A47535:488
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 12: Containing an Answer to several other Arguments brought for Infant-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.
Sad it is that such a Gap as this should be opened to all or any Inventions or Traditions of Men: remember who it was that said, Add thou not to his Word. That God has in all Ages testified his Abhorrence of Will-worship, and that from this very reason, because he commanded them not:1 'tis evident they have built the high places of Tophet, &c. which I commanded them not, neither came it into my Heart. 2For this cause God threatened Judgments upon Israel; They have set their Threshold by my Thresholds, and their Post by my Posts, wherefore I have consumed them.
Sad it is that such a Gap as this should be opened to all or any Inventions or Traditions of Men: remember who it was that said, Add thou not to his Word. That God has in all Ages testified his Abhorrence of Will-worship, and that from this very reason, because he commanded them not:1 'tis evident they have built the high places of Tophet, &c. which I commanded them not, neither came it into my Heart. 2For this cause God threatned Judgments upon Israel; They have set their Threshold by my Thresholds, and their Post by my Posts, wherefore I have consumed them.
God discovers his severe Displeasure against them, not for neglecting any part of his Worship that he had commanded them, but for their Presumption in adding other things thereto, calling them his Ordinances, which he had not appointed nor commanded them. Will-worship (Sir) is an horrible Sin, when he who is to perform the Duty shall dare to appoint the Laws: Implying a peremptory purpose of no further observance, than may consist with the allowance of his own depraved Judgment and Self-Interest; whereas true Obedience must be grounded on the Authority of that Power that commands not the liking or approbation of the Subject. Some Men will obey so far as it consists with their Interest, and alter, add to, or diminish from, as they see good.