A27066:67
Mr. Baxter's vindication of the Church of England in her rites and ceremonies, discipline, and church-orders as faithfully taken out of his own writings, without either false citation, or fraudulent alteration : to which is prefixed his epistle to the non-conformists, being a just and true abstract of his book entitled, A defence of the principles of love.
London: printed for Walter Kettilby, 1682
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.
Mr. Baxter in his Plea for Peace makes angry exception against this in the Rubric after Baptism, as one one of those things which it is sinful to assent to; though whoever reads his Scripture-proof of Infants Church-membership, will find it none of his [Greek or Hebrew],that Children (indefinitely, and in materia necessaria, as will appear by and by) are holy by stated separation to God; and that all Children of Believers, (whether sincere or hypocrites, if they are Believers professedly) are undoubtedly saved, and we baptize the Children of no others than of Believers, professedly at least. For this see in his ⟨p. 25⟩Scripture-proof of Infants Church-membership: His Animadversions on Mr. Bedford's Treatise of Baptismal Regeneration.
Mr. Baxter in his Plea for Peace makes angry exception against this in the Rubrick after Baptism, as one one of those things which it is sinful to assent to; though whoever reads his Scripture-proof of Infants Church-membership, will find it none of his 〈non-Latin alphabet〉,that Children (indefinitely, and in materia necessaria, as will appear by and by) are holy by stated separation to God; and that all Children of Believers, (whether sincere or hypocrites, if they are Believers professedly) are undoubtedly saved, and we baptize the Children of no others than of Believers, professedly at least. For this see in his ⟨p. 25⟩Scripture-proof of Infants Church-membership: His Animadversions on Mr. Bedford's Tratise of Baptismal Regeneration.
P. 315. Speaking of Baptism, he hath these words;1 For the pardon of Original Sin, and other relative Grace, I affirm that we are to judge it probably given to the Child of every Believer, and if any will say, it is certainly given to every such Child, even the Non-Elect, I will not gainsay him. These are his words ipsissime, which fully and plainly import that the Children of Non-Elect Believers, (i.e. Believers in profession only,) do by Baptism receive remission of Original sin, and other relative Grace; whether it be on the account of the Faith of the Church in which he is baptized, or of the bare profession of the Parents Faith, is eccentric to my business to dispute. To proceed; In the same page last cited, saith Mr. Baxter, God hath clearly made the Parents Faith the condition of Infants pardon and salvation. What Faith, and what Parents? Why, professedly-believing Parents, and the bare profession of Faith. For which see his Infant Church-membership, Part. 1. cap. 29. p. 94. Profession (says he) is a probable sign, and a Professor is probably a true Believer; and whether he be so or no, we are bound to admit him among Believers; and p. 92. it is sufficient that the Parent be virtually and dispositively a Believer, (in contradistinction to his being actually such,) and in his Letter to Mr. Cranford, Is it not a large comfort to Parents (says he) that God doth pardon Infants their Original sin, and put them in statum salutis; but what I first quoted of him, is instar omnium, viz. that the Children ⟨p. 26⟩even of the Non-Elect, have pardon of sin, and other relative grace by Baptism.
P. 315. Speaking of Baptism, he hath these words;1 For the pardon of Original Sin, and other relative Grace, I affirm that we are to judge it probably given to the Child of every Believer, and if any will say, it is certainly given to every such Child, even the Non-Elect, I will not gainsay him. These are his words ipsissime, which fully and plainly import that the Children of Non-Elect Believers, (i.e. Believers in profession onely,) do by Baptism receive remission of Original sin, and other relative Grace; whether it be on the account of the Faith of the Church in which he is baptized, or of the bare profession of the Parents Faith, is excentrick to my business to dispute. To proceed; In the same page last cited, saith Mr. Baxter, God hath clearly made the Parents Faith the condition of Infants pardon and salvation. What Faith, and what Parents? Why, professedly-believing Parents, and the bare profession of Faith. For which see his Infant Church-membership, Part. 1. cap. 29. p. 94. Profession (says he) is a probable sign, and a Professor is probably a true Believer; and whether he be so or no, we are bound to admit him among Believers; and p. 92. it is sufficient that the Parent be virtually and dispositively a Believer, (in contradistinction to his being actually such,) and in his Letter to Mr. Cranford, Is it not a large comfort to Parents (says he) that God doth pardon Infants their Original sin, and put them in statum salutis; but what I first quoted of him, is instar omnium, viz. that the Children
Had I my choice, says Mr. Baxter, I would receive the Lords Supper sitting, but where I have not my choice, I will use the gesture which the Church useth. There speaks an Oracle; good Reader, mark him; What could be said more Orthodox and honest? And because he speaks so home in this one place, I'll forbear citing those in his Cure of Church-divisions; and in his Reasons of the Christian Religion, where in the one place he calls Kneeling an inoffensive harmless Ceremony; in the other, he teacheth that Vesture, Gesture, Time, Place, &c. are all at the determination of the lawful Magistrate.
Had I my choice, says Mr. Baxter, I would receive the Lords Supper sitting, but where I have not my choice, I will use the gesture which the Church useth. There speaks an Oracle; good Reader, mark him; What could be said more Orthodox and honest? And because he speaks so home in this one place, I'le forbear citing those in his Cure of Church-divisions; and in his Reasons of the Christian Religion, where in the one place he calls Kneeling an inoffensive harmless Ceremony; in the other, he teacheth that Vesture, Gesture, Time, Place, &c. are all at the determination of the lawful Magistrate.
Having proved the particular Orders of Presbyters and Deacons, he gives his Reasons for a larger Episcopacy, as the Margin shows;
Having proved the particular Orders of Presbyters and Deacons, he gives his Reasons for a larger Episcopacy, as the Margin shews;
Besides this, says he, in the Apostles days there were under Christ in the universal Church many general Officers, that had the care of governing and overseeing ⟨p. 27⟩Churches up and down, and were fixed by stated relation, to none. Such were the Apostles, Evangelists, and many of their Helpers in their days. And most Christian Churches think, that though the Apostolical, extraordinary Gifts, Privileges, and Offices cease, yet Government being an ordinary part of their work, the same Forms of Government which Christ and the Holy Ghost did settle in the first Age, were settled for all following Ages, though not with the same extraordinary Gifts and Adjuncts.
Besides this, says he, in the Apostles days there were under Christ in the universal Church many general Officers, that had the care of governing and overseeing ⟨p. 27⟩Churches up and down, and were fixed by stated relation, to none. Such were the Apostles, Evangelists, and many of their Helpers in their days. And most Christian Churches think, that though the Apostolical, extraordinary Gifts, Priviledges, and Offices cease, yet Government being an ordinary part of their work, the same Forms of Government which Christ and the Holy Ghost did settle in the first Age, were setled for all following Ages, though not with the same extraordinary Gifts and Adjuncts.
Because 1. We read of the settling of that Form, viz. General Officers as well as Particular, but we never read of any abolition, discharge, or cessation of the Institution.
Because 1. We read of the setling of that Form, viz. General Officers as well as Particular, but we never read of any abolition, discharge, or cessation of the Institution.
2. If we affirm a Cessation without proof, we seem to accuse God of mutability, as settling one Form of Government for one Age only, and no longer.
2. If we affirm a Cessation without proof, we seem to accuse God of mutability, as setling one Form of Government for one Age onely, and no longer.
3. We leave room for audacious Wits to question other Gospel-Institutions, as Pastors, Sacraments, &c. and to say, that they were but for an Age only.
3. We leave room for audacious Wits to question other Gospel-Institutions, as Pastors, Sacraments, &c. and to say, that they were but for an Age onely.
