Baxter - BX5202 B291 1679

[145] tional Churches, or the Vniverfal Church ? or whether it muff be the Parents, Adopters or Owners of the Child. 4. Though the Godfathers be not bywords to promife their Parts, yet (landing purpofely there as undertakers of it, and hearing the Minifter exprefly tell them what their PA R T and D TT is, their coming and Handing in that relation, is a plain fignification ofconfent, and rendereth themobligedCovenanters or Sponfors. 5.Thefe fponfors are not obliged to profefs that the Child is theirs by Adoption or any propriety: And fo far is any fuch adopting or owning from their purpofes, that we never in all our lives knew any Godfather or Godmother as fuch, ( not having before taken the Child as theirs on other reafons ) that ever became a fponfor with fuch a fignified intent. 6. In molt Country Parifhes that we have known, a great part of the Communicants, feem Ignorant themfelves of what is to be undertaken for the baptized, (as we judge b? our tryal where we have lived, and the credible report of other Paflors : ) And too many notorioufly live themfejves in a courfeof life con- trary to what is to be undertaken for theChild, 7. In all our lives we never knew one perfon that undertook this Office of Godfather or Godmother who beforehand gave the Parents any crediblepromife or fignification, that they had any pur pore at all to perform, what the Church Chargeth on them, and they there undertake as their parts and duties. 8. Nor did we ever know one in all our lives that as a Godfather o; Godmother did perform it; L `ilv

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