A26886:319
Certain disputations of right to sacraments, and the true nature of visible Christianity defending…
Certain disputations of right to sacraments, and the true nature of visible Christianity defending them against several sorts of opponents, especially against the second assault of that pious, reverend and dear brother Mr. Thomas Blake / by Richard Baxter ...
London: printed by R.W. for Nevil Simmons, 1658
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Argum. 8. We ought not to baptize those persons (or their Infants as theirs) who are visible members of the Kingdom of the Devil (and his children) or that do not so much as profess their forsaking of the child-hood and Kingdom of the devil, But such are all that profess not a saving faith; Ergo.
The Major is proved thus. If we must Baptize none but for present admission into the Kingdom of Christ, then we must baptize none but those that profess a present departure from the Kingdom of the devil. But the former is true: therefore so is the latter. The Antecedent is granted by those that I have to do with. The reason of the consequence is evident, in that all the world is divided into these two Kingdoms, and they are so opposite that there is no passing into one but from the other.
The Minor of the first Argument I prove thus. All they are visibly in the Kingdom of the Devil, or not so much as by Profession removed out of it who Profess not a removal from that condition• in which the wrath of God abideth on them, and they are excluded by the Gospel from everlasting life. But such are all that profess not a justifying faith. Therefore I express the Major two ways disjunctively, lest any should run to instances of men that are converted & have not yet had a call or opportunity to profess it. If such are not visibly in the Kingdom of the Devil, at least they are not visibly out of it. The Major is proved, in that it is the condition of the covenant of grace performed that differenceth the members of Christs Kingdom from Satan's: and so it is that condition profest to be performed that visibly differenceth them before men. It is the promise of grace that bringeth them out of Satan's Kingdom: therefore it is only done invisibly to those that profess the performance of the condition. Moreover to be out of Satan's Kingdom visibly, is to be visibly from under his Government; but those that profess not saving faith, are not visibly from under his Government. Lastly to be visibly out of Satan's Kingdom, is to be visibly freed from his power as the