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

1. As to his Description of the persons to be Baptized, I shall add, 1. That his last Description, pag. 173. containeth nothing but what may stand with, First, an open refusal of God and Christ. 2. And that which is commonly taken for the sin against the Holy Ghost. For its past doubt that men may both be convinced of Duty, and confess the Necessity of it, and yet may openly profess, that the world and their lusts are yet so dear to them that they will not yet have God to be their God, & Christ to be their Saviour, on the Gospel terms. And I think a man that openly refuseth Christ at the present, should not be baptized at the present, though [he be convinced of Duty, and acknowledge the necessity of it].

As to his other Description, pag. 172. the word [Engagement to it] either signifieth [an engagement savingly to believe from that very instant forward] and this doth Necessarily import a present Profession of consent, and so of present saving faith: For man can so engage that doth not Profess such consent and believe: And this destroyeth Mr. Blake's cause. Or else it signifieth such an engagement to believe for some distant future time, which is consistent with a non-profession of present consent to have Christ as offered. And this is the same with that before confuted; If such may be Baptized, then they may say [we are convinced that we must savingly believe in Christ, and we do engage our selves to do it, as soon as we can spare the world and forsake the Flesh and the Devil; but yet we cannot, and will not do this.] Baptize such who dare for me.

As to his other Description, pag. 172. the word [Engagement to it] either signifieth [an engagement savingly to believe from that very instant forward] and this doth Necessarily import a present Profession of consent, and so of present saving faith: For man can so engage that doth not Profess such consent and believe: And this destroyeth Mr. Blakes cause. Or else it signifieth such an engagement to believe for some distant future time, which is consistent with a non-profession of present consent to have Christ as offered. And this is the same with that before confuted; If such may be Baptized, then they may say [we are convinced that we must savingly believe in Christ, and we do engage our selves to do it, as soon as we can spare the world and forsake the Flesh and the Devil; but yet we cannot, and will not do this.] Baptize such who dare for me.