A47591:643
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.
2. As to your Similitude, 'tis much the same with that Mr. Burkit, a Pedo-baptist, hath in his Book which I lately answered. I will recite my Answer to him, which fully answers you both, and all others who talk after this ra•e; he argues from the Commission as you do. Take his Words and my Answer in order, viz.
The true Reason, saith he, why Christ bid his Disciples first teach and then baptize, was because he was sending his Apostles forth among the Heathens to convert them to Christianity; in which work we all know, that preaching of the Word must go before the Administration of the Sacraments. ⟨p. 102⟩Should, saith he, the King of England send his Ministers into Foreign Plantations to convert the Indians to Christianity, they ought not to be baptized before they are taught and instructed; but when the Parents are proselyted, and make a visible Profession of their Faith, their Children may be baptized, and afterwards instructed; as the Children of the Jewish Proselytes were first circumcised, and then taught: For tho Abraham was first taught and then circumcised, yet Isaac was first circumcised and then taught: so that the sense of our Saviour is this, Teach such as are capable of teaching, and baptize such as are capable of Baptism.
Answ. 1. I answer, first, how inconsistent is this with the words of the Commission? By virtue of the Commission none ought to be baptized but such that are first taught, or do believe; and therefore some Pedo-baptists pretend that Infants have Habitual Faith, Faith in semine, &c. but you plead they may be capable of Baptism without Faith, and also contradict the Order of Words in the Commission. Do you not confess by the Order of the Words in the Commission, Teaching ought to go before Baptizing? Sirs, 'tis a sign of a very bad Cause that puts you thus to try your Wits, and after all confound your selves.