Chap. 4. the. 3. Diuision.
Baptisme was ministred in Cornelius house, Actes. 10. The place is not of the substance of the sacramentes.
To the. 1. Cor. II. it is answered before. Surely this church of En∣glande* 1.1 dothe not permit the sacramentes to be ministred in priuate places, except there be a congregation, and then not vsually, but on∣ly in certaine cases.
An other reason he addeth there, that S. Peter baptized in Cornelius house. But M. Doctor maketh not the best choyse of his arguments. For S. Paules baptizing in the house of the Iay∣ler, had bene more fit for him, for vnto his place it may be easyly answered, that Cornelius hauing so greate a familie, as it is lyke he had, and besydes that dyuers souldiours vnderneathe him, and further his frendes and his acquayntance whiche he had called, had a competente number, and as many as would make a congregation, and as could co〈1 line〉〈1 line〉mmodiously be preached vnto in one place. But the answere to bothe these examples, and other such lyke, as that S. Paule baptized in the house of Stephana is easy. For there being persecutions at that tyme, so that it was not safe ney∣ther for the minister nor for the people to be seene, it was meete that they shoulde doe it in houses, whiche otherwyse they would haue done in open places: and then those houses whiche receyue the congregation, are not as I haue shewed for the time to be counted priuate houses: and further in places where the gospell hath not bene receyued, nor no churche gathered, but one onely house∣holde, embracing the Gospel, I say in suche a case, and especially in the tyme of persecution, where shoulde the Ministers preache, or minister the Sacramentes, more conueniently than in that house where those professours of the gospell be? nowe to drawe this into our churches, which may safely come into open places, and where the churche and congregation standeth of diuers houschol∣des, is a token of greate want of iudgement, in shuffelyng those things together, whyche for the great diuersitie of their natures will not be myngled.
The example of Peters baptizing in Cornelius house, is sufficient to proue that then it was lawful to baptize in priuate families: the example of Paul baptizyng the iaylour and his familie, proueth the same: But it ministreth a more readie answere to a quareller, bicause Paul then being prisoner, had not such libertie to make cheise of his place, as Peter had. But they are both verie fit examples for my purpose, the bignesse of Cornelius familie or the smalnesse, is not materiall to this question, for we speake of the place, not of the persons. And whereas you say, that in Cornelius house, there was a competent number, and as many as would make a congregation, I answer that so it is with vs when baptisme is ministred in priuate families: for wheresoeuer* 1.2 two or three be gathered together in the name of Christ, there is a congregation.
To your seconde answere of the difference of tyme, bicause that was in tyme of perse∣cution. &c. I say that as persecution was then a cause why baptisme 〈1 line〉〈1 line〉 as vsually mi∣stred in priuate houses, so necessitie is now yt cause, why the same is ministred some tymes in priuate families. Neither doe I mayntein or allow the administring of the sacraments in priuate families, to be vsual or without vrgent cause, but only vpon extreme necessitie of sicknesse, peril of death & such like. In which cases as neuer any lerned man misliked ministring of the sacraments in such places, so are not you able to shew, either scripture, doctor or reson to yt cōtrary, & whatsoeuer you say of ye tune of persecutiō touching ye matter, yt same may be said of the time of necessitie also. But here I would haue the Reader to note, yt you are now driuen to confesse a difference