A41334:106
A sober reply to the sober answer of Reverend Mr. Cawdrey, to A serious…
A sober reply to the sober answer of Reverend Mr. Cawdrey, to A serious question propounded viz. whether the ministers of England are bound by the word of God to baptise the children of all such parents, which say they believe in Jesus Christ, but are grossly ignorant, scandalous in their conversations, scoffers at godliness, and refuse to submit to church discipline ... : also, the question of Reverend Mr. Hooker concerning the baptism of infants : with a post-script to Reverend Mr. Blake / by G.I. Firmin ...A sober reply to the sober answer of Reverend Mr. Cawdrey, to A serious question propounded viz. whether the ministers of England are bound by the word of God to baptise the children of all such parents, which say they believe in Jesus Christ, but are grosly ignorant, scandalous in their conversations, scoffers at godliness, and refuse to submit to church dicipline ... : also, the question of Reverend Mr. Hooker concerning the baptisme of infants : with a post-script to Reverend Mr. Blake / by G.I. Firmin ...
London: printed by J.G., 1653
A SOBER REPLY TO A SOBER ANSWER, &c.A SOBER REPLY TO A SOBER ANSVVER, &c.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
I would have answered, if you speak of a pure visible Church, you say right: but there may be a true Church visible, though divers corrupt Members, as in Corinth, Sardis, &c. To this I conceived they would reply thus, as for Corinth, Sardis, &c. We do not deny it, for there were real Christians, and visible Christians also, (though there were corrupt ones,) and these held up the essential cause of the Church: but in divers of these Parishes we shall not find four it may be so much as visible Saints, if we take in knowledge, and what that definition, and Mr Cawdry's qualifications require for a visible Saint.
I would have answered, if you speake of a pure visible Church, you say right: but there may be a true Church visible, though divers corrupt Members, as in Corinth, Sardis, &c. To this I conceived they would reply thus, as for Corinth, Sardis, &c. We doe not deny it, for there were reall Christians, and visible Christians also, (though there were corrupt ones,) and these held up the essentiall cause of the Church: but in divers of these Parishes we shall not sinde foure it may be so much as visible Saints, if we take in knowledge, and what that definition, and Mr Cawdrys qualifications require for a visible Saint.
Besides what Corinth and Sardis had,1 was only by way of Calling as say the London Ministers: but what ours are, was and is by the Sword of the Magistrate, King Henry the height he left us Popish. King Edward the sixth, he takes away the Mass-book, and sends the book o• Common-prayer, though the people love the other way, yet if the King will have it so, it must be so. Queen Mary comes and she turns about again, the people follow her. Queen Elizabeth she takes away Mass again, if it were ten times in a year saith Mr. Rogers,2 the people will turn with the state. This is the Call, and what have we now? but divers ignorant sos sent into these places to read a book of Common prayer, and this is their profession: this is strange making of Churches, this was not so in the times when Churches were first constituted.