y- ^^ 
 

LECTURES 
 
 ON 
 
 CHRISTIAN BAPTISM, 
 
 BY HENRY ZELL, 
 
 Rector of St. James' Church, Knowlton. 
 
 *' The promise is unlo youj and to your children.^ 
 
 BELVIDERE: 
 
 PRINTED BY WM. B. BRITTAIN. 
 1841. 
 
"Jesus SANCTIFIED baptism, being kixiself baptized, 
 si?(CE THE Son of God was baptized, what believer 
 
 CAN DESPISE baptism? He, HOAVEVER, WAS BAPTIZED, 
 ?<OT TO RECEIVE FORGIVENESS OF SINS, FOR HE WAS SIN- 
 1.ESS; BUT BEING SIXLESS, TO GRANT DIVINE GRACE, \M> 
 aiGNITY TO TEE BAPTIZED." St. C"yRIl^ 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 In performing the duties which appertain to 
 my calling as a Minister of the Church of Christ, 
 it has been my lot to meet with many whose 
 views on the subject of Baptism, I consider to 
 be erroneous. Some view this sacrament, which 
 was instituted by Christ, and which ought there- 
 fore at least to command our respect, as of lit- 
 tle consequence; while others are of the opinion 
 that it ought not to be administered to infants, 
 and that immersion is essential to its validity. 
 For the instruction of the people of my charge, 
 — the members of Zion Church, Belvidere, and 
 St. James' Church, Knowlton, — the following 
 Lectures, referring particularly to the necessity 
 of receiving baptism where it may be had, 
 the persons to whom, and the manner in which 
 it ought to be administered, were prepared 
 amid the multifarious duties of tw^o parishes, 
 without the remotest idea of their publication. 
 It is superfluous to remark, that there are many 
 excellent treatises in which the points discussed 
 in the following remarks have been more fully 
 and ably presented, — such for instance as Jer- 
 •ram's conversations on, and Wall's History of 
 Infant Baptism, which are standard works; — 
 
IV PREFACE. 
 
 but unless the author is greatly mistaken, the 
 works which we have on the subject of bap- 
 tism are defective at least in one respect — suf- 
 ficient importance is not given to the different 
 points connected with this sacrament on which 
 christians in the ordinary walks of life desire to 
 be instructed, who have neither time to read, 
 nor means to procure the more voluminous and 
 expensive works which have been written. — 
 This defect it is to be hoped is removed in part 
 by these lectures; — which are now made pub- 
 lic at the solicitation of my parishoners, whose 
 names will ever be held in grateful remem- 
 brance; — and which are intended neither for 
 the learned nor curious, but plain christians, 
 who are diligently seeking the " old paths" that 
 they may walk therein. That such by a peru- 
 rusal of this little volume, may be led to a 
 " knowledge of the truth, and enabled to give 
 to every one that asketh, a reason of the hope 
 that is in them with meekness and fear," is the 
 fervent prayer of the author. 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 LECTURE I. 
 
 The obligation to receive Baptism established from 
 Scripture — the uniform practice of the Church during 
 the Apostles ministry, their express commandments, 
 and from the nature of that ordinance. 
 
 LECTURE IL 
 
 Infant Baptism established — the promises of God 
 extended to children under the patriarchal dispensa- 
 tion — under the Jewish — Circumcision instituted; its 
 design; obligations assumed thereby — one Church un- 
 der several dispensations — Baptism instituted in the 
 place of Circumcision. 
 
 LECTURE in. 
 
 Infant Baptism — analogy betvi^een Baptism and 
 Circumcision — these ordinances differ in some re- 
 spects — prophecies relating to the extension of the 
 Church — its blessings designed for all. The Apostles 
 understood the command to baptize in its most com- 
 prehensive sense — the command examined — facts in 
 
VI CONTENTS. 
 
 the New Testament favour Infant baptism — command 
 for it, households baptized — the holy seed — the serious 
 difficulties attending the opposite theory. 
 
 LECTURE IV. 
 
 Proofs that Infant baptism was practised by the 
 primitive Christians — testimony of Justin Martyr — of 
 Irenaeus— of Origen — of Tertullian — Council of Car- 
 thage — controversy between Pelagius and Augustine 
 — remarks on this testimony — objections answered. 
 
 LECTURE V. 
 
 Mode of baptism immaterial, shown by the nature of 
 that ordinance, and by analogy — command indefinite — 
 mode never designated — the word baptize examined — 
 baptism on the day of Pentecost — Eunuch baptized by 
 Philip — the jailor baptized — conclusion adopted from 
 the preceding remarks — objections answered — conclu- 
 ding remarks. 
 
LECTURES 
 
 ON 
 
 CHRISTIAxN BAPTISM, 
 
 LECTURE I. 
 
 The obligation to receive Baptism established from 
 Scripture — the uniform practice of the Church du- 
 ring thu Apostles ministry, their express command- 
 ments, and from the nature of that ordinance- 
 
 ** Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, bap- 
 tizing them in the name of the Father, and of 
 the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; teaching them 
 to observe all thinsrs whatsoever I hav^e com- 
 
 o 
 
 mandedyou: and, lo, I am with you always, 
 even unto the end of the world." — Matt. xxviiL 
 19. 20. 
 
8 LECTURES 
 
 There is no subject more intimately connec- 
 ted with man's dearest interests and hopes in 
 this world, and in the world to come, than a 
 correct and scriptural understanding of those 
 doctrines which are contained in the word of 
 God. Time and experience without serious in- 
 jury will generally correct erroneous opinions 
 in political, civil, or scientific matters but in re- 
 ligion a misapprehension may prove fatal. — 
 Prejudiced in favour of theories which cannot 
 be sustained, and adopting conclusions not war- 
 ranted by the sacred Scriptures, it requires 
 more than ordinary effort to force convic- 
 tion on the mind, that the commandments of 
 men have been received instead of the doc- 
 trines of inspiration, and after error has been 
 removed by the simple and clear manifestation 
 of the truth, the aid of the Holy Spirit alone 
 can lead to the adoption of a corresponding 
 course of conduct. From this arises the ne- 
 cessity of great caution, and care, on the part 
 of those who have been appointed stewards of 
 the manifold grace of God, lest by reason of 
 prejudice, or an unwillingness to abandon a fa- 
 vorite, and perhaps popular tenet, the doctrines 
 
ON BAPTISM. y 
 
 which they maintain, nnay not in all things be 
 warranted by the word of God. It becomes 
 us, therefore, as wise master builders, fervently 
 imploring the blessing of Almighty God, before 
 adopting any opinion and advocating it as re- 
 vealed truth, to search the scriptures diligently; 
 with an earnest desire to " read, mark, learn, 
 and inwardly digest" its sacred truths; compa- 
 ring spiritual things with spiritual, whereby dif- 
 ficulties may be removed, apparent contradic- 
 tions reconciled, and things hard to be under- 
 stood, explained; but when certain conclusions 
 have been formed, as to the doctrines and or- 
 dinances of the Gospel, by withholding what 
 we believe to be taught by the word of God, 
 we would prove recreant to that sacred trust 
 which has been committed to us, and render 
 ourselves unworthy of confidence and regard. 
 Situated thus, accountable to the Church here, 
 and the Judge of all the earth hereafter, for the 
 improvement of every talent which has been 
 committed to us, we cannot but proclaim what 
 we believe to be the will of God. Under the 
 influence of these impressions, we ask your 
 serious attention to the topics suggested by the 
 
10 LECTURES 
 
 following words : '' Go ye therefore, and teach 
 all nations, baptizing them in the name of the 
 Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; 
 teaching them to observe all things whatsoever 
 I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you 
 alway, even unto the end of the world.*' 
 
 I. These words conclusively show% that Chris- 
 tian Baptism is obligatory upon all to the end of 
 time. 
 
 1. The object of our blessed Saviour's mission 
 was to " seek and save those who were lost." 
 For that end, He gave his life a ransom for 
 all, " that whosoever believeth in him should 
 not perish but have everlasting life," and sub- 
 sequent to his resurrection, and immediately 
 before his ascension — he commanded the eleven 
 Apostles, to go, and " teach all nations, bapti- 
 zing them," or as that expression is explained, 
 by many eminent divines, " disciple all nations, 
 by baptizing them in the name of the Father, 
 and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; teaching 
 them to observe all things whatsoever had 
 been commanded." From this we may per- 
 ceive, that baptism is an essential part of divine 
 
ox BAPTISM. 11 
 
 truth; and from the promise, "lo, I am with 
 you alway, even unto the end of the world," 
 the conclusion is inevitable, that the successors 
 of the Apostles, in the ministerial office, to the 
 end of time, are to insist on baptism. Saint 
 Mark, is very explicit on this point — " He 
 that believeth and is baptized shall be saved, 
 but he that believeth not shall be damned." xvi. 
 16. Hence we lay it down as a rule, consci- 
 entiously to be observed, wherever the Gos- 
 pel is preached, and received as worthy of all 
 acceptation, baptism is to be administered in 
 the name of the blessed Trinity. What may be 
 the condition of those in the world to come, 
 who reject baptism, we know not, as the Bible 
 is silent on that subject. Of this, however, we 
 may rest assured, if we love God and keep his 
 commandments, an abundant entrance shall be 
 ministered into that rest which remains for the 
 people of God. " If Christ himself" as the ju- 
 dicious Hooker observes '• who giveth salvation 
 do require baptism: it is not for us, that look for 
 salvation, to sound and examine him, whether 
 unbaptized men may be saved, but seriously 
 to do the thing that is required; and religiously 
 
12 LECTURES 
 
 to fear the danger which may grow by the want 
 thereof." 
 
 2. That baptism is obligatory, is evident also 
 from the uniform practice of the Church, du- 
 ring the ministry of the Apostles. Thus for 
 example, we learn from the second chapter of 
 Acts, when the truth was faithfully dispensed 
 on the day of Pentecost by St. Peter, " they 
 that gladly received his word w^ere baptized: 
 and the same day there were added unto them 
 about three thousand souls." In like manner, 
 we find by consulting the eighth Chapter of 
 Acts, that Piiiiip, w-ho a short time previously 
 had been ordained a deacon in the Church 
 of God, — faithful in the performance of those 
 duties which devolved on him, — went down to 
 the city of Samaria, and " preached Christ unto 
 them ; and the people with one accord gave 
 heed unto those things which Philip spake, 
 hearing and seeing the miracles which he did." 
 But they did not deem this of sufiicient conse- 
 quence to save them, or place the means of 
 grace and hopes of glory wqthin their reach, 
 without complying with the ordinances of the 
 gospel — the sacred writer continues, " when 
 
ox BAPTISM. 13 
 
 they believed Philip, preaching the things con- 
 cerning the kingdom of God, and the name of 
 Jesus Christ, they were baptized both men and 
 women." 
 
 In the same chapter is another instance 
 equally explicit as to the necessity of baptism, 
 which is briefly as follows: — " A man of Ethio- 
 pia, an eunuch of great authority under Can- 
 dace, queen of the Ethiopeans, who had the 
 charge of all her treasure had come to Jerusa- 
 lem for to worship, and returning in his chariot, 
 read Esaias the prophet, and Philip ran to him 
 and said, understandest thou what thou read- 
 est? And he said, how can I, except some 
 man should guide me? And he desired Phihp 
 that he would come and sit with him. Then 
 Philip opened his mouth, and began at the 
 same scripture and preached unto him Jesus. — 
 And as they went on their way, they came un- 
 to a certain water; and the eunuch said, see 
 here is water; what doth hinder me to be bap- 
 tized? And Phihp said, if thou believest with 
 all thine heart, thou mayest; and he answered 
 and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son 
 of God; and they both went down into the wa- 
 
14 LECTURES 
 
 ter, both Philip and the eunuch; and he bapti- 
 zed him." In hke manner, after Paul's con- 
 version, " he arose and was baptized." Corne- 
 lius, and those that were with him — impressed 
 by the preaching of St. Peter, and receiving the 
 gift of the Holy Ghost — were " baptized in the 
 name of the Lord." On the conversion of Lydia 
 "she was baptized and her household." Chap, 
 xvi. 15. The Jailor " was baptized, he and 
 all his, straightway," as soon as they believed 
 on the Lord Jesus Christ. Chap. xvi. 33. It 
 is a correct rule of interpretation, which is 
 applicable to laws — human or divine, that 
 whenever difficulty arises as to the meaning, or 
 design of any precept, to refer to the course of 
 conduct, adopted by those who first made it a 
 rule of action; and if that can be satisfactorily 
 ascertained, to explain it thereby. From the 
 actions and opinions of those who continued in 
 the Apostle's " fellowship and doctrine," the 
 Apostle's belief may be ascertained, while at the 
 same time, we are to be influenced not a little 
 by their belief and practice, in explaining the 
 doctrines of Christ. An apt illustration of the 
 correctness of these remarks, is to be found 
 
ON BAPTISM. 15 
 
 in the form of Church government which we, 
 in common with our forefathers, from time 
 immemorial, have adopted. It is thought by 
 many, that the declarations of our blessed 
 Lord on this subject, are so indefinite, that every 
 form of church government, adopted at the 
 present da}^ is alike of divine origin. But when 
 we refer to the Apostles, this doubt is removed 
 We find that there then existed, '• divers orders'* 
 in the ministry, answering to our Bishops, 
 Presbyters and Deacons, that the superior or- 
 der, vested first in Apostles, and subsequently 
 in bishops, alone ordained to the work of the 
 ministry; and that their jurisdiction extended 
 over several churches, for which they were re- 
 quired to ordain ministers of proper qualifica- 
 tions to teach; and of which they were to 
 take the oversight, not by constraint, but wil- 
 lingly — not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind 
 — as was the case with Timothy, bishop of 
 Ephesus, and Titus, bishop of Crete: — from 
 these facts, found in the Acts, and the diflferent 
 Epistles of Paul and Peter, we arrive at the 
 conclusion, that the Episcopal form of Church 
 government is agreeable to the will of Christ, 
 
16 LECTURES 
 
 even admitting that his declarations on that 
 topic are somewhat indefinite.* These ohser- 
 vations are equally applicable to baptism; for 
 when we find that the Apostles, acting by the 
 authority delegated to them by Christ, invaria- 
 bly baptized those that believed, with icater, 
 we are confirmed in the belief, of the necessity 
 of receiving the " washing of regeneration," as 
 well as the " renewing of the Holy Ghost." 
 
 III. Nor is this another doctrine, than that 
 which the Apostles themselves preached. " Re- 
 pent," says St. Peter, on the day of Pentecost, 
 to those that were pricked in their hearts, and 
 said to Peter, and the rest of the Apostles, men 
 and brethren what shall we do? " 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; for the 
 promise is to you and to your children, and to 
 all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord 
 our God, shall calL" *' Baptism," says the same 
 
 ♦This subject is fully discussed in a little work of 
 rare merit entitled, "Episcopacy tested by Scripture, 
 by Bishop Henry U. Onderdonk,"— published by the 
 New York Episcopal Tract Society. 
 
ON BAPTISM. 17 
 
 Apostle, in another place, '< doth also now 
 save us (not the putting away of the filth of 
 the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience 
 towards God,) by the resurrection of Jesus 
 Christ," 1. Pet. 111.21. " According to his 
 mercy, he saved us," says Titus, speaking of 
 Christ, "by the washing of regeneration and 
 the renewing of the Holy Ghost," Tit. 111. 5. 
 Hence the doctrine of baptism is designated 
 by the author of the epistle to the Hebrews, as 
 one of the fundamental doctrines of the Chris- 
 tian Religion, Heb. vi. 2. 
 
 IV. The importance of receiving baptism is evi- 
 dent, fourthly, Irom the nature of that ordinance. 
 The opinion is adopted by many, that the sacra- 
 ments instituted by Christ are of little conse- 
 quence, if the heart be right in the sight of God. 
 But it may be inquired, and the question is of seri- 
 ous consequence, if the heart is properly affected 
 by divine grace, and an earnest desire is mani- 
 fested to be partakers "of the life that now is, 
 and of that which is to come," will any of those 
 ordinances which Christ hath enjoined be un- 
 dervalued, or set at nought? It does not fol- 
 low, that they are useless appendages to reli* 
 2 
 
18 LECTURES 
 
 gion— mere externals which may be observed 
 or rejected according to circumstances or in- 
 clination—because they do not save the soul. 
 There is no merit in I'epentance, and yet it is 
 impossible to be saved without it — "except 
 ye repent ye shall all likewise perish." Hu- 
 mility, which is as a pearl of inestimable value, 
 and "without which whosoever liveth is ac- 
 counted dead before God," does not save, and 
 yet it is an essential grace of the christian 
 character. — "God resisteth the proud but giveth 
 grace to the humble." While, therefore, we 
 are not saved by works, — "by grace are ye 
 saved through faith and that not of yourselves ; 
 it is the gift of God" — "good works which are 
 the fruits of faith, and follow after justification 
 are pleasing and acceptable to God in Christ;" 
 among which the ordinances of Christ^s appoint- 
 ment are pre-eminent. Seriously impressed 
 with this truth, we solicit your attention to the 
 importance and necessity of Holy Baptism, 
 "where it may be had." We may be greatly 
 assisted in forming a scriptural idea of the na- 
 ture of this sacrament, and the duties resulting 
 \ herefrom, by referring to that rite which pre- 
 
OJ^ BAPTISM. 19 
 
 ceded it in the Jewish church. By circumci- 
 sion, every male child, at eight days old, entered 
 into covenant with Almighty God, became a 
 member of his church militant, was justly en- 
 titled to all the privileges of church-member- 
 ship, and received assurance, that an abundant 
 enterance should be ministered into the rest 
 which remained for the people of God, as the 
 reward of a godly life. The obligation to re- 
 ceive circumcision, was annulled on the estab- 
 lishment of the christian church, and the ordi- 
 nance of baptism instituted in its stead. It is 
 reasonable, therefore, to conclude that these 
 rites— circumcision and baptism — though obli- 
 gatory under different dispensations, are the 
 same in nature and design. This view is adop- 
 ted bv the church. VV"e are taught in her 
 Catechism, that by baptism, we are made "mem- 
 bers of Christ," that is of his church, "children 
 of God, and inheritors of the kingdom of Hea- 
 ven." "in baptism there are two parts — the 
 outward and visible sign — water wherein the 
 person is baptized, in the name of the Father, 
 and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; and the 
 inward and spiritual grace — a death unto sin. 
 
80 LECTURES 
 
 and a new birth unto righteousness: for being 
 by nature born in sin, and children of wrath, 
 we are hereby made children ofgrace." "Bap- 
 tism," in the language of the XXVII. article, "is 
 not only a sign of profession, and mark of dif- 
 ference, whereby christian men are discerned 
 from others that be not christened: but it is also 
 a sign of regeneration, or new birth, whereby, 
 as by an instrument, they that receive baptism 
 rightly are grafted into the church: the promi- 
 ses of forgiveness of sin, and of our adoption to 
 be the sons of God by the Holy Ghost, are visi- 
 bly signed and sealed: faith is confirmed, and 
 grace increased by virtue of prayer unto God." 
 This view of baptism we are persuaded is sus- 
 tained by the word of God. " For ye are all," 
 says St. Paul, " children of God by faith in 
 Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been 
 baptized into Christ have put on Christ, and if 
 ye be Christ's then are ye Abraham's seed and 
 heirs according to the promise," Gal. 111. 26. 
 27. 29. "By one spirit are we all baptized in- 
 to one body, 1. Cor. xii. 13. According to his 
 mercy he saved us, by the washing of regener- 
 ation, and renewing of the Holy Ghost," Tit. 
 
ON BAPTISM. 21 
 
 111.6. If the above remarks are founded on 
 the sacred scriptures, and agreeable to the views 
 entertained by the primitive church in regard 
 to this sacrament, then those who are baptized 
 are engrafted into the church of Christ — they 
 have entered into covenant with Almighty God, 
 and are justly entitled to the manifold blessings 
 resulting therefrom; unless those privileges 
 which have thus been placed within their reacii, 
 are forfeited by hardness of heart, or contempt 
 of God's holy word. From the text, then, which 
 conveys authority to us to administer, and you 
 to receive holy baptism — from the examples of 
 holy men in the church during the Apostle's 
 ministry, as well as the express command, re- 
 pent and be baptized; — and from the nature of 
 that ordinance, by which alone we become mem- 
 bers of Christ's mystical body — it is evident, that 
 it may not be omitted, without leading to fatal 
 consequences. It is true, it does not save as a 
 meritorious cause, but it is equally certain that 
 to live in an unbaptized state, is to despise the 
 authority of Christ, undervalue the examples of 
 holy men, and above all, reject those covenant 
 privileges of becoming members of Christ, chil- 
 
23 lbctOrEs 
 
 dren of God, and inheritors of the kingdom 6f 
 Heaven, which by the gospel, have been set be- 
 fore us. Not that you are to be baptized with* 
 out due preparation. The adult must first be* 
 lieve. Faith, repentance, that needeth not to 
 be repented of, conversion to God, and a fixed 
 determination, relying on the aid of the divine 
 spirit, to lead a new life, — are indispensably re- 
 quisite for the reception of this rite of initiation 
 into the church. Christians are to be "a chosen 
 generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, 
 a peculiar people, zealous of good works;" and 
 if these eminent qualifications are not in a mea- 
 sure possessed previous to, they will not be con- 
 ferred by baptism. Delay not, as you value the 
 soul, and respect the authority of that Redeem- 
 er by whose blood you have been ransomed, as 
 a peculiar people, and before whom you must 
 all stand, to render a strict account of the "deeds 
 done in the body," — to make your peace with 
 God. Entreat the Lord to make you his ser- 
 vant, and "pray without ceasing," that he may 
 become your God. 
 
<iS BAPTISM. 23 
 
 LECTURE IL 
 
 Infant baptism established — the promises of God ex- 
 tended to children under the patriarchal dispensa- 
 tion — under the Jewish — circumcision instituted — 
 its design — obligations assumed thereby — one church 
 existing under several dispensations — baptism in- 
 stituted in the place of circumcision. 
 
 That baptism, which is a sacrament "gener- 
 ally necessary to salvation," and a rite of initia- 
 tion into all the privileges of the christian cov- 
 enant, ought to be administered to the believ^- 
 ing adult, is a proposition commonly admitted 
 in theorv, thousrh not always carried out in 
 practice. It was the design of my previous ob- 
 servations to present this duty in a clear and 
 scriptural light. Thus far, there is scarcely 
 any diversity of opinion. For the last two cen- 
 turies, however, there has been considerable 
 controversy^carried on with sharpness of wit, 
 often with little discretion, and less charity, — 
 as to the proper subjects of christian baptism. 
 Bv some it is maintained, that believers alone 
 
24 lectures' 
 
 ought to be admitted to this holy ordinance, and 
 that it is no less than profane mockery to 
 "sprinkle clean water" on the infant's brow in 
 the name of the blessed Trinity; while others 
 conceive, that the promise of forgiveness of sin, 
 through repentance and baptism, is made to 
 them, and their children. The latter of these 
 opinions is adopted by the church, of which it 
 is our exalted privilege to be members. Give 
 me, therefore, your attention, while I shall en- 
 deavour to present, with meekness and fear, our 
 reasons for entertaining that opinion. 
 
 I. We are greatly confirmed in the belief, 
 "that the baptism of young children, is in any 
 wise to be retained in the church, as most agree- 
 able with the institution of Christ," (Art. XXVII) 
 from the fact, that under the patriarchal and 
 Jewish dispensations, they were included in 
 God's promises, as partakers of his covenanted 
 mercies. The covenant madp with Adam — 
 including a brief, and single promise of good 
 things to come, indefinite and yet sufficiently 
 clear to be a ground of hope, was extended to 
 all his posterity. The correctness of this obser- 
 vation is evident bath from the sad consequen- 
 
ox BAPTISM. 25 
 
 ces of violating that covenant — death to Adam 
 and the whole race of man — and the language 
 employed in renewing it to Noah subsequent to 
 the flood; — "Behold.I establish my covenant with 
 you, and with your seed after you," Gen. ix. 9. 
 This covenant, being universal, as soon as a 
 child was born into the world, the responsibil- 
 ities thereof rested upon it; under the immedi- 
 ate control and blessing of Almighty God, it was 
 his child, and he was its God. Hence there is 
 no account of any ordinance, by which that re- 
 lation was formed. It was, therefore, a pecu- 
 liarity of the patriarchal dispensation, that all 
 were admitted, by birth, into the hopes and pri- 
 vileges conveyed to the common parent of all, 
 by the promise, "the seed of the w'oman shall 
 bruise the serpent's head." Thus from Adam, 
 until the call of Abram to be the Father of the 
 faithful, — embracing a period of more than two 
 thousand years, in which the flood, and some 
 of the most important events recorded in sacred 
 history, transpired, the right of children to be 
 partakers of all the blessings, w-hich God con- 
 ferred on his people, was never questioned. By 
 reason, however, of the wickedness of man, 
 
26 LECTURES 
 
 which was very great, this inestimable privr- 
 lege was restricted to Abram and his posterity; 
 to whom appertained the adoption, and the 
 covenants, and the giving of the law. Here at 
 the commencement of the Jewish dispensation, 
 which continued two thousand years, until the 
 coming of Christ, who was the "end of the law 
 for righteousness to every one that believed," 
 one might have supposed, that children would 
 have been excluded from the Abrahamic cov- 
 enant; if they, by reason of their tender age, had 
 been unfit objects of being admitted thereunto. 
 God then made a selection of a peculiar people, 
 electing them to temporal and spiritual bless- 
 ings; and yet we find the promise had respect 
 to them and their children, — "Behold my cov- 
 enant is with thee, and I will establish my cov- 
 enant between me, and thee, and thy seed af- 
 ter thee," Gen. xvii, 4. 7. Nor can the inter- 
 pretation be sustained, which has been given 
 by some to this passage; that it was designed 
 merely to benefit the seed of Abraham, which 
 was capable of believing. A solemn rite was 
 instituted at the same time, by which that seed 
 was admitted into the visible church. Every 
 
ox Baptism. 2t 
 
 iflale child, born of Jewish parents, or bought 
 with money, on the eighth day after birth, was 
 circumcised, which was to be a token of the 
 covenant between God and them, Gen. xvii* 
 9. 14. Besides, what w^as the object of this 
 painful ceremony, which, as a burden grevious 
 to be borne, — was imposed on all the congre- 
 gation of Israel ? It was not only a pledge of 
 prosperity and perpetuity to the Jewish nation; 
 that they should possess the land of Canaan, 
 v/hich flowed with milk and honey; that they 
 should be more in number than the st-ars of Hea- 
 ven and the sand of the sea; and that they should 
 be preserved, as a peculiar people, connected 
 with, and yet separated from all nations,-— sus- 
 taining their national character, amid all the 
 vicissitudes which awaited them : these, we re- 
 peat, were not the only objects for which cir- 
 cumcision was instituted ; it was rather to rat- 
 ify and seal that covenant in which all the "fam- 
 ilies of the earth were to be blessed." For this 
 reason, it has been called by St. Paul, a "seal 
 of the righteousness of faith." \^' e may be great- 
 ly assisted in forming a scriptural idea of the 
 nature of circumcision by a knowledge of the 
 
wo LECTURES 
 
 obligations assumed thereby. Whatever opin- 
 ion might be entertained respecting Jewish riles, 
 by aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and 
 strangers to the covenants of promise, every 
 one who was circumcised was a debtor to do 
 the whole law: and for the least violation of it 
 the severest punishment; in some cases, death 
 was inflicted. "Circumcision profited, if a per- 
 son kept the law; but if he was a breaker of the 
 law his circumcision was made uncircumci- 
 sion." These observations are worthy of seri- 
 ous consideration. The different nations which 
 inhabited the land of Canaan were not bound 
 by the law, except so far as every divine law 
 is of its own nature obligatory. They had an- 
 other law, written by the finger of God on their 
 hearts, to which they were debtors; but the mo- 
 ment the seal of God's covenant was placed on 
 the proselyte to the Jewish faith, or the infant, 
 a new relation was formed, — the light of nature 
 was made of none effect by the law of grace, 
 and while extraordinary privileges were thus 
 conferred, new responsibilities were assumed. 
 They were no more "strangers and foreigners; 
 but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the 
 
ON BAPTISM. SO 
 
 household of God." They were not excluded 
 from the hopes and consolations of religion; but 
 were permitted to engage in all the services of 
 the Jewish ritual. They were enrolled with 
 that blessed company of faithful people, to whom 
 appertained the law, and the promises; not only 
 relating to things temporal, but spiritual and 
 eternal. For, as circumcision was a seal of the 
 righteousness of faith to Abraham, and his pos- 
 terity; those that received circumcision, were 
 required to continue in all things written in the 
 book of the law, to do them. It was of no 
 avail to the salvation of the soul, that the descen- 
 dants of Abraham pleaded, we have Abraham to 
 our Father, that they boasted of the law, and 
 approved of things excellent, except so far as 
 they walked in the steps of that faith, which 
 Abraham had. It was of no consequence to 
 those who had been circumcised in infancy, 
 through the instrumentality of their parents, to 
 rise up as soon as they came to years of dis- 
 cretion, and declare that they were under no 
 obligation to keep the law, because a grievous 
 burden had been imposed on them, without their 
 consent. The parent acted by the authority 
 
80 LECTURES 
 
 of God, and those who were made debtors to 
 the law had no reason to complain, since their 
 own happiness was the end to be secured. — 
 Whether therefore, we refer to the nature of 
 circumcision, or the responsibilities assumed 
 thereby, the conclusion is inevitable, that by 
 that rite membership into the visible church 
 was sealed and ratified; and yet we find that 
 children of the tenderest age received this or- 
 dinance, and were admitted into covenant pri- 
 vileges. This fact cannot be called in question, 
 — it must be admitted by all. 
 
 And it is worthy of remark, that the Jews, 
 recognising the responsible relation in which 
 their children had been placed, embraced the 
 earliest opportunity of training them up, as 
 God's children, in the way they should go, that 
 when they became old, they might not depart 
 from it. If then, children were admitted into 
 the Church under the Jewish dispensation, the 
 blessings of which were i estricted to a particu' 
 lor nation, can any reason be assigned why 
 they should not be admitted into the church, un- 
 der the christian dispensation, which is design- 
 ed for all? To avoid the conclusion, which 
 
ox BAPTISM. 31 
 
 we would draw from the membership of infants 
 in the Jewish church; I am aware it has been 
 said, "that there has been one church under the 
 patriarchal, another under the Jewish, ami 
 that now we have the church, under the chris- 
 tain dispensation; and that these churches are 
 essentially different from each other." But this 
 we apprehend is not the case. We contend 
 that the church has always been the same in 
 her essential features; though existing under 
 divers dispensations, with ordinances peculiar 
 to each. The law contained in ordinances has 
 indeed been abrogated; types and shadows have 
 been succeeded by realities; but as to the 
 church, her glory has ever been in the sanae 
 head; in a ministry divinely constituted; in cov- 
 enants (confirmed by a seal; and in ordinances 
 blessed by the spirit to the comfort of the wea- 
 ry and heavy laden. The church is built on 
 "the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets, 
 Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner 
 stone, in whom all the building fitly framed to- 
 gether, groweth unto an holy temple in the 
 Lord," Eph. 11. 20. 21. The doctrine contain- 
 ed in this passage is, that the prophets were co- 
 
32 LECTURES 
 
 -workers with the Apostles in establishing the 
 church — not one church under the old and an- 
 other under the new dispensation; but that one 
 fold of which Christ is the Shepherd. That the 
 church which existed among the Jews was to 
 be perpetuated, is evident also from the declara- 
 tion of our Lord to the Jews— -"that the king- 
 dom of God" should be taken from them "and 
 given to a nation bringing forth fruits thereof," 
 Matt. xxi. 43. Without doubt, the "kingdom 
 of God" here means the church. This is gen- 
 erally the signification of that expression, and 
 in the passage under consideration, the contest 
 and design of the chapter, will not admit of any 
 other interpretation. The church, then, was to 
 be taken from the Jews, which pre-supposes its 
 existence among them, and it was to be given 
 to the Gentiles — "it was a mere transfer, taking 
 from one and giving to another the very same 
 thing. What the Jews lost, the Gentiles gained; 
 but in the thing transferred there was no change. 
 Nothing was added thereto, neither was any 
 thing taken therefrom."* But perhaps it may 
 be thought, that this doctrine is too important 
 
 *See» Jcrram on infant baptism. 
 
ON BAPTISM. 33 
 
 to be admitted on the authority of two or three 
 isolated passages, which possibly might be con- 
 sistently explained otherwise. Without, there- 
 fore, admitting the correctness of this observa- 
 tion, for we believe a single passage of the divine 
 word is a sufficient ground to challenge faith — 
 we are w^illing nevertheless to test the theory, 
 above advocated, by the XI. Chapt. of Romans. 
 Read that Chapter carefully, and you will find, 
 that the church of God is represented under the 
 emblem of an olive tree; the natural branches 
 of which, that is the Jews, were broken off be- 
 cause of unbelief, while the Gentiles, an olive 
 tree, wild by nature, were grafted into the good 
 olive tree, — the same tree, observe, from which 
 the natural branches had been broken, partak- 
 ing of its root and fatness — that is enjoying all 
 the privileges, which the Jewish church had. — 
 The parent stock remained, it was neither cut 
 down, nor removed, that another might be plant- 
 ed in its stead; its branches alone were affected. 
 The natural branches were cut off— the Jews 
 were rejected—and the Gentiles as new branches 
 w^ere ingrafted into the parent stock; and in ad- 
 dition to them a conditional promise was made, 
 3 
 
34 LECTURES 
 
 that the Jews should again be incorporated into 
 the church, and be grafted into their own olive 
 tree. The church during these successive 
 changes at first consisted of Jews, then of Jews 
 and Gentiles, and finally it w' as composed al- 
 most entirely of Gentiles, with the promise that 
 *• Israel should again be saved with an everlast- 
 ing salvation;'' — but it never ceased to exist for 
 a single moment, the old tree yet remained, some 
 of the branches were broken off, and others graf- 
 ted in, — old and new members, admitted by 
 circumcision into the Jewish, and baptism into 
 the christian church, were blended together in 
 one body, and thus the church w^as perpetuated 
 under these several dispensations, which had 
 always consisted of infant and adult members. 
 This is a fact, concerning which, there can be 
 no controversy; neither is the supposition un- 
 reasonable. A Government may exist under 
 the same constitution, composed of the same 
 members, with the same laws, vested in the 
 hands of men, for the punishment of evil doers, 
 and the praise of them that do well, — the same 
 in all its essential features, even though there 
 be diversities of administrations. In like man- 
 
ON BAPTISM. 35 
 
 ner we believe, and have, we conceive, proved, 
 that the church has been the same in her essen- 
 tial features, though existing under divers dis- 
 pensations. Here then are three remarkable 
 facts, — children by express command of God 
 were admitted into the Jewish church; circum- 
 cision was instituted as a rite of initiation; and 
 the church is the same now, as it was then, with 
 this difference, that it is under a more glorious 
 and spiritual dispensation; and if children were 
 once admitted into the church, under such cir- 
 cumstances — never having been deprived of that 
 privilege, are we not warranted in concluding 
 that it is agreeable to the v/ill of God, that they 
 should be made members of the household of 
 faith. But the question arises, how can this be 
 accomplished ? Circumcision, which was insti- 
 tuted as a door of admission into the church has 
 been abrogated. We are not under the law; 
 but under grace. We are delivered from the 
 yoke of bondage imposed on our Fathers, and 
 brought into that glorious hberty, wherewith 
 Christ hath made us free. Is there, then, under 
 this more favourable dispensation, a rite of 
 initiation, corresponding with, and taking the 
 
36 LECTURES 
 
 place of circumcision; or have we the strange 
 anomaly of a church, without an external ordi- 
 jiance whereby visible membership may be ob- 
 tained ? This leads to another point of no little 
 consequence, which is to show that baptism was 
 instituted in the place of circumcision, and is of 
 the same nature and design. The feasts and 
 ordinances of the Jewish ritual, as well as the 
 institution of the Sabbath, and the different 
 courts of the temple — especially the most holy 
 l)lace, — were typical of good things to come. — 
 The passover, for instance, while it was kept, 
 with great solemnity, in commemoration of an 
 important event connected with Jewish history, 
 was also typical of the Lord's Supper. This is 
 proved by the following passage: "Christ our 
 passover is sacrificed for us — therefore let us 
 keep the feast." 1. Cor. v, 7. 8. Equally cer- 
 tain is it, that baptism is the anti-type of circum- 
 cision, and supplies its place. This point is estab- 
 lished by the declaration of St. Paul, who in 
 speaking of the privileges which the Colossians 
 enjoyed in Christ, says: " In whom ye also are 
 circumcised, with the circumcision made with- 
 out hands, in putting off the body of the sins of 
 
ON BAPTISM. 37 
 
 the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ." Col. 
 ii. 11. 12. The design of the Apostle is to show 
 that circumcision is needless, for that end he 
 reminds "the saints and faithful brethren at 
 Colosse" that they are complete in Christ, "in 
 whom dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead 
 bodily," being "buried with him in baptism,"* 
 from which it is certain that baptism, the "spiri- 
 tual circumcision" as it was called by the primi- 
 tive christians, is alluded to by the expressions; 
 "circumcision made without hands" — and "cir- 
 cumcision of Christ." 
 
 *''BLiried with him in baptism" and other figurative 
 expressions of a like nature are thought by some to be 
 unanswerable arguments in favour of immersion. But 
 if a doctrine is to be sustained in this way, by a doubt- 
 ful interpretation of figurative language, scripture is 
 decidedly in favour of sprinkling — "so shall he sprm^Ze 
 many nations." Isaiah, lii. 15. "I will sprinJde clean 
 water upon you, and ye shall be clean. Ezek. xxxvi. 
 25. "Having our hearts sprinkled from an evil con- 
 ecience," Heb. x. 22. 
 
38 LECTURES 
 
 LECTURE III. 
 
 Infant baptism — analogy between baptism and circum- 
 cision — these ordinances differ in some respects — 
 prophecies relating to the extension of the church — 
 its blessings designed for all — the Apostles under- 
 stand the command to baptize in its most comprehen- 
 sive sense — the command explained — facts in the 
 New Testament favour infant baptism — command 
 for it — households baptized — the holy seed — serious 
 difficulties attending the opposite theory. 
 
 Baptism, then, was instituted in the place of 
 circumcision; accordingly, we find a striking an- 
 alogy between these ordinances in these res- 
 pects — they were appointed by divine authori- 
 ty as rites of initiation into the privileges of 
 church membership; as seals of the righteous- 
 ness of faith; as emblems of spiritual regen- 
 eration; and as means of grace to the worthy 
 recipient. Otherwise, however, they partake 
 of the nature of the different dispensations for 
 which they were instituted. The Jewish church 
 
ON BAPTISM. ^U 
 
 was peculiar in two respects — its privileges were 
 restricted to the descendants of Abraham, and 
 its ceremonies were typical of good things to 
 come. Hence circumcision was confined to 
 that seed, to whom appertained the promises, 
 with the exception of some few proselytes to the 
 Jewish faith; — it was restricted as to the time 
 of its administration to the eighth day after 
 birth; — and was confined to the male sex. 
 The Jews regarded themselves as the cho- 
 sen people of God, and as the special ob- 
 jects of his covenanted mercies; viewing the 
 rest of mankind, as enemies to God, and aliens 
 from the commonwealth of Israel; but it cannot 
 be concealed, that many a faithful Jew, anticipa- 
 ted with delight, those latter days of the churches 
 glory, w-hen "the mountain of the Lords house 
 should be established in the top of the moun- 
 tains, and exalted above the hills, and all nations 
 should flow unto it." It had been declared to 
 Abraham: — "in thy seed shall all the nations of 
 the earth be blessed." According to the second 
 psalm, the Heathen were to be given to Christ for 
 his inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the 
 earth for his possession. Isaiah was no stranger 
 
40 LECTURED 
 
 to that truth; — "in that day there shall be a root 
 of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the 
 people; to it shall the Gentiles seek, and his rest 
 shall be glorious." The eye of faith rested on 
 these promises, and after every earthly comfort 
 was gone, and the Jewish nation was oppress- 
 ed, and carried away captive into a strange 
 land, one source of consolation yet remained. — 
 Afflicted and distressed, they were not forsaken. 
 The promises of God remained sure. They 
 clung to them as their only hope, as pledges 
 of God's love to be manifested in his own good 
 time; and as earnests of brighter days, and 
 more pleasing prospects. The Messiah, then, 
 ''whose kingdom was to be an everlasting king- 
 dom, and whose dominion was to endure through- 
 out all generations" was the Gentiles trust, as 
 well as Israel's hope. At length the fulness of 
 time came — "the word was made flesh" and 
 good old Simeon well understood, that Christ was 
 to break down " the middle wall of partition," 
 which had separated Jew and Gentile, and to 
 "reconcile both unto God in one body by the 
 cross." After circumcising the child Jesus as 
 the law directed; "he blessed God and said, Lord 
 
ox BAPTISM. 41 
 
 now iettest thou thy servant depart in peace ac- 
 cording to thy word, for mine eyes have seen 
 thy salvation, v^hich thou hast prepared before 
 the face of all people; a light to lighten the Gen- 
 tiles, and the glory of thy people Israel." While, 
 therefore, the blessings of the Jewish church 
 were restricted to a particular people, the privi- 
 leges of visible church membership under the 
 christian dispensation are extended to all. Nor 
 are we to suppose that baptism restricts the 
 blessings of the gospel to a few; that ordinance 
 partakes of the nature of the dispensation for 
 which it was instituted. The command to bap- 
 tize is of as universal application as the bless- 
 ings of that covenant which is sealed thereby. 
 *' Go ye therefore and teach all nations, bapti- 
 zing them in the name of the Father, and of the 
 Son, and of the Holy Ghost." There is only 
 one thing, which disqualifies the adult, but not 
 the infant for the reception of this ordinance, 
 that is unbelief — and this also operates as an in- 
 seperable barrier against receiving the least 
 benefit from the gospel, which is designed for 
 all. Rightly to examine the subject of infant 
 baptism by the New Testament, it is important 
 
42 LECTURES 
 
 to recall the precise condition of those to whom 
 the command to baptize was given. The de- 
 sign of many of the remarks made, heretofore, 
 has been to enable you to do this understand- 
 ingly; while at the same time they afford no 
 ordinary argument m favour of admitting chil- 
 dren to holy baptism. They were Jews by birth, 
 their children from time immemorial, by divine 
 authority, had been made partakers with them 
 of the privileges of church membership — a sol- 
 emn rite had been instituted by which that rela- 
 tion was formed, which w^as believed to be ty- 
 pical of some other ordinance; they regarded 
 the church, the same in her essential features in 
 all ages; with this difference, that Christ came 
 to break down the middle w-all of separation be- 
 tween Jews and Gentiles, and place the means 
 of grace, and hopes of glory, within the reach of 
 all; — when therefore, baptism, was instituted, in 
 the place of circumcision, by a command which 
 was indefinite, as to the proper subjects of that 
 ordinance, are we not warranted in concluding, 
 that it was the intention of our blessed Lord 
 that it should be administered to children, as 
 well as adults, and that it was so understood by 
 
ON BAPTISM. 43 
 
 his disciples. There is nothing in the nature of 
 baptism, nor in the christian dispensation, which 
 makes this conclusion iai probable. If it was 
 declared in a single passage, or even intimated 
 that children ought not to be baptized, or if it 
 could be shown, by unanswerable argument, that 
 those privileges which they enjoyed under the 
 old dispensation of becoming members of the 
 church, have been annulled by the gospel, then 
 we would willingly abandon our present belief, 
 and practice. In vain will we search the New 
 Testament for information on either of these 
 points. The command, which conveyed author- 
 ity to the Apostles to baptize, contains not the 
 least intimation, whether it is to be administered 
 to infants, adults, or to both, How^ then are 
 we to suppose the Apostles understood the direc- 
 tion, under which they went forth to evangelize 
 all nations'? Instructed in the belief and prin- 
 ciples w^hich had been adopted by their fore- 
 fathers, they would naturally refer to the origi- 
 nal promise made to Abraham. There they 
 would find an express command, for admitting 
 children into the church, which was given be- 
 fore circumcision was instituted — it remained 
 
44 LECTURES 
 
 in force until Christ came — circumcision was 
 then abrogated, and baptism instituted; but the 
 original command was not annulled — it is as 
 binding on us, as it was on those to whom it 
 was originally given. It was under the impres- 
 •ion, then, that the command given to Abraham 
 was still in force, that the Apostles went forth 
 to evangelize all nations. There can, there- 
 fore, be no question as to the propriety of ad- 
 mitting children to the privileges of visible 
 church membership— an express command 
 leaves no doubt on that point — and as baptism 
 is the only rite by which that relation can be 
 formed, the conclusion we think is inevitable, 
 tliat they ought to be baptized. In fact the 
 text requires this: — "Go ye, therefore, and teach 
 all nations, baptizing them." All nations, wher- 
 ever they, or their successors in the ministerial 
 office, should go, were to be discipled — old and 
 young were to be the objects of their solicitude 
 and care; — and as we have in the case ol Tim- 
 othy, an example of a child being sufficiently 
 instructed in the divine word to make him wise 
 unto salvation, the earliest opportunity was to be 
 embraced to train up the young in the way 
 
ON BAPTISM. 45 
 
 they should go. This is the first duty designa- 
 ted by the text, the second is to "baptize them;" 
 that is "all nations" — old and young of which 
 every nation is composed. Children, then, by 
 reason of this commandment are to be baptized, 
 and made members of Christs' church militant. 
 This truth is conformed beyond a reasonable 
 doubt, by many facts recorded in the New Tes- 
 tament; facts which are wholly inexplicable, if 
 we deny infant baptism. It is not pretended, 
 that our blessed Lord has expressly declared 
 that children ought not to be baptized, let us 
 then refer to his actions, and see W'hether wq 
 can discover any thing, which will w^arrant us 
 to adopt that conclusion. He frequently refer- 
 red to children, as the objects of his solicitude 
 and care. To instruct his disciples in a very 
 important christian duty, he took a HuIp. child^ 
 and set him in the midst of them, and said, "ex- 
 cept 3^e be converted, and become as little 
 children, ye shall in no case enter into the king- 
 dom of Heaven." The praise of children, who 
 cried in the temple, "Hosanna to the Son of 
 David," though displeasing to the scribes and 
 Pharisees, was acceptable to him. And when 
 
46 LECTURES 
 
 "young children were brought to him that he 
 should touch them "he was much displeased 
 because his disciples rebuked those that brought 
 them, and said, "suffer the liitle cfiildreri to come 
 unto me, and forbid ihem not for of such is the 
 kingdom of God."— r>Iark, x. 13. 14. If the 
 church, which is the meaning of the expression 
 "kingdom of God" in the passage under consid- 
 eration — is composed of little children; and it 
 they, answ^erable for nothing but original sin, 
 are meet to be admitted therein, they ought 
 to be baptized, for it is impossible otherwise to 
 be made visible members of his kingdom. The 
 fact of infant church membership is clearly 
 stated here, and by referring to the declaration 
 of St. Peter, we may learn how that relation 
 was formed; "repent, and be baptized every one 
 of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, for the re- 
 mission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of 
 the Holy Ghost: for the promise is unto you, and 
 to your children, and to all that are afar off, even 
 as many as the Lord our God shall call," — Acts 
 11. 38. 39. Here, if any where, at the first 
 preaching of the gospel, after the complete 
 establishment of the christian church, we might 
 
ON BAPTISM. 47 
 
 expect, if the views adopted by some are cor- 
 rect, to find children deprived of those bles- 
 sings which they previously enjoyed; but what 
 is the fact — the "promise" v/hich had been 
 made to Abraham is declared to be to " them 
 and their children" and to all that are " afar 
 off" — even the Gentiles were now to be made 
 partakers of it; — that is the promise of remis- 
 sion of sins, which is to be obtained, through 
 Christ, by repentance and baptism. This is 
 the only reasonable interpretation, of \^4iich 
 this passage is susceptible; and it is corrobora- 
 ted by the history of the Church, as recorded 
 in the Acts, and Epistles. We there read of 
 whole families being baptized, and though it is 
 not certain that they contained children, yet 
 there is strong probability in favor of that sup- 
 position. St. Paul, baptized three house-holds, 
 that of Stephanas, of Lydia, and of the Jailor 
 at PhiUppi. That Christian parents should be 
 desirous of training up their children in the 
 nurture and admonition of the Lord, which sup- 
 poses the existence of a covenant relation be- 
 tween Him and them, is nothing more than 
 might reasonably be expected, when it is re- 
 
48 LECTURES 
 
 membered, that many of the first converts to 
 Christianity were Jews, whose religion made 
 it the bounden duty of every parent to instruct 
 their children in the commandments and ordi- 
 nances of the Lord. Transferred into the glo- 
 rious liberty, w^herewith Christ made them free, 
 they would still regard the "promises" as made 
 to them and their children. And as it was 
 common, when the Church was first establish- 
 ed, for Jews, Gentiles, and Christians to inter- 
 marry, it was considered the duty of the be- 
 lieving parent to instruct the children in divine 
 tilings. This subject is alluded to in 1 Cor. 
 vii. 13. 14. One of the questions agitated in the 
 Church, was, whether unbelief was a sufficient 
 ground for breaking the marriage contract. 
 The Apostle declares it was not. " For," says 
 he, " the unbelieving husband is sanctified by 
 the wife, and the unbelieving wife, is sanctified 
 by the husband: else were your children un- 
 clean; but now are they holy." The Apostle 
 surely does not intend to intimate, that be- 
 lief in the husband or wife is necessary to make 
 the children lawful, for then it would follow, 
 that the children of unbelieving parents are al- 
 
ON BAPTISM. 49 
 
 ways illegitimate — a conclusion to which few 
 would be willing to subscribe, neither does he 
 intend to convey the idea, that the pious parent 
 is always instrumental in bringing the unbe- 
 lieving partner to a knowledge of the truth; 
 nor that every child born of parents, of w-hom 
 one is a devout Christian, is through his or her 
 instrumentality made a partaker of the Holy- 
 Ghost; for this is contradicted by fact and ex- 
 perience. How then does a believing parent 
 sanctify an unbelieving one, so that their chil- 
 dren are holy? The term " holy" is frequent- 
 ly used in scripture, in a ceremonial sense, for 
 a thing set apart, or devoted to God, ^ while 
 " unclean" is expressive of the contrary; thus 
 the Jews by reason of the covenant relation 
 which they sustained to God, were called "a 
 holy people," and their children " a holy seed;" 
 but the Gentiles w-ere called " unclean," and 
 " unholy," because they were strangers from 
 the covenants of promise. The advantage then 
 — to apply these observations ;to the passage 
 under consideration — of a believing, and an un- 
 believing parent remaining together, consisted 
 mainly in this; — their children were devoted to 
 4 
 
50 LECTURES 
 
 the Lord by baptism; and trained up in the 
 principles of the Christian religion. The influ- 
 ence which they, and the believing parent 
 jointly exerted, generally prevailed on the 
 unbelieving party to embrace the religion of 
 Christ; so that v^^hile the parent was " sancti- 
 fied,*' the children were made " holy." These, 
 and other passages of a like nature, can be ex- 
 plained only on the supposition that children 
 were admitted to Holy baptism, when the New 
 Testament was written. To deny this, and 
 adopt the opposite theory, will lead to innume- 
 rable difficulties, which never have been satis- 
 factorily explained. It is well known that 
 every objection which the ingenuity of men 
 could invent, was brought against our blessed 
 Lord — at one time he was rejected as a " wine 
 bibber," at another as a " friend of publicans 
 and sinners" — and it is not to be supposed that 
 the Jews would tamely submit to a rejection of 
 their children. Had not baptism been admin- 
 istered to them, a plausible objection against 
 receiving Christ would have been given. The 
 Jews might have said, " You profess to come 
 to seek, and to save those that are lost, to fuK 
 
ON BAPTISM. . 51 
 
 fil the Law, and the Prophets, and yet our chil- 
 dren are to be excluded from the hopes of re- 
 ligion,— z^?6 are to be admitted into covenant, 
 they are to have nothing for their portion but 
 the uncovenanted mercies of God — surely this 
 is a yoke more grevious to be borne than that 
 which our fathers imposed on us." If, there- 
 fore, infants had been excluded from baptism, 
 that fact, we think, would have been brought 
 as a reason for not receiving Christ. The 
 Jews, moreover, contended earnestly for their 
 rites. Their prejudices were inveterate. Every 
 thing connected with their religion, was regard- 
 ed as sacred. Circumcision was practised for 
 a considerable time after the Christian Church 
 was established by professing Christians. This 
 fact furnishes another direct proof of infant bap- 
 tism, ^y circumcision their right to Church- 
 membership was recognised; to confirm that 
 right, baptism must have been administered to 
 them; this must be admitted, or we must adopt 
 the strange conclusion, that the Apostles would 
 sanction this right, and at the same time refuse 
 to confirm it. And it is remarkable, during the 
 controversy which was occasioned in the Church 
 
52 LECTURES 
 
 respecting circumcision, that there is not the re- 
 motest intimation of the Apostles striving to de- 
 prive children of their rights, and privileges. 
 From all of which circumstances, we conclude, 
 that infant baptism was a thing well known du- 
 ring the Apostles ministry, and of universal 
 practice in the Church. 
 
ON BAPTISM. 53 
 
 LECTURE IV. 
 
 Proof that Infant baptism was practised by the Prim- 
 itive Christians — testimony of Justin Martyr — of 
 Irenseus — of Origen — of Tertullian ; — Council of 
 Carthage — controversy between Pelagius and Au- 
 gustine — remarks on this testimony — objections an- 
 swered. 
 
 Having shown that the " baptism of young 
 children is in anywise to be retained in the 
 Church, as most agreeable with the institution 
 of Christ," an additional confirmation of our 
 faith, on this subject, may be received by a 
 brief reference to the history of the Christian 
 Church from the Apostolic age. 
 
 Justin Martyr, who wrote about forty years 
 after the Apostles, declares, '• that he was ac- 
 quainted with many persons, sixty or seventy 
 years old, of both sexes, that were discipled to 
 Christ in infancy," and if so, they must have 
 beea baptized in the days of the Apostles. 
 
 Irenseus, who flourished about thirty-iive years 
 after Justin Martyr, and between sixty and 
 
54 LECTURES 
 
 seventy years after the Apostles, expresses him- 
 self to this effect: — " He (Jesus Christ) came to 
 save all persons by himself; all, 1 say, who are 
 regenerated by him unto God, infants, and lit- 
 tle ones, and children, and young men, and old 
 men." 
 
 Origen, who flourished in the same age, and 
 not more than one hundred years after the 
 Apostles, says, " Infants are baptized for the re- 
 mission of sins; and if it be asked what sins, our 
 answer is, no one is free from pollution, though 
 his life should be but of the length of one day 
 upon earth." 
 
 Tertullian, about two hundred and twenty 
 years after the birth of Christ, is the first wri- 
 ter of whom we read in Ecclesiastical history, 
 as being opposed to infant baptism. That father 
 entertained many strange notions on various 
 subjects of divinity, particularly on baptism. He 
 thought that baptism was accompanied with 
 the remission of all past sins, and that sins com- 
 mitted thereafter were unpardonable, on which 
 account, he advises, contrary to universal cus- 
 tom, that the baptizing o[ infants, and adults, be 
 deferred until a late period of life. But those 
 
ON BAPTISM. 65 
 
 who reject infant baptism, as an unscriptural 
 ordinance, gain nothing by appeahng to the 
 testimony of Tertullian; for notwithstanding the 
 erroneous opinions which he adopted, the fact 
 of his recommending that infants be not bapti- 
 zed, if they are likely to survive the period of 
 infancy, and the reason assigned therefor, show 
 that it was customary for them to receive bap- 
 tism in his day. 
 
 There was indeed some dispute in the primi- 
 tive Church, as to the time when baptism ought 
 to be administered. Some contended, that like 
 circumcision, it ought to be performed on the 
 eighth day after birth; whereas others were of 
 the opinion, that the time was not material, but 
 must depend on circumstances. To settle that 
 question, the Council of Carthage, composed of 
 sixty bishops, in which Cyprian presided, was 
 held in the year of our Lord 253. Fid us, an Af- 
 rican bishop, inquired of that Council, " whether 
 the baptism of an infant must not always be on 
 the eighth day after birth, because circumci- 
 sion was so?" They gave this as their united 
 opinion, by letter, — " We ought not to hinder 
 any person from baptism, and the grace of God, 
 
56 LECTURES 
 
 who is merciful to us all. And this rule, as it 
 holds for all, ought especially to be observed in 
 reference to infants, even to those newly born.** 
 This Council was not held to determine the 
 propriety of infant baptism — that was taken lor 
 granted; but simply whether it ought to be per- 
 formed on the eighth day after birth: and this 
 shows the custom of the Church at that period. 
 Another striking proof, that infant baptism 
 was practised in the primitive Church, may be 
 found by a reference to the controversy, which 
 took place between Augustine and Pelagius, 
 about three hundred years after the Apostles. 
 Pelagius denied the doctrine of original sin, and 
 daring the unhappy controversy which was ex- 
 cited on that subject, Augustine his opponent^ 
 a faithful champion for the truth, inquired, 
 " why are infants to be baptized for the remis- 
 sion of sins, if they have no sin?" — intimating at 
 the same time, that a denial of original sin must 
 lead to a denial of infant baptism — "which 
 would be resisting the authority of the whole 
 Church, nay the authority of Christ, and his 
 Apostles." The reply of Pelagius is remarka- 
 ble: "Baptism," says he, "ought to be admin* 
 
Ojr BAPTISM. &T 
 
 istered to infants with the same form as is used 
 in the case of adult persons." — " Men, slander 
 me as if I denied the sacrament of baptism to 
 infants." — " I never heard of any, no, not even 
 
 the most impious heretic, who denied baptism 
 to infants; for who can be so impious as to hin- 
 der infants from being baptized, and born again 
 in Christ, and so make them miss the kingdom 
 of God !" Here we behold two men, undoubt- 
 edly among the most learned, with abundant 
 opportunities of knowing the opinions of men, 
 and the universal practice of the Church from 
 Apostolic times, contending for a fundamental 
 article of the Christian faith. Augustine refers 
 to the baptism of infants, as affording an entire 
 refutation of the opinion that they are without 
 sin; while Pelagius is free to acknowledge, 
 "that he never heard of any, no, not even the 
 most impious heretic, who denied baptism to 
 infants." From these facts, we are forced to 
 the conclusion, that the practice of the Church 
 in that age, is in favor of infant baptism.* We 
 
 ♦The fathers to whom we have alluded, might en- 
 tertain many opinions to which Vv^e would not be wil- 
 ling to subscribe, without in the least destroying their 
 
58 LECTURES 
 
 might pursue this subject, so abundant is the 
 testimony of antiquity on the point under con- 
 sideration; but enough has been said to convince 
 the sincere inquirer after truth. It is worthy 
 of remark, that the writers to whom we have 
 called your attention, mostly testify as to the 
 fact of infant baptism; nor do they speak of it 
 with surprise, as a custom newdy introduced, 
 fraught with evil consequences, but as one of 
 long standing, even as of Christ's institution. 
 On the supposition, that children were not made 
 members of the Church during the ministry of 
 our Lord, and his Apostles; but that, that doc- 
 trine was introduced into the Church at a sub- 
 sequent period, we cannot imagine that this 
 would have been the case. Tiiose who lived 
 in the ages of the Church, to which w'c have 
 alluded, were men of eminent holiness, that 
 counted not even their own lives as dear unto 
 themselves, and who, moreover, " continued in 
 the Apostles fellowship, and doctrine;" they 
 would not, therefore bring, neither would they 
 
 testimony as to ihefact-, that infant baptism was prac- 
 tised in the first, second, third and fourth centuries. 
 
ON BAPTISM. 59 
 
 suffer new and strange doctrines to be brought 
 into the Church, without lifting a warning voice. 
 It is impossible to refer to a single father of the 
 primitiv^e Church, who has written against in- 
 fant baptism; it is not rejected as a cunningly 
 devised fable; neither has the Church ever de- 
 creed that it ought not to be administered. On 
 the contrary, it is always represented as a God- 
 ly ordinance, instituted by Christ, and univer- 
 sally acknowledged by the Church. Nor only 
 so, those who maintain that it is of human ori- 
 gin, in all charity we think, are bound to trace 
 its history — to show with whom it originated — 
 to point out the time, and to name the Church 
 which first received it — and then to show the 
 means employed to induce the universal Church 
 to practise it. But this cannot be done. For 
 there is abundant evidence to show, that from 
 the days of the Apostles until the reformation, 
 in the sixteenth century, it was the universal 
 custom of the Church to baptize infants; and if 
 we except Tertullian, and a small sect among 
 the Waldenses* in the twelfth century, it is im- 
 
 * They denied salvation to infants, and therefore, re- 
 fused, on that account, to baptize them. 
 
flS) LECTURES 
 
 possible to find a writer of any note, calling in 
 question the propriety of this practice, until the 
 Anabaptists arose in Germany about the year 
 1520. They were the first organized secU 
 which denied the validity of infant baptism, and 
 from that time until the present, there has 
 been considerable controversy on that subject. 
 Whether, therefore, we refer to the precepts of 
 our Lord and his Apostles, or to the universal 
 practice of the Church, for more than fifteen 
 hundred years after Christ, we are greatly con- 
 firmed in the belief, that " the baptism of young 
 children is in anywise to be retained in the 
 Church." 
 
 It is true, various objections have been 
 brought of late years against this doctrine, 
 which have been urged with zeal and confi- 
 dence worthy of a better cause, and which 
 ought therefore to be candidly met, and answer- 
 ed in meekness, and love. " It is said that chil- 
 dren are not capable of believing, and since it 
 is said, — He that believeth and is baptized shall 
 be saved, they ought not therefore to be bap- 
 tized." 
 
 In reply to this objection v^e observe, 1st. 
 That it is based on an improper and unreason- 
 
ON BAPTISM. <51 
 
 able interpretation of the sacred scriptures, and 
 is not therefore of the least consequence. Those 
 passages which require repentance, and faith, 
 previous to the reception of baptism, are ad- 
 dressed to adults only — those that are capable 
 of complying with these requisitions — it is there- 
 fore a perversion of the word of God to apply 
 them to infants, who can neither repent, nor be- 
 lieve. The correctness of this principle of in 
 terpretation must be acknowledged, or we shall 
 meet with innumerable difficulties; for instance, 
 faith in Christ we are taught to believe is in- 
 dispensably necessary to salvation, and yet it 
 would be unjust, nay it would contradict seve- 
 ral passages in the Epistle to the Romans, to 
 require this of the benighted Heathen, who 
 never heard that Jesus Christ came into the 
 world to save sinners; — the law written on their 
 hearts by the finger of God is their guide. 
 
 2. Besides, when v»'e find declarations Uke 
 these — " Repent and be baptized — He that bo- 
 lieveth and is baptized — They that gladly re- 
 ceived the word were baptized," this is nothing 
 more than might be expected. The Gospel, of 
 aecessity, had first to be addressed to adults — 
 
02 LECTURES 
 
 they were commanded to repent, and yet they 
 were assured, that the promise was to " them 
 and their children." After Lydia beheved, she 
 was baptized, and her household. As soon as 
 the Jailor believed, he was baptized, he and all 
 his straightway. The same course is adopted 
 by the Church at the present day. Our Mis- 
 sionaries in heathen lands, placed like the 
 Apostles in the midst of unbelievers, require 
 repentance, and faith of the parent, before bap- 
 tism is administered to him, or his household, 
 
 3. Nor is this all. Carefully analyze the pas- 
 sage, " He that believeth and is baptized shall 
 be saved," and the impropriety of applying it 
 to infants, may quickly be discovered. To 
 maintain, that it refers to them, would lead of 
 necessity to the fearful conclusion, that all dy- 
 ing in infancy must be lost: for if believing 
 must precede baptism, and baptism salvation, 
 then as they cannot believe, nor be proper sub- 
 jects of baptism, we should think, they ought 
 not to be " saved." In fact, to explain this pas- 
 sage as some have, would necessarily exclude 
 infants from Heaven as well as from baptism. 
 We believe, however, that they shall be admitted 
 
ox BAPTISM. 63 
 
 into the kingdom of God, through Christ, with- 
 out belief, which shows that the passage under 
 notice, must refer to adults alone. 
 
 4. Besides, if we admit that children " die in 
 the Lord," and shall be " raised to life eternal,*' 
 what reason can we have for adopting the be- 
 lief, that want of faith disqualifies them for holy 
 baptism. Surely it does not require greater 
 preparation to be admitted into the Church 
 here, than it does into Heaven hereafter. Upon 
 the whole then, when the objection, " that chil- 
 dren ought not to be baptized, because they 
 cannot believe" is duly examined, it will be 
 found to be without the least foundation. 
 
 But it is said, " there is no express command- 
 ment requiring children to be baptized." Ad- 
 mitting this, the question is important, 'Is this to 
 be demanded?'* The privilege of being admit- 
 ted into the Church, was given to them by God 
 himself, and it is for those who assert that that 
 privilege has been taken away from them, to 
 
 * There is no command requiring women to receive 
 the Holy Sacrament, neither is there an instance on 
 record, that they ever did, and yet reasoning by analo- 
 Sy — all denominations admit them to the Lord's table. 
 
64 LECTURES 
 
 prove it. — But the above objection Is contradic- 
 ted by facts. There are two passages at least, 
 in which infants are comnnanded to be bapti- 
 zed. " Go ye, therefore, and teach all nations, 
 baptizing them." " Repent and be baptized, 
 for the promise is to you and your childreu^'' It 
 is not necessary, however, to dwell on this ob- 
 jection, as it has been satisfactorily answered 
 by many of the remarks previously made. 
 
 When then we find as has been shown, that 
 children of thetenderest age, by divine authori- 
 ty, were admitted into the Jewish Church; that 
 circumcision was instituted as a seal, whereby 
 that covenant relation was confirmed; that bap- 
 tism was instituted in the place of circumcision, 
 — ^the Church being the same in her essential 
 features under all dispensations; that the com- 
 mandments of our Lord, and his Apostles, re- 
 quire baptism to be administered, both to infants 
 and adults; that there are many passages in the 
 New Testament, which can be explained only 
 on the supposition, that children were mado 
 xnembers of the Church, and so regarded as an 
 ♦loty seed; and that there is abundant evidence 
 (hat it was the univeral custom of the Church 
 
ON BAPTISM. 65 
 
 to baptize infants, from the days of the Apostles 
 until the sixteenth century, we are greatly con- 
 firmed in the belief, that "the baptism of young 
 children is in any wise to be retained in the 
 church as most agreeable with the institution 
 oi Christ." Art. xxvii. 
 
66 LECTURES 
 
 LECTURE y. 
 
 Mode of baptism immaterial, shown by the nature of 
 that ordinance, and by analogy — command indefinite 
 — mode never designated — the word baptize exam- 
 ined — baptism on the day of Pentecost — Eunuch 
 baptized by Philip— the jailor baptized — conclusion 
 adopted from the preceding remarks — objections an- 
 swered — concluding remarks. 
 
 Few subjects in divinity, among Protestants, 
 have given rise to more controversy for the last 
 two centuries, than the mode of baptism.* By 
 some it is maintained, that immersion is the only 
 mode enjoined by Christ, and recognized in the 
 sacred scriptures; so that baptism performed 
 otherwise is not valid, and the recipient is not 
 
 * If the mode of baptism was not a subject of con- 
 troversy in the Church before the sixteenth century, 
 and if sprinkling was practised previous to that time — 
 (and there is abundant evidence to show that it was,) 
 this circumstance bears strongly on the principles of 
 those who strenuously insist that immersion is neces- 
 sary to the validity of baptism. 
 
ON BAPTISM. 67 
 
 made a member of Christ; while others are of 
 the opinion that sprinkling is the most edifying 
 and scriptural mode. Avoiding these extremes, 
 the church, with that charity which usually 
 marks her course, has taught us to believe, in 
 her articles and formularies, that the mode of 
 baptism is not material. She recognizes sprink- 
 ling and immersion, as equally valid; accord- 
 ingly she directs her ministers to " dip the per- 
 son in water" at baptism, or to "pour water 
 upon him," in the name of the blessed Trinity. 
 It may then be a profitable inquiry to examine 
 whether a particular mode of baptism has been 
 enjoined, and whether it is essential to the va- 
 lidity of that ordinance. In baptism there are 
 two parts — the outward visible sign, and the 
 inward spiritual grace. The outward sign is 
 water, the inward grace is a death unto sin, 
 and a new birth unto righteousness; for being 
 by nature born in sin, and children of wrath, 
 we are hereby made children of grace. It is 
 therefore a sign of regeneration, a rite of initi- 
 ation into all the privileges of the christian 
 covenant, and to the worthy recipient, a means 
 of grace. There is nothing, then, in the nature 
 
68 LECTURES 
 
 of baptism, which necessarily leads to the be- 
 lief that it must be by immersion. All that is 
 essential, we apprehend, is the application of 
 water, by an authorized ministry, in the name 
 of the blessed Trinity. An apt illustration of 
 this idea is presented by the holy sacrament of 
 the Lord's supper. During the Apostles min- 
 istry, it was customary to receive a large quan- 
 tity of bread, and to drink freely of the cup, 
 in the celebration of this mystery. The Cor- 
 inthians made but little difference between it 
 and a common meal, on which account they 
 were severely reprimanded by St. Paul. Now 
 we think, a morsel of bread, and a little wine, is 
 sufficient to enable the devout christian to re- 
 ceive Christ's most blessed body and blood. 
 Whether, therefore, we refer to the design of 
 baptism, or examine this matter analogically 
 by the Lord's supper, we are led to the conclu- 
 sion, that the mode is immaterial. "Clean wa- 
 ter" sprinkled on the brow, we believe, is as 
 effectual as an entire immersion of the whole 
 body. We admit, it our blessed Lord had des- 
 ignated a particular mode, or if the Apostles 
 had uniformly baptized in a certain manner, 
 
ON BAPTISM. 69 
 
 (and surely we might have expected this, if the 
 mode is so essential as some maintain) that there 
 would be an end of all controversy. But this 
 is not the case. The command given at the 
 institution of baptism is to this effect: "Go ye> 
 therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them." 
 The mode is not designated. It is neither de- 
 clared to be by sprinkling, nor by immersion. 
 Baptism is a subject of frequent reference in the 
 Nevv^ Testament: "Kepent and be baptized; He 
 that believeth and is baptized; They that glad- 
 ly received the word were baptized; Be baptized 
 for the remission of sins" — and yet it is remark- 
 able that the mode is never designated. How^ 
 then are we to suppose the Apostles understood 
 the commission, under which they went forth 
 to teach, and baptize, all nations? They were 
 Jews by birth, and as " divers washings," (bap- 
 tisms in the original) had been practised by that 
 nation from time immemorial, both by sprink- 
 ling, affusion, and immersion, it is reasonable to 
 believe they would understand the w^ord bap- 
 tize in its most extensive signification. Nor 
 does the Greek w^ord, Baptizo, which we trans- 
 late baptize, invariably mean, as has been 
 
70 LECTURES 
 
 supposed, to immerse; and that you may be sa- 
 tisfied on that point, we ask your attention to 
 the following passages. In the book of Joel we 
 find this remarkable prophecy: "And it shall 
 come to pass that 1 will pour out my spirit upon 
 all flesh" (ii. 28), which is generally believed to 
 have been fulfilled on the day of Pentecost, 
 when the divine spirit descended upon the 
 Apostles — " assembled together wdth one ac- 
 cord, in one place" and sat upon them as cloven 
 tongues, hke as of fire; (Acts ii. 3) and yet in 
 our Lord's prediction of this event — "this pour- 
 ing out of the spirit" — the word baptize is em- 
 ployed. "John truly baptized with water; but 
 ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not 
 many days hence." Acts i. 5.* Speaking of 
 the Pharisees, St. Mark (vii. 4.) says — "When 
 they come from the market, except they zo«s/?," 
 (baptize in the original) "they eat not," i. e. 
 wash their hands, for the ground of the com- 
 plaint brought against our Lord's disciples, was, 
 that they ate "with unwashen hands." "And 
 
 * "Baptized with water," does not imply an entire 
 immersion, but rather the application of water by pour- 
 ing or sprinkling. 
 
ON BAPTISM. 71 
 
 many other things there be, which they have 
 received to hold, as the washing" (baptizing in 
 the Greek) " of cups, and pots, brazen vessels, 
 and of tables." Now there is abundant proof 
 that these ablutions were performed by sprink- 
 ling. Of this you may be assured by a refer- 
 ence to the following passage in the book of 
 Numbers, (xix. 18.) "A clean person shall take 
 hyssop, and dip it in water, and spriiiMe it upon 
 the tent, and upon all the vessels, and upon all 
 the persons that were there." This shows that 
 the word baptize is used by St. Mark in refer- 
 ence to sprinkling. This conclusion is confirm- 
 ed beyond a reasonable doubt by the parallel 
 passage in St. I^uke's gospel, (xi. 38), where a 
 partial application of water, the mere washing 
 of hands, is called in the original, a baptism. 
 " They marvelled that he had not first baptized 
 before dinner." 
 
 It is generally believed that baptism was 
 practised by the Jews long before the incarna- 
 tion of Christ. The declaration of St. Paul in 
 I Cor. X. 1,2. seems to accord with that belief: 
 "Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should 
 be ignorant, how that all our fathers were uu^ 
 
75i LECTURES 
 
 der the cloud, and all passed through the sea; 
 and were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud 
 and in the sea." Baptized! how? not by immer- 
 sion; for we are informed from the book of Exo- 
 dus (xiv. 22.) that the Red Sea through which 
 the Israelites passed, was divided before them; 
 that the waters stood up like a wall on each 
 side, and that they passed through on dry 
 ground; but sprinkled by the spray of the sea, 
 or by drops from the cloud that went alternately 
 behind and before them. While then we rea- 
 dily admit that the Greek word Baptizo, trans- 
 lated to baptize, frequently means to immerse, 
 it is equally certain, from the passages to 
 which we have called your attention, that it also 
 signifies to sprinkle, to pour, and to wask. 
 Whether, therefore, the nature of baptism, the 
 command under which the Apostles went forth 
 to evangelize all nations, or the signification 
 attached to the word baptize in the sacred 
 scriptures, be duly considered, it is certain that 
 the mode in which that ordinance ought to be 
 performed is not designated. 
 
 But perhaps it may be thought, even admit- 
 ting the correctness of the above conclusion, 
 
ON BAPTISM. 73 
 
 that there is sufficient evidence to show that the 
 various baptisms performed by the Apostles, as 
 narrated in the Acts, were by immersion, and 
 that they therefore regarded that as the only 
 mode authorized by Christ. Let us examine 
 this subject candidh^, bearing in mind the fact, 
 that we are not contending against immersion; 
 but the principles of those who maintain that 
 this is the only proper mode, and that baptism 
 performed otherwise is not valid. 
 
 The first baptism, that we read of, after the 
 Apostles were commissioned to preach the "gos- 
 pel to every creature," and after Christ's ascen- 
 sion, was on the day of Pentecost. According 
 to the prophecy of Joel, and the promise of 
 Christ, that another comforter should be sent, 
 after his departure to the Father, the divine 
 spirit w-as then poured out upon the Apostles, 
 whereby they w^ere endowed with the gift of 
 tongues, so that those who were assembled to- 
 gether at that noted festival, from every nation 
 under heaven, heard them speak in their own 
 tongues, wherein they were born, the wonder- 
 ful works of God. Peter standing up with the 
 eleven, delivered one of the most eloquent dis* 
 
74 LECTURES 
 
 courses recorded in holy writ, which was con- 
 cluded in this manner — "therefore let all the 
 house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath 
 made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, 
 both Lord and Christ. Then they that gladly 
 received the word were baptized, and the same 
 day there were added unto them about three 
 thousand souls." Here we find that three thou- 
 sand were baptized in a single day, and we 
 maintain that it w^ould be utterly impossible, for 
 twelve men to immerse that number, in so short 
 a period. Nor only so. St. Peter did not com- 
 mence preaching until the "third hour," that is, 
 nine o'clock in the morning according to our 
 computation of time, and if, as is commonly 
 supposed, we have merely the outlines of his 
 discourse, the probability is that it was noon, 
 or nearly so, before he concluded, so that in 
 reality only six hours of the day remained, for 
 the baptizing of three thousand souls. This 
 shows that it could not have been by immer- 
 sion.* To avoid this conclusion, I know it has 
 
 * To say nothing of the improbability of supposing 
 that the three thousand persons could be provided with 
 suitable changes of raiment to be baptized by iminer» 
 
ON BAPTISM. 75 
 
 been supposed, that the seventy disciples assist- 
 ed the twelve Apostles. But for this opinion 
 there is not the least authority. The commis- 
 sion to baptize was given to the twelve alone, 
 and there is not the least intimation that the 
 seventy ever baptized. The design of their 
 appointment was to go " before our Lord's face 
 into the cities and places whither he himself 
 would come" to prepare the way for his recep- 
 tion, and nothing more. Upon the whole, then, 
 as three thousand were baptized in six hours, 
 and as we have no authority for believing, that 
 any but the twelve Apostles were engaged in 
 the administration of that ordinance, the only 
 reasonable conclusion that can be adopted, is, 
 that it was performed by sprinkling. 
 
 The baptism of the Ethiopian Eunuch by 
 Philip, the deacon, recorded in Acts, viii. is 
 confidently appealed to, as an instance of im- 
 mersion. This might be admitted, without the 
 
 sion in six or eight hours, it is very uncertain whether 
 the brook Kidron, which was the only stream in the 
 neighborhood of Jerusalem, would afford a sufficient 
 quantity of water to immerse, at the feast of Pentecost. 
 That stieara has generally but little water, and often 
 none, ^ee Robinson's Calmet. 
 
70 LECTURES 
 
 least prejudice to our faith and practice; for a 
 single baptism so performed, would not estab- 
 lish that, as the only scriptural mode, when 
 many instances might be brought, where a dif- 
 ferent mode had evidently been adopted. Let 
 us, however, examine the case before us. The 
 Eunuch, returning from Jerusalem, was read- 
 ing a prophecy of Isaiah referring to Christ. 
 Philip, directed by the spirit, joined himself to 
 him, and explained that prophecy; "And as they 
 went on their way they came to a certain wa- 
 ter, and the Eunuch said, see, here is water, 
 what doth hinder me to be baptized?" And 
 after making a confession of his faith in Christ, 
 "they both went down into the water, both Philip 
 and the Eunuch, and he baptized him." It is 
 by no means certain from this, that the Eunuch 
 was immersed, and those who assert that he 
 was, assume what ouglit to be proved. If they 
 both went down into the water, as is implied by 
 the English translation, Philip may have taken 
 up a little water in his hand, and so poured, or 
 sprinkled it upon him. And it is remarkable that 
 the prophecy which the Eunuch was reading, 
 when Philip met him, made mention " of sprink- 
 
OS BAPTISM. 77 
 
 ling many nations," which doubtless suggested 
 the subject of baptism to his mind, and induced 
 him to exclaim, " see, here is water, what doth 
 hinder me to be baptized?* This interpretation 
 is corroborated by another circumstance. It 
 is said of Philip, as well as the Eunuch, that he 
 went down into the waiter, and came up out of 
 the water, and yet the most that is believed 
 respecting him is, that he went down into the 
 water sufficiently far to baptize; why then should 
 we believe that the one was immersed, when 
 we are ready to acknowledge that the other 
 was not, the same language being employed in 
 reference to both? Besides, it is a well known 
 fact, that the prepositions translated "into" (eis) 
 and "out of (ek) are variously used. They 
 frequently signify 7iear and fro?7i, so that it is 
 by no means certain, from the original, whether 
 Philip and the Eunuch actually went dow^ninto 
 the water, or merely went down to the margin 
 of the stream.f The truth is, when all these 
 
 * The prophecy which the Eunuch was reading be- 
 gan at Isaiah lii. 13, and Philip began at the same 
 scripture. 
 
 f For example, Go thou (eis) "to," not "into" the sea, 
 Matt. xvii. 27. I am not sent but "unlo" (eis) the lost 
 
78 LECTURES 
 
 facts are duly considered, it is very uncertain 
 whether this baptism was by sprinkling or im- 
 mersion. 
 
 The baptism of the Jailor, and his household 
 at Philippi, is worthy of consideration. Acts, xvi. 
 25. 34. The circumstances connected with it, 
 are as follows. Paul and Silas were cast into 
 prison — at midnight they sang praises unto God, 
 — suddenly the foundations of the prison were 
 shaken by an earthquake, and all the doors 
 were opened, and every man's bands were 
 loosed. The keeper of the prison, alarmed at 
 this, drew his sw^ord and would have killed him- 
 self, supposing that the prisoners had fled. But 
 Paul cried with a loud voice, do thyself no 
 harm; for we are all here. Then after calling 
 for a light, and inquiring of Paul and Silas, 
 "What must I do to be saved? — he was bapti- 
 zed, he and all his, straightway." There is not 
 the least intimation, that the Jailor, and his fam- 
 ily, went to a neighbouring river to beimmer- 
 
 sheep of the house of Israel — Matt. xv. 24. He (Je- 
 sus) went up (eis) "into"-i. e. "upon" a mountain, Matt. 
 V. 1. And lo, a voice "from" (ek) heaven saying^, 
 this is my beloved Son. Matt. iii. 17. 
 
ON BAPTISM. 79 
 
 sed, and then returned again to the prison; but 
 there are several circumstances which, render 
 such a supposition, improbable, I might rather 
 say impossible. This baptism took place at 
 midnight, and it is not to be supposed that the 
 jailor, at the peril of his life, would liberate 
 Paul and Silas. He had received strict charge 
 respecting them, and had " thrust them into the 
 inner prison, and made their feet fast in the 
 stocks;" and we find that he was about to kill 
 himself on seeing the prison doors open. Nor 
 is it reasonable to believe, that the Apostles, 
 who had been beaten with many stripes, and 
 who were not, therefore, in a fit condition to 
 immerse, would depart from the prison by 
 stealth; for we are expressly informed that 
 they refused under any circumstances to do so, 
 on the following day, until they had been regu- 
 larly brought out by those in authority. Consid- 
 ering these facts, the probabihty is, that the jailor 
 and his household, were not immersed. There 
 are many other baptisms recorded in the Acts, 
 such as the baptism of Saul, of Cornelius, and 
 of Lydia, and her household; but it is not ne- 
 cessary to refer to them, inasmuch as there are 
 
80 LECTURES 
 
 no facts connected with them, which have any- 
 bearing on the point under consideration. In 
 conclusion then, we have seen, that there is no- 
 thing in the nature of baptism which makes 
 immersion essential to its validity, that the com- 
 mand to baptize is indefinite as to the mode in 
 which it ought to be performed, that the word 
 baptize means both to sprinkle and to dip, and 
 that while the case of the Eunuch, at first sight, 
 seems to favor immersion, there are several 
 other instances which can be explained only on 
 the supposition, that sprinkling was practised 
 by the Apostles. The conclusion to which we 
 arrive, is this — that while it is important that 
 baptism be received according to Christ's insti- 
 tution, it is immaterial whether it be performed 
 by sprinkling or immersion. This is the ground 
 taken by the Church, of which it is our happy 
 lot to be members, and we believe that it is 
 agreeable to the word of God. 
 
 There is a common objection, (the only one 
 of consequence that we are aware of,) frequent- 
 ly brought against the views which have been 
 advocated by the preceding remarks, which, be- 
 fore concluding, we will answer. 
 
ON BAPTISM. 81 
 
 "It is said our blessed Saviour was baptized by 
 immersion in the river Jordan, by John the bap- 
 tist, and that v^^e ought to follow his example." 
 
 I. In reply to this objection, we remark, that 
 it is exceedingly questionable whether we are 
 required in every respect to follow his example. 
 He was circumcised, and constantly attended 
 the services of the Jewish church. In these 
 respects it v/ill not be contended that we are to 
 follow his example. Admitting, therefore, that 
 he was immersed, it does not follow that we 
 must be, before we can be his disciples. 
 
 II. Besides, it is by no means certain, that 
 our Lord was immersed, for the reasons which 
 were stated in the case of the Eunuch, which 
 are also applicable to Christ's baptism. John 
 came baptizing ti;/^/?, and not m water — the ele- 
 ment was applied to the body, and not the body 
 to the element. 
 
 III. But above all, we contend that the bap- 
 tism which Christ received, was not Christian 
 baptism, and has not therefore the least bearing 
 on that point.* 
 
 *"Itwas," says Chrysostom, speaking of John's 
 baptisra — *' as it were a bridge, which from the baptism 
 6 
 
82 LECTURES 
 
 This is evident from the following considera- 
 tions : 
 
 1. John was sent by God the Father. John r. 
 33. He was neither sent by Christ, nor author- 
 ized by him to baptize, how then could his bap- 
 tism be Christian baptism? 
 
 2. John's baptism was a preparatory rite, 
 "a baptism of repentance," to prepare mankind 
 for the reception of Christ, and nothing more. 
 Matt. iii. 11. Luke iii. 34. John i. 31. Acts 
 xix. 4. 
 
 3. Some of those who were baptized by John, 
 were again baptized by the Apostles, which 
 would have been improper, if they had received 
 Christian baptism in the first instance. Acts xix. 
 1. 5. Made prob&ble also from Matt. iii. 11. 
 compared with Acts i. 5. 11. 41. 
 
 4. Those that were baptized by John did not 
 possess proper qualifications to receive Chris- 
 tian baptism, — they were not believers. They 
 had not received the gift of the Holy Ghost, 
 neither had they heard that there was a Holy 
 Ghost. Acts xix. 2. 4. And it is contrary to 
 
 of the Jews, made a way to that of the Saviour; it was 
 superior to the firstj but inferior to the second." 
 
ON BAPTISM. 83 
 
 Scripture for adults to receive Christian bap- 
 tism while they are unbelievers, Mark xvi. 16. 
 Acts ii. 38. 
 
 5. John's baptism was confined almost en- 
 tirely to the Jews. Matt, iii, 5. 7, Mark i. 5. 
 Luke iii. 3. Christian baptism, on the contrary, 
 was designed for all nations. Matt, xxviii, 19. 
 
 6. Christain baptism is a mark of profession, 
 hy which the disciples of Christ are designated 
 from the world. Mark xvi. 16, But He had no 
 disciples before he entered on his public minis- 
 try, and yet John baptized before this. Matt. iii. 
 1.6. 11. Mark i. 78. John i. 26. 28. 
 
 7. Christian baptism is a rite of initiation into 
 the Christian Church. Gal. iii. 27. But John 
 baptized before the Church of Christ was es- 
 tabhshed, and before Circumcision, and other 
 Jewish rites were abrogated, which fact shows 
 that the baptism w'hich he administered, was 
 not Christian baptism. 
 
 8. An essential quality of Christian baptism, 
 is to be baptized by a particular form, viz: — "In 
 the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of 
 the Holy Ghost," — but John used no form, at 
 least we have no evidence that he did. These 
 
S4 LECTURES 
 
 facts show, that the baptism of John, is essen- 
 tially different from that which Christ institu- 
 ted, and which we are to receive; and if so, 
 the baptism of Christ, by John, is not to be held 
 up for our example, any more than his circum- 
 cision.* 
 
 I. If it is agreeable to the will of God, as has 
 been satisfactorily shown, that infant baptism is 
 to be retained in the Church, we insist that it is 
 the duty of parents to bring their children to 
 Holy baptism; suggesting for their serious con- 
 sideration, whether a positive sin be not commit- 
 ted by neglecting or refusing to comply with that 
 duty. Baptism is to be regarded as the foun- 
 dation of a Christian education — it places the 
 child in a most responsible relation — it enables 
 the parent to present a gospel motive of faith 
 and obedience — it is the first thing which ought 
 to be done, to bring up your children " in the 
 nurture and admonition of the Lord." It is to 
 
 * Candor requires me to sfeatetbat there is one pas- 
 sage, which at first sight, seems to lead to a different 
 conclusion, to wit, — John iv. 1. 2. As it was common, 
 however, for proselytes to receive baptism, the disci- 
 ples of Christ adopted the same course, and baptized, 
 though not with Christian baptism. 
 
ON BAPTISM. 85 
 
 be feared, that Christian parents generally, do 
 not reflect as they ought, on the importance of 
 baptism, and the responsibilities assumed there- 
 by. Too many regard it as an unmeaning 
 ceremony, or at least as a rite of but little sig- 
 nificancy^ — they think it is well enough to have 
 their children baptized, because their parents 
 adopted the same custom; — but the devout 
 Christian has more exalted ideas of this sacra- 
 ment. He regards it, not only as a means of 
 grace, but as an ordinance of God's own ap- 
 pointment, by which all the promises of His 
 covenant are visibly sealed, ratified and con- 
 firmed. As soon, therefore, as the seal of God's 
 covenant, has been placed on the infant's brow, 
 he regards it no longer as his own, but as the 
 child of God, who is in duty bound to continue 
 His faithful soldier and servant unto his life's end. 
 To secure that result, he labours diligently, 
 fervently imploring Almighty God to crown 
 his efforts with success. Nor is this more than 
 a parents bounden duty. For when children 
 are baptized,— unable of themselves to promise 
 to keep God's holy will and commandments, by 
 reason of their tender age, their parents or 
 
86 LECTXTRES 
 
 sponsors, moved by a sincere desire to make 
 them partakers of the " life that now is, and of 
 that which is to come," undertake this work, 
 and labour of love for them. They promise in 
 their behalf, that they "shall renounce the 
 devil and all his works, the pomps and vanity 
 of this wicked world, and all the sinful lusts of 
 the flesh; that they shall believe all the articles 
 of the Christian faith; and that they shall keep 
 God's holy will and commandments, and walk 
 in the same all the days of their life." These 
 promises, which are made in the presence of 
 Almighty God and his congregation, ought 
 sedulously to be performed. Accordingly, the 
 Church in the Baptismal office, in an exhorta- 
 tion, sums up the duties of sponsors in this wise: 
 — " Forasmuch as this child hath promised by 
 you, his sureties, to renounce the devil and all 
 his works, to believe in God, and to serve him; 
 ye must remember, that it is your parts and du- 
 ties to see that this infant be taught, so soon as 
 he shall be able to learn, what a solemn vow, 
 promise and profession he hath here made by you. 
 And that he may know these things the better, 
 ye shall call upon him to hear sermons; and 
 
ON BAPTISM. 87 
 
 chiefly, ye shall provide that he may learn the 
 Creed, the Lord's Prayer, and the Ten Com- 
 mandments, and all other things which a Chris- 
 tian ought to know and beheve to his soul's 
 health." In this part of the exhortation, there 
 are several things worthy of observation. The 
 child is to be taught, "so soon as he shall be 
 able to learn." Here the importance of early 
 religious instruction, is most clearly recognized. 
 Begin with the first dawn of reason to instruct 
 your children. Tell them they are God's chil- 
 dren. Remind them of the solemn vow, prom- 
 ise and profession, which they have made. Ex- 
 plain to them the nature of baptism. Tell them 
 of the exalted privileges with which they have 
 been blessed. Show them the impropriety of 
 living, as the world, in the lust of the flesh and 
 the pride of life. Strive by adapting the truth to 
 their tender minds — " giving Hne upon line and 
 precept upon precept, — in the morning sowing 
 thy seed, and in the evening withholding not 
 thy hand," — to bring them up in " the nurture 
 and admonition of the Lord." Nor can this 
 authority be delegated to others; — the Sunday 
 School Teacher, the Catechist, or even those 
 
88 LECTURES 
 
 who are " over you in the Lord;" for you are 
 required "to see that the infant be taught.'* 
 The instruction to be imparted is to be through 
 your own instrumentaUty and effort. There 
 is another duty suggested: — "And that lie may 
 know these things the better, ye shall call upon 
 him to hear sermons." The devout Christian 
 feels the need of instruction in righteousness. 
 He believes that it is God's ordinance for the 
 saving of the soul- He therefore becomes a dili- 
 gent attendant of the house of God; and as soon 
 as his children are capable of understanding, 
 and hearing sermons, without disturbing the 
 congregation, he brings them to the house of 
 God, instructs them in the beautiful service of 
 the Church, and teaches them to lift up their 
 hearts and voices to God in prayer and praise. 
 How dehghtful is it to behold the Christian pa- 
 rent and his children, on every occasion of di- 
 vine service, entering into the temple of God, 
 and falling low before His footstool. Where 
 this is the case, we may humbly hope, that the 
 preached word will bring forth the fruit of good 
 living. In addition to this, parents are " chiefly 
 to provide, that their children may learn the 
 
ON BAPTISM. 80 
 
 Creed, the Lord's Prayer, and the Ten Com- 
 mandments, and all other things which a Chris- 
 tian ought to know and believe to his souPs 
 health." The Creed is a brief summary of 
 Christian doctrine, which was composed by the 
 Apostles, according to some, or as is more prob- 
 able, in the first or second century, by men 
 who correctly understood the "Apostles fellow- 
 ship and doctrine." The Lord's Prayer, is that 
 beautiful form of devotion, which our blessed 
 Saviour gave to his disciples, and which we 
 are commanded to use to the end of time. The 
 Ten Commandments, given to the Jews by 
 God himself, have never been annulled, and are 
 consequently proper to be impressed on the 
 youthful mind. Nor are these the only topics 
 of instruction. Your care and bounden duty 
 is, to '• teach them all things which a Christian 
 ought to know and believe to his soul's health." 
 Nor would the Church have you to make your 
 children formalists, giving them merely a knowl- 
 edge of the doctrines of inspiration, without 
 showing that religion is practical in its nature, 
 and beneficial in its results, — affecting both the 
 heart and life. Hence the exhortation con- 
 
00 LECTURES 
 
 eludes: — " And that this child may be virtu- 
 ously brought up, to lead a godly and christian 
 life; remembering always, that baptism doth 
 represent unto us our profession; which is, to 
 follow the example of our Saviour Christ, and 
 to be made Hke unto him; that as he died, and 
 rose again for us, so should we who are bap- 
 tized, die from sin, and rise again unto right- 
 eousness, continually mortifying all our evil and 
 corrupt affections, and daily proceeding in all 
 virtue and godliness of living." Think then, 
 Christian parents, of the responsible relation 
 which you sustain to God, to the Church, and 
 to your children. Reflect on the blessings which 
 may result from your efforts, and pray that God, 
 who has inclined your hearts to devote your 
 little ones to him, may give you grace to ac- 
 quit yourselves as faithful stewards of the mani- 
 fold grace of God. 
 
 II. A word to those who have been baptized, 
 particularly the young, and then we will con- 
 clude. By baptism you were made members of 
 Christ, children of God, and inheritors of the 
 kingdom of Heaven. This then is the condition 
 in which you are placed; by baptism you have 
 
OiV BAPTISM. 91 
 
 put on Christ, and are of necessity a member of 
 his Church militant, having the responsibilities of 
 the Christian covenant resting upon you, with 
 the means of grace and hope of glory within 
 your reach. Of these things you have fre- 
 quently been reminded, and yet how many of 
 those who have been thus dedicated to the 
 Lord, are in the broad way which leadeth to 
 destruction. Think for a moment, baptized 
 youth, of the earnest desire of your parents, 
 that you might be partakers of the life that now 
 is, and that which is to come! Scarcely had 
 you received your being from God, before they 
 brought you to his altar, and religiously devo- 
 ted you to his servdce. They knew, that du- 
 rable happiness is not to be attained in the 
 world, and, therefore, they placed you in the 
 arms of His sovereign mercy. They read, as 
 if written by the finger of God, "those that 
 seek me early shall find me," and, therefore, 
 they brought you to Holy baptism. How many 
 prayers — if they have done their duty faith- 
 fully, have they offered up in your behalf, 
 that you might crucify the old man, and utterly 
 abolish the whole body of sin, and thus become 
 
02 LECTURES 
 
 a Jiving member of Christ's Holy Church! How 
 many tears have they shed over the wayward- 
 ness and inconsideration of youth! How ear- 
 nestly have they watched over your paths, and 
 observed the developement of those faculties 
 which the God of nature and grace hath be- 
 stowed! To come up to the measure of duty, 
 and acquit the conscience before God, you are 
 to " renounce the devil and all his works, the 
 vain pomp and glory of the world, with all cov- 
 etous desires of the same, and all the sinful de- 
 sires of the flesh; to believe all the articles of 
 the Christian faith, as contained in the Apos- 
 tles Creed; and to keep God's holy will and 
 commandments, and walk in the same all the 
 days of your life." 
 
 Baptized into the mystical body of Christ, 
 how imperious the obligation which rests upon 
 you, to live as members of Christ, and children 
 of God; taking his word for your guide, com- 
 plying with its precepts, and daily growing in all 
 the graces of the Spirit, Received into the 
 congregation of Christ's flock, you were signed 
 with the sign of the cross, in token that you 
 should not be ashamed to confess the faith of 
 
ON BAPTISM. ^ 
 
 Christ crucified, and manfully to fight under his 
 banner, against sin, the world, and the devil; 
 and to continue Christ's faithful soldier and ser- 
 vant unto your life's end. The seal of God's 
 covenant has been placed upon you. " You can- 
 not, if you v^ould, escape from the responsibility 
 of this relation. You may forget it; you may 
 hate to think of it; you may despise it;" you 
 may forfeit by a profane and sinful life, the bles-- 
 sings which result from it — but still the obliga- 
 tion lies upon you — you cannot avoid it — you 
 cannot throw it off: — it will cling to you through 
 life; it will follow you through the dark valley 
 of the shadow of death; and if not saved, it will 
 increase your misery in the world to come. 
 
 Brought within the sacred enclosure of tho 
 Church, the least that you can do, is to "remenn- 
 ber your Creator in the days of your youth," — 
 and to walk ansvverably to your Christian pro 
 fession. She expects from you, fidelity, devo-. 
 tion to her dearest interests, and perseverance 
 in every good work. Bring then no disgrace oq 
 our most holy religion. Do not live under tlw 
 serious responsibilities incurred by baptism, and 
 cry, "Lord, Lord," while yet he is denied by 
 
94 LECTURES 
 
 infidelity, or a life of pleasure, and of sin. The 
 conditions of that covenant, which has heen 
 sealed, ratified and confirmed, God for his part 
 will most assuredly keep and perform: labour 
 therefore, lest a promise being left of entering 
 into that rest, which remainethfor the people of 
 God, any of you should fail to enter in because 
 of unbehef. Think now, as you undoubtedly 
 will, at the latest period of life, of the impor- 
 tance of working out your salvation with fear 
 and trembling. May God incline your hearts to 
 do this, for Christ's sake; to whom be glory, 
 now and ever. — Amex. 
 
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