A26923:832
An end of doctrinal controversies which have lately troubled the churches
An end of doctrinal controversies which have lately troubled the churches by reconciling explication without much disputing. Written by Richard Baxter.
London: printed for John Salusbury, 1691
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.
§. 12. 9. Most of the Anabaptists with us, hold, That there is no Promise, nor Assurance of the saving of any particular Infants in the World, either Christians or Heathens; but only that God electeth some, whom he will sanctify and save, and ⟨p. 221⟩reprobateth others, whom he will damn; without any notice given to the World who they be, or how many, or how few. So that we cannot say, that he will save Ten, or that he will damn Ten of all the World; nor have the Faithful any more promise than Heathens of the Salvation of their Infants, and so are not to baptize them.
§. 12. 9. Most of the Anabaptists with us, hold, That there is no Promise, nor Assurance of the saving of any particular Infants in the World, either Christians or Heathens; but only that God electeth some, whom he will sanctifie and save, and ⟨p. 221⟩reprobateth others, whom he will damn; without any notice given to the World who they be, or how many, or how few. So that we cannot say, that he will save Ten, or that he will damn Ten of all the World; nor have the Faithful any more promise than Heathens of the Salvation of their Infants, and so are not to baptize them.
§. 13. 10. The commonest Opinion among the English Calvinists, is, That God hath made no certain Promise of the Salvation of any particular Infant, but by his general Promise of mercy to the Seed of the Faithful, hath given us cause to hope that more of them than of others, shall be saved; and therefore that they are by Baptism to be entered into the visible Church, as we baptize the Adult, while we are not certain but they may be Hypocrites.
§. 13. 10. The commonest Opinion among the English Calvinists, is, That God hath made no certain Promise of the Salvation of any particular Infant, but by his general Promise of mercy to the Seed of the Faithful, hath given us cause to hope that more of them than of others, shall be saved; and therefore that they are by Baptism to be entred into the visible Church, as we baptize the Adult, while we are not certain but they may be Hypocrites.