A Forerunner to a Large Review of the Dispute Concerning Infant Baptism, Treatise · Section 1
SECT. I. Of the necessity and occasion of this writing.
IT is the observation of Solomon Prov. 18. 19. (as we now reade it) that a brother offended is harder to be won then a strong city, and their contentions like the bars of a castle, which being strong will neither bow, nor yield, say our late Annotations on the Place. Which thing as it is true of natural brethren, when they contend about civil affaires, so it is too often found true among Christian brethren, yea even in the ministery of the Gospel, when they contend about the things of Christ whether out of faction, or conscience. We need not go far for instances to prove it: this last age hath verified it too plainly in the contentions between the Lutherans & Calvinists in Germany, Remonstrants & Contraremonstrants in Belgia, Prelatist; & non-Conformists, Independents and Presbyterians in England. Among others the providence of the Lord hath made me a man of contention, as the prophet complaines of himself, Jerem. 15. 10, and that which is most grievous to me with my brethren in the ministery and faith of Christ, with whom. I hoped for a brotherly conjunction in the work of Christ, the yoke of Prelates being removed, and about that ordinance of baptisme, which should be a bond of union between us, Ephes. 4. 5. I with others asserting infant-baptisme to be a corruption of the ordinance of baptisme, others avouching it as of God, and the countrary a pernitious error. The season in which I appeared in this matter, the spirits of men in Old, and New England being very thirsty after reformation in worship according to the word, humane inventions every where cried down, this being taken for a maxime against Papists, and Prelates, that in Gods worship we must keep close to the institution, and an Assembly called to that end, and the Parliament with them engaged in solemne Covenant,. I taking the way approved by Protestant writers afore I vented any thing in publique to debare the matter with learned Ministers, and after to present my exceptions against Paedobaptisme to a Committee of the Assembly, gave me hopes of a facile and speedy way for clearing the point. But whether it were that mens resolutions were pitched on the patternes of other Churches, or swayed with prejudice, or fear or something else, I quickly found my hopes deceived, my very dissenting from them though in this candid manner begetting enmity towards me, and notwithstanding my reasons presented to them, Paedobaptisme established in the Directory, and the not practising of it, and gainsaying of it made penal; which things necessitated me to print my two Treatises, and this drew down on me a storm of writers, by whom mens spirits were exasperated against me, whereby I was enforced to print my Apology, afore I could review the dispute as I intended. But my Apology not preventing my removal from that place where I had better opportunity to write, and print then sithence, yet as soone as I could settle my self and family in any sort I applied my self to review the dispute according to the order of the Examen of Mr. Marshals sermon, which I had gone through unto the third conclusion, and had some purpose of printing a part of it by it self, because of the difficulty in printing and sale of large things: Yet afore I did it by reason of the neighbour-hood of Mr. B. I imparted some sheetes about 1 Cor. 7. 14. to him, out of which he took notes as he pleased, and quickly returned them to me without animad versions on them, which I hoped he would have done of his own accord, as the manner of Schollers of acquaintance is in such cases. After some of my Auditors beginning to enquire after the duty of being baptized, it was propounded by one to have recourse to Mr. B. and by me, if they did so, to get his arguments in writing for infant-baptism: but our endeavours not succeeding; I yielded to a dispute though much against my mind, presaging from the knowledge I had of Mr. Baxters quicknesse and my own slownesse in answering an argument not under my eye, the favour of the most to Mr. Bs. tenet, and a verseness from mine, and other accidents; Mr. B. likely to gain the fame of a victory, and to put back the work of reformation of that corruption, yet hoping Mr. B. would after have imparted to me his arguments in writing, that I might as Dr. Raynolds permitted Hart, mend my answers afore printing. But Mr. B. denying it, and venting the passage in his Saints everlasting rest, wherein he speaks of grosse absurdities I was driven to, I was forced to print my Antidote, since which he hath printed a large book in which he hath raised much dust to darken the truth, and to asperse my person: which I am necessitated to answer, and to stay or order the review of the dispute between my self, Mr. M. and others as there shall be cause.