in pursuance of their Commiffion.

WH

QUERY VI.

Hether in the Baptizing of Children, that method of proceeding be not most proper, by which the Children are most directly made to enter into Covenant with God by their Parents?

The reafon of this Query arifes out of the matters difcuffed in the two former. For if that Union and Relation between God and men, by which they become Members of his Visible Church, is made by entering into Covenant with him, to be his People, as he with them to be their God: And if little Children are obliged in Covenant with God,by what their Parents do in caufing them to be Baptized with intent thereby fo to oblige them; then I propofe it to be confidered, whether it will not thence follow that it is moft proper to demand of the Parents, whether

in bringing their Children to be Baptized, they do not intend thereby to dedicate them to the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, and to engage them as much as in them lies, to be Gods faithful Servants, and to believe and live according to the Doctrine and Precepts of our Lord Jefus Chrift? or fomewhat to that effect. And whether likewife fuch Anfwers from the Parents should not be expected, as are most fuitable to fuch demands?

And further, it would be confidered, Whether Infants can be fo well, or fo directly and properly obliged to God in Covenanting with him in Baptifm, by what Sponfors, which are not their Parents, then do to oblige them, as they may by what their Parents themfelves may do to that end.

And the reason of this propofal or question is this: If the Childrens being obliged to do that when they come to Age, which Parents obliged them to in their Baptifm, does depend upon their Parents properly in them,

and

and authority over them, as is fuppofed it does from what has been formerly argued; then they cannot be fo properly obliged by what other Sponsors do in their behalf at their Baptifm, which have no fuch property in them, or authority over

them.

It is true indeed, Parents are not wholly unconcerned in entering their Children into Covenant with God by Baptifm, when yet Sponfors act in the Parents ftead: For it is the Parents that cause their Children to be Baptized, and what the Sponsors act, is by the Parents procurement; and upon these accounts it is interpretatively their act: But yet Parents immediately, and in their own perfons acting the part of entering their Children into Covenant, feems more pro

per

and Better to answer the nature of the thing. Sponfors may be more ufeful in cafe Parents of Children to be Baptized are dead, as poffibly it might be the cafe of fome Children, whofe Parents were Martyr'd in the

Primitive times, from which perhaps that usage in the Church took its first rife. There are other cafes in which Sponfors or Pro-parents may be useful and neceffary, but hardly fo as to exclude Parents from their proper work.

But I fpeak of these things with fubmiffion to thofe of better judgment and more authority, having only offered them to confideration.

Or

QUERY VII.

For what reason is Church-MemberShip faid to be Invisible as well as Visible in fome, and yet but only as Visible in others? And from whence does this difference arife?

This difference proceeds from the difference there is between Visible and Invisible Christianity, and from the different Union between Chrift the Head, and his Members which is caused thereby.

By

By invifible Christianity, I mean thofe inward acts and affections of foul, by which men abhor that which is evil, and cleave to that which is good, which are wrought by a serious affent of the mind unto the truth of the doctrine and great motives of the Gospel, by which they are convinced of the neceffity of repentance and holy living, in order to their escaping everlasting misery, and becoming eternally happy.

By vifible Christianity, I mean external and visible acts of Religion, in reference both to God and men; fuch as is the profeffion of the God that made the World, to be the only true God, and Jefus Chrift, whom he hath fent, to be his Son, and the rest of the Articles of the Chriftian Faith, and fuch other acts as confift in an external performance of the external acts of worship due to this God and Saviour, and in acts of Juftice and Charity towards men, and in fobriety of behaviour in reference to a mans felf.

Now