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[M2.140L]                                                             [M2.140]								140
			Points for working out.                                            
Do not argue this                                                     Avignon 31st March.  I read to-day in Galignani part of an
It may be conjectured from Scripture that Baptism should              		acrimonious and of what I fear will become an indecent
be conceded to Infants.                                               		controversy between the Archp. of Canterbury and the Bp.
But Infant Baptism cannot convey this Blessing.                       		of Exeter, respecting Infant Regeneration by Baptism.
Baptism cannot convey this Blessing.                                  		I am induced to set down what seems to me to be principles
	But rather argue thus                                                		of right judgment in this case which a man of candour
It may be proved from Scripture that Baptism conveys this             		belonging by Education to neither party could hardly
blessing But this blessing cannot be conveyed to infants.             		fail to acknowledge.
Therefore, Infant Baptism is wrong.                                   		Much stress is laid by the Bp. of Exeter upon the words of
That is to say: rather take from Scripture what may be                		Christ, "Suffer little Children to come unto me".  Let us
proved than what may be only conjectured.                             		accept this text in its full - its literal meaning:
                                                                      		let us  suppose - as we are merely also justified in
                                                                      		suffering - in earnestly believing, that Christ himself
                                                                      		Personally and actually stands beside the Baptismal
                                                                      		font;  as personally as ever He stood "by the further side
                                                                      		of Jordan:  and that his command is from thence to us
                                                                      		continually repeated;  and his willingness to receive our
                                                                      		children and to take them in his arms and bless them,
                                                                      		evermore signified:  or let us, if thereby we may
                                                                      		realise his presence more perfectly, suppose ourselves
                                                                      		among the crowd which waited on him by the coasts of Judea
                                                                      		Can we suppose that if then  ot believing in efficacy
                                                                      		of his Blessing, nor yet desiring the spiritual height
                                                                      		and benefit of that blessing, even if we believed in its
                                                                      		power;  that if in this apathy and infidelity;  but in
                                                                      		the fear of men, and because we saw others whose good
                                                                      		opinion we desired, doing this with their children, we

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[Version 0.05: May 2008]