A commentary or, exposition upon the divine second epistle general, writtenA commentary or, exposition vpon the diuine second epistle generall, written

I do not enforce an absolute necessity of this, as if God could not save us without it. Of it own virtue it hath no such power to salvation; water of it self being readier to drown, than to save; especially the Infant being dipped into it. No •an concludes the Innocents out of the Ark to be damned and cast into hell; so •or the Infants of Christians that die unbaptized. It pleaseth the Lord to admit Infants to baptism, though they be not able to answer for themselves. And as it was •n his Justice to impute my sin to my child, to make it guilty: so it pleaseth his mercy to take my faith for my child, to make it holy.

I doe not enforce an absolute necessitie of this, as if God could not save us with•ut it. Of it owne vertue it hath no such power to salvation; water of it selfe be•ng readyer to drowne, than to save; especially the Infant being dipped into it. No •an concludes the Innocents out of the Arke to be damned and cast into hell; so •or the Infants of Christians that die unbaptised. It pleaseth the Lord to admit Infants to baptisme, though they be not able to answere for themselves. And as it was •n his Iustice to impute my sin to my child, to make it guilty: so it pleaseth his mercie to take my faith for my child, to make it holy.

^cOpen thy mouth for the dumb, in the cause of all such as are appointed to destructi••. Still the Lord requires our speech for those speechless little ones; whom the •loudy Papists appoint to destruction. They cannot answer for themselves; but •he Lord Jesus, when he was on earth, spake for them; and he hath sent us to plead heir cause. They have those great Dukes and Peers of heaven for their Patrons,