Opinion of Antipaedobaptism having been as Mr. Sydenham observes always Ominous and of a wonderous strange influence to destroy Vnity and Peace amongst Christians accompanied also with the most Retinue of Errors since the first Embrio of it was brought forth Whether by a secret Judgement of God or from the natural and secret Connexion with other Principles of Darkness I will not saith he determine Only God hath shewed some black Characters of it in every Nation where it hath prevailed though we cannot but say many Saints are under the power of it Yea and I do also farther attest that there are some very worthy Persons and eminent Christians of that way whom I exceedingly honour for their Gifts and Graces Moderation and sweetness of Spirit and Liberality towards all Christians such as these I prize as much as any Christians in England that are Paedobaptists and could as willingly imbrace them and entertain Christian Fellowship with them as with any that are of my own Judgement in the point of Baptism We ought to put a difference between humble and heady Men between factious Persons that affect Singularity and decline Communion with us because we differ from them in some Circumstances about an External Administration and such as disown Infant-baptism out of simple Perswasion looking on it as a Corruption and without Scripture ground Mr. Gerce Vind. Paedobaptismi and so cannot submit unto it lest thereby they defile their Consciences as they conceive with Will-worship when notwithstanding if other Christians be of another mind they can own them as Brethren and not divide in regard of Christian Affection and Communion Some such there are though few and such a frame of spirit was there in that Man of God Mr. Jessey as may be seen in his Book intituled A Store-house of Provision in sundry Cases of Conscience He to my knowledge was an Antipaedobaptist of long standing as holy I conceive as any of that Judgement of good Learning and of a very tender Conscience and of so healing and uniting a Spirit that he esteemed it his Duty and press'd others to it to keep up Christian Communion with those that feared God though they differed about Baptism We have his Arguments for the same published in Print and grounded upon Rom. 14.1 which are so clear and have in them such strength of Evidence that I never yet could hear them answered nor do ever expect it I wish there were more such Antipaedobaptis as he and have good ground to believe many of them would come off from their Rigidness were they not afraid of offending their weak Brethren and fettered with some engagements at first entrance into their Churches and would readily afford us the right hand of Felloship I know what a dangerous thing it is to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an accuser of the Brethren and whence that Spirit comes and can appeal to Heaven that I now appear in the defence of what I conceive to be the Truth without a malevolent mind against any of our Dissenters I have had an intimate and friendly Correspondency with many Antipaedobaptists both in this place where I now inhabit and elsewhere by reason of which some have thought I comported with them in their Opinions But this is a mistake I own what I see of God in them and in all Professors of Religion whatsoever and would have none to engross Religion to themselves And if I know my own heart where ever I see aliquid Christi any thing of Christ it attracts my Affection God's People being all alike equally dear to me as they are his and have a Conversation becoming the Gospel My Love is not confined to a Party but extensive to all Saints And though some may count me an enemy for telling them the truth and withdraw their Affection it is no more than I expect and shall encourage my self with what I long since learned from a Heathen viz. Amicus Plato amicus Socrates sed magis amica Veritas I foresee how likely I am to purchase the displeasure and dispraise of those that cannot endure to have their Opinion spoken against at which I hope to be no more dejected than elated if others shall own my poor performance under the Notion of Approbation well knowing that all Polemical and Controversial Discourses carry a face like that of a Picture suitable to the situation and light the Beholders stand in or are guided by Nor do I so much as hope to reduce any of our Opposites for the men of their Way are inflexible and seem to be as much assured the Truth is on their side as they are of the divine Athority of the Scriptures I have heard of some Quakers that have been turned but could never yet hear of one of them that changed his Opinion unless he happened to fall into some worse Errour And certainly it is a strange Presumption no less Vnchristian than Prodigious for men to assume a Prerogative of judging those to be in the dark as is the common humour of our Opposites that differ from them in this point of Baptism when they cannot but confess that in other things they are of more clarified Intellectuals than themselves and have a deeper inspection into Scripture And yet their Vnderstandings at least must be condemned whilst they impose the scanty Measure of their own as an unquestionable Standard for others to submit to Forgetting in the mean while that many who were of their own Judgment have at the long run espoused some gross Errors and renounced Water-baptism as a low contemptible Ceremony and owned no other Baptism but that of the Spirit It was long since observed that some of the hottest Zealots against Infant-baptism have grown so cold as to turn Seekers and to deny the lawful Administration of Ordinances So common is it for men to run from one Extreme to another But though I despair of gaining over to us any of those who are so rivetted in their Opinions considering withal how succesless politer Pens have been yet do I hope by what shall follow to put some Remora and stop to weak and wavering Souls that they be not over-hasty in coming over to the Tents of our Opposites and to establish and confirm others that are at present satisfied in the practice of Infant Baptism And because some of both Parties may take offence at what I have done for as Aristotle saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is difficult if not impossible to please all I am obliged to signifie some Reasons amongst others that moved me to enter the Lists of a publick Dispute 1. Because the Pompous Treatise of my Antagonist being put into my hand by one of his Judgment and cried up for an incomparable and unanswerable Piece I read some part of it cursorily and confess I was amuzed at the Multitude of Quotations from Fathers Councils ancient Doctors of the Church School-men besides Modern Writers together with the Testimonies of Waldenses and Old Britains
Infant-Baptism ASSERTED VINDICATED By SCRIPTURE And ANTIQUITY IN ANSWER To a Treatise of Baptism lately published by Mr. HENRY DANVERS Together with a full Detection of his Misrepresentations of divers Councils and Authors both Ancient and Modern WITH A Just Censure of his Essay to Palliate the horrid Actings of the Anabaptists in Germany AS ALSO A Perswasive to Unity among all Christians though of Different Judgments about Baptism By OBED WILLS M. A. Vt Christus Infantes ad se venire jussit ità nec Apostoli eos excluserunt à Baptismo quidem dum Baptismus Circumcicisioni aequiparat Paul Col. 2. apertè indicat etiam Infantes per Baptismum Ecclesiae Dei esse inserendos c. Magdib Cent. 1. l. 2. c. 4. p. 354. LONDON Printed for Jonathan Robinson at the Golden Lyon in St. Paul's Church-yard 1674. THE PREFACE THere is a New Treatise come forth concerning Baptism the Design whereof is to prove the Baptism of Believers and to disprove that of Infants There is great Cracking about it and some cry it up for a None-such that it is unanswerable and as I hear the Author himself Ixion-like falls in love with his own shadow and being Philautia nimis inflatus puffed up with the excellency of his performance glories much and pretends that he hath not only proselyted many of the Vulgar sort but some also of the Ministry And it is very certain that at its first appearance last Summer divers persons were Dipped in these parts and as I have been informed 7 or 8 in a day in the City of Bristol and in all likelyhood we may hear of many more this Summer for those who are inclinable to the Way are now grown so politick as not to profess their Faith till warm Weather This I do assure the Reader that the Book as to any thing material in it hath been many times answered before ever it came forth and that 's the reason belike we have heard of no Reply since it hath seen the light which is now about twelve Months All the Mediums he useth to maintain his Opinion are such trite and out-worn things that they have been in effect trampled upon and confuted again and again Nevertheless such is the Clamorousness of some men that they affect to have the last word when in modesty they ought to be silent and consider that it is their duty to unlearn a darling Errour and no dishonour to strike sail to convincing Reason Great Endeavours have been used to undeceive the Antipaedobaptists and 't is the unhappiness of many Godly and Learned Divines instead of meeting with answerable success to have their Pains contemned and their Persons loaded with Aspersions The Author of the Treatise I am to examine hath only affixt H. D. to the Title-page that is as appears by a Second Edition lately come forth Henry Danvers although in regard of the principal Materials the Book hath more reason to pretend to J. T. that is John Tombes for its Author For although H D. hath for some years lived a solitary contemplative Life and hath had opportunity for study yet owneth he not so much Scholarship if they say true that know him as to compose such a Piece nor is he so well acquainted with Fathers Councils Schoolmen had not most of it been prepared to his hand Indeed I find he is somewhat vers'd in the Magdiburgensian History though he hath made very ill use of it But for the Argumentative part especially the Opposition made against Infant-Baptism both the Method and Matter of his Treatise declares where he hath been fishing for I find very little in it besides what is borrowed from Mr. Tombes his Exercitation and Examen long since answered by M. Marshal Dr. Homes Mr. Gerce Mr. Blake Mr. Baxter But forasmuch as the Contest hath taken a Nap for about 20 years it was thought fit to give it one lusty jog more and awaken it again And in regard those Polemical Discourses are rarely found in Vulgar hands but are thrown aside into Corners and lie solitary as neglected things in Studies and Booksellers Shops the Author and his Coniederates out of their dear love to their Darling Opinion thought meet to make some good improvement of the late Liberty granted by his Majesty's gracious Declaration and to take up the Gantlet again and fall to the old Trade of Wrangling For some men are of a restless Spirit and if their Hands be tied up from fighting they will do it with their Tongues and Pens The Preface is made up of Invectives against the Assertors of Infant Baptism but mostly against Mr. Baxter by reason of some Passages of his in a late Book called The Christian Directory against which he seems to have a very great zeal but I fear his envy against his Person doth exceed it For do but compare the Preface with the Epilogue of our Authors Treatise and you will find he seems to entertain a better opinion of John of Leyden then of him I understand Mr. Baxter will speedily write something for his own Vindication and I long to see it that so nothing that he hath said in his Christian Directory may prove a Stumbling-block to the Weak and more confirm the Antipaedobaptists in their Errour The truth is those people are very sensible how much he hath wounded their Cause and are glad with an occasion of wounding his Reputation But I profess I could not but smile to observe how he seems to bewail the Indiscretion of Mr. Baxter and rebukes him for Printing his Judgement in some Points that refer to Baptism and other things at such an unseasonable time as if he had hit upon the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the fittest opportunity to declaim against Infant Baptism But doth he take this to be a fit time of the day to use his own Phrase to widen Differences and set us at farther distances when we are almost sinking under fears and daily expectations of troubles Is it a fit season for us to be wrangling when Gods Rod is shaking over all our Heads Must he at such a time enter upon the old Obfolete Controversie and inveigh against Childrens Baptism which evermore hath occasioned heart-burnings and fruitless contendings especially when 't is disputed against with a lofty bitter and disdainful Spirit of which we perceive too much in this last attempt Ah! what a restless Genius is there attending some Opinions and how careless of the Churches Peace are the Abettors of them What the Author himself speaks pag. 308. from Clopenburg's Epistle of the Anabaptists heretofore in Germany is too true of some of those in England viz. That they suffer not the pure Reformed Churches to be edified without daily conflicts For not only heretofore in times of Liberty but even now under restraint some hot-spirited Persons publish their Tenents with such a rigid and condemning Spirit that it proves the greatest hinderance of Union and Conjunction amongst us in this Nation The
of denying Infant-Baptism which is very strange if he had udderstood any thing thereof Rainer contra Wald. C. 5. Canonem Missae non recipiunt c. Next for Bellarmine and Baronius I cannot learn yet where they give any honourable Characters of the Anabaptists only they do not so much condemn some of them as others and do hope their intentions might be good and that they erred more out of igmorance than malice if this be honour according to the Author's computation why then I see a little honour will serve their turn who are of his judgment I find a singular faculty in him to make much of a little at every hand And what though Cassander saith in two of them namely Menno Simonis and Theodoricus there were tokens of a Godly mind yet Spanhemius whom I shall rather credit than that Papist tells us and that out of his own Confession of Faith that he held Blasphemous Tenents against Christ and opinions destructive to Magistracy and therefore saith Mr. Marshal to Mr. Tombes when he brought this Testimony of Menno out of Cassander this Menno saith he whom you plead for by Cassander's Pen his whole Doctrine is as full of blasphemy about our Saviour's taking Flesh of the Virgin Mary and other Heretical and abominable stuffe as the rest of his fellows though I think his spirit was not so seditious as many of theirs and what Mr. Tombes saith of Menno is not much to his commendation it is in his Examen p. 25. And from thence the Author fetcheth the honourable Character such as it is yet herein Mr. Tombes shews most ingenuity in that he speaks out all that Cassander saith in this Epistle to the Duke of Gulick and Cleve Hujus quem dixi Mennonis cui nunc hic Theodoricus successit c. They were saith he imperito quodam Zelo incitati moved by an ignorant Zeal to do what they did having a fancy that they must destroy the wicked per vim externam by force of Arms and this in order to the setting up the Kingdom of Christ just of the same strain with those they called 5th Monarchy-Men that put all London into such a fright some years since and this Satanical delusion put them on upon such Exorbitancies But who-ever hath a mind to understand fully what kind of men the German Anabaptists were Vide Baxter's Plain-proof p. 143. let them read Mr. Bullinger's Dialogue against the Anabaptists he lived in those times when and near the place where they played their pranks and gives a large account of their abominable uncleanness treachery sedition c. But some saith he may object many things are charged upon them falsly and fame addeth some-what To which he replies that whatsoever he mentions may be all proved by signed Letters and by certain Testimonies and tells us that in judgment he hath silenced many of their crimes and spoke less than they have committed for saith he they far exceed the Nicolaitans and the Valentinians in wickedness And then comes home to our Author's plea viz. They were not all thus defiled and if a few among them are such what is that to the Godly To which Learned and Holy Bullinger gives this answer I have long ago known this kind of Men and am not ignorant how much by guile and deceit Hypocrisie can do and it is true that the wickedness of a few should be no disparagement of the innocent but you cannot shew me one man of them who is not blemished with some of the foresaid wickednesses I mean Lying Treachery Perjury Disobedience Sedition Filthiness There is one more whom the Author hath found out that gives an honourable Character of the Anabaptists And they requite him well for it do they not Mr. Baxter saith he one of their severest enemies in these Nations yet hath done himself and his Opposites that Right as to witness to the innocency of their Conversation in his Defence of the Principle of Love p. 7. viz That Anabaptists are Godly Men c. But what Anabaptists doth he speak of Not those of Germany but England and not all here neither I know saith he as good and sober Men of that mind as of theirs that are most against them And God forbid that he or I or any one should be so uncharitable as to think there are no Godly Anabaptists but that the number of Godly sober Men of their mind is small is the judgment of some Godly Sober and observing Christians Some good and sober Men Mr. Baxter knew amongst them but the generality of them were bad enough for so we are to understand him in his Plain-Proof p. 143. I have had saith he too much opportunity to know very many of these called Anabaptists and to be familiar with them and having first Examined my Heart lest I should wrong them out of any disaffection through difference of judgment as I clearly discover that I bear no ill will to any one man of them nor ever did nor find any passion but compassion moving me to say what I do so do I impartially and truly affirm concerning the most of them that I have conversed with that I have known few of them speaking first of their Ministers so much as labour after the winning of Souls from Sin to God and bringing them into love with Christ and Holiness and Heaven But the main scope of their endeavours in publick and private is to propagate their Opinions and if they do preach any plain wholsom Doctrine it is usually but subservient to their great design He chargeth them farther to be the greatest hinderers of the Work of God in converting Souls by endeavouring to alienate the hearts of the People from Godly and painful Ministers making it their business to disgrace them c. Moreover that in his own experience he never knew the labours of any zealous Anabaptist that ever God blessed to the true Conversion of many Souls But many they made meer talkers Censorious Opinionatists and usually three leave them-yea I desire saith he any sober Christian but to look impartially through all the Land and tell me where ever any such Teachers lived but the place in general was much the worse for them where the Gospel before prospered and Christians spent their time and conference in the edifying of each others Souls and in Heavenly duties and mutual assistance and living together in unity and love according to the great Command of Christ they ordinarily turn all this to vain janglings and empty windy unprofitable disputes So much for the Teachers Then after this he shews Anabaptistry hath been the ordinary inlet to the most horrid Opinions that few came to the most monstrous Doctrines but it was by this door and how negligent many of them are of Family-duties the Lords-day c. We now come to examine the Apology which is made for the German Anabaptist 1. First he saith They were not the Anabaptists that first began the Sedition
is a set time appointed to gather Judah and Israel both together that is to bring Peace to his Church God hath a time to gather all his Church together in a way of Peace that there shall be a Universal Peace amongst his Churches for though 't is true it be meant here of Judah and Israel literally yet Israel and Judah is to set out to us all the Churches of Christ that shall be afterward amongst the Gentiles So that Ephraim shall not envy Judah and Judah shall not envy Ephraim Isa 11. 13. The envy of Ephraim shall depart God will take away this Envious Vexatious Spirit 3. Let it be considered that we upon whom the ends of the Earth are come live nearer the accomplishment of these Promises than the former generations yea 4. The day of their fulfilling begins to dawn the Spirits of many excellent Christians incline and work towards Union yea some are actually in Union and Communion in all other Ordinances though they differ in the point of Baptism they are come off from their former rigidness and can hear and pray and receive together in divers places of this Nation 5. Light increaseth more and more whereby they see what is the right Basis and ground of Communion That it is for grace-sake and not a Syncretism or agreement in Opinions That Christians should love and imbrace one another and that heart-Religion and Godliness is to be preferred before Notions and Forms 6. They do also see the dismal and fatal consequences of their Divisions and those who are wise and solid must needs on that account be studious of Accommodation they do now experimentally find that it is this 1. That strengthens the hands of the common Enemies of Religion Divide impera Dissolution is the Daughter of Division It is even Nuts to the common Enemy to see how God's People wrangle and divide they may well conclude that though they are quiet and let them alone destruction will arise out of themselves they may fit still and laugh and say Aha so would we have it And as the Apostle speaks if ey bite and devoure one another take heed ye be not consumed one of another This is like to be the finis operis though not operantis Gal. 5.15 the Event though not the Intent Si colligimur frangimur these Clashings if not stopt will prove horresco scribere fatal to the interest of Religion and welfare and safety of Professors in the Nation 2. This also opens the Mouths of Men to Blaspheme and speak evil of the good ways of God Dioclesian that persecuting Roman Emperour lookt upon the Christian Religion as a wretched device of wicked Men and that because of the pride and dissentions he observ'd amongst the Pastors and Bishops so now adays some Atheists and time-servers set their Wits on work to vilify the pure Worship of God and to bring the power of Godliness into contempt and the main Topic from whence they fetch their Hellish Arguments is the Divisions and Dissentions of Professors There be some of late have been notable Factors for Hell and would deride and jeer Men out of strictness and purity and not a few Books of this kind have been printed whose design have been meerly to discountenance Religion and the Authors of them have done as much for the Devil this way that he can hardly tell what to desire more of them and 't is to be feared he will pay them their wages shortly And verily the Divisions of God's People have occasioned much of these mens Blasphemies it hath been a woful stumbling Block before them 7 It is that which in all likelyhood will draw persecution upon all their heads at last they fear it and they need it and it is just with God to bring it upon them Remarkable is that saying of Cyprian viz. non venissent Fratribu◠haec mala si in unum Fraternitas fuisset animata These evils had not happened to the Brethren if they had joyned together in Brotherly Unaminity As when there is no quietness in the house but a continual clamour and brawling among the Children and they scratch and fight and tear one another the Father comes in and whips them all So if Christians will not be quiet but still go on to persecute one another with their Tongues and tear one another by Dissentions Gods way to divert this humour is to set the Common Enemy upon them if they rend themselves from one another and forsake the Assembling themselves together God will let loose the Dogs to worry them and drive them together He will melt them into one piece in the fire of persecution Common sufferings long since under those persecuting Emperours Constantius and Julian Zozomen Lib. 4. C. 20. brought the Christians to agreement who before were at great Enmity And Bullinger in his Book of the Persecution of the Church saith more than once that the dissentions of God's People is that which gives them up into the hands of their Enemies ad abstergendum aeruginem to scour off their rust as he phraseth it And Mr. Burroughs ut supra in his Comment upon Hosea Chap. 3. saith God may justly give us over into the hands of our Enemies if we agree not among our selves and they may Chain us together perhaps a Prison may make us agree as it was said of Ridley and Hooper though Ridley stood much against Hooper in point of Ceremonies and they could not agree yet when they came to Prison they did well enough there the Lord deliver us saith he from that Medicine of our dissentions that we be not made so to agree yea that we be not sodered together with our own blood 2dly There is one thing yet behind and that is to apply my self more particularly to those who are Antipaedobaptists that fear the Lord in this Nation and let it be resented as offered to them in all love and humility There are a few things I would leave with them by way of Caution The Lord knows I desire not to scatter in Israel nor to divide in Jacob. 1. Take heed lest your Zeal for your own way which you take to be most agreeable to Truth doth eat up your love to Peace and Vnion with the Godly Cautions to the Antipaedobaptists who are otherwise minded The Apostle Exhors us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to speak the Truth in love to truthify it in love as Mr. Crook translates it aiming to reach the fulness of the Greek in one Word So 't is your duty if your opinion be true as we suppose it is not to manage your Tenents with love meekness and moderation of Spirit towards those who are otherwise minded and yet agree with you in other things For though every Truth be precious yet every Truth is not necessary to Salvation nor to be found in all with whom notwithstanding it may be necessary for you to hold Communion and that because you cannot but know that many