A Christian Directory, Part 3: Christian EcclesiasticsBaxter, Richard
Religion
A Christian Directory, Part 3: Christian Ecclesiastics
Baxter, Richard
Casuistry; Christian sociology
(2.) Some think that all infants (dying such) are saved as others are,
by actual felicity in heaven, though in a lower degree. Both these
sorts suppose that Christ's death saveth all that reject it not, and
that infants reject it not.
(3.) Some think that all unbaptized infants do suffer the _pœnam
damni_, and are shut out of heaven and happiness, but not sensibly
punished or cast into hell. For this Jansenius hath wrote a treatise;
and many other papists think so.
(4.) Some think that all the children of sincere believers dying in
infancy are saved, (that is, glorified,) whether baptized or not; and
no others.
(5.) Some think that God hath not at all revealed what he will do with
any infants.
(6.) Some think that he hath promised salvation as aforesaid to
believers and their seed, but hath not at all revealed to us what he
will do with all the rest.
(7.) Some think that only the baptized children of true believers are
certainly (by promise) saved.
(8.) Some think that all the adopted and bought children of true
christians, as well as the natural, are saved (if baptized, say some;
or if not, say others).
(9.) Some think that elect infants are saved, and no other, but no man
can know who those are. And of these, 1. Some deny infant baptism. 2.
Most say that they are to be baptized, and that thereby the non-elect
are only received into the visible church and its privileges, but not
to any promise or certainty of justification, or a state of salvation.
(10.) Some think that all that are baptized by the dedication of
christian sponsors are saved.
(11.) Some think that all that the pastor dedicateth to God are saved
(because so dedicated by him, say some; or because baptized _ex opere
operato_, say others). And so all baptized infants are in a state of
salvation.
(12.) Some think that this is to be limited to all that have right to
baptism _coram Deo_; which some think the church's reception giveth
them, of which anon.
(13.) And some think it is to be limited to those that have right
_coram ecclesia_, or are rightfully baptized _ex parte ministrantis_,
where some make the magistrate's command sufficient, and some the
bishop's, and some the baptizer's will.
Of the title to baptism I shall speak anon. Of the salvation of
infants, it is too tedious to confute all that I dissent from: not
presuming in such darkness and diversity of opinions to be peremptory,
nor to say, I am certain by the word of God who are undoubtedly saved,
nor yet to deny the undoubted certainty of wiser men, who may know
that which such as I do doubt of, but submitting what I say to the
judgment of the church of God and my superiors, I humbly lay down my
own thoughts as followeth.
1. I think that there can no promise or proof be produced that all
unbaptized infants are saved, either from the _pœna damni_ or
_sensus_, or both.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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