An appeal to the learned. Being a vindication of the right of visible saints…

Ans. Though this Argument be a three sold cord; yet it is easily broken to pieces. He don't count it a demonstration. It consists of three parts: I shall consider them severally.

1. He faith that this Opinion is contrary to the Profession & Practice of the Primitive Churches. This he labours to prove from Justin Martyr, Origin, Tertullian, Cyprian: and he faith, That for about four or five hundred years of the Christian Era, there was great strictness in admitting to Sacraments. The like is asserted by him in an Epistle to Mr Quick; and he grants that there was too much rigidity among them. And here he faith, That Chamior, Chemnitius, & Gerhard, commend the strictness of the Primitive times.

1. He faith that this Opinion is contrary to the Profession & Practice of the Primitive Churches. This he labours to prove from Justin Martyr, Origin, Tertullian, Cyprian: and he faith, That for about four or five hundred years of the Christian Aera, there was great strictness in admitting to Sacraments. The like is asserted by him in an Epistle to Mr Quick; and he grants that there was too much rigidity among them. And here he faith, That Chamior, Chemnitius, & Gerhard, commend the strictness of the Primitive times.

I Answer, Here is a great deal of shadow and little substance. The practice in the Primitive Church about the time of Austin, was full of Vanity & Superstition. They took in their Members at Easter time, or Pentecost, they required Susceptores or god fathers, though the persons were men grown, they used to Exorcise them, they made them to renounce the Devil as if he were present. When they entered into the Portal of the house of Baptism, they were ordered standing toward the West, with their hand stretched out as if Satan were present, to renounce him, saying, I renounce thee Satan and all thy works, and all thy pomps: sometimes they added, and his Worship and his Angels, and his Inventions, and all under him. And after-ward they made a Profession, reciting the Creed by heart; which is called a pronouncing of the true Faith, Praeclara fducia, or else answering to Questions. It was their manner also to use the sign of the Cross, as is evident from Chamier in his 15. & 16. ch. de Baptismo. This practice of theirs is such a piece of Pageantry, as is more fit for the Church of Rome to imitate, than these Churches. I admire we should be directed to follow the pattern of these