thou canst do it The chyef Argumentes of the Anabaptistes agaynste the Baptisme of infantes SIMON In the last of Marke Christe sayth to hys apostles go throughout all the wholl worlde and preach the gospell to euery creature He that beleueth and is baptyzed shall be saued He that beleueth not shall be condempned Also in the laste of Mathewe it is wrytten after this maner Al power is giuen vnto me in heauen and in earth goyng therfore teache ye al nations baptizing in the name of the father of the son and of the holy ghost By these it semeth to folow and that necessarely that baptisme ought onely to be ministred vntoo them that can be taught and instructed For he sayth first teache them and then afterwardes baptyse them whereby it foloweth also that baptisme is a signe of the faith that wente before For he saithe he that beleueth and is baptyzed shall be saued Let vs nowe adde and ioyne vntoo these and ponder dilygently both the examples and factes of Ihon and of the apostles and that whych I say shal be manifeste and playne For Ihon dyd baptise them onelye that dyd confesse theyr sinnes Actes .ii. Chapter Actes .ii. Chap. Luke doth wryte after this maner And they which receyued gladlye the worde were baptyzed Philip doth then at lengthe baptyse the stewarde of Quene Candace after that he had declared vnto him ye. liii Chap. of Esay had questioned wyth him of his faith Actes viii Chapter Actes viii chapter All the apostles after that they had preached the Gospell and that the faith was receyued did baptise the faithefull It foloweth then that baptysme as a signe is due vnto thē that can both heare and receyue the doctryne Infantes because that they want the vse of reason can neyther heare nor receyue the doctryn therfore they haue no faythe For Paule teacheth that faith commeth by hearynge and hearyng by the word of god Rom. x. Chap Roma .x. Sith then that Children can neyther heare nor vnderstande the worde of god they can not beleue Ergo baptisme is not due vntoo them which is a signe of the faythe that goeth before Yf thou canste A solution to the argumentes of the Anabaptistes answere me to these I wil tell and set forth myne other argumentes hereafter IOI Thou hast rehersed the chief and principal foundatyons of the Anabaptystes that haue anye showe or appearaunce but thys is noo newe thynge vnto vs whych haue learned and red in hystories that aboue three hundreth xlviii yeares agone that is to saye in the yeare of Christe M.C. lxxxii there haue bene heretykes The sum of the Anabaptistes argumēts that haue taught the same doctrine But because that ye do leane vpon a weake brickel foundatiō your fote shal easely be subuerted ouerthrowen in al your doctrin ye do most vrgently beat this into mens hedes the baptisme is a signe of the faithfull or of them that haue faith alredy Infantes or yonge babes haue no fayth Ergo baptisme ought not to be ministred vnto infantes In very dede if the wordes be wel and truly expounded and vnderstanded we do gladly graunt this thinge vnto you That baptysme is a sygne of the faithfull people But we do not deffyne cyrcumscribe This word fidelis faithfull or fidel ought not to be limited as the Anabaptists wil haue it or limite the faythful as ye do for yf no man shoulde be baptised but they that beleue truly and from a sincere hearte Iudas Simon of Samaria Demas and other hipocrites had neuer ben baptized Let no man thus take my sayinges although I would haue baptysme to be ministred vnto theym whome it is manyfeste and playne to be infydels but myne intente is to shewe that by thys word fidelis faythfull some what more is to be vnderstanded then the Anabaptistes do expresse SIMO What canst thou make of a faythfull but a faythfull I can not vnderstand how infantes and yong babes can be faithful sith that they do wante the vse of reason IO. But in thys busynesse we do soo speake of the faythfull that we do in noo wise exclude the children from the number of thē syth that the children and infantes are of god whome god doth alwaies admitte and receyue into his churche emonge the faythfull SIM It behoueth the to haue proued the same Who be the fideles faythfull Gene. xvii Chapter O comfortable sayinge both to vs and too oure children as I haue alredy proued the contrary IOI I wil proue it Genesis xvii chapi Where god doth make a couenaunt with Abraham the lorde doth peculyarly comprehend the chyldren in the couenaunt for he sayth I shall be thy god and the god of thy sede after the. And afterwards he commaundeth the infantes to be cyrcumcised vpon the eyght daye to receyue the signe of the Testament Wherby it foloweth that god is not only the god of thē that be of age and canne beleue in God but also of the infante Children are fideles or faithful and be in the churche the members of Christe which for lacke of age can not yet beleue for they through grace and the promyse are receyued in to the couenaunt and number of the faythfull SIM I care not for the olde Testamente of the Iewes these olde thynges are abolished by the gospel IO. By Iesu Christ the ceremonies are abolished and the figures fulfylled What parte of the olde testament is abolyshed by Christ but the couenaunte made with Abraham standeth styll Elles god were not our god and the God of our sede and shuld be made by Christ more vnmerciful and more straunge thē he was to the aunciaunte fathers before Christ Which to thynke were a foolysh thyng that I should not say an vngodly specially syth that in the newe Testamente The faythfull are the chyldren of Abrahā Roma iiii Gala. iiii Mat. viii Luke .xiii. and .xix. Chapter Ihon .i. Chapter alsoo the faythfull are called the chyldren of Abraham Rom. iiii Gal. iiii Mat. viii Luk. xiii .xix. Chap. Besides these Christ which expresse words doth say Suffer yonge children to come vnto me for to suche doth belong the kingdō of heauē Paul speaking of the children of the christians saithe Youre chyldren are cleane How should that be onlesse it were thorow grace mercy the promise of god It foloweth then that the children of the christians are of god ought to be numbred emong the children of god SIM These thinges do altogether repugne vnto the scriptures and gospell as thoughe the carnall birth should auaile some thyng before god wheras Ihon saith Whych were not borne of bloud nor of the will of the flesh or of man but were born of god Ye say that the chyld doth belong to the church because that his parentes are of the churche IOIA. We doo saye thys through the grace mercy of god wherof is the promise The children are of the
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
what then were ye baptyzed SIMON In the name of the father of the sonne and of the holye ghoste IOIADA Ergo ye were not baptyzed in the baptysme of the Busshop of Roome but in the baptysme of GOD. And they that baptise you nowe in what or wyth what wordes doo they baptyse you SYMON With water and in the name of the father of the sonne and of the holye ghost IOIA. Were ye baptized in the same and with the same worde in your youth SIM Yes truely IO. What neadeth thē thys laste baptisme doest thou not se the ye are starke madde SIM When we were children we knew nothyng of baptism We vow now vnto god purenes a lyfe without sinnes IO. Could ye not do this without baptism Yf ye could ye neded no water yf ye coulde not the vertue is in the water Ergo our saluatyon is alligated and bounde to the elementtes agaynste the nature of faythe and of the scriptures What answere canste thou make here SIM It is better that we thus consecrate our selues vnto god Anabaptistes are like vnto monkes IO As monkes did heare before tymes bynd themselues vnto god with there vowes Here poyson is hyddē that ye do chalenge nad attribute vnto your selues purenesse of lyfe ye do detest abhorre other as vnclean as the catharians in times passed ye do gather and assemble vnto your selues a peculiar churche markyng and sealyng your selues as though ye were the purest of all men Rebaptyzation is a newe secte againste the vnytye of the church Wherfore I may well cal your rebaptizatiō a newe secte against the vnitye of the churche whiche thynge appeareth more and more by thy words Tell me I praye the if youre churche is without sinnes or is no more in the flesshe where is then the lost prodigall chylde the straying shepe the fyeld sowen with cockle and darnel the net that draweth all kindes of fisshes the supper or banket where all they that are bidden doo sitte also they that haue not the bridegromes liuerie Yf ye be pure wholl then haue ye no nede of Christ the phisition of the soules O moste bolde and shameles hipocrytes O disguysed and masked hery tykes who hath bidden you to make dyuision afore tyme Or if ye be so holye pure when wyll ye of charitye beare with vs our heauy burthens wherewyth we are ouercharged and burdoned that ye maye fulfyll the lawe of Christe When wyll ye haue compassyon of our infyrmities When wyll ye that are strong take vs that are weake vntoo you Whye do ye cut of and contempne the sicke and weak members What are ye but scismatykes SIMO Thou hast not yet told why the aunciente fathers dyd baptyse them agayne that had bene baptized by heritykes IOIADA They were not baptized againe It is no baptisme onlesse it be ministred in the name of the father the sonne and of the holy ghoste but they were baptized as they that had not bene baptized For herytykes dyd denie the trinitie the god head of Christe and the holy ghost Besides that they were not of the churche Ergo they had no baptisme nor did baptise in the name of Iesus whom they dyd denye Moreouer the custome of rebaptizyng or baptyzing agayn was not cōmonly vsed in the church For they that had bene baptyzed in the name of the father of the sonne and of the holy ghost were not baptyzed agayne but were receyued by the imposition of handes and also were admonisshed to persiste and abide in the sinceritie of fayth This therefore helpeth you nothynge but rather doth make against you Emong the true christians ye haue no exaumple at all of your rebaptization but emong these auncyent heritikes that haue bene alreadye condempned of the churche For ye doo renew the heresyes of Aupentius The Anabaptistes do renew olde heresyes Nouatus Pelagius SIM What maner of men were they IOIA. In the yere of our lorde CC.lv. there rose in Roome a ceraine man called Nauatus a verye arrogante proude obstinate and bold man He did teache Nonatus errour that a man after baptisme was pure and cleane which purenesse yf he had ones lost through sinne he coulde neuer be forgyuen And if anye man for feare and dreade or necessitie of deathe had denied Christe that he ought not any more to be receyued intoo the church thoughe he lamented neuer so sore for hys fall but that he oughte to be separated and as a dampned creature too be shunned of all men Thys thynge dydde cause a counsayle of graue and holy men to be gathered at Roome A counsall agaynst Nouatus whiche by the scriptures beynge truelye vnderstanded did condempne this opinion as vngodly and herytycall Yet in the meane season Nouatus dothe not leaue of nor yet recant his vngodly opinion but rather did assemble and gather a peculyar churche condempning the churches where synners and repentaunt personnes were he dydde call hys churche pure Therefore were the Nouatyans Why the Nouatiās wer called Catharians called Catharyans Whome he dydde receyue into his church them did he bind vnto his errour consecrate vnto his vnpure clenlynes by reqaptizatiō or baptizing again I do not bring these thinges out of mine own head but out of those auncyent doctours Cornelius Ciprianus Dionesius Alexandrinus and Eusebius Of whome some did lyue in Nouatus time The Nouatians Anabaptistes are lyke in all thynges Now if thou dost diligently loke vpon these auncyent Nouatians the anabaptystes of our tyme thou shalt find very litle difference betwene them for as Nouatus beinge openly conuinced in that most famous counsayle of learned Bishops doth not forsake hys errour but obstinately dothe defende it so the Anabaptistes do at this present For howe often haue they bene ouerthrowen in the open disputations that haue bene kepte wyth them in Tigure Sanctogallum Berne Basile Constance Argentyne and Auguste And yet for all that they wyl rather loose theyr lyfe then for sake theyr errour yea they do gather assemble peculier churches they baptise agayne they condempne oure churches as vncleane they doo atribute vnto them selues purenesse of lyfe to be shorte they doo all thynges that Nouatus dydde In the meane season they are ambitious arrogante proude pufte vp and verye hipocrytes SIMON I vnderstande that the Anabaptystes are Nouatyans What sayest thou of the other two IOIA Aupentius was busshop of Milan Aupentyus condemneth the baptisme of childrē afore Ambrosius of the sect of Arrius He did condempne the baptisme of children His errour was condempned in the counsayle of Miluent SIMON But it foloweth not thereby that infantes muste be baptyzed IOIADA Verelye it foloweth whych thyng we wyll proue by and by ¶ The second Dialogue That the baptysme of children is of God SIMON Whatsoeuer thou sayest I wyll proue by most stronge argumentes that the baptisme of children is not of god IOIADA And I wyll gladly heare howe
¶ 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
of the scryptures it is set forth and expressed that Christ had by his apostles baptized before his death and afore that they had receiued the holy ghostes Ihon .iii. Ihon .iii. and .iiii. Chapter and .iiii. Chapter After thys Iesus dyd come and his discyples into the lande of Iuery and there he did abyde with them and did baptise Ihon also dyd baptyse before Christ wherfore he was called baptyste SIMON Ergo baptysme hath hys beginnynge and institutyon of man IOIADA Truly Ihon was a man whych thing no man can denye yet notwythstanding his doctryne and baptysme were not of man but of God Math. xxi Chapter Mathewe one and twenty Chapter But it is called the baptysme of Ihon and of the apostles not because it is theyrs but because it is mynystred by theym I wyll speake more playnely Math. xi Chapter how thys sayinge The lawe and the prophetes were tyll Ihō cam Christ Mathewe .xi. Chapter saythe that the law and the prophetes were tyll Ihon came whereby Christe doth shew that the thynge that the Prophetes dyd afore prophecye to be or too come was more fullye set furthe and declared by the preachyng of Ihon. For the thynges the afore by the prophetes were prophecied to come vnder darke fygures of wordes the selfe same thinges are sette furthe by Ihon as fulfylled and presente Ihon begynneth wyth hys baptsme the gospell and newe testament and are in a maner shewed with the fygure The lawe had a misticall lambe Ihon dydde shewe the true lambe wyth hys fynger Ihon therfore doth begyn first the gospell and the newe Testamente and sheweth that the Messias is come It was necessarye then that he should abolisshe the olde sygnes and chaunge them into other that should be without bloud worthy of the new testamente Circumcyon is chaūged intoo baptisme For circumcision was chaunged into baptysme Therfore Ihon beginneth baptisme first as a signe or seale of the people of God But let vs heare his owne wytnesses and testimonyes of that thynge Math. iii. Chapter Mat. iii chap When he did se manye of the Pharyses and Saduces cōming too his baptysme that they also might receiue baptism of him he said vnto them Bryng ye furth frutes worthy of repentaūce By the whiche wordes Ihon doth plainlye declare wherfore for what purpose vse he did minister baptism although he shuld saie It shal not be sufficiēt to haue your body wasshed in the water but rather this ye must haue a respect vnto that ye be new mē that ye be sory and repente of your mysdeedes that are passed and take heede of them that are to come There is no cause why ye shuld boste your selues to be the children of Abraham onlesse ye do folow the fayth of Abraham What did Abrahā he dyd beleue in god hee was obediente vnto the worde of god hee dyd approue hym selfe or shewed hym selfe faythfull in all thinges vnto the same god For I say vnto you the god is able to rayse vnto Abraham Chyldren of these stoones that is to saye of the gentils Now also the axe is laid to the roote of the tree What is to be vnderstanded by the vnprofitable bowes wher wyth the vnprofytable braunches that bring forth no fruyte are cutte of That is to saye the bowghes that dyd growe of the naturall olyue tree I meane thee vnfaythefull Chyldren beynge cutte of and cast awaye from the Testamente of god shal be destroyed and burnt Vnderstande therfore my wordes a ryght Prepare your heartes agaynst the comming of the Messias the newe king I do baptise you wyth water and in a maner initiate you or giue you the first instruction in the religyon of Christ to the intente that ye be such the wil repente receiue Christ When he is receiued he shal baptise you with the holye ghoste that is to saye Too baptism with thē holi ghost he shal seale and make you perfect with his holy spirite he shall pardon and forgeue you your synnes he shall also endue you wyth fyer that is to saye wyth feruente charytye Study wyth all diligence to receyue hym worthely c. By these testymonies we do conclude and gather that Ihon dydde baptyse fyrste and that he dyd also baptise in Christe The apostles after that they had receyued Christ dyd vse none other baptysme but the same that they had learned of Ihon. Yea Christe hym selfe was alsoo baptyzed in the baptysme of Ihon. The baptisme of Ihon is the true baptisme els Christ was not well baptized Yf Ihons baptysme is not trewe it foloweth that Chryste was not truely baptyzed and that he oughte too be baptyzed agayne Who is soo madde too say so Ergo the baptysme of Ihō is the true baptisme whych Chryst dyd confyrme and sanctyfye in him selfe SIMON I doo agre vntoo all these thynges but what doo they make agaynste rebaptyzatyon IOIADA Thys trewlye that the men of Ephesus whome mentyon is made of Actes the nynetene Chapter Were not baptyzed again syth that the baptisme of Christ and the baptisme of Ihon be all one Yf they were not baptyzed agayne the anabaptistes haue no example at all of theyr rebaptyzation Whereby it foloweth that theyr rebaptyzatyon is not of God For they deuyde that one onelye baptysme Paule sayth One god one fayth one baptysme whyche is in the churche of god wythout the whych there is noo baptysme Syth then that the anabaptystes do forsake the church The anabaptistes haue no baptisme yea do deuide the churche and are felowes of herytykes they haue noo baptysme For they are not in the churche of Christe Ergo. theyr rebaptyzatyon is repugnaunte vntoo GOD and is nothynge elles but a newe secte agaynste the vnytye of the churche Obiection both foolyshye and chyldyshe SIMO But thou doest dissēble this that they do abhorre the baptisme of the busshop of Rome none otherwise then in tymes passed the holy fathers dyd abhorre the baptysme of heretykes or minystred by heritykes For they that had bene baptyzed by herytykes and scysmatikes were baptyzed agayne IOIA. Who dydde euer baptyse men wyth the baptysme of the Busshoppe of Roome Dyd the busshop of Roome begyn baptisme SIMON No Ihon did begyn baptisme but the busshops of Rome did adde manye thinges of theyr owne IOIADA The thynges that were added by the busshop of Roome as salte Oyle coniurynges c. are they baptisme or parte of baptysme Thoughe the byshoppes of Roome haue added many thyngs to baptisme yet it ought not to be called the baptisme of the Byshope of Rome SIMON Neyther of them for then neither Christ nor Ihon had baptyzed truely whyche dyd not adde those thinges IOIADA If these new added thinges are not baptysme nor yet parte thereof whye do ye call it then the baptysme of the busshop of Roome Or was euer anye man that dyd baptyse in the name of Clemente Bonyface Leo or Gregorye SIMO No manne IOIADA In
mysteryes But the wholle action cōteyneth a greate mysterye and an honorable sacrament Wherfore it was called by the holy fathers a purging remission of synnes also regeneracion or renuyng and other lyke names Not that the water hath the strength to purge or renewe For then Symon of Samaria Iudas Himeneus Phyletus and other false brethern and hipocrites had bene clensed and renued for then were wasshed with the water of Baptism But it is playne and manyfeste that they were not purged inwardely but defiled with all iniquitye and wyckednesse that they were not the chyldren of god but the chyldren of the diuell Whē therfore these godly spiritual things are attributed vnto baptisme they be not attributed vnto the outward wasshing but to the wholl action which conteyneth the faith of the minister of the church of him that is baptized also the grace election promise of god It is then chiefly attributed vnto the which is signifyed by the pouryng on of the water SI what is signified thē What is signifyed by the pouryng on of the water IO. That he whych is baptized is of the people of god that he is clensed inwardlye by the grace of the holy ghost the wholsome water that he is wasshed by the bloud of Christ initiated vnto a new lyf euen as water doth wasshe and clense the outward filthenesse SIM verie well Syth then that the mysteries of batisme are so hygh excellente holy why Circumcision was in tymes passed a great sacrament I pray that are they geuen ministred to infantes that are not able to receyue so excellent thinges IO Was not circumcision in tymes passed a great sacrament a signe of the people of god an initiation or entraunce into the true fayth and innocency of lyfe Deu. x. Hier. iiii Roma ii iiii Cha. And yet it was geuen ministred to the chyldrē whiche long after wer instructed in the lawe Deu. vi Whie shuld we not do the same Why shuld we not seale our children beyng newly born with the seale of the people of god whē thei be of age bring thē into knowlege of the gospel Of this Confirmation did sprīg among aūctant fathers cōfirmaciō or bisshoping that is to say an establyshyng of those thinges that were begonne in baptisme The chyldren were brought forthe they were asked of their faythe of the Lordes prayer other necessary articles wherin they were instructed confirmed Wherfore they that dyd bryng the chyldren to baptism are witnesses that the child whiche is brought is borne of chrystian parentes askyng both in theyr name and in the parentes name that the seale of the people of god may be geuen ministred vnto the childe Wherfore they be called in oure vulgare tonge godfathers god motheres because that they brynge the chylde to god and wytnesse that he is of god promysing that they wyl bryng vp the chylde in the true fayth if nede shuld require Yf ye aske by what scripturs we do strenghten these oure sainges we doo bryng vnto you the Analogye or cōueniencie of the ceremones of the olde lawe that is to say of circumcision For euē as in circumcision the chyldren were brought vnto the Lord so we do read in the gospell the chyldren were brought vnto Christ SI I do lette these thynges passe nowe retourne vnto the fyrste Thou dyddest say yf I remember well that where Christ is not preached that mē must be taught fyrste and then at length baptized They ought not to goo aboute to baptise where the gospell is not preached IOIA. So it is nor it can be done none otherwyse as thou thy self doest knowe for yf any man shuld come in to Greekland where the Turke doth now raygn there wold baptise afore he had taught should not lose his labour for men beynge not yet taught what baptisme is or what it sygnyfieth wold neyther thē selues receyue baptisme nor suffer it to be ministred vnto their chyldren SIM Did not I prai that the Iues knowe the god was their god the god of their chyldren IO. They kenw it ryght wel therfore they circūcised their childrē SIM what nedeth thē ani preaching emong the Iues that knew god alredy before Why did they not by by bryng intiate the children by baptisme vnto Christ IO. The Apostles did preache baptism against circumcisiō The Iues which toth nail defended circūcision Therfore ther was nede of long preaching emong the Iues that they myght vnderstand the baptisme shuld be in sted of circumcision SIM The anabaptistes do say that ye teache these thynges without the scriptures IO. Thei shuld easely vnderstand the baptism is com in the stede of circumcisiō if they woulde diligently looke vpon the vse of them both For in baptisme as in tymes passed in circumcision the name is geuē vnto chyldren So it is wrytten Luc ii chapter But these thynges are of lytle weyght emong you Therfore we do referre all our saynges to the Actes of the Apostles x. xi xv and Collosse .ii. chapte For there Paul doth comforte the faythfull that were of the gentyles byddeth them that they shuld not be sory because they were not circūcised for why Baptisme was the circumcision of the faythful SIMON But there he doth playnely and with expresse wordes speake of the circumcision that is done without handes vnderstandyng therby a renewynge of the mynd of the inward man IO. We speak of none other But in the meane season Paule dothe meane that Iewysshe circumcysyon that was done in the priuye membre wyth a flynte stone and wyth handes I saye that ye are cyrcumcysed O ye Collossenses and haue a cyrcumcysyon not that cyrcumcysion that is done wyth handes but in stede of the bodelye outwarde circumcision ye haue Christes circumcisiō that is to say baptisme For as by circumcision the cuttyng away of affections was signified so by the wasshing done in the water of baptism the purging clensing frō sin is fygurated betokened That thys is the true meaning sence of this place I wil proue by the very words of Paul In Christ saith he ye are complet whiche is the head of all rule power by whō ye are circumcised with the circumcysion that is made wythout handes when ye dyd put of the sinfull body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ being buried together with him through baptisme in the which also ye be risen with him by the faith wrought in you of god which raised him frō the dead Bring hether to thys place that .vi. to the Rom. conferre them together and thou shalt vnderstand the baptism is called the circumcision of Christ also the baptisme hath bene placed in the stede of the circumcision Vpon these things I do conclude after this maner Yong childrē were in times passed circumcised Baptism occupieth the place roum of circūcision ergo our childrē must be baptized