The true and only way of concord of all the Christian churches the desirableness…

The danger of the two extremes: And first of despairing of any Concord, and of unjust Tolerations.

The danger of the two extreams: And first of despairing of any Concord, and of unjust Tolerations.

§. 1. Some men having seen the Christian world so long in Sects and contending parties, do think that there is no hope of Unity and Concord, and therefore that all should be left at liberty: And others think that there is no hope but on terms so wide as shall take such as Christ receiveth not, nor would have us receive. And on such accounts there were very early great contentions about the qualifications of ⟨p. 115⟩the baptizers and baptized, and the validity of baptism, and about re-baptizing.

§. 1. SOme men having seen the Christian world so long in Sects and contending parties, do think that there is no hope of Vnity and Concord, and therefore that all should be left at liberty: And others think that there is no hope but on terms so wide as shall take such as Christ receiveth not, nor would have us receive. And on such accounts there were very early great contentions about the qualifications of ⟨p. 115⟩the baptizers and baptized, and the validity of baptism, and about re-baptizing.

As to the Baptizers, some thought that only Priests should baptize (none appropriated it to Bishops): some thought Lay-men might baptize in case of necessity, and some thought that women also might do it: And some thought that though women or Lay-men might not do it lawfully, yet factum valet, being done, such should not be re-baptized. And some thought that those that were baptized even by Priests that were Schismatics, (or as they called them Heretics when they separated from common Concord and Communion) must be rebaptized. And they thought that if they were baptized in such a Schismatical (or Heretical) society, by whomsoever, it was not into the true Church. In this case Cyprian and the African Bishops with Firmilian and his Colleagues, were in the wrong, when the Bishop of Rome was in the right. And the Donatists thought they were but of Cyprian's mind: For it seems they had there the greater number of Bishops; And the greater number went for the Church, and the less for heretics: and so they called themselves the Church (though out of Africa the number against them, or that meddled not in the quarrel was far greater.) And all this arose but by the contests of two men for the Bishopric of Carthage, some following one and some the other.