A41329:20
The plea of the children of believing-parents for their interest in Abraham's covenant, their…
The plea of the children of believing-parents for their interest in Abraham's covenant, their right to church-member-ship with their parents, and consequently their title to baptism. The cause of publishing this discourse after so many learned men have laboured in this province, is declared in the preface to the reader. By Giles Firmin.
London: printed for Tho. Simons, 1683
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
4ly, Why new? my Epistoler should tell me what Controversies are there, which have been handled so long, by very able Divines as this hath been, that he that comes last, hath wrote all new?
5ly, To conclude then, as to these new things, I am forced to take up the old Texts, because of my Author's opposing them: I do but touch other Texts, and not insist upon them, where others have been before me: for other Mens Arguments, I borrow but one from Mr. Baxter, and tell you whose it is, and improve it my way. If I have hit upon other Mens notions, it is unknown to me, as I see I have upon Mr. Wills, in answer to the old Britons: but I had given the answer in the Congregation, and wrote it in my Copy, before I saw Mr. Wills.
5ly, To conclude then, as to these new things, I am forced to take up the old Texts, because of my Author's opposing them: I do but touch other Texts, and not insist upon them, where others have been before me: for other Mens Arguments, I borrow but one from Mr. Baxter, and tell you whose it is, and improve it my way. If I have hit upon other Mens notions, it is unknown to me, as I see I have upon Mr. Wills, in answer to the old Britains: but I had given the answer in the Congregation, and wrote it in my Coppy, before I saw Mr. Wills.
For his crying Victoria, telling me our Divines sit silent under the Answers the Colonel, and his Party have given them. If this Epistoler, read Mr. Baxter's Second Defence of Infants, &c. he may read a full ⟨image 6⟩answer to this, and the reason of their silence, p. 211. We may allow some Honour to a Colonel, but why do they sit silent? not because the Colonel, or any other Anabaptist have put them to silence, by Arguments from Scripture, by Truth in History, or Strength of Learning, the contrary appears to judicious Readers: but who will care for dealing with unreasonable Men? They have other work to do of higher concernment: Let the Anabaptists indulge themselves in their Opinions and Practises,