to collect the Printers Errata though I see divers and therefore must leave the discerning of them to your selves And I again admonish and intreat you that the detection of the extraordinary falshoods and blind temerarious audacity of Mr. D. be not imputed to the whole Rebaptizing party to whose Practice Gregor Magn. paralleleth Reordaining and that his crimes abate not your Christian Love and tenderness to others there being truly Godly wise and peaceable persons worthy of our Communion and willing of it of that party as well as of others Hearken not to them that would render the Party of Anabaptists odious or intolerable no more than to those Anabaptists who would perswade those of their opinion to renounce Communion with all others as unbaptized It is against this dividing spirit on all sides that I Write and Preach PART I. My private Letters to Mr. Tombes proving the Church-membership of Infants in all ages vindicated from his unsatisfactory exceptions The PREFACE § 1. THE occasion and time of these Letters is long ago published by Mr. Tombes himself in the third Part of his Anti-Paedobaptism page 353. and forward where he printeth the said Letters without my consent Had I found his Answers satisfactory I had changed my judgement and retracted that and other such writings long ago But I thought so much otherwise of them that I judged it not necessary nor worth my diverting from better employment to write an answer to them § 2. And whatever the singular judgement of that learned and excellent Professor of Theology mentioned in his Preface was or is concerning the arguments that I and many before and since have used for Infant Baptism and notwithstanding his opinion that it was introduced in the second Century c. yet so many wiser and better men than I think otherwise both of the cause and of Mr. T 's writings that I hope the modest will allow me the honour of having very good company if I should prove mistaken § 3. No sober Christian will deny but that Godly men of both opinions may be saved And then I think no such Christian that is acquainted with the History of the Church can choose but think that there are now in Heaven many thousands if not hundred thousands that were not against Infant Baptism for one that was against it And while we differ de jure yet without great ignorance of the state of the world we must needs agree that de facto the number in the Church of Christ in all Nations and Ages that have been against Infant Baptism hath been so small as that they make up but a very little part of the Church triumphant which though I take for no proof of the truth of our opinion yet I judge it a great reason to make me and others very fearful of turning rashly and without cogent proof to the other side I know the Churches have still had their blemishes but that they should all universally so err in the subject of Baptism and Christianity it self is not to be believed till it be proved § 4. Though Christ be not the Author of any of our errors he is the healer of them and he is the Effector as well as the Director of his Churches faith and holiness And yet to say that though thousands or hundred thousands are in Heaven that were for Infant Baptism for one that was against it yet Christ was against even such a constitutive part of his Church as accounted is not to be received without good proof § 5. For my part I must still say that after all that I have read for the Anabaptists and much more than such Catalogues as Mr. Danvers I do not at present remember that I have read of any one Christian that held the baptizing of Infants unlawful in many and many hundred years after Christ at least not any that denied not Original sin Though indeed the Pelagians themselves that did deny it much yet denied not Infant Baptism § 6. But of this enough heretofore I lay not my faith on the number of Consenters but in a doubtful case I think the way that almost all went that are in Heaven and took it as the very entrance of the door of life is safer caeteris paribus than that which few in Heaven did own And though on earth I have more approvers than Mr. T. I think mans approbation so poor a comfort as that I am sorry to read in his Preface and elsewhere how much he layeth upon it Alas were it not more for the good of others than our selves how inconsiderable a matter were it whether men value and honour or despise us and what we are thought or said of by each other when we are all on the borders of eternity where the honour of this world is of no signification § 7. In the answer which I must give to Mr. Tombes should I transcribe all his words and answer every impertinent passage I should needlesly weary the Reader and my self I will therefore suppose the Reader to have his Book at hand and to take his words as he hath given him them that I may not be blamed as concealing any of them And I shall answer to nothing but what seemeth to me to need an answer And for all the rest I am content that the impartial Reader judge of them as he findeth them For I write not for such as need an answer to every word that is written how frivolous soever against plain truth Mr. Tombes his first Letter SIR NOt finding yet that Law or Ordinance of Infants visible Church-membership which you assert in your book of Baptism to be unrepealed I do request you to set down the particular Text or Texts of Holy Scripture where you conceive that Law or Ordinance is written and to transmit it to me by this bearer that your allegations may be considered by him who is April 3. 1655. Yours as is meet John Tombes Richard Baxters Answer Sir I mean to see more said against what I have already written before I will write any more about Infant Baptism without a more pressing call than I yet discern I have discharged my Conscience and shall leave you and yours to take your course And indeed I do not understand the sense of your Letter because you so joyn two questions in one that I know not which of the two it is that you would have me answer to Whether there were any Ordinances or Law of God that Infants should be Church-members is one question Whether this be repealed is another you joyn both into one For the first that Infants were Church-members as you have not yet denied that I know of so will I not be so uncharitable as to imagine that you are now about it And much less that you should have the least doubt whether it were by Gods Ordination There are two things considerable in the matter First the benefit of Church-membership with all the consequent priviledges It is the
no efficient but a Recipient cause of it As even they confess that call it a Receiving Instrument And yet we have it not till we believe or consent Who would have thought that such a mâ—n as you had taken your own faith to be an efficient cause of your own Justification and so that you justifie your self And what if one give land to you and your heirs It is none of theirs till they are in being And yet their birth is no efficient cause but only the cause of the subjects receptive capacity I am ashamed that you put me thus to catechize you Mr. T. 5. If visible Church-membership be antecedent to the interest a person hath in the Covenant then the Covenant is not the cause of it But c. Ergo Answ The word Interest may signifie the Interest that fallen mankind hath in the Covenant as conditional antecedent to mans consent And thus I suppose neither you nor I here speak of it But if by my Interest you mean that I am the person to whom the Covenant giveth a present Right to its benefits I answer Some benefits follow long after but when I consent then I am the person to whom the Covenant giveth a present Right to union with Christ in the first instant and consequently with his Church or body in the second so that here is no such thing as your feigned membership before Covenant interest that is before a Right to that Relation by Gods donation And as 〈…〉 former dream that this is not a Right anâ— moral effect but a physical it was your self and not I that subjected you to the shame of such an assertion which I will no more confute Mr. T. 6. If the Covenant c. be the only 〈…〉 bought Orphans of Turks wholly at our dispose are no visible members c. Answ No friend of truth will run into the dark with a controversie and argue à minus notis Many judicious Divines think that Gods Covenant with Abrahams Infants born in his house proveth that two things go to make up the capacity of an Infant for baptism 1. That he be his own and at his dispose who offereth him to God 2. That he be offered or dedicated by a Consenting Owner Now their reason is because if they be our own we have the dispose of them for their good and our wills are theirs But the case is most clear about those that by Generation are our own and darker about those that are by Adoption or purchase our own Now here you do nothing but deny the darker which you cannot disprove and thence the plainer which we have fully proved Mr. T. 7. If the Covenant oâ— Law with the Parents actual faith without profession make not the Parent a visible Church-member neither doth it the child But Ergo. Answ I grant both major and minor He that is not known to have faith is not a visible adult member And he that is not known to be the justly reputed child of a professed believer is 〈◊〉 an Infant Church-member And what 's this 〈◊〉 our controversie Heart consent maketh a mystical or invisible Christian and member and Professed belief that is Believing Consent maketh a visible member of the parent and is necessary to the visible membership of the child If I may call that Making them which is but the Disposition of the material Receptive constitutive cause It 's pitty we should have need to talk at this rate Mr. T. 8. If persons are visible Church-members and not by the Covenant of Grace then it is not true that Christ by his Law or Covenant is the sole efficient of visible Church-membership The minor is proved in Judas and hypocrites Answ 1. They are not the sole efficient Gods Love and mercy also is efficient 2. You profess your self that the name Christian and Church-member are equivocal as to the sincere and the hypocrites If they be not the same things no wonder if they have not the same causes That Donation or Covenant may be the sole nearest Instrumental efficient of True membership and yet not of Equivocal 3. God who is our Paternal Beneficient Ruler doth give some of his benefits by his Law or Covenant absolutely and antecedently to mans conditions and some consequently as Rewards And Gods Laws having first a Preceptive part as well as a Donative or Premiant a Right may accrue in foro ecclesiae to an hypocrite from that precept As e. g. God antecedently doth by his Covenant give the world an Impunity as to the punishment of Drowning it And so by his common Law of Grace he giveth the world many common mercies by a Redeemer and perhaps many by that you call a physical act immediately And by his Law he having given a conditional pardon and life to all commandeth his Ministers to offer it and All men to Accept it and his Ministers to judge by mens profession and to use professed Accepters as real because we cannot see the heart This being so when the hypocrite professeth his consent the Law obligeth the Minister and Church to receive it by which in foro ecclesiae he hath a right to his Church station And Christ himself called Judas and sent him out to Preach and his mandates were as Laws So that the Right that an hypocrite hath he hath by the Law which obligeth the Church to use him as a true believer upon his professing to be such None of this can be denyed But Judas was called immediately by Christ himself and his follow me was a precept which gave him a Right to his Relation Mr. T. 9. If Infants are visible members by the Covenant on Condition that the Parents c. then either the next Parents or in any generation precedent c. Answ The next Parents that are Owners of the child and have the trust and power of disposing of him or covenanting for him And the Reason is because they have 1. That Propriety and 2. That trust and power Mr. T. 10. If an Infants visible Church-membership be by the Covenant on the Parents actual believing and not a bare profession then it is a thing that cannot be known c. Answ I pitty Readers that must be troubled with such kind of talk 1. The Right of the child is upon the Believing Parents dedication of that child to God by consenting that he be in the mutual Covenant 2. Heart consent known only to God giveth no Right coram ecclesia known to men but only to such mercy as God who only knoweth it giveth without the Churches judgement 3. Believing and profession qualifie for Right in the Judgement both of God and of the Church 4. Profession without consenting faith qualifieth for Right in the Churches judgement according to Gods Command who biddeth them so judge and do Wrangle not against plain truth Mr. T. 11. If other Christian priviledges be not conveyed by a Covenant upon the Parents faith without the persons own act and consent then neither
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
work of a grant or promise to confer these and not directly of a precept Secondly the duty of devoting and dedicating the child to God and entring it into the Covenant which confers the benefit and this is the work of a Law or Precept to constitute this duty I am past doubt that you doubt not of either of these For you cannot imagine that any Infant had the blessing without a grant or promise that 's impossible nor that any Parents lay under a duty without an obliging law for that is as impossible Taking it therefore for granted that you are resolved in both these and so yield that such a grant and precept there was there remains no question but whether it be repealed which I have long expected that you should prove For citing the particular Texts in which the ordination is contained though more may be said than is said yet I shall think it needless till I see the ordination contained in those Texts which I have already mentioned to you proved to be reversed Nor do I know that it is of so great use to stand to cite the particular Texts while you confess in general that such a promise and precept there is by vertue of which Infants were till Christs time duly members of Christs Church for Christs Church it was even his universal visible Church Still remember that I take the word law not strictly for a precept only but largely as comprehending both promise and precept and I have already shewed you both and so have others So much of your endeavour as hath any tendency to the advancement of holiness I am willing to second you in viz. that at the age you desire people might solemnly profess their acceptance of Christ and their resolution to be his But I hope God will find me better work while I must stay here than to spend my time to prove that no Infants of believers are within Christs visible Church that is are no Infant Disciples Infant Christians Infant Church-members I know no glory it will bring to Christ nor comfort to man nor see I now any appearance of truth in it I bless the Lord for the benefits of the Baptismal Covenant that I enjoyed in infancy and that I was dedicated so soon to God and not left wholly in the Kingdom and power of the Devil They that despise this mercy or account it none or not worth the accepting may go without it and take that which they get by their ingratitude And I once hoped that much less than such an inundation of direful consequents as our eyes have seen would have done more for the bringing of you back to stop the doleful breach that you have made I am fain to spend my time now to endeavour the recovery of some of your Opinion who are lately turned Quakers or at least the preventing of others Apostasie which is indeed to prevent the emptying of your Churches Which I suppose will be a more acceptable work with you than again to write against rebaptizing or for Infant Baptism Sir I remain your imperfect brother knowing but in part yet loving the truth Rich. Baxter Mr. Tombes his second Letter Sir I confess Infants were by Gods fact of taking the whole people of the Jews for his people in that estate of the Jewish Paedagogy not by any promise or precept visible Church-members that is of the Congregation of Israel I do not confess that there was any Law or Ordinance determining it should be so but only a fact of God which is a transeunt thing and I think it were a foolish undertaking for me to prove the repeal of a fact Wherefore still I press you that you would shew me where that Law Ordinance Statute or Decree of God is that is repealable that is which may in congruous sence be either by a later act said to be repealed or else to be established as a law for ever This I never found in your books nor do I conceive that law is implied in any thing I grant and therefore I yet pray you to set me down the particular Text or Texts of Holy Scripture where that Law is Which need not hinder you from opposing the Quakers in which I have not and hope shall not be wanting of whom I think that you are misinformed that they are Anabaptists I think there are very few of them that were ever baptised and have good evidence that they have been formerly Seekers as you call them And I think you do unjustly impute the direful consequences you speak of to the denial of Infant Baptism and to the practice of adult Baptism and that as your self are deceived so you mislead others I yet expect your Texts knowing none in any of your Books that mention that law of Infants visible Church-membership which you assert either explicitly or implicitly and am Bewdly April 4. 1655. yours as is meet John Tombes Richard Baxters second Letter Sir If you will needs recall me to this ungrateful work let me request you to tell me fully exactly and plainly what transient fact you mean which you conceive without law or promise did make Church-members that so I may know where the competition lieth When I know your meaning I intend God willing to send you a speedy answer to your last April 16. 1655. Your fellow-servant Rich. Baxter Mr. Tombes his third Letter Sir The transeunt fact of God whereby Infants were visible Church-members was plainly exprest in my last to you to be the taking of the whole people of the Jews for his people which is the expression of Moses Deut. 4.34 Exod. 6.7 And by it I mean that which is expressed Levit. 20.24.26 when God said I have severed you from other people that you should be mine The same thing is expressed 1 Kings 8.53 Isai 43.1 This I term fact as conceiving it most comprehensive of the many particular acts in many generations whereby he did accomplish it Following herein Stephen Acts 7.2 and Nehem. 9.7 I conceive it began when he called Abraham out of Vr Gen. 12.1 to which succeeded in their times the enlarging of his family removing of Lot Ishmael the sons of Keturah Esau distinction by Circumcision the birth of Isaac Jacob his leading to Padan Aram increase there removal to Canaan to Aegypt placing preserving there and chiefly the bringing of them thence to which principally the Scripture refers this fact Exod. 19.4 Levit. 11.45 Nehem. 1.10 Hos 11.1 the bringing them into the bond of the Covenant at Mount Sinai giving them laws settling their Priesthood tabernacle army government inheritance By which fact the Infants of the Israelites were visible Church-members as being part of the Congregation of Israel and in like manner though not with equal right for they might be sold away were the bought servants or captives whether Infants or of age though their Parents were professed Idolaters And this I said was without promise or precept meaning such promise or precept as you
would not be harmonical So that as Gods promise is but a sign of his will obliging him improperly in point of fidelity and immutability so say they the nature of man was a sign of Gods will so far engaging him So that as he could not let-sin go unpunished without some breach in the harmony of his sapiential frame of administration no more could he deny to perfect man the object of those desires which he formed in him So that although he might have made man such a creature as should not necessarily be punished for evil or rewarded for good that is he might have made him not a man yet having so made him it is necessary that he be governed as a man in regard of felicity as well as penalty 3. Our Philosophers and Divines do commonly prove the immortality of the soul from its natural inclinations to God and eternal felicity And if the immortality may be so proved from its nature then also its felicity in case of righteousness I interpose not my self as a Judge in this controversie of Divines but I have mentioned it to the end which I shall now express 1. It is most certain whether the reward or promise be natural or positive that such a state of felicity man was either in or in the way to or in part and the way to more And it is most certain that man was made holy devoted to God and fit for his service and that in this estate according to the Law of his creation he was to increase and multiply It is most certain therefore that according to the first law of nature Infants should have been Church-members 2. But if their opinion hold that make the reward grounded on the law of nature and not on a meer positive law and you see the reasons are not contemptible then the argument would be yet more advantagious 3. But however it be of the title to glory or eternity it is most certain that according to the very law of nature Infants were to have been Church-members if man had stood The first Text therefore that I cite for Infants Church-membership as expressing its original de jure is Gen. 1.26 27 28. So God created man in his own Image And God blessed them and God said unto them Be fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth Here you see by the law of nature Infants were to have been born in Gods Image and in innocency and so Church-members And note that the first blessing that God pronounceth on mankind is that they propagate Children in their own estate to be as the Parents were even in Gods Image Mr. T. 1. If this prove their Church-membership it proves not their visible Church-membership Reply Mark Reader that Gods Law and blessing for the propagation of Adams seed in his Image would not have made them when born to be visible Church-members though members What not so notorious a Law and Covenant and Benediction No wonder if all Christians Infants must be shut out if Innocent Adams must have been shut out He adds 2. If it prove a Law or Ordinance yet not suâ—h a Law or Ordinance as is in question which is not a Law or Ordinance de jure but de eventu that so it shall be they being to be actually visible Church-members before admission according to Mr. B's dictates Reply Alas poor Readers that must be thus wearied I know nothing that this Law or Covenant giveth but a Right to real benefits that must have answerable causes I know no Right given but it is eventually given nor received but it 's eventually received Admission is an ambiguous word My dictates as he calls them are 1. That Gods Law obligeth persons to devote themselves and their Infants to God by consenting to his Covenant for themselves and them 2. And to do this if they have opportunity in the solemn Baptismal Covenanting Ordinance 3. And in his Covenant or Law of Grace he promiseth to accept them and signifieth his consent to the mutual Covenant which is antecedently to their consent but a conditional consent or Covenant but consequently aâ—tual 4. That accordingly natural interest only is not the Reason why a Believers Child is a Church-member meerly because he is his BE God having given him power and obligation also to dispose of his own Child for the ends of his Creation and Redemption he is a Church-member initially upon heart-consent and by Investiture upon Sacramental consent which I think you mean by Admission 3. Saith Mr. T. If it did prove such a Law or Ordinance yet it proves it not such a promise and precept as Mr. B. asserteth Reply Must such dealing as this go for an answer What 's the difference Mr. T. addeth 4. If it did yet it only proveth it of the Church by nature Reply You are hard put to it I do by this first instance shew you where and when the Ordinance Law or Grant of Infant Church-membership was first made And I leave it to any impartial Christian whether I prove it not certain that God in Nature making man in his own Image with an Increase and Multiply signifie not that Infants should have been Holy to him if Adam had not sinned and so have been members of the Innocent Church or Kingdom of God Alas many go so much further as to assert as truth that had Adam stood nay but in that one temptation yea say some had he but once loved God all his posterity had not been only born Holy but confirmed as the Angels I cannot prove that but I can prove that they had been born holy had not Adam sinned and so had been visible members And if so that God did found Infant membership in Nature let awakened reason think whether Parents yet have not as much interest in children and children in Parents and then whether God have ever reverst this natural order Yea whether he hath not all along confirmed it It seemeth out of doubt to me I know that Parents and Children now are corrupt but withal upon the promise of a Redeemer an universal conditional pardon and gift of life in a Covenant of Grace took place Let them deny it that can and dare And it intimateth no change of Gods will as to Infants conjunct interest with their Parents He saith that the Church by Grace is only by Election and Calling not birth I would desire him if he can to tell me whether both Cain and Abel were not visible Church-members in Adams family And whether none but the Elect are visible members And whether God call not them that are visible members to that state He saith If this Law be in force all are born without sin Reply The Covenant of Innocency is not in force but yet I may tell you what it was while it was in force and that Infants visible Church-membership was founded in Nature and that Law at first And therefore though our Innocency be lost Parents are Parents still And if God
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
meerly because he elected them some will say why may he not do so also by the Parents at least renewing them all in transitu § 15. If you say that He giveth them freely his sanctifying grace and giveth them right to Salvation as sanctified though he tell us not who are sanctified I answer 1. Take heed lest you teach the presumptuous to say the same of Infidels Heathens and almost all that God may in the passages when they are dying sanctifie and save them all 2. Still this giveth no positive hope of any particulars nor more to Christians for their Children than they may have of the Children of Infidels nor any promise of the spirit and sanctification as Believers have § 16. I take it therefore for the soundest Doctrine that Gods taking the Children of the Faithful into Covenant with him and becoming their God and taking them for his own doth signifie no less than a state of Grace and pardon and right to life eternal and that they are in this state upon their Parents Consent and Heart-devoting them to God in Christ before baptism but baptism is the solemnizing and investiture which openly coram Ecclesia delivereth them possession of their visible Church-state with a sealed pardon and gift of life For it is not another but the same promise and Covenant which is made to the faithful and their feed And all Gods promises to the many Generations of them in the second Commandment and many other Texts cannot mean any such little blessings as consist with a state of damnation and the possession of the Devil And all the ancient Churches in baptizing of Infants were of this mind whom I will not despise And Abrahams case perswadeth me that the Children of Natural and Civil Parents truly their Owners have this right before they are baptized But the former natural Parents have plainer evidence than the later which is a darker case But as for them that think either that all Infants are saved or all baptized Infants â—ure vel injuria though no Parent or Owner consent or dedicate them heartily or openly to God or though they are hypocrites and truly consent not for themselves or theirs let them prove it if they can but I must say it is past my power § 17. I know the grand difficulty is that then this Infant-Grace is lost in many that live to riper age I have said so much of this in my Christian Directory that I will refer the considering Reader thither only adding 1. That far greater absurdities will follow the contrary opinion and the greater are not to be chosen I am loth again to name them 2. That the universal Church as far as by any notice we can know did for many hundred years grant the conclusion and take it for no absurdity but a certain truth yea much more Austin and his followers themselves thought more at age were truly justified and sanctified than were elected and did persevere And some hold that not all that have the sanctifying spirit but only certain confirmed Christians have a certainty to persevere And others hold that as the spirit of Christ is promised to Believers though men believe not without the spirit so that measure of Grace which causeth men only to believe as antecedent to that promised spirit of Power Love and a sound mind is but such as may be lost as Adams was and that it is the spirit following it as the rooted habit which cannot be lost And others come yet lower and say that the Grace which giveth faith it self cannot be lost because such have the promise of the spirit but yet the grace which only enableth men to Repent and Believe called sufficient may be lost before it produce the Act Accordingly some think of Infant-Grace The last sort think that they have real pardon of original sin and right to life and have real Grace but being Infants that grace is but such as will enable them to believe if they come to age and not infallibly cause it and that this may be lost And so I might run over the opinions of the rest And among all these the judgement of Davenant Ward c. of the loss of an Infant-state of Grace as by them opened is not so hard as I think the contrary way will infer And it seems by Art 1. c. 17. that the Synod of Dort was of their mind § 18. Our darkness about the future state of Infants Souls hath occasioned some diversity of thoughts about their present state Indeed they will neither in Heaven or Hell have any work for Conscience in the review of any former actions good or evil And it seemeth by Nazianzene before cited Orat. 40. that some Ancients thought as most Papists do that unbaptized Infants have neither the joys of Heaven nor any punishment but the loss of these But what state then to place them in they know not To think that they shall remain in a meer potentiality of understanding and shall know no more than they did here is to equal them with bruits and to encourage the Socinians who say the like of the separated souls of the adult And if they can allow understanding to those that died baptized why not to the rest And if they understand they must have grief or pleasure But who can know more than God revealeth § 19. In sum 1. That God would have Parents devote their Children to him and enter them according to their capacity in his Covenant as I have elsewhere proved is a great truth not to be forsaken 2. And also that he accepteth into his Covenant all that are faithfully thus devoted to him and is peculiarly their God and such Children are holy 3. That they are certainly members according to an Infant capacity of the visible Church as they are of all Kingdoms under Heaven These are all clear and great truths 4. And that there is far more hope of their salvation than of those without 5. And I think the Covenant maketh their Salvation certain if they so die 6. And it seemeth to me that the investiture and solemnization of their Covenant with Christ should be made in Infancie from Matth. 28.19 20. and the exposition of the universal Church 7. But if any should think with Tertullian and Nazianzene that the time of investiture and solemnization is partly left to prudence and may be delayed in case of health yea or should think that Infants are not to be solemnly invested by baptism but only the adult so they confess Infants relation to God his Covenant and Church I would differ from such men with love and peace and mutual toleration and communion CHAP. I. The Occasion of this Writing § 1. AS I was by great and long importunity unwillingly engaged at first to meddle publickly in the Controversie of Infant Baptism with Mr. Tombes so I then resolved to meddle no more with it unless I found that necessity made it an apparent duty § 2. Accordingly when Mr.
Tombes had printed the last private papers which past between him and me without my consent I never answered his reply to this day not striving to have the last word and supposing that the studious impartial Reader would find no need of a rejoynder For to me his Reply seemed so empty and next nothing that I thought it unnecessary to say any more § 3. But it is now grown the custom among Papists and Sectaries and almost all the wranglers that trouble the world to scribble somewhat sense or nonsense against that truth which they have not wit or will or humility enough to learn and then say to those that would make them wiser you are answered and it goeth for a victory to any foolery if they can but say such a one that hath written against you is unanswered As if we dealt on such terms with the world in writing as that he that speaketh last that is that liveth longest must be supposed to be in the right Or as if we knew not when we write against the grossest heresie or error that as many words may be said or written for it as against it § 4. And O what pity is it that with the vulgar sort of well-meaning people number goeth for weight and he seemeth to be in the right to them who is nearest them and hath best opportunity to talk to them a few smooth deceitful words for his opinion and to belie and vilifie those that are against him Not but that there are great fundamental Truths which manifest themselves which I hope these honest souls would not be drawn from by an Angel from Heaven But verily no true Charity can be so blind as to deny it that in lower controverted points the knowledge of the vulgar Religious people is so low that he that is lower than an Angel or than a well-studied Divine or than a man of sober solid reason may deceive them having first been himself deceived if he can but speak zealously and reproach others impudently by the spirit described and exorcised in Jam. 3. at large § 5. And I crave thy pity Reader to my self and such as I that our Time and Employment is so much at the will and mercy of such a sort of wrangling men That if I have it in my desire to do Gods Church service upon some greater and more needful subject yet it is in the power of the Devil to stir up the corruption of honest well-meaning Christians to put a necessity on me to do some poor inconsiderable works and leave undone the greater and more excellent § 6. For circumstances may make it a mans duty to do that as presently necessary which within a few years will be of no signification but die with the interests and quarrels of the age § 7. It hath pleased the Lord who did let loose the Serpent upon Adam in Paradise to exercise his Church in almost all ages with temptations from two sorts that seem much contrary but are nearer in disposition and principles than they well understand themselves I mean Church-Tyrants and Church-Dividers And though I and most others of my quality have suffered incomparably more by the former yet it is not a little that I have suffered by the later And especially that by their slanderous and clamorous unquiet importunity they will not give me leave to live by them in peace nor to go on in better work while I meddle not with them I could not obtain that leave from Mr. Tombs And now Mr. D. hath been pleased to open the mouths of so many of his partakers against me as maketh wise men tell me that to be silent will be to be scandalously guilty of their sin And do we live upon these terms that any Railer can call us off from our better services when ever He and Satan please § 8. But my purpose is to meddle with them but this once And if after this these crying Children will bawl and wrangle and foul the house and think that I am made for no better work than either to rock the Cradle or to make them clean I will let them cry and take their course and will no more believe that their humours are the masters of my time § 9. By three or four arguments of his making it hath pleased one Major Danvers a Souldier to call me to this task 1. By heaping up a Catalogue of Accusations against my Doctrine in my Christian Directory 2. By reproaching me for not answering Mr. Tombes 3. By proclaiming me to the world a slanderer who owe the Anabaptists satisfaction for saying that many of them were Baptized naked 4. By perverse citations of my later Writings as if they had been serviceable to his cause 5. By his injury to poor souls and the Churches peace by his ignorant though confident opposition to the truth and writing a Volume of he knoweth not what § 10. And to add to my invitation it is become of late a common saying among the Anabaptists that I am turned to their opinion or very near it but have not humility to retract my former error and openly acknowledge what I hold § 11. The occasion of this is 1. Because I have so many years forborn to answer Mr. Tombes his last 2. Because I seek peace with them and speak for it upon all occasions and seek to abate other mens over-great opposition to them 3. Because upon all occasions I press the consideration and improvement of our Baptism taking it for the summ and Character of our Christianity and the true description of Conversion and the essential mark of Grace and the qualification of Catholick Church-members and the bond of all our Christian duty As if none but Anabaptists could think thus § 12. When I first read Major Danvers Book I thought such a Fardle could not be so regarded as to need an Answer But when his Bookseller came to know of me what I had against it as from him and when I heard how many thousands of them were Printed I rather chose to imitate him that had compassion on a headless multitude than him that said si populus vult decipi decipiatur And they that will not let me rest must bear some of the fruits of my disquietment CHAP. II. More of my Judgement of the Anabaptists and their Cause with a motion to them for peace § 1. I Confess that in my Book against Mr. Tombes I wrote several pages enigmatically of the offensive scandals of the Anabaptists And they that now read them when the occasion is forgotten or unknown will either not understand them or think them too sharp But in all military Controversies no man is so meet a Judge as he that is on the ground § 2. I am almost ready to condemn my self for that and many other things past when I forget the occasion of them and the state that we were in But I will not deny that at that time my heart felt more than I exprest 1.
I impute our calamities to directly But it is next to Church Tyranny the spirit of separation I mean when men cannot so far differ in judgement from others but a perverse zeal for their opinion as some excellent truth of God doth instigate them to run away from those that are against it as if they were the enemies of the truth and God and unworthy of the Communion of such as they which is nothing but a conjunction of Pride Ignorance and Vncharitableness or Malice § 12. I have told these men that when they have spoken never so sharply against Persecutors it is apparent that there is much of the same spirit in themselves One saith of Dissenters Away with such unworthy persons out of the Ministry or out of the Country and the other saith Away with such unworthy persons from your Communion And both contrary to Christs sheep-mark which is Love and both tend to make their Brethren seem unlovely And whom they serve by this means whether the Prince of Love or the Prince of Malignity it 's pity but they knew or at least would consider of it instead of being angry with us when we tell them of it § 13. I am not therefore half so zealous to turn men from the opinion of Anabaptistry as I am to perswade both them and others that it is their duty to live together with mutual forbearance in Love and Church-Communion notwithstanding such differences For which they may see more reasons given by one that once was of their mind and way Mr. William Allen in his Retractation of Separation and His Perswasive to Vnity than any of them can soundly refel though they may too easily reject them § 14. I am perswaded that the formal Ministers and people who make little more use of Baptism than to give it to Infants and to receive it in Infancy have been the greatest occasion of Anabaptistry among us when the people see that all being Baptized in Infancy many afterwards live all their days and never understand what Baptism is and few ever solemnly and distinctly own and renew that Covenant when they come to age unless coming to Church and receiving the Lords Supper with as little understanding be a renewing it this tempteth serious people that understand not the matter well themselves to think that Infant-baptism doth but pollute the Churches by letting in those who know not what they do and after prove prophane or Infidels And they think that it is the only way to reformation to stay till they are ready to devote themselves understandingly to God But this is their mistake For 1. If it were deferred till ripeness of age one part would neglect it and continue Infidels and another part would do all formally as we see they do now at the other Sacrament where the same Covenant is to be renewed 2. There is a better remedy § 15. For we hold that all that are Baptized in Infancy should as understandingly and as seriously and if it may be conveniently as solemnly own and make that Covenant with God when they come to age as if they had never been baptized if not more as being more obliged The reasons of this I have given long ago at large in a Treatise of Confirmation written when we had hope of setting up this Course under the name of Confirmation which some of us practised in our Assemblies not without success To be seriously devoted to God by our Parents first and to be brought at age as seriously to devote our selves to him as any Anabaptist can do is a much liklier way to fill the Church with serious Christians than to leave all men without the sense of an early Infant obligation § 16. I am as fully perswaded that Infants Church-membership and Baptism is according to Gods will as ever I was when I was most engaged in the Controversie And I am perswaded that these Papers of mine to Mr. Tombes are so unsatisfactorily answered as is worse than no Answer and sheweth how little is to be said § 17. Though the Act of Baptizing be a duty and so necessary necessitate praecepti yet Protestants hold that it is not so necessary necessitate medii but that in some cases those that are unbaptized may be saved As in case the Child die before it can be done or in case the absence or delay of the Baptizer be the cause It is true-consenting to his Covenant for our selves and those that we have power to consent and accept it for which Christ hath made necessary to salvation and if he should damn a true Consenter he should damn one that hath the Love of God and one to whom he promiseth salvation John 3.16 18. § 18. It is utterly incongruous to the rest of the Law of Grace which is spiritual and to Christs alterations who took down the Law of burdensom Ceremonies to think that he should lay so great a stress upon the very outward washing as that he would damn true Believers that Love God for want of it when he hath done so much to convince the world that God seeketh such to worship him as will do it in spirit and truth and that Circumcision or Uncircumcision is nothing but Faith that worketh by Love And if Penitent Loving Believers shall not be saved Gods promises give us no assurance or security § 19. When the Apostle Ephes 4.4 5. putteth one Baptism among the necessaries of Church-Concord by Baptism is meant our solemn devoting our selves and ours under that trust to Christ in the Baptismal Covenant which can mean no more but that as there are three things on our part in Baptism 1. Heart-consent ◠Profession of that consent 3. The Reception of washing as the professing symbol So 1. The heart-consent is necessary to our membership of the Church as invisible that is to our union with Christ and our salvation 2. The Profession of Consent as there is opportunity is necessary both to prove the sincerity of Consent it self and to other mens notice of it and so to our membership of the Church as visible 3. And our Professing it by being Baptized is necessary to the regular and orderly manner of our Profession And so far to our concord § 20. And he that knoweth Baptism to be hic et nunc his duty and yet will not receive it sheweth his unsoundness by his disobedience § 21. As Baptism is made our great duty under that name so Profession or Confession of Christ as such is oft mentioned as necessary even to salvation Rom. 10.9 10. 1 Joh. 4.2.3.15 Mat. 10.32 Phil. 2.11 2 John 7. And Baptism being our Open confessing and Owning Christ by a solemn Vow and Covenant it is principally as such that it is necessary to salvation yea and to a perfect membership of the visible Church § 22. Therefore if any man that in a desart or dry Countrey could have no water or that lived where there is no Minister should openly before all the people
devote himself to God the Father Son and Holy Ghost according to the Baptismal Covenant and solemnly profess himself a Christian that man were a true member of the visible Church though defective as to the mode of entrance and were to be numbered with Christians And Constantine and many another were called Christians long before they were baptized And it were injurious to the Rationality and spirituality of Christs Covenant to feign him to be so ceremonious as to reject a sound professing believer for want of water § 23. Though Augustine be called durus pater Infantum and be supposed for some passages by many Papists and others to damn all unbaptized persons save Martyrs yet these following words among others in his later times in his deliberate disputes against the Donatists fully shew his contrary judgement which yet I believe the Interest of his cause against the Donatists was a help to in this point And remember that he confirmeth it in his Retractations by retracting only the instance of the thief on the cross as uncertain whether he was baptized or not § 24. Aug de baptis cont Donat. li. 4. c. 29. Quod etiam atque etiam considerans invenio non tantum Passionem pro nomine Christi id quod ex Baptismo deerat posse supplere sed etiam Fidem conversionemque Cordis si forte ad celebrandum mysterium baptismi in angustiis temporum succurri non potest Et Cap. 24. Cum Ministerium baptismi non contemptus religionis sed articulus necessitatis excludit baptismus quidem potest inesse ubi conversio cordis defuerit Conversio autem cordis potest quidem inesse non percepto baptismo sed contempto non potest neque enim ullo modo dicenda est conversio cordis ad Deum cum Dei sacramentum contemnitur Conversion then will save without baptism when baptism is not contemned It is the contempt that destroyeth and that as it proveth men unconverted And this he professeth to be his judgement after long and great consideration § 25. Baptism is to Christianity much like what Ordination is to the sacred Ministry and what solemn Matrimony is to Marriage It is necessary as a Duty and as a Means to our ordinary and regular admittance to the Communion of the Church But as in case there were no Ordainer to be had in a far Countrey in America no doubt but a qualified person might become a Pastor rather than God should have no Church nor be solemnly worshipped And as in case there could be no regular solemnization of Marriage as in such a wilderness a published consent may tie the knot so in case there could be no Baptizing a solemn Profession and Covenanting would serve to Gods acceptance and to a right to the Christian name § 26. I only leave it to Christian Charity and wisdom to consider how far some mens Education natural weakness of judgement and other impediments of information may make their error against Infant Baptism to participate of such a Necessity The case hath its difficulties Papists and Protestants confess it as to Scripture evidence Weak men cannot know all things And even considerable heads that have heard and thought of much against it which they cannot answer may grow very confident that they are in the right and after by that prejudice may become uncapable of what should satisfie them Abundance of the sons of the Church that talk most against them give such weak reasons for Infant Baptism and are so unable to confute an Anabaptist as sheweth that it is not More knowledge but somewhat else more inclining them to the truth therein that keepeth them right § 27. If the case were whether the Lords Supper might be Administred with Beer or Milk where there is no Wine Or whether Baptism might be Administred by Milk or Wine where there is no water suppose the affirming party were certainly in the right yet if the contrary minded should say I own Christs Sacrament and solemnly profess my consent to his Covenant and I would participate as you do but that I take it to be a sin and with all the means that I can use in conference reading meditation prayer my judgement is not changed I should not break such communion with such a man as he were capable and willing to hold with the Church And how near some Anabaptists case is to this I leave to consideration § 28. But making no question but many of them are far better men than I and knowing my self lyable to error and knowing how much Christ in his promises layeth upon sincerity of Faith and Love more than upon ceremony and having endeavoured to learn what this meaneth I will have mercy and not sacrifice As I am far more offended at their Schism or separation from Communion with our Churches than at their opinion so I will here lay down those terms on which I am perswaded good and sober men will be willing on both sides to agree and hold communion Or on which I am sure I would gladly live in brotherly love and communion with them my self § 29. Let the Anabaptists consent to and profess as followeth or to this sense Though we judge Infant Baptism dissonant from Christs instituted order yet finding that God hath made many promises to the seed of the faithful above others and that Christ expressed his readiness to receive little children when they were brought to him for his blessing and knowing that all Christian Parents should earnestly desire that their children may be the children of God through Christ and should devote them to him as far as is in their power and knowing that there are difficulties about the extent of this power and Christs promises we do here solemnly profess that we thankfully desire all those mercies for this child which God hath promised to such in his word and that we heartily offer devote and dedicate this child to God the Father Son and Holy Ghost as far as he hath given us power to do it beseeching him accordingly to accept him And we promise faithfully to endeavour to educate him in the nurture and admonition of the Lord and as we are able to perswade him when he is capable to believe in Christ and solemnly devote himself to God the Father Son and Holy Ghost in Baptism Let this much be done in the Church or so openly as may satisfie the Church that they are not despisers of Gods mercies nor their childrens souls Much more would it tend to our quietness and concord if those that profess that they cannot satisfie their consciences in their Infant Baptism would but do as the Liturgie doth by those whose Baptism is uncertain If thou be not Baptized I Baptize thee and so would say Being uncertain whether my Infant Baptism be valid If it be not I now receive that which is And when they have satisfied their consciences would live quietly in the Love and communion of the Church Who would
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
be believed As for his talk of Disgracing the Nonconformists it 's true in two senses 1. As he and I disgrace Christianity by being so ignorant and bad 2. Or if he mean not My own Nonconformity but his even his Nonconformity to a great deal of truth and Christian duty and common honesty by concatenated falshoods I have done my part when constrained to disgrace it § 15. Sometime a friend to Calvin and then a greater to Arminius saith he Answ 1. Did he tell the Reader where by one in any words I contradict the other 2. But see the misery of a Sectarian spirit that taketh it for a contradiction to be a friend to Calvin and Arminius both He would as this inferreth take it ill to be thought a friend to Anabaptists and Paedobaptists both to Independents and Presbyterians and Episcopal too But that is to such as I the greatest duty which to him is a shameful contradiction When I think none Christians but Anabaptists I will be a friend to no other as such Men of so little a Church must have answerably little Love Censoriousness is a friend but unto few 3. But by this your friendship seemeth narrower than I thought it I thought it had extended to all the Anabaptists But they are divided into Free-willers and Free-gracers as they call them that is into Calvinists and Arminians and are you a friend but unto one part of them 4. But indeed Sir the Controversies intended by you under these names are not such as a man of my poor measure can fix his judgement in every young and promise that it shall never change nor that I can take it for a shame to grow any wiser in them than heretofore though perhaps your judgement changed not from your Childhood And I hope if what I have written may be published to make it appear that such as you that speak evil of what you understand not are the grievous enemies of the Churches of Christ as to Truth Holiness and Peace by your militant noise about Calvinism and Arminianism stirring up contentions and destroying Love by making differences seem greater than they are and laying the Churches Concord and Communion and mens salvation upon such questions as Whether the house should be built of Wood or Timber And is not this worthy of your zeal § 16. He adds Sometimes a great Defender of the Parliament and their Cause and then none more to renounce them and betraytor them for their pains Answ 1. Was there never but One Parliament and One Cause Perhaps you mean that the Parliament called 1640 and the Rump as called and the Armies Little Parliament and Oliver and the Army Council and all the rest of the Soveraigns were all One Parliament Or that to swear to the first Parliament or fight for them and to shut out and imprison them and to dissolve them as Usurpers and to set up one chosen by who knows whom and to set up Oliver and his Son and to pull him down again and to set up the Rump again and to pull them down and set up a Council of State c. were all one Cause And that one day it was Treason not to be for one Soveraign and another day not to be against that and for another Your Army did not betraytor them when they forced out one part as Traytors first and thrust out the major part after imprisoning and reproaching many worthy wise and religious men and when they pulled down all the rest at last Had you or I more hand in these matters Whether you know your self I know not but I am sure you know not me nor what you talk of § 17. It followeth Sometimes a great Opposer of Tradition and anon a great defender thereof Answ 1. If you take Tradition equivocally you calumniate but by equivocation but if thereof mean the same Tradition your falshood hath not the cloak of an equivocation Prove what you say by any words of mine It is between twenty and thirty years I think since I largely opened my judgement of Tradition in the Preface to the second edition of my book called the Saints Rest which I never changed since If you will deny that your Father delivered you the Bible or any other or that the Church hath used both Bible and Baptism from the Apostles dayes till now Let the reproach of such Tradition be your glory if you will It shall be none of mine But do you write a book to prove the Tradition of Adult Baptism from Christs time to ours and when you have done renounce and scorn it See Reader how he valueth his own work § 18. He addeth Sometimes a violent impugner of Popery and yet at last who hath spoken more in favour of it Answ Here again if by Popery and it you mean the same thing You hold on the same course Prove it true and take the honour of once writing a true accusation I have not hid my judgement about Popery having written about seven or eight books against it in above twenty years time by which you may see in comparing them whether I changed my judgement If you cannot refuse not to blush But I was and am a defender of that which is Popery and Antichristianity with you the Church-membership Covenant-interest and Baptism of Infants and it 's like many more parcels of the Treasures of Christ which you zealously rob him off and give to Antichrist As too many Sectaries do the greatest part I doubt more than nine parts of ten of his Kingdom or Church universal And as Divines use to prove that carnal minds are enemies and haters of God because they confess honour and worship him both in Name and in respect of many of his Attributes and relations and works yet in respect of others they are averse to him so I would be a monitor to you and such like Sectaries to take heed of going much further lest before you know what you do while you honour Christs name and cry up some of his Grace and doctrines you should really hate oppugn and blaspheme him and take Christ himself for Antichrist and his Churches and servants for Antichristian If you will take him for Antichrist that taketh Infants into the visible Church I think it will prove to be Christ himself § 19. Reader How big a volume wouldst thou have me write in answering such stuff as this Tears are fitter than Ink for such fearless rash continued visible falshoods to be deliberately published to the world as truths by one that calleth himself a man and a Christian and seemeth zealous to new Christen most of the Christian world Unless I should tire my self and thee I must stop and cease this noysome work Only one charge more which runs through much of his book I will answer because it concerneth the cause it self § 20. He oft tells you that when I have called my book Plain Scripture proof I yet there and after contradict my self by saying that
the controversie is difficult and by saying that in the ancient Churches men were left at liberty to Baptize their children when they would And 1. His very words prove that this is no contradiction For these very words I will make plain to a boy of ten years old and yet the world must know in print that he is not able to understand them and that this is worthy the consideration of his proselytes 2. My meaning I opened long ago which he concealeth The Proofs of Infants Church-membership are Plain the proof therefore of their right to Baptism is plain though not in the same degree but there are objections of difficulty which may be brought against it which every weak Christian nor Minister neither cannot answer And the hardest is that which is little taken notice of by themselves but I impartially opened in my Christian Directory And is it a contradiction to say that a doctrine that hath Plain Proof may be assaulted by difficult obâ—ections And yet such as a sober Christian should not be changed by unless on the same reasons he will forsake all Christianity and his everlasting hopes For I take the doctrine of the Souls Immortality to be such as may be Plainly proved But truly I take it to be five degrees above the ability of this Writer to answer solidly all that can be said against it I take it to be Plainly provable that the Scripture is certainly true And yet I take it to be quite above this confident mans ability well to solve all the difficulties objected were it but those poor ones of Benedictus Spinosa in his late pestilent Tractatus Theologico-Politicus I think I have plain proof that God is not the Author of sin and man is not moved in it and all his acts as an engine by unavoidable necessitation But I despair that ten years study more should inable this Writer clearly to solve the objections of Hobbes or Camero about it In a word though we have Plain proof that Christ is the Son of God I should be loth that the faith of this Nation should lie upon the success of a dispute about it between a crafty Infidel and this self-conceited man § 21. And why should my impartiality in acknowledging the Churches liberty as to the time of Baptism at first be so unkindly received I meant not nor said that Christ had left it Indifferent and to their Liberty but that they left one another at liberty herein Because 1. The first and great work was in setling the Churches by converting Jews and Gentiles to the faith And the Adult who were the active members were they that the Apostles had most to do with and therefore whose case is expresly spoken of 2. Because it was a known thing that the Infants of Church-members had ever been Church-members and were in possession of that Relation when Christ and his Apostles set up Baptism 3. And it was a granted case that all Sanctified persons devoted themselves and all that they had to God and every thing according to its capacity And therefore their Infants according to their capacity which God himself had before expounded 4. And it was never the meaning of Christ to lay so much on the outward washing as many Papists and Anabaptists do But as the uncircumcised Infants in the Wilderness were nevertheless Church-members and saved so when Infants were in the Covenant of God by the Parents true and known consent their damnation was not to be feared upon their dying unbaptized by surprize 5. But yet obedience to God being necessary many Parents hastned their childrens Baptism at two or three dayes old Others staid till the eighth day others longer and multitudes had children that were in several degrees entred on the use of reason when the Parents were converted and it remained doubtful whether they were as to the Covenant at their Parents choice or their own And to this day there want not those that think that Baptism was not instituted to be the ordinary initiating Sacrament of the children of Church-members but only of Proselytes And that Christians Infants took their places in the Church of course but Proselytes from without only were to be Baptized Though this be an error it is probable that there were some then as well as now of that opinion But nothing more occasioned as far as I can find the delay of Baptism than the fear of the danger of sinning after it especially of apostasie All held that all sin past was pardoned in Baptism And Heb. 6. and 10. and other texts and the common doctrine of the Church made them think it a very perillous thing to sin wilfully after illumination and the acknowledgement of the truth And therefore abundance delayed their own Baptism till age and many were backward to Baptize their children lest childish folly and youthful lusts and worldly temptations should draw them to trample upon the blood of the Covenant And on such accounts all were not Baptized at one age And divers that were Baptized at age upon their own conversion from Heathenism were not suddenly so knowing as to be acquainted with all the cases about their childrens rights but must have a considerable time to learn For it was be it spoken without offence to stricter men a General and Narrow sort of Knowledge which the Apostles and the Primitive Churches required in the adult as necessary to Baptism yea when they had at last kept them long under Catechizing For even in Augustines time though all used the same words of Baptism so few had a clear understanding of the very Baptismal form or words that writing ubi supra de bapt contr Donat. he saith that as to the Meaning of those words not only the Hereticks sed ipsi carnales parvuli Ecclesiae si possent singuli diligenter interrogari tot diversitates opinionum fortassis quot homines numerarentur Animalis enim homo non percipit c. Annon tamen ideo non integrum sacramentum accipiunt § 22. There remaineth a Catalogue of my heynous errors which he hath put in the preface to his first edition and in the end of the second and which he and such as he have taught many honest weak people in London both Anabaptists and Independents to talk frightfully and odiously of from one another behind my back What should I say to him and them Shall I answer them that never speak or write to me Shall I take this mans accusation for a confutation or conviction Is so deadly an enemy of Antichrist conceited of a self-infallibility or that I must take my faith or trust from Mr. Danvers though not from the Church Pope or General Council If not what did the man think that a recitation should do with me Did not I know what I had written till he told me § 23. But it is others that he tells it to Those others will read my own words or they will not If they will I will not be so
and Printing Contents and Citations or References much more the Geneva Notes and Pictures are all sinful additions to the Word of God As if the sufficiency of the Statutes of the Land lay in Keeping Printing Transcribing Pleading and Expounding themselves without the use of Scribes Clerks Lawyers Law-books or Judges I am well assured that God needeth not our Lies to his Glory and that truth and falshood do so ill agree that though falshood may steal a cloak from truth yet truth will never be beholden to falshood for friendship and defence And if ever Lies pretend any kindness or service to the truth it is but treacherously to supplant it and will turn to its disservice and injury at last In a word All the Devils in Hell and all the Consistory at Rome could not easily find out a more effectual way as far as I can understand to turn multitudes to Popery than 1. By calling truth and sober Principles Antichristian Popery and Idolatrous 2. And by describing the Religion of the enemies of Popery as made up of Lies and Dotages 3. And by falling all together by the ears and breaking into a multitude of Sects and condemning each other as unmeet to be communicated with and so making men believe that they must be Papists or distracted Dotards whose self-conceitedness in Religion hath made them mad I say nothing that I know of doth tend more to multiply Papists than this unless I may except the way of sensuality and violence murdering some and drawing others by fleshly and worldly motives Nor do I know any thing in the world that more quieteth the Consciences of Persecutors and Scorners in all that they do and say against us and hindreth them more from all conviction and repentance Mr. Danvers endeth his book Ed. 1. with a smart reflection on Mr. William Allen and Mr. Lamb for forsaking the cause of Anabaptistry and Separation which they had written for And I will end mine with a few words concerning them concluding with a free and faithful Admonition to Mr. Danvers to consider whether He or They should be most earnestly called to Repentance and most speedily practise it CHAP. IX REader having the following vindication of Mr. Allen put into my hand I think it not unmeet upon this occasion to undeceive some who to render his example in receding from the way of Separation wherein he was sometime engaged upon the account of Infant-baptism the less imitable and his endeavours to draw off others the less successful have given out that he did but turn with the times for worldly ends when the King came in Whereas I can bear him witness that that return was made by him the year before the coming in of the King as did sufficiently appear to me both by Letters which then passed between him and my self about that affair and also by his book called A Retractation of Separation published by him that same year Which Book I would entreat the sober Reader to get and lend to some of the separating mind they will find no temporizing or formality in it but a spirit of Christian love and peace And if the reasons in that Book and in his perswasive to peace and unity since published be such as none of the Separatists can confute or stand before they will have no reason to impute the Authors change to carnal reason or worldly interest I question not but experience after trial which is wont to make teachable men wiser put him upon reviewing the grounds of his practice and so had a great hand in that alteration which he made And I would have those who account it a disparagement to a man to alter his Judgement at any time to tell us at what age we come under that law when we must grow no wiser nor no better And what I say of Mr. Allens alteration of his judgement I must say also of Mr. Lambs whom those that easily judge before they know have accused also as turning with the times when as on my knowledge his change was in 1658. or the beginning of 1659. For by letters I did sollicite him to that alteration and received his answers sooner than I knew of Mr. Allens change And I perceive that Mr. Lambs words and example are slighted by very many upon two accusations 1. That he is run into the other extream of overmuch conformity 2. That he is over hot As to the first my distance maketh me a stranger to his mind and practice But as long as he conformeth not as Ministers do but to that which belongeth to a private man what doth he more than Mr. Tombes hath largely written for And Mr. Nye hath written to prove it lawful to hear Conformists in the Parish Churches and for the Magistrates to appoint publick Teachers for the people 2. And as to the second not justifying my own earnestness much less others which I am not acquainted with to calm the minds of the offended I may well say 1. That it is no wonder if a man that is naturally of a warm and earnest spirit do shew it most when he thinks that he speaks for God and Truth and the Church and mens Souls 2. That it is no wonder if a man that was drawn himself so deep into the guilt as to be a Teacher of an Anabaptists Church and to write for them be an earnest expresser of his Repentance when he is recovered and earnestly desirous to save others from the snares in which he was intangled and to do as much for Truth Unity and peace as ever he did against it What followes are Mr. Allens own words Worthy Sir I Having some intimation that you are about to make some return to the Author of a late Treatise of Baptism do apprehend that if you think fit to Print this following Paper at the end of your Book you may do the good office of removing a stumbling-block at which some are too apt to dash their foot and thereby also further caution men against being misled by giving too much credit to the quotation of Authors as managed by that Treatisor In reading a Treatise of Baptism of the first Edition Penned by H. D. I observed that in the two last pages of his Postscript he mentions two discourses that were publiâ—hed about one and twenty years ago the one by my self and the other by another and saith that both of us are gone back to that which therein we call will-worship and Idolatry Indeed I am sorry that that author should put me upon any necessity of reflecting so much upon him in vindicating my self as to tell the world that upon this occasion I having twice reviewed that Book of mine did not find so much as the mention of either of those two words will-worship or idolatry upon any occasion whatsoever Nor am I conscious to my self of ever being so absurd as once to think that to be idolatry which he most untruly saith I call so in that Book That cause
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
here to give you notice that if God will I hope in time to give the world yet fuller satisfaction on both these subjects Justification and secondary Original sin Though I thought my unanswered Disputations of Justification and other Treatises had fully done the first And the publishing of some old Papers of Original sin I think will fully do the other OBSERVATIONS ON Mr. Danvers REPLY TO Mr. WILLS CHAP. I. The frightful Aspect of his Reply § 1. MY Answer to Mr. Tombes and Mr. Danvers being written about the same time as my Epistle to Mr. Wills his book hath since then been detained in the Printers hand whose delay hath allowed me the sight of Mr. Danvers Reply to Mr. Wills and the opportunity of animadverting on it before mine is come abroad And upon my most impartial consideration it reneweth the grief of my heart to think of these evils which it sets before me § 2. 1. That the souls of poor Christians should be under the Temptations of such writings and teaching as here we find Where such untruths in matter of fact are still justified with such a face of confidence and divulged as for God and for the souls of men that most ignorant persons may be tempted to think that Modesty and Charity require them to believe that they are real truths it being a harsh unmanly thing to judge that such a person can possibly be so hardened as to stand so boldly to all these things which have such publick historical evidence if they were all downright falshoods And it is a hard task for a writer to be put to answer a Christian and a Gentleman as Mr. Danvers doth Mr. Wills Repl. pag. 120. Know that hence you have a further discovery of the great unfaithfulness and want of conscience in the Author for daring thus to abuse the world with a Cheat and that which he knoweth to be a meer forgery of his own And pag. 122. Let it be judged whether he hath not injuriously belied Osiander belied Cluniacensis belied Peter Bruis belied the truth which by this forgery he would cover and hide abused the world belied and abused me But much more fear his own conscience by this piece of folly and falshood To be thus at Thou liest and Thou liest is an unsavoury work Yea in so few lines to give the Lie five times at least But for an ignorant Reader to believe what this Author hath done till he needs must is yet far harder Though we say He that will swear will lie and therefore we hardly believe a swearer yet if a man with many hundred bloody oaths should assert many particulars of publick cognisance we are ready to think it inhumane to suspect that the man is so inhumane as thus to swear if some of them were not true Alas for the poor Church of Christ that must have such sore temptations How shall they be withstood § 3. 2. And how sad is it that a Christian man professing not only Truth and Godliness but so much of these as to be above Communion with such as we should ever degenerate into such a thing as his present writing doth discover O what need have we to lay to heart that of Paul Rom. 11. be not high-minded but fear and to learn over and over Jam. 3. and Christ's words to the Sons of Thunder ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of § 4. And alas that ever the bitter voluminous Reproaches of the zeal of the present age should have such a scandal or stumbling block laid in their way to harden them in the justification of their reproaches as if our Zeal were the Cause or Cover of such heinous sins Woe to the world because of offences and woe to them by whom they come § 5. 4. But what a tremendous warning is this against the spirit of unwarrantable separation or true Schism when the same person shall venture upon all that is here written by him who yet taketh our Infant Baptism for a meer Nullity and the Christian world that hath no other to be uncapable of the Church-Communion of such as he Me-think this is a Pillar of Salt I well remember that one of the means of keeping my ancient Flock in Concord was the terror of these horrid opinions and wayes which the two or three that deserted us fell into CHAP. II. His impenitent false allegation of witnesses against Infant Baptism Tertullian c. specially Wickliff § 1. I have before said that I have said so much out of Scripture and Antiquity for Infants Church-membership and Baptism to which I have yet seen no Answer that should satisfie an impartial man either from Mr. Tombes Mr. Danvers or any other that I will not lose time and labour in replying to their frivolous exceptions And here I meddle directly but with the matter of fact because by ostentation of history Mr. D. would seduce the ignorant into the belief of gross untruths I began with Tertullian who is his first witness in his Catalogue reprinted here in his reply § 2. And why have we no satisfactory answer to these things so oft replyed 1. That Tertullians words prove that Infant-Baptism was then in use And it is the matter of fact that we are searching after 2. And doth he think that Antichrist was before Tertullians time 3. The opinion of Tertullian seemeth not at all to be against the Lawfulness of Infant Baptism in general but against the eligibleness of it in case of no apparent danger of death For I have oft proved that the judgement of that age and some following was that none should be compelled to be Baptized or to Baptize their Infants but they should themselves be chusers of the time For the conceit of the absolute necessity of Baptism to salvation came in afterwards And when the seed of the faithful are Holy and in Gods Covenant or Promise upon the Parents Mental dedication of them to God and so in a state of salvation no wonder if they were not so hasty and peremptory for the sudden Investiture into the Christian Church state when they took it to be but the publick solemnization of a Covenant really made and valid before And as Nazianzene is for Infant-Baptism long after in case of danger but else for staying three or four years till they can speak so Tertullian seemeth to prefer delay for such conveniencies as he mentioneth 4. And if Mr. D. doubt of this let him tell me why he saith cunctatio utilior 5. And giveth the reason from the inconvenience to the Sponsors 6. And why he also perswadeth the unmarried and young Widdowes to delay their Baptism till they are married or grow corroborate to continencie lest temptation carry them to sin And maketh this case of the like reason with that of Infants Did he think that it was flatly unlawful for maids and young widdows to be Baptized or only less safe and eligible except in danger of death The case is plain 7.
subjects of Baptism Will he make the Church of his mind by such palpable falshoods as these But he adds He saith that persons are first to be Baptized with that he calls the insensible Baptism before water c. Answ 1. Utterly false It is his own forgery Wickliff saith no such thing that it must be first Nay I doubt he saith quite contrary as I have recited Ideo duo baptismi priores sunt signa Antecedentia ex suppositione necessaria ad istum tertium baptismum flaminis See here how far this man is to be believed 2. But though Wickliff called Water-Baptism an antecedent sign yet most Protestant Writers I think hold that believers Infants have by virtue of Gods Covenant the Baptism of the Spirit that is a seed or disposition to future gracious acts if they live and that they are in a state of salvation before they are Baptized being the children of the faithful by them dedicated to God by heart-consent and that Baptism is but the publick solemnization of the same Covenant and delivery of the blessings by way of investiture Let Mr. D. read but all the testimonies cited by Mr. Gataker in his book of Baptism against Dr. Ward and Bishop Davenant and he will see this is no opinion proper to the Anabaptists And I scarce believe that he can prove me and all Protestants that hold that opinion to be therefore against Infant-Baptism How then would it have proved Wickliff so 4. He saith that Wickliff saith that Baptism doth not confer but only signifie grace given Answ 1. And what 's that to prove that he was against Infant-Baptism 2. And how proveth he this Why Fuller out of Cochleus saith so Answ 1. But Cochleus is one of the most notable Lyars of all the Papists that opposed Luther and hath left his Calumnies to posterity And must he be believed against Wickliff 2. And Fuller wrote but about twenty years ago And must one of our neighbours tell us what Cochleus saith was the opinion of Wickliff when we can read his words our selves 3. But to make this like its fellows even this much is untrue Fuller tells us no such thing out of Cochleus but tells us that Gregory charged Wickliff with eighteen Errors Tho. Arundel with twenty three the Council of Constance with 45. Tho. Waldensis with 80. Dr. Lucke with 266. and Cochleus with 303. and then he reciteth 62. out of Waldensis where the words are 4. And Waldensis is known to be a false accuser of him in many particulars though a learned Papist 5. And even this Waldensis that saith his worst and sought to make the most of his errors never here accuseth him as denying Infant-Baptism And would he not have done it had it been true But Mr. D. that by this trick which he is so ready at can make Heresies and Hereticks also too easily tells us of a popish Heresie viz. for Baptism to take away all sin to confer grace to work regeneration and save the soul as still held by them that teach young children to say that by their Baptism they were made children of God members of Christ and Inheritors that is heirs of the Kingdom of heaven Answ 1. By this it seems the English Protestants and all the rest that take this to be true doctrine hold a Popish Heresie 2. Let the Reader peruse Gataker against Davenant of Baptism and he will find almost all the ancient Fathers Latine and Greek of the same judgement And what a pleasure is this to the Papists to be told that almost all the ancient Writers held their heresie And then indeed Where was our Church and the Kingdom of Christ before Luther or rather before those whom he opposed 3. It is unquestionable true doctrine that as Marriage-consent in private layeth the first ground of Marriage rights which by solemn Matrimony are openly and regularly delivered by investiture which perfecteth the title even so the Heart-Consent or Covenanting of the person or parents for Infants doth lay the first ground of Christian right which is solemnized and perfected regularly by Baptism which by the way of tradition or publick investiture doth take away all guilt of sin Sacramentally regenerate and save and make us children of God members of Christ and his Church and heirs of heaven who were so before by a Private initial right of which the Church did take less cognisance And one would think that no Anabaptist should deny this called Heresie as to the adult 5. He next addeth from Wickliff They are fools and presumptuous which affirm such Infants not to be saved which die without Baptism so Fuller words it out of Cochleus Answ 1. False still It is not out of Cochleus but Waldensis 2. And what 's this to the question of Infant-Baptism He adds And Wickliffs own words as c. 2. de Trialog Quod desinentes parvulos fidelium sine baptismo c. Answ Still false 1 I have before transcribed the words out of the Printed book which are far otherwise 2. It is not desinentes but qui quicquam definiunt 3. It is not of all children dying without Baptism but of those that could not have it being prevented by death when it was desired 4. He saith this of those that determine that they are saved also 5. And instead of c. 2. this is lib. 4. c. 12. 6. He saith That all truth is contained in the holy Scripture and that which is not originally there is to be accounted prophane And that we are to admit of no science or conclusion that is not proved by Scripture testimony and that whoever holds the contrary opinion cannot be a Christian but flatly the Devils Champion with more such cited partly out of Cochleus by Fuller false again and partly de Verit. Script a book of Wickliffs which I have not and I conjecture he never saw For 1. I told you before the very words of Wickliff that condemn only such abuses of outward signs as shew him to be of a contrary opinion 2. Will any sober man believe that he damned all as no Christians but Champions of the Devil that thought that some Conclusions Physical Mathematical Metaphysical Medicinal Logical c. may be true that are not proved by Scripture testimony and so that almost all Christians in the world are no Christians 7. Saith he That he slighted the Authority of General Councils as Fuller out of Cochleus c. Answ 1. False again as to the Author 2. But what is that to Infant-baptism But his direct proof is out of Waldensis saying that Wickliff saith that children are not sacramentally to be baptized Answ 1. I have not Waldensis at hand but have little cause to believe Mr. D. 2. And Fuller who undertaketh to recite Waldensis charge hath not a word of any such sense 3. If bitter Papists so accuse him is it therefore true Judge by his own words Indeed Wickliff held that sacramental baptism saveth none young or old without the baptism
it a Monster and proving it contrary to it self and professing that he ought not to believe it But yet lest it should be true he goeth on to prove the truth of the Scriptures as he doth Infants salvation and Baptism § 9. Now I leave it to the Reader among many uncertainties which of these he will believe most probable 1. That all the parties were slandered 2. Or that Peter and Henry were slandered by occasion of the mixed Manichees or by the vulgar lying levity or Popish malice 3. Or whether Peter and Henry were guilty as some now though the rest were not 4. Or whether they and the Albigenses and Waldenses really denyed all Infants salvation and Baptism their very pretended words being cited 5. Or whether they were slandered as to Infant-salvation and not as to their Baptism 6. Or whether all this rose not from their denying the salvation of the children of all the wicked as ex opere operato by the Baptism of the Priest and their refusing to bring their own children to be Baptized by such Priests and their telling the wicked at age that their Infant-Baptism would not save them Believe which of these you find most cause § 10. III. As for Bernard 1. Though a holy man yet his conceit that Papal unity was necessary and that the Dissenters caused confusion transported him with such prejudice against them as we have now against the vilest Sects 2. He was acquainted with Cluniacensis and might believe him 3. He took things on trust as he did 4. He chargeth even the secret hereticks that he writes against as holding it unlawful to swear and yet lawful to forswear rather than reveal their case Serm. 65. 5. And that in secret they are reported to commit filthy wickedness not to be named 6. That he heareth that some of them reject Pauls writings and the Old Testament 7. That they lived scandalously with Women and he talketh as if it were impossible for men and women to dwell together and yet to be chast 8. Yet sheweth that he most uncharitably suspected them saying Si fidem interroges nihil Christianius si conversationem nihil irreprehensibilius quae loquitur factis probat Videas hominem in testimonium suae fidei frequentare Ecclesiam honorare presbyteros offerre munus suum confessionem facere sacramentis communicare and did they deny Infant-Baptism then Quid fidelius Jam quod ad vitam moresque spectat neminem concutit neminem circumvenit neminem supergreditur pallent ora jejuniis panem non comedit otiosus operatur manibus quibus vitam sustentat Vbi jam Vulpos And what 's the proof against them Vinearum demolitio testatur vulpem Mulieres relictis viris viri dismissis uxoribus ad istos se conferunt clerici sacerdotes populis Ecclesiisque relictis intonsi barbati apud eos inde textores textrices plerumque inventi sunt Annon gravis demolitio ista Annon opera vulpium haec And the way he appoints for their purgation is to put women out of their houses 9. Serm. 66. he chargeth them for being against Marriage yea that they took filthiness to be only in having Wives 10. And with forbidding to Marry they joyned abstaining from meats and so holding devilish doctrine But that some allowed Marriage only to Virgins but not second Marriages That they abhorred Milk and all that was made of it and all that was procreated by generation and that de insania Manichaei That they held themselves only to be the Church and derided them that Baptized Infants yet he himself writes largely Ep. ad Hug. de Sancto Victore for the salvation of persons that have faith and die unbaptized through necessity alledging Ambrose Austin Cyprian And concludeth Infants saved by others faith as they were guilty by others sin 11. In Epist ad Hildefonsum he saith of Henry by name that he was an Apostate that made a trade of preaching to live by in necessity and what money he could get of simple people and women more than found him food he spent in playing at dice or other more filthy uses that after his daies applause by the people he was found at night with whores that he thus left every where such a stink behind him that he could come but once to a place naming many Cities Now let the Reader judge if Bernard be to be believed what a man this was If not what his testimony is worth AS I am writing this the Hawkers are crying under my window Mr. Baxters Arguments for Believers c. The men that cite Authors at this rate cite me against my self with the like confidence Because I have proved in my Treat of Confirmation the necessity of personal Profession in the Adult And he that will think that such dealing as this doth need an answer and that if the Adult must make an intelligent profession Infants must not be Baptized let him be ignorant for I have not time to satisfie him FINIS Infant Baptism Asserted and Vindicated by Scripture and Antiquity in Answer to Mr. Henry Danvers with a full detection of his Misrepresentation of Divers Councils and Authors both Ancient and Modern c. By O. Wills Sold by Jo. Robinson at the Golden Lyon in St. Paul's Church-yard * Satan will not consent that you should soberly read the Books * Including the Donatists * It seems by some citations out of it after that he hath read it and yet speaks thus * Which the Heathens used to Children * Not so much as Mr. Tombes is among the Anabaptists for writing for Parish Communion * p. 372. ed 2. Read Rom. 14. and judge * That is of death * viz. If he will * That is determine an uncertainty
know which of them was the more pernicious § 4. And it must grieve every conscionable and discerning lover of Truth and Peace to observe how these two Church-disturbing parties do by their extremities of opposition increase as well as exasperate each other As the Ithacian Prelates did by the Priscillianists and the Priscillianists by them The Pride covetousness dead formality and cruel violence of Clergie Tyrants maketh the poor Sectaries think that they must go so far from them till they have lost themselves and know not where they are and as Mr. Danvers musters up a catalogue of my sayings in his mode and dress which seem ugly to the poor man that thinks he seeth Antichristianity in such Gospel and natural truths which he understandeth not Like that melancholy person who thinks she seeth Spiders upon every one that comes near her and they must brush them off before she can converse with them though she be caetera sana so those on the other extream think them so fanatick and almost mad that they are apt to suspect every word almost that they say of madness and sometimes thereby injure the truths of the Gospel and soberer people that partake not of their guilt and so say of such as agree with them but in aliquo tertio They are all alike § 5. This was the main cause which made St Martin separate from his neighbour Bishops and deny communion with them to the death Because their persecution of the Priscillianists had so animated the looser sort against strict Religious people that they had brought men under the suspicion of Priscillianism if they did but fast and pray and read and talk of the Scripture It 's easie to see of late who they are that have done the like § 6. When this sort of men see the weakness of the Sectaries and the bold-faced falshood which such as Mr. Danvers obtrude on the world and hear them furiously revile what they understand not it maketh them think that they are fitter for Bedlam than for humane societie And their consciences justifie them for all the cruelties that they use against either them or more innocent persons whom in their ignorance and uncharitableness they number with them § 7. And on the like account when they read and hear their erroneous Doctrines and hear their incongruous words in prayer they think they can never be too strict in shackling them and all others in prescribed forms And nothing quieteth their Consciences in all this so much as the undeniable errors and follies and miscarriages of those that thus provoke them § 8. But in this the Church in Augustines days did not think that way the wisest cure when he saith Afferat ut fieri solet aliquam precem in qua loquatur contra regulam fidei multi quippe irruunt in preces non solum ab imperitis loquacibus sed etiam ab haereticis compositas per ignorantiae simplicitatem non eas valentes discernere utuntur iis arbitrantes quod bonae sint Nec tamen quod in eis perversum est evacuat illa quae ibi recta sunt sed ab eis potius evacuatur Aug. de bapt cont Donat. as I remember about lib. 5. c. 11. O truly charitable and peaceable Doctrine And he that will separate from other for every difference or real error in Doctrine or Prayers shall have enow to separate from him § 9. I know nothing that so much multiplieth Sectaries as the notorious miscarriages of Church-Tyrants that oppose them And I know nothing next carnal interest it self that so much multiplieth and confirmeth Papists and Church-Tyrants as the madness of the Sectaries· The wildeness but especially the diversity of their opinions hath done more to increase the number of Papists among us than any thing that ever the Papists themselves could otherwise say for their cause For people see so many giddy with turning round and see so many Sects among us that they are confounded and know not which to be of but they must lay hold of somewhat that is more stable or be wheel-sick § 10. O what a confirmation is it to a Papist to find such a one as Mr. Danvers calling Gods Truths and Ordinances Antichristian Yea our very Baptismal Covenant and dedication to Christ is Antichristian and the chief Fathers and Martyrs of the Church are Antichristian no wonder if I be so And I doubt almost all the Church of Christ for 900 years at least in this mans reckoning And what will the Papists desire more With what scorn will they deride such men Wo be to him by whom offence cometh The chief Quakers are charged by Mr. Faldo and others even some of their own name of denying the person and office of Christ himself It is worth the enquiring whether they reject him not as Antichrist and call not Christianity by the name of Antichristianity CHAP. IV. Of Mr. Danvers's his Witnesses against Infant-Baptism § 1. WHen he hath told you that In his small search shamefully small he cannot find there is any authentick testimony that it was practised on any till the fourth Century he in the next words saith that it is granted that Tertullian spake against it in Africa which is clear evidence that some had been speaking for it in that corner of the world This is no contradiction with him And did they only speak for it and not practise it Speak once like a man And was not that till the fourth Century § 2. His Catalogue containeth three Columns The first of the Baptism of the Adult And what Christian ever denied this And what meaneth the man in labouring to prove it The second is of the Instituting and asserting of Infant-Baptism of which more anon The third is of his Witnesses against Infant-Baptism And the first of these mentioned in the Catalogue is Tertullian in the third Century By which he seemeth to confess that till the third Century he hath no witness against it But I have said so much elsewhere and others more to prove 1. That Tertullians words prove that Infant-Baptism de facto was then in use 2. That he only telleth his opinion of the point of convenience but concludeth not against Infant-Baptism as unlawful 3. That it is most probable he speaketh of the Infants of Heathens 4. That he speaketh from that strict singularity which made him plead also for the Montanists Fanaticism and against second marriages and for his inordinate fastings c. as a man differing from the Churches and numbered with the Hereticks though I think him a learned Godly man And I refer it to the Readers judgement whether in my book of Infant-Baptism I have not proved by many other words in Tertullian that he was not against all Infant-Baptism but for it among Christians § 3. His next and great Witness is the Donatists together This is something were it true but it is such a kind of falshood as I must not name in its due epithets lest you think