A27008:156
Rich. Baxter's review of the state of Christian's infants whether they should be entered…
Rich. Baxter's review of the state of Christian's infants whether they should be entered in covenant with God by baptism ... or whether Christ, the Saviour of the world, hath shut all mankind out of his visible kingdom ... 'till they come of age? : occasioned by the importunity of Mr. E. Hutchinson (and of Mr. Danvers and Mr. Tombs) who called him to this review in order to his retractation [sic] ...Rich. Baxter's review of the state of Christian's infants whether they should be entered in covenant with God by baptism ... or whether Christ, the Saviour of the world, hath shut all mankind out of his visible kingdom ... 'till they come of age? : occasioned by the importunity of Mr. E. Hutchinson (and of Mr. Danvers and Mr. Tombes) who called him to this review in order to his retractation [sic] ...
London: printed for Nevil Simons, 1676
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Also I have been hereby made thankful that God kept me from the snare of Anabaptistry; for though I lay not so much as some do on the mere outward act or water of Baptism, believing that our heart consent and dedication qualifieth Infants for a Covenant Right before actual Baptism (which yet is Christs regular solemnization and investiture,) yet I make a great matter of the main Controversy, notwithstanding that I hereticate not the Anabaptists for the bare opinion sake, nor would have them persecuted; for now I better see than ever what God hath thus preserved me from.
Also I have been hereby made thankful that God kept me from the snare of Anabaptistry; for though I lay not so much as some do on the meer outward act or water of Baptism, believing that our heart consent and dedication qualifieth Infants for a Covenant Right before actual Baptism (which yet is Christs regular solemnization and investiture,) yet I make a great matter of the main Controversie, notwithstanding that I hereticate not the Anabaptists for the bare opinion sake, nor would have them persecuted; for now I better see than ever what God hath thus preserved me from.
1. How much else might I have been led to, that tendeth towards the denying the Kingdom of Christ, and denying him to be the Saviour of the world; yea how near might I have been led towards the making him to be the Destroyer, or Abaddon, as coming into the World to condemn the world, and to take from them the Promises and Hopes of Salvation: For, 1. I find that all are lost in Adam, and that God made an Universal Covenant of Grace with fallen mankind in Adam after his fall, and renewed it with Noah: I find that ⟨p. 40⟩it is but a small part of the world that had the Law of Moses, the Jews being to the earth, but as one Village to England; and to be King but of a Village is not to be King of England. I find that the making of Abraham's or Moses his Covenant was no repeal of the Universal Law of Grace; nor put them into a worse condition than he found them in. And I find that past all doubt Infants were Church-members, and in the Covenant before Christs Incarnation, not only the Circumcised but the Uncircumcised Females, and all the Uncircumcised Males in the Wilderness, yea and out of the Jewish Nation, as well as in it, (though the Covenant of Peculiarity was proper to them.)