienter So Jacob admitting the preserved Sechemites into communion all of age being women bad them be washed or baptized or cleansed by washing Gen. 35.2 which is the reason why a Jewish Proselyte is in Arrianus called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a baptized person Hence the Jews did not question John's Baptism as a new and unusual Rite they were already well acquainted with it but his Authority to administer it Grotius on Mat. 3.6 conceives it was begun upon occasion and to preserve the memory of the purging of the World by the Deluge and that Peter 1 Pet. 3.21 signifies so much calling Baptism the Antitype and figure of it And the Infants of the Jews were thus admitted as well as the Proselyte for one Ordinance was for both Numb 15.15 And thus the Hebrew Doctors assert notwithstanding Mr T. to the contrary pretends that the Proselytes only were baptized because they were unclean That Israel as well as others entred into Covenant Males by three things viz. Circumcision Baptism and Offering Females only by the two last Now as Christ abolishing the Passover took the postcoenium or common custom used at the Passover of the Master of the Family his breaking a piece of bread and distributing it and a cup of wine amongst the company to be materials of the Lords Supper so he abolishing Circumcision and Offering advanced this ancient usual unquestionable concomitant of Circumcision and of initiation of Males Females Infants or others into the Church to be a Sacrament of the New Testament the use whereof and the persons to whom it should be administred being then ordinarily and commonly known the Scripture did not need to record the commission or warrant given to John or that the Jews had long before for their baptizing It was enough that there is not the least hint in the Word that Baptism when advanced to be a divine Sacrament of the New Testament should not be applyed to Infants as it was before Indeed when the Apostles Commission was to be enlarged to all Nations this being a new thing and rarely known or believed it was needful that it should be set down in terminis as it here is And yet this Gospel was not written till about eight years after the Ascension of Christ and other Gospels were writ some years after this the Jewish Church all this while being guided by the Old Testament and observing the Jewish lawful Rites and Customs and this of baptizing
least it is the profanation of the Ordinance Who you are I know not but the general Opinion of your party is that any Disciple especially a teaching Disciple may baptize See Confession of the seven Churches Art 41. And doth Ordination by a Bishop and other Ministers make voyd such Discipleship and make him that he cannot be so much as a private Christian yea make his Baptism Antichristian We receive from God the Old Testament by the hands of the Jews and the whole Bible by the hands of Papists most Scriptures have some time or other been abused must we therefore disuse them If a Bishop should baptize one at full age making profession of faith and repentance yea suppose a Jesuite pretending to be a gifted Brother or a teaching Disciple as it is lawful for the Jesuites to say or do any thing that may tend to the weakening the true Reformed Religion and should dip many would his dipping be null and voyd and to be reiterated This I dare say Whatsoever is rational or religious cannot be made irrational or irreligious whosoever useth or hath used it And if multitudes of persons should cast away all that they have received by the Bishops and Ministers ordained by them they should with those things irrecoverably cast their Souls into Hell When Antichrist most reigned and raged and the woman fled into the Wilderness God did preserve some Fundamental Doctrines and the essence of Baptism and the essence of a true Ministry dispensing it and they that is her Pastors did feed her there Revel 12.6 14. 4. There are now more Antichrists then ever were before in our or in any other Reformed Church and worse Antichrists by how much Fundamental Errors in Doctrine are greater abominations then Errors only in Discipline All Heretiques in Scripture-language are Antichrist 1 Epist John The Errors Heresies Blasphemies Treacheries Hypocrisies Perjuries sacrilegious seditious Actions Divisions and Subdivisions bitter and bloody Contentions Rebaptizations Ordinations by the people and other meer humane inventions of these Times do justifie the Bishops and all Episcopal men that have kept themselves free from these and the like crimes from being so Antichristian as we do really dishonor the true Reformed Religion delight the truly Antichristian Faction and make way for our reducing not only to Prelacy but to that which all sober men count incomparably more dangerous to Popery yea to the worst edition of it Spanish Jesuited Inquisition-Popery ANABAPT CAT. Paedobaptism is done upon a wrong subject who is not in Christs commission Matt. 28.19 nor Mark 16.16 Believers and Repentants being the subjects therein EXAMINAT You here beg the question what you here alledg hath been answered Chap. 1. and Chap. 2. ANABAPT CAT. All the certainty I can have of such a Baptism is only conjectural not infallible whereas the outward sign of a Sacrament must be visible and infallible as the thing signified is this Infant-Baptism I take only in trust from others THe Infants blessed by Christ could in their riper age have no certainty of their being so blessed by him Examinat Chap. 14. nor had the Jewish Infants any certainty of their Circumcision for the foreskin of circumcised Infants might be and sometimes was so drawn up that when they came to age they could not discern their Circumcision To this Paul alludes 1 Cor. 7.18 If the flesh-mark was alway discernable yet it could not teach them whether a friend or foe had done it whether for sacred or civil ends whether duly or unduly without instruction and information by word or writing and such instruction may assure us of our right Baptism though it was administred in Infancy You may have such assurance of your Baptism as the Priests by the Registers had of their pedigree Ezra 2.62 as Paul had that he was circumcised the eighth day that he was of the stock of Israel an Hebrew of the Hebrews of the tribe of Benjamin Phil. 3.5 Yea you may have as much or more certainty that you were baptized as that such an one was your father such a woman your mother yet sure if you will call that only a conjectural and not infallible testimony you will test so much upon it as to call him your father and her your mother that are testified and reputed to be so and without scruple of conscience honor them as you are bound by the fifth Commandment and also keep that which is generally computed to be the first day of the week or the Lords-Day though you take it but on trust from others Possibly he that is baptized at full age may not infallibly know that he was baptized some have forgotten through sickness the greatest concernments yea their own names must they thereupon be rebaptized Possibly a man or woman as you are dipping them under the water may be so damped that they may not hear or not heed the words used by the Administrator whether he baptize or bless or curse must they be dipped again till they do hear and heed that they may infallibly know themselves to be baptized If a man should herein be deceived and think he was baptized in his Infancy when he was not the Error is not very dangerous Faith in Christ may supply the defect of Baptism and he not neglecting or contemning Baptism nor knowing that he wants it may reap benefit by his supposed Baptism as if it were reâ—l As for his resolution of the case grounded on the suppose unlawfulness of Paedobaptism whether a Christian may with good conscience be present at it I judg it unnecessary for me to discuss it having I hope cleared the lawfulness of Infant-Baptism yet I confess I cannot approve sundry things in it though Paedobaptism were confessed to be unlawful SOME OBSERVATIONS Both Old and New Concerning the pretended Visibility Universality Antiquity Infallibility Unity and Purity of the present Roman Church and Religion Sent to a Gentleman upon his Revolt to Popery and now Published with some few Additions for the Churches good SIR 1. YOu do all confess the affirmative and positive Doctrines of the Church of England and other Reformed Churches to be true and Catholique and to have had visible Professors in all Ages only you superadd certain other Doctrines which you say are necessary to be beleeved unto Salvation For evidence whereof observe 1. Our Churches Doctrine All the Books of the Old and New Testament mentioned in the 39 Articles and in the late Confession of Faith to be holy and Canonical are for such to be received 2. Your Churches Additions The Books of Tobit Judeth Wisdom Maccabees and the rest commonly called Apocrypha are also Canonical The Scripture is the Rule of Faith and Manners Traditions of the Church are of equal Authority with the Scriptures The Originals Hebrew and Greek are Authentical The Vulgar Edition is most pure and Authentical There are two Sacraments of the New Testament Baptism and the Lords Supper There are also five more viz. Confirmation
Pennance Extream Vnction Orders of which there are seven viz. Priests Deacons Sub-deacons Acolytes Exorcists Lectors or Readers Ostiaries or Door-keepers and Matrimony God is to be invocated and Religiously worshipped Yea and the Images of God also Crosses Crucifixes Altars Angels Saints with their Reliques and Images Christ is the Head of the Church And the Pope also Christ is our Mediator and Advocate So are the Angels and Saints likewise Christ was conceived without original sin And the Virgin Mary also Christ was once sacrificed on the Cross for the Redemption of the world Christ is dayly offered up in Mass a propitiatory Sacrifice for the sins of quick and dead We are saved by the merits of Christ And also by the merits of the Saints We are justified by Faith And by hope love fear of God good works which merit Salvation All the words and actions which Scripture records to be used by Christ in the celebration of the Supper are to be used by us also The sacred Hoast must also be elevated adored reserved carried in solemn procession Christ is truly present in the Eucharist Christ is corporally present by Transubstantiation and may be received into the mouths of wicked men yea of Rats and Mice There are two places for the Souls of such as depart hence And two besides viz. Purgatory and Limbus Infantum The three Creeds commonly called the Creed of the Apostles of the Nicene Councel and of Athanasius are to be received and beleeved And Pope Pius his Creed also or his additions to the Nicene Creed are also to be received and beleeved These and the like positive Points of the Reformed Religion whereof I omit sundry are truly and properly Catholique for in them not only Papists but in a manner all Christians in the world concur with us but in your Additions you stand single and have multitudes of Christians in the Eastern and Western Churches dissenting from you 2. Peruse the Book of nine and thirty Articles the Homilies Leiturgy and Catechisms or the late Directory Confession of Faith or Catechisms larger or shorter and find if you can the Doctrine of our Church contrary to any one Article of those several Creeds which in the first six hundred years were Badges of Catholique Profession or produce any one of those Articles to which we do not willingly subscribe 3. Though the ancient Church did undoubtedly beleeve and profess all that was necessary to Salvation yet there is not one Creed of General or National Counced particular Church or Father within a thousand or twelve hundred years after Christ in which the Articles of Pope Pius his Creed were imposed as now they are for Articles of Faith necessary to be beleeved unto Salvation 4. The Church of God as might be proved by Scriptures or Fathers if it were not acknowledged by your own Authors cannot make a new Article of Faith nor any addition to the Creed save by way of Explication of that which was formerly upon Scripture grounds beleeved and professed But these additions of yours were not beleeved if you should say that they were beleeved implicitely this suppose it true would take away the Visibility of the Profession thereof by the Ancient Caâ—holique and Apostolique Church 5. None of your side hitherto hath or hereafter can produce any one visible Church which in the Apostolique and in all succeeding Ages did approve and use Communion in one kind Private Mass Prayer in an unknown Tongue Image-worship Pardons Indulgences which beleeved the Popes Infallibility his Superiority over General Councels his temporal Authority over Kings and Emperors to depose them and dispose of their Dominions the necessity of auricular Confession the determinate number of seven Sacraments Purgatory and the Popes Power to deliver Souls from thence which forbade Lay-men without a special dispensation to read the Scriptures or Priests to marry c. 6. Nay you cannot name any one person in each several Age out of whose words or writings notwithstanding there were sundry Creeds Confessions of Faith Catechisms Sermons or Homilies Summaries of Christian Doctrine the aforesaid particular Points of Popery may be collected descending from the age of Christ to the days of Luther 7. Nay you cannot name any one Father or Catholique Writer for twelve hundred years after Christ that did hold all those Tenets which are now taught by the Romish Church and authorized by the Trent Councel 8. None of your side hath or can prove that any of the Primitive Martyrs or Confessors suffered Death Banishment Torment Confiscation c. for the Popish Religion or any particular thereof in which they differ from the Church of England as Papal Supremacy Communion in one kind Image-worship c. 9. You cannot shew that any one Article of your Faith in which we dissent from you is Catholique according to Vincentius Lirinensis his Rules viz. which was Ancient in his time and in respect of the Arrian Heresie which he calls novellum dogma a novel tenet and that which you know that not unus aut duo tantum sed omnes c. not only one or two but all though living in several times and places have with one consent openly frequently constantly held written and taught 10. None of your side dare for shame affirm that Communion in both kinds Prayer in a known Tongue communion of Priest with people Lay-mens reading of the Scriptures Worship of God without Images Invocation of God without mediation of Saints or Angels and other the aforesaid affirmative and positive Doctrines were invented by Luther or that they are not in themselves so lawful and agreeable to the Scriptures and practise of the first six centuries of years as Communion in one kind Prayer in an unknown Tongue c. 11. There are few or no Points denyed or affirmed against us by you in which you vary not amongst your selves and if any of you will distinctly set down avoyding general and ambiguous terms what he thinketh to be the truth in any Question or Exposition of Scripture controverted betwixt us I verily beleeve I can name him another Papist new or old that saith the contrary Bellarmine doth obiter discover to the world above three hundred several Opinions of Papists and those only in and about the Points controverted between you and us and Navane mentions about sixty Dissentions of your Doctors in one only Point to wit Confession 12. I shall hold till herein I be convinced of Error by instance to the contrary that whatsoever titles are by the ancient Fathers given to the Eucharist whereby you would prove Transubstantiation Adoration Sacrifice c. the same phrases or some equivalent to them may be found in the Fathers concerning Baptism in which you confess there is neither Transubstantiation nor Sacrifice 13. Also that those glorious things which were spoken by them of the Bishops of Rome may be parallel'd by such as read them throughly with the like honorable mention of other Patriarchs and Bishops 14. Also