approueth the substance of the baptism when it is done but not such persons to haue done it Who notwithstanding any thing in the book are worthily punished for their so doing But sayth Hellopaeus these things say the defenders of this error ought to be vnderstood of the ordinary ministery But they treat of the case of necessity least that any should depart this life not baptized for they thought by this meanes to succour the saluation of those that shoulde bee baptised in the daunger of death least beeing preuented by death without baptisme they shoulde make wracke of their saluation but we haue taught Cap. 5. that this is no daunger neither that baptism is of an absolute necessity of saluation so that contempt be away Because the couenant of God apprehended by faith is firme by it selfe and effectuall to saluation although the seale without the fault of him that wanteth it come not thereto So that in all this hee excepteth onely the opinion of absolute necessity not of all necessity As for the place of baptising whereof our Brethren spake last besides the other circumst aunces yea for al the order also and that with a sermon preached at the ministration of this sacrament in the conclusion of the selfe same Chapter Page 171 he saith It remaineth that wee discusse the other circumstaunces where and when and how baptisme ought to be conferred we answere that thing is cheefely to be required that as all other thinges so principally the administration of the baptism shold be done decently in order as for the place althogh that it be not necessary yet it is most conuenient that it shoulde be publike as the temple or any place appointed to the publike Ministery And as concerning the time it is meete if it may so be done that it should be at an houre appointed and that suche an houre wherein the Church is full of people First that very many may profite in the enarration of this sacrameÌ„t Then that their faith may bee kindled to embrace the grace of god wheÌ„ as they see the infants approch vnto the same couenant that God hath made with their fathers Besides that it is conuenient to commend vnto God with the publike prayers the saluation of the Infant To conclude God is to bee celebrated with thankesgiuings But with what manner baptizme ought to bee conferred is not obscure to see This thing must principally bee obserued that certain ceremonies are necessary but certaine are free In the which we ought diligently to looke what is expedient and what conuenient for the regard of the times places But we haue rehearsed before those toyish additions salt oyl tapers Howsoeuer it be the dipping or sprinkling the washing the explication of the sacrament it selfe are partes necessary But that all may bee done decently they may proceede in this order First let the Infant that is to bee baptized bee offered vnto the publike assembly where the whole Church beeing witnesse and looker on offereth vnto God with their Prayers their tender Brother Secondly let the minister recite the confession of the faith that it may be known with what doctrine hee which is baptized shall be enstructed hereafter Thirdly let the institution and promises of bâ—ptism be shewed â—nd that in the vulgare tongue that of the Church it may be vnderstood Fourthly let the Infant be baptised in the name of the father and of the Sonne of the holy ghost It makes no matter be he dipped either once or twise or thrise or sprinkled with water Althogh in the old time he was wholy dipped Which also the word baptisme that is a washing signifieth But herein the custom may varie according to the diuersity of regioÌ„s the tendernes or firmnes of the infants body Fiftly to conclude godly praiers being made the infant being coÌ„mended to God may be sent home This is a true manner of administring baptisme Nowe then if this be a true manner of administring baptisme Here being no sermon prescribed but all this may bee done well ynough without a sermon and our booke prscribeth as much as all this comes too and more howe haue not we baptizme truly ministred I know that after this he presently findeth fault with demaunding of the childe whether it beleeueth renounceth Sathan the Worlde and the flesh As our Brethren also picke a quarell thereat But since he confesseth it was was taken from the custom of the auncients when they demaunded these thinges worthily of those that were of ripe yeares though hee say it was ill translated to the demaunding it also of the Infants for to what purpose shoulde those that be ignoraunt bee asked and other folkes answere the demaundes I like not of Hellopaeus misliking this custome so long as hee knoweth or may easily doe that it is but spoken by stipulation and to binde the Godfathers c. the more soleÌ„nly to see that the child in whose name they answere shoulde afterwarde performe those thinges So that this is but a comely order at which vnderstanding the meaning no good man ought to take offence Yea in my opinion if this order were altered we shoulde séeme to open a shrewde gap vnto the Anabaptists that none were then baptized but such onely as were of ripe yeares and coulde aunswere for them selues to these demaundes But since it is euident that they baptized Infantes and that they vsed this forme in baptizing of them as in Augustine is moste apparant we can not think that this custome was translated only from the baptizing of them that were of riper yeares but were they ripe or vnripe it was the vsual order of baptizing al in the ancient primitiue Church And therefore conteining nothing contrary to the Institution of baptizme but all for it and beeing done onely by the way of stipulation one in the name of another which withall more liuely answereth â—o the nature of a couenaunt and being of so great antiquity though wee grant it is not necessary to be reteined no more is it necessary to be remooued But al this is nothing to the absolute necessity of a sermon or of the publike place whereof is now the question Hellopaeus making the publike place not of necessity albeit for the ordinary course most conuenient neither for sermon mencioning any at all and therefore otherwise than for conuenient it is plain that he taketh it not to be of such necessity And afterward in the next treatise of the Lordes supper he do h notably also haÌ„dling the consecration cap. 4. pa. 209. wher he saith Yet ther remaineth one question For we say that the bread the Wine is sanctified of the Min. so far forth as he is the legate or interpreter of Gods will the word of Gods institution is as it were a certain meane to bee adhibited vnto this consecratioÌ„ Euen so Aug. said wel let the word come vnto the element it is made a sacrament that
is to say by the commining betweene of the worde the thing otherwise by his nature appointed to a coÌ„mon vse is made a Sacrament This therfore we wil haue to be vnderstood by the tearm of consecration Otherwise euen as Aug. saith of the water of Bapt. take the word from the baptisme what is the water but water So if thou takest away the word from the bread the wine it shal be nothing but bread and wine Now therfore we must search out what what maner a word that word is For some take this word to strictly some more at large than is meet They take it strictly which ouerpassing as wel the former as the later words of the institution haue deliuered that in these 4. words This is my body again this is my bloud the coÌ„secration is made as though by a certaine diuine vertue ingrafted in those words the substance of bread wine were changed striking out the other words to wit Take ye eat ye drink ye al of you as superfluous so far as to the force of transubstantiation doth pertain which they doe to this purpose that they might not be compelled to confes that the supper is common vnto all moreouer that they might not subscribe vnto this rule that nothing hath a reason of a sacrament without the vse by God instituted Howbeit other do ioyne the thankesgiuing and the prayers as though they also with the worde of the institution did make the sacrament that is did profite the consecration And indeede this is true that all this rite or ceremony is furnished with a solemne thankes-giuing and prayers especially concerning the sending of the sonne and of the purging of our sinnes made by him And the very wordes also of the institution are so to be rehearsed that both they should begin at thanksgiuing praier and also should end in the same euen as Christ the Lord hauing giuen thanks sayd this is my body and the supper being ended an himme being sung he went forth Moreouer we haue shewed that the sanctification should be made with thanks-giuing In the mean time we must know that the only wordes of the Institution and those entire do perfite the consecration Which being whole recited in the lawfull vse in which thankes beeing giuen and prayers being recited all things are done of the elemeÌ„t is made the sacrameÌ„t For of this word said Irenaeus when the Cup mixt the bread broken receiueth the word of God the Eucharist of the body and bloud of our Lord is made But that he vnderstandeth the only wordes of the Institution appeareth by that which he setteth vnder it that the earthly breade taketh the calling of God For it is the calling of God when God calleth the bread his body After the same manner Theodoretus in Atrepo that is in his Dialogue called immutable hee teacheth that our sauiour did honour or commend â—he visible signes with the appellatioÌ„ or calling of his body and bloudâ— â—ot that they haâ— the same appellation or calling of nature but allonely of grace For so hee sayth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not chaunging the nature but adding grace vnto nature Nowe we vnderstande which and what manner wordes are the words of the Consecration to witte those same that are the wordes of the Institution But they againe are of two partes For some of them are the wordes of the Euangelistes of which sort are these Our lorde Iesus Christe in the same night that heâ— was betrayed tooke breade and sayde likewise he tooke the Cuppe after supper But some of the wordes are Christes owne words as are This is â—y body that is giuen for you take yee eate yee this is my bloud c Drinke yee all of this doe this in remembraunce of mee Those words to witte the Euaungelistes as Ambrose witnesseth lib. 4. cap. 5. De sacramentâ— are not onely recited as historicall but doe admonish as well the Ministers as the Communicantes what Christe did what agayne hee bad both of them to doe But these wordes serue to the consecration Now howsoeuer this alone doe throughly accomplish the consecration notwithstanding if the other to witte the Euangelistes wordes before rehearsed bee eyther omitted yea or indeede recited hystorically albeit the thinges are in very deede done which Christe did would haue to be doone the consecration is not made at all but eyther it is an historicall explication of the Mystery or rather it is a play and iest And thus farre concerning the consecration Which words of Hellopaeus if we shal well consider wee shall sée withall moste apparantly that howsoeuer the preaching of a sermon may do much good for the further opening of these mysteries and moouing of the hearers and participantes yet is it not anyâ— substaÌ„tial part of the sacrament or inseperable accident absolutely necessary thereunto and as it is thus of the Lordes supper so for the materiall and formall partes which are the Element and Worde of Baptizme To the same effect saith Beza in his Conf. cap. 4. Arti. 41. This change dependeth not of the recitall of any words as the sophisters and deceiuers deliuer foorth but of the ordinaunce of God comprehended in his word The word therefore that is the very institution of Christe as it is of the Euangelistes and Paul expounded is as it were the very life of the sacramentall signes because as in the word is declared vnto vs the water the Breade the Wine are made sacraments that is true signes and seales of those thinges which in the Worde are promised to vs and are truely signified by the same And againe We call the signe of baptisme sayth Beza cap. 4. artic 47. first of all Water then the substanciall ceremonies prescribed in the worde To the which we thinke it wickednesse to adde any thing or to take froÌ„ it that is to say the sprinkling of the water the stay vnder the water and the comming foorth out of the water c. We call the worde in baptisme the ordinance of Iesu Christ ioyned with the promise of eternall life whereof this is the forme Baptize yee in the name of the father of the sonne and of the holy Ghost whosoeuer shall beleeue and be baptized shall be saued If then in these 2. partes the whole substance of baptisme consist how are not they baptized where these 2. partes are although no sermon be preached at the action Albeit I know not how to reconcile Beza his wordes for this materiall part for ioyning all these thrée actions together with the element of water sprinkling of the water an abode or stay vnder the water the comming forth out of the water and that in none of these ought must be added nor diminished but that he will thinke it wickednesse For we rather thinke be the childe dipped in the water and that without any aboade or stay therein and much lesse to be helde any while vnder
it which might bréede daunger to tender infantes or be it but onely sprinkled with water cast vppon it it sufficeth for the action of the materiall part But howsoeuer we may conster to the best those wordes of Beza in that which though hee make it no absolute necessitie of infantes baptisme in respect of their saluatiō to depende thereon yet in reasoning for it he makes some necessitie of it yea he goeth so farre Articl 49. that baptisme cannot be reiterated that me thinkes and let other iudge thereon he cleane ouerthrowes this our Brethrens principle that none can minister sacramentes but preachers of the worde We haue sayd sayth Beza that Baptisme is the sacrament of our engrafting into Christ and his Church neyther dependeth the efficacie of baptisme on the person of the baptizer But now whosoeuer is once truely giuen to Christ although now and then he tourne out of the way yet may he neuer be cast cleane out And therefore it is inough that he was once receaued By no meanes assent we vnto them which rebaptize those that were baptized of Heretiks or of other impure ministers Neither yet do we doubt but that in the Papisticall Church the baptisme remayneth true although it be administred of ministers nothing fitte and be defiled with infinite pollutions For because it pleased the mercie of God euen within Popery to preserue the relikes of his Church so long vntill he erected it vp againe therefore would hee not that Sathan should be able vtterly therin to ouerthrow baptisme wherby all the elected are ioyned together in a societie If then this baptisme of Heretiks and Papists were so sowly polluted where not only no preaching was besides that no part of the institution of the mystery of the vse of the endes thereof were so declared that the congregation vnderstoode it and yet all this notwithstanding it was true baptisme and they were so fully baptized that it were a dangerous heresie to go about to rebaptize vs though they that did baptize vs were Idolatrous Priests and Antichristes chapleynes can it now be said that the administration of baptisme among vs whō our Breth cōfesse to be a true Church of Christ we hauing nothing for the materiall part but the only and méere element of water that Christ ordeyned with the which wee sprinkle the infant if he be not dipped into it and vsing not onely the wordes of Christes institution with the promise annexed besides prayers and thankesgiuing with a plaine and full declaration of al the institution the causes the vse the endes the effectes of this mysterie set foorth to the people assembled that they withall may in their mother tongue perceaue the whole content of all this action that if all this be not administred by such a minister as is withall a preacher and that he also preach at the administration therof and that also in the publike and ordinary place appointed and in no priuate place or else all this is but a worldly dead and beggerly element a seale without the writing and so nothing auaileable nothing better than sacrilege Durst Beza haue sayd so much of the very Papists for this sacrament Yea although a midwife or a lay mā as often times then it hapned did administer the same Or would he or would our Brethren for that default rebaptize them Or count them not baptized at all that are so extraordinarily yea and disorderly baptized Is the onely lacke of the persons lawefull vocation yea the lacke of sufficiencie in his vocation a greater pollution yea and cleane disanulling of the sacramēt more than all these corruptions of the Papistes or than the insufficiencie or vnlawfulnesse of their calling And yet theirs must bee true and verie baptisme ours is not And why so Haue we any like or worse pollution No. Haue we any such vnsufficient and vnlawfull ministerie No. What then Though it be not so vnsufficient and vnlawfull as theirs yet is it vnsufficient and vnlawefull And why Forsooth The administration of the sacramentes ought to be committed to none but vnto suche as are preachers of the woorde pag. 60. But what meane our Brethren by this worde ought An absolute necessitie Or a conuenient dutie Saint Paule prescribing the conditions of a Bishop sayth a Bishop ought to be vnreprooueable the husbande of one wife watching sober modeste harbourous apt to teach not giuen to wine no striker not giuen to filthie lucre but gentle not couetous one that can rule his owne house hauing children vnder obedience withall honestie What doth Saint Paule meane héere in all these and other properties that he saith a Bishop ought to haue such an absolute necessitie that if hee want any of these properties he is by and by no Bishop at all nor hath any lawfull function And if he minister the sacramentes they are no sacramentes Are all these properties of the substance of his office If they say though all be not yet this is to be apt or able to teach to exhort with holsome doctrine Indéede if he had no aptnes nor abilitie at all that were very hard And yet most of the Popish Bishops Priests were such their baptizing still true baptisme And shal ours be said to be no baptisme at al if the minister of absolute necessity be not such a learned preacher as can fréely and at large by his owne discourse expounde vnto the people the mysterie of the sacramentes Haue we not already heard howe Musculus auoucheth that in many reformed Churches there are many that can minister the supper of the L. few that can preach the word of the Lord And that it is not necessary that the Preacher shuld be the minister of that sacrament And is it otherwise in this sacramēt of baptisme which both hath the lesse néed of the twaine to haue a sermon preached thereat yet withall of the twaine hath a greater necessitie of receauing thereof than of the L. supper But if now as we haue séene for that sacrament that it may be ministred orderly inough by those that are no preachers yet none can orderly minister the sacraments but he that is a minister of the woorde doth not this consequence then followe of necessitie that some may be ministers of the worde that are not preachers of the woorde Which cleane ouerturneth all our Brethrens processe of this necessitie that they must néedes be Preachers But our Breth chalenge vs here for this that where we will make no necessity of Preachers to be the ministers of baptisme notwithstanding of baptisme it selfe we make a necessitie But both wayes they do vs manifest wrong For neither we denie all kinde of preaching nor all kinde of necessitie in the minister for preaching at baptisme or at the Lordes supper but only this absolute simple and ineuitable necessitie graunting a necessitie of conueniencie Neither do we vrge this absolute simple ineuitable necessitie
for that action for a time to be staied and yet that Minister so farre-foorth on some good consideration being forbidden to preach may notwithstanding be not forbidden to continue the other partes of his function both to set foorth the publike form of prayer and to reade the Lessons appointed out of the Scripture and to administer the Sacramentes to the people And this is as true a saying as it is olde Vim sacramenti non tollit vita ministri God forbid that the sacrament which such a Minister doth administer shoulde so depend vpon him or his life or preaching that when he vpon infirmity or default or prohibition or any other occasion ceaseth to preache then the sacrament that he administreth shoulde be thought not to be effectuall Which to affirme is a perillous error and inferreth many dangers and absurdities But nowe besides this quarrel of not being preachers our Brethren draw this matter of the sacramentes to other points and say And that which is more straunge to be suffered in this clear light of the Gospell to permit the ministration of baptizme not onely to ignoraunt men but also to Women which haue no voyce to speake in the Congregation 1. Cor. 14.34 and 1. Tim. 2.11 and that in priuate places but in case they say of necessity as though there were such necessitye of the outwarde signe when it can-not bee ministred according to the institution of Christe which is nothing else but to affirme with the papistes that sacramentes conferre grace of the work wrought and that the sacrament of Baptisme is a sacrament of such necessity that whosoeuer is not dipped in Water must bee eternally condemned Which hereticall opinion as we haue hissed out of our profession and preaching so is it a great shame for vs to maintain by such corrupt vsage of Christs holy sacramentes Concerning the permitting the administration of Baptisme in this light of the Gospell to Women Bee it spoken with the reuerence of our Brethren it is moste vntrue When as it is not onely giuen customably in the open charge of euery visitation whether any such thing be done by them as in the time of the popish darknesse was vsed but also if anye such thing haue hapned and be found out the parties that so haue done are openly punished for the same And how then is not this more strange that our Breth dare say it is suffered permitted vnto women concerning Womens hauing no voyce to speake in the Congregation I hope our Brethren will not stretch it further than saint Paule ment it nor vrge it as Sanders and the papists do which were not onely against the scripture but against the state As for baptising in priuate places though ordinarily the open church and place appointed in the church as is the publike font be the most fit place for such publike actions yet where a sufficiēt cōgregation is present and vpon some extraordinary occasion if the sacraments be orderly administred according to the godly forme by the Church prescribed shall wee say this is not a true sacrament or not to be permitted or corruptly administred receiued if a Christiā be sick and by reason of his infirmity may not or dare not goe abroad may he not be permitted to receiue by the ministration of the minister the holy Communion in his house with some of his family or neighbors participants with him and if this may be done in the Lordes supper may it not be done as well in baptism concerning the substance of the same and also for all pointes of decency thereto belonging hauing a sufficient Congregation present so that the Church be sufficiently certified of the orderly doing thereof What place shall we call that where the Eunuche was baptized by Philip For although it was by the common high way yet in respect of the publike places ordinarily accustomed for such solemne and sacred actions it was but a priuate place And in what place did Saint Peter command Cornelius to be baptized with all the residue on whome the holy ghoste did come is it not most likelie that it was done in his priuate house and likewise Saint Pauls baptizing the keeper of the prison and his family Act. 16. It seemeth it was done either in his house or in the Prison If our Brethren say that there was some necessity or occasion so to doe whereas nowe there is no suche necessity nor occasion wee hauing this cleare light of the Gospell and a publique place appointed for publike actions We praise God for it and acknowledge it withall thankefulnesse that we haue now this clear light of the gospell And hauing this our brethren haue no such cause to grudge and complayne for these other matters as they doe But had not S. Peter and S. Paul the cleare light of the gospell too when thy baptized in priuate places but whatsoeuer particular necessity of circumstance and occasion draue them in that cleare light of the Gospell so to baptise those parties they knew that the difference of the place publike or priuate infringed not the vertue of the action For the action is still of one and the same vertue though vpon an extraordinary occasion it be done for place for time and diuerse other manners of circumstances extraordinarily In which pointes there may be also some ordinary differences of one Church from another without preiudicating one another or any preiudice to the sacraments or to the receiuers of them As for vs who haue a comely and very good ordinary forme prescribed vnto the Church of England we allow not that the sacraments ordinarily and without necessity or conueniency of some important extraordinary occasion should be administred but in the ordinary and publike place and time and maner by the book appointed and by the laws of our Church prescribed and indéede should not otherwise be permitted And much lesse that the breach hereof shold openly besides the priuate practises in priuate houses both in the pulpit and in bookes printed be maintained and defended which is more strange than in this cleare light of the gospell an extraordinary circumstance or occasion to be suffered or permitted to bee done And which is yet more strange that they which do all these things contrary to all Law order would for very shame open their mouths say that baptisme is permitted to be administred in priuate places their-selues both in priuate places and in straunge manners many times administring both these sacraments But our brethen presuppose that in our suffering of baptisme to be nowe and then extraordinarily administred though by a lawfull Minister and by the order appointed yet beeing doone in a priuate place that we permit it onely for the necessity of baptisme Wherein although they threape more kindnes on vs than néede when other occasions may be and are alleaged by vs then onely the necessity of baptisme For although in the book the
of any such fact to be orderly done God be praysed we are free Frō the later both for the Lordes supper and for baptisme too let our Brethren looke to it that are déeper in that matter than are we But when all is done this modestie of Beza is commendable that hee doth not cleane annihilate and make no sacramentall act at all of these doings as our Brethren doe but onely saith they violate the ordinance of the Lorde For as we haue shewed he saith al the Papists pollutions of the which these were some and that our Brethren I thinke will graunt were not able to take away the vertue of baptisme and make it frustrate vneffectuall And therfore our Brethr. ouer-reached and abuse vs in laying the error of the Papistes mainteyning an absolute necessitie of the sacrament vnto our charge and to say the necessitie that wee stande on is nothing else but to affirme with the Papistes that sacraments conferre grace of the worke wrought and that the sacrament of Baptisme is a sacrament of such necessitie that whosoeuer is not dipped in water must bee eternally condemned Which hereticall opinion as wee haue hissed out in our profession and preaching so is it a great shame for vs to maintaine by such corrupt vsage of Christes holy sacraments This opinion of the Papistes as they nowe obstinately maintaine the same is I graunt hereticall And yet neither was this besides al other that they maintained euen concerning baptisme able to take away the vertue of it but that all the Papists had true baptisme whosoeuer he or she were that baptized thē But doe wee maintaine this or any other of their erroneous or heretical opinions No. I hope our Brethren doe include vs in the number of this we as well as themselues when they say which hereticall opinion as we haue hissed out in our profession preaching And how then do we maintaine or affirme that which is nothing else but to affirme with the Papists this hereticall opinion Doe we maintaine affirme that which we haue hissed out Or doe we hisse out that which we maintaine affirme How do these things hang together But they say we maintaine it by such corrupt vsage of Christes holy sacraments What corrupt vsage haue they proued or are euer able to proue that we maintaine in Christes holy sacraments either the one or the other cōtrarie to that which in our profession preaching we haue hissed out For if we maintaine it we professe it But if our Brethren accuse vs so sharply of so great a shame as in our profession preaching to hisse out this hereticall opinion and yet charge vs that we maintaine it by suche corrupt vsage of Christes holy sacramentes because onely we affirme there may be some necessary vsage of these holy sacraments although following the ordinary forme in our booke set downe they be extraordinarily nowe and then vsed in priuate places in cases of necessitie professing and preaching that we vnderstande no absolute necessitie but conditionall and of conuenience howe shall then our Brethren not incurre a greater shame that hisse not out in their profession and preaching but affirme and maintaine such necessitie of a preacher to be the only minister of the sacramentes and of preaching at the ministration of them that if there be not this preacher and preaching they make it not onely a corrupt vsage of Christes holy sacraments but no sacraments at all shall we say this is nothing else but to affirme with the Papists that the preacher his preaching conferreth grace of the worke wrought And that this preaching is of such necessitie that whosoeuer heares not a sermon whē he receaues the sacrament must be eternally condemned as receauing it vnworthily to his condemnation And yet he receaueth no sacramēt at al. And that this necessitie of a preaching is as necessary to Bapt. as euer the Papistes thought baptisme it selfe to be to the infant And that the want of this necessitie doth more frustrate voide all the whole substance and vertue of the sacrament than all their corrupt abusages pollutions and hereticall opinions of Christes holy sacramentes was euer able to doe What a greater shame is the maintenaunce of this opinion Which if it should be mainteyned obstinately as I hope our Breth will not surely it were as ill or worse than the other in very sooth no better than an hereticall opinion But our Breth may erre and so may we Let vs both learne in modestie to saye with Augustine as I saide before Errare possum hereticus esse nolo Erre I may but God willing I will not be an heretike But now for the finall conclusion of this matter say our Brethren Let vs therfore retaine this principle that the administratiō of the sacraments is a part of the Pastors dutie for although the office of preaching be more excellent than of ministration of the sacramentes as S. Paule speaketh comparatiuely Christ sent me not to Baptise to preach 1. Cor. 1.17 Yet they are of such affinitie that the accessorie can not be separated from the principall thereof For where is no preacher of the worde rhere ought to be no minister of the sacraments This principle that the administratiō of the sacramēts is a part of the Pastors dutie is a true principle and safely to be mainteyned But as that which went before was not to be mainteined without great shame daunger so not onely this necessarie conclusion made hereon is no lesse shamfull daungerous erroneous to be mainteined thā the other where there is no precher of the word there ought to be no minister of the sacraments For if this Canon of our Breth should be put in execution at this present throughout all England much more throughout all Christēdome Baptisme might be a long while cleane exiled from the most part of a number of Christian Realmes and Churches that yet amiddes all their corrupt vsages reteyne the vertue of baptisme as Beza sayth But to looke to our owne estate which haue none of those or anye other corruptions remayning but as syncere a forme concerning the verie administration of the sacramentes as any of all our Brethren in anie reformed Churche set downe full of exhortations admonitions consolations instructions and declarations of all the mysterie with prayers and thankesgiuinges yea and often with godly and learned homilies and other excellent treatises and sermons to be reuerently reade that the people may vnderstande them and may be much edified by them yet vntill they haue a preacher come among thē and he also must be their owne Pastor or else againe they breake their owne rules and he then and there make a sermon to them at the ministration of the sacramentes or else as good away as there yea as good no preacher at all as not preach at all and he must preach also of that matter or
freely as then they did All that are present if they list doe communicate and both the kindes are deliuered vnto all It is not sent vnto those that are absent because superstition hath corrupted that custome they sent it then to those that were whole vnto strangers that came not into the assembly at this day onely to those that are readie to dye and that for a certaine lucre and aduantage yea adde this vnto it with a vaine persuasion of a kinde of necessarie passeport A collection is made for the poore and euery one giueth as much as hee will saue that our folkes will giue too too little The action is not mute or dombe but the hystory of the passion is recited Priuate voices or the speeches of priuate persons come not hereunto for because of moderate or comly order They approch he speketh of the order in his countrie at Bernes and it is receaued of them standing for the Paschall Lambe was eaten of them that stoode howbeit neither makes it any matter whether the communicantes stande or sitte nor yet if they knéele as is the order of our Church This briefly sayeth Aretius is our action not vnlike Iustines By which description of Iustine and conference of ours and of the Heluetians order of administring the supper of the Lorde we most plainely perceaue our Brethrens no small errour in this that not content with all these thinges in the supper of the Lorde if a Preacher make not a sermoÌ„ also at the ministration of the same they not onely count it not sufficiently done but they frustrate and euacuate all the action Hereupon our Brethren make this conclusion saying Howe intollerable an abuse then is it of the sacramentes of the Lord to committe the administration of them to those men that are not able to expounde the mysterie of them This conclusion standes all on that worde able which wee haue sufficiently I hope aunswered before saue that here in this conclusion it is more ambigiously referred to expounding than in the premisses For by the abilitie to expounde the mysterie of the sacramentes may be ment eyther the preaching which notwithstanding is to be wished that euerie Minister were able so to expounde the mysterie of them if it pleased God so to graunt it although alwayes they so did not or else their abilitie of discrete setting foorth those expositions of these sacraments that are prescribed in the publike forme of their ministration or other godly expositions of other learned meÌ„ authorized to be read at the same times the ministers themselues being though not able with any commendable gift of publike eloquence to treate at large vpon them and so expounde the mysterie of them yet able well inough to shewe vnto the people or to any that aske them plainely and briefely the summe and principall content of the mystery of them In which sorte I trust the simplest minister of them all is able to expounde the mysterie of them or else no Bishop or ordinarie would permitte him to serue any neuer so small a cure or any other would allowe him any stipende at all thereunto if he be conâ—icted of such inhabilitie So that this intollerable abuse eyther is not in vse at all or at least in any Minister not allowed by any lawe or constitution nowe in force but that such vnable Ministers may be remooued and other more able placed although they cannot expound the mystery of the same by publike preaching But nowe let our Brethren procéede to their further arguments and proues on this matter And seeing the elements of the world of which the outward part of the sacraments is taken be dead beggerly of themselues except they be animated and enriched with the promise and word of God which is the life of the sacrameÌ„ts what can it be better then sacrilege to separate the ministration of preaching of the word from the sacraments If the elements of the world be separated froÌ„ the promise word of God opposed against it these termes dead beggerly might better sitte theÌ„ And so S. Paul called the ceremonies sacraments of the old law elemeÌ„ts of the world not after Christ Coll. 2.8 and so Caluine expouÌ„ds those words saying But what calleth he the elementes of the worlde No dout but ceremonies For straight after in place of exaÌ„ple he bringeth in one kind to wit Circumcision And also Gal. 49. S. Paule calleth the ceremonies of the Iewes weake beggerly elemeÌ„ts The which he doth sayth Caluin because he coÌ„sidereth them without Christ yea rather against Christ. For to the fathers they were not only healthful exercises helps of godlines but also effectuall instrumeÌ„ts of grace But their whole force was in Christ and in the institution of God But the false Apostles neglecting the promises would oppose them against Christ as though Christ alone sufficed not No maruell therefore if Paul repute theÌ„ trifles things of no value Now if the outward signe or element in the sacrament be thus vsed among vs that is to say be destitute of the word of the institution of the promise of the remembrance of Christ yea of Christ himselfe be opposed against Christ then are these spéeches of worldly dead and beggerly elements well alleaged and truly applyed against our sacraments For true it is that Saint Augustine tractatu in Ioh. 80. sayth You are now cleane for the worde that I spake vnto you why sayth he not Ye are cleane for the baptisme with the which yee are washed But sayth for the word which I haue spoken vnto you But that also in the water the worde cleanseth Take away the worde and what is water but water The worde commeth to the element and it is made a sacrament yea as it were euen a visible word For verely he sayd this also when he washed the Disciples feete He that is washed needeth not saue that he wash his feete but is cleane throughout From whence commeth this so great a vertue to the water that it toucheth the bodie and washeth the heart except that the word doe it not because it is spoken but because it is beleeued For in the worde it selfe also the sounde passing is one thing and the vertue remayning is another thing This is the worde of faith the which we preach sayth the Apostle because if thou shalt confesse in thy mouth that Iesus is the Lorde shall beleeue in thy heart that God raysed him vp from the dead thou shalt be safe For with the heart it is beleeued vnto righteousnesse but with the mouth confession is made vnto saluation Whereupon wee reade in the Actes of the Apostles clensing their heartes by faith And the blessed Peter in his Epistle sayeth So hath baptisme also made you safe not the putting off the filth of the flesh but the interrogation of a good conscience This is
the word of faith that we prech With the which out of doubt baptisme is also consecrated that it may be able for to cleanse For Christ being the vine with vs with the father beeing the husbandman loued his Churche and gaue himselfe for it Reade the Apostle and see what he adioyneth that he might sanctifie it sayth hee clensing the same with the washing of water in the worde This word of faith auayleth in the Church of God so much that by the same it clenseth the beleeuer the offerer the blesser the dipper yea the infant being so little a one although he be not yet able with the heart to beleeue to righteousnesses and with the mouthe to confesse to saluation This is doone altogether by the worde whereof the Lorde sayth Yee are nowe cleansed for the woorde that I haue spoken vnto you I thought it not amisse to set downe at large the whole sentence not onely for the notablenesse thereof touching other matters but for feare of cauilling least our Brethren might say I left out the word preached here twise named But that we should plainely sée he speaketh heere of preaching it in such sense as although it comprehende the proper action of the preacher yet withall we sée it stretcheth to the publike confession of all Christians And the worde that here most especially he speaketh of that the Disciples were clensed for or through the worde that Christe spake vnto them although this sentence of Christe Io. 15.3 be a part of that notable sermon that he had after his sacramentall supper yet these wordes that he maketh relation vnto supposing they were spoken before the supper were no preaching nor any part of preaching but spoken by Christe vnto Peter when he came to him among the residue to wash his féete as appeareth in the storie hereof Ioh. 13.5 c. After that he powred water into a basyne and beganne to washe the Disciples feete and to wipe them with the towell wherewith he was gyrte then came hee to Simon Peter who sayde to him Lorde doest thou wash my feete Iesus aunswered and sayde vnto him what I doe thou knowest not nowe but thou shalt knowe it hereafter Peter sayde vnto him thou shalt neuer wash my feete Iesus aunswered him if I wash thee not thou shalt haue no part with me Simon Peter sayde vnto him Lorde not my feete onely but also the hande and the head Iesâ—â— sayde vnto him he that is washed needeth not saue to washe his feete but is cleane euerie whitte And yee are cleane but not all Shall we nowe saye heere that Christ made a Sermon Indéede if our Brethren meane the preaching of the worde in this sense that it is preaching though onely it be thus briefely spoken by the Minister to the ende the people may better vnderstande and beleeue the worde in that sense I holde well that in the Lordes supper the worde of God concerning the death of the L. should alwayes be so preached As Oleuianus also sayth on these words Rom. 10.8 This is the worde of faith the which we preach Note a difference between the true word of God which is preached to this end that faith coÌ„uersion may be in the hart the magical word which is pronounced vpon the thinges that it might worke something on the thinges that are set or grafted or else that a power should be ascribed to the syllables Example the gospell of Iohn is the worde that we preach In the beginning was the word sayth Iohn he teacheth to trust in Christ the true God he teacheth that all things are made by him The end is that I should beleeue not that I should driue away tempests The whole Masse is magicall although they recite the Gospell and mutter it vpon the hoast because it is not the worde of faith that is preached If it be not preached that it may be vnderstoode or that vertue be ascribed to the syllables the which resideth in God alone so that it is due to him alone and this is Magicall So they that saye when the woordes are pronounced ouer the breade then it is the bodie it is Magicall Christe pronounced not the woordes ouer the breade but preached his death at the table to his Disciples with the wordes and with the tokens and that they might vnderstande to what ende those tokens were instituted In baptisme the Papistes vse muche Magike Out of the 7. of Mark they say Ephata that is be opened as Christ said vnto the deafe man And by the vertue of wordes they will include the holy Ghost into the water Al these things are not the word of faith that we preach Paul knoweth no other word of faith thaÌ„ preching not murmured Here lighteth the absolution Auss an Boden euen froÌ„ the very bothome or froÌ„ the messengers made vpon the head by the vertue of the words Act. 10. to him giue all the Prophets witnes c. Peter muttreth not wordes vpon the heads of euery one of theÌ„ but preacheth of Christ the promise of the Gospell confirmed by the testimonie of al the Prophets and the holy Ghost fell vpon the hearers Thus sayth Oleuian So that preaching being vnderstood in this generall sense as not only it may signifie such a solemne sermon as Peter there made Act. 10. but also as may comprehende the words of our Sauiour Christ at the table when he instituted his mysticall supper If the worde want his preaching in this maner in our administration of the sacraments then indéed our brethren might haue some cause to say that we maintain the elements of the world dead beggerly elemeÌ„ts yea that although we haue the word it were but a magicall murmuring of it But becommeth it our Breth to bestowe these spéeches vpon the outward signes of the sacraments when they are animated and enriched with the worde of God in such order as Christ instituted theÌ„ and the Apostles practised theÌ„ Is this to separate either the word or preaching of the worde from the sacraments But our Breth only vnderstande by preaching such a further exposition exhortation vpon this matter as the learned Minister shal at his discretion amplifie set foorth the same with all And can our Breth proue that this maner of preaching the word is either any such substantial part of the sacraments or any such inseparable accident therunto that except it also be annexed the life that animateth the elements the treasure that enricheth them which is the promise word of God is separated from them Is not in baptisme the word of God it selfe being not magically murmured but clearely with vnderstanding spoken conceaued with vnderstaÌ„ding beleeuing of the hearer if he haue capacitie to heare and vnderstand and beleeue yea though he haue not as infantes haue not this life riches of the elemeÌ„t vnderstanding the word as it is ioyned with the spirit that animateth
title be this Of them that are baptised in priuate houses in time of necessity yet afterward saith the book also they shall warn them that without great cause and necessity they baptise not children at home in their house And when great need shal compell theÌ„ so to doe that they minister it on this fashion c. But go to let vs say as they would onely haue vs say that if it be permitted of vs to be administred in any priuate place it is only but in case of necessity what say they hereto As though say they there were such necessity of the outward signe when it cannot be ministred according to the Institution of Christe What do our breth here mean that there is no necessity at al of baptism although there be no such necessity is there no necessity of consequence of condition nor of conueniency aswel as absolute simple and ineuitable necessity If generally there were no necessity at all of baptizing then it were frée whether we woulde be baptized or no But it is not free Christe did institute baptisme vnder flat commandement therefore there is a necessity and an important necessity of it Did not baptism succéed circumcisioÌ„ as Paul clearly setteth out Col. â— 11 12. In whom also ye are circâ—mcised saith he c. And was there no necessity at al of circumcision we grant this necssity was not so absolute that it reached to them before their time assigned no nor yet after was it so absolute necessity that it reached to them while they trauelled in the wildernesse God dispeÌ„sing for other manifold necessities in that long iourney with the necessity of that Sacrament And yet Gods commaundement remaining intire and they with such a necessity seuerly bounde that they shoulde not contemne on their partes the obedience and execution of it And therefore sayeth Zanchius in this very well in his confession of Christian Religion concerning Baptisme Capite decimo quinto Aphor. 5. Wee beleue that baptisme is altogether necessary in the Church as a sacrament instituted of Christ which the Church can so little want that where it is not when it may be had there we may not acknowledge the Church of Christ. Howbeit we thinke it neede-full vnto saluation in this wise that notwithstanding if any for the defaulte of the Minister but not through contempt depart this life not sprincled with the water we beleeue not that he is therfore damned and wrapped in eternall destruction For the children of the faithfull are therefore saued because they are in the couenant but they that be of ripe yeeres because they beleue in Christe with a true faithe which verilye cannot suffer the contempt of Christs commandement Gellius Snecanus whome we haue before often and at large cited that we might sée how our brethren aunswere them-selues in his method of baptisme the sixt part sayth The sixt circcumstaunce remaineth when baptisme should be administred Here we must note although the time be free yet by Gods threate Gen. 17. where the neglect of circumcision is esteemed the violating of Gods couenant it consequently followeth that fit occasion being offered baptisme ought forth with to be administred Whereunto exhorteth vs the daunger that was imminent on Moses by the delay of Circumcision in his childe The same doe the examples of the godly teach those that were Act. 2. baptised of Peter Act. 8. of Philip. Act. 16. of Paule Here is to be reprehended the abuse of many and cheefely of great men in this our age deferring baptizme vnto some moneths I knowe not for what causes c. The examples of the ancients sheltereth neither these lingerers neither the Anabaptists as it shall be noted in his place Thus writeth Gell. on this necessity And eueÌ„ immediatly he procéedeth to the lawful manner of administring baptizm which because it commeth next to hand I will also heere set downe Let vs come at length saith he vnto the lawfull manner Here is required that baptisme should be administred intirely with all his partes according to the circuÌ„stances of the Institution of the administration In the administration therfore of baptism let the summe of the doctrin concerning the couenant imputation of faith coÌ„prehending as wel the children as the pareÌ„ts be repeated To these let ther be added an explication of the general commandement of baptizing all nations and of the finall causes of baptism instituted according to the summe and order of a method For the signes of their owne nature signify nothing but by the institution of God Therfore it is necessary that all things be referred to the will of God which is made manifest in the holy scriptures Afterward let the examples of circumcision and of the baptism of the Israelites c. come hereto Finally let al this doctrine be concluded with the inuocation of the name of God Thus writeth hee also of the full manner and forme that hee woulde haue obserued in the sacrament And is not the forme that is prescribed vnto vs in effect the same Hellopaeus agréeinge hereunto both for the necessity of this sacrament so farre forth as we do vrge the same and for the places circumstances and order that here wée stand vpon For the necessity in his 5. chapter concerning the efficacy of baptisme whether it wash away sinnes or conferre grace Among other thinges after his proofes pag. 120. he saith Neither must we thinke Baptism to be absolutely necessary to saluation Neuerthelesse me thinkes I heare the papistes some other who notwithstanding will not seeme to bee Papistes arise against me affirming that baptisme is so muche necessary that they teach except this sacrament bee adioyned they cannot attain vnto saluation no not by faith But we also verily do confesse that by the ordinance of God the sacrameÌ„t of baptism is a certain thing correquisite to saluation Neither can it be omitted without sacrilege Yea rather if it be omitted by contempt this shold be a deadly heinous offence except vpon earnest repentance following Howbeit to say it is so necessarie that if any be excluded by necessity whereby he cannot vse it that he should be in danger of his saluation we affirme it to be a manifest error Neither say we it is the depriuing of the sacrament but it is the contempt that is the deadly thing And again Cap 8. page 155. he bringeth in these wordes against the Papistes that our brethren iuiuriously obiect to vs. And after he hath alleaged his reasons against Women and lay persons administring baptisme whose doing we allowe not neither yet doth our booke allow it for any such persons to haue done it Though if it bee done be done in such order that they obserued both for the matter and the forme the element of Water and the wordes that Christ assigneth to be vsed with other godly prayers at the doing the Booke to anoyde all cauilles of Anabaptists only
vniformely in all those diuerse places where such persons be But againe if they shall consider this better what certaine order can here be set downe that shal be meete for the diuersities of these persons when they still by the grace of God are growing vp and ware dayly and hourely of riper age and riper and alwayes going forwarde and comming on to Christe as to the goale and marke set before them What And shall then these Ouerseers and Elders make the orders most fitte to the Pastors doe nothing else but still come together and daily and hourely change their orders Or shall these persons weare their coate still of one assize Or if some come on forwarder than othersome so that they can not kéepe a iumpe and meete proportion to euerie one shall we haue no certaine orders at all for feare these Ouerseers and Elders should misse in some Sée what a childishe reason if I may be so bolde to returne the terme this is of our Brethren that tell vs of childish bables to take away all vniformitie of ceremoniall constitutions and all for the difference of some diuerse persons And yet wee denie not but that as there are diuersities of persons there may well bee diuerse and seuerall orders appointed for them howebeit to be kept vniformely by those diuerse degrées of persons for whome they are made For we doe not in such manner as our Bretheren vntruely reporte of vs feede olde men and sucking infantes all with one kinde of meate nor cloath all ages in a roabe of one assyze but such and such ceremonies are appointed to such and such degrées of persons and not all to all alike although some of those ceremonies be of that nature that they may as well stretch to all as some one kinde of meate may bee fedde on euen of olde men and of young also as well as of sucking infantes and of sucking infantes as well as of olde and young men May not all the people in a parish come to some one Church in some one place at some one time appoynted and there all of them knéeling on their knées at least so manie as bée able saye altogether some one appoynted forme of prayer or confession or thankesgiuing may they not all at least as manie as canne sing together some one certaine number of Psalmes or hymnes May not all infantes by some one publike forme prescribed thereof be Baptized alike And some one like publique forme be appointed for all the communicantes to receaue the Lordes supper after one manner May not one forme of marrying bee appointed to bee vsed through out all the whole Lande and Realme of Englande If there can bee no one ceremoniall lawe or constitution made of these thinges howe haue our Brethren abused vs that haue sette out a booke of common prayer wherein manie of these some one ordinaunces béeing all of them indéed but ceremoniall constitutions and decrees are sette downe and prescribed to be in generally and vniformally vsed of all the Churches in the Realme so farre as their authoritie stretcheth to prescribe them For if they prescribe them not why doe they set them out if they regarde not who vse them and who vse them not I sée not therefore but that euen by their owne example and much better hauing vtter warraunt some ceremoniall constitutions may bee well decreed for an ordinarie publique and generall order to bee vniformely kept of all Churches a like in a whole Realme so farre as other necessitie or some particular occasion doth restrayne them The same doctrine although not the same partes of doctrine is to be euerie where but ceremonies euen as they bee ceremonies doe admitte varietie as time persons and occasions serue to bee diuerse Yea Christian libertie in them sometimes is necessarie to bee testified because there are manie so simple that they knowe not the difference betweene those thinges that are necessarie in the Churche and those that are not of necessitie There bee that thinke a Crosse or Foont as they call it is as necessarie in Baptisme as water and that kneeling at the Communion is more necessarie than preaching of the Lordes deathe that a surplusse in Common prayer is more necessarie than a deuoute mynde and great occasions offered to the ignoraunt so to thinke when they see them that preache moste diligentlie praye moste feruentlie and minister the Sacramentes most reuerentlie according to Christes institution to bee displaced of all ministerie for a Crosse or a Foont or a Surplusse or some suche other tryfle There is great difference betweene Doctrine and Ceremonies but if our Bretherens former reasons shoulde holde to respect the diuersities of the people they might alter the vnitie of the doctryne too But the same partes of doctrine they saye are not to bee euerie where This is spoken somewhat too obscurely For the doctrine and all the partes thereof are indéede to be euerie where though I graunt not all to be taught euerie where to the same persons at the same time and so may the vse of the same ceremonies also vpon occasion be altered or left off But ceremonies they say euen as they be ceremonies doe admitte varietie This I graunt likewise and yet againe euen as they bee ceremonies they as well admitte vniformitie and in some cases especially may much better admitte vniformitie euen as they bee ceremonies than varietie and much néerer is it to the nature of any ordinaunce and decree bee it ceremoniall or otherwise to admitte vniformitie than varietie For else it could bee no certaine decree When as the varietie which it admitteth commeth vnto them in that respect as extraordinarie times persons and occasions serue to bee diuerse or as necessitie it selfe that hath no lawe enforceth the breaking of the ceremonies all which is but accidentall to them and no preiudice to the ordinarie and generall vse of the same ceremonies vniformitie Yea say they Christian libertie in them sometimes is necessarie to be testified because there are many so simple that they knowe not the difference betweene those thinges that are necessarie in the Church and those that are not necessarie This we graunt likewise that sometimes in ceremonies the christian libertie is necessary to be testified Yea rather at all times the christian libertie is to be testified And when wâ—â— vse ceremonies most vniformally then is the best vse withall of this restification of the christian libertie And therefore it yet followeth not that vpon such testification made we must neuer kéepe any one order or vniformitie of any ceremonie at all And yet besides we graunt this also euen for the testification of the Christian libertie by omitting sometimes or altering some ceremonie or some part thereof and euen for this cause also that our Brethren here alleage Yea although there were not many so simple that they knowe not the difference betweene those thinges that are necessarie in
the Church those that are not of necessitie yet because this error might growe in them if the vniformitie of all ceremonies were vrged too precisely Howbeit all this hindereth not but that for the ordinarie and generall vse the vniformitie of them may still remayne specially being so vsed that testification at all times or often may be made against all absolute necessities and all superstitions or any other abuses of them Which indéede is the more néedefull because this errour of simple necessitie is not alwayes onely of simple persons but euen of learned men As we reade of S. Peter how stiffely for a while he helde the necessitie of the Iewish ceremonies after their date was out And how the multitude euen of the faithfull Iewes were so affected stil vnto them that S. Paule was faine for that time to yéelde to the conformitie of them And this is not the smallest errour among the most learned of the Papistes at this day Yea by their leaue also I thinke these our Learned discoursers doe chiefely stumble at the like stone Not only about the Iewes Iudicialles but for their Sanedrin and these consistorie Elders if there were euer any such as they pretende but can prooue none and for some partes of discipline and ceremonies too vrging these thinges as necessarie that are not necessarie Might not a man be so bolde for all these things as to send home these spéeches to the authors of them Yea Christian libertie in them sometimes is necessarie to be testified because there are many so simple that they know not the difference betweene those thinges that are necessarie in the Church and those that are not of necessitie when as we sée so notable learned men euen in their Learned Discourses so foulely ouershoot themselues in not considering throughly of this difference betweene thinges necessarie in the Church and not of necessitie But to come now to the particular ceremonies wherin our Brethren would haue this varietie admitted There bee say they that thinke a Crosse or Font as they call it is as necessarie in Baptisme as water For my part I haue not heard of any such that thinke so nor I euer read of any the grossest Papist that so writeth They rather erre on the other side in standing too much on the necessitie of water when they make 〈◊〉 the necessitie euen of saluation I graunt they put too great a confidence in the signe of the Crosse and many haue done and doe abuse it with foule superstition and Idolatrie But yet all this debarreth not but that there was in the primitiue Church before those abuses came and since those abuses God be praysed haue béene remoued from among vs there may likewise remayne some good vse therof being only vsed as a signe or token without any opinion of vertue in the same For we doe not detest the signe it selfe as did Iulian the Apostata though wee honor it not as Iulian vpbrayded falsely to the Christians that they did As for the font for so we call it in-deede and may well ynough with out any suspition of the terme in my opinion is the fittest of any ordinarie place for the baptizing of our infantes Nowe if these caeremonies doe admit varietie as times persons and occasions serue to be diuerse then are they not of them-selues meere superstitious nor yet vtterly to bee left off no though they haue beene as hath the signe of the Crosse shamefully abused but these caeremonies being so vsed as they are nowe ordeined to be vsed and that with libertie of exception against the abuses and testification of the right vse of them they may be vsed still euen by our Brethrens confession well ynough so that wee will graunt them that they may admit varietie and we are content to graunt it if they woulde in-deede as heere in worde they say but admit it sometimes and leaue of the signe of the Crosse in Baptisme nowe and then onelie to remoue the errour of necessitie from the simple so that they leaue it not of in contempt nor vsually or that the infant sometimes as times persons and occasions serue to be diuerse be not baptized in the font but in a basyn so they do not vpon this permission of varietie sometimes in the end growe from some-times to all times and make a necessitie on the contrarie that it must not bee baptized in the font and the signe of the Crosse must not be vsed at all because both the font and the Crosse haue beene abused If they woulde not as some doe encroch vpon this liberty of varietie but vse it with discretion when diuersitie onely of time 〈◊〉 persons and occasion serued there is none of our Brethren that might incurre displeasure much lesse displacing by so doing And that kneeling say they at the Communion is more necessary than preaching of the Lordes death If kneeling at prayer and thankesgiuing be a good caeremony it may be well appointed to be vsed also at the Communion when besides our recording of the Lordes death we pray vnto him that wee may receiue those his heauenly mysteries worthily and giue him thankes both for the same his precious death and for the institution of this memoriall thereof and al the other his benefits whervpon the name of Eucharist or thanksgiuing is one of the proper names of this Sacrament But to say that some thinke kneeling at the communion is more necessarie than preaching of the Lordes death is hardly and doubtfully spoken If they meane by preaching that which Christ sayth so often as yee shall do these ye shall shewe foorth the Lordes death I graunt in that sense preaching is simply necessarie and so farre more necessarie than is kneeling which is but necessarie conditionally and that not in the proper sense of necessitie but of conueniencie But if they meane by preaching the frée Discourse by the Pastor at large and at his voluntarie treating on the Lordes death besides the ordinarie fourme in the booke prescribed then is not preaching at the Communion for any necessitie thereof any more necessarie than is kneeling and in some respect not so necessarie neither in that an order thereof may bee easilier appointed to the Communicants and obserued of them than a Sermon at the ministration of the Communion to be alwayes so preached by the Pastor As for kneeling is indéede but an outwarde ceremonie nor anie thing comparable to preaching in the dignitie of the action howbeit it is a reuerent externall action and so beeing easie for the most part of all the communicantes to be perfourmed it may well admitte a ceremoniall constitution and decree for the publike and vniforme obseruation of the same Whereupon me thinketh Caluine also writeth very well euen among those his testimonies that I last cited but I there passed it ouer and reserued his obseruation of kneeling with his other particular examples for this place