A TREATISE ON RE-BAPTISM. 403
of allthechurches,and withbecoming humilityhad desiredto
innovatenothing,as observingno kind of room forcontradic
tion. For everythingwhich isboth doubtfuland ambiguous,
and isestablishedinopinionsdiffering[from those]ofprudent
and faithfulmen, ifitisjudged to be againsttheancientand
memorable and most solemn observanceof allthoseholy and
faithfulmen who have deservedwell,ought assuredlyto be
condemned ; sincein a matter once arranged and ordained,
.whateverthat iswhich isbrought forward againstthe quiet
and peace of the church,willresultin nothing but discords,
and strifes,and schisms. And in thisno otherfruitcan be
found but thisalone,— thatone man, whoever he is,shouldbe
vaingloriouslydeclaredamong certainficklemen tobe of great
prudence and constancy;and,beinggiftedwiththe arrogance
of heretics,whose only consolationin destructionis the not
appearing to sinalone,shouldbe renowned among thosethat
are most similarand agreeabletohimself,ashaving corrected
the errorsand vicesof allthechurches. For thisisthedesire
and purpose of allheretics,to frame as many calumnies of
thiskind as possibleagainstour most holymother thechurch,
and to deem ita greatgloryto have discoveredanything that
can be imputed to her as a crime,or even as a folly. And
sinceitbecomes no faithfulman of sound mind todaretohold
such a view,especiallyno one who isordainedin any clerical
officeat all,and much more in the episcopalorder,itislike
a prodigy forbishopsthemselvesto devisesuch scandals,and
not to fearto unfold too irreverentlyagainstthe preceptof
the law and of allthe Scriptures,with theirown disgraceand
risk,the disgraceof theirmother the church— ifthey think
that thereisany disgracein thismatter,althoughthe church
has no disgraceinthisinstance,savein the errorof such men
as thesethemselves. Thereforeitisthe more grievoussinin
men of thiskind,ifthatwhich isblamed by them in themost
ancientobservance,asifitwere not rightlydone,ismanifestly
and forciblyshown as wellto have been rightlyobservedby
those who were beforeus,astobe rightlyobservedalsoby us ;
so thateven ifwe shouldengage inthecontroversywith equal
arguments on both sides,yet,sincethatwhich was innovated