More proofs of infants church-membership and consequently their right to baptism, or, A second…

The man it seems had never read Jeremy Stephens his Edition of Cyprian de unit. Eccl. and how those few words of Peter and the Church of Rome were added by Corrupters (though he is willing to believe in the general that his writings were corrupted) But we have certain Copies at least of so much of them, as confute his Cause. I remember our great Antiquary Bishop Usher told me that it was Tertullian and Cyprian that he took for the Chief Records of Church Antiquities, next a few small things which give little information of matters of fact. And some of the things ⟨p. 277⟩that this man so starteth at, Cyprian held, and as Epiphanius saith, All the Christian Churches: And must he then be a Factor for Antichrist? Who then is this Man a Factor for? Mark, Reader, whether it be any wonder if I be abominable and Antichristian to him, when Cyprian and the sixty six Bishops with him must come under (hypothetically) that suspicion. 1. That Cyprian who was so holy and wise a man; 2. That lived before Antichrist was born; 3. That died a Martyr for Christ; 4. Who is so great a part of the pure antiquity; that if you cast him away, what will the rest be for a great time? 5. That Cyprian who is called by some the first Anabaptist, because he was for rebaptizing those baptized by Heretics; 6. That Cyprian who so stiffly opposed the Bishop of Rome (though himself was in the error;) 7. That Cyprian whom the Donatists boasted of as their predecessor in rebaptizing, and Austin was put to answer (though with his honour;) 8. That Cyprian who lived before any Christian Emperor, when strict discipline upheld religion without and against the Magistrates sword; and who wrote so many of his Epistles only for the rigour of Church-discipline? O wh•t pleasure is this to Papists? If we be but such Antichristians say they, as holy Cyprian and the primitive Churches were, we will prefer it before the Anabaptists Christianity?

The man it seems had never read Jeremy Stephens his Edition of Cyprian de unit. Eccl. and how those few words of Peter and the Church of Rome were added by Corrupters (though he is willing to believe in the general that his writings were corrupted) But we have certain Copies at least of so much of them, as confute his Cause. I remember our great Antiquary Bishop Ʋsher told me that it was Tertullian and Cyprian that he took for the Chief Records of Church Antiquities, next a few small things which give little information of matters of fact. And some of the things