'Ch.4.7. of the ifite of Beleevers. 457 ing legally uncleane, were excluded from the Paífeover. 2. He conceives fomething peculiar to them in the conFlitution of their yewsfh national Church from ours and r the gofjiel, and fo takes up the -4 abaptifts Arguments over and over an(wered, and there- fore I (hall not fpend farther time about ir, as before I did ob ferve that he yeelds the cause, where he faies, The wicked Jewes being members of that National Church,fo long as their member - (hip held, they might challenge Circumciuion ; fo for wicked per - fons, fo long as they continue members, and the Church lets them alone,theymay challenge Baptifine. But our 1ueftion, faith he, is, whether fuch perfons fhould be let alone? is not that Church to blame? though they are de facto members,through want of the ex- ercife of difcipiine; yet tLe gneftion is de jure ought filch to be members ? But as to us the question is, when the Church doth not excommunicate the parent, whether Matter Firmin or I may excommunicate the childe ? that he himfelf denies; and in cafe they were excommunicated whether the childe mutt with them fuller the fame cenfure ? I fuppofe that I have proved the con- trary. A fecond Objeiíon MafterFirmin meets with. " If you prac`tife " thus, you will make abundance in England, and in your Parish to " be no better then Heathens. To this he anfikers, l do not look upon all thofe whofe children I admit not to Baptifine as Hea- " thens, but as Church members in a large fenfe, through want of "Catechizing and Discipline , over growne with ignorance and prophanenefle ; I conceive they have a fundamental or re- " mote right (as Imay fay, to the Baptifine of their children, and " that I do not look at them as Heathen,&c, This is one demon- " fixation, for such as I do now refute to Baptize, it may be the 'a next childe God giveth the party I do baptize it, .he parent gives L' now fome better hopes then before, his conversation is more " reformed. It is ftrange that an Infants right fhouid thus ebbe and flow; if the parent fall offagaine from this hope,then his third childe mutt be as the firft, and according to the parents handing a- gaina, or yeelding to temptations., the infants title muff Rand or fall : So the fame family fha4l have a medley of Chriftian and Hea- then children; The Church of God hath hither to gwe by a rule more fiable and fettled. Mafter Firmin proceeds. Since then our Churches through N n n " want
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