A47535:476
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 11: Wherein many other pretended Scripture-Poofs and Arguments for the baptizing of Infants…
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.
But how does it appear that Infants are Believers in any sense? is there any Argument or Scripture brought by this Man to prove them so to be? if he can prove they have Faith and do believe in Christ, he will do more than all the Men that ever lived on Earth could do, I mean Children, as such in common and in an ordinary way, to be Believers. True, nothing is too hard for God to do: he that can make an Ass to speak, can as well cause a Babe to believe: But how does it appear God has given them either the Habit of Faith, or the Act of Faith, or Faith in any sense to render them to be Believers? But 'tis intimated they are Believers by their Parents Faith: why may not their Parents Baptism serve as well as their Parents Faith, and they receive the Lord's Supper for them in their Names also, and that be imputed to the Children by virtue of their Parents Faith? And ⟨p. 143⟩what though the Estate belongs to the Child in the Cradle, together with the Indenture and Seals of that Estate; Is it required the Child in the Cradle should therefore set his Seal to the Indenture? is that requisite, or would it make the Estate the more firm or sure to him? But when you can prove Grace and Salvation to be Hereditary, and that the Father's being a Believer and a godly Person, all his Children must needs be such too, you do your business.
Secondly, But why do you say Children must be Believers, or else they can't be saved? who told you so?1 Because Faith in Adult Persons is required as necessary in them, if they are saved. Can't God save poor Infants without they also do believe? has God told you he cannot, or will not save them except they believe? I must confess I wonder at your Ignorance and daring Boldness: God,2 as Dr. Taylor observes, may have many ways to magnify his Grace through Jesus Christ to them which we know not of; and what have you to do with the Secrets of God? who made you one of his Privy-Council? you may as well say, unless they repent they cannot be saved from Christ's words, Luk 13. 3, 5. and that they must be obedient and take up the Cross, for these things are required of Adult Persons that would be saved as well as believing.