The Infants Advocate of Circumcision and Baptism, To the reader
TO THE CHRISTIAN READER.
AMongſt the many Lying Miracles reported by impudent, believed by ignorant Papiſts, in their Leaden Golden Legend; it is not the laſt, and leaſt what they tell of one*See Camdens Brittania, in Northampton ſhire. Rumball (Son to an Engliſh King) whoſe Saint-ſhip in thoſe dark days was ſuperſtitiouſly adored at Brackley in Northampton ſhire: Of him they report that he ſpake as ſoon as ever he was born, and profeſſing himſelf to be a Chriſtian already in his heart, requeſted (or rather required) that he might be Baptized, which done, he inſtantly ended his life.
I know not whether to call this a Childs fable from the ſubject, or in the*1 Tim. 4. 7. Apoſtles language, an old wives fable from the inventors thereof: Otherwiſe, were this true, and all children like him, this our Infants Advocate were utterly uſeleſs, and our pains for the preſent altogether ſuperfluous, which now we believe and hope may be profitable for thoſe who cannot plead for themſelves. For though I cannot with *Job 29. 15Job be eyes to the blind, and feet to the lame; that is, relieve their poverty, out of a plentiful eſtate; yet I will endeavour to be a tongue to the dumb, and plead as well as I may, in their behalf.
True it is, I muſt confeſſe with that good*Jer. 1. 6. Prophet, not in reſpect of my age (being paſt the vertical point thereof) but of my other infirmities, behold I cannot ſpeak for I am a child, and if a child be advocate for children, the cauſe is likely to be poorly pleaded: However I will endeavour to ſupply in integrity, what I want in ability; and ſometimes a cordial counſel, who zealouſly engageth for his client, is to be accepted for his hearty intentions and affections, though falling ſhort of others in his performances.
Indeed great is the multitude of pleaders, who have undertook this cauſe, and truly the more the better, ſuch the worth thereof to deſerve, the weight thereof to require, many defenders againſt the fierceneſſe and multitude of modern oppoſers. But here give me leave to bemoan a ſad accident, that the councel cannot agree amongſt themſelves how to manage their clients cauſe. Some found it on a Jewiſh ceremony of waſhing; others faſten it only on the ancient practice of the Primitive Church; others graft it on the Analogie of Circumciſion; others bottom it on an implicite precept; others on expreſſe arguments in the New Teſtament. And which is the worſe, many of theſe are not content alone to prefer, and advance their own opinion, except alſo they decry, and deſtroy, confute, and confound the arguments of others, by which diſcords, our adverſaries in this point gain to themſelves no ſmall advantage.
I am confident thoſe our adverſaries long ſince had wanted weapons, had not our friends furniſhed them with all manner of munition out of our own magazins. Yet dare I not challenge ſuch pleaders for Infants Baptiſm of diſloyaltie, as if they wilfully betrayed their truſt herein; though I cannot excuſe them for indiſcretion, whereby they have prejudiced that cauſe, they endeavoured to defend.
It would be well therefore for the time to come, if the aſſertors of Pedo-Baptiſm, on what bottom ſoever they builded, (ſtore in this kind is no ſore, and the firmer it is that ſtands on ſo many foundations) raiſe their own Reaſons without oppoſing the arguments of others who agree with them in judgement, though going by different ways to the end of the ſame place.
It is ſaid of every Locuſt, that marched in Gods Army they ſhall *Joel 2. 8.not thruſt one another, they ſhall walk every one in his path, on Gods bleſſing; let the aſſertors of Childrens Baptiſm (what way ſoever they imbrace for the proof thereof) proceed fairly and friendly in their own tract, and leave off juſtling thoſe who go next to them in another path. Thus deſiring, Reader, Gods bleſſing on thy peruſing my weak pains, I remain,
Thine in Chriſt Jeſus, THO. FULLER.