A Christian Directory, Part 3: Christian EcclesiasticsBaxter, Richard
Religion
A Christian Directory, Part 3: Christian Ecclesiastics
Baxter, Richard
Casuistry; Christian sociology
10. If the children of heathens have right to baptism, and salvation
thereby, it is either, 1. As they are men, and all have right; or, 2.
Because the parents give them right; 3. Or because remote ancestors
give them right; 4. Or because the universal church gives them right;
5. Or because a particular church gives them right; 6. Or because the
sponsors give them right; 7. Or the magistrate; 8. Or the baptizer.
But it is none of all these, as shall anon be proved.
11. But as to the second question, I answer, 1. It will help us to
understand the case the better, if we prepare the way by opening the
case of the adult, because in Scripture times, they were the most
famous subjects of baptism. And it is certain of such, 1. That every
one outwardly baptized is not in a state of salvation. That no
hypocrite that is not a true penitent believer is in such a state. 2.
That every true penitent believer is before God in a state of
salvation, as soon as he is such; and before the church as soon as he
is baptized. 3. That we are not to use the word baptism as a physical
term only, but as a moral, theological term. Because words (as in law,
physic, &c.) are to be understood according to the art or science in
which they are treated of. And baptism taken theologically doth as
essentially include the will's consent or heart covenanting with God,
as matrimony includeth marriage consent, and as a man containeth the
soul as well as the body. And thus it is certain that all truly
baptized persons are in a state of salvation; that is, all that
sincerely consent to the baptismal covenant when they profess consent
by baptism (but not hypocrites). 4. And in this sense all the ancient
pastors of the churches did concur that baptism did wash away all sin,
and put the baptized into a present right to life eternal: as he that
examineth their writings will perceive: not the outward washing and
words alone, but when the inward and outward parts concur, or when by
true faith and repentance the receiver hath right to the covenant of
God. 5. In this sense it is no unfit language to imitate the fathers,
and to say that the truly baptized are in a state of justification,
adoption, and salvation, unless when men's misunderstanding maketh it
unsafe. 6. The sober papists themselves say the same thing, and when
they have said that even _ex opere operato_ baptism saveth, they add,
that it is only the meet receiver; that is, the penitent believer, and
no other of the adult. So that hitherto there is no difference.
2. Now let us by this try the case of infants; concerning which there
are all these several opinions among divines.
(1.) Some think that all infants (baptized or not) are saved from
hell, and positive punishment, but are not brought to heaven, as being
not capable of such joys.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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