Jesus peculiar to them but on the first day of the Week Now let the Reader judge whether the Charge given by these Men against such as by Scriptures grounded Reasons prove it lawful to Baptize the Infants of Believers without so many literal words in Christs Testament Baptize your Children Seeing they by the same way allow and endeavour by grounded Reasons from Scripture to prove the first day of the Week to be the only day to keep Holy for Gospel-worship when as in the Testament of Christ there wants so many literal words Remember to keep Holy the first day as of old Remember to keep Holy the Seventh day Who is it now I say they or we that reflect upon the Care and Honour and Faithfulness of our Lord and Blessed Saviour Because say they did Moses deal thus with the Children of Israel No no how careful was he to deliver every Law Statute and Ordinance exactly and particularly in or about the Ordinance of the Passover that now they are forced to try their Wits to supply that which is wanting in their Sense to prove the first day to be kept Holy in the Worship of God Therefore seeing that they allow it lawful in themselves to do that which in things of like nature they condemn in others Let these Men hear what the Lord Jesus saith to such like Spirits Mat. 5. 2 3 4 5. With what judgment ye judge ye shall be judged and with what measure ye meet it shall be measured to you again And why beholdest thou the Mote in thy Brothers eye but considerest not the Beam that is in thine own eye thou Hypocrite first cast out the Beam out of thine own eye and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the Mote out of thy Brothers eye And again as we do believe the next immediate time after the Work of the Creation of the World was the time God in the Fourth Commandement commanded to be kept Holy until a new Creation was made wherein God in Christ his word created new Heavens and a new Earth Isaiah 65. 17. Rev. 21. 1. Isaiah 51. 16. namely new Heavenly Ordinances the old as Figures of Christ to come now by Christ's Death abolished Heb. 9. 23. which were for a time commanded to be kept by the Second Commandement as now the Lord Jesus we hear by a Voice from the Throne of God saith Behold I create all things new to wit new Ordinances a new Ministry a new Maintenance and a new Time to be kept Holy and a new People called a new Earth the Gentiles called to the Faith Fellow-heirs and of the same Body with the Believing Jews Partakers of his Promise in Christ by the Gospel And therefore it is written also Eph. 3. 6. Rom. 15. 9 10. Rom. 11. 24. with Jer. 11. 16. Rejoyce ye Gentiles with his People who were wild by nature are now by a new Creation in Christ Jesus Grafted contrary to nature into the good Olive-Tree with the Believing Jews and their Children so that if the Root be Holy so are the Branches the Root being Gods Love in Christ in the Covenant of Grace to us and our Children as of old to Abraham and his Seed the Believing Jews and their Children so now to the Believing Gentiles and to our Children who are Holy by virtue of the Holy Covenant which God made with Abraham and his Seed in their Generations if so as they grew up they continued with Isaac in the Faith So that the next immediate time after Christ by his Death had confirmed the Holy Covenant with many Dan. 9. 27. to wit with Believers and their Seed in Infancy was the time to be kept Holy even the first day of the Week So that although the Figurative Ordinances be abolished together with the old time next after the first Creation by the Death and Resurrection of the Lord of the Sabbath Yet as by the Moral Equity of the Second Commandement the new Ordinances for Gospel-worship are to be kept without adding to or diminishing from by any Mortal Man even so by the Moral Equity of the Fourth Commandement the first day the next immediate time after the new Creation is to be kept Holy for Gospel-worship to be believed by all Christians by grounded Reasons from Scripture as by like equality by grounded Reasons from Scripture is to be believed the Right the Infants of Believers have to Water-Baptism And therefore let them be ashamed ever hereafter to speak against or deny that Reasons from Scripture are not sufficient to prove the Right the Infants of Believers have to be Baptized And this leadeth to the Fourth Query Query 4. Who are they that the Lord Christ hath ordained in his Gospel to the Worlds end to be the Administrators of Water Baptism and the Lords Supper To this Query Ben. Keach saith in Page 20 21. of his Book That the Administration or Act of Water-Baptism was not tyed up to the Apostles or to the more ordinary Ministers but that any Faithful gifted Disciple might Administer it as well as they nor doth the Efficacy of Baptism depend in the least upon the Quality of the Person Administering of it whether it be Paul Apollo or Cephas or any other Disciple much inferior to them in Capacity or Office it is no matter for Ananias a private Disciple Baptized and Philip who was no other than a Deacon or Overseer of the Poor Baptized many in Samaria Acts 8. So that we find in the Primitive times the Simple Act of Baptism was a Work Inferior Servile and Subservient to that of Preaching the Gospel Answ The Lord Jesus in the Commission Go ye and teach all Nations Baptizing them was after Christs Resurrection given to Men in Office only Unless the Anabaptists think that the Apostles were no Officers but Common Disciples as anon it will be proved is their Judgment and that they look upon the Apostles in the work of Baptizing but only to be Gifted Disciples So that when these Men Err in any one of the Fundamentals in Christs Building with respect to the Ministry it being overthrown the whole work must needs be a Babel of Confusion as will appear for no Man can maintain an Erroneous Principle but he must violate either Faith or Order As first in this particular for Ben. Keach to affirm That the Simple Act of Baptism was a work Inferior Servile and Subservient to that of Preaching of the Gospel This Man seemeth not only to cross the very Order in Nature and much more in Grace For in earthly Covenants it matters not what hand writeth the Conditions if he be judged capable thereof Yet heed is to be taken in a special manner that the Sign or Seal to it be fixed by the Person that hath Authority to do it as the very Nature of Sealing to Covenants Civil or Spiritual the Holy Scripture sheweth John 3. 33. Eph. 1. 13. 4. 30. Jer. 32. 10. 2 Tim. 2. 9. therefore what care
find Faith on the Earth Luke 18. 8. and he will come in an hour which the wicked shall not be aware of Matth. 24. 44. but the Godly are exhorted to be ready at all times Mat. 25. 10. Therefore seeing the approaching of these Judgments is already beginning for Apostacy increases the distress of Nations 2 Chro. 15. 2. 6. with Seas and Waves Roaring Mens Hearts saith Christ failing them for fear and for looking after those things which are coming on the Earth Luke 21. 25 26. for the Powers of Heaven to wit of Godliness in the Church shall he so shaken that the power of true Godliness will be hardly found 2 Tim. 3. 5. only a Luke-warm chilled formal Profession remaining in Churches which is the effects of the last Vial of Gods Wrath powred into the Air Rev. 16. 17. Eph. 2. 2. and 4. 14. of false Doctrines of Men namely among others that of meritorious Works seeking Justification by the external act of their own Righteousness Luke 18. 9. wherein is shewed by the Plague of the hail of a Tallent weight the coldness of Love to God and one to another abounding so that the Root of Love decaying Eph. 2. 17. all Iniquity will abound Matth 24 12. that by it saith Christ to John the Grapes of Sin will hasten to be fully Ripe for the Harvest of the latter Day Rev. 14. 18. Deut. 32. 32. Now then these things seriously considered would move any Christian heart to speak when the sound of that word is heard and regarded as it is written Prov. 24. 10 11 12. If thou faint in the day of Adversity thy Strength is small if thou forbear to deliver them that are drawn unto Death and those that are ready to be slain if thou sayest behold we know it not doth not he that pondereth the Heart consider it and he that keepeth thy Soul doth not he know it and shall not he render to every Man accordsng to his Works And Lastly least these People called Anabaptists should be offended because I call them not Baptists as they call themselves but Anabaptists my reason is this because first the word Baptist Matth. 3. 1. Luke 7. 20. was a Name only belonging to Gods immediate Messenger John who was by extraordinary Commission sent to Baptise therefore was he Surnamed the Baptist so that neither the Apostles nor any of the primitive Christians did presume to call themselves by that Name Baptist and as touching the word Anabaptist it is no more than one Anabaptized or Rebaptized and therefore all that are Baptized in Infancy and are Baptized again properly bear that Name Anabaptist so that it is no Nick-Name to those people who desire to be called Baptists Thus having discharged my Duty leaving what is here discussed in this Treatise to the Impartial Reader to Judge thereof according to the Written word of God Isa 8. 20. To the Law and to the Testimony if they speak not according to this word it is because there is no light in them Now for the Benefit and Comfort that through Gods Blessing any shall reap for their Souls good by what is here laid down let them give to God only the Glory which is the Father of Lights and the Author of every good and perfect Gift to whom be ascribed Dominion Power and Glory in and through our Lord Jesus Christ now and for ever Amen Remaining Thine in the Lord Tho. Wall A Breviat of the Contents in this Book In Query First THe Sence of the Word Baptize opened in three kinds of Baptism proving the manner of Administration not by Dipping but by casting or powring Water on that part which representeth the Person from page 2. to 9. The meaning of the word Buried in Baptism opened pag. 9. to 11. That part of the person Baptized is not to be covered with any Garment prov'd pag. 11. to 14. Why it is said John Baptized in Enon because tiere was much Water explained pag. 15. to 17. That the Apostles Baptized the 3000 in one day not by Dipping prov'd and that many of them were Children pag. 18. to 21. Query Second Pag. 22. The end why Water-Baptism was Ordain'd for a Gospel Ordinance for a sign of Remission of Sins Query Third Pag. 23. How Infants became Sinners and how made Righteous by Christ pag. 24. to 29. That as Sin entered into the World by Families even so the Redemption of Mankind was by Families and by Covenant added to the Church daily with their Parents pag. 30. to 37. That profession of Faith giveth no Soul right to have Water Baptism Administred on them pag. 38. to 44 and why profession is required and of whom What manner of Persons every Nation consisteth of that Christ commanded to Preach the Gospel to and Baptize them explain'd pag. 45. 46. That the Apostles taught no other Gospel than what they found written in the Writings of the Prophets pag. 47 to 50. The manner how the Gospel was Taught and applied pag. 52. to 55. That the House or Houseshold the Apostle Baptized were Children and not Servants pag. 56. to 61. Objection shew a Child by Name Baptized Answer'd pag. 67. That Infants have the Spirit of Faith prov'd pag. 65. 66. Why Christ was not Baptized till he was 30 years old explained pag. 67. Objection concerning the order of Words Teach and Baptize Answered pag. 69. That Repentance was only required of Adult persons and not of Infants before Baptized and why pag. 70 to 72. That as Infants were Church-Members of old so now prov'd pag. 73. Ben. Keach derission of Faith to be in Infants Answered pag. 77. to 79 and Refuted Reflections on the honour of Christ by the Anabaptists charged on 〈◊〉 as plead for Infants Baptism Answered pag. 80. 81 Reasons to prove Infants Baptism granted by the Equality of the Reasons the Anabaptists prove the first day to be kept for Gospel Worship pag. 82. to 84. That Water Baptism is to be Administred onlp on the Lords-day or first day of the Week confessed by the Anabaptists contrary to their practice pag. 85 to 88. Query Fourth Page 90. Who are the Persons that have right to Administer Water Baptism shewed pag. 90 to 100. The Order how every Ordinance in Worship is to be performed and by whom on the Lords day proved p. 102 to 105. Query Fifth Page 106. Whether it be lawful for a Man to Baptize himself and from such an Administrator the English Anabaptists received their Baptism p. 107 to 112. proved A false report concerning the State of Infants by the Anabaptists against Dr. Ames Mr. Ainsworth and Dr. Owen Answered p. 113 to 117. B. Keach's grant that it is Will-worship for a Man to Baptize himself p. 118. Baptism received in Apostacy not to be reiterated p. 119 to 121. How the People in this Island in the Apostles days received the Christian Faith and Baptism and not from Rome p. 123 124. That Water-Baptism came in place of Circumcision proved p.
Baptize and furnished with Gifts and working Miracles Therefore no ordinary Person as B. Keach degradeth him in saying He was no other than a Deacon or an Overseer of the Poor when Philip Baptized This Error he had need to correct in his next Again as concerning Ananias he was no private Person as B. Keach saith for we read he was by the Lord immediately called and inabled to work Miracles Acts 22. 12 13. to wit on Paul before he Baptized him And as touching the Sects in Corinth it giveth light in this matter for some followed Paul some Cephas some Apollo taking occasion as it seemeth by the Persons that Baptized them unto whom they leaned more than unto others Now if it were so that some of these were private Men though as it hath been proved they were not yet the Action of a private Man in a work done by express command from God any more than Gideon Judges 16. 25 26. in offering Sacrifice which belonged only to the Tribe of Levi might be followed by any other of his Brethren of the Tribe of Manasseh Again that any Man of Cyprus or Cyren Administred Baptism or the Lords Supper cannot be nor yet is by the Anabaptists proved by any one Scripture and as for Apollo he was no private Man whom Paul joyned with himself nor Cephas who either was Peter or some eminent Officer a Planter and Minister whom the Corinthians accounted as one of their chief Teachers therefore more than common Disciples as B. Keach faineth out of his own Heart which deceiveth him and others that take his bare word for proof or rule to practise of what he hath written about Baptism either in the manner or in the Administrator of it And what is to this end published lately in a Narrative Page 18. of the Anabaptists but that they allow the high Breach of Gods order Namely That other than Pastors or Teachers may Administer the Lords Supper If so then what need is there of Men to be chosen into Office or what need any care be taken for Ministers Maintenance who are chosen to wait upon their Ministry and have charge given them by the Holy Ghost as Overseers of the Flock Acts 20. But we see how little care these Men take that all things among them be done decently and in order but have published as aforesaid rather that order is not to be regarded whereas they may remember when for breach of order for presuming to do that work which God had enjoyned to be done by Office as aforesaid how Corah and his Company were swallowed up in the Earth Numb 16. And for breach of order how King Uzziah was 2 Chron. 26. 16. struck with Leprosie to the day of his death presuming to do the Priest's work Likewise God destroyed Uzza a Levite as aforesaid who out of a good Intent touched the Ark 1 Chron. 13. 10. to keep it from falling which work only belonged to the Priest's Office Numb 4. to touch the Ark. These things being written for our Admonition upon whom the end of the World is come 1 Cor. 10. 11. How then dare the Anabaptists resolve in the Affirmative in their Narrative page 18. without any word drop'd from Christ or grounded Reason from Scripture that an Elder of one Church may Administer the Ordinance of the Lords Supper to another of the same Faith being called so to do by the said Church though no Pastor but as a Minister that is neither Pastor nor Teacher by Office Necessity being only considered in the case and produced no Scripture to prove it when as Necessity did not warrant Uzza in touching the Ark as aforesaid Narrative page 18. Now although B. Keach hath set his Hand to the aforesaid Narrative as Lawful without Command or Example or true grounded Reason from Scripture for it yet in his Answer to an Argument brought for Infants Baptism nothing he will allow but a literal Command in such Term of words he thinks fit The Argument for Infants Baptism is this There is nothing in all the New Testament against Infants Baptism saith Mr. Smythies If indeed our Saviour had declared that Infants should not be Baptized or if we had read of the Apostles refusal of them And there is no hint from any express word from Christ saith Mr. Sidenham or his Apostles nor any Phrase which doth forbid such an Act. B. Keach saith We will answer with Tertullian for there is a certain Rule saith he If it be said it is lawful because the Scripture doth not forbid it it may be equally retorted it is therefore not lawful because the Scripture doth not command it To which he farther addeth to back Tertullian saying That which is done in the Worship and Service of God without an express word drop'd from Christ or his Apostles or any Phrase which doth signifie it is his Will and Mind it should be done is unlawful and no better than Will worship Gold Resin'd Page 146 147. Now will not the Reader mark how this Man is Yea and Nay for what word is drop'd from Christ that other besides Pastor or Teacher shall Administer the Ordinance of Water-Baptism and the Lords-Supper since extraordinary Offices are ceased as Apostles Evangelists and the like as he with others affirmeth that a Teaching Disciple may Baptize and no word drop'd from Christ for it Yet he granteth Water-Baptism to be a part of Gospel-Worship and that whatsoever is done in Worship without an express Command from Christ or his Apostles he granteth is no better than Will-worship therefore seeing there is no word drop'd from Christ that any other besides Pastor or Teacher may Administer the Lords-Supper nor yet no other may Administer Water-Baptism It is therefore Will-worship by his own grant for any being but a Teaching Disciple to Baptize As likewise when any among them and not a Pastor or Teacher Administers the Lords-Supper is likewise Will-worship and so a high Breach of Gods Order So that Church which alloweth these things hath as the Lord complained transgressed the Laws and broken the Everlasting Covenant which Church or City is therefore called the City of Consusion Isa 24. 10. the very Name of Babylon out of which Assemblies all Gods Elect are called out from among them Rev. 18. 4. Although they Boast and say Lo here is Christ and Lo there is Christ Christ saith Go not after them Matt. 24. 23. for where Order is not regarded nor kept in either State Spiritual or Civil there is Consusion and every evil work Therefore let us take a view in Holy Scripture in Christs last Will namely of the orderly Performance of all Gods Holy Ordinances in Worship according to the Rules prescribed in the Testament of the Lord Jesus as it is written Let all things be done Decently and in Order 1 Cor. 14. 40. Now because Order is joyned to Faith therefore saith the Apostle For though I be absent in the Flesh yet am I with you in the Spirit