A47591:157
Light broke forth in Wales, expelling darkness, or, The Englishman's love to the ancient…Light broke forth in Wales, expelling darkness, or, The Englishman's love to the antient…
Light broke forth in Wales, expelling darkness, or, The Englishman's love to the ancient Britons [sic] being an answer to a book, intituled [sic] Children's baptism from Heaven, published in the Welsh tongue by Mr. James Owen / by Benjamin Keach.Light broke forth in Wales, expelling darkness, or, The Englishman's love to the antient Britains [sic] being an answer to a book, iutituled [sic] Children's baptism from Heaven, published in the Welsh tongue by Mr. James Owen / by Benjamin Keach.
London: printed by William Marshall, 1696
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.
4thly. You say, Baptism is a sign of Union with Christ, we were baptized into him: For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ, have put on Christ; Gal. 3. 27. Again, the Apostle saith, We are all baptized into one Body, 1 Cor. 12. 13. Christ is the Head of the Body, the Faithful are the Members, those that are in everlasting Union with him, which is signified in Baptism: Can they desire to be in one Body with Christ, who are not willing to be baptized into this Union?
Remark. Have Infants, as such, Union with Christ? If they have, they would all partake of the Blessings of that Union, and be all saved, because the Branch that is savingly united to the Vine Christ, partakes of the Virtue that is in him; and it is an indissoluble Union, like that between the Father and the Son, John 17. 21, 23. You say the Union is everlasting, and this is signified in Baptism. Now what is the Sign without the Thing signified? Sir, no doubt elect Infants that die have Union with Christ in a way we are ignorant of, but what is this to the Infants of Believers as such? I will appeal to your own Conscience, whether you believe any one Infant you baptize, (or rather rantize, or sprinkle) that lives, hath spiritual Union with Christ, before, or in Baptism, or Rantism; for if they had, they do not after they are grown up need any inspired Habit, or the Seed of Grace to be infused into them, in order to such Union. Without Faith there is no Union with Christ, and there can be no Faith without Knowledge; there is no spiritual Marriage to Christ without a Consent, which Infants are not capable of. Moreover, why do you speak of Persons being not willing to be baptized, when the Subject of Baptism you contend for is a poor ignorant Babe? Can Infants be willing? Sir, what you speak has weight in it to the Adult, to Believers, but signifies nothing for the Continuation of Baptism to Infants, but rather that it ought to be rejected, as not being of God.