The due right of presbyteries, or, A peaceable plea for the government of the…

5. The Author of ^othe Church-covenant saith, they were generally a generation of Believers, but this covenant is made universally with all, as is clear, it is made with Israel, Captains, Tribes, Officers, little ones, Wives, children, strangers, the absents, and these who are not borne, v. 10. 11, 12, 13, 14. Now I ask, if all these were satisfied in their consciences, of one another's salvation, as our ^pAuthor requireth, in fit materials of a visible Church; It was impossible, Ergo, this is not the Church-covenant of converted persons, known to the conscience of Moses, to be converted. 2. Moses saith expressly of the same generation, ch. 31. 20. That when they were come to the holy Land, they would serve other Gods, and provoke ⟨p. 106⟩God unto wrath. And of that same generation God saith, v. 21. For I know their imaginations, which they go about even now before I have brought them unto the Land which I sware; this was (as you say) about a month before their entry to the holy Land. 27. I know thy rebellion and thy stiff-neck (saith Moses) behold while I am yet alive, this day, ye have been rebellious against the Lord, how much more then after my death? were they all then a generation, who by faith subdued kingdoms? Surely this was but verified in their holy Judges, like Joshua, and some few others; it is true they did not professedly in Joshua's days make defection, yet they Were not all renewed, (as our brethren say) for Joshua saith▪ ▪ ch. 24. 14. Put away the strange Gods, which your fathers served in the other side of the flood, and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. v. 23. Now therefore put away the strange gods, which are amongst you. And that song of Moses, ch. 32. was made for the conviction of the present generation. ch. 31. 22, 23, 24, 25. Now in this song much is said of corrupting themselves, serving idols, forgetting of the rock, and father who begat them, their sacrificing to devils, and therefore such were not generally such as subdued Kingdoms by faith, and by faith entered into Canaan, as ye say. And so also (say we) our Churches under the New Testament, though consisting of a mixed multitude, are rightly constituted, and true visible Churches; therefore this covenant is not the formal being and essence of a Church. And what sort of people were they when the Lord covenanted with them in Hore,