The second part of The nonconformists plea for peace being an account of their…

44. To forbid Religious Assemblies, or alter their ends and principal use, is to usurp, and to contradict the Laws of Christ.

45. To alter the qualifications of Church members, and forbid those that Christ requireth us to receive, or receive such as Christ forbiddeth us to receive, is to contradict his laws, by usurpation, whether Magistrates or Pastors do it.

46. To forbid Baptism, or to alter it, or make a new Sacrament of admission, or a new consecrating, or dedicating Symbol for the solemnization of our Covenant with God, as signifying his grace or the conveyance thereof, and a new Symbol of the Christian Church, or visible badge of Christianity (as if the Knights of the Garter should make a Symbol or badge of their order, besides that which the King hath made) this doth seem to us an usurpation, and an accusation of Gods Law as insufficient. Upon which account (not presuming Pragmatically to judge of other men) we fear for our selves, lest we should sin if we used the Cross in Baptism in the English manner. Because it is called a Dedicating sign, and signifieth the Passion of Christ and the grace procured by it on his part, and also our solemn dedication to Christ, as Baptism doth, and so seemeth to us a kind of Sacrament, and a badge or Symbol of our Religion. And hath no reason for its Institution which concerneth not all Christians as well as us, and which was not extant in the Apostles time; so that if it had been fit to be made a Law, it was as fit then as now, and as fit to be an universal Law as a particular: and therefore we dare not so accuse Christ of omission. And it is not a mere decent ordering of Baptism, but a new ordinance of men, to most of the same uses. Yet we deny not but it is left to us, by what sign we will profess our own consent to the Covenant of Grace (by word, writing, or gesture,) which nature or Custom maketh a sign of Consent; But not on that pretence to institute a Symbol ⟨p. 31⟩