is no Original Sin and this takes away the Merit of our Saviour's Intercession and the Satisfaction that he made on our behalf They excluded Infants out of the Grace of the Covenant contrary to our Lord's command denying them Baptism which is a Means whereby we receive the same and a Pledge to assure us thereof They held it lawful for a Man to have more Wives than one and this shews their Continence and Chastity that the godly was to inherit the Earth and Oaths not to be kept with the Magistrate and this discovers their Principles of Civil Government That any Person might take upon him the Ministerial Office and this invades our Saviour's Authority he left with the Apostles and their lawful Successours in this behalf But enough of the Doctrines of this new way I went on 3dly And shewed that the present Methods our Adversaries usually take in managing their Cause argues that the same is naught for that they are always inveighing against the Doctrines or Practice of others instead of proving from Scripture and Reason the Truth and Goodness of their own way To this add the great Confidence without Reason they have of their Cause and that being buoy'd-up with Ignorance and Prejudice what a noise and pother they make in promoting it as if they were so many Goliath's in arguing that none could stand before them Witness the late confident and presumptuous Challenge they made at Epworth to enter into a publick Dispute with the Reverend Mr. Wesly the present Minister thereof who is indeed the Effect of his good Nature too civil to them and too much forbearing of their insolent Behaviour in confronting the establish'd Religion in Opposition and open Defiance to the wholsome Laws of the Land made and provided for the Honour and Security of the same But let me tell them They who do not value the Peace of the Church will never regard the Peace of the State But we desire no more of their Munster-broyls occasioned by their seditious Disputations therefore 't is good for them not to use their liberty for a cloak of Maliciousness for if they will so far tread in the steps of their first Reformers as to intrench upon the Authority and kind Indulgence of the Magistrate they must be let understand that he beareth not the Sword in vain And as for their Goliath's Arguments let them not produce them as is their common usage in a seditious and tumultuous manner where noise shall prevail above Truth and Reason but in a manly and christian way and we fear them not for I do not doubt but when their Locks of Pride and Ignorance where their boasted Strength lies are lop'd off they 'll be found in Argument like other Men and those of the meanest Rank too Thus Neighbour if you will but seriously consider the Men or their Principles or their manner of spreading and abetting of them I hope you will think it most adviseable to keep to your old way until a better than this before us is shewn you to walk in and thus we might as I told you stand our ground and act only defensively But being 't is the Cause of God and Truth and the design of this Letter being not so much to assail our Adversaries as to satisfie your Scruples which if not solid are at least I believe well meant I put the Cause still to a fairer Issue and laid before you the Strength of our Adversaries in the two main Objections 1st As to the Objects of Baptism 2dly As to the manner of its Administration As to the first Objection I shew'd you the Stress of it lay in this That Faith and Repentance shou'd precede Baptism which Children not being capable of are not to be baptized and that none of the force of the Objection should be lost in the handling of it I took it in pieces and spoke severally to the Branches of it And first as to Faith I shew'd you by way of parallel that Circumcision in the old Testament being a Seal of the righteousness of Faith of which Infants were then capable it must needs follow by parity of Reason that Children of Believers under the Gospel must be also capable of Baptism which is the Seal of the New Testament unless they will suppose that the first Seal of the Covenant given to Abraham was more privilegial and extensive in favour than the second Seal given by Christ I shew'd farther as matter of Fact That Children as well as Men and Women were always discipled by Baptism in the Jewish Church and that Children were included in our Lord 's general Commission they being part of all Nations And that the manner of executing this Commission in all Nations wherever the Christian Faith hath spread it self ever since the Apostles Days and in all probability in their time also doth ascertain the matter of Fact as to the baptizing of Infants beyond all denial For matter of Right I shew'd you that Infants have an unquestionable Title to the thing signified of such being as our Saviour saith the Kingdom of Heaven who can question their having a right to the sign besides that the Promise is to you and your Children and that the promissory Grace in the Sacrament is no ways letted by the personal Incapacity of the Recipient for that a King may be crown'd in a Cradle and become really King though he knows not of it and many Kindnesses may be actually done to Infants by their Parents Friends or Guardians though they are not privy to it and however at the least Children now of believing Parents are every whit as capable of the Seal of Baptism as the Children of the Jews were of the Seal of Circumcision as was before declar'd and for the Reasons there alledged As to the second branch of their first Exception Repentance I shew'd you very plainly that it concerns adult Persons only for Infants having not been guilty of actual Sins there is no occasion for their actual Repentance and as for Persons of riper Years if they 're not baptized till then we do agree they ought first to believe for it would be most unreasonable to admit an adult Person Christ's Disciple who did not first believe in him and acknowledge him for his Saviour and that there is also in these a necessity of Repentance for such having been also guilty of actual Sins they ought and must repent of them before they are capable of this Sacrament which is the Laver of Regeneration and he that puts on Christ must become a New Creature I came then To the second general Objection relating to the Mode of Baptism and did so far agree that Dipping was probably the manner of baptizing in the Jewish Church and that the same was likely so too in John's Baptism but then I shew'd you there was at that time a particular Reason for this Mode of baptizing for that the Persons then to be baptized had as it were a visible or outward
admitted visible Members of Christ's Church Children of believing Parents have a Right and Privilege to the Seal of the Covenant above those of Unbelievers namely to Baptism which the Apostle calls the Laver of Regeneration and this new Birth must suppose a great advantage redounding to them by receiving this Sacrament and for this I refer you to our Church's Explanation herein touching Baptism That it is an outward visible Sign of an inward spiritual Grace given unto us ordained by Christ himself as a means whereby we receive the same and as a Pledge to assure us thereof and that being by Nature born in Sin and the Children of Wrath we are hereby made the Children of Grace To this add the Common usage in the Church of executing this our Lord's Commission ever since the Apostles days in all Nations and Countries where the Gospel hath spread it self and whether the baptizing of Infants has not been the received Doctrine and Practice of all the Churches in general whether Eastern or Western I appeal herein to the unanimous consent of the Ancient Fathers and the same is yet for any thing I have either read or heard the Custom of all National Churches in the whole Christian World to this very day and if we should speak of single Christians on which I lay no other stress than to discover the presumptuous Confidence of our Adversaries the Number of those who are for Pedobaptism in comparison of the Anabaptists is as much disparity I believe I may affirm as ten thousand Men are to one And so much as to matter of Fact In the next place we come to matter of Right and I hope Neighbour we need not stand long upon this for where matter of Fact is by divine injunction in the same or in a parallel Case matter of Right cannot be disputed without reflecting upon the Authority of the Lawgiver or Commander To come then to an issue in this Point you have heard that the command is general Go Baptize all Nations and that Children must be taken as part of that All and in general Laws the relating of particulars is not required because Laws always pass on the whole kind and a part must necessarily be supposed to be included in the whole as a particular in an Universal Besides I judge the Anabaptists themselves are of this opinion in the case of the other Sacrament the Lord's Supper else why do they admit Women to it We own 't is true that all ought to celebrate the Lord's Death but I ask Where is it particularly commanded that Women are to receive as well as Men Our Adversaries in this case must clear it thus They are part of Mankind Persons for whom Christ died as well as Men and so are within our Lord 's general Precept Do this in remembrance of me I take this as a good Answer But then I ask them Why is not the Command in the initiating Seal to be lookt upon as extensive as it is they being Judges in the confirming Pledge or Seal It must needs be as general with regard to the Precept else some Persons might receive the Lord's Supper before they 're baptized and so their Confirmation in the Christian Faith might in order of Time precede their Initiation and those might be admitted Guests at the Lord's Table who never were really his Disciples which none I think will allow that own the Sacraments And thus it seems plain to me that it must needs follow if Children are included in the general Precept of Baptism then they ought of right to be baptized for in every Law of God there must be supposed a Reasonableness and Equity in the Performance because every such Law is the Sanction of Truth and Justice in as much as the same is enacted by an all-wise Lawgiver But here is another Objection thrown in my way and I fear Neighbour you 'll not let me go on till 't is removed and 't is this Obj. Say our Adversaries Now we 'll fight you with your own Weapons If the Law of the two Sacraments be general and the one as extensive as the other why is not the Lord's Supper given to Infants as well as to Men and Women I answer For very good Reasons 't is most convenient and necessary that Children as well as adult Persons be baptized that so Christ's Flock may be distinguisht from Jews Heathens and Pagans and it shews a wonderful kind Love in our Saviour in bringing those Infants in whom there is no actual let or hinderance of their own nearer unto him by his gracious Ordinanceâ— of Baptism wherein he sets his Seal that of such is the Kingdom of Heaven And I the rather believe this for that when our Saviour was on Earth he manifested such Love and personal Tenderness for them even as a Father his Words and Actions were both full of Affections towards them He took them up in his arms Mark 10.16 put his hands upon them and blessed them Add to this That we are all conceived and born in Sin and that as in Adam all dy'd how then Psal 51.5 so in Christ all should be made alive that is Salvabiles savable 1 Cor. 15 22. and without all doubt Children are a part of this All for whom Christ dyed and rose again Now this being so and there being no other means that we know of in an ordinary way but Baptism whereby Children have the Grace of the Covenant convey'd unto them that being the outward Seal thereof and that being also the Laver of Regeneration wherein the Stain of Original Sin is washed away This then implies a necessity of their being baptized and this Doctrine our Saviour himself confirms when he saith John 3.5 Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of Heaven Except a Man here must be meant all the Kind of Man else may Women be excluded as well as Infants Thus 't is most reasonable Children should be baptized But then As to the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper the case is far different the Reason of the thing shews that there is a great distinction to be made 'twixt a Disciple or one that is newly entred a Scholar in Christ's School and those who are come to some growth and stature in the Christian Profession in young Beginners a tractable Disposition or Inclination to learn is accepted whereas in adult Persons because more is given so more is required of them they come to the Lord's Table to renew their baptismal Vow and to set forth the Lord's Death they are Guests invited bid to prepare themselves and therefore 't is expected they put on the Wedding-garment they must go thither with actual Faith and Obedience they must call themselves to account and as our Church piously admonishes such They are to examine themselves whether they truly repent them of their former Sins stedfastly purposing to lead a new Life having a lively â—aith in God's mercy
through Christ with a thankful Remembrance of his Death and to be in charity with all men So that whether we respect the Conditions qualifying a worthy Communicant or the end of his receiving that Duty cannot be expected from babes but from those who are Proficients are grown up in the Knowledge and Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ And this I hope you will take as a sufficient Answer to this Objection and we may therefore go on Having then shewn both from matter of Fact and matter of Right that Infants ought to be baptized let us make forward to the second branch of the first Exception against the baptizing of Children namely Repentance the Scripture saying Repent and be baptized This I hope will not take us up much time so pray Neighbour let us to it Obj. Thus then object our Adversaries and argue upon it Repentance ought to precede Baptism but Infants cannot repent and therefore should not be baptized I answer There are two kinds of Sins generally speaking Original and Actual As to the first I say the Obedience of the second Adam is as extensive as the Prevarication of the first Adam and that there are no other means revealed unto us to wash off this stain in Infants but Baptism and so most reasonable and necessary that they should as you have heard before be Partakers of this Sacrament but of actual Sins they being not guilty of those they have no occasion to repent So that the Exhortation of St. Peter Repent and be baptized does not at all concern Infants but adult Persons and this will be undeniable if we observe the occasion and purport of the Discourse preceding the same So it was that the Feast of Pentecost being come and vast numbers of People residing then at Jerusalem to keep the Feast both Jews and Proselites of divers Nations as Parthians Medes Elamites c. the Apostles being met there also and assembled together in one of the upper Rooms of the Temple as their daily custom was whilst they were performing divine Service Vid. Dr. Hammond on Acts 1.13 compared with cap. 2. ver 1. it pleased Almighty God at that time to pour down upon them the miraculous Gift of the Holy Ghost hereupon they began immediately to speak unto the People in their Master's Name and upon his Business in their several Tongues and Languages The Rumour of this brought a mighty Concourse to them at the Temple Now the People finding it even so as it was told them whilst Peter and the rest of the Apostles expounded unto them the Doctrines of the Christian Faith many of them were convicted in their Consciences at what they had seen and heard and therefore cried our of a sudden Men and Brethren What shall ue do Answer was made by Peter and the rest of the Apostles Repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins And this plainly shews that Repentance here required before Baptism was of adult Persons whether Jews or Profelites for in this case they are all one that they shou'd be heartily sorry for all the actual Sins they had been guilty of resolve to become new Men and to believe in the Lord Jesus that so they might be qualified for Baptism the initiating Seal of the Covenant of Faith This is therefore the Apostolical Doctrine touching the baptizing of adult Persons they ought to repent and believe to qualifie them for receiving the Seal of the said Covenant And so far our Mother the Church doth agree with the Anabaptists if this is their Doctrine as may be seen in her Office of Baptism of those of riper Years Thus the Exhortation before it runs Save your selves from this untoward Generation for that Baptism doth now save not by the putting away the filth of the Flesh but the answer of a good Conscience And the Rubrick expresly requires That due care be taken for the Examination of such Persons as are to be so baptiz'd and that they prepare themselves with Prayers and Fasting for this holy Sacrament I need say no more on this Head and I hope this Point will give you no occasion to leave the Church Having then agreed thus well in this matter I shall be glad if we can close so well in the next Objection and that is as touching the Manner or Mode of Baptizing Second General Objection That Dipping not Sprinkling is the essential and necessary Mode of the Sacrament of Baptism Answer In Answer to this Objection I 'll not deny any thing herein that Scripture or Antiquity seems to favour as to the custom of Immerging or Plunging under Water Persons to be baptiz'd 'T is confess'd then the Jews in their proselyting or making Disciples by Baptism used I believe generally to put the Persons to be baptized all under Water being conformable to their legal Purgations Thus Maimonides speaking of their manner of baptizing If any Person saith he washes or dips himself all over but the tip of his little finger he is yet in his Uncleanness And if any one had much Hair on his head that was also to be washed else the Person was reckoned unclean Suppose farther that in conformity to the Jewish Custom the Mode of John's Baptism was after this manner too as seems to be inferred from his baptizing in Jordan and Enon Joh. 3.23 because there was much Water there and suppose farther that this Custom continued in the Church for some time after Christ and his Apostles in the hot Countries where Dipping of Children might be safe as to Cold and if it be so in these places pray ye who 's against it What! The Church of England That she is not for in her Rubrick about the Baptizing of Infants it is thus ordered That after the Naming of the Child the Minister if they shall certifie him the Child may well endure it shall dip it warily in the Water saying I baptize thee c. So that you see Neighbour you or any other Person might have your Child dipt at its Baptism openly at the Font in the Church if the same is desired here is therefore no Plea left for your separating from our Church upon this account unless Dipping in the River * A River in the Isle of Axholm in Lincolnshire famous for Dipping Torn by a Lay-man shall be lookt upon to answer better the end of Baptism than Dipping in the Font by a lawful Minister But they 'll tell you that Dipping is Essential to Baptism and therefore those that have not been dipt have not yet been duly baptized but this I deny and let them prove it if they can and till then in all reason you ought to stand to your former Baptism And I make this fair Offer Do but continue of our Communion till the Anabaptists shall be able from Scripture Antiquiquity or Reason to make appear that Dipping is essentially necessary to baptism sine quâ non and I shall desire your Conformity no
Uncleanness upon them namely Judaism or Heathenism I agree farther that this Custom was probably in use in hot Countries some time after Christ and his Apostles where the same might be done without endangering the Health of the baptized and I shew'd you also that our Church is not against this use when it may be done with fafety as appears by her Rubrick of Baptism But then to urge that this Mode of dipping is Essential in the very nature of the Sacrament that I deny'd and put it to the Anabaptists to prove it if they could and did say and do say still that a little Water in Baptism by sprinkling or pouring the same upon the Person baptized doth as virtually and sacramentally exhibit the Seal of the Covenant as the greatest quantity whatsoever even as I shew'd you by the like parity of Reason that a little Bread and Wine the least Sup as well as the biggest Draught in the other Sacrament doth sufficiently represent the Body and Blood of Christ to every worthy Communicant and hereupon did urge farther that for any Person to insist upon Dipping as essential to the Sacrament of Baptism it seem'd to me to be a leaning too much to the Judaical Washings and putting too much stress upon the outward Sign the Element of Water and a slighting the thing signified the inward washing and invisible operations of the Spirit I shew'd you what was the Judgment of an ancient Father of the Church when consulted on this occasion and what was and is the Practice of all or most Christian Churches in the Western and Northern parts of the World and now in the close I shall refer the whole matter of this Letter to your serious and Christian Consideration with this Caution only 2 Tim. 2.14 that you bear always in mind in the perusal of it St. Paul's Advice to Timothy Of these things put them in remembrance charging them before the Lord that they strive not about words to no profit but to the subverting of the hearers To conclude Thus Neighbour you see upon due enquiry made there 's really nothing in the new way we have been speaking of to invite you to it unless Principles of Sedition Heresie and Schism can be any due Motives herein No the Apostle St. Paul positively affirms that they who upon this account cause Divisions in the Church of God are such as love not our Lord Jesus Christ but that by their good words and fair speeches they deceive the hearts of the simple Rom. 16.18 Pray then be not led away with an outward shew of pretended Sanctity and Holiness for such a Vizard the false Teachers were to put on 'T is our Saviour's own Affirmation that there should arise false Christs and false Prophets who should be so artful in their counterfeit shews of Piety as to go near imposing upon the very Favourites of Heaven the Elect or chosen of God Mat. 24.24 25. Take therefore our Lord's Advice herein If they shall say unto thee he is in the desart go not forth behold he is in the secret chamber believe it not For when the Root is unsound the Branches must be so likewise A corrupt Tree may bring forth Fruit fair to the eye but not really good Where the Doctrines of any Sect are against God's Word as 't is plain the Anabaptists are they are none of Christ's let them pretend what they will Hear what our Lord bids us do in this case Judge not according to the appearance but judge righteous judgment And as there is nothing in the new way things rightly considered to invite you to it so you have heard there is nothing in the old way the good old Religion you have been baptized and brought up in to dissuade you from it All the Objections our Adversaries have yet made are vanish'd and fled as Chaff before the Wind. Truth is great and will prevail If you are therefore a Lover of God and of Christ of Truth and of your own Soul hold fast to your former Profession without wavering and our Lord Jesus Christ give you a right Understanding in all things Which is the sincere and hearty Prayer of Your loving Friend and Minister Hatfield Jan. 19. 1699 1700. William Eratt POSTSCRIPT I Am told Neighbour by several that you seem concern'd for that you hear I 'm angry at you Now to be free with you and that you may have no more occasion to listen to Hear-say I tell you frankly I am in some measure really so but that I may not be misunderstood in this you must give me leave herein to express my own Meaning and this is but common Justice every Man being suppos'd the best Interpreter of his own words In order then that you or any other Person may the better understand my Meaning when I say I am angry at you I shall consider the matter two ways with regard to an unjust or a just Anger and the Word bears these two senses in the common Usage of it and so 't is also taken in Holy Writ To these I shall speak a little severally 1. As to unjust Anger taken in a strict sense it imports properly speaking not so much an Evil as a groundless and hasty Passion The former of these our Saviour condemns when he tells us Matt. 5.22 We must not be angry with our Brother without a cause of the latter I take the elder Son in the Gospel to be guilty for though his Anger with regard to his prodigal Brother might not be altogether groundless yet was it too rash and hasty The Thoughts of his Brother having wasted his Father's Goods in riotous living gave cause of just Resentment but then the consideration of his being reform'd of his becoming a new Man of his being return'd home in his Person but not in his Vices which moved the tenderness of a Father to pardon should also if it had been well considered have prevail'd with the Brother too not to have been angry the greater Good shou'd have out-ballanced the lesser Evil and so the occasion of the Father's Mirth shou'd have stirr'd up Joy in the Brother also and not a fretting Passion being grounded upon this solid Reason For this thy Brother was dead and is alive again Luke 15.28 32. was lost and is found I am alas too much Man to clear my self of having been never guilty of both these two foolish Passions a Groundless and Hasty Anger and to take up the words of holy Job Should I justifie my self herein my own mouth would condemn me Job 9.20 No far be that Presumption from me but I must freely with the Apostle own my self of like Passions with other men Acts 14.15 Now as to the latter instance of an hasty Passion I wish I might with the elder Brother be blam'd and condemn'd by all good Men shou'd I be angry when I ought to rejoyce if my straying Brother who was lost should be found and return home
ANABAPTISM CONSIDERED Wherein the chief Objections of that Sect against infant-Infant-Baptism and the manner of Baptizing by Aspersion or Sprinkling are fairly stated and answered AND REASONS given why Dipping is not to be taken as the essential or necessary Mode of Administration In a familiar Letter of Advice to a Parishioner inclining that way By William Eratt M. A. and Minister of Hatfield near Doncaster Gal. 4.16 17. Am I therefore become your enemy because I tell you the truth they zealously affect you but not well Prov. 14.15 The simple believeth every word but the prudent man looketh well to his going LONDON Printed by W. B. for A. and J. Churchill And for Robert Clark in York MDCC Neighbour Woodward I Must needs say and complain too you have been unjust to your self and unkind to me as your Minister in not thinking me worthy of being consulted in your spiritual Concerns as to which I am given to understand you have lately been under some Scruples doubting of the Truth of your former Profession in the Communion of the Church of England and seeming to incline to the Anabaptists Persuasion Now to set you at rights herein the Errand of this is to acquaint you that I look upon it as a Duty incumbent upon me to give you the best Advice I can though not desired in this your grand Affair the Welfare of your Soul Pray then let not the Length of my Letter affright you for it is honestly intended for your good and I hope it will prove so be but you as easie and sincere in the Perusal as I was in the Writing of it And if my little pains taken herein do but satisfie your Scruples and bring you home to our Mother the Church from whence you were unadvisedly straying I shall think my self plentifully rewarded who am without Dissimulation Your loving Friend and Minister Jan. 9. 1699 700. William Eratt ANABAPTISM CONSIDERED c. J. W. I Am apt to think your rash separating your self from the Church wherein you were baptized and bred up is a Case when well examined you will not easily answer either before God or Man for all the new Light you so much as I hear now boast of for as our Saviour speaks in the Gospel If the light that is in thee be darkness how great is that darkness Matt. 6.23 You are pleas'd to say you have been hitherto in Errour and Darkness but however that be are you now infallibly sure of your being in the right way This Principle of Popish Infallibility I presume you will hardly pretend to for that savours too much of the blind Zeal and Enthusiasm of Ignatius Loyola the Founder of the Jesuits If then 't is possible for a Man to be mistaken though himself believes otherwise and if Zeal does not always prove the best cause for as St. Rom. 10.2 Paul affirms of some of the Romans that they had a Zeal of God but not according to Knowledge from hence then I gather there may be an erroneous Conscience that is a Man may be zealously affected in an ill matter Not to instance herein Examples of former Times we have modern ones sufficient 1. As to the Case of the Papists they 're infallibly sure of being in the right and all others in the wrong and that there is no Salvation out of the Communion of their Church 2. As to the Quakers they are as confident of their way that they are inwardly taught of God by his Spirit and yet I dare say for all the Zeal of the one or the other you will easily agree with me they are both grosly mistaken in matters of Religion and Religious Worship From what has been said I thus argue That a confident Zeal is not always an Assurance of Truth being there and this premised give me leave to tell you what a Lover of Truth ought to do suppose he has some Scruples upon him that he has been in a wrong way In this Case a scrupulous Conscience shou'd take especial care to inform it self these two ways 1. Examine into the Validity of those Scruples that seem to disuade him from the Profession he has lived in 2. If after all his Searches after Truth his Scruples do still grow upon him and he cannot satisfie himself to continue in his former Profession in the next place a Wise-man and a prudent Christian shou'd by all due ways and means examine into the truth and safety of the new way he intends to make choice of else though the way he has been in as he fancies is not good yet so may it fall out he may take a worse 1. Then A prudent Christian who is a Lover of Truth shou'd by all due ways and means examine into the Validity of those Scruples that seem to dissuade him from the Profession he has lived in Inconstancy in any one argues a Weakness insomuch that the Wise man urgeth us Prov. 24.21 not to meddle with them that are given to change and 't is excellent Advice which the Apostle St. Paul gives Heb. 10.23 to hold fast the profession of our Faith without wavering And the same Apostle begs of Roman Converts to beware of following those who occasion Schisms or Divisions in the Church of God Rom. 16.17 I beseech you Brethren mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned and avoid them Now who those are who have always been for dividing the Members of Christ's Body hear the Character of them given the 2. Tim. 3.6 7. Of this sort are they which creep into houses and lead captive silly women laden with sins led away with divers lusts ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth To bring the Matter home to our present purpose you see how dangerous a thing it is to be guilty of Heresie or Schism If you had then been a Lover of Truth and of Peace you ought first to have consulted me as your Minister and laid before me your Scruples e'er you had openly dissented from the Communion of the Church You ought to shew me from the holy Scriptures the Standard of Truth wherein the Terms of our Communion are unlawful what Doctrines they are our Church maintains and teaches which are contrary to the Word of God Will you try and condemn the Church you have been baptiz'd and brought up in without hearing what she has to say for her self It is against the Law of Nations to condemn any Person indictâ causâ before his Cause is heard and to caution you by the way you are to be very careful in your enquiry of the Doctrines taught in the Sacred Writ and not to pass your Judgment rashly in favour of this or that Opinion in contradiction to the received Doctrines and constant Practice of the Church of God since the time of Christ and his Apostles for I must tell you that the worst of Hereticks in all Ages have pleaded