An account of all the proceedings of the commissioners of both persuasions appointedAn accompt of all the proceedings of the commissioners of both persvvasions appointed

Sect. 1. Ex.

Ans. [Until they have made due profession of Repentance, &c.] We think this desire to be very hard and uncharitable, punishing the poor Infants for the Parents sakes, and giving also too great and arbitrary a Power to the Minister ⟨p. 109⟩to judge which of his Parishioners he pleaseth, Atheists, Infidels, Heretics, &c. and then in that name to reject their Children from being baptized. Our Church concludes more Charitably, that Christ will favourably accept every Infant to Baptism, that is presented by the Church, according to our present order; and this she concludes out of holy Scripture (as you may see in the Office of Baptism) according to the Practice and Doctrine of the Catholic Church, Cyp. Ep. 59. August. cap. 28. & de verb. Apost. Ser. 14.

Ans. [Until they have made due profession of Repentance, &c.] We think this desire to be very hard and uncharitable, punishing the poor Infants for the Parents sakes, and giving also too great and arbitrary a Power to the Minister ⟨p. 109⟩to judge which of his Parishioners he pleaseth, Atheists, Infidels, Hereticks, &c. and then in that name to reject their Children from being baptized. Our Church concludes more Charitably, that Christ will favourably accept every Infant to Baptism, that is presented by the Church, according to our present order; and this she concludes out of holy Scripture (as you may see in the Office of Baptism) according to the Practice and Doctrin of the Catholick Church, Cyp. Ep. 59. August. cap. 28. & de verb. Apost. Ser. 14.

Repl. We perceive you will stick with us in more then Ceremonies. To your Reasons we reply, 1. By that Reason, all the Children of all Heathens, or Infidels in the world, should be admitted to Baptism, because they, should not be punished for the Parents sakes. 2. But we deny that it is (among Christians that believe Original Sin) any absurdity, to say that Children are punished for their Parents sakes. 3. But yet we deny this to be any such punishment at all, unless you will call their non-deliverance a punishment. They are the Children of Wrath by nature, and have Original sin. The Covenant of Grace, that giveth the saving Benefits of Christ, is made to none but the faithful and their Seed. Will you call this a punishing them for their Fathers sakes, that God hath extended his Covenant to no more? Their Parents infidelity doth but leave them in their Original sin and misery, and is not further it self imputed to them; If you know of any Covenant or Promise of Salvation, made to all without Condition, or to Infants on any other Condition or qualification, but that they be the Seed of the faithful dedicated to God, you should do well to show it us, and not so slightly pass over things of so great moment, in which you might much help the world out of darkness, if you can make good what you intimate: If indeed you mean as you seem to speak, that its uncharitableness to punish any Infants for the Parents faults, and that a non-liberation is such a punishment, then you must suppose, that all the Infants of Heathens, Jews, and Turks are saved (that dye in Infancy) or else Christ is uncharitable: And if they are all saved without Baptism, then baptizing is of no use or necessity, as you seem to think. What then is the privilege of the Seed of the Faithful, that they are Holy, and that the Covenant is made with them, and God will be their God? We fear you will again revive the opinion of the Anabaptists, among the People, when they observe that you have no more to say for the baptizing of the Children of the Faithful, than of Infidels, Heathens and Atheists. To your second Objection, we Answer: You will drive many a faithful Labourer from the work of Christ, if he may not be in the Ministry, unless he will baptize the Children of Infidels, Heathens, and Excommunicate ones, before their Parents do repent. And the first question is not, who shall be judge?