A47535:207
Gold refined, or, Baptism in its primitive purity proving baptism in water an holy…Gold refin'd, or, Baptism in its primitive purity proving baptism in water an holy…
Gold refined, or, Baptism in its primitive purity proving baptism in water an holy institution of Jesus Christ ... : wherein it is clearly evinced that baptism ... is immersion, or dipping the whole body, &c : also that believers are only the true subjects (and not infants) of that holy sacrament : likewise Mr. Smithies arguments for infant-baptism in his late book entitled, The non-communicant ... fully answered / by Benj. Keach ...Gold refin'd, or, Baptism in its primitive purity proving baptism in water an holy institution of Jesus Christ ... : wherein it is clearly evinced that baptism ... is immersion, or dipping the whole body, &c : also that believers are only the true subjects (and not infants) of that holy sacrament : likewise Mr. Smythies arguments for infant-baptism in his late book entitled, The non-communicant ... fully answered / by Benj. Keach ...
London : Printed for the author, and are to be sold by Nathaniel Crouch ..., 1689
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Chapter 5: Proving Baptism to be Immerging or Dipping, from those Typical and Metaphorical Baptism…
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.
Answ. 'Tis evident 'twas not by a sprinkling or dropping of the Spirit, and therefore no ways for your turn; and though it was by a pouring out, or a pouring forth of the Spirit, yet in such sort that the House in which they were is said to be filled, and so they immerged or baptized with it: But however, all confess this was but a Metaphorical Baptism, and therefore your Argument from hence at best is but far fetched, and signifies nothing, for 'tis a strange way to go to the Metaphorical Notion of a word to prove a Practice that is contrary to the literal and proper Signification thereof. Moreover, if this be granted which we have hinted here, it may serve to detect the Error of some Men who own no other Baptism than that of the Spirit, and think that the ordinary Gifts and Graces of the Spirit is the Baptism of the Spirit, which there is no ground, as I can see, to believe; nor was there any other Baptism to continue to the end of the World, but that of Water without doubt, sith the Baptism of the Holy Spirit was given only to the Apostles and Saints in the Primitive Time for the Confirmation of the Gospel, as these ⟨p. 61⟩Scriptures show, Mark 16. 16, 17, 18, 20. Heb. 2. 3, 4. Therefore let such take care who say they have the true Baptism, and are baptized with the Spirit, left they are found Liars, and to be indeed without any Baptism at all; for though the Saints before that great Effusion of the Spirit, nay before Christ was manifested in the Flesh, had the Holy Spirit, and some of them in a glorious manner; yet, as some learned Men observe, they were not said to be baptized with it: so likewise Believers in these days have the Spirit of Christ in the ordinary Gifts and Graces thereof, yea and the Promise of Christ is, that the Blessed Spirit the Comforter shall abide with us for ever, yet are not we, nor any now baptized with it, nor have any (as I humbly conceive) since those miraculous and extraordinary Gifts ceased in the Church.
Answ. 'Tis evident 'twas not by a sprinkling or dropping of the Spirit, and therefore no ways for your turn; and though it was by a pouring out, or a pouring forth of the Spirit, yet in such sort that the House in which they were is said to be filled, and so they immerg'd or baptized with it: But however, all confess this was but a Metaphorical Baptism, and therefore your Argument from hence at best is but far fetched, and signifies nothing, for 'tis a strange way to go to the Metaphorical Notion of a word to prove a Practice that is contrary to the literal and proper Signification thereof. Moreover, if this be granted which we have hinted here, it may serve to detect the Error of some Men who own no other Baptism than that of the Spirit, and think that the ordinary Gifts and Graces of the Spirit is the Baptism of the Spirit, which there is no ground, as I can see, to believe; nor was there any other Baptism to continue to the end of the World, but that of Water without doubt, sith the Baptism of the Holy Spirit was given only to the Apostles and Saints in the Primitive Time for the Confirmation of the Gospl, as these