A reply to an answer made of M. Doctor Whitgifte Against the admonition to…A replye to an ansvvere made of M. Doctor VVhitgifte Against the admonition to…

doctor goeth about there to bring it in suspicion of Anabaptism / because allowing in plain words / the baptism of infants / they add that if the parties be of discretion and years / them selves in their own parsons should demand to be baptised. For sayeth he in this church / they tarry not for baptism so long. But is there no case or may there not be / when they that be of age may be baptised? It may be there are Jews in England / which understanding their blindness / and confessing their sin / may desire to be baptised / and there be divers Mores in noble mens and gentle mens houses / which are sometimes brought to the knowledge of Christ / whereby there is some use and practise of this case.

doctor goeth about there to bryng it in suspition of Anabaptisme / because allowing in playne words / the baptisme of infants / they adde that if the parties be of discretion and yeres / them selues in their owne parsons should demaund to be baptised. For sayeth he in this church / they tary not for baptisme so long. But is there no case or may there not be / when they that be of age may be baptised? It may be there are Iewes in England / whych vnderstanding their blindnes / and confessing their synne / may desire to be baptised / and there be diuers Mores in noble mennes and gentle mennes houses / whych are sometimes brought to the knowledge of Christ / wherby there is some vse and practise of thys case.

After that M. Doctor hath cast him self in derision / at the feet of the authors of the Admonition / and desired to be taught of them whom he hath so contemptuously condemned as unlearned / he doth by and by raise up him self into his chair / and there sitteth Doctorally / apposing the authors of the admonition / as if they were his scholars: and upon occasion of the sound faith and good behaviour of the parents of the infant mentioned by the admonition / asketh first of all / what if the infant be the child of a drunkard? what if he be of a harlot? shall not (sayeth he) the infant be baptised? If it were not that M. doctor in asking these questions doth also answer them / and answereth them far otherwise then the truth doeth suffer / I would not be drawn from the causes which we have in hand by these roging questions / now I can not leave them unanswered / because I see that master Doctor doth make of the holy Sacrament of baptism (which is an entry into the house of God / and whereby only the family of God must enter) a common passage whereby he will have clean and unclean / holy and profane / as well those that are without the covenant as those that be within it / to pass by: and so maketh the church no household / but an June to receive whosoever cometh. I will answer therefore almost in as many words / as the questions be asked. If one of the parents be neither drunkard nor adulterer / the child is holy by virtue of the covenant / for one of the parents sakes. If they be both / and yet not obstinate in their sin / whereby the church hath not proceeded to Excommunication / (them selves being yet of the church) their child can not / nor ought not to be refused. To the second question / wherein he asketh what if the child be of Papists or Heretics. If both be Papists / or condemned heretics / (if so be I may distinguish papists from heretics) and cut of from the church / then their children can not be received / because they are not in the covenant: if either of them be faithful / I have answered before that they ought to be received. To the other question wherein he asketh / what if they err in some points of matters of faith.