SOme men have ſuch an itch to quarrell, that rather then want enemies, they will fight with their own ſhadow; or make them of ſtraw, tear them in peeces, and glory in the conqueſt: amongſt all, that have diſturbed our peace, none have troubled themſelves more to leſſe purpoſe, then that learned Gentleman, Doctor Peter Chamberlaine, who to his great renown, as he ſuppoſeth, hath given ample teſtimony of his wit and learning in divers famous two peny volumes, to all poſterity I have not ſo much leiſure as to take a particular ſurvay of him, nor his works, nor indeed will it be worth my labour, nor any mans time to read, onely a touch of both, as they come in my way, and conduce to what I have in deſigne,

This Doctor Peter was born and bred amongſt us in Blackfriers, as he tels us in print in one of his papers, extracted from the Ioines of I know not what great French Mounſier, as he proclaimeth to the world in another, with Glendours in the welſh Chronicle boaſting of ſtrange meteors and conſtellation at his nativity, none of all which makes him the wiſer man, or better Phyſitian; his Father, for ought I ever heard, was a good honeſt Barber-ſurgeon, & by his knack in midwifery got a plentiful eſtate, which with his art he left to this young gentlman, who ſlipt out of his ſwadlin-clowts into the Doctors chair, by a ſtrange impuls devouring all the arts in an inſtant, got his degree, before the world was aware on't, and at Nineteene was made a very reverend Doctor. I will not uncover his nakedneſſe, nor give you any particulars of the vain profuſeneſſe of his younger yeers, whereby he ſpent and trifl'd away a conſiderable eſtate left him, and loſt a very fair way of practiſe, his preſent condition ſufficiently evidencing it, and ſealeth the trueth of that divine ſaying, he that troubleth his own houſe, ſhall inherit the winde; at laſt finding by ſad experience, that his fathers coffers had a bottom, which could not be beaten in time into his beleife, he caſt about, and falls upon ſeverall projects and devices, for the ſupport of his preſent garb and greatnes, and the firſt, if I miſtake not, was that ſame trick of Phyſical Simony, to ſhare in his Apothecarie gains, but ſcorning the poor pedling way of juſtice Long in the law, or his Brother Fludd in his own art, he maketh him allow him the one half of all he taketh, yet bars all the charge and trouble, as was proved at the bar of the houſe of Commons, in the beginning of the Parliament, as good be a knave for a pound, as a peny; but this deviſe took not, he got a great deale of ſhame, & this trick furthered not his already decreaſing practiſe, his next was to get himſelf created vicar generall of the Midwives in city & ſuburbs, & for the maintaining a garb, fitting the greatneſſe of this place, he would have a groate for every childe borne within his juriſdiction, for which he would have kept good orders and rules amongſt them, ſet up a lecture, and himſelf a been reader, unfolded the hard places and paſſages, Aretine and Ariſtotles Problems, and in all things that concerned womens buſines, have been a very ready neceſſary young man; but the midwives (as moſt women are) being wiſe enough already, ſcorn'd to learn from a man, that had no more beard then themſelves, refuſed ſubjection to him, and ſet up ſome other hand-ſome-handed young phyſikers in the ſame trade, by which means the Doctour his practiſe more and more declin'd, the fool, the porter and ſome coach-horſes are fain to go to graſſe, and himſelf brought to ſuch ſtraights, that invention muſt to work for ſome other device for a ſubſiſtance, which was to go into the Low-Countreys, and teach them the art of draining, of caching, ſalting, conditing ſtock-fiſh, new ſtores for young Fry, the rare trick of dancing on the high rope, and ſhooting water in a Croſſe-bowe, but for all this nothing comes, the butter-boxes liked not his phyſiognomie, and held faſt their money, and the Doctor is fain to returne to his old quarters; whereat his firſt coming allarms the whole kingdom, with his lamentable cry from Ramah: children brought to the birth, and none to deliver; complains of want of ſelf love, ſhewing how many infants are loſt, for want of his knack, that he will do it upon lower terms then formerly without any grief or pain; tells us he is in great want, brought to his firſt principle, and nine children in the bargain, but all this doth nothing neither, in the ſixth therefore he turns independant, joyns with Doctor Homes, and for a little while walks very ſoberly, but finding the old blade his Rival in womans matters, he conſpires againſt him, endeavours to throw him out and puts himſelf in the ſaddle, what end was made of that buſines I know not, but the Doctor hath quitted thoſe quarters, and now turnd Anabaptiſt; & as Corah, Dathan, & Abiram wil be famous in ſome congregation, to make way for his advance, like the fencers of old, he reſolves to challenge the moſt famous Maſter of the Science, beaten or not, it skild not, he will bring ſuch judges as ſhall certainly give ſentence for him, or in caſe of extremity, make ſuch tumults as ſhall turn to his advantage, but to be ſerious a little, he pitches upon old Doctor Gouge, and in a letter of January 27. deſireth leave to preach in his pulpit, which he calleth ſpeaking in publike, or to diſpute this queſtion in publike, whether is the ſprinkling of infants, an ordinance of God or Man. Doctor Gouge returns him anſwer that admitting private men to vent heterodox opinions was not haſtily to be yeilded unto, but he would adviſe of it, and give an anſwer in convenient time: upon this, this pamphleter thinks he hath got the advantage deſired, and ſends amongſt us in print a moſt vaine unchriſtian like lying letter, in which he begins thus; being converted, I thought it my duty to ſtrengthen my brethren, truly Sir your carriage in this buſines, gives no teſtimony at all of any true reall converſion, there is that notorious pride, imprudent undiſcret boaſting, palpable falſehood, which ſome men even in a naturall condition, would not expreſs, and a man converted would not dare to be guilty of, but he goes on tells us, he had an impulſe of the Spirit, which he at firſt ſtrugled with, and ſo forth; certainly▪ Sir this could not poſſibly be from the ſpirit of God: the fruit of which is love, joy, peace, long ſuffering, gentleneſſe, but the manifeſt works of the fleſh, which are, hatred, variance, emulation, wrath, ſtrife, ſedition, hereſie, deſirous of vain glory, provoking one another; had you been guided in this act by the Spirit of God, how could that falſe aſſertion paſſe from you in print, that to your deſire of reſolution of the ſprinkling of infants: Doctor Gouge ſhould return anſwer, the queſtion was weighty, he would take adviſe in it, when your own letter, ready to be ſhewen to any that deſires it, hath not one tittle that can poſſibly bear any ſuch ſence, but plainly required leave to ſpeak to us in publike, or that it might be a queſtion between him and you, in a full auditory; whether the ſprinkling of infants were of God or man? and to this; to the buſines of diſputation, he returned that anſwer, knowing how little ſuch diſputes hath profited, how much the Church of God hath been torn by them; how expreſs the ſpirit of God is, not to trouble the weak with vain diſputes; what became of the late diſpute betwixt Mr. Goodwin and Mr. Simpſon, or what one ſingle perſon of either of both opinions, was brought, to the knowledge of the trueth, though managed by men of far greater abilities, then Dr. Chamberlaine? tis certain, many mens ſpirits are more imbittred by it, and greater diſtance between them and their members, then before, to take no notice of the non-ſence in the reſt of the letter, what a ſtrange pride of heart (if it be not a fault in his head, doth that challenge ſhew, when Dr. Gouge, Mr. Caſe, Mr. Calamy, Mr. Marſhal, Mr. Goodwin, nay, and the whole aſſembly are fooliſhly or childiſhly dared into the conteſt, all ſerious men and ſober Chriſtians muſt pity you, as a man diſtemperd in mind, or laugh at you for your vanity: thers good counſell in the proverbs, which I believe theſe wiſe, Godly, learned men, will make uſe of in this caſe; but al this while, why come you not to D. Gouge with a friend, as you are offerd, when certainly you may have ful ſatisfaction in that or any other thing you deſire; we cannot but beleeve, thats not deſired, otherwiſe you would have come to him at firſt before you troubled your ſelf in Print, or at leaſt you would have come, now invited, tis poſſibly you may believe amiſſe in what you hold about ſprinkling infants (very wiſe godly men have, and you your ſelf in other things, even in your own profeſſion, as I may have occaſion to ſhew, if ye continue troubleſome:) and then a private ſair debate were beſt to your ſelf, you know what the wiſe man ſaith, Prov. 14. & 33 13. 16. and in your own art, he that ſhould ſet forth himſelf with ſuch high flown bragging language, proclaming to the world what knowledge, rare ſecrets he hath got, ſtrange cures he can do, would be counted an Empyrick, a mountebanke, an impoſtor, and few wiſe men would have to do with ſuch a one, me thinks the reſpect due to Dr. Gouges yeers, his piety, his learning, might have kept you from theſe uncivil, unchriſtian declamations, vain, idle ſuggeſtions; weak and fooliſh inſinuations; what is the 21. & 25. of Matthew pertinent in this caſe, or to your purpoſe, the prieſts there came to enſnare our Saviour Chriſt, with this queſtion, by what authority doſt thou theſe things? who knowing their hearts, and their wicked deſigne; interrogates them thus, the baptiſm of John, whether was it of heaven, or of men?

Dr. Chamberlaine Craves leave to vent his unſound opinion concerning Baptiſme, in Dr. Gouge his congregation, in one paper, and a reſolution to this queſtion, whether is the ſprinkling of infants an ordinance of God or Man, in another; Dr. Gouge returns anſwer to the firſt, that he will adviſe on it, to the ſecond, that if he pleaſe to come to him, he will endeavour to give him ſatisfaction, what can that text make for you, unleſs you think the Doctor fears you, as the text ſaith, the Prieſts did the multitude, certainly Sir you are not ſo terrible yet, and I believe you will not be much higher neither, but becauſe I believe you will hardly finde leaſure to come to Dr. Gouge, knowing that tumults and branglings muſt be your beſt weapons, which you will want if you come ſingle, or accompanied with a few, conſider ſeriouſly of theſe following arguments for baptizing infants, letting ſprinkling alone till I have more leaſure.

Whomſoever Jeſus Chriſt willeth to be brought to himſelf, muſt not be kept from Baptiſme, but Jeſus Chriſt willeth little children to be brought to himſelf, therefore little children muſt not be kept from Baptiſme.

The Major is undeniable, the Minor is clear from Matt. 19. 14. Mark 10. 14. Luke 18. 15. 16.

To whomſoever the kingdom of heaven, and the covenant of grace belongeth, to them the ſeals of the Covenant belonged, but the kingdom of heaven and Covenant of grace belong unto infants, Ergo.

The Major is not to be denied, the Minor is proved Gen. 17. 7 Acts. 2. 39. Theſe good old arguments I could never ſee ſolidly confuted yet.

But I will end all with a word or two of adviſe, to entreate you to reflect ſeriouſly upon your own heart, and conſider whether ſome corrupt intereſt have not ſteered you in the buſines, whether the Scripture gives any allowance, for ſuch a kinde of deportment for a man in your ſtation, towards ſuch an ancient, reverend, Pious Miniſter, whether your misimploying ſo many for the ſpreading your pamphlets on the Sabbath day, be according to the rule of Gods word, whether your diſturbing us attending the ordinances of Jeſus Chriſt, your imprudence following us to the very Sacrament, can at all ſuite with the profeſſion of a Chriſtian, or a ſober man; if they do not, as certainly you muſt needs judge, if you be true to your ſelf, take ſhame to your ſelf, and give God the glory, in an humble Chriſtian confeſsion, of, and repentance for, this your foul offence, and laſtly think ſadly upon the heavy judgments God hath very lately laid upon ſome of your predeceſſors; to inſtance but in two, for I wil not ſtirr in the puddle of the anabaptiſts of Munſter, the, til then, unheard of impieties of whom, much troubled thoſe parts of Germany, and interrupted the reformation begun by Luther; to look no further then yeſterday, upon ſome that very lately trode your ſteps: the firſt ſhall be Mr. Cops, a man that for a long time pretended both to learning, reaſon, and Religion, and for ſome time, as I am from very good hands informed, walked very ſtrictly, til he firſt fell off from ſubmitting to Church Government, after which he ſuddainly paſsd through all the forms now in faſhion, to yours, to the holding thoſe Anabaptiſtical opinions, wherewith you and your predeceſſors have wherever you have had power, never been quiet till you turned both Church and State into a flame, if not into aſhes, but he ſtayed not long with you neither, but the next ſtep brought him into that deep Abyſs, from whence he vomits out in print to the world, thoſe horrid blaſphemies and impieties, then which the world never ſaw more deſperate, maintainning ſwearing, uncleanneſſe in terminis to be lawfull, beſides other poſitions, which no modeſt Chriſtian care can without aſtoniſhment hear or read.

The other is the late matron of the Savoy, whom the hand of juſtice in ſome meaſure met with lately, ſhe likewiſe not long ſince walked under the ſame diſpenſation with you, the Spirit of giddineſſe poſſeſsing her, ſhe as ſuddainly as the former ran greedily into all manner of uncleanneſſe, and became hardened through the deceitfulnes of ſin, never reſted till ſhe became a hiſsing and a byword even to the meaneſt of the people. Certainly Sir you have no promiſe of ſupport longer, then you walk in Gods way, which as certainly you are out of at preſent, if you and your actions be brought to the ballance of the ſanctuary, how ſad your condition will be, if it ſhould pleaſe God, to leave you to your ſelf the former preſidents with many more then I have leaſure or deſire to inſtance in, may in ſome meaſure make evident; it concerneth you, as much as your eternal welfare is worth, to be true to your own heart, not to trifle away your precious time in vain wrangling, and diſputations, but to make appear to the world, the hope that is in you, by a ſober godly life and converſation, to direct to you which, you have a ſure word of prophecie, to which, you wil do wel, if you take heed.