The character of the beast, or, The false constitution of the church discovered in certayne passages betwixt Mr. R. Clifton & Iohn Smyth, concerning true Christian baptisme of new creatures, or new borne babes in Christ, &nd false baptisme of infants borne after the flesh : referred to two propositions, 1. That infants are not to bee baptized, 2. That antichristians converted are to bee admitted into the true church by baptisme.

Mr. Rich. Clifton.

• If the word of God passing through the false ministery of Antichrist, was of force to convert Gods elect in Babylon, thē is baptisme passing likewise thorow their false ministery of force to seale vp Gods covenant vnto them, & so consequently not to be reiterated.
• But the first is true Apoc. 18.4. For in Babylon were Gods people converted, other ordinary Ministery was ther none, but that false Ministery of the Papists: & therfor it is apparent that God made thereby his word effectuall to all them that beleeve.
• Ergo &c.

If it be objected, that if God should convert his people by an Antichristian mini∣stery, it were to give approbation to a false ministery, & to teach that men might lawfully vse it, which is absurd: I answer, for vs to vse a false Ministery is vnlawfull, but it is no more absurd or yet any approbation of a false ministery, for God to worke therby the good of his owne people, then it was his approving of the evill service of Iosephs brethren selling him into Egypt, bicause he vsed theire Ministery, for the saving of Iacob & his houshold, for God can worke good by an evill instrument.

If it bee still vrged, that the Antichristian Ministers had no calling to baptise, I say no more had the Iewes to put Christ to death; yet was his suffering awayleable to save all that beleeve: & so is the Sacrament to al Gods

people awayleable to seale vp salvation vnto them.