A41334:327
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.
You ask me again, would I have such suddenly ejected? why Sir is there no Church-Discipline but Excommunication? we use unless offences he very notorious (and we have enough such) first to admonish persons seriously to bring persons to repentance; if that will not do, we suspend; if that will not do,1 then excommunicate. I said before, the times we now are cast in are to be considered, as the •eyden Professors speak in the same case, but because you cannot excommunicate you will do nothing: and when you have excommunicated it is all one with you, so that you do but delude us. I do not absolutely deny any Baptism, but conditionally if they will not come to be instructed, and give us some better testimony of their conversation: but before they will be catechised by me, and give any better testimony they will fling away.
You aske me agains, would I have such suddainly ejected? why Sir is there no Church-Discipline but Excommunication? we use unlesse offences he very notorius (and we have enough such) first to admonish persons seriously to bring persons to repentance; if that will not doe, we suspend; if that will not doe,1 then excommunicate. I said before, the times we now are cast in are to be considered, as the •eyden Profossours speake in the same case, but because you cannot excommunicate you will doe nothing: and when you have excommunicated it is all one with you, so that you doe but delude us. I doe not absolutely deny any Baptisme, but conditionally if they will not come to be instructed, and give us some better testimony of their conversation: but before they will be catchised by me, and give any better testimony they will fling away.
- 1So some conceive non-Communion to be an Act of Church-Discipline.