A myrroure or looking glass wherein you may behold the sacrament of baptism described.  
Anno. M.D.xxxiii. Per me I.F.  
He that will beleaue and be baptized, shalbe saved. But he that will not beleaue shall be condemned. Mar. xvi.   

A declaration  
considering the manifold and lamentable errors wherwt not the ignorant people only, but also the learned( as they seem) haue been seduced long as touching the blessed sacrament of baptism. I thought it expedient therein to write my mind. Trusting by that means to bring again the blind hearts of many unto the right way, and I doubt not but that the elect and chosen of God that know their foresees voice, 
John. x. i. Corhin. ii.  and haue the spirit to judge all things: shal easily perceive whether this be conformable to their maisters voice, & shal hereby be monished to leave their wanderyng in the dark and loathsome ways which leadeth unto death and to walk without stumblynge in the comfortable light which bringeth their consciences to rest, 
Pha. iiii.  and such peace that passeth all understanding.  
¶ One error is this they put so great confidence in the outward sign that with out discretion they condempne the Infantes, which die or they be baptized unto everlasting pain, an other is this. They cleave so strongly unto the weak Cerimonyes that they think yf a drunken priest leave out a word as Volo say ye, or Cre●o say ye forget to put ●pyttell or salt in the chyldes mouth that the child is not christened, yea so much give they there unto the beggerlye salt, that they will say spill not the salt, for it is our christendom, and use also to swear by it. saying by this salt that is my christendom. Alas what blindness is this, these two errors are the principal that I do intend at this time to confute. For when they are fallen: the other that are grounded on these must neades decay. first we must mark three things in every Sacrament to be considered the sign, the signification and the faith, which is given unto the words of God The sign in baptism is the ploungyng down in the material water and lyftyng up again by the which as by an outward badge we are known to be of the numbre of them which profess christ to be redeemer and saviour.  
¶ This outward sign doth neither give us the spirit of God: neither yet grace that is the favour of God. For if thorough the washing in the water the spirit or grace were given: then should it follow that who so ever were baptized in water should receive this precious gift, but that is not so, wherefore I must neades conclude that this outward sign by any power or influence that it hath, bringeth not the spirit or favour of God. That every man receiveth not this treasure in baptism is evident, for be it in case that a Iewe or an infidel should say that he did believe and believed not in dede, and vpon his words were baptized in dede( for no man can judge what his heart is, but we must receive him unto baptism if he confess our faith with his mouth al be it his heart be far from thence) this miscreant now thus baptized hath received this outward sign and Sacramen, aswell as the most faithful man beleauynge.  
Howe be it he neither receiveth the spirit of God, neither yet any grace but rather condemnation. wherefore it is evident that the exterior sign giveth not this gift which is also as certain in al other Sacramentes, 
Note.  yea in the sacrament of the altar which may be called a double sacrament. For it is not only a remembrance that the natual body of christ was broken and his blood shed for our redemption as the evangelist do testify, but also it is his spiritual body which is the congregation of the faithful as S. Paul testifieth: saying the bread which we break is it not the partaking( that is to say we that are partakers) of the body of Christ? For we( saith he) though we be many yet are we one bread & one body, but for al that, the receiving of this sacrament giveth us not the spirit of God neither yet his favour: for the wicked receiveth it as well as thou good. Howe be it that receiving is to there damnation. wherefore it followeth that the outward sign giveth no man any grace. moreover if the spirit of God & his grace were bound unto the sacramentes, thē where the Sacramentes were ministered there must the spirit of grace wait on & where they were not ministered should be neither spirit nor grace. But that is false, for Cornelius & al his household received the holy ghost before they were baptized. 
acts .x.  In so much that Peter said may any man forbid that these should be baptized with water which haue received the holy ghost as well as we. And so he commanded thē to be baptized, in the name of the lord, here may we se that as the spirit of God lighteth where he will, neither is he bound to any thing. Yea and this ensample doth well declare unto us that the Sacramentes are given to be an outward witness unto all the comgregation of that grace which is given before privately unto every man.  
¶ So is baptism given before the congregation unto him which before he receive it hath other professed the religion of Christ, or else hath the word of promise, 
Note.  by the which promise he is known to be of the sensible congregation of Christ & for this cause when we baptize one that is come unto thage of descrecion we axe of him whether he believe if he answer yea & desire baptism then is he baptized so that we require faith in him before he be baptized which is the gift of God and cometh of grace and so it is an outward sign of his invisible faith which before was given him of God. If an infant be brought unto baptism whom his friends offer up willing to sanctify and fulfil the commandment and ordinance of God we inquire of his friends before the congregation whether they will that their child be baptized and when they haue answered yea, then receiveth he baptism. Here also went before the promise of God that he of his grace reputeth our infantes no less of the congregation then the Infantes of the Hebrewes & thorough baptism doth the congregation receive him which was first received thorough grace of the promise, thus may we se that baptism bringyth not grace but doth testify unto the congregation that he which is baptized had such grace given him before, so is baptism a Sacrament, that is, the sign of an holy thing even a token of the grace and free mercy which was before given him a visible ensample of invisible grace which is done and given throw the gentleness of God. By this may we perceive how gross their ignorance is which without discretion condempne the infantes that depart out of this world not baptized in our material water. For if that water give no grace as I haue sufficiently provid, why should they condemn more before that washing thē after. Beside that the election of God is fre & followeth not our faith but faith followeth the election as it is written. And there believed as were ordained unto everlasting life for they that are chosen from the beginning are no doubt chosen before they had faith, 
acts .xiii.  we ought not therfore to give such unadvised judgement on these children which by their age haue not yet hard our faith, seeing Goddes election is hid from our eyes.  
¶ The children of Israel were a people which God had chosen from among al the nations of the world and gave thē circunsition for a token and memorial of that election, which circumsition was a figure of our baptism & they thought that the gentiles which were not carnallye circumsisid had ben al comdempned. But their opinion deceived them, for there were also of the gentiles which although they were not circumsisid outwardelye were elect of God and were spiritually circunsisid which onely is the thing that God regardeth as Paul testifieth seing he is not a Iewe which is a Iewe outward, 
Roma. ii.  neither is that circumsision any thing which is outward in the flesh But he is a Iewe which is hid within the circunsition of the heart, which is the cutting of, of carnal desires is the true circumcision, this circumcision was in price with God with the which the gentiles, as job were circumcised, and in like maner may we say of our baptism he is not a Christen man which is washed with water nether is that baptism which is outward in the flesh, but that is the very baptism which God alloweth to be baptized spiritually in the heart that is to subdue and weed out the braches of sin that it reign not in your mortal bodies and bring them into bondage under it, of the which our baptism is but a sign and there are many I doubt not which are thus spiritually baptized al though their bodies toutche no water as there were gentiles thus spiritually circumcised and yet never cut of the fore skin of there privy members  
¶ Furthermore the children of the uncircumcision are of the people & congregation of God as well as the Hebrewes children under the lawe were members of there congregation I take the congregation of God in this place even somewhat largely that is for al thē that are thought or counted to be members of Christ as it is taken matthew .xiii. 
Mat. xiii.  where Christ compareth it unto a net which receiveth both good fish and evil and again Math. xxv. 
Math. xxv.  where he likeneth the kingdom of heaven that is to say the congregation of God unto .x. virgens of the which .v. were wise & v. foolish but I speak not in this place of the elect sanctified and invisible congregation, which is without spot and wrinkyl and only known unto God which hath chosen her before the foundations of the world were laid neither is it to be esteemed but the God is as merciful unto us which are of the spiritual Israel, as he was unto carnal Israel. S. John, saint paul, and such other were they not being infantes of the congregation of God elect in christ Iesu before the creacion of the world, howbeit in their infancy they nether had faith nor yet knew any thing of this election, matthew, zacheus, & the thief and marye magdalen were they not like wise so chosen yet they themselves knew it not until they were lightened of the holy ghost and drawn unto christ by the heavenly father nether knoweth any man of an others election but every man may know his own thorough his faith and will that he hath to fulfil the law of god. Of this sensible congregation of Christ was Iudas, yea & al the other which after forsook Christ, nether wist the apostles but the Iudas had been of the elect sanctitifyed and invisible congregation of Christ as well as Peter or John so that our iudgement recounteth al faithful & chosen that seem to be, but christ knoweth them that are his and them that shall forsake him.  
¶ now is their an opinion risen among certain which affirm that children may not be baptized until they come unto a perfect age, and that because they haue no faith but verily me thinketh that they are far from the meekness of Christ and his spirit which when children were brought unto him received thē lovingly & embraced them in his arms matthew .ix. 
Mat. ix.  & when his disciples blamed the bryngers he cauiled them unto him saying, suffer children to come unto me and forbid them not, for of such is the kingdom of heaven luke .xviii. 
Luke .xviii.  And albeit they haue no faith but are onely of that invisible congregation that is with out spot or wrinkyll: yet as I haue said they haue a promise as well as the children of the Hebrewes, by the which they are of the uisible congregation which thing only is testified in their baptism. So it appeareth that these men are ignorant what baptism is. For our baptism doth not testyfy that we are of that pure congregation which were chosen & sanctified in christ before the world began which haue their names written in the book of life of the which it is not possible that one should perish for then were it false testimony: seing many which are baptized fall afterward into perilous heresies and utter disperacion which bringeth thē unto death everlasting. And as for faith if they haue none when they are baptized let thē pray unto God togyue it thē afterward for the lack of faith hurteth not the sacrament but the sacrament may be aswell ministered unto a miscreaunt as to a faithful, if he say that he hath faith or haue any promise of God but this matter will I pass over for I trust the englishe unto whom I write this haue no such opinions. Now will I proceed with the second point of this sacrament which is the signification. The signification of baptism is described of Paul in the .vi. of the romans. 
Roma. vi.  that as we are plounged bodily into the water. even so we are deade and butted with Christ from sin and as we are lifted again out of the water. even so are we risen with Christ from our sins that we might hereafter walk in an new conversation of life, so that these two things, that is to be plunged in the water and lift up again, do signify and represent the whole pithe and effect of baptism that is the mortificacion of our old Adam and the rising vpe of our● new man. What is the old● Adam? verily even that by natural inheritance is plante● thorough Adams fall in us as t● be unfaithful angry enuiou● covetous, slothful proud 〈◇〉 ungodly these & such other uses, where with our nature is venimed, ought we wit● al diligence to cute of and m●tifye that we may daily 〈◇〉 more patient liberal and mercieful according to that ou● baptism doth signify In s● much that a Christen ma● life is no thing else save a continual baptism, which is begun when we are dipped in the water & is put in continual ure & exercise as long as the infection of sin remaineth in our bodies which is never utterly vanquished until the hour of death, and there is the great goliath slain with his own sword, that is death, which is the power of sin, & the gate of everlasting life openeth unto us, and this is paul to be understand. Galathians .iii. 
Gala. iii.  where he saith. Al ye that are baptized haue put christ on you, that is you haue promised to die with christ as toutchyng your sins and worldly desires passed and to be come a new man or creature or membre of christ, this haue we al promised unto the comgregation and is represented in our baptism. But alas there are but few which in dede fulfil that they promise or rather that the Sacrament promiseth for them. And for this cause it is called of paul the fountain of the new birth and regeneration. Tite. iii. 
Tite. iii.  because it signifieth that we will in dede renounce and utterly forsake our old life and purge our membres from the works of iniquity thorough the virtue of the holy ghost, which as the water or fire doth cleanse the body: even so doth it purify the heart from al uncleanness, yea it is a common phrase in scripture to call the holy ghost water and fire, because these two elementes express so lively his purging operation.  
¶ Now haue we expounded the signification of baptism which signification we may obtain onely by faith, for if thou be baptized a thousand times with water and haue no faith it availeth the no more towards God, then it doth a goose when she ducketh herself under the water. therefore if thou wilt obtain the profit of baptism thou must haue faith, that is, thou must be surely persuaded that thou art newly born again not by water only but by water & the holy ghost, John. iii. 
John. iii.  & thou art become the child of god thy sins not imputed to the, but for given thorough the blood & passion of Christ according unto the promise of god. This faith haue neither the deuyls neither yet the wicked. For the wicked can not believe the remission of their sins, but fall unto utter desperation & make God alyer as much as in thē is. For they believe not the testimony which he gave his son, & this is that testimony, that al which beleaue on him haue everlasting life John. v. 
John. v.  And the devils can not believe it, for they haue no promise made unto them. Thus thorough Christes blood, where of our baptism hath his full strength & vigour, are we regenerate & made at one with the father. For by our first & natural birth, we are the children of wrath. Cphes. ii. & the enemies of God. Ro. vi. 
Roma. v.   
Finally baptism is an ordinance institute of god( & no practise of mans imagination) put in use in Christes time & after his resurrection commanded to be ministered unto al that believe, whether they were Iewes or gentiles. 
Mathews the last.  For Christ saith to his apostles. Go ye & teach al nations baptizing them in the name of the father, 
Math. xi viii.  and of the son, and the holy ghost. wherefore although it seam never so exterior a thing, yet ought it to be had in great price and much reverence because it was commanded of God to be done. Beside that it is an outward sign or witness unto the comgregation of the invisible promise given before by grace unto every private man and by it doth the cogregation receive him openly to be counted one of thē which was first received by faith or thorough the grace of the promise it putteth us also in remembrance that we aduertisyng the kindines of God & our promise in baptism may learn to die and mortify our rebellyng members otherwise, giveth it no grease nether hath any secret virtue as we haue sufficiently proved and therfore is he sore to blame that so vnaduysydly condempneth these Infantes iudgynge his bro: ther which is in Gods hand yea & peradventure baptized in Christes blood for Goddes election is unknown to man. Now will I endeavour myself to over throw and utterly put out the second error which hath long reigned and seduced many and that is of them which so strongly steke unto the weke ceremonies. Concerning the ceremonies of baptism ye and all other, we must behave ourselves wisely as charity teacheth us seeking the profit of many that they may be saved we must consider that we haue our conversation with men in this world of the which the most parte know not God. Some are young some weke, some perverse and some likewise necked and obdurat unto the young ceremonies, which although they bee not noisome unto the faith nor contrary to the word of God, yet will it be hard to finde such. They are good & expedient( as milk) to lead the young tenderly into the more perfit knowledge of god. The second sort are the weke unto whom in al things it behoveth us to haue respect and bear their infirmities by charity for their sake acts. xv. 
acts. xvi.  did paul circumcise timothe yea and for their sake he had liver to captive his liberty & never eat flesh nor drink wine thē to offend one of them, the thride kind of men are harlot I mean not so resolve that they are clean with out sin having no rennauntes of old Adam assaylynge them for such are there none but only christ but I call thē perfect which haue perfect knowledge in the use of things which know, that what soever entereth into the belly defileth not the man, 
Math. xv.  which know that al such things be pure unto them that are pure Tite i. 
Tite. i.  which know that if we eat we are noting the better or if we eat not we are nothing the worse .i. Corhinthi. viii. 
1. Corhi. viii.  these are fre betwne God and their conscience & may use althinges howbeit they are yet bound as concerning their neighbour which is weke and hath not the knowledge, yea bound under the pain of sin to abstain from woundinge of their conscience for he sinneth against God that woundeth another mans conscience .i. Corinth. viii. 
i. Cor. vii.  the fourthe kind are self willed and obstinate which put confidence in such indifferent things. For I think them not needful unto our salvation. Thē ought we to resist in the face & no● to yield an yenche unto them as paul giveth us ensample which would not for their pleasure circumcyse Titum but utterly resisted their obdurate ignorance. If thou make this division, thou shalt know howe to be haue thyself towards al men, but now it is meet that we show the which are the ceremonies of baptism ¶ The Ceremonies of baptism are easlye expressed if thou know what the substance of it is and howe the apostles ministered it & where may we haue that better expressed then acts. viii. 
acts. viii.  where Philip baptized the Eunuch chamberlain to the queen of Candace, this Eunuch did knowledge that Iesus was the son of God which is the sign of our faith and desired baptism and Philipp at the next water they came to, washed him in the name of the father and of the son and of the holy ghost there will no man deny but that, that baptism was as full and as good as oures and yet was there ne. ther font nor holy water, candle, cream, oil, salt, godfather, or Godmothers, or any other, popatrie. wherefore we may conclude that al these things are but ceremonies that is to say exterior things which make baptism nether the better nor worse of a mite, thus say I not to haue these ceremonies that want judgement, disannulled which are not noisome to our faith, for fear of offending the weak but only that thou mayest know howe to use them, as indifferent and to put no confidence in thē. For thē should they hurt and unquiet our conscience, if thorough negligence or other wise any thing were undone, and so should they be an occasion to pluck us from christ, which were institute for a mean to bring us unto him. Therfore the seniors and ministers of the congregations ought to instruct their flocks to take these things indifferent, which neither save nor damn whether they be done or undone.  
And if they perceive the people cleave to sore to them, then ought they to seek out a time convenient, and to abrogate or alter those ceremonies or elles they can not escape the wrath of God. For they that seek health in such ceremonies are fallen from grace and tread under their foot the blood of christ: unto their condemnation. But their blood shall be required at your hands, which better should haue instruct them. And as concerning the abrogation or alteration▪ 
Ezechi. xxxiii.  of ceremonies we haue a Godly ensample of the sabbath. The sabbath was institute and commanded of God to be kept of the children of Israel. 
Exod. xx. Deut. v.  notwithstanding because it was a sign or a ceremony and did signify unto thē that it was God which sanctified them with his spirit, and not themselves with their holy works. 
Exod. xxxi.  And because also that all ceremonies and shadows ceased when Christ came. So that they might be done or left undone indifferently. Our forefathers, which were in the beginning of the church, did abrogate this sabbath to the intent that men might haue an ensample of christen liberty and that they might know that neither the keepyng of the sabbath nor of any other day is necessary according to paul. 
Gala. iiii.  Ye observe dayes, times and months I am afraid of you that I haue laboured in vain towards you. Howe be it because it was necessary that a day should be reserved in the which the people might come to gether to here the word of God they ordained in the stede of the Sabbaoth which was saturday the next day folouing which is Sunday and although they might haue keep the Saterdaye with the Iewes as a thing indifferent: yet did they much better to overset the day to be a perpetual memory that we are fre and not bound to any day but that we may do all lawful works to the pleasure of God & profit of our neighbour and it were at this time very expedient yet ones again to over set our Sabbaoth which is the sunday( because the ignorant people do count it as necessary) unto the monday or tewysday For we are in maner as superstitious in the sunday as they were in the Satterdaye, yea, & we are much madder. For the iewes haue the word of God for their Satterdaye sithe it is the seventh day and they were commanded to keep the seventh day solemn. And we haue not the word of god for us but rather against us for we képe not the seventh day as the iewes do. But the first which is not commanded by Goddes lawe but paul byddeh that no man judge us as concerning holy day meats and such other exteryour 
Lollo. ii.  things yea and in no wise will he that we observe thē countynge them more holy thē other daies. For they were institute that the people should come to gether to here Goddes word, receive the sacramentes and give God thankes. That done they may return unto their houses & do their business aswell as any other day. He that thinketh that a man sinneth which worketh on the holy day, yf he be weke or ignorant ought better to be instruct and so to leave his hold. But if he be obstinat & persever in his sentence, he is not of God, but of the devill, for he maketh sin in such as god leaveth fre. According to this ensample would I that our ceremonies were altered because as I haue said) the people seek health in them.  
And what villainy can they do more to Christes blood?  
¶ And as concerning godfathers & godmothers they promise for their godchildrē that they shall mortify the root of sin which springeth in the bodeis and subdue their lusts under the lawe of God.  
They promise also that they will instruct and bring up their godchyldrē in the faith of christ: which office pertaineth unto their parentes, for they are commanded of God to teach their children. 
Exod. xiii. Deut. iiii. v.  So that the parentes should be other alone, or at the least the chiefest Godfather. But now a daies the fathers may not be suffered to know any thing themselves. Howe should they then instruct their children. They keep the scripture and word of God from you, and bear you in hand that it is heresy. Alas howe long will you lack understanding: perceive you not yet that they would keep you in darkness because you should not espy their privy practise and slightly conveyance? Are you so made that this blessed word which made the evil good, will make the good evil? think you that this wholesome medicine which healeth all infirmities is now changed into such a nature that it will poison you? Are ye so simplo and chyldyshe to surmise that this godly doctrine which discloseth al hypocrisy and confoundeth all heresies should make you to err and fall into heresies? I pray God give you eyes to se, ears to hear, and open your hearts that you may perceive what his pleasure is. For surely ignorauncie shall not excuse you ( as ezechiel 
Ezech. iii. xxx.  speaking in the person of God) saith unto the curates. Thou son of man, I haue made thee an overseer unto the house of Israel, thou shalt hear the word of my mouth and shalt show it thē from me. If I say unto the wicked thou shalt transversely die & thou show him not, nor exhort him to turn from his wicked way that he may live: then he shal die in his wickedness, but I will require his blood at thy hand. Yea, and if the righteous turn from his ryghtuousnes and do iniquity: he shal die although thou show it him not, he shall die in his sin, but I will require his blood at thy hand. Take hede you curates unto your charge, and let no man excuse himself thorough ignorance.  
FINIS.   

Imprinted at London by john day, dwelling in sepulchers parish, at the sign of the Resurrection, a little above Holburne condite.  
C●● privilegio ad imprimendum solum.