The Anabaptists ground-work for reformation: or, New planting of churches,: that no man, woman, nor child, may be baptized, but such as have justifying faith, and doe make profession thereof, before, to the baptizer, found false, with all things depending thereon. As being contrary to the Scriptures, and to the examples of Christ and his Apostles, ... Proved by severall arguments. Whereunto one T.L. a principall baptizer, (and apostle in their account) hath given his answers. Unto which answers, replies are also made by I.E. and some arguments annexed, proving, that the children of all such beleevers as were baptized, and so received into the Church, might be baptized, and received also. With a brief declaration what the true reformation is, and shal be, farre above these Anabaptists, and all such carnall builders conceits. And who the two witnesses of God are, by whom chiefly it is to be performed. Imprimatut [sic]. Iames Cranford,

The fifth Argument.

If Christ did receive little children when they brought them unto him, and take them in his armes and blesse them, and that this was a greater thing then outward baptisme, and he esteemed them meet for the same, because the kingdome of heaven is of such as they, and so for that cause rebuked those that forbad them to bee brought: Then did he also esteeme them meet for outward baptisme, which is the lesser, and would no doubt have rebuked also, such as should have forbidden or denied them it.

But the first is all true, as it is written, Mark 10.13, 14. There∣fore the second is true also.

An Objection.

If any shall object, and say, There is no plain word requiring little children to be baptized, as there was to be circumcised; nor any example in all the New Testament, that little Children by name, as Men and Women by name, were baptized.

Answer.

To which I answer, first for a word requiring it, there needs none, that commandement which required circumcision, re∣quireth this, this being to the same purpose, signifying as well as that, the circumcision or baptisme of the heart, for both are one.

And so the Apostle Paul by another commandement in the Law, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the Ox that treadeth out the corn, pro∣veth that those Messengers and Ministers of God, that tread out, or preach unto us the word of the Gospel, ought to be provided for,

and supplied with sufficient food and other necessary things, though it should extend to a tenth part of all that a man hath, as it was in the Law, as Paul also saith, Doth not he that is taught in the word, make him that hath taught him partaker of all his goods?

Christ gave no new commandement for this, the former serveth; whereby the Apostle proveth it. So the commandement for cir∣cumcision serveth also to prove baptisme, if there were no other proofe.

Again, if little children may not be baptized, because there is no plain word requiring it, nor example mentioned that by name they were: Then neither may women partake of the Lords Supper, be∣cause there is not a word requiring it, nor an example plainly set down, that women by name did. Now, who dares be so bold there∣fore to conclude they may not? If they say, it is to be proved by necessary consequence, which I grant and say the same for the bap∣tizing little children, and have so proved it.

And the baptizing of Lydia and her houshold, and the Keeper of the prison and all his house, Act. 16.15, 32, 33. if probabilities may serve to prove things, which is T. L. his rule, Then it is very pro∣bable that little children were baptized: for in all probabilities there were children, or one child at least, in one of these housholds. And besides, it is as probable, that if little children were not to bee baptized, the Apostle Paul, or the Evangelist Luke at least, (mentio∣ning them by the names of whole houshold, & all his house) would, then, have said, Except little children.

And considering also that the name Houshold, House, Family, doth, and did then especially, properly intend and imply children, as the house of Jacob, the house of David, I and my House (saith Jo∣sua) will serve the Lord, where, by their house, is meant their chil∣dren and off-spring. And a man may be said, as the Keeper of the Prison was, to beleeve with all his house, though a little child were in it, because it is understood that a little child cannot beleeve, and needs not therefore to be excepted in respect of beleeving, and yet be baptized.

And seldome is there a houshold or family that hath not some children in it, or a child at least; so that here is great probabilitie, that children were baptized, or at least might be, seeing they were no where excepted. And the promise which God made unto the faithfull Fathers of old, as touching their children, of shewing mer∣cie unto them, of calling a seed in them, standeth as fast now to the

faithfull and their children, as it did then, as the Lord hath spoken, saying, For I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquities of the fathers upon the children unto the third & fourth generation of them that hate me, And shewing mercy unto thousands in them that love me, and keep my commandements, Exod. 20. This promise of shewing mercie unto thousands in them that love God, &c. having no limi∣tation in respect of time or nation, stands sure at all times unto the faithfull and their children, of all nations.

And therefore it was that the Apostle Paul said, The unbeleeving wife is sanctified by the beleeving husband, &c. else were your children un∣clean, but now they are holy, he having respect unto the promise which God made to the children of the faithfull, of shewing mercie, of calling a seed in them, &c. and writes it down, to the end that all the faithfull fathers and mothers of children, should understand the same, and so account of their children, expecting and praying for them, that God would so have mercie on them, and call them; and know also that they have the same right unto all the outward priviledges of the Church of God, as the children of the faithfull had before.