Baxter - BX5202 B29 1689

:. C64) dies 34. when he proclaimed his name and nature, fo great a difference between the Seed of the Godly and the Wicked, that we dare not confent to the confounding of them, nor with the Anabaptifis unthankfully to deny this Mercy, nor to deny, or corrupt Paid, plain affertion, Elfe were your Chil- dren unclean but now are they holy. L. III. What meanyou byyour thirdException. M. I have told you while I opened the former. They per- fonate the Childwithout Authority : And it is a great doubt whether the Covenant and Baptifine were not a meer Nullity, did not Parents betides the Laws of Conformity fome way lignifie their own Agency therein. If any Neighbour Ihould make a Covenant in the name of your Child, binding him at Age to. Marry an Heirefs, whobath a Lordthip to her Portion, would this either oblige your Son, or give him any prefent right toher or her Eftate ? L. if the Donor or perfon empowered Confine, it giveth a condi tional right, which becometh Ath al when he marriethher ; and fo here ifGod content its fo far valid. M. God hath given Chrift and Life conditionally to all before they believe or are baptized : But all muft not there- fore be baptized : This is not Aïlnal Right, and fo fuch In, fants have no right by this Rule, till they believe in Chrift. Eut Baptifine is an actual Marriage with Chrift, and its a Mockery where.neither Party doth confent. Chrift doth not content : for he hath made no Promife but to the faithful and their Seed. Let them that affirmmore, 'how it. The Infant loth not confent, having no Will of his own in Aft, and the thing being done by one that had no power to perfonate or oblige him. And he may fay, It was no act of mine, per- fonally or Legally. L. Anyone may accept agift for another, and bind him to grati- tude, which ifhe refufe he forfeits it. M. Ifthe Donor give it on thofe Terms, it's true. And if you can prove that God hath made his Covenant Gift of Par- don and Salvation to all the Seed of Infidels, Atheifts and WickedMen, on Condition that any body will but Accept it in their names at prefent, and bind them to accept, it at Age, it will their I confefs provea valid at of Charity : And I fee not

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