A47535:521
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.
7. But to proceed: Be sure the Examples of the best Men under Heaven will never be a Plea sufficient for any in the day of Judgment, in doing any thing in God's Worship that he has not commanded (or given grounds for the Observation of) or in their neglecting doing of that which he hath expressly required. Shall any be allowed at the last day to plead thus, viz. such and such good Men and able Ministers did say this was a Truth and my Duty? surely no.
7. But to proceed: Be sure the Examples of the best Men under Heaven will never be a Plea sufficient for any in the day of Judgment, in doing any thing in God's Worship that he has not commanded (or given grounds for the Observation of) or in their neglecting doing of that which he hath expresly required. Shall any be allowed at the last day to plead thus, viz. such and such good Men and able Ministers did say this was a Truth and my Duty? surely no.
8. When Reformation is required of Men in so great a case as this, viz. that which tends to the razing the whole Constitution or standing of their Church, which has been also of such a long continuation; it calls for great Resolution, Courage, and Self-denial, which is hard for some Men to arrive at; considering also what great Persons and Reformers have been on their side; and they not seriously minding the words of the wise Man,1 where he says, that the Path of the Just is as a shining Light, that shineth more and more to the perfect day; the Church as it was then looked out of the Wilderness but as the Morning, and but as fair (comparatively) as the Moon; 2but since (blessed be God) greater Light hath broken forth, yea to such a degree that now she seems to be come forth as clear as the Sun, &c. And sad it is to see Men content themselves to walk only in that Light those worthy Christians had in the Morning of the Reformation, and refuse to follow and embrace a higher and more clear, and Sun-shining Glory. They might be accepted then, since their Day did not afford greater Manifestations of Truth in those respects; but it may not excuse our Brethren, nor may they be accepted in following them, sith Truth is broke forth more perspicuously in these latter times.