A41329:51
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
THE PLEA OF THE CHILDREN OF Believing-Parents, &c.THE PLEA OF THE CHILDREN OF Beleiving-Parents, &c.
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.
Fourthly, Tho' I do not put so much stress upon this, because the Argument of the Anabaptist cast out all the Posterity of the soundest Believers, and holy Men, as well as the most wicked out of the Church; yet I believe this hath helped on with the rest, to see what ignorant and debauched persons [because it is the Mode of the Nation] require Baptism for their Children, and it is Administered to them. The Anabaptists Principle is, That Regenerate Persons are the only Subject of Baptism, but how far is this Practice from their Principle? This doth a little confirm me in it; because that Man whom I mentioned in my first Page, with whom we held Communion; when those who are esteemed godly, and he did think so, had Children to be baptized, he desired he might know it, and would be present at the Administration, though he was not clear for Infant-Baptism.
Fourthly, Tho' I do not put so much stress upon this, because the Argument of the Anabaptist cast out all the Posterity of the soundest Believers, and holy Men, as well as the most wicked out of the Church; yet I believe this hath helped on with the rest, to see what ignorant and debauched persons [because it is the Mode of the Nation] require Baptism for their Children, and it is Administred to them. The Anabaptists Principle is, That Regenerate Persons are the only Subject of Baptism, but how far is this Practice from their Principle? This doth a little confirm me in it; because that Man whom I mentioned in my first Page, with whom we held Communion; when those who are esteemed godly, and he did think so, had Children to be baptized, he desired he might know it, and would be present at the Administration, though he was not clear for Infant-Baptism.
This I will say, I had rather baptize the Children of some Heathen, than of many who are called Christians, their Ignorance is not more, nor Conversations worse, and yet these Christians have lived long under Gospel-light: ⟨p. 16⟩Had they but the knowledge required in the Catechism in the Common-Prayer-book, and Conversations as civil as some Indians I have known, it were tolerable; but when men are asked,