the Ertlle to the Galatians. Chap. 3 z6I It maybeobicc ed , that we cannot tell,whether infants be indeedc the childrenofGod,or no:and ifthey be notchildren ofGod,wcmay not baptizethem. Anlwer.The fame maybe Paid of men ofyeares : for we knowe not whether they be in- 3 I decde the children of. And therefore we may by the like rea- fon exclude them from all facraments. Againe , we are to pre- fume(in all likelihood) that infants ofbeleeuing parents , are I thechildren ofGod ,becaufe in their conception and birth, Godbegins to manifeil his elcthon : thawing himfclfe a God t not one]; to the parents,but alto to their feed. Secondly,it is obieìed,that infants haue no faith; and con - fequently,that baptifmc is vnprofitable voto them. Anf.` Some thinke, they haut faith, as they haue regeneration , that is, the inclinationor feede offaith. Others fay, that the faith ofthe 5 parents is alto the faithoftheirchildren:becaufe the parents by their faith,receiue the promife of God, both forthcm(elues & their children: And thus to be borne in the Church ofbelec- uing parents,is in ficadof the profelsionoffaith . To this fe- cond opinion I rather incline, becaufe it is the auncicnt and 20 receiued doirine ofthe Church. Thirdly,it is alleadged,that infants know not what is done, when they are baptized. e.frof For all this,baptifine kath his vie in them: for it is a kale of thecouenant , and a meanes to. admit them into the feflowfhip of the vifible Church,whereof 25 for right they are members. A father makes a Purchafre for himfellfe and his children:at the timeof the fealing,the childreni know not what is done ; and yet the purchaffc is not made in vaine for them. It may be demanded, whether the children of Turkes and Lewes are tobe baptized? Anfrr. No : becaufe the parents are forth of the couenant. Secondly,it is demnded, whether the children of profeflèd I Papifts,are to bebaptïzed?flnfw.The parents are perlons bap- I tized in the name of thefather , tonne, and holy Ghoff. And s 5 though the Papacie be not the church of God,yct is thechurch ofGod hidden in thepapacic,and to be gathered out of it:and for this caufc,baptifine rernaines Gill in the ChurchofRome. For this taule I thinke, that infants of profeffed Papifls may be baptized,twocautions obferued: the firf} , that the forefaid parents define thisbaptifine: the fecond , that there he fureties K k 3 which
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