number of the members of Christ the Children of God and the Heirs rather than the Inheritors of the Kingdom of heaven Of the Rehearsal of the ten Commandements VVe desire that the Commandements may be inserted according to the new Translation of the Bible 10. Answ My duty towards God is to believe in him c. In this Answer there seems particular respect to be had to the several Commandements of the first Table as in the following Answer to those of the second and therefore we desire it may be advised upon whether to the last words of this Answer may not be added particularly On the Lords day otherwise there being nothing in all this answer that refers to the fourth Commandement Qu. 14. How many Sacraments hath Christ ordained Answ Two only as generally necessary to salvation That these words may be omitted and answer thus given Two only Baptism and the Lords Supper Qu. 19. What is required of persons to be baptized Answ Repentance whereby they forsake sin and Faith whereby they stedfastly believe the promise of God Qu. 20. Why then are Infants baptized when by reason of their tender age they cannot perform them Answ Yes they doe perform them by their Sureties who promise and vow them both in their names We desire that the entring of Infants into Gods Covenant may be more warily expressed and that the words may not seem to found their Baptism upon a real actual faith and repentance of their own And we desire that a promise may not be taken for the performance of such faith and repentance especially that it be not asserted that they perform these by the promise of their Sureties it being to the seed of Believers that the covenant of God is made and not that we can find to all that have such believing Sureties who are neither Parents nor Pro-parents of their children In the generall Wee observe that the Doctrine of the Sacraments was added upon the conference at Hampton Court is much more fully and particularly delivered then the other parts of the Catechism in short Answers fitted to the memories of children and thereupon wee offer it to be confidered 1. Whether there should not be a more distinct and full explieation of the Creed the Commandements and the Lords Prayer 2. Whether it were not convtnient to adde what seemes to be wanting somewhat particularly concerning the nature of Faith of Repentance of the two Covenants Justification Sanctification Adoption and Regeneration Of Confirmation The last Rubrick before the Catechism AND that no man should think that any detriment shall come to Children by deferring of their Confirmation he shall know for truth that it is certain by Gods Word that Children by being baptized have all things necessary for their Salvation and be undoubtedly saved Although wee charitably suppose the meaning of these words was only to exclude the necessity of any other Sacraments to baptized Infants yet these words are dangerous as to the misleading of the vulgar and therefore we desire they may be expunged After the Catechism SO soon as the Children can say in their mother tongue the Articles of the Faith the Lords Prayer and the ten Commandements and can answer to such other questions of the short Catechsm c Then shall they be brought to the Bishop and the Bishop shall confirm them We conceive that it is not a sufficient qualification for confirmation that Children be able memoriter to repeat the Articles of the faith commonly called the Apostles Creed the Lords Prayer and the ten Commandements and to answer to some questions of the short Catechism for it s often found that Children are able to doe all this at four or five years old 2. It crosses what is said in the third reason of the first Rubrick before confirmation concerning the usage of the Church in times past ordaining that Confirmation should be administred to them that are of perfect age that they being instructed in Christian Religion should openly professe their own faith and promise to be obedient to the will of God Thirdly VVe desire that none may be confirmed but according to his Majesties Declaration Viz. That Confirmatioin be rightly and solemnly performed by the information and with the consent of the Minister of the place Rubrick After the Catechism THen shall they be brought to the Bishop by one that shall he his God-father or God-mother This seems to bring in a second sort of God-fathers and God-mothers beside those made use of at Baptism and we see no need either of the one or other The Prayer before Imposition of hands Who hast vouchsafed to regenerate these thy servants by water and the holy Ghost and hast given them the forgivenesse of all their sins This supposeth all the Children who are brought to be confirmed have the Spirit of Christ and the forgivenesse of all their fins whereas a great number of Children of that age having committed many sins since their Baptism doe shew no evidence of serious repentance or of any speciall saving grace And therefore this confirmation if administred to such would be a perillous and gross abuse Rub. Before the Imposition of hands THe Bishop shall lay his hand upon each child severally This seems to put a higher value upon Confirmation than upon Baptism or the Lords Supper for according to the Rules and Orders of the Common-Prayer-Book every Deacon may Baptize and every Minister may Consecrate and administer the Lords Supper but the Bishop only may confirm The Prayer after Imposition of hands VVE make our humble supplication to thee for these children upon whom after the Example of thy holy Apostles we have laid our hands to certifie them by this signe of thy favour and gracious goodness towards them We desire that the practice of the Apostles may not be alledged as a ground of the Imposition of hands for the confirmation of children both because the Apostles did never use it in that ease as also because the Articles of the Church of England declare it to be a corrupt imitation of the Apostles practice Art 25. VVe desire that Imposition of hands may not be made as here it is a signe to certifie children of Gods grace and favour towards them because this serms to speak it a Sacrament and is contrary to that fore mentioned 25. Art which sayes that Confirmation hath no visible signe appointed by God The Rub. after Confirmation NOne shall be admitted to the holy Communion until such time as he can say the Catechism and be confirmed VVe desire that Confirmation may not be made so necessary to the holy Communion as that none should be admitted to it unless they be confirmed Of the Form of solemnization of Matrimony THe man shall give the woman a Ring c. shall surely perform and keep the vow and covenant betwixt them made whereof the Ring given and received is a token and pledge
us to hear so much of the Churches Primitive practice where so litle evidence of it is produced Aug. ep 23. talketh not of Primitive practice Ab initio non fuit sic Was it so in the Apostles daies And afterwards you prove not that it was the judgment of the Catholick Church that bare Sponsors instead of Parents Pro-parents or Owners of the Children might procure to the Children of all Infidels a title to Baptism and its benefits Such Susceptors as became the Owners or Adopters of the Children are to be distinguished from those that pro forma stand by for an hour during the Baptizing of the Children and ever after leave them to their Parents who as they have the naturall interest in them and power of their disposall and the Education of them so are fittest to covenant in their names The Font usually stands as it did in Primitive times at or near the Church door to signify that Baptism was the entrance into the Church mysticall we are all baptized into one body 1 Cor. 12. 13. and the people may hear well enough If Jordan and all other waters be not so far sanctified by Christ as to be the matter of Baptism what authority have we to baptise and sure his Baptism was Dedicatio Baptismi Reply Our less difference of the Font and flood Jordan is almost drowned in the greater before going But to the first we say that we conceive the usual scituation for the people's hearing is to be preferred before your Ceremonious position of it And to the second we say that Dedicatio Baptismi is an unfitting phrase and yet if it were not what 's that to the sanctification of Jordan and all other waters Did Christ sanctify all Corn or Bread or Grapes or Wine to an holy use when he administred the Lords Supper Sanctifying is separating to an holy use But the flood Jordan and all other water is not separated to this holy use in any proper sense No more than all mankind is sanctified to the Priestly office because men were made Priests It hath been accounted reasonable and allowed by the best Laws that Guardians should Covenant and contract for their Minors to their benefit by the same right the Church hath appointed sureties to undertake for Children when they enter into Covenant with God by Baptism And this generall practice of the Church is enough to satisfy those that doubt Repl. 1. Who made those Sureties Guardians of the Infants that are neither Parents nor Pro-parents nor Owners of them We are not now speaking against Sponsors But you know that the very original of those Sponsors is a great Controversie And whether they were not at first most properly Sponsors for the Parents that they should perform that part they undertook because many Parents were Desertors and many proved negligent Sponsors then excluded not Parents from their proper undertaking but joyned with them God-fathers are not the Infants Guardians with us and therefore have not power thus to Covenant and Vow in their name VVe intreat you to take heed of leaving any Children indeed out of the mutual Covenant that are baptized How are those in the Covenant that cannot consent themselves and do it not by any that truly represent them nor have any Authority to act as in their names The Authority of Parents being most unquestionable who by nature and the word of God have the power of disposing of their Children and consequently of choosing and covenanting for them VVhy should it not be preferred at lest you may give leave to those Parents that desire it to be the Dedicators of and Covenanters for their own Children and not force others on them whether they will or no. 2. But the question is not of Covenanting but professing present actual believing forsaking c. In which though we believe the Churches sense was sound yet we desire that all things that may render it lyable to mis-understanding may be avoyded Receive remission of sins by spiritual Regeneration Most proper for Baptism is our spiritual Regeneration S. John 3. Unlesse a man be born again of Water and the Spirit c. And by this is received remission of sins Acts 2. 3. Repent and be baptized every one of you for the remission of sins 's So the Creed one Baptism for the remission of sins Repl. Baptism as an outward Administration is our visible Sacramental Regeneration Baptism as containing with the Sign the thing signified is our spiritual real Regeneration As we are regenerated before Baptism as you know adult Believers are so we cannot pray to receive remission of sins by that same Regeneration renewed As we are regenerated really in Baptism that Regeneration and Remission are conjunct benefits But if Baptism at once give Regeneration and Remission it follows not that it gives Remission by Regeneration But as Regeneration comprehendeth the whole change reall or Physical and relative so we acknowledge that as the part is given by the whole you may say that Remission is given by Regeneration but more fitly in it than by it But we are not willing to make more adoe about words than needs We cannot in faith say that every Child that is baptized is regenerate c. Seeing that Gods Sacraments have their effects where the Receiver doth not ponere obicem put any bar against them which children cannot do we may say in faith of every child that is baptized that it is regenerated by Gods Holy Spirit and the denial of it tends to Anabaptism and the contempt of this holy Sacrament as nothing worthy nor material whether it be administred to children or no Concerning the Cross we refer to our Answer to the same in general Repl. All Gods Sacraments attain their proper end But whether the Infants of Infidels be the due Subjects and whether their ends be to seal up Grace and Salvation to them that have no promise of it or whether it be only to seal the Covenant to believers and their seed are Questions yet undecided wherein we must intreat you not to expect that we should implicitly believe you and it is as easy for us to tell you that you are promoting Anabaptism and much more easy to prove it We take those but for words of course PRIVATE BAPTISM We desire that Baptism may not be administred in a private place And so do we where it may be brought into the publick Congregation But since our Lord hath said S. Joh 3. Unlesse one be born of Water and the Holy Ghost he cannot enter into the Kingdom of Heaven We think it fit that they should be Baptized in private rather than not at all It is appointed now to be done by the lawful Minister Repl. We must needs suppose you are disputing with Protestants who ordinarily shew the Papists that that Text Joh. 3. asserteth no absolute necessity of Baptisme to salvation But we believe as well as you that it is the regular way of solemn
Initiation into the Covenant and Church of Christ which none that indeed are the Children of the promise should neglect As Coronation solemnizeth his entrance upon the Kingdome that had before the title And as Marriage solemnizeth that which before was done by consent So Baptism solemnizeth the mutual Covenant which before had a mutual consent and none is authorised to consent for Infants but those that by nature and Gods Law have the power of disposing of them and whose will is in sensu-forensi the Childrens will It solemnly investeth us in what we had an Antecedent right to and therefore belongs to none but those that have that right And this we are ready to make good by any fair Debate that you will allow us Nor is any thing done in private reiterated in publick but the solemn reception into the Congregation with the prayers for him and the publick declaration before the Congregation of the Infants now made by the God-fathers that the whole Congregation may testify against him if he does not perform it which the Ancients made great use of Repl. Do you not say in the Rubr. And let them not doubt but the Child so baptized is lawfully and sufficiently baptized and ought not to be baptized again And after I certify you that in this case all is well done c. And yet you do not renew all the Baptismal Covenant renouncing the flesh c. and ingaging into the Christian belief And that you may see that the Church of England taketh not all Infants infallibly to be regenerated by Baptism unlesse you grant that they repent to the substance of Baptism the Baptismal prayer is here used for the fore-baptized that God will give his holy Spirit to this Infant that he being born again and made heir of everlasting Salvation c. which sheweth that he is now supposed to be Regenerandus non regeneratus Do they pray for his Regeneration whom they account regenerate already You must either confess that there they repeat much of the substance of Baptism and take the Child as not baptized or else that they take the baptized Child to be not-regenerate And then we may well take them for unregnerate that shew no signs of it at years of discretion but live a carnal and ungodly life though they can say the Catechism and seek Confirmation Of the CATECHISM Though divers have been of late baptized without God-fathers yet many have been baptized with them and those may answer the Questions as they are the rest must answer according to truth But there 's no reason to alter the Rule of the Catechism for some mens irregularities Reply If you will have a Catechism proper to those that had God-fathers give leave to others to use one that will teach them as you say to answer according to truth And let us in the same have that liberty of leaving out the doubtful Opinion of God-fathers and God-mothers and that which we think too childish a beginning What is your name and let us use one that speaks more of the necessary Doctrines of Salvation and nothing but Necessaries We conceive this expression as safe as that which they desire and more fully expressing the Efficacy of the Sacrament according to S. Paul the 26 and 27. of Gal. 3. Where S. Paul proves them all to be Children of God because they were baptized and in their Baptism had put on Christ If Children then Heirs or which is all one Inheritors Rom. 8. 17. Reply By Baptism Paul means not the Carkase of Baptism but the Baptismal dedication and covenanting with God They that do this by themselves if at age or by Parents or Pro-parents authorized if Infants sincerely are truly members of Christ and children of God and Heirs of Heaven They that do this but hypocritically and verbally as Simon Magus did are visibly such as the others are really But really are still in the gall of bitternesse and bond of iniquity and have no part or lot in this businesse their hearts being not right in the sight of God This is that truth which we are ready to make good We conceive the present Translation to be agreeable to many antieâ—â— Copies therefore the change to be needlesse Repl. What antient Copy hath the Seventh day in the end of the fourth Commandment instead of the Sabbath day Did King James cause the Bible to be new translated to so little purpose We must bear you witnesse that in some Cases you are not given to change My duty towards God c. It is not true that there is nothing in that Answer which refers to the 4th Commandment for the last words of the Answer do orderlie relate to the last Commandment of the first Table which is the fourth Repl. And think you indeed that the 4th Commandment obligeth you no more to one day in seven than equally to all the dayes of your life This Exposition may make us think that some are more serious than else we could have imagined in praying after that Commandment Lord have mercy upon us and encline our hearts to keep this Law Two only as generally necessary to salvation c. These words are a Reason of the Answer that there are two only and therefore not to be left out Repl. The words seem to imply by distinction that there may be others not so necessary and the Lords Supper was not by the Antients taken to be necessary to the salvation of all We desire that the entring of Infants c. The effect of Childrens Baptism depends neither upon their own present actual Faith and Repentance which the Catechism saith expresly they cannot perform nor upon the Faith and Repentance of their natural Parents or Pro-parents or of their Godfathers or Godmothers but upon the Ordinance and Institution of Christ But it is requisite that when they come to age they should perform these Conditions of Faith and Repentance for which also their Godfathers and Godmothers charitably undertook on their behalf And what they do for the Infant in this Case the Infant himself is truly said to do as in the Courts of this Kingdom daily the Infant does answer by his Guardian and it is usual for to do homage by proxy and for Princes to marry by proxy For the further justification of this Answer See St. Aug. Ep. 23. ad Bonifac. Nihil aliud credere quam sidem habere ac per hoc cum respondetur Parvulum credere qui fidei nondum habet effectum respondetur Fidem habere propter fidei Sacramentum convertere se ad Deum propter Conversionis Sacramentum quia ipsa responsio ad celebrationem pertinet Sacramenti itaque parvulum etsi nondum fides illa quae in credentium voluntate consistit tamen ipsius sidei Sacramentum fidelem facit Repl. 1. You remove not all the inconvenience of the words that seemeth to import what you your selves disclaim 2. We know that the effects of
so many of whom it is not true How many think the Minister's Absolution and the Sacrament will serve turn with their unsound hypocritical repentance how easily is that understood absolutely or as bad while they take you to take it for granted that they have the Condition which is absolutely expressed It is not fit the Minister should have power to deny this viation or holy Communion to any that humbly desire it according to the Rubrick which no man disturbed in his wits can do and whosoever does must in charity be presumed to be penitent and fit to receive Repl. There is no condition mentioned in the Rubrick but that he be desirous to receive the Communion in his house humbly is not there And why may not a man disturbed in his wits desire the Communion you deny things that ordinarily fall out and yet lay the weight of your Cause on that denial But why must we give the Sacrament to those that have lived in gross ignorance Infidelity and prophaneness and never manifested credibly that they repent You say that whosoever desireth the Sacrament according to the Rubrick must in charity be presumed to be penitent But where hath God commanded or approved so blind dangerous an act as this under the name of Charity the ordinary observations of our lives is not to be confuted by mens Assertions we know by sad experience that there 's abundance of the worst of men among us that are desirous to receive this Sacrament when they are sick that give no credible evidence of true repentance but some in the ignorance deceit of their hearts some as conscious of their impiety for which they seek any shifting remedy to quiet their Consciences for the time are much more eager for this Sacrament in their sickness then many better and more penitent persons And must we judge all these penitent and give them the Sacrament as such we must needs professe that we think this Course would not be the least effectual service unto Satan to deceive poor sinners and keep them from knowing their misery and seeking aright after the true remedy in time Pardon us while we lay together the parts of your Doctrine as we understand it here delivered and leave it to your Consideration what a Church and what a Ministry it would make 1. All Infants of any Parents in the world that we can baptize are undoubtedly regenerate and in a state of life and shall be saved if they so die 2. The Holy Ghost and Forgivenesse of sin being then given them it is charitably presumed that they have not totally lost this notwithstanding the frailties and slips of their Child-hood and so when they can say the Catechism they are to be confirmed 3. Being confirmed they are to be admitted to the Lords Supper 4. All that marry and others thrice a year must receive the Lords Supper though unfit 5. The Minister must absolve all the sick that say they repent if we understand you for we suppose you allow not the Minister to be Judge 6. This Absolution must be absolutely expressely I absolve thee from all thy sins without the Condition if thou repent and believe 7. Whosoever desireth the Communion in his sickness must in charity be presumed to be penitent and fit to receive 8. The Minister must not have power to forbear such Baptizing Absolving or delivering the Communion as aforesaid we now omit what 's said of the dead at Burial And if this be not the ready way to hinder thousands from the necessary knowledge of their unrenewed hearts and lives and from true repentance and from valuing Christ as the Remedy and from making a necessary preparation for death and also the way to lay by abundance of faithful conscionable Ministers that dare not take such a deceiving dangerous Course we must confess our selves much mistaken in the nature of mans corruption and misery and the use of Gods Ordinances for his recovery The Burial of the Dead IT is not fit so much should be left to the discretion of every Minister And the desire that all may be said in the Church being not pretended to be for the ease of tender Consciences but of tender Heads may be helped by a Cap better then a Rubr. Reply We marvel that you say nothing at all to our desire that it be expressed in a Rubrick that prayers and exhortations there used be not for the benefit of the dead but only for the instruction c. comfort of the living You intend to have a very indiscreet Ministry if such a needlesse Circumstance may not be left to their discretion The contrivance of a Cap instead of a Rubr. sheweth that you are all unacquainted with the subject of which you speak and if you speak for want of experience of the Case of Souls as you now do about the Case of mens bodies we could wish you some of our experience of one sort by more Converse with all the Members of the Flock though not of the other But we would here put these three or four Questions to you 1. Whether such of our selves as cannot stand still in the cold winter at the Grave half so long as the Office of Burial requireth without the certain hazard of our lives though while we are in motion we can stay out longer are bound to believe your Lordships that a Cap will cure this better then a Rubr. though we have proved the contrary to our cost and know it as well as we know that cold is cold Do you think no place but that which a Cap or Clothes do cover is capable of letting in the excessively refrigerating Air 2. Whether a man that hath the most rational probability if not a moral certainty that it would be his death or dangerous sickness though he wore 20. Caps is bound to obey you in this Case 3. Whether usually the most studious laborious Ministers be not the most invaletudinary and infirm And 4ly Whether the health of such should be made a jest of by the more healthful and be made so light of as to be cast away rather then a Ceremony sometime be left to their discretion And whether it be a sign of the right and genuine spirit of Religion to subject to such a Ceremony both the life of godliness and the lives of Ministers and the peoples souls Much of this concerneth the people also as well as the Ministers We see not why these words may not be said of any person who we dare not say is damned and it were a breach of Charity to say so even of those whose repentance we do not see For whether they do not inwardly and heartily repent even at the last act who knowes And that God will not even then pardon them upon such repentance who dares say It is better to be Charitable and hope the best then rashly to condemn Reply We spoke of persons living and dying in notorious sins suppose they were