A preservative, or treacle, against the poison of Pelagius, lately renewed, & stirred up again, by the furious sect of the Annabaptistes: devised by William Turner, Doctor of Physic.  
Believe not every spirit, but prove the spirits, whether they be of God, or no.   

To the most steadfast, godly, & true preacher of God's word, master Hugh Latimer: William Turner Physician, wisheth long life, and good health: if it be the will, and pleasure of almighty God: with continuance in all virtues, and godliness: and Christ our righteousness.  
THe same thing chanceth now, and hath chanced ever since the beginning, unto all true preachers, and defenders of God's holy word: that chanced unto the noble, and doughty warrior, Hercules. Hercules for the love that he bore unto his country took many a jeopardous, and labour sum work in hand: and ever after that one was ended, another began, so that they might have seemed to be tied together with chains: one did always so continually, and almost touchingly follow another. But his trouble and business, that he had with the killing of the seven headed water snake called Hydra: is most like in all points, unto the labour sum work of Christ's soldiers, and true preachers, for ever as he killed one head with his arrows, and struck it of with his sword: There rose up another again, until that at the length he destr●… them with firebrands. Even so the Aposte●… of Christ, as they had overcomed one labour, they were cumbered straightway with another. first they had much a do, in converting the jews from their evil life: and not a little to do, to pull them from the false believe that they had, to be justified by the works of the law: which for all that they kept not they had much to do, to bring the jews from the ceremonies of Moses' law: and to make them believe, that they were put down by the death of Christ. The turning of the heathen from idolatry unto the belief in Christ, after that they had converted many of the jews, was both a jeopardous, and a tumbrous labour. But after all these great labours, there rose up a sort of heretics: who would have not only defaced, & blotted out all of the praise, that the apostles wan by their labours: but utterly have destroyed, and undone all their doings. The names of the heretics were, Simon Magus, Ebion, and Corinthus. Austen, Ambrose, and Hierom, with other like fathers, in their times, had great trouble and beesines with the innumerable enemies of Christ's truth. And we in our time are not in all points unlike unto Hercules. For one labour ever successively receiveth, and followeth another. First in Cambridge about twenty years ago, ye took great pains to put men from their will works: as pilgrimage, and setting up of candles: and with great labour ye brought many from them unto the works, that God commanded expressedly in his holy scripture: and to the reading, & study of God's word: all dreams, and unprofitable gloss of men set a side, and utterly despised. Then this foundation of God's word, once laid, we that were your disciples, had much to do in Cambridge: after your departing from us: with them that defended praying unto saints, justification of works, holy water, superfluous holy days, the sacrifice of the mass, lying of parsons from their benefices, provision for purgatory, the single living of ministers, and the superstitious choice of meats: & many such other doctrines, contrary unto the scripture. And though this strife against God's enemies, were common to me 〈◊〉 many: yet I had specially to do with a buck: wi●… a certain man, that had a name of the colour of ●…adder: with the fox and his foster: and with a certain witch, called master missa. But after I was easid from all these monsters, by the help principally of almighty God, and by the ●yde of the king, and his counsel: I thought to have been at good rest, and quietness from contentious strivings, wherewith I had been much troubled in times past: and had fully purposed, to have set all my ordinance against gross vices, and naughty living of the people in this realm. But behold suddenly start out a wood spirit, much perilouser than all the beasts, that I had to do with before: not because he is stronger, than the other: but because his poison, that he intenderh to spout out, is more perilous, than the others poison was. Some man peradventure will say, that if I would, I might have avoided all these perils: if I would have meddled with my Physic only, & not have cumbered myself with matters of divinity: and that I am therefore well worthy this trouble. To whom I answer, that if that I had had such a conscience, as to many now a days have: that I could have found in my heart, to take the dignities, rewards, and livings of Christ's church, and to do nothing for them, and if that I had not thought it better, that one man should run into jeopardy, then that many thousands should have been poisoned with the poison of Pelagius: I might in deed have easily avoided this perilous labour. But after that my lord archbishop of York, had once given me a prebend: I could not be quiet, until that I had licence to read, or preach. Which obtained: I began to read, and so to discharge mi conscience. And because I did perceive, that diverse began to be infected with the poison of pelagius: I devised a lecture in Thistelworth, against two of the opinions of Pelagius: namely against that children have no original sin, & that they ought not to be baptized. But within a few weeks after: one of Pelagius disciples, in the defence of his master's doctrine, wrote against my lecture, with all the cunning and learning, that he had. But lest he should glory and crack among his disciples, that I could not answer him: and to the intent, that the venomous seed of his soweing may be destroyed, and so hindered from bringing forth fruit: I have set out this book, to answer him, in the one of his opinions: and (God willing) when I have set out my Herbal, I shall aunsuer him to the other. And this small work I dedicate unto you, as a worthy patron for it. I might have dedicated it unto some great man of authority, power, and riches, but considering that neither authority, power, nor riches, are able to defend my book, if the Pelagians should write against it: I have chosen you as a patron, to defend it with your learning: which is only a better defence, than all the dignity & riches of the world be they never so great. Now after that I have desired you to be a patron unto my book: I must ask you counsel: how that I, and my fellows shall behave ourselves against this monster of our times: that ye may by our labours, be put afterwards to less pain. This monster is in many points like unto the watersnake with seven heads. For as out of one body rose seven heads: So out of Pelagius rose up these seven sects: anabaptists, Adamites, Loykenistes, Libertines, Swengfeldianes, Davidianes, and the spoilers. Sum would think: that it were the best way, to use the same weapons against this manifold monster, that the papists used against us: that is material fire, and faggot. But me think: seeing it is no material thing, that we must fight withal, but ghostly, that is a wood spirit: that it were most meet, that we should fight with the sword of god's word, and with a spiritual fire against it: or else we are like to profit but a little in our business. Paul, a noble capitain of Christ's wars, in his epistle, that he wrote unto the ephesians: counseleth his young scholars (which, he saith, must fight against spiritual craftiness and subtleties) to put upon them all the hole armour of God, & to take the spiritual sword, the word of God. Christ also in the four of Matthew teacheth us by his example to fygh, with spirits, with the spiritual wepones of the word of God, as he did: and so did Austen, and Hierom, conjure, and drive away spirits in their days. Then when as the enemy is a spirit, that is, the ghost of pelagius, that old heretic: once well laid, but now of late to the great ieperdie of many raised up again: the wepones, & the warriors, that must kill this enemy, must be spiritual. As for spiritual weapons, we may have enough out of the store house, or armoury of the scripture: to confounded & overtrow all the ghostly enemies be they never so many But where, & from whence, shall we have spiritual warriors enough fit for this fight? If that we had no more enamies, but this alone, the fewer soldiers would serve: but when as tie spite of fornication and adulter, the ravening rentraysing spirit, the spirit of gluttony, the spirit, of Lucian, Julian, and Epicure, within finite swarms more of spiritual enemies, have besegd the church round about: we had need of a great deal of more soldiers, than all the schools that are in this realm are able to set forth: if so many schools have been put down of late, as the common rumour reporteth. But what would that help to the increase of warriors: if that the old numbered of schools were set up again: if either the scolars should want livings to find them, until they might come to be perfit soldiers: or if they grew up, & became good soldiers: then the living, that was ones appointed only for spiritual soldiers: should be given either unto carnal wariers, or to other that by their dignity have forsworn all common spiritual war, and might get their living well enough otherwise by their own vocations? For that would both discourage scolares from this kind of study: and would compel them, that were able to exercise the spiritual war, to turn them selves to other sciences, to get their livings therewith. For although the war be spiritual, and the soldiers occupy chief their spirits▪ yet are they not without bodies: which (as they are worthy) must needs have meat, drink, & cloth, & all other necessaries. Wherefore if that we will have the church of Christ, delivered from the enemies, wherewith it is now besieged: we must provide not only livings for young scolars, that they may continue in this godly study: but also that the ripe, & perfect soldiers may have sufficient livings: that they need not for lack of livings, to run to their adversaries, for better wages, to commit treason against us. Almighty God preserve you: & grant you strength, & health: that ye may continued in preaching, to the overtrowing of all wickedness, & to the promotion of the true word of God: to whom be all honour and glory, for ever and ever Amen.   


D. HUGONI LATIMERO NIcolaus Grimoaldus. S.  
Optime non pigra florens Latimere senecta:  
Quem Rex, quem regis prudens, sapiensque Senatus,  
Tempore quem longo cupit haec respublica saluum:  
Eccè tui similis veteranus hic, alter & ipse,  
Ad debellandos in religione rebelles  
Millibus è multis te gaudet habere patronum.  
Quàm benè spectatum spectatus, amicus amicum  
advocate: ut fractis pariter succurrere rebus  
Possitis, domini quas impetit hostis acerbus?  
Christiadas Christi sic sic defendere partes  
Cónuenit et iunctis huc huc concurrere turmis.  
Atque utinam pugnatorum sic copia crescat,  
Crescit ut hostilis numerus. Sed ꝙd querar? aut quos  
Incusem? O mores tetros, ô tempora dira.  
Sunt fuci, pecus ignawm: qui melle fouentes  
Corpora, desertis stationibus, omnia produnt.  
Sunt cessatores: quos tu, Latimere, notâsti  
Saepè (Deus faxit, fuerit ne fabula surdis  
Dicta) suas qui cùm res curent, & sibi uiuant:  
Cùm pulchros titulos, & nomen inane bonorum  
Bellatorum habeant: uberrima praemia captant,  
Debita militibus navis, strenuaeque cateruae.  
Armatorun hominum loca, sed non arma capessunt:  
Immò aciem turbant longè turpissima monstra.  
Ingruit ampla manus, vis multò maxima saevit.  
En inimica cohors: en Papa, Pelagius adsunt:  
Cinctus adest crebro, scelerum caput, agmine Daemon  
Non facilè invadant, fundant, vincantque, regantque  
Ex qua part jacent torpentia membra veterno?  
Quid facimus? quae tanta viros ignavia perdit?  
Arua, facos, pecudes, villas, armaria, tecta,  
Divitias, et opes fragiles, perituraque regna,  
Quantis praesidijs ultrò defendimus omnes?  
Et tamen (heu mentes stupidas, heu mortua corda)  
Eripitur coelum, nobis stertentibus ipsum.  
Ve miserae genti: populum quae sata Britannun  
urgent, custodes ubi sunt vulpesque, lupique?  
Nunquàm herclè, nunquam victoria clara redibit:  
Ni somno addictos homines, & tempore belli  
Castra relinquentes: faciant vel prorsus abire,  
Cedentes alijs, proprium vel munus obire,  
Qui res humanas aequa ditione gubernant.  
Atque colant summis studijs, & honoribus illos:  
Qui rectis imbuti animis, & robore magno,  
Lubrica constanti superant mendacia vero:  
Hic uti Turnerus fecit, fortissimus heros.   

Ad D. Guilielmum Turnerum.  
Perge, favente Deo (Turnere gravissime) perge  
Exornare libris tempora nostra tuis:  
Et ui coelesti portenta nefanda domare,  
Quae populum nostrum pest nocente premunt:  
Dum gaudent uentres pingues, magnique magistri  
Cum vafra obscuris arte latere locis:  
Compressisque sedent manibus, gregibusque relictis:  
Atque novis nummis arca tumescit hians.  
Praedentur vigiles, concesso tempore fures.  
Sed quis erit finis? quis, rogo, finis erit?  
Intoleranda dabit vindex tormenta supremus:  
Et scelera horrebit talia quisque pius.  
Tu vero instos reprimens acerrimus hostes,  
Defendensque tui verba colenda Dei:  
Captabis nitido laetissima munera coelo,  
Munera per nullos interitura dies.  
Perg● igitur Papas animo contemnere toto,  
Clarûm exempla virûm clara tenenda memor:  
Neu quosuis facilè Christi patiaris in aede  
Quelibet ignaros dogmata prava sequi.  
Immortale tibi favet isto nomine numen,  
Proque suo genitor pignore summus habet.  
Et solidas grates imo de pectore promunt  
Lucis amatores, candida turba tibi.  
Est satius placuisse Deo, dum recta tueris:  
Quàm servire stylo dissimulante, malis.  
Est satius, paucis justis tua scripta probari,  
Quàm cum mill hominum laud silere levi.  
Ergò, favente Deo (Turnere gravissime) perge  
Illustrare libris tempora nostra tuis.   

Ad Catabaptistam.  
Amice, si sapis, tibi cave: cave,  
Bonum ne nomen amittas apud bonos:  
Item ne corpus in periculum trahas:  
Neu mentes plurimas perdens, perdas tuam.  
Duas res, obsecro, quantum potes, fuge.  
Est una magna pestis, Ignoratio,  
Quae veritatis lucen nescit assequi.  
Est altera, praeter hanc, lues vel maxima,  
Doceri uelle se negans Superbia.  
Autore me: qui non minùs sanè tibi  
Rectè consultum, quam mihi volo, & meis:  
Sacrum pia vocabis voce Spiritum:  
Qui pectori tuo talem modestiam  
Instillet, ut sibi planè renunciet:  
Verique noscendi te amore sedulo  
Inspiret, abiectis malis affectibus.  
Ad hunc modum, si comparare te voles:  
Tunc, tunc, uolume● hoc cùm cord légeris  
Attento, candido, benigno, serio:  
E doctus, optimam redibis in viam.   

To the reder.  

Like as in time of God's revenging wrath:  
When fiery Mars, when Saturn cold and dry  
With Son in Scorpion conspyrid hath,  
And from the south unholsoome breath is do fly:  
Venoomde vapours, they poison by and buy  
The duskid air infected is the water:  
Corrupt is food of men's substance the matter:   

The moisture hore than rottith inwardly:  
Then stopped are the holes of outerskyn:  
Then from the heart the heat to veins doth high:  
Then native vice abateth all within,  
Drawn fast together, dried, and driven full thyn●  
Then wastith living wyghtis, without defence,  
The raging plague, and cruel pestilence:   

Right so ●he devil out sent to trouble us,  
With hellish hotlynges, with Saturnians,  
With creeping beasts, the light defacing thus,  
As in this storm still stout Pelagians  
Blows forth the blasts of Antichristians:  
The bondessaves of Satan, sowers of lies,  
Masters of mischief, trumps of heresies.   

Now fostrid is a madding malady  
In heddis neewfanglid, and beewitched thaughtis:  
Refusing all good leachiss remedy:  
god's troth to fancies plucking, that be naughtis:  
Lewd people drawing by unskilful draughtis:  
Until the simple souls, without redress,  
Possessed of error fayntyth succourless.   

Yet, lo, when as that murrain is so brim:  
To his, God shapith sooverayne safeguard:  
By change of place: by purging every limb:  
By bitter soul, by thin diet, and hard:  
By moving members toward, and froward:  
By Vipars' body bet, with herbis not void  
Of virtue: if her head, and tail be stroyde.   

Likewise good helpis God gives against the sore  
Disease of mind, and brain fantastical:  
To seewe sage company, to use no more  
Unwholesome steeds: to clang, and to let fall  
The Proud, and coy conceit: withdrawing all  
Fat fare,, and fine, strange dishes to forsake:  
For Alexander, Woolfbane lest thou take:   

To practise heavenly lore, and wisdom brought  
Down from above: this medicine to apply  
To rescue folk, that hath contagion caught,  
And eke to save a man continually  
From deadly poison: yea or else to try,  
Which way thou mayest cut of the adders head,  
Or ease thy friend unto thy ancorfledde.   

Wilt thou be sound? wilt thou be safe, & sure?  
Follow, follow this work, thou haste in hand.  
Wilt thou him ken, that cause is of cure?  
He that abroad here, and out of the land,  
He that in ward, did antichrist witstande:  
good Doctor Turner: who by skill is able  
To prove the sooth, and to confound each fable.    

Thomas Norton to the reder.  

We may wite, if we will, by holy writ  
The lore of the lord, that leadeth to life:  
We may see, if we seek, and find in it  
The fall of falsehood, the steuching of strife:  
The trial of truth: the guide of our gate:  
Calbemesse of heart: what to love, or to hate.   

Yea and so may we see, that it alone  
Should be sought, to find that we ought to seche:  
No mind of man to be builded on:  
No counsel, no custom can be our leech,  
To purge the poison: give salve for the sore:  
Or hath health for the harmed heart in store.   

They more the mischief: they prolong the pain:  
Ad more force to the fire, for the want  
Of water of the word: and work in vain  
Let us high to him: whose skill is not scant.  
whose will doth not, to better our bale:  
To less our loss. Yea to quit us of all.   

A pestilent plague, a poysonons ill  
Hath sown sores in certaigne now of late:  
A wood spirited heart: with a wayward will:  
A stubborn stomach, to nourish debate:  
Blered, yea blinded eyes: a brazen breast:  
A leden brain: I reckon not the rest.   

Against these evil airs thou mayst have here  
(Take it, and taste it, yea let none be left)  
A tried treacle, to keep the clear.  
Lechecraft not only restoreth the rest,  
But also preserveth unharmed health.  
This physic is free and easy God wealth.   

And even as learned leeches do oftentimes  
(Trial teacheth daily to fore our eyes)  
Put in poison, to make for medicines:  
So make their bale thy boot: their loss likewise  
Thy gain, to warn the how thou ought to work  
To glory of God, and help of the Church.   

A watcherime to the magistrates, for the  
Catabaptistes, and their patriarchs.    


Commune trial teacheth them, that be wise,  
Off things forepast to find, what will befall,  
We have seen, hereof what end doth arise:  
CConfounding of kingdoms, decay of all.  
Heed taken to warning saveth from fall.    

Qui voudra bien du tressainct lauement  
De Christ Sauueur la verité scavoir,  
Ce liuret lise, ou tout entierement  
Turner l'escrit d'un haut stile & scavoir  
Au contrainct & meu pour ne vouloir  
Du faux Satan ne des siens le poison  
Estre espandu en saincte maison  
Que jesus Christ de son sang alauée  
Lesquelz avoient sans aucune raison  
Encontre luy leur grand corn leuée.   

Thomas Nortonus Sharpenhauius Lectori.  

Quando sic summo pariter parenti  
Constat & rerum domino placere,  
Cuius in cunctis manet una semper  
firma voluntas:   

 vel exipsis etiant malorum  
Improbe factis sua proferatur  
Laus, quod ruentus moderetur atque  
tempora solus:   

Commodum lector simul ó beat  
In tuum cedant, animosa quisquis  
In tui causa ducis exhibebis  
pectora Christi:   

In tuum proles igitur Satanae  
Quicquid hic Christum vomuit veneni,  
Robur integro, medicamen aegro  
en tibi factum.   

Is quod erravit, moneat supernae  
Candido grates animo ferendas  
Gratiae, quate sibi chariorem  
praetulit illi.   

Insuper quae sint, doceat cavenda.  
Fausta Turnero medico precare  
Tam pio: mentem quoque saniorem  
haeresiarchae.    

Randolphus Hurlestonus ad Lectorem.  

Praecipit nobis, nihil ut patretur  
Prosus iniusté: sua set relinqui  
Omni bus mandat deus ille sumo  
summus olympo.   

Nonne ius ductum uiolat nefande  
Eripi qui vult puero tenello,  
Dum nequit primos propriam per annos  
dicere causam,   

Illud aeterni solidum sigillum  
Faederis, per quod sumus infauore:  
Per quod & nobis rata cuncta fiunt  
munera Christis   

Nuperat quidam stygijs abundis  
Proruens, parumspo●iare pubem  
Nititur tanto precio, malignus  
invidus hostis.   

Quem gravi pugna strenué retundit  
Ille Turnerus, decus atque lumen  
Angliae: cuius fuit in Papistas  
inclyta palma.   

Consulas doctos igitur labores  
In bonam partem, tibi qui dicantur:  
Atque perpendas animo tenaci  
quae liber offert.    
FINIS.   
Est Deus verax, omnis homo mendax. 
AS almighty god is the auctor of all truth, yea even the truth itself, as Christ, in these words doth testify: I am the way, the truth, & the life: so all lying, & falsehood cometh from the devil: as Christ saith in john: the devil is a liar, & the father of the same. Whereby it is not hard to know, of what spirit ye be: which begin your book with so many unshamefaced lies, and go forward with falsehood: & both in rehearsing of other men's doings, & sayings, and also in matters of religion: do willingly, and advisedly, tread down the truth: maintaining the doctrine of the devil (I mean heresy, & false doctrine) with lies, falsehood, and sometime with subtle Sophistry: which I reckon the devil at certain times poureth into you, to defend his doctrine with all, for all the learned men that have disputed with you in your opinions, whit whom I have spoken, judge you to be so iklender a clerk: that they think that ye never learned neither sophistry, nor logic neither any good science in all your life, saving only music: wherein if I be so cunning, as the common report maketh you: it had been better for you to have song your part against me in tune: them to have to unlearnedly, and lyingly written against me, out of order, and out of tune, from the truth. first, as hereafter followeth, thus do ye begin. ☞ Master Turner intending to prove that infants may well and ought to be baptized in their infancy, by the word of God, began first, as I am informed, to commend unto his audience the custom of colleges, and schools in Oxforth, and cambridge, and such other: where it is ordained, that such as shall be admitted to the fellowship of such houses, shall hear the statutes where unto they shall be bound four times in the year, that they may know their charge thereby, and keep it: Which custom is in deed a reasonable and landable custom, but not in all points agreeable to his purpose. For there they receive no infants to the fellowship of their houses: but such as are grown to understanding, and do earnestly sew to be received: and being received, have their year of probation, to see whither they can allow, and like the company with all their statutes and conditions, and the company them or not, or ever they be admitted.  
¶ In the first sentence of your book, ye teach the readers of it▪ (to make them like you) a loudly: that is to wit: that I did allege the custom of the reading of the statutes of colleges, iiij. times in the year, to the fellows of the colleges: to prove, that children in their infancy both aught, and might well be baptized. which is plain false. For all though I intended in the end of my sermon to prove, that infants might well be baptized in their infancy: yet in the beginning of my sermond, I cited and alleged not the manner of reading of statutes in colleges, to prove that infants should be baptized: but to teach my hearers, that were present in the church: that I thought it as necessary for Christian men, to have their baptism to be oft opened, and declared unto them: wherein is contained in a small room, the hole sum of a Christian man's profession: as it was necessary for scholars to have their statutes red four times in the year. For I had been worse than mad, to have said, that the declaration of baptism had been necessary for children, which can understand never a word of the declaration. But let the words of my sermon be judge in this matter. My words a little after the prayers were these. ☞ And because baptism is the sum of all the hole Christian profession, wherein we promised to believe in Christ, and obey his commandments: it shall be fittest for me to entreat thereof. I think it well done, and do much praise, and allow the custom used in universytes, in every college or house iiij, times in a year to have the statutes laws, and ordinances of their houses, openly red unto them: whereby cometh great profit unto two kinds of scolars, for in every college or house of learning, there be commonly three sorts of scolars: one perfit, and well learned: the second unperfect, yet desirous and labouring to attain to the perfection: that third is utterly unlearned, and yet never intendeth to come unto any learning: To the ij. first sorts of these scolars, is the reading of the laws, and statutes of their house very profitable: to the perfit, that by the often hearing of them, they may be by no process or length of time, forgotten, and slip out of their mind: To the unperfect, yet desyrrus, and lacking time to come to perfection, it is very profitable, that the customable hearing of the statutes and laws of their house red before them, may beat into their heads, and make them the better to know what ordinances be appointed for them, whereby they may attain to a perfection. And so are there three kinds of christian men. etc. and a little after I said these words: As to the first sorts of scholars, the rehearsal if their statutes is very profitable: so to the two first sort of christians, the often reading and repeating of the sum and abrigement of God's commandements is very necessary. for as the statutes in colleges do show unto scholars, what was their founder's will, that they should keep: and whereunto they be bound by the laws of their house: so ought we to have an abrigement or sum of the commandments of God, to teach us what is our duty, and what we have bound ourselves to keep. When as these be my words: & of them no other sentence can be gathered: but the I thought, it was as necessary, that baptism (which containeth in it the hole profession of a Christian man: & declared, teacheth him what is his duty, and what God requireth of him) should be often times rehearsed, & opened: as the statutes of colleges, should be red unto the scolars, to put them in remembrance, what they are bound to, and what their founder requireth of them: how frowardly, and falsely do ye write my words: and feign, that I bring them in, for to prove that children might, and ought to be baptized? or if ye will not have it done of malice, and frowardness: I must needs impute it to wonderful great ignorance, and want both of wite and learning. ●or what learned man, replying against his adversary, which had holden three conclusions, and made three reasons in order one after an other, to confirm his conclusions with all: would answer first to the last conclusion: and say, that his adversaries reason defending the first conclusion, maketh not in all points for the last conclusion? In this your doing ye follow very near a certain unlearned limiter of cambridge. This freer was long and many a day a lymyter, and a begging thief: which under the pretence of long prayer had devoured the house of many a poor widow: and whiles he did that, he learned nothing but knavery. this freer being old, by the reason of his age, thought shortly to be prior of the place: and if he were bachelor of divinity, he should the sooner come by his purpose. he got his grace with much labour, and many promises, to be bachelor of divinity: but he must answer first in a disputation, in the divinity school. But the freer perceiving himself unmeet for that matter, came unto the doctor that should dispute with him: and desired him, to be good unto him: and to let him have his arguments in writing, and clerkly solutions written in order for every argument: promising to content him for his labour, the doctor did so. but when the doctor propounded the first argument in order, in the beginning of the disputation had in the scoles: the unlearned, and forgetful friar, applied the last solution to the first argument. But the doctor spoke merely unto the freer in these words: Domine, adhuc non sumus ibi, Sir we are not yet there. And so must I say unto you, answering me like the unlearned friar. Sir we are not so far as yet. answer first to my first questions, & to the reasons made to defend them: & when ye have confuted them, go in hand with them, that follow in order. But let us go forward, and answer to the rest of the lies. Ye say, that I began my sermon with the rehearsing of the custom of colleges, as year informed: pretending, the ye had not had not had the copy of my sermone before you: for this intent (as it doth plainly appear) that ye might make a place for more lies, which ye purposed to bring in by the window: that is, if any man should accuse you for rehearsing any thing hereafter, lyingly & falsely: that ye might say, I was so informed: as though ye had learned the matter only by hear say, & not by any writing. But the truth is, that ye wrote not one word against me, until that ye had my hole sermone written in your hands. Therefore, if by your information ye mean any thing, saving that ye were informed by my written sermone: ye serve far from the truth. the lie whereunto ye made a place, in your feigned information, is contained in these words. ☞ He began first as I am informed to commend unto his audience, the custom of colleges, and schools in Oxforth, & cambridge, and such other: where is ordained, that such as shall be admitted to fellowship of such houses, shall hear the statutes: whereunto they shall be bound four times in the year, that they may know their charge thereby, and keep it.  
¶ If this be not a shameful lie, where ye say that I spoke of scholars, that were yet to be admitted: I report me unto my hole auditory: and to all them that have red, and shall read my sermon, faithfully gathered of me by Thomas Norton. But because every man perchance, can not come by my sermon, I will repeat a few words of it: which shall prove ye guilty of the lie, that I laid unto your charge. My words were these. ☞ As the statutes in colleges do show unto scolars, what is their founder's will, that they should keep, and whereunto they be bound (lo here I say whereunto they be bound, and not whereunto they shall be bound) by the laws of their house: so ought we to have an abrygement, or sum of the commandments of God, to teach us, what is our duty (I say not what shall be our duty) and what we have bound ourselves to keep.  
¶ Mark here, how that I say: what we have bound ourselves to keep, and not what we shall bind ourselves to keep. Then when as my example of the reading of the statutes of coileges, four times in the year, agreeth in all points with my purpose, that I applied it to: ye do me open wrong, to scourge me for your feigned and false forged words: saying that my example doth not agree in all points with my purpose, because it agreeth not with your words: which ye bring in after such a manner, as they were mine Now seeing that this playnsonge is yours, the descant that ye make unto it, belongeth nothing unto me, but see that ye sing in tune, they ye offend not the ears of as cunning artificers, as you be.  
¶ After these lies, with which ye might have been content, if ye had not been unsatiable with such: ye go fast forward to bring in more, saying: ☞ That such a like custom was once in our most holy religion, as was in colleges and in orders of religion, where as none were admitted, before they had a year of probation. Where unto ye put this that they that came to be baptized, demanded, and desired to be received to the fellow ship of the christians after dew proof of unfeigned repentance, & thereby were called competentes. Young men, and women requiring baptism: and then were taught the principles of the christian faith and were first called Catecumeni. And after those principles learned, were upon certain solemn days, at two times of the year approved, therefore baptized: which was upon easter even, and wit sunday even: promising for themselves thobservance of God's law, with the renouncing of the devil and the world in their own person without Godfather or godmother, seven score years long: till Iginius' bishop of Rome ordained to baptize an infant, a godfather and godmother answering for him. Where as ye say that the like manner was in out most holy religion, as the scholars and religious men had: that none should be admitted, until they had been proved a year, and first called competentes, and then cathecumeni. I marvel what religion ye mean of: whether ye mean of the pope's religion, or Christ's religion, or of the Catabaptistes religion: which is your religion in deed. If ye mean of the catabaptistes religion, or the pope's: it may be so: but this wot I well, that it was no custom in Christ's most holy religion. for than should we have seen some mention of it, either in the acts of the apostles, or in the epistles, or gospels. But there is no mention of any such like custom. Therefore there hath been no such custom in Christ's most holy religion: except there be a most holy religion of Christ, whereof is no mention at all, neither in Christ's gospel, neither in any part of the hole new testament. Christ never tied unto any time the receiving of baptism neither did the Apostles orden that at Easter even, and Wytson even, baptism should be received: Nay: the custom of Christ's primative church, and his apostles, is contrary unto the custom used in your most holy religion. For I read in the second chapter of the acts of the Apostles, that there was four M men baptized on the same day, that they hard Peter's sermon: & that without any delay. The words of the scripture are these. When they had heard Peter's words, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter, & the other Apostles: what shall we do, ye men which are our brethren? Peter said unto them: repent you of your sins: and let every one of you be baptized in the name of jesus Christ, to the forgiveness of sins: and ye shall receive the gift of the holy ghost, to you, and to your childer: and to all them that are afar of, whom soever our Lord GOD shall call.  
And with many other words he witnessed, & exhorted saying, keep yourselves from this froward nation. Therefore they that gladly received the word were baptized, & there came to the church that same day about iij thousand souls. How say you? find ye any mention of these words competentes, of Cathechumeni, of differing baptism unto easter even, and Witsoneven, or of any year of probation? After that Philip in the four of the acts of the apostles, had with in the space of few hours diligently instructed the gelded man. Thesame said unto Philip, whom he saw the water: behold here is water, what let is there but that I may be baptized? What would ye have done if that ye had been in Philip's place? it doth appear by your writing, that ye would have answered, sir it is the custom in our most holy religion, to baptize only upon Easter even, & whitsunday even: and such as have been competentes, cathecumem, and have been long time approved: and that have given a sufficient proof of true repentance: But howsoever ye would have answered, philip answered, and did thus: If thou believest with all thy heart, thou mayest be baptized, and the Eunuch answered, I believe that jesus Christ is the son of God, and he commanded to hold still the wagen: and they went both down into the water, Philip, and the Eunuch: & Philip baptized him. Did Philip require of this man, a year of probation: that he should be catechumes, and competentes, a great while before he should be baptized? No forfoth. For he baptized him straight way, without any delay at all. Peter in the ten of the Acts, after that his heres had received the holy ghost, said these words: can there any man let, but that these may be baptized, which have received the holy ghost as well as we? what would ye have answered unto S. Peter if ye had been there? It is likely: that ye would have answered, lack of faith & age in all them, that are under the age of xiiij years and the use of Christ's primative church, is to baptize none with so slender a trial of unfeigned repentance: neither is it the custom in our most holy religion, that any that have not been long time tried, and have not been competentes and Cathechumeni, should be baptized: and the time serveth not, for it is neither Easter even, nor Witsonday even. Well I can not surely tell what ye would have answered, but Peter did command them all to be baptized in the name of the Lord, they were baptized with out any further delay or trial. Ananias in the ix Chapter of the acts, came unto Paul laying his hands upon his head, and said thus. Brother Saul, the Lord whom thou sawest in the way, wherein thou came, hath sent me: that thou should receive thy sight again, and be filled with the holy ghost, & forthwith there fell from his eyes, as they had been scales: and he saw again and rose, & was baptized. How many weeks was Paul a competentes, and how long was he cathechumenus: Can ye prove that Ananias did differ his baptism until Easter, or whitsunday? In the xvi of the acts, Lydia was baptized with out any delay. The disciples, that were at Ephesus, and had been only baptized of john, with out any prolonging of time, were baptized out of hand.  
It is also written of Paul, in the xxij of the Acts of the apostles: that Ananias said unto Paul, as soon as he had received his sight: why tarriest thou? rise up, and be baptized. It appeareth plainly, if you had been in Paul's stead: that ye would have thus holily, and wisely have answered Ananias: what hast? It hath been a custom long in our most holy religion, that no man shall be baptized, except he have been competens, and Cathechumenus: and have showed some sure trial of his unfeigned repentance, yet for all the custom in your most holy religion, Paul was straight way baptized. Now saying that I have brought forth vij sundry places, and examples: to prove that the custom in Christ's holy religion in the primative church, was contrary unto the custom, that ye said was in your most holy religion seven score years: How shameless a liar ye be, ye are sufficiently declared: if that ye mean by your most holy religion, Christ's religion. By the same places is your superstitious admitting of men to baptim, & your diabolic all delays, that Christ's people have been long tried, & been competentes & Cathechumeni, utterly confounded. Where as ye say that your custum endured vij score years, it is not true, for though Hyginus (whom ye call very unlearnedly Iginius) had ordained the baptizing of children (which I will not grant you) yet had not your scrupulous custom of delaying of baptism endured seven score years, for ye must take out the time, that goeth between Christis birth: and the time that Paul did preach: in which time were about xlix years after Christ's nativity at the lest, for Christ was about, xxxiiij. years old, when he suffered. Thapostles preached after Christ's passion a great while, before Paul was converted: which being but young, kept the clothes of them that flew Steven: and then a good while after was Paul called. Let me see, where your dilayinge custom can be found in Christ's time: whose acts and doctrine the four Evangelists have fully described and committed unto writing: and I have proved that the custom of the primative church, is clean contrary unto your custom, this is also approved to be true, Higinus was bishop in Rome. An c.xxxix years by the abrigement of Chronicles: and by Panthalion in his Chronographia, In. C.xi and by Eusebius, he entered in to his office, An. C.xlii Then had ye miss of reckoning, all though Higinus had ordained the baptizing of children. But it is a false lie: that Higinus was he, that ordained first the baptizing of children. If that ye can clear yourself, I will recant, and cry you mercy. Where is your sufficient, and ancient author, that writeth that Higinus ordained the baptism of children first? I have read many histories, and chronicles: to see whither Higinus ordained the baptizing of children, or no: but as yet I can not find it.  
Panthalion, which called his book Chronographia, writeth thus. Higinus a Graecian borne, was in the year of our Lord. C.xli and he ordained the chrism, and godfathers to baptism. The book called epitome hystoriarum, reporteth thus of Hyginus. Hyginus a Graecian ordained chrism, and godfathers, to the baptism of christian men: and the book appointeth to him the year of our Lord. C.xxix. Carhanza the gatherer of the abrygement of the councils, and decreees, hath these words of Hyginus. Hyginus the eight pope, put unto Baptym, and confirmation, a godfather and a godmother. Mark that all these three testimonies witness not, that Hyginus did ordene the baptism of infants: but that he ordained to baptism, or put unto Baptym Godfathers, and Godmothers.  
I ask you, to what baptim did Hyginus orden or put to godfathers, and godmothers? ye will not say: that the ordained godfathers, and godmothers to old-men: for that were nothing for your purpose. If ye say: that he ordained them, and put them to the baptism of speechless chyider: then was the baptysinge of childer, before Hyginussis time Then do ye wrong to say, that Hyginus that pope ordained the christening of speechless childer: who only added and put to the baptizing of children, chrism, and godfather, and godmother. Now will I come unto the witnesses of two great clerks, the former, who is called Volaterrane, sayeth. Hyginus instituit, ut Baptismo seu confirmationi unus saltem quem compatrem vocant, interesset. Hyginus ordained that one at the jest, that they call godfather, shude be presented at the baptism. The latter is named Platina, who wrote a proper book, of the bishop of Rome. His words of Higinus are these. Voluit item unum saltem patrimum, unam ue matrimam Baptismo inter esse. Sic enim eos appellant qui infantes tenent, dum baptizantur. He ordained or would also, that at the jest, one godfather or godmother, should be present at baptism. For so do they call them, which hold speechless childer, whiles they are baptized. It is a great wonder, that Hyginus should have ordained the baptism of infates: and none of all these learned men would make mention of that matter, as they have done clearly of other matters. Doubtless they have made no mention at all, in the declaring of the deeds of Hyginus, that he ordained baptism. Then must I press you with your own manner of arguing, which is this.  
¶ We read not that Christ, nothet the Apostles ordained the baptism of childer. Ergo, neither Christ ordained, neither the Apostles ordained the baptism of children. If this be a sure argument, than this that I will make of the same fashion must also be sure. We read not in their books that wrote the acts of Hyginus: that Higinus ordained baptism: therefore Hyginus ordained not Baptym. But perchance ye will reason thus: he ordained godfathers, and godmothers to the baptism of childer. This argument wanteth strength for the hole church, or the farer and mother may present and offer up an infant unto Christ: and require straight way of th'elders of the church the Sacrament of baptism, though the chrism were in his belly that ordained it, and the godfathers were never ordained. Wherefore ye were to bold (nay to unshamefaced) to say, that pope Hyginus ordained the baptism of infants: because all men should hate it, that hate the pope.  
¶ Ye allege in the end of your book, Erasmus, among a great sort of heretics, which wrote against the baptism of infants: and ye alleged Erasmus, that childer was not baptized in the apostles time; and it is true, that Erasmus said: that baptism of children was not received in the apostles time. for his words are these. Nec ea quaestio tum movebatur, quum nondum esset receptum pueros baptizari. Then will ye say peradventure: here is one learned man's opinion against you, that the baptism of children was taken up after the apostles times. I answer you that S. Cyprian, which lived and flourished, within cc.lvij of Christ's birth: and Saint Austen, which lived but. CCCC. xlij. after Christ's nativity, affirmed both, that the baptizing of childer came unto us from the apostles hands: and Erasmus sayeth that the baptism of children was nod received in the apostles times. Whether is it more meet to believe? Cyrpian, and Austen which were so near the Apostles time: or Erasmus, which lived and died in our days? What will ye answer? Answer what ye will, I will make Erasmus by his own sentence and reason pronounce, that Austen and Cyprian are rather to be believed in such like matter, than he is. Erasmus being sumthing offended with Chrysostom, which denied Paul had a wife, wrote these words. Chrysostomus fatetur fuisse, qui putarent hic Paulum appellare suam uxorem: sed dissentit: nec causam reddit, cur dissentiat. Sed utris potius aequum est accedere Clementi, & Ignatio, quorum ille Petri comes fuit, hic Marci Euangelistae discipulus: & Chrysostomo, qui tanto interuallo semotus fuit a temporibus apostolorum.  
Chrysostom granteth: that there were some, that thought that Paul in this place, spoke spoke unto his wife: but he thinketh otherwise, & yet showeth no cause why. But whether of thes is it metre, that we should believe, Clement, and Ignatyus, of the which, the one was peter's companion, and the other the disciple of Mark the Evangelist: or Chrysostom, which was so long a time from the time of the Apostles? This may be gathered of these words: he is more worthy credence in bearing of witness, that is nearer the deed, when it is done: or nearer the time, when it was done. Whereupon I conclude thus. Austen, Cyprian, and Orygen, were nearer the apostles times, than Erasmus was, therefore Austen, and Cypryane, are more to he believed, which wrote, that baptism came from the Apostles: then Erasmus, which said, that baptizing of children was not received in the Apostles times. Here are ye disappointed of one of your posts, that ye leaned to in your opinion, that the baptism of children was not received in the Apostles times. But lest ye should think, that Austen, and Cyprian, were not of that mind, whereof I report them to be: I will rehearse you Saint Austin's words in the fourth book against the Donatists of the baptizing of children, in the fourth chapter. Et si quisquam in hacre autoritatem divinam quaerat: quanquam quod universa tenet ecclesia, nec conciliis institutum, sed semper retentum est: non nisi autoritate apostolica traditum rectissime creditur.  
That is, If any man look for the authority of God in this matter. Howbeit, that which the hole church holdeth, and is not ordained of any counsel, but is always holden still: it is most rightly believed, that it was given out and ordained by the Apostles. The same Austen in a sermon of the baptism of infanting against the Pelagyaus, saith these words: Cyprian being axed, whether an infant might be baptized, before the viii. day: because in the old law, the child might not be circumcised, but on the eight day: Saint Cyprian said: that no man should be hindered from grace, and that the spiritual circumcision ought not to be hindered by carnal circumcision. Cyprian writeth also in the viii. epistle of the third book, these words, concerning the baptism of infants. Porro autem si etiam gravissimis delictoribus, & in deum multum ante peccatibus, cum postea crediderunt, remissio peccatorum datur: & ae baptismo, atque gratia nemo prohibetur: quanto magis prohiberi non debet infans, qui recens natus, peccavit: nisi quòd secundum Adam car naliter natus, contagium mortis antiqua prima nativitate contraxit?  
Furthermore, but if that forgiveness of sins, be given unto the greatest sinners, and to them, that did greatly offend before, after that they did believe: and no man is forbidden from baptism & grace: How much more ought not a speechless child to be forbidden, which being lately borne, hath committed no offence: but that it being borne carnally after Adam hath caught the infection of the old death, by his first birth? This is the mind of Cypryane, concerning baptizing of childer, and of original sin. And the same doctor writeth in an other place. Nos iure damnamus omnia, quae Christus non docuit.  
We condemn by good right all things, which Christ hath not taught. But Cypryane allowed the baptism of children, therefore he reckoned, that the baptizing of children was taught of Christ. That Origen is of that judgement, that the baptism of childer came from the apostles, his words upon the epistle to the Romans, and upon johan, do clearly testify: as hereafter I shall prove, when I shall come to the place, where as ye allege Orygen your own self.  
Now seeing that these noble learned men, which were so near hand the times of the Apostles, hold in their works with the baptism of infants, and say that it came unto us from the Apostles: what wise man will rather believe you, being so long after the Apostles times, then them, which were so long ago, and so near the times of the apostles? Ye have therefore long and busily babbled in vain, holding without any authority, and against learning, and authority, that the Pope ordained first the baptism of infants. And so ye have won nothing, saving that ye have found and made a rod for your own tail. I mean that I have gotten and gathered of your assertion and opinion, a good conjectural argument, that the baptism of infants came from th'apostles times. For ye showed me first, that Hyginus ordained the baptism of infants: which Hyginus (as I shall declare hereafter) was but xxxviij years from some of th'apostles. For Volaterane writeth in his book, called Anthropologia: that Saint John the evangelist lived unto the lxviii year after the passion of Christ, his words are these. joannes longa senectute confectus, 68 anno post Christi supplicium extinctus est. And Christ was xxxiiij years old, when he suffered, therefore johan being alive lxviij after his passion, was alive in the 102. year after Christ's birth.  
And Hyginus was 140. years after Christ's birth. therefore Higinus, and some of the apostles, namely saint john the Evangelist, were no more one from another, than xxxviij. years. Whereby, thorough your help. I have now proved, that the baptizing of young children was used within xxxviij years of some of the Apostles times. I have also proved by good authority, that Hyginus did not orden the baptizing of children: and that he only put and added to the baptism of children, chrism, & godfather, & godmother, wherefore the baptizing of children being before Higinusses times: and saying he saying he was with in xxxviij years of some of the apostles times: it is a probable, and very lykelye thing: that the baptizing of children came unto us, even from the apostles: who were but a very short time before. Ye are disappointed of your purpose, which thought to have brought the baptizing of speechless childer, into a great contempt, & an utter despising: because it had been, as ye thought, of the Pope's ordening, & making: if ye had not been proved an arrant liar. but ye are proved a liar, where ye said, that Hygynus ordained the baptism of infants, and an argument of antiquity is gathered of the long continuance of childers baptism, and of the long approbation of the same, thorough out all hole Christ's church: which is more worthy to be admitted, than your superstitious opinion, whose author was that perilous heretic Pelagius: whom in th'end of your book, ye bring in right honourably for a witness, to maintain your devilish opinion.  
But although Hyginus had ordained first, that children should be baptized, yet should not their baptism have been popish, for in the time of Hyginius, the bishops of Rome, had not yet usurped any supremacy over other Bishops: much less over Kings, and Emperors. Neither had the bishops of Rome brought in the devilish doctrine, wherefore their doctrine was hated and called popish and devilish. In the time of Hyginus every bishop was called Papa, as every priest in high Almony is called pfaff: and in low Germany pape, even unto this day. Wherefore the doing of Hyginus, should have no more been called popish, than the ordinance of any other bishop, that dwelled out of Rome, either in Asia, or Aphrica. How be it, thanks be unto God, I have had witness enough, to prove that the baptism of young children was not ordained of Higinus: and lo, can the baptism of children, in no wise be called popish, as we call such as you popish: which, at the last ester, right Popishly kneeling, took the sacrament, giving occasion unto all men to think, that ye were a stark idolater, and believed, that bread was turned into a God. For your doing was the ordinance of a lofty, and a right Antichristian bishop of Rome: which usurped power, both over all bishops, and also over all Kings and Emperors. Although I have, with the rehearsal of vii places of scripture, sufficiently reproved your foolish, and monkish manner, in delaying of baptism: your tyrannical tying it up unto certain times: and that your Cathechumeni, with their years of probation, are contrary to the use of Christ's primative church, yet for to prove that your dylaying of baptism: whereupon ye would ground your error, that children ought not to be baptized, is against the scripture, and only the ordinance of men: I will show, what men, and what counsels, have ordained all your delays: that all men may perceive easily: that ye build not upon Christ, but upon Pope's men, and counsels. Who would have thought before this, that catabaptistry would have leaned upon any such foundations? Ye had wont to rattle, and crack nothing but scripture, scripture but now, for lack of scripture, ye make these counsels, and laws of man, your foundation. It is written in the Laodicen council, in the xlv Chapter of them that come to be baptized about the mydweke. Non oportet, post duas hebdomadas quadrage simae, quenquam ad baptismum suscipi.  
After two weeks of lente, must none be received unto baptism: In the same counsel, it is written, of the rendering of the belief of them that shallbe baptized in the xxv Chapter. They that shall be baptized, must learn the Crede: and upon the thursday of the last week, to add or present them to the Bishop or elder. The Latin words are these. Baptizandos oportet fidei symbolum discere: & quinta feria ultimae septimanae, vel Episcopo vel presbytero addere. This counsel was holden in the time of Liberius the Bishop of Rome, about the year of our lord. CCC ixiiij. In the Gerunden cuncell, in the third statute, it was ordained,  cathechumeni baptizentur, die vel vigilia Paschae & Pentecostes: caeteris solemnitatibus tantum infirmi, that is: that the disciples, or learners, called Cathechumeni, should be baptized, on easter day, or easter even or witsonday, or witson even: Upon other solemn days, let only them that are sick be baptized This counsel was holden in the time of Hormisda, Bishop of Rome, in the year of our Lord D.xiij. Siritius bishop of Rome: which lived in the year of our Lord. CCC.lxxxix. ordained in his second decree, that baptim should not be ministered, but at Easter and Witsondaye. The latin is this, Statuit Siritius, preterquam in Pascha, & Pentecoste baptismus non celebretur. This was also ordained in the fourth council of Cartage: that they, that were to be baptized, should show their name, and abstain a long time from wine, and flesh: that they should have hands laid upon their heads: and be oft examined: and then receive baptism. The latin is thus in the lxxxv chapter of the foresaid counsel Baptizandi nomen suum dent, & diu sub abstinentia vini & carninm, ac manus impositione, crebra examinatione baptismum precipiant. Here is the foundation: where upon ye build your delaying denial, ye rather the blaspheming of the baptism of infants. Upon these counsels, and men's decrees, are builded your unchristened Cathechumeni your devilish delaying of baptism: your tying up of it to certain times, as to Easter, and Wytsondaye. Here is grounded the custom of dylayinge, and driving of, of baptism: which ye very lyingly, like a man past all shame, said, was in our most holy religion used, seven score years: when as all these authors and counsellors, which ordained these dylays, were many years after the time of Hyginius who was about seven score years after Christ's nativity. How unshamefacedly then have ye assigned that custom of dylayinge of baptism, unto the time, that went between Christ's nativity and Hyginus: saying that these dylayes was ordained. CC. years and more, after Christ's birth? Why do ye refuse to fight with me, with such weapons, as I brought into the field? I brought in the sword of God's word, to defend the baptism of children withal: for I defended it only with the word of GOD. But ye now, writing against me, fight against the baptism of childer, with no scripture: but with customs, with decrees, counsels, ordinances of men, the authority of the Donatists, anabaptists, and Pelagians, all open heretics, and worthily condemned of Christ's hole church. As for these weapons, I fet not one strawby: for all these can not prevail against the word of GOD. Think you, that when I have defended my doctrine with scripture, that your unsavoury reasons, grounded upon counsels, and men, can confute my reasons, grounded upon the holy scripture? Whosoever goeth about to confute scripture with counsels and men's decrees, and his own arguments: preferreth counsels, and decrees before GOD, and his word, and reckoneth himself better than GOD. In my sermon at Thystelworth, I reasoned thus strongly armed with the authority of saint Peter, in the ten of the Acts of the apostles. There is nothing that can hinder them to be baptized, which have the holy ghost childer have received the holy ghost as well as old men: therefore there is nothing to hinder them, but they may be baptized, as well as old folk: ye, to confute that childer should be baptized, bring in against my alleged scripture, the long custom in your most holy church, counsels and decrees of priests and bishops: wherefore ye prefer them before GOD and his open scripture: and reeken man's custom stronger, than God's word, and man stronger than GOD, for that doth every man reeken stronger, which can overcome another. Then ye confuting my alleged scripture, man's doctrine, have a very evil opinion against GOD, and his word, much like unto the papists which destitute of scripture, fought after this manner are ye do now. Whereas ye hold that. Where men and women of perfit age are baptized, all the three sorts of scholars take profit of the opening, and declaring of baptism: but when as children are baptized, none of them all, for ye say, when men and women are baptized, all receive admonishement: by which the good amend and their lives, and are saved: the other knowing, that they stand bound still to amend or to be condemned.  
Ye answer me very fryarly, lewdly, unlearnedly, and lyingly. First it is plainly against all scripture, and reason that he that liveth naughtily, and never intendeth to amend his life, after that he is baptized (for of such spoke I) shall be any thing the better by the saying of the baptism of men and women: namely, the case put before, that the third sort, neither was christian in living, neither intended to live any christian life. Can the sight of a Sacrament alone, be it never so well ministered, profit him that never intendeth to profit? Will the work of saying baptism wrought make him that intendeth no Godliness be godly? Is not this to say, that wheat sown upon a stone shall rive the stone, and make it bring forth fruit, whether it will or no, against the nature of the stone? So that ye say wittily, and wisely that it profiteth all the three sorts: the is, them of the perfectest sort, them that are unperfit, and desire perfection: and them that neither are perfit, nor yet intend to come to any perfection. Of the like foolishness is your saying: that where as children are baptized, no man taketh profit: whereof? of the child's baptism, or of the opening and declaring of our baptism, which are baptized already? If that ye mean, that in that congregation, where as children are baptized, the declaring of the mystery, and secrets of our baptism profiteth nothing unto such men, as the scripture calleth little ones, that is lowly in spirit, and have the conditions of young childer: ye hold plainly against this open text of scripture. Declaratio sermonum tuorum illuminat, & intellectum dat paruulis. The declaration of thy words lighteneth, and giveth understanding to the little ones, whereupon we may gather that those, that are not little ones, but stubborn withstanders, can have no profit by the declaration of God's word, much less by the saying of men and women baptized. If ye mean that where as children are baptized, that neither the child hath any profit by the baptism and offering up of it unto Christ: neither they that offer it up, neither they that see the baptism ministered, take any profit thereby: ye speak against the scripture. For the childer get Christ's blessing: if he love children yet, as well as he had wont to do: and the offerers & bringers of children unto christ, in doing of a good deed, profit, for he that helpeth a man to receive a good turn, in helping, doth profit in godliness: and namely they that pray to the lord, either for the bodily or ghostly health of their neighbour? Did not both the bringers of the children unto Christ, and the children profit also before Christ's passion? Is he waxed ungentler after his passion, than he was before? The church at the baptizing of childer, prayeth unto God for the child, that it may have forgivenisse of sins, and receive the holy ghost, will God break his promise, that he made unto his church, Quicquid peticritis patrem in nomine meo, dabit vobis. What soever ye shall are my father in my name, he will give it. The father and mother, with the hole church, prayeth for the young child, at the baptizing of it: other they profit, or God is false: but he is true, therefore ye are a liar, which say, that where as children are baptized, that neither the child, nor any that, are there at the baptism, and offer the child unto Christ, with their prayers, profit any thing at al. What more profit shall the seers of the baptism of men and women, take thereby then the seers of the baptism of children? Seeing that all that is done to old folk, is also done unto childer: & the word of GOD as well all red, and preached at childers baptim, as at old folks baptism: they that are at the baptizing of childer, profit as much, as they that are at old folks baptism. Where as the signs and Sacraments are all one: & the word of GOD is alike preached: there cometh unto the hearers, and seers like profit: except GOD be a regarder of persons, and be better unto old men, then unto children: whiles he granteth profit, and grace to the seers of old folks baptism: and none at all to the seers of childers baptism: but God regardeth no persons, therefore there is like profit, in seeing of other of both. Of like things ought to be like judgement, then when as baptism is all one in signification with circumcision: and they that see children circumcised, have as much profit by the seeing thereof, as of the seeing of old folk circumcised: so the seers of the baptism of childer have as much profit thereby, as the seers of the baptism of old folk. In the beginning of your book, ye said that I rehearsed the four times reading of statutes in colleges, to prove that yoing speechless children might and ought to be baptized: which saying, how false & lying it was, I have sufficiently proved. And now like a devil, that for his purpose turneth himself into all colours and figures: here ye say, that I apply the costom of reading of the scolars statutes, that infants should have the declaration of baptism preached unto them. These are your words. ☞ Therefore to read the statutes to infants is of no example nor value, but to them that be grown it is an occasion to get scholars.  
¶ Couch, of thy conscience (if thou haste any at all) tell me whether thou knowest in thy conscience, or no: that I rehearsed, and applied the reading of scholar's statutes: unto the baptizing of young children: or that speechless childer should have baptism opened unto them by preaching: or else that I brought that custom forth in very deed: to show them, that were my hearers (among the which was not one speechless child) that it were as necessary for them, to have their baptism opened, and declared by preaching: as it was necessary for scolars, to have their statutes at certain times to be red among them? If thou knouwest not this in thy conscience: either the devil hath blinded the with malice, or thou art so unlearned, and foolish: that thou art more worthy to have a muk fork in thy hand, than a pen to write against any man: seeing the matter is so clearly set out, without any riddles, or parables. If thou dost know in thy conscience: that I rehearsed this example, neither to prove the baptism of childer with all, neither that children should have baptism declared unto them: and that only they, that can understand, and the opening of baptism, should have it declared to them: what devil art thou possessed withal which to defend thy foolish opinion, writest utterly against thy conscience? But this minisheth my marveling, that I call now to remembrance: which chanced unto me at Anwarpe. I reasoned with one of your sect, at Anwarpe: who was learned in the latin tongue, a doctor of physic, and a great Alchimiste, when as we wete both chafed, and heted with the long disputation: he defending heresy, and I confuting the same: at length, I took him with a shameful lie, and with such a contradiction in his tale: that he could not deny, but that it was so. But how did he excuse himself? verily thus. It is written, sayeth he, in the xviij. of the Apocalyps: that we should handle thee, and such as thou art, the whors' childer of Babylon, with lies, contradictions, and all other such like, for the revenging of the lies, that ye have made unto us in times past, the words of John, sayeth he, are these. Reddidit illi, sicut & ipsa reddidit vobis, & duplicate ei duplicia secundum opera eius. That is, Rendre, or give again unto her, as she hath rendered to you: and double the double unto her, according unto her works. And when I alleged the scripture unto him, that the lying mought killed the soul: he answered, that it was true in such, as me that had no faith: but that it was not so in him, that had the true faith, and was of the true religion: alleging this place of scripture for him. Si quid lethal biberint, non nocebit eyes. if they drink any deadly poison, it shall not hurt them, and expounding it thus: there can no lying, neither any other sin, which is poison, unto your souls, hurt us, which believe as we bo. Terfore seeing that ye call me, and all other, that defend the baptism of childer, papists, that is the childer of the hoore of Babylon: and separate yourself both in the supper of our Lord, and also in baptism, and in the understanding of original sin, from us: and make yourself of an other religion: it is no marvel, that ye handle me even so here in England, as your brother catabaptist handled me in Anwerp. And wheat as men have such conscience, that they care not what they do, so that it be done secretly unto any man of another religion: whether it be yeoperdous for me, and expedient for the rulers of this realm, to have such near hand or no them: I report me unto all wise, & godly men. Much vain babbling, and unprofitable communication, as unworthy any answer, do I pass over: and come unto the place, where as ye say: that baptism is to my infants (for so do ye call them) and unbelievers, a vain & bare sign, unfruitful and unprofitable: except I will give, and assign virtue unto the work wrought. Where as ye make all infant's mine, because I take in hand tho defend their baptism: I may a great deal be less ashamed of my poor, and innocent infants, than ye may be, to defend the doctrine of your seditions, and mourdering anabaptists: which destroyed the noble city of Munster, in Wesphali: and rose up against the Magistrates, in Amsterdam: and wan Swol, not far from Dauenter: and were about to have destroyed Groaning, in West Freselande. Let the innocentes be mine still, and let the factious catabaptistes be yours. Let se, who shall be more ashamed in the great day of them, that they defend. But saying ye will needs make the infants mine, I will defend them as well as I can: for as much as every man is bound to defend it, that is his. My infants are not utterly without all faith, as ye mean, calling them unbelievers.  
This will I prove by your own manner of alleging the scripture, in the mids of your book against me. What soever is not of faith, is sin, nothing that the infant doth, or thinketh: whether it sukketh milk, or drinketh bear, or ale, or choweth flesh, as ye hold, is of faith, for faith is of heating, and heating cometh by that word of GOD, than they the hear not the word of GOD, as childer do not, can do nothing, of faith, wherefore by your own alleging of the scripture, the child doth nothing: but it sinneth in doing, what so ever it doth, for lack of faith. But that they sin not in all thing, and that they are not without all faith, I prove it thus. They please GOD: therefore they at not without all faith, for Paul sayeth: without faith it is impossible though please GOD. That speechless childer, have pleased GOD: jacob, Hieremy the Prophet, and johan the Baptist are witnesses. So are also the childer, that Christ took in his arms, witnesses of the love, that Christ bore unto childer. Mark witnesseth, that Christ took the childer in to his arms, and blessed them. If that he blessed them, they pleased him, If they pleased him, they were not without faith, ye do therefore the poor innocentes great wrong, in calling them unbelievers. At the children unbelieving? Ye say, yea, then have they that unbelieving, and want of faith: either of their first creation, or by Adam's fall. if that they have it by their first creation: it is not true, that God said, that all thing which he had made, was very good. Is an unbelieving man very good? Is that good, which can not please God? If that children be unbelieving by Adam's fall, then have we found again original sin, which ye with your master pelagius do utterly deny. Ye say that they are unbelieving, and without faith: but how prove ye that? If ye say: I see no works yet in children: therefore, they have no faith: I axe you, whether ye are a believer, or unbeliever, when ye are a sleep, and at all times, when ye do no good works? if ye do believe, when ye are a sleep, and at other times, when ye do no good works: so may children have faith, although they be not yet come unto the time of declaring of faith by their works. Is there any man so foolish, or so cruel, that will call a young gryfte of the first years gryfting fruitless, and baron: when as it can not for lack of time & age, bring as yet forth any fruit? If that we can not call a tree unfruitful, until the time come of bringing forth of fruit: so ought ye not to call a child unbelieving, & faithless: until he come unto the time of declaring his faith. I axe you. Estne puer animal rationale, an non?  
Whether is a child a reasonable living thing, or no? If ye grant, that he is an unreasonable creature: than ye make a child, a brute beast, if that a child be a reasonable creature, & yet can not for lack of time and age, use reason: so may a child have faith, and be called faithful: though for lack of time and age, it can show as yet no good works: which are the tokens, and fruits of faith. If ye reason that they know not, that they have faith, therefore they have no faith: I reason with you again childer know not, that they are redeemed with Christ's blood: shall we say therefore, that children are not redeemed with Christ's blood? Children know not, that the promise of salvation belongeth unto them: shall we say therefore that the promise of salvation pertaineth not unto children? Is not the heir of lands heir, before he know, that he is heir? So may a child have faith, and yet for lack of age know not, that it hath it. Because ye allege the scripture hereafter, generally, and deliver it from all circumstances: ye must suffer me to reason with you after the same manner, at this time. Answer me to this argument. Children are not already condemned: therefore they do believe. for the scripture saith, he that believeth not, is condemned already. Therefore ye must either grant, that childer do believe, or else, that they are already condemned. children also have the holy ghost. Is the holy ghost without faith? They have all things, that Christ hath: for they are Christ's. & he that spared not his only son, as Paul saith, but delivered him up for us, (and for children as well, as for old men) it is impossible, but that he gave all thing unto childer with Christ. how can children be faithless, which have all, that Christ hath? Was Christ without faith? Now, whether your (I say) or my arguments are worthy more credence, let them that are faithful men, judge indifferently. But what if I granted you, that children had no faith: yet it did not follow, that the infants should have no fruit of their baptism. For our infants are in as good a case, as the infants of the jews were in the same age, that our infants are of. But though they had been without faith, yet had they received their circumcision with fruit and profit, even so though our children were without faith, they should receive their baptism with as great fruit, as the hebrews children received their circumcision. for that is baptim unto us, that was circumcision unto the jews. Our baptism, and the circumcision are all one spiritually, and in signification, and only do differ in the elements. Al they that were received into the connaunt, made to the fathers of the old testament, were circumcised, and thereby were received into the fellowship of the common promise: so all they that are received into the covenant made to us of the new testament, are by baptism received into our church & fellowship: and have it among us as a seal of Gods promise unto us, as the jews had circumcision as a sign of their covenant among them. circumcision requireth a circumcised heart, and a new life: & that all they that are circumcised, should mortify all carnal affections, naughty lusts, and fleshly desires. Therefore the prophets laying to the jews charges, that they answered not unto their profession, call them uncyrcuncysed in the heart. Therefore doth the lord speak thus of the jews. levit. 26. I shall bring them into their enemy's land: that then at the length, their uncircumcised heart may submit itself, and humble it. Hieremy writeth thus unto the jews. Be ye circumcised unto the Lord: and take away the uncyrcumcisyon of your heart. And almlghty God in Moses spoke after the same manner. Deut. 10. circumcise and cut away the skin, or uncyrcuncision of your heart: and harden your neck no more. In all these places is mortification required of the circumcised: as Paul in the sixth to the Romans requireth mortification, where he saith. Do ye not know, that all we that are baptized into Christ jesus, are baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him thorough baptism into his death: that as Christ was raised up from the dead, by the glory of the father, we should walk in newness of life. Then as circumcision laid upon the speechless children of the jews is a profession of mortification, and profiteth the children: not for the work wrought, but for the commandments sake, and promise of God: So is the sacrament of baptism laid upon our young children, a profession of mortification, and profiteth them not thorough the wrought work itself, but thorough the promise of GOD and his word: and the promise that he made to his holy church: and the prayers made by the church. ye say that. ☞ When as men and women are baptized, all men take admonishment, by which the good amend their lives and are saved.  
¶ When as men, and women are baptized, I axe you: whether they that are baptized are saved thorough the promise of God made unto them, or thorough their worthiness of receiving of baptism: or by the work wrought in hearing or seeing of the admovyshement, that cometh of baptizing of men, and women: If ye say: that your men, and women have remission of sins by receiving of baptism at such an age: then do not they receive forgiveness of sins, and the heritage by the promise, but thorough a work wrought so worthily in such an age. If they have the heritage, and forgiveness of sins by the promise: then children having the promise as well, as men, & women, may have remission of sin, when as they are baptized, as well as old folk. For GOD hath no respect of persons, & regardeth not one age more than an other. Do not ye give virtue to the work wrought. when ye say that men are saved by the admonishment, of seeing men & women baptized? Where did God promise that the seers of men and women's baptism, should be saved thereby? Where did God orden, that the only seeing of baptim should cause men amend their living, and thereby be saved? if God made no such promise: why do you give virtue of salvation, unto the work wrought: which God never ordained any salvation to come by? Who is now the iusticyari? Who is he now, that giveth not only virtue, but also the virtue of amendment of life, and salvation, to the work wrought of an onloker, & onli a sear of baptim? What deserveth an old man, by his circumcision in his age, more than a child deserveth by his circumcision received in the viii. day after his nativity? If neither of both deserveth more than another: the old man deserveth by his baptizing in his age no more than a child deserveth by his baptism received in his infancy. Furthermore: when as the promiss of salvation pertaineth as well unto children, as to men, and women: it must needs follow, that the sign of the promise belongeth as well unto children, as to old folk.  
But baptism is the sign, or sacrament of the promiss, that GOD made to us of the new Testament: therefore baptism belongeth as well unto children, as unto old folk. If that ye deny, that the promise of salvation pertaineth as well unto childer, as to old folk (as ye did once in my chamber, reasoning with me) I will prove it thus: salvation belongeth as well unto childer, as to men, and women: and no man cometh unto the heritage of salvation, but thorough the promise: as Paul witnesseth. Gala. ij. Si ex lege est hereditas, non iam expromissione. Atqui Abrahae per promissionem donavit deus. If that the heritage, that is the kingdom of heaven cometh thorough the law, than it cometh not of the promise. But GOD gave it unto Abraham by the promise. And so all other both Abraham's posterity, and they that are of the Heathen receive the heritage, as Abraham did. Then when as the heritage cometh by the promise: none can have the heritage, that hath not the promise: but the speechless children have the heritage, therefore they have also the promise of the heritage. If that childer have the promise, and the covenant, and the thing promised by the covenant: why may not they have the sign, or seal of the covenant as well as the infants of the jews had the sign and seal of their covenant: Is the baptism of water greater, than the thing which is signified by the baptism: is the garland of ivy better, than the Wine, which is signified by the garland? When as children receive the holy ghost the heritage of the kingdom of heaven, forgiveness of origenal sin by Christ's blood, and are made membres of Christ's body: why may they not receive the Sacrament of baptism, which is an holy sign and seal of these things? may we not receive the less, when we have received the greater? if that ye deny the kingdom of heaven, and the heritage thereof to pertain unto children (as for to confirm your opinion ye would not stik to do) for ye deny as great a'thynge as that: I will prove that the heritage doth pertain unto them. jacob, Hieremi, and johan the Baptist, being childer had the heritage of the kingdom of heaven: and the childer both of the jews and also of the childer of the Christianes' have the promise of the heritage, as these places following do testify. I will make strong my cumnant, between me and thee, and thy seed after thee, in their generations, in a continual comnant: that is to wit, that I will be a GOD unto the and to thy seed after the. And again in the xxij of Genesis. In thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed. In the xliiij of Isaiah is this prymis. I will pour out my Spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thy buds. And Peter in the second of the Acts speaketh of a plain promis in these words The promise was made unto you, and to your childer, and to all that are far of, whom soever the Lord our GOD shall call. Lo, here is plain mention made, of the promise made unto childer. Then when as GOD performeth all that he promiseth: and he promised salvation unto children, it followeth, that they have the heritage that GOD promised them, than doth the heritage and kingdom of GOD pertain unto them. Why do you so uncharitably with hold the sign and seal of salvation from children, to whom the heritage belongeth? Who gave you any such authority, ye proud and presumptuous tyrants: as to make wards of the childer of GOD, and to withhold from them the sign and seal of their father's heritage. Now where is all your scripture: which ye boast that ye defend your error withal? answer unto these scriptures, and confute them, if ye can. Where as ye say afterward, that neither the sign of Christ'S Supper, neither the rainbow signifieth any thing to childer: ye are far out of the way. The breaking of the bread in the supper, and delivering of it unto the congregation be tokeneth: that Christ's body was broken for all them that shall be saved: and that the virtue of his passion should be dealt to all them that are elect, and chosen to be saved. Then when as children are elect and chosen to be saved, is the mystery of Christ's supper, no sign of salvation unto children. Doth not the rain bow signify to all the world, that the world shall no more be drowned with water. Doth not that promise, that the world should be no more destroyed with water, pertain unto childer? If that the promise pertain unto children: how happeneth, that the sign of the promise signifieth nothing unto them? It must needs signify unto young children, as well as to old men, that they shall not be drowned with an universal sloude, as the world was once destroyed. So doth the baptizing of children signify, as well unto childer: that Christ died for them, and rose for them, as it signifieth the same to old men. For all although they see not the sign and know not of the sign: yet may they have it as surely, as they have the thing signified by the sign.  
almighty GOD made a covenant and promise, not only unto men, but also unto birds and beasts: that they should not be drowned with the universal fold. Genesis ix Behold (saith the Lord) I make my covenant with you and with yoursede after you, and with every living soul that is with you, as well foul, as cattle and beasts. This shall be the sign, which I give between you and me and every living soul which is with you. I have set my bow in the cloud: and it shall be a sign a sign of the covenant between me and the earth. So, that when I bring clouds upon the earth the bow shall appear in the clouds: and then will I think upon the comnant between me and you, and all living creatures.  
first I gather of this place that the comnant of GOD is profitable, not only unto them that have the use of reason, but also unto birds and unreasonable beasts, although they know, nothing at all of the promise. I gather also, that the signs of God's comnaunte, are signs unto birds and beasts: and not only signs, but profitable signs unto them: although they never see them, nor understand them. Whereupon I gather that the holy sign of baptism, is not only a sign unto children of remission of sins, and of God's favour toward them, but also a fruitful & profitable sign. For how can the sign of the rainbow be more profitable unto unreasonable beasts, and birds, than the Sacramte of baptism is profitable unto young childer? seeing that GOD promised as well salvation to childer, from hell, death, and damnation, and made baptism the sign thereof, as he promised unto beasts and birds safeguard from general drowning, and made the rainbow the token sign or seal of the same. Here is your saying, that the rainbow is no sign unto children, proved plain false, and contrary unto the open text of God's holy word.  
Where is the great clerk that, said, that I should not have Winchester in hand, when I had him in hand? as though he had passed Wynchester so far in wit and learning, that there were no comparison to be made between them. Here might ye be ashamed, if ye had anyon shame at all. Here might your disciples be ashamed of such an unlearned and doting schoolmaster. Is the seal of a child's lands no seal unto him: because he hath no knowledge of the seal, and knoweth nothing thereof? What soever ye answer, the seal is even a seal unto childer: and when they come to age, they claim their lands thereby. Even so is baptism a seal of remission of sins unto children, although they know it not. And when they come to age, it shall be an assurance unto them, to claim the promise of God by: ye have been therefore to bold to babble of these matters: where in ye have very little skill, And pronounce as boldly, as though ye were sitting upon Apollo's trestell. Let your I says, have authority among your bewitched scholars, as much as ye will: but they shall have none with me, except ye can prove your saying true by the scripture. Ye axe me, why is baptym not differred, as well as the supper of the Lord? A man might answer you, that they were like to be lurched at your gluttonous supper, if that they were with you: for ye would have at the supper of the gluttonous catabaptistes (which ye call the supper of our Lord) beef, mutton, vele, capons and such hard meats, as the poor sucking children can not eat: and therefore it were no wisdom that they should sup with you, until their teeth were grown. If that I had builded my opinion upon doctores, and stories, as ye do yours. I could have brought many places both out of the doctors, and stories: which prove that it was the custom a. M.CC years ago, to give the Sacrament of CHRIST'S body and blood, only in bred and wine, unto the young childer straight way after baptism. But because I ground my opinion only upon scripture, I will answer you by scripture. The supper of the Lord requireth a doer, and it is an active Sacrament, For Christ sayeth. Accipite, edite, bibite, facite in mei recordationem. Take ye, eat ye, drink ye, and do ye this in the remembrance of me. Then when as the childer can not receive the Sacrament, and can not eat, drink, nor do that in the supper that God requireth, that is to eat, & drink in the remembrance of him: it is meet that childer be differed from the supper until they may, and can eat and drink and receive the supper, as Christ ordained it to be received. And because baptim is a passive Sacrament, & no man can baptize himself, but is baptize do● an other: & children may be as well dipped in to the water in the name of Christ (which is the outward baptism and as much as one man can give an other) even as old folk: and when as they have the promiss of salvation, as well as old folk, & can receive the sign of the same as well: there is no cause why that the baptism of childer should be differed. CHRIST did not baptize himself, but johan the baptist baptized him. In the second of the acts and the ten where as many were baptized, no man baptized hym self: neither do we read in any place of the new Testament: that any man baptized himself, then when as baptism is given by other: and the supper of the Lord is taken of a man by himself: it followeth not that baptism ought to be differred so long, as the supper ought to be differed, We read in the acts of he apostles, that all they that came into the fellowship of Christ's church, entered in by baptism, and did not communicate straight way after they were baptized. Although I grant with in a short time after, they received the supper of the Lord, as many as were able to recever it. Then when as childer pertain unto Christ's church, it is meet that they enter in by the same door, that old folk enter in by: then ought they not to be holden out from the church, until they may also receive CHRIST'S supper. Baptym is the putting on of CHRIST, as Paul sayeth. Quotquot baptizati estis, Christum induistis. As many of you as are baptized, have CHRIST put upon you, Is it conventent that the poor infants shallbe naked, and want CHRIST unput upon them, until that they come to the xiiij year of their age? How shall they come worthily to Christ's supper, and have not CHRIST for they garment? Therefore they must first put on Christ by baptism, and then afterward at convenient time, receive the lords supper, I showed that water presupposed uncleanness in all that are baptized: and I set the sign of the water, as an argument against them of your sect, which deny original sin. But ye say, that I have proved neither of both, unless I prove that Christ ordeded that childer should be baptized. To prove that the water in baptism, signifieth the impurity of them that are baptized. Ananias said unde Peter, Exurge, & baptizare, & ablue peccata tua. Rise up and be baptized and wash away thy sins, saint Paul calleth baptym the bathe of regeneration and the bath of water, whereby the church is made clean. In all thes places ye hear mention of washing and water, and of scouring by the water, wherefore that water of baptism signifieth that they that are baptized, have need of washing, and are unclean, if they be children, and have committed no actual sin, than it followeth, that they are defiled with original sin if they be commede unto perfit age, that then they are spotted both with original and actual sin. The former part is proved. The other part I prove thus. Baptym signifieth in all them that are baptized, that they are unclean, and have original sin, but children are baptized, therefore the water signified in their baptism, that they are guilty of original sin, seeing that they have committed no actual as yet. If ye say that children are unworthlly baptized, therefore the water of their baptism, condemneth them not of original sin, and wanteth the signification, I answer that the unworthiness of the receiving of the Sacrament, hindereth not the signification of it, allthought it be both unprofitable, and also damnable to the receiver, of unworthily. When as a naughty mane receiveth the Sacrament of CHRIST'S body unworthily, doth the breaking of the bread leave of signifying that CHRIST'S body was broken for that sinful and unworthy receiver? Therefore baptism in all that are baptized, betokeneth that they are gyltyl of original sin at the least. Where as ye say, that for lack of scripture I am feign to fly unto rryginall sin to prove the baptism of children: I pray you what scripture have ye brought, sense the beginning of your book, to prove the contrary? Whether I have brought any scripture for the probation of my opinion, or no I report me unto the readers of my sermon, and of this book also. Where as the commandment is general, and pertaineth unto an hole special kind it pertaineth to every one, contained under the special kind, although the particular be not expressedly named as in this example, if that all men be reasonable living creatures, than childer are also reasonable creatures: because they are contained under the name of a man, though they are not expressed by name in the general. Or else if that were not true, how should ye prove, that women, should be saved: that wives, widows, and maidens should receive the lords supper and be baptized: saying that the apostles have no expressed commandment of GOD, neither the women should be baptized neither be received unto the supper of the Lord. Wherefore except ye will exclude and shut out women from the supper of the Lord, and from baptim, because there is no expressed word to command them to be baptized, and to receive Christus supper: ye can not shut out ceylder from baptism. For childer are as well contained under this word nations: as women be, in this general precept, teach all nations, and baptize them into the name of the father and the son, and the holy ghost. If that ye answer, that preaching and baptizing be tied together, and they ought always to be done together. I read that christ said unto his apostles. Mar. xvi. preach ye the Gospel unto every creature. If this word creature do signify here man: then are the apostles (when as baptism is unseparably joined with preaching) bound to baptize all that they preach to: and they are bound to preach to all men, therefore by your reason they are bound to baptize all men. children are men, therefore the apostles are bound to baptize children and to preach unto childer. If that ye say that preach the Gospel, unto all men, is to be thus understand: preach the Gospel unto all men that can receive the preaching: then is the like general precept, baptize all men so to be understand: that they are to be baptized, which can receive baptism. But the children of the Christians can as well receive the over baptism which is the dipping into the water in the name of Christ. as the infants of the jews could receive the sacrament of circumcision: Then are children as well to be baptized, as old folk are to be preached unto, and to be baptized. Are we now so destitute of scripture, to prove that infants may be baptized, that we are fain to fly for help to original sin? When as I prove by that, that childer have original sin, that they had need of the bath of water and regeneration: do I fly from scripture? is the matter of original sin no part of scripture? you do hold that there is none at all, and therefore that the children need not, neither ought to be baptized, until they be xiiij year old: before which time, they have done many actual sins, which had need to be washed away, with the bath of baptism. Therefore it is no marvel that ye exclude original sin from scripture, as a thing which can not be found in scripture.  
In your next question, ye make as wise a reason, against me: as ye did in the beginning of your book, diverse times. This is my reason, that ye go about to confute and overthrow.  
As for the use of water is, to clang and scour things that are unclean, and signifieth where it is brought that there is some thing, which needeth to be made clean, so in our baptism the water doth signify unto us, that there is some uncleanness and filthiness in our nature, that had need to be washed. For this cause I may set the water in our baptism for an argument against them, that say that men as soon as they be borne, have no original sin. But let us see your argument against this my saying. ☞ Is that a sufficient cause to prove original sin to be in infants, because ye offer them water?  
¶ I answer, the baptim of infants being lawful, & godly, as I do presuppose it: then the water of baptim (which unfaithfullye ye call onli water, leving out of baptim) must needs signify unto children that they are unclean. But when as they have committed no actual sin, and are yet sins: it followeth, that they have original sin: except there be more sins, then actual, and original. But now let us hear your hole argument, wherewith ye intend to box me. Is that a sufficient cause, to prove original sin to be in infants because ye offer them water? Then is it as sufficient to prove that the Turks and jews, with all the rest of the people of the world have it not, nor are infected therewith because ye offer it not unto them.  
I answer unto this argument, by showing the like: how strong, and mighty this of yours is. Preaching of God's word presupposeth, that there, where it is preached, men are infected with original and actual sin. but ye offer no preaching of God's word, unto the jews, Turks, and unto the rest of the infidels in the world: therefore ye reckon, that neither Turk, nor jew, neither any other infidel hath, either original, or actual sin. If that ye think, that all the above rehearsed infideles have both original, and actual sin. for all that ye offer them no preaching: so I think, that the foresaid infidels have original sin, not withstanding, that I offer them no water. In your next reason, ye presuppose it, that I did never believe, sense I had any knowledge in the scripture: that is, that the water of baptism taketh away the uncleanness of the soul: but well wots I, that the holy ghost worketh only that work, and no creature in the world, I know, that Christ's hole baptism, that is, both the outward, and the inner together, purgeth both body, and soul. And I do find in diverse places of the new Testament: that it hath pleased GOD, to grant forgiveness of sins, by the inward baptism, when the outward baptism was ministered, that the thing signified should agree with the outward sign, and signification.  
Peter said in the second chap. of the acts. Let every one of you be baptized in the name of jesus Christ, to the forgiveness of sin: and ye shall receive the gift of the holy ghost. Peter also sayeth. Acto. x.  
What let is there, that these be not baptized in water, which have received the holy ghost, as well as we? And Luke telleth, that the meany of Cornelius received the holy ghost, and were contynentie baptized with water. Ananias also, in the ix of the acts, sayeth unto Paul. Brother Saul, the lord, whom thou sawest, in the way, hath sent me: that thou shouldest receive thy sight again, and be filled with the holy ghost, and immediately, there fell from his eyes, as they had been scales: and he received his sight, and rose, & was baptized, ye see now, how that God joineth in his word the two baptymes together: so that the outward baptism is not a vain sign, and to be despised: as ye seem to do: where as ye axe: how can water he'll the wounds of the soul. But least ye say, that I allege your mind falsely, I will rehearse your words, as ye wrote them. ☞ But now I say, that all the world hath sinned, and is defiled in Adam. How now, will water scour away the filth of thps' corruption? No. It is a wound, received in the soul, and is washed away, but with the only faith in the blood of Christ.  
¶ Ye say here, that all the world hath sinned, and is defiled in Adam. and if ye mean no subtlety, and understand by the world, both the elect and the other likewise: ye grant openly orygynalle sin, which in other places ye have denied, and do deny: as hereafter we shall prove, both by your saying and doing. If that all the world hath sinned in Adam: them have also young children sinned in the same. and ye say, that the corruption of Adam can not be scoured away with any thing, saving only with the faith in the blood of Christ. Ye say also, that no child hath faith: and therefore call all infants, unbelievers. It followeth of your saying: that ye are of that opinion, that all the children which died, sense the beginning of the world, unto this day, died unpurged from the filth of the soul, and without forgiveness of original sin. Whose reward, saying that it is the death of the soul, and everlasting dampnatyon: hereupon it may be gathered, that ye are of this opinion, that all children are in the state of damnation: and that, if they die, they are all dampened. For this argument may be clearly, and truly gathered of your own saying.  
¶ None shall be scoured from the corruption of original sin, but such as have faith in the blood of Christ. But all children want faith in the blood of Christ: as ye teach both openly, and privily. Therefore by you, no children are scoured from the corruption of original sin.  
¶ Whereupon it followeth: if these sayings of Paul be true: Evil was brought by lineage into all men, by the trespass of one man, unto condemnation: The reward of sin, is death: By Adam all men do die, and by one man, sin entered into the world, and through sin, death, as far forth as we have all sinned: that all children (which as ye hold, are unbelievers, and therefore can not be purged for lack of faith in Christ's blood) must needs be damned. Which opinion, how wicked it is, and how contrary unto the holy scripture: let the church of CHRIST give sentence. Have ye not taught wholesome lessons in your book, whereof such a damnable conclusion followeth? Are ye not worthy to be dubbed a doctor of heresy? If ye be not I can not tell, who is. Where as ye say: that water can not scour the soul. because original sin is a wound received of the soul: ye seem to mean, that the body shall not be damned for original sin, as a thing that never received it.  
Is it not against justice, that they should be condemned together, which were not conjoined in the deed doing, that deserved damnation?  
¶ Ye hold in your next sentence a marvelous opinion: which is this. It is to be understand, that though sin be common to all, yet baptism is not common to all.  
Which sentence seemeth not to be true. For to whomsoever preaching is common, to the same is also baptism common.  
For preaching, and baptizing are joined, and commanded together, in these words. Euntes docete omnes gentes, baptizantes eas.  
Go, and teach all nations, baptizing them. Then is baptism, as common as preaching is: but preaching is common to all▪ therefore is also baptism common to all: though all will not receive it. For a man having several ground enough of his own, oft times putteth no cattle into the common: although his part is as common unto him, as unto any other man. Are the fields no more common unto a man, after that he enjoyeth no longer the profit of the common fields? Answer me with scripture, as I do confute you with scripture: and let your arrogant, I says, (which ye have within three leaves of the beginning of your book in the stead of scripture boldly brought in three times) go, shake their ears. For though ye have enchanted your wretched scholars, so that they believe, that it is the gospel, whatsoever ye say: yet are ye in no such authority, master doctor with me, that I will believe your, I say: when as ye bring never one text of scripture, to build your I say, upon. Well I deny the doctor, say what he will: and set these texts of the scripture against him: Paul writeth unto the Romans thus. As by the trespass of one man, evil was brought by lineage into all men to condemnation: so by the righteousness of one, good came unto all men, to the justification of life? Then is justification as common, as condemnation: And baptism is as common as iustifycatyon is: then is baptism common unto as many as sin is common to. Saint John sayeth, that Christ obtained mercy for our sins. and not only for our sins, but for the sins of the hole world. Lo here is mercy and remission of sins, as general, and as common, as sin is. And baptism is common to all, to whom remission of sin is common: for baptism: is the seal of forgiveness of sins: and so he that maketh the one common, maketh also the other common. your marvelous sentence therefore, will not stand with scripture. Of like foolishness is your conclusion, that followeth: that is, that baptism is to be offered to all men: yet is it not to be given to all men, nor to be taken of all men. Whosoever offereth any thing to any creature, and intendeth not to give the same, mocketh the creature: as when the Popish priest, sayeth unto his parishioners, Accipite, & comedite, take ye, and eat ye: and giveth them nothing, but eateth all himself: mocketh his parishioners. And ye captains of catabaptistrye, offer baptism unto all children, and intent not to give it unto them.  
Therefore ye mock all children: like as boys mock young birds, and young choughs: whiles ye offer unto them baptism, which ye never intend to give them.  
¶ For the confutation of the last part of your saying: that is, that baptism is not to be taken of all men: I ask you, whether mortification, and regeneration ought to be taken of all men, or no? If that mortification, and regeneration ought to be received of all men: and true baptism is true mortification and perfit regeneration: then ought all men to receive baptism. That baptim is mortification, and regeneration: Paul beareth witness to the Romans in the sixth Chapter: and unto Titus, the third chapter: and in other places, which I might here rehearse, if I thought not these sufficient. And so is your saying false, that all men ought not to the baptized. But what if all men ought not to be baptized? What hindereth that baptizing of young children? What if many wicked persons be not worthy, to receive the seal of salvation: I mean the outward baptism: because they wilfulli, & willingly refuse mortification, & withstand the word of God: shall their unworthiness make the innocent children, whom Christ hath washed with his blood, unmet & unworthy, to receive the sacrament of salvation, & regeneration, & the seal of the promise which god made unto them? Then this saying of yours, that all men ought not to receive baptim, proveth nothing that childer ought not to be baptised. here may all men see: that your ground that ye would make, is but sand, & falleth, when it is but lightly touched, & that the work, that ye would build upon your foundation can find no fast ground, to rest upon. Wherefore ye are not like to prosper in your purpose.  
baptim, say ye, is only dew to the elect church, chosen in Christ jesus, before all worlds: What maketh this against the christening of young children? I thank you for ye help me with arguments, against your false doctrine. For if baptim be only dew unto the elect church, chosen in Christ jesus before all worlds: then is baptim due unto all the members, & sparks of the same church: but childer are membres, & a part of the elect church. Therefore baptim is dew unto them. What need us now to dispute any longer in this matter, seeing that by your own saying, baptim is dew unto children, as the membres of Christ's elect church, chosen before the worlds? Is baptim only dew to the elect and chosen? if that be so: your brother anabaptists of munster did wrong, when they baptized so many devilish and reprobat persons of your sect: that they by their might and strength, put down all lawful magistrates, and rulers there, and set up a King among themselves: which had xvi wives, were these murderers and despisers of God's ministers, of the elect church? was this king rightly regenerate, and a mortifyer of his membres upon earth, which had so many women, to exercise his fleshly lust upon? were not your rebaptizing brethren, which were slayen in Amsterdan, when they thought to have murdered the magistrates and governores of the cyti reprobate and of a falsely pretended, and feigned repentance? And yet ye say: that baptism ought only to be given unto such, as unfeignedly will amend their lives, whereby ye make a conclusion, that childer ought not to be baptized: because ye cannot perceive, whether childer intend unfeignedly to amend their lives, or no: & know not by their living, whether they be chosen, or unchosen. This is one of the chief arguments, where with ye go about to over throw the baptizing of childer: which is after such a manner form: that it taketh as well away the baptism of old folk as of childer, for if that ye will baptize none but such as, ye know whether they be elected, and unfeignedly repent or no: ye shall as well hold all old folk from baptism as young childer, for no man can know the heart, neither of old man, nor child, saving only God, as it is written ij. Pararipo. vi. Tu solus nosti cor filiorum hominum. Thou knowest only the heart of the sons of men than may all they that are baptized fain and counterfeit repentance & amendment of life before the elders which baptize, and intent nothing less as Simon Magus and judas Did in the apostles times, & in our times such swarms of anabaptists of your sect, which were baptized after the xiiij year of their age, and afterward committed hordom robbery and shameful murder in the above rehearsed cities: and yet was noman able, saving only god, to judge whether they were chosen or unchosen: whether they intended to amend their living or no, at the time of their Baptism. Ye say that infants ought not to be baptized because we can not tell whether they be of the elect church or no, and whether they are fully amynded to amend their living or no. Take you four men of xl years of age to baptize, & let me take four infants of four days old: tell me how that ye know that your iiij. men of xl years, are more elect and chosen than I know that the four children are elect & chosen: seeing that the scripture is plain, that no man can tell, what an other man intendeth or what is in his heart. Then when as according unto the saying of S. Paul i Corint. ij. No man knoweth the things which pertain unto man saving the spirit of man which is in him: no man can tell whether an oldeman be more elect then a child, then if old men ought to be baptized, not with standing that noman knoweth whether they be worthy love or hatred, and be chosen or unchosen, it shall not hinder but that children may be as well baptized as old folk, ye say in your next assertion that, Remission of sin is offered to all: but all receive it not.  
¶ I will now try your spirit whether it is steadfast or unsteadfast and wavering or no, ye said a little before that. Baptym is offered even to as many, as will unfayneoly amend their lives: even as is remission of sins.  
¶ In which place ye make baptism and remission of sins all alike common: but remission of sins is common to all men, both to & old meton childer: and that I prove by your own saying, which is that remission of sin is offered to all. For it that is offered to all, is common to all: therefore by your own saying it followeth that baptism is common to all. And if it be common to all, then is it common unto children. How doth now your spirit agree with itself, that said a little before: that baptim was not common to all: & now saith it the contrary whereupon it followeth necessarily, that baptim is common to al. How do these sayings of yours agree together: remission of fins is offered only unto them that will unfeignedly amend their lives, as baptim is offered: and remission of sins is offered to all, but all receive it not. In the one place ye offer remission of sin only unto them theat baptim is to be offered to, that is to them that will repent: and in the other unto all, Is not here a pretty argument? this is the spirit which ye received in the wood, where as ye told me that ye learned without any doctor your divinity.  
I gather also of this your saying, where ye say, that remission of sin is offered to all, that remission of sin is also offered unto children: and to whom soever remission of sin pertaineth, baptism also pertaineth, as it may be plainly gathered of your own words above rehearsed: but remission of sin is common to all: therefore is also baytym common unto all: why should not he have the sign which hath the thing. Now is your saying that baptim is not common unto all, onis confuted again. This do I ask you because ye say that remission of sin is offered unto all: whether remission of sin is offered unto any, saving unto them that believe: and whether belief cometh only of the hearing of god's word or no. If that forgiveness of sins only be to be offered to them that have faith, and saith be only offered unto them that hear the word: how have the Turks and the other infideles remission of sins offered unto them, when as they want the word of God where of cometh faith, which only as ye grant, the promise of remission of sins? Then must ye show in your answer, how that remission of sins is offered to the faithless and unbelieving Turks, which wane the instrument whereby faith is offered and engendered. This do I only write to put you to your prove: ye are so full of your general conclusyones, if that the church sanctified in the word of Christ by faith only receive remission of sins (as ye writ here in this place) & if it be true that ye did hold before that children are faithless & unbelieving: it followeth that childer receive no remission of sins, by your saying: is not this to condemn all children, or else to say, that children have no original sin? whether this be holsum doctrine or no, let Christ's church be judge. As for your argument that ye bring next here after I deny the antecedent, if ye mean of such faith as can declare itself by good works: for the children obtain remission of sins by the blood of Christ: althouge they have no such faith as you do require in them: your argument is this. This I say (where is now Hec dicit dominus)) the remission of sins is offered to all: but all receive it not thee: church sanctisyed by faith in the blood of Christ only receiveth it: and unto them only baptism belongeth: therefore none ought to receive it but such as have not only heard the good promises of God: but have also thereby received a singular consolation in their hearts through remission of sin which they by faith have received: For if any receive baptim without these persuasion, it profiteth him nothing.  
I have proved sufficiently before that the jews circumcision was the same, & of the same effect & strength with them: that baptism is to us. But the children of the jews having, no more faith than our children, and being no more sanctified by faith in the blood of Christ then ours be, and have received no more consolation of God's promises then our children have done: obtained forgiveness of sins and have taken with fruit the sign and seal of the same, I mean their circumcision. Whereupon I gather if: that the jews children, were without faith, and were only sanctified by the promise and mercy of god, and not by their own faith or any thing of their owndoing and were not withstanding law fully received in to the fellowship of the faithful church by circumcision, and obtained forgiveness of sins: then when as God regardeth no more a jew then a gentle, and hath promised as well to be a god to the children of the believing Gentiles, as of the believing jews: the children of the faithful Christians receive remission of sins by the promise and mercy of god, before the use and exercise of faith, and are as lawfully received by baptim in to the fellowship and the chuche of the saithful christians, and to the partaking of forgiveness of sins, as the jews childer were received in to the jews church, and were made partners by circumcision of the promise and forgiveness of sins. Now must ye either deny that god is so good unto the Christians children as he was unto the jews children, or else that our children have remission of sins, & are as lawfully baptized, as the jews children were circumcised: not withstanding that our children be not as yet for lack of age, cummen to the use and exercise of faith. Ye hold & repeat in this your reason an opinion & a false heresy against the open scripture. That Sacraments do not profit them which hear not the promise, and know not what it meaneth.  
For the confutation of this I ask you whether the jews children, which neither heard the promise made unto Abraham, neither received any consolation by it, should have been saved from hell and damnation if they had departed two days after their circumcision, or they should have not been damned: & if that any of them had died upon the ten day with out circumcision: whether they should have been damned or saved? If ye answer with the scripture that not withstanding that they knew not the promise neither heard any time of it, that (God which said, I will be thy god & the god of thy seed after thee) was for his promises sake a God, that is a saviour unto them that had the sacrament of circumcision, & was a judge unto them that died uncircumcised, as to the breakers of his covenant, and therefore to be cast out and rooted forth from their people: then have ye written against scripture, where ye hold that none can have any profit of sacraments, except they understand them, hear them and have consolation thereby. I need not here rehearse the story of the rainbow, which ye call yourself a sacrament, where by I proved that even the birds and unreasonable beasts had profit all though they never heard the promise, nor knew that it was a Sacrament: for I have entreated of that matter largely here before. your argument, I trust, now is confuted & all the false doctrine that ye intended to build upon the same. now will I let the reder see your next argument, and answer to it as well as I can. Christ had his disciples to preach the comfortable tidings to every creature of mankind: but he never had baptize other than such as at their preachiryg would believe.  
¶ Christ said unto his disciples preach the gospel to every creature, but he said not preach the gospel to every creature of mankind, as ye do say sin doing where of ye commit I dolatry, or at the lest a graet offence against GOD, after your own judgement your argument: children ought not to be baptized because Christ never commanded in the scripture expressedly them to be baptized: and so because Christ said not expressedly preach the gospel to every creature of mankind but said as saint mark writeth. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is preach the gospel unto every creature, ye do wrong to say which is not expressed in the scripture in the stead of every creature of mankind. If that ye answer to be understand, every creature of mankind, & take unto you authority to understand the scripture as ye think best: why may not I in this text. Euntes, docete omnes gentes baptizantes eas. Under the name of all nationes understand young speechless children, as ye under the name of every creature understand every creature of man kind, seeing that a child may as well be understanded, under the name of nationes, as man kind may be understanded under the name of all creatures? If that Christ bade his disciples preach the gospel unto every creature of mankind, what kind are young childer the creatures of? of horse, bulls, or hogs, or of mankind, if they be creatures of mankind: then must they have the word preached unto them by your interpretation: is not this interpretation a pretty one that it had also need of an other interpretation? Might ye not as well have said to all kinds of men of every nation that can understand preaching? Because ye shall not think that your argument is sure & strong where ye reason that Christ bade not his apostles by expressed words baptize children: there for they ought not to baptize children: I make such like negative arguments of scripture: which if they be not sure but false and foolish: then seeing that of like things like judgement is to begive, your negative arargument is both unsure false and foolish.  
Christ never commanded you, to were a ring on your finger, and be cause it should not be smothered under your glove, to make a window to let the air cum in to it, I dare not say that it might be seen, neither command he you to sing in his church any piping Christ never commanded prycksong or any busy discant: therefore ye offend to be a curious musician.  
GOD bad his disciples never expressedly in his scripture preach that women should come to te communion: therefore ought no woman cum to the communion.  
GOD never in his word expressedly commanded his apostles to suffer such tall men as you be to live single: therefore your curate doth wrong to suffer you to live single.  
Christ never commanded any Christian men to differ the baptism of their children unto the xiiij year of their age you do therefore wrong to differ the baptizing of children unto the xiv. year of their age.  
If these be not good arguments made even after the same manner of yours, that is negative: then is yours, a naughty argument to say, Christ never bade baptize infant's expressedly: therefore children ought not the baptized.  
If they be good arguments: then all the conclusiones that I gather, are true, and so are ye a false man and a perillons' heretic.  
When as ye say that, By baptism alone is no salvation but by baptism and preaching:  
I ask you, whether ye mean hole baptism, that is both the inward, and the outward baptym togyter or the outward baptism a love.  
If ye mean of the inward baptym and outward both conjoined together: ye hold an open heresy against the scripture, for thus writeth the apostle of CHRIST saint Pet. j Pet. iij. few souls that is to wit, eight, were saved in the ark throw the water: to the figure where of, baptism at this time answering, doth now likewise save us. Paul also the elect vessel of GOD, giveth unto the right & holy baptism clenging, and the hole man, and also salvation, Ephes. v. husbands love your wives as Christ hath loved his church and gave himself for it, that he might hollow, and clang it by the bath of water thorough the word, and Tit. iij. But after that the goodness and love of GOD our saviour toward us appeared, not of the works that are in the righteousness which we did, but according unto his mercy saved us, throw the bath of the new birth, and the renewing of the spirit. Paul also granteth that baptism is of such effect, that the receiving of it, is the receiving and putting on of Christ: is not Christ salvation? and doth not baptim bring Christ? Paul's words are these. As many of you as are baptized, have put Christ upon you Then when as Peter doth expressedly giveth salvation unto baptism, and Paul like wise, your error is open and seen of all that have any eyes to see withal. The perfect baptism hath Christ, it hath the holy ghost likewise: for they that are rightly baptized have the holy ghost and Christ put upon them. Is not this baptim able to save alone: wherein is Christ with his holy spirit? if ye mean by this word baptim, only the outward baptism: I grant you that by it cometh no salvation alone, ye moreover that, it is no part of salvation: but that it is only a sign & a certification of our salvation. But than ye shall in to right popistry, for ye fall that of preaching, and baptism meaning of outward baptism cometh salvation: preaching is a work of man, in opening of god's word, and the outward baptim is an outward work, then if these two together bring salvation: then works bring salvation. How far are ye sir, now from popistry which call other men papists farther from papistry than ye are near unto the verity? Christ sayeth Mar. xvi He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved: but he sayeth not he that heareth the word of god & hath only the outward baptism laid upon him, shall be saved: ye have be like authority of your wood spirit to make new texts of scripture, and to build thereupon what ye list. Other have ye none. If preaching & baptim be the means to save and damn the hole world by? how prove you that baptism is ordained to damn men withal? let us hear one word of scripture of you to prove this strange opinion withal. But least any man should think that I rehearse that ye never wrote I will write your awn words By baptism alone is no salvation, but by preaching baptim, & certain it is, that God is able to save his chosen Church without thes means: But this is his ordinary way, to save and damn the whole world, by namely by offering remission of sins and baptism to all the world, that thereby the believers may be absolved from all conscience of sin, and the disobedient and unbelievers bound still other to amend or to be damned for he that believeth not is all ready damned.  
The offering of remission of sins and of baptim is, not the law, whose office is to condemn, but it is the glad tidings which we call the Gospel: ye are so unlearned and so foolish in your reasoning, that ye are utterly unworthy to be reasoned withal, so that it hath repent me oft sense, that I began to write: that I troubled myself with such a bungler. But lest your babbling & boosting, should bring any simple people out of the way, I will not disdain to open your foolishness, & to bewray your abominable heresies. Saint Paul unto the Romans iij. sayeth: by the law cometh the knowledge of sin. In the iiij chapter he sayeth that the law worketh wrath, and in the seventh chapter. I have not known sin but throw the law, so that it is the office of the law to show sin and to condemn the world, wherefore ye do against all scripture to translate & remove the office of the law unto the most comfortable offering of remission of sin, and to the most sure seal and sign of our salvation, baptim: is the end or office of offering of remission of sin is to save & make blessed, for they are blessed said David whose sins are forgiven. What is the Gospel or glad tidings, else but the offering of remission of sins? Did not Christ command- his disciples to preach repentance and that the kingdom of heaven was at hand? did not the angel bring in the tidings of peace? was not remission of sin offered where peace was offered? What other thing did the apostles else then offer remission of sin unto their auditores? Christ commanded them to preach the Gospel, and this Gospel or galled tidings, was remission of sins. How can then the offering of the Gospel which was ordained to save the world, be a mean to damn the world? How can baptism which was ordained to be an instrument of salmation: be an instrument of damnation? The offering of remission of sins is the offering of an wholesome medicine: Baptism is, as it were a comfortative, used to be given unto the sick after purgations. Who is he, that hath the common wit, that will say, if a foolish sick man refuse an wholesome medicine, with a comfortative: and he die for lack of medicine: that the offering of the medicine, with the comfortative was the means, whereby this man came unto his death? Yet do ye this: while ye make the offering of remission of sins, to be the means, whereby GOD damneth and saveth all the world by. If faith do justify (as oft times ye grant with open mouth) then doth infidelity condemn: and it is the mean, where by the world is condemned, as Christ witnesseth: he that believeth not is condemned already Lo here is condemnation assigned unto unbelief: and neither to the offering of remission of sin, neither of baptism. Then may it easily be spied how, unlearnedly ye alleged this text: he that believeth not, is condemned already: to prove that the offering of remission of sins and baptism, is means both unto salvation and condemnation: namely when as Christ, immediately before showed the means of salvation in these words. He that will believe and be baptized, shall be saved. What would spirit taught you this foolish philosophy: that one cause should bring lurth two diverse and contrary effects, as are salvation & condemnation? It is a great marvel, to see such great arroganty as ye have, to be joined with so little knowledge. But so are they all, that are blasted with the Anabaptistical spirit, as you be. If that I could have made no other shift, when ye argued with me that all Turks and jews were without original sin: because they had no water offered unto them: I might here by your help in this place have answered thus: ye say that remission of sin and baptim is offered unto all: then when as baptim is not without water: water is offered unto all, them by your own grant, all have original sin: which ye denied stoutly before: because sum wanted the offering of water. To that ye say the Gospel hath no power upon infants, and much less sacraments, & that therefore neither preaching nor administration of sacraments are dew to infants, by the word of god: I marvel what ye mean by having power. If ye mean by having power over, to belong and to be profitable: your saying is twice false: for both, the word of God belongeth unto infants: presently, by the reason of the promise which is made unto them in the word, and it is dew unto them against they come to age, as a children lands are dew unto him, though he can not enjoy them afore he come to age: that the administration of Sacraments are dew unto children: the Sacrament of circumcision, and the rain bow are witnesses against you, and prove you are a falls & a shameless liar: therefore who will believe you hereafter? no man, but such as have delight in lies and abominable heresies.  
Your conclusion, agreeth as well with your antecedent, as this argument doth: follow a staff standeth in the corner: ergo a man rinneth: and it is of such a fashion made, that I doubt whether it be more foolish unlearned, or more malicious: for it presupposeth, that I brought in to prove that children had original sin a brush: when as made mention of a brush, not to prove that children had original sin, but for a similitude, after this manner. Even as, when one bringeth a man a brush that is commed home from his journey, it is a sign that his clothes are dusty so, when as water is offered unto them that are baptized, it is a token, that they had need of scouring and clenging and are uncleve. Nether did I hold, that water did scour the soul: but I showed, that the water betokened, that the sowl of them, that were baptized, had need of scouring. Then let all christian, and learned men judge, how learned and charitable is this your conclusion. So that your brush proveth the contagion of infants, as ruyche as your water: and helpeth alike to scour the same.  
¶ After this your unlearned and malicious conclusion, ye begin a new matter, & feyn a saying of your own brain, as though I had sproken it, and them ye scourge me for your foolish, dawishe and unlearned lying: for after these my words.  
Well it is good to remedy a disease in the beghinning, and to stay his course: lest at length it grow ford far, that it be past remedy or help. It is spoken like a Physician: and that maketh you, to lay a plaster of cold water to the sin of infants, so timely: But surely out of due time, and other to parley or to late, for they are worse afterward.  
¶ Is not this a pretty fashion of confuting: for lack of scripture, reason and learning, to fain, lie and scof, after this manerye are, like to win but a few scolares, that are honest men, after this manner. All mighty God, in the old Testament, knowing that the infants of his people were sick in original sin, gave them the medicine of remission of sins: commanded that they should have circumcision laid upon them, as a seal, and token of God's promised and favour unto them.  
That all mighty GOD promised the children of the jews remission of sins, these words do testify Genes. xvij. I will streing then my cumnant between me, and thee, and between they seed after thee, in their generationes, with an everlasting connant: that I may be a GOD unto thee, and to thy seed. Then to be a God is to be a saviour: but he said he would be a GOD unto the children of the jews: therefore he promised that he would be a saviour unto them. So that the promise of salvation belongeth as well unto the children, as it pertaineth unto their fathers. It is expressedly declared in the same chapter, that the love of GOD was so great unto children, that he not only granted unto chylderen salvation: but also the seal and sign of salvation the Sacracrament of circumcision: as these words bear witness. This is my comnant which ye shall keep, between you and me, and also between thy seed after thee: let every male be circumcised among you.  
But ye shall circuncyse the flesh of your forskynne which shall be the sign of the covenant between you and me, and they ought to be circuncysed: that my covenant might be in your flesh.  
If GOD be true (as he can not befalls) there the young children obtained it, That GOD promised: and that was remissyone of sins, which was the promised blessing, and that GOD commandeth the sign and seal of remission of sin to be laid upon children, this is also certain. Then when ay all mighty GOD the archephisiccon, and heler of both body and soul began, so timely and early to heal young children: no godly man will mock Christ's ministers, while they lay upon the infants of the christians the sign of salvation, of remission of sins, after that almighty God hath heeled them from original sin as well as he healed the children of the Israelites. If that ye deny that the children of the Israelites were healed, ye must deny that God promised to be a God, unto them. If they were healed, them are our children also healed by the same physician, as early and timely as the jews children were healed, seeing God loveth the Christianes' children as well as he did the jews children, and his promise of health and salvation was as well made unto our children, as to the jews childer. All childer are infected with original sin, which if it were not taken away, should turn them to damnation: then to offer up childer unto Christ, that they may receive at the contemplation of the prayers of the church, and for the promise that God made unto them, remission of their original uncleanness, is that to timely don when as they are conceived in wykkednes and borne in sin? But I know your meaning well. ye are of that mind that ye think that childer have no sin, and that therefore ye reckon that they neither need God's physic, nor any seal of his promise, which might comfort them when they come to age. And for this cause it is like that ye will have none baptised until they be of fourteen years of age, that then your brother poisoned, with many a damnable sin, might be heeled by baptism and by preaching as though before that time, that they needed no physic of GOD our principal Physician. children of one day have need of the Physician Christ or no: If they need none of Christ, he died not for them. If they need Christ the Physiciane, when as they be but one day old: It is not to early nor to timely to carry the childer by the prayers of the church unto christ, that he may hele them. And when as the offerers up of the childer, trusting unto the promise of GOD, that the children have granted unto them remission of their original sin, do lay upon them the sacrament of baptim, do they any otherwise unto their children than the jews sometime the people of God, did unto their childer after the commandment of God: Then we need not greatly care for your unlearned, and heathenish mocking of Christ's holy sacrament, calling it in mockage a plaster of cold water. Who did orden this cold water? did not Christ orden it? If ye be a christian and not a Lucian, why do ye mok it? shall that excuse you when ye shall say that I grant that it is Christis plaster, but that it is to timely laid to? aught Christis sacrament to be mocked & laughed to scorn, because a fool layeth it to, out of time? Take heed what ye do, for Julian the apostata, as proud a mocker as you be, paid dearly for his mocking when he cast his blood in to the air, and said unto Christ vicisti Galilaee thou hast won thou man of Galilee. If that an heathen man should have said unto a priest of mosis law when he circumcised a child: what need ye sir surgeon, to cut this child before he be sick. I befool such surgeanes, as leave the childer worse than they found them: think ye that GOD would not punish this profane mocker? ye surely: then think you to scape free, which would: be reckoned a christian man, and yet mok baptim the ordinance of Christ? I think no. And where as ye say that the childer are worse, after their baptism then ever they were before: it appeareth that ye mean that the sacrament of baptim is an evil thing. for if ye meant that it were not evil, why should ye say that children baptised are worse after their baptism then they were before? After this your Poetical feigning ye bring in a clerkly conclusion which ye build upon your own communication, & therewith a reason as witty, and wise as the former was, and as well it agreeth with it that goeth before. give ear unto this new orator For I hear of a poke that is now beginning to spring up, not of a romish pok, but of an other devilish pok, as evil as it. Medice cura te ipsum. The devilish pok which is sin is not healed but thorough faith.  
Now sir I pray you tell me by your rhetorik & logic how followeth this saying with it that goeth before? for me think it followeth not. It is spoken like a physician & that maketh you to lay a plaster of cold water to the sin of the infants so timely, but surely out of due time, and other to yearly or to late, for they are worse afterward then ever th●y were before. For I hear of of a pok that is now beginning to spring up. &ce. This gear is scarce clerkly couched together, and yet ye will be reckoned a great clerk. But I will pass over your art which I can not find in you, and I will try your sentences, whether they be any better than your compositiones are or no. ye say that ye hear of a pok, that is now beginning to spring up, & ye say immediately afterward that the poke ye mean of is sin. That is in beginning to spring, that was never before: them if ●yn be now beginning to spring, as your words suppose it to do, it is like that ye are of that opinion that before this time there was never any sin. If this do not follow of your saying: I am far deceived & appeal unto the judgement of all men which have but the common sense, whether this followeth of your saying or no  
Where as ye say, medice curate ipsum, that is to say Physician heal thyself, ye reckon ye have done a clerkly work in speaking so much latin unenglished, and in applying of a proverb so properly. But how little it pertaineth unto this present purpose every wise man may easily perceive. As for me although I am a Physician, called to hele men's bodies, which thing by the help of my Lord God, I have oft do●…, I never presumed to be an heler of man's soul with my physic but with Chrstis physic. & although it pleaseth sometimes almighty god to hele diverse deadly sickness in men's souls by me & such like and to call them unto faith, to true repentance, and so consequently to the health of the soul, yet do we not take ourselves to be Physicianes & healers of the souls, but only the chief physicians servants, & only givyners unto the sick souls such medicines as our master hath commanded us, not being so bold as to devise any physic at all of our own brains. Then to say unto me, Physician heal thyself is as much to say as thou which art a physician of the body, go and play god's part and hele thy own soul. This is the counsel, not of the spirit of God: but of the wood spirit, who taught you your divinity. If that ye had been well advised, ye would not have made yourself a companion with the murdering scribes, & Pharisees, in using their churlish cheek against one of Christis members: which they threw out against Christ himself. But what win you by your check? have ye proved any thing thereby? nothing at all saving that men may know that ye are well seen in doggish eloquence. Ye have, sense the beginning of your book unto this place, said more than iij times, that faith alone taketh away sins in which places ye have erred shamefully, if ye mean by only faith the only work of believing. For if that ye give justification unto that work, of believing not meaning the when ye say faith justifieth the mercy of god promised unto us, by Christis blood justifieth us, & have a respect only unto the deed of believing: ye are a iusticiari with the pope, & the old Pharisees: whose proverbs ye gladly exercise. If that ye mean by this sentence: faith justifieth: that faith taketh hold of the mercy of God, which is granted unto us by Christ's blood: then doth the mercy of God justify, & take sin away: & faith doth nothyngelliss but taketh hold of the promised, & offered mercy. Then, when as the mercy of God is as well promised unto children as to old folk: children may be aswell be saved thereby, as old folk: & have their uncleanness as well taken away by it, as old folk have their offences taken away by it, although they be not as yet cummed unto the use of faith. I bring for an example the infants of the jews, whose natural uncleanness other God, thorough his mercy, took away before they came unto the use of faith: or else they were all damned, for they were both gotten and born in original sin. Then your general proposition is not true, without a true understanding & nothing against me, neither serveth it for your purpose with a true understanding: for ye bring it into prove, that childer have no sin: & thus would ye have reasoned, and ye had had learning to your mind. Where as there is no faith, there is no remission of sins: but no child hath faith: therefore no child hath remission of sins. If that childer had sins, they should have had remission of them by faith: but when as they have no faith: then have they neither sin, nor remission of sin, I have twice all ready answered unto this your argument before: wherefore I shall not need at this time to confite it any more.  
Where as ye think, that I am not healed from sin myself because I would have young children baptized: I can not let you to think of me, what ye list: but if ye judge falsely, there is a judge will punish you for your false judgement. And to say that I am not heeled from the romisshe pok, is such a like weapon as two wives scolding upon two dung hills te use to feygh whyh, one against an other. The on sayeth thou art a drab: the other asketh, why she is a drab: the former answereth, for thou art a drab, showing no cause why that her neighbour should be a drab, Even so ye have said sense the beginning of your book divers times, that the baptym of childer is a popish ordinance, & here ye say that the romish pok is to baptize infants: but ye have not as yet showed one word, to prove that, the baptism of children was popish: except that your oft rehearsal of it be a sufficient proof, to prove it with all, think you: because ye have with your importune babbling bewiched certain unlnearned simple men, that they believe to be true what soever ye say once unto them: that your thrice saying of a lie shall purches credence, because ye do so oft repeat the same: Can it that is by nature false, by oft rehearsing, be cum true: what other proof have ye hither to brought that the baptym of childer is popish, saying only your own oft rehearsal of it: which hath as much authority with me, and all that cleave to the written word of GOD, as the gospel of Munster hath.  
Hitherto have ye been about to confute my opinion, that young children may be baptized: but ye have brought in for you nothing, saving one text of scripture, and that negative: Which I trust, I have so taken from you, that it did not serve your purpose.  
Now doth my opinion abide still unmoved: and unreproved: and yet have ye done that ye can: ye may see what it awayleth your wood spirit to fight against the scripture.  
Then ye, being weary in wading in this matter, with small honesty begin a new matter: that is, that children have no original sin: and in the first saying, ye are as clear against yourself afterward, as here is to cold, & light unto darkness: for thus do ye begin. But your devilish pok is this to clear infants from sin which ye call original.  
¶ If this he a devilish pok: then have ye the devels pok for ye go earnestly about to prove, that children have no original sin. And as for me it is as manifest as the clear day light, that I do not clear childer from original sin: for that is one of the matters that I go most earnestly about in my sermon, to prove that childer have original sin: not wichstanding, that I do grant, that all mighty GOD purgeth and scoureth them from it in their infancy, by his mercy, according unto his promise, which he made unto them. By this contradiction, with it that followeth here after, ye may bether learn this great clerk is wit, and the agreement of his spirit with itself. Then after this monstrous contradiction, ye burst into a sterklye, which is contained in these words following. ¶ This is the pok ye take in hand to cure, either with water or fire. I never went about to take original sin away by water: but I went about to prove, that childer had original sin, and that Christ taketh the same sin from childer, by his promised mercy: and that therefore the sacrament of baptim should be offered unto them, as a sign, and seal of salvation, which they have received by the merits of Christis passion. It is therefore both maliciously, & lyingly said of you, that I take in hand to cure original sin with water. And of like truth is it that ye write in the margin, that I go about to cure you with fire. For if I would have gone about that: I knew and know means enough to bring that to pas. For as much as ye are an open fellow against the kings laws, and have committed such felony, as ye are excepted out of the pardon, where of thieves and robbers are partakers. almighty GOD amend you, and bring you in to the high way again, and save you from it, that ye have justly deserved.  
The first argument that ye make to prove, that childer have no original sin, is this. ¶ If Christ had counted infants so defiled with Adames sin, as ye do: he would never have sent his apostles & us unto children to be defiled of them. But now he sendeth us thither for cleanness, to becum such as they are, if we would enter into the kingdom of God: washed to the unwashed, Christened to the unchristened, believers to unbelievers. Not to becum pocky or leprous, but that we should be full of innocency & simplicity. For it is written: except ye convert & becum as these infants ye shall not enter in to the kingdom of heavens.  
I am glad that ye are now content, to allege scripture for your purpose. Hitherto ye have fought against me only with, I say, and certain scoldings, & unreasonable reasons which ye feigned of your own brain.  
But now let us see how rightly ye have alleged the Scripture and whether, it that ye intend, doth follow of the place alleged or no.  
Christ seeing the disputation of the hearts of his disciples among themselves, who should be greatest among them, as Matthew and Luke do testify: set a child amongst them and saide: except that ye be turned, and be made like unto little childer, ye shall never enter in to the kingdom of heaven. Christ biddeth his disciples here to learn of children humility, and to fly ambition, where with he saw them entangled. Christ biddeth not us learn all virtues of children, but only hmmilite, and flying of ambition. Now I pray you how follow these arguments childer are not desirous of honour: ergo they have no original sin, Christ sendeth us to learn humility of children: ergo they are not defiled with the sin of Adame. If these be good arguments, them are also they that follow good arguments.  
Peter was no thief: ergo Peter was no fighter. Marry magdalen was no murderer: therefore she was no unclean woman of her body. If these arguments do not follow: them doth not this your argument follow. children are not proud & desirous of honour: therefore they are not defiled with original sin. & because your argument seemeth to lean upon this pillar: Christ sendeth his apostles and us to learn of none that is defiled, with any sin: I will examine it, & (I trust) overthrow it with open examples of the scripture. Christ in the is of Luke exhorteth us to follow the wicked steward, and bringeth him for an example to be followed in wisdom. Was this wicked steward with out original sin, and undefiled by Adame, because Christ sendeth us unto him, to learn wisdom in one point? Christ sendeth us also unto serpents to learn wisdom: be ye wise sayeth he, as serpents, and simple as doves. Have serpents no poison, because Christ sendeth us unto them, to learn wisdom? Paul exhorteth them that he writeth unto, to follow him: was Paul without sin, because he exhorted his Disciples to follow him? No. for he granteth in diverse places in the Epistel to the Romans both generally & particularly, that he is a sinner: and yet not withstanding he exhorteth his disciples to follow him saying: be you the followers of me, as I follow Christ. So may we follow children as they follow Christ in humility and lowliness, and yet their humility doth not, prove they are clear from original ●ynne. What if I granted you, that the children, that Christ set forth for us to follow, where at that time clear from original sin, as I reckon they were in deed (for it is like they were children of the jews, and had the promise, and had received the seal of the promise: circumcision, and therefore was cleared from their original sin that it should not be imputed unto them) shall it follow, that they had no original sin before? No. For God purgeth children as well as men from original sin. Therefore this text of scripture, which ye have alleged out of Matthew, proveth nothing, that children are free from original sin and so, where as ye thought that by the strength of your invincible argument, it should have been easy to have answered to my arguments made, to prove that childer were borne in original sin, your weapon taken from you, it is as hard to solute my arguments as it was before.  
diverse other absurdites & inconveniences follow upon your foolish assertion, & saying namely this. Christ, say ye, the prince of physiciones, sendeth, his chief surgeones and physiciones to be cum such as the babes were, but ye say a little after that the children were unwashed, unchristened, unlevers. Then sent Christ his apostles, by your saying, to young childer, to learn of them to be unwashed, unchristened & to be faithless. Ye set in your margin, over against this your argument, with many other words virgins enim sunt. & dealbaverunt vestimenta sua in sanguine agui. For they are pure virgins and they have made white their garments in the blood of the lamb. If that this text pertain unto childer, as you do allege it, ye have brought me two serpentines to shoot against you. with the first I will overthrow your opinion, that childer are not borne in original sin: and with the second your false lie, where as ye said that childer were unwashed. If that childer had their garments made white, then was their garments once not white: then if whiteness betokeneth cleanness, & other colores uncleanness: it followeth that they were once unclean, for all that they were afterward come unto such whiteness & clenenes, by the blood of the lamb. If that they made white their clothes in the blood of the lamb, than were they well washed. Who can be better washed than they be, that are washed with Christ's blood? then are the children washed, and ye sklander them of uncleanness, & if they be washed, then were they before unclean: but they had no other uncleanness saving original sin: therefore by this text of scripture children have had original sin & by the blood of the lamb are scoured & purged from the same.   

To the Reader.  
Marvel not good reader that I have not answered unto the rest of this man's book: for I would as gladly have answered unto the rest as to it which I answered to before, but that I have so much ado with the setting out of my Herbal, that I can not do that at this time. But here after God willing I shall make an end of it, that I have begun, if it shall be thought expedient to the church to do so. Almighty God keep the from all fantastical and strange sprites and their learning. also. Amen.   


Randol Hurlst unto the Reader.  
If that the Scots, or foreign folk our country should assail,  
With courage, fierce, and weapons strong, from us it for to take,  
A man might find enough, that would not have them to prevail,  
But would most stoutly strive, and stand, their fercenes for to slake.  
And yet almost there none is found, that in a greater wight,  
Will take in hand the faith of Christ, from such for to defend,  
As teach false doctrine every where, and therewith would us freight,  
Denying baptism to our Babes, and what so it doth send.  
Whose doctrine, such as Godly are do know, is very nought,  
And that it is more poisonful, and hurteth far more sore,  
Then if our contreyshold from us, by force be ever caught,  
And we in thraldom should be the throne, to serve for ever more.  
Wherewith this author being moved, took pen in hand to write,  
Against all such, as thee, and thyve of truth would have bearest:  
Whom thank dear reader for his pain, that he thus would indite,  
For the defence, of the and thine, in that that Christ hath left.   

THOMAS SOMUS ECCLEsiastes Lectori.  
Mystica baptismi, libris quae clausa teguntur  
Nuncia nonnullis, hic manifesta patent.  
Huc igitur studiosa cohors properare iwabit  
Caelica si verba & dogmata sacra placent.  
Quam dabit hic clavi hac reserabis claustra daturam  
Quae tenet area intus conspicienda palam.  
Impiger, ut nummos cumulet, mercator ad Indos  
Currit, at incertertae pendet ab ore Deae:  
Huc properes & tutus eris, sapientia ditat  
Fortuna nunquam deficiente suos.   

THOMAS BECONUS Ecclesiastes Lectori.  
Quando ita divini fert immutanda voluntas  
Numinis, assiduo cunctorum mart suorum  
Explorare fidem, constantia pectora, morum  
Inuictum robur: confirmaturus in illis  
Hac ratione sui, simul & pietatis amorem:  
Implorari sui docturus cord fideli  
Spiritus auxilium: nos quorum cura suorum  
Commissa est fidei, vigilesque ducesque tuendis.  
Praeficimur castris, te nunc tibi quanta monemus  
Immineant, miles Christi, discrimina vitam  
Si sapis & saluam cupis in statione manere  
Tuta praecipimus, summo vitare maligni  
Insidias hostis studio, fraudemque cavere,  
Sed ne tela tibi desint, quêis fortiter illi  
Occurras, vires divino robore frangas,  
Et quae parta suo precioso sanguine Christus  
Tradidit, & partam bello tueare quietem:  
Scripturae armabit te plena panoplia sacrae,  
Ex qua cuique malo liceat depromere quicquid  
Seruiat arcendo. Quod si livore maligno  
Commotus pueris baptismi munera parvis  
Extorquere velit, iam partae signa salutis,  
Atque tibi curare tuam solatia prolem  
Aeternum rerum Dominum patremque bonorum:  
Ecce parata adsunt tibi munimenta tuisque  
Et tela invictis fundentia viribus hostem,  
Turneri hoc opera factum, cui saepe Papistae  
Insignem victi palmam, laudemque dedere,  
Cui Deus aeternam transactae praemia vitae  
Donabit vitam: Tu grates pectore grato  
Tantis pro meritis age gratus, teque tuere  
Fortiter atque tuos, & vires frange malorum.  
Militiae tandem finis continget, ovansque  
Cum Christo duce tum caelum tua vota subibis.  
Vale,   

Robert Thomlynson to the reder.  
As weed destroyed the corn, and made it oft decay:  
And dreadful damp dokill the fish, that in the water play:  
And the serpents in the grass oft times men do grieve,  
That think on them none ill, but very well believe:  
So have these Catabaptistes a very long space  
Encumbered God's word, in many asundry place,  
Till a Physician by Gods might and power  
With treacle of God's word that poison doth scour.  
Wherefore praise we God, that sitteth on high,  
Which for such sores such salves never doth deny.    

¶ Imprinted at London, for Androw Hester dwelling in Paul's Churchyard, at the wit horse next to Paul's school. An. 1551. the 30 of januarij.  
Cum Privilegio ad imprimendum solum.