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

Mr. T. 7. If the Covenant o• Law with the Parents actual faith without profession, make not the Parent a visible Church-member, neither doth it the child. But — Ergo.

Answ. I grant both major and minor: He that is not known to have faith, is not a visible adult member: And he that is not known to be the (justly reputed) child of a professed believer, is […] an Infant Church-member. And what's this […] our controversy? Heart consent maketh a mystical or invisible Christian and member, and Professed belief (that is, Believing Consent) maketh a visible member of the parent, and is necessary to the visible membership of the child: If I may call that Making them, ⟨p. 177⟩which is but the Disposition of the material Receptive constitutive cause. It's pity we should have need to talk at this rate.

Answ. I grant both major and minor: He that is not known to have faith, is not a visible adult member: And he that is not known to be the (justly reputed) child of a professed believer, is 〈…〉 an Infant Church-member. And what's this 〈…〉 our controversie? Heart consent maketh a mystical or invisible Christian and member, and Professed belief (that is, Believing Consent) maketh a visible member of the parent, and is necessary to the visible membership of the child: If I may call that Making them, ⟨p. 177⟩which is but the Disposition of the material Receptive constitutive cause. It's pitty we should have need to talk at this rate.

Mr. T. 8. If persons are visible Church-members and not by the Covenant of Grace, then it is not true that Christ by his Law or Covenant is the sole efficient of visible Church-membership. The minor is proved in Judas and hypocrites.

2. You profess your self that the name [Christian and Church-member] are equivocal as to the sincere and the hypocrites: If they be not the same things, no wonder if they have not the same causes. That Donation or Covenant may be the sole nearest Instrumental efficient of True membership, and yet not of Equivocal.

3. God who is our Paternal Beneficent Ruler doth give some of his benefits by his Law or Covenant absolutely and antecedently to mans conditions, and some consequently as Rewards: And Gods Laws having first a Preceptive part, as well as a Donative or Premiant, a Right may accrue in foro ecclesiae to an hypocrite from that precept: As e. g. God antecedently doth by his Covenant give the world an Impunity as to the punishment of Drowning it: And so by his common Law of Grace he giveth the world many common mercies by a Redeemer, and perhaps many by that you call a physical act, immediately. And by his Law he (having given a conditional pardon and life to all) commandeth his Ministers to offer it, and All men to Accept it, ⟨p. 178⟩and his Ministers to judge by mens profession, and to use professed Accepters as real; because we cannot see the heart. This being so, when the hypocrite professeth his consent, the Law obligeth the Minister and Church to receive it, by which in foro ecclesiae he hath a right to his Church station. And Christ himself called Judas, and sent him out to Preach, and his mandates were as Laws. So that the Right that an hypocrite hath, he hath by the Law which obligeth the Church to use him as a true believer, upon his professing to be such. None of this can be denied. But Judas was called immediately by Christ himself; and his [follow me] was a precept which gave him a Right to his Relation.

3. God who is our Paternal Beneficient Ruler doth give some of his benefits by his Law or Covenant absolutely and antecedently to mans conditions, and some consequently as Rewards: And Gods Laws having first a Preceptive part, as well as a Donative or Premiant, a Right may accrue in foro ecclesiae to an hypocrite from that precept: As e. g. God antecedently doth by his Covenant give the world an Impunity as to the punishment of Drowning it: And so by his common Law of Grace he giveth the world many common mercies by a Redeemer, and perhaps many by that you call a physical act, immediately. And by his Law he (having given a conditional pardon and life to all) commandeth his Ministers to offer it, and All men to Accept it, ⟨p. 178⟩and his Ministers to judge by mens profession, and to use professed Accepters as real; because we cannot see the heart. This being so, when the hypocrite professeth his consent, the Law obligeth the Minister and Church to receive it, by which in foro ecclesiae he hath a right to his Church station. And Christ himself called Judas, and sent him out to Preach, and his mandates were as Laws. So that the Right that an hypocrite hath, he hath by the Law which obligeth the Church to use him as a true believer, upon his professing to be such. None of this can be denyed. But Judas was called immediately by Christ himself; and his [follow me] was a precept which gave him a Right to his Relation.

Mr. T. 9. If Infants are visible members by the Covenant on Condition that the Parents &c. then either the next Parents or in any generation precedent &c.

Answ. The next Parents that are Owners of the child, and have the trust and power of disposing of him or covenanting for him: And the Reason is, because they have 1. That Propriety, and 2. That trust and power.

Mr. T. 10. If an Infants visible Church-membership be by the Covenant on the Parents actual believing, and not a bare profession, then it is a thing that cannot be known, &c.

Answ. I pity Readers that must be troubled with such kind of talk. 1. The Right of the child is upon [the Believing Parents dedication of that child to God by consenting that he be in the mutual Covenant.]

Answ. I pitty Readers that must be troubled with such kind of talk. 1. The Right of the child is upon [the Believing Parents dedication of that child to God by consenting that he be in the mutual Covenant.]

2. Heart consent known only to God giveth no Right coram ecclesia, known to men, but only to such mercy as God who only knoweth it, giveth without the Churches judgement.

3. Believing and profession qualify for Right in the Judgement both of God and of the Church.

3. Believing and profession qualifie for Right in the Judgement both of God and of the Church.

4. Profession without consenting faith, qualifieth for Right, in the Churches judgement according to Gods Command, who biddeth them so judge and do: Wrangle not against plain truth.

Mr. T. 11. If other Christian privileges be not conveyed by a Covenant upon the Parents faith, without the persons own act and consent, then neither this. But &c. Not to be a Believer, a disciple, a Minister, a Son of God — There is the like reason for them as for this.

Mr. T. 11. If other Christian priviledges be not conveyed by a Covenant upon the Parents faith, without the persons own act and consent, then neither this. But &c. Not to be a Believer, a disciple, a Minister, a Son of God — There is the like reason for them as for this.

Answ. Privileges are 1. Proper to the adult, (those concern not our case, as to be Ministers) or common to them with Infants: 2. Privileges consist either in Physical qualities or other Physical accidents (and these are given by physical Action, and such is Knowledge, Belief, Love, Gifts of utterance, health, &c.) Or in Right and Moral Relation, (Jus Debitum, obligatio) These are given by Moral means, that is by signification of the Donors will, by precept (obliging,) promise or signal Donation, which is the Instrument of conveyance by that signification (As a Testament, Deed of Gift, Act of pardon and oblivion, &c. are among men.) Now do you think that the reason of Physical Qualities and Moral Rights, Relations and duties is the same?

Answ. Priviledges are 1. Proper to the adult, (those concern not our case, as to be Ministers) or common to them with Infants: 2. Priviledges consist either in Physical qualities or other Physical accidents (and these are given by physical Action, and such is Knowledge, Belief, Love, Gifts of utterance, health, &c.) Or in Right and Moral Relation, (Jus Debitum, obligatio) These are given by Moral means, that is by signification of the Donors will, by precept (obliging,) promise or signal Donation, which is the Instrument of conveyance by that signification (As a Testament, Deed of Gift, Act of pardon and oblivion, &c. are among men.) Now do you think that the reason of Physical Qualities and Moral Rights, Relations and duties is the same?

2. As a Disciple, or believer, signifieth one that is Reputatively such jure Relationis, and as a Son of God signifieth an Adopted heir of heaven, loved of God as a reconciled Father in Christ] so Infants are such: You say (after) that Christ was habitually and by designation the Head and Prophet of the Church in Infancy, and so might Infants be disciples: And will you now deny it? Again I will say though it offend you, that there is no trusting to that mans judgement that looketh all (or partially) on one side, and studieth so eagerly what will serve his cause, as that he cannot mind what may be said against it. See here what two abominations you thrust on your pitiful followers (which yet I know you hold not your self, but the heat of your spirit in desire of victory draweth you to say you mind not what) You conclude that none is [A Son of God] without his own consent: And so 1. All Infants are certainly shut out of Heaven: for they are no Sons of God without their consent (neither by Election, Christs intercession, Covenant or Gift:) And I think you will not say that they consent: And if no sons, no heirs; For the Inheritance is only of children: And if no sons, then are they not Regenerate; which is but to be made sons of God by a new Generation, and renewed to his Image. And do you damn all Infants?

2. As a Disciple, or believer, signifieth one that is Reputatively such jure Relationis, and as a Son of God signifieth an Adopted heir of heaven, loved of God as a reconciled Father in Christ] so Infants are such: You say (after) that Christ was habitually and by designation the Head and Prophet of the Church in Infancy, and so mihgt Infants be disciples: And will you now deny it? Again I will say though it offend you, that there is no trusting to that mans judgement that looketh all (or partially) on one side, and studieth so eagarly what will serve his cause, as that he cannot mind what may be said against it. See here what two abhominations you thrust on your pittiful followers (which yet I know you hold not your self, but the heat of your spirit in desire of victory draweth you to say you mind not what) You conclude that none is [A Son of God] without his own consent: And so 1. All Infants are certainly shut out of Heaven: for they are no Sons of God without their consent (neither by Election, Christs intercession, Covenant or Gift:) And I think you will not say that they consent: And if no sons, no heirs; For the Inheritance is only of children: And if no sons, then are they not Regenerate; which is but to be made sons of God by a new Generation, and renewed to his Image. And do you damn all Infants?