More proofs of infants church-membership and consequently their right to baptism, or, A second…

It follows therefore, that either by Gods [taking Israel to be his people] you mean some civil political action, as a Covenant, Promise, or the like collation of the benefit, (and then you assert the thing which you deny,) or else you know not what you mean, nor can make another know it, without the discovery of the grossest absurdity. And as for the other thing which is contained in Church-membership, the professed duty of man to God, it is most certain, 1. That Gods Law obligeth us to that duty: 2. And obligeth all according to their capacities to consent to the obligation, and so to re-engage themselves: 3. That this actual consent professed doth therefore double the obligation. And thus by a mutual contract, Covenant or consent (whereof our part is first required by a law,) is the relation of Church-membership contracted. Now to lay by and deny all this, and give us the general naked name of [taking for Gods people,] is merely delusory, seeing that ⟨p. 70⟩[taking] means this which you exclude, or it means nothing that is true and reasonable. And therefore tell us better what it means.

It follows therefore, that either by Gods [taking Israel to be his people] you mean some civil political action, as a Covenant, Promise, or the like collation of the benefit, (and then you assert the thing which you deny,) or else you know not what you mean, nor can make another know it, without the discovery of the grossest absurdity. And as for the other thing which is contained in Church-membership, the professed duty of man to God, it is most certain, 1. That Gods Law obligeth us to that duty: 2. And obligeth all according to their capacities to consent to the obligation, and so to re-engage themselves: 3. That this actual consent professed doth therefore double the obligation. And thus by a mutual contract, Covenant or consent (whereof our part is first required by a law,) is the relation of Church-membership contracted. Now to lay by and deny all this, and give us the general naked name of [taking for Gods people,] is meerly delusory, seeing that ⟨p. 70⟩[taking] means this which you exclude, or it means nothing that is true and reasonable. And therefore tell us better what it means.