A47591:583
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.
Therefore there are divers Disparities and different Significations between Circumcision and Baptism.
4. And what tho we should grant that Circumcision was then the initiating Ordinance, and Baptism is so now in Gospel-Times, i. e. an Ordinance of Initiation; yet Circumcision initiated none into the Jewish Church, but such who were by express and positive Command of God to be circumcised, who were only Male-Infants (for the Females were initiated without it); even so Baptism, tho it be an initiating Ordinance, yet none are to be initiated thereby, but only those who by the express Command are required to be baptized, and they are only such who believe, or make Profession of their Faith. Sir, Precepts that are merely positive, greatly differ (you know well enough) from Precepts that are purely Moral in their own nature. Laws that are of mere positive Right, wholly depend upon the absolute Will and Pleasure of the great Legislator; and in all Cases and Circumstances we must keep to the express words of the Institution, we must venture to do no more, nor less nor do any thing in any other manner than God hath commanded, as appears in Nadab and Abihu and Uzzah's Cases; the first for offering of strange Fire, which thing God commanded them not (tho God in express words no where forbid them so to do) were cut off, Levit. 10. 1, 2.
4. And what tho we should grant that Circumcision was then the initiating Ordinance, and Baptism is so now in Gospel-Times, i. e. an Ordinance of Initiation; yet Circumcision initiated none into the Jewish Church, but such who were by express and positive Command of God to be circumcised, who were only Male-Infants (for the Females were initiated without it); even so Baptism, tho it be an initiating Ordinance, yet none are to be initiated thereby, but only those who by the express Command are required to be baptized, and they are only such who believe, or make Profession of their Faith. Sir, Precepts that are meerly positive, greatly differ (you know well enough) from Precepts that are purely Moral in their own nature. Laws that are of meer positive Right, wholly depend upon the absolute Will and Pleasure of the great Legistator; and in all Cases and Circumstances we must keep to the express words of the Institution, we must venture to do no more, nor less nor do any thing in any other manner than God hath commanded, as appears in Nadab and Abihu and Uzzah's Cases; the first for offering of strange Fire, which thing God commanded them not (tho God in express words no where forbid them so to do) were cut off,