URWICK BAPTISM VJ63 m& m mm. W$$^ *5r .^» 03 /? 1c 3 * 1 1 -Huj. IE 1 """^ h> CL # W *s> fe to 5 «■■» m 0) o c e* o bfl Cs *±3 &H < J> l^ "sf fc £ .£3 <* M «j *k» j£- tf CO ■&• PM v! S •§ Cl ? Sq ^ A CONCISE VIEW ORDINANCE OF BAPTISM. BY WILLIAM fjRWICK, D.D. M Keep the Ordinances as I delivered them to you." I COR. xi. DUBLIN : JOHN ROBERTSON, 3, GRAFTON-STREET R. GROOMBRIDGE AND SONS, LONDON. J. JOHNSTONE, EDINBURGH. MDCCCXLY. W. PORTEOCS PRINTER. ADVERTISEMENT. In the early part of his ministry the Author published " A Concise View of the Doctrine of Scripture concerning the Ordi- nance of Baptism." That small work has for many years been out of print : and though repeatedly urged to prepare a new edition, he considered it unnecessary, in consequence of the num- ber of excellent and able treatises which have appeared upon the same subject. But in a late series of discourses, he preached two intended to explain this ordinance ; and afterwards a proposal was made for printing them, which he could not satisfactorily decline. Instead, however, of sending them to press as " Ser- mons," he has thrown the substance of them into a form more appropriate for reading, at the same time extending the illustra- tion a little, occasionally, as appeared desirable. He has studied brevity as much as possible, consistently with clearness and completeness of statement, for putting the reader in possession of his views. Though obliged in some parts to protest against autichristianism, and to oppose the sentiments of many whom he regards as brethren in Christ, he is not conscious of having penned a word violating the " charity which is the bond of perfectness." He cannot suppose that a frank Christian avowal of opinions, held conscientiously and deemed important, will ever be taken as offensive by the followers of Christ. Lovers of truth have nothing to fear from free inquiry ; and of calm and candid sifting investigations upon religious subjects, no Protestant ought ever to complain. RATHMINES MALL, June 23d, 1845. THE ORDINANCE OF BAPTISM. Matthew, xxviii. 18—20. ".and Jeuscame and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth ; Go ye, therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost ; teach- ing them to observe all things, whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, am with you alway, even unto the end of the world." I have transcribed the above text as an appropriate introduction to some statements explanatory of the ordi- nance of Baptism — an ordinance, the observance of which is recognised as binding by almost all persons who profess faith in the Christian religion, but with regard to which, much ignorance and error prevail, so that comparatively few who practise it, are prepared therein to worship God with the understanding and faith necessary to an acceptable service. So various and contradictory are the opinions current on the subject, and so earnestly have they been discussed, that one can hardly touch it without being involved in the thorns and labyrinths of controversy. Many per- sons, in consequence, fear to approach it. Ill-digested, and wide of both truth and rationality, as their views may be, they prefer to neglect the ordinance altogether, or to attend to it only as a matter of course, rather than take the trouble of acquiring any settled scriptural convictions regarding it. But this is highly unbecoming in men who claim credit for having a good conscience ; 4 DESIGN OF BAPTISM. it is worse than trifling with sacred things, and casts an imputation on the Divine Legislator and Head of the Church, as though he had given his subjects a license to slight his institutions, or had failed to record his will in intelligible phraseology. Besides, on the same pre- text one might turn away from the Gospel altogether; for what part is there in its whole range on which men have not differed in their views, or which has not been the innocent occasion of engendering strife ? I shall arrange my statements under the following topics : — The Design of the Ordinance — its supposed Saving Efficacy — The Pre-requisites for it — The Right of Infants to it — and, the Mode in which it should be administered. I.-THE DESIGN OF BAPTISM. Baptizing with water, as a religious ceremony, did not originate with our Saviour, or with John his fore- runner. The evangelist Mark (chap. vii. 3, 4,) states that it was prescribed by the traditions of the elders — " The Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they wash their hands oft, eat not, holding the tradition of the elders. And when they come from market, except they wash (Greek, except they baptize themselves) they eat not. And many other things there be, which they have received to hold, as the washing (Greek, baptisms) of cups, and pots, brazen vessels, and of tables." The evangelist Luke also (chap. xi. 38,) refers to the same ceremony — when the Pharisee saw our Saviour sitting down at his table, " he marvelled that he had not first washed (Greek, baptized) before dinner." The enquiries proposed by the messengers sent from DESIGN OF BAPTISM. D the Jews at Jerusalem, to obtain information from John with regard to his administering baptism in connexion with his ministry, clearly shew that they were already familiar with the ceremony, and that they expected it would be practised by the Messiah ; — " they asked him, saying, Why baptizest thou then, if thou be not that Christ, nor Elias, neither that prophet ?" (John i. 25.) Their question, you will observe, concerns not the cere- mony itself, as though it were a novelty, but the reason or warrant which John had for administering it. It is difficult to say on what part of their prophecies the Jews founded their expectation that their Messiah would bap- tize ; that which appears most likely is in Isaiah lii. 13-15 — a prophecy taken by them as relating to the Messiah ; — " Behold, my servant shall deal prudently ; he shall be exalted, and extolled, and be very high. As many were astonished at thee ; his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men ; so shall he sprinkle many nations : the kings shall shut their mouths at him :" indicating the profound respect with which they would listen to him, " for that which had not been told them they shall see, and that which they had not heard shall they consider." Ancient Jewish writers inform us that baptism was practised, together with circumcision, in the admission of proselytes from among the Gentiles to the Church of Israel. Take the following as examples : " The Sanhe- drims received not proselytes in the days of David and Solomon : not in the days of David, lest they should betake themselves to proselytism, out of a fear of the kingdom of Israel : not in the days of Solomon, lest they might do the same by reason of the glory of the king- dom. And yet abundance of proselytes were made in O DESIGN OF BAPTISM. the days of David and Solomon before private men ; and the great Sanhedrim was full of care about this business ; for they would not cast them out of the church, because they were baptized/' &c. " Whensoever any heathen will betake himself, and be joined to the covenant of Israel, and place himself under the wings of the divine majesty, and take the yoke of the law upon him, voluntary cir- cumcision, baptism, and oblation are required : but if it be a woman, baptism and oblation." " A proselyte, that is circumcised and not baptized, what of him P R. Eliezer saith, Behold he is a proselyte : for so we find concerning our fathers, that they were circumcised, but not baptized. One is baptized, but not circumcised, what of him? R. Joshua saith, Behold, he is a proselyte ; for so we find concerning the maid-servants, who were baptized, but not circumcised. But the wise men say, Is he bap- tized, and not circumcised p Or, Is he circumcised, and not baptized ? He is not a proselyte, until he be circum-> cised and baptized/' (See these and other quotations in Lightfoot's Works, Pitman's Ed. Vol. xi. p. 55.) Nor did they restrict baptism to proselytes from Gentilism : " All the nation of Israel," says Lightfoot, " do assert, as it were with one mouth, that all the nation of Israel were brought into the covenant, among other things, by baptism." But we have at present to consider Baptism as an ordinance of Christianity. To my own mind it is hardly possible in the same compass of expression, to give a more explicit and satisfactory answer to the question, With what intent, or for what purpose, is baptism to be performed ? than is supplied by our Lord in his appointment of it, contained in the text prefixed to these remarks. There can be no DESIGN OF BAPTISM. 7 doubt that his words at once conveyed plain and well-de- fined ideas to the persons he addressed, so that no hesitation arose, or could arise, in their minds as to his meaning. His words are, " Go ye, therefore, and," as our common translation reads it, " teach all nations, baptizing them." But another meaning is given in the margin of our Bibles, and, as is often the case, the meaning there given is more correct. It is " make disciples, all na- tions, baptizing them." The same word occurs in Acts xiv. 21, and ought to have been rendered in the same way, as the margin there also suggests ; — " when they had preached the gospel in that city, and had made many disciples." Baptism, then, as appointed by our Saviour, is a ceremony to be performed in making per- sons disciples to the Gospel — it was to be practised as the divinely ordained sign or token by which persons are solemnly initiated to the means of instruction in the Christian revelation, with a view to their being brought into practical and consequently saving subjection to it. " Teaching," according to our Lord's appointment, is to follow, not to precede, " baptism." Read the commission again attentively ; — " Go ye, therefore, and make disci- ples all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost ; teach- ing them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you." So far, then, as the language of our Saviour in ap- pointing the ceremony is concerned, all is clear as to the purpose for which it was ordained. And were this the only text whence information on the point could be obtained, not a word more need be advanced to explain the design of the institute. Many other passages, how- ever, may be referred to as confirming the view now advanced. 8 DESIGN OF BAPTISM. In 1 Cor. x. 1, 2, we read — " Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, and were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea." We shall have to notice this text again on other points of the enquiry ; I mention it here to shew that the apostle represents the whole nation of Israel as having been made disciples to Moses — or, if you please, separated to receive the instructions he was to commu- nicate in the divine will — by being baptized. It also implies that what the baptism spoken of did for the Iraelites with regard to Moses, baptism, as now ordained, does for us with regard to Christ. This baptism of the Israelites did not signify that they had already learnt what Moses was to teach them, for Moses had not yet received the code in which he was to instruct them ; but it signified their being placed under his care to be taught the revelation he was to promulgate. In John iv. 1, 2, we read, "When therefore the Lord knew how the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John; though Jesus himself baptized not, but his disciples." This informs us that both John and Jesus used baptism as a ceremony by which persons were recognized as disciples to them respectively ; and that the ceremony was performed — as was the case with the Israelites, when they were baptized unto Moses, and as all nations are to be baptized accord- ing to our Lord's commission — at the outset of attendance upon instruction. This is confirmed by the accounts of John's baptizing as our Lord's forerunner : he adminis- tered the ceremony to all who desired it, as initiatory to their attendance on his instructions as a prophet of God. And the accounts of our Saviour's ministry shew that he DESIGN OF BAPTISM. 9 baptized, or caused baptism to be administered, as the form by which persons were made disciples preparatory to their being taught the details of his doctrine. In Colossians ii. 11, baptism is called "the circum- cision of Christ." It is unimportant for us now to discuss whether the phraseology intends the ordinances them- selves, or that spiritual change in the inner man of the heart which they both represent; in either case the statement intimates a correspondence between them. On referring to Romans iii. 1, 2, we shall find the same benefits ascribed to circumcision, which I have represented as consequent upon baptism. "What advantage then hath the Jew ? or what profit is there of circumcision ? Much every way ; chiefly, because that unto them were committed the oracles of God. As adminis- tered under the law and in connexion with the Abrahamic covenant, circumcision was the sign of entrance within the pale of instruction in the revelations of truth and duty then granted from above. Answering thereto, baptism, as " the circumcision of Christ," brings persons within the pale of instruction in the divine revelation afforded under the present economy. As further illustrating this part of our subject let me now refer to what is written by the evangelist Matthew in his xiii. chapter. Our Lord had delivered the parable of the sower, in the hearing of " the multitude." " The disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them," that is the multitude, " in parables P He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto tou to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of heaven," that is, the more clear discoveries afforded under the Gospel dispensation, " but to them it is not given," &c. " But blessed are your eyes, for they see ; a2 10 DESIGN OF BAPTISM. and your ears, for they hear. For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them ; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them" (verses 10 — 17.) The statements given by Mark in his iv. chapter, are somewhat different in words but still more direct and express in thought : — "Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God ; but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables," &c* After recording other parables, the evangelist proceeds, (verses 33, 34,) " And with many such parables spake he the word unto them," i. e. the multitude, "as they were able to hear it. But without a parable spake he not unto them ; and when they were alone he expounded all things unto his disciples." I wish to fix attention on the distinction made by our Lord, as thus intimated, between the two classes of persons he had to do with, namely, the " multitude" or mass of the Jewish people on the one hand, and his " disciples" on the other. The one he describes as * I presume that our Saviour, in thus describing the privilege of his disciples, refers to the " mysteries," as they were called, or secret instructions, connected with heathen religions, and famous throughout the world. Allusions of the same kind occur in the Apostle Paul's writings, 1 Cor. ii. 6, &c. ; Eph. iii. 3 — 10. It is supposed that, in some of them, truth concerning the unity of God, &c. was plainly taught, while to the mass of people, the uninitiated, these facts were either not revealed at all, or only in obscuring though shewy draperies. A lustration or kind of baptism, as washing the hands, had to be submitted to at initiation ; and in all cases preceded the very first lesson. A clearer illustration of things sacred from things profane could hardly be desired than this gives to our Saviour's expressions, "To you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them that are with- out, all these things are done in parables." DESIGN OF BAPTISM. 11 " them that are without;" the other, by implication, as "them that are within!' To the one he spoke "in para- bles" — a veiled style of instruction, answering to the character of the old dispensation and to his office as " a minister of the circumcision.'' To the other it was given, as their peculiar privilege, " to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven ;" — in presenting divine truth to them he took off the veil, and explained to them, when they were alone, all that he had spoken to the multitude in parables — giving them the instructions peculiar to the new dispensation he was then introducing. Here, if we mistake not, is clearly set forth the privile- ges of the " disciples" above the " multitude" — the ad- vantages of the initiated above the uninitiated. Some of the expressions used by our Lord with regard to his " disciples" are often thought to signify that they were all savingly enlightened and converted. But his repre- sentations can be fairly explained only of outward means of knowledge. Now the door or passage by which persons were received from one class to the other — from " without" to " within" — was baptism, the ordained sign of initiation to a state of discipleship to the Gospel. That many who were made " disciples" outwardly by baptism, were also really converted and saved men, I do not for a moment question ; but, as I shall have to notice again, proof of that great change having taken place was not required as a preliminary to the ordinance. The very style of John's preaching to the baptized shews that he did not consider them saved persons. " When he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come ? Bring forth, therefore, fruits meet for repentance. And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abra- 12 DESIGN OF BAPTISM. ham to our father : for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the tree ; therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance ; but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear ; he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire. Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner ; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire." (Matt. iii. 7 — 12.) Our Saviour's addresses to his " disciples" shew that he did not consider all the persons so addressed, as already savingly converted ; for example, " Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven." (Matt, xviii. 3.) In John vi. we read, after his discourse in the synagogue at Caper- naum, representing himself as the " bread of life," * Many therefore of his disciples when they heard this said, This is a hard saying, who can hear it ? When Jesus knew in himself that his dtsciples murmured at it, he said unto them, Doth this offend you ? What and if ye shall see the Son of Man ascend up where he was before ?" And in the fourth verse following, we read as the result, "From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him." Surely these persons could not have been made wise unto salva- tion, previously to their being " made disciples" by baptism.* * The term " disciple" is applied variously, as are many others, e.g. " faith," " church," " elder," &e. In Matt. x. 1, it denotes " apostle." Elsewhere it denotes persons who are converted ; as DESIGN OF BAPTISM. 13 Baptism, then, as instituted by our Saviour, was the sign or form by winch persons were to be introduced within the range of stated instruction under the Gospel. I admit that this view of the ordinance is exceedingly simple — that there is nothing ambiguous or awfully mysterious about it ; and some probably will object to it on that very account. " Is this all," they may demand, " that the solemn ceremony accomplishes ? The ordi- nance might then as well have never been appointed ; for any person can have these advantages without it, equally as with it." My answer is that the simplicity of the thing is one of its commendations. It is perfectly intelligible and rational. It affords no warrant for the absurd superstitious notions which ignorance and will- worship have associated with the ceremony. True, it was not in itself necessary ; it might have been dispensed with, had not the Head of the Church appointed it ; men might have been taught and saved without it. But, to obviate scruples of this class, let me suggest two considerations : — 1. We are not to regulate our regard for religious institutions by discussing whether they are or are not in themselves necessary for a purpose : the great, if not the sole question for our consideration is whether they have or have not been appointed of God ? If He has enjoined a service, a due regard for his authority will influence us to mini it. Circumcision was not in itself necessary ; Abraham and his descendants might have been blessed with the revelations of mercy without it ; in John xiii. 35. It is sufficient for my purpose to shew that the New Testament applies it to all who are under instruction in the doctrines of Christ, whether they have yet learned it savingly or not. 14 DESIGN OF BAPTISM. indeed the sign of circumcision was " a seal of the righ- teousness of the faith which he had, yet being uncircum- cised ;" but though a mere ceremony of initiation to outward privileges, which, if God had pleased, might have been possessed without it, no right-minded Israelite would neglect it when it had been ordained by Abraham's God. Our Saviour came to John to be baptized of him : John objected saying, "I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me P" Jesus answered, " Suffer it to be so now ; for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness." The Messiah did not require to learn of his forerunner, and therefore did not require to be bap- tized as one of his disciples : but John's baptism was a divine institute, and therefore Jesus submitted to it as an act of obedience to divine authority. 2. A little reflection will discover a propriety in the institute itself. In all countries and ages it has been deemed proper to observe more or less of what may be called cere?nony, in introducing to a state of privilege. This is true of all nations in regard to matters civil, and of all religions in regard to matters sacred. On the same principle it is proper that a form should be observed in introducing a human being to the means of his salvation — the greatest outward privileges he can enjoy. The Gentiles had solemnities to be observed at initiation to the mysteries of their false gods ; and on the principle of their practice it is proper that initiation to the mysteries of Jehovah's Gospel should also be accompanied with a sacred rite. The privileges of instruction to which baptism initiates are of divine pro- vision and bestowment ; and it is reasonable there should be, when a person enters upon them, a formal acknow- ledgment and declaration that they are a divine gift. EFFICACY OF BAPTISM. 15 Admission to them can only be under a divine warrant ; it is therefore becoming that admission should be attended with a sign, ordained by God himself, in token of that warrant. And in baptism we have a ceremony beauti- fully appropriate for all these purposes. As a religious service, notwithstanding its great simplicity, it has all the sacredness of solemn worship. As performed " in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost," there is in it a distinct recognition of Jeho- vah as the Author and Giver of the advantages to which it introduces. As a divinely ordained form of admission, it is a standing divine token of warrant for admission. While, as a type of purification, it symbolizes the great moral end to be secured in the state to which it initiates, and the moral means to be possessed in that state for attaining the end proposed — cleansing the soul from sin, and its introduction to fellowship with God. IL— THE SUPPOSED SAYING EFFICACY OF BAPTISM. We all know that a vast deal more has been ascribed to the ordinance than my statements imply. It is fair, then, to hear what is otherwise taught, testing it by the word of God. First — Hear the doctrine of the Church of Rome, as explained in the popular work entitled "The Sincere Christian Instructed in the Faith of Christ from the Written Word." (Vol. I. pp. 402, 403; Twentieth Edition.) In answer to the question, " What are the effects of Baptism ?" we read, " The effects of Baptism are these : (1.) It cleanses the soul from the guilt of all preceding sins, whether original or actual. (*2.) It frees us from the eternal punishment due to sin, and 16 SUPPOSED SAVING from all the temporal punishment also, which the jus- tice of God could command for the sins one may have committed before baptism. (3.) It adorns the soul with the grace of justification, and with all those other graces and virtues which accompany it ; all which we have seen above, Chap, xviii. Q. 33. (4.) It makes us Christians, imprinting the sacred character of a Christian in the soul ; and, as in consequence of all this, (5.) It regenerates us by a new spiritual birth, making us children of God, members of his Church, and heirs of heaven, and makes us capable of receiving all the other sacraments and spiritual benefits which Christ has left in his Church, and gives us a right and title to receive them as our needs may require, as also to receive the necessary helps of actual grace to enable us to live a good christian life, and preserve the sanctity we have received in baptism. (6.) It gives us a right and title to the kingdom of heaven." Secondly — There is much that is seriously objection- able in the formularies of the Church of England upon this subject. The first prayer in the baptismal service sets forth that, by the baptism of his beloved Son in the river of Jordan, God did " sanctify water to the mystical washing away of sin." The second prayer has the petition, " We call upon thee for this infant, that he, coming to thy holy baptism, may receive the remission of his sins by spiritual regeneration." Before the ad- ministration, prayer is offered that God would " sanctify this water to the mystical washing away of sins" — as if the water were to be made holy and effective for that purpose. The ceremony having been performed, the priest is to say, " Seeing now, dearly beloved brethren, that this child is regenerate, and grafted into the body of EFFICACY OF BAPTISM. 1 7 Christ's Church ; let us give thanks unto Almighty God for those benefits, and with one accord make our prayer unto him, that this child may lead the rest of his life according to this beginning." The Lord's Prayer having been repeated, " Then shall the priest say, We yield thee hearty thanks, most merciful Father, that it hath pleased thee to regenerate this infant with thy Holy Spirit, to receive him for thine own child by adoption, and to incorporate him with thy holy Church. And humbly we beseech thee to grant, that he, being dead unto sin, and living unto righteousness, and being buried with Christ in his death, may crucify the old man, and utterly abolish the whole body of sin ; and that as he is made partaker of the death of thy Son, he may also be partaker of his resurrection ; so that finally, with the residue of thy holy church, he may be an inheritor of thine everlasting Kingdom, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen." In conformity with these sentiments the Catechism teaches every child to say that in Baptism he " was made a member of Christ, a child of God, and an inheri- tor of the kingdom of heaven." What more than this can man desire, as necessary to his eternal well-being ? Thirdly — Lest it should be supposed that opinions of this kind are held only by persons who baptize infants, and administer the rite by sprinkling or pouring, the fol- lowing quotations are given, taken from the publications of a religious community in the United States. " The apostle Peter, when first publishing the Gospel to the Jews, taught them that they were not forgiven their sins by faith, but by an act of faith; by a believing immer- sion into the Lord Jesus. Christian immersion, frequently called conversion, as that act is inseparably connected 18 SUPPOSED SAVING with the remission of sins." " No man can, scripturally, be said to be converted to God, until he is immersed." " Conversion, regeneration, and immersion, are terms all descriptive of the same thing." " Remission of sins cannot be enjoyed by any person before immersion." " From the day of Pentecost, to the final Amen in the revelation of Jesus Christ, no person was said to be converted, or to turn to God, until he was buried in, and raised up out of the water." " Immersion alone was the act of turning to God." "All who, believing, are immersed for the remission of their sins, have the remission of their sins in and through immersion." " Down into the water you were led. — In its womb you were conceived. — There your consciences were released ; for there your old sins were purged away." " Peter taught all the saints in Pontus, &c. that the water of baptism saved them, as the water of the deluge saved Noah in the ark ; and that in immersion a person was purged from all his former sins." " Born of God he cannot be, until born of water." (See these and various other quotations in the American Biblical Repository for January 1838 ; Art. Campbellism.) The opinions thus affirmed require to be examined. If they are divine truths they ought to be received, and it is at our peril we reject them. Let us see whether the texts adduced to sustain them ought fairly to be so interpreted. After which I shall point out some con- siderations which bind us to repudiate them. The texts principally urged as proof that saving spiritual regeneration is effected in the ordinance of baptism, are two ; the words of our Lord to Nicodemus, (John iii. 5,) " Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God" — EFFICACY OF BAPTISM. 19 and the statement of the apostle to Titus, (iii. 5,) " He saved us by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost." "With regard to the expression " born of water and of the Spirit," or, as more correctly read, " born of water and Spirit," even granting that the phrase "born of water" refers to the ordinance of baptism, the words teach that in order to full entrance into the kingdom of God something more is necessary than the ordinance itself; otherwise that phrase, "born of water," would have been sufficient of itself to convey all that our Lord designed to express, and he would not have added " and Spirit." This additional phrase may be explained as intending another birth besides being " born of water," namely, being " born of Spirit;" in which case it teaches that man must be the subject of another change than that wrought in baptism — a change wrought by divine agency, not by man's performance of a religious cere- mony. Thus understood, the text is directly opposed to the notion that spiritual regeneration is effected by baptism. The only other way in which the words can be explained is by taking the phrase " and spirit," as qualifying or explaining the preceding term " water ;" in which case the expression should be read "born of spiritual water," or, "born of water even of Spirit." According to this view the ordinance of baptism is exclu- ded altogether, unless phraseology used respecting it be introduced to signify the saving change of heart of which the ceremony is merely a type, as was also its predecessor circumcision. The context appears to favour the latter of the two possible modes of interpreting the passage ; for in the following verses no mention is made of "water;" being " born of the Spirit" is alone insisted on, as being 20 SUPPOSED SAVING itself the only thing referred to. Supposing, however, without affirming, that the phrase " born of water" in- tends the ordinance of baptism, while the addition " and Spirit" intends the regeneration of the heart by the Holy Ghost, the necessity for both in order to full entrance into the kingdom of God may be thus explained; — Baptism is the instituted form of admission to the outward privileges of the Gospel dispensation, and without baptism none can enter it according to the divine order ; being " born of the Spirit" initiates to the inward and saving grace of the Messiah's reign, and without being " born of the Spirit" none can, in the nature of things, be a partaker of salvation here, and glory hereafter. Whether — taking the phrase "born of water" and "born of the Spirit" to signify respectively what is ceremonial and what is moral — whether, I say, the two things, in themselves different, do always occur together, will be considered presently. The same mode of interpretation applies to the ex- pression, " washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost." If the former part of it intends the ordinance of Baptism by water, the latter must signify a moral change by divine agency. If the design of the writer was to ascribe our salvation to these two things, the ordinance contributes thereto as it is the appointed mode of introduction to the outward means of salvation, while the moral change by divine agency renders those outward means effectual to the great end proposed. I think, however, that, in this case as in the other, the two expressions must be understood as indicating the same thing — " washing of regeneration," figuratively, and " renewing of the Holy Ghost," literally. This opinion is confirmed by the next words — " which he shed on us EFFICACY OF BAPTISM. 21 abundantly, through Jesus Christ our Saviour" — words that incontrovertibly point out what we are saved by — words that can be understood only of one thing, the "renewing of the Holy Ghost," — words that forbid being explained of any ceremony performed by man, and point to the Divine Saviour himself as the only administrator of that saving baptism. In support of the notion that baptism washes away sin, the texts chiefly relied upon are — first, the exhortation of Peter to the Jews, " Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ, for," in order to, " the remission of your sins ;" Acts ii. 38. It is to be observed that repentance is called for as well as submission to baptism. The repentance called for was the acknowledgment of Jesus as the Messiah ; and baptism was the form of professing that acknowledgment. Is it asked how was baptism to conduce to forgiveness ? I answer, that baptism initiated persons to instruction in the doctrine of pardon through the Messiah's sacrifice and sovereignty. — The second text thought to favour the washing away of sins by baptism, is the exhortation of Ananias to Saul, Acts xxii. 16, " Arise and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling upon the name of the Lord." This text, however, as little favours the pur- pose for which it is urged, as does the one last noticed. The wording of it shews that being baptized and washing away sins are distinct acts. If baptism cleansed from guilt, there had been neither necessity nor propriety in requiring the person to wash away his sins in addition to being baptized. But observe, further ; the way in which he was to wash away his sins is expressly men- tioned — " calling upon the name of the Lord" — in agree- ment with the glorious, gracious promise, that "the 22 SUPPOSED SAVING same Lord over all, is rich unto all that call upon him ; for whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." — With regard to the apostle Peter's statement that baptism saves, as the antitype of Noah and his family being saved in the ark, when the deluge swept the rest of mankind to destruction, the sacred writer declares that he means by "baptism," "not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good con- science towards God." Having, 1 think, stated enough to prove that the texts principally insisted on for sustaining the idea that by baptism men are savingly regenerated and cleansed, afford no countenance to it, I proceed to suggest a few considerations which shew the idea to be altogether untenable. 1. We have positive evidence that no such change as that contended for, is produced by administering the ordinance. Take the range of this country. Go to whatever denomination you will in the range of Christendom, that practises baptism. Will you not find instances almost without number, of individuals who have been baptized, but of whom the utmost stretch of enlightened charity will not allow us for a moment to suppose that they have been inwardly christianized ? The ceremony may have been performed by immersion or by effusion ; it may have been administered by a priesthood most regu- larly ordained by "apostolical succession," in the Church of Rome, or the Church of England, or the Greek Church, or the Armenian Church, or any other Church ; and the administration may have been attended with every particular of pomp and circumstance prescribed for the solemnization of such an awful mystery as the EFFICACY OF BAPTISM. 23 most extravagant superstition may have accounted the transaction; millions upon millions of examples are exhibited of people that have been baptized, whose character tells that they cannot have been wrought upon to salvation. One cannot believe this dogma until one can believe that men and women who are vain, worldly, immoral, dishonest, profane, infidel, atheistic in creed and practice — are saints of God. I may as well believe that a remedy is omnipotent to cure, when I see millions to whom it has been applied dying before my eyes. But wherefore do I speak of what comes under our own notice ? Let inspiration decide. We are all familiar with the story of Simon Magus, in Acts viii. He was baptized — legitimately, validly baptized by " apostolical succession'' — by an apostolic man, on whom apostolic hands had been laid at his ordination — " Philip the Evangelist who was one of the seven." Did baptism regenerate Simon ? The apostle Peter's address to him shall furnish the reply — a reply that is above all mis- understanding or gainsaying. " Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter ; for thy heart is not right in the sight of God. Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee. For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity." Do I disbelieve Transubstantiation because the evidence of my senses testifies the substance of the bread and wine to be unchanged, and because the sacred writers declare the substances taken by the communicants to have been still bread and wine ? By the same authorities am I obliged to reject the regenerating and sin-cleansing efficacy of baptism. 2. Neither baptism nor any other religious ordinance, 24 SUPPOSED SAVING ever previously produced the effects claimed for this Christian institute. It is admitted that circumcision — the ceremony under the law which answered to baptism under the Gospel — did not regenerate or cleanse from sin, in the sense ascribed to Christian baptism. " He is not a Jew/' the apostle Paul affirms, " who is one outwardly ; neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh : but he is a Jew, who is one inwardly ; and circumcision is that of the heart ; in the spirit and not in the letter ; whose praise is not of men but of God." Moses called on the whole nation of the circumcised Israelites to " circumcise the foreskin of their heart, and be no more stiff-necked." (Deut. x. 16.) Jeremiah did the same to the same nation in his day ; — " Circumcise yourselves to the Lord, and take away the foreskins of your heart." (iv. 4.) The Jews who rejected and crucified the Lord of Glory, had all been circumcised, and boasted of it, as availing to their salvation ; — were they all spiritually regenerated and justified men, when they cried " Away with him ?" It is admitted that the baptism of the Israelites unto Moses, " by the cloud and by the sea," did not spiritually regenerate them and wash away their sin. If it did, how could the Almighty testify against them, u It is a people that do err in their heart, and they have not known my ways ; so I sware in my wrath that they should not enter into my rest ?" It is admitted that neither John's baptism, nor that administered by our Saviour and his apostles during his own ministry, availed to produce the results in question. If proof be wanting it has been already given. Numbers who received those baptisms were not converted — they took offence at our Lord's instructions — " went back and walked no more with him." EFFICACT OF BAPTISM. 25 But it is urged that there exists an important and essential difference between all other baptisms and that appointed to be administered in the Christian Church. In support of this an appeal is made to the words of John, " I indeed baptize you with water ; but he that cometh after me is mightier than I ; he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire." And is it believed that this baptism " with the Holy Ghost and with fire," is the ordinance of Christian Baptism ? Why then do persons so believing, use water in administering that ordinance ? Again the New Testament explains this baptism with the Holy Ghost and with fire, as signifying the hestowinent of miraculous powers. As the effect of it the apostles " began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance ;" so likewise did Cornelius and his household, and the twelve men at Ephesus." (Acts ii. 4 ; x. 45 ; xi. 15, 16 ; xix. 6.) Are these the effects, let me ask, consequent on the adminis- tration of baptism in the Church of Rome, the Church of England, or any other denomination ? Do the bap- tized around us " all speak with tongues ?" Recollect, however, that even that " baptism with the Holy Ghost" did not save men ; a person might receive it and yet be not inwardly a Christian ; for it is written, " Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal." (1 Cor. xiii. 1.) Further; baptism "with the Holy Ghost" is described as a thing altogether dis- tinct from the ordinance of baptism. The Samaritans were baptized by Philip ; yet we read that Peter and John, when they were come from Jerusalem, " prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Ghost ; for as yet he was fallen upon none of them ; only they were B 26 SUPPOSED SAVING baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus." (Acts viii. 15, 16.) In the case of Cornelius' household, baptism with the Holy Ghost was granted before the ordinance of water-baptism was administered ; — " Then answered Peter, can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we ? And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord." (Acts x. 46 — 48.) 3. The manner in which the ordinance of baptism is spoken of in the New Testament, proves that it is not effectual to salvation. As an instance of this I refer to the words of the apostle Paul, when rebuking the church at Corinth for the divisions that prevailed among them. " Is Christ divided ? was Paul crucified for you ? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul ? I thank God that I baptized none of you but Crispus and Gaius ; lest any should say that I had baptized in mine own name. And I baptized also the household of Stephanus : besides, I know not whether I baptized any other. For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the Gospel : not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect." (1 Cor. i. 14 — 17.) We may observe, by the way, how perfectly what the apostle says about baptizing in his own name agrees with what we have already stated of the purpose of baptism — that it is the appointed form of making disci- ples. But we may observe also — and it is on this point I fix attention — that the writer could not have expressed himself as he does respecting baptism, if he had believed it to have connected with it that spiritually regenerating and sin-cleansing virtue which is claimed for it. Had he regarded it as the sacrament of salvation, it would have been absurd for him to speak of baptizing in his own EFFICACY OF BAPTISM. 27 name ; and had he so regarded it, instead of thanking God that he had baptized so few, he would rather regret that he had not himself baptized them all. What he says that " Christ sent him not to baptize, but to preach the Gospel," perfectly agrees with fact ; for in the com- mission he received from Christ (Acts xxvi. 16,) there is not a word respecting baptism ; whereas, had the ordinance been, as is contended for, the sacrament wherein men are made members of Christ, children of God, and inheritors of the kingdom of heaven — it could not have been omitted, but must have been appointed as the first and principal thing to be done. Far be it from me to say that the apostle speaks disparagingly of baptism ; or that he implies a denial or even a doubt of its obligation. But every man of intelligence and candour must admit that he could not have expressed himself as he does, if the ordinance had been a sacrament of spiritual renovation and justification. 4. The text just commented upon suggests the last consideration I shall urge against the opinion I am opposing, namely, that ascribing stick powers to the ordinance is imminently dangerous to the souls of men. The apostle's statement shews that it is by the Gospel he was commissioned to preach, men are to be saved. He would not preach the Gospel with wisdom of words lest he should make the cross of Christ of none effect — ■ implying that salvation was to be obtained by an intel- ligent and practical regard to the doctrine of atonement for sin by the death of Christ, and that whatever tended to hinder the perception of that truth and obedience to it, defeated the object aimed at by the Gospel ministry. That it is by this truth, revealed and received, men are to be brought to God and glory, is taught throughout 28 SUPPOSED SAVING the Christian Scriptures. Hear the apostle Paul : " I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation, to every one that believeth, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile ; for therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith ; as it is written, the just shall live by faith" — " I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified." (Rom. i. 16, 17 ; 1 Cor. ii. 2.) Hear the apostle James ; " Of his own will begat he us with the word of his truth ; that we should be a kind of first-fruits of his creatures" — "receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls." (i. 18, 21 .) Hear the apostle Peter : " Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit, unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently ; being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever." (1 Pet. i. 22, 23.) Nor can we imagine a device of Satan more adapted to beguile souls to perdition, by diverting them from this truth and settling them in a refuge of lies, than the supposition that in the administration of water-baptism they have been spiritually regenerated and cleansed from sin. Think not that the point on which I am now insisting is one of merely sectarian partizanship among persons who, notwithstanding their difference respecting it, are in fun- damentals right for eternity. Far from it. The error is one that affects the vitals of Christianity, strikes at the very root of piety, and encourages hopes that must end in the blackness of darkness for ever. There is a striking resemblance between this error and that respecting circumcision, broached during the apostolic ministry. It was affirmed to the Gentile EFFICACY OF BAPTISM. 29 converts, " Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved." To ascribe to any religious rite the sin-cleansing power appropriate only to the blood of Christ, and the heart-renewing power appropri- ate only to the Spirit of Christ, substitutes a ceremony for the Saviour — a fictitious gospel for the true one. The solemn declaration of the apostle against the assertors of salvation by circumcision, applies equally to the assertors of salvation by baptism — " Though we or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you, than that which we have preached mito you : let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again ; if any one preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed." We are bound by our regard for truth, for Christ and for souls, to lift up the voice in firm protest against "baptismal regeneration," as a dogma fearfully at war with truth, derogatory to Christ, and ruinous to souls. We may be blamed for touching upon the controversy, by those who like not to have their self-complacence or their false peace disturbed ; but the nature of the case, if we abstain from uttering our mind, would involve us in the guilt of tolerating an antichrist in God's sanctuary, and of allowing men to be led unwarned blindfold to destruction. In all honesty and affection, then, let me admonish my reader, against for a moment supposing that our having been baptized is any guarantee that we shall be saved. It matters not in what communion, by what ministry, or according to what form, we have been bap- tized with water ; if we have not received the sprinkling of Christ's blood — if we have not received a " new heart and a new spirit" — all our hopes for eternity are vain. " Other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, 30 THE QUALIFICATIONS which is Jesus Christ." " Marvel not that I said unto thee^ Ye must be born again." For this — -the baptism which saves — we must look to the enthroned Redeemer. He alone can give it ; he is prepared to give it to all without exception who seek the boon. And wherever that baptism of grace is vouchsafed now, it shall be followed by the baptism of perfect holiness and bliss for ever. Ill— THE QUALIFICATIONS FOR BAPTISM. Here again we must appeal to the words of the commission — the divine prescript ; " Go, ye therefore, make disciples 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." On reading this commission one cannot but admire and adore the extent of the Saviour's mercy. He " will have all men to be saved, and to come to the knowledge of the truth." His power to redeem is all-sufficient ; and so large is his preparedness to exercise it, that he would have the whole human race, whatever be their locality, colour, age, or other peculiarity distinguishing one man from his fellow — he would have the whole human race brought within the pale of disciple- ship to his Gospel, in order that they may be made wise unto salvation. Yea, not only is he willing that the whole race should be brought into discipleship to his truth, but he has expressly enjoined it as a law that his followers shall endeavour to bring the whole human race within this range of privilege. All that are thus made disciples are to be baptized — baptism being the form of introduction to outward discipleship preparatory to their becoming "disciples indeed. ' FOR BAPTISM. 31 As already stated, persons who are savingly renewed by the Spirit, if they have not been baptized before, should submit to this ordinance, for the same reason that our Lord came to be baptized by John — the propriety of conforming to every divine institution. And it is affirmed by some Christian people, that the ordinance should be confined to this class of persons — that it ought to be administered to none but individuals who give proof that they are grounded in the doctrines of the Gospel, and are the subjects of its renewing and saving influence. This is a point of great practical importance, and requires to be maturely examined. 1. If what has been stated respecting the order of proceedure directed by our Saviour be correct, the restriction proposed is altogether unauthorized, and contrary to the divine appointment. According to that order, persons are to be baptized as the sign of disciple- ship, previous and preparatory to their being taught — not after they have learnt and as a sign that they have learnt, theoretically and experimentally, the fundamental parts of the Christian system. Allowing that the word " make disciples" includes spiritual conversion and edification as the great end to be aimed at, in teaching persons to observe all things whatsoever Christ has commanded, so that " teaching" as well as " baptizing" expresses the manner in which " make disciples" is to be done — still it is evident that "baptizing" is to precede " teaching." To postpone baptism until those under instruction can shew that they have been regenerated by the instruction given, is like delaying the ceremony of entrance to a school or college till the parties had by lectures and studies therein, become proficients in the knowledge taught. 32 THE QUALIFICAITOXS 2. The restriction proposed is contrary to the order observed with regard to circumcision. The extent to which it was to be administered is prescribed in Genesis xvii. After recording the covenant, Moses states, " God said unto Abraham, This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you, and thy seed after thee ; Every man-child among you shall be circumcised — it shall be a token of the covenant between me and you. And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every man-child in your generations must needs be circumcised: and my covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant. And the uncircumcised man-child — that soul shall be cut off from his people ; he hath broken my covenant." It is manifest, that circumcision was not limited to converted persons. It was not a sign that the individual understood God's covenant and had received the blessings which the covenant revealed and promised. As a " token" of the covenant, it intended that the individual was within the range of instruction in the divine engagements, and had a divine warrant to avail himself of them as the charter of hope for immortality. 3. The restriction proposed is contrary to t/ie order observed in all initiatory baptisms, previous to our Lord's coming. Certainly when " all our fathers were under the cloud and all passed through the sea ; and were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea" — they had not given evidence of being made " Israelites indeed." Baptism, in their case, was a sign of outward disciple- ship — not of inward, saving regeneration ; it was admin- istered previously to their being taught the law given by Moses, not after they had learnt it. In Hebrews ix. 11, the ceremonial purifications of the Old Testament wor- FOR BAPTISM. 33 ship are called baptisms. The words there rendered " divers washings/' are, in the Greek, "divers baptisms." These "baptisms" did not declare that the person on whom they were performed was savingly converted, any more than the uncleanness which they removed, or rather signified was removed, excluded them from a state of justification to a state of condemnation. Like the omission of circumcision, this uncleanness cut them off from fellowship in the privileges appropriate by di- vine grant to the Israelites. The " divers baptisms" prescribed, signified the removal of that uncleanness, and restoration to a participation of those privileges. What those privileges were we learn from Rom. ix. 4 ; to them pertained " the glory, and the adoption, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises" — all outward advantages, not inward renovating grace. 4. The restriction proposed is contrary to the order observed by John the Baptist in his ministry. It is expressly stated that " all" who came to him were bap- tized of him, (Mark i. 5.) That he did not require evidence of spiritual regeneration as a qualification for his baptism, is proved from the style of his discourse, to the Pharisees and Sadducees who came to his bap- tism ; — " generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come ? Bring forth, therefore, fruits meet for repentance ; and think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father ; for verily I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham." Would he have spoken thus to persons whom he believed to be savingly con- verted ? He says to these persons, " I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance" — a clear proof that he b2 34 THE QUALIFICATIONS did not insist on repentance as a prerequisite for bap- tism, but looked on it as the result of the instructions he was giving to the baptized. That he did not demand the possession of saving knowledge as a qualification for his baptism, is proved also by the account of John's disci- ples, whom Paul found at Ephesus, Acts xix. 1 — 5. It is also clear from the account given on that occasion by Paul of John's baptism; — "John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him that should come after him." Was this manner of address suitable if he con- sidered them already believers on the Messiah ? 5. The restriction proposed is contrary to the order observed by our Lord in his personal ministry. The statement of the evangelist — " When therefore the Lord knew how the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John" — shews that "making disciples" was a phrase which had the same meaning when applied to our Lord's ministry as it had when applied to John's — that in both cases the word " disci- ples" means an attendant on instruction — and that bap- tism was in both cases administered to all who became attendants. In neither case was even the profession of saving piety required to this discipleship, or preparatory to baptism. In Mark ii. 18, we read, " The disciples of John and of the Pharisees used to fast ; and they say unto him, Why do the disciples of John and of the Pharisees fast, but thy disciples fast not ?" Here, as in the corresponding parts of Matthew and Luke, three bodies of " disciples" are mentioned — the disciples of John, the disciples of the Pharisees, and the disciples of Christ. In each case, the word has the same significa- tion. The attendants on John's doctrine, were John's FOR BAPTISM. 35 disciples ; the attendants on the Pharisees' doctrine were the Pharisees' disciples ; and the attendants on our Lord's doctrine, were our Lord's disciples. What was considered personal saving conversion was not, in either of the three, required or recognised as necessary to dis- cipleship. That the word " disciple," as generally understood then, did not signify a regenerate man, but merely one that attends on instruction, believing it to be instruction in the divine will, is further apparent from what is written of the man who was born blind, (John ix. 26 — 28.) After he had been cured by our Lord, the Jews said to him, " What did he to thee ? how opened he thine eyes ? He answered them, I have told you already, and ye did not hear : wherefore would you hear it again ? will ye also be his disciples ? And they reviled him, and said, " Thou art his disciple ; but we are Moses' disciples." Enough has been before stated, when explaining the purpose of the ordinance, to show- that under our Lord's ministry, the word " disciple" was employed to signify a person who acknowledged his divine mission, and therefore attended his instructions. It was not used as applicable only to the inwardly con- verted. 6. The restriction proposed is equally contrary to the order observed under the apostolic ministry, in fulfilling the commission to disciple and baptize the nations. Nothing is more plain from the Acts of the Apostles, than that, so soon as individuals professed their belief that Christ was the Messiah, or that his mission and doctrine were of divine authority, they were baptized forthwith, although perhaps not till that day, or not till that very hour, had they ever heard his name. The multitudes baptized on the day of Pentecost before six 36 THE QUALIFICATIONS o'clock in the evening, had not heard the Gospel before nine o'clock in the morning of that day. The whole power and point of Peter's address to them was directed to convince them that Jesus was the Messiah. The conclusion to which his entire argument led was thus expressed — " Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ." All that received this as fact, were baptized at once. No course of examination was instituted to ascertain whether they received it savingly, as would have been necessary if evidence of spiritual conversion were required prepara- tory to baptism. Much importance has been attached to what we read of the Eunuch, in Acts viii. 36, 37 ; — "as they went on their way they came unto a certain water; and the Eunuch said, See here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized ? [And Philip 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."] On this passage only two remarks are called for. The one is, that the 37th verse, on which the argument rests, and which I have enclosed in brackets, is an interpolation — no part of the inspired text, but a verse added afterwards, when the ordinance began to be corrupted from its primitive simplicity. The other re- mark is, that allowing the verse to stand, it would hardly warrant our requiring more as a qualification for baptism, than a sincere faith in the fact that Jesus is the Christ. There is not a single instance in all the records of the apostolic ministry, of baptism having been delayed for a moment after the administration of it was desired — not a single hint is given of any hesitation to perform the ceremony when persons were willing to FOR BAPTISM. 37 submit to it — nothing like a postponement of it till the individual had made greater progress in knowledge, or had given more satisfactory proofs of personal piety. Surely, when the apostolic history relates many thou- sand cases of baptizing, if the ordinance were intended for the regenerate only, and were a declaration that persons were regenerate, greater caution would have been necessary ; and some examples of the kinds alluded to, must have occurred, as they are now constantly occurring in communions, proceeding consistently, where evidence of saving conversion is demanded preparatory to baptism. As several of the statements I have now penned inti- mate, the inspired history frequently mentions that persons " believed" previously to their being baptized. But, as intimated also, and I think proved, their faith consisted in the recognition of Christ's divine mission. That a person might have that faith, and yet not be renewed to salvation, is shewn by the confession of Nicodemus, of the sincerity of which we have no reason to doubt — "Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God, for no man can do these miracles which thou doest, except God be with him." This, and not more than this — certainly not the faith which saves — is intended by the believing mentioned in John viii. 30 — 32, "As he spake these words, many believed on him. Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word then are ye my disci- ples indeed ; and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." From these verses it is evident that our Lord made a difference between disciples in form and disciples indeed — that being disciples in form, was preparatory to being disciples indeed — that there was 38 THE QUALIFICATIONS a faith possessed which made disciples inform, when there was not the knowledge of truth necessary to make disci- ples indeed. And the matter is as rational in itself as it is plainly stated. Men must be convinced that a revelation is true, before they can become in any degree disciples to it — they will not submit to occupy the position of learners, until they are given to know that the religion they have to learn is from God. That the Jews, whose faith we have now before us, did not believe to salvation, is demonstrated by the verses im- mediately succeeding. And, surely, that the faith which Simon Magus had — as it is written, " Then Simon himself believed also" — could have been no more than a con- viction that the Gospel is true, is proved by what was afterwards recorded concerning him. See Acts viii. 13, &c. Let me not be judged tedious upon this point if I notice one or two other examples of baptism. While Peter was preaching to the household of Cornelius, " the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word ; and they of the circumcision were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost ; for they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter, can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we ? And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord." The question or appeal of Peter assumes that whoever had received the Holy Ghost in the sense intended, namely, in his mira- culous gifts, was incontrovertibly entitled to water- baptism. Those gifts were not confined to persons converted ; they might be possessed by individuals who FOR BAPTISM. 39 were destitute of saving grace ; they were not conferred as a token from God that the man on whom they were bestowed was inwardly regenerate. Witness the case of Judas, and especially the solemn admonitions of the apostle in 1 Cor. xiii. 1 — 3. Obviously then, personal piety was not a pre-requisite for water-baptism since it was not a pre-requisite for the baptism of the Holy Ghost in his miraculous powers. Ordinarily those gifts followed the administration of water-baptism; as ap- pears from the case of the Samaritans, recorded Acts viii. 14 — 17; and from the case of the disciples at Ephesus, Acts xix. 1 — 6. In the case of Cornelius' household they preceded the ordinance, as if to give Peter divine warrant and admonition to administer bap- tism without delay or hesitation, notwithstanding the parties were Gentiles. Those gifts were divine attestations of the truth and authority of the doctrine to which the persons on whom they were bestowed had been discipled ; compare 1 Cor. xii. 8 — 11, with xiv. 22, and Hebrews ii. 4. Where those gifts were bestowed, the circumstance was a divine recognition of the person receiving them, as properly a disciple to the doctrine they attested. Peter's appeal, " can any man forbid water that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we," was irresistibly conclusive. It was tantamount to saying, " God has given to these Gentiles miraculous powers, proving to us that he owns them as disciples to the doctrine which those powers attest. Who then can doubt that they ought to be recognised by us and others as disciples of that doctrine ? Therefore, let them be formally owned and declared among us as, equally with ourselves, entitled to instruction in the Gospel covenant — in other words — let them be baptized." 40 THE QUALIFICATIONS Of the Jailor we read that he took Paul and Silas "the same hour of the night" that the earthquake occurred which awakened him to enquire after salvation, " and washed their stripes, and was baptized, he and all his, straightway." This prompt administration of baptism, not only to the man himself but to all that belonged to him, is incompatible with what would have been required, if persons must give evidence of being spiritually born again before they are baptized. The case of the twelve disciples of John whom Paul met at Ephesus is another illustration that what is called Chris- tian baptism, as distinguished from that of John, was a recognition of Jesus as the Messiah, John's doctrine hav- ing been that the Messiah was about to appear. So soon as they heard that Christ Jesus the Messiah had come, they were baptized in his name ; and these received the Holy Ghost in his miraculous powers as a divine demonstration of the new economy, to fellowship in which they had just been initiated. From these various considerations it is manifest that baptism is not to be confined to persons who are savingly regenerated by the truth, but should be administered to all who are to receive instruction in the Gospel. It is the sign of outward discipleship to Christianity, not of saving personal piety. There is one circumstance, not yet noticed, which strikes me as of much importance in its bearing on our enquiry, regarding the qualifications for baptism, — I mean the connexion between the extent of our Saviour's mediatorial authority and his direction to make disciples by administering baptism. His words are, " all power is given unto me in heaven and in earth : go ye, there- fore, and make disciples all nations, baptizing them," &c. FOB BAPTISM. 41 Jesus Christ is already the Head over all nations ; his authority is already co-extensive with the human race ; he claims from all the homage of the heart to his will, as being already bound to render him allegiance, that they may share his saving benediction. The commission prescribes the course to be pursued for the purpose of bringing men thus to acknowledge him as their Lord and King. He is so by right and title; but the object sought, is to make the world give him the glory due. This object is to be gamed by instruction and persuasion — the only means by which man can win the heart of his fellow. Unrestricted then as is the range of Christ's authority and claim over the human race, is to be the work of making mankind disciples, baptizing them, and teaching them to observe all tilings, whatever he has commanded. The power of Moses extended over all the Israelites ; and all the Israelites were baptized unto him. The power of Christ extends over all nations ; therefore, all nations are to be baptized unto him. Baptizing, you may observe, is connected with our Saviour's head- ship over the world ; it is not confined to his headship over the Church ; the range of it corresponds with the obliga- tion of the Gospel. The rule of its administration, so far as men are willing to submit to it, is to be the extent of Christ's claim, not of the practical saving acknowledg- ment of it. All that are bound to obey Him are to be made disciples, baptized and taught, in order that they may obey Him.* * It will doubtless occur to some readers that the views I have advanced ou the design of baptism, and on the qualifications for it, would warrant an equally indiscriminate admission of persons to " Church-fellowship" and "the Lord's Supper." In one sense of the word " Church," that is, when by it is 4*2 THE QUALIFICATIONS In connexion with the qualifications for baptism, I must be allowed to notice what appears to be a great inconsistency, and more than an inconsistency, in the baptismal service of the Church of England. My allusion meant the whole portion of mankind who are outwardly discipled to Jehovah's religion, withoutregard to their being "born of God," Baptism is the sign of admission to membership. In this general sense, the word is employed by Stephen to denote the whole nation of Israel ; — " This is he which was with the Church in the wil- derness ;" (Acts vii. 38,) and in this sense of the word, circumci- sion was the sign of admission to the " Church." But it appears from the New Testament that from among the multitude of the baptized were formed organized societies of per- sons, each society meeting for worship in one place; and that to these societies was given the name of "Churches." Thus we read of "the Churches of Judea," "the Churches of Galatia," " the seven Churches of Asia," &c. From the account given of the persons composing these particular Churches, it appears that they were, or professed to be and ought to have been, persons on whom the truth had taken effect to their conversion and salvation. Thus we read (Acts ii. 47,) "the Lord added to the Church daily the saved." The same fact is proved by the style in which the members of these " Churches" are addressed in the inspired epistles, as chosen of God, redeemed by Christ, temples of the Holy Spirit, and fellow-sojourners to the heavenly glory. These Churches are described as "God's building;" and solemn ad- monitions are given that none but " Israelites indeed" should be received to fellowship. " If any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble ; every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, be- cause it shall be revealed by fire ; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work abide which be hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss; but he himself shall be saved, yet so as by fire. Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you. If any man defile the tem- ple of God, him shall God destroy ; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are." These admonitions are often explained as FOR BAPTISM. 43 to it is made in no unfriendly spirit towards that com- munion, but from a concern that the Gospel may, in all the professed exhibitions of it, stand forth freed from whatever man has attached to it, that deforms, obscures, referring to doctrines that ministers should preach, or to character that Christians should cultivate ; but they are far more naturally to be understood of persons admitted to fellowship. It was as a Church, not as individuals, the persons addressed were " God's building ;" the materials of which the building consisted were the members of the Church ; the prevalence of carnality among them warranted the supposition that due regard had not been had to ,, spirituality in admitting to fellowship ; the zeal for party, wishing to increase adherents, led to and increased this evil; the evil rebuked was a habit of worldly policy (verses 18—20,) which may shew itself in administering in the Church, equally as in any thing else; and, finally, the admonitions thus understood form a most appropriate introduction to the statements on Church government which follow in the fifth and part of the sixth chapters. Bloomfield in his N. T. 2nd. Ed. says, "The whole passage is allegorical. The Christian congregation being the building, and its ministers the architects.'" Every Church of Christ as God's building should be an edifice excellent alike for preciousness and durability ; not a frail combustible structure made up of boards and thatch, however large and shewy to look on. Only as Churches answer to the kind of structure first named, will the builders of them receive a reward. All other work in piling together materials, will be but preparing fuel for the fire ; and the person whose work it is, will have to see all his labour destroyed, and be thankful that he is himself permitted to escape the ruin. " The Lord's Supper" is to be celebrated by the " Church" when assembled in their " Church capacity." See 1 Cor. xi. 17 — 22. Consequently the same qualifications are required for it, as for Church-fellowship, of which indeed it is the symbol. By partaking of it we profess our joint-participation in the death of Christ for salvation and fellowship with God. See 1 Cor. x. 16, 17, 20, 21. The directions and cautions given as to the state of mind with which it should be approached, clearly shew the class of persons for whom it was designed. See 1 Cor. xi. 27—32. 44 THE QUALIFICATIONS or counteracts it. And Christ's followers should be forward to detect and put away whatever is contrary to " the faith which was once delivered to the saints." When a child is presented for baptism in the Church of England, " Godfathers and Godmothers," as they are called, present themselves with it, in the capacity of the child's sponsors. This sponsorship, you will perceive, includes not merely an engagement that the parties will do what they can for the religious education of the child, afterwards ; it is a solemn pledge made on behalf of the child, that he is already, or will in after life be, a con- verted person. After the clergyman has prayed that the child may be regenerated by the Holy Spirit in the baptism, " Then shall the Priest speak unto the God- fathers and Godmothers on this wise; — Dearly beloved, ye have brought this child here to be baptized, ye have prayed that our Lord Jesus Christ would vouchsafe to receive him, to release him of his sins, to sanctify him with the Holy Ghost, to give him the kingdom of heaven and everlasting life. Ye have heard also that our Lord Jesus Christ hath promised in his Gospel to grant all those things that ye have prayed for ; which promise he, on his part, will most surely keep and perform." Let me pause before proceeding, and enquire, where in the whole Scripture is it promised that children shall be pardoned, sanctified, and made heirs of glory by the administration of baptism ? But the address goes on — "Wherefore, after this promise made by Christ, this infant must also faithfully, for his part, promise by you that are his sureties, (until he come of age to take it upon himself?) that he will renounce the devil and all his works, and constantly believe God's holy Word, and obediently keep his commandments. FOR BAPTISM. 45 " I demand therefore, Dost thou in the name of this child renounce the devil and all his works, the vain pomp and glory of the world, with all covetous desires of the same, and the carnal desires of the flesh, so that thou wilt not follow, nor be led by them P" To which the sponsors " answer" for the child, " I renounce them all." Then the " minister" demands " Dost thou believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth ?" reciting the whole of the Apostle's Creed, to which the sponsors " answer" for the child — " all this I stedfastly believe." Next, the minister, still addressing the child in the person of its sponsors, demands — "Wilt thou be baptized in this faith?" To which the child in the person of its sponsors, is made to answer — " That is my desire." Finally, the minister asks the child in the person of his sponsors — ■" Wilt thou then obediently keep God's holy will and commandments, and walk in the same all the days of thy life ?" — To which the child is made to answer, in the person of its sponsors — " I will." On which a prayer is offered that the child may be and do that which has been engaged by his sponsors in his name ; and the administration proceeds. . As above said and as the quotations from the service shew, the promises by the sponsors are not merely to the effect that they will use their best endeavours that the child shall be made wise unto salvation, but solemn positive pledges as to what the child is or shall be. This is further evident from the Catechism afterwards learned by the child. Having said that his name was given him by his Godfathers and Godmothers in his baptism, wherein he " was made a member of Christ, a child of God, and an inheritor of the Kingdom of Heaven," he is asked, 46 THE QUALIFICATIONS " What did your Godfathers and Godmothers then for you P" and is taught to answer — " They did promise and vow three things in my name ; First, that I should renounce the devil and all his works, the pomp and vanity of this wicked world, and all the sinful lusts of the flesh. Secondly, that 1 should believe all the articles of the Christian Faith. And, thirdly, that I should keep God's holy will and commandments, and walk in the same all the days of my life." I have said that there is in this, " great inconsistency, and more than inconsistency." The New Testament never recognises sponsors in baptism ; it neither names them nor makes the remotest allusion to them. They are the invention of after times. Neither does the New Testament require the pledges above demanded, prepara- tory to baptism ; they, also, are the inventions of after times. But, do not other parts of the same service pray that the child may he, and give thanks that he is, regenerated by the Holy Ghost in the baptism tJwn administered P Yet, from the answers given by the spon- sors, it appears that the child is to all intents and purposes regenerated before he is admitted to baptism, and that the church requires him to profess himself in fact re- generated as a condition of his being admitted. While from other parts of the answering it appears as though the actual regeneration of the child were a thing yet future, and not to occur till the child came to be his own master, long subsequent to his baptism ; though the engagement that it should occur some time is demanded in order to his being baptized. Altogether there is most strange and painful confusion in the whole matter ; as if the child were to be made by baptism what he is before it, and yet what he will not be till perhaps many years after it. FOR BAPTISM. 47 For, certaimly, when a person renounces the devil and all his works, the pomps and vanity of this wicked world, and all the sinful lusts of the flesh, believes all the articles of the Christian faith, and walks in God's holy ways, he must be a person regenerated by the Holy Spirit. Consider, however, the pledges given by the sponsor. They are to the effect that the infant is already, or that he shall be, converted. How is it possible that one person should make these pledges for another? Were they pledges of which the law of the land could take any cognizance, and what the law would sustain, then might they be made. But they are pledges regarding what is in its nature beyond human control — pledges not affecting outward acts or property, but a religious state of heart — the decisions of the mind, the resolves of the will, the tenor of the affections. Who, I was going to ask — who in his senses would venture to give any such pledge for another ? and who is warranted to require that pledge to be given for another ? even for a mere infant, of whom, as to religion, he knows nothing, except that it has been born in sin and is by nature a child of wrath ! No one is competent to give the pledge, but God himself; He alone knows the heart, and can fashion it according to his will. And are the pledges redeemed ? Truly I must be allowed to say that the whole affair of this sponsorship is a figment and a fallacy, as unworthy of rationality as it is of religion. When reflecting on it and on the Baptismal Regeneration associated with it, one camiot wonder at Puseyism obtaining a footing for itself in the communion where these things are constantly declared and practised. As long as they are retained free opportunity is afforded for fellowship with the " mystery of iniquity." Oh that the parties immediately 48 PROPRIETY OF concerned, would, with christian and manly zeal, bestir themselves to purge out all this evil leaven, and to bring their views and practices into thorough agreement with the will of God. His word will stand for ever ; but every plant which he hath not planted shall be rooted up. And the sooner the garden is cleared of weeds, the better for the growth and fruitrulness of the plants. 1Y.-THE PROPRIETY OF BAPTIZING INFANTS. It has been earnestly controverted whether the children of parents outwardly discipled to the Gospel are, or are not, to be admitted to the ordinance. My reasons for taking the affirmative on this question are briefly as follow : — 1. Children are naturally and necessarily included in the meaning and range of the commission. The phrase " all nations" embraces all men, women and children, in the population. No age is excepted. Infants, equally with adults, are included. According to the plan and purpose of baptism as set forth in the commission, the ordinance applies to them equally as to any other class. They need the blessings which the Gospel reveals, and they require to be taught the contents of the Gospel in order to their obtaining its blessings ; therefore, should they be made disciples to it, and be trained up from the very outset in the knowledge of its truths, as their faculties of understanding are able to take in the doctrine of redeeming love. They are subjects of the Saviour's mediatorial reign — from their birth they are under obligation to give him homage, according to the degree in which they are capable of voluntary action ; therefore should they from their birth BAPTIZING INFANTS. 49 be placed in course of preparation for fulfilling the obligation under which they have been born, as the end for which they have been ushered into being, and without attaining which it would be better they had never existed. It is enjoined on parents to treat their children as " dis- ciples." There is not a more direct and positive command than that they should " bring up their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord." Even those who object to baptize infants, admit and insist that parents ought thus to regard their offspring — with all assiduity and prayer seeking to make the youngest in their household wise unto salvation. Their error is that they mistake the place of baptism. Instead of regarding it as initiatory to a state of discipleship in which persons are to be taught, they postpone it till persons have gone so far through their discipleship, and made such good use of its advantages, as to prove that they have mastered all that is essential to be known. But this, it has been already made apparent — or rather, I feel warranted to say, it stands out upon the face of the commission — is a violation of Christ's order — " Go, make disciples all nations, baptizing them, teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you." If children are entitled to all the privileges of discipleship, and by consent of both parties in this argument, are to be treated as disciples, why for a moment hesitate about giving them the divinely ordained sign of introduction thereto ? If God did not vouchsafe to children the outward means of conversion and salvation, then, indeed, withhold from them God's ordained token of admission ; but if, as all parties agree, children are to be admitted, in consistency and duty let them be admitted in God's own way. C 50 PROPRIETY OF It is objected that infants are incapable of knowledge and faith. I reply that with persons who are at their own disposal, by having come to adult age, becoming disciples to the Gospel, must be their own act. In order to make them disciples you must convince them that they ought to learn the Gospel. Accordingly, belief that Christianity is a divine religion was required in adults in order to baptism, when the Gospel was first preached. But with infants the case is different. They are at the disposal of their parents or others for instruction and training in things secular, and in things religious. Their becoming disciples is at the will of others, not their own. And it is universally acknowledged to be the duty of those in whose charge they are, to make them disciples to the Gospel.* It has been said that we have no command for baptiz- ing infants. We maintain the contrary. We affirm that the phrase " all nations" includes infants, as well as adults. True, the word " infants" does not occur in the command to baptize ; but neither does the word " adults ;" and so far there is no command to baptize adults. The plain fact is that the command regards both; and the ordinance, from its declared place and purpose, applies equally to both. 2. The introduction of children to the outward privileges of the Gospel by baptism, corresponds with the rule observed under the former covenant. * " A person may be one's disciple in a twofold manner ; either when he, knowingly and voluntarily, of his own judgment and will, commits himself to any one for instruction ; or when, by his parents and guardians, in whose power he is placed, he is so committed and entrusted," &c. See "Wetstein on Matt, xxviii. 19, quoted in Bloomfield's Recensio Synoptica, in loc. BAPTIZING INFANTS. 51 As I had occasion to observe before, baptism being called "the circumcision of Christ" implies a corres- pondence between the two institutions. Circumcision was observed in all ages, from Abraham downwards, till the Messiah came, before as well as after the giving of the law from Sinai, as the sign of the " covenant confirmed of God in Christ" and the token of admission to its advantages. The ceremony was to be administered to all on their coming within the range of the covenant, whether the person had been born an Israelite, or was proselyted to Jehovah from Gentilism. That divine ordinance was to be administered to infants, as well as to uncircumcised adults ; — at eight days old every male child was to be circumcised. Those infants neither understood nor believed any thing about the ordinance, at the time it was performed ; still their ignorance and want of faith did not prevent their being introduced by it within the range of privilege. Some half-sceptical Israelites might demand, " what good can it do them, all but unintelligent and unconscious infants, who know nothing about it ?" The pious Israelite would reply — " God is the better judge as to the rationality and propriety of his own institutions ; He could have dis- pensed with ceremonies altogether ; but he has not willed to do so ; He has ordained circumcision, and on that account I observe it ; He has appointed it as the ceremony of introduction to privileges which I greatly prize for myself and for my offspring with me ; I bow to his authority, and do whatsoever he commands." And this reply, which a pious Israelite might make to cavils about circumcising children, is substantially our answer to all similar cavils against baptizing them. When the apostle declares that the Israelites " were 52 PROPEIETY OF all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea," it implies that the infant children, as well as the adults, among them, were so baptized. The same authorities which inform us that baptism was connected with circumcision in admitting proselytes to the congregration of Israel, inf©rm us also that infants, as well as adults, were baptized. After quoting testi- monies that they baptized women, Lightfoot says, " They baptized also young children (for the most part with their parents.) ' They baptize a little proselyte according to the judgment of the Sanhedrim,' that is, as the gloss renders it, 'If he be deprived of his father, and his mother brings him to be made a proselyte, they baptize him (because none becomes a proselyte without circum- cision and baptism) according to the judgment or right of the Sanhedrim,' &c. And the Gemara a little after ; If with a proselyte his sons and his daughters are made proselytes also, that which is done by their father redounds to their good. R. Joseph saith, When they grow into years they may retract.' Where the gloss writes thus ; ' This is to be understood of little children, who are made proselytes with their father.' — ' If an Israelite take a Gentile child, or find a Gentile infant, and baptizeth him in the name of a proselyte, behold, he is a proselyte.' " (Vol. xi. p.p. 56, 57.) As Lightfoot afterwards argues in answer to the objection that there is no command to baptize infants — " It is not forbidden to baptize infants, — therefore they are to be baptized. And the reason is plain. For when Pcedobaptism in the Jewish Church was so known, usual, and frequent, in the admission of proselytes, that nothing almost was more known, usual, and frequent, there was no need to strengthen it with any precept, when baptism was now passed into an evangelical BAPTIZING INFANTS. 53 sacrament. For Christ took baptism into his hands, and into evangelical use, as he found it ; this only added, that he might promote it to a worthier end and a larger use. The whole nation knew well enough that little children used to be baptized : there was no need for a precept for that which had ever, by common use, prevailed." Apart, however, from this proselyte baptism of infants by the Jews, the simple fact, on all hands acknowledged, that little ones had, with their parents, always been admitted, under divine authority, to the outward means of conversion and salvation by the appointed ordinance of discipleship, certainly warrants us to require proof that a change in this respect has been made by Christ, before we can withhold from them the ceremony of discipleship under the Gospel. And this proof is the more necessary because it is equally agreed that children are to be made disciples, though one party affirms that the sign of discipleship is not to be administered to them. The change made by the Christian dispensation as to the admission of persons to the outward means of salvation, consisted in the admis- sion of Gentiles just as the Jews had been admitted before. " By revelation he made known unto me the mystery, which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto the holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit, that the gentiles should be fellow-heirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the Gospel." (Eph. iii. 3, 5, 6.) Now the inference is most natural and necessary, that as among the Jews, according to the previous divine constitution of things, children had with their parents been made sharers of the privileges in 54 PROPRIETY OF question, so under the new economy, children with their parents, whether Jews or Gentiles, are to be made sharers of those privileges still ; unless, as I have said, proof can be given of an alteration having been made by our Lord in this particular. 3. So far from that change having been made, the New Testament expressly declares the right of children to the privileges of which baptism is the appointed sign. It would indeed be strange if the Gospel in any respect abridged religious privileges, either lessening their number, or excluding from them parties who had before shared them. Does it abridge them with regard to infants ? We are all familiar — I hope the youngest of our children, capable of understanding, is familiar — with the account given by the evangelists Matthew, Mark and Luke, of our Saviour's regard towards little children — "infants" — whom their parents brought to him that he should bless them. Some of the disciples were for keeping them back ; perhaps thinking it beneath the dignity of Christ or a useless occupation of his time that he should be troubled with little children ; forgetting what was foretold — " he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom;" and, it may be, enquiring " what can those infants know of the meaning or worth of what is asked from him for them ?" Ah ■ what a mercy it is that the kindness and condescension of the Lord of glory is greater than his professed servants manifest ! and be assured it is no proof of greatness or of goodness to be above noticing the " little ones." Jesus, observing that his disciples rebuked those who were bringing the infants, "was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not, for of such is the Kingdom of BAPTIZING INFANTS. 55 God." (Matt. x. 14.) The last expression, " of such is the Kingdom of God," has often been taken to signify that regenerate persons, having the spirit of adoption, are the persons who shall inherit future glory. But this, though a truth, is not the truth here asserted by our Lord. In saying what he did, his object was to give a reason for allowing those infants to be brought to him for his blessing ; and surely the fact that persons " bora again" shall inherit heaven, affords no reason why infants should not be brought to him as was then done. By the phrase "Kingdom of God" here, as very frequently in the Gospels, must be understood the Christian dispensation. The words, "of such," must intend and include "infants" such as were then brought to him, and must mean that the Christian dispensation was to receive them to its advantages; — otherwise our Lord's statement presents no argument bearing on his purpose. Nor did he at all vary from it when he added, " Yerily I say unto you, whosoever shall not receive the Kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein." In what respect must the person who would be admitted to the Christian dispensation be " as a little child ?" The resemblance referred to cannot be spiritual regeneration, for that is no special property of little children, setting them forth as a model of what adults must be. The requisite demanded is — need of instruction in order to salvation, and suitable- ness to be made a subject of that instruction. All such are by divine authority to be welcomed within the range where that instruction, as afforded under the Gospel, is administered. Adults needing it and desiring it for them- selves, are to be admitted ; and, as children need it, if their parents, or others in whose charge they are, desire it, they are to be admitted also. This view of the text 56 PROPRIETY OF makes one part of it harmonize with another, and the whole of it with our Lord's purpose. Having thus given the reason for receiving the infants that were then brought to him, he at once acted upon it ; — " he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them." A more express recognition of infants' right to the means of salvation under the Gospel — or one of higher authority — could not be given. It is, indeed, the de- claration of a law by the Sovereign Saviour of the world himself — the declaration of a law at an approach to the infraction of which, the Divine Lawgiver "was much displeased." Could any man forbid water that those should not be baptized, whom Christ said were to be welcomed into his kingdom, and whom, in proof of the welcome he gave them, he took up in his arms, laid his hands on them, and blessed them P Their claim of entrance to the state to which baptism initiates is here chartered by the King of glory ; ought they not therefore to be baptized ? In 1 Cor. vii. 14, the apostle, writing of a married couple of whom one is a Christian and the other a heathen, states — "the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband ; else were your children unclean, but now are they holy." That the sanctity imparted to children from the circumstance that one of their parents is a believer, is not holiness of nature, or saving holiness, need not I suppose be proved. The children of believers are, like others, shapen in iniquity ; the most eminent saint has no power to transmit his piety to his posterity. With as little reason can we understand the word " holy" as meaning that the offspring of such a parentage is legitimate ; for if persons are lawfully married, although both of them are pagans, profligates or even atheists, BAPTIZING INFANTS. 57 their children are as legitimate as they would be if both the parents were free from sin as were Adam and Eve before the fall. A third meaning of the words " holy" and " unclean/' is the only one admissible here. It is the sense in which the Scripture employs them to describe the Jews as admissible, and the Gentiles as not admissible, to the outward privileges of the Jewish Church ; the doing away of which distinction, and making both alike admissible, was taught the apostle Peter in the vision before he went to Cornelius. By that vision God shewed him that he was not to " call any man common or unclean" — all are, under the Gospel, equally entitled by divine warrant to share the revelation of divine mercy through the Messiah, and if they desire it, are to be admitted. In this sense of the words, before Christ came, the Jews were, as a nation, including adults and children, "holy;" the Gentiles were all "unclean." Now both are alike " holy" by divine appointment ; none are "unclean" but those who make themselves so by unbelief towards Christianity, or are made so by the unbelief of those in whose charge they are. The doctrine of the apostle in the text before us, is that when either husband or wife is a believer in Christianity, it so affects the other party as to outward religious privileges, that their children are entitled to them, as they would be if both the parents were believers. Baptism is the sign of that sanctity — the token of entrance upon that " holy" state — the form of purification or consecration to a par- ticipation of outward religious privileges, as the means to inward saving grace.* • Consistently herewith it has been proposed to translate the Greek words, " Baptize" and " Baptism" by " purify" and "pu- rification" — expressing the religious import of the ceremony. c2 58 PROPRIETY OF The term " holy" as signifying right of admission to outward religious privileges, occurs also in Romans xi. 16. The Apostle is asserting that the Jews, though cast off from the visible church for not recognizing Jesus their Messiah, have not deprived their posterity of the external sanctity possessed by their forefathers. His words are, " If the first fruit be holy, the lump is also holy ; and if the root be holy, so are the branches." And he proceeds to shew that if the Jews abide not in unbelief they shall be restored to the privileges from which, on account of it, they have been excluded. 4. The Apostles in fulfilling their ministry appear to have acted in regard to children consistently with these views. It is true we have it not stated in so many words that infants were baptized. But are we thence to infer that none were baptized ? What will our friends who affirm this, say to the total silence of the New Testament as to any adult being baptized, whose parents had become christians when he was an infant ? The New Testament extends through a range of sixty years from our Lord's ascension; yet not a case of the kind is named or remotely alluded to. Will our friends affirm that the apostles never baptized any adults who were infants when their parents were baptized ? They themselves baptize such persons ; but for so doing they have not the shadow of either precept or example in the whole book of God. If the silence of the New Testament, supposing it to be silent, proves a negation in the one case, it surely proves it equally in the other. And we shall then have to conclude that no persons who were infants when their parents were baptized, were themselves baptized in the apostolic age, or ought to be baptized now. Will our friends adopt this conclusion ? BAPTIZING INFANTS. 59 No mention is made of circumcision or the passover having been observed at various periods of the Jewish history. Are we thence to infer that those ordinances were, at those periods, not observed at all ? The answer is that they were observed as a matter of course, and it was not necessary to record it in order to inform us of it. The omission of either, when it did occur, is mentioned, as of circumcision during the passage through the wilder- ness and of the passover before the reformation under Hezekiah. To those who say that " the baptism of infants not being expressly mentioned in the New Testament, therefore infants are not to be baptized — " we reply that the mention of it was not required to assure us of the fact. It was prescribed in the commission — - it was implied in the very nature and intent of the ordi- nance — it had been substantially involved in the previous practice of the church of God — and the status of privilege to which baptism is the initiatory rite, was expressly chartered to infants by Christianity. The baptizing of infants came as a matter of course, and a formal record of it to let us know that it was practised, was, under the circumstances, altogether superfluous. But is the New Testament quite as silent on this point as certain persons would have us to believe ? In putting this question I refer to what have been properly called "family-baptisms" which the New Testament records, particularly the two mentioned in Acts xvi. From verses 13 — 15 we read—" On the Sabbath we went out by a river side, where prayer was wont to be made ; and we sat down, and spake unto the women which resorted thither. And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard us ; whose heart the Lord opened 60 OX BAPTIZING INFANTS. that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul. And when she was baptized, and her house- hold, she besought us, saying, if ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house and abide there ; and she constrained us." Lydia and her family were all baptized. No mention is made of any in the family being a believer but herself. The implication is that when she became a proselyte or disciple to Christianity, all that were in her charge were received with herself to the ceremony of proselytism or discipleship. The nar- rative was written and must be understood according to the sense which a Jew would attach to it. And enough has been already said to shew that this style of narrative would convey to a Jewish reader the idea, that when Lydia had become a proselyte or disciple herself, she and all that belonged to her, including infants if she had any> were all baptized together. Language resembling this, and suggesting the same conformity with Jewish usages, occurs with regard to the Jailor, in verse 35 ; " And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes ; and was bap- tized, HE AND ALL HIS STRAIGHTWAY." Written Or read by any one — especially written or read by a Jew, familiar with the reception of proselytes or disciples to Judaism — this statement implies that the man himself desiring to be received as a proselyte or disciple to Chris- tianity, he and all that belonged to him, down to the youngest babe among his children, were baptized as a matter of course. We further read that " he rejoiced, believing in God with all his house" — he, having believed in God, rejoiced in the great blessing which had now come to his whole family by their being brought within the pale of instruction to salvation — and well he might rejoice with exceeding joy for himself and them. MODE OF BAPTISM 61 That children were sharers in the stated means of grace in connexion with the apostolic churches, and as such occupied the place of baptized persons, appears from the addresses to them and their parents, in the inspired epistles ; — the style of address shews also that they were little children : " Children obey your parents in the Lord ; for this is right. Honor thy father and mother ; which is the first commandment with promise : that it may be well with thee, and thou may est live long on the earth. And ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath ; but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord." Eph. vi. 1 — 4. See also Col. iii. 20, 21. Surely the children thus addressed in an inspired letter, had been " made disciples." And if they had been made disciples accord- ing to Christ's form, they must have been baptized. This branch of the subject, like the others, might be greatly extended. Sufficient has, however, I hope, been stated to shew that not only adults desiring to learn the Gospel, but also infants who are to be trained in the knowledge of it, are to be baptized. Y.-THE MODE OF BAPTISM. It is on all hands agreed that water is the element to be employed. A difference of opinion exists as to the mode in which it should be applied. Some Christian people insist that in order to a true baptism, the person must be put into water and immersed by plunging ; and they deny that any other mode of performing the cere- mony can be regarded as a baptism. Many more Christian people, certainly not inferior to their neighbours in learning or piety, maintain that though immersion by plunging may he considered a baptism, yet the baptism 62 MODE OF BAPTISM. is at least equally proper which is administered by sprinkling, shedding, or pouring the water upon the person to be baptized. Of course, if nothing but immer- sion be scriptural baptism, it is a breach of the divine law and a nullifying of the ordinance, to pretend to administer it any other way. If plunging the whole body beneath the water be the precise thing commanded us baptism, all persons who have not been so plunged, in whatever way water has been applied to them as a baptism, must be considered as yet unbaptized. On the other hand, if the scripture recognizes sprinkling, shedding, or pouring, as baptizing, to insist upon immer- sion as essential to baptism, is a denial of truth and an attempt to put a yoke on the neck of Christ's followers which their master has not imposed. The matter may not be in itself of great moment ; but if the divine word teaches that sprinkling, shedding, or pouring, is a proper mode of baptizing, it ought to be so affirmed and acknowledged by all Christian people ; and if inspiration gives us liberty as to the mode of baptizing, we ought to assert that freedom for ourselves in opposition to all who would wrest it from us. It will perhaps be thought that in putting the subject thus I have taken very low ground ; and I think I should be fully warranted in assuming higher. My conviction is, that a single decided instance of baptism by immersion, is not on record in the New Testament ; while there are not a few instances of baptizing by other modes. But if we can shew under inspired authority that baptism may be performed without immersion, our point is gained — our practise is established. Let us enquire and ascertain — " What saith the Scripture ?" A great deal of stress is laid on the employment of MODE OF BAPTISM. 63 certain prepositions, in relating the performance of bap- tism ; as when John is said to have baptized the people "in" Jordan, and as when Philip and the Eunuch are said to have both gone down " into" the water, and to have come up "out of" the water. Now without laying stress on the fact that the prepositions might as well be rendered " with," " at," " to" and " from," there is one point yet to be determined that involves the whole question at issue. It is this — " Supposing the baptizer and the baptized to have been both in the water, what was the act done by the one party to the other, and described by the words — he baptized him ?" Our con- clusion on this point, in the absence of express testimony, must depend on probability, founded on what knowledge we have of the circumstances of the case. Great stress has been laid also on the statement that John was baptizing in Enon, near to Salim, because there was " much water" there. The name of the place, Enon," signifies "fountains," and the words rendered "much water" answer to that meaning, being properly " many waters." That John chose that place for carrying on his ministry because it had water of sufficient depth for immersing the people, is assumption, not proof. It might have been selected from its containing many springs as affording the multitudes who came to John a good supply of water, not for baptizing only, but for other necessary purposes. And surely to baptize the myriads that came to him, even if he employed sprinkling only, would demand a tolerable quantity — a quantity not frequently to be had, considering what we know of the country and its climate. Much has been said, further, on the expressions in Eomans vi. and Colossians ii, — "we are buried with 64 MODE OF BAPTISM. him by baptism into death" — " buried with him in bap- tism" — as if there must be in the form of baptism what corresponds with a burial. We might, with equal reason insist that there ought also to be in the form of it what corresponds with a crucifixion, a planting, and a circum- cision, which I presume will not be contended for. Allow me to ask with what mode of burial is the mode of baptizing to correspond ? Among ourselves, commonly, a grave is dug, the corpse is laid in it, and is then buried by having the earth thrown in upon it. With some of the ancients the corpse was laid on the ground, and a heap of earth or stones was raised upon it. The Romans burnt their dead, and preserved their bones in an urn. Our Saviour's body was put into a cave, hewn out of a rock, and the floor of which was not below the level of the ground without. Now a moment's reflection will convince that a burial ty plunging answers to none of these methods ; though it may resemble an interment at sea. Whether pouring or shedding forth water upon the person to be baptized, at all corresponds with the first or second of the modes of burial just named, I leave others to judge. According to the ritual of the Church of England, the act of burial is performed by letting a small quantity of earth fall upon the body, as each of the following expressions are pronounced by the min- ister ; — " earth to earth," " ashes to ashes," " dust to dust."* • As a form this "burial service" is a beautiful composition. The circumstance to be deplored is its indiscriminate use. When will this profanation cease ? How long will ministers of Christ, at the interment of worldlings, and worse than worldlings, thank God that he has of his great mercy takeD to himself the soul of their dear brother here departed ? &c. MODE OF BAPTISM. 65 It has been said, and said with great confidence, and said by men who ought to have been competent to give an opinion, that the words "baptize" and "baptism" always have the idea of immersion — that they never have the idea of pouring, shedding or sprinkling. We shall briefly test the accuracy of this assertion by an appeal to the use of the words in the New Testament. 1. The gift of miraculous powers at Pentecost and on other occasions, is called a baptism, and that was not by immersion. This wonderful baptism was foretold by John the Baptist and our Saviour, as it had also been in the Old Testament. In Matthew iii. 11, we read, "I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance : but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear; he shall baptize you with the Holt Ghost and with fire." In John i. 29 — 33, we read, " the next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. This is he of whom I said, after me cometh a man winch is preferred before me ; for he was before me. And I knew him not ; but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water. And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him. And I knew him not ; but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remain- ing on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holt Ghost." In Acts i. 4, 5, we read, Jesus " being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard 66 MODE OF BAPTISM. of me. For John truly baptized with water ; but ye SHALL BE BAPTIZED WITH THE HOLT GHOST IlOt many days hence." Here, then was a great baptism predicted; can we determine how it was administered ? Were the persons baptized with it taken by the baptizer and immersed by plunging them into the Holy Ghost ? or did the baptizer pour out or shed forth the Holy Ghost upon them ? The answer given by the divine oracles to these questions will settle the dispute as to the mode of baptism. Let the inspired records themselves speak. — " And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues, like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance." " This is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel ; And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, that I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh : and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams : and on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days, of my Spirit; and they shall prophecy." " This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses. Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this which ye now see and hear." Acts ii. i — 4 ; 16 — 18 ; 33. " When the apostles which were at Je- rusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of MODE OF BAPTISM. 67 God, they sent unto them Peter and John ; who, when they were come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Ghost; for as yet he was fallen upon none of them ; only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus." (viii. 14 — 16.) " While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word. And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost. Then answered Peter, can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we ? And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord." (x. 44 — 48.) " And as I began to speak, the Holy Ghost fell on them as on us at the beginning. Then re- membered 1 the word of the Lord, how that he said, John indeed baptized with water ; but ye shall be baptized WITH THE HOLY GHOST," (xi. 15, 16.)* According to these inspired statements, to baptize persons with the Holy Ghost, is to pour out or shed forth the Holy Ghost upon them. When persons are baptized with the Holy Ghost, the Holy Ghost falls upon them. Could a clearer explanation of the mode of baptizing be given ? Shall we be again told that the words " baptize" and " baptism," so far as mode is con- cerned, signify only immersion by plunging ? • In these texts the word which expresses the act of the baptizcr, €«x ew ) ispourout or shed forth ; joined with the preposition cm upon, with an accusative, it explains what is meant by )8a7rTi£a>, baptize. The word used to describe the mode in which the elemeDt came in contact with the person is e-nnrmrw fall upon. Any one that can read the Greek Testament must see that the idea of immersion by plunging is utterly excluded by this phraseology. It is useless reasoning with the man who denies this. 68 MODE OF BAPTISM. These passages render impossible the idea that, when the Saviour baptized his followers with the Holy Ghost, he immersed them in it by plunging. The scene pre- sented to us by the accounts given is that of our Saviour, seated on his throne in heaven, the Head of the church and of the universe ; in the exercise of his glorious prerogative, as the divine baptizer, he takes of the fulness of spiritual influence which is at his disposal, and sheds it forth or pours it out upon his servants here below. That, by His judgment, and by the judg- ment of his inspired apostles, is baptizing. If there be no baptizing where there is not immersion by plunging, John's prophecy and our Lord's promise of baptism with the Holy Ghost have never been fulfilled; and John was wrong, the prophet Joel was wrong, our Saviour was wrong, and his apostles were wrong, when they referred to the pouring out or shedding forth of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, as a fulfilment of that prophecy and promise. Happily we know whom to believe ; " To the law and to the testimony ; if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them." The mode of baptizing with the Holy Ghost, being thus settled by a judgment not to be impugned, it would be fair to infer from it, in the absence of other evidence, that baptizing with water is to be performed in the same way. If a person on an eminence poured out or shed forth water upon a crowd gathered below, so far as mods was concerned, it might be said that he scripturally baptized the crowd with water, according to the represen- tations we have now had before us. When John said, "I baptize you with water, but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost," and when our Lord said, " John truly baptized with water, but ye shall be baptized MODE OF BAPTISM. 69 with the Holy Ghost," — it is fair to assume that hoth speakers used the word "baptize/' in the same sense when they spoke of water , as they did when speaking of the Holy Ghost. The implied analogy would be in a great measure lost if we were to render the expressions " immerse by plunging in water," and " pour out or shed forth the Holy Ghost." The word "baptize" in both parts of these sentences naturally, I might say neces- sarily, signifies the same act. We have ascertained that our Lord baptized his followers with the Holy Ghost, by pouring out or shedding forth the Holy Ghost upon them ; the fair presumption is that John baptized his followers with water by the same mode of adminis- tration. Without, however, insisting upon the conclusion just named respecting the mode in which John baptized, no one can refuse to grant that, as poubing out or shed- ding fobth the Holy Ghost upon persons is baptizing them with the Holy Ghost, poubing out or shedding fobth water upon persons is a proper and scriptural mode of baptizing them with water. 2. The ceremonial purifications of the Jews are called " baptisms" in the New Testament, and at least some of them, if not all, were performed by pouring or sprinkling. Some of these purifications were practiced in obedience to the traditions of the elders ; others of them were of divine authority. (1.) As to the "baptisms" enjoined by the traditions of the elders. In the beginning of this work I quoted from Mark vii. 3, 4, a statement that the Jews, following those traditions, did not eat until they had baptized themselves ; also, that they held the baptism of cups and pots, brazen 70 MODE OF BAPTISM. vessels and tables. I likewise referred to Luke xi. 38, where it is said that the Pharisee, with whom our Saviour went to dine, " marvelled that he had not first baptized himself before dinner." It is enquired, How were these tradition-baptisms performed ? Probability is against the Jews having immersed their "tables" (rather "beds" or "couches,") by plunging. It is also against their having immersed themselves by plunging, every time they came from market or went to dinner. But it is useless to discuss probabilities when we have facts which approach certainty. In the ac- count of the marriage-feast at Cana, we read (John ii. 6.) " There were set there six waterpots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins a-piece." It was with the water con- tained in these vessels that the guests and attendants were to perform their lustrations. All the six vessels stood in the guest-chamber where the feast was held. That the guests baptized themselves in the presence of the host and his company, is also shewn by the Pharisee's surprize at our Lord's not baptizing himself before dinner, as mentioned by Luke. Are we then to suppose that each guest when he came in, immersed himself in one of these water-pots, before the whole company ? It cannot be ! Besides — what was the capacity of these water-pots ?" They are said to have contained " two or three firkins a-piece." It is doubtful what particular " measure" is intended by the word translated "firkin." The most likely calculation assigns an average of somewhat more than two gallons to each water-pot. It would be preposterous to think that these " six water-pots" ranged in the guest- chamber, were sixj)lu?ige baths ! The name given to them, translated " water-pots" will not allow of that idea. It MODE OF BAPTISM. 71 occurs only once besides in the New Testament, namely, in John iv. 28 ; where it denotes the vessel which the woman of Samaria brought to carry the water in from Jacob's well — "the woman then left her water-pot and went into the city," &c. The Septuagint has it in Genesis xxiv. to signify the "pitcher," or vessel, which Rebecca brought to the well when she came to draw water, and in which she carried it. It is also used in Judges vii. to express the " pitchers" in which Gideon's three hmidred men carried their lamps, when they went down to the host of Midian. In 1 Kings xvii. it occurs to express the widow's " cruse" of oil ; and in xviii. to signify the vessels which Elijah told them to fill with water, and pour it upon his sacrifice. In Eccles. xii. 6. it expresses the "pitcher" broken at the fountain. Manifestly the word means a comparatively small vessel, by no means what would allow of immersing the person. (2.) As to the "baptisms" enjoined upon the Jews by divine authority. The apostle, in Hebrews ix. 10, speaks of the purifications of the Mosaic law as " divers wash- ings ;" in the Greek the words are " divers baptisms." To shew that some of these " baptisms" were performed not by " immersion" but by " sprinkling," I shall quote two examples. One of them is the cleansing from leprosy, recorded in Leviticus xiv. " This shall be the law of the leper in the day of his cleansing : he shall be brought unto the priest : and the priest shall go forth out of the camp ; and the priest shall look, and, behold, if the plague of leprosy be healed in the leper ; then shall the priest command to take for him that is to be cleansed two birds alive and clean, and cedar wood, and scarlet, and hyssop]: and the priest shall command that one of the birds be 72 MODE OF BAPTISM. killed in an earthern vessel over running water : as for the living bird, he shall take it, and the cedar wood, and the scarlet, and the hyssop, and shall dip them and the living bird, in the blood of the bird that was killed over the running water ; and he shall sprinkle upon him that is to be cleansed from the leprosy seven times, and shall pronounce him clean." A like process was to be observed in purifying the house ; " he shall take the cedar wood, and the hyssop, and the scarlet, and the living bird, and dip them in the blood of the slain bird, and in the running water, and sprinkle the house seven times : and he shall cleanse the house with the blood of the bird, and with the running water,'' &c. (Verses 2—7 ; 51, 52.) The other example you have in Numbers xix. After directions for the burning of the red heifer, and collecting her ashes to be mixed with water and thereby form the water of purification, the directions proceed : — " Whoso toucheth the dead body of any man that is dead, and purifieth not himself, defileth the tabernacle of the Lord ; and that soul shall be cut off from Israel : because the water of separation was not sprinkled upon him, he shall be unclean ; his uncleanness is yet upon him. This is the law, when a man dieth in a tent ; all that come into the tent, and all that is in the tent, shall be unclean seven days. And every open vessel which hath no covering bound upon it, is unclean. And whosoever toucheth one that is slain with the sword in the open fields, or a dead body, or a bone of a man, or a grave, shall be unclean seven days. And for an unclean person they shall take of the ashes of the burnt heifer of puri- fication for sin, and running water shall be put thereto in a vessel : and a clean person shall take hyssop, and MODE OF BAPTISM. 73 dip it in the water, and sprinkle it upon the tent, and upon all the vessels, and upon the persons that were there, and upon him that touched a bone, or one slain, or one dead, or a grave : and the clean person shall sprinkle upon the unclean on the third day, and on the seventh day : and on the seventh day he shall purify himself, and wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and shall be clean at even. But the man that shall be unclean, and shall not purify himself, that soul shall be cut off from among the congregation, because he hath denied the sanctuary of the Lord : the water of sepa- ration hath not been sprinkled upon him ; he is unclean. And it shall be a perpetual statute unto them, that he that sprinkleth the water of separation shall wash his clothes: and he that toucheth the water of separation shall be unclean until even." (Verses. 13 — 21) I refer to this ceremony of sprinkling the " water of separation," because it was a ceremony which the apostle had particularly in view. His mention of the " divers baptisms" is followed almost immediately by the appeal, " If the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes op an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh ; how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God ?" * * I think it uncertain that i?nmersion was required in any of the "washings" enjoined in the Pentateuch. The vessel ordinarily used for "washing" and taken from the same Hebrew word, is mentioned in Psalm lx. 8, cviii. 9, — Moab is my washpot" — what we should call a u wash-basin." The mode of "wash- ing" seems to have been (as it often is with us) to take up the water and apply it to the part to be washed. Thus we read 2 Kings iii. 11, " Elisha the Son of Shaphat who poured water on the hands of Elijah"— the eastern mode of " washing" to this day. 74 MODE OF BAPTISM. 3. The baptism of the Israelites to Moses " with the cloud and with the sea" (1. Cor. x. 2.) was not accom- plished by immersion. The " cloud" wherewith they were baptized was, we may presume, above their heads, and baptized them by letting the water it contained fall upon them. Nothing can be less ambiguous than that the people went through the sea upon " dry ground," the waters being divided to make a way for them, and to be a " wall," or defence, to them on their right hand and on their left. (Exod xiv. 21, 22.) How then could they be at all wetted by it, unless by being sprinkled with its spray. The Egyptians were, indeed immersed, overwhelmed, drowned, by the waters returning after the Israelites had passed over. But the Israelites were not baptized in that way ; — they were not dipped, plunged, or other- wise immersed in the water. 4. Though we have no statement of the mode in which baptism was administered by John the Baptist, by our Saviour, and by the first preachers of the gospel, there are strong presumptions that it was not always, if ever, done by immersion. I have stated that the phraseology used respecting the various baptisms with water, recorded in the New Testa- ment, does not decide what was done when persons were baptized. I have also shewn that if baptism with water was administered in the same way that baptism with the Holy Ghost was administered, it certainly was not performed by immersion, but by pouring. Let me now ask — (I.) Is it more likely that John baptized the multitudes, probably hundreds of thousands, who came to him for the purpose, by plunging them under water, or by pouring MODE OF BAPTISM. 15 or sprinkling water upon them ? Would he have had time or strength for the former mode ? Did the multi- tudes come to him prepared with change of clothing necessary for it ? Did the customs of society, rules of propriety, &c. allow of it ? (2.) Is it more likely that the baptism of the three thousand at Pentecost was performed by plunging them under water, or by pouring or sprinkling water upon them ? Would the time within which it was done — a very few hours — allow of the former mode ? Is it likely they had opportunities for change of dress required by immersion ? Jerusalem was very scantily supplied with water ; it had no river, and hardly a pool large enough for an immersion. How could they procure water suffi- cient, on such an emergency, for plunging so great a number of persons in so short a time ? (3.) Is it more likely that the baptism of the Eunuch was performed by plunging him under water, or by pouring or sprinkling water upon him ? The way along which they were going was "desert," and the "certain water" to which they came must, from that circumstance, from its having no name, and from the way in which it is spoken of, have, been a small quantity, perhaps not more than a transient deposit of rain, that had lately fallen. It does not appear to have been even a brook or a well. The whole transaction seems to have been a light matter, so far as the ceremony was con- cerned — not one which took the time or trouble before and after its performance, that immersion would require. (4.) Is it more likely that the baptism of Cornelius and the people assembled with him to hear Peter, was per- formed by plunging them under water, or by pouring or sprinkling water upon them ? Apart from other consi- 76 MODE OF BAPTISM. derations, the appeal of Peter — " Can any man forbid water that these should not be baptized ?" suggests that water was to be brought and applied to them, rather than that they were to be taken and immersed in water. (5.) Is it more likely that the baptism of Lydia and her household, was performed by plunging under water, or by pouring or sprinkling water upon them ? True, there was a river near, but it is not said they were baptized in it or at it. Other ideas will suggest them- selves on this case, against immersion. (6.) The same question may be asked as to the baptism of the Jailor and his family. "He and all his" were baptized at midnight. Was that a likely time for immersion ? 5. The blessings figuratively represented by baptism do not correspond with immersion. I refer to the spiritualities which the ordinance sym- bolizes — the application of divine truth, of the love of God, of the blood of Christ, and of the Holy Ghost, for our salvation. We never read of being immersed in the word of God ; but we do read, " My doctrine shall drop as the rain, and my speech shall distil as the dew, as the small rain upon the tender herb, and as the dew upon the grass." Deut. xxxii. 2. See also Isaiah lv. 10, 11. We never read of being immersed in the love of God ; but we do read, " the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us." Rom. v. 5. We never read of being immersed in the blood of Christ ; but we do read of the blood of sprinkling, " which speaketh better things than that of Abel," and of u the sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ." Heb. xii. 24 ; 1 Peter i. 2. MODE OF BAPTISM. 77 We never read of being immersed in the Holy Spirit ; but we do read, " I will pour out my Spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring ;" "I will sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean ; from all your filthiness and from all your idols will I cleanse you ;" " the washing of regeneration and renew- ing of the Holy Ghost, which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour." Isaiah xliv. 3 ; Ezekiel xxxvi. 25 ; Titus iii. 5. 6, 6. The sufferings of Christ and his apostles for his sake, are spoken of as a baptism, and affliction and calamitous visitations are commonly described as poured out," or as "falling upon" the parties concerned. When the mother of Zebedee's children came to our Lord asking that her sons might sit on his right hand and on his left in his kingdom, he replied, " ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink of the cup that I drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with ? They say unto him, We are able. And he saith unto them, Ye shall drink indeed of my cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am bap- tized with ; but to sit on my right hand, and on my left, is not mine to give but to them for whom it is prepared of my Father." Instances occur in which afflictions are described as overwhelming persons, as the great swelling wave lifts itself in majesty and pours itself out upon its victim. But the usual metaphor is that of a vessel emptied of its contents upon a person by another individual, for example, in Psalm lxix. 7, " the reproaches of them that reproached thee, are fallen upon me," corresponding with another prophecy of the Messiah's sufferings, "the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all," Isaiah liii. 6. See 78 MODE OF BAPTISM. also Psalm lxxix. 6, " Pour out thy wrath upon the heathen that have not known thee," &c. Jeremiah x. 25, " Pour out thy fury upon the heathen," &c. Daniel ix. 27, " until that determined be poured upon the desolate;" Revelation xvi. containing a description of the pouring out of the seven vials, full of the seven last plagues. But to multiply instances of this phraseology is altogether unnecessary ; it must be familiar to every one acquainted with the style of Sacred Writ. I have been thus full on the question as to the mode of baptism, not because I consider it of great importance in itself, but because others affirm that immersion is essential to the ordinance. I am astonished how such an assertion could have been hazarded by any candid well-judging man, acquainted with the Greek of the New Testament. The proper judgment is rather that the language of the inspired writers excludes immersion, and requires us to administer the rite by pouring or sprinkling. CONCLUSION. In taking leave of my reader he will permit me to say a word on behalf of truth, of charity, and of piety. My wish throughout has been to place before others what appears to myself to be the truth of God regarding a much controverted and ill-understood Christian insti- tute. Every christian person ought to acquaint himself with the subject. In this respect as in every other, we should " Buy the truth and sell it not," whatever be the toil or sacrifice demanded to acquire and to preserve it. Some would avoid all discussion lest we should disturb the peace. But " while the preservation of peace is dear to MODE OF BAPTISM. 79 us, the interests of truth are still more so ; and we should fix our eyes on the order in which the attributes of that celestial wisdom are enumerated, which is, first pure, then peaceable." Let us equally remember that " peaceable" is second only to "pure" among the attributes of that wisdom. While some of the errors exposed on the preceding pages, are fatal to the everlasting interests of men, and with the persons holding them we can have no fellowship as servants of Christ, other points, however determined, will be no hinderance to salvation, and therefore should not obstruct the communion of saints. All whom God vouchsafes to love as his children, we ought to embrace as our brethren. In the foregoing statements I have had occasion fre- quently to distinguish between outward privileges and inward conversion. I now bring that distinction forward again. Let the reader of these lines ascertain the grade of discipleship to which he belongs. Let each that has access to the means of knowledge in redemption, thank God for it ; so far is well ; but more is necessary. Let each that has learned the theory of salvation, thank God for it ; so far is well ; but more is necessary. Let each that has " obeyed the gospel" and thus become a disciple indeed, thank God for it as for the best gift sovereign mercy could bestow — a gift that pledges glory everlast- ing ; — and " let him grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ," — his path being " as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day." W. Porteous, Printer, 18, Wicklow-street. WORKS BY REV. W. URWICK, D.D. Royal 12mo. Cloth, 8s. 6d. THE SAVIOUR'S RIGHT TO DIVINE WORSHIP VINDICATED. Royal 12mo. Cloth, 6s. 6d. SECOND ADVENT OF CHRIST. 8vo. Sewed, Is. GOD IN THE STORM, 12mo. Sewed, Is. ; Cloth, Is. 6d. VALUE AND CLAIMS OF THE SACRED SCRIPTURES. 18mo. Cloth, 3s. 6d.; Roan, 5s. 6d. COLLECTION OF HYMNS. 8vo. Sewed, Is. THOUGHTS ON THE FREE CHURCH OF SCOTLAND. Third Edition, 18mo. 4d. GRACE IN THE BUD ; A SHORT ACCOUNT OF A LITTLE BOY. A Story for the Young, 18mo. 3d. CAPTAIN AND HIS CREW; OR SELF-GOVERN- MENT ILLUSTRATED.