A47448:108
A counter-antidote, to purge out the malignant effects of a late counterfeit, prepared by…
A counter-antidote, to purge out the malignant effects of a late counterfeit, prepared by Mr. Giles Shute ... being an answer to his vindication of his pretended Antidote to prevent the prevalency of Anabaptism, showing that Mr. Hercules Collins's reply to the said author remains unanswered : wherein the baptism of believers is evinced to be God's ordinance, and the baptized congregations proved true churches of Jesus Christ : with a further detection of the error of pedo-baptism : to which is added, An answer to Mr. Shute's reply to Mr. Collins's half-sheet / by Benjamin Keach.A counter-antidote, to purge out the malignant effects of a late counterfeit, prepared by Mr. Gyles Shute ... being an answer to his vindication of his pretended Antidote to prevent the prevalency of Anabaptism, shewing that Mr. Hercules Collins's reply to the said author remains unanswered : wherein the baptism of believers is evinced to be God's ordinance, and the baptized congregations proved true churches of Jesus Christ : with a further detection of the error of pedo-baptism : to which is added, An answer to Mr. Shute's reply to Mr. Collins's half-sheet / by Benjamin Keach.
London: printed for H. Bernard, 1694
Chapter 2: Wherein Mr. Shutes Reply to Mr. Hercules Collins Answer about habitual Faith is conside…
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
6. If Infants believe they know the object of their Faith; can any believe in him, whom they know not? Faith all Men (I think) agree has its Seat in the will and understanding, the understanding is illuminated and sees the need, necessity and excellency of Jesus Christ, and so assents that he is the only Saviour as well as the Will consents, bends and bows down in subjection to him: And can any either young or old be said to be Believers or to have Faith, and yet in them is nothing of this? But say you Page 22. For as much as the Creature is wholly passive in the reception of grace, and Christ is all in all, from the foundation of Mans Salvation to the topstone, therefore a young Child in the Womb or Cradle is as capable of being born again as well as an old one, for both young and old are dead in sin and Trespasses before they are converted.
Answer, You seem to refer to the Almighty power of God: 'Tis very true, he can if he please infuse grace into a Babe in the Womb or Cradle, nay of Stones raise up Children to Abraham; but the question is not what God can do, but what God doth do: Though we do believe the creature is passive in the first reception. ⟨p. 14⟩of Grace, yet how do you prove God doth regenerate Infants in the Womb or Cradle? Gods Grace is infused into fit and proper subjects; and tho the Grace by which we believe is from God, yet 'tis the Creature that doth believe. Why do we say that Irrational creatures are not fit Soil for the Seed of the word? is it not because they have no understanding? and tho' Infants have rational Souls yet till they come to maturity they have no knowledge nor understanding; the design of God in sowing the Seed or Habit of Grace is, that the Fruits thereof may be produced and brought forth: But you must say the Fruits of grace do not appear in Babes, which is Love, Joy, Peace, Longsuffering Gentleness, Goodness, Faith, Meekness, Temperance, &c. Gal. 5. 22. Nor is it possible it should without a Miracle.
Answer, You seem to refer to the Almighty power of God: 'Tis very true, he can if he please infuse grace into a Babe in the Womb or Cradle, nay of Stones raise up Children to Abraham; but the question is not what God can do, but what God doth do: Though we do believe the creature is passive in the first reception.