The Practical Use of Infant Baptism Part 2, Postscript – Errata
A POSTSCRIPT Of the AUTHOR.
CHRISTIAN READER:
I Thought it needfull to advertise thee, that the entertainment the former part of this dialogue hath received from sober heads, & pious hearts, (and some of them (as I am credibly informed) heretofore dissenters in the Doctrine and practise therein pleaded) hath been somewhat beyond my expectation, so that I have been thereby (as well as by the desire of my Stationer) encouraged to hasten this Second Impression thereof. Notwithstanding which, I delayed it the longer, that I might receive some private letters from some reverend men whose judgment I was willing to take along with mee, and whose assistance I much desired to render it more compleate: and also, that I might see, whether (during that while of my delay) any thing would bee offered by any dissenter, that would require my farther animadversions thereupon. And I humbly thanke my learned and godly friends, to whom I made my applications, for the assistance which I have received from them, whether by way of concurrence with, or dissent from mee; acknowledging that I am much obliged to them for their Christian opennesse and candour testified in those intimations privately vouchsafed mee. And in testimony thereof, I have laboured, in this second part (a great measure whereof hath been occasioned by the hints suggested from them) to manifest no lesse candour in the handling of those particulars so intimated, whether in the points agreed, or controverted betweene us.
And I hope, if yet any of their judgments shall not jumpe with mine, eyther as to matter or language; that (neverthelesse) they will candidly accept of my endeavours, to satisfie them, in declaring the grounds of mine owne. But if it should prove otherwise, however, I must intreate them to gratifie my utter aversenesse to publique contests, by a private agitation of the differences that yet remaine, rather, then to enforce mee unto any disputes from the presse, wherein I dayly observe how difficult a a matter it is to manage a friendly and candid debate of differences, in a way becoming Christian moderation.
And to engage them thereunto, I have purposely concealed the names of most of those, with whom I have had to do in this friendly entercourse of private letters, that they may not conclude themselves in any sort challenged to appeare that way; And I promise that if I bee yet called upon for another review of these Treatises, I shall do my best, eyther by qualifying, explaining, or retracting, what shall yet remaine offensive to any sober, and judicious friends, (upon like notice given mee, from any of that character) to endeavour their farther satisfaction.
And the same course should I have been willing to have taken with the * Author of a late Mr. W. of Br. in this County.Treatise concerning Infant-Baptisme, (one neare enough to mee to have been so friendly) in case he would have been perswaded to have given mee privately a copy of his exceptions, (which, by a friend, I desired, when I heard he was about to print) and to have expected a while, the coming forth of this piece for his satisfaction. But it seems, his fingers itched to bee printing and aspersing my selfe, and others of his neighbour-Ministers, who gave him as little provocation, as (I thinke) I have done. And indeed, hee hath dealt very unhandsomely with some of them, even to the personating of them, by certaine characteristicall passages knowne to the Countrey thereabout, in severall other Pamphlets published together with that wherein I am concerned. But I shall not trouble thee with any particulars, save those that relate to the former part of this Dialogue: out of which (in his booke mentioned, pag. 15, 18, 19, 20, 21.) hee takes a passage or two concerning the comparison Di…logue first edition, pag. 78. and this edition p. 76, and 77.there made between Infant-Baptisme and Leaven, in relation to the spreading of Christian Religion, in the outward Profession thereof, over whole nations: and my affirmation thereupon, that [I conceive it morally impossible to rivet Christian Religion into the body of any Nation, but by the way of Infant-Baptisme, this being the only likely way to the effecting of what our Saviour comands, the discipling of whole Nations;] Upon which passages the said Author tragcially descants, as savouring of a [mistake of Christs command, and serving only to hold and keepe Popery within us, yea, as grosse Popery as a man can readily thinke of, and bring persons into a fool…s Paradise, and enlarge the bounds of the Malignant Church (i. e. in his owne professed sense) a Nationall one.]
An heavy charge, but wholly misapplyed pag. 19.through (I feare) a wilfull mistake, (for how can I judge it lesse, being grounded upon a grosse perverting of the whole declared, and expresse sense of the paragraph, against which it is levelled?) How often (Reader) doe I there expressely confine my assertions concerning [the spreading, and rivetting of Religion in a nation, by Infant-Baptisme] to the Church visible, and the profession of Religion in a nation, and visible believers! Nay the very next Question moved thereupon, and the Answer thereunto, clearly proceed upon the supposition of that sense.
And yet this Author, will (in despight of mine owne cleare expressions, and the whole scope of the discourse) perswade mee and his reader, that by [rivetting the profession of Religion into the body of a Nation,] I meane the [rivetting of Religion in the soules & spirits of men] (for so, he tells us expressely, that hee and his confederates, who, it seemes, know my meaning better then my felfe, understand it) and (answerably) that by the [leavening of Nations, in the same way] I meane, [leavening them with grace:] or else I know not what hee means by opposing the work of Infant-Baptisme, and the spirit of life and glory, in relation to this leavening worke, in the same place.
And upon these grosse mistakes, hee spends a great deale of waste paper, to informe his Reader, that Infant-Baptisme is not Christs way to disciple, (i. e. savingly to convert) nations; and that hee must not make that sacrament an Idoll, and expect the work of grace to be wrought upon the soule, by the sprinkling of water upon the body: Pag. 19 21.and all this (quis crederet?) out of a great feare (as hee professeth) lest somebody (of like acute intellectualls (belike) with himselfe, and his Brethren) should put a sense upon my expressions Pag. 21.quite contrary to my scope, and intention; to witt, [to encourage themselves, some to superstition, and others, to place all their religion in Baptisme.] But mee thinkes, if this good friend of mine bee so much affraid lest others should abuse my words to such a sense, hee should not bee the first that should teach them so to do. To tell them, that I meane by [rivetting religion into the body of a nation by Baptisme] the [rivetting it into their soules and spirits,] as hee doth; and yet withall to professe his feares, lest others should take it in such a sense, as might encourage them in such a mistake of supperstitiously esteeming, and placing all their religion in it, which is no lesse then attributing the [inward worke of the spirit to outward baptisme;] seemes something of kin to a contradiction.
Thus Reader, thou mayst see how little I am concerned, to answer this Author in this mater: seeing hee proceeds upon a sense given to my words (according to his owne confession) quite contrary to my scope, and intention. And yet there remaines another sad reckoning, which hee threatens mee withall (in the same place) to call mee unto again concerning this, and two or three other passages towards the end of that booke of mine, in a sixth Treatise of his, which I have not seene; and the presse cannot now stay for my enquiry after and examination thereof, (it having beene delayd some weekes already, during my expectation of this part, which I have now taken notice of, from my Stationer, to whom I sent to procure it) or if it could, I know not by what name to send for it, (having by mee no catalogue of this Authors workes to direct mee) and therefore can say nothing to it at this Time. And indeed if it bee no more concerning to mee, then this already mentioned, I promise thee, I never shall thinke it worth thy trouble or mine to take any notice of it at any Time. However, I forgive him this worng; considering, that his exceeding passionate zeale against any thing that in his judgment tended to the supporting of a Nationall Church, (which is the abomination of abominations to his soule; and all one, (as his expression, but now quoted hath it) with a Popish, and Malignant Church, (hath made him so angry, that hee cannot (in that humour) but fall out with any one hee meets, not duely enquiring whether they bee friends or foes; or whether there bee any just cause, to quarrell with them or no: and I resolve (as farre as I know mine owne mind) never to enter the lists of a publique dispute with a man of that temper. To shut up all, I shall only crave leave to offer a little advice to my Reverend Brother, whom I beleeve to be a godly man, and know to bee Zealous in his principles (perhaps too much) that hee do not engage himselfe too hotly in clashings, and contests with his neighbour-Ministers and others, about such things, as they are perswaded, the Kingdome of God doth not consist in, lest hee lose the quiet of his owne spirit, and the comfort and help of his fellow-labourers gifts, together with the affections of a refractory people, who (as I know by some experience,) being dealt with over-rigorously in such things by ministers, will bee too much exasperated, to bee capable of receiving any thing from them without prejudice: In summe, that hee do not thinke, the bespattering of his neighbour-Ministers, and their principles, actions, congregations, and communion, a regular way to increase his owne separated fellowship. And having so done, I have done with him, for this time: and shall with thee too, when I have▪ (in a word) informed thee; that (because the variety of new matter which offered it selfe to my second thoughts, grew quickly to such a quantity as would have made too great an alteration, in the renewed impression, of my Booke formerly published, even so much as to make it uselesse to those who had layd out their money upon it before, and so necessitate them to buy it againe, if I should have inserted it therein;) I thought it more expedient (contrary to my intentions when I published the Epistle prefixed thereunto) to let the First Booke come forth againe without any alteration (except in few words) and subjoyne the additions in a distinct Treatise by themselves, which, as I now put into thy hands, so I hope, God will give thee grace to make a profitable use of, to his owne glory▪ the turning vaine janglings about Infant-Baptisme, into a practicall improvement of it, and (therein) the benefit of thine own soule.
FARE-VVELL.
ERRATA.
Reader,
Thou art intreated by the Author to overlooke divers lesse faults, which thou mayst meet withall: and correct with thy pen before thou readest, these greater escapes, which the presse because of the Authors distance hath made.
In the Epistle Dedicatory, Pag. 8. lin. 4. read whithout which. In Mr. Bl. Preface, p. 4. l. ult. dele, that.
In the First Treatise, pag. 2. l. 21. read is. pag. 5. l. 29. read unto. p. 6. l. 28, read did I. p. 20 lin. 25-26. dele at most. l. 30. r. this. pag. 23. l. 28. r. stronger. p. 39. l. 24. r. decayes, p. 41. l. 20. r. meditation. p. 53. l. ult. r. care. p. 70. l. 20. read concluded.
Sermon of Catechizing. p. 4. l. 28. r. t…ens. p. 10. l. 26. r. there. p. 13. l. 3. r. tartly. p. 16. l. 1. read. charily.
In the Second part. p. 7. l. 21. r. dared. p. 9. l. 21. r. renew. p. 18. l. 10. r. not. p. 25. l. 12. read (being such in their generall nature) p. 30. l. 14. r. effect. p. 75. l. 12. dele to. p. 81. l. 21. r, himself. p. 82. l. 1. r. of. Pag. 97. l. 6. r. in. l. 18. r. this.
In the Postscript, pag. 108. l. 29. read. a few.
End of the text · Simon Ford, The Practical Use of Infant Baptism Part 2 (1656)