Light broke forth in Wales, expelling darkness, or, The Englishman's love to the ancient…Light broke forth in Wales, expelling darkness, or, The Englishman's love to the antient…

Sir, I have my self baptized many hundreds of Men and Women, and some at all times of the year, yea in times of bitter Frost and Snow, when the Ice was first broken, and Persons that were of a weak sickly Constitution, and Women big with Child, and others near Seventy years Old, yea some near Eighty years Old, and I never knew any to suffer the least harm thereby, but many have found their Health better afterward: Yea I heard a Reverend Minister very lately say, that he knew an Ancient Woman in Kent that was Bed-ridden for some time, who could not be satisfied until she was baptized, and baptized she was, and upon it grew strong and went about, and lived some years after in Health and Strength according to her age; also for the space of forty years, I have heard of, or known some Thousands baptized at all Seasons of the year, of both Sex, and never heard of any that received the least prejudice to their Health thereby, much less that it cost them their Lives: Therefore palpable it is you are guilty of slander, back-biting, and abominable calumny, bearing false Witness against your Innocent Neighbours, and 'tis well if it be not out of malice, and that not only to us, but also to Christ's Holy Ordinance of Dipping Believers in his Name.

2. But the worst is behind, who is it you cast this reproach upon? Is it upon us? Or is it not upon Christ himself? Did not our Lord Jesus Institute this Ordinance of Baptizing, i. e. of dipping the Bodies of Men and Women in water? Sir were not those Men and Women that were Baptized in the Apostolical times Dipped? Do you descent from all the Ancient and Modern ⟨p. 258⟩Divines; I have Quoted a multitude of them in this Treatise, who positively assert this matter, to which Chapter I refer my Reader.

Ambrose saith, water is that wherein the Body is plunged.