cannot help it It is either because he could not or would not Not because he would not for that would argue little warmth for his own way yea a kind of betraying his Cause I will conclude he is more true to his own Principle therefore some say Ergo in the Negative he could not but if he can the Press is yet open for him or any other and if he be conscious to himself he cannot respond to it let him fall in with the Counsel therein given AS for the Eight Queries they are reducible to Five because the 4th 7th and 8th are all of one import As for the major part of those Queries they affect not us only he makes a Man of Straw and fights with it or his own shadow 'T is certainly an Argument of profound Confidence for a man to pretend to the World the discovery of the Errors of a People whose Principles he knows no more comparatively than I know Vtopia or else why doth he begin with this question Whether it be possible for children dying in their Infancy to be saved But if it be not from Ignorance then it is from a worse Root for it 's apparent enough that he labours to insinuate unto the world as if we imagined no Infants dying in their Infancy unbaptized could be saved but if his Book were well considered he rather deserves Austin's Title the hard Father of Infants Now tho I know none of another mind but that Children must stand in the Day of Judgment before God's Tribunal yet his Topicks and Mediums I think are not sound to prove it by He quotes a Text which tells us That every person shall be judged according to his Works This Text cannot affect little Infants which have no Works good nor bad Was the Scripture written for the sake of Infants or the Adult Was not this written to the end Men should look to their Works that they might give a good Account It is well this Man is not the Peoples Eyes for if he were I fear they would be all quickly with him in the Ditch of Error What! because Rev. 20.12 saith I saw the dead small and great stand before God that therefore the Small here are little Infants The latter is exegetical of the former every one being judged according to his Works argues That the small are either the poor opposed to the rich in the world or those not come to the perfection of Men in opposition to them which were yet knew good and evil so were judged every one according to his Works Those in this Text are judged according to their Works but little Infants have no Works good nor bad therefore they cannot be here intended THE second Query is Whether Infants are saved by any other way than by Faith in the Imputed Righteousness of Christ In page 5. he asserts Infants are saved by Habitual Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ That Infants are saved by Christ we have asserted because we know of no other Name but Jesus but that they are saved by Faith Habitual Faith in Christ I must confess I never read it in all the Book of God I wish he could shew me the Chapter where Christ said any such thing That Infants are Saved by Habitual Faith What! would this Man make a New Bible have a new Rule to tell us of things never heard of Had he the Notion by Inspiration he should have told us so Now I do not wonder the man is so well pleased with an unscriptural Baptism when he asserts an unscriptural way of saving Infants and yet this Gentleman will adventure to prove this in such a way and by such Topicks and Mediums that both the Universities could hardly ever think of for he brings to make good this Thesis all those Scriptures which speak of the absolute necessity of the Adult of Men and Womens Regeneration and believing and applies them all unto little Infants as that in Mark 16.16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved but he that believeth not shall be damned We have not left out the latter part of the Words now for I remember the false charge But to this Text in Mark when Christ gave a Commission to his Apostles to go into all the World to preach the Gospel and to inform them If they believed and were baptized they should be saved but if they believed not they should be damned were they to preach this to little Infants That they were to believe upon the penalty of Damnation I do not say baptized upon the penalty of Damnation tho you have unwarily asserted some of us are like the Jews in Judea who asserted no Circumcision no Salvation so no Baptism no Salvation But to our business it seems Ministers are bound to go into the World and preach to Infants as well as the Adult that they believe upon the penalty of Damnation for this is the great Text brought once and again for Infants Baptism because they have faith but how came they by it was it by hearing the word preached according to the Commission in that place No no saith the good man 't is habitual Faith inspired Why then doth he bring this Text because he is almost at his Wits end and famished for want of Arguments and so will catch at any thing PRAY take one argument to think on before we go further If none are here intended in Mark 16. but Men and Women Capable to Hear and actually to Believe the Gospel of Christ then Infant Habitual Faith is not here intended but the former is true therefore the Latter you see the mans great Bullwark is thrown down at once It is a wonder to me that a man who hath been so long a profest Christian should be so long ignorant of the word of God what was the Scripture Calculated and written for to be preached 〈…〉 why then did he not carry his children when Infants to 〈…〉 saith no the Gospel was not written for Infants why then doth he bring that Text that hath no manner of relation to Infants but only to the Adult You are in the pound Sir get out if you can Then he comes with a home question But may some say how shall we know that Infants have habitual faith How shall we know it indeed for my part I cannot tell how I wish this Gentleman could ell me for he hath oftentimes asserted no Faith no Salvation neither for Old or Young But how do you think he Answers this question by asking another and as weakly answering it How do we know any children saith he are saved but by the Judgment of charity and some Scriptural Intimations Ah poor man this had been better in then out by some Scriptural Intimations pray give us some Scriptual Intimations that Infants have faith and we will say no more Your bringing a Prophecy of Christ out of the 22 Psalm 9 10. will not do it and though I give you all you can desire that it
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
eâ—se to their Peril be it who Constitute Churches any other way or Initiate Members contrary to the Apostolick Practice Arg. 4. THAT which is contrary to the Doctrine and Practice of John Christ and his Apostles is of Human Invention BUT the Baptism of Infants is contrary to the Doctrine and Practice of John Christ and his Apostles ergo the Baptism of Infants is of Human Invention FOR the Minor That the Baptism of Infants is contrary to the Doctrine and Practice of John Christ and his Apostles the whole New Testament Witnesseth That the Subjects of this Ordinance were Understanding Believers not Ignorant Infants and Dipping not Sprinkling the manner of Administration and therefore the consequence of the Major is true That Infant Baptism is of Human Invention Arg. 5. That Practice which hath no Promise Annexed unto it either of Sins Remissâ—on Divine Presenâ—e the Gift of the Holy Ghost nor Salvation cannot be of God or Divine Appointment BUT Pedo-Baptism hath no Promise annexed unto it either of Sins Remission Divine Presence the Gift of the Holy Ghost nor Salvation ergo Pedo Baptism cannot be of God or Divine Appointment Arg. 6. That Practice in the Church which hath the Promise of sins Remission Divine Presence the Gift of the Holy Ghost and Salvation annexed unto it is of God and Divine Authority BUT the Baptism of Believers upon Profession of Faith hath the Promise of Sins Remission Divine Presence the Gift of the Holy Ghost and Salvation annexed unto it Mat. 28.18 Acts 2.38 Mark 16.16 Ergo The Baptism of Believers upon Profession of Faith is of God and Divine Authority Arg. 7. THAT manner of Administration of Baptism which no way answers the Commission nor Intention of Christ the Law-maker cannot be Authentick BUT the Administration of Baptism by Sprinkling Pouring or Dropping doth no way answer the Commission nor Intention of Christ the Law-maker ergo the Administration of Baptism by Sprinkling Pouring or Dropping is not Authentick The Minor is clear That the Administration of Baptism by Sprinkling Dropping or Pouring doth no way answer Christ the Law maker's Commission because he Commands the Subject to be Dipt Immersed Buried in pursuance of which Command the Apostles did always so Practice Secondly It can no way answer the intention of Christ the Law-giver because his Intention was That it should be a lively representation of the Death Burial and Resurrection of Christ together with the Believers Death to Sin and a Resurrection to a new Life all which appears Rom. 6.1 2 3 4 5 6. Colos 2 12. Now what Similitude or likeness is between Sprinkling and Christ's Death Burial and Resurrection I leave to all the Judicious to consider would Christ take such care to have his Death set forth in Lively Figures at the Lord's Table in breaking Bread and pouring out Wine And would Christ appoint a Dead Figure in Baptism No no. Arâ— 8. THAT Baptism which hath manifest Absurdities cannot be of God But the Baptism of Infants hath manifold Absurdities ergo the Baptism of Infants cannot be of God The Minor is thus proved It 's full of Absurdities because asserted by some That persons have Regeneration in their Baptism before Vocation and may be visible Church Members before Conversion moreover that persons may be baptised by anothers Faith and making a National Gospel-Church instead of a Congregational and bringing in a Carnal Fleshly Seed into Christ's Church in the room of a Spiritual Seed That Faith and Repentance is required of persons before baptised yet confess that Children unto whom they apply it have neither Again They profess that Baptism is a Demonstration of a Spiritual Marriage between God and the Believer and yet Assign it unto One as uncapable of such a thing as a Stock or Stone Moreover that the Baptismal Covenant enters into the Visible Church yet deny Church Members the Lord's Supper Arg. 9. That Baptism that Introduceth Gross Errors into the Church cannot be Divine but Human. But the Baptism of Infants introduceth gross Errors into the Church ergo the Baptism of Infants cannot be Divine but Humane The Minor thus appears of its introducing Errors It was first used to wash away Original Sin which nothing but Christ's Blood could do Again It 's used to work Grace and Regeneration and Effect Salvation by the Work done and against all sence some say It is an Apostolical Tradition and that Children have Faith are Disciples of Christ that all Children of believers are in the Covenant of Grace defiling and polluting the Church with false matter and confounding the Church and the World together introducing many Traditions and Inventions of Anti-christ with it as Gossips or Sureties Bishoping or Confirmation Chrism Exorcism Consignation finally it hath made a great deal of Contention in the World and filled many with prejudice Arg. 10. The proper Subjects of Baptism are such who are capable of hearing the Word and Teaching of Repenting Confessing of Sin believing in Christ and doing it as Christ's Commission a part of Gospel Righteousness as Gods Councel and as the Answer of a good Conscience and ought to do it as a Symbol of Christ's Death and Resurrection together with our own Death unto Sin and Resurrectito a New Life ergo Infants are not the proper Subjects of Baptism Mr. Perkins saith The Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Interrogation 1 Pet. 3.21 of a good Conscience signifieth a Stipulation or Promise which the person Baptised makes in Baptism and further saith He hath a double Interrogation one from the Minister which he Conscientiously Answers to perform the things Covenanted and the other Interrogation is of his Conscience unto God whether he will accept him if he Dedicate himself as his Faithful Servant tho a poor miserable sinner But how can these things affect Little Infants How doth it appear they have the Answer of a good Conscience in Baptism To Conclude Courteous Reader I pray grant me one request and that is That you would be pleased to take my book of Baptism and consider my Antagonist's Answer unto it I also desire you would seriously compare my Answer with his Book and I hope you will find noâ—hing material left unanswered tho he hath not spoken to the Matter contain'd in three pages of one Hundred Thirty and Nine of my Book of Baptism pray consider if he doth give any Answer to my Answer or whether he saith any thing to the Arguments or Argumentative part of my Books and be not put off with Shadows instead of Substance nor with a Shell instead of a Kernel for you have Reasonable Souls do not therefore suffer your selves to be imposed upon to take Brass for Gold Non-sence for Reason nor mens Inventions for Gods Institutions but like the Noble Beraeans search the Scriptures to see whether those things be so or no and believe nothing because I or any other Man saith it but because Divine Writ affirms it In so doing you shall profit your self and oblige him who wisheth you Everlasting Prosperity FINIS Advertisement CHrist alone Exalted being the compleat Works of Tobias Crisp D.D. containing XLII Sermons on several Select Texts of Scriptures Which were formerly Printed in Three small Volumes by that late Eminent and Faithful Dispenser of God's Word Who was sometime Minister at Brinkworth in Wiltshire and afterward many of the Sermons were Preached in and about London To which is added Ten Sermons whereof Eight were never before Printed faithfully transcribed from his own Notes Which is all that ever will be Printed of the said Doctor 's The Texts of Scripture of the late Addition are as follow viz. Serm. I. John xx 19 Blessed are they that haâ—e not seen and yet have believed Serm. II. Rom. viij 32. He that spared not his own Son but delivered him up for us all how shall be not with him also freely give us all things Serm. III. IV V VI. the Matter being undivided Titus ij 11 12 For the Grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts we should live soberly righteously and godly in this present world Serm. VII Amos iv 12. Because I will do this unto thee prepare thy self to meet thy God O Israel Serm. VIII Matt. xvi 24. If any man will come after me let him deny himself Serm. IX Gal. iij. 5. Wherefore then serveth the Law it was added because of transgression till the seed should come to whom the promise was made Serm. X. Mr. Brunsel's Funeral Sermon on Gal. i. 8. Mollificium Chirurgie or the Marrow of Chirurgery An Anatomical Treatise Institutions of Physick with Hippocrates's Aphorisms largely Commented upon The Marrow of Physick shewing the Causes Signs and Cures of most Diseases incident to humane Bodies Choice experienced Receipts for the Cure of several Distempers The Fourth Edition enlarged with many Additioâ—s and purged from many saults that escaped in the former Impressions Illustrated in its several parts with twelve Brass Cuts By James Cooke of Warwick Practitioner in Physick and Chirurgery Both Printed for William Marshall at the Bible in Newgate-Street