A47591:700
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.
3. We say all Believers baptized under the Gospel are spiritually holy, and are called, 1 Pet. 2. 7. a holy Nation, a Royal Priesthood; but this holy Nation consisteth of none but Adult Persons that believe, who are called lively Stones building up a spiritual House, 1 Pet. 2. 5, 6. not a National Church consisting of Parents and their Fleshly Seed, as such, as under the Law. But if for Argument-sake we should grant all that were in the Gospel-times received as Members in the visible Church, should be called holy in Charity from that Profession they made, yet this will do you no good, until by God's Ordination you can prove that the Infants of Believers were received as Members into the Church in Gospel-times, as they were into the National Church of the Jews under the Law.
You say, that Paul calleth the Christians in his Epistles to the Churches of the Gentiles, Saints, Rom. 1. 7. a Cor. 1. 1. because they were separated by Covenant, and the Obligation of Baptism to be the Lord's; and not only the believing Parents, but the Children also are Saints: and for this you cite this Text, 1 Cor. 7. 14. But now are they holy.
Answ. Prove that the Infants of Believers were comprehended amongst the Saints Paul wrote unto, and that they were Church-Members; we utterly deny it, and must People believe it on your bare Testimony? In whose Authority and Power then must stand their Faith in this matter? Sir, you bring the Text in Controversy only to prove your Assertion. Is this to act like a wise and learned Man? If the Holiness in the Text renders Infants to be Saints, prove your Exposition from some other Scripture, which if you cannot do, give up the Point, and confess your Mistake and Ignorance; for no Scripture is of any private Interpretation, i. e. but that it may be confirmed by some other place or places of sacred Scripture.