pAR. T II. Reverend M. Richárd. Baxter. t 3; Obie&. y. Baptifmú Efntial to a Church : The Apoflle, Heb. 6.1. putteth it among the Principles Anfw. r. It is only the thing fignified by Baptifm that is Èffentiai. z. The A- pofilecalls it a Principle, becaufe it is one of the.firft things taught; but not becaufe it is Effential to a Church. ;. The Anabaptifts have Baptifm in their Churches, though not of Infants. Obje&. 6. To make a League with Schfmatickr, a to be guilty of their Schifm. Anfw. True, If by that League you own, approve, or confent to their Schifm-,á But not by agreeingwith them to performCommon Duties. Obje&. 7. They are undermining the. Church and IWinifry,: andfiiall we feek peace with filch? Anjw.. r. Thole that we fpeakof are not filch. a. If they were, yet it is bar Duty to hinder them, by agreeing to moderate Ways, and Common Duties. Obje&. S. They are guilty oftheir Infants. Damnation , an much ae in them lyeth,, by not believing their part in the Covenant, nor -dedicating them to God. Aafw. They virtually confent for their Infants, in that they would a&ually do it, if they knew the Promue, Obje&. 9. They are under God's vifrble D0leaftre. Ergo, 6-o. Anjw. So faras Goddilowneth them, we mutt do fo, but no further. Objeel. to. TYefaall be reproachedat complying with them. Anfw. Slanderous Tongues cannot exculeus from plain Duties. Obje&. t t. Tholewhom wefhould Excommunicatewe may notbatie Communion with But the Anabaptifls fhould be Excommunicated ; Ergo, ere. Anfw. I deny theMinor taken of filchAnabaptiftsas we have now inqueflion. Obje& x z. It At a fcandalouí Sin unrepentedof. Anfw. x. So is many a greater Errour, whichMen muff not be Excommunica- ted for. z. It is virtually repented of; feeing if they knew the Evil of it, they would repent. Objeet. t ;. Thu would have a loafer Dijcipline than the Prelates or Papiflt : for they wouldnot Communicate with elnabaptifls. Anfw. r. I only avoid dividing rigour and cruelty. 2. They have Multitudes in their Communion that know not what Baptifm is, nor to what ufe, norwho Chrift is, whether God or Man ? nor many other Fundamentals. Ergo, TheirDifcipline is far loafer than I defire ; but toopartial allo. The Anabaptilsobje& ; We are bound to propagate the Truth, and ifyob will have Communion with ar, you muff be baptized. Anjw. r. You are bound to. propagate firft the greatefi Truths, that Salvation ly eth on, and to do nothing that may hinder this, by promoting your own Opini- ons. z. If you reie&Communion with all but Anabaptills,you reje& all the Church through molt Ages of the World. And no Church no Chrift : and no Chrift no Chriffians, nor any Salvation. ;. Blame usnot, if we be not ealily brought to your Opinion , ifwe had but thefe $.eafons. r. Youconfefs ( no thanks to you) that Infants were once Church.Members by God's appointment: and have, never yet proved that he cafe them out again. And we mutt have good proof of that before we can be fatisfied with your way. z. We cannot be ha/y to believe an Evil; and we know that it is a fadPenal E- vil for Litmusto beput out of the Church : And Ergo we will haveproofof it, be- forewe believe it. ;. It muff be no eafie matter with us to believe, that the Head and Shepherd of the Church bath de faíáo had aChurch of a falleConllitution, as to the very Materials, and Enterance, from the beginning to this day, except a few within this twenty yearsthat troubled it in a Corner of the World ; and that now in the end of the World, we muff expe& a right Confutation , as if Chrift had Ilept, or re- ,garded not his Church, or been the Headofa Body which he difowned : We can- not haftily believefich things. I fay again, No Church, no Chrift ; for No Body, no Head : And if no Chrift then, there is no Chrift now. Take heed therefore how you un-Church, or difownthe whole Church of Chrift in thevery frame, for M. many Ages. B b ;r9n
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