An apologetical reply to a book called an answer to the unjust complaint of…An apologeticall reply to a booke called an ansvver to the unjust complaint of…

¹Beza, writing against Erastus, speaketh to the same purpose, The Lord forbiddeth to give holy things to Dogs, Mat: 7.6. By holy things, saith he, are meant those holy mysteries whereof the ministers of Christ are dispensers, 1. Cor: 4.1. and the swine and dogs are those obstinate sinners, who are convicted and judged by the Church to be such. Afterwards, he putteth a case of one of years that desireth baptism, & is ready to make profession of his faith, but leadeth a wicked life, and being called upon (according to the other demand in baptism) to profess his repentance and amendment of life, by forsaking such and such evils, as are there mentioned, he refuseth to do it. Thereupon he asketh Erastus, whether he think that the Sacrament of regeneration should be given to such a man, impudently desiring it? or whether he should not rather be repelled thence with shame? Again (which cometh nearer to the case of infants) ⟨p. 135⟩showing how little the profession of faith will advantage such, who, by reason of their obstinacy in sin, are convicted, and judged by the Church to be swine and dogs, and that their estate is the worse for their profession that they know God, ²when in their works they deny him, he instanceth in Ismael, and Esau, who were both circumcised and outwardly acknowledged the true God with Abraham and Isaac, yet both were disinherited and made lively patterns, both to that, and succeeding ages, of Ecclesiastical excommunication &c. Thus far he. From whence, how easily may it be collected that infants are deprived of right to those holy mysteries in such parents, as the Ishmaelites, and Edomites were deprived of right to Circumcision, in Ismael and Esau, though their parents had been circumcised?

¹Beza, wrighting against Erastus, speaketh to the same purpose, The Lord forbiddeth to give holy things to Doggs, Mat: 7.6. By holy things, sayth he, are meant those holy mysteries whereof the ministers of Christ are dispensers, 1. Cor: 4.1. and the swine and doggs are those obstinate sinners, who are convicted and judged by the Church to be such. Afterwards, he putteth a case of one of yeares that desireth baptisme, & is ready to make profession of his fayth, but leadeth a wicked life, and being called upon (according to the other demand in baptisme) to professe his repentance and amendment of life, by forsaking such and such evills, as are there mentioned, he refuseth to doe it. Thereupon he asketh Erastus, whether he thinck that the Sacrament of regeneration should be given to such a man, impudently desiring it? or whether he should not rather be repelled thence with shame? Againe (which cometh nearer to the case of infants)