Richard Baxter's Catholic theology plain, pure, peaceable, for pacification of the dogmatical word-warriors who,…Richard Baxter's Catholick theologie plain, pure, peaceable, for pacification of the dogmatical word-warriours who,…

172. But our Right to both as begun, hath less for the condition th•• our Right to them as continued and perfected. For our believing▪ consent to the Baptismal-Covenant putteth us into immediate Right to all the benefits of the Covenant which we are then capable of, but not to all that we shall be made further capable of hereafter; we are pardoned, and should be glorified, if we presently died: But as we have more Grace to receive, so we have more Duty to perform as a means, yea a condition, of obtaining it.

173. This (over-looked by many) is much to be considered, both as to the case of Infants baptized, and the Adult. Many wonder that the ¹Children of godly Parents prove oft so bad, as if by the Baptismal-Covenant they had received nothing from God. But the Synod of Dort, Art. 1. §. 17. well concludeth that godly Parents have no cause to doubt of the Election or Salvation of their Children dying in Infancy, they being holy and in the same Covenant with their Parents. But the continuance of Gods Grace hath a continued condition and means to be used on our part. The condition which the Covenant requireth to an Infants first Justification, is, [that he be the Child of a true Believer, by him dedicated to God]. And as the first Condition is to be found in the Parent (or Owner) so must the Condition of continued Grace as long as the Child continueth an Infant. And that is the continuance of the Parents Faith, and his faithful performance of his promise made to educate his Child in the way of God: But if the Parents should presently both turn Infidels, and so educate their Child, and give him up as the Janissaries are, to an Infidel to educate, I know God may nevertheless give him Grace above his Promise if he please (for a Benefactor as such is free): but I know of no assurance of it by Promise. For in Baptism both Parties were obliged for the future, and not one only. And if when the Child cometh to the use of Reason he wilfully reject and resist Gods Grace, and break his Covenant, he forfeiteth Gods further Grace. And I have noted, 1. That most Children which I have seen very early wicked, have been such whose Parents grossly neglected their Duty and Covenant as to a holy prudent careful Education of them; as if God must needs save their Children, because they were the Children of Believers, who thus betrayed them. 2. And those that were well educated by their Parents, usually show hopeful signs at first, till their own lusts grow up, and deceive, and overthrow them. The nature of the mutual Covenant, and the sad experience of the case of many baptized Children, maketh me incline to this Opinion; which I do not peremptorily assert, but humbly propose to better judgments with submission: ut what-ever we say of the Parents, I doubt not but to the person at age, future benefits have future conditions.