and consequently greatly wrong that learned and judicious Author How you and Mr. Danvers look upon your selves I know not but certainly I should be justly censured as a very unworthy Man should I wrest Authors words who are yet alive to countenance my own sentiments in a contradiction to their known practice before I had consulted the Authors themselves and known how they would reconcile their words and practice Will you but read the whole Exercitation and allow him the liberty that all writers whether sacred or humane use you will find he is vastly more for me than for you He is only shewing how God did preserve Abraham's natural Posterity as grown up in a visible standing under the Covenant till our Lord Christ came that the Promise made to him concerning the Messias coming of his loyns might be accomplished he meddles not with the case of Infants but supposeth them visibly in Covenant as the Seed of Parents visibly so when will you leave thus to abuse Authors whose names are precious in all the Churches of Christ But Secondly I have a few things to reccommend to your Conscience and these are of two sorts First Such as concern my self thus Page 3. where you use the Poets words so Page 5. line 10 11. Page 26. line the last Page 22. line 1 2. with others of a like nature can you prove what you have written if not what will you call these things Secondly Such as concern matter of Fact thus see what you write Page 3. where do I say Mr. Danvers Book is all forgery or leave that to the Readers observation See also Page 4. line 2. again see what you write Page 34. three last lines and compare it with my Answer Page 39. and 40. will you or any Man else deny what I there take for granted Again see what you write Page 7. line 24 25. Is the silence of the Scripture as absolutely considered my beloved Argument yea or any Argument at all I only enquire and give my Reasons for the affirmation whether supposing the Covenant was extended to the Seed of Believers under the first Testament which I judged I had formerly sufficiently proved that it was what may be truly said of the silence of the Scripture not whether the silence of the Scriptures as absolutely taken concerning the Baptism of Infants do not make it vastly more probable that they ought then that they ought not to be baptized and that supposition being granted I judge I shall have but few gain-sayers Yet again see what you write Page 50. line 1 2. and compare it with my Answer Page 117 118 119. and see whether there is any such reason given by me or no you may also reflect upon your 18th Page and consider whether what I suppose be a granting that the commission was given only with respect to the Adult Sir I cannot think you can have such a value for your Animadversions as you suppose me to have for my Book as for others I can hardly think there is any one learned Man of your own Perswasion but will blush to see such Animadversions fly abroad from the pen of any of their party Sir I have only one thing more and that is to intreat you not to complain of unmerciful dealing will you seriously review your Book you will find I have dealt gently with you and that you may not say I have wronged you if you desire it and can procure the testimony of any two learned Anti-Paedo-Baptists that they judge your Book deserves or can know that any two consciencious learned Paedo-Baptists judge it deserves a more full consideration your desire if providence interpose not shall be gratified FINIS Some Books lately Printed for and sold by Jonathan Robinson at the Golden-Lion in St. Paul's Church-Yard THe Harmony of the Divine Attributes in contriving Man's Redemption by the Lord Jesus Christ c. By W. Bates D.D. in quarto the second Edition enlarged with an Alphabetical Table XL Sermons on several occasions preached at Cambridge and elswhere By the late Reverend and Learned Anthony Tuckney D.D. in quarto Mr. Theoph. Gale's Anatomy of Infidelity octavo Idea Theologiae tam Contemplativae tam Activae c. in 12 s. Mr. J. Fladoes Quakerism no Christianity octavo Vindication of the XXI Divines A Contest for Christianity or an Account of two great Disputes between the Anabaptists and the Quakers Infant-Baptism Asserted and Vindicated by Scripture and Antiquity c. By O. Wills M.A. More Proofs for Infant Church-Membership and consequently their right to Baptism c. By R. Baxter Vindiciae Vindiciarum or Infant-Baptism Re-asserted and Vindicatrd By O. Wills A Treatise of Justifying Righteousness c. In answer to Dr. Tully and Mr. Chr. Cartwright By R. Baxter Principles made Practical or Directions for plain Christians to pray on most occasions and to prepare themselves for the Lord's Supper by the use and knowledge of the Assemblies Catechism The great Concern or a serious Warning to a timely and through-preparation for Death c. By Edw. Pearce A Beam of Divine Glory or a Treatise of God's Unchangeableness By the same Author Correction Instruction or a Treatise of Affliction By T. Case in twelves The poor doubting Christian drawn to Christ By T. Hooker in twelves The worthy Communicant or a Treatise shewing the due order of receiving the Lord's Supper By Jer. Dyke in twelves with a Sacramental Catechism c. The Barren Fig-tree or the fruitless Professor's doom By John Bunyan in twelves Solitude improved by Divine Meditations By N. Ranew in octavo The Life and Death of Mr. Thomas Tregoss sometime Minister in Cornwal in octavo The sinfulness of Sin and the fulness of Christ c. By W. Bridg. The lost Sinner sought out by Jesus Christ
parentibus comprehenduntur pii parentes de Elections salute suorum liberorum quos Deus in infantiâ ex hâc vitâ evocat dubitare non debent Which seems necessarily to require as might easily be made out considering their judgments in all those five controverted points that they should hold the full of what I do And as these worthy Divines expresly declare their Judgments to be for the Election and infallible Salvation of all the Infant-Seed of Believers dying in their Infancy So I shall quote one famous in his day to let pass particular Divines of that Synod exactly concurring with what I have said concerning the discharge of all Infants we now speak of from the guilt of Original Sin that is famous Ursin His words are these Peccatum Originale in Baptismo formale tollitur sed materiale manet that is as himself expounds tollitur quoad reatum manet quoad pravitatem Some others of the same mind with me as to the main Good Benefits and Priviledges assigned to the seed of Believers might be mentioned and a further search into the Judgment of Authors concerning that way I have proceeded in to secure my self from those Rocks bordering upon it was intended but an unexpected Providential removal of me from my study when I was about to put the last hand to the ensuing sheeets prevented by means whereof the Book appears more naked than otherwise it might have done But to hasten The Reader may take notice that the first draught of the solution here given of the two first questions was drawn up about four or five years since but I was not without some hopes that some abler Pen might have performed this Work and when I saw a call to it I was willing rather to go gradatim than run that I might tread more securely Vpon both which accounts with some others my first promise hath been so long unperformed and now at last it being performed I must say two things greatly check my expectations as to the desired effects of this my undertaking The first is the cursory reading and overly perusal of Books by the generality of Readers How few shall we find that will be at the paines or allow themselves sufficient time throughly to weigh and well digest what they read and with the noble Bereans search the Scriptures daily whether the things they read be so How do most cursorily read Books coming to their hands and if any thing appear to correspond with their precedent sentiments they readily embrace that or if any thing disagree therefrom they as suddenly reject without a due weighing of what is written and comparing one thing with another But alas Divine Truths especially that lie more towards the bottom of those Golden Mines contained in the Scriptures or are obscured by the different sentiments and reasonings of Men will not be found out or discerned in themselves and distinguished from errors at so easy a rate The second is those gross neglects that Parents are generally guilty of towards their Children Oh the murders even of their own Children that most Parents will be found guilty of I mean it not of their Bodies but of their Souls Causa Causae est Causa Causati is a sure maxim The Apostacy of Children is the cause of their Death but the neglect of Parents is the great cause of their Apostacy Parents will possibly catch at what makes for their comfort with reference to their Children especially such of them as have been either carryed from the Womb to or taken out of the Cradle and laid asleep in the Grave yet I much fear but few will be stirred up and effectually moved to a vigorous performance of their duty towards those whose lives are prolonged and that arrive to that ripeness of age that capacifies them for the performance of the conditions of the Covenant themselves Let but Parents throughly study their Childrens Priviledges as Confederates with themselves and faithfully apply themselves to the discharge of their duty towards them and it will give good ground of hope that both he that hath sown and they that reap viz. both Parents and Children shall have a time or rather an Eternity to rejoyce together Thine in the Service of Christ for thine own and thy Childrens Souls Jo. Whiston December 14. 1675. The Principal Errata's PAge 42. Line ult for in read on p. 64. l. 32. for visible r. invisible p. 107. l. 5. for sense r. love p. 112. l. 10. for assured r. offered p. 134. l. 5. for not r. at p. 165. l. 11. for it r. he p. 189. l. 4. for or r. are p. 194. l. 25. for for r. or p. 199. l. 29. after be add the. The Errata's of least Concernment Pag. 8. l. 1. for yet p. 23. l. 16. for is r. was p. 25. l. ult for four r. three p. 39. l. 12. blot out of p. 111. l. 3. for application r. explication p. 112. l. 16. for usu r. esse p. 151. l. 1. for by r. has Errata's in the Contents of the Chapters Pag. 110. l. 2. after Covenant add state p. 132. l. 6. after all add that p. 162. l. 2. for impossibility r. improbà bility The Author having not seen the first and the three last sheets 't is probable some faults are there escaped which the Ingenuous Reader is desired to pardon or amend The Author hath two other Treatises Intituled I. Infant-Baptism from Heaven and not of Men Or a Moderate Discourse concerning the Baptism of the Infant-feed of Believers Whereunto is prefixed a large Introductory Preface preparing the Readers way to a more profitable perusal of that Treatise II. Infant-Baptism from Heaven and not of Men the second Part Or an Answer to Mr. Danvers's Treatise of Baptism Wherein as the vanity of his Authorities are though briefly yet sufficiently detected so his Doctrinal Part is especially examined and confuted and Infants Right to Baptism further confirmed Both sold by Jonathan Robinson at the Golden-Lion in St. Paul's Church-Yard An Essay to revive the Primitive Doctrine of Infant-Baptism CHAP. I. An Introduction to the whole ensuing Discourse The four grand Enquiries proposed The Reasons of God's ordaining the Application of the token of the Covenant to the Infant-seed of his People reduced to three heads The first viz. those respecting God entred upon three Reasons respecting God assigned First his own Goodness Grace and Soveraign pleasure 2. The Reference that the Application of the token of the Covenant hath to his Glory the Ways how it refers thereunto opened 3. The reference it hath to the supportation and enlargement of the Kingdome of his Son Jesus Christ THat all Ordinances and Institutions that are indeed of Divine Original have a direct reference to the glory of God and are signally expressive of his good will unto Men is above all controversie among those that bear the name of Christians yet wherein their reference at least of some of them to that end and of what use and
and therefore I shall be so far further impertinent as to tell him I am yet in statu quo and consequently if I had any such design as he intimates his suspition I had it has miscarried only I have this in lieu that being freed from family-intanglements I have a greater liberty to attend the service of Christ in vindicating his truths from such assailants But to go on the second part of my Answer shews the insufficiency of Mr. Danvers proofs for Believers Baptism in opposition to that of Infants with reference to Mr. Hutchinson's Animadversions To this part I shall only remark three things and leave them First Is his complyance with me in what he yet seems and that with severe reflections upon me to oppose thus in all those instances I had given of things indeterminable by the Commission for the preaching of the Gospel and administration of Baptism to evidence the necessity of taking in other Scriptures for the full understanding of Christ's mind therein Now Mr. Huthinson himself does what I say we ought to do neither dares he deny any of those things I offer to consideration to shew the invallidity of Mr. Danvers his Argument drawn from that Commission and yet with what vehemency does he seem to oppose it The second is the gross mistakes Mr. Hutchinson proceeds upon thus he mistakes my very design in this part of my Book supposes me to be proving Infant-Baptism when that is none of my design or business that he proceeds on this mistake is evident as from variety of Passages so eminently from that Paragraph Page 21. beginning about line 18. so also from Page 55. upper end hence what he animadverts with the greatest shew of plausability as concerning the baptizing of the Children of Unbelievers Bells c. Page 17. is wholly impertinent Alas how easie to shew that that will not prove any Doctrine or Practice which was never designed for that end Again as he mistakes my design and business so he mistakes about the ground I would have laid for Infant-Baptism had it been my work there to prove that Practice Hence he supposes that I take it for granted that Infants were Chuch-members under the Law Page 22. when I neither did nor had any occasion to meddle with their Church-membership either under the Law or under the Gospel And he still goes upon his mistakes in his attempts to shew the repeal of that Priviledge from Paul's preaching that the Gentiles ought not to circumcise their Children he supposes that Circumcision gave a right to as well as the actual possession of Church-membership and that we hold the command for Circumcision did vertually include a command for Baptism both which are gross mistakes That which gave a right to Church-membership was the Covenant and it is the command to keep the Covenant that obliges to Baptism but Mr. Hutchinson either cannot or will not distinguish between that command as more generally laid down and reaching all Abraham's Seed whether natural or mystical and the command laid upon Abraham's Seed to observe that special Rite of Circumcision as the Covenant that is the Token of the Covenant then to be kept and alas what heed can be given to Men that proceed upon such gross mistakes Thirdly That which lies alike plain and obvious with both the foregoing particulars is his overlooking what he ought to have taken notice of Thus he wholly overlooks all that I had written in my former Treatise designedly for the proof of Infant-Baptism and whereunto I often refer in this my Answer though he had seen it So he takes no notice of what intimations I gave of offering something further to publike view which is now made publick concerning the Doctrine of the Covenant as Infants are concerned therein and from his overlooking of both a considerable part of his Animadversions are either wholly impertinent as to me or in answering a matter before he hath heard it take for an instance his whole Discourse upon that Promise Acts 2.39 beginning Page 26. and ending Page 30. yea he overlooks what is written in this very Book he animadverts upon Hence Page 11. he calls for a reconciliation of our seeming contradictions which had been needless had he attended to what he might have found in Page 13 14 15 of my Answer Hence again are those Questions Page 30. about the Salvation of all in the houses of Believers which are answered at the 113th Page and so on of my Answer and Men will make but sorry work in their Replyes to our Animadversions upon any Book when they overlook what their Antagonists have written or declare their intentions to write Thirdly My Answer consists in a vindication of those grounds laid by Paedo-Baptists for their Judgment and Practice As to what Mr. Hutchinson animadverts upon this part I need say little he seems to have been himself utterly at a loss what to say yea he seems to be in a kind of maze witness that Argument the only Argument he lays down syllogistically in his Animadversion Page 39. unless he be greatly abused by the Printer witness also his crying out Ignoratio Elencht where no Argument was laid down by me yet once again witness his reasonings Page 47. Hence he wholly passes over these several Arguments I had occasionally laid down to prove the tenour of the Covenant to be such as infallibly infers the interest of the Seed of Believers in it excepting only that afterwards he singles out here and there a passage without due regard to their Contexts and animadverts upon them at his pleasure and himself becomes opponent and pretends to determine three of those four Questions I had said the resolution of which were necessary and sufficient for the discovery of the grounds laid in the Covenant as at first established with Abraham for Infant-Baptism which he only does by a naked repetition of Mr. Danvers unproved dictates with the addition of some by discourses which appertain not to the Questions proposed and yet hath the confidence to conclude Page 47. So then these things being found mere mistakes on Mr. Whistons side we may conclude they have no footing in the Covenant for Infant-Baptism And also what does he think of the Men even of his own perswasion can he think there is any of them so weak or so far blinded as not to see the frivolousness of such Animadversions But not to tire the Reader only I must beg Mr. Hutchinson's patience a little longer I have a few words to him and have done First Sir I assure you I have read yea had read long before my Answer to Mr. Danvers saw the light that Exercitation of Doctor Owen and in special that part of it you refer me to and can find nothing in that or any other of his writings as a cure to that ignorance you speak of I am at as great a loss about those Promises Mr. Danvers mentions as I was before and must tell you you greatly mistake