Truth and Innocency Vindicated
Author: Hercules Collins
Date: 2017-02-26T13:00:00+00:00
Keywords: Believer's Baptism; seventeeth century
Publisher: A Reformed Baptist's Disk

TRUTH

AND

INNOCENCY

Vindicated

OR,

An Impartial Account of the late Proceedings between Mr. Mence and Mr. Collins,
concerning the Salvation of Infants by the Imputation of Christ's Righteousness.

Intended for the Information and Satisfaction of the Godly about Wapping, or
elsewhere.

By HERCULES COLLINS.

LONDON,

Printed in the Year 1695.

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TRUTH

AND

INNOCENCY

Vindicated, &c.

Ingenious Reader,

I Am to inform thee in the Year Ninety and One I published a Book, which contained
my Conseientious Grounds for the Baptizing of Professed Believers only; in which

Treatise there was an Indication, or an Account of one of the first Arguments for

Infant-Baptism; namely, That in it the Grace and Mercy of God was given, and that it
was to save an Infant in apparent Danger of imminent Death from perishing: And
moreover, that it washt away Original Sin; see the Malevetan Council, and the Fifth

Couucil of Carthage, in the Year four hundred and sixteen; which Error was about
that time confirmed by the Pope and his Council. Now forasmuch as I have asserted in
my Book of Baptism, page 70, 113, 114. that we know a better way to wash off

Original Sin from dying Infants; namely, the Blood of Christ, and the Imputation of
his Righteousness. This very passage just before mentioned, hath been the principal

Cause of Difference between me, Mr. Shute, and Mr. Mence; and that because I did
not add, that Infants have Faith in our Lord' s Righteousness, my Opponents have
drawn this Conclusion, as if it naturally followed my Position, then Infants must be

Damned: Whether this be not a non sequitur, I leave to a judicious Consideration. And
doubtless to count this Doctrine Mountebank-Divinity1; that is to say, Dying Infants
being saved by the Imputation of Christ's Righteousness, calls for suitable

Repentance: And is it not a thing unaccountable, that Mr. Mence hath made such a stir
about Infant habitual-Faith, and yet hath not given his Reader one solid Argument to
inform his Judgment about it in his whole Book.

Moreover, because I asserted that the Infants of Believers, as they are their fleshly

Seed, are not in the Covenant of Grace, Mr. Mence has suggested to his Auditory,
from his Pulpit, as if I held this Tenet, That the Seed of Believers are absolutely shut
out of the Covenant of God; and draws this Conclusion before the People, as if it were
the Emanation of my Principles, then Infants must be Damned. I suppose some Turks
and Pagans would have abhorred thus to deal with Innocent and true Principles, and
from true Premises draw such false and ridiculous Conc1usions; and from asserting

Infants being saved by Christ’s Righteousness, he insinuates as if that Position denyes
them Sanctification, and so could not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. What can be
a greater Reflection upon the purifying Merits of our Blessed Saviour? can they want

Sanctification that are washt in hi- Blood? surely No.

1 Mountebank - A charlatan, a person who falsely claims knowledge of or skill in some matter, esp. for personal gain; a person who pretends to be something he or she is not, in order to gain prestige, fame, etc. Formerly used freq. of corrupt clergy and others assuming false piety or religiosity. Oxford English Dictionary, online.

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I did always believe Justification and Sanctification in the same subject, in

Conformity to the Apostles Doctrine, But you are washed, but you are sanctified, but
you are jstified, &c. (1 Cor 6. 11.) The holy Prophet Jeremy predicts, that the Name
wherewith Christ should be called shall be The Lord our Righteousness; would it not
be disingenuous for any to infer from these words, that he denyed Sanctification in the
same Subject, because he doth not mention it; yet this my Antagonist has done by me.

It hath been no Doubt with me many Years, that the Father's Election, Son's

Redemption, and the Spirit's Sanctification, all savingly affect the same subject.

Concerning the Truth of the Matter of Fact mentioned none can question, if they
consider that I have by me the Hand-writing of the very Person who took it as it was
delivered in the Pulpit; and to anticipate any undue thought, as if it were written by
one prejudiced against Mr. Mence, I do assure you he hath a very great Veneration and

Respect for him, and if I am not mistaken, is his constant Auditor. Thus I have given
you a fair Oppertunity to consider whether my Opinion gave Mr. Mence any just
ground to Preach and Print as he has done, (namely,) That my principle inevitably
excludes dear Infants out of the Kingdom of God, and that I am audaciously cruel to
them, sending them by swarms into Hell, calling my Principle Infant-destroying-
matter; and that the Darts I would strike into their Hearts and the Hearts of their

Children, discovers me more to be an Inveterate Enemy than a kind Brother, as he
saith in his Epistle. My Reader is to judge whether such Invectives are the Emanation
of my Principles, or rather of a distempered Mind.

Those things aforesaid thro' my Opponents Preaching spread all about the Town, and
hath dolefully rung in my Ears as I have walkt the Streets; There goeth Mr. Collins ,
who holds the Damnation of Infants; tho' probably I am larger in my Charity than he,
being inclined to believe all dying Infants in the Election and Covenant of Grace, tho'

secret things belong to God; so that if the good Providence of God had not prevented,
my Throat might not only have been cut with a Feather, which was his own saying,
but might have been more effectually done another way. I could have given too great
a probability of this Matter, which would have made your Ears tingle, but that I am
tender of the Honour of the Gospel and my Opponent’s Reputation, though he hath
endeavoured to ruine mine. I having been thus greatly abused, it came to the Ears of
my Brethren in the Ministry, who upon hearing of the same in a Christian Spirit, sent
for Mr. Mence, and when he came, they received him as a Minister of the Gospel; at
which time two things he mentioned to us as his trouble: First, That his words were
misrepresented; to which Answer was made, that they suspended the total Crediting of
what was declared to them 'till they spake with him himself. The Second thing
offended him, was my joining Transubstantiation with Infants in Covenant, and

Infants habitual Faith, in my Book The Antidote proved a Counterfeit, page the 4th.

The reason of my uniting those so alike in shape, and of so near akin, you'll hear more
of hereafter in Answer unto his Book. Much Discourse there was pro and con between
the Ministers and him. And when the Ministers desired Mr. Mence to give his Reasons
why he called my Doctrine before his Congregation Mountehank-Divinity? he gave
no direct Answer, but evaded it; and at his parting I told him that I expected
satisfaction for several Abuses which I then mentioned unto him, which you will find

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contain'd in the Letter at the end of this Account.

Moreover, it was there shewed him how Unconclusive it was to infer Infants must be

Damned if they have no habitual Faith: And further shewed him, that if Infants have
habitual Faith, they must have Patience, Long-suffering and Repentance, which are all
in the same Subject where Faith is. Again, he was also askt who was the Object of an

Infant's Faith? unto which he made no solid Answer. 'Tis most certain that the

Ministers Carriage to Mr. Mence deserved better from him, if he had considered that
some there present came not behind him in Piety, Parts, or Learning; and some old
enough to be his Father. Neither did that unchristian and unmannerly Speech become
his Function, when upon two Brethrens happening to speak together, he replyed, If ye
intend to Bait me, deal fairly, and slip your Doggs one by one, and afterwards boasted
of it among his Friends. And whereas Mr. Mence in his Book more than twice or
thrice calls me Challenger, and Bold Challenger, let me give you a plain Account of
that matter: When he was with our Ministers, I sate silent for a considerable time, and
being about to offer something to him concerning the matter in Debate, he interrupted
me with these words, “Mr. Collings, I will Dispute these Points with you at any time”;
unto which I replyed, Sir, as soon as you please. Now I having been thus greatly
wronged, as you have heard, upon the ending of my three Sermons on Acts the 2 d. in
the hearing of his Son, who writ my Discourses in Short-hand very curious and
speedy: I declared then that I was willing to accept of Mr. Mence his Proposition
which he made before the Ministers, to discourse the Points in Controversie, which
you have in the Letter at the latter End, whether this was any more then accepting of
his own Challenge, let the Reader judge.

Moreover, let me inform you further, that a little time after my first mentioning in
publick that I was willing to accept of his Proposal made before the Elders, he sent me
this little Line of Lattin, i.e. An Infantes fidelium sint temporibus Evaugelij inafœdere

Gratiæ; affirmatur; which in English is thus, Whether the Infants of Believers in the

Times of the Gospel are in the Covenant of Grace? It is affirmed: Which Question
doth not take in the Terms of the Controversie; for, who ever deny'd that the Infants of

Believers, viz. such as are elected, are in the Covenant of Grace? of which hereafter.

Note, that which adds Pleasantness to this Passage is, that quickly after he had sent
me this Line of Lattin, it was reported by a Minister of his own Perswasion, that Mr.

Mence had sent me a LATTIN LETTER.

And whereas Mr. Mence tells us in his Epistle, that he hath a Black Catalogue of Lyes
committed to Writing: And further adds, that Lies are our Armour of Proof and

Weapons of Defence: I would have him know, my Innocency is better Armour against
such threatning Calumnies. I hope that I abhor that Practice as much, if not more than
himself; he knows best who it was that reported amongst his Friends when they were
together, and also apart, that when he charged me with the Conjunction of

Transubstantiation with Infants in Covenant and Infant habitual-Faith in my Book
aforesaid, before the Ministers, that I deny'd I had wrote any such thing; and it
appearing I had so written, the Ministers hanged down their Heads, and were ashamed
on't. That this Deserves not only the Name of an Hyperbole, but a great Untruth, as

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will be evidenced if any Godly Persons require it, by seven or eight Elders and

Ministers, as well his own Friend, who was with him at the same time, being asked if
he knew of any such Carriage of the Ministers, and of my denying what I had writ, he
replied, I know nohing of it, neither is it very probable this should be so, when the

Manuscript was read among them before it felt the weight of the Press. And let my

Reader know, I was so far from denying this thing, that when Mr. Mence took out a

Script of Paper to read the matter aforesaid, that he might do it the more effectually, I
took the Book out of my own Pocket, turned to the Page, and gave it him to make the
most of it; for all which we have undoubted Testimony at Hand.

Now how his Conscience can digest such things as these are, I know not; but I praise

God they will not go down with me, neither would I have the weight of them on my

Conscience for more than I shall now mention. Oh how sad is it for a Person to
endeavour to raise his own Reputation by ruining of his Neighbours Credit, in bearing
false witness against him, which is so contrary to the Ninth Commandment.

And whereas Mr. Mence would have the World believe him to be a Man of a

Peaceable Temper, whilst he calls me a Publick Annoyer, the head of an over grown

Schism, and a Troubler of Israel; saying, that I have put this Spot into an Inflamation,
well nigh a Conflagration, and that he had lain quiet six or seven years together, until
he was forced to arise, as he saith, with his Bucket to quench the flame: But indeed he
hath been so far from casting Water in to quench it, that he hath been pouring on Oyl
to inflame it: And therefore some thinking men judge that it had been far better if he
had lain asleep still, unless he had awaked in a better Temper, and to a better Purpose.

Now I would have the Reader to take notice, that if Mr. Mence had not been of a

Diotrephean Spirit, and had contributed as much towards the keeping of us in Peace
as others have done, we had certainly enjoy'd our Quiet in this Spot till this day: For it
is well known how chearfully I have served that Congregation, by preaching amongst
them in the time of his Predecessor, the late Reverend Mr. Knight.

Finally, as I esteem Peace with God, Peace in Conscience, and Peace in the Church a

Choice Jewel, which I would not exchange for many Worlds; and also knowing that
the eternal Transaction between the Father and Son is called the Council of Peace, and
the Covenant the Covenant of Peace, God the God of Peace, Christ the Prince of

Peace; the Gospel the Gospel of Peace, and Angels the Messengers of Peace, and that

Heaven is a Place of Peace: In a Word, because I know where Peace is God is, and
that that Grace is essential to the Kingdom of God in the Saints, and also a glorious
fruit of the Holy Spirit, as it shall be my earnest Endeavour to promote it in the

Churches of Christ, so it shall be my fervent and constant Prayer, as one of Zions

Watchmen, to cry, Peace be within thy Walls, and Prosperity within thy Palaces for
ever and ever, Amen.

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A LETTER sent to Mr. Mence from Mr. Collins, wherein he requires Satisfaction for
the great Abuse offered him; also signifying his Willingness to accept of his own

Proposition to discourse these Points which you have mentioned in this Epistle
following.

SIR,

YOU having both in Publick and Private asperst and greatly wronged me, as I have
before, so now I do again call for Satisfaction.

1. For suggesting to your Auditors from Pulpit and elsewhere, as that I held Believers

Seed absolutely shut out of the Covenant of God, and so then they must be damned.

2. Suggested as if I held an Imputaton of Christ's Righteousness might be to that

Subject or Person where was no Sanctification nor Cleansing.

3. Suggested as if my Tenet was, that some Persons might be saved which are not in
the Covenant of Grace.

4. That because I cannot put this in my Creed, that Infants have Faith, you have
drawn the Conclusion, as if it were natural from the Premises, then Infants must be
damned: And this hath been by you declared in your publick Meeting-Place.

5. Was it not very unfair, and contrary to the Golden Rule, when you repeated before
the Ministers that Paragraph in my Book, Transubstantiation, Infants-Incovenanting,

Infants Habitual-Faith, are Terms I think equally allowable, and probably equally
understood among their various Professors? was it not disingenious to repeat but
part of it, and leave out the Argument and Reason why I thus spoke? viz. Because you
do not by this Covenant mean the Election of Grace, therefore not one of a thousand
know what you mean by it.

6. To approve a Sentence which compares those that cannot own an Antiquated
repealed Covenant in force to Antichrist, who opens his mouth to speak Blasphemy
against God, his Tabernacle, his Name, and them which dwell in Heaven, calls for

Repentance unto God, and as publick an Acknowledgement before men.

Again, for your drawing wrong Conclusions from true Premises, and then call it by
the hard Name of Mountebank-Divinity.

Sir, I call for as publick Satisfaction as I have had an Aspersion, but if you shall deny
it, as you have done, and rather hand upon a Vindication, I must take the best
measures I can to clear my Innocency, because my Function doth oblige me to
maintain a good Name in the World, and good Principles, in order to a success in my

Work; and I hope I can truly say, it is more for the Honour of God and the Gospel
than mine own I am thus concerned. And, Sir, if you please, I will accept of your

Proposition before the Ministers, and discourse these following Points, you spending
one hour and half, and I another, for the Investigation of the Truth, and leave the
whole to the Blessing of God and the Judgment of the Auditory.

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1. Whether the Seed of Believers as such, are in the everlasting Covenant of Grace? if
you affirm it, I deny it.

2. If you will undertake to prove Infants have Faith, Habitual-Faith, I shall labour to
prove it appears not from Scripture or Experience, nor any other way as I know of.

3. Whether the Baptism of Infants be of Divine Authority? if you affirm, I deny it, and
shall prove that the Baptizing Persons upon a Profession of Faith, and them only,
hath Divine Authority for that Practice.

4. If you will undertake to prove that it doth genuinely and naturally follow, if Infants
have no Faith they must be damned, I shall endeavour to shew it to be a Nonsequitur ,
and no good Logick, and doth no way follow.

5. From such a Position as this, Elect dying Infants saved by the Blood of Christ, and
the Imputation of his Righteousness, whether it genuinely and naturally follows from
these Premises, an Exclusion of Sanctification and Cleansing in the same Subject? if
you will stand upon the Vindication of this Conclusion as natural, I will undertake to
prove it a forc'd, unfair, unjust Conclusion, who subscribe my self

Your Faithful Friend,

Hercules Collins.

FINIS.

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Baptism discovered plainly and faithfully, according to the Word of God, wherein is
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of his Church. The Third Edition corrected by Will. Kiffin and Rich. Claridge , with an

Appendix by another Hand.

Sold by William Marshal at the Bible in Newgate-street.

3 T he Reader is desired to amend these few Mistakes which have been let slip.

PAge 3. in the beginning, for Ingenious read Ingenuous; in the same page, l. 10. for Malevetan r. Malivetan; p. 7. l. 24. for Lattin r. Latine; in the next line put an Interrogation Point; and in the same page, l. 34, & 35. for. Lattin r. Latine; p. 11. l. 10.

read or after the word Anticipated.

This text was transcribed from PDF files downloaded from and used with the kind
permission of the Angus Library and Archive, Regent’s Park College, Oxford

(http://theangus.rpc.ox.ac.uk/).

Transcription by Mr Mark Smith, A Reformed Baptist's Disk (www.rbdisk.vor.org), ©

2017.

2. The full title is, The Sandy Foundation of Infant Baptism Shaken: or, An Answer to a Book, Entituled Vindiciæ Fœderis, Published by Mr. Mence, by Hercules Collins (1695), and has been transcribed by the same editor as this work ( Ed.) 3. This errata was inside the front cover of the original. It is placed here for convenience ( Ed.)

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Table of Contents

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