William  lloye'u  Dialogue  befcweeu  a  Christian  Father  and  liis  stubhorn  Son.  457

grownded  in  brorherly  1  love  and  charite,  as  Chr-  [fol.  33“.]  ist
sayth  hym  silfe  in  'the  xiij.  c.  of.  S.  Jhon.  Sonne.  What  hoape
hast  thou  then  of  litell  babes,  which  nether  are  able  to  confesse
their  belefe,  nor  yett  to  brynge  forthe  the  frutes  of  love?  are
they  belongynge  to  this  churche,  and  pertaynynge  to  the  promes
  of  mercy,  or  not?  Fa.  Loke  as  Abraams  children  were
not  excluded  from  the  comnaunt 2  made  bitwene  hym  and  the
sed  of  Israhel,  no  more  are  oure  children,  beynge  in  Gen.  xvij.
dedde  the  true  posterite  of  Abraham  (havynge  also  vnto  theym
specially  the  promeses  of  mercy  promesed)  excluded  Köm.  ix.
from  it.  wherfore  we  beleue  theym  to  be  members  of  Christis
body,  vntil  that  they  come  to  age  and  shewe  the  con-  J»an  j.
trary  in  their  livynge.  and  declare  by  the  workes  of  dercknes
theym  selfes  to  flye,  and  to  hate  the  lyght.  For  this  cause
Christ  wolde  and  commaunded  children  to  be  brought  vnto  hym,
blyssed  theym,  and  sayde,  vnto  soche  belongeth  the  kyngdom
of  heven.  Oure  baptem  is  no  better  then  Christis  blissynge.
For  as  moehe  then  as  Christ  declared  theim  (thus  doynge)  to
be  parte  takers  of  his  fathers  promes,  we  also  ought  ta  hoape
that  the  kyngdom  of  heven  belongeth  vnto  theym.  Wherefore
we  receave  theym  unto  the  congregacion  of  Christis  churche
with  this  out-  [fol.  33 b .]  warde  token  of  baptem.  Lyke  Exo.  xiij.
as  oure  forfathers  did  their  children  with  their  circumcision  in
the  lawe.  So.  I  wolde  gladly  heare  one  precepte  or  commaundment
  geven  in  scripture,  that  we  shulde  baptyse  theym,  as  the
lawe  compelleth  to  circumcyse  mens  children  the  eyght  Ex-  mj.
daye  of  their  birthe.  Fa.  We  have  nowe  obtayned  the  daye
sprynge,  delivered  by  Christ  oute  pf 4  the  cloud  (wherein  they
wandred  blyn[d]folded  with  the  vayle  of  the  lawe  j.  Cor.  x.
and  ceremonies)  and  walk  in  the  cleare  lyght  of  the  newe
lawe,  that  is  to  saye  the  bonde  of  love,  which  is  in  the  herte,
and  consisteth  in  none  outwarde  ceremony.  wherefore  we  have
no  nother  commaundement  geven  vnto  vs,  savynge  alonly  this
which  directeth  every  member  of  Christis  boddy  in  this  congregacion ­
  to  do  all  thynges  to  the  honoure  of  god  for  the  well
and  proffet  of  oure  neghboure,  and  that  wyth  a  good  mynde,
and  a  fervent  love,  where  as  oure  fore  fathers  did  all  thynges
1  brotherly,  2  comnant.  Siehe  Anm.  zu  Bl.  -l a .  S.  444.  3  to.  4  of.