The Antidote Proved a Counterfeit, Title page – To the reader
THE ANTIDOTE Proved A COUNTERFEIT: OR, ERROR DETECTED, AND Believers Baptiſm VINDICATED. Containing An Anſwer to a Nameleſs Author's Book, Entituled, An Antidote to prevent the Prevalency of Anabaptiſm.
By HERCƲLES COLLINS of Wappin.
LONDON, Printed for William Marſhall, at the Bible in Newgate-Street, where is to be Sold Mr Knowles's Expoſition on the whole book of the Revelation, price bound 2 s. 6 d. And Mr. Bunyan's Works in Folio, price bound 14 s. And Mr. Claridges Looking Glaſs for Princes, price bound 6 d▪ And likewiſe moſt of Dr. Owen's and Mr. Beverley's Works. MDCXCIII.
THE Preface to the Unbyas'd Reader.
WE live in a divided and opinionative Age, and mens ſentiments of things, for the moſt part, being as various as their Complexions; Books have their Dooms, according to the different apprehenſions of their Readers. Some Tracts have been applauded more for the Name of the Writers, or Opinion they eſpouſe, than for any ſubſtantial Worth to be found in them: Other are too often rejected and decry'd, becauſe their Authors are not of their Perſwaſion; tho they have Plain Scripture, the moſt Authentick Evidence for any Goſpel-Doctrine or Practiſe, to plead for them. Some are the better treated for their Learned and Polite Styles, tho they want that which ſhould give them juſt recommendation, namely, Truth; while Other which have it on their ſide, meet with hard uſage; and that (which is to be lamented) from Good Men too, becauſe not ſet off with thoſe Artificial Embelliſhments, which gain ſo faſt upon a Fanciful Generation, that Rhetorical Paint paſſeth for true Beauty.
But if thou art ſuch an One, as the Preface calls thee, an Unbyaſt Reader; One who art fully and ſolely for God, not regarding the Names or Writings of Men, any further than they accord with the Revealed word of God; if thou art free to receive Truth, for its own ſake, and reſolveſt to hearken only to him that ſpeaketh from Heaven; then may it he hoped, this Vindication of Believers Baptiſm will find a cordial Welcome with thee.
Thou canſt not, if thou haſt read any thing, be wholly a ſtranger to the Controverſy about the Proper Subjects and Right Adminiſtration of Baptiſm, between thoſe that are for Sprinkling, or Pouring of Water upon Infants, and thoſe that Dip or Plunge under Water the whole Body of Profeſſing Believers only. I do confeſs on the one hand, 'tis ſad to conſider what ſtrife there is for Victory; but on the other, I rejoyce to ſee Chriſt and his Truth Triumph, as they do in Believers Baptiſm. Great has been the Oppoſition made againſt this Holy Ordinance; but greater has been the Defence of it. Every Age hath afforded ſome Teſtimonies for this Truth, but now we are incompaſſed with a Cloud of VVitneſſes. Never was any Point more fully prov'd or better clear'd than this has been. That one would think our Oppoſites ſhould either alter their miſtaken Practice, or be wholly ſilent.
But ſince they ſtill go on in their Error, and ceaſe not to argue againſt this Ordinance, 'tis neceſſary it ſhould be guarded from the Attempts of its Aſſailants.
The worthy Author of the enſuing Diſcourſe has Travelled formerly, with good ſucceſs, in this Field of Controverſy; and now with no leſs, againſt him who calls his Book, An Antidote to prevent the Prevalency of Anabaptiſm, &c. Here thou haſt the Cavils and Objections of the Adverſary, anſwer'd; Infants, or little Children prov'd to have no Habitual Faith; the diſſolution of the Old Covenant-State demonſtrated, and the Infants of Believers to have no Right, as the Seed of ſuch, to Holy Baptiſm. In a word, the Antidote is throughly examined, and proved to be a Counterfeit.
I ſhall add no more, but my hearty recommendation of this Book to thy Reading, deſiring of the Lord, that thou mayſt ſo Read as to Underſtand, and ſo Underſtand that thou mayſt Practice.
London, 20th. of the 5th. Month, 1693. Thy Souls well wiſher in the Lord our Righteouſneſs. Richard Claridge.