[This is probably the greatest American work on Believer's Baptism written in America at the height of the Philadelphia Baptist Association. Welsh Tract Publications, Lord willing, intends to transcribe work, which to our knowledge has never been re-typeset since its initial publication. We will produce it in PDF format and perhaps in book form if there is a demand for it.- ed]
Anti Pedo-Rantism, M; or. Mr. Samuel Finley's charitable plea for the speechless examined and refuted: the baptism of believers maintained. And the mode of it, by immersion, vindicated.
The Preface.
It is not because I think the controversy about baptism has not been already fully and learnedly discussed, And the proper subjects and scriptural motive of this sacred Gospel ordinance, Unanswerable vindicated, by others of abilities and advantages far superior to mine, that occasions the following sheets; But because what I firmly believe to be the truth of God, are still opposed and ridiculed by men of considerable name and figure, notwithstanding. What has been head afore so well penned in their vindication?: knowing also how ready many people are to be misled with the sound of words, or a mere show of argument, and to take gilded errors for Scripture truths from such, without due and proper examination; I can't think, but it is my duty and place. (As well as others) to look upon the season. To be a time to speak, and improve it accordingly, notwithstanding my many insufficiencies for the present work, and wholly leave the success. To the wise orderer and disposer of all things.
Mr. Finley, who sometimes since engaged publicly against his brethren the Presbyterians, on the account of some difference happening amongst them; And also (as he words it) drew his sword against a Moravian; has stopped properly now the bend his forces against the Baptists. Whether it is because he drove all of them before him, or because they looked on him to be such an inconsiderable enemy, not worth their while to divert him with any resistance, that there is more employee for his martial valor, in those quarters, and rather than lie still, he would declare war against his inoffensive neighbors, I shall not undertake to determine.
However, I may just observe, that we are not to be frightened by the confused noise of absurdities, inconsistencies, novelties, nonsense, challenges, etcetera. Which he mutters up against us, as to betake our selves to a particular precipitant fight; But intend to give him an open battle; For we judge we have the infallible truth of god for our sure defense.
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| Samuel Finley |
Mr. Finley goes about to apologize for his appearing in this debate, lest he should be censured as a reviver of buried controversies; but it's not hard to find in what sense the controversy about baptism may be said to be buried? When men of opposite principles are still living and never as I know of, agreed to say or write no more about their different sentiments; And when both sides have all along more or less pleaded for their principles and practice, as occasion required; but this serves well enough to make way for him to bring in his sham reason for his undertaking. That we were the aggressors in this controversy, which was manifestly groundless; And he is desired to observe that we don't acknowledge the discharge she brings against us. And he is at his liberty to try if he can make it good in any shape if he thinks proper. So far as we comfortably agreed formally to promote the main cause of religion, for our part we are so still. And for any of our ministers to urge upon the people necessity of being dipped or plunged, is no new thing; for it is all one as to urge upon them the necessity of being baptized; seeing we always said that they're being sprinkled in their emphasizing was not baptism, any more than sprinkling as dipping; and as to any success we had in bringing people (suitably qualified) to the obedience of Christ’s commands, we desire to bless God for it. But our success did not make us more confident that our cause was good as Mr. Finley suggests; for we know, by sad experience, that people may have great success in a wrong cause, witness infant sprinkling. We know our cause to be good before, and we're as confident of it, as afterward, because it is warranted by the word of God, whether there be many or few on our side
With respect to our debate at Cape May, Mr. Finley says, “I did, it is true, proposed to public dispute, and thought myself and necessitated to such a course, fearing he had been at the place some days before I went, and had earnestly persuaded the people to renounce their former baptism and be dipped. And when I was at Cohansey, May 15th in the year 1743, I was importuned to visit Cape May, we're a Baptist Church that has been constituted and settled for many years past “though they had not then any settled minister” and had a meeting House of their own, and were then about building a new one at some distance from the other, for their own use, and greater convenience. Accordingly, I went down, and reached there on Tuesday night; And Mr. Finley came down from Cohansey after me the Thursday following. So I was not very long there to persuade the people to renounce their baptism, as he expressed it before he came. But at that time, I don't remember I had any conference with any single person about infant baptism. Neither did I speak anything of the ordinance in public, till I understood there were several persons that proposed to be baptized, upon which occasion I thought it necessary and experience to open the nature and design of this ordinance in course, as I insisted on the six principles of the apostles mentions; Hebrews 6.1, two. Which I did on Thursday in the afternoon (for the persons who were to be baptized the next day) would have viewed, in particular, for the help and benefit of those that were expected shortly to submit to it, and did denial, and do still think myself justifiable in so doing, especially on such an occasion. Now this is the Justin plain account of the affair, and all the ground of Mr. Finley’s emphatical way of expressing himself, of my behaving earnestly persuaded the people to renounce their former baptism and be dipped. Just as if they had all been educated Presbyterians. And let him make the most of it if he can it is but a very slender ground to countenance his conduct, in proposing a public dispute immediately upon it; Just as if I had not the liberty to preach what I believed to be the truth of Christ, in a Baptist meeting house, on such a special occasion (as he, or others, has in his) to a Baptist church, and among a people, many of whom were inclined to our way of thinking, before I went down, as is manifest, by their joining together to build a new meeting house for their own proper use; Without being directly upon it, the next morning, challenged or called upon by him, to dispute the matter publicly.
Which proposal of his was as unnecessary as it was arrogant; Seeing those who then proposed to be baptized or parentheses and several others) were already settled in the point, and only wanted an opportunity to obey the Lord in his sacred institutions. And if he wanted to confirm his people in their received opinions, the way was clear for him to do it, either by private conference or public preaching amongst them, without making use of such a selfish masterly way, of infringing on the liberties and privileges of others. For i had as much right to go and preach dare, as he had himself.
Whatever he or his favorites may think or say on the occasion, or however they may gloss over his conduct, I am persuaded it will appear to all impartial judicious persons, that they had very just and warrantable grounds to do what I did, and that this whole procedure in the affair, looks more like a designed intended opposition, and bullying himself in other men's matters, when they only act in the proper duties of their station, then anything else.
Now it is upon the shoulders of such pretended reasons that his performance is sent abroad into the world. But as I once told him if there are writing on the subject had like effect as their preaching on it, we need not be much concerned, for to my knowledge diverse persons sprinkled in their infancy, have been convinced that infants sprinkling is wrong, whilst they heard their ministers laboring decidedly to establish it. And, as I have been since informed, our debate at Cape May had some such happy effect.
I am much of the mind, that the more this controversy is handled, the more we'll people's eyes be opened to see the truth according to holy scripture.
Before I conclude (says he) I must desire of my opponents, that if any of them be disposed to remark upon this piece, they would view my arguments in their proper light, and let them appear in their own color without perversion.
How closely I have followed this rule which he is pleased to chalk out for his opponents to work by (hmm, it is like, he suspects or prejudges to be awkward, if not wicked) will best appear in the perusal of the following pages; Only i would observe, perhaps this is intended for greater service that one is aware of at any first sight; For let his arguments be ever so fairly and fully overthrown, and made appear to be nothing but a mere heap of words, without the least foundation and scripture (as the sprinkling of infants itself is) I can't tell but this preparative will be used for a catholicon, or a universal remedy against all maladies; As persons whose cause won't bear examining, when they are refuted, generally say, that their arguments are perverted, or taken in a wrong light. Why, the reason is, if their own color is wiped off, they appear to be nothing else but the manifest perversion of scripture truths. But we are told, “I speak thus, because I have known many of them act a different part, in arguing against something we never said instead of answering our arguments.” Reply. Let the reader suspend his judgment while he reads only the following remarks on the first part of his performance, and he shall see whether we blunder so wretchedly in our answers, as Mr. Finley suggests; Or is it because their trumpets give so very contrary as well as uncertain sounds, that occasions different replies.
Whilst I was about to answer Mr. Finley’s performance, I happened to light on another pamphlet, written dialogue-wise, on the subject of infant baptism, without the author's name to it. I have taken some notice of it (which in itself I judged scarcely worthy of any) because I learned it is mightily cried up, to be some arara avis in terris; A mere nonsuch; far surpassing Mr. Finley’s. But for my part, I can't think of it surpasses his in anything, unless it be in boldness to assert falsehoods; some of which I have taken notice of; And if any desire more instances, I am ready, on proper warning, to produce them.
If any persons unto whose hands these sheets may come, do think that it is unnecessary to contend about this sacred gospel ordinance; and call it a contending about meats and drinks, under the pretense of living in love and peace with others to differ from them, I must need say, that such persons discovered her love to Christ but very poorly (if they have anything else at all besides a natural affection raised and heated) when they can quietly look on, and see his holy ordinance trampled in the mire, and despised, without attempting to put forth their hand to raise up fallen truth see Jude 3; I Corinthians 2.2. Let that love and peace be anathema, which must be upheld by sinful silence (which will make the conscience within roar) and maintained at the expense of the ruins of Christ’s sacred institutions. True Christian love discovers itself, in regarding those who bear the image of Christ, and in the meantime detecting their errors, and reproving their faults Galatians 2 11.
If it is objected, did I discover too much positiveness in assurance, in my way of writing, I answer in the words of the reverend and judicious Mr. Dickinson of Elizabethtown on another occasion, “I am as fully persuaded that the cause I am defending is the cause of God, as I am that the scriptures are the word of God. If I believe the one, I must believe the other, if it be possible to understand the meaning of the most plain, familiar, and express words that can be spoken.”
Further in the said reverend author's words, with little variation, “I have this to say in my defense; though I am far from supporting myself infallible; Yet I don't think it a just reason to run into skepticism, and a doubt of the certainty of some of the plainest truths in the word of God, because I am fallible and liable to mistake. I am not willing to compliment such an important article of practical godliness (upon which the glory of Christ, gospel order, and the beauty, Excellency, and regularity of the New Testament church do so much depend) to any persons of what name or character soever; or to appear wavering or uncertain about it, that I may avoid this censure; And speak the character of a modest writer.”
That truth may prevail above error, Christianity spread in purity, and godliness abound with power, till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; Is, and through grace shall be the prayer of him who desires true peace and prosperity may increase within the palaces of Jerusalem, to the glory of god; Unto the whole benign blessing and disposal I commit my poor laborers in his service.
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