Baxter - BX5207 B3 A2 1696

Numb .IV 11'1)7' END 1X 803 `R.yg.28. Did you ever fie or hear our Reafons co prove that unlawful which u e took for filch ? If not, how can you judge fo peremptorily of them ? If yea, of '.the eight Points that at the Savoy we unde000k to prove great Sins, and of Thirty ` chat I take for heinous Sins (fhould 'I commit them). which are now in my Thoughts, I will only beg the Charity of your Arguments to prove the Lawful- ' efs of thefa very few following, leaff by the number I-difcourageyou. ` Q efE r. How prove you it lawful, to AThet and Cefeee to a doubled certainty ` that Infants baptized anddying before altual Sin, are Paved ?'not excepting any Infan- fantof Pagan, Turk, or Atheift, or lüfidel? Wereyou certain of this by Gods Word heretofore ? Are you certain now? O then help us to certainty by your Proofs. May not a Man be baptized that is not certain that the Gofpel is true, ifhe believe it fo faras to venture Life and Soul, and all upon it? .Qaejt.. z. How prove you that I may affent and cotdent that no Parent lhall be ` Godfather for his Child, nor enter. him at all into God's Covenant, by fpeaking one Word of Promifeor undertaking (nor faith the Cánonmay hebe urged -tube prefent) but that the only covenanting Undertakers or Prorliiters fha11 be our God- ' fathers and Godmothers, who perfideoully promife' whit not one of thoufands (chat adopt not the Child), ever make any Man believe that they have any inren- ` don to perform, and tempt Anabaptifs to take us all tobe unbaptized, as not bn- `ing'covenanted for by anythat had Authority to do it by God's Law. `Quell. ;. How prove you it lawful to Afyt andCanfent, to deny Chriftendoni `to all Infants, whofe Parents will not have.them dedicated to God by theTrank- `tent Image of the Crofi ? or will not have fuch God -fathers the foie undertaking Covenanters, but will openly enter their ownChildren into that Covenant them- `. felves ? efpecially when the Liturgy faith, a. That thefe Infants are certainly and ' undoubtedly faved, ifbaptized. z. And denyeth them Chriftian Burial if they dye unbaptized. Prove that a Minifter may Affent and Content to deny them `. Chriltendom and certain Salvation, becaefe of this Judgment of Godly Pa.. ` rents. ` Qucft. 4. Prove it lawful to deny Chriftian Communion to all Chriftians that' '_dare not receive Kneeling, or that are Excommunicate for not paying the Fees of ` the Court, or all chat alay-Chancellor uing the Power of the Keys Both Excom- municate ; and to affent and confent fo to do (to the firft at leali). `,Queft_f. How prove you it lawful to affent and confent to deny Chriftian 'Communion to all that are not Confirmed by the Bishop, or willing to be fo ? though he were never fo willingto own hisBaptifmal Covenant, and do all that a Chri- ftian Man fhould do. When the Reformed Churches have written fo much againit `the neceflty of fuch Confirmation. Queft. 6. How prove you it lawful toaffent and confent that all the Atheifs, Its- ` fidels, Hereticks, and WickedMen, yea, every individual Perfon in England, ex- ` cept the Unbaptifeo Er-aommunicare and Self-murderers (hail at their Burial be Mi- . nifterially pronounced Saved; viz. That God of his Mercy bath taken unto himfe f '.the Soul of this our dear Brotherout of the Mitèries, &c. as you read. And when we are Billed ina Goale our felves as Schifinaticks, unlelì aMan (ufually) excommuni- cate us,. they will pronounce us lived. `Quef. '7. How prove you it lawful deliberately to publilh your Affent and Con- ' fens to that little groß Falfhood, the Rule tó find out Eafter-day. I will trouble you with none of the many greater things. If you fay that you ' mean not to jnftify all thei and filch like, e. Will not common Reafon think fo by your Words, do they not imply it ? 2. If you think our Nonconformity ' our Duty, what meaneth your Addrefs to us as fuch, and your Counfels afore- ` mentioned ? and how enmesh our Silence and forfaking the Preaching of the Go- fpel to be our Duty during the need of fo many Thoufand Souls? As for unwarrantable. Separation and Accufation of the Parifh-Churches and Liturgy, we are many of us as truly (though not as far) from them as you. If whatI have written difpleafè you, it will but tell you that I prefer Truth and Confcence and the Churches Good before my very dear and much valued Friends Opinion or Will; and the Welfare and Peaceof his own Soul, before the plea- ` fing ofrim : I am pall doubt that you do in Sincerity leek the fame thing that I ` and others do, that is, the healing of a divided People, and the Clare of thefe Dill,.mpers which have drawn many to linful Separations. Three forts of Schifìn ' we di.eiaim as well as you : r. Making Faátions and Parties in .a Church to the Hind,aoce of Love, Peace, and Concord. z. Separatingfrom a Church on the Account that its Communion is unlawful, when it is not fo. ;. Much more fe- ' parating

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