FIRST, they write of Infants, as if concerning salvation and damnation the estate of all Infants were alike, which is not true, but very erronious: for some Infants are in the estate of salvation; and those so farre as they may be discerned, are to be baptized, for a testimony thereof. And others are in the estate of damnation; and these so farre as may be discerned, are not to be baptized.

That some Infants are of the seed of the Serpent, a [...] some of the seed of the Woman, I presume no reasonable man will deny.

That God hath put enmity between those two seeds from the beginning, is manifest Gen. 3. 15. & 4. 8. & 25. 22. The seed of the Woman was adopted in Christ before the world was, Ephes. 1. 5. and were given him of his Father for an heritage, Ioh. 17. 6, 10. and that to this end that he should give unto them eternall life, Ioh. 17. 2. and that he should not loose one of them, ver. 12. but that he should raise them up in the last day, Ioh. 6. 44, 54.

Now therfore it is a sure truth, that not any that be of the seed of the Woman are at any time in the state of damnation; and that some Insants are of the seed of the Woman, no man that hath any illumination will deny.

Concerning such therfore, their saying is true, that Infants are not under the state of damnation; to wit, those that be of the seed of the Woman.

Againe, it is not to be doubted, but that some Insants are or the seed of the Serpent, and such are even enemies to the seed of the Woman, and those were known to God before the world was; and for all such condemnation was prepared from the beginning; and they are reserved of God unto the day of vengeance; and such are never but in the state of damnation.

Thus therfore it may appeare, that to say that Infants are not in the state of condemnation, in respect of some Infants is true, and in respect of other Infants, is false.

In that therfore they speake of Infants indefinitely, without noteing whether they speak of all Infants, or but of some, they deale loosly; for if they speak of all, they speak untruth; if they speak but of some, they doe but trifle But in that they speak of Instants, as though they were all of one condition, they bewray manifest ignorance concerning the truth, which is that some Infants are in the state of condem­nation, and some are not: and therfore they which speake of Infants in this case, should not speak indefinitely, but by distinction.

Secondly, to free Infants from being under the state of condemnation, they imagine them to be without sinne. But if Infants were without sinne, then should death have no power over them; for death is the reward of sinne, Rom 6. 23. And the same soule that sinneth shall dye, Ezek. 18. 4. 20. Seeing therfore death hath power over Infants, it is a plain case, that Infants are not without sinne as they may ima­gine.

Thirdly, the ground from which they gather Infants to be without sinne is this, that Infants have transgressed no Law of God, because they are uncapable of any.

In this they shoot short, for it doth not follow, that be­cause Infants have not transgressed as they are Infants ther­fore they have not transgressed at all. They transgressed be­fore they were Infants, that is to say, in the loynes of Adam, even as Levi payed Tithes in the loynes of Abraham, Heb. 17. 9, 10.

And if Infants be without sinne, then let them tell me how sinne by one man entred into the world, as the Apostle testifieth, Rom. 5. 12. 19. Till then let this be the conclusion, That as that which is bred of a Serpent, is not without ve­nome, so that which is bred of a sinner is not without sin.

And thus is diminished all that which they have said, to prove, that God hath given no Law to Infants, for all In­fants were in the loynes of Adam when the Law was given unto him, and when he transgressed the same; sundry broken [...]reames they have whereby they are strengthened in their errors.

First, they conceive that because Infants were not alive in their own persons apart from Adam when the Law was given him, that therfo [...]e the Law given to Adam doth no­thing at all concerne Infants, but was only given to Adam, and Hevah. But they should consider, First, that Adam and Hevah were such publicke persons, as they not only repre­ented [Page 4] all mankind; but were all mankind both when the Law was given unto them, & when they transgressed the same and that therfore the Law given to them was given to all mankind in them; and they transgressing that Law, all man­kind transgressed the same in them, as before I have sayd.

Againe, they should consider, that if Infants had been alive in their own persons distinct from Adam when the Law was given, and he trangressed it, then could not Adam sinne have hurt them, for the sonne shall not die for the Fa­ther: but when a man is a sinner against God, as Adam was, God may justly when he makes him a Father, make him the Father of a sinner, as he did Adam, and so visit the sinnes of the Fathers upon the Children unto the third and fourth gene­ration, Exod. 20. 5.

Another conceit they have, out of which the former ari­seth, and that is this, that forasmuch as the Law hath domi­nion over a man so long as he liveth, therfore the Law given to Adam concerneth not Infants, because they were not then alive.

But if this be a sound collection, let them tell me how sinne came into the world? and how God visites the sinners of the Fathers upon the Children? As for the dominion which the Law hath over a man so long as he liveth, it is like the domi­nion which a man hath over his Wife; which is, that she may not be unto another Man so long as her Husband liv­eth: but if her Husband be dead, then may she lawfully be unto another man. So man is under the dominion of the Law untill in the body of Christ 'he be dead unto the Law, and so freed from the Law to be unto another, to wit Christ. This is that which the Apostle saith, Rom. 7. 1. 6.

And now I pray you, who being of good understanding, would have gathered from this place, that because Infants were not alive when the Law was given to Adam; therfore that Law had no power over them?

Another nice conceit they have, that because the soule is given of God, that therfore the body and soule in every In­fant is first created apart, and afterwards joyned together in one.

And out of this they gather againe, that the soule coming from God must needs be good, and therfore without sinne untill it be joyned with the body, and then have a Law gi­ven, and finally transgresse that Law. Out of these principles it seemeth to them, that they may undeniably conclude, that Infants are without sinne.

How the body and soule come together in Infants, I dare not dispute, that passeth my capacitie; But if this be true which they imagine, that Infants are without sinne, how comes it to passe that all Infants as they grow up to discerne things, doe bring forth the fruits of sinne? Whence comes it that they lust after evill, and transgresse the Law? It is a sure truth, that if Infants were without sinne, they could not bring forth the fruits therof.

Seeing therfore all Infants which live and grow up doe bring forth the fruits of sinne, it may not with truth be de­nyed, but that Infants have the seed and root of Sin cleaving to their nature, which maketh them by neture the Children of wrath, Eph. 2. 3.

Thirdly, they conceive because Infants have not under­standing, to discerne between good and evil; Therfore the Law and sinne concerneth them no more then it doth the unreasonable creatures.

This is a very unreasonable collection to imagine Infants which are a part of mankind, and are sprung out of Adams loynes, to be free from the taint and pollution of Adams sinne; as the bruit creatures of other kinds be; doth any crea­ture but mankind only grow up tobe an idolater, blasphemer, adulterer, &c.

If Infants were without sinne as other creatures be, man­kind [Page 6] would no more become such, then other creatures do; Seeing therfore Infants grow up to be such, it is manifest the root of Sin is in their nature.

Lastly, they gather, that if Infants we [...]e not without sinne Christ would not have said to his Disciples, That except they should convert, and become as a iittle Child, they should not enter into the Kingdome of heaven, Neither have put his hands on them and blessed them, if they had not been alwayes without sinne.

If this collection be good, then none can enter into the Kingdome of Heaven, except they have been alwayes with­out sinne, and such as never transgressed any Law; for first they imagine Infants to be without sinne, as being such as have transgressed no Law.

And Secondly, that in this respect, Christ said to his Dis­ciples, that except they be converted and become as a little child (that is, without sinne, and such as have transgressed no Law, they could not enter into the Kingdome of heaven.

Thus, thick is the darknes wherewith these men are over­whelmed, and yet they imagine that they only are in the true light, and all that are not of their mind are in darknesse.

But that which our Saviour teacheth concerning conver­ting and becoming like little children, that his Disciples should not be proud, nor highminded to exalt themselves, and desire to be great and of high degree: but that they should submit themselves in all things unto God, as Children doe to those whom they stand in awe of; This is that which Christ taught his Disciples, and this is that which all must doe which enter into the Kingdome of Heaven, even submit themselves under the mighty hand of God that he may exall them.

Against this conceit of Infants, being without sinne, it hath been objected, that Adam was a common root to all mankind, and that therefore the Law given to him (all man­kind [Page 7] being in him) was given to all mankind, and likewise in him transgressed by all mankind, by meanes whereof, all Infants come from their Parents polluted with sinne, ac­cording as David confessed of himselfe that (as he was con­ceived in sinne, so) he was borne in iniquity.

To this they Answer, that Adam was a common root, but not to bring any soule to die for his breaking of the Com­mandement.

This answer is not to the purpose; the objection is, that all mankind sinned in Adam, and come from his loynes tainted with sinne, and so die, not for a sin that Adam committed apart­by himselfe, without them, but for the sin wherewith they were polluted in him.

To remove therfore this objection, they must deny that Adams sinne did pollute him, and also asfirme, that mankind proceeded from him as sree and cleane from sin as if he had not sinned at all.

But this they cannot doe, and therfore cannot remove this Objection.

There is none of good and sound understanding, that will affirme that where there is Father and Sonne, and the Fa­ther sinneth, and the Sonne sinneth not, or the Sonne sin­neth, but the Father sinneth not, that in this cause the Son shall die for the Fathers iniquity, or the Father for the Sons iniquity, their answere therfore proceeds either of ignorance or perversnesse.

But concerning this point, they have another strange con­ceipt, which is, that Adam should have been consumed if Christ had not been provided: but Christ being provi [...]ed, his judgement of being consumed was changed into this judge­ment, Cursed is the earth for thy sake, &c. Gen. 3. 17 19. This is a pretty dreame, and it comes of this, that Adam d [...]ed not a bodily death the same day that he eat of the forbidden fru [...]t.

But they should know that there are more sorts of death then one; which if they did, then would they not gather, that because Adam died not a bodily death, therefore he died not at all, this is too Childish for those which would be teachers.

But let God be true and every man a lyer: Adam by dying, died the same day that he sinned, not a bodily, but a spirituall death, under which death he lay untill the pro­mise that the Womans seed should destroy the Serpents power, quickened and revived him againe.

That Curse which is layd upon the earth, and the labour which is layd upon Adam, was to bring man to a further knowledge of his owne misery, and Gods mercy and justice.

Bodily death is appointed to dissolve man into dust and ashes, that from thence hee may rise unto an immortall and unchang­able [Page 9] estate either of glory or confusion.

Their imagination therefore that Adam should have been consumed, if Christ had not been provided, is but a dreame which will not stand with the stabilitie of the Eternall, whose decree is immutable, nei­ther altereth hee the thing that proceedeth out of his mouth.

Concerning Infants they have found at the last, that by Adams sinne they have upon them the Corruption thereof, and that in such sort, as that thereby they are made Subject to death: here meeting the truth in their way (unsought for) and seeing glimse of it, so dazeleth their eyes, that a increaseth their blindnesse: for first their imagine that Infants are not otherwise cory rupted with Adams sinne, nor made sub­ject to death then other creatures are an­d that though Infants be subject to death, y­et not to be cast into hell fier.

For the first, they should know that there is as much difference betweene the Corruption that is in Infants by the [Page 10] meanes of Adams sin, and the corruption that other crea­tures are subject unto, as there is between a young Serpent venemous by nature, and that which is stung or invenomed by the [...]iting of a Serpent.

The posterity of Adam have a lust to sin, the creature is s [...]bject to the vanity of mans abuse unto evill, not of its own accord, Rom. 8. 20. In this therfore their apprehension is too grosse to conceive that Infants are no otherwise corrup­ted with Adams sin then other creatures are,

For the Second, they sho [...]ld know that out of Adam a [...]e sprung two contrary seeds, fo [...] which the [...]e was prepared two contrary conditions before the world was; and therfore all Infants are not under one and the same. state & condition, but some are u [...]der the state of damnation in hell, and some are under the state of salvation in heaven, and t [...]at from the wombe: though they cannot tell how to deny this, yet will they not rest, but imagine still that condemnation comes by some other means then by Adams sault, for else think they God could not be just.

Converning the point of Adams fault, their resolution is, that it came on all men to condemnation, [...]ut how so to cor­rupt their natures, that when the Commandement comes, they cannot obey and live, but sin and dye.

Here the truth hath met them again, and they have looked upon her, but have loosed her againe, and themselves also: for at the First, Infants were not without sinne; but now their nature is so corrupt, that when the Commandement comes, they cannot obey and live, but sin and die. And wher­sore? that let the Apostle answer, it is because sin dwels in them Rom. 7. 17. 20. If sin dwell in them, how then are they without sin? Thus by wandring they have lost themselvs.

The truth they have loosed, by mistaking Paul where he saith that once hee was alive without the Law; for out of this they gather, that Paul was no sinner, till the Com­mandement [Page 11] came, and they confirme themselves in this er­rour, by misunderstanding another Scripture; namely that whatsoever the Law saith, it saith to them that are un­der the Law. And they are further confirmed in this by the mistaking of a third Scripture, which saith, That sinne is not imputed whilest there is no Law.

Out of these they gather, that Infants are without sinne untill they know the Law, and break it.

But Paul [...]s no Patron of this opinion, it was no part of his Doctrine, that whilest he was without Law, he was with­out sin: but this is that which he teacheth, that when he was without Law, he was without the knowledge of sin, because the knowledge of sin comes by the Law: and the reason of this is, because without the Law sin is dead, that is, hath no power to wound and kill the Conscience: but the Conscience is quiet and at peace, notwithstanding sin untill the Law come, for as the sting of sin is death, so the strength of sin is the Law. This is that which Paul teacheth.

And it doth not follow that because sin is dead in a man, untill the Law come that therfore there is no sin in him: for if sin were not in him, how should he find it by the com­ing of the Law; in this therfore they understand the Apostle very childishly and against all reason: for where he saith, That he found by the Law that sin dwelt in him, they under­stand him to the clean contrary, that sin was not in him.

And as in this, they misunderstand, so doe they in this, that the Law speaketh to those which be under the Law.

Out of this they gather, that a man must know the Law before he be under it, and he must be under the Law and transgresse it before he have sin: so that untill a man know the Law and transgresse it, he is without sin: wheras indeed, the transgression of the Law is but the finishing and bring­ing forth of sin, conceived before of lust, which as an harlot consenteth to the tempter, and bringeth forth transgression, I am. 1. 15

The Apostle in saying, that whatsoever the Law saith, it [...]aith it to those that be under the Law: doth it to prove that [...]hose things which are rehearsed from the tenth verse of the [...]hird Chapter to the Romans unto the eighteenth verse, are [...]rue concerning the Iews, and that therfore the Iewes were [...]nder sin, together with the Gentiles; and that all the world [...]re under condemnation, verse 19:

Now therfore if Infants be a part of the world, then are [...]hey under condemnation. The Apostle saith, not that a man is without sin till he be under the Law, but he saith that the L [...]w convinceth all that be under it of sin, which could not be, if sin were not in them.

Here therfore they shoot farre short of the Apostles mark, he concludes the whole world to be under condemnation, and proves it by the Law. And they imagine that when the Law comes, it finds those to whom it comes to be without sin and free from condemnation. So that still, where th' Apo­stle saith one thing, they understand him of another thing; yea to the clean contrary. The Lord open their eyes that they may see it.

The third Scripture which they pervert is this, That sin is not imputed whilst there is no Law, Rom. 5. 13.

Out of this they gather, that untill the Law be known and transgressed, there is no sin.

But the Apostle saith to the contrary, That sin was in the world even unto the Law, though sin was reckoned no sin so long as there was no Law: Yet that sin was in the world though not reckoned of, as may appeare by this, That death Reigned from Adam unto Moses, which it could not have done, if sin had not been in the world: for death is the re­ward of sin, and therfore reigneth over none, but those which sin hath dominion over, though not transgressors after the same manner that Adam transgressed. Thus the Apo­stle teacheth, and by this we may learne, that no Infants are without sin.

Now if this will not be yeelded them, that Infants are without sin, then would they know how they can be recon­ciled unto God?

Vnto this I answer; That unto those which are the seed o [...] the Woman, God was reconciled in Christ, and in him adopte [...] them to be his Children before the world was.

And unto such the corruption of their nature shall not b [...] imputed, God hath made them accepted in his beloved.

But they presume, that it must be yeelded that Infants a [...] without sin, and being so, they would know what need they have to be Baptized?

To this I answere, That Baptisme is the ordinance of God and therfore is to be used of all his people, to that end fo [...] which it was ordained.

It was given of God to set forth and declare what benefit those which be members of Christ have by his death and re­surrection.

That Infants have benefit by the death and resurrection of Christ, these men will confesse, though not aright: Gods people therefore must Baptise their Infants, to declare their faith concerning the benefit that they have by Christ.

They give us a needlesse caution or warning that we should not conclude that because Infants are subject to bo­dily death with their Fathers, that therfore they perish i [...] hell.

No, we will neither mount so high, nor dive so deep, as so to determine. But this we doe affirme, that if Infants were without sin, bodily death should have no power over them.

But they will say that bodily death hath power over other creatures which be unreasonable, I grant it: But may a man as lawfully kill an Infant, as he may a Sheep or a Bullock? Surely no; he which sheddeth mans bloud, by man his bloud shall be shed. These men therfore are very unreasonable to match Infants and other unreasonable creatures together.

But this is monstrous, that they imagine that unreasona­ble creatures that are dead and have perished, have prepa­ed for them the glorious liberty of the Sons of GOD, and [...]hall be freed from the bondage of corruption when the Sons of GOD shall be revealed?

And that this is the glory and liberty wherof Infants shalbe [...]artakers; yea, and that all other creatures shall have [...]tory after death for th' afflictions of this life, and not the [...]embers of Christ only? unto this vanity of mind are these [...]en given up. The Lord give them better understanding, if it he his will.

From 2 Cor. 4. 10. and Rev. 20. 12, 13. they conclude that Infants shall not appear before Christ to receive judge­ment, because they have done no works in the flesh, good or evill.

What works Infants doe, GOD knoweth, I know not; Iohn the Baptist sprung in his Mothers womb; Ieremie was sanctified in the Womb; Iacob and Esau strove in the womb; God is wonderfull in his works.

Therfore I dare not determine of the doings of Infants: But Iohn in his vision saw all the dead both small and great stand before God, and the [...]fore Infants as I unde [...] ­stand. And Paul saith, we must all be made manifest before the judgement seat of Christ. I understand him to speak of all mankind, and so of Infants. And it is too much bold­nes for any to say none where the Apostle saith all.

But what dare not ignorant zeale doe?

Their conclusion is, that Infants have not sinned, And therfore need no Baptisme for the remission of sins.

And I answere, that in Adam all mankind sinned, and that by meanes thereof all Infants come tainted with sinne, from the womb: And that therfore there is no hope of salvation for any Infants further then they may be reckoned to belong un [...]o Christ, as [...]eing the fruit of such [Page 15] branches as are ingraffed in him by Faith: And thos [...] which be such are to be Baptized, thereby to declare wha [...] benefit all have by Christ that are partakers with him; whos [...] holinesse is such, that he sanctifyeth all that have fellow­ship with him: To whom be glory for ever, Amen: