I* PRINCETON, N. J. Collection of Puritan Literature. Division V^^s«»*-' ( .^ Section ( (_.J ^^l\^ -«-^ Number f__ 4...J^i.~ THE SUMME OF IA conference! I at t e%^l i^cq in- 1 * ■ ESSEX, Ianuane n. 1645. 1 X / Held bctweenc 22 ^ clohu Stalham -) ^.Terling. ? Opponents J 3. Minifters, a % Printed by /. Lt for Chriftopher Meredith, at the figne of the J Crane in 'Pauls Church-yard. 1644. 3 TO ALL REVEREND AND FAITHFVLL Minifters of the Go(pel , efpecially thofe of the venerabie Assembly, With All finccre Proteftants , Profeffors and lovers of the Truth j Grace, Truth and Peace be multiplyed, from God our Father, and the Lord lefus Chrift, by the Spirit of Truth and Holinefle. He mif-reports of the carriage and fuccefle of this Conference might have drawn it forth to your view ere now, for as a Loving and Learned Brother told me when the work was at an end, he defired our Antagonists (or others,for them ) might nut give me the like meafure , as they did Zuingliui who was the more courfelyufed by the foa-baptifts, (as it is reported in his life *) by how much the more kindly he dealt with them, * HtbitA in affording them Disputes, and procuring them libertie other wayes : fo I have found, frut»ti»nA that his Jealouiie was not without Grounds. ipfuftri«l i. Touching the Carriage;, notwithstanding I gave them all free fcope, inanfwering, biU^trr^\ (till our time fet for the Dupute,was expired") fo farre as I was blamed by fome of my Bre- vl. Latvia thren for it3yet it hath been cait out, that they were interrupted, and that I cavilled , and pimarunt^ although they had the libertie they defired,not to come into the Church, till we had prayed, ta£a»ifcat [ and to goe out before Sermon, yet all of their partie could not containe, in the conclusion kttcv,rb*] of the difpote, but muft vent their fpirits in the open Congregation , ( when the people 'hafer ^w, had given a fhout by way of Teftimony, that they received fatisfaction in the Point, for rusi ^ptpa the baptizing of their Infants,) faying, Great is the God (a) of Diana, and therefore yuu ru^iremnuj mult cry him up. And albeit, I fpake ;in the behalfe of the two Refpondents the next day, &'M> 9™ Zt before the honoured Committee at Chelmsford ("who did wifely and lovingly demand of *r /^mm ~ me, and them an account of that dayes meeting) arid declined any perfonall information a- tilmtlm'u gainftthem, then and Since, yet have they wanted love to interpret things aright,and have yuam mundt afperSt me and my Brethren joyning with me ; which I forbeare to mention in the particu- l,t- ?*nt* ctnvidit \ bine dtft m0titum §iir^rtntatt!.t>tin tiudirevir ; ut ^ApoUgia (dtiffscirefrAHibm habntril ntctjT*. Mekh A dirnus in Zuing. m This is feme new God, orasrgnorantaacxpreilioa , as that ct the Vcw\ Clarke of Ephifm , whor Dun*, the lfr-.a«e that fell down fiom Upitc.. The Epiftle Dedicatory. larsj the rather, Ueeaufe there are thofe on our fide, who have afperft them, and have given to i 2. Touching the fucceffe, although before the two Refpondents went out of* Town, one of them waved it, faying, the people needed not to have fhouted ; we could have fhouted m as well as they, for neither they nor we had the viftory, (which for my part I fought not but in the Truth) yet their partie boafted of their gaines of Difciplesby that dayes worke. One indeed lorrfe of the countrey takes notice of, who was ftaggered before and prefently (as is laid) fell to them ; but we have many to let againft that one , who being ftaeeered alfo before, received fober fatisfaftion, and are fettled for Psdo-Baptifme. And this bene- fit I received by fo publique a reafoning with them , in my own place, that we have been more quiet ever fince , and the Anabaptifts hereabouts have not been fo briske in their challenges, nor have our peoples -fcruples ( who joyne with us ) been raifed again, but bu- ried in filence, and crufht in the egge, upon the remembrance of what paffed that day ; fo as thefe mif-reports of our carriage, and fucceffe have been of. no force with me, to publifh this naked view of our difcurfivc difpute, fince that time- But fome other more weightie reafons, of late presented, as i. The hopes of truths advancement hereby; As fome light came to many,by this ver- ball conflict , fo much more impreffion upon mens minds may it take , and to many more mav there be advantage by its impreffion on the paper : As I loft none of my own,but helpt to ftrengthen them, fo I fhall feare no lofle elfe-where, but expeft gaines to the truth there- by j and defire that even that one ftrayed fheepe, may be fetcht backe , who went after the Anabaptifts whiffle that day. z. The defire , and encouragements of many Brethren , to fee it abroad , as a Manu- fcript, or from the Preffe. 3. The CataBaptifts excufes, that the chiefe Refpondent was too weake, forfuchan encounter ( what then was his fecond ? ) but if he who flood in the middle , as the third man ( b who at iVktfipm declined a Moderator, and moderated this day by hib filence, who had libertic from us, but no lift from hisown fpirit bound up,it feemes this day,from fpeak- mg one word in publique ) if he had but given anfwer, it had been done more folidly j And there were others in London (though thefe, as two chiefe Champions, in their own if not m others conceits, were drawn downfrom thence to this skirmifh) who would have held us more tacke ; Now fithence they doe excufe it this way, let the Arguments appeare to all, and let ftronger and clearer anfwers be given , if they havcthem>by any of that left, or profefiion. As much faithfulneffe hath been ufed , by comparing of the notes of the two Scribes fet to write from our mouthes , as they can expeft ; what was much deficient in the one , hath been fupplyed by the exafter notes of the other ; nothing of moment is pretermitted; it be c here is the fumme of the Arguments and Anfwers , as they were uttered (asneereas to be could be taken ) verbatim ; nothing of our , or their fence is altered, nor any of. their ex- utts K^ preffions changed, fo farre as I remember. As for Battologies they cannot be taken fo ill in 3? but the cniek Refp°ndent, if thereby he doth anfwer his name more then the Argument. But rgotten where their anfwers are more obfcure, let it not prejudice our Caufe, but their own,: who ame in. were fo confounded as fometiines they gave no anfwer, fometimes fo darke, as it was diffi- cult to make out their meaning and frame a Reply •, And why we fhould mend any-'thing in their Anfwers, fo as to alter, and better their fence I know no reafon ; haply that which is non-fence to us, is all-fence and good reafon to them. You mult expeft Reverend and Beloved Readers , to findc weaknefTes enough in the Opponents, as in the Refpondents ; but as I hope, The Epiftle Dedicatory, fr,oin time, and that children coming of bekeving Parents.by lineall defcent are not in Co- ■ v^nant with their Parents, but that fuch e lineall defcent is broken. ' PaS' ! a i. No Abfurdities with untruths, fuch as that ( among others ) moft notorious, (where- in both the Refpondents agreed ) fit is not enough for a truth to be implyed in Scripture, f Pag* J but it muft be cxpreit 9 which made the common countre y -countenances to fmile, at the ,0*L"* groffeneffe thereof. 3. No Tergiverfations, as you will finde them common in their anfwers, when a Propo- rtion was dearely proved then to wave the proofe, not acknowledge the truth, but runne to another thing,as in the places quoted in the margent % ^amongft many other) is manifeft. x Pag' 7. 4. No Contradictions to our felves, or one of us to another, as firft you will find Mafter I0 '• ' I Bait contradicting himfelf , for k he denieth to me that the Fromife was the Ground of A- Ivf'JJz brabams feale, and yet he neither doth nor will deny to Mafter c]\emon, i that Abraham and ,■ Pag.'aj. his feed were Circumcifed, becaufe it was a feale of the Covenant. Again, the Gofp^l (he ■■> Pag.18, faith k ) makes an offer to Infants as to all the world , and 1 the Promife is preached to all ' Pag-26- mankinde,andif free grace be to all, we exclude no Infants more then other , andyetpre- fently after, *» we deny to preach the Grace of God to Infants till they are capable of un- m Pa*iaj derftanding. Again to Mafter Grey, n he diftinguifheth of a Promife of the Spirit,with U- " Pag 3* nion according to Election, and vifibl; revealing by the offer of grace, he grants the for- mer, that is, a promife of the Spirit, and union according to Election, and denyes the lat- ter, vifible revealing by offer of grace, and participation of Priviledge, Now who told him that Children have the promife of Union, Sec. if that it be not audibly revealed, byfome offer of grace, and if it be audibly revealed in the word , we fhall finde a way, to have it vifibly revealed alfo, in the Sacrament j in which the offer of grace is again made, and feal- ed over |and Jabove i the participation of which offer , and feale , is liirely a participation of priviledge. 2. You will finde Mafter Lambe interfering. in his own Anfwers,with himfelfe,forin one place o he faith,that Grace is no more tendred to children p, then to all the world j and yet 0 Pa« in the next Anfwer •, if they come in after, the promife -is theirs ; and there is no participa- P Pa£ tion of the Covenant but by aftuall faith •, Now if children have the tender of grace in In- fancy ( as he grants ) it is byvertue of iome Covenant , which God holds forth to them From Infancy, or not j if by vertue of fome Covenant, then they may have fome participati- on of it, or relation to it before actuall faith -y if the tender be made without a Covenant, then the offer is not grounded upon the Covenant, contrary to Gen. 5.15. whence all offers of grace had their firft rife : fo that, let him grant an offer, without a Covenant, he contra- dicts the Scripture, let him grant an offer,by vertue of a Covenant , he contradicts himfelf. Yet further, in this, they both are agreed in a contradiction ; for Mafter Lambchuppo- feth an offer made to Children c, yea grants it r and Mafter B^fdoth yield it alfo f, and ?p _ yet all along they deny any Confirmation ; for thefe be the words t , what is an offer with- ' £ne - out a confirmation ? now'who denyes this confirmation ? not we, not God, but themfelves} , p°f' and by fuch a denyall, implicitely they deny the offer : For if God offers grace to them by word, he offers it to them by feale. The very grant of an offer to children, while children, impiieth that the love of God is to them, in that ftate, and having his Chofen among them, for their fakes the Offer pronufcuoufiy is made , and theSealefet, where the Parents do but come in, and embrace that Offer for themfelves and C hildren , but deny this feale, and deny the offer. And as thus they interfere with themfelves, fo they croffe fhins one with another ; Firft Bttt goes erode to Lambe •, If chhildren come in after ffaith Lambe u) the promife is theirs j M Pa2 yet Butt x grants them the promife of the Spirit and of union according to election, and *-Pag.3 memberfhip according to union, during infancie : Secondly, LJw^ftrikespointblanke a- gainit. But, for y M. BwdenkthnotCircumcifionto te given as a feale of the Covenant; .7 Pa&22. I A t but. the Ep file Dedicatory. A. 1 4, but M. 'Lambe faith contrary in his Booke (as M. l2{ewton replied to M. Bdtt, *) 'tis true in .].»4. anfwer to M. ^Njxton afterwards,' a Limfofaith, that they were circumcifed becaufe the Covenant was made to them, and to the feed, (but how ? as) typically promifing Chrift : Station which Covenantjin his Book, b he faith,they were legally in,and according to Law, and this ts Bap legail adminiftration was, in his fenfe , onely fealed by Circumcifion , not the fubftance of Tbim*^«'^> unto more ungodknefTe: Forthemore of their owue conceptions they vent in their Difputes and Pamphlets, the more their folly fhall be manifeft .The Epiflle Dedicatory . manifeft unto all men; and fothe opening of the Prefle for them mail turne againft them, and their libertie pleaded for (to fpeake their minds) mall fairly turne to their greater j^A° Reftraint. But this, with the following fuit, I doe humbly lay at your feet, with fubmiflion cf the 1 to your wifdomes, in the Lord, to confider of, and to refolve upon, as the God of love, and of Infa Father of lights (hall guide you. ?'4'*" Secondly then, my requeft is : That the pra&ife of Antiquitie may fully be cleared, and ' Qtl laid before them : what it was, touching this fubjeft of Baptifme, and what therein was baptifts agreeable to the rule of the Scripture, whatnot, for they have boafted much; as if they fidcr tfc had all Antiquitie on their fide. But as they can mew nothing againft Paedo-Baptifme, fy'1}13 from Scripture i fo little out of the pra&ice of the Ancients : though I have read little of j^mth them, fro or con, (and the lefie becaufe I have ever wanted wherewithall to purchafe their wheni Writings) yet others, amongft you, have, as appeareth partly by what our Antefignavui, appears and learned Brother, whofepra'ife is in the Gofpel, hath lately preacht and put forth of this delay c Subject h. But be it granted that the ancient way was various; yet let it be put to the ?ipa "j Queftion, Whether their praftife ("who delayed the baptizing of their children, not for lalcs „ weekes and moneths, but yeares three, foure, five3 and more aifo) was the belt > And they the Pe (who like dwarfesftandupou the gyants moulders, and have furveyed this prattife, and raihui compared it with the Scripture ; Imeaneour moderne Authcurs, who have wrote fince p^el*c5 Gods people in .'Europe, have beene coming out of Babylon from Lutbers time downwards) Wcaken have, fo farre as I find, generally condemned fuch delayes. Be\a. in his Epiftle > to Grinda.ll, tlnntfc doth put fuch delayes of old upon the negligence of Bifhops k3 who (for want of a better di- do-Bap re&orie,) tooke in .the Queftions, Abrcmnax > Doft thou forfake , &c. Credit? Doft pr a thpu beleeve, Jic. as'applyable to Infants baptizing ; whereupon (as he doubts not) many lu were driyen to deferre the baptizing of their children for the longer time, which delay he Df whi< rejects with an Abfit ? A nd in his-Cyclops or Dialogue againft Heftrufius ' ; he doth one- m^kes < ly fo farre countenance luch a delay, as it oppofed the opinion of the abfolute neceflitie of "Cc t0 *• Baptifme to falvation ;. but in it felfe, the putting off this Ordinance (as BeyL there re- j,^ , folveth) was taken up , .nuM-iiirte rationed nullo-verbi Tejlimonio : for certaine, without T,1S vdK any good reafon, or found Teftimbnie of the word : And I find him elfe-where m not only o>Udijb charging it upon the connive nce^and negligence of Bifhops * but alledging HA^txn^en as. P*'*-* P one, who though he was not baptized hhnfeife, till the thirtieth yeare •, yet blameth the u ;'v* long delay of Baptifme, beypniith e- third year : from which opinion of libertie till the third m' gt{j» yeare, nijtperkulumurgeit; except fome hazard of life prefletoit, we mayfafely (with vi.ip. Be^fjdiffent ; for" bythiskind.offtating the Queftion, is involved the conceit of abfolute *^olfm neceflitie on the one fide, that it be done, and of various libertie on the other fide, that it tlh*Uf*a may be- done at length and leifare. For my part, I fhould be loth (as * Mufculns faith the 0ptt*TA like) to be a favourer of fuch a- whiling off the time, notonely out of refpeft to the man- firuiM nersofthe Age, which he did, or we doe live in, that call for religious education of chil- %««»* dren from the cradle, but in regard of reafons and grounds from Scripture, which have the "'/"'f^ force of a Rule unto us ; for their more fpecdy baptizing. For if children be entred under „a, \ „ a promife from theirTnfancie, they fhould have the Sacrament of their entrance, asfoone *dfem\ as conveniently and fafely* they may be brought into the publike lap of the Congregation: «»**i 'tis true!, as to the comfort of Baptifme it chiefly confifteth in the efficacie, not in the time, 7^/,«« yet fo farre as we looke to what is dutie, by the Promife,which is held forth from Infancie, loc.Co the obligation of fom? command (which lieth in the bowels of a Promife a ) confines us to do-bapi ■ fome time in Infancie •, and the comfort is not leffe, but more, if God hath prevented us pag-J1 with a Promife, and prz-fignation of that. Promife, in Infancie. And if hetiethusto °™ *• meaner (though himfelfe be not tied when he will conferre the grace) Ifuppofehe ticzh x^z Co us to the ufe of the meanes, in that time, when he gives the Promife, which is in Infancy, which Nor let this be imputed t© our over-large charitie 3 for I conceire that our charitie (cot mandct being. The E pi file Dedicatory. being larger then Gods promife) cannot exceed its bounds. And though the promife doth not infallibly afiure us , that-sli our children fhall have the Grace given them, becaufe we ufethemeanes. or becaure the children come of beleeving parents ■> yet beleeving parents having a promife for them, and theirs; and all theirs, may, and ought to plead it before tfce Church, for the Seal, and before the Lord, for the Grace fealed, till he fhallbepleafdd to determine the contrary for fpirituals j and (as in the cafe of -Iftmael) limit his accom- plifhments of the promife to fome temporall bleffings , which yet he doth declare to be rg JO with reference to Abraham (and consequently to any other beleever) as his feed o. And ji.i 3, ' albeit God fo limits his accomplishments of indefinite promifes, to fome of the feed of beleevers in temporalis ; yet to others he hath a purpofe (and reveales as much, in the pro- 2 *.* mifes all along the Scripture p ) that one or other of a godly mans children (whether of 7 '. the immediate parent, or lome-Progenitor, I difpute it not) fhall infallibly have the faying 5J" grace of the Promife, as the full and higheft end and effect of it. Now that which I would entreat, and begge of all Profeffors, and lovers of the truth, is, that in reading of the following Conference, you lay afide all prejudice, and partialitie, and that you paffe not your ceniure upon it, without charitie : nor yet hatefully revile men of a contrary way to your felves, but endevour to winne them in to the truth by love ■ And [•a 1. (as the Apoille, from the Lord commands,) firft prove all things, and then held fait that which is good : There is a goodneffe in every truth, which well digefted by faith and me- ditation, will have influence upon your hearts to lead you on in oodlinefle, and to make you better, as wifer . Confider thofe in Error with pitie, and pray for them > confider your z, felves, and watch unto prayer for your felves, left you be alio tempted : Beare one anothexs burden, and forbeare one another in love, and fo fulfill the law of Chrift as we are all (who profeffe to beare his yoke) commanded of him, and engaged to him. And that which, bowing my knees to the Pather of our Lord jefus Chrift, I doe begge of him is, that what truth there is in the following Book, may be received in lore 3 and what Errors are vented, may be rejected with hatred. And that he would turne to the peo- ple (as he hath promifed) a pure lip, and language, that they may fpeake and mind one thing, and ferve him with one fhouldcr and confent : That the Churches Truth and Peace once fettled, may helpe to fettle the Peace and Profpentie of the three Kingdomes , till the Lord Chrift take to himfelfeaii his great Power, and make all the Kingdomes of this World his owne, for fpeciall Government and Pirctaftion, and till he hath finifhed his 'Siitm Churches Reformation q here in Grace, and Salvation for ever in Glory. Eyenfo, Come L.Eei. Lord ifusj come quickly. Amen. So prayeth, waiteth, andrefteth, ; Your unworthy Brother, and ServaDt in the Gofpel , John Stalham. — — — Errattt. ■■pAgc-a.line 7,2?. ah- for penfcolar read particular'.- the!ikep.*f.I.a7-H*. »*J«tf **£*£*• X4fliftants p.j.l.36.forfyIogiftically r. fyllogifticaliy p.#, Li4'f»r<»C r. «a p.13. 1.5. for be- keve r. beleever \6, for privilege r. priviledgc. THE SVMME OF A CON- FERENCE TOVCHING INFANTS BAPTISME. After Prayer, the Introduction to the Conference was as followeth. Mr. Stalham. |Hc occasion of this great concourfc T do not well know ; nor the occafion, of a meeting here in this Congregation, o- ther, then that fomc of this Parifh doc differ from me in the point of Bapti£ me ; with whom I have conferred heretofore but have not prevailed, in regaining their confents to the ancient judgement in the particular point of baptizing Infants ; And beingdrawncinof late at the requeft ©f a brother here prc- fent, to give my prefence, and poore afliftance at a Confe- rence or Difpute that was held at Wickham, the Difpute be- ing begun before I came ; yet being called then to moderate things bctweeae the Minifter of Wickham, * and the partie * ^K q^ here prefent; by whom a Moderator was declined, I was * ^ drawneoutby hisqucftionstogivefomeanfwer: after the time was fpent,it feemesnofatisfadtion was given, on either fide, yet we fo farre prevailed, even with him that ftands hereasoppofitetous, that he concluded with a defire, if he were in an error, that we would pity him, and pray for him ; which did the more incline my (piritin a loving way to give B another The Introduction. another meeting ; rcfolving to the uttermoft I could* that truth fhould conquer whercfoever it lights ; for we coiho not here this day for vi&ory, but for truth ; for takwig fides this, or that way ; but for fiding with ChriuY and his truth ♦ and for clofing with him in all he hath dilcovered to us ; that he may beare us up ; and ftablifh us in the prefent truth. And it was agreed becaufe they declined a perticular Moderator that there fhould be two appointed to fpeake, and other af- fiftance on each fide, to put in , as occafion ferveth , who fhould be named ; and have libertie to fpeake and no other ; that there be no tumultuous carriage in thebufinefle; for God that is the God of order, and not ofconfufion ; doth not call us hither to that end ; but to behave our felves in as holy, and loving, and pious, and felfe-denying a way, as may be, that the crowne atlaft may be fet upon the head of truth, and of Iefus Chrift himfelfe, who is the King of truth, and Truth it felfe ; and that he himfelfe and not we, carry away the victory. Now beloved, in fo great a concourfc of people as here is, unexpected, ifyou look for fatisfa&ion at the crea- tures hands j it is not to be had. God grant there be none come hither as they did to that Aflembly in the iA&s, not knowing wherefore they came together, butonely for com- pany. The Lord kcepe us from perils of felfe Brethren, that are readie to mif-conftrue and mif- relate things afterwards. * WtLamty* And as our Brother * fweetiy put up a rcqueft to God ; that he would keepe us in his pretence, not to fceke our felves, but to lay do wne our feTvesat the foot of truth, and that the word may judge betweene us now, as well as it fhall judge us at the laft day. If you make it appeare who are the per- ticular perfbns that are to reafon with me, I fhall addreffe my felfe to the worke; for I cannot prcvaile with any Bro- ther to come into this place : I expe&ed it not my felfe, be- ing one of the weaken; of tenne thoufand, for God and for his truth ; and am jealous the truth may futfer through my wcake managing of it : But as Abraham went out not knowing whither he went, feeing the call of God, and de- pending on his prefence and aififtance I undertooke the worke. I dciire therefore to know who is the perticular perfon* The famine of a Conference ,&c. pcrfon, that is either to oppofc, or anfwer, as you pleafe to take it ; take the Opponents or Refpondcnts place. VJ. Batt. Ifyo u will be f leafed to lend your attention to a word or two * tJMen, Brethren, and Fathers; It it not unknowne unto you, that the great difference now in this Kingdome, confjls of tyro things ; of the D otlrlne ofBaptifme • and of Free grace : con- cerning the matter of free grace we JbaH not at this time jpeake of'. But as I conceive the matter is concerning the adminiftra- tion of "Baptifme to infants , Which Sehollers have taught and hold necejfarie : For our fart s, I dejire to anfWer, that wefetke not the glory of the creature, nor the honour thereof but to hold to thefirfi truth, delivered to the Saints, we hold no more, but that Which the Apo files prattically did hold; we have nei- ther new Law, nor Lord, but lefm Chrifi, and therefore re- taining the fame Lord, there is the fame LaW : And therefore our friends, we wijh you well, We dejire that love, Which the Father hath given for us, andwe defire that the throne of grace will Witnejfe for m, who is in the truth ; and whether God hath not given ut the ancient truth in Icfns : And I am the man to anJwer,inthisDijpute, Who fhall handle things dianoeticaUy, or axiomatically ; as you pleafe : And the Lordajfifl us. StaL Whom doe yeu call in ( under God) to your affi- ftance? Batt. Ifoccafion be, one ofthefe two neighbours, if not, there needs none. StaL And ifoccafion be, I defire one or two of my Bre- thren in the deske to put in with me. Batt. Be itfo, we are content. StaL The point then to be handled, and that Sylogifti- cally, is this ; Whether or no, the Infants of beleeving pa- rents are to be baptized ? Our friends which ftand in oppo- fition to us, they doe as yet profene they hold out the Nega- tive part, doc you not ? Batt. Yes. StaL I hold the Affirmative, that fuch Infants are to be baptiz . d ; And I (hall lay for a Subftratum, and foundation of all Arguments, that 1 (hall produce for it, this one maine -B * Argument: Thefummeef a Conference Argumcat : That which is deduced from Scripture by direct and found confequence, is implied in the Scripture and hath authoritie from the Scripture, as if it were there in expreffe words; but the baptizing of infants is deduced from Scrip- ture, by direct and found confequence, and therefore is im- plied in Scripture, and is of the fame authoritie as if it were there in expreffe termes. Batt. I deny your Minor. Stal. Doc you grant the Major? elfc I will proye it by Scripture. Batt. Prove your Minor of abfolute confequence, that chil- dren are to be baptised. Stal. I will prove it (but firft, touching the Major and the Minor I would have all tounderftandtheyarcthetwo Propositions in a Syltogifme. The Maj'or is the firft , the Minor Propofition is the fecond. And from thofe two pre- mises , arife the conclufion : The Minor I prove it thus) They who arc included in the fiibftance of the Gofpei Cove- nant are not to be excluded from the feale of the Covenant, but Infants arc included in the {ubftancc of the Gofpei Cove- nant, and therefore not to be excluded from the feale of the Gofpei covenant. Batt. Difcoveryottr Minor t in the covenant, whether ym inferre all infants, orfome infants, Stal. Sir : That is another Queftion, I meane indefinitely as I fpcake, I doe not maintaine the baptizing of all infants through the world, but this is my Minor; Infants are inclu- ded, &c. Batt. Prove the Minor that they are included. Stal. That Infants are included in the fubftance of the tjofpcl covenant ; turnc to the 17. ofGenefis, and the 7. verf. 1 will eftablifh my covenant bet wecne me and thee, and thy feede after thee in their generations for an everlafting co- venant to be a God unto thee and to thy feed after thee. This promife here is a Gofpei Covenant, a moft fubftantiall Gofpei Covenant, as any is in Scripture j but in this Gofpei Covenant the Infants of beleeving parents are included ; I will be a God to thee and to thy feed after thee,&c Now what doc you anfwer ? Batt. Pouching Infants Baptifme. Batt. To give an anfwer, to this upon diftinfiion; ItoiU eftablijh my Covenant with me and thee and thy feed after thee; Ianfwer in diftinttion ; The Covenant of Cjod u according to the feed, the feed of Abraham a carnali or a fpirituall feed; if carnali then them that are borne according to thefejh , if Jptri- tuall9 then none but they that are called by the word and Gofpel; that are in any anion with £hrifl, and in communion ftith lefts Chrift : this I anftoer upon diftinftion. I will make a covenant With me and thee, and With thy feed. Stal. For feeds you diftinguilli, but what feed doe you include or exclude ; doe you include the fpirituall, and ex- clude the carnali. Batt. The carnali feed of Abraham according tothefefht Vee underjland according to the Scripture ; a twofold feed, a * feed according to thefiejh, and a feed according to thefpirit : I mil make a Covenant with me, and thee, and thy feed; that is, the feed of Abraham, not according to thfifefb bu t to thefpirit : your interpretation will not hold; you fay to children : you include the children according to the fie fh; I will efiabli/h my (Covenant with me, andthee, and thy feed', and the feed are car- nali erjpirituall : NoVe thispromife is not onely to the carnali, but to the fpirituall fed. Stal. Doe you grant the carnali feed? then you grant my Minor proportion. Batt. When we grant the carnali feed V?e grant them to be the pro genie of Abraham that Were the Iewes : but when of a, fpirituall feed, V?e (peake ofthofe that are in communion With the Lord, andthofe that are not conditionally but abfolutely called. Stal. This you faid before ; but what meanc you by an abfolutecall? Batt. By an abfolute call, I under fl and 'that evidence of di- vine power made manifejl by the Gofpel, that I, that was befot e a chiid of nature, and f oof wrath, am new become an heire of fslvation and glory with lefts Chrifl. StaL The carnali feed then is wholly excluded. Batt. Becaufe the Gofpel Covenant is made n the fpiritu* mU feed. B z Suk 6 The fumms of a Conference Stal, But if you grant the Gofpel Covenant is to the car- nail alfo ; you grant the Minor propofition. Batt. If we grant the feed of Abraham on the one hand and onthe other hand; We grant it, but yon tak& it oneljfor the car' nail, that they are in the Covenant, Stal. Onely, No, but I bring this Scripture to prove the Minor, which is this, that Infants are included in the Gofpel Covenant ; I willeftablifh my Covenant with me, and thee, and thy (ccd after thee : Now that feed was the pofteritie of Abraham, a betee ver, and the carnail feed according to the flefh (take them as Infants) are in the Gofpel Covenant, which if you grant, with the fpirituall feed; I have what I defire. Batt. Ton have nothing at thus: 1 'anfwer one difiinBion% we grant you nothing,™ granting thefeedof Abraham accord- ing to the fiejh ; / am the feed of Abraham according to the fiejht or according to thejpirit ; and if not ofthefiejh, / am the feed of Abraham in the §irit ; therefore m the Gofpel covenant. Stal. But what is meant by the feed of Abraham in this place ? the fpirituall or carnail feed ? Batt. We anfwer; In referring you to the Holy Ghoft ; in the 3. of the Galatians and the 1 6. Stal. Then you deny the carnail feed ? Batt. Yes, for the holy Ghoft anfVecrs, in the 3. to the Ga- latians, and the id. NoVe to Abraham and his feed were the fremifes made, he faith not and to feeds as of many, but as of one, and to thy feed which is Chrift ; and now Chrift conftdered myftieally ; is conjidered in reffetl of himfelfe or his members.-, andthe members none are his, but they that are his Jpiritualfa and in reference to this feed, God faith, he will make* Cove- nant, &c. StaL I will prove it that the Apoftle in the 3. of the G*- latiansznd the 16. hath not reference tothispromile, in Ge- nefis the 17. Grey. He flies from the point. StaL I know he is fled from the point ; for we denienot but the promife is to the fpirituall 1 but therefore faith he, the carnail is excluded 5 and therefore brings in this place or" the touching Infants Baptifme. the Ga/atians; but I will prove that Galatians the 3. and the 16. hath not reference to this in Genejis the r 7 . Batt. That that Serif tare hath not reference to this place -f prove it, Stal. That I will ; the promife the Apoftle fpcakes of there, in the 3. of the galatians and the \6. was given foure hundred and thirty ycares before the Law ; but this promife in the \7.0EGenejisand the 7. was not given foure hundred and thirtic ycares before the Law, therefore that in Galati* ans the $ . and the 1 6. hath not reference unto Gtnefs the 17. and the 7. Batt. No.whjnotl StaL Becaufe of the different time. Batt. Ton /peaks of the time ; but compare Scripture with Scripture ; compare verfe with verfe ; the promifes made to Abraham, to Chrift the feed t hejpeakes of a feed, was it not oflefut Chrift ? Stal. That promife the Apoftle fpeakesof, in the Gala* tiansy hath direct reference to Iefus Chrift, but this in Ge- nejis the 1 7. fpeakes of the feed according to the flefh ; and may include Chrift ; but no further then as he came of zAbra- hams flefh. Batt. I will prove it. Stal, Nay Sir ; It is mfpUcc to prove what I have faid, you doe wrongly expound Genejis the 1 7. and the 7. by Galatians the 3. and the 1 6. That expofltion which doth va- ry from the fenfc and the fcopeof the holy Ghoft is a faife expofltion ; but thisexpofition you give out of the 3. of the Galatians and the 16. varicth from the mind of the holy Ghoft, what doe ycu deny ? Batt. My dentalL is this, that this expojition varieth not from the mind of the holy Ghofl. Stal, I prove it doth j The mind of the holy Ghoft: in Ga- latians the 3. the 1 6. and the 17. is upon a promife confirmed before of God in Chrift, foure hundred and thirty yeares be- fore the Law •> bat this in Genefs the 17. and the 7. was not given fo long before, therefore to expound the onety theo- ther; v-rkth from iiis mind. Batt. 8 The fumme of a Conference Batt. J fray prove it, that this promifeGencfisthc 17, Vras not madefottre hundred andthirtie yeares before the Law. Stal, I doc prove it then ; The firfi: promife made to A- braham foure hundred and thirtie yeares before the La w, was at his firft calling; but this promife was foure and twentic yeares after. Batt. C'ohceive itfo, yet prove that there was foure and twentie yeares difference between the firfi promife , and this in Genefis the 1 7. Stal, I prove it thus; Thcfirfl: promife was given him when he wasfeventie and five yeares old ; this when he was ninetie nine yeares old ; now count, compare and conclude. Batt. Ton Argue ; if there be difference in time the promife is not one ; the Argument arifethfrom time , and not from the truth of the promife. Stal. If the Apoftle will argue from time,why may not I? Batt. The Apoftle doth not argue from time ; lay do^nyour An fair and Ifbafi take it up% Stal. I am to argue, you arc t© anfwer ; and I (hall take off your anfwer. Batt. / Anfwer ', the promife the tsfpoftle fpeaks of is not the fame with Genefis the 12. and the 3. but with this in — enefis the 1 7. Where he faith, ( let all iudge of this ) I will be a God, "What t a God without Chrifi , I wilt be a Godt without Chrifi lefts; this is admirable, Stal. You runnc from the thing, have I not given you fa- tisfa&ion that Galatians the %. and the 16. muftrcferreto Genefis the 1 1 . and the 3 . In thy feed , &c. Lambe. The 1 2.0/Genefis doth notfpeake of any fcedfhere* fore it mufi have reference to the 17. Chapter. Stal. To take offthat Anfwer, thus I reafon ; whatfoe ver isunderftood in the Text , is there, and trnift be made out from the fenfe ; In the 1 2. of Genefis and the 3. Chrift is an- derftood ; for when he faid in thee, it is not meant of A bra- bamsperfon, unleffeyou will lay the foundation of /unifica- tion in ^Abrahams perfoti. Lamb, if then the 12. of Genefis ffieaksef feed> hoVotsit that the Jfoflle hath it, he faith not unto thy feeds Jbut unto thy feed, touching Infants Baptifme* feid,forafmuch as the Apo files expojition u in termes, it muft be meant of the 1 7. of Genefis, tvbere mention « made of feed, And not of the in where there is no fitch mention. ' StaL If it be fufficient , that in the 3. of the Cjalatiaus md the 8. thcApoftlc applycth -it to our juftification by Chrift, Chrift is there irnplyed. Lamb. We have not a controverfie, whether it befo impljed • or not, hut whether fo expreft* Stal. Shut your eyes and be blind ; Is it not enough that I have proved , it is irnplyed , you muft goc backe to my firft fubftratum , and Argument laid ; That that is deduced out of Scripture,is irnplyed in the Scripture,the fenfeof thofe words, In the 11. of Genefis and the 3. is meant of Chrift, not of A- hrnhams perfon, and you have an exposition of it, without go- ing to the 1 7. of Genefis and the 7 : the Apotfles expofition of Scripture is better then yours or mine, he faith, it is meant of bis feed, the Lord Chrift. Lamb. How doth that appeare I StaL I will make it appeare by two Demonstrations, (Be- sides that evident paflage, Genefis the 22. and the 1 8. compa- red with lAtls the 3. the 25, 16. ) The firft, is the 3. of the Ga/atians and the 8. the Scripture preacheth, that in thee (hall all nations be blefled ; the Apoftle quoteth out thofe words ; from the 1 a.of Genefis and the 3. where he fakh,thc Scripture preached Gofpel ; if the Lord Chrift be not meant; We muft underftand it, as if he had not preached Gofpel, but Law,andlayeditcn man, and not on Chrift as the foundati- on ; but the holy Ghoft faith by Paul-, the Scripture preach- eth Gofpel ; Lamb. 1 grant your Argument • but jour Argument doth not exprejfe the word feed at all, Jhallwe underftand it, whether expreft orup ? Stal. Note, if this be not an evafion, if not a contradi&ion, you fight againft the light ; Butfecondly, again you urge the word ( he faith) we fay fence of Scripture is Scripture,that which is drawn out of Scripture in the true meaning, is the Scripture ; though it doth not in cxpreffc termes fay it. Lamb* Prow it. -C StaL 9 1 0 Thefumme of a Conference Stal. I will give you an evident inftance, in the 7. of Iohn the 3 8. He that belceveson me as the Scripture hath faid,out of his belly (hall flow rivers of water of life, the Scripture faith it ;yet you doe not findc it pundtaally,in expreffe termes, where the Scripture faith , he that belecves out of hisbeHy fhall flow rivers of living water ; and therefore in Gentfts the 1 2. and the 3. the Scripture faith it there, and faith it not ; it faith it in fence , and not in expreffe words ; that in %Abr*» hams feed all nations, &c Batt. What is your inference front that, and if the holy Ghoft include it, and not expreffe it ; What is that ? Stal. Inference, you muft yeeid me what I have proved. Batt. You will give us leave to compare Scripture with Scripture* Stal. Compare what you will ; but grant that I have pro- ved, what you would have proved. Batt. Compare that place ; In the 1 7. o/Genefis and the 7. that it argues to the 5. of the Galatians ; I will eftablijh my co- venaut, with Whom; God primarily doth eft ab lift a covenant with hie Sonne lefus Chrift; did he eftablijh a covenant with us, or With (fhrift t the promife it to one , and therefore that is the covenant. Stal. The eitablifhing the covenant with others in Chrift is one thing , and the eftablifhing the covenant primarily in Chrift is another. Batt. The covenant may be J aid to be made in Chrift and with Chrift 5 ** Cbrift^as promife s are made to the glory of the Traxher •, and with Chrift as he fsttisfiesforaU, if I eftablijh a covenant with me andthyfeed, when the promife u made to feed, m to »n, what is that, but of the covenant in Chrift ? Stal. it is fo , the promife made to the (eed as to one, is that covenant eftabliftied in Chrift ; As in Gal.%. 16. which ipeaks of the promife primarily eftabliftied in Chrift,But that in the 17. of Genefis, fpeaks of the promife eftabliftied with yf£ra£awandhisfcedorpofteritie; inafecondary way. Batt. Conceive it thus j ^as there a covenant made with jkbraham and his feed, in thee JhaU all nations , &c. where is thai covenant made but with (fhrift , and in Chrift ? Stal. touching Infants Baptifme. 1 1 StaL Thisisthatlfay, that as God the Father tranfa&s andcarrycth on all the workeof our redemption in and by Chrift. So fecondarily, the thing we prove is, that the 17. of • Ctnefis holds out that covenant to beleevers , and their feed, and he covenants with them, that he will be their God for ever. Batt. Now you come to the fecond point , where you fteake, thefromife is made to us and to our feed -t andpleafe jeu where is the promife made to us and to our feed -y bring an equalitie And that it be as the common covenant. StaL I would we might come to the Argument. Batt. Iftouldl couldunderftandyour Argument. StaL I am ftill proving, my Minor propofition,that Infants are in the Gofpel covenant, and you confefle fo mucbrfior dee you deny the covenant but to the carnall feed. Batt. Ianffter Infants are included in the Cjojpel covenant, that is, Infants in thedajes of Abraham take them according t& thefejh , yet the feed of Abraham confefls in tVco parts carnall t and (pirituall ; The one as carnad^andthe other as jpirituall^and now the fpirituall feed are onely included in that covenant. StaL Dee you include the one and exclude the other ? Batt. We doe Anjwer, one is the carnall feed, and the other is the fpirituall. StaL I will prove the tender of the covenant made to A" braham, and his C3rnall feed according to the flefh. Batt. This we will grant it ; if you onely under/land that the feed of Abraham according to the fie jb 3 onely them that are bom according to the fit Jh. StaL I doe not fay, but that Abraham hath a fpirituall feed; but I deny that thefe words Genefis the 1 7. and the 7. are meant onely of his fpirituall feed , but meant aMbof the feed according to the flefh » give me leave to prove what I mould prove. Batt. Prove it. Stal. That feed which goes along in the generations and lineall defcent is the carnall kzd ; but this fe:d fpokenof and that God makes the promife to, he will be a God to him and to Hi feed after feira , goes along in the lineall defcent in their C 2 genera- 12 Thefumme of a Conference generations, therefore it is meantof the carnall feedj for it is not faid I am a God to thee and thy feed in fpirituall regene- ration ; you may expound it fo; but the words will not bearc it ; or that it is meant of lefus Chrift , the fpirituall feed , in whom the covenant was founded ; But befides that I have faid, it follows prefentiy in the plurall number , added to the finguJar, to thee and to thy feed after thee in { their ) genera- tions; it is not fpoken of one , it doth not meane that in the 3. of the Cjalatians and the 1 6. which refers as before to Ge- nefis the 1 2.and the 3 . that fpeaks ofone,but here arc many in their generations fpoken of. Batt. If the covenant be meant of Abrahams feed according to thefejh, then it is meantfo ; but this Scripture hath referenee to the fpirituall feed. Stal. It is good for me I include the fpirituall, and not ex- clude the carnall. Batt. Grant it to the carnall feed of Abraham. Stal. Why then did you, to ftrcngthen yourexpofition of the fpirituall feed bring the 3. ©f the Galatians and the 16, which onely is meant of the fpirituall feed lefus ChrirK Batt. We gave an anptoer before that the covenant is wade in Chrifi, and that is an aft nail covenant in Chrifir and therefore it comes not from the lojnes of Abraham to us • if the covenant be made to us in thrift and with Chrifi, and if the Father com- municate it to us, it arifes not from the lojnes qf Abraham, but from j^hrifi to us, Stal. 1 doe not go about to prove, it arifes from Abraham but what promife ( firft founded in Chrift ) God made to A- braham ( as a belecving parent ) that God makes now to be- leeving parents ; but to Abraham he faid I wiHbe a God, &c. Batt. Here is your Argument,7 if God make a covenant to Abraham and to his, then to other beleevers and to their feedjbut God hath made a covenant to Abraham andhisfeed, therefore to other beleevers. I anfwer upon diftintlion thus ; that he hath made a promife in Scripture , if Abrahams feed then heires of promife, but to fay , that Cjodmadc a promife to Abraham and his car pall feed , and then to mjfeed to give me. the fame bleffing of Chrifi , becatife they have the honour of 'virvtmcifion , there- fore touching Infants Baptifine* fore Infants are to be baptized, this I deny, Stal. I come not yet to reafbn from Circumcifion to Bap- tifme; I am at a puncTuall Argument, and drive at that the Scripture drives at, viz. That the promife is made to Abra~ upon no lingular priviledge, butasabelecve, and it is there- fore made to other beleevers upon no lingular prividedge, but as they are beleevers. Batt. Idenj your Minor ,* that on the aft of beleevingthe promife is made to Abraham. Stal. Asa beleevcr, I fay it was made , not as having any other flngukr priviledge ; the promife is made to him. Batt. V rove it. Stal. I prove it ; That which was the occafion of renew- ing the covenant with Abraham isone reafon of the cove- nant , but the occafion of his renewing the covenant in the 1 7. of Genejis; was as he wasabeleever, who in Chapter the \6. (if you compare it) had not walked with, a right foot but ftept afide to Hagar, thinking tbe'promife-mi^htbs fulfilled that way,butGodadmoniihcth him Chapter the 17. and the 1. that if he will walke uprightly, and manage bis faith fincerely, not feeking for indirect means, to fcrvehis providence, and to help ©n the accomplishment? of thepro- . mife,his covenant was with him, & now he would renew it. I JBatt, Secaufe Godrenewes hi* covenant in a declaration of faith, therefore doth God doe it for his faith ? . ' >Stal. Nor for faith, but that the promife which was made to Abraham t on no fingularpriviledge but as a beleever,and fo toother beleevers,as beleevers, that he might ftill be a ftxon^ %crl?eleever and be eftablifht in his faith. Batt. It doth not follow ,fhat'I being a beleever ^as- a beleever have the fame covenant made With me as Abraham had, Stal. What isirode fry-ateleeves, as a beleever agrees to the whc-lc kindeof beleeversr but this promife was made .to Abraham a beleever, as a beleever, therefore, &c. Batt. Here is yaw syfrgrimem ,that which is made to one beleever, as a beleever is made to all the kinde of beleeverXyOS be' leevers. Stal. I, what is made to e^ra^/* is made toailbelee- C 3 vers 14 The fumme of a Conference vers for the fubftance ; indeed that he faall have not onely heaven ; but heaven (hall be typed out by Canaan , and the land of Canaan given by promile not by the Law, as the Apo- ftlc faith; And again, that he (hall have the promiie that Chrift (hall come in theflelh, and of bisloynes, thefe are circum- ftances, but the fubftance of the promife belongs to him then, and to us now, that is Chrift, the fubftance of the Gofpcl co- venant, is made over to Abraham; asabeleever, and fa to every beleever. Batt. The fubftance it is true, I will be a God to thee and 1 9 thy feed; he is a God to Abraham and to his feed; therefore he cave them the land of Canaan, the Oracles \and the like. Stal. Is that the fubftance of the Covenant ; I hope you are not fo ignorant but you underftand, I will be a God to thee, &c. to meane more then fo. What is that ? I will be more then Canaan, I will give thee Canaan, outward blef- fings, and circumftantiall priviledges, and more; for it in- cludes heaven, happineffe, and all; if ever he fpeakesofa whole covenant, I will be a God to them, In the 3 t. aflera- tniah and the 3 2. and the 3 3. he joyneth fpirituall graces with this, I will be a God: and that it includes heaven, fee He- brews the 1 1. and the 16. Had I time to compare the places you would fee it includes all , either temporail or fpirituall blelfings ; he is no God to any but in Chrift, and in a fpeciall covenant of Grace: if he didoiFerhimfelfe toanyfincc-4- d&ms fell to be their God, it was in Chrift,and in thefe words, I will be aGod to thee and thyfeed, here is the fubftance of the Gofpel Covenant, and what in the fubftance, ismadeto Abraham as a beleever, agreethto us as belcevers ; or, to all other belee vers wherefoevcr. Batt. lanftver. If what ever agrees to Abraham as a belee- ver^that therefore his children Jhould be circumcijed. .. Stal. No, that is but the circnmftance or the old feale; I plead not for that, but for the fubftance of the prom ife, God tobeourGod, and the God of ours; and therefore the new feale to fallow upon it. Batt. A Gody -what a God to Abraham and his feed as in common friviledge j God is a God injpirity torn at "toe are uni- ted touching Infants Baptifme. \ « ted to Chrift, andcloathedwithhurighteoufnejfe'j and this pro- mife^ as made to Abraham, as a beleever arid to his Jfirit Hall feed, to them he faith, I will be their God. Stal. But it is (aid further, as I will be thy God, fo I will be their God ; for the meaning whereof I pray compare the 8. verfe and the 7. together of the 1 7. of Genefis • I will efta- bli(h my Covenant with me and thee, and I will give to thee and thy feed the land of Canaan, and I will be their God; theirGod,whofeGod? theirs, that fhall inhabice Canaan s Now thus I Argue ; that feed that the Lord fpcakes of, in the 8. verfe, he fpeaks of in the 7. verfe, he fpeaks in the 8. verfe, ofacarnallfeed, of a feed that /"hall i.iherit Canaan, and he makes as full a promife to them as to any, in the 7. verfe,they that are borne of Abraham according to the flefh ; therefore they have the fullfubftance of the Gofpcl promife. Batt. Conceive it Jo, ifthefcope of the promife to Abraham and his feede befo, God is not onelj the God of Abrahams feed, but of mine, as I am a beleever : That which we give for a*. fwer, is this, Iftoe Were children of Abraham according to the flejh, and Iewes by nativitie, I Jbould grant your £)ueJ}ion, but being Gentiles we are not in this Covenantor have no reference to this covenant, Stal, Then i argue from what your Anfvver implies; that not being made to Abraham as common toother beleevers, it is made to him by lingular priviledge ; but it is not made to him, by fome lingular priviledge. Batt. Ianfwer, it is made to Abraham in the "toay of fome fingular priviledge if or Abraham syWW*// be their Ged}and they Jball be my people-, that is, he Jball be God to people that are fpWitually called%and he mil put his Spir'.t in them. . Stal. And to their children; the leaft of the number a- mong Gcds people; he will give himfelfe, his Spirit and knowledge, &e. Batt. Being a God ofhispeople, it feemes then his people is carnaRor fpirituall. Stal. He can and doth.make them that come of beleeving parents, of carnall, fpirituall. Batt. Tou are not ignorant that though there be ecclefiain potentia , yet we are to argue of the Church in the aft, and ofthofe that be actually in the covenant. Stal. Twill goe along with you; the promife' puts them actually in the covenant: 1 reafon thus; they tO'U horn the promife is given,have an a&uall ad million into the covenant; but touching Infants Baptifme. \y but the promifc is given to the children of bcleeving parents, therefore there is anactualladmiflionof them, as confede- rates in the covenant, with their parents ; If God pane his word for it, there is the ad of his will, and the parent be* leevinghis word, there is theacl: of his faith, though as yet the child come not forth with his acl. r Batt. True, the declaring Gods mind makes it naff; the word of promife in Scripture is taken declarative when it comes to afoule to have the experience ofleftu Chrifi, and after grace received, and when in fptU we receive all in Chrift, to the glory of God. StaL Befides all this, the word of promife is made, be- fore the worke of grace is begun ; for God begins with us in theGofpel, and puts us and our children under the tender of the covenant, as the feale of the covenant. You fay, that the promife is made to Abraham on fome fingular privilcdge, which I grant, in refped of the circumftances; but the iub- ftancc of the Gofpcl is the fame to all beleevcrs in the Old andNewTcftament, asbcleevers. Batt. As a beieever we argue to the point , but not becuufe of the att of bcleeving ttvw the covenant made. Stal. We doe not lay it upon any previous merir,or worth in the faith of a beleeving parent, for himfelfe or child ; but upon the preventing free grace of God, who is pleafedto accept them both in the covenant, when he admits the one, he admits the other. Batt. tvhj, but in beleeving we under [land faith doth not go before the covenant^but faith follows the covenant j and I fttp- pofejon are notfo ignorant^ as to thinke that grace goes before the covenant, Stal. Sir, I am fo ignorant, as to conceive that the cove- nant in the tender of it, goes before faith ; the covenant af* fords the feed of faith the covenants the miniftration of ths fpirit of faith ; we cannot have faith but from the promife which breeds and begets faith. Batt. It ifi one thingto confide the promife in refpeel of ob- lation, I may preach the promife to thonjands, and not confirm* grace in lefw Chrifi. D Stal. 1 8 Thefumme of a Conference Stal. But to fpeake in other words, more proper, and plainc ; an outward offer, and outward eftablifhment by a facrament there is, to beleevers children, as tothemfelves, though not the inward eftablifhment by the fpirit, prefently, nor ever it may be, to allthofe children. Batt. Jfwejpeake to beleevers and their feed, all the feed of beleevers is as we confider Abraham according to the fleJh,or Abraham according to the fpirit : if according to thefeJhtfo the covenant is to him and his feed; and if according to the fpirit^ fo the covenant is there* and the Gofpel allows of no other feedy but according to thefpirit. Stal. Allows how ? the Gofpel makes an offer and tender not onely in this, but in other places; it makes an offer of fal- vation to thofe that are the (ccd of beleeving parents, who have not the worke of grace in them. Batt. So it doth to the Whole World. Stal. Yea more then that, it makes the offer,as God gives over himfelfe in the fcale of the covenant to the feed of be- leeving parents, as to themfclves, which he doth not to all the world. Batt. I pray give Scripture for it ; ifCjodhath not done at much for them afarre off, as for them that are neare ; -whom the Lord our God /hall call. Stal. I raife this argument to that I faid before; if the feale of the covenant be to Abraham and his feed, becaufe of the promife, then he that hath the proraifc mufthave the feale, &c Batt. Draw out y our Sjtlogifme. Stal I will pot it as plaine as I can ; the promife or the fubftance of the Gofpel covenant is the ground of the feale ; but beleevers and their feed have the fubftance of the Gofpel covenant, therefore they muft have the feale. Batt. i> is deniedthat beleevers feed mufi therefore have the feale \ becAufe of the promife • prove it. StaL I prove it; what was a ground, why Abrahams feed, have the ieale., is the ground why the feed of other beleevers, ftiould have the feale ; but the promife was the ground of A~ brahams fcale,&c. Batt. touching Infants Baptifme. ip Batt. It is denied that the fromife was the ground of Abn* h^ms feale. Stal. In the 17. of Cenejh and the 9. after God had made a promife to him and his Iced ; he telshim, Thou flialt keepc my covenant therefore : Wherefore? becaufe he had made a promife or covenant to be his God, and the God of his feed. Batt. But wherefore fiatl bis feed be circumcifed without eomntiffion f Stal, If God make the covenant the ground of die com- mand, of fetting to the feale ; therefore ^Abraham fhall pro- cure that feale to his children, which God appoints to him, and in that he hath made a promife to his children as to him- fcif ej therefore he mud procure the feale : if the covenant we re the caufe or ground of it,they arethen to have the feale fet , by Gods command, whofoever we finds within the compafle of the covenantee. Batt. Ifay^there was a covenant made with Abraham, and he hath children andfervants, but they cannot be circumcifed till there it a commiffion given 5 and there may be 4 promife and a covenant, but without a commijjion no circumcijing. Stal. Servants we deale not with who arc of yeares ; but the feed of beleeving parents, what is made to Abraham as a beleever, is made to the reft of belecvers, but the command of the feale is given upon the promife made to Abraham,and his feed ; therefore all beleeving parents that have their chil- dren in the covenant, have a command to put to the feale and procure the feale for them : Or, I will prove it another way, if parents cannot manage their faith of the covenant without procuring the feale which God hath commanded, they rauft procure it,in faith of the promife, and in obedience to a com- mand, but parents cannot elfe manage their faith of the co- venant ; therefore as they procured circumcifion in the Old Teftament, fo baptifme in the New. Batt. To which we anfwer : It is managed according to the Gojpel' if he himfelfe receive thefigue as Abraham receives the figne or feale of circumcifion, Stal. But Abraham receives a command for it, for his D * children* 20 Thefumme of a Conference children; and therefore all parents are bound to procure the feale for their children. Batt. I dejtre to explaine myfelfe j thtre Vpos nothing put in execution Without a command from the time o/Adam unto A- braham , from the dayes of Abraham till Chrifafrom the dayes of Chrifi, till now; when there was no command, there wot no circumcifion ; and when then k a commijfion Iftimacl u cir- enmcifed', and then at thattime^ at thirteen? yeares old ^ani thirteene jeares he remained uncircumcifed. Stal. But when the covenant is made with zAbraham^ and againe renewed for circumcifion, there is a command upon that ground : Abraham hath a command for circum- cifion and muft apply it becaufc of the promife ; foifGod hath given parents a promife in the New Teftament for children; then they have a command for applying baptifme to their children upon that promife; which isaneverlafting ground and reafonof the command. Batt. Abrahams children have a command 'to be circum- cifed, therefore they are circumcifed; and if parents have re- ceived'a command for their children to be baptized, then they are to be baptized '; prove it. Stal. They have a command for Baptifme in the generaH, and in the promife to them and their feed there is included acommandjto apply the feale to all to whom the promife belongs. Ergo. Batt. Iffo be a command is included in the promife, then my child, fay youjnuft be baptized as Abrahams was circumci/ed ? Stal. I, iffo be the command is included in the promife wherein children are confederates, they are to be baptized ; what hinders but the command is includcd5&c Batt. If the command were annexed,to the covenant andex- prtjfedin the covenant • as circumcifion which is not included, 6utJpokenof;wherefore the conclufion fotlowes from the pre- mifes if the command made were not enely include Ay but a com- miffion given, as for circumcifion. Stal. If there was a command given to the promife for circumcifion, it holds that the promife being given to bclee- vers touching Infants Baptifme. 21 vers and to their feed, then fuch parents arc to procure the fealc for them: 1 will give you an in (lance; if the promifes be called commands, they carry a commanding power with them; or thus I will raifc my Argument; If there be the power of a command in the pro.mife (that it is included though not expreffed) they are to improve that promife for the fcale, but there is fuch power in a promife (as I could (lie w * ) that it carries a command in the bowels of ir,there- * Nehem. 1. 8. fore fuch a command for the feals is implied, and drawn out A&« *3«47« from the promifes. Batt. D oe you fay the promife, or apromife. Stal. This or that promife ; or the promife indefinitely. Batt. Of this or that promife, if we have a command with it we may doe things upon the promife^ fitch was cirenmcifion in the command of it ; Stal, And fuch is the promife to belecvers and their feed, that a command is implied in it ; whence I draw my Argu- ment, doc you anfwer to it : if there lieth a command in tho bowels of a promife, it mud be improved, and the parents muft manage it for their children ; but in this or that promife there is a command. Batt. What command can there be on this handpr that from * promife ; Vvhenyott (feake indefinitely of them. Stal. I (ball not need further to prove a command if you grant a promife : The covenant of grace runs thus, in pro- mifes there arc precepts ; in precepts, promifes underftood or implied; though not exprcft: there is a mutuall and re- ciprocal! reflection one upon another; if God promife a thing in one place, there is a precept in another ; and if there be a precept in one place,thcre is a promife in another ; this is the covenant of grace : if God give apromifetoabelecverand his feed, you (hall find a command for the adminiftrationof the fignofthe covenant. Batt. 'But exprejfe places of cemmand there are for aBuall * Though af- befetvers ; In Matthew the 1%. and the \6. of Marke. terwards we Stal. There are, we (hall come to that afterwards, *but wanted time, ftill I urge ( prcfiippofing that command in generall to belec- SVScuIm ving Gentiles, Matthew the *8. and the 1 9") that which be- %£ovx pSpSfr, D 3 longs %% The fumme of a C onference longs to Abraham, belongs to other beleevers, the promife I will be a God to thee and thy kad , and the promife as the ground of the command , comes fo to him , therefore other beleevers have a command , to procure the feale of the pro- mife, with the promife, or upon that ground. Batt. JVe have anffteredtbat the feed of Abraham, wot un- der flood according to thefefh before ; andfo according to tbejpi- rit ; and that in the Gojpel, StaL The Gofpel is in that Text , In the 1 7. of Genefis it is a Gofpel covenant. Batt. Howfarre, to no more then Abraham andhii fpiri- tuati feed. StaL I have proved it, it is meant of the carnall feed j and I will prove further, it is made to Abrahams a beleever, up- on no other fpeciall priviledge ; It was made to Ifaac and to Jacob » as well as to Abraham j therefore not to Abraham by any fpeciall priviledge. Batt. No not made to Abraham upon jpeciall priviledge, the holy G ho ft f ayes, it is made to Abraham in a JpcciaU priviledge; the promife was made to jour father Abraham. StaL Not to Abraham onely.but to Ifaac and Iacob3znd if it be no more priviledge then what Ifaac or Jacob hath, it is no mere priviledge, then what other beleevers have. Batt. True, other beleevers in the fame line as Ilaac and la- cob in theflejh , but now the line all defcent is broken $ looke the 9. to the Romanes. StaL The lineall defcent is not broken. Batt. In the p. to the Romanes and the 7. verfe ; not becaufe they are the feed of Abraham are they all children , but in Ilaac JhallthyfeedJpe called. Stal There the holy Ghoft fpcaks not of externall admi- niftration; butef effecTiuall application. Batt. They thai are the children of theflejh, are not the fans of God, but the children of the promife. StaL The time will ruh away, we fet two or three houres apart, for this exercife, and not above, and appointed a Ser- mon to be in the afternoone ; and net t© put that worke by ; Let us goe to another Argument , whereby I (hall prove the lineall defcent is not broken. ' Batt. touching Infants Baptifme. 22 Batt. Anfwer to t he f lace. Stal. Sol have , and {"hall take offyour Anfwer from that place in the next Argument. NeVo. Wherefore did God command, that the cto'ldrcn of Here Mafler Abraham ihould be circu mcifed ? %emu put in. Batt. / Anftoer, God did command , that the children of A- bnhum Jbould be circumcifed , to diflinguifh them from other nations. New. That I grant, why elfe grant you, that God made a covenant to Abraham and his feed , and they were circumci- fed ; were they not circumcifed bec3ufe it was a feale of the covenant. Batt. I doe not deny it, nor will not. NeVr. You fay, they are not circumcifed, becaufe the pro- mife is made to him; It is Mr. Lambs Anfwer in his Book. Batt. I take your words t you fay, that Ijhouldfay they are not circumcifed becaufe ofthepromife of the covenant-therefore Ifayy if the commijfion and command make it a figne according to the promife, I deviate not king. New. I aske you this Queltion, whether circumcifion was the fcale or figne of the covenant. Batt. It was the feale of the rightemfnejfe of faith. New. Whether is it the feale or figne of the covenant. Batf. It is the feale of the righteoufnejfe of faith, grant that. New. And I am glad youconfelTe, that it is the fcale and figne of the covenant. Batt. Vnderfiand us according to Scripture^ though the holy Gheft fay, that Abraham received the Jign of circumcifion that hemight be the father of all beleeving. New.Gxznt this and I have done,was it as for dilHn&ion fo as the figne and feale of the covenant,you did grant if. Batt. Propoundyour Sytlogifme. NeVe. I will firlt aske you this Queition;God made a pro- mife to Abraham and his ieedjwas it not a covenant of grace and (alvation ? Batt. I Anfwer jea to his feed. New. And was it not to his Infants ? Bat t. According to theflejh^nd alfo to thejpirit. Mew. Stay Sir 5 you grant it as a covenant of grace andfal- vation. Batt. 24 Tbefumme of a Conference Batt. According to the fie fh, or according to the (pirit. New. I care not for that, whether to the flc(h or no,if a co- venant of grace and falvation, to Infants % lam the God of them and their feed, then God gives grace to Infants , then his Infants might have faith3and many died before,as after cir- cumcifion the promife is not voyd , if they are not circum- cifed then God gives a promife of grace to Infants, though they have not a&uall faith. Batt. / anfoecr, if God make a covenant. of grace andfalva- tionto Infants ', then he gives grace and falvation to them , we Jba/lanffterwhdt jott confirmed before, when you underjiand that the infants or children according to thefiefh orjpirit, grace and falvation , U made to them and their feed y lineally defcended from Abraham. New. Then God made a covenant to Abraham and his feed, to give them grace and falvation, I will bring you to that that you would have your felfe. Batt. Speaks no untruths in a publique place. NcVp. God gives grace to Abrahams Infants and they were circumcifed. Batt. Conceive me fo, if fo that God give grace And falva- tion to the feed of atluall beleevers. New. If God gives grace and falvation to Abrahams In- fants and to others alfo , then they may be baptized as the o- ther are circumcifed if God give the thing fignified they may have the figne and feale. Batt. That promife is made to Abraham and his feed. Neto. My Syllogifme is, if, God gives the thing fignified, then they arc to be baptized, but God gives the thing fignifi- ed, and therefore, &c Batt. True, andlconfejfe if we confider no difference in the ' ftate of the Church before the Law andnoW , then your 'rgu- ment Would hold , but noVo the children of Abraham according to thtfle/b, they mufi have faith atlualiy, before they be admit" tedtoBaptifme. Ne w.Y ou make a difference in the ftate of the Law and the Gofpel ; will you not grant thofe children in the ftate of the Gofpel to have grace ; and as they were circumcifed in tsf- brahams dayes, fhali not children be baptized in the dayel of the Gofpel? Batt. touching Infants Baptifme. Batt. We fay y as the adminiftration of the Old Teftament is aba- lifhed in other things, fo it is to infants ; that it holds not now to us Gentiles ^ as before* Stal. I will take off the anfwer ; I will prove it to hold in pro- portion with the Gentiles children, as the lews : And fo I paffe to another Argument, to prove our children under apromifeof grace and falvation,as they come from us by lineall defcent. Batt. The adminiftration in the Law and the Gojpel wilt not hold in t hit particular. Stal. I will prove it doth hold ; the truth of God confirmed by Chrift was, that the promifes made to the Fathers, the Gentiles fhould glorifie God for, as having a (hare therein, but cne rankc of the promifes, is that we have fpoken of, that God did take their children into covenant, and give them the figne and the thing fig- nificd; and therefore God is as much, and will doe as much, for our children, as for the children of the Iewes; that wc Gentiles might glorifie God for his mercy. Batt. 'Prove it. Stal. In the 15. of the Romanes ix\& the 9. Iefns Chrift is the Miniftcrofthecircumcifion for the truth of God to confirmethe promifes made unto the fathers, that the Gentiles might glo- rifie God for his mercy. s> Batt. If hat is jour inference from this place ? Stal. I lay my Argument thus ; It is a truth of God confirmed by Chrift that the promifes made unto the Fathers the Gentiles (liould glorifie God for, (as having a fhare therein , elfe they could not glorifie God for it) but one ranke of thefe promifes is, that God is and doth as much forthefeedofbeleevers,asfora beleever ; for if he faith, he will be 3 God to the feed of them, it is as much as if he did it ; and Chrift comes to confirme it, that wc Gentiles (liould glorifie God for it. Batt. Conceive it, becaufe he faith, that Chrift is the Minifter ofcircumcifton ; therefore the Gentiles fhould glorifie God for it. Stal. And for the promife made to the Fathers, therefore the Gentiles (hall glorifie God; and how was he a Minifter of circum- cifion ? circumcifien is not there put for the aclofcircumcifion, but for circumcifed perfbns,the Iewes to whom Chrift preached* Batt. In as much as no creature could fatisfe the righteoufnejfe of (jod, Chrift Was bound over to anffter what circumcifion bound H4tofa*d having anfwered what circumcifion required, he was the i6 Thefumme of a Conference (JMinifter ofcircumcifion ;for this caufe, we glorifie God. Stal. HcwasMiniltcrofthecircumcifion, that is, ofthecir- cumcifed Iewes : Sir, you muft not cloud the Scripture with multitude of words, and darken counfcll without knowledge, the Scripture hath this fcope, that Chrift receives the Gentiles as the Iewes ; he proves both branches : In the 8.verfe,Reccive one another as Chrift received us; Iewes and Gentiles. Firft,asa Miniftcrofthe Iewcs,andthatinrefpecl of the promife made to the fathers: And asaMinifterfor the Gentiles, that they might glorifie God for his mercy, in the confirmation of his promife made to the Fathers, it being a benefit common to the Gentile as the lew, to have a (hare in fuch old promifes. BzttfVe know it thus far ;that be fulfils the promifes to the fat hers. Stal. Tkere muft be a medium to the finis ; a meanes to the end : The end is Gods glory among the Gentiles; the meanes, is the promife confirmed to lew and Gentile ; as in the 3. of the Ephe- fians and the 6. We Gentiles are partakers of this promife, in Chrift by the Gofpel ; and 'we having a (hare in it doe glorifie God for the fame mercy. Batt. JVeVpill conceive it true (as I faid before) the promifes are offered in Iefm Chrift. Stal. The promife that God will be a God to beleevers and to their feed,it is feton the heads or Fathers of the Families ; they fhall have a promife for their children, elfe they cannot glorifie God for the lame mercy ; as the Iewes. Batt. Tour Argument hath aglojfe ; it will not hold- If the pro- mife oflefus Chrift >and the promife by the GoJpeltifto one feed in the Lavyit wiHholdyandbecaufe it is tied up it will not held. Stal. My Argument holds, becaufe it is not tied up ; for thus I reafon againft the Anfwer ; that which eclipfeth the glory of Gods mercy, and the joy ofbeleeving parents, that doctrine is not to be endured, but the docTtirte of the deniall of a promife, and fo the feale of it, baptifme, to Infants, eclipfeth the glory of Gods mercy, and denies comfort to beleeving parents 5 therefore it is a dodrine not to be endured. Batt. It is denied. Stal. Doth the fhutting out all Infants advance free mercy, ot the taking in of fome ? Batt. I A* faer ;tbe promife is preached to alt mankind, and if free grace be to all,we exclude no Infant mere thenather. St*L You cannot include children under mercy, unleffe they touching Infants, Baptifme. 27 be under a promife of mercy : Infants, fay you, are excluded from the promife of mercy. Batt. 2f d Ifayfo ? lay you the confirmation. Stal. Chrift confirming the promife of mercy to the Fathers among the lews, he confirmes the promife made to the Fathers among the Gentiles. Batt. /, that ii in Iefus Chrift, who is the Minifler ofcircumci- /ton ;we dee denie to preach the grace of god to Infants, till they an capable of under ft anting. Stal. WiK you exclude them from mercy till they are capable ofunderftanding ? Batt. There ieQcc\zfa$otznt\d\s,the$otc)itiall Church. Newt. They were potentially holy, but not acluaily; fo are the children of Turkes potentially holy, God can make them holy*: Give me leave to fpeake one word more ; where the thing figni- fied is, it may be applied in the time of the Law and Goipel; I proved to you that God made a promife to ^Abraham of grace and falvation ; therefore whofoever hath grace and falvation, I ftppofe the fcale of grace may be applied to them. Batt. fVeanftoeron diftinttion thus ; It is one thing toconftder grace as it {lands in a promife: and another thing to consider it in the ejficacie; the royall robes of righteoufneffe be in Chrift and there is .enough to cloath all the Saints; andas to you is given grace, accord- ing to the Text. NeVc. I fay, Infants have grace j God gives grace to Infants, and then if they have grace, why fhall not the feale be applied ; where -the thing fignified is the fign may be applied; but the thing fignificd is in Infants, then the figne may be applied. Batt. fTill you under ft and all Infants in generall, orfome in par* ticular ; there ii a fa Eacie in your Argument f New. I goe to Abrahams children, I aske this queition ; the promife of falvation and grace is to Abrahams children, have they not grace,ho w come they to glory, and to heaven ? many died be- fore circumcifion and they goe to heaven, how come they there r Batt. If they have grace;have all Infants grace, orfome Infants £ which Infants have grace 5 have all Infants grate t New. I fay not io. Batt. Have feme ? iWft>. Yes. Batt. V/hich be they f iWft.Had not Abrahams children grace ; Jfaac had grace, and ■c * Izcob 28 Thefumme of a Conference Jacob had grace ; did not God fay of Jacob, I have loved him be- fore he was borne. Batt. Here uyour Argument', Tacob had grace-, therefore all had grace, NeVe. You bad me prove but one ; and I profeffe to you,there is one ftands by you that in my prelence denied that Jacob was elected s you bad me prove that any had grace ; fome you fee had. Batt. Jacob had grace, and therefore is he circumcifed j but muft other Infants therefore be baptized ? Stal. If once you deny a conclufion of truth, it is -time to come to aconclufion ; if Infants have the mercy of the promifc, and the promife of mercy ; grace, and the promife of grace ; then Infants may have baptifme : but grace, and the promife of grace is given to Infants : you grant both proportions, and yet deny the con- clufion. Batt. Trove then to whom grace is given actually and really. Stal. We may prove it, that Infants have reall grace, and are in a Gofpel ftate, in a ftate of grace and glory. Batt. Prove this, and I mil come toyou againe whenyoujpe ake that Infants havegr ace ; they muft have the grace of regeneration or abfolute union -, if they have th At of union or regeneration^ then all is one. Stal, I will give you a Syllogifme to prove it 5 if Chrift doth undoubtedly fay, they are partakers of the ftate of grace and glory, then is baptifme to be adminiftred to Infants; but Chrift undoub- tedly faith, they are partakers of grace and glory. Bat:. Bee you fay, that Chrift jpeakes ofaH, or of fome perti- cular Infants? Stal. He fpeakes indefinitely of Infants; In the 10. of Mark? and the 14. verfe,Of fuch is the Kingdome of God : In the Con- text our Saviour doth byfpeciall demonftrations teftifie his ap- probation of children, in rebuking thofe that kept them from him; and in giving a command to fufFer them to be brought; yea he makes a promife to them, and confirmes an acluall blefiingupon them ; and makes a profeflion of thefe and fuch as they arc, of lit- tle children is the Kingdome of God : By which I underft and a Church ftate, a Gofpel ftate, a ftate of grace, and a ftate of glory : Mtttthewhzth it, the Kingdome of heaven ; and in the next verfe by, the Kingdome of God; (the fame words as here) our Sa- viour meaneth the ftate of grace , and ftate of glory. Not the touching Infants Baptifme. 29 Church of the Iewesonely ; as was anfwered mc the other day ; but the Church of the New Teftament ; a Church ftate, or a Go- fpel ftate; a ftate of grace here, and cf glory hereafter : And as here it is little children, Luke hath it infants ; of thefe is the king- **f a«>. dome of heaven j it confifts of thefe as well as of others : Ergo, Luk.i8- the outward administration of the feale of grace is not to be deni- ed them. Take up my Argument thus : They that arc in a Gofpel ftate,a ftate of grace here, and hereafter of glory, are not to be ex- cluded from the feale of their admiflion into that ftate ; but In- fants, &c. Batt. Tour Argument uthis; If they are comprehended in a Gojpsl ftate they are not to be excludedfrom the feale of their admif- fion to that ftate ; Were it not that the holy Ghoft takes me of; in the 5. o/Iohn andthe %, Verily \verily, I fay unto thee, except a man be borne of Water and of the holy Ghoft, a man cannot enter into the kingdome of God ; wherefore comparing that Scripture with others, none can enter into the Kingdome , but they that are regenerate. Stal. Chrift faith, of fuch in faying, they are of his Kingdome that they are fanctified, and fuch are regenerated, and fuch are fa- ved, even little children; and if Chrift declare his approbation of them, before they declare theirs of him; we are to give them the figne. Batt. 'Becaufefomeofthefonnesofmen are baptized, therefore fome are faved before they declare falvatian. Stal. I , before they declare falvation. Batt. Thtre U an open at~l of faith to be made in beleeving ; now you grant they have faith, Which I doe not grant. Stal.l do not fay they have faitb;but they are of the Kingdome ©fGod. Batt. Did ever [hrift declare his approbation ofaU Infants f Stal. Did Chrift ever pronounce that of all men was the King- dome of Gcd ; he never faid unto all men, of them is my King- dome, but of men, and fo much he faith of Infants, of fuch is my Kingdome. Batt. Is it meant of the Kingdome of grace, or glory t Stal. Of fuch is the Kingdome of uod, that is, to imply, they may be fub jeds of that Kingdosie, whether- grace or glory, or both. Batt. All infants ? Stal. No, fome infants. E 3 Batt. 3 o The fufnme of a Conference Batt. Can you fay fuch a child individuall hath grace ? Stal. Can you fay fuch an Individ uall child hath not grace ? Batt. We will leave it till fuch time as it makes out it hath union Vpith Chrift, andcommunion with his Church. Stal. Chrift leaveth it not fo ; but faith, Of fome is the King- dome of God ; there are fome belonging to his Kingdome, even while they are in the ftate of infancie. Batt. It is not poffible to give it, which be thofe. Stal. Will you grant any Infants to be baptized, if I give you a demonft ration, what Infants are within the promife, and which are not. Batt. What the Text makes out we grant yo », elfe not, if you can make it out by the word of truth and J pofiolica/l example, Stal. The wordlayesforthfiichchildren,asareto be baptized. Batt. Note them out* Stal. Thofe children who in the time of the New Teftament are diftinguithed from other children, by a diftincT: promife made unto them, and not toother children; are the children to be ba- ptized(for having the promife, they muft have the feale)but thetfe is a diftind promife to them whofe parents have a promife. Batt. Prove it. Stal. In the 2. of the Atts and the 30. the promife is to you and to your children. Batt. Toucut the Scripture a claufe or two too fhort, is it to you and none elfe f and is it not to all that are mere andafarre off? Stal. Why the promife is to you that can here actually repent, to you the promife is made, and to your children; (indefinitely) i'o they be your children; not the children of all men , but to you that belecvc and repent, to you the promife is made , and toyeur children, and to them afarre off, that the Lord our God fhall ; to them and to their children. Lamb. There is a miftake in the interpretation of Scripture. Neto. It is out of your own fenfe. Lamb. This fame was no more but a Sermon made to the lewes , though it was fo that the p-omife was' made to them and their feedt and then they to whom the promife is made did beleevefhe Textfaies, they receivedthe Word gladly and there was added three thoufandto ' the Church. Stal, Of whom there is a diftin&ion made by the promife, they arc to have the feale, but there is a diftinclion made by the promife betweene touching Infants Baptifme. 3 1 between the children of belecvers and others ( for they have the promife, who-ever wants it ) therefore they are to have the fealc. Lamb. Tou argue thus, the children of Abraham and of the be- leeving Iewes are the children of the promife; andmleffe the chil- dren of them, they have not the promife. Stal. This promife , was granted to the Iewes and their chil- dren in the time of the New Tcftament ; if the parents accept of the Gofpel , and repent and be baptized for the remiflion of their finnes, the promife is to them and to their children; Whence! argue that which is a ftrong motive to bring the parents among the lews to bebeve and repent muftnot be denyed; Now the promife to their children with themfelves, is a ftrong motive to bring in a lew, leave out his children he will not come in himfelf . And the Apoftle , as if he knew where the fhooe pinched them ( leave out us, if you leave out our pofteritie ) therefore he urgeth them by this extenfive motive, the promife is to you, and to your pofteritie alfo. Lamb. And if there Vvot an oblation ( or offer) and not a confir- mation of What ejfett is it ? Stal, 1 underttand it thus ; to you of yeares if you beleeve; and repent, the promife is to you, and to your children. Lamb. It is a confirmation to the parents beleeving and repenting. Stal. That, to be fare, the promife ihould be to them perform- ing this condition ; and over and above to their children. La mb. But then it is meant of children ofjearesyvhojhould actu- ally beleeve and repent. New. Doeyouunderftandit cnely of avfluall rep enting and be- leeving. Lamb. None that comes but mu/i repent and beleeve and be bap- ti<>ed, and they muft not elfe. Seal. Was this a motive to the lew; it was no more then if he fhould fay, doe you repent that are Ie ws,the promife is to youjand if the Gentiles repent they mall have the promife, and when your children come to yeares, they ihallbave the promife, what motive is this? Lamb. Yes a great m?tive free grace to all, a motive to all, as for their children , grace Teas no more tendered to them then to all the world. ■ Stal That which is an inducement to parents to beleeve be- fore they beleeve. and that which is a importation to faith when they The fumme of a Conference they beleeve muft not be laid au*de » but the promife to their chil- dren, is made an inducement before they beleeVe, and a fupport- ment when they beleeve , therefore we muft notlayitafidc; by fniitting our children out in their infancy. Lamb. If tht j come in after ; the promife is theirs. Stal. But if you take them not in while children, it is no fach inducement ; for the parent to come in. Lamb. To them netre^ and afarre ojfy there is no participation of the covenant, but by faith andrepentance. NeW. No participation , but by actuall faith and repentance, muft all have that ? Lamb. No potentiall faith is a rule or ground for a t^Minifteri to adminifter Baptifme upon, ^ New. I aske if there muft be no Baptifme , but they muft have faith and repentance , and that there is no grace if they have not the act of faith and repentance ? Lamb. I faj the command repent , and be baptized, u no ground feraMin'fter to adminifier Baptifme unlefe they underfiand and repent. New. Have not children grace , wherefore elfe were they cir- cumcifed ? Lamb. / Anfwer the reafon why they Were circumeifedi is not be- caufe the parents are bound to beleeve , or becaufe they have faith i» them, but becaufe the covenant is made to them and the feed, Typi- cally promifing lefm Chrifl : When Chrifi Was comejhe Type ceafed. New. Did he not make a promife, and a covenant to children that they &ould have grace , if they have the covenant , and how do they come to heaven elfe, what had they grace afterwards? Lamb. / Anfnery in the fame confideratien they were of Abra- ham , We might conclude their falvation. New. Then you will not conclude, that any are faved in the co- venant of grace; but by faith in lefus Chrift actually had. Lam. Not any that I know of . Stal, It is time I come to another Argument which is this; That doctrine which doth leave children in a hopdeffe eftate, and beleeving parents in a doubtfull and a defpairing condition , about their children,is a doctrine not to be endured; your dodtrin makes them and their children hopelefle (for as in the 2. cf the Epkejians. and the 1 2. without the promife,having no hope ) therefore your doctrine is not to be endured. touching Infants Baptifme. 2* Lamb. tAfter my children are alienated and grangers without God, what elfe is their eftate, isfecret, but we wiU'leave that to divine mercy. iY*/.E.ut revealed things are to us and to our ehildrenja promifc is revealed; without the protni/e, no grounded hope of mercy. Lamb. There is no promife to this more then thaf} but as Acts the 2. the 39. to them that the Lord our God fhall call ; Stal. tows cat, Wkofoever the Lord our God /tall call, hath rela- tion to the latter clauie ; all that are afarre off; inanfwer td~ what might be objected; what fihall become of them afarre orTjto them, 2nd to their children the promifc is, as to you and yours; and if the promife be to them afarre off, that beleeve, then the promifc will hold to the children of them afarre ofl^as it being to thern that arc necre3or were then and there prefent,it was to their children, Lamb. Whofoevcr brings forth a dbBritie to enlarge the hope of people beyond Scripture , flatters the people , whefocver brings in a natural! feed , to canfe parents to beleeve that their children are fa- ved, doe but flatter them. StaL We are farre from this flattery ; if we pleaded the flefli without a promife ; or did we onely plead acts and works as you doe, we were as Ifmael,yca Antichri(tian;but if we plead the pro- mife, from the time of cur firft birth ; we are as Ifaac, that came of Abraham according to promifc ; As in jtbe 4. of the Galati* am and the 28. we brethren are as Ifaac ; take Ifaac as an Infant or one of yeares**, we are under the promife , when Infants of be- leeving parents-; and if bdecvers of yeares, we have the promife (as he had ).for our (elves, and our children. Batt. The sApoftle alleadges I faac that he comes as born by pro- mife, and therefore of the promife , but God made not a promife that Vee fhouldbc born as Ifaac* Stal. Although God did not make a promife that we be born as Ifaac i yet we have a promife from the firft birth going with us, as Ifaac had. Batt. I deny that they have more then thofe that comtof mbe» leeving parents. Stal. At the firft bitth we have it by coming of belceving pa- rents. Bat*. Andat the firft birth me ha&e no more tbe&childrenihat arrnot cMlf* thtnthofothriart not born of God, V Grey, j 4 Thefumme of a Conference Grey. Whether have your children no more priviledgeunder the Gofpel, then have the children of heathens ? Batt. We do not admit them to (}o(pel priviledges, as children. Grey, What promife is that fpoken of in the Acts, where it is £aid by the holy Ghoft, The promife is to you, and to your chil- dren. Batt. We under ft avdby it the word offalvation offered to all Grey. I pray anfwer to my Argument, from that Text, that prorriiie which is to you, is alfo to your children, that is, my Ma- jor, but this promife here fpoken of, is to you, to all that are afarre off, whom the Lord /hall call, that is, my Minor; therefore this promife (to you as to your children) is alfo to the children of all fuch as the Lord our God (hall call. Lamb. This promife iitotu many as the Lord our God Jhall call. Grey, Deny one of the Arguments. Batt. I Anfwer by diftintlion ; tii one thing to have the promife ofthefpirit^the promife of union, according to election, another to have that viftbly revealed by offer of grace and participation ofpri* viledge ; I grant the former, they have the promife of union. Grey. In granting this, you have granted what before you de- nied, and have y eelded as much as we defire ; you grant the pro* mife tobe with them, the fpiritto be in them : you grant them union (a fruit of vocation) youmuft not, cannot deny theni com* munion with Chrift byhis Spirit. This is fufficientfor us in grant- ing the greater ; the thing fignified, you of neceflitie muft yceld the JefTe, the figne; you have yceldcdthe covenant, youmuft y eeld the feal, and in granting this, you have granted all j and let all here prefent be our judges. Bait. But we have granted nothing. Stal. Let me proceed to another Argument j It is'of divine au- thorise and according to Chrifts will, that all thofe which are of his Church mould have the warning of jwater ;but Infants are members of the Church, therefore by divine authoritie, Infants mould have the warning of water. Batt. We deny the Minor ; Infants as Infants, are no members of Chrifts body the Church. Stal, No members of Chrift, no benefit by Chrift, no falvation ; no death of Chrift for them* no love of Chrift to them, but this kan Antichriftian, father then a Chriftian do<3rine. The Minors proved. touching Infants B apt iffy e. 5 y proved, from Ephefans the y. and the 26, Chrift faveth, lovctb, dieth for his Church and for none elfe;cither therefore Infants are of "his Church, or Chrift died for cone, loved none, faveth none. Batt. We an/wer upon diftinElion >3 you draw this inference and fay, that they that are no members of Chrift, have no part of Chrift: it is one thing to conftder them as members-According to eletlion.and ano- ther as in the vifibie Church according to the revelation oftheGoJpel; While I am a child, lam counted to be a child of Wrath, according to the fiefa under the Law ; andnoVc if it be thepleafure of the Father to call me $ I am a member of(^ hrifi, Stal. What if you live not (as thoufands of Infants doe not, but die in their infancie) till that time of your calling ? Batt. I dnfvfcr^eleclion and divine grace hath reference to theftate of life or death j in th?ftate of death ree leave it to the Father. Stal. You trench upon an Arminian point ; that none are infal- libly ele&ed till death; if children die in their infancie they may be elected and goe to heaven ; not elfe. Batf. No Sir, 1 fay before their member/hip is made manifeftto v the-creature, j the Sunnejhines not,yet we know, there is power in the • Sunne tojhine ; it is one thing to conceive a thing in God,and another as communieated to the creature ± ifhefaves any as infants, he wajh - eththem, and gives them an inward Wa/hing. Stal. Bu* he hath an outward wafhing for all that have the in- ward; In the $j, of the Ephefans and the 26. hefan&ifles and clcanfes them with the wafhing of water by the word; that wafhing of water is baptifmall wafliing. Batt. He fayes, that he gave his body for them, he Jhedhisbloud andlaiddcwn his hfe, that -he m'ght apply the vertue and death of his bUudJhedtofanfiifie his Church. Stal. J, to I nfants as others ; doth this differ from my fenfe ? Batt. ./ grant membership according to union ; but the Scripture Qieakes not of any membership there. Stal. iso, doih it not; if Chrift ownes them as members of his Charch myft!call,they are to be received into the Church vifibie. Batt. %Are there any meanes to know it f Stal. We have given you means. Batt. Things that are conceived in tbepoVrer of God to be^ are they \ really fucht Stal. Yes, really, if Chrift loveth any, andfavcth any, they arc P 2 united J be jumme of a Conference united unto himfclfe, and hisbwiy, t-bey arc joyned with him,and have the effecl: of his grace inwardly. Batt. I grant you this pojitkn^there is an unfavorable conhmttien of them thai Godcals to grace and glory, the thing^oe jpeak* of is-, that he might frefent his Church glorious j fa is glorious ^ fa ties in forcer to be glorious, or really glorious, as we come to have faith in the righteaufnejfe of God we are really fucb. r Stal. The time is fpentthat was allotted forth* Difpurcjas for the determination of every ones judgement What hath becne dearly drawne from Scripture, let them that have hc\urd, judge of it,and confult with God,and the Saipture,and fee how God (hall determine their hearts : we hope this dayes worke may do fome good, to fatisfie weake fpirits, who are ready to be turned about with every winde of doctrine; what you fee true in their An- 1 wers, make ufe of; for my part I fee nothing to beat me ofT,ftom cancluding, that I and my children arc in the fame Covenant, nor any thing that fhould hinder us from baptizing our Infants. Batt. Let me have hbertU tojpeake andmak* art Afologie, - * Stal. No, Apologies wiUfpoileyour>caufe; you rnayhave liber- tie to withdraw. Andas they were withdrawing, fbmc of the MiniftewdcfireH to know of the people, whether they had received fatisfacrion, and did conclude with us, that Infants were to be baptized ; whereto they gave their generall atteftation by a fliout witlf, Yes,yes. Stal. Ye doe often fing the 1 1 7. Vfalme, few confidcr, it may be, how the Apoftle quotes it, Romanes the 1 5. and tric^i 1. irf re- ference to, and for proofe, of the great myftetie-of fhe'Gd{j)ej, which in as great a latitude is helcfcout tfy us Gentiles, as tt>the Iewes,that in what Chrift promifethand doth, to beleeviftg pa- rents, and their children, we ftiould glorifieGodfor thathis mer- cy. Let us now fing that Pfalme. After which W. (ftvjwent to Prayer and Sermon, wherein from this:Text, Jude verfefheg. he did feafonably, and pertinently pre ffc that exhortatiori,* That we fhould earneftly contend for the faith which Was once given to the Saints. ■ - Vindicia IZgdemptionis. || $g I N t h e _> * FANNING AND SIFTING ¥ % ov f %S A MV E L 0 A T E S % ^ His Expofition upon Mat^^i & *l WITH |f 2? A faichfull fearch after our L o r d s meaning in |£ iF histwo Parables of the Tre a sure and the Pearl, afj -^£ Endeavoured in feverall Sermons upon Mat.i 3.44,4?. *t4 Js Where in the former part, 5J JUNIVERSALL REDEMPTION |J tf is difcovered to be a particular Errour, 1r ^ ( Something here is inferred in anfwer to Paulus % Te stardus, touching that Tenet.) \> «pg And in the later Parr, %*• «gg. Christ the peculiar Tre a sure and Pearl of Gods ^ ^£ Elecl is laid as the fo\e Foundation&nd the ChriftUm faith 3*. »c and joy in him, and felf-deniall for him, is raifed §T "Jfc as a fweet and ftire fuperftruclure. ^ "ps: . . 3-r ?£ By John Smlham, Paftonr of the Church at Teriin^ in jSj^a-. ^ *£ ; . », , , — " — %• *^ pjdelcsvetonunimedecetiC^rcfe.rK/w i» gratia* E_cicka_n turbare. ^Pv *g Tefiard.The.i- 4- ^ ^e i John 4.1. Beloved, believe not every spirit, bat try the (pints whetUr ^ ;> .fcey are p/Go^5 *er<*«/t munyfalfe prophets arkgwe out into the mrld. cfT ^C "^* ' jg. London, Printed by A. M. for Chrtftopher Meredith, at the Sg. Cc. Sign of the Crane in ^Pauts Church-yard, 1547. >» TO MY BELOVED BRETHREN AND NEIGHBOVRS in T S%LINJj. flelovcd, [Ou are the people, among whom my lot hath fallen , for thefe fourteen years and upwards-, un- to whom I came, and with whom I have been, in weaknejfe, andinfear,andin much trembling. Yet in regard of Gods prefence and indulgence of Preaching-li- berties C with iome fuccetfe ) all the Prelates times, and fince, with his protection in thefe times of warre; I may fay, The lines are fallen unto me in pleafam f laces, yta ( in God, the portion of my cup ) I have a goodly heritage. And for you, I cannot but remember (to Gods honour ) that inviting report which was given of you, that you were a failing and a praying people $ which I found true, among the belt of you , who gave me a call hither. I doe not forget what example A 2 of The Epfile Dedicatericj. of Non-Conformity to Prelaticall injunctions you held out to me 5 nor what forbearance you allowed meferatime, intheufe of the Ceremonies, which * M.T.jVeid. * my Reverend and godly PredecefTbur had refufed, and I through inconfiderace timidity and temerity had introduced, till Godconvinc'd me of my folly. I muft needs acknowledge with thank! ulneife to God and you, that fome competent number of you have fallen in with me in a time of Publique Reformation, to witneffe againft Popery, Prelacy, Superftition, Schifme, Herefie, Profaneneffe and Formality, and have helpt towards their Extirpation according to Covenant. But in this, I queftion how the reft of you are, or will be approved to Chriji, and your confeiences : Some, for leading, others, for following and perfift- inginaway of Neediest : Reparation trom me and your Brethren, and that privately, as publikely -, and that after you had ( upon conferences and debates ) gran- ted a true Church here in being, and have feen it come forth more vifibly, in the way to further purity • after our renouncing all dependency upon Prelacy, our ca- fting out of Ceremonies , and Service-book, as a menftruous cloth, with a Get thee knee • our feeking after, with joynt-confent,all Chrifts own Inftitutions and our chufing of his Officers : this is an un-Saint- like Reparation, notto be juftifTed, fcarceto be parallel'd. Somefor running to another Baptifme, or difclaiming my iYiiniftery , and the above mentioned firfl Call, which other of your Brethren have ftuck to, avouch- ed and renewed : by thefe, as other evidences (which might be produced, but that I fpare you) it appears, the The Epifile Dedicatoric^. the more Chrifi hath whittled and wooed you in, the more you have fled from the fold 5 the more I, his poor fervant have been yours, the lefTe you have been mine, and with a clear confeience I may write and publiih it, the more I have endeavoured to love you abundantly, the leffe I am loved of you. But that which Chrifi hath mod againft Tou (the ignorant and profane multitude I mean not, but Pro- feffturs ) is, that fome have taken upon you the office or teaching, and re-baptizing •, others, have hearkned after you , and you with them after falfe teachers, who have drawn difciples after them, not only to a- nother Baptifme, butto another Go/pel (never fancied, but ever abhorred in this place, fince I knew it, and before, in my Orthodox Predeccilburs time) which yet is not another •, for the Go/pel of Chrifi is but ones eternall Truth 5 but there be fome that trouble you, and would pervert the Everlafiing Go/pel, by preach- ing an nniverfall (and when all comes to all but tem- porary ) Redemption by the death of Chrifi ( as they fay) for all. He that ftarted this firft among you, ftirred my fpirit , leaft this lev en fhould fpeedily fpread thorow the whole lump, with all inftancy and conftancy, on Lectures and Lords daies, publiquely to witnefte (in thefe following Sermons) againft that which was too publiquely and boldly vented,though in a private boufe. And as at that time I acquainted you with fome reafons or caufes, why I conceived God ferrt in that fubtle feducer, 10 now I will re-minde you of them. 1 . For your countenancing the way of ^nabaftifme, and compliance with what they (who run that courie) A3 fay The Efiftk Dedicator! cj* i Cor. 11,19. fay and doe •, as if all they faid were Co/pel, and all they did were godlinefe. 2. For your wane of love to the truth, and o[ this truth, That Chrift died hut for fome, which is a truth, w Chrift died in vain for the moft of men, for what (hall it profit if any of Chrifts purchafed ones lliould win the world, and not win Chrift, but lofe their fouls i and all grant, moft men will lofe their fouls, and, that it is ablafphemy to fay, Chrift died in vain. 3. For your Triall, 1)^.13.2,3. whether you doe foundly love God, and fincerely pro- feffe Christ crucified. There mufi be fuch here fies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifefl, in their folidity of judgement, flncerity of heart, and ftedfaftneffeorconveriation,^^^. 4. For your caution, left contending for circumftances, above the fubftance, you lofe the fubftance, while you catch attheftiadow. For Satan ( by Gods permiffion ) hath fet Pioneers, while you are feeking to fet up the Roof, on work to undermine and rafe the Foundation. 5 . To quicken up your diligence in the (earch of the Scri- ptures. Andlaftly, To make you more carefull in holding faft of all Gofpel-truth, left you be plunder- ed of it. Now, if any of you have been plundered,tis poffible Brethren to recover this (with other truths) out of the hands of fpoilers. Beftir you therefore, and quit your felves as living ftones of she fpirituall Temple , of the living God, the Pillar and ground of truth. Doe not only regainD hold faft, but as you hold out any colours of a vifible Church , hold forth the truths that appertain to the Head of the Church , vifibly, glorioufly, And The Eftjlle Dedicator^. And I do now more folemnly call you out to witnes with me againft this Errour of Fmverfall Redemption ( let it be qualified how it will)it hath an ill favour and report. I wifh you were all of you, as I hope mod ( for the prefent I know not any one who joyns in vi- able, publique Communion, but are) free of this leven. Some in the Town are yet nibling at the bait, which the Fifher brought , near a twelve-moneth fince^ whomllookt upon, as one of our common vagrants, who fcatterethvermine upon the bench or place, where heneftleth for an hour or two •, and ftill I doe look upon this and other errours (with every Sermon that broacheth them) as very like to the river Nilu6> which after the over-flow leaveth a world of mud behinde,that breeds nothing but venemous crea- tures. Such muddy mindes had many after M.oates his Sermon ( as it was imagined of free grace) which have engendred to ftrange conceits of their Redeemer, free-will, falling away, ejrc which makes me think, fome are very neer to falling indeed, from that they have imagined to be in them,and from the true dodtrin of free-grace, which we are fure is yet retained in this, of many other publike Congregations. My counfell and requefi: further is, that you do not only witnelfe againft errours and herefies, but love the truth. Beware offubtlefpirituall pride ^ keepclofeto feliowfhip ; help to reduce feduced ones-, follow peace with holines. Beware Of fcatteringopinions,ungroun- ded jealoufies^make no needlelTe^and fo^fmfull repara- tions -, Come in to your Brethren, you that are wilfully or weakly at a diftance -, you that do not hear us, read us, and recover your hearing -, you that hear, redeem fome The Epiftle Dedicatoric^. fometime for reading thefe poor Labours, -vhich I prefent to you. Read,and pray,read and meditate. You have here not only the fubftance, but words, for the moll: part, as I preached them •, a few enlargements, which I then pen'd not down,are wanting s you have in recompence thereof Tome enlargement added to our Anfwer of the Queftion, about Chrifis purchafe of common benefits for wicked men: And all that which isinfertedagainft7V/W^lus tenet, of Chnjls dying for all, to procure a prefent freedom from perifhing, for want ofa fatisfa&ion to juftice,which he fhores up by his afTertions, of a generall intention, Covenant, Cal- ling and Grace. Which difcourfe I have made the more familiar for your Countrey-underftandings,and did infert it here,the rather,becaufe fince Oateshis Ser- mon, much noife there hath been in Town and Coun- trey, ofa Call that all men have by the creatures, and that Nature is Grace, &c Minde I befeech you what is pradicall, as what is controverfall ♦, and if you that have been milled and Minded by others, and of your felves have cooled and decaied, recover any heat with light •, or if you that have been ftedfaft, preferve what you have, Let God have the glory y let me have your prayers • and I fhall re- j-oycethat I have not run in vain. Only (hew the pow- er of all,in the purity and beauty of a Gofpel-becom- ming convention, and I zm,for fefus fake, my Pearl and Treajure, Yours to love and ferve you in the Gofpel^ fohnStalham. T O M Y Chriftian Reader in generall : More particularly, To my Country-man Samuel Oates. Chriftian Reader, [• Epleafedto take notice, that when I heard of this man my CQuntrey-man, corner with a refolution tofotv his feed at th^j corner of a Corn-field in our Towner : being jealous leasi it might prove at vvilde, as that which he had (tattered up and down in other farts of rEiTex 5 As God guided my thoughts, I de fired a faithful1. brother to goe take his Ser* mon by Characters from bis mouth , which hedidmofi faithfully : And having read and compared thefe Notes, with another s alfo, who wrote at that time-, and receiving certainintclligence what imprefions were left upon thas mindes of his hearers : I had no reft in my (firit, till (having laid all other ftudies afide ) 1 had fublikely ex a- mined and anfwered the materials of his two hours Dif courfe. But never intended fitch fudden meditations for the Preffe, till pre ft hereunto by the de fires of the flrong- er, by the nee ef hies of the weaker Chriftian , and by the Adverfaries provocations for half a year together, who, finding a rejentment of the new Dotfrine among filly women, and weak-headed men, gave out, thaterz^f long, one that had never 4 hair on his (ace ( and it may a be*, To the Reader. be, as little wit in his head, or grace in his heart ) (l)ould come a?:d confirm what M. Oates had delivered, and con- fute m j i o nfu I at ions. And according to their threats and bra^s, fuchanone, or one like him , skipt into the fame^> Corn-field, near a well, acted his part, did htsbefi, and his worfi, and vanifht : This youngster , fiole in when we were not aware of hirn, fo as for want of a Notary, we received but various reports of his worke, J itch as I could neither make head nor foot of-, only I am certified he w an* ed no railing rhetor i que againft our Ministers, who teach not Vniver fall Redemption, and a will m all to be- lieve, as Priefts that have loft their light. It feems he-j hath lived under Jome Prelaticall Mbuflers, who affected that title ; andinflilledfome drops of Arminiani ime into " the Catchiime they taught him, whereupon he imagineth all Orthodox and godly Mimfters, who hadev?rar?y thing to doe with Prelates, were of the fame judgement with our Innovators •, but the Lord rebuke fuch Mailers, and pop the mouths of fuch Liers. This was the I aft occasion given me to fall upon tran- fcribmg ( out of my Characters , which to me is a tedious work) wfa.t I had preached againfl Oates •, and having proceeded [of arre, as to the Vindication of the parable from his corrupt gloffe, falfe collection, and fut able application ^ in that very juncture of time, Teftardusr4w^ to my hands {an Authour who hath been extant thefe thirteen years ,t hat I never faw before) whom I read (as he de fires of his Read- er in his Epiflle) a capite ad calcem, from the beginning to the end, yea over and over again, in flraights of ffirit and time. And having all along fought to the Father of lights for more clear difcoveries of truth and falfboed $ I had as little reli in reference to Teftarckis, as to Oate?, till I drew up the dtfconrje, upon his tenet of univcr fall Re- demption - To the Reader. dimption •, which is here inserted and affixed to that I had preached and wrote before, about the fame controverfie.The rather, becaufe I finde theMnvcxkhftsof this time have lighted their candle ( after Arm in'us was {linking in the fnuff and focket ) from this Teftardus, and by comparing the Scriptures which O a;s produced for his point, with this \_A tit hour %my Reader, and his^ I think wiH conclude with me, thatS a m ut 1 Oate 5 was one oft he difciples (or cifripuluscifcipulorum) 0/PauL'S Tcftardus, I have ajealoufiealfo, I think godly, that fome of our young Aca- demicks ( who when challenged of hxmimmi: me3 dot^ apologise, they never read 'nor faw Arminius ) are Pupils to this their TuZO\ry and are fouldiers fighting under his bami.er, whofe Colours are the Colouts of grace, while hefghtsfor nature, andofaCovznmt of grace, while he fights for a Covenant of works aid n.uure ak along, as he (peaks of the noa-cled:, or reprobate, as* him f if *F/jeiesver& cals them. Now I leave it to others to ravel his bottomland wnimi decet to ex authorize this Authour from the number of C iaiTick fn ?pI oborum aad O i thodcx . Trut i is not afraid to enter errours den, ctefiam twbare. becaufe, though it be dark, truth carrieth a light with it, ilVililf^ tofea*ch it out. I [hall defire my Countrey- Redder, to perufe lQ1,tUiif*i all tha> l commend to him in the contr over fie with a Bible in his hand, and with humility andfelf-dw.:aflin his heart. My learned Reader, I intreat may have Teftardus in his left-hand \ and the two Teftamcnts in his right. What is p raff icall will ferve for all who have fpirituaHpalats, and can relifh ffirituaH nourifbment . Letjcffj ( 'hi ft be thy Pearl and Trcafurf, and thou wilt not m.ike himcoimnon. JVius Chriit, in his Birth, Life, Death, Refurrtffiw, Afcemion, Sepon, Intercefion a* Gods right-hand, is not ordinary, nor f orally but for the man WNL rchanc that findes him, hidcth Um> joycth a 2 in To the Reader. m him, WfeUethall,M**4fo iwtzefhim. So wepreach, ft ye have believed ', andfo we fhaH, and mufl ftill believe* that xv e may befaved. And for yon M. O ates, my Countrey-man , jes I haves, ac quaint ed my Reader in generally fo I muft charge it upon you (4s the principal! flickler in thife parts, with your new GoJpelandBaptifme ) that ye* provok'tme, boih tothts preaching and printing of what here foil oweth, in reference chiefly to the Parables, and your Expo fit ion. Firfly Ton preacht in the town, and to ferns of my ordinary heaters, And fellow- Members, without my leave • then you defend- ed what yon had preacht ,t$ him that noted from your mouth . Ton returned me word from Colchefter got! (whit her and when, as thinking it a ft time and place for reflection, I fern for your Recantation) that you would fat n fee me in prim. Andyoitfecondedit at Chelmsford- Afifizes fo my face in the Market-place, that if I came forth, if yon did not anfwer me, you would procure one that would. Tou may remember I then admonijlnyou, as a Chriflian, to forbear the ^reading of your errour. tou told me, y»a took it to be a truth ; but if you have nofurer props to up- hold it, then you gave me At that time anbphce, Adutn eft de tuacaufa. For then andt here yen infer med me, you learnt this Doctrine of the Church of England, andto my anfwer, pu were an apter Scholar then I , who never fuckt fuch milk from her hresis, andto my que ft 'ion, where? your Reply was,Voth net the Catechifme in the Service- book teac hit? Where, in v Anfwer to th: Jguefiion, What doft thou chiefly learn in thefe Articles of thy belief? It is faid, Firft, I believe in God the Father.^. Se- condly, J^/^rnnGodtheSon, who hath redeemed me, and all man-kmde-,2?*tf remember what I left with y$u at a prejent parting upon thofe words (partly out of your dedre, To the Reader. defire, lest the people fhould flock afyut &*, partly out of my re/petfjo what tie holy Ghofi faith. Go from the prefence of a foolifh man, when thou perceived not in him the lips of knowledge ) That Book/w Catechifme,»mr went for the Doctrine of the Church of England, but as Prelaticall (pirits might have fiam'd tho ft -words , or as you with them have wrcfled the fen fe, fo you did acl the Prelats fart. For as I fwee finde, in the Tit le oft hat Catechifme,tt was to be learned of every childe before he be brought to be confirmed by the Bifiiop-Jtfeems you learnt it from your ck Idehood, andit may he the Bifhops hands have been upon you at Confirmation, though not at Ordination, You are a true fonne by this Confirmation, it may be •, / am (tire by your Doctrine of the 'Prelaticall Chiiich-, and an Apo- cryphal! text;# gcodenough, for Apocryphall do&r.ne. xfsl plainer text it was for y cur darling point ,That Ciir.it died for the bulk of man-kinde , then the mans buy ng of the field, in the far able-, you wot of '« from which you have, as it were, made your appeal to the Church ofEnghnd.To that you fiafl go : But firfi we muft agree, What is th what a vifiible Church is, viz. A Congregation of faithf ull taenJGPCi A Congre- gation of faith full men in England, is a Church in, or of England . 2fo w what Church or company of faithf nil p. en will you /elect, as apill.tr ( of your fuppofed truth ) that hath held out jour ioClrhic ofumverfd Redemption? tflutl call forth three witnefes as afufficient enumeration. ? . The company that agreed to the 3 9 . Artie h $, They* acknowledge, That Chrift (offered, was crucified, dead and buried , to reconcile his Father to us, ; ndto be a facrifice, not a 3 only A::.3< To the Reader. only for original! giiilt, butalfoforall retail fins of men. But tis one thing, for Ckrifl to be a facnfice fir dl fins of m.n, originally afluall ^ another thing, fcr fam to die for all mens fins ? or, to djfor the expiating of thzs fws o/evtry Angular man. * Conf e ffi on 2 . The company of* 7 . CongrtgA 'ions ofy our own way of of the huh of Amihapifmeywho though th:y be difiintt in re/pelf $ f 'their ch^tTia particular bodies for convent ency fake, yet are all one in London. Communv. n, They a acknowledge, The cl, (k whic h God ■ Sea. j. hacn lov.d with m evevlafting love,are re. eemed,^. luo&an ^ JndthJ bChrift being confecnted, &c. hath fully performed and fuff.red all chofe things, by which God, through the bloud of hat his Croffe, in ?n acce- ptable Sacrifice might reconcile his Elecl: nly. 3. The company or companies of fanhfull men, who differ only, Or chiefly in point of Bapttfme, from you, and t ho fe fore-named in London, but are with )oy?itcon(ent^ u- nited 'and knit together in fAlowfhip of the Apofiies do- ctrine, brc aking of bread and pr^iers. Produce me any of them, whofortfofe 10 -.years and upwards, have in England, held forth your doctrine of univerfal Redempti- on, ds the Doltnne of the Church of England, or of the Churches in E gland. No, they have ever Seen morz^> pure in Doctrine, what-evcr pollution ^,t 00 many we have had (ihe Lordhnmble iu animate us ajL.med for th.m ) in Difcipline. J hope by this time, you rviff be afhanted, with a fharte and for row that brings fort h tepertancc, not to be repented of. k And my hearts defireto God for you, and he reft of myfeducedCountrcy men, in N ,>rfol!c,Narw ic'i, Lh, is, that they may be reduced with ysu and laved wit hyou: For I hear you recerd,thdt you have a&ealforChriftjbtrt not ac- cording to knowledge, if you think to befaved} and to help to To the Reader. iofave others, by the dceirine jfuniverfall Redemption, and by the parti cut i r z€tof\t b a p r i z i lg > and of bein% r c - taotizec, youw-ll jlili deceive, andbedeceivid. Per pt fid therefore and weigh wuhycur (elf, tr rath:r} out ofyourfdf, with the minde efGod, in tie Scriptures ( as hi re, andin others mare elaborate and jjirituall d^ffert att- orn is) cleared and vindicated. Had you fold your (elf wit, fancy and conceit (in Gods matters for chnfi and Gofpd- truth; you could never h.ive [(tabu fed the Parable of jel- ling all, and of buying the field andix aline, as yo-td r dt when you opened your pack of wares in our Town. I know 'tis incident to us alltoerretbw where f If deniatt prevails , cr- tour Jhall net prevail tohatiic. En our is a ferment with a long M9 full of knots: if unwary , felf confident perfons meet with ft, it will winde in and enwrap } wit's endUft train, athcufndofthem, with which they cannot but be (Irani I -t5 , that do rot ftrangle it, 1 am afraid my old friend, W^ioxt.fomc'imcs of \Vels_, was thus enfarled by doubt full dentations, with the er- roneous Dochursofth. times.jvbo bath pleaded yoitr caitfe (of general! atonement, in print, A book 1 could never meet wixh to this day j but the other day, w hen I had finijht this Piece, there was prefentedto my view, a godly, learned, feij,T *' frtendly a idfaithfud Arfver to thai his book. 1 flail hope, by hum.Uty an d f elf- denial] y he will recover him felf upon the read ; g of it, and I [ball pr«yyeu may prevent him, or joyn, or folio iv inaP 1 1 nodia. Then will you fee and fay, it had been better for )0t both, to have kept to your looms, then to have {purif ch rftbreed, which will not m*fo a web, andthat a garment u cover your nakednes withall. Repent, or you have much to Mnfwer, a heavy account to give up. For fuch> as have had a better name for piety % then ever Prelates bad, to make a mere dangerous narrow bridge To the Reader. bridgt to Popery ( then the) did) by a more refined Pela- gianifmej For you, who have pretended to more fanc~fity , then ever Arminian Doclours have done in familiar com- munion mthGods people ,to be more efficacious in deceiving and mi [■ leading unft able fouls \0,l tremble to think of the account. Repwt thin fore, and your err our of err ours 3 yp will not be your mine. But if the Lord leaves you to your free-will, and you be hardened from his fear, let him that you will procure to an- fwer me (if you cannot jour felf) reconcile thefe comradi* ttions, bet ween your univerfality of Redemption, and jour i^MH-p&do-baptifme. VniVi rfalisi . K-Ant'up xdo-baptifi . Chrift died to redeem all of man- ? S As for Infants,we kno\v kinde, whereof Infants are a part.f ^nothing of them. Or thm, Chrilt took away the curfe from/ C Infants have no vifible allmen,for fins againft the Cove-S<*grace. nant of works. \£ Again, All of man-kinde are under a Co-X Infants of the beft be- venant of Grace. £>2 holy ; They are all but are no Pagans 3 nor ever were. ^ young Pagans. Now the good Lord, the Spirit of truth, deliver his chofen people jr#» both thefe extreams, and from all fash interfeerine and fhackling opinions, in whom / am, theirs, ana icurs to re ad, as to write, to learn, as tot each ', John Stalhara, To the Christian Reader ; Chriftian and Beloved Reader, Nder the favourable allowance of the Authour of thefe enfuing labours ( my very loving Friend, and vigilant Paftour) I am crept in- to thy view : not arrogating fo much repute, as to encline thee to a more venerable efteem of any thing in them, becaufe attefted in an Epiftle of mine. For I am not of Claftick authority to do any competent fervice of that kinde. My fcope rather is, to wit- nes to what I have heard, and received from the undoubted word of truth,made known to me by the fpirit of truth,which hath wrought effectually (as in other means, fo) by theMini- ftery of this Authour, to confirm and eftablilh me in truth re- ceived before my acquaintance with him, and to deliver me out of the fnare of (ome errours, in which 1 began to be entan- gled about that very time, in which I began to know him. And though I know him too well,to go about to winde into his bet- ter efteem, by painting and tickling encomions (who lives up- on a purer, and more heavenly air then the vapour of mans breath, exhaled by a corrupt fancy, from a muddy heart) yec I deem it fome encouragement to him that is lee over me in the Lord (to watch for my foul ) to be acknowledged in his work and f ucceffe : and in fo doing, I do only difcharge a debt. Some of theftrong fupporters of the rotten tabrick of Armi- rtitu, thou maift fee him batter and rafe in this Difcourfe : into which ( fince I was a waifariflg man to heaven) I never tur- b ncd To the Reader, ned in, to lodge for a night, finding it inconfiftenc with that Efpecially that foundation againft which the gates of hell ("hall never prevail: of Saints aPo And for Pmlm Tej}areiM ( his friend and neighbour ) I can- acy* not but iflue my thoughts, that he is here fo fully enervated, and enfeebled,that when I read that paflage in the book which concerned him, if I had been a woman, and in Elizabeths condition, when Marj came from the hill countrey to falute her, the babe would have leapt within me for joy. Another errour occafionally touched upon, I mutt crave chy patience to (peak 3 little to, and that is the opinion of ayfnti pcedoba- ftifme, in the lime- twigs whereof 1 my (elf was once taken, and held, till by the Lords bleffing upon the judicious, meek, and divine reafonings of this Authour, I was enabled to dit- cern, the Arminian remits that naturally, and therefore ne- ctflarily arife from lAnti-posdobaptitticall grounds, while they both make the Covenant of grace dependent upon fome fpirituail qualification in the creature. And this I blufti not to pubhm. to the world, hoping that it may be for thy benefit. I am not ignorant that there are irreconcilable contradictions between the opinions of him, who is both Anti-pedobaptift and Arminian, a tafte whereof thou (halt meet with, in the clofe of the Authours Epiftle to the Reader: and no wonder, for errour is often fo divided and engaged in battels and feuds, that thou maift meet with one corrupt opinion triumphing upon the neck of another, like Tamerlane upon Bajazet : u- city and confent being the honourable titles, and infeparabte attendants of nothing but truth. Nor yet doe I infertthis, as if I would infinuate that every AntipcedobaptiB, is an actual! Arminian, it being quite againft my principles to reprefent any man in a worfe fhape, the« his own digefted opinions puc him into. And indeed, 1 have fo charitable aflurance of (ome of their fincerities in laving truths, as if their eyes were clear enough to difcern the fine-fpun threds, by which thofeopini- ©as are fown together, I beleeve they would reject them bot^ for their contiguity fake. Much leffe doe I by any, or all of this invite a (ecular arm with it's iron mace, to cruih and fub. due the one or the other*. For my part I (hall call for neither Hammtr* T& the Reader. Hammer, Sword, nor P*V* againfl: them, but the facred Scri- 1 prure, which is compared to ail thefe : Let him cry Murther, a"^'* * and call for a Conftable to keep the peace at a difpute, who is Hphef.6.17, impatient of contradiction, and accounts his own principles ruined, by another mans diffenting from him. Meek and in- nocent truth, furHciently contenteth him in whom it dvveis, though it meets with opposition from him that knows it not. And I would exped to fee his flefh come, like the flefh of a young childe, that is once baptized in (hz Jordan thereof, when he that is feven times dipt in the Pbarpxr of corporali punilh- ment, fhall goe away in his errour, a leper as white as fnow. And much more fhould I rejoyce, to refcue one poor foul ( in gentlenelTe and love) outoftheprifonofa corrupt opinion, then keep all the hereticks under heaven, in the ward where Pharaohs prifoners are bound, till their feet are hurt in the (locks, and the iron enter into their foul. I have but a little to adde concerning him * whofe Sermon at Testing occafion- * M.Oafff> bought with the Wheat an freer edt P-5** £ 3 ^.Pauius. The Contents. 6. Paulus Teftardus his darling Tenet related, p. 5 * And re fitted by the difcovery of* ( 1 . Generall Intention of Chrifts death, not the Scripture-intention, {hewed five -wales, P-54« 2. General- Covenant,^* the Scripture Covenant of gr tee, evidenced $ ways,j8 3. Univerfall Calling to Christ; and grace by the creatures , oppofed by Scri- pture, and ^reafins* p 6lj<$2- i His Scriptures produced for it, anfwer- J <^» P«^4» [would \Hi*''j pleas for its agreement with the I fupport ffi With theScri- pture, in his four Jhores (where- by he \"j ln*\ c.***~*. \caHof the Word ( which I bring in an ,er_ '. Objections) enervated, p.68. con- * en- cies . fill Re- dempti- on) 06 Objection, from the calling of men by the Word, anfwered three waies, P-7&* 4. Voiverfall grace, not the Scrtptnre grace of our Lord fefus Chrift, evinced by two main Reafons, P'7^. [The Refult drawn up, p. 80. 2. With himfelf, {hewed in 8 infiances, P-%3» 2. Conipiracy with Arminius in three main heterodoxies \ againfi the truth, p.pi 7. The chfe of 'the contr over (all part with a few pofitive Arguments, l.That the D ecree of Election is, in order of nature,before the decree of Redemption, p J D emonftratingSz. That Redemption by the death of Chnfi, is (olely and only of, and for the elect, as a fruit of their Election, P«94» Part. II. Catafceuaftique and Pra&icall. 1. The true Scope and Orthodox fenfe of the two Parables eftheTreafiire and the Pearl, p, 98, 2. The Doctrines raifed, according to the [cope (opened al- (0, confirmed and applied) arefeven% Do&i. The Contents. Do&.i. Chriftandbis Gojp el-grace is a prechus hidden Tre afire, p. 1 04. Do&. 2. Even Gods elect (as others) for a time they wan~ der after fome or other imaginary mediums and waies of foul- enrichment and contentment, P*W7 Dodl.g. In Gods good timejois elell, prevented with his love And light ,are drawn te beleeve the certain attainablenefie of Chrifi and his grace for themfelves\ p. 1 2 3. Doft ^.Thetrue bele ever, having found (fhrifi in apromife, dothjn a gracious manner, hide him, and lay him ftp, p.i 5 2. Do&.$. The true Chrifiian hath fime joy (yea,the concept i» 9ns of great joy )in hu finding of the Lord Jeftu Chrift,p. 141. D0&.6. The joy of atrue beleeverworketh him to utmosi felf- denial, p. 1 45?. D0&.7. Thororo felf -denial brings forth (itch diligence, as thereby the true Chrijiian groweth up to a firm ajfurance and clear evidence of the Kingdoms-treafure, and of hea- vens-pearl, as his own for ever. p. 1 66+ Errata. PAg.f.ofep.ded.l 15. for of,t