Skip to main content

Full text of "Sermons on the mode and subjects of Christian baptism : or, An attempt to shew that pouring or sprinkling is a Scriptural mode, and the infants of believers are proper subjects of the baptism instituted by Christ ; with an explanation of various objections, particularly those contained in a course of anyonymous letters to Bishop Hoadley"

See other formats 


'Mi^ 


^  PRINCETON,  N.  J.  -^^ 


Presented  by  Mr.  Samuel  Agnew  of  Philadelphia,  Pa. 


'Agneiv  Coll.  on  Baptism,  No. 


f^ 


£/, 


a// 


SERMONS, 

ON    THE 

MODE  AND  SUBJECTS 

OP 

chbistiAjY  baptism, 

OR 

AN  ATTEMPT    TO  SHEW   THAT  POURING  OR   SPRINK- 
LING IS  A  SCRiPrURAL  MODE;  AND  THE  INFANlS 
OF    BELIEVERS  ARE  PROPER    SUBJECTS    OF 
THE  BAP  1  ISM    INSTITUTED  BY 
CHRIST  ; 

WITH  AST 

EXAMINATION  OF  VARIOUS  OBJECTIONS, 

Particularly  those  contained  in  a  Course  ©f  Anonymous 
Letters  to  Bishop.  Hoadly. 


BY  JOSEPH  LATHROP,  D.  D. 
Pastor  of  the  First  Church  in  West-Springfield. 


THE  FOURTH  EDITION, 


NEW-YORK : 

•Printed  and  Published  by  ROBERT  CRUMBlB^ 

Ao.  305  Greenwich' Streets 
1808. 


%  - 


SERMONS. 


EPHESIANS  IV.  5. 

ONE    BAPTISM. 

DISCOURSE  I. 


T 


O  persuade  the  Ephesians  to  keep  the  uni- 
ty of  the  spirit  in  the  bond  of  peace,  the  Apos- 
tie  urges  this,  among  other  arguments,  that  they 
had  received  one  Baptism.  If  tJiis  one  Baptism 
was  designed  to  be  a  bond  of  peace  and  unity  a* 
mong  christians,  how  unhappy  it  is,  that  it  should 
become  an  occasion  of  division  and  separation  ? 
Some  will  say,  *  It  is  not  one  baptism,  but  differ- 
ent baptisms  that  cauie  divisions.  *  It  is  true,  bap. 
tism  is  administered  in  different  modes,  and  to 
different  subjects  j  but  stiil,  I  hope,  it  will  appear 
to  be  one  baptism  ;^nd  if  so,  then  this  differencQ 
js  no  just  reason  for  disunion. 

You  are  sensible,  my    brethren,  that  I  hare 
not  been  wont  to   bring   controversies  into  the 


(4) 

pu'pit.  I  have  purposely  avoided  the  controver- 
«y  conceirmng  hanflsm  in  years  past,  and  should 
have  done  so  still,  had  itUQt  been  lately  revolved  a- 
mong  you. — It  is  not  any  prejudice  against  our 
brethren  who  differ  from  us,  but  a  regard  to  your 
present  circumstances,  and  to  the  desire  of  many 
among  you,  that  now  induces  me  to  enter  upon 
it ;  and  I  hope  to  handle  it  in  such  a  manner,  as, 
at  least,  not  to  offend,  if  I  should  not  convince. 
I  shall  not  call  in  question  tlie  validity  of  the  bap- 
tism of  our  brethren  :  I  only  aim  to  vindicate  our 
own.  And  surely  when  we  are  charged  w  ith  hav- 
ing essentially  changed  a  divine  instituion — - 
M'hen  we  are  represented  as  being  in  an  unbap- 
tised  state — when  v.'e  are  treated  as  unfit  for 
christian  communion,  we  have  a  right  to  plead 
in  our  defence. 

There  is  a  late  pamphlet  which  many  of  you 
have  read,  writt<*n  by  way  of  Letters  to  Bishop 
IloacUy,  the  author  of  which  labours  to  dis- 
prove the  validity  both  o^  sprinklings  and  ofzV?- 
fant  baptism,  and  treats  them  both  with  great 
tontempt.  I  shall  pay  particular  attention  to 
this  piece,  and  take  notice  of  every  thing  that 
is  material  in  it. 

The  questions  before  us  are  two ;  whether 
sprinkling  is  a  scriptured  mode  :  and  whether  in^ 
/ants  are  proper  subjects  of  baptism?  These 
questions  have  no  necessary  connection  with  each 
other.  But  as  the  validity  of  our  baptism  is  denied 
on  account  of  the  mode  in^which  it  was  admin- 
istered, as  well  as  of  the  age  at  v;diich  we  receiv- 
ed it,  I  shall  distinctly  consider  both  questions^ 
and  shall  begin  with  the  former. 


PART  l^f- 

E  will  first  enquire,  whltlV'lhe'tri^f  ,se%-. 
tural  mode  of  Baptism  ?  />>  /    ^  n 

There  are  two  Wavs,  in  which  .this  ordi- 
cance  is  administered;  one  is  immer sioi} ^  ox^Xmw.-^ 
ging  the  whole  body  into  water :  The  other  is 
affusion^  which  is  pouring  or  sprinkling  water  up- 
on the  subject.  We  do  not  deny  the  validity  of 
immersion;  we  only  deny  the /^^fre^.^-iVj/ of  it  : 
But  our  brethren  (at  least  many  of  them)  deny 
the  validity  of  aifu$ion,  and  represent  it  as 
no  baptism  to  whomsoever  administered.  It  is 
therefore  of  some  importance  that  we  enquire, 
whether  there  be  not  such  evidence,  that  affusion 
is.  a  scriptural  mode,  as  may  justify  our  use  of  it, 
and  satisfy  those  who  have  received  baptism  ia 
this  manner. 

I  shall  first  examine  the  import  of  the  Greek 
word  used  for  baptism — then  consider  the  uses 
of  baptism  and  the  allusions  of  scripture  to 
these  uses —  next  enquire  what  was  the  apostolic 
practice — Rnd  lastly  take  some  notice  of  the 
usage  of  the  church  afrer  the  apostolic  age. 

I.  We  Will  examine  the  import  of  the  word 
batitizn^  which  is  the  usual,  if  not  the  ou/i/  word 
by  vvhich  the  writers  of  the  New  Testament  ex- 
press the  christian  ordinance  of  ba[)tism. 

It  is  agreed,  that  tlie  word  bapfizo,  signifies 
to  ivash  by  the  application  of  water:  But  then> 
how  the  water  is  to  be  apj)lied,  whether  by  pfung- 
%u%  the  subject  iri'o  water,  or  by  pouring  or 
sprinkhng  water  uponihe  subject,  is  ihe  question: 
This  w^ill  best  be  determined  by  considering  how 
the  word  is  used  uporicomniou  occasions. 
A  2 


(6) 

The  a>iMior  of  the  Letters  to  Bishop  Iloadly 
tells  us^ « ti.at  the  writens  of  the  Mew  Festanient 
borrowetl  rlieirphrases  from  the  (ircek  tratishitioii 
off  he  O.d  Festamecit,  caliecl  the  Srp/w  gint.'  He 
refers  us  to  this  for  the  sense  of  the  wurds,  which 
thej  have  used  for  baptism.  He  allows  that 
*:  baptizo  is  the  offspring  of  bapfo ;'  aud  conse- 
quently may  be  taken  in  the  same  sense.  Zeal- 
ous as  he  is  for  immersio!),  he  is  constrained  to  ac- 
kacwledge,  that  ^bapto  is  never  used  in  the  Sep- 
tiiagint  for  the  rite  of  washing  a  person*s  ivJwlc 
body:*  But  on  the  contrary,  is  sometimes  used  for 
wetting  the  body  by  sprinkUng;  as  in  Dan.  4.  S3, 
and  ciiap.  5,  21.  where  Nebuchadnezzar' f;  body 
is  said  to  be  ivet  ivith  the  dew  of  he  are  a  Now  he 
says,  *We  all  know,  that  a  person  is  wet  with  dew, 
not  by  immersion  into  it,  but  by  its  distillation  in 
j^entle  drops  5  we  are  sprinkled  with  it/  And  if 
bapto  is  never  used  fbr  plunging  the  whole  body, 
but  sometimes  forsprinkling  it  probably  baptizo^ 
'its  ofFspringj'is  generally  used  in  the  same  sense. 
Accordingly  this  author  concedes  that '  the  word 
hapiizoy  is  Dever  but  07?cd'  used,  in  those  very  nu- 
merous places  of  the  Old  Testament,  where  bath- 
ing  the  person  is  commanded/  Theone  instance 
be  mentions  is  in  "^King.^.  14.  where  Naaman  is 
said  to  have  dipped(or  baptised)  himself  sevtii 
limes  in  Jordan,  ibr  the  cure  of  the  leprosy. 
But  this  one  instance,  at  best,  is  but  a  doubtful 
«ne  ^  for  the  law  prescribed  that  the  leper.should 
hesprinkb'd  seven  times  for  his  cleansing.  -  The 
Prophet  sayt,  rt;6'^//  seven  times  and  (ho2i  shaLt 
be  clean.  If  the  Prophet  had  any  respect  to  the 
law,  as  it  seems  he  had,  by  his  enjoining  him  to 
wash  seven  times,  then  by  wasliing  he  meant 


(  7) 

Sprinkling ;  so  that  this  example  will  by  no 
means  prov,  that  the  word  ba-'i/izo,  signiiies  to 
plun^f'^  We  hav-e  the«  no  instance  of  b<ipto^  and 
bsit  one  (an.d  thai,  a  very  doubtful  instance)  ot' 
bupfizoy  used  in  all  the  Old  T^^stament  for  im- 
mersion or  bcithuig  tlie  body  :  But  some  instan- 
ces of  the  former's  being  used  fo;  sprinkling. 
Thus  the  matter  stands  according  to  tlie  conces- 
sions of  this  writer. 

Let  us  now  consult  the  New-Teitament. — 
There  we  shall  (aid  cleai*  and  direct  evidence,  that 
the  word  baptizo,  signifies  to  p(}:'r  or  sprinkle. 

It  is  said,  in  the  beginning  of  the  7th  Chap, 
of  Mark,  That  the  Pluirisees-^zoben  they  saw  some 
of  the  disciples  eat  bread  zvith  dtjiled  (thai  is  to 
saij,  zvith  unwashen)  hands jound  fault  ;for  the 
Pharisees  and  all  the  Jeics,  except  they  w^ash  their 
hands  oft,  eat  not.  AndivJicn  theijconiejrein  the 
Vtarket,  ejccept  /^d;v  wash,  (can  me  bapti%.ontai^ 
except  they  are  baptised)  they  eat  not.  What  in 
the  former  clr.iisej  is  called  tt-ai-Zz/z/o-  the  hands,  is 
here  called  being  baptised.  The  usual  manner  of 
washing  hands  among  the  Jews,  we  learn  from  2 
Kings  3. 1  ] ,  where  it  is  said,  El  is  ha  poured  water 
on  the  hands  of  Elijah.  Here  then  you  see,  per- 
sons aresaid  to  be  baptised,  when  only  a  part  of 
the  body  is  v/ ashed  by  the /)o^/r/;2^"  c;/?  of  water. 
It  is  SLdded,Ma?iv  other  things  there  are,  xvhick 
(hey  have  received  to  hold,  as  the  washings  [bap- 
tismoiLS,  baptisms)  of  brazen  vessels  and  tables  or 
beds,  i,  e.  the  seats  on  which  they  used  to  recline 
at  meals,  which  were  so  large,  that  they  could  be 
washed  only  by  pouring  water  on  them. 

It  is  said,  Luke  11.37.  A  certain  Pharisee 
asked  Jesus  to  dine  with  him.  And  he  iventinand 


(  8  ) 

sat  down  to  medf,  Andivhen  ike  Pharisee  saw  it^ 
he  inarvelled  that  he  had  not  first  washed  before 
dijincr':  Not  washed  his  whole  bodily  but  only  his 
hands,  ^ccord'mgto  the  Jewish  custom  mentioned 
in  the  before  cited  passage  in  Mark\  And  this  is 
expressed  by  the  same  word,  vvhieh  is  used  for  bap- 
iis/Ng.  He  marvelled  that  he  had  not  bee?i  bap* 
tised,  ebaptisthe,  before  dinner. 

The  Jews,  by  divine  appointment,  observed  di- 
Terskindsofpurificationsjthe  greater  part  of  vvhieh 
were  sprinklings.  And  these  are  expressly  called 
baptisms.  The  Apostle,  in  the  9th  chap,  to  Heb. 
10th  verse,  speaking  of  the  Jewish  ritual,  says, 
Itsfood  only  in  meats  and  drinks  and  divers  wash» 
^Xo-^"'  f diaphorois  baptismois,  divers  baptisms.) 
hy  these  divers  bap  isms,  phunly  means  the  vari- 
ous ceremonies  of  sprinkling  ;  for  so  lie  explains 
them  in  tliefollowing  verses.  Hic  blood  of  hulls  and 
of  goats',  and  the  ashes  of  an  heifer  sprmkhng  the 
nnclean,  sancti/ieth  to  the  fmrij\png  of  thetiesh, 
Aloses  took  the  blood  of  calves  and  goats  wifli  wa- 
ter— and  S;;rinkled  the  book  and  all  the  people.  lie 
sprinkled  tikeivise  with  blood  both  the  taberna- 
cle and  all  I  he  vessels  of  the  ministry.  And  al- 
most all  things  are,  by  the  law,  purged  wiHi 
blood,  i.  e.  with  tlie  sprinkling  of  blood.  Now 
as  the  Apostle  speaks  of  divers  baptisms,  and 
then  immediately  illustrates  them  by  divers 
sprinklings,  and  mentions  no  other  purifications, 
but  sprinklings,  as  instances  of  these  divers  Z)<;//?. 
tisws,  it  is  evident,  that  if  the  sacred  writer  un- 
derstood a  reek,  sprinkling  is  baptism. 

Ami  since  the  word,  wherever  it  is  used  in  scrip- 
ture for  any  thing  besides  the  christian  ordinance, 
plainly  sigiwii^s  ponring  or  sprinkling,  except  in 


(9) 

the  singlf"  in«»^anre  of  \anmans  clipping  himself 
in  Jordan,  which  at  most  is  a  very  doubtful  onp, 
we  must  namially  suppose,  it  is  used  ui  the  same 
sense,  wlien  it  is  apphed  to  the  christian  ordm- 
ance.  This  conclusion  may  have  themore  weight, 
because  it  is  deduced  frofn  the  cor. cessions  of  a 
critical  writer  on  the  other  side  of  the  question. 

Tliere  is  another  Greek  word,  louo,  supposed 
to  be  sometimes  used  for  baptism,  on  which  the 
autlior  of  the  letters  lays  more  weight  :  for, 
*  This,  he  tells  us,  is  ahnost  the  constant  word  of 
the  Sep-uaginf,  in  those  very  numerous  places 
where  bathing,  or  washing  the  w'iok  body  is 
commanded. ' 

This  word  is  indeed  frequently  used  for  wash- 
ing the  body  ;  sometimes  for  w^ashing  the  zohole 
body  ;  And  if  this  were  the  constant  ?.nd  a/; /^  word 
for  baptism  in  theNew  Testament,  here  vvoul<f:l  be 
a  plausible  argument  for  washing  the  whole  body 
in  baptism. — But  it  should  be  observed,  that  this 
word  is  very  seldoni,  If  ever  usedfor  baptism.  The 
author  of  theletters  has  cited  about  sixty  passages 
in  the  New  Testament,  as  speaking  of  baptism :  A- 
mong  all  these,  there  are  hwi  four  where  this  word 
is  used.  It  is  not  certain,  that  baptism  is  the 
thing  intended  in  ihcse :  But  if  it  is,  yet  no  ar- 
gument can  be  drawn  from  them  in  favour  of 
immersion  ;  but  perhaps  the  contrary.  Let  us 
consider  them. 

One  is  in  Heb  10.  23.  Let  us  draw  near  hav- 
ing our  body  washed,  (leloumcnoi  soma,  being 
washed  in  the  b(jdy)  ivlth  pure  water.  Now  a 
person  is  washed  in  his  body,  though  water  be 
poured  only  on  a  part  of  it.  Thus  when  the  wo- 
naan  poured  ointment  on  Christ's  head,  she  is 


{  10) 

said  to  have  anointed  his  body.  And  this  washing 
is,  in  the  preceding  clause,  expressed  by  5/;r//z/^- 
ling. — Having  our  hearts  ii\)X\\\k\e^  from  an  evil 
conscience,  and  our  body  washed  loifh  irure  water. 

Another  passage  is  in  Thus  3.  5,  He  hath  sa- 
ved us  [dialoutroii]  by  the  xcasliing  of  regencra-- 
tion^  and  renezving  of  iJte  Holy  Ghost,  which  he 
hath  shed,  or  poured  on  us.  Now  if  baptism  is  here 
intended  hyihe  ivashing of  reginerafion,i\'\\siext 
affords  a  plain  argument  for  affusion,  cr  pouring 
in  baptism  :  For  this  washing  denotes  the  reneiV' 
ing  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  which  \s  poured  o?i  us  ; 
and  therefore,  that  there  may  be  some  resem- 
blance between  the  sign  and  the  thing  signified, 
baptism  should  be  performed  by  pouring.  The 
phrase  of  the  pouring  of  the  spirit  is  an  allusion 
to  the  pouring  of  water  in  baptism. 

A  Third  passage  is  in  Eph.  5  26.  That  he 
mi^ht  sanctify  it  (the  church)  having  clcayised  it 
with  the  TV  ashing  of  xvater  by'  the  word.  Now  if 
baptism  be  here  intended  by  washing,  then  the 
church  is  said  to  be  sanctified  and  cleansed  by  the 
baptismal  washing:  But  how  this  washing  is  per- 
formed, whether  by  sprinkling  or  plunging,  is  still 
the  question.  The  Apostle  s^ys,^  sprinkling— 
sanctifieth  fo  the  purifying  of  the  flesh.  If  then  we 
will  allow  theApostle  to  interpret  his  own  phrases, 
\t\s  sprinlding  ih^t  sanctifies  and  cleanses  the 
flesh,  and  consequently  is  the  washing  intended, 
when  the  church  is  said  to  be  sanctified  and  clean- 
sed  by  the  xv ash  ing  of  xvater.  In  the  51st  Psal, 
2d  verse,  the  Psalmist  prays,  Wash  inethorougti- 
ly  frommine  iniquity  and  cleanse  me  from  sin^ 

•  Heb.  9.  la- 


{ 11 ) 

He  adds  Ter.  7.  Purge  me,  (in  the  Greek  it  is 
sprinkle  fUc)  arid  I  shall  he  cleansed.  What  in 
the  2d  ver.  is  called  washing  thoroughly^  is  in  the 
7th  ver.  called  sprinkling  ;  and  the  latter  is  said 
to  cleanse y  as  well  as  the  former.  The  other  pas- 
sage is  in  1  Cor.  6.  1 1.  But  ye  are  zvashed,  but  ye 
are  sanctified,  &c.  This  is  so  nearly  parallel  to  the 
former,  that  the  same  remarks  are  applicable  to 
both,  and  thereforenothingfurtherneeds  to  bead- 
ded.  It  appears,  I  think,  that  the  word  which  our 
author  chiefly  depends  on  to  prove  immersion  en- 
tirely fails  him,  and  finally  determines  in  favor  of 
affusion. 

This  now  is  the  result  of  our  enquiry.  The 
v/ordbapfizo,  kbuf  once,and  perhaps  iiever  used 
in  all  theOld  Testament,  where  bathing  the  body 
is  commanded.  It  is  often  used,  in  the  New  Tes- 
tament, for  sprinkling  or  pouring.  This  is  the 
?isual,  if  not  the  only  word  for  baptism.  It  is  used 
to  be  sure,  in  near  sixty  passages.  The  word, 
louo,  is  sometimes  used  for  bathing  the  body,  but 
never  certainly  used  for  baptism  :  There  are  but 
four  passages,  where  it  is  pretended  to  be  so 
used  :  And  even  here  it  is  plainly  synonymous 
with  pouring  or  sprinkling. 

It  is  mdeed  very  remarkable,  that  the  writers 
of  the  New  Testament,  when  they  speak  of  the 
christian  ordinance  of  baptism,  havegeneraily(  if 
not  always)  avoided  that  word,  which  in  the  Sep^ 
tuagint  is  used  for  bathing  the  body;  and  chosen 
a  word  of  a  more  general  signification  ;  and  if 
they  have  ever  used  the  former,  they  have  joined 
with  It  j^r inkling  or  pouring  as  if  it  were  on 
purpd,  p  teach  us,  that  plunging  the  whole  bo- 
dy is  a  ceremony  not  required  under  the  gospeK 


(  12) 

II.  I  apprehend  we  may  obtain  some  satls- 
factiun  in  the  point  before  us,  if  we  attend  to 
those  passages  of  scripture,  in  which  the  uses  of 
bapt  sm  are  manifestly  alhKledto. 

1.  One  use  of  it  is  to  represent  the  sanctifying 
influence  of  the  spirit.  Christians  are  said  to  be 
bon?  ofwaf('rand  oflhe  sjiiril  ;  and  to  be  saved 
bij  the  zvw^fuJig  of  regeneraticn  and  ?-e?2nving  of 
the  Holy  Ghost.  Peter  says  to  the  convicted  Jens 
Be  Baptised  and  ye  shall  recehe  the  gift  of  the 
Holy  Ghos'* 

The  influence  of  the  Spirit  represented  in  bap- 
tism is  often  expressed  by  pouring  and  sprink- 
ing ;  as  in  the  before  cited  passages  to  T/Z^/.v,  and 
to  the  Hebrews,  lite  renewing  of  the  Holy 
Ghost  which  he  hath  poured  on  us.  Having  the 
heart  sprink1e?i  from  an  evil  conscit^nce.  This 
pouring  out  of  the  Spirit  is  called,  being  haptis^ 
ed  with  it.  That  promise.  Ye  shall  be  baptis- 
ed zvith  the  H'dy  Ghost,  is  said  to  have  been  fid- 
filled  v\hen  Cinist  shed  or  poured  forth  theSinnt'f. 

2.  Baptism  represents  the  forgiveness  of  sins. 
Hence  these  directions.  Be  baptised  for  (he  re- 
7niK^ion  of  sins-Be  bat^tis'd  and  wash  azcay  thy 
sins  \  our  sins  are  washed  away  inChrist^s  blood. 
Th  e  hlood  of  Ch  rist  cleanseth ,  fro  m  all  sin.  He 
hath  zvashcd  us  from,  our  sins  in  his  ozvn  blood, ^ 
And  this  applicaHon  of  Christ's  biood  is  expressed 
by  sprinfilino^.  Ye  are  come — to  Jesus  the  me- 
diator of  the  new  covenant  and  to  the  blood  of 
sprinkling.  Elect  according:  to  the  foreknow- 
ledge of  God  th  rough  sanctifcatibnofthe  spirit 
unto — sprinkling  rj/' Me  blood  of  Christ, 1^^^ 

*  Acts,  38  ,  t  ^^"^^   1-  5,  and.h  2  .>1." 

X  -rt.  2   38.  ancUh:  22  16.  §  1  JoU.  X.  T,  and  Rev.  1.  5. 

II  Heb.  12.24.   1  Pet  1.2. 


(    15  ) 

3.  Baptism  with  clean  water  may  denote  the 
Si'm/)licinj  oi' the  Gospel  dispensation. 

The  writer  of  the  letters  says,  *  There  does  not 
appear,  in  all  the  five  books  oi'  Mo-^cs,  any  rite  of 
spriakhng  7ner€  water,  but  it  was  water  mixed  with 
blood,  ashes,  &c."   The  Mosaic  institution  was  of 
a  niixed  nature  :    It  consisted  both  o^ moral  and 
ceremonial  precepts.  And  the  rites  of  purificaiion 
were  of  a  piece  with  the  dispensation  itself;   for 
they  were  {)erformed  by  water  mixed  with  other  in- 
gredients. But  the  Gospel  dispensation  is  pure  and 
simple,  char^^ed   with  few  external  rites,  and  these 
plain   and  easy.  Thus.  Ezek.  36,  25.  God,  fore- 
telhng  the  happiness  of  his  peo[)Ie   in  the  Gospel 
times,  says,  llien  u-ill  I  sprinkle  clean  wafer  upon 
you  and  ye  sh  ill  be  cl  an.  '  1  his  expression,*  says 
the  author  before  mentioned,  ^alludes  to  some  xva- 
levy  purification  in  the  law  of  Moses.^  But  he  says, 
'  Til e re  w as  n o  c e r e m o n y  of  u  n m  i x ed  v\  a t e r .  *    H e 
thinks,  '^t  alludes  to  the  water  of  separation.'  And 
yet  he  says,  ^  This  was  a  composition  of  various 
ingredients.' 

Tije  meaning  of  the  passage  then  must  be  this. 
In  the  latter  times  I  will  give  youa/;,77'<"  and  spirit- 
ual dispGnsaiion,  not  burdened  with  such  rites 
and  cei^emonies  as  the  present.  The  simple  nature 
and  spiritual  design  of  it  sliail  be  re[jresented  by 
the  great  rite  of  initiation,  which  shall  be  tlje 
sprinkling  of  pure  water,  and  not  the  application 
of  such  mixed  compositions  as  are  now  in  use. 

Observe  here  :  Sprinkling  is  said  to  cleanse  the 

person.   I  zvill  sprinkle  cLan  water  upon  you  and 

^  ye  shall  be  clean,  and  from  all  yourfiitlnnets  will  I 

cleanse  you.    So  washing  Peter's  feet  only,   was 

w-ashing  him.  Peter  says.  Thou  shall  iitver  ivash 

B 


(   14  ) 

■my  feet.  Jesus  replies.  If  I  wash  thee  not,  thou  bait 
iio  part  in  me.  Wljen  he  moved,  that  his  hands 
tnui  head  might  be  vvaslied  too,  Christ  answered. 
He  that  is  washed,  need  not  save  to  tvash  his  feet, 
but  is  cLan  everj  whit.* 

It  has  been  said,  *  A  minister  may  as  well  wash 
the  hands  or  feet,  as  sprinkle  the  (ace  of  a  person, 
in  the  name  of  the  Trinity,  and   call  it  baptism.' 
I  am  far  from  asserting,  that  the   validity  of  bap- 
tism depends  upon  the  part  to  which  the  water  is 
applied.  There  is  however  an  obvious  propriety  in 
applying  //  to  tlie  head^   This  is  the  principal  part 
ottiie  bod3^  It  is  the  part  which  is  usually  uncov- 
ered ;  and  the  water  doubtless   slioiild  be  applied 
to  the  person,  rather  tlian   to    his  clothes.     The 
ceremony  of  benediction  was  performed  by  laying 
tiie  hands  on  the  head.  Unction  was  performed  by 
pouring  oil  on  the  head,  wliich  was  called  anoint- 
ing the  bodi/.  The  Holy  Ghost  was  communicated 
by  the  imposition  of  th«  Apostles  hands  :  And  they 
who  had  the  Spirit  eommunicated  to  them,  were 
bix\d  to  be  baptised  with  it ;  which  makes  it  highly 
probable  that   baptism,  the  token  of  this  commu< 
nicatiun,  was  perforuied  by  putting  water  on  the 
/leads  oi  the  persons  baptised.    Accordingly,  the 
A[>ostle  to  the  Hcbr-ews  speaks  of  the  doctrine  of 
,  Baptisms  and  laying  on  of  hands  f 

4.  Tf^e  Apostle,  in  1  Cor.  10.  speaking  of  the 
Jews  who  came  out  oi' Egypt,  says,  ^J)'}ej/  mere  all 
baptised  unto  Moses  in  the  cloud  and  in  the  sea. 
the  Apostle  here  undoubtedly  alludes  to  christian 
bciptlsm,  and  therefore  we  may  suppose  there  was 
some  resemblance  between  baptism  unto  Christ 
and  that  ancient  baptism  \xi\io  Moses. — Now  how 

*  John  13.8,9,  10.  t  Chap.  6.  2. 


(   15  ) 

were  they  baptised  in  the  cloud  and  sea  ?  Surely 
not  by  being  pli/nged  all  over  in  water  ;  for  /hey 
xvenl  over  dry  shod ;  but  only  by  being  sprinkled 
with  some  s[)raysorthe  sea  and  drops  from  the  cloud. 
This  appears  to  me  the  most  natural  sense  of  the 
expression.  The  author  of  the  letters  indeed  ridi- 
cules such  an  interpretation,  and  says  ;  Here  is  an 
allusion  to  the  custom  oh'mmer'^ioji,  the  Israelites 
being  covered  by  the  cloud  over,  and  by  the  water 
o?t  each  side  of  them.*  But  I  think  he  has. not 
mended  the  matter;  for  though  the  waters  sur- 
rounded them,  yet  (as  he  would  have  it  understood) 
not  even  a  spray  touched  them,  nor  a  drop  fell  on 
them  ;  for  then  they  would  have  been  sprinkled. 
It  was  a  dry  baptism  :  A  baptism  without  water. 
Jonah  might  as  well  have  been  said,  to  be  baptis- 
ed in  allusion  to  immersion^  when  he  went  down 
into  the  sides  of  the  ship,  and  there  lay,  while  <t 
storm  hung  over  him 

5.  Baptism  signifies  our  obligation  to  renounce 
sin  and  put  on  the  character  of  Christ. 

The  Apostle  says,  Rom.  (k  4.  We  are  buried. 
tvilh  Clirisf  by  baptism  info  his  death  ,  And  Col. 
2.  12.  Buried  xvith  him  in  baptism.  The  plain 
meaning  is ;  by  baptism  we  are  bound  to  die  to 
sin,  and  walk  in  newness  of  life,  in  conforniitv  to 
the  death  and  resurrection  of  Christ.  Oiir  breth- 
ren imagine,  these  two  passages  aiujrd  a  strong 
argument  for  immersion.  They  tell  us,  *  The 
phrase  of  being  buried  zvith  Christ  in  baptism,  al- 
hides  to  the  manner  of  baptism,  which  was  a  buri- 
al in  the  water  ;  for  if  there  were  noth'ng  hke  a 
burial,  the  phrase  would  be  very  improper.  But 
as  well  might  they  say, '  The  mode  ofbaptism  must 
resemble  his  crusifktion ;  for  in  the  same  passage 


(  J<5) 

the  Apostle  snvs,  JFe  arc  hapfiscd  info  his  dx?alli, 
pidiifcd  /i^i^e/iidr  in  tiie  Lkeness  of  his  death — our 
old  man  is  cmcificd  :ci;h  him.  But  i  am  willing 
theif  argument  ^(louM  have  its  i'wW  weight;  fbnf  they 
tii  Ilk  immersion  can  be  proved  from  tlitse  (cco  pas- 
sages, \\  here  eur  conf  trinity  to  Christ  is  expressed 
bv  our  being  buried  icilh  him  in  brpiism,  tliey  must 
if  they  will  be  consistent  with  themselves,  allow 
that  sprii/kUng  can  be  more  clearly  proved  from 
those  numerous  passages,  where  our  justiiication 
through  Christ's  blood  is  expressed  uy  the  sprijik- 
lino-  of  his  blood  ;  and  our  sanctification  is  expres- 
sed by  the  sprinklino-  of  clean  tcattn'-hy  the  hearths 
beins^  spriii'hled — by  the  spiri/s  /?r?/;<,'  pcurtd  rii 
ns,  &c.  The  conclusion  then  from  this  argument 
will  be,  that  both  modesvvereadmitted  by  the  Apos- 
tles-both are  valid  ami  agreeable  tothe institution. 
Let  us  no  longer  contend.  This  argument  bids 
so  fair  to  reconcile  our  brethren  to  our  practice, 
that  I  could  willingly  leave  them  in  full  possession 
of  it. —  I  wish  it  good  success. — But  if  it  be  attend- 
ed to,  I  am  afraid,  it  will  appear  to  have  little 
WT-ight. 

How  was  Christ  buried  ?  Not  as  the  dead  are 
usually  buried  among  us,  but  as  rich  men  were 
among  the  JeicSy  in  an  apartment  cut  out  in  the 
side  of  a  rock.  Such  tombs  were  called  sepulchres 
on  high;*  because  they  were  made  above  ground. 
Lazarus' s  grave  w^as  of  this  sort ;  and  he  was  laid 
in  it  in  such  a  position,  that,  upon  his  revival,  he 
came  forth  while  he  was  bound  hand  and  foot  j  but 
he  could  not  walk,  till  he  was  loosed.  '  Loose  him 
and  let  him  go.'f  Plunging  then  no  more  resem- 


(17) 

bles  Christ's  entombment  than  spruiklhig  does.  It 
tliere  were  any  circimistances  in  his  burial,  which 
baptism  can  resemble,  it  must  be  his  enibalmmenf. 
It  I's  said,  Nicodemus  brought  a  mixture  of  myrrh 
and  aloes,  and  zvound  the  body  of  Jesus  in  linen 
clothes  with  the  spices,  as  tJie  manner  of  the  Jews  is 
to  bury,'^  And  after  this,  the  women  prepared  spU 
ces  and  ointments  and  came  to  anoint  his  body.    The 
expression  of  being  buried  with  Christ  in  baptism, 
may  allude  to  his  bod3''s  being  anointed  with  aro- 
niatic  ointments  at  the  time  of  his  burial ;  and  this 
wasdone  hy pouring  and  rubbing  them  on  tiie  bod  7. 
Accordingly  when  the  wommrpoured  the  precious 
oiiitment  on  Christ's  head.  He  says,   In   that  she 
poured  it  on  my  body,  she  did  it  to" my  burial.    She 
is  come  to  anoint  my  body  to  the  burying.^     Ob- 
serve; her  pouring  it  only  on  his  head,  he  calls  pour- 
ing it   on    h.'s  body  -,  as  on  another  occasion,  a  wo- 
imiu\sdroppmg  tier  tears  on  his  feet,  he  calls  wash- 
2?jg  his  feer ;  and  washing  Peter's  feet  was  washing 
Jjjm.S'.^w  in  allusion  tothis  manner  of  anointim^ 
cbnstia.n,    are  said,   /(;    be    anointed     zvith     the 
sptrif,  aoil  to  have  an  union  from  the   Holy  On- 
which  fcaehestliem   all  things. %    Whatiselsewhere 
called  the  pouring  ofthespuit  on  them  ;  and  beincr 
b^ipfised  with  i\\e  spirit 3   is  here  expressed  by  the 
anoiuimg  of  the  spint,  in  allusion  to  the  maimer 
of  anointing  \)y  pouring  q\\  on  the  head. 

Ills  It  is  time  tliat  we  proceed  to  enquire,  \n 
what  manner  baptism  was  administered  \\\  \he 
times  or'  on    Saviour  and  his  Ap.jstles, 

Owv  br-th:en,  and  particularly  the  gentleri^aTi 
berore  menLioaed,   think   it  sevy  mamiesr,  mat 


i    18   ) 

vnmers'ion  was  the  mode  practised  in  those  times, 
because  the  persons  baptised  are,  in  one  or  two 
instances,  said  to  go  into,  and  come  out  of  ihe  wa- 
ter ;  because  some  were  baptised  in  a  river  ;  and 
because  places  abounding,  with  water  were  chosen 
for  baptising. 

But  let  us  not  be  carried  away  by  the  meer 
soiiicdoi  words  without  examining  their  sense. 

It  is  said.  Mat.  3,  16,  Jesus  b  lug  baptised 
came  up  out  of  ilie  water.  The  Gieek  phrase 
[apo  udafos)  properly  signifies,  yn??;i  the  zvater-, 
and  therefore  implies  no  more  than,  that  he  went 
down  to  it;  which  he  might  properly  be  said  to 
do  in  what  ever  mode  he  was  baptised.  And  as  all 
natural  collections  of  water  are  in  low  p'aces,  ^o 
the  motions  to  ^mXfrom  them,  must  be  descend- 
ing and  ascending,  which  is  sufficient  to  account 
for  the  expression,   he  zvent  up  frovi    the  zvater. 

As  Christ  was  Without  sin,  his  baptism  could 
Jiot  be  in  token  of  repentance  and  forgivene«s  ; 
and,  as  he  came  to  Jtfh.i  after  all  the  people  were 
baptised,  it  could  not  be  an  example  of  baptism 
to  them  :  but  it  was  evidently  his  public  consecra- 
tion to  the  ministry,  on  whieh  he  was  now  enter- 
\x\)l.  He  chose  tliiscere.nony  of  consecration,  in 
couformitv  to  the  law  oi'Go<i,  wiiich  hud  institut- 
ed a  similar  form,  for  the  separation  of  the  high 
priest  to  his  oflice.  And  therefore  he  says  Thus  it 
benrmefh  us  to  ful^l  ail  righteousness. 

The  priests  under  the  law,  were  to  enter  on  the 
public  ser-v  ice  of  God  at  the  age  o.  thirty  years  ; 
Christ,  It  hen  he  began  to  be  about  thirty  years  of 
a  e  was  baptised.  Tiiey  were  consecrated  to  their 
oOi  e  by  zvashing  with  zvater,  ixwd  by  anointing 
zvUhoU:    fie  was  publicly    inaugurated  uito  his 


(  iO  ) 

tn'mhtvy y  by  dap f ism  and  the  miction  of  fJie  JIoJij 
Glii'tt.  God  says  to  tvloses  ;  Aaron  and  his  sons 
sliait  thou  bring  to  the  door  oj  the  tabernacle,  and 
shall  wash  them  ivifh  zvater ; — and  Ihoit  sh  a  If  pour 
the  anointing  oil  on  his  head.  Thou  shalfmakea 
layer  of  brass  and  put  xvater  therein  ;  far  uiaroii 
and  his  sons  shalt  wash  their  hands  andlhcir  feet 
therein.  And  Closes  brougJit^Aaron  and  his  sons 
and  washed  them  zcith  zcater,  and  he  poured  the 
anointing  oi'  on  Aaron  s  head,  and  anointed  him 
to  sanctify  him.* 

The  priestb  were  \va«hed,  not  by  tlie  immersion 
of  their  boo'ies  into  a  fountain,  but  by  tlje  apphca- 
tion  of  water  to  I  lieir  hands  SLudfeet  irom  a  laver : 
they  were  anointed  by  oil  poured  on  their  Heads  ; 
thus  they  were  pubHcly  instated  in  their  office. 
Christ  was  baptised  at  Jordan  ;  ^fter  his  baptism 
he  was  anointed  with  tiie  Holy  Ghost,  whicii  visi- 
bly descended  upon  him  ;  and  then  he  was  declar- 
ed from  heaven  to  be  the  Son  of  God,  and  the  peo- 
ple were  commanded  to  hear  him.  Alluding  to  the 
manner,  in  which  the  priests  were  consecrated,  the 
prophet  in  the  person  ot'Christ,  says,  'I  Jic  spirit  of 
the  Lord  is  upon  m(\  because  he  hath  anouUed  vie 
to  preach  ih.^  gospel.-\  Peter,  speaking  of  the  word 
which  God  sent  to  Israel  by  Christ,  says,  That  icord 
ye  know,  udiih  b(^ganfrom  Galdee,  after  the  bap- 
tism which  John  preached  how  God  anointed  Jesus 
of  Nazareth  witti  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  with  power. 

Now  as  in  the  account  given  by  the  Evangtiists 
concerning  Christ's  baptism  there  is  nothing  which 
necessarily  imports  an  immersion  ;  as  his  baptism 
was  in   compliance  with  the   instituted  usage  of 

*  Exod.  29.  4,  Sec,  Chap.  30,  19,  ccc.   Lev.  8,  6,  12, 
tls^ii,  61,   1, 


{  «o  ) 

consecrating  the  ancient  priests,  and  as  there  is  no 
inenLon  ofiljelr  ro/^/Zitiuneision,  but  exprcijs  men- 
tion of  thcii  partial  washing  ;  we  may,  with  great 
probability,  conchide,  that  his  baptism  was  by  the 
application  of  water  to  d,  part  of  his  body.* 

But  though  he  had  been  washed  l)y  immersion, 
this  would  no  otherwise  be  an  arguraeiit  for  immer- 
sion now,  than  as  an  instance  ofthe  use  of  tiie  u  ord 
baptise^  because  his  baptism  was  adillerent  thaig 
from  that  which  he  afterwaids  instituted. — And 
as  it  appears  highly  proDable,  that  his  baptism 
v^'asdi partial  washing,  it  was  an  example  in  favour 
of  our  opinion,  that  baptism  does  not  signify  a  total 
immersion;  but  may  properly  be  perlbrmed  by 
pouring  or  sprinkUng  water  on  a  part  of  the  body. 

Again,  Acts  8,  58.  They  (Phihp  and  the 
Eunuch)  went  down  both  into  the  water,  and  he 
baptised  him,  and  they  came  up  ont  of  the  water. -- 
Til  is  passage  is  thought  to  favour  mKiiersion  :  But 
it  no  more  proves tljat  th«  Enniich  w  as  covered  \\  ith 
■\\  ater,  than  that  Philip  was  ;  for  one  is  said  to  go 
huo  the  water,  as  much  as  the  other.  They  might 
be  said  to  go  into  the  water,  if  they  only  step  into 
the  ecXxe  of  it.  The  words  do  not  necessaril}-  im- 
pl}^  even  so  much  as  that ;  'S  or  the  particles  render- 
ed into  and  out  of,  very  often  signify  no  more  than 
to  c\i\>\  from  ;  as  where  Chriiit  bids  reter,  go  to  the 
sea  and  cast  his  hook — and  where  the  Queen  of  the 
South  is  said  to  com:'  from  the  lUm'.st  narts  of  the 
earth.  Now  no  man  sJippose.s,that  Pettr  plunged 
hiinseU'hitu'he  ^e'd ;  or  ihat  the  Quren  ofthe  Si»uth 
cre])t  npfro?ri  under  ground;  and  yet  the  Gaek 

*  The  l?ver  in  wlucb  the  priests  were  washed  was  a  portable  ves- 
sel of  brass,  st-ndjiig-  oi  a  sm^^-'c  iho:-.  aiid  nut  ui'  eutFicient  c&nacity 
fur  the  imTueT:,ion  ofa.  Lai^uu  body. 


(  31  ) 

particles  here  rendererl  to  cicA  from  are  llie  samf; 
which  iiithecaseof  tlie  Eunuch  are  rendered  i/it^o 
and  out  of.  All  tiierefore  that  we  can  conclude 
from  this  passage  is,  that  they  went  down  from  the 
chariot  to  the  water,  tlicre  F/u'lip  baptised  him, 
and  tlien  they  returned:  But  in  what  m.7;2/KV  he 
baptised  him  we  can  no  more  learn  from  thispas- 
sau:r,  tlian  from  anv  other  in  the  bible  But  if  the 
accounts  of  ancient  and  modern  writers  are  true, 
he  could  baptise  him  onlv  bv  nGurin^GV  iDvinklins' 
water  on  him;  forthey  saj,  thr.t  in  the  jjlace  here 
menirioned,  notliing  more  than  a  smidi  spring  caa 
be  found. 

li  is  said,  ]>.Iark  L  5.  They  were  baptised  of 
John  in  the  river  of  Jctdan.  Hence  some  have 
concluded  that  they  were  plwigerl  in  the  river.  But 
this  13  a  forced  ccnclasion.  Ciirist  snys  to  the 
blind  man,  whose  eyes  he  had  anointed  with  clay. 
Go  Tvash  in  the  pool  of  Sibam*  I'Tere  the  phrase 
of  washing  in  the  pooh  intends  no  more  than  wash- 
ing his  eyes  with  tlie  water  of  the  [)OoI,  And  with 
equal  propriety  Johns  hearers  may  be  said  to  be 
baptised  in  J  or  don  ^  if  o^^jy  ^ome  of  the  u  ater  of  the 
river  was /?o?/r^r/ on  X\\^\\^ faces. 

We  read  John  3,  23,  that  John  baptised  in 
Eiion  because  there  was  much  water  there.  It  is 
asked,  *  Why  should  he  chuse  a  place  abounding 
with  water  to  baptise  in,  if  he  did  not  baj)tise  by 
immersion  r'  I  answer.  These  words  fpol/a  udafa) 
rendered  murk  water  \ivo\^Qv\y  signify  many  wa- 
ters^ and  may  be  understood  of  various  rivulets 
or  springs,  which,  travellers  say,  are  the  only 
waters  there  to  be  found,  and  not  any  large  col- 
lections convenient  for  immersion.  \i  John  baptisr 

*  Jolin  9.  7 


(  ^2  ) 

cd  only  by  affumn^  a  considerable  qnantitr  of 
water  would  be  necessary  lo  baptise  such  multi- 
tudes, as  went  out  to  him  from  Jervsalem  and  all 
Jiideay  and  all  the  region  round  about  Jordan. — 
Yea,  though  ever  so  few  of  them  had  been  baptis- 
ed, there  was  good  reason  w  by  be  should  chuse  a 
place  to  preach  in,  that  was  well  sup]'lied  with  wa- 
ter; for  the  multitudes  that  attended  on  his 
preaching,  in  the  wilderness  at  a  distance  from 
their  homes,  would  need  much  water  for  their  re- 
freshment. It  is  by  no  means  suj>poseable,  that 
such  numbers  could,  here  in  thedesart,  be  provid- 
ed with  change  of  apparel  proper  for  immersion; 
and  surely,  in  such  a  yiumerous  and  mixed  assem- 
bly, they  were  not  bar>tised  ?z«/:eY/.  The  circum- 
stance of  the  case  therefore  lead  us  to  suppose, 
they  were  baptised  by  affusoin. 

We  read,  AcA.  2.  Oi three  thousand  baptised, 
in  only  part  of  a  day,  at  the  feast  of  r  entecost. 
It  cannot  rationally  be  thought,  that  these  were 
jdunged.  There  does  not  seem  to  have  been 
time  for  it  ;  nor  is  it  likely  they  had  change  of 
raiment,  as  tiuy  came  to  the  feast  v.itliout  any 
expectation  of  such  an  occasion  ;  nor  is  it  proba- 
ble, they  could  be  accommodated  there  with  any 
convenient  |  lace  for  immersion.  If  there  were 
baths  suilicjent  for  the  |>ur;  ose  in  the  temple,  yet 
it  is  very  incredible,  that  the  priests  and  officers 
of  the  temple  should  be  willing  to  accommodate 
the  Apostles  with  them,  in  order  to  initiate  these 
converts  into  a  religion,  vb'cb  they  were  endea- 
vouring by  all  means  tfOsurpress. 

When  v.e  read  of  ^  b(de  familes  bapt'sed  in 
their  houses,  particularly  of  the  Jailor  and  h's  fa- 
mily baptised  at  home,  and  at  midnight  too^  in 


(  2S  ) 

the  same  hour  m  v  liich  he  believed,  we  cannot 
think,  that  a  sufficiency  of  water,  and  other  con- 
veniences for  a  decent  immersion,  could  be  pro- 
cuied  on  so  sur]«len  an  occasion. 

When  Cornelius  and  his  friends  received  the 
gos-el,  Peter  asks,  not  v.hother  ^.ny  man  could 
hinder  them  from  goint^  to  a  fonntam  or  river  ; 
but  rchether  anij  man  could  forbid  xvatcr,  i.  e. 
hinder  water  from  being  provided,  tliat  they 
should  not  be  baptised  /** 

Paul  seems  to  have  been  baptised  in  the  house 
o{  Judas.  There  Ananias  found  him,  delivered  his 
message  to  him,  and  laid  his  hands  on  him  ;  And 
he  received-sight  forthwith  and  arose  andicasbap- 
tised.\ 

It  is  worthy  to  be  remarked,  that  though  we 
read  of  baptisms  in  various  places,  yet  we  have 
no  account  of  any  person's  goim^  from  the  place 
Vv  here  he  was,  in  order  to  be  baptised  in  a  foun- 
ta  n  or  river.  They  who  were  baptised  in  streams 
and  natural  collections  of  water,  are  such  as  uere 
found  abroad,  either  in  the  wilderness,  or  on  the 
road,  when  they  first  discovered  their  desire  to  be 
baptised. 

IV.  It  now  remains,  that  we  consider,  what  was 
the  usage  of  the  primitive  Church,  upon  which  our 
brethren  lay  great  weisrht,  in  this  controversy. 

The  anther  of  the  letters  says,  *The  wdiole 
christian  church,  for  1300  years  successively  from 
the  time  of  the  Apostles,  nndtrstood  by  baptism, 
immersion^  and  so  practised  ;  Sprinkling  being  only 
'permitted  on  exlraordinanj  occasions  '  TliiS  argu- 
ment he  often  repeats,  and  depends  much  ur:>on, 
as  do  most  of  the  advocates  for  immersion  :  ^or 
they  reckon,  that  the  early  practice  of  the  Church 

*AclslO.  4r.  t  Acts  9.  18v 


(  24  ) 

in  this  inrUfermay  shew,  what  was  thepract'ce  of 
the  Apostlesj  because  it  is  not  hkely,  the  apostolic 
practice  v>  ould  be  early  and  generally  clisused. 

Tiie  truth  is.  The  manner  of  baptisino-  among 
the  ancients  was  looked  upon  circumstantial,  and 
no  \\  ay  essential  to  the  vahdin^of  the  ordinance. 
In    the  times  near  the   Apostles,  immersion  \vas 
much  practiced,  but  never  asserted  to  be  necessa- 
ry :  Far  from  tliis  ;  sprinkling  was  expressly  allow- 
ed, and  frequently  used,  especially  in  cases  of  in- 
firmity,  haste,  or  want  of  water  or  other  conve- 
niences.    This  the  Author  himself  concedes,  that 
from  t[]e  Apostles  times  for  1300  years/ sprink- 
ling was  permitted    on  extraordnary  occasions.' 
Cyprian  [v^  ho  wrote   within  about  150  years   of 
the  A[)ostles)  speaking  of  sprinkling,  says,  «  in  the 
vSictament  of  salvation  (i.  e.    baptism)    when  ne- 
cessiry  compels,  the  shorfest  ways  of  transacting 
divine  matters,  do,  by   God's  grace,  confer  the 
whole  benefit,'  And  it  may  not  be  impertinent  to 
observe,  that  the  ancients,  who  practiced  immer- 
sion, did  usually,  after  the  body  had  been   plung- 
ed, ap[)ly  water  to  the  face.  So  far  therefore  as  the 
practice  of  the  ancients  is  of  weight,  it  proves  all 
that  we  contend  for.    We  do  not  say,  immersion 
h  unlawful,  or  a  meer  nullity:  We  say,  it  is  not 
necessary,  but  affusion  is  suQicient  and  agreeable 
to  tiie  divme  word.     And   so  said  the  ancient 
church. 

I  ho|  e  what  has  been  offered  is  sufficient  to 
justify  the  mode  of  baptism  admitted  in  our 
cliurches,  and  to  satisfy  all  who  have  received 
baptism  in  this  mode,  that  they  have  no  need  to 
seek  immersion.  Tlie  question  concerning  the 
mode  is  really  of  small  importance  m  itself,  and 


25 


-nothing  but  the  eontroversy  about  it  has  marie  it 
otherwise.  If  our  baptism  is  treated  as  a  nuHity,  it 
is  of  importance  to  satisfy  our  minds  :  And  if  any 
have  been  thrown  into  doubts,  I  hope,  the  consid- 
eration of  what  has  been  said,  will  give  thenri' 
satisfaction. 


PART  II. 


DISCOURSE    II, 

X.  COME  now  to  the  second  part  of  my  desigu, 
whichisto  vindicate  the  rightof  Infants  tobaptism. 

The  method  in  which  I  shall  proceed  is  as  fol- 
lows. I  shall  first  consider  the  usual  objections  a- 
gainst  infant-baptism. —  Next  produce  our  argu- 
ments in  vindication  of  it. — Then  briefly  touch  up- 
on the  reasonableness  and  usefulness  of  it. — After 
which  I  Shall  give  a  short  view  of  the  practice  of 
the  church  soon  after  the  Apostles. — And  then  by 
way  of  conclusion  shall  shew  the  absurdity  of  se- 
parations in  churches  on  account  <  f  differences 
respecting  baptism,  the  unwarrantableness  of  re- 
baptisa;  ion,  &c. 

I.  I  will  distinctly  consider  all  the  material  ob- 
jection-  of  our  bretliren  against  infant  baptism,  as 
I  collect  them  from  their  writers,  and  particularly 
from  the  author  of  the  letters  before  mentioned. 

I.  It  is  said,  'Chnst  Ims  fully  and  plainly  de- 
clared his  mind  about  baptism  ;  and  because;  he 
has  not  co7?zmanded  the  baptism  of  infants,  he  has 
Virtually  forbidden  it.' 

Now  though  it  should  be  allowed,  that  there  is 

C 


(26  ) 

lao^irprif.yj  command,  yet  if  we  can  find  avirti/al, 
consequential  comniand  for  it,  that,  1  trust,  will  be 
a  sufhcient  warrant :  Otherwise  w  hat  v\'arrant  shall 
we  have  to  admit  females  to  the  Lord's  Supper  ? 
To  observe  the  first  day  of  the  u  eek  as  holy  ?  To 
maintain  public  ^vorship  ?  These  and  many  other 
things,  are  no  v.  here  enjoined,  in  so  many  words ^ 
but  yet  can  clearly  be  shewn  to  be  agreeable  to 
the  w  ill  of  God.  What  command  have  our  breth- 
ren to  justify  their  practice  ?  WMiere  is  the  passage, 
which  tells  us,  that  baptism  must  be  confined  to 
tlie  adult ;  and  infants,  though  formerly  admitted 
to  the  seal  of  the  covenant,  must  now  be  admitted 
no  more  ?  They  can  find  nothing  of  this  sort. 
But,  I  trust,  it  will  appear,  that  there  is  what  may 
properly  be  called  a  command  for  our  practice.  If 
that  passage  in  Isaiah^  JLo^  I  have  set  thee  for  a 
light  to  the  Gentiles,  was  a  command  to  the  Apos- 
ties,  tn  go  and  preach  to  the  Gentiles,  as  it  is  said 
to  be  ;*  then  the  direction  given  to  Abraham  our 
Father,  to  affix  the  token  of  the  covenant  to  his 
infant  seed  ;  the  commission  given  to  the  Apostles 
to  disciple  all  nations  baptisi  g  them;  and  the  ex- 
hortation of  Peter,  he  baptised-^for  the  promise  is 
to  you  and  to  your  children^  are  commands  to  admit 
infants  to  baptism  ;  as  we  shall  endeavour  to  shew 
hereafter. 

2.    It  is  objected,  *  that  in  all  the  history  of  the 

*  New  Testament  there  is  no  example  of  infant- 

*  baptism  ;  but  the  baptisms  we  have  an  account 
'  of,  are  the  baptisms  of  professed  believers.' 

But  if  there  is  no  express  mention  of  infant  bap- 
tism, yet  we  cannot  hence  conclude,  it  was  never 
practised ;  any  more  than  we  can  couclude,  that 

*  AcUxiii.  4€. 


(  27) 

some  whole  churches  were  formed  w^ithout  any 
baptism  at  all,  because  it  is  no  wh  -re  said,  vhey 
"vvere  b.iptised.  If  a  plain  direct  ex  unpie  be  in  ist- 
ed  upon,  our  brethren  must  certainly  give  up  their 
notion  of  baptism ;  for  they  can  find  no  e  xample  in 
their  favor,  whatever  we  can ;  as  will  be  evident, 
if  we  only  consider  what  is  the  uiesiion  between 
us.  It  is  not,  whether  adult  proselytes  should  be 
baptised  ?  But  whetherthe  infants  of  professed  be- 
lievers should  be  baptised  ?  There  are,  it  is  true, 
instances  enough  ol  the  baptism  of  id'jlts,  w^ho  had 
been  converted  from  Judaism  or  Paganism  :  But 
tht'se  are  nothing  to  the  point ;  for  we  allow  b.ip- 
tism  to  all  adult  believers,  who  have  not  been  bap- 
tised in  infancy.  And  the  apostles'  baptising  suck 
is  no  argument,  that  they  did  not  baptise  infants^ 
nny  more  than  our  missionaries'  baptising  i^dults 
among  the  natives,  is  an  argument,  that  they  do 
not  baptise  infants.  The  question  is  merely  this  ; 
are  the  inflmts  of  baptised  believers  to  be  admitted 
to  baptism  ?  Or  to  be  rejected  ?  If  you  say,  they 
must  be  rejected  and  suffered  to  grow  up  before 
they  are  baptised ;  1  ask,  Where  is  your  example  ? 
Did  the  apostles  refuse  to  baptise  such  ;  Or  among 
the  adults  wh jm  thfy  baptised,  do  }  ou  find  any 
that  were  born  of  christian  parents?  The  history 
of  die  Acts  contains  a  period  of  above  thirty  years, 
and  the  New  Testament,  a  much  longer  period. 
There  was  time  enough  for  two  or  three  genera^ 
tions  of  infants  to  grow  up.to  adult  age.  ^Ve  have 
all  along  accounts  of  baptism.  But  it  is  remarkable^ 
that  in  all  this  time,  there  is  no  intimation,  that  any 
one  of  the  children  of  the  early  believers  w^as  bap- 
tised after  he  grew  up;  or  that  any  one  of  those 
adults  whom  the  Apostles  baptised,  was  bora  of 


(  ^8  ) 

believing  parents.  It  is  plain  t.hefi,  there  is  fiot  one 
example,  which  in  the  least,  favors  \he  opinion  of 
our  brethren,  vUiich  is  t!as,  77iat  thechildreii  of  be- 
Jicvers  nutst  bt  Itjt  togi'Dw  up  before  they  are  bap- 
ti&erL  'VhQ\  ask ,  '  Is  it  not  a  little  strange,  that  we 
no  where  find  ehiidren  mentioned,  if  it  were  the 
Apostles'  custom  to  baptise  them  with  their  pa- 
rents?' Ai,-d  I  ask  ;  is  it  not  very  strange,  thatweno 
where  find  the  children  of  believers  baptised  after 
they  ^\t\v  np,  if  it  was  the  Apostles'  custom  to 
leave  them  unba|)tised  till  they  j^row  up?  There  is 
no  exc-mpleof  this  kind.  But,  we  diink,  we  have 
examples,  and  just  such  examples  in  favor  of  our 
practice,  as  we  should  have,  upoii  supposition,  the 
Apostles  did  baptise  children  with  their  parents. 

Let  us  suppose  infants  were  barjtised  :  Ar^d 
what  account  should  wt  have  of  it  ?  Would  the 
history  tell  us,  such  an  infant  by  name  of  such  an 
age,  dnd  such  an  one  of  such  an  age,  was  baptised? 
No :  This  minuteness  could  not  be  expected  con- 
cerning infants,  who  are  seldom  known,  by  theic 
names  or  ages,  out  of  the  families,  to  which  they 
belong.  All  we  could  expect  to  be  told  is  this ; 
such  a  man  was  baptised  and  his  famil}' — such  a 
woman  and  her  households  And  this  we  are  told  ; 
Stephanus's  household,  Lydia  and  her  household, 
the  Jailor  and  ail  liis  were  baptised;  which  are 
plain  examples  of  families  baptised  upon  the  faith 
of  tlieir  respective  heads ;  as  1  shall  shew  mora 
fully  licreaftcr. 

3.  It  is  lu'gued,  *  that  faith  and  repentance  are 
the  conditions  of  baptism  ;  infants  are  not  capa- 
ble of  these,  ipid  therefore  not  capable  of  baptism.' 

But  as  well  might  our  brethren  say,  *  Faith  and 
repentance  are  conditions  of  salvation,  and  there- . 


(  29  ) 

fore  infants,  beiRg  incapable  of  these  cannot  be 
saved.'  It  is  express!)  said,  lie  that  believeth  not 
shall  be  damned.  It  is  no  where  said,  He  that  be- 
lieveth  not,  or  repenteth  not,  shall  not  be  baptised. 
Faith  and  repentance  are  required  on  several  par- 
ticular occasions,  when  baptism  was  to  be  admin- 
istered to^dult  persons ;  but  we  fmd  no  general 
rule  given  to  exclude  from  baptism  such  as  are  ii> 
capable  of  faith  and  repentance.  Our  brethren  will 
not  exclude  infants  from  salvation,  upon  the  autho- 
rity of  those  texts,  which  make  faith  the  condition 
of  it;  and  surely,  if  diey  will  be  consistent  with 
tlR-mselves,  they  cannot  cx^  lude  them  from  bap- 
tism, upon  the  authority  of  those  texts,  which  make 
faith  the  condition  of  that ;  especially  since  these 
texts  plainly  respect  adult  proselytes.  That  such 
must  profess  their  faith  we  allow.  But  the  apos- 
tolic practice  shews,  that  upon  their  profession, 
not  only  they^  but  their  households  also  should  be 
baptised  ;  as  under  the  ancient  dispensation^  \\  hen 
a  Ge7jtile  became  a  proselyte,  not  only  he  himself, 
but  all  his  male  children  were  circumcised. 

The  instances  in  which  fluth,  or  repentance  is 
enjoined  previously  to  baptism,  are  only  when 
adult  persons  enquired  what  was  necessary  for. 
themselves.  The.juestion  was  not  concerning  the 
qualification  for  baptism  m  general;  but  v.hvat  was 
requisite  in  their  mvji  case.  *  Wbj t  shall  we  do  ?' — 
*  What  hinders  me  to  be  baptised  V  The  Apostles 
gnsvv'cr  the  question,  as  it  respected  those  Vvho 
pi'oposed  it.  Nepent  i/e  andbe  baptised — Jjthou  he- 
licvest,  thou  mat/cst  be  baptised.  These  directions 
only  prove,  that  a  proiession  offaith  and  repentance 
is  necessary  to  the  baptism  of  adults,  whidi  none 
deny  ;  but,  in  no  degree  affect  the  right  of  infants. 
C  2 


(  30  ) 

Faith  was  as  much  required  under  the  Oidl'^es- 
tament  in  order  to  circumcision,  as  it  liy  under  the 
new  in   order  to  baptism  ;  but  still  infants  were . 
circumcised.      The  Gentile  proselyte  was  not  ad- 
mitteS  to  this  rite,  till  hu  professed  his  faith  in  the 
God  of  Israel ;  neither  was  the  adult  Jew.  Durinir 
the  forty  years  that  circumcision  was  intermitted 
ill  the  wiidt^rness,  a  ne\y  generation  came  on  the 
stage.     These  were  circumcised,  soon  after  they 
passed  over  Jordan. --^  But  previously  to  this,  they 
had  solemnly  avouched  the  Lord  to  be  their  God. 
Now  because  flnlh  was  a  pre-requisite  to  the  cir- 
cuu^cision  of  adults,  shall  we  conclude  that  no  in- 
f4nts  were  circumcised  ?  This  would  be  contrary 
to  known  fact.     But  this  conclusion  would  be  as 
i_ust  as  the  other,  which  determines  against   the 
baptism  of  infants,  because  a  profession  of  faith 
was  required  in  proselytes.  The  truth  is,  all  argu^ 
ments  dnsu  n  h  om  special  and  particular  cases,  are 
i,mi)ertinent  to  an  enquiry  concerning  a  general 
rule  of  practice. 

Tlie  author  of  the  letters  lays  particular  w^eight 
upon  that  passage,  I  Pet.  iii.  21,  7  he  like  figure 
whcreunto^  even  baptism^  dothncw  save  us^  not  the 
■put  ling  away  the  filth  of  the  jieshj  but  the  imsrwer  of 
a  qood  conscience  towards  God,  '  Here,'  he  says, 
\  such  a  condiuon  of  baptism  is  required,  as  infants 
*  aFC  not  capable  of.  The  filth  of  their  fiesh  may 
^  b.^  put  away:  Bi;t  h.ov/  shall  they  answer  the 
fgood  conscience  ?'  But  it  should  be  obserxed, 
that  the  ariswer  of  a  good  conscience  is  made  the 
condition  of  salvation :  Not  of  baptism.  He  might 
therefore  rather  have  said,  such  a  condition  of  eal- 

*  Josh.  -5. 


(  31  ) 

vathn  is  required  as  infants  are  not  cnpablc  of. 
7/j/6'  is  a  condition  of  salvation  andixiptism  too  in 
adults,  but  of  neithtT  in  infants,  wlio  are  not  yet 
moral  agents.  The  Apc:::tle  say^,  Circumcision  is ' 
thai  of  the  heart;  but  surely  he  did  not  mean, 
that  Jezvs  were  incapable  of  the  fieslily  circum> 
cision,  until  ihey  were  capable  of  professing  the 
circumcisfon  of  the  heart.  Baptisni,  whicli  is  ex- 
ternally the  putting  axvay  the  filth  of  the  flesh,  sig- 
nifies our  obligation  to  answer  a  good  coriscience 
toward  God.  This  obligation  immediately  takes 
place  with  respect  to  all,  who  are  moral  agents,  and 
with  respect  to  infants^  v.  h.en  they  become  such. 
Here  is  then  no  argument  against  the  baptism  of 
infants. 

Let  us  see  if  there  be  not  a  p!ain  argumentyZ^r  it. 
The  Apostle  is  here  speaking  of  the  preservadcn  of 
AocA  iuid  his  fomily  in  the  iiood  by  means  of  the 
ark.  The  Apostle  to  the  Hebrews  ba}  s,  Ihjfiith^ 
Aoah,  prepared  an  ark  to  the  saving  of  hjs  house. 
It  was  by  A'oah'^s  faith,  that  his  tanniy  was  trc.ught 
into  the  ark,  and  preserved  in  the  fl<)  d.  The  like 
figure  whereuntOy  even  baptism  doth  now  save  us. 
Where  is  the  likeness  ?  Plairily  litre  As  A  oah  by 
faith  iTcpared  an  ark,  b}  which  liis  house  was  sav- 
ed ;  so  the  faith  of  the  christian  parent  brings  hig 
family  within  the  pri\  ileges  of  the  covenant.  Sal- 
vati' -n  came  to  Zaccheus's  house,  in  consequence 
of  his  believing./  Thet/  enjoyed  some  special  pri-- 
vikgv^s  on  accoupt  of  his  faith. 

4.  We  read,  Acts  viii.  5.  iXvdX  when  the  Sama- 
^^itnns  bt'lieved  Phi'ib,  preaching  the  thinv^s  con- 
cernirig  the  kingdom  of  God.,  they  were  baptised 
both  men  mid  women.  Upon  diis  our  author  ob- 
ser\e  .^  *  The  history  is  so  j;articuhii"  as  to  rncfttion 
both  men  and  women,  but  there  ?.tops. — Had  live 


(  S2) 

sacred  historian  been  a  little  more  explicit,  and  said, 
men  women  and  children,  it  the  fact  were ;  ealiy  so ;  it 
would  have  prevented  much  doubt  and  contro- 
versy..' 

h\  answer  to  this,  it  is  sufficient  to  say  ;  as  the 
seal  of  the  covciiant  under  lonner  dispensations 
had  been  aliixcd  o;//.y  to  males,  so  there  was  good 
reason,  why  tlie  historian  should  be  so  particukir, 
as  to  meniion  both  mcji  and  ivomen,  i.  e.  males 
and  females,  (for  these  terms  are  in  sci'ipture  ap- 
plied to  persons  of  all  agesj  that  it  might  appear, 
tliut  the  covenant-seal  vvas,  for  the  future,  to  be 
afiixed  to  persons  of  both  sexes.  But  as  the  seal 
had  ahv'.iifs  bee  n  pppiied  tn  children,  there  was  no 
occasion  for  his  beiU;:;  so  exjihcit,  as  to  say,  vioiy 
U'umen  and  children,  if  ihe  fact  were  really  so  ;  for 
crrJdi  en's  right  to  the  covenant-token  had  not  then 
been  made  -a  question;  and  t lie v  who  knew  the  rm- 
memorial  and  unireisal  usage  of  ^(\xn\x'mgJextdsh 
iujlints  by  ("ircinncision,  and  tlie  infui^s  of  Gentile 
proselyt  rts  h\  bapti-m,  did  not  need  t?  be  histruct- 
ed,  that  infants  were  entitled  to  t>aptism,  under  the 
c!iristian  fijspensa^ion.  Tliey  must  naturally  sup- 
pose it,  unless  t  xpressly  told  the  contrary. 

5.  It  is  urged  by  some,  *  that  Jesus  Christ,  who 
caiue  to  be  our  example,  was  baptised  iit  adult  age, 
and  ;hat  we  ought  to  imitate  him  herein/ 

B.it  ids  example  is  no  more  an  argument  against 
infant  baptism,  than  agamst  all  baptism  under  the 
nge  of  thirty  years  ;  for  this  was  Iris  age,  when  he 
v;as  bapt  ised,  though  he  was  certainly  capable  of 
understanding  the  natnreof  baptism  before  he  was 
ixvelve  Do  our  bret  bren  think,  t  hat  all  are  bound, 
in  imitation  of  Christ,  to  live,  unbaptised  twenty 
years  after  they  arrived  to  the  age  of  understand- 
in  l^  ? 


(  5S  ) 

The  objeclion  before  iis  is  fouiided  in  the  sup- 
position, that  the  baptism  which  Christ  received. 
was  the  same,  m  its  nature  and  design,  with  that 
which  he  himself  afterwards  appointed.  If  it  was 
a  different  thing-,  no  argument  can  be  drawn  from 
it  in  the  present  question..  If  it  was  the  same,  then 
it  at  once  removes  the  principal  ui>jcc;tion  against 
tlie  baptism  of  infants,  taken  from  their  incapaci- 
ty for  faith  and  repentance.  For  Jusus  was  as 
incapable  of  faith  in  a  mediator  and  repent^ 
ance  of  sin,  as  infants  are;  though  from  a  different 
cause. 

But,  as  I  have  before  shewn,  Christ's  baptism 
was  his  public  inauguration  into  his  ministry,  and 
therefore  is  impertinently  adduced  to  disprove  the 
baptism  of  infants.  When  we  are  asked,  why 
Christ  was  not  baptised  in  his  infancy,  it  is  su/li- 
cient  to  answer  because  he  did  not  lake  on  him  hla 
public  ministry  in  his  infancy.  To  argue,  that  be- 
cause Clirist  was  publicly  consecrated  to  hts  priest- 
hood at  the  age  of  thirty  years,  there.ore  none 
should  be  given  to  God  by  baptism  in  their  child- 
hood, is  an  inconclusive  way  of  reasoning. 

Let  it,  however  be  observed,  that  though  he 
was  not  baptised  m  infancy,  yet  he  was  dedicated 
to  God,  by  such  rites  as  were  then  in  use.  He  was 
circumcised  on  the  eighth  day ;  and  on  the  fortieth 
day,  he  w'as  brought  by  his  parents  into  the  tem- 
ple, and  there  presented  to  God,  according  to  the, 
law,  which  required,  that  evQvy  first-born  male 
should  be  holy  to  the  Lord.  This  ess ample 
shews,  that  parents  ought  publicly  to  dedicate 
their,  children  to  God  in  his  appointed  way  ;  and, 
since  baptism  is  now  the  appointed  ceremony  of 


(34  5 

dedication,    It  s!»evvs,  that   they  should  present 
their  chihireii  to  him  in  baptism,* 

*  If  it  could  bo  pr(A*ed,  which  certainly  it  never  can, 
that  John  baptised  only  adults,  yet  no  arg-umeni;  could  hence 
be  deduced  against  the  right  of  infants  to  briptism  under  the 
gospel  dispensation  ;  for  the  baptism  which  John  adminis- 
tered, was  not  prop'^rly  christian  baptism. 

Though  before  Christ's  time,  biptism  was  in  use  amongf 
the  Jews,  yet  it  wa^  not  made  tJie  only  iniliaiing  seal  of  the 
covenant,  untii  after  his  resurrection, 

John  was  sent  to  preach  the  baptism  of  repentance  fo? 
the  remission  of  sins,  and  tlms  to  prepare  men  for  that 
new  dispensation  of  God'b  kinp;dom,  which  was  not  yet 
come»  but  Wt>s  then  at  /;a;<f/.— Christ  instituted  his  baptisni 
after  this  dispensation  w.is  come.  John*r.  baptism  mate; i- 
ally  differed  from  this.  The  bapdsm  which  (Christ  institu- 
ted was,  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  cf  the  Son,  and  of  the 
Holy  Ghost.  John  did  not  baptise  in  the  name  of  the  Holi/ 
Ghost ;  for  some  who  had  received  his  baptism,  confessed 
th:^t  they  had  not  so  much  as  heard,  nvh^Aher  there  tverg 
amj  Holy  Ghost.  He  did  not  baptise  in  the  name  oi  the  Son^ 
or  in  the  faith,  that  T^-^wv  nvan  the  Christ ;  but  nvith  the  bap- 
tism of  repentant,  saying  to  theficofde^  that  they  should  bilicve 
en  him  t'jho  should  come  aff/r  him  ;  that  is,  oti  Jesus  Christ, 
Nor  did  he  baptise  into  Chrisfs  death,  for  this  event  had 
not  then  taken  piuce.  Had  John  taught  that  Jesus  of  Na- 
zareth v/as  the  Christ,  and  baptised  the  people  in  his  name, 
and  into  this  faith,  they  would  not  have  mused  in  their  hearts 
%'Lihcthvr  John  ivt-re  the  Christ ;  nor  have  asked  him,  Whykafi- 
tiscst  thou,  if  thiu  art  not  the  Christ?  Nor  would  Jesus 
have  cautioned  his  disciples,  to  tell  no  man,  that  he  ivas  the 
Christ,  till  after  his  remrrection,  John's  baptism  was  de- 
signed to  prepare  men  for  the  faith  in  Christ,  when  he 
should  be  made  manifest  to  Israel. 

But  what  is  decisive  in  the  Ccise  is,  that  some  who  had 
received  John's  Bapti;>m,  were  c/Zerz^'i^rJ^  baptised  in  th« 
name  of  the  Lord  Jesus. 

Among  the  many  thousands/rcr/2  all  Judca  and  Jeruscdcm, 
to  whom  Peter  preached  on  the  day  of  pentecost,  it  cannot 
be  doubted,  that  there  were  multitudes,  who  had  been  bap- 
tised by  John  ;  for  there  'went  out  to  him  all  the  land  of 
Judea,  and  they  of  Jarueakm,   and  mil  the  region  rozind  aliOt0- 


1  S5  ) 

"0.  The  incapacity  of  children  for  the  ends  of 
baptism  or  for  an*-  benefit  from  It,  is  often  urged 
as  an  argument  against  tiieir  being  baptised. 

But  really  the  question  is.  Whether  there  be 
any  divine  warrant  for  their  baptism?  If  there  is, 
it  becomes  us  to  practise  accord mrifly,  and  not  to 
arraign  the  wisdom  of  God.  That  there  are  some 
rational  ends  to  be  answered  by  infant  baptism, 
and  that  it  is  a  graclons  and  benefioai  instilution, 
I  trust  will  appear  under  another  liead,  where  this 

fordan,  and  were  baptised  of  him.  And  yet  Peter  says  to 
•them,  without  distinction,  Kehent  mid  be  baptised^  every 
one  of  you,  in  the  name  of  Jesus  »hrist. 

An  instance  still  more  pluin  we  have  in  the  beginning  of 
Ihe  1 9th  Ch.  of  Acts.  Paul  finding  at  Ephesus  twelve 
disciples,  Sciid  to  them,  Have  ye  received  the  Hr.hi  Ghost 
since  ye  believed  ?  And  they  said;  to  him.  We  have  not  so 
"much  as  heard  ivhethtr  there  be  any  Holy  Ghost. — And  he 
said  to  them,  Unto  what  then  were  ye  bafitistd?  And  they  said 
Unto  John's  bafitiam.  Then  %aid  Faul^.Johii  verily  baptised 
fvith  the  baptism  of  refientance,  suyhig  unto  the  ptoplc^  that 
they  should  believe  on  him^  who  should  corne  afcr  him^  that 
is  on  Jesus  Christ.  When  :hey  heard  this  they  v-re  bafititsed 
■in  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus  jind  when  Paul  had  laid  his 
hands  on  them^  the  Holy  Ghott  came  upvn  them,  is'c. 

When  they  heard  this,  they  were  baptised  in  the  name  of  the 
Lord  Jesus.  The  me^uiing  cannot  be,  that  when  the 
people  heard,  John,  they  were  by  Mm  baptised  in  the 
name  of  the  Lord  Jesus;  because  then  it  will  follow,  that 
Paul  laid  his  hands  on  all  the  people  whom  John  ba])dsed  ; 
fciPthey,  who  are  here  said  to  be  bafitised,  are  evidently  the 
persons  on  whom  Paul  laid  his  hands.  But  the  sense  nvjst 
be,  that  when  these  twelve  disciples  wix)  had  been  baptised 
by  John,  now  heard  Paul,  they  were  baptised  by  h.im.  It 
follows  then  that  John's  baptism,  being  neither  in  the  name 
of  Christ,  nor  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  was  difterent  from  that 
which  Christ  instituted  ;  and  no  argument  cun  be  drawn 
from  the  former,  to  determine  the  mode,  or  subjecf^  of  the 
latter;  nor  can  the  repetition  of  chn»tian  baptism  be  justi- 
fied froiu  this  example  of  Paul. 


(  36  ) 

objection  will  receive  a  full  answer.  In  the  mean 
itime  it  may  suffice  to  observe,  Hiat  infants  are  now 
as  capable  of  the  ends  of  baptism,  as  they  were 
ancieHtly  of  the  ends  of  circurncision.  They 
may  be  brought  into  co?enant  with  God — may 
have  privileges  made  over  to  them — may  receive 
the  seal  and  token  of  privileges — may  be  laid 
under  obligations  to  obey- the  gospel,  as  the  Jewhk 
infants  by  circumcision  became  debtors  to  obey 
the  law — and  may  become  subjects  of  that  justi- 
fication through  Christ^s  blood,  that  renovation  of 
theS  >irit,  and  title  to  eternal  life,  which  are  signi- 
fied and  represented  in  baptism. 

I  have  now  given  you  a  view  of  all  the  material 
arguments,  which  are  brought  to  disprove  infant 
baptism.  And  what  has  been  said  in  answer  to 
them  is,  I  think,  sufficient  to  shew,  that  they  have 
110  real  weight.  The  way  is  now  prepared  to 
bring  forw?.rd  our  arguments  in  vindication  of  this 
point,  which  was  the  second  thing  proposed. 

II  We  will  here  take  a  distinct  view  of  the  prin- 
cipal arguments  in  defenceof  the  right  of  believer's 
infants  to  baptism,  and  endeavour  to  establish  them 
agamst  the  cavils  of  our  opponents,  and  particu- 
lai ly  the  author  of  the  letters  before  mentioned. 

1.  Our  first  argument  shall  be  taken  from  the 
Abrahamic  covenant  together  with  the  Apostle's 
explanation  of  it 

In  Hie  17th  chap,  of  Gen.  we  find,  that  God 
made  acovenant  vv  th  Abraham  and  his  seed,  into 
which  lis  nifiuts  were  expressly  taken,  together 
v^ith  himself,  by  the  same  rite  and  token:  This 
coven-mt  comprehemied  not  onl\  h  ?  natural  sted, 
but  the  sf  ranger  W'ho  was  not  of  his  seed.  It  wfis 
a  spiritual  covenant.  The  capital  prorn.se  of  it  w  as 


(  57  ) 

/  -rill  he  a  God  iirJo  (hee  and  fhy  feed  af>er  fhee. 
This  was  the  same  covenant,  which  nnv  subsists, 
a>V'l  which  we  are  how  under  in  this  ^ospei-age,  as 
the  apostle  exoressly  teach.<\<^  ns,  in  the  4th  chap, 
to  RoiTi.  and  31  chap,  to  Gal.  where'  he  argues 
from  the  covenant  with  Abraham,  to  shew  the  na- 
ture anrl  extent  of  the  gospel-covenant.     He  tes- 
tifies, tlVit  all  believers  under  the  gospel,  whether 
Jews  or  Gentiles,  are  the  spiritual  seed  o^  Ahra- 
him  and  c<m^ec\\\2-\i\y  heirs  of  the  prow's;^  made 
to  him  tliat  the  covenant  mai.le  -with  Abraham 
was  confirmed  of  God  in  ChrisJ— that  the  la\y 
wliich  was  given  afterwards  did  not  disTJiinul   tjie 
covenant,  or  vacate  the  promise — that  the  gospel 
was  preached  to  Abraham,  in  that  prom  se  ofthe 
c  >venant,  w  th  him,-//?  thee  shall  all  nations  be 
blessed — -that  the  blessing  of  Abraham  is  come 
UMon  the  Gnitil :s  through  thrst — that  the  pro- 
mi  ;e  made  to  Abraham  is  sure  to, all  the  seed,  not 
onlvto  that  which  is  of  the  law,  J>ut  to  liiat  also 
which  is  of  the   faith  of  Abraham,   who   is  tlie 
father  of  us  all,  as  it  is  written,  /  have  made  thee 
a  falher  of  many  nations— {.\\<X  they  vho  are  of 
fiiih  are  the  children  o\  Abraham,   and  to  Abra- 
ham and  his  ?eed   were  the  promises  made — and 
maidi  more  to  the  satne  pairpose. 

No  V  if  vvo  are  the  seed  i){  Abraham,  for  vd)pm 
the  coven:.int  with  hmi  v  as  establ.shed,  and  are 
stil!  under  the  set!  same  covenant,  then  the  sau]© 
prudegesthU  were  her^^n  ,u;ranted  tq  him,  l)e- 
lo'^.{^  to  us.  One  grant  of  tliat  covenant  .^  as,  that 
infint5  should  be  received  ■  ith  their  j.arents  by 
tlje  s<^me  s  <r;!  aid  s(»al  ;  and  tlieref  ;re  v.  e,  as  the 
seed  (){'  Abraha?n,  may  cla  m  this  ■  r;vilege  (or  a>ir 
mf'-iut^.  Yen,  G.;d  not  only  allc  e<i,  but  r.>m- 
mahded^  i\mi  the  appointed  token  ol  the  covenant 

D 


(  S8  ) 

sh^^iilrl  be  affixed  to  every  male  chjld  who  vas  not 
under  eight  diiys  old.     Here  then  is  a  plain  com- 
mand  fTiven  to  Abrahcnn    our  father,  and  con- 
sequently   to     us  his  children,  to  a[)ply  the  to- 
ken of  this   very  covenant,  uhich   '.  e    are  now 
under,  to  our  infant  seed.     The  only    questioa 
is,    whether    there  be    now    any   token    of  the 
covenant?     Had    circumcision      been    continu- 
ed, none  could  doubt  but  infants  were  still  si/b- 
jectg  of  it  by  virtue    of  the    command   given    to 
Abraham^   unless   they    wouid  expunge  the  4th  ■ 
chap,  to  Rom.  and  3cl  to  Gal.  Circumcision  has 
ceBsed.  But  has  Christ  appointed  any  token  of  the 
gospel  covenant  ?  Baptism  is  certainly  such.    7 his 
then  is  to  be  applied  to  the  same  Fubjectsas  that 
was.      If  there  was  an  express  command  to  affix 
the  covenant  seal  to  mfants  in  Abraham  s  time, 
and  the  covenant  still  remains;  then  the  covenant- 
seal,  whatever  it  is,  ought  to  be  affixed  to  infants 
now,  unless  the  command  has  been  repealed.  The 
change  of  the  .v<^r// makes  no  change  of  the  subject. 
There  must  be  a  command  to  warrant  our  reject- 
ing the  old  subject,  as  well  as  to  justify  our  drop- 
ping the  old  seal.     If  our  brethren  ask.  Why  we 
have  discontinued  circumcision,  and  n»'W  make 
UJ-e  ofbaptissm  ?  We  answer,   Christ   has  so  com- 
manded.    Let  them  produce  as   go  -d  authority 
for  affixing  this  new  .eal  of  thej^ame  covenant  to 
believers  r)?//. ,  and  not   to  their  children,  and  we 
wjU  comply  with  tliern.      We  demand  of  them  to 
shew  u*»  some  plain,  positive  order  of  Christ  to 
deny  the  seal  of  the  covenant  to  those  subjects,  to 
Tvhom  it  was  first   ordered  to  be  applied.     Until 
such  order  appears,   \^e  b-  Id'y  affirm,  tha:  the  old 
command  remams,  and  to  act  in  disobedience  to 
it  IS  presumption. 


(39) 

To  evade  the  force  of  this  arorument,  our  breth- 
ren assert,  that '  the  christian  charch  is  an  institu- 
tion entirely  new;  astractnre  erected  on  a  new 
foundation,  distinct  4"  oin,  and  unconnected  with 
the  foundation  of  the  patriarchal  and  Jewish 
church;'  for  they  easiiy  ste,  that  if  the  christian 
church  IS  the  ancient  ciiurcii,  continued  under  the 
sa  Tie  covenant  which  was  made  in  ancient  times, 
then  the  adin^s^ion  ofchildren  with  their  paicnts 
into  ih.s  church,  wiil  stand  s(X'ure  on  the  foot  of 
the  former  institution.  It  in  ay  not  therefore  he 
itiif)r(>|)er  to  pursue  our  present  argument  a  httle 
farther 

Tiie  foundation  of  the  ancient  cluu'ch  is,  the 
(lis''  ov^ry  of  God's  mercy  to  fallen  men  fliroiigh  a 
redeemer.  This  discovery  was  fust  made  to  Adam 
in  the  sentence  on  the  tempter ;  and  after\vard 
more  fully  tvj  Ahraharn  in  the  promise  already 
mentioned.  This  God  expressly  calls  his  ever* 
Ids'Wni^  covenant.  Tin's  is  always  consivdered  by 
Aloses  and  the  prophets,  as  the  ground  on  vvhicii 
the  fa.th  and  hope  of  the  Jewish  church  rested. 
Moses  says,*  *  Ye  stand  all  of  you  before  the  Lord, 
your  zvives  and  little  ones^  that  thou  shouldst  enter 
into  covenant  witli  him,  that  he  may  be  a  God  to 
thee,  as  he  lia^lt  sivorn  to  Abraham  :  1  he  pro- 
phet Jeremiah,f  foretelling  the  gospel  dispensa- 
tion, describes  it  by  an  allusion  to  the  covenant 
with  Abraham,  which  he  distinguishes  from  the 
covenant  of  peculiarity  made  with  the  Jews  at 
Sinai,  when  they  came  out  of  Egypt.  The  apostle 
to  the  Hebrev^sJ  applies  the  prophets  descriptiou 
to  the  gospel-state.  The  old  covenant,  which,  he 
says,  was  decayed  and  ready  to  vanish,  is  not  the 

*  Peut.  92  t  Chap.  31.  31.  %  Chan.  8. 


( 'W ) 

cor<^n;int  'vUh  Abrahani',  for  thh  he  calls  the  qq^^ 
a.v-i  ,^  .\h;ch  G  ^1  would  aiake  in  the  laHrrduvs^ 
Or  w.,-ulil  «-xpr.citi)'  reue^  iii  the  gospel  t  me^ 
p*orn?s:no^,  /  ivill  be  ilieir  God  ;  bnt  tlie  old  coy- 
eii.ir;- ,  u  liuii  Has  to  viii^ish  auay,  no  more  to  be 
reijevtd,  js  the  ccremoiiial  covenant,  or  thafe 
winch  (jod  nmde  w:Hj  the  Jews,  rt;//i'«  /i<r  brought 
i  ii  €  m  o'il  o  f  E  X  V''>^' 

Whf^!i  tlie  '  r<j|)hets  foretell  the  call  of  th*  gen- 
tlh's,  they  ,s|>eak  of  ihern  as  j-jitiing  th.emselves  to 
theciju;<!j  tiiesi  hu!>sistlng.     In  the49'h  chap,  of 
I  ;aii^h,  G  >d  comforts  vSion,  tiie  Jewisli  church  in 
her  di'Si>r!M<lfn'  V,   with   a   piomise  that  he  will 
Tseyer  hws,  k-  he:,   init  her  walls  shall  be  continu- 
aliv  beibrc^  luin.  '  I  Jit  up  thine  e\es  round  about,* 
says  lier   i^n!,    '  and  btdiold  !    All    these   gather 
thenn^i^K'.^  \'K;en!er,  and  r'ome  Uiito  rH£E.      The 
chidien,    vwiuh  iiiou  slialt  have  afer  thou  hast 
lost  the  oHiei',  shall  say,  The  place  is  too  strai-  life 
loj  r;;,(,^ — Tiicn   shah  thou  say,   Who  hath  begot- 
ten me  these,  seeini';   I   liave  lost  my  other  chil- 
dren ?    Thus  saith   tlie  Lord,    Behold,    I   will  lift 
tip   my  hand   to  "the   Gentiles — and    they    ihall 
briiii*  ihv  sons,   in  their  arms,  and  thy  dau-hters 
shall' be   carried  on  their  shoulders.' — The    chil- 
d-en of  these  Gentiles  proselytes  are  called  the 
soas   and  daughters  of   the   church.     They   are 
brought    in    the    arms    of   their  parents   to   the 
fhurch  '  to  be  nursed  at  her  side.' — No  words  can 
more  plainly  describe  the   admission  of  Gentde 
pre.->elUes  into  the  very  church   which  was  then 
in  being,  and  the  solemn  dedication  of  their  chil- 
dren, as  meml'ers  of  the  church  vrith  them.    Sim- 
ilar representations  aie  frequent  hi  the  prophetic. 
vvritJDgs. 


The  wonls  of  our  Saviov.r,  in  1 0th  chap,  of 
J'jliii,  are  full  to  ©ur  puriiose,  'OtiiCr  sheep  I 
{i;i?e  which  are  not  of  this  fold  ;  them  also  I  must 
bring.'  I  must  bring  them  into  this  fohl,  the 
Je.vish  cliurcl) ;  for  what  other  io!d  was  there  then 
existing  ?  '  And  they  shall  heir  my  voice  -,  and 
tiiere  shall  be  one  fold  and  one  shepherd/ 

The  Ai;o.stle  Peter,*  exhorting  the  Jews  to 
repentance,  posnls  them  to  the  -aviour,  whom  the 
prophets  foretold,  and  nays,  *Ye  are  the  children 
of  the  pror^iels,  and  of  the  covenant,  which  God 
ninde  with  our  fathers,  saying,  In  (fry  seed  shall 
all  flie  fainilie^  of  the  tarfh  be  blessed:  unto 
you  first  God  hath  raised  up  his  son^  and  sent  him 
to  bless  you.' 

Paul,  m  tiie  epistle  to  the  Epiiesians,  trectts  ex- 
plicitly on  this  subject.  1I«  say^:,  '  Ye  were  oncj^ 
afar  off,  without  Christ,,  alieus  from  the  Com- 
monwealth of  Israel,  and  stjangers  from  the  co-^ 
veuHnts  of  p?'om,se.  But  now  in  Christ  ye  are 
niiKh- ui:^r}i.  Ci)nst  is  our  peace,  who  hath  mads 
b  ^fh  ne ;'  i.e.  hath  un'ted  both  Jews  and  Gentiles. 
Now  therefore  ye  are  *  no  more  strangers  and 
fo  e!'4uers,  but  fell-w-  itizens  with  the  sain LK.aiid 
0)  the  ti)'t^tn  di  <)f  God ;  and  are  built  on  the 
foHiiatton  ol  the  ajyjsiles  and  prophets,  Jesus 
C-jnst  himself  being  the  chief  corner  stone,'  The 
prophets  au  I  apo^uf^uid  the  same  foundation. 
Tne  nroph?-ts  fore' old  a  Saviour  to  come;  Tjje 
predictions  of  the  foriuer,  and  tije  doctrmes  of  the 
latH-r  are  the  ^^i.ue  foinidation,  trlie  corner-stone 
of  wnich  is  Cfin^t  himsHf^  The  apostle  adds, 
*  Y  '.-ive  he  iMJ  of  tiie  d?spensat:on  of  the  grace 
01  God,  ih^i  ti:ie  GciUilc:.  should  h^  felloe  heirs, 

*    Ads  5. 


(  4.2) 

ani  of  the  same  body  and   partakers  of  his  prb^ 
"inisc  hi  Christ  by  the  gospel. 

I'liejcnvs  who  were  baptised  on  tlie  dny  of  pen- 
tecosr,  bebeved  that  Jesus  was  Lord  andChrist,  on 
evidence  derived  from  th^-  prophets;  and  were  ad- 
nutted^  to  !>apt,isn-j  on  the  loot  of  the  promise  made 
to  their  /-rz/Z/eTv.  Ilie  sann^  promise  which  was  the 
foundation  of  the  ancient  church  and  of  which 
circiniicision  was  the  seal,  is  alledged  by  the  apos- 
tle, ab  a  rc-ason  Ilt  the  baptism  of  theije  Christian 
Jews  and  thtir  children,  and  as  many  as  God 
should  call  from  among  the  Gentiles.  The  chris- 
tian churcli  here  stands  on  the  old  foundation  ; 
and  to  this  murch  were  added  those  who  after* 
vvaidb  were  baptised. 

In  the  1  lib  <'hap  to  the  Roman«^die  apostle  ex-* 
press!)  dechire-,,  that  the  Gentile  believers  are 
giaf'td  miothe  same  olive-tree  from  w  liich  someoi 
thi^  Jev\5  the  natural  branches,  were  broken  oft' by 
unbelief.  '  if  some  of  the  branches,  were  broken 
off,  and  thoi!,  beini^  a  wild  olive,  wert  grafted  in 
am.>ngthLm/  the  branches  tliat  remained,  *  und 
Ti  ith  the  m  partakest  of  ihe  root  and  fatness  of  tlie 
elive  tree,  boast  not  against  the  branches  ;  for 
thou  beaiest  not  the  root,  but  the  root  thee.  They 
were  br(;ken  olF  by  unbelief,  and  tiiou  standest  by 
fairh.'  It  is  the  same  root,  which  beareth  tiic  natu- 
ral, and  the  ingrafted  brand »es.  So7ne  of  the  natu- 
ral branches  \m  re  broken  off — not  'all  — The  be- 
lic^  ii)g  ]evvs  continued  still  in  the  same  dd  stwck, 
in  'vliich  tlicy  had  l>efore  stood,  and  in  w  iiich  be- 
lirvin;^  GfM(tiles.\vere  ingrafted.  TliC  Genules 
wtic  r  r  -..ited  in|^o  a  /lezv  stock,  a  tree  la/c/>^ 
grozvn  up  ;  nor  «^ere  believing  Jews  lopt  oft  iriuu 
tlic  M  lite  to  he  in^^erted  ith  Gt  nliies  niro  a  new 
out :  bat  ihc  fuiincr  remained  hi  tac  old  stock, 


e  43 ) 

and  the  latter  were  grafted  in  among  them,  to  par^ 
take  with  them  of  the  root  and  latnebs  of  the  same 
olive,  which  had  formerly  nourished  them.  And 
it  is  observable,  that  the'je  Jews,  who  immediately 
and  readily  submitted  to  the  gospel,  on  its  being 
propohed  to  tiiem,  seem  not  generally,  if  in  any 
in^'aace,to  have  received  christian  baptism.  Hea- 
thciis  and  Samaritans,  who  vv-ere  not  of  tiic  chuich 
of  God,aiidtiiose  Jews,  who  by  obstinate  unbelief, 
and  open  opposition  to  the  gospel,  had  broken 
themselves  olf  from  tlie  <:hurch  were  on  their  pro- 
fessed repentance,  baptised.  The  other  continued 
in  G':)d's  covenant  and  church.  11ns  thought,  we 
shall  have  occasion  to  resume  hereafter.  When 
the  unbelieving  Jev/ssfiail,  in  the  latter  days,  turn 
to  the  L^K'd,  they  shall  be  grafted  again — into 
what  ? — mother  tree  ?  no ;  into  i  h  e  iR  own  ojive- 
tree  ;  for  tiic  covenant  which  God  made  with  their 
fatiiers,  is  the  same,  whicli  he  will  mai;e  with  thcvt 
in  tiie  latter  days,  when  he  sliail  take  away  their. 
sin-.. 

We  have  now  an  obvious  answer  to  a  question, 
which  our  brethren  often  puts  to  us.  •  If  tl-e  chil- 
dren of  believers  are  sui:>jectsof  the  covenatu  seaf 
under  the  gospel,  as  they  ue:  e  u  ider  tormerdi^peu- 
satfon-j,  why  have  we  notsnmedirect,  positive  iur^ti- 
tuti(>n,whica  might  have  prevented  ail  controversy?^ 

The  fact  is.tiie  gospel  found  the  child;  en  of  God*s 
people  already  in  covenant  by  viraie  o'f  the  ancient 
institution:  and  a  new  instituuon  of  tha%  which 
had  been  pialnly  instituted  before,  and  WLt^not  tUen 
so  {nacn  a^  questioned,  would  have  been  super- 
fluoub  :  not  to  say,  absurd.  Tne  gospel  has  made 
it  as  plain  as  language  can  jnake  an)  thing,  that 
the  -mcient  c'>vcnanf  wiih  Abraham  is  stiii  conti- 
nued :   Jind  if  chiidrea  were,  by  divine  command-, 


(  u. ) 

to  receive  the  seal  of  the  covenant  formerly,  they  are- 
to  receive  it  siill,  unlcbs  the  command  is  some- 
Avhcre  in  the  i^ospel  expressly  revoked.  We  need 
no  new  inhtiiution  to  warraiU  our  applying  the 
seal  to  them;  but  we  evi  iently  iwQd  a  new  insti- 
tution 10  jubtily  our  excluding  them  from  it. 

Infant  baptism  stands  on  the  same  p^round  as 
the  christian  sabbath.  If  it  be  asked,  why  the 
gospel  has  not,  in  so  many  words,  iiistliuted  a 
Avcekly  sabbath,  the  answer  is,  it  found  a  weekly 
sabbath  already  instituted;  and  a  formal  institution 
e-f  that,  whieh  had  been  instituted  before,  was 
wholly  unnecessary.  Tl^e  apostles  took  the  sab. 
bath  as  they  found  it,  onl)^  observinji,-  a  different 
day,  after  Christ's  resurrecti<;n,  in  memory  of  that 
glorious  event.  So  th.'v  c  Miti-nicd  the  ancient 
tnv!ge  of  applying?:  the  seal  of  Cr^d's  covenant  to 
chi'dren,  as  well  as  p-nents  ;  only  they  eh^nged 
the  extetiial  form  of  tiie  beal,  substituting  bapiisni 
for  eireumcision.  The  ancient  ins>iituiion  unre- 
Vfiked,  :f  we  had  nothir;g  more,  would  be  sufiici- 
ent  u>  jir^fifv  the  appiieaiion  of  tl^e  seal  to  iniliuts. 
But  we  h.ve  btill  fiitiier  warrant. 

Let  us  view  the  a^gument  in  another  light. 

2.  Circumcision  was  of  old,  by  divine  com- 
mand, .;p^>ii':d  to  mjliuts  :  Asid  if  baptism  stands 
now  in  tiie  place  of  cncunicision,  then  this  is  also 
to  be  app'ied  to  the  same  subjects.  The  conse- 
queure  i-.  plain  and  und;  hi. ibie.  Theorily  cpies- 
tiun  is,  Whether  baptivm  dt^es  now  stand  in  the 
]>laee  T)f  circumcision?  This  is  the  point  to  be 
proved. 

I'hut  cireumeision  was  the  seal  of  th^e  covenant 
W]th  Ahrcilunn,  and  was,  by  divine  ap|)()intment, 
v.C.i'M  ■■■■<.■'■]  ,(..  i',;::r.t-,  is  well  kilo^^  n — tiuit  t!ie 
JO.  iJ.u/j.'C  ej\'cnah;.  siili  Lubsists,  andii  the  same 


(  45  ) 

as  the  Goffnel  covenant;  tlic  apostle  plaliily  teaches, 
that  bapti-iin  is  now  ihc  anp')inre<l  token  of  the 
g')s;)el  coveaaiit,  none  will  cltTi}- :  Tiieconsequevicc 
iia  obvioQb  ;  baptism  now  stmicltj  in  the  place  o/cir- 
€;imei^ion,  I^)r  it  i«  the  initiiiting  seal  of  that  vtrry 
c.)venap.t,  of  which  circumcision  was  the  seal  for- 
mer h'. 

Again.     The  Apostle  says,  Rom.  4.  11.   Abra- 
ham received  the  sign  of  circumcision^  a  seal  of  the 
righteousness  vfjaith.    It  is  plain  fn^iu  this  [)asS' 
age,  that  circumcision  was  a  sign  of  spiritual  bles- 
sir)gs,   the    blessings  of  tlic  covenant  of  grace : 
And  not  (as  sonic  absurdly  pretend)  merely  a  sign 
of  worldly  privileges,    such  as  a  right  to  the  land 
of  Can-uDi,   a  nurnerous  issue,  Sec.   There  were, 
it  is  true,  temporal   blessings  promised  to  Abra- 
ham and  his  seed.     But  toargue  from  hence,  that 
the  covenant  with  him  was  a  meer  temporal  cov- 
ejumt,  and  that  circumcision  was  only  a  seal  of  it 
as  such,  is  as  absurd,  as  it  would  be  to  say.  The 
gospel  is  a  meer  worldly  institution,  because  it  has 
the  promise  of  the  life   that  now  is,   and  of  that 
which  is  to  come.     The  apostle,  in  this  passage, 
represents  cu'cumcision  in  quite  a  diiTerent  light, 
as  especially    and  eminently  a  seal  of  sfnrituat 
blessings. — That  baptism  is  such,  all  allow  :   And 
tlicrcfore  it  comes  in  the  room  of  circumcision, 
and  stands  in  the  place  in  which  that. once  stood. 
-    Farther  ;   These  two  rites,  though  different  in 
their  outward  form,  are  the  samt  in  their  spirituai 
use  and  significancy.    Circumcision  signified  our 
native  corruption  ,  so  does   baptism.     Circumci- 
sion pointed  out  the  necessity  of  niward  purity  and 
spiritual  renovation  :   so  does  baptism.      That  re- 
presented our  justification  by  the  blood  of  Christ  : 
iio  does  this.     That  was  a  ceremony  of  admission. 


i  46  ) 

into  God's  church  :  so  is  ////.?.  TJ^af  denoted 
men's  nMation  u>  Gud  and  (ibiigation  to  obev  his 
law.  T/ns  also  df  notes  onr  relation  to  Christ  and 
obligation  to  obey  his  gcjsp-i. 

Bni  the  apostle  puts  this  nuuter  r)ut  of  a'l  doubt, 
vhen  he  calls  baptism  the  circuvicisiuJi  of  Christ ^ 
and  urges  chiibtians  bcuig  tyanfistd.  iS  a  reason 
why  they  need  not  be  circumcisi  d 

He  says.  Col.  2.  11,  \2.  Ye  are  complete  in 
hijn,  (in  Christ)  in  :choj7i  ye  also  are  circumcised 
uith  the  circumcision  made  ividiouf  hands,  input- 
tint:,  off  the  body  of  the  sins  of  tlu  jledi  hy  the  cir- 
cumcisiun^of  Christ,  buried  ailh  hiui  in  baptism. 
Buf.  he  calls  it  by  this  r.aip.e  -^  ithour  any  pupritty^ 
unless  it  stands  in  the  pL.cr  i  f  cifcunicision. 

The  author.  v\h<:nn  I  f>a\'e  -evtral  rimes  men- 
tioned, lab  .urs  much  to  evjrle  die  fbrr<  (/!'  this 
passage.  He  sa^  b,  B\  ih^-  circumcisii.ii  of  Christ 
is  mcaiit,  *  die  spin  I  nal  •\XK:M\i\\.\^\in\,''  or  renova- 
tion of  the  heart,  \x\  diNlintiitm  from  *  the  literal 
circumcision.'  But  this  caiin(it  be  the  meaning 
of  the  phrase  :  For  tlie  inward  spiritual  circum- 
cision is  mentiorjed  in  the  preceding  branch  of 
the  sentence,  under  the  name  f^f  the  circumcision 
made  without  hands.  And  if  we  take  both  phrases 
to  signify  the  same  ;  then  we  shall  make  die  words 
to  run  thus.  Ye  are  circwncised  zvitli  the  spirits 
ual  circumcision,  in  being  circuincised  by  the  spi- 
ritual  circumcision.  Such  an  unmeaning  repeti- 
'  tion  never  dropt  from  the  apostle. 

The  w  riter  says,  *  That  to  gua'  d  the  Colossians 
against  the  danger  of  being  seduct  d  to  the  observ- 
ance of  Giicumcision,  the  apostle  tells  them.' 
'  Thev  had  received  the  spiritual  circumcision — 
and  therefore  the  literal  circumcision  was  not  ne- 


{  47  ) 

cessary  '  But  how  did  this  spiritual  circumciJ^ioKi 
or  inttrnal  renovation  prove,  tiiat  the  literal  cir- 
cumcision was  not  necessary  *?  Circumcision  used 
to  be  necessary  for  good  men  :  Why  not  now  ? 
According  to  this  interpretation,  external  ordinan- 
ces arc  not  needful  for  true  christians,  but  only  for 
sinners.  Those  among  the  Colossians,  who  were 
not  sure  they  had  received  the  spiritual  circum- 
cision, could  not  apply  this  argument ;  and  there- 
ffjre,  according  to  our  author,  must  still  observe 
the //7dTa/ circT-imcision.  Besides;  the  same  ar- 
gument would  prove,  that  they  need  not  be  bap- 
tised ;  for  if  they  had  received  the  spiritual  wash- 
ing of  sanctificat-on,  what  occasion  was  there^for 
the  liteial  washing  of  baptism?  And  yet,  accord- 
ing; to  him,  none  must  be  baptised,  but  actual  be- 
lievers ;  so  that,  if  we  admit  h\s  construction  of 
the  passage,  we  must  disallow  of  all  baptism. 

Our  author  says,  *  in  the  apostles  days,  the 
christians  converted  from  Judaism  were  zealous  to 
incorporate  circumcision  v^ith  Christianity. — Do 
the  apostles  instruct  them,  tliat  ihey  need  not  be 
'SO  tenacious  i^{  one  ri^e,  sinct^  another  is  appoint- 
ed in  its  stead?  Such  an  observation  woukl  have 
been  much  to  the  purpose — but  nothing  qan  be 
ff  und  of  it  in  their  reasonings  to  dissuade  chris- 
tians fr,)m  circumcision.' 

But  the  grnuenuui  is  under  a  great  mistake. 
The  Jeuusti  converts  were  Zf-alous  to  incorporate, 
not  merciy  circumcision,  but  the  whole  ceremo- 
nial law,  with  Christianity,  They  contended  for 
circumci^^ion  as  a  rite  bindiiig  to  the  observance  of 
the  whole  law,  without  which, they  imagined,  chris- 
tianity  would  be  incomplete.  Fr-.-m  ilus  noiion  Paul 
labors  to  reclaim  them,  and  secure  others.  He  does 
not  oppose  orcujncision  sinipff:  ;  if  he  had,  he 
would  not  have  ciicumci^jcd  rimuthy ^uor  haveap- 


(  48  > 

proved  infant  eircuir.cisVon  amone;  the  Jewish  be- 
iitvcrs;  bin  he  oppostd  it,  in  the  sense  above  n'icn=- 
tinned  as  binding  nie*n  to  keen  the  ceremonial  law  iti 
order  to  acceptance  v^l'h  G-d.    7'hoiigh  h*"  had, 
upon   prudeiiUa!   reasf.ns,  ciicumcised    Timothy^ 
-yet  he  i>\ive  no  place  to  those   who  wouid  com- 
]^rl   Ti(us  to  be  circumcised;     thiut    thev    might 
J)ring  him  and  others  into  bondage  to  the  law. 
!NoAt,  ,\^  hat    ar,<5^i?t>  ent    does  he  use  to  dissuade 
the    C'llossi  in   believers  from   circumcision  and 
the  observance  of  the  law  ?  It  is  this  ;   They  iiad 
received  ban/h^m,  the  christian  circumcision,  and 
"vverenow  bound  to  obey  the  gospel,  which,  being 
a  complete  institution,   had  superseded  the  Idvv. 
Thus  he    reasons  with  them   in  the  place  before 
•reieired  to.    Beware  lest  anij  ma?i  spoil  you  (h rou^h 
'philosopjty  and  vain  deceit,  alter  the  rudimejits  of 
ttie.z&or/d  and  not  after  Cirr'ist—~Jor   ve  are  co??u 
plcte  ill  hiu}^    and  so  need  not  add  ti>e  ritna!  law  to 
hiN  tfo^pel :  in  whom,  ye  arc  circumcised — ivilhtlie 
circunwisii^it  of  Christ,  <  r  ch'islian  C'rrunteisiesft, 
bei??i^  buried  a  ////    him  .in  ba/itistn — Wherefore  if 
ve  be  dea  i  xcith  Christ  tfom  the  rudiment.s  of  t fie 
IV  or  Id  ;   (f  [)y  b^iptl^Sfi  int-)    iiis  death  }e  are  feed 
fiom  the  rites  of  the  Mosaic  dispensation,  ivfii}^  as 
tfiough  livintJi  in  'he  world,   or  uncier  that  dispensa- 
tion, are   ye  s//b;^'ct  to  ordiuanres?  You  see,  that 
the  Apostle  uigch  tiicir    l>apasm  into  Christ,  as  a 
reason  v,  hy  th.cs  should   not  be  subject  to  drcum- 
cisi'-t),  and  the    litesof  the  Ceremonial  law,    for 
vvhich  the  Je'i\  s  contended.     He  uses  the   very  ar- 
£?:nment   to   di--nade     tliem   from    circumcision, 
^vhich  this  author  -  avs,  he  would  u-^e,  if   baptisiii 
came  in  its  place:    AvA  therefore.  b\  his  own  eon- 
ctbion,  baj'tismdoescoutc  hui^piace.     And  if  tO, 


(   4^  ) 

then  it  is  nndeniably  to  be  administered  to  the 
same  subject's,  even  the  infants  of  believing  parents. 

We  are  told, ^  that  some  of  the  believing /<frt'^ 
at  Jerusalnn  were  much  displeased,  uhtn  they 
heard  thai  Pa?J  taught  the  Jeivs,  who  were  among 
the  Gfntiles,  that  they  ougiu  not  to  circumcise 
their  cliildrtn*  Would  it  have  satisfied  such  zea- 
lous contenders  for  infant  circumcision,  to  hiivc 
told  them,  baptism  now  came  in  the  place  of  that 
ancient  ceremony,  but  yet  must  not  be  applied  to 
their  children?  This  would  but  have  provoked 
them  tiie  more.  Had  it  not  been  the  usagc^of  the 
apostles  to  admit  civildren  vviih  their  parents  into 
covenant  by  the  simie  rite,  certainly  the  Jrws 
among  other  objections  against  the  gospel,  vvou  d 
have  uged  thib,  thajt  it  excluded  their  chiidt  en 
from  covenant  privileges.  They  were  apt  enough 
to  make  o!)jections,  and  since  we  find  none  of  this 
sort,  vv^-  may  c"nciude,ihere  was  no   o^anforany. 

Trsat  iniciuts,  under  the  mtriarcnal  and  mosaic 
dibpensations,  were  admitted  into  covenant  by  a 
pcHticular  token,  is  certain.  It  is  evident,  this 
wab  ctmsidered  as  a  privilege.  U  i^allov^ed,  that 
tlie  gospel  conferb  greater  privileges  than  ff»rmcr 
dispensations:  But  if  children  a»e  now  shut  out 
of  covenant,  then  the  gospel,  instead  of  enlarg- 
ing, has  in  this  re^pec^  dimmished  our  pt  ivileges. 

But  says  our  author,  '  The  infallibility  of  the 
Boman  church  may  be  proved  in  the  same  man- 
ner; a^  :hu^:  Th^  people  of  God  under  the  Old 
Trbtament  enjoyed  the  benefit  of  infaliibilitv .  Tiie 
High  I*rie:>t  had  the  Urim  and  Thum.  ;im,  by 
which  the  mind  of  God  was  kno\vn.  See.  c«/n^.e- 
tjuep.tly  there  inust  be  infallibility  in  the  christian 

*  Acts  xxi.  31. 


(  50  ) 

cliurcli;  otherwise  the  less  perfect  dispensation  of 
Moses  vviii  have  a  great  privilege  beyond  the 
Citristian, 

The  truth  is,  The  ch'tslian  dispensation  has 
this  privilege  far  beyond  the  mosaic.  The  addi- 
tional revelation  of  the  gospel  discovers  the  mind 
of  God  as  infallibly,  and  far  more  fully  and  exten- 
sively than  ever  it  was  discovered  by  Urim  and 
Thummim.  Such  occasiojial  discoveries  now  are 
not  needed,  since  we  have  a  complete^  standing 
revelation. 

The  author  of  the  letters  tell  us,  that  circum- 
cision, *  that  Old  Testament  rite,  was  a  useless^ 
hirthensome^  ijijurious  ceremony,  and  treated  as 
such  by  the  Apostles.'  And  hence  he  concludes, 
baptism  cannot  come  in  its  room  to  be  adminis- 
tered to  infants,  as  that  was.     But  where  do  the 
Apostles  treat  circumcision  in  this  manner  ?  The 
ceremonial  laxv  indeed  is  considered  as  a  yoke  of 
bondage ;  as  burthejisome,  not  injurious,  for  it 
would  ill  become  the  teachers  of  religion  to  re- 
present God  as  injuring  his  people  by  his  insti- 
tutions :  But  circumcision^  consideied  as  a  token 
of  the  covenant,  is  treated  as  a  great  privilege,*" 
What  advanfage  hath  the  Jeivs  P  And  what  profit 
is  there  oj  circumcision  ?  Much  every  way.  It  was 
.a  great  priviltge  for  the  children  oi  Jews  to  have 
God  for  their  Gad,  in  such  a  sense  as  he  was  not 
the  God  of  heatiien  children  ;  to  be  born  to  the 
enjoyment  of  the  oracles  and  ordinances  of  God  ; 
and  to  be  under  the  care  of  parents,   who  were 
solemnly  bound  to  bring  them  up  in  the  know- 
ledge and  service  of  the  God  of  Israel.     And  if 
the  profit  of  circumcision  was  much  every  zvay^ 

*  Rom.  iJi.   I. 


( 51 ) 

then  the  loss  by  its  abolition  is  much  every  zvat/^^ 
unless  there  be  something  appointed  in  its  room. 
It  is  often  said,  '  Circunici iicn  was  applied 
only  to  males:  Baptism  is  designed  for  both 
sexes^  therefore  they  are  not  paralle!  ordinances, 
nor  can  we  argiiQ  from  the  one  to  the  other.* 

But  it  is  certain,  tliey  are  parallel  in  tlieir  main 
design,  as  initiating  seals  of  the  same  covenant. 
And,  females  uere  admitted  into  covenant,  as  \vc\l 
as  maleSy  though  no  vi.-,ible  token  was  appointed 
for  them.     ]it\iir\\first.-b()rn  male  was  to  be  pub- 
licly presented  to  God  in  token  of  the  obligation 
of  the  whole  family  to  be  holy  to  him  ;  for  if  the 
\first  fruits  be  kobi,  sa  is  the  lump    So  the  parent's 
dedicaiirig  his  males  to  God  by    circumcision, 
W'as  a  token  thar  all  his  children  belonged'to  God. 
Accordingly  God  equally  claims  an  interest  in 
children  of  both  sexes,  by  virtue  of  the  covenant 
relation  of  their  parents.    God  says  to  the  Jeivisk 
church,  Ezek.  16.  7.     /  entered  into  covenant' 
with  tJite^  and  thou  becamest  mine.  And  then  he 
complains,  ver.  20.  '  '!  hou  hast  taken  thy  sons 
and  tJiy  daughters,  zvhich  thou  hast  born  unto 
uz^  and  these  thou  hast  sacrificed.     Thou  htist 
slain   MY   CHILDREN.     So  beut.  29.  10.     Ve 
stand  this  day  before  the  Lord — all  the  mQn  of 
Israel,  your  litde  ones,  and  your  wives,  that  thou 
shouldst  enter  into  covenant^  that  he  may  be  unto 
thee  a  God — as  he  hath  sworn   to  Abraham. 
They  were  all  admitted  into  covenant,  though 
the  males  only  received  the  visible  token.     But 
under  the  gospel  there  is  no  distinction  of  male 
and  female,  but  allsire  one  in  Christ,  the  visible  seal 
being  affixed  to  one  as  well  as  the  other.     In  this 
n^spect  the  gospel  dispensation  is  more  large  and 
free  than  the  former,  that  it  makes  no  distinction 


(  ^2  ) 

ofnaficp.  or  se.r.  And  shall  we  think  It  was  intend* 
ed  to  be  contracted  in  another  respect,  by  cashier, 
ing rt//c/i?/(i;'^;z,-.v  ho  ure  nriore  than  half  oi  mankind? 

The  auihor  before  mentioned  tells  us,  thai 
*  children  v,  ere  adniiued  to  the  passover  ;  and 
hence  we  may  infer  their  right  to  the  Lord's 
Supptr  ;  as  well  as  from  their  circumcision  infer 
their  right  to  baptism.' 

It  seems  probable,  that  persons  of  all  ages  par- 
took of  the./n^/ passover  mentioned,  Exod.  J  2. 
which  was  in  sonie  respects  singular,  and  difieren 
fiom  s^nccecih^g  passovers.  But  it  appears  froni 
Luke  2  42..  that  itVas  not  the  customof  the  feast  ^ 
for  parents  to  bring  tlieir  chiWr^-^  t  .  Ij-^  until  they 
were  about /re^r/i-fT  y^-fz/-^' (;/;/ ;  Jiage,  they 

might  be  able  to  enquire  of  their  parents,  What 
mean  rje  by  (his  service  <"  And  at  this  age,  ria 
{.'.■  1 :'  ,  riianj'  are  c-ipabie  of  understanding  the 
natijie  and  fcvA  oi  ii^^^  L'-Td's  Supper. ^- 

*  '  Children  attKe  ai^j?  of  \l  years  were  brought  by  their 
parents  tf>  the  temple  :  K\\(\  tVoin  that  time  thc^y  be,8;an  to 
eiit ')]' thf  pa  si^vt;' j-d  olit  r  i.actificci'.  Hyrcanus  in  Jo- 
5e[)!.us,  B.  13.  Ch^pr4.  s;iys,  The  Jewish  law  tbrhitls  the 
so:)  to  e.U  of  ""the  sacrifices,  befoie  he  has  come  to  the  tem- 
th.ere  him-^-lf  mesentcc!  an  offering  to  God.* 
.p.  in:-  'j60 

>  piehc.  ...■...,-  ..  .1  '.vhen  the  Jews  v/cre  come  into 
ch  God  would  g-ive  them  alt  their  niales  should 
■  AC  him  eveiV  year  a\.  the  passover  in  the  place 
^\  c  i  '.t.  ipi):)inted.  Bui  it  is  added,  Thiy  s!:atl  7iOt  alr/iear 
o  i/jrc  nic  (:}]:Jit!j^b'ut  every  one  according  to  the ^ij'l  oj  his  Juind. 
(Dent.   ii5.   16.   and  alibi,  vide.  Marg.) 

Tiie  m,»h,  or  men  cliildrcn,  who  were  to  appear  before 
(^od  111  t'p.eir  app<)inl<;d  place,  to  eat  of  the  passover  -were 
only  suci)  as  could  bring  a  ti,-iil  in  thci»  iiand  ;  or  ]i!t.-ent  an 
offering  for  themseivts.  "I'bis  probably  is  ihc  law  to  which 
Hyrcaiviis  alludes.  II).  Patiick,  u ho  was  very  learned  in 
the  Jeu  sh  Jasvs  and  customs,  say?--,  *  V\  htn  cldldren  were 
twche  years  old,  their  parents  we^e  buuad  to  bring  thtm 


p'e,    and 

(Fo^  ovn 

the  ^ 

(  5-S  ) 

But  if  infants  had  been  usually  admitted  to  the 
passover,  it  would  not  in  the  least  weaken  our  ar- 
gument  from  circumcision  ;  for  the  passover  was 
not  a  seal  of  the  Abrahamic  covenant  (it  being 
appointed  more  than  400  years  after  that  coven- 
ant was  made)  but  one  of 'the  mosaic  rites.  Now 
the  ritual  law  is  superseded  by  the  gospel  ;  but 
the  Abrahamic  covenant  remains.  The  Lord's 
Supper  is  a  commemorative  sign,  intended  to 
shew  forth  Christ's  death,  and  bring  him  to  our 
remembrance.  But  baptism  is  a  token  of  ad- 
mission to  the  vissible  privileges  of  God's  peo- 
ple i  and  therefore  infants  are  capable  of  this, 
though  not  of  the  other. 

Some  perhaps  will  ask,  How  could  baptism 
come  in  place  of  circumcision,  when  it  appears 
to  have  been  in  use  before  circumcision,  ceased  ? 

to  the  temple,  at  the  passover,  where,  seeing  what  was  dona 
in  this  festival,  they  wouiil  be  led  to  enquire,  what  mean  ye- 
by  this  service  ?'  (Coniment,  in  Exod.  \l) 

As  the  end  of  the  passover  was  to  perpetuate  the  memory 
of  the  deliverance  from  Egypt,  and  as  the  express  reason 
why  children  were  to  attend  it  in  the  appointed  place,  was 
that  they  might  be  instructed  iji  thatwonderfuideliverance, 
parent?  could  not  view  themselves  as  bound  to  bring;  their 
children  to  the  solemnity,  before  they  were  capable  of  en- 
quiring and  understanding  what  v/as  meant  by  it.  Luke 
tells  us,  (Chap.  2.  42.)  that  the  parents  of  Jesus  v/ent  up 
every  year  to  Jerusalem  at  the  feaat  of  the  passover  :  ami 
when  he  was  12  tjears  o/t/,  they  went  up  after  the  cuoloni  r.f 
the  feast.  Their  going  after  ihecu^Jtcm  €f  the  feast  ^  doubt- 
less intends  their  taking  their  son  with  them,  \Yho  was  now- 
Vi  years  old  :  for  it  appears  that  he  accompanied  them  ; 
and  this  is  the  first  time  wchear  of  his  going.to  the  festival. 
It  may  also  be  observed,  that  the  malei  only  were  requi;ed 
to  appear  before  God  at  the  passover  ;  and  none  can  ima- 
gine, that  infants  and  sucklings  were  takt:n  from  their  mo- 
ther's arms  to  be  carried  to,  and  detained  at  the  temple, 
during  the  coniinuunce  of  so  long. a  bokimVuy. 

i.     m 


[  ^4  ; 

Let  me  ask  another  cjuestion,  H-  w  comM  Solo^ 
mon  fign  in  the  pl^ce  "f  David  ;  h  h.,  Cts  or, 
wluii  he  btgaa  to  r  cr.,  hcio  c  Davui  w^.cie.d? 
Tiicrt:  i:-,  iw)  more  dJiiiciilty  in  oik  question,  ilian 
in  tile  o'iic..  Tiiougli  baptism  was  in  ust,  ytt  it 
\vu:s  not  made  the  peciili^  r  n;ltlatiiig  btai  .  f  the 
gospel-covtnai^t  iinlii  idki   Christ's  Vesu^  rrt  ticm. 

It  has  been  enquired,  Mfbapti?  m  ^uceeeds  cir- 
cumcision, \vl,y  'vere  ri]i)se  baptised,  wiio  had  al- 
ready beea  circuni;-h.ed  V     W^  ans\^er, 

1.  We  think  it  hjs  been  proved,  that  b' th  these 
ordiiuinces  were  instituicd  a^  ^^cals  •;;;.-  vi;me  gra- 
cious covenan?  ;  and  thtref^^.e  tise  i  igui  <;f  iniants 
to  baptism  will  nut  at  aii  depend  on  the  solution 
of  thi's  qnesti  ^n. 

^  2^  It  is  evident  from  the  15th,  v.v.d  21st,  chap- 
ters of  Acts,  that  infant  ci re umci^^- 10 li  vvaspjaetis- 
ed,  with  apostoHc  ap.probation,  L^y  tlie  Jcivish  be- 
lievers in  the  Christian  chnrch  in  Jcrusaitm,  and 
in  other  churches,  by  xh^Jcws  who  v\ert  nienibt  rs 
of  them.  For  thoug^h  the  apostles  and  elders 
agreed,  that  infant  circnmcision  (ught  net  u>  be 
required  of  (>V?2///<-  believers;  yet  ti.ey  alioved 
and  approved  it  dmong  the  Jeivisk  converts,  w  ho, 
having  been  accustomed  to  it,  and  knou  iiig  it  to 
have  been  a  usage  from  the  time  of  Abraham, 
could  n>'t  at  (^nce,  be  persuaded  to  relinquish  it 
for  another  rite. 

That  infant  circumcison  was  not  now  regarded 
by  the  apostles  merely  as  a  certmouy  <  f  the  Mv'..aic 
law,  is  manifest ;  because,  in  this  viev\,  as  vve  have 
before  shev\  n,  they  utterly  disalhm  ed  it.  and  soen- 
iiously  opposed  those  who  contended  for  it.  They 
must  therefore  have  oregarded  5,t,  a^  that  *  seal  of 
the  righteousness  of  faith,'  which  v\as  appointed 
to  Abraham,  and  continued  under  the  patriarchal 


{  55  ) 

arid  mosaic  dispensations.  In  the  christian  c^iirch, 
it  ior  a  ;ime  heul  the  ^arne  piace  arooog  :hc  Jeiv^ 
h/iy  lib  ba|  lism  i.c:d  anichg  ibt  6'c7i/77(?  besu  vers, 
llciue  it  uA-.ov.  s,  that  tht  ^t•al  id  'he  Ci^vtnunt  \Vc-s 
Sjjphed  to  the  infants  ui  belitvers,  in  tiic  time, 
i.'nd  with  tie  ■.;ppr«)bat!on  of  the  a|K?sdes,  ^nd  ihat 
baptism  succttded  in  the  p{.i(,'r  of  circ;imci:>ion  ; 
as  a  seal  (tf  the  sau^e  crweiiant. 

it  lb  no  objection  to -this  cir?!;nn5ent,  that  the 
apobtkb,  in  some  instanC(\^,  comphed  \^  i^h  Je\«  !sh 
ciistonis,  for  these  coir:phances  wee  o?d  •'vccasi- 
onal :  B  t  the  observance  of  iivfaui  ciicniT)(ii>i«>ii 
am(>ng  believing  Jews  ^^as  general  an(J  cons tii tit 
itjv  <\  course  oi'  years,  probably  f c  r  thiuy  yt-ars* 
toi.;ethei,  and  this  under  the  eye,  and  uith  tlie  ad- 
vice of  all  the  apostles. 

They  reconinK-nded  to  the  Gentile  belicveis  a 
charitable  and  pacific  condcscentiorj  to  then  Jew- 
ish brethren  in  matter-.,  which  interfered  notv\ith 
the  institutions  or  doctrines  of  the  gospel,  particu- 
laiiy,  in  an  abstinence  from  offensive  meats,  aiid 
in  the  observance  of  fevorite  days.-  Bu^  they  ne- 
ver required  or  advised  the  Gentiles  to. conform 
to  tlie  Jews  in  the  observance  of  tlfe  Abrahamic 
rite  of  infant  ciicumcision,,  though  this  vvas  a  rite, 
ot  which  the  Jewish  christians  were  as  tenacif^ns 
as  u  any  other.  The  reason  is  obvious:  rr«e 
Gentile  believers  observed  another  rite  instituted 
in  its  pLice,  namely,  infant  baptism. 

If  luider  the  christian  di'-prnsation,  infant  cir- 
cnmcision  had  bebn,  in  it  Self,  w?ong,  it  would 
not  have  been  allowed  to  the  Jeivish  btlirvers.  If 
it  iiad  been,  under  present  circumstances,,  an 
indifferent  ceremony,  like  abstinence  from  nseats, 
shavmgthe  head,  and  purification  in  the  temple, 
it  would,  for  peace  sake,  have  been  recomnuiidtd 


(  56  )  >^ 

to  the  Gentile  belleverb.  But  as  another  ordinance 
was  by  tricm  used  in  its  place,  there  would  have 
been  an  irnpropriety  in  their  adopting  this,  and 
therefore  it  was  not  required  of  tlicm. 

3.  It  is  an  undt-niable  (act,  tliai  circumcised  be-' 
lievers  wtxt  frequently,  if  not  gciierally,  received 
to  fellowship,  in  the  christian  church,  zvilhout  bap- 
tism ;  for  all  churches  have  fellowship  with  the 
church  in  Jerusalem,  and  Jewish  and  Gentile 
believers  had  communion  in  the  same  churches. 
That  Christ's  first  disciples  were  baptised, 
we  have  no  evidence.  That  the  tzvclve  par- 
took of  the  first  supper,  before  christian  baptism 
was  so  much  as  instituted,  is  undeniable  ;  for  it 
is  evident  from  Acts  19.  5.  and  the  author  of  the 
letters  himself  concedes,  X\v<\t  JohnP s  baptism  was 
not  christian  baptism.  Now  if  circumcision  was, 
in  the  case  of  the  disciples,  sufficient  for  their  ad- 
mission to  the  great  gospel  ordinance  of  the  sup- 
per, then  certainly  it  was  a  seal  of  the  gospel-cov* 
enant ;  and  therefore  the  baptism  of  believers,  al- 
ready circumcised,  was  a  matter  not  of  universal 
necessity,  but  only  of  particular  expedience.  It 
seems  to  have  taken  place  chiefly  in  the  case  of 
the  Jews,  who  after  Christ's  resurrection,  had  for 
a  time  openly  ^opposed  the  gospel,  and  the  supe- 
rior evidence  which  then  attended  it.     Now 

4.  There  was  a  manifest  propriety  in  baptising 
some  who  had  been  circumcised,  although  baptism 
and  circunicision  arc  supposed  to  be  seals  of  the 
same  covenant. 

The  long  expected  Messiah  had  now  appeared; 
a  clearer  dispensation  of  the  covenant  of  grace,  at- 
tended  with  larger  promises  and  more  liberal  pri- 
vileges,  was  noW  introduced  ;  XhQ  way  was  open- 
ed for  the  admission  of  all  nations  into  the  church 
of  God  :  and  baptism  was  insituted  to  be  a  seal  of 


(57) 

the  covenant,  and  a  badge  of  distiction  betweea 
thechurchand  theunbeiieving  world.  Tlioiu^h  cir- 
cunicisioa  had  been,  and  still  might  be  a  mark  of 
discrimination  between  the  worblTippers  of  the 
true  God  and  idolatrous  heathens,  yet,  after  the 
institution  of  bantism,  the  former  rite  would  not 
so  clearly  cyscriminate  between  chribtians  a!)d  un- 
believers  in  general ;  for  unbciifving  Jews  would 
still  use  circumcision.  It  was  theref  )r$  proper, 
that  the  circumcised  Jew,  when  he  embraced,  the 
gospelj  if  he  had  before  openly  opposed  it,  should 
sutimit  to  baptism,  to  testify  his  belief  that  Jesus 
of  Nazareth,  whom  he  had  rejected,  was  the  pro- 
mised Messiah;  that  the  doctiine  preachtd  by 
the  apostles,  in  his  name,  was  diviiic  ;  and  that 
the  ancient  distinction  of  Jew  and  Gentile,  male 
and  female,  was  abolished,  and  all  were  to  becouiC 
one  in  Ci)rist.  Had  none  ot  the  believing  Jews 
been  baptised,  there  might,  have  remained  too 
great  an  appcar;jnce  of  a  distinction  between  thcTn 
and  Oejitile  believers ;  a  dist;inction  which,  aher 
ail,  many  of  the  Jewish  cliristiaas  were  strongly 
inclined  to  preserve,  and  which  the  ap^^stles  were 
Hi)  less  soiiritous  to  extinguish.  It  uas  Cljri^t's 
design,  that  his  church  should  be,  and  appear  to 
bf  one  ;  that,  while  it  was  distinguished  from  the 
world,  it  should  harmonize  with  itself,  and  keep 
a  u:iiiy  of  sj)irit  in  the  bond  of  peace. 

Siippose  a  prince,  who  had  appointed- a  parti- 
cular uniform  for  his  solditrs,  should  think  pro- 
per, OP.  the  introduction  of  a  new  discipline,  and 
the  acquisition  of  new  subjects,  to  appoint  for 
tkrse  another  uniform  ;  niighi  we  n,ot  expect,  that 
he  would  allow,  and  in  ca.se  of  a  rebellion  raised 
on  this  occasion,  v.ou'd  icqune  menu  of  his  yc/r- 
mtr  subjects  to  adopt  the  same,  tiiat  there  nu^^ht 


f  58  > 

Be  no  distinction  kept  up  between  old  subjects, 
and  new,  but  all  might  become  one  harmonious 
body  ?  And  would  any  man,  in  this  case,  imagine 
that  the  new  livery  cioie  not  in  the  place  of' the 
old?  Or  tliat  the  one  had  not  bt^en,  as  the  other 
was  now,  a  badge  and  token  of  allegiance  ? — No 
more  can  we,  on  this  ground,  pretend,  that  bap- 
tism succeeds  not  in  the  place  of  circumcision. 

It  Will  perhaps  be  asked,  '  Why  then  ought  not 
baptism  to  be  administered  on  the  eighth  day  ac- 
cording to  the  law  of  circumcision  ?* 

We  answer  ;  It  was  not  essential  to  the  validK^ 
of  circumcision,  that  it  should  be  administered  on 
the  eighth  day.  It  w^as  not  to  be  delayed  beyond 
that  day  without  occasion ;  nor  ought  we,  with- 
out occasion,  to  delay  baptism.  But  where  cir- 
camstances  admiited  not  so  early  an  application  of 
the  seal,  the  delay  was  not  faulty  then,  nor  would 
it  be  now.  Circumcision,  indeed,  niight  not  be 
performed  earlier  than  the  eighth  day  :  but  for 
this  delay  there  were  particular  reasons,  not  appli- 
cable to  baptism.  One  reason  might  be  the  ten- 
derness of  the  infant,  and  the  weakness  of  the 
mother,  which  would  render  an  immediate  ope- 
ration of  this  kind  dangerous  to  both.  But  the 
prmcipal  reas(m  was  t!ie  legal  impurity  of  the  mo- 
ther, a!id  the  consequent  impurity  of  the  child  for 
the  first  seven  days.  This  reason  is  expressly 
assigned  in  the  divine  law  ;^  If  a  woman  have 
horn  a  man  chihL  she  shall  be  unclean  seven  days, 
and  on  the  eighth  day  lie  shall  be  circumcised. 
But  as  the  legal  impurities  have  ceased  under  the 
gospel,  there  is  no  such  reason  for  the  delay  of 
baptism- 

*  Levit.  xii.  1,  ^ 


(  59  ) 

Thus,  I  think,  it  undeniably  appears,  that  bap- 
ti5.m  stands  in  the  place  of  circumcision,  and  that 
the  arguments  to  the  contrary,  are  futile  and  im- 
pertinent. And  if  it  stands  in.  the  same  place,  it 
is  certainly  to  be  applied  to  the  same  subjects, 
the  infants  of  God's  people— •!  proceed  to  anothet 
argument. 


DISCOURSE  III. 


'3.  X  HE  right  of  infants  to  baptism  may  be" 
clearly  inferred  from  the  words  of  our  Saviour, 
Mark  X.  14.  compared  with  those,  John  iii.  5. 
Suffer  little  children  to  come  to  me-^for  of  such 
is  the  kingdom  of  God. — And,  Except  a  man 
(ean  me  tis,  except  any  one)  be  born  of  tvater  and 
of  the  Spirit y  he  cannot  enter  into  the  kbigdom  of 
God. 

By  the  kingdom  of  God  must  be  understood 
cither  the  Churcfi^  God's  vis-.ible  kingdom  on 
earth  ;  or  Heaven,  his  invisible  kingdom  above. 
Into  the  former  we  are  admitted  by  baptism, 
which  is  the  sign  of  that  spiritual  renovation,  by 
which  we  are  prepared  for  the  latter.  These  little 
children  arc  called  infants  ;  they  were  br^onght  to 
Christ;  were  taken  up  in  his  arms ;  doubtless 
therefore  tlicy  were  under  the  age  of  discretion. 
They  who  brought  them  were  believers  j  other- 
wise they  would  not  have  sought  a  blessi?tg  from 
Christ  for  them.  The  phrase  being  born  of  xvatery 
signifies  being  baptised :  So  the  author  of  the 


(  60  ) 

letters  understands  it,,  -and  numbers  it  among  the 
passag<is  that  speak  of  baptism.* 

Now  if,  by  the  kingdom  of  God ,  we  understand 
the  churchy  then  here  is  an  express  declaration, 
that  infants  be}()ng^to  the  church,  are  C/?r/.9/'^  dis- 
cip'es  and  visible  members  of  his  body  :  And 
co^s^^quen'^iy  h.ive  a  right  to  baptism,  the  Oiily 
instirued  sif^n  (,>f  adsnission  into  his  kingd<jm. 
Ex  cent  a  m^m  b>  born  of  xoafer^  he  cannot  enter 
into  !his  kh>:^dnnv.  tieiice  i\\^  christian  church  is 
said  to  be  cleansed  bif  the  ivashmg  of  io<ifer,\  If 
bv  the  inp'd  ).rj  of  Gud,  -ve  understand  the  invi- 
sihle  kiiii:  v  ,   - ;  •  n  here  is  a  plain  dcclara- 

ti(.>n,  'dvdi  uiia.^is  oeK^ag  to  fhaf,  and  consequently 
mav  be  born  of  t  fie  spirit-;  f>?  except  one  be  born 
of  the  apirit^  lie  rwniof  enter  intn  that  tiin^idoM\^ 
which  Hesh  and  b  nxi  do  not  niii-e  it.  Ancfif 
they  may''  his  born  of  the  spirit,  doubdess  they 
may  be  born  of  water ^  or  baptised.  A,s  tiie  chtrrch 
\^  \\\^.  gat t  6x  heaven,  so  i)Hptrsm  is  the  sign'oi 
rec^encration.  And  if  they  may  be  admitted  mto 
fieaven  by  regcnerof ion,  xh{^\t\\ii\  be  admit-ed 
into  the  church  t\y  baptism,  if  the  things  signi- 
Jlcd  belong  to  them,  the  sign  zn^  token  must  be 
su))po.sed  to  belong  to  them.  The  ap-  stie  Peter\ 
plainly    teaches  us,   that  they,   to  wiiom  the  pro^ 

*  The  author  of  the  letters  says,  '  Christian  baptism  was 
tiot  ytt  iM-ti:»r  eJ.  This  is  doubtJt-ss  ouf  :  but  John  p* cach- 
Cfl,  sajiii^^-  The  kinf^dom  of  G'idi'i  at  hand  ;  and  he- b.'ptiti.ed 
with  the  buptisni  of  repenidnre  to  prcpaic  the  pcopi;.  jTor 
this  kingdom.  It  was  therefore  very  sea-on-ible  fov  Christ 
n.>w  to  ini^lnlct  J^ici^di^tmis^  that  baptitim  or  brmg  born  of 
tvawr  Wa  soon  to  be  the  rjieof  admission  into  hi  Uingiitira. 
Bill  w!u-thcr  Wf*  underj^aiid  tht  phrase  of  Qufwa^-d bapfiymt 
or  inward  sancliiication,  our  atgutnbnt  from  it  will  be  cqu- 
fiUy  conclusive. 

«r    Eh.  V.  26.  I  Acts  ii.  38. 


(  61   ) 

mise  of  the  spirit  pertains,  have  a  right  to  bap- 
tism, the  sign  of  the  promise.  In  whatever  sense 
therefore  we  understand  \\\c  kingdom  of  God,  the 
conclusion  is  the  same,  That  infants  are  subjects 
of  baptism. 

It  cannot-  reasonably  be  said,  that  the  words — 
of  such — intend  only  persons  of  a  childlike  dispo- 
sition :  For  then  how  would  this  be  a  reason  why 
litile  children  should  be  brought  to  Christ,  and 
why  he  should  be  displeased  with  his  disciples 
for  endeavournig  to  hinder  them  ?  This  makes 
our  Lord's  argument  run  thus.  SuiFer  iixfants  to  be 
brought  to  me,  for  my  kingdom  consisteth  only 
of  adult  persons  resembling  children  in  their  dis- 
position. He  elsewhere  makes  Lambs  and  Doves 
emblems  of  a  christian  temper  ;  and  according  to 
this  interpretation,  he  might  as  well  have  said 
Suffer  Lambs  and  Doves  to  come  to  me,  for  of 
such  is  the  kingdom  of  God  ;  i.  e.  it  consists  of 
persons  of  a  lamb-like  and  dove-like  temper. 

Well,  '  but  the  christian  rite  of  baptism  was 
not  given  to  these  children  ;  they  were  brought 
to  Christ  for  his  blessings  and  prayers,  accom- 
panied with  imposition  of  hands.'  True:  but 
our  Saviour  declares,  that  such,  i.  e.  the  infants 
of  believers,  belong  to  this  kingdom,  into  which 
none  are  admitted,  but  by  being  bom  of  wafer; 
so  that  here  is  a  plain  declaration,  that  infants 
were  to  be  introduced  into  his  church  by  baptism. 
And  by  taking  them  into  his  arms,  pra}  ing  for 
them,  and  blessing  them,  he  she\^ed  that  such  are 
capable  subjects  of  the  influence  and  blessing  of 
the  Spirit,  which  are  the  things  represented  in 
bapsism.  He  did  not  pour  water  on  them;  but 
he  perft>rmed  a  ceremony  quite  as  sacred  and  so- 
lemn, and  thus  shewed,  thai  infants  are  meet  sr'^- 


[   62  j-. 

jects  of  that  external  rite,  which  denotes  the  con- 
veyance of  spiritual  blessings;  and  biich  a  rite  is 
the  ordinance  of  baptism. 

4.  The  baptismal  commission,  Mat.  yxviii,  19. 
gives  a  plain  warrant  for  adniitting  infants  to  bap. 
tism.  It  runs  thus.  Go,-  and  ttach  all  nations^ 
baptising  them  in  the  name  of  the  Father^  Son  and 
Holy  Gfiost^  teaching  thtvi  to  observe^  SCc. 

Some  will  say,  '  Infants  are  notexpiessly  men- 
tioned here.'  True :  neither  are  Adults,  But 
Christ  uses  the  word,  nations,  which  is  a  collec- 
tive term,  and  must  natuj  ally  be  understood  as 
including  hotJi,  And  had  he  intended  to  teach 
his  apostles,  that  persons  of  every  age  must  be 
admitted  to  baptism,  he  could  not  have  chosen 
any  single  word  to  express  it  better.  Baptise  all 
'nations.  The  christian  church  is  called  a  nation, 
a  people,  because  it  consists  of  persons  of  every 
age^^'- 

But  it  is  objected ;  *  Teaching  is  required  previ- 
(Uis  to  bapti:iin,  which  infants  are  not  capahle  of.' 

Here  let  it  be  observed,  that  the  word  Mathe-^ 
fijsate,  rendered  Teach,  is  not  the  same  which  is 
i  ommonly  used  for  teaching,  but  of  a  more  general 
signification.     The  proper  import  of  it  is,  to  pro- 
selyte ov  make  disciples.     The  commission  the©' 
;s  this.     Go,  disciple  all  nations,  baptising  them 
--teaching  them  to  observe  all  things,  8>cc.     Here 
i  re    two    words    in    the    commission     rendered,/ 
7\'aciiing,     The  latter  didas  kontes,  signifies  to. 
indoctrinate  ;  the  otlur  is  more  general,  aiid  sig- 
niiies  to  make  disciples,  which,  may  be  done  by 
introduction  ipto  a  school  in  order  to  future  teach- 
ing. 

*   1  Pet.  ii.  9. 


{  63'. ) 

Now  if  we  can   she'",   that   Infants  are  ever 
considered  as  clLciples — -•■->   hc'lo?igifig  to  Christy 
then  it  will  appear  ihai  they  come  within  the  com- 
mission,   Disciple   all  nations^    baptising  tiioii. 
AVe  are  told  Mar.  xviii.  5.      That  Jesus   having- 
set  a  Utile  child   before   him,    said,   IVhosoever 
shall  receive  one  such  little  child  in  my  name  re- 
ceive th  me.     To  receive  one  in  C line's  name,  is 
to  receive  him  as  being   Christ's  disciple  and  as 
belongnig  to  him.      So  the   plirase   is   exphiiiied, 
Wa;k  ix    41.      IVhosever  shall  give  you  a  cup  of 
ivater  in  my  name,  because  ye  beion^;  to  Christ. 
And  Mat.  X.  42.      Whosoever  shall  give  to  one  of 
these  little  ones  a  cut)  of  ivaler  only  in  the  name  of 
a  disciple,  sfiall  not  tone  liis  reward.      It  is  phi  in 
here    that    injunfs,   who  are  to    be    received   in 
Christ's  name  may  be  his  disciples  and  belong  to 
him,  to  his  church  and  kingdom.     Accordingly 
they  who  contended,  that  persons  under  tlie  go:-:- 
pel  ought  to  be  circamcised  after  the  manner  of 
Moses,  are  said  to  teL^^pt  God  to  put  a  yoke  on  tJie 
?iecks  of  the   disciples,    Acts  xv.  10.      Infants 
^vere  to  be  circumcised  after  the  m.anner  of  AIo- 
ses,  and  therelbre  are  comprehended   amon^z;  the 
disciples,  on  whom  the  yoke  would  belaid.  The 
commission  then  must  rcipect  inflmts  as  well  as 
others.     Tlie  apostles  had  before  been  i?istriicte<l 
to  receive  not  only  adults,  but  also  little  children 
in  Christ's  name,  and   as  his  disciples.     Now  a 
particular  rite  is  appointed,  by  which  they  should 
receive  or  disciple  them  in  his  name.     Dicciple 
all  nations,  baptising  ttiem  in  tlie  name  of  the  Fa- 
tiier,  and  oj  the  Son,  ^c. 

But  the  author  of  the  letters  says.  *  The  disci- 
ples of  Christ,  during  his  ministry  on  earth,  as 
well  as  the  disciples  of  Johnj  were  well  acquaint- 


{  ^4  ) 

«:(]  wuh  the  institution  of  bapti&m,  for  they  bap. 
tised  great  niiltitudes;  but  they  administtred  a 
haptisvn  in  wiiich  infants  had  no  part.  When 
ihciclbre  our  Lord  iiistituted  his  sacrament  of 
baptism,  if  infants  were  to  be  rceeived  into  it, 
it  cannot  be  doubted  but  he  declared  ih'i^  ;  other- 
wise rnen,  v.ho  had  been  used  to  excUide  infants, 
would  not  tliink  of  them  as  coming  within  this 
fresli  commission-' 

lie  expressly  allows,  that  the  apostles  \^•ou]d 
be  determined  very  much  by  former  usa^^es,  in 
judging  \vheil:er  infltnts  cam.e  within  this  com- 
niishion.  ^>Vhelhcr  the  disci})les  of  John  and  of 
Christ  h.ad  been  VvCiit  to  baptise  infants,  it  is  not 
(  xpressly  said.  And  therefore  to  judge  how  the 
apostles  won  id  understand  their  commission,  we 
rnust  go  farther  back  tlum  to  John's  ministry. 
These  apostles  \^•c^e  Jczcs.  They  had  been  edu- 
rated  in  the  Jczci's/t  religicju.  They  knew,  that 
from  the  days  of  /Ibraham,  anrl  all  along  through 
the  Ivl:>saic  dispensation,  infants  had  been  taken 
into  coven^int  with  their  parents  by  the  same  in- 
itiating rite. — I'hey  knew,  tliis  had  ever  been 
esteemed  a  great  privilege  ;  and  they  would  na- 
turally suppose,  the  privilege  was  still  to  con- 
tinue,  as  the  Abrahamic  covenant  was  yet  in 
i..;;rce.  TIkv  knew  it  had  been  the  constant  im- 
memorial j)ractice  of  the  Jewish  church,  to  re- 
4;eivc  Geuiilc  proselytes  and  tlieir  infitnt  children 
with  them  by  baptism.  This  the  ancient  Jewish 
•iViiters  testify.  Baptism,  we  knov/,  was  no  nev/ 
thing  in  J&hiVs  time.  The  Jews  appear  to  have 
been  well  acquainted  with  it.  They  don't  ask 
linn,  What  meanest  thou  by  this  new  ceremony  ? 
But  whj  baptises t  Zhou,  if  thou  art  not  the  Christy ^  , 
n&i'  EliaSj  nor  that  Prophet  f  Their  question  im- 


(65  ) 

plies,  that  the  Prophets  had  been  wont  to  baptise, 
and  they  expected  Christ  and  Ellas  would  do  the 
same.  John  probably  took  up  baptism,  as  he 
found  it  practised  in  the  Jewish  church,  where  it 
had  been  constantly  administered  to  the  infiuits 
of  Gentile  proselytes.  And  it  is  not  only  with- 
out proof,  but  against  probability,  that  this  author 
asserts,  *  Infants  had  no  part  in  John's  baptism.' 
Farther,  these  apostles  had  been  taught  *o  look 
upon  infants  as  belonging  to  Christ,  and  to  treat 
tliem  as  his  disciples.  They  had  heard  Christ 
pronounce  them  sebjects  of  his  kingdom,  and 
give  directions,  that  they  should  be  brought  to 
him.  They  had  been  reprimanded  for  attempting 
to  hinder  infants  from  being  brought.  They 
knew,  that  Christ  cam*  not  to  lessen  the  privi- 
leges of  the  church,  (of  which  the  adnriissi  jn  of 
infmts  was  one)  but  to  enlarge  them  ;  and  that 
baptism  was  now  the  r//e^  of  admission  into  it. 
Under  these  circumstances,  how  must  they  un- 
derstand their  commission  ?  Certainly,  upon  this 
author's  principles,  they  must  suppose  it  to  in- 
clude infants ;  for  he  allows,  they  would  under- 
stand it  according  to  former  usage.  We  may 
then  retort  his  argument.  When  Christ  institut- 
ed Wis  sacrament  of  baptism,  if  inflmis  were  noi 
to  be  received  to  it,  it  cannot  be  doubted,  but  he 
sufficiently  declared  this;  otherwise  men,  who  had 
always  been  u^ed  to  .-^cc  nnants  admitted  into  the 
phurch  of  God  by  the  same  token  with  iheir  pa- 
rents, would  consider  them  as  c^^ming  '.vithin  thin 
fresh  commission,  Go,  disaple  all  ncilioiis,  bap- 
tising  them. 

Be;->ides,'When  they  saw  the  doors  of  the  church 
now  e:ilarv;ed  to  rxd.m\x  nc.c  subjects,  even  all  na- 
tioub,  they  would  not  imagine*,  that  th^e  tjiibject.'^^ 

F   2 


(  66  ) 

who  iiad  ever  been  admitted,  vrere  in  future  to  be 
excluded.  The  commission  theiefore  must  be 
understood  asa  virtual  command  to  baptise  niiiants. 

5  Children's  right  to  baptism  is  very  clearly 
taught,  in  those  word^  of  Ftier  to  the  av\akened 
Jews,  Acts  ii,  58.  Repent,  and  be  baptistd  tvery 
one  of  yon,  in  the  name  oj  Jesus  Christ,  Jar  the 
remission  of  sins  ^  and  ye  shall  receive  the  ti,ilt  of 
the  Hdij  Gliosis  for  the  promise  is  to  you  and  to 
your  children.  Ke  docs  not  say,  The  promise  is 
to  you,  and  rc'/// 6^  to  your  children  when  they 
become  believers;  but  it  is  to  both,  to  you  and 
the  children  which  )  ou  ?ioiv  have:  And  to  all 
them  that  are  afar  off,  as  many  as  the  Lord  our 
God  shall  call,  i.  e.  vvheiever  Gad  sends  the 
gospel  to  call  the  Gentiles,  it  cairies  this  pn  mi^e, 
which  is  in  like  manner  to  them  ard  their  chil- 
dren. Tue  pjomise  being  made  to  t/iem,  is  urgx  d 
as  a  reason  why  ^/?^j/ should  be  baptised.  Aid 
the  same  reason  i  olds  for  the  baptism  of  ail  to 
IV hem  the  promibC  belorgs?  and  consequently 
-^r  the  bap  i^m  of  iht^'n, children,  for  the  promise 
is  to  them.  Be  baptised — -Jar  (he  promise  is  to 
you  and  to  your  children.  The  leason  assigned 
for  baptism  is  such  as  equally  takes  place  with 
respect  to  both.  If  the  parents  interest  in  the 
])romise  is  a  reason  why  he  should  be  baptised, 
his  child^ens  interest  in  it,  is  just  as  good  a  rea- 
son, w'h}  they  should  be  bapii:-ed.  To  suppose 
ibis  promise  is  a  just  grouiid  for  the  baptism  of 
hilieiers,  but  not  for  the  baptism  of  f/ieir  children^ 
is  to  make  the  apostle  talk  ihus  absurdly  and  in- 
coherently. The  promise  is  to  you,  thcrefoie  be 
ve  baptised — inid  the  same  promise  is  equally  to 
vour  children,   }  or  ihe}  n  usi  hot  bt  bijtiscd. 

Well,  but  our  brethren  say,  '  You  and  your 


(  67  ) 

enikUefi  Is  nothing  more  than  you  and  5^oiir"pos- 
teriiv',*  or  ^^our  ctiildren  when  they  become  adult. 
Eui  a  ii'itie  attention  will  convince  us,  this  can- 
not be  the  m^anins^.  This  is  contrary  to  the  na- 
tuval  construction  of  the  wordb — The  fyromise  is — 
toyoiir  cliiUiren ;  not  shall  be  to  the  in,  when  they 
become  believers.  The  |>eople,  to  whom  these 
words  were  spoken,  were  Jezvs  and  Probclylcs^ 
1^  ho  had  alwa\  s  been  used  to  see  infants  compre- 
hended with  their  parents  in  covenant  transactions, 
and-theretbre  vvou>d  naturally  suppose,  their  in- 
fants to  be  intended.  To  suppose  that  by  ijour 
ch'idrcn,  the  apostle  meant  only  their  adult  de^ 
^ceridi.nts,  is  to  make  him  j-peak  nonsense  ;  for 
tliea  he  must  be  under^tood  thus,  *  The  prumise 
is  to  you  and  your  children,  but  not  as  yoiu' ch'iU 
dien,  or  as  being  related  to  y»u,  any  more  than  if 
they  were  children  of  Pagam  ;  but  if  ihey  should 
live  to  adu!i  age,  shi  uld  be  called  by  the  gospel, 
and  should  believe,  then  the  promise  ivHt  be  to 
them,  as  it  is  nnw  to  y<  u.' 

:  Now  why  arechild  ea  j;>ined  with  their  parents, 
?s  joiat  partakers  of  tiie  same  promise,  if  they  de- 
1  ve  no  benefit  from  this  relation,  but  are  to  srand 
V:pon  precisel}  the  san)«;  f)utin^  with  the  children 
of  healhe?is  mid  infidels  P  Farther;  it  sIk  u  ri  be 
remembered,  that  the  great  promise  c  f  \he  Abra* 
/jt2v7//t  covenant,  whicJi  probably  is  here  refe^'cd 
to,  and  culled  by  way  of  eniiiience,  the  prom  se, 
viz.  /  ivili  be  a  God  to  you  and  your  seed  ;  tiiis 
pjxMiiise,  {  say,  d)d  certainly  belong  to  the  nifant 
Q{ViVj.v^\\  o{  Abraham,  and  of  \\\^  spiritual  >.tiQd\ 
and  the  seal  of  this  promise  was  expressiy  order* 
ed  to  be  applied  to  such  But  our  biethren  gene- 
raiiy  say,  *  The  promise  heie  intended  is  the  pro- 
,mise  of  the  spirit,  contained  in  the  foregoing  words, 


(  6S  j 

Ye  shall  receive  the  gift  0/  the  Holy  Ghost.'*  Be 
it  so.  It  then  it  appears  that  the  promise  of  the 
Spirit  is  in  flict  made,  not  only  to  believers,  but 
also  to  their  children  ;  even  to  infants  ;  the  rei^son 
will  hold,  why  they  should  be  baptised.  It  is 
expressly  promised,  Isa.  xliv.  3.  I  zvill  pour 
wi/  "spirit  upon  thy  seed,  and  my  blessing  upon 
thine  offspring;  i.  e.  thii  linle  ones^  as  the  fol- 
lov/ing  words  shew;  and  they  (thine  ofFspsing) 
sliall  SPRING  UP  as  among  the  grass  and  as 
xvillozvs  t)y  the  xvater-com\^es.  They  shall  grow  up 
viiider  the  influences  of  my  Spirit  and  ble.'rsaigs  of 
rny  covenant,  as  grass  under  the  kindly  smiles  of 
heaven,  and  as  wiilowsby  the  fertile  banksof  rivers. 
There  can  be  no  doubt  with  any  one  who  be- 
lieves the  scriptures,  but  the  divine  Spirit  often 
has  great  influence  in  fuming  the  mind  into  a  pre- 
paration for  virtue  and  usefulness,  even  in  its  in- 
fant state  John  w^as  filled  with  the  Holy  Ghost 
from  his  m. other's  womb.  Isaiah  was  called  and 
formed  from  the  womb.  Jeremiah  was  sanctified 
from  the  womb.  Samuel  grew  up  before  the 
Lord.  I  question  not  but  ail,  who  are  born  and 
educated  under  the  gospel  covenant,  have,  even 
in  early  childhood,  some  gentle  excitations  to  vir- 
tue from  the  Spjut  of  gr^sce,  as  a  fruit  of  this  pro^ 
nii-e  to  belien'cri  and  dieir  chi  dren.  Now  since 
the  p  omise  of  the  Sj)irit  docs  in  lact  belong  to 
littler  children,  baptism,  ihe  sign  of  the  promise, 
belongs  to  them,  i^et  ihem  l)e  baptised — for  the 
promise  is  to  them  Nit--  here  ;  their  receiving 
the  Sj}irit  was  not  a  conditio?!.,  but  a  eonseqiiciice 
of  their  bapiism.  />V  baptised,  and  ye  shall  re- 
ceive, Sec.  S'^nn-mVlie  6'^./;2.'ir//^//2>' mentioni:*d, 
Acts  8.  the  Spirit  was  poured  out.,f  r  ili^jy  were 
baptised  :  So  that   hiidren  arc  t'^be  oaptlscd  upon 


(  69  5 

thi3  general  promise,  even  before  they  can,  by  a 
holy  iilc,  give  evidence  of  their  having  actually 
received  the  Spirit.  That  in  the  gospel- age»  as 
Aveli  as  in  former  dispensations,  children  should 
be  received  into  covenant  together  with,  and  upon 
the  faith  of  rheir  parents,  is  plainly  foretold,  isa. 
Ixv  22.  Tlif^y  are  the  seed  of  the  blessed  of 
the  Loj^dy  and  tlieir  offspring  zvit/i  them.  A  fid 
chap.  49.  18.  2^2.  "  They  \iht  Gentiles)  shall 
gather  themselves  together,  and  come  to  thee—r^ 
And  they  shall  bring  thy  son<  in  their  arm-,  and 
ihy  daughters  shall  he  carried  on  their  shou:dtMs. 

6.  The  accounts  we  have  i}f  some  whole  fami- 
lies being  baptised,  upon  the  faith  of  their  respec- 
tive heads,  afford  an  argument  of  considerable 
weight,  that  the  apostles  understood  their  com- 
mission as  extending  to  infants,  an  i  practiced  ac- 
cordingly. 

If  infants  were  baptised,  it  is  by  no  means  proba- 
ble, we  should  be  rnformedofilicir  names  or  ages; 
ue  could  expect  only  to  be  told  in  general,  that 
such  persons  v\  ei'c  b..iptised  and  their  families :  And 
so  much  we  are  tuld  Paul  baptised  the  houshold 
o\  Stephanas^  1  Cor.  i.  16.  Lydiay  when  the 
Lord  opened  her  heart  to  receive  the  word,  was 
baptised  and  her  lioushold^  Acts  xvi.  15.  The 
Jaylor,  upon  his  believing  vvas  baptised,  he  and 
all  his,  ver.  33. 

Thib  Lydia  was  of  the  city  of  TJiyatira  ;  but 
she  now  dwelt  at  Philippi ;  here  she  had  a  house, 
in  which  she  lodged  the  apostles  for  some  time, 
and  she  had  a  houshold  with  her.  Whether  they 
were  children  or  servants,  or  both,  and  what  their 
exact  ages  were,  it  is  not  said,  nor  is  it  material. 
The  story  represents  them  as  baptised  upon  her 
Jaith  ;  and  this  is  ail  that  is  to  the  purpose.  It  wil4 


((^  ) 

be  sugs^j^ted  perhaps,  that  they  might  be  baptised 
upon  tlifir  oxvii  taiih.  But  the  story  gives  no  inti- 
mation of  any  one's  believing,  but  Lydia,  Take 
the  account  as  Luke  has  iel't  it,  and  they  were  bap- 
tised upon  her  being  judged  taithiui  to  the  Lord. 

The  story  of  the  Jcujloi^  is  to  the  .same  purpose. 
He  enquired  of  the  apostles,  wkat  must  I  do  to  be 
saved  P  They  say,  Believe  on  (heLordJesnsiJhrist^ 
and  thou  shalt  be  saved  and  thine  house,  1  n  the  same 
sense,  salvation  is  said  to  come  to  die  houseof  ^i/c- 
cheus,  because  lie  vvas  a  son  of  Abraham^  i.e.  abe- 
Ji<  ver.  So  sucha-s  are  added  to  the  chui  chare  called', 
-The  saved  There  were  doubtless  some  present 
oil  tiiis  occasion  besides  the  Jaylor's  family  ;  and 
some  of  his  family  might  be  adults ;  and  .Wicvq- 
fore  it  is  said,  They  spake  the  word  to  him^  and 
to  all  that  xvere  in  his  house.  It  is  added,  He 
zoas  baptised.  He  and  aii  nr^  straitivay,  it  is 
not  aid.  All  that  \\  ere  in  his  house  were  baptised ; 
but  he  and  ail  his,  i.  c.  such  as  were  at  his  dispo- 
sal— under  his  government — subject  to  his  com- 
mand. These  were  properly  his.  No  mention 
is  made  of  any  one's  believing,  but  the  Jaylor 
himself.  But  d  )  not  the  next  word-^,  He  rejoic- 
ed believing  in  God  iv'ith  all  his  house ^  import, 
that  all  hib  family  believed  as  well  as  he  *?  1  think 
not.  The  Gre^^k  words  egall/asato pa?wiki pepis- 
teukos  to  fhco  are  literally  rendered  thus,  He  re- 
joiced in  all  his  house,  having  believed  God,  The 
idea  conveyed  is  ihib :  Aner  he  had  bel  eved 
God,  he  rejoiced  and  gave  thanks  in  the  presence, 
and  in  behalf  of  his  whole  family. 

Now  as  it  had  been  the  ancieni  universal  prac- 
tice, to  receive  inflmts  with  their  parents  into  the 
church  of  God,   they  who  should  read  these  ac 
counts  of  houshoids  baptised,  wouid naturally  con- 


(  71  ) 

dude,  that  infants  (if  there  were  such)  xv^re  bap- 
tised as  \\  eli  as  others.  If  a  M issionary  sent  from 
this  country,  where  infant  haptism  is  genemlly 
practised,  to  gospelize  the  heathen,  should  write 
back  an  account  of  his  success  ;  and  therein 
s.hould  say,  he  had  baptised  so  many  hundreds, 
and  amongst  the  rest,  such  a  noted  person  and 
his  //<5W5"/io/t/— :>uch  an  one  and  all  his j  who 
would  doubt,  but  there  were  some  children,  under 
the  aee  of  discretion,  whom  he  meant  to  include? 
But  if  an  Antipgedobaptist  Missionary  should  pub- 
lish an  account  of  the  housholds  he  had  baptised, 
he  would  naturally  except  infants,  to  prevent  mis- 
takes. 

^\7.  The  right  of  infants  to  baptism  is  farther  con- 
firmed by  several  particular  passages  of  scripture. 

It  may  be  inferred  from  tho^e  words  of  the  apos- 
tle, Rom.  xi.  16,  17.  If  the  root  be  holy,  so  arc 
iha  branches.  And  ij  some  of  the  branches  (the 
Jews)  be  broken  off]  and  thou  (a  Gtntilt)  being  a 
xvild  olive,  ivert  grafted  in  among  them,  and  with 
tliem  partakest  of  the  root  andjatness  of  the  olive 
tree,  boast  not,  ^c, 

Tiie  olive  tj^ee  is  the  church  of  God,  built  on 
the  Covenant  made  with  Abraham,  Of  this  tree 
the  Jews  were  the  natural  j  the  Gentiles,  the  /// . 
grafted  branches.  The  root  and  fatness  of  the 
tree,  are  the  privileges  and  blessings  of  the  cove- 
nant. ^  It  was  one  privilege  of  the  covenant,  that 
children  shou  d  be  admitted  into  the  clnirch  with 
their  parents  and  consecrated  to  God  as  his  chil- 
dren. Therefore  if  the  Gentiles  are  grafted  into 
the  same  stock,  from  which  some  of  the  Jews 
are  bj^oken  off,  and  ivilh  them  who  remain,  partake 
of  the  root  and  tafness,  they  certainly  partake  of 
this  privilege  of  having  their  children  t^raftc^d  with- 


(  72  ) 

them.  Accordingly  the  Geufiles  are^  declared  tn 
be  fellowJteirs,  wiih  the  Jczvs — to  be  of  the 
S(7mt  bodij — obe  joint-partakers  o^  ih^  prornise. 
God  proiPiised,  that  he  would  be  a  God  to  Ahra^ 
hmn^n^  his  seed.  And  is  he  a  God  of  the  Jews 
only  1  And  not  of  the  Gentiles  F  Doubtless  of  the 
Gentiles  also.  God  appointed  a  token  of  this  pro- 
mise to  be  applied  to  Abraham'' s  infants,  and  to 
the  infants  of  liis  seed  :  An  I  if  we  stand  in  the 
same  place  as  liis  natural  seed,  and  are  partakers 
with  thein  of  the  same  privileges,  then  the  token 
of  the  promise  is  to  be  applied  to  our/infants. 

To  this  passage  we  may  add .  that  remarkable 
one,  in  1  Cor.  vii.  14  Vhc  luiheliemng  husband 
is  sanctified  by  the  wife,  and  the  unbeUeinng  wife 
is  sanctified  by  the  husband  ;  else  were  your  chiU 
dr en  andean,  but  now  are  theu  holy.  It  is  piaiii 
here,  that  the  cluldren  of  believers- 'dvc,  in  some 
sense  or  otlier,  holy^  or  sai?its,  by  virtue  of  their 
parents  faith.  They  are  distinguished  from  the 
children  of  unbelievers,  who  are  called  unclean, 
in  the  same  munner  as  christians  tue  dhtmgmnh- 
ed  from  heathens.  Now  what  is  this  intant-holi- 
ness,  which  resuhs  from  the  parents'  f  lith  ?  It 
cannot  be  legit imacj/i  as  some  pretend;  for  surely 
t{]p  apostle  did  not  mean  to  bastardise  all  children 
born  of  heathen  parents.  It  cannot  be  real,  inher- 
ent holiness  ;  for  in  this  sense,  then  are  barn,  7iot 
of  blood,  nor  of  the  will  of  man,  but  of  God.  It 
can  then  be  no  other,  than  relative  or  covenant 
holiness.  The  children  of  believers  arc  holy,  as 
all  the  people  of  Israel  were  holy,  by  a  special 
covenant-relation  to  God.  The  christian  church 
is  called  a  holif  natiou  and  peculiar  people,  in  the 
same  sense.  They  are  hoiy,  as  all  the  first  born 
under  the  law  are  holy,  by  a  solemn  dedication  to 


.       .  '(^73)) 

^od  ill  his  temple.  In  aUiision  to  ihc  dedication 
W  tht  first,  born  infants,  the  christian  church  is 
called^  Tne  church  of  first'honi  pa-sons.  The}  are 
lioly,  as  being  God^s.  children,  born  to  him  of  his 
own  covenant- peopje.  Hmv  if  tltey  are  in  this 
sense  holy,  by  what  rite  or  ceremony  are  they  de- 
clared so,  but  by  the  washing  of  baptism?  The 
church  is  cleansed  by  tHe  ivashing  of  xvattr.  If 
they  arc  holy  as  being  Gods  children^  and  within 
his  covenant,  ihty  are  certainly  entitled  to  the 
7nar/c  of  his  children  and  the  token  of  his  covenant, 
which  is  baptism. 

The  manner  in  which  the  author  of  the  letters 
endeavours  to  evade  these  passages,  shews  that  he 
felt  himself  embarrassed  with  them.  1  am  '  very 
willing,  says  he,  that  children  should  be  as  holy 
^s  the  most  benevolent  person  can  wish  them.  I 
have  no  inclination  to  lay  a  stain  upon  that  inno- 
cent age. — But  here  is  not  a  word  about  their 
baptism.'  The  gentleman  doubtless  knew  how 
we  argue  from  these  texts  to  prove  infant  baptism. 
Why  has  he  not  shewn,  that  they  must,  or  maj/ 
betaken  in  some  other  jcnse?  Why  has  he  not 
told  us,  how  the  branches  are  holy  by  the  holiness 
of  the  root :  how  children  arc  holy  by  their  pa- 
rents faith,  in  some  other  sense  than  as  being  in- 
titled  to  the  privileges  and  seal  of  the  covenant  ? 
How  the  Gentiles  can  be  partakers  of  the  .same 
^promise,  and  of  the  same  root  and  fatness  with 
' Abraham^ s  natural  seed,  and  yet  not  be  ad- 
mitted to  the  same  privileges  ?  The  truth  is,  the 
argument  from  these  texts  is  unanswerable,'* 

*  To  evade  the  argument  from  this  passage*  some  have 

saiH  *  The  s^^mc  holiness,  which  is  ascribed  lo  the  childreno^ 

■  the  helsever  is  also  ascrihed  to'the  U7. believing  partner^  Avi'.o 

is  said  to  b^santijicd  as  well  as  the  offspring  said  to  be  holy. 

G 


{{^:) 


•  Ag:\k>;>  -TJicapostleg  in  the.4tlT  disp.  t6  GaL 
tells  us j  th^Vlsadc  wixk  bornaffcr  the  Sm'rlt,'.m^ 
born  bi)  prcmhc.-.  'By  this  he  iilustra^es  thetgospel 
covenajiit'.;  and  savsy  ^'^^s  Isaac  was^  so  are  we  the 
children  e^  (rk^l^pr'omds'ffl  i..e. ^we  Ure'  born  chi!^ 
ciren  of  the  promisr^ai  being  born  of  covenanted 

Why  then  is  not  the  uhl)eJFevint>^  fiiisfeafid.  or  v/ife.  a  nitm- 
ber  of:  the  dniich  by  vhtue  of  the' faith  of  the  corrV^late,  a§ 
Y/e]l:as  Ijlie  chiJdiftn.  by  virtire  of  the  faith  f>f  this  parent??  • 
In  answer  to  this  1  would  observ.e  ;   ififynts^xjnder  the-OM 
TestnmenS,  Had  ever  been  received  as  memhep  of  God'^s^ 
rluirch.  But  when  the  Jews,  in  the  time  cfEzrA,  hai!l,;cori- 
nary  to  an  express  law  married  strange  wives,- by* ^h<yi^ 
children  were  born  to  thenfl|  ^  Avds^imered  tha!tj:these. .chil- 
dren, wiih  ihclr  heathen  par^.Uts.  should  be   put  away,  s^% 
.unclean  ;  and  tbt  m^n,  wjio  refused  to  pii,taway  their stran^i2 
\vivos.weretheraselves  tt^b'e  ^epi'ar.ttcd  from  the  congreg-ation. 
In  the  Corinthian  church  a  doUbt  liad  arisen,   vihether'a 
" ,]  'chever  might jGontinue  with^an  unbrKreving  correlate.  T.ht& 
question  the  a]:QiiiIe  answers  in  ih^  afBrniative.  l^or  though 
he  advises  chrisihus  to  marry  on'ly  in  ihsvi^ordvyet  a^rnar- 
'  jinge.  contrj^.cl-Vcl^Wfic^  Wt'h  tlte  parties  v/erc  unhelievers^,  is 
l^ot  < lissol ve^l  by  xSifcl  fe!iU)J^ccf u'e»t  faith-  df  one  of  th'em'. '  ButiC 
jiii>];ivt  rati  her  be  «nf|uiredi  whether  children  bornof  |>aveni|, 
«>i  v.'i)on^grie  s\jas,^..heatliei)i  ought  not tOr|38,^xciu<9eiiffr6iii 
l,!->,'.;  chvirrh  .w'it'li  the  unclean  or  heathen  .parent,  as  had  been 
determined  in^He'timfcof  Ezra?  To  this  the  apostle  ans\vci;s 
ivii  the  ne'^ativ*.  If  d  brother  ' have  a  iviJTe  \vho  belietieth  not^ 
117] d •'she  be  fiJflsfii  r&  (Szvell  with  .hivfiy  le-:  him  n'Qt  fiuP  her  htt*ap, 
iA\  d  so  gl  t|\e  itv,l|^>wKo.hfitl)  an  un^ciieyiiR^  h.u^baj)dv^^jPdr 
ihc itribiUrvih^- hu^handis^  «r . h'ath  be^n ^jictij'ie^ b.y 4 he  wfet ; 
■  o r  r  > t h e r ,  'j>d?icc{j^cjd ',  «>2^'or  id. ' the  -jvi/t'  j^^and'  t/ie ,  un.beli^vzng 
'  nvifi^haih  bhh  iikncf^Jiedm-  h^  to  rh'e  livMraM   The  luibeiiev- 
2!u;  iiSfjucUiaed  in-jrespedt  6f,iihd  i'n- telAUofi'^<firtUef  t]fe}i^vii^ 
pjity,   sd4h*t  ihc  latter  has^ a: iawf^l  use  and  'enj'o^-fnentxjf 
ihe  lormer  j'  for/as  the  ..aposile.,say3  elsewhere,.: 'o  ^/^<' /2?^rg 
c^l  tlsh:ii'i  are  jikre  s  ^dhxl  every  pteajure  of  God  icSgood.for 
ft  i.i.sci^icnJiM^tjy  k^hf^rhhT^'dofG^jdandjhmyer.-^Etse  were.-gour 
chUdrrn  unclean,     if  the^unbe.heving  partner -were  not  •?san- 
tiAeVl  to'lhe  vi^V'6?  live 'b'e^iever.  both; the  parents  must.bqx^- 
k'Cted  uom  tb'e  c'hurch,  the /former  as  a  'heathen :and.u;;i- 
"    Vlcari/the  lawer^is  crinTina'nJy.Jivuie  in  cohabitation  v\^y:h:a 
4K'^t!idi^,^^'^i*^''t{>eH\ht6''ot*i.:iia,  tTio*se  "^ho  refuseu'to  put 


p%?e^U. .  Accor{lin£>4}^  tliooApo^tle'to  tile  7f<f- 
dre  .)s,spe-aks  of  the  privileafes  of  the  coven  an  r ,  as 
be«no^  the  hirih-ri^hf  of  chrisf.an^i,  and  cant  ions 
thv-Jii,  th^t  they  do  riot  profanely  sell  f//ar  bnlh- 

«■'■<''  'J  r-"^   •'•■■■''■■'  . 

afvay  tl^e&tf^pgc  wives,  "whorrj^lhey  bad  llD]o^v^l■!!y  tal.en, 
w^Ve  to"*be  separated" from  die  congv-rgation.'  Coiiscv^uer.iiy 
^h^-chilfFpen  would  be  undean.  trccaUse  both' ilie  purenls 
■^qulii.ipb  ao«:  But  since  vUc  unbeliever  is  sanctified  in  re- 
lation to  the^.bcji.cvery  the^cHi}d'ren)are  /^o/j/,  and  so  to  be  ac- 
counied  TTftesniNei;?  of  tbe  church.  .;, 

'The*  nnf5et]ev.eV  is  liere  said  to  be  sanctified,^  not  in  relation 
to  God  but^only  in  relation  to  his.  or  h(^r  yoke*fcIib\V'.  Bui 
ibc.  childre.n:arvi.suid.  to  be  /w///.  in'to^pos'if.lon  tothe  nr^clcVTiy 
Di:  tOf4^t+Mi^w.  .;>yj  person's  beirtg" sane li lied  in  a  particular 
re^peptyOir  for  a  certain  purpose,^  as  the  lu^^^ijijiever  is  iiere 
^crh!'t6b6  snnclin*^d  only  in  velation,  to  tlic  fiMsbdndn  or  ib.o 
i^ifeit  does  not  denominate  h\\r\'ii' froly  onr^^  \viuc\i  is,  iri  scrip- 
lure,  the  appropriate  litkeof  those  wlio  beionp;  to  the  church. 
'Jl'herefore  though  chikh'en  are  members  of  ihe  cbuicii,  wa 
cTescended  froin,  anfjrwnder  the  ciu  e  and  government  of  a 
peiieving  parent,  yel*a  lieatheh  becomes'hot  a  rnem!)er  cfe' 
the  cikuVbh-W  M^rHlg*^  with  4  belieVer.^'  The  wordb  ofVi/c 
appA^ei.  .Q*n^cna>'it|.'ido*SU{lh  ideaLt*  Foif'he  ctiUa:  ch-i?<4reu 
holy  11^  opposition  to  the  unclean;  but  he  ^expreasiy  depjies 
and  liu|its  the  sense  .in-  whigh.t_I]e  unl>elitver  i^iS,r.nctine<». 
frvs  merely  in  respect  of,  and  in  relation  to  Wc  believir.g 
correlate.  '  . .  .  • 

The^ense.whiab'we  have'giyeh  of  the  phrase,  eancti/cd 
^l/i  ov^ fo^L/^e.£t>ifeyis  apf^iv>v.e<a  by  fiitical  expositors,  paiii- 
cuhvly^ by  'tVhif. by i   who  says,  it   is  the^sen^a  given  by  tlv; 

Greek  interfireters  ;  and  it  iscertatnly  a^rcs^able  to  il  '-• 
j5l^wide[fn  the  originu}.'^"  ^rhe  apostle  cannot  intend,  that  Xh'c 
unbelieH^i^fiji  convcrted'to  thefaiih  by  the  beHever  ;  for  thU 
;5a!ictif|catioTi  isspmething*  wliich  Was.  v-l ready  taken  place, 
\vh'.lc  the  subjec'  was  an  unbeliever.  Ttie conversion  of  the 
iinbeliever  by  the  influen'ce  of  the  bel1ev?ng  correlate,  (l^e 
apostle  afterward  mentions,  as  an  addi^jon^^I  reasdn  For  co- 
habitation ;  but  he  speaks  of  it  as  a  change  which  h'jficfijMy 
mniyi  0*01  as  Whit  already  has^  or  ce>  tairdy-^  fjJll  take  j)!  Jce. 

IV/im  kno%'Jmt  thou,   O  w/f,  sD/iecAcn  ihoii  &hdUaave  thy  hus^ 

band  P  And  hoy)  kno'ive&t  thou^  O  man,  %i>helliej-  ihouihail- m^e 

thy  %vi/c  ? 


Anr!  it  rs -^Vorthy  to  be  noled^  that  the  same 
titles,  by  wliicli  christians  are  distinguished  ironi^ 
hcatht^ns  are  expressly  applied  to  the  children  o^ 
converted  parents.  Are  christians  called  sainfsP 
So  are  their  chi]<h'en.*  Are  they  called  disciples  P 
So  are  their  chiMren.f  Do  they  belong  to  God's 
•kingdoro  ?  So  do  their  childreii.J  Are' they  ca]-^ 
\<)d  believers  ?  So  christian  fapiilies  which  wcf^ 
:^r.}>porte(l  l>y  a  conimon  stock,  in  which  irifants' 
neie  inchsded,  are  Q^\\t&  the  muUitude  of  them 
that  bt:licve.%  And  Christ  speaks  of  those  little 
ones  which  believG  in  hi7n.\\  Are  christians  called 
ihe  children  ofGod?:  .  So  are  the  infants  of  pro-* 
fessors.^[  They  that  belong  to  the  church  ard 
railed  ike  saved;  so  salvation  comes  to  the  hous^ 
of  the  believer.'! 4-  Who,  that  considers,  howithese 
titles  are  promiscuously  given  to  ^^^i// christion* 
and  ^';e/r  children,  can  doubt,  but  that  children 
are  brought  into  covenant  v*^ith  their  parents  ia 
the  gospel-time,  , as  they  used^tp.be,  befoj-e,  and 
consequently  are  subjects  of  baptism,  the  only 
initiating  seal  ?  ^*'* 

8.  I  shall  add  to  the  preceding  arguments,  one 
more  taken  from  I  Cor.  10.  2.  The  Apostle 
here,  speaking  of  the  Jeza  who  came  out  of 
Egypt,  says.  They  were  all  baptised  unto  Afoses 
hi  I  he  cloud  and  in  the  sea,  w,- 

That  this  passage  alludes  to  christian  baptism, 
our  brethren,  particularly  the  author  of -the  let- 
ters, allow.  The  Apostle  plainly  confiders  their 
bajjtism  into  Moses  as  typical  oiour  baptism  into 
Christ',  for  he  adds.  They  did  all  drink  of  the- 

*  1  Cor.  7.  14.         tAct.  15.   10.         \  Mark  10.  14. 

§  Act.  4.  32.   .  \\  Mat.  18.  6.  1  Ezek.  IS,  2K. 


1^7  ) 

Ba?}i€  spirifual  drink  ;  for  theij  drank  of  the  rock, 
which  folloxved  them,  and  that,  rock  h  Christ,  or  a 
type  of  Christ.  All  these  things  happened  to  than 
.for  examples,  or  types,  and  are  written  for  our 
admonition  The  Jewish  writers  say,  '  The  people 
were  baptised  in  the  desart,  and  admitted  into 
covenant  with  God  before  the  law  was  given/ 
Now  if  the  Apostle  has  any  respect  to  christian 
baptism,  as  it  is  plain  he  has,  here  is  an  undenia- 
ble proof  of  the  right  of  mfants  to  baptism.  For 
he  says,  Theij  all,  the  xvhole  congregation,  of 
which  infants  then  in  their  parents  arms  were  a 
great  part,  they^  all  were  baptised  into  Moses.  All 
were  under  the  cloud.  AW  passed  through  the  sea, 
•,&c,  H'.:'  repeats  the  nni versa!  term  all  because  it 
■is  emphatical  here.  Now  if  this  baptism  into 
Moses  was  a  type  and  written  ior  bur  admoni- 
tion, it  typically  admonishes  as,  that  we  alt  shonid 
be  baptised  into  Ch^ist5  not  believers  only ,  but 
their  c/n7^7v;i  also; 

As  the  whole  congregation  were  ba{)tised  and 
admitted  into  covenant  at  the  sea,  v»  hen  Moses 
'took  the  command  of  them^  so  this  covenant  was 
again  renewed  with  a//,  both  men,  women  and 
iittle  o?ieSy  just  before  h*^  left  them.  Dent.  ^^9'. 
10,  Ve  stand,  all  of  you  be/ore  the  Lord  your 
God,  your  EMers,  your  little  ones,  your  wives, 
that  thou  shoukUt  enter  into  covenant  ivith  tJii^ 
Lord,  that  he  may  establish  thee  for  a  people  un- 
to himself,  and  may  be  unto  thee  a  God,  as  he 
hath  sworn  to  thy  Father,  to  Abraham,  &c»  I'his 
x:ovenai«it  with  Abraham,  which  is  so  expressh^ 
j-enewed  with  iittle  r-r^^s,  is  defended  to  as  anrj 
sour  children. 


T  shall  now  brie%  reeapitoIat<^  rhe  ^rguiTienU 
that  have  been  oiFered,  .and  present  them  in  one- 
view.  ■  ..   ,  '..',-'•... 

The  covenant,  wjiich  Gml  rnatj^  mthJh7''al>am 
and   his^jS^edy  expressly    induded    infants ;  and 
the  sea  It,  hereof  .vvas,  by  God's  command,  apphed 
'lp  J/ie7n,.  W(^y  believing  G-tmtiks,  are  the  seed  /or 
w'rho.ji)v;4he  coven^^tr  ■w^tk:,Ji)7'aJfa/n  was  made^ 
and  ther.efore  c?/r  infants  a]s  Will  I  as  /a>,  areeatitled 
to  the  privileges  of  the. covenant,  and  subjects  of 
tiie.SGtd  of  it,  by  yirtne  oj'  tlte-.origjiml  grant  to 
Abraham^  in  r*s,  niiiGii  as  that /grant  jms  never 
jbeen  recaHed.  T^M^^  covenant  ^^  as  rerie\t  ed  at  the 
red  sea—2iVi{[  agaiuvin  the  plains  of  ,M,oah^.'Si\\6. 
still  4«fants  are  ejXpreshiy  jncludrd;r~-A!l  ^  along 
;un«e^r  t he  Old  l^estainent,   chiWren  are  compre- 
hended ;  with  parents  in  all  covenant-transactions 
jbetvveen  God  and  his  people,  and  th'etoketi  oithe 
covenaift^is.still  ^fjpli^i  to  tb'ejD.     The  Proplicts 
often  foretell,  thai  the  case  vAOuid  be  the  same  ia 
|E,he  gospel  time;:  that  jChfisjt -should  gather,  the 
Idintis  with  hji?  -^r«is — 4;liar  God  ,wouldi  potir  hri 
Spirit  upquihe  .off^p'-  m^-oi  h^sipeople,  vnjho  siTOtild' 
|bj^  .the  seed  of  thp.blcissed  pf.the  Loiti,  and  their 
q0r>V4^igncitl^tIifm:  ln%h^  Jeui-^hchu^'ch,  itv\-a)8 
,a  custom,,  kng  before  our>Sayii)ui:'s .appea? anc^, 
t.o  .vQCi^-iVQ  ■genUits  proselytes-  wuhjU^in-iCluUtrf  t^^ 
'^^  l^ifptjS4:a.,as-weU  as  Gircuq[u**ib'*oij.  -  Qirrst  also 
lij,tn^^U\took  mfant^s.  intQ  bis, arms  -and  blessed 
.t|ie4i^,'>am:l;  directed  that  they  shbuld  t^  brought 
.t:q  h;m,  ^bcieause  c^[  such  was  his  ktugdoni,  that 
kingdom,   into  which  persoifts  v/ere^to  be:afl'mit>» 
ted  bjV  being ;born  of  v^at.e/.'  Me  ordrred  his  Apos^- 
ties  to  receive  them  in  lii»  name,  aud  treat^thcm 
as  h.s  disciplesr     When  he  gave  the  baptismal 


(  '9  ) 

t'ommiss'on,  lie  ex]}re>S'r(l  it  in  such  universal 
terms  lis  nwwA  naiuially  iDilude  infiiDt-' :  And  the 
Apostles,  knowing  vvhat  had  betn  ihe  cons; ant 
usa f^e  concern ingit"ifi\nt>,  dfid  hu'ct  Ciirist  had  ever 
treated  them,  tnust  understah<]  iiie  eomniissiou  as 
extending  to  sucU  AceorUin^iy,  ^oon  alrer,  wh^n. 
thev  invited  the  convicted /t^zr^  ^o  bapnsin,  tlie^r 
placed  their  riglit  to  it  u^on  the  footr^'arprorpise 
Vihich  equally  belonged  to  Iheiii  and.  thefr, chil- 
dren.' Wii&iY'tlie\r^ba}j>tjse'd  the  jiead  ofanyi  fl'mi- 
ily  in  liis  own.  house,  they  baptised. Jns  f^uiily;  with 
hitH; '  THK' 'cbristshtU  tauglit^'ttatV^ 
with  Abraliam,    of  Avhicli  circumcisTm^  the 

-ie^aL'  is  tlie  saitie  Vi^hic'Fi  \ie  iile  now  under,  an(i 
ttiat  t!ie'b!esV;hVgsot  it  are  come  u^  bii  us  G entiles 
*— tiiat  the  Gentiles  are  grafted  into  the  tiame 
At<'ck,'  from  ^vilrich  the  /t'tt'y  \ver^  ' br9ken  off— 
tljat  chijdren  are  holy  byf  VJHue  of  t he iV  jii,! rents 
faith— timt  baptism  i.^  f he  ^iirtsf ian  icircunicijpion. 


ill 

li 

'of-  t^ie  Ahra  h  dm  it  CiH*e  vi'kwY,  Was  a  g  re  a  t^  p  r  i  v  dege  ^ 
hnt  the  goHpel-cli.-ipleil^cUioh  coiiters  greater,--— rr? 
Thet^  dlustr^fe  tire  gpspc^l-cdvenant. hy  an'cj.ent*^e^7 
amtjlc^  of  cBVenaiU-traiYsaC't»ons^  in  w  liich  inlayts 
were  included;  by  K\\h  ctLke'oV  IsujdCy^\\\io  y^^s 
i)orn  after  tife  nrciiyi/^e,  by  Spcih'^i  ant,  lu'wiiich 
Ills  Wliblc'fatniry  wt^i'fe  skved  i^n'c6risc(|iiencc  (>|"  /i/f 
fdit h',"tlie  I ikeYi^u re  \vhereimtb  t^vei i  I )arjf  isu)  now 
saves  US;  ^arid  by  the  biiptism  of  tfc. -^^^^ 
fere^^rt^rf^'iiiffihtsaffld  yi,  at  tSie  Red'«ea/uliicii 
\\'as  a  t vpeVaad  ^\^ritten foi* ;  ur  a<j!r>oni!  hjh'.'  \\  [jeq 
"\%'e  Consider  these-  things,    vve.triiiik'  the  evidence 


i  ^0  ) 

fc^bumlantly  clear,  that  the  iufaats  of  beiievers  are 
Entitled  to  baptism. 


DISCOURSE  IV. 


H 


AVING  laid  before  you  the  arguments  by 
wfiiuh  the  right  of  infants  to  baptism  is  vindicated, 
1  shrdl  now,  as  I  proposed, 

III.  Shew  you  the  rational  ends  and  moral 
uses  of  infant  baptism. 

li  baptism  be  a  divine  institution  for  the  infants 
of  believers,  it  ought  to  be  applied  to  them,  whe- 
ther we  can  see  the  uses  of  it  or  not:.  But  stijj 
it  may  give  us  some  satisfaction  to  understand 
what  good  ends  it  can  answer.  /^ 

¥/e  are  often  asked,  'What  good  can  baptism 
do  to  infants^*  It  miiiht  suffice  to  reply.  As 
much  good  as  circumcision  could  do  them  for- 
iiierl}  ;  or  as  much  as  the  public  presentation  of 
first-born  infants  to  God  could  do  thtm.  The 
iApostle  says.  The  protit  of  cirawicision,  (which 
Was  usually  adan in Mered  to  infants)  was  much 
every  way.  The  profit  of  injant  baptism  may 
be  as  much. — Particularly,       • 

1 .  It  IS  evident,  that  God  treats  infants  as  sin- 
ners for  Jda?n\s  transgression.  In  consequence 
of  /iis  apostacy,  they  suffer  a  sad  variety  of 
pams  and  diseases,  which  often  issue  in  early 
'death.  And  from  that  'bi^3  and  inclination  to 
fevi),  which  they  soon  discover,  there  is  reason,  to 
suppose  they  are  infected  with. some  mopl  disf 
brder,  which  needs  to  be  removed  in  order  to 


their  enlranee  4nto  the  world  of  glory.  By  one- 
man,  says  the  Apostle,  sin  entered  inio  thezvorld, 
€71  d  death  by  sin,  ci7ui  so  death  passes  upon  all 
men ^  for  that  all  have  sinned. — -By  one  mans 
•ffciice^  judgment  came  ifpon  all  to  condemnation, 
—In  Adam  all  die, — By  his  offence  many  are 
made  sinners  In  this  lariguage,  he  speaks  in  the 
6th  chap,  to  the  Romans^ 

.  Now  the  gospel  assures  us,  that  Christ  has  ob- 
tained redemption  iVotn  the  condemnation  of  sin, 
and  that  in  this  redemption,  all  who  believe,  are 
unfaihngly  interested.  But  we  see,  that  a  very 
great  part  of  the  human  race  are  cut  ofF  in  infan- 
cy, while  they  are  incapable  of  actual  faith.  What 
becomes  oUhemP  Is  any  prorision  ma<le  for  their 
r^alvation?  Or  must  they  perish  and  be  lo*t  for 
ever  ?  This  is  a  natural  enquiry.  Now  to  com- 
fort our  minds  concerning  such,  God  has  seen  fit 
to  assure  uSj  that  they  may  become  partakers  of 
redemption  by  Christ,  and  be  made  heirs  of  the 
kingdom  above,  notwithstanding  their  incapacrty 
for  an  actnal  comphance  with  tiiose  terms  which 
^re  proposed  to  the  adult.  And  to  confirm  our 
faith  and  hope  in  his  promise,  he  has  appointed, 
that  they  shall  be  received  with  their  beiieving 
parents  into  his  visible  kingdom,  the  church,  and 
have  the  seal  of  his  covenant  affixed  to  them. 

The  great  promise  of  the  covenant  is,  that  God 
will  be  a  God  to  believers  and  their  seed,  Hi  is 
promise  is  often  explained  in  scripture  to  import 
ihe  happiness  of  the  life  to  come.  And  God's  ap- 
pointing the  seal  of  his  promise  to  be  applied  lo 
our  infant  seed,  is  a  most  comfortable  gronnd  of 
our  faith  and  hope,  that  if  they  should  be  removed 
by  an  early  death,  they  will  be  traasplant'dd  intc; 


tJjAf  ,l!Kippj.  claGni5*.  vfhere-  trlifey  >vill  spring.  «p>  if* 
everlWuB^i^','.  life.* 


V     V 


The  children '"of  believing  paren-ts,  may  be  said  to  bft 

horn^'^^cGvcnanf^-dn  tirey  arc'borrl  "I'lnd^r  that  promise  of  the 

C«venaDt3,;\  fvxviU-  bf.   a- Xrod  uiito-i^hH  and  rhy  seed. '   A'QCor- 

Ui'v-i^-lri^Oed  cuUstH^)T>  ifiss'chiTjdi^^H,  fccvrii^lb  i*\fr,  .il'-oHhoser 

V'-hQ  cije  in|j|:iftv',icy  thi.a^pi^lfC J  Tpfjy;beju)y^r^i;!^t(>94  %^.W^^ 

prbrtinf^"  a"  'fesuin-'ection  tc?  eteinal  life.  As  th^.  AposUe  ar.i^-ue* 

concerning  tlie  patriurchs,   (Hob.  IV.)   so  we  m-n""' reason 

concerninj^  thfc^s«  ;  ^sinkjc  .trhey"en»oy  TK)-distii%uT3hinf^  fifvciir 

in  tliisworid,  there/ must  be  so.me  go.od  !itescrYc:i?fbr  them 

in   another   else   the  pcomisei^iils.      Th.fr(J^.>';t  G^  ^s^f[of: 

ks-hamrd  to  bc'calh'd    1  ti'eiV'Ciyd,*  ./or  hf  kath  jin<'pa*--efl  )J'or 

f^itm  a  -fik/       To  those  who  arrive* tb''m"oYa!ageiicy,  the  pro- 

xaifie  niviy  ijlipoJt,'  not  oiilyiihe-'eivJriyKV^ht?  m  tlie  xix'ternal 

ir>;:an^  of  <iJeiii^i^p,  but  ■the  atitendapt  inttntenoes  <jf  the.  divyne 

spiritj     The^  Apostle  tejis  ns^.thut  iviiiqng.the  many  advan-f 

tai^es  of  circumcision,,  this  is  01^9  of  the  ch^of,  i/iaf  to  th>cn\ 

ard  roMmit'l^d  thf?  w'aci('9   0^.^'idy     CRoi-rt.  3>r.)     And  God 

exp>re£siy  promises  to  Ji'iSOb  lais  setvant,  a>'id  to  Israel  vvlioni 

he  haSvPhoben,    /  will  pour  my  ^fhirii' on   t-hy  seed-,   aJiuytntj 

jhlsBsing  on  thine  offsifiring^  and  they  eball  tfiring ^iiji  c«  a77^p'AS 

(fie  _if'yfs8,'-(iTid  as^wilto'ivs'by  the    xbatrrcQurscs  {\s,k\  44,  o.j 

'Xheh'  i-7-it crest  in  tins- pronns^ras  the  clilldr'en  of  Gdcf'sifer- 

v:'Uts  is  one  .grrouiKl-^ofj their  adniissibn  to  baptiklii,  the  tolieii 

af  God's  f.dthfuincss,  i*tvd  of  their  kobiigcitioh  to  s^fM^hig^i'. 

But  then  it  is  by  baptism,  that  ther  i^re  declared  to.  be  witjiiii 

the  church,  and  entitled  to  the  vif<ibl^  privileges  of  it.  Pers.ons 

jnay  be  virtually  in  covenant  by  thir  own  or  their  parfntt 

fciith  ;  but  they  are  not  rmv/t/ and  fir'^jfss^dly  in  covenant, 

or  in  the  .chUrch,  till  they  haiv^e  p^ss^d  y^ncipr  the  appoiiite^ 

ceremony..   When  wc  speak  of* persons -b^inj^  admltitijiliuto 

the  church  of  baptism,  we  rnedn'hot;,'  tTiat 'this  conveys.tiie 

right  of  adoiiasioii ;   for  it  presupposes  tVie  ^right^  Wnxl^the 

qualification  or  reladof',   in  whicii  tlie!  right,  by  dlvine>  iwsli- 


tUtion  IS  tonnded:  but  that  it  declares  tiiejr^giit, 
introduces  to  -visiblr  privilcp;cs.'  God  says,  'The  uncnxuin- 
cised  m;m-child  shall  be  cut  off  from  among  his  people,  he 
hath  broken  my  covenant.'  He  was  preYiovsly-in  cove'nint, 
else  .he  could  not  be  said  tQ  bie^^i.  it  by  his  uj,>rirGumdiiicm- 
So  also  thd  unbaptis^ed  person  is  to  bc^cut  ptr,|ar-;e^cludc4 
from  the  privileges  of  the  chrisaah  church.' 


Oodvlft  Said  to  have  (?sta]>rish^(i'M<^  C'orenant 
with  ihecattleand  the  fowls,  when  he  engaged  no 
mpfeio'idiown  the  earth,  with  a  iiood  ;  and  as  a 
token,  of  this  covenaat,  he  apponited  hi^  bow  in 
tiie  cloud.     And  srireiy  he  m'a},   in  as  just   and 
jational  a  senst?,  ;^\stablish  the  covenant  of  grace 
with  iiifantJj,  ^nga:grng:  to  pour  his  spirit?  aVjd  b'es- 
.4ing  Uj.i0.u  them;   siad  appointing  the  s^;iT  of  this 
C«wenjant:tavtre  lifiixed   to  them,   in  token  of  his 
ifaithfulness  to  fulfil  his  gracious  promise. 
'jo^-^.  .The  parent,   by  dedscating  his  children  to 
Xi<^\  in  baptism,   solemnly  binds  himself  to  give 
;;4tieHi  a  r^hgioirs  arid  christian  -  education,  aiad  tb 
^use  his  influence,  that  tfiey  shall  keefi  the  way  of 
.the  Lord,  and  not  put  th(?tti8elves  but  of  that  co- 
.venant,  into  which  they  have  been  thus  vjsibly 
,  introduced.     Now  if  it  if  any  }  rivilege  for  chil- 
dren to  have  a  Teligious  education,    it  is  a  privi- 
U\ge  that  such  an  education  should  be  secftrrd  to 
•  thecn-;    anti  consequently  a  pnvdege  rh^V  the  pa- 
rent, by  this  public  transaction,  shuiild  covenant 
■  and    ni^figc^  to  bring  them  up  lu  theWrtiire  and 
admonition  of  the  Lord. 

It  mjay  be  asked,  perhaps^  Ho^v  a  parent  can 
t^povefi^iH  for  hiS  children  f  Bnt  the  answer  is  ob- 
^^^ioijs,  •  He  ran  >:avci>ant  'for  lihnsc^lf  to  discHarg:e 
such  and  «uch  (tuties  to  them,  a^id  can  io%aihV(l 
.-i^her'o  to  God,  itr  hope  of  the  d'ivme  bles:*invr  uppn 
'■■)^\^\  pji0as:iera:deavours  luUlhvs^  s?^ris^'hiHy  ev^ry 
religions  parent,  as  Joshua  did,  covenant- for  his 
ifho;Uc>^,  ds'J^^r  mcundmi/  ffetu^srive  will  serve  ike 

r  3*   As, the  parent,  .iVho  dedicate.^  his  ohil<)re6, 
.^.${iouhr consider  hiinielf  mHmd,  by  his  ow'n.art,  tro 

educate  tlieui  dei.igi.oiisl}  ;  so.  chfidren.thus  dedi- 


( «4 ) 

4?ated,  when  they  come  to  the  age  of  Felfccf »ob., 
should  realize,  that,   having  hern  given  to  Go(?, 
they  are  not  Ihei?^  owji,  but  his ;  and  are  bound  to 
live,   not  to  ihcmsdveSy  but  to  him  whose  tlicr 
are;  and  that  a  wicked,  irreligious  life  is  a  prac- 
tical renunciation   of  their  baptism,    and   disa- 
vowal of  their  relation  to  the  God  of  their  Fathers, 
If  the  Jexoish  parent,  by  circumcising  his  chil- 
«lren,  bound  them  to  own  and  serre  the  God  cii 
Israel. — If  the  vow  of  ASampson^s  parents  bound 
,kim  to  be  a  Nazarite  for  ever — If  Hanuah's  vow 
.t)ound  Samuel  to  attend  upon  God  in  the  sane- 
^tuary ;  as  well  may  the  act  of  the  chrisfia^i  parents 
iia  bringing  his  children   to   baptism,  bind  them 
to  serve  the  God  and  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ.     The  religious  parent  may  urge  hps  chil- 
dren to  a  godly  life  by  this  argument,  that  he  has 
given  them  to  God.     Thus  the  mother  of  king 
/.^f  7??;/^/ expostulates  with  him.*     TV  hat  my  scni  f 
And  xchat  the  son  of  my  womb  f    And  whaf  fhc 
.'Son  of  my  vows?     And  this  argument  will  have 
weight  with  children  of  an  ingenius  temper.  Thus 
the  Psalmist  reasons  with  himself,f     /  will  walk 
before  the  Lord,    I  will  call  on  his  name,    I  will 
pay  my  voxvs  in  the  presence  of  his  people.     O 
i  ordy  truly  J  am  thy  servant,  I  am  thy  servant ^ 

the  son  of  thy  handmaid. 1  pass  on, 

IV.  To  consider  the  practice  of  the  christian 
church  with  resj  ect  to  infants  nnmediately  after 
the  Apostolic  age. 

The  author  of  the  letters  says,  '  It  is  of  small 
importance  to  christians  to  knov.  what  the  many 
writers  upon  this  subject^  since  the  time  of  the 
Evangelistb  and  Apostles,  have  affirmed/     Biit 

*  Proy.  2  5.2.  tPsal.  n.  6. 


'(  «5  ) 

yet  to  know  \vi);it  they  Iiave  affirmed  concerning- 
the  mode  oi  baptism,  he  thinks  to  be  of  no  small 
importance. 

Ke  asserts,  noon  their  authority,  that  the  church 
for  l.JOO  years  practised />72/7z^r5'/y/; ;  though  indeed 
he  allows  that,  sjirinkHng  v/as  practised  too  in  ex- 
traordinary cases      Upon   the  same  authority  it 
may  be  asserted  that  the  'liurch,  k.v  many  hun- 
dreds of  years,  practised  infant  baptism  ;  and  not 
^single  f>ersonj  much  less  a  church,  can  be  produ- 
ced which  denied  the  Lm- fulness  of  it.     And  the 
practice  of  the  church  is  as  good  an  evidence  in 
favour  of  i>//''7;;/  l)(iptisvi,  7is\\.  \\^ouId  have  been  in 
favour  o{  immersiun  in  ease  that,  alone ^  had  been 
practised. — This  gentleman  himself  (perhaps  in- 
advertently) allows  the  early,  constant  universal 
practice  of  admittmg  infants  to  baptism.     For 
he  adopts  this  passa,2;e  from  Dr.  IVall,  *  /i// chris- 
tians in  the  world  who  never  owned  thePope^s  aa- 
thority,  do  now,  and  ever  did,  dip  their  infants  in 
the    ordinary  use.'     (Not  universally,    but  ordi- 
narilj)  dip  them.)     It" they  dipt  infants,  they  bap- 
tised\\\^xx\.  This  practice  is  of  much  more  weight 
to    prove  infanfs  are  the  subjects  than  to  prove 
dipping  is  the  /7Z£?^/r  of  baptism;  because  dipping- 
was  but  the  ordinanuse,  whereas  infant  baptism, 
for  ought  that  appears,  was  the  nrdversrd  practicc 
of  the ancierjt church, except  mc^s^sof prcsclytisvi , 
We  do  not  pretend  to  rest  the  proof  of  infants 
right  to  baptism  upon  the  practice  of  the  church, 
but  upon  th?  authority  of  scripture'     However  ii^ 
it  apiif  ars,  that  the  church,  soon  after  the  Apostles, 
did  admit  them,  and  there  is  no  account  of  any 
church  that  rejected  them,  or  any  person  who  de- 
nied the  lawfulness  of  the  practice,  or  pretended, 

u 


(  86  ) 

that  \t\v  as  aninjiovaiwrit  this  will  be  an  argument 
ofconsiderable  weighty  that  it  was  derived  from  the 
Apostles:  For  the  early  christians,  they  who  liv- 
ed in  the  ages  next  after  the  Apostles,  must  have 
known  what  tl/elr  practice  was  in  such  a  matter 
:is  this,  which  wasof  a  most  public  nature,  and  con- 
cerned the  very  being  of  the  church.  AVhatthe 
nsage  of  the  church  was,  in  the  earliest  times  after 
the  Apostles,  we  can  learn  only  from  the  ancient 
writers,  who  are  here  produced,  not  as  cxcnnples, 
but  only  as  historians,  or  witnesses  to  a  plain 
matter  of  fact. 

Justin  Martyr^  who  wrote  about  forty  years 
after  the  apostolic  age,  says,  'We  have  not  re- 
ceived the  carnal,  but  the  spiritual  circumcision 
by  baptism — And  it  is  enjoined  to  all  persons  to 
to  receive  it  in  the  same  way/  Here  he  plainly 
considers  baptiim  as  succeeding  in  the  place 
of  circnmcision,  and  consequently  as  being  de- 
sij^Aed  for  infants  as  tliat  was:  which  opinion  lie 
could  not  easily  have  fallen  into,  if  the  Apostles 
had  universally,  both  in  doctrine  and  practice  re- 
jected infants.  In  one  of  his  apologies  for  the 
christians,  he  says,  'Several  persons  among  us, 
of  sixty  and  seventy  years  old,  who  xrere  made 
disciples  (v  Christ  from  (heir  childhood,  do  con- 
tinue urscorrupt.'  Aladc  disciples^  He  uses  the 
same  word  wliioh  is  used  in  the  commission; 
Disciple  all  nations  baptising  them.  U^  they 
were  made  disciples, they  vvere  doubtless  baptised. 

Irenreus,  wiio  wrote  about  s-ixty-seven  years 
after  the  Apostles,  and  was  born  it  ts'sair-,  before 
the  death  of  St.  Joh?!,  nnd  was  acquainted  with 
Fclycarp,  who  was  Johns  disciple,  5^ays  concern- 
h.i^-  Christ,  '  He  came  to  save  all  persons  who  by 


C87  ] 

him  are  regenerated  (i,  e.  baptised)  unto  God, 
infcints,  little  ones,  youths  and  elderly  persons/ 
Tliat  Irenmus  used  tiie  word  regenerated  to  sig- 
nify baptised^  is  plain  from  his  own  words,  \vlit?ie 
he  says,  *  When  Christ  gave  his  disciples  the 
command  oi regenerating  unto  God,  he  said,  Gq 
and  teach  all  nations,  baptising  them,  &c.' 

TertuHiaji,  who  flourished  about  100  years  af- 
ter the  Apostles,  gives  a  plain  testimony,  that  the 
churcii  admitted  infants  to  baptism  in  his  time* 
It  is  true  he  advises  to  delay  their  baptism  ;  not 
because  it  was  ?/;;/(7rr////,  for  he  allows  it  in  c.ises  of 
necessity?  not  merely  upon  the  foot  of  their  in/an 
Cj/,  for  he  advises  also,  that  unmarried  \)ersons  be 
kept  from  this  ordinance^  until  they  either  mar- 
ry or  are  confirmed  in  continence ;  but  because 
the  Sponsors  were  often  brought  into  a  snare  ; 
and  because,  he  imagined,  sins  committed  after 
baptism  were  next  to   unpardonable.     But  his 
advising  to  delay  it,  supposes  it,  to   have  been 
the  practice;  for  otherwise  there  would  have  been 
no  room  for  the  advice.    He  does  not  speak  of  it 
as  an  innovation,  which  certainly  he  would  have 
done,  had   it  begun  to  be  practised  in  his  time. 
Mis  words  rather  imply  the  contrary.    His  speak- 
ing of  Sponsors,    who  et%gaged  for  the  education 
of  tlie   infants  that    were  baptised,    shews  that 
there  had  been  such  a  custom.      And  his  asking, 
Why  that  innocent  age  made  such  haste  to  bap- 
tism, supposes  that  infants  had  usually  been  bap- 
tised,   soon  afier  their  birth.     So  that  he  fully 
enough  witnesses  to  the  fact^  that  it  had  been 
the  practice  of  the  church  to  baptise  infi.a)ts.  And 
his  advice,  to  delay  their  b^-plism  till  they  were 
grown  up  and  married,  was  one  of  tlioseodd  and 


(■88  ) 


.  .ai,iaar  no'-ons,  for  whicli  this  father  was  very 
reaiarkable. 

Orige?i,  who  was  contemporary  with  Tei'ltdU- 
.•/;,  csprcssly  declares  infant  baptism  to  have  been 
ine  constant  usage  of  the  church  from  the  Apos- 
•fes.  Vie  says,  *  The  baptism  of  the  chnrcli  is 
';iven  lov  the  fon^nveness  ofsins  :  But.  wjjy  are  in- 
iaiits,  bjj  the  nsjg^c  of  (he  church,  Ijaptised,  if 
I  here  h-  nothing  in  them4hat  needs  forgiveness  ?' 

Fartlier  he  says,  'Infants  are  l^aptised  for  the 
remission  of  sins  ;  for  none  is  free  irom  pollution, 
*  Ijongii  his  hfe  b'-  init  the  lengtii  of  one  day  upon 
i'arth.  And  it  is  for  that  reason,  l)ecause  by 
';>aptisai  the  pollution  of  onr  birth  is  taken  away, 
liiat  i?ifiinfs  are  baptised,' 

Again  he  observes^,  «  T[}e  cluirch  had  from  the 
\postIes  an  order  to  give  baptism  to  infants;  for 
ihey,  to  whom  the  divine  mysteries  were  com- 
initted,  knew  that  there  was  in  all  persons  the 
natural  pollution  of  sin,  which  must  be  done 
away  by  water  and  the  Spirit/ 

Kow  as  Origen,  in  these  passages,  argues  from 
infant  baptism  to  prove  original  sm,  we  may 
<^oneliide,  it  was  an  uncontroverted  usage  of  tlie 
rhurch;  for  -otherwise  he  could  not,  with  propri- 
et}',  have  used  it  as  an  argument  to  establish 
another  point, 

Cyprian^  who  wrote  about  150  years  after  the 
Apostles,  gives  a  fuller  testimony  to  this  fact.  \n 
this  time  a  question  was  started  by  one  Fidiis, 
(not  whether  infants  might  be  baptised,  but) 
whether  baptism  ought  not  to  be  gi^^en  them  on 
the  cightii  day,  according  to  the  law  of  circum- 
cision ?  This  qnestion  was  proposed  to  a  council 
of  sixty-six  Bishops  convened  at  Carlhagey  who 


(  89  ) 

unjiiiimoiisly  resolved,  that  the  baptism  of  infants 
out  not  to  be  deferred  to  the  eighth  day,  but 
mii^dit  be  given  to  them  at  any  time  before.  And 
a  large  Jet  ten  to  this  purpose,  containing  the 
reasons  of  the  resolve,  was  written  and  designed 
by  Cyprian^  in  the  name  of  the  council. 

Now  in  this  assembly  of  ministers,  doubtless 
there  were  some  sixty  or  seventy  years  old,  who 
could  remember  within  less  than  TOO  years  of  the 
Apostles.  And  therefore,  if  infant-baptism  had 
been  a  usage  lately  introduced,  some  or  all  of 
them  must  have  known  it. — And  if  so,  it  is  very 
strannre  that  not  one  of  them  intimated  anv  scru- 

O  4. 

pie  aboul;  it.  Whether  infants  should  be  baptised, 
seems  not  to  have  been  at  all  a  question,  but  only 
whether  their  baptism  needed  to  be  deferred  to 
the  eighth  day,  whirh,  without  hesitancy,  ^was 
determined  in  the  negative. 

A  little  more  than  100  vears  after  \h\s  tini', 
Gregory  Nazian:zen  taught,  '  that  infar.ts  shouM 
be  baptised  to  consecrate  them  to  Christ  in  theii 
infancy/  Ambrose,  'that  the  baptism  of  infuiit- 
had  been  the  practice  of  the  Apostles  and  of  thf 
church  till  that  time/  Crysostcm,  '  \h:A\.  baptis};^ 
had  no  determinate  time,  as  circumcision  had, 
but  one  in  the  beginning  of  life,  or  one  in  the 
middle  of  it,  or  one  in  old  age  miglU  receive  it.' 

But  not  to  multiply  citations;  I  shull  add  but 
one  more,  Austin,  about  500  years  after  the 
Apostles,  had  a  controversy  with  Pf/^'i^'itv/;  about 
original  sin;  and  to  prove  it,  he  frequently  urge^ 
infant  baptism,  demaneing  ^Why  infants  are  bap» 
tised  for  the  remission  cfsms,  if  they  have  none  r 
Pelagius  though  greatly  puzzled  wiili  the  ar- 
gument, yet  never  preienls,  that  inllral  baptism 

H  2 


{  90  ) 

was  an  unscriptiiral  innovatio7iy  or  a  pa7^tial\isage 
m  the  church  5  which,  had  it  been  true,  a  man  of 
his  very  extensive  acquaintance  with  the  world, 
must  have  known,  and  had  he  known  it,  he  doubt- 
less would  have  said  it,  wlien  he  found  himself  em- 
barrassed with  the  argument.     But  far  from  inti- 
jiiating  any  such  thing,  when  some  charged  upon 
hiui  the  denial  of  infant  baptism,  as  a  consequence 
of  his  opinion,  he  disavows  the  consequence  and 
complains,   that  he  had  been  slandevQusly  repre^ 
sen  led  as  denying  baptism  to  infants.    He  asks, 
'  Who  can  be  so  impious  as  to  hinder  infants  from 
being  baptised  and  born  again  inCiiristr'  And  cit- 
ing those  words.  Except  one  be  born  of  xoater  and 
Ihe  spirity  he  cannot  enter  into  the  kingdom  of 
God,  he  says,  '  Who  can  be  so  impious  as  to  re- 
fuse to  an  infant,  of  whatever  age,  the  common 
redemption  of  mankind?*    And  many  other  ex- 
pressions he  uses,   which  plainly  suppose,    that 
infant  baptism  had  been  practised  universally,  and 
lime  out  of  mind. 

And  from  this  time  till  the  year  152^3,  (as  Dr, 
JVatl,  upon  a  most  careful  enquiry,  assures  us) 
there  is  not  so  much  as  a  man  to  be  found,  who 
has  spoken  against,  or  even  pleaded  for  the  delay 
of  the  baptism  of  infants,  except  a  small  number 
in  France,  in  the  tv^elfth  centur}^,  who  denied  the 
possibility  of  their  salvation,  and  consequently 
their  right  to  baptism.  But  this  sect  soon  disap- 
peared. 

Now  if  all  the  first  churches  were  every  where 
established  by  the  Apostles,  upon  the  plan  only 
of  adult  ba])tism,  and  children  were  every  where 
left  unbaptised,  how  could  infant- baptism  begin 
soeaily,  und  spread  so  extensively  as  it  seems  Xo 


Tiavc  doner  How  could  such  a  speedy  and  tola! 
alteration  take  place  in  a  matter  of  such  public 
notice  and  great  importance,  and  yet  no  noise 
be  made  about  it;  no  opposition  raised  against 
it?  Such  a  thing  would  be  absurd  to  imagine. 
The  early  and  universal  usage  of  the  church  is 
then  an  argument  of  very  considerable  weight, 
that  infant  baptism  was  an  Apostolic  practice. 

To   invalidate   this    argument    our    brethren 
allege,  that  many  corru[)tions  were  early  admit- 
ted into  the  christian  church  under  pretence  of 
Apostolic  traditions,    and  prevailed  without  op- 
position; such  as  Infants  Cumnuuiion,  Exorcism^ 
Trine- Immersion,    Unction  ^  after  baptism^    &c. 
But  supposing  these  had  prevailed   as  early  and 
universally  as  we  find    infant  baptism  to   have 
done  (which  truly  was  not  the  case)  yet  there  is 
this  mighty  difierence,      Tliesc  were  but  circum- 
stantial errors,   which  did  not  destroy  the  being 
of  the  church,  or  nullify  men^s  Christianity,   and 
therefore   it  is  no  wonder  that  we  have  no  ac- 
count of  any  warm  controversy  about  them.  But 
infant  baptism,  in  the  opinion  of  our  brethren, 
does,  so  far  as  it  prevails,  unchurch  the  church  of 
Christ :   For  they  look  upon  those,  who  have  re. 
,xeived  no  other  baptism,  as  being  unbaptised,  and 
«i| unfit  for  christian  communion.     Now  if  the  first 
christians  had  viewed  it  in  this  light,  would  they 
have  sat  silent,  when  they  saw  it  get  footing,  and 
prevail  ?    Would  not  some,  alarmed  at  the  dan- 
gerous innovation,    have  borne  their  testimony 
ao-ainst  it?    Would   there  not  have  been    some 
churches,    which  preserved  the  >  imitive  usage, 
and  renounced  communion  w;th  such  as  had  so 
essentially  departed  from  it?    The  difTereiu  sects 


^  m 


of,  christians  were  often  inflamed  against  each 
other  by  smaller  differences.  It  is  tiierefore  ut- 
terly unaccountable,  that  there  should  be  no  dis- 
pute, when  this  supposed /w«c/j/77f7wr^/  innovation 
was  introduced,  nor  the  least  remains  of  any 
controversy  about  it,  until  within  these  two  or 
three  centuries. 

There  were  indeed  some  great  corruptions  in- 
troduced into  the  church,  which  in  time  consider- 
ably prevailed,  such  as  Image-worsliip,  Transub- 
staniiafinu,  &c.  But  these  never  prevaded  so 
unher.uilly,  so  earlijy  nor  so  without  opposifion, 
a*  we  have  seen  infant  baptism  must  have  done. 
A  great  part  of  the  christian  ciiurch  has  always 
rejected  them  and  protested  against  them.  iMany 
Synods  and  Councils  have  publicly  condemned 
them.  And  m  the  times  when,  and  places  where 
they  most  prevailed,  it  was  by  the  protection  and 
support  of  civil  and  military  j)ower;  which  can- 
not be  pretended  in  the  case  of  mfant  baptism. 

It  is  time  that  we  draw  to  a  conclusion.  I 
have  only  to  lay  before  yon  a  few  deductions 
from  what  has  been  offered. 

It  has,  I  think,  been  proved,  that  our  baptism 
is  one  with  that  of  our  brethren^  andthat  we  have 
neither  changed  the  baptism  instituted  by  Christ 
into  another  rife,  nor  introduced  a  7iew  set  of 
subjects.     And  therefore, 

1.  I  beg  leave  seriously  to  enquire.  Whether 
our  brethren  have  any  just  occwsion  to  withdraw 
themselves  from  our  communion  ?  Surely  the 
candid  among  them  will  acknowledge,  that,  our 
opinion  is  nc  ,  ^o  wholly  without  foundation,  but 
that  it  may  consi<it  with  an  honest  and  good  heart. 
And  can  it  be  for  the  interest  of  Christianity, 


(  93  ) 

whicl;  v>'C  on  both  sides  profess  to  reo-ard,  tl.at  v\e 
should  renounce  fellowship  with  eaeh  other  on 
account  of  tliis  diiFercnce  ?  We  are  \n!ling  they 
should  commune  with  us,  and  yet  enjoy  the  Ifb- 
erty  of  acting  agreeable  to  their  own  principles. 

Though  we  wish  they  might  think  with  us,  yet 
we  would  bv  no  means  conttrain  them  to  brinej 
their  infants  to  baptism  contrary  to  their  con- 
sciences. And,  I  apprehend,  few  ministers  would 
.scruple  to  administer  baptism  by  immersion  to 
any  suitably  qualified,  who  choose  to  receive  it. 
For  though  they  think  aiTusion  warranted  by 
scripture,  yet  they  are  far  from  denying  the  va- 
lidity of  immersion.  Since  therefore  our  breth- 
ren may  enjoy  their  own  principles  with  us,  what 
occasion  can  they  have  to  separate  from  us  ? 

Perhaps  some  will  say.  We  cannot  commune 
with  you,  because,  in  our  opinion,  you  are  un- 
baptised  ;  nor  can  we  receive  baptism  from  your 
ministers,  because  thty  have  received  no  other 
than  infant  baptism,  whith  is  a  nulhty  :  And 
since  they  have  not  been  regularly  baptised  them- 
selves, they  cannot  administer  valid  baptism  to 
others. 

It  were  to  be  wished,  that  persons  of  such  nar- 
row .sentiments  would  realize  the  consequence. 
Infant  baptism  was  undoubtedly  the  universal 
practice  of  the  christian  church  for  many  liund- 
reds  of  years  together.  History  does  not  inform 
us,  when  it  tlrst  began  to  be  practised  ;  but  we 
have  particu'ar  accounts  when  it  was  first  op- 
posed. And  if  it  be  a  nullity,  there  is  not, 
nor  can  be  again,  any  regular  baptism  in  the 
world ;  for  tliere  is  not  the  least  ground  to  pre- 
tend to  a  ,succc?>'ion  of  adult  baptism.     If  wr 


(  94  ) 

trace  adult  baptisms  back,  we  must  come  to  the 
time  when  they  were  administered  by  those  who 
were  baptised  in  infancy,  and  who,  upon  the 
principles  above  mentioned,  could  not  administer 
valid  baptism.  Our  brethren  therefore,  by  nul- 
lifying 0U7'  baptism,  nullify  tlicii^  ozvn  ;  and  by 
unchurching  us,  unchurch  themselves.  Yea,  up- 
on these  principle-s,  there  were  no  authorised 
ministers,  nor  rugular  churches,  noi-  baptised 
christians,  Tor  many  centuries  together,  nor  are 
there  now,  nor  ever  will  be  again,  without  a  new 
commission  from  heaven.  Hovv  then  has  Christ 
fulfilled  his  promises,  that  he  will  be  with  his 
ministers  always  to  the  end  of  the  world,  and  that 
the  gates  of  hell  shall  not  prevriil  against  his 
church  }  We  may  rest  assured,  that  these  prom- 
ises have  not  been  forgotten,  and  consequently, 
that  baptism  did  not  cease,  nor  the  church  fuii, 
when  infant  baptism  became  so  much  the  gene- 
ral practice,  that  a  succession  of  adult  baptisms 
was  no  where  preserved.  Our  brethren  then 
must  allow,  that  baptism,  as  administered  in  our 
churches,  is  valid,  and  consequeully,  that  the 
above  mentioned  plea,  for  declining  communion 
with  us,  is  of  no  weigiit. 

And  indeed  many  among  them,  tlioiigb  they 
think  infant  baptism,  especially  when  performed 
by  sprinkling,  not  regular,  yet  do  so  iar  allow 
.the  validity  of  it,  that  they  scruple  not  io  hold 
communion  with  us.  Some  baptist  cliurches  in 
England  are  founded  on  this  catholic  plan,  the 
church  of  which  the  late  celebrated  Dr,  Foster 
was  minister,  received  to  her  communion  ^\xvh  as 
weve  baptised  in  infancy,  Vvithout  requiring  ihem 
tp  be  re  baptised.   The  famous  Mr.  Whis-lon^  vt^-s 


?  9-3  ) 

admiitefl  to  the  communion  of  this  church,  after 
leaving  the  church  of  England^  without  rebapti- 
zation,  wiiich  he  never  would  submit  to;  for 
though  he  pronounced  baptism  in  infancy^  and 
b}?-  sprinkling  to  be  wrong,  yet  he  declared  it  to 
be  *  so  far  real  baptism,  that  it  ought  not  to  be 
repeated.'*  Were  our  brethren  ell  (as  indeed 
viami  of  them  are)  of  the  same  generous  senti- 
ments, we  should  hardly  need  to  be  knowaas 
diiTcrent  sects;  to  be  sure  there  would  be  no  oc- 
casion for  dividing  communions  upon  our  dilYer- 
ent  opinions. 

Vv'idi  those  of  less  generous  sentiments,  I  beg 
leave  seriously  to  expostulate.  That  you  have 
the  same  right  as  w^e  have,  to  judge  what  are  the 
divine  institutions,  and  to  practise  accordingly, 
none  will  deny.  But  to  differ  in  sentiment  and 
practice,  is  one  thing;  to  renounce  communion 
on  account  of  this  difference  is  another.  To  jus- 
tify this  step,  it  is  not  sufficient  to  prove,  that  jou 
may  be  in  the  right :  It  is  necessary  to  prove  that 
we  must  be  fundamentaUy  in  the  wrong.  You 
suppose  us  to  be  in  an  error.  But  is  this  error,  in 
in  your  opinion  so  manifest  and  so  gross,  that 
none  who  embrace  it  can  be  honest  ciiristians  r — 
Can  you  demonstrate  that  the  seal  of  the  coven- 
ant of  grace  was  never  appointed  for  the  children 
of  believers  ;  or,  if  such  an  appomtment  was  once 
made,  it  has  since  been  revoked  ?  that  baptism 
always  signifies  immersion^  and  that  this  mode 
was  invariably  pursued  by  the  Apostles  ?  That 
the  age  and  manner  of  admission  into  the  church, 
in  nse  ani<Mig  you,  is  so  essential,  that  the  least 
deviaiion  nuiiifies  our  Christianity?  Will  you  pre^ 
*  Clark's  Defence,  page  34.  • 


C  lit)  ) 

tend,  that  there  are  no  real  chri^lians  in  our 
churches  ?  Th.at  the  word  and  ordinances  ad- 
min istv^^red  m  tliem,  have  never  been  blessed  to 
men's  conversation  and  salvation?  That  there  was  ' 
nothing  of  the  power  v;f  godhness,  in  and  after  the 
time  of  reformation?  No  true  rehgion  among 
our  fathers, and  in  thecluirches  founded  by  them? 
That  there  have  been  no  revivals  of  piety  ui  these 
churches  since  they  were  planted  ?  That  God  has 
TiQwev  o  vued  them  by  providential  protections,  or 
by  the  effusion  of  his  s]/irit  ?  Has  their  never  been 
iiwy  real  godliness,  but  what  was  confined  to  your 
denomination;  and  noncat  alluithat  long  period, 
when  your  e-eet  did  not  exist  ?  These  thmgs,  1 
know  you  will  not  pretend*  Nay,  I  will  enqiiire 
farther  ;  do  not  manj  of  you  date  vour  own  con- 
version at  a  time  when  you  were  m  sentiment  and 
in  communion  with  our  churches  ?  Did  not  God 
bestow  this  great  mercy  upon  you,  while  you  at- 
tended on  the  ministration  of  his  word  and  ordi- 
nances among  us?  This  I  know,  some  of  y>  u 
profess.  You  believe  then,  that  God  has  owned, 
and  still  owns  these  as  his  churches  ;  and  will  you 
disown  them  ?  Will  von  reject  that  which  God 
receives?  If  you  think  it  most  convenient  to  wor- 
ship and  commune  urdmardy  with  tiiose  of  \our 
own. sentiments  ;  yet  why  need  you  renounce  fel- 
lowship with  us?  are  you  domgGod  service,  when 
vou  cause  divi>ion»  and  offences  in  his  churches, 
contrary  to  the  doctrme  of  peace  and  unity,  that 
we  have  received  ?  Let  us  not  my  brethren,  rend 
the  body  of  Christ  by  our  divisions;  but  v  ith  uni- 
ted zeal  build  up  hiskmgdom  in  the  world 

3.  The  precceding  disconrFe  teaches  us  the  un- 
warrnntabieoess  of  rebapti?ation.  It  is  agreed  oa 


feotb$i(le;thatbaptIsniisnottoberepeatecl  If'theu 
©ur  baptism  is  valid,  a  repetition  of  it  is  contrary  to 
tlic  will  oi"  God.  In  the  baptism  of  an  infant  there 
ib^  the  application  of  water  in  the  name  of  the  Tri- 
nity, as  well  as  in  the  baptism  of  an  adult.  If 
this  baptism  be  not  valid,  it  is  ojihj  because  the 
subject  had  not  faith,  and  did  not  actually  consent 
to  the  baptismal  obligations.  Now  if  the  baptism 
of  an  infant  is  a  nullity  for  want  of  these  qualifi-. 
cations,  the  want  of  them  will  equally  nuiiify  an 
adult  baptism';  but  yet,  I  presume,  none  of  our 
bretiiren  will  carry  the  matter  to  this  length.  Let 
us  put  a  case  (and  such  a  one  as  doubtless  some- 
times happens.)  An  adult  pcison  makes  a  pro- 
fession of  fliith  and  obedience*  and  is  baptibed.  It 
soon  appears  from  the  wiyikedness  f)f  his  life  and 
the  corruptness  of  his  priiiciples,  that  he  had  no 
faith  in  any  rational  sense,  and  never  consented  to 
the  baptismal  obligations,  but  was  influenced  only 
b)  cainal  vicv\ s.  The  man  afrerw ard  come  to 
repentance,  confesses  his  hy  poor  is}  in  this  afiuir, 
and  owns  he  had  no  religious  views  in  the  whole 
transaction,  lie  now  gives,  sati-^factory  procifs, 
that  he  has  become  a  real  penitent  and  believer. 
Ought  this  pefbon  to  be  re-bapti^cd  ?  Ever\  one 
wili  say.  No;  because  he  hiis  been  hapiised,  and 
bis  baptism  Yvili  save  him,  afe>  he  hns  now  the  an- 
swer {  f  a  good  conscici^ce  tov>ard  G^  d  Wlien 
Simon  "the  sorcerer,  who  had  been  baptised  by 
Philip^  discovered  the  vile  hypocrisy  of  his  heart, 
Peter  directs  him  to  repent,  that  his  sin  might  be 
foigiven  ;  but  says  nothing  of  his  being  baf)tiaed 
again  :  Wne  ea5>  he  says  t.>  the  unbapiised  Jrus^ 
Hrpt-nt,  and  be  baptised  Jor  the  7rmis>io?i  of  sins, 
B^it  there  i>  just  the  ^anle  reav,;n,  v^.  hv  tlti  /n/po- 
crlCe  tihould  be  baptised  again   upon  his  repent- 


(  ^8  ) 

"snce,  as  why  the  infant  should  ;  because  he  n© 
more  hid  f  fith  before  baptism,  and  no  mere  con- 
sented to  any  religious  obligation,,  when  he  was 
bapti.vcd,  than  an  infant.  If  a  profession  of  rc« 
pcntance  is  all  that  is  necessary  to  our  receiving 
this  Ixipiised  hypocrite,  a  profession  of  faith  and 
obedience,  at  adult  age,  is  all  that  is  necessary  to 
our  jccc  iv-ng  one  ba]);:scd  in  childhood.  So  that 
rc-h;^viisa<ion  is  unwarrantable  and  sinful  even 
v\:ov\  'Ji,c  I'rinciples  of  our  brethren  themselves  ; 
and  much  more  upon  supposition  of  infants  right 
to  baptism,  which,  I  think,  has  been  abundantly 
j)roved.     Further, 

3.  I]  c'li'dren  aire  the  proper  sulDjects  of  bap- 
li;-m,  tlicn  it  is  the  indispensible  duty  of  parents  to 
present  t-scm  to  God  irt  tliis  ordinance,  and  there 
iiiust  he  an  inexcusable  neglect  in  those  parents, 
vJu>.  ''-.or oh  convinced  of  their  childrens  right  to 
I  y  to  procure  it  for  them. 

^J  -me  ^  ill  say  perhaps,  '  Though  we  dispute 
rot  tJieir  ri^ht  to  it,  yet  it  appears  to  us  to  be  a 
n;  iucr  of  very  little  consequence.' 

But  certainly  it  is  a  matter  of  4' re^//  consequence, 
thn<  V(  u  comply  with  a  divine  iiistitution.  He 
1  ks  tlie  least  comuiand  shall  be  called  least 


dgm  of  heaven 


P'-ri'L.ps  vou  will  say,  '  We  can't  suppose  the 
^  our  chiidrtn  at  all  depends  upon  their 
.  .  >.;,  ;-,.ice  it  i^  a  thini^  out  of  their'  powder. 
r  :  k  ^o  :  Yet  if  ii  U  a  duty  incumbent  on  you  to 
briui^  theni  to  baptibui,- j/O?/?*  happiness  may  de- 
pend'on  }  cur  eopipliancc  with  this  as  well  as  any 
o:hci'  diiiv  But  \\o\-  are  \  ou  sure  that  their  wcl- 
il  e  no  vv.iv  depends*upon  it  f  Tlieir  welfare  much 
tU  pi :j;ds  on  their  Ixing  religiously  educated — iheir 
ecfucatioa  uiil  chiefly  lie  widi  you — b)  tlicir  bap- 


(  99  > 

tism  you  engage  to  /give  them  a  religious  educa- 
tion— and  if  your  bringing  yourselves  under  pub- 
lic solemn  obligations,  will  be  any  motive  with 
you  to  educate  them  religiously,  then  tlRir  ^vel- 
fare,  in  some  degree,  depends  on  their  baptism. 
Yon  will  say,  '  You  can  do  your  duty  as  well 
without  such  a  prorriise  as  with  it.'  With  ecjnal 
reason  miglit  you  say,  you  can  live  a  religious  life 
without  ever  making  a  profession  of  religion,  as 
well  as  if  you  did.  But  God  has  required  y  »u  to 
make  a  profession,  because  this  will  be  a  proper 
motive  and  inducement  to  you  to  live  a  religious 
life;  it  is  a  suitable  means  of  strengthening  your 
obligations  and  keeping  them  in  your  r-mem- 
brance.  And  your  dedicating  your  chi'dreii  to 
God  in  baptism  is  founded  on  the  same  reason. 
It  is  a  promise  which  you  take  on  yourselves,  and 
a  means  of  remi-nding  you  of  your  obligations,  t  * 
educate  them  religiously.  And  this  will  be  an  ar- 
gument, which  you  may  use  to  good  acvamag,' 
in  your  addresses,  to  them. 

With  respect  to  unbuptised  infants,  we  ;nay  be 
assured,  God  will  do  them  no  wrong.      Hut  if  he 
has  made  their  baptism  a  conditiun  of  tlie  besto.v^ 
ment  of  some  undeserved  i^ivours,  who   cm  say, 
this  is  unjust?  It  would  be  presumpti-jii  id  assert, 
that  all  who  die  unbaptised  are  lost.      G  jU's  t-jri- 
*der  m.ercies  are  overall  his  works.      Bu;  the  />;v^ 
mise  is   to  believers,   and  //?£-//•  children.      A-. 
t.liould  we  suppose,  that  tiie  baptised  inunts  of  be- 
lievers, have  some  advantages  above  other  infant . 
in  another  state,  this  could  not  be  called  absurd  : 
For  it  is  certainly  a  part  of  the  scheme  of  God' > 
moral  government,  that  some  should  be  benefi-ul 
by  the  piety  of  others.      All  intercessi  mi  is  f'>un. 
-d4n  this  principle.     You   doubtless  somciim^:. 


pro,'  fV  T-  ynnr  inf'nt  children.  If  y#n  ^re  tTicm% 
*!-  f  (Icani,  \.>u   pri'3j  not   only    that   thtiit 

Ihc:.  ruj)'  l)e  spared,  biit  also  that  their  so!}J€ 
mifltt  be-  >u\  ed.  But  u  hy  do  you  pray  fl)r  thtmi, 
II  Y  ■'   ^- '--r    ;;  *:^:'  .  -■    eth-'und  tf)  them  fi'ora 

your  iciiiiicUid  pitiv  r^  liow  df^en  did  Christ  txer^ 
else  his  healifig  meri.y  ^^;uard  thf"  bick  oii  uccount 
of  the  faith  of  otheis?  How  (  ftcn  did  he  grent 
^iires  to  ciiildren  upon  the  earnt-bt  petitions  of 
ihf  Ir  parents  ?  It  would  then  be  extremely  rash  to 
conclude,  your  inflmts  cannot  be  benefitted  bj 
your  dedicating  them  to  God.  Those  believers, 
who  brought  inlants  to  our  Saviou'',  that  he  should* 
bless  them  and  pray  for  them,  entejtainedan()rher 
sentiment.  They  thought  the  good  of  thrse  MU 
drf^v.,  in  some  measure,  depended  on  f/teir  bring. 
hi"-  tiiem  to  Christ.  And  Christ  commended  their 
piety,  and  directed  othe-s  to  do  iike^  ise. 

Some  ptihaps  will  say,  *  We  believe  that  in- 
fjivs  are  suhjecus  oT  baptism,  but  we  qu  stion 
our  own  right  to  give  them  up  to  God  therein.* 
But  if  you  qu  stion  your  own  right,  it  must  be, 
becauSL^yon  question  whether  you  have  any  reli- 
gion.    And  can  you  be  contented  s  »  ?  ^ 

Whatever  the  difficuity  is,  which  lies  in  yout 
wav,  it  should  be  yoi-r  immediate  concern  to  re- 
move  it.  Is  it  not  your  in  ention  to  live  a  life  of 
religion  ?  Is  it  not  your  desire  that  your  children 
should  grow  up  before  the  Lord  ?  Is  it  not  your 
resolution  to  bring  them  up  for  him  ?  li'  it  is,  then 
say  so,  by  a  public  dedication  of  yourselves  and 
your  children  to  God.  If  it  is  not,  then  tremble 
at  the  thought  of  your  own  impiety  and  careless- 
ness. If  you  have  n6  good  purposes  and  desi»es, 
you  cannot  consistently  profess  ..ny  ;  if  you  have 
^ooadeJiir«b  and  purposes,  strengiheii  and  Goniirnfi 


f  lei  ) 

them  by  bringing  3'oursclves  under  CMpIicit  dill- 
gallons  to  act  agreeably  to  them. 

Finally.  Let  such  as  have  dedicated  their 
children  to  God,  act  under  a  sense  of  the  vows 
that  are  upon  them. 

If  your  children  are  removed  by  an  early  death, 
quietly  submit  to  the  will  of  that  sovereign  Lord^ 
uhuse  property  you  have  acknowledged  thcni  to 
be,  and  entertain  no  anxious  tJio'jghts  about  the 
manner  in  which  he  has  disposed  oi'  them.  When 
you  gave  them  to  him  in  baptism,  you  profcsbcd 
your  faith  in  his  mercy  toward  them.  If  you 
cannot  trust  him  to  dispose  of  them,  why  did  voa 
dedicate  them  to  him  ?  If  you  can,  why  are  yoj 
anxious  about  them  now  since  he  has  taken  themi 
into  his  own  hands  ? 

If  your  children  live,  then  bring  them  up  in 
tlie  nurture  and  admonition  of  the  Lord.  Ijf 
your  worldly  circumstances  make  it  necessary, 
that  you  shou  d  comaiit  thtm  to  the  care  of  others, 
Stfe  that  you  put  them  into  families  where  vou 
hive  reason  to  think,  they  will  be  relifjioubly 
cducattjd.  If  you  keep  them  under  your  o\\i\ 
immediate  cire,  train  them  up  in  the  wa\  in 
whi  !i  they  should  go ;  and  commend  them  to 
G-^d,  and  to  th.e  woid  *.f  hi-^  grac  s  v.  hich  is  able 
to  buik!  thfMu  up,  and  to  give  iheai  an  inberi:ani;e 
among  the  Samts. 


THOUGHTS 


UPOfJ 


INFANT  BAPTISM 


BXTR ACTED 


'imOM  THE  LONDON  EDITIOlS? 


ffr    A    lATE    WRXTEK. 


THOUGHTS 


BPOB 


INFANT  BAPTISM. 


T 

JL  HE  Baptism  of  Infants  has  been  a  trouble- 
some dispute  almost  ever  sHice  the  Reformation  j 
but  I  shall  only  rehearse  a  fev/  arguments  com- 
Dionlr  used  to  vindicutc  the  practice  of  baptibing 
children. 

1.    7/ie  Covenant  made  with  ."Abraham,  and  his 

se^d,  Gen.  wii.  is  the  Covenant  of  Grace  ;  it  in- 

eludes,  and  vvasdesigiieu  toextf-nd  to  all  Believers^ 

When  God  promised  to  be  a  GOD  to  Abi^ahavi^ 

and  to  his  seed,  St.  Paul  assures  us,  that  by  /lbra» 

ham's  seed  is   meant  ail  that  should  imitate  the 

faith  of  Abraham,   whether  they  be  Jews  or  Gett' 

Hies,  Gal.  iij.  7.     Know  ^e  tlierefore,  that  they 

Hho  are  of  the  faith,  tiie  same  are  the  chiidrtu  of 

Abraham,  ver.  29.   If  ye  are  VhrisPs^  then  are  ye 

Ahraham's.ff'if^,  and  heirs  according  to  the  promise^ 

The  same  spiiitual  promises,  and    blessings., 

which  belonged  to  tiie  church  ur.der  the  Old  Fes-. 

iament,  belong  ako  to  it  under  the  l^ew.  Acts  ii. 

39.   2  Cor.  i.  20.      Abraham,  is  represented  as  the 

root,  OY  stocli  of  the  visible  church,  Rom.  xi.  16, 

17,  &,€.     Tne   Jewish   churcli   are    the   natural 

branches  of  it;   the   Gentiles  are  ingraj  ted  into 

the  sa?ne  stock,  ver.  17— i^4.  and  lartakc  of  the 

feicsiingi^  of  it. 


From  tlirse  tcxt^  (and  many  others  mi q:ht  easily 
be  DT educed)  it  seems  evident,  that  the  Jewish  md 
Christian  ciiurch  are  but  one  and  the  same  visible, 
church  in  a  continued  succession,  though  under 
dilTerent  administrations,  and  ordinan'Xts. 

li.  The  Coi^enant  made  with  Abraham^  and 
with  his  seedy  is  still  in  force.  This  is  impHed  ia 
what  has  been  already  said :  but  it  ought  tn  l>e 
])articularly  considered.  It  is  plainly  asserted  by 
the  Apostle,  Gal.  iii.  17.  To  the  same-purpose 
the  Apostle  speaks  in  Rom.  iv.  14 — 16.  Here  he 
declares,  that  the  promise  made  to  Abrabam,  i« 
Jiot  made  of  rwiie  e feet,  or  abolished,  but  is  sure 
to  all  believers  ia  all  ages. 

Ever  since  GOD  called  the  flnnily  of  Abraham^ 
and  settled  his  visible  church  in  it,  He  never  suf- 
fered it  to  fail.  It  was  an  everlasting  covenant 
that  he  made  with  Abraham.,  to  he  his  GOD,  and 
the  GOD  of  hls^eed,  Gen.  xvii.  7.  that  h^  might 
he  the  father  both  oi  Jews  '^in^i  Gentiles,  who  were 
brought  into  the  church,  as  in  Rom.  iv.  Ii  —  IG. 

Hi.  The  children  of  the  Jezvs  \v<.:re  visible  mem- 
bers of  the  Jexvish  church  under  the  covenant  of 
Abrabam,  and  as  such  they  were  acknowledged^ 
and  received  into  it  by  circumcisions,  as  the  door 
fef  entrance,  Gen.  xvii.  9—14. 

IV.  The  children  gf  christians  were  izever  cut 
©If  from  this  privilege,  \^hcn  theii  fathers  were  re- 
ceived into  the  church,  whether  they  were  Jezv9 
or  Gentiles  ;  and  thercfart  t!K.y  are  members  of 
tl<e  christian  church  also  under  ^:piritual  promises 
and  blessings.  When  the  fews\\\Q:  natural  branches, 
were  cutoff  from  the  good  oh  ve- tree,  their  little 
hiids  were  cut  off  v<idi  them  also;  and  when  the 
ircnliles,  by  a  profession  of  faith,  were  grafted  in 
as  Jordan  branches,  their  little  buds  were  grafted 


(  107  ) 

in  with  th^m.  €hrisl  received  f^^  children  thai 
fvcrr  hrQii}^hf.  by  their  parents,  jH»d  laid  kis  kind 
071  (liem,  and  blc<:sed  fhem,  and  s^^'id,  of  suck  h 
iki^  kingdom  of  heaven,  M.uk  x.  12— -16.  Fhe 
proinises  of  the  Old  Testament,  wherein  children 
are  i-icUidcd  in  some  of  the  prophets,  do  refer  to 
the  Gentile  church,  as  well  as  the  Jewish,  isa. 
xhv.  :^—B.  I:,a,  xlr.  23.  Joel  ii.  28,  29.  For// 
is  the  blessing  of  Abr..ham  which  reaches  to  his 
seed,  that  conies  upon  the  Geritiles  tkro-n^h  J^^sus 
Christ,  Gal.  iii.  14.  Rom  xv.  8,  9.  that  fhe 
Gentiles  may  glorify  Gv.>D  jar  his  mercy, 

V.  Baptism  is  now  (like  circunricision  of  old^ 
the  sigji  ot  God's  covenant.  This  is  plainly  inti- 
mated by  the  apostle  in  Gal.  iii  27— -29.  Cir- 
t^u incision  being  abolished,  and  baptism  coming 
in  the  room  of  it,  baptism  should  be  aj^piied  to 
nil  those,  who  have  an)  interest  in  the  covenunt,lis 
circunicision  was.  Now  that  baptism  is  come  in 
the  room  of  circumcision,  ?ecms  plain  from  Col. 
ii.  12.  where  the  apost'e  a' goes,  that  being  bap- 
tised, we  need  not  be  circunicised  :  and  besidel, 
baptism  and  circumcision  signify  the  same  thing, 
i.  e.  the  remnval  of  sin;  one  by  culling  otF,  and 
the  other  by  washing  away. 

Vi.  As  this  seems  to  m^ifest  the  right  of  the 
children  of  christians  to  these  bicssings,  or  that 
they  have  an  interest  in  this  covenant,  ^o  there 
lire  some  considerations,  whi«h  render  it  \txY 
probable,  that  children  should  be  admitted  into 
tlie  vliible  church,  by  the  christian  door  of  cn- 
trailce,  that  is  baptism.     As  for  instance  : 

First,  the  Gospel,  v/hich  is  a  dispensation  'yf 
gr^'ater  grace,  does  riot  lessen,  hm  inerease  the 
privile.^rs  of  the  church  :  it  takes  awL(y  y  kes  a-vl 
buAucas  itidccdj  such  as  circumcisioii  wa:?.   Acts 


(  108  5 

XV.  10.  but  docs  not  dimmish  its  honors  or  pri- 
vileges. 

Again,  when  the  Rither  or  mother  of  a  family 
believed  in  Christ,  their  hoiisholds  were  baptised 
together  with  themselves,  even  rvhere  there  is  no 
mention,  that  the  houshold  believed  in  Christ 
also ;  as  in  ti.e  case  of  Ltjdia  and  Stephanas^ 
Acts  xvi.  15.  1  Cor.  L  16.  Now  children  arc 
tisuaiiy  a  con&idercrble  part  of  the  hoiishold. 

Yet  further,  children  under  the  New  Testament 
arc  as  capable  of  receiving  the  blessings  signified, 
and  fulfillini^  the  duties  enjoined,  as  ever  they 
T\ere  under  tl  (-  Old.  It  is  granted,  that  ther 
•TReither  could  thai,  nor  can  iwiv  understand  the 
blesvsings  nor  the  duties ;  yet  they  niight  receive 
llic  Seal  of  Circumcision,  or  of.Ba|>tism,  as  a  bond 
laid  upon  them  in  infancy,  to  fulfil  the  obligations 
£nd  the  dulies  i/f  riper  year.^,  and  as  an  encou- 
ragement to  wait,  and  hope  for  the  blessings. 
T'  is  was  tlie  csise  of  Jewish  infants,  and  why 
Ijii.y  not  christians  be  favoured  with  it  also  ? 

The  Covci.ant  made  with  Abraham,  and  with 
his  seed.  Gen.  xvii.  7.  included  infants.  This 
Covcrii>i  t  is  not  rc})f  aled  or  disannulled  (II.  Ar.) 
It  v»  as  intendi  d  to  extend  to  Christians^  and  their 
seed  (I.)  ](  is  confirmed  by  God  to  Christy  (Gab 
iii.  17.)  i.  e.  It  vvft>  made  with  Christ,  consid- 
ered iss  including  all  his  mt  mbc;  s  in  him.  As  Cir- 
cumcisic  n  of  old  was  the  signoli^dmittuig  persons 
into  tliis  Covenant ;  so  now  Baptisin  is  the  sij^n  of 
adm-ittins^  persons  into  tlic  samt  individual  Cove- 
naiit  (V.)  du-.refoie  it  must  be  administered  tiahe 
same  persons^  i.  e.  infants ^  as  weU  as  to  the  adult. 
W'  en  h  Coveiiant  ihthe  .^ame^  the  privileges  aud 
piomists  I  e  same,  the  stai  must  have  bt^n  the 
*««mc>  li  It  riaa  not  been  char.ged,  and  the  seed  of 


{  log  ; 

■Abrdhayn  to  inherit  must  be  the  so}7ie  also,  unless 
there  is  an  aUeration  made  in  the  Gobpel.  The 
seed  in  Covenant  included  Infants  are  still  part 
of  that  seed  of  Abraham.  The  seed  of  Abraham 
had  a  right  to  the  seal  of  the  covenant ;  their  ri^ht 
still  continues  as  the  covenant  docs  ;  and  therefore 
the}' are  to  be  ad?nittcd.  Infants;  in  particular, 
to  Baptism,  the  present  seal  of  this  covenant. 

If  God  thought  fit  to  make  any   alterations  in 
any  circum&tancc  of  this  covenant,   it  seems  ne- 
cessary, tnat  he   should   give   notice  of  it  in  the 
Gospel.     Accordingly  as  he  t;;ought  fit  to  change 
the  old  sign  of  circumcision  for  Baptism,  so  he 
ha:>  in  ti-»c   gospel,  expressly    warned   us  of  tlie 
change,  Acts  xv,  24 — xxi.  'il-— .;.!)'.  Gal.  v.  2,  3. 
And  as  he  chose  to  make  one  alteration,   with  re- 
gard to  the  persons  to  n  honi  the  seal  o.i  the  said 
Covenant  should   l;e  applied,  and  to  ordain  that 
females,  as  well  as  nialcs,  should  be  baptised,  so 
he  has  expressly   told  us  of  this  alteration  iii  the 
gospel,  Aas  viii    12.  xvi.  U,  15.  Gal.  iii.  27,  :28. 
In  like  manner  it  must  be  concluded,  that  if  G'id 
Would  have  had  a  fuither  alteration  made,   if  In- 
Jaiits  of  believing  parents,   that  were  formerly  to 
partake  of  tiiC  seal  of  this  Covenant  were  upon  the 
coming  of  Christy  to  partal^e  of  ii  no  more  ;  un- 
doubtedly   God    would  have    given  us   express 
warning  of  it,  and  have  told  us  in  the  gospel,  that 
though  Infants^  before  Christ  came,   were  in  the 
Covenant,  now  they  arc  to  be  shut  out  of  it.    But 
as  the  gospel  says  no  such  thing,  it  seems  to  me 
certain,  It  cannot  be  true.     It  is  then  incumbent 
upon  those  ^vho  oppose   Infant  Baptism,  if  t'iry 
would  make  their  point  good,  posiliv-lv  to  prove 
this  by  texts  Vvhich  expressly  deciare,  that  Christ 


{  no ) 

.-has  cast  Injants  out  of  the  Covenanty  though  be- 
lore  they  wtrc  in  it.  But  no  such  texts  Cim  be 
produced :  therefore  it  appears  the^  continue  in 
Covenant,  and  have  still  a  right  to  the  seal  of  it, 
which  is  Baptism. 

it  will  be  in  vain  here  to  urge,  that  the  Scripture 
suiiicicntly  declares  against  applying  this  seal  of 
the  CoveiHVit  to  infants,  by  mixkm'g  faith  and  r<r. 
pentance  the  conditions  of  Baptism.  F.-r  this  kir.d 
of  arguing  would  as  well  prove,  that  Infants  here- 
tofore Avere  not  qualified  for  Circumcision ^  which 
yet  no  man  will  assert.  As  this  argument  would 
prove  too  much,  it  must  be  looked  upon  as  prov- 
ing nothing.  It  will  be  needful  to  add  as  a  dis- 
tinct head,  that 

Vil  The  texts  wiiich  speak  of  faith  as  the 
term  of  Baptism,  do  not  at  all  imply,  tlu\t  Infants 
^re  not  to  be  baptised.  In  tlie  case  just  now  nicn. 
tioned,  ther<^  is  a  parallel  bctv\ccu  Baptism  und 
Circumcision.  If  a  heathen  heretofore  s\{\%  pro- 
selyted to  tlic  Jewish  religion  and  did  hereupon 
desire  to  be  circumcised,  he  was  admitted  to  Cir- 
cumcision upon  the  account  of  his  iaith  in  the 
God  of  israci.  And  till  he  professed  this  faitfi, 
he  could  not  lawfully  be  circumcised.  And  if  a 
ieuibh  prophet  had  been  inviting  a  set  of  heathens 
to  Judaism,  and  Circumcision,  he  would  have 
been  forced  to  talk  in  such  a  manner  as  this,  viz. 
**  Believe  in  the  one  true  GOD  and  ye  shall  bo 
circumcised.  He  that  believeth,  and  is  circum- 
tii.id,  shall  be  saved  :  but  he  that  believeth  not, 
hhall  be  condemned.  Repent  of  your  idolatry, 
aiv^d  other  sins,  and  be  circumcised.  Cireumci* 
sion  now  saveth  us  not,  the  putting  away  a  bit  of 
i|s:Ui,  but  the  answer  of  a  good  cousciencc  to- 


( 111 ) 

ward  the  true  God.  Arise  then  and  be  circum- 
cised, and  put  awa}^  your  sins.'*  In  this  manner, 
the  Jewish  prophet  must  have  spoke  to  his  Hea- 
then audience.  And  if  he  had  succeeded^  and 
made  proselytes,  the  history  of  it  must  hare  been 
expressed  in  such  language  as  this,  viz  :  **  Whea 
the  heathens  believed  the  prophet  reach  n 
the  things  concerning  the  kingdofii  of  God,  they 
were  circumcised.  A  certain  convert  said  to  thfr 
Jewish  proj)het,  what  should  isindcr  my  bcin<j. 
circumcised?  The  prophet  answered,  If  you  be- 
lieve vvilh  all  your  heart,  you  may.  He  replied,  I 
believe  that  there  is  one  GOD,  and  that  Moses  is 
his  prophet.  And  hereupon  lie  circumcised  him* 
Others  hearing,  believed,  and  were  circumcised.*^ 
This,  I  apprehend,  must  have  been  the  language 
in  case  the  prophet  had  preached  to  a  heathen  na- 
tion, and  proselyted  them.  And  yet,  1  suppose, 
that  no  one  would,  from  this  kind  of  language,  in. 
fer,  that  Infants  were  not  to  be  circumcised,  ar 
that  actual  faith  in  God  was  so  universally  neces- 
sary to  Circumcision,  as  that  infants  were  not  to 
receive  it,  for  want  (jf  actual  faith.  As  this  will 
be  allowed  by  evei  y  one,  it  must  be  acknowledged 
also,  by  parity  of  reason,  that  the  very  same  e£~ 
pressions,  when  in  the  same  circumstances  appli- 
ed to  Baptism,  cannot  imply  that  Infants  are  not 
to  be  baptised.  All  I  now  contciKi  for  is,  thit 
they  do  not  even  seem  to  imply,  that  infants  ore 
not  to  be  baptised  ;  f^r  this  they  cannot  do,  unt- 
less  in  the  case  above  represented,  tiiey  did  also 
imply,  that  infants  were  not  heretofore  to  be  cir- 
€innciscd.  As  it  will  be  allowed,  they  would  not 
have  imiylie-d  tliis,  they  cannot  coiisistently  be 
Thought  to  imply  the  other. 


(  112  i^ 

ilk  bad  been  fit  to  have  contmued  Circumchtou 
as  the  sign  of  God's  Covenant,  and  Christ  had  afc*. 
»ya!ly  coiitiinicd  it,  v»'hcn  he  gave  his  apostles  a 
fj-ommisbioii  to  proselyte  the  Gentile  nations,  I  do 
not  see  how  Ire  could  Iiave  expressed  his  thoughts 
better  tha{\  this  ;  Go  proselvie  all  nafions,  circiim^ 
Q'hijig  them  in  the  navic  of  the  Father,  and  of  the 
aSou,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  i.  e.  prove  to  the 
Gentiles,  that  Jesus  is  the  Ciirist,  and  when  they 
profess  to  believe  this^  circumcise  them.  Would 
the  apostle,  or  any  one  else,  have  inferred  from 
thence,  that  infants,  not  having  actual  faith,  v^ere 
not  to  be  circumcised?  Nay,  rather  on  the  other 
hand,  the  apostle  would  have  reasoned  thus : 
"'  The  sign  of  GOD's  Covenant  Circumcision^ 
lias  hitb-crto  been  confined  to  one  nation,  even  that 
ofihe  Israelites :  but  now  Christ  has  command- 
ed us  to  extend  it  to  all  the  nations  oi  the  earth. 
He  has  ordered  us  to  go  and  proselyte  all  nations^ 
and  circumcise  them.  Surely  it  is  his  intention,  that  • 
we  should  take  our  pattern  from  the  practice  of 
Circumcisiou  aftiong  the  Jews.  He  cannot  there- 
fore be  supposed  to  mean,  that  we  must  only  cir- 
cumcise grown  men,  who  are  capable  of  believing 
the  gospel  and  profess  so  to  do.  It  is  evident  he 
intends,  that  when  we  shall  have  circumcised 
such  we  should  next  circumcise  their  male  chiL 
dren  ;  and  that  in  after  generations,  the  males 
i«mong  them  should  be  circumcised  the  eighth 
day.  Thus  it  was  at  the  first  institution.  Abra- 
ham was  first  circumcised,  then  his  children,  of 
whatsoever  ages  they  happened  to  be  ;  and  in  af- 
ter generations  their  children  were  circumcised 
on  the  eighth  day. '  This  is  a  direction  to  us. 
And  when  wc  arc  bid  to  go^  proselijte  all  nations , 


(   113  ) 

eircumcising  them^  wc  plainly  see,  we  are  not  for- 
bidden  to  ciiGumcise  infants;  but,  on  the  con- 
trary,  are  ordered  to  imitate  this  example  of  our 
Father  Abraham^  I  observed,  if  Circumcision 
had  been  retained,  as  the  seal  of  th(^  Covenant, 
and  the  same  commission  had  been  given  to  the 
apostlcs,  as  now  was  given  them,  only  the  woid 
circumcise  used  instead  of  baptise^  no  one  would 
have  imagined,  that  form  of  expression  wonid  in 
.the  least  have  interfered  with  the  circumcision  of 
infants.  It  is  as  certain  then  that  the  same  form 
of  words,  applied  to  Baptism,  cannot  in  the  leasit 
interfere  with  the  Baptism  of  Infants. 

Thcie  considerations,  I  ihiwk.f ullij  take  off  the 
force  of  all  the  objections  that  men  think  they  find 
in  the  scripture  against  the  baptism  of  infants.  If 
there  be  any  thing  in  the  nature  of  baptism,  as  a 
^^a/ of  the  Covenant,  which  confines  it  to  such  as 
believe,  there  must  have  been  the  same  limltin^^ 
nature  in  Circumcision,  which  was  a  5^^/  of  the 
same  Covenant,  But  as  tJiis  is  certainly  false,  the 
other  cannot  be  true.  If  an  infant  v.  as  not  by  rca- 
son  of  his  age,  unqualified  to  receive  the  signpf 
Circumcision^  a  seal  of  the  righteousness  of  Jaith^ 
an  infant  cannot  now  by  reason  of  ins  age,  be  con- 
sistently thought  unqualified  for  Baptism,  which 
is  a  seal  of  the  same. 

Farther  to  confii  m  this  point,  if  it  needs  confir- 
viation,  it  may  be  observed,  that  the  sanie  forms 
of  expression,  whitjh  are  urged  out  of  the  Nei'j- 
Testament,  to  prove  that  infants  are  not  qualified 
for  Baptism,  for  want  of  actual  faith  and  repept- 
ance,  would  equally  prove  them  unqualified  for 
salvation.  From  Christ's  saying,  he  that  believes^ 
and  is  baptised^  shall  ^e  saved^  some  have  inf^pr- 

K  2" 


e  n4 ) 

xody  thixt  a  person  must  actually  believe,  or  eke  he 
c^miot  be  baptised.  With  as  much  strength  of 
reason  the}  miglit  infer,  that  a  person  cannot  be- 
savecl,  unless  he  actually  believe  !  especially  since 
it  is  added,'  He  thai  believe fh  not  skull  be  damn^ 
ed.  Yet  it  is  acknowledged,  that  though  infants 
do  not  believe,  yet  they  shall  not  be  damned,  it 
is  evident  then  to  all,  that  this  text  must  be  ia- 
tetpreted,  as  speaking  only  of  the  adults^  wh© 
■were  capable  of  hearing  and  believing  the  gospeL 
Since  then  it  does  not  at  all  speak  of  infants,  they 
anay  be  saved,  and  may  be  baptised  too,  notwith- 
standing they  are  not  believers.  The  method  of 
provirig  that  they  may  be  saved  ivitlwut  Jaith^ 
will  as  nccessarilj  demonstrate,  that  they  may  be 
kapifsed  ivlthout  their  oivn  faith,  notwithstanding 
any  thing  that  is  laid  down  in  this  text.  Thus  all 
the  objections  against  Infant  Baptism  arc  at  once 
out  off. 

VIII.  In  the  Christian  Church  from  its  earli- 
est ages,  and  zve  think  from  the  Apostles  time,  ii 
^as  been  the  custom'  to  baptise  the  infant  childrctt 
&f  professed  christians. 

To  prove  this,  I  shall  produce  a  few  witnesses, 

ynono:  manv.      1.    Jut  tin  Martyr,  who   wrote 

XiuX  forty  years  after  the  apostles,  in  his  dialogue 

with  TripJio  the  Jew,  page  59.  plainly  speaks  of 

Baptism,  as  being  to   Christians  in  the  stead  of 

drcumcision.     And  in  his  Apology  for  the  chri». 

tiians,  near  the  beginning,  he  says,   "  Several  per^ 

..Sions  among  us  of  ^ixty  and  seventy  years  old,  of 

hoth  sejfcs,   were  discipled  [or  made  disciples  to 

Christ  in  or  from  itieir  childhood,''''^     Please  to 

•bserve,  that  Justin's  word  *y^*^nrtver.rM  were  dii- 

cipUd  oi  made  discifles^  is  the  very  same  word 


thai  had  be<?ii  nscdby  Si.  Mat.  xxvill.  1^  in  ex^ 
prrs-siuv^  OJr  Saviour's  command,  M*3-»Tf»T«t7e  ^//>, 
cipk  ail  nations.  And  it  was  done  to  thcbe  per- 
epny,  Justin  says,  in,  or  from  their  childhood. 
And  he  wrote  that  apology  within  forty  years  of 
the  death  of  the  apostles  :  and  seventy  years  reck- 
oned back  from  that  time,  do  reach  into  the  midst 
of  the  apostles*  time. 

2.  Irctu^tts,  born  about  the  time  of  St.  JoriN*s 
death,  in  his  treatise,  Jdv,  Hcercs.  lib,  2.  cap.  5. 
speaking  of  Clirist,  saj.s,  '*Nol  disdaining  nor 
going  in  a  way  above  human  nature,  nor  breaking 
m  his  own  person  the  law  which  he  had  s^!t  for 
mankind  :  but  sanctifying  every  several  age  by 
the  likeness  it  has  to  him.  For  he  came  to  save 
all  persons  by  himself:  yi//Imean,  who  by  him 
are  regenerated  unto  God  ;  Infants,  and  little  ones 
and  children,  and  youths,  and  elderly  persons. 
Therefore  he  went  through  the  several  ages  :  ior 
infants  being  made  an  infant,  sanctifying  in- 
fants,   &:c." 

This  testimony  which  reckons  infants  among 
tliose  that  are  regaicrafed^  is  plain  and  full.  Dr, 
Wall  has  largely  shewn,  that  the  word  regenrra* 
ting  does  particularly  in  the  writings  of  Irenaeus, 
and  in  ihe  usual  phrase  of  those  times  signify  Bap^ 
tisi77g  :  he  mentions  some  places,  which  expressly 
declare,  that  Christ  was  regenerated  by  John  i 
meaning  that  he  was  baptiscdhy  him. 

Near  the  time  that  Irenaeus  wrote  the  above 
treatise,  Clemens  Alexandrius  wrote  his  Pceda^o^ 
wherein  he  expressly  says,  "  The  word  rr^^/ieTi/- 
^/^/iin  the  name  of  Baptism^*  [\.  L  c.  6.  near 
the  beginning :  )  his  thus  plainly  declaring,  that 
regenerating  is  the  common  name  for  Baptising^ 


(  lie? ) 

ioesi  very  much  contlrm  the  argument  taken  from 
Irenaeus,  who  asserts,  that  Iniants  were  regenera- 
ted unto  God, 

Please  to  take  notice,  how  near  this  man  wa« 
to  the  Apostle's  time.  Irenaeus  himself  says,  1.5. 
c.  SO,  that  the  revelation  made  to  St.  John  in  Pat- 
mos,  was  but  a  little  before  his  time,  and  that  rev'- 
eiation  was  five  or  six  years  before  St .  John's  death. 
In  an  age  so  nigh  the  aposrie,  and  in  a  place 
where  one  of  them  had  so  iatelj  hved,  the  Chris- 
tians could  not  be  ignorant  what  had  been 
donejjn  th.eir  time,  in  a  matter  so  pubhc  as  the 
baptising,  or  not  babtising  of  Infants. 

3.  Origen  is  not  only  express  for  baptising  of 
Infants,  but  gives  his  reasons  for  it  :  in  iiis  eighth 
homily  or  sermon  on  I  evitlcas\  c.  12  he  thuff 
says,  "  Hear  David  speaking ;  /  was  says  he,  sha- 
ken in  iriiquili/y  and  in  sin  did  my  mother  conceive 
me  :  shewing,  that  every  soul  that  is  born  in  the 
flesh  is  polluted  v/ith  the  filth  of  sin  and  iniquity  : 
and  that  therefore  that  was  said  which  ue  mention- 
,ed  before;  that  none  is  free  fr<;vi  pollufwrf,  though 
his  life  he  but  the  length  cf  one  day. 

Besides  all  this  let  it  be  considered,  what  is  the 
reason,  that  whereas  the  baptism  of  the  church  is 
given  for  the  forgiveness  of  sin.^,  Infants  arc  tilso 
by  the  usage  of  the  churchy  baptised :  wlien  if 
there  was  nothing  in  infants  that  wanted  ff)rgive- 
ness  and  mercy,  the  grace  of  baptism  would  be 
needless  to  them." 

Again,  m  his  Homily  on  Luke  xiv.  he  says  aS 
follows  ;  *'  Infants  are  baptised  fo/  the  forgiveness 
of  sins.  Of  what  sins  ?  or  when  have  they  sinned  } 
Or  how  can  any  reason  of  the  i&Tcr  ia  their  case 


(  ^7  I 

hold  goon,  but  according  to  that  sense  that  we. 
inentlonerl  even  now;  none  in  free  from  poUution^ 
tlw*  his  ufr.  be  hut  tJte  levgfh  of  one  day  upon  earth  f 
And  it  is  for  that  reason,  because  by  the  sacraraenfe 
of  baptism  the  poL'iuion  ofourbirth  is  taken  away, 
that  I'lfa'tits  are  baptised." 

Yet.  farther  in  tlie  fifth  book  of  his  commentary 
on  the  epistles  to  the  Romans,  he  says  thus  :  "Ami 
also  in  the  law  it  is  commanded,  that  a  sacrifice 
be  offered  Up  for  every  child  that  is  born  ;  a  pair 
of  turtle  dov^s,  or  txvo  yonncf  pigeons ;  oftchich 
ene  is  for  a  sin  offeriiy^,  the  other  for  a  burnt 
offering  ;  For  what  sin  is  this  one  pigeon  offeied? 
Can  the  chi^d  that  is  new  born  have  cominitted 
any  sin  ?  It  has  even  then  sin,  for  which  the  sacri- 
fice is  commanded  to  be  offered  :  from  whicheven 
>he,  ivhose  life    is  but  of  one  day,  is  denyed  to  be 

For  this  also  it  was,  that  the  church  had  from 
THE  Apos TLhs  AN  oRDEK  to  givc  Baptism  to  Infants. 

For  they  to  whom  the  divine  misteries  were 
•committed,  knew  that  there  is  in  all  persons  the 
natural  [)o]iution  of  sin,  which  must  Ut  done  awky 
by  water  and  the  spirit." 

The  reader  is  desired  to  observe,  that  Origen 
not  only  says  that  it  was  the  custorn  of  the  churchy 
to  baptise  Infants,  but  he  expressly  affirms,  "  That 
(he  church  received  an  order  from  the  aposilbs 
te  give  baptism  even  unto  infants.'* 

There  is  one  circumstance  that  makes  Origen 
a  more  competent  witness  to  ^ive  evidence,  whe- 
ther the  baptising  of  infants  luid  been  in  use  time 
out  of  mind,  or  not,  than  most  other  authors  that 
we  have  left  to  us  of  that  a^e ;  because  he  »'as 


(118) 

bimseff  of  a  flimil/  that  iiad  bee»  ckrisfiansLor 
a  long  time.  The  other  witnrs«es  tiiat  1  men- 
tioned, except  Irenaeiis,  must  have  been  them- 
selves baptised  in  adult  age;  becnuse  they  were 
of  hcafhen  parents.  But  Origen's  father  wag 
a  martyr  for  Chrjst  in  the  persecution  under  Se- 
vrrus,  the  year  after  the  Apostles,  102.  And 
E;isebius  (in  his  history,  book  6,  ch.  19)  assuros 
ns  that  his  forefathers  had  been  christians  for  se- 
veral generations. 

Now  since  Orig  n  was  born  on  the  eighty-firtb 
year  after  the  Apostles  (for  he  was  seventeen  years 
old  when  his  father  suffered  martyrdom)  his  grand- 
father, or  at  least  his  great  grandfather,  must 
have  lived  in  the  Apostles  time.  And  as  he 
could  not  be  ignorant  whether  he  was  himself 
baptised  in  infancy,  so  he  had  no  farther  than  his 
own  family  to  go,  to  enquire  what  was  practised 
in  the  times  of  the  Apostles. 

Besides  that,  he  was  a  very  learned  man,  and 
could  not  be  ignorant  of  the  usage  of  the  church- 
es ;  in  most  of  which  he  had  also  travelled ;  for 
as  1)6  was  burn  an-i  bred  at  Aiekandna,  so  it  af)- 
pears  out  of  Easebius*s  history,  B.  6  that  he  had 
lived  in  Greece,  and  at  Rome  and  in  Cappadocia, 
and  Arabia,  and  spent  the  main  part  of  his  life 
in  Syria  anrl  Paiestine. 

5.  What  I  apprehend  very  much  strengthens 
, the  truth  of  iniiint  baptism,  that  it  is  of  a  divine 
gri^inal,  is  this;  *' About  one  hundred  and  M\y 
years  after  the  death  of  St.  John  the  Apostle, 
there  was  an  assembly  of  sixty-six  Bishops,  who 
spoke  of  infant  baptism,  as  a  known,  establish(^d 
aad  UBCoctested  practice,*'     Oao    Fidu^  ques- 


(119) 

ttoiied,  whether  infants  were  to  he  baptised  so 
soon  a?  within  two  or  three  days  after  their  birth, 
and  whether  it  would  not  be  better  to  defer  their 
baptism  till  the^^  were  eight  days  old,  as  was  ob- 
served in  circumcision  ;  which  scruples  he  pro- 
posed to  this  assembly,  and  in  which  he  desireJ 
their  resolution,  which  they  sent  in  a  letter  to 
him  :   part  of  whicli  I  shall  transcribe. 

"Cyprian  and  the  rest  of  the  Bishops,  who 
were  present  at  the  council,  sixty-six  in  numbec, 
to  Fidus  our  brother,  greeting, 

*' We  read  your  letter,  moat  dear  brother,— * 
^  Bat  as  to  the  case  of  infants :  whereas  yon 
judge,  that  they  must  not  be  haplisrci  zvithin  tw9 
^r  three  days  after  ihey  are  born;  aiid  that  the 
rule  of  circumcision  is  to  be  observed  so  that  none 
should  be  baptised,  and  snjictified  before  the  eighth 
day  afirr  iie  is  born :  we  were  all  in  onr  assenjbly 
oi  the  contrary  opmion. 

"  We  judge  that  no  person  is  to  be  hindereii 
froin  obiain;ng  the  grace,  by  the  law,  that  is  now 
appointed  ;  and  that  the  spiritual  circumcision 
©ugtit  not  t(^  be  restrained  by  the?  circumcision 
that  was  accor(hng  to  the  fiesli :  but  that  all  are 
to  be  admitied  to  the  grace  of  Christ :  since  Peter 
epeakm.^  of  the  Ac  s  of  the  Ap©«t!es,  says.  The 
Lord  lias  slienm  me^  that  no  person  is  to  he  called 
com.mn7i  or  unclean 

"'  Thib  therefore?  dear  brothtr,  was  our  opinif^a 
in  the  assembly  ;  that  it  if  not  for  us  to  lunder  any 
person  from  baptism  and  « ^*»^  ©race  of  Goi,  ^^.^ 
\%  nercii'ul,  and  benign,  and  affectionate  ro  all  — 
Which  rule,  as  it  holdji  tor  ail,  so  ne  think  it  more 
o^pedaliy  to  be  observed  la   lefereace  to  Inlants 


(ISO  r 

wewh^born^.  to  whom  osir  help  and  the  divine 
urierey  isratiier  to  be  granted:  because  \yy  their 
cries  and  tears  iit  theirfirst  entrance  into  the  world 
they  do  intimate  nothing  so  much,  as  that  ihty 
implore  compassion '* 

From  this  piece  of  history  it  nppears,  that  both 
the  persons  that  moved  the  doubt^  and  jlW  the  per- 
sons who  resolved  it,  uruirmrKUishj  agreed  in  this^ 
that  Infai'.U  xoerc  to  be  hapfised,  and  tliat  it  vvas 
the  settled  cnstom  of  the  church  to  baptise  them. 
If  the  assembly  had  been  against  Iniani  Baptism, 
they  would  h'ave  ansvvered ;  It  is  so  far  fruin 
b'^ing  necessary  to  baplisr  diUdren  on  the  eighth 
day  iifitr  their  birth,  that  tliCh  ought  not  to  be  bap- 
■ii.''etl  at  all,  hll  fhey  are  of  age  to  judge  and  act  for 
themsetv: s.  But  none  of  those  bishops  was 
in  this  sentiment.  They  all  looked  upon  it,  as  a 
tiling  unconiested,  that  inlkn'^s  were  to  be  bapti- 
sed. 

If  we  look  back  from  this  time  to  the  space  that 
bad  passed  from  the  apostles  time,  which  was  but 
150  years,  we  must  conclude,  that  it  was  easy 
then  to  know  the  practice  of  christians  in  the 
iipostles  davs.  For  some  of  these  (S^  bishops  may- 
be thought  to  be  at  th?s  time  sixiy  or  seventy 
•years  eld  themselves,  which  reaches  almost  to 
ialf  the  .space  :  and  at  that  time  when  they  were 
Infants,  there  mu!«:t  have  been  several  ah  re,  that 
-were  born  Aithin  the  apostles  a^'e  And  such 
could  not  be  ignorant,  w  ht  ther  infants  were  bap- 
t\^r\  m  tliat  age,  w  ben  they  themsc-lves  were  some 
of  those  infants.  And  as  there  was  no  dispute, 
or  difference  of  opinion,  (as  tliere  must  have  been 
wawaaong  »•     man/,  if*  any  innovation  had  h^en 


(   121  ) 

made :  for  it  is  here  expressly  saicl,  there  zvas  hoi 
one  of  Yidus's  mind  J  that  infant  baptism  must  be 
delayed  till  the  eighth  day  ;  much  less  then  was 
there  any  of  opinion  that  it  was  not  to  be  at  all, 

"  In  a  doctrinal  point,  as  Mr.  Baxter  well  ob- 
serves, a  mistake  is  easier, than  in  a  bare  narration 
of  some  one  fact ;  but  in  a  matter  of  fact  of  so 
publick  notice,  and  which  so  many  thousands 
were  partakers  in  as  baptism  was,  how  could  they 
be  ignorant  ?" 

Suppose  it  were  a  question  now  among  us,  whe- 
ther persons  were  baptised  at  age  only,  or  in 
infancy  also,  eighty  -years  before  we  were  born  : 
were  it  not  easy  to  knovv  the  truth,  what  by  report 
and  what  bj  records  ? 

I  shall  conclude  what  I  have  to  remark  on  this 
testimony  with  observing,  that  we  see  here  con- 
firmed, what  was  said  before,  that  baptism  was 
reckoned  to  be  to  christians  in  the  room  of  cir- 
cumcision. For  it  was  upon  that  account,  that- 
Fidus  thought  it  must  be  the  time  of  the  old  cir- 
cumcision; and  the  Bishops  of  the  eouncil,  tho' 
denying  that,  do  call  it  the  spiritual  (or  christian) 
circumcision, 

6.  Ambrose  commenting  on  these  words,  Luke 
i.  17.  where  the  angel  prophesies  of  John  the 
Baptist,  he  shall  go  before  him  in  the  spirit  and 
power  of  Elias,  after  having  shewn  in  several 
particulars,  how  John,  in  his  office,  did  resemble 
Elias,  and  having  mentioned  that  miracle  of  Eh^is 
dividing  the  river  of  Jordan,  adds  thus ;  *'  But  per- 
haps this  may  seem  to  be  fulfilled  in  our  time,  and 
in  the  apostles  time.  For  that  returning  of  the 
river  waters  backward  toward  the  spring-head 
which  was  caused  by   Elias,  wLen  tlie   riv§r  was 

L 


cfividefl  ( as  the  rcripture  says,  Joi'dan  was  driven 
^rtrX:)  signified  the  sacrament  of  the  laver  of  salva- 
tion, which  vvaf  afterwards  to  be  instituted  :  by 
which  those  Infants  thai  are  baptisedy2^ve  reform- 
ed back  again  from  wickedness  [era  corrupt  statc^] 
to  tbe  primitire  state  of  their  nature." 

He  means  thej  are  freed  from  the  guilt  of  ori- 
ginal sin,  and  in  some  sense  reduced  back  to  the 
primitive  state,  in  which  man  was,  before  that 
happened.  He  plainly  speaks  of  Infants  as  bap- 
tised intlie  Apostles  time  J  diSv^eW  as  in  hisown;  and 
makes  St.  John,  in  baptising  infants  for  the  re- 
formation of  their  nature  to  the  primitive  purity  of 
it,  to  resemble  Eli  as  in  turning  back  the  waters 
to  their  spring-head. 

Austin,  in  his  treatise  De  Baptismo  contra 
Dinatistas  y  lib.  4.  C  23.  having  had  occasion 
to  speak  of  the  penitent  thief,  who  obtained  sal- 
vation without  baptism,  shews  that  is  no  more  an 
argunienr,  against  the  necessity  of  baptism  where 
it  may  be  had,  than  the  example  of  baptised 
Infants  obtaining  salvation  without /«f//M,  is  an 
argument  ag^limst  the  necessity  of  faith,  where  the 
Subject  is  capable  of  it.  Near  the  cowclusion  of 
the  fourth  book  he  says,  "  And  as  the  thief  who 
by  necessity  went  without  bapiism  was  saved,  be- 
cause, by  his  piety,  he  had  it  spiritually:  so  where 
baptism  is  had,  tho*  the  party  by  necessity  go 
without  that  [faith]  which  the  thief  had,  yet  he  is 
saved,  Which  the  ivlwle  body  of  (lie  church  holds, 
as  delivered  to  them  in  the  case  of  little  infants 
baptised  :  who  certainly  cannot  yet  believe  with 
the  iieart  to  righteoijsness,  or  confess  with  the 
mouth  to  salvation  as  tte  thief  coul<l  :  nay, 
by  their  crying  and  noise,  while  the  sacrament 
fe  administering,  thev  disturb  the-  holy  myste- 


-( I^^ ) 

xiea:  and  yet  do  christian  man  of  aaj  sort  wlil 
say,  tliey  are  baptised  to  n.'  puroose. 

And  if  any  one  do  ask  for  divine  authority  iii 
4his  matter,  though  that  which  the  whole  church 
practises.,  and  which  has  not  been  instituted  by- 
councils,  but  was  ever  in  use  is  very  reasonably 
believed,  to  be  no  other  than  a  thing  ordered  by 
the  authority  of  the  Apostks:  yet  we  may  besides 
take  a  true  estimate  how  much  the  sacrament  of 
baptism  does  avail  infants  by  the  circumcisioa 
wliich  God's  former  people  received."  In  what 
follows,  he  most  plainly  declares,  that  baptism 
is  to  the  Christian  infants^  as  circumcision  was  to 
the  Jewish. 

Though  Aastin  spealcs  of  Infant  Baptism  in  this 
place  but  occasionally,  his  words  are  a  full  evi- 
dence, that  it  was  then  universally  practised,  and 
had  been  so  beyond  the  memory  of  any  man,  or  of 
any  record:  that  they  took  it  to  be  a  thin^  that 
had  not  been  enacted  by  any  council  hni  had  been 
in  use  from  the  beginning  o/Chrlstianity, — .And 
they  had  then  but  300  years  to  look  back  to  the 
times  of  the  Apostles,  whereag  we  now  have  up- 
wards of]  600.  And  many  writings,  and  records 
which  are  now  lost,  were  then  extant,  and  easily- 
known; 

It  deserves  a  particular  remark,  that  most  oF 
these  witnesses  for  infant  baptism,  were  not  only 
faithful  to  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  but  were  faithful 
unto  death,  joyfully  suffering  martyrdom  for  the 
truth:  surely  this  is  a  great  accession  to  the  strength 
of  their  testimony. 

All  these  things  put  together,  seem  to  prove, 
lAat  infant  baptfsnt  Viras  practised  \x\  the  church' 


(   124  ) 

of  Christ  from  the  beginning,  and  conscqucntlj 
that  it  is  of  an  apostolical  and  divine  original. 

As  for  Ihe^firstfour  hundred  years,  there  ap- 
pearii  only  one  man,  Tertullian,  that  advised  th^ 
delay  of  infant  baptism  in  some  cases  and  one  Gre- 
gory, that  did  perhaps  practice  such  delay  in  the 
case  of  his  children ;  but  no  society  of  men  so 
thinking,  or  so  practising :  so  in  the  next  seven 
hundred  years,  there  is  not  so  much  as  one  man 
to  be  found,  that  either  spoke  for,  or  practised 
such  delay.  But  all  the  contrary.  And  when 
one  sect  among  the  Waldenses  declared  against 
the  baptising  of  infants,  as  being  incapable  of  sal- 
vation^ the  main  body  of  that  people  rejected  their 
opinion:  and  those  of  them  that  held  that  opinion, 
quickly  dwindled  away,  and  disappeared  -,  there 
being  no  more  heard  of  holding  that  tenet,  till 
the  rising^  of  the  German  Antipaedobaptists,  in 
the  year  152^2.  "And  all  the  national  churches 
voiv  in  the  world  do  profess  and  practice  infant 
baptism." 

ThivS  brings  to  my  remembrance  a  very  clear 
proof  for  the  baptism  of  infants,  which  much  sa- 
tisfied the  mind  of  the  great  and  good  Mr.  Bax- 
ter ;  I  shall  relate  it  in  his  own  words.  **  1  am 
fully  satisfied,  that  Mr.  Tombs  cannot  shew  me 
any  society  (I  tliink  not  one  man)  that  ever  open- 
ed their  mouths  against  baptism  of  infants,  till 
about  200  years  ago,  or  thereabout  which  con- 
firms me  much,  that  it  is  from  the  apostles  times, 
or  else  some  one  would  have  been  found  as  an  op- 
poscr  of  it ;  even  as  I  profess  seriously ,  that  it 
much  satisficth  my  conscience,  that  Christ  and 
his  apobtks  did  nevei'  shut  the  infants  of  believing^ 


C  1S5  ) 

Jews  ("and  consequently  not  of  believing  Gentfle^- 
from  being  members  of  his  visible  church,  in  that 
1  never  iiKcl  in  all  the  New  Testament  one  word 
fef  exception,  arguing,  murmuring,  or  dissatisfac- 
tion against  it ;  when  as  it  cannot  possiblj^  be  con- 
ceived, but  those  Jews  who  kept  such  a  stir  be- 
fore they  would  let  go  ((prcumcision ,  the  sign  of 
church  membership,  wlien  yet  they  had  bapr2!»m„ 
another  sign,  would,  undoubledly  have  been 
much  more  scandalized  at  the  unchurcliing  of  all 
their  children,  and  would  have,  mucli  hardiier 
have  let  go  that  privilege  of  their  church  mem- 
bership, or  at  least  have  raised  some  scruple  about 
it,  which  might  have  occasioned  one  word  of  sat- 
isfaction from  some  one  of  the  apostles ;  especi- 
ally when  Paul  calls  them  holy,  and  Christ,  iSuf- 
fer  ihejn  to  come  to  me,  ajidjorbid  them  not,  Jar 
ef  such  is  the  kingdom  of  God.     I  know  not  how 

Air.   T J    and   such  others  think    on    these 

things  ;  but,  for  my  part,  they  stick  so  close  to 
my  conscience,  that  1  dare  not  say,  Christ  would 
have  no  infants  received  into  his  visible  church 
among  the  number  of  Christians,  when  I  find  he 
once  placed  them    in  the  church ;  and  neither 

Mr.  T ,  nor  any   man  breadiing,  can  shew 

me  one  word  of  scripture  where  ever  Christ  did 
put  them  out  again  ;  and  yet  these  men  pr  ;tend- 
ed  to  stand  to  the  determination  of  scripture.  I 
would  this  one  thing  were  im.partialiy  corisidered.'* 
With  regard  to  the  mode  of  baptising,  I  would 
only  add,  Christ  no  where,  as  far  as  1  can  find/ 
requires  dipping  but  only  baptising  ;  which  word> 
many  most  eminent  for  learning  and  piety,  have 
declared,  signifies  to  pour  on  cv  sprinkle,  as  well 
a.s  to  dip.     As  our  Lord  has  graciously  given  v^ 


-a  word  of  such  extensive  meaninf^,  doubtless  the, 
parent,  or  the  person  to  be  baptised,  if  he  be  adult, 
©light  to  choose  wliich  way  he  best  approves. 
What  GOD  has  Mt  indifferent  it  becomes  not 
»ian  to  make  necessary. 

I  think  it  proper  in  tliis  place  to  subjoin  what 
Dr.  Watts  has  declared^ncerning  the  significa* 
tion  of  this  word.     *'  fne  Greek  word  Baptise^ 
jsays  he)  signifies  fo  zoash  any  thing  properly  b^ 
wafer  coming  over   it:    Now   there  arc   several 
ways  of  such    washing,  (viz.)  sprinkling  water 
on  it  in  a  small  quantity,  pouring  water  on  it  in  a 
larger    quantity,    or    dipping    it  ur^der    water, 
either  in  part  or  in  whole  :   And  since  this  seems 
to  be  left  undetermined  in  scripture  to  one  parti, 
eular  mode  ;  therefore  any  of  these  ways  of  wash- 
ing may  be  sufficient  to  answer  the  purpose  of 
this  ordinance.     Now  that  the  Greek  word  signi- 
fies ivashiiig  a  thing  in  general  by  water  coming 
over  it,  and  not  always  dippings  is  argued  by  lcarn« 
cd  men,   not  only  from  ancient  Greek  authors, 
but  from  the  New  Testament  itself,  as  Luke  xi. 
38.      Tilie  Plmrisee  marvelled  that  Jesus  had  not 
first  ivashed  before  dinner.     In  Greek    that  he 
was  not  first  baptised  j  and  can  it  be  supposed, 
that  they  would  have  him  dip  himself  in  water? 
Mark,  vii.  4.     The  Pharisees,  when   they  come' 
from  the  market,  eat  not  except  the\j  are  washed. 
In  Greek^'iip^^ept  they  are  baptised ;  surely  it  can- 
Rot  mean  except  they  were  dipped.     And  if  this 
should   be  restrained   to  signify    washing    theii^ 
hands  only,  \^i  it  does  not  signify  necessarily  dij)- 
ping  them ;  for  this  manner  of  washing  their  hands 
of  oid,t^vas  by  pouring  water  on  them  as  Elisha 
poured'  water  on  the  hands  of  Elijah,  2  Kings  ii. 
II.     Yet  further  they  practised  the  washing  ^ 


f  I27V 

tables  (in  &ree!c,  baptism  of  bed  si  as^  well  as  cuj^sh 
and  veswls.  Now  beds  could  not  usually  be 
vvashtid  by  dipping ,  Hcb.  ix.  10.  The  Jews  had 
divers  washings  prescribed  by  Moses,  (in  Greek, 
baptisms)  which  ^vere  sprinkling  and  pouring 
^Wuter  on  things,  as  well  as  phinging  them  all  over 
in  water.  The  childrel$oj  Israel  xcej'e  baptised 
vnto  Moses  in  the  cloud  a^d  the  sea.  in  their  paS' 
sage  through  the  Red  sea,  at  their  march  from 
Egypt ^  1  Cor.  xii.  2.  Not  that  they  were  dipped 
in  the  v/ater,  but  they  were  sprinkled  by  the  clouds 
over  their  heads,  and  perhaps  by  the  water  which 
stood  up  in  heaps  as  they  passed  by. 

Besides,  pouring  or  sprinkling  more  naturally 
represents  most  of  the  spiritual  blessings  signified 
by  baptism  (viz.J  the  sprinklii^g  the  blood  of 
Christ  on  tlie  conscience,  or  the  pouring  out  of 
the  spirit  on  the  person  baptised,  or  sprinkling 
him  with  clean  water,  as  an  emblem  of  the  influ* 
«nce  of  the  spirit ;  all  which  are  the  things  signi- 
fied in  baptism,  as  different  representations  of  the 
•Icansing  a^vay  of  the  guilt  or  defilement  of  sin, 
thereby. 

1  conclude,  since  this  controversy  has  difficult 
t^ies  attending  it,  persons  of  an  honest  and  sincere 
soul,  in  searching  out  the  truth,  may  happen  to 
run  into  different  opinions  :  but  the  things  y.^here  ^ 
in  we  agree,  are  so  important,  as  should  not  suffer 
lis  to  quarrel  about  the  lesser  things  wherein  we. 
difl'er.  Our  brethren,  who,  reject  inilint  baptism, 
as  well  as  we  v\  ho  practise  it,  all  agree  in  a  belief 
ef  the  sacred  institution  of  this  ordinance  :  we  all 
agree,  that  children  should  be  devoted  to  God; 
and  should  be  p:4rtakers  of  all  the  privileges  wliicfe 
Siiripture  adu^its.   aiid  that  ih^y  siioxid  grov^  nf 


(  m  ) 

tinder  all  possible  oblie^ations  to  duty  :  and  since 
each  of  us  desires  to  find  out  the  will  of  Christ, 
-and  practice  it  accordingly,  it  is  a  most  unreason^ 
able  thing,  that  we  should  be  angry  with  each 
other,  because  some  of  us  are  devoted  to  God 
and  Christ  by  this  ceremony,  a  little  soojier  or  a 
little  Uitifr  than  others,  #r  because  some  devote 
their  children  to  God  in  baptism,  as  a  claim  of 
privileges,  and  an  obligation  to  duties,  before  they 
can  do  this  for  themselves,  and  are  capable  of  act- 
ing therein :  or  because  some  of  us  thiiik,  this 
ordinance  requires  much  water,  and  that  the  whole 
body  be  immersed  in  it ;  others  suppose,  a  little 
is  sufficient,  and  that  he  who  hath  the  fice  or  head 
washed  in  this  solemnity,  has  as  true  a  significancy 
•f  gospel  benefits  and  obligations,  as  he  who  has 
his  whole  body  put  under  water,  since  our  Savi- 
our thought  so  when  he  washed  1  eter*s  feet,  John 
xiii.  10.  In  short,  when  faith  in  Christ,  and  love 
to  God,  and  obedience  to  the  sanctifying  opera- 
tions of  the  spirit  are  made  necessary  to  salvation, 
and  agreed  upon  by  us  all,  it  is  pity  that  these 
lesser  things  should  raise  such  unhappy  contentions 
among  the  disciples  of  the  blessed  Jesus,  the 
rrincii  0f  Peace. 


:  FINIS.  : 


Keligious    VYorks 

Published  and   for  Sale  by  Robert  Crnmhie, 
No  305,  Greenwich'Sfreety  New-York, 

SACRED  BIOGRAPHY:  or,  the  History  of  the  Patri- 
archs. To  which  is  added,  th*  history  of  Deborah,  Ruth 
and  Hannah. — And  to  this  edition  is  added  the  history  of 
Jesus  Christ.  Being  a  course  of  Lectures  delivered  at 
the  Scots  Church,  London -wnll.  By  Henry  Hunter, 
D.  D.     In  4  vols-  8vo. 

A  SPIRT  rUAL  TREASURY  for  the  Children  of  God; 
Consisting  of  a  Meditation  for  each  Morning  and  Even- 
ing in  the  year,  upon  select  Texts  of  Scripture.  Hum- 
bly intended  to  establish  the  Faith,  promote  the  Comfort, 
and  influence  the  Practice  of  the  followers  of  the  Lamb. 
By  William  Mason,  Esq.  Second  American  Edition. 
2  vols.  8vo. 

A  S'.:RIPTURE  ACCOUNT  of  the  Faith  and  Practice  of 
Christians  :  Consisting  of  an  Extensive  collection  of  per- 
tinent texts  of  Scripture,  given  at  large,  upon  the  various 
articles  of  revealed  religion  ;  reduced  into  distinct  Sec- 
tions, so  as  to  embrace  all  the  branches  of  each  subject, 
the  motives  to  the  belief  or  practice  of  the  doctrines 
taught,  and  the  threatenings,  promises,  rewards  ;  punish- 
ments,  examples,  kc.  annexed.  Addressed  to  the  un- 
derstanding, the  hopes,  and  the  fears  of  Christians.  The 
whole  forming  a  complete  Concordance  to  all  the  articles 
of  Faith  and  practice  taught  in  the  Holy  Scriptures.  By 
Hugh  Gaston,  v.  d.  m.  Member  of  the  Root  Presby- 
tery, County  Antrim  Ireland    1  vol.  8vo. 

THE  CHRISTIAN  LOOKING  GLASS,  or  the  Timor- 
out  Soul*s  Guide,  being  a  description  of  the  work  of  the 
Holy  Spirit  upon  the  heart.  Intended  for  the  relief  of 
the  disconsolate.  By  the  Rev.  Timothy  Priestly. 
Recommended  by  the  Rev.  Ashbel  Green,  d.  d.  and  the 
Rev.  Philip  Milledoler. 

R.  C.  Has  constantly  for  Sale,  an  Assortment  of  School 
Books  and  Stationary,  &c.