(65) not but why force good man fhould fay [Lard, I accept ofChrii andSalvation for all the Infants on Earth, and I bind them to ac- cept it when they come to Ace; and J hope the meer want of wafhing fhall not deprive them of that which Ihave power to acceptfor them] I never heard of valid contrafts made for Infantsbycny one that will but pretend to perfonate them. L. Thui you would make rebaptizing neceffary, iffuck Baptifirt be a nullity. M. i. Not to any whofe Parents, though betides the Laws of Conformity own, their agency, and dedicating their owa child to Chrift, which I hope is the cafe of inoft, cuftoni through God's mercy teacheth them better than the Canions and Common-Prayer-Book. 2. And I think not to any other, whofe Parents in Infan- cy, and themfelves at Age do own the Covenant, and think that it was valid Baptifm. For to fuch the end of Baptifm is attained. If it were no Minifter, or were one unautho- rized that baptized him, it would not be a meer nullity as to the ends, ifby miftake it were fuppofed well done. FaFtum valet, was judged by forne, when Athanafxs by a Boy was bap -. tized in Sport. L. What is your fourth Objeflion againi our way of Baptifm? M. That in perfonating the Child, they fay that they(and fo he by them) doth at prefent Believe, renounce, defire, &c. falfely intimating that Infants are bound at prefent to do this by another : And yet the fame men plead that God Both not accept him for the Faith of his Parents ; As if his God- fathers Faith were his, and not his Parents : when as God requireth no Faith, or Repentance of Infants, but only that [They be the Seed of penitent Believers, devoted to Chrift, ] And in the Catechifm it is faid that [Repentance and Faith are required ofperfons to be Baptized,] ( And Repentance and Faith have a promife of Life) and that Infants who cannot per- form thefe are Baptized hecaufe they promife them by their Sureties, which promife when they come to Age themfelves are bound toperform- Where note that the former Book had [Theyperform n them by their Sureties] They perceived that having faid Faith and Repentance are regaifite : Infants they faw ntuft Give at prefent what is requifite at prefent : And they knew that they had them
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