may see in Fulgentius's life But what is all this to Infant-baptism § 51. Next he tells us that in the ninth Century Hincmarus Laudunens was against Infant-baptism and reciteth many words of Hincmarus Rhenensis to him Answ The book is Bib. Pat. Suppl To. 2. containing 55. Chapters And if I must read every word of such long books to try his Citations I must spend many months to be able to tell you that a man told you so many untruths All that I can find by a cursory perusal is but this about a Village in the other Pariâ—h whom it should pay Tythes to habebas imbreviatos quot Infantes sine baptismate quot homines sine Communione inde obierunt quae mihi in publicum objicere nolles ne postea tibi improperarem at si alia mala de me scires illa etiam de me diceres Reader is here a syllable against Infant-baptism Who was the accuser here What is in the accusation but as in Adrians to Greg. which plainly proveth the contrary that he was for Infant-baptism and ordinarily used it when the intimation was but that he had let some Infants die without baptism and some men without Communion Hath not many a Minister among us been so accused And are we therefore against Infant-baptism Or was Hinomarus against adult Communion because envy said he let some die without it § 52. Reader the truth is I am so weary of this work that I cannot perswade my self to follow it any further it is so sad and loathsom a business that is set before us fitter to be wept over than answered at large I shall yet take notice of what he saith of the Waldenses and to that further say 1. That I have elsewhere vindicated them already from this slander 2. That so do many of their bitter adversaries in laying no such thing to their charge Among whom to what is said elsewhere I add but the Testimony of Nauclerus a Popish bitter enemy to them who Vol. 2. part 2. pag. 265. reciteth their Doctrine as being agreeable with the body of Doctrine held in the Reformed Churches never mentioning any denial of Infant-baptism but only that they affirmed Water to be sufficient without Oyl AND now as to our Testimonies for the Common practice of Infant-baptism from the daies of the Apostles I will not abuse the Reader by reciting again the testimonies long ago recited Let him but consider what I have there said out of Justin Irenaeus Origen Tertullian Cyprian Nazianzene Augustin and others and I leave the matter to his Judgement § 53. And further where they feign Nazianzen to be indifferent I will add but these words out of his Orat. 40. vol. 1. p. 648. Ed. Morel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hast thou an Infant Let not naughtiness surprize him first Let him be sanctified from his Infancy Let him be consecrated to the spirit from his Infancie But dost thou fear the seal because of the weakness of his nature How weak a minded mother art thou and of how little faith But Hannah c. Thou hast no need of Amulets and Inchantments with which the wicked one creepeth into the minds of vain men stealing to himself the veneration due to God Give him the Trinity that great and excellent Amulet That all this is spoken of Baptism is past all doubt Yet Nazianzen in some cases admitteth of delay till three years old But took baptism to be so necessary for Infants that he thought that if any though by surprize and not the Parents contempt should die unbaptized they should not goe to Heaven or be Rewarded though he thought they should not go to Hell or be punished Ib. Orat. 40. His opinion therefore for delay three years in case of safety consisted with too much apprehension of its necessity even to Infants § 54. When I read his language of holy Cyprian I confess the apparition of so frightful a spirit doth affright me from his doctrine First The man with greater audaciousness than the Papists use the Fathers doth first attempt against all consent of antiquity and without any proof to question the truth of the sentence of Cyprian and the Carthage Council to Fidus. Secondly And what could he say more to betray the Protâ—stant Cause to the Papists than as after Either Cyprian had been vilely Ruffined or that he himself was a notable Factor for Antichrist and that in him the mystery of iniquity did very strongly work The man it seems had never read Jeremy Stephens his Edition of Cyprian de unit Eccl. and how those few words of Peter and the Church of Rome were added by Corrupters though he is willing to believe in the general that his writings were corrupted But we have certain Copies at least of so much of them as confute his Cause I remember our great Antiquary Bishop Vsher told me that it was Tertullian and Cyprian that he took for the Chief Records of Church Antiquities next a few small things which give little information of matters of fact And some of the things that this man so starteth at Cyprian held and as Epiphanius saith All the Christian Churches And must he then be a Factor for Antichrist Who then is this Man a Factor for Mark Reader whether it be any wonder if I be abhominable and Antichristian to him when Cyprian and the sixty six Bishops with him must come under hypothetically that suspicion 1. That Cyprian who was so holy and wise a man 2. That lived before Antichrist was born 3. That died a Martyr for Christ 4. Who is so great a part of the pure antiquity that if you cast him away what will the rest be for a great time 5. That Cyprian who is called by some the first Anabaptist because he was for rebaptizing those baptized by Hereticks 6. That Cyprian who so stifly opposed the Bishop of Rome though himself was in the error 7. That Cyprian whom the Donatists boasted of as their predecessor in rebaptizing and Austin was put to answer though with his honour 8. That Cyprian who lived before any Christian Emperor when strict discipline upheld religion without and against the Magistrates sword and who wrote so many of his Epistles only for the rigor of Church-discipline O whâ—t pleasure is this to Papists If we be but such Antichristians say they as holy Cyprian and the primitive Churches were we will prefer it before the Anabaptists Christianity § 55. And if Cyprian was Antichristian where then was the Church of Christ It will be hard to answer Papist or Seeker about its visibility or Infidel about its reality And what a King do they make Christ that make him to have no Kingdom that they can prove to have been existent § 56. We will easily grant him that Cyprian de unit Eccl. is abused by the Papists and the very words thrust in are proved so to be by many Copies that have them not Yea Jeremy Stephens saith that there are
his own understanding and his ignorant Readers by such silly wranglings animated by partiality let him bear the Consequents and know that I have somewhat else to do with my few remaining hours than to write books on such insufficient invitations and expectations CHAP. VII Of Danvers's many other accusations of me § 1. IT was one of the old Characters of the Hereticks in the Apostles dayes To speak evil of the things that they understood not And that may well be their Character in which they contradict the three great constitutive parts of Christianity and all Religion and true honesty viz. TRUTH HUMILITY and LOVE by Falshood Pride and Malignity called commonly Vncharitablness § 2. The Root of this is when Reigning an unsanctified heart in which these vices remain unmortified covered from the owners knowledge by a form of Godliness and especially a zeal for the wayes of some Party more honoured in the persons eyes for wisdom or piety than others In others there is a great measure of the same vices mixed with true Grace where an evil and a good cause are conjoyned as to some effects They love God and his Truth and they hate all that they think against him they would promote piety in the world and repress what they think against it And being persons whose wits and studies were not such as exactness and largeness of knowledge do require but yet lovers of knowledge truth and Scripture they have more knowledge than prophane sots but little alas little in comparison of that which is necessary to a methodical accurate understanding of the matters which frequently fall under controversie And so knowing but little they know not what they are ignorant of nor what others know beyond them And it being the common vice of mans understanding to be hasty in judgeing before they hear or know one half that is necessary to a true and faithful judgement and so to be confident before they understand these men hereby are led to confidence in many an error And an erring judgement first telleth them that Truth is falshood and falshood truth that Good is evil and evil good that Duty is sin and sin is duty and then a good cause and a bad the Love of Truth and a perverse and partial zeal concur to put them on in the way of error Ignorance and error set them on a wrong cause and a mixt affection or zeal partly good and partly evil spurreth them on And in these the Error and Heresie and consequent sins are no more predominant than the cause and God will have mercy on those that in ignorance with good meanings oppose many truths and do much evil § 3. And the great means of nourishing this sin in Churches is departing from Christs Church order who hath appointed Teaching and Learning to be the setled way of getting knowledge And therefore required all his disciples to come to his Church as little children to School with teachable humble minds to Learn and not with proud wrangling minds to dispute If all our children should spend their time at School in disputing with the Teacher and setting their wits against his as in a conflict what would they thus Learn § 4. Therefore Paul saith that the servant of the Lord must not strive and oft calleth men from perverse disputings and striving about words which subvert the hearers and from such contendings as edifie not but tend to more ungodliness though the faith may be contended for and truth defended when opposition maketh it truly necessary § 5. When a man seeketh after knowledge as a Learner he meeteth it with a willing mind he cometh towards it with an appetite and so is a capable receiver But when a man cometh as a disputant he is ingaged already to one side and if that be false he cometh out to fight against the truth with a spirit of opposition hating truth as error and good as evil and thinks it his duty and interest to destroy and shame it if he can and therefore is unapt to think what may be said for it but studyeth all that he can against it And is this loathing and opposition and fighting against truth the way to know it § 6. Therefore that which hath undone the Churches peace is that too many Teachers being themselves too forward to controversies have too hastily drawn in their people into their quarrels and cast such bones before them in books and pulpits instead of food which break their teeth and set them together by the ears instead of nourishing them And so one mans hearers are taught to dispute for this sort of Government and anothers for that sort one mans for free-will and anothers against it when perhaps neither they nor the master of the quarrel can tell you what it is and so of an hundred more such like The honest hearers when they should be digesting the ancient Christian doctrine and learning to increase in Love to God and man and to practise a holy and a heavenly life and prepare for a comfortable death and happy eternity by a Living faith and hope are taught that if they be not zealots for this opinion or that for Anabaptistry for separation c. if they pray by a book or if they joyn with those that hold such things as they hear called by odious frightful names they are not then right zealous Christians but corrupt or complyers or lukewarm And thus each Church is made a miserable Church-militant and trained up to war against each other § 7. And this Ministers have done partly to strengthen themselves by the consent and number of their adherents as the Captain must conquer by his Souldiers When they can set a great number on hating their adversaries and backbiting them and telling the hearers wherever they come to make them seem odious how erroneous and bad such and such men are they think they have done much of their work And while they think it is for Christ they know not how notably they please and serve the Devil But I must remember that I have spoken of this elsewhere and so dismiss it § 8. That Mr. Danvers and his imitaters speak evil confidently and vehemently of the things they know not yea very many such I am sure But from what principle or root or how far that vice which produceth these fruits is mortified or unmortified as to all others I am neither called nor willing to judge I remember how Mr. Tho. Pierce once dealt with me When my Religious neighbour could hardly be perswaded to communicate with those among them that were of his judgement saying they were men that would swear and lie and lived scandalously I thought it my duty to keep up discipline and yet to moderate their censures by telling them what sins I thought might stand with some measure of sincere piety and Church-communion And what doth he but hence take advantage to tell the world how loose my doctrine was and what sinful persons I thought
this But c. Not to be a Believer a disciple a Minister a Son of God There is the like reason for them as for this Answ Priviledges are 1. Proper to the adult those concern not our case as to be Ministers or common to them with Infants 2. Priviledges consist either in Physical qualities or other Physical accidents and these are given by physical Action and such is Knowledge Belief Love Gifts of utterance health c. Or in Right and Moral Relation Jus Debitum obligatio These are given by Moral means that is by signification of the Donors will by precept obliging promise or signal Donation which is the Instrument of conveyance by that signification As a Testament Deed of Gift Act of pardon and oblivion c. are among men Now do you think that the reason of Physical Qualities and Moral Rights Relations and duties is the same 2. As a Disciple or believer signifieth one that is Reputatively such jure Relationis and as a Son of God signifieth an Adopted heir of heaven loved of God as a reconciled Father in Christ so Infants are such You say after that Christ was habitually and by designation the Head and Prophet of the Church in Infancy and so mihgt Infants be disciples And will you now deny it Again I will say though it offend you that there is no trusting to that mans judgement that looketh all or partially on one side and studieth so eagarly what will serve his cause as that he cannot mind what may be said against it See here what two abhominations you thrust on your pittiful followers which yet I know you hold not your self but the heat of your spirit in desire of victory draweth you to say you mind not what You conclude that none is A Son of God without his own consent And so 1. All Infants are certainly shut out of Heaven for they are no Sons of God without their consent neither by Election Christs intercession Covenant or Gift And I think you will not say that they consent And if no sons no heirs For the Inheritance is only of children And if no sons then are they not Regenerate which is but to be made sons of God by a new Generation and renewed to his Image And do you damn all Infants 2. And consider whether you deny not Christ in Infancy to have been the Son of God according to his humane nature For you can never prove that in that nature he actually consented in the womb or in his Infancy But partiality is rash and blind Mr. T. 12. If there be no Law or ordinance of God unrepealed by which either this Infant visible Church-membership is granted or the listing of Infants or entring into the visible Church Christian is made a duty then it is not a cause of Infants visible Church-membership which Mr. B. assigns c. Answ I have here proved to you such a Law and Covenant before Christs Incarnation and formerly at large proved it to be continued and renewed by special signification of Christs will since his Incarnation in the Gospel Review now your pittiful Reasons against it The Second Part A CONFUTATION OF THE Strange FORGERIES OF Mr. H. DANVERS Against the ANTIQUITY OF INFANT BAPTISM And of his many Calumnies against my Self and my Writings with a Catalogue of 56 New Commandments and Doctrines which he and the Sectaries who joyn with him in those Calumnies seem to own By Richard Baxter LONDON Printed for Nevil Simmons and Jonathan Robinson 1675. The PREFACE SECT I. 1. Of Controversies 2. Of the Weight of this Controversie § 1. IT is a thing that all are not duely informed of How far Controversial Writings and Disputes are to be practised by pious and peaceable men And here as in almost all things else men are hardly cured of one extream but by another I. No doubt but the extream which hath far most injured the Church of Christ hath been the excess of Disputing and given just occasion to Sr. W.'s motto The Itch of Disputing makes the Scab of the Church which is easily discernable both in the Cause and the Effects § 2. 1. In the cause it is too notorious that ordinarily it proceedeth from the depravation of the three faculties of the soul Potestative Intellective Volitive in the three great Principles of iniquity Pride Ignorance and wrath § 3. 1. Did not Pride cause men much to overvalue their own parts and worth Controversie would have shrunk into a narrower compass before this day Men would have come to one another as friends to be informed of what they know not by enquiry and gentle conferences if not as children to School to learn And if grace by hard studies had given one man more insight into any matters than another humility would readily have acknowledged Gods gifts and desired to have the benefit of a friendly communication and whereever God had set up a light the Children of his family would have been ready to work by it It would not have been so hard as now it is for an Ignorant man to know his Ignorance nor to discern when another knoweth more than he § 4. But now alas a multitude that understand not half their Catechism hear their Teachers as Masters hear their Scholars to know whether they say their lesson well or not And the Preacher that saith as they would have him may pass for orthodox at least if not for a very wise man because he is so far as wise as they But if he will presume to teach them more than they know they suspect him of heresie and the repetition of his Sermon which they make is to mangle some sentences which they had not wit enough to understand and thence to proclaim or whisper abroad at least that the Preacher hath some dangerous errors and doth not know so much as they unless it be some luscious unwholesom notions that he offereth them or be a militant wrangler and would list them under him as his troop to serve him in some new raised war and then corrupt nature can magnifie novelties as if they were new revelations from Heaven § 5. And O that the Teachers wanted not the sense of their intellectual imperfections as well as the people But too many think that when they are all ordained into the same office the honour of the same office is equally due to them all and consequently all that honour of Knowledge Parts and Piety without which the honour of the office cannot be well kept up And so when they all walk in the same robes and are called by the same titles matters which they never understood must pass according to the major vote or at least they must not be contradicted nor their ignorance made known And therefore when they have owned or uttered a Doctrine or Sentence their honour is engaged to make it good And they find a far easier way to make ostentation of the Knowledge which they have not by robes titles and
world 1. Carnal proud and worldly hypocrites who are enemies to that which is against their pride and worldly interest These contend malignantly against Godliness 2. Ignorant idle fleshly droans that eat and drink and mind the world but meddle not much with controversies 3. Professors of Religious zeal who espouse some singular dividing way and turn all their studies to make good their mistakes who have laudable abilities perverted by prejudice error and interest 4. Honest Preachers that serve God in practical preaching but being but half studied in some controversies are yet as forward and busie in disputing censuring and reproving dissenters as if they knew as much as the cause requireth I would all these would meddle with no controversies but what great necessity in plain and certain cases calls them to 5. We have many humble truly Godly men who as they are conscious that they are not well studied for controversie so they meddle not with it but lay out themselves in preaching the truths that we all agree in and do God and his Church much service in quietness and peace These are the men that the Church is most beholden to 6. Some are judicious and very fit for controversie but too cold in the practical part of Religion 7. Some excellent holy men like Augustine have so digested the matter as to be able to defend the truth against all adversaries and live accordingly Only these two last sorts should be imployed in such disputes SECT II. Of the weight and nature of the present controversie § 1. I think it a matter in this distracted age which you may be much concerned in to know what weight is to be laid on the controversie about Infant Baptism that you may neither come too short nor go too far For my part when the Christian Parent or owner to whom God in Nature and Scripture hath intrusted the Infant doth heartily dedicate him to God the Father Son and Holy Ghost and consent that he stand related according to the Baptismal Covenant I am none of those that believe that God who is a Spirit layeth so much upon the application of the water as to damn any such Infant meerly for the want of it And though I cannot subscribe to as much more as some would have me who think so much better of their own understandings than ever any evidence perswaded me to do as to judge themselves worthy to be Creed-makers for all others yea and to be called The Church it self yet I approve of the seventeenth Canon of the Synod of Dort Art 1. that faithful Parents have no cause to doubt of the salvation of their children dying in Infancy § 2. And I hope all the pious Anabaptists themselves do virtually though not actually devote their children to God and consent to their Covenant relation while they vehemently plead against it For surely they have so much natural affection that if they did think that God would be a God in special Covenant with their children and pardon their Original sin and give them right to future life upon the Parents dedication and consent they would undoubtedly accept the gift and be thankful And I believe most of them would say I would do all that God intrusteth and enableth me to do that my child may be a child of God and I would give him up to God and accept any mercy for him as far as God doth authorize me so to do § 3. And if Parents and Owners will not consent that their children be in Covenant with God and be baptized I am not yet satisfied what remedy we have nor who can do it for them to as good effect For if any one may do it as some plead then all Heathens children may be so used and saved And he that perswadeth me that there is extant such a Covenant or promise of God that he will save every Heathens child that is but by any one brought to baptism 1. He must shew me that text where this promise is 2. And when he hath done he will leave me perswaded that God will save all Heathens Infants whether baptized or not 1. Because I and ten thousand more Christians would sit in our closets and offer to God all the Infants in the world that is consent that he be their reconciled God and they his children and in Covenant with him what good man would not desire their salvation 2. And I should not easily believe that God will damn them all meerly for want of a strangers consent to save them were that wanting 3. Much less that when we do consent a thousand or ten thousand miles off that all the children e. g. in China or Siana shall be baptized and saved that this shall not hinder their damnation meerly because the Infants and we are so distant that we cannot in sight and presence offer them to God surely if my consent that a Turks child be baptized and saved will do it if he were with me it may do it a mile off and if so then ten thousand miles off 4. And if I be impowred to consent I shall never believe that the bare want of the water will damn him who hath all things else that God hath made necessary to his salvation as I said before I think they give too much to Baptism who say that God will either save any one by it who wanteth other things necessary to salvation or that he will damn any for want of it that is of the washing of the body who want nothing else which is necessary to salvation And I doubt they that say otherwise will prove dishonourers of the Christian Religion by feigning it to be too like to the Heathenish superstition laying mens salvation on a ceremony as of absolute necessity And I am confident it is contrary to Christs redoubled lesson Go learn what that meaneth I will have mercy and not sacrifice And no men shall unteach me this great and comfortable lesson which Christ hath so industriously taught me and which hath been long written so deeply on my heart as hath made all unmerciful persecutions and separations and alienations very displeasing to me § 4. I have proved afterwards that even Augustine himself doth as on great deliberation assert that where the Ministry of baptism is not despised Heart conversion without it sufficeth to salvation in the adult And no scripture or reason doth make it absolutely necessary to Infants if not to the adult § 5. And if Heathens Infants are not damned meerly for want of outward baptism nor yet for want of the consent of others either because that other mens consent who are strangers to them is not necessary to their salvation or if it be necessary they have it at a distance then it will follow that all the Infants of Heathens are in a state of salvation unless somewhat else be yet proved necessary to it And if they are all saved then so are all Christians Infants also or else they are more
not receive them though we approve not of their way § 30. And were it in my power as a Pastor of the Church I would give satisfaction by such an answerable profession as this Though it be our judgement that Infants have ever been members of Gods visible Church since he had a Church and there were Infants in the world and do believe that Christ hath signified in the Gospel that it is his gracious will that they should still be so And that he that commanded Mat. 28.19 Go ye and Disciple all Nations Baptizing them would have his Ministers endeavour accordingly to do it and hath hereby made Baptism the regular orderly way of solemn entrance into a visible Church state and therefore we devote this child to God in the Baptismal Covenant Yet we do also hold that when he cometh to age it will be his duty as seriously and devoutly to make this Covenant with God understandingly himself and to dedicate himself to God the Father Son and Holy Ghost as those must do that never were Baptized in Infancie And we promise to endeavour faithfully as we have opportunity to instruct and perswade him so to do hoping that this his early Baptismal dedication and obligation to God will rather much prepare him for it than hinder it § 31. Me thinks these Professions should put off the chief matter of offence and exception against each other as to the ill consequents of our opinions And if sober good men would by such a mutual approach be the more disposed to live together in love and holy peace how easily should I bear the scorns of those Formalists that will reproach me for so much as motioning a Peace with the Anabaptists even in the same Communion Who by making it a reproach will but perswade me that such as they are less worthy of Christian Communion than sober pious and peaceable Anabaptists § 32. And if with the partial sort of themselves such motions of Peace be turned into matter of contempt and they proceed in their clamours and reviling of me as an enemy of the truth for being against their way I shall account it no wonder nor matter of much provocation finding in all Sects as well as theirs that the injudicious sort are apt to be abusively censorious and the more mens Pride Ignorance and uncharitableness remain the more they will swell into self-conceit and trouble the Church with a mistaking wrangling hurtful sort of zeal § 33. And as I must needs believe as ill of some sort of Zeal as St. James hath spoken of it Jam. 3. and experience hath too long told the world of it yet I take it for truly amiable in men that they have a love and Zeal for Truth in general and a hatred to that which they think to be against it and that their bitterness against the truth and me is upon a supposition that both are against the truth and God for this beareth them witness that they have a zeal of God though it be not according to Knowledge and if they knew truth indeed they would be zealous for it § 34. I conclude with this notice to the contrary minded that the evidence for Infants Church-membership seemeth to me so clear both in nature and in Scripture that I bid them despair of ever perswading me against it But if they will have any hope of changing my judgement it must be by confessing the visible Church-membership of Infants and proving that yet they are not to be baptized and that Baptism was appointed for initiating none but adult converts and not to be the common entrance into the Church which yet I think they can never do while the plain Law of Christ Mat. 29.19 and the exposition of the universal Church doth stand on record to confute such an opinion But here they have more room for a dispute § 35. But though I expect to be censured for it I will say once because truth is truth that though Rebaptizing and Reordaining are justly both condemned by the ancient Churches and pronounced alike ridiculous by Gregory Mag. Lib. 2. Ep. Indict 11. c. 46. and many others yet were men Rebaptized but for Certainty to themselves or to the Church and to quiet their consciences and on such terms as in my Christian Directory I have shewed that a seeming Reordination might in some cases be tolerated and would not wrong Infants nor make it an occasion of division or alienation I know not by any Scripture or reason that such Rebaptizing is so heinous a sin as should warrant us to contemn our brethren No though it were as faulty as the oft commemorative baptizing used by the Abassines CHAP. III. A General View of Mr. Danvers book § 1. MR. Danvers book is entitled a Treatise of Baptism in which he giveth us the History of Infant and Adult Baptism out of Antiquity as making it appear that Infant Baptism was not practised for 300 years in his second edit it is near 300. And in his Append ed. 2. I cannot find that it was practised upon any till the fourth Century And he giveth us a Catalogue of witnesses against it By which those that hold their Religion on the belief of such mens words will conclude that all this is true and that Infant Baptism is a Novelty and those that are against it do go the old and Catholick way § 2. Having perused his testimonies on both sides I am humbled and ashamed for the dulness of my heart that doth not with floods of compassionate tears lament the pittiful condition of the seduced that must be thus deceived in the dark and of the Churches of Christ that must be thus assaulted and shaken and distracted by such inhumane horrid means The book being composed in that part of history which the stress of the cause lyeth on of such UNTRUTHS in fact and history as I profess it one of my greatest difficulties to know how to call them Should I say that they are so notorious and shameless as that I say not only a Papist but any sober Turk or Pagan should blush to have been guilty but of some page or line◠of them and much more a man of any tenderness of conscience the Readers would think that the language were harsh were it never so true and some would say Let us have soft words and hard arguments And should I not tell the Reader the truth of the case I might help to betray him into too much fearlesness of his bait and snare and I doubt I may be guilty of untruth by concealing the quality of his untruths And it is not matter of Argument but fact that I am speaking of § 3. But it pleaseth that God whose counsels are unsearchable as to permit five parts of the Earth to remain yet strangers unto Christ so to permit his Church to be so tryed and distracted between Church Tyranny and dividing separations Sects and parties as that in many ages it hath not been easie to
delivered down the form and words of baptism to us § 18. Afterward pag. 230. Ed. 2. Mr. Danvers cometh to Austin again and saith that Vincentius Victor did oppose Austin in the point of Infant-baptism citing August li. 3. c. 14. de Anima Answ Not a word of truth no such matter in that Chapter or the whole book § 19. Next he saith Cresconius did also oppose Austin in the point of Infants baptism and did maintain that there was no true baptism but that which administred after faith Answ Utterly false still There was no such controversie between them No wonder if he had miscited sentences that will thus go to falsifie whole Books as speaking of that which they never meddle with Augustine having written against Petilian their best speaker having of a Lawyer been made a Bishop Cresconius a Donatist Grammarian interposed for Petilian and perswaded Austin to gentler thoughts of them but speaks not a word against Infant-baptism § 20. Nay lib. 3. cap. 31. Austin tells us that they held it as well as the Catholicks saith he Circumcisionem certe praeputii in figura futuri baptismi Christi ab antiquis observatum esse negare ut arbitror non audetis That is I suppose you dare not deny that Circumcision was observed by the ancients in figure of the Christian baptism It was a granted thing § 21. And it was Cresconius words to Austin Vna Religio eadem Sacramenta nihil in Christiana observatione diversum adhuc adversus invicem laboramus Saith Austin Quare ergo rebaptizas Christianum Ego non rebaptizo that is We have all one Religion the same Sacraments there is nothing in our Christian observation divers saith Cresconius And yet do we strive against each other Why then dost thou rebaptize a Christian that differeth not from them I rebaptize no Christian saith Austin So that here was no disagreement in Sacraments or any Christian observance Only as Austin saith lib. 7. de bapt c. 2. the quarrel was that the Catholicks were charged to be Traditores quia ex traditoribus the successors of sinners Thus being wise and righteous overmuch did tear and almost ruine the Churches § 22. He addeth pag. 223. Ed. 2. the saying of Osiander Fuller Bullinger that the Donatists and the Anabaptists held the same opinions Answ 1. In what In all things or some that is in the point of Rebaptizing persons before baptized do you own that indeed But not as being against Infant-baptism 2. So many Prelatists have called the Puritans Donatists and abundance of Protestants say that the Papists succeed the Donatists in appropriating the Church to their party Do not write next that they say the Papists are against Infant-baptism lest you make your selves Antichristian also § 23. Reader the Donatists were so great a party of men and had so great a number of Bishops and so many wrote against them whose works are yet extant and their cause had so many publick examinations that I leave it to thee if thou have the brains of a man to judge whether if they had been against Infant-baptism in a time when Austin said no Christian denied it neither Optatus nor Austin nor any other of their most copious opposers would ever have charged them with such an opinion nor any examiners Councils or Historians of their ages even when the Catalogues of hereticks unhappily took in so many little matters as they did and made hereticks some more and worse than they were And now if John Becold will say they were of his side we must believe him § 24. His dealing with the Novatians is the same or worse He feared not in the face of the Sun to write that the Novatians opposed Infant-baptism and numbreth them also with his party When it is a falshood as much aggravated as these particulars import 1. They were an honest and numerous people and scattered almost all over the Empire tolerated till Innocents time in Rome and long tolerated and much favoured by many Emperors and Patriarchs in Constantinople because as Socrates saith they agreed in Doctrine with the Catholicks And could they have denied Infant-baptism and not be accused of it 2. They had many bitter enemies that would soon have cast this in their teeth 3. Many Councils had to do with them where multitudes had opportunity to accuse them 4. They were an ancient Sect arising even in Cyprians time and long continued And in so many generations it would have been known 5. They are put in the Catalogues of many Heresiographers that are keen enough and none of them that ever I found accuse them of any such thing No not Epiphanius himself who is most copious and not very backward to accuse And shall either John of Leyden or any of his party now in the end of the world perswade us by slandering so many thousands of innocent men that they were guilty And can Mr. Danvers now tell us that they held that which for a thousand years hath lain unknown § 25. He citeth Socrates l. 7. c. 9. that Innocent banished them out of Rome Answ Elsewhere indeed Socrates and many more say so But doth that prove they were against Infant-baptism § 26. Somewhat he would fain say at the second hand out of Albaspinaeus Observ 20. I hope he never read the book Albaspinaeus there purposely decideth the Controversie what the Novatian Heresie was in several Chapters and never mentioneth any such opinion or suspicion of them The same doth that great Antiquary Jesuit Petavius and what these two men knew not of the Fathers and Church-history few in the world knew unless I may except Blondel and Vsher In his notes on Epiphanius of the Novatians he entreth on the same Controversie as Albaspinaeus did and never mentioneth any such thing § 27. Next he tells us that Ecbertus and Emericus do assert that the Waldenses the new Cathari conform to the Doctrine and manners of the old the Novatians Answ But did they say that the Novatians were against Infant-Baptism Why did you cite neither words page nor Book And if they had should two railing slanderous Papists near a thousand years after Novatian be taken for witnesses that he was against Infant-baptism against all the History of the Church that concerneth them to the contrary Socrates himself an honest Historian and Sozomen also are ordinarily by the Papists accused as Novatians because they speak fairly and impartially of them as honest men and whether they were or not I know not but by their own words conjâ—cture the contrary And they lived when and where the Novatians were best known And yet tell us not a syllable of any such suspicion of them § 28. Next he saith Perin saith that the Waldenses were the off-spring of the Novatians driven out of Rome about Anno 400. Answ It is very probable Therefore the Waldenses were not against Infant-baptism For it is certain the Novatians were not And the same Perin saith the Waldenses were not But if
had grace So now if I should say that notwithstanding these hard-faced falshoods heaped together and confidently obtruded on the ignorant even about publick and visible matter of fact yet I hope the Auâ—hor feareth God truly in other respects and erreth through Ignorance passion and temerity I should be told publickly ere long by one or other that I think the most brazen-faced Lyars may be Saints And if I deny such mens Goodness I look to be told that I am censorious and a reviler of godly men that differ from me Therefore I am thankful to Christ that he not only excuseth us from so hard a work as the Judging of the sincerity of others but calls us off and saith who art thou that judgest another mans servant to his own master he stands or falls But whoever censure me for it I will say that my judgement still inclineth to the hopeful and charitable part For siding and error may draw good men into heinous sins § 9. That He and I do differ in Judgement and Practice is not to be denyed I thought our difference had been but in so small and tolerable things till I saw worse in his writings as should neither abate Love or forbid Communion And thinking so I was the likelier to practise as I thought and not to hate him and such as he But I perceive he takes the differences to be far greater and my errors and sins to be more heinous and intolerable and therefore if he hate me though I know not that ever he saw me or I him it is no wonder it being more agreeable to his judgement And also if he would not tolerate me were it in his power § 10. If he so greatly differ from me and be in the right certainly it is because he is either a great deal wiser and more knowing in these matters or because he is more conscionable to avoid perverting temptations and more Godly and fit for divine light I deny not either but from the bottom of my heart tell him that I am so deeply conscious of the darkness and smalness of my understanding and my little goodness and very ill deserts from God that did he bring me any considerable evidence for his cause my great suspicion of my self would prepare me to hear him But it must not be such stuff as he here obtrudeth on us And I must tell him though I acknowledge God to be a free Benefactor and may give the Greatest Knowledge to them that have least laboured for it yet while diligent searching is his commanded means I shall doubt whether his easier and shorter search hath attained to so much more than my harder and longer till the fruit shall prove it § 11. He tells us Ed. 2. p. 170. that I cannot do my self more right and my offended brethren than to clear my self in these particulars which are indeed so heinous not only to every one of his Nonconforming brethren but to most Protestants that hear them Answ 1. Still such untruths Do you know what most Protestants think that hear them and every one of my Nonconforming brethren Why some of the wisest of them that I know did read them over and approved them before they were printed Others many and many of the most judicious also of my acquaintance have since professed their consent Nay more I remember not one Minister that hath made me know by word or writing to me that he dissenteth from any one of all these heinous things I remember that once some objected what they heard others say not as consenting to the opposers and acquiesced in my answers or rather in the words of the book perused So that if every one of my Nonconforming brethren be offended and I known not of one nor any one of them would ever vouchsafe a word or line to convince me you censure them for woful dissemblers or uncharitable But I believe them of themselves rather than you § 12. He addeth And I dare be bold to say hath given more general offence and lost Mr. Baxter more amongst his Friends than any thing he did in all his life Answ 1. The offence which Christ dreadfully condemneth which is scandalizing the weak or laying snares or stumbling-blocks before them to tempt them to think ill of Christ or Godliness or to commit any sin I would avoid as carefully as I can And to avoid it I have written that which offendeth you But the offence which is but Displeasing dissenters yea mistaking men I little regard on my own account And your talk of my loss or being lost doth savour so rankly of a humane hypocritical temptation as maketh me remember what Christ said to Peter Math. 16.23 that would have had him save himself from suffering though I will not speak out such unpleasing words to you But your words savour too much of the flesh O Sir it is but a few moments more and you and I shall be in a world where the thoughts and words of mortals of us will be of small importance to us And themselves are hasting to the day when all their thoughts perish O cease from man whose breath is in his nostrils for wherein is he to be accounted of Would you tempt me to look to the hypocrites reward the approbation of man O miserable reward Were not that book odious to you I would refer you for my Reasons to the two Chapters of Man-pleasing and Pride If Gods approbation seem not enough for us why call we him our God But if I have lost so much as you intimate you would perswade me that my service is more than I take it to be I have felt little comfort in any service of God which cost me nothing But you shall not tempt me to over-value it so much I find no loss at all by it What have I lost Sir Not one farthing or farthings-worth that I am aware of As I lived not on any man before so I am never the poorer for that duty now Is it mens praise or good thoughts of me Not one friend to my remembrance in the City or Land hath once told me his dissent much less that I have lost his good esteem Only one young man that heard me Preach came for satisfaction about one of the particulars who was satisfied as far as I could perceive and I wisht him but to read over all in my book about that you object concerning the Crucifix and I heard of him no more And if I am so much lost with my friends and no one of them in England tell me that he dissenteth and wherein such friends are not so valuable as to be any of my felicity And do you call a man lost that loseth the thoughts or the breath of man As it is their own duty or sin I regard all mens thoughts or words and so would please all men for their good to edification But as to my own comfort I can spare yours and theirs and if you and a
thousand such should write a Cart-load of Calumnies as you have done I think they would break but little of my sleep Set these arguments next before hypocrites that live on man I live not on them But your words do mind me how men that are embodyed in little parties far less than the Donatists or Novatians are inclined to take their Cabin for all the Kingdom and their Sect for the Church and are affected with their praise or dispraise almost as if they were all the world You hear your folks it seems talk against me with whom backbiting is a duty and you seem to dream that it is all my friends If God in Christ will be my friend I can spare others And tell me Sir for what prize or gain do you think I am lost with all my friends No man in his wits will voluntarily be lost for nothing Do you think it is to get other friends that I more value Who be they Is it the Papists Enquire what I get by them Is it the Diocesan party What have I got by them but silencing and the loss of all Ministerial maintenance these twelve years And ask them whose writings have more offended them yours or mine If I am lost it hath â—ost me more years hard study to be lost and to be erroneous or a fool than it hath done you to be some body and to be wise And I tell you I never yet repented of Cost or loss for that Truth and duty which you lament as heinous error and sin But naked truth and the faithful endeavours of pleasing God in promoting that Love among Christs disciples and peace in his Churches which Church Tyrants and Sects have so many ages laboured too succesfully to destroy are sweeter than to be forsaken either through the persecution of one sort or the Revilings of the other or the loss of all mens friendship upon earth And yet I will add that though being long ago glutted with mens applause as finding it a luscious but unwholesome thing and having voluntarily cast up much of it my self I yet perceive no want of friends but take your words of them for meer slanders § 13. Saith Mr. D. Pref. ed. 1. He hath so much abounded in contradictions none more that I know of being as you 'l find sometime a great opposer then a great defender of Episcopacy Answ 1. Yet I know not that ever this man saw me as I said or I him 2. This falshood did unhappily overslip him my writing being so full a confutation of it that he can have nothing of sense to say to cloak it My judgement was for Episcopacy 1639. by Reading Bishop Downame and some others But in 1640. the oath called Et caetera calling us to swear never to consent to the alteration of the present Government by A. Bishops Bishops Deans Archdeacons c. forced me to study the whole cause to the bottom since which time my judgement of Episcopacy never altered which is 34 years ago having setled in the Receptibility of one sort of Episcopacy and the desirableness of another and the dislike of another sort All which I have fully published in my Dispute of Church-Government 1658. when the Bishops here were at the lowest Either this man knew me and my writings herein or not If not what a man is this that dare talk thus confidently and falsly of what he knew not If he did then how much more flagitious is his practice thus to tell the world an untruth so notorious to himself He saith as you may find but never tells you where Let him tell you where and when I ever defended that Episcopacy which I had opposed § 14. Mr. D. Sometime for Nonconformity in whose tents he hath seemed to shelter himself in the storm and with their Indulgence to come forth of his hole and yet at length so highly to disgrace the same Answ 1. Let him shew you if he can where or when I have changed my judgement about Conformity or exprest a change since 1640 Not that I take it for a disgrace to be mutable by growing wiser But necessity forced me so long ago to study those controversies so hard as fixed me and I never heard any thing since which considerably altered me therein Which also being visible in the foresaid Dispute of Liturgie Ceremonies c. written 1658. leave no cloak for this mans calumnies See there whether I said not more for so much of Episcopacy Liturgie and Ceremonies which I took to be lawful than ever I have done since Bishops returned 2. But what doth he mean by sheltering my self in a storm in their tents I cannot imagine what unless sense and truth at once forsook him When a storm fell on the Nonconformists were their tents a likely place for shelter Had not the Conformists tents been likelier Did the Nonconformists shelter me From what and how 3. And what hole was it that I came out of with their Indulgence Are such men as this the Vindicators of Gods Truth against the Christian world that pour out untruths at such a rate in despight of the most publick notoriety of fact Do I need to tell the Reader only for the sake of youths and forreigners that when the Nonconformists cause was at the bar when speaking had any room and hope they set me in their forlorn and engaged me with my Conscience and desire to have prevented that which I foresaw in the tasks of writing and speaking which would most exasperate and offend the Bishops till I was I think the first among them that was forbidden to Preach I continued after that in London a year where I never had place or flock but was a stranger sickness then forced me to remove into the Countrey The Tents I was sheltered in were Gods protection in my own habitation which if a hole I thought good enough for me I Preacht to such as would hear me till being near the Church door and the people numerous Clergie-envy caused me to be sent to the common Gaol among malefactors As soon as I was out another warrant was put into the Officers hands to apprehend me again and send me to Newgate for six months Upon which I removed my dwelling to the next Village out of the County I refused none there that desired to hear me of my Neighbours The writings which he revileth shew that I lived not idle And I think he could wish I had done less and spoken to fewer I came not out of that hole of many months after the Indulgence was granted I stayed on reasons of Self-denyal because I would fore-stall no London Ministers nor hinder their Auditories and therefore resolved to stay till they were setled I came on terms of far greater Self-denyal to the great abatement of my health to say nothing of my greater cost which now hath again forced me at present to retire You see now at what rate these men inform the world and how far they are to
doubtless whatsoever it is is little beholding to such an Advocate as thinks to reconcile men to it by abusing dissenters As for the alteration I have made I gave the world an account of the reasons and grounds of it in my Retractation of Separation published in the year 1659. which was before the turn of times and in my perswasive to Peace and Vnity since published And if this Author could have solidly discovered the insufficiency of those reasons and grounds to justifie such an alteration and my present practice he would have done his cause better service in my opinion than he hath done in his Treatise by labouring to support it by a misrepresentation of persons and their opinions As for me I can truly say I have had great satisfaction and peace in my own mind touching the alteration I have made upon those grounds not only at other times but even then also when I have been near unto death in my own apprehension As for the other person he mentions with me I suppose he may e're long give the world an account of that alteration he also is charged with as great fault Will. Allen An Admonition to Mr. Danvers SIR YOur vehement importunity having greatly injured me by occasioning the loss of some of my time who have none to spare upon this writing which else would have been needless you must bear with me while I desire you sometime alone to answer these Questions seriously to your Conscience Quest 1. Whether the untruths in matter of fact which you confidently publish be not of so stupendious a magnitude as should have affrighted the Conscience of a Turk or Pagan When no less than four whole Bodies of men are so slandered by you the Donatists the Novatians the Old Brittains and the Waldenses each containing it 's like many hundred thousands And when so many whole Books not particular sentences only are falsified accordingly 2. How great a number would your untruths appear were they all gathered and enumerated to you When in all the lines which I have examined I have met with so few that are not guilty of them 3. When you accuse my Admonition to Mr. Bagshaw and thereby shew that you read it should not the eviction of fourscore undeniable untruths in matter of fact have been a warning to you to avoid the like 4. Whether you do not more by such notorious scandal to dishonour your self and all that are such and hinder your own successes than many writings against you could have done 5. Whether you do not scandalously tempt men to justifie the contempt of Tender Consciences and what is done and said against them by many publick Revilers on the other extream when your Conscience pretending tenderness can swallow such Camels while it cannot endure our Infant-blessings 6. Whether men can judge it probable that such voluminous notorious Forgers and Slanderers have so much more illumination than all other Christians as to be meet men to call all the Christian world almost to be new Christned and to unchristen almost all for about thirteen hundred years to leave out the controverted time 7. Would you be believed in other things that can deliberately in two Editions do thus 8. Is it like that God will bless such unmanly scandals to the Churches good unless as sin by overruling providence may occasion good Are these likely means to propagate truth 9. What is the matter that men that can do all this cannot Conform What durst I not subscribe to if I durst do all this 10. Is it not a dishonour to your rebaptized Churches to be so polluted and to have so loose or partial a discipline as to suffer such publick scandals as these and to retain such a member as you and not bring you to repentance or excommunicate you Have our worst Parish Churches many greater scandals If pride partiality and passion will not let your Conscience work upon these things but you will turn them into gall instead of repentance at least I offer them to the Consideration of others to prevent or remedy their infection And remember which you have told the world now in Print that you sent your Bookseller to me to know what I had to say against your first Edition before you published the second And I have here partly told you what I was not so idle as to answer your Reasons knowing how little a part they are of what Mr. Tombes hath said more largely And that I answer him at all is long of you who would not let me hold my peace I heartily desire your Recovery from the unthankful error and your Repentance for the sinful means of propagating it and for your injury to our early Rights and blessings The Third Part OBSERVATIONS ON Mr. Danvers REPLY TO Mr. WILLES Detecting his impenitent proceeding in false Accusation in hope of his Repentance and the undeceiving of others and to warn this Age to take more heed of the common sin of HASTY RASH JUDGING of things which they have not throughly examined partially taking them on their Leaders trust By Richard Baxter LONDON Printed for Nevil Simmons and Jonathan Robinson 1675. A PREMONITION REader there are two stumbling-blocks to be taken out of thy way which I had rather have had no occasion to mention The first is the Name and Authority of that very worthy and excellent man Doct. T. Barlow S. Th. Prof. in Oxford which Mr. D. over and over citeth as for his cause Of which till he think meet to speak for himself I only mind thee that 1. It is a secret Letter to Mr. T. which they cite 2. That it is unlikely that he that subscribeth the Articles and Liturgie of the Church of England is against Infant-baptism when the Art 27. saith The Baptism of Young Children is in any wise to be retained in the Church as most agreeable with the Institution of Christ II. There is another worthy and eximious Doctor of the same University Doct. Th. Tullie who having thought meet in a Latine Treatise of Justification to endeavour at large in a zeal for Orthodoxness no doubt to confute my supposed errors in my Aphorisms about twenty two years ago revoked taking no notice of the many Treatises since written by me on that subject but only of a late Epistle to Mr. Allens Book he hath also thought good to warn young men to take heed that they do not rashly receive my Theology as bringing forth novel paradoxes because I hold some guilt in Children of their nearer Parents sins exclaiming O caecos ante Theologos quicunque unquam fuistis It seemeth that this Famous Learned man knew not that this was Augustins judgement and many another ancient and modern Writer's and that he is less for the Letany than I that subscribe or declare not full assent who heartily pray Remember not Lord our offences nor the offences of our fore-Fathers c. This having some respect to the subject of this Book I thought meet
de erorribus Begehurdorum and have not a word of it What the Papist doctrine was you need no better informer than Lucas Tudensis foregoing Part. 1.636 who writeth against worse persons though Gretser intitleth it against the Albigenses and yet chargeth them not with this viz. Cap. 1. li. 2. In case of necessity every Neophyte maybe Baptized of any Lay-man Jew Heretick or Gentile But for the dignity of the Sacrament it must be done by a Presbyter or Deacon if there be opportunity and received from any other it is not at all to be iterated By this Sacrament both Infants and adult are Regenerated of Water and the Spirit and receive remission of all sins with the adoption of the children of God § 25. If all this will not clear the Waldenses at Mr. D.'s barr and if he look that we should take notice of his Dutch Martyrologie and his Merningus let him that erreth err still CHAP. IV. His Impenitence in Calumniating the Donatists and Novatians reprehended § 1. PAg. 132. of his Reply he returneth to this notorious calumny and charging Mr. Willes with disingenuity he falls to his wonted way of proving 1. From Sebastian Frank and Twisk whom I neither have at hand nor am obliged to believe in telling me what the Donatists held nor to believe that Mr. D. here so differs from himself as truly to report them Once for all It is usual with Writers to charge the Anabaptists as following the Donatists in Rebaptizing but not in denying Infant-baptism For the Donatists baptized again both Infants and adult And it is like this deceived this temerarious man § 2. Next he repeateth his falshoods of Cresconius Fulgentius Vinc. Victor which I have shewed to be done in great temerity § 3. Thirdly he repeateth his stupendious slander of Austin as with much zeal and fury in many Books opposing the Donatists for denying Infant-baptism of which in them all as far as I can find he hath not one syllable but the clear contrary as is proved by me § 4. Because Eckbertus and Emericus charge the Waldenses herein as conforming to the Donatists and Novatians 1. It was not the Waldenses they spake of as I proved but the Manichean Catharists 2. Or if they confounded them they wronged them 3. And if they say as he reporteth they belied the Donatists and why then should I believe them 4. But this time-robber hath tempted me once more to peruse Eckbertus the Abbot and to read his Serm. 7. and 8. and where-ever this subject is his theam and I find not one syllable of any such matter in him of either Donatists or Novatians such a man have we now to deal with § The rest of his recitals are not worthy the recital The Answer before given is sufficient Only I say again that his contempt of so full a testimony as the Decree of a Council at that time for receiving without rebaptizing such as the Donatists baptized in Infancy cited by Cassander as a certain proof is a proof that there is worse than a weak judgement in fault CHAP. V. His renewed Calumny of the old Brittains reproved § 1. REpeating and defending Fabians foppery he argueth that it could be nothing else in which they are said to contradict the Apostolick Catholick Church Answ 1. If Beda say that Augustine tells them that in many things they do contrary to the Roman Catholick and the Apostolick Church doth it follow that the three things in which he requireth their concurrence were all part of those many To preach the Gospel to the Saxons was one Is that a point that they differed from all the Apostolick Church in When it seemeth to be from no other reason than that they would not own the Saxons that had conquered them nor the Papal power that would usurp upon them And on the same reason they might as well refuse to baptize the Saxons children 2. But there is no such thing in the words of Bede as I have shewed but according to the manner of the Church of Rome c. And who knoweth not that the Church of Rome and all in its communion then called the universal Church used in baptism the White Garment the tasting Milk and Hony and Chrysme as an Apostolical tradition or such as they knew no original of Tertullian and Epiphanius alone are full witnesses of this if there were no more § 2. There is nothing in the rest that I think needeth a word more of answer than I before gave And I fear being guilty of idle words and lost time in writing needlesly CHAP. VI. Of his venturous report of Bishop Ushers censure of me IN his Reply pag. 51. he saith I have an honourable regard to his person and due value to his labours especially where he has laid out himself to promote practical holiness and wherein as I have judged his greatest excellency lies supposing had he let Controversies alone and addicted himself thereto he would much more have furthered the peace and union he pretends to promote It having been as I have heard a judgement that Bishop Usher made of him that if he persisted in Polemical writings he was like to prove a troubler rather than a promoter of peace Here 1. See how he feareth not to make reports of the dead by this hearsay No wonder if by this sort of men I my self am by backbiting so frequently traduced and said to Preach and Print that which never was in my mouth or books or thoughts 2. Should one ask him whom he heard this from do you think we should get a satisfying answer No one is here named 3. It is possible Bishop Vsher upon the coming forth of my Aphorisms which had many crudities and many quarrelled at it more than there was cause might fear any thing that looked like unusual 4. But I ask the Reader whether this be a probable report when he understandeth 1. That I was for some weeks familiar with the Bishop and he never spake a syllable to me of such importance 2. That when Doct. Kendal and I were together with him and our question was what was Augustins jugement of Redemption Perseverance and some other things he expresly averred that my Assertion in all those was the truth 3. But I imagine this following might be the occasion of the report Dr. Kendal had some acquaintance with and interest in the said Arch-Bishop and he having written two disputations against me I had answered the first and had drawn up part of the answer to the second But Mr. Vines and Dr. Kendal desired me to meet at Bishop Vshers lodging in order to the ending of our difference There the Bishop motioned that we should promise to write against each other no more which we did and I cast by what I had begun But yet Doct. K. after in a Latine Treatise broke that promise which occasioned my verses in the end of my Dispute of the Object of Justifying Faith against Mr. Warner which some
understood not Now it is not unlikely that the Bishop might say that if Dr. K. and I persisted in that Dispute it would but trouble the Church I am sure he said no more to me nor so much As for Mr. D.'s judgement I deserve not the honour he giveth me but indeed I think that of most men that I have had to deal with in that kind he is one of the unfittest to make himself a Judge who is fit to meddle with Controversie or to judge himself much fitter than me Doubtless his knowledge hath cost him much less time and study than mine hath done me And if his advantage be in greater illumination of Gods Spirit as I seriously profess to fear lest I should want it for my manifold sins against the Spirit and therefore have cause most earnestly to beg for it so I could wish that he had better manifested it than in these two Voluems he hath done at least by an ordinary humane friendship to historical truth For my part I had never more published any thing in this cause if my sense of the hurt and danger of their Separations and Divisions of Christians and destruction of Love and Peace had not moved me much more than any great zeal against bare rebaptizing in it self considered especially if hypothetically done Postscript § 1. SInce the writing of this I have perused Smaragdus Peter Abbas Cluniacensis and Bernard which were not before at hand And I shall give you a true account of their testimonies I. As for Smaragdus I never before read him but on this occasion getting his exposition on the Epistles and Gospels I find that there is a great agreement indeed among Mr. Danvers witnesses that in his citations he is still like himself § 2. Smaragdus on 1 Pet. 2. in oct Pasch fol. 87. saith Sinite parvulos venire ad me talium enim est regnum coelorum Hanc enim sanctam puram innocentem infantiam per baptismi gratiam casta mater gignit Ecclesia That is suffer little children to come to me for of such is the Kingdom of God For this holy pure and innocent Infancie the Church their chast Mother doth by the grace of Baptism beget § 3. And on Mar. 16. in Ascens fol. 101. Cum autem dicatur Qui vero non crediderit condemnabitur quid hic dicimus de parvulis qui per aetatem adhuc credere non valent Nam de majoribus nulla quaestio est In Ecclesia ergo salvatoris per alios parvuli credunt sicut ex aliis ea quae illis in baptismo remittuntur peccata traxerunt That is He that believeth and is Baptized shall be saved c. But when it is said But he that believeth not shall be condemned what say we here to little ones who by their age are not yet able to believe For of the elder there is no question Therefore in the Church of our Saviour little ones believe by others as from others they have drawn those sins which in Baptism are forgiven to them § 4. And in sab Pentecost in Act. 19. fol. 103 104. having at large opened how Catechumens were instructed before Baptism and described approvedly their Ceremonies of crossing breathing on them exorcizing salt the Creed to be recited and understood he addeth Quia ergo Parvuli necdum ratione utentes haec minime capere possunt oportet ut cum ad imtelligibilem aetatem pervenerint doceantur fidei sacramenta confessionis mysteria ut veraciter credant diligenti cura custodiant confessionem suam Plane diximus quia quamvis illi necdum loqui possunt pro illis confitentur loquuntur qui eos de lavacro fontia suscipiunt Nec immerito dignum est ut qui aliorum peccatis obnoxii sunt aliorum etiam confessione per ministerium baptismatis remissionem originalium percipiant peccatorum That is But seeing little ones that have not yet the use of reason cannot receive these things it is meet that when they come to age of understanding they be taught both the Sacraments of faith and the mystery of confession that they may truly believe and by diligent care may keep their confession And not undeservedly It is meet or worthy that they who are obnoxious to or by others sins by others confession also should by the mystery of Baptism receive the pardon of original sins § 5. Yet it 's true that this same Author doth oft call for confession from the adult and perswade men not to trust to meer outward baptizing as may be seen on 1 Cor. 9. fol. 30. c. But he could reconcile this to Infant-Baptism though Mr. D. cannot See him further fol. 85. c. in Math. 28. and fol. 85. in 1 Pet. 3. fol. 84. fol. 19. in Isa 60. § 6. II. As to Pet. Cluniacensis another Abbot near the same time and contemporary with Bernard he is the most plausible of all Mr. D.'s witnesses as against two men Pet. Bruis and Henry But 1. Fol. 1. Epist 1. he writeth Twenty years after Peters sowing his doctrine 2. And though Henry lived in his time yet fol. 2. he saith Sed quia eum ita sentire vel praedicare nondum mihi plene fides facta est differo responsionem quousque horum quae dicuntur indubitatam habeant certitudinem that is having called Henry the heir of Peters wickedness who rather changed than mended his Devillish doctrine But because I have not yet testimony fully credible or am not sure that he so thinketh and preacheth I delay my answer till I can have undoubted certainty of the things reported By which it is plain that he knew neither of them but went by that same which commonly then slandered them § 7. 3. And in his first Proposal fol. 7. of Hoffmeisters Edit he reciteth the words supposed to be theirs in which they deny as much the Salvation as the Baptism of all Infants Ex his domini verbis Mar. 16. aperte monstrant nullum nisi crediderit baptizatus fuerit hoc est nisi Christianam fidem habuerit baptismum perceperit posse salvari Nam non alterum horum sed utrumque pariter salvat Vnde Infantes licet à vobis baptizentur quia tamen credere obstante aetate non possunt nequaquam salvantur So that it is the salvation of any Infants that they principally here deny accounting Baptism needful to salvation § 8. And fol. 8. He addeth their next charge that fama vulgavit fame reported that they wholly believed not Christ Prophets or Apostles the Old or New Testament Sed quia fallaci rumorum monstro non facile assensum praebere debeo maxime cum quidam vos totum divinum Canonem abjecisse affirment alii quaedam ex ipso vos suscepisse contendant culpare vos de incertis nolo Where he fully confesseth that he knew them not but went by fame and that he suspected himself this fame to be false calling