A47605:315
The rector rectified and corrected, or, Infant-baptism unlawful being a sober answer to a…
The rector rectified and corrected, or, Infant-baptism unlawful being a sober answer to a late pamphlet entitled An argumentative and practical discourse of infant-baptism, published by Mr. William Burkit, rector of Mildin in Suffolk : wherein all his arguments for pedo-baptism are refuted and the necessity of immersion, i.e. dipping, is evidenced, and the people falsely called Anabaptists are cleared from those unjust reproaches and calumnies cast upon them : together with a reply to the Athenian gazette added to their 5th volume about infant-baptism : with some remarks upon Mr. John Flavel's last book in answer to Mr. Philip Cary / by Benjamin Keach.The rector rectified and corrected, or, Infant-baptism unlawful being a sober answer to a late pamphlet entituled An argumentative and practical discourse of infant-baptism, published by Mr. William Burkit, rector of Mildin in Suffolk : wherein all his arguments for pedo-baptism are refuted and the necessity of immersion, i.e. dipping, is evidenced, and the people falsly called Anabaptists are cleared from those unjust reproaches and calumnies cast upon them : together with a reply to the Athenian gazette added to their 5th volume about infant-baptism : with some remarks upon Mr. John Flavel's last book in answer to Mr. Philip Cary / by Benjamin Keach.
London: printed by John Harris, 1692
Title page typeset from the transcription.
THE Rector Rectified, and Corrected: OR, Infant-Baptism Unlawful. › Chapter 3
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.
'Tis well you call it an imperfect Regeneration, Abortive, or a Monster no doubt; for Baptism forms no Child of God: if it did, how come Simon Magus, who was baptized, to miss of Regeneration? Acts 8.13. And indeed this is an easy way to Heaven; I mean if there is no need of further Regeneration than that poor Babes have in Baptism. I know your Church saith, that an Infant is made thereby a Child of God, a Member of Christ, and an Inheritor of the Kingdom of Heaven. Sad Doctrine!1 God deliver England from such Guides as teach the common People: Nay, all who will be led or taught by them, that Baptism makes them Christians, and so never teach them to look after any other Regeneration, tho such whom you baptize, as you call it, if they live, when they are grown up, ⟨p. 82⟩prove wicked and ungodly Persons, or carnal Worldlings. Sir, take heed what you do, lest the Blood of your deceived and miserable People be required at your hands. Is not this to heal the hurt of your People slightly, and to cry, Peace, Peace, when there is no Peace? This is the Sting I saw in the Tail of your Argument.
- 1Baptism makes no Persons Christians.
You ask many Questions, Why may not this be so: and, Why may not that be so? Who taught you thus to argue, what do you prove? But that which troubles me most is this, viz. That after you have put forth these unlearned and weak Questions, you draw Conclusions therefrom, with daring Boldness, after this manner, viz. What an high Affront then do these Men give to the Omnipotency of the holy Spirit, who affirm, that it is as vain a thing to hope and pray, that Almighty God should regenerate an Infant with his holy Spirit, as to expect that he should illuminate a Stone or a Tree? *pag. 16.