5. And hath not the universal Church given us their judgment of the case, who have in all ages judged that Baptism is to be ⟨p. 35⟩denied to the children of Heathens and Infidels? (unless other mens owning them, make them no longer theirs.) At least I may say, if as many be of my judgment concerning our guilt of Parents sins, as hold that Baptism and its fruits are to be denied to such children of Infidels, the number will be so great and honourable, that I would wish this worthy Dr. no more to make them seem as none. And, as I have before showed, not to be baptized is to them a penalty: and that not only in the judgment of Papists, who shut such out of Heaven, but of the ancient Doctors, who took Baptism to be our solemn investiture in a state of life, and the seal of pardon and right to salvation; (as Gataker against Davenant de Bapt. hath proved by citing a multitude of their testimonies, as an useful Index to save Readers much labour on that point.) And I have elsewhere proved at large* that the Scripture mentioneth no Baptism of Christ's Institution, which was not for the remission of sin. If any say that this is no new penalty, but a leaving them under the old, and that it is not for the Parents unbelief, but the Parents only do omit their duty needful to the child's liberation; I again answer, that had there been no Saviour, ⟨p. 36⟩Covenant, Means, or Hope, it had indeed been no penalty, because no privation, but a negation. And had not the child's right and deliverance been laid on the Parents Faith and Consent as a Condition, they had but negatively left them under the penalty of Adam's sin, and their corruption, (with the guilt next to be mentioned.) But remember that poena damni, the loss of Heaven is vere poena, and so is the loss of Pardon and Grace, (not to an uncapable, but to a capable subject): And that sins of omission are truly sins: And that as a Father murders his child, if he feed him not, so he doth by omission do much to damn him, if he do not believingly dedicate him to Christ; (for I speak not of unavoidable want of Baptism, which Austin himself thought not to be damning, however mistaken herein by many.) A mans own not-believing is nothing; but it is such a nothing as is punished with a non-salvation, which is another nothing; yea, that and other omissions, with positive damnation, and the pain of sense.
5. And hath not the universal Church given us their judgment of the case, who have in all ages judged that Baptism is to be ⟨p. 35⟩denied to the children of Heathens and Infidels? (unless other mens owning them, make them no longer theirs.) At least I may say, if as many be of my judgment concerning our guilt of Parents sins, as hold that Baptism and its fruits are to be denied to such children of Infidels, the number will be so great and honourable, that I would wish this worthy Dr. no more to make them seem as none. And, as I have before shewed, not to be baptized is to them a penalty: and that not only in the judgment of Papists, who shut such out of Heaven, but of the ancient Doctors, who took Baptism to be our solemn investiture in a state of life, and the seal of pardon and right to salvation; (as Gataker against Davenant de Bapt. hath proved by citing a multitude of their testimonies, as an useful Index to save Readers much labour on that point.) And I have elsewhere proved at large* that the Scripture mentioneth no Baptisme of Christ's Institution, which was not for the remission of sin. If any say that this is no new penalty, but a leaving them under the old, and that it is not for the Parents unbelief, but the Parents only do omit their duty needful to the childs liberation; I again answer, that had there been no Saviour, ⟨p. 36⟩Covenant, Means, or Hope, it had indeed been no penalty, because no privation, but a negation. And had not the child's right and deliverance been laid on the Parents Faith and Consent as a Condition, they had but negatively left them under the penalty of Adam's sin, and their corruption, (with the guilt next to be mentioned.) But remember that poena damni, the loss of Heaven is vere poena, and so is the loss of Pardon and Grace, (not to an uncapable, but to a capable subject): And that sins of omission are truly sins: And that as a Father murders his child, if he feed him not, so he doth by omission do much to damn him, if he do not believingly dedicate him to Christ; (for I speak not of unavoidable want of Baptism, which Austin himself thought not to be damning, however mistaken herein by many.) A mans own not-believing is nothing; but it is such a nothing as is punished with a non-salvation, which is another nothing; yea, that and other omissions, with positive damnation, and the pain of sense.
- *Disputat. of Right to Sacram.
