A41329:276
The plea of the children of believing-parents for their interest in Abraham's covenant, their…
The plea of the children of believing-parents for their interest in Abraham's covenant, their right to church-member-ship with their parents, and consequently their title to baptism. The cause of publishing this discourse after so many learned men have laboured in this province, is declared in the preface to the reader. By Giles Firmin.
London: printed for Tho. Simons, 1683
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.
That servant of Christ Mr. Tho. Hooker, proves that Children may have Faith, and hath a pretty large discourse upon it; The Socinians say it is a Dream [if they mean Actual Faith, who do not say it] Caelonius in answer to them, proves by ten or eleven Arguments, that Children may have Faith, to be sure, we may observe that they whom the Holy Page Records to be Godly [except Manasseh] were so from their Child-hood. Isaac, Jacob, Samuel, Hezekiah, Josiah, David, Obadiah, Jehoshaphat, where do you read of the Saints first running a course of wickedness, and then Converted? How many Children may we observe, that we may say as Dr. Thomas Goodwin said, are sanctified from the Womb. What is the matter then, that all Infants are cast out of the Church, and must not be Baptised?
That servant of Christ Mr. Tho. Hooker, proves that Children may have Faith, and hath a pretty large discourse upon it; The Socinians say it is a Dream [if they mean Actual Faith, who do not say it] Caelonius in answer to them, proves by ten or eleven Arguments, that Children may have Faith, to be sure, we may observe that they whom the Holy Page Records to be Godly [except Menasseh] were so from their Child-hood. Isaac, Jacob, Samuel, Hezekiah, Josiah, David, Obadiah, Jehoshaphat, where do you read of the Saints first running a course of wickedness, and then Converted? How many Children may we observe, that we may say as Dr. Thomas Goodwin said, are sanctified from the Womb. What is the matter then, that all Infants are cast out of the Church, and must not be Baptised?
Object. If you say, If you could tell which they are, they should be Baptised.
Answ. Can you tell who have saving-Faith and Grace, though they make Actual Profession, and tell you they have it? they who you say are Dross, Chaff, Canaanites, no true Israelites, in your Baptised Congregations, they told you they had Faith, ⟨p. 92⟩