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

§. 25. Baptism is to Christianity much like what Ordination is to the sacred Ministry, and what solemn Matrimony is to Marriage. It is necessary as a Duty, and as a Means to our ordinary and regular admittance to the Communion of the Church. But as in case there were no Ordainer to be had, in a far Country in America, no doubt but a qualified person might become a Pastor, rather than God should have no Church, nor be solemnly worshipped; And as in case there could be no regular solemnization of Marriage (as in such a wilderness) a published consent may tie the knot; so in case there could be no Baptizing, a solemn Profession and Covenanting would serve to Gods acceptance, and to a right to the Christian name.

§. 25. Baptism is to Christianity much like what Ordination is to the sacred Ministry, and what solemn Matrimony is to Marriage. It is necessary as a Duty, and as a Means to our ordinary and regular admittance to the Communion of the Church. But as in case there were no Ordainer to be had, in a far Countrey in America, no doubt but a qualified person might become a Pastor, rather than God should have no Church, nor be solemnly worshipped; And as in case there could be no regular solemnization of Marriage (as in such a wilderness) a published consent may tie the knot; so in case there could be no Baptizing, a solemn Profession and Covenanting would serve to Gods acceptance, and to a right to the Christian name.

§. 26. I only leave it to Christian Charity and wisdom to consider how far some mens Education, natural weakness of judgement, and other impediments of information, may make their error against Infant Baptism, to participate of such a Necessity: The case hath its difficulties: Papists and Protestants confess it, as to Scripture evidence: Weak men cannot know all things: And even considerable heads, that have heard and thought of much against it, which they cannot answer, may grow very confident that they are in the right, and after by that prejudice may become uncapable of what should satisfy them: Abundance of the sons of the Church that talk most against them, give such weak reasons for Infant Baptism, and are so unable to confute an Anabaptist, as showeth, that it is not More