The Infants Advocate Against the Cruel Doctrine of the Presbyterians, Part 2
Diviſ. 2.
And becauſe it may be moſt convenient to treat of Regeneration in this place, we will here conſider Mr. F's Arguments to prove that Infants have Faith and Repentance. His firſt Argument is as followeth.
Arg. 1. If all, even adult Perſons, are paſſive in the work of Regeneration, then Infants are capable of Regeneration. But the Antecedent is true.
Anſw. 1. Here we are told that grown Perſons are paſſive (that is, they do nothing at all) in the work of Regeneration; this is the meaning of his Antecedent. Now if this be true, as he ſays it is, then if they do nothing, they neither hear the Word, nor believe it, nor repent, nor hate nor turn from Sin; for theſe are at leaſt ſome of the parts of the work of Regeneration. Now I would fain know who is active in all this, if the Party regenerate be not? St. Paul tells us, With the Heart Man believeth unto Righteouſneſs, and with the Mouth Confeſſion is made unto Salvation, Rom. 10. 10. When Peter ſhewed the Jews their Sin, and preached Chriſt to them, they were pricked to the Heart: Now obſerve, they came to hear the Word, they gave Audience, they gave Credit to it, God bleſſed the Word with Power: Now they cry out, What ſhall we do? Peter exhort them to repent, &c. and they gladly receive his word, and had the waſhing of Regeneration the ſame day. Now let God have the Glory of this, and all Converſions, who is the firſt Mover in it, and the Efficient Cauſe of it; yet he is abſurd that will ſay, Man is as paſſive as an Infant that can neither hear, nor receive any Inſtruction at all. And therefore I deny his Antecedent, it is not true, the Adult are ſome way active in the work of Converſion; yea all that know the work, do know what wreſtling with Corruption is, and how unable they are to overcome in the Conflict with Satan and Fleſh, without Supernatural Strength, or Aid from Heaven, but yet They act, and wait for help in all their actings.
2. Men are commanded to hear, that their Souls may live, Iſa. 55. If they hear and obey not, they ſin againſt God, Rom. 10. 16, 17, 18. We grant that the Power Converting, is not of the Creature; We are not ſufficient of our ſelves to think any thing as of our ſelves. All our Faculties are given us of God. It's our duty to put theſe Faculties into Act; to hear, repent, and believe, is Man's Duty. It is not the Duty of Infants to hear, repent, believe, &c. therefore they are not regenerated this way. What you urge from the Shunamite's Son and Lazarus, being both dead, and ſo equally paſſive as to riſe from Death, is wholly impertinent, and being put into Argument, is falſe; for thus you muſt argue, if you ſay any thing, Infants dead are as capable to riſe as the Adult, being dead. Ergo, They are as capable of hearing, beleiving, and repenting as the Adult. The Conſequence is falſe; many Inſtances we have of the Adult, who hear, believe, and repent; but no Inſtance of one Infant ever regenerated this way.
3. As for your captious Demands about our being quickned, &c. you may well ſpare them, till you give better Evidence of your own Converſion; for your Books do evidently ſhew, that a jeering idle Spirit has dominion in you. Howbeit this we ſay; The Original Cauſe of our Converſion, is the Love of God: The meritorious Cauſe, is the Blood of Chriſt: The miniſterial Cauſe, is the Evidence of Truth, or the Word of Truth: The efficient Cauſe, is the Power of God's Grace, John 1. 12. The formal Cauſe, is believing and obeying the Truth through the Spirit: The final Cauſe, is God's Glory and our Salvation; to the obtaining of which all our Faculties of Hearing, Underſtanding, Will, and Affection, are given us of God to be put into Act. This is not required of Infants; and how they are ſanctified by the Spirit, God only knoweth.
4. But now, ſaith Mr. Firmin, I will not have him for my God, who cannot moſt omnipotently make me both will, and do what he will.
But I reply, Theſe are great ſwelling words of Vanity, and nothing to the purpoſe: We diſpute not what God can do; for he can, of a Stone in the Street, make a better Man than either of us. And we deny not, but God hath ſometimes, and may ſtill, if he pleaſe, convert ſome by miraculous Operations. But to ſay that all Converſions are miraculous, as Mr. F. does, is very falſe. Paul was converted miraculouſly, ſo was not Lydia. What I ſay upon Epheſ. 1. 19, 20. is miſtaken by you, for I extend it further than to the Reſurrection of the Body; for I expreſly ſay he has power to do whatſoever he pleaſes, and ſo to raiſe us up, &c. but if I was ſhort or obſcure, this is my meaning, The Faith of Chriſtians is agreeable to the power which God ſhewed in Chriſt when he raiſed him from the dead; and I think 1 Pet. 1. 3. doth very well explain Epheſ. 1. 19, 20. Bleſſed be the God and Father of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, which according to his abundant Mercy, hath begotten us again to a lively Hope, by the Reſurrection of Chriſt from the Dead.
Mr. Firmin argues thus; They who are regenerated, have Faith and Repentance: but all Infants ſaved, are regenerated: Therefore all Infants ſaved, have Faith and Repentance.
Anſw. 1. Here is a fault in your Logick, *You bid me underſtand what that Fallacy Ignoratio Elenchi is, and here you are fallen into that Fallacy your ſelf.your Major ſhould have been univerſal, or elſe you conclude nothing rationally.
2. Therefore I deny the Major, and ſay, Some may be regenerated (I mean cleanſed from Sin, renewed by Chriſt, and made fit for Heaven) without Faith and Repenuance, namely, Infants; and ſure I am Mr. F. ſhall never be able to prove his Major, being taken univerſally; and if he like not to mend his Major, I reject his Argument, and retort it thus.
3. They that are regenerated, do continue in the Apoſtles Doctrine and Fellowſhip, and in breaking of Bread, and in Prayers. But all Infants ſaved are regenerated. Ergo, All Infants ſaved continue ſtedfaſtly in the Apoſtles Doctrine and Fellowſhip, and in breaking of Bread, and in Prayers. Now as this Argument is fallacious, ſo certainly is yours. Again,
4. You that make all Converſion miraculous, how can you tie Regeneration to Faith and Repentance, as it reſpects Infants? Do not you contradict your ſelf, Mr. Firmin, in this? May not God ſanctify Infants what way he pleaſeth, but muſt be limited to your Methods? Sir, what he doth in the Regeneration of Infants is a Secret, let it alone to him.
5. But let us hear Dr. Taylor, one of your own Mind as to Poedo-baptiſm, yet he ſaith, Let Infants be preſſed with all the Inconveniencies which are conſequent to Original Sin; yet it will not be laid to their Charge, ſo as to condemn them: Or if it could, yet the Mercy and abſolute Goodneſs of God will ſecure them, if he take them away before they can glorify him by a free Obedience—For as Infants without their own conſent—contracted the Guilt of Adam's Sin, and are liable to all the Puniſhments which can with Juſtice deſcend upon his Poſterity, who are perſonally innocent: ſo Infants ſhall be reſtored—by the ſecond Adam, by the Redemption of Jeſus Chriſt, by his Righteouſneſs and Mercies, applied either immediately, or how, or when he pleaſes to appoint. And here Mr. F. may learn from Dr. Taylor, how Infants may be guilty of Sin, and yet Innocent; which he would make a Contradiction in me.
Mr. F. tells us his Major (laſt denied) is clear from our own Confeſſion, in that we ſay Faith and Repentance are the two parts of Regeneration: but he that grants this, extends it only to the Adult, of whom theſe are things required; and not to Infants, of whom they are not required; ſo that this is a meer Caption, unbecoming a grave Diſputant. But let us hear how he proves his Minor. They (ſaith he) who are born unclean, that are ſinful and corrupt by Nature, muſt be regenerated before they can be ſaved. But ſo are Infants born. Therefore, &c.
Anſw. It is not denied by us that Infants are born unclean, and we grant that before they come to Heaven they muſt be cleanſed, ſo that you might have ſpared this Argument. The thing you are to prove is, That Infants cannot be cleanſed without Faith and Repentance. But this you cunningly ſlide over, and you will find it to be an undertaking too hard for you, and I think you are the firſt Man that ever attempted it.
It is not your telling us again of your Seminal Faith that will do it, which, as you refer it to Infants, is a meer Chimera of your own Brain. But when you ſpeak of the Adult, you ſeem to ſpeak ſenſe in theſe words, When God regenerates an Adult Perſon, he doth firſt infuſe the Principles, Seeds, Habits of all the Graces of the Spirit. When the Sower went out to ſow, Mat 13. 3. it was but the Seeds of Faith and Repentance which he did ſow, which was firſt received, and theſe Seeds grew up, Mark▪ 4. 27.
Now, Sir, if you will ſtand to this, and theſe Texts to govern your Speech, we may very well come to agree. What then is the Seed here ſpoken of? Our Saviour tells us, it is the Word of God, which Men hear preached unto them; Is this the Seminal Faith and Repentance which you talk on? Then this Seminal Faith is not in Infants, for as they cannot hear the Word, ſo no Sower, or Preacher is ſent to them. And I ſuppoſe you would not baptize an Adult Perſon, tho he has heard the Word, unleſs you ſee ſome effect of it, at leaſt that the tender blade appear: for Perſons are not made Diſciples or Chriſtians by being baptized; but they are baptized becauſe they are made Diſciples, John 4. 1. Mat. 28. 19. Mathetuſate panta ta ethne Baptizantes autous. And Diſciples may be called Chriſtians, Acts 11. Now with what Conſcience then can you baptize an Infant, that never to your knowledg received this Seed at all?
But Mr. F. bids us twy-fallow and try-fallow our Ground, and ſow no ſeed, for according to your Doctrine (ſaith he) you may have a Crop without it. But by his favour this is not our caſe, but his own, for he ſows no Seed to Infants, and yet he will have a Crop of them; for he will have them baptized aſleep or awake by force. Now Baptiſm is an Act of Obedience ſpringing from the Word (the Seed) ſown; Acts 2. 38, 40. Act. 8. 12. Nay more, he exacts this Crop of Infants not only before he ſow any Seed, or before any be ſown by any other that he knows of, but alſo before he ſo much as Twy-fallow, or plow at all. And thus whilſt he thought to kick the Husbandman on the breech, he hath kick'd up his own Heels.
Mr. F. quotes 1 John 3. 9. It is the Seed which remains. Peter's Faith failed ſadly (ſaith he) as to the Act, but the Seed remained. This would lead us to another Queſtion [as it is his manner to confound his Diſcourſes with Diverſities] but I ſhall hold him to the Parable of the Sower, alledged by himſelf Mat. 13. And then I may tell him the Seed only remains in good and honeſt Hearts, but not in every place where it is ſown, nor in every place where it is received; remember the High-way, and the Stony and Thorny Ground.
Mr. F's Arg. 2. No unclean Perſon ſhall ſee God; Heb. 12. 14. But Infants by Nature are unclean. If the Scripture be believed, they muſt bear the Image in which they were created by God, that ever ſee the face of God.
Anſw. Should I retort this Argument, I might ſhew the infirmity of its form. But I ſhall take your Senſe. I ſuppoſe by the Major you mean no unclean or wicked Perſon, as ſuch, ſhall ſee God. And by the Minor you mean that Infants are born of ſinful Parents, polluted by Original Sin, and ſo under Condemnation; And therefore before they can come to Heaven they muſt be cleanſed from theſe Pollutions, &c. If this be your Senſe I agree with you. But then your Argument touches not the Queſtion, which is, Whether Infants are not made clean from their Pollutions, and freed from Condemnation, without having Faith and Repentance? I ſay they may, becauſe God requires not theſe things of Infants. But you argue further.
Mr. F. All the Members of the Kingdom of Heaven are holy: but Children are Members of the Kingdom of Heaven: Not by Birth, it is by Regeneration.
Anſw. Firſt, Here I think you have given your Cauſe its deaths blow. It ſeems now that the Infants of Believers are no more holy by their Birth of believing Parents than others; and whether they be regenerated you cannot tell, for you do not hold that all the Children of Believers are ſaved. What is now become of the Birth-priviledg ſo much gloried in by Mr. Baxter, and others? We have been told Infants are holy by Birth, if one Parent be but a Believer; and that Children of Believers are holy by Prerogative of Seed. But now you confeſs the Truth, and I grant Infants are not holy by Birth, let their Parents be never ſo Chriſtian. And I have already granted that Infants muſt be cleanſed from all Sin before they come to Heaven. But yet you touch not the Queſtion, Whether they cannot be cleanſed from Sin without they have Faith and Repentance; one would think you begin to be afraid of the Queſtion, and I am ſure you have cauſe ſo to be.
Arg. 3. Mr. F. tells us, If Adam had continued in Innocency, his Children had born the Image of God from the Birth: I never heard it denied. That which I infer hence is, that Children are capable of the Image of God, and receiving the Seeds of all Grace it was ſo then, why not now?
Anſw. What manner of the Image of God Infants ſhould have born, had Adam continued innocent, is unknown to Man; and 'tis but vain to concern our ſelves about that which cannot be known: but this we know, it ſhould not have ſtood in Faith and Repentance as now, becauſe in both theſe we confeſs our ſelves Sinners, and this is enough to ſhew the vanity of your Queſtion, if ſo then, why not now? But you proceed thus;
Mr. F. Shall the sin of one Perſon be ſo miſchievous, to deprive Adam and all his Poſterity of the Image of God, and bring the Seeds of all Corruption into their Nature, and ſhall the Grace of God be denyed to renew his Image in little Children, when and where he pleaſeth? Children being a great part of the World, ſhall the Spirit of God have nothing to do in their Hearts?
Anſw. I know no Man more faulty than Mr. F. in this matter; for he will not allow the Grace of God to have any thing to do with the greateſt part of Infants. I doubt not but God doth all things needful for them, to make them holy, by the Blood of Chriſt; his Grace and Spirit. But all this ſhall be done without Faith and Repentance; becauſe God does not require it of Infants; if he does, name your Text.
Mr. F. now tells us▪ Adam's Diſobedience far▪ exceeds the Obedience of Chriſt, which he compares in Juſtification, Rom. 5. 16, 17, 18. for his Diſobedience could defile all his Poſterity, but Chriſt's Obedience doth not cleanſe and regenerate one Child.
Anſw. Come St. Paul, thou haſt told us that ſuch as thou art by Letters when abſent, ſuch thou wilt be indeed when preſent, 2 Cor. 10. 11. Wherefore I ſhall give place to thee to anſwer for thy ſelf, by the very places which Mr. F. has quoted out of thy Epiſtle to the Romans, Chap. 5. 16, 17, 18. And not as it was by one that ſinned, ſo is the Gift: for the Judgment was of one to Condemnation; but the free-Gift is of many Offences to Juſtification. For if by the Offence of one, Death reigned by one much more they which receive abundance of Grace and of the Gift of Righteouſneſs, ſhall reign in Life by one, Jeſus Chriſt. Th…refore as by the Offence of one, Judgment came upon All Men▪ to Condemnation; even ſo, by the Righteouſneſs of one, the free-Gift came upon All Men unto Juſtification of Life. And whereas Mr. F. boldly tells us, that Chriſt's Obedience doth not cleanſe and regenerate one Child. I ask him whoſe Obedience then does cleanſe Infants? Let St. Paul anſwer again, ver. 19. As by one Man's Diſobedience many were made Sinners: SO by the Obedience of one ſhall many be made Righteous. Bleſſed Paul, thou haſt anſwered to the Life. Mr. Firmin ſays, Chriſt's Obedience doth not cleanſe and regenerate one Child. Thou ſayſt, Chriſt's Obedience made many righteous; and they that are made righteous are clean and regenerated ſufficiently. Bleſſed Apoſtle! thou haſt turned the Wiſdom of the Wiſe into Fooliſhneſs. What follows in this Paragraph is anſwered before, and for his uncivil Expreſſions in the cloſe of it I ſhall paſs them by.
Mr. Firmin's Arg. 4. If all Children dying ſuch are juſtified and ſaved, then there will be Millions in Heaven, in whom the Spirit of God, as the third Perſon in the Bleſſed Trinity, had nothing to do in their Salvation.
Anſw. Firſt, I take notice that Mr. Firmin by this Argument would have Millions of Infants damned, becauſe in his Judgment the Spirit of God hath nothing to do with Millions of them in the buſineſs of Salvation. This, this is that wicked Doctrine which I oppoſe.
2. But how will he prove that the Spirit hath to do in the buſineſs of the Salvation of any of them, more than I ſhall prove he hath to do in the Salvation of all dying Infants? He would prove it by two things, (1.) Becauſe the diſtinct Subſiſtences have their diſtinct manner of working. (2.) Becauſe Regeneration is given to the Spirit. Now, ſuppoſe this be true, it does not prove that ſome Infants have the aſſiſtance of the Spirit, and ſome dying Infants have no aſſiſtance from him. Thus he beats▪ the Air, but proves not any thing at all relating to the Point in Queſtion.
3. But I will prove that all dying Infants have all that aſſiſtance of the Spirit (in the buſineſs of Salvation) which is any way needful for them. I do it thus:
All thoſe dying Infants, for whom Chriſt ſhed his precious Blood, have ſufficient aſſiſtance from the Spirit, in the buſineſs of their Salvation.
But Chriſt ſhed his precious Blood for all dying Infants: Ergo, All dying Infants have ſufficient aſſiſtance from the Spirit in the buſineſs of their Salvation.
The Major is evident, becauſe no dying Infant does reſiſt the Holy Ghost, and becauſe God is no Reſpecter of Perſons. The Minor is evident becauſe Chriſt died for all, taſted Death for every Man; he bought them that deny him, and bring upon themſelves ſwift Deſtruction: And ſeeing his tender Mercies are over all his Works, the holy Spirit is not wanting to further the Salvation of any dying Infant. Deut. 10. 17, 18. 1 Tim. 2. 6. Heb. 2. 9. 2 Pet. 2. 1. Pſal. 145. 9. Come Mr. Firmin, let me come near you; it may be you have had ſome Children that died in their Infancy as well as I. Shew me a reaſon now why my dying Infants might not have the application of Chriſt's Blood by the holy Spirit, as well as yours? As for the manner of the Spirit's operation herein, I ſuppoſe we know it both alike, that is, not at all. Nevertheleſs I do believe the Father, Son, and holy Spirit does what is needful in their reſpective operations, tho I know not in all Points how it is done in the caſe of dying Infants. It is enough that we have Chriſt's Teſtimony, that to them belongs the Kingdom, that is, to all in that ſtate, for he rejects not any one of them, neither in theſe words, nor in any other that proceeded from his ſacred Lips, nor from the Pens of the Writers of the Holy Scriptures; And then what is Mr. Firmin that he ſhould by this preſumptuous Argument ſend many Millions of them to Hell? becauſe in his conceit, the Holy Ghoſt has nothing to do with them in the buſineſs of their Salvation; the Spirit's Operations being limited by him herein to the Infants of Believers only; and if you look well to his Notions, there is not a few of them too, who have no help from the holy Spirit, for they being not all elect, muſt be damned for all their Baptiſm; and this is the kindneſs he has to write a Plea for Infants.