Certain disputations of right to sacraments, and the true nature of visible Christianity defending them against several sorts of opponents, especially against the second assault of that pious, reverend and dear brother Mr. Thomas Blake / by Richard Baxter ...

ANSWER.

1. I will not stand now upon the question, Whether such Ar∣guments from meer Analogie will hold; nor whether there were any special reason of a difference. I suppose in this I shall agree with Mr. Blake. But I utterly deny their Antecedent; and require them to prove it if they are able: yea, that ever one person was circumcised upon the account of any faith short of that which then was saving? We are not now upon the Que∣stion, what God lookt for: or what was necessary to warrant them before God to demand Circumcision. But our Question is, what the Circumciser must look for? and what was necessary to warrant them to circumcise them? And that was the Pro∣fession (by the person if at age; if not, by his Parent or pro-Parent) of a true saving faith, and nothing lower. They pro∣fessed to take the Lord only for their God; and if they did but that sincerely, they should be saved: For to be our God, is to be our chiefest Good, and to take him for such, is to Love him above all and prefer before all. To take him for our God, is to take him for the Principal Efficient of our Being and Well-being: And so to take him, conteineth the chief Dependance on him. To take him for our only God, is to take him for

our only Soveraign Ruler: and so to take him, containeth re∣solution to obey him. And moreover, the Israelites did en∣gage to obedience to Gods Law, and professed their consent to obey it.

Object. But many of them were wicked in their lives. Answ. 1. But our Question is, Whether they they did not profess a saving faith? or whether they were admitted on the profession of ano∣ther kind of faith? 2. The more impious were to be cut off by death, according to Gods Law: And dead men cannot beget children to be circumcised.