A47535:60
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 1: Wherein the Baptism of Water is proved to be that intended in the Commission, and so a…
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.
He and his Ministry must and shall flourish, or increase in Honour, and Dignity, and Reputation in the World; He is the Rising Sun, to give you notice of which, I was but as the Morning Star; He must shine every day more and more. I have had my time, and near finished my Course, but do not think that the Baptism of Water shall cease with me; for as he baptizeth, and riseth more and more in Esteem and Honour; so he will do, and his ministration of this very Ordinance will increase and be magnified in his Hands, more than it has been in mine. I hope none will think it absurd to understand John's words after this manner, for it must necessarily be taken in this sense, in any solid understanding, I verily baptize you with Water only; as if he should say, but he shall baptize you also with the Holy Spirit. He is empowered to dispense higher Matters to you than Water only, with which he baptizeth (as you tell me) as well as I, though not himself, but his Disciples; I can go no further than to that outward Administration of Water, but he shall baptize you ⟨p. 18⟩with the Holy Ghost. In which words John doth not oppose his Baptism to the Baptism of Christ, as if that which is called his, were none of Christ's, but rather that John might magnify the Person of Christ above himself; as who should say, I can but dispense with the bare outward Sign, but Christ, who though he came after me, yet is preferred before me, in whose Name, and not in my own, I baptize, and whose the Baptism is that I dispense, and not my own; he is able, besides the Sign, to vouchsafe you the very Thing signified.
He and his Ministry must and shall flourish, or increase in Honour, and Dignity, and Reputation in the World; He is the Rising Sun, to give you notice of which, I was but as the Morning Star; He must shine every day more and more. I have had my time, and near finished my Course, but do not think that the Baptism of Water shall cease with me; for as he baptizeth, and riseth more and more in Esteem and Honour; so he will do, and his ministration of this very Ordinance will increase and be magnified in his Hands, more than it has been in mine. I hope none will think it absurd to understand John's words after this manner, for it must necessarily be taken in this sense, in any solid understanding, I verily baptize you with Water only; as if he should say, but he shall baptize you also with the Holy Spirit. He is impowred to dispense higher Matters to you than Water only, with which he baptizeth (as you tell me) as well as I, though not himself, but his Disciples; I can go no further than to that outward Administration of Water, but he shall baptize you