The Estate of Children of Church Members and their Right to Baptism, Title page – Errata
A JVST VINDICATION OF THE Covenant and Church-Eſtate OF CHILDREN OF Church-Members: As alſo of their Right unto Baptiſme. Wherein ſuch things as have been brought by divers to the contrary, eſpecially by Ioh. Spilsbury, A. R. Ch. Blackwood, and H. Den, are Reviſed and Anſwered. Hereunto is annexed a Refutation of a certain Pamphlet, ſtyled, The plain and wel-grounded Treatiſe touching Baptiſm.
By THOMAS COBBET Teacher of the Church of Lyn in NEVV-ENGLAND.
Contend earneſtly for the Faith once delivered to the Saints,
Jude 3.
Although my houſe be not ſo with God; yet he hath made with me an everlaſting Covenant, ordered in all things, and ſure; for this is all my ſalvation and all my deſire, although he make it not to grow
2 Sam. 23. 5.
What God hath cleanſed, that count thou not common,
Acts 10.
Suffer little Children to come unto me, and forbid them not; for of ſuch is the kingdom of Heaven, &c.
Luke 18.
London, Printed by R. Cotes for Andrew Crooke, and are to be ſold at the Green Dragon in Pauls Church yard 1648.
To the Reader.
THis learned Treatiſe hath met with many hinderances and difficulties attending its coming forth into the world. Firſt, through too ſlow a Midwife, it hath ſtuck too long in the birth; and for two years ſpace been ſhut up in darkneſſe, as if unworthy of Publique light: Then, in the delivery of it in the Preſſe it had received too many bruiſings through miſtakes, as this catalogue of Errata's collected by the Author himſelf nine Months ſince doth witneſſe. And after all, it was in danger to have come firſt abroad, like ſome illegitimate birth, without a Parents bleſſing with it: The Title and Preface prefixed by the Author, giving light and luſtre thereunto, being for a while miſſing, and thought utterly loſt; but juſt as it was a coming forth found and recovered again.
But Reader, though it be (as Paul complains of himſelf) Thus born out of time, and comes forth laſt in compariſon of many other Treatiſes upon this argument; yet I cannot but think, (when I conſider the weight and ſolidity that is in it) That God hath in a wiſe diſpoſure reſerved it laſt as a Coronis to all the former.
It is often ſeen in Perſons, (and ſo why not the like in the Writings and Works of Perſons?) that are deſigned by God to greateſt uſe, That in their births or fore-part of their lives, they have been clouded with obſcurity, and environed with ſad diſaſters in their emergency into the publique.
Thou that art a ſerious intelligent Reader, and a ſearcher of the Truth in this great controverſie, read and peruſe it: And let theſe Errata's be ever and anon conſulted by thee, if thou at any time art at a loſſe for the Authors meaning. And as thou readeſt, (or before) let thoſe wounds and bruiſings it hath received (thoſe eſpecially that are more killing and mortall to the ſenſe) be healed and removed by thy applying the Authors collections with thy Pen.
I commit thee and it to the bleſſing of God. THO. GOODVVIN.
THE AVTHORS EPISTLE TO THE READER.
Chriſtian and Curteous Reader,
IT is the unhappineſſe of our age, That old rotten Errors are even raiſed out of their Sepulchres, and anciently avowed Truths become the ball of contention. Nor is this any new thing, that when any glorious Work of Reformation is attempted in any place, that it ſhould be attended with ſome ſuch incumbrances. If Nehemiah will build for God, he need not wonder if he finde or meet with much rubbiſh. Rev. 12.It's an old trick of the Dragon, to watch when the Woman clothed with the Sun, adorned with the twelve Stars, and treading the Moon under her feet; is in pain of travail, and ready to be delivered: that if it may be, he may devour the childe; or if woman and childe eſcape his throat, yet to pour out floods of Satanicall Doctrines, carryed on with the Dragons ſubtilty, if that way poſsibly both may be deſtroyed. In which caſe, whatever the whole earth can afford, it would not be denyed. It's a moving ſpeech of Solomon in another caſe; Prov. 24.If thou forbear to deliver them that are drawn to death, &c. If thou ſayſt, Behold we knew it not, doth not he which pondereth the heart conſider it, &c. Me thinks too great a portion of the profeſsing part of our dear native Countrey, are even ready to be ſlain, they are drawn to a worſe death then that of the ſword: Rev. 9.There are killing waters, and killing words. Falſe Teachers may indanger the life of ſouls; Prov. 11. 9and it's ſad to be ſtarted from that reſt of wearyed ſoules, the Word; Ezek. 13.then a man, is like a bird flying from bough to bough, not knowing where to reſt: Verſe 20.They are hunted ſouls cauſed to fly. 2. Tim. 3.It may be ever learning, and never coming to the knowledge of the truth, never eſtabliſhed: And where ſhould ſuch reſt, which are, as it were, out of their proper place, diſcentred?
For my own part, I profeſſe my ſelf to be ſlow of ſpeech to utter, and ſlow of heart to apprehend; and therefore not to be nimble enough for ſuch a reſcue of hunted ſouls. Yet being rowſed up by Neighbouring Elders, together with other Brethren, and my heart having been long troubled much to ſee and heare of the miſchiefs of corrupt Opinions, and amongſt others of that of Anabaptiſm: I have not been unwilling, if I might hope to doe any ſervice to Chriſt by debating, detecting, and diſproving thereof, at leaſt to endeavour the ſame. I remember him that ſaid, 1. King. 8.It was well it was in thy heart to build my Houſe. There are many abler and better hands at work, I hope, in that Cauſe of the Foederall and Church-right of the children of Beleevers, which are in viſible politicall Church eſtate; but being ſo much urged upon it, I cannot but fall to work with ethers, and helpe to dig up the old Wels of Abram, which ſome (although not Philiſtims I hope many of them; yet verily in this matter they act a Philiſtin-ſpirit) have, at leaſt, attempted to ſtop: and it may be they will not ſuffer the ſervants of God to dig them up in quiet. But, I hope, Chriſtian Reader, thou wilt take acceptably endevours from the weakeſt and unworthyeſt of the Laborers of God in ſo neceſſary a work at this time. I have endevoured in what I have attempted this way, to ſtand, as they ſometimes did, with Trowell in one hand, and Sword in the other at once, to build on for God and his people, and to beat off ſuch principles and Tenents as would undermine the Work. Nehem: 4.Chriſt himſelf was ſtirred in the Cauſe of the Children of pious minded perſons, and why ſhould not every one which loveth him be moved too therein? Suppoſe ſome who would interrupt the approach of ſuch Babes to Chriſt for his bleſsing, are otherwiſe precious men and godly, yet herein they are to be chidden and withſtood. It's not the firſt time that Satan can prevail, even with Peter, to give dangerous counſell: He can now ſtirre up in farre better men an Amalekite-like ſpirit to hinder the weakeſt, and ſo the younglings of Iſraels camp at their firſt entrance unto the Mount of God, where he appointed to be more ſolemnly worſhipped. Ever ſince that word of old; Gen: …:I will put enmity betwixt thee and the Woman, and betwixt thy ſeed and her ſeed, Satan hath had a ſpeciall ſpight at the ſeed of the Church: 1 Ioh: 3:witneſſe that act of Kain, who was therein of that evill one, in killing his brother Abel: whence alſo that project of Satan, all the wayes that may be, to lay foundations of corrupting, and in time ruinating the ſeed of the Church by unequall marriages, &c. Gen. 6. 1, 2. Nehem. 13. 23, 24. Whence alſo that act of his, in ſtirring up his Inſtruments to deride little Iſaak: Whence alſo that Satanicall practiſe of ſeeking to cut them off by Pharaoh, Exod. 1. by Edomites, Pſalm 137. by Babylonians, Jer. 9. Syrians, Dan. 8. Herod, Mat. 2. &c. Or if they be not cut off in ſuch ſort, yet to ſtirr up perſons under pretence of Religion to devote them unto the very Devill, Jer. 7. 31. &c. Ezek. 16. 20, 21, 22. 23, &c. Or if they live, yet to perſwade to their detainment under an Aegyptian eſtate, and excluſion from any Church care or priviledge, Exod. 10. 10, 11. And even now adayes how buſie is he to perſwade that they are to be excluded the covert of the promiſe, and from Church care as ſuch, yea, that they are not to be taught whilſt little the uſe of Scripture paſſages, or to pray, &c. leaſt ſo they come to prophane the name of God, &c. who ſeeth not how Satan doth ſeek by ſuch ſuggeſtions to undermine the ſucceſsion of the true Religion, and of true viſible Churches, which have uſed to be continued in and by the Church ſeed: and what is Satans fetch, to bring this about, but the old trick, to create (as I may ſay) ſcruples in the hearts of Gods people, knowing well that it is a taking wyle firſt to bemiſte through ſuch legerdemain the eyes of the minde, and then to ſpoil them of truth. It took with our Grandmother Eve, and was the inlet of all error and evill. Gen. 3.Hath God ſaid it: was the old Serpentine inſinuation to blinde and buzzle, and ſo corrupt firſt the judgment in point of warrant of this or that practiſe: He ſpake not at firſt concluſively, God hath not ſaid it, there is no Word of God for it: but after he had ſo moved▪ the queſtion, that it bred ſome waverings, then he chargeth home, and directly contradicteth the minde of God, Gen. 3. How many precious Profeſſors, to outward view at leaſt, did at firſt entertain ſome ſcruples about the external intereſt of Church-members children in the Covenant, and initiatory ſeale of it, which now peremptorily cenſure the ſame as Antichriſtian and humane inventions. Let my adviſe be gratefull to thee thus farre, Chriſtian Reader, to take heed of unneceſſary Diſcourſes and Diſputes with Satanicall ſuggeſtions, under what promiſing and plauſible pretences ſoever they come: 2 Tims 2. 16, 17.the Word of error is very apt to infect, and then to ſpread: there is a kind of juggling in Error: Eph. 4. 14.ſeducing perſons can play underboard, Rev. 21.there is ſpirituall ſorcery with ſuch, and ſo cloſely carryed, as it is hard to be eſpyed. Gal. 3.Who hath bewitched you? was the Apoſtles quaerie: yea, perſons unapt at any thing elſe, raw in main principles of Grace, are inſtruments ſit enough for ſuch a purpoſe; any body, almoſt any woman will ſerve Satans turn well enough to lay ſuch leaven. Mat. 16 12.Thou maiſt hear Scriptures pretended, Chriſtian Reader, 1 Theſſ 5.but try all things, and hold faſt that which is good. It's not the firſt age or time that in Satanicall ſuggeſtions, Thus it's written, and, Thus ſaith the Lord, hath been propounded: Chriſt himſelf met with ſuch dealing, Mat. 4. Thus ſaith the Lord, and, He ſaith it: to prefixe his name unto their lyes, what more uſuall in falſe Prophets mouths of old, Jer. 28. 2. 1 King. 22. 11. Jer. 23. 31. & 29. 9, 16. compared. Yea, ſometimes men of better hopes have been hereinto blame, 1 King. 13. 17, 18, 24, 25, 26. Yea, who more confident therein, as if all were in an error but themſelves? It is revealed to them, and which way went the ſpirit from them to others? 1 King. 21. 24. and what warrant have you for the contrary? The old way of the moſt notorious hereticks, Eutichians, Neſtorians, Novatians, Arians, Pelagians, &c. all abuſively urge Scriptures for what they hold, and call for Scriptures to the contrary: Aug. l. contr. Maxim.as Maximus the Arian… pleaded, Produce Scripture if you can for that —: And — where read you in Scripture, That the Spirit was adored, is another plea, &c. much like to that plea of our Oppoſites in this Controverſie: As if Scripture conſequence and ſcope were not as well Scripture, as expreſſe words are ſo: But I hope ſuch promiſes as Eſay 25. 6, 7, 8. & 35. 8. & 30. 21. and ſuch like, ſhall now be ver…fied to ſuch, as through weakneſs of light, and ſtrength of temptation have been miſled. Phil: 3 15.If any thing which I have herein endeavoured, may be ſo farre bleſſed by the God of Truth, as to eſtabliſh thee if yet kept of God cloſe to his Truth herein; or if beginning to ſtumble, it may help to make thy way plainer; or if newly fallen, if God ſhall vouchſafe occaſionally by any thing I have ſaid, to lend thee his hand, and raiſe thee up, he will have his glory thereof, as it's moſt meet he ſhould, thou wilt have the peace of it, and I have then reward enough. Be not offended at the length of the Treatiſe, being occaſioned from variety of oppoſitions from divers, which I was unwilling to paſſe over in ſilence. Thou maiſt, curteous Reader, meet with the ſame thing oft inculcated, but impute it unto renewed occaſions of like Objections from divers perſons, which yet in ſubſtance were but what others ſaid to like purpoſe, albeit not in the ſame expreſsions, or not ſo fully ſharpened againſt our principles. I have often made uſe of the word [Inchurched] more briefly to expreſſe what in other words might have been ſet down, intending therein a perſon or perſons in viſible Church-eſtate. In this alſo I crave thy favourable acceptance, what I have quoted in the laſt Part out of humane Authors, it was as thereto challenged by others, and not as if the Cauſe needed more then Scripture ſtrength to clear and confirm it. Now unto the Father of lights I leave thee, to diſcover the full of his mind of Grace to thee. Reſting
Thine in Him to ſerve thee, THOMAS COBBET.
ERRATA.
First Part.
PAge 5. line ult. put were before of, l. 6. read yea, p. 10. l. 2. ſo, l. 10. r. and, p. 11. l. 38. r. in, p. 15. l. 36. r. in any, p. 18. l. 1. add as, l. 21. r. which ſome who, p. 19. l. 30. r. inference, p. 28. l. 36. after to ſay, add then what, p. 32. l. 24. r. inviſible, p. 33. l. 34. r. then, p. 40. l. 14. r. things, p. 42. l. 6. r. form, l. 26. for yours, r. the, p. 55. l. laſt, r. doe: they, p. 56. l. 1. for, and this, r. which, l. 32. r. inviſible, p. 64. l. 27. for accepted, r. once had, l. 38. for, bend, r. be rid, p. 69. l. 10. after but, add not, l. laſt, r. not, p. 71. l. 18. r. deifie, p. 72. l. 2. r. heart-anſwer. p. 75. l. 1. blot out as, p. 77. l. 25. r. reſpecteth, p. 78. l. 31. r. for anſwer to, p. 80. l. 31. r. faith, l. 36. r, diſchurched, p. 86. l, 11: for or, r. verſe, p. 87. l. 17. r. Eſay 65. l. 25. r. curſe, p. 91. l. 5, & 6 r. inveſted with Church-covenant, l. 20, & 21, r. beleeving, p. 104. l. 21. r. way, p. 107. l. 34. r. beleeving, p. 112. l. 11. r. thereunto, p. 113. l. 12 r. aſſerting, l. 16. r. many. p. 114 l. 28, r: evaſions, p. 115: l: 36: r. ſcil. p. 117. l. 25. r. nor, l. ult. for for, r. ſo, p: 118. l. 3. r: doves. Dove, l. 17. r: is God, p: 119. l: 38. r. ſpeeches, p: 120. l. 13. perſonall faith — they may, l. 35: r: is this, p: 123: l: 30: r: which, p: 124: l: 28: r: were.
Second Part.
Page 131, l, 3, r, Subſiſtences, p, 138, l, 29, blot out and ſenſe, p, 140, l, 7, add now, l, 9, blot out now, p, 142, l, 8 r, or, p, 143, l, 15, r, ever, p, 149, l, 38, r, our, p, 152, l, 19, r, ſelecteth, p, 162, l, 13, blot out as, l, 31, r, circumciſed, p, 167. l, 8, r, were, l, 18, r, Witneſſe there, p, 174, l, 31, blot out and, p, 175, l, 4, blot out as, p, 178, l, 37, r, rationall, p, 183, r, notion, p, 184, l, 12, blot out way, p, 186, l, 9. r, ere, l, 11, r, with, p, 19…, l, 33, r, ſtart, l, 35, r, covenant, p, 207, l, 14, r, the.
Third Part.
Page 215, l, 3, put the comma at for, p, 216, l, 4, r, time, p, 237, l, 23, r, Martin, p, 239, l, 2, r, we, l, 29, blot out and, p, 240, l, 8, for is, r, ex, p, 245, l, 8, r, it: ſinleſſe, p, 247, l, 29, r, Beda's, p, 248, l, 5, r, Turonenſis, l, r, mentioning, p, 249, l, 1, r, the, l, 9, r, is for, p, 255, l, 4, for either, r, as, l, 29, r, the, l, 30, r, perverted, p, 254, l, 1, r. whiſpers, l, 21, r, Tr…ctus, l, 39, r, or, p, 257, l, 8, r, councell, l, 18, r, comment, l, 37, blot out not, p, 258, l, 18, r, Tuitienſis, ſo l, 23: l, 29, blot out in his p 262, l, 15, r, commonly, l, 28, r, this, l, r, even, p, 266, l, 28, r, ſpurious p, 268, l, 26, r, Cocl…, p, 281, l, 12, r, no, l, 36, r, ideo, p, 282, l, 30, 1444, r, 144, p, 283, l, 35, add it, p, 286, l, 2, r, who, l, 36, for man, r, manner, p, 284, l, 4, r, C…rinth. l 9, blot out of, l, 17, r, with, l, ult. r, innumerable, p, 289, l, 3, blot out foreign, p, 290, l, 18, r, Guagri…, p, 291, r, Bruit, l, 29, r, Cluniacenſis, p, 294, l, 31, r, from, p, 295, l, 18, r, occaſionally, p, 296, l, 23, for 4, r, 3, l, 27, r, ever.