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

For my part, I must still say, that if I took [a Dogmatical faith it self, or any short of justifying] for the Title and necessary qualifications of them that I must admit, I would baptize none, because I cannot know who hath that Dogmatical faith, and who not. And I still find that even wise and pious men are oft as far to seek for the truth of their Assent as of their Consent, and would give a world that they were but certain that they truly Believe the truth of the Gospel. And I am sure that I am as far to seek for assurance ⟨image 16⟩of the one as of the other in those that I examine, in order to the baptizing of their Infants.

There is newly come forth a Book of William Morris Esquire, which seems by the Title page to plead for the sufficiency of this Dogmatical faith. When I saw the Book, made up of so much reading and expressing so much industry and learning, I much rejoiced that England had such a Gentleman; and I look on the Book, as a shaming reprehension of the idleness and ignorance of the multitude of the Gentry, that spend that time in hawking, and hunting, and complementing, which if better spent, might make a blessing, and not a burden to the Land. But out of that learned Volume I am not able to find any clear discovery, what the Author means by a Dogmatical faith. But I conjecture that it is somewhat that must be conjunct with the Profession of a saving faith. For pag. 215. he saith, [because it is not only probable to Charity they may have found faith, but —] And pag. 2•4. [He that receives the Seals of the Covenant, seals back a Counter-part to God, accepts of the Terms, and assents to the Condition, (which as Mr Vines before shows, is justifying faith.) —] And I desire it may be ⟨image 17⟩observed what he saith, p. 247. to prove Baptism and the Lords Supper to be administered on the like grounds: And what he saith in p. 248, 249. against Baptizing the children of the Excommunicate, and what he citeth out of Rich. Hooker, Eccl. Pol. l. 3. p. 87. to that end; and that the Child's right is rooted in the immediate parents: And that which he citeth out of Goodwins Mos. & Aar. l. 5. c. 2. p. 223. that [Among the Jews the male-children of those that were but under Niddui were not circumcised.]