A26903:263
Compassionate counsel to all young men especially I. London apprentices, II. students of divinity,…
Compassionate counsel to all young men especially I. London apprentices, II. students of divinity, physic, and law, III. the sons of magistrates and rich men / by Richard Baxter.Compassionate counsel to all young men especially I. London apprentices, II. students of divinity, physick, and law, III. the sons of magistrates and rich men / by Richard Baxter.
London: printed by T.S., 1681
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.
Answ. 1. At the present we have so many supernumeraries, that we need not fear a want of number.
2. Children cannot be expected to show ⟨p. 147⟩that understanding in Religion which men must have. But if they show not a Love to it, and a Conscience regardful of Gods authority and the Life to come, and a dislike of ungodliness and sin, you have no reason to presume that they will be fit for the Ministry. If they had never been baptized, you ought not to baptize them in such a state. They must credibly profess Faith and Repentance before they can be adult Christians, and so dedicated to God in baptism, much more before they are dedicated to him as the Guides of the Christian Churches.
2. Children cannot be expected to shew ⟨p. 147⟩that understanding in Religion which men must have. But if they shew not a Love to it, and a Conscience regardful of Gods authority and the Life to come, and a dislike of ungodliness and sin, you have no reason to presume that they will be fit for the Ministry. If they had never been baptized, you ought not to baptize them in such a state. They must credibly profess Faith and Repentance before they can be adult Christians, and so dedicated to God in baptism, much more before they are dedicated to him as the Guides of the Christian Churches.
3. And you can judge but according to probabilities, if they prove bad after a probable profession, it will not be charged upon you; but we all know that a hopeful youth is a great preparation to an honest age.