Containing a full and modeft Reply to Mr Philip Cary's
APPENDIX.
neceſſary work.
Now, inſtead of racking their brains about unneceſſarycontroverfies, they find ithigh time to be ſearching , theirhearts, 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 ofthemwe were jealous of, or prejudiced against before, becauſethey followed not us.
Confectary 6. Lastly, Let us learn hence, both the duty and neceffity of charity and mutual forbearance : we have all our miſtakes and errors one way or other; and therefore muſt maintainmutual charity under diſſents injudgment.
Idonot ſay, but an erringbrother must be reduced, if poffible, and that by ſharp rebukes too, if gentler eſſays be inef fectual, Tit. i. 13. and the wounds ofafriend have more faithfullove to them, than the kiſſes ofan enemy; and ifGodmake usinſtrumental 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 foul from death, and hides a multitude of ſins, James v. 20.
'Tis our duty, ifwe meet an enemy's ox or aſs going aftray, to bringhimback again, Exod. xxiii. 4. much more the foul ofa friend. Indeed, we must notmake thoſe errors that arenone ; nor ſtretch every innocentexpreſſionto that purpoſe; nor yet be toohaſty in meddling with contention, till we cannot be filent and innocent; and then, whatever the expence be, truth will repay it.
An APPENDIX:
Containing a full, and modeft Reply to Mr. PhilipCary'sRejoinder tomy Vindiciae Legiset Foederis.
Manifesting the badness ofhis Cause, inthefeebleness, and impertinencyofhis Defence; andaddingfartherLight,and Strength totheArguments formerly produced in Defence ofGod'sgraci. ous Covenant with Abraham, Gen. xvii. and the Right ofBe lievers Infants toBaptifm, grounded thereupon.
SIR, NEXT to the not deſervingareproof, is thedue reception and improvement of it. You deserve a ſharper reprehenfion foryour temerity, and obſtinacy, thanIamwilling
APPENDIX.
togive you from the preſs; yet, in love to the truth, andyour own foul, reprove you I muſt, and IhopeGod will enable me tobeboth mild inthe manner, and convincingly clear in the matter, and cauſe thereof: 'Tis better to loſe the ſmiles, than the fouls of men.
I dare not neglect the duty of afriend, for fear of incurring the ſuſpicion of an enemy.
Several learned, and eminent divines, who have ſeenwhat 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, byan 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 byyour own pen, inthe following rejoinder !
I have thoroughly confidered your reply, in the manufcript you fent me, which, I hear, is now in the preſs; and in the following theets have given a full, and (I think) a final anſwer towhatsoever is material therein: And, itſo falling out, that my diſcourſe of Errors was justgoing 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, tomeet it.
One inconvenience I eaſily forefee, thatthe pagesofyour manuſcript, which I follow, may not throughout exactly anſwer to the print ; but every intelligent reader will eaſily difcern, and rectify that, ifmybookſeller ſavehim not that trouble, as I have defired him todo.
As tothe controverſy about theright 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 timeyou havegiven, and I accordingly take it for granted, that our arguments for Infant's Baptifm, 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.
Theweaker anythingis, the morequerulous it is.
If ſcripture argument and clear reaſon will notfupport the cauſe Iundertake, I am refolved never to call in paſſionate invectives and weak evafions for my auxiliaries, as you have heredone.
The Lord give us all clearer light, tenderer confciences, exemplary humility, and ingenuity.