A47591:484
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.
If we would know the Mind of God herein, we must of necessity have recourse to Christ's last Will and Testament. Since the Gospel is so called, and that the first or old one is taken away, and there is no Man can prove any one old Rite that did appertain to the Natural Off-spring of Abraham, or Believers, remains to them, which is not mentioned in the new of last Will or Testament of Jesus Christ; 'tis plain they had (or leastwise some of them) other external Privileges besides that of Circumcision, and yet I see no Man contend for any one Rite, but only this they call the Seal of the Covenant. Why might not Ministers plead for all their Sons to have right to the Ministry, since that Privilege was given them in the Old Testament; and that all Male-Children that open the Womb to be holy to the Lord, which Blessings belonged to them under the Law, and also plead for the Tenths and First-fruits? &c.
I desire you and all Pedo-baptists carefully to consider and weigh what I have said; I have showed you and them how Infants, who were once in Covenant, i. e. in the Jewish or old Covenant, are cast out, or left out; for indeed they were never admitted into the New Testament-Church; but since they are not put in, and the old Covenant, and old Church-Membership are cast out and gone, in vain it is for any to plead their Right by an abrogated Law. Besides,
I desire you and all Pedo-baptists carefully to consider and weigh what I have said; I have shew'd you and them how Infants, who were once in Covenant, i. e. in the Jewish or old Covenant, are cast out, or left out; for indeed they were never admitted into the New Testament-Church; but since they are not put in, and the old Covenant, and old Church-Membership are cast out and gone, in vain it is for any to plead their Right by an abrogated Law. Besides,
You say, Circumcision was the Seal of that Covenant, by virtue of which Infants had Right to Church Membership: if so, 'tis evident that Covenant is gone, because 'tis cancelled; for the tearing off, or breaking off the Seal, we all look upon as cancelling a Covenant.