A47591:723
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.
Answ. 1. I answer, the Promise runs to Christ, and all that the Father hath given him, but we do not know who they are until they believe.
2. The Promises are not the Inheritance of all that are Members of the Visible Church, for they may not belong to some that are in it, and they may belong to some others that are not in it. You darken Counsel with Words without Knowledge. For, (1.) You distinguish not between the Visible and Invisible Church. (2.) Also you distinguish not between who are the Lord's decretively, and who are his actually. (3.) Moreover, you distinguish not between external Privileges, and true internal spiritual Privileges. No external Privileges, or outward Church-Membership gives any Man a Right to Salvation, nor puts him under the Promise thereof.
2. The Promises are not the Inheritance of all that are Members of the Visible Church, for they may not belong to some that are in it, and they may belong to some others that are not in it. You darken Counsel with Words without Knowledg. For, (1.) You distinguish not between the Visible and Invisible Church. (2.) Also you distinguish not between who are the Lord's decretively, and who are his actually. (3.) Moreover, you distinguish not between external Privileges, and true internal spiritual Privileges. No external Privileges, or outward Church-Membership gives any Man a Right to Salvation, nor puts him under the Promise thereof.
3. There is hope and ground of hope touching the Salvation of dying Infants, tho they are not in Gospel-times of the Visible Church; because Christ saith, of such belongs the Kingdom of Heaven. But pray, Sir, take heed of what you say: You cannot prove that our blessed Saviour spake those words only with reference to the Children of Believers. I know no cause why unbelieving Parents should doubt of the Salvation of their dying Infants. They may (so far as I see) have as much ground to hope God's Election may reach their dying Infants, as any Believer can have it may reach to theirs. What if I should exercise so much Charity as to hope that God hath comprehended in his electing Love all the dying Infants both of Believers and Unbelievers, and that through the Blood and Merits of Christ they are sanctified, and shall be all saved?