7 He draweth another argument (to confirm the former also) from the example of Christ,1 courteously embracing infants, & muniteth the same against the gainsayers, that say, that it maketh nothing for baptism. But the place diligently weighed, must needs condemn them, when Christ commanded infants to be brought to him, he added a reason why, because of such is the kingdom of heaven, & ⟨image 252⟩[…] ⟨p. 242⟩[…] ⟨image 253⟩after he witnesseth his will with deed when he embracing them, he commendeth them to his father with his prayer, and blessing: if it be they be brought to Christ, then is it meet for them to be received to Baptism, the sign of our communion & fellowship with Christ. If the kingdom of heaven be theirs, then the sign shall not be denied them: whereby there is as it were an entry opened into the Church, that being admitted to it, they may be numbered among the heirs of the heavenly kingdom. Their argument to prove they were good big children, because Christ said, Let little ones come to me is to small purpose, for the Evangelist calleth them Brephe and Paidia, which doth signify Babes, yet hanging upon their mothers breasts: Therefore this word to (Come) is simply to have access.
7 He draweth another argument (to confirme the former also) from the example of Christ,1 courteously imbrasing infants, & muniteth the same against the gainsayers, that say, that it maketh nothing for baptisme. But the place diligently wayed, must néedes condemne thē, when Christ cōmāded infāts to be brought to him, he added a reason why, bicause of such is ye kingdom of heauē, & ⟨image 252⟩〈…〉 ⟨p. 242⟩〈…〉 ⟨image 253⟩after he witnesseth his will with déede when he imbrasing thē, hee cōmendeth them to his father with his prayer, and blessing: if it bée they bee brought to Christe, then is it méete for them to be receiued to Baptisme, the signe of our communion & fellowship with Christ. If the kingdome of heauen bee theirs, then the signe shal not be denied them: whereby there is as it were an entrie opened into the Church, that being admitted to it, they may bée numbred among the heires of the heauenly kingdome. Their argument to prooue they were good bigge children, bicause Christ saide, Let little ones come to me is to smal purpose, for the Euangelist calleth them Brephe and Paidia, which doth signifie Babes, yet hanging vpon their mothers breastes: Therefore this worde to (Come) is simply to haue accesse.
- 1Matth. 9.13
