God receiueth into couenant and then sealeth Men possesse their cattel and instruments and then marke them they chuse and leuie souldiers then giue them prest money And yet as with a good landlord the right of my tenement ceaseth not hauing the promise of a faithfull man though the father should die without sealing vnto mee seeing an honest sonne commeth in place who will be a seale vnto his fathers words so though GOD the father should preuent vs of baptisme yet in that he hath promised a state of life to me and mine in his sonne hee will seale it to vs for him hath the father * Ioh. 6.27 sealed An honest souldier will venture his life in the battailes of the lord though hee had not his prest money The clayme of the owner is good though no actuall marke should bee vpon his good This is the marke of Gods children Beza confes c. 4. s 48. de bapt infant Chytreus Bern. ser 66. in Cant. Au l. 1. de peccat meritis Pet Martyr lo. com clas 4. c. 8. sect 7. Zuinglius de Baptismo pag. 68. tom 2. The Lorde knoweth who are his Nowe if children in the wombe as Iohn Baptist or before baptisme and in their infancie haue faith as diuers think or haue the spirit of God as others seeing they are partes of the Church as woe all professe and members of the body of Christ as wee all say howe can they perish none can take his sheepe nay not the least lambe of a day olde Iohn 10.29 nay not yet eaned nor brought into the world out of his hande though Sathan should stande by to deuoure it vpon the verie birth Apoc. 12.4.5 as he did once for the child the verie sonne of God which was taken vp to Gods throne And why may it not be that as in earthly paradise so in the heauenly Church Gen. 1.11.12 As there are some trees and hearbes seeding some budding some bearing fruite so in the heauenly paradise on earth the Church some of Gods seruants in the wombe some budding out some new washt as it were from the pooles If the first Adam could bring an euerlasting taint vpon them shal not the baptisme and death of the second Adam wipe it out The infant cannot reason yet it hath the seed of reason as it hath a soule though it know not so much of it selfe Thus some argue May it not haue faith shed in the heart of it Ephe. 3.17 for who can tell how God dwelleth in the heart of the elect Rom. 8.9 He that hath not the spirit of God is none of his Is not this the glorious impression and stampe of that heauenly seale that the child is assumpted into the association and fellowship of the blessed Trinitie Matth. 28.19 into whose name it is baptized Childrē must come to Christ Mark 10.13 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or as Luk. 18.15 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What children Little ones they that are come to little reason but that they abuse in trifling yet theirs is the kingdome of God If theirs be the kingdom of God then are they cleane Apoc. 21.27 for no vncleane thing maye come in his pure sight Now what maketh cleane but faith and Gods spirite their hearts being purified alike by faith Act. 15.9 The working of Gods spirite is like the insensible pearcing of the winde Ioh. 5.8 which getteth in no man knoweth how And may it not get in into the hearts of little children if their children bee holie who can sanctifie them but the sanctifier 1. Cor. 6 11. why may not Gods spirite his winde get into them and if they bee sanctified then not damned Wherefore these speeches of the childe vnbaptized It is an heathen an infidell it is damned I would not haue my child in the like case for millions are speeches indeede heathenish full of infidelitie of rash iudgement vncharitablenes not onely by damnatorie speeches against the dead but against the liuing God that hath taken them away as he would Doth not the spirit speake better things Luk. 6.37 Iudge not and thou shalt not be iudged condemne not and thou shalt not be condemned nay acquite assoyle deliuer and thou shalt haue a measure of such mercifull construction measured vnto thee not as thou vsest to doe sparingly streight by the brimmes of the measure but with a measure pressed downe shaken together and running ouer And yet Protestants speake so So naturall a thing is Poperie so quickly doe wee drinke in error before wee bee taught it Ephe. 4.20 Haue we so learned Christ are his lawes so ful of ruefulnes Of Draco the lawgiuer it is written that al his lawes were death death if thou doe this death if thou doe not that still the fatall noyse of death ended the lawe Therefore they note the pen to drop crueltie the inke and writing to bee bloud But Christ is no Draco a Dragon Ioh. 1.29 He is a lambe that takes away the sinnes of the whole world a world of sinnes much more this lambe of God to heale these little lābes of his flocke His lawes are not lawes of Draco they speake peace Heb. 12.24 his bloud crieth better things then the bloud of Abel for that crieth vengeance vpon Cayne his brother Gen. 4.10 But Christs bloud crieth with a strong voyce as of a mightie Angel my bloud for all bloud Rom. 5.10 my bodie for all sinne euen of mine enemies This were to make Christ an Herode for Herode sent out his men of warre to sley and murder most butcherly infants from two yeares old downward Matth 2.16 among whom were some vncircumcised then Rachel in Rama lifts vp bitter voyces of lamentation no cōfort they are not Indeede if Christ were not a Herauld of peace rather then a Herod and that hee sent out his messengers of warre as death and graue to deuoure the diuell and hell to damne the vnbaptized then indeede might Rachel lift vp her voyce put on her mourning weede then euery mother and father sister and brother might howle and weepe and answere one an other with dolefull ecchoes and remediles complaints no comfort no consolation because they are not nay because they are that is they are in endles sorowe for better it were not to bee at all But blessed bee God who hath sealed a better couenant Gen. 17.7 With thee and thy seede I make my couenant blessed bee God who hath cleared our comfort 1. Cor. 7.11.14 Esay 9.6 Your children are holy Blessed be God that concerning the childe borne in Esai hath caused heauen and earth to heare a better melodie from an armie of heauenly souldiers Luk. 2.14 Glorie to God on high peace on earth belowe good will towards men Doe I speake this alone doe not likewise the generall voyce and language of Canaan Nehe. 13.24 Esay 19.18 I meane the Israel of God speake so
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
Doth our Church alone thinke so and doth not other Churches make vp the harmonie Rogers in the English Creed set out by authoritie pag. 33. par 2 art 25 The Creede of our Church confesseth this among the errors of the Papists that so many as are not incorporated into the visible Church by the Sacraments at the least of Baptisme are assuredly damned So doth two cōfessions of Switzerland the confession of the Church of Bohemia the Protestant Church of France so of Flanders so of Auspurge so of Saxonie and Sweueland which may be seene more at large in the booke of the Harmonie of confessions Alanus Cope reckoneth this vp as one of our errors in England Dial 6. cap. 9. Infants before they are baptized to belong to the people of GOD And to this agreeth most soundly euen he which hath now by the disposition of God the chief place in this Church In his replie in the great volume pag. 516. and professeth that he misliketh the opinion of these who thinke out of Ioh. 3. infants to be condemned being not baptized as much as any It shall bee ambition to muster the names of them who haue borne the standard in their places and are on our side so doth * Aret. proble theol par 2 de 〈◊〉 sacr Aretius at Barnes * Caluin instit l. 4. c. 16. sec 26. Caluin and * Confess c. 4. sect 49. Zuingl de prouid Dei c. 6. tom 1. pa. 369. Beza at Geneua certainly Zuinglius at Zurich calleth them sacramentaries who attribute so much grace to the sacramēt so much vertue to Baptisme of it selfe Such a cloud of witnesses hath this trueth and this is not only the consent of the later Churches but euen a long hath testimonie from this Apostle Baptisme saueth but I meane not sayeth hee the washing of the water but the examination of a good conscience towardes God Ephe. 5.26 The Apostle Paul saith Christ gaue himselfe for the Church to sanctifie it by the lauer of water but how through the word Psalm 8.2 In Dauids time the Church professeth GODS praise out of the mouth of sucklings In the primitiue Church the Cathecumen the not baptized not onely saued but glorified as Martyrs such an one was Heraclides Origens scholler beheaded vnder Seuerus and Rhais a woman whō Origen saith to haue obtained Baptisme by fire Cyp epist ad lubia Cyprian about the 260. yeare after Christ professeth that not only suffering for Christ De conse distinc 4. ca. Baptismi but faith and conuersion of the heart supplieth the want of Baptisme The councell of Nice sayth our Baptisme is not to bee considered with sensible eyes but with the eyes of the mind Ambros in sine Ora. sunes de obitu Valē Ambrose about 380. yeare after Christ sayth of Valentinian the Emperour who dyed without Baptisme Christ baptized him when mens offices failed againe his faith washed him Saint Austen Aug. in l. de side ad Petrum though he is alone almost except them that suruiued in his owne age in the necessitie of Sacraments making out of the sixt of Iohn a necessitie of the supper euen for infants Ioh. 6.53 because it is sayd Vnlesse you eate the fleshe of the Sonne of man and drinke his bloud you haue no life in you contrary to the rule of the Apostle that none should eate but they who can examine thēselues 1. Cor. 11.23 yet in diuers places where God assisted him more and hee remembred himselfe Aug. l. 13. de ciuit Dei ca 7. he yeelded also to this truth making faith and a contrite spirit to be in stead of Baptisme for thus hee saith he that sayd Vnles a man be borne of water and the spirite hee cannot enter into the kingdome of God Ioh. 3. sayd as generally Hee that confesseth mee before men Luk. 12.8 I will confesse him before my Father and the holy Angels And againe Luk. 9.24 Hee that leeseth his life shall saue it and againe Psal 116.15 Precious is the death of the Saints in the sight of God Nay hee rather commendeth them that dye sometimes without Baptisme for others for feare of death defer not their baptisme further but these for loue to God deferre to liue longer he exemplifieth also in the theefe and * Aug. lib. 4. de baptis in don cap. 24. againe then is Baptisme fulfilled when not the contempt of religion but when the instant or momēt of necessitie excludeth from visible Baptisme * Serm ad infantes Againe none is depriued of the benefit of the sacrament so long as hee findeth in himselfe the thing which the sacrament signifieth again among whom do you reckon children vnbaptized verely among beleeuers Aug de verbis Apostoli ser 14. So. l. 3. de quaest vet test The inuisible sanctification may bee without the visible signe as the visible signe without the true sanctification * In serm de 40. Martyribus Basile sayth of the iaylour or keeper of the 40. Martyrs who became a Martyr hee was baptized by his owne faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not by the hand of another not in water but in his owne blood Hieromes iudgement of Asella we heard aboue Yet the diuersitie of customes and practise of olde is strange herein with the multitude of humane inuentions crept in euen in the primitiue church that wee may blesse God for this puritie of Baptisme which we enioy De consecr dist 4. cap. non ratione in seq Terrul de Baptis dutiusculè loquitur For they vsed only solemne times for baptizing as Easter at Rome by Victors constitution at Easter and Pentecost in Tertullians time or the time of mariage or at their dying day or on the feast of the Epiphany as in Asia insomuch that as Christ at 30. yeares of age was baptized Baptisme more syncerely performed now then of olde so Gregorie at 30. yeares olde though his father were a Bishop So Austen about the same time so Ambrose a Bishop elect before hee was baptized and in a Synode of Rome 40 yeares are appointed except for the sicke In 4. Orat. de Lauac sanct and great with childe who might at all other times bee baptized And Nazianzene appointed the 4. yeare when they could giue a reason of their faith so that when a man once departeth from this that any thing saueth speedy Baptisme or Baptisme deferred Baptisme or no Baptisme nay prayer or no prayer word or no word whē any thing saueth but this onely Sauiour Christ who rose ascended raigneth ouer men and Angels one error increaseth vpon another one inuention accrueth vpon his former hence came the crosse * Origen ho. 2. in Psal 38. Tertul. de resur Cyp. de haer bapt hence a kisse in Baptisme l. 3. ep 8. Cyp. hence a ring Tertul. l. de pudicitia hence to haue oyle * Tertul. de
iudgement Fiftly why presently a Priest sent for might she not thinke the same power that restored life to her childe able to preserue him in life or was not the life quite gone at al and this deuise taken vp by coÌ„pact to nourish superstitious minds or if it must needes bee presently baptized because this their false Saint Steuen gaue it such a weake deadly life that would not hold out why might not her selfe or some woman present for it is not improbable others also to haue gone with her in neighborhood or superstition according to their doctrine haue baptized it but they must tarie the time till a Priest come who hold in their good diuinitie in such a case of necessitie that euen women may doe it or lastly why did she not goe to Saint Steuen for a second life But lyers and inuentors haue no absolute good memories let vs come to their scriptures they are two the first Ioh. 3 5. Except a maÌ„ be borne of water the spirit he caÌ„nnot see the kingdom of God This place necessarily inferreth say they the necessity of baptisme Why the words are plaine and yet if so it is as plaine for them that vse a hot 〈…〉 Iron in Baptisme not to go from this matter for example because it is sayd Christ shall baptize with the holy Ghost with fire and not to goe from this place it is as plaine for an olde man to be borne againe so plaine that â—â—â—â—…enus once mistook it though a master in Israell But to come to the meaning doth water signifie here of necessitie the element of water vsed in Baptisme howe knowe they that for in the former chapter no occasion is giuen to speake of Baptisme nor in the beginning of this And secondly Christ seemeth rather to tell what is necessary for men in yeares who can make profession as Nicodemus who dissembled then for infants neither is any mention made of Baptisme all the time of his abode in Galile where he was at the marriage or whilst he was at Ierusalem where this speech seemeth to bee vntill hee came into Iury vers 22. As though Christ sayd thou wouldest learne the way to heauen thou knowest it in part alreadie that I am a teacher come from God vers 1. And yet thou haltest in the day betweene two and goest vpright in the night onely but I tell thee I being a true teacher tell thee that thou must walke as a child of the day thou must be borne againe that is bee renued in the spirit of thy minde to bee of another iudgement euen to professe the name of God opeÌ„ly els thou canst not see the kingdome of God Vnles thou shewe thy selfe to be in my kingdome of the Gospell by open profession on earth thou canst not see my kingdome aboue vers 3. Except a man that is of such a iudgement as thou alreadie art and all naturall men be vers 4. be borne againe and altered in the spirit they cannot see the kingdome of God When he marueiled what it was to bee borne againe Christ expoundeth it thus I say vnles he bee borne againe of water and the spirit making it all one to be borne againe of the spirit and of water and the spirit making it all one to be borne againe of one of them and of theÌ„ both and which is the more exclusiue for that which he had sayd in one word Except a man be borne of the spirit he after expoundeth the manner how the spirit must work as water in washing vs in sanctifying vs in renuing vs. For he sayth Vnles a man be borne of water and the spirit which to bee the meaning the tenour and passage of all the speech had with Nicodemus sheweth as first the opposing of earthlie birth and spiritual vers 6. That which is borne of flesh is flesh which sentence proueth rather that water saueth not as though fleshly earthly and carnall things can goe no further then flesh earth nor haue no further effects A mans soule is a spirite water an elementarie bodie an earthly thing can not purge a spirituall substance no proportion betweene the agent patient the doer and sufferer euen as of old the bloud of beasts could not take away sinnes Heb. 10.1.2.3 so not now the washing of water can take away sinne Secondly the ascribing of the meanes to Gods free-will vers 8. and his loue vers 16. by the worke of the spirite and incarnation of the sonne vers 13. telling the hardnes of it vers 8.11.12 whereas outward washing is easie finally in that verse 18. Christ maketh faith the meanes of saluation and not faith damnation He that beleeueth is saued he that beleeueth not is damned So that vnles a man will say that infants haue faith this toucheth infants nothing at all and if they haue faith then those only saued who haue this faith by the gift of God So that this general rule Except proueth this that without conuersion of heart and renuing of the spirit of our minde inwardly there is no saluation And that by water is meÌ„t Gods spirit the fruits the graces of it many scriptures declare especially in the stile and phrase of Christ himselfe in this Euangelist in the next chapter vers 14. He that drinketh of the water which I giue shal neuer thirst for Baptisme is not generally a wel of water to euerlasting life therefore it is ment of Gods spirit the miracle of Christ healing without water Iohn 5. declareth that the elemeÌ„t ought not to be in that credite So Iohn 7.39 He that beleeueth riuers of water of life shall flow out of his bellie But if any man aske how will you proue water to signifie the spirit here I answere euen hence vers 39. This he sayd of the spirit It also hath the accord of the old Testament so Iere. 2.3.10 Ezech. 36.25 Esai 4.4 The Lorde shall wash the filthines of Sion with the spirit of iudgement and burning Lastly I aske whether if this proposition vers 5 bee generall exclusiue Except a man be borne of water and the spirit c. why the former proposition vers 3. which is first by nature consisting of as generall tearmes in arte Except a man bee borne of the spirit c. be not as generall which if it bee and what reason can be shewed to the contrarie then it being also general and exclusiue why should it not shut out the necessitie of materiall water Here also if absolutely materiall water be vnderstood then no Martyr saued without it not the theefe on the crosse not the Apostles vnbaptized not the good Emperour Valentinian and many other who in prison or warre desire it The other place Mark 16.16 answereth it selfe ascribing all to faith for hauing sayd He that beleeueth and is baptized shall bee saued addeth straight way to preuent error but he that beleeueth not and not hee that is not baptized shall bee damned Now as