haeresiarchae Randolphus Hurlestonus ad Lectorem Praecipit nobis nihil ut patretur Prosus iniusté sua set relinqui Omni bus mandat deus ille sumo summus olympo Nonne ius ductum uiolat nefande Eripi qui uult puero tenello Dum nequit primos propriam per annos dicere causam Illud aeterni solidum sigillum Faederis per quod sumus infauore Per quod nobis rata cuncta fiunt munera Christis Nuperat quidam stygijs abundis Proruens parumspoâ—iare pubem Nititur tanto precio malignus inuidus hostis Quem graui pugna strenué retundit Ille Turnerus decus atque lumen Angliae cuius fuit in Papistas inclyta palma Consulas doctos igitur labores In bonam partem tibi qui dicantur Atque perpendas animo tenaci quae liber offert FINIS Est Deus uerax omnis homo mendax AS allmighty god is the auctor of al truth yea euen the truth it selfe as Christe in these wordes doth testify I am the waye the truth the life so all lyinge falshod cometh from the deuyll as Christ sayth in Iohn the deuyll is a lyer the father of the same Wherby it is not hard to knowe of what spirit ye be whych begyn your boke with so many vnshamefaced lyes and goo forward with falsehod both in rehersyng of other mens doynges sayinges and also in matters of religion do willingly and aduisedly treade doune the truth mainteyning the doctryne of the deuyll I meane heresy false doctrine with lies falshod and somtime with subtil Sophistry which I reken the deuill at certain times powreth into you to defende hys doctryne wyth all for al the learned men that haue disputed with you in your opinions whit whom I haue spoken iudge you to be so iklender a clerk that they think that ye neuer lerned nether sophistry nor logike nether anye good scyence in all your life sauinge only musyke wherin yf I be so cuÌ„ning as the comoÌ„ report maketh you it had ben better for you to haue songe your part agaynste me in tune theÌ„ to haue to vnlearnedly and lyingly written against me out of ordre and oute of tune from the truth first as hereafter foloweth thus do ye begyn ☞ Master Turner intendynge to proue that infantes maye well and oughte to be baptysed in theyr infancye by the worde of God began fyrste as I am enformed to commend vnto hys audience the custom of colleges and scoles in Oxforth and cambrydge and suche other where it is ordeyned that suche as shall be admytted to the feloweshyppe of suche houses shall heare the statutes where vnto they shal be bounde .iiij. tymes in the yeare that they may knowe theyr charge therby and kepe it Whiche custome is in dede a resonable and landable custom but not in all poyntes agreable to his purpose For there they receyue no infantes to the felowshyppe of theyr houses but such as are growen to vnderstanding and do ernestly sewe to be receiued and being receiued haue theyr year of probation to se whyther they can alow and lyke the company wyth all theyr statutes and condytyons and the companye them or not or euer they be admytted ¶ In the fyrst sentence of your boke ye teach the readers of it â–ª to make them like you a loudly that is to wyt that I dyd alledge the custome of the reding of the statutes of colleges iiij tymes in the yeare to the felowes of the colleges to proue that chyldren in their infancy both ought and myght well be baptysed which is playne false For al though I intended in the end of my sermond to proue that infantes myght wel be baptised in their infancy yit in the beginning of my sermoÌ„d I cited and alledged not the maner of reding of statutes in colleges to proue that infantes shuld be baptised but to teache my hearers that were present in the church that I thought it as necessarye for Christen men to haue their baptyme to be oft opened and declared vnto them wherein is conteyned in a small roume the hole summe of a ChristeÌ„ mannes profession as it was necessarye for scolers to haue theyr statutes red .iiij. tymes in the yeare For I had bene worse then mad to haue sayd that the declaration of baptyme had bene necessary for chyldren whiche can vnderstande neuer a worde of the declaratioÌ„ But let the wordes of my sermond be iudge in thys matter My wordes a lytle after the prayers were these ☞ And because baptysme is the summe of all the hole Christian profession wherin we promysed to beleue in Christ and obey hys commaundementes it shall be fyttest for me to entreat therof I thynke it well done and do much prayse and alow the custom vsed in vniuersytes in euerye colledge or house .iiij tymes in a yeare to haue the statutes lawes and ordinaunces of theyr houses openly red vnto theÌ„ wherby cometh great profyt vnto .ij. kyndes of scolars for in euery colledge or house of learnynge there be comonly .iij. sortes of scolars one perfyt and well learned the seconde vnperfyt yet desyrous and labouryng to attayne to the perfection that thyrde is vtterly vnlearned and yet neuer intendeth to come vnto any learnynge To the ij fyrste sortes of these scolars is the readyng of the lawes and statutes of their house verye profytable to the perfyt that by the often hearynge of them they maye be by no processe or lenght of tyme forgotten and slyppe oute of theyr mynde To the vnperfyt yet desyrrus and lackyng tyme to come to perfectyon it is very profytable that the customable hearynge of the statutes and lawes of theyr house redd before them maye bete into theyr heades and make them the better to knowe what ordynances be apointed for them wherby they maye attayne to a perfectyon And so are there thre kyndes of chrysten men c. and a lytle after I sayde these wordes As to the fyrste sortes of scolers the rehersall yf theyr statutes is verye profytable so to the .ij. fyrste sorte of Chrystyans the often readyng and repetyng of the summe and abrigement of Gods coÌ„mandementes is very necessary for as the statutes in colledges do shew vnto scholars what was their founders wyll that they shulde kepe and wherunto they be bound by the lawes of theyr house so ought we to haue an abrigement or summe of the coÌ„maundementes of God to teach vs what is our duety and what we haue bounde our selues to kepe When as these be my wordes of them no other sentence can be gathered but the I thought it was as necessary that baptysme which conteyneth in it the hole profession of a Christen maÌ„ declared teacheth hym what is his duty and what God requyreth of him shuld be ofteÌ„ tymes rehersed opened as the statutes of colleges shulde be red vnto the scolars to put them in remembrance what they are bouÌ„d to and what their founder requireth of them how frowardly and
A preseruatiue or triacle agaynst the poyson of Pelagius lately renued styrred vp agayn by the furious secte of the Annabaptistes deuysed by Wyllyam Turner Doctor of Physick Beleue not euery spirite but proue the spirites whether they be of God or no. To the moste stedfast godly true preacher of Gods worde maister Hughe Latimer Wylliam Turner Physicion wyssheth long lyfe and good helth if it be the wyll and pleasure of almighty God with continuaunce in al vertues and godlynes and Christ our ryghteousnes THe same thing chaunceth nowe and hath chaunced euer since the begynning vnto all true prechers and defenders of Goddes holy worde that chaunced vnto the noble and doughtye warryer Hercules Hercules for the loue that he bare vnto his country toke many a ieoperdous and labor sum worke in hande and euer after that one was ended another began so that they myght haue semed to be tyed together wyth chaynes one dyd alwayes so coÌ„tinually and almoste touchingly folowe onother But his trouble and busines that he had with the kylling of the seuen hedded water snake called Hydra is moste lyke in all poyntes vnto the labour sum worke of Christes souldiers and true preachers for euer as he kylled one heade with his arrowes and strooke it of with hys sworde There rose vp another agayne vntyll that at the length he destrâ—… them wyth fyrebrandes Euen so the Aposteâ—… of Christe as they had ouercoÌ„med one labour they were cumbred streigth way with another Fyrst they had much a do in conuertyng the Iewes from theyr euil lyfe and not a litle to do to pull them from the false beleue that they had to be iustified by the workes of the law whichâ— for all that they kept not they had muche to do to bryng the Iewes from the ceremonyes of Moyses lawe and to make them beleue that they were put downe by the death of Christe The turning of the heathen from ydolatry vnto the belefe in Christ after that they had conuerted many of the Iewes was both a ieoperdous and a tumbrous labour But after all these great laboures there rose vp a sort of heretikes who wold haue not only defaced blotted out all of the prayse that the Apostels wan by theyr labours but vtterly haue destroyed and vndone all their doynges The names of the heretikes were Simon Magus Ebion and Corinthus Austen Ambrose and Hierom with other lyke fathers in their tymes had great trouble and beesines with the innumerable enemies of Christes trueth And we in our tyme are not in all pointes vnlike vnto Hercules For one labour euer successiuely receyueth and foloweth another First in Cambridge about .xx. yeares ago ye toke great paynes to put men from their wyl workes as pylgrimage and settyng vp of candels and with great labour ye brought many from them vnto the workes that God commaunded expressedly in his holy scripture and to the reading study of Gods worde al dreames and vnprofitable gloses of men set a syde and vtterly despised Then this fundacion of Goddes worde ones layde we that were your disciples hadde much to do in Cambridge after your departing from vs with them that defended praying vnto sayntes iustification of workes holye water superfluous holy dayes the sacrifice of the masse lyinge of parsons froÌ„ their benefices prouision for purgatorye the syngle lyuyng of ministers and the superstitious choyse of meates many suche other doctrines contrary vnto the scripture And though this stryfe agaynst Gods enemies were common to me 〈◊〉 many yet I had specially to do with a bucke wiâ—… a certayn man that had a name of the colour of â—…adder with the fox and hys foster and with a certayn wytche called maystres missa But after I was easid from al these monsters by the help principally of almyghty God and by the â—yde of the kyng and his counsell I thought to haue bene at good rest and quietnes from contentious striuinges wherewith I had bene muche troubled in tymes past and had fully purposed to haue set all my ordinaunce against grosse vyces and noughtye lyuyng of the people in this realme But beholde sodenly sterte oute a woode spirite muche perillouser then all the beastes that I had to do with before not because he is stronger then the other but because his poyson that he intenderh to spoute oute is more perillous then the others poyson was Some man peraduenture wyll saye that if I woulde I myght haue auoyded all these perilles if I would haue medled with my Physick only not haue cumbred my self with matters of diuinite and that I am therfore well worthy this trouble To whom I aunswer that if that I had had such a conscience as to many now a dayes haue that I could haue founde in my harte to take the dignities rewards and lyuynges of Christes churche and to do nothyng for them and if that I hadde not thought it better that one man should runne into ieopardy then that many thousandes should haue ben poysoned with the poyson of Pelagius I myght in deede haue easely auoyded this perillous labour But after that my lorde Archebyshop of Yorke had ones geuen me a prebende I could not be quiet vntill that I had licence to reade or preache Whiche obteyned I began to rede and so to discharge mi conscience And because I dyd perceyue that diuerse began to be infected with the poyson of Pellagius I deuised a lecture in Thistelworth agaynst two of the opinions of Pelagius namely against that childer haue no original sin that they oughte not to be baptised But within a few wekes after one of Pelagius disciples in the defence of his masters doctrine wrote against my lecture with all the cunnyng and learning that he had But lest he should glorye and crake amonge his disciples that I could not aunswer him and to the intent that the venemous seede of his soweyng maye be destroyed and so hyndered from bryngyng forth frute I haue set out this boke to aunswer hym in the one of his opinions and God wyllyng when I haue set out my Herbal I shal aunsuer hym to the other And this small worke I dedicate vnto you as a worthy patrone for it I myght haue dedicated it vnto some great man of aucthoritie power and ryches but consyderyng that nether aucthoritie power nor ryches are able to defende my boke if the Pelagians should write agaynst it I haue chosen you as a patron to defende it with your learning whiche is only a better defence then all the dignitie riches of the worlde be they neuer so great Nowe after that I haue desired you to be a patrone vnto my boke I must aske you counsel how that I and my felowes shal behaue our selues agaynst this monstere of our tymes that ye may by our labours be put afterwards to lesse payne This monstre is in many poyntes lyke vnto the watersnake with seuen heades For as out of one bodye rose seuen heades
So out of Pelagius rose vp these seuen sectes Anabaptistes Adamites Loykenistes Libertines Swengfeldianes Dauidianes and the spoylers Sum would thincke that it were the best way to vse thesame weapones agaynst thys manyfolde monstre that the papistes vsed agaynst vs that is material fyre and faggot But me thynk seyng it is no materiall thynge that we must fyght withal but gostly that is a woode spirite that it were moste mete that we should fyght with the sworde of goddes word and with a spirituall fyre against it or elles we are lyke to profit but a litle in our besynes Paule a noble capitayn of Christes warres in hys epistle that he wrote vnto the Ephesianes counselleth his yonge scholars whiche he sayth must fyght against spirituall craftines and subtelties to put vpon them all the hole armour of God to take the spirituall sworde the worde of God Christe also in the .iiij. of Mathew teacheth vs by his example to fygh with spirites with the spirituall wepones of the worde of God as he dyd and so dyd Austen and Hierom coniure and dryue away spirites in theyr dayes Then when as the enemie is a spirite that is the goste of pelagius that olde heretike ones welle laid but now of late to the great ieperdie of many raysed vp agayn the wepones the warriers that must kyll thys enemie must be spirituall As for spiritual weapons we may haue enow out of the store house or armory of the scripture to coÌ„found ouertrow all the gostly enemies be they neuer so many But where from whence shal we haue spiritual warriers ynow fit for this fyght If that we had no mo enamies but this alone the fewer soldiers would serue but when as tie spite of fornicatioÌ„ and aduoutre the rauening rentraysyng sprite the sprite of gluttony the sprete of Lucian Iuliane and Epicure within finite swarmes mo of spiritual enemies haue besegd the churche round about we had nede of a great dele of mo souldiers then al the scoles that are in this realme are able to set furth if so many scoles haue bene put down of late as the comon rumor reporteth But what wold that help to the increase of warriers if that the olde numbre of scoles were set vp again if ether the scolars shuld want liuings to fynd theÌ„ vntill they myght come to be perfyt souldyers or if they grewe vp became good souldiers then the lyuing that was ones apointed only for spiritual souldiers shuld be giuen ether vnto carnal wariers or to other that by their dignite haue forsworne all common spiritual war and myght get their liuyng wel enough otherwyse by their owne vocations For that wold both discorage scolares froÌ„ this kinde of study and wold compel them that were able to exercyse the spiritual war to turne them selues to other sciences to get their liuinges therwith For although the war be spiritual and the souldiers occupie chiefly their sprites â–ª yet are they not without bodies which as they are worthy must nedes haue meat drinck cloth all other necessaries Wherfore if that we will haue the church of Christ deliuered froÌ„ the enemies wherwith it is nowe besieged we must prouide not only liuings for yonge scolars that they may continue in this godly study but also that the rype perfit souldiers may haue sufficient liuinges that they nede not for lack of liuinges to ruÌ„ne to their aduersaries for better wages to coÌ„mit treson against vs. Almighty God preserue you graunt you streÌ„gth helth that ye may coÌ„tinue in preachiÌ„g to the ouertrowing of al wickednes to the promocion of the true worde of God to whom be al honour and glory for euer and euer Amen D. HVGONI LATIMERO NIcolaus Grimoaldus S. Optime non pigra florens Latimere senecta QueÌ„ Rex queÌ„ regis prudeÌ„s sapiensque Senatus Tempore queÌ„ loÌ„go cupit haec respublica saluuÌ„ Eccè tui similis ueteranus hic alter ipse Ad debellandos in religione rebelles Millibus è multis te gaudet habere patronum Quà m benè spectatuÌ„ spectatus amicus amicuÌ„ Aduocat ut fractis pariter succurrere rebus Possitis domini quas impetit hostis acerbus Christiadas Christi sic sic defendere partes Cónuenit et iunctis huc huc coÌ„currere turmis Atque utinam pugnatorum sic copia crescat Crescit ut hostilis numerus Sed ê™d querar aut quos Incusem O mores tetros ô teÌ„pora dira Sunt fuci pecus ignauum qui melle fouentes Corpora desertis stationibus omnia produnt Sunt cessatores quos tu Latimere notâsti Saepè Deus faxit fuerit ne fabula surdis Dicta suas qui cùm res curent sibi uiuant Cùm pulchros titulos nomen inane bonoruÌ„ Bellatorum habeant uberrima praemia captaÌ„t Debita militibus nauis strenuaeque cateruae ArmatoruÌ„ hominuÌ„ loca sed noÌ„ arma capessunt Immò aciem turbant longè turpissima monstra Ingruit ampla manus uis multò maxima saeuit En inimica cohors en Papa Pelagius adsunt Cinctus adest crebro sceleruÌ„ caput agmine DaemoÌ„ NoÌ„ facilè inuadaÌ„t fuÌ„daÌ„t uincaÌ„tque regaÌ„tque Ex qua parte iacent torpentia meÌ„bra ueterno Quid facimus quae tanta uiros ignauia perdit Arua facos pecudes uillas armaria tecta Diuitias et opes fragiles perituraque regna Quantis praesidijs ultrò defendimus omnes Et tameÌ„ heu meÌ„tes stupidas heu mortua corda Eripitur coeluÌ„ nobis stertentibus ipsum Ve miserae genti populum quae sata BritannuÌ„ Vrgent custodes ubi sunt uulpesque lupique Nunquà m herclè nunquam uictoria clara redibit Ni somno addictos homines tempore belli Castra relinquentes faciant uel prorsus abire Cedentes alijs proprium uel munus obire Qui res humanas aequa ditione gubernant Atque colant summis studijs honoribus illos Qui rectis imbuti animis robore magno Lubrica constanti superant mendacia uero Hic uti Turnerus fecit fortissimus heros Ad D. Guilielmum Turnerum Perge faueÌ„te Deo Turnere grauissime perge Exornare libris tempora nostra tuis Et ui coelesti portenta nefanda domare Quae populuÌ„ nostruÌ„ peste noceÌ„te premunt DuÌ„ gaudeÌ„t uentres pingues magnique magistri Cum uafra obscuris arte latere locis CoÌ„pressisque sedeÌ„t manibus gregibusque relictis Atque nouis nummis arca tumescit hians Praedentur uigiles concesso tempore fures Sed quis erit finis quis rogo finis erit Intoleranda dabit uindex tormenta supremus Et scelera horrebit talia quisque pius Tu uero instos reprimens acerrimus hostes Defendensque tui uerba colenda Dei Captabis nitido laetissima munera coelo Munera per nullos interitura dies Pergâ— igitur Papas animo contemnere toto Clarûm exeÌ„pla uirûm clara teneÌ„da memor Neu quosuis facilè Christi
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
the chylder of the Christianes haue the promys of the heretage as these places folowynge do testyfie I wyll make stronge my cumnant betwene me and the and thy sede after the in their generacions in a continuall comnant that is to wyt that I wyll be a GOD vnto the and to thy sede after the. And agayne in the .xxij. of Genesis In thy sede shall all the nacions of the earth be blissed In the .xliiij. of Esaye is thys prymis I wyll poure oute my Spirite vpon thy sede and my blessyng vpon thy buddes And Peter in the second of the Actes speketh of a playn promis in these wordes The promys was made vnto you and to youre chylder and to all that are far of whome soeuer the Lorde oure GOD shall call Lo here is playne mention made of the promys made vnto chylder Then when as GOD perfourmeth all that he promyseth and he promysed saluation vnto childer it foloweth that they haue the heretage that GOD promysed them then doth the heretage and kyngdome of GOD perteyne vnto them Why do you so vncharitably wyth hold the sygne and seale of saluation from chylderen to whome the heretage belongeth Who gaue you any such authoritie ye proude and presumptuous tyrannes as to make wardes of the chylder of GOD and to wyth hold from them the sygne and seale of theyr fathers heretage Now where is all your scripture whyche ye boost that ye defende youre errour wythall aunswere vnto these scriptures and confute them yf ye can Where as ye saye afterwarde that nother the sygne of Chrystes Supper nother the raynbowe sygnyfyeth anye thynge to chylder ye are farre oute of the waye The breakynge of the breade in the supper and deliuerynge of it vnto the congregation be tokeneth that Christes body was broken for all them that shal be saued and that the vertue of his passion shulde be delt to all them that are elect and chosen to be saued Thē when as childer are elect and chosen to be saued is the misterye of Christes supper no signe of saluation vnto childer Doth not the rayne bow signifie to al the worlde that the world shal no more be drowned wyth water Doth not that promis that the worlde shuld be no more destroyed wyth water perteyne vnto chylder If that the promys perteyne vnto childeren how happeneth that the signe of the promys signifieth nothyng vnto them It must nedes signify vnto yong childer as well as to olde men that they shall not be drowned wyth an vniuersall sloude as the worlde was ones destroyed So dothe the baptysynge of chylderen sygnifie as well vnto chylder that Christ dyed for them and rose for them as it sygnifyeth the same to olde menne For all althoughe they see not the sygne and knowe not of the sygne yet maye they haue it as surely as thei haue the thing sygnyfyed by the sygne Almyghtie GOD made a couenaunt and promysse not onely vnto menne but also vnto byrdes and bestes that they shuld not be drowned with the vniuersall fould Genesis .ix. Beholde sayth the Lorde I make my couenaunt wyth you and wyth yoursede after you and wyth euery lyuynge soule that is wyth you as well foul as cattell and beestes Thys shall be the sygne whyche I geue betwene you and me and euery lyuynge soule whyche is wyth you I haue set my bowe in the cloude and it shall be a sygne a sygne of the couenaunt betwene me and the yearthe So that when I bryng cloudes vpon the yearth the bowe shall appeare in the cloudes and then wyll I thynk vpon the comnant betwene me and you and all lyuyng creatures Fyrste I gather of thys place that the comnant of GOD is profytable not onely vnto them that haue the vse of reason but also vnto byrdes and vnreasonable bestes although they knowe nothynge at all of the promys I gather also that the sygnes of Goddes comnaunte are sygnes vnto byrdes and beestes and not onely sygnes but profytable sygnes vnto them althoughe they neuer see them nor vnderstande theim Whereupon I gather that the holy sygne of Baptyme is not onely a signe vnto childer of remission of synnes and of Goddes fauor toward them but also a fruitful profitable signe For how can the sygne of the raynbow be more profytable vnto vnresonable beastes and byrdes then the Sacramte of baptyme is profytable vnto yōg chylder seyng that GOD promysed as well saluation to chylder from hell death and damnation and made baptyme the sygne thereof as he promysed vnto beastes and byrdes safegarde from general drowning and made the raynbow the token sygne or seal of the same Here is your sayinge that the raynebowe is noo sygne vnto chyldern proued playne false and contrarye vnto the open text of Goddes holy word Where is the great clerke that sayde that I should not haue Winchester in hande when I had hym in hande as thoughe he had passed Wynchester so far in wyt and learnyng that ther were no comparison to be made betwene them Here myght ye be ashamed yf ye hadde anyō shame at all Here myght your disciples be ashamed of suche an vnlearned and dotynge scolemaster Is the seale of a childes landes no seale vnto hym because he hath no knowlege of the seale and knoweth nothynge therof What soeuer ye aunswer the seale is euen a seale vnto chylder and when they come to age they clayme theyr lands therby Euen so is baptyme a seal of remission of synnes vnto chyldern although they know it not And when they cum to age it shal be an assurance vnto them to clayme the promiss of God by ye haue been therfore to bolde to bable of these matters where in ye haue very lyttelle skill And pronounce as boldelye as though ye were syttynge vpon Apolloes trestell Let youre I sayes haue autorite amonge your bewitched scholars as much as ye wyll but they shal haue none with me excepte ye can proue your saying true by the scripture Ye axe me why is baptym not differred as wel as the supper of the Lorde A mā might answer you that they wer lyke to be lurched at your gluttenous supper yf that they were with you for ye wolde haue at the supper of the gluttenous catabaptistes whiche ye call the supper of oure Lord befe mutton vele capons and such harde meates as the pore sucking childer can not eat and therfore it were no wisdom that thei shuld suppe with you vntyl theyr teeth wer growen If that I had bylded my opynion vpon doctores and stories as ye do yours I coulde haue broughte manye places both oute of the doctours and stories which proue that it was the custome a M.CC. yeres ago to gyue the Sacramente of CHRISTES body and blud only in bred and wyne vnto the yōg chylder streyght waye after baptyme But because I ground my opinion only vpon scripture I wyll aunswere you by scripture The supper of the Lorde requireth a doer and it is an actiue
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
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