Certain disputations of right to sacraments, and the true nature of visible Christianity defending…

Since these Papers were in the Press, I was told by a Reverend Brother, that Mr Blake professeth to hold the Necessity of the Profession of a saving Faith, as well as I; and by one of his special acquaintance, in the Ministry, who heard me express my mind, that Mr Blake's was the same. I durst not omit the mention of this, lest it should be injurious to him: And yet how far the reporters are in the right, and understand his meaning, I am no further able to tell you, but that they are credible persons. For my part, I defended my own Doctrine against the charge which in two Volumes he brought against it. And I supposed he would not write so much of two Volumes against a Doctrine which he judged the same with his own. And I meddled only with his books, and not his secret thoughts. Whether I have been guilty of feigning an Adversary, that took himself for none, I am contented to stand to the judgment of any impartial man on earth that will read our books. Surely I found it over each page, that a ⟨image 15⟩Faith short of Justifying entitleth to Baptism: and I never met with any such explication in him, as that by [A faith short of Justifying,] he meant [A Profession of Justifying faith.] And sure [Faith] and [Profession] be not all one; nor [Justifying] and [Short of justifying] all one. Nor do others that read his books understand him any otherwise then I do, so far as I can learn; sure the Ministers that were Authors of the Propositions for Reformation of Parish Congregations, Printed for the Norwich Bookseller, understood him as I do, p. 17. where they say thus; [Obj. 3. But a dogmatical Faith may entitle to Baptism, as Mr Blake, Treat. on Con. speaks, though there be no profession of a justifying faith & repentance. Answ. We cannot think so, seeing the faith required to be professed before Baptism, is such a Faith as hath salvation annexed to it. Mar. 16.16. It is a Faith of the whole heart, Acts 8.38. Repentance is also required to Baptism as well as Faith, Acts 2.38. and the Church in the usual form of Baptism, enjoined the baptized person not only to profess the doctrine of Faith, but to give up his name to Christ as his servant and soldier, and to fight manfully against the World, the Flesh and the Devil, &c. we need add no more. Mr Blake's mistake lies in this, that the ground of Baptism is either a Dogmatical faith, or a true justifying faith;