Certain disputations of right to sacraments, and the true nature of visible Christianity defending…

3. God makes it not the condition or qualification of them that are to be admitted to Baptism or the Lords Supper, that they should Promise to do that which they have no Moral Power to do, (I mean, such as the seed or habit of Grace containeth, as to the act:) But the unregenerate have no Moral Power to believe with a saving faith: Ergo, &c.

The Major is proved thus: 1. To promise to believe savingly, is to Profess that they are truly willing to believe savingly; but no wicked men are truly willing so to believe: therefore they are not called to promise it; for that were to be called to profess an untruth, and so to lye; Unless as they are called to be really willing and promise both; and that is but to be sincerely faithful and to promise to continue so. 2. It is not found ⟨p. 149⟩any where in Scripture that I know of, that God doth call any wicked man to promise to be a godly man or true believer before he is so; but only commandeth him to be so. And if God never call such men to such a promise at all, then is it not the condition or qualification of persons to be admitted to the Sacraments. (We still speak of the aged.)

The Minor is proved from many Scriptures, and is the common Doctrine of all Antipelagians, at least; We are dead in trespasses and sins: and must we baptize and give the Lords Supper to such dead men upon a Promise that they will be alive? Out of Christ we can do nothing: Without faith it is impossible to please God. It is God that giveth to will and to do of his good pleasure. And no wicked man can tell whether God will give him the grace of saving faith: therefore he cannot promise to have it. But I shall speak more to this under the last Argument.