A47535:340
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 9: Containing several other Arguments, proving, why not Infants, but Believers only, are t…
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.
Bellarmine saith,1 that though the Arguments of the Anabaptists, from the defect of Command or Example, have a great force against the Lutherans, for as much as they use that Rite everywhere, having no Command or Example theirs is to be rejected; yet is it of no force against Catholics, who conclude the Apostolical Tradition is of no less Authority with us than the Scripture; for the Apostles speak with the same Spirit with which they did write; but this of baptizing of Infants is an Apostolical Tradition, &c.
Bellarmine saith,1 that though the Arguments of the Anabaptists, from the defect of Command or Example, have a great force against the Lutherans, for as much as they use that Rite everywhere, having no Command or Example theirs is to be rejected; yet is it of no force against Catholicks, who conclude the Apostolical Tradition is of no less Authority with us than the Scripture; for the Apostles speak with the same Spirit with which they did write; but this of baptizing of Infants is an Apostolical Tradition, &c.
- 1Bellarm. in his Book de Bapt. l. 1. c. 8.
And lastly, to close with this Argument, take what Mr. Ball saith,1 We must for every Ordinance look to the Institution (saith he) and neither stretch it wider, nor draw it narrower than the Lord hath made it; for he is the Institutor of the Sacraments, according to his own pleasure, and 'tis our part to learn of him both to whom, how, and for what end the Sacraments are to be administered; in all which we must affirm nothing but what God hath taught us, and as he taught us. If this worthy Man speak Truth, as be sure he did, and his Doctrine be embraced, certainly our Brethren must never sprinkle, nay baptize, one Child any more.