A Confutation of a Popish and Slanderous Libel, Treatise · Answer 21 – Papist opinion 23
The aunswere.
Our sauiour Christ, commaundeth vsus to Baptise, in the name of the Father, and of the Soonne, and of the holie Ghoste, whiche, whether it bée by dippyng the bodie into the water, or by powryng water vponupon the bodie, the misticall signification of washyng, is sufficiently expressed, and so longe the Baptisme is right, as for the nōber of dippinges, is nothyng materiall. We read in the scriptures, diuers formes of washing. The Eunuche, was Baptised by Philip, goyng in naked into a Riuer or Brooke. And so Baptised Ihon in Iordan. Other that were Baptised in their houses, it is moste like that water was powred on them, as Cornelius, and them that were with hym. And the keper of the prison, with his housholde. Actes. xvj. And as for the Ceremonie of thrise dippyng, although it was vsed of many, to signifie the Trinitie, yet was it not generall, nor of any necessitie. For in the fowerth Counsaile of Toledo, it was determined, that all was one, whether a childe were Baptized with three dippynges, or with one, alone. And yet it was there decreed, vponupon a good consideration, that in Spaine thei should vse but one dippyng. The woordes are these, in the fowerth Counsaile Toletane, and the fiueth Canone. Ne tamen haereticis videamur consentire, qui tertio mergum, dum eorum morem seruamus, cautum est ne in Hispaenia, fiat baptismus, nisi in vna mersione. that is to saie. Least we should seme to agree with heretikes, whiche vse to dippe thrise, while wee reteine their maner of baptisyng, it is decreed, that no Baptisme in Spaine, bee ministered but with one onelyonly dippyng. In this decree of the Coū saile, twoo thynges especially are to bee noted. Firste, that the three dippynges was not alwaies, and in all places obserued, as a necessarie matter: and therefore your argumente is fallen to the grounde, Secondely, that it is profitable to alter, and chaunge suche Ceremoeies, as are vsed of heretikes, that wee seme not to agree with theim in any thyng, in whiche it is lawful for vsus to disagree. And for this consideration, doe we refuse to dip thrise, because we would not seme to agrée with you, whiche are heretikes, although wee acknowledge, that of it self, it is a thyng indifferente, to dippe twise, or thrise, or ones, or not at al to dip, but onelyonly to poure on water, in signe of that spirituall ablution, whiche is represented by that Sacramente of Baptisme. Wherefore, you hauehave a verie quicke sight, that can espie a knotte in a Rushe, and of so small a gnat, to make so great an Elephante, as though all Christianitie stoode in thrise dippyng of a child in Baptisme, whiche I hauehave proued not onelyonly, not to hauehave been alwaies obserued, but also by decree of a Counsaill to hauehave been expressely forbidden. Which Ceremonie, although it bee noumbred emong the canons, commonly called of the Apostles, yet hath he a meane iudgement in antiquitie, that can not descerne theim from Apostolike writynges. But because you bryng in the Tradition of the Apostles, you muste nedes giuegive me leaue, to presse you, with the same aucthoritie, and to shewe that you your self, obserue not the Traditions of the Apostles. In the vj. Canon of the Apostles, it is commaunded that no Bishoppe, Prieste, nor Deacon, shall put awaie his wife, vnderunder colour of religion, and thei that doe so shall be excomunicate. And in the ninthe, and tenthe Canons it is decreed, that whosoeuer is presente at the Communion, and dooeth not communicate, that he should bee excommunicate. How these Canons of the Apostles (if you will needes hauehave them so called) be obserued in your Popishe Clergie, and your priuate Masse, what nede I to rehearse? And yet you agree with the primitiue Churche in all thynges, and we hauehave none agreaunce therewith at all.
The Papiste.
Thirde in the Primitiue churche they vsed Oyle and Chrisma in the ministratiō of diuers Sacramentes, which christ hymselfe did ordaine and sainctifie the night before his passion as witnesseth S. Cypriane. And his Apostles did commende the same vntounto the Churche by their traditions as witnesseth sainct Basile and S. Augustine, whiche these our reformatours will none of.
The aunswere.
In the Primitiue Churche, there was not so many diuerse Sacramentes as you speake of, but onelyonly the Sacramente of Baptisme, and of the bodie and bloode of christe, and in neither of these, was there any institution or vsage, of oile & chrisme. And although, in the later tyme, ceremonies increased, that oyle was vsed in baptisme, yet was there not so many Sacramentes, for Augustine saieth, vntounto Ianuaerius Epis. 118. Vnde Sacramentis numero paucissimis, obseruatione facillimis, significatione praestantissimis▪ societatem noui populi colligauit, sicut est Baptismus Trinitatis nomine consecratus, communicatio corporis Christi, & sanguinis ipsius, & si quid aliud in scripturis canonicis cōmendatur. Wherfore (saieth Augustine) God hath bounde the societie of his newe people, with Sacramentes in number fewest, in obseruation easiest, in significatiō most excellent, as is baptisme consecrated in the name of the Trinitie, the communion of the bodie and blood of Christe, and if any thing els be commended in the Canonicall scriptures. The same Augustine and Chrisostome also vponupon the water and blood that issued out of Christes side, do gather, that the Sacramentes of the church, flowed out of his side, namely Baptisme and the Supper of the Lord. Aug. Hom. in Ioann. 20. Chrysostom. ad Neophytos. Augustine also in the thirde booke, de doctrina christiana Cap. 9. rehearseth but these twoo Sacramentes, speakyng of those that are properly called Sacramentes, for otherwise both he and other auncient writers, extende the name of Sacrament, to al ceremonies. And yet Gregorie accompteth washyng of feete to be a Sacramente, as Baptisme and the Supper, whiche is no sacramente with you. And as for the ceremonie of annointyng in baptisme, it is as lawfull for vsus to abrogate, as for you to omitte the drinke of milke and Honie after baptisme, & other such ceremonies, which you knowe were vsed as well as oyle and Chrisme. But our Sauiour Christe, the night before his Passion, did ordeine and sanctifie. Oyle and Chrisme for suche purposes: I meruaile what Cipriane dare be so bolde to affirme it, séeyng the Euangelistes make no mention thereof, and here againe if you hadde noted the place of Cipriane, wee might better hauehave considered of his aucthoritie. Diuerse writinges are set forth in his name, whiche were neuer any of his workes.
The Papiste.
Fowerth, S. Basile saieth, that all determiminations and instructions which are preached and kepte in the Primitiue churche of Christe, we hauehave receiued theim partely of the scriptures, and partly by the traditions of the Apostles, whiche both hath like force and strength vntounto godlynes. As for example, the instructions which thei hauehave that trust in the name of Iesus Christe, to signe them selues with the signe of Christes crosse, to praie towardes the Easte, to vse wordes of inuocation at the shewing of the Breade and the Cuppe in the holy Euchariste: to blesse the water of the Fonte, the Oyle of the holy vnction, and that he also which is baptized, should be thrise dipped in the water, and suche other like thinges whiche are taught and obserued in the Sacramente of Baptisme, as to renounce the Deuill and his angels, salte, spitle, and the exorcisme there made to the expulsion of the deuill. All these thinges, and other like whiche are tought and obserued in christes churche, we hauehave theim saieth sainct Basile ether of the scriptures, or els by the tradition of the Apostles, whiche are of like force and strēgth vntounto pietie and godlynes, wheras the reformatours of this English church do esteme and iudge al the premises for impietie, and vngodlines.