Containing a full and modest Reply to Mr Philip Cary's
APPENDIX.
necessary work.
Now, instead of racking their brains about unnecessarycontroverfies, they find it high time to be searching , their hearts, and examining the foundations of their faith and hope, with respect to the other world.
(2.) Moreover, such times and straits, discover the sincerity, zeal, and constancy of them we were jealous of, or prejudiced against before, because they followed not us.
Confectary 6. Lastly, Let us learn hence, both the duty and necessity of charity and mutual forbearance : we have all our mistakes and errors one way or other; and therefore must maintain mutual charity under dissents in judgment.
I do not say, but an erringbrother must be reduced, if possible, and that by sharp rebukes too, if gentler essays be inef fectual, Tit. i. 13. and the wounds of a friend have more faithful love to them, than the kisses of an enemy; and ifGodmake us instrumental by that, or any other method, to recover a brother from the error of his way, he will have great cause, both toblessGod, and thank the instrument, who thereby saves a soul from death, and hides a multitude of sins, James v. 20.
'Tis our duty, if we meet an enemy's ox or ass going astray, to bringhimback again, Exod. xxiii. 4. much more the soul ofa friend. Indeed, we must not make those errors that are none ; nor stretch every innocentexpressionto that purpose; nor yet be toohasty in meddling with contention, till we cannot be silent and innocent; and then, whatever the expence be, truth will repay it.
An APPENDIX:
Containing a full, and modest Reply to Mr. PhilipCary'sRejoinder to my Vindiciae Legiset Foederis.
Manifesting the badness of his Cause, inthefeebleness, and impertinencyofhis Defence; andaddingfartherLight,and Strength to the Arguments formerly produced in Defence of God'sgraci. ous Covenant with Abraham, Gen. xvii. and the Right of Be lievers Infants toBaptifm, grounded thereupon.
SIR, NEXT to the not deservingareproof, is the due reception and improvement of it. You deserve a sharper reprehenfion for your temerity, and obstinacy, thanIamwilling
APPENDIX.
to give you from the press; yet, in love to the truth, and your own soul, reprove you I must, and IhopeGod will enable me to be both mild in the manner, and convincingly clear in the matter, and cause thereof: 'Tis better to lose the smiles, than the souls of men.
I dare not neglect the duty of a friend, for fear of incurring the suspicion of an enemy.
Several learned, and eminent divines, who have seen what hath publicly passed betwixt you and me, have returned me their thanks, and think you ought to thank me too, for the pains I have taken to set you right, hoping you will evidence your self-denial and repentance, by an ingenuous retraction of your errors.
But how will you deceive their expectations, and unbecome the character given you by your friends, when they shall find the true measure, both of your ability, and humility, drawn by your own pen, in the following rejoinder !
I have thoroughly considered your reply, in the manuscript you sent me, which, I hear, is now in the press; and in the following theets have given a full, and (I think) a final answer to whatsoever is material therein: And, it so falling out, that my discourse of Errors was just going under the press, whilst you rejoinder was there also, I thought it notconvenienttodelaymy reply any longer, but to have my antidote in as great readiness as might be, to meet it.
One inconvenience I easily foresee, that the pages of your manuscript, which I follow, may not throughout exactly answer to the print ; but every intelligent reader will easily discern, and rectify that, ifmybookseller save him not that trouble, as I have desired him to do.
As to the controversy about the right of believers infant-feed toBaptifm, you have altogether adventured it, the second time, with the consent of your partizans, upon the three hypotheses, which (if I mistake not) I have fullyconfuted and baffled in my first answer : but, if my brevity occasioned any obscurity in that, I hope you shall find it sufficiently done here.
Mean time you have given, and I accordingly take it for granted, that our arguments for Infant's Baptism, stand in their full strength against you, till you can better discharge, and free your dangerous affertions from the errors and abfurdities in which they are now more involved and intricated than before.
The weaker anything is, the morequerulous it is.
If scripture argument and clear reason will notfupport the cause I undertake, I am resolved never to call in passionate invectives and weak evafions for my auxiliaries, as you have here done.
The Lord give us all clearer light, tenderer consciences, exemplary humility, and ingenuity.