the Apostles preached so that it is to be believed that as the Apostles taught so they practised If then the Apostle Paul hath taught that all our Fathers were Baptized when water out of the Clouds by the Lord himself was poured on Persons and many of them were Children called our Fathers until the days of David Acts 7. 45. and how highly the Apostle Peter esteemed of all the Writings of his beloved Brother Paul who among other things presseth Order to be kept in the Administration of all Gods Ordinances teaching from Gods Order of Old when as a peculiar work belonged to the Ministerial Offices as 't is written No Man taketh this Honour to himself but he that is called of God as was Aaron Heb. 5. 4. So that the Example of Numb 16. 1 Chron. 13. 11. Corah Dathan and Abiram and Uzza sheweth by the Judgments that fell on them what a Sin it was for any private Man to take that work to do which God had bound to Office But more to this in the Fourth Query So then it is rationally to be believed and that by grounded Reason from Gods word that the Apostles themselves without the help of the hundred and twenty did Baptize the three thousand in one day which could not be done by Dipping the Anabaptists grant and therefore it was done by casting water on the Forehead and Face as before shewed for Baptized they all were and because that part of Mankind representeth the whole Person either in Old or Young therefore they were Baptized by water cast on that part to wit the Face as by grounded Reason from Scripture is to be believed Besides 't is evident to be believed that many of these three thousand which the Apostles Baptized were Children seeing the Promise of the Pardon of Sin was by the Apostle Peter Acts 2. 39. applied to the Children then present as well as to their Parents of the Pardon of their Sins Water-Baptism being ordained by Christ for a Sign of Remission of Sins Now to all to whom the Promise is applied the Sign of Remission to wit Water-Baptism belongeth to them but the promise of Remission of Sins was applied to them and their Children but more of that anon in the Third Query for as it was the usual manner of the Jews when by Thousands they followed Christ to hear him Teach and see the Miracles which he did to take their Children with them as doth appear in that Miracle which Christ did whom he Fed with Five Loaves and two Fishes Five Thousand Men besides Women and Children Matt. 14. 21. for so it was foretold by the Prophet speaking of the day of Christ as it is written Thus saith the Lord behold I will lift up my hand to the Gentiles and set up my Standard to the People to wit the Jews and they shall bring their Sons in their arms or Bosoms and thy Daughters shall be carried on their shoulders Isa 49. 22. Even so the Jews that resorted to hear Christ and afterwards his Apostles Teach and to see the Miracles which they did they carried their Children with them unto whom the Apostle Peter joyntly applying the Promises of Life and Salvation by Christ in the remission of their Sins in the Blood of Jesus saying The Promise is to you and unto your Children And this maketh way to the Second Query which is Query 2. To what end Water-Baptism by the Lord Jesus was Ordained in these last days for a Gospel-Ordinance Answ John Surnamed the Baptist Matt. 3. 1. with respect of his immediate Call to the work of Baptizing hath shewed the end in the Sign why Water Baptism was ordained namely but that Christ should be made manifest to Israel Therefore saith John am I come Baptizing with Water John 1. 31. The Apostle Peter likewise agreeth thereunto saying Be Baptized for the Remission of Sins Acts 2. 38. Again Ananias confirmeth the same saying Be Baptized and wash away thy sins Acts 22. 6. So then in fine the end why Water-Baptism was ordained to make manifest by that outward Sign that Christ the Lamb of God is now come according to the Gospel-Promise preached to Adam That the Seed of the Woman Gen. 3. 15. shall bruise the Serpents Head that is destroy the works of the Devil 1 John 3. 8. and deliver them who by Sin he had captivated into his Bondage Heb. 2. 15. As also according to the same Gospel preached to Abraham That in his Seed Christ all the Families of the Earth shall be Blessed Gen. 12. 3. Acts 3. 25 26. with the Pardon of Sin And accordingly John the Fore-runner of Christ sent as an Herald before the Prince of Life Acts 3. 15. to prepare the way of the Salvation of Fallen Mankind saith Behold the Lamb of God that beareth away the sin of the World John 1. 29. And this maketh way to the Third Query to be considered which is Query 3. What is it by Scripture Evidence that giveth any Soul Young or Old Right to have Water-Baptism Administred on them Answ We have shewed in the Second Query that Water-Baptism is the visible Sign of the Pardon of Sin called the Sin of the World Therefore the next thing is to be observed what this Sin of the World is And secondly who are the Persons that stand charged with this Sin And thirdly how Christ the Lamb of God beareth away this sin of the World from these Persons The Apostle Paul hath not only shewed what this Sin of the World is but also the World this Sin first entered into and stand charged with the same and also how Christ the Lamb of God taketh away this Sin from many who are guilty as being under Condemnation as it is written Wherefore as by one man sin entered into the World and Death by Sin and so death passed upon all men for that or in whom all have sinned Rom. 5. 12. Now because Adam was the Root of all Mankind when he broke Gods Law by eating the Forbidden Fruit all his Posterity in his Loynes sinned in him for as Levi is said to pay Tithes in Abraham's Loynes before he was born when Abraham did Heb. 7. 9. even so we all in Adam's Loynes before we were born brake Gods Law when Adam did and this was the Sin that first entered into the World and these are the Persons Sin entered into namely the actual Sinner and his Seed and for these the Lamb of God is come to bear away the Condemnation due to them even Eternal Death the Wages of this Sin Rom. 6. 23. Thus we see in the Fall of Mankind there were two sort of Sinners the one Actual as Adam and Eve the other their Seed or Children in his Loynes Sinners by Original Corruption derived from Fathers to Children who have not sinned after the Similitude of Adam 's Transgression Rom. 5. 14. as by their own act but are Sinners by Derivation or Original Corruption from them and from these two sorts of
joying and beholding your Order and Stedfastness of your Faith in Christ Col. 2. 5. Therefore as the Ordinances are several every one having dependance on each other therefore Prayer being a Sanctifying Ordinance Numb 10. 35. Col. 14. 4. 1 Tim 4. 4. Acts 2. 42. 6. 4. Matt. 26. 26 27. Numb 6. 23 27. the Pastor or Teacher when the Church is gathered together in some one place 1 Cor. 11. 29. Sanctifieth the Congregation by Prayer and as Praises are next unto Prayer the whole Church Praising the Lord by Singing a Psalm of Holy Scripture even the words of the Prophets of old 1 Chron. 16. 7 8 9 29. Matt. 26. 26. Col. 3. 16. Eph. 5. 19. 2 Chron. 29. 29 30. Rev. 15. 2 3. This being ended the Pastor or Teacher giveth Attendance to Reading Exhortation and Doctrine having read some part of Holy Scripture giving the Sense and Meaning thereof as likewise taking some Scripture and teach or raise Doctrine from the same 1 Tim. 4. 13. Nehem. 8. 8. Phil. 4. 16. 1 Cor. 2. 13. Luke 4. 18 21 22. Cant. 4. 16. This being done then the Prophets or Gifted Brethren spake by Memberal Right as it is written Quench not the Spirit despise not Prophecying 1 Thess 5. 19 20. Keeping order by one two or three at most 1 Cor. 14. 24 29. as time will permit This being done the Church freely contributing to the Maintenance of the Officers and Poor the Deacons attending thereto by Office to gather the same and as need requireth to distribute the same Acts 6. 2 3 5. 1 Cor. 16. 1 2. 2 Cor. 8. 12. Prov. 27. 23. 3. 18. This being ended the Ruling Elder in the time of Christs Regal Government in the Church Christ's Kingdom together with the other Elders Pastor and Teacher see that order be kept being the time when any Persons desire to be joyned to Christ by Covenant Jer. 50. 5. Acts 2. 47. to judge of the work of Grace in them by their Profession being approved by the whole Church and then are they to receive them into the Covenant with their Children in Nonage Deut. 29. 11 12. because the Promise is to them and unto their Children Deut. 29. 29. Acts 2. 39. in which time of Government likewise if there be any Complaint against any Members for their Disorderly walking or for Errors in Faith it is written If they will not hear to wit private Admonition and so if they will not be reclaimed at the first and second Admonition to tell it to the Church and if they despise the Churches Admonition to cast them out in the Name of the Lord Jesus from the Communion of Christ in the Church and so from all the Benefit of the Promises in the Covenant Rev. 4. 2. Isa 9. 7. Matt. 18. 15 16 17 18. 1 Cor. 5. Prov. 29. 1. This Ordinance being ended if any were received into Covenant in the time of Government and had never been Baptized into the Name of Jesus then the Seal must be set on the Persons received into Covenant as a Sign of the Pardon of their Sins being washed away in the Blood of Christ the Lamb the Blood of the Everlasting Covenant called the Church Covenant Zach. 9. 10. So that by Water-Baptism Christ may be made manifest both to Parents and their Infants that he hath bore away their Sin or Sins John 1. 29 31. Heb. 8. 12. This Ordinance being ended performed by the Pastor or Teacher then follows the Administration of the Lords-Supper as it is written The Cup of Blessing which we Bless is it not the Communion of the Blood of Christ The Bread which we brake is it not the Communion of the Body of Christ For we being many are one Bread and one Body for we are all partakers of that one Bread 1 Cor. 10. 16 17. The finishing of this Ordinance is by singing a Psalm the whole Action of the day in Worship finished by Prayer Thus as all grant every Ordinance in the Church-Assembly is to be performed on the Lords day as the Anabaptists also grant in their Narrative Page 17. in these words We have no Example of the Churches then Assembling together to celebrate all the Ordinances of our Lord Jesus peculiar to them but on the first day of the week As afore shewed in their Reasons about keeping the first day for Gospel-worship Thus when Gods Holy Order is kept in the Practice all Gods Ordinances in his Church his Kingdom the Beholders thereof will say God is in them for a truth 1 Cor. 14. 25. and with this Admiration who is this Cant. 8. 5. that thus followeth the Captain of their Salvation Heb. 2. 10. in the Heavenly Warfare of his Gospel Rev. 19. 11. 2 Tim. 2. 3 4. whether soever he goeth before them in his Commands Rev. 17. 14. Rev. 14. 4. 1 Cor. 11. 1. then will the Spouse of Christ appear Crowned with Twelve Stars walking in the Apostles and Prophets Doctrine Christ being the chief Corner-stone whose Righteousness is put on by Faith Rom. 13. 14. looking forth as the Morning she is Fair as the Moon Clear as the Sun Terrible to all her Enemies as an Army with Banners Cant. 6. 10. Rev. 3. 7 8 9 10. And this is that Vertuous Woman her Price is above Rubies that looketh well to the ways of her Houshold and Eateth not the Bread of Idleness her Children arise and call her Blessed her Husband also and he praiseth her Prov. 31. 10 27 28. Now then where Gods Holy Order is not kept there is Confusion and every evil work and what doth Babel mean but Confusion so is every City or Church that transgresseth the Laws or changed the Ordinances or breaketh the Everlasting Covenant called the City of Confusion And this maketh way to take in consideration the Fifth Query which is Query 5. Whether it be Lawful for any Man to Baptize himself In speaking to this Query is shewed that from such an Administrator the English Anabaptists have successively received their way of Re-baptizing of Adult Persons only and excluding the Infants of Believers from the same or the Right to have Water-Baptism Administred on them Therefore it may be expedient to give some Description of this first Baptizer of himself by Name John Smith who by Profession was a Minister of the Church of England disliking thereof went over into Holland and joyned himself to an English Church at Amsterdam at which time Mr. Henry Ainsworth was Teacher to the said Church now as it appeareth by Calvin in his Institutions there were some in his time called Anabaptists in Judgment denying Infants Baptism from this Principle they then maintained in denying original Sin so that they affirmed Infants were not born Sinners and from hence they pleaded there need no Sign of Remission of Sins be Administred on them Now this Error is confuted in a word If Infants were not born Sinners then they could not dye until they had Actually sinned for the
Wages of Sin is Death but some Infants dye so soon as born therefore sinful by Nature as in the third Query proved But since the Anabaptists have devised another Erroneous Doctrine as afore shewed to deprive Infants of Water-Baptism that is because they cannot profess Faith and Repent therefore they have say they no Right to be Baptized This likewise hath been disproved and also proved that Infants being born Sinners the only thing which giveth them Right to have Water-Baptism Administred on them is Remission of their Sins in the third Query A third Devise these People have found to deprive Infants of their Right to Water-Baptism perswading People of years they were not Baptized at all if not Dip'd or Plung'd in Water This Error hath likewise been refuted in the first Query And lastly When the Anabaptists had framed so many Devices to deny all Infants Baptism they were confounded in themselves what to do to begin Baptizing in their way of Baptizing Adult Persons only as Men and Women there being no such Administrator to be found for an unbaptized Person without an immediate call from Heaven as John Baptist had to Baptize But one John Smith as aforesaid being more desperately wicked than others when being cast out for Error out of a True Church he Baptized himself and then he Baptized others and from this Man the English Anabaptists have successively received their new Administration of Baptism on Men and Women only And now let us take a small Description of this Man as aforesaid When he was joyned a Member to an English Church at Amsterdam whose Wolvish Nature was hid for a time as it is written For I know this saith Paul to the Church of God at Ephesus that after my departing shall grievous Wolves enter in among you not sparing the Flock also of your own selves Shall men arise speaking perverse things to draw away Disciples after them Acts 20. 29 30. Such a Wolf was John Smith for before he pleaded for Anabaptistry he was so great an Instrument of Satan that he sought to deprive the Church of God he had joyned himself unto of the use of the Bible not only as not to be used before the Eye as not to be looked into in time of Worship contrary to the Practice of Christ and the Apostles Luke 4. 16 17 1 Tim. 4. 13. Eph. 3. 4. 2 Cor. 1. 13. but also that it was not lawful to make use of the Bible in any other Tongue than that it was first written in Mr. Henry Ainsworth being Teacher in the aforesaid Church and so well acquainted not only with the Original Togues that first the Scriptures were given in but also with the mind of Christ in the same answered his Reasons against the use of Translations his main or principle Reason was this as Mr. Ainsworth saith That no Apocrypha Writing but only the Canonical Scriptures are to be used in the Church in time of Worship every written Translation is an Apocrypha Writing and is not Canonical Scripture therefore every written Translation is unlawful in the Church in time of Worship Ainsworth's Defence of Scripture Page 1 2. Now saith Mr. Ainsworth Some time after he had published this Error God struck him with Blindness that he could no longer find the door of the Church out of which he was gone by Schism and which he had assaulted with Errors namely our entering in by the Covenant made with Abraham and his Seed as now to the Faithful and their Seed which hath been as a Brazen Wall against which he hath run himself to his utter Ruine If God in Mercy raise him not up and now as a Man benum'd in mind he cryeth out against as contrary to his former Faith and Profession saying Lo we protest against them to be a False Church falsly Constituted in the Baptizing of Infants and their own unbaptized Estate Defence of Scripture Page 3. Thus Wine sheweth it self in Mr. Smith to be a Mocker and Strong Drink to be raging while he hath drunk the Wine of Violence Prov. 4. 17. proclaiming open War against Gods everlasting Covenant How contrary is this to his former Faith he once seemingly as it appears maintained with us saith Mr. Ainsworth as may be seen in his difference in the Preface for then he acknowledged the Ancient Brethren of the Separation as he calleth us are to be honoured for that they have reduced the Church to the true Primitive Apostolick Constitution Now as one Error goeth not alone while Mr. Smith was seeking to deprive the Church of God of the use of Translation one of his Arguments he thus framed Children saith he may read a Translation perfectly well but Children cannot perform any part of Spiritual Worship Therefore reading a Translation is no part of Spiritual Worship Mr. Ainsworth's Answer is Is not the praising of God a part of his Worship when the Children cried Matt. 21. 15 16. Psalm 8. Hosannah in the Temple to the Son of David Christ defendeth their Fact by Scripture That out of the mouth of Babes and Sucklings God hath made perfect his Praise But I will turn his own Weapon upon him thus Mr. Smith Anabaptized himself with Water but a Child could have done Here Mr. Ainsworth saith Mr. Smith Baptized himself the like unto himself who cannot perform as he thinketh any part of Spiritual Worship and consequently it was Carnal Worship and Service of the Devil If one should answer though a Child could cast Water upon himself and utter such words as he heard Mr. Smith spake yet could he not preach or open Neh. 8. 8. the Covenant as did the Priests and Levites therefore Reading and Preaching being joyn'd together as Baptism with Water and Preaching he that condemneth the one because a Child can do it condemneth the other by like reason And Mr. Smith having thus written of Children and done to himself the Babes and Sucklings whose Souls he would Murther by depriving them of the Covenant and visible Seal of Salvation in the Church shall rise up in Judgment and condemn him at the last day who is like a Brute Beast as the Apostle Jude calleth some Men Who spake evil of those things which they know not but what they know naturally as Brute Beasts in those things they corrupt themselves Jude ver 10. Now how like a Beast did Mr. Smith say in his Writing against Infants Baptism That an Infant is no more capable of Baptism than any unreasonable Creature And what differeth Mr. Keach's words who saith in Page 164. of his Book Gold Refin'd That Flocks and Heards were Baptized in the Clouds and in the Sea as well as Children When as the Apostle saith all our Fathers were Baptized who were not Beasts but that part of Mankind of whom Christ came as it is written Whose are the Fathers and of whom as concerning the Flesh Christ came who is over all God blessed for ever Amen Rom. 9. 5 6. Again Mr. Smith formed an