The Christian disputations, by Master Peter Viret. Divided into three parts, dialogue wiseThe Christian disputations, by Master Peter Viret. Deuided into three partes, dialogue wise

Theophilus. It seemeth also y• Tertullian would refer, that which y• Corinthians ¹did baptize themselves for the dead, to the Februales & purifications of the paynims, as letting to understand, that where the Corinthians did baptize themselves for the dead, was a superstition which they did yet keep of their ancient customs, crcept y• in stead of yt panish superstitions, they did abuse yt baptism, thinking y• it ought to serve for the dead, as we do see in our time that they have applied it unto the Lords supper, by the means of Masses that which ²the superstitious Papists do think to profit the dead, in whose name the Priest doth communicate and sing it. Although ⟨image 179⟩that the words of Tertullian are obscure and very hard, yet to cramine them together, it seemeth very well that he meaneth the same, and the ancients have almost all taken it after that manner: notwithstanding that others do take it in an other sense, and do interpret that place of Saint Paul, of those which do cause ³themselves to be baptised, when they were in extreme sickness and near unto death. For the custom was that those which came to the saith (which men call the Catechumenis, because they are instructed in the faith ⁴and Christian Religion) did not of custom cause themselves to be suddenly baptised, until such time as they were well instructed and taught in the secrete mysteries, and doctrine of the Christian Religion. And therefore because they had the baptism in great reverence, and did believe that through the same they had full remission and forgiveness of all their sins, and were altogether renewed, many tarried and referred to be baptised, until they were like to dye, thinking that when they dyed in such a state, they were more purer and cleaner from their sins: the which they could never have done, if they had not truly believed and hoped for the immortality of the souls, and the resurrection of the flesh. Although that the Apostles allowed not such manner of doing. Those which do take the words of the Apostle after such a sense and meaning, are induced to do it, because that they think, that if the Apostle did understand and mean that of the Panish superstitions, that he would not have passed it over, without