infantes expressedly therefore chylderen ought not the baptysed If they be good argumentes then all the conclusiones that I gather are true and so ar ye a fals man and a perillons heretike When as ye say that By baptym alone is no saluation but by baptyme and preachyng I aske you whether ye meane hole baptyme that is bothe the inwarde and the outwarde baptym togyter or the outwarde baptyme a loue If ye meane of the inwarde baptym and outwarde bothe conioyned together ye hold an opē heresi agaynst the scripture for thus wrytethe the Apostell of CHRIST saynt Pet. j. Pet. iij. few sowles that is to wit eyght were saued in the arke throw the water to the figure where of baptyme at this tyme answering doth now lykewyse saue vs. Paul also the elect vessel of GOD gyueth vnto the right holy baptym clengyng and the hole man and also saluation Ephes v. husbandes loue your wyues as Christe hathe loued hys churche and gaue hym self for it that he myght hallow and clēge it by the bath of water thorow the word and Tit. iij. But after that the goodnes and loue of GOD oure sauioure towarde vs appered not of the workes that ar in the righteousnes which we did but accordynge vnto hys mercy saued vs throwe the bath of the new byrthe and the renewyng of the sprite Paule also graunteth that baptime is of suche effect that the receyuyng of it is the receyuing and puttynge on of Christ is not Christ saluation and doth not baptim bring Christ Paules wordes ar these As many of you as are baptised haue put Christ vpon you Then when as Peter doth expressedly gyueth saluation vnto baptim and Paule like wise your erroure is open and seene of all that haue any eyes to se withal The perfit baptim hath Christ it hath the holy gooste likewise for thei that ar rightly baptised haue the holy goste and Christ put vpō thē Is not this baptim able to saue alone wherin is Christ with his holy spirit if ye meane by this word baptim only the outward baptime I graunte you that by it commeth no saluation alone ye moreouer that it is no parte of saluation but that it is onely a signe a certification of our saluation But then ye shall in to right popistry for ye fall that of preachyng and baptyme meaning of outward baptime commeth saluation preachyng is a worke of mā in opening of goddes word and the outward baptim is an outward worke then if these twoo together bring saluation then workes bryng saluation How far are ye syr now from popistry whych call other men papistes farther from papistry then ye are nere vnto the verite Christ sayeth Mar. xvi He that beleueth and is baptised shall be saued but he sayeth not he that heareth the worde of god hath only the outward baptime layed vpon hym shall be saued ye haue be like authorite of youre woode spirite to make new textes of scripture and to bylde thereupon what ye lyst Other haue ye none If preaching baptim be the meanes to saue and damne the hole worlde by how proue you that baptime is ordened to damne men wythall let vs heare one word of scripture of you to proue this strange opinion withal But least any man shuld thinke that I reherse that ye neuer wrote I will write your awn wordes By baptime alone is no saluation but by preachyng baptim certaine it is that God is able to saue hys chosen Churche wythout thes meanes But thys is hys ordynary waye to saue and damne the whole worlde by namely by offerynge remyssion of synnes and baptime to all the worlde that thereby the beleuers maye be absolued from all conscience of synne and the disobedient and vnbeleuers bounde styll other to amende or to be damned for he that beleueth not is all redy damned The offeryng of remission of sinnes and of baptim is not the law whose office is to condēne but it is the glad tidinges whiche we cal the Gospel ye are so vnlearned and so foolyshe in your reasonyng that ye are vtterly vnworthy to be reasoned wythall so that it hath repented me ofte sence that I began to write that I troubled my selfe wyth such a bungler But leste your bablyng boosting shuld bringe any simple people out of the way I wyl not disdayne to opē your folishnes to bewray your abhominable heresies Saint Paul vnto the Romanes iij. sayeth by the law cummeth the knowlege of syn In the .iiij Capter he sayeth that the law worketh wrathe and in the seuenth chapter I haue not knowen sinne but throw the law so that it is the office of the law to shew syn and to condemne the worlde wherfore ye do against al scriptur to trāslate remoue the office of the lawe vnto the moste comfortable offeringe of remission of syn and to the most sure seale and signe of our saluatiō baptim is the ende or office of offering of remission of sinne is to saue make blessed for thei are blessed sayde Dauid whose sinnes ar forgiuen What is the Gospel or glad tidinges els but the offering of remission of synnes Did not Christ commaun hys disciples to preache repentaunce and that the kingdom of heauen was at hande dyd not the angel bring in the tydinges of peace was not remission of synne offered where peace was offered What other thyng did the Apostels els then offer remission of synne vnto theyr auditores Christe commaunded them to preache the Gospell and thys Gospel or gald tydinges was remission of synnes How can then the offerynge of the Gospell whyche was ordened to saue the worlde bee a meane to damne the worlde How can baptime whyche was ordened to bee an instrument of salmation be an instrument of damnation The offeryng of remission of synnes is the offerynge of an holsum medecine Baptime is as it were a confortatiue vsed to bee gyuen vnto the syk after purgations Who is he that hath the comon wyt that wyll saye yf a foolyshe syke man refuse an holsum medicine with a confortatiue and he die for lacke of medicine that the offerynge of the medicine wyth the confortatiue was the meanes whereby thys man came vnto hys deathe Yet doo ye thys whyle ye make the offerynge of remyssyon of synnes to bee the meanes whereby GOD dampneth and saueth all the worlde by If faith do iustifie as oft times ye graunt wyth open mouthe then doth infidelite condemne and it is the meane where by the worlde is condemned as Christ witnesseth he that beleueth not is condemned already Lo here is condemnation assigned vnto vnbeleue and nother to the offerynge of remission of sinne nother of baptime Then may it easely be spyed how vnlearnedly ye alleged thys text he that beleueth not is condemned already to proue that the offerynge of remyssyon of synnes and baptime is meanes bothe vnto saluation and condemnation namely when as Christe immediatly before shewed the meanes of saluation
exercyse hys fleshly lust vpon were not your rebaptysing brethern which were slayē in Amsterdā whē they thought to haue murdered the magistrates and gouernores of the cyti reprobate and of a falsly pretended and fayned repentaunce And yet ye saye that baptyme ought only to be geuen vnto suche as vnfeynedly wyll amēd theyr lyues whereby ye make a conclusion that chylder ought not to be baptysed because ye cannot perceyue whether chylder entend vnfaynedly to amēd theyr lyues or no know not by theyr lyuyng whether they be chosen or vnchosen Thys is one of the chefe argumentes wher wyth ye go about to ouer throw the baptysyng of chylder whiche is after suche a maner formed that it taketh as wel away the baptim of old folk as of chylder for if that ye wyll baptyse none but suche as ye know whether they be elected and vnfaynedly repent or no ye shal as well holde al olde folk from baptym as yong chylder for no man can know the harte nether of olde mā nor childe sauyng only God as it is wrytē ij Pararipo vi Tu solus nosti cor filiorum hominum Thou knowest onli the harte of the sonnes of men then may all they that ar baptysed feyn and counterfet repentance amendement of lyfe before the elders which baptise and intend nothyng less as Symon Magus and Iudas Dyd in the Apostelles tymes in our tymes suche swarmes of Anabaptistes of your sect whiche were baptised after the .xiiij. yeare of ther age and afterwarde committed hordom robry and shamefull murder in the aboue rehersed cities and yit was noman able sauing only god to iuge whether they were chosen or vnchosen whether they intēded to amēd theyr lyuyng or no at the tyme of theyr Baptime Ye say that infantes ought not to be baptised because we cā not tel whether they be of the elect chyrche or no and whether they ar fully amynded to amēd theyr lyuing or no. Take yow .iiij. men of .xl. yeares of age to baptise let me take .iiij. infantes of .iiij. dayes olde tell me how that ye know that your iiij men of .xl. yeares ar more elect and chosen then I know that the .iiij. children ar elect chosen seing that the scripture is playn that no man can tel what an other man intēdeth or what is in hys harte Then when as acordyng vnto the sayng of S. Paul .i. Corint ij No man knoweth the thynges whyche perteyn vnto man sauyng the spirit of man whych is in hym no mā can tel whether an oldeman be more electe then a chylde then if olde men ought to be baptised not with standyng that noman knoweth whether they be worthy loue or hatred and be chosen or vnchosen it shal not hyndre but that chyldern may be as wel baptised as olde folke ye say in your next assertiō that Remission of sin is offered to all but al receyue it not ¶ I wyll now try your spirit whether it is stedfast or vnstedfast and wauering or no ye sayd a litle before that Baptym is offered euen to as many as wyll vnfayneoly amend theyr lyues euen as is remission of synnes ¶ In which place ye make baptym and remission of synnes all alyke comō but remission of sinnes is comon to all men both to olde meton chylder and that I proue by your owne sayng whych is that remission of syn is offered to all For it that is offered to all is comō to all therfore by your own sayng it foloweth that baptime is comon to all And if it be comon to all then is it comon vnto chyldrē How doth now youre spirit agre with it self that sayd a litle before that baptim was not comon to al now saith it the cōtrary wherupō it foloweth necessarily that baptim is comon to al. How do these saynges of yours agree together remission of finnes is offered only vnto them that wyll vnfaynedly amende theyr lyues as baptim is offered and remission of synnes is offered to all but all receyue it not In the one place ye offer remission of synne only vnto them theat baptim is to be offered to that is to thē that wil repent and in the other vnto all Is not here a prety argument thys is the spirit whiche ye receiued in the wood wher as ye tolde me that ye learned wtout any doctor your diuinite I gather also of this your sayng where ye saie that remissiō of syn is offered to all that remission of sin is also offred vnto childer and to whom soeuer remissyon of syn perteineth baptime also perteyneth as it may be plainly gathered of youre own wordes aboue rehersed but remission of syn is comon to all therfore is also baytym comon vnto al why shulde not he haue the signe which hath the thing Now is your saing that baptim is not comō vnto al onis cōfuted againe This do I aske you because ye say that remissiō of syn is offered vnto al whether remission of synne is offered vnto any sauyng vnto them that beleue and whether beleese cummeth only of the hearing of goddes worde or no. If that forgyuenes of syns only be to be offered to them that haue faith and saith be only offered vnto them that heare the word how haue the Turkes and the other infideles remission of synnes offered vnto them when as they want the word of God wher of cummeth fayth whiche only as ye graunt the promys of remission of synnes Then muste ye shew in your aunswere how that remission of synnes is offered to the faythles and vnbeleuynge Turkes whych wane the instrument whereby fayth is offred and ingendred This do I only wryte to put you to youre proue ye are so full of youre generall conclusyones if that the church sanctified in the word of Christ by faith only receiue remission of sinnes as ye write here in thys place if it be trew that ye did hold before that childer are faythles vnbeleuing it foloweth that chylder receiue no remission of synnes by your saing is not this to cōdemne all childer or els to say that childer haue no originall syn whether this be holsū doctrine or no let Christes church be iuge As for your argument that ye bring next here after I deny the antecedēt if ye meane of such faith as cā declare it self by good workes for the childer obtein remissiō of synnes by the blood of Christ althouge they haue no such faith as you do require in them your argument is thys Thys I say wher is now Hec dicit dominus the remissiō of synnes is offered to all but all receyue it not the churche sanctisyed by faith in the blood of Christ only receiueth it and vnto thē only baptime belongeth therefore none ought to receiue it but such as haue not only heard the good promises of God but haue also thereby receyued a syngular consolation in their hartes through remission of synne whiche they by fayth haue receyued For yf
any receiue baptim without theis persuasion it profiteth hym nothyng I haue proued suffyciently before that the Iewes circumcisiō was thesame of thesame effect strength with thē that baptime is to vs. But the childer of the Iewes hauynge no more fayth then oure children and being no more sanctified by faith in the blood of Christ then ours be and haue receyued no more consolation of Goddes promisses then our children haue done obteyned forgyuenes of synnes and haue taken wyth fruite the sygne and seale of the same I mean their circumcisiō Wherevpon I gather yf that the Iewes childer were wythout faith and were only sanctified by the promis and mercy of god and not by theyr own faith or any thing of their owndoing and wer not withstanding law fully receiued in to the felouship of the faithful church by circūcision and obteined forgiuenes of sinnes then whē as God regardeth nomore a Iew then a gentil and hath promised as wel to be a god to the childer of the beleuyng Gentils as of the beleuyng Iewes the childer of the faythful Christians receiue remission of synnes by the promis and mercy of god before the vse and exercise of faith and are as lawfully receyued by baptim in to the felowship and the chuche of the saithful christians and to the partaking of forgyuenes of synnes as the Iewes chylder were receiued in to the Iewes churche and were made parteners by circumcision of the promys and forgiuenes of synnes Now must ye ether deny that god is so good vnto the chrystyans childer as he was vnto the Iewes childer or els that our childer haue remissiō of sinnes ar as lawfully baptised as the iewes childer were circumcised not withstanding that our childer be not as yet for lack of age cūmen to the vse and exercyse of faith Ye hold repete in thys your reasō an opinion a false heresy against the opē scriptur That Sacramentes do not profit them whiche heare not the promys and knowe not what it meaneth For the confutacion of thys I aske you whether the Iewes childer which nether heard the promis made vnto Abrahā nether receiued any cōsolation by it shuld haue ben saued frō hell and dānation if thei had departed two daies after their circūcisiō or they shuld haue not ben damned if that any of thē had died vpon the .x. daye with out circumcisiō whether thei shuld haue ben dāned or saued If ye answer with the scriptur that not withstanding that they knewe not the promis nether heard any time of it that God which said I wil be thy god the god of thy sede after the was for his promisses sake a God that is a sauioure vnto thē that had the sacramēt of circumcision was a iuge vnto thē that died vncircumcised as to the breakers of his couenāt and therfore to be cast out and rooted furth from theyr people then haue ye writen agaynst scripture where ye holde that none can haue any profit of sacramentes excepte they vnderstande them heare thē and haue consolation therby I nede not here reherse the story of the raynbow which ye cal your self a sacrament wher by I proued that euen the byrdes and vnreasonable beastes had profyt all though they neuer heard the promiss nor knew that it was a Sacrament for I haue intreated of that mater largely here before your argument I trust now is confuted all the false doctrine that ye intended to byld vpon the same now wyl I let the reder se your next argument and answer to it as well as I can Christe had his disciples to preach the confortable tydynges to euery creature of mankynde but he neuer had baptise other then such as at theyr preachiryg wold beleue ¶ Christ sayde vnto his disciples preache the gospel to euery creature but he sayde not preache the gospell to euery creature of mankynde as ye do say sin doyng where of ye committ I dolatry or at the leste a graet offence agaynst GOD after your own iugement your argument childer ought not to be baptised because Christ neuer cōmanded in the scripture expressedly thē to be baptised and so because Christ sayd not expressedly preache the gospell to euery creature of mākynde but sayd as saynt marke writeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is preache the gospel vnto euery creature ye do wrong to say which is not expressed in the scripture in the stede of euery creature of mankynde If that ye aunswer to be vnderstād euery creature of mankynde take vnto yow autorite to vnderstande the scripture as ye thynk best why may not I in this text Euntes docete omnes gentes baptizantes eas Vnder the name of al nationes vnderstand yong specheles childer as ye vnder the name of euery creature vnderstande euery creature of man kynde seing that a childe may as wel be vnderstanded vnder the name of nationes as man kynde may be vnderstanded vnder the name of al creatures If that Christe bad hys disciples preache the gospell vnto euery creature of mankynde what kynde are yong chylder the creatures of of horse bulles or hogges or of mankynd yf they be creatures of mankynde then must they haue the worde preached vnto them by your interpretation is not thys interpretation a prety one that it had also nede of an other interpretation Myght ye not as well haue sayd to all kyndes of men of euery nation that can vnderstand prechyng Because ye shal not thynk that your argument is sure strong where ye reson that Christ bad not hys Apostelles by expressed wordes baptise chyldern ther for they ought not to baptyse chylder I make such lyke negatiue argumentes of scripture whych if they be not sure but false and folishe then seyng that of lyke thynges lyke iugement is to begyuen your negatiue arargument is both vnsuer false and foolishe Christe neuer commanded yow to were a ryng on your finger and be cause it shuld not be smothered vnder your gloue to make a wyndow to let the ayre cum in to it I dare not say that it myght be seene nether cōmande he yow to syng in his church any pypyng Christe neuer commaunded prycksong or any besy discant therfore ye offend to be a curious musician GOD bad his disciples neuer expressedly in hys scripture preach that wymen shulde cum to te communiō therfore ought no woman cum to the communion GOD neuer in his worde expressedly commaūded his Apostelles to suffer suche tal men as you bee to lyue syngle therfore your curate doth wrong to suffer yow to lyue syngle Christe neuer commaunded any Christen men to differ the baptym of theyr chyldren vnto the .xiiij. yere of theyr age you do therfore wrong to differ the baptisyng of chyldren vnto the xiiij yere of their age If these be not good argumentes made euen after the same maner of yours that is negatiue then is yours a noughty argument to say Christe neuer bad Baptyse
is as well promised vnto chylderen as to old folk childer mai be aswel be saued thereby as old folk haue theyr vnclenenes as well taken away by it as old folk haue theyr offences taken away by it allthoughe they be not as yit cūmed vnto the vse of faythe I bryng for an example the infantes of the Iewes whose naturall vnclenenes other God thorow his mercy took away befor they cam vnto the vse of fayth or elles they were all damned for they were both gotten and born in original syn Then your general proposiciō is not trew without a trew vnderstāding nothīg agaīst me nother serueth it for your purpose with a trew vnderstāding for ye brīg it into proue that chylder haue no syn thus wold ye haue resoned and ye had had learnynge to your mynde Where as there is no faith there is no remissiō of synnes but no chylde hath faythe therfore no chyld hath remissiō of synnes If that chylder had synnes they shuld haue had remission of them by faythe but when as they haue no faythe then haue they nether synne nor remission of synne I haue twise al redy āswered vnto this your argument before wherefore I shall not nede at thys tyme to confite it any more Where as ye thynk that I am not healed from synne my self because I wold haue yong chyldrē baptised I cā not let yow to thynk of me what ye list but if ye iuge falsly there is a iuge wil ponishe yow for your fals iugement And to say that I am not heled from the romisshe pok is suche a lyke wepō as .ij. wyues scoldyng vpon .ij. dong hylles te vse to feygh whyh one agaynst an other The on sayeth thow art a drab the other asketh why she is a drab the former answereth for thow art a drab shewyng no cause why that hyr neybor shuld be a drab Euē so ye haue sayd sence the begynnyng of your bok diuers tymes that the baptym of chylder is a popish ordinance here ye saye that the romishe pok is to baptise infantes but ye haue not as yit shewed one worde to proue that the baptyme of chylderen was popishe except that your oft rehersall of it be a sufficient profe to proue it with all thynk you because ye haue with your importune bablyng bewiched certayn vnlnearned simple mē that thei beleue to be true what soeuer ye say ons vnto thē that your thryse sayng of a lye shall purches credence because ye do so oft repete the same Can it that is by nature false by oft rehersyng be cū true what other profe haue ye hither to brought that the baptym of chylder is popishe sayng only your own oft rehersal of it whych hath as mych autoryte with me and all that cleue to the wryten worde of GOD as the gospell of Munster hathe Hytherto haue ye bene about to confute my opinion that yōg chyldren may be baptysed but ye haue brought in for you nothynge sauyng one text of scripture and that negatiue Which I truste I haue so taken from you that it dyd not serue your purpose Now doth my opynion abyde styll vnmoued and vnreproued and yit haue ye donn that ye can ye may se what it awayleth your wood sprete to fyght agaynst the scripture Then ye beyng wery in wadyng in this mater with small honestie begyn a newe mater that is that chylderen haue no originall synne and in the fyrst sayeng ye ar as clere agaynste your self afterwarde as here is to colde lyght vnto darknes for thus do ye begyn But your deuelishe pok is thys to cleare infantes from synn whiche ye call originall ¶ If thys he a deuelishe pok then haue ye the deuelles pok for ye go ernestly about to proue that chyldern haue no originall synne And as for me it is as manifeste as the clere daye lyght that I do not clere chylder from originall synn for that is one of the maters that I go moste earnestly about in my sermon to proue that chylder haue originall synn not wichstandyng that I do grant that all myghty GOD purgeth and scoureth them from it in theyr infancie by his mercy accordīg vnto his promyse which he made vnto them By this contradiction with it that foloweth here after ye may bether learne this great clerk is wit and the agrement of his spirite with it self Then after this monstrous cōtradictiō ye brust into a sterklye which is conteyned in these wordes folowyng ¶ This is the pok ye take in hande to cure ether with water or fyer I neuer went about to take original syn away by water but I went about to proue that chylder had original sinne and that Christe taketh the same synne from chylder by his promysed mercy and that therfore the sacrament of baptim shuld be offered vnto them as a sygne and seale of saluation whiche they haue receyued by the merites of Christis passiō It is therfore both maliciously lyingly sayd of yow that I take in hande to cure originall syn with water And of lyke truthe is it that ye wryte in the margen that I go about to cure yow with fyre For if I wolde haue gon about that I knew and know meanes enow to bryng that to pas For as muche as ye ar an open felon against the kyngis lawes and haue committed suche felony as ye ar excepted out of the pardon where of theues and robbers ar partakers Almyghty GOD amende yow and bryng yow in to the hygh way agayn and saue yow from it that ye haue iustly deserued The first argument that ye make to proue that chylder haue no originall synne is this ¶ If Christe had counted infantes so defiled with Adames sinne as ye do he wold neuer haue sent his Apostelles vs vnto childer to be defyled of them But now he sendeth vs thyther for clennes to becum suche as they ar if we wold entre into the kyngdom of God wasshed to the vnwasshed Christened to the vnchristened beleuers to vnbeleuers Not to becum pocky or leprose but that we shuld be ful of innocēcie simplicite For it is writē except ye conuert becum as these infantes ye shall not entre in to the kyngdom of heuenes I am glad that ye ar now cōtent to allege scripture for your purpose Hetherto ye haue foughten agaynst me only with I say and certayn scoldynges vnreasonable resones which ye feyned of your own brayne But now let vs se how ryghtly ye haue alleged the Scripture and whether it that ye intende doth folow of the place alleged or no. Christ seyng the disputacion of the hartes of his disciples amōg them selues who shuld be greatest among them as Matthew and Luke do testify set a chyld amongest them and seyde except that ye be turned and be made lyke vnto litle chylder ye shall neuer entre in to the kyngdom of heuen Christe byddeth hys disciples here to learne of chylder humilite
oure baptyme profyteth nothynge vnto such men as the scripture calleth lytel ones that is lowlye in sprete and haue the conditions of yōge chylder ye holde playnly against this open text of scripture Declaratio sermonum tuorum illuminat intellectum dat paruulis The declaration of thy wordes lyghteneth and giueth vnderstāding to the lytle ones whervpon we may gather that those that are not lytel ones but stubborne withstanders can haue no profyt by the declaration of Gods word much lesse by the seynge of men and wymen baptysed If ye mene that where as chylder are baptysed that nother the chylde hathe any profyt by the baptym and offeryng vp of it vnto Christ nother they that offer it vp nother they that see the baptime ministred take any profyt therby ye speke agaynst the scripture For the chylder get Christes blyssynge yf he loue chylder yet as wel as he had wont to do and the offerers bryngers of childer vnto christ in doyng of a good dede profyt for he that helpeth a man to receyue a good turne in helpyng doth profit in godlynes and namely they that pray to the lord eyther for the bodely or gostly health of theyr neyghbour Did not both the bringers of the children vnto Christ and the chylder profyt also before Christes passion Is he wexed vngentler after his passion then he was before The chyrche at the baptisinge of chylder prayeth vnto God for the childe that it maye haue forgiuenisse of synnes and receyue the holy goste wyl God breke his promysse that he made vnto his churche Quicquid peticritis patrem in nomine meo dabit uobis What soeuer ye shal are my father in my name he wyll geue it The father and mother with the hole chyrche prayeth for the yonge chylde at the baptisyng of it other they profyt or God is false but he is true therefore ye ar a lyer whiche saye that where as chylder are baptised that nother the chylde nor any that ar there at the baptim and offer the chyld vnto Christe with theyr prayers profyt any thynge at al. What more profyt shal the seers of the baptym of men and wemen take thereby then the seers of the baptime of chyldern Seyng that all that is doone to olde folke is also doone vnto chylder the word of GOD as well al red and preched at childers baptim as at old folkes baptime they that are at the baptisyng of chylder profyt as muche as they that are at olde folkes baptym Where as the sygnes and Sacramentes are al one the worde of GOD is alyke preached there cometh vnto the herers and seers lyke profyt except GOD be a regarder of persons and be better vnto olde men then vnto chyldern whyles he graunteth profyt and grace to the seers of olde folkes baptyme and none at all to the seers of chylders baptyme but God regardeth no persons therfore ther is lyke profyt in seing of other of both Of lyke thyngs ought to be lyke iugement then when as baptym is all one in signification wyth cyrcumcysion and they that see chylder cyrcumcised haue as muche profyt by the seing therof as of the seing of old folke circumcised so the seers of the baptyme of chylder haue as muche profyt thereby as the seers of the baptyme of olde folke In the beginning of your boke ye saide that I rehersed the .iiij. tymes redyng of statutes in colledges to proue that yoing specheles childer might and ought to be baptysed whiche sayinge howe false lying it was I haue sufficientlye proued And nowe lyke a deuyll that for hys purpose turnethe hym selfe into all colours and figures here ye say that I applie the costom of readyng of the scolars statutes that infātes shuld haue the declaration of baptym preached vnto them These are your wordes ☞ Therfore to rede the statutes to infantes is of no exemple nor value but to them that be growen it is an occasion to get scolers ¶ Couche of thy conscyence yf thou haste any at all tell me whether thou knoweste in thy conscience or no that I rehersed and applied the reading of scolares statutes vnto the baptysyng of yong chyldern or that specheles chylder shoulde haue baptyme opened vnto thē by preachynge or els that I brought that custome furth in very deede to shew them that were my hearers amonge the which was not one specheles childe that it were as necessary for them to haue theyr baptime opened and declared by preachyng as it was necessarye for scolars to haue theyr statutes at certayn tymes to be redde among them If thou knouwest not this in thy conscience ether the deuyll hath blynded the wyth malice or thou art so vnlearned and folysh that thou art more worthy to haue a muk forke in thy hande then a pen to wryte agaynst any mā seyng the matter is so clearly set out without any rydles or parables If thou doest know in thy conscience that I rehersed this example nether to proue the baptyme of chylder wyth all nether that chyldren shulde haue baptyme declared vnto them and that onlye they that can vnderstand and the openynge of baptyme shoulde haue it declared to theym what deuyll art thou possessed withal which to defende thy folysh opinyon writest vtterly agaynst thy conscience But thys minisheth my meruelynge that I cal now to remembraunce whiche chaunced vnto me at Anwarpe I reasoned with one of your secte at Anwarpe who was learned in the Latyn tongue a doctor of phisicke and a greate Alchimiste when as we wete both chafed and heted with the long disputation he defending heresye and I confutynge thesame at lenght I toke hym with a shamfull lye and with suche a contradiction in his tale that he coulde not deny but that it was so But howe dyd he excuse hym selfe verelye thus It is wryten sayeth he in the xviij of the Apocalyps that we shuld handle the and such as thou art the whors chylder of Babylon with lyes cōtradictions and all other suche lyke for the reuēgynge of the lyes that ye haue made vnto vs in tymes past the wordes of Ihon sayeth he are these Reddidit illi sicut ipsa reddidit uobis duplicate ei duplicia secundum opera eius That is Rendre or gyue agayne vnto hyr as she hath rendred to you and duble the duble vnto hyr accordynge vnto hyr workes And when I alledged the scripture vnto him that the lying mought kylled the soule he answered that it was true in such as me that had no fayth but that it was not so in hym that had the true fayth and was of the true religion alledging this place of scripture for hym Si quid lethale biberint non nocebit eis yf they drynke any dedly poysō it shall not hurte them and expoundyng it thus there can no lyinge nether any other sin whiche is poyson vnto your soules hurt vs which beleue as we bo Terfore seyng that ye call me and al other that
defend the baptym of chylder papistes that is the chylder of the hoore of Babylon and separate your selfe both in the supper of our Lorde and also in baptyme and in the vnderstandyng of original sin from vs and make your selfe of an other religion it is no meruel that ye handle me euen so here in Englād as your brother catabaptist handled me in Anwerp And whete as men haue such conscience that they care not what they do so that it be done secretly vnto any mā of another religion whether it be yeoperdous for me and expediente for the rulers of this realm to haue such nere hand or no thē I reporte me vnto all wyse godly mē Much vayne bablynge and vnprofitable communication as vnworthy any aunswere do I pasouer and come vnto the place where as ye say that baptym is to my infantes for so do ye call them and vnbeleuers a vayn bare sygne vnfruitfull and vnprofitable except I wyll gyue and assygne vertue vnto the worke wrought Where as ye make all infantes myne because I take in hand tho defende theyr baptym I may a great dele be lesse ashamed of my poore and innocente infantes then ye maye be to defende the doctryne of your sedytions and mourderynge Anabaptistes which destroyed the noble citie of Munster in Wesphali and rose vp agaynst the Magistrates in Amsterdam and wan Swol not far from Dauenter and were about to haue destroyed Gronynge in West Freselande Let the innocentes be myne styll and let the factious catabaptistes be yours Let se who shal be more ashamed in the great daye of them that they defende But seynge ye wyll nedes make the infantes myne I wyll defende them as well as I can for as much as euery man is bounde to defende it that is hys My infantes are not vtterly withoute all faythe as ye meane callynge them vnbeleuers This wyll I proue by your owne maner of alledginge the scripture in the middes of your boke agaynste me What soeuer is not of fayth is synne nothynge that the infant doth or thinketh wheter it sukketh milke or drynketh bere or ale or choweth flesh as ye holde is of fayth for fayth is of heatynge and heatynge cōmethe by that worde of GOD then they the heare not the worde of GOD as chylder do not can do nothyng of fayth wherfore by your own alledging of the scripture the childe doth nothynge but it synneth in doynge what so euer it dooth for lacke of fayth But that they sin not in all thyng and that they ar not without all fayth I proue it thus They please GOD therefore they at not without al fayth for Paule sayeth without fayth it is impossible tho please GOD. That spechelesse chylder haue pleased GOD Iacob Hieremy the Prophete and Iohan the Baptist are wytnesses So ar also the chylder that Christ toke in his armes wytnesses of the loue that Christ bare vnto chylder Marke wytnesseth that Christe toke the chylder in to his armes and blyssed them If that he blyssed thē they pleased hym If they pleased hym they were not without faith ye do therfore the poore innocentes great wronge in callyng them vnbeleuers At the chylder vnbeleeuing Ye say yea then haue they that vnbeleeuinge and want of faythe ether of their first creation or by Adās fall yf that they haue it by their fyrst creation it is not true that God sayd that all thyng whych he had made was verye good Is an vnbeleuyng man verye good Is that good whych can not please God If that chyldren be vnbeleuyng by Adams fall then haue we found agayne orygynall synne which ye with your mayster Pellagius do vtterly deny Ye saye that they are vnbeleuyng and wythout faith but how proue ye that If ye say I se no workes yet in childrē therfor they haue no faith I axe yow whether ye are a beleuer or vnbeleuer when ye are a slepe and at al tymes whē ye do no good workes yf ye do beleue when ye are a slepe and at other tymes when ye do no good workes so maye chyldren haue faith although they be not yet come vnto the tyme of declaryng of fayth by theyr workes Is there any man so folish or so cruel that wyll call a yong gryfte of the fyrste yeres gryftynge fruytles and barrō whē as it can not for lacke of tyme age brynge as yet furth anye fruyte If that we can not call a tree vnfruytefull vntyll the tyme come of bryngynge furth of fruyte so ought ye not to call a chylde vnbeleuyng faithles vntyll he come vnto the time of declaryng his fayth I axe you Estne puer animal rationale an non Whether is a chylde a reasonable liuing thyng or no If ye graunt that he is an vnreasonable creature then ye make a chylde a brute beaste yf that a child be a reasonable creature yet can not for lacke of time and age vse reason so maye a chylde haue fayth and be called faythfull though for lacke of tyme and age it can shewe as yet no good workes whych are the tokens and fruytes of fayth If ye reason that they know not that they haue fayth therefore they haue no fayth I reason wyth you agayn chylder know not that they are redemed wyth Christes bloude shall we saye therfore that chyldren are not redemed with Christes bloud Chyldren know not that the promys of saluatyon belongeth vnto them shall we say therefore that the promys of saluatyō perteyneth not vnto chyldren Is not the heyre of landes heyre before he knowe that he is heyre So maye a chylde haue fayth and yet for lacke of age knowe not that it hath it Because ye alledge the scrypture hereafter generallye and delyuer it from all cyrcumstances ye must suffer me to reason wyth you after the same maner at this time Answer me to this argument Children are not already condēned therfore they do beleue for the scripture sayth he that beleueth not is condemned alredy Therfore ye must ether graūt that chylder do beleue or elles that they are already condemned Chylder also haue the holy ghost Is the holy ghost wythout fayth They haue all thynges that Christ hath for they are Christes he that spared not hys only sonne as Paule sayth but delyuered hym vp for vs and for chylder as well as for old men it is impossyble but that he gaue all thyng vnto chylder wyth Christ how can chyldren be faythlesse whych haue all that Christ hath Was Christ without fayth Now whether your I say or my argumentes are worthy more credence let them that are faithful men iudge indifferently But what yf I graunted you that chyldren had no fayth yet it dyd not folow that the infantes shuld haue no fruyte of theyr baptyme For our infantes are in as good a case as the infantes of the Iewes were in the same age that oure infantes are of But though they hadde bene wythout fayth yet had they receyued theyr cyrcumcysyon
canne as well receiue the ouer baptime whiche is the dippyng into the water in the name of Christe as the infantes of the Iewes could receyue the sacrament of circumcision Then are childer as well to be baptised as olde folke are to be preached vnto and to be baptised Ar we now so destitute of scripture to proue that infantes maye be baptysed that we are fayne to fly for helpe to original sinne Whē as I proue by that that chylder haue originall synne that they hadde nede of the bath of water and regeneration do I flye from scrypture is the matter of origynall synne no part of scripture you do holde that there is none at all and therefore that the childer nede not nother ought to be baptysed vntyll they be .xiiij. yeare olde before whiche tyme they haue done many actuall synnes whyche hadde nede to be wasshed awaye wyth the bath of baptime Therefore it is no meruell that ye exclude originall synne from scripture as a thing whiche can not be found in scripture In youre nexte question ye make as wise a reason agaynst me as ye dyd in the begynnynge of youre booke dyuerse times This is my reason that ye go aboute to confute and ouerthrowe As for the vse of water is to clenge and scoure thynges that are vncleane and sygnifyeth where it is brought that there is some thynge whyche nedeth to be made clene so in oure baptyme the water doth signifye vnto vs that there is some vnclennes and fylthynes in our nature that had nede to be washed For thys cause I may sett the water in our baptym for an argument agaynst them that say that men as soone as they be borne haue no originall synne But let vs se your argument agaynst thys my saying ☞ Is that a suffycyent cause to proue orygynall synn to be in infantes because ye offer them water ¶ I aunswer the baptim of infantes being lawfull godly as I do presuppose it thē the water of baptim which vnfaithfullye ye cal onli water leuing out of baptim must nedes signifi vnto childer that they are vnclene But when as they haue committed no actuall synne and are yet synnes it foloweth that they haue origynall synne excepte there be mo synnes then actuall and originall But nowe let vs heare youre hole argument wherewith ye intende to boxe me Is that a sufficient cause to proue originall synne to be in infantes because ye offer them water Then is it as sufficient to proue that the Turkes and Iewes wyth al the rest of the people of the worlde haue it not nor are infected therewyth because ye offer it not vnto them I aunswere vnto thys argument by shewyng the like how stronge and myghtye thys of yours is Preachyng of Gods worde presupposeth that ther where it is preached men are infected with originall and actual synne but ye offer no preaching of Gods word vnto the Iewes Turkes and vnto the rest of the infydeles in the world therfore ye recken that nether Turke nor Iew nether any other infydele hath ether originall or actuall synne If that ye thynke that all the aboue rehersed infideles haue both originall and actuall synne for all that ye offer them no preachynge so I thynke that the forsayd infydeles haue orygynall synne not withstandyng that I offer thē no water In your next reason ye presuppose it that I dyd neuer beleue sence I hadde anye knowledge in the scripture that is that the water of baptyme taketh awaye the vnclennes of the soule but well wot I that the holy ghoste worketh onelye that worke and no creature in the worlde I knowe that Christes hole baptyme that is both the outwarde and the inner together purgeth both bodye and soule And I do fynd in dyuerse places of the newe Testament that it hath pleased GOD to graunt forgyuenesse of synnes by the inwarde baptyme when the outward baptyme was ministred that the thyng signyfyed shulde agree wyth the outwarde signe and sygnyfycatyon Peter sayd in the second chap. of the actes Let euery one of you be baptysed in the name of Iesu Christe to the forgyuenes of synne and ye shall receyue the gyft of the holy ghost Peter also sayeth Acto x. What lette is there that these be not baptysed in water whyche haue receyued the holy ghoste as well as we And Luke telleth that the meany of Cornelius receyued the holy ghoste and were contynentie baptysed with water Ananias also in the .ix. of the actes sayeth vnto Paule Brother Saule the lorde whom thou sawest in the way hath sente me that thou shouldest receyue thy syght agayne and be fylled wyth the holy ghoste and immediatelye there fell from hys eyes as they had bene scales and he receyued hys syghte and rose was baptysed ye se now how that God ioyneth in hys word the two baptymes together so that the outwarde baptyme is not a vayne signe and to be dispysed as ye seme to do where as ye axe how can water he le the woundes of the soul But leaste ye saye that I alledge your mynde falsely I wyll rehearse your wordes as ye wrote thē ☞ But nowe I saye that all the worlde hath synned and is defyled in Adā Howe nowe wyll water scoure awaye the fylthe of thps corruptyon No. It is a wounde receiued in the soule and is washed away but wyth the only fayth in the bloude of Christ ¶ Ye say here that all the world hath synned and is defyled in Adam and yf ye meane no subtylte and vnderstande by the worlde both the electe and the other lykewyse ye graunte openly orygynalle synne whych in other places ye haue denied and do denye as hereafter we shall proue both by your saying and doynge If that all the world hath synned in Adam thē haue also yonge chyldren synned in the same and ye saye that the corruption of Adam can not be scoured awaye wyth anye thynge sauyng only wyth the fayth in the bloud of Christe Ye saye also that no chylde hath fayth and therfore call all infantes vnbeleuers It foloweth of youre sayenge that ye are of that opynyon that all the chyldrē which dyed sence the begynnynge of the worlde vnto thys daye dyed vnpurged from the fylth of the soule and wythout forgyuenes of origynall synne Whose rewarde seynge that it is the death of the soule and euerlastynge dampnatyō herevpon it maye be gathered that ye are of thys opynyon that all chylderen are in the state of dānatyon and that yf they dye they are all dampned For thys argument maye be clearelye and truely gathered of youre owne sayinge ¶ None shall be scoured frō the corruption of orygynall synne but suche as haue fayth in the bloude of Christe But all chylderne wante fayth in the bloude of Christe as ye teache both openlye and pryuelye Therfore by you no chylderne are scoured from the corruption of orygynall synne ¶ Wherevpon it foloweth yf these sayinges of Paule be true Euyll was
in these wordes He that wyll beleue and be baptised shall be saued What wood spret taught you this folish philosophy that one cause shuld bring lurth two diuerse and contrary effectes as ar saluation condemnatiō It is a great maruell to se such great arrogantie as ye haue to be ioyned wyth so lytle knowlege But so are thei al that are blasted with the Anabaptistical sprit as you be If that I could haue made no other shyft when ye argued with me that al Turkes and Iewes were withoute origynall synne because they had no water offered vnto thē I might here by youre helpe in this place haue answered thus ye say that remission of syn and baptim is offered vnto all then when as baptim is not without water water is offred vnto al thē by your own graūt all haue originall synne whyche ye denied stoutly before because sum wanted the offeryng of water To that ye say the Gospel hath no powre vpon infantes and muche lesse sacramentes that therfore nother preachyng nor administration of sacramentes ar dew to infantes by the word of god I meruel what ye mean by hauyng power If ye meane by hauynge power ouer to belonge and to be profitable your sayng is twise false for both the word of God belōgeth vnto infantes presently by the reason of the promys whyche is made vnto thē in the worde and it is dew vnto thē against thei come to age as a chylder landes are dewe vnto him thoughe he can not inioye them afore he come to age that the administration of Sacramentes ar dew vnto chyldren the Sacrament of circumcisyon and the rayn bow are witnesses agaynst you and proue yow ar a fals a shameles lyer therfore who wyll beleue yow hereafter no mā but such as haue delyte in lyes and abominable heresies Youre conclusion agreeth as well with your antecedēt as thys argument doth folowe a staff standeth in the corner ergo a man rinneth and it is of such a fasshon made that I dowt whether it be more folyshe vnlearned or more malicious for it presupposeth that I brought in to proue that childer had originall synne a brushe when as made mention of a brush not to proue that chyldren had origynall synne but for a similitude after this maner Euen as whē one bryngeth a mā a brushe that is commed home from hys iorney it is a signe that his clothes ar dusty so when as water is offered vnto thē that ar baptised it is a token that they had nede of scouryng and clengyng and ar vncleue Nether dyd I holde that water dyd scoure the sowle but I shewed that the water betokened that the sowl of thē that were baptised had nede of scowryng Then let all christian and learned men iuge how learned and charitable is this your conclusion So that your brushe proueth the contagion of infantes as ruyche as your water and helpeth alyke to scoure the same ¶ After this your vnlearned and malitious conclusion ye begin a new mater feyn a sayng of your own braine as thoughe I had sproken it and them ye scourge me for your foolishe dawishe and vnlearned lyinge for after these my wordes Well it is good to remede a diseas in the beghinnyng and to stay hys course lest at lenght it grow ford far that it be past remedie or help It is spoken lyke a Phisition and that maketh yow to lay a playster of colde water to the synn of infantes so tymely But suerly out of dew tyme and other to parly or to late for they ar wors afterwarde ¶ Is not thys a prety fashion of confutyng for lack of scripture reason and learning to feyn lye and scof after thys manerye ar lyke to wyn but a few scolares that ar honest men after this maner All myghty God in the olde Testament knowinge that the infātes of his people wer sike in original syn gaue them the medicine of remissyon of synnes commāded that they shulde haue circumcision layde vpon them as a seale and token of goddis promised and fauour vnto them That all myghty GOD promised the chylderen of the Iewes remission of sinnes these wordes do testifi Genes xvij I wyll streynge then my cumnant betwene me and the and betwene they sede after the in theyr generationes with an euerlastyng cōnant that I may be a GOD vnto the and to thy sede Then to bee a God is to be a sauiour but he sayde he wolde be a GOD vnto the chyldren of the Iewes therfore he promysed that he wold be a sauiour vnto them So that the promyss of saluation belongeth as well vnto the chyldren as it perteyneth vnto theyr fathers It is expressedly declared in the same chapter that the loue of GOD was so great vnto chylderen that he not only graūted vnto chylderen saluation but also the seale and sygne of saluation the Sacracrament of circumcision as these wordes bear witnes Thys is my comnant whych ye shall kepe betwene yow and me and also betwen thy sede after the let euery male be circumcysed among yow But ye shal circuncyse the fleshe of your forskynne whiche shall be the sygne of the couenant betwene yow and me and they ought to be circuncysed that my couenant myght be in your fleshe If GOD be true as he can not befals there the yong chylderen obteyned it That GOD promised and that was remissyone of synnes whych was the promised blissyng and that GOD commandeth the sygne and seale of remission of synne to be layd vpon chyldern this is also certayn Then whē ay all myghty GOD the archephisiccon and heler of both body and soule began so tymely and erly to heale yong chyldern no godly man wyll mock Christes ministres while they lay vpon the infantes of the christianes the sygne of saluation of remission of sinnes after that almyghty God hath heled thē from originall syn as well as he heled the childer of the Israelites If that ye deny that the childer of the Israelites were healed ye must deny that God promysed to be a God vnto them If they were healed thē ar our children also healed by thesame physician as erly and tymely as the Iewes chyldren were healed seyng God loueth the Christianes chyldren as well as he dyd the Iewes chyldren and hys promis of helth and saluacion was as well made vnto our children as to the Iewes chylder All chylder ar infected with originall synne whiche if it were not taken away should turne them to damnacion then to offer vp chylder vnto Christ that they may receyue at the cōtemplacion of the prayers of the church and for the promis that God made vnto them remissiō of theyr originall vnclenenes is that to tymely don when as they ar conceyued in wykkednes and borne in synne But I know your meanyng well ye ar of that mynde that ye thynke that chylder haue no synne and that therfore ye reken that they nether nede goddis physik nor any seale of
hys promis whiche myghâ— comfort them when they cum to age And for thys cause it is lyke that ye wyll haue none baptized vntyll they be of fourtene yeares of age that then your brether poysoned wyth many a damnable synne might be heled by baptyme and by preachyng as thoughe before that tyme that they neded no Physik of GOD our principall Phisician Chylder of one daye haue nede of the Physician Christe or no If they nede none of Christe he dyed not for them If they nede Christe the Physiciane when as they be but one daye olde It is not to erly nor to tymely to cary the chylder by the prayers of the churche vnto Chryste that he may hele them And when as the offerers vp of the chylder trustyng vnto the promys of GOD that the chylder haue granted vnto them remission of theyr originall synne do lay vpon them the sacrameÌ„t of baptiÌ„ do they any otherwise vnto their childer theÌ„ the Iewes sumtyme the people of God did vnto theyr chylder after the coÌ„maundement of God Then we nede not greatly care for your vnlearned and hethenish mocking of Christes holy sacrameÌ„t callyng it in mockage a playster of colde water Who dyd orden this cold water dyd not Christ orden it If ye be a christiaÌ„ and not a LuciaÌ„ why do ye mok it shall that excuse you when ye shall saye that I graÌ„t that it is Christis plaster but that it is to tymely layde to ought Christis sacrament to be mocked lawghed to scorn because a foole layeth it to out of tyme Take hede what ye do for Iuliane the apostata as proud a mocker as you be payed derely for hys mockyng wheÌ„ he cast his blode in to the ayer and sayde vnto Christ uicisti Galilaee thou hast won thow man of Galile If that an Hethen man should haue sayd vnto a priest of mosis law wheÌ„ he circuncised a chylde what nede ye syr surgean to cut thys chyld before he be sik I befoole such surgeanes as leue the chylder worse then they fouÌ„d them thynke ye that GOD would not punishe this prophane mocker ye suerly then thynk you to scape fre whiche would be rekened a christen man and yit mok baptim the ordinaunce of Christe I think no. And where as ye say that the chylder ar worse after their baptim then euer they were before it appereth that ye mene that the sacrament of baptim is an euel thyng for if ye ment that it were not euell why shulde ye say that chylder baptized ar worse after theyr baptim then they were before After thys your Poeticall feyning ye bring in a clerkly coÌ„clusion whiche ye bylde vpon your own coÌ„munication therwith a reson as wytty and wise as the former was and as wel it agreeth with it that goeth before giue eare vnto this new orator For I heare of a poke that is now begynnyng to spryng vp not of a romysh pok but of an other deuelysh pok as euell as it Medice cura te ipsum The deuelysh pok whiche is syn is not healed but thorow faythe Now syr I pray yow tell me by your rhetorik logike how foloweth this saiÌ„g with it that goeth before for me think it foloweth not It is spoken lyke a phisicion that maketh yow to ley a plaster of colde water to the synne of the infantes so tymely but suerly out of dew tyme and other to yearly or to late for they ar worse afterward then euer thâ—y were before For I heare of of a pok that is now begynnyng to spryng vp ce This gear is scarse clerkly couched together and yit ye wil be rekened a great clerke But I wyll pas ouer your art whiche I can not fynde in yow and I wyll try your sentences whether they be any better then your compositiones ar or no. ye say that ye heare of a pok that is now beginniÌ„g to spring vp ye say immediatly afterward that the poke ye meane of is sin That is in begiÌ„ning to spring that was neuer before theÌ„ if â—yn be now beginning to spring as your wordes suppose it to do it is lyke that ye ar of that opinioÌ„ that before this time there was neuer any syn If this do not folow of your sayeÌ„g I am far deceyued appele vnto the iudgement of all meÌ„ which haue but the coÌ„moÌ„ sence whether this foloweth of your saiÌ„g or no Where as ye say medice curate ipsum that is to say PhisiciaÌ„ heale thy selfe ye reken ye haue don a clerkly worck in speakyng so mych latin vnenglisshed and in applying of a prouerbe so properly But how litle it perteyneth vnto thys present purpose euery wise man may easely perceyue As for me although I am a Physician called to hele mennis bodies whiche thyng by the help of my Lorde God I haue oft doâ—… I neuer presumed to be an heler of maÌ„nis soul with my phisik but with Chrstis phisik although it pleaseth sumtimes almighty god to hele diuerse dedly siknes in meÌ„s soules by me suche like and to call them vnto fayth to true repentance and so consequently to the health of the soule yit do we not take our selues to be Physicianes healers of the soules but onely the chefe physicians seruaÌ„tes only giuyners vnto the sik soules suche medicines as our master hath coÌ„maunded vs not beyng so bolde as to deuyse any Physik at all of our own braynes Then to say vnto me PhysiciaÌ„ heale thy selfe is as much to say as thou which art a phisicion of the body go and playe Goddis parte and hele thy own sowle Thys is the counsell not of the spirite of God but of the wood sprete who taught yow yowr diuinite If that ye had bene well aduised ye wolde not haue made your self a coÌ„panioÌ„ with the murderiÌ„g scribes pharises in vsing their churlish cheke agaiÌ„st one of Christis meÌ„bres whiche they threw out agaynst Christe him self But what win you by your chek haue ye proued any thiÌ„g therby nothiÌ„g at al sauiÌ„g that men may know that ye ar wel sene in doggishe eloqueÌ„ce Ye haue sence the beginning of your book vnto this place said more theÌ„ iij times that faith alone taketh awai sinnes in whiche places ye haue erred shamefully if ye mean by only fayth the only work of beleuing For if that ye giue iustificatioÌ„ vnto that work of beleuiÌ„g not meaning the wheÌ„ ye say faith iustifieth the mercy of god promised vnto vs by Christis blood iustifieth vs haue a respect only vnto the dede of beleuiÌ„g ye ar a iusticiari with the pope the old pharises whose prouerbes ye gladly exercise If that ye mean by this sentence faith iustifieth that fayth taketh hold of the mercy of God whych is granted vnto vs by Christes blood then dothe the mercy of God iustifi take syn away fayth doth nothyngellis but taketh hold of the promised offered mercy Then wheÌ„ as the mercy of God