A47535:530
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.
Answ. What some may do, I know not, but I am sure generally, we lay no more stress upon it than we ought; we say, it is a Duty incumbent upon all Believers—a holy Ordinance of Christ, ⟨p. 161⟩one of the great Sacraments of the New Testament, and they that reject it, do reject part of the Counsel of God. Yet we do not lay such stress upon it, as some do upon Infant Baptism. We do not say, Men cannot be saved, unless they be baptized; provided they do not sin against their light and clear convictions of their own Consciences. 'Tis evident there are those who have asserted, That Infants that die unbaptized, shall not, cannot be saved; which certainly is abominable to affirm: For were it our duty to baptize our Children, yet can any think, that the omission of our duty to them herein, can exclude them the Kingdom of Heaven? but 'tis evident it is not required, they are not the subjects of it.
Object. 'Tis no where said, that Women received the Lords Supper, yet 'tis given to them: Why may not Infants be Baptized as well, tho there is nothing mentioned of their being Baptized in the Scripture.
Answ. To this we Answer, That there is ground enough from the Scripture, for Women who are baptized Believers, to receive the Lord's Supper; Let a Man examine himself, and so let him eat, saith the Apostle, viz. Man or Woman. For so the Greek word [Greek or Hebrew] signifies. There is one Mediator between God and Man. Is not Woman as well as Man intended there? If there come into your Assembly a Man having a Gold Ring, &c. A double-minded Man is unstable in all his ways. Are not Women as well as Men, comprehended and meant in those places as well as Men, tho not expressed?
Answ. To this we Answer, That there is ground enough from the Scripture, for Women who are baptized Believers, to receive the Lord's Supper; Let a Man examine himfelf, and so let him eat, saith the Apostle, viz. Man or Woman. For so the Greek word signifies. There is one Mediator between God and Man. Is not Woman as well as Man intended there? If there come into your Assembly a Man having a Gold Ring, &c. A double-minded Man is unstable in all his ways. Are not Women as well as Men, comprehended and meant in those places as well as Men, tho not expressed?