A47591:589
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.
The Argument (saith he) from Circumcision is invalid upon infinite Considerations: Figures and Types prove nothing, unless a Command go along with them, or some thing express to signify such to be their Purpose; for the Deluge of Waters and Ark of Noah were Figures of Baptism, saith Peter. If therefore the Circumstances of the one be drawn to the other, we shall make Baptism a Prodigy rather than a Rite. The Paschal Lamb was a Figure of the Eucharist, which succeeds the other, as Baptism doth Circumcision: But because there was in the Manducation of the Paschal Lamb no Prescription of Sacramental Drink, shall we conclude from hence the Eucharist is to be administered in one kind? To which let me add, Because Children, Servants, and all in the House might ear of the Passover, must our Children and all in our House eat of the Eucharist, or Supper of the Lord? But saith the Doctor, In this very Instance of this Argument; suppose a Correspondency of the Analogy between Circumcision and Baptism, yet there is no Correspondency of Identity; for tho it be granted both of them did consign the Covenant of Faith, yet there is nothing in the Circumstances of Children being circumcised, that so concerns that Mystery, but that it might well be given to Men of Reason, because Circumcision left a Character in the Flesh, which being imprinted upon the Infants, did its Work to them when they came to ⟨p. 91⟩Age; and such a Character was necessary, because there was no word added to the Sign. But Baptism imprints nothing that remains on the Body; and if it leaves any Character at all, it is upon the Soul, to which the word is added, which is as much a part of the Sacrament as the Sign it self; for both which Reasons it is requisite that the Party baptized should be capable of Reason, that he may be capable both of the Word and of the Sacrament, and the Impress upon the Spirit. Since therefore the Reason of the Parity does wholly fail, there is nothing left to infer a necessity of complying in the Circumstance of Age any more than in the other Annexes of Types. The Infant must also precisely be baptized upon the eighth day, and Females must not be baptized at all, because not circumcised. But it were more proper, if we would understand it aright, to prosecute the Analogy from the Type to the Antitype, by the way of Letter and Spirit, and Signification;
The Argument (saith he) from Circumcision is invalid upon infinite Considerations: Figures and Types prove nothing, unless a Command go along with them, or some thing express to signify such to be their Purpose; for the Deluge of Waters and Ark of Noah were Figures of Baptism, saith Peter. If therefore the Circumstances of the one be drawn to the other, we shall make Baptism a Prodigy rather than a Rite. The Paschal Lamb was a Figure of the Eucharist, which succeeds the other, as Baptism doth Circumcision: But because there was in the Manducation of the Paschal Lamb no Prescription of Sacramental Drink, shall we conclude from hence the Eucharist is to be administred in one kind? To which let me add, Because Children, Servants, and all in the House might ear of the Passover, must our Children and all in our House eat of the Eucharist, or Supper of the Lord? But saith the Doctor, In this very Instance of this Argument; suppose a Correspondency of the Analogy between Circumcision and Baptism, yet there is no Correspondency of Identity; for tho it be granted both of them did consign the Covenant of Faith, yet there is nothing in the Circumstances of Children being circumcised, that so concerns that Mystery, but that it might well be given to Men of Reason, because Circumcision left a Character in the Flesh, which being imprinted upon the Infants, did its Work to them when they came to