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

Which is thus Englished.

And first let us see where Baptism is stablished in the Gospel. For read Mat. 28. how Christ commanded his Apostles, Go Teach &c. And ⟨p. 356⟩hence Philip Baptizing the Eunuch, first instructed him in the Faith, Act. 8. And because of this form of Christs words Mat. 28. Our Church bringeth Believers answering for the Infant who had not attained to discretion: And such God-fathers commonly make the children whom they take from Baptism, to be instructed in the Lords Prayer, and the Creed. And others that had attained to discretion, while they are instructed in the faith of Christ before their Baptism, are called Catechumeni: And this Sacrament is so necessary to a viator that Christ saith to Nicodemus, Joh. 3. Except a man be born again of water, &c. So that by so great authority of Scripture belief, the faithful are generally Baptized: And the Church hath ordained that in the point of necessity^*, every faithful person may be Baptized. Nor is it material whether they be dipped once or thrice, or the water be poured on their heads: but it must be done according to the custom of the place where one dwelleth, as well in one as in another lawful rite: For it is certain that corporal Baptism or washing little availeth unless there be a washing of the Mind by the Holy Ghost, from Original or Actual sin. For this is a principle in this belief, that whoever is rightly Baptized, Baptism blotteth out whatever sin it findeth in the man to be Baptized. And because satisfaction is necessary to the blotting out of sin, and satisfaction for sin cannot be made but by the death of Christ, therefore saith the Apostle, that as many of us as are Baptized into Christ, are Baptized into his death.