To conclude, If this little Trat fhall hap pen to fall into the Hands of any Quaker, I do most earnestly befeech them, in the Bowels of Jefus Chrift, calmly to weigh what is here of fered to their Confideration. As the Sentiments come nearer to their own Principles, than any that perhaps have yet appeared, and the Substance of the Difpute is here reduced into' fo narrow a Compafs, it is to be hoped they will fo far condefcend to the Light held out to them by a fincere Friend, as to examine impartially the Truth and Nature of that Light, and that Spirit, which they lay Claim to, and seem to engross to themselves. If fetting apart all Pride and Prejudice, they indeed attend to that Light within, which we have call'd Right Reafon; if, to affift their Reason, they honestly and meekly read the holy Scriptures; if they pray earnestly to God to open their Understandings, and difpel all Mifts of Error and Prepoffeffion, it is not to be doubted, feeing they are a People feemingly fo defirous of the Holy Spirit, and fo willing to be enlightened, but that God will vouchsafe to lead them into all Truth; firft convincing their Reafon, that the proper Medium for receiving the Divine Illuminations of his Bleffed Spirit, is the Holy Sacrament of Baptism; and then in, and by the Ufe of the proper instituted [d2] Mean; Means, fill them indeed, as he did the first Chriftians, with the Holy Ghoft.... The Neceffity of Brevity in a prefatory Dif courfe, has oblig'd me not only to omit many Things of great Weight and Importance, but to be perhaps too obfcure in what has been offered to the Confideration of the feveral Perfons concern'd. But as these that are written, are intended only for hints, fuch Readers as are truly ferious, and touch'd with a fincere Love and Defire of Truth, will take in good Part what is faid, and find it fufficient, at least, to point out the Way. But as for thofe, who are contentious, and full of themselves, the little that has been faid, is too much: More would irritate, and nothing convince. I fhall therefore clofe all with repeating what I have chofen for the Motto to this Effay, Go WASH in the Pool of Siloam (which is by Interpretation, S E NT) he went his Way therefore, and washed, and came SEEING.-Were the Will of Chrift, contain'd in this Command to the blind Man, rightly understood; were the Example of Obedience in the Man, the happy Effect, which bore Witness to the Efficacy of fuch Command, and of fuch ready Obedience, duly confidered; and the interpreted Senfe, which the Word Siloam fuggefts, underftood, there would hardly need any other argu ment ment to prevail on all, that are yet unenlightened by lawful Baptifm, to apply, for the Cure of their Blindness, to fuch as are SENT. And the lawful Messengers and Minifters of Chrift [ 'Awesaaμivo, the Apoftolically Sent] would Receive fuch Candidates with open Arms, with a pious joy, and not to doubtful Difputations. The Printer giving Notice there would be two or three spare Leaves, I have taken Occafion to add what follows, by way of Caveat to a plaufible Objection. NE of the main Arguments by which the Patrons of Lay-Baptifm think to overthrow the contrary Opinion, is, not only the Uncharitableness thereof, as they call it, but the Unchriftianizing all the Foreign Reformed Churches, who have not the Benefit of Epifcopal Ordination. To this Charge I anfwer in the Words of the Reverend Mr. Cantrel, in his Treatife of the Invalidity of Lay-baptifm of Diffenting Teachers, |