More proofs of infants church-membership and consequently their right to baptism, or, A second…

§. 32. And if with the partial sort of themselves such motions of Peace be turned into matter of contempt, and they proceed in their clamours and reviling of me, as an enemy of the truth, for being against their way, I shall account it no wonder nor matter of much provocation, finding in all Sects as well as theirs, that the injudicious sort are apt to be abusively censorious, and the more mens Pride, Ignorance and uncharitableness remain, the more they will swell into self-conceit, and trouble the Church with a mistaking wrangling hurtful sort of zeal.

§. 33. And as I must needs believe as ill of some sort of Zeal as St. James hath spoken of it, Jam. 3. and experience hath too long told the world of it; yet I take it for truly amiable in men, that they have a love and Zeal for Truth in general, and a hatred to that which they think to be against it; and that their bitterness against the truth and me, is upon a supposition that both are against the truth and God; for this beareth them witness that they have a zeal of God, though it be not according to Knowledge; and if they knew truth indeed, they would be zealous for it.

§. 34. I conclude with this notice to the contrary minded, that the evidence for Infants Church-membership seemeth to me so clear, both in nature and in Scripture, that I bid them despair of ever persuading me against it: But if they will have any hope of changing my judgement, it must be by confessing the visible Church-membership of Infants, and proving that yet they are not to be baptized, and that Baptism was appointed for initiating none but adult converts, and not to be the common entrance into the Church: which yet I think they can never do, while the plain Law of Christ Mat. 29.19. and the exposition of the universal Church, doth stand on record to confute such an opinion! But here they have more room for a dispute.