the Gospel Matt. 5. 17. Think not that I am come to destroy the Law or the Prophets I am not come to destroy but to fulfil Rom. 3. 30 31. Seeing it is one God which shall justifie the Circumcision by Faith and the Uncircumcision through Faith do we then make void the Law through Faith God forbid yea we establish the Law Rom. 7. 7. What shall I say then is the Law Sin God forbid I had not known Sin but by the Law For I had not known Lust except the Law had said thou shalt not Covet James 2. 8 9 10 11. Thus the Law is of the same use to us now as it was to the Church of the Jews We have the Gospel to shew us our Righteousness by Christ without the works of the Law so had they Heb. 4. 2. for unto us was the Gospel preached as well as unto them see Levit. 26. 42 45. Luke 54. 55. 72. 73. Deut. 30. 1. 12 13 14. Rom. 10. 5 6 8. Gen. 15. 6. Psalm 32. 1 2. with Rom. 4. 6. c. 1 Cor. 10. 1 2 3 4. Heb. Chap. 11. only in the manner of Administration of the Law and Gospel there be Differences manifested Ainsworth's Defence of Scripture Page 119. In which Answer of Mr. Ainsworth's is proved these things 1. That the Church of Israel had the very same use of the Law we now have to shew them and us our Sins that we as well as they might be lead to Christ 2. They had the same Gospel to shew them as us our Righteousness in Christ without the works of the Law 3. They had Ordinances for Worship which figur'd Christ to come which they in believing and looking for his coming offered in Faith Heb. chap. 11. so worshipped they the Father in Spirit and in Truth as Christ said to the Woman of Samaria Ye worship ye know not what we know what we worship for Salvation is of the Jews but the hour cometh and now is when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in Spirit and in truth for the Father seeketh such to worship him God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in Spirit and in Truth John 4. 22 23 24. and such Worshippers were the Church of the Jews though not all as in the Gospel-Church many were reproved for seeking to be justified by the works of the Law Gal. 3. Therefore as well they of the Circumcision as others the Apostle testifieth worshipped God in the Spirit though not all as it is written For we are of the Circumcision which worship God in the Spirit and rejoyce in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the Flesh Phil. 3. 3. And thus in the Church of Israel many were Righteous walking in all the Ordinances of the Lord blameless waiting by Faith for Christ in the Promise to come the Consolation of Israel as it is written of old Simeon when Christ was born and brought into the Temple He then took him up in his arms and blessed God and said Lord now lettest thou thy Servant depart in peace according to thy word for mine eyes have seen thy Salvation which thou hast prepared before the face of all People a light to lighten the Gentiles and the Glory of thy People Israel So likewise Anna she coming into the Temple at the same Instant gave Thanks likewise to the Lord and spake of him to wit of Christ To all them who looked for Redemption in Israel Luke 2. 25 28 to 39. Rev. 3. 4. These things being duly observed let the impartial Reader judge whether the Church of Israel were a Carnal People or had a Carnal Covenant and Promise of Carnal things as Mr. Smith feigneth or whether the Church of Israel were not such that worshipped the Father in Spirit and in Truth under the Covenant of Grace by Faith serving God although under Figurative Ordinances for the hope of the Promise made of God to the Father Acts 26. 6 7. yea believing that it was not the Blood of Bulls and Goats that could take away Sin Psalm 40. 6. 51. 16. Heb. 10. 4. but it was the Blood of Christ the Lamb of God the true Sin-offering 2. Cor. 5. 21. that on him was laid the Iniquity of us al Isaiah 53. that shall be saved As John hath proclaimed Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world Therefore what an Erroneous Doctrine is it that John Smith and Mr. Danvers have laid to build the way of Anabaptistry upon to deprive the Infants of Believers from the Right they have now to the Sign of the Remission of their Sin Water-Baptism And not only so but by their Doctrine they Damn the Infants of all Gods People of old if the Covenant the Church of Israel were accepted into with their Children was no other than a Carnal Covenant for a Carnal State is opposite to a Spiritual State as the Apostle proveth Rom. 8. 6 7. for to be carnally minded is Death but to be Spiritually minded is Life and Peace because the Carnal Mind is Enmity against God for it is not subject to the Law of God neither indeed can be so then they that are in the Flesh cannot please God Now if the Church of Israel was in no better State and had but a Carnal Covenant their State was Death and Damnation for as much as there is no Eternal Life but in the Covenant of Grace in Christ John 17. 3. so the Church is not the World which Christ pray'd for ver 9. But that the Church of God from the day the Gospel was Preached to Adam and he and his Wife believed in Christ to come they had the Covenant of Grace whereby God was the God of the Faithful and their Seed so that the Gospel first Preached to Adam that the Seed of the Woman should bruise the Serpents Head is the same Gospel the Apostles taught as it is written And the God of Peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly Rom. 16. 20. And this glad Tidings is summed up in these words of the Everlasting Gospel-Covenant made with Abraham and his Seed as it is written Gen. 17. 7. And I will establish my Covenant between me and thee and thy Seed after thee in their Generations for an everlasting Covenant to be a God unto thee and to thy seed after thee which Covenant together with that in Exod. 19. 5 6. that in Deut. 29. Mr. Cary affirmeth to be but three several Additions to the Covenant of Works made with Adam before the Fall so no part of the Covenant of Grace in Christ Now for as much as Mr. Cary and others when they seek to pervert the Scripture from its true Sense or Meaning as afore hath been shewed concerning the Sense of the word Baptize so here concerning the word Everlasting Covenant Mr. Cary saith in P. 126 127. of his Book Solemn Call It is true saith he the Covenant of Circumcision is called also an Everlasting
Baptism Anatomized Being Propounded in Five Queries VIZ. I. What Water-Baptism is II. What is the End for which it was Instituted III. What giveth Right to it IV. Who are the true Administrators of it V. Whether it be lawful for a Man to Baptize himself WHEREIN The Right that the Infants of Believers have to Water-Baptism is vindicated The Duty of Believing Parents in that Matter asserted And that by the contrary Tenet and Practise they ought themselves to be excluded from the Lords-Supper is plainly and fully proved And wherein also is proved That the Covenant which God made with Abraham Gen. 17. and with Israel Exod. ch 19. and Deut. 29. are the Covenant of Grace in Christ and not part of the Covenant of Works made with Adam before his Fall Rom. 3. 29. Is he the God of the Jews only Is he not also of the Gentiles Rom. 15. 8 9. Now I say that Jesus Christ was a Minister of the Circumcision for the Truth of God to confirm the Promises made unto the Fathers And that the Gentiles might glorifie God for his Mercy c. Acts 2. 39. For the Promise is unto you and unto your Children c. By THOMAS WALL London Printed by G. Groom for William Miller at the Gilded Acorn in St. Paul's Church-yard where Gentlemen and others may be furnished with Acts of Parliament Speeches and other sorts of Discourses and State-Matters as also Books of Divinity Church-Government Humanity Sermons on most Occasions c. M DC XC I. Licensed and Entered according to Order THE PREFACE Christian Reader FOrasmuch as many worthy Servants of the Lord Jesus have so fully vindicated this Glorious Truth concerning the Right the Infants of Believers have by the Free Gift of God in the Covenant of Grace to the Remission or Pardon of the Sin charged on them by the Fall of Adam Rom. 5. 12. and so thereby a Right to have the Sign thereof Water-Baptism Administred on them Yet because there is so general a Challenge by the Solemn Call of Mr. Cary and others to any that will meet the Anabaptists in open Field in this Spiritual War I having some years ago appeared publickly in Print yet unanswered by any of them in the proving the Right the Infants of Believers have to this Blessed Ordinance Water-Baptism I have for the reason aforesaid thought it my duty to add this Mite to my former Testimony Forasmuch as the Opposers of the Right the Infants of Believers have to Water-Baptism have devised more new matter than heretofore there is need of a further reply The way I have taken for the discovering the Root and Foundation of this Error of Anabaptistry is not the usual way that any heretofore have so generally proceeded in is by opening and explaining the Doctrine of Baptism in Five Queries 1. What it is with its manner of Administration 2. The end 3. What gives Right 4. Who is its true Administrator 5. As also when this new way of Dipping in Baptizing began among the English Anabaptists And because we are certainly fallen into the last and perilous times 2 Tim 3. 1 2 3 4 5. wherein Satan is so full of Wrath because saith the Scripture he knoweth he hath but a short time Rev. 12. 12. therefore his Ministers are transformed 2 Cor. 11. 15. as if they were Ministers of Righteousness with fair words to deceive The simple as Solomon saith Prov. 14. 15. Rom. 16. 18. who believe every word but the prudent Man looketh well to his going The way to look well to our going is to take Counsel of Gods word in such a day when as was foretold The time will come when they will not endure sound Doctrine but after their own Lusts shall they heap to themselves Teachers having itching ears And they shall turn away their Ears from the truth and shall be turned into Fables 2 Tim. 4 3 4. Therefore we are not to believe every Spirit John 4. 1. or Doctrine but to try the Spirits whether they are of God or not because many False Prophets or Teachers are gone out into the World Now the way to try the Spirits or Doctrines of Men is written and laid before us in the Example of the Bereans who were commended not only for receiving what the Apostles taught for Gospel with all readiness of mind but also for searching the Scriptures Acts 17. 11. to wit of the Prophets out of whose labour the Apostles reaped the Gospel John 4. 38. daily whether those things taught them were so If this way were taken by all that profess themselves Christians they could not so easily be deceived nor as the Apostle teacheth like Children be tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of Doctrine by the sleight of Men and cunning Craftiness whereby they lye in wait to deceive Eph. 4. 14. Yea saith Christ If it were possible they should deceive the very elect Matt. 24. 24. for the Spiritual Harlot by the flattering of her Lips cast down many wounded many strong Men hath been slain by her Prov. 7. 10 21 26. Now then as aforesaid every true Christians Faith must be built when their Faith is sound upon the Foundation or Doctrine of the Apostles and Prophets Eph. 2. 19 20. Jesus Christ himself being the chief Corner-stone If the Anabaptists Doctrine be but tried by this Touch-stone then all that which Christ and his Apostles have taught if it be understood otherwise by them or any other than as it can be proved to be Gospel by the Scriptures of the Prophets it is not to be believed to be the Gospel of Christ but another Gospel Gal. 1. 8 9. for all that Christ taught he sent them that heard him to search the Scriptures John 5. 39. to wit the Prophets and for the prroof thereof For in them saith he ye think to have eternal life and they are they that testifie of me And to this agreeth the words of Paul Acts 26. 22. saying Having obtained help of God I continue unto this day witnessing both to small and great saying none other things than those which the Prophets and Moses did say should come So that it is evident as the Apostle saith in another place that the Gospel which they taught was made manifest by the Scriptures of the Prophets according to the commandment of the everlasting God made known to all Nations for the Obedience of Faith Rom. 16. 26. By which it is clear that there is no other Doctrine to be believed for Gospel but what is proved to be Gospel by the Scriptures of the Prophets so that hence it is as Christ said to the Jews John 5. 43. I am come in my Fathers Name and ye receive me not if another come in his own Name him ye will receive Now his Fathers Name is the Gospel written in the Prophets as Christ hath expounded from Isa 42 The Isles shall wait for his Law Matt. 12. 21. That is In his name shall the Gentiles
Covenant but that can be understood in no other Sense Mark that bold Affirmation in no other Sense than that wherein the Priesthood of Aaron and his Sons under the Law which was called an Everlasting Pristhood Exod. 40. 15. which we know to be now abolished as likowise the Covenant with Phineus was called the Covenant of Everlasting Priesthood Numb 25. 13. which yet is now also done away I shall in the first place seeing Mr. Ainsworth hath given Annotations on the word Everlasting give the Reader his Exposition on Gen. 17. 7. Everlasting Covenant of Eternity Although the outward Signs and manner of dispensing this Covenant were Temporary and changeable as Circumcision into Water-Baptism Col. 2. 11 12. yet the Covenant it self remaineth one in Substance for ever being established by the Blood of Christ the great Pastor As it is written Now the God of Peace that brought again from the Dead our Lord Jesus the great Sheepherd of the Sheep through the Blood of the Everlasting Covenant Heb. 13. 20. In opposition to this Truth Mr. Cary saith Mr. Pool telleth us the word Olam rendered for ever doth not always signifie Eternity but a long continuance as is evident saith he from Gen. 17. 13. and Exod. 40. 16. Answ That the word Everlasting in Gen. 17. 7. the following words prove it that the word Everlasting there signifieth Eternity without End for as much as the word Everlasting Covenant was to be a God unto thee and to thy Seed after thee which is the Sum of the Gospel and that this was not for a time as was the word Everlasting with reference to Priesthood that which pointed to Christ to Fulfil or Abolish but to be a God was the Covenant of Eternity without end namely the Everlasting Covenant sealed by the Blood of Christ first shed when he was Circumcised and after at his Death called the Blood of the Church-Covenant Zach. 9. 11. as it is written By the Blood of thy Covenant I have sent forth thy Prisoners out of the Pit wherein is no water Thus the Covenant of Eternity was to be a God the first glad Tidings the Lord Christ after he had finished the work of our Redemption sent by Mary to Christs Disciples Go to my Brethren and say unto them I ascend unto my Father and your Father and to my God and unto your God John 20. 17. And again to all the Churches is this Message sent They shall be my People and God himself shall be with them and be their God Rev. 21. 3. So then to call this Everlasting Covenant to be a God to the Faithful and their Seed Temporary is to call Light Darkness and to deny the Faith of the Gospel by making it Temporary So they abuse the word Everlasting as they have done the Sense of the word Baptize proved in the first Query To which we may add Mr. Ainsworth's Notes on the word contained in this Everlasting Covenant the Covenant of Eternity Gen. 17. 7. namely To be a God or for a God unto thee that is thy God as the Greek translateth it Herein consisteth the Power and Life of the Everlasting Covenant whereby God himself his Power Wisdom Goodness Mercy c. is applied unto Man for Blessing and Salvation and we are by Adoption made the Children of God For ye are the Temple of the living God as God hath said I will dwell in them and walk in them and I will be their God and they shall be my People And I will be a Father unto you and ye shall be my Sons and Daughters saith the Lord Almighty 2 Cor. 6. 16 18. For Blessed is the People whose God Jehovah is Psalm 144. 15. And they shall be delivered out of Miseries Rev. 21. 3 4. And raised up from the Dead Matt. 22. 31. For I am the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob ver 32. Wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God for he hath prepared for them a City Heb. 11. 16. Now for Mr. Cary to call that Covenant wherein God is by Christs Blood reconciled to be the God of his People a part of the Covenant of Works is no less Error than to destroy the Gospel and so make void the Comfort of Mankind By which it is evident that the Doctrine on which Anabaptistry is built is a Soul-destroying Doctrine until he can prove this is not Gospel I will be a God to thee and unto thy Seed Gen. 17. 7. And ye shall be my People and I will be your God Jer. 30. 22. But to help this Man and others deceived by him that they may see if it be the Will of God how they are deceived in that they consider not the end why Christ was Circumcised for it was not a Covenant of Works but a Covenant of Grace which Circumcision sealed to the Believers and their Children both Jews and Proselited Gentiles even as the Apostle teacheth it was to confirm the Promises in the Covenant of Grace in Christ to the Believing Jews and Gentiles and their Children as it is written Rom. 15. 8. Now I say that Jesus Christ was a Minister of the Circumcision for the Truth of God namely the Gospel the Truth of the Gospel to confirm the Promises made to the Fathers And what greater Promise in the Gospel than to be a God to them and their Children as it is written Jer. 30. 22 24. And ye shall be my People and I will be your God In the latter days ye shall consider it And in Chap. 31. 1. At that time saith the Lord will I be the God of all the Families of Israel and they shall be my People This is the Mercy in the Everlasting Covenant which Circumcision Sealed both to the Believing Jews and Gentiles before and since Christ came in the Flesh And therefore by the Apostle both Believing Jews and Gentiles are called upon to Glorifie God for his Mercy to them in the Benefit of Christs being Circumcised Now I say that Jesus Christ was a Minister of the Circumcision for the Truth of God to confirm the Promises made to the Fathers And that the Gentiles might glorifie God for his Mercy as it is written For this cause I will confess to thee among the Gentiles and sing unto thy name And again Rejoyce ye Gentiles with his People Rom. 15. 9 10. So then as aforesaid saith Mr. Ainsworth Although the Signs of this Covenant Gen. 17. 7. were changeable namely Circumcision into Water-Baptism yet the Covenant is the same in the Life and Power and Blessing in it As the Apostle teacheth the Gospel Churches saying Col. 2. 11 12. In whom also ye are circumcised with the Circumcision made without hands in putting off the Body of the Sins of the Flesh by the Circumcision of Christ Mark that how great the Gospel Churches Mercy is in putting off the Body of the Sins of the Flesh for them by the Circumcision of Christ This