Gold Refined, Title page – Notice
GOLD REFIN'D; OR, Baptiſm in its Primitive Purity. Proving Baptiſm in Water an Holy Inſtitution of Jeſus Chriſt, and to continue in the Church to the End of the World. WHEREIN It is clearly evinced, That Baptizo, or Baptiſm, is not Aſperſion or Sprinkling, or pouring a little Water upon the Face, or any other part of the Body: But that it is Immerſion, or dipping the whole Body, &c. Alſo that Believers are only the true Subjects (and not Infants) of that holy Sacrament. Likewiſe Mr. Smythies Arguments for Infant-Baptiſm in his late Book, entitled, The Non-Communicant, (and all other Objections) fully anſwered.
By BENJ. KEACH, Author of foreign, A Key to open Scripture-Metaphors.
Isa. 1. 22.
Thy Silver is become Droſs.
London, Printed for the Author, and are to be ſold by Nathaniel Crouch, at the ſign of the Bell in the Poultry. 1689.
THE EPISTLE To all that love our Lord Jeſus Chriſt in Sincerity.
IT may poſſibly be a little wondred at, that I ſhould write at this time any thing upon this Subject, which may ſeem to revive the Controverſie, of which little has been written of late Years; it may therefore ſeem neceſſary I ſhould ſpeak ſomething by way of Apology for my ſelf. Firſt of all, I muſt tell you, that this Treatiſe was wrote the laſt Summer, altho it had no Birth till now, and many know what Provocations I had about that time to write in behalf of our Practice in reſpect of Baptiſm: having heard how a worthy Miniſter (whom I reſpect and honour) who liveth not far off from me, had publickly preach'd up the baptizing of little Babes, bearing very hard upon thoſe of our Perſwaſion; and could I have had a friendly Conference with him, 'tis like this had not ſeen the Sun. Beſides, we were challeng'd to diſpute the Point with ſome Miniſters of the Church of England much about the ſame time, not far from London: But tho they had rendred us as odious as they well could (and as if we had nothing to ſay for our Practice, viz. for baptizing Men and Women) yet when all came to all, none of them would appear to defend what they had ſpoken, which cauſed ſome to conclude it did behove me, or ſome other to write ſomething about it. Moreover, a godly Friend (of ſome Eminency in London) ſent for me to his Houſe (who, tho a Baptiſt, yet walks with our Brethren called Independents) and deſired me that I would be pleaſed to write a Sheet or two upon Baptiſm, chiefly to ſhew what it was, ſith he perceived many good People were miſtaken therein, and did, as he conceived, take that to be Baptiſm, or Baptizing, which was not the thing, he having examined what the Greek word foreign Baptizo did ſignify, and found by Lexicons, and by conferring with Scholars, it did not ſignify Aſperſion, Sprinkling, nor pouring, nor any other Waſhing than Immerſion, or total dipping of the Body in Water; and therefore did conclude it neceſſary this thing ſhould be further opened, and would have me to conſer with one able Perſon who well underſtood the Greek Tongue about it, which I was willing to do: Nay, and beſides all this, when we wrote our Key to open Scripture-Metaphors, we promiſed the Reader we would write ſomething concerning this very matter, as you may ſee if you read Pag. 38. Part 2. which, though it be above ſix Years ago, we never performed till now. All theſe things conſidered together, with that great Impulſe of Spirit I found to do it, I thought I had a ſufficient Call to undertake the Work, altho I know it has been more effectually managed by far abler Pens ſome Years ſince, yet I conclude (with others) a ſhort Tract of a ſmall Price might come into more Hands than bigger Volumes would do.
Moreover I muſt confeſs, I have not a little wondred to ſee ſo many Eminent Fathers, and famous Divines, both Ancient and Modern, ſpeaking ſo clearly as to the literal, proper and genuine Signification of the word Baptizo, and yet finding ſo many wiſe and learned Men of late ſo ſtrangely contradicting themſelves by their own Practice. I am ſure if Prejudice and Partiality were laid aſide, and Men would deal faithfully with their own Conſciences, they muſt confeſs our Practice of Immerſion (or dipping Believers in Water in the Name of the Father, &c.) muſt of neceſſity be congruous both with the literal and ſpiritual Signification of the word Baptiſm, and Practice of the Apoſtles and Primitive Church; and ſo it will be found one day, and that they have no juſt cauſe given them to reproach or charge us as they do: who laying the Foundation of their own Houſe falſe, or not according to the Patern; and not contented ſo to do neither, but vilifie and reproach them who build exactly according to the Direction of the Maſter-Builder: We marvel how they can ſatisfy themſelves to keep up that Practice of theirs of Rantiſm, ſince there is nothing to be ſaid in the Defence of it from God's Word; and if once it was laid aſide (with the wrong Subject) as an unwarrantable Rite, and they would cleave to the Primitive Inſtitution and Practice, what a glorious Reformation in point of Church-Conſtitution and Diſcipline would there be! and what a ſweet Harmony and Vnion would follow amongſt us! for there has been no one thing that hath cauſed like Contention in the Church for many Years, as this of Infants-ſprinkling hath. If our Brethren would but lay this ſeriouſly to Heart, I can't but think it would put them to a ſtand or pauſe about it. It had need lie clear in the Word of God, ſince ſo great a ſtreſs as the Foundation of their Church in ſuch an eminent manner (in reſpect of its Conſtitution) is laid upon it, and it being that main thing that obſtructs and hinders that bleſſed Vnion and Fellowſhip amongſt ſo many good Chriſtians as it doth, who hardly in any other things differ at all in any Article of Faith or Practice. And whereas our Brethren ſeem to fly for Refuge to that indirect and remote Signification of the word Baptizo of waſhing, yet how apparent is it, that it means no other Wa… … but ſuch as is by dipping, ſwilling, or total wet… … that thing, Part, Member, or Perſon all over …it. Water, that is ſaid to be baptized; for tho all dipping or baptizing may be called a waſhing, yet all waſhing is not dipping, &c. In a proper ſenſe the word Baptize, Wilſon in his Dictionary ſaith, is derived from foreign, Tingo, to dip, or plunge into the Water, and ſignifieth primarily ſuch a kind of waſhing as is uſed in Bucks where Linnen is plunged and dipt, &c. But how evident it is, that ſprinkling, or pouring is no ſuch waſhing, viz. baptizing.
Ainſworth upon Lev. 15. 5. ſays, to baptize, or waſh his Fleſh, as is expreſſed ver. 13, 16. meaneth his whole Body; likewiſe (ſaith a great Author) the Hebrews affirm in every place, where it is ſaid in the Law of bathing the Fleſh, and waſhing the Cloaths of the Unclean, it is not meant but of baptizing the whole Body, &c. but if the Greek word would bear ſprinkling or pouring, yet that will not juſtify Men thus to baptize, becauſe not according to the Vſage of the Primitive Church; nor doth it anſwer or reach the Signification of this Ordinance, which is the Death, Burial, and Reſurrection of Jeſus Chriſt, together with our Death to Sin, and riſing with him to walk in newneſs of Life; to repreſent which great Myſtery, it was ordained, as you will find if you read this Treatiſe. I have been the larger upon this, becauſe if Baptiſm is nothing leſs, nor more, nor any other Act than Immerſion, or total dipping the whole Body, &c. than abundance of godly Chriſtians muſt ſeek after true Baptiſm; neither can Infants, it appears from hence, be the Subjects of it, ſith their tender Bodies can't bear it in theſe cold Climates, without palpable danger of their Lives, as our Oppoſites confeſs, and formerly, by woful Experience, found to be ſo. Jeſus Chriſt never appointed an …nance to deſtroy the Lives of any of his Creatures. …ut why will not our Brethren keep to the great Inſti…ution, and exact Rule of the Primitive Church? Muſt we content our ſelves with that Light which the Church had in reſpect of this and other Goſpel-Truths at the beginning of the Reformation,—ſince God hath brought forth greater (to the praiſe of his own rich Grace) in our Days? And why ſhould a Tradition of the Antichriſtian State, be ſo zealouſly defended? The Church will never certainly appear in its Primitive Glory, till this Rubbiſh be remov'd; which is nothing leſs than to take a Stone of Babylon, and lay it in Sion for a Foundation. Beſides, it doth not a little reflect upon the Honour of the Lord Jeſus, thus to derogate from his holy Law, who is appointed Heir of both Worlds; who hath ſettled in his Church that Religion, and every Ordinance thereof, which muſt remain unalterable to the end of Time, or Conſummation of all things. He (as our Annotators well ſay) is the Builder of God's Houſe, propagating a holy (not a fleſhly) Seed for himſelf; and hath appointed, and fixed on the Matter and Form thereof, as ſeemed good in his own ſight, who is the brightneſs of the Father's Glory, and expreſs Image of his Perſon, &c. And what an account our Brethren or others will be able to give to him, for preſuming to do any thing contrary to the Apoſtolical Conſtitution, when he comes to judg the Quick and the Dead, I know not.
As touching that great Argument for Infant-Baptiſm, taken from the Covenant made with Abraham, tho ſomething is here ſaid in Anſwer, and enough hath been ſaid by others formerly, yet I muſt acquaint the Reader, there is a moſt excellent Treatiſe prepared, written by a very worthy and judicious Perſon (and ready for a timely Birth) wherein that grand Objection, and all …thers are anſwered (beyond what any I think have …itherto do….) But if we ſhould grant all they duplicate page duplicate page say of Abraham's Fleſhly Seed, and Foe… Holineſs, yet that will not prove Children to have a Right to Baptiſm, becauſe Baptiſm (as well as Circumciſion was) is a meer poſitive Law, and wholly depends on the Will and Pleaſure of the Law-giver: which is in this Treatiſe opened and aſſerted again and again, and not without good Reaſon. But leſt I ſhould keep the Reader too loong at the Door, I ſhall conclude this Epiſtle with my hearty Prayers, that God would be pleaſed in Mercy to open our Brethrens Eyes, or ours, wherein either they or we lie ſhort as touching any part of God's Will, and let us ſtrive to live in Love and Concord together, wherein we do, or can agree. 'Tis Truth I contend for, and that Truth which was once delivered to the Saints, and ſhall, I hope, whilſt I am in the Body, who now (as well as formerly) ſubſcribe my ſelf thy Servant for Jeſus ſake,
Aug. 6. 1688. Benj. Keach.
Advertiſement.
IF any deſire to be furniſhed that excellent Book, written ſome times ſince by Mr. William Kiffin, proving no unbaptized Perſon ought to be admitted to the Lord's Table; may have them at Mr. Nath. Crouch's, at the ſign of the Bell in the Poultry, or at the Authors Houſe in Southwark: