A47350:107
A sober discourse of right to church-communion
A sober discourse of right to church-communion wherein is proved by Scripture, the example of the primitive times, and the practice of all that have professed the Christian religion, that no unbaptized person may be regularly admitted to the Lords Supper / by W. Kiffin ...A sober discourse of right to church-communion wherein is proved by Scripture, the example of the primitive times, and the practice of all that have prosessed the Christian religion, that no unbaptized person may be regularly admitted to the Lords Supper / by W. Kiffin ...
London: printed by Geo. Larkin for Enoch Prosser, 1681
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.
'Nor was it accounted ⟨p. 69⟩enough by some in these times that Baptism was conferred by a Person called to the Ministry, unless he was also Orthodox in the Faith—Hence sprang that famous controversy between Cyprian and Stephen Bishop of Rome, Concerning the Rebaptizing those that had been Baptized by Heretics, Cyprian asserting that they ought to be Rebaptized, &c. calling a Council at Carthage of 87. African Bishops, who all concluded for his Opinion—For they looked upon that Baptism that had been conferred by Heretics, as null and invalid, (seeing Heretics being out of the Church, could not give what they had not) and therefore when they Returned to the Union of the Church, they could not properly be said to be Rebaptized, seeing they did but Receive what (lawfully) they had not before &c.
'Nor was it accounted enough⟨p. 69⟩by some in these times that Baptism was conferred by a Person called to the Ministry, unless he was also Orthodox in the Faith—Hence sprang that famous controversy between Cyprian and Stephen Bishop of Rome, Concerning the Rebaptizing those that had been Baptized by Hereticks, Cyprian asserting that they ought to be Rebaptized, &c. calling a Councel at Carthage of 87. Affrican Bishops, who all concluded for his Opinion—For they looked upon that Baptism that had been conferred by Hereticks, as null and invalid, (seing Hereticks being out of the Church, could not give what they had not) and therefore when they Returned to the Union of the Church, they could not properly be said to be Rebaptized, seing they did but Receive what (lawfully) they had not before &c.
'Then page 305. After he had Discoursed of Infant Baptism, adds that those who made up the main Body of the Baptized in those days were Adult Persons, who flocking over daily to the Faith of Christ, were Received in at this Door. Usually they were for some considerable time Catechised and Trained up in the Principle of the Christian Faith, till having given Testimony of their Proficiency in knowledge—and of a sober and Regular Conversation, they then became Candidates for Baptism, and were accordingly taken in &c.