The second reply of Thomas CartwrightThe second replie of Thomas Cartwright

It is well the D. hath not to do with the Anabaptists. For he is like enough to betray that cause / which having so sure grounds in the scripture▪ is here by him laid open / to their mockery. For he saith / that the 28. off S. Matthew is a general ground to prove the baptism off Children: When our Saviour Christ speaketh there only off those which were off discretion / as appeareth by that he biddeth them baptise those / whom they have made scholars off Christ by their doctrine. And therefore for so much as the Apostles could not teach children / nor could not make them disciples by teaching before their baptism: it is manifest that he speaketh not there off children's baptism. And this might he have ⟨p. CCXXIIII⟩learned for his use / in the same book off Zuinglius / out of which he hath taken so many things to no purpose. And it is not only ¹Master Zuinglius answer / but other learned mens which have had to do with that sect. As for the promise alleged / that god is our God, and the God of our seed, albeit that be the ground / whereupon the holy sacrament off Baptism is ministered unto infants: yet it is not sufficient / without adding the commandment off God / touching the circumcision off young children. For if the lord having given that promise unto Abraham / had commanded no circumcision at all / or had only commanded it to be given / to those off discretion: it had not been lawful for Abraham to have circumcised his infants / yet they should have remained under the promise. So that whether You vvill / or no: we must come to reason from circumcision unto baptism. Neither is that you allege / of Circumcision to have been a figure off baptism, sufficient to deliver you out off the nets / wherewith you snare your self. For albeit it be a figure off baptism: yet it is a ceremony / and a principal part off the ceremonial law: and your answer is general against all reasoning from the ceremonial law / unto that which is established under the gospel. Therefore I uphold still / that your answers here, and in other places / tend to spoil us off divers pillars, and principal buttresses off our religion.

Yt is vvell the D. hath not to doo vvith the Anabaptistes. For he is like enowgh to betraie that cawse / vvhich hauinge so sure groundes in the scripture▪ is here by him laied open / to their mockerie. For he saith / that the 28. off S. Matthew is a generall grounde to proue the baptisme off Children: When our Sauiour Christe speaketh there onely off those vvhich vvere off discretion / as appeareth by that he biddeth them baptise those / whom they haue made scolers off Christe by their doctrine. And therfore for so much as the Apostels coulde not teache children / nor coulde not make them disciples by teachinge before their baptisme: yt is manifeste that he speaketh not there off childrens baptisme. And this might he haue