And seeing you have given us this occasion to lay down some grounds of our practise from the first patterns, we shall add a word or two to take away the conceit of novelty, which is imputed to us in this point as much as in any thing else. Tertullian saith in his book of prescriptions, We admit no man to any disputation about divine things, unless he first have showed us of whom he received the faith and became a Christian; and secondly, whether he admit and hold the general principles, wherein all Christians do and ever did agree, otherwise proscribing against him as an alien from the Common-wealth of Israel. And if in those times they were so strict in admitting men to disputations, no doubt much more in receiving men to Church Communion. But if this seem not full enough, take another: in the Churches of old, there were Catechumeni, instructed for entrance into the Church by baptism, with whom they took much pains in sanctifying them, before; by fasting and prayer, and often preaching to them. And for their admission, there were four things in use among them, 1. Nominis professio, 2. Scrutinium, 3. Abrenuntiatio, 4. Fidei professio. Their Scrutinium which they call Examen competentium, or the examination of such as were competent, or fitting for admission, This Examen was very strict as is observed out of Alcuinus, by learned *1 Chamier, Fiant scrutinia, ut explorentur saepius, an post renuntiationum Satanae, sacra verba datae fidei radicitus corde defixerint, i. e. Let examinations be made, that it oft may be tried, whether they have deeply fixed in the heart the sacred words of their professed faith. And what ever any may think of the strictness of that their discipline, in this point Chamier gives a large testimony, by way of approbation of the same, whose words upon it are these, Certe nemo improbare potest, seriam in tam sanctis rebus diligentiam, ne quantum ⟨p. 199⟩fieri poterit lateant Simones, &c. i. Certainly no man can disallow such serious diligence, to prevent profanation of sacred things, lest (so far as it is possible) such as Simon Magus may lye hid: And saith he, the Apostles went before in their examples, for Philip, Acts 8. being demanded of the Eunuch, What hinders me that I may not be baptized? he answereth not simply thou mayst, but with this supposition added, if thou believest with thy whole heart.
And seeing you have given us this occasion to lay downe some grounds of our practise from the first patternes, we shall add a word or two to take away the conceit of novelty, which is imputed to us in this point as much as in any thing else. Tertullian saith in his booke of prescriptions, Wee admit no man to any disputation about divine things, unlesse hee first have shewed us of whom he received the faith and became a Christian; and secondly, whether hee admit and hold the generall principles, wherein all Christians doe and ever did agree, otherwise proscribing against him as an alien from the Common-wealth of Israel. And if in those times they were so strict in admitting men to disputations, no doubt much more in receiving men to Church Communion. But if this seeme not full enough, take another: in the Churches of old, there were Catechumeni, instructed for enterance into the Church by baptisme, with whom they tooke much paines in sanctifying them, before; by fasting and prayer, and often preaching to them. And for their admission, there were foure things in use among them, 1. Nominis professio, 2. Scrutinium, 3. Abrenuntiatio, 4. Fidei professio. Their Scrutinium which they call Examen competentium, or the examination of such as were competent, or fitting for admission, This Examen was very strict as is observed out of Alcuinus, by learned *1 Chamier, Fiant scrutinia, ut explorentur saepius, an post renuntiationum Satanae, sacra verba datae fidei radicitus corde defixerint, i. e. Let examinations be made, that it oft may bee tryed, whether they have deeply fixed in the heart the sacred words of their professed faith. And what ever any may thinke of the strictnesse of that their discipline, in this point Chamier gives a large testimony, by way of approbation of the same, whose words upon it are these, Certe nemo improbare potest, seriam in tam sanctis rebus diligentiam, ne quantum ⟨p. 199⟩fieri poterit lateant Simones, &c. i. Certainely no man can disallow such serious diligence, to prevent profanation of sacred things, lest (so farre as it is possible) such as Simon Magus may lye hid: And saith hee, the Apostles went before in their examples, for Philip, Acts 8. being demanded of the Eunuch, What hinders mee that I may not bee baptized? hee answereth not simply thou mayst, but with this supposition added, if thou beleevest with thy whole heart.
- 1Cham. de Bap. lib. 5. cap. 15.
