Presumption No Proof, Title page – To the reader
Preſumption no Proof: OR, Mr. PETTO's ARGUMENTS FOR INFANT - BAPTISM, Conſidered and Anſwered. AND Infants Intereſt in the Covenant of Grace without Baptiſm, aſſerted and maintained. Whereunto is prefixed An ANSWER to two QUESTIONS propounded by Mr. Firmin, about Infants Church-memberſhip and Baptiſm.
By THOMAS GRANTHAM.
The Earth alſo is defiled under the Inhabitants thereof, becauſe they have tranſgreſſed the Laws, changed the Ordinance, broken the everlaſting Covenant. Iſa. 24. 5.
Now I praiſe you, Brethren, that you remember me in all things, and keep the Ordinances, as I delivered them to you 1 Cor. 11. 2.
London, Printed in the Year, 1687.
To the READER.
IT appears by Mr. Pett's Epiſtle to the Reader, that he took hold of a very ſlight occaſion to write againſt the Baptized Believers; it was, becauſe one (without acquainting him with it) came over to their Communion.
I could wiſh he had been more patient under ſo ſmall a trial, and thereby ſaved me this labour: which whether it will end here I know not; that may be as he pleaſes.
I hold it no convenient time for Diſſenters to write one againſt another; Friendly Conferences might do much better. But I have found Men of Mr. Pett's Principles very averſe to that, when it has been offered.
I have not anſwered each particular Page in Mr. Pett's Book, for that one and the ſame thing is very often repeated. I have chiefly dealt with his two main Arguments, on which his whole Diſcourſe depends.
What he ſays about the mode of Sprinkling, I have not meddled with, nor is it needful. For we ſee that generally, ſuch as are ſeriouſly convinced of their Duty in the caſe of Baptiſm, will not, if they might, receive it but in the way of Immerſion. They are preſently apprehenſive that no way can be ſo ſafe for them, as to follow Chriſt himſelf, who it's certain was baptiſed ſo: For it is granted by the Learned, that Mark 1. 9. foreign, may be truly read, And was dipped of John into Jordan. This account of our Saviour's Baptiſm is ſufficient to decide this Controverſy, about the manner of Baptiſm, if the higheſt and moſt perfect Example that ever was be of any force at all.
What I have offered on behalf of Infants Intereſt in the Covenant of Grace, may perhaps ſeem too full of Charity in the Judgment of Mr. Petto and ſome others. But if that offend thee, do but conſider from whom this Doctrine of Infants Damnation has proceeded, it's either of God or Man. I have ſearched the Scriptures, but could never find his Word (that is Truth it ſelf) declare ſuch a dreadful Sentence againſt any one Infant, much leſs that the greateſt part of dying Infants are damn'd.
Could Men be ſatisfied of the certainty of the Salvation of their dying Infants, the Controverſy about baptiſing them would come to an End; for as far as I could ever learn, it came into the World upon this Miſtake, that they could not be ſav'd without it.
And tho Mr. Petto ſeems to diſlike Cyprian's Judgment herein, yet what does he ſay leſs himſelf in p. 1. where he inſinuates that thoſe who deny the Baptiſm of Infants, exclude millions out of the great Charter of Heaven. But this may perhaps be found their Fault, who exclude all but the Infants of ſuch as they count Believers, when the reckoning comes to be truly ſtated.
I never ſaw Mr. Firmin 's Book till I had anſwered Mr. Petto. And at the requeſt of ſome, as alſo for that his Queſtions may ſeem to be ſerious and conſiderable, I thought it needful to give a ſerious and Chriſtian Anſwer to them, which I hope I have done. And as I muſt commend Chriſtians in their Enquiry, what Evidence of God's Love we have concerning Infants, and therein be an Enquirer as much as any, having Children of my own; ſo I think it needful to caution my ſelf and others, that we ſet not up our own Devices for ſuch Evidences, leſt our Hope be thereby leſſened, ſeeing our impoſing that upon Infants which God has not required at our hands, is no ſign of his Love to them at all.
Tho. Grantham.