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 coÌ„tinued 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 vvhen they say Infants are under no law therefore transgression 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 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 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 Iâ—b 15.14 25.4 Ioh. 3.3.6 Eph. 2.3 I find not in the plaâ—es which they quote that Christ called infants innocents how bâ— 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 Infants say they haue done neither good nor evil in the flâ—sh therefore Infants shâ—ll not appeare before Christ they shall receiue no juâ—gement 2. Cor. 5.10 Râ—v 20 12.13 Answ. How boldly doe these men abuse the sâ—riptures In 2. Cor. 5.10 Paul sâ—yth We must all appeare before the juâ—gment seat of Christ. Rev. 20.12 it is sayd I saw the dead small great stand before 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 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
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 that Originall sin is an idle terme and that there is no such thing as men intend by the word In this their Dialogue they set the state of the Question thus 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. Ephâ—s 2.3 and by Châ—ist himselfe Ioh. 3 3 5 6. Notwithstanding these adversaties affirme 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. Ezâ—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 thâ—se men thwart â—hâ—mselues before when they pleaded for falling from grace one of their reasons was If the elect cannot fall out of Gods fâ—vour then did not all fall in Adam and thâ—n sâ—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 enâ—mies dispute against the Apostles doctrine thus Infants had no lâ—fe nor being at that time when the law was given to Aâ—am and the law is given to them that know it and hath dominion over a man as long as he livâ—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 oâ—herwise then infants had So Adams fall was for himselfe alone and â—o man fell with him for no man then had life 〈◊〉 bâ—ing but he And thus thâ—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 â—8 â—y one mans disobedâ—â—nâ—e many were madâ— sinners v. 1â— in Adam all dyed 1 Cor. 15 22. This Apostolike doctrine is as contrary to the Anabaptists as light is to darknesse 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 thâ— gift â—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. â— 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 thâ—â—r children which knew it not whâ—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 theÌ„ 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 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 That we were in Adam not to bring any soule to hell for breach of that
was one and the same Answ. It is even a vvonder to bâ—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 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 wickednessâ— 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 infeâ—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 flâ—sh Ioh. 3.6.5 They notoriously slâ—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 fictâ—on of their idle heads For if no mans substance be sinne as we firmly hold much lesse Christs 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 thâ—y haue broken but for their father Adams sinne Answ. 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 â—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 â—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 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 other unreasonable creatures as well as infants haue alwayes had their portions All flâ—sh must die and death is losse to none but to the wickâ—d to the godly and innocent death and all afflictions of this life are not worthy of the glory that shâ—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 confessâ— that infants are sinners in