An apologetical reply to a book called an answer to the unjust complaint of…An apologeticall reply to a booke called an ansvver to the unjust complaint of…

To prevent all mistakes, I pray the Reader to be informed that my intent, in alleging these Scriptures, was only to advertise the Ministers of the Classis that they have no authority to exact this of me, as a condition of my admittance to that pastoral charge (as my very words in that writing declare) not to show the unlawfulness of my baptising any that are not members of that particular Church: for I profess, in express words after, that, in regard of the communion of particular Churches among themselves, I neither did, nor do refuse to baptise their infants, who are not members of that Church: so that I may be satisfied that they are indeed Christians. So that the question is only, whether the Classis hath power to exact such a thing of any minister to be admitted to a particular Church amongst them, as a condition of his admittance? In this case, I might have put them upon showing their warrant and commission for their so doing (as I now do require of the Answerer, when he shall defend his pretended answer, ⟨p. 288⟩in his next book) but, to make short work, I then produced the Apostles practise, whose commission was larger then any Classis hath received, and showed that they never assumed so much, which they would not have failed to do, in one place or other, the necessity of the Church, in those times, so requiring, nor to have recorded it, for the instruction of posterity, if they might have done it. To this end I noted three places of Scripture. Let us now consider them, and his answer.

To prevent all mistakes, I pray the Reader to be informed that my intent, in alleadging these Scriptures, was onely to advertise the Ministers of the Classis that they have no authority to exact this of me, as a cōdition of my admittāce to that pastorall charge (as my very words in that wrighting declare) not to shew the unlawfullnes of my baptising any that are not members of that particular Church: for I professe, in expresse words after, that, in regard of the communion of particular Churches among themselves, I neither did, nor doe refuse to baptise their infants, who are not members of that Church: so that I may be satisfyed that they are indeed Christians. So that the question is onely, whether the Classis hath power to exact such a thing of any minister to be admitted to a particular Church amongst them, as a condition of his admittance? Jn this case, I might have put them upon shewing their warrant and commission for their so doing (as I now doe require of the Answerer, when he shall defend his pretended answer,