¶ A moste sure and strong defence of the baptisme of children against the pestiferous secte of the Anabaptystes set furthe by that famouse Clerke Henry Bullynger nowe translated out of Laten into Englysh by Ihon Veron Senonoys Genesis xvij chap. I wyl be thy god and the god of thy sede after thee Thou shalt reade the contentes of thys boke in the ii pagyne after this ¶ The contentes of thys boke i That rebaptizatyon or baptizing agayne is not of god that there is but one baptysme ii That the baptisme of childrē is of god iii That the baptysme of children hath continued in the church of Christ euer sens the tymes of the Apostles To the reader I haue good christian reader alredy proued and set furth these artycles that folow agaynst these erroneous dyuels the Anabaptistes i The spiryt which repugneth against the spiryt which speketh in the holy scriptures is not of the father of truth but of the deuyl the father of liyng ii Of the simplicyte and lernyng that ought to be in godly preachers iii Of the vocatyon and callynge vnto the ministery offyce of preachinge against them that thrust them selues vnto it beyng not called iiii Of the vnitie of the church agaynste the sectes of heretikes v That Christ dyd not suffer onely for originall synne vi That a synner is receyued to grace as often as he repenteth and that no man is without synne vii That saluation ryghteousnes depēdeth not of our works but of faith viii That the soules which are departed from the bodye doo not slepe but lyue in Christ ix That a christian may execute the offyce of a magystrate x That a christiā magistrate is not onely profytable but also most necessary to a christian commune weale xi That we ought to be obedient vnto magistrates xii That it is not lawful to resist the magistrates which thinges if thou dost reade dilygently I trust thou shalte be well enarmed against this pestiferous secte Beware of them for they are worse then all other herytyques haue bene yea they are renewers of all olde heresyes So fare ye well And praye to god that all erroneous sectes beyng vanquysshed his glory may florysh for euer and euer Amē ¶ To the right worshipfull Master Thomas Fletwod Comptroller of the Kinges Maiesties Minte in Southwarke Ihon Heron wyssheth peace of conscyence and encrease of dyuyne knowledge and vnderstandynge frō god the father through our Lord Iesus Christ IT is not for naughte Ignoraūce is the mother of al errours ryght worshipfull Syr that of al men ignoraunce hath bene compted the mother of all errours Whiche thynge too be most true we do nowe at this presence plainely perceyue and se By godly learning the erroneous secte of the papistes is in a maner proflygated and ouerthrowen so that the chief maynteyners of it are cleane ashamed of theyr olde occupatyon I meane What godly learning doth of theyr Idolatry and superstition But godly learning was neuer soo diligente in purgynge the fielde of the gospell from the rubbisshes of Antichristes kyngdome What stubburne ignoraūce doth as stubburne ignoraunce is now busy in sowynge it ouer wyth cockle and darnill wyth tares and most pestiferous poyson whych they do so ouer laye wyth suger and honye that is to say wyth paynted and coloured hypocrisie blandiloquence and flatterye that a man at the fyrst syght would embrace thys errour and heresy for a most wholsome doctryne and vnfayned relygyon But if he puttynge on the spectacles of goddes worde wyll loke more narowly vpon it he shall espye suche a blyndnes and ignoraunce in theyr procedynges doctryne that by good ryght he myght meruayle that the very infantes do not now in thys florisshyng tyme of the gospell perceyue and smell oute thys deuylysshe heresie For who would not saye that thys commeth of deuilysshe ignoraunce onles he be blynder then the blindnes it selfe that they so shamefully deny the baptisme of yong infantes and chyldren What is to denye the baptisme of infants Is not thys too put oure chyldren from that euerlastyng couenaunte which our lorde god dyd make wyth Abraham and in hym with all vs that beleue I wyll sayth the lorde be thy god and the god of thy sede after the. Gene. xvii chapi Whyche promyse Abraham beleued and therfore when he came home he did both circumcise hym selfe al the male chyldren that were in his house For whye Cyrcumcision was the seale of the people of god whych by the commaundement of god was ministred vnto all them that were comprehended in the Lordes couenaunt In stede wherof baptisme hath bene instituted in the newe Testamente as the Apostle sayncte Paule Colloss .ij. Chapter Doth playnly testifie Circumcision insted of baptism Syth therfore that chyldren were circumcysed in the old Testament and long after instructed in the knowledge of the lawe it foloweth that by good consequence the baptysme oughte to be mynistred vnto our yonge infantes whom we are bound afterwardes to bryng vp in the fayth and true doctryne This argumente al the rablement of the Anabaptistes is not able to dissolue Suffer not therfore O good christyans suffer not your selues too be seduced by these smatteryng Anabaptistes whyche vnderstande not the letter of the scriptures wherin I meane in the bare letter they do truste moste And no maruayle thereof For they are moste shamefullye ignoraunce in all those thynges that serue for to expounde and vnderstand the letter They knowe not the phrases of the scriptures The Anabaptistes are ignoraunce in those thinges that serue for to expoūd and vnder stand the letter The chyef causes of the Anabaptistes blyndnes and erroure Nouatus aucthor of rebaptization How many wayes this word baptism is taken in the new Testamente They do not obserue mark how many wayes one thing is taken in the scriptures and worde of God Whiche truely to the chyef cause of theyr blindnes and errour For yf they had marked howe many wayes in the scryptures of the newe Testamente thys worde baptysme is taken they had neuer renewed the olde condempned heresye of Nouatus touchyng thys folysh Anabaptisme that is to saye rebaptyzaty on or baptyzyng agayn For baptysme is not alwaies taken for that outwarde sygne seale of the people of God whyche is an outward wasshyng of water done and mynystred in the name of the father of the sonne and of the holy ghost wherby we are initiated into a true fayth and innocencye of lyfe whych kynd of baptisme Ihon and the Apostles did mynyster nowe in the churche of Christe is by thē administred that be appoynted therto but often tymes it is taken for the doctryne as Mathewe .xxi. Chapter and Actes the xix Whych place the Anabaptistes do allege to mayntayne their erroure in thys point Otherwhiles this word baptisme signyfieth death or matyrdome as Mathew .xx. Chapter Where Christ answereth to the sonnes of Zebede after
thys maner Can ye drinke the cuppe that I shal drinke and be baptized with the baptisme that I shall be baptyzed wyth there the blynde may se that he did meane his passion that he should suffer It betokeneth also the inward illumynatyon of the holy spirite of God wherby the heartes of the faythfull are illumynated drawen as Actes .i. Chapter Ye shal be baptyzed wyth the holy ghost after these few dayes Nowe as they are deceyued in thys thyng by ignoraunce and lacke of knowledge so are they in all the other poyntes But now that the ignoraunt symple myght haue an wholsom Antidotus and conterpoyson agaynst this pestilent erroure especially in thys point of rebaptyzatyon and baptysme of chyldren I haue here translated thre most fruyctfull Dialogues vpon thys matter out of Laten into Englysshe whyche yf they be dylygentlye perused maye enarme and fence the reader agaynste all the obiectyons that can be made and inuented by these phantastycall and madde braynes And because that your worshypfull mastershyp hath bene alwayes earnest in the defence of the truth bearyng a singuler affectyon and mynd towardes all them that are studyous to set furth the glorye of god which godly affection and mynd ye haue many times as I haue bene by credible persons enfourmed declared in your communycatyon towardes me I could do no lesse of duty but to dedicate thys lytle laboure of myne vnto you in token of gratitude and thankefulnesse syth that none otherwyse I am able to deserue or recompence that beneuolente hearte of yours towardes mee God of his mercy vouchsafe with his holy spirit so to rule and guyde your mastership with the worshipfull gentlewoman youre wyfe that whatsoeuer yee shal do or thinke in al your affayres maye be to the glory of god saluatiō of of your soule Amē ¶ Thre moste frutefull Dialogues treatynge vpon the baptisme of chyldren very necessary to be red of all Chrystyans in these moste paryllouse tymes ¶ Symon the Anabaptist Ioiada the true Christyan ¶ That rebaptizatyon or baptyzyng agayne is not of god and that there is but one baptysme Symon I Haue taryed here for the more than an hole houre Ioiada I was almost perswaded I dyd almoste beleue that thou durst not come because that thou haddeste lyttle truste and confydence in the other articles Ioiada There is no artycle that I am soo sure of it is so farre that I should be afrayde to speake of it Simon But I wil proue that rebaptyzation is of God Ioiada By what scriptures Actes xix chapi Symon By the .xix chapter of the Actes where it is expressely set furthe that the .xii. men that had bene baptyzed by Ihon or in the baptisme of Ihon were baptyzed agayne by Paule in the name of Christe If it was lawfull after the baptisme of Ihon to receyue the baptysme of Christe why shoulde it not be more lawfull that the baptysme of the Bisshop of Rome should giue place vnto the baptisme of Christ For as those men of Ephesus had bene ignorauntlye and vnwyttingly baptized with the baptysme of Ihon and agayne were baptyzed by Paul In like maner we were ignorauntly baptized with the baptisme of the Busshop of Rome Ergo we maye lawfully be baptyzed agayne wyth the baptisme of Christe Ioiada As manye wordes as thou hast spoken so many errours hast thou vomyted and spued out Fyrste thou sayest that those men of Ephesus wer twise baptized which thing thou canst not proue Ac. xix cha Baptisme is not takē for water but for the doctryne for the baptisme of Ihon ought not here to be takē for water but for the doctryne Symon Thys is the onely refuge that ye flee to when ye be ouercomen by the truthe But ye can not proue nor strengthen these your sayinges with the scripturs nor by any truth Ioiada But I wil proue vnto the that baptisme is not alwaies takē for the wasshing that is done in the water Ihon. i. iii. chapter Mat. xxi chapter but rather for the doctryne Ihō .i. .iii. chap. And of thys thing there be most sure tokens signes notes as Mat. xxi chap. where Christ asketh the pharises whether the baptisme of Ihon was of god or of men Baptisme is takē for the doctrine for as the water doth wash away the filthines of the body so the trew doctrine doth clense the soul frō all errours superstytyon Act. xii cha Appollo sithens that it was of god why dyd they not credite beleue him vnderstanding by baptism as it most manyfestly appeareth the doctryne or testimony which they ought to haue beleued Simon Well go to put the case that in this place it is taken for the doctrine yet notwithstandinge it foloweth not that in the Actes of the apostles it shuld be takē for doctrine Ioiada In the mean season ye were to much ouersene in this thing ouer blinded saying most shamefully that we did affirme wtout any truthe the baptisme is often times taken for the doctrine But go to we wil also proue the baptisme is taken in the Acts for the doctryne In the .xii. of Actes Luke saith that a certain Iue called Apollo being an eloquēt mā taught in the way of the lorde did come to Ephesus and that he did teache dilygently those thinges that were the lordes knowing onely the baptisme of Ihon. Here the very blind may se the Luke did speake not of the water but of the doctryne The same Apollos did teache and instruct those xii men in the way of the lord whō afterwardes Paul doth aske whether after that they had beleued giuen credit vnto the doctrine What is to receyue the holy gost they had bene pacified in theyr hertes consciences by the holy ghost Here it is to be noted that faithe is not taken for that heauenlye gyft Faythe is here taken for the doctryne of fayth that illumynateth the hearte inwardlye but for the doctryne of faythe whyche one man dothe receyue of an other by hearynge But they dyd soo aunswere that Paule myght easely gather by theyr aunswere that they knew not what the peace of cōsciences nor what the holye ghost was He marueylyng therefore In quid initiati fuissēt This word to initiate whych we are compelled to vse in thys place signifieth to instructe or gyue instructyō in ani kind of relygyon science or knowlege what maner of doctryne thys was that had not set furth vnto them so necessary and principall poyntes dyd aske them wheruntoo they were baptyzed not wherin For he knewe ryght well that men are baptized in water But he asketh whervnto they were baptyzed that is too saye initiated and taughte what at lengthe was the marke that they dyd shoote at fithens that they knewe not yet the holy gost They made hym answere that they were baptized that is to saye initiated in the doctryne of Ihon. The Apostle dyd vnderstande and perceyue that they
The Anabaptystes do teche the thynges that they can not proue by the scryptures IOI That ye Anabaptistes are agayn ouerthrowē and that ye haue taught that thing whiche ye could not proue by the scriptures and yet for all that ye are so obstacle and stubburne that ye wyll in no wyse gyue place vnto the truth Who woulde haue beleued the to be so stiffe necked that I should be fayne to dryue the to it wyth the scripturs SIM What make these thinges to the baptizing agayn IOI Very muche for if the doctryne of Ihō and the doctrine of Christ be al one their baptisme alsoo is all one There is no exaumple of baptizinge again in all the scryptures Ergo ye haue no example at all of your rebaptizatyon or baptyzing gayne Also they whome mentyon is made of Actes .xix. Chapter could not haue bene baptyzed wyth the baptisme of Ihon. that is done in the water and againe be rebaptized by Paule For so they shoulde had bene twise baptized with one baptism of water and the one should had abolisshed the other which thing can not be done by no mean For theyr baptisme is all one SIM Thou sayest ryghte well yf there were onelye one baptisme There is onely one baptysme which the anabaptystes do deuyde The doctrine is more excellente then baptisme IOIA. Ye do not onely deuide the churche but also baptysme I do bring against the the wordes of Paul which saith Chryst hath sent me not to baptyse but to preache the gospel Now I do aske the whether of these two is more excellent the doctryne of the Gospell or the baptysme SIMO The doctryne is more excellente then baptisme for baptisme is annexed and ioyned to the doctryne IOIADA If Christe and Ihō do agre in the doctryne it foloweth that they did also consent and agre in the baptysme ergo theyr baptysme is all one SIMON It can not be alone for the Apostles and Christe dydde baptyse in the name of Iesus alsoo in the name of the father of the sonne and of the holye ghost Ihon dyd not so Ergo it can not be all one baptysme IOIADA Christ hym selfe dyd not baptyse but hys Apostles in hys name Ihon .iiii. Chapter Ihon .i. Chapter Marke .i. Chapter Iuke .iii. Chapter Ihon and the Apostles dyd baptise in the name of Iesus Ihō .iiij. Cha. Where as thou sayest that Ihon dyd not baptyse in the name Iesus thou doste greatlye erre For Ihon .i. Chapter Mar. i. chap also Iuke the thyrd Chapter it is most manyfest and playne by his own words that Ihon dydde baptyse in Iesus For there he doth expound his baptysme sayinge I doo baptyse wyth water but he that shall come after mee wyll baptyse you wyth the holye ghoste What other thing is thys but that I do prepare you to Christe whyche shall make you perfecte Is not thys to baptise in the name of Iesus In what I praye the dyd the apostles baptyse but in the name of Iesus Actes .ii. Chapter Actes .ii. Chap. Se nowe what thou hast wonne truely none other thing but that with thine own wordes thou haste confyrmed and proued that theyr baptisme is all one SIMON Yet he dyd not baptyse in the name of the father the sonne and the holye ghoste IOIA. Although Ihon did not know Christ to be one god with the father the holy gost Whereby it shoulde folowe that when Ihon dyd baptyse and sende or directe men vntoo Iesus that he dyd baptyse directe or sende them vntoo a bare man Whych thinge how vngodly it is who doth not see Ihon Baptist dyd knowe Christe to be the sonne of god equall with the father in all thynges he knew also that the spirite of god did inhabyte and dwell in hym whych was geuen vnto hym after no measure Ihon .i. Chapter but of whose fulnesse all men did receyue Ihon .i. Chapter For this cause he attributeth so muche vntoo Christ that he did send all men vnto him and prepared the people for hym Farthermore he dydde baptyse theym in the name of Iesus because that he knewe hym too be one god with the father and the holy ghost SIM These be thy reasons not the word of god IO. I wyl proue the these thinges by the worde of god When Ihon did baptise Christe in Iordan the heauens did open he did se the spirit of god descending and comming doun vpō him And behold a voice from heauen saying Thys is my welbeloued son In whō I am pleased Who wil say now that Ihon knew not the father the holy gost Ihon .iij. Ihon .iii. Chapter Chap. He dothe celebrate and set furth with manye goodly praises the maiestie of Christe emong al other thynges speakyng after this maner He whō god hath sent speaketh the word of god For god doth not geue hym the spiryte after a measure The father loueth the son and hath giuen al thynges into his hand These thinges doo testifye and wytnesse that Ihon dyd knowe ryght well the mistery of the trinitie and vnytye in Christe SIMON I graunt that he did know as thou saiest yet it foloweth not therby that Ihō did baptyse in the name of the father the sonne and the holy gost IO. It foloweth plainely For I do aske the whether he that baptizeth in Christ doth baptyse in man or in god SIMO In god truely IOIA. Nowe I aske whether Christ touching his own godheade be seperated from the father the holye ghost SIMO No for there is but one god onely IOIA. Now make thine argument after this maner Christe Iesus touching his diuine nature is not dyuyded from the father and the holy ghost And he that baptizeth in Iesus baptizeth not in his humain nature but in his diuine and godly nature Ergo he that baptizeth in Iesus baptizeth in the father and the holye gost Ihō as it is proued before did baptise in Iesus Christ that is to say in hym that should come after him Ergo Ihon dyd baptise in the father the holy gost for these sentences are of lyke syngnificacion and importaunce he did baptise in god he did baptise in Iesus Christ he dyd baptise in the name of the father the sonne and the holy gost For there is one god onely vnto whom we are brought and grafted by baptisme SIMO I neuer vnderstode this thyng afore for I thought that Ihō had onely begon with hys baptism but that the baptisme of Christe had thē at length begonne when he dyd sende his apostles in the last chapter of Mark and of Mathew Whiche thyng if it were true the baptisme of Ihon and the baptisme of Christ coulde not be all one IOIA. Of thys dyd come and springe the errour of of the Anabaptistes Because that they thinke that baptism was thē ordeyned instituted after that Christe did ryse from death And I do merueyle that they did falle in too thys errour sithens that with playne testymonyes
SI What on the .viii. day IO. We are bound neither to time nor too place but we are fre frō all those thinges by Christ Al thinges thē being considered We are free from al outward ceremonies of the lawe by Christ it is manifest and plaine that the baptism of children is of god against the which sith that the anabaptistes do repugne it is wythout doubt that they do contrary the gospell the election of God and the euerlasting couenaunt They are therfore ouer bold rash they are open violatours or breakers of the couenaunt of god vnfaith ful against god sith that they do exclude and debarre them from the couenaunt of God whome gods grace dothe comprehende in the couenaunte SIMON Yet ye haue no expresse word of God the children ought to be baptized IOIA. Shall not all that we haue hetherto aledged and brought proue the same But go to put the case that we haue no expresse word therof in the scriptures Tell thou where haue ye one expresse word the chyldren ought not to be baptyzed SIM Teache baptyzyng Agayn They came and confessed theyr sinnes Item They that receiued the word gladly were baptyzed Baptisme is in the stead of circumcision And he that beleueth and is baptized IOIA. I haue answered alredy before to all these but so ye are wont to repeate euery foote your bald reasons and argumentes The Anabaptistes are prompte quicke to speake but not redye to gyue place to the truthe For ye are very prompt quicke to speake but not so ready to giue place to the truth I haue not yet hearde in all thine allegations any suche saying or sentence Childrē ought not to be baptized SIM But that doth folow of the places afore alledged IOIA. Thys is neither commaunded there nor yet forbydden Besydes that your consequences are false and wythoute foundatyon If ye be nothinge ashamed of youre false consequences we wyll be nothinge ashamed of our true Therefore when ye crye out saying Where doth the scripture teach that children ought to be baptised we crye agayne Where doth the scripture forbid to baptyse them Ye do answeare in the last of Marke We bring agaynst you Gene .xvii. Marke .x. i. Corinth vii Acte x. Colloss ii Chap. Moreouer we do submit these our sayinges and writinges to the iudgement of all godlye persons Whether that it be more like vnto the truth that they do exclude debarre the children whom Christ hath wasshed with his bloud from the couenaunt of god for why do they denye vnto them the signe of the couenaunte and of the clensinge or that we do teche the children to be of god redemed by Christ Iesus whom he biddeth wylleth to be brought vnto him also too be baptized Iudge thou Symon and tell me whether of theim is more like to be true SIM If the matter be considered by it selfe all contentiō being laid aside the whiche ye say is moste true and most weightie But this I doo wonder and maruaile at that thou doste say that the baptisme of children hath cōtinued in the church euer since the tyme of the apostles which apostles did neuer baptise chyldren Here I doo moste earnestly desire the to bringe furthe whatsoeuer thou hast yet in store I wyll gladly receyue all truthe for manye of vs haue thought hetherto that the baptism of children was brought in by the busshop of Rome ¶ The third Dialogue That the baptysme of chyldren hath contynued in the church of Christ euer since the apostles vnto this time IOIADA No man can denye but the the busshop of Rome the fathers haue added certaine things to the baptism of Christ but no mā that is wise will say that it had his beginnyng of them that is to say that did begin the baptisme of children Those things then that were added and were repugnaunte vnto the word of god were taken away againe lest any man should make any busines for it As for that that ye bringe against vs that the apostles did neuer baptyse children no man lyuyng is able too proue it For I wyll shew no small argumentes that the apostles did baptise children wherby thou shalt easely vnderstand that the baptisme of children hath contynued in the church of Christ euer since the apostles time that it is no new inuentiō of the busshop of Rome i Certayne argumentes against the Anabaptistes First we do make our argument vpon the force strength of the precept and cōmaundement of christ of the doctrine after this maner Christ did send his disciples to preche the gospel to baptise ergo he did send thē to baptise childrē The proue of the consequence or argument SI I denye the consequence IO. But I wil proue it after this maner It is so farre that the gospel shuld reiecte cast backe the chyldren that it dothe rather bring thē vnto Christ Now the doctrine is greater then baptisme .i. Cor. i. cha If the which is greater that is to say the gospel is the chyldrens that then which is lasse that is to say baptisme shal be theirs Ergo the apostles dyd baptise the chyldren ij The seconde argument may be made and gathered vpon the nature of him to whome baptysme is due and whyche is able too receyue baptisme As manye as god doth recken emong the fideles or faithfull they are fideles or faithfull For Peter dyd heare this sayinge of the Lorde That god hath purifyed or made cleane call thou it not common or vncleane Actes x. chapter He doth put the chyldren in the number of the faithfull Ergo the children are of the number of the fideles or faithfull and oughte to be compted reputed of vs emong the fideles or faithfull onlesse we will repugne against god and be stronger then he Now it is most certayne that the apostles did baptise all them that Chryst commaunded them to baptyse Christe commaunded them too baptyse the faythfull as ye youre selues do graunt and confesse Ergo the Apostles did baptyse the chyldren The seconde proposition which is that the children are of the number of the faythfull is knowen well ynough iii. The thyrd argument is gathered vpon the fact of Peter which is peculier but yet in it the publike administraction of baptism is touched He coulde not forbyd theym the water of baptisme that had receyued the holy ghost but sealed them as the people of god Ergo he could not deny baptisme vnto the children syth that he had learned in the gospel that the chyldren be of god that the kyngdom of heauen is theyrs Who woulde thynke that any man is mete for the kyngdom of heauen wtout the holy spiryt iiii We do make gather the fourth argument vpon the strength force of circumcision in stede wherof baptisme is in the church of Christ As many as were the seruātes of god did afore al thinges labour endeuour thēselues to circumcise
theyr childrē Iosu v. Exo. iiii The Apostles were the most faithfull ministers of god Thē did not thei omit or leaue the thinge that was not brought in in stede of the circumcision Ergo thei did baptise not onli thē that were of age but also children v. Fyftely we do thus reason vpō the vse custome of the Aposltes The Apostles of Christ did dyrecte al their doinges to the cōueniencie example of the old testamēt This we do proue by ye. iiii Euangelists the Actes of the apostles by the epistles of the Apostles Rom. xv ii Cor. ii ii Tim. iii. ii Peter .i. chap. Ergo they dyd order baptisme after the Analogie and figure of the old Testament The going through the red sea The goynge thorough the read sea is a figure of baptism was a type figure of the baptisme that was to come .i. Cor. x. cha Children were in the fygure for bothe men and women went through with theyr children Ergo the apostles dyd not denie baptisme vnto the children The custome maner of the scripture whiche custome and maner is vsed almost emong al nations is not to reherce by name women children and yet neuerthelesse it doth include them for in the name of the father of the famylie or of the good man of the house al hys whole famylie is comprehended as in the chiefe or head Yf thys were not women shuld be in no small ieoperdy yf therfore they were not of god because that they be not circumcised Al these thynges are done by the meanes helpe of a figure that is called Sinecdoche The sixte argument shal be taken out of the manifest and expresse testimonies of the apostles The apostles did baptyse al whol housholds and famylies ergo they did baptyse children also for the children are in the number of the famylie or housholde Thys we do proue by the .xvii of Gene. For Abraham doth circumcise al the male children that were in his house For he vnderstode the promys of god that saith I shal be thy god the god of thy sede Likewyse in the new Testament whē the goodman of the house had herd beleued the gospell that is to saie the god was his god the god of his sede also he caused all them that were in his house bothe greate and small to be baptized Thus the apostles dyd baptize hole housholds and famylies That the children do perteyne vnto the fathers housholde famylie it is plaine manifest by the .xii. of Exodus ii of the Actes this do I inculcat beate the oftener into mens heades because that I se the Anabaptistes to be at this poynt that they do exclude the children from the famylie houshold for they can not denye but the hole housholds were baptized by the Apostles But who doth not se that this cometh of mere contention For though they could proue that there were no children at all in the famylies housholdes that the apostles dyd baptise yet had they not proued that al families or housholds were or be wtout childrē wherfore we do make againe our argument after this maner The Apostles baptized al wholl housholdes ergo thei did baptise children syth the childrē are the princypal chief part of the familie houshold But let vs put the case that there were no children in those families housholds that the Apostles dyd baptise yet do they perteine belong to the houshold are rekened in it and yf there had bene any they wolde haue baptized thē For they did baptise the wholl housholde The fault then shuld not haue ben in the Apostles nor in the childrē that thei were not baptized but this had bene the cause that they had bene baptized because that there were none For if they had had children they would haue baptyzed them Seuenthlye we do gather by the hystoryes chronicles that the baptisme of children hath continued euer sens the apostles time vnto this time Origene which in the yeare of our saluation c.c .xii. did liue in the church of Alexandria doth in his v. boke that he did wryt vpon the epistle to the Romaines testifie and witnesse that he hath receaued the baptisme of children from or of the Apostles After this time about the yeare of oure Lorde C.C.lv. the holy man Cipryan was he doth proue that with no small argumentes the baptisme of children in the .iii. boke of hys Epistles and viii epistle Adfidum To fidus In the yere of our lord c.c.c.xx Lactantius did wryte in the .iiii. boke of his diuyne Insttucion the baptism was come in the stede of circūcisiō whereby all natyons should be gathered vnto the faith into the church Lactantius in hys iiii boke iiii chapte Hierome which did lyue about the yere of our lord c.c.c. lxx doth with playn expresse scriptures proue the baptism of children to Leta and agaynst the Pelagians In the same self tyme and .xl. yeares after Augustyn beyng a man endued with great holynesse of lyfe with exceading great erudition learnyng with a sharpe and exacte iugement did teche in Aphrica This man writeth many thinges of baptism against the Donatistes to Marcellinus Petilianus where he doth manifestely saye Chryste coulde not be baptized afore the baptism was instituted by Ihō For the lawe dyd regne tyll them that the church hath receiued the baptisme of children from the apostles I haue brought these thynges therfore that thou mayste see vnderstand that the baptisme of children is no new inuention that they whyche teche suche thinges do leane to no truth but to plaine errour For although christ was not baptized tyll he was .xxx. yeares old yet being an infant he was circūcised vpon the eyght daye that I shoulde in the meane season let passe that baptisme was not yet instituted which had hys begynnyng of Ihon. But now we wyll stryke vp our sayle clothes and shewe how vnkunninglye ye gather your argumentes when ye do reason after this maner We do not read that the apostles dyd baptise the chyldren of the faythfull Ergo they oughte not to be baptised If we shoulde onelye goo by coniectures and reason it is more lykelye that the Apostles dyd baptyse the infauntes then otherwyse in the famylye and housholde of Stephana of Lidia of the keper of the prison of other yf at leste there were any infantes in those famylyes and housholdes Do not thynke good reader that we goo about to defende vnwrytten verytes which examples ye shall neuer be able to cōfute There be many things done both by Christ and by the apostles that neuer were written Nor we can not make our argument after this maner This thinge was not done ergo it may not lawfully be done That we shuld graunt vnto you the the apostles did baptise no children yet haue ye not proued therfore that children ought not to be baptized Again we