More Proofs of Infants Church Membership and Right to Baptism, Chapter 9 – To the reader
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 publi…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 Ʋnity, 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.