breaketh God promise with him but still abideth faithfull For the second being from Rom. 11. let vs see what th'Apostle speaketh of vpon the which he concludeth with these wordes â—e sheweth that the Iewes were broken off from the prom ses of the Gospell which was fiâ—st offered vnto them because they would not seeke it by Faith in CHRIST but sought it by the work s of the Law and the Gentiles were ingrafted into the same promises in that they sought it onely by Faith yet teacheth the Gentiles that although they stood by Faith they should not be high minded but feare and continue in Gods bountie for if for vnbelief the natuâ—aâ— branches the Iewes were broken off they shoul also be cut off if they fell to vnbeliefe also for the bringing in of the Iâ—wes he writeth that they alâ—o if they abide not still in vnbeliefe shall be grafted in againe this is the somâ—e and of this the guifts and callings of God â—re without repentance For God hath iustly shut vp all in vnbeliefe that he might haue mercy on all onely by that one way which he hatâ— appointed for there is but one entrance vnto the Father by one Spirit for both Iewes and Gentiles Ephe. 2.18 So that God will not rep nt neit er can he of sauing all pers ns at all times in all places that seeke saluatioâ— by Faith in CHRIST and conâ—iâ—ue therein otherwise God is said to repent in many Scâ—iâ— neuer concerning the condition of Faith and continuance vnto the which he hath alwaies respect but concerning the pe son which casteth away the same cond tion Therefore Gods loue is stable without any shadow of turning to righteousnes by Faith in whom soeuer it is but if any p son in whom righteousnes is forsake righteousnes then Gods promise is changed to that person and he repenteth of the good th t he promised him as these Scriptures reach 1 Sam. 2 30. and 1. Sam. 15.11 Ier. 18.8.10 and many others Ereu. 1. Ioh. 2.18 What say you to that of Iohn They went out from vs but they were not of vs for if they had beene of vs they would haue continued with vs c. Hence they conclude that what person goeth from the Church and trueth were neuer truly of it Odeg. The mistery of this well discouered would make an end of all the controuersies that depend of Predestination for as they affirme that God hath predestinated some persons to saluation and some persons to damnation without any condition so also they affirme that these persons the Elect making neuer so great shew of wickednesse and walking in the wayes of Beliall are still Elect and can by no meanes fall out of their Election and the other persons hauing neuer so many testimonies of Godlines and walking in the Church of Christ yet can neuer but be reprobates and if euer they fall away from the Church or truth they conclude they were neuer truly of it for which cause they peruert this Scripture and others therefore I will something shew their deceiuings All mens estates are one by creation they are one by transgression all haue sinned and are dead in sinnes and as all are shut vp in vnbeliefe so God hath mercy on all there is no respect of persons with God so often repeated in the Scriptures God sent his Sonne to saue all and the Sonne soweth the seede of saluation vpon all some receiue the good seede and they are called children of the kingdome Math. 13. others receiue it not because it crosseth their fleshly hearts in pleasure and the like but in stead thereof receiue the tares the false doctrines of the enemie and therefore are called the children of the wicked now it is most plaiâ—e the persons of them who receiue the good seede were no better then the other neither were the persons of them who receiue the tares any worse then the other the former persons receiue the good seede because the goodnesse of the sower first sowed it and therefore hath cause to praise him onely for what he hath the latter persons refuse the good seede offered them as freely as the other and receiue the tares and therefore hath onely cause to blame themselues The former are children of the kingdome by reason of the quality wrought in them by the goodnesse of the sower Iesus Christ The latter are children of the wicked by reason of that qualitie wrought in them by the enemie the deuill and themselues so that their difference is not in respect of their persons but of their qualities for God loueth all persons they being his generation Act. 17.27 c. but hateth wicked qualities in the persons where they are and also because of the wicked quality hee hateth the persons as weapons or instruments of those wicked qualities so that the most holy God hateth nothing but wickednesse I desire this description of person and quality may be well obserued for it is the most blessed trueth of God and w ll teach vs truly in the expâ—sition of all Scriptures to attribute righteousnesse to God in all his iudgements and wickednesse to wicked men and to the deuill their Father Now for the wordes the Apostle sheweth vers 19. that as they had heard that Antichrist should come euen then there were many Antichrists and vers 21. he saith I haue not written vnto you because you know not the trueth but because yee know it and that no lye is of the trueth who is a lyar but hee that denieth â—hâ—t Iesus is Christ the same is the Antichrist c. and chap. 4.1 he exhorteth them to try the Spirits and teacheth that euery Spirit which confesseth not Iesus Christ is come c. is the Spirit of Antichrist c. Now these lying Spirits these Antichrists in these persons who once had the Spirit of trueth in them these saith hee went out from vs as elsewhere Paul saith Act. 22.30 from among your selues shall men arise speaking peruerse things c. for there must bee heresies euen among you c. But saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 11.19 They were neuer of vs for vers 21. no lye is of the truth for if these lying Spirits had beene of the tâ—ueth they would haue continued with it but they are not of it As for example the Spâ—rit oâ— Hymeneus together with his person was in Spirituall fellowship with Paul and other Saints so long as he retained faith and a good conscience * 1 Tim. 8.19.20 but hauing put away the Spirit of trueth and receiued a lying Spirit * 2 Tim. 1.17.18 he went out from them in that his Spirit for or because it was neuer of them euen as Iohn saith these Antichrists or lying Spirit did so that his person was of the truth so long as the Spirit of trueth remained in him but when he receiued the lying Spirit which was neuer of the trueth it caried his person from the trueth
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
say so much saith himselfe of his Baptisme and therefore his own wordes * Manâ—â—â—st pag. â— are a sword to kill and confound himselfe where he saith of his ministerie and all that receiue it from Rome and England thus And for the Minister repenting of what hee hath done at his admission it may well be called a supposition of an impossibilitie and contradiction he cannot repent of his sinne which is his receiuing authoritie from the B. to Preach but he must forsake and renounce the same authoritie as he receiued it which if he doe in deed truth hee ceaseth to be a Minister c. these are his wordes Now who being free from preiudice doth not see that these wordes may bee taken vp against his Baptisme He cannot repent of his sin which is his retained Baptisme receiued from a habitation of Deuils but hee must forsake and renounce the same Baptisme as he receiued it which if hee doe in deed and truth he ceaseth to be baptised as he ceaseth to be ordained Further hee saith * Man pa. 4 the very obtaining receiuing of the Bishops licensce is a reall a knowledgement that the Bishops hath a lawfull power to graunt it c So say I his very obtaining retaining and iustifying of that Idol Baptisme of Rome is a reall acknowledgement that the Church of Rome hath a lawfull power to Baptise which hauing then how can it be denyed but that Rome and England is Gods Church and people which Iohn Rob and all his followers deny And further he saith * Pag. 13. Take away the Bishops authority and how can the Ministers remaine take away the Co-relatiue and the relation ceaseth So say I seeing he taketh away from Rome and England power to be either true Church or to haue true Ministers how can the Baptisme remaine seeing he taketh away the Co-relatiue why doth not the relation cease I may say of his Popish Baptisme as he saith * Man pa. 16. of the Popish Iurisdiction In vaine doth hee apply his industry Art in the washing of this Blackmoore But now I proue that a seruant of Christ not being yet in the office of Pastor or Elder may baptise thus Whatsoeuer is written aforetime is written for our teaching * Rom. 15.4 but it is written aforetime that Disciples of Christ though yet no Pastors did Baptise therfore we are taught being Disciples of Christ although yet no Pastors to Baptise when iust occasion is giuen 1. To proue that Disciples of Christ not being Pastors did Baptise I produce Iohn Baptist example who was no Pastor and yet Baptised such as entertained his counsell If any object hee was a Prophet and more then a Prophet let such know that the least in the Kingdome of God is greater then he which being true it followeth that he which hath Iohns Doctrine by the power whereof he conuerteth and also is greater then Iohn he may Baptise by Iohns example which is written for his instruction but euery Saint of God now hauing Iohns doctrine by the power of which hee conuerteth is greater then Iohn and so may Baptise by his example which is written for his instruction 2. The Disciples of Christ though no Pastors did Baptise which is writteÌ„ for our instructioÌ„ * Ioh. 3.26 4.1.2 So did Ananias a Disciple not a Pastor * Act. 9.11 Mat. 28.19 c. 3. Christ commandeth euery Disciple to the end of the world to go teach make Disciples according to his best abilitie and such as are made Disciples to Baptise them and he will alwaies be with them who soeuer therfore may make a Disciple he may Baptise by Christs coÌ„mandement hee hath coupled them together and let no man seperate them from the beginning it was so till Antechrist forbad it Rome and England forbidding all that haue not their Ordination froÌ„ them either to Preach to conuert or to Baptise and some of the Brownists acknowledging it lawfull for any Disciple to Preach conuert but not Baptise though others of them * Io. Wilk his followers holde that Disciples of Christ though not in office of Pastor or Elder may conuert and Baptise also vpon which they haue bene at deadly jarres these many yeares If any object this Commission and coÌ„mandement was giuen to the persons of the Apostles only I answer It is not true as appeareth by the words The coÌ„mission is giuen to such as whose persons remaine vnto the end of the world * Vers 20. namely the succeeders of the Apostles in their Doctrine froÌ„ time to time with whom Christ promiseth to be present alwaies euen to the end The Apostles haue left their power and Doctrine wholly behind them nothing is dead but their persons and therefore the Doctrine of Paul being now in the person of a beleeuer the CoÌ„mandement is written for his instruction bidding him go Preach the Gospels to euery creature to all Nations according as God enableth him for he requireth not what we haue not Baptising them this commandment is now as powerful in the person of a beleeuer as euer it was If it be affirmed that the Pastors or Elders now be the onely successors of the Apostles for the performing of this CoÌ„mandement Goe Preach and Baptise I say it is a meere fixion there is not the least shew in all the Testament of Iesus Christ that Baptising is peculiar onely to Pastors which might satisfie any man of reason neither can it bee proued that euer ordinary Pastor did Baptise And it is most plaine conuerting and Baptising is no part of the Pastors office his office is to feed to watch to ouersee the flocke of Christ already the Church his charge is to take heede to the flocke and to feed the Church * Act. 20.2 and to defend them in the truth against all gainsayers * Tit. 1.8 further then which no charge is laid vpon him by vertue of his office That hee may Preach conuert and Baptise I deny not as another disciple may but not that either it is required or he doth performe it by vertue of his office no proofe for that imaginatioÌ„ can be shewed and therfore it remaineth firme stable euery Disciple that hath abilitie is authorized yea commanded to Preach conuert Baptise aswell and asmuch if not more then a Pastor 4. As Christ saith They haue Moses and the Prophets * Luk. 16.9 so euery beleeuer hath Christ and his Apostles commaunding him to couet to Preach * 1 Cor. 14.1 to call all to come * Reuel 22.7 and when they come to Baptise them Heare is the King and Lawgiuer the Citty Ierusalem the new Testament with her gates open and the Spirit of God bidding all come freely and all the Faithfull made Kings and Priests vnto God * 1. Pet. 2.5 Reuel 1.6 what should let that they may not Baptise till they haue Officers or when their officers