A manuel of controversies clearly demonstrating the truth of Catholique religion by texts of Holy Scripture, councils of all ages, Fathers of the first 500 yeers, common sense and reason, and fully answering the principal objections of Protestants and all other sectaries / by H.T.

Objections Solved.

Obj. Our Lord said to Abraham, I am thy God, and of thy seed, Gen. 17. 7. Therfore we

are made the children of God by being born of believing parents.

Ans. That promise concerns literally pe∣culiar protection, and worldly felicity, not the remission of sins and everlasting life; nei∣ther can we be the sonnes of Abraham by car∣nall generation, or by our c••rnall parents, (we are not Jews but Gentiles) but onely by spirituall generation (to wit, baptisme) by which we are born to God, and made the brothers of Christ, the son of Abraham. Those (saith St. Paul) are the sons of Abraham, not who are the sons of the flesh, but of fa••th, Rom. 4. 12, 13 so that your consequence is ill de∣duc'd.

Obj. The man an Infidel is sanctified by the faithfull woman, and the woman an Infidel san∣ctified by the faithfull husband: otherwise your children should be unclean, but now they are holy, I Cor. 7. 14.

Ans. If this text could prove any thing to your purpose, it would also prove the Infi∣del wife and Infidel husband in that case might be sanctified and saved without either baptisme or faith, as well as their children, which no man yet ever held; but let St. Au∣gustine answer you, It is to be held without doubting, whatsoever that sanctification was, it was not of power to make Christians, and remit sins, unless they were made faithfull by Ecclesia∣sticall

sanctification, and Sacraments. Neither can little ones (how just or holy so ever their pa∣rents were) be absolved from the guilt of Original sin, unlesse they shall be baptized in Christ &c. whence it comes that none can be regenerated in their parents, not being born; but if he shall be born, it is meet ••e be regenerated, because un∣less one be born again he cannot see the King∣dom of God, l. 3. de peccat, merit. & remissi. c. 12.

Obj. Christ himselfe was not baptized till thirty years of age.

Ans. He was not conceived or born in Ori∣ginall sin as we are, and therefore needed it not at all; nor was there any danger of his death, as there is of ours; so that his privi∣ledge cannot be our president.

Obj. The Scripture in many places says, they must be taught before they be baptized, Goe ye teach all Nations, baptizing them. There∣fore Infants which cannot be taught, ought not to be baptized.

Ans. Those who are at years of understan∣ding, must be taught and instructed first I grant; Infants I deny: Yet they must also be baptized, as hath been proved.

Obj. The place objected concerns all Na∣tions.

Ans. True; but not all particular persons, for the point of teaching, (Infants are excep∣ted

although it doe for the command of baptizing.

Obj. If baptisme were necessary for all to salvation, many thousand Infants would be damned without any sin, which is unjust.

Ans. Without any actuall sin, I grant; with∣out Originall, I deny; for In Adam all die, 1 Cor. 15. 22. And all are born the children of wrath, enough to justifie their condem∣nation.

Obj. You hold that some are saved without actuall baptisme.

Ans. Yes, by the desire of it we doe: but Infants are not capable of that; so that there is no means of saving them in case they die, but actuall Baptisme, or martyrdome for Christ.

Obj. Without faith it is impossible to please God, Heb. 2. and consequently to be saved. But Infants cannot have faith, for how shal they be∣lieve in him of whom they have not heard? Ro. 10.

Ans. They cannot have actual faith, I grant; neither is that requisite in them, though it be in the ripe of age; because as they died in Adam, and sinned onely by anothers will; so it is but just they should be repai∣red and quickned by anothers faith, to wit, the Churches; it sufficeth to their justifica∣tion, that the holy Ghost is given them, and his supernaturall gifts be infused into

them, by vertue of the Sacrament.