FRiend Odegos, I haue bene of late much troubled about a weightie controuersie, which at this day there is much adoe about, & that among the lear­ned; I will propound it vnto you, and desire to knowe your iudgement in the thing, and how you answer such obiecti­ons as are made: The thing is Predestination, & the consequences of it, wherein the Calui­nists holde.

First thus they write:Propos. dis­puted in the Ʋniuersity of Geneua. Page, 25. Predestination is that eternall and immoueable decree of GOD, whereby as it pleased his Maiestie, he hath decreed all thinges, both vniuersally & per­ticularly: & so doth effect them by the cau­ses created in like sorte, & appointed by him, as he thought good to the laying open of his owne glory.

Caluin saith:Abridgen. [...] Institutions, pa4g. 6. Let vs be assuredly perswa­ded, that all things come to passe by the dis­position of God, &c. Therfore let vs alwaies haue an eye to him, as the principall cause of all things,Page 4 [...]. & let vs also beholde the inferior causes in their places, &c. And whatsoeuer is done it commeth from God, &c.

[Page 2] In his printed booke against an a [...]ersary of Gods Pred. as [...] calleth him. p. 155. &c. Iohn Knox a most violent Caluinist, he spea­keth plainly: Therfore whatsoeuer the Eth­nickes and ignorant did attribute to Fortune we assigne to the prouidence of God: yea, if any man by chance and not of set purpose be slaine, be auoweth, himselfe to be the cause of his death, and that so he had apointed, that we shall iudge nothing to come of Fortune, but that all commeth by the determination of his Counsell. And further, it displeaseth him, when we esteeme any thing to proceed from any other, so that we doe not onely be­holde him, and knowe him not onely the principall cause of all thinges, but also as the Author▪ appointing all things to the one part or to the other by his Counsell; And he af­firmeth that Caluin saith the same.

Many other of their sayings might be alleadged, but these few may suffice, to shew what they holde of this thing.

Odegos, I am most willing to satisfie you here in according to my best abilitie, first to shew you wherein I differ from the afore­said blasphemies; secondly I dout not but through the power of Christ enabling me, I shall sufficiently answer what obiections can be made. In the feare of the most high, let vs therefore proceed.

[Page 3]WE holde, that before the foundation of the World, the most holy God, of his meere loue, without any cause out of him­selfe, Predestinated to make the World; and Man, and all good thinges that are made▪ Predestinatiō what to make man a reasonable soule; to giue him a righteous Law; to giue him abilitie to keepe it, or to breake it; if hee brake it to punish him, yet so as not to forsake him; but proui­ded the slaine Lamb (the seed of the woman) to send him into the world a Sauiour for all men; to purchase the very wicked that deny him; yea, euen his enemies: not to send him to condemne the world but to saue it; for so he loued it, that hee would send his Sonne, with this Proclamation, that whosoeuer be­leeued in him should not perish, but haue e­uerlasting life; yea as hee liueth, not consul­ting that any man should perish, but that all come to repentance.

Those that receiue this his Grace by Faith in his Sonne, them, in this his eternall Prede­stination, he elected; the rest that will not receiue this his Grace, but put his word from them, and iudge themselues vnworthy of e­uerlasting life, those in his said Predestinati­on hee reiected or reprobated. This Decree of God being done at once: all which in time, hee effected and manifested.

[Page 4] The difference is

They say all thinges; we say all good thinges: they say, whatsoeuer is done (mur­ther or the like) it commeth from God: we say, whatsoeuer good is done commeth from the Father of light, but no euill thinges that are done, commeth from him but from the Deuill, who is a murtherer from the begin­ning: they say, God is the principall cause, yea & the author of all things, appointing all things to y^e one part & to the other; damnati­on as saluation; vice as vertue, &c. For this is the vndenyable consequence of their words. We say, God is the principall cause and au­thor of all good, and consequently of salua­tion to all men, not willing that any should perish, but that all men should repent & liue; but the deuill is the author of all euill, & not God. For the fountaine & first root of euill, is▪ in transgression of Gods righteous lawe; of which the deuill was the first mouer.

But let vs come to the particulars:

First they affirme that God decreed, that Adam should fall, and that of necessitie, & con­sequently that all other wickednesses should in time, come to passe, euen as they doe, and that also vpon necessitie.

I will manifestly shew you, that here­in they do not onely contradict the euident [Page 5] truth, but also themselues in other their affir­mations. We knowe they holde & affirme,Proposit. a [...] Geneua. pag. 26. that Adam in innocencie had free will or power from the creation of God not to haue sinned; according to which power, God cō ­manded him not to sinne, and threatned that if he did sinne he should dye; which being true, how are they confounded in themselues to say that Adam had power from God not to haue sinned, and yet God decreed that he could not but sinne; that God commanded him not to sinne, and yet decreed that he should sinne: are not these as contrary as light and darknes?

For the first I doe not see what can be an­swered: but for the second, they say that although God commanded (by his reuealed will) Adam not to sinne, yet in his secret will he decreed he should sinne.

First, if it be Gods secret will, how come they to knowe it? and for Gods reuea­led will, was not that reuealed will in God before it was reuealed? it cannot be denyed, and it was then hidden, at which time there was two hidden willes in God, contrary to each other, whereof the one willed Adam to sinne, yea decreed him to sinne; and the other nilled him to sinne; the one of them he made knowne to Adam whereby he nilleth sinne, the other he kept secret, whereby he willeth [Page 6] sinne: and these two wils must both be good, for whatsoeuer is Gods will is good, and good cannot be contrary to good, no more then right to right: are not these two con­trary to nill sinne and to will sinne; if to nill sinne be good, to will sinne must needes be euill, and by that reason there is in God both good and euill.

I knowe not how these things can be avoyded, nor how they can be answered, but this they say, that God willeth Iustice for it selfe, and sinne not for sinne, but that he might haue praise either in pardoning, or punishing the sinne.

But to pardon or punish sinne be­ing committed, is not to will sinne, but to will his owne praise. But if God willeth sinn for any respect, why did and doth he punish Adam and all his posteritie, for the thing he willeth, yea decreeth vnauoydably? can that be in God, that he abhorreth, and that is contrary euen to nature?

The Scriptures pronounceth that man blessed,Psal. 15.2 that speaketh the truth from his heart: And Christ saith,Luk. 6.45 Out of the aboun­dance of the heart the mouth speaketh; what then if a man speake one thing and meane an other thing, is he not iustly iudged an hypo­crite? and dare any earthen Pitcher attribute this to God, that in word he forbiddeth Adam and all men to sinne, and in very deed willeth [Page 7] sinne, & hath so decreed it that it cannot be a­uoyded. Is not this high blasphemie to make God an hypocrite, who so hateth hypocrites?

Now to proue that God decreed not, nor laid an necessity that Adam should fall, consi­der, God did not leaue him vnfurnished with any thing that might support him in that e­state, in which hee created him; as first, that God prouided him a most delectable place (Paradice.) secondly, that hee prouided all manner food sufficient for his conseruation, besides the tree of knowledge, so that he was no way forced to eate of that tree: thirdly, he had a most fit helpe and comfort for him, his wife Heuah: fourthly, he had domination o­uer y^e creatures: fiftly, God left him not idle, but appointed him worke, least Satan should thereby fill him with inuentions for want of imployment,Math. 13.24. as he doth at such times: sixtly he gaue him a holy Lawe, the penaltie for the breach whereof was death: seauenthly, and lastly, he gaue him will & power not to haue eaten, as the contrary minded confesse: all which, manifestly proueth, against all gaine­sayers, that God did neither decree, or laid any necessitie vpon Adam to transgresse, and so fall from that estate. If any obiect, that if God would not that Adam should fall, he would not haue giuen him a Lawe to ensnare him; I answer, that the giuing of the Lawe [Page] was, that God might retaine his Soueraign­tie ouer man, and that man might testifie his dutifull subiection to his Lord and Creator, and also that God might be iust in punishing transgression, and mercifull in forgiuing, through repentance and faith in Christ: and therefore I conclude with th'Apostle, Rom. 7.12. wherfore euery Law of God is holy, and the Commandement holy, and iust, & good, and God doth no more intend to ensnare any man by any of his righteous Lawes, then a iust King, doth intend to ensnare any, by ma­king iust Lawes against malefactors. Fur­ther I demaund if Adam was not created the Sonne of God?

Yea, for Luke saith it plainely in recko­ning the Genealogie of Iesus Christ. Luke, 3.

Christ argueth thus,Mat. 7.11 If you which are euill doe good vnto your Children, how much more, shall your heauenly Father: From whence I reason, If euill men haue so much goodnes, that they would not beget Children to misery, what impietie is it to thinke such a thing of God, as that hee crea­ted Adam his owne sonne, to sinne, and so to misery, and that of necessitie: And besides Nature teacheth in all the workes of God, that there is naturally in euery creature Loue towards those that are begotten by them, which proceedeth from their Creator, and [Page 9] therefore it must needes follow that God is endued with the same good, if out of the fountaine of his owne Loue, hee impart that qualitie vnto other thinges.

I thinke that cannot be denyed:

But to create Adam vnto misery and wretchednes, is no signe of loue▪ but of ha­tred. Moses writeth thus, Let vs make Man in our owne Image, like vnto vs, who may gouerne, &c. Tell me nowe, is sinne the I­mage of God?

No, but the defacing of the Image of God.

Therefore if man were created vnto the Image of God, surely he was created vn­to righteousnes, and not vnto sinne. Now concerning the Lordship that God giueth him ouer the Earth and liuing Creatures is that sinne?

No in no case, for by sinne not onely this Soueraigne power is abolished, but euen the life of Man, Rom. 6.23 for the reward of sinne is death.

You say very right; Now that saying, Let vs make man in our Image, is his Creati­on; and that saying, which may rule, is his Destination, or the thing whereunto in crea­tion he is appointed: now if both of them be vnto righteousnes and not vnto sinne; surely it followeth that sinne hath his beginning neither from Creation nor Destination.

[Page 10]Moreouer, God himselfe witnessing that all whatsoeuer hee had made was very good, doth shew also, that man was very good: al­so God placed him in Paradice 2 Cor. 12 4. Reuel. 2.7. a figure of that blessed life. Therefore it is manifest A­dam was Created, placed, and destined vnto righteousnes and happines, and not to sinne and misery.

How then came he to sinne and misery?

Not by Gods Creation or Destinati­on, but by his owne disobedience of the most righteous Law of God. Thou shalt not eate, &c.

Could not God that made him vnto righ­teousnes and blessednes haue made him also that he could not bee depriued of that estate? For this is it that troubleth all men, therefore they con­clude that because hee sinned, and God hindred him not, it was Gods will, yea and decree that hee should sinne, for nothing can bee done against his will say they.

Two thinges I must heere manifest, 1. In what estate God made Adam, which I desire may be well obserued. 2. That many thinges bee done against the will of God. For the first I answer, it is an ignorant con­ceite of theirs; for if God had made Adam that he could not but continue righteous, he must haue made him God like himselfe vn­changeable, or if God had made him that he [Page 11] could not but sinne, what was he then but as the Deuils now are vnchangeable: But God in making Man, made a very good creature, yet subiect to change; by hauing his will brought to submit vnto euill through the Deuils temptations: so that I may conclude that God could not make Man otherwise then he made him a reasonable creature, yet mutable, able to obey his righteous precepts which if he did hee would continue him in that blessed estate bee created him in, if not, he would bring vpon him his iudgements: God not forcing him either way. Further if God had made Adam vnchangeably good that he could not breake his righteous Law, then it had bene to no purpose to set a penal­tie to that law, which could not bee trans­gressed. And then had those most holy attri­butes of God, his Iustice to punish sinne, and his Mercy to pardon vpon repentance, beene vtterly without vse towards man; but if any obiect God making man changeable, it pro­ueth that God decreed he should fall that he might make way for these his attributes. I answer, it is a false conclusion, for although God did know Adam would sinne, and pro­uided meanes of mercy for his sinne, yet hee did not decree and force him to sinne, for the cause aforesaide, as also himselfe testifieth. As he liueth hee would haue no man trans­gresse, [Page 12] and so come vnder the execution of his IusticeEzek. 18. & 33..

Secondly, Adam against the will of God eate of the Tree of knowledge. Pharaoh a­gainst the will of God would not let the peo­ple goe. The Isralites often and many times rebelled against Gods will, yea they did thinges against Gods secret and reuealed willIer. 32.35 & 19.5. which hee forbad them and it neuer came into his minde that they should doe such abhominations;Math. 23.37. afterwards they wold not be gathered which was against Christ's will; is not all the wickednes that is [...]ōmit­ted done, against the will of God; where is Gods will knowne vnto vs, but in his word? this their imaginatiō of Gods secret will is i [...] that blindeth them; what secrets God hau [...] not reuealed in his Worde, we haue nothing to doe with;1 Cor. 4.6 wee may not presume about what is written; Further Gods will may be thus manifested; either what hee wills ma [...] should doe,A short di­scription of Gods will. or what he will doe in himselfe what hee will doe in himselfe, men and An­gels cannot resist; but what hee wils man t [...] doe may bee resisted, as before hath been proued.

You haue very sufficiently answered [...] these, A [...] the Cal­u. with one consent, the action not the sinne of the action. one thing more concerning Adam, a [...] then wee will proceed to other of their obiection [...] they say that God decreed that act of Adam [Page 13] disobedience, and so of all men, but not the sinne of those act [...]ons. In these wordes though wee be compelled to say, that God is the Author of the fact, yet must wee answere but not of the crime.

This is meerly a fabulous riddle, A spade, a spade, what is the difference; God is the author of the very fact and deed of A­dams sinne, yea of Adulterie, Theft, Murther, Treason, and yet hee is not the author of the sinne, and why? the subtilty of the Riddle is this that sinne is nothing; The theefe is not hanged for the deed that he hath committed, for God is the author thereof, but he is han­ged for the sinne, and that is for nothing; for when they say, God is the Author of all thinges then nothing is excepted, but sinne is nothing, and therefore hee is not the Au­ [...]hor of sinne. The theefe is hanged for no­ [...]hing, the murtherer is put to death for no­ [...]hing, the Traytor looseth his head for no­ [...]hing, the wicked is punished in euerlasting fire for nothing. A maruailous Sophistica­ [...]ion. But to bee short, though many wayes his subtiltie might be answered; I will one­ [...]y take their definition of sinne where they [...]y very truely,

* The nature of Sinne is defined by the au­thority of Scripture to be a thought, word,In a Fren [...] booke long since, printed & translated into English. or deed, contrary to the will of God.

[Page 14]Now because they say, that he is the Author of all euill deedes though not of the crimes, let vs passe ouer the euill thoughts and euill wordes, and speake onely of the deed it selfe, which they themselues define to bee sinne, and contrary to Gods will: If then God bee the author of that fact, or deed, which deed is sinne, and contrary to Gods will, how can they then say, that God is the author of the fact but not of the fault, seeing they them­selues set forth not onely a thought & word, but also a deede to be sinne; and if God bee the author of that same deede,Of this more hereafter. as Adams ea­ting the forbidden Fruit and the like, which deede was sinne, is it not most plaine, they holde that God is the author of sinne; and all this their trauaile is to proue, that the or­dinance and predestination of God, doth so carry men headlong to all actions bee they neuer so mischieuous, that of necessity they cannot chuse but commit the same.

They are very straight in vsing the word Author; therefore I pray you bee respectiue, you lay nothing to their charge but what you are able to prooue.

It is most meete so; therefore marke their owne wordes, Iohn Knox equall with Caluin himselfe in the first inuenting & broa­ching of this Doctrine in these parts of the world, In his printed Booke, approued of all, [Page 15] against an aduersary of Gods Predestination as hee calleth him in Pag. 155. saith thus: Therefore whatsoeuer the Ethnicks and ig­norant did attribute vnto Fortune, we assigne vnto the Prouidence of God; and presently after hee saith: Wee shall iudge nothing to come of Fortune, but all commeth by the determination of his Counsell; and further, It displeaseth him when wee esteeme any thing to proceed from any other, so that wee doe not onely beholde him and know him, not onely the principall cause of all thinges, but also the (Author) appointing all thinges to the one part & to the other by his Counsell.

Marke well his wordes, and the very sence thereof: all commeth from God (saith hee) God is the principall cause, and God is the Author of it, whatsoeuer it be; God appoin­teth all thinges both to the one part and to the other, both to the wicked, and to the Godly, all thinges, nothing is excepted, as well Damnation, as Saluation; aswell Sinne, as Vertue; aswell wickednes, as Holines. As for Fortune, I know it to bee a heathenish fable; but where hee saith that God is not onely the principall cause, but also the Au­thor of all thinges without exception, and that whatsoeuer the Ethnicks attributed vn­to Fortune, the same we ought to ascribe vn­to the prouidence of God, it is such a wide [Page 16] wandring, and large blasphemie, as hath not lightly bene heard of. For who knoweth not that vnto fortune the Ethnicks ascribed all peruerse and pestilent wickednes, and all abhomination detesable: yet say these pro­fessors of desteny, whatsoeuer the Ethnicks ascribed vnto Fortune, the same we ought to attribute vnto the prouidence of God, y [...]a and God is the principall cause, and the au­thor thereof. Much more I might relat [...] of their fearefull sayings, but time would be [...]oo short. I may truely againe and againe [...]rye out, woe worth that sinful generation, which hath bred and brought forth such a noysome Noueltie, to whom the hands of Gods mer­cy, is stretched out all the day long, and yet they are euer defying him to his face. Con­sider I beseech thee not the persons of them that speake, but seriously marke the opinion it selfe, euen in thy Conscience, and in the sight of God, whether any thing may [...]e spo­ken more repugnant to the Nature of God, more contrary to the Word of God, or more defacing the Iustice and mercy of God; th [...]n to say, that God punisheth man with the tor­ments of Hell, in euerlasting fi [...]e for doing those thinges, which hee himselfe hath Pre­destinated, ordained, decreed, determined, appointed, willed, & compelled him to doe, and that which a man cannot chuse but must [Page 17] needs doe, by the force and compulsion of his Predestination.

The Nature of God,Exod. 34.6. Psal. 103. & psa. 145.8.9 Esa. 30.18. & 55.7. by manifold Scrip­tures is declared to bee Gratious and merci­full, full of compassion and mercy, flowe to anger, and repenteth him of the euill, pro­claiming that as he liueth he would not haue the wicked dye, but returne & liue, not2 Pet. 3.9. [...]. Con­sulting that any man should perish, but that all men should come to Repentance. And th'Apostle saith,Iam. 1.16. Erre not my deare brethren God mooueth no man to euill, &c. If not moue man, then not compell him, and that not to bee auoyded. Euery good giuing is from aboue, euen from the Father of Lights, but all that is in this world, as the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life,1. Ioh. 2.16. is not of the Father, but is of this world. The like is affirmed in these Scriptures following and almost innumerable, Psal. 5.4.5. Ioh 34.10.11.12. Ier. 7.31. & 19.5. & 3.12. Lam. 3.33.38.39. Ier. 13.27. Ezek 18. cap. & cap. 33 11. Math. 23.37. Act. 17.30. 1. Tim. 2.4.

But I pray you before you answere the Scriptures they obiect, that you would answer to what they say concerning Gods presience or fore-knowledge, In which they say, Whatsoeuer God fore-seeth be willeth, and it cannot but come to passe.

In answer to this I say; first, though [Page 18] God fore-seeth all thinges, yet doth he not will all thinges, for his foresight doth extend both to good and euill, but his will is onely of thinges that be good, as God fore-seeth the death of a sinner, and the cause thereof, namely his wickednes, but he willeth it not, as he saithEzek. 18.32. & 33.11, As I liue I will not the death of a sinner, but that hee returne and liue. Christ did foresee the destruction of Ierusalem, yet he willed it not, for he wept, and bewailed it, Crying oh how would I haue gathered thy children, &c. Math. 23.37. God foreseeth all wickednes & destruction to man, and yet hee willeth it not, a [...] all the forenamed Scriptures doe declare. Also of his foreknowledge, frō the beginning of the world the Lord know­eth all thinges, yet all thinges come not to passe therefore of necessity,Math. 26.53. Christ testifieth himselfe, that he could haue prayed and haue obtained more then 12.Acts. 5. legions of Angels, and yet God did know that hee should not obtaine them. Anaenias solde his possession, and yet he might not haue solde it, yea hee might haue retained it, as Peter witnesseth it was in his owne power. The Lord knewe what would befall in Pauls Iourney to Rome, yet Paul testifieth it might haue bene preuen­ted.Act. 27.21. Many other examples wee haue in ho­ly Scriptures, to prooue, that although God doe fore-know thinges will come to passe, [Page 19] and also foretell them, yet they may bee pre­uented, a few among many I will relate, and so conclude this. Wee may read 1. Sam. 23. Dauid asked counsell of the Lord, If Saul would come downe to Keyla? and the Lord said he will come downe. Then said Dauid will the Lords of Keyla deliuer me into Sauls hands? and the Lord saide, they will deliuer thee. Then Dauid and his men departed from Keyla, which when Saul heard, hee came not to Keyla. Heere we plainely see that neither Gods foreknowledge, which is also cōforme to his saying▪ neither yet his Prophesie, did cause a necessity; for neither came Saul down to Keyla, neither did the men of Keyla deli­uer Dauid into his hand. So that after God had spoken it should come to passe, yet not­withstanding it did not come to passe.God knew and foretolde that all these would come to passe if they were not pre­uented. The like of Niniueh and many others, Ionah 3. God did foreknow and declare what would come to passe; which yet notwithstanding might be and was preuented. So also of the wicked, hee knoweth and pronounceth they shall be damned, yet there lyeth no necessitie vpon their damnation, for it may be preuen­ted, by repentance, the which he saith as hee liueth he desireth, as hath beene prooued. So that mans sinne, and destruction ariseth nei­ther from God, nor his foreknowledge; but from his owne persisting in wickednes, and [Page 20] will not returne, according to Osea, 13.9.

Againe, as thinges be done against both Gods will, fore-knowledge, and foretelling; so also they bee done against Gods counsell. It was Gods counsell that the Pharises and expounders of the Law should receiue Iohns Doctrine and Baptisme, which counsell they did dispise and did againstLuk. 7.30.: much more might bee saide, but this is sufficient to euery wise man. Christ knew that those he admo­nished should perish, if they repented not, yet there lay no necessitie vpon their perish­ing because Christ knew it, for as hee testifi­eth Repentance might preuent it. Luk 13.2.

What say you to that place, Pro. 16.4. God Created all thinges for his owne sake, ye [...] the wicked for the day of destruction.

I answer, First as wee haue proued before that all the workes of Gods Creation was very good, therefore that you may see what was Gods worke in a wicked man, and so discerne the thinges that differ, I will a lit­tle question with you. Will you say that God made the vngodly, if yea, then the vn­godly is very good. Secondly. seeing hee hateth the vngodly, if he made him a wicked man, he should hate that which is very good euen his owne worke. Thirdly, your sonne being a tradesman, as a Smith or so, I demand who begate the Smith?

His Father begate him, not a Smith, but hee begate him, that is become a Smith.

You say true, so that his Father be­gate him, as he is a man, but not as hee is a Smith; that his Master begat, that taught him. In like manner it is said Paul was the Father of the Corinthians, not as they were Corinthians, but as they were Christians,1 Cor. 4.1 [...] for in CHRIST IESVS hee had begotten them through the Gospell. If any man afterwards had made one of them an Antichristian, you cannot say that an Antichristian was begot­ten by Paul.

No indeede, for that is Pauls sonne, which he begate, that is to say, Christianitie.

The like wee may say of God, hee created Man good, but by the inticement of the Deuill man is made euill, of which euill the Deuill is the Father that begate it, So Christ plainely saith,Iohn 8. [...]. You are of your Father the Deuill, for you doe his workes, &c. see­sing therefore God in your place alleaged, is called the Maker of the wicked, wee must vn­derstand it to be, in regard of his Creation, which was Gods worke very good:Act. 17.28.29. so all men that dwell vpon the earth are called the generation of God. And also the Deuill be­ [...]ng called the Father of the wicked, we must vnderstand it to be in regard of his worke in him, that is his wickednes; so that God made [Page 22] the man which is his substance; the Deuill made him wicked which is his qualitie. God is said to haue Created all thinges in Heauen and the Earth; yet are Images of wood and stone the worke of mens hands, not for their substance which is Gods worke; but for their shape forme and vse. Thus I hope I haue truely and sufficiently shewed wherein wicked men are said to be made by God, and wherein they are made by the Deuill, where­unto accordeth Bastingius, pag. 11. Hitherto belongeth that of Ecclesiastes. This I know that God made Man good: whereto accor­deth Augustine. God created man good, be­ing the author of Natures not of vices. Now for the wordes, God hath made the wicked for the day of destruction. God hath not made him euill, that is the Deuils worke, but be­comming euill, God hath made the day of destruction for him, or him for the day of de­struction, as a iust and most righteous re­compence of reward, as Rom. 2.5. &c. 2 Thes. 1.6. &c.

You haue well answered me this, what say you to other places? though there bee many I will relate but the principall, the which you an­swering their obiections in, all the rest will bee easie; and first they say, as God doth Decree the destruction of euery one that shall bee damned, so also hee decreeth all their actions though they be [Page 23] wicked, as the action of Iosephs Brethren; Gen. 45.4.5 2 Sam. 16.5 1 Kin. 22.22 23. Esa. 10.6.7. Act. 4.27.28 She­mei cursing Dauid; of the Lord putting a lying Spirit in the mouth of Ahabs Prophets; of the King of Ashurs going against the Isralites. Lastly, the wicked act of those that had a hand in killing the Lord of life.

In the order that you haue placed them, I will speake last of the first and last, and first of the other. For Shemei his cursing Dauid, the Lord bid Shemei curse.Vers. 10.11. In this action wee are to consider, first the parties. Secondly, the action or thing. The parties Shemei, Dauid, God; Shemei a wicked man, cursing, and therein transgressing: Dauid a good man, cursed; God suffering this for the tryall of his seruant Dauid. The like is to be seene of Iob: The Deuill Shemeis father, de­siring God (who had made a hedge about Iob, as about all his seruantsPsal. 34.7) that he would stretch out his hand vpon all that he had, &c. vnto which the Lord answered. Loe all that he hath is in thy hand, &c. where wee see the action of stretching out the hand is attribu­ted to God and to the Deuill; but it is plaine the Deuill acted it, God suffered itIob. 1.12.. Also God is said to moue Dauid to number Isra­ell and Iudah 2 Sam. 24 1., though it is said Sathan pro­uoked Dauid to number Israell 1 Chr. 21 1., now seeing that which was the Deuils worke is attri­buted to God, wee must according to the [Page 24] proportion of Faith, and generality of the Scriptures, impute wickednes to the Deuill, which is proper to him; and good to the most holy God, as onely proper to him; now in that it is said he moued, he suffered Sathan to moue, for God cannot moue toIam. 1.13. Psal. 5.4. euill, of which more hereafter, before I end my an­sweres to these particulers. Secondly, for that of Ahabs Prophets, the Prophet Mi­chaiah declares a vision, in the which Sathan that lying Spirit came into the presence of God, as Iob. 1. & 2. chap. offering himselfe (if the Lord would permit him) to be a false Spi­rit in the mouthes of Ahabs false Prophets, hee continually going about like a roaring Lyon, seeking whom hee may deuout1 Pet. 5.8., and doth deuour where God restraineth him not; God willing to confound wicked Ahab (in Iustice) for his many wickednesses, saith not onely who shall entice Ahab, vers. 20 but al­so thou shalt entice him, goe forth and doe so, vers. 22. Now in these seuerall actions, we are to consider that there was euils, namely Cursing, Enuy, Pride in numbring the people and deceipt, now the controuersie is who was the first cause of this cursmg, enuy, pride, deceipt, not to speake of the meanes where­by they were acted, for wee confesse God made Shemei, Dauid and all menAct. 17.18, yea God made them that are now Deuils, and conti­nueth [Page 25] the life and being of men and Deuils, but in their Creation they were very good: now these hearts and mouthes of Gods crea­tures committed euill; the controuersie I say now is, what the Lord doth in these actions. If you say Gods decree before the world, was the first cause, and that hee decreed vna­voidably this cursing, enuy, pride and deceit, all which are either actions of the minde or body, then can it not bee denyed but God is the author of sinne, his Decree being before there was either Deuill or man, and so is the first cause, and vpon Gods decree Sathan tempteth and Man consenteth, and acteth as of necessitie they must; for they cannot a­uoyde Gods decree; but this they sticke not to affirme the chiefest of them as before hath bene shewed in Knox. So that Gods decree is the first cause, or author, of all that Sathan or wicked men effecteth; is not this good Doctrine? So then as men are iustly blamed for doing, and Sathan for tempting to cur­sing, enuy, pride and deceit, so should God be most to be blamed (if this opinion, or ra­ther horrible blasphemie were true) for for­cing of necessitie by his Decree, Sathan to tempt, to it, and Man to consent vnto and act it; Let none say that decreeing cursing, en­uy, pride and deceit, can be good in God, and wicked in the Deuill and man, for no [Page 26] turning deuice can proue it, for although in­struments that act wickednes may bee good (as they are from God) as Angels and men, yet the actions of those instruments, the fore­named sinnes can not bee good from God, for he can tempt, decree, or appoint no man to euill, neither can euill dwell with him as before is proued.

Next for that of Ashur, Esa. 10 5. &c. a wicked nation sent of God to punish a wic­ked and dissembling Nation, which thing was good from God, namely to punish the wickednes of some, by others that are wic­ked, this is Gods Iustice, though the actors thereof thinke not so, hauing no respect to Gods iustice, but satisfieth their owne lusts. Now for the worde sending; it is written in other places God shall send them strong de­lusions to beleeue lyes;2 Thes. 2. dare any tongue say the delusion comes from God, otherwise then by suffering the Deuill to delude them, who neede no sending further then to haue leaue giuen him as of Iob, &c. for he alwayes seeketh whom hee may deuour, so doe the wicked his children, it is their delight to hurt. So that in pride and malice, Ashur went against the Isralites, the Lord suffering him as a punishment for their sinne (about whome he pitched his Tents whilst they fea­red him, that none could hurt them nor make [Page 27] them afraide) as the Deuill in hatred to Man­kinde deludeth those that resist the truth, the Lord suffering him as a punishment for their sinne; and thus God sendeth and not other­wise, as before is also proued. The Deuill deludeth2 Cor. 4.4, God suffereth1 Cor. 10.13.. Now if the word (suffering) were vsed in all places in stead of sending, they would not thus peruert the Scriptures, labouring to make wickednes come frō Gods decree originally, for which cause let the holy Euangelists decide the controuersie. Mathew saith,Math. 8.31.32. And the Deuils besought IESVS saying. If thou cast vs out suffer vs to goe into the heard of Swine. And Iesus said goe, so they went, &c. Marke saith,Mark. 5.12.13. the Deuils said, Send vs into the heard of Swine, &c. and Iesus gaue them leaue. Luke saith,Luk. 8.32. the Deuils besought him that he would suffer them; so he suffered them. All which proues plainely that the Deuill can doe no­thing without Gods suffering, as also that God or Christs sending is nothing but suffe­ring, in this case. And so this sending of A­shur is suffering.

Now for that of Iosephs brethren, wee di­spute not about Gods decreeing hee should goe into Aegypt, for the preseruation of their liues, &c. but whether God decreed that their action in selling a mans Childe from him against the Lawe, yea their enuy also in [Page 28] selling himAct. 7.9., for I say Ioseph might haue come into Egipt by good meanes, aswell as his Brethren did afterward, they thought e­uill and did euil, yet God turned it to goodGen. 50.20., their thoughts & Gods thoughts were con­trary: their thoughts were euill. Iames saith, no man is tempted of God,Iam. 1. but to moue with euill thoughts is to tempt. If all that come from the Father of Lights be good, and this to moue (by decreeing vnauoidably) to these euill thoughts came from God, then was it good and not euill; but if their whole action was euill, as it was, then was it not of the Fa­ther, but of this world,1 Ioh. 2.16. though God brought out of it goodnes, who can bring good out of euill.

Lastly, for that of our Sauiours death, I ac­knowledge that God apointed him and gaue him to the Death for our sinnesRom. 5.25 & 8.32., and deliue­red him or suffered to bee deliuered into the hands of the wicked by his determinate coū ­sell and fore-knowledgeAct. 2.23. with Chap. 4.27.28., but I deny that God determined, appointed or decreed, that the wicked should betray or murther him, o­therwise then by suffering them, hee knew what they would doe to him, and foretolde it long afore in the Scriptures, and decreed to suffer them, who if hee had pleased, hee might haue consumed before they did it; but he decreed not that they should so doe it; [Page 29] for in doing thereof they were of their Fa­ther the Deuill, who was the author of Mur­ther from the beginning, Iohn 8.44. and not Gods decree. For might not God haue ap­pointed some to sacrifice his Sonne CHRIST, as he did Abraham to sacrifice his sonne I­saac, and Israell their sacrifices, which were types of him, which might haue beene done without wickednes? But hee could not ap­point Iudas to betray him, nor the Scribes and Pharises to murther him, this was wic­kednes, which God cannot appoint, he can­not lyeHeb. 6.18, hee cannot destroy the righteous with the wickedGē. 18.25, he cannot condemne the heyres of PromiseHeb. 6.17., and so cannot appoint Iudas and the rest to commit such horrible wickednes as they did: euill cannot come from God, euery good giuing cōmeth from him, hee suffereth wicked men to doe those thinges which hee cannot doe himselfe, for which cause men think God to be like them­seluesPsa. 50.2 [...]. Thus you may see that although God determined certainly that his Sonne should be slaine, yet he might haue beene slaine without sinne, and therefore the be­traying and murthering was not from God. Wee acknowledge that God is omnipotent, but wee say his omnipotencie is guided by his Iustice:Omnipotency he can doe onely the things that pleaseth him, which is Iustice and Equitie. [Page 30] It is no part of Gods Omnipotencie to lye, to destroy the righteous with the wicked, to appoint and by an vnauoydable decree force men to betray and Murther, &c. these are not any part of Gods Omnipotencie, but ra­ther attributing that to the most holy and iust God, which is proper to the Deuill. Gods holy will is the rule of his Power, and not his power the rule of his will: he will not lye, therefore I say he cannot lye. Thus haue I shewed how God is said to doe a thing, when he onely suffereth it; wherein a prin­cipall Caluin: agreeth with me vpon the Pe­tition. Lead vs not into Temptation: Vrsinus, pag. 1041. that the wicked execute the Iu­stice of God by sinning, that commeth not to passe, by any fault of God himselfe, but through the proper corruption of the wic­ked, and such as themselues haue purchased, God neither willing nor allowing nor wor­king nor furthering their sinne, but in his most iust iudgement onely permitting it, &c. and Pag. 1042. The difference of the works of God and the Deuill, &c. is euidently con­firmed by the Story of Iob, cap. 1. & 2. where God purposeth to try Iob, but the Deuill to destroy him. The same is likewise confirmed by the Story of Ahab, 1. King. 22. and by that Prophecie of the Apostle concerning Anti­christ, 2. Thes. 2. where the Deuill seduceth [Page 31] men to destroy them, and God will haue them to be seduced thereby to punish them, and suffereth the Deuill, &c. And againe, Lead vs not into temptation, that is suffer vs not to be tempted aboue our power, these are his wordes.

Well let vs now proceed, what answer you to the place of Amos 3.6. or shall there be e­uill in the Citty, and the Lord hath not done it?

I answer, First I demand what they meane by euill, if euill of punishment for sin, as is apparant by the place and othersDeut. 29.21. then wee agree; but if they vnderstand euill of sinne (else why bring they this Scripture?) then I abhorre their horrible blasphemie. If God doe euill of sinne, then it first dwelleth with him, and it cōmeth from him, as it doth with all that doe it. And herein they speake no parable but plainely, that God doth all e­uill of sinne in a Citty, oh the the patience of God to suffer such monstrous blasphemers! who should attribute righteousnes to their MakerIob. 36.3., in stead of which they doe without all feare or shame, make God the Author and doer of sinne in a Citty, contrary to so many plaine Scriptures. Iob, 34.10.12. Psal. 92.15 & Psal. 5.4. Iam. 1.13.

What say you to the place of Iohn, 12.39 &c. Therefore could they not beleeue, because that Isayas saith, he hath blinded their eyes, [Page 32] and hardened their hearts, that they should not see with their eyes, nor vnderstand with their hearts, and should bee conuerted that I should heale them.

I say this: these wordes being col­lected from Esa. 6.9. and repeated in many placesMath. 13.14. &c. Act. 28.26. &c. by which it is manifest, that the Lord sending vnto this people the light of his Truth, by the ministerie of his seruants, the places plainely affirmeth, that they wincked with their eyes least they should see it. For which cause God gaue them vp to this repro­bate sence, as at large I haue answered vnto the place in Rom. 9. of Gods hardening Pha­raohs heart, whether I referre you for your full satisfaction, how God hardeneth mens hearts, and for what cause, and not other­wise, not willing to relate the particulers heere againe, because I would auoyde tedi­ousnes.

To conclude this of Predestination. This opinion of desteny was banished out of Rome because it destroyed the state of a Common-wealth,Lib. quest. [...]. & nouo [...]esta, as August. declareth in these wordes, by what reason (saith Augustine) were they borne which banished Mathematicos the set­ters forth of Desteny out of Rome, which law was kept and they were but Heathen; how were those thinges done by Desteny which [Page 33] maketh against Desteny? But surely if there be a Desteny it doth nothing against it selfe, saith Augustine, for so were Desteny no deste­ny, or at least desteny fighting against it selfe. Or to speake the same in those words, which the Caluinists by abuse take out of the Scrip­tures to maintaine the very same matter. If it bee Gods Predestination, that men should write and speake against his Predestination, as I and others doe; then is Gods Predesti­nation a Kingdome not onely deuided, but a so fiercely fighting against it selfe. O mi­serable absurditie! which any man may per­ceiue must needes follow: if all thinges what soeuer come to passe with absolute necessity by Gods Predestination as they teach.

FRiend Odegos, wee reasoned before concer­ning Predestination, and I must needes con­fesse you satisfied mee therein throughly. Now my harty desire is, that you will be pleased to rea­son of Election after the fall, and to resolue mee of the difficulties of the same, and of such Scrip­tures touching the same, as in our present confe­rence wee shall meete withall.

I will most willingly doe it, as the Grace of GOD shall enable me. First there­fore tell me what these mens opinion is con­cerning Election?

Sometimes they doe say; that God be­fore the foundation of the world, in his Decree Elected some few of Mankinde to saluation, who cannot but be saued: the rest of Mankinde hee reprobated to be damned, and who by no meanes can be saued. Sometimes they say, that all wen [...] damned in Adam, and that some few of those are Elected vnto saluation, and that in Christ, who doth cure them, and this they call Election: and they say that the greatest number are left in euill vnto damnation, & this they call reiection or re­probation, & this they teach by a similitude thus A certaine Physition doth enter into the house of sicke men, where he cureth some and that freely for nothing, and those are bound to giue him thankes; others hee cureth not, yet can they not [Page 35] complaine against him, for hee oweth them no­thing. In like manner they whome God chuseth to heale, are bound to giue him thankes; and they whome he will not heale, cannot iustly complaine, for God oweth nothing to any man.

You say true: one while they say one thing, and another while another thing, to the first I shall answer presently, and to the second declared by a similitude; I say it is a dissimilitude, for therein they doe compare a Physition, that hath little mercy in him, with GOD and CHRIST, who are most mer­cifull that can be imagined, in healing but a few, and leauing infinite numbers vncured: but Christ saith,Mat. 11.28. Come vnto me (all) that are laden and I will ease you, therefore if they will vse a similitude let them make choyse of a true similitude thus: A good Physition & one that is truely mercifull, goeth into the house of sicke men, there he proclaymeth, that hee will cure all those that will take a medicine, now some of them take the medicine and are cured, but others because the medicine is bitter, will not take it, and therefore are not cured; and in this case you may lawfully say, that this Physition hath both power and will to cure them all. But why then doth he not cure them all? because all will not take the medicine, without the which it is not pos­sible they should bee cured. And thus wee [Page 36] may speake of CHRIST, hee came into the world, to cure all men of their sinnes, and he is able to doe it, but he offereth a bitter me­dicine,Math. 16.24. which is, That we must deny our selues, take vp his crosse, and follow him. So many as re­fuse to take this medicine, cannot be cured; but such as receiue it are cured: and thu [...] is Christ that blessed Physition to all sicke sin­ner [...], that they may be cured, being most wil­ling and able to cure them by the meanes that they are curable,☞ but not by the meanes whereby they cānot be cured. For his power is herein subiect to his will, & his will is that they should take the medicine. Wherefore to the intent that wee may plainely perceiue, what, and how Election is, let vs consider that similitude of CHRIST concerning those that are inuited to the marriage; wherein he speaketh of the Elect: and thus it is.

Mat. 22. cap A certaine King married his Sonne, and s [...]nt forth his seruants to call them that were bidden to the wedding, but they would not come. Againe hee sent forth other seruants, saying tell them that are bidden, beholde I haue prepared my dinner, my Oxen and my fa [...]lings are killed, and all thinges are ready, come vn [...]o the marriage, but they made light of it, and went their wayes one to his Farme, another about his marchandize, and the remnant tooke his seruants and intreated [Page 37] them sharpely and slew them. But when the King heard it he was wroth, and sent forth his Warriers and destroyed those murtherers and burnt vp their Citty; then said hee to his seruants, truely the wedding is prepared, but they that were bidden were not worthy goe yee therefore into the highwayes, and as ma­ny as ye finde, bid them to the marriage. So those seruants went out into the high wayes and gathered together all that euer they found, both good and bad, so the wedding was furnished with guests. Then the K ng came in to see the guestes, and saw there a man which had not a wedding garment, and he said vnto him Friend, how camest thou in hither, and hast not on a wedding garment? and he was speechlesse. Then said he King to his seruants, binde him hand and foote, take him away, and cast him into vtter dark­nes, there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. This is the similitude, which so soone as Christ had spoken he add [...]th this sentence. For many are called but few are chosen: here you see the whole argument of Election or choyse; for the better vnderstanding where­of, answere me to certaine thinges. Was it not the Kings pleasure, that all hee inuited should come vnto y^e Marriage? both the first and the last called; & that they should bring wedding garments? or did but hee dissem­ble [Page 38] in these thinges? also was it his will they should kill his seruants that called them to the marriage?

It was his will all should come, and bring wedding garments, for else he would not haue punished such as obeyed not his will in these thinges; but it was not his will that they should kill his seruants, for which cause he also punish­ed them.

And what thinke you of this that the Lord addeth, Many are called, but few are Elect, whome doth he call Elect?

Surely those that came cloathed in a wedding garment, Col. 3.10. Rom. 13.14 Reuel. 19.8 Iohn. 3.36. which is Christs righteousnes put vpon vs, making vs new creatures by Faith and Obedience.

Now let vs rehearse the whole mat­ter according to the Spirituall sence of this similitude. This King is GOD, who did first inuite the Iewes to the Kingdome of heauen▪ who refusing the same, and euilly entreating his seruants, hee commanded his Apostles to Preach the Gospell to euery creature, promi­sing saluation to all that would deny them­selues by laying away the pleasures of the Flesh, and through Faith and obedience to CHRIST; would take vp his crosse and fol­low him, so putting on Christ as a wedding garment.

I see that Election consisteth in this [Page] wedding garment, the righteousnes of Christ, which is Christ himselfe whome the faithfull doe put on by Faith and obedience.

Yes all may see that winke not with their eyes that they are Elected and chosen,A true discr [...]tion of Election. who doe thus put on Christ, and that our E­lection dependeth vpon this condition, ac­cording to the Scriptures the Lord chooseth to himselfe a righteous manRom. 9.2 [...] 26.30., and they that were not Gods people, shall bee his people, and shee that was not beloued shall be belo­ued; if they seeke righteousnes by Faith, andRom. 1 [...].5.7. these are the Elect according to the Electi­on of Grace, and this2 Pet. 1.10 Election must be made sure, for the houshold of Faith, the Church of God, are the Elect of God, and as the1 Thes. 1. [...] Col. 3.1 [...]. Elect of God must put on the fruites of Faith: E­lection is not of particuler person, but of quallitie: all persons are Gods generationAct. 1 [...].28 29.; and those persons in whome he findeth faith and obedience, of his meere mercy, those persons he Electeth to saluation for the qua­litie he findeth in them: which hee himselfe hath wrought by his word and Spirit, which they might haue resisted but did not, but sub­mitted to the righteousnes of God: and this is Gods purpose of Election before the world was:Rom. 8. [...]. And these are they whom God knew or acknowledged before, (for Gods knowing, is vsually taken for acknowled­ging, [Page] as Psal. 1.6. Mat. 7.23.) and predestina­ted to be made like to the Image of his Son, & whom he called, iustified, & glorified, &c. This discription of Election, not onely the Scriptures of God euery where approue [...]: but also the Note in our English new Testa­ment vpon Ephesians I. confirmeth: in these wordes.

Surely, it seemeth to be as you say, but by that reason Election seemeth not to be eternall but to follow vocation or calling. And yet it is writ­ten, that we were Elected before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy, Ephe. 1. Now in this similitude Math. 22. it seemeth God doth not Elect vs to be holy, but because we are holy.

This King, the God of heauen and of mercy, deliberated and decreed thus before the foundation of the world, I will make man that he may dwell in Paradice, and so be bles­sed; but if hee fall from his estate, I will send vpon the earth the heauenly Doctrine,Gen. 3. (The s [...]ede of the Woman shall breake the Serpents head, &c.) whereby man may learne againe [Page 41] to be righteous, and recouer againe a more blessed life. And I will declare that Doctrine more plainly in the time of Abraham, whom I will chuse out of the Caldeans, and from that time forward, I will teach him and his posteritie that Doctrine, beginning with ru­diments and principles; but if they will not le [...]ne that Doctrine by t [...]ose rudim [...]nts, I will then send vnto them my Sonne, who by his Doctrine hath more power and vertue to teach then those rudiments of the Law; but if they refuse to obey him also, I will cause all Nations to be taught, and so many of them (being all called) as doe not behaue [...]hem­selues as they ought, I will cause to be puni­shed; the rest I will blesse and make happy, and keepe for my guests. Tell me now, doe you beleeue the deliberation and decree of God was of this kinde?

I doe thinke it so to haue beene.

I his deliberation & decree of God was manifested in time, in types by the rudi­ments of the Law, but with open face by the Doctrine of CHRIST the Sonne, whom he sent in the Flesh; First to offer saluation to the Iewes, by the condition of the righteous­nes which is by Faith; who generally refu­sing it; and so the partition wall being bro­ken downe, that is all the difference betwixt Iewes and Gentiles being taken away; God [Page] [...] [Page 41] [...] [Page] did chuse all men Good and bad, vpon the condition aforesaid to the Kingdome of hea­uen, Christ declaring, Goe Preach the Gos­pell to euery creature;Mark. 16. yea euen to all men that were fallen in Adam, for it must needes be that the good worke and Grace of Christ, extends it selfe as farre, as the euill worke and sinne of Adam, for otherwise hee could in no sort be truely saide to be the Lambe of God, that taketh away the Sinne of the world: nei­ther should that saying be true; Where sinne abounded, there Grace aboūded much more; for the Grace of CHRIST should be ouer­come and excelled by the sinne of Adam, if CHRIST could not saue all, whome Adam destroyed. Therefore all men vnto whome the Gospell is Preached, were Elected vnto saluation in Christ; not actually, for they could not be actually chosen before they had actually any being, but in the Eternall pur­pose of God vpon the condition afore spo­ken, For the Eternall purpose and Decree of God may be called Eternall Election, where­vpon chiefely the saluation of all men doth depend. Paul speaketh of this Election when he saith.Ephes. 1. That wee were Elected before the Creation of the world, & that it may appeare that they that are in Christ are not actually Elected before they be instructed and taught. Consider what Paul saith vnto these Ephesians [Page 43] that were thus Elected. Remember saith he that yee being in times past Gentiles in the flesh, were at that time without CHRIST, and were strangers from the common wealth of Israell, & wanting the couenants of promise, hauing no hope, and were without God in the world. Surely if they were without Christ, if they wanted the couenants of Pro­mise, if they were without God, they were not then really and particulerly Elected: but when they had learned Christ, then were they first really Elected, as the Apostle saith vers. 13.14. After yee beleeued, yee were sealed with the holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of our inheritance for the redempti­on of that libertie purchased, &c. And con­sider this place alsoRom. 9.2 [...], I will call them my peo­ple which were not my people, and her be­loued which was not beloued. But if wee were actually and particularly chosen, before the Creation of the world, then were we also really the people of God, and could not at any time be said not to be the people of God, and yet Paul doth teach that wee were not the people of God, and are now become the people of God; so doth Peter also1 Pet. 2.1 [...], and that they y^• were not vnder mercy haue now ob­tained mercy; wherein their meaning is, that wee are first particularly chosen, when wee receiue or put on Christ; For GOD being no [Page 44] respecter of persons,☞ which is so often re­peated in the Scriptures, he onely chuseth or Electeth, where he findeth Faith and obedi­ence to the Gospell of his Sonne; and reie­cteth where these are wanting. This was Gods Election in purpose from eternitie, and in act vpon Faith and obedience of the Ephe­sians, euen as his Election is of all men what­soeuer, whose estates are as the Ephesians once were, without CHRIST, without GOD, without Hope, without Promise, without Mercy, for2 Cor. 5. [...] Ioh. 2.2. God was in Christ and reconci­led the whole world to himselfe, committing to his Apostles the worde of reconciliation: and that Grace of God that bringeth saluati­on to all men hath appeared,Tit. 2.11. &c. proclay­ming that whosoeuer will receiue that Grace of God, by Faith and obedience, as the Ephe­sians did, shall haue that actuall Election, that they had, which is also according to 2. Tim. 1 9 10.

What say you further to proue that the very wicked that come to damnation had by this purpose of God, meanes of saluation if they had not refused it?

As I shewed you, that Gods pur­pose, and call, was and is vnfainedly vnto all without exception; so also I will shew that Christ dyed vnfainedly for all without ex­ception, by whose Death all might be saued, [Page 45] if they did not reiect it. The Apostle saith, CHRIST dyed for sinnersRō. 5.6.8., euen for the vn­godly: euen for all that were dead2 Cor. 5.15., he gaue himselfe a ransome for all men1 Tim. 2.6, a Sauiour of all men, especially of them that beleeue1 Tim. 4.10., he is the reconc [...]liation for the sinnes of the whole world1 Ioh. 2.2., and wee know the whole world lyeth in wickednes1 Ioh. 5.1 [...], what, shall I need to alleadge more Scriptures? the Lord is most plentifull in this thing, declaring that he would haue no man perish, but that all men should come to repentance 2. Pet. 3.9. not casting away any, vntill there bee no remedie2 Chr. 3 [...] 16..

This that you say cannot be denyed.

For your further satisfaction, ob­serue; that Gods purpose was to saue, euen those Christs enemies that slew him, and han­ged him on tree, as is testifiedAct. 3.2 [...] 26.. First vnto you, hath God raised vp his Sonne IESVS, and him hath hee sent, to blesse you, in tur­ning euery one of you from your iniquities: alsoAct. 5.3 [...] 31. although they blasphemously resisted, and put euerlasting life from them, and resi­sted the Spirit of Grace Act. 2.51. & 13.46. & 18.6.: shewing that Gods purpose was to saue them, which they refu­sed, and so their blood was on their owne heads, and their damnation of themselues: and they refusing saluation, it was sent vnto the Gentiles, euen vnto all the world, as the [Page 46] Scripture testifieth both by the similitude of the Marriage of the Kings sonne; and of our Sauiours Commaundement formerly spoken of, as also of the ApostleMark. 16.15., their sounds went throughout all the earth, and their wordes vnto the end of the world. ThatRom. 10.18. & Cap. 16 25.26. mysterie (the Gospell) is now opened and published among all Nations, by the Scriptures at the commaundement of the euerlasting God for the obedience of FaithCol. 1.6.. The Gospell of saluation is come vnto all the world, euen as it came vnto the Saintes at Collossa: Vers. 23. And it hath bene Preached to euery creature vnder Heauen. Thus you see the bountie of God towards all, and euery man, euen the whole world, hee giues his Sonne vnto the Death for them, for so hee loueth the world, pro­claiming to all, and striuing with them by his good Spirit, [...]ehem. 9 20.30. euen by y^e Ministrie of his word: that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish, but haue euerlasting life. Now let the Heauen and Earth, and all impartiall men iudge whether in all these things, God deale not vnfainedly, and in good earnest, desiring the saluation of all men, euen Iewes and Gen­tiles, not leauing any one without meanes of saluation, contrary to that Doctrine which you mentioned in the beginning. That God hath left the greatest number in sinne, with­out any meanes of reconciliation, because he [Page 47] would haue them damned, which is most horrible blasphemie, in making God to dis­semble in all these his sayings.

But seeing there be many neuer heard of Christ, how are those Scriptures verified?

This is something hard to many, yet God will reueale it to those that feare him; Now that the truth of this may bee the easier seene of all, let vs first consider, whe­ther all men from the beginning, euen at all times, had a Law giuen from God, the breach of which deserued Gods wrath.

Doe you meane another Law, then that giuen to Israell by Moses?

I meane, that all people hath a Law to obserue, and euer had, as well as Israell. 1. It is confessed of all, that Adam had a Law. 2. His posteritie as they came to vnderstan­ding had a Law; for some are saide to doe well, as Habell, Henoch &c. some are saide to call vpon God, and are called the Sonnes of God; and Noah a iust man: all which testifi­eth they had a Law to guide them in the do­ing of that they did; and some are said to be euill doers, as Caine, Lamech, and others, and at length the earth was so filled with cruelty, and all flesh had so corrupted his way, that God destroyed it from of the face of y^e earth, which sheweth they sinned, but there can be no sinne without a Law; neither would God [Page] haue destroyed the world, but for offending hi [...] Maiesty, which offences are breaking a iust Law giuen them of God. Also all peo­ple after beginning at Noahs sonnes, euen till Moses, are said to doe well or euill, whi [...]h actions must bee so iudged by some rule or Law. And the Law of Moses was not giuen because there was no Law before, but to re­uiue or bring into remembrance those iust and holy rules, which were almost forgotten and to make sinne out of measure sin [...]ll by this Law; as also to keepe a truer obseruatiō of those things, which did type out CHRIST, and of what race he should come, that when he came all might know, that it was hee, that taketh away the sinnes of the world.

Indeed it is saide that all haue sinned, both Iew and Gentile: and sinne is the transgres­sion of a Law, so it plainely appeares, as you said, that all had a Law, or else they could not haue sinned, for where there is no Lawe, there is no transgression, but what is that Law, the Gentiles had, and that before the Flood also?

It is two folde: first it is written in the hearts of men euen in Nature, who hath a conscienceRom. 2.14 15.26.27. to excuse them if they doe the thinges of the Law, or to accuse them, if they doe that the Law forbids. Secondly, that which may be known of God, he hath shew­ed it to all men, not onely in the qualities of [Page] body, & minde, but also by other his workes.

For the inuisible thinges of GOD,Rom. 1.19 20. Deut. 4.19. Psal. 19.1.6 Iob. 12.7.8. Act. 14.17. & 17.24.29 Iob. 38.39.40.41. that is his eternall Power and Godhead, are seene by the Creation of the world, being conside­red in his works, to the intent that all should be without excuse, so that the workes of God, which are seene of all men, are a Law to teach them to feare and dread, and to seek after the worke master to know his will; so that it is most euident, all men haue a Law, the breach of which bringeth them vnder wrath.

Two thinges let me demaund of you more, one is: whether this Law of the Gentiles, be different from that which the Iewes had? the other, the time when both is required to bee ob­serued of man.

The Law giuen both to Iew & Gen­tile is one & the same, for as God is but one, his Law is but one; for the Law that is writ­ten in the heart, is theRō. 2.14, 15. effect of that written in the letter. Besides the Gentiles in all their actions, haue bene condemned or iustified by the Law of Moses: and the Iewes haue been condemned oftentimes by the actions of the Gentiles contained in the Law, who wanted a Law of the letter. Also obserue, that it is the Law of workes vnto both, and both are bound to obserue it, euen of themselues with out an helper, as they are the worke of God [Page] by creation as was Adam; which, when by reason of the weakenes of their Flesh they cannot keepe; CHRIST is prouided to re­lieue them. To the second part of your que­stion, I answer; the Law is to bee obserued, when it is giuen to a man, & that is when he comes to vnderstanding, and when his cons­cience giues him peace by keeping it, and warre for breaking it, & not till then; which qualities are not in Babes, for they discerne not earthly thinges, andIoh. 3.12. how then should they discerne heauenly? but when they can discerne thinges of the earth that differLuk. 12.56.57., as times and seasons and the like, then are they iustly taxed for not knowing Gods matters; there must bee a Conscience vnto which a Law is giuen, which Infants haue not; for Conscience is,Of Infants estate hereaf­ter at large. a knowledge, to a mans selfe, of accusing or excusing, which who so hath, are breakers of the Law, for though the Law be holy and iust, yet flesh is weake, and the Tempter strong, that all, when they come to haue the Law, doe plunge themselues into miserie by breaking it, and must be saued by CHRISTS sufferings, and Faith in him. Now it remaineth to proue, how all may come to the knowledge of CHRIST, for it is cleare all haue a Law, and all are sinners, and no way of reconciliation but by CHRIST.

Now if it can bee shewed that Christ [Page 51] hath beene, and still is, offered to all that haue sin­ned, and that they haue put him away, and the fault is their owne, and condemnation from them­selues, and God freed from partialitie, then I am satisfied.

It cannot be denyed, but Adam and Heuah, the first transgressors had Christ of­fered, by the seede of the Woman promised,Gen. 3. and so their generation, as they tooke notice of their sinne, so they tooke notice of Christ, by whom they must be freed from their sinne. Habell and Caine vnderstood it,Gen. 4. as appeareth by their Offerings; also Henoch the seauenth from Adam remembred it; those were cal­led the Sonnes of GOD, which could not be, but by Grace, the Law made them not so: Noah knew it well, for he found Grace in the sight of God, which is through Christ, not by workes; for that were not by fauour but by debt: he also preached CHRIST by the same Spirit, that Peter preached him, to the olde world, euen to them that are now in prison. After the Flood Noah with his little Family offred Sacrifice, which was a type of Christ, from which action all his Sonnes could doe no lesse but take notice of, as of the Deluge it selfe, and so to conuay it, by tradition to all their generations. In Abrahams time it is apparant that Christ was remembred, till the Law: and vnder the Law written, it is not [Page 52] doubted but he was knowne; For our Fathers did all eate, [...] Cor. 10. &c. and that Rocke was Christ.

Also the Sacrifices of the Gentiles though in an Idolatrous manner doth plainely show, that the remembrance of Christ was among them, for they offending, knew there was no way to make peace, but by a Sacrifice; they vpheld Sacrifices, which either they had from their Ancestors, as one Generation tooke it from another; or else somthing moued them to doe it of themselues as a troubled consci­ence which must be quieted by Sacrifice: so y^• we may see, among all sorts of men, there was a kinde of acknowledging CHRIST, though by most in an euill manner, which augments their sinne; euen as now at this day there be many that acknowledgeth him; falsly, which indeed is not him, but a false Christ in stead of him; all which proueth that euer there was the remembrance of a pacifier, though the right one was missed, which was their owne fault and not Gods: for why might not euery one haue found the right, aswell as some? God would haue all to be saued, and euen from the beginning hee hath beene liberall vnto all: In Paradice there was a tree of life, aswell as of knowledge: euer since, as there hath beene a Law, which is a good tree, if it be obserued, and an euill tree if it be broken, so there hath beene a tree of life prouided, [Page 53] that man might eate of it, and liue for euer, which is that Lambe slaine from the begin­ning. A remembrance of which hath euer beene obserued, either in a true manner or a false, of all the world, for all the world euer haue and doe worship either the true God or a false, and offer Sacrifice to that which they tooke for their God to appease him.

Now since CHRIST came in the Flesh, it is apparant that hee hath beene offered to all Nations vnder Heauen. First hee was Pro­phesied of long before he came, that all flesh should see the saluation of God:Luk. 3.6. After hee was come, by Doctrine and myracles both hee, and all his Apostles, did so powerfully worke, that all obserued him; The Iewes to whome first he offered himselfe, the Gentiles also, who put him to Death. The Apostles at y^e day of Penticost was fitted with all tongues that Christ by them might be conueyed to all Nations, where were present men of eue­ry Nation vnder Heauen;Act. 2. and their sound went throughout all the earth, & their words vnto the end of the world;Rom. 10.18 Psal. 19.1. &c. euen as farre as the Sunne and the Moone doth teach God; and though the Iew will none of him, many of the Gentiles refuse him, and many of the Gentiles confesse him amisse, to their further woe, the fault is not because God hath not offered him, to helpe, euen as largely as the [Page 54] Law did hurt; but because man will not ac­cept of this offer, some put him away quite, as the Iew, Turke, and diuers others that heare of him, and in a manner looke for him; some confesse him with their mouthes, but will not suffer him to raigne ouer them, but will haue other spirituall Lords in stead of him; yet no default on God, who herein is rich to Iew and Gentile in the offer of his Sonne, but the fault is in themselues, who will not ac­cept of this guift of God: for euen in this Nation and others where Christ is confessed, are there not many millions of men, whose knowledge of CHRIST is such, in truth and deed, that they cannot so much as make a confession of him no more then any Pagan in the world? who knoweth not this? and what is the cause but their owne neglect and contempt of his Word and crosse?

Indeed I see generall Nations haue, or might haue had Christ if they would, for hee was euer offered to them as largely as the Law, and that the Law and Christ went together, that as the one did kill, th'other was offered to make a­liue in a generality: but you must proue that this is, or might bee manifested to euery particuler person, that as euery man particulerly whosoeuer he be, Rom. 2. is culpable before God of Iudgement; so e­uery one likewise in mercy hath Ch [...]ist offered to him for reconciliation.

I haue largely shewed you before by the Scriptures, that as all and euery person are shut vp in vnbeliefe, so God hath mercy on all, and his Grace that bringe [...]h saluation vnto all men hath appeared, &c. which might satisfie any reasonable man, for either euery particuler soule of reason and vnder­standing hath had meanes offered, or else the Scriptures are not true, which God forbid: and it will bee easily granted that euery such person, hath a Law written in his heart, and an accusing Conscience for breaking of it: and euery such person hath the Heauens, the Firmament, the Sunne, the Moone, and all the wonders of the Heauens, the Earth, the Seas, and Fountaines of waters: all which sendeth them to seeke out the worke-master, and he that seeketh shal finde, but in stead of know­ing God, by these his teachings, they be­come vaine in their thoughts, and their foo­lish heart is full of darknes; for some turne the Glory of the incorruptible God, to reall Idols, some to mentall Idols, and therefore as they regard not to know God aright, by seeking him aright, wherein they are igno­rant, but set vp seuerall Idols, by their owne knowledge, which is Beastly, so God deli­uereth them vp to a reprobate minde, that they neuer know more, for what should he that is not faithfull in a little,Luk. 16.10. &c. be trusted with [Page 56] much: This is the cause that the most blinde Pagans in the world know no more, because they vse not that well they haue:☞ why the Turkes know no more, the Iewes, the Papists, and others of all sorts, because they haue de­spised the first light of God offer'd them, and therein continueAct. 28.27, wincking with their eyes least they should see further: because the wayes of their owne hearts best please them; ForPsa. 81.12 Rom. 1.21. &c. this cause doth God giue them vp to walke in their owne Counsels. Is the fault now for want of meanes on Gods part, to a­ny particuler person, or their owne neglect and contempt of the meanes offered them?

Their owne surely, else it had not beene iniustice in God to tell them that which might be knowne of him is manifest in them, Rom. 1.19. and to blame them for not profiting, by that they had, as after in 9. verses following is shewed.

In like manner, all that knoweth they haue offended some infinite Power by their accusing Conscience, are there by inui­ted to seeke who it is, & finding it to be their Creator, they are then to seeke by what way he shall be pacified with them, for their accu­sing Conscience is a meanes to cause them to seeke with earnestnes; for then God call [...] vnto them, as hee did vnto Adam, saying, where art thou? whose answere ought to be heere Lord, what wilt thou? I haue sinned▪ [Page] and not to hide sinne with the Fig-leaues of inuentions, then if there be no meanes in that Nation; yet there is to be picked out of the consideration of the greatnes of him offen­ded, that his iustice must bee satisfied; then must they, and may they consider whether themselues can satisfie or some others for them; and thus if they examine all thinges rightly, God will reueale CHRIST vnto them by one meanes or other; so as in seeking, nothing satisfie them but y^e which is of God, in which they must cast away not onely their owne inuentions; but also they must not be seruants of men; which if they doe not, but satisfie themselues in either of these, it is iust with God to giue them vp to their owne hearts lusts; and so they become past feeling. And for conclusion, all Nations, Cityes, hou­ses, fieldes, high-wayes, hedges, haue had the mercy of God in the offer of CHRIST af­foorded them, all were bidden, so that this is not now darke, but cleare and euident, that all haue euer had, or might haue had, if they had would, Christ, aswell as the Law giuen vnto them.

Now indeed, these thinges seeme to be very true, but I must intreat you to make plaine vnto me, that which Paul hath writtē to the Ro­mans, concerning Election, that there remain no scruple nor doubt in my minde: that disputation [Page] of Paul, troubleth many, by reason it is handled so darkly: surely I am of opinion, that that place is one of those whereof Peter wrote, that there were certaine darke thinges in Pauls Epistles, [...] Pet. 3. which the vnlearned & weake doe wrest to their owne destruction, as they doe also other places of Scriptures.

Surely, you haue good reason so to thinke, now therefore let th'Apostle Peter shewe who those are, that wrest the Scrip­tures of them or vs: We say with Peter, that the long suffring of God is saluation, in that God would haue no man perish, but would haue all come to repentance: and this is that (saith Peter vers. 15. &c.) which our beloued brother Paul in all his Epistles speaketh of, among the which, some thinges are hard to be vnderstood, which some peruert to their destruction. They say, God hath reprobated, some and the greatest number, and that be­fore they were borne, & had done euill; for whome there was neuer meanes of saluation, because God would haue them perish, for y^• was his good pleasure. Now these wordes of Peter, as they iudge our aduersaries to be peruerters of the Scriptures, so may they sa­tisfie euery Godly minded man, that Pauls meaning was not contrary to Peters, they writing both by one Spirit, nay then Pauls owne meaning was else where in the same [Page] Epistle,R that the long suffering of God was saluation, euen to those that hardened their own hearts, and heaped vp wrath against the day of wrath; This therefore may be an en­trance, but let vs come to the words of Paul, Rom. 9.

In this 9th Chapter, and so in most of this Epistle the maine subiect that the Apostle Paul handleth, is: That not the Law,A short ex­pos [...]on Rō. [...]. but the Gospell, is the Power of GOD to saluation; not to him that is a Iew outward, or that hath Circumcision of the Flesh, or is an obseruer of the Law, which was all the Iewes had to boast of and which they did boast of;Ioh. 8.33.39. & 9.28.29. Cap. 4.1.2. Cap. 2.28. &c. Cap. 4.12.13.14.16. for A­braham himselfe found nothing concerning the Flesh, neither was he iustified by workes; but saluation appertaineth to him that is a Iew within: that hath Circumcision of the heart: that is of the Faith of Abraham; whe­ther he be Iew or Gentile in the Flesh; this I say is the whole drift of the Apostle, as in the whole, so in this 9. Chap.

In y^e 1.2.3.4.5. Vers. th'Apostle sheweth his vpright & vnfained desire of the saluation of the Isralites according to the flesh, who were his fleshly brethrē; who had all those Oracles of GOD cōmitted to them; of whom were the Fathers, and of whom concerning the Flesh CHRIST came, GOD ouer all blessed for euer, Amen. Yet notwithstanding his desire [Page] and all these their priuiledges,Vers. 6.7. the worde of God cannot be made voyde, which saith, All are not Israell that are of Israell, neither are they all Children, because they are the seede of Abraham, but in Isaac shall thy seede be called, which Paul expoundeth, Vers. 8. That is, they which are the children of the Flesh are not the children of GOD, or not, those that shall be saued, but the Children of the promise, are counted for the seed. So that thus farre there is no difficulty, but that the Apostle plainely meaneth in all these Verses; Iohn. 8.33.39. Ioh. 9.28.29. that not all the children of Abrahams flesh, (who so much boasted of their being Abra­hams seed; and of being Moses Disciples in the obseruation of the Law,) were therefore in the estate of saluation: and this he desireth to acquaint y^e Iewes with, that they might cast off their reioycing in their Fleshly discent; and seeke true reioycing in another way. Th'Apostle hauing propounded this as an infallible truth; hee goeth about to proue it by the Scriptures: First alledging, the promise made, that Sara shall haue a SonneGen. 18.10., which Abraham belieued, not considering his own, and Sara's body, which were dead, neither did he doubt of the promise of God through vn­beliefe, but was strengthned in the FaithRō. 4.18. &c. and it was imputed to him for righteousnes; so that this promised Sonne of Sara, was borne [Page 61] not after Flesh, but after the Faith; which is most largely declared in Gal. 4.22. where is declared, that Abraham had two Sonnes, one by the seruant, Hagar (namely Ishmaell) who was borne after the Flesh, & one by the free-woman Sara, (namely Isaac) who was borne by Promise, and so by Faith; by the which (saith th'Apostle) another thing is meant: these two Mothers, are the two Testaments, in type: the two Children, are y^e types of the children of the two Testaments, the Childe of the Flesh, Ishmaell sonne of Hagar, typed out the fleshly Isralites, which were in bon­dage vnder the rudiments of the Law; the Childe of the Promise, Isaac, sonne of Sara typed out the Children of the Faith of Abra­ham; and as the childe of the Flesh persecuted the childe of the Faith by his mockings, for which cause he must be put out and must not be heyre with Isaac; so (saith th'Apostle) do all that seeke acceptance with God through the Flesh, persecute them that seeke it by the Promise through Faith; and therefore all the children of the Flesh of Abraham, that haue no other priuiledge to iustification, must be put out, and shall not be heyre with the chil­dren of the Promise. This is so plaine in Gal. 4. that he that readeth the Scripture with an indifferent heart voyde of malice cannot be able to contradict, being also confirmed [Page 62] in the 3. Cap. vers 16. where the Apostle trea­ting of the promise of Saluation, saith: Now to Abraham and his seede were the Promises made: hee saith not, and to the seeds as spea­king of many, but, and to thy seed as of one which is CHRIST, which being well obser­ued, that Abraham had two Sonnes or seeds by two Women, as before Gal. 4. and that the Promise of saluation is made but vnto the one seedGal. 3.16 Vers. 29. Vers. [...].9., euen they that are CHRISTS, that are of the Faith of Abraham, and so after the manner of Isaac Gal. 4.28 the sonne of Sara, and that this Promise is not made vnto both the seeds, namely vnto the Children after the Flesh of Abraham, for they are not the children of God Rom. 9.8. but they must be put out, and must not be heyre with th'otherGal. 4.30. This is this sure word of Promise, Sara shall haue a Son, thus applyed by the Apostle, to proue the thing he hath in hand, that all the fleshly Is­raelites were not therefore in the estate of iustification to Saluation; in that God did in this type declare the contrary: For further probation, hee bringeth another Scripture to proue,Gen. [...]5.21 Vers. 10.11 that vnto Rebecca this same thing was declared before y^e Children were borne, and when they had done neither good nor euill, that the purpose of God might remain, according to Election not by workes, but by him that calleth, It was said vnto her, The [Page 63] Elder shal serue the Younger. In which words th'Apostle plainely proueth, that neither birth, nor workes did preferre with God, for this is the purpose of God, to preferre and make superiour, euen the youngest by birth, or those that challenge nothing by birth, or by workes, but seek it by Gods free Election, through faith in CHRIST IESVS: also to reiect and make inferior all that seeke salua­tion by flesh, birth, or by workes; euen as he did in these two types, the Elder was the heyre by the Flesh; and the younger was not of that Land of Promise, a type of the estate of saluation; and God foreseing, what would come to passe, that these two twinnes should be the Fathers of two great Nations; and that the Younger would get the priuiledge from the Elder; and so the Elder should serue the younger, or be inferiour to the younger, euen in this Couenant or Promise, a type of that which was to come; which type being so fit as it was for the Apostles purpose, hee bringeth to prooue, [...]hat Fleshly birth or dis­cent euen from Abraham was interrupted of olde in those typicall Promises to Abrah: First, not Ishmaell the Eldest, but Isaac the Youngest I will make my Couenant with; 2. To Isaac, not Esau the eldest, but Iacob the youngest, shall be Lord or superior and haue that Couenant; according to which types [Page 64] the truth is, saith the Apostle, that the Iewes the Elder brotherLuk. 15.25., Who seeke saluation by the Flesh or workes, shall not haue it; for that is against the word and promise of God: but the Gentiles, the youngerVers. 12., in the offer of the Gospell, that seekes saluation onely by the free vndeserued Promise of God; through faith in IESVS CHRIST, these onely shall haue it, for this is according to the purpose of Gods Election.

Now for the Scripture which followeth, from Mal. 1.2.3. mentioned in the 13. Verse. As it is written, I haue loued Iacob and haue hated Esau; the peruerters of these words of Paul, will needes haue to be afore Esau and Iacob were borne; and this we must beleeue because they say so; but the Apostle hath no such meaning; as shall both appeare by the Scripture it selfe, and also from many other Scriptures. Paul still followeth, the confir­mation of his Doctrine, which is, that th [...] Children of the Flesh or Law, haue not ther­fore their onely priuiledge with God, which he hath proued by the Promise of Sara's Son also by the Promise of Rebecca's younges [...] sonne, which were preferred before their Elder brethren vnto that typicall couenant, and as in Vers. 12. th'Apostle declared, what th [...] Lord said should come to passe; concerning Esau and Iacob, and their Posterities, befor [...] [Page] they were borne, so proueth th'Apostle, from Mal. 1.1. &c. that the same did come to passe concerning them and their posterities, many yeares after Esau and Iacob were dead and gone; in the 12. Vers. declaring what should come to passe, in the 13. ver. declaring what hath come to passe, both prouing his Doctrine; not when, nor for what cause, God loued Iacob and his Nation, and hated Esau and his Nation, but prouing that God did it, which was sufficient for his purpose in h [...]nd, to shew the error of the Iewes (whose salua­tion hee so much sought) who were perswa­ded that their acceptance with God stood in their being Abrahams seed, & obseruing the Law of Moses, as before hath beene proued, the times of shall, and haue, doe much differ.

Further God hated not Esau before hee was borne, seeing there is not any Scripture to proue that God hateth any man before he hath first hated God, as before in our confe­rence of Predestination hath beene proued. Esau hated God in contemning his Birth-rightGē. 25.3 [...] Heb. 12.16. long before Gods hatred of him and his posteritie spoken of, Mal. 1. God loueth and saueth freely without desert, but hateth and destroyeth not without desert.

I blesse God, you haue to my great consolation and satisfaction made manifest the Verses of this Scriptures thus farre, that there [Page] remaineth no scruple in me. Now therfore I pray you proceed, What is Pauls meaning in Vers. 14. what shall wee say then? Is there Iniustice with God? God forbid.

This is th'Apostles meaning, that as God rejected Esau for contemning his birth-right,Ver [...]. 14. which God had giuen to him, so the fleshly Isralites were of God rejected, be­cause they contemned their saluation offered them, (by faith in CHRIST IESVS) and in this, GOD is not vniust; this is the Apostles meaning, and not as the aduersary affirmeth, that God is not vniust, though he hate with­out cause; hee neither hated Esau nor any man without cause. For Esau and his po­steritie hee hated for his wickednes as these Scriptures teach, Amos 1.11 Obediah 10. &c, Further, Paul himselfe besides many other places of Scripture, in this very Epistle to the Romans, Rom. 2.4.5. hath a very excellent discription of the Iustice of God speaking thus: Or dispi­sest thou the riches of his Bountifulnes, Pa­tience▪ and long sufferance, not knowing that the bountifulnes of God leadeth thee to Repentance? But thou after thine hardnes & heart that refuseth to repent, heapest vnto thy selfe wrath against the day of wrath, and of the declaration of the iust Iudgement of God, who will reward euery man according to his deedes. What doth Paul call heere [Page] the iust Iudgement of GOD?

To pay euery man the desert of his workes.

But if he hated Esau before he was borne, hee payed him not the reward of his wo [...]ks, forasmuch as Esau had done nothing before that hatred, & so it commeth to passe that this hatred of Esau agreeth not with Pauls rule of the iust iudgement of God. But th'Apostle following still the thing he had in hand, to proue that the Iewes could not haue saluation therefore, because they were the children of the Flesh, answers all objections that could bee made from his former Do­ctrine, that God rejected all the Children of Abrahams flesh, except such as sought it by Faith, and such onely were the Children of the Promise, in which there is no vnrighte­ousnes with God; For further proofe wher­of, he bringeth Moses for example,Vers. 15. who whē the seed of Abraham, had prouoked him by their wickednes to cast them away, Moses found Grace for himselfe and his people, and prouoked God to shew mercy on them, for he hath mercy on whom he will; namely on them that seeke him▪ by the meanes that hee himselfe appointeth; such finde Grace and mercy as Moses, and not by our owne willing, nor running,Exod. 33. nor working as the Iewes.

What is the meaning of the hardning of Pharaoh? Vers. 17.

This; Pharaoh being a wicked man, and hardning his heart against Gods Com­maundements and iudgements, Exod. 9 34. 1 Sam 6. (euen as these Iewes Paul speaketh of did against CHRIST and his Gospell) yea making his heart as an Adamant stone as o­thers did,Vers. 17. Zach. 7.12. so that he would not let the people goe; for his cruelty against Gods people in killing their Children, and ouertas­king them, and in not letting them goe; for these causes, God hardned his heart, that is as the holy Ghost explaines it, gaue him vp to the hardnes of his owne heart, as Psal. 81.11 12. euen to Sathan, who worketh hard­nes of heart against God, and his truth in all the Children of disobedience, who when the word and Iudgements of God as to Pharaoh and these vnbelieuing Iewes is manifest to them and they dispise them; that which was ordained a meanes of humiliation and softe­ning the hart, becommeth a meanes of hard­ning; that which is of it selfe, and to the be­lieuers the sweet sauour of Life, becōmeth to them the sauour of Death, 2. Cor. 2.15.16. Rom. 7.13. and thus doth God harden the harts of the wicked by giuing them vp to Sa­than, & to their own harts lusts, to vile affect­ions, & to reprobate minds, Rō. 1.24.26.28. [Page 69] Thus hee hath mercy on whom he will,Vers. 18. and whom he will he hardeneth; his will being to shew mercy, on such as Moses, that seeke his fauour by his appointed way; and harde­neth such as Phoraoh, who hardneth their hearts against the same way, as those Iewes did, of whom Paul speaketh.

How answer you these wordes, who hath resisted his will? Vers. 19.

I answer them thus:Vers. 19. Paul in these wordes speaketh as in the person of one of these Iewes, or declareth what these Iewes will answer to this Doctrine; who hath resisted his will, and why doth hee complaine? For this was his will that wee should obey these his precepts of the Law, which who so doth should liue in them, and in sticking to the Law, wee haue not resisted his will; vnto which th'Apostle giues the answer, that man must not plead against God; to say why hast thou made me thus, that is, that I cannot ob­taine saluation by the workes of the Law; for God seeing the weaknes of the Flesh to obserue the LawRom. 8.3., sent his Sonne in the flesh; for iustification to euery one that beleeueth; prouing plainely to all, that both Iewes and Gentiles were vnder sinne, and that there was not one righteous by the Law,Rom. 3. and therefore their cauill was vaine: For Gods will was to saue all, that seeke it by the Faith of IESVS, [Page 70] and not by the workes of the Law; which they did resist, and so were iustly conuicted. Now the aduersaries exposition of this verse is, that God hated Esau & so Pharaoh, and all the reprobate before they were borne, from which hatred, he Decreed their damnation; and because the will of God is declared to be contrary in the Scriptures, therefore they call this his secret will, against which will (say they) no man can resist; but the most holy GOD declareth the contrary. It is not my will that any man sinne, they haue done that which I commaund them not, neither came it in my minde, &c.Ier. 32.35 neither is it my will that any sinner dye but that hee amend and liue, and this I testifie as I liue [...]aith the LordEzek. 18. & 33. Chap: But if he will not amend but con­tinue in sin as Pharaoh, these Iewes, & others, him will I punish, in my iust Iudgement▪ wherefore if any suffer iustly for his trespasse, he ought not to accuse GOD (as our aduer­saries doe, saying that God decreed him, ye [...] by power compelled him to trespasse and so to suffer, [...] and say who can resist his Will▪ Gods will is, that all repent and beleeue the Gospell▪ which may be, and is resisted: and al­so his will is, that they who will not repent and belieue [...]e damned, which cānot be resi­sted. This his will is iust & full of mercy, and thus I haue sufficiently answered these words.

What say you to these wordes, Hath not the Potter power of the Clay to make of the same lumpe, one vessell to honor, another to dis­honor. Vers. 21.

For the better vnderstanding of these wordes, let vs reade the 18 Cha [...]. Vers. 21. of the Prophet Ieremie, from whence th'Apostle hath these words, And we shall see through the Grace of GOD, that, that making of the clay in the Potters hand, is not in creation, but in vocation; the wordes are these: O House of Israell, cannot I doe with you as this Potter, saith the Lord? Behold as the clay is in the Potters hand, so are you in my hand O house of Israell, GOD is this Potter, the House of Israell is the Clay. And Vers. 7. I will speake against a Nation, or against a King­dome, to plucke it vp, to roote it out, and to destroy it; That is to make it a vessell of dis­honor. But Vers. 8. If this Nation against whom I haue pronounced, turne from their wickednes, I will repent of the plague that I thought to bring vpon them; Again Vers. 9. And I will speake concerning a Kingdome and concerning a Nation to build it, and to plant it; and so make them vessels of Honor. But Vers. 10. If it doe euill in my sight, and heare not my voice, I will repent of the good that I thought to doe for them. Therefore Vers. 11. Thus saith the Lord vnto the men of [Page 72] Iudah and Inhabitants of Ierusalem, Beholde I prepare a plague for you, and purpose a thing against you, returne you therefore eue­ry one from his euill way, &c. This doth th' Ap stle apply to the thing in hand, proclay­ming from this glorious Potter, that all that seekes saluation by Faith and obedience to the Gospell; as the Gentiles did, he will make them vessels of mercy prepared for Glory; but those that seeke it, by the Flesh or by workes of the Law as the Iewes did, he will make them vessels of dishonor, prepared for destruction. Thus doth God make v [...]se [...]s of Honor and Dishonor, and not otherwise, for in Creation hee made Man good, and in vocation he saith, As hee liueth he would haue him good; by turning vnto him, from his wicked way, which if he will not, then he maketh him a vessell of dishonor, by b [...]in­ging vpon him as a iust recompence of re­ward, dishonor and confusion: and thus the Apostle alludeth to this Scripture in this place, for hee wished the saluation of the Is­ralites, whom God had planted a noble vine, with the best plantes,Esa. 5. doing vnto it, what he could doe vnto it, tying to him the whole house of Israell and Iudah, Ier. 13.11. as a man tyeth his girdle to his loynes, that they might bee his people▪ and that they might haue a name and p [...]aise, and Glory, but they would not heare. [Page 73] Yea crying out vnto them, what shall I doe vnto thee, how shall I intreat thee,Hosea. 6.4. yea sen­ding his owne Sonne vnto them, to turne them away from their iniquities, and by faith in him to giue them saluation; so many of the Isralites, yea of the Gentiles as submitted vnto this his calling of Grace, by Faith, not by Workes, they should be saued, the rest should be vessels of destruction: this he plainely af­firmeth, in Vers. 23.24. Aske the Potter and he will answer thee, that hee would be loath to breake any vessell, but if it proue n [...]ught, then hee will breake it; The Husbandman planteth no Tree to be barren; The Magi­strate would not haue any of his Subjects to be Rebels but if they be, hee will shew his wrath and make his power known in execu­ting them: If these thinges be good in men, how much more are they good in God, who saith, I will not the death of a sinner, but that he conuert and liue, and I will not that any man be euill, and therefore I forbid all euill; but if any contrary to my will and comman­dement refuse the good which he might haue accepted, and d [...] the euill which hee might haue left vndone, then doe I shew my power ouer him in that I cast him away [...]s y^e sh ards of a naughty pot: and so I haue according to the proportion of all the Scriptures ex­pounded these hard Verses of this 9 Chapter; [Page 74] shewing how the potter makes vessels of dis­honor and wrath▪ and how they are prepared to destruction; and how he maketh vessels of mercy prepared to Glory, which in the 24. Vers. he plainely declareth,Vers. 24. that the vessels of mercy, are euen vs,Vers. 25. Whom he hath called, not of the Iewes onely, but also of the Gentiles, as is written, in Osea. I will call them my peo­ple which were not my people, and her be­loued which was not beloued;Vers. 26. and where it was said vnto them, yee are not my people, there they shall be called the Children of the liuing God: And of Israell hee declareth o­therwise, Vers 27.28.29. And for conclusi­on, Paul declareth that the Gentiles the youn­ger which followed not righteousnes,Vers. 30. haue attained vnto righteousnes, euen the righte­ousnes which is of Faith.Vers. 31. But Israell the El­der which followed the Law of righteous­nes could not attaine vnto the Law of righ­teousnes, wherefore?Vers. 32. saith th'Apostle, (not because they were so decreed of God as the Caluinists teach, but)Marke these wordes. because they sought it not, by Faith, but by the workes of the Law, &c. confirmed also in Chap. 11. Vers. 67 wherein he saith, It is the Election of Grace not of workes: and that Israell obtained not that he sought, the reason is rendred, because they sought it not by Faith; but the Election hath obtained it, that is, the Gentiles, seeking [Page 75] it by Faith. What can be more plaine then this? If any will be still peruerse or ignorant let them be ignorant.

You haue very sufficiently explained this 9th. Chapter to the Romans, and to my full satisfaction haue resolued mee in euery diffi­cult place thereof, but now remaineth an obiecti­on from Act. 13. So many as were ordayned vnto eternall Life beleeued.

This is my answer: That as the vn­godly; that turne the Grace of God into wanton­nes, are said to bee ordained to death or dam­nationIude 4.; So they that receiue the loue of the truth, and are obedient thereunto, when they heare it, are said to be ordained vnto e­ternall lifeMark. 15▪ 16., they that are willing to walke in the way to life, are ordained to life; and such doe beleeue, yet are they not ordained onely for walking in the way of life: the First cause of ordination to life, is Gods free guift, de­creed afore the foundation of the world; manifested in time through CHRIST, whom hee sent into the world to saue all men, yet with this condition; that euery one that will haue this saluation must beleeue & obey the Gospell; as is before at large declared; as for example; A mercifull rich man, proclaimeth in the time of dearth, that whosoeuer stan­ding in neede, will come to his house, they shal haue 10 shillings a peece to relieue their [Page 76] want, so many as come haue the 10. s. yet their comming is not the first cause of their receiuing it, but the mercy of the giuer; but if they had not come to his house, they shold not haue had it, because the giuer will fre [...]ly giue it, to them that come to the place where he will giue it: So that all that had it, were ordained to haue it, before they came, but o­thers were ordained to haue it aswell as they if they had come, but they proudly reiected his bounty, and would not come for it: so are the Scriptures plentifull in teaching▪ that God out of his free bounty before the world ordained to send his Sonne, not to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be sa [...]ed, and proclaymed in time, this his bounty vnto euery creature vnder Hea­uen, that whosoeuer would receiue this his Grace, through beleeuing in, and obaying his Sonne, should haue it, those that would not receiue it thus, but would haue it by the Flesh or workes, (as did the Iewes) should not haue it; so that to conclude all that be­leeued were before ordained to Eternall life, they seeking it by Faith; the vnbeleeuing were as much ordained, if they had sought it by the same way; but seeking it by another way, vnto the which God had not promised it, they were rejected, and ordained to eter­nall death, as elswhere I haue largely shewed, [Page] that all were ordained to the Marriage, as­well those that came not, as those that came: also in this placeAct. 13. at this time, and in this company; those that iudged themselues vn­worthy of Eternall life, were ordained to it, as well as the other, if they had receiued it, as the other did, as is testified, Vers. 46. *⁎*

I Now see clearely, how all other places may ea­sily bee answered concerning Election, and I will trouble you no further in that: The next thing I will question with you, is, whether a man may fall from this his Election, there bee many Scriptures seeme to make against it.

I holde, that as the Promise of Gods Election is Free, without any desert in vs originally, yet vpon condition of Faith and obedience to CHRISTS Gospell; so the same free promise of Gods Election, is conti­nued vnto vs, vpon continuance in the same condition, from the which men may fall a­way, as I will proue manifestly by Scriptures, and then answer what objections can bee made.

First the Scriptures teacheth, that Godly men, that are in the true and sauing Grace of God may fall away. Secondly, the Lord v­seth therfore so many exhortations, admoni­tions and the like, to keep them from falling away, for where there is cause of danger, there is great neede of warning, as the wise­dome of God (vsing so many) seeth: now as the Lord saith not in vaine vnto his people, Seeke yee mee, in that hee speaketh righteous­nes and declareth righteous thingesEsa. 45.19, so saith he not in vaine vnto his seruants, take heede, [Page] beware, & the like, where there is no danger.

1. A man hauing true Grace may fall away,Heb. 12.15. euen as Esau lost his earthly inheritance which he had right vnto;Vers. 1 [...]. so may the Saincts loose their heauenly inheritance which they haue right vntoMat. 5.13. Salt may loose his sauour, they that are washed, and are cleane escaped from the filthines of the world, may returne with the Sowe to wallow in the myre, and their latter end bee worse then their begin­ning2 Pet▪ 2.20. &c.; yea those that CHRIST hath bought with his precious blood may bee damnedVers. [...].: and that some may treade vnder foote the blood of CHRIST, wherewith they were sanctified, and dispite the Spirit of Grace Heb. 10.29.: They that haue Faith, and a good Co s [...]ienc [...] may put it away, and make ship-wrack of it1 Tim. 2.19.: that some may leaue their first Faith, and be damned1 Tim. 5.12.: that some written in the Booke of life may be put outExod. 32.32.33. Psal. 69.25.28. Re [...]el. 3.5.: the talent may be taken from him that vseth it not wellMath. 25.29.: Further Paul affirmeth of the Saincts at Rome, that they were iustified by Faith, and thereby had accesse vnto that Grace wherin they stoodRō. 5.5.2.. Yet Chap. 11.22. If they continued not in that bounty of God, they should be cut off, [...]rom that ingrafting wherein they were. Al­ [...]o how many examples haue we of men that [...]ere in Gods fauour, & afterwards reiected? [Page] had not God said, that the house of Eli the Priest, should walke before him for euer? yet afterwardes, for his honouring his Sonnes more then God, the Lord said, it shall not be so1 S [...]. 2.30.: Of Saul also, the Lord said, I had now establ shed the Kingdome vpon Israel for e­ [...] 1 Sa [...] ▪ 13 [...]3.14. y [...] for his wickednes in medling with the Priestes office, the Lord said, Now thy Kingdome shall not continue [...] God brought the Israelits out of Egipt, promising them the Land of C [...]raan Num. 14.38., yet for their rebellion, they were depriued of the possession of it: was not the forgiuen debt recalledMath. 18.32▪ &c.? These, and many others, we may read in the holy Scrip­tu [...]s.

2 If the Elect cannot fall out of Gods fa­uour, then did not all fall in Adam, and then some were neuer dead in sinnes & trespasses, and so need not Christs redemption from sinne, forasmuch as they fell not out of Gods fauour; for their Election (as they say) being afore the foundation of the world they were alwayes in it; so by their saying Christ rede­med not the reprobates; and the Elect fell not from their Election, neither can they, and so need no redemption for they haue no debt; hence it followeth CHRIST redee­med none, oh fearefull Doctrine!

3 If the Elect cannot fall from their Ele­ction, then haue not all sinned and beene [Page 81] depriued of the glory of God, and then haue not all beene shut vp in vnbelief, and then were not all the Children of wrath, without God, without Promise, without CHRIST, and so without Hope, & then were the Elect neuer from being the people of God, and from vnder mercy: these and Innumerable Scriptures are written to this purpose; all w [...]ch sheweth, that all without exception, aswell Elect as reprobate, haue once beene in this estate. T [...]erefore their doctrine that none of the Elect can by any meanes fall a­way is most impious.

4 The holy G [...]ost affirmeth, that the E­phesians were Elected afore the foundation of the wo ld,Ephes. 1. and yet hauing forsaken their first loue, the Lord telleth them. If they doe not repent, and doe their first workes, he will remoue the Candlestick, telling them and o­ther Churches, that hee that ouercommeth and keepeth his works vnto the end he shall inioy the Promise.Reuel. 2. & 3. Chap. As our Sauiour himselfe said, hee that endureth to the end he shall be saued, Math. 10.22. saying further, to those he had ElectedIohn 15.. If any abide not in me hee is cast forth as a branch and withereth to be gathered, cast into the fire, and burned; but if yee abide in me, and my wordes abide in you aske what yee will &c. and therefore exhorteth them to continue, telling them, [Page 82] that if they keepe his Cōmaundements they shall abide in his loue. But whosoeuer trans­gresseth and abideth not in the Doctrine of CHRIST, hath not God2 Ioh. 9.; whereby all may see, that as the promise of Election is giuen vpon condition of our looking vp vnto CHRIST IESVS, and not otherwise, so it is continued vnto vs, vpon our abiding in him, and not otherwise.

5 If a man b [...]ing in the sauour of God, and so is chosen, cannot fall out of it by any meanes, then a man need not feare (being throughly possessed with this Doctrine) that although hee commit Incest as Iudah; or A­dulterie and murther as Dauid; or forsweare his maister with cursing as Peter; or fall into any other notorious sinne, I say he need not fea [...]e falling into Damnation; Forasmuch as according to this Doctrine, he can no more possibly be damned by any manner meanes, then the Deuill can be saued.

6 If no man Elect can fall from his Ele­ction, by the cōmitting of any of these sinnes, then to what end is Repentance taught? the Apostle affirmeth of the Elect Corinths, that they repented vnto saluation,2 Cor. 7. which in vaine had they done, if they had not beene neither could be in condemnation; Let no man de­ceiue you with vaine wordes; for the true consequence of this Doctrine teacheth this, [Page 83] that as formerly I haue shewed of CHRISTS redemption, so I may say of repentance it is altogether in vaine; For the Elect (say they) neuer were, nor can [...]all out of their Election, and so as they need no redemption, so they need no repentance, forasmuch as their estate is alwayes good; and for the reprobates re­pentance can no more bring them to saluati­on, then the Deuils.

7 The same I may say of holy exhortations, admonitions, &c. which are innumerable in the Scriptures, to what end are men admoni­shed, or exhorted not to receiue the Grace of God in vaine2 Cor. 6.1, & not to fall from their sted­fastnes2 Pet. 3.17., and not to withdraw themselues to perditionHeb. 10.38.39., and not to loose that they haue done2 Ioh. 8.; and to let no man take away their CrowneReuel. 3.11., and a thousand such, to what end are these, if they cannot fall into them; doth the Lord vse wordes in vaine? and concer­ning the reprobate (say they) they haue no profit to saluation neither by these nor the whole Scriptures. If any answer, the whole Scriptures are giuen to keepe both the Elect and reprobate frō falling into grosse sinnes, yet that neither the Elect can be damned by transgressing them, nor the reprobate saued by obseruing them, how Atheisticall & dam­nable is this opinion, for it is the same that the Atheists teach, the one, that there is no [Page 84] God, and that therefore all thinges are writ­ten but in p [...]llicie to keepe people in awe, th'other that there is no hurt to damnation to the Elect, by disobeying th [...] commaunds of this God nor any profit [...]o saluation to the reprobate by obeying the commaunds of this God. The Lord deliuer all men from such damnable Doctrine.

You hauing spoken, that which satisfieth me, in proofe of what you holde in this thing, now let me in reat you, to answere such obiections as they make, and first wee will begin with our Sa­uiours wordes. Math 24.24 If it wer [...] p ssible they should deceiue the very Elect, so that hence th [...]y conclude, it is not possible the Elect should perish.

I haue shewed you before, who are the Elect of God, namely those, that receiue and obey the truth IESVS CHRIST and a­bide in him vnto the Death; these I grant cannot perish through being deceiued; that this i [...] the meaning of our Sauiour it appea­reth; for hauing shewed with what signes and lying wonders, and in all deceiuablenes of vn [...]ighteousnes the f [...]lse Prophets would come▪ a [...]d deceiue many, hee addeth these words▪ [...]o that if it were possible they should deceiue the very El [...]ct. Now our controuer­sie is, whether those that are Elect, may fall [Page 85] out of it, and not whether those that abide in it can perish; For in this wee agree; but for the former I affirme and haue proued plenti­fully, that many that are in the Election, and fauour of God, yea in the estate of saluation, may fall away and perish; And by this very place of our Sauiour this appeareth, in Ex­horting his Elect Apostles, Vers. 4. to take h [...]d that no man deceiue you; also the Elect Ephesians, are exhorted [...]o [...] to be deceiued with vaine wordesEphes. 5.6., also the Elect, 1. Th [...]s. 1.4▪ are exhorted: Let no man deceiue you by any meane [...] 2 Thes. 2.3 & [...]. All which hand much more, sheweth that the Elect may fall from their Elect on, if they take not heed. But y^e words are written for the great comfort of those that abide in their Election, that they shall be deliuered from those deceiuings where­with others are deluded to destruction.

Further, many there be which fall from their Election, not by being deceiued, but willingly forsake the truth, against, or after their enlightning, as these Scriptures shew, Heb. 6.4 &c H [...]b. 10 26. &c. So that many that are Elect, may be deceiued, and so fall from their Election▪ againe many may fall from their Election, willingly not being de­ceiued▪ but those that abide cannot be de­ceiued. He that doth these thinges shall ne­uer fall, Psal. 15.5. But be as mount Sion that [Page 86] cannot be remoued, Psal. 125.1. he doth not say, hee that hath done these thinges, but he that doth these things, in the present time.

What say you to our Sauiours wordes, Ioh. 10.27 &c. My sheepe heare my voyce, and I know them, and they follow mee, and I giue vnto them eternall life, and they shall neuer pe­rish, neither shall any plucke them out of my hand. My Father that gaue them me, is greater then all, and none is able to take them out of my Fa­thers hand.

These wordes of our Sauiour as many other in the holy Scriptures to this same purpose, teacheth, vnto Ch ists sheepe vnspeakable consolation; that so long as they continue his sheep, heare his voyce, and follow him, so long they are so sure, and haue such spirituall peace, and sa [...]ety in Gods ac­ceptance, as the whole world can neither giue them nor take from them; but if those to whom Christ hath promised these graci­ous protections doe euil in his sight, and will not hea [...]e his voyce, then hee will repent of the good that he promisedIer. 18.10: yea in this case he hath forsaken his house and heritage, and hath giuen the dearely beloued of his soule, into y^e hands of her enemies, For it cryed out against him▪ therefore hee hated itIer. 12.7.8.: And the Lord is with his,2. Chr. 15 [...]. whilst they are with him; but if they forsake him, hee will also forsake [Page 87] them; For it may come to passeMal. 2., that they that were yesterday my people, or sheepe of my pasture, may rise vp on the other side as against an enemy. They that follow CHRIST are his sheepe, and those shall neuer perish, but those that run from him, in not hearing his voyce and following him, are not his sheepe, and to such this promise belongeth not.

What say you to Ioh. 13.1. These whō he loueth he loueth to the end; For the guifts & cal­ling of God are without repentance, Rō. 11.29.

The first place proueth; that while IESVS was in the Flesh among his Disciples which were his owne, hee alwayes louing them; was desirous to take all occasions to testifie the same vnto them, euen vnto the end of his life, which is the meaning of the place: among other thinges, he testified his loue by this action of humilitie to wash their feete, and to teach them thereby, what they ought to doe one to another; Nay I say, he loueth his euen without end, for euer, but still you must obserue, our question is not of Gods or Christs loue vnto his, for of that there is no controuersie, but of the continu­ance of their loue vnto him▪ For although he loue al men first, yet after they must loue him and continue in his loue, by keeping his Cō ­maundementsIoh. 15.9.10.; which if they doe not, they [Page 88] are cast out as a withered branch▪ into the fire and burned.Vers. 6. If wee suffer with him, we shall raigne with him, If we deny him, he will also deny vs. If we forsake our beliefe, yet abi­deth he faithfull, he cannot deny himselfe, 2. Tim. 2.12 &c The meaning of which is, that Christ without respect of persons loueth in euery Nation him that feareth him and wor­keth righteousnes:Act. 10.34.35. But if any cast off his feare, him God accepteth not, [...]et hee brea­keth not promise with that pe [...]son, for his promise is to them that feare him, which a person that hath cast him away doth not; so that Christ loueth alwayes his; but he that forsaketh him is not his; neither breaketh God promise with him, but still abideth faithfull.

For the second, being from Rom. 11. let vs see what th'Apostle speaketh of, vpon the which he concludeth with these wordes; [...]e sheweth that the Iewes were broken off from the prom ses of the Gospell, which was fi [...]st offered vnto them; because they would not seeke it by Faith in CHRIST, but sought it by the work s of the Law; and the Gentiles were ingrafted into the same promises, in that they sought it onely by Faith; yet tea­cheth the Gentiles, that although they stood by Faith, they should not be high minded but feare, and continue in Gods bountie; for [Page 89] if for vnbelief the natu [...]a [...] branches y^e Iewes, were broken off, they shoul also be cut off, if they fell to vnbeliefe; & also for the brin­ging in of the I [...]wes he writeth, that they al [...]o if they abide not still in vnbeliefe shall be grafted in againe, this is the som [...]e; and of this the guifts and callings of God [...]re with­out repentance: For God hath iustly shut vp all in vnbeliefe, that he might haue mercy on all, onely by that one way which he hat [...] ap­pointed; for there is but one entrance vnto the Father by one Spirit for both Iewes and Gentiles: Ephe. 2.18▪ So that God will not rep nt, nei­t er can he, of sauing all pers ns at all times, in all places, that seeke saluatio [...] by Faith in CHRIST, and con [...]i [...]ue therein; otherwise God is said to repent in many Sc [...]i [...] ▪ ne­uer concerning the condition of Faith and continuance, vnto the which he hath alwaies respect: but concerning the pe son▪ which casteth away the same cond tion; Therefore Gods loue is stable (without any shadow of turning) to righteousnes by Faith, in whom soeuer it is: but if any p son in whom righ­teousnes is, forsake righteousnes, then Gods promise is changed to that person; and he repenteth of the good th t he promised him, as these Scriptures reach 1 Sam. 2 30. and 1. Sam. 15.11. & Ier. 18.8.10. and many o­thers.

1. Ioh. 2.18. What say you to that of Iohn, They went out from vs, but they were not of vs, for if they had beene of vs, they would haue continued with vs, &c. Hence they conclude, that what person goeth from the Church and trueth, were neuer truly of it.

The mistery of this well discouered, would make an end of all the controuersies that depend of Predestination; for, as they affirme, that God hath predestinated some persons to saluation, and some persons to damnation, without any condition; so also they affirme that these persons the Elect, ma­king neuer so great shew of wickednesse, and walking in the wayes of Beliall, are still Elect, and can by no meanes fall out of their Ele­ction; and the other persons, hauing neuer so many testimonies of Godlines, and walk­ing in the Church of Christ; yet can neuer but be reprobates: and if euer they fall away from the Church or truth, they conclude, they were neuer truly of it, for which cause they peruert this Scripture and others; there­fore I will something shew their deceiuings. All mens estates are one by creation; they are one by transgression; all haue sinned, and are dead in sinnes: and as all are shut vp in vnbeliefe, so God hath mercy on all, there is no respect of persons with God, so of­ten repeated in the Scriptures: God sent [Page 91] his Sonne to saue all, and the Sonne soweth the seede of saluation vpon all; some receiue the good seede; and they are called children of the kingdomeMath. 13., others receiue it not, be­cause it crosseth their fleshly hearts in plea­sure, and the like; but in stead thereof, re­ceiue the tares, the false doctrines of the ene­mie, and therefore are called the children of the wicked: now it is most plai [...]e, the per­sons of them who receiue the good seede, were no better then the other, neither were the persons of them who receiue the tares any worse then the other: the former persons re­ceiue the good seede, because the goodnesse of the sower first sowed it; and therefore hath cause to praise him onely, for what he hath: the latter persons refuse the good seede offe­red them as freely as the other, and receiue the tares, and therefore hath onely cause to blame themselues: The former are children of the kingdome, by reason of the quality wrought in them by the goodnesse of the sower Iesus Christ, The latter are children of the wicked, by reason of that qualitie wrought in them, by the enemie the deuill, and themselues; so that their difference is not in respect of their persons; but of their qualities, for God loueth all persons they being his generation, Act. 17.27, &c. but ha­teth wicked qualities in the persons, where [Page 92] they are; and also because of the wicked quality, hee hateth the persons as wea­pons or instruments of those wicked quali­ties; so that the most holy God hateth no­thing but wickednesse. I desire this descrip­tion of person and quality may be well ob­serued, for it is the most blessed trueth of God, and w ll teach vs truly in the exp [...]si­tion of all Scriptures, to attribute righteous­nesse to God in all his iudgements; and wickednesse to wicked men, and to the de­uill their Father. Now for the wordes, the Apostle sheweth, vers. 19. that as they had heard that Antichrist should come, euen then there were many Antichrists, and vers. 21. he saith, I haue not written vnto you be­cause you know not the trueth, but because yee know it, and that no lye is of the trueth, who is a lyar, but hee that denieth [...]h [...]t Iesus is Christ, the same is the Antichrist, &c. and chap. 4.1. he exhorteth them to try the Spi­rits, and teacheth that euery Spirit which confesseth not Iesus Christ is come, &c. is the Spirit of Antichrist, &c. Now these lying Spirits, these Antichrists, in these persons who once had the Spirit of trueth in them; these (saith hee) went out from vs, as else­where Paul saith,Act. 22.30. from among your selues shall men arise speaking peruerse things, &c. for there must bee heresies euen among [Page 93] you, &c. But saith the Apostle,1 Cor. 11.19. They were ne­uer of vs; for vers. 21. no lye is of the truth; for if these lying Spirits had beene of the t [...]ueth, they would haue continued with it; but they are not of it; As for example, the Sp [...]rit o [...] Hymeneus together with his person, was in Spirituall fellowship with Paul and other Saints, so long as he retained faith and a good conscience1 Tim. 8.19.20., but hauing put away the Spirit of trueth, and receiued a lying Spi­rit2 Tim. 1.17.18., he went out from them, in that his Spi­rit, for or because, it was neuer of them▪ euen as Iohn saith these Antichrists or lying Spi­rit did, so that his person was of the truth, so long as the Spirit of trueth remained in him; but when he receiued the lying Spirit, which was neuer of the trueth, it caried his person from the trueth: faithfull Hymeneus was of the truth: erronious Hymeneus was neuer of it. Againe, will any say that the Pope himselfe is an Antichrist in respect of his person? or rather in regard of his Spirit or Spirituall power he hath. Therefore all that this place proueth is, that lying Spirits or Antichrists in mens persons, went out from the truth; and were neuer of he truth, and therefore serueth nothing to proue, That the Elect can neuer fall away.

I Confesse you haue plentifully proued, that the Elect may fall out of their Election, and haue sufficiently to euery reasonable mans satisfaction answered their obiections, and I see it behooueth all men to make their calling and election sure by obedience, as Peter teacheth: and to worke out their saluation with feare and trembling, Phil. 2. The next thing I desire to be satisfied in, is, what power there is in man, to doe, what God requi­reth? In plaine tearmes what you hold of that which men call Free-will.

First, I will relate what the Cal­uinists hold as the vndeniable consequences of their Predestination. Also I will shew you what I hold, and giue you my proofes and reasons from the Scriptures, and then answere their obiections.

As I haue formerly shewed from their owne plaine words in Print. They affirme, that God is not onely the principall cause of all things, but also the Author, Knox. appointing all things to the one part, and to the other, by his Counsell. And that, the wicked are not onely left by Gods suffering, but com­pelled to sinne by power; which being so, all may plainely see what followeth; that it is not in man to chuse or refuse wickednesse, for they are compelled by the power, force, [Page 95] and compulsion of Gods predestination, to commit all those wicked and cruell crimes, for the which they are either punished by the Magistrate, or tormented in hell; and if Gods predestination worke all in wicked­nesse, and that by force and compulsion, and that there be in man no choise; then much more doth it in goodnes as violently worke all; so that the Godly can neither chuse nor refuse goodnesse, as the wicked can neither chuse nor refuse wickednesse. Some of them indeed doe holde that Adam and so his po­sterity lost not will by transgression, but that there yet remaineth freedome of will, in all good Naturall, ciuill, morall and Iudiciall thinges, but not in Spirituall: and also they hold that Man still retaineth the Freedome of his will to euill▪ asmuch as before the fall, if not more. Bastingius pag. 18. alledging Ambrose. Propos. disp [...]. in Geneu [...], pag. 18. Man by euill was spoyled not of his will but of the soundnes of his will, ther­fore y^t which in Nature was good in qualitie became euill: and Barnard teacheth there is in vs all power to will, but to will well, wee had need to profit better, to will euill we are able already by reason of our fall. The which if they would stand vnto, I would require no more.

In answer to the former I holde, that the [...]e is yet left in man, the facultie of will▪ to chuse [Page 96] or refuse, as I will make most plaine. 1 By many Scriptures. 2. By many vndeniable reasons.

1. It is a thing will be granted of all that haue common sence, that Election and choise cannot but be in libertie; and we finde writ­ten in the Scriptures, that euen in the workes of godlines c [...]o [...]se is ascribed to men Moses saith Deut. 30.19. I haue set before you L [...]e and Death therefore chuse, &c. And Iosua saithIosua▪ 24.15., Chuse you whome you will serue; and hee saithVers. 22., You are witnesses against your selues that you haue chosen the Lord, &c. but after whē they forsooke the L [...]rd agai [...], hee said vnto themIudg. 10.14., Goe and cry vnto the Gods whom yee haue chosen. Againe the Lord willed Salom [...]n 1 Kin. 3.5, to ask what he should giue him, now Salomon wa [...] p [...]t to [...]is c [...]oise, hee might haue asked Wealth Riches, long life, &c. yet be preferred Wisdome before them all, and this choise so pleased Go [...] ▪ that he would not demaund these, altho [...]gh he might, for so the Lord said,Vers. 11. Because thou hast asked this thing and hast not aske [...] & [...] ▪ that with wisdome he gaue him all. Dau d saith, I haue chosen the way of tru [...]h:Psa. 119.30 & I haue cho­sen thy Commandements. And the Lord by the Prophet Esa, Esa. 65.12. They did wickednes before mine eyes, and chose the thing that pleased me not;Esa. 66.3. And they haue chosen their owne [Page 97] wayes: CHRIST saith,Luk. 10.4 [...]. Mary hath chosen the best part. Thus it is plaine, that as chuse and cannot chuse, agree together, so doe these mens opinion agree with the Scrip­tures, for such direct contrarietie is betwixt choyse, and meere necessitie, betweene vio­lent compulsion, and liberty, that blacke and white may more fitly be coupled together in a subiect.

2 In worldly things we declare liberty by saying, if thou wilt obey thy Superiors, thou shalt be rewarded; if thou commit Treason, thou shalt be hanged: these are set before or declared to men to enduce libertie, to em­brace the good, and eschew the euill. In like manner in matters of God, in very many pla­ces wee finde the same courses vsed. If you walke in my ordinances,Le [...]ir. 26. [...] &c. [...]sa. [...].1 [...] &c. yee shall eat the Fruits of the earth: If yee consent and obey yee shall eate the good thinges of the Land▪ If thou wilt enter into life keepe the Com­mandements: And he that shall beleeue and be Baptized shall be saued, hee that will not beleeue shall be damned; and many the like.Ma [...]. 19.1 [...]. Mark. [...].

3 Those that haue libertie to chuse or re­fuse, in ciuill things we vse to threaten with punishments, if they omit that wee would haue them do, or do that, we forbid them: a [...] for example, the gallowes for Theeues, &c. because they may liue truely if they will. So [Page 98] God threatneth eternall Death to those that doe not obserue his sayings.Luk. 13.3. If yee doe not repent yee shall perish: If one be not regene­rate by water and Spirit,Ioh. 3.5. he cannot enter in­to the Kingdome of God: He that obeyeth not the Sonne shall not see life,Vers. 36. but the wrath of God abideth on him: If some cannot re­pent, and others cannot chuse but repent, to what end are these threatnings? were it not madnes for 4. men in the top of a tree, hauing a man tyed hand and foote in a corde at the roote of the tree, to threaten him with death and all terrors, if hee came not vp, if they in­tended afterwards by maine force to haile him vp. This is the opinion of the Caluinists, that man lyeth so bound in the cordes of sin, that he can doe nothing, without the com­pelling Grace of God; God must draw him vp without Free-will and liberty, and he can­not resist that drawing of God, and yet God standeth threatning Hell, to all those that will not ascend vp; Which opinion is so vaine, that a man would not threaten a horse, fallen into a ditch, to rowse himselfe, vnlesse he intended that the horse moued with the imagination of terror, should helpe himselfe, and concurre with his maister to get forth; for if the owner would wholly hoyse him out by maine strength, he would neuer threa­ten him.

[Page 99]4 Those that be endued with libertie to chuse, or refuse, wee perswade and exhort to that part we desire they should follow, be­cause perswasions bend the will of man, and induceth him to change opinion, and leaue his former determinations: hence it is that Christian Preachers, vse no lesse diligence, to finde out such reasons as may remoue men from vice, and incline them to Vertue. The like perswasions God vseth in the Scriptures to incline our wils to obserue his Law. Come vnto me all that labour, and are heauy loaden, and I will refresh youMath. 11.28.: Conuert to me, and I will turne vnto youZach. 1.3.: Returne vnto me and I will not l [...]t my wrath fall vpon youIer. 3.12.: To what other end, tend these inducements, but to bend our wils to the one side?

5 When men possesse libertie, wee blame them for their offences▪ or wee relate vnto them their misdemeanors, because they haue done euill, and might haue done well, as if an vnthrift spend his mony riotously, and af­ter be cast into Prison, or fall into some in­curable disease by his euill carriage, we may iustly say, surely hee deserued it, who might haue carryed himselfe better and would not. The same course wee finde in the Scriptures, vsed by God, concerning men after their sinnes. Ierusalem, Ierusalem which killest the Prophets, &c. how often would I haue gathe­red [Page 100] thy Children, as a Henne gathereth her Chickins vnder her wings and thou would'st notMath. 23.37. Ezek. 18. & 33. Chap. Psal. 81.13. [...]5: And why will yee dye in your sinnes: Oh that my people had hearkened vnto me, and Israell had walked in my wayes. The haters of the Lord should haue beene subiect to him and their time should haue endured for euer. What should I haue done to my vineyard that I haue not done? I expected sweet Grapes, and it yeelded sower: the Ca [...] ­uinists answer is, you should haue giuen s [...] Grace vnto them, that your vineyard (that is the Iewes) could not but bring forth sweet grapes; for they holde, without it, they could bring forth no other then they did: And thus they condemne you in their iudgement not to haue performed all thinges necessary, to cause your vineyard to bring forth fruit ac­cording to your expectation. Againe they accuse you most blasphemously of dissem­bling, in saying you expect sweet grapes of that Vine, when you had decreed [...]hat it should bring foorth such sower grapes as it did, and that by compulsion of your Predesti­nation. Our Sauiour cryethMath. 11. & Luk. 10.: Woe be to thee Coraz [...]n, woe be to thee Bethsaida, for if the works that hath bene done in thee had bent done in Tyrus and Sydon they had repented long agone in sackcloth & ashes. CHRIST lamenteth that the inhabitants of these Cities [Page 101] were not conuerted, & to shew that the fault was their owne obstinacie, not the defect of his Grace, he affirmeth that with the helpes they had, others would haue conuerted.

6 Another inuinsible argument, that there is yet in men Free choyse, may be collected from this, that somtimes those good workes wrought in vs by God, are also attributed to vs, in such manner, that the same clensing of our soules, the selfe same new heart, the same iustification, the same preparation whereof in one place holy writ acknowledgeth GOD the author, in another place it confesseth that Man worketh them.

What better reconcilement can be hereof made▪ then that of Paul 1 Cor. 15.10.; Not I, but the Grace of God with me: God knocketh, and wee let him inReuel. 3.20.: God inuiteth vs to the Mari­age, and we come and bring our wedding garmentsMath. 22.: God teacheth and we accept his Doctrine: God illuminateth and wee open the windowe of our hearts. God soweth his seede, and wee receiue it, and bring foorth fruitMath. 13..

1 What is more proper to God then to wash our soules? and therefore Dauid saith, Thou shalt wash mee, and [...] shall be whiter then snowe: Psal. 50. yet this same, God cōmands the Chil­dren of Israell to doe. O Ierusalem wash ma­lice from thy heart, that thou mayst be saued.

[Page 102]2 What wonder worketh God aboue vs more admirable, then in changing our hearts in giuing vs hearts of Flesh, plyable to be wrought vpon▪ and in taking away hearts of flint, not able to be pearced, and so by crea­ting in vs a new heartEzek. 11.19., this same is ascribed to manEzek. 18.31.: Make you a new heart and a new Spirit, why will yee dye oh house of Israell? the meaning is, in that man doth not hinder, nor resist God, in his new making it, as God saith, To day if you will heare his voyce, harden not your hearts. Heb. 4.7. Dauid saith, incline my heart to thy Cōmandements, and not to couetous­nesPsal. 119.36.: yet the same saith: I haue inclined my heart to obserue thy Command-ments alwayes. Vers. 112.

3 In one place a sinner cryes to God, Con­uert vs O God our Sauiour; In another place God cryes to them; Conuert vnto me and I will conuert vnto you.

4 God iustifies a sinner, and as a proper tytle he taketh it to himselfe: yet Dauid saith, If the wicked prosper and the iust be afflicted to what end haue I iustified my heart? A­gaine God saith:Psal. 73.12.13. I will cause you to keepe my Commandements. Yet saith CHRIST, If thou wilt enter into life keepe the Com­mandements.

5 Wee may gather from holy Scriptures, that men are said to prepare their hearts to God, and are reprehended for not doing the [Page 103] same. The wiseman saithPro. 16.1., The preparations of the heart are in man, but the answer of the tongue is of the Lord, that is, Although man through Gods Grace prepare his soule, yet hee needeth particuler succour to vtter his conceits. Samuell willed the Isralites if they had determined to abolish all prophane Gods, that they should prepare their hearts to God. Prepare your hearts to God, and serue him alone. 1 Kin. 7. 2. Chro. 12. Rehoboam is reprehended, because he did not prepare his hart to serue the Lord. And all the Euangelists except Iohn alledge the wordes of Esa, as from Iohn Baptist, Pre­pare yee the way of the Lord make his paths straight. These preparations affected by man, ascribed to man, and man reprehended for not making them, doe sufficiently proue, the concourse of mans Free choyse with Gods Grace, for otherwise God should be said to doe all, and man nothing.

6 Holy men cry vnto God to helpe themPsal. 108.12. Psa. 118.13 Mark. 9.24 O Lord giue vs helpe against trouble, &c. And the Lord hath holpen me; and Lord helpe my vnbeliefe, and many the like: Yet also God requireth men should worke out their owne saluation, &cPhil. 2.12. To open the doore, &cReuel. 3 20. & Cam 5.2.. All which sheweth, that man worketh with Gods Grace: Also it is proued that man may resist that Grace of God, wrought by his word and SpiritAct. 7.5. & Act. 13.46.. Yee haue alwayes resisted the holy [Page] Ghost; and you haue put the word of God from you, and iudged your selues vnworthy of euerlasting life; what can be more plaine then, that man hath Free choyse to worke with God, or against God, in the worke of his Grace?

Hauing thus by the euidence of Scriptures proued, that man hath free choyse, to chuse, or refuse, in matters of God, I will now speak somthing to common experience.

1. First remorse of Conscience in this life, and in Hell, doe sufficiently proue this thing: for if men had not libertie, remorse would not trouble any, for whatsoeuer euill we doe of necessity, presently we excuse it iustly, and acquite our Consciences by impossibility; as if a man should drinke poyson not know­ing of it, he neuer would haue any scruple of conscience, because it was vnauoidable, hee could not preuent it; but if hee procured it himselfe, or might haue preuented it, and would not, then the torture of conscience will possesse him.

Againe, that worme of Conscience that sticketh so deepe in the soules of all damned creatures, should neuer appeare in hell, if men were depriued of libertie, for their tor­ment consisteth in this, that for their owne demerits, being treated of God in such sort, [Page] that if they would, Heauen laide open for them, by accepting Gods Grace through Faith and obedience to the Gospell, and yet they cast themselues into Hell, of their owne accord, through vnbeliefe and rebellion.

2 No humane Law, can with iustice be enacted, but such as may be obserued, be­cause the end of euery iust Law is, to make good subjects, and therefore it were most absurd, that all men were not able to keepe that Law; which was ordained for all, and by which all shall be iudged to be punished that breake it. Moreouer the very state of man (who is in this world fighting) requi­reth libertie, for standing betweene Heauen and Hell. God and the Deuill, to ouercome or be ouercome, all reason requireth that he might be plyable both wayes, either to ac­cept God, or reject him, follow Sathan or resist him.

3 If men want free choyse, what iudge­ment shall that be in the Scriptures so often repeated, that euery man shall receiue accor­ding to his workes? What iustice will ap­peare to torment men for sin & wickednes, to whom it was impossible to do otherwise?

4 All the Theeues and wicked persons▪ that either are punished with the Magistrates sword, or with euerlasting torments, shall giue witnes against the Caluinists in this [Page 106] thing; For if they could not chuse at that time they committed such euills, but doe the same by the force of Gods Predestination, then what Law will punish a man with death for doing a thing vnauoydable, for it lay not in their power to auoyde; The Law of God neuer inflicted it vpon any, and the Law of the Princes of the earth doth not inflict it; For if a man kill another against his will; or when by no meanes he could auoyd it, death is not inflicted. But if he might haue auoy­ded it and did not, then had he libertie to a­uoyde euill and did it not, and so iustly de­serueth punishment.

Finally this error is the roote of all licen­tiousnes, for thus may men truely reason ac­cording to this Doctrine either wee are de­creed to doe well or euill. If to doe well, then it is impossible to doe euill, If to doe e­uill, then it is impossible to doe well, For all goodnes proceedeth of Grace compelling our wills, and all euill commeth of Gods decree which wee haue not power to resist, neither can we chuse but doe it, for they say as before, wee are compelled to sinne by power which how wicked it is, hath suffici­ently I hope bene shewed by holy writ.

You haue very largely and vndeniably proued, that there is yet left in man free choyse to will or nill in matters of God, yet you confesse [Page 107] all is through Gods Grace not otherwise.

Yes, I say what is in man, whether by creation, or regeneration, he hath it only by God, and therefore to God onely is all the glory to be attributed, for whatsoeuer is wrought in man or by man that good is, and I say, that what Adam had in creation, and lost by transgression, for himselfe and his po­sterity, that is restored through Christ, yea and more too: for although of our selues we can doe nothing as of our selues that good is,2. Cor. 3. [...] yet through the strength of Christ wee shall bee able to doe all things.Phil. 4.13. This the Apostle also affirmeth in Rom. 8. that what was impossible to the law, in that it was weake because of the flesh, God sent his Sonne in the likenesse of sinfull flesh, and for sinne condemned sinne in the flesh: So that although the flesh of it selfe cannot perceiue the things of God, nor fulfill the law; yet through Christ it is able to performe the same.

I thinke your opposites will not denie, but that vnregenerate men may doe morall du­ties of the law: and also that the regenerate may doe Spirituall duties of the Gospell. But the greatest difficulty is, whether a man can doe any thing in the worke of his regeneration; either chuse life being offered by Christ; or refuse it: for they say as before, the Elect cannot chuse but [Page 108] be regenerate; and the reprobate cannot be re­generate.

I haue shewed sufficiently before, that Gods Grace that bringeth saluation (through regeneration,Tit. 2.11. Math. 22. Ezek. 18. not otherwise) ap­peareth to all: that all are called to this Grace; and that vnfainedly GOD would haue all, euen all sinners come, that they might liue, and not dye. I haue shewed also, that men may resist the holy Ghost in the offer of this Grace, Act. 7.51. Act. 13.46. and put this word of Grace from them, and iudge themselues vnworthy of euerlasting life: that although Christ Iesus would gather men to saluation as a Hen her Chickens,Mat. 23.37. yet they can refuse it. And al­though the Lord calleth men to heare the voyce of the Gospell,Heb. 4.7. yet may they harden their hearts against it: by all which, and much more formerly related, it is most ap­parant, that although the Lord stretch out his hand all the day long,Rom. 10.21 yet men may gain­say him:Verse 3. and also they may submit them­selues vnto this righteousnesse of God, the promise of saluation, through faith and obe­dience, which is regeneration; So that it is most plaine, that euen in the worke of rege­neration, man may submit to it, or hinder it; God conuerteth no man against his will; neither doth God force the will; he onely bendeth the will by perswasions, of promi­ses, [Page 109] and threatnings; which man may sub­mit vnto, or dispise, as before.

What say you to that place of Math. 22. Compell them to come in.

I say, that power of compulsion was giuen to the seruants of the King, and that was no other, then by vsing strong ar­guments and perswasions, through the po­wer of the Spirit in them, whereby they com­pelled or constrained the Gentiles, to come vnto the mariage, not by any violent work­ing vpon their wills, but perswading their wills by force of reason. Thus is Lidia said to compell or constraine Paul to her house,Act▪ 16. [...]5. not by vsing any thing else, but strong per­swasions and earnest intreaties.

What say you to Ioh. 6. No man can come vnto me except the Father draw him.

Reade the place and you shall see, how the Father draweth vs vnto him, not by any violent compulsion, but by teaching, for it is written in vers. 45.Ioh. 6.4 [...] And they shall be all taught of God: euery man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father▪ commeth to mee. Thus God draweth, not otherwise, If he should not send his heauenly doctrine thus to draw men, they could neuer come to Christ, and therefore that any come to Christ, it is by the Fathers drawing, which drawing, men haue power to put from them, [Page 110] and resist, as before hath beene proued.

What say you to that place, Phil. 2.13. For it is God that worketh in you both the will and the deede.

God worketh all, both in willing and doing, wheresoeuer it is, onely by his Word and Spirit, perticularly the worke of regeneration hee worketh in man to will it and to doe it, at which time man may submit vnto this worke of God, and so be a co-wor­ker with him;Rom. 10.3. 2. Cor. 6.1. or else he may resist this worke of God, and put it from him, as before hath beene largely proued. And I desire it be ob­serued, that some of the Caluinists, granting that the vnregenerate hath power and will to resist, hauing free-will to all euill as they say, they grant the thing that we maintaine, which is, that God sending his Word and Spirit, to worke our regeneration, wee may resist it, or not resist it. If they affirme, as some of them doe (for they are deuided) that the Elect, though vnregenerate (for so they imagine) cannot resist, then they hold the vnregenerate hath no more free-will to euill then to good, contrary to their former opi­nion, and to all the holy Scriptures, and then is man depriued of all power to euill aswell as to good, and God onely worketh both, and that by compulsion, wherin man hath no po­wer to resist, neither the good nor the euill.

[Page 111]Further, it is confessed, and it hath suffi­ciently beene proued, that Adam in inno­cencie had not onely free-will; but ability also, to worke righteousnesse in the fight of his Creator: but hauing sinned, he lost (not all will and power; as is confessed, and hath been proued; but) will and power to worke righteousnesse in the sight of God, that hee lost, and in stead thereof, had a will, and power to flye, and hide himselfe from Gods presence: but receiuing a proclamation from the Lord, that his good pleasure was to shew him mercy in the promised seede; and that he so loued him, that he would not haue him perish, but be saued; here by is his will affect­ed againe to seeke him, euen by the loue and mercy of this good God; who destroyed him not for his sinne, but called him to his Grace; and seeing his flesh vnable to please him, sendeth him his Sonne, whom if he will beleeue, and obey; he shall be made iust and righteous: also the Lord setting before him life and death, saluation through faith in Christ, and condemnation through not be­leeuing: and vsing many reasons to the vn­derstanding of man to chuse life, and to auoide death, Mans will is hereby perswaded to come againe to him, from whom he runne away, and to cry, I haue sinned against heauen and against thee, &c. and so to sub­mit [Page 112] to this Grace of God; thus did God worke in Adam both the will and the deed; not creating in him another will; but chan­ging his will from euill to good; by reasons and perswasions: this same did God in these Philippians, and doth in all, who haue no will nor power to come vnto him; but God by the power of his Word and Spirit, shewing him the benefit of life, and the torment of eternall death; and also that although of him­selfe he cannot worke righteousnesse; yet if he will beleeue in, and obey Christ his Son, he will in him, accept his imperfect obedi­ence, and account him iust: by this meanes and not otherwise is the will, and deede wrought by God.

Thus much of mans will.

THis being the estate of men of vnderstan­ding, which formerly you haue declared. I now desire to be satisfied, what is the estate of all Infants by generation, that haue no vnderstan­ding: whether they are in the estate of saluation or condemnation?

I answer you that no Infant whatsoe­uer, is in the estate of condemnation of Hell with the wicked: which I proue thus, 1. With­out sinne there is no condemnation, Rō 6.23. Ezek. 18.4 20. 2. Without transgression of the Law there is no sinne, 1. Iohn 3.4. Rō. 5.13. It followeth then, if Infants haue transgressed no Law, there is no condemnation to them.

I grant that, without sinne there is no con­demnatiō, also without transgression of a law there is no sinne: But had not Infants a Law giuen them in Adam. Thou shalt not eate, &c and so Adam sinning they sinned in him to condemnation in hell.

The Law giuen to Adam was; Thou shalt not eat, &c In which is to be considered. Adam had a life & being when that Law was giuen; but Infants had no life nor being as that time,Rom. 7. [...]. And the Law is giuen to them that knowes it, and it hath dominion ouer a man as long as he liueth; Therfore Infants hauing no being, and so no knowledge, nor being then liuing, that Law had no dominion ouer them.

But were not all men in Adams loynes, and so hee sinning, wee sinned. Rom 5. Chap.

True it is, we were in Adam, but how? not to bring any soule to Hell for the breach of that commandement, Thou sh lt not eate, for so the Lord hath said, whose wayes are most e­qual; All soules are mine both the soule of the Father and the soule of the Son; that soule that sinneth, it shall dye: Yet as then that wicked Prouerbe was vsed; The Fathers haue eaten sowre grages & the Childrens teeth are set on edge; and wherfore shall not the children be condemned, for the sinne of their Father? euen so is it now, most strongly vrged, although God hath not onely forbidden it, but plainely said, the soule y^t sinneth shall dye: the Son shall not beare the iniquitie of the Father, but the wickednes of y^e wicked shall be vpon himselfe.

Further, I desire it may well be obserued, that Mankinde was onely in Adam in their bodily substance;☞ for of one blood God made all man­kinde to dwell on the face of the earth; and e­uen as Adam had his body from the earth, yet without forme; for God gaue him a forme, and a soule, by breathing into him the breath of lifeGen. 2.7. euen so haue wee all, our earthly being from Adam, he is the Father of our bodies, in respect of matter, but our forme, and soules come frō God, he is the Father of our SpiritsHeb. 12.9 Eccles. 12.7 & 8.8.: that earthly matter was in Adam of which our bodies are made, as Adam was in the earth, be­fore [Page 115] his body was made. Thus & no otherwise were we in Adam: but as Adam was not in the earth in forme and soule, no more were wee in Adam in forme & soule. And as God gaue no Law to Adam, before hee gaue him a soule of reason & vnderstanding, no more doth he giue to any of Adams posterity any law, till he giue them soules of reason & vnderstanding, as we plainely see by Moses: Deut. 11.2. I speake not to your [...]hildren which haue neither known nor seen, &c. They must be taught it when they can vn­derstand it;Vers. 19. The Gospell also speakes to them that haue eares to heareMat. 13.9 1 Cor. 10.15.: To them that haue vnderstanding that can iudge what is said.

Further I say, it was neuer Gods purpose to execute vpon Adam for that transgressiō, con­demnatiō to hel, in y^t he purposed to send Christ betwixt, in whom Adam beleeuing, he should be saued. If Adam himselfe, for his own sin was not condemned to hell without remedy, shall any of his posteritie be sent to hell without re­medy & that for his sinne? seeing they fell no deeper in the transgression then he, if so deepe: Is this equall and right for the Iudge of all the earth to doe? The Scriptures saith,Gen. 18.25 This is con­demnatiō,Ioh. 9. that light (or Christ that true light) is come into the world, and men loue darknes better:Ioh. 3.19. Ioh. 16.9. Mark. 16.16. Rom. 11.21. and Christ will condemne the world of sinne because they beleeue not in him, con­demnatiō consisteth in refusing Christ, he that will not belieue shall be damned, and not else; [Page 116] for God hath shut vp all in vnbeliefe.

Adam by that transgression, depriued him­selfe of Gods fauour in that estate wherein he was in Paradice; & notwithstanding the pro­mise of Christ, hath by this his sinne, procured this iudgement: cursed is the earth for thy sake, in sorrow shalt thou eate of it all the dayes of thy life, and in the sweat of thy face thou shalt eate thy bread, till thou return to the earth, for out of it wast thou taken because thou art dust,Gen. 3.17. &c. and to dust shalt thou returne. Thus Adam brought himselfe & all his posteritie, the earth and euery creature in it,Rom. 8.20. &c. to vanity and into the bondage of corruption. And in this estate are all Adams sonnes begotten and borne: so that by Adams sinne, vanity, corruption, and death went ouer all; not onely ouer the generation of Adam, but ouer all Flesh, and the curse ex­tended to the earth and euery creature in it. And so Infants haue originall (as they call it) corruption, as all other creatures haue, yet you may see that those that dye, & haue corruption in or by Adams sinne, if all not be cast into hell fire, which is prepared onely for the De­uill, his Angels, and the wicked.

Now for the place by you alledged: by the offence of one the fault came on all men to cō ­demnation,Rom. 5.18. & Vers 19. For by one mans diso­bedience, many were made sinners y^t is all, &c. You see I haue proued before, that none of A­dams posteritie, shall be damned for his sinne, [Page 117] but for their owne, when they haue a soule of reason and vnderstanding; and a righteous law is giuen them, for sinne is not imputed while there is no law: I haue also shewed that neither Adam nor any shall goe to hell for that sinne, but for refusing Christ: but this is the meaning of the holy Ghost, that by Adams sinne, all his posterity haue weakeRom. 8 3 natures, by the which, when the commandement comesCha. 7.10, they cannot obey and liue, but sinne, and so dye; till when, they are aliue without the law, so saith the ApostleVerse 9.; and thus is verified, that all both Iewes and Gentiles are vnder sinne;Rom. 3. there is none righteous, no not one, there is none that seeketh God; they haue all gone out of the way, &c. Read on the Scripture, and you may euidently see, that neither this, nor any part of Gods word, is spoken to, or of In­fants; the Apostle saith, vers 9. Now wee know that whatsoeuer the law saith, it saith it to them that are vnder the law; Infants are vn­der no law, therefore transgression cannot be imputed to them, for where no law is, there is no transgressionRom. 4.15. Thus by Adams falling from this estate he was in, and in him all man­kinde, God giuing man his precepts, which man in himselfe (by reason of weake flesh) can­not obey, all men fall vnder the wrath of God; and thus they are said by nature to be the chil­dren of wrathEphes. 2.3., for the law causeth wrath. Rom. 4.15. And this is the Apostles meaning: [Page 118] yet as God left not Adam in his sinne, but pro­uided him meanes of reconciliation; so hath he for all, for both the places proue, that as the fault came by one vnto condemnation; so by the iustifying of one, the benefit abounded to­wards all men, to the iustification of life, for Grace by Christ, abounded much aboue A­dams sinneVers. 20., not onely of many sinnes in a few persons, (as is commonly supposed) but euen as vniuersally as Adams sinne extended; for if all be dead,2. Cor. 5.14.15. then Christ died for all; and the reason that many haue no benefit by it, is not because it aboundeth not, but because they put the word of Grace from them,Act. 13.44. Act. 7.51. and iudge themselues vnworthy of euerlasting life: and resist the holy Ghost.

And thus farre Infants, that know not their right hand from their leftIonah. 4.11., that are as destitute of vnderstanding as of malice1. Cor. 14.20., that haue no knowledge betweene good and euillDeu. 1.39.: that Christ so often accounteth InnocentsMath. 18.3.4. & [...]9.14. &c., are freed from the law, and so sinne is dead in them; but when the commandement comesRom. 7.8., cursed is euery one that continueth not, in all things that are written in the booke of the law to doe themGal. 3.10.; then they die in sinnes and tres­passesEphe. 2.1. Verse 8., and must be saued onely, by Grace in Christ through faith, not of themselues, it is the gift of God.

Againe: none shall appeare before Christ to receiue iudgement, but those that haue done [Page 119] workes, either good or euill, and that in the flesh2. Cor. 5.10. Reuel. 20.12.13. Infants dying, haue done neither good, nor euill in the flesh. Therefore Infants shall receiue no iudgement.

You haue very satisfactorily answered me in this: one thing more that much troubleth all men; which is, Psal. 51 5. In which, if you giue a plaine answere, all else, they can obiect, is nothing worth.

The words are. Behold, I was borne in iniquity, and in sinne, hath my mother con­ceiued me. The question now is, whether hee confesseth his owne estate, or his mothers: If his owne then thus: he confesseth to God, and desireth him in mercy, to consider and behold him, whereof he was made, as Psal. 103 14. of dust, weake flesh, vnable to resist the Tempter, when the law came vnto h m, through which weakenesse, hee was thus ouercome in these horrible sinnes; and thus weake flesh is called, sinfull fl sh (in which Christ cameRom. 8.1) in that it is impossible for flesh to keepe the law, when it comes. Christ is said to be made sinne2. Cor. 5.21.; not that he was a sinner; no more, Dauid con­fessing he was conceiued in sinne, doth proue that by conception and birth, hee was a trans­gressour. If his mothers; then thus: either his mother Heuahs, or else his mother that bare him, and brought him forth, whether it mat­tereth not much, the chiefe thing being, what this sinne of his mothers is; I say, it is that [Page 120] curse or punishment for sinne laid vpon herGen. 3.16, where the very words agree with these of Da­uids, I will greatly encrease thy sorrowes and thy conception; in sorrow shalt thou bring forth, &c. so that Dauid doth not confesse his mother-sinne, in this place, but the punish­ment that was laid for sinne, vpon the mother of all liuing, and so vpon Dauids mother; and it is frequent with the holy Ghost in the Scrip­tures, to call punishment for sinne, by the name of sinne; as Christ bare our sinnes1. Pet. 2. [...]4., and the wickednesse of the wicked shall be vpon him­selfe:Ezek. 18. [...]0. and they shall beare their iniquities and the like: and it is neither Dauids sinne, nor his mothers, he here confesseth to speake proper­ly, but his mothers punishment for the fall, and his weakenesse, through the fall.

And Dauid did not sinne in being concei­ued and borne; the soule is the subiect of sinne as before; and as Christ teacheth; from the soule or heart commeth wickednesse: The bo­dy is but the instrument thereof,Mat. 15.19. the soule comes from God, the matter of the body from the parents; the soule is very good comming from God, the body hath not sinned till it be infected with the soule by transgressiō of a law: and seeing they affirme, that the very matter or substance, whereof Dauid was made, was sin, and that this is it, he confess th in this 51. Psal. Obserue what wil follow of this their dreame.

The matter whereof all the sonnes of Adam [Page 121] is made, is sinne, but Christ, one of the sonnes of Adam (after the flesh) was made of that matter, therefore the matter or substance of Christs body was sinne. It will not auaile to say, he was cōceiued by the power of the holy Ghost, that is true, but what tho? yet also Mary the virgine conceiued him of her matter or substance: and if that be good to say, that Da­uid was a sinner, because he was conceiued of his mothers substance, and so borne; why is it not also good, to say, that Christ was a sinner, because he was conceiued of his mothers sub­stance (whose flesh and blood was no other then Dauids mothers) and so borne? but if it be wicked to say, Christ was a sinner, because he was conceiued of his mothers substance, as it is: so is it no lesse wicked to say, Dauid was a sinner, because he was conceiued of his mo­ther substance: seeing the substance of both the mothers was one & the same:1. Cor. 15.39. And though the holy Ghost did wonderfully cause Mary to conceiue without the helpe of man, yet did he not alter, nor change Maries substance, for then would it follow, as some wickedly af­firme, that Christ was not made of the same matter and substance whereof wee be made. And it is most apparant, that wicked harlot Rome to aduance, the high estimation they haue of Mary; and because also they had in­uented originall sin to be in all Infants, which was onely their wicked inuentionOrig. sin. dec. in Con­cil. Carthag.: therefore [Page 122] in the Counsell of TrentSes. 5. cap. 1 de pec. orig., exempted her from sinne, to establish both their wicked opinions therin. Thus I trust, all y^t shut not their eies, may see, the difference of the truth, & error in this thing, & be so satisfied in the truth, that no tur­ning deuice shall cause them to stumble again.

But if any notwithstanding what is said, will not yet beleeue the truth in this, I require them, to shew by the Scriptures; better reasons, then they haue yet obiected, to proue Infants to be in sin, vnto condemnation in hell; and when they haue done that, let them also shew how they that haue sinned, and are vnder con­demnation of hell, can be reconciled to God, but onely by faith in Christ Iesus. And if they haue sinned, and can be reconciled to God by no other meanes, but by repentance and faith in Christ Iesus, then are they all left vnder con­demnation, not for any law that they haue bro­ken, for they could not breake the law before they were in forme and soule as before; but for their Father Adams eating of the forbidden tree, and so are damned for their Fathers sinne, contrary to all these Scriptures.

Let not any thinke, that this maketh any thing for them, that because Infants haue died many times, bodily death for the sins of their parents, as the old world, Sodome & Gomorrah, Corah, &c. that therefore they perish with the wicked in hell, for of this, other vnreasonable creatures, as well as Infants, haue alwaies had [Page 123] their portions: all flesh must dye, and death is losse to none but to the wicked; for whom is prepared the torments of hell, but vnto the godly, and innocent, death, and all the afflicti­ons of this life, are not worthy of the glory that shall be shewed.

If any aske, that if Infants be not vnder con­demnation, what neede they haue of Christ? I answere; vnspeakeable benefits they haue by him; for besides through his redemption they liue, & moue, and haue their being, & enioy ll other earthly blessings; they haue by Christ, their resurrection frō the dead, for as in Adam they die, so in Christ they shall be made aliue:1. Cor. 15.22. and not so onely, but their glorification they haue by Christ; so that all (the wicked that re­iect Christ excepted) haue inestimable benefit by him; for by Adams fall man-kinde and all other creatures, are brought into vanity, cor­ruption & misery. By Christ, man-kinde (they that will not beleeue excepted, Mark 16.16.) the earth, and all other creatures, shall be deli­uered from vanity, corruption, and misery, into euerlasting glory. Man at the first,Rom. 8. 2. Pet. 3. and all crea­tures were created of God very good, yet sub­iect to change by Adams transgression, but be­ing deliuered from the bondage of corrupti­on, where-into mans sinne hath brought them, they shall be glorified with that glory, that shal haue no end. And thus Grace by Christ hath abounded much aboue Adams sinne.

A short rehearsall of Predestinati­on. YOu haue shewed, what is the most righteous, and mercifull Predestination of God touching man; to make man good, yet changeable, to place him in a good estate; to command him to continue in that good estate, by keeping his righteous Law; which if he did not hee would curse him; Yet so, as that he would not forsake him, but prouide him a Saui­our to redeeme him out of that cursed estate wh n he had fallen, to promise his Sonne to Man for his comfort: and in the fulnes of time, to manifest him in the Flesh; commanding him to proclaime, that he so loued Man, euen the whole world, that he had sent his Son, that whosoeuer beleeued in him should not perish, but haue euerlasting life, those he Ele­cted or chose to be his; Of Election. Reprobation. but those that would not be­leeue those should be damned; those he reprobated. This I verily beleeue to be Gods Predestination of Election, and Reprobation, from the beginning: and herein I euidently see the Mercy and Iustice of God clearely to shine; his Mercy through Faith in his Sonne towards all without respect of persons; all being his generation: his Iustice in that he re­probateth none, but such as reiecteth his Grace of­fered in his Sonne; so that I clearly see by this light of Truth, wherein formerly I haue beene blinde; that mans Damnation is of himselfe, euen of his owne wicked resisting will, and not that God hath decreed him, either to the end, which is damnation, or to the meanes, which is wickednes; neither hath left him in an estate to perish, but that he hath sent [Page 125] his Sonne, to saue him, and that as effectually as to the Elect; Of Freewill to euill. and that the cause of his not being saued is in himselfe, who hath yet freedome of will to euill, as much as euer; by which will, he hath resisted the Holy Ghost; and put the word of Grace from him. This is his iust Damnation. Of The Origi­nall estate of Man. You haue also shewed what the estate of Infants are: Not that they are in damnation before they haue vnderstanding and so haue a Law giuen them, and they haue trans­gressed the Law: also then the Lord offereth them the same meane, hee did to their Father Adam, namely his Sonne, in whome they beleeuing, their sinnes shall be put away, and they shall haue life in him; you haue also shewed, that man by reason of the weak es of his Flesh, when the C mmandement comes, hee cannot keepe it, and liue, but breakes it and so dyes; and so all are dead in sinnes and tres­passes, that there is none righteous no not one; as well Paul and the Elect Ephesians, as others: and that thus all men are brought by transgession through weake Flesh to bee the Children of wrath. All which you hauing shewed mee, that all men are [...]e in this estate; I pray you shew me nowe clearly the way out of it, that all that haue any care to escape the Damnation of Hell, and to obtaine the Saluation of Glory, may walke in the way, and continue in that way, that wee may through Grace and strength in Christ come to our iourneyes end.

We must be in Christ (the promised seed, as before) who is the only way, the truth, & the life Ioh. 14.6, without him we can do nothingIoh. 15.5.. For he [Page 126] that hath the Son hath the Father. 1 Ioh. 2.23. 1 Ioh. 5.12. But he y^t hath not the Son hath not y^e Father, nor eternall life.

But how must we haue the Sonne?

By keeping his Commandements: which Commandements are life euerlastingIoh. 12.50, he that keepeth his Cōmandements dwelleth in him & he in himIoh. 3.24.; he that saith he remaineth in him ought to walke euen as he hath walked1. Ioh. 2.6, and he that keepeth his word in him is the loue of God perfect in deed, therby we know that we are in himVerse 5., and hereby we are sure we know him, if wee keepe his CommandementsVerse 3.. He that hath my Commandements and keepeth them, is hee that loueth meIoh. 14.21, &c. If any man loue me, he will keepe my word & my Father will loue him and we will come vnto him and will dwell with himVerse 23.. If yee shall keepe my Cōmandements, ye shall abide in my loueIoh. 15.10 &c. He that continueth in the Doctrine of Christ, 2 Ioh. 9. he hath both the Father and the Sonne &c.

The Commandements of Christ are many, which of them therefore must wee obserue, or wee cannot be in him?

First, the beginnings or foundation, for so it is written, wee are made partakers of Christ if we keepe sure the beginning, where­with we are vpholdenHeb. 3.14, and afterwards wee must obserue all that CHRIST commandethMath. 28.20..

Which are the beginnings?

Repentance from dead works, Faith to­wards God, y^e Doctrine of Baptismes, laying on [Page 127] of handes, Resurrection from the dead, & eter­nal Iudgement. These are the foundation or be­ginningHeb. 6.1. &c., other foundation then this, can no man lay1 Cor. 3.11..

I vnderstand; and I thinke it will bee granted of all, that in Repentance, there must be sight of sinne by the Law, sorrow for sinne, confessi­on, and promise, and endeauour of amendment, but this is my question, of what sinnes we must repent?

Of all sinne; for euery sinne is a dead worke, and hee that keepeth the whole Law, and faileth in one point is guilty of allIam. 2.10 Deu. 28.14. And he that doth any one of these, though he doe not all these things, he shall dye, seeing he hath done all these thingesEzek. 18.10. &c.: For saith th'Apostle1 Cor. 6.9.10. Ephes. 5.5., bee not deceiued, neither Fornicators, nor Idolators, nor Adulterers, nor Wantons, nor Buggerers, nor Theeues, nor Couetous, nor Drunkards, nor Raylers, nor extortioners shall inherite the Kingdome of God. From hence it is most plaine; that a man that liueth in any one of these sinnes, and hateth to be reformed, hee shall neuer enter into the Kingdome of God, except he repent of that his wickednes.

The Scriptures are so plaine, they cannot be denyed, onely I would of all the rest, haue this sin of Idolatry throughly discouered, for many are ex­ceedingly deceiued therein; seeing themselues blameles in the other sinnes (of which many indeed cannot be taxed) although they be grosse Idolaters, yet they blesse themselues in this their wickednes, [Page 128] crying Peace, when there is no peace. Therefore shew I pray you what Idolatry is, that all s eing it, may auoyde it, if they will not wilfully perish: also, that I may bee the better able to conuince others of it.

Idolo-latria, is a word compounded of Idolon, signifying an Image, shape, forme, like­nes,Idolatry [...] [...]ar or representation; and Latria, which sig­nifie seruice, worship, obedience, or reuerence: so that Idolatry in short, is, a seruice, of likenes either of false Gods in stead of the true: or else, of false worships, in stead of the true: hence is plaine, that he that worshipeth a false God; or pretendeth to worship the true God, in a false māner (which indeed is not the worship of the true God; for God cannot be worshipped after a false manner.) He is an Idolater, & shal neuer enter into Gods fauor without repentance; for as the sin of speaking in y^e name of a false God, and speaking falshood in the name of the true God, is all one; so shall the punishment beDeut. 18.20..

You hauing now spoken something of Re­pentance in generall, and particularly of Idolatrie, of which, euery soule that therein hath transgres­sed, must repent, or he cannot enter into the King­dome of God, as I see. I pray you proceed to the next, which is Faith.

Faith toward God, is diuersly taken in the Scriptures, as 1. For a confident beleeuing that God is: 2. What God through Christ hath done. 3. Of what God through Christ hath pro­mised. [Page 129] 4. Of what God through Christ hath cō ­manded: All which a man hath in a measure before he repenteth, for his Faith of these, pro­uoketh him to repent; but Faith in this place, is taken for a confident assurance, of the par­don of his sinnes, repented of▪ vnto iustificati­on before God, through Christ, which no man can haue vntill he haue repented.

The next in order is Baptismes: aboue which, is much controuersie; therefore I desire to heare what you can say in it.

There are in the new Testament di­uers Baptismes mentioned, which I shal speake of hereafter, in their due places; but now I am to speake of that which was called Iohns Baptisme, as Paul calleth the Gospell hisRom. 26., in that they were the teachers thereof, not other­wise: which Baptisme, is: Repentance for the remission of sinnes, and washing with water, into the Name of the Father, &c. In which, it shall appeare, who are to haue it, who not.

Baptisme, or washing with water, appertai­neth onely to them that declareth their repen­tance, and Faith, vnto those Disciples of Christ, that Baptise them: This appeareth by Iohn Baptist doctrine and practice, he Preached the Baptisme of repentance, for the remission of sinnesMath. 1. [...]., and they were Baptised of him in Ior­den confessing their sinnesMath. 3.6: confirmed by the practise of IESVS & his Disciples, in the Cities of Israell: they made and Baptised DisciplesIoh. 4.1 & 3.22.. [Page 130] Afterwards in his commission for all Nations. Goe therefore make Disciples all Nations Baptising themMat. 28.19 &c. He that shall beleeue and be Baptised shall be sauedMark. 16.16. &c. According to which commission; they continually taught and practised Amend and be Baptised euery oneAct. 2.38. Vers 4 [...]. &c. And they that gladly receiued the word were BaptisedAct. 2.38. Vers 4 [...].: Assoone as they belee­ued, both men and women were BaptisedAct. 8.12.: The Eunuch also, when he beleeued was Bap­tisedAct. 10.47:Vers. 36. &c Cornelius likewise, when he had recei­ued the holy GhostAct. 10.47 was Baptised: Paul after his Conuersion was BaptisedAct. 9.18.. Lydia, and her houshold; the Iaylor and his houshold when the word was Preached, and they beleeuedAct. 16.15 & 32.33.34. Crispus & his houshold, when they beleeuedAct. 18.8.. The Ephesians after they beleeuedAct. 19.5.. These and all the Churches of the new Testament, were Baptised after they beleeued, as afterwards, I shall haue occasion to make further probati­on of.

This indeed was the practise of the Pri­mitiue Churches, it cannot bee denyed; but they obiect: 1. That was in the Churches infancie: 2. They bid you proue this perpetuall.

First, when IESVS and his Apostles first planted those Churches, they were at as perfect age, and in as excellent estate, as euer Churches can be, at their first plantation: but of this at large hereafter: 2. All the Cōman­dements of Christ are perpetuall and remaine [Page 131] vntill his comming againe. The last speaking of the Father is by the Sonne CHRISTHeb. 1.2.: his Commandements are to be kept, without spot vntill his appearing1 Tim. 6.13.14., wee must earnestly con­tend for y^e maintainance of the faith, once giuē to the SainctsIude 3. 1. Pet. 2.2 [...].. This Doctrine that Peter prea­ched; amend & be Baptised, endureth for euer; For the Lord hath established his word for e­uerPsal. 119.152.: And if an Angell from heauen Preach, or command otherwise; let them bee accursedGal. 1.8.9, and he y^t taketh away this word of God, God shall take his name, out of the booke of lifeReuel. 22.18.19.. Who so changeth the Lawes of God is Anta­christ: that exalteth himselfe aboue GodDan. 7.25.2 Thes. 2.4.

Why may not Infants be Baptised?

Because there is, neither commande­ment, example, nor true consequence for it, in all Christs perfect Testament; who was faith­full as Moses in all his houseHeb. 3.2. &c., and threatneth most dreadfull Iudgements against all such as either adde too or take from, that his perfect TestamentReuel. 22.18.10., and the Sonne is worthy of more honor then the seruant. Moses sends vs to him Deut. 18.15. The Father sends vs to him, Mat. 17.5. There is now but one Law-giuer, Iam. 4.12. That there is neither Commandement, nor example, in Christs Testament, our aduer­saries vsually grant; and that there is no true consequence, I shall manifestly proue, taking away clearely all their objections, to euery mans conscience in the sight of God.

[Page 132]First let it be obserued what Baptisme is, I say; a washing away the filth of the Flesh, is not Baptisme; that is the least part of Bap­tisme; where the greater is: and where the greater is wanting, it is no part of Baptisme at all, the which not onely the Scriptures teach, but our aduersaries confesse as shalbe shewed.

First the Scriptures teach, that the Baptisme that saueth vs, is not the putting away the filth of the Flesh; but in that a good Conscience maketh request vnto God1. Pet. 3.21, &c. It is the Bap­tisme of repentance for remission of sinnesMark. 1.4. The Sprinkling of the heart from an euill con­science, and washing the body with pure wa­ter, is that whereby wee come to GodHeb. 10.22. It is the washing of the new birth, and renuing of the holy GhostTit. 3.5.. For we must be borne of the Spirit, or we cannot enter into the Kingdome of GodIoh. 3.5., for nothing auayleth in CHRIST but a new creature2. Cor. 5. Gal. 6..

2. The Cathechisme set forth by authority, saith: That a Sacrament as Baptisme, &c. hath two partes: the outward visible signe, and the inward Spirituall Grace; the outward visible signe is Water &c. the inward Spirituall Grace, is a death vnto sinne, & a new birth vnto righ­teousnes,The English Primmer. for being by Nature borne in sinne, and the children of wrath, we are hereby made the children of Grace: And further they con­fesse, that Repentance, and Faith, is required of euery person to bee Baptised. Repentance, [Page 133] whereby they forsake sinne; and Faith, where­by they stedfastly beleeue the Promise of God, made to them in that Sacrament.

And Vrsinus saith thus:Cathechism pag. 723. Hee that shall be­leeue, &c. In these wordes is noted briefly, the right vse of Baptisme, in which right vse, the Sacraments are ratefied: but in whatsoeuer corrupt and vnlawfull vse, and administration, the Sacraments are no Sacraments, but are Sa­craments to them onely, who receiue them with a true Faith, &c.

All which being considered, If they cannot proue, and that by the Scriptures; that Infants haue their hearts Sprinkled from an euill con­science; and so haue a good Conscience; that they haue Repentance; that they haue the washing of the new birth; which is to be born againe, euen of the Spirit, and that they haue Faith; I say all these or any one of them, let them proue by Scripture, Infants haue, or else their consequence vanisheth; and it is no Sa­crament by their owne confession; The blas­phemous inuention of Pope Iginius, will no­thing auayle them, which is, that they haue or doe performe them by their Godfathers and Godmothers, for the which, there is not the least shew in all the Scriptures of God; For the iust shall liue by his owne FaithHeb. 2.4. Rom. 1.17. Gal. 3.11. Heb. 10.38; the righ­teousnes of the righteous shallEzek. 18. & 14. be vpon him­selfe. Iust Iob, Noah, and Daniell, shall deli­uer neither Sonne nor Daughter, but onely [Page 134] themselues by their righteousnes.Ezek. 14. Chap.

They affirme indeed, that Infants be regene­rate, but let vs agree what Regeneration is; & so Repentance & Faith, by Gods Scriptures, & then it will appeare plainly, Infants haue them not.

Regeneration is a turning from sinne, to God. Rom. 6.11 1 Thes. 1.9. Tit. 3.5.

Repentance is, a sight and knowing of sinne, by the Law; a confessing of sinne, a sorrow­ing for sinne, and a promise and endeauour to forsake sinne, as before.

Heb. 11.1. Faith is, the ground or assurance of thinges hoped for, & the euidence of things not seene, and it is accompanied with obedience,Iam. 2.17.26. For Faith without works is dead. Our aduersaries say, Repentance is a forsaking of sinne: and Faith is a stedfast beleeuing of the Promises of God, made to them, that are Baptised.

Let them either now proue, that Infants are turned from sinne, to God in righteousnes, that they see, & know sinne, by the Law; that they confesse sinne, sorrow for it, and promise, and endeauour to forsake it, that they haue stedfast beliefe of the promises of God,

Let them proue these, or they say nothing, and wee may truely conclude, they are neither Regenerate, neither haue they Repentance nor Faith, and so may by no consequence be Baptised.

They alledge Act. 2. as a place much ma­king for them; Amend your liues and bee Bapti­sed, euery one of you in the Name of the Lord [Page 135] Iesus Christ; for the Promise is made to you, and to your Children, and to all that are a farre off, e­uen as many as the Lord our God shall call.

The place truely considered, maketh against themselues, for these to whom the A­postle speaketh, being pricked in their hearts, by the call of God, in Peters Preaching, and crying out, men & brethren what shall we do? Peter answeres them, Amend your liues and be Baptised euery one; not onely be Baptised; but also amend your liues, and such as gladly receiued his word were Baptised: So that Fa­thers of the Iewes, and their Children: and Fa­thers of the Gentiles, and their Children, must all amend their liues, and be Baptised; & glad­ly receiue the word; or else this Promise, here made, appertaineth not to them: for the Pro­mise is to all, that the Lord our God shall call, Fathers and Children: Children must amend their liues and gladly receiue the word, or else their sinnes cannot bee put away, neither can their Fathers repentance saue them from dam­nation. Againe let it be well obserued, that this Couenant or PromiseAct. 1. is the couenant of saluation, by Christ made vnto the Children of Abraham, vpon the same Condition, that it is made to Abraham himselfe; namely, vpon re­pentance and Faith in Christ, as is most plaine in these wordes:Act. 13.31 &c. And wee declare vnto you that touching the Promise, made vnto the Fa­thers, God hath fulfilled it vnto vs their Chil­dren, [Page 136] in that hee raised vp IESVS from the dead,Verse 38. &c. And bee it knowne vnto you there­fore, men and brethren, that through this man is Preached vnto you remission of sinnes, and from all things from the which yee could not be iustified by the Law of Moses: by him, eue­ry one that beleeueth is iustified. In these wordes we see the Promise made vnto the Fa­thers is thus fulfilled to their Children, that Christ is raised from the dead, & that through him, they might haue remission of sinnes, euen euery one that beleeueth might bee iustified, Fathers and Children. And whereas many stumble at the worde (Children) conceiuing that it is meant of Infants, it is heere and else­where vsed often in the Scriptures for men of vnderstandingAct. 3.25. Gal. 4.19. 1 Cor. 14.20 Heb. 2.10.14. 1 Ioh. 12 28. & [...].21. & 3.18..

They obiect 1. Cor. 7.14. the Children of beleeuing Parents are holy, and being holy, they may be Baptised say they.

This place indeed is much alledged for infants Baptisme; but what truth there is in it, will easily appeare. The force of th'Apo­stles argument is, to the belieuers in Corinthus. If your Children (in your owne iudgement) be holy, and you doe not put them away, when you are conuerted to the Faith, but vse them still as your children, to all those vses whereto children are appointed, then may you keepe your Wiues (being holy) they being of a nea­rer naturall bond then your Children, and vse [Page 137] them still as your Wiues, to all those vses whereto they are appointed, This appeares in Vers. 14 in these wordes, Else were your Chil­dren vncleane, but now they are holy, as if hee should say: If your vnbeleeuing Wiues were not holy, then your children were not holy, but you make no question of your children, and therfore your wiues are holy much more, for so these words shew, Else were your Chil­dren vncleane, but now are they holy.

Holinesse in Scripture is taken two wayes, 1. Either when a person or thing is sanctified, or set apart from the Common or prophane vse, vnto the seruice of God,Exod. 35.2 & 16.23. as was the Saboth day sanctified to the Lord: & as was Israell Leuit. 20 26. & Exod 13.2.. or 2. When a person or thing is set apart or sanctified to the beleeuer1 Tim. 4.5 Tit. 1.15.. Thus is the vnbe­leeuing Wife holy, and thus are the Children holy, and not otherwise, There is now no san­ctification to God, of a person, but such as whose harts are purified by Faith in CHRIST IESVSAct. 15.9. 1. Cor. 12. 1 Pet. 1.16.2 [...]. &c.. Now the Apostle saith, The belee­uing man is holy, and the vnbeleeuing wife is holy, or sanctified; now the question is, whe­ther the Children are holy as the beleeuer, or as the vnbeleuer? If as the beleeuer, (as they say) then are they seperated from cōmon vses, in which they were vsed, and are set now apart to Gods vse: and can testifie that their hearts are purified by Faith. But if their holines be as the vnbeleeuers, (as we say) thē are they clean [Page 138] to the vse of the beleeuer, as his vnbeleeuing Wife is, not otherwise.

Further, th'Apostle doth not say, Else were your Infants vncleane, &c. but else were your Children vncleane, but now they are holy; so that all the Children of beleeuers, though of age, and vnbeleeuers, are as holy by this place as Infants, and then we would know how vn­beleeuing Children, can be holy, if not as the vnbeleeuing Wife is holy, that is to the vse of their Parents in the duties of relation; There­fore to conclude, If their argument be good, they that are holy must be Baptised, then vn­beleeuers whether Wiues or Children (aswell as Infants) must be Baptised, for the Apostle affirmeth they are holy.

Another obiection they haue: the Scrip­tures of the new Testament maketh mention of two Baptismes, one is called Iohns Baptisme, or the Baptisme with Water, of which all were parta­kers that came for it, euen Infants; and none were reiected: the other is called Christs Baptisme, which is peculier to the Elect onely.

Wee reade in the Scripture of more Baptismes then 2. as the Baptisme of afflicti­onMat. 20.22, and so there are .3. Baptismes, and all are Christs; but we will speake of the two former, and first of Iohns. Some pretend Iohns Bap­tisme, was onely washing with water the filth of the Flesh, and altogether without the Spirit which is vaine to imagine; For it is most ap­parant [Page 139] that the Apostles had the Spirit of God, before they had Christs Baptisme, Act. 2. As Math. 16. proues it double; for none can say that Iesus is the Lord, but by the holy Ghost1 Cor. 12.3, But Peter in the name of them all, confessed IESVS to be the Lord: And Christ saith, Not Flesh and blood, but the Father reuealed it to him;Ioh. 16.30 Also it is said, they all beleeued: also on them all he breathed and said, Receiue the holy Ghost Ioh. 20.22. All which, was before the Baptisme, Act. 2. Againe, Faith is the guift of the1 Cor. 12.9 Spi­rit, which the Samaritanes and Ephesians had, before they receiued that Baptisme of Christ, the holy Ghost and FireAct. 8. & 19. chap.. In short wee read, that Appollos had the Spirit of God plenteous­ly; and yet knew but the Baptisme of Iohn onelyAct. 18.25; And againe Christ sent forth the 12. to Preach the Gospell, to heale the Sicke, to clense the Leapers, to cast out Deuils, and said freely yee haue receiued, freely giue:Math. 10. After the 70. were sent, and subdued Deuils,Luk. 10. &c. All which, they could not doe, without Gods Spi­rit. If any obiect, that the holy Ghost was not giuen, because Iesus was not yet glorifiedIoh. 7.39.: wee answer; this is the Baptisme, the holy Ghost and Fire, we are in the second place to speake of.

Secondly, Christs Baptisme, the holy Ghost and Fire, was prophesied of by Iohn Math. 3., promised by Christ Ioh. 14.16 Act. 1.5., and performed first vpon the Apo­stles, 2. Vpon the Samaritanes, by the hands of [Page 140] the Apostles,Act. 2. Act. 8. 3. Vpon Cornelius and his hou­shold as vpon the Apostles at the first. If any aske what this Baptisme was?Act. 10.44. & 11.15.16 Peter answers them, It was the fulfilling of Ioels Prophesie, to confirme the ministerie of the Gospell, at the beginningHeb. 2.3.: Againe this Baptisme, was not so cōmon, no not, in the Primitiue Church as Iohns Baptisme, and the Baptisme of afflicti­ons, for imediatly to speake with tongues, &c. was peculiar vnto some then1. Cor. 12.30., and is not now to be expected of any; but to shew repentance of sinne,Math. 3.6. Act. 2.41. Act. 8.12.13 & 37. and Faith in Christ, was required of e­uery one comming for Baptisme with water to Iohn: to Peter: to Phillip, and others; so al­so the other Baptisme of afflictions. All that will liue Godly in Christ Iesus must be Bapti­sed withMark. 10.39. 2 Tim. [...] 12.: Two of these 3. is common to all the Saincts, the third now not to be expected of any; and therfore if that were onely Christs Baptisme, Act. 2. no man now can receiue it. I haue the largelier spoken of this, because they are vsually so confounded together.

Another place they alledge, which is 1. Cor. 10.1. &c. The Israelites were Baptised vn­to Moses, &c. where were many Infants with their Parents.

This place is exceedingly misconcei­ued, being brought to proue Infants baptisme, I will take a little paines therfore to open and explaine the place. In the calling of this Bap­tisme, all may see the drift and meaning of the [Page 141] holy Ghost, not that Moses did at all wash them with water in the Cloude and Sea; but th'A­postle writing to the Saincts at Corinth, exhor­ted them among other things, to take heed of Presumption, they thinking themselues sure and safe because they had put on CHRIST by Baptisme, and were Christians: and first hee sheweth them a similie of two runners, and ap­plyed it to them; saying, so runne that ye may obtaine: And further vrgeth it by himselfe, saying, I beate downe my body, and bring it in subjection, least when I haue Preached vn­to others, my selfe should become a cast away: After hee hath done with the similie he passeth to an example, as if he should say, besides this I would haue you vnderstand, how God delt with our Fathers when hee brought them out of Egipt, with signes and wonders, and gaue them manifest tokens of his loue, in giuing them a Cloude to couer and defend them by Day and night, and caused the Sea, to deuide it selfe for them to passe ouer, and fed them 40 yeares with Bread from Heauen, and cau­sed the hard Rockes to yeeld them drinke, by the which testimonies of his fauour he offered them Christ, and did confirme vnto them by these extraordinary wonders, that he was their God; yet for all this, when they sinned, he was displeased with them, and destroyed them di­uers times: euen so you Corinthians, notwith­standing you are Christians, and haue Christs [Page 142] ordinances among you, the pledges of Gods fauour, as these Israelites had in their time, yet if you sinne (without repentance) you shall perish as they did, for their example is written for our learning. And thus, this of Moses is cal­led Baptisme by comparison, as Noahs Arke is called the figure of the Baptisme that saueth: For as Noahs Arke saued them that were in it, from drowning in the water, yet afterwards some of them perished; so our Fathers were all vnder the cloude and in the Sea, and were all therein Baptised or safe guarded from de­struction of their enemies, yet afterwards ma­ny of them perished: Euen so true Baptisme, saueth them that are in it, or put on Christ by it, from the destruction of Hell, though after­wards many may perish that hold not fast that profession vnto the end; and hereupon th'A­postle concludeth; Let him that thinketh hee standeth, take heed least he fall. And this is the meaning of this Scripture, & cannot with any shew of truth be produced for Infants Bap­tisme: If any further aske why it is said they were Baptised in the Sea and cloude; I answer, it pleased the holy Ghost so to speake, for the reasons which I haue shewed: the Cloude and Sea was their safety, as Noahs Arke was, and as true Baptisme is; and as Christ saith, They are Baptised that suffer for his sake: So there is asmuch warrant to enioyne Infants to suffer persecution, because it is called by the name of [Page 143] Baptisme, as to Baptise them, from this place because the cloude and Sea is called Baptisme.

Another obiection they haue, which is: whole Housholds were Baptised, Act. 16.15.33. 1. Cor. 1.16 and Infants are a part of the houshold, therefore Infants were Bap­tised.

True it is, whole housholds were Baptised, but it is also most true, that there are many housholds in which there are no Infants: Therfore they that practise Infants Baptisme, must proue (not imagine) that there were In­fants in those houses, and that they were Bap­tised, or else they say nothing. It is most sure, as the Apostles practised in one houshold so they practised in all, but in the Iaylors house, they Baptised, such as they Preached the word vnto, and such as beleeuedAct. 16.32 34., and this is most plaine, that Infants cannot heare, nor beleeue. For they know not GodDeu. 1.39 Esa. 7.16. 1 Cor. 14 20. Ionah. 4.1 [...], and then how can they beleeue, seeing Faith comes by hearingRom [...] 17. and is grounded vpon Knowledge Heb. 11.1..

An obiection they make, thus: Infants are said to bee of the Kingdome of Heauen, and Christ commandeth they should be brought to him, and hee laide his hands vpon them and Blessed them, therefore they may be Baptised.

It is not said, Infants are of the King­dome of Heauen, that is obeyers of the Gos­pellLuk. 4.43., but that they that enter into the King­dome of Heauen, must become as little Chil­dren, for of such like is the Kingdome of God Mat. 18.3.. [Page 144] This is Christs meaning; men must bee con­verted, and receiue the Kingdome of God, as a Child, weyned from all euill wayes, and wil­ling to submit vnto CHRIST in euery thingEphes. 5.24.. Thus was Dauid humbled vnder Gods hand, euen as one weyned from his Mothers brestPsa. 131.2, not personally a Childe, but in Condition, as 1. Cor. 14.20. Gal 4 19. 1. Pet. 2.2 &c. as be­fore is related. And for taking them in his armes and Blessing them, hee Baptised them notIoh. 4.2., but tooke occasion, to teach his Disci­ples, and the multitude, that all that would be admitted into the Kingdome of Heauen, must become like themLuk. 18.16.17. & Mark. 10.14.15.. And for his blessing them, Christs blessings are manifold, hee healed the Sicke, clensed the Leapers, made the Dumbe to speake, the Blinde to see, cast out Deuils, fed many thousands with Bread, and gaue Life to them that were dead: all which and many moe were temporall blessings: It is a blessing to In­fants to be created, to liue, to growe in stature and comelines, in wisdome, in towardnes, to haue their sight, their limbes, and all their sen­ces, and to be preserued from dangers; so that Christs blessings extends aswell to this life, as that which is to come, and because CHRIST prayed for them, it is no safe conclusion that any may Baptise them; his mayne end being herein, to declare their Innocent estate, and to teach all to be like them therein, by conuersi­on: And therefore let them build no longer [Page 145] on sandy foundations, least the wrath of God breake forth and destroy their buildings; for what is not of God shall come to nought.

They demand, why Infants of beleeuers may not now aswell be baptised, as Abrahams In­fants were circumcised?

I answer, 1. there was a Command­ment for circumcision. Gen 17. there is none for baptisme of Infants. 2. that Cōmandment included Males onely, Children or seruants though vnbeleeuers; & excluded all Females though beleeuers: so doth not baptisme, for males (if vnbeleeuers) must not be baptised; but females, if beleeuers, must be baptised. 3. That Law required circumcision to be per­formed on the 8. day; so doth not the Law of baptisme; but when Faith is manifested, then is baptisme to be performed: so that all may see, there is no proportion betweene circum­cision, and baptisme.

These indeed, doe not well agree, but they say, that as Abraham tooke his Infants with him into the Couenant of life and saluation, so doe the faithfull now, and being within the Couenant, they may haue the seale of the Couenant, as they circumcision, so we baptisme.

First I say & proue: neither circum­cision nor baptisme, are seales of the Couenāt of life and saluation; that which is now the seale of life and saluation was euer the same, which is the holy Spirit of promise2 Cor. 1.2 [...]. Ephes. 1.13 & 4.3 [...]., which [Page 146] was yesterday, to day, and the same for euer­more. 2. Although the Scriptures speake of diuers Couenants; yet there is but two Coue­nants that concerneth vs in our present con­trouersie the couenant of Workes & the co­uenant of Grace, the Law and the Gospell, the Olde and the New: The difference of them is largely set downe by the Apostle, in Gal 4. where hee declareth that Abraham had two Sonnes, one by a seruant borne after the Flesh, one by a free woman borne by Promise, by the which, another thing is meant (saith th'A­postle;) For th [...]se mothers, are the two Coue­nants, the one signifying Ierusalem materiall, which is in bondage with her Children: th'o­ther Ierusalem spirituall, which is free, and is the mother of vs all: so that these two Coue­nants belonged to these 2. seeds or Children: The olde couenant, the Law, was made with the children of Abraham after the Flesh, & had circumcision in their flesh for a signe thereof. The new couenant the Gospell, is not made with both these seeds; but with the one seed, so saith the ApostleGal. 3.16, euen they that are of the Faith of Abraham. Vers. 29. The children of the Flesh are not they to whom this couenant is madeRom. 9.8. the children of the flesh must be put out, & must not be heyres with the faithfullGal. 4.30: So that the couenant that God made with A­braham, and his children after the Flesh was not the couenant of Life and saluation; it was [Page 147] the couenant of workes, of the Law, the olde couenant which is done away: because of the weakenes and vnprofitablenesHeb. 7.18 19.; for it made nothing perfect: the Couenant, the Seed, the Signe, were all but shadowes of good thinges to come they were types of Heauenly thinges not the heauenly thinges themseluesHeb. 9.1 [...] 23..

They say, the Couenant made, Gen. 17. whereof Circumcision was a signe, was the same Couenant which wee haue now in the Gospell.

If all were true that they say; thē their sayings ought to bee regarded: but as their are sayings in other things, so are they in this. The Lord saith, it is not the sameIer. 31.31 Heb. 8.6., It is a new Couenant (that we haue vnder the Gospell) a better Couenant, established vpon better Pro­mises, not like the olde; which olde is abroga­ted by reason of the weakenes and vnprofita­blenes: If a new, a better, not like the old, then not the same: and the Lord sheweth wherein it was not like the olde; the old Couenant, as it taught that Christ was not come in the flesh, so also it taught, that he was not yet come in­to their hearts at their Circumcision, but ther­by as also by the whole Law, they were to learne Christ, as to come in the Flesh, so to come into their hearts by Faith: and therfore saith the ApostleGal. 3.8. &c., They were kept vnder the Law, and shut vp vnto the Faith that should after be reuealed: But the new Couenant is not like this; it is made onely with all that are [Page 148] the sonnes of God by Faith: Heb. 8.10.11. which haue his Lawes put in their minds, and written in their hearts; all of them knowing God from the least to the greatest: Againe, I say though A­braham himselfe had the Couenant of Grace promised him; by which promise hee had sal­uation in the Messiah to come: yet had he not the Ordinances of the new Couenant, which we haue, and therefore none of his seed in the Flesh could be partakers of that, which he had not himselfe; in which regard it is said, of Iohn Baptist, who was greater then all the Prophets, that the least in the Kingdome of God, as grea­ter then heeMat. 11.11: all the faithfull that obtained good report, receiued not the PromiseHeb. 11.39 &c., that CHRIST brought in this time of reformation; therefore they onely shall be partakers of the ordinances of this new Couenant, whome, he that confirmed it with his bloud, hath appoin­ted to receiue them, as before.

Iohn Rob. pag. 77. They say, that the Couenant which this new is not like; is that Law giuen vpon Mount Si­nai Exod. 19. not that Gen. 17.

They speake vntruly, Marke y^e words,Ier. 31. Heb. 3. N [...]t like the Couenant that I made with their Fathers, when I tooke them by the hand, to bring them out of the Land of Egipt, which is mentioned Exod. 3. not Exo. 19. Then did God appeare to Moses, and cōmaunded him to take them by the hand, & lead them out of the land of Egipt: where the Couenant is mentioned, [Page 149] in Vers. 6. &c. I am the God of thy Fathers A­braham, &c. I am come to deliuer them, out of the Land of the Egiptians, to bring them into a good Land, into the place of the Cananites, &c. which promise was made vnto their Fa­ther Abraham, in Gen. 17. That God would be their God, and giue them all the land of Cana­an for an euerlasting possession

And for the word euerlasting; it signifieth in Scripture diuers thinges, As the time of 50. yearsExod. 21. [...], the time till CHRISTS commingExod. 12.14.17. the Prisoner was ordayned: so was the throne of Dauid for euer1. Chr. 17 12.. Namely till Christs cōming; the Land of Canaan is promised for euer, and so Circumcision; euerlasting: all which by Christ are taken away: So that although the couenant of Circumcision, be said to be euer­lasting; it doth no more proue it to be that co­uenant which we haue vnder the Gospell; or now any more direction for vs, then the Law of the Passouer which was also a Law for euer.

Againe, (it is granted by the aduersaryIo. Rob- pag 71., and it is a truth, that) the Couenant in Ier. 31. and other places, in the Hebrew signifieth a com­pact or agreement, vpon a difference between two or more; which in the new Testament, is turned into a word signifying a will or Testa­ment: So that this is agreed vpon on all sides, two parties must bee in this Couenant, agree­ing and promising by mutuall accord for the thinges to be done. Hence it followeth, that [Page 150] if the Couenant Gen. 17. (I will establish my couenant betweene me and thee, and thy seed after thee: and thou also shalt keepe my Co­uenant, thou and thy seede after thee, &c. Let euery Man childe be circumcised, &c.) be one and the same with this in Ieremy; then is it made onely. with Abraham and such his seed, as could make this Couenant, namely agree with God; to Circumcise their males on the 8. day and know God; and not with the males of 8. daies old, who could make no agreement; nor performe the same: For although God re­quired of all Abra: seed to Circumcise their males, which was y^e performance of their part of the Couenant, Gen. 17. Yet hee required no more of the male of 8. dayes old, neither could it promise nor performe any more, then the Female. And God was asmuch the God of the female Infants of Abra: concerning whome nothing was required, as hee was the God of the male Infants, of whom nothing was requi­red; onely their Parents required to Circum­cise them; in obedience to God, and to teach them the circumcision of the heart, which by that type they were to learne: and that the word Seede, or Children, is not meant Infants, but men of vnderstanding, I haue shewed for­merly in Pag. 136.

Further, this Couenant, Gen. 17. is made with Abraham and his seed, not with euery faith­full man and his seed: is euery faithfull man [Page 151] Abrahā? what proofe for that? It is well if we bee Abrahams seed, let vs be content to haue Abra: for our Father; whose Children if these men were, they would teach their children to seeke saluation and all their priuiledges Spiri­tuall with God, by Faith only, and not by their Fleshly discent as they doe Thus all may see all these their deuices are as the Potters clay; their dawbing will not holde, their wall and they shall bee destroyed together, if they re­pent not.

It is obiected that circumcision was a seale of Faith to AbrahamRom. 4..

It is said, Abraham receiued the signe of circumcisiō, the seale of the righteousnes of the faith which he had when he was vncircum­cised, that he should be the Father of the faith­full, whether circumcised or vncircumcised: This place proueth,Vers. 11. that Abraham receiued circumcision to seale vp his Fatherhood of the faithfull; not that he receiued it to seale vp his Faith in the Messiah, which he hadGen. 12 with 17., 24. yeares before he was circumcised: but that it was a seale of his Faith in beleeuing God, that hee should be the Father of many NationsGen. 12 Rom. 4. [...], & this was imputed to him for righteousnesseVers. 2 [...]. The intendment of the Apostle in this place, being to proue (that whereas the Iewes sought righ­teousnes by beiag Abrahams fleshly childrē Ioh. 8.39.53. as these obiecters doe, by supposing they are y^e children of the faithfull successiuely, through [Page 152] by the flesh, or by workes, for hee found nothing therebyRom. 4.1.; but his iustification was by Faith, long before he was circumcised: & God finding him so faithfull continually, would make him the Father of all the faithfull, and so he receiued circumcision, a seale of his Faith, that he should be the Father of the faithfull: and therefore taught, that all that will be A­brahams Children indeed, must not regard to be the Children of the Law or flesh, but of his Faith: for if Abraham himselfe found nothing by the flesh for iustification, what can any fleshly Children finde by the same? And be­sides, it is a very farre set thing to say, Abrahā receiued circumcision, a seale of the Faith which he had before, therefore all that recei­ued circumcision, it was vnto them a seale of faith, & consequently Infants may be baptised: I haue shewed, Abrahā receiued circumcision as none receiued it also that faith was required of none to circumcision; but Faith is required to baptisme; and therfore these be but mens dreames, & chaffe in stead of wheat. All may see, they haue nothing to say for Infants bap­tisme, Christs perfect Testament affoording them no tittle of proofe, only they goe about to establish the Couenant of y^e Gospel (which is saluation by Christ to euery sinner through Faith) vnto the Children of the Law, or flesh, contrary to the expresse wordes of the holy [Page 153] Ghost: For if they that are of the Lawe, be heyres, Faith is made voide, and the promise is made of none effect, but it is by Faith, that it might come by Grace vnto all the seed of the faith of Abraham In Rom. [...] 14.16.. As also see Gal. 3.22. Rom. 9.8.

[...] are they compelled to runne to the old Testament, though it and not serue them, and f ō thence to fetch the chiefe corner Stone of their building, viz. from circumcision, and wholy forsake the newe Testament & practise of the Apostles, [...] Moses disciples; as if Christ were not [...] teach them his new Testament but [...] the new of the olde; [...] of the Law, th' [...] th [...] [...] beheld [...] and what is the issue of all this? truth and experience tea­cheth, a accessi [...] of maintayning that harlot and strumpet Rome, to be Gods Church and people, as that apostate Fran [...] [...] and o­thers haue done; as indeed it cannot be auoy­ded, for if Infants be to be baptised, by the rule of circumcision according to their owne gro­und, their estate is such, If they deny Romes e­state to be such in their outward standing, they baptising Infants from generation to genera­tion as they haue done, let them shew when and how they became no people of God, nor is Church.

It is sufficient that you haue cleared all [Page 154] obiections: & proued, that the baptising of Infants is not warranted by Gods worde; besides all which I haue not long since, seene a Booke translated out of Duch and Printed in English, proouing that this inuention of Infants baptisme, was brought in, and Decreed by diuers Emperors, Popes, and Counsels; so that I am euery way satisfied in this; onely Iohn Robinson Preacher to the En­glish at Leyden, hath Printed halfe a sheet of pa­per; who laboureth to proue, that none may bap­tise but Pastors or Elders of a Church (for other Officers to baptise I conceiue not that he meaneth) and consequently, that you and all your companies in England, wanting Pastors, are vnbaptised.