renued when they present their Children to Baptisme Wee willingly grant but the asking of one for another is a practice whose warrant we doubt of and therefore Wee desire that the two first Interrogatories may be put to the Parents to be answered in their own names and the last propounded to the Parents or pro-Parents thus Will you have this Childe Baptized into this Faith The second Prayer before Baptisme May receive remission of sins by spiritual Regeneration This Expression seeming inconvenient Wee desire it may be changed into this May be regenerated and receive the Remission of sins In the Prayer after Baptism That it hath pleased thée to regenerate this Infant by thy Holy Spirit Wee cannot in faith say that every Childe that is Baptized is regenerated by Gods Holy Spirit at least it is a disputable point and therefore Wee desire it may be otherwise expressed After Baptisme Then shall the Priest make a Cross c. Concerning the Cross in Baptisme wee referr to our 18th General Of Private BAPTISM VVEe desire that Baptism may not be administred in a private place at any time unless by a lawful Minister and in the presence of a competent number That where it is evident that any Child hath been so Baptized no part of the Administration may be reiterated in publick under any Limitations And therefore we see no need of any Liturgy in that case Of the CATECHISM 1. Quest. WHat is your Name c. 2. Quest. Who gave you that Name Ans. My Godfathers and my Godmothers in my Baptism 3. Quest. What did your Godfathers and Godmothers do for you in Baptism Exception We desire these three first Questions may be altered considering that the far greater number of persons Baptized within these twenty years last past had no Godfathers nor Godmothers at their Baptism The like to be done in the seventh Question 2. Ans. In my Baptism wherein I was made a Child of God a Member of Christ and an Inheritor of the Kingdom of Heaven We conceive it might be more safely expressed thus Wherein I was visibly admitted into the number of the members of Christ the children of God and the Heirs rather then Inheritors of the Kingdom of Heaven Of the Rehearsal of the Ten Commandments We desire that the Commandments be inserted according to the New Translation of the Bible 10. Ans. My duty towards God is to believe in him c. In this Answer there seemt to be particular respect to the several Commandments of the first Table as in the following Answer to those of the Second And therefore wee desire it may be advised upon whether to the last word of this Answer may not be added particularly on the Lords day otherwise there being nothing in all this Answer that refers to the fourth Commandment 14. Quest. How many Sacraments hath Christ ordained c Ans. Two onely as generally necessary to salvation That these words may be omitted and answer thus given Two onely Baptism and the Lords Supper 19. Quest. What is required of persons to be Baptized Ans. Repentance whereby they forsake sin and Faith whereby they stedfastly believe the promises of God c. 20. Quest. Why then are Infants baptized when by reason of their tender age they cannot perform them Ans. Yes they do perform by their Sureties who promise and vow them both in their names We desire that the entring Infants into Gods Covenant may be more warily expressed and that the words may not seem to found their Baptism upon a really actual Faith and Repentance of their own and we desire that a promise may not be taken for a performance of such Faith and Repentance and especially that it be not asserted that they perform these by the promise of their Sureties it being to the seed of Believers that the Covenant of God is made and not that we can find to all that have such believing Sureties who are neither Parents nor Pro-parents of the Child In the General Wee observe that the Doctrine of the Sacraments which was added upon the Conference at Hampton-Court is much more fully and particularly delivered then the other parts of the Catechism in short Answers fitted to the memories of Children and thereupon we offer it to be considered First Whether there should not be a more distinct and full Explication of the Creed the Commandments and the Lords Prayer Secondly Whether it were not convenient to add what seems to be wanting somewhat particularly concerning the nature of Faith of Repentance the two Covenants of Justification Sanctification Adoption and Regeneration Of CONFIRMATION The last Rubrick before the CATECHISM ANd that no man shall think that any detriment shall come to Children by deferring of their Confirmation he shall know for truth that it is certain by Gods Word that Children being baptized have all things necessary for their salvation and be vndoubtedly saved Although we charitably suppose the meaning of these words was onely to exclude the necessity af any other Sacraments to Baptized Infants yet these words are dangerous as to the mis-leading of the Vulgar and therefore we desire they may be expunged Rubrick after the Catechism So soon as the Children can say in their Mother-tongue the Articles of the Faith the Lords Prayer and the ten Commandments and can answer such other questions of this short Catechism c. then shall they be brought to the Bishop c. and the Bishop shall confirm them We conceive that it is not a sufficient qualification for Confirmation that Children be able memoriter to repeat the Articles of the Faith commonly called the Apostles Creed the Lords Prayer and the ten Commandments and to answer to some questions of this short Catechism for it is often found that children are able to do all this at four or five years old 2dly It crosses what is said in the third Reason of the 1. Rubrick before Confirmation concerning the usage of the Church in times past ordaining that Confirmation should be ministred unto them that were of perfect age that they being Instructed in the Christian Religion should openly profess their own Faith and promise to be obedient to the will of God And therefore 3dly we desire that none may be confirmed but according to his Majesties Declaration viz. That Confirmation be rightly and solemnly performed by the information and with the consent of the Minister of the place Rubrick after the Catechism Then shall they be brought to the Bishop by one that shall be his Godfather or Godmother This seems to bring in another sort of Godfathers and Godmothers besides those made use of in Baptism and we see no need either of the one or the other The Prayer before the Imposition of hands Who hast vouchsafed to regenerate these thy servants by Water and the Holy Ghost and hast given unto them the forgiveness of all their sins This supposeth that all the Children who are brought to be Confirmed have the Spirit of Christ and the
such sins We are loth to enter upon such Comparisons between the Ministers ejected for the most part and those that are in their rooms as tends to shew by this Rule who are likest to be the Dividers And for inordinate desires of Honour and Wealth between your Lordships and Us we are contented that this Cause be decided by all England even by our enemies at the first hearing without any further vindication of our selves and so let it be judged who are the Dividers Only we must say that your intimation of this Charge on us that seek not for Bishopricks Deaneries and Archdeaconries or any of your preferments that desire not nor would accept pluralities of Benefices with Cure of Souls that never sought for more than Food and Raiment with the liberty of our Ministry even one place with a tollerable Maintenance whose provoking Cause hath been our constant opposition to the Honours Wealth Lordships and pluralities of the Clergy yea who would be glad on the behalf of the poor Congregations if many of our Brethren might have leave to Preach to their Flocks for nothing We say your intimation maketh us lift up our hands and hearts to Heaven and think O what is man what may not by some History be told the World O how desirable is the blessed day of the righteous universal Judgement of the Lord How small a matter till then should it be to us to be judged of man We hope upon pretence of not suffering us to deceive the People you will not deny liberty to Preach the necessary saving Truths of the Gospel considering how terrible a Symptom and Prognostick this was in the Jews 1 Thes. 2. 15 16. Who both killed the Lord Jesus and their own Prophets and persecuted the Apostles and God they pleased not and were contrary to all men forbidding to Preach to the Gentiles that they might be saved to fill up their sins alwayes for wrath was come upon them to the utmost We can as easily bear whatever you can inflict upon us as the hinderers of the Gospel and Silencers of faithful Ministers and troublers of the Churches can bear what God will inflict on them and so the Will of the Lord be done Sect. 13. There hath been so much said not only of the lawfulness but also of the conveniency of these Ceremonies mentioned that nothing can be added This in brief may here suffice for the Surplice that reason and experience teaches that decent Ornaments and Habits preserve Reverence and awe held therefore necessary to the solemnity of Royal Acts and Acts of Justice and why not as well to the solemnity of Religious Worship and in particular no Habit more suitable than white Linnen which resembles Purity and Beauty wherein Angels have appeared Rev. 15. fit for those whom the Scripture calls Angels And this Habit was ancient Chrysost. Hom. 60. ad pop Antioch Repl. 1. If nothing can be added then we doubt the answered Writings extant against these Impositions will never be well answered 2. We are desirous that no undecent Vestures or Habits be used in Gods Service Those that scruple the Surplice do it not as it is a Habit determined of as decent but as they think it is made an holy Vestment and so a part of external Worship as Aaron's Vestments were as may be seen in the Arguments of Cotton and Nichols lately Printed together Sect. 14. The Cross was alwayes used in the Church in immortali lavacro Tertul. And therefore to testifie our Communion with them as we are taught to do in our Creed as also in token that we shall not be ashamed of the Cross of Christ. It is fit to be used still and we conceive cannot trouble the Conscience of any that have a mind to be satisfied Repl. That the Cross was alwayes used in the Church in Baptism is an Assertion certainly untrue and such as we never heard nor read till now Do you believe it was used in the Baptism of the Eunuch Lydia the Jalor Cornelius the 3000. Acts 3. or in those times And when it did come up it was with Chrysm and not our airy transient Image and therefore you so far differ from the users 2. The Condemnation of Genuflection on the Lords dayes in adoration was at least as ancient and universal and commanded by Councils when the Cross was not and yet you can dispense with that and many such usages And if you will your selves fall in with Custom yet every ancient common Custom was never intended to be a matter of necessity to Union or Tolleration of our Brethren use no other force about the Cross than the Church then did Your saying that you conceive it cannot trouble the Conscience of any that have a mind to be satisfied doth but express your uncharitable censeriousness while your Brethren have studied and prayed and conferred for satisfaction it 's like as much as you and profess their earnest desires of it and their readiness to hear or read any thing that you have to say in order to their satisfaction Sect. 15. The posture of kneeling best suites at the Communion as the most convenient and so most decent for us when we are to receive as it were from Gods hand the greatest of seals of the Kingdom of Heaven he that thinks he may do this sitting let him remember the Prophet Mal. Offer this to the Prince to receive his Seal from his own hand sitting see if he will accept of it when the Church did stand at her Prayers the manner of receiving was more Adorantium St. Aug. Psal. 98. Cyril Catech. Mystag 5. rather more than at Prayers since standing at Prayer hath been left and kneeling used instead of that as the Church may vary in such indifferent things now to stand at Communion when we kneel at Prayers were not decent much less to sit which was never the use of the best times Repl. To all this about kneeling we say 1. We have considered the Text in Mal. and what you say and yet 1. We find that our Betters even Christs Apostles and the universal Church for many hundred years thought not kneeling most decent nor did the Church in the first Age think sitting unmeet in that Service to the King of the Church And we hope you reprehend them not 2. You require not the Adult that are baptized to receive that Seal or Sacrament kneeling 3. When kneeling at Prayers was in use in the Apostles times yet kneeling in the reception of the Sacrament was not 4. Why can you so lightly put off both the Practice and Canons of the Church in this more than in other such things However you cannot here deny de facto but that kneeling on the Lords dayes in the receiving the Sacrament was for many hundred years of the purer times of the Church disused and condemned And why do you not tell us what other General Council repealed this that we may see whether it be
though we believe the Churches sense was sound yet we desire that all things that may render it lyable to misunderstanding may be avoyded Sect. 6. Page 24. Receive remission of sins by spiritual Regeneration most proper for Baptism is our spiritual Regeneration St. John 3. unless a man be born again of water and the spirit c. And by this is received remission of Sins Acts 2. 3. Repent and be Baptized every one of you for the remission of sins So the Creed one Baptism for the remission of sins Repl. Baptism as an outward Administration is our visible Sacramental Regeneration Baptism as containing with the Sign the thing signified is our spiritual real Regeneration As we are Regenerated before Baptism as you know adult Believers are so we cannot pray to receive remission of sins by that same Regeneration renewed As we are regenerated really in Baptism that Regeneration and Remission are conjunct benefits But if Baptism at once give Regeneration and Remission it follows not that it gives Remission by Regeneration But as Regeneration comprehendeth the whole change real or Physical and 〈◊〉 so we acknowledge that as the part is given by the whole you may say that remission is given by regeneration but more sâ—â—ly in it than by it but we are not willing to make more ado about words than needs We cannot in faith say that every Child that is baptized is regenerate c. seeing that God's Sacraments have their effects where the Receiver doth not ponere obicem put any bar against them which Children cannot do we may say in faith of every Child that is baptized that it is regenerated by Gods Holy Spirit and the denial of it tends to Anabaptism and the contempt of this holy Sacrament as nothing worthy nor material whether it be adminisâ—red to children or no Concerning the Cross we refer to our Answer to the same in general Rep. All God's Sacraments attain their proper end But whether the Infants of Infidels be the due subjects and whether their end be to seal up Grace and Salvation to them that have no promise of it or whether it be onely to seal the Covenant to Believers and their seed are Questions yet undecidedâ— wherein we must entreat you not to expect that we should implicitely believe you and it is as easie for us to tell you that you are promoting Anabaptism and much more easie to prove it We take those but for words of course PRIVATE BAPTISM We desire that Baptism may not be administred in a private piace and so do we where it may be brought into the publick Congregation But since our Lord hath said St. John 3. Unless one be born of Water and the Holy Ghost he cannot enter into the Kingdom of Heaven We think it fit that they should be Baptized in private rather then not at all It is appointed now to be done by the lawful Minister Repl. We must needs suppose you are disputing with Protestants who ordinarily shew the Papists that that Text Joh. 3. asserteth no absolute necessity of Baptism to salvation But we believe as wel as you that it is the regular way of solemn Initiation into the Covenant and Church of Christ which none that indeed are the Children of the Promise should neglect As Coronation solemnizeth his entrance upon the Kingdom that had before the title and as Marriage solemnizeth that which before was done by consent so Baptism solemnizeth the mutual Covenant which before had a mutual consent And none is authorized to consent for Infants but those that by nature and God's Law have the power of disposing of them and whose will is in sensâ— forensi the Childrenâ— will It solemnly investeth us in what we had an Antecedent right to and therefore belongs to none but those that have that right And this we are ready to make good by any fair debate that you will allow us Nor is any thing done in private reiterated in publick but the solemn reception into the Congregation with the Prayers for him and the publick declaration before the Congregation of the Infants now made by the Godfathers that the whole Congregation may testifie against him if he does not perform it which the Ancients made great use of Rep. Do you not say in the Rub. And let them not doubt but the Child so baptized is lawfully and sufficiently baptized and ought not to be baptized again And after I certifie you that in this case all is well done c. And yet you do not renew all the Baptismal Covenant renouncing the flesh c. And engaging into the Christian belief And that you may see that the Church of England taketh not all Infants infallibly to be regenerated by Baptism unless you grant that they repent to the substance of Baptism the baptismal Prayer is here used for the fore-baptized that God will give his holy Spirit to this Infant that he being born again and made heir of everlasting salvation c. which sheweth that he is now supposed to be Regenerandus non regeneratus Do they pray for his Regeneration whom they account regenerate already You must either confess that there they repeat much of the substance of Baptism and take the Child as not baptized or else that they take the baptized Child to be not regenerate And then we may well take them for unregenerate that shew no signs of it at years of discretion but live a carnal and ungodly life though they can say the Catâ—chim and seek Confirmation Of the CATECHISM Though divers have of late been baptized without Godfathers yet many have been baptized with them and those may answer the Question as they are the rest must answer according to truth But there 's no reason to alter the rule of the Catechism for some mens irregularities Rep. If you will have a Catechism proper to those that had Godfathers give leave to others to use one that will teach them as you say to answer according to truth And let us in the same have that liberty of leaving out the doubtful opinion of Godfathers and Godmothers and that which we think too childish a beginning What is your Name and let us use one that speaks more of the necessary Doctrines of Salvation and nothing but necessaries We conceive this expression as safe as that which they desire and more fully exrressing the efficacy of the Sacrament according to St. Paul the 26. and 27. Gal. 3. where St. Paul proves them all to be Children of God because they were baptized and in their Baptism had put on Christ If children then heirs or which is all one Inheritors Rom. 8. 17. Rep. By Baptism Paul means not the carkase of Baptism but the baptismal dedication and covenanting with God They that do this by themselves if at age or by Parents or Pro-parents authorized if Infants sincerely are truly members of Christ and children of God and Heirs of Heaven They that do this
but hypocritically and verbally as Simon Magus did are visibly such as the others ate really But really are still in the gall of bitterness and bond of iniquity and have no part or lot in this business their hearts being not right in the sight of God This is that truth which we are ready to make good We conceive the present Translation to be agreeable to many ancient Copies therefore the change to be needless Rep. What ancient copy hath the seventh day in the end of the 4th Commandment instead of the Sabbath-day Did King James cause the Bible to be new translated to so little purpose We must bear you witness that in some cases you are not given to change My duty towards God c. It is not true that there is nothing in that Answer which refers to the 4th Commandment for the last words of the answer do orderly relate to the last Commandment of the first Table which is the fourth Rep. And think you indeed that the fourth commandment obligeth you no more to one day in seven than equally to all the dayes of your life this Exposition may make us think that some are more serious then else we could have imagined in praying after that commandment Lord have mercy upon us and encline our hearts to keep this Law Two onely as generally necessary to salvation c. These words are a Reason of the Answer that there are two only therefore not to be left out Rep. The words seem to imply by distinction that there may be others not so necessary and the Lords Supper was not by the Ancients taken to be necessary to the salvation of all We desire that the entring of Infants c. The effect of childrens Baptism depends neither upon their own present actual Faith and Repentance which the Catechism saith expresly they cannot perform nor upon the Faith and Repentance of their natural Parents or Pro-parents or of their Godfathers or Godmothers but upon the Ordinance Institution of Christ but it is requisite that when they come to age they should perform these conditions of faith and repentance for which also their Godfathers Godmothers charitably undertook on their behalf And what they do for the Infant in this case the Infant himself is truly said to do as in the Courts of this Kingdom daily the Infant does answer by his Guardian and it is usual to do homage by proxy and for Princes to marry by proxy for the further justification of this answer see St. Aug. Ep. â—1 ad Bonif. Nihil aliud credere quam fidem habere ac per hoc cum respondetur parvulum credere qui fidei nondum habet effectum respondetur fidem habere propter fidei Sacramentum convertere se ad Deum propter Conversionis Sacramentum quia ipsa responsio ad celebrationem pertinet Sacramenti itaque parvulum si nondum fides illa que in credentium voluntate consister tamen ipsius fidei Sacramentum Repl. 1. You remove not at all the inconvenience of the words that seemeth to import what you your selves disclaim 2. We know that the effects of Baptism do depend on all the necessâ—ry con-causes on Gods mercy or Christ's merits on the Institution and on Baptism it self according to its use as a delivering investing Sign and Seal and they depend upon the promise sealed by Baptism and the promise supposeth the qualified subâ—ect or requisite Condition in him that shall have the benefit of it to tell us therefore of a common Cause on which the efâ—ect depends vâ—z the Institution or Baptism it self when we are inquiring after the special condition that proveth the person to be the due subject to whom both promise and Baptism doth belong This is but to seem to make an Answer Either all baptized absolutely are â—ustified and saved or not If yea then Christianity is another kind of thing than Peter or Paul understood that thought it was not the washing of water but the answer of a good Conscience to God Then let us catch Heathens and dip them and save them in dispite of them But if any condition be requisite as we are sure there is our question is what it is and you tell us of Baptism it self did ever Auguâ—t jure vel 〈◊〉 was to be esteemed a believer we grant with Austin that Infants of believers propter Sacramentum fidâ—i are visibly and professedly to be numbred with believers but neither Austin nor we wil ever grant you that this is true of all that you can catch and use this form of Baptâ—sm ever the seal wil noâ— save them that have no part in the promise The Catechism is not intended as a whole body of Divinity but as a Comprehension of the Articles of Faith and other Doctrines most necessary to salvation and being short is fittest for Children and common people and as it was thought sufficient upon mature deliberation and so is by us Rep. The Creed the Decalogue and the Lords Prayer contain all that is absolutely necessary to salvation at least If you intended no more what need you make a Catechism If you intend more why have you no more But except in the very words of the Creed the essentials of Christianity are left out if no explication be necessary trouble them with no more then the Text of the Creed c. If explication be necessary let them have it at least in a larger Catechism fitter for the riper CONFIRMATION It is evident that the meaning of these words is that Children baptized dying before they commit actual sin are undoubtedly saved though they be not confirmed wherein we see not what danger there can be of misleading the vulgar by teaching them truth but there may be danger in this desire of having these words wronged as if they were false for St. Austin says he is an Infidel that defies them to be true Ep. 23. ad Bonif. Rep. What all Children saved whether they be Children of the Promise or no Or can you shew us a Text that saith Whoever is baptized shall be saved the Common-Prayer-Book plainly speaks of the non-necessity of Unction Confirmation and other Popish Ceremonies and Sacraments and meaneth that ex parte Ecclesiae they have all things necessary to salvation and are undoubtedly saved supposing them the due subjects and that nothing be wanting ex parte sui which certainly is not the case of such as are not Children of the Promise and Covenant the Child of an Heathen doth not ponere obicem actually quo minus baptizetur and yet being baptized is not saved on your own reckoning as we understand you therefore the Parent can penere obicem and either hinder the Baptism or effect to his Infant Austin speaks not there of all Children whatever but those that are offered per aliorum spiritualem voluntatem by the Parents usually or by those that own them after the Parents be dead or they exposed