Miftakgs about ·'·Converfion~ ~X. Charity, requires us to ufe the means of_converfi~n for all, as tar as wecan have opporturuq~. · Were this true, no fuch-charity as to catch the .chtldren of TurksandHeathens, andbaptize them, and difpatch them toheav~nout ofhand;like thebloody wretches- , that _made the peor Pro~eftants (to fave their lives) to iwear they weuld com.e to !v1afs, and that they. would never depart from it, and then put them forthwith ,to death, faying, They -would bang them wh#e in a.good mind,. 2. Becaufe it prefuppofeth re– generation; and therefore cannot be. intendedto con-, fer it. Inall th~ exprefs infi:ances~n Script1:1re, we· fin4 that bap_tifmdoth fuppo(e th(!tr r~~ttng, be– lieving, receiving the Holy Ghofr,AC1Jt3r..A-01.2.38• and 1 o. 47· Mark 16.. 16. And to imagine, that ba– ptifm '"'·as inftituted,for an end of whichnot oneof the firfl: fubjetls was capable (fot· they1were all adul~. · · p~rfons, and fuppofed to have.faith and rep~nt.ance: ~ accort~ing as they profeffed, and their children were . not baptized till after them, in their right) wereno> little abfurdity. Were. this doCtrine true, baptifm . would ·make difdples; but-we fin(! it doth befpeak · them fuch before-hand, Ma t th.. 2~.19. 3· Becaufe· · Baptifm, being but a feal of the Coven~nt, cannot -– convey the benefits, but accordingto the tenour of :– the Covenant? towhich it is fet. Now the Covenant is conditional, therefore the , S~al conveys conditionally. The Covenant requires ~. fatth and repentance, as the conditionof the-grand . benefits~ pardon, and life, Acts I 6. 3r. and 3. 1 9o .. Andwhat~~eCovenant dothnotconvey, but :upon - there condtttons, t~eSeal cannot. S~ that Baptifm ::: d<?th pt:efuppofe.fatt~· and repentance tn the fubject; Wl~hout wh1ch, lt netther cloth, nor can convey the · favtng benefits .; otherwife the Seal rnould. convey ,– C6ntrary,to thetenour-of the Covenant ,to which it- c' · i~affixede:. - · - ; -, .
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