A Christian instruction, conteyning the law and the Gospell. Also a summarie of the principall poyntes of the Christian fayth and religion, and of the abuses and errors contrary to the same. Done in certayne dialogues in french, by M. Peter Viret, sometime minister of the Word of God at Nymes in Prouince. Translated by I.S. Seene and allowed according to the Queenes Maiesties iniunctions.

Of the Baptisme of little children, and of brotherly con∣fession and Reconciliation. The .xxij. Dialogue.

If litle children should be shutte out from Baptisme bicause they be not yet in∣structed, and of the difference that is betvvene Baptisme and the Supper in that point.

MATHEVV.

I Am sufficiently resolued con∣cerning all that whiche thou hast sayd touchyng the disci∣pline of the Church: there wā∣teth now but one point whiche yet doth concerne the doctrine.

P.

Which is that point?

M.

Whether we ought to receiue to the Communion of the Sacramentes, none but such as are already so instructed in the Christian doctrine, that they haue sufficiente vnderstandyng of the things signified by the Sacramēts, & are able to yelde good reason of their faith: it séemeth to me y^t a man may gather of thy woords

that not only they oughte not to receyue litle children to the Supper, but also they ought not to baptise them, vntill the time they come to the age in the whiche they may yelde reason of their faith, and vn∣derstand what their baptisme doth signi∣fie.

P.

Thou hast here to note, that there is difference betwene receyuing of chil∣dren to baptisme, and receyuing of them to the Supper.

Mat.

What difference fyndest thou in it?

P.

In that that Saincte Paule doth require of those which wolde communicate at the Supper, that they shoulde proue them selues, to knowe whether they be méete or no, and that they be disposed to receyue the same, accordingly as thys holye Sacramente doth require, whiche thing is not so re∣quired in Baptisme.

Math.

What wilte thou conclude thereby?

Peter.

That if it must be that euery man proue himselfe before he go to the Supper, it followeth then that they are not yet capable of that proofe whiche are not so farre foorthe in∣structed, as they may proue and examine themselues, as is méete.

Of the principall foundation of the Baptisme of litle children, and of the vertue of the aliance vvher∣vppon it is grounded.

M.

I Vnderstand by that which thou hast heretofore saide, that none can well proue and examine himselfe, to commu∣nicate worthily at the supper, except that first he vnderstand what misteries and se∣cretes this Sacramente conteyneth, and for what cause it was ordeyned. But for∣somuch as Baptisme is also a seale of the doctrine, the which it doth confirme, is it not therefore also néedefull that he which shuld be baptised, be first instructed in the doctrine whereof it is a Sacrament, and that he may yeld reason of it?

P.

If the person be of that age, that it be capable of the doctrine, that whiche thou saist is re∣quired. But there is other consideration in the person of litle children, borne of faithfull parents, which are alredy recei∣ued into y^e Church.

M.

But bycause these children are no more capable of the pro∣mise made in baptisme, than the children of infidells, what reason is there rather to

baptise the one than the others.

P.

If the children of the faithfull were no more ca∣pable, than those of the infidells, there were reason in that which thou saist.

M.

I sée not wherein the one sorte are more capable thā the others, vnlesse thou shew it me more plainly.

P.

Thou must vnder∣stād that y^e promise which God hath made in Baptisme,* 1.1 conteyneth the promise of the aliance, y^e which God hath made with his people, in the which he comprehēdeth not only the faithfull whiche thorough faith are admitted into this aliance, but also their childrē and the children of their children.

M.

Wilt thou then say, that the baptisme of children which haue faithfull parēts, is founded vpon that aliance, and vpon the faith of their parents?

P.

Seing that the promis is made, not onely to the faithful parents, but also to their childrē, the Parentes haue iust occasion to pre∣sent their children to Baptisme, to the end they may haue thereby confirmati∣on of the promise whiche is made as well to their childrē as to themselues, to y^e end that both they & their children may be the

more assured and comforted.

M.

Thys Baptisme serueth then better for them than for their children, forsomuche as the children knowe not yet what it is.

P.

It serueth the one and the others. For al∣beit the children be not able as yet to vn∣derstande what Baptisme is, bycause of their age, yet are they capable (not∣withstanding) already thorough the good pleasure of God, of the aliance wherof it is a Sacramente, and on the other side besides that whiche God worketh by hys holy Spirite, as it pleaseth him, as well in litle children as in the greate, there is also prayer made in Baptisme for the litle children founded vppon the same a∣liance, whiche is not vayne, but bringeth foorth his frute in his time.

If it be lavvfull to Baptise the children of infidels, and what conditions are required in them vvhich do present them.

M.

SEing then that Baptisme of chil∣dren is founded vppon that aliance, it is not lawfull to baptise a childe, if he

be not borne of faithfull Parentes.

Pet.

Thou hast herein to consider, that there must be héede taken not only to the Pa∣rentes of the children: but also to those which presente them to Baptisme. For albeit that a childe be borne of faithfull Parentes, yet shoulde it not be lawfull to receyue hym to Baptisme, if he were not presented by faythfull men, whyche moughte be bound for them, vnto that wherevnto Baptisme bindeth the faith∣full, and that they shoulde be sufficiente to accomplish the promise whereby they binde themselues to the Churche concer∣ning the children.

M.

And if that faithfull men should presente the Children of In∣fidells, and that they should binde them selues for them, taking vppon them to instruct them in the Christian religion, as if they themselues were their very Parents, shoulde it be lawfull to baptise such children?

P.

I wold make no difficul∣tie therein, prouided that the Parents did agre therevnto, chiefly for two causes.

M.

Tell me the first.

P.

It is that forsomuch as there is faithfull suretie, the minister

who is to administer the Baptisme, hath alredy a good foundatiō. For such suretie is in place of the Parentes, prouided that they do not mislike of it, but haue giuen thē charge to do what they do.

M.

Which is the other reason?

P.

It is that when God made the aliance with his people, he did not only promise to shew fauour and mercie to the parents and children,* 1.2 euen to the seconde and thirde generation, but euen to a thousand generations. Where∣fore, albeit that the néerest parents of the childe were infidels, yet notwithstanding their infidelitie may not shut their childe from his righte, that he may haue in the aliance of God, by the meane of his aun∣cient fathers and predecessors.

M.

But seing it is so, according to the true disci∣pline of the church, none may thē receiue a man to presente a childe to Baptisme, if that he himselfe be not receiued into the companie of the faithfull, and be not suf∣ficient to be pledge for the childe which he presenteth, & to fulfill the promise whiche he maketh for him.

P.

It shuld be to mock God and his Church, who so should do o∣therwise.

For mē haue not accustomed in mater of much lesse importāce to receiue a pledge, if he be not of such qualitie as is required.

M.

That is an ordinarie mater.

P.

What reason shuld there be thē to re∣ceiue in mater of so great importāce, any other pledge thā such an one as wer méet, in y^e which mater ther is a very solemne obligation, & as it were a solemne oth be∣fore god & his Church?

M.

Is there y^e like reason for those which be excōmunicate, as there is for those which are as yet hol∣den for infidells, or at the least haue made no professiō of the christiā doctrine?

P.

Yes vntill that they be recōciled to the church and receiued into the same in such sort as we haue heretofore saide, and as it is be∣houefull to be done in suche a case.

M.

I woulde aske thée also for what cause chil∣dren are not to be as well admitted to the supper as to Baptisme, by meanes of the aliance made with their parentes, in the whiche they are comprehended? but I knowe that thou wilte aunswere me in such sorte as thou hast hertofore done, cō∣cerning the proof which is more specially

required in the supper than in Baptisme.

P.

Thou séest wel that the reason is ther∣in sufficiently apparant.

M.

Now seing it is so required that euery one proue him∣selfe before he come to the Supper, and not that other men proue them, may not the ministers committe it to the cōsciēce of euery one which present themselues to them, to receiue this sacramente without making any other profe or inquisition?

P.

Albeit that it be required that euery one particularly do proue himselfe, yet not∣withstanding, that particular examinati∣on, doth not let the examination and the proofe, whiche the ministers and pastors oughte to make of their flocks, to knowe not only which be shéepe and which not: but also what is the condition and estate of euery one of their shéepe. For if they know them not, what accoumpt shal they yeld?

M.

That is a good apparāt reason.

P.

On the other parte if there be doggs and swine which will thorough their rashnes put forth themselues, to the greate con∣tempt of God and of his church, to thrust in their poluted and filthy snoutes vppon

the lords table, to infect it with the same, shall the minister be without blame if he permitte it, and do not at the least his en∣deuoure to shut out suche doggs & swyne frō the table of the Lorde?

M.

There may be also many which although they do not deserue to be accoumpted dogs & swyne, but only for poore ignorāt and séely ones, whiche mought notwithstanding go and thrust in with the rest, either of custome, or else thinking to do well, and yet should go to their owne condemnatiō.

P.

I wold also adde herevnto this point, and in such a case the ministers shuld not be without blame of the faulte whiche those shoulde committe, and of the perdition of them, if that they had not firste done their inde∣uoure towardes them, accordingly as they are bound.

Of confessiō & of brotherly recōciliatiō.

M.

I Would gladly vnderstande of thée, if that after that a man haue proued himselfe in such sorte as thou hast alredy declared, he haue no néede to cōfesse him∣selfe yet to some minister of the Church.

P.

If he be confessed to God as he ought,

and be reconciled to such as he may haue offendid, and with whome he may be at strife and enmitie, he néedeth none other confession.

M.

The proofe whereof thou hast spoken, doth it conteyne all that?

P.

Thou maist iudge by that whiche thou hast heard, for the true repentaunce, and faith and charitie cannot be without true confession and reconciliation towardes God and our neyghboure.

Notes

• * 1.1

  This say∣ing is of great quan¦titie.
• * 1.2

  Exod. 20. a. Deut. 5. a.