I find Mr. Richard Baxter also saith, Baptism is a sign of present Regeneration, not future. Now, how inconsistent is this Infant Baptismal-Covenant to the Covenant of Grace, and also to the nature of that Baptismal-Covenant, Believers, or true justified Persons, enter into when baptized, according ⟨p. xx⟩to Christ's Institution? Nothing can be more clear than this, viz. that Infant's Baptismal-Covenant is of the same nature with the Covenant of Circumcision, viz. a conditional legal Covenant, Do this, and thou shalt live; perform the Obligation, and thou shalt be justified, but do it not, and you shall be damned, or be cut off: So that Infant-Baptism established the old legal conditional Covenant. Let such who hold the Doctrine of Free-Grace consider it; and also see whether it doth not render the Covenant of Grace different in its nature in respect had to Believers themselves, and to their Children: For Believers themselves receive Christ as Sinners, by Faith only, without any previous Qualification, or promissory Covenant, that Christ hath obliged them to enter into: But their Infants are put upon previous conditional Qualifications, which must be performed by them before justified. Indeed had Christ ordained Baptism to oblige us to believe, to repent, to die to Sin, to be regenerate, as the Pedo-Baptist speak of their Baptism doth do, it was something to their purpose, but the contrary plainly appears. Were these things carefully considered, I am sure Infant-Baptism would fall to the ground; for the nature of their pretended Baptismal Covenant is quite repugnant to the true Baptismal Covenant Christ instituted, therefore pernicious: Besides, how are those baptized Infants in the Covenant of Grace, (as Mr. Owen and others say) and yet Baptism (as to the main Des••n and End of it in their cloudy Conceits and Apprehensions) is to oblige them to believe, &c. that they may actually be in the Covenant of Grace. The good Lord give you Understanding in all things, and bless to your Profit what I have wrote, and praise God for that Readiness that was in your Brethren and Countrymen to be at the great Charge of the Publication of this Answer to Mr. Owen. He saith, in the Title of his Book, Children's Baptism is from Heaven. Strange! yet no where instituted, nor any Authority for it, or ever owned from Heaven;
I find Mr. Richard Baxter also saith, Baptism is a sign of present Regeneration, not future. Now, how inconsistent is this Infant Baptismal-Covenant to the Covenant of Grace, and also to the nature of that Baptismal-Covenant, Believers, or true justified Persons, enter into when baptized, according ⟨p. xx⟩to Christ's Institution? Nothing can be more clear than this, viz. that Infant's Baptismal-Covenant is of the same nature with the Covenant of Circumcision, viz. a conditional legal Covenant, Do this, and thou shalt live; perform the Obligation, and thou shalt be justified, but do it not, and you shall be damned, or be cut off: So that Infant-Baptism established the old legal conditional Covenant. Let such who hold the Doctrine of Free-Grace consider it; and also see whether it doth not render the Covenant of Grace different in its nature in respect had to Believers themselves, and to their Children: For Believers themselves receive Christ as Sinners, by Faith only, without any previous Qualification, or promissory Covenant, that Christ hath obliged them to enter into: But their Infants are put upon previous conditional Qualifications, which must be performed by them before justified. Indeed had Christ ordained Baptism to oblige us to believe, to repent, to die to Sin, to be regenerate, as the Pedo-Baptist speak of their Baptism doth do, it was something to their purpose, but the contrary plainly appears. Were these things carefully considered, I am sure Infant-Baptism would fall to the ground; for the nature of their pretended Baptismal Covenant is quite repugnant to the true Baptismal Covenant Christ instituted, therefore pernicious: Besides, how are those baptized Infants in the Covenant of Grace, (as Mr. Owen and others say) and yet Baptism (as to the main Des••n and End of it in their cloudy Conceits and Apprehensions) is to oblige them to believe, &c. that they may actually be in the Covenant of Grace. The good Lord give you Understanding in all things, and bless to your Profit what I have wrote, and praise God for that Readiness that was in your Brethren and Countrymen to be at the great Charge of the Publication of this Answer to Mr. Owen. He saith, in the Title of his Book, Childrens Baptism is from Heaven. Strange! yet no where instituted, nor any Authority for it, or ever owned from Heaven;
