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.
Benjamin Keach 1640–1704London: printed for H. Bernard, 1694
[2], 54, 8 p. · 48k words · Wing K54 · ESTC R18808
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.
The Major is clear, Acts 2, 8, 10, 16 Chapters; and 'tis also asserted by the Church of England. What is required of Persons to be baptized? that's the Question. The Answer is, Repentance, whereby they forsake Sin, and Faith, whereby they steadfastly believe the Promise of God made to them in that Sacrament.
The Major is clear, Acts 2, 8, 10, 16 Chapters; and 'tis also asserted by the Church of England. What is required of Persons to be baptized? that's the Question. The Answer is, Repentance, whereby they forsake Sin, and Faith, whereby they stedfastly believe the Promise of God made to them in that Sacrament.
Arg. 5. That Practice that tends not to the Glory of God, nor to the Profit of the Child, when done, nor in after-times when grown up, but may prove hurtful and of a dangerous Nature to him, ca••c• be a Truth of God. But the Practice of Infant-Baptism tends not to the Glory of God▪ nor to the Profit of the Child when baptized, nor in after-times when grown up, but may prove hurtful and of a dangerous Nature to him. Ergo. See Levit. 10. 1, 2. where Moses told Aaron, because his Sons had done that which God commanded them not, that God would be sanctified […] all that drew […] unto him; intimating, that such who did that which God commanded not, did not sanctify or glorify God therein. Can God be glorified by Man's Disobedience, or by adding to his Word; by doing that which God hath not required?
. In vain do you worship me, teaching for Doctrine the Commandments of Men: and that that Practice
⟨p. 2⟩
doth profit the Child, none can prove from God's Word: And in after-times when grown up, it may cause the Person to think he was thereby made a Christian, &c. and brought into the Covenant of Grace, and had it sealed to him, nay, thereby regenerated, and that Infants are thereby ingrafted also into Christ's Church. Sure all understanding Men know Baptism of Believers is not called Regeneration, but only metonymically, it being a Figure of Regeneration. But they ignorantly affirm also, that Infants then have a federal Holiness; as if this imagined Holiness comes in by the Child's Covenant in Baptism, which may prove hurtful and dangerous to them, and cause them to think Baptism confers Grace, which is a great Error. How can Water, saith Mr. Charnock, an external thing, work upon the Soul physically? Nor can it, saith he, be proved, that ever the Spirit of God is tied by any Promise, to apply himself to the Soul in a gracious Operation, when Water is applied to the Body: If it were so, then all that were baptized were regenerated, then all that were baptized should be saved, or else the Doctrine of Perseverance falls to the Ground. Some indeed, says he, say, 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 and asleep so many Years, &c. is not easily conceived. On Regen. p. 75.
Arg. 5. That Practice that tends not to the Glory of God, nor to the Profit of the Child, when done, nor in after-times when grown up, but may prove hurtful and of a dangerous Nature to him, ca••c• be a Truth of God. But the Practice of Infant-Baptism tends not to the Glory of God▪ nor to the Profit of the Child when baptized, nor in after-times when grown up, but may prove hurtful and of a dangerous Nature to him. Ergo. See Levit. 10. 1, 2. where Moses told Aaron, because his Sons had done that which God commanded them not, that God would be sanctified 〈…〉 all that drew 〈…〉 unto him; intimating, that such who did that which God commanded not, did not sanctify or glorify God therein. Can God be glorified by Man's Disobedience, or by adding to his Word; by doing that which God hath not required? Matth. 16. 9. In vain do you worship me, teaching for Doctrine the Commandments of Men: and that that Practice ⟨p. 2⟩doth profit the Child, none can prove from God's Word: And in after-times when grown up, it may cause the Person to think he was thereby made a Christian, &c. and brought into the Covenant of Grace, and had it sealed to him, nay, thereby regenerated, and that Infants are thereby ingrafted also into Christ's Church. Sure all understanding Men know Baptism of Believers is not called Regeneration, but only metonymically, it being a Figure of Regeneration. But they ignorantly affirm also, that Infants then have a federal Holiness; as if this imagined Holiness comes in by the Child's Covenant in Baptism, which may prove hurtful and dangerous to them, and cause them to think Baptism confers Grace, which is a great Error. How can Water, saith Mr. Charnock, an external thing, work upon the Soul physically? Nor can it, saith he, be proved, that ever the Spirit of God is tied by any Promise, to apply himself to the Soul in a gracious Operation, when Water is applied to the Body: If it were so, then all that were baptized were regenerated, then all that were baptized should be saved, or else the Doctrine of Perseverance falls to the Ground. Some indeed, says he, say, that Regeration 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 and asleep so many Years, &c. is not easily conceived. On Regen. p. 75.
Arg. 6. If the Church of England says, that Faith and Repentance are required of all that ought to be baptized, and in so saying, speak truly, and yet Infants can't perform those things; then Infants ought not to be baptized. But the Church of England says, that Faith and Repentance are required of all such, &c. and speak truly, and yet Infants cannot perform these things. Ergo, Infants ought not to be baptized.
Answ. If Suretyship for Children in Baptism is not required of God, and the Sureties do not, cannot perform those things for the Child: then Suretyship is not of God, and so signifies nothing, but is an unlawful and sinful Undertaking. But Suretyship in Children's Baptism is not required of God, and they do not, cannot perform what they promise. Ergo.
Answ. If Suretiship for Children in Baptism is not required of God, and the Sureties do not, cannot perform those things for the Child: then Suretiship is not of God, and so signifies nothing, but is an unlawful and sinful Undertaking. But Suretiship in Childrens Baptism is not required of God, and they do not, cannot perform what they promise. Ergo.
Do they, or can they cause the Child to forsake the Devil and all his Works, the Pomps and Vanities of this wicked World; and all the sinful Lusts of the Flesh? In a Word; Can they make the Child or Children to repent and truly believe in Jesus Christ? for these are the things they promise for them, and in their Name. Alas, they want Power to do it for themselves, and how then should they do it for others? Besides, we see they never mind nor regard their Covenant in the Case: and will not God one Day say, Who has required these things at your Hands?
Do they, or can they cause the Child to sorsake the Devil and all his Works, the Pomps and Vanities of this wicked World; and all the sinful Lusts of the Flesh? In a Word; Can they make the Child or Children to repent and truly believe in Jesus Christ? for these are the things they promise for them, and in their Name. Alas, they want Power to do it for themselves, and how then should they do it for others? Besides, we see they never mind nor regard their Covenant in the Case: and will not God one Day say, Who has required these things at your Hands?
Arg. 7. If there be no Precedent in the Scripture, (as there is no Precept) that any Infant was baptized, then Infants ought not to be baptized. But there is no Precedent that any Infant was baptized in the Scripture. Ergo.
The Magdeburgenses say, That concerning the baptizing the Adult, both Jews and Gentiles, we have sufficient Proof from Acts 2, 8, 10, 16 Chapters; but as to the baptizing of Infants, they can meet with no Example in Scripture. Magdeb. Cent. l. 2. p. 469.
Dr. Taylor saith, It is against the perpetual Analogy of Christ's Doctrine to baptize Infants: For besides that Christ never gave any Precept to baptize them, nor ever himself ⟨p. 3⟩nor his Apostles (that appears) did baptize any of them: All that either he or his Apostles said concerning it, requires such previous Dispositions of Baptism, of which Infants are not capable, viz. Faith and Repentance. Lib. Proph. p. 239.
Arg. 8. If whatsoever which is necessary to Faith and Practice is left in the Holy Scripture, that being a complete and perfect Rule, and yet Infant-Baptism is not contained or to be found therein, then Infant-Baptism is not of God. But whatever is necessary to Faith and Practice, is contained in the Holy Scriptures, &c. but Infant-Baptism is not to be found therein. Ergo.
Arg. 8. If whatsoever which is necessary to Faith and Practice is left in the Holy Scripture, that being a compleat and perfect Rule, and yet Infant-Baptism is not contained or to be found therein, then Infant-Baptism is not of God. But whatever is necessary to Faith and Practice, is contained in the Holy Scriptures, &c. but Infant-Baptism is not to be found therein. Ergo.
