Stanford

Convert Instructed

BAP

THE

i3

CONVERT INStRUCTED

IN THB

ORIGIN, SIGNIFICATION, AND ADVANTAGES

OF

. BAPTISM.

TO WHICH IS ANNEXED, AN

ADDRESS

OK THE

IMPROVEMENT OF BAPTISM,

Delivered to the Church preparatory to Communion

AT THE

LORD's SUPPER. By JOHN STANFORD, M. J.

Thefe are they which follow the Lamb whitherfoever he goeth.

Rev.

NEJV-YORK: Printed by T. and J. SWORDS, No. 99 Pcarl-ftreet.

— 1795-—

■ ■ . — -fc=

THE

CONVERT INSTRUCTED, §ft

JL HAT the Eternal God, through the death of h's Son, the communications of his Spirit, and the preaching of his Gofpel, hath pro- vided a falvation worthy his attributes, com- nienfurate with human mifery, and fufficient to produce the pure ft holinefs and happinefc, is a fentiment fufficient to defy the rage of infidelity, and confirm revelation to be a fyftem worthy of all acceptation. That heart which is enriched with the grace of the gofpel, and is brought to the feet of Jefus for pardon, and obtains peace with God, through the blood of the crofs, makes an unreferved furrender ct itfelf to be the Lord's forever ; and, as ardently thirfts after the paths of obedience as the over-driven heart pants for the cooling dream. One of the fiiit public duties enjoined by Ciirift on thofe who are thus called by his grace, is, a fubmifiion to his .will by water A 2 baptifm.

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baptifm. And, as a right perception of the- nature and intention of the duty, with the pofTeflion of principles congenial with the command, is effential to acceptable, plea- furable obedience; it is the intention of this treatife, in fubmiffion to the benediction of Chrift, to affiffc the chriftian convert to obtain a more competent knowledge of the origin, iigniflcancy and advantages of baptifm; that thus, when called to obey, he may enjoy the pleafures of the inflitution, and go on in his way rejoicing.

THE ORIGIN OF BAPTISM:.

IT requires but a fmall degree of attention to perceive that water baptifm does not arife from the precepts of nature. Nature knows nothing of fuch a command, nor is fhe com- petent to ascertain, either the fignificancy or the intention of it. To immerfe in water, either to cleanfe, or to refiefh the body, is indeed natural ; but that by plunging into water, and riling again by the hand of ano- ther, as a religious fervice, acceptable to God,

is

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is far remote from Nature's comprehension.*

As baptifrn is therefore not ordained by the

A 3 law

* As almoft every learned psedobaptift writer has acknowledged that the primitive meaning of the word baptize is to immerfe, and that the ordinance in the apoftolic age was administered by dipping the fubject in water, and by which mode alone the fignificancy of the inftitution is preferved; thofe who have taken leave to deviate from the primi- tive order, to accommodate perfons, governments, or climates, will excufe the Author if he diibwns any other mode of baptifrn than that of immerfion. For a full explanation of the ivord, and the fenti- ments of the learned paedobaptift writers upon it, the reader is referred to Booth's Paedobaptifm Ex- amined, vol. i. chap. '2. For the information of thofe who are incompetent in the Greek language, I will transcribe an obiervation of the learned Mr. Robinfon: "It is fufEcient to obferve, that the word (baptize) is confefedly Greek, that native Greeks mufl underftand their own language better than foreigner?, and that they have always bap- tized, and do yet baptize, by immerfion. This is an authority for the meaning of the word infinitely preferable to that of European lexicographers y fo that a man who is obliged to trad: human tefli- mony, and who baptizes by immerfion becaufe the Greeks do, underftands a Greek word exactly as the Greeks themfelves underftand it; and in this cafe the Greeks are unexceptionable guides, end their practice is in this inftance fafe ground of action." Ktiinfm^ Hijluyof Maptifn^ p. 5, 6,

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Jaw of nature, we muft fearch for it in the volume of revelation. In the Old Teftament we have no information of an inftitution of this kind by the God of Ifrael. The Jews had a haptifm introduced by tradition, and is to be found in the writings of the YadChazaka of Maimonides, a celebrated Jewifh writer, who, in the beginning of the twelfth century, was head of a famous fchool in Egypt. But the New Teftament affords us full informa- tion upon the fubje£t. There was a man fent from God whofe name was 'John* The miflion of this extraordinary perfon was to preach and to baptize. And fo far from his baptifm be- ing a part of the Jewifti ritual, he acknow- ledges that he received his inftruclion imme- diately from God.* John continued preach- ing the kingdom of heaven, baptizing all who came to him confefiing their fins. Then came Jefus from Galilee to Jordan to be bap- tized. From a conviction of the glory of Chrift, the Son of God, the promifedMeffiah, the Baptift declined the adminifhation, faying, I have need to be baptized of tke, and comeft thou to me? But Jefus faid unto him, fuffer it to be fo now, for thus it becometh us to

fulfil * John i. 33.

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fulfil all righteoufnefs. John immediately baptized him ; and when he came up out cf the water the heavens were opened j the fpirit of God defcended like a dove, and light- ing upon him, while a voice from above pro- claimed, This is my beloved Son in

WHOM I AM WELL PLEASED. Mat. 3. Je-

fus now commenced his public miniftry, and commiflioned many of his difciples to teach and to baptize in his name. Thus we learn that baptifm was inftituted firft by the will and authority of the Father, communicated to John, and afterwards by Chrift, to be per- formed by his difciples to the end of the world, Mark xvi. 15, 16.

Dr. Sherlock fays, " what is matter of in- ftitution depends wholly upon the Divine will and pleafure ; and though all men will grant that God and Chrift have always great reafon fcr their inftitution, yet it is not the reafon, but the authority, which makes the inftitution."* But fince baptifm is not founded in the original conftitution of nature, it is a queftion worth enquiry, how this new inftitu- tion was introduced ? For although it be granted that God's will is the eiTence of a«

inftitution,, * Preferv. againft Popery, title 9. p. 419,

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inftitution, yet in the divine ceconomy he cannot orr ; a fyftem of nature lias already been provided for man on his creation; nor can we luppole iuch fyflem capable of altera- tion or addition, without grofsly impeaching the wifdom and goodnels of the divine Legifla- tcr. Baptifm, therefore, is appointed by God in a new relation, for a different adminiftration, and for fubjech of another ffcatc. All gofpel appointments are made by God as the God of all grace, who, by the power of his Spirit, trc.rfatcs guilty men out of the kingdom of dark- fiefs, into the kingdom of his dear Son : and alfo bv Jefus, as King in Zion, whefe office it is to reveal fuch laws as are calculated to preferve the honour and hapoinefs of his fpiritual king- dom. Jefus fa id, "My kingdom is not of this world ;" it is not of the fyftem of nature ; net is it of carnal policy ; but, compofed of fubjects created new creatures in Chriil: Jefus, and who ■need a new law congenial with their new Hate of fpiritual exiftence, and by which they may exprefs their obedience to their Lord and King. Now Baptifm is one of thofe laws, and binding only upon the fubjecls of grace; therefore it was that John, Philip, and all the primitive adminiftratcrs of the ordinance, required faith

and

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and repentance in thofe who came to be bap~ tized.* When Jefus came to John to be bap- tized of him, he faid, " 'Thus it becomcth us to fulfil all righteoufnefs ;" by which he could neither mean the righteoufnefs of the moral, nor of the ceremonial law, as neither of them required obedience by baptifm ; but that gofpel righteoufnefs peculiar to the difpenfation ot grace ; and thus Chiift, as leader of his people, has fet them an example that they fnould fol- low his fteps.

It is prefumed that the Chriftian, thus tracing the origin of baptifm, and viewing it as an in- ftitution peculiar to the kingdom of grace, will not only find, that an obedience to God therein is clofely connected with his hope in a Saviour's blood, but it will lead him, in holy admiration of the glory of Jehovah, in the rich difplays of his love among his people, and thus, when called to obey, he will enjoy the higher fatisfa&ion. Being a fubjecl: of grace, the voice of this appointment of grace will power- fully penetrate his heart, and prompt him to obedience. Nor will he liften with attention to the cavils of men, or confide in any fort of baptifm he may have paffed through in his

ftate * Mat. hi. Acls viii. 3^.

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ftate of infancy or unregenerr.cy ; for, being brought by grace into the kingdom of Chriit, he can enjoy no plenfure in obedience but that which he knows is commanded by his King, and peculiar to his new and happy ilate.

As we cannot profit by any duty, considered as a means of grace, unlefs we are aflifted to underfhnd its nature and dehgn, I Avail now proceed to attempt the inftruclion of the Cbriftian Convert in the Signihcancy of Bap- tifm. If baptifm be an appointment of God, for the obediencv of thofe who obtain mercy to believe, it certainly muft have an expreflh e meaning— -be calculated to difplay the w\£dom of its Divine Inititutor, and conduct the be- liever into greater admiration of the realities of redeeming grace. May that bleiicd Spirfe who was prom i fed to the difciples to guide them into all truth, vouchfafe to lead us by his word in our prefent enquiry, and fill Om hearts with fac red joy.

THE

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THE SIGNIFICANCY OF BAPTISM.

T. IT is a mirror in which are ftrikingly reprefented the Sufferings, Death, and Refur- redtion of the Son of God ; by which alone iinners are faved from plunging into the wa- ters of divine vengeance. When Jeiusdrew near to the period when all things that were written in the pfoims and in the prophets con- cerning his fuffe rings and death were to he accomplished, with magnanimity of foul he faid unto his diiciples, ** I have a baptifm to bo ■baptized with, and hoiv am I Jlr aliened until it be accompli/lied /"*. And how ftrikingly were thefe forrows anticipated as a baptifm ? Water is a well known fcripture emblem of diftrefs ; — a plun&iag into water, for the moment, de- priving us of light, and fequeftering us from the world ; and its frequently being an inftru- nient of fufFocation and death, prefent us a lively reprefentation of the extreme fuffe rings and dreadful death of Jefus, cur adored Savi- our. And, as the learned Witsius fays, " The continuing, how fhort foever, under the water, reprefents his burial, and the

low eft * Luke xii. 50.

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lowed flate of his humiliation, when lie was thought to be wholly cut off, while in the grave that was both fealed and guarded. The cmerjion, or coming out of the water, gives us fome refemblance of his refurre&ion or victory, obtained in his death over Death, which he vanquished within its inmoft re- cedes. All thefe particulars the apoftle in- timates, Rom.vi. 3, 4."* And, I may add, thefe great things ofChrift. were prophetically defciibed by David, Pfa. Ixix. 2. M I am come into deep waters where the floods overflow me ; all thy waves and thy billoivs are gone over me."

Come, then, ye fons of grace, anxious to obey your Lord in baptifm--- come fee the place where your Lord lay ! Behold how cheerfully with John he defcended Jordan's bank, and bowed beneath the rolling wave, and thus realized to himfelf his future, bitter death. How ftrong his love ! not the flight of paffion, or of inftant zeal; fteady and re- -folved he urged his way through life, endured the pains and penalties of death, and then arofe triumphant from the grave. Was Jefus thus baptized? Did that depict his future

fufTeringSj * Witfius on Baptifm, fee 26.

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iufferings, death and refurrection ? Be affured it was not for himfelf, but for his church, whom he loved and came to redeem. His people were baptized with him into his death, that with him, as their glorious head, they might enjoy everlafting life. They were buried with him by baptifm into deaths that like as Chrift was raifed up from the dead by th& glory of the Father, evenfo they alfo Jliould walk in newnefs of life, and bring forth fruit in rich abundance to the glory of his grace. Through the baptifm of Chrift into the water fee your iniquities warned away by his bloody death ; by his emerging and returning from the waves, fee your justification complete in him, and your title to happinefs fecured; for " He was delivered for our offences, and was raifed again for our jujlification.* This, my fellow finner, is the fource from whence alone our peace can flow ; this is the rock on which, with fafety, we can build; and this ihail be our fong through this dreary vale of tears. Thefe great truths being realized to our believing minds in the ordinance of baptifm, what a glory reds upon the inftitution ! How happy ihofe, who, from a fenfe of perfonal interefl B in

* Rom. iv. 25.

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in the rich falvation of Jefus, (land ready to obey his great command ! Jefus was baptized in water, in forrow, in blood, in wrath, in death, to refcue you from endlefs woe; yon are to be baptized in water only, as a public declaration of your faith in him, and to prove your affectionate obedience to his will.

IT. The next fubjecT: expreffed by baptifm, is the Regeneration of a finner's heart. I pre- fer introducing this view of the inftitution immediately after an explanation of it, as de- scriptive of the fufFerings of Chrift ; becaufe the fatisfaclion of Chrift is the foundation of our regeneration. If Jefus had not reconciled us to God by his vicarious death on the crofs, the fpirit of God, in juftice, could not have regenerated and reconciled the finner's heart to his offended Lord. Paul, in his letter to Titus, iii. 5, evidently confidered water-bap- tifm an emblem of a finner's regeneration ; " According to his mercy hefavcdvs by the vjaJJi- ing of regeneration, and renewing cf the Holy G/10/i."* Paul furcly could not mean, that by a man's body being immeifed in water to

the

* " Warning us by regetteratim, asinalaver, the pledge and fign of which is in b^ptiim." Poo! on tie text*

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the waftiing away the filth of the body, thai: the foul thereby was regenerated and cleanfed from its finful pollutions.- Job, from a con- viction of the guilt of his nature, faid, " If I luafh my f elf in fnow water, and make my hands never fo clean, yet jhalt thou plunge me in the ditch, and mine own clothes Jh all abhor me. For he is not a man, as lam, that I Jliould anfivcr him, and we fhould come together in judgment" Job. ix. 30, 31. Alas! a perfon may bo (piinkled with water in infancy, or immerfed at riper age, but ic will avail him nothing while his heart remains unchanged. The leprofy lies deep within the foul, and denes the pureii waters of nature to cleanfe. Simon Magus was baptized by an apoftle, but his foul was not a whit the cleaner, and remained in the gall of bitternefs, and in the bond of ini- quity. Ifbaptifm, in any form, ad mini fie red at any period of our lives, be regeneration, it fuperfedes the grace of God. If by water- baptifm I have been regenerated, made a child of God, and an inheritor cf the kingdom of heaven, I am fafe ; there is no need of my being born again cf the Spirit. What a de- lulive fnare has this been, and full is, to thou- fands .' They crag on a finful, miferable ex- Tj 2 iftence,

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iilence, fuppofing, by their baptifm, they are in the way to blifs, while their condudt and ilate are fuch, according to Chrift's own words, that " they cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven."* However, therefore, perfons may wifh to be baptized, merely to affume a public profefTion of religion, they fhould be informed, that " works done before the grace of Chrifr, and the infpiration of his Spirit, are notpleafant to God, forafmuch as thev fpring not of faith in Jefus Chrift; nei- ther do they make men meet to receive grace; but they have the nature of fn."f None but the fobs of grace can extract the fweetscf the means of grace.

If it be replied, " Did not Peter exhort the triotifands tfjat were pricked in the heart, under his fermon, to repent and be baptifed for the re- i cffr.s '?'''% and did not Ananias fay untb Paul, " Arij' and be baptized, and wdjh away thy Jim, calling upon the name of the Lord jefus."§ we reply, in neither of thefe cafes, did the converts expect to be cleanfed from their guilt by the fimple wafhTng cf water.

They

* Matt, xviii. 2, 3.

f 15 Article of Epifcopal Church.

J Acls ii. 38. § A£ts xxii. 16

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They had previoufly been directed to behold a crucified Saviour, through whom alone par- don could flow to their guilty breafts. And, it is equally evident, regenerating grace had already reached their hearts, elfe the Jews had never cried for falvation through him, whom, with wicked hands, they had ilain ; nor Paul have flopped in his persecuting rage ngainft the church of Chrift. But they were commanded to be baptized for the remiflion of iins; becaufe that ordinance realized the death of Chrift, by whom forgivenefs came; was an inftitution by which Jefus would manifeft to them his pardoning bve, and by which they were to commence a public profeffion of their Lord and Saviour, Not water, but the bleeding heart of Chrift, is the fountain open- ed to wafh away fin ; and the fpirit of God is the efficient caufe of the ftnnei's fpiritual- iife.*

B 5 Moft

* The Germans call baptifm tanff, fiot&debiftl which they call tieff, in their language; as if it were proper thofe (lion Id be deeply inmerfedi who are baptized. And, truly, if you confider what bap- tifm fignifies, you (hall fee the fame thing required: for it fignifies that the old man and our nativity, that is full of fin 6, which is entirely .of flefli and blood, may be overwhelmed by divine grace. The

Moft miftakes on thisfubjec"f. have originated from taking water for the fpirit ; the fign for the thing fignified. God, in condefcention to our capacities, has made ufeof fenfible objects to explain the great fubjedts of our faith. Invifible and fpiritual things are brought down to our underftanding by thofe which are vifi- ble and material. I will therefore attempt to fhew the fitnefs of water- baptifm to reprefent the regeneration of a finner's heart.

The element, water, having a natural qua- lity to cleanfe the the filth of the body, fuf- iiciently reprefents the efficacy of the Holy Spirit, to purify the foul.* Water is the moit penetrative cf all bodies, except fire; and is the moft difficult to confume ; and is therefore expreflive of the irrefiftible grace of the Spirit in penetrating the inward recefTes of the heart, to produce its renovation, which can never finally be deftroyed. Water is the principle of many living things, and in their creation, the fpirit brooded upon the waters. The

very

manner of baptifm, therefore, ihould correfpond to the fignification of baptifm, that it may mow a certain and plain fign of it. Luther in Dr, Du Veil en Afts viii. 38.

* John iii. 5.

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very generation of the human foetus is faid to be by water. Between the firfl and fecond creation, there is a finking analogy.. The fpirit of Chrilr, as the myftical water, is the principle of regeneration and fpiritual life, and by which we are brought into fenfible union with God, as our eternal portion. In fome countries baptifm has been performed in fonts, or baptiftrys ; in others, in rivers. — The latter, when conveniently to be attained, to me is mod expreffive of the living, animating influences of the Spirit, and nearefl refembles. the baptifm of our Lord in Jordan's ilream.

The Univerfaliiy of regeneration is likewifc reprefented by the whole body, and not a part only, being baptized in water. It is not thp head, the underftanding, nor a fingle faculty of the foul, which is renewed to the exemp- tion of the reft: but the whole inward man, mind, will, and affections, which undergo an equal renovation ; fo that the fubjecl: becomes a new creature in Chrift Jefus.

Nor is our obedience to God in baptifm ones only to be performed in the courfe of the chrif- tian life ;-— and that alfo by once dipping, the Jeaft exprefTive fign in that ordinance of our regeneration, The regeneration of a Tinner's

heart

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heart is one infiantaneous work of God. Al- though a man may have many changes in his natural life, he has hut one birth ; and although the chriftian, like Peter, may need manycon- verfions, and frequent reftoring, fanclifying mercies from God, yet he has only one Spiri- tual birth. In this we perceive the difference between baptifm and the Lord's fupper. Bap- tifm, as a fign of our regeneration^ is once and forever t the Lord's fupper is the emblem and means of our perfonal fenclif cation, which is progreflive, and therefore often to be received.

III. In baptifm the chriftian is directed to contemplate and adore the HOLY TRINI- TY, as his COVENANT GOD. When the rifen Saviour gave his laft orders to Ins difciples to go forth and preach the gofpel to all nations, he enjoined them to baptize *« In the name of the FATHER, and of the SON* end of the HOLY GHOST."* The order of thefe facred names, to be pronounced on - the adminiftration of baptifm, could not have been without exprefs defign ; and upon which I will beg leave to make the following remarks.. Baptifm was to be adminidered in the name of the trinity, becaufe the inftitution itfelf is

fo * Matt, xxviii. 19.

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fo very expreffive of the nature and excellence of that falvation which is the refulc of Jeho- vah's connlcl ; and in the execution of which each adored perfon aftumed his own relation to his people, and performed his feparate en- gagements; therefore baptifm is called the counfel of God. *

As it is a God in trinity and in unity who is the chriilian's God, he, in baptifm, owns that God as fuch. This God is the grand fubject of revelation, whom nature nei- ther knew, nor reveals. I cannot better ex- prefs myfelf on this fublime truth, than in the words of the evangelical Mr. Romaine. " Fa- ther, Son, and Spirit; thefe three exift in one Jehovah. They took thofe names, not to defcribe rheir manner of exifring, but their manner of acting ; net what they are in themfelves, but 1k>w they fland related to us in the ceconcmy of redemption: fcr the eternal Three entered into covenant before ail worlds, and agreed to fuitain certain covenant offices, and affume names defcriptive of their offices. Father is the title of that divine per- fon who gave an innumerable company of finncrs to his fon, upon condition that he

would * Luke vii. 3a

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would be manifefted In the fiefli, 2nd would become their furety, to work out for them a iighteoufnefs in his life, and to make an atone- ment for them by his death, and then he would be his father, and their father. A co-equal, and co-eternal perfon accepted the conditiony and covenanted to be made man, and to live and die for the many ions whom he was to bring to glory ; therefore he tock the name of Son, Son of God, Son of man, &c. An- other co-equal, co-eternal perfon covenanted to breathe life into them, to be to them the. Spirit, or breath of life, that they might be regenerate from a cea:h in trefpafies and fins, and be made the children of God, heirs of God, and joint heirs withChrift; therefore he is called throughout the fcriptures, the Spirit.17* The doctrine of the trinity* how- ever derided by thofe who difefuem revela- tion, is confirmed in the experience, of thofe ■who have received the grace of God in truth. '■' Through Chrijl they have accefs by one Spirit unto the Father. "f They find no other way to enjoy peace and communion with God ; no other way in which the attributes of God

fhinc * Romaine's Walk of Faith, vol. i. p. 21. f Eph. h. 18..

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mine in pardoning fin ; therefore they rejoice in being baptized in the name of the TRI- NITY, to cxprefs their union, and experi- ence of their falvation.

As there was an auguft difplay of the tri- nity at the baptifm of Jefus, fo the ordinance is to be adminiftered in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Spirit. John received his commiiTion to baptize from the Father. Je- fus was obedient to the Father in that ordi- nance, as the Head of his Church, as necef- fary to his public miniftry ; and to leave his people an example to follow his fteps. The Holy Spirit defcended upon him like a dove, and the Father, in glorious accents, proclaimed him his beloved Son. Therefore, as tin's me- morable event was the public introduction of the gofpel, the fame God bears teftimony to the fame ordinance, whenever and wherever duly .adminiftered to gofpel converts.

Nor was this pofitive order to be obferved without its ufe and influence on thefe minifters who were appointed to adminifter it. By this they might know the God by whom they were commiffioned ; and that through their mi- niftry, and under the Spirit's influence, the knowledge of this JEHOVAH ihould be per- petuated

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petuated from age to age. Happy is that fer- vant who realizes the fource of his million, and is found faithful in declaring the whole ccunfel of God !

I venture once more to add, that the body of water into which a believer is baptized, in the name of the trinity, is exprefiive of the unity of the divine essence ; and that by ones dipping is our teilimony of belief in that truth* If the Son, or the Holy G/ioJi, be inferior to the Father, one great figniricancy of the in- fticution is removed, and thole, who either adminifter it, or fubmit to it, are, in my efti- mation, expofed to the charge of idolatry.

IV. As the duty of baptiim is enjoined on perfons, immediately on their converlion to God, the chriftian convert may, in this in- Aitution, realize the nature of his experience, and the public profejjion he is folicitous to afTume.

That degree of experience neceflary to a fub- je£t for baptifm, is a conviction of guilt which merits the wrath of God, and a lively faith in the perfon and merits of Jefus Chrift; thefe were demanded by the firffc preachers of the gofpel, of all who defired to be baptized. Repentance was required by John for his bap- tifm.

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tifm.* Chrift commiflioned his difciples to go and teach all nations, and thofe that be- lieved were to be baptized, t When the mul- titude, who were pricked in the heart, en- quired what they fhould do to be faved ; Peter faid unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you, in the name of Jefus Chrift, for the remiffon of fins. Then they that gladly received his word, were baptized. £ Philip preached Chrift, and the things concerning the king- dom of God, to the people of Samaria ; and they believed, and were baptized, both men and women. § Paul was baptized after God called him by his grace, and allured him that he was a chofen veflel.|| The Eunuch of Candace was baptized on a profeflion of his faith in Chrifr. as the Son of God, and went on his way rejoicing.^" Lydia's heart being opened of the Lord, (he attended to the things which were fpoken by the apoftles, and was baptized.** The jailor, likewife, with ail his C houfe,

* Mat. iii. 6, 8. f Mark xvi. 15, 16. i Ads ii. 38-44. § Acts viii. is. j| A&s ix.

«f[ Adh viii. 26, &c. i** Ads xvi. 14, 15.

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houfe, through a remarkable difplay of Al- mighty power, obtained mercy to believe, and were baptized.* From thefe inftances pro- duced from the fcripture, it is very obvious, that the fubje£te for primitive baptifm were thofe, who believed* repented, received the word if life, and rejoiced in God; and, as no man is at liberty to change the command of the Lord, neither can he, without fin, prefumc to alter the fubjecls enjoined to obey. The ordinance of baptifm, being a fpiritual inflitution ; you may perceive from the fcriptures cited that none but fpiritual fubjects were capable of en- joying the advantages it was defigned to con- vey; and none but fuch were received by the apcftles. It is necefTary however for me to add, that in no inftances of fcripture baptifm were there objections to youth, provided they had been taught of God. Nor was a wicked life, fuch as the jailor's, or the finners at Jcru- falem, who had ignorantly crucified the Lord of Glory, an exclufion from baptifm, 11 nee there were evident demonO rations of con- verfion to God. Much lefs did the apoftles require and extenfive variety of gifts, or long landing in experimental grace; neither of

tbefr

* Afb xvi. 2£ — 33.

( 27 )

Jieie were efTential pre-r'equifites to baptifm ; ibr thofe who by any means had delayed their baptiiVn, until a confiderable age in the chrif- tian life, vet when baptized, they could be baptized only as converts to Chriit. In the poffefficn of grace, the babe in Chriit is' as much entitled to baptifm, as the venerable father who may have known Gftrift forty years. If the perfon who nowreads this can appeal to God, that grace hath made a change in his confeience*— justifies God in his con- demnation as a finnerf— flies on the wings of faith and love to Chriit. for refuge, as the only hope let before him in the gofpelj-*- and is anxious to teftify his obedience and gra- titude to Jefus by being baptized ;§— if God hncfa done thefe great things for you, it is enough to entitle you to the facred infhtution ; and I may confidently addrefs you in the language of Ananias to Paul, " And noiv why iarriefl thou P arife and be baptized, and wajh mvay thy fins , calling on the name of the Lord." The convert advancing to the water of bap- C 2 tifuv

* Eph. v. 8.

f Pfa. cxliii. 2. Pfa. exxx. 3.

X Heb. vf. 16 — 20.

§ Johnxiv. 15.

( 28 )

tifm, as expreflive of his falvation, thus dif- clofes the emotion of his foul—-" This water into which I moft cheerfully defend, brings to my recolleclion that abyfs of woe, into which, by fin, I was heedUJJly plunging my immortal foul. But grace unmerited, almighty grace prevented ; and Ifoppcd in my fight, and direcled to a Sa- viour's arms. Yes, my Saviour fefus, who plung- ed beneath the waves of vengeance, to rcf cue guil- ty me! He was bapiized in fuffering, in blood, m wrath, in death, that I might be brought near to a reconciled God. Let my heart now charge itfelf, with fwift obedience, to perform his holy will. IVith Paul, and thofe whom grace inclined, I will ntw ttftfy my hope in Chrifl, be baptized into his deed'. ; that like as Chrift was raifed up fi~pm the dead, by the glory of the Father, even jo I alfo may walk in yiewnefs of life, and no mor<e pnrf.ic the delujive paths of folly. Thou Aing of Zion, in this thine own appointed way, bear tefimony to my heart* and fill me with thy love. By thy blood and merits, five me from the guilt and power of fin. Shield me in the day of trial, and let me prove a faithful foldier of the crofs. Into thine hand I now commit my fp'v'n, for then haf redeemed me, O Lord God of truth ; end let mi be forever thine f- Amen.

The

( *9 )

The profejjion of a chriftian is no lefs realized than is his experience. " As many of you as have been baptized into Ch?ij?, have put on Chrijir* As if he had faid, .« Thofe of you who have been conquered by grace, and have hope in Chrift, as your righteoufnefs, Lord and King, did, by baptifm, teftify to men, and angels, your allegi nee to him. You then put on the robe of his profeffion, and die armour of his gofpel, that as good foldiers, you might fight manfully under the banner of the captain of your falvation ;— that by your attachment to his perfen and government, you might diftinguifh yourfelves from thofe, who are alhamed of the crofs." Such is the nature of chriftianity ; and fuch the oppofition of the world to it, that " all that zvill live godly in Ckrift J*fut\ fliall fiiffer perfecution"\ But the chriftian, vitally united to his matter, is zealous in his caufe, and dares to outbrave the rage of earth and hell ! And in the water -of baptifm, as in a mirror, he realizes to himfelf the peifecutions and afflic- tions which may await him in his journey through life. Although Zebedee's children C 3 were)

* Gal. iii. 27.

f'2 Tim, iii, 22,

■

c 3° )

were, at the time of their mother's requefr, much unacquainted with the cup, and the haptifm of Chrift's fufferings; yet every be- liever finds a meafurc of fufFering necelTarily apportioned to him. Conftrained by the love of Chrilt, he pafTes through the water in tef- timony of his cheerfulnefs to undergo any «iRic~tion which may b,*fall him; and thus confirms the triumph of the (pou{e,—Afany waters cannot quench love, neither can the foods drown it *

V. The laft fubjedl: which I fhall name, exprefTed by baptifm, and neceffary for the ehrifHan convert to realize, is his hope of in- tereft in the triumphant refurre6tion of the jilft at the laft day. The wages of Jin is death. By one man's cfFence, the King of Terrors afeended his awful throne, and now extends his reign over all mankind. f Into the black waters of death, all muft delcend, as a part of the confequence of fin ; and, for a man to realize this doleful fcene, terror and anguifh muft feizc his breaft. But Jefus, for his peo- ple, overcame death, by atoning for fin, and thus received the fling of death into his own

heart.

* Sol. Song. viii. 7.

t Rom.vi. 23. Jobxviii. 14. Rom. v. 17, 18;

( 3t >

heart. He died ; he plunged beneath the wave of death, nnd by entering into the dominion of the dead, he foiled the foe, and jrofe again- as the complete deliverer of his church ; for it was not pofliblc that the bands of death and the grave (hould hold him within their power. Jefus is now the Refurreclion and the Life of his people; and their fure pledge of conqueft over death, and admiffion to eternal glory. All this was realized in his baptifm ; and, in adminiftering the ordinance, we may addrefs the candidates, in the angel's words to the women feeking their bured Saviour, " Come fee the place where your Lord lay."* Partaking the virtues of his meritorious death, we may look with triumph on the tomb. " For if we have been planted together in the likenefs cf his death, we Jiiall he alfo in the likenefs of his refur- reclion."~-\ In the firm belief of thefe great truths of revelation, the Convert approaches the ordinance of baptifm with profound reve- rence. Calm and ferene he enters the dream, in plealing anticipation, that when he comes to the folemn waters of death, he mail there be triumphant. Chrift hath taken away the

fling

* Mat. xxviii. 6. f Rom, vi. 5.

f 3* >

ill rig, and reduced what I may call die penal fub fiance of death ; fo that its jhadoiu alone re- mains for the believer to pafs * And how flrikingly is this ihadowy paflTige of death re- prefented, by the perfon palling through the waters of baptifm, and then riling again with a refreihing, animating glow ; — inilcad of being compelled, as the demerit of fin, to plunge beneath the inconceivable, dreadful billows of divine wrath, never to anie again !

Having thus attempted to affift the Chi if- tian Convert, in afcertaining the fignification of Baptifm, he may admire the wifdom of its Divine Inftitutor, and with additional fatisfac- tion go forward in the difcharge of his duty. An inftitution, (o expreffive as this, can never be realized but by thofe who have arrived to the exercife of reafon, and enjoy a meafure of that ja:tfi9 ivithont which it is impojjible to pic aft God.f: It certainly mull: be a high reflection upon the wifdom and grace of Chrift, to fup- pofe he fhould cflablifh fo glorious an ordi- nance, to be adminiftered to thofe who poffefs neither a natural, nor a fpiritual capacity to enjoy it. But this is not the cafe with you,

£01

* Ffa.xxiii. 4., f Heb. xi, 6.

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for whofe inftruction this treatife is dengned ; you have not only arrived at an age in which reafon exercifes her extend ve powers, but you have obtained mercy to believe, to the laving of your foul. The fuffe rings, death and refurreclion of Jefus Chrifl ; the regene- ration of the heart by the influence of the Holy Spirit ; the Trinity, as the chriftian's co- venant God ; the nature of experience, and a public profeffion of the gofpcl, and his hops of intereft in the refurrefiion of the juft in the laft day: thefe important fubje&s are in fome gcod degree perceived and enjoyed in your own foul, and by which your right to baptifm is indifputable. Convinced of your duty, and feeling a glow of ardor to obey the command of Chrifr., and to devote yourfelf to his ho- nour before faints and angels, perhaps you fay, as did the converted eunuch when he came to a certain water, " See here is water, what doth hinder me to be baptized?" Not to retard your fteps in following Chrift; for, as the amiable Mr. Hervey faid on the obedience of Abraham, " The Great Jehovah experts ala- crity in his fervice. Nay, cheerfully as well as inftantly muir. his command be fulfilled. "*

Yet, * Theron and Afpafio, vol. Hi. p. 198.

34 ]

Yet, for your farther information, and meet- nefs to obey, you will give me leave to inform you of fome of thofe advantages which are to be derived from a believing fubmiffion ta Chrift in baptifm.

ADVANTAGES OF BAPTISM..

IF all the commands of God, in nature, are- intended to promote the intereft of the rational creation, we mufr. believe that the fpecial in- ititutions of his grace are dehgned, in a more extend ve manner, to enrich thofe whom he hath adopted in Chiift to be his children for ever. As the ordinance of baptifm is fo very expreuive of the truth of the gofpel, it cer- umbJv muft be calculated to convey the mofl (alptary benefits to thofe who arc true candi- dates for it. Some of thefe. advantages we will now recite.

I. The anfivcr of a good confdence towards God.* A good confidence is a precious jewel to him that. hath it. It iupplies the want of every thing d(c within ; and iupports the pof»

feflbr

** i Peter hi. 2:.

1 35 |

■feflbr amidlt the unforefeen calamities he may meet with from without. The poiTefficn of this forms the bafis of our perfonal happinefs ; |he want of it is the avenue to complicate wretchednefs. That baptifm is the anfwer of a g->od confeience towards God, I may be permitted thus to explain :---

It realizes that renewing grace which makes the confeience good. Every man's confeience by nature is evil. It deceives itfelf — abhors the fear cf the Almighty— daily increafes its own guilt, impelling the poffeiTor to walk in thofe paths which end in bitternefs and death. In order to the enjoyment of God, this con- feience mutt be enlightened ; its guilt muft be pardoned, and, as Paul faid, " purged from dead works to fcrve the living God."* Now, as baptifm, the iign for the thing ilgnified, in lively colours reprefents the death of Chrifi, and the regenerating influences of the Holy- Spirit, by which alone a man's confeience can be purified; it is therefore called the anfwer cf a good confeience. And is not this a va- luable bleflingr That heart which will not bear the trial cf Chrift, muff, prove a fource cfrnifery to itfelf .! But, blefled is the man

who * Keb. ix. 14,

( 36 )

who can fay, " He that judgeth me is the

Lord."*

If baptifm be called the anfwer of a good confcience towards God, it neceflarily implies a queflion propofed. In baptifm, Chrift and the Convert have a folemn meeting. The Saviour, by his word, addreffes the Convert in fuch accents as thefe : — u I am the Lord that created thee, and formed thee. L have redeemed thee, I have called thee hy thy name, thou art mine. My fin, give me thine heart, and let thine eyes be attentive to my ways. My grace is fuffi- cientfor thee \ I will never leave thee, nor fcrfake thee. No weapon formed againfl thee JJi all prof- fer. Since thou wafl precious in my fight, thou haft been honourable, and I have loved thee. Tea I have loved thee with an everlafting love, there- fore with loving- kindnefs have I drawn thee. Even to your old age I am he, and even to hoar hairs will J carry you : I have made, and I will hear, even I will carry, and will deliver you. Where I am, there thou jhalt be alfo, to behold my glory ; foi I am the Lord thy God, the Holy One of Israel thy Saviour. " To this addrefs the chiiftian may be faid thus to reply : — " Lord, why have I found grace in

thine * i Cor. Iv. 4.

( S7 )

thine eyes ; and why haft thou taken knowledge of me, feeing I am a fir anger P Thou art my God, the rock of my falvation. In thy blood am I par- doned. In thy right eon fiefs am. I juftified, and will glory. By thy WORD and Spirit do I hope daily to be JanBificd : and by thy power 2 hope to finijh my courfezvith joy, and finally dwell with thee above. As thou Lord haft called me from Jin andflavery to be a fubjecl in thy glorious kingdom, here, at thy holy inftitution, I give my- felf to Thee, to be thine forever. Witnefs to my confcience that I am thine, and let me ever enjoy the fweet, reviving, healing virtues of thy blejfed Spirit, which this water of baptifm realizes to my mind. And, as by im?nerfing into them I expeel to ar'fs with an animating glow upon mv body, fo, in the morning of the refurreclion, may I arife with tranfport from the waves of death,, meet thee in thcfliies, and be for ever blejfed in thy frefencc.'0 Such an anfwer as this, and fuch a teftimony, does a good confeience declare in baptifm towards the God of falvation ; the poiTeffion of which mufl create that fublime joy my pen is incompetent fully to defcribe.

Let me add, baptifm is the anfwer of a good

confeience towards God, as, by the chriftian

being baptized, be difcharges that important

D public

( 38 )

public duty which God, in his gofpel, required of him, and which, with deep conviction, may have long imprefled his mind. " He that knowcth his mqftcr's will, and doth it not,JJiall be beaten with many Jlripcs.% And what (tripes have been more fevere on the confeience of many than a wilful neglecl in not obeying Chrifl in the ordinance of baptifm ? It is not my prefent intention to enumerate the many frivolous excufes made by fome for their delay of baptifm ; but I will confidently fay, that where a man is clear in his judgment that he is a fubje£r. of grace, and would fenfibly feel on being thought not fo by others; and that baptifm is enjoined only on thofe that believe ; that man's delay is fin : for, " to him that knoweth to do good, and doth it not, to him it is Jin.^'f Aperfon living in fuch wilful difobe- dience may in vain complain that fermons, and other means of grace, are to him unpro- fitable; and he need not be told, that while his confeience returns not an anfwer to the commands of God, he muft live in obfeurity of mind, and be a prey to the toimenting accufations of his own confeience. But that

man

* Luke xii. 47. f James iv. 17.

(■ 39 )

man who has cheerfully obeyed the voice of his Lord, feels his heart relieved ; and he can bed tell the force of this text ; " Baptifm is the anfxcr of a good confcience towards God."

II. An increafing manifeftation of Jeho- vah's approving, fatiating fmiles.- God,' ac- cording to his prc-mife, meets with his faints in their obedience to his commands ; and it hath been the teftimo'ny of thoufands, that their joy in God was inexpreflibly great when they obeyed his will in baptifm. When the Saviour commimoned his difciples to go forth, teach and baptize, he animated them to pur- fue, by pronouncing this gracious promife; " Lo f I am with thee always to the end of the werla7'." And this, ina very eminent degree, hath been accomplished, both to the admini- ftrator and the fubjedl of baptifm. The minifter hath experienced the higheft pleafure in the fervice of his matter, and the baptized believer exulted in the dedication of himfelf to his adorable Redeemer. One of the many prumifes Jefus hath made, that his fenfible pre fence fhaJI attend his people in the dif- charge of their duty, is recorded by John:*' " He that hath my commandments, and kecpeth D 2 them,

* John xiv. 21.

f 40 )

them, he it is that lovcth me; and he that lovcth mc JJiall be loved of my Father ; and I will love him, and willmanifejl my/elf unto him. Preciouc- promife ! how replete with facred confolation i to be enjoyed only by fuch who are found obe- dient to the dilates of the word of God, How infufficient, therefore, the excufe of 1'hofe, who, though fatisfied of their hope in Chrift, hefitate to honour him in baptifm, becaufe they feel not that fpiritual activity ■which formerly they enjoyed ! Let fuch learn £o to keep the commands of Chrift as to dif- charge them faithfully, and to believe that thereby the promife fhall be accomplifhed to them ; and they then will afluredly enjoy that delightful frame of foul, the want of which they now fo much regret. As the Eternal Father, by voice from heaven, attefted the SonJJiip of Jefus immediately on his coming out of the water of baptifm j fo, in a propor- tionate degree, God grants his people the tcftimony of the fpirit of Adoption in the fame ordinance ; and by which they are more firmly perfuaded of their intereft in cvcrlafting love, and with joy embrace Jehovah as their eve; lafting Father in Chrift jefus. In addition to this fenfibility, the obedient chriftian, in

this

( 4i )

this inftitution, beholds, as in a glafs, the glory of the Lord Jefus; the greatnefs of his fufferings, the horrors of his death, and the triumphs of his refurre£tion. In the exer- cife of faith he now triumphs in Chrift as his Saviour and his King, " If Jefus is mine; if the virtue of his crofs is mine; if the full- nefs of his grace is mine, I need no more ; my" heart is fatisfied, and at reft/ In him will I triumph in profpeet of death and judgment; and from him I hope to receive a never-fading crown of blifs." Thus the baptized believer, like the -eunuch of Ethiopia, goes on his way .rejoicing, '

III. The baptifm of the HOLY GHOST was a bleffing which primitive believers en-* joyed upon their obedience to God in water baptifm. John the Baptift foretold that the Son op God JJiortld- baptize with the Holy GAo/i, and with fire, And although jefus fre- quently difcour fed with his difciples on the- office cf the Spirit, and encouraged them to wait K for vie promije of the Father, vet none received this fpiritual baptifm until Ghri-rf afcended and was glorified. On the day of pentecoiV this gift was bedewed upon many in a moll aftoni thing manner 3 their fouls were D 3 filled

I 42 )

filled with the Holy Ghoft ; their lips became converfant with languages they knew not be- fore ; and power was given them to perform miracles in the holy name of Jefus. The fame miraculous baptifm was conferred in fucceflive periods in the apoftolic age, by the laying on of the hands of the apoftles, but is now ceafed ; unlefs we conclude the gifts of the miniftry, to underftand and unfold the myftery of the gofpel, to be a degree thereof. It however appears, that even in the primitive jige, the baptifm of the Holy Ghoft was .not always given for miraculous operations. 77ie difciples at Antioch were filled zvith joy, and ivhh the Holy Ghofl. The Ephefians, after that they believed \ they were fealed with the Holy Spirit ofpromife. And the three thoufand con- verts were by Peter afTured, that after their baptifm they Jliould receive the gift of the Holy Ghof. In neither of thefe inftances docs it appear that the fubjecls were baptized with theory, or miraculous gifts of the Spirit ; but in a foul-fatiating manner, by which their knowledge, hope, love and experience were increafed, and they enabled to advance in the chriftian life with zeal. If the primitive .faints flood in need of this fuiritual baptifm,

I atn

( 43 )

I am fure we do likewife; for we are fubje£t to the fame fears, temptations and afflictions, and need adequate fupport and confolation. And although it be not my province to fay what baptized perfons may, or may not have enjoyed the baptifmal vihtation of the blefled Spirit, yet, as I find it a privilege in the gofpel equally free for all who believe and are bap- tized, and that God hath promifed his Spirit to them that afk him, I am bound, while writing this treatife on baptifm, to encourage the chriftian convert to be found in the difcharge of his duty, wait for the promifed bleffing, and to leave the event wirh his Lord. I will only add, that as Chrift was led out of the water of baptifm into the fire of temptation, and that the fame trying difpenfation, more or lefs, is the portion of his faints ; and as the hu- manity of Jefus was ftrengthened for the con- flict by the efTufion of the Holy Spirit upon him immediately after his baptifm ; fo, the young chriftian, after givinghimfelf to Chrift in water baptifm, in a lefs or greater degree enjoys the fealing baptifm of the Holy Ghoft, by which his joy is increafed in the Lord, and is emboldened to meet the temptations that may await him in his future courfe.* IV,

* " The practice of laying hands upon the bap-

X

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. IV. By a goipel obedience to God in bap- ;ifm, the chriftian convert has an indifputable right to a union with the vifible church of Chrifr. The three thoufand who were pricked in the heart, and gladly received the word under the minillry of Peter, were immedi- ately baptized, and the fame day added to the church.* He therefore who fbnds alone, and at a diftance from the communion of faintc,' not only deprives himfelf of one of thegreatefl> bleflings to be enjoyed on earth, but, he cafts. an infult on the King of Zion ; tacitly charges- the church with folly ; lefiens the viilb!e> kingdom of Meffiah, and gives men leave to. qucftion the fincerity of his perfonal religion.* In the formation of the human foul, the wife Creator not only enriched it with powers ca- pable of felf-gratjfication, but he gave it a principle of fociabiljty, in tiie exercife of which, the more fublime paffions of our nature

might

tized is alfo grounded upon this promife ofthe far- ther communication of the Spirit, and is ufed as a ju-ft expreflion of our expectation, that he will lead believers into greater degrees of light, ccm- fort and holinefs, ai> welt as a prayer, that this may be the happy experience of the perfon upon' whom the hands are laid." Dr, Jcfefh Jenkins,

* Ads ii,

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might attain their higheft improvement and perfection. In every fphere of life we prove, " It is not good for man to be alone."* No fooner is a foul torn of God, than he finds the mod cordial attachment to thofe who are partakers of the fame grace. The King of Ifracl faid, '? lam a companion of all them that fear thee, and of them that keep thy precepts ."t 11 One thing have 1 defired of the Lord, that will J feck after ; that I may dwell in the houfe of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in his temple.' ' % This privilege of gofpel fellowfhip God promifed by Ifaiah ; " One fli all fay, I am the Lord's; and another fn all call himfelf by the name of Ja- cob ; and another fliall fubferibe with his hand unto the Lord, and firname himfelf by the name cf Ifrael. Unto them will I give in mine houfe, and within my walls, a place and a name, better that; of fons and of daughters: I will give them an evcrlnfling name, that fliall nst be cut off"^ The privileges to be enjoyed in a church, eftablifhed on the principles of the gofpel. and honoured with the fmiles of God, are

many * Gen. ii. 18. f Pfal. cxix. 63. t Pfal. xxvii. 4. § Ifa. xliv. 5, lvi. $.,

C 46 )

many and precious. A union with God's fpiritual family, enfuring their advice, watch- fulnefs, gifts and prayers; the Table of the Lord Jefus, where he converges with his chil- dren by lively emblems, hears their com- plaints, and conveys to them aflurance of his precious love ; the pailoral care of the miniltry of Chrifl, by whom inftruclion, comfort, and many other advantages, under God, may be enjoyed ; unity in the public and private pray- ers and praifes of Zion ; to behold the goings forth of the Lord in the adminiftration of his laws and ordinances, the gifts and experiences of his people, the converfion of tinners and the reftorationof backiliders, and in the rich variety of his facred truth ; a greater enjoy- ment of Jehovah's promifed prefence, in fuch a focial capacity, than individuals have a right to expect; a growth and habitual meetnefs under thefe means of grace, for the more per- fect fruition cf God with the church trium- phant in glory :— Thefe, and many other pri- vileges, by grace and by baptifm, you are entitled to; not as a ftranger, nor a vibrant, but &s a citizen cf Zion, and a child in your Father's houfe.

Having thus, according to the ability God hath

riven

( 47 )

given me, attempted to inftruft the Chriftian Convert in the nature and advantages of bap- tifm, as a glorious ordinance, pertaining to the church of God, I prefume you are con- vinced that the inftitution, in its own nature, requires a fpiritual underftanding, and the pofleffion of grace, in order to acceptable obedience to God in it ; and, that the great gofpel truths it is defigne-d to difpiay, can he performed by immcrJiGn only. The conduct of others, who in any mode profefTedly bap- tize infants, not yet attained to the exercife of their rational powers ; or of adults, who may be Grangers to renewing, pardoning grace; thofe you leave to the judgment of God. Enough for you to know your duty and privilege, exprefied by the law of your matter. As it is the being of grace, and not the abundance of grace, by which a perfon is entitled tobaptifm, you may humbly prefume vourfclf a lawful candidate for the ordinance. And although you be neither fo rich in grace, nor fo lively in religion, as many others, nor as you yourfelf wiih to be, yet, you know that God hath done that for your foul which nature never could have performed. Permit xne, then, to exhort you to a rife and be bap- tized

1 48 )

tired in the name of that adorable Imma- kuel who has thus called you by his grace. He waits to be gracious, and to bear witneik that you are his, and fatiate your foul with his fmiles, in his own appointed ways. All the rich variety of truth, (o urikingly difplayed in baptifm, he can realize to your mind, and make your obedience to him cheerful and de- lightful. Senfible of this, I preiume you have no difpoTition to linger in the path. No,

Afham'd of Jefus! fooner far May midnight blufh to own attar! Afham'd of Jefus! juft as foon May midnight blufh to think of noon. Afham'd of Jefus ! yes, I may, When I've no crimes to warn away; No tears to wipe, no joys to crave, And no immortal foul to fave. 'Till then, nor is the boafting vain, 'Till then I boaft a Saviour slain! And, O may this my portion be, That Jefus' not afnam'd of me!

As this treatife may probably be read by lb me who are fatisfied with the baptifm they may have received in their infancy, I hope they have felt no unpleafant emotion ao-ninft the author, or others, whofe fentimems and practice he hath recited, ami endeavoured to

confirm

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confirm from the Holy Oracles. To prevent this as much as pofTible, 1 have avoided that acrimony which hath too unfortunately been indulged in a difcuflion of baptifm. You may, however, interrogate yourfelf, if your baptifm, in its nature and efFeiSts, correfponds with what hath now been cited from the fcrip- tures. If you are a perfon who knows, by experience, the nature and efficacy of discri- minating, regenerating grace, I will take the greater liberty of aiking, how can you connde in a religious iervice, performed while you was a ftranger and an enemy to God? And was not this done without your knowledge or confent? Can you produce one evidence, ei- ther from the volume of nature or revelation, that God either commanded you, or approves of it ? If you can, you undoubtedly ought to be Satisfied therewith. Say not it is a light thing ; a non-efiential appointment of Chrifi:, on whole blood you reft for pardon, and whom you profefs to love, and is of equal magnitude and excellency as the Lord's fupper, which probably you hold facred to your foul. If you can produce evidence that you enjoved the peaceful prefence of Jefus; devoted yourfelf to his honour, on the riches of his grace to E vour

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ycur foul ; and that you favv in your mode of baptifm the great realities of the gofpel, as is illuftrious in immerfion by faith, and feel the approbation of God therein as done by his appointment ; then I have nothing more to urge, but leave you to that God to whom alone you are accountable. But, if you cannot, and feel a defect in your own conscience, in- flead of reproof, all I will now fay to you is, that you have yet a mod precious privilege to enjoy, and to which, as a child of grace, you are entitled. Embrace it with joy ; honour your Saviour, and his fmiles will attend your path. Amen!

AN

A N

ADDRESS

ON THE-

I. M P R O V E M E N T

BAPTISM,

DELIVERED TO Till CHURCH PREPARATORY TO THE

LORD'S SUPPER.

M

A N

ADDRESS, &c

Brethren in the Lord,

A

NTICIPATING your attendance en the Lord's Supper the enfuing Sabbath, I am in- duced to aflitt you in the improvement of vour baptifm, as preparatory to that folemnity.

Infants, you (ay, are baptized without active reafon or faith ; therefore they are incompetent to know the path of duty ; nor can thev at a fu- ture period improve, baptiim to real advantage. Whatever truth there may be in thisaflertion, the cafe was different with ycu, From the poffeffion of grace, and the ftudy of the New Teitament, you had fomc knowledge of the nature, intention and advantages of baptiim ; therefore, rn-y brethren, you are left without excufe if you neglect the reviewal of that fo- lemn tr3nfac\icn, and make not fuch improve* meat of it as it is calculated to afford. How- ever, there may be no duty more generally E 3 neglected.

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neglected, and lefs underftood than this. As on fucli an occafion ns the prefent, when we are withdrawn from the world to discharge many of thofe relative duties refulting from our union in a church ftate, and are looking forward to the approaching Sabbath, when we mail partake of the fupper of the Lord ; an attempt to aflift you in the improvement of your baotifm may not be unacceptable. Oh ! that the adorable Immanuel may indulge us with his fmiles, grant us the power of reflect- ing on our paft life, and, anew, to advance ia the path that leadeth to glory.

I. A reviewal of your baptifm will necef- farily bring to recollection that early experi- ence which gave you a title to the institution. •' Call to remembrance the former days in which ye were illuminated ',"* is an apoflolic injunc- tion. The time, the place, the means by which Jefus brought us to the enjoyment of his fmiles ; or, if his w?ork of grace was more gradual and lefs imperceptible, to bring to re- collection our firft experience of peace with Gcd ; this cannot fail to produce in us the mod fublime joy. When we advanced to the water of baptifm, we Caw in it a ftriking

emblem * Jleb, x. 32.

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emblem of that finful, dreadful (late we were in by nature; and the fuffering, death and refurrection of the Lord Jefus, by whom alone we are delivered from wrath to come. Paul reminded the church at ColofTe of their having enjoyed the fame privilege. " Buried with him in baptifm, wherein alfo you are rifen with him, through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raifed him from the dead."* In that early ftage of the chriftian life, how bright was our faith ! how lively our affec- tions ! how cheerfully we followed the Lamb ! Precious moments! delightful enjoyments! never, never to be forgotten! With what: pleafure did we advance to the gates of Zion, faying, " Come and hear all ye that fear God, and I will declare what he hath done for my foul, f Open to me the gates of right eoufnefs ; I will go into them, and I will praife the Lord."% How fatisfactory and eftablifhing to our minds was the teflimony of the faints in our favour ! and how pleanng the welcome we received ! " Come in, thou blejpd of the Lord '; wherefore fandeth thou without P Come, and with us be- hold

* Col. ii. 12.

t Pfal. lxvi. 16.

% Pfal. cxviii. 19.

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held the beauty of the Lord in his temple \ enjoy the rich feeft of his grace at his table ; and await /us coming to receive us to glory. For he brought us into his banqueting hcufe, and his banner over us was love." Thefe p'eafures, however, did increafe in obeying the Lord in baptifm. The recollection of our duty brings the (bene afrefh to view. Surrounding faints, an rid* miring world, and holy angels witnefTed our furrender to Cn'rift, who bought us with his blood. With what cempefure of foui did we go down into the water in the hand cf the honoured Servant of the Lord L and how truly iolemn the accents of his lips, when pronouncing the holy name of the Father, of the Son, and oi the Spirit; and then interred us in the liquid grave with Chrift ! From the teftimony of a good confeience, and under the fmiies of our adorable Saviour, how cheer- fully did we goon our way rejoicing- took our feat among the family of God, and re- joiced in the hope of. greater blifs in' the Church above !

While I recite this cur eariy experience, it may not be improbable that your breaft may lament, " Oh that it were wuh me as in months pail ' But, wot i$ me, for I am as when they

have

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have gathered the fummer fruit; as the grape gleaning of the vintage: there is no clutter to eat; my foul defired the faft ripe fruit."* Do you indeed, my brethren, deGre the firfr. ripe fruit of converfion, and again enjoy the fame lively fenfibility you had at your bap- tifiri? Go then to the table of the Lord; there you fee many of the fame rich blef- fings of grace exhibited in lively figures, which you beheld in baptifm. Go to Jefus, and with David fay, " Thy vows are upon me OGod; I will render praifes unto thee. For thou haft delivered my foul from death ; wilt not thou deliver my feet from falling, that I may walk before God in the light of the living? \

II. We cannot recollect the pleafures 'we enjoyed at our baptifm, without improving that ordinance as a mean of humiliation, and to raife in our bread; the molt lively emotions of gratitude to Godf who, am it) ft the many imperfections of our life, hath proved himfeif our unchangeable friend.

Did we not at our baptifm renounce the world, and profefledly embrace the Lord of Life as our only portion? Did we not, by

bending

* Micah vii. i. f Pfal. Ivi 12, 13.

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bending beneath the wave, declare our deai.1i to fin; and by i in merging from the liquid tomb, proteft our fouls ihculd live anew to God ? Yer, on a reviewal of our life, what imperfections have attended our path ! With- out enumerating the thaufanus of cur offences before our bap ti fen, let us review thofe only which we have committed ilnce. How great their number ! how aggravated their nature.' Contrary to our moft f iemn vows and firmer!: refolutions, what wanderings of heart, un- hallowed thoughts, and sfciJinL'negie&s may we juftly charge upon ouvfelves! How ex- tremely hath our love declined ! and how • has our faith yielded to the 1 aneful powers ct unbelief, decoying us men; dreary

fhades ! In our private walk '-with- God, in our family, and in the . < f OSj it

eapedj have been 10 faithful, holy and zealoas, as to leave no room for regret. Every heart in this affemblv kuoweth its own bitternefs ; and each one of us feels within his breafc an accountability to our Saviour. What a mercy is it, my brethren, that we have to do with an unchangeable God! Our Jefus, into whom we have been baptized, is the fame yefterday, to-day and forever. He refteth in

his

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his love, and is a friend that fticketh clofer than a brother; therefore it is that we have been preferved unto this period. Goodnefs and mercy, m rich abundance, and in clofe fuccefiion, have followed us all our days. How frequent the interpofition of his hund, when we were furrounded with danger ! and how fafe the refuge we enjoyed beneath the wings of his grace, when ftorm and tempeft beat frirloufly upon us, and no human aid was nigh ! When empty in ourfelves, he hath often led us to receive the water of life flow- ing from the never-failing fountain of his heart. Yes, this is the Gcd to whom we gave ourfelves in Bapfcifm ; and who at firfi: brought us from darknefs to light, that we might have pardon and peace in Jefus. Oh for an heart to live to his praife ! As we have been baptized into the death of Jefus, and buried with him by baptifm, Oh that asChrifr. was raifed from the dead by the glory of the Father, even fo we, by the fame power, may daily walk in newnefs of life ! Let us then await the ap- proaching Sabbath, furround the table of Chrift in tils church, tell him all our grief:, confefs our various fms, and implore his par- doning love. There let us renew our en- gagement;

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gagements with him, feed upon his bread, drink his wine, and charge our fouls to live forever to his praife.

III. You may, my brethren, improve your baptifm (o as to confirm and endear the focial band of fellowfhip which you enjoy with each other as a branch of Chrift's vifible church. " There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called into one hope of your calling ; &ne Lord, one faith, one baptifm, one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you #//."* You all profeffed an intei eft in the fame Chrift, were received into the church as partakers of the fame grace, and all drank the fpirit of the gofpel. «* As the body is one, and hath many members, and all the mem- bers «f that one body, being many, are one body^fo is Chrift. For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be fews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free ; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. For the body is not one member but many."\ You are all loved with the fame everlafting love, children of one glericus Father in Chrift, and have an equal right to the laws, privileges and honours of

Zicn*

* Eph. iv. 4, 5, 6.

f 1 Cor. xii. 12, 13, 14.

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Zion. And how ftrikingly was this exprefled by your own baptifm, and by once dipping it As the many particles of water formed one body, into which you were baptized, fo grace, in all its rich and inexpreffible variety, is one. How ought this view of your baptifm to unite your hearts, minds, judgments and affections in the higheft poffible degree ! u Walk worthy of the vocation wherewith you are called. Love as brethren ; be tender hearted one tozvards ano- ther, putting on charity as the bond of perfccJ- nefs." Enjoy the means of grace with a fteadymind, a believing heart, and a praying- foul. li FoIIqvj after things that make for peace, and things whereby one may edify another." Be faithful to God, in maintaining the glory of his truth, and the fimplicity of his inftitutions. Ever bow to the authority of Chrift: in his laws, agreeably to your profefled allegiance to him at your baptifm. " Henceforth be no mere children, tojjed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of do Brine, by the flight of men, and cunning craftinefs, whereby they lie in wait to deceive: but /peaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all th'rngs, which is the head, even Chrift ; from whom the whole body fitly joined together > and compacted by that which every F join*

I 02 j

joint fuppliethj according to the cjj'etiual working hi the meafurc of every part, moheth incrcafc of the body, unto the edifying of hf elf in love.'* Pray for the peace of Jemfalem ; they lhall prof- per that love her. Pray that the power and fenfible prefence of the Father, the Son, and the Spirit, into whom ye were baptized, may be highly experienced among you. Thus ihall your miniftry bebleffed; your ordinan- ces will yield you delight; and your numbers lhall increafewith men as with a flock.

IV. I will take leave to add only, that a review of your baptifm will aflift in the con- firmation of your fouls in God. He who gave you pleafure at the water of baptifm, will give you fupport in the water of death. Though we cannot extract merit from our pair duties nor experiences, yet we may ufe them both as arguments to encourage our fouls in God. That God did, by his grace, give us a title to baptifm, we dare not deny. That he met with us in the duty, and enabled us to go on our way rejoicing, are facts, the force of which can never be erafed from our breafts: and it is equally true, that he now hoideth

our

* Eph. iv. 14, 15, 16.

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our fouls iti life. He cannot, he will not forfake the work of his own hand. He will perfect that which concerneth us. The fol- lowers of the Lamb fhall not mifs the path that leads to the Throne of Glory. As Jefus arofe, fir ft from the water of baptifm, then from the water of death, to enter the prefence of his Father; fo, the hope you profeflfed in a rifen Chrift, in your baptifm, (hall not prove, abortive. He lives at his Father's right hand, and ye lliall live alfo.

Suffer tne to remind you as a Church, what the Lord hath done for you, fince your bap- tifm, and your conjlitution. Attempt to review your judgments, and your mercies. What decays by death, and what increafe by con- verfion ; what afflictions by fin and error, and what prefervation by the arm of Jefus, the King of Zion. If, as individuals, we have trod a diverfified path ; equally fo has the church feen her changes. Confide in the future pro- tection of your Lord. I prefume to believe, he will not forfake the inheritance which he hath among you. The walls of Zion are ever before him; and her name is engraven upon his heart. As a vineyard of red wine, the Lord is your keeper, and hath faid, I will water it

every

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every moment; left any hurt it, I will keep it night and day* Remember, that Chrift loved the church, and gave him/elf for it ; that he might cleanfe it with the waJJiing of water by the word ; that he might prefent it to himfclf a glorious church, not having fpot or wrinkle, or any fuch thing ; but that it Jhould be holy, and without ble- mifti.f With thefe fentiments ; and filled with reverence, may you approach the Lord's Ta- ble ; and God will confirm your hope unto the end. There may the glory of the Lord arifc "upon you, and your fouls enjoy that delight- ful repaft, that can only be exceeded by your fetting down at the mairiage-fupper of the Lamb.

You now perceive, my brethren, that you may improve your bnptifm to fpii itual advan- tage ; and that to neglect this duty is your lofs. May my prefent addrefs to you be fo far nfeful, that you may frequently reflect •upon your biptifm, and thereby enjoy the moil: pleafurable fatisfaction in Chrift, and with one another. Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning ; and ye your/elves like

unt$

* Ifa. xxvi'. 2, 3. | Eph. v. 26, 27.

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unto men that wait for their Lord, when he will return from the wedding; that, zuh-en he comcth and knocketh, they may open to him immediately. BlcJJed are thofe fervants whom the Lord, when he cometh, JJiall find watching.* Amen.

* Luke xii. 35, 36, 37.

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