I know the enemies of God's people aim at something else ; they strike at profession, yea, at religion itself; and according to their wicked intention, without timely repentance, will their reward be : But, whatever the intention of the agents be, the issues of persecu- tion are, upon this account, greatly beneficial to the church ; the wisdom of God makes them excellently useful both to prevent and cure the mischiefs and dangers of errors. If enemies were not, friends and brethren would be injurious to each other. Persecu- tion, if it kills not, yet, at least, it gives check to the nse and growth of errors : And, if it do not perfectly redintigrate and unite the hearts of Christians, yet, to be sure, it cools and allays their sinful heats; and that two ways: (1.) By cutting out for them far bet- ter and more necessary work. Now, instead of racking their brains about unnecessary controversies, they find it high time to be search- ing their hearts, and examining the foundations of their faith and hope, with respect to the other world. (3.) Moreover, such times and straits discover the sincerity, zeal, and constancy of them we were jealous of, or prejudiced against before, because they followed not us.
Consectary 6. Lastly^ Let us learn hence both the duty and ne- cessity of charity and mutual forbearance; we have all our mis- takes and errors one way or other ; and therefore must maintain mutual charity under dissents in judgment.
I do not say but an erring brother must be reduced if possible, and that by sharp rebukes too, if gentler essays be ineffectual. Tit. i. 13. and the wounds of a friend have more faithful love to them than the kisses of an enemy ; and if God make us instrumental by that, or any other method, to recover a brother from the error of his way, he will have great cause both to bless God, and thank the instrument who thereby saves a soul from death, and hides a mul- titude of sins, James v. 20. It is our duty if we meet an enemy's ox or ass going astray, to bring him back again, Exod. xxiii. 4. much more the soul of a friend. Indeed we must not make those errors that are none ; nor stretch every innocent expression to that purpose ; nor yet be too hasty in meddling ^vith contention till we cannot be silent and innocent ; and then, whatever the expence be, truth will repay it.
Containing a full and modf^st Reply to Mr. Philip Cary's Rejoinder to my Kindicice Legis et Foederis,
Manifesting the badness of his Cause in the feebleness and imper- tinency of'his D fence ; and adding farther Li^ht and Strength to the Arguments formerly produced in D fence of God^s graci- ous Covenant with Abraham^ Gmi. xvii. and the Right of Be- lievers' Infants to Baptism grounded thereupon.
1^ EXT to the not deserving a reproof is the due reception and improvement of it. You deserve a sharper reprehension for your temerity and obstinacy than I am willing to give you from the press ; yet, in love to the truth and your own soul, reprove you I must, and I hope God will enable me to be both mild in the man- ner, and convincingly clear in the matter and cause thereof: It is better to lose the smiles than the souls of men. I dare not neglect the duty of a friend for fear of incurring the suspicion of an enemy. Several learned and eminent divines, who hath seen what hath pub- licly passed betwixt you and me, have returned me their thank?, and think you ought to thank me too for the pains I have taken to set you right, hoping you will evidence your self-denial and repent- ance by an ingenuous retraction of your errors.
But how will you deceive their expectations, and unbecome the character given you by your friends when they shall find the true measure both of your abiHty and humility, drawn by your own pen in the following rejoinder !
I have thoroui^hly considered your reply in the manuscript you sent me, which I hear is now in the press ; and in the following sheets have given a full, and (I think) a final answer to whatsoever is material therein : And, it so falling out, that my discourse of Errors was just going under the press, whilst your rejoinder was there also, I thought it not convenient to delay my reply any longer, but to have my antidote in as great readiness as might be to meet it.
One inconvenience I easily foresee, that the pages of your manu- script, which I follow, may not through )Ut exactly answer to the print ; but every intelligent reader will easily discern, and rectify
that, if my bookseller save him not that trouble, as I have desired him to do.
As to the controversy about the right of believers' infant-seed to Baptism, you have altogether adventured it the second time with the consent of your partizans, upon the three hypothesis, which (if I mistake not) I have fully confuted and baffled in my first an- swer : but, if my brevity occasioned any obscurity in that, 1 hope you shall find it sufficiently done here. Mean time you have given, and I accordingly take it for granted, that our arguments for In- fant's Baptism stand in their full strength against you till you can better discharge and free your dangerous assertions from the errors and absurdities in which they are now more involved and intricated than before.
The weaker any thing is the more querulous it is. If scripture argument and clear reason will not support the cause I undertake, I am resolved never to call in passionate invectives and weak eva- sions for my auxiliaries as you have here done. The Lord give us all clearer light, tenderer consciences, exemplary humility, and in- genuity.
Refutation of the weak and impertinent Rejoinder of Mr. Philip Gary.
Wherein he vainly attempts the Defence of his absurd Thesis to the great abuse and injury of the Laws and Covenants of God.
-A-ND must I be dipt once more in the waterrcontrovesy ? It is time for me to think of undressing myself, and making ready for my approaching rest, and employ those few minutes I have to spend in more practical and beneficial studies for my own and the church's greater advantage. And it is time for Mr. Gary to reflect upon his past follies, which have consumed too much of his own and other's time without any advantage; yea, to the apparent loss and injury of the cause he undertakes to defend.