42 3 The Birth-Friviledge and Covenant- holinehe Chs47 Covenant of Church-mem- bers either ex- plicite or im- plicite. Firfl, The Infant that is to be baptized, if vae confider it in itf elf es abfiractedfrom the parent , :gizcs no reafon for it felfe why it lhould be baptized. This we willingly yield,the infant bath no in- dependent title , the right claimed is in relation to the parents and thence I inferre the Infants right is fomewhat , that parents can tranfmit to their children that gives the title, otherwife they might have regeneration from parents as well as Baptifme. It is not then inherent graces that we muff look after , refpeetive to the childes intereft, but Covenant- priviledge, Covertant-holi- neffe. A fecond ground is inferred from the former. ef'ii children then (faith he) are baptized by venue of the parent, one or both, ever confdering the chille in relation to the parent , being the branch of much a root , andJo I take in the childe together vrith the parent. Hence the fay corn monly,the} mull be children borne in the Church, that is,o f jnch parents as are members of the Church, being a Society of vifible Saints joyned together , by way of Covenant, to exercife an holy communion with god in Chrift, and fo one with another , accord- ing to the order of the Goliel ; for 1 prefnme none are fo fottifh to underhand a Church to be that place which by a Metonymy of the fub- jell ire calla Church nor the Parifhes that then live in which ne- ver were of Ecclefatical coniiitution. Here much is fpoken to cloud, but very little to cleare the queftion. I am utterly to Peek what is meant by that place,which by a Metonymy of the fubjed we call a Church : our meeting places feeme to be in- tended, but few children are borne there ; and Mailer Firmin fpeaks of a Church where children are borne. For the Cove - nant of which he fpeaks one with another,according to the order of one Gofpel, which he feemes to underfland of a Congrega -' tional Chu rch; conftituting Covenant,and puts into the definiti- on of a Church ; this should not have been premifed, but pro- ved. His adverfaries in this thing, know no fuch explicite Covenant. If an implicite one will ferve, then the Parifh -inha- bitants,which he (ayes were never of Eccicfia lical conftitution are all in Covenant ; Men that profelfe God in Chrift and by vertue of conveniency of habitation, joyne in one, in\the wor- fhip of God in the ufe of Ordinances, tacitely and implicitely are in Covens tt together, and we take it to be no fottifh thing to efteeme thefe as Churches. If this be his meaning, to affert onely
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