be found in the Great Day to be but as Hay Wood Stubble or if possible some more Cumbustible Matter Notwithstanding I have thus clearly stated and proved this to be a Truth from Scripture that none can or ought to come to Christ in their Sins yet I doubt not but many who never were led into the Knowledge of their own Hearts to see their Natural Enmity against Christ and Utter Inability to perform any Duty Spiritually will be so far from setting to their Seal that this is true that they will be but the more exasperated We read in Acts 7.54 that when the Apostle had reproved those Jews for their Sin in Crucifying Christ to the end it might not be their ruin they were cut to the Heart but instead of Blessing God for such a Faithful Reprover 't is said they gnashed on him with their Teeth Man is Naturally prone to set up himself and when he cannot make himself the Purchaser of his Salvation he would have a Hand in the Application and how unwelcome shall a Faithful Minister be to such when they come to beat down their Carnal Confidence and to spoil their Glorying in the Flesh And how hard for a Minister who shuns not to declare the whole Counsel of God and whose design is that Christ alone may be exalted to Preach such Doctrine as this but by and by some will be offended Such Doctrine as this would not be received from Christ himself by some was he now on Earth John 6.65,66 And he said Therefore said I unto you that no Man can come unto me except it were given him of my Father From that time many of his Disciples went back and walked no more with him Mind no sooner had he told them in plain words what I have been proving but from that time many went back and walked no more with him Now if I am judged Erroneous yet I hope such as differ from me in this Point will not judge Christ so yet why Christ should be judged a true Witness and I a false Witness for relating his very Words I see not but if I am yet it more encourages me that Christ is on my side than it shall discourage me though all the Devils in Hell wore against me being fully satisfied that he will be the Judge at the Great Day not only of our Lives but of our Doctrines nor will any Doctrines pass for Truth then if they have not a Divine Stamp upon them and sure I am this Doctrine I oppose hath none I am satisfied if those search the Scripture from Genesis to the Revelation they can find no Text written to prove that Sinners can or ought to come to Christ in their Sins though many Texts prove it the Duty of Sinners to come But to take a review of the forecited Text and to see who they were that forsook Christ for delivering such Doctrine you may see Verse 64. Such as believed not none else Christ turns him to the Twelve Will ye also go away Peter on the behalf of the rest replies Lord to whom shall we go Thou hast the Words of Eternal Life As if he had said Lord dost thou think we are so unacquainted with our own Hearts as to go from thee for delivering that Truth that 〈◊〉 who have but tasted thou art Gracious have experienced These are the Words of Eternal Life and therefore thou mayest as well ask us whether we are willing to miss of Life as forsake thee for these Truths sake Thus you see however contemptible this Doctrine was then to those that believed not or may be to such whose Eyes are not yet opened or at least who see no clearer into Divine Mysteries than he who saw Men as Trees yet this was judged such a Fundamental Truth to the Twelve that it behoved them as they tendred the Salvation of their Souls to receive it In a word and I shall close Tho' those that differ from me in this Point may for my good-will become my Enemies because I tell them the Truth yet in love to their Souls I would have them consider whether this Doctrine they defend doth not exclude the Spirit of God from having any hand in the Application of the Benefits purchased by Christ to the Soul And if it doth I hope you will see it to be an Error indeed Now I think none dare deny but that upon our coming to Christ his Benefits are applied to all Now the Question is how or by what power the Soul is enabled to come Say I as renewed and born of the Spirit Tit. 3.3,5 say they though without one Syllable in Scripture to prove it no the Soul comes wreeking in all his Sins unchanged unrenewed and if so then judge if this is not to exclude the Spirit wholly from having any hand in this Work For if such as come to Christ have the Spirit then they do not come as they are in their Sins Let me close all with a Word to you my Auditors and especially to you my Brethren I chiefly designed what is contained in this Book for you that you may be established in the Truth as it is in Jesus Take you heed of rejecting Sound Doctrine lest God give you over to believe a Lie 'T is the Truth must make you free Stand you therefore and Enquire for the good Old Way and walk therein and you shall find rest to your Souls Contend you earnestly for the Faith once delivered to the Saints Beware of such pretended Lights as do not shine forth in God's Word In a word if I have delivered nothing in this Book but what I have proved from Scripture then I hope you will see it your Duty to receive these Truths 'T is sad when any Love Darkness rather than Light But if any of you after all my Labour for your sakes should reject these Truths I leave this Book not as a Legacy but as a Witness against you at the Great Day FINIS
prove thus from this following Argument and it seems cogent Argument 2. Those that the Scripture give us good ground to hope are Believers may and ought to be Baptized but the Infant Seed of Believers are such as we have good ground from Scripture to hope are Believers therefore such may and ought to be Baptized All that I can conceive can be said against my Major Proposition is to deny that we are to Baptize any upon hopes that they are Believers and to affirm that we ought to Baptize none but such as we are sure have true Justifying Faith But sure I am such an Objection savours of high Presumption since this is to pretend to be Wiser than the Apostles and as Wise as God himself First Wiser than the Blessed Apostles as you may see by comparing Acts 8.13 with 22.23 where you read of one Baptized that was in the Gall of Bitterness and Bonds of Iniquity and yet we cannot be so uncharitable as to think they had no hopes of him when they Baptized him But if any should so judge it makes the more for me for if the Apostles themselves Baptized such as they had no hopes had true Faith then sure we may Baptize such 〈◊〉 we have good ground to hope 〈◊〉 Faith But if they had Hope 't is evident it was but Hope unless he could lose his Faith or have Faith and at the same time be in the Gall of Bitterness and Bonds of Iniquity neither of which could be Secondly This is to pretend to be as wise as God at least in this point since he only that works Faith can infallibly judge where it is 'T is peculiar to God to search the Heart where Faith is seated the Lord only knows who are his we see the best of Churches have been mistaken in taking in of Members The Apostles did not know Judas to be a Hypocrite till he betrayed his Lord unless we can suppose they would take in known Hypocrites And I would ask my Friends the Anabaptists if they themselves have not Baptized some as Believers who have afterward discovered themselves to be in the Gall of Bitterness So that in a word if we must Baptize none but such as we are sure have true Justifying Faith we must Baptize none in this World For though many have such a Faith yet no Man can infallibly tell the Anabaptist themselves not excepted who they are This is that new Name which none knows but God and them that have it So that I think it needless to add any more to confirm the former part of my Argument viz. That we can only hope that this or the other Person hath true Faith Minor Proposition But the Infant Seed of Believers are such as we have good ground from Scripture to hope are Believers Now if any thing of force be Objected it must be against this and therefore I shall labour the more to confirm it But before I come to the Proof I must add a Caution that when I speak of Faith in Infants I mean Habitual Faith for though it cannot on good ground be denyed but that some Infants may actually Believe since God is able to cause them so to do and hath no where in his Word declared he will not yet it may easily be proved that some Infants have Habitual Faith and that will render one as truly a Believer as the Act. He that hath the Habit of Faith is a Believer though asleep and so as uncapable of Acting Faith as an Infant having during that time no more use of Reason than a Child at the Breast nor perhaps so much for an Infant hath so much Sense as to know when it is Hungry or to Cry for Food and if it be in Pain But let a Man be never so Hungry or in Pain yet when asleep he is unsensible of either And yet such may be Believers in the mean time they having the Habit of Faith Now by the Habit of Faith in Infants I mean a Principle of Grace or Internal Renovation which is wrought in Regeneration for Regeneration is an infusing the Seeds of all Grace into the Soul and consequently of Faith This being premised I come to lay down a Proposition for the clearing the Way to that which I intend more largely to insist upon Proposition That Infants are capable of having the Habit of Faith wrought in them And though we cannot from hence conclude that all such have it yet it is a good Foundation for my following Argument And because in all Cases the Foundation had need stand fast I shall therefore confirm it that Infants are capable of Grace is not my Judgment alone however strange a Doctrine it may seem to some for I have the Judgment of all the Church of England on my side their Words after Baptism are Seeing now Dearly beloved Brethren that this Child is by Baptism Regenerate c. And again We yield thee most hearty thanks most merciful Father that it hath pleased thee to Regenerate this Infant by thy Holy Spirit c. Now though I am far from being of the Judgment which they seem to be in this that all that are Baptized are in that Ordinance Regenerated and so consequently many fall from Grace My Soul abhorrs that Popish Doctrine that Baptism confers Grace ex opere operato from the Work-wrought but while they thank God for the Work done 't is evident they suppose them capable of having that Work wrought in them and so far I agree with them But because the very citing any thing from the Church of England may make some giddy-headed People who have more Zeal than sound Knowledge nauseate what I have said I shall therefore proceed to prove that both they and I have Divine Testimony on our side in this that Infants are capable of Grace and I shall make use of plain Scripture since the Anabaptists pretend so much delight in it and I shall produce several Instances that in the Mouth of two or three Witnesses this truth may be established Jer. 1.5 Before thou camest out of the Womb I Sanctified thee and Luke 1.15 of John it is said He shall be filled with the Holy Ghost even from his Mothers Womb and then no doubt Sanctified And of Christ it is said verse 35. That Holy Thing that shall be born of thee c. mind born of thee was Holy when Born From whence it is past all dispute unless we dare dispute with God that Infants even in the Womb and as soon as Born are capable of Grace nor doth it seem harder to me to conceive that Infants should have Grace wrought in them than Adult since the latter are purely passive in the Work and so may the former be If it was a Work of Reason or performed by Humane Power or Policy something might be said but it is not Eph. 1.19 Nay according to our apprehension it seems harder to work Grace in Adult than in Infants for as a Tender Plant
by the Righteousness of Christ imputed to them An Answer no doubt pleasing to the Ignorant sort that will Swallow down any thing true or false that hath but the Name of Christ or the Righteousness of Christ annexed to it But sure this bold Asserter had forgotten that Text Isa 8.20 To the Law and to the Testimony if any Man an Anabaptist not excepted walk not according to this Rule 't is because there is no Light in him or rather I have reason to judge he was resolved his own Fancy should guide him in this Matter Now I would fain know where this Author can prove from Scripture any imputation of Christ's Righteousness to any but Believers I am sure he cannot and till he can however fond he or his Brethren may be of his Notion it not agreeing with the Rule in God's Word we are bound to look upon it as arising from the Darkness his own deluded Fancy Since I have been a Student in Divinity I have been taught both out of God's Word and from our most Worthy Authors that the imputation of the Righteousness of Christ had respect to the removal of our Guilt and that it was the Work of the Spirit within us to remove the Filth and destroy the Power of Sin Tit. 3.5 By the washing of Regeneration and renewings of the Hely Ghost Hence we are said to be born of the Spirit Justification and Sanctification though inseparable yet are widely distinguished by all but Papists and such as do adhere to them Sure this Gentleman had strangely forgot the great difference between our Title to Heaven and our Meetness for Heaven unless he looks upon our Claim to rise from our Meetness The Righteousness of Christ though it gives us a Title to Heaven as we do apprehend the Person of Christ by Faith yet it doth not take away our Filth any other way than by way of Purchase 'T is the Spirit of God in us that is the Efficient and that is the thing we are enquiring into VVhy then doth this Author thus beguile his unwary Reader when he is enquiring how Sin comes to be subdued he tells him how Sin comes to be pardoned As if a Pardon to a Malefactor would change his Heart or as if that Promise of a new Heart added to Forgiveness was a Promise of little worth I know not what it is to him I am sure 't is precious to all Saints what doth this imply but that the Righteousness of Christ was imputed to Infants to the end they may go to Heaven reeking in Sin and that they might be exempted from Regeneration But to put all out of doubt I come now to prove there is a Necessity for Infants to have Faith in the Sence aforesaid if ever they get to Heaven whatever such bold Men may say to the contrary who care not how much they say and how little they prove Let God be true tho' all such are found Liars Now there is a twofold Necessity for Infants to have Faith in order to their getting to Heaven one arising from God's Ordination and Appointment the other from the Corruption of our Natures as we come into the VVorld First From God's Appointment and Ordination he hath made this the way and the only way to Heaven Mark 16.16 He that believes not shall be damned I think that is plain Scripture since 't is so defired by the Anabaptists and the Expression being Indefinite is equivolent to a Universe He that is any he High or Low Rich or Poor Adult or Infant So John 3.3,5 Verily verily I say unto thee except a Man be born again he cannot see the Kingdom of God And then adds by way of Explanation Except a Man be born of Water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God Now Regeneration is an Infusing the Principles of all Grace into the Soul as the Learned Pemble observes one Grace not being the Cause of another and if of all Grace then of Faith for that is a Grace But perhaps the Anabaptists may object that by the Word Man we are to understand Adult only yet at best this is but a bare Conjecture which in others Cases is contemned by them and therefore with their Leave or without it I shall tye them up to the same Measures For it seems unreasonable to contemn this in others which we allow in our selves especially in Matters of Religion may we not by the same Rule exclude Women And then I know no Scripture to prove a Necessity for them to be regenerated But lest this should not suffice for by this time I may suppose the Anabaptists to be like a Man drowning that catches hold of every Straw to keep him from sinking I shall therefore prove from Scripture that the Word Man oft takes in Women and Children without Distinction of Age or Sex and to this end I might multiply Texts but I shall only give you Two for many The first is Gen. 6.7 I will destroy Man Now it is well known that all the old World was destroyed both Men Women and Children excepting those few in the Ark and yet only Man is mentioned So John 16.21 A Woman when she is in Travail hath Sorrow because her Hour is come but as soon as she is delivered of the Child she remembreth no more her Anguish for Joy that a Man is born Mind that which in the beginning was called a Child is after called a Man nor can we once suppose that we come grown Men immediately out of the Womb and yet this may be as easily proved as the former And as the Word Man sometimes is of this extent so 't is most evident it is so here For the Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Greek signifies any one Beza renders it Aliquis any Body or any one But notwithstandstanding all that hath been said I lately saw a Piece put out by one of the Ablest of the Anabaptists in which he will prove that Christ in that Place meant Adult only and he proves it thus It must be so because Nicodemus understood him so but to me it seems strange that any unless one as ignorant as Nicodemus of the new Birth should think such a blind Idiot as he a meet Judge of Christ's Meaning and infallibly to conclude it must be so because he understood him so as if Nicedomus was an infallible Judge of this Matter That Nicedomus understood him so I cannot deny but if that must be his meaning because he understood him so then we must conclude Christ meant a natural Birth also for so Nicodemus understood him Verse 4. Can he enter the second time into his Mother's Womb and be born which was a gross Mistake as is clear from Verse 5. Which Words are a Reproof of his Ignorance and Carnal Conceptions and an Interpretation of Christ's own Words and might he not mistake as to the Subject as well as concerning the Nature of the thing Sure I am that Cause
is like to infect the more But I shall not stay you any longer at the Threshold but lead you into the Point before us But that our Differences may not seem greater than they really are I shall lay down some things as Cautious to prevent mistakes for I am perswaded that most of our unhappy Differences do arise from a want of a right Understanding of each others Terms and therefore observe carefully 1. The Enquiry is not concerning the State and Condition which Christ finds the Soul in when he first comes to take hold on us by his Spirit in order to Regenerating of us if it was I would readily grant he then finds the Soul wreeking in Sin indeed without the least propensity or inclination to do Good yea to every Good Word and Work Reprobate with a strong inclination to Evil in a Dead Blind Ignorant Senseless and Stupid Condition in the Snere of the Devil In this State we all are by Nature and consequently in this State he must find all when he comes to Change their Nature our Natures being all the same as derived from one Common Root though our Actions may differ according to the various Temptations we may meet with But 't is about the Souls coming to Christ between which a clear distinction must be made for though Christ enable us to come to him or believe in him yet he doth not Believe for us to excuse us The Act of coming is ours and till the Soul thus come the union is incompleat I grant when Christ comes thus to the Soul that Soul shall come to Christ yet his coming to us is not our coming to him though the Cause of our coming Things that are inseparable must not be confounded the Humane and Divine Nature are inseparable in Christ yet the Divine is not the Humane nor the Humane the Divine So in Marriage the Man consents to the Woman and the Woman to the Man but yet the consent of the Woman is not the consent of the Man So in this Case Christ is first willing and he makes us willing yet his Will and our Will are distinct 2. Nor are we Enquiring by what Power the Soul is enabled to come to Christ for tho' I have just cause to question whether those that differ from me in the other will agree with me in this yet for my own part tho' I plead for a mighty Change wrought in order to our coming to Christ yet I freely acknowledge this Change to be of God and that the very Seeds of our Life of Sanctification are from Christ working as a most free Agent in us and that it is a mighty and irresistible Power by which he works 3. Nor are we Enquiring what Virtue there is in this Act of coming in order to our Justification or Glorification For though I believe and the Scripture affirms that unless we Believe we shall never be Justified nor Glorified yet I believe both are according to the Riches of God's Free-Grace It is Free-Grace that works this Change enabling of us to come and it is Free-Grace that we are accepted when we do come But positively the Enquiry is whether there is such a thing as a Change wrought in the Soul in order to our coming to Christ Or whether we must come as we are in a Natural and Unregenerate State wreeking in the Filth of Sin and Power and Dominion of our Lusts Or whether the Drunkard Swearer c. can or ought without any Change to come in those Lusts to Christ So that the Question is whether a Sinner can or ought to come to Christ in his Sins But before I affirm or deny I must further explain if possible what we mean by coming and what by coming in our Sins lest my Opposers when not able to stand their Ground should slip out at some Back-door Now by coming to Christ I understand believing in Christ according to Scripture Dialect Isa 55.1 Mat. 11.28 and to put all out of doubt I have been assured again and again from the Mouths of those that differ from me in this Point that they mean nothing else and by coming in Sin I understand it for one utterly devoid of any Principle of Grace one in the Gall of Bitterness and Bonds of Iniquity and not one that only falls into Sin And so I have also been assured by my Opposers they mean and indeed we cannot understand it otherwise for tho' the best of Saints have Sin yet the least of Saints is not a Sinner I distinguish between Actions and a State a Sinner in this Sense is not opposed to Perfection but to Sincerity So that in the most plain Terms the Question lyes thus Whether a Person utterly devoid of all Grace and under the Power and Dominion of Sin can or ought to believe in Christ in that State before any Change be wrought in him This some affirm and I deny And in speaking to this Point I shall prove none can come thus in their Sins to Christ and then that none ought to come thus in his Sins to Christ I prove the former from most express Scripture Eph. 1.19 And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who Believe and if we cannot believe without this Power then not as we are for all are not acted by this Power John 6.44 No man can come unto me except the Father which hath sent me draw him Now I would ask if all Men are thus drawn If not you give away the Cause if you say they are then it follows that all must actually be Saved or else some are able to resist those drawings the latter of which is Grand Arminianism the former many degrees worse So John 15.5 For without me ye can do nothing Now I would ask if coming to Christ is not something Nay is it not the most noble act the Soul can put forth and that which is most pleasing and acceptable to God And if so the Text says without Christ we cannot do it Now I would ask if every Man hath Christ in him as the Quakers affirm If you say he hath you shew what you are if not then when assisted by Christ we do not come as we were Thus you see how expresly the Scripture is on my side and whether we may most safely trust that Word of God or the Deluded Fancies of Men judge ye And as I have proved it from most express Scripture so I shall further prove it from those Metaphors the Scripture uses to express it As first It is frequently stiled a Coming a Metaphor or borrowed Expression from a Man walking from one place to another And from this two Considerations offer themselves for the confirming and illustrating the Truth I have affirmed for as no Man can act corporally till he is first alive so no Man can put forth such a vital Act as believing in Christ till Christ hath first infused into him a vital Principle and till then a Dead Man
Infants Faith AND RIGHT TO BAPTISM Proved from Scripture WITH THE Chief Objections against it Answered By John Hunt Pastor of a Particular Congregation in Northampton Isa 8.20 To the Law and to the Testimony if they speak not according to this Word it is because there is no Light in them Joh. 5.34 I receive not Testimony from Man 2 Tim. 4.3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound Doctrine Joh. 12.48 The word that I have spoken the same shall Judge him in the last Day LONDON Printed by R. Janeway and Sold by the Author THE EPISTLE TO THE READER Christian READER THou mayest well wonder that in this Day when the World can scarce contain the Books already Written that this Little Piece should croud in among the rest under my Hand And more especially on such a Subject as hath been so Frequently and Learnedly insisted on by so many Worthy Servants of Christ who have been daily bringing out of their Treasury concerning this Matter contained in this Book things New and Old and what can the Man say that cometh after the King But though it may seem strange on this Account yet I hope some Satisfactory Reasons may be produced why I have engaged in this Work For since the Providence of God hath cast my Lot at Northampton it hath no little concerned me to see how Generally the County is Infected not only with Anabaptism but also with those many and gross Errors which commonly that Doctrine is an inlet into and especially with that Soul-damning Error of Free-Will And not only so but even some among my own Flock over which the Holy Ghost hath made me Overseer though Blessed be God far enough from the Doctrine of Free-Will are dissatisfied about Infants Right to Baptism And for the sake of those I have Printed this not designing it if possible to be exposed beyond the extent of my Church and if it goes further I would have the Reader look upon it as having strayed beyond its designed Bounds And could no other Reason be given but this I think it may excuse me for since God hath set me a Watchman over this Flock I think my self bound as ever I hope to give up my Account with Joy to take all the Care of them I can and to do my utmost to reduce such as are wandering and to establish such as are wavering and to keep the Plague out of their Head as well as their Hands from being Defiled Judging a Blind Eye worse than a Lame Foot Errors in Judgment are like to be an inlet into continual Errors in Practice And as some of my People stand in need of information in this Point so there are some that desire to be informed which is no small Motive to me to Write And because I love not to spend my time in my Pulpit in Controverted Points I have therefore exposed my Sentiments to the meanest Capacity that can but Read But besides all this I have been importunately urged by several Friends whom I highly esteemed to Print this having seen the Copy who hope it may be Serviceable to the Church of God in the Neighbouring Parts and though I love to live an obscure Life and never could entertain one thought of appearing at so publick a Post tho' frequently in other Cases urged thereunto Yet for these Reasons I have been prevailed upon and while I find my Mind so strangely changed in this respect I would hope I have the Mind of God in it READER Though I have not studied to please this wanton Age having never affected Novelties in Matters of Religion but rather to stand and enquire for the Good Old Way and to Contend earnestly for the Faith once delivered to the Saints Yet I doubt not but much of what is contained herein will seem new to most Vulgar Capacities But as I judge it not safe to embrace any thing because new as is the Custom with many in our Day for thus we may be ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the Truth So on the other Hand I judge it dangerous to reject any Truth proved to be so from Scripture because it seems new or above our reach But however strange it may appear I could have cited several worthy Authors of my Judgment but I receive not my Testimony from Men. If therefore I have not proved what I have laid down from Scripture then reject it but if I have you are bound to receive it and not to look upon it as mine and must own 't is through your ignorance if it seems strange unto you I have not studied Eloquence in Composing of this nay rather I have studied to shun and avoid it and to speak in the Demonstration of the Spirit of God comparing Spiritual things with Spiritual that so the ensuing Discourse might the better suite with those for whom I designed it I hope Reader thou wilt find that I have managed this Discourse with all Mildness and Moderation and have only put a Genuine Construction on those many Texts I have cited and yet I cannot but fear this will enrage some Men who are lovers of a Party more than lovers of Truth who can easier cry up their own Opinions than solidly confute other Arguments As I did not intend in Writing this to Enter the List with any in a Publick Debate or to provoke any to make a Reply so if contrary to my expectation any of the common Disputants of our Age shall think good to Answer it I design to take no further notice of it than to Read it not doubting but they will be found to oppose God as well as me in the Judgment of any who esteem the Scripture as the Word of God or prefer it above their own Fancies and that while they open their Mouths to oppose the Truth so clearly proved they will but belch out their Arminian Tenets and as Raging Waves foam out their own shame and be as unsuccessful in their Attempts as those who never would cease endeavouring to set up Dagon in opposition to the Ark till only the Stump remained But however this may inrage others who know not what manner of Spirit they are of yet if it may but profit my own Flock I have gained my chief Design Which that it may shall be the Earnest and Continual Prayer of him who bears a dear Love and Affection to their Souls and who is willing to serve the advancing the Interest of Christ in the meanest Place in his House John Hunt Infants FAITH AND RIGHT TO BAPTISM Proved from Scripture c. THE Consideration of the unhappy Differences which are this Day among the People of God about the Doctrine of Infant Baptism whereby God is much dishonoured and the Adversaries Mouths opened to reproach the Ways and People of God whereby much time is spent in Controversies which might be better improved in giving diligence To make our Calling and Election sure and in helping
is more easily eradicated than a Grown Tree so in this Case Sin by Custom and Continuance gets root and though all things are equally possible to God yet to change an Old Sinner is most difficult in it self We may conceive a greater opposition in the Heart of Grown Persons to a Work of Grace than in Infants The longer we have been wedded to Sin the more unwilling we shall be to give it a Bill of Divorce and put it away So that Infants are as capable of Grace as Adult and more capable as to the Humane Conception of any unless Arminians And though 't is said Faith comes by hearing yet that only points out the ordinary way of God's Working Faith in Adult This directs us to our Duty but sets no bounds or limits to his Power God can work Faith other ways than by the hearing of the Ear if he will Thus having cleared my Proposition that Infants are capable of Faith I now come to confirm the Minor Proposition of my Argument which was this That the Infant Seed of Believers are such as we have good ground from Scripture to hope are Believers Before I proved Infants were capable of Faith now I come to prove some Infants have Faith which I prove thus Argument If some Infants get to Heaven then some Infants have Faith But some Infants do get to Heaven therefore some Infants have Faith 'T is possible that the Anabapatists may say That there is no necessity for Infants to have Faith in order to their getting to Heaven but I am loth to resign up such a Gospel Truth meerly because they have said it I shall lay down nothing but what I shall prove from plain Scripture and I shall expect the same of them especially in Matters of such grand Import And sure I am the Scripture no where affirms any such thing that any can get to Heaven without Faith-Nay Nay I am certain the whole Currant of Scripture doth in most express terms run directly contrary thereunto as I shall shew anon So that we cannot open our Mouths in Defence of such a Notion unless we dare even fight against God I grant indeed there are some Secrets in God's working in Infants yet this makes nothing against the Truth of the thing because we cannot comprehend it We cannot conceive the manner how God works Grace in Adult unless very imperfectly As John 3.8 the Wind Bloweth where it listeth and thou hearest the Sound thereof but canst not tell whence it cometh nor whither it goeth so is every one that is Born of the Spirit Mind every one Adult as well as Infants where Christ himself makes it as hard to know how God Regenerates as to give Account of the Wind which hath puzzled our wisest Philosophers We may feel the Wind refresh us and see the effects of it but cannot tell exactly how it is caused So in this Case we may find and feel the refreshing Influence of the Spirit in our selves and may see the effects of it in others yet can no more comprehend the manner of his working than we can conceive how the Body is formed in the Womb of her that is with Child Eccles 11.5 There you have these two compared Why then should it be thought incredible that God should Work Faith in Infants Though we cannot fully comprehend his way of Working God can make use of various ways to effect one and the same thing though in the mean time he gives us no account of his Matters His ways are in the deep Waters and his Footsteps are not known And sure I am if we must believe nothing but what we can fully comprehend the Articles of our Faith may stand in less room for what can we say as to the Trinity we are bound to believe such a thing because God hath revealed it but alas how little can we comprehend of Three in One or to the Hypostatical Union of Two Natures Personally united What shall we say as to the Resurrection of the Dead Of the Joys of Heaven or the Torments of Hell If nothing must be Believed but what we can comprehend we must blot out these and many more Articles of our Creed Is not this the way to Atheism if we must not believe God to be unless we can comprehend him since 't is but a little portion we have heard of him Job 26.14 and since none can by searching find out God to Perfection This is to prefer the Light within or Carnal Reason above the Word of God if we must not believe God's Word unless we can comprehend it Nay this is to make a Man worse than a Beast while he must not believe that which he sees Hence we must not believe such a thing as the Tide or Sun since though it is easie to see both yet we cannot fully comprehend either Nay at this rate we must not believe our selves to be Creatures since we cannot tell how we were formed in the dark Recesses of the Womb for we are said to be wonderfully made In a word by this Rule we must believe nothing because there is nothing but what doth in some respect or other exceed our shallow Understandings This is a Rule to be observed among all that profess themselves Christians whatever God reveals we are to believe though it be as far above the reach of our Reason as the Heavens are above the Earth since 't is impossible for God to Lie and Blasphemous for us to suppose he should and worse to suppose God to Lie than to suppose him not to be As once Plutarch said Malo de me dici nullum esse Plutarchum quam malum Plutarchum I had rather said he Man should say I am not than say I am wicked And therefore since God hath in his Word set forth the necessity of Grace and Faith in order to our getting to Glory we ought to Believe the one or to Despair of the other Some time since I was reading a Book put out by one of the most Learned of the Anabaptists and in that he owns the Sins of Children are done away and that some such if not all such do go to Heaven but most boldly affirms they are not done away in Regeneration But sure that Gentleman would have done well to have told us which way they are cleansed and not to leave so many tender-hearted Parents mourning for their deceased Infants as those without hope as they must needs do if they are not capable of Regeneration or if they cannot tell some others way how they may be fitted for Heaven But I perceive that Gentleman was resolved none should know his new-found way but himself let the effects be what they will But though he is thus unkind his Dear Brother Mr. C. seems to be a Man of a better Spirit and though he seems to agree with him in the former yet he tells us if we will believe him how Sin comes to be destroyed in Infants and that is saith he
of Baptism for since Baptism comes in the room of Circumcision the Subjects of that Ordinance were so well known they needed not to be again mentioned if an express Command is so necessary I would know what Command the Anabaptists can produce or instance either for to Baptize by Dipping I am certain they can produce no such Command in Scripture but they will reply Tho' they have neither Precept or President yet because the Word signifies so therefore they do it so say I to say nothing now how variously that Word is used as to Baptizing Infants Tho' we have no express Precept in so many Words or President yet because we have many Words and great part of some Chapters too in Scripture that signifie to us that some Infants have been and ought to be Baptized therefore I do it and why Significations and Meanings in Scripture may not be allowed to us as well as them I see not And thus having produced plain Scripture for Infant Baptism since nothing less will do or at least I conceive as plain as can be produced to Baptize Adult I shall conclude this Point touching the Subject with a reasonable Request to my Christian Friend the Anabaptists which is that either they would receive the Doctrine laid down or give some plain Scripture to prove something of what I have laid down to be falfe and if they will not comply with my Request that which I have often feared will too evidently appear to be a Truth that it is Love to a Party more than to the Truth that hath made them so earnestly contend I have often observed 't is no easie Matter to convince some Men of Truth when they have been accustomed to Error they scorn to be informed by others the Pride of their Hearts makes them shut their Eyes that they will not see and we say none are so blind as they that will not see and if this Spirit or Ignorance do not prevail with my Reader I hope he and I shall be both of one Mind for the time to come which will be the Joy of my Heart yet not so much that I have gained the Cause I have been contending for as that this unhappy Controversie is like to be ended and my Friends the Anabaptists brought to the Acknowledgment of the Truth as it is in Jesus Having finished my Discourse as to the Subject of Baptism I designed at first to proceed no further but to the end that nothing may be wanting for the full Satisfaction of such as desire it about the whole of Baptism I shall make some brief Enquiry as to the manner how this Ordinance ought to be Administred whether by Dipping only or otherwise for I never expect that the Anabaptists should resignup their beloved Errors so long as they have any thing which looks like a Strong Hold to shelter them And therefore knowing how earnestly they contend about the Manner how as well as the Subject who I shall a little insist on that also And though perhaps my Reader may cry Victory before he read any further yet I would desire him to forbear Boasting at least till he put off the Harness lest all that hear him in the end Laugh at him Now the Grand Plea of the Anabaptists for Dipping is the word in the Original signifies so But what if the only Reply to them in this Case should be the same they give to us in other Cases Give me a plain Scripture since Significations and doubtful Meanings are of no force with them But referring my Reader to the late Portsmouth Disputation about the Signification of the word by Mr. Chandler c. not being willing to trouble my Reader with any thing of this Nature in my Book which he may read in another I shall keep to plain Scripture since that is most like to convince the common sort of Readers and shall consider if the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it is used by Christ and his Apostles whom we must suppose well knew how to use proper words to express their meaning can with any shew of reason always signifies Dipping under Water but to prevent all mistakes and that the difference may not be by any supposed to be greater than it is if it be enquired whether it may not in some case be lawful to Baptize by Dipping I grant it may but the Question is whether we may not as lawfully Baptize some other way This the Anabaptists deny and I affirm and hope I shall prove by these following Texts Acts 1.5 John Baptized with Water Now while 't is said with Water not in Water it seems to imply he did not Dip them only made use of Water in that Ordinance for how improper would it be to say I Dipped such a thing with Water But not at all to say I wash'd such a thing with Water when we only sprinkle it or throw Water upon it See another Text Mark 7.4 And when they come from the Market unless they wash they Eat not Those words unless they wash are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unless they Baptize and the Words of Tables in the end of the Verse is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Beds Now it is scarce consistent with Reason to suppose that they should so frequently dip their Beds If they did we may suppose them very unfit to lye on for some time The Pharisees had such a proud conceit of themselves that they thought if they did but deal with others they are defiled by so doing and therefore after they came from the Market they were to wash their Hands with which they had delivered any thing to or received any thing from others but that they should on all such occasions Dip themselves wholly under Water seems to be both incredible and ridiculous and yet this is in the Original called a Baptizing as you have heard All I have found answered to this is that in washing they Dipped their Hands and so it was Dipping still though not the whole Body To which I answer In washing our Hands we are not wont to Dip them unless some part of them So that all they can from hence inferr is that some little part of the Body ought to be Dipped in Baptism as much as the Hands or Fingers end why then do the Anabaptists impose Dipping the whole Body and hazard the Life by so doing when it might as well be some little Part of the Body only If they love Peace why do they not shew themselves willing to comply with us as far as they can with a good Conscience since they are forced from this Scripture to own there is no necessity from the signification of the Word to Dip or Plung the whole Body under Water Another Text to be considered is 1 Cor. 10.2 And where all Baptized into Moses in the Clouds and in the Sea But can we suppose they were dipped in the Cloud On the other hand doth not the falling of the Rain from
our consent to Christ is the effect of his consent to us I must leave it to my Reader to judge Or the Substance of this Question is this whether the Soul is first Active or Passive They that affirm that the Soul comes to Christ in its Sins unrenewed make the Soul first Active they who say the Soul acts as a renewed Soul make it first Passive which is such an undoubted Truth that I dare venture my Salvation on it and I hope I have clear Scripture on my side John 5.25 Verily verily I say unto you the Hour is coming and now is when the Dead shall hear the Voice of the Son of God and they that hear shall Live Which cannot be meant only of the Resurrection of the Body because it is said the Hour now is but it hath respect to the quickening of the Soul from the Death in Sin And it clearly proves that Christ finds the Soul Dead when he comes to put forth this Quickening Voice for look as with Lazarus Christ calls him while Dead Lazarus come forth and by this Call infuses Life into him and so enables him to come forth Had another called he might have wasted his Lungs in calling before he would have stirred So Christ calls us when Dead in Sin and with the call puts Life into us and so enables us to hear and obey his Voice Ephes 2.1 You hath he quickened c. Then it seems Christ quickened them and indeed if he do not we cannot and as Gahazi could only lay the Staff on the Face of the Child but could not put Life into him till the Prophet came 2 Kings 4.31,32,33 so till Christ the great Prophet bring home the Word to the Heart we call and cry in vain we can but Prophecy over dry Bones but that Breath that quickens them is from the Lord Ezek. 37.5 Hence Christ the Second Adam is called a quickening Spirit 1 Cor. 15.45 And to prove yet further that the Soul is first Passive before it is Active We have another most clear Text Eph. 2.10 For we are his Workmanship created in Christ Jesus c. Mind we are created Now you know that in Creation we were Passive as the Clay in the Hand of the Potter Man cannot be supposed to have any Hand in Creating of himself so that as Man was first purely Passive in the Hand of God and must receive a Natural Life before he could perform a Natural Action so is the Soul as purely passive while God infuses the first Grace whereby the Soul is enabled to put forth that vital Act of coming to Christ so Rom. 10.20 I was found of them that sought me not I was made manifest unto them that asked not after me I cannot but pity such deluded Souls as receive the Doctrine I am confuting for a Doctrine of Free-Grace who are ever Learning and never able to come to the Knowledge of the Truth It 's a sore Judgment to be given over to believe a Lie and to be left to feed on a Stone instead of Bread and not to be able to discern between a Fish to nourish us and a Scorpion to sting us I have observed one great difference in Doctrine among some Dissenters whereby Meeting is set up against Meeting in the same Town to the great dishonour of God and hindrance to Religion lyes in this Some affirm what I have proved and are therefore termed Dark Legal Muddy Preachers the others look upon themselves to be the only Gospel Preachers because they cry down all Qualifications in the Soul when it comes to Christ Gracious ones not excepted But who will be best able to defend their Doctrine at the Great Day I hope by what hath been spoken you will be able to Judge if they mean what they say or indeed know what they say The difference between us is this they own Christ to be the Purchaser of all our Benefits so do I but here we differ they say we must go to him in all our Sins for them I say he that purchased them doth enable us to come to him and so I attribute the Application to him also and now judge who Preaches Free Grace most clearly I make Christ the Alpha and Omega the Beginning and the End they make him only the Beginning and affirm that if Sinners do not come as they are they must be Damned If Christ saves none but such as come to him thus in their Sins that is by their own power for if Sinners are acted by the Power of God then they do not come as they are what a Remnant will be saved A Remnant did I say Nay I dare affirm if that be true not one Soul shall be saved Man is naturally unwilling to come to Christ John 5.40 And ye will not come to me that ye might have Life Which Text only proves there is a Will in Man not to come to Christ though it be for Life they will Die rather and how hard a thing do Ministers find it to perswade Souls to come to Christ Now if this is the Nature of all then those whose Wills are not changed will never come and if their Wills are changed by a Divine Power and they so enabled to come then they do not come in their Sins in an unchanged State only God can change the Will as in Psal 110.3 They shall be a willing People in the Day of thy Power How little is Christ beholden to such who would frustrate his design in Dying He expected a Seed for to serve him as the effect of his Sufferings But at this rate he must have none unless they come to him upon the weak Legs of their own Free-Will They will give Christ the Honour to lay down his Life for the Sheep but deny that it is he which goes into the Wilderness to seek them or that it is he that brings the Lost Sheep home upon his Shoulders No say they the lost Sheep must come home of it self or Perish The Son of Man is come to seek and to save that which was lost Luke 19.10 And they who own him to be a Saviour and deny him to be a Seeker do virtually deny him to be a Saviour For as it is observed of Sheep when once they stray from the Fold they never return again of themselves so now we are gone astray from God if he will Save us he must Seek us hence Jeremiah 2.24 Man is compared to the Wild Ass to denote I conceive thus much that as that Creature will never come to Hand till such time as she is in Pain to bring forth so Man will never return from his Wilderness State till he feel the Pangs of the New Birth in his Soul Now though I cannot but hope many that differ from me in this Point are dear to God holding this Notion out of Ignorance or Blind Zeal and that they are upon a good Foundation yet I am verily perswaded this Doctrine they defend will