Que ions, andCafes, ofConfcience Chap. i '7. Ob. A privateperfon may teach ; and therefore baptize ? Anfw. Private and ministerial teaching are dißin& inkinde, as the authority of a Magic}rate, and Mat{er of a family are diflinel authorities. A private per- fon, as a Father, or Mailer, may inf {ruet hischildren and fervants : but he Both it by the ri:,ht ofa Father or Mailer, being fo commanded by the Word of God : but Minifters do it authoritativelyby vertue oftheir Calling and Offiice,as Anabafìadors in the Read of Chrift, 2Cor. 5. 2r. (ZieL{. Wherhrr is Baptlfice adn iviftred by a wicked man, or anberettck, true Baptifine ? Anfo. I f the laid Party be ordained, andhands in the room of a true Pat{ór, and keeps the rihc forme according to the inftitutionof Chrif{, it is true Ba- pcifine. Chrift commands the jewes to hear the Scribes and Pharifees, becaufe they fat in .Mofes chaire, flat. 23. t. though Hereticks and Apoftates, becaufe they caught manypoints ofMofes do&rive : but not only fuch. uef{. kJ ho are theperfons that are to be baptized? 4nfw. All fuch as be in the Covenant really, or in the judgement of chari- ty, and they are of two forts. Fist{, perlons of yeares that joyn themfelves to the true Church:yet before they be admitted to Baptifme, they are to make confeffionof their faith, and topro- mile amendment of life, AEís z.38. and 10.38. and thus all fuch texts ofScri- pture, as require faith and amendment of life in them that are baptized, are to be underilood of perlons of years. Seconcay, Infants of believing Parents. This was proved largely before: i but beceufe this doarine is fo much oppofed, I will adde fomething more briefly. Reafons for their Bapcifine arethefe. s. The Command of God, Mat. z8.18. Baptizeall Nations, &c. where- in the baptizingof Infants is prefcribed. For the Apofiles by vertue of this Com- mifl.ion baptized whole families, Afts s6.t 5,33. t (or.i.r 6. z. Circumcizing ofInfants was commanded by God, Gea. 57.14 but Baprifm fucceeds in the room of Circumcifion, (01. 2.t r. therefore baptizingof In- fants islikewife commanded. 3. Infants ofbelievingParents are within the Covenant of grace : For this is the tenour of the Covenant. I willbe thy God, and the God of thy feed, Gen. 17. 7. therefore they are tobe baptized. Ob. But this mromife was made to Abraham, as the father of the faith- full. Anfw. It belongs to all believing Parents. For Exod. 20.6. God promifes to,fhew mercy unto thoufands of them that lovehim. And Als 2.39. the Pro- mife is toyou, and to your children, crc. And z Cor. 7. 54. your children are holy, i. e. in the judgement of charity they are to be efleemed as regenerate, and fanelified: therefore they are to be baptized. For this is Peters reafon, Al''s 2. 38, 39. Towhotrí the Promifes belong, to them belongs Bapcifine: but to you and your children the Promifesbelong, therefore you and your chil- dren are tobe baptized. Ob. But we know Plot whether Infants are the children of Godor no, and there- fore we may not baptize them ? Anfw. Firf, the fame may be faid of menof yeares : for we knownot whe- ther they be Gods children or no, how fairly foever they deport themfelves; iò that by the like reafonwemay excludethem from the Sacraments. Secondly,we are to prefume that children of believing Parents,arealto Gods children, and belong to hiselectionof grace, God ordinarily manifefting, that he is not only their God, but of their feed alfo. Ob. Infants havenot faith, andfo their Baptifateis unprofitable. Anfw. Some think that they have faith as they have regeneration, wiz. is the
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