A26911:105
The defence of the nonconformists plea for peace, or, An account of the matter…
The defence of the nonconformists plea for peace, or, An account of the matter of their nonconformity against Mr. J. Cheney's answer called The conforming nonconformist, and The nonconforming conformist : to which is added the second part in answer to Mr. Cheney's Five undertakings / by Richard Baxter.
London: printed for Benjamin Alsop, 1680
A DEFENCE OF THE NON-CONFORMIST'S Plea for Peace, AGAINST Mr. J. CH… › Chapter 16
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.
2. And the next question is, Whether the Church of England require any ground of title in the Infant besides the Sponsion of the fore-described God-fathers, and God's general Promise? And I have proved that they do not: It is not the Parents Christianity or Faith that they require, nor the Grandfathers, nor any Pro-parents, or Adopters or Proprietors. Nor do they ask, Whose Child it is? but forbid us to refuse any that have God-fathers; nor do they suffer the Parent to be one of the God-fathers, but forbid him so much as to speak there, as dedicating his own Child to God, and forbid us to urge him to be present: Yet are they utterly disagreed of the Child's title: Some say it is from God's Covenant only; and that all Children on Earth have title, and want but one to offer them to Baptism, as he may take in an exposed Orphan. Some say that the God-fathers Act is his Title to Baptism. Some say, it is the Churches Faith. And by the Church some mean the Ministers; some mean that Parish; some mean the Diocesan Church; some the National Church; and some the Universal Church: But you seem to think the title is from the Parent, but you speak it not out, nor much meddle with the case; and the Church seemeth not to be of that mind; though St. Paul say [Else were your Children unclean, but now are they holy.]
§ 2. But you say, The Parent is not excluded nor forbid to be present.] Ans. But 1. No man in the Town is forbid to be present: Doth it follow that any man giveth title to the Child who may but ⟨p. 28⟩be present if he will? If the Parents Faith were thought necessary to the Title (or a Pro-parents) the Book would require it, and require the Minister to take account of it, or at least would suffer the Parent to be one of the Sponsors, or to speak one word of Sponsion, all which is expressly forbidden by the Canon, and by the Book appropriated to others.
§ 2. But you say, The Parent is not excluded nor forbid to be present.] Ans. But 1. No man in the Town is forbid to be present: Doth it follow that any man giveth title to the Child who may but ⟨p. 28⟩