A26892:6330
A Christian Directory
A Christian directory, or, A sum of practical theology and cases of conscience directing Christians how to use their knowledge and faith, how to improve all helps and means, and to perform all duties, how to overcome temptations, and to escape or mortify every sin : in four parts ... / by Richard Baxter.A Christian directory, or, A summ of practical theologie and cases of conscience directing Christians how to use their knowledge and faith, how to improve all helps and means, and to perform all duties, how to overcome temptations, and to escape or mortifie every sin : in four parts ... / by Richard Baxter.
London: printed by Robert White for Nevill Simmons, 1673
Title page typeset from the transcription.
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.
Quest. 41. Are they really baptized who are baptized according to the English Liturgy and Canons, where the Parent seemeth excluded, and those to Consent for the Infant who have no power to do it?
Quest. 41. Are they really baptized who are baptized according to the English Liturgie and Canons, where the Parent seemeth excluded, and those to Consent for the Infant who have no power to do it?
Answ. I Find some puzzled with this doubt, Whether all our Infants baptism be not a mere Nullity: For, say they, the outward washing without Covenanting with God, is no more baptism than the body or Corpse is a man. The Covenant is the chief essential part of baptism. And he that was never entered into Covenant with God was never baptized. But Infants according to the Liturgy, are not entered into Covenant with God: which they would prove thus: They that neither ever covenanted by themselves, or by any authorized person▪ for them, were never entered into Covenant with God (For that's no act of theirs which is done by a stranger that hath no power to do it) But, &c—That they did it not themselves is undeniable: That they did it not by any person empowered by God to do it for them they prove, 1. Because God-fathers are the persons [by whom] the Infant is said to promise: But God-fathers have no power from God, 1. Not by Nature, 2. Not by Scripture. 2. Because the Parents are not only not included as Covenanters, but positively excluded, 1. In that the whole Office of Covenanting for the child from first to last is laid on others: 2. In that the twenty ninth Canon saith, [No Parent shall be urged to be Present; nor admitted to Answer as God-father for his own child:] by which the Parent that hath the power is excluded: Therefore our children are all unbaptized.
Answ. I Find some puzled with this doubt, Whether all our Infants baptism be not a meer Nullity: For, say they, the outward washing without Covenanting with God, is no more baptism than the body or Corpse is a man. The Covenant is the chief essential part of baptism. And he that was never entered into Covenant with God was never baptized. But Infants according to the Liturgie, are not entered into Covenant with God: which they would prove thus: They that neither ever covenanted by themselves, or by any authorized person for them, were never entred into Covenant with God (For thats no act of theirs which is done by a stranger that hath no power to do it) But, &c—That they did it not themselves is undenyable: That they did it not by any person empowred by God to do it for them they prove, 1. Because God-fathers are the persons [by whom] the Infant is said to promise: But God-fathers have no power from God, 1. Not by Nature, 2. Not by Scripture. 2. Because the Parents are not only not inluded as Covenanters, but positively excluded, 1. In that the whole Office of Covenanting for the child from first to last is laid on others: 2. In that the twenty ninth Canon saith, [No Parent shall be urged to be Present; nor admitted to Answer as God-father for his own child:] by which the Parent that hath the power is excluded: Therefore our children are all unbaptized.