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

§. 1. MR. Danvers book is entitled a Treatise of Baptism, in which he giveth us the History of Infant and Adult Baptism out of Antiquity, as making it appear that Infant Baptism was not practised for 300 years (in his second edit. it is [near 300.) And in his Append. ed. 2. [I cannot find that it was practised upon any till the fourth Century:] And he giveth us a Catalogue of witnesses against it. By which those that hold their Religion on the belief of such mens words, will conclude that all this is true, and that Infant Baptism is a Novelty, and those that are against it do go the old and Catholic way.

§. 1. MR. Danvers book is entitled a Treatise of Baptism, in which he giveth us the History of Infant and Adult Baptism out of Antiquity, as making it appear that Infant Baptism was not practised for 300 years (in his second edit. it is [near 300.) And in his Append. ed. 2. [I cannot find that it was practised upon any till the fourth Century:] And he giveth us a Catalogue of witnesses against it. By which those that hold their Religion on the belief of such mens words, will conclude that all this is true, and that Infant Baptism is a Novelty, and those that are against it do go the old and Catholick way.

§. 2. Having perused his testimonies on both sides, I am humbled and ashamed for the dullness of my heart, that doth not with floods of compassionate tears lament the pitiful condition of the seduced, that must be thus deceived in the dark; and of the Churches of Christ that must be thus assaulted, and shaken, and distracted, by such inhumane horrid means: The book being composed, in that part of history which the stress of the cause lieth on, of such UNTRUTHS in fact and history, as I profess it one of my greatest difficulties to know how to call them. Should I say, that they are ⟨p. 235⟩so notorious and shameless, as that (I say not only a Papist,) but any sober Turk or Pagan should blush to have been guilty but of some page or line• of them, and much more a man of any tenderness of conscience, the Readers would think that the language were harsh, were it never so true, and some would say, Let us have soft words and hard arguments]. And should I not tell the Reader the truth of the case, I might help to betray him into too much fearlessness of his bait and snare, and I doubt I may be guilty of untruth by concealing the quality of his untruths: And it is not matter of Argument, but fact that I am speaking of.