darke but cleare and euident that all haue euer had or might haue had if they had would Christ aswell as the Law giuen vnto them Ereu. Now indeed these thinges seeme to be very true but I must intreat you to make plaine vnto me that which Paul hath writteÌ„ to the Romans concerning Election that there remain no scruple nor doubt in my minde that disputation of Paul troubleth many by reason it is handled so darkly surely I am of opinion that that place is one of those whereof Peter wrote that there were certaine darke thinges in Pauls Epistles â— Pet. 3. which the vnlearned weake doe wrest to their owne destruction as they doe also other places of Scriptures Odeg. Surely you haue good reason so to thinke now therefore let th'Apostle Peter shewe who those are that wrest the Scriptures of them or vs We say with Peter that the long suffring of God is saluation in that God would haue no man perish but would haue all come to repentance and this is that saith Peter vers 15. c. which our beloued brother Paul in all his Epistles speaketh of among the which some thinges are hard to be vnderstood which some peruert to their destruction They say God hath reprobated some and the greatest number and that before they were borne had done euill for whome there was neuer meanes of saluation because God would haue them perish for yâ— was his good pleasure Now these wordes of Peter as they iudge our aduersaries to be peruerters of the Scriptures so may they satisfie euery Godly minded man that Pauls meaning was not contrary to Peters they writing both by one Spirit nay then Pauls owne meaning was else where in the same Epistle * R that the long suffering of God was saluation euen to those that hardened their own hearts and heaped vp wrath against the day of wrath This therefore may be an entrance but let vs come to the words of Paul Rom. 9. In this 9th Chapter and so in most of this Epistle the maine subiect that the Apostle Paul handleth is That not the Law A short exposâ—on RoÌ„ â— but the Gospell is the Power of GOD to saluation not to him that is a Iew outward or that hath Circumcision of the Flesh or is an obseruer of the Law which was all the Iewes had to boast of and which they did boast of * Ioh. 8.33.39 9.28.29 Cap. 4.1.2 Cap. 2.28 c. Cap. 4.12.13.14.16 for Abraham himselfe found nothing concerning the Flesh neither was he iustified by workes but saluation appertaineth to him that is a Iew within that hath Circumcision of the heart that is of the Faith of Abraham whether he be Iew or Gentile in the Flesh this I say is the whole drift of the Apostle as in the whole so in this 9. Chap. In the 1.2.3.4.5 Vers th'Apostle sheweth his vpright vnfained desire of the saluation of the Isralites according to the flesh who were his fleshly brethreÌ„ who had all those Oracles of GOD coÌ„mitted to them of whom were the Fathers and of whom concerning the Flesh CHRIST came GOD ouer all blessed for euer Amen Yet notwithstanding his desire and all these their priuiledges Vers 6.7 the worde of God cannot be made voyde which saith All are not Israell that are of Israell neither are they all Children because they are the seede of Abraham but in Isaac shall thy seede be called which Paul expoundeth Vers 8. That is they which are the children of the Flesh are not the children of GOD or not those that shall be saued but the Children of the promise are counted for the seed So that thus farre there is no difficulty but that the Apostle plainely meaneth in all these Verses Iohn 8.33.39 Ioh. 9.28.29 that not all the children of Abrahams flesh who so much boasted of their being Abrahams seed and of being Moses Disciples in the obseruation of the Law were therefore in the estate of saluation and this he desireth to acquaint the Iewes with that they might cast off their reioycing in their Fleshly discent and seeke true reioycing in another way Th' Apostle hauing propounded this as an infallible truth hee goeth about to proue it by the Scriptures First alledging the promise made that Sara shall haue a Sonne * Gen. 18.10 which Abraham belieued not considering his own and Sara's body which were dead neither did he doubt of the promise of God through vnbeliefe but was strengthned in the Faith * RoÌ„ 4.18 c. and it was imputed to him for righteousnes so that this promised Sonne of Sara was borne not after Flesh but after the Faith which is most largely declared in Gal. 4.22 where is declared that Abraham had two Sonnes one by the seruant Hagar namely Ishmaell who was borne after the Flesh one by the free-woman Sara namely Isaac who was borne by Promise and so by Faith by the which saith th'Apostle another thing is meant these two Mothers are the two Testaments in type the two Children are the types of the children of the two Testaments the Childe of the Flesh Ishmaell sonne of Hagar typed out the fleshly Isralites which were in bondage vnder the rudiments of the Law the Childe of the Promise Isaac sonne of Sara typed out the Children of the Faith of Abraham and as the childe of the Flesh persecuted the childe of the Faith by his mockings for which cause he must be put out and must not be heyre with Isaac so saith th'Apostle do all that seeke acceptance with God through the Flesh persecute them that seeke it by the Promise through Faith and therefore all the children of the Flesh of Abraham that haue no other priuiledge to iustification must be put out and shall not be heyre with the children of the Promise This is so plaine in Gal. 4. that he that readeth the Scripture with an indifferent heart voyde of malice cannot be able to contradict being also confirmed in the 3. Cap. vers 16. where the Apostle treating of the promise of Saluation saith Now to Abraham and his seede were the Promises made hee saith not and to the seeds as speaking of many but and to thy seed as of one which is CHRIST which being well obserued that Abraham had two Sonnes or seeds by two Women as before Gal. 4. and that the Promise of saluation is made but vnto the one seed * Gal. 3.16 Vers 29. Vers â— 9 euen they that are CHRISTS that are of the Faith of Abraham and so after the manner of Isaac * Gal. 4.28 the sonne of Sara and that this Promise is not made vnto both the seeds namely vnto the Children after the Flesh of Abraham for they are not the children of God Rom. 9.8 but they must be put out and must not be heyre with th' other * Gal. 4.30 This is this sure word of Promise Sara shall haue a Son thus applyed by the Apostle
nor performe the same For although God required of all Abra seed to Circumcise their males which was the performance of their part of the Couenant Gen. 17. Yet hee required no more of the male of 8. dayes old neither could it promise nor performe any more then the Female And God was asmuch the God of the female Infants of Abra concerning whome nothing was required as hee was the God of the male Infants of whom nothing was required onely their Parents required to Circumcise them in obedience to God and to teach them the circumcision of the heart which by that type they were to learne and that the word Seede or Children is not meant Infants but men of vnderstanding I haue shewed formerly in Pag. 136. Further this Couenant Gen. 17. is made with Abraham and his seed not with euery faithfull man and his seed is euery faithfull man AbrahaÌ„ what proofe for that It is well if we bee Abrahams seed let vs be content to haue Abra for our Father whose Children if these men were they would teach their children to seeke saluation and all their priuiledges Spirituall with God by Faith only and not by their Fleshly discent as they doe Thus all may see all these their deuices are as the Potters clay their dawbing will not holde their wall and they shall bee destroyed together if they repent not Ereu. It is obiected that circumcision was a seale of Faith to Abraham * Rom. 4. Odeg. It is said Abraham receiued the signe of circumcisioÌ„ the seale of the righteousnes of the faith which he had when he was vncircumcised that he should be the Father of the faithfull whether circumcised or vncircumcised This place proueth Vers 11. that Abraham receiued circumcision to seale vp his Fatherhood of the faithfull not that he receiued it to seale vp his Faith in the Messiah which he had * Gen. 12 with 17. 24. yeares before he was circumcised but that it was a seale of his Faith in beleeuing God that hee should be the Father of many Nations * Gen. 12 Rom. 4. â— this was imputed to him for righteousnesse * Vers 2â— The intendment of the Apostle in this place being to proue that whereas the Iewes sought righteousnes by beiag Abrahams fleshly childreÌ„ * Ioh. 8.39.53 as these obiecters doe by supposing they are the children of the faithfull successiuely through by the flesh or by workes for hee found nothing thereby * Rom. 4.1 but his iustification was by Faith long before he was circumcised God finding him so faithfull continually would make him the Father of all the faithfull and so he receiued circumcision a seale of his Faith that he should be the Father of the faithfull and therefore taught that all that will be Abrahams Children indeed must not regard to be the Children of the Law or flesh but of his Faith for if Abraham himselfe found nothing by the flesh for iustification what can any fleshly Children finde by the same And besides it is a very farre set thing to say AbrahaÌ„ receiued circumcision a seale of the Faith which he had before therefore all that receiued circumcision it was vnto them a seale of faith consequently Infants may be baptised I haue shewed AbrahaÌ„ receiued circumcision as none receiued it also that faith was required of none to circumcision but Faith is required to baptisme and therfore these be but mens dreames chaffe in stead of wheat All may see they haue nothing to say for Infants baptisme Christs perfect Testament affoording them no tittle of proofe only they goe about to establish the Couenant of the Gospel which is saluation by Christ to euery sinner through Faith vnto the Children of the Law or flesh contrary to the expresse wordes of the holy Ghost For if they that are of the Lawe be heyres Faith is made voide and the promise is made of none effect but it is by Faith that it might come by Grace vnto all the seed of the faith of Abraham * In Rom. â— 14.16 As also see Gal. 3.22 Rom. 9.8 〈◊〉 are they compelled to runne to the old Testament though it and not serue them and f oÌ„ thence to fetch the chiefe corner Stone of their building viz. from circumcision and wholy forsake the newe Testament practise of the Apostles 〈…〉 Moses disciples as if Christ were not 〈…〉 teach them his new Testament but 〈…〉 the new of the olde 〈…〉 of the Law th' 〈…〉 th◠〈◊〉 beheld 〈…〉 and what is the issue of all this truth and experience teacheth a accessiâ—â— of maintayning that harlot and strumpet Rome to be Gods Church and people as that apostate Franâ—◠〈◊〉 and others haue done as indeed it cannot be auoyded for if Infants be to be baptised by the rule of circumcision according to their owne ground their estate is such If they deny Romes estate to be such in their outward standing they baptising Infants from generation to generation as they haue done let them shew when and how they became no people of God nor is Church Ereu. It is sufficient that you haue cleared all obiections proued that the baptising of Infants is not warranted by Gods worde besides all which I haue not long since seene a Booke translated out of Duch and Printed in English proouing that this inuention of Infants baptisme was brought in and Decreed by diuers Emperors Popes and Counsels so that I am euery way satisfied in this onely Iohn Robinson Preacher to the English at Leyden hath Printed halfe a sheet of paper who laboureth to proue that none may baptise but Pastors or Elders of a Church for other Officers to baptise I conceiue not that he meaneth and consequently that you and all your companies in England wanting Pastors are vnbaptised To Iohn Robinson Odeg. In this thing we are iustly called vpon and therefore I shall manifest that any Disciple of CHRIST that hath receiued power and commaundment from God to Preach and conuert though no Pastor may also by the same power commaundment baptise which I will first proue by the Scriptures and then answer this obiections perticularly But first I will lay down a maine foundatioÌ„ which being sufficiently proued the euident truth shall plainly appear and this it is That the members and Churches of Christ are so made both by Faith and Baptisme and not by the one only which being true it will follow that neither the Church members of Rome are members and Church of Christ because Faith is neither required nor performed thereto nor yet any profession of people that seperate from Rome as from no Church of Christ retayning Romes Baptisme and building new Churches without Baptisme That the members and Churches of Christ are so made by Faith and Baptisme euen by both it is proued in Rom. 11.20 c. where th'Apostle sheweth That the Church at Rome the Gentiles were grafted into Christ the head of the body
hope I haue truely and sufficiently shewed wherein wicked men are said to be made by God and wherein they are made by the Deuill whereunto accordeth Bastingius pag. 11. Hitherto belongeth that of Ecclesiastes This I know that God made Man good whereto accordeth Augustine God created man good being the author of Natures not of vices Now for the wordes God hath made the wicked for the day of destruction God hath not made him euill that is the Deuils worke but becomming euill God hath made the day of destruction for him or him for the day of destruction as a iust and most righteous recompence of reward as Rom. 2.5 c. 2 Thes 1.6 c. Ereu. You haue well answered me this what say you to other places though there bee many I will relate but the principall the which you answering their obiections in all the rest will bee easie and first they say as God doth Decree the destruction of euery one that shall bee damned so also hee decreeth all their actions though they be wicked as the action of Iosephs Brethren Gen. 45.4.5 2 Sam. 16.5 1 Kin. 22.22 23. Esa 10.6.7 Act. 4.27.28 Shemei cursing Dauid of the Lord putting a lying Spirit in the mouth of Ahabs Prophets of the King of Ashurs going against the Isralites Lastly the wicked act of those that had a hand in killing the Lord of life Odeg. In the order that you haue placed them I will speake last of the first and last and first of the other For Shemei his cursing Dauid the Lord bid Shemei curse Vers 10.11 In this action wee are to consider first the parties Secondly the action or thing The parties Shemei Dauid God Shemei a wicked man cursing and therein transgressing Dauid a good man cursed God suffering this for the tryall of his seruant Dauid The like is to be seene of Iob The Deuill Shemeis father desiring God who had made a hedge about Iob as about all his seruants * Psal 34.7 that he would stretch out his hand vpon all that he had c. vnto which the Lord answered Loe all that he hath is in thy hand c. where wee see the action of stretching out the hand is attributed to God and to the Deuill but it is plaine the Deuill acted it God suffered it * Iob. 1.12 Also God is said to moue Dauid to number Israell and Iudah * 2 Sam. 24 1. though it is said Sathan prouoked Dauid to number Israell * 1 Chr. 21 1. now seeing that which was the Deuils worke is attributed to God wee must according to the proportion of Faith and generality of the Scriptures impute wickednes to the Deuill which is proper to him and good to the most holy God as onely proper to him now in that it is said he moued he suffered Sathan to moue for God cannot moue to * Iam. 1.13 Psal 5.4 euill of which more hereafter before I end my answeres to these particulers Secondly for that of Ahabs Prophets the Prophet Michaiah declares a vision in the which Sathan that lying Spirit came into the presence of God as Iob. 1. 2. chap. offering himselfe if the Lord would permit him to be a false Spirit in the mouthes of Ahabs false Prophets hee continually going about like a roaring Lyon seeking whom hee may deuout * 1 Pet. 5.8 and doth deuour where God restraineth him not God willing to confound wicked Ahab in Iustice for his many wickednesses saith not onely who shall entice Ahab vers 20 but also thou shalt entice him goe forth and doe so vers 22. Now in these seuerall actions we are to consider that there was euils namely Cursing Enuy Pride in numbring the people and deceipt now the controuersie is who was the first cause of this cursmg enuy pride deceipt not to speake of the meanes whereby they were acted for wee confesse God made Shemei Dauid and all men * Act. 17.18 yea God made them that are now Deuils and continueth the life and being of men and Deuils but in their Creation they were very good now these hearts and mouthes of Gods creatures committed euill the controuersie I say now is what the Lord doth in these actions If you say Gods decree before the world was the first cause and that hee decreed vnavoidably this cursing enuy pride and deceit all which are either actions of the minde or body then can it not bee denyed but God is the author of sinne his Decree being before there was either Deuill or man and so is the first cause and vpon Gods decree Sathan tempteth and Man consenteth and acteth as of necessitie they must for they cannot auoyde Gods decree but this they sticke not to affirme the chiefest of them as before hath bene shewed in Knox. So that Gods decree is the first cause or author of all that Sathan or wicked men effecteth is not this good Doctrine So then as men are iustly blamed for doing and Sathan for tempting to cursing enuy pride and deceit so should God be most to be blamed if this opinion or rather horrible blasphemie were true for forcing of necessitie by his Decree Sathan to tempt to it and Man to consent vnto and act it Let none say that decreeing cursing enuy pride and deceit can be good in God and wicked in the Deuill and man for no turning deuice can proue it for although instruments that act wickednes may bee good as they are from God as Angels and men yet the actions of those instruments the forenamed sinnes can not bee good from God for he can tempt decree or appoint no man to euill neither can euill dwell with him as before is proued Next for that of Ashur Esa 10 5. c. a wicked nation sent of God to punish a wicked and dissembling Nation which thing was good from God namely to punish the wickednes of some by others that are wicked this is Gods Iustice though the actors thereof thinke not so hauing no respect to Gods iustice but satisfieth their owne lusts Now for the worde sending it is written in other places God shall send them strong delusions to beleeue lyes 2 Thes 2. dare any tongue say the delusion comes from God otherwise then by suffering the Deuill to delude them who neede no sending further then to haue leaue giuen him as of Iob c. for he alwayes seeketh whom hee may deuour so doe the wicked his children it is their delight to hurt So that in pride and malice Ashur went against the Isralites the Lord suffering him as a punishment for their sinne about whome he pitched his Tents whilst they feared him that none could hurt them nor make them afraide as the Deuill in hatred to Mankinde deludeth those that resist the truth the Lord suffering him as a punishment for their sinne and thus God sendeth and not otherwise as before is also proued The Deuill deludeth * 2 Cor. 4.4 God suffereth
to proue the thing he hath in hand that all the fleshly Israelites were not therefore in the estate of iustification to Saluation in that God did in this type declare the contrary For further probation hee bringeth another Scripture to proue Gen. â—5 21 Vers 10.11 that vnto Rebecca this same thing was declared before the Children were borne and when they had done neither good nor euill that the purpose of God might remain according to Election not by workes but by him that calleth It was said vnto her The Elder shal serue the Younger In which words th'Apostle plainely proueth that neither birth nor workes did preferre with God for this is the purpose of God to preferre and make superiour euen the youngest by birth or those that challenge nothing by birth or by workes but seek it by Gods free Election through faith in CHRIST IESVS also to reiect and make inferior all that seeke saluation by flesh birth or by workes euen as he did in these two types the Elder was the heyre by the Flesh and the younger was not of that Land of Promise a type of the estate of saluation and God foreseing what would come to passe that these two twinnes should be the Fathers of two great Nations and that the Younger would get the priuiledge from the Elder and so the Elder should serue the younger or be inferiour to the younger euen in this Couenant or Promise a type of that which was to come which type being so fit as it was for the Apostles purpose hee bringeth to prooue â—hat Fleshly birth or discent euen from Abraham was interrupted of olde in those typicall Promises to Abrah First not Ishmaell the Eldest but Isaac the Youngest I will make my Couenant with 2. To Isaac not Esau the eldest but Iacob the youngest shall be Lord or superior and haue that Couenant according to which types the truth is saith the Apostle that the Iewes the Elder brother * Luk. 15.25 Who seeke saluation by the Flesh or workes shall not haue it for that is against the word and promise of God but the Gentiles the younger * Vers 12. in the offer of the Gospell that seekes saluation onely by the free vndeserued Promise of God through faith in IESVS CHRIST these onely shall haue it for this is according to the purpose of Gods Election Now for the Scripture which followeth from Mal. 1.2.3 mentioned in the 13. Verse As it is written I haue loued Iacob and haue hated Esau the peruerters of these words of Paul will needes haue to be afore Esau and Iacob were borne and this we must beleeue because they say so but the Apostle hath no such meaning as shall both appeare by the Scripture it selfe and also from many other Scriptures Paul still followeth the confirmation of his Doctrine which is that thâ— Children of the Flesh or Law haue not therfore their onely priuiledge with God which he hath proued by the Promise of Sara's Son also by the Promise of Rebecca's youngesâ— sonne which were preferred before their Elder brethren vnto that typicall couenant and as in Vers 12. th'Apostle declared what thâ— Lord said should come to passe concerning Esau and Iacob and their Posterities beforâ— they were borne so proueth th'Apostle from Mal. 1.1 c. that the same did come to passe concerning them and their posterities many yeares after Esau and Iacob were dead and gone in the 12. Vers declaring what should come to passe in the 13. ver declaring what hath come to passe both prouing his Doctrine not when nor for what cause God loued Iacob and his Nation and hated Esau and his Nation but prouing that God did it which was sufficient for his purpose in hâ—nd to shew the error of the Iewes whose saluation hee so much sought who were perswaded that their acceptance with God stood in their being Abrahams seed obseruing the Law of Moses as before hath beene proued the times of shall and haue doe much differ Further God hated not Esau before hee was borne seeing there is not any Scripture to proue that God hateth any man before he hath first hated God as before in our conference of Predestination hath beene proued Esau hated God in contemning his Birth-right * GeÌ„ 25 3â— Heb. 12.16 long before Gods hatred of him and his posteritie spoken of Mal. 1. God loueth and saueth freely without desert but hateth and destroyeth not without desert Ereu. I blesse God you haue to my great consolation and satisfaction made manifest the Verses of this Scriptures thus farre that there remaineth no scruple in me Now therfore I pray you proceed What is Pauls meaning in Vers 14. what shall wee say then Is there Iniustice with God God forbid Odeg. This is th'Apostles meaning that as God rejected Esau for contemning his birth-right Verâ— 14. which God had giuen to him so the fleshly Isralites were of God rejected because they contemned their saluation offered them by faith in CHRIST IESVS and in this GOD is not vniust this is the Apostles meaning and not as the aduersary affirmeth that God is not vniust though he hate without cause hee neither hated Esau nor any man without cause For Esau and his posteritie hee hated for his wickednes as these Scriptures teach Amos 1.11 Obediah 10. c Further Paul himselfe besides many other places of Scripture in this very Epistle to the Romans Rom. 2.4.5 hath a very excellent discription of the Iustice of God speaking thus Or dispisest thou the riches of his Bountifulnes Patience and long sufferance not knowing that the bountifulnes of God leadeth thee to Repentance But thou after thine hardnes heart that refuseth to repent heapest vnto thy selfe wrath against the day of wrath and of the declaration of the iust Iudgement of God who will reward euery man according to his deedes What doth Paul call heere the iust Iudgement of GOD Ereu. To pay euery man the desert of his workes Odeg. But if he hated Esau before he was borne hee payed him not the reward of his woâ—ks forasmuch as Esau had done nothing before that hatred so it commeth to passe that this hatred of Esau agreeth not with Pauls rule of the iust iudgement of God But th'Apostle following still the thing he had in hand to proue that the Iewes could not haue saluation therefore because they were the children of the Flesh answers all objections that could bee made from his former Doctrine that God rejected all the Children of Abrahams flesh except such as sought it by Faith and such onely were the Children of the Promise in which there is no vnrighteousnes with God For further proofe wherof he bringeth Moses for example Vers 15. who wheÌ„ the seed of Abraham had prouoked him by their wickednes to cast them away Moses found Grace for himselfe and his people and prouoked God to shew mercy on them for he hath mercy on whom he will namely
it be obserued what Baptisme is I say a washing away the filth of the Flesh is not Baptisme that is the least part of Baptisme where the greater is and where the greater is wanting it is no part of Baptisme at all the which not onely the Scriptures teach but our aduersaries confesse as shal be shewed First the Scriptures teach that the Baptisme that saueth vs is not the putting away the filth of the Flesh but in that a good Conscience maketh request vnto God * 1. Pet. 3.21 c. It is the Baptisme of repentance for remission of sinnes * Mark 1.4 The Sprinkling of the heart from an euill conscience and washing the body with pure water is that whereby wee come to God * Heb. 10.22 It is the washing of the new birth and renuing of the holy Ghost * Tit. 3.5 For we must be borne of the Spirit or we cannot enter into the Kingdome of God * Ioh. 3.5 for nothing auayleth in CHRIST but a new creature * 2. Cor. 5. Gal. 6. 2. The Cathechisme set forth by authority saith That a Sacrament as Baptisme c. hath two partes the outward visible signe and the inward Spirituall Grace the outward visible signe is Water c. the inward Spirituall Grace is a death vnto sinne a new birth vnto righteousnes The English Primmer for being by Nature borne in sinne and the children of wrath we are hereby made the children of Grace And further they confesse that Repentance and Faith is required of euery person to bee Baptised Repentance whereby they forsake sinne and Faith whereby they stedfastly beleeue the Promise of God made to them in that Sacrament And Vrsinus saith thus * Cathechism pag. 723. Hee that shall beleeue c. In these wordes is noted briefly the right vse of Baptisme in which right vse the Sacraments are ratefied but in whatsoeuer corrupt and vnlawfull vse and administration the Sacraments are no Sacraments but are Sacraments to them onely who receiue them with a true Faith c. All which being considered If they cannot proue and that by the Scriptures that Infants haue their hearts Sprinkled from an euill conscience and so haue a good Conscience that they haue Repentance that they haue the washing of the new birth which is to be born againe euen of the Spirit and that they haue Faith I say all these or any one of them let them proue by Scripture Infants haue or else their consequence vanisheth and it is no Sacrament by their owne confession The blasphemous inuention of Pope Iginius will nothing auayle them which is that they haue or doe performe them by their Godfathers and Godmothers for the which there is not the least shew in all the Scriptures of God For the iust shall liue by his owne Faith * Heb. 2.4 Rom. 1.17 Gal. 3.11 Heb. 10.38 the righteousnes of the righteous shall * Ezek. 18. 14. be vpon himselfe Iust Iob Noah and Daniell shall deliuer neither Sonne nor Daughter but onely themselues by their righteousnes * Ezek. 14. Chap. They affirme indeed that Infants be regenerate but let vs agree what Regeneration is so Repentance Faith by Gods Scriptures then it will appeare plainly Infants haue them not Regeneration is a turning from sinne to God * Rom. 6.11 1 Thes 1.9 Tit. 3.5 Repentance is a sight and knowing of sinne by the Law a confessing of sinne a sorrowing for sinne and a promise and endeauour to forsake sinne as before Heb. 11.1 Faith is the ground or assurance of thinges hoped for the euidence of things not seene and it is accompanied with obedience Iam. 2.17.26 For Faith without works is dead Our aduersaries say Repentance is a forsaking of sinne and Faith is a stedfast beleeuing of the Promises of God made to them that are Baptised Let them either now proue that Infants are turned from sinne to God in righteousnes that they see know sinne by the Law that they confesse sinne sorrow for it and promise and endeauour to forsake it that they haue stedfast beliefe of the promises of God Let them proue these or they say nothing and wee may truely conclude they are neither Regenerate neither haue they Repentance nor Faith and so may by no consequence be Baptised Ereu. They alledge Act. 2. as a place much making for them Amend your liues and bee Baptised euery one of you in the Name of the Lord Iesus Christ for the Promise is made to you and to your Children and to all that are a farre off euen as many as the Lord our God shall call Odeg. The place truely considered maketh against themselues for these to whom the Apostle speaketh being pricked in their hearts by the call of God in Peters Preaching and crying out men brethren what shall we do Peter answeres them Amend your liues and be Baptised euery one not onely be Baptised but also amend your liues and such as gladly receiued his word were Baptised So that Fathers of the Iewes and their Children and Fathers of the Gentiles and their Children must all amend their liues and be Baptised gladly receiue the word or else this Promise here made appertaineth not to them for the Promise is to all that the Lord our God shall call Fathers and Children Children must amend their liues and gladly receiue the word or else their sinnes cannot bee put away neither can their Fathers repentance saue them from damnation Againe let it be well obserued that this Couenant or Promise * Act. 1. is the couenant of saluation by Christ made vnto the Children of Abraham vpon the same Condition that it is made to Abraham himselfe namely vpon repentance and Faith in Christ as is most plaine in these wordes * Act. 13.31 c. And wee declare vnto you that touching the Promise made vnto the Fathers God hath fulfilled it vnto vs their Children in that hee raised vp IESVS from the dead Verse 38. c. And bee it knowne vnto you therefore men and brethren that through this man is Preached vnto you remission of sinnes and from all things from the which yee could not be iustified by the Law of Moses by him euery one that beleeueth is iustified In these wordes we see the Promise made vnto the Fathers is thus fulfilled to their Children that Christ is raised from the dead that through him they might haue remission of sinnes euen euery one that beleeueth might bee iustified Fathers and Children And whereas many stumble at the worde Children conceiuing that it is meant of Infants it is heere and elsewhere vsed often in the Scriptures for men of vnderstanding * Act. 3.25 Gal. 4.19 1 Cor. 14.20 Heb. 2.10.14 1 Ioh. 12 28. â— 21 3.18 Ereu. They obiect 1. Cor. 7.14 the Children of beleeuing Parents are holy and being holy they may be Baptised say they Odeg. This place
seales of the CouenaÌ„t of life and saluation that which is now the seale of life and saluation was euer the same which is the holy Spirit of promise * 2 Cor. 1 2â— Ephes 1.13 4 3â— which was yesterday to day and the same for euermore 2. Although the Scriptures speake of diuers Couenants yet there is but two Couenants that concerneth vs in our present controuersie the couenant of Workes the couenant of Grace the Law and the Gospell the Olde and the New The difference of them is largely set downe by the Apostle in Gal 4. where hee declareth that Abraham had two Sonnes one by a seruant borne after the Flesh one by a free woman borne by Promise by the which another thing is meant saith th'Apostle For thâ—se mothers are the two Couenants the one signifying Ierusalem materiall which is in bondage with her Children th' other Ierusalem spirituall which is free and is the mother of vs all so that these two Couenants belonged to these 2. seeds or Children The olde couenant the Law was made with the children of Abraham after the Flesh had circumcision in their flesh for a signe thereof The new couenant the Gospell is not made with both these seeds but with the one seed so saith the Apostle * Gal. 3.16 euen they that are of the Faith of Abraham Vers 29. The children of the Flesh are not they to whom this couenant is made * Rom. 9.8 the children of the flesh must be put out must not be heyres with the faithfull * Gal. 4.30 So that the couenant that God made with Abraham and his children after the Flesh was not the couenant of Life and saluation it was the couenant of workes of the Law the olde couenant which is done away because of the weakenes and vnprofitablenes * Heb. 7.18 19. for it made nothing perfect the Couenant the Seed the Signe were all but shadowes of good thinges to come they were types of Heauenly thinges not the heauenly thinges themselues * Heb. 9 1â— 23. Ereu. They say the Couenant made Gen. 17. whereof Circumcision was a signe was the same Couenant which wee haue now in the Gospell Odeg. If all were true that they say theÌ„ their sayings ought to bee regarded but as their are sayings in other things so are they in this The Lord saith it is not the same * Ier. 31.31 Heb. 8.6 It is a new Couenant that we haue vnder the Gospell a better Couenant established vpon better Promises not like the olde which olde is abrogated by reason of the weakenes and vnprofitablenes If a new a better not like the old then not the same and the Lord sheweth wherein it was not like the olde the old Couenant as it taught that Christ was not come in the flesh so also it taught that he was not yet come into their hearts at their Circumcision but therby as also by the whole Law they were to learne Christ as to come in the Flesh so to come into their hearts by Faith and therfore saith the Apostle * Gal. 3.8 c. They were kept vnder the Law and shut vp vnto the Faith that should after be reuealed But the new Couenant is not like this it is made onely with all that are the sonnes of God by Faith Heb. 8.10.11 which haue his Lawes put in their minds and written in their hearts all of them knowing God from the least to the greatest Againe I say though Abraham himselfe had the Couenant of Grace promised him by which promise hee had saluation in the Messiah to come yet had he not the Ordinances of the new Couenant which we haue and therefore none of his seed in the Flesh could be partakers of that which he had not himselfe in which regard it is said of Iohn Baptist who was greater then all the Prophets that the least in the Kingdome of God as greater then hee * Mat. 11.11 all the faithfull that obtained good report receiued not the Promise * Heb. 11.39 c. that CHRIST brought in this time of reformation therefore they onely shall be partakers of the ordinances of this new Couenant whome he that confirmed it with his bloud hath appointed to receiue them as before Ereu. Iohn Rob. pag. 77. They say that the Couenant which this new is not like is that Law giuen vpon Mount Sinai Exod. 19. not that Gen. 17. Odeg. They speake vntruly Marke the words * Ier. 31. Heb. 3. Nâ—t like the Couenant that I made with their Fathers when I tooke them by the hand to bring them out of the Land of Egipt which is mentioned Exod. 3. not Exo. 19. Then did God appeare to Moses and coÌ„maunded him to take them by the hand lead them out of the land of Egipt where the Couenant is mentioned in Vers 6. c. I am the God of thy Fathers Abraham c. I am come to deliuer them out of the Land of the Egiptians to bring them into a good Land into the place of the Cananites c. which promise was made vnto their Father Abraham in Gen. 17. That God would be their God and giue them all the land of Canaan for an euerlasting possession And for the word euerlasting it signifieth in Scripture diuers thinges As the time of 50. years * Exod. 21. â— the time till CHRISTS comming * Exod. 12.14.17 the Prisoner was ordayned so was the throne of Dauid for euer * 1. Chr. 17 12. Namely till Christs coÌ„ming the Land of Canaan is promised for euer and so Circumcision euerlasting all which by Christ are taken away So that although the couenant of Circumcision be said to be euerlasting it doth no more proue it to be that couenant which we haue vnder the Gospell or now any more direction for vs then the Law of the Passouer which was also a Law for euer Againe it is granted by the aduersary * Io. Rob pag 71. and it is a truth that the Couenant in Ier. 31. and other places in the Hebrew signifieth a compact or agreement vpon a difference between two or more which in the new Testament is turned into a word signifying a will or Testament So that this is agreed vpon on all sides two parties must bee in this Couenant agreeing and promising by mutuall accord for the thinges to be done Hence it followeth that if the Couenant Gen. 17. I will establish my couenant betweene me and thee and thy seed after thee and thou also shalt keepe my Couenant thou and thy seede after thee c. Let euery Man childe be circumcised c. be one and the same with this in Ieremy then is it made onely with Abraham and such his seed as could make this Couenant namely agree with God to Circumcise their males on the 8. day and know God and not with the males of 8. daies old who could make no agreement