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

§. 22. Therefore if any man that in a desert or dry Country could have no water, or that lived where there is no Minister, should openly before all the people devote himself to God the Father, Son and Holy Ghost, according to the Baptismal Covenant, and solemnly profess himself a Christian, that man were a true member of the visible Church, though defective as to the mode of entrance, and were to be numbered with Christians: And Constantine and many another were called Christians long before they were baptized. And it were injurious to the Rationality and spirituality of Christs Covenant, to feign him to be so ceremonious, as to reject a sound professing believer for want of water.

§. 22. Therefore if any man that in a desart or dry Countrey could have no water, or that lived where there is no Minister, should openly before all the people devote himself to God the Father, Son and Holy Ghost, according to the Baptismal Covenant, and solemnly profess himself a Christian, that man were a true member of the visible Church, though defective as to the mode of entrance, and were to be numbered with Christians: And Constantine and many another were called Christians long before they were baptized. And it were injurious to the Rationality and spirituality of Christs Covenant, to feign him to be so ceremonious, as to reject a sound professing believer for want of water.

§. 23. Though Augustine be called durus pater Infantum, and be supposed for some passages by many Papists and others to damn all unbaptized persons save Martyrs, yet these following words among others, in his later times in his deliberate disputes against the Donatists, fully show his contrary judgement (which yet I believe the Interest of his cause against the Donatists was a help to in this point) And remember that he confirmeth it in his Retractations, by retracting only the instance of the thief on the cross, as uncertain whether he was baptized or not.

§. 23. Though Augustine be called durus pater Infantum, and be supposed for some passages by many Papists and others to damn all unbaptized persons save Martyrs, yet these following words among others, in his later times in his deliberate disputes against the Donatists, fully shew his contrary judgement (which yet I believe the Interest of his cause against the Donatists was a help to in this point) And remember that he confirmeth it in his Retractations, by retracting only the instance of the thief on the cross, as uncertain whether he was baptized or not.