they dye without Baptisme they are damned O cruell sentence and bloudie decree The first is refuted by that wee haue sayd alreadie that in them that haue yeares no grace commeth by the sacrament but a disgrace rather no good but euill if there bee not a good conscience towards GOD examined and washed with the fruites of Christs death and passion For here are vnderstood the workes of his humiliation as his incarnatiō dwelling in the shape of a seruant his crucifying and such like though there are touched onely foure workes of his exaltation And our Apostle sayth plainly though Noahs Arke saued yet saying that the washing of the flesh saueth not he seemeth to say gather not that outward washing saueth How then say our aduersaries that all are damned that haue not Baptisme Test Rhemis Ioh. 3. vers 5. or doe they say so No not all say they Who then and who not All infants say they that dye without Baptisme O pitifull cruell sentence whose eares will not tingle at it infants who cannot speak think or do ill the child whose flesh is scarce curded in the wombe whose bones are scarce gristled out of the wombe from the darknes of the wombe passe to the vtter darknesse for euer Thus speaketh the dragon all gored with bloud Apoc. 12.3 But doth the lambe of God say so also no doubt this lambes bloud extendeth it self euen to these little lābes and sucklings Is there no pardon from this general dānatorie sentence cruell definitiue are none excepted Yes God doth accept thē as baptized who are martyred before they could be baptized Rhe. in Ioh. 5. vers 2. and they that depart this life with desire and vow of Baptisme Onely they Yea onely they who earnestly intend desire and seeke for the same that is a fewe very fewe O happie rare case of them aboue all others to be singled out vnto life What is their proofe that the vnbaptized must needs be dāned Ioh. 3. Vnles a man be borne of water and the holy Ghost This is generall euen against all whosoeuer haue not outward water and if generall why not to martyrs and the other that dye with desire of Baptisme But they can make general whē they will Pighius Hierar eccl l. 1. c. 4. and speciall when they will euen as blasphemously they haue sayd of the Word it is a nose of waxe Linda in praef so they make the sacrament a scale of waxe But suppose a Martyr or a Christian conuerted not yet instructed in the doctrine of Baptisme as they that led the Martyrs to death seeing their patience faith zeale were suddenly conuerted and cried out Christianus sum I am a Christian and thereupon suffered with them how could they desire that they knowe not of were they damned for this Popish diuinitie maketh all damned who in their owne persons doe not earnestly intend desire and seeke for Baptisme of water euen as earnestly as the proportion of the speech carrieth it as the man desired to bee in the water Iohn 5.6.7 when it was troubled and had none to helpe him What then became of Iohn Baptist for who baptized him He indeede sayd to Christ Math. 3 14. I haue neede to be baptized of thee and commest thou to me He desired it but that is not enough seeing hee liued in a time when hee might haue had it Iohn 3.22 4.2 for Christs Disciples then baptized Or what shall wee say of the Apostles who seeme Act. 1.5 to be borne indeede of the spirit but not of the outward water except Paul or Andrewe Iohn 1.36.40 and some that were Iohns disciples to haue been baptized with the holie Ghost but not with water What dare they say of the theefe who was neither Martyr Acts 9.18 nor yet was so farre instructed to desire baptisme of water but by speciall influence of Gods sudden touch of his heart and lightening of his minde Luk. 23.42 desired to bee with Christ in his kingdome and obtained that princely paradise Last of all seeing themselues cōfesse that the desire of parents or godfathers Catech. Trident as they tearme them serueth for to procure grace to children baptized who haue not the wit nor grace yet to aske it why should not the desire of parents or friends who hunger and thirst for the righteousnes of God in Baptisme for the infants to bee borne or alreadie borne and yet dying without baptisme be accepted in Gods sight Themselues for the innocents and Martyrs whom Herod tragicallie murdered in the massacre of Bethlem and yet they not baptized nor baptisme desired for them least of all this baptisme of blood which al lamented al fathers and mothers cryed out vpon themselues I say confesse these not only saued Rhe Test in Math. 2.16 but gloriously saued to bee Martyrs and solemnize their feast And thus the ground and foundation is weake their building also vpon it paūcheth In the primitiue church of the world no doubt many children dyed before the eight day vncircumcised as Dauids childe begotten in adulterie 2. Sam. 12.18 which dyed euen the seuenth day the greater griefe if it bee as they would haue it in baptisme that it came so neere the iust time and missed the seale of the couenant as it were a man escaping all shipwracke to die in the port hauen Likewise the Israelites remained vncircumcised without all desire to haue it counting it a rebuke because they learned heathenishnes of Aegypt Iosh 5.8 or kept themselues vncircumcised as meaning to returne into Aegypt Num. 14.4 Yet who dare be so peremptorie Baptisme the great Circumcision so called by Epiphanius as to pronounce damnation vpon them for looke howe baptisme answereth circumcision so the deceasing without baptisme should be by suite and proportion no worse thing then dying without circumcision Vnles a man will say that the state of the Gospell hath lesse mercy and pitie then the lawe and that it went harder with infants vnder Christ then infants vnder Moses seeing Christ also became an infant to saue and redeeme infants seeing also on them by Herod was laide the first testimonie that the world should hate the Lord Iesus euen yet as it were a babe and suckling Math. 3.16 and that vnto death Adde hereunto that seeing the Lorde appointed a set time to circumcision Gen. 17.12 which was hard and dangerous somwhat for life * Ge. 34.25 in the Sichemites who were soare for the cutting three daies and not able to defend themselues I meane the eight day and designed no certaine time to baptize that seeing it is freer for disposing of that least of all necessitie dependeth vpon it whereas if the 2 or 3. * As some in Cyp. time l. 3. cp 8. ep the 7. or 8. day had beene appointed or such like then the deferring of baptisme beyond that time had beene great offence but the departing of
for Austen it is true that hee in the matter of the sacraments necessitie yea in both of them made it an exigence of necessitie both to be performed so that as vpon this place he groundeth though falsly as vpon a foundation of water the necessitie of Baptisme so vpon the next place Ioh. 6.53 Vnles ye eate the flesh of the Son of man and drinke his blood yee haue no life in you Not only hee but Innocentius al that age almost ground a necessitie of the Supper insomuch that they gaue it to infants contrary to the rule of Paul Let a mā examine him selfe c. the meaning of this place which is of the spirituall receiuing of Christ and incorporating into him by the spirite in generall and in particular by the meanes of the spirite working in the worde in Baptisme or in the Supper or in whatsoeuer Fitly is it sayd to this purpose by Saint Hierome in Psalm 147. When we heare the worde of the Lorde the flesh of Christ and his bloud is powred in at our eares Let vs now come to the vse The third and last part comfort ende and necessitie of Baptisme which though it be not absolutely simply necessarie yet in his due place and time if it may bee had according to Christs institution cannot bee neglected without great sinne For herein of diuers men there are diuers extremities as of the most of the Papists who make it absolutely necessarie so of the Manichees on the other side who generally cut off al signes Aug. in Faustum lib. 19. because they making God not to be the author of these sensible and earthly things thereupon inferred that the worship by these earthly things could not bee gratefull to him So the Cathatists who because God is a spirit and men must worship him in spirit reiected all helpe of earthly meanes And last of all Aug. haer 88. the Pelagians who because they exempt men from originall sinne doe thinke Baptisme needles to purge that which is not wherein you may first see the notable wilfull and spitefull malice of the Rhemists who in Iohn 3.5 ioyne the Caluinists and Pelagians together as both promising alike life eternall to children dying without Baptisme when as they differ as hell and heauen in the causes of saluation For Caluin acknowledgeth children to bee vnder originall sinne Pelagius did not yet Caluin thinketh not the elect of God to perish if in some case they bee preuented of outward Baptisme Lastly of Anabaptists who would not haue infants baptized but them of yeares against whom at this time beside that which is sayd aboue this may be sufficient that seeing childrē haue sin they ought to be washed and seeing they belong vnto GOD they ought to bee sealed As for the Manichees seeing wee acknowledge the same Lord Creator of heauen and earth one God maker of both the same almightie and most holie spirite to haue made the greatest Angell and most despised worme and that hee made al things good and to a most excellent end that therefore both against them and the Catharists 1. Tim. 4.8 though it be true that bodily exercise profiteth little as washing by water taking of bread and wine much reading much repeating of prayer much hearing and sitting by it to heare much preaching also vnles the spirit also concurre and our inwarde desire yet as God made bodie and spirit and therefore must be glorified in both so seeing he made both visible and inuisible things both spirituall and corporall things both serue for his glorie both are helpers of our faith if first wee remember that we vse them when wee haue the expresse word of God for them As because the Lorde biddeth vs baptize with water therefore in doing so we build vpon the rocke and we thinke wee should tempt GOD if when he should teach vs the washing away of our sinnes in Christ by the powring on of water wee should refuse such a comfortable and liuely representation and deserue to heare the check that K. Achaz had Esai 7.11.12 who being in weaknesse of faith when Ierusalem was besieged would not aske a signe when the offer was made in Christ but was reproued as one not that despised the minister and bringer of the signe but had grieued the God of the minister and author of that signe Is it a small thing to grieue men Esay 7.11 but you must also grieue my God sayth Esay The defeating of Baptisme seemeth to come three waies one by open contempt and despising of Gods wisdome in it Heathenish and prophane men cannot tell what to make of the sprinkling of water nor of the blessing of it in the name of the blessed trinitie as the Infidels and Atheists and Paynims doe vnto this day being ignorant that Christ Matth. 28. when he ordained Baptisme sayd Al power in heauen and earth is giuen vnto me goe and baptize I am with you for euer So that here is not naked water or the bare clemēt or a few words repeated but here is the power of God with it his wisedome to establish it his constancie to auowe it his holines to sanctifie it his mercie to blesse it so that as an odde thing or new thing they which despise it despise not mās aduise but Gods counsel against them selues Luk. 7.30 as did the Pharisies And hee that will not followe Gods counsell how shall he thriue though all the heads in the world should deuise for him Another disappoyntmēt of Baptisme commeth by negligence as in the people of Israel intermitting circumcision for 40. yeares Exod. 4.24 as in Moses who no doubt acknowledged Gods ordinance for circumcision and yet either hauing learned Aegyptian or Midianitish manners or to please his wife deferred to do it so that God had like to destroyed him in the Inne for it Which I would haue parents consider that defer their childrens baptisme from Lords day to Lords day and from one time of assemblie to another for no end but to get such and such witnesses such and such furniture of their houses and such other complement and outward circumstances till death strike their children which sinne though the Lord may remit thē yet their comfort cannot be so great as if they had taken the due time which the Lord offered them seeing by their meanes it commeth to passe whē Minister and place and time and all did concurre they only were wanting by the sinne of omission which thing gouernours Ecclesiastical are to looke vnto lest that if euery man by this example should defer if death should intercept Anabaptistrie might creepe in and scarse any child be baptized The Primitiue Church suffered them to want an honourable buriall Concil 1. Braccar who deferred their baptisme Of the third defeatement of Baptisme by vnauoydable necessitie wee haue spoken at large when either the child is preuented by death in the wombe or out of the wombe either by negligence or contempt
AN APOLOGIE OF INFANTS IN A SERMON Prouing by the reuealâ—â— will of God that children preuenâ—â—d by death of their Baptisme by Gods election may be saued By W. H. Preacher in the Tower of London Seene and allowed by Authoritie BY WISDOME PEACE BY PEACE PLENTY AT LONDON Printed by the Widowe Orwin for Thomas Man 1595. TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE LORD ROBERT DEVOROX EARLE of Essex and one of her Maiesties most Honorable priuie Councel all graces fit for so worthie place and trust be multiplied THE great Messias the Lord Iesus right Honorable being on the Crosse readie to dye cast his eye aside and sawe his mother and the disciple standing by whom hee loued on whose breast he leaned and sayd to his mother Woman behold thy sonne Iohn 19.26 and to the disciple Behold thy mother This voyce then spake from the altar of the crosse on earth The same voyce seemeth to speake still from the arch of heauen the Church being grauen on the palme of his hands Esay 49.16 and her walles euer in his sight on the one side seeing the Nobles of the world on the otherside especially such Nobles whoÌ„ hee loueth on whose shoulders his truth leaneth in whose breast the loue of the trueth dwelleth He seemeth to say to the Church as to a faint weak woman of them O woman behold thy sonnes the Nobles of the earth Psal 45.16 Thou shalt haue children the PoteÌ„tates thorow the whole earth And to them O ye sonnes of the Nobles Galath 4.26 behold your mother also This mother the true Church maketh you the sonnes of God That voyce then wrought obedience he to whom it was spoken tooke it to heart and took her home So ought the Peeres and States of the world especially whom Iesus hath loued by education in the trueth to take this mother the church her sonnes and daughters the trueth and her defence home to them to surround it with their power and countenance euen as in two circles Israel with all their tribes and gouernours did hemme in the Tabernacle of God Numb 3.38 In the inmost circle Moses and Aaron on the forefront of the Tabernacle Eastward stood next to it vers 24. On the other side three families of Leui The Gersonites pitched their tents behinde the Tabernacle Westward vers 29. The Kohathites had their standing on the South side vers 35. The Merarites on the North side These were the inward lists of it In the outward wall of it so to speak Eastward did Iuda claspe it in and his associates Issachar and Zabulon Num. 2.5 On the South side vers 10. Reâ—ben fastned his standard with Gad and Simeon On the West vers 18. ioyned Ephraim with Manasses and Beniamin On the North vers 24. as closing vp all came Dan with Asher and Naptali So strongly and politically was Gods Tabernacle and Church then mannaged and conducted in so sightly manner did it march on with this alarme Num. 10.35 Arise O Lord and let thine enemies be scatrered In so puissant and stable manner did it take vp his standing with this solemnitie Returne O Lorde to the many thousands of Israel The Nobles who thus stand about Gods Church at this time and lend their shoulders for his trueth to leane vpon haue a greater place theÌ„ Naamans 2. King 5.18 the King to leane on their hands then Atlas the arch of heauen to rest vpon their shoulders they haue the honour to be the noble disciples whoÌ„ Iesus loueth on whose breasts he leaneth in whose hearts he dwelleth to whom he hauing sayd Behold your mother the Church the trueth they doe not onely take her home to them vnder their roofe dwel with it conuerse with it but enter into a strict vow and solemne protestation for this is the heroicall protestant as Ruth the Moabitish did to Naomi concerning her cleauing to the trueth and Gods people though discouraged by contrarie example of one that lay in the same woÌ„be though aboured with by the womb that bare her she sayd Ruth 1.16.17 Intreate me not to leaue thee nor to depart from thee whither thou goest I will goe where thou dwellest I will dwell thy people shall be my people thy God my God where thou dyest I will dye and there will I be buried The Lord doe so vnto me and more also if ought but death part thee and me The obedience to this voyce of God to take the loue of the trueth home to you seeing it hath dwelt in your familie and progenie long and now hereditarily resteth in your Honour and the experience of your care by whose meanes not onely the standard of the preaching of the word is lift vp in this place tanquam in arce Minerua Phidiae in the midst of captiued enemies which was not before but by whose fruites of faith also it is cherished emboldened me to present this firstling of my labors in this kind in the cause of many speechles infants to your Honour remembring what Salomons mother sayd to him Open thy mouth for the dumme in the cause of all the children of destruction Open thy mouth Pouer. 31.8 c. The argument though diminutiue and low yet parents loue to heare of the state of their childreÌ„ in this life much more of life to come specially the godly Euen graue fathers after serious matters dispatched forbeare not to vse modificatioÌ„ of speech to lispe with the little ones saying Chesippus not Chrysippus as he in Tullie Coniah Iere. 22. not Ieconiah as in the scripture But why do I seeke further Haue not these little ones the Dukes and Pecres of heauen for their Patrones Matth. 18.10 Their Angels sayth Christ alwaies behold the face of God the father in heauen And he that set a child in the midst of his Apostles striuing for honour Matth. 18.3 with this charge Verely except ye be conuerted and become as little children ye shall not enter into the kingdome of heauen and he that humbleth himselfe as this child is the greatest in the kingdome of heauen knew that the case of little children their harmlesnes innocencie mildnes are matters for all sorts to meditate vpon to schoole them to GOD. In which argument Dauid so profited Psalm 131.2 that he professeth euen before the Lorde that he demeaned himself as a weaned euen as a weaned child though the court and field had been his nurse But I may not exceede the measure of a Preface The Lord ripen the good worke he hath begun in your Honour and increase it with the mightie increasings of God Your Honors in the Lord to be commanded William Hubbocke To the Reader AS the blessing of peace is great Zach. 8.8 streets full of children playing so among them to come sodainely the stroke of God Exod. 12.29 as at midnight in Aegypt Virgil. Aeneid lib 4. Si quis mihi paruulus aula Luderet AEneas Act. 20.9 1. King 17.18 Ionas 4.7 2 Sam.
good Secondly I obserue negatiuely what saueth not namely the outward washing of Baptisme water of it selfe being readier to drowne then to saue seeing of old they baptized with their bodies vnder the water Act. 8.38 Matth. 3.16 and not sprinkled alone which yet was indifferent as appeareth Act. 9.17.18 Act. 16.33 Cyp. lib. 4. epist 7. Thirdly that it is necessarie and fit to bee had if it may bee had after Christs institution So that the Prince Minister or parent or whosoeuer he bee sore offendeth by whose negligence or meanes it is omitted or cannot be had For the first all scripture aimeth onely at this poynt Iesus to be the Christ all the sacrifices of the old Testament did foresignifie it Iohn did poynt at him This lambe takes away the sinnes of the worlde GOD proclaimed it from heauen by an apparition of a Doue with a celestiall oracle when he was crowned with the holie Ghost This is my welbeloued sinne in whom I am well pleased that is Matth. 3.17 I am not pleased in the Prophets in any holie men or women not in thee nor in thy people O my seruant Iohn Baptist nor in this water of Iorden but in him I am well pleased euen for all other that beleeue in his name 1. Iohn 2.1.2 of him saith Iohn If any sinne we haue an aduocate with the father and he is the propitiation for our sinnes Act. 4.12 There is no saluation in any other no name vnder heauen by which we may be saued no name neither of person as Angels or Saints nor yet of other creature as Water Bread or Wine This I neede not to stande vpon among Christians the meanes of application to vs must bee thought vpon rather which is by faith vnfained which maketh the questioning of a good conscience towards God here a good conscience well examined is mentioned But to Timothie and to the Hebrues it is thus expressed vnto Timothie thus 1. Tim. 1.5 * The end of the commandement is loue out of a pure hart from a good conscience and faith vnfained Againe to the Hebrues thus Heb. 10.22 * Let vs draw neere with a true heart in assurance of faith sprinkled in our hearts from an euill conscience Then what sanctifieth the conscience faith Now a good conscience is here described to bee such an one that maketh such an enquirie into it selfe by straight examination as in Gods presence examination of a good conscience to God-ward tho men mislike So that that is not an ill conscience that sinneth for then who is free but that which suffereth sinne to lie vpon it selfe vnexamined that flattereth it selfe that bolstereth sinne in it selfe and others Paul would bee one among them that stoned Steuen Act. 7.58 Act. 22.20 at least he would keepe their garments if it should come to voyces he would giue a voyce Act. 9.1.2.3 yea he put himselfe to paine to molest men women that loued the trueth Act. 23.1 Act. 24.16 and yet when he had beleeued in Iesus Christ he professed before the Councell that he had serued GOD in a good conscience Therefore that is not an euill conscience alwaies that hath been defiled but that which lyes in the defilement For if thou risest from sinne this rising sitting at the right hand of God this ascension this subduing of heauenly powers are for seruiceablenes vnto thee they bee as a bunch tyed together to besprinkle thine heart Thou art cleane euen as Dauid professeth of himselfe after he had been bathed in pleasure and been dyed red as scarlet in the bloud of Vrias that if God wash him Psalm 51.7 bloud it selfe and adulterie shall bee as cleane washt off as though they had neuer been A man so scoured shal be as white as snowe in his cleanenes from the clowdes a man so spotted shall bee as cleare as the picked the smooth and cleare transparent glasse when the sunne beames do shine vpon it Yea but some wil say though with God it bee so that my sinnes bee taken away Psalm 51.3 yet my sinne is alwaies before me it runnes in my mind I can haue no rest for it Yet againe remember as the scripture sayth 1. Ioh. 3.20 Though thy heart condemne thee yet this Christ so rising so ascending so sitting in glorie that Angels that do homage vnto him euen as he is man is greater then thy condemning heart to saue thee And therefore beloued to the man or woman whom sinne or sathan hath deceiued his owne flesh or the world I say let not sinne lye vnexamined vnquestioned with neuer examining the hart and raines but rather still as sinne stealeth vpon thee search it out as with tents wee search the bottome of our sores lance the wound 1. Cor. 11.31 sit in commission vpon thy selfe cast thy selfe and damne thy selfe and thou shalt bee saued if thou doest thus thou hast the right vse of Baptisme of the Supper of the Word of Prayer and all the good that can come to a man by Christes death resurrection ascension sitting in glorie and power ouer Angels thou shalt stop the mouth of Sathan Apoc. 12.10 He is an accuser of the brethren Doe thou therfore step to God before him when sathan seeth that thou hast done so much against thy selfe by accusing thy selfe as he desired to doe he will depart confounded Lastly it appeareth that a man that beareth with his own soule in sinne or with others that winketh at it that lends thē countenance of letter cloth good word excuses colours shifts that neuer calleth himselfe to question whether he stand in state of grace in what case hee is with God being frosen in his dregges this man hath no part with Iesus in the holie citie his Baptisme washeth him not his bodie sprinkled towards men but not his conscience to God Christ rose from death he lyes still in sinne Christ sits at Gods right hand he sits vpon the seate of wickednesse Christ ascended he descendeth downward to hell Christ hath Angels vnder him he diuels aboue him The 2 part Now by the way of passage of speech to the next part euen out of this place I reason thus He that saueth vs must haue risen from death ascended into heauen sit at Gods right hande Angels also to adore him but no Angel nor holie man or woman euer did rise for vs or ascēded for vs Baptisme hath no such power to raise frō death nor hath it selfe mounted to heauen nor hath any place at Gods right hand nor do the Angels worship it Therefore no saluatiō of necessitie depēdeth vpon Baptisme though it should bee most holilie ministred The Popish Church hath two errors in it the one Concil Trid. censur Colon. in dial 7. de Sac. that sacraments by the work wrought by the receiuing of them bring grace to the receiuer vnles some enormous sinne be vpon him which they tearme mortall Another that children infants innocents if
the childe before that time no disparagement to saluation Lombard l. 4. sent dist 2. ca. si vero Indeed Lombard the maister of the senteÌ„ces that is of the senteÌ„tious positiue diuinitie out of whom they gather their tenents coÌ„clusions giueth daÌ„natory sentence vpoÌ„ infants that die without circumcision as vpon theÌ„ that dye without baptisme But here he is noted with a blacke coaâ—e of dislike None commonly holde with master Lombard in this Magister hic non tenetur onely our countrieman Beda thinking that verie hard doth labour to salue qualifie it thus that in time of necessitie of death they circumcised peraduenture before the 8. day without offence But who dare pluck vp the stakes of the time appointed by God Quaest 3 de Baptismo or remoue them It is but a fancie The Iesuites in their controuersies yeeld the infants of the Iewes that were preuented by death before the 8. day to bee saued because they say God set downe this time Whereas the libertie that it is arbitrary to the church when to administer baptisme so no neglect bee of that holy seale argueth rather that the preuention of it should bee no more preiudiciall to the sauing of thy child vnbaptized then of it vncircumcised And the other reason which the Iesuits giue why Iewish infants might bee saued without circumcision namely that the parents prayers and offeringes might bee a remedie to succour them will serue for the infants vnbaptized if they meane of prayers before death namely that the deuotion of the godly of godly parents who many times pray exercise deuotion in their hearts for their babe vnseene as Iob for his aliue Iob. 1.5 Gen. 25.22 as Rebecca went to the Lorde for the babes in the wombe that it may haue life the mother a good howre that it may proue the seruaÌ„t of God shal be as auailable for their children as the offringes of the Iewes for their vncircumcised But see the force of trueth howe great it is that it maketh stiffe aduersaries to yeeld somewhat namely that by priuiledge and dispensation infants vnbaptized may bee saued for so at last they say Gen. 15.6 But wee proue more then a speciall priuiledge Abraham before the lawe was iustified by faith Rom. 4 3. euen while hee was yet vncircumcised Iohn the baptist Luke 1.15 Iere. 1.5 in the wombe was filled with the holy Ghost Ieremie vncircumcised was sanctified from his mothers wombe so Paul vnbaptized was sanctified also froÌ„ the womb Gal. 1.15 if Moses and Ieremie had dyed without circumcision had they been damned if Iohn Baptist and Paul had dyed in the wombe had they perished God forbid where then is absolute necessitie Therefore indeede saluation dependeth vpon Gods election of olde Ephes 1.4.5 Rom. 9.21.22 when in his euerlasting counsell seeing a ruine like to come vpon all he sorted the soules of men and women some to mercie some to wrath and this election remaineth sure and vnmoueable in his church hauing this seale not that man knoweth by baptisme or not baptisme 2. Tim. 2.19 who are his absolutely but * this the Lord knoweth who are his so that indeede the holding of the necessitie of baptisme to saluation ouerthroweth Gods election destroyeth his omnipotencie and the freenes of his purpose from euerlasting Of Iacob God sayth Him I haue loued Rom. 9.13 in him is vnderstood the corps of the faithfull the communaltie of the saintes Gods loue is no fancie that want of baptisme may breake off for then it were a heauie case that the negligeÌ„ce or contempt of the parent or minister should debarre the helpeles child from the societie of saluation Esau hated of God in him is vnderstood the brood and spawne of the wicked therefore saluation dependeth vpon Gods acceptance and receiuing into fauour and not vpon the outwarde elemente of water euen ritually and formally administred for to say that water hath this power it is to deifie it to make it God to make it an Idoll to sacrifice to it and to bring vp again a Neptune a God of the water with the gentiles Therfore neither had Iacob perished if hee had died in the wombe seeing GOD spred his banner of loue ouer him neither Esau was saued because hee liued till his foreskin was done away seeing the Lord had no liking to him The scripture is rich in examples of Gods fauour before any touch of Sacraments besides these alreadie touched the children of the Hebrues also as it is charitable and probable to thinke Dauids childe Abraham Iacob Ieremie Iohn Baptist the Apostles Paul the theefe vpon the crosse whom all the scripture commendeth to leaue the vncertain as Nicodemus Ioseph of Arimathia Gamaleel c Before any sacrament receiued * Luk. 19.9 of Zacheus it is sayd This day is saluation come into thy house O Zache this day not the day of his baptisme so the * Act. 8.37 Eunuch accepted to God by faith before his baptisme so Cornelius a man that feared God before his baptisme so Lydias hart opened by the Lord Act. 10.2 by the key of the word Act. 16.14 as it were turned about by the preaching of it before baptisme so the iaylour in the same place so Mary Magdelene that was caried to sinne as if 7. diuels draue the tide with wind and saile Luk. 17.50 Her faith saued her as Christ sayth not her baptisme vnles you say shee baptized herselfe with her teares which though they were holy and precious water fit to be preserued in Gods bottle Psalm 56.8 falling from her humbled cheekes and a contrite heart which God wiped with his mercie which had many sinnes forgiuen because shee loued much yet they are not this actuall baptisme of water which wee speake of So sayth Hierome of Asella sanctified from the wombe And in deede the very vse of the Sacramentes which wee giue and afforde the elect onely as wee hope proueth a non necessitie of saluation in them and by them For why are children baptized 1. Cor. 7.11.14 because they are holy though onely one parent should beleeue howe holy and who holy how holy * Quaest 3 de bapt necess not as the Iesuits imagine holy that is legitimate no bastarde but holy because of the glorious profession of Iesus Christ because of the couenant of grace Gen. 17 7. Act 2.39 I will be thy GOD and the God of thy seede Who holy only the baptized children of the christians no it is generally and vniuersally sayd your children as likewise of the whole Iewish race it is spoken the roote being holy Rom 11.16 so are the branches And why are the growen and them of discretion baptized is it not that wee see some reason to seale vnto them Gods mercie for baptisme is a sâ—â—â—e as was circumcision Rom. 4.11 Now as among men the conditions are agreed vpon then the seale annexed so