may also be applied unto David it signifieth nothing to the point Thou didst make me hope when upon my mothers breasts that is thou didst give me sufficient ground for hope and trust if I had been capable of acting that grace and v. 10. I was cast upon thee from the womb thou art my God from my mothers belly that is I was like one forsaken by his parents and cast wholly upon thy Providence see our late Annotations But for all this Infants have habitual Faith saith our Antagonist but his arguments are so feeble that maintain it that it 's like a tottering Fence well but what if I should ask what do you mean by Habitual Faith I think there cannot be less in the word than this that they have an Inclination to believe and that they have Power Might Ability to believe and if it be so what is the reason they do not believe surely if they have Power Strength and Ability to believe is it not reasonable they should be damned if they do not believe which are his own words page 17 no Faith no Salvation neither for Young nor Old If by Habit he meant an Inclination to believe a disposition to believe then let him prove they have such a disposition and what it is that hinders their believing we say a person that is disposed to a thing hath power actually to do it If he do not understand the meaning of the word habitual why did he write it was it to confound the Ignorant with the word Infant-seed of believers being in Covenant what is meant by being in Covenant there are thousands of themselves know nothing of it Seeing they do not mean the Election of Grace for my part I think Transubstantiation habitual Faith and the Infant seed of believers in the covenant are terms equally allowable and probably equally understood among their various Professors this habitual Faith in Infants is much of the likeness of our Athenian assertion that Infants have faith Potentia tho not Actu visibli so you say they have habitual though not actual visible Faith for my part I think it calls for a prodigious Faith for any man to believe Infants have faith potentia or habitual all you have done is only begging when you should have been a digging But I think you have given away your Cause and habitual Faith too in page 26. in these words God is a free Agent and bestows his Gifts of Grace and Mercy upon whom he pleaseth May not an earthly King bestow his bounty upon a poor dumb Cripple that can neither ask nor go to him for it no nor return him vocal thanks Is not this to allow and say what I have said That Infants are happy through the imputed righteousness of Christ tho as poor dumb Cripples that can neither ask nor go nor return thanks So that tho in effect he saith as I do yet calls my Sentence a strange Sentence which asserts Infants sins are done away by the Imputation of Christs Righteousness page 18. And would any man but one void of common sense urge such Scriptures for Infant inherent Faith as Rom. 3.26 God is the justifier of him that believeth in Jesus Eph. 2.8 9 By Grace are ye saved through Faith not of works lest any man should boast Gal. 3.22 But the Scripture hath concluded all under sin that the promise by Faith of Jesus Christ might be given them which believe And Mark 16.16 He that believeth and is baptised shall be saved And Gal. 6.15 For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision nor Vncircumcision availeth any thing but Faith which worketh by Love or a new Creature And he might as well have added 1 Cor 7. But the keeping of the Commands of God Rom. 5.1 being justified by Faith we have peace with God through our I Lâ—â—â—â—â—sus Christ Rom. 3.28 Therefore we conclude a Man is Justified by Faith without the deeds of the Law Doth this man think in his Conscience that ever these things were written or Preached unto Infants or in any sense intended that Infants should have the comfort of it if not why are all these Scriptures applyed unto them when God never intended it for them I hope he hath been taught better to Expound the Scripture But still he positively asserts Infants have Faith and do believe and proves it by two Infallible Witnesses as he thinks the one is Mark 9.42 And who so shall offend one of those little ones which believe in me it were better for him a milstone were hanged about his neck and cast into the Sea These little ones he asserts are Infants but I would fain know had I a mind to offend a believing Infant how should I know which were him There is no more appears in one Infant than another Secondly Men must know such a one which owns Christ for it is because he owns Christ that any of the wicked offend him But how shall I know the Infant with his Inherent Grace and Faith what Family he is in where he dwells should I have a mind to offend him Again how shall the Infant know I am offended with him for his believing in Christ Mark Reader the verse before Whosoever shall give a Cup of Water to drink in my Name because they belong to Christ shall not lose his reward Then the next words are And whosoever shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me So that you see these little ones Christ speaks of are such as go under the notion of Christ's Disciples making a visible profession and if we do the least kindness for them we shall not lose our reward But how shall I know which Infant it is that hath habitual Faith that stands in need of this Cup of Water It cannot discover its own thirst and so the poor Infant may Die though I had a mind to relieve it The Eighteenth of Matthew is brought in by Christ upon the same account to abate the pride of the Disciples who were discoâ—rsing who should be greatest and be the highest in Heaven upon this Christ calls a little Child and tells them except they were Spiritually what that Child was Naturally in Meekness Humility free from Revenge and Pride They could not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven So he goes on whoso shall offend one of those little ones which believe in me not the little Infant or Child called and set in the midst but those Believers that were like them in Humility wrought by Faith in Christ for had I a mind to please or displease an Infant with his habitual Faith I know not where to find him and surely our Lord did not speak of such who were never like to be known Oh when will you cease to pervert the right word of the Lord How disingenuous are you in saying I owned they were Infant-Children but would not own they believed My speaking those words was not from those Scriptures but two others namely Luke 18. and Matt. 19. See my
book page 35. 36. where Children were brought to Christ to be touched from whence some infer they were Baptized But I need not wonder you are so unfair with me when you are so with the very Word of God when God saith Acts 16.34 That the Jaylor believed in God with all his House you positively say here we read of none but the Jaylor which did believe and yet notwithstanding say you his whole Family was Baptized I hope Sir you believe there is a Judg. Mr. Charnock speaking of an Habit tells us It is an inward Frame enabling one to Act readily and easily as when an Artificer hath the habit of a Trade the new Creature consists in gracious qualities and habits which beautify and dispose the Soul to act righteously and holily Hence habits are as Seeds which make the Earth capable to bring forth good Fruit but what good Fruit hath an Infant with all his habitual grace This habit saith he is exprest by a fountain of Living Water springing up to Eternal Life Page 75. Some say indeed that Regeneration is conferred in Baptism upon the Elect and exerts it self afterwards in Conversion but how so active a principle as a Spiritual Life should lie dead or a sleep so long even many years which intervene between Baptism and Conversion is not easily Conceivable Where these habits are there is a Spirit of Love of Grace whereby as their understandings are possest with a knowledg of the Excellencies of his ways so their wills are seasoned by the power of this Habit And further as Christ had a Body prepared him to do the work of a Mediator so the Soul hath a habit prepared to do the work of the new Creature as the corrupt Nature is the habit of sin so the new Nature is the habit of Grace God doth not only call us to Believe Love Obey but brings in the Grace of Faith and Love and Obedience this habit receives various Denominations either from the Subject or Object 't is subjectively in the Essence of the Soul but as it shows it self in the Understanding 't is called the knowledg of God as 't is in the Will 't is a choice of God as in the Affection 't is a motion to God and from the Object it is diversified as it closes with Christ Dying 't is Faith as it rejoyces in Christ Living it is Love as it lies at the Feet of Christ it is Humility as it observes the Will of Christ it is Obedience as it submits to Christ afflicting it is patience as it regards Christ offended it is grief yet all ariseth from one habit but where doth any of these things appear in the Infants habitual Faith he tells you further where the habit of true Grace is there is a ready disposition to every good work because Seminally in every renewed person And saith he as 't is ready in respect of disposition so it is in the activity of motion yea 't is naturally active according to its divine Nature moreover 't is voluntarily active where these habits are there is a kind of natural necessity of motion from life and habit yea 't is fervently active the nobler the Being of any thing is the greater degree of activity it is attended with yea 't is unboundedly active also powerfully active easily active and pleasantly active the entire inclinations of the Soul stands right to good actions Mr. Charnock 2 vol. page 85. to 94. Now let all those Characters of Habitual Grace be put together and â—hen consider whether any of these things can affect little Infants I hope by this time you have enough of Infants Habitual Faith I will only add this further page 94. There is in this habit an orderly motion and activity and a permanent activity a Spring of perpetual motion even unto everlasting Life how then can all the infant Seed of Believers have this Habitual Faith when so many of them make their Parents Hearts to ake This is like Mr. Marshall's Notion in his Sermon before the Parliament God doth Seal the Infant presently and puts their name into the Deed and that God accepts of such a Seal on their parts as they are able to give in their Infant age expecting a further Ratification when they come to riper years and that in the mean time affords them the favour of being in Covenant with him and that the surety of the New Covenant is pleased to be their surety yet saith when grown men they may refuse to stand to this Covenant and nullity all Oh amazing How inconsistent is this with perseverance Take this Arâ—ument for a close of your second Query and Answer it Those Children of Believers which Die in an Vnregenerate State either never had the Habits of Grace or else if they had them they have lost them But there is no losing Habits of Grace Ergo they never had them If you say they had them and have lost them that is against your own principle about perseverance If you say they never had them then you contradict your own â—ook which assert That all the Infants of Believers have it and therefore you Baptize them get out of this Prison as well as you can FOR your third Query What if I allow all Believers are wholly passive in â—â—generation and can â—o more â—egenerate thâ—mselves than a 〈…〉 â—hat is all 〈…〉 Faith Is this a concluding Argument Surely no Pray Sir go to School and learn better Logick for this is no Argument in Barbara There is no more say you in Children to hinder Grace than in the Adult Ergo they believe what think you Sir is this good Arguing Christ can raise of stones Children unto Abraham Ergo stones believe or Stones are wholly passive and have nothing to hinder Regeneration Ergo Stones are Regenerated When you bring better Topicks and Mediums to prove your Argument by more may be said to it but you may think I have said too much to discover your Ignorance of Divine things already Here we may give a hint to your fifth Query Whether Children may not have the Golden Oyl of God's Free Grace as well as Adult persons Answer What little Infants have or what they may have lieth not within our Sphere secret things belong unto God Revealed things unto us but the question is how this Gentleman will prove that infants have this grace which qualifieth them for Baptism my neighbour is capable of being King of Vtopia Ergo he is king of Vtopia doth this Conclude the Scripture saith Men and Women ought to believe who are capable of knowing good and evil therefore infants do believe who know neither good nor evil Your 4th 7th 8th Queries look one way and we do assert infants may be fit for the Kingdom of God as our Lord hath said and yet not qualified for Gospel Ordinances Can it be shewed that ever our Lord Instituted Gospel Ordinances for Infants Could it be made appear that Infants have Repentance Faith and
THE ANTIDOTE Proved A COUNTERFEIT OR ERROR DETECTED AND Believers Baptism VINDICATED Containing An Answer to a Nameless Author's Book Entituled An Antidote to prevent the Prevalency of Anabaptism By HERCVLES COLLINS of Wappin LONDON Printed for William Marshall at the Bible in Newgate-Street where is to be Sold Mr Knowles's Exposition on the whole book of the Revelation price bound 2 s. 6 d. And Mr. Bunyan's Works in Folio price bound 14 s. And Mr. Claridges Looking Glass for Princes price bound 6 d And likewise most of Dr. Owen's and Mr. Beverley's Works MDCXCIII THE Preface to the Unbyas'd Reader WE live in a divided and opinionative Age and mens sentiments of things for the most part being as various as their Complexions Books have their Dooms according to the different apprehensions of their Readers Some Tracts have been applauded more for the Name of the Writers or Opinion they espouse than for any substantial Worth to be found in them Other are too often rejected and decry'd because their Authors are not of their Perswasion tho they have Plain Scripture the most Authentick Evidence for any Gospel-Doctrine or Practise to plead for them Some are the better treated for their Learned and Polite Styles tho they want that which should give them just recommendation namely Truth while Other which have it on their side meet with hard usage and that which is to be lamented from Good Men too because not set off with those Artificial Embellishments which gain so fast upon a Fanciful Generation that Rhetorical Paint passeth for true Beauty But if thou art such an One as the Preface calls thee an Unbyast Reader One who art fully and solely for God not regarding the Names or Writings of Men any further than they accord with the Revealed word of God if thou art free to receive Truth for its own sake and resolvest to hearken only to him that speaketh from Heaven then may it he hoped this Vindication of Believers Baptism will find a cordial Welcome with thee Thou canst not if thou hast read any thing be wholly a stranger to the Controversy about the Proper Subjects and Right Administration of Baptism between those that are for Sprinkling or Pouring of Water upon Infants and those that Dip or Plunge under Water the whole Body of Professing Believers only I do confess on the one hand 't is sad to consider what strife there is for Victory but on the other I rejoyce to see Christ and his Truth Triumph as they do in Believers Baptism Great has been the Opposition made against this Holy Ordinance but greater has been the Defence of it Every Age hath afforded some Testimonies for this Truth but now we are incompassed with a Cloud of VVitnesses Never was any Point more fully prov'd or better clear'd than this has been That one would think our Opposites should either alter their mistaken Practice or be wholly silent But since they still go on in their Error and cease not to argue against this Ordinance 't is necessary it should be guarded from the Attempts of its Assailants The worthy Author of the ensuing Discourse has Travelled formerly with good success in this Field of Controversy and now with no less against him who calls his Book An Antidote to prevent the Prevalency of Anabaptism c. Here thou hast the Cavils and Objections of the Adversary answer'd Infants or little Children prov'd to have no Habitual Faith the dissolution of the Old Covenant-State demonstrated and the Infants of Believers to have no Right as the Seed of such to Holy Baptism In a word the Antidote is throughly examined and proved to be a Counterfeit I shall add no more but my hearty recommendation of this Book to thy Reading desiring of the Lord that thou mayst so Read as to Understand and so Understand that thou mayst Practice London 20th of the 5th Month 1693. Thy Souls well wisher in the Lord our Righteousness Richard Claridge A Plain and Impartial Inquiry into the Antidote and upon Examination found a Counterfeit COULD any have expected less then that this Gentleman's Book in the Body of it should have answered the Title-Page namely Infant-Baptism Vindicated which indeed proves nothing but a Bravado and flourish for if it be Vindicated it must be either because Christ commanded it or some of his Apostles practised it some commended for its Observation or others reproved for its Neglect but not one word of all this appears in his whole Discourse Then how can Infant-Baptism be Vindicated Also he comes as short in the other part of the Title An Antidote to prevent the spreading of Anabaptism he means Believers Baptism Can he stop the course of the Sun the ebbing and flowing of the Water Can he number the Clouds and Stars or weigh the Wind and the Fire or the great Mountains Then he may answer his Title What! is this Man resolved to set himself in a posture of War against God and his Word Doth he think in this to prosper Will he endeavour to prevent the spreading of that which our Lord Jesus Christ hath given his Ministers in Commission to spread He seems to be grieved at our Translation of a Book concerning Baptism from English into Welch but if this be to be Vile we shall be more Vile What can be expected when a Man shall be an Advocate against the Truth HE tel's us of some few Reflections upon some remarkable Passages in a Book of H. C. of Wapping What should be the Reason this Gentleman did not answer that Book He hath not said any thing to the Argument of it but pickt a little here and a little there which he thought he could deal withal but the Argument of the Book is untoucht He calls them a few Reflections he may well call them a few for in 139 Pages he hath not spoken to as much Matter as Three Pages contain As for Argument in his Book it is so little that I was dead to the answering of it a long time not fearing his making many Proselytes to Pedo-baptism nor hinder the spreading of the Truth tho he did his Endeavour but the Book being so full of Scurrility base and abusive Language and he being as it is to be feared blinded with Prejudice when he wrote it could not see his Evil therefore these few Lines are intended in the room of an Oculist to open his Eyes to behold his Error in Judgment and Practice before he leaves the World I have in my Book laid down several Arguments to prove the right Mode or Manner of the Administration of Baptism to be by Dipping not Sprinkling and that the Subjects are to be Vnderstanding Believers not Ignorant Infants I have spoken to above 20 Objections but he doth not pretend to give the least Answer to either what should be the Reason that he did not take Paragraph by Paragraph and answer it fairly like a man of Sence and Reason Some are ready to argue thus and they