Can you, or any of your correspondents, give me any information relative to the history or authorship of the following pamphlet?—
"Donatus Redivivus: or a Reprimand to a modern Church-Schismatick, for his Revival of the Donatistical Heresy of Rebaptization, in Defiance to the Judgment and Practice of the Catholick Church, and of the Church of England in particular. In a Letter to Himself. London, 1714."
The same tract (precisely identical, except in the title-page) is also to be found with the following title:
"Rebaptization condemned. Wherein is shown, 1. That to Rebaptize any Person that was once Baptiz'd, even by Laymen, in the name of the Sacred Trinity, is contrary to the Practice of the Catholick Church in all Ages. 2. That it is repugnant to the Principles and Practice of the Church of England. 3. The Pernicious Consequences of such a Practice. By the Author of Plain Dealing, or Separation without Schism," &c. London, 1716.
I am aware that, according to Dr. Watt, the author of Plain Dealing was Charles Owen, D.D., but he makes no mention of Donatus Redivivus, and I am unable to discover any account of Dr. Charles Owen or his writings elsewhere. There appears to have been a reply to Donatus Redivivus, purporting to be from the pen of a Mrs. Jane Chorlton. This I have never seen, and have only learned of its existence from a subsequent pamphlet with the following title:
"The Amazon Disarm'd: or, the Sophisms of a Schismatical Pamphlet, pretendedly writ by a Gentlewoman, entituled An Answer to Donatus Redivivus, exposed and confuted; being a further Vindication of the Church of England from the scandalous imputation of Donatism or Rebaptization. London, 1714."
The dedication of this last tract begins as follows:
"To the Reverend Mr. L—ter, and the Demi-reverend Mr. M—l—n.
"Gentlemen,
"This letter belongs to you upon a double account, as you were the chief Actors in the late Rebaptizaton, and are the supposed Vindicators of it, in the Answer to Donatus: a Treatise writ in Defence of the Sentiments of the Church, which you father upon a Dissenting Minister, and disingenuously point out to Mr. O——n by Name," &c.
The point which I wish particularly to ascertain is, whether Dr. Charles Owen was really the
author of either of the tracts I have mentioned; and if so, who he was, and where I can find an account of him and his writings.