More proofs of infants church-membership and consequently their right to baptism, or, A second…

R. B. Having thus opened the terms [Law and Precept,] I prove the Proposition thus. 1. If it was the duty of the Israelites to accept Gods offered mercy for their Children, to engage and devote them to him in Covenant, then there was a Law or Precept which made this their duty, and obliged them to it. But it was a duty: Ergo, there was such a Law or Precept. For the antecedent, 1. If it were not a duty, then it was either a sin, or a neutral indifferent action: But it was not a sin, (for, 1. It was against no Law, 2. It is not reprehended;) nor was it indifferent, for it was of a moral nature, and ergo, either good or evil, yea sin or duty: For properly permittere is no act of Law, (though many say it is,) but a suspension of an act: and so licitum is not moraliter bonum, but only non malum; and ergo is not properly within the verge of morality. 2. If there be a penalty (and a most terrible penalty) annexed for the non-performance, then it was a duty: But such a penalty was annexed (as shall anon be particularly showed) even to be cut off from ⟨p. 51⟩his people, to be put to death, &c. If it oblige ad poenam, it did first oblige ad obedientiam: For no Law obligeth ad poenam, but for disobedience, which presupposeth an obligation to obedience. 3. If it were not the Israelites duty to enter their Children into Gods Covenant and Church, then it would have been none of their sin to have omitted or refused so to do: But it would have been their great and heinous sin to have omitted or refused it; Ergo. Now to the consequence of the major. There is no duty but what is made by some Law or Precept as its proper efficient cause or foundation: Ergo, if it be a duty, there was certainly some Law or Precept that made it such. Among men we say, that a benefit obligeth to gratitude, though there were no Law: But the meaning is, if there were no humane law, and that is because the Law of God in nature requireth man to be just and thankful. If there were no law of God natural or positive that did constitute it or oblige us to it, there could be no duty. 1. There is no duty but what is made such by Gods signified will, ergo, no duty but what is made such by a Law or Precept. For a Precept is the sign of Gods will obliging to duty. 2. Where there is no Law there is no transgression,