JHEASUKi. ROOM COL. GEORGE WASHINGTON FLOWERS MEMORIAL COLLECTION DUKE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY DURHAM. N. C. PRESENTED BY W. W. FLOWERS Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2014 https://archive.org/details/modesubjectsofbaOOmerr_0 #* MODE AND mm-' BAPTISW" EXAMINED, IN SEVEN SERMONS. TO WHICH IS ADDED, A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE BAPTISTS. BY DiU^MkEURILL, A. M: PASTOR OF THE ^HB^^" CHRIST IN SEDGWICK, Doth our law judge a^^B before it hear him, and kno^ what i\c doeth ? Nicodtmu^f^ John vii 51, IVhoscever he be ofi||b that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cao?io be my disciple.HF Jesus Chnit. SIXTH EDITION. PRINTED BY JOSEPH GALE^^ M.DCCC.VII. - E READER. ITELLOW-TRAVELLER TO ETFRNITY, YOU and I are the offspnftg of God, The period of our return to him swiftly approaches. Then the motive I have had in writing, and which vou shall have had in reading, will both be known. How, and how far, the following pages will affect my present and future life, is with the Lord. How far they shall affci.t thine, is also with Him. Oj^J^ng is certain ; the truth of what I have written will^^^^wnown. You are wil- ling to know it now, proviMJPIr know the value of the gospel, and possess a heart humbied by its doctrines. Reader, be not offended at wh^^ have written, till you be sure it is f tlse. Do thy<^^H harm. Read, con- sider, compare every part ane^PF whole with divinei trudi, in such a manner and spirit, a^^all yield thee a" pleasing reflection in the world to cflR If thf^ su )ject, as here presented, be true, it is a serious truth. If an error, it is a serious one. It nearly concerns the kingdom of Emanuel, to whose pleasur e^d mercy the whble is cheerfully resigned, > w/^ Bv, reader, thy servant for jEsus'sake, THE AUTHOR. Sedgwick^ j0^.fl7fiSQ4f. 4 jiim. THE MODE AND SUBJECTS OF BAPTISM, SERMON I. MATTHEW xxviii. 19, 20. Go ve, therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing th^m in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost ; teaching them ■ to observe all things whatsoevei' 1 have commanded you : and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen. IT hath pleasmlH Father of Mercies to bestow on fallen man a revelation from heaven. In it is contained the scheme of grace, which brings life and immortahty to light. It shews the way by which to escape the wrath to come, and to find the favour of God. All scripture is given by his inspiration, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteous- ness ; that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works. Till the human heart be humbled, in measure, man feels not his need of divine teaching ; nor will he maka the scriptures the man of his counsel. But, my brethren, and people, it is doubtless the case, that many of yoa possess a willingness to have your principles and practice squared by the wo'rd and testimony of Jesus Christ. My text contains some of the last words of our great High Priest. It is the general orders which he gave his first apostles, and left for the instruction, practice and comfort of all thiiir successors, to the end of the world. In the verse whi( h precedes my text, Christ informs us, that all power in heaven and in earth is given unto him. His words, therefore, are clothed with iiuthority. May we hear, and fear, and i)e obedient! Where the word of a kinp is, there is power: and who may say unto the King of Sion, What dost thou ? So far as we be christians, all that is necessary to en- force obedience isj to know what Christ w^ould have us E66221 THE MODE AND SUBJECTS [Serai. I. I to do. Perhaps not a passage in all the oracles of truth contains more extensive instruction than do the words of iriy text. The commands are exceedingly broad ; the baptismal institaiion comprehends all obedient disciples; and the comforting promise is durab/e as the woild. In m v text, Christ Jesur,, the head of the chm-ch and lord of all, constituted his present and succeeding disciples to^ be apostles unto rJl nations. It contains their com- mission, and general and particular orders. In it they are directed, I. To go and disciple all nations. II. to baptize them in the name of the Father, and ©f the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. III. He directs th-^se newly constituted apostles, and ?ll their successois, to teach ifcikbaptized disciples to observe all things whatsoever hi^ad given in command- ment. Lastly, For their encouragement and comfort, he i^ckls, And^ lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end €f the world. Amen. I suppo^^e it V ill he expedient, afid with me it is an InJiopensib'e duty^ that I lay each of these propositions as fairly and ah fully before you a-, I can. But I shc>!l not observe the order in which thev lie in my text, which is as I h;sve just stated them. For I have many things to -nv un o you, in agreement with mv text, hut fear that :ii Hre not, all of you, able to hear them now. We nail therefore begin with the il. Which contains Christ's command to baptize, in/ the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, those who shall be discipled of all nations. Nor do I purpose to call your attention, at this time, to the whole vvhich is implied in this proposition. But Vvlru I purpose is, to define a few words which appertain the ordinance, and then collect the scripture account r I baptism, with some other texts, which mav throw light i-riOn the subject. Afterwards, in discourses which may u.itcw, I may produce evidence that mv de finition of baptism i-i accurate and just; and shew how the apostles 'rv:A primitive christians understood this matter, and how '.hey pracliseda Wiien this is daoe, it will be ^,'asily seen Serm. I.j Oi- bAPTI^M what is the outward and visible part of baptism ; and then the purport, end and design of the institution, may dall for some attention. Before I proceed to open, illustrate and confirm these particulars, I have several things to say unto you. For I wish you to attend to the subject without partiality and without hypocrisv. I pray God to remove darkness and all prejudice from your minds, that you may, indeed, come to thkC law and to the testimony of Jesus Christ ia this matter. You will consider me as under the strongest worldly inducements to continue to believe and practise as I have heretofore done; for should I, after mature consideration, be constrained to believe and practise differently, you will be released from all legal obligations to afford me any farther support ; my relations will, the most of them, probably be greatly shocked and displeased at the report j many, whom I highly value as christians, and numbers of them zealous preachers of the gospel, will, it may be, consider me as lost, and worse than lost, to the church and world ; and, besides this, multitudes will, no doubt, say all manner of evil against me. All this being true, with a thousand other connected smaller evils, and nothing of a worldly nature in prospect, save what is contained in the promise of Jesus Christ, you cannot but conclude that .1 shall proceed no farther in this matter than I am obliged to, in following the Lamb of God whithersoever he goeth. Having said thus much with respect to myself, I will still add, that should a change in my belief and practice, respecting the subject on hand, bring me to a iiiore full belief and practice of the truth, I shall, on the whole, be a gainer. But, should a change take place, and I be called to sustain all the evils which I may calculate upon, and after all be plunged myself into a hurtful and bewil- dered ( rror, surely all the meek and lowly in heart would rather commiserate than revile me. Another thing I would mention to you, so that the subject may, if it possibly can, meet your minds without prejudice. You ought not to fix your judgments, nor found your belief, upon the arguments or confessions of great and ^od y^e^ ^j^farther than such argumems anti THE MODK AND SUBJECTS [Serttr. :| tonfessions are conformed with the scriptures of trutl' Should we hearken to what the greatest and best of me' liave confest and affirmed of the subject which we ai about to consider, and have our belief and practice co responding with what thty have written, the matter woulil most evidently, go against what we have, in time pasi both believed and practised. For they have very gen| rally, or very many of them, if not all of them, confessc or affirmed, however their practice may have been, th immersion was the mode practised by the apostles ai primitive church. This I purpose to prove to you in ; proper place. AVhat I have more to add, before> I proceed to t 'main business, is, to state a few plain truths, I 1. Baptism is a positive institution, about which V can know nothing, as to its being a christian ordinani but from what Christ, and those inspired by his Spi iiave taught us. 2. A:l which we are required to believe and practi with respect to the christian ordinance of baptism, is < dared to us by Jesus Christ and his forerunner and apostl 3. When Jesus Christ first instituted the ordinance' baptism, he, no doubt, delivered his mind so clearly a fully upon the subject, that bis immediate disciples si ' ap.ostles u derstood and practised as he would have the * 4. Every thing which hath, by the precepts and co mandments of men, been added since, is distinct frj the orciinance, and makes no part of it. j 5. No man, or body of men, have any more author f o add to this ordinance, or to diminish from it, tli- ley have to institute a new one, and call it Christ's. !5" 6. Whenever, and wherever, this ordinance is ^• anged, as to lose the intent of the institutor, then ire the ordinance is lost, and becomes no chris^ linance at all, laving laid these preparatory observations, rem: '^' plain truths before you, we proceed to consider ^- cct now on hand, which is ^ iriftt's command to baptize, in the name of the and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, those he disc") oled of all nations, ' J J OF BAPTISM. "i hat is proposed for the present discourse is ijro define a few words which appertain to the ordi- of baptism. Then or To collect the scripture accoa^t of baptism, toge- . i^j ith some other texts, which may throw light upon ^sjbject. Afterwards, in some following discourse?, c^e / Produce evidence that my definition of baptism is :h;ite and just. I'henshow — ■A. How the apostles and primitive church understood iaiiatter, and how they practised. When this is done, (! easily be seen— til What is the outward and visible part of christian |,m. Then — Js%, The purport, end, and design of the baptismal rJution may call for our attention, jjreeably to what is proposed, we are— ' I To define a few words which appertain to the ordi- jitjs of baptism. These are— (Baptisterion ) Greek ; baptisterium and lavacruvi^ fj|i; a font, a bath, a washing-place, a vessel to wash e .ody in ; English. a Baptisma and baptismos^ Greek ; baptisma and lotia^ a ablutia saura^ Li^tin ; baptism, washing, sacred, cere* ial washing ; English, g Baptistes^ Greek ; baptista^ Latin ; one who dips, a \ ist ; English. Baptizo^ Greek ; baptizo^mergo^ lavo^ Latin ; to bap- , to dip all over, to wash ; English. Loico^ Greek ; lavo^ Latin j to wash, to rinse, to bathe j ;lish. ;'[. We are to collect the scripture account of baptism, ^:ther with some other texts, which may throw light up- he subject. Ve will begin with those passages which speak of the tisni of John. . 3Iatth. iii. 5, 6, 7. Then went out to him Jerusa- ; and all Judea, and all the region round about Jordan, . were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins, : when he saw many of the Pharisees a|id Sadducees le to his baptism, he said unto them, O generatioa o£ 9 THE MODE AND SUBJECTS [Serm. I. 2. Verse 11.1 indeed baptize you with water unto re- pentance, &c, 3. Verses 13, U, 15, 16. Then come th Jesus from Gahlee to Jordan u^to John, to be baptized of him : but John forbade him, saying, I have to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me ? and ||sus answering, said unto him, Sulfer it to be so now, for 'thus it bt cometh us to tulhl all righteousness : then he suffered him. And Jebus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water. 4. Matth.^ xxi. 25, 26, 27. The baptism of John, whence was it, from heaven or of men ? And they reason- ed with themselves, saying, If we should say from hea- ven, he will say unto us, Why did ye not then beheve him? But, if weshdl! scty of men, we fear the people, for, aii ho;d John as a piophet. And they answered Jesus, and said, We cannot tell, &c. 5. xdark 1 4, 5. John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repeniauce for Lhe remission of sins. And there went out unto him all the land ot Judea, and they of Jerusalem, and were all baptized of him in the ri^ ver of Jordan, confessing their sins. ^ 6. Verses 8, 9, 10. 1 indeed have baptized you with water. And it tame to pass in those days, that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, anc^ was baptized of John IN Jordan, and straightway coming up out of the water, &c. 7. Mark xi. 30. The baptism of John, v/as it from h?2a?- ven, or of men t 8. Luke iii. 3. And he came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance, for the re- mission of sins. 9. Verses 7, 8. Then said he to the multitude that came forth to be baptized of him, O generation of vipers 1 bring forth, therefore, fruits meet for repentance. 10. Verse 12. Then tame also publicans to be baptized. 11. Verse 16. I indeed baptize you with water, \ 12. Verse 21. Now, when all the people were baptized, it came to pass that Jesus also, being baptized, &c. 13. Luke vii. 29, 30, And all the people that heard kirn, and the publicans, justified Godj.being baptised w'lih Sem. I.] OF BAVTlku. g the baptism of John. But the Pharisees and lawyers re- ie6lecl the counsel of God against themselves, being not baptized of him. 14. Luh' XX. 4, The baptism of John, was it from hea- vrri, or of men ? 15. yohni.25,26. Why bapti zest thou, then, if thou be not that Christ, nor Elias, neither that prophet I John answered them, saying, I baptize with water. 16. Verse 28. Beyond Jordan, where John was bap- tizing. 17. Verse 31. That he should be made manifest to Israel : therefore I am come baptizing with water. 18. Verse S3 He that sent me to baptize with water. 19. yihn ill. 23. And John also was baptizing in Enon, ne ir to Salim, because there was much water there ; and thev cam - and were baptized, 20. Jchniv. 1. The Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized mor- disciples than John. 21. John -K, AO. Beyond Jordan, into the place where John at fu st baptized. 22. Act;< \, 5. John truly baptized with water. S3. Verse 22. Beginning from the baptism of John. 24'. Acts X. 37. ' After the baptism which John preach- ed. 25. Acts xi. 16. John indeed bs^ptized with v/aiti3C. 26. Acts xiii. 24. When John had first pre'-iched before his coming, the bapti,. ^ ot repentance to all the people. ,27. Ac:.,%xwm, 25. He (ApoHus) spake and taught di- ; W^m^.y dve things of the Lord, knowing only the baptism ^ of John. 2.^. Acts xix. 3, 4. Unto what then were ye baptized ? And they said, unto Jr.ha's baptism. Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the bap'ism of repentance, say- ing unto the people, ihal they <.houid believe on him which should con-»e after him, that is, on Christ Jetius. We will next ta.n our attention to those texts which mention Christ's bajjtism. 1. AJatth. -Kxy'iu. \ g. Go ye, therefore, and teach all nations, b ^ptiz' t g die n in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. 2. Mirkxv'u 15, 16. And he sj^id unto them, Go ye 10 THE MODE'AND SUBJECTS [Serm. I» into all the world, and preach the'j^spel to every creature; he that believeth, and is bapt zt-d, shall be saved. 3. JohnVu, 5. Except a man be born of water, avid of the Spirit, Sec. 4. Verse 22. After these things came Jesus and his disciples into the land of Judea, and ^ere tarried with them, and baptized. 5. Verse 26. Behold the same bapfeth, and all men come to him, 6. jfohn IV. 1, 2. When therefore th^ Lord knew hoxv the Ph irisees had heard, that Jesus made and baptized more disciph s than John (though Jesus himself baptized not, but his disciples.) 7. Acts'u, 38. 7 hen Peter said unto them, repent, and be baptized every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. 8 Verse 41. Then they that gladly received his word were baptized. 9. A^.s viii. 12, 13. But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, a«d the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. Then Simon himself believed a. so:' and when he was baptized, &c. 10. Acts viii. 16. Only they were baptized in the naine of the Lord Jesus. ^ 11. Verses 36, 37, 38, 39. AiA as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water, and the eunuch said. See, here is water, what doth hinder me to be bap- tized? And Philip said, L^thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. And he cominanded the cha= riot to stand stil!. And they went down both into the water, koth Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized them. And v/hea they were come out of the water, &c. 12. Acisi\. 18. And he (Saul) arose, and was baptized. 13. Acts s.. 47,48. C-^.n any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as v/ell as we ? And he commanded them to be b. ptiz- d in rhe name of the Lord, 14. Acts xvi. 15. And vVhen she (Lydia) was baptised and her household. T3r Verse 33. And was i>aptized,Tie (the jailor) and all his, straightway. 16. Acts xviii, 8. And many of the Corinthians, hear- ing, believed and were baptized. 17. Acts xix. 5. When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 18- Acts xxii. 12. And now whv tarriest thou ? arise and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord 19. Rom. vi. 3, 4 Know ve not, that so many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus, were baptized into his death ? Thcrefo*'e we are buried with him bv baptism into death, that, iike as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glorv of the Father, even so we a so should walk in newness of life. 20. 1 Cor, i. 13, 14, 15, 16 17. Were ye baptized in the name of Paul ? I thank God that I baptized none of you but Crispus and Gaius ; lest any should say that I had baptized in mine own name. And I baptized also the household of Stephanas ; Besides, I know not whether I had baptized any othf^r ; for Christ sent me not tabaptize, but to preach the gospel. 21. 1 Cor. VI. 11. But ve are washed. 22. 1 Cor. 12, 13. For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body*. 23. I Cor, XV. 29, Else what shall they do that are baptized for the dead ? ^ 24. GaL iii. 27. For as manvcf you as have been bap- tiEed into Christ, have put on Christ. 25. Eph, iv. 5. One baptism. 26. Lph. V. 26. That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word. j27. CoL lu 12. Buried with him in baptism, wherein yc^a so are risen with him. <28. Titus iii. 5 According to his mercy h*^ saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Hoiy Ghost. 29. Heb, vi. 2. The doctrine of baptismsf. * This intends, as some suppose, the baptism of the Holy Ghost, t It IS not certain tnat this hath any retere\!ce to clir stian baptism* •If It have; It auisi refgr not to th^t only. Se^ Doddridge in io^. 3Q. Heh. X. 22. Our bodies wasRed with pure water. 31. 1 Peter iii. 21. The like figure whereunto even baptism doth now save us (not the putting away the filth of the flesh, but the ansv/er of a good conscience towards God, bv the resurrection of Jesus Christ. ) These, I believe, are all the texts in the New Testa- nif nt which have a plain and obvious reference to either the baptism of John, or of Christ. They afford us the sum of all the knowledge which we can have of either the mode or subjects of christian baptisna. What these pas- sages say, we may be ieve; what they do not counten- ance, we may not believe. I wil now set before you those passages where ashing is mentioned. 1. Matth,\\, 17. But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thy head, and f nipsaij wash thy face. 2. Matth. XV. 2. Why d ) thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they ( niptontaij wash not their hands when they eat bread. 3. Matth, xxxvii. 24. When Pilate saw he could pre- vail nothing, l)ut that rather a tumult was made, he took ivater and f apmipRato ) washed his hatids. 4. Mark vii. 2 And when they saw some of his disci- ples eat bread with defiled, that is to say with ( oniptois } unwashen hands. 5. Verse 3. For the Pharisees and all the Jews, except they ( nipy.ontai) wash their hands oft, they eat not, &c. 6. Verse 4. When they come from the market, except they (hapthontaij wash, they eat not ; and muny other things there be which they have received to hold, as the (hapt'ismous ^washing of cups and pots, brazen vessels, and of tables, 7. Vtrse 5. But eat bread with (^om/??!??^ J unwashed hands. 8. Verse 8. For, laying aside the commandments of God, yr hold the tradition of men, as the (bapttsmous) washing of pots and cups. 9. Luke V. 2. And they (apeplunan J were washing their nets. 10. Luke vii. 38. And stood at his feet, behind him, weeping, and began f brechein J to wash his leet. 11. Verse 44. And he turned to the \yomau, and sai^ tinto Simon, Seest thou this woman ? I entered into thine house, thou gavest no,water for my feet.: but she f ebrexc J hath washed my feet with tears. 12. Luke xi. 38.^nd when the Pharisees saw it, that he had not first C t^aptisthe J washed before dinner. 13. f ohn ix. 7. And said unto him, Go, and (nipsai) wash in the pool of Siloam ; he went his way therefore aud C entpsato J washed. 14. Verse 15. Then again the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight: he said unto them. He put clay i^on mine eyes, and I ( enipsamen J washed and do see. i 15. ^ hn Ku'u 5. After that he poured water into a bason, and began f niptein ) to wash the discip'es"* feet. 16. Verse 6. And Peter said unto him, Lord, dost thou ( nipteis J wash my feet ? 17. Verses. Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never C nipses J wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If 1 f nip so J wash thee not, thou hast no part with me. I S. VerSe 10, Jesus saith unto him. He that is f ok' bnmeno^ J washed, needeth not srve f mpsastkaij to wash feet, &c. 19. V^-r^e 14. If I then, your Lord and master, have (enipm) washed your feet, ye also ought {nipiein) t© wash one another's feet, 20 Acts ix. 37. And it came to pa'^s in those days, thnt she WIS si k and died, whom when they had (Jqu^ santtrs) washed. 21. Acts, xvi. 31 And he took them the same hour of the night, and {elouseri) washed ihf^ir stripes. 22. xxvii. 16. And now, whv tamest ihou? arise and he baptized, and {apolousai) wash avvav thv sins. 23. 1 Cor, v'. 11. But such were some of you, but ye (ap'-l'rfs'rfsthe^^ra washed. 24 Eph^ might sanctify and cleanse it w th fhutroj t]i|Uva«hing of water Iw the word. 25. 1 Tim, vflp If she C enipsenj have washed the samts* feet. % ration ^* OoutrcuJ washing of regeneo 27. Heb. ix. 10. Which stood o^ly in meats and drinks, and ( diaphoroh hapthmois ) diveA washings. 28. Heb. X. 22. Having our bod^s CkloumenoiJ wsLsh- ed with pure water. \ . 29. 2 Peter ii. 22. But it is happened unto them accor- ding to the true proverb — and the sow that (loubamene ) was washed, &c. v 30. Rev. i. 5. Unto him that loved and f/i?W5f7n//^ washed us from our sins in his own blood. 31. Rev, vii. 14. These are they who came out of great tribulation, and ( epulnan ) have washed i^ir robes in ihe blood of the Lamb.* 1^ Those passages which make mention of sprinklings with the Greek words used, now call for your attention. 1. Htb, ix. 13. For il the blood of bulls and goats, and the ashes of an heifer, ( rantizOusa J sprinkling the un- clean, &c. 2. Verse 19. He (Moses) took the blood of calves and of goats, with water, and scarlet wool and hyssop, and (errantise) sprinkled both the book and all the people. 3. Heb, X. 22. Having our hearts \errantismtnoi) spr nkl.d from an evil conscience. 4. Heb. xi. 28. Through faith he kept the passover and the (^proschusin) sprinkling of blood. 5. HeL xii. 24. And to tfie blood of {rantismon) sprinkling. 6. 1 Peter i. 2. And to the {rantismon^ sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ. Lastly, You will now give attention, for a moment, to those passages of scripture where the word dip is mentioned. 1. Luke xvi. 24. That he may (bapse) dip his finger ia water. 2. Matth*\xvi, 23. And he answered .and said, He that {embapsa^) dipp th his hand wi h merfn the dish. 3. Mark xiv. 20. And he answerjfl and said unto them, It is one of the twelve, that (Sibaptomenos) dip- peth with me in the di-h. 1 . . 4. John xiii. 26. And he answerdd, He it is to whom • Pluno fr.opeily signifies to wash clothS-i »s /oe/o the body, and nipto the face and hands. Serm. II ] 0*APTISTS. U I shall give a sop ^Jf^n I have {hapsaa) dipped it; and when he had {embapMs) dipped the sop, &c. 5. xix. 13.^.nd he was clothed with a vesture (bttyammenon) dip|rcl in hlood. A lew remark's on what we have passed over will close the preset^ discourse. 1. \\e see that all the words which appertain to the ordinance of baptism, signify the same which they would, provided immefsion were the scripture mode, 2. We see that the subjert of baptism is very repeat- edly mentioned in the New Testament. It is brought to view expressly in about three score passages. 3« Whenever baptism is mentioned, and neither the word haptizo nor haptismos is used ; the word substituted plainly intimates that bathing, or washing the body all over, is the mode ; for this is the signification of louo^ which is the word, and the only word, which the scrip- tures employ in the room of baptizo. 4. Whenever baptizo or baptismos is translated wash- ing, a ceremonial and not a common washing is rnaai^^ festly intended, 5. We find that in all the places where sprinkling is mentioned, the original words rantizo and proscliusin are very different from baptizo and baptismos. 6. You will please to observe, that wherever we find, through the New Testament, the word to dip, it is from the same theme whence bapt zo comes. 7. We see that every thing looks as though immersion might be the mod-; and, as for sprinklings there is, to say the least, nothing which looks like it. SERMON II. MA^TTHEW XXVIII. 19, 20. GO ye, therefore, and te^h all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of th^Son, and of tne Holy Ghost ; teaching them to observe all thmgs w^tsoever I have commanded yon : and. lo I am with you alway, ev|n unto the end of the world Aw.eji THE business which we are now upon depends very much upon the definitions of certain words, and 16 THE MODE AND SUfcCTS [Ser.ni. II, principally upon the definition ol^e word baptize^ and upon the certain evidtnce of such demition, or dtrfinitii.ns, bting accurate and just. For we canVp otherwise under- stand what God the Lord saith unto ul^han by knowing the import of the words by which he is pll|sed to commu- nicate his yiil. The Grtat Teacher, ™o came from Ciod, hath doubtless communicated his niiadso explicitly, that the Immble in heart may know the cQpimon matters \vhich relate to faith and practice. If djivuutly search the scriptures, and seek wisdom as siiver,\nd search for htr as for hid t»-easure, God will mike us to understand knowledge, and to serve him with acceptable practice. The Spiritof the Lord haih, most certainly, chosen accept- r.ble words, words of defin-te meaning. We are to search out their sigriificaiion, and to be obedient. 1 cannot judge of their signification for you, nor can i answer for the judgment which you shall make up, nor ran ^ ou for me. 1 am, by my office, obliged to exhibit, so far as I can, all those divine truths which relate to faith and practice. 1 am obliged to btlieve and practise according to the best light which I can gather, or have in any way afforded me. You are under similar obligations. Whilst we proceed, I wish you to believe, fully, two things ; one is, that truth, if believed and practised, will not, on the whole, harm you. The other is, that the most «ure way to a( quire truth is, to be of a humble and obedient mind, read\ to receive the truth. For God re- sisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble. In-the preceding discourse, we attended to the defini- tion of Certain words which appertain to the ordinance of baptism ; and then collected the scripture account of bap- tism, together with some other texts, whic h are supposed to throw light uix)n the subject under con^side ration. In thl? discourse we are — |^ in. To produce the more direct evu^nce, that my de- finitions of baptism, and to baptize, ai^ accurate and just. The definition which I gave of b:ip*m, was, a ivaah'tng^ a cacrtd, a ceremonml washing- I wi'Aiow add to this defi- nition, thati' is immersion, ordippinltine all over in water. The definiticn which I gave of word baptize is, to flip all over, to wash. I will also aid, that the word si^ni- Serm. II.] S 6'^' BAPTISM. 1/ fies, to wash the bom% or any thing, al! over. What I nnean is, that these arf'^the significations of the v/ords baptisma and baptizQ, which are rentlered baptism and to baptize. I a:n*:now to produce evidence, that this is a just and accurate definition of the words. You will observe, that this is quite different front the subjects of baptism ; that is another subject, which must he attended to in its place. Th^ evidence which I have to offer, in order to fix pre^ cisely the just sense and meaning of the words baptism and lo baptize^ is contained in the following facts. The 1st comprises what the Greek Lexicon^ Concordance, and tvvo English Dictionaries, testify of the words.. Schrevelius's Lexicon testifies, the import of baptism is lotio^ washing. Also that to baptize signifies to xvash^ to put under water, or under any other Hquid thing ; to sink, dip in, duck or plunge over head, to immerse. Butterworth's Concorda,nce says, baptism is an ordi* nance of the Ne\y Testament, instituted by Jesus Christ, whereby a professed believer in Christ is, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, im- mersed in and covered with water, and then raised up out of it, as a sign of his fellowship with Christ in his death, burial and resurrection, and a sign of his own death to^ sin, and resurrection to newness of life here, and to life eternal hereafter. The same Concordance defines the word to baptize, thus — to dip, immerse, or plunge. Entick's Dictionary says, xh'^t^ Baptism is a sacrament that admits into the church- — Baptizer^ one who christens or dips — Baptistery^ the place of baptizing at, a font — - Baptize^ to christen, plunge, overwhelm — -Baptized^ ad- mitted to baptism, dipped^ he. Bailey's Dictionary, speaking of baptism, or rather the place in which persons were baptized, says, Baptistery is either the place or vessel in which persons are baptized. In ancient times,, this being performed by immersion, the persons so initiated went into a river and were plunged ; but in the time of Gonsirntine the Great, chapels, or places on purpose to bt^tize in, were built in great cities which was performed in the eastern and warmer countries by di pping the persons ; but in process of lime, in th^ TilE MODE AND SUBj|CTS [Serm, 11 stern and colder countries, sprinkimg was substituted place of dipp-ng ; which was the origL of our fonts in • urches. \ 2. I w:ll repeat some of the atrendant oJic'rcumstantial :ts, which have relation to the ordinan'^e of baptism, I i-U you may look at thf-m, and judge for yourselves whether the preceding definition appears ju§t. Jf^hn baptized in the river Jordan ^ He was baptizing in Enon, because there was much ter there. The name of the place where baptism was administer- , is bapti terion or baptistary^ which signifies a place in ,» i:ich to wash the body all over. B.'.ptism signifies to dip, plunge, immerse, or wash ' body all over in water. B.iptizer signifies one who dips, plunges, or washes the bodv all over in water. To baptize signifies t© plunge under water, to dip, or to Vr'ash the body all over. To be baptized is to bt plunged, immersed, or washed all over in water. Does this v/hole matter, taking so many of the words and some circumstances, and findmg them all so'weil iijrrceing together, help you, in any degree, to the de- tinidon of the word baptize ? Supposing these things be lacts, and vou had never any prejudice for, or against, the word baptize, would you be able to gather the mean- ing of it from what hath been said? There is an objection starting in the minds of some of Gu, v/h:ch should be now obviated, lest it prejudice your minds from the truth. The objection is, Do not the words signify some other ';ings. us well as those which have been mentioned: Am- 1 have thought they did : !)ut I, have searched in ?;everji dictionaries, and read many "Suihors upon the . ord.s, y t have not found one dictionary which has given Itfiniiion of the words different iromiWhat I have given ; r one author who has been able to^hew, that the true ineaning of the words is any otherw^e than what I have n^entioned. Besides, the very cotfl^sc of argumentauon wiiich Dr. Lathropy jMr. and others have taken, S.rm. II.] OF BAPTISM. 19 by which to prcv^Aat baptizo hath some other srgnifica- tion than to dip^lmmerse, to bury or overwhehn, is an implicit confession thac ihey wee not able to prove any such thing. Is is also a strong presumptive argument, that no diiTerent signification can be found. Their argumtrnt is this: ^a/^^o signifies, in one instance in the Old Testament, to wet ui h the dew of heaven^ — Baptizo is the offspring of bapto, and consequently may be taken in the same sense. This argument is of the same weight with the to.lowing: My father believes in sprinkling, as being baptism: lam his offspring, and consequently I believe the same ; when the fact is, I am largely convinced that it is no such thing. Would gen- tlemen employ such an argument, did not their cause labour'' Such an argument, when it stands as it does at the front of all their supposed evidence, is an implicit confession that they cannot prove what they wish to*. , This matter will have Turtlier attention in another place, * 3, The words baptismos and baptizo have two, and only two translations, in the New Testament. These two are baptism and tvashiiig. They are very generally rendered bapti the command vvas to doy Levit xi, 32. The divers washings in Heb. ix, 10, were ceremonial washings, or bathings, in which the body was washed, or dipped, Numb, xix, 19. This being the case, does not this matter go to confirm, or deter- mine, what is the definition of baptism ? 4. We will now mention a few noted witnesses, who have given their testimony as to the meaning of the word kaptizQ. Calvin, a very warm opposer of the baptists, shall, ?,s a witness in this cause, s,jeak first. His testimony is, " Howbeit, the very word of baptizing significth to dip." Zanchius, as brought forward by the Rev. Mr. Butter- worth, shall be my next witness. He says, baptizo is to immerse, plunge under, to overwhelm in water. I could quote, or bring forward, a n mkitude of witnes- ses, and all from our own order, the pasdobaptists, to prove the same point. But in the mouth of two or three witnesses, if they be good ones, every word shall be established. We wih therefore produce but one more ; that sh^ll be good Doct >r Owen. For the original and natural signification of it {bapUzo)y it signifies to dip,, to plunge*." i 5. 1 will mention to you a Greek word, which Paul re- peatedly usi;s, as signifying the sar^re thing as baptizo^ and where he means the sanle thing, nameiy baptism. In 1 Cor. vi. 11. Paul, speaking to the Corinthians of divers kinds of vile sinners, sa} s, And such were some- of you ; but ye jire ■washed^'''' &c. * Anc>r.t Dnlcg-.K?, Sermll] GP^APTISM. 21 Hph. V. 26. That he J^ght sanctify and cleanse it (the church) with the wafihiMr of water, by the word. Heb. X. 22. Let ii^^raw nt ar, with a true heart, in i full assuriince of falthi^iaving our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, ajp our bodie.s xva-hed with pure water. The pae lobap^s acknowledge that washi?}^^ in these texts, m^dns battism^ am! I know not that any of them denv it. baptiAn and washing appear to be used as s/- nonimous worc«, or as words signifying the same thing. If this be ihe cfee, then the two words, baptizo and louo^ which are tran^ted, one to baptize, and the other to wash mean the sameqfhing, and are thus intended by the apostle. Then, provided we can determine what iouo means, we can also deterpnine what is the signification ol baptizo* This word hu^ signifies to wash and to bathe the body in water, for thds it is generally, if not universally, used, and from it \^ lout r on, a bath, or place* to wash the body in. Besides, the word Iouo is never used in the New Testament, nor any where else, to my knowledge, to sig- nify either sprinkling or common washing. Its appropri- ate sense appears to be bathing fir washing any thing all over ; as you may see, Acts ix. 37, and xvi. 33 ; 2 Pe* ter ii. 22 ; which are the only places where 1 recollect the word Iouo is used, save where the ordinance of baptism appears to be referred to. This being the case, the mat- ter appears just as it would, provided the ordinance in- cluded the bathing of the body in water. This is letting scripture interpret itself ; and the interpretation which it gives is, baptism is bathing or washing the body in water. This, therefore, may help you a little towards the deter- mining in yoiir own minds, what is the signification of bnptizQ For Iouo is repeatedly used in scripture, as im« porting the san%e mode of washing which is command- ed in the ordirmnce of baptism, 6. Paul's deftription of the mode of bapti'jng, or what is done to those^fco are baptized, may afford you farther light uDon the sul)\ct, Paul brings this natter up to the Roman and Colossian christians, as a matBr well known to them. To the for^ nier he says, Rom. Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into dSi^h, that like as Christ was raised 22 THE MODE AND ftfiJECTS [Serm II. up from the dead by the glory o^e Father, even so we a^so should walk in newnes,s oflfe. To the otlitr he fiays. Col. ii, 12, Buried with hiifl^in baptism ; wherein also ye are lisen with him, thruughShe faith of the ope, ration of God, who hath raised hun 1?^ the dead. Upon these texts. Dr. Doddridge Im the following note : It seem:* tne part of candour to c»ifcss, that here is an allusion to baptism by immersion, aswas most usual in those early times/* Here the good doltor says, as was most usual this I shall, by and by, Stplain to you. In the mean time, you will please to pay due attention to what was done to those who were Itaptized, and which ap- pears to be familiar to the Roman and Colossian christians. 1 he apostle makes no rem irks, and explains nothing to them, but spe^iks to them as though they would and did well understand what he meant, when he said, We are buried with him by baptism into death;'* and Buried wi^h him in baptism. It is plain fact, that Paul thus speaks, and it also appears very plainly, that ht^ had no apprehension but that he should be understood. Bishop Hordly's dec'araiion appears to be much in point: If baptism," says he, ''^ had been then, ' /. e. iu the apostles' days, performed as it is now among us, we should never have so much as heard ot this f^rm of expression, ol dying and rising again in this rite**," These things I have thought it my duty to la) before you, that I might assist you, by a number ot" plain facts, to form a judgment, each one forhimsell', what the meaning of baptism is, and what the v/ord to baptize signifies. I have still more light upon this subject, and shall, in the next discourse, lay it within \our view ' It will per- haps be, to some of you, more convincing than any ihmg which 1 have as yet exhibited. But previously I will miike one observation, and it is this: alb the evidence which we have been exhibiting, we have^n one side of the question; and, if I mistake not, non^on the other to counteract it ; for, if my memory andf^ucTgrnent be cor- lect, the wisest and best of men, of Sir own denomina- tion, have asserted, that these thing^are so. I do not say that ail good men h&ve ; but thjimost learned have, and some who have appeared verUpous. * Ten Letterf But you will say, have they not practised difFe- renth, if they have thu|fi)clieved ? I am not answerable for their practice ; butii the Lord will, I shall, ere long, give vou the reasons wnif h they assign. I shall onh add, for the present, two or three conse- quences, and thenledVe the subject for your consideration. 1. The briptiats have, ag:iinst our practice, and for theirs? that kind'of evidence which is, perhaps, in all ca- ses but the present, considered the most unequivocal and certain. This^vidence is given in by a cloud of witnes- ses, who whi!st^h<'y are bearing their testimony, conclenan themselves eve^v sentence thev utter. II these men, who are confesscid Ijy both "-ides to be both pious and learned, may be believed, the cause will m st certainly be deter- mmed against us ; for there was never a clearer case. They unitedly testifv that the scripture mode of baptism is immersion, but omit the practice. In this they con- demn themselves. 2. The Svripture sense, and, for aught appears, the only sense, of baptism, is dipping, immersion, burying m water, being overwhelmed, and the like. 3. We are brought to this dilemma, either to com- mence bjpiists, as to the mode, or to do as our fathers have done, confess the truth in theory, and neglect it in practice. SERMON III, MATTHEW xxviii. 19, 20, Go ye, therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the S .n, aiul of the Holy Ghost; teaching them to observe all things wiia soever I have commanded you ; and io, I am with you alway, even uiuo tiie end of the world. Ajnen. MEN, brethren, and fathers, we are all still upon a verv important subject ; a subject whi h highU concerns us as christians ; a subject in vi hich our feeling, our re- putation, and ourpea-ce too, may not be a little concern- ed. Many things, not to say every thing, call upon us not to go too f-ist ; and, at the||ame time, ohedience to our common Lord forbids all l«ck\vardness. in pursuing where his truth and Spirit lead^. All which I request of you is, Vith candour hear, with readiness obty, what truth shall dictate. Should we, after long and serious deliberation, be ob- liged to believe an^l prac ise difFt rently from what we have heretofore done, we shall be much exposed to two things: one is, to be reviled ; the other, to rev'Ae again. What we shall need is, patience to bear the oA, and grace that we may avoid the other. J Perhaps human nature is more inclineSto nothing than to an overbearing spirit. It is perfectly consonant with human nature to make ourselves, and not the scrip- tures, the standard of both faith and practicf. The na- tural consequence of this is censure against all who dare to think, or act, as we do not. To guard you against unreasonable and common prejudice, I will, for your consideration, suggest a thought, which we may do well to remember ; and it is this : many, who shall believe isnd practise as vv,e have long done, may be as honest and faltli- ful as we then were. This being true, the following con» seque nce is p].>in, that the line of conduct which the bap- tists ought to have practised, in months and years past, towards us, the same, if we be baptists, will it become us to pursue with relation to others. It requires not much foresight to discover, ihat we shall need much of that wisiU>m u'hiLh is profitable to direct. Whilst it may be in iispens-ible with us to use every prudent mean to diffuse that light which God may graci- ously afford us, it wdi be our wisdom to do every thing in 8uch a manner as not to heighten, butj if possible, to lower, the prejudices of good people. Whilst vou, my dear friends and perple know that light chaseth av/ay the darkness, and that truth will ulti- mately prevail against every error, I solicit your candour and Drayti ful attention, that error may not be retained, or prevail against any of us, to our \vounding. Our attention hath a ready been called to th- definition ©f a number of w:)rds, which rebte to the < rd.nan e of bapiism, to the scripture actount of baptism, together ■4- Serm. III.] OF BAPTISM. with some other texts, which were supposed to throw light upon the subject, and also to some evidence in sup- port of the given definitions. As the great question turns upon what is commanded, and as that cannot be otherwise known than by making sure the Import of the words used, we bhllll thnreforf* se.arrh fnr additional liorht aad C^fi tainty, bv enqviiring — iV. How the apostles and primitive christians under- stood this matter, and how they practised. If this can be made plain, then, perhaps, your mind will be satisfied, and your judgment made up. I proceed to lay the evidence before ^ ou. There appears no necessity of spending time to pro- duce evidence that the apostles understood the matter to hJ as I have proved to you that it was : for they, no dpubt, understood the words which Christ spake, and the commands which he gave ; besides, if the aposdes and primitive church pra- tised thus, it is evident that they thys under tood it; for doubtless they, especially the appsdcs, were honest men, and practised as ihey under- stoo Jesus Christ to have directed lh«-m. I will here make two observations to )ou ; and I wish you to remember therri. I he first no person shoul I, especiallv in important maitcis, make up his judgmtnt, that any particular sub- ject is true;, till he has evidenctj of its truth. The other is, the best proof v hich ihe nature of any case admits of, may and ougiit to t>e considered as evi- dence, and so received by u=, as to those things we are called to believe and practise. There are different degrees of evidence; the highest kind produ es knowledge. When the evidence i<\ small, it produces a weak and dubious belief. But where it is such that, on supposition the thing l>fc trm , the evidence r^'Ad not be greater than it is, there \vt are obliged to I'i our as.s..nt, and v/e do violence to our reason if we II not believe. 1 he evidence which we have with respect to the prac- ? oft i .iposdes in ihe ma ter of b iptizing, diff-rs in > gret., an ], in some measure, inkiutl, from the evi-lence which -v- have respecting the practice of the church in Jater ages as to the same matter. But if we ^aave, with ^ ^ G respect to the practice ot both, the best evident e which the different cases admit of, are under obligations to "believe the evidence good, and the facts true vvhi.h are supported by it. We have much the same kind of evidence with respect to the practice of the aposdes, uh ch wc have as to the practice of the church for many ages after thtm. Mr. B '.xter, bishop Hoadly ar.d other s» testify, that the apos- tolic practice was immersion. We have, moreover, as to their prac tice, a much higher kind of evidence. In si^pport of their practice, I sh<^ll produce the best kind of evidence, and afterwards, whilst spe king of the practice of the church in succeeding ages, may t)ccasionally bring forward some of the Oiher kmd of evidence, in support of the apostles' practice, Ab to the practice of the apostles, in the afhtiinistration of baptism, I observe, we have in the scriptures four distinct sources of evidence Isi Is this. When baptism is mentioned by the disci- ples and aposiles, and the common word is not used, they uniform!, employ one particular word, and this word is of ver\ deterniinate signihcation, and expresses the bath* ing, or wash n<, of the body in water, as lieb x, 22, {Jpioumen'') xva^hcd with pure water. Acts xxiii, 16. Arise and be baptized, and -\fif)olousai) wash away thy sins. 1 Cor vt, !!. But ye dvc (apolousasthc) rujsht^d, Jj\ the determinate signification of this word, their prac- tice appears to be immersion. 2. The apostles w,ere commanded to dip, imm.erse, or rlunge ;dl '»ver in water the persons whom they admitted to this ordinance. This is evi.lent from the determ.nate siguification of the word to baptize. Says the command. Go ye, therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them, &c. We have before proved what is the signification of this word, and ron&equentiv what Christ commanded his disciples, wht-n he sent them to baptize I do not now say that the apostles immersed any ; but this IS what I s'^iv, they were commanded thus to do. I leave it for vou to determine whether they did or whether thev did not. 3. I observe to ycu, that the New Testament, where- Strm. III.] OF BAPTISM. ever it speaks of the apostles baptizing any, says they immtrsed them, or dipt them all over in water. For this is the plain, literal and common, if not the only significa- tioa of the word. I still leave it with you to determine whether the apostles did or did not practise thus. Lest some of you may have forgotten what I have be- fore proved to you, and consequentlv entertain some douSt, whether baptism miy not sometimes signify the appliraiion of watefr in a different way ; we w i i make two or three observations. 1. The plain, literal, and common signification of the word is to immerse, overwhelm, iip, or to plunge all over. " 2. There appears to be no evidence that it is ever used> so much as once, in any part uf the Bible, to signify the application of water in any other sense. Even in those passages where I have, m time past, supposed that the meaning might be, and probablv was xvaiihtng^ without immersion, the sense appears to be, putting into water or immersion, and not what we commonlv understand bv the word washing. Of this you may be convmced, b\ consi- dering the treatment to which the Jews were ac( us'Lomed widi respect to those vessels which were cert.moniailv un- clean. Thev were to baptize them, or to put them into water, as you may see, Levit. xi. Si : A\id upon what- soever any of them, when they are dead, doth fall, it shall be unclean ; whether it be any vessel of wood, or raiment, ' or skin, or sack; whatsosoer vessel it be, wheiein any work is done, it must be put into water ^ and it shall be un' lean until the even ; so it shall be cleansed." 2. I will observe to vou, that it would, most visiblv, be a reflection upon the Great T eai^her who came from God, to suppose that he should, when appointing a positive in- stitution, use words aside from th ir plain and commonly received sense, that too without giving any intimation of his using the words in any sense differing from the com- mon, especially when he was setting up a new institution, about which his most faithful followers could, in all suc- ceeding generations, know nothing but from the words used in and about the institution. Does not all this ap- pear plain and reasonable t Now the Bible, in the plain, literal and common sense 58 THE MODE AND SUBJECTS [Serm. III. of the words which it uses^ says, the apostles dipt, plunged, or immersed, all such as they admitted to bap- tism.^ You will judge for yourselves whether the apostles practised thus, or whether they did not. 4, The practice of the apostles is farther illustrated and coiitirmed by what Paul tells the Roman and Colossian christians, with respect to what look place when they re- ceived the ordinance of baptism. He says to the former, We arc buried with him by baptism into death To the other he says, Buiied with hini in baptism." Paul speaks of the matter as a thing perfectly understood by christians in his time, and ustd it as an argument to pro- mote their wcanedness from the world, and growth ia ♦"anctifii ation. But have not you either passed over these nd similar pas'^a'^es, without noticing them, or considered ihem ratht r hard to be understood r Bui how er.sy is it to vincltrstand them, provided the apostles practi'-^ed as the scriptures say they did ! I still lea^ e it with you to deter- n^ivie for yourselves, how the apostles practised. This is the best evidence which the nature of the subject admits. This matter, the apostl - s' practice, was transacted many ages since. We have the testimony of the scrip- .ufcsasto what it was ; this is evidence enough : how- ^ 7e! we shfiil occasioniilly add the testimony of men. We sh-.ill now attend to the practice of the church, and Jisccver, if we can, how it Vv^a? for ages after the apostles. The best evidence which this part of my subject admits s that of human testimonv*. I by no means rest the Verits of th^ cause on this evidence. At the same time, /. mav weaken the prejudices of some, and be a mean of -.onfirmihg others in the belief of the truth. Xt appears so plain a case, that we can hardly refuse ..=.sent to it, that as the church hath, for a series of ages, r.raciised, so have they believed. When we shall see r/l;at their practice hath been, we shall the more easily concede that their belief hath been similar. * Christ's ^:ronrse to li*;-. apostlos, to their cucccssors, atid to the !>ui-ch, may assure us, that ths ordinance of baptism, by which his eop'e shcnM be distinguished from thewoiUJ, v/oil'- ever continue, bercfore cr^uld we know what the chuvch hath always practised, esncciuUy that part of it which hath t^en most se])aratc frim tne ■ " :d, then their pracicc world afiovd a strong rvrgument in iavour ct ■X ;U the institution intended, Serm. III.] OF BAPTISTS. 2^ - What is now before us is to produce and to receive evidence relative to the practice of the primitive church. It is the following :— 1. This evidence consists in the united testimony of both those who practised the administration of the ordi- nance by immersion, and those who used sprinkling, and called it baptizing. Moshcim, a very noted church historian, and not very friendly to the baptists, bears direct testimony that John, Chris/s forerunner, and the church, in the first ages of cliristtanity, practised immersion as the mode of baptizing. The following you may take as a sample of his evidence. The exhortatioas of this respectable messenger (John) were not without effect, and those who, moved by his so- lenan admonition, had formed the resolution of correcting their evil dispositions, and amending their lives, were initiated into the kingdom of the Redeemer by the cere- mony of immersion or baptism"*.'' Speaking of the church in the second century, he says, " The persons that were to be baptized, after they had re- peated the creed, confessed and renounced their sins, and particularly the devil, in his pompous allurements, were immersed under water, and received into Christ's king- dom, by a solemn invot ation oi F. ther, Son, and Holy Ghost, according to the express command of our blessed Lordt." The doctor, speaking of some inferior sects of the se- venteenth century, and particularly of a sect called Col- legians, says, *' Those adult persons, that desire to be baptized, receive the sacrament of baptism, according to the ancient and primitive manner of celebrating that in- stitution, even by immersion\J'^ Mr. Bailey? in his Et} mo'ogical English Dictionarj'j says, In ancient times, this (baptism) being performed by immersion, the persons so initiated went into a river, &c. and were p'un^ed." John Calvin, in his Institutions^ book IV. cl ap. xv. * Century I chap. iii. sect. 3. t Century II, Part ii. chap, v sect. 15. i Vol. V. p. 48b. Americin EdUicn. i^' THE MODE AND SUBJECTS [Serm. III. ec. 19, says, " It is certain that the manner of dipping Wiis used of the old church." Here are ihrt e substantial witnesses. These might be sufficient, seeing there is not one to be found who will, or dares, give direct and positive testimony against tht truth of what ihete affirm. But since there are an host who stand ready to give in their testimonr, even against their own pr ictice, we will hear what two more of them will testif\ , relative t j the important cause now on trial, These two shall be Doctor Cave and the famous Mr. Baxter. Dr. Cave, a great searcher into antiquity, says, "That the partv baptized was wholly immersed, or put under water, which was iht commotio constant, and universal cus- tom ot those times, wherebv they did signiftcantly express, the great end and effects of baptism, representing Christ's death, burial and resurrection, and, in conformity ther-e- to, our dying unto sin, the destruction of its power, and cur resurrection to a new course of life*," &c. Most remarkable is the testimony which Mr. Baxter gives to this truth in the following words: ''It is com- i-noniy confessed by us to the baptists (as our commenta- tors declare) that in the apostles' time, the baptized were dipped over head in water, and this signifieth their pro- fession both of believing the burial and resurrection of Christ, and of their cwn dying unto sin, and living, or rising again to newness of life, or being buried and risen again with Christ, as the apostle expoundeth baptism, Col. ii. 12 and Rom iv. 6. And though (saith he) we have thought it lawful to disuse the manner of dippings and to use less water, >et we presume not to change the use and signification of it; so then he that signally pro- fesses to die and rise ag:>in in ^;aptism with Christ, 4oth iigjially profess saving faith and repentana ; but this do all they that are baptized according to the apostolic practicef." As these witnessts testify, so do all learned and pious men who have critically attended to this subject, and af- terwards given in any direct and positive evidence upon the matter. 2. The evidence, as to the practice of the primitive chvirch, consists in the testimony of men to this truth. * Ten Letters, t Ten Letters. Senr,. Ill ] OF BAPTISTS. 31 that the church did, for thirteen hundred years, practise immerson.. some extreme cases excepted. ^ The only evidence which I purpose to give in support of this, for the present, is the testimony of the author of Ten Letters to bishop Hoadly upon the mode and sub- jects of baptism, and the confession of Dr. Lathrop that it was even so. The author of the Letters asserts that this was the practice of the church fo»* thirteen hundred years after the commencement of the christian aera. Dr, Lathrop as- sents that this was the fact ; as you may see by reading his four sermons on baptism, where he gives thtse letters a particular attention, and is supposed to assent, where betakes no objection. 3. All the churches in Europe, Asia and Africa, ever have done, and do now, practice immersion, save those who are now, or have been under the jurisdiction ©f th« pontiffs of Rome. The same witnesses who bore their testimony to the last particular, give in thf^ir evidence in support of this, and in the same way ; the one assertmg the fact, the other assenting that it is even so. 4. The very reasons which have been given, and whkh are still given, to justify the contrary practice, are aplaia confession that immersion, nr burymg the subjects under water, was the practice of the apostles and primitive church in the ordinance of baptism, and what Christ commanded to by done. The reasons which are alledged why sprinklingmay be substituted for immersion, are, the want of health, in some instances where they suppose baptism to be neces- sary ; the weakness of constitution with respect to some, ajid the coldness of climate with respect to many, and as to all in northern climates in the wintry season. Here»is a silent acknowledgment, that it is not the institution, that it is not the permidsion of Christ, but mere accidental and local circumstances, which make it lawful to lay by the coinmanc) of Christ, and to receive in its stead the precepts and commandment? of men. Mr. Bailey says, in his Dictionary, that baptism was performed in the eastern and warmer countries by dip- 32 THE MODE AND SUBJECTS [Serra.III, ping the persons all over, bat in process of time, in the western and colder countries, sprinkling was substituted in the place ol dipping. Dr. Lathrop, in his Sermons, implicitly confesses the following extracts to be both true and genuine. Mr. Baxter, in his Paraphr ise on the New Testament^ ©bserves on Matth. iii 6, *• We grant that baptism then was by wa'^hing the whole body ; and did nta the differ- ence of our cold country, as to that hot one, teach us to remember, ' I will have mercy and not sacrifice,' it should be so here." The author of the Letters to Bishop Hoadly^ in the twenty-third page, writes thus: " Mr, Baxter, we have alrea iy seen, excuses the matter by the coldness of our climate. Calvin, the celebrated reformer of Genevai| ob- serves in his Exposition of Acts viii. 38, We see here what was the baptismal rite among the ancients, for they plunged the whole body in the water.' Now it is the custom for the minister to sprinkle only the body, or head, and he too excuses this sprinkling, but how 1 can- not well recollect, not having his book at hand." Bishop Burnet, though he thus describes the primitive baptism, With no other garments but that might serve to cover nature, thv-y at first laid them down, as a man is laid in the grave, and thru they said these words, I baptize or wash thee, in the name, &c. Then they raised them up again, and clean garments were put upon them ; from whence came the phrases of being baptized into Christ's death, of being buried with him by bapiism into death, of our being risen with Christ, and of our putting on the Lord Jesus Christ; of putiingoff the old man, and putting on the new And th ugh he justly observes, that sacra, ments are positive precepts, which are to be measured only by the institution, in which there is not room left for us to carry them any farther ; yet, forgetting his own mea- sure of the institution, viz. the party baptized was laid down in the water, as a man is laid in the grave, he says, The danger in cold climates may be a very good reason for changing the form of baptism to sprinkling*." I propose for the present, to note but one quotatLoft ♦ Burnet's Eapoeitioa of the Thirty-nine Articlss. Seim. Ill] OF BAPTISM. 33 more, and that shall be in the woi ds of Dr. Wall, as quoted in the Leftefs, The doctor, in giving the reasons wh}-, in queen Elizabeth's reign, the custom of dipping •^as laid aside, observes, ^ it being allowed to weak chil- dren to be baptized by effusion, many sound ladies and gentlemen first, and then, by degrees, the common peo- ple would obtain the favour of the priests to have their children pass for weak children, too tender to endure dip- ping in the water " Nov/ 5. It may be easy for you to gather what is the outside -and visible part of the ordinance of baptism. It is to immerse proper subjects in water, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, This is the outward and visible part of ba'^tism, the scrip- tures being judge; this literal and plain meaning of the command being judge ; the practice of the apostles being Judge ; the practice of the church, for more than a thou- sand years, being judge ; and even if we appeal to those who refuse to practise thus, they add their testimony, that this IB what was commanded. Thev pretend not to say that any new command hath been given, or that the old one bath ever been changed. What shall we say to these things I I conclude, by submitting a question, and a few in- ferences, for your consideration. The question is, If imaiersion be from heav-n, and : inkling from men, by what authority do w« continue liiC practice ? The inferences are — 1. We, who call ourse'ves pajdobaptists, are as a house divided against itself. To s.ty the least, we appear thus, pur champions will look us ip the face, and assure us, that the baptists have plain scripture for their mode, and yet we have a right to choose on the score of convenience, &c. what m .de is pleasing to us. Thus say Calvin, Hoadly, O wen and others ; whilst in their practice they have been, in this instance, like the servant who knew but did not his lorci's will. These good men have confessed rather too much for the credit of their practice, and our comfort while '^co^jying it. Many, however, have risen up in defence of our father's practice and otirs. They iavsnt many inge- * Vol, IL p. 30. 1 Ed. i4 ■ THE MODE AND SUBJECTS [Scr.m. HI. nious hypotheses tj prove it from heaven, hut not odc aff )rds a solid cor4v:lasion, which shows it to b- so. 2 According to the which for the present appears, we cannot but conclude that our dtfinitions of baptisnn and to baptize, are scriptural, accurate and just. If we will do the will of God, we nnust practice wh it he commands, 3. It appears that it is no^ left with us to choose what motle we will prictise in administering or in receivings the ordin.anie of baptism ; for we find but one mode to It,; and we must pracri' e this, or none. We may sprinkle x person in ihe name of the Fathrr, &:c. and we may wash the face, or any part of a person, in the same sacred name; but it is not possible to baptize a person in this way. For sprinkling, or any small, partial washing, ne- ver was, is not now, nor ever will be, what the scriptures mean by christiun baptism. 4. I hat a person must be greatly unarquainted with the plain, literal, scripture account of baptism, or ex- tremely prejudi ed, not to say perverse, to affirm, that, the bible su\ s nothing about immersion, or burying in water, for baptizing. For it speaks of this mode and no other, in the a]>p5ication of water as a gospel ordinance. The baptists have for their mode the broad basis of scripture^ antiquity, and the uninterrupted, and sctnc- what universal pr.ictice of the church. 5. It appears that for well intormed pjedobaptists to oppose the baptists, as to their mode of b.iptizing, is very great wickedness. For the baptists have the advantage of plain and express scripture on their side, and the learned, critical, and candid pssdobaptists know it. Ignorance is the best and only excuse which we can make for ourselves for any opposition which we have made against the ancient aad primitive mode which the baptists have practised in the administration of the ordi- nance. Our contention, in this matter, hath not been against the ba- tists merely, but it hath been against their J^ord and ours. Dr, L'ithrop appears generally to grant the truth, that immei'sion is scripture Daptism, and only contends that spruik ing l)e also allowecl ; which every candid mind would readily do, were there one text of scripture ts support it. 6 No true christian, if he knew vvhat he did, would ever make light of immersion, whv h the Lord com* mands, and the baptists practise, as the mode of bap* tizi^.g, or more Si.ricd\ , as baptism itself. SERMON l\\ MATTHEW xxviii. 19, 20, • o re, therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name t>f the Father, ai.d of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost ; reaching' them to observe all things whatsoever 1 have commanded yon : and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end cf the world. Amen WHILST discoursing to you upon these words, I have, as I suppose, proved to you vvhat is the outward and visible part vyf bapiism. You have, to appearance, given a serious and solemn attention, and, 1 hope, a can- did one, to what hath been said. All uhjch I ask of you in th^s matter is, that you, in the spirit of mceknes«>, h^ar the whole, and tht-n judge and pr.icii e, in such a manner, as \ ou cnnnot refuse to do, wuhout doing violence to your reason, and v\ iihout disj'beditnce to the command of Heaven. Some of y<:u may be afraid of disco*-d ; l)ut whence, I pray you, will discord arise among f^rf thren ? Will a can<- dul, pravi^rful and self-denying attention to truth cause this feared disrord ? Haih truth \ trrden': y to produce dis- cord a nong the f^ithfu followers of the Lamb of God? I know that oace, when Christ prea; hcd the do( rines of the cross, multitudes of pn)fessing disciples went bai k, and followed no more wiih him. i hope it will not btt thus witii any of you. But, my brethren, hr,wt vcr it mav be vith any of you, one thing is clear — 1 ought. I must de- cl ire to you, so fast as 1 prc^fitably can, a l th(ise truths of God, which appear necessary to bui d you up in ^ound faith and holy practice. ' As I have said before, so say I unto you aga'n, that all v/hich I ask of you is, to give truth a candid hearing, aad yield your assent when facts are plainly. proved. 3b THE AND SUBJECTS [Scrm. III. Nothing should, by me, be thought too much to be done, to clear away from your minds the darkness of prejudice, together with an erroneous belief and practice which you may have imbibed, in part, by rny means. I shall, therefore, in this discourse, after having attendrd to the purport, end, or design of baptism, answer some objections, which may for the present obstruct the force oi truth. Before we proceed to the particular business of this discourse, you will, if you please, attend for a minute to a few questions and their answers. • 1. Is it not a plain case, that it is my duty to deliver to you the whole counsel of God, according to the best light it may please him to alTord me ? 2. Is it not equally plain, that your duty is to yield, not to me, but to the truths which I drliver, an obedient ear i' 3. Shouid you, from an uncandid and prejudiced mine!, refuse to be convt rted by the truth, will the fault be mine ? 4. Shou'd 1 exhibit full evidence, as to the subject on hand, and exhibit that evidence clearly too, ,or should it be that I have done this, and \ et great difficulties arise, will you be justified should > ou lay the blame to me ? 5. Should 1 teach you the truth, and produce all the evidence which \ou can ask for, and you shouid, all, like faithful christians, believe it, where or whence will arise any diffi* ulty among us? Should any of you refuse to be- lieve, will you charge your diffi< uliies to nay account ? 6. Are not all of you determined that you will hear candidly, and bi lieve upon evidence ? You wi 1 please to give a christian and judicious an- wer to each of these questions, and let your practice be Gonformt'd with the gospel oi our Lord Jesus Christ. Having laid before you the principal part of the facts and evidence which i intended, as to the visible and out- ward part of baptism, now — Lastly^ The purport, end, or design of the baptismal institution, may ca'l ior som.^ attention. The purport, end, or de-sign of this christian ordinance or institution aj>pea; s to Se — 1 Fcr a dividing line between the kinj^dom df our Lord, and the kingdoms oi this world. Serm. IV.] OF BAPTISM.' 37 John was Christ's fortTunner ; he was sent before his fate to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just ; and to make ready a people prep, .red for the Lord*; and that Christ should be m^ide manifest lo Israel, therefore, says John, am 1 come baptizing with water j*. John's mission conj- prehendcd a doable purpose, to make ready a people pre- pared for the. Lord, and o manifest him unto Israel. The people which he instrumentally made ready, and prepared to receiv-r the Lord, he baptized ; and it appears from his rejecting many of the Pharisees and Sadducees, that he intentionally baptized none otherj. I'he whole discourse ^ which he had with them, Maith. iii, 7 to 12, is good evi- dence that he admitted none to baptism but such as brought forth visible fruits of repentance. Such p-rrsons he ad- mitted am mg that people which he was mi.king ready for the Lord. This people were, whttn prepared, to compose that kingdom, or the i)tginning of that kingdom, which shall never be destroyed, and which is an everlasting kingdom, which shall stand for ever : Daniel ii. 44. and vii. 27. rhis kingdorn Chriat. calls the kingdom of Heaven, and says it is not of this v/orld. It appears to be this kingdom v/hich v;as now at hand, almost re,idv to be set up, oi wliich Christ speaks to Nirociemus. when he says, John iii. 5. Except a man be born of water and ol the Spirit, he cannot enicr into the king'.'om ot God. AU this does, for substance, meet the senliment of baptists and psedobaptists on this subject. Both suppose, that none can beiun^ to this kingdom without being born of water, or b iptized. Both suppose that men may pro- fessedlv , orvisibl), belong to this kingdom, without be- ing born of the Spirit : but, perhaps, neither the baptists nor pse lobaptists would say, that any do, stJ-icdy speak- ing, Ixlong to this kingdom, except they have been born of water and of the Spirit, Our Lord saith. Verily, ve« riU-, ex -ept a man be !«Grn of wat.;r and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into th^ ki gdom of Heaven. If a man can- not enKi int^; t!\is kingdom but in this way, he cannot belong to it in any otiier. * Luke i. 17. f John i. 31. | M-^tt. iii. r. 38 THE MODE AND SUBJECTS [Serm. IV. Both sides grant, that baptism, or to be born of water, is the only wav of admittance into this kingdom. They are not so well agreed as to what it is to be born of water, whether it be to be sprinkled, washed, or immersed. Concerning this matter you must judge for yourselves. This being a given point, that the design of bapiism*Js, that it should be for a dividing line between ihat king- dom, which the God of Heaven was to set up in the latttr day, and this world, I would suggest for your consi- deration : Which draws the line of separation most clearly between this kingdom and all other kingdoms on earth, to enter it by bemg spiinkled ; or by being visibly and actually buried in water, and rising as it were from the dead, to join this kingdom ? I will also suggest one thing more for your conbidei*a' tion : Which haih the most direct and natural tendency to cause Chr st's kingdom to appear to be, as it really is, not of this world ? 'I'o have almost all admitted into it, in infancy, and so in unbelief, and all by sprink ing, or by a little water put upon the face,, and the greater part of them living in open wickedness, or manifest unbelit f, -and unnoticed by the church to which they are supposed belong; or, toh.tvenone admitted but professed believers, and these admitted in a way which significantly says, that they turn their backs upon the world ; yea, that they are dead to the world, and risen with Christ? I only suggest this for your consideration. 1 hope to attend it in its place, but not to-day. 2. The purport, end, or design of baptism, appears to be for a manifestation, that the subjects of it have forsaken all, yes, their own lives, for Christ's sake and the gospel. How can this be more visibly manifested than by being buried with him in baptism ? How can a man more visi- bly forsake all, than he does when buried? How can any one^mQre manifestly forsake his own life for another, than by volun arily aubmitting himself into the hands of ano- ther to be buried alive ? Is nf)t this agreeable to what Christ saith. Whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple ? Se»m. IV.] OF BAPTISM. o'O S. it appears to be for a representation of our being washed from our sins in the blood of the I^amb. ' John, the revelator, saith, speaking of Jesus Christ the faiUhful witness, Unto him that loved us, and washed uj from our sms in his own blood,'* This is a figuraiive expression, showing at once the procuring cause, the blood of Christ, and the gracious effect, our souls purged from dead works to serve the living God, Can any natu- ral sign represent this more fully, than does baptism, in 4rhich our bodies are washed with pure water ? : 4. The purport, end, or design of this christian ordi- nance, appears to be for the promotion of piety in indi- ^'i duals, and purity in the church. What can have a stronger tendency to move the heart of a christian to piety and weanedness from the world, than has the institution of baptism ? Seeing, at every re- membrance of it, he is put in mind how Chi ist died for sin, and how every one who hath believed and been bap- tized, has by the ordinance signally died to sin, been buried from the world, and raised again to newness of life. Hath not this ordinance also an equally strong ten- dency to preserve the purity of the church, should it be administered, as we have proved it ought to be, by im- mersion only ; and should another thing be found to be true, that visible believers only should be admitted to it, v/hat a world of unbelievers would this shut out of the church 1 How differently would the professed church of Jesus Christ appear from what it now does ? If my information be correct, every natural born sub- ject of the crown of England is, according to the laws of their national church, to be baptized, and immediatelv considered as a member of the church. This is, indeed, consistent, if all the parents have, in any pa^t period, been proselyted to the christian religion, and if baptism haN'-e come into the place of circumcision, and to be adminis- tered to children and infants, as that vras. Not only so, but probably nine-tenths of the inhabitaiics of New-England, if not of our nation, btrlong to the church, according to the professed belief of the pa; *obap- tic^ts. Upon the same principle, I presume that more than three-fourths of all the adults in this and the neigh- THE MODE AND SUBJECTS [Serm. ly. bouring towns belong to the church, and havt-, if the principle be according to the gosntl, aright to require admittance to the Lord's supper, an J b sptism for their children* Then, upf»n the same print ipie, would their children be mennbers of the church, aiul entitled to all the privileges of God's house, as they come to year?, ana nothing short of gross immorality could justify th; ir exy elusion. Does this look as though Christ's kingdom were. Dot of this world? 5. The purport, end, or design of baptism, appears toj be well described by Dr. Goodwin, in the following^ words : *• The eminent thing signified and represc;nTe (ihohuicd^ which signihcs to wash clean, or t j wu' h out a .'tA'D, a-s v/ell as to wash -vway. It is idso \y^t'!V to be observed, that the word loiio^ whence this is derived, is the onlv wokJ, or theme, save baptlzo^ whi.h. in or any oih^^r thing. Mr. Cleayeland's '2d A ;:;ument is built upon Hebrews ix. 10, where the epc-t.t; spciiks of ( diaphorois boptistnois J divers washings. Here, where the apostle is speaking of divers cercmo- r/ial washings, or b.:ithings. Mr. Cleaveland, without -^e Serm. IV.] OF BAPTISTS. 4^ least possible evidence, concludes the apostle means di- vers sprinklings. The same answer which was given to the first argu. ment belongs to this, as Mr. Cleaveland has produced no evidence, that (baptismoh) washings, or bathings, means sprinklings, save that in the loth and 21st verses. The apcstle makes use of the word sprinkle, when speak- ing of the application of blood, and speaking of the un- clean, says, they are rantized^ and add almost all things are by the law purged, catherizcd^ not baptized^ with blood. It is' not a little surprizing that a man of Mr. C's good sense should say, and that Dr. Lathrop, and other mea of erudition, should follow him, in saying, these different sprinklings, in the 13th and 21st verses, refer to baptis^ viois^ when, had thev looked three words farther, they would have found them to be, kai dikaiomasi sarkos^ the literal English of which is, The ordinanc e of God con- cerning the ceremonial rites of bloody sacrifices I" Had they looked into their Greek Testaments, they might, with ease, have seen that their argument would not bear examination. Surely, had these gentlemen had the right of the question, they never would have compelled the apostle to explain by the sprinkling of blood, what he meant by bathings or washings with water. Perhaps a more forced exposition of scripture is seldom heard. Be- sides, the apostle told them, by placing what is translated carnal ordinance, between divers washings in the 10th, and sprinkling in the 13th and 21st verses, that he in- tended no such thing as they supposed. If I mistake not, Mr. C's 3d Argument is an attempt to prove that bapto and bap* tlzo are us d to signify something more than to dip, put into water, &c. When the good man brought forward his argument he forgot -~&c. — which belongs to his quo- tation from Di . Gale, and which includes immersion and overwhelming, and which comprises the whole which Mr. C. has proved that baptizo signifies. But, waving his for- getfulness, M'c will attend to what he says. All which he appears to do here i^, to show that bapto or baptizo are used wash, dip, and wet with sprinkhng the dew from heaven, and to ^overwhelm. That is, bapto signifies to 44 THE,;MODE AND SUBJECTS [Serm.lV. dip, put into water, wtt with the clew of heaven, &c. and haptizo signifies to dip, put into water, and overwhelm. \\ hat IS tue consequence ? According to Mr. C. it is tliis : Because bapto is sometimes used to signify one's bting wtt with tile distiiling dew of heavtrn, &c. therefore bap- tlzo signifies the same thing; because bapto signifies ia one pla e to wash without clipping, therefore baptizo sig- nifies to wash without dipping ; and because,/'£//;?o is some- times used to signify' to colour, or stain, by aspersion or the like, there fore baptizo is used in the same sense ; therefore sprinkling is authentic baptism What evidence, I pray you, my hearers, is there in all this ? Yes, what show or appearance of evidence is there in all this ? WouUl ten thousand such arguments afford you the least conviction, or gain your assent, where you had a cent to V se ? Every person of senses who is acquainted with the Greek, would, generally speaking, allow Mr. C's premise, that hapto^ in different places, signifies the application of water in difterent ways; and that baptizo sometimes sig- nifies overwhelming. But no person, who understands the matter, will allow his conclusion, for it hath no con- nection with the premises. His argument, in plain English, is this : The verb to v/ct, sometimes signifies to sprinkle, as m a heavy dew we say it sprinkles or wets ; the verb to overwhelm some- times signifies to cover all ever with water, as is the beach by the flowing of the tide. Of consequence, to overwhelm is to sprinkle ; therefore to sprinkle is authen- tic overwhelming^ or baptism. The fallacy of this ar- gument is easily detected, and with the same ease may any one Who knows the diffeJ-ent significations of ^fl/^^o and baptizo^ uncover the fallacy and complete inconclu- siveness of Mr. C's argument. The plain truih is, he hath done his side a disservice, for bv searching he hath found, and imwUcity acknow- ledges, though not intentionally, and (I suppose) without knowing it, that no in^ance can be found where baptizo signifieth the apolication of water by sprinkling, or any other way, which does not imply overwhelming, or wash- Setm. IV] OF DAPTISM. 45 ing, that is, a ceremonial washing, which is bathing, or putting into water. Bat — 4 Inhere is anoihtr argument upon whi{h Mr. Cleave* land chiefly dwells, and upon which he appears greatly to rest the defence of his whole cause. It is his st-ort?; hold against immersion, and for sprinkling; and :t is this : Bnpiism with w^ater, or baptism as a christian ordinance, is to signify Christ's baptizing with the Holy Ghost. I have no where found that he hath proved that this is the great and principal thing which baptism signifies ; nor do 1 any me;ms obtain conviction that the mode of bapt iz- ing is to be determined, with certainty, from this parti- cular th.ng- even should it l^e granted that one imptjrtant design of baptism is to sie;n''fv Christ's bapti;2ing with the Holy Ghost. But, as Mr. C. seems to depend more up- on the strength of this argument than he does upon the strength rtf any other, we will grant, for the present, that baptism with water was appoint* d n:^rrirularlv, if not mainly, to set forth the mode in which Christ baptizeth with the Holy Ghost. iS(nv the gre.'^t question is. In what manner, or mode, by Spt ink ing. or overwhehuing, did Christ Jesus baptize wiijirthc Hoiv Crhost ? Mr. C. in his treaiise, replies a- bund^ntb , by sprinkling, certainly. We will put this subjc^^t i.o tht. test, by' instancing the most remiu kabk sea- son wliich ever wa*-, n wlii-h Christ, in a most remark- able, jubr'' , and cistonishing dc;grcc, was baptizing wi;h 'the Holy (ihost. I presume, were Mr. C. now alive, he could nnt. witii any propriety, object againni taking as a sample for the whole, the most remarkabl.- instmce whii h ever hath been, an-', perhaps, which ever will be, exhibited of Christ's b:^pt!zjng with the HoU' Ghost. I am willing to su!)mit the strong a- gument of Mr. C. to thi.s great sample of Christ's baptizing with the Holy Gho^t. Are not aU you, my hear^-rs, willing to ieave the weigtu of his argumen'. to such a dc^ci^ on ? I am periu id- edj you all sav. Yes. We will, ther!,ly( ing his argumen r t ) the propose d test. I'he instance which we will take, for sureL it is the most astonishing one, is that which Christ for told, as re ■ bted. Acts i. 5. " John truly baptized with water, but ya 46 THE MODE AND SUBJECTS [Serm. IV. sIiaU he baptized with the Holy Gho t, not many days hence." I'he accomplishmtnt of this prediv tion and pro- mise we have rr latedin the four first verses of the next chapter. It is thus : — When the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all, with one accord, in one place. And sud«ienly there was a S(;und from heaven, as of a rushin; of mighty wind, and it filled all the house where thfy were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues, like as of fire, and it sat upon each of the ixi- Ai\ \ they were all filled wiih the Holy Ghost. Here was, truly, a wonderful instance of Christ's bap- tizing with the Holy Ghost. j: Here, 1. Ail the house was filled with the sound, wiiid, or Spirit from heaven. 2. Cloven tonp^ues, like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. 3. 1 hey were all fill- ed with the Holy Ghost. We here see that they were all overwhelmed, for all the house, where they were sitting, was filled, and not on y were they all overwhelmed, but they were also filled- It is left with you to determine, what hecomes of Mr= C's rtiy[ument, upon which he lays so much stress, and'of which he speaks with so much confidence, and not up^rc- quently with an air of triumph. Is there a word akftmt sprinkling in any part of it ? or is there any thing which looks like it? Does it not look considerably like immer' sion, or overwhelminj^ ? At least, does it not favour im- mersion, or overwhelming, as much as it does sprinkling ? If so, then it proves nothing for sprinkling. It is left with you to determine which side it favours. Iti - possible, however, that some of you may suppose that Mr. C. might intend that baptism, if it may be so called, which the Holy Ghost ministers, when it creates the soul anew. To this supposition, I will just observe, the wind bloweth (saith Christ) where it listeth, and thou hearest die sound thereof, but canst not Cel* whence it Cometh^ or xvhither it goeth ; so, is every one that is born of th • Spirit." Would it not be extreme foily to suppose that water bapti.m represents the operations of the Spirit, when none can knov/ whence it* cometh, or whither it go. eth t It may represent the effect of the Spirit'soperations, and it is called, a being born, not sprinkled of the Spirit. Serra.IV.] OF BAPTISM. '47 5. In reading Mr. C's defence of sprinkling, as b.ing authentic bapt sm, I noticed but one more distinct argu- ment, and U IS this : ** Nipto^ baptizo^ louo^ brecho^ pluno^ or apepluno^ all sigBify to wash I hf conclusion which he draws from thimis, in short, the following: Vo baptize is not to ira- mefse, but to sprinkle. I see no connection b^^tween his prtrhnise and conclusion. Besides, Mr. C tc^lls us, page 80, that the Jews, by adhering to the tradition of the elders, obic-rved the w.isbing of hands, and divt rs other things, as a religious ceremony. Now, if all the words, which Mr. C. mentions, signifv to wash, and yet some of them S^nifv common washing, and another, and that baptizo signifies ceremonial washing, and that be to put into water, as is the case, what does his argument prove ? It proves just nothing to bis point. Had he proved, what he haih not€ven attempted, that they all signify the same kind of washing, and that the washing signified was not immer- sion, but sprinkling only, then his conclubion would have followed, ih^t 'Sprinkling is baptism. If the ab -^ve arguments wiil notsupport Mr. C's theory, ~ it tm^t all come down, for they are the substant e, if not all the arguments, whi he hath adduced, and 1 pre- sume better cannot be found. I thought to havetak. n Dr. Lathrop's arguments upon the same subject intc) con.->idcration : but upon re-exami- ning them 1 find there is no material dissimilarity between his and Mr. C's ; they therefore both stand or fall toge- ther. A word or two however may be here added. Dr. Lathrop assures us that Cvprian, who wrote with- in about one hundred and fifty years of the apostles, speaking of sprinkhng says, In the sacr mirnt of sidya* tion (that is t)aptism), when necessity compels^ the shortest ways of transacting divine matters do, by God's grace, confer the whole benefit." The doctor adds " The ancients p racti.sed i m viersion^*'*' By this quotation of the doctor's from Cyprian, and confe^ion of his own, being pat together, it appears, at once, that all his preceding lirguments are crroneoiis* For Cyprian does not intimate that sprinkling was from * Pages 24, 25. 43 THE MODE AND SUBJECTS fSerm. III. heaven, hut sa^ sit was from necessity. Besides, his cal- ling baptism the sacrament of salvation, shows us the er- ror, v/hence the necessity of sprinkling came, namely, a belief ihut the ordinance of bapti.>?m was necessary to sal- vation. This being the case, and it also being t»u^, as the doctor acknowledges, that the ancitnis practised im- mersion s.ive when necessity compelled, as they er|one- ously suppc^scd, the consequence is fairly this, that im- mersion is from heaven, the ancients l)eing judges ; and that spi inkling is from men, from necessity, or rath?r from error. I thought to have added no more upon the doct^s mode of christian baptism. However, one an^umo&t ought to be taken out of his handn, lest it misguide son^ ©t his readers. He tells us that /;6y;^'2^, in Mark vii, and Luke xi, is used to signify the a[)pii(:ation of water to the hands. The on y an-wer needed is, it is not thus said in Mark or Luke, or in any o:her part i.f the Bil^Ie. When the doctor sh 11 re-examine the passages, he will pro' abh see the mi' tske. Wili genilemen, and christians too, , forever contend against immersion, the institufion of heaven, and for sprink ing, which hus nothing but error 'di[id convtnience for its bu^,port. SERMON V. MATTHEW x;cvui. 19, 20. fJo ye, therefore and teach all natioiis, baptizing them in the name of ti-.e Fciti.er, and of the Son, and of the Holy Gliosi ; teaching them to observe all tlungs whatsoever I have commanded you : and> lo, I am with you a.iway, even umo the end of the world. Amen. I HAVE confidenre in y on brethren, that ye will keep the ordinances, as I sh.ill deliver tncm to you, and ! rrA f :hi-ro tr. be from the word of the Lord. 0:^<- -hii.n: I would still know of you, my brethren, wbeth r \ (-13. iik- »he more noMe Bereans, will receive the vr/>rd w.lh readiness, searching the scriptures daily, that von ma\ know the trutli of Vr-htit you hear. Serm. V.] OF BAPTISM. 45 You will bear in min- ;, that whosoever loveth father or mcnher, house or I mds, wile or children, m >re than Christ, is not worthy oi him. If, through affecti »n for any < f these, vou should refuse to obey Christ, it vvill be too evident that vou love them more than you do him, and so are not worthy of him. Sh(^uld vou love any erroneous belief and practice mere than you do the truths of Christ, you vvill, so far as you manifest it, prove thai you are not worthv of him. Should you despise me for delivering and vindicating the truths of Christ to you, you will, at the same time, despise him. You will therefore give good heed to what you say, and to what you do, in this matter ; for if it be of God It vviil stand, and none can overthrow it. It is hoped none of you will be found fighting against God. 1 hi3 discourse may cont.iin a review of wh;it we have passed over, together with so ne application. In mv first discourse to y<>a on the subject, which we have stiil be- fore us, the lo lowing are the principal things to which we ar. tended :— 1. i proposed a number of plain truths, considered to be as firsf prin -iples tor your a'ctention. J 1. B ptism is a positive institu; ion, about which we can know nothing as to it-s being a thri^iian ordinance, but from Christ, and those inspired by his Spirit, have taught us 2. All which we are required to believe and practi^^e, with respect to the chiist^an ordmance of baptism v is derlared to us by Jesus Christ, and by his iorcrunner and apt.5stles. • / 3. When Jesus Christ first instituted the ordinance of baptism, he no doubt delivered his mind so cleany and fuUy upon the subject, thac his disciples and immediate fullowtrs understood and praciised-as he would have them. 4. Every thing v/hich hath, bv the pre epts ajid cum- Hiandments of men, been iiddtd since, is aside from the ordinance, and mt^kes part of it, 5. Nij man, or body of men, hath any more authority to .idd to, or dirrrnish from, this oidinance, than they have to institute a new unc and call it Ch:ist's, 50 THE MODE AND SUBJECTS [Serm. V. 6. Whenever, and wherever, the ordinance of baptism IS so changed, as to lose the intent oi the institution, ihi n and there the ordinance is lost, and hecomes no christian ordinance at all, II. I defined for your information a number of words which appertain to the ordinance of baptism. We found all these to be just as we might expect to have found them, provided immersion be baptism, or the mode in which it is administertd. Baptis tcrion^ a place in which to wash the body. Bap- tism^ immersion, or dipping one all oyer in water. Bap- tizo signiiits to dip, or wash, the body all over in wator. Louo (a word several times used in reference to, or signi- fying the same as baptism) is, to wash, to rinse, to baihc^ ^c. 1 hen, III. I set before you all the texts in the New Testa- ment which relate either to the baptism of John, o to that of our Lord Je^us Christ. In the next place, I pro- pose for your meditation the passages of scripiure where washing is mentioned, and the Greek m ords which are used- I then called yjur attention to those passages iti which sprmkling is mentioned, and to the Greek w^^rus which are made use of. L.istlij^ I read to you thoire scriptures where to dip is mentioned, and also theoreek words which are rendered to dip. In not one of the places, where the ordinance of baptism is brought to view, do we find one word about sprinkling, or any thing which looks like it. In every place, where to dip is mentioned, we find a near relation to baptism ; every word which is used coming from the same root or Iheme, from which baptizo comes. As to the word washy We find no relation between tlit words which signify to wash, and those which signify !o baptize, save in those few instances whtre the meaning is to wash the body, or put into water, or wa^h a thing all over. When we come to the GVeek words w^hich signify to sprinkle, we fir.d no similarity or likeness be- tween them and the word to baprize. In all the places wher e baptizing is mentioned, not a ^vord is used which looks like sprinkling ; where sprink- ling is mentioned, there is not a word used which ap- peals like baptisie. v.] OF EAPTIS'I. 51 In my next discourse I produced my evidence, that my definitions ot baptism and to br.ptize were accurate and just. I "welt largely upon this evidence ; for the merit of the whole subject depends greatly, if not entirely, upon the determinate meaning of the words which our Lord used in the institution of the ordinance, and when speaking of it. When we know the determinate signification of his words, we know what he says, and what we ought to underst^.nd bv tha words which he u-^es. The evidence which [ produced was, in short,/ the following: — ••1. The Greek Lexi on, Butterworth's Concordt^nce^ ]3*ilev's and Entick's Dictionaries, bear their unitecVfes- timonv, that the plain, liteial and common, if not uni- vij"sal signirication of the words bopthm and to baptize^ is jmmerslon and to immerse, bciry in water, to dip, oi* tb(p!unge a person all over in water. Here are four learned aiid positive witnesses to the same thing. Indeed, they give no other signification, save it be to wash, which w 'b have seen intends a ceremonial washing, which is 16 put : :> water, or to bathe. 2. I repeated some of the attendant or circumstantial facts, which have relation to the ordinance of baptism. Jc'hn baptized in the river Jordan. He was baptizing in Enon, near to Salim, because there v/as much water there. The v/drd babtlsterLj signifies a place in which to wash the body all over. Baptis??! signifies to dip, to plunge, im- , merse^ or to wash the body all over in water. Baptizer signifies one Vvho dips, p:unges, or washes the body all over in water. To baptize signifies to immerse, plunge under water, or under any other liquid thing, or to dip^ or to put into wat^T. To be baptised is to be plunged, .mersed, or washed all over in water. These, things being trut, is it not easy to determine Vt hat the ordinance of baptism signifies ? 3. The words baptismos and baptizo have two, and only two translations in the New Testament. These two are baptism and xuas^ing. Where their meaning is washing, or where they are thus translated, it is a ceremonial wash?, ing, which is to put into water, or bathe the flesh in water, as you may see, L^vlt. xi, 32, Numb. xix. 19. When they are transkted baptism^ or to baptize, the thing 52 THE MODE AND SUBJECTS [Serm. V. intended is the baptism of water, of fire, of sufFerin2s> or of the Holy Gh(ist, 4. I brought forward several noted witnesses, to bear their united testimony, that I had given a just definition of the word baptizo ; these were, John Calvin, Zanchius, and Dr. Owen. In the next place I mentioned to you that Paul repeat- edly uses the word louo^ where he means the same thing as where he uses the word baptizo ; that he uses these words as signifying the same thing. Whereas, louo signi- fies to wash and to bath the body in water, and conse- quep,tlv baptizo means the Fame. Laatly^ I brought forward Pan 's exposition of the word baptism^ and showed you that he expounds it as being bu- ried wiih Christ in baptism, or immerbion. In my discourse, which I next preached to you, I pro- duced evidence, that the aposdes and piimitive christians not only understood the matter as I have described it, but praLli'^cd accordingly. In support of the apostles' practice, I observed, that the word louG^ of determinate signification, which they us.ed to signify their practice, or what was done by them fin bfintism^ determint-s or fixes their practice to be immer- sion. I further observe, that they were commanded to practise baptism, or to bapcize, as I have described it ; and that the scriptures testify, that they thus did ; and also that the apostles say, the mode of bap iz'mg in their day v/as by burying the su'-jects in baptism. For witnesst s^h:^Mh^" priiniiive churcii practised im- mersion, we have Mosheim, Bailev, Ci Ivin, Baxter, ?.nd many others, all agreeing in this one point, that the mode . iziiip:, cr ot baptism itself, among tht ancients, was . i sion^ We have also evidence that the church thus pr ictised, for thirteen hundred years, some extreme cases excepted. Moreover we have evidence that all the church, in Europe, in Asia, and in AfiicHj save that part of it, whkh is no^v, hath been, under the bewildering power of the popes, do now, and ever have, practised immersion. Besides ail this, the verv reasons which the paedobaptists assign, why they h tve laid aside immersion, show that s prinkling i's not commanded by the Loid, but is taught by the precepts of men. Seim. v.] OF BAPTISM. 53 You see we have an ocean of witnesses and evidence against ur> ; and all, or nighly so, from our own denomi- jjiatioB of christians. What a world of t videiice might we reasonably expect that the baptists would be able; to bring *:for themselves, and against us and our practice, would we hear them, when our own side bring so mm h rgainst their own practice, and for the baptists ! Besides, this evidence appears to stand in its full force against us, there cing no opposite evidence to weaken its force. Indeed we are, in this matter, much like criminals, who plead, J at least the leaders of them, guilty to the whole indict- •ment. However, some have made a full plea of not guil- ty, but in part. ' At the same time, numbers of them, in ; their plea, have convicted themselves of Deing guilty throughout. In the last discourse, after holding to your , view purport, end, and design of baptism, I examined one of .iheir pleas of not guilty. Bat what evidence did the good "man give of his innocence ? Can the largest stretch of cha- rity allow more than this, he knew not what he did ? Was Jruth ever brought to such straits as to require to be sup- ported' by such arguments ? APPLICATION. From a review of the whole subject, the following i'-)- pear to flow as necessary consequences. 1. Whether we allow immersion to bethesci ', mode of baptism, and the only one which it reqal es. rr ^ot, one thing is clear, that we have as much evidenc - Its being so as w^e could have, on supposition that it w" \ .\ - * The scriptures declare, in various v.a) s, that thir i» ^e mode, and mention no other. The scriptures c *^^ pound themselves to mean immersion, or burying. We fmd not a single trace, in all the scr"p urc-^, the ordinance is spoken of, of any thitig short of iin .n - . sion being mentioned. Good men, who are skilful in the true import of v have agreed that the plain, literal v.nd accurate n\ n ■ fitf the word to baptize, is to immerse or bury in \Vt?.*' E 2 i THE MODE AND SUBJECTS [Serm.V. he, Nnr have any been able to shew that in any part of Gocr^ word it hath any opposite meaning or application. 7"he ' hurch of Jesus Christ have^ in all ages, under- stood ihc matter of bapti- m as I have explained it. v We must, however, except, for the last three or five hundred years, many of those branches of the church, which ha^ve been, or are now, under the jurisdiction of the church of Rome. The purport, end and design of bapt sm, also intimate to us ih a this is the manner of baptizing. ^ Indeed, it there be any words in ri^e Greek langu;^ge by which the Lord of ihe baptismal institution couid have told us what he intended, the words used do this. For there are no two words in the language, or, at least, none which have come to oar knowledge, which so literully, so uniformly, and so expressly, signify to im.merse, or w7hi! h is the great and important line of distinction. 1 1, I{ appears that we are, tru'v, in a tr\ ing state. We iTius.t depart, in one instance, from a long ha ;it, or con- , tinue to do as we have done, and ye not be able to vindi- cate by the scriptures of truth, our own conduct. Lastly^ We come, at length, to the answer of this old and difficult and perplexing question: Were, and when, jk did the religiou-) sect, called baptists, arise ? The answer is, plainly, this. They arose in Judea, at the time when John came, preaching in the wilderness the baptism of re- pentance, I mention this consequt^nce with considerable^,jl assurance, because the New Testament abundantly fa- ^ vours it, and no man is able to contradict me. Should any attempt it, he will fad for want of evidence. I should, not long since, have been gratified, could I have found their origin any where in the dark ages of popery, or at the com- mencement of the reformation, among the f impus enthu- siasts of Germany, Holland, Switzerland, or Westphalia. But, after having loig pursued the perplexing research, I found their origin where I least of all expected it, in Enon and Jordan, A few questions are liow to close the present subject. .1. is not immersion the scripture baptism ? .mk 2. Is spriKkHnga mode of baptizing warranted by scrlp-B ture ? If so, where? 9 3. Are Old Testament rites to explain New Testa-" xnent ordin .nces ? Is Moses to correct wh.^t Christ hath left incomplete ? Is it so? 4. Wdl Christ approve of that practice of men, which so changes his positive institution, as to lose, greatly to lose, the purport, end, and design of lU 5. Was it ever right, and u'lt now, for men to change what Christ hath commanded to be in perpetual observa- tion ? Did not the supposed extreme cases justify this change at first, and will trifling inconveniences justify us now ? 6. Will it be wise and safe for us continually to forsake the ordinances of Christ for the precepts of men ? Serm.VI.] OF BAVTISM, 69 47' Do you, my brethren, or can you blame rne for ishing you to keep the commandments of Christ as he hath delivered them to the saints I 8. Should I have manifested myself your fri< nd, or Christ's, if, after having found such a precious, new, old treasure in his word, as is the christian ordinance of b ptism, I had not ventured m\ life, or, in other words, my reputation, my ease, my property, and my every worldly consideration, to brinj^ it forth to your view and acceptance, that you might more ful y walk in all the statutes and ordinances of the Lord blameless. One request, m\ brethren, I pray you to grant me, and it is this : Sean h the scriptures devoutly, and follow me so far as I follow Jesus Christ, your Lord and minci SERMON VI. MATTHEW xxviii. 19, 20. Go ye, therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the nime af !the Father, and of ti.e Son, and of the Hoiy Gnost ; leaching ihera to observe all things vvliatsoever 1 have commanded yon: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end cf the woild. Amen. I HAVE already observed to you, that Christ Jesus, the head of ihe church, and Lord of all, was now consti- tuting his present and succeeding disciplrs to be ariostles unto all nations. iVSy text is their commisaion, and gene- ra^ and particular orders. In it they are directed — L To go and disciple all nations. II. To baptize them iu the name of the Father, Sec. III. He directs these n< vvly constituted apostles, and all their successors, to teach their baptized disciples to observe all things whatsoever he had given in command- ment. Lastly^ For their encouragemerit and comfort, b.e adds, (I, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the \, oA !. Amen. What I purposed to «^ay to you, particularly, upon the . coad propo^yition, I have said. 1 now recur to the eO THE MODE AND SUBJECTS {Sem. VI. I, Which contaiDb Chrisc's command to hh diactpks \o go and dmcipie all nati ons. I have already t- hewed you what baptism is, and thei design t f it. 1 am nov, ii ihe Lord w I , t(» lay upen wHat commanded to bf done, before baptism be administer- ed, also the cvidt-nce \^hich the Lord may aiFord I)^ tt- prove to you that my instruction is ot him. * Your fetlings, my brethren ancrpcoplc, have, no dou'pU been l.ig'ilv wrought up, whilst i have opened before yoii cne of the laws c.f Christ's kingdom amongst men. I bav- j stili more things to say unto you, respecting ihe rules an d regulations of this kingdom. I pray the Lord that ycjur niindb may be so j^tpared to hear, that you may not for- sake me, nnd flee^'^^'iimapy ot Chrtsi's, professed friends did, when he preachi d on a subject which greatly- crossed their pr^ udices and carnal expectations. \V)ur bus) minds, no doubt, V^Hl, belo^e you arc aware, be enquirirg what great and good men, in our days a^id in the days of our iadiers, have said and thought of thfese things ; but we shou d look faviher back than to our fore- fathers, i he pan Christ jehus,anr. \\\^ hispirc-d propl^ets and apostles, should lie the men of our counsel. Should I speak act ording lo these, you may heaiken to me wiih safety 5 if contrar} , convirt me bv the word and testimony of Jesus Christ ; ior 1 appeal to thts:;, f-jr b) them ourhr I to judged* One request, vay hi. avers,, i pray } ou to gT.nt namely : lay prejudice aside, and let scripture, rca Slid common £cnse be heard'ior a i'ev/ minut'-s. " Surely .you must con^iidcr my cabc more vr) ing than any of \ ours.. Por it i'^., p^rh ips, as difncult foi me to conib.it my own prtjudi^ rs and carnal feelings, a&itls i<^r any of yoti to contend wiih his : besidcs.this, i hive to look your pujudicea in the face, while i yenture to brirnj any. of \our oM rr- tice« to the sci ipvures for trial. Yes, more than al ihis, 1 have r-iany trials to encounter, f. hich you h.ive not, nor cmh.ive. > I should not have made the attempt to brint^ our fornner practi-e to the standaid for tri:.l, had not my difii> uUi.:s been so g^^eat, that I durst proceed no farf.her, w^.th^ provii^gm) works. Ope of my practices haihberenweii^hc ' ^Serm:vrr~^^ UF BAPTISM. 61 in the balance, and is found wanting. I am now, if my !ieart deceive me not, willing to lead another of my works, or the subjects on which some of my works have been, to the bar for trial. If this shall be found of wood, hay, or stubble, may the fire of truth burn it up, and may the fire of love cause me to rejoice while it shal; be consuming. ^he proposition which will bring this other of my works to the trial, is «— iChrist commands his ministers to go and disciple v^^- nations. I have eng;iged to be one of these ministers. The command is, therefore, binding upon me. I have gone forth that I might obey. The great tning to be determmed is, whether I have understood what it is to disciple, or to make disciplfs, and have practised accordingly. The important question to be decided is just this : If I disciple anv of vou, who are parents, do I, as a necessary consequence, disciple all your children and households ? The onlv difficulty,, in th''s qu^ stion. relates to children ami households. What it is to disciple the master of a familv, is a thing in which christians generally agree. 1 ouj^ht just torfm^rkto you, that wr/?/?^??^^-^^^ to teach, is, in its literal and genuine sense, to diaciplc, or so teach as to make disciples. To raring the question before you as fully as I can, I wish you, each one of you, to hx his attention upon some one famil- in this town, in whi.h family not a christian is to be found. If each one have his mind fixed upon such a chrisil ss household, I will now put the question: Suppose I, instrumentailv, disc iple the father of this familv, do I, as .« certain consequence, make disciples of the whole family ? Be fore vou dtt-rmlne the question, it may be well to fix in your minds what a discipie is. Let the scriptures speak. The di^cipies were called christians first at Antiocb : Acts xi. 26. The commission which Christ gave to the first ministers, and to all -ucceeding ones, as recorded, Maik xvi, 15, 16, is. Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature ; he that beliroetU^ See. Here a believer is the same as 2idisciple. Here v/e see a disciple, in the sense of my text, is a believer, a believer in Christ, a christian. This is the idea which the New Testament, from beginning to end, gives us of a disciple. 1 htrc is, however, mcHtion made of disciples, who are so but by profession, or who w^re visible disciples only ; not haVit^ the love of God in them. • < Now try the question with respect to both sorts of theie disciples. i Suppose I, instrumentally, disciple the father of fa Christless family, do I, as a necessary conse quence, ma^e christians ot all his house? You will please to make up your miads on this question, decidedly. ( Suppose again, that I, insirumt ntally, disciple the fW ther of a Christless family, do I, as a necessary conbc- quence, make visible disciples of all his family ? Let j oOr minds be clearly determmed as to the answer. ^ Once more, suppose I, by delivering the Lord's mes- sage, convert or make a disciple of ttie father of a Christ- less family, do I, of necessary consequence, make any one of his household besides himself a disciple*? Let scripture, let reason, let common sense, let any thing, speak, which wi'l speak the truth, and determine these questions. Consider, tiike advice, and speak y^Qiir minds. Can you suppose, or can you not, that to make a fath«r of a family a disciple, his wife, his servants, and his children, are all disciples of course, or of necessary con- sequence ? Is not this a clear case ? and yet the great and momen- tous subject before u< turns, altogether, upon the answer of this question. j If discipling the father of a family renders all his house disf ip'es, thes are a'l subjfcts ofbiptism; they have the scripture qualification for it: if it do not, then they have not the quahfit ation which my text requires to be in those who are baptized. You will judge for yourselves whether households do thus become disciples; as for the rest, the scri^jtures de- termine : if they be disciples, they are to be baptized ; if TiOt, they are not to be. * Prejjudice may reply, You are to disciple the howsehcld by bap- tizing them. This contradiCis ir.y text, that says, disciple thfTi firet. Serm. VI.] OF BAPTISM. 63 I Icrr^.-v what your answer must be, for by incontestihle fact, in this town, the discipling of a father of a family- does not d sciole his household ; it does not even make them visible disciples, or give them even the appearance of being so. The following is for evidence, that persons must be »\ade disciples, before they are baptized. 1. John made his he^^-ers disciples before he baptized tliem. He required, in order for baptism, that they should bring forth fruits meet for, or as evidence of, re- pentance : Ma . iii. 8. and Luke iii. 8. 2. Christ's disciples baptized none but such as were made disciples first: John iv. 1, 2, 3 Christ, in my text, gives no liberty to baptize any but such as are first discipled. Yes, he commands his ministers to disciple before they baptize. The accourt which Mark gives us of the apostles' com- mission, and of the baptismal institution, is confirming cvidenre in 'his matter: xvi. chap. 15t:h and 16th verses ; Preach the gospel to every t reaiure : he that believeth and is baptized," he. Here, believing is put before bap- tism. The way adopted by some to avoiu tht force of this text is, if they be baptized, say the\-, no matter when, before or u'ter believing. This way of gettmg clear of the difficulty appears neither wise nor candid ; for it in- jures the plain meaning of the text,^ and makes Matthew's and Mark's account of the commisbion to disagree. Whit remains are a number of plain ti uihs, facts, and consequences, v/hich have a more near or remote relation with the su')ject on hand, and may serve to throw light upon it. In the first place, we may take notice of two particulars, which, perhaps, have not been sufficiently noticed. One is, the ceremonial luw, and the covenant of cir- cumcision which was annexed to it, appear to be disannuU led and past away. The following may make this matter plain : the disan- nulling or abolishing of the lavv^ we see Heb. vii. 18: There is verily a disannulling oF the commandment go- ing before, for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof." Also Ga'. iii, 19 : *^ Wherefore then seiveth the law I It THE MODE AND SUBJECTS [Serm.VI. was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come lo ruhom iht promise WHS madt.^^ What seed this is, to whom the promise was made, we are told in the IGth ver&e of the same chapter ; Now to Ahraham and his seed were the promises made : he saith not to seeds, as of many, but as of one, and to thy seed which is Christ." We htnce see, that Christ vva^ the seed to whom the pro- mises were made, and that the laxv (the ceremonial law) %vas added bt^cause of transgrcs-iione;, till the seed, i. e, Christ, should come. It is hence pl-^in that the cereuionial law was to continue nv) longer than tiil Christ cami . The covenant of circumcisinn app^ears to be annexed to this law. For, says Jesus Chrisr, John vii. 23. If a man on the sabbaih day receive vircumchion^ that the law of Moses should not be hrokeny are ye angry at me ? &c . Thar diis covenant of citcumi ision, or the Sinai cove- nant, which includes it, haih passed awa\ , or is disan- nu'Ied, se'^ ileb. viii. 13. In that he saith a new cove nant, he hath made the first old : now that which dccay- eth and waxefh o!rl, is re.Kly to v anish away." Besides, circumcision is, evidently, a very important pan r)l thitt i.iw, wmch is vns nnul td ; for saith Paul to the Galatir.ns, chap. v. 2, 3. li yt b:: circvmus(d^ Christ shall prcfit you notliing, i^or 1 testily again, sa) s he, to • very man thai is ciraw^Ci^td^ that he is a debtor to do whok hi^v. It is hence ' ' t f -e cf remo'-ii-I law is no longer '^in'ling, and ihjt m^i cov. ci circumcision, which vas incorporated with it, h \ta vanishvd away. The other particular i^i this: the prcm sts which were YfM t t^ Abraham arid his seed, were not made to him ]n cr--cu:;:Ci&:0J2, imi ]n 7ir.ririU7ncioion ; and ihe covenant wlTjch was confirmed of God, to A!)nth im, in Christ, was v»h':e he was in iincircunicisicn, and about twenty- four years before the uvenarit of dr. inniis:on was given. Rom., iv. 8, 9, 10. Gal. iii. 16, 17. Gen. liii. 3, 4, 7, and xvii. iO, i r. , . , Mcieover, when Paul speaks of the covenant which was connrn.t d of Uod in Christ, he poinis out the exact year vvhen thin was made knowi^ or confirmed with A- hraham, though he had a foresight, as certainl)- the Serm. VI ] OF BAPTISM. 65 Holy Ghost had, of the contention which should be long continued, for want of judiciously understanding what covenant should be disannulled, and what covenant the law could not disannul. He tells us, Gal. iii. IT. That this covtnani, which cannot be made void, was four hutf-\ dred and thirty years before the law : whereas the cove- nant of circumcision was about four hundred and six years before the law, with which circumcision was united. Seeing matters are thus, what, I pray you, my hearers, have we to do with the covenant of circumcision ? If we keep it, Christ shall profit us nothing: if we observe something which we substitute in its place, Christ may profit us. as little in such observance. 1 know it will be asked. Is not the church the same now that it was in Abraham's day? I answer, yes, and the same that it was in Noah's, Enoch's and Adam's, and the same that it ever will be. It will be asked again, is not the covenant the same which it was in Abraham's time ? Yes, the covenant which was confirmed of God in Christ h unchangeably the same ; but the covenant of circumci- sion, which God made with Abraham, renewed with Isaac, and Jacob, and solemnized with Israel in the wilderness, (Deut. xxix. 10, 11, 12, 13,) is far from being the covenant, the 7ieiu covenant^ which God makes with the house of Israel in our day. The covenant of circumcision was, more than seventeen hundred years ago, decaying, waxing ©Id, and ready to vanish away. But you will again say. Is not the church composed of parents and children, and of households, now, as it was in Abraham's day ? Let Paul answer how it was (as touching the gospel) in Abra- ham's day and after. Rom. ix. 6, 7, 8. They are not all Israel which are of Israel, neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children : but in Isaac shall thy seed be called." That is, they that are the chil- dren of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed. Just so now. The children of God, the children of the pro- mise, are counted for the seed, and compose the church ; and of those who appear thus should the visible church be mad^i up, a-ad of none else. But, if by the question be I2 66 THE MODE AND SUBJECTS [S^rm. VI. meant, Does not church membership descend from pa- rents to children, and from masters to servants, as it ap- pears to have done under the old covenant of cirv umciMon ? the a?istver is, The New Testament no where acknow- ledges, nor does it know any thing about a church thus made up. 1 would that that all good men would consent to take New Testanient directions and examples by which to constitut<^ and guide New Testamtnt churches. But it will be asked onte more, Hath not baptism come into the place of circumcision, and to be applied to simi- lar subjects? Answer^ Circumcision was a positive in- stitution, and so is baptism. Abraham and the Israelites knew nothing to whom circumcision should be adminis- tered, but as they received direction from the Divine Institutor ; just so it is with respect to the administration of baptism The christians at Antioch , the elders at Je- rusalem, the church of Galatia, and Paul and Barnabas, knew nothing of baptism being substituted for circumci- sion. Acts XV. 1 to 35 ; Gal. iii. and v. chapters. We }:now nothing, and can know nothing, as to whom bap- tism is to be administered, but what Christ hath told us as to the subjects. Now — Secondly^ 1 ask what evidence have we from the Bible that infants are to be bapti2;ed I You may reply they are included in the covenant. What covenant ? In that of circumcision? Surely not, for that hath vanished away. If you say, in the covenant that was confirmed of God in Christ, I answer^ it was not this c^5venant which entitled Abraham's household to circumcision, therefore, though your children be in this covenant, that does not, of itself, entitle them to baptism , whether baptism be in the place of circumcision or not. You will then say, hat can entitle our children to bap- tism ? ^?j^w^r,' Their being disciples, and so coming wiihin the compass or pale of the baptismal institution. As we can know nothing of the subjects of baptism, any more than Abraham and Israel could of the biibjects of circumcision, but from sv hat we are informed in the institution, and in what is said upon it, we will enquire what the Bible saidi of this matter, if the l.ord. in.his word, hath r.ot given us sufficient Serm.Vl] OF BAPTISM. 6? instruction upon this subject, we must practise in the dark, for wc liave no vvhtre el- to go. We will begin with Jo o. 1. Did he baptize any chil- dren? Wchave. no evidence that he did. Besides, he told the multitude, which attended his ministry, not to plead Abraham, or Abraham's covenant, as a title to baptism. Matth. iii. 7, 8, 9, 10. 2. Did Christ's disciples, whilst he was with them, and whilst thev made and baptiztd more dhapks ihd^n John, baptize infants, or any visible unbeheving children? No evidence that they did. o. Is there any evidence from my text, which contains the words of the institution, that infants, or unbelieving households, were to be baptized ? None : but the contrary. 4. Is there any passage in the New Testament, which commends, or savs so much as one word, that infants are to be baptized ? Not one. 5. Is there any example, which shows that the apostles baptized any upon the faith of parents, or masters, or upon the faith or promises ©f any others I I know, my brethren, there are three instances, which are supposed, by some, to favour the affirmative of the question. 1 have rather been of the same opinion. If it be so, may facts convince us. W^e will look at each of these examples separately. The first supposed example we find at Philippi. Here was a wo.i an, named L\dia; she appears to have been a woman of business. She belonged to Thyatira, but was now at Philippi, probably selling her merchandize, with several attendants. The history is thus related. Acts xvi, 13th, 14tb and 15th verses; "On the sabbath day, we (Paul and other disriples) went out of the city, by a river side, where prayer was wont to be made, and we sat down, and spake unto the women that resorted thither. And a certain woman, named Lydia, ^ seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, who worshipped God, heard us, whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul. And when she was baptiztd and her household, she besought us, saying, If ye have judged me to be faithful unto ths Lord, come into my house and abide there*" 6S THE MODE AND SUBJECTS [Seraa. VI. This is all we know of the matt<:^r. She belonged to another city. She worshipped God. She was, on the sabb >th day, by the side of a river, where prayer was wont to be made The Lord openeci her heart to attend to what Paul said. Her servants were with her. She had a house, either of her own, or one taken for the time. She was baptized, and her household. As to her having infants with her, yc)ii can tell as well as I, Moreover, whethe r her servants believed the v.'ords of Paul, you can, if you attend to the circumstances, form as correct a judg-i ment, perhaps, as any other can make up for you. ' The things to he considered are, 1. Lydia was a godly woman. 2. She attended meeting. Paul found her where prayer was wont to be made, where religious women had been accustomed to meet. 3. She, like other religious people, took her household to meeting with her. 4. It appears that Paul baptised none of her household, but such as were w'nh her at the female praying meeting. 5. The strong probability is, that Lydia, being a pious wo- man, one who worshipped God, would select, for her attendants, maidens or servants who also were worship- pers of God. In verse 40, we are told the apostles entered into the house of Lydia, comforted the brethren, &c. You will weigh these circumstances, and make up for your- seives, so far as you can, a righteous judgm^.nt. The next example is recorded in the same chapter, and appears to be in the same city. This history of the mat- ter is contained :n the 25th verse, and to the 34th. The noticeable facts, and on which we must make up our judgments, arc : the jailor says, Sirs, what must 1 do to be saved ? Paul and Silas answered, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shaU be saved, and thy house. And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house. And he was baptized, he and all his, straightway, and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house. Here are three things to be put together : 1, The word ©f the Lord Jesus was spoken to them a. I, 2. They were all ba. tized. 3. They all believed in God. Whether here be ariy example of infaut baptism, you will judge, each one for himself* -flterm.VI^J OF BAPTISM. As some have supposed th n this passage, and a few others ol similar import, afford an argument in favour of sprinkling, it may be well to give it a moment's considcra* tion. Here we are told, that the keeper of the prison brought out Paul and Silas, Where he brought them to seems ph^inlv enous^h to be gathered from the 32d verse, in which we find ih*. m speaking to the jailor the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house. In the next verse we art; informed that the jailor and ail his were bap- tized. Where thev wtre baptized, we are not told One thing howc- ver is plain, it was not in the house for in verse 34 it i" said, When (i. e. after die household were baptizt^d) he had brought them into his house, he set mt-rit ht^fore them, and rejoiced, believing in God, with a 1 his house* From thest' observations, the fallowing thit'-gs appear: 1. That Paul and Silas were in the jailor's house, when they spoke the word uf the Lord to all that were in his house. 2. That when the ordinance of baptism was ad- ministered they were not in his hou^e. 3. That the mode of baptizing then in use render d it inconvenient to be performed in the jailor's house. 4. After the orrinr.nce was adrtiinistered, they went into the house. How this favours sprinkling I see not. 1 he other supposed example is in 1 Cor. i 16, where Paul says, I baptized nho the household of Stephanas. In die 16th rhripter, 15iK verse, we have a short history ol Stephanas's hou'^ehold : it is thus, Ye know the houSv - hold of Stephanas, th .t it is the first fruits of Achaii, and that thei/ have addressed tht mstlves to the ministry of the saints." Whether there is here foimd any evidence of infant baprism, vou will determine for your^elve^-. 6. Are the enc ouragt ments which are given to parents, in behalf of their thiidren, made to their having them baptized ; or are th'^' blessings connected with their dedi- cating them to the Lord, and with their bringing them up in his Jitirtit re and admonitloji? With which, your Bibles wiirinform you. 7 Do we, or do anv, pretend, that there is any cer- tam evidence, froai either prerept or example, for the baptiz'ng of infants? Indeed there is none. Probably not many suppose it. ?^ THE MODE AND SUBJECTS fSerm. V^. 8. Is there, as some, have affirmed^ the same eviden e for baptizing infants, that there is tor observing the LordV day, for ad mi . ting females to communioa, and which /there is for famih praver? There is a day calU d the Lord's dav, and religious things were to be observed on it. Are there infants wha are called baptized intants, and are they to be attended to as sudi ? Fethales and males are declared to be all one in Christ, and.S'j fit Subjects for the communion of sainis. Are in-^ fants Lint-quivccalL declared to be fit subjects of baptism?- Wc have examples of family prayer, and are com- manded to j)ray with all prayer. Are there scripture ex- amples of infani baptism, and are we commanded to baptize all ; and so c re infants included ? 9. Ought I to teach you infant baptism, if our Lord Jesus Chri.Nt haih no where dire. ted me to dathus? 10. Hath Jesus Christ s])oken one v/ord of baptism as being substituted for circumcision ? Hath he anv where commanded his ministers to teach this sub^ti ntion ? Th'n-dlij, Shall we go, and are we under the necessity of going, to the law and covenant of circumcision, to prove infaiit bisptlsm, Vi hen both this law ani covenant have long since waxed old, bi^en repealed, and have pe- ribhtd? iieb. vii. 18, 19, and viii. 13. But you will ask, Are not the blessings of Abraham come on the Gentiles ? Ans, Yes. You v*'i!l dien say, Are not our children included in the promise ? Ans» If ihey be Christ's, then are ihey Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the premise. Gal. ii . 29. Abraham's chil- dren, after the fie .h, were not inCiUded in the promise, as the pscdobaptists of our day would have theirs. But you will say again, Are not our children included in the co- venant ? In what covenant? In that of circumcision ? Surely not. For though tha: covenant was ohen renewed, yet it hadi long since passed away. Is your question this : Are they not included in that covenant, which was con- firmed of God in Christ, twenty-four \ ears previously to the covenant of circumcision ? I answer, no man knoweth, nor can know, but as your children give evidence, that they possess the spirit of Christ, But as I have observed to you before, so I say again, even were your children iQc luded in this covenant, and saints : this does not of it=clf g^iv'c them anv right to liaptism, any more than A- brahanri's being included in the same covenant gave him a right to circumcision. This covenant determines no- thing to the one or the other. The covenant of cir- cumcision determined who wt^re to be circumcised. So the oidlnancc or institution of baptism determines who are to be baptiztd. One determines no more who are to be admitted to the other, than does the covenant of an everlasting priesthood (Numb. xxv. 13) detcimine who shall be ministers in gospel days. In short, there is no arguing from one to the other in this matter. They are both of them positive institutions, and nothing can be known of either, but what is revealed in its particular institution* > While viewing this subject you will enquire, What will Bl)ecome of our ch^.ldren ? I an^^wer, God onlv knoweth, y >u may rejoin : But what shall we do for them ? Ans, Dedicate them to tiod, and, ike faithful christians, bring thenni up for him. Fourth/y, We will now attend to some legitimate con- sequences which follow, upon supposition that the sub# jccts of baptism are to be determiaed from the subjects of circumeision, 1. One consequence is, every man who is converted t» the christian religion is to be baptized, and ah his house- hold, though he m y have three hundred and seventeen traini'^g so diers liorn in his own house. Not only are these soldiers to be baptized, l«ut their wives, children, and all other servant^, who be ong to this great man's house A thousand infi lels are to he fiapiiz' d, because one great m;in, their master, is christianized. 2. These soldiers, with their wives, children, and ser- vants, are all to be considered and treated ?»s church mem- bers, or a being in s ovenanU I confess this does not look to me gospel like* 3. Another consequence is, the adults among these, and among all others, who are baptiz^-d, are not only to be admitted to the communion, but required to come. I ask, could such a consmunion be called the communion THE MOV'^ 'A^D hxrsfLvrrs- — — [^seffsiTYrr* Gi saints? — one great and g->od man, with hundreds of unconverted servants. 4. All who have been baptized, and have not, for mis- demeanor, been expelled the thurch, have a right to bap- tism for their children ; and no man may forbid them. 5. Another consequence is, notwithstandmg Christ salth. My kingdom is not of this world, yet the regula- tions were such, especially the mean of admission into it, as strongly, and of infallihle consequence, tended t© make it of this world, and that abundantly so. 6. Another consequenv c is, many learned and pious ministers of New-tn^land are inconsistent with them- selves, in requiring of persons baptized in infancy a pro- fession of I xperimental religion, as a term of communion. It W IS not s ) don -' in IsraeL Another consequence is, many of the same pious and learned ministers are vtry inconsistent with them^^elves, in refusing baptism to the children of such as are, by their baptism, in regular church membership, or in covenant, as it is termed. i I have taken, as vou observe, for granted, what *I do not believe to be true, that sprinkling, or a very partial washing, is baptism* Lnstlif, Anothtr consequence is, it doth, so far as it hath its perfect w rky destroy the very idea of the gospel tmiich, contradict the prophets, and make Paul,, and others, speak not the truth, and it throws us back tO the state of the Jewish church. Jeremiah, prophesjing of the gospel church, saith, cha . xxxi. 31 to 34, Be hold the days rome, saith the Lord, that I will make a new Cfivt nant with the hodse of Isratl, a: 4 with the house of Judah ; not according to the cov narrt that 1 made with vour fathers, in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them oat of the land of Kgypt; but this shall be \he covenant that I will sniike with the house of Israel, after those days, saith the Lord ; I w ill put my law in their inward parts, and[ write it in their hearts ; and will be iheir God, and ihey shall be m\ people. And they bhall teach no more every man his ntighbour, and Lvery man his brother, saying, knovr the Lord, for they shail all know me, from the le«st of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord. Scmi.VI.] or BxVPTISM, If this means any thing, it certainly meanf. that the gcSnitUhu'ch shall exceed in purity the Jewish church ; that it shall, at leabt, be composed ot professing saints, Isaiah savs, chap. liv. 13, All thy children shall b.; taught of the Lord. The latter of thesc^ passages our Lord ap- plies to the gospel day, John vi. 45 ; the former is applied to the gospel church by Paul, Heb. viii. chap. Moses savs, in D jut. xviii. 15. 19, The Lo d thv God will rai^e up unto thee a prophet from the midst of thee, of thy bretiiVen, like unto me ; unio him ye sh tU hearkf^n. * And it shall come to pass, ihatwhc^oever vv llnot hearken unto mv words, which he shall speak in my uamt*, I will require it of h.m. 1 his and much more P ter applies to gospel days, and to the gospel church. Acts iii. 22, to the end Moses truly said unto the fath rs, A prophet shall the Lord your God rai^e up uuf) you, of your brethrcrn, like unto me : hi n sh-dl ye hear n \\\ things wh.itsoever he shall say uafo } ou. And it sh di come to pass th.»t everv soul tha£ • wi^l not hv-ar imt prophet, shall be de troyed from among ttte people- Y^a, and all the prophets, from S unuel and thobc that follow aftt r as many as have spoken, have Lkewjse foretold of these days. Ye are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God ma ie with our fathers, saving unto Abraham, And in tiiv seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed. Unto vtju first, God, having raised up his son J- sus, sent him to bless you in turning away every one of you from his iniquitiesi Through the New Testament the gospel church is, or appears to oe, spoken of us a society, nation, or church of saints ; and as bemg greatly different from the nationt . of the Jews. But the subjects of baptism being deter- m ned bv the subjects of circumcision, brings the gospel church, as to its constituent materials, to the-same con- dition vv'iih the church under the hw of carnal ordinances. Indeed, what is now, gent rally, called the gospel church, is hardly to be distinguished by its members from the old Jewish church. Do not these things look as though the twelve hundred and sixty years of antichrist's reign were not wholiy past f 1 74 THE MODE AND SUBJECTS [Serm. V?, Is there not, my brethren, some defilhig error at the roo of all this ? Can such streams as are these consequences flow from a pure fountain ? Indeed many good ministers of our land have long since discov^ercd some of these evil consequences, and hrtve laboured hard to testify them. President Edwards, and many others, made a noble stnnd against this flood of corruption ; yet they discovered not the fountain whence these streams flow, and wil- flow, till it be removed. Putting or mistaking the covenant of circumcision for the covenant which was confirmed of God in Christ to Abraham, twenty-four years before circumcision was known, and substitutmg baptism for circumcision, and determining the su'^jects of one by the subjects of the other, without any authority thus to do, have produced all this corruption, deception, and world of evd. Would good ministers be persuaded to lay the axe at the root of the tree, as John did, the evils would be soon rectified. The su' ject on which we now are, is of such high con- cernment to the church of Christ, genera ly, and your conviction of the truth of it being almost, or quite essen- tial to our future peace and union together, 1 w^ould wil- lingly omit nothmg which might chase away yourdarkn-jss, and cause the true light to appear. I will, therefore, add here the history of infant baptism. Should we find that infant baptism is of men, as we have already found sprink- ling to be, it is hoped that you nill either give ii up, or practise it as being of man's device, and not, as Mr. Dickinson would have it, as belonging to infants by di- vine right. The first information which we have of infant baptism is about the middle of the second century ; about which lime IrenauR, in one of his epistles, has the lollowing sentence: '*The church received a tradition from the apos- tles to administer baptism to little children or inlantn*/' The next account we have of this matter, if we ex::ept Tertullian, who opposed the practice, is given us by Ori- gen, in about the middle of the thiid cen u*y. His words are, Little children are baptized for the remission of sins;" for the remission of originaUin, or poUaiion, for f President Dickin&o» on J3aptism.j fferm.VI] OF BAPTISM. 73 of this he is speaking. Again he says, " The church had an order from the apostles to give baptism to infants." Another part of the history of infant baptism we have in a quotation from the decisions of the famous council at Carthag , in the year 253. It is this : " From baptism an 1 the grace of God notie ought to be prohibited; espe- cially infants need our help and the divine mercy." ^ We have a farther account from Augustine, who flourished about the middle of the fourth century. His words (wri- ting of infant baptism) are, " Let none, therefore, so much as whisper any other doctrine in yorir ears ; this the church hath alwavs had, has always held," The next we hear of infant baptism is, that the prac- tice was confirmed, and so put beyond dispute, by pope- Innocent I. Now fire and sword were the all-conclusive arguments used for the conviction and reformation of all who refused to practice, or dared to call in question, infant baptism. We will pass over the horrid persecutions which now be- gan to be, and have ever since been practised, at intervals, upon those who would not submit to the divine right of infants to baj^tism, as conferred on them by the ghostly popes of Home. Luther, the famous German reformer, savs, " That infant baptism was not determined till pope Innocentius ;" and Grotius, in his annotations on Matth. xix. says, " It was not enjoined till the council of Carthage^." W^e ought, however, to trace the history of infant bap- tism one stt'p farther, and notice C.-^lvin, and a multitude since, who were unwilling to acknowledge their depert- dence on the mother of harlots for their authority in this matter; and therefore with great inger.uity have disco- vered infant baptism, as a gospel ordinance, or the right of infants to it, in the law ot Moses. Indeed they have supposed that this doctrine is implied in a number of pas- sages of the New Testament. Yet I feeUeve none who praciise it are wiiling to venture this New Testament/or- dinance upon Niw Testament evir'ence. Here you see that tradition is the foundation of infant baptism i error, the belief that baptism xvashes away grl- * Ancient DiaJogiie revised. r6 THE MODE AND SUBJECTS [Serm. VI. g'mulsin^ the nurse of its tender age ; the church of Home the confirmer and strong defender of it ; and the long since repealed ceremonial law of Mosts the evidence for it. You see the introduction of infant bitptism was tra- dition. Upon this foundation hath it manifestly rested fver. since. All the ingenious arguments of learned and pious men can, in fact, add no strength to its first foun- liation. The first we hear of it is, it was placed upon tradition, and there it haih Tested, or been standing un- easily , ever since. Besides, this tradition^ as well as the practice which followed, is doubtless the offspring ol error, and mail's invention. At best we have but one witness for it, in the mouth of whom nothing can be established. Oi igea «iys, The church had an ordtr from the apnstles Sdll we ha' 1 but one witness. Moreover the very expt essions of th j pxdobaptists show that they were from the begin- ning opposed bv the baptists. Iren8eus"<;ays, We have a tradition." Orig'^n savs, ''^ We have .m oid r." The C 'uncil of Carthage sa\s, Infants ought not to ht prO' k'lbitcd from bapti-ra."' Augustine saiih, Let none so rnuch as whisper any other doctrine in your ears.'' Does not every sy 'a'?!e indicate the dispute which the bap tists had with the inventors and suppor'ers of this anti evangelical principle and practice ? It i worthy r.f a moment's consideration, that not one of the m'): t ancient fa h'rs make the L. i>t .prt tension that infan; baptism was supported bv so much as one passage in either the Old Testimnent or the New ;,and they men*| tion no '<\\x\.\\qy\\.\ h\x\ trad tiGTi and an order from the apos< ties which, at l)est, are very uncertain tilings. Whoever can fix their fidib, continue their practice, nnd venture their responsibilitN', on such a traditif.nary foundation, I c: nnot. Upon this foundation for our prac- tice, have both we and our fathers ventuied to oppose the baptists, with greater or 'ess deg e <^ of virulence; whilst, bv our tradition, we have greatly injured the or- dinance of Christ, if not, in this instance, made void the Inw of God. — . t 1 In fine : was not infant baptism first mtroduced to es- cape the offence of the cross I Is it not, with many, uni Serm. VIL] OF ^APTISM. ^ 77 knowingly continued for the same end ? It bringeth the church to its former state as under the law. Iflyetprtach circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution ? then is the oifence of the, cross ceased. Gal. v. 11. SERMON VIL — ^♦•«— MATTHEW XXVIII. 19, 20, CO ye, therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost ; teach ng them to observe all things whatsoever 1 have commanded you : and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen, I HAVE already set before you the principal part of what I intended under the two first propostions m my text. What remains is to bring forward — III. Christ's command to all his ministering servants to teach all nations, or those who should be discipled among them, to observe all things, whatsoever he had commanded them. And then — Lastly^ His comforting and strengthening promise, which is, And, lo, I am with you alway, even unto ihe end of the world. To these propositions your serious christian attention is requested. The first is— III. Christ's command to the ministers of his gospel ' to teach all nations, or those who should be discijjed among them, to observe all things whatsoever he had commanded them. Here you see the cxtensiveness of my orders received, and which I must carefully observe, would 1 b * obedient unto the Heavenly Teacher, who came from God. Christ Jesus, when personally on earth, gave a new edition of his own and his Father's mind and will. In this new edition, he abrogated or left out many ceremonies of the old, as being no longer useful. Under the old eui'i ;n, the church was in its childhood, and thereiorL^ und ^r such tutors and governors as were not needed in her riper years, Q% 7K THE MQDE AOT SUBJECTS [SenTQ.Vn. In this new edition, "Christ hath pointed out what is to be preserved in the old. The sum of the moral law, and the prophets, were to continue in force. These are, in* deed, in the very nature of things, binding on accountab'e creatures. Bui when Christ, the anointed, and expected Messiah, was come, then all those rights, sacrifices, and typical institutions of the ceremonial law, which wete to- gether as a schoolmaster to lead the observer to Christ, ivere dis mnulled, being no longer of use. You see what mimst< rs ^have authority to teach, for both doctrine and practu e. It is that Christ hath com- manded them, and nothing which is contrary from it. In time past I have taught you the precepts of Christ, somewhat largely. As I have taught them so you have, as I believed, received them to the saving of yeur sou's. The ordinance of the supper I have taught in its simpli- city, and so have you received it. You have also been informed, that Jesus Christ appointed baptism as an or- dinance to be observed in his church. But what that ordinance was, and who were the subjects of it, you have not been particularly told, till of late. Nor had I, till a short time since, a clear understanding of either. I, no doubt, ought to have known them before, but till 1 did, I could not teach them to you. When I came to the knowledge of them, it was no longer in my power to be faithful to Christ, and refuse to teach them. In the sim- plicity of my heart have I taught you what is baptism, and who are to be baptized. Whether these things be, or be not, agreeable to my former notions of them, is nothing to the point, , One thing I am settled in ; I have of late taught them to you as Christ hath comnianded me. Not only was it m\ duty to teach you these things, but I am commanded to teach you to observe them ; for then are you Chrisi's disciples, when you do uU things what- soever he hath commanded you. To observe these things, is like obedient children to receive instruction, and then to search the scriptures, chat you mav know how these things are. it belongs to me to teach you:— Serrt^ VII.] ' OF BAPTISM. 7^ > 1. To observe these things till you understand thenij and then— 2. To observe-them in your practice. 1. Would ^ ou walk in all the statutes and ordinances of the Lord blamek'^s, you must observe these things till you undv^rsiand them. You and I h.ive been unreasonably prejudiced against .light and truth in these nvAlters, If I do not misjudge, the L >rd hath in answer to prayer afforded me the need- ed light and knowledge upon the 5ui)ject. It was not in a day, nor in a month, after my prejudices received a shock, and my mind partial conviction, that I obtained satisfac- tion. Nor can 1 expect that you wil<, all of you, posscSvS sucli^a ready niind, as to give up your long, and almost inveterate, prejudices, and receive the light at once. It is f by little and little, that anti-christian errors must be de- - stroyed fiom the church, and from your hearts, as well as from mine. You may expect to find me ready, at any time, and at all times, to afford you every i nstruction, and to answer any objection which may occur to your candid minds. You should have your Bibles always n^gh you, and pos- sess continually a prayerful, teachable spirit. Be deter- mined to hearkiin to none but Christ, and to be obedient to allhi^i commands. Be careful to avoid all bitterness, and evil speaking. Wisdom will not dwell with strife ; nor will the wrath of man work the righteousness of God, 2, It belongs to me to teach you to observe the ordi- nance of baptism, and the proper subjects in your practice. You nuiu understand these things before vou can accept- ably practise them. Some of yt u, no doubt, sufficiently understand them to proceed to practice. But I have not thought it my dutvJo hasten y ur practice, or to lead you by example, lest the miad n of others should be injured. It is a time to weaken pnjuJices, and not to increase •them. Wisdom dwells with prudence. Many of your 'minds, as well as mine, are, with pleasing expectation, lobkiag forward to tht: tim , whcu we may, wiihnighly, or quite, all our brethren with us, keep all the oidiaances of the gospel, as Christ hath commanded us» 80 THE MODE AND SUBJECTS [Serm.VII.* When you shall understand these things, happy will you be if you practise them ; for all gospel obedience give;^ pleasure in the practice. As Moses had niuch to do in Egypt, before God said unto him, Speak unto the people that they go forward," so, my Ijrethren, I may have much to do before things shall be in readiness, and before the Lord shall bid me speak, sa> ing unto you, Go FORWARD. But, if the Lord will, I woa-td live to see that day. After Israel vve^t forv/ard, and were baptized unto Moses, in the cloud, and in the sea, they had a tedious wilderness to pass so it may be with us. But should we observe the pillar of cloud and of fire, we shall come to the promised land ; and, it may be, with much safety and speed, should we hearken to the good counsel of Joshua. You know, my brethren, as it is my duty to teach you to observe all things whatsoever Christ hath commanded me, so it is your duty to receive instruction, and be obe- dient. Your obedience is not to be rendered to me but to Jesus Christ, and to the word of his testimony. It will doubtless occur to your minds. Whom shall we hear? One minister teaches us one thing, and ancther teaches us differently. You are to hear no man any fLir- iherthanhe shall teach you as the man Chris; Jesus hath commanded him. Ministers have no authority, any far- ther than they receive it from him. He hath given them no power to teach but what he hath commanded. When they tran-^cribe out of the old into the new cdiiion of God's word and will, and tell us that the rite and covenant of circumcision are to explain to us the observance of a New Testament ordinance, we are not obliged to believe them, unless they point us to the place where Christ hath so com- manded. You are to obey them who have the rule over you. Bat even Paul was not to be followed any farther than he fr.Uowed Christ. So it ought to be with you, in hearken- ing to what your teachers say. Ministers are but men, and they have proved themselves to be so, by changing the ordinance ofbaptism into quite a different thing, and by administering their new rite to subjects to whom Jesus Christ never commanded it. It surely is a surprising thing, and not to be accountcdfor, but from the relics of Ser ai. V H .] MKV L L^m. human depravity, that so many good nrTen shoulJ, un- knowmglv, d ) and teach things which are quite abide from what Christ haih commanded th^m. Ii i<^ too l ite for you, my hearers, to cloak yourselves under what great and good men hr»ve said ; for the truth the Lord hadi already bL:en told vr.u. Had I not come and spoken to you this word of Christ, you would not have had sin ; but now have you no cloak for disobe- dience. We now come— L'tst!y» To con ider Christ's comforting and strength- ening promise to his ministering servants ; which is. And, I'j, I am with you a'wiv, even unto the end of {he world. Christ Jesus hath been with his ministers; and he wdl be, 1, In prtp.iring them for their office. He was persan- aly with his fi st gospel heralds, for the space of three years, or more ; after this he left them frjr a shorr space : in this short interval they passed a severe trial. He was with them ag\in at limes, for forty davs. Soon after this lie sent his Spirit upon ihem, and filled them with it to a rf mark ;bli degree. Then they were prepared for their cS-je. Thev speedily filled it remarkably, and the effect v/AS wonderful Three thousand were converted in a day. Christ is as rea ly, though not so apparently, with all his go-^pel messengers in preparing them to go forth into hiH /larvest. Those who have not Christ with them, to prepare them for their office, are but as wolv s in shceps cloihing, when they go forth into the ministry. They preach for filthy lucre, and f equendy have their reward. is too often the case, that those whom Christ hath pre- wired, are obliged to go into the field, or make tents for t ieir support, whilst such as run, not being sent, swim in luxury. 2. Jee us Christ will be with his ministers in bringing divine tilings to their remembrance. It is the Lord's spirit which causeth divine truth to oc- cur to the minds of his servants. Truths, which have b e 1 for ott n io.r m(5nihs, and it may be for years, or pnssag< s which before were not understood, may be, and not unfrequently r^re, fresh and plain la the mitids of his servants, for their comfort, or for the comfort and instruc- tion of others, or for the comlbrt and edification of both. THE MODE AND SUBJECTS [Serin. VII. 3. Christ will be with his ministers in afTording them tvisdom, foriitude, and faithfulness. 1 he entrance of his word giveih light. He maketh light thtrir paths, and ordererh ail their steps. He maketh their feet like hind's feet, and causeth them to be swifter than the eag'e, stronger than lions, wise as seipents, ^nd » harmless as doves. With what wisdom did Stephen speak I With what fortitude did Peter, Paul, and a thousand others, address their auditories ! With what wisdom hath he made his servants to speak I With what fortitude to bear, with what laith^'uluebs to endure, for his name's sake ! How remarkably hath it been thus in times of per- secution I And when will you find a time, when they that are born after the flt-sh do not persecute those who are born after the Spirit? How often it is the case, when miiiist^ers, like Paul, wax bold, and testify that Jesus is the Christ, and what are his word and irstiiutions, that they arc persecuted, openly or more secretly. 4» Christ is and will be with hi^ ministering servants, whilst they are reproache'd and suffering for his n-ame and truth's sake. He says to them all, If the world hate you, ye kr/)W that it hated me before it hated you. When Christ's mi- nirters are reviled and suffer for his sake, his truth and Spirit bears their spirits up. He gives them to believe and know, that though they weep now, they shall soon rej :>i! e; that their light afflictions, .which are but for a moment, are preparing them for, and working out for them, a far more exceeding and an eternal weight of 5. Christ Ji^sus will be v/ith his faithful ministers in giving them to see tht- ir desires upon his enemies. This appears to be particularly implied in my text. They are commanded to go and di==ciple all nations. Their desire is to see disciples mullivlied. 'i hey go forth : Christ goes forth v.iih them. Many of Christ's enemies submit to his yoke, which is easVn and to his burden, which is light. In this are they gratified, and their desire on them is accomplished. 6. Christ IS with his ministers in explaining and defend- ing his truth. Serm.VII^v fOF BAPTISM, 86 How did Peter, P.uil, aiid (Vihers, in the first ages of christianitv, cXjjlain and vindicate the truth, to tht con- founding of both Jews an I Gentiles I Whenever, in ag-s since, he hath spoken the word, great hath been the com- pany, or force, of those who have published, explained, and defended t. Martin Luther, John Calvin, and a number more in the reform ition, were like flamts of fire : nothing could stop them from publishing, explaining, and defending the truths of the Saviour, for he was with them. Ym will ask. How is it that Christ is with his minivers when they contradict one the other, and themselves too ? Answer^ It is not said, that Christ is with his ministers in explaining and def'i nding error. Eiror is hiiman ; truth is divine. When ministers undertake to support error, they go without Chrst's blessing and presence in this their labour. Hence ir is that they are so contradictory and in- consistent, and are obliged to wrest the scriptures fron\ their plain and easy sense, to support a beloved prejudice. But when they take up for truth, plain scriptures support them, and they h ve plain and pleasant work, and their sybjerts supported with ease, as you have seen whilst at- tending to the several truths in my text. Bedsides, it may be the case, that some vervgood men may mix truth and error, the commands of God and their own iraditions, tog'^ther; and, whi-st practising accord- ingly, they may enj')y a comfortable frame of mind, and hen- e con -lude ihat their beloved compound is all fiom heaven. This may be illustrated b\ the fallowing exam- ple, Mr. S. fiu'is it to be a truth, that his infant offspring, as well as every thing elre, should be d voutly given to God. He hath received and holds a tradition fi om the fathers, that his infants should be baptized. He publicly gives them to the Lord, and soltmnh promises to instruct them in the way of truth and duty. H : , at the same time, hath the ordinance of baptism administtred to them, or administers it himself. During the whole transaction he pos^sesses much comfort in his mind. His consequence is, the whole matter is acco ding to truth, ju t as God ^would have it. is not this going a little too much by sense, and not quits enough by scripture? Does it not contain a U THE MODS AND SUBJIlCTS tSenn.VlI. fpice of enthusiasm ? Would not the good man have h.id the same mectal saUsfaciion, had he possessed the same spiritualitv, and yet had omitted that part whieh ib enjoih- ed bv tradition ottly ? * . ♦ La-stlij, The Great Captam of salvation iFwith his iWw ulsters, to teach, lead, and comfort thtm, in ail their trail, in all their straits. Whtfsoever will leave them, he will not. Though he, the Great High Priest of our profession, whi n suffering for his people's sins, was left al n ; all forsook him : yet, wh never his friends arc afflicted, he kindly caiis, saving, Lo, I am with you. Tnis hath been the stay of good men in all ages, in all circumstances. Those who h »ve wandered about in sheep skins ^nd goat skins, who have ht eh afflicted, toj- ment d, of whom the world was not w orthy, haVe found thf r refuge here. There is nothing Hke this to support the feeble, distres'^ed soul. When godly ministers have been oh'iged to leav<* their peo; 1 , yes, und their families, and sometimes thtir native country, for the truth's sake, this h. th susi xined them — Ch i^t was with them. Pre- side nt Edwar js, for a noble attempt at partial reforma- tion, was constrained tf) flee his heloved charge: but Christ was, no vioubt, with him. Should I, for la\ing the axe a- ihej-ool of the tree, be ob iged to leave you, though, f )r tile present, I see no particular reason to ap- p ' htnd such aji t vent, yet 1 trust, this will be my hiding pLiCd — Jesus, who.wiU be with me» APPLICATION. From what hath been said in the preceding discourses, ^ it apnc >rs— 1. That ih^ two sides of the controversy between the baptists and the p ects, appears but litdt better, being but poorly supported bv scripture: they having the plain word and full current of all the prophets from Moses to Malachi, so far as they have spoken of the gospel church, together with the New Testatnent, in ihAv favour ; whilst for us, in this particular, nothing better can be alledged, than the antiquated rite of circumcision. If the baptists be right, why not join them, and suffer small inconveniences ? If wrong, why not prove them so ? It is pitiful that great and good men should be dallying with inconclusive argu- ments, when the time is long since come, that the high^ way ol holiness should be so plain, that wayfaring men, 'though fools, should not err the rem. \ 5 We see why good men have been so divided among themselves, as to infant baptism. The reason is, they go widiout Christ, in this matter^ He is not divided. Some baptize all. Others will baptize only ihe children In the households of communicants. Some baptize upoa the ha'f way covenant. Some will baptize all who are binder age. Again, others wilt baptize all under seven. Others still will bapiize upon the good promises of god- fathers and godmothers. You will observe I use the word ■baptiz:i in a sense which I believe to be improper, but I 'would not offend you with a word, when my meaning ^m iy be understood. But what propriety is there in all 'ithis inconsistency about the su'jects of baptism ? Does *not the matter look as though there were no rule to go by, or as though none understood wh )t it was? G. We see why good m-^n, when writing or speaking of baptism, are left to speak untruth?. It is dou'nless becau>e they will follow their own pre- judices, and not the truth. Error hath divided them, and Christ is not with mem in what thev say. Some good men, not many, dare assert, in opposition to the f)aptists, that there is not a word about immersion for b iptism ia a 1 the 3i' 1 ^. For laymen to say thus \*> premmpthn^ and for men of / arning to make the assertion, \s> almost unpar'^ dvia'^le. For thes' know, or oug' t to know, that the word to ba^itize ia not once mentioned in ali the Bible, 88 THE MODE AND SUBJECTS [Serm. VII. but immersion is mentioned, unless they mean to play upon the word ; and the n it is a truth wheii baptizo is mentioned, immersion is, if they will give it its plain li- teral English. If the baptists have the plain, literal, and unequivocal sense of the scripture in their favour, is it not enough that they are despised and persecuted, by the wicked of every cla'^s, and not htlped by an\ ; but must we add to to their affliction, by falshood, or equivocation I O pre- judice, what wilt thou not do, even in a saint! Besidts, our good brethren, wh ^ are so warm against the baptists, and will ifot allow them a word for their mode, do not agree together to in orm us what the mod& should be. One tells us, it is sprinkling ; another say s,) « pouring is the mode ; a third contends for washing the' face ; a fourth is for putting water on the back of the neck, as the Swiss are said to d ) ; whilst others affirm that all these are right. Now, suppose the baptists are wrong, who shall we say are in the rij^ht, or is there no right in thishusiness ? Does not all this Icok just as it would wttrcj titere an error at the bottom? Hath the Cyreat Teacher^ who came irom God. left matters thus, at 1 ose ends ?\ Does the Bible tnus differ, whilst pointing out the mode ? No; its language is pu' C and determinate. 7. It appears that, in infant sprinkling for baptism, the ' intent of the insiituiiun is lost, and becomes no christian ordin ince at a 1. Both the thing itself and the su' jects of it are changed. It is quite a different thing from what the institutor hatli ' . appointed. Neither this mode, nor these subjects, are known in the institution, nor in any passage of the Bible, where baptism is mentioned. T his mode is of man's de- vice, and the subjects of it have, at b. st. but a traditional ^ rifrht. For good men to dc^thus, whiUt they think it ' , consistent with truth, appears to be a sin of ignorance ; ' but if any do thus, wh le they know wh.it the scriptures . enjoin, their practice deserves a harder name. 8 It apne:irs that dipping, immersion, orburvingin, ! the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holyf rihost, is baptism. No man oi real piety, and solid learning, ever doubted S'erm, VII ] OF B /VPTISM. «9 it; wherea?, sprinkling haih b-^en doubted by itt'^ny, de- nied continually, by a 1 rge class of chrihtians, and been proved by none to have bef;n ever appointed as the chris^ tiun ordinance of bapt'^^m. 9. We see, that every plea which hath been mad^, for a general oj partial neglect of the scripture mode of bap- tism, is an indirect, thoujjh unintentional, charge of negU- ' gence, or want of benevolence* or of foresight, in the di- vine institutor. Let every m \n of candour and common sense ex im'ne this matte:'. Did nt.t the Lord, who made ou!- northern climes, know how cold they are ? — D d he know them to be too co!d for his discijJes wh.> might live in them, to be separated from the world by being vi i sly buried and raised agam to join his kingdom ? Way ihea did he not m^^ntion an eX'^-eption in our favour, and nog leave us to suffer this inconvenience, or be in perpetual uncertainty, and contkvaal dispute, to defend our, atbcit, but doubtful practice* Did he not peifectly know all the compe ling necessities, which Cvprian and others would^ in their erring judgments, find to break over t.h** bounds of the baptismal institution ? Why then did hi m .ikc no provision for these extreme cases ? By d i.ig thu^:, he would have saved the paeiob^iptists a world of anxiet^', contention, and censure. The fact appears to oe, that our Lord intended, that the way of adm s -ion into his king- dom should be uniform, and that those, who wo ild ur.t submit to it, should suffer the inconvenience ot" darkness, error, and strife. 10. From whit hath been said in the preceding d's- courses, is not the following a fair and undeniabe con 1 1- sion ? Th t I and o her pse l jbaptist ministers, so far as we have spoken a word agtinstthe bapti-»ts,and especia'iy that those, who have pu licly warned tbtir p. o[.le to avoid the baptists and flee from them, as from a dividing and dangero is heresy, h tve in this mitter actefl the pa t of the oil Scribes, Pharisees, and hvp icritts uhow -u 1 not go into the kingdom of tiiemstlves, and tuose vvb^ were entering they hindered. I by no means suppose th all whn h ive* done thus are indeed hypocrites, save iu this pariiju^ar, N > reasonable douot can be enter uincd,"^ but many of tiiem ^le learned, h2 9« THE MODE AND SUBJECTS [Serm. VII. pious, and very useful men ; men, whonni the Lord hath greatlv honoured as labourers, in gathering in the harvest of souls. Many of these have been, in a measure, bold, zealous, and faithful, like Peter; yet when they dissem- ble, or teach and practise contrary from the truth, they are to be blamed, yes, they are, in this instance, worthy to be rebuked. It wou*d, indeed, be very injudicious in me to contend that all which the baptists have said and done is justifiable. It would be equally injudicious to justify myself or my brethren, where we have both said and done things con- trary from the church and name of Jesus of Niizareth. It is time for both ministers and people to look to this mat- ter, lest the Lord send leanness into our souls. 11. From a review of the whole subject, the following inference appears natural, and at the same time worthy of much consideration. 1 he divinely constituted method, bv whi h any of the fallen race are to enter the kingdom of heaven below, remarkably sets to our view the way by %vhieh we are to commence perfect members of the king- dom of heaven ^bove. Our obedience to the former is a practical declaration of our faith in the latter. In joining Chrises kingdom on earth, we professedly die unto sin, go down to the grave, are buried, and rise, as from the dead. To join the kingdom of glory, we must actually experience what is but shadov/ed forth in baptism. We must die, be buried, or return to the dust, and rise from the dead. How exactly doth our entrance into the church militant shadow forth our hoped for entrance into the church tri- umphant ! It i'.lso appears that Christ hath directed, that the subjects of the one should be professedly, what the subjects of the other shad be actually, all saints. How beautiful doth the church appear, so far as she observes the commands of her Lord, as to the members vhich she admits, and the manner of rei eiving them I She thus resembles Jerusalem, uhich is above, which is the mother t f us all, if we be christians. May the Lord direct our hearts into the love of the truth. In the conclusion of the whole, it becomes us to add, to the truths delivered, what Christ Jesus added to my text: Amen. A MINIATURE HISTORY IT may be pleasing to some of my readers to be presented with a brief account of the baptists, I shall extract this account from the writings of those who were not of the baptists' denomination, but rather prejudiced against them. Here it may be observed, that the religious sect called b iptists, have caused the learned worl:l more perplexity and research to decypher their origin, than any other sect of christians, or, perhaps., than ail others. Yes, this research hath baffled all their erudition in ancient story. 1l is n u difficult to fix the period when one sect of this denomination was first called Petrobrussians, when ano- ther was known by the name of Waterlandians, when a third was denominated Mennonites, &c. But the difficul- t • is this, to ascertain the time, place, and medium, by which Christ's disciples were led to adopt the peculiar sentiment, which is now held by those called baptists, and which distinguishes them from all other denominations. It may be farther observed, that if no one, however learned and wise, be able to trace this sect to any begin- ning short of the days of the apostles, or of Christ, it is possible th It it then arose. Besides, if all other religous denominations, or the pee lobaptists, who include all which are not baptists, can be traced to any probable origin short OF THE A MINI VrURS HISTORY of t^c apos^le^, and the bapti'^ts cannot be, it afFords stll mrlgin, or was not candid enough to confess it. At least, ve have this conclusion, that he could find their origin 10 where short of the apostles. II. A large number of the baptists were scattered, op- )res$Vd, and persecuted, through manv, if not through all, he nations of Europe, before the d:^wn of the reformation ipder Luther and Calvin. When Luther, seconded by everal prmces of the petty states of Ciermany, arose in ppposition to the over grown usurpations of the church of i??on[)e, the baptists also arose from their hiding places. They hoped that what they had been long expecting and •raying for was now at the door ; the time in whidi the offerings of God's people should be g^a ly tefminated : ut God had not raised Luther's views of reformation so I igh the height the baptists were expecting. Their de- ; istanon of the iVlotherof Harlots, ow ing to their bitter ^ xpi ri nee of her cruelties, and the clear gosp' 1 light.^ ^ ith which they h id been favou ed above Luther, and ' M'ir ardent desiro to be utte rly delivered from her cruel ppressions, made them wish to carry the reformation 94 A MINIATURE HISTORY farther than God h irj appointed Luther to accompl»slf They were soon disappoinied in Lather, an;l probahl) did not dulv appreciate the rcff)rm,;tion whi-h he was in. strumeiually effecting. It was as might have been ex pected ; the Lutherans and the bapusis fell out by th< way ; and Calvin, iT not Luther, warmly opposed them See Mosfit'im, Cent. XV U Cnap. iii. Sect,'^, Pirt. 2. Mosheim vol. IV. page 427, speaking of the baptists says, This sect str^rted up all of a su lden, in severa countries, at the same point of time, and at the very pe riod when the first contest of the reformers with the Ko man pontiffs drew the atten ion of the world." From thi we have one plain and fair deduction ; that the bcjj tint were before the reformation under Luiher and Calvin and therefore did Dot take their rise from the enthusiast under Munzer and Storck, or at that time ; or at Muns ter. IIL The Hussites, in the fifteenth century, the Wick liffites, in the fourteenth, and the Peirobrussians, in tb twelfth, and the Waldenses, were ail baptists. To \ fact Dr. Mosheim bears the following testimony^. i mav be observed that the Mennonites (i. e. the baptist of East and West Friesland, Hnlland, Gelderland, Bra bant, Westphaiia, and other plares in the north of-Ecj rope) are not iniireli) mistaken^ when they boast lhei[ di scent from the Waldenses, Petrobrussians, and Olhe ancient sects, who are asualiy considered as witnesses c the truth in timetj rf universal darkness and super stitioi Bc f re ihe rise of Luther anti Ca vin, there lay conaak in almost oil the countries of Em ope, pani iilarly in B( hernia, Moravia, S witztil nd, iies had m iii tained ; some in a more disguis. c), and others in a mor op n and puMic ma^m' r, viz. 1% t ih - kingdom oj Chris or the msi^ le churth he h^id established upon earth, was 6 a^'em^di/ ^ J' true a^d teal san.ts^ and cug'U fh^njore to \ inaccessible to the zv'ck d and unrighteous^ and also txem^ from uU those institiit-ons rt-/. ch nnman prudtnce sugge>) tg sppQSn the pTu^rus ff 'U q'lr-ij^ or t'j c rrdct and rcfr tr-ansgressors» This maxim is the true source of all the pccu i'lritks that ?«re to be found in the religious doctrine and discipline of the Mennon tes (or bapiibts in the north of Europe ), and it is most certain that the greatest part of these pi cul arltkii were approved of by many of those who before the dawn of the reform.ition, entertained the notion already mentioned relating to the visible church of Christ." From this testimony of Dr. Mosh/im wcmay remarl:--^ 1. fhtit the Mennonites were baptists, or anabaptists, i for thi se different names he ust s to express one and the same thing. , 2. That the Pctrobrussians were baptists ; for the bap- tists a sert, and Mosheim allows it, that they were their progenitors in principle and prai tice. Besides, in his his- tory of the twelfth century, part II. chap v. sect. 7, he expressly tells us, that one of their tents was, that' na persons xvhatsoever were to he baptized before tfiey xvere come to the full use of their rea-^on, 3 Th t the Waldcnses, Wickliffites, and Hussites were I baptists ; for, as Mosheim sa\s, thty all held to the great I and leading maxims whlcn is the true soarce of all the pe- I cu'iarities that are to be found in the religious doctrine I and discipline of the Mennonites. These several deno- 1 minations of christians were not known by the ancient, ! modern, and appropriate name, baptists. But th ir doc- ! trine and discipline were the bame with our baptists, and 1 were thev now living, they would be thus calltd. Iq I other words ; just so far as they were consistent with the great antt leading maxim^ and just so far as the modern ; baptists are consistent with their grt At and leading maxim, . just so far ihese ancient and modern baptists are alike one I to the other. I 4. That in the sixteenth century the Waldenses, Pe- j trobrussians, and other ancient sects (i. e. of the bapdsts) i yiere usually considered as having been witnesses of the j t|uth, in the times of darkness and universal superstition, i How differently from this would and do many consider i them in our day I ^-5* That before the rise of Luther and Calvin, there lay concealed in almost all the countries of Europe, particu- larly in Bohemia, Moravia, Swit^t■rland, and German/, many persons who held the same doctrine and disiipline with the baptists in our day, and were of necessary and fair constquente, of the same denomination. IV. We have already traced ihe baptists down to the 12th century. We have A^o found that they were scat- ter^-d over almost a l the countries of Europe, and were, in the dark ages of popery, the witnesses of the truth ; or have been usually thus considered. Besides, we have found that the AV ali3-enses were, in principle and practice, baptists ; or in other words, we have found ihat the WaU densts were baptists. We will now see to what origin we can trace the VValdcnses. ^ Dr. Maclaine, who translated Mosheim's Church His- tory from th" original Latin, gives us, vol. III. pages 118, 119, under note G. tht^ following history of the Waldenses. His words are : *' We may venture to af- firm the contrary (i. e. from what Mosh* im had just said of (he Waldtnscs taking ihti/name from Peier Walaus) v/uh Beza and other writers of ncte ; for it seems evi- dent, from the best recoids, thai Va dus derived his name from the true Valdenses of Piedmont, whose doc- tiine he adopted, and who wtre known by the names of Vaudois and Valdenses, before he, or his immediate followers, existed. If the Valdtnses or Waldenses had derived their name fr< m any eminent teacher, it wouid probably have been from Valdo, who was remarkable for the purity of his doctrine, in the ninth century, and was the cotemporary and thief counstllor of Berengarius. But the truth is, that they derive thtir name from their Vol ies in Piedmont, which in their language are caiied Vaux. Hence Vaudois, their true name; hence' Peter (or, as others call him, John) of Lyons, was called in Latin Valdus, because he hdd adopted their doctrine ; and hence the term Vaidenses and Waldenses, used by those who write in English, or Latin, m the place of Vaudois. I he b oody inquisitor Reiuerus Sacco, who exerted such a furious zeal for the destruction of the Wuldcnsesy lived but about eighty years after Valdus of OF THE BAPTISTS! Lyons, and must therefore be supposed to know whether or not he was the real founder of the Valdenses, or Le- onists ; and yet it is remarkable, that he speaks of the Leonists as a sect that had flourished about fire hundred years ; nay, mentions authors of note, who make their antiquity remount to the apostolic age. See the account ghen of Saccois book of the Jesuit Gr ester in the Biblio- theca Patrum; I know not upon what principle Dr. Mosheim maintains that the inhabitants of the vallics of Piedmont are to be carefully distinguished from the Waldenses, and I am persuaded that whoever will be at the pains to read attentively the 2d, 25th, 26th and 27'th chapters of the first book of Leger's Histoire des Egiises Vaudoises, will find this distinction entirely groundless. When the papists ask us where our religion xvas before Luther, we generally answer, in the Bible^ and we an- swer well. But to gratify their taste for tradition and human authority, we may add to this answer — and in the valiies of Pi-dmont,^'* To the above we «iay add, one of the popish writers, speaking of the Waldenses, says, " The h,:refiif of the Waldi;nses is the oldest heresy in the tvorld^^'* , It is here worthy to be particularly noticed, 1. That Heinerus Sacco speaks of the Waldense% or baptists, of his day, as a sect that had, at that time, fl urished for about five hundred years ; which brings the history of the baptists, as a religious sect, down to the fifth century, 2. That the same Reinerus Sacco mentions authors of note, who make the antiquity of the Waldensean baptists to remount to the apostolic age. 3. Th.(t the baptists are the most ancient of all the religious sects, who have set themselves to oppose tke ghostly powers of Romanists. 4. That there be any body of christians, who have ex- isted during the reign of antichrist, or of the man of sin, the baptists have been this living church of Jesus Christ, * President Edwards' History of Redemption, p, 247. 93 A MINIATURE HISTORY l lJ 5. The consequence of the whole is this: The baptisftj^j have no origin short oi the apostles. They arose in th . days of John the baptist, and increased largely in ih: days of our blessed Saviour, when he shewed himsel unto Israel, and the days of his apostles, and have ex- isted, under the severest oppressions, with intervals o prosperity, ever since. But as to the paedobaptists, their origin is at once traced to about the nniddle of the second century ; when the mystery of iniquity not only began to work, but, b^ its fermentation, had produced this error of fruitful evils, nameiy, that baptism was essential to salvation ; yes, that it was regeneration. Hence arose the necessity of baptizing children. Now comes forward Iraeneus, and informs that the church had a tradition from the apostles to give baptism to infants. We are told in the Appen*- dix to INlosheim's Church History, that one of the re- markable things which took place in the second century, was the baptizing of infants, it being never known befoi*e as a christian ordinance for them. What a pity it is, that good men, who have renounced the error, which was, as church history informs us, th^ progenitor of infant baptism, should still retain its prac- tical and erroneous offspring, to the prejudice and marring of the church of God ! Not a single sect of the pasdobaptists can find its origin nearer to the aposd6s than the second century. We hence conclude, that tht^ir origin was there, and that they then and there arose in the mystery which was then working. May the Father of lights open the eyes of my brethren, that they niay come out of this, perhaps, the last thicket of gross cnor and darkness, I will now add— V. The testimony which President Edwards bears in favour of the Waldenses and other faithful ones, «who were scattered through all parts of Europe in the dark ages of popery. It is the following. In every age of this dark time, there appeared par- ticular persons in all parts of Christendom, who bore a testimony against the corruptions and tyranny of the church of Rome. There is no one age of antichrist, v Jin in the darkest time of all, but ecclesiastical histo- ^ns mention a great many by name, who manifested 1 abhorrence of the pope and his idolatrous worship, d pleaded for the ancient purity of doctrine and vvor- uaip. God was pleased to maintain an uninterrupted cession of witnesses, through the whole time, in Ger- r.iany, France, Britain, and other countries, as histo- rians demonstrate, and mention them by name, and give a^h account of the testimony which they held. Many of .'^em were private persons, and many of them ministers, and some magistrates and persons of great distinction. And there were numbers in every age, who were perse- cuted and put to death for this testimony.. Besides these particular persons, dispersed here and t^re, there was a certain people, called the Waldenses, vho lived separate from all the rest of the world, who kept themselves pure, and constantly bore a testimony against the church of Rome, through all this dark time* The place where they dwelt was the Vaudois, or the five Tallies of Piedmont, a very mountainous country, be- tween Italy and France. The place where they lived w^s compassed with those exceeding high mountams, called the Alps, which were almost impassable. The passage over these mountainous desarc countries, v/as so difficult, that the vallies where this people dwelt were ' almost inaccessible. There this people lived for many ages, as it were alone, where, in a state of separatioa from all the world, having very little to do with any other ppople, they served God in the ancient purity of his wor- ship, and never submitted to the church of Rome. This place, in this desart, mountainous country, , probably was the place, especially meant in the xii. chapter of Revebtion?, 6 verse, as the place prepared of God for the woman, that they should feed her there during the reign of antichrist. " Some of the popish writers themselves own that that people never submitted to the church of Rome. One of the popish writers, speaking of the Waldenses, says, the heresy of the Waldenses^ is the oldest heresy in the world. It is supposed lliat this people first took themselves to this desart, secret place among ihe mountains, to hide themselves from the severity of ih-j heathen persecutions, which were before Constantilie the Great, and thus the woman fled into the wilderness from the face ot the serpent, Rev. xii. 6; and so verbc 14, And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time from the face of the serpent. And the people being settled there, their posterity continued there from age to age afterwards, and being as it were by natural walls, as well as by God's grace, separated from the rest of the world, never partook of the overftowicg cor- ruption.'' It is hoped that the reader will very carefully and can- didly compare what is testified to us by three very learned men. Dr. Mosheim, Dr. Maclaine, and President Ed« wards. The testimony of the first is, that the Walden acs, and many others who are usually considered as xvii fie.'isss cf thd truth in the times of universal darknesa ant superstition^ were essentially agreed with the baptists of modern date, as to principle and practice^ or as to the great maxim whence flow all the peculiarities of that de- nomination. His testimony, in short, is this: The Hus>ites, the Wickliffites, [the Petrobrussians, and the Walclenses, with other witnesses of the truth, scattered over Europe, ia the dark ages of pop^'ry, were essen- ti illy the same with the baptists ol later times ; or that they all were what we call b.iptists. Dr. Maclaine testifies that the Waldenses flourished as early as the fifth century : yes, he informs us that someViUthors of note carry their antiquity up to the apo's- tolis age. President Edwards informs us that these V7 aldenses were the main body of the church, in the dark eges, and have been, together with their scattered brethren, the pure church of Jesus Christ, during the reign tf antichrist, and of certain consequence v/ere succes- j EXTRACT Trom the Baptist Misuonary Magazine^ No, I^i.- ACCOUNT or THE baptist Climl), LATELY CONSTITUTED AT SEDGWICK, District of Maine, Jl H E Reverend Daniel Merrill, graduated at rtmouth College, 1789» was ordained over the Con- g. egationaiist church in Sedgwick, in September, 1793. His I tbours have been very much blessed among his people, who have experienced several precious seasons of revival under his nninistry, particularly in the years J 798 and 1801. Several circumstances occurred to lead Mr. Merrill^ in the course of the last year, to review, with more critr- cal attention, the grounds on which he had practised infant baptism. The result of his inquiries maybe learned from the preceding sermons on baptism, and from the foljpw'uig account of his baptism, &:c. At a meeting of the church, (or covenanted brethren) February 28. 1805, they voted unanimously tp send for a council of baptist niinisters to t ome and assist them in the following particulars, viz. 1st. To administer chris- tian baptism to them ; 2d. To constitute thtm into a 106 ACCOUNT OF SEDGWICK church, upon the primitive baptist platform j 3d. 'i over them in the Lord, the Reverend Daniel Mcrrl be their minister. Agreeably to their request^ Messrs. Pitman of F dence, Baldwin of Boston, and Williams of Be' accompanied by a number of brethren, took pass* i Salem, eight o'clock on Thursday evening the 9t i of May, inst. and arrived at Sedgwick the Saturdai lowing, at 1, P, M. Lord's-day, half past ten o*( Mr. Pitman preached from Acts v. 20. Alter an mission of half an hour, Mr. Baldwin preached 1 Cor. iii. 9. After another intermission of a fe- nutes, Mr. Williams addressed the people from ' XXV. 25. At six, Mr. Baldwin preached again, Sol. Song, i, 8. 1 Monday, May 12, at 2, P. M. the council fo:i and adjourned until the next day. At 3, assemb J the meeiing-iiouse, and*: Mr. Williams preached John xiv. 21. After which proceeded to an examii cf the candidates for baptism, until the day was spe Tuesday, 13th, examined a number more candi At half past 10, Mr. Williams preached particular the institu.ion, from Acts ii. 41. Immediately af repaired to the water's side. The place fixed upr i the administration of this solemn ordinance, wa? tide waters of Benjamin's river, about one mile frc sea. A more beautiful or convenient place is scare be imagined. The land adjoining was sufficiently elevated to a ' modate spectators with the best possible prospect yet sloping so gently to the margm of the river, thati at the farthest distance might see as plainly as thos' ^ stood nighest. As soon as the people vrere assembled at the vl P side, solemn prayer was offered up to that God | ordinance we were going to attend. A profound ! reigned through the assembh , when Mr. Baldwr Mr, Merrill by »he hand, and walking ?^lo\vly in water, repeated these words, And they went dowi ^' inU the watery both Philip and the euniichy and I ^ BAPTIST CHURCH. 107 iim» When they had gotten to a suitable depth, dinance was performed. Mr. Merrill, rising from »iery grave, with a very pleasant, smiling counte- . could not refrain expressing t. e heart- ftlt fatis- I he enjoyed in this act of obed ence. As they led out of the water, Mr. Wd.'iam^ went down with Merrill, repenting these words, And they were bctk Gus hi fore God^ ivilking in all the commandments avd 7ices of the Lord blamckss. In this way the bap- was conducted, until all the candidates present >aptized. Here, we beheld sixty-six persons buried 'tism by these two administrators, in forty-two n.i- The candidates, both females as well as males, ided into the water with the greatest calmness ima- i -y and in general they came out of it rejoicing in I manner as we have seldom seen. Numbers of ;ould not refrain giving glory to God our Saviour, y his own example marked out this humble, bles- ly. The spectators behaved with the utmost pro- I hey were not only solemn, but many of them n tears. A heart must be adamant not to have jd at such a moving scene. The service was con« by prayer and singing. [ve o'clock the people assembled again at tne meer- ase, and Mr. Pitman preached to ihem from Joha inesday morning the council met, and arranged iiness of the afternoon. Then examined and bap- nineteen candidates more, in the same place and r as described above. At one o'clock assembled n the meeting-house ; when the baptized members, , as we hope, first given themselves to the Lor^', ive themselves to one another by the will of God. thus covenanting with each other, the Reverend y.se, by the appointment of the council, addressed n a few words, and gave the right hand to them, ken of our fellowship with them as a sister church i^t: and by solemn prayer commended them to d the xvQrd of his grace ^ which is able to build them ICS ACCO&NT OF SEDGWICK, &c; vp^ and give them an inheritance among all them that sanctijied. The council immediately proceeded to ordain" Mr, Merrill. Mr. Baldwin introduced the solemnity by prayer, and then addressed the people in a well adapted and very impressive discourse, founded on part of thr third verse of the Epistle of Jude : Earnestly CQntend for the faith once delivtred to the Saints. The ordaining prayer was made by the Reverend Elisha Snow, of Tho. mastown ; the charge by the Reverend Abraham Cum- mings, of Vinal-Haven ; the right hand of fellowship by the Reverend Elisha Williams, of Beverly ; aiyi thr; concluding prayer by the Rcvferend John Pitman, cl Provident e. 4 Mi