On the whole, as to our Fathers here in New-England, 'tis true, they asserted a Baptism-Right in Parents for themselves & Children, whom yet they excluded from full Communion; the Ground of which Difference was hinted before: and they denied a Parity of Reason between the two Cases now in View, on some Accounts. Their chief Ground was, that Adult-Baptism requires a Measure of visible moral Fitness or inherent Holiness in the Recipient: whereas, Infant Baptism requires nothing visible in it's Subject, but a relative Fitness or federal Holiness, the formalis Ratio of Infant-Membership, accruing from God's Charter of Grace to his Church, taking in the Infant-Seed with the believing Parents Baptism they supposed to run parallel with regular Membership; and the Child of such a Parent entitled to this Covenant-Seal in it's own Right, on the Foot of a distinct personal Membership, derivative in Point of Being; but independent for it's Duration, and for the Privileges annexed to it by divine Institution However, they certainly owned Parental Profession, as belonging to the due Order & just Manner of Administration, both mo•t & needful.—Accordingly they provided, that Parents claiming Covenant-Privileges for their Children, should own their Covenant-State, have a Measure of Covenant-Qualifications, and do Covenant-Duties, in some Degree, to the Satisfaction of a rational Charity.—And it ought to be remembered, they have left it as their solemn Judgment, that even taking Baptism-Right for a Right of FITNESS in Fore ecclesiastics, still the Parents whose Children they claimed Baptism for, were such as must be allowed to have a Title to it for themselves, in Case they had remained unbaptized: looking upon them, although' not duly fitted for the Sacrament of Communion & Confirmation, yet sufficiently so for the Sacrament of Union and Initiation; Professors in their infancy Parentally, and now Personally in an initial Way; appearing Abraham Children, in some Measure of Truth, to a judicious Charity; Justly therefore baptisable, in their Persons and Offspring, by all the Rules of the Gospel.—I am not here to argue upon the Justness of this Scheme of Thought on the Case; but only to represent the Fact in a genuine Light.
On the whole, as to our Fathers here in New-England, 'tis true, they asserted a Baptism-Right in Parents for themselves & Children, whom yet they excluded from full Communion; the Ground of which Difference was hinted before: and they deny'd a Parity of Reason between the two Cases now in View, on some Accounts. Their chief Ground was, that Adult-Baptism requires a Measure of visible moral Fitness or inherent Holiness in the Recipient: whereas, Infant Baptism requires nothing visible in it's Subject, but a relative Fitness or federal Holiness, the formalis Ratio of Infant-Membership, accruing from God's Charter of Grace to his Church, taking in the Infant-Seed with the believing Parents Baptism they supposed to run parallel with regular Membership; and the Child of such a Parent intitled to this Covenant-Seal in it's own Right, on the Foot of a distinct personal Membership, derivative in Point of Being; but independent for it's Duration, and for the Privileges annexed to it by divine Institution However, they certainly own'd Parental Profession, as belonging to the due Order & just Manner of Administration, both mo•t & needful.—Accordingly they provided, that Parents claiming Covenant-Privileges for their Children, should own their Covenant-State, have a Measure of Covenant-Qualifications, and do Covenant-Duties, in some Degree, to the Satisfaction of a rational Charity.—And it ought to be remember'd, they have left it as their solemn Judgment, that even taking Baptism-Right for a Right of FITNESS in Fore ecclesiastics, still the Parents whose Children they claimed Baptism for, were such as must be allowed to have a Title to it for themselves, in Case they had remain'd unbaptised: looking upon them, altho' not duly fitted for the Sacrament of Communion & Confirmation, yet sufficiently so for the Sacrament of Union and Initiation; Professors in their intancy Parentally, and now Personally in an initial Way; appearing Abraham• Children, in some Measure of Truth, to a judicious Charity; Justly therefore baptisable, in their Persons and Offspring, by all the Rules of the Gospel.—I am not here to argue upon the Justness of this Scheme of Thought on the Case; but only to represent the Fact in a genuine Light.
