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

Mr. T. maketh this mutual consent as two distinct pretended Notes, denying either of them to be true marks.

Answ. Neither the Princes consent alone, nor the Subjects alone maketh a Common-wealth: Neither the Husbands consent alone, or the Wives maketh a marriage; but both conjunct: So here: Mutual consent maketh a Church-member: But so, that Gods Consent is the Donative efficient cause, and mans consent is the receptive cause, which is conditio sine qua non. They that will not impartially think of plain cases cannot understand them. Your unthankful denying that God hath made any such Promise, Covenant or Consent, is elsewhere confuted: And if I shall say with Davenant and the Synod of Dort that this Covenant being the same that is made with Parents themselves, giveth the Children the same Right to Pardon and Life eternal according to their capacity, so that faithful Parents should not doubt of the Salvation of their Children dying in Infancy (ut Synod. Dort. Art. 1. c. 17.) I could better with them bear the consequence (of the loss of Gratia Infantilis in some at age) than the consequents of […] turning them all out of the visible Church. The former I know no Christian that ever opposed for many and many hundred years after Christ; and the latter the universal Church as long opposed: And yet I will not subscribe that [It is certain by the word of God that baptized Infants dying before actual sin, are certainly saved,] without excepting the Infants of Heathens or Infidels, wrongfully baptized.

Answ. Neither the Princes consent alone, nor the Subjects alone maketh a Common-wealth: Neither the Husbands consent alone, or the Wives maketh a marriage; but both conjunct: So here: Mutual consent maketh a Church-member: But so, that Gods Consent is the Donative efficient cause, and mans consent is the receptive cause, which is conditio sine qua non. They that will not impartially think of plain cases cannot understand them. Your unthankful denying that God hath made any such Promise, Covenant or Consent, is elsewhere confuted: And if I shall say with Davenant and the Synod of Dort that this Covenant being the same that is made with Parents themselves, giveth the Children the same Right to Pardon and Life eternal according to their capacity, so that faithful Parents should not doubt of the Salvation of their Children dying in Infancy (ut Synod. Dort. Art. 1. c. 17.) I could better with them bear the consequence (of the loss of Gratia Infantilis in some at age) than the consequents of turning them all out of the visible Church. The former I know no Christian that ever opposed for many and many hundred years after Christ; and the latter the universal Church as long opposed: And yet I will not subscribe that [It is certain by the word of God that baptized Infants dying before actual sin, are certainly saved,] without excepting the Infants of Heathens or Infidels, wrongfully baptized.