but a God unto his Seed in that Salvation was come to his House his Children with him therefore to whom the Gospel is by the command of Christ to be preached unto and the Promises applied to them go teach all Nations these are they by B. Keach's own grant that our Lord Jesus hath commanded to be Baptized as it is written in the great Commission Go teach all Nations Families or Kindreds of the Earth Baptizing them c. Again seeing Lydia and Stephanus were Baptized and their Housholds Acts 16. 15. 1 Cor. 1. 16. if the Scriptures of the Prophets do expound to us That a Man and Womans Houshold were their little ones their Sons and Daughters then we hope none can deny but that the Believers and their Children were Baptized for the proof whereof we read how David and his Men dwelt with Achish at Gath every Man and his Houshold 1 Sam. 27. 3. but in process of time while David and his Men were absent from their Families their Wives and Children were taken Prisoners so that as it is written Every Man lamented for their Sons and Daughters 1 Sam. 30. 6. Thus what before were called their Housholds in 1 Sam. 27. 3. are explained to be their Sons and Daughters Again it is written Jacob went down into Egypt Every Man and his Houshold Exod. 1. 1. the Father and Mother with their Children concerning whom Joseph said unto his Father and Brethren I will nourish you and your Housholds Gen. 45. 11. which is expounded I will nourish you and your little ones called their little ones in Gen. 46. 5. and 50. 21. Now if Men will not believe the Spirit of God his own expounding his own word to be sufficient ground of Faith to believe that the Houshold is the Children or little ones of his People there is no credit to be given to such Teachers or People in Matters of Faith but the Spirit of God hath expounded the Housholds to be Children therefore all that will take Gods word for their warrant may answer themselves That the Apostles Baptized Children or little ones of Believers when they Baptized Believers and their Households If the Anabaptists will not believe this let them shew better or more clear proof for any thing as an Article of their Faith which they believe making the Scriptures of the Prophets and Apostles agree in one harmony together But if any shall object that Servants are included in the word Houshold on purpose to cavil at the Right Infants of Believers have to Water-Baptism The Answer is to them such need to be taught rather than to be accounted Teachers that can no better distinguish between a Son a Child and a Servant the very light of Nature might convince them that great is the difference between a Son and a Servant a Mans Son is his very next a Kin Gen. 12. 1. with Gen. 43. 7. Gen. 15. 4. and 21. 10. Gal. 4. 7. Heir to his Father beareth his Fathers name a Master to his Fathers Servants As for example when Abraham sent his Servant to take a Wife for his Son Isaac in their return Rebecca seeing a Man coming in the Field to meet them she asked the Servant who that Man was he said it was his Master to wit Isaac Gen. 24. 65. Again the Prodigal Son when returning to humble himself to his Father said Father not Master but Father I have sinned against Heaven and before thee I am no more worthy to be called thy Son make me as one of thy hired Servants Luke 15. 18. Now by all this we see a Servant is inferior to a Son therefore when the Angel said to Cornelius Send for Peter he called two of his Hired or Houshold Servants Acts. 10. 7. these were not the House but Servants to the House but a Son abideth in the House because he beareth the Name of the House for ever or for Life So then if a Servant were equal with a Son an Heir or to bear up the Mans Name doubtless Absalom who had no Son to bear up his Name therefore he erected a Pillar 2 Sam. 18. 18. which he needed not to have done if a Servant had been equal with a Son to have borne up his Name as a Son doth his Fathers Name And who were they that were called the House of Israel the House of Aaron but their Children and not their Servants Thus we see none are properly a Mans House or Houshold but a Mans Children So Leah and Rachel as aforesaid are said to build the House of Jacob or Israel by bearing Children in the Covenant Heirs with Isaac in Infancy of the Promises in Christ until they with Ishmael for Sin be disherited and become Servants with the Bond-womans Son Obj. Another pretended Plea is say the Anabaptists Shew us a Child by name that was Baptized Answ It was the way of Christ to some to answer a Question by a Question we say to them shew us a Woman by name that received the Lords Supper They will answer it is evident that Disciples did break Bread at the Lords Supper and Women are called in Scripture Disciples therefore here is sufficient ground to believe that Women did partake of the Lords Supper It is granted a Scripture Consequence is good Proof that it is to be believed even in an Article of Faith Now then we read that Infants at eight days old with their Parents are called Disciples in Scripture as it is written Acts 15. 10. when circumcised Why therefore tempt ye God to put a Yoke upon the Disciples neck which neither our Fathers nor we were able to bear This answer was made by the Apostle when the Jews that Believed taught that unless the Gentiles and their Children were Circumcised they could not be saved here Infants with their Parents are called Disciples So then we read that Disciples were Baptized Infants being by the Spirit of God called Disciples We have grounded reason to believe that Infants were Baptized by the Anabaptists own grant proportionably to their own Plea aforesaid in the Objection And that Infants of Believers have right to Water-Baptism is most certain because Christ hath taken away their Sin as John saith Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the Sin of the World So is Salvation come to them as to their Parent when he the Father actually Believeth as Christ said to Zacheus Luke 19. 9. when he believed This day is Salvation come to this House for as much as he is a Son of Abraham having the Faith of Abraham believing as Abraham did that God was a God to him and unto his Family or Seed his Children and they that have not this Faith have not the Faith of Abraham so are not Abraham's Seed and if not Children of Abraham they are not of Christ for it is written Gal. 3. 29. If ye be Christs then are ye Abraham 's Seed and Heirs according to promise So the Children of the Promise are accounted for the
whole and what do we plead for more but that Water may by the Administrator be cast on the upper part to wit the Nobler part of the Party to be Baptized which representeth the whole Man even the Forehead and Face But if it be so as Benjamin Keach saith Page 38. of his Book That it is no Baptism at all if the whole Body be not plung'd into the Water then neither he nor yet any of them are yet by his own grant Baptized when they Baptize but the part from the Waste upward because the Party to be Baptized puts the lower part into the Water himself who must be wholly Passive as a Man Dead to be put into the Grave as they plead for that manner of Baptism in the act of his being Baptized so that what an out-cry do they make against them that in Water-Baptism Baptize a part of the Person for the whole when they themselves do no other only a little lower on the Body now then for ever hereafter let them for shame open their Mouths no more about Water-Baptism till they Practice what they Teach and then to bring better Grounds than to say the word Baptism signifieth to Dip the whole Body in Water contrary to the use of the word Baptism as by the Holy Scripture hath been shewed to be a pouring out both of the Spirit and also of Water on the Person and that on that part of Man Water-Baptism is to be administred upon that is Naked and visibly bare that is the Face and Forehead that representeth the whole Person As for example When Hagar fled from her Mistress Sarah she is said to flee from the Face of her Mistress Gen. 16. 8. so the Face is taken for the Person So Jacob is said to flee from the Face of Esau Gen. 36. 6. that is from his Person So likewise Christ sent his Disciples before his Face Luke 9. 52. 10. 1. that is before his Person where he was to come Therefore to cast Water upon the Forehead or Face the whole Person being signified thereby the Person is said to be Baptized for when the Fore-skin was cut off the whole Man Ex. 12. 48. or Child was said to be Circumcized Again where should the Sign Seal or Token of Remission of Sins be administred but on that part where the Name of God his Law to wit of Faith by the open Profession thereof was hold forth as 't is written Rov 22. 4. And his name shall be in their Foreheads and lo a Lamb stood on Mount Sion and with him a hundred forty and four thousand having his Fathers Name written in their Foreheads Rev. 14. 1. as being not Romans 1. 16. ashamed of the Gospel of Christ for if by the Jer. 3. 3. Forehead is set forth the bold imperious Whoredoms of Judah in her Apostacy from her Husband the Lord how much more by the Forehead of Christs Chast Virgin is represented her open Profession of the Commands of her Lord and Husband Mark 8. 38. as not being ashamed of his Gospel 2 Tim. 1. 8. the Power of God to Salvation Moreover as all Gods Ordinances are to be performed under the Form and Manner of a good report Phil. 4. 8. with Shamefacedness and Sobriety because 't is most certain that part of Man Woman and Child that is to be Baptized must be naked and bare for the Flesh must be wash'd in Baptism and not the Covering As for example in those Figurative Washings under the Law as the Jews were not Strangers to Water-Baptism as Mr. Ainsworth on Gen. 17. hath shewed out of the Hebrew Writers that every Proselite that was joyned to the Lord by the Covenant of Grace in Christ was Circumcised Baptized and brought a Sacrifice Now as the Circumcised part must be bare when Circumcised even so the part that is to be Baptized must not be covered as in all Legal Washings which signified Sanctification and Cleansing from Sin by the Blood of Christ Therefore when Moses and Aaron and his Sons washed their Hands and Feet at the Laver they Exod. 40. 31 32. washed them not with their Stockins or Gloves on for that had been to wash the Covering and not the Flesh and do we believe that Mary Luke 7. 38. washed Christ's Feet with Tears with his Shoes on no sure for she is said to have wiped his Feet with the Hair of her Head and not his Shoes So when the Saints Feet were John 13. 5. washed by Christ as also the Deaconist washing the Saints Feet surely they washed the bare Feet so now as Baptism is called a Washing Acts 22. 16. so Paul when Baptized is said to be Washed part for the whole so that part Washed or Baptized must be naked and bare As is shewed by the Lord alluding to the Laver of Regeneration Titus 3. 5. he poured Water into a Bason and washed the Disciples Feet from and by the Blood of Christ As saith the Lord Ezek. 16. 9. Then washed I thee with water not the Covering but the Flesh with water yea I throughly washed away thy Blood in the Blood of the Covenant of Grace in Christ by the Water of the word Water-Baptism being a Sign thereof to us according to his words Eph. 5. 26. Heb. 8. 12. Now then if a part in Baptism with Water serveth not for the whole as the Anabaptists affirm and yet by their Practice deny then the whole Body as they plead for Washed or Baptized must be naked or else they Baptize the Covering and not the Flesh and what an unseemly thing it were for a Man to Baptize the Female Sex naked taking the Person up in the Arms of the Administrator and lay her in open view of others for Water-Baptism was no secret Ordinance into the Water as they teach must be buried as afore shewed when one is buried is not till the Earth is cast upon the Person so Water must be cast upon the Person Baptized according to the literal words in common Burials or else say they the Person is not Baptized at all Now let them shew any word of God that among all we read of were either so Baptized by or after the literal word Buried as common Burials are daily of the Bodies of Dead Persons when Dead Strip'd their Apparel taken off and others put on we read not any such Practice in Baptism for although Acts 16. 13. Lidia was converted at a Rivers side where the word was taught as John at Jordan and Philip the Eunuch near a Water yet no mention in the least of putting off or putting on any Apparel but Baptized Nor Israel in the Cloud and in the Sea the Face and Forehead together being open and bare whichn represented the whole Person Washed is a sufficient warrant for us in Water-Baptism and not to walk by Imagination by a natural Belief or Conceit that either Persons changed their Apparel or went into the Water to the middle and that the Administrator put the one
half of the Body into the Water is to walk by a meer implicit Faith because some Learned in the Tongues say the word signifieth to Dip or Plunge or Overwhelm but presuppose the word for Baptism may have a large Signification and that 't is Lawful to use more or less Water in Washing and therefore the Translators durst not confine the word Baptism to one strict Sense what quantity was used on the Person or what was the manner in the Administration which John did use in the act of Water-Baptism it is not in words prescribed but that Water was used to the Person none will deny and seeing the word in Water-Baptism is said to be with Water and the Baptism with the Spirit is express'd by the same word meaning in both with which is by pouring or casting or putting Water on or to the Person and not the Person in it for it hath been proved by plain words that when they stood in Jordan is but to stand where the Water had been so to be in the Sea was but to be where the Sea had been so as all going to Ponds or Rivers is by descending so going down in or on any part where the Water had or usually did Swell or Flow is said to go in the Water as Israel went into Jordan or in the Red Sea when as they stood where the Waters had flowed on dry ground both in the Sea and in Jordan as at low Water with us how far may one go where the Water had flowed yet but to the brink of the Water so one may be said to be in the Thames as they in Jordan Another Scripture is urged by the Anabaptists to prove that John Baptized at Enon because there was much Water Answ The word Enon being the Name of a Town which took its name from Springs that did arise there as the word signifieth an Eye or Holes from which Water springeth up so that although there may be said to be much Water by its continual Springing up yet as Sandy's and the Travels of the Patriarchs Historians say There is not so much depth of Water standing as will dip half the Body in much less will it dip the whole Body in but as most commonly a Spring riseth on upper Ground so it runneth away as may be seen daily in this Land so there may be said to be much Water by its continual Springing yet no depth of standing Water Moreover another reason why there was said to be much Water at Enon with respect to the part of the Country being forty two Miles Northward from Jerusalem so differing from the South part where ariseth few Springs as it is written from the Scarcity of Waters Psalm 126. 4. Turn our Captivity as Streams in the South and hereupon when Calebs Daughter came to ask a Blessing of her Father she said unto him Thou hast given me a South-land give me also Springs of Water Joshua 15. 18 19. so he gave her the upper and the nether Springs And for another reason we may conceive John did not Baptize at Enon because he wanted much depth of Water to Baptize withall but because there was Spring water more desirous than other water to cast upon the Face as hath been proved is the proper place that water in Baptism or Washing is to be administred by casting upon because that part representeth the whole Body as afore shewed Moreover and why should the Anabaptists be so Despising of the word Sprinkling or casting of Water in Baptism on that part that representeth the whole Person we know not unless it be to maintain their new way of Dipping seeing Sprinkling is so frequently used in Scripture to signifie our Sanctification and Cleansing from Sin by the Blood of the Lord Jesus called the Blood of Sprinkling which so well agreeth with the like Sign express'd by water in Baptism by Pouring or Washing not by Dipping but by Sprinkling as 't is written Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you and you shall be clean from all your Filthiness Ezek. 36. 25. 1 Pet. 1. 2. Heb. 12. 24. alluding to the Sign in Water-Baptism of Remission or Cleansing from the Filth of Sin by the Blood of Jesus by Sprinkling as it is written So shall he sprinkle many Nations by washing in Baptism as afore shewed when Paul was Baptized it is written not Dip'd but be Baptized and wash away thy Sins And herein the Baptism of the Spirit agreeth with Water-Baptism by Isaiah 32. 15. pouring out of the Spirit after the manner of Rain therefore ought the manner in Water-Baptism to be administred not by Dipping but by Pouring or Sprinkling water on the Face for the Reasons aforesaid But as the Lord who chargeth some to have set up an Idol in their Hearts Ezek. 14. 4. so Men may make an Idol of Gods own Ordinance as some did of the Brazen Serpent and as the Jews made little less than an Idol of Circumcision as now it is to be feared the Anabaptists do of Water-Baptism putting that Stress upon it as the Jews did upon Circumcision that they could not be Saved if not Circumcised Moreover that Ben. Keach granteth that the 3000 were not Baptized by Dipping is evident if his words in Page 21 of his Book be but observed his words are these The Multitude to be Baptized were so great that it required others besides the Apostles to do it Nor is it to be believed that Peter himself with the Eleven did Baptize all the Three thousand in one day without the help of the Hundred and twenty Answ All Christians are to know that as the Apostles taught the Churches not only to keep Faith Col. 2. 5. but Order also in the Administration of Gods Ordinances themselves being Examples to the Flock to follow them in due order in the Churches Then Note as that work to wit of Administring the Sealing Ordinances did in all Ages belong to Men in Office to do as shall be fully proved in the Fourth Query none being in Office then when the Three thousand were Baptized but the Apostles who only had received the Command from Christ to go Teach and Baptize Nations Matt. 28. 19 20. So that the Hundred and twenty the Apostles excepted were but common Disciples and some if not many of them Women Acts 1. 14 15. Some particularly named therefore it is not rationally to be believed that any common Disciple had any hand in Baptizing the Three thousand in part of that one day in which short time they were all Baptized and therefore how contrary to Sense and Reason and Scripture also is it for any to believe that the Three thousand were all Dip'd or Plunged all over in water every one of them to be taken up in their Arms by Twelve Apostles to be buried in water as the Anabaptists Plead but yet Practice not for the day was but Twelve hours long John 11. 9. and it was the third hour of the day Acts 2. 15. when