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Chap. 4. the. 5. Diuision.
Then he goeth forth in the. III. Page to proue that the children of those, which he hath recke∣ned may be baptised, and demaundeth whither a wicked father may haue a good childe, a Papist or Heretike father a beleeuing chylde? yes verily may they. So may haue, and hath the Turke and the Iewe, and yet their children are not to be receyued vnlesse their fayth doth fitste appeare by confession, But you say the Papiste an Heretike be Baptised, and so are not the Iewes and Turkes. Their baptisme beyng cut of from the Churche, maketh them as much straungers vn∣to it, as was Ismaell and Esau, whiche albeit they were circumcised, yet beyng caste out of the Churche, they were no more to be accompted to be of the body of Gods people, then those whiche neuer were in the Churche. Now you see (*) 1.1 the poyson (as you terme it) which lieth hidde vn∣der these wordes, and if it be as you say poyson, let vs haue some of your triacle. In all the reste of that section, there is nothing but that, which he spake of before, onely the Eldership is 〈1 line〉〈1 line〉amed, which commeth to be intreated of in the next section.
If their baptisme be so cut of, that it also taketh away the priuiledge from their children, howe can they be admitted agayne into the Churche without rebaptisation? S. Augustine in the place before recited, sayeth that Heretikes though they be cut of from the Churche yet they do retayne their Baptisme, whiche beyng true, there is no reason to seclude their children frō it. I cannot learne but that the Sonnes of Is∣maell were circumcised: for it is written of the Egyptians (as P. Martyr doth note)* 1.2 that they circumcided at. 14. yeares of age, bycause Ismael was then circumcised: Which tyme of circumcision the Arabians obserued in lyke manner. And therefore it is not vnlike but that the Posteritie of Ismael was circumcised. And as for the Sonnes of Esau it is not like that they were debarred from circumcision, seyng E∣sau himselfe receyued the signe of the couenant, notwithstanding he was before re∣iected.* 1.3 And that his posteritie were not so farre estraunged from the people of God as those that neuer were in the Churche, it may appeare by that which is written in Deutronomie, where the Israelites are willed to acknowledge them for their* 1.4 Brethren, and to admitte their children in the thirde Generation, into the congregation of the Lorde. And yet are not the Papistes like vnto Ismael and Esau: but rather the same with the Israelites vnder Ieroboam, &c. for as they professed the lawe of Moses, had circumcision, and were not in all poyntes straunge from the fayth of the Iewes: but yet ioyned therevnto Idolatrie, and the false worshipping of God: euen so the Papistes pretende the lawe of God, vse the Sacramentes, professe Chri∣stianitie, and are not in all poyntes straunge from Christian fayth, but yet haue cor∣rupted the same with idolatrous worshipping, and diuerse other kindes of supersti∣tion, and errours. Therefore sayeth M. Beza very well in the wordes before re∣cited,* 1.5 Papismus est Ecclesiae Christianae aberratio. Papisme is the erring of the Christian Churche: And Ecclesia est velut immersa in Papatu, quod de Turcis dici nullo modo potest, qui nunquàm Cbristo nomen dederunt: the Churche is as it were couered or drowned in Pa∣pisme, whiche can by no meanes be sayde of Turkes, whiche neuer gaue their names to Christe or professed Christianitie. Wherefore if you had made a right comparison, you should not haue compared them to Ismaell and Esau, but to the reuolting Isra∣elites, as M. Martyr dothe, saying thus expresly, Quales olim Israelitae, &c. Such are the* 1.6 Papistes at this day, if they be compared with the professours of the Gospell, as were the Israelites in respect of the Iewes. But full well you knewe that in so doing, your er∣rour would soone haue bene espied: for though the Israelites were separated from the true Churche, yet were not their children cut of from the couenaunt, or debarred from the signe thereof.