AN APOLOGY OF INFANTS IN A SERMON: Proving, by the reueal●● will of God, that children prevented by death of their Baptism, by God's election, may be saved. By W. H. Preacher in the Tower of London. Seen and allowed by Authority. BY WISDOM PEACE BY PEACE PLENTY AT LONDON, Printed by the Widow Orwin for Thomas man.. 1595. TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE LORD ROBERT DEVOROX, EARL of Essex, and one of her majesties most Honourable privy Council: all graces fit for so worthy place and trust be multiplied. THE great Messiah, the Lord jesus (right Honourable) being on the Cross ready to die, cast his eye aside, and saw his mother and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, on whose breast he leaned: and said to his mother, Woman behold thy son: john 19.26. and to the disciple, Behold thy mother. This voice than spoke from the altar of the cross on earth: The same voice seemeth to speak still from the arch of heaven, the Church being graven on the palm of his hands, Esay. 49.16. and her walls ever in his sight on the one side, & seeing the Nobles of the world on the otherside, especially such Nobles whom he loveth, on whose shoulders his truth leaneth, in whose breast the love of the truth dwelleth: He seemeth to say to the Church, as to a faint & weak woman of them: O woman behold thy sons the Nobles of the earth: Psal. 45.16. Thou shalt have children the Potentates thorough the whole earth. And to them: O ye sons of the Nobles, Galath. 4.26. behold your mother also. This mother, the true Church, maketh you the sons of God. That voice then wrought obedience: he to whom it was spoken, took it to heart, and took her home: So ought the Peers and States of the world, especially whom jesus hath loved by education in the truth, to take this mother the church, her sons and daughters, the truth and her defence home to them, to surround it with their power and countenance, even as in two circles Israel with all their tribes and governors did hem in the Tabernacle of God, Numb. 3.38. In the inmost circle Moses and Aaron on the forefront of the Tabernacle Eastward stood next to it: verse 24. On the other side three families of Levi: The Gersonites pitched their tents behind the Tabernacle Westward: verse 29. The Kohathites had their standing on the South side: vers. 35. The Merarites on the North side. These were the inward lists of it. In the outward wall of it (so to speak) Eastward did juda clasp it in, and his associates Issachar and Zabulon: Num. 2.5. On the South side, vers. 10. Re●ben fastened his standard with Gad and Simeon: On the West, vers. 18. joined Ephraim with Manasses and Benjamin: On the North, vers. 24. as closing up all, came Dan with Asher and Naptali. So strongly and politically was God's Tabernacle and Church then managed and conducted: in so sightly manner did it march on with this alarm: Num. 10.35. Arise O Lord, and let thine enemies be scatrered. In so puissant and stable manner did it take up his standing with this solemnity: Return O Lord to the many thousands of Israel. The Nobles who thus stand about God's Church at this time, and lend their shoulders for his truth to lean upon, have a greater place than Naamans': 2. King. 5.18. the King to lean on their hands: then Atlas, the arch of heaven to rest upon their shoulders: they have the honour to be the noble disciples whom jesus loveth, on whose breasts he leaneth, in whose hearts he dwelleth: to whom he having said, Behold your mother, the Church, the truth: they do not only take her home to them under their roof, dwell with it, converse with it: but enter into a strict vow and solemn protestation, (for this is the heroical protestant) as Ruth the Moabitish did to Naomi: concerning her cleaving to the truth and God's people, though discouraged by contrary example of one that lay in the same womb, though aboured with by the womb that bore her: she said, Ruth. 1.16.17. Entreat me not to leave thee, nor to departed from thee: whither thou goest, I will go: where thou dwellest, I will dwell: thy people shall be my people: thy God, my God: where thou diest, I will die: and there will I be buried. The Lord do so unto me, and more also if aught but death part thee and me. The obedience to this voice of God, to take the love of the truth home to you, seeing it hath dwelled in your family and progeny long, and now hereditarily resteth in your Honour: and the experience of your care, by whose means not only the standard of the preaching of the word is lift up in this place, (tanquam in arce minerva Phidiae) in the midst of captived enemies (which was not before) but by whose fruits of faith also it is cherished: emboldened me to present this firstling of my labours in this kind, in the cause of many speechless infants, to your Honour: remembering what salomon's mother said to him: Open thy mouth for the dumb in the cause of all the children of destruction Open thy mouth, Pover. 31.8. etc. The argument, though diminutive and low, yet parents love to hear of the state of their children in this life: much more of life to come, specially the godly. Even grave fathers after serious matters dispatched, forbear not to use modification of speech, to lisp with the little ones: saying, Chesippus, not Chrysippus: as he in Tully: Coniah, jere. 22. not jeconiah: as in the scripture. But why do I seek further? Have not these little ones the Dukes and Pecres of heaven for their patrons? Matth. 18.10. Their Angels (saith Christ) always behold the face of God the father in heaven. And he that set a child in the midst of his Apostles, striving for honour, Matth. 18.3 with this charge: Verily, except ye be converted and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven: and he that humbleth himself as this child, is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven: knew that the case of little children, their harmlessness, innocency, mildness, are matters for all sorts to meditate upon, to school them to God. In which argument David so profited, Psalm. 131.2. that he professeth even before the Lord, that he demeaned himself as a weaned, even as a weaned child, though the court and field had been his nurse. But I may not exceed the measure of a Preface: The Lord ripen the good work he hath begun in your Honour, and increase it with the mighty increasings of God. Your Honours in the Lord to be commanded: William Hubbocke. To the Reader. AS the blessing of peace is great, Zach. 8.8. streets full of children playing, so among them to come suddenly the stroke of God, Exod. 12.29. as at midnight in Egypt, Virgil. Aeneid. lib 4. Si quis mihi paruulus aula Luderet AEneas. Act. 20.9. 1. King. 17.18. jonas 4.7. 2 Sam. 12.17. in every house a dead child, to fall dead from a window as Eutichus, to sicken in the field, and die at home presently, as the woman of sarepta's child: especially if it enjoy not the next morning sun, as jonas shade, especially if it die as David's child did before circumcision: so it before baptism: & the former joy doubleth the grief, silly leavened people lift up their voice as Agar did for hers, Gen. 21.19. in a gentiles distrust as a people without hope, 1. Thess. 4.13. (as though their babe were Ishmael & of Egypt, & not of the Israel of God: as though they were Agar of Sina engendering unto bondage, & not of Zion, bearing children unto God) moaning there is no water: they blame not themselves that they keep not hours with God and his Church, in regard of gossips and outward complement, breaking out as the Sareptane: 1. King. 17.18. O thou man of God, what have I to do with thee? Would to God they would think also with that good woman: God in my child brings my sins to remembrance, that departure of children might cause departure from iniquity. For many take on piteously with God and man if their children miss Baptism: but take no care if they miscarry their own Baptism, Math. 28.19. forgetting the fellowship of the blessed Trinity, into which they were baptised: so that the water of Baptism is not the sweet water of life unto life, Act. 8.23. but Marah, as in Simon Magus: A gall of bitterness still in him. Christ should dissolve the works of the devil, 1. joh. 3.8. but a bond of iniquity in him still. To such it should be fearful in their ears which is written: The children which ye said should be a pray, Deut. 1.19 and your sons & daughters, which have no knowledge between good and evil, they shall possess mine inheritance: but as for you, Numb. 14.32. Your carcases shall fall in the desert. Where is he that hath David's heart, a man after Gods own heart? he moaned for fear of death, 2. Sam. ●. but never moved to have respite of life for circumcision, which no doubt he would if it had been so dangerous to have died without it: at least where is the mouth of job? Blessed be the Lord that gave me children: blessed be the Lord that took away my children: blessed is he in giving, blessed in taking away, and blessed in the manner though strange: of him it is said, job. 1.21.22. He sinned not with his mouth, nor charged God foolishly. But thy child is thine Image, and thy shadow: and behold as jonas shade, it vanished from thee in a night, it vanished before thou well lookedst upon the face of it: & how pitiful a thing? jonas 4 11. But the pitiful God telleth him and thee also: that he pitieth little ones that cannot discern between right hands and left, even to the number of six score thousand in one city: and that in Ashur, and Niniveh; and is his compassion shut up from the seed of Christians? Yea but if it had been sprinkled with water of Baptism, john 5.7. When the bedridden man for 38. years had none to help him into the sovereign water, Christ healed him without water saying, vers. 17. Though the Angel move not always the water, vers. 4. but at times, yet saith he, My Father still worketh and I also work. And though the spring of Baptism should sometime be dammed up: it followeth not infants to be damned: for as Christ said to his Disciples, Gen. 21.19. joh. 4.32. I have meat that you know not of: so the Angel telleth Agar, and all mothers of water that she seethe not: and Christ here telleth of salvation, which the Angel and the water wrought not. Thou missest thy children in thine arms: behold they are in the hand of God, they are plucked from thy breasts, but are in Abraham's bosom: not in thy cradle below, but in the throne of immortality above. How oft is it seen among men that friends take a babe from a weak mother, a daughter, a nurse, and bring it up for their own: Exod. 2.10. as Pharaos' daughter did Moses, so that the parents peradventure never see it: or not till long after. What else doth God when he taketh the child from the womb, or breast, to have it nursed in heaven lost it should have ill bringing up here? A conflict with such dispositions upon a like sudden accident, made me gather against the next Lord's day, these remembrances touching this argument, which now I have more perfectly recognised. Then it bred such alteration in their apprehensions and opinions that heard it: that as once they who said of Paul, Act. 28.4. he was a murderer, (as if some should say, infancieida,) when they saw the revealed glory of God: they changed their minds. These also are a holy seed, Luk. 15.31. The child that was dead to me, is alive: he that was lost is found: blaming themselves as David, Psal. 73.23. so foolish were we even as beasts, until we went into the sanctuary of God, where we understood the end even of these little ones. Math. 9 The Lord of the harvest give blessing to this, according to the riches of his glorious wisdom, and teach us to abound not with captious knowledge, which by scanninges, descanting, comparings puffeth up, 1. Cor 8.1. But to abound with love which buildeth us up to one head over all, even the Lord Jesus, to whom be ascribed salvation for ever. A SERMON PROVING, THAT THE unbaptized, PREVENTED BY DEATH, may be God's children: and by his election may be saved. THE TEXT. 1. Pet. 3.21. To this Ark of Noah, the figure also that now saveth us, even Baptism agreeth, not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the questioning of a good conscience to God, by the resurrection of jesus Christ. 22. Who is at the right hand of God, gone into Heaven, to whom the Angels and powers, and principalities are subject. THis Scripture, as touching my purpose at this time, openeth the means of our salvation, and that two ways, touching GOD in Christ, & touching us. Touching god in Christ: who is the cause of it, the supreme and sovereign cause of it, the cause of causes, even Christ the alone cause of our salvation. The means of performing and purchasing it, are set down by four actions: the first, his rising from the dead: the second, his sitting at the right hand of God: thirdly, his ascending into heaven: four, his subjecting of Angels unto him. The condition on our part is twofold: outward, the element of water in Baptism: inward, the questioning of a good conscience to God. Of the type Noah's Ark and the complement of it, in the correspondence of Baptism unto it: elsewhere hath been at large handled. Now further, I observe affirmatively, what saveth: Namely, Christ apprehended by faith, from a good conscience: as being risen, ascended, sitting at God's right hand, subduing Angels and all for thy good. Secondly, I observe negatively what saveth not: namely, the outward washing of Baptism: water of itself, being readier to drown, then to save: seeing of old they baptised with their bodies under 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 necessary and fit to be had, if it may be had after Christ's institution. So that the Prince, Minister, or parent, or whosoever he be, sore offendeth, by whose negligence, or means it is omitted, or cannot be had. For the first, all scripture aimeth only at this point, jesus to be the Christ: all the sacrifices of the old Testament did foresignify it: john did point at him, This lamb takes away the sins of the world: GOD proclaimed it from heaven by an apparition of a Dove, with a celestial oracle, when he was crowned with the holy Ghost: This is my well-beloved sin in whom I am well pleased: that is, Matth. 3.17. I am not pleased in the Prophets, in any holy men or women, not in thee, nor in thy people, O my servant john Baptist, nor in this water of Iorden, but in him I am well pleased, even for all other that believe in his name: 1. john 2.1.2 of him (saith john) If any sin we have an advocate with the father, and he is the propitiation for our sins. Act. 4.12. There is no salvation in any other, no name under heaven, by which we may be saved: no name neither of person, as Angels or Saints: nor yet of other creature, as Water, Bread, or Wine. This I need not to stand upon among Christians: the means of application to us must be thought upon rather, which is by faith unfeigned, which maketh the questioning of a good conscience towards God: here a good conscience well examined is mentioned. But to Timothy and to the Hebrues, it is thus expressed: unto Timothy thus: 1. Tim. 1.5. * The end of the commandment is love out of a pure heart, from a good conscience, and faith unfeigned. Again to the Hebrues thus: Heb. 10.22. * Let us draw near with a true heart in assurance of faith, sprinkled in our hearts from an evil conscience. Then what sanctifieth the conscience? faith. Now a good conscience is here described, to be such an one that maketh such an inquiry into itself, by strait examination, as in God's presence: examination of a good conscience to Godward, though men mislike: So that that is not an ill conscience that sinneth: for than who is free? but that which suffereth sin to lie upon itself unexamined, that flattereth itself, that bolstereth sin in itself and others. Paul would be one among them that stoned Steven, Act. 7.58. Act. 22.20. at least he would keep their garments: if it should come to voices, he would give a voice, Act. 9.1.2.3. yea he put himself to pain to molest men & women that loved the truth, Act. 23.1. Act. 24.16. and yet when he had believed in jesus Christ, he professed before the Council, that he had served GOD in a good conscience. Therefore that is not an evil conscience, always that hath been defiled, but that which lies in the defilement. For if thou risest from sin, this rising, sitting at the right hand of God, this ascension, this subduing of heavenly powers, are for serviceableness unto thee: they be as a bunch tied together to besprinkle thine heart. Thou art clean: even as David professeth of himself, after he had been bathed in pleasure, and been died red as scarlet in the blood of Urias, that if God wash him, Psalm. 51.7. blood itself, and adultery shall be as clean washed off, as though they had never been. A man so scoured shall be as white as snow in his cleanness from the clouds: a man so spotted shall be as clear as the picked, the smooth and clear transparent glass, when the sun beams do shine upon it. Yea but some will say: though with God it be so, that my sins be taken away, Psalm. 51.3. yet my sin is always before me, it runs in my mind, I can have no rest for it. Yet again remember, as the scripture saith, 1. joh. 3.20. Though thy heart condemn thee, yet this Christ so rising, so ascending, so sitting in glory, that Angels that do homage unto him, even as he is man: is greater than thy condemning heart to save thee. And therefore beloved, to the man or woman, whom sin or sathan hath deceived, his own flesh, or the world, I say, let not sin lie unexamined, unquestioned with never examining the heart and rains: but rather still as sin stealeth upon thee, search it out, as with tents we search the bottom of our sores, launce the wound, 1. Cor. 11.31. sit in commission upon thyself, cast thyself, and damn thyself, and thou shalt be saved: if thou dost thus, thou hast the right use of Baptism, of the Supper, of the Word, of Prayer, and all the good that can come to a man by Christ's death, resurrection, ascension, sitting in glory, and power over Angels: thou shalt stop the mouth of Satan: Apoc. 12.10. He is an accuser of the brethren. Do thou therefore step to God before him: when sathan seethe, that thou hast done so much against thyself, by accusing thyself, as he desired to do, he will departed confounded. Lastly, it appeareth that a man that beareth with his own soul in sin, or with others, that winketh at it, that lends them countenance of letter, cloth, good, word, excuses, colours, shifts, that never calleth himself to question, whether he stand in state of grace, in what case he is with God, being frozen in his dregs: this man hath no part with jesus in the holy city, his Baptism washeth him not, his body sprinkled towards men, but not his conscience to God: Christ rose from death, he lies still in sin: Christ sits at God's right hand, he sits upon the seat of wickedness: Christ ascended, & he descendeth downward to hell: Christ hath Angels under him, he devils above him. The 2 part. Now by the way of passage of speech, to the next part, even out of this place, I reason thus: He that saveth us, must have risen from death, ascended into heaven, sit at God's right hand, Angels also to adore him: but no Angel, nor holy man, or woman ever did rise for us, or ascended for us: Baptism hath no such power to raise from death, nor hath itself mounted to heaven, nor hath any place at God's right hand, nor do the Angels worship it. Therefore no salvation of necessity dependeth upon Baptism, though it should be most holily ministered. 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 receiving of them, bring grace to the receiver, unless some enormous sin be upon him, which they term mortal. Another, that children, infants, innocents, if they die without Baptism, they are damned. O cruel sentence, and bloody decree. The first is refuted by that we have said already, that in them that have years, no grace cometh by the sacrament, but a disgrace rather, no good but evil, if there be not a good conscience towards GOD examined, and washed with the fruits of Christ's death and passion. For here are understood the works of his humiliation, as his incarnation, dwelling in the shape of a servant, his crucifying, and such like, though there are touched only four works of his exaltation. And our Apostle saith plainly, though Noah's Ark saved, yet saying that the washing of the flesh saveth not, he seemeth to say, gather not that outward washing saveth. How then say our adversaries, that all are damned that have not Baptism? Test. Rhemis. joh. 3. vers. 5. or do they say so? No not all, say they. Who then? and who not? All infants (say they) that die without Baptism. O pitiful & cruel sentence, whose ears will not tingle at it? infant's who cannot speak, think, or do ill, the child whose flesh is scarce curdled in the womb: whose bones are scarce gristled out of the womb: from the darkness of the womb pass to the utter darkness for ever. Thus speaketh the dragon all gored with blood. Apoc. 12.3. But doth the lamb of God say so also? no doubt this lambs blood extendeth itself even to these little lambs and sucklings. Is there no pardon from this general damnatorie sentence & cruel definitive? are none excepted? Yes, God doth accept them as baptised, who are martyred before they could be baptised, Rhe. in joh. 5. vers. 2. and they that depart this life with desire and vow of Baptism. Only they? Yea only they, who earnestly intent, desire and seek for the same: that is a few, very few O happy & rare case, of them above all others to be singled out unto life. What is their proof that the unbaptized must needs be damned? joh. 3. Unless a man be borne of water and the holy Ghost: This is general, even against all whosoever have not outward water: and if general, why not to martyrs and the other that die with desire of Baptism? But they can make general when they will, Pighius Hierar. eccl. l. 1. c. 4. and special when they will: even as blasphemously they have said of the Word, it is a nose of wax: Linda. in praef. so they make the sacrament a scale of wax. But suppose a Martyr, or a Christian converted, not yet instructed in the doctrine of Baptism, as they that led the Martyrs to death, seeing their patience, faith, zeal, were suddenly converted, and cried out, Christianus sum, I am a Christian, and thereupon suffered with them: how could they desire that, they know not of? were they damned? for this Popish divinity maketh all damned, who in their own persons do not earnestly intend, desire, and seek for Baptism of water, even as earnestly as the proportion of the speech carrieth it: as the man desired to be in the water, john 5.6.7. when it was troubled, and had none to help him. What then became of john Baptist, for who baptised him? He indeed said to Christ, Math. 3 14. I have need to be baptised of thee, and comest thou to me? He desired it: but that is not enough, seeing he lived in a time when he might have had it: john. 3.22. & 4.2. for Christ's Disciples then baptised. Or what shall we say of the Apostles, who seem (Act. 1.5.) to be borne indeed of the spirit, but not of the outward water, except Paul, or Andrew, john 1.36.40. and some that were john's disciples, to have been baptised with the holy Ghost, but not with water? What dare they say of the thief, who was neither Martyr, Acts 9.18. nor yet was so far instructed to desire baptism of water, but by special influence of God's sudden touch of his heart, and lightning of his mind, Luk. 23.42. desired to be with Christ in his kingdom, and obtained that princely paradise? Last of all, seeing themselves confess that the desire of parents, or godfathers, Catech. Trident. as they term them, serveth for to procure grace to children baptised, who have not the wit nor grace yet to ask it: why should not the desire of parents, or friends, who hunger and thirst for the righteousness of God in Baptism, for the infants to be borne, or already borne, and yet dying without baptism, be accepted in God's sight? Themselves, for the innocents, and Martyrs whom Herod tragically murdered in the massacre of Bethlem, and yet they not baptised, nor baptism desired for them, lest of all this baptism of blood, which all lamented, all fathers and mothers cried out upon: themselves I say confess these not only saved, the Test. in Math. 2.16. but gloriously saved, to be Martyrs, and solemnize their feast. And thus the ground and foundation is weak: their building also upon it, pauncheth. In the primitive church of the world, no doubt many children died before the eight day uncircumcised, as David's child begotten in adultery, 2. Sam. 12.18. which died even the seventh day: the greater grief, if it be as they would have it in baptism, that it came so near the just time, and miss the seal of the covenant: as it were a man escaping all shipwreck to die in the port & haven. Likewise the Israelites remained uncircumcised without all desire to have it, counting it a rebuke, because they learned heathenishnes of Egypt, Josh. 5.8. or kept themselves uncircumcised, as meaning to return into Egypt, Num. 14.4. Yet who dare be so peremptory, Baptism the great Circumcision, so called by Epiphanius as to pronounce damnation upon them? for look how baptism answereth circumcision, so the deceasing without baptism should be by suit and proportion, no worse thing than dying without circumcision. Unless a man will say, that the state of the Gospel hath less mercy and pity then the law, and that it went harder with infants under Christ, than infants under Moses, seeing Christ also became an infant, to save and redeem infants: seeing also on them by Herod was laid the first testimony, that the world should hate the Lord jesus, even yet, as it were a babe and suckling, Math. 3.16. and that unto death. Add hereunto that seeing the Lord appointed a set time to circumcision, Gen. 17.12. which was hard and dangerous, somewhat for life, * Goe 34.25. in the Sichemites who were soar for the cutting three days and not able to defend themselves. I mean the eight day, and designed no certain time to baptise, that seeing it is freer for disposing of, that least of all necessity dependeth upon it: whereas if the 2 or 3. * As some in Cyp. time. l. 3. cp. 8. ep. the 7. or 8. day had been appointed or such like, than the deferring of baptism beyond that time, had been great offence: but the departing of the child before that time no disparagement to salvation. Lombard l. 4. sent. dist. 2. ca si vero. Indeed Lombard the master of the sentences, that is of the sententious & positive divinity, (out of whom they gather their tenants & conclusions) giveth damnatory sentence upon infants that die without circumcision, as upon them that die without baptism. But here he is noted with a black coa●e of dislike. None commonly hold with master Lombard in this: Magister hic non tenetur. only our countryman Beda thinking that very hard, doth labour to salve & qualify it thus: that in time of necessity of death, they circumcised peradventure before the 8. day without offence. But who dare pluck up the stakes of the time appointed by God, Quaest. 3, de Baptismo. or remove them? It is but a fancy. The jesuits in their controversies, yield the infants of the jews that were prevented by death before the 8. day, to be saved: because they say, God set down this time. Whereas the liberty that it is arbitrary to the church, when to administer baptism, so no neglect be of that holy seal, argueth rather, that the prevention of it should be no more prejudicial to the saving of thy child unbaptized, then of it uncircumcised. And the other reason which the jesuits give, why jewish infants might be saved without circumcision: namely, that the parents prayers and offerings might be a remedy to secure them, will serve for the infants unbaptized, if they mean of prayers before death: namely, that the devotion of the godly, of godly parents, who many times pray, exercise devotion in their hearts for their babe unseen, (as job for his alive, job. 1.5. Gen. 25.22. as Rebecca went to the Lord for the babes in the womb) that it may have life, the mother a good hour: that it may prove the servant of God: shall be as available for their children, as the offerings of the jews for their uncircumcised. But see the force of truth, how great it is, that it maketh stiff adversaries to yield somewhat, namely that by privilege and dispensation infants unbaptized may be saved, for so at last they say. Gen. 15.6. But we prove more than a special privilege: Abraham before the law was justified by faith: Rom. 4 3. even while he was yet uncircumcised. john the baptist, Luke 1.15. jere. 1.5. in the womb was filled with the holy Ghost: jeremy uncircumcised was sanctified from his mother's womb: so Paul unbaptized was sanctified also from the womb: Gal. 1.15. if Moses and jeremy had died without circumcision, had they been damned? if john Baptist and Paul had died in the womb, had they perished? God forbidden: where then is absolute necessity? Therefore indeed salvation dependeth upon God's election of old, Ephes. 1.4.5. Rom. 9.21.22. when in his everlasting counsel, seeing a ruin like to come upon all, he sorted the souls of men and women, some to mercy, some to wrath: and this election remaineth sure and unmovable in his church having this seal, not that man knoweth by baptism, or not baptism, 2. Tim. 2.19, who are his absolutely: but * this the Lord knoweth who are his: so that indeed the holding of the necessity of baptism to salvation overthroweth God's election, destroyeth his omnipotency, and the freeness of his purpose from everlasting. Of jacob God saith, Him I have loved: Rom. 9.13. in him is understood the corpse of the faithful, the commonalty of the saints. God's love is no fancy that want of baptism may break off▪ for than it were a heavy case, that the negligence or contempt of the parent or minister should debar the helpless child from the society of salvation. Esau hated of God: in him is understood the brood and spawn of the wicked: therefore salvation dependeth upon God's acceptance, and receiving into favour, and not upon the outward element of water, even ritually and formally administered: for to say that water hath this power, it is to deify it, to make it God, to make it an Idol, to sacrifice to it, and to bring up again a Neptune, a God of the water with the gentiles. Therefore neither had jacob perished if he had died in the womb, seeing GOD spread his banner of love over him: neither Esau was saved, because he lived till his foreskin was done away, seeing the Lord had no liking to him. The scripture is rich in examples of God's favour before any touch of Sacraments, besides these already touched, the children of the Hebrues, (also as it is charitable and probable to think, David's child,) Abraham, jacob, jeremy, john Baptist, the Apostles, Paul, the thief upon the cross, whom all the scripture commendeth; to leave the uncertain, as Nicodemus, joseph of Arimathia, Gamaleel, etc., Before any sacrament received: * Luk. 19.9. of Zacheus it is said, This day is salvation come into thy house, O Zache: this day, not the day of his baptism: so the * Act. 8.37. Eunuch accepted to God by faith before his baptism: so Cornelius a man that feared God before his baptism: so Lydias heart 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 baptism: so the jailor in the same place: so Mary Magdelene that was carried to sin as if 7. devils drove the tide, with wind and sail: Luk. 17.50. Her faith saved her, as Christ saith, not her baptism, unless you say she baptised herself with her tears: which though they were holy and precious water, fit to be preserved in God's bottle, Psalm. 56.8. falling from her humbled cheeks, and a contrite heart which God wiped with his mercy: which had many sins forgiven, because she loved much: yet they are not this actual baptism of water which we speak of. So saith Hierome of Asella, sanctified from the womb. And in deed the very use of the Sacraments which we give and afford the elect only as we hope, proveth a non necessity of salvation in them and by them. For why are children baptised, 1. Cor. 7.11.14. because they are holy, though only one parent should believe: how holy? and who holy? how holy, * Quaest. 3 de bapt. necess. not as the jesuits imagine holy, that is legitimate, no bastard: but holy, because of the glorious profession of jesus Christ, because of the covenant of grace: Gen. 17 7. Act 2.39. I will be thy GOD and the God of thy seed. Who holy? only the baptised children of the christians: no, it is generally and universally said your children: as likewise of the whole jewish race it is spoken, the root being holy, Rom 11.16. so are the branches. And why are the grown and them of discretion baptised? is it not that we see some reason to seal unto them God's mercy? for baptism is a s●●●e as was circumcision. Rom. 4.11. Now as among men the conditions are agreed upon, than the seal annexed: so God receiveth into covenant, and then sealeth. Men possess their cattle and instruments, and then mark them: they choose and levy soldiers, & then give them priest money: And yet as with a good landlord, the right of my tenement ceaseth not, having the promise of a faithful man, though the father should die, without sealing unto me, seeing an honest son cometh in place, who will be a seal unto his father's words: so though GOD the father should prevent us of baptism, yet in that he hath promised a state of life to me and mine in his son he will seal it to us, for him hath the father * joh. 6.27. sealed. An honest soldier will venture his life in the battles of the lord, though he had not his priest money. The claim of the owner is good, though no actual mark should be upon his good. This is the mark of God's children, Beza confess. c. 4. s. 48. de bapt. infant. Chytreus Bern. ser. 66. in Cant. Au l. 1. de peccat. meritis. Pet Martyr. lo. come. clas. 4. c. 8. sect 7. Zuinglius. de Baptismo. pag. 68 tom. 2. The Lord knoweth who are his. Now if children in the womb as john Baptist, or before baptism, and in their infancy have faith, as divers think, or have the spirit of God as others, seeing they are parts of the Church as woo all profess, and members of the body of Christ, as we all say, how can they perish? none can take his sheep, nay not the least lamb of a day old, john 10.29. nay not yet eaned nor brought into the world, out of his hand, though Satan should stand by to devour it upon the very birth, Apoc. 12.4.5. as he did once, for the child the very son of God, which was taken up to God's throne. And why may it not be, that as in earthly paradise, so in the heavenly Church? Gen. 1.11.12. As there are some trees and herbs seeding, some budding, some bearing fruit: so in the heavenly paradise on earth, the Church, some of God's servants in the womb, some budding out, some new washed, as it were from the pools. If the first Adam could bring an everlasting taint upon them, shall not the baptism and death of the second Adam wipe it out? The infant cannot reason, yet it hath the seed of reason, as it hath a soul, though it know not so much of itself. Thus some argue: May it not have 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 stamp of that heavenly seal, that the child is assumpted into the association and fellowship of the blessed Trinity, Matth. 28.19. into whose name it is baptised? Children 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 kingdom of God. If theirs be the kingdom of God, then are they clean: Apoc. 21.27. for no unclean thing may come in his pure sight. Now what maketh clean, but faith and God's spirit? their hearts being purified alike by faith. Act. 15.9. The working of God's spirit, is like the insensible piercing of the wind, joh. 5.8. which getteth in no man knoweth how. And may it not get in into the hearts of little children? if their children be holy, who can sanctify them, but the sanctifier? 1. Cor. 6 11. why may not Gods spirit his wind get into them? and if they be sanctified, than not damned. Wherefore these speeches of the child unbaptized: It is an heathen, an infidel, it is damned, I would not have my child in the like case, for millions: are speeches indeed heathenish, full of infidelity, of rash judgement, & uncharitableness; not only by damnatory speeches against the dead: but against the living God, that hath taken them away as he would. Doth not the spirit speak better things? Luk. 6.37. judge not, and thou shalt not be judged: condemn not, and thou shalt not be condemned: nay acquit, assoil, deliver, and thou shalt have a measure of such merciful construction measured unto thee: not as thou usest to do, sparingly, straight by the brims of the measure: but with a measure pressed down, shaken together, and running over. And yet Protestants speak so. So natural a thing is Popery, so quickly do we drink in error before we be taught it. Ephe. 4.20. Have we so learned Christ? are his laws so full of ruefulnes? Of Draco the lawgiver it is written, that all his laws were death: death if thou do this, death if thou do not that, still the fatal noise of death ended the law. Therefore they note the pen to drop cruelty, the ink and writing to be blood. But Christ is no Draco, a Dragon: joh. 1.29. He is a lamb that takes away the sins of the whole world, a world of sins: much more this lamb of God to heal these little lambs of his flock. His laws are not laws of Draco, they speak peace: Heb. 12.24. his blood crieth better things than the blood of Abel: for that crieth vengeance upon Cain his brother. Gen. 4.10. But Christ's blood crieth with a strong voice as of a mighty Angel: my blood for all blood: Rom. 5.10. my body for all sin, even of mine enemies. This were to make Christ an Herode: for Herode sent out his men of war to slay and murder most butcherly, infants from two years old downward, Matth 2.16. among whom were some uncircumcised: then Rachel in Rama lifts up bitter voices of lamentation; no comfort: they are not. Indeed if Christ were not a Herald of peace rather, than a Herod, and that he sent out his messengers of war, as death and grave to devour, the devil and hell to damn the unbaptized: then indeed might Rachel lift up her voice, & put on her mourning weed: then every mother and father, sister and brother, might howl and weep, and answer one an other with doleful echoes and remediless complaints, no comfort, no consolation, because they are not: nay, because they are, that is, they are in endless sorrow: for better it were not to be at all. But blessed be God who hath sealed a better covenant: Gen. 17.7. With thee and thy seed I make my covenant: blessed be God who hath cleared our comfort: 1. Cor. 7.11.14 Esay. 9.6. Your children are holy: Blessed be God that concerning the child borne in Esai, hath caused heaven and earth to hear a better melody from an army of heavenly soldiers: Luk. 2.14. Glory to God on high, peace on earth below, good will towards men. Do I speak this alone? do not likewise the general voice and language of Canaan, Nehe. 13.24. Esay. 19.18. I mean the Israel of God, speak so? Doth our Church alone think so? and doth not other Churches make up the harmony? Roger's in the English Creed set out by authority, pag. 33. par. 2 art. 25 The Creed 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 Baptism, are assuredly damned: So doth two confessions of Switzerland, the confession of the Church of Bohemia, the Protestant Church of France, so of Flanders, so of Auspurge, so of Saxony, and Sweveland, which may be seen more at large in the book of the Harmony of confessions. Alanus Cope reckoneth this up as one of our errors in England: Dial 6. cap. 9 Infants before they are baptised, to belong to the people of GOD And to this agreeth most sound even he which hath now, by the disposition of God, the chief place in this Church, In his reply in the great volume pag. 516. and professeth that he misliketh the opinion of these, who think out of joh. 3. infants to be condemned, being not baptised as much as any. It shall be ambition to muster the names of them who have 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 provid. Dei. c. 6. tom. 1. pa. 369. Beza at Geneva: certainly Zuinglius at Zurich, calleth them sacramentaries who attribute so much grace to the sacrament, so much virtue to Baptism of itself. Such a cloud of witnesses hath this truth, and this is not only the consent of the later Churches, but even a long hath testimony from this Apostle, Baptism saveth, but I mean not sayeth he, the washing of the water, but the examination of a good conscience towards God. Ephe. 5.26. The Apostle Paul saith, Christ gave himself for the Church to sanctify it by the laver of water: but how? through the word. Psalm. 8.2. In David's time the Church professeth GOD'S praise, out of the mouth of sucklings: In the primitive Church the Cathecumen the not baptised not only saved, but glorified as Martyrs: such an one was Heraclides Origens' scholar, beheaded under Severus: and Rhais a woman, whom Origen saith, to have obtained Baptism by fire. Cyp epist. ad lubia. Cyprian about the 260. year after Christ, professeth that not only suffering for Christ, De conse. distinc. 4. ca Baptismi. but faith and conversion of the heart supplieth the want of Baptism. The council of Nice saith, our Baptism is not to be considered with sensible eyes, but with the eyes of the mind. Ambros. in sine Ora. sunes. de obitu Valen. Ambrose about 380. year after Christ saith of Valentinian the Emperor, who died without Baptism: Christ baptised him when men's offices failed: again, his faith washed him. Saint Austen, Aug. in l. de side ad Petrum. though he is alone almost except them that survived in his own age in the necessity of Sacraments, making out of the sixth of john a necessity of the supper even for infants: joh. 6.53. because it is said, Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you have no life in you: contrary to the rule of the Apostle, that none should eat but they who can examine themselves: 1. Cor. 11.23. yet in divers places where God assisted him more, and he remembered himself, Aug. l. 13. de civit. Dei. ca 7. he yielded also to this truth, making faith and a contrite spirit to be in stead of Baptism, for thus he saith, he that said: Unless a man be borne of water and the spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God, joh. 3. said as generally: He that confesseth me before men, Luk. 12.8. I will confess him before my Father and the holy Angels: And again, Luk. 9.24. He that loseth his life, shall save it: and again, Psal. 116.15. Precious is the death of the Saints in the sight of God. Nay he rather commendeth them that die sometimes without Baptism, for others for fear of death defer not their baptism further: but these for love to God defer to live longer, he exemplifieth also in the thief: and * Aug. lib. 4. de baptis. in don. cap. 24. again, then is Baptism fulfilled, when not the contempt of religion, but when the instant or moment of necessity excludeth from visible Baptism. * Serm ad infants. Again, none is deprived of the benefit of the sacrament, so long as he findeth in himself the thing which the sacrament signifieth: again, among whom do you reckon children unbaptized? verily among believers. Aug de verbis Apostoli. ser. 14. So. l. 3. de quaest. vet. test. The invisible sanctification may be without the visible sign, as the visible sign without the true sanctification. * In serm. de 40. Martyribus Basile saith of the jailor or keeper of the 40. Martyrs, who became a Martyr: he was baptised by his own faith, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. not by the hand of another: not in water, but in his own blood. Hieromes judgement of Asella we heard above. Yet the diversity of customs and practice of old is strange herein with the multitude of human inventions crept in even in the primitive church, that we may bless God for this purity of Baptism which we enjoy. De consecr. dist 4. cap. non ratione & in seq Terrul de Baptis dutiusculè loquitur. For they used only solemn times for baptizing, as Easter at Rome, by Victor's constitution, at Easter and Pentecost in Tertullians' time: or the time of marriage, or at their dying day, or on the feast of the Epiphany, as in Asia insomuch that as Christ at 30. years of age was baptised: Baptism more sincerely performed now then of old. so Gregory at 30. years old, though his father were a Bishop. So Austen about the same time, so Ambrose a Bishop elect before he was baptised, and in a Synod of Rome 40 years are appointed, except for the sick, In 4. Orat. de. Lavac. sanct. and great with child, who might at all other times be baptised And Nazianzene appointed the 4. year, when they could give a reason of their faith: so that when a man once departeth from this, that any thing saveth, speedy Baptism, or Baptism deferred: Baptism or no Baptism, nay prayer or no prayer, word or no word, when any thing saveth, but this only Saviour Christ, who rose, ascended, reigneth over men and Angels, one error increaseth upon another, one invention accrueth upon his former: hence came the cross: * Origen. ho. 2. in Psal. 38. Tertul. de resur. Cyp. de haer. bapt. hence a kiss in Baptism, l. 3. ep. 8. Cyp. hence a ring. Tertul. l. de pudicitia. hence to have oil, * Tertul. de Cor. mil. & l. x. contr. Mar. Hiero. ad Lucifer. and milk, and honey in Baptism, not to wash all the weak after Baptism: as nice men wash not after the trimming a while from the barber. Even Constantine the good Emperor superstitiously desired to be baptised in jordan, as Naaman would carry some earth from thence (whereas he should have carried water rather, 2. King. 5. ●7. but that superstition is foolish) which yet Constantine obtained not, but was baptised at Nicomedia feared by death to defer it further. Hence it came that they deferred Baptism till death, that all sins might be forgiven at once, and grew to baptizing by * De consec. dist. 4. ca constat. & in seq. lay people, & women, & sometime to approve Baptism with sand: and yet the story of a jew baptized with sand, Niceph. l. 3. c. 37. who after had water added to him avoweth their fear to departed from the institution. So good a thing is it to stick to the pure & unmeddled beginning of word and sacraments, to look to the originals and clear fountains. God ordained it pure and in simplicity, without mixture of additaments, Eccle ●. 31. but men found out many inventions, as the scripture speaketh in another case, how good then is it to give that unto God which is due unto God, that unto the creature which is due unto it, that unto Baptism which appertaineth unto it? The Synod of Neocaesaraea noteth these errors by the consent of 17. Bishop's: he that is baptised in sickness not to be admitted to the office of any * Ad Presbyterium. Euseb. l. 6 c. 43 ministration in the Church. * Epist. 77. ad Hugo. Bernard in a long Epistle, proveth in his time that this truth continued until his time, proving that not the absence but contempt of Baptism condemneth. And this is not only the voice in Zion, Babylon heard of it, & the strength of the truth hath made divers of them to yield, and hath provoked one against another. Tho. Par. ●. q. ●8 art. 3. Their Thomas who said more for Popery then them all, though as pitch he defile holy Baptism, and many other holy things wherewith he meddled: yet saith he, a man expecting the set time of the Church for Baptism, though he be prevented by death, he is saved. Bellarmine (Reader of Rome) Quaest. de Baptis. in his Dictates is greatly troubled not with answering us, but with Caietane, the flower of their Cardinals, with Gerson Chancellor of Paris, with Titleman a devout Papist: that as Christ wrong out testimony from Satan, so hath the truth in this point set falsehood upon the rack, and made it confess. Nay, these Papists being urged but by their own consideration of the matter, they leave a sound testimony. So doth Biell a great schoolman: So doth Alzimoney discourse, Tract. de Baptis. a diligent & learned writer on their side, saying: Necessary is twofold, either absolute, as meat for life, or as convenient, and fit to achieve our purpose, as the horse for the end of our journey. Baptism is necessary this last way. So that the adversary gives judgement on our side: so great a consent hath this truth: such a peal of voices God hath raised to repeal the bloody Herodian decree of Rome: so strong a cry of Churches near and far off, at home and abroad, of later and more ancient, of Scriptures, Counsels and Fathers, friends and enemies, crying out upon them that menace hell and death and wrath to the babes unwashed, who measure so hard a measure to poor infants, as because they enjoy little of this life, they must lose all the next life, not heaven, but a hell, no honour of burial, but to be buried separately, as though they should infect the rest. And yet see pitiful hearts in the midst of cruelty some drop of mercy, Limbus infantum. an easy hell, a brim of hell, not so bad as the damned is the hell for these forlorn innocents, a hell not so bad as for the actual sinners. Who saith so? Bellar de purge. lib. 2. ca 6. col. 790. A. in mayor. ●olum. Bellarmine, Florence Council, Innocentius the 3. the Schoolmen: but no more: and these be their proofs: As if one should say, a corrupt upstart judge, his court, bench, and a pack of false Notaries: but none of them having any grey hair of antiquitic. This admiration of the effect of Baptism, and thus to be enamoured upon the element, made the heretics Martion and his, Tertul. lib. 1. & 4. in Martion. Philastr. and the Cataphrygians and theirs, to baptise even the dead: even as the Papists baptise even bells, and that not by mean Ministers, but even by Bishops. O foolish & mad generation: But have they no reason for it? Yes, they make a show of miracle, of Scripture, of Fathers. That they may seem to be mad with reason, Scripture, Fathers, miracles: Miracles out of Euodius: Scriptures especially 2: john 3. Mark 16.16. Fathers among the ancient, especially Austin. I myself have in this argument alleged Fathers, contrary to my ordinary use, seeing indeed God's voice alone should be heard. 2. Cor. 10 13. But to let you see the line of exposition, that I go not alone in a singularity, but have the consent of the Pastors of other ages and Churches. Alanus Cope telleth a fabulous miracle to prove it: A woman whose son died unbaptized, brings him dead before the memory of S. Steven, moaning that she had lost her child in this life and in the life to come: Suddenly life enters into him, a Priest is sent for, the child was baptised, and presently died again. O spirit of witchery which maketh them to trust lying fables: for first of all himself letteth fall somewhat that staineth his witness: he saith in Augustine's sermons of late imprinted at jovaine, The book not written by Eudius' ●ut to him. two clauses to too unindifferent to condemn millions of infants: The miracle a night witness: Alanus Copus Dal. 3. cap 25. the testimony upstart. Why of late printed? Why at Louvain? Secondly, herein they bewray that the voice of God hath nothing against these babes: seeing as Christ said to the woman, when none durst condemn her, john 8. Neither do I condemn thee: So when Christ condemns them not, that they must set testimonies from faults & sepulchres, and from the withered bones of the dead men. But yet these little ones, their bones are not bruised: Mark. 10.14. theirs also is the kingdom of God. For thirdly, why did not the mother carry it to his own grave, and not to S. Steuens tomb? or rather, why did she at all bring a damned carcase within hallowed ground, against their custom? and good reason if for ever, it be God's enemy, a damned miscreant, why should it have the honour of burial? Fourthly, if it were damned before, & the soul gone to hell: is there redemption from hell, against all truth, and their own judgement? Fiftly, why presently a Priest sent for? might she not think the same power that restored life to her child, able to preserve him in life? or was not the life quite gone at all, and this devise taken up by compact to nourish superstitious minds, or if it must needs be presently baptised, because this their false Saint Steven gave it such a weak deadly life, that would not hold out, why might not herself, or some woman present (for it is not improbable others also to have gone with her in neighbourhood or superstition) according to their doctrine, have baptised it: but they must tarry the time till a Priest come, who hold in their good divinity in such a case of necessity, that even women may do it: or lastly, why did she not go to Saint Steven for a second life? But liars and inventors have no absolute good memories: let us come to their scriptures, they are two: the first, joh. 3 5. Except a man be borne of water & the spirit, he cannot see the kingdom of God. This place necessarily inferreth say they, the necessity of baptism. Why? the words; are plain, and yet if so, it is as plain for them that use a hot 〈…〉. Iron in Baptism, not to go from this matter, for example, because it is said, Christ shall baptise with the holy Ghost & with fire: and not to go from this place, it is as plain for an old man to be borne again: so plain that ●●●●…enus once mistook it, though a master in Israel. But to come to the meaning: doth water signify here of necessity, the element of water used in Baptism: how know they that? for in the former chapter no occasion is given to speak of Baptism, nor in the beginning of this. And secondly, Christ seemeth rather to tell what is necessary for men in years, who can make profession as Nicodemus who dissembled, then for infants: neither is any mention made of Baptism all the time of his abode in Galilee, where he was at the marriage, or whilst he was at jerusalem, where this speech seemeth to be until he came into jury, vers. 22. As though Christ said: thou wouldst learn the way to heaven, & thou knowest it in part already, that I am a teacher come from God, vers. 1. And yet thou haltest in the day between two, and goest upright in the night only: but I tell thee, I being a true teacher tell thee that thou must walk as a child of the day, thou must be borne again, that is, be renewed in the spirit of thy mind to be of another judgement, even to profess the name of God openly, else thou canst not see the kingdom of God: Unless thou show thyself to be in my kingdom of the Gospel by open profession on earth, thou canst not see my kingdom above: vers. 3. Except a man, that is, of such a judgement as thou already art, and all natural men be, vers. 4. be borne again and altered in the spirit, they cannot see the kingdom of God. When he marveled what it was to be borne again, Christ expoundeth it thus: I say, unless he be borne again of water and the spirit: making it all one to be borne again of the spirit and of water: and the spirit, making it all one to be borne again of one of them and of them both: and which is the more exclusive? for that which he had said 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 us, in sanctifying us, in renewing us. For he saith, Unless a man be borne of water and the spirit: which to be the meaning, the tenor and passage of all the speech had with Nicodemus, showeth, as first the opposing of earthly birth, and spiritual, verse 6. That which is borne of flesh, is flesh: which sentence proveth rather, that water saveth not: as though fleshly, earthly, and carnal things can go no further than flesh, earth, nor have no further effects: A man's soul is a spirit: water an elementary body: an earthly thing can not purge a spiritual substance: no proportion between the agent & patiented, the doer and sufferer: even as of old the blood of beasts could not take away sins, Heb. 10.1.2.3. so not now the washing of water can take away sin. Secondly, the ascribing of the means to God's free-will, vers. 8. and his love, vers. 16. by the work of the spirit, and incarnation of the son, vers. 13. telling the hardness of it, vers. 8.11.12. whereas outward washing is easy: finally, in that verse 18. Christ maketh faith the means of salvation, and not faith damnation: He that believeth is saved: he that believeth not is damned. So that unless a man will say that infants have faith, this toucheth infants nothing at all: and if they have faith, than those only saved, who have this faith by the gift of God. So that this general rule, Except, proveth this: that without conversion of heart, and renewing of the spirit of our mind inwardly, there is no salvation. And that by water is meant God's spirit; the fruits, the graces of it, many scriptures declare, especially in the style and phrase of Christ himself in this Evangelist: in the next chapter, vers. 14. He that drinketh of the water which I give, shall never thirst: for Baptism is not generally a well of water to everlasting life, therefore it is meant of God's spirit: & the miracle of Christ healing without water, john 5. declareth that the element ought not to be in that credit. So john 7.39. He that believeth, rivers of water of life shall flow out of his belly. But if any man ask: how will you prove water to signify the spirit here? I answer, even hence, vers. 39 This he said of the spirit: It also hath the accord of the old Testament, so Iere. 2.3.10. Ezech. 36.25. Esai. 4.4. The Lord shall wash the filthiness of Zion, with the spirit of judgement and burning. Lastly, I ask whether if this proposition, vers. 5 be general exclusive, Except a man be borne of water and the spirit, etc. why the former proposition, verse 3. which is first by nature, consisting of as general terms in art: Except a man be borne of the spirit, etc. be not as general: which if it be, and what reason can be showed to the contrary, than it being also general and exclusive, why should it not shut out the necessity of material water? Here also if absolutely material water be understood, than no Martyr saved without it, not the thief on the cross, not the Apostles unbaptized, not the good Emperor Valentinian, and many other who in prison, or war desire it. The other place, Mark. 16.16. answereth itself, ascribing all to faith, for having said, He that believeth and is baptised shall be saved: addeth strait way to prevent error, but he that believeth not, and not he that is not baptised, shall be damned. Now as for Austen, it is true that he in the matter of the sacraments necessity, yea in both of them made it an exigence of necessity, both to be performed: so that as upon this place, he groundeth though falsely as upon a foundation of water, the necessity of Baptism, so upon the next place, joh. 6.53. Unless ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. Not only he but Innocentius & all that age almost ground a necessity of the Supper, insomuch that they gave it to infants contrary to the rule of Paul, Let a man examine himself, etc. & the meaning of this place, which is of the spiritual receiving of Christ and incorporating into him by the spirit in general, and in particular by the means of the spirit working in the word, in Baptism, or in the Supper, or in whatsoever. Fitly is it said to this purpose by Saint Hierome in Psalm. 147. When we hear the word of the Lord, the flesh of Christ and his blood is powered in at our ears. Let us now come to the use, The third and last part. comfort, end, and necessity of Baptism: which though it be not absolutely, & simply necessary, yet in his due place and time, if it may be had according to Christ's institution, cannot be neglected, without great sin. For herein of divers men there are divers extremities: as of the most of the Papists, who make it absolutely necessary: so of the Manichees on the other side, who generally cut off all signs, Aug. in Faustum. lib. 19 because they making God not to be the author of these sensible and earthly things, thereupon inferred, that the worship by these earthly things could not be grateful to him. So the Cathatists, who because God is a spirit, and men must worship him in spirit, rejected all help of earthly means. And last of all, Aug. haer. 88 the Pelagians who because they exempt men from original sin, do think Baptism needles, to purge that which is not: wherein you may first see the notable, wilful, and spiteful malice of the Rhemists, who in john 3.5. join the Caluinists and Pelagians together, as both promising alike life eternal to children dying without Baptism: when as they differ as hell and heaven in the causes of salvation. For Caluin acknowledgeth children to be under original sin: Pelagius did not: yet Caluin thinketh not the elect of God to perish, if in some case they be prevented of outward Baptism. Lastly of Anabaptists, who would not have infants baptised, but them of years: against whom at this time, beside that which is said above, this may be sufficient: that seeing children have sin, they ought to be washed: and seeing they belong unto GOD, they ought to be sealed. As for the Manichees, seeing we acknowledge the same Lord Creator of heaven and earth, one God maker of both, the same almighty and most holy spirit to have made the greatest Angel and most despised worm: and that he made all things good, and to a most excellent end, that therefore both against them and the Catharists, 1. Tim. 4.8. though it be true that bodily exercise profiteth little; as washing by water, taking of bread and wine, much reading, much repeating of prayer, much hearing and sitting by it to hear, much preaching also, unless the spirit also concur and our inward desire: yet as God made body and spirit, and therefore must be glorified in both: so seeing he made both visible and invisible things, both spiritual and corporal things, both serve for his glory, both are helpers of our faith; if first we remember, that we use them, when we have the express word of God for them. As because the Lord biddeth us baptise with water: therefore in doing so we build upon the rock: and we think we should tempt GOD, if when he should teach us the washing away of our sins in Christ, by the pouring on of water, we should refuse such a comfortable and lively representation, and deserve to hear the check that K. Achaz had, Esai. 7.11.12. who being in weakness of faith when jerusalem was besieged, would not ask a sign, when the offer was made in Christ, but was reproved as one not that despised the minister and bringer of the sign, but had grieved the God of the minister, and author of that sign. Is it a small thing to grieve men, Esay. 7.11. but you must also grieve my God? saith Esay. The defeating of Baptism seemeth to come three ways: one by open contempt and despising of God's wisdom in it: Heathenish and profane men cannot tell what to make of the sprinkling of water, nor of the blessing of it in the name of the blessed trinity, as the Infidels, and Atheists, and Paynims do unto this day, being ignorant that Christ Matth. 28. when he ordained Baptism, said: All power in heaven and earth is given unto me, go and baptise, I am with you for ever: So that here is not naked water, or the bare clement, or a few words repeated: but here is the power of God with it, his wisdom to establish it, his constancy to avow it, his holiness to sanctify it, his mercy to bless it: so that as an odd thing, or new thing they which despise it, despise not man's advise, but God's counsel against themselves, Luk. 7.30. as did the pharisees. And he that will not follow God's counsel, how shall he thrive, though all the heads in the world should devise for him? Another disappointment of Baptism cometh by negligence, as in the people of Israel intermitting circumcision for 40. years, Exod. 4.24. as in Moses, who no doubt acknowledged God's ordinance for circumcision, and yet either having learned Egyptian or Midianitish manners, or to please his wife, deferred to do it, so that God had like to destroyed him in the Inn for it. Which I would have parents consider, that defer their children's baptism from Lord's day to Lords day, and from one time of assembly to another, for no end but to get such and such witnesses, such and such furniture of their houses, and such other complement, and outward circumstances, till death strike their children: which sin though the Lord may remit them, yet their comfort cannot be so great, as if they had taken the due time which the Lord offered them: seeing by their means it cometh to pass, when Minister and place and time and all did concur, they only were wanting, by the sin of omission: which thing governors Ecclesiastical are to look unto, lest that if every man by this example should defer if death should intercept, Anabaptistrie might creep in and scarce any child be baptised. The Primitive Church suffered them to want an honourable burial, Concil. 1. Braccar. who deferred their baptism. Of the third defeatement of Baptism, by unavoidable necessity, we have spoken at large, when either the child is prevented by death in the womb, or out of the womb: either by negligence or contempt in parents and friends, as in these two last cases: or when parents and minister, and all are willing, death creepeth in and preventeth both. Such occurrents may be matter of meditation to parents, and Ministers, and the whole people, of the suddenness of death, of the uncertain joy and stay of posterity, that he suffereth us to beget, but not to possess; to have a sight of our babes, and then suddenly taketh them to himself; of God's almightiness, that he doth what he will, and that sometimes he saveth with means, sometimes without means, as sometimes damneth with means, sometimes without means: but yet not so that any of these accidents overthrow the election of God. What then establisheth the substance of Baptism? what overthroweth it? Here we must consider the institution: Matth. 28. Go: Who? The Minister: Do what? baptise, that is, power on the water, or dip it in water: Whom? all nations, that is men, not bells, etc. How? not in the name of the water, or power of it, or any other name in heaven or earth: but of the blessed Trinity. So that a Midwife to baptise, or a private man, to whom it was never said, Go, and baptise: likewise to use sand, as sometime hath been, or some other liquor: * As oil and water, by Haeret. I●●n. ib. 1. cap. 18. also to apply it to bells, & then forsooth Bishops alone must do it, as the Papists use: and lastly not to do it in the name & power and virtue of the Trinity, I take it to be the violating of the Lords institution: in which kinds we ought to refuse it. But if other circumstances only be annexed or not accompany it, Eccle. 7.31. as it may be truly said of this sacrament: (God made it simple and righteous, and uncompounde, but man found out many inventions) these things may a little exercise our zeal and faith and patience: but they cannot abridge the counsel of God in thee and thine: and therefore if thou mayst have it without the additamentes of men, the better it is: if not, yet the seal of God remaineth sure, they shall bear their iniquity of stubble, so mean a matter built upon so good a foundation that have brought it up, or maintain it: until God purge them by his trial of fire, as in the word, so in the sacrament, * 1. Cor. 3.15. when as the stubble shall vanish, but the good foundation shall save them. Do thou as much as thou canst communicate with God in his institution: for as we are to desire not only the milk of the word, 1. Peter 2.2. but the sincere milk of it: so in the Lords seal, we ought rather to take his engraving alone then any characters of man. And to draw to an end, I would not only have men peremptory for the Sacrament, but for the word also, which is the life of the Sacrament: what is water without the word, but water? therefore if the neglect or the contempt of the Sacrament be a sin, is not the despising of the word, and neglect of it a sin also? because many are wonderful passionate, The necessity of the word to be thought on, as of Baptism if God himself prevent of Baptism, but themselves for themselves and others, are nothing compassionate: making no care nor conscience of their assiduity and diligence to hear the word. Surely the word hath saved without Baptism, but baptism without the word never: joh. 15.3. You are clean because of the word: and that you may know the words despising hath power to damn also, consider what the scripture saith, joh. 12.48. The word shall judge you: and again, He that despiseth the word his prayer is abominable: Prou. 28.9. and again, Math. 10.40. He that rejecteth the Preacher, rejecteth him that sent him, which is the Lord: and again, Faith cometh by hearing, Rom. 10.14. Rom. 14.23. which faith alone pleaseth God. Christ Math. 23.16. calls the Pharisees blind guides, fools and blind: because they counted it sin to swear by the gold of the Temple, but by the Temple to swear was nothing: so to swear by the Altar, nothing, but by the offering upon the Altar a sin. Now fools and blind, which is greater, gold or Temple, Altar or offering? For the Temple containeth God that dwelleth in it: the Altar, that is God worshipped at it. So let the despisers of the word either vanish & wonder, Act. 13.31. for God's work upon their blindness that can see a mote of contempt in Baptism, and not the beam of contempt in the word, or else acknowledge their blindness: Baptism is as gold, it is as a holy offering: but yet the word sanctifieth it, and if it be not offered as it were upon the holy Altar of the word, this gold becometh dross, because there wanteth God's word, as fire to try it: & though it be the offering of the fruit of thy body, thine own flesh to the Lord, yet unless thou do it as the Lord hath commanded, there is a savour of death in it, and not of life: The proportion must be kept, Leuit. 17.4 In sacrifices disobedience is as murder: and why not in sacraments? Wherefore beloved, let us not despise Baptism, let us not despise the word: Baptism is good, and holy, and comfortable with the word, the word is wholesome, and comfortable in his place, with Baptism and without it, let us get a spirit of discerning spirits, to distinguish between outward washing and inward, between the leaven of popery, who sour the sweet water of baptism & make it Marah, let us rather season it with casting in some part of the tree of life, 2. King. 2.21. as Eliza did to the waters of jericho, and healed the land from untimely birth. Let us preserve a good conscience by communing with our hearts daily examined, so shall neither we, nor our church have untimely birth for salvation, as they had in jericho: so shall not Baptism be unfruitful to us, but be laden with all the benefits of Christ's resurrection, ascension, glory at God's right hand, and dominions over Angels, and then neither death nor life. Baptism, nor not Baptism, neither things past, present, nor to come, shall separate us from the love of jesus Christ: Rom. 8.38. which shall bring us unto God. Errata. In the epistle to the reader, page 4. line 27. for, insancicida, read infanticida. p. 45. l. 18. for, Secondly, r. Seventhly. p. 59 l. 17. for, that is God, r. God that●s.