A just vindication of the covenant and church-estate of children of church-members as also of their right unto bastisme : wherein such things as have been brought by divers to the contrary, especially by Ioh. Spilsbury, A.R. Ch. Blackwood, and H. Den are revised and answered : hereunto is annexed a refutation of a certain pamphlet styled The plain and wel-grounded treatise touching baptism / by Thomas Cobbet.

SECT. III.

* 1.1 THe next Author quoted, is Rupertus Tritiensis l. 4. de divinis Officiis c. 18. both for the confirmation of the 4th. and 7th. proposition, the same is urged by A. R. also to like purpose: but by this authors leave, that there bee no guile hid, I shall make bold to transcribe the very words of Rupertus Abbas Tritiensis, of which the Treatise mentioned some pieces, scil.

It was the custome of old in the holy Church, not to celebrate the Sacrament of regeneration at any other time (scil. then Easter and Pente∣cost, of which hee spake before) [unlesse in those, unto whom possibly danger might accrue by the comming of some infirmity or danger of death upon them] [this exception which is in his the very quaesitum; the Treatise, and A. R. leave wholly out; how candidly they deale herein, let all judge.] All the off-spring of the Church (almost) which throughout the whole yeare, it could beget anew by the preaching of the word, the solemni∣tie of Easter approaching, gave in their names this day, and throughout the following dayes, unto the very solemnitie it selfe of Easter: each one hearing the rule of faith, whence also such an one was called a Catechumen, [for a Catechumen faith Rupertus is by interpretation a hearer] both the suckling and

the growne person: at length at the full time, after the full of the moone in the solemnitie at the holy Font, repeating the symboll with full beleefe: It (scil. the off-spring of the Church) did die, and rise againe with Christ, but after Christianitie in∣creased, and that net of the Gospell was filled with Fish, be∣cause that it was dangerous to delay so great a multitude by reason of the casualtie of death, which in a multitude of men is manifold; especially in regard of a company of Infants of Christian Parents, much encreasing, whose tender life is very oft by a small occasion cut off; it seemed good to the holy Church: leave off baptisme being granted every where, yea, offe∣red, to prevent all dangers; and yet in a few to celebrate the solemnitie of baptisme, with the resurrection of the Lord, to which it is like, &c.

by this that hath been said, that which the Treatise, and A. R. intend to disprove is rather confirmed, and the guilefull wresting of the testimony discovered; for besides what hath been before shewed, that Infants baptisme was before this custome of baptisme at Easter and Pentecest came up, and like∣wise whilst it was held up, Infants being then, and there bapti∣zed, as well as at other times, as by Austins testimony, Serm. 4. ad Neoph. appeared, this testimony also tells us, 1 That baptisme of all sorts of persons, in case of weakenesse and danger, at other times was in use of old. 2 That sucklings as well as growne ones were accounted under the notion of the off-spring of the Church, begotten by the word, scil. in their parents, which being begotten thereby, in their right also their children were in churched with them. 3 Confession of faith with full beleefe by others in stead of sucklings, was counted as their confession; the lactati, as well as the grandescentes are said to make such confession of faith, which they could not doe, but by others. 4 That there were present at this solemnitie a multitude of Infants, as well as growne ones, which did Sacramentally die, and rise with Christ of old. 5 That they baptized not of old all sorts of children at such times, but onely the Infants of Christians, and that upon the grounds of mortalitie and other weakenesse, and hazzard, was there made a change as well in respect of the growne part of the multitude, as the Infants onely. 6 That the change that was made upon the grounds of mortalitie, and increase of the multitude, was not in respect of the subjects; that afterwards Infants should bee bap∣tized, whereas onely growne ones before were baptized (for both

sorts were before and after that custome came up, baptized as wee proved) but it was onely in respect of the place where, and season when, that whereas of old they used to come to some one great Citie, and that at these seasons of yeare onely; now passim every where, and at any other time they might bee baptized, onely some few that were borne a little before these solemne times, (as Rupertus in his other bookes mentioneth) were reserved to bee then baptized, to grace as it were the solemnitie. And this may fully answer that testimony which this Treatise Proposition 7. and A. R. also urge out of Joannes Beemius de moribus Gentium speaking to like purpose. So then Rupertus Tritiensis, and his companion are both as much abused herein, as other witnesses produced, or rather traduced.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Rupertus Tritiensis.