faulty or repugnant to God's word and will not assent and consent to all therein 3. The Papists hereby scandalized do scorn us and say The question is not now of an Infallibility or a Judge that all must assent to It is but who this Infaliible Iudge is whether it be the Pope and a General Council or the English Convocation which is liker to be of greater authority and infallibility we require no greater assent and consent of you to the Canons of the Universal Church than the State and Church of England require to their Books 4. This seemeth to us to let the Articles Liturgie and Ordination Book above the Bible 1. God himself hath not made the assent and consent to every thing contained and prescribed in the Bible necessary to Salvation or to the Ministry 1. There are divers Books in our Bibles whose Divine authority many have questioned who yet were not for that degraded The Apochryphal books are yet controverted by men tolerated on both sides There are hundreds of various Readings where no one is necessitated to determine for this or that Translations are all faulty being the work of faulty men And no wise men will declare that this or that or any Translation hath nothing in it contrary to the Original Word of God. And are our Bishops Books more faultless 5. It is a sin to Confederate with and Encourage such audacious Lording it over the Faith and Souls of men and such ill Examples L. Your instances shew that you expound them too strictly Can you imagine them so insolent and impious as to impose their own Books more strictly than the Bible and require more Assent and Consent M. Call it what you will I must suppose that matter of Fact which is undeniably evident to our senses It 's an ill argument This is unreasonable and ungodly or inhumane Ergo It was not done What is so false absurd or impious that man may not do L. Some say They are Articles of Peace only and not of Faith. M. Some Brains will be cheated with a meer noise of words as Birds with a whistle We deny not but Peace is one of the ends of the Impositions but the question is what are the Means Or whether they will take it for Conformity to promise I will live peaceably or I Assent that I should live in Peace Are you not bound in order to peace to Assent and Consent to all things in the Books Say I Assent that some things are true and good and some things false and bad which yet for Peace I will use and try how it will be taken L. Well What is there in these Books contrary to Gods Word or which you may not Assent and Consent to M. The number is greater than we would have them I will come to the chief of them which I before named to you L. I forgat to tell you that it is not all contained that is Assented to but all that is both contained and prescribed M. 1. A meer quibble to cheat Conscience Ask the Bishop Morley and Bishop Gunning yet living whether this was the sence and I will take their answer 2. Then Assent and Contained had been put in in vain and to deceive if Consent and Prescribed signifie as much without them 3. The word approbation in this Act and nothing contrary to Gods Word in the Canon confute this quibble 4. I told you were it so it 's never the better All in the Book is prescribed to some use They are outside men that think Vse reacheth but the Body Are Articles of Faith Assertions of no use CHAP. IX Point VI. Of the Article of Baptized Infants Salvation M. THE sixth Point of our Non-conformity is a new Article of Faith in these words in a Rubrick which we must Profess Assent and Consent to It is certain by the Word of God that Children which are baptized and dying before they commit actual sin are undoubtedly saved L. And what have you against Assenting to this M. 1. That it is a New Article of Faith. 2. That it is arrogant and divisive making a grand Controversie one Article of Faith. 3. It is certainly false in most if not every one that declareth such assent 4. It is a dangerous adding to the Word of God. L. Why call you a Rubrick an Article of Faith M. It is most expresly made such What is an Article of Faith but that which must be Assented to as certain by the Word of God Will you deny the Name where there is this Definition L. But how do you prove it to be new M. Because it was never made for us before you have the affirmative If you say it was ever before prove it It 's not in the Bible it 's not in our 39 Articles nor Creed L. Are not the old words of the former Book to the same sense M. Not at all If they were why did the New Convocation alter them The old words plainly signifie no more than this that Infants baptized have all ex parte ministri and may be saved without Confirmation Exorcism Chrysme Spittle Salt Milk and Honey and such other additions supposing him ex parte sui under the promise of Salvation that is to be the seed of the Faithful Though I verily believe that after the making of the Common-prayer Book our Canon-Makers in Bancrofts dayes began to warp towards a worser sence But our Defenders of the Liturgy expound it as I say and the tenor of the words may tell the Reader that they meant no more L. Tell me first where it is that your Controversie lyeth M. I. Negatively 1. It is not whether the Infant Seed of one believing Parent should be Baptized This is agreed on 2. It is not whether those may be dedicated to God as our Children and baptized who are Adopted or any way made our own Children as Abrahams bought and born to him in his house as his propriety were Though we cannot say we are certain of this yet we will not contradict them that say they are 3. It is not whether Hypocrites Children have not so far a right to Baptisme Coram Ecclesia as that the Minister ought to baptize them if it be justly demanded 4. It is not whether there be a certainty of the Salvation of all the baptized Infants of true faithful Christians that die before actual sin Though all good Christians are not certain of this yet with the Synod of Dort we hold that Christians have no just cause to doubt of it 5. It is not whether they may not be good men that think all baptized ones absolutely in a state of Salvation None of these are the Controversie II. But it is 1. Whether all Infants without exception that be baptized are saved if they then die 2. Whether this be certain by the Word of God. 3. Whether all that be not undoubtedly certain of it should be no Ministers L. But it is not said All Infants but Infants indefinitely
M. 1. There is no place of doubting of their universal sence For an Indefinite term in re necessaria is equal to an Vniversal And they except the unbaptized from Christian Burial 2. It is Baptized Infants as such that they speak of and that under no other Character nor with the least exception And a quatenus ad omnes valet argumentum 3. The Canon commandeth Ministers to baptize all Infants without exception that are brought to them on any Sundays or Holy-days to be baptized after the Manner of the Church of England 4. I have spoken with the Bishops that brought in and promoted this Article and they own the universal sence supposing the true form of Baptisme and say that as any man hath right to take up an exposed Infant in the streets and take it in so hath any one to bring the Child of a Heathen Infidel Atheist or Sadducee to baptisme 5. If they had meant it only of some baptized Infants and not all they knew the Non-conformists were of the same mind and then they would have told us what sort they mean. L. I. And why may not an Article of Faith be newly declared we have not read the Fathers It may not be unknown to them And I have heard that they are for it M. The most ancient Churches were so much employed in baptizing the adult Converted from Infidelity that we read little or nothing expresly and particularly what they did about Infants in Baptisme They baptized none at age without a serious Profession of true Faith and Repentance and holy Dedication to Christ They used to keep these as Learning Catechumens long before they baptized them save in case of necessity near death Therefore they had their set-times of the year for baptizing two or three times as our Bishops have now for ordaining And after all this strict preparation they pronounced the baptized in a state of Salvation but it was only on supposition that he was a sincere penitent covenanting Believer Even Hildebrand Pope Greg. 7. in his time concludeth that baptisme saveth none that dissemble or have not the Faith and Repentance which they profess which the Papists do ordinarily confess and Protestants much more And as for Infants the Ancients compelled not Christians themselves to baptize them but left them to their own choice Tertullian is for long delay till-they understand saying Cur festinat innocens at as Greg Nazianzene would have them stay at least three years In danger of Death they alway hastened Augustine and many others that had Christian Parents were not baptized till at Age. And they took Christians Infants as Paul did to be not unclean but holy and would receive others brought by such as adopted or owned them as Pro-parents But it was never the judgment of the ancient Churches that all Heathens or Infidels Children have right to Baptisme and Salvation if any will but offer them to Baptism Much less that it is certain by Gods Word that all such are saved 2. Articles of Faith are all contained in the Scripture and that is not new therefore nothing that is new can be an Article of Faith nor can it be said to be newly declared which was there from its beginning L. II. And why call you it arrogant and dividing M. Because it presumptuously condemneth the Reformed Churches and the Christian World determining that to be so certain by Gods Word that none should doubt of it that will be a Minister when the Christian World is of many several opinions about it L. What be those Opinions about it M 1. Some hold that the Covenant being the same pardoning saving Covenant that is made to the faithful and their Seed and their Children expresly called Holy they are all in a state of pardon and salvation before baptisme and baptisme doth but celebrate and invest them in it before the Church and solemnly seal their Covenant right And that this saving right is given only to the seed of the sincerely faithful or at most to those that have such Pro-parents though the Seed of Hypocrites must be received by the Church that know not mens hearts And this I take to be the Truth 2. Some others hold that this right to Salvation belongeth to them that have Grand-fathers and Grand-mothers or remote Ancestors that were truly Godly Christians 3. Some hold that it belongeth to all the Seed of professed Christians how bad soever the Parents be 4. Some hold that it belongeth only to the Children of true Believers that are baptized but not to the unbaptized 5. Some hold that it belongeth to Hypocrites Children that are baptized but not to the unbaptized 6. Some hold that it belongeth to all baptized ones if they have God-fathers that profess Christianity 7. Some hold that it belongeth to all baptized by a true believing Minister for the Faith of the Church 8. Some hold that it belongeth to none that by Baptism are taken into any Congregation guilty of Heresie or Schism 9. Some hold that it belongeth to all that are baptized by a Minister who is ordained by Bishops that have uninterrupted Canonical Succession and not to others 10. Some hold that the Baptisme of a Lay-man or a Woman may be effectual to the Salvation of such 11. Some Conformists hold that all Infants in the World are saved baptized and unbaptized 12. The most of the Papists hold that the baptized are saved both from the pain of Sense and of Loss but the unbaptized are saved from the pain of sense only but not of loss and so have neither Joy nor Sorrow 13. Many wise Men hold that Salvation is certain according to the first Opinion to the Seed of Sincere Believers but that we have no certain notice at all what God will do with all the rest baptized or unbaptized 14. Many think that God hath a certain number of Infants Elect whom he will save and will cast away the rest but that no man can know who they be though the Faithful may have some uncertain hopes for their Children more than others but no Promise 15. Some think that the Common state of Infants in the Life to come is utterly unrevealed and unknown to us I do not say that none of these opinions should be disclaimed But among all which Learned godly men of all Countries hold to say he that is not certain of some one of them as God's word is unmeet to be a Minister is dividing arrogance of men that overvalue themselves L. III. How then can you make good your charge of falsehood May it not be true among many false ones M. I make it good two ways men must say they are certain that are not certain 1. No man can be certain that God's word saith that which it doth not say But God's word doth not say directly or by consequence that all baptized dying Infants are undoubtedly saved He that saith there is such a word let him produce it It is suspicious that these same men
to be certain he cannot tell that another doth L. But though you be not certain of it the subscribers may M. 1. I have proved that no man is certain of it 2. Judge by all the rest of their wisedom whether every Youth that comes for Ordination from the Universities be so much wiser than we that they are certain of this which we think uncertain or false Judge by their other qualifications whether the seven thousand Ministers that declared their assent to the Book before they ever saw it are like to be certainer than the two thousand that were cast out And are they certain of this that are uncertain of many great and weighty truths through ignorance 3. Yea many Conformists and Papists say that Infant Baptism cannot be proved by Scripture but by Tradition And can Ten thousand Ministers then be certain by Scripture that baptized Infants are saved How gross a contradiction is this 4. And judge farther of the credit and modesty of such men some Divines say that Faith it self hath not evidence and that he that doubteth of Christianity and the Life to come may be saved if his belief of it be but strong enough to make him trust and prefer it before all this world And I hear their greatest Divines say that few would be saved if none but they that are undoubtedly certain of the Life to come and of the truth of the Gospel should be saved And yet all must be cast or kept out of the Ministry that will not affirm that they are more certain of a hard Controversie if not of an untruth than Christ requireth us to be of our very Christianity L. IV. What is the fourth part of your reason against this point M. 1. We dare not father that on God which he never spake 2. And we dread the curse Rev. 22. against them that shall add to his word viz. that he will add his curses upon them How terribly are false Prophets threatned that say Thus saith the Lord when the Lord never said it This is to belie God and to take his name in vain And for Nine thousand or Ten thousand Ministers to affirm that this is certain by God's word that they are undoubtedly saved and when they have done cannot to this day shew us one word of God that saith it is such an adding to his word as we had rather still be called all that 's naught and imprisoned than be guilty of We take it for a Fanatick presumption in Papists to pretend to be infallible in Councils in determining those things which out of the Council through ignorance they understood not and how it should be but by Enthusiasm or fanatick pretence of Inspiration that a multitude of raw ignorant fellows or lads should come to find that in God's word as undoubtedly certain which none of us in forty or fifty years search could ever find there I cannot tell L. I know not what to say to this I would they had left it to mens free thoughts M. And do you think now that it 's lawful for us deliberately to Assent and Consent that this is an undoubted certainty when we are not certain nor believe it to be true Should we lie to be conformable were there but this one thing it obligeth us to Nonconformity whatever we suffer for it CHAP. X. Point VII Of the English sort of Godfathers at Baptism L. WHat have you against our use of Godfathers in Baptism M. I. Negatively we are not at all against the old sort of Patrimi Susceptors or Sponsors that were used at Baptism in the ancient Churches though we think it but a prudential thing and not of necessity to Baptism L. What mean you by the ancient sort what did they M. At first the adult were themselves Baptized for their Children had no right till the Parent was a Christian. And for three hundred years Christians were under Heathen persecution in which some forsook Christ for fear by apostasie and others died while their Children were in Infancy who were thereby exposed to desertion or to Infidel Education Wherefore to secure the Education of these Infants the Susceptors that joyned with the Parents as their Seconds 1. Did testifie their opinions of the Parents as serious Christians not like to apostatize 2. And did promise that if the Parents either die or apostatized they should undertake the Childrens Education But if the Parents were dead already they undertook to Educate the Child themselves as their own But they were Sponsors for no Infidels Child unless they first adopted him or took him for their own L. And what doth our Godfathers differ from this for which you take them to be sinful or not approveable M. The difference is so great and maketh so great a change in our Christening as I am loath to name to you 1. With us godly Christian Parents themselves are forbidden to be Godfathers with the rest and to speak one word much more to profess that they dedicate them in Covenant to Christ Nor must the Minister urge the Parent to be present lest his consent seem necessary 2. The Godfathers and Godmothers are neither tyed to bring the Children of Christians only nor only such as they take for their own but without difference may bring the Infants of any Atheists Sadducees Jews Infidels or open enemies of Christ and godliness without taking them for their own 3. They personate the Child in promising and professing in his name without authority so to do 4. They do not only promise what the Child shall do hereafter but they at present profess that the Child by them or they personating it do Believe renounce sin and desire Baptism As if the Child were bound to do this by himself or by another 5. Godfathers too commonly covenant for the future Education of the Child themselves to do it or cause it to be done which they neither ever purposed to perform or ever made the Parents believe that they intended and so make Christnening a perfidious Vowing or Covenanting with God These are not things indifferent I think L. 1. How prove you that the Parents may not be prime covenanters or Sponsors for their own Children Are not they obliged to get Godfathers and Godmothers for them who are supposed to come by their procurement And doth not that signifie their own consent to what these are to undertake M. It signifieth only that the Law constraineth them to let their Children be baptized to avoid their own punishment and to get others to enter them into the Christian Covenant But not that they either are Christians or consent to that Covenant themselves either for themselves or Children For 1. Known Atheists Infidels and Sadducees that deny Christianity are bound by the Law to get Godfathers for their Childrens Baptism as well as Christians and such cannot be supposed to covenant for them with Christ themselves The Sixty eight and Sixty nine Canons command Ministers to refuse no Child that is brought
nor to refuse or delay to baptize in private in case of danger who ever desireth him to do it 2. The Twenty nine Canon saith No Parent shall be urged to be present nor be admitted to answer as Godfather for his own Child Nor any Godfather or Godmother shall be suffered to make any other answer or speech than by the Book of Common-Prayer is prescribed in that behalf The Parent may say what he will to God in secret But at the Christening of his Child if he should but say I believe God's promise to the faithful and their seed I do devote my Child to Christ and engage him in his Covenant or I promise to educate him to Christianity he breaketh the Canon and goeth against the Churches Law. I did before the Bishops at the Savoy 1661. put the case to them thus without fiction An Infidel of my Parish that useth openly to talk against the Scripture and Life to come to avoid inconveniencies resolveth to send his Child to be baptized and I must not refuse it by the Law Hath the Child right to Baptism and is it undoubtedly saved Dr. Sanderson in the Chair answered nemime contradicente that if he brought him with Godfathers according to the Church of England I need not doubt it But there were but two in the Parish that openly declared themselves to be of his opinion and those two being his familliers are likest to be the Godfathers If the Child have not Right for Infidel Parents sake how can Infidel neighbours called Godfathers give him right L. But the Canon saith that the Godfathers shall be only such as have received the Sacrament M. Alas none are forwarder than these to receive the Sacrament and laugh at it and say they will obey the Church Yet I doubt not but a faithful Parent may be present if he will and may tell the Godfathers in private that his presence shall signifie his devoting act and when the Priest speaketh to the Godfathers he may bow his head whether the Priest will or not to signifie that act of his But this is nothing to the sense of the Church nor to our Assent and Consent to their exclusion of the Parent L. I confess it sounds to me as unnatural But what is your other reason against our sort of Godfathers M. Iâ— My second Reason is that it is a prophanation of this great and sacred Ordinance to invest those in the visible state Christianity and Salvation pretendedly that have no right to such investiture so they have but Godfathers they are to baptize the children of any Jews or Heathens or open enemies to Christ as well as of Christians which is a manifest prophanation L. What is the fault of it M. 1. It supposeth a false Doctrine that Infidel Children are within the Covenant and may be baptized as well as Christians which in the Books aforecited I have fully disproved 2. It is a dangerous adding to God's word and worship 3. It is a deceiving of mens Souls as to childrens state to make them believe that their children dying when baptized are all saved how bad soever the Parents be 4. It is a dreadful belying of God and prophanation of his name if men shall in the name of God pronounce pardon and salvation to those whom he never gave them to L. But God will not punish the Children for their Parents sin M. Not those that see their fathers sins and forsake them and live not as their Parents did and that 's all that the Scripture saith for such But if you will read my two foresaid Disputations for Original sin you will see it fully proved that God punisheth Infants because they are the guilty and corrupt seed of guilty and corrupt Parents Do you believe our Church Articles and yet deny original sin If Infants have no guilt and sin what need have they of Baptism or of a Saviour If they have need of both sure it is for no actual sin done by them was not the World lost for Adam's sin Was not Cain's posterity cursed for his sake Were not all the Infants of the old World and all the Infants of the Sodamites burnt with fire from Heaven and the Infants of the Canaanites and Amalakites c. killed for their Parents sin Did not Christ tell the Jews Mat. 23. that all their Forefathers persecutions should be punished on that Generation The Jews knew this that said His blood be on us and on our Children Our Liturgy saith Remember not Lord our offences nor the offences of our Forefathers c. 2. And yet I tell you that it is for their own sin that the seed of the wicked perish sin is made their own when soul and body were for guilty corrupt Parents made such by themselves I do not say that God imputeth their Parents infidelity to them But this infidelity is the reason of their not being delivered from their own original guilt If Rebels forfeit Life and Estate and so their Children live in beggery and the King offer to restore Father and Children if the Father will thankfully accept his grace If the Parent refuse this his Children will be beggars Not because the King punisheth them for their Fathers fault but because he first deprived himself of the Estate which he should have left them and next because he refused to deliver them If a Father will set the Pox on his children and after refuse a Physician that would cure him and them the Physician doth not punish the children All Scripture and Nature tell the world that it is so deep an interest that Parents have in children as being causes of their very essence by Communication from their own essence and it is so natural a power that Parents have over their children that it should seem no strange thing to Christians or Infidels that God maketh a very great difference between the seed of the faithful and of the Infidels and wicked And its strange that any men should rather lay their title to pardon and salvation upon a meer neighbour or stranger that perhaps is a wicked wretch himself than on the Parents of the child L. But will God save children for their Parents Faith M. If he destroy Infants for Adam's sin do you think that Justice is so much more extensive then Mercy that he will shew no mercy for Parents sake But the case is this Christ the Second Adam hath merited pardon and salvation to be given conditionally to all Not absolutely for then all would be saved What the condition is to the adult we are agreed viz. Faith and Repentance and Dedication to Christ by covenant consent And do you think that Infants pardon and salvation hath no condition If none than all Infants are saved if any condition what is it 1. Is it barely that they be baptized without any right but what all have This is an injurious fiction God never said it And it s an unreasonable imputation on God as if he would
inserted those restraints of the hurt and abuse of the Diocesan form and their Courts as may do much to secure Religion And if they be kept from doing harm we have most of our end Their faults are not ours who cannot remedy them 4. And you are mistaken in thinking that this form of Reconciliation will cause no Concord Less was accepted with published thanks to the King for his Declaration 1660. And I believe that the Dissenters would be so few as that the Concord of Consenters would render them inconsiderable or uncapable of being dangerous to our peace L. But 1. what makes you put in so much that no body denieth Do you not seem hereby to intimate unjustly that all this is denied you M. 1. I have no hope of Concord but by disputing ex concessis and improving mens own principles Do you think I am so foolish as to expect that Adversaries so fierce should change their judgments by any thing that I can say if their own interest or their own principles by inference change them not 2. We want nothing more in reality and practice than that which is most granted us in shadow and general words who grant not that we must obey God before man And must love God above all our neighbours as our selves and must do as we would be done by And must bear with the receive the weak and persecute none c. And if this were done we were all agreed O happy England if all were granted practically and indeed which men in general words approve But if they grant this and yet will not grant it but seek to ruine them that seek it are they not unexcuseable L. Why begin you with the qualifications requisite to Baptism as if you spake to Infidels M. Because I cannot build without a foundation This is the chief thing necessary to our Reformation that the Church may consist of capable persons L. Why name you Parents and Pro-parents instead of God-fathers and God-mothers M. Because it belongs to him to covenant in the Childs name or behalf whose will may justly go as for the Childs will and that is they whose he is and who have the power of him and whom God hath commanded and authorized to this office and who are obliged to educate him and seek his well-fare By Pro-parents I mean such as by Adoption or otherwise justly take the child for theirs which when Parents leave them Orphans is usual I say nothing against God-fathers as seconds presupposing this much L. But I pray you who shall be judge whether the profession be Understanding which must be made by the Adult or by the Parent By this trick you will make the Priest the chief Governour of the Church and he shall keep out whom he pleases as for want of understanding the words of the Covenant M. 1. I confess that this is the first and most momentous part of the power of the Keys But it tells us that it is not only Bishops that have that power But either some-body or no body must have this power or trust 1. If No-body Turks Heathens Sadducees any may be baptized tho' in scorn and may be members of the Church at pleasure and the Church shall indeed be no Church being confounded with the World. A Parrot may be taught to say those words A man of about 80 Years of age in the Parish where I taught being ask'd who Iesus Christ was pointed to the Sun and said That was he and ask'd Wh was the Holy Ghost Said he thought the Moon What wiseman will be the Pastor of such a Church 2. Christ hath instituted an Office for this judgment and given them the Keys Therefore there must be some such judge 2. If Some-body who must it be 1. If it be every expectant for himself it will be as before and there will be no Church Any Heathen may come in 2. If it must be the Magistrate you call him to attend this Service and to teach and try all that are baptized at age and all Parents for their Children And if you lay on him the Pastors Office you make him Pastor 3. If it must be the Bishop it is impossible and no Bishop will do it when he doth not so much as know or see one of an hundred in his Diocess It must then be the Parish-Minister or No-body 3. Those must be trusted with it whom Christ hath appointed for such trust But that is the Ministers To them he hath commited the Keys of his Church or Kingdom 4. Those must be trusted with it that must Execute it It is the Minister that must Baptize And therefore he must judge whom to baptize or else he is but an Executioner like one that washeth any one that 's foul and not a judge of what he doth nor must answer for it 5. The Universal Church ever since Christ's days hath agreed in this And shall we now overthrow it And as to the exception against the Power of the Pastor 1. All power may be abused shall we have no King no Judge or Justice or Bishops because they may abuse their power 2. It is so natural to men to consult their own carnal Interest which will here most lie in pleasing the people and sloathfully to omit so costly and troublesome a duty that it 's enough to foretell that a hundred will sin in making the door too wide for one that maketh it too narrow and doleful experience tells us this We are confounded by the contrary extream 2. He that is refused wrongfully by one Minister may find enough that will receive him 3. We grant appeals to Rulers in case of Male-administration 4. The setting open the Church-doors without an examiner will be an hundred fold worse And you must be like the Woman that would never have her house swept lest her servant should chance to sweep out a pin What think you of all the ancient Churches that taught the Adult long as Catechumens before they would baptize even them that begg'd it L. 2. In your second Article again you give the Minister a power to judge of mens Understanding But I need no further answer to that But do you not thus make Examination by Ministers necessary to the Sacrament M. I make it needful to Confirmation or Adult-Communion but that is but once in a Man's life L. But is it not enough that Children own their baptismal Covenant by coming to Church and not denying it without any Confirmation or other Profession M. Many come to hear that are no Christians Children are born in Nescience and when they come to age must be made knowing Christians and believe and obey for themselves if they will be saved and they cannot consent to their baptismal Covenant if they understand it not This is the thing that hath corrupted the Church Those that were Infant-Christians and at age were no Christians have filled many Congregations Yet I confess that where Confirmation and Personal Trial is by the
that hath a preaching Minister When if these be Pastors and feed the Flock they had more need to drive such Men to Preaching Ministers than from them L. But the Validity of the Sacrament dependeth not on the worthiness or ability of the Minister M. 1. But the Edification and consequently the Salvation of Souls hath no small dependance on the Ability and Ministration of skilful faithful Pastors as Mens Health and Lives do on skilful Physicians And no man should deny himself the benefit of such that can lawfully have it nor should starve his Soul in Obedience to Canons If Preaching and that soundly and skilfully be as needless as such men pretend why did Christ Preach and send out Preachers and why did Paul so dreadfully charge Timothy 2 Tim. 4. 1 2. to Preach the Word and be instant in season and out of season c. And why doth he so urge the Ephesian Elders Act. 20. to imitate him that taught them publickly and from house to house day and night with tears And why do the Prelates make every Priest Covenant in their Ordination to instruct the People out of the Scripture and with all faithful diligence to Minister Doctrine and teach the People with all diligence to observe God's Commandements and to use both publick and private Monitions and Exhortations as well to the sick as the whole within their Cures as need shall require and occasion shall be given Why do they Ordain them all to be faithful Dispensers of the Word of God Is all this done by mere Reading that which a Woman or a Boy of 12 years old can read as well as they Do these Men know what Souls are worth how the Reason and Will of Man are moved How strong Sin is and how blind and bad the Heart of Man L. But it is the Sacraments that they are forbidden to go far from an unpreaching Minister M. 1. Other Canons also forbid them oft to Hear in other Parishes 2. If my Need and God's Law oblige me to choose a better Pastor than that ignorant Reader tho' in another Parish is it not fit and my Duty to Communicate with him that I justly take for my Pastor Moreover I must tell you that when an Ignorant Fellow taketh on him the Sacred Office which he is unfit for and so liveth in the constant Sin of omission and of Prophanation of Holy Things and of betraying Souls I take it to be a Sin to harden and encourage such a bold Presumer in so great Evil and to encourage People that need better to be content with such a Pastor Tho' I determine not whether he have the Essentials of the Ministry and tho' I doubt not but the Sacraments are no nullities to them that take him for a true Minister And yet I must add that there are some Abilities Essential without which no Man is truly a Minister of Christ And this Essential Ability as certainly reacheth to the work of Teaching as to Administring Sacraments He is not worthy the Name of a Minister that denies this I would not strain this Necessity over high But I say that he is no Minister that wants Essential Ability And if the Papists and their Emissaries would make the People believe that all not ordained by Prelates are no Ministers and that such excellent Men as Blondel Chamier Sadeel Dalle and all such abroad are none I think them more excusable who take him for none that cannot Preach and must be forbidden to Expound any Doctrine If it were for want of Tongue and Voice he could not read If it be for want of Knowledge can that Man be by Office a Teacher of Christian Doctrine that knoweth it not and cannot teach it and cannot do that for his Flock that every Parent and Husband should do whom the Children and Wives are commanded to learn of L. A man may read sound Doctrine that understands it not and by reading may teach others M. But he is not capable of the Office of a Teacher of Christianity that understands it not no nor so much as of Christianity it self or adult Baptism A Turk that believeth not the Gospel may read it And you may write it on a Pillar and that may teach Men and yet Pillars and Books are not Pastors L. But what 's all this to your Conformity M. 1. It 's unlawful for me to Swear Obedience to this 2. Or to publish an Excommunication against good Christians for not despising their Souls and the Preaching of the Gospel 3. Or to repel such Persons if they seek to me for any Pastoral Helps and Sacramental Communion Chap. XXXIII Point XXX Of Canon 58. that maketh the Surplice necessary to Ministration M. I Am not determining whether it be any Sin to wear a Surplice nor censuring any man for it But when it is known how many learned and excellent Ministers have been against it I take it for a greater Sin than I will name to eject them from the Ministry for it and I cannot approve of such a Canon But enough of this before Chap. XXXIV Point XXXI Of Christening all Children without Exception according to Canon 68. M. THe words are No Minister shall refuse or delay to Christen any Child according to the Form of the Book of Common-Prayer that is brought to the Church to him upon any Sunday or Holy-Day to be Christened I have said so much of this before that I here only say briefly 1. This supposeth a false or unproved Doctrine that the Infants of all Atheists Infidels Jews Hereticks Blasphemers c. are in the Covenant of Grace so far as to have right to be put by Baptism into present Possession of Pardon and of right to Salvation 2. When none must be delayed that are brought to Church the Minister cannot so much as enquire whether the God-fathers know what Christianity is or are Christians or Jews or Infidels Or whether ever they received the Lord's Supper which the Canon makes necessary 3. Till they have given the Church proof from God's Word that all Infants in the World have right to Baptism it is too great Domination over mens Faith to command Obedience on pain of Suspension Had we given no better proof for the Holiness and Baptism of the Seed of the Faithful than these men bring for the Seed of Infidels most good Christians had turned Anabaptists long ago Chap. XXXV Point XXXII Of Can. 72. Against Fasts and Prayer L. VVHat are the words of that Canon M. No Minister or Ministers shall without License and Direction of the Bishop of the Diocess first obtained and had under his Hand and Seal appoint or keep any Solemn Fasts either publickly or in private Houses other than such as by Law are or by Publick Authority shall be appointed Nor shall be wittingly present at any of them under pain of Suspension for the first Fault of Excommunication for the second and of Deposition from the Ministry for the third Neither shall any Minister not
save thousands meerly for water and words and comdemn thousands that had not the opportunity of these And it is certain that Christians never dream'd of this absurd opinion or else godly Emperours would have forced Baptism on the children of all their Heathen Subjects and would where their conquering Armies came in Charity have catcht up their children and baptized them And Bishops and Doctors would have taught and intreated them so to do To make meer baptising alone the condition of Infant salvation is to lay Heaven on such a ceremony quite out of the Infants power as would but tempt the rational Infidels to deride Christianity No sober men lay a childs Estate or Life on such a thing 2. If there must be some condition of Right to Baptism antecedent to it what is it 1. It is not actual faith in that Infant that understands not 2. It must then be some others act or nothing If anothers whose should it be so likely as the parents from whom the Children have their essence Whom nature hath taught to take them as almost parts of themselves and so hath the custom of all Nations and who are obliged above all other to provide for them and whose will in their Infancy disposeth of them till they come to have a rational will of their own in act And Scripture from end to end confirmeth this But besides this you know not whither to look for a title-conditione unless to some Pro-parent whose the child is upon the Parents Death or Resignation For 1. If you say it is the Faith of the Church as some that giveth the Child Title what Church mean you The Universal or National or Diocesan or Parochial And how doth the Church give right to Pardon and Life to Infidels Children If it be meerly volendo as if Heaven were at their Will why do they not sit at home and make a deed of Gift of Heaven to the Infants at the Antipodes and of all the World If it be by baptizing them I shewed before that Baptism meerly as such doth it not And if it be the Will of the Baptizer they must mean the Priest Deacon or another And to say that these are the Terms of Infant Title to Baptism and Salvation that if the Priests will they shall be baptized and saved or else not seemeth a New Gospel 2. But it seems with us it is the God-fathers that give them Title else the Church could save them when they will without Godfathers And if so where is the proof of it in Scripture or Reason that God will accept and save Infants because a meer Neighbour will bring them to be baptized and promiseth to bring them up well if they live It is supposed that these Sponsors own not the Children and how come they then to have the power to be their Representatives and to dispose of their Souls L. But any Beggars Child hath right to be taken into your house if you are so Charitable as to do it And so much right to Baptism and Salvation by it Christ hath given to all M. Where is that deed of Gift to be found It is not a Forgery He hath made a Covenant to the Faithful and their Seed But where hath he said I will save all Infidels Children if any Priest or Christian will but Baptize them He that said Go to the high-wayes and hedges and compel them to come in excepted the Refusers and required none but perswading compulsion And its Parents that have power of their Children He that can believe to day that God hath made a Gift of Salvation to all Infants that any body will baptize may easily believe to morrow that he will not cast away the rest meerly because no Carrier will bring them in or because no body will wash them and say over them the words of Baptisme God hath made even in the Second Commandment and in Exodus 34. when he proclaimed his name and nature so great a difference between the Seed of the Godly and the Wicked that we dare not consent to the confounding of them nor with the Anabaptists unthankfully to deny this Mercy nor to deny or corrupt Pauls plain assertion Else were your Children unclean but now are they holy L. III. What mean you by your third Exception M. I have told you while I opened the former They personate the Child without Authority And it is a great doubt whether the Covenant and Baptisme were not a meer Nullity did not Parents besides the Laws of Conformity some way signifie their own Agency therein If any Neighbour should make a Covenant in the name of your Child binding him at Age to Marry an Heiress who hath a Lordship to her Portion would this either oblige your Son or give him any present right to her or her Estate L. If the Donor or person empowered Consent it giveth a conditional right which becometh Actual when he marrieth her and so here if God consent its so far valid M. God hath given Christ and Life conditionally to all before they believe or are baptized But all must not therefore be baptized This is not Actual Right and so such Infants have no right by this Rule till they believe in Christ. But Baptisme is an actual Marriage with Christ and its a Mockery where neither Party doth consent Christ doth not consent for he hath made no Promise but to the faithful and their Seed Let them that affirm more show it The Infant doth not consent having no Will of his own in Act and the thing being done by one that had no power to personate or oblige him And he may say It was no act of mine personally or Legally L. Any one may accept a gift for another and bind him to gratitude which if he refuse he forfeits it M. If the Donor give it on those Terms it 's true And if you can prove that God hath made his Covenant Gift of Pardon and Salvation to all the Seed of Infidels Atheists and Wicked Men on Condition that any body will but Accept it in their names at present and bind them to accept it at Age it will then I confess prove a valid act of Charity And I see not but why some good man should say Lord I accept of Christ and Salvation for all the Infants on Earth and I bind them to accept it when they come to Age and I hope the meer want of washing shall not deprive them of that which I have power to accept for them I never heard of valid contracts made for Infants by any one that will but pretend to personate them L. Thus you would make rebaptizing necessary if such Baptism be a nullity M. 1. Not to any whose Parents though besides the Laws of Conformity own their agency and dedicating their own child to Christ which I hope is the case of most custom through God's mercy teacheth them better than the Canons and Common-Prayer-Book 2. And I think not to any other whose Parents