Of Election.

THEY proceed to speake of election; where after they haue set downe (as they thinke good themselues) what our opinion is, they propound their owne doctrine, viz. That Christ came to cure all men of their sinnes, Pag. 34 36. but with a bit­ter medicine, which is, that we must deny our selues, take up his crosse, and follow him. So many as refuse to take this medicine, cannot be cured, but such as receiue it are cured. Again, that they are elected who doe put on Christ, and that our election dependeth upon this condition, Pag. 39. according [Page 12] to the Scriptures, Rom. 9.25.26. the Lord chooseth to himselfe a righteous man, and they that were not Gods people, shall be his people, &c. if they seeke righteousnesse by faith, Rom. 11.5.7 and these are the elect, according to the election of grace. Election (they say) is not of particular person, but of qua­litie: all persons are Gods generation; and those persons in whom hee findeth faith and obedience, Act. 17.28, 29. of his meere mercy those persons hee ele­cteth to salvation, for the quality he findeth in them; whi [...]h hee himselfe hath wrought by his word and Spirit, which they might haue resisted, but did not, but submitted to the righteousnesse of God; and this is Gods purpose of election before the world was; Rom. 8.29. and these are they whom God knew, or acknowledged before. And for Gods decree they feigne it to be thus, Page 41. I will cause all Nations to be taught (by Christ) and so many of them, (being all called) as doe not behaue themselues as they ought, I will cause to be punished, and the rest I will blesse and make happie. This is the doctrine of blind Odegos, the Guide; and ignorant Ereunetes the Searcher answereth, I doe thinke it so to haue bene.

Answ. Very ignorantly and erroneously haue they propounded their opinion, with some truth mixing much errour, that the blind may lead the blind into the ditch. It is true, that such men as they describe are Gods elect: it is also true that God hath wrought these good things in them by his Word and Spirit. But false it is, that our election dependeth upon this condition; False, that electi­on is not of particular persons, but of quality. False it is (and thwar­ting their former speech) that God electeth those persons in whom he findeth faith and obedience: For before election no such persons are to be found among all the sonnes of Adam. False it is, and an abusing of the Scripture, to say, that God chooseth to himselfe a righ­teous man. False it is to say (in this matter of Election) that all persons are Gods generation. Briefly, the whole tenour of their de­scription of Gods election, is perverse and erroneous. For,

1 No scripture telleth them that our election to life, dependeth on this condition, of our faith and obedience. Faith and obedience are the effects (not the cause) of our election, and are conditions following election, not going before it; as it is written, As many as were ordained to eternall life beleeved, Act. 13.48, teaching that Gods ordaining to life (that is his election) went before their beleeving, but these men invert the order of God, and would teach, that so many as beleeved (beforehand) were ordeined to life.

2 The Apostle teacheth us, that whom God foreknew, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Sonne, Rom. 8.29, so that our conformity to the image of Christ, our faith, obedience, bearing of his crosse &c. is that whereunto (not that wherefore) God predestined or chose us. This is most apparant by the words [Page 13] following: Whom he did predestinate, them he also called, and whom he called them hee also justified, and whom he justified them he also glori­fied, Rom. 8.30, So then glorifying commeth after justifying; justi­fying after calling; calling, after predestinating or choosing unto life: and these graces are not before predestination or causes of it, as these adversaries would perswade.

3 It is written, that God hath chosen us in Christ, before the foun­dation of the world▪ that we should be holy; and hee predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Iesus Christ, Eph. 1.4.5, so that our ho­linesse, and our adoption, are things that we are chosen unto, and doe follow election; but are not the things going before, and which we are chosen for, because God findeth them in us.

4 Paul teacheth us that God justifyeth the ungodly that beleeue in him, Rom. 4 5, now those whom he justifieth, he did choose and predestinate before, Rom. 8.30, therefore he chose the ungodly, the unrighteous, that they may be made godly, righteous, and holy, through his grace. But these men say, God chooseth a righteous man, whereas the Scripture saith, There is none righteous, no not one, there is none that understandeth, none that seeketh after God, Rom. 3.10.11, so that if God should chuse the righteous onely, none at all should be chosen. They say, it is according to the Scripture, but they shew no Scripture that accordeth to their saying. If they intend Psal 4.3, the Lord hath set apart (or separated) him that is godly for himselfe; (for I know not else what Scripture they should meane,) they are decei­ved and would deceiue; for David speaketh not there of his electi­on to life, but of his being set apart to the glory of the kingdome of Israel, vvhich his enemies would haue turned to ignominy: nei­ther useth he the vvord of election, but of setting-apart (or separating after a marvellous sort) vvhich vvord is used for Gods administration tovvards his people after they are elected and called, as appeareth in Ex. 33.16, & 11.7, yea and it is applyed to bruit beasts, vvhich are not partakers of the Election that vve treat of, Ex. 9.4.

5 Moses teacheth Israel, that God gaue them not inheritance in the earthly Canaan (much lesse in the Kingdome of Christ) for their righteousnesse or uprightnesse of their hearts, Deut. 9 4.5.6, he tel­leth them, Because God loved their fathers, therefore hee choose their seed after them, Deut. 4.37. But these men vvould persvvade, that because men deny themselues, take up the crosse & follovv Christ, (that is, because they are righteous and holy) therefore God choo­seth them to inherite heaven.

6 Because all men are by nature, or creation, the off-spring, or generation of God. Act. 17.28, these men vvould conclude that ele­ction to eternall life, is not of particular persons, but of quality: as if our first naturall birth, and our second supernaturall birth vvere [Page 14] all one: or, because all persons are of God by creation, therefore no persons (or all persons) are of God by regeneration, and by e­lection. But it is palpable error to confound things so different.

They proceed in their error, and say, All men to whom the Gospel is preached, Pag. 4 [...]. were elected to salvation in Christ; not actually, for they could not be actually chosen, before they had actually any being, but in the eternall purpose of God upon the condition afore spoken.

Answ. Their first assertion is against truth, against reason. It is not true that all to whom the Gospell is preached, were elected to salvation in Christ: no scripture sayth so. We are taught the con­trary by Act. 13.46.48. where the Gospell was preached to many, but all that heard it were not elected to salvation: for as many as were ordained (that is elected) to eternall life, beleeved. But all beleeved not: therefore all were not ordained (or elected) to life. Against reason it is to say, All are elected: for election implieth a leaving or refusing of some. Where all ar taken, no choyse is made. Their second saying is, all were elected, not actually, because they had no being; but in Gods eternall purpose. The action is in God, not in man: and his purposes or decrees are his actions: and if be­fore the foundation of the world, God elected us in Christ, as the Apostle teacheth, Eph. 1.4. then were we actually chosen before we had naturall being: though Gods choyse had not effect in us till we had being: But whereas they add, vpon the condition afore spoken; it is an error before refuted.

Object. But of the elect Paul sayth, Ye were without Christ, without God in the world, Eph. 2.12. so they were not then really and particu­larly elected.

Answ. Howsoever they change their tearmes, their reason is not good. They were not without God or Christ in respect of Gods election, which he did before the world was made, Eph. 1.4. but in respect of their sinfull estate and unbeleefe, before they were called, they were without God.

2 Obj. But the Apostle sayth, After yee beleeved, ye were sealed with the holy spirit of promise, &c. Eph. 1.13.14.

Answ. What of this? Could they not be elected of the father, be­fore they were sealed by the holy Ghost? Gods election was be­fore all time, Eph. 1.4. their calling and sealing by the Spirit, was in time. But they would confound election and sealing ignorantly.

3 Obiect. Rom. 9.25, 1 Pet. 2.10. I will call them my people which were not my people, &c. If we were actually and particularly chosen be­fore the creation, then were we also really Gods people, and could not at a­ny time be sayd, not to be his people.

Answ. Here againe they confound Gods election, with his cal­ [...]ng ▪ which is the manifestation of his election by the effect. Gods [Page 15] predestination is before his calling, Rom. 8.30. So though they were not his people by calling, they were his by election. It is evi­dent by Act. 18.10. that many in Corinth were Gods people, be­fore they were called or converted. Ieremy was knowne, sanctified and ordained to be a Prophet, before he was formed or born, Ier. 1.5. and can we thinke he was not then also chosen to life?

They say, The Apostles meaning is, Pag. [...] that wee are first particularly chosen, when we receiue or put on Christ. For God onely chooseth where be findeth faith and obedience to the Gospell; and rejecteth where these are wanting. Herein they wrong the Apostles, who neither spake nor meant as these men speak. It is shewed before from Act. 13.48. that election goeth before faith: so these men erre, that put it after. They pervert the order set down in Rom. 8.30. whiles they make men to be first called, justified, glorified; and then predesti­nated unto life. They neglect Pauls doctrine, that God chose us before the world was, that we should be holy: and teach new do­ctrine of Antichrists devising, that God chose vs because we were holy. But to follow them in their doctrine: God chooseth none (they say) but where he findeth faith. Where doth God find this, seeing he hath shut up all in unbeliefe? Rom. 11.32. Faith is not of our selves, it is the gift of God, Eph. 2.8. so then hee findeth not faith in his elect, but giveth them faith. And if they say some will not beleeue, and them God rejecteth: some will beleeue, and them God electeth: I demand, whence haue any this will to beleeue? If they answer, of themselues and their own power; the Apostle tel­leth us the contrarie, It is God that worketh in us both to will and to doe of his good pleasure, Phil. 2.13. Now God giveth not all men this will to beleeue and obey: for some cannot beleeve, 1. Ioh. 12.39. some are reprobate concerning faith and every good work. 2. Tim. 3.8. Tit. 1 16. If God would giue all men alike grace, he could make all men willing to beleeue and obey: but this hee doth not: for in some he giveth a new heart and a new spirit, and takes away the stony heart out of their flesh, Ezek. 36.26. in other some he harde­neth their heart, that they cannot beleeue, nor turne unto him, Ioh. 1 [...].39 40. The mysterie of his Gospel, God bideth from some, and revealeth to oth [...]rsome: even so, for so it seemed good in his sight, Math. 11.25.26. He hath mercie on whom he will, & whom he will he hardeneth, Rom. 9.18.

By this which hath been sayd, all that loue the truth may see, that all men to whom the Gospell is preached, are not elected to salvation in Christ, as these corrupters of the Gospell teach: nei­ther can all men beleeue, or obey; because God giues them not such grace. Some refuse indeed willingly, and they perish justly: some (who naturally are as bad as other, & haue harts of stone not [Page 16] of flesh) are changed, new hearts are given them, faith and holines are wrought in them, and so they are brought unto salvation whereunto they were elected. Why God changeth the heart of some and not of other some, when he could if he pleased, change alle is not a question to be disputed of, Rom. 9.19.20. Let it suf­fice us, that God oweth us nothing, except death for our sinnes. His grace is his owne, he may giue it where he will, and none haue cause to complaine: If God haue given grace to any of us, let us praise him for his mercie: when we see others left without grace, let us reverence him for his unsearchable judgements.

The rest of their discourse about election, though there be ma­ny abuses they offer to the scriptures, which mought justly be ta­xed, yet because they none of them doe proue these mens vniver­sal Election, nor disproue our faith, I think needlesse to reply unto.

Of Reprobation.

TOgether with Election, they treat of Reprobation, badly as before, Our doctrine they pretend to be thus, They say, Pag [...] [...]. God hath reprobated some, and the greatest number, and that before they were borne, and had done evill; for whom there was never meanes of salvation, because God would haue them perish, for that was his good pleasure.

Answ. We hold not (as they would beare the world in hand) that God would haue men to perish, because it is his good plea­sure: but because of their sinnes he destroyeth them, his justice so requiring. Neither doe we hold that God euer decreed to punish his reasonable creature, without respect of the sin therof deserving punishment. Yet was their punishment decreed before they were borne, or had done evill. For God foreseeing their wickednesse, appoynted them to wrath before they acted it, though hee infli­cteth not punishment till they be sinners. And this the scripture teacheth, as in Iude vers. 4. there are certaine men crept in, who vvere before of old ordained to this condemnation. If they vvere ordai­ned to it before of old, then vvas it before they vvere borne. The same is confirmed by Rom. 9.11.12.13. vvhich scripture they seeke to pervert by a longsome and erroneous exposition. Our do­ctrine being thus by them mis-reported; they labour to refute their owne forgeries, not our assertions. So that they are unworthy of any reply.

Of falling away.

THE next errour which they would maintaine, is, Pag. 78. that a man may fall from his election: or, that godly men, which are in the true and saving grace of God, may fall away: Pag. [...]9. and may loose their heavenly inheritance which they haue right unto. This Popish heresie they haue not confirmed by any one Scripture, though they pervert many Scriptures for a show to de­lude the simple.

The faith which we professe is this: that the elect, however through Satans tentations, and their owne infirmities, they are subject to fall from God and perish; yet they are kept by the power of God, through faith unto salvation, 1 Pet. 1.5, though they through their weakenesse sin and fall, yet the Lord putteth under his hand, Psal. 37.24, and the seed of God remaineth in them, and they cannot sin (unto death) because they are borne of God, 1 Iob. 3.9. Though of themselues they are too ready to depart from God, yet he will not turne away from them to doe them good, but putteth his feare in their hearts, that they shall not depart from him, Ier. 32.40, so Christs sheep shall never perish, neither shall any pluck them out of his hand, but he giveth unto them eternall life, Ioh. 10 28, and the elect cannot possibly be seduced from Christ, Mat. 24.24.

They plead for their errour by 7 reasons.

The 1 is certaine Scriptures; as Heb. 12.15. Look least any man faile of (or fall from) the grace of God. Answ. This proveth not that God will suffer his elect to fall utterly from saving grace: but warneth them to take heed to themselues in respect of their own frailty, and Satans subtilty. Though Gods election and foundation standeth sure, 2 Tim. 2▪19, yet we must make an end of our salvation with feare and trembling; and must adde vertue unto faith, and giue diligence to make our calling and election sure; which if we doe we shall never fall, 2 Pet. 1.5. ▪ 10.

Salt may loose his savour, Mat. 5. Answ. It may, if men be seasoned but with common grace, such as God giveth to many reprobates Heb. 6.4.5.6, but saving grace bestowed on the elect, is a gift and calling without repentance, Rom. 11.29.

Some that haue escaped the pollutions of the world, &c. may returne with the Sow to wallow in the myre, 2 Pet. 2.20.22. Answ. Too many in deed doe so, but they are swine, not sheep of Christ: they seemed to be washed, by the knowledge of the Lord which they had, but their swinish nature was never changed. The Apo­stle [Page 18] in that chapter speaketh of hypocrites and reprobates, which walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleannesse, v. 10, which are as na­turall bruit beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, v. 12. which are wells without water, v. 17, so they never had saving grace.

Those that Christ hath bought may be damned, 2 Pet. 2.1. Answ. Those are such as before I spake of, which were bought of Christ by his offer of grace, and their feyned acceptance of it: but had they been in deed bought from the earth, they would haue follow­ed the Lamb, and should haue beene without fault before the throne of God, Rev. 14.3.4 5. Had they been justified by his bloud, and reconciled to God by his death; much more should they bee saved by his life; Rom 5.9.10. Had they been of Christs sheep, for whom he laid down his life, he would haue given them eternall life, Ioh. 10.27▪28. And here note how these men would make Christs sufferings vaine: for many whom (as they think) Christ died for, shall die themselues for ever. Where is now the justice of God, that punisheth the wicked thems [...]lues, and yet punished Christ for them, without cause without fruit? Such doctrine the Apostle doth abhorre, Gal. 2.21.

Some may tread vnder foot the bloud of Christ, wherewith they were sanctified, &c. Heb. 10.29. Answ. Such were never sanctified other­wise then Swine that were washed, whose filthy nature was never indeed changed, otherwise then by counterfeisance and hypocrisie.

They that haue faith and good conscience, may put it away, and make shipwrack of it: and some may leaue their first faith, & be damned, 1 Tim. 1.19, & 5.12. Ans. Faith is not alwaies in deed, that which it seem­eth to be: There is a temporary faith, which falleth away in time of tentation, Luke 8.13▪ a vaine dead faith, Iam. 2, and there is a living faith, the [...]aith of Gods elect, Tit. 1, 1, this faith never faileth utterly, for it is the seed of God, by which we are regenerate, and it remaineth in us, keeping us from sinne, 1. Joh. 3.9.

Some written in the booke of life, may be put out, Exod. 32.32.33. Psal. 69.25.28, Rev. 3.5. Answ. Many things are spoken of God, not properly but figuratiuely, & after the manner of men. So God is no way changeable, Mal. 3.6, Iam. 1.17, neither doth he repent, 1. Sam. 15.29, yet is it said, It repented him that he had made man &c. Gen. 6.6, because in destroying the world, he did as men when they repent. So God is said to blot out of his book, those wicked which for a time seemed to themselues, & to others to be written in his book, but after by Gods rooting them out, are manifested never to haue been written there; for then they should haue continued there▪ because the gifts and calling of God are without repentance, Rom. 11. [...]9, his foundation standeth sure, having this seale. The Lord knoweth them that are his, 2 Tim. 2.19. But to the wicked he will professe, [Page 19] I never knew you, Mat. 7, 23. The talent may be taken from him that vseth it not well, Mat. 25. Answ. All that haue talents, that is gracious gifts, haue not true saving grace to sanctifie those gifts, neither are they all Gods elect. This therfore is no proofe of the question in hand.

The Saints at Rome that were justified by faith, and had accesse unto grace, Rom. 5.1.2, yet if th [...]y continued not in the bounty of God, they should be cut off, &c. Rom. 11.22. Answ. This and the examples following are like to the former, and teach Gods elect to haue care to continue in grace, without which there is no salvation. They teach also that hypocrites falling from God, shall perish. But none truely justified, and partakers of saving grace, shall perish, for God gloryfieth them, Rom. 5.9, & 8.30, and he putteth his feare in their hearts, that they shall not depart from him, Ier. 32 40, and if they depart not, th [...]y perish not, but are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation, 1 Pet. 1.5.

2 Their second reason is, Pag. 80. If the elect cannot fall out of Gods fa­vour, then did not all fall in Adam, and then some were never dead in sinnes, and so need not Christs redemption, &c. Answ. An ignorant cavill: for the Apostle teacheth that God hath chosen us in Christ before the foundation of the world. Eph. 1 4. These men speak of our state before Christ. Againe Adam and all in him fell from grace, su [...]h as th [...]y had of God in creation; but not from Chri­stian grace, from grace of election and redemption, whereof they had no need before [...]h [...]ir fall, neither had they any promise of it till they were dead in si [...], Gen. 3 It is this saving grace in Christ, from which the elect can never utterly fal, and not any other grace by creation, from whi [...]h all men and some Angels haue fallen.

3 If the elect cannot fall from their election, then haue not all sinned and been deprived of the glory of God, and shut up in unbeleefe, &c. Answ. The same sophistrie is in this reason, that was in the former, changing the state of the question, which is onely of them that in Christ were chosen before the world was, and are by him redee­med, justified, sanctified, and shall haue eternall life, Ioh. 10.28, wheras these deceivers speak of men without Christ, and before they are by him redeemed.

4 The Ephesians were elect before the foundation of the world, Eph. 1. yet having forsaken their first loue, if they repented not, God would remoue the candlestick &c. Rev. 2. Answ. This is answered in the answers to the Scriptures which they brought in their first reason. It is true, the elect without repentance, faith, and perseverance cannot be saved. But all Gods elect haue from him the grace to repent, beleeue, and continue in well-doing, as before is proved: so they cannot perish. But hypocrites which were among the Saints one­ly, [Page 20] but never of them, they cannot continue with the Saints, and so cannot be saved, 1 Ioh. 2.19.

5 If a man in Gods favour and chosen cannot fall out of it: then need he not, though he commit incest, adultery, murder, &c. feare falling into damnation. Answ. Herein they abuse Gods comfortable pro­mises, as if men should continue in sin that grace may abound. Far be it. All men ought to feare falling into any sinne, and the elect feare continually knowing their owne frailtie. Our spirituall se­curity is not carnall security: our faith is in God, not in our selues; by his power we are kept, not by our owne. Hee saith to his peo­ple, The mountaines shall depart, and the hills be removed, but my kind­nesse shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed; Esai. 54.10. But if by feare, they meane feare without faith, that is despair: we beleeue that the elect though they fall into such sinnes, ought not to despaire or distrust Gods mercy: as the exam­ples of David, Peter &c: which they alledge, doe evidently con­firme. Psal. 51. Luke 22.31.32.

6 If no man elect, can fall from his election by committing of any of these sinnes, then to what end is repentance taught? It is in vaine, if they neither be, nor can be in condemnation, &c. Answ. They that teach such doctrine, their religion is vaine. We beleeue as the elect can­not perish, so neither can they continue in sin: he that is borne of God (saith the Apostle) committeth not sinne, 1 Ioh. 3.9. All that truely beleeue that they are elect, doe also beleeue and know, that by repentance, faith, and abiding in Christ, they must come to the end of their election, the salvation of their soules: this is the way and meanes unto life, and without this they cannot see God.

7 To what end are men admonished or exhorted not to receiue the grace of God in vaine, 2 Cor. 6.1, not to fall from their stedfastnesse, 2 Pet. 3.17 &c. If they cannot fall into them, doth the Lord use words in vain? Answ. No, but these mens words are vaine. For God as he hath or­dained men to life, hath also ordained his lawes, exhortations, threatnings &c. as meanes to bring them into life. He dealeth not with men as with stones, to cary them into heaven by violence; but giueth them repentance, faith, loue, zeale, care and other graces; hee perswadeth, moveth, draweth them to come willingly, and to con­tinue carefully, and so at last saveth them.

In the next place, these fallers from grace, seeke to wrest the Scriptures which refute their heresie. Pag. 84. Vnto Christs words in Mat. 24.24, if it were possible they should deceiue the very elect: They answer, that the elect, (namely those that receiue and obey the truth Iesus Christ, and abide in him to the death,) cannot perish. Answ. Great is the truth that forceth the adversaries to yeeld; this is that which we maintaine; and Christs words ( if it were possible) proue it un­denyably; [Page 21] and sheweth it to be unpossible that the elect should be deceived to loose Christ.

Obj. Our controversie is whether those that be elect, may fall out of it: and not whether those that abide in it can perish. Answ. Here they would unsay that which before they said well. And the controver­sie they make is meere cavilling. For if it be unpossible that the elect should be seduced from Christ, then is it unpossible they should perish; and consequently it is unpossible that they should fall from their election. Again, if it be possible that they should fall from their election, then is it possible they should perish, and pos­sible that they should be seduced from Christ: and so our Sa­viours words will not stand. How greatly are these Decei­vers fallen themselues, that seek so to pervert the plaine words of Christ.

Object. Many fall from their election, not by being deceived, but willingly forsake the truth, against or after their inlightning, Heb. 6▪ 4, &c. and 10.26, &c. Answ. First, this is nothing to Christs words in Mat. 24.24. Secondly, the Scriptures which they cite, say not (nor doth any Scripture say) that the elect may fall from their ele­ction either by deceit or willingly. Thirdly, as God keepeth all his elect from being deceived from Christ: so hee keepeth them from willing forsaking of Christ: for he putteth his feare in their hearts, that they shall not depart from him, Ier. 32.40, hee stablisheth them in Christ, and annointeth them, and sealeth them, and giveth the ear­nest of the Spirit in their hearts, 2 Cor. 1.21▪22. Pag. 1 [...].

An other sure proofe of the salvation of all Gods elect is in Ioh. 10.3.4.5.8.14.15.27.28.29. This Scripture the adversaries would pervert with this glosse: That so long as they continue Christs sheep, heare his voyce and follow him, so long they are sure, and haue safetie in Gods acceptance, &c. But if they doe evill and will not heare his voice, then he will repent of the good that he promised, Ier. 18.10, &c. Answ. First, that by sheep are meant Gods elect whom hee will saue, is plaine by the parable of the sheep and goats, Math. 25.33, &c. Se­condly, in Iohn 10, Christ useth no such words, so long as they con­tinue, so long as they heare his voyce, &c. but he plainly telleth us, that the sheep doe heare voyce, v. 3, that they follow him, v. 4, that they will not follow a stranger, neither know they his voice, v. 5. that the sheep did not heare strangers, v. 8, yea all Christs sheep shall heare his voice, v. 16.27, and he giveth them eternall life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any pluck them out of his hand, or his fathers, v. 28.29. Hovv unsufferably novv doe these men vvrest Christs heavenly vvords! Thirdly, the excep­tion vvhich they put, If they doe evill in his sight, and will not heare his voyce, then hee will repent of the good, &c. This excep­tion [Page 22] is unpossible to b [...]e found in Christs sheepe: for though through infirmitie they fall, yet he casteth them not off, for the Lord upholdeth them with his hand, Psal: 37, 24, though they stray he seeketh them up, Psal: 119, 176, he brings againe that which was driven away, binds up that which was broken, stren­thens that which was sick, &c. Ezek: 34, 16, he circumciseth their heart to loue the Lord, with all their heart and withall their soule, that they may liue, Deut: 30, 6, Such as beleeue not, and heare not his voyce, are not sheep, but goats or swine; as Christ sayd to the Iewes, ye beleeue not, because ye are not of my sheepe, Ioh: 10, 26. And how is it possible that the sheep should perish, seeing God is greater then all, in whose hand they are, Ioh: 10, 28, 29. If Satan assaile them, the God of peace will tread him under their feet, Rom: 16, 20, if the world, they overcome it by their faith, for grea­ter is he that is in them, then he that is in the world, 1 Joh. 4, 4, & 5, 4, if their owne corruptions rebell in them; God not onely par­doneth, but also subdueth their iniquities, Mic: 7, 18, 19: as he caried them from the wombe, so hee hath promised to cary them even unto old age, and hoarie haires, Esa: 46, 3, 4. he sanctifieth them wholly, and preserveth their whole spirit, and soule and body blamelesse unto the comming of Christ, 1 Thess: 5.23. If neither Satan, nor the world, nor the flesh can draw th [...]m from Christ: no­thing can draw them away; but they are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation, 1 Pet. 1.5.

Vnto Ioh. 13 1. where it is sayd, Christ loved his own vnto the end; they first say, Pag. [...]7. that the meaning is, vnto the end of his life. Ans. This is a frivolous limitation: did Christ loue his owne no longer then vvhiles he lived with them in this vvorld? Who taught these mi­serable men thus to limit and lessen the loue of Christ? He him­selfe testifieth otherwise to his people; I haue loved thee with an ever­lasting love, therefore with loving kindnesse haue I drawne, Ier. 31.3.

But it seemeth their conscience checked them vvhen they wrote such doctrine: therefore after they say, that he loveth his for ever; but the question is not of Christs loue unto his, but of their loue vnto him. A. This is no answer to Joh. 13.1. vvhich speaketh of Christs loue, not of theirs. Secondly, it is unpossible that Christ should loue any for ever, if they also loue not him. For such as hate and for­sake him, [...] Tim. 2.12. them also he vvill hate and forsake: and so cannot loue them for ever. Thirdly, it is before proved from Jer. 31.3. that those whom he embraceth with everlasting loue, he also draweth vvith loving kindnesse: and being drawen, they run after him, Song. 1.4. those whom hee loveth first, they loue him 1. Ioh. 4.19. he circumciseth their heart to loue him, Deut. 30.6. hee putteth his feare vnto their heart, not to depart from him, Ier. 32.40. and nothing can [Page 23] separate them from the loue of Christ, Rom, 8.35.

Vnto Rom. 11.29. where the Apostle sayth, The gifts and calling of God are without repentance: they answer with their common ex­ception, that if the Iewes abide not still in unbeliefe, Pag. 89. they shall be grafted in againe: of this the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.

Answ. They still labour to overthrow one part of the truth by alledging another. The Apostle as he sayth, that if the Iewes a­bide not in unbeliefe, they shall bee grafted in, for God is able, Rom. 11.23▪ so he further sayth, that blindnesse in part is happened to Israel, untill the fulnesse of the Gentiles be come in, and so all Is­rael shall be saved, as it is written. There shall come out of Syon the deliverer, and shall turne away ungodlines from Iakob, &c. v. 25 26. and further telleth us, that as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers: wherof the reason is this: for the gifts and calling of God are without repentance, v. 28.29 Therefore as the first is true, that God is able to graffe them in, so the second is also true, that he is willing, and they shal be graffed in: as there is a conditi­on on their parts, if they abide not in unbelief, so there is an abso­lute promise on Gods part, that they shal not abide in it; because Christ the Deliverer will turne away ungodlines from them, that is, he will take away their unbeliefe and hardnesse, hee will take away their sins, v. 26 27. vvhich is a plain evidence that he loveth them, and repenteth not of his former loue and promise. And as he dealeth with the elect Iewes, so doth he vvith all the elect Gen­tiles: therefore all Gods elect shall in time be converted, and haue their sins forgiven them, and so undoubtedly saved by him whose gifts and calling are vvithout repentance.

In 1. Ioh. 2.19. it is sayd, They went out from us, but they were not of us, for if they had been of us, they would no doubt haue continued with us, &c. This place sheweth, that hypocrites and reprobates vvhich abide not; vvere never of Christs Church, though crept for a time amongst them. It teacheth also, that all vvho are of the Saints, of Christs sheep and his elect, doe abide, and fall not away to perdition. Pag [...]0.

To this they make answer, first by an open slander; that we should affirme, that God hath predestinated some to salvation; and some to dam­nation without any condition. This we affirme not, but they falsly charge us, as I haue formerly manifested.

Againe they say we affirme, that the elect making never so great shew of vvickednesse, and vvalking in the vvayes of B [...]all, are stil elect, and can by no meanes fall out of their election, &c. But here­in they keepe their wont. Had they dealt honestly, they should haue shewed vvho and vvhere vve thus affirme. We hold that the elect after their calling, are carefull to avoyd all sinne, as it is vvrit­ten, [Page 24] We know that whosoever is borne of God sinneth not; but he that it begotten of God keepeth himselfe, and that wicked one toucheth him not, 1 Ioh. 5, 18, And though the elect fal through infirmitie into many grievous sins, yet they abide not alwayes in them, but are renewed by repentance and faith in Christ: and whiles they are fallen, they are not cast off, Psa. 37, neither doth God repent of his electing of them, nor utterly depriveth them of grace and his good spirit, Psal. 51, Luk: 22, 31, 32, Ezek: 34, 16.

Thirdly, Pag. 91. they tell us of difference between persons as they are Gods generation (or creatures) and qualities good or evill. But this (howsoever they boast of the excellencie of it) is to no pur­pose: for all men being corrupted with evill qualities, Rom. 2. & 3 [...] how is it that any are changed into good; but by the povver and grace of God, vvhich is effectuall in all his elect: The residue abide in their sinnes, because God changeth not nor reneweth their harts, and such he never elected unto life, but ordained them of old un­to condemnation, Iude v [...]4.

Lastly they answer vvith absurd Sophistry; Pag. 92. saying, that these vvords, 1 Ioh: 2: 19: they went out from us, is meant of lying spirits, the Antichrists, in those persons, vvho once had the spirit of truth in them. And the Apostle sayth, they were never of us: for v: 21▪ no lye is of the truth: For example (say they) the spirit of Hyme­neus, together vvith his person, was in spirituall fellowship vvith Paul, so long as he reteined faith & a good conscience, but having put avvay the spirit of truth, and received a lying spirit, he vvent out from them in that his spirit, for or because it was never of them, &c. Will any say that the Pope himselfe is Antichrist in respect of his person? or rather in regard of his spirit or spirituall power he hath. Therfore all that this place proveth, is, that lying spirits or Antichrists in mens persons, went out from the truth, and were never of the truth; and therfore serveth nothing to proue that the elect can never fall away.

Answ. Was ever plaine scripture more violently wrested, by a­ny heretick? The Apostle sayth of the many Antichrists, they went out from us, but they were not of us, 1 Ioh. 2, 18, 19. This these men will not haue to be meant of their persons, but of their spirits in their persons. And what understand they by their spirits? their lyes, their errors, their spirituall power, such as the Pope hath: that is (as before they distinguished) their wicked qualities; not their persons: for God (they say) loveth all persons, they being his ge­neration, Act. 17.27.

First it is an errour to say God hateth not the persons of wicked men, but the evill qualities in them onely: for though hee hateth no creature in respect of their creation which was good; yet the [Page 25] creature being degenerate and fallen from God, he hateth their wickednesse and them also for it, as the Scripture plainely wit­nesseth, Psal. 5.4.5.6 & 11 5.

2 It is erroneous to say, that by Spirits, the Apostle meaneth not persons, but qualities, 1 Ioh. 4.1. for himselfe sheweth his meaning, when he saith, because many false Prophets are gone out into the world. So by Spirits to be tried, he meaneth Prophets, which came with spirituall gifts: and it is frequent in Scripture to call subjects or persons, by the name of adjuncts or qualities in them: as, I am against thee ê pride, Ier. 50, 31, that is, ô thou most proud [...]: and, pride shall stumble and fall, v. 32, that is, the proud person: the poverty of the land, 2 King. 24, 14, 15, the poorest people. Deceit (or Sloth) rosteth not that which he took in hunting, Prov. 14, 27, that is, the deceitfull man; and many the like.

3 It is from the deepness [...] of Familisme, to say, that Antichrists are not persons, but evil qualities in men, so Christ may be holden no person, but a godly quality in us. The Apostle speaketh of the person, for he saith not the lye, but the lyer, he that denyeth that Ie­sus is the Christ, he is Antichrist: 1 Ioh. 2.22.

4 It is an absurd exposition of 1 Ioh 2, 19, to put qualities for persons. He there sp [...]aketh of Antichrists, They went out fro [...] us; these men will haue it, evill or Antichristian qualities went out from us. Bu [...] what sense then will they make of the last branch of the verse, That they might be made manifest, that they were not all of us? Will they say, some Antichristian qualities were of the Apostles; though not all? The meaning is evident, that in the Church are persons some good, some bad, some elect, some repro­bate [...]: but whiles they abide and walk together in the Church, it is not manifest who are of the Church, who are not; but when the wicked and reprobates depart from th [...] truth and Church, then it is manifest that such Apostates, though for a time in the Church, yet were never of it. So it is a sure proofe, that Gods elect are both in and of the Church of Christ, and shall never fall away utterly from it.

Of Freewill.

THis point these adversaries hand [...]e confusedly, and malici­ously. Confusedly, because they shew not what they meane by freewill, or freedome of will: whether free from com­pulsion, or free from bondage of sinne. M [...]liciously, for that they feigne the Calvinists to hold, Pag 94. that the wicked are not onely lift by Gods suffring, but compelled to sinne by power, &c. compelled by the [Page 28] power, force and compulsion of Gods predestination, to commit all those wicked crimes, for which they are punished by the Magistrate, or tor­mented in hell, &c. and then much more doth it in goodnesse, as vio­lent [...]y work all: so that the godly can neither chuse nor refuse good­nesse.

Answ. If these adversaries haue common honestie, let them shew out of the writings of the Calvinists (as they call them) these assertions which they impute unto them. Till they doe this, let them haue their name and fame among lyers and workers of iniquity. As for us, we abhorre these doctrines of compulsion to sin by force and power of Gods predestination &c. As for will in man, we know it to be a naturall facultie, still remaining▪ though corrupted by sin, as all oth [...]r like faculties in us. We acknowledge it still to be free from compulsion or constreynt, for so will should be no vvill▪ But we confesse with grei [...]e that in respect of bon­dage to sinne (under which all m [...]n were sold, Rom. 7, 14.) it may rather be called Bond will, then Free will: for it is not free to re­fuse sin, untill it be renued by Christ: and so far as it is regenerate by him, Joh. 8.34▪36 it is againe (as other powers and faculties in the Saints) freed by grace, and willeth things that are good.

Againe, Page 95. they produce (to their owne condemnation) out of Bastingius, and the Disput. in Geneva these words; Man by evill was spoyled, not of his will, but of the soundnesse of his will: there­fore that which in nature was good, in quality became evill: and Ber­nard teacheth, there is in us all power to will, but to will well we had need to profite better: to will evill, we are able already by reason of our fall. The which if they would stand unto (saith this adversarie) I would require no more.

Answ. This we will stand unto, and thereby doe evince Odegos to be a blinde guide and vaine disputer, that with lyes and calum­nies would disgrace his opposites. We grant evill Free-will (or Free will to evill) is remaining in all naturall men: we beleeue that freewill to good, is from grace and regeneration; and that all the Saints haue it in part, as they haue knowledge, faith, and other vertues here in part: which shall be perfected in the life to come. And if no more be required, his fruitlesse dispute is at an end: and it is worthlesse labour to answer words of winde.

Of Originall sin.

THe Anabaptists hold (more erroneously then the very pa­pists, Confess▪ 18. Concil.) that Originall sin is an idle terme, and that there is no such thing as men intend by the word. In this their Dia­logue [Page 29] they set the state of the Question thus; Pag. 113. Of the Originall estate of mankinde. Wherein they speak doubtfully and deceitfully. For mans originall estate is properly that described in Gen. 1▪ which was by creation very good. But since the fall of Adam, our originall estate is through that fall become sinfull and miserable: and is so acknowledged by David, Psal. 51.5, by Iob, Iob. 14.4. by Paul, Rom. 5, 12 &c. Eph [...]s. 2.3, and by Ch [...]ist himselfe, Ioh. 3, 3, 5, 6.

Notwithstanding these adversaties affirme. Pag. 113. That no infant what­soever, is in the estate of condemnation of hell with the wicked. Which they thinke to proue thus. Without sin there is no condemnation, Rom. 6, 23. Ez [...]k. 18, 4, 20; Without transgression of the Law there is no sin, 1 Ioh. 3, 4, Rom. 5, 13. Therefore if infants haue transgressed no law, there is no condemnation them.

Answ. The conclusion (which implyeth that infants are not transgressers of Gods law) is denyed. The Apostle teacheth us▪ That by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sinne: and so death passed upon all men, for that all haue sinned: and, by one mans disobedience, many were made sinners; Rom. 5, 12, 19. Note also how th [...]se men thwart [...]h [...]mselues: before, when they pleaded for fal­ling from grace, one of their reasons was, Pag. 80. If the elect cannot fall out of Gods f [...]vour▪ then did not all fall in Adam, and th [...]n s [...]me were never dead in sinnes and trespasses, and so need not Christs redemption, &c. Now they plead, that no infants are sinners: which if it be so, then many (as all that die infants) never fell in Adam, nor needed Christs redemption. And so such shall either not come into hea­ven, or shall come thither other wayes then by Christ; contrary to Iob. 14, 6, Act. 4, 12.

But these en [...]mies dispute (against the Apostles doctrine) thus. Pag. 11 [...]. Rom. 7.1. Infants had no l [...]fe nor being at that time (when the law was given to A [...]am:) and the law is given to them that know it, and hath dominion over a man as long as he liv [...]th. Therefore infants having no being, and so no knowledge, nor being then living, that Law had no dominion over them.

Answ. First, this is no more against infants then old men: for no man had life or being at that time o [...]herwise then infants had So Adams fall was for himselfe alone, and [...]o man fell with him; for no man then had life [...] b [...]ing but he. And thus th [...]se lying spirits feare not to resist the Apostle, who saith, Through the offence (or fall) of one, many are dead▪ Rom. 5.15, by the offence of one, (judgement come) upon all men to condemnation, v [...]8, [...]y one mans disobed [...]n [...]e, ma­ny were mad [...] sinners, v. 1 [...], in Adam all dyed, 1 Cor. 15, 22. This A­postolike doctrine is as contrary to the Anabaptists, as light is to darknesse.

[Page 28]2 They hereby weaken (if they could) the Apostles Argument in Heb. 7, 9, 10, by Levies paying tithes to Melchisedek in Abraham: for a man might cavill, that Levi had no life nor being at that time. But Paul saith, he was in the loines of his father Abraham, when Melchisedek met him. So say I, we all were in the loines of our fa­ther Adam, when he transgressed. If then Levi payd tithes when Abraham did, we all brake Gods law when Adam did.

3 They hereby weaken (as they can) the Apostles proofe of our redemption by Christ: for he saith, that Adam is the figure of Christ that was to come: and if through the offence of one many bee dead, much more th [...] gift [...]y grace, by one man Iesus Christ hath aboun­ded unto many: and, as by one mans disobedience many be made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous, Rom. [...], 14.15, 19. Now take away the first, namely the transgression of all men in Adam; and it overthroweth the latter, to weet the righteous­nesse and salvation of the world by Christ.

4 They abuse the Apostles words, in Rom. 7.1, whence they would proue, that the Law (given to Adam) was given to them (one­ly) that knew it; namely to Adam and his wife, not to th [...]r children which knew it not; wh [...]ras the Apostle speaking to the Romanes, spake to them that knew the Law; the more to convince them: he de­neyeth not that God gaue his Law to Adam and his posterity in his loynes. The Lord calleth those things which be not, as though they were, Rom. 4, 17, he spake to Cyrus, and gaue him promises, before Cyrus knew him, or was borne into this world,, Esa. 45, 1,—5, he promised the land to Abraham and to his seed after him, when as yet he had no child, Act. 7, 5, he made a covenant with Israel, not with them onely that stood there that day, but with thē also that were not there that day with them, Deut. 29, 14, 15. And if he did thus imply the children with the parents in other cove­nants & promises: how much more did he the like to Adams seed: seeing Adam is spoken of, not as a particular man, but a generall: so that his unrighteousnesse was not his owne onely, but his chil­drens also; even as Christs righteousnesse (whom Adam figured) was not his own onely, but is communicated with all his children, who therefore is the second Adam causing life, as the first Adam cau­sed death, Rom. 5, 1 Cor. 15.

5 Like vanity is in their next words, Infants had then no being, no life, therefore the Law had no dominion over them; For so they might elude Pauls argument of Levies paying tithes, Heb. 7, 9, 10, saying, Levi had then no being, no life, therefore he could pay no tithes in Abrahams daies. But as the Apostle sayth hee was in the loines of Abraham, and so hee payed tithes: likewise we were in the loynes of Adam, and so we sinned. Again in Rom. 7, 1, [Page 29] the Apostle speaketh of a man during life, who when he is dead, his wife is free from his law, v. 2. If they will apply this to all sin and sinners, then they think when a wicked man dieth, the law of God hath no dominion over him any more; & so there is no pu­nishment by the law of God to be inflicted on sinners after this life. But do these vain man think by such sophistry to escape the dam­nation of hell? Doe they not know that after death commeth judgement, and that by the law? Heb. 9.27. Rom. 2.12.16.

Against the Apostles doctrine in Rom. 5. they alleage, Pag. 114. That we were in Adam, not to bring any soule to hell for breach of that command, Thou shalt not eat: for the Lord sayth, All soules are mine, both the soule of the father, and the soule of the son: that soule that sinneth it shall dye. The son shall not beare the iniquitie of the father, &c.

Ans. First the prophet speaketh not in Ezek. 18.4. &c. of Adam, but of the later fathers of the Iewes, which sinned, v. 2. but Paul speaketh of Adam, who was not onely a particular person (as all other fathers in this case are) but an universall man, the root of all mankind, and a figure of Christ, Rom. 5.14. Againe the Prophet speaketh of such sonns as are just, and do not such like sins as their fathers did, Ezek. 18.5.14. &c. but Paul speaketh of us all as we are in Adam, unjust and sinners, and guiltie of our first fathers ini­quitie, R [...]m. 5.12.19. So these two scriptures the one speaking of actuall sinnes vvhi [...]h are eschewed, the other speaking of ori­ginall sinne, which we now cannot avoyd▪ speak not of one and the same sinne or estate, and therefore doe not one expound an o­ther▪ Thirdly, the Prophet exempteth the good children, which eschew their fathers si [...]nes, from death, Ezek. 18.9.17. The Apostle inwrappeth us all the sonnes of Adam in his sinne and in death; Rom. 5.12▪14 17. Fourthly, the Prophet speaketh generally of the many sinnes which the fathers did, and the sonnes did not, Ezek. 18.6.7.8.18. the Apostle speaketh of that one sinne or offence, by vvhich we all (being in Adams loynes) are guiltie. Rom. 5.16▪ But to this they both agree, the Prophet sayth, The soule that sin­neth, it sh [...]ll die, Ezek. 18 4 the Apostle sayth, th [...]t all haue sinned (to vvit, in Adams loynes) therefore death pa [...]seth upon all, Rom. 5. [...]2, Hereby all vvise men may see, how impertinent a proofe the Ana­baptists bring from Ezek. 18. that Adams sinne brings not any soule to hell. For Adams sinne bringing sinne and death up­on all, and hell being the death vvhich is eternall: it is brought by his sinne upon all his posteritie: except through I [...]sus Christ our Lord, they haue eternall life, which is the gift of God, Rom. 6.23.

Further, they answer, (and desire it may well be observed) that mankind was onely in Adam in their bodily substance: he is the [Page 24] father of our bodies in respect of matter; but our forme and soules came from God: he is the father of our spirits, Heb. 12.9. Eccles. 12.7. & 8▪8▪ that earthly matter was in Adam, of which our bo­dies are made, &c. thus and no otherwise were we in Adam.

Answ. We obserue it well, and obserue their error also. It is un­true that thus (to wit in respect of our bodies onely) we were in Adam, and not in respect of our soules: no scripture teacheth them this, but their own fansie. For though our soules were not in all respects in Adam, as our bodies were, to wit, materially: yet in some resp [...]ct (to wit formally) we were in Adam both body and soule; which I thus manifest. Adam begat Seth in his own image, Gen. 5 Abraham begat Isaak, &c. Math. 1. so body begetteth not body; but man begetteth man: and man consisteth of body and soule, which are the parts that constitute a man. So man (that is the whole, not part of a man on [...]ly) is sayd to be borne of a woman, Iob. 14.1. yea the 66 soules (whereby figuratiuely is meant persons, consisting of bodies and soules) are sayd to come out of Iakobs thigh (or loynes) Gen. 46.26. and Levi in the l [...]ynes of Abraham is sayd to pay tythes, Heb 7.9 10. Now the body without the spirit is dead, and therefore cannot pay tythes, nor do any action. And in the place and case in hand, in Adam all sin­ned, all died, judgement came on all men to condemnation, Rom. 5.12.18. but the body without the soule sinneth not, neither [...]y­eth, nor shall bee condemned. Therefore it is apparant that the scripture speaketh of men in Adam otherwise then in respect of their bodies onely: so that th [...]se mens speciall observation is no­thing worth.

Againe they plead, Pag. 115. As God gaue no law to Adam, before hee gaue him a soule of reason and understanding: no m [...]re doth he giue to any of Adams posteritie, a [...]y law, till he giue them soules of reason and understanding, as in Deut. 11.2. I speak not to your children which haue neither known nor seen, &c.

Answ. First the words of Moses to Israel to whom he propoun­ded the law, are not to be compared with Gods law given to A­dam: for the Israelites were spoken to personally: Adam gene­rally as an universall man, the root of all mankine, as before is pro­ved. Secondly, the covenant of Moses law, did also after a sort pertaine to their children which then were not, Deut. 29.14.15. though it was actually taught th [...]m onely which were present, D [...]ut. 11. Thir [...]ly, the sin which Paul treateth of, and death for sin, was in the world before Moses law, which these men speak of, Rom. 5.12.13.14. Fourthly, let all they say be given them, yet it helpes them not: for I haue before proved, that we were all in A­dam as living men, not as dead corpses▪ and so had soules of [...]easo [...] [Page 25] and understanding in him originally; even as we had bodies, eyes, eares; &c. in him originally: though after a different manner as be­fore is noted.

Further they say, God never purposed to execute on Adam for that transgression condemnation to hell; in that hee purposed to send Christ betwixt, in whom Adam beleeving should be saved. If Adam for his own sin was not condemned to hell without remedy, shall any of his posteritie be sent to hell without remedy, and that for his sin? &c.

Answ. 1. The question in the first place is changed, which is, whether Adam and all his posteritie in him falling from God, de­served not hell for their sinne. This they deny not, neither can disproue. 2. As God purposed not to damne Adam for his sinne; so neither purposed he to damne Noah for his drunkennesse, Lot for his incest, David for his adultery and murder, &c. but to giue th [...]m remedie by faith in Christ. Will they hereupon plead that other actuall drunkards, murderers, whoremongers, deserue not damnation: or shall not many such be damned for these sinnes? 3. Though all infants for their natiue sinne, and all men for their actuall sinnes deserue damnat [...]on: yet never was it Gods purpose to damne all without remedy. For Christ (the second Adam) giveth righteousnesse and life to all infants and old transgressors that are borne of him; as the first Adam conveyed unrighteousnesse and death to all his ordinary naturall posteritie. Yea grace here excee­deth: for the judgement (or guilt) of originall sin was by one (of­fence) to condemnation; but the free gift (by Christ) is of many offences, unto justification, Rom. 5.16.

They object, that condemnation is for not beleeving in Christ, Ioh▪ 3▪19. & 16 9. Mar. 16.16. Rom. 11.32.

Answ. First th [...] Apostle sayth, the wages of sin is death, Rom. 6.23. therefore the wicked shall be condemned not onely for their not beleeving in Christ, but also for their unmercifulnesse, idola­tries, adulteries and other crimes, Math. 25.41.42. Rom. 2.5.—9. Secondly, the sinne of unbeliefe cleaveth unto all Adams chil­dren as other sinnes: and shall be imputed as well as the sin of lust, or any other iniquitie. Thirdly, to beleeue is not in the will or po­wer of man, but is the gracious gift of God, to such as he hath or­dained unto life. Eph. 2 8▪ Act, 13.48.

Againe they alledge, Pag. 116. that Adam by that transgression deprived himselfe of Gods favour in that estate wherein he was in paradise: and notwithstanding the promise of Christ, hath by his si [...] procu­red this judgment, Cursed is the earth for thy sake &c Gen. 3. Thus Adam brought hims [...]lfe and all his posterity, the earth and every creature in it to vanitie and bondage of corruption, Rom. 8.20. [Page 32] &c. And in this estate are all Adams sonnes begotten and borne: so that by Adams sin, vanitie, corruption and death went over all, &c. So infants haue originall corruption, as other creatures haue. Yet those that dye and haue corruption by Adams sinne, shall not be cast into hell fire.

Answ. A felon, murderer, traytor, that is apprehended by the magistrate, imprisoned, kept in fetters and affl [...]ction, his lands and goods confiscate, &c. pleadeth he ought not to be put to death, because he hath suffered for his crimes, losse of liberty, goods, &c. But will this plea saue him Even such is the plea of th [...]se evill men. For all men being in Adam fall [...]n from God, and traytors to his maiestie, children of wrath, & seruants of sin and Satan, because God hath cursed the earth for their sake, cast them out of earthly paradise, made the creatures subi [...]ct to vanity, and themselues sub­ject to sorrowes and miseries; therfore they d [...]serue not to die in hell, if these vaine men may be judges. But we know the judge­ment of God is according to truth against all evill doers. He telleth us, the wages of sinne is death, but the gift of God is eternall life through Christ, Rom. 6.23. where eternall life being opposed to death, she­weth that eternall death is the wages due for sin. And what sin is is there that des [...]rveth not hell? 2. Whereas they say, Adam by his sin deprived himselfe of paradice: it is true. But if they mean earthly paradice onely, they erre from the truth: for by his sinne he was depriv [...]d also of the heavenly paradice, to which there is no restoring but by Christ, Luk. 23.43. Reu. 2.7. and as himself, so all his posteritie that sinned in him, Rom. 5. Thirdly, so where they say, all his posteritie were subjected to vanitie and corruption, it is true; but not all the truth, unlesse they understand such corrupti­on as Peter speaketh, 2. Pet. 2.12. which is eternall destruction, and then they yeeld the cause. But they meane not so, but corruption such as is in beasts, birds, &c. wherein they goe quite astray. For beasts and other brutish and s [...]ncelesse creatures, are not sinners, as all Adams children are, Rom. 5▪12.19 sin is not but in reasonable creatures onely, as Angels and men. Neither is any creature sub­iect to eternall torment, but sinners onely. Other creatures when they perish, there is an end of them, and of their mise­rie with them: but they that perish in their sins, haue no end of their miserie, but it is eternall, Math. 25.46. Mark. 9.45.46. Wherfore they doe not well to expound Rom. 5. by Rom. 8 be­cause the Apostle speaketh not of the same, but of divers things and estates in those two chapters. Fourthly, take that which they say, and it overthroweth them. For how should Adams sin bring all his posteritie unto death, but by their guilt in Adams sinne? If it made not them sinners, the scripture which they formerly al­ledged, [Page 33] Ezek. 18. teacheth that the children should not dye for their fathers sinnes. Now seing many infants dye daily, it proveth them all to be sinners, because death is the wages of sin, Rom. 6 23. Gen. 2.17. Pag. 117.

At length they come to answer Rom. 5. with this perverse do­ctrine, This is the meaning of the holy Ghost, that by Adams sinne, all his posteritie haue weak natures, Rom. 8.3. by which, when the comman­dement comes (Rom. 7.10.) th [...]y cannot obey and liue, but sinne and so dye; till when they are aliue without the law, so sayth the Apostle vers. 9. and thus is verified, that all both Iewes and Gentiles are under sin, &c. Read on the scripture, and you may evidently see, that neither this, nor any part of Gods word, is spoken to or of infants.

Answ. This is not the Apostles meaning: for he sayth not they haue weake natures, but that all haue sinned, and through the of­fence of one many are dead, many were made sinners; Rom. 5 12.15.19. which is more then weaknesse of nature, and pronenesse to sin. Secondly, in Rom. 8.3. it is sayd, that it (the Law) is weake through the fl [...]sh, and so cannot saue any man: vvhich vvords these men vvrest, as if it meant Adams children vveak. Which thing though it be true, yet is it not that which is spoken of in Rom. 8.3. Third­ly, vvhen the Apostle sayth in Rom. 7.9. that he was aliue without the law: this contradicteth (according to their sense) the other scripture, in Rom. 5 12. that all haue sinned, and are dead. The Apostle in Rom. 5. speaketh of things as they are; in Rom. 7.9, he speaketh of things as they seemed to be, but vvere not indeed. Paul vvas a­liue in his owne conceit, thinking himselfe able to keep the Law, as naturall men doe suppose they can. But vvhen the commande­ment came (to wit unto his knowledge and conscience,) then sin revived and he died. How could this be: seeing the commandement is holy, just and good, v. 12 He telleth us in 13 v. that sinne wrought death in him by that which was good. So then he vvas sinfull (though he knew it not) before the commandement came; sinfull by na­ture; but not discerning this his wofull state, the Law vvas given to shew it him; for by the law commeth the knowledge of sinne, Rom. 3.20. Againe, saying in Rom. 7, 11, that sinne took occasion by the com­mandement, deceived him and slew him: he plainly acknowledgeth sin to haue been in him, before the commandement came: this hee confirmeth in v. 14. saying, the law is spirituall, but I am carnall, sold under sinne: Whereupon he applieth the evills vvhich he did, to si [...]ne dwelling in him, v. 17.20. and this inhabiting or indwelling sinne, is that originall sinne vvhereof we treat; vvhich Paul for a vvhile could not discerne to be in him (as all naturall men discern it not, but count it an idle terme, and think there is no such thing) till by the Law he came to discerne it and to lament it. Fourthly, [Page 34] it is here to be observed how the Anabaptists [...]grant, all men haue weake natures, and cannot obey and liue, but sin and dye. How commeth this to passe? By Adams sinne, say they. Behold here how they thwart their own grounds. They impose a necessitie upon all men which (they think) are born innocents, to sin. They cannot but sin, they must needs dye: and this not through their owne default at all, but by Adams. If we should thus teach, what outcries would they make after us! How is it they here forget the scriptures by themselues forealleaged, The son shall not beare the iniquitie of the fa­ther, Ezek. 18.20. Is not this a heavy burden which the sonns beare, that their father sinning, and they being innocent, are so weakned of God, that they cannot but sin, they cannot but dye? Doth God create an innocent man, and giue him charge to doe that vvhich is unpossible for the man to doe, and threaten death unto him for not doing it? We abhorre such doctrine as quite overthrowing Gods justice. When he made Adam innocent, he gaue him no law, but that vvhich was possible & easie for him to do, and to haue cōtinu­ed in doing it, if he had would. His justice requireth him to doe the like to all his innocent creatures. Wherfore if these men come not to acknowledge with the Apostle (and with us) originall sinne and death for sin to be in Adams seed, that his fall and disobedi­ence was the fall of us all, by imputation and by infection, (as a serpent brings forth but a serpent) & that so being sinners in him, we haue lost our abilitie to do good, by Gods just judgment, & are sold under sinne: If they come not (I say) unto this, they will bee open enemies to the iustice of God, and make the judge of all the world not to doe equitie. 5. Finally, vvheras they say, that neither this nor any part of Gods word is spoken to or of infants: they impudently avouch untruth. The Apostle in Rom. 5.14. speaketh of them which sinned after the similitude of Adams transgression, and yet death reigned over them also. What sin can this be but o­riginall sin vvherin infants are born, and for vvhich many infants dye. For vvhen they passe from infancie and come to understan­standing, they sin actually as Adam did. To sin the same sin they cannot, for all being shut out of paradice, they cannot eat of the forbidden tree, though they vvould. Neither doth the Apostle speak of that same sin, but of sinning after the similitude of Adams transgression: so it meaneth actuall sin, like Adams. Now all sin, is either originall or actuall. If then death reigneth ouer them which sinne not actually, as Adam did, it must needs reigne over them which sin originally onely in Adam: and these be infants. For the Anabaptists grant, that when they come to discretion, they sinne (and cannot but sinne) actually. And thus their next vvords also are refuted, Pag. 117. vvhen they say, Infants are under no law, therefore trans­gression [Page 35] cannot be imputed unto them, Rom. 4.15. The contrary is thus proved: Infants haue transgression imputed unto them, and death for transgression, as the Apostle sheweth in Rom. 5. Therfore they are under some law: though not under Moses law vvhich punish­eth actuall transgressors, yet under Adams law (in vvhose loynes they vvere and sinned) for vvhich they are punished even vvith death it selfe.

In their next vvords, Pag. 117. they condemne themselues and all their vain reasoning, confessing, that Adam fell from the estate wherein hee was, and in him all mankind. This is very true, and overthroweth their heresie. For Adams fall, as the Apostle describeth it, vvas sin, offence, transgression, disobedience, judgement (or guiltinesse) to death, and condemnation: Rom. 5.12.—19. Now all mankind fell in him, as Paul teacheth, and these enemies grant: therfore all mankind is in sin, offence, transgression, &c. unto death and condemnation. Pag. 118.

Of the remedy for the sin of all (vvherof they next speake) we grant that is both for infants and old sinners, by grace in Christ. But these are two severall questions: and here we treat of sinne onely and the merit of it. Of Gods grace we haue spoken otherwhere.

They proceed and say, that Infants whom Christ so often accounteth innocents, Mat. 18.3, 4, & 19.14. are freed from the law, and so sin is dead in them: but when the commandement comes, then they die in sinnes and transgressions, &c. Rom. 7.8. Eph. 2.1.

Answ. Innocents may be so called in sundry respects: 1 when in them there is no sin at all; thus Adam in his creation vvas innocent. 2. When though they be sinners, yet they are not guiltie of such sins as men lay to their charge, Exod. 23.7. 2. Sam. 3.28. Ier. 2.34. 3. When they are cleare of actuall sinnes: and thus infants may be called innocents, Psal. 106 38 That Christ calleth infants innocents in the first sence, I deny: the scripture also denieth them so to be, I [...]b. 15.14, & 25.4, Ioh. 3.3.6. Eph. 2.3. I find not in the pla [...]es which they quote, that Christ called infants innocents: how b [...] it somtime he calleth his disciples innocents (or guiltlesse) Mat▪ 12.7. of whom yet these men (I suppose) will not say, they were without all sinne. That infants are freed from the law given to Adam, is denied and disproved by Rom. 5. for in Adam they sinned and died. That sin is dead in them is also disproved: rather they are dead in sinne, till they be revived by Christ, Eph. 2.1.3. Pag. 119.

Infants (say they) haue done neither good nor evil in the fl [...]sh therefore Infants sh [...]ll not appeare before Christ, they shall receiue no ju [...]gement, 2. Cor. 5.10. R [...]v. 20, 12.13.

Answ. How boldly doe these men abuse the s [...]riptures▪ In 2. Cor. 5.10. Paul s [...]yth, We must all appeare before the ju [...]gment seat of Christ. Rev. 20.12. it is sayd, I saw the dead small & great stand before [Page 36] God. Nay, say these adversaries, not infants. Their reason, because infants haue done neither good nor evill in the flesh, is an errour before refuted: for though they haue not done good or evill actually, as older people; yet in the first Adam they haue done evill; and in the second Adam (Christ) they haue done well. Pag. 119

Against Davids confession of his birth sin in Psal. 51. they thus dispute. If David confesse unto God his own sin, then he desireth him in mercie to behold whereof he was made, as Psalm. 103.14. of dust, weake flesh, unable to resist the Tempter: through which weaknesse he was over­come in these sinnes: and thus weak flesh is called sinfull flesh, (in which Christ came) Rom. 8.1. Christ is sayd to be made sin, 2. Cor. 5.21. not that he was a sinner: no more David, confessing he was conceived in sinne, doth proue that by conception and birth he was a transgressor.

Answ. They pervert both Davids words and meaning. Hee speaketh of sinne and iniquitie: they speake of weaknesse onely, vvhereby he fell into sinne. What scripture can be so plaine, that may not be wrested with such wicked glosses. Against vveaknesse wee pray for aid and strength to resist evill: against sinne wee pray for mercie and forgiuenesse: and for this David prayeth in Psal. 51.

Secondly, it is another abuse of scripture that they say, weake flesh is called sinfull fl [...]sh, in which Christ came, Rom. 8.1. where first they make David no more a sinner at his birth, then Christ himselfe; contrarie to the whole tenour of this Psalme, and contrary to Rom. 5. as is before shewed. Then they falsifie the text in Rom. 8.1.3. for the weaknesse there spo­ken of is in the Law, it was weake through the flesh, and so not a­ble to saue sinners.

Thirdly, by Flesh there Paul meaneth not the substance of flesh, for that vveakneth not the Law, nor hindereth mans salvation: it is the good creature of God, as is the soule or spirit: but hee meaneth by flesh, our corrupt sinfull state in soule and body: for he sayth in verse 8. they that are in the flesh cannot please God. If flesh meane our bodily substance, then no man living in the body can please God: not the Prophets, not the Apostles, no nor Christ himselfe, for he lived in our flesh, in our humame nature, and the Apostle should speake untruly in the ninth verse, yee are not in the fl [...]sh. Wherefore flesh in Rom. 8. signifieth our un­regenerate state, as in Genes. 6.3. Iohn 3.6. Rom. 7.18. & 8.5.9.

Fourthly, it is another falsification when they say, sinfull flesh in which Christ came: the scripture sayth not in sinfull flesh, but in the likenesse of sinfull flesh. Rom. 8.3. Fiftly, weaknesse or infirmitie, as it [Page 37] meaneth not sin, but affliction, such Christ had: such, the Apostle tooke pleasure, 2 Cor. 12, 10, but infirmity as it meaneth sin, Christ had not: he is opposed herein to the Priests of the Law, vvhich had infirmity or vveakenesse, Heb. 7, 27, 28, and 4, 15, But David in Psal. 51, confesseth such infirmity (if they vvill haue it so cal­led) as vvas sinne and iniquity; vvhich proveth he was a transgres­sor from the womb, and not vvithout sin as vvas Christ. 6 Christ is said to be made sin for us, 2 Cor. 5, 21, these words for us the ad­versaries baulk and omit. David vvas not made sinne for us, or for any: but vvas himselfe conceived in sinne. Christ being him­selfe no sinner, yet vvas hee made sin, that is a sin [...]offering for us, to purge us, and make us the righteousnesse of God in him; for the Sin-offering vvas usually called sin in the Law, Lev. 4, 3, 8, 14, 20, 24, &c. the Apostle expoundeth it For sin, meaning a sacrifice for sin, Heb. 10, 6, from Psal. 40, thus Christ vvas a sinne, that is a sacrifice for sinne: but David vvas not so. Therefore these pla­ces speake not of sinne in one and the same sense, but in the contrarie. David complaineth of his ovvn sinne and guilti­nesse: Paul speaketh of Christ his purging David and us all from sinne and guiltinesse, by being made a sinne offering for us.

Their former answer being so apparantly against the truth, that David acknowledging sinne, they vvill haue it no sinne, but weak­nesse, they devise to darken the light with an other cloud; as if David spake not of his own estate, but his mothers: and then (say they) it is the curse or punishment for sinne laid upon her, Gen. 3, 16, where the very words agree with these of Davids &c. and it is fre­quent in Scripture to call punishment for sinne by the name of sinne, &c. and it is neither Davids sinne nor his mothers that hee heere confesseth, to speake properly, but his mothers punish­ment.

Answ. As a bird in the net, so the more they striue, the more they are intangled. First, the whole scope of the Psalme is, that David might finde mercie with the Lord for his owne sinnes, as any that readeth it may see. And that in supplicating to God for grace be­fore and after, he should here insert a complaint of his mothers punishment, is without any colour of truth. But this is the mean­ing, and suteable to his other words, that lamenting his actuall transgressions, he bewaileth the evill fountaine whence they flow­ed, to weet, his natiue corruption, which brought forth these ug­ly trespasses. Secondly, to let passe how they call Gods fatherly chastisement, a curse or punishment; they here againe belye the Scripture, in saying, that the very words in Gen. 3.16, agree with these of Davids. For neither the word sin, nor iniquitie, (both which Da­vid [Page 38] useth in Psa. 51,) are to be found in Gen. 3 16, that Od [...]gos brow may seem to be of brasse, vvho sh [...]m [...]th not so often and openly to falsifie the text. Thirdly, it is true that sin and iniquity doe often improperly meane punishment: but the proper meaning for fault and guiltinesse is most frequent: and wh [...]n it signifieth punishment, the context manifesteth▪ which it doth not here at all: but David before and after bewayleth his sinnes properly. N [...]ither is heere the phrase of bearing sinne and iniquity, which is m [...]st usuall when pun [...]shment is meant: but of being brought forth in iniquity, and conceived in sinne; and they sh [...]w not a [...]y o [...]e place of Scrip­ture vvhere such a phrase signifieth punishment. Fourthly, as nei­ther sin nor iniquity are used in Gen. 3, 16, so the word conception there agreeth not, but differeth from the conceiving that David speaketh of in Psal 51, and the difference of the words plainly dis­covereth these mens ignorance and errour. For in Gen. 3, 16, Seron is conception with sorrow, during the time that the mother goeth with child: but in Psal. 51. jacham signifieth conceiving with plea­sure; for the vvord properly signifieth to be warme or inflamed vvith desire, as in the act of generation, not of men onely, but of cattell also, as in Gen. 30, 38, 39, 41. Now nature both of man and beast teacheth all, that such conceiving is with delight, not with paine, and therefore David using such a vvord vvhen he telleth how his mother conceived him, cannot (in any reasonable mans understanding) mean his mothers corporall paines or punis [...]ment, as these corrupters of the Scripture doe feigne.

They proceed and say, that David did not sinne in being conceived and borne: Pag. 120. the soule is the subject of sinne, for from the soule or heart commeth wickednesse, Mat. 15, 19. The soule comes from God, the mat­ter of the body from the parents: the soule is very good comming from God, the body hath not sinned till it be infected with the soule by trans­gression of a law: and seeing th [...]y [...]ffirme that the very matter or substance whereof David was made was sinne, and that this is it he confessoth in Psal. 51, obserue what will follow [...]f this their dream. The matter wher­of all th [...] sonnes of Adam are made is sinne: but Chr [...]st, one of the sonnes of Adam after the fl [...]sh was made of that matter; therefore the matter or su [...]stance of Christs body was sinne. Pag. 121. If it be wicked, to say Christ was a sinner because he was conceived of his mothers su [...]stance, as it is: so it is no lesse wicked to say, David was a sinner because he was conceived of his mothers substance: seeing the substance of both the mo­thers was one and the same.

Answ. It is even a vvonder to b [...]hold how these men pervert, erre and slander, as if they had sold themselues to vvorke iniquity. We teach not, (as the perversly speake) that David sinned in being conceived and borne; for these being the workes of God and nature, [Page 39] are good. But David was a sinner, because hee was conceived and borne in sin, as himselfe confesseth. 2 They erre, in saying, the soule is the subject of sinne: for neither the soule alone, nor the body alone, but the vvhole man (vvhich differeth from both, and con­sisteth of both,) he is the subject of sinne. Neither doth the body vvithout the soule, nor the soule without the body commit sinne: but the man vvhiles the soule is in the body, sinneth, 2 Cor. 5, 10 and as the soule vvas not created but in the body, Zach. 12, 1, so vvhen it departeth from the body, it sinneth no more, but goeth for judgement, Heb. 9, 27, Eccles. 9, 5, 6, 10. 3 Whereas they alledge, that wickedness [...] is from the heart, Mat. 15, 19, it is spoken of living men consisting of soule and body: Madnesse (as Salomon saith) is in their heart while they liue, and after that (they goe) to the dead; Eccles 9, 3. And vvhere they say, the soule comes from God, the mat­ter of the body from the parents; they lay not down the truth fully. For though the soule is created of God, and is not materially from the parents as the body; yet the parents giue occasion to infuse the soule, (for vvithout corporall generation no soule is created,) and so the soule may in some sort be said to haue the beginning from Adam, though not of any matter from him. The essence of is of God; the subsistance of it is from the parents, from vvhom it hath the manner of subsisting in the body. 4 Though the soule as it is created of God is very good, (as the body also respected naturally is good) yet they erre in saying, the body sinneth not till it be infe [...]ted with the soule by transgression of a law; whereby they meane actuall transgression after it knowes the law. For first, it is not the body, but the man (of body and soule) that sinneth as be­fore is shewed. Secondly, the body is not infected vvith the soule, but both body and soule are infected with sinne, to wit, that in­bred and inhabiting sin vvhich came from Adam, as before is pro­ved from Rom. 5. And this sinne man hath, both by imputation and inherence, before he actually transgresseth the law, Rom. 5.14, Psal. 51, for that which is borne of the flesh is fl [...]sh, Ioh. 3.6.5. They no­toriously sl [...]nder us, that we should affirme the very matter or sub­stance vvherof David vvas made, to be sin: Wee affirme no such thing. The matter or substance we say is good, as every creature of God is. Sinne is an evill accident cleaving to the substance, to the body and soule of man. Of like falshood it is, that we should af­firme David to confesse in Psal, 51. that the substance vvhereof he vvas made vvas sin. Neither David nor we ever so spake. So the Argument vvhich by consequence they frame touching the sub­stance of Christs body, that it should be sin, is frivolous, collected from a fict [...]on of their idle heads. For if no mans substance be sinne (as we firmly hold) much lesse Christs.

[Page 40]After this, they cast a stumbling block in the vvay, and vvould haue us shew how infants that haue sinned, and are under condemnation of hell, can be reconciled to God but onely by faith in Christ Iesus: and if they cannot but by repentance and faith, then are they all left under con­demnation, not for any law that th [...]y haue broken, but for their father A­dams sinne.

Answ. Pag. 122. That all haue sinned, and are under condemnation, is pro­ved by the Apostle, Rom. 5, 12, 18, how infants can be reconciled to God, he also teacheth, namely through the gift by grace, by one man Iesus Christ, Rom. 5, 15, 18. The manner if it be shewed, I feare these men vvill not receiue it: for they that haue so kicked against the pricks touching all mens fall and sinne in Adam; how should they receiue the doctrine of restauration by Christ. Howbeit I will in­devour to shew it, if it doe no good to them, it may to others. 1 The faith and repentance vvhich they require in infants, name­ly actuall, is not to be found: as such actuall sinnes are not found in them, as are in older men. The one of these exemplifieth the other, as the first Adam figured the second, Rom. 5, 14. By the first Adam vve haue sin, Rom. 5, 12, offence, v. 15, disobedience, v. 19, [...]udgement, v. 16, death, v. 14, condemnation, v. 16. By the second Adam (Christ) we haue grace, & the gift by grace, v. 15, the gift of righteousnesse, v. 17, the free gift to justification, v. 16, even to justi­fication of life, v 18. By the first Adam vve haue three evils, 1 im­putation of his sin: 2 corruption of our nature: 3 guiltinesse of death temporary and eternall. By the second Adam vve haue three opposite good things; 1 imputation of his righteousnesse, 2 rege­neration (or renewing) of our nature, 3 and deliverance from death temporary and eternall. As the corruption or viciousnesse that vve haue by Adam, is in the bud or spring, in the beginning (not in the full growth,) and inclineth us to all actuall sinnes: so the regeneration we haue by Christ, is in the spring and begin­nings thereof vvhen we [...]re infants, and inclineth us to actuall faith and obedience. And thus repentance and faith are in Christian infants in their bud or beginning, inclinatiuely: even as impeni­tencie and unbeliefe are in Adams infants, in their beginning, and by inclination. If any man aske vvith Nicodemus, how can these things be? Let him consider, that as he knoweth not the way of the winde, or of the spirit, or how the bones doe grow in the womb of her that is with child, even so he knoweth not the workes of God, who maketh all; Iob. 3, Eccles. 11, 5.

Lastly, to the many examples of Gods judgements upon infants, as at Noes floud, Pag. 122. the burning of Sodom and Gomorrah, &c. they answer, though they had bodily death for the sinnes of their parents; yet they perished not with the wicked in hell. For of this (bodily death) [Page 41] other unreasonable creatures, as well as infants, haue alwayes had their portions. All fl [...]sh must die, and death is losse to none but to the wick [...]d: to the godly and innocent, death and all afflictions of this life, are not worthy of the glory that sh [...]ll be shewed.

Answ. 1 In that they grant, Infants haue bodily death for their pa­rents sinnes, they contradict their own plea before from Ezek. 18▪20, the soule that sinneth it shall die: the sonne shall not beare the ini­quity of the father &c. for there the Prophet speaketh even of bo­dily death and miseries in this world, vvhereof the Iewes com­plained. And unlesse they confess [...], that infants are sinners in their parents, they cannot maintaine the justice of God for killing in­fants, and that oftentimes with strange and horrible deaths. And if they grant that infants are sinners, they cannot with any truth deny but hell is their due, unlesse they be redeemed by Christ. And by infants death, we certainly conclude that they are sinners, from the Apostles ground in Rom. 5, 12, 14, & 6, 23. and that for their sinne they may and shall be cast into hell (unlesse Christ saue them) is evident by Christs doctrine, in Ioh. 3, 3, Except a man bee borne againe, he cannot see the Kingdome of God. And that infants are there implyed, is plaine, because an infant is borne a man, as Christ speaketh Ioh 16, 21, and being borne a sinner, Psal. 51, Rom. 5, must be borne againe of the Spirit, or else shall not see the king­dome of God. If it see not Gods kingdome, it shall see the divels prison; for a Limbus or third place will no vvhere be found. And how these men can exempt wicked infants from hell, otherwise then by their own fansies I know not: [...]he Apostles taught no such doctrine, vvhen vvithout exception of infants, they call the old world that perished, the world of the ungodly, 2 Pet. 2, 5, and reckon none saved but Noe and his house, Heb. 11, 7, 1 Pet. 3▪ 20, 21, and tell us that Sodom, Gomorrha, and the Cities about them, are set forth for an example, suffring the vengeance of eternall fire, Iude v▪ 7. But these presumptuous men vvill controll the judgements of God, and tell us that which no Prophet or Apostle ever taught, that all the in­fants in those cities suffer no such vengeance: yea, though God him­selfe promised that if but ten righteous had been found in Sodom (wherein vvere many times ten infants) he vvould not haue de­stroy [...]d the citie for tennes sake, Gen. 18, 32. 2 The reason vvhich they vvould ground upon, because other unreasonable creatures as vvell as infants haue alwayes had their portions in bodily death; this reason is brutish, and beseemeth not men. For no unreasonable creature is a sinner, as all men in Adam are sinners: no unreasona­ble creature hath a soule immortall infused of God, as all mankind hath: no bruit beast shall be raised from the dead, as all men shall, both old and yong, to life or death eternall. And vvhen a beast [Page 42] dyeth it hath an end both of vvelfare and misery, so hath none of Adams children. What comparison then is there between men and beasts? Where they say, death is losse to none but to the wicked; it is true. And hereupon it followeth that seeing infants are wic­ked, (as is formerly proved) untill they be made righteous by Christ, and borne againe; death is a losse unto them; and a gaine to those onely (whether old or yong) which are made partakers of the grace and gift of righteousnesse, by one Iesus Christ, Rom. 5, 12, — 17.

Of Baptizing Infants.

AGainst baptising of Infants the adversaries first lay this ground, Pag. 129. Baptisme perteyneth onely to them that declare their re­pentance and faith to those Disciples of Chri [...]t that baptise them. This appeareth by Iohn Baptists doctrine and practice, Mar. 1, 4, Mat. 3, 6, and Christs disciples, Joh. 4, 1 & 3 22, by Christs commission for all nations, Mat, 28, 19, Mar. 16.16, by the Apostles practise, Act. 2, 38, 41 & 8, 12, 36 &c.

Answ. That baptisme pertaineth to such as declare their repen­tance and faith, is true; and the Scriptures alledged proue it. But that it pertaineth to such onely, is untrue: and none of the Scrip­tures vvhich they bring, doe so teach The infants of the Church, vvhich cannot declare repentance or faith, are also to be baptized, as after shall be manifested.

That the practise taught by the foresaid Scriptures, is to be per­petuall; we grant: and they needed not haue taken paines to proue it.

Pag. 131. Infants (say they) may not be baptized, because there is neither com­mandement, example, nor true consequence for it, in all Christs perfect Testament, &c.

Answ, This we deny: commandement there is for it in Math. 28, and Mark 16, & necessary consequences from many Scriptures confirme it; Pag. 132. as shall be proved.

Baptisme (they say) is in that a good conscience maketh request unto God, 1 Pet. 3.21, it is of repentance for remission of sinnes, Mar. 1. [...] the washing of the new birth, Tit. 3, 5 &c. If it cannot be proved by the Scriptures that infants haue their hearts sprinkled from an evill consci­ence, haue repentance, faith &c. they ought not to be baptized.

Answ. Their argument hath onely a shew, no substance of truth. For first a man might frame as good a reason thus: Circumcision is not that which is outward in the fl [...]sh, but that of the heart, in the spi­rit, Rom. 2, 28, 29, it is the putting off of the body of the sinnes of the [Page 43] flesh, Coloss. 2.11, it sealeth the righteousnese of faith which they haue, Rom. 4.11, and the circumcising of the fo [...]-skinne of the heart, Deut. 10 16, to loue the Lord &c. Deut. 30.6. Now if it cannot be proved by Scripture that infants haue the l [...]ue of God in their hearts, the righteousnes of faith, the putting of of the body of sin &c. they may not be circumcised, and the [...]r circumcision is nothing. If this be not a good argument to keep children from circumcision, the other is no better to keep th [...]m from Baptisme. Secondly, Christian infants haue the graces they speak of, repentance, faith, regeneration &c, though not actually, or by way of declaration to others; yet they haue through the worke of the Spirit, the seed and beginning of faith, virtually and by vvay of inclination; so that they are not wholly d [...]stitute of faith, regeneration &c. though it be a thing hid and unknown unto us after vvhat manner the Lord vvorketh these in them, Eccles. 11, 5. Which I fur­ther proue thus. If infants naturally are some vvayes capable of Adams sinne, and so of unbeleefe, disobedience, transgression &c. then Christian infants supernaturally and by grace, are some wayes capable of Christs righteousnes, and so of faith, obedience, sanctification &c. But infants are capable of the former evils by Adam: therefore they are capable of the latter good things by Christ. That they are capable of the former, is before proved (vvhere vve treated of originall sin) by Rom 5, Psal. 5 1, Ioh. 3, and many Scriptures. The consequence, that therefore they are capa­ble of the latter also, [...]o wit of Christian graces, is thus manifested. 1 Because the first Adam was a figure of the second Adam Christ, so that as the sinne of the first Adam, his fault, disobedience, and death for it came on all his children, both by imputation and in­fection or corruption of nature: so the righteousnesse and obe­dience of Christ commeth on all his children, both by imputation and renewing of nature, unto life and salvation, as the Apostle compareth them, Rom. 5.12.15.16.17.18.19.21. 2 Because infants being by Adam sinners, children of vvrath &c. must be borne againe of the spirits, or else they cannot see the Kingdom of God, Ioh. 3, 3.5.6. But the Christian infants dying in infancie shall see the Kingdom of God, and not be damned (as the adversaries grant) therefore by Christs doctrine they are borne again of the spirit: and so must needs in some measure haue repentance, faith, holines, vvithout which there is no regeneration. Again, that infants haue the faith and loue of God in them, and regeneration in their mea­sure is thus proved. They to vvhom God giveth the signe and seale of righteousnesse by faith, and of regeneration, they haue faith and regeneration: for God giveth no lying signe, he sealeth no vaine or false covenants. But God gaue to infants circumcision, [Page 44] vvhich vvas the signe an [...] [...]ale of the righteousnesse of faith and regeneration, Gen▪ 17.12, Rom. 4.11▪ & 2.28.29, Coloss. 2.11. There­fore infants had (& consequ [...]ntly now haue) fai [...]h & regeneration, though not in the crop or ha [...]vest by de [...]laration, yet in the bud and beginnings of all Christian graces. They that deny this rea­son, must either make God th [...] author of a lying signe and seale of the covenant to Abraham and [...]is infants: or they must hold that infants had those graces then, b [...]t not now: both vvhich are wic­ked and absurd to affirme. Or t [...]ey must say, that circumcision vvas not the signe and seale of the righteousnes of faith, and then they openly contradict the Scripture, Rom. 4.11.

Moreover, as the Apostle in Rom. 5, compareth our naturall estate in Adam, and our spirituall estate in Christ, so may vvee in this case. If wee cannot justly obj [...]ct against Gods vvorke in na­ture, but doe beleeue that our inf [...]nts are reasonable creatures, and are borne not bruit beasts but men, though actually they can manifest no reason or understanding more then beasts, (yea a yong lamb knoweth and discerneth h [...]s damne sooner then an in­fant knoweth his mother:) then nei [...]her can we justly object against Gods vvorke in grace, but are to beleeue that our infants are sanctified creatures, and are borne beleevers not infidels, though outwardly they can manifest no faith or sanctification unto us. And, why should it be thought incredible that God should worke faith in infants? If because we know not or perceiue not how it can be: let us consider, that wee know not the way of our naturall birth, and other earthly things Eccles. 11 5. Ioh. 3, 8, how then can we know heavenly things? If we make question of the power of God; nothing is unpossible with h [...]m. Hee made all things of nothing; he can make the dumb beast speake with mans voyce, Numb. 22, hee can make the babe in the moth [...]rs wombe, to be aff [...]cted and leape for joy, at the voice of vvords spoken to the mo­ther, Luk. 1.44, and can he not also work grace, faith, holynesse in infants? Hath Satan power by sin to inf [...]ct and corrupt infants (as is before proved,) and shall nor God haue power to cleanse from corruption, and make them holy? If we make doubt of the will of God herein, behold we haue his promises to restore our losses in Adam, by his graces in Christ, as he sh [...]weth in Rom▪ 5, that he will circumcise our heart, and the heart of our seed to loue him, Deu. 30 6, we haue the seale of his promise, in giving circumcision to in­fants, to signifie and seale the righteousnesse of faith, Rom. 4.11, Gen. 17. And we haue assurance of all his promises, and of that to Abraham & his seed in particular, to be confirmed unto us (not a­brogated or lessened) by Christ, 2 Cor. 1.20, Luk. 1.72.73 &c. Gal. 3.14 &c. Wherefore they are but a faithlesse and crooked genera­tion, [Page 45] that notwithstanding all that God h [...]th spoken and done in this kinde, doe deny this grace of Christ to the infants of his peo­ple, and the seale or confirmation of this grace by baptisme now, as it was by circumcision of old.

But they proceed to plead against the truth thus, Pag. 13 [...]. Regeneration is a turning from sin to God, Rev. 6.11. 1 Thes. 1.9. Tit▪ 4.5 Repentance is a sight and knowing of sin by the law a confessing and sorrow for sin, &c. Fai [...]h is th [...] ground of things hoped for, &c. Heb. 11.1. and is accompa-with obedience, Iam. 2. Let them either now proue, that infants are tur­ned from sin, see, know, confesse and sorrow for it, beleeue the promises of God, &c. or they say nothing.

Answ. They reason ignorantly and perversly, not onely against the light of Gods word, but of nature. As if some brutish person should plead thus. A man is a living creature that hath a reasona­ble soule; and the proper affections of a man as he is a man, are the facultie of understanding, of thinking, capablenesse of learning, of remembring, facultie of reasoning, of judging and discerning true and false, good and evill, of approving and improving, of willing & nilling, of speaking, of numbring, &c. Now let them which affirme that infants are borne men (as Christ doth in Ioh. 16.21.) proue that infants doe understand, do think, remember, judge, discerne good and evill, approue, will, speak, &c. or else they say nothing. Were not such a disputer worthy to be laughed and hissed at? who requireth the actuall use and manifestation of humane affections and faculties in infants; vvhich are in them but potentially & in the seed and beginning: and because th [...]y cannot declare these things by their workes, therefore he denieth them to be of the generati­on of mankind, or borne men into the vvorld: or that they haue the faculties of men at all in them any manner of vvay? Even such is the argumentation of these erroneous spirits against the truth of religion. For as before they reasoned against the sin, transgression, and condemnation of Infants, (contrary to Pauls doctrine in Rom. 5) because infants actually understand not the law, nor transgresse against it; and will not consider how they are sinners originally in Adam: so now also they reason against the grace of Christ in in­fants, and his work of regeneration in them; because they cannot outwardly manifest the effects of regeneration or fruits of faith, (such as the scriptures that they allege do require in older persons) & wil not understand that these graces are in them through Christ and his spirit, but in the beginnings onely (as I haue formerly pro­ved) and are not in them as in those of full age, who by reason of use haue their sences exercised to discerne both good and evill. And here I desire to know of the Anabaptists in their next vvri­tings about these matters; first when they thinke that children [Page 46] (vvho in their opinion are borne without a [...]y sin) begin to be sin­ners, vvhether at 2.3.5.7. or other yeares: and vvhen they can justly reproue a child for sin, if it shew in vvord, deed, or gesture a­ny thing contrary to the law of God, as if it sweare, curse, lye, diso­bey parents, take anothers goods, be froward, angry, or the lik [...]. Yea let any of them tell me (if he can) vvhen he himselfe first fell from his innocencie and became a sinner, being none before; by what act or transgression of what commandement. It is strange that an innocent man should fall from his innocencie, and not know when and how. Secondly let them say, vvhether every child so soon as it beginneth to be a sinner, hath not remedy for the sinne by Christ; and so whether it it be not capable of repentance, faith, regenerati­on, &c. and consequently of baptisme, so soone as it is a sinner. Thirdly, seeing they insist so much on the perf [...]ction of the ordi­nances of the new Testament, as of the old, (which thing I willing­ly grant) I desire to know whether (as God appointed the eight day for the circumcising of a child after it was borne,) Christ hath appoynted any day, moneth or yeare for a child to be baptised af­ter it is borne. If they say none, but vvhen the child can manifest repentance and faith: then vvhat manifestation hath Christ pre­scribed, vvhether if the child say it repenteth him, & he beleeveth, it is ynough, or what rules and ordinances Christ hath given, by vvhich vve may certainly know that now (and not before or af­ter) a child is to receiue baptisme, as a repentant and beleeving sin­ner: and let them tell us at what age of their children they or any of them hath first baptised his child unto remission of si [...]s. These things are needfull to be known, that we may vvalke by rule; and being not yet signified (to my knowledge) in any of their wri­tings, I desire for my information, and for the better clearing of these controversies, that they vvould set down their doctrine tou­ching these poynts. For it is required of all parents to bring up their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, Eph. 6.4. this they cannot doe aright, unlesse they know vvhen first they begin to sin, and consequently vvhen first they begin to beleeue. If they blame a child for sinne vvhiles it is an innocent, they commit iniquitie: if they keep a child from Christ and Christian baptisme vvhen it is a repentant & beleeving sinner (which may be so soon as it is a sinner) they vvrong their child most sinfully, to condemne that vvhich Christ justifieth. These things are vvorthy of serious consideration both in respect of our childrens estate, and of our owne.

And now ere I proceed further to answer their cavils, I will shew two commandements for the baptising of infants: the one given of old to our fathers, the other given by Christ.

[Page 47]1. That vvhich vvas once commanded of God, and never by him called back, is now still to be done; as it is vvritten, What thing soever I command you, obserue to doe it, Deut. 12.32. But God com­manded the outward seale of his covenant of grace to be given to the infants of his people, as in Gen. 17.12.13. He that is eight dayes old shall be circumcised among you, &c. and my covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant. And this commandement touching the substance of it, and outward sealing of the covenant, hath ne­ver by him been abrogated. Therefore it is still to bee continued, and our infants (by vertue of that commandement) are to haue the seale of Gods covenant.

The common objection that this proofe is not from Christs te­stament, but from Moses writings, is of no weight. For Moses wrote of Christ, Ioh. 5.46. The Apostles sayd none other things then those which the Prophets and Moses did s [...]y should come, Act. 26.22. Christ came not to destroy the law or the Prophets, but to fulfill. Math. 5.17. Paul proveth our justification by faith in Christ from Abrahams example written by Moses, as vvritten not for his sake alone, but for us, Rom. 4.3 — 24▪ Therefore the example of Abrahams in­fants circumcised, is vvrit [...]en for us also. To manifest this reason more fully, I lay downe these particulars, 1. That the covenant then made with Abraham vvas the covenant of the Gospell, which we now haue. 2 That circumcision the seale of the covenant then, and baptisme the seale of the couenant now, are one and the same in substance. The first is proved thus, Paul sayth, The Scripture fore­seeing that God would justifie the heathen through faith, preached before the Gospell unto Abraham, In thee shall all nations be blessed, Gal. 3.8. Aga [...]ne, vvhen circumcision was instituted, the covenant was, Thou shalt be a father of many nations, &c. Gen. 17.4.5. this promise (as be­longing to the faith of Christ) is applied to our state under the Gospell, Rom. 4.13.16.17. and is by Paul there opposed to the Law. Moreover the covenant vvith Abraham vvas, that the Lord vvould be a God to him and to his seed after him, Gen. 17▪7. this promise implieth blessednesse to him and them; for Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, Psal. 33.12. and this blessednesse com­meth on none by the Law, Rom. 4.15. Gal. 3.10.11.12. and that he should be a God unto us, and we his people, is the summe of the Gospell, Heb. 8▪10 2. Cor. 6.16. Reu. 21.3. The difference between the fathers and us, is, that they had the Gospell in promise; wee haue the same Gospell in performance, Luk. 1.69.70, 72.73. &c. Act. 13.32.33. & 26 6. They beleeved in Christ that vvas to come; We beleeue in Christ vvho is come: Their faith and ours is one in substance, Heb. 11. Gal. 3.9. That circumcision and baptisme are also one in substance (though differing in outward signe) is thus [Page 48] manifested. Circumcision was the signe of faith and holines, Rom. 4.11. & 2.29. Col. 2.11 Deut. 10▪16. Baptisme is the signe of faith and holinesse, Act. 8.37.38▪ Rom. 6.3.4▪ &c. Circumcision was the first signe and seale of entring into the covenant: Baptisme is so now. We now being buried with Christ in baptisme, are sayd to be circumcised in him, Coloss. 2.11.12. vvhich plainly manifesteth them to bee one and the same: even as their other sacramentall signes, are sayd to be the same that we now haue, in respect of the things signified, 1. Cor. 10.1.2.3.4. 1 Cor. 5.7.8. Forasmuch then as the covenant vvith Abraha [...] and with us, and the seale of the covenant then and now, are one in substance: it followeth, that the commandement then to giue infants the seale of the covenant, be­ing never repealed, bindeth us to giue them the seale of the cove­nant at this day. The exceptions vvhich the adversaries make of the difference between circumcision and baptisme, shall be answe­red after in their place.

2 The second commandement for baptising of infants, is in Mark. 16.15. Goe preach the Gospell to every creature; he that beleeveth and is baptised, shall be saved. Math. 28.19. Go teach all nations, baptising them, &c. In this commission of Christ are two things, the prea­ching of the Gospell to every creature, to all nations; and the sea­ling of the same by baptisme. The Gospell belonged to infants, & they are necessarily implied in the first: therefore baptisme belon­ged to infants, and they are as necessarily implied in the later. Christ biddeth them proclaime or preach the Gospell: but vvhat the Gospell is, is not here declared, we must gather it from other scriptures. The Gospel (or Evangelie) is the glad tidings or joyfull declaration that the promise vvhich vvas made unto the Fathers, God hath fulfillled the same unto us their children: the promise, (I say) concerning Christ, and the redemption of the vvorld by him, as these scriptures teach, Act. 13.32.33. Luk. 1.54.55.69.70.71.72.73. &c. Act. 2.38.39. & 26.22.23. Luk. 4.18 — 21. So the Gos­pell (which is the good tidings of the fulfilling of the promise) is as large as the promise vvas: vvhereupon, not in the forementioned scriptures onely, but in many other places, the Apostles referre the Gospell to the promise (or promises) made of old, as, It is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed: Rom. 4.16. and Now we, brethren, as Isaak was, are the children of promise, Gal. 4.28. and, Christ was a minister of the circumcision, for the truth of God, to confirme the promises (made) unto the fathers: and that the Gentiles might glorifie God for mercie, Rom. 15.8.9. and, That the promise by faith of Iesus Christ, might bee given to them that beleeve, Gal. 3.22. and, Paul an Apostle, &c. according to the promise of life, which is in Christ Iesus, 2. Tim. 1.1. and many the like. Not in ge­nerall [Page 49] onely, but the particular promises at severall times, are she­wed to be accomplished in the Gospell; as the promise to Adam, Rom. 16 20. from Gen. 3.15. to Abraham, Luk. 1.55.73. Rom. 4.16.17.18. to David, Luk. 1.69.70. Act. 2▪30 31. to Israel by Moses, Samuel, and other Prophets, Act. 3.22.24▪25 Luk. 1.70. so that all the promises of God are yea and Amen in Christ, 2. Cor. 1.20. And for the poynt in controversie, the promise of grace and salva­tion to Abraham and to his seed, Gen. 17.7. is by the Gpspell she­wed to be confirmed, Luk. 1.55. Act. 2.38▪39. Gal. 3.14.16.29. But the promise to Abrahams seed implied his infants, Gen. 17, 7, 10, 12, therefore the Gospell (vvhich is the complement of that promise) implieth our infants: and so the Apostle sayth, the promise is to you and to your children, Act. 2.39. And the signe and seale of the pro­mise vvas giuen to Abrahams children in infancie, Gen. 17, 10, 12. therfore it belongeth to our children in their infancie: and we are sayd to be the children of promise as Isaak was▪ Gal. 4.28▪ But Isaak was the child of promise in his infancie, and had then the seale of the promise in his infancie, when he was but eight dayes old, Act, 7, 8, wherefore we also in our infancie are children of the promise, and haue right to the seale of the covenant even then, or else wee are not as Isaak was. And thus Christ commanding the Gospell to be preached, commanded the fulfilling of the promises to be prea­ched, even all and every one of the promises, without excepting a­ny: and so commanded the promise of grace, and accomplishment of it to the seed of the faithfull even in their infancie to bee prea­ched. Likewise commanding the seale of the covenant to be ap­plied unto all vvithin the promise, as freely and generally now as ever it was of old, not excepting infants: he commanded infants to be sealed by baptisme, as they were sealed before by circumcision. And seeing all beleevers are by his commission to be baptised: the infants of the Church being beleevers (in respect of the begin­ning of faith, though not actually) as I haue formerly proved, they are also to be baptised by vertue of Christs commission, Mark. 16. Math. 28. that so the promises unto the fathers may be confirmed, and the Gentiles (as well as the circumcision, that is, the Iewes) may glorifie God for his mercie, Rom. 15.8▪9.

Now I will proceed to answer their exceptions; beginning first vvith this about circumcision, and the covenant with Abraham.

1 There was a commandement for circumcision, Pag 145. Gen. 17. there is none for baptisme of infants.

Answ. This is before disproved, and a commandement shewed Mark. 16. For the sealing of the seed of the faithfull in infancie, vvas a part of the Gospell; seeing the Gospel is the fulfilling of the covenant and promise made to the fathers, and to Abraham in spe­ciall, [Page 50] Act. 13 32, 33. Luk. 1.55.73. If it be objected, that baptising of infants is not there particularly expressed: I answer, neither are other parts of the Gospell particularly expressed th [...]re: but the G [...]spell in generall being to be proclaimed, all parts of the Gos­p [...]ll (whereof sealing the infants is one) are necessarily implied. Note also that things are taught & commanded somtime in scrip­ture, though not in expresse words: as the trinitie of persons in the unitie of the Go [...]head, the resurrection of the dead (as Christ pro­veth) vvas taught in Exod. 3. Eternall life in heaven, and eternall death in hell are not expressed in Moses law: nor that they should haue Synagogues in everie citie for the people to meet on the Sab­both. Neither in the new testament is it taught in express words, that Christ is coessentiall, coequall, coeternall with the father: or, that his death and obedience is the merit of our righteousnesse, or satisfaction for our sinnes: nor [...]xpr [...]sly commanded that vvomen should receiue the Lords supper, nor example that any did: vvith sundry other things which though they be not expressed in plaine words, yet are they soundly to be proved by arguments from the scripture.

2 That cōmandement included males onely, children or servant though unbeleevers, and excluded all females, though beleevers so doth not bap­tisme.

Answ. 1 It is untruly sayd that servants unbele [...]vers were to be circumcised: they feigne this, the s [...]ri [...]ture tea [...]heth them not so, but the contrary. For circumcision was the seale of the righteousnesse of f [...]ith, Rom. 4, 11, and should it be set upon unbeleevers, vvhich had no righteousnes▪ no faith? So God should be made the author of a false and lying seale: to signifie and to assure the things which vvere not. Againe, every circumcised person was to eat the Passo­ver, and had all other privileges of Israells law, Exod. 12, 48, 49. the Passover signified Christ, and the eating of it life by Christ, 1 Cor. 5.7.8. Ioh. 6.57. But no unbeleever had these benefites. And if un­beleevers and Israelites had communion together in circumcision, passover, and other holy things, then vvas the Church of Israel no communion of Saints, but a mixture with all sorts of infidels, who­soever would, contrary to Exod. 19, 5.6. Levit. 19, 2, & 20, 7. Deut. 14 [...], 2, & 26.18, 19, Levit. 20, 26, 1 King. 8.53. Though females (vvan­ting that part of the body) were not outwardly circumcised, for that foreskin which was not, could not be cut off: yet may we not say they were excluded, for then they might not haue eaten the passover, Exod. 12.48. They vvere vvithin the covenant (D [...]ut. 29, 10, 11, 12) and implied in the males. As the men had that signe of purification (according to the nature of the male) vvhich vvomen had not▪ so women had another kind of purification (according to [Page 51] the nature of the female) vvhich men had not, Levit. 12. Each [...]x had their portion in the things that figured their redemption by Christ, according to their severall natures. Therefore vvhen the outward signe was changed from circumcising to baptising, wherof the female is as capable as the male; both sexes are baptised, Act. 8.12. So infants now are as capable of baptisme, as they vvere of circumcision, there is nothing therefore to debarre th [...]m from it.

3 The law required circumcision to be performed on the eight d [...]y: so doth not the law of baptisme.

Ans What of this? the law of baptisme appoynteth no day at all for any: shall none therefore be at all baptised? The law required the Passover to be kept on the 14 day of the first moneth, Exod. 12 The law of Christ appointeth no day vvhen to eat the Lords sup­per: yet it is the same in substance that the Passover was, 1 Cor. 5.7, 8, so baptism is the same in substance that circumcision was, Co­loss. 2.11, 12. and as all may now eat the Lords supper, which might then eat the Pascha: so all may now be baptised, which then were circumcised.

4 But when faith is manifested, then is baptisme to be performed.

Ans. Th [...]y meane by manifestation, profession with mouth; and by then they mean not before that time. This is denyed, and for­merly disproved, and they haue no one word of God to confirme their doctrine. 2 Though infants manifest no faith by their owne mouth, yet the mouth of God manifests them to haue faith in the begining or feed therof, because he testifieth them to be holy, 1 Cor. 7, 14, which is not vvithout faith: and testifieth them to haue grace and righteousnes by Christ, answerable to the corruption and unrighteousnesse which they haue by Adam, Rom. 5. as is be­fore declared.

Againe th [...]y say, Pag. 145. Neither circumcision nor baptisme are seales of the covenant of life and salvation: that whi [...]h is now the seale, was ever the same, which is the h [...]ly spirit of promise, 2 Cor. 1, 22, Ephes. 1, 13, & 4▪30.

Ans. A bold untruth contradicting the Apostle, who calleth the signe of circumcision, the seale of the righteousnes of faith, Rom. 4.1 [...]. and righteousnesse of faith is life and salvation, Gal. 3.11. Ephes. 2▪8. and the covenant which circumcision sealed, was that the Lord would be their God, Gen. 17.7.10. and so he would giue them life and salvation, Reu 21.3.4. Whereas they except, The Spirit is the scale: it is true; but they should obs [...]rue that it is an invisible seale in the heart; vvhereas Paul speaketh of an outward visible seale, which is also a signe, and on the body. Again, the covenant may haue more seales then one: so that if the Spirit were an outward seale, yet might circumcision be a seale also of the same thing. Moses cal­leth [Page 52] circumcision a signe or token, Gen. 17.11, but he no where cal­leth it a seale ▪ yet Paul calleth it a seale, because in truth it was so, and more then a bare signe. For a signe is to make some other thing knowne unto us, as the doole-stone or land mark is for di­stinction of grounds: or it is further to put us in minde of things formerly done, as the stones at Gilgall vvere for a memoriall to Israell how their Fathers passed through Iordan, Ioshu. 4.20.21.22. But a seale goeth yet further, and certifieth or assureth of a­ny promise or gift. Now because circumcision was such a signe as assured unto Abraham his righteousnesse by faith in Christ the promised seed: therefore the Apostle rightly calleth it a seale. Vpon which ground vve also rightly call the Passover, Baptisme, and our Lords Supper Seales, because they are such signes as certifie and assure us of forgivenesse of sins, and of righteousnesse and salvation by Christ. And from this we haue a most certaine ground for the baptisme of infants: because baptisme is no more now, then circumcision vvas of old, namely a signe and seale of righteousnesse by faith. And if infants had such a seale under the promise of the Gospell: how should it with any colour be denied now under the performance of that promise? unlesse we will say, Christ hath not confirmed the promises made unto the fathers, contrary to Rom. 15.8. 2 Cor. 1.20.

Further they say, pag. 146. There is but two covenants, the Law and the Gos­pell, the Old and the New, Gal. 4. The old Covenant, the Law, was made with the children of Abraham after the fl [...]sh, and had circumcision in their fl [...]sh for a signe thereof. The new covenant the G [...]spell, is not made but with the one seed, Gal. 3.16. that are of the faith of Abraham. The children of the fl [...]sh are not they to whom this covenant is made, Rom. 9.8 the children of the fl [...]sh must be but out, &c. Gal. 4 30. so that the co­venant with Abraham and his children after the flesh, was not the cove­nant of life and salvation; it was the covenant of worke, of the Law. &c.

Ans. In this their plea, there is a little truth, but much errour and delusion. It is true, there were but two Covenants, the Law and the Gospell. There is sophistry and delusion in their saying the covenant of the law was with the children of Abraham after the flesh: for as after the fl [...]sh meaneth naturall generation, so I­saak, Iakob, and all the Israelites, even Christ himselfe was A­brahams child after the flesh, Math. 1.1. Rom. 1.3. & 9.3.4.5. yet were not they aliens from the covenant of the Gospell. But as the fl [...]sh meaneth corruption of nature, Rom. 8.1.8.9. and as men haue no other generation of the Spirit, but of the fl [...]sh, Iohn▪ 3. vers. 5.6. in this sense it is true, that the children of the flesh are not the children of God, Rom. 9.8. and they are under the Law, not under the Gospell. But this is no­thing [Page 45] against the truth we maintaine. For Isaak who was Abra­hams seed after the flesh in the first sense, but after the Spirit, and by promise in the second sense, hee was circumcised in his in­fancie, Now all the Christian Church are as Isaak, children of the promise, Gal. 4.28, and our infants though by nature (as it is cor­rupted) they be children of wrath, Ephes. 2, yet by promise and grace in Christ, they are children of God, Rom. 5, and therefore are to haue the seale of the covenant of grace in infancie, as Isaak had; even as by Abrahams justification, the Apostle proveth the justi­fication of us all, Rom. 4.3.22.23.24.

Errour it is that they say, Abrahams children had circumcision in the flesh for a signe of the old covenant or Law For first, the Law was given by Moses, Iob 1.7. many yeares after Abraham, and could not disanull the covenant with Abraham, or make the promise of none effect, as the Apostle plainly teacheth us Gal. 3.17. Christ also sayth, Circumcision was not of Moses, but of the fathers, Iob. 7.22. Se­condly, the covenant which circumcision sealed, was that the Lord would be a God to Abraham and his seed, Gen. 17.7.10, this was the covenant of the Gospell, Heb. 8.8 10, Rev. 2 1.3. Thirdly, Cir­cumcision was the seale of righteousnesse of faith, Rom. 4 11, but the Law is not of faith, Gal. 3.11.12, therefore circumcision was a seale of the Gospell promised, a seale of the covenant of grace.

Wheras th [...]y say, the new covenant is not made but with the one seed, Gal. 3.16, it is true, & maketh against them: for that one seed, is there shewed to be Christ: not Christ in his own person onely, but Christ with his Church, which make one mystical body, 1 Cor. 12.12. Eph. 5.30.31.32. Now the infants of the Church, are by the covenant of grace of the body of Christ, even as by nature they are of the body and stock of Adam, as before (in the treaty of Originall sin,) we haue proved by Rom. 5, so that the new covenant is made with them also, and therefore the seal of that covenant is due unto them now, as it was in Abrahams daies.

N [...]xt this, they goe about to proue, Pag. 147. That the covenant wherof cir­cumcision was a signe, Gen. 17, was not the same which we haue now in the Gospell: because the Lord sayth, it is not the same, Jer. 31.31, Heb. 8.6. it is a new covenant that we haue under the Gospell.

Answ. It is no marvell though these men so often slander us, vvhen they dare belye the Lord himselfe. Neither doth the Pro­phet, nor the Apostle (in the places by them cited, or) any where say, that the covenant vvhich Abraham had, and vvhich vvas sea­led to him by circumcision, is not the same which we haue. I haue before proved them to be one in substance by Gal. 3, and Rom. 4.11. The covenant spoken of by Ieremy, was made vvhen God took them by the hand to bring them out of Aegypt, Ier. 31.32, [Page 54] Heb. 8, vvheras the covenant vvith Abraham was many yeares be­fore, Gal. 3.17. Therefore the covenant made vvith Abraham by promise, is the same that we now haue by performance and confirmation of that prom [...]se, Luk. 1.54 55, 72▪ 73 Rom. 15.8.

Againe they say, Pag. 148. though Abraham himselfe had the covenant of grace promised him, by which promise he had salvation in the M [...]ssiah to come; yet ha [...] he not the ordin [...]s of the new covenant which wee haue: and therefore none of his seed in the fl [...]sh could be partakers of that which he had not himselfe.

Answ. They grant enough to their own condemnation: for if Abrahams covenant was of grace and salvation by Christ; then vvas it not of the Law (as before they pleaded) for that causeth vvrath and damnation, Rom. 4.15, Gal. 3.10.12. We plead not for the same external Ordinances or manner of outward [...]ispensation: but for the same substance of the covenant, which was of faith, not of works; and so of the Gospell not of the Law, as Paul teacheth us, Rom. 4. Gal. 3. The Israelites Passeover of the Lamb, and our Passeover Christ: their feast of unleavened cakes, and ours, (1 Cor. 5.7.8.) differ apparantly in the outward Ordinances. So their bread of Manna from heaven, ours of wheat from the earth; their drink of vvater from the Rock, ours of wine from the Grape, (in the supper of our Lord) how greatly doe they differ in the out­ward things: yet were they the same spirituall meate and drinke both to them and us, even Christ: as the Apostle teacheth 1 Cor. 10.3.4. So Circumcision and Baptism, differ much in the outward rite and signe; but not in the substance or thing signified.

Yet cease they not their idle contention, but further say con­cerning us, Pag. 148. They speake untruely [in saying that the covenant which this new is not like, is that Law given upon mount Sina, Exod. 19. not that in Gen. 17.] Marke the words (in Ier. 31, Heb. 8,) Not like the covenant that I made with their fathers, when I tooke them by the hand to bring them out of Aegypt, which is mentioned in Exod. 3, not Exod. 19, then did God appeare to Moses, and commanded him to take them by the hand and lead them out of Aegypt, where the covenant is mentioned in ver. 6, I am the God of thy fathers, Abraham &c. I am come to deliver them &c. to bring them into a good land &c. which pro­mise was made unto their father Abraham.

Answ. The untruth and ignorance is in themselues that so rea­son. For there was no covenant made in Exod. 3. Let the place be veiwed. Though if there had then a covenant been made, it were nothing to our purpose; because Abraham was dead many yeares before, and we reason of the covenant made vvith him and his seed, whiles he lived, Gen. 17. But in Exod. 19.5 &c. treatie is of a covenant to be made: in Exod, 20 &c. the Lawes are promulgated. [Page 55] In Exod. 24, 7, 8, the covenant is made up and dedicated. And that this was that first and old covenant which should be abolished, as Ieremy foretold, the Apostle doth plainly manifest. For having shewed the promise hereof in Heb. 8.8.— 13, hee prosecuteth the same matter in Heb▪ 9, shewing the differences between the first covenant and the second, or the old and the new; and how a co­venant (or testament) must be confirmed by bloud and death: vvhich for the new was by the death of Christ, Heb. 9.15.16, and for the first, it vvas with the death & bloud of bullocks and goats, vvherewith Moses sprinkled the people, v. 18 19.20. And this was that action recorded in Exod▪ 24, done at mount Sina. Moreover obserue here these mens fraud: Ieremy speaketh of a covenant made; they tell us of a covenant (or promise) mentioned in Exod. 3, as if to make a covenant when they came out of Aegypt, and to mention a covenant or promise made many yeares before with A­braham in Canaan, were all one. That which is alledged of the land of Canaan promised in Gen▪ 17, 8, is true, as a type or figure, but not as the maine thing there intended. For Abraham himselfe had no inheritance in the land of Canaan, no not so much as to set his foot on: Act. 7.5. how then did circumcision seal that to Abraham, vvhich God never performed to him? Is not this to make Gods promise to him, vaine? The Apostl [...] is a better expositor, who saith, that circumcision sealed to him righteousnesse of faith, which he had before, Rom 4.11, and telleth us, how by faith Abraham soiourned in the land of promise, as in a strange Countrie, and looked for a heaven­ly citie and countrie, which he understood to be figured by that earthly land: Heb. 11.9.10.16. And if [...]h [...] poss [...]ssion of Canaan was that vvhich circumcision sealed, then Abrahams servants; yea and all his sonnes by Keturah, and all pros [...]lytes of other families, that were circumcised, were deluded with a vaine promise: seeing none of all these had ever inheritance in Canaan, but onely the Israelites the posterity of Isaak, which were numbred in Numb. 26▪2. — 53.

Againe, they except thus. The covenant is made in Gen. 17, Pag. 150. with Abraham and his seed, not with every faithfull man and his seed. Is every faithfull man Abraham? What proofe for that? It is well if wee be Abrahams seed &c.

Answ. The exception is frivolous: for by vertue of that cove­nant vvith Abraham vvho circumcised his infants, Isaak his son, Iakob his son, all the Isra [...]lits in their generations, and every faith­full Proselyte of the heathens, circumcis [...]d their infants. So the faithfull now, vvho all are Abrahams seed, and heyres by promise, G [...]l. 3.29, doe seale their infants vvith Bap [...]ism [...], as of [...]ld [...]h [...]y did vvith Circumcision, for the promise is to such and to their children [Page] Act. 2.39. When Paul bringeth Abrahams example for justifica­tion by faith, Rom. 4. if any should trifle and say, What is that to us? We are not Abraham: the Apostle telleth, it vvas not written for his sake alone, but for us also, Rom. 4.23.24. So say we; that Abra­ham gaue his infants the seale of the covenant, it is not written for him alone, but also for us.

But they proceed and say; Pag. 151. In Rom, 4, 21, Abraham received the signe of Circumcision, the seale of the righteousnesse of faith which hee [...]ad, when he was uncircumcised, that he should be the father of the faith­full &c. This proveth that Abraham received Circumcision to seale up his fatherhood of the faithfull; not that he received it to seale up his faith in the Messiah, which he had 24 yeares before: but a seale of his faith in beleeving God, that hee should be the father of many Nations, Gen. 17.4, Rom, 4.17, and this was imputed to him for righteousnesse, Rom. 4.22.

Answ. They are blinde, and would make blinde. 1 There is no faith that can be imputed to any man for righteousnesse, but the faith that is in the Messiah; as the Apostle proveth at large, in Rom. 3, 21.22.24.25. and Rom. 4. Gal. 3.2 And Abraham beleeeving the promise of a seed, vvhich beleefe was counted to him for righ­teousnesse, Gen. 15.5.6. beleeved Christ principally, as his seed after the flesh: for otherwise how could all nations be blessed in him, that is in his seed, as God promised, Gen. 12.3. Gal. 3.8.16. 3 The Apostle disproveth their vaine glosse, when having shewed how Abrahams faith was counted to him for righteousnesse, Rom. 4.19.— 22, hee annexeth, that this was written for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we beleeue in him that raysed up Iesus, v. 23 24. But if Abrahams faith had not beene the faith in Christ, the Apo­stles argument from his example had been impertinent.

Finally they say, Pag. 152. Abraham received Circumcision as none received it: and faith was required of none to Circumcision: but faith is required to Baptism: & therfore these be but mens dreams, & chaff in sted of wheat.

Answ. In deed they would giue us chaffe for wheat. They would haue us beleeu that Abrahams circumcision sealed his fatherhood, not his faith in Christ: which dream is before refuted. They would teach us two or moe circumcisions, one which Abraham had, ano­ther vvhich other men had. But as there is one Lord, one faith, one baptisme, Eph. 4.5. so we finde but one circumcision, which all our fathers received. They would perswade us, that vvhatsoever Paul saith, that circumcision was the se [...]le of the righteousnesse of faith, Rom. 4.11. yet faith was required of none to Circumcision. But vvho vvill beleeue this their dreame? Will God seale righteousnesse of faith to them that haue no faith? This is to make God the author of vaine and worthlesse seales. If it sealed not to men righteousnesse [Page 57] of faith, what sealed it? Not the land of Canaan, for (as is fore­shewed) no child of Abraham by Keturah, no Proselyte had in­heritance in Canaan: no nor Isaak, nor Iakob, who were but stran­gers in the land as Abraham was, Heb. 11.9. Not the covenant of the Law, for that vvas not given till many yeares after Abra­ham, neither could any man haue righteousnesse by it, but wrath and curse, Gal. 3.10. But had not errour blinded their eyes, they might see that the covenant sealed by circumcision was, that the Lord vvould bee a God to them and to their seed after them, Gen. 17.7. and this vvas the covenant of grace in Christ, Heb. 8.8.10.

Against Peters doctrine in Act. 2.38.39, where he saith, the promise is made to you and to your children; they cavill thus, Pag. 136▪ Wher­as many stumble at the word Children, conceiving that it is meant of Infants, it is here and elsewhere used often in the Scriptures for men of understanding: Act. 3.25, &c.

Answ▪ How struggle these men against the light! It is true, that the vvord Children often meaneth men of understanding: but meaneth it not infants also? The word seed, used in Gen. 17, often implyeth old persons also: will they therefore inferre, that the promise and seale thereof to Abrahams seed, belonged not to his seed in their infancie? So nether is there any reason to think that the promise to the Iewes and their children mentioned in Act 2, is meant onely of men of understanding, and not also of their children in infancie. For vvhen the Apostle speaketh of the pro­mise to them and to their children, concerning Christ and remis­sion of sinnes by him, and sealing the same by Baptisme: he hath evident reference to the promise made of old to Abraham, vvhich concerned the same things, and vvas sealed by circumcision: as appeareth by comparing Luke 1.54.55.72.73 &c. Galath. 3.8.16.

Whereas the Apostle in 1 Cor. 7.14, calleth a beleevers children holy; these men expound him thus: Pag. 136▪ If your children in your own judgement be holy, and you doe not put them away when you are con­verted to the faith, but use th [...]m still as your children, &c. then may you keepe your wiues being holy, they being of a neerer naturall bond then your children, and use them still as your wiues &c. Their reason of this interpretation is; Because holynesse sometime signifieth when a person or thing is set apart or sanctified to the beleever, 1. Timothy 4.5, Titus 1.15. Thus is the un­beleeving wife holy, and thus are the children h [...]ly, and not other­wise.

Answ. That children are thus sanctified to the beleever is true: but in saying, and not otherwise, they doe violence to the [Page 58] Apostles doctrine, and the truth is not in them. For first he mean­eth not the children to be holy in the parents judgements; but tel­leth them his owne judgement, they are holy; and useth it as a rea­son to confirme his former doctrine. Secondly, he meaneth not in respect of putting the children away from civill use as children; for so no mor [...] should be said for the children of the faithfull, then for their infidell servants: for Philemon mought and did retaine Onesimus for civill use as a servant, before he vvas converted to Christ, Phil v. 10.11, &c. and beleeving servants might dwell and converse civilly with unbeleeving masters, 1 Tim 6.1 2, Yea misbe­gotten children and bastards were not to be put away in respect of civill use: for vvho sho [...]ld nourish or bring them up, rather then their own parents? 2 Sam 11 4.5, & 12.14.15 &c. Thirdly, they corrupt the Apostles reason, which is not to this effect, If you may keep your children, then you may keep your wiues: But thus, your unbeleeving vviues you may keep, for they are sancti­fied unto you, because the children vvhich you beget of them are holy: and so the holinesse of the children is an argument and proofe that they might still reteyne th [...]ir unb [...]leeving vviues. Fourthly, they change the Apostles vvord am [...]ss [...]: he saith not of unbeleeving vviues that they are holy, but sanctified to the belee­ving husbands; but the children vvere holy. Fif [...]ly, the sanctifi­cation of meats, & purity of other things, mentioned in 1 Tim. 4.5 Tit. 1.15, is not meant of religious sanctification, but for civill uses: vvhereas the children of beleevers are otherwise holy, namely, in respect of the covenant of grace and Church of God, as is aboundantly proved before, by Rom. 5, vvhere, as they haue naturally sinne and unrighteousnesse by Adam, so they haue ho­linesse and righteousnesse by the grace of God in Christ. Also by Gen. 17, compared with Rom. 4.11, where Abrahams (and all faith­full mens) children, are with their parents in the covenant of grace, and haue the seale of the righteousnesse of faith. And upon this ground doth Paul strongly proue the beleevers might keep their unbeleeving wiues, because the children which they had by such, were (by reason that one parent was a Christian) holy, to wit, with holines of the covenant made with the faithful and their seed. And in this respect the children of those that are in the covenant, are said to be borne unto the Lord, and to be his children, Ezek. 16.8.20, 21. vvheras in the other respect, all children in the world are the Lords, Exod. 19, 5. And so the children of the Church are called the holy seed, diff [...]ring heerein from the seed of other peoples, Ezra 9.1.2, vvhich if th [...]se opposites had understood, they could not thus haue stumbled at the Apostles words, and wrested his meaning.

[Page 59]But they plead further, that the Apostle saith not, else were your Infants, but else were your Children uncleane, but now they are holy: so that all the children of unbeleevers are as holy by this place as infants, &c. and so must be baptised.

Answ. Herein they seek to pervert the straight wayes of God. Pag. 138. As if they should say: God (vvhen he made vvith Abraham that everlasting covenant vvhich Circumcision vvas a seale of) said not that hee vvould be a God unto him and to his Infants after him, but unto his seed, Gen. 17 7, so that all the seed of Abraham (Ismaelites, Edomites &c.) vvere as holy, and as well within the covenant of grace and to be circumcised, as the Is [...]a [...]lites vvhich vvere the generation of Isaak. But they should obserue that the covenant of mercie passeth from the fathers to the chil­dren from age to age, even to the thousand generation, if they loue God, and keep his commandements: whereas if they [...]ur [...]e away and hate him, he visi [...]th their iniquity, Exod. 20.5.6, Ez [...]k. 18 9.10.13. Children of beleevers vvhen they are borne of th [...]ir parents, (and all are borne infants) are all in the covenant vvith their parents; and vvere of old to be circumcised, are now to be baptized. If the children be of yeares vvhen their parents enter into the covenant, either they assent and enter into covenant vvith them, or they diss [...]nt and enter not. So Isma [...]l Abra­hams child, being taught of his father to keep the vvay of the Lord ( Genes▪ 18.19.) and not disobeying, he vvas vvith his father circumcised at thirteene yeares of age, Genes. 17.25. Likewise all children now assenting unto and vvalking in the faith vvith their parents are to bee baptized at what age soever. But vvhen Ismael fell from his obedince, then vvas he cast out of Abrahams house, and vvas no longer counted for Abra­hams seed, but in Isaak vvas his seed called, Genes. 21.10.12. Ismael was still Abrahams seed and child in nature, according to the flesh; but hee continued not still the childe of the cove­nant, Galath. 4.29.30, nor Abrahams seed according to the pro­mise. Even so, if children of beleevers now being of under­standing, doe refuse the faith of Christ, or fall from it, they are to be kept out of the Church▪ or cast out from it: and so the seale of grace and salvation belongeth not unto them, ( Ezek. 18, 24, 2 Chro. 15.2, Matth 3.7.9.10,) as it belongeth to all the infants of the faithfull, and to all their children (of what age so ever) that receiue the faith of Christ, and abide in it vvith them. And these men greatly mistake if they think we hold children are to be baptised, or are holy, because they are our children by nature, (for so they are children of vvrath, Eph. 2.3,) but they are holy, and to haue the seale of salvation, because God hath graciously accepted [Page 60] them into his covenant with our selues: and keepeth them in it, untill they fall from faith and obedience of Christ; even as wee our selues continue in the covenant, whiles we continue in the Christian faith, and no longer, 2 Tim. 2.12. As we are the children of the first Adam, we are all sinners, disobedient, unrighteous and under condemnation: but as vve are the children of the se­cond Adam (Christ) we are all holy, made obedient, righteous; and heyres of salvation, according to the Apostles doctrine in Rom. 5▪12— 21.

Against an other proofe for baptisme of Infants, gathered from Pauls words in 1 Cor. 10▪1, 2 &c. vvhere he speaketh of all the Israelits Baptism in the cloud & in the sea: they struggle vvith little reason or colour of truth. For (to omit their discourse of Pauls scope in bringing that in, vvhich no way cleareth the controverse) they tell us. Pag. 141. 1 That Moses did not at all wash them with water in the cloud and sea. Pag. 142. 2 Th [...]t this of Moses is called baptisme by compari­son, as Noahs Arke is called the figure of the Baptisme that saveth us: for as the Arke saved those in it from drowning: so the Israelites were all under the cloud and in the sea, and therein baptized or safeguarded from destruction of their enemies. 3 That it pleased the Holy Ghost to say they were baptised in the sea and cloud, because the cloud and sea was their safety, as Noes Arke was: And as Christ saith, they are baptized that suffer for his sake. So there is as much warrant to enioyne infants to suffer persecution, because it is called Baptisme: as to baptise them, because the clowd and sea is called Bap­tisme.

Answ. How many vvrestings and vvindings are in these mens vvords? First, they say, Moses did not at all baptise them with water. And why? Was there no water (thinke they) in the clowd and in the sea? Let them consider Exod. 14.24.25. compared with Psal. 77.16.17, &c. and they may see there vvas vvater enough in the clowd: and they will not say (I think) that there vvas no vvater in the sea. All outward baptising or washing, must be with water or some other liquor. If they were not baptised with water, vvhat other liquour were they baptised in? not vvith bloud, as in the Baptisme of suffering death for Christs sake, which they im­pertinently mention. Not vvith vvine or strong drinke: for they found none such in the wildernesse. If they can shew no­thing but water to baptise them in, let them deny no more (for shame) that they were baptised with water. God spake to our fathers by the Prophets at sundry times (or in [...]. sundry parts, as it vvere by peice meale) as the Apostle teacheth Hebrew. 1.1. By Moses he shewed how the clowd removed from before Israel, and stood behind them, (as they passed through the sea) and [Page 61] gaue them light, but vvas darknesse to the Aegyptians: and from this fierie cloudie pillar the Lord looking, troubled the Aegypti­ans, and took off their charret wheeles, that they draue them hea­vily, Exod. 14.19.20 24.25. This being briefly and obscurely told by Moses, God after inlargeth by Asaph another Prophet, vvho sheweth the manner of it; how not onely the vvaters of the sea saw the Lord, vvhen they fled and parted; but the clouds also (from aboue) poured out vvater vvhen they rained; the skies sent out a sound by thunder, &c. thus the ground being softned vvith the raine, occasioned the charret vvheeles of the Aegyptians (sticking in the mire) to fall off, and hindred their pursuit: Rom. 16.25.26. Psa. 77.16.17, &c. After this the Apostle (taught by Gods spirit) mani­festeth the mystery which before was kept secret; namely how this passage under the cloud (which rained) and through the sea was a baptism to the Israelits: 1. Cor. 10.1.2. &▪ Mark. 1.5. Act. 16.33. even as Christian mens washings in rivers or vessels, was a baptisme to them. And as the manna which Israel ate, and vvater from the rock which they drank, vvas the same spi­rituall meat and drink which we haue signified by bread and wine in our Lords supper; so their vvashing in the cloud & sea, and our vvashing in vessels or rivers, is spiritually the same baptisme. From hence we gather the baptising of our infants by two arguments: 1 All our fathers (saith Paul) were baptised in the cloud and sea: therfore (say we) infants: for seeing there vvas no other baptisme but that in the cloud and sea, such of our fathers as then vvere infants vvere at that time baptised, or else many of our fathers (even al the infants of many thousand families) vvere never baptised: vvhich is contrary to the Apostles doctrine. And if infants had baptisme un­der Moses, it cannot (vvith any colour of reason) bee denied them under Christ. 2. In that the Apostle teacheth us, that the extraordi­nary and temporary sacraments (or seales of salvation) vvhich Is­rael had, vvere the substance and truth vvhich wee now haue, though Moses doth not so express: it followeth upon like ground, that their ordinary seales, namely Circumcision and the Passouer, vvere the same in truth and substance vvith baptism and the Lords Supper vvhich vve now haue. And being the same, as infants had circumcision then, so they are to haue baptisme now.

Secondly, vvheras they say that of Moses was called baptisme by comparison, as if it were not properly baptisme; they swerue from the right way: it was as truely and properly baptisme to them, as ours is to us, though the manner of administration differ: even as their Manna and vvater vvere as truly and properly the sacrament of Christs body and blood to them, as bread and wine in the Lords supper are to us. Otherwise the Apostle should not say truly, that hey vvere the same. 1. Cor. 10.3.4.

[Page 62]Thirdly, Noes ark is not called the figure of baptisme, as these corrup­ters of scripture tell us: but baptisme (sayth the Apostle) is a like-figure (or antitype) 1 Pet. 3.21. So that the saving by water of eight men in the Ark, was a type or figure: and the saving of a few now by vvater in baptisme, is an antitype, or like figure: both of them figuring salvation by the death of Christ. Fourthly, neither do these men set down the reason fully and rightly, why they are sayd to be baptised, namely, because the cloud and sea was their safetie as Noes ark was; for though it may in some sense bee granted that these were th [...]ir safetie, as baptisme is our safetie (for it is sayd to saue us, 1 Pet. 3.21.) yet properly th [...]y were sayd to be baptised in the cloud and sea, because they were in them sacramentally wash­ed from their sins, & planted together in the likenesse of his death, buriall, and resurrection, as we are now by baptisme, Rom. 6.3.4▪5. The cloud served them for three users, 1. to protect and keep them safe, Esai. 4.5.6. 2 to guide them in the way that they should go, Numb. 9.17. &c. Exod. 13.21. and these two were ordinary, 3. to baptise them by powring down water, and this was extraordinary, and but one time in the red sea, for ought we finde. And in this re­spect Paul sayth they were baptised in it. Fiftly, their last speech of inioyning infants to suffer persecution, as well as to baptise them, is spoken vvith a wry mouth: for as vve enjoyne not infants to bee baptised, though we baptise them; so can we not enioyne them to suffer persecution. But this we say and know, as infants are bapti­tised into Christ, so oftentimes they suffer persecution for Christ: being with their parents afflicted, imprisoned, banished, &c. yea and bereaved of life it selfe, so that they haue even the baptisme of blood or martyrdome also.

Wheras we find mention of whole housholds to haue been bap­tised by the Apostles; from which example it is probably gathe­red that infants also were baptized. Against this they dispute thus, Pag. 143. 1. There are many housholds in which there are no infants.

Ans. This is true: and it is also true that in many there are in­fants. Therefore this argument is propounded but as probable, not as certaine.

2 They say, It is most sure as the Apostles practised in one houshold, so they practised in all. But in the Iaylors house they baptised such as they preached the word unto, and such as beleeved, Act. 16.31.34. and this is most plaine that infants cannot heare nor beleeue, &c.

Ans. It is not most sure, but altogether unlikely, as themselves, I think, Mat. 10.13 14. will acknowledge. For there is no likelihood that all hous­holds to whom the Apostles preached, did beleeue every one in them, 1 Cor. 7.13.16. though some did. And they grant that none but beleevers were baptised. So then if the goodman of the house, and the men [Page 63] onely beleeved, there none but men were baptised: if women one­ly beleeved, they onely were baptised. Therfore the Apostles pra­ctise was not alwayes alike in respect of the persons that they bap­tised. So for infants, such houses as had none, wee easily grant that no infants vvere there baptised. But such as had infants, their pa­rents beleeving, we hold that their infants vvere baptized; for there is no exception of infants at all in any place of the Apostles Acts. The barre vvhich they put, that infants cannot heare nor beleeue, is soone removed. We know infants can heare, though not vvith un­derstanding: we know also (and haue proved before) that they be­leeue, though not actually or professantly. And this faith begun in them in their regeneration, is a sufficient ground vvhy infants should be baptised, as I haue formerly manifested.

Finally, Pag. 143. unto Christs words Mark. 1 [...].14. suffer ye little children to come unto me, &c. for of such is the kingdome of God: they say, It is not s [...]yd, Infants are of the kingdome of heaven, that is, obeyers of the Gospel, Luk. 4 43▪ but that they that enter into the kingdom of heaven, must become as little children, for of such like is the kingdome of God. And, This is Christs meaning, men must bee converted and receiue the kingdom of God as a child. &c.

Ans They speak like children in understanding. 1. The people brought yong children properly unto Christ, not men converted & become like children: Mark. 10.13. For the children the disciples rebuked the bringers: for their rebuking Christ vvas much dis­pleased, and sayd, Suffer the little children to come unto me What rea­sonable creature will now deny that Christ speaketh here of chil­dren in yeares, not of old men like children. The children that were brought, Christ took up in his armes, put his hands one them & blessed them: may we think he took up aged persons. 2 The rea­son vvhy he would haue such chil [...]ren suffered to come to him, is, for of such is the kingdome of God, Mark. 10.14 If he had not meant this of yong children themselues, but of men like children in some condition; there had been no weight in his words: but the people might haue brought unto him upon that ground, doues, and ser­pents for Christ to lay hands upon and blesse: for as godly men must in some thi [...]gs be like children, 1. Cor. 14▪20. so must they in some things also be like serpents, and like doues, Math. 10.16▪3▪ They wrest the t [...]xt, when they expound f [...] of such is the king­dome of God, thus, for of such like: as if Christ meant n [...]t the chil­dren properly, but ancienter men like such children. They might even as well say, that when Paul writeth, I beseech thee, being such a one as Paul the aged, (Philem. v. 9 that he [...]peaketh not this of him­selfe, but of some other man▪ like himselfe, that made request for Onesimus. But ignorant and unstable men vvill pervert all scrip­tures [Page 64] to their owne perdition. That infants of the faithfull are in­deed of the kingdome of God, is before proved from Rom. 5. and many other scriptures.

Now vvhereas Christ blessed the children; they tell us, he baptised them not, vvhich we grant: but if they vvhich were by nature chil­dren of wrath and curse, were now by grace made children of bles­sing in Christ; then were they in deed of the kingdom of God, and such as might receiue baptisme the signe and seale of blessednes.

Lastly they say, It is a blessing to infants to be created, to liue, to grow in stature, wisedome, &c. to haue their sight, their limbs, &c. so that Christs blessings extend as well to this life as that which is to come.

Answ. All Gods benefits for this life and the next, are in deed blessings: But Christ blessed not those children with any such vvordly temporal blessings particularly; but gaue them the blessing of God in generall: and men are too presumptuous that will vvithout due proofe restreine that to some particulars vvhich the Lord hath not restreyned. Wee know that our blessednesse from God in Christ, is our eternall salvation, Rom. 4▪6. &c. It vvas his l [...]st farewell to his beloved disciples to lift up his hands and blesse them, Luk. 24.50. and it is the summe of the Gospell, that in Abra­hams seed (that is Christ) all nations shall be blessed, Gal. 3.8. This grace Abrahams infants had, this grace Christ gaue to little chil­dren: and the same he vouchsafe to continue unto us and to our children throughout their generations: preserving us and them from the curse of Anabaptistrie, whereby so many errours are sparsed, scrip­tures wrested, and soules perverted unto destruction.