Of Baptism, Title page – Errata

Of Baptism · Title page – Errata

OF BAPTISME. The heads and order of ſuch things as are eſpecially inſiſted on, you will find in the table of chapters.

Printed in the Yeare 1646.

THE PREFACE.

THE Authour of theſe follovving thoughts profeſſeth, that hee vvas neceſsitated to them, partly in duty to himſelf, that he might diſcover vvhat vvas the good thing of that ordinance, vvhichwhich the Scripture magnifyes ſo greatly, and himſelf understood ſo little; but particularly by reaſon of a controverſall ſcruple, vvhichwhich a providence of God put him to conflict vvith, and all the preſent light hee had, could not manadge to ſatisfaction; to vvhichwhich alſo may be added as another juſt reaſon, that the deſires of a fevv friends, vvho have a reall interest in him, ingaged his indeavours alſo in their reſpect, and contributed to the production of theſe meditations, vvhichwhich last reaſon vvas neceſſary to be knovvne, in regard that they, vvhoſe deſires vvere acceſſary to the dravving forth of this diſcourſe, have bene principall in the publiſhing of it, and have offered a kind of violence, partly by importunityes, and partly by venturing upon the community and liberty of friendſhip, to make it publike vvithout any order obtain'd from the Author to that purpoſe, vvho needs no fuller vvitneſſe then God & his ovvne conſcience, and a fevv friends, vvith vvhom hee hath more particularly converſ'd, hovv little hee hath delighted to ingage his thoughts in the controverſall parts of truths, and hovv in a conſtant tenour, his meditations have form'd othervviſe. But ſince it is done, & certainly vvith no ill vvill to the publike. The Authour findes good to accompany theſe papers vvith theſe good vviſhes, That they may by no meanes be the occaſion to any of angry or quarrelſome diſputes; that blood, vvhichwhich vvas ſhed for us, and vvhichwhich this ordinance exhibites as a fountayne to bath in, ſhould qualify our heates, and correct that Chagrin & distemper, vvhichwhich often manifests it ſelf in the agitating of things diverſly apprehended; Particularly, that they may eſcape the unhappineſſe of the cenſures of idle men, vvho becauſe they ſay nothing publike enough for an anſvver, thinke they may ſay any thing, and having found an eaſie vvay to religion, to vvit, the ſuffrage of learned men, and the practiſe of the most, judge them vayne and impertinent that take a greater boute.

To vvhichwhich hee adds alſo this vviſh, that they may be delivered from ſuch vvho triumph in diſcovering ſome leſſer mistakes, and place a great part of their abilityes in critiſizing upon a vvord or phraſe, not ſo vvell plac'd, or pertinently expreſt; ſuch, not to mention their charity, as their talent is commonly very little, ſo that vvhichwhich is, ſeemes fitted not ſo much for argueing as vvrangling (vvith vvhichwhich he vvould have nothing to doe) and is leviſſimus fructus ingenij, vvhichwhich you may engliſh, The froth or ſcumme of witt. And lastly hee deſires that any vvho ſhall examine them more ſeriouſly and particularly, and ſhall not in every thing be of the ſame minde (for light is not adminiſtred to all by the ſame meaſure) vvould be content that men ſhould injoy their judgement (ſince nothing is more our ovvne) till cauſe be given to alter them, & vvould in the meane time be ſo friendly to him, vvho profeſſes to be greatly a friend to truth, in order to the truth Ieſus Chriſt, that in the difference of opinions, there might be a just ſimphathy and unanimity of the Opiners.

Theſe eſcapes the Reader is deſired to correct, before he read the enſueing diſcourſe.

The table of chapters the Reader will find at the end of the booke.

p. 1OF BAPTISME.