A47535:415
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 10: Wherein the great Arguments, and pretended Scripture-Proofs for Infant-Baptism, concern…
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.
1st, There were all the Families and Tribes of Israel (and all proselyted Strangers) with their Children, without distinction of good or bad, to be circumcised: But here only one of a City, and two of a Tribe; for Believers are but thin sown, and the Children of Unbelievers and wicked Men are to receive no such benefit in the Judgment of many. And,1 2dly, You would be very short in another respect, as being at an utter uncertainty when you have a right Subject; for if the Parent is an Hypocrite, or no elect Person, which is out of your reach to understand, you cannot know whether the Child be fit for Baptism; for the Seed of a wicked Man you must not meddle with by any means; whereas there was not the least doubt or scruple in Israel as to the Subject, for the Father being one of Abraham's Seed and circumcised, it was an infallible mark they were right. And, 3dly, neither can the Child when he is grown up have any certain knowledge that ⟨p. 124⟩such a Ceremony had past upon him in Infancy, he having no infallible mark thereof; whereas the circumcised Infant had an infallible Character and Mark in his Flesh, to assure him that he had received that Rite.
1st, There were all the Families and Tribes of Israel (and all proselyted Strangers) with their Children, without distinction of good or bad, to be circumcisied: But here only one of a City, and two of a Tribe; for Believers are but thin sown, and the Children of Unbelievers and wicked Men are to receive no such benefit in the Judgment of many. And,1 2dly, You would be very short in another respect, as being at an utter uncertainty when you have a right Subject; for if the Parent is an Hypocrite, or no elect Person, which is out of your reach to understand, you cannot know whether the Child be fit for Baptism; for the Seed of a wicked Man you must not meddle with by any means; whereas there was not the least doubt or scruple in Israel as to the Subject, for the Father being one of Abraham's Seed and circumcised, it was an infallible mark they were right. And, 3dly, neither can the Child when he is grown up have any certain knowledg that ⟨p. 124⟩such a Ceremony had past upon him in Infancy, he having no infallible mark thereof; whereas the circumcised Infant had an infallible Character and Mark in his Flesh, to assure him that he had received that Rite.