Certain disputations of right to sacraments, and the true nature of visible Christianity defending…

1. It is not a Profession of saving Faith in the real intention of the Professor that we affirm necessary; but in the Apprehension of the Minister judging of the words according to their common use and acception: For we know not the heart of the Professor, and therefore know not certainly whether he intend those words as a Profession or not. I do not mean, whether he be sincere in his Profession, and intend the thing Professed▪ for that's no part of the Profession it self: but I mean whether he use the words which he speaks in the sense which they seem to us to import, and which they are used in by those that best understand their common signification. For example: a Papist presenteth a Child to be Baptized, Professing to believe in God the Father, Son and Holy Ghost: I know that these words according to the Scripture use of them▪ signify a true saving faith; but I am not sure whether the speaker do understand any more by them then a lower faith of mere Assent. If I knew he meant no more, I would require him to express a saving faith, before I would Baptize his Child, on his account: but if I know it not, nor have just reason to question it, I must take the words as they are commonly used, and seem to be intended by him and so if it appear to me to be a Profession of saving faith, though ⟨p. 53⟩I err and my error be innocent, it is my duty to Baptize the Child. I have known a man of eighty years of age that took God the Son, to be the sun in the firmament: If, before I had understood him, this man had professed to believe in God the Father, Son and Holy Ghost, and presented his child to baptism with this profession (and I had no ground before to suspect his error, or to examine him about his faith) it had been my duty to baptize his child. For though in the intended sense of the speaker, here was not so much as the Profession of an Historical faith, much less of a saving faith, yet I know not his heart, and the common use of those words as to another signification than he intended; and therefore I was Innocent in being deceived.

1. It is not a Profession of saving Faith in the real intention of the Professor that we affi•m necessary; but in the Apprehension of the Minister judging of the words according to their common use and acception: For we know not the heart of the Professor, and therefore know not certainly whether he intend those words as a Profession or not. I do not mean, whether he be sincere in his Profession, and intend the thing Professed for thats no part of the Profession it self: but I mean whether he use the words which he speaks in the sense which they seem to us to import, and which they are used in by those that best understand their common signification. For example: a Papist presenteth a Child to be Baptized, Professing to believe in God the Father, Son and Holy Ghost: I know that these words according to the Scripture use of them signifie a true saving fath; but I am not sure whether the speaker do understand any more by them then a lower faith of meer Assent. If I knew he meant no more, I would require him to express a saving faith, before I would Baptize his Child, on his account: but if I know it not, nor have just reason to question it, I must take the words as they are commonly used, and seem to be intended by him and so if it appear to me to be a Profession of saving faith, though