!>JS*? 1'). 
 
 Am^ 
 
 
 
 iiii^ii^felitsieJSft' 
 
 
 1 
 
 t 
 
J) 1 ]l 
 
 
 ^rl 
 
 ■■!■ \ \ 
 
 
 
 ^ I! 
 
 Ill 
 
 OTfc^.^9: 
 
 ^,^ 
 
 
 
 
h 
 
7he true Scripture Do5irine^ / . 
 of the Mode and Subjects of Chriftiail 
 
 BAPTISM', , 
 
 With fome Striftures on Dr. Gill's Sentiments 
 of the Moral Law, and Juitification from Eternity* 
 
 IN SIX LETTERS 
 
 TO A 
 CANDID ANTlPiEDOBAPTIST. 
 
 BEING 
 
 A full Anfwer to Dr. Gill's Sermon, at Mrs. Carmi« 
 
 chaefs dipping, and to all that he ever publifhed on 
 
 Baptifm. 
 
 m ■ ' ' ' ■ ^ ' - 
 
 By H E N R y ^ M A Y O, M. A. 
 
 The Law is holy, and the Commandment holy^juji and good. 
 
 My Yoke is eajy, and my Burden light. 
 
 Baptifm not the putting cway of the Filth of the Fkfh, 
 
 Take heed that ye defpife not one of thefe little ones : For I 
 fay unto yoUy that in Heaven, their Angels do always he-^ 
 hold the Face of my Father* 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 Printed for J a M E s B U c k L a N D, at the Buck, 
 J. Johnson and B. D a v e N p o R t, at the 
 Globe, in Pater-Nofter-Row. M DCC LXVI. . 
 
Ad vertifemene;^ ^^. ^U 
 
 cr*HE writer of the following letters^ hath w pre- 
 judice againft any Antipiedobaptift whatever ; the 
 candid among them he highly efieems \ he is honored with 
 the friendfhip of fever ai^ and hopes he ever f to all : Bis 
 controverfy is neither with great or fmall^ fave Dr, 
 Gill', and nothing but his fupra bigotry opuld have 
 forced him to appear in print, nough the Do5lor de- 
 clares " fcarce any thing new that is ferious and per' 
 *' tineni can be expected from him^^ yet hemufl preachy 
 and print, and reprint on the fubjcof^ and continue to 
 inflame Chriftians one againft another ; and as if all 
 his own brethren were likewife ignorant of the Scrip- 
 tureSy and unlearned^ he hath in the preface to his late 
 fermon^ declared his determination to write againft 
 every advocate for infant Baptifm : ThuSy he hath cer- 
 tainly conftituted himfelf the Champion for the kingdom 
 cf adult dipping \ but how fit a perfon he is for that 
 high office^ the following letters will fhow. Their au^ 
 thor acknowledges himfelf indebted to Mejfrs 'Tow- 
 good's and Fleming's excellent and unanfwerable traBs 
 on the fubjeEl : If he hath brought the controverfy 
 into a lefs compafs^ and refie^ed a little more light on 
 any part of it^ Uis all the merit he claims, hie hopes 
 the letters will be of Jervice, to promote obedience to 
 the law of God-, and charity^ love and mutual for- 
 hearance^ among thofe that differ in an extet nal rite •, 
 and to ejlablifh them that are wavering through the 
 
 cunning 
 
ADVERTISEMENT. 
 
 cunning craftinefs of a few Bigots^ who would cofjU 
 pafs fea and land to make one profelyte to dippings and 
 glory more in him^Than in ninety and nine projelytes to 
 righteoufnefs and holinefs \ who being partakers of 
 Chrift's Baptifm in their infancy ^ need no more water 
 Baptifms^ much lefs Dr, Gill's. 
 
 If this is the fruit (to borrow the DoEior's words) 
 I am content to hear the indignities of men; and Jhall 
 reckon it < n overbalance to all his reproaches and in- 
 fults. Whatever hard names are found in the letters^ 
 are the Bo^ior^s own , which might have been returned 
 to him ^ with much greater propriety^ than he beflowed 
 them on 
 
 C A N D I D U S. 
 

 C O N T E N^-T<: S^ ?;. '^ 
 
 LETTER L ''^^^^^^ 
 
 Page ; 
 
 Sh^ws the Qccafion of the correfpondence and publication, 
 
 LETTER n. 
 
 proves that the moral Law^ and the Commandments of Chrijl^ 
 are not grievous, ^ 
 
 LETTER III. 
 
 Proves that dipping is a grievous command, 15 
 
 LETTER IV. 
 
 Proves that Chrijiian Baptifm^ is lawfully admintflered ly 
 fprinkling, 20 
 
 LETTER V. 
 
 Proves that Infants are lawful Members of Chrift's Church. 
 
 37 
 
 LETTER VL 
 
 flecapitulates the chief Arguments againji Dr^ Gilly and con* 
 iludes with wholefome Advice to him, 64 
 
f^. 
 
 y<~^ 
 
 
 SIX LE TITERS 
 
 r^. ^^ '^^ 
 
 
 Candid Antipaedobaptist. 
 
 LETTER I. 
 
 Sheivs the occafion of the correfpondence and publication. 
 
 Sir, 
 
 AT a late interview, Baptifm was the chief topic 
 of converfation ; the occafion you well know, a 
 third perfon mentioned the name of Carmichael, 
 and fpoke of him as a minifcer of the Kirk of Scotland, 
 converted to your denomination *. Being perfuaded from 
 our frequent converfations upon the eflentials of reli- 
 gion, we could freely converfe about an external rite, 
 without falling out, or thinking the worfe of each other; 
 Baptifm employed our remaining time. Our conference 
 ended, with a refolution to meet at the place where this 
 remarkable convert was to be rebaptized (or baptized 
 which you pleafe. ) As a perfon diftinguiftied with the 
 honourable appellation of D. D. was to officiate ; you 
 remember our expedlations were very high, as to being 
 entertained and profited. We met, but I know you was 
 as greatly difappointed, furprized, and vexed as myfelf j 
 
 * Dr. Gill alfo (for very obvious reafons) hath ftiled him mi- 
 nifter of the gofpel in Edinburgh ; but to whom did hs minifter? 
 And, was his miniilry valid before dipped or not ? Know all 
 men chat it is unqueftionably true, this reverend Profelyte was 
 never a minifter of the Kiik of Scotland, in Edinburgh, or 
 any other place : He was only a private member of that church, 
 and a very unftable one ; for after a time he fell off to the Se- 
 ceders; then he revolted from them to the pure Glafiite?, and 
 now being cafl out by them, he hath joined himfelf to the Cha- 
 ritable Antipoedobap.iic Dr. Gill : With whom may he reft ! 
 
 B from 
 
[2] 
 
 jfrom his prayer, we concluded (as did many heftdes) we 
 had come in vain, not being able to hear half he uttered ; 
 I really thought, through age or infirmities his voice was 
 f impaired, that made him fo low 5 becaufe, in fo folema 
 an a6l of worfhip 2iS prayer^ when a minifter is profefTedly 
 the mouth of the people ; doubtlefs, if able, he ought to 
 fpeak fo as to be heard, elfe how can fellow worfhippers 
 join with him, how can they fay Amen? But, Sir, how 
 foon after mentioning his text, did he convince us, he had 
 a mafculine ftrong voice ? In pronouncing certain words^ 
 yt)Vi obferved the fire burned within him, his eyes flamed, 
 and the whole houfe was filled with his voice ; it founded 
 like a rufliing wind, and (to ufe his own words) we were 
 all as if immerfed into and covered with it, erg^, I was 
 then baptized if never before. You w^ill forgive me this, 
 becaufe yourfelf was a little warm at the Doctor's fermon; 
 and indeed it was impoffible, for any perfon of the ut- 
 moft moderation and charity, but to be fomewhat dif- 
 gufted. 
 
 You were a witnefs, Sir, how he railed at thofe who 
 differed from him: You remember, he reprefented the 
 greater part of the Chriflian world * as unbaptized Hea- 
 thens ; and their minifters, as either unlearned^ or igno^ 
 * rafit of the fcripiures^ or both ; in brief, he made then* 
 either foofs^ or deceivers ; as you heard the fermon, you 
 know this to be no mifrcprefentation of him, or his dif- 
 courfe ; rs;ther the grofieft mifrcprefentation of the fermon 
 preached by Dr. Gill, is that which is now publifhed 
 with his name prefixed. 
 
 The head hangs by a firing tumbled and toft. 
 Some limbs torn off, are laid afide and loft. 
 The body what is left of it rent and tore, 
 Pieces ftuck on that ne'er were his before. 
 But o'er the mangl'd heap, the author ftands 
 Proclaims the work the glory of bis hands. 
 Oh pity him^ Chrijiian friends ! 
 
 * Doubtlefs there are two thoufand Piedobaptifts to one r\n- 
 tlpadobaptift. 
 
 The 
 
f 3] 
 
 The printed fermon to be fure is CathoUcy compared with 
 what he delivered ; the polite words, abfurd^ ahfurdlty^ 
 5cc. you fee are not fo frequently repeated in print j as 
 alfoa gentle turn is given to fevcral pafTages ; he confefles 
 indeed, that what he hath publiihed is no nearer what 
 he preached, than hU memory could afiift him; and it 
 pleafes me, his memory is not quite fo uncharitable as 
 his lips. 
 
 Knowing the Do6lor's great fondnefs to appear in print, 
 hardly an occafional fermon he preaches, but what is 
 *' publijhed at^ or by requeft ;" I thought to give him a gentle 
 admonition or two firft in a public paper, that we might 
 have as mafterly a defence of adult dipping as poflible : 
 You fee. Sir, what good efFe6ls it produced ; angry fnarls 
 from fome of his warm brethren, and a volley of hard 
 names from himfelf, in the preface and notes to his ela- 
 borate work. If his w^orks live to immortality, I fhall 
 live alfo ; and if Chrijllans will believe him, fliall be 
 confidered as a wife-acre^ an ignorant^ impertinent^ lUibe' 
 raly canting^ coivardly, cavillings calumniating^ feoff ng^ four- 
 rilousy vilifying fcribbler^ a lying worthlefs writer. I hear 
 you fay, he has let himfelf low enough indeed ; flrange. 
 Sir, my gentle touch (hould make him wince fo ; but do 
 not fmile at it, for I really fear what will be the confe- 
 quences, both as to himfelf, and with refpecl to others. 
 Hath he not loft the poff.ilion of himfelf? certainly he 
 hath given the enemy too great an advantage over him, 
 and over the com.mon caufe : If Protejhmts can thus treat 
 their brethren, and give way to fnalice^ and envies, and 
 £vilfpeakings^ no wonder if the infallible Church of Romc^ 
 to fiery words add ftakes, to convince us theirs is 
 the right way, and the true church j and compel us to 
 come in. 
 
 His rude attach upon me, you know. Sir, excited no- 
 thing but pity for him in my brcaft ; and when I Tuv how 
 my kind intentions were perverted, and beheld the bitter 
 fruits in his writing and behavior, it almoft repented me, 
 I had ftrovc v/ith him. However, to bring him (li pof- 
 fible) to the proper excrcife of his reafon ; to convince 
 him he is fallible as well as other mortals j and to en- 
 3 % £a-e 
 
r 
 
 4] 
 
 gage him in futuro^ to difplay more humility, juftlce ani3 
 charity, 1 have complied with your and other friends de- 
 fire, to cfFcr my thoughts this way ; hoping with you, 
 that a few candid ftri6lures on the Doctor's ferraon, will 
 be ferviceable to abate his and a few others zuatry^ as well 
 2iS fiery xeal, and make them fpeak and behave towards 
 others, more like Chriftians : Your requeft of prefixing 
 my name is alfo granted, which (as the Do6lor knew by 
 a letter) might have been difpenfed v/ith ; but as you hint, 
 it will prevent his having any more recourfe, to that ftale 
 obfervation of the Indians way of fighting. My next 
 fliall bring to remembrance the Do6tor's judicious expla-* 
 mtion of his text : In the mean time I am. 
 
 Yours, 6cc, 
 
[ 5] 
 
 LETTER II. 
 
 Proves that the moral Law, and the Commandments of Chrlji^ 
 are not grievous. 
 
 Sir, 
 
 TH E Dodor's text you remember was i John v. 3. 
 For this is the love of God, that we keep his command" 
 mentSy and his commandments are not grievous. By the 
 commands, he told us, " the Apoftle did not mean the 
 " Ten Commandments filled the moral law, 7io, the mo- 
 *' ral precepts were grievous, a fiery law, the miniftra- 
 " tion of condemnation and death ; and as they were 
 " not eafy of obfervation, fo they were not binding on 
 " Chrift's difciples ; therefore Baptifm and the Lord's 
 '' Supper muft be here underftood by the command- 
 *' ments, which Chriftians were to keep, and which were 
 " not grievous." I can fafely appeal to you, whether 
 thefe were not his expreffions verbatim^ (if a word or two 
 be omitted or added, it is on the candid fide) which gave 
 us great concern \ and you remember made me fay, 
 his expofition of the text was douhtlefs ad rem : You thought 
 this was too gentle a rebuke ; and wondered I had not 
 been more faithful, and more fevere upon him ; for his 
 fevere treatment of the law of God ; for reprefenting that 
 in fo unfavourable a light, which recommends itfelf in 
 every precept to all men ; which is the voice of nature, 
 and of reafon, as well as of revelation : Indeed, Sir, I 
 judge with you, that there is not a moral precept in the 
 Bible, but reafon at once approves of, and which every 
 man's confcience tells him it is his indifpenfible duty to 
 efteem' and obey. What hath God required of man, but 
 to do juJUy, to love mercy, and to walk humbly zvithhis God ^ 
 are, thefe things to be complained of and efteemed hard- 
 jhips, by creatures who are upheld every moment in life, 
 by the unv/earied goodnefs of their great law-2;iver ; much 
 kfs by thofe who were redeemed by the blood of his own 
 Son ? It would be no hard tafk, to prove the moral law, 
 what the Apoftle ftiles it, hch, juji and good"^-, v/hatever 
 
 * Romans vii. v 
 
 it 
 4 
 
[6] 
 
 it requires us to do, or commands us to abftain from, a» 
 it is highly realbnablc, (o abfolutely necefTary for our well- 
 being here, and our eternal happinefs : Surely, its pre- 
 cepts tend to promote the welfare of body and mind, of 
 individuals, families and flatcs ; yea to adorn, exalt, and 
 perfe6l human nature : and fhall we fay then, that they 
 zrc grievous F doth not that man who ftiles them fo, /n?- 
 rluce the law of God, and God himfelf; doth not he 
 hold him up to public view, as an arbitrary tyrant, as an 
 EgyptiaJi tafi mafter^ as giving precepts that were not good 
 in themfelves, and alfo rigorous and cruel. How con- 
 trary this, to God's own proclamation of himfelf, the 
 Lord, the Lord God merciful and gracious, long Juffcrijig, 
 mid abundant in goodnefs and truth, keeping mercy for thou-^ 
 fonds *j could any thing proceed from him then, that was 
 unrighteous, and unmerciful towards his creatures ? I 
 hear you reply, thefatuics of the Lord are right, and all 
 Jiis moral comvumdmerds, are pure and equitable ; fuited to 
 our natures, and calculated for our felicity; and inftead 
 of being called a fiery law, fhould be the rejoicing of our 
 hearts : Your language is, that every one who knows 
 what the love of God to finners hath been, and ftill is, 
 and is really pofTefled of love to God; will never fay, his 
 moral commandments are grievous. What though the 
 flefh is weak, what if human nature be degenerate and 
 fallen, what if the heart is deceitful, what if the affec- 
 tions be'ftrongly biaffed to earthly things, what if there 
 be many temptations fiom vvithout, as well as hurtful iufts 
 Tvithin ; are not the p?-o?n!fts of God in his word, the gra- 
 iious aids of his fpirit, and the fipplies of grace andftrength 
 that are in Chrijl, more than fufficient to counterbalance? 
 How many humble and fmcere Chriftians have been able 
 to fay, through Chrifl Jlrengthening us, we can do all things f. 
 They have gone on with pleafure, from one command 
 and duty to another ; from one degree of flrength and 
 obedience to another; till, like the author and fitiifher of 
 their faith, they have finifhed the work God gave them to 
 do, and came off inorc than conquerors* 
 
 In brief. Sir, who that confiders ihc low -giver, a God 
 of infinite wifdom, goodnefs and compailion, can dare 
 
 * Exod. xxxiv. 6, 7* t Phil, iv, 13. 
 
 to 
 
t 7] 
 
 to fay, hisjlatutes are grievous ; who that confiders how 
 holy, juft and good they are, how reafonable, how well 
 calculated, how abfolutely neceffhry to our well being in 
 time and for eternity ; who that confiders the powerful 
 and divine aids he grants to them, that call upon him with 
 a pure heart ; who that looks upward, to the everlajimg 
 hills^ and takes a view of the glorious rewards^ riches and 
 honours, he will beftow on the faithful and obedient fer- 
 vant, after his (hort work and warfare here is accom- 
 plished ; who that attends to ihcfe things^ can fuiFer a 
 thought to arife w^ithin him, that the moral precepts of 
 God are grievous f 
 
 You obferved. Sir, that the Do£tor's character of the 
 moral law, was not only an imjujf^ and injurious one^ and 
 by it he refleded on the great legiflator and his perfec- 
 tions ; but that he reprefented It, as having no command- 
 ing power ovq.x Chrlftians. This is not to be wondered 
 at ; he that can think lightly, and fpeak feverely of it, can- 
 not want much temptation to fet it afide, and argue 
 againft it in print ; if we may judge from Dr, GilVs ivri- 
 tifigs, and believe Fame's trumpet^ lome of the moral com- 
 mandments are certainly grievous to him; as, hu?mHty^ 
 charity^ love the brotherhood^ follozv peace with all men^ blefs 
 and curfe not^ mourning for fin^ mortifying paffion^ &c. 
 Thefe are diftafteful, ill favoured co?mnandments^ which 
 many nominal Chriftians will not meddle with ; " and 
 ♦' why fhould we, fay they ? Chrift hath obeyed the whole 
 *' lav/ and fulfilled all righteoufnefs for us, he is our fanc- 
 ^' tification, and it is detra6ling from his merits, fuffi- 
 *^ ciency and grace, to think of a frail man's perfonal 
 ^' obedience, and righteoufnefs." 
 
 But, Sir, did the gofpel of Chrifl abolifli, or {zt afide 
 the moral law ? Or did his obedience and death, lefTen 
 men's obligation to obferve it, as the rule of heart and 
 life ? A^^ : under the gofpel, obedience is not the condi^ 
 tion of obtaining eternal life, but it is the way^ the true 
 and onlyfafe way^ in which we muft walk to inherit it ; 
 this is the language of fcripture, do ive make void the law, 
 'through faith? God forbid^ yea we (JpojUes of Chrifl) 
 
 ejlablijh 
 
[ 8 ] 
 
 eflalVijh the law'*. Without hoUnefs^ no man Jlmll fee the 
 Lord f. 
 
 But hath Dr. QUI fet afide, or made void the law ? 
 Not fo much in his printed, as in his extempore fcr7no7i ; 
 you obferve what guards he hath now placed on fome of 
 his expreflions, and given others a gentle touch as with a 
 crow quill. But ftill, how exceptionable^ and inconftflent ! 
 Take a proof or two of his found mind. 
 
 He fays " That the moral law delivered by Mofes Is 
 *' to be obferved by Chriftians ;" hut how f " to be kept 
 *' from a principle of love to God J." I grant this to be 
 the nobleft motive, the mcft conftraining principle that 
 can animate the Chriftian's breaft ; but is it not, Sir, 
 to be kept from duty^ as well as love ? Doubtlefs ; tho' I 
 fear the Dodlor (like too many others) thinks that Chrifl 
 came into the World, to fet men free from the obliga- 
 tion, or commanding influence of the law of God 3 elfe 
 •why had he not mention'd duty^ 35 well as love ; and 
 why did he exdlt external jites^ zudpoftive injlitutions above 
 moral precepts, " among the commandments of Chrifl 
 *' (fays he) Baptifm and the Lord's Supper are the chief 
 " and principal || ;" and why did he entirely omit inoral 
 precepts, and mention only Baptifm and the Lord's Supper j 
 as not grievous, when he was exprefsly exhorting his au- 
 ditory, to obferve the commandments of God and of 
 Chrift §. But are Baptifm and the Lord's Supper, the 
 chief and principal commands ? Far from it, they are ra- 
 ther the leaf ; though confcientioufly to be obferved by 
 Chriftians ; yet are they greatly inferior to, and not to 
 be compar'd with the weighty things of the moral law. 
 Knows he not, that God requires the heart, and obe- 
 dience to his moral law, rather than facrifice, or the ob- 
 fervance of any external rites whatever ? You do, Sir, (if 
 he doth not) and have often lamented, that fo many mif- 
 take the nature and end of moral and ritual precepts ; 
 and that fo many antipacdohaptifs in particular, lay fuch 
 ftrefs upon being dipped into the water ; as to think that 
 
 « 
 
 Rom. iii. 31, f Heb. xii. 14. % Sermon, pag. 5, 
 II lb. pag. 7. § lb. pag. 29. 
 
 without 
 
[9] 
 
 Nvlthout it, men cannot be true Dlfclples of Chrld, nor 
 members of his vifible church here, and entertain but 
 little hopes of their entering the kingdom of glory. 
 
 If the Do6tor will turn to Mntt. v. ver. 17, 1 8, 19. and 
 fee with his eyes^ and underj} and with his heart \ he will clearly 
 difcover the vaft importance of moral precepts and meriz 
 cbligation to obferve them. The Son of God came to fet 
 mankind free from the tyranny of Satan, from the bonda^ge 
 of corruption J from the guilt of fm, from Pagan fuperftitions, 
 and from Jewifli ceremonies ; this is the freedom with which 
 the Son of God invefts his Difciples 3 glorious freedom ! Happy 
 they who by the Son are thus made free : But that he came 
 to ahoUfh the moral law, or to free his Difciples from obe- 
 dience to any of its precepts ; as 'twas indeed what his 
 enemies laid to his charge, fo v/as it without any foun- 
 dation ; which he prov'd from its flability and perma- 
 nency ; heaven and earth Jhall pnfs away^ the frame of the 
 univerfe fhall be diflblved, fooner than one jot, the leaft 
 part of this divine law fall pafs^ or lofe its commanding 
 power over the confciences and lives of men : That none 
 of his Difciples might think, that his own perfect obe- 
 dience did cancel, or render theirs lefs nsceffary ; you fee. 
 Sir, he rcprefents the moral precepts, as continuing in 
 full force, to be fulfWd by them^ to the confummation of 
 all things : Hence he added that tvhofoever fould break, 
 wilfully negledl:, and habitually violate the divine com- 
 mands, any, yea but one^ and that the very leaji of them, 
 and teach others fo to do, either by preaching, converfation 
 or example, fboiddbe called, confidered and treated, as the 
 haji, the unworthicft and mofl contemptible of all his Dif- 
 ciples, or mem.bers of his vifible church. What greater 
 zeal for the law of God, could the Savior man'feft, than 
 is contained in thofe words ; what fentence could he ut- 
 ter, of more force to oblige his followers to prove ivkai 
 is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God * con- 
 cerning them, and to be found in univerfal obedience to 
 it ? Surely the Chriftian is not to pick and chufe among 
 the commandments; but to pay a confcientious, and I 
 was going to fay, an equal refpe5i to all, (for the leaft 
 
 * Romans, xii, 2. 
 
 C hatl] 
 
[10 ] 
 
 hath the fame ftamp of authority on it as the greateft; 
 he is to efteem none of them, little or inconfulerahle^ much 
 lefs hurdenjcme^ and griev:jui ; and I will be bold to fay, 
 that t\\Q preacher who defignedly leads men to think, they 
 are releafed from their obedieiKie and duty to the moral 
 law; and who doth not from time to time, inculcate upon 
 his hearers, the moral precepts of God and Chrift, as 
 well as preach Jefus and the refurredlion, the virtues of 
 his death and exaltation ; is no real friend of ChM^ nor 
 of the fouls of men ; and no wonder his preaching is as 
 vain, 2.S founding hrajs^ and ^ tinkling cy?nbaL 
 
 Byt now, Sir, let us turn from the exceptionable part of 
 the Do6lor's expofition of his text, to the inconfiftent^ 
 The very firft fentence of his printed fermon is " What 
 ^' I fhall fay in the following difccurfe will much depend 
 ^^ on the fenfe of the word Commandments, by which 
 ** are meant not the ten commandments, or the com- 
 *' mands of the moral law." Now, as the difcourfe was 
 entirely on water Bapifrn^ to be fure, that was the proper 
 fenfe of the word, as well as the chief command \ but by my 
 help (which, infte..d of gratefully acknowledging, he 
 abufes me for, ftiling it a fneer) he hath found, that th« 
 command's in his text, were not y7w/>/y, nor chiefly^ Baptifni 
 and the Lord's Supper; for he hath now added " rather 
 *' the commandments of faith and love, the Apoftle fpeaks 
 *' of in the 3d chap. 23d ver. may be defign'd *." But 
 why refer us fo far back? Is it not faid chap. iv. 21, 
 And this commandment have we from hirn^ that he who loveih 
 ijodj love hii> brother alfo ; and doth not the Apoftle con- 
 tinue his difcourfe on thofe two great commands, even 
 to the text ? Now pray. Sir, what difference is there be- 
 tween the moral law, and love to God and our neigh- 
 bor ? I always took them to be one and the fame thing ; 
 and fo did the learned Dodor himfelf once, if it is lawful 
 to quote againPc hirn his own words, or fet ^ohn againft 
 Gill\ " The moral law v/as given by Mofes, the fum of 
 ^* which law is love to Qio^^ and love to our neighbor, 
 *' as appears from that anfwer which Chrift gave to the 
 '^ Lawyer, who put this queftion to him, faying, Maf- 
 ^^ ter^ which is the great commandment in the law ? Jcfusfaid 
 
 * pago 7, 
 
 f« unU 
 
** unh bt/tiy Thou Jhalt kve the Lord thy God with all thy 
 *' hearty and with all thy foul, and with all thy mind ; this 
 '^ is the firji and great commandment ; and the fecond is likt 
 *' unto it, thou Jhalt love thy neighbor as thy/elf: On thefi 
 *' two commandments hang all the lazv and the prophets. Hence 
 *' it is that the Apoille Paul fays, that love is the fulfdling 
 " of the law *.'* You fee, hire he fays the fum of tiie 
 moral law^ is love to God, and our neighbor ; and this 
 love is the fulfilling of the law ; and in his late difcourfe^ 
 he acknowledges, that the commandments of faith arid 
 love, are chiefly intended, in the text, which were com-, 
 mands of Chrijl, and were not grievous f , and yet. Sir, the 
 moral law is not meant. So that he hath written thefii 
 contradictions, as with a fim beam ; the moral law is rM 
 meant by the commands in his text, yet that which is 
 the fum of it, is chiefly defignd : The moral law is grie- 
 vous, a fiery law, the letter that kills, the miniflration of 
 condemnation and death ; but love to God and love to our 
 neighbor, on which hang all the law and the prophets, 
 •are not grievous; can you tell, Sir, why one fhould de^ 
 ferve fuch hard epithets, and not the other, which are juft 
 the felf-fame thing : Or how came it to pafs that as the 
 fubje6t of his difcourfe fo much depended on' the fen fe 
 of the word Commandments, which are now by him 
 Confefiedly, love to God and our neighbor -, water Bap- 
 tifm fhould he the ak)nc burden of his fong. Highly pro" 
 per and pertinent I 
 
 You may wonder that a man fhould be fo inconfiftent 
 with himfelf ; not merely in preaching, but even in prints 
 contradidling in one page, what he hath afferted in an- 
 other; andftill more wonder, that a minifter fhould fpeak 
 fo lightly, if not detra6lingly of that great law, by which 
 his- preaching and his works, and by which we all fhall 
 be judged in the lafl day ; but my admiration is not at 
 all rais'd ; I verily think him capable of much greater ah- 
 fardities ; not barely from the fermon we heard hini 
 preach, but from another pamphlet of his, now before 
 me, on the doSirine of jufiification : Wherejn he aflerts j 
 not only that the law hath no commanding and con- 
 
 * Smith's funeral fermon, paa. 9. •(• pag. 7. 
 
 C 2 demning 
 
[ IZ] 
 
 demning pov/er over the believer in Chrifl, but " That thff 
 " gofpel IS all promifes, it hath no commands, nothing 
 *' in it JQoks like a law * ; that the reaibn why we are 
 " juftihed, is not becaufe we have faith j but the reafoa 
 " why we have faith, is becaufe we are juftified t > 
 " that all the ele6t of God are juftify'd and pardon'd 
 *^' whilft they are ungodly j" and that no perfon might 
 miiVake him, he hath defin'd an ungodly perfon -, " he is 
 " one without the grace and fear of God, and without 
 " Chrilf, being deftitute of a true knowledge of him, 
 '' of faith in him and love to him, fuch a perfon being 
 '^ thus ungodly, 'tis evident God juftifies and pardons J." 
 Nay^ Si}-, don't be furpriz'd yet, for he goes much far- 
 ther, he aflerts that thefe ungodly perfons " are and 
 '* muft be acquitted, difcharged and juftified from eter- 
 *^ nity, fo as nothing could be laid to their charge 1| :" 
 In confequence of this, '' none of the eleiSl's fms are ac- 
 *' counted to them, but 'tis the will of God, plain and 
 " manifeft to punifti fm not in them, but in his Son §j" 
 and thus, he q^ffh-ts, " they were eternally difcharged, 
 *^* acquitted from fm, freed from punifhment, and fecured 
 ^\ from everlafting wrath and deftrudlion" **. So that. 
 Sir, you fee, men are adtually juftify'd and pardon'd, 
 while alienated from the life of God, and enemies to him 
 by wicked works, and in a ftate of guilt and condem- 
 nation ; yea they are a^ually pardon d, before they com- 
 mit any fm, and even before they exiji. Is this the lan- 
 guage of a D. D. or even of a rational creature -j-f ? You 
 a(k me where he found thofe noftrums s why he fays 
 
 * P^g* J 3* Surely then Chriilians may live as they lid, for 
 where there is no law there is no tranfgreilion ; but how contrary 
 this to Titus ii. ii, 12. and iii. 8. et paffim. Nay how con- 
 trary to himfelf in his baptifmal Sermon, where he fpeaks of 
 commands of Chnft, 
 
 t P^g- 3^- X psg. 40» 4^- II pag- 48> 49' 
 
 ^ pag. 5^» 5.?. * * P3g. 56* 
 
 f f Some, if not Dr. Gill, have a peculiar talent of mak- 
 ing authors and their opponents fay what they never thought 
 of; and afiiim, what they flatly deny; this I abhor, and there- 
 fore have taken the Dodor's own words, which are too plaia 
 and .precife, to admit of any plaufible, or even probable mifre- 
 prffciUation, 
 
 »ur 
 
[ 13 1 
 
 Qwr found protejl ant divines teach them ; but the great quef- 
 tion is, do reafon^ and revelation teach thern ? reafon pro- 
 nounces them abfiird^ and iurely. Scripture declares them 
 heretical: Can we be the objects of wrath, and of love; 
 the children of God, and of the Devil, at one and the 
 lame time; can we be juftify'd and pardon'd, (for the 
 Do6tor fays all who are juftify'd are pardon'd*) and yet at 
 the fame inftant, be in a Itate of condemnation ; as the facred 
 oracles declare every unbeliever is f: If the intention^ or 
 eternal purpofe of God tojufliify men, (which is the Doctor's 
 foundation iione) adually juftifies them; they are as 
 certainly, and adtually, called^ fan^lifyd^ and glorify d iionx 
 eternity ; fo Chrift: was actually made a curfe before he 
 was horn^ and even from eternity ; and indeed the v/orld 
 and its inhabitants, were and muft be created from eter- 
 nity. How would an American Savage ftare, and laugh 
 to hear a Chriftian divine, and a Do6tor too, preach fuch 
 thino-s ; and fo confidently affert, that an intention or pur^ 
 pofe concerning a thing, makes that thing actually to exijl ? 
 but there are many of his poor brethren, you well know, 
 are fadly convinced of the contrary ; they find words, 
 be ye warmed, be ye filled, and even promifes to help 
 them, are not actions that profit them, Tnnch lefs his in- 
 tentions. 
 
 I purpofed to do an a»5l of Chriftian kindnefs to the 
 DocSlor, in reproving him, according to the fcripture 
 exhortation J; but he was not adiinUy reprov'd, till my 
 letter was penn'd, and he read it : Writing, was the way 
 in which he was adtually reproved ; and fo faith, is the 
 way the word of God declares, in which finners are 
 actually juftify'd. That they are not juftify'd and par- 
 don'd before faith, or without faith, and from eternity ; 
 but by and through faith j], which is the gift of God to 
 tliem, in this life, xheve zrc friptzircs innuTnerable, which 
 dcmonftrate : It would be iniultingyour underftanding to 
 mention them ; and as they are fo plain, that humble 
 fmcere Chriftians cannot mifunderftand them, fo none 
 but the unlearned and unjlable, do wreft and pervert them. 
 
 * r^g- 4- 
 
 f John iii. 1 8, :|: Lev. xix. 17. 
 
 2 Tiir,. iv. z. 
 
 jl Romans, iii. 30. 
 
 
 3 The 
 
[ H J 
 
 The conclufion of the whole matter is <?hls ; you k6 
 the Do6lor fadly miftook his text, and what is worfe^ 
 took occafion from it, to make void the moral law of 
 God ; reprefenting it as grievous, giving it hard names^ 
 and exalting poutiveinftitutions above it : But what other 
 couid be expected ficm ons, who in another publication, 
 makes void even Faith itfelf? For if men are a6luallyjuf- 
 tify'd, and pardon'd, and freed from punifhment, from 
 eternity ; what occafion. Sir, for faith and repentance, or 
 prayer for forgivenefs of fm ; yea what need of Baptifm 
 itfelf, or the Lord's Supper; how needlefs was Chriit's 
 coming into the world ; what neceiTity for him to fend 
 forth Apoftles to preach the gofpel, that men's faith 
 tnight come by hearing it ; and what occafion is there 
 now, for him to fend his Spirit with his word, to con- 
 vince men of fm, of righteoufnefs and of judgment, and 
 to help them through faith, and the ufe of means, to 
 perfevere unto falvation ? What need for men to fear fin, 
 or to abitain from it ; if all fut«re fins are actually for- 
 given, as well as the pad ; if all are accounted to Chrift, 
 and puniftied in him, and never will he, in them. Truly, 
 Sir, this notion of eternal juflificaiion, may well be ftiled 
 £iey}2al nojifenfe ; and as 'tis big with ablurdities, {o (tan-' 
 qitafn equiis Trojamis) big with evils, to pure and undefiled 
 religion, and to the morals and fouls of men. The im- 
 portance of the contents, will I hope excufe the length 
 of this epiftle ; wifhing you every blefling I reft. 
 
 Yours, &c« 
 
U 15 3 
 
 LETTER III. 
 
 Proves that dipphig is a grievous command. 
 
 Sir, 
 
 YOUR approbation of my laft letter, (faying, it 
 fully prov'd, the Doctor fadly blundered in the ex- 
 planation of his text, that he feem'd to be no great, nor 
 real friend to the moral law, and was very inconnflent, ia 
 what little hefaid refpeding the commandments j) excite* 
 me to lay before you another proof, that his text had no 
 reference to his preachment^ but is entirely fubverfive of 
 it : PolTibly you may differ from me in this, but I ami 
 perfuaded my fpeaking with freedom, (acling as a Protef- 
 iant) will not break the league of Chriftian friendfhip, 
 fubfifting, and which, / hope^ v/ill ever fubfift between us. 
 
 The very next day after the DG61:or's declamation, oa 
 God*s commands are not grievous^ you know one of your 
 brethren, preached on a like occafion from thefe words, 
 *' Froin the beginning it zvas net fo *." Yourfelf wonder'd 
 at the choice of fuch a text, to recommend Chrijiian Bap^ 
 tifm^ and to prove, that 'tis only, by dipping ; but as the 
 choice of fuch texts, to me, proves your brethren's fad 
 embarralTment ; fo, was I like minded with you, I fhould 
 really fufpe£t that the preachers v/ere Pcedobaptijis incogs 
 or ifi heart ; for never could more fuitable words be chofen 
 or applied, to overthrow all that the Doclor, and a 
 few others, fo rigidly and uncharitably contend for. If 
 Chrijiian Baptifm is to be perform'd after Dr. G'///'s mode\ 
 ^tv/ill be no hard tafk to prove, 'tis a command more grie-* 
 V0U5 than circumcifton^ or any jewifh rite whatever. More 
 grievous. Sir, both to the baptizers, and the baptized^ 
 which is feif evident ; if 'tis necefiary to go to the middle 
 in water, and plunge the fubje£t, however iall^ and cor^ 
 tuknt^ quite under it, and the colder the weather, you 
 Know, Sir, the greater evidence of the perfon's love to 
 God in fubmitting to it ; furely Uis necejfary^ not only 
 that Chriftianc and churches fhould be careful in the 
 
 ^ Matt. xix. %, 
 
 choice 
 
[ '6] 
 
 choice of their miniftcrs ; that they be able bodied nwi^ 
 (have brawny arms and Herculean ftrcjigth) to dip in a 
 mafterly way at 07ice'^^ without hazarding the fubjedls 
 lives y but there is a needs b© that the Baptizcrs be of 
 Iron coniiicutions, if the cuftom of dipping was general 
 in cold climates : Which is a qualification for a fcripture 
 Biiliop or Pafior, that Chrift and his Apoflles have in- 
 tirely omitted j perhaps through ignorance or inattention^ 
 That dipping in cold countries, muft needs be a grie- 
 •uous command^ both to Adinifters and people, if they are 
 of weak and infirm conftitutions, you acknowledge ; as 
 it endangers healthy and even Life ; and indeed 'tis greatly 
 to be feared, from fome, if not fnany injiances ; that the 
 thread of human life hath been cut afunder much the 
 fooner refpe£ling fcveral, thro' fubmitting to this hazardous 
 operation. Let the fubje6ts of Baptifm be either men or 
 women, as their being overwhelmed in water, muft be 
 very dilagreeable to them in cold weather, tho cloathed-y 
 fo if the practice of fome in the third Century prevailed, 
 dipping jiaked \ bear with me. Sir, if I add, how infufFe- 
 rably indecent^ how impudently immodeji ; as well as 
 hazardous^ and dangerous ? Befides, if the fubjeds be 
 women^ how grievous would this rite be to the Minifter ; 
 not merely endangering his health, by fo frequent de- 
 fcending into the water in all v/eathers, (if the pra£lice 
 was univerfal) not only would he be in danger, of break- 
 ing the fixih Ccm'r.and, by being acceffary to, and even 
 haitening the death of the Baptized ; but of violating the 
 Jcventh alio ; for i fuppofe the Doctor and others of his 
 brethren, tiW M'mijiers', have much the fame feelings, 
 infirmities and paffions, as others of Adam's fallen racef . 
 
 * There are feveral llvinj^ credible witnefTes of a man's being 
 dipped, who happening to have a weak, or unfeilful operator, 
 or too long a nole, part of it was not under the water, query, 
 whether he was prcperly Eap[ired ? efpecially as fevernl for 
 part of their 'f.;ccs, cr arms, or garments, have been obliged 
 to fubrnit to a fecond dipj ing. 
 
 ■\ Mofchus narrat de Couone prefbytero, qui obtentationem 
 q lam patif batur non poter.t putllam niidain fanfto oleo inun- 
 gere : Anoinring the Baptized with oil as an emblem of the 
 Holy Ghofl, being the cuiloni among the ealierns in the 3d 
 and 4th Centuries. 
 
 When 
 
r '7 3 
 
 When I reHetl upon thefe things. Sir, I am not onlf^ 
 convinced, thvU Baptifm hy dippings is a grievous com-;" 
 mand, 2ind therefore Kot one of the commandraents,' 
 mentioned or imply'd in the Doctor's ttxt ; but that this 
 way of baptizing, from the licginnhig was noi fo , never 
 the practice of John Baptift, mu>:h kp of Chrift and his 
 Apoftles ; and never their intention, this external rite 
 Ihould be fo adminiftered 5 as Uiey would certainly have 
 mentioned fome qualification of hodyj as well as of windy 
 neceflary for chriftian Minifters ; and would not the great 
 head of the Church, think you, have taken care, that bis 
 members flioiild never fo univerfally^ and for fo many 
 centuries^ have departed from the mode of dipping, had 
 it been the only true way ? douhtLfs ; fuffer me to afk 
 you, is it not unreafonable to fuppofe, that the Savior, 
 who excufed his Difciples from the ftri6i obfer\'ance of 
 the Jewilh Sabbath, out of cornpaffion to their bodies ;* 
 and who aflur'd them, when he wafhM their feet, the^ 
 were as chan^ as if their whole body was wafliedf; 
 would appoint a rite or ordinance, that fhould not only 
 be indecent to fpe61ators, and afford raillery to gainfayers ; 
 but be grievous^ or attended wiih great danger as to the 
 healthy and even life of his minifters and people? furely 
 as he faid, the Sahbath was made for man^ mi man for the 
 Sabbath^ (o certainly, Baptifm was made for meny and not 
 men for Baptifm. 
 
 Nay, Sir, you will excufe my faying that tho' dipping 
 evidently appeared to be the fcripture practice, (which I 
 can by no means grant, being contrary to my real belief, 
 and which my next Letter ihall prove to be contrary 
 likewife to the fcripture tpftimony); yet, as that pra6tice 
 is in cold countries, and from different dreffes and cuf- 
 toms of people, and of our nation in particular, attended 
 with great hazard andfeveral bad effe6ls ; I cannot but 
 believe, that he (the compaflionate Jefus) who on a 
 fimilar occafion, quoted and well knew the meaning of 
 the words, / will have mercy and not facrifice X^ and ma- 
 
 * Matt. xii. 3*. f John xiii. 10. % Matt, xii. 7,' 
 
 D nifcftcd 
 
[ i8 ] 
 
 jilfefted his mercy, in various inftances, not only to the 
 fouls, but bodies of ?nen^ women and children ; would rea- 
 dily difpenfe with fuch a pra61:ice \ and with pleafurc 
 accept the perfon, as truly bapiis'd^ and a real member 
 of his Church, who had a fmall quantity of water poured 
 upon him, as well as he, who was overwhelmed m it*. 
 
 This, Sir, I was going to fay, even yourfelf muft allow 
 vi^hen you confider ; how all your brethren^ as well as 
 other denominations of chriftians, have deviated from 
 our Lord's own form, and way of adminiftring, and 
 partaking of the other external rite, the Lord's fupper : 
 Who ufes unleavened bread-, or thinks that one loaf is eflen- 
 tial to the ordinance ? who adheres ftridly to the ti?ne^ 
 znd form of the firft fupper's being adminifter'd j or makes 
 confcience of leaning on one another, or reclining on 
 couches^ when they receive the elements ? Alas, Sir, v/hy 
 fhould the tnode of one ordinance be fo zealoufly ccn- 
 tended for, more than the other ; or why fhould a larger 
 or lefs quantity of water, be thought 7}iore effential to 
 baptifm, than that of bread and wine' is in the fupper ? 
 Which laft is certainly tls fclemn^ as divine^ and as ufeful 
 an ordinance as Baptifm, a»d with which therefore, 
 greater liberties ought not to be taken, than with the 
 other. 
 
 Whether I have demonfli ated, that no fuch great flrefs 
 ought to be laid on dipping, as the Dcdor doth ; grant- 
 ing 'twas the fcripture practice ; or whether I have con- 
 
 in. 
 
 6^ 
 
 vinced you, that the ordinance of Baptifm, by dipp. 
 in this and other countries, is grievous ; much more 
 difagreeable, pain fid, and dangerous, than even circu7ncifion, 
 muft reft with you : But that no more profefling chrif- 
 tians, may be under a temptation to obey a grievous cc7n- 
 mand, (not of Chrift's but) of Dr, Gill's, and his bigot- 
 ted anceftors of two centw ics] paff^ or comply, with what 
 
 * Under the Mofaic difpenfation, which laid fuch great ilrefs 
 upon rites and ceremonies, we ^nd they were frequently and 
 lawfully difpenfed with f; and even circutncijion, though enjoined 
 to be performed on the eighth day, under an awfal penalty » 
 was omitted for 40 years. Jofhua v, 5. 
 •j- Matt, xii, ver. I to S* 
 
[ 19] 
 
 may be too juftly filled will worjhip ; you will eXcufe 
 my publifhing a copy of this to the world. 
 
 In my next, by your indulgence, I'll take notice of 
 what the learned Doctor hath advanced on the mode of 
 Baptifm : Tho' after proving it, in hh way grievous ; 
 and from fcripture, lawfully to be difpenfed with, (fup- 
 pofmg dipping was the practice in warm climates) it 
 may feem unneceiTary : however, as he hath in his Ser- 
 mon, treated all that differ from him, zs fools, unlearnedy 
 ignorant of the fcrlptures^ and uncUan ; I fhali lay before 
 you the ftrong proofs there are from fcripture, that per- 
 fons are as lawfully and properly baptifed, by having water 
 fprinkled^ or pour'd upon them,^ when Infants ; as when 
 dipped zt adult years. Hoping to be ftill numbered among 
 your moft fmcere friends, 
 
 I am^ 
 
 Your*s, Sic* 
 
 tET- 
 
LETTER IV. 
 
 Proves that chri/iian Baptlfm^ Is Idwfully odtnlmjiered h^ 
 Jpr inkling. 
 
 Sir, 
 
 IN my laft, I freely offered you my thoughts on dip- 
 ping -, and cojid not h\it conclude from feveral par- 
 ticulars 'twas 3i ^ievous L0?nma7id\ aind therefore never 
 co«]d proceed from Ch aft. the great and conipaffibnate 
 head of \he Church ; noi'^ould be conformed to, by 
 any of his members: But as I promifed to fend you 
 fome of the cK'cf arguments, for adhering to a mode 
 of Baptifm, different from that wHicli you approve j and 
 as I have been calPd upon, by your warm brother Dr, 
 Gill^ to give a reafon of my belief in this particular ; 
 the following is fubmitted to your candid and ferious 
 perufai. 
 
 The fcriptural mode of Baptlfm, is only by dippings 
 fzys the Dcflor ; but as I have prov'd him hefides imiifelf 
 •with rerp€6t to his text, i flatter myfelf, i fhoil prove 
 him rrdjmkcn^ in this point alfo. We will charitably 
 fuppofe he was a little no7uo?npos (from that feverifh 
 flow of fpirits he had} when he delivered his Sermon ; for 
 Jince thcn^ as appears by his printed difcourfe, he hath 
 found out another fenfe of the word |3a7r7*^co: Now he 
 favs, it not only figniiies to dip or plunge, but alfo t9 
 wajh s this, Sir is certainly a great conceilion from fo^ 
 barmd a ?nan ; and an impartial perfon would think, 
 chriflians mufl di&r no longer about the mode of Bap- 
 tifm ; becaufe to wajh^ in numerous places of fcripture, 
 implies no more, than a partial application of water to 
 perfons and things, by fprinkling and pouring', and very 
 feldom, a total immerfion : But his very next words mar 
 all again, and he himfelf proves, that what I faid of 
 him, was not a falfe reprefentation, but a very true one ; 
 '* all the Greek lexicons I ever faw, fay the word. In a 
 " fecondary znA confequential fenfe, fignifies indeed 
 
 ** abluo. 
 
[21 3 
 
 <* abluo, lavo to wafh j but this is, becaufe \v)xat is 
 «^ dipp'dis waihM*." 
 
 So all the learned world ifti)! adhei^e to dipping. Being 
 the only fcnfe of the word ; for they would not have -fa-td 
 h signified to %vafh^ if \vhat was dipp'd, w-as not v/aOi'd : 
 But doth the Jhgackvs Doctor (who here anfwers fof 
 other men's thoughts) think they would have laid, that 
 whatever is waiGi'd, 2V, and muftbe confequentially dipp'd I 
 if he doth, there are few learned^ if any befides himfclf^ 
 that do: The feveral lexicons he hath mentioned ia 
 his note, I have iecn, and others be fide ; and they all. 
 fay iSa-Trli^io fignifies, to wajh, as well as to dip ; and 
 the reafons why they (b rendered the word, are bell 
 known, I iho'jJd imagine, by the inftances, or fentences 
 Jhey infert, where dhpping in many of them is e?itjrely 
 ^:c£kid£d. You obferve, he calls upon me to name a 
 v/riter of any note, otherwife minded th^n himfelf ; I 
 couid n2.mc him all he hath mentioned as for himfelf ; 
 but not to Ihoct above him, fureiy he hath feen LelgWs 
 Crkka facra^ (which if of no note, the DocSor would 
 not himfelf ha\^c made fuch ufe of) doth not that 
 ^rltk fay ^ jBciVIs^w funilffir pro qmcunque genere ablu- 
 *' tienis^ proluUonh^ fen mundatloms^ etiam zlllus cut rmU 
 *' la immerfmus jpuus adefi-\J^ What can be plainer^ 
 Sir, from this critic, as well as from every lexicon you 
 confult; than tltzit the word includes all kinds of walh- 
 iiig, and thofe, where there is not the leail appearance sf 
 capping; doth not Leigh likewife exprefly declare, the 
 word infert ^fpergere^ tho' the TJotkor hath faid, none 
 iie ever faw, rendered the word perfundo^ or afpergo^ to 
 fmr or fprmkk : Now as the Do6tor hath led his peo- 
 ple into (o grofe a miilake, as to think all the learned 
 ^Dorld are on his and their fide ; he Ought m jujlice to 
 undeceive them ; and honeftly from the pulpit^ as well 
 as the prefs^ to tell them, that the Lexicographers and 
 €rhks he hath mentioned from time to time, (as weii iJS 
 
 * Sej-OTon, p. 22- the note. X leic^h criuca facra, 
 
 p. ^4. Amlie]. Edit. 1696. 
 
 Dr. 
 
Dr* Cafauhon and Grotius^ whom thro' diftrefs he hath 
 prefTed into his fervice in his notes,) were all not orfly 
 Paedcbapt'ijisy but were fprinkled alfo ; and would never 
 be dipp'd afterwards, knowing from the general and 
 ftridl fenfe of the word (3a7r]*^w, they were properly bap- 
 i'lT^d before'^. 
 
 But as the learned in their works, univerfally inform 
 ■us, there are Baptifms or wafliings, without dipping ; 
 let us next fee what is the fcripture tejllmony^ of which 
 you know the Doctor fome times affe<5ls to be very fond. 
 The Apoftle, Heb. ix. lo. fays, that under the Jewifh 
 difpenfation, there were divers wajhmgs^ {^ia(po^ohg j3a7r- 
 Ti<r//.5ir,) different kinds ^ or forts of Baptifms; what 
 they were, he mentions, as v. 13. the blood of Bulls and 
 GoatSy was fprinkkd on the unclean p erf on for the purifying of 
 his fief ) ; in the 19 ver. he fays, Mofes fprinkled the people 
 and the book of the laiv^ with blood and water ; and in the 
 2ift V. adds, that the tabernacle andalUts veffels zv ere fprinkled 
 Itkewife with blood -^ and by thefe Baptifms or fprinklings^ 
 all thmgs under the law vi^ere purified : So when a Leper 
 was to be cleanfed, or his infectious houfe to be puri- 
 fied j the Prieft was to fprinkle them, with blood and 
 running water feven times f ; and even the Levites, 
 when they were feparated for the immediate fervice of 
 God, were cleanfed, devoted and fet apart, not by dip- 
 ping the whole body into water, but by fprinkling water 
 upon them J. Now thofe fprinklings^ the Apottle ex- 
 prefly calls Baptifms ; fo that here are Baptifms, Sir, with 
 fprinkling^ exclufive of dipping. 
 
 Again ; as the Doclor confefles his Lexicons inform, 
 
 * Dr. Owen, famous for his great knowledge of the Greek 
 language, tho' perhaps Dr. Gill may call him an unlearned 
 and ignorant man, thus fpeaks ; *• No one inftance can be given 
 ** in the fcripture where BaTrltf*; neceffarily fignifies either to 
 ** dip or to plunge'* — '* I mud fay and will make it good 
 *' that no honefl: man who underftands the Greek tongue, can 
 " deny the word to fignify to wafh as well as to dip.'* Serm, 
 *rc. p. 581. 
 
 f Lev, xiv. 7, 51. J Numb, viii, 7. 
 
 hini* 
 
[ 23] 
 
 him, that PocttIiI^co fignifies Aaw lavo io wajb"^; I will 
 give him an inftance of the ufe of this laft word in the 
 feptuagint^ Dan. iv. 23, and 25. where the tree and 
 Nebuchadnezzar are both faid to be wet, JlrlSily^ 'tis 
 ivajhedy or bapiifed^ with the dew of Heaven ; and if 
 this will not fatisfy him, let him read on to the 33 ver. 
 and there he will find even the primitive of |3a7r1t^w,-f- 
 ufed in the fame fenfe ; and his body £^oc(p-n was baptifed 
 with the dew of Heaven ; an expreffion which will puzzle 
 Dr, GiWs fagacity\ to account for any other way, than 
 by the clouds fprinkling or pouring drops of rain upon 
 him ; tho' doubtlefs 'tis as proper (and not more ridi- 
 culous) to fay, he was dipped with or 171 the dew of 
 heaven; as to aff;:;rt, like the Do6lor, that men were 
 dipped in or with a Cloud, in and with the Holy Ghoft 
 and fire;]:. 
 
 We will now come to the New Teftament, Sir, where 
 one or two inftances out of many muft fuffice. You 
 reme r.ber I afked him, whether the Jews plung'd their 
 whole bodies in water, every time before they did eat; 
 and whether they dipped their Pots, brazen VelTels and 
 Beds. Thefe queftions were not improper, as YiO^iPa^ia 
 is ufed In both inftances ; and were fuch plain proofs for 
 Baptifm, by a partial application of water, that one 
 would have thought all, but a notorious caviller, muft 
 have been fpeechiefs ; but he hath found fome cabalijlical 
 legends^ which fay, " that the Pharifees and more fuper- 
 *' flitious part of the Jews every day before they fat 
 " down to meat, dip'd the whole body ; and thus alfo 
 " they ferved their vefTels, tables, and even beds, bolf- 
 *' ters and pillov/s, dipping them, part by part||." The 
 
 * The ftifi- D . Gale, Serm. V. Vol. IT. p. 31 1. confefles this 
 word is ufed for Baptifm, and thus explains i Cor. vi, 11. 
 fL'TciKvj<70L<j^z ye are ixajhed, ye are in Baptifm walhed from all 
 your fm?. I leave Dr, Gill to vindicate the fentiment. 
 
 f BxttIcj. X Sermon, p. 26, 28. 
 
 Jl Serm. Note, p. 22, 23, If the Do6lor would publifh a 
 diifertation on the Jewifh beds, their (hape, length, breadth, 
 thicknefs and weight, of what iluff made, and with what filled, 
 feathers or what elfe that would bear dipping part by p^rt, fo 
 often and without damage, &c, &c. he would certainly greatly 
 oblige the public, and the learned in particular. 
 
 next 
 
[24] 
 
 iTPXt time you fee him. Sir, afk him, whether they 
 ^d riot alfo dip their garments and meal, wine, oiJ, 
 jtiilk, fait, and every other thing they brought froin 
 market ? But to he hire they did, for the fame reafon 
 for which they dipped their whole bodies j if their 1)0- 
 cfic.^ were unclean, fo were their garments^ and fo ez'e^y 
 thing that they touched. 
 
 But when he obfei-ves (after Scaliger, 2.nd we fhall 
 foon meet with fome more on whom he pins his faith, 
 tiot daring one would think to read the Scriptures, and 
 think for himfeif) " that becauf? the fuperflitious part of 
 •*• the Jews, always dipped the whole body before they 
 •'* fat down to meat, hence arofe the Pharifees admira- 
 •*■ tion at Chrift, Luke xi. 38." Surely, the moft credii^ 
 hus^ Papijl cannot believe him. Scripture fays, the Pha- 
 rifee inarvdledy thai ^u tt^^Aov tQa,7rri(T^n he was net firjl hap^ 
 ti%edy what by plunging the whole body into water ? Yes, 
 fays the Doctor, for otherwife he could not properly be 
 baptized: But fhould not one text illuflrate another ? 
 We are told, Mark vii. 4. that the Pharifees zuhen they came 
 from market^ ia.y ^rj PaTTTitroovrxt tmkfs ihey were baptized^ 
 did not eat \ but the third verfe informs us, 'twas their 
 handi only, that they baptized, or waflied before they did 
 eat y and this led thern to marvel, and find fault with 
 Chrift, becaufe he and his Difciples ate with unwafhen 
 hands, ver. 5. Nothing, Sir, can be more deinonfir able y 
 'than that the Pharifees admiration, was not becaufe he 
 did not cip his Vv-hole body every time before he ate ; but 
 'that he far. down to meat without firft baptizing^ or wafh- 
 mg h\\ hands *. But even granting the Doctor, that the 
 "JiiferftitiQu: puri of the Jews, did plunge themfelves all 
 over, every time before they did eat; (which is highly im- 
 ' probable) what Scriptiire warrant had they for fo doing, or 
 .'even for wafhing their hc^nds ? Did not our Lord immcdi-. 
 ately reprove them, in that they neglected the Command- 
 ments of God, and held the traditions of men? Sprinkling 
 the water of feparation on unclean perfons and things, 
 
 * The manner of washing their hands, according to Scripture, 
 was not by Hipping them, but hy pouring water upon them, as 
 Elifha pour'd v/ater on the hands of Elijah. 2 Kings, iii, 11. 
 
 was? 
 9 
 
f 25] 
 
 was ^11 that God required, and would not that. Sir, have 
 been fufficient ? The Do(5ior knows, that the mojl Jolemn 
 purifications under the law, were always by fprinkling j 
 and there is not an inftance in all the Bible, of a Prieft's, 
 or any other perfon's plunging another into^ or under the 
 water ^ for his feparation or cleanfing. But I will not en- 
 large here ; let the Chriftian Pharifeesy imitate their bre^ 
 thren among the Jews, and ufe water as often^ and in as 
 large quantities as they pleafe ; but let them not trouble 
 the Church of Chrift, and defpife their Chriftian brethren, 
 who are not quite fo fuperftitious ; who think with their 
 Lord, John xiii. lo. that water applied but to one part of 
 the body, the feet^ or the face^ is of as much fervice, aft 
 though it were to the whole body : 'Tis certainly, Sir^ 
 not the quantity of water, any more than of the bread 
 and wine, that makes the ordinances of Chrift a whit 
 more valid^ or effe(^uaL 
 
 Another Scripture proof that Baptifm is properly admi- 
 niftered hy fprinkling^ is Matt. iii. ii. John told his au- 
 ditors that one was coming, who would baptize them with the 
 Holy Ghojl and with fire ; what can be plainer, than that 
 BaTTTj^w fignifies here to fprinkle, exclufive of all other 
 fenfes ? But according to Dr. Gill, the Baptifm of the 
 Holy Ghoft, (which is uniformly fpoken of in Scripture, 
 hy being poured out upon^ and by an unSfion, or anointing.^ 
 and by rejiing on the Apoftles, in the form of cloven fiery 
 tongues) proves notwithftanding,that Baptifm is by irnyner- 
 fion^ or overwhelming as in a pool; he hath produced one 
 Doctor to back him in this ridiculous explanation*; but if 
 one man is a little whimfical, ftiall I adopt his conceits and 
 pay an implicit faith to his fanciful notions ? Advife the 
 po6lor,Sir, to fee with his own eyes and jud^e for himfelf, 
 and be the confiftent Proiejiant. To do the Do£ior juftice 
 however, in print he doth not fay, the Baptifm ofthe Apof- 
 tles with the Spirit was a6tual immerfion; no^ *•' A rufliing 
 *' mighty wind filled all the houfe where they were fitting 
 '' fo that they were as //'immerfed into and covered with 
 •*' it, and therefore very properly called a Baptifm," 
 Now, Sir, when he wrote his fermon and animadverfions, 
 
 * Sermon, pag. 27, 
 
 E very 
 
[26] 
 
 very probably, the room where he fat was full of f moke ; 
 and fo he was as if immerfed into and covered with it ; 
 and furely this may as properly be {liled a Baptifm, as that 
 of wind. But the Dodor certainly followed Dr. Cafau- 
 hotly rather than the Scripture ; for there is not a word in 
 the Bible of wind's filling the room ; but 'twas a found 
 or noife from heaven like as of a rufhing mighty 
 wind, that filled the houfe ; and fo they were as if i?nmer- 
 fed intOy a7id covered with found: Js if immerfed^ that is as if 
 baptized ; a very pretty way. Sir, of evading and com- 
 ing off ; and the fame ingenuity and art, he ufes in his 
 reafoning and remarks, on the Ifraelites being baptized 
 in the cloud, and in the fea. When preaching, you re- 
 member he faid, " Thefeaftood upon each fide of them, 
 *' and the cloud above covered them, and fo they were 
 '' all baptized by immerfion." Annotator divine ! Now 
 he fays, " the waters Handing up as a wall on each fide 
 " of them through which, and the cloud over their 
 "• hccads under which, they paffed ; they v/ere like perfons 
 " immerfed in water *." Truly, not quite fo wet^ no 
 Ukeiiefs at all, as to the effects, on either cloaths or per- 
 fons ; he quotes Groiius as on his fide, refpecling this 
 text, and 1 could quote him. Sir, on my fide^ both as to 
 the fubjec^s and mode of Baptifm, if that was requifite ; 
 but who fhould we believe ? The Jpofile^ or rather the 
 Holy Ghojl, who fays. The Apoftles were a^ually bapti- 
 sed with the Spirit ; and that the Ifraelites were aSiually 
 baptized unto Mofes, in the cloud and in the fea ; or Dr. 
 Gill and other fillible ?nen; who to anfwer a turn, would 
 make them nothing but <?/%^j?«j to Baptifm, and fay, thofe 
 cxpreflions mean no other, than they were, as if baptized^ 
 for there was fome likenefs in it, they were like perfons im~ 
 7nejfed in water \ : Though the learned Doctor fays, 
 " This may with great propriety be called a Baptifm, 
 *' that is by immerfion;" I cannot believe, he would receive 
 a perfon into his church, that was thus baptized, either after 
 the manner of the Apoftles, or the Ifraelites ; or that were 
 only like perfcus immerfed in water; he certainly was en- 
 compafied with a cloudy when he thought of producing 
 this laft inftance, for Baptifm by immerfion ; or he mult 
 tniftake, and mean the Egyptians for the Ifraelites, as the 
 
 * pag, 26, f Sermon and note, pag. 26. 
 
 perfons 
 
[ 27 ] 
 
 perfons properly baptized or covered with the fea : The 
 Ifraelites were baptized by immerfion in the cloud, 
 and the cloud far above them ; baptized in the fea, 
 and no water approached them ; baptized with what then ? 
 Why, with nothing : Which (to ufe the Do(5lor*s own 
 words) is as monfiroujly ridiculous^ as to fay we are bap- 
 tized by circumcifion ; which he would infinuate I have 
 done; but as I proved to you, he over-a(Sled the Gram^ 
 marian in the Greek, 'tis no wonder, he doth in his mo- 
 ther tongue. 
 
 The explanation I gave of the text, that they were 
 baptifed in the cloudy by its diftilling drops of rain upon 
 them ; and in the fea, by the fpray of the waves agitated 
 by the ftrong wind that blew, as they were paffing through 
 the channel of the fea ; you know he fays, " is a mere 
 " conceit, a wild imagination, and contrary to the facred 
 " fcriptures ; and if there was a continual fpray, how could 
 " they pafs through the fea on dry ground *?" How indeed! 
 Inform him. Sir, they palTed not throu2;h the fea at all, the 
 fea retired on each fide of them, and the feripture aJ/ertSy 
 that a ftrong eaft wind blew ; and if that was the cafe, 
 there muft be another miracle^ to prevent the fpray of the 
 waves : But let us condefcend to men of lovj degree \ fuppofe 
 the Do6i:or was to walk through London ftreets in a fhower 
 of rain, ftill might he not befaid to walk on dry ground \ 
 to be fure, or as if on dry ground. Granting what I 
 faid was awhimfical notion, yet furely it is not quite fo 
 abfurd, as to fay they were baptized or immerfed with a 
 cloudy and vAth nothing ; or make them out to be only 
 as if or like perfons baptized j and to reprefent the Apo- 
 ftles as baptized with wind, and with found. 
 
 But what fhall I fay to, or of him. Sir, when he de- 
 clares he never yet met with any learned man th«it ever af-. 
 ferted itf : Hath he never read any thing but fewijh fa- 
 bles, or doth bethink others fo unprofitably have fpent 
 their time ? Or who pray doth he efteem learned ? I 
 could name him /w^w/y, more learned than himfelf, who 
 all'ert that the Ifraelites were baptized in the cloud, by 
 
 • Sermon, page 26. Note. f Ibid. . 
 
 E 2 itl^ 
 
[ 28 ] 
 
 \ts fprinkltng water u^on t\\tm \ and I could name feve- 
 ral, that far exceed xh^ famous Dr. Gill, mall branches of 
 learning, who fpake of their being baptized in the fea, 
 by the Tpray of its waves ; but out of the mouth of two 
 or three let it be confirmed. Not to mention learned 
 foreigners, as IVolJius, &c. You know, Sir, that Dr. 
 Gcockvin*., Mr, Locked, Dr. TVattsX, and Dr. Guyfe\\ 
 believed they were thus baptized, and therefore faid and 
 publifhed it. Who, think you, is ignorant of the contro- 
 verfy, or rather who is the very illiberal man ? (for Dr. 
 Gill muft know the fentiments of the great Dr. Good- 
 win, as he in many places ftiles him, if he did not of the 
 others §.) 1 pretend not to be a prophet; but as Dr. 
 Gill will not have the vanity to compare himfelf with 
 the gentlemen I have mentioned ; fo their memories will be 
 precious, when his is forgotten; and their writings will 
 live, and be extenfively ufeful, when his are covered with 
 
 * " The facraments extraordinarily and peculiarly admi- 
 ♦* niftered tpthe Kraelites, were types of ours ; they came near 
 *' ihe life, the fprinkling or mizling of the rain in the cloud 
 " and going through the Red fea, was even to the vulgar view 
 *' a vilible baptizing." Vol. 5. Part 2. page 149. 
 
 ■f " The ApolHe calls it Baptifm, which is the initiating 
 ceremony into both the Jewiih and Chriflian church ; and 
 that the children of IlVael v/ere wafhed with rain from the 
 cloud, may be colleded fromPfalm Ixviii. 9.'* Lockfc*^ Worksi 
 V. 3. p. 180. 
 
 X ** The children of Ifrael were baptized unto Mofes in the 
 •• cloud and the fea in their palTage through the Red fea; not 
 *• chat they were dipped in the water, but they were fprinkled 
 '* by the clouds over their heads, and perhaps by the water 
 ■' which flood up in heaps as they pafTed by." Watts*s Works, 
 V.I. p. 821. 
 
 jl *' If it be fuppofed that here is any allufion to the mode 
 •' of Baptifm, it refers rather to fprinkling than immerficn, 
 *^ fince the Egyptians that were drowned in the fea, were bap- 
 <* tized by the waters covering them, rather than the Ifraelites,^ 
 *' that went on dry land, and could be no other way walhed 
 " than with drops that might fall from the cloud, and the daih- 
 •' ings of the waves." Guyfe's Paraphrafe in locum. Note. 
 
 ^ ** No lefs a perfon than the great Dr. Goodwin, whofe 
 ** works I much value and efieem." Gill's Doftrine of Jufti- 
 fication, p. 18. 
 
 :. . dufl 
 
[29] 
 
 duft and cobwebs In a corner of a fhelf, or meet with 
 a treatment too indelicate for me to mention. His con- 
 temptuous ufage oi fuch charaSfers^ extorted this from 
 me } but I haften, Sir, to his proofs^ 
 
 That Baptifm muft be by immerfion\ if not from the 
 proper fignification of the word BaTrrt^w, yet from the 
 places where the rite was performed ; hrll. In Jordan ; 
 but he hath not difproved, that it may full as properly be 
 faid, at or with the river Jordan : a mere novice in the 
 Greek language, knows that fv fignifies with or at^ as 
 well as in \ and accordingly it is rendered ai^ In above 
 an hundred places of the New Teflament, and as often, 
 with : Why {hould it not be faid then, that John bap- 
 tized with the water of the river Jordan, or that he bap- 
 tized at Jordan, as well as in Jordan ? No, fays Dr. Gill, 
 not in that place ; but in another, where £> is ren- 
 dered with^ he fays it fhould be read z;2*; fo, with^ 
 may and fliould be altered for in^ but not in for 
 with \ but whatever he may fay, to baptize in the Holy 
 Ghoji, and infirey are uncouth and very unufual phrafes j 
 and nothing but a great Jlrait^ could have forced him tOu 
 give the words fuch a turn. 
 
 Well, but ** John baptized alfo at Enon, which he 
 *' chofe for this reafon, becaufe there was much water 
 <* there; now if Baptifm was not by immerfion, what need 
 " was there to make choice of rivers and places abound- 
 *' irig with water to baptize in f ?" You knew. Sir, the 
 Greek is u^ara -noKkx many waters^ or different collec- 
 tions of water ; and there were feveral reafons, might 
 lead him to chufe fuch a place befides immerfion : The 
 numbers that went to fee and hear him, and the heat of the 
 climate^ called for a great fupply of water, for drink, 
 refrelhment, and other neceffary ufes ; and that the peo- 
 ple might have a plenty of v/ater near at hand, for thefe 
 purpofes, he might chufe the places he did, without the 
 leajl rej^eSl to dipping. 
 
 Ah, " but Philip and the Eunuch went down both 
 <' into the water and came up out of it ; and they muft 
 
 * lb. page ^3. t Sermon, pa.e 28. Note, 
 
 " 20 
 
[ 30 I 
 
 *' go 'u:to the water (that is be Immerfed in it) becaufe \t 
 *' is exprelly faid before, they were come to it, where- 
 '' fore they went not unto it, if they were there before, 
 *' but inio it *." I can hardly forbear, Sir, adopting 
 another of his polite words, TVifeacre ! Siippofe, he was 
 riding in a chariot, and came to the water fide, if then 
 he condefcended to ftep out of it, to wafh his face, 
 hands, &c. may it not be flriclly faid, that though he 
 was come to the water before, yet in coming down from 
 the chariot, he went down unto the water ; which (o 
 far from implying his being plunged into it, doth not 
 lead us to think his fhoe was fo much as wetted ; be- 
 fides, if going into the water, implies immerfion, Philip 
 muft be dipped as well as the Eunuch ; for it is faid, they 
 went down both into the water j and if the Eunuch really 
 went into the water, before plunged in, he half baptized 
 hi?nfelf; as indeed do all the Doctor's Profelytes, if being 
 covered with water is Baptifm. 
 
 Becaufe he harped fo much on into, and out of; you 
 remember I afked him, " how many times he muft be 
 *' told, that the Greek particles, ,or prepofitions fif and 
 '' f)c fignify unto 2ind from ; and are thus rendered in 
 *' hundreds of places in the New Teftament j" and ap- 
 pealed to him, whether, " They went down unto the water, 
 *' and came up fro?n it ; was not as proper, if not a more 
 ''eligible and juft reading than the other:" but if he 
 ■would infift on i?iio the water, I afked him, " what he 
 *' would makeof Chrift's going intosL mountain ?" Really, 
 Sir, by his anfv/er, he hath proved himfelf the wife/i 
 man among you, bleffed with the fartheft, if not with 
 the gift oi fccondfght : Surely, he hath found a cave in 
 the mountain, fo that our Lord in entring it, may pro- 
 perly be faid to go into the mountain f : That is, he was 
 as if or adually immerfed, or overwhelmed, or baptized 
 in and with earth. This is certainly the tip-top of all ; 
 pity he had not fhewn his remarks to you or fome other 
 judicious friend, before he publiihed them to the world 
 with this wonderful, highly probabh cave. To what fhifts 
 
 ♦ Sermon, Note, page 24. f Sermon, page 25. Note. ' 
 
 6 are 
 
[31 ] 
 
 are the 'uotartes of bigotry often reduced ! But how did he 
 know. Sir, I meant the mountain, Luke vi. 12. rather 
 than that Matt. v. r. Is it not t^q to r.^oq into a mountain^ 
 in one place, as well as the other ? But this laji text wo\x\(\ 
 have proved even to his people and admirers, there was 
 no cave there, or that Jefus did not go into one ; lor then 
 how could the multitude hear him ? I hear you fay, he 
 certainly went up into^ or ajccnded this mountain, not to 
 
 pray alone, but to preach to a multitude. Vou ob- 
 
 ferve the Do6lor is a little fhaken about the proper mean- 
 ing of f K > and now like a fcholar^ modeftly fays, *' it 
 *' muft be allowed, the prepofition fometimes at lead 
 ■" fignifies into *." Yes, ojtcn ; and the Dodor fhall be 
 conftrained loon, to acknowledge it very often fignifies 
 unto^ and to^ and not into. Give him from me the fol- 
 lowing example or two : But firft, refer him to himfelf, 
 Romans iv. 3. 5. 9. we meet with ft? J'i)caio(ruv»ii/, which 
 he ftrenuoufly maintains, is, UNTO righteoufnefs^ and fo 
 again Rom. x. lof. Beg him to confider alfo i TheiT. 
 iii. 12. where ft? occurs three times, and muft be render- 
 ed untOy or towards, v/hich you pleafe : So Matt. xv. 24. 
 Our Lord fays he was fent giq tx ttoo^octcc^ &c. Should 
 that be to or into the ioji Jhecp P Toy you reply, doubtlefs ; 
 unlefs the loft Iheep had a cave in them, as well as the 
 mountain ; though the Doctor's criticifm will fuit very 
 well with the tenet of fome, and furnifli them with an 
 invincible argument for tranfubftantiation and Chrift's en- 
 tering perfonally into them ; their ftomach is the cave 
 into which he goes, by virtue of hoc "eft corpus, vel ho- 
 cus pocus. Aye, but fays the Dodor, " circumftances 
 *' require sig fhould be rendered into fometimes, particu- 
 '* larly in A(Sts viii. 38 :" that is £ig connected with watery 
 muft neceflarily fignify into. But y^ou know the con- 
 trary. Sir; Jefus fent Peter et? rni/ 9cc\oc(r(rocv X ; what 
 into' the feaP No, only to, for he had a line' and hook to 
 caft into it. I hope thefe few inftances, out of numbers 
 that might be produced, will fatisfy him ; and engage 
 him to complain no more of partial, and non tranflations ; 
 J>Ut make him ingenuoufly to acknowledge, that party 
 
 f Ibid. t Dodrine of Juflification, page 16; 
 
 J Mau, xvii. 27. 
 
[32] 
 
 Zfal^ and a fond dcfire of being eflecmed the head of a 
 feHy hath made him thus long impofe on himfelf, and 
 them that hear him. 
 
 There is but one thing in his fermon and remarks on 
 the mode of Baptifm, that remains unnoticed and unan- 
 fwered ; and that is To weak an one, that the bare men- 
 tioning thereof, Sir, is fufficient to expofe it. " The 
 " end of Baptifm is to reprefent the burial and refurrec- 
 *' tion of Chrift, which cannot be anfwered any other 
 *' way than by immerfion ; and hence the Apoftie fays, 
 *' buried vjith hbn by Baptif?n, and in Baptifm *'." What, 
 Sir, is a reprelentation of the burial and Refurre<5tion of 
 Chrift, the end of Baptifm ? I always thought the end of 
 Baptifm, was to diftinguifti Cbriftians from Infidels ; to 
 ^receive perfons into God's vifible church; to inftruct 
 mankind in their guilt and defilement through fin ; to 
 hold forth to them the necefTity of fandlification ; to fig- 
 nify the influences of the fpirit ; and to obh'ge them who 
 "were partakers of it, to obferve the law and all the pre- 
 cepts of him, into whofe name they were baptized. So 
 the end of Baptifm, is with Antipaedobaptifts only an 
 emblem of the burial and Refurrection of Chrift, if Dr. 
 Gill is their oracle ; But if this is really the cafe, I won- 
 der how any believer in Chrift, or how any rational 
 creature complies with it; for the emblem is impercep-- 
 tlble, but by one or two of uncommon capacities. You 
 know the Dodor vaunts, '' will any man in his fenfes 
 '' fay a corps is buried, when only a little duft or earth 
 •^is fprinkled or poured on its facef^' But can any 
 .man in his fenfes^ not to fay a D. D ; aflert that a perfon's 
 going by himfelf to the middle in water, and then joih- 
 ing with the minifter, to put the other half of himfelf a 
 few inches under water, and being pulled up again in 
 three moments ; is the reprefentation and emblem of, 
 ChrifCs burial and refurreciion^ or hath the leojl analogy or 
 refemblance to it ? Alas, Sir, were we to frame articles 
 of faith for ourfelves and others, from what fome men 
 will make fcripture allufions, and their whimfical inter- 
 pretations of them ; what would become of Chriftianity ? 
 
 * Sermon, page 25. •\ Ibid. 
 
 The 
 
[33] 
 
 The Do£lor knows, or fl^ould kriow,that 0ajTi<r0f rTa?l4eb« 
 vi. 4. is generally underftood to mean perfons baptized, and 
 the Greek and Latin fathers in common fpcke of Baptifm 
 under the word ^ajxtc-^w,©;, from men's being in Baptifm tran- 
 flated out of the kingdom of darknefs into that of :^raceand 
 Jight, and from their being by the Baptifm of the fpirit en- 
 lightened with the rays ofthegofpel and divine light as with 
 thofe of the Sun*; now, if dipping be the fcrioture 
 mode of Bapt>fm^ nothing is more oppofite to this Jcrip^ 
 ture allufion of Baptifm by irradiation ; for the water 
 prev«nts the fight, and for a time maktrs all darknefs around 
 them ; befides, are not Chriftians faid, to be crucijicd 
 with Chrijl^ and to \iQ planted together in the likenefs of his 
 death ; furely by the fame rule, that we are plunged into 
 water, to be buried with Chrift in Bapdfm, and to fhew 
 we have fellowfhip with him alfo in his overwhelming 
 fufFerings ; whieh the Doctor fays " are agreeable to 
 Baptifm by immerfion fi" we may not only h^figned with 
 theCrofs^ but ought toh^fajieiied to one^ this laft, being 
 truly the firongefi reprefentation^ and emblem of our being 
 crucified with Chrift, and being planted together in the 
 likenefs of his death : But why doth oe infifton fcripture 
 allufions ? You know. Sir, where one makes for him, 
 three are againft him ; are not the beft of divine bleffinga 
 promifed and exprefled by " pouring out water upon him 
 " that is thirjfy^ by fprinklmg many nations^ by, fpr inkling 
 •*' dean water upon us, by, the blood of fprinklin?^^ hy^fprinklini^ 
 ** cf the blood of Jefus^ by, the Holy Ghojls being Jhed^ jji- 
 •*^ ^Hv poured out upon us, by an unSficny or anointing from 
 •^ the holy one, ^c. Iffc ;** do not all thefe more clearly 
 favour; and more fully prove the mode of Baptifm to be 
 hy fpr inkling, than any he can produce {or dipping ? To 
 borrow the Do<£tor*s words with a little variation ; what 
 « pity it is the tranflators of our Bible had not render- 
 ed the word BocTrrt^to to fpr inkle, as you know they truly 
 might ', for want of it, the controvcrfy is ftill continued 
 ty watery bigots ; and many ignorant fprinkled Chriftian» 
 are often (to their hurt) pulled by them into the water ; 
 yet, though the word is not thus tranflated, but left at 
 
 • Hence the days, on which Bartifm was adminirtered, were 
 lliled i5^Ept Tuv (puTij'j, days of light, and the baptized were called 
 
 t Sermon, page 27. 
 
 r _ large. 
 
[ 34 ] 
 
 large, implying all kinds of wafhings and applications 
 of water; we have proofs ftfffjcient, that Baptifm was, 
 and ought to be performed hy fpt inkling * , 
 
 Befides, the determination of the Greek Lexicons in its 
 favour ; befides, the Baptiffu of the Ifraelites in the cloud 
 and in the fea, which could be no other way, than by 
 drops of water fprinkled on them, from the cloud and 
 the waves j befides, the Baptifns under the law^ which 
 were never adminiftered by Mofes, or any of the Priefts, 
 to perfons and things but by fprinkling ; befides, the 
 Baptif?n of the Holy Ghoji^ which according to fcripture, 
 was by his defcending and refting on the Apoftles, and 
 is uniformly fpoken of, as being (hed and poured out f ; 
 befides, the Nttu Te/iament proofs^ that the Pharifees and 
 others are called baptized, when only their hands were 
 waflied, by pouring water upon them ; and fo their 
 tables and beds are ftiled baptized, when water was (and 
 could be) only fprinkled upon them ; befides, the juft 
 meaning of the Gj'eek prepojitions sig and sa to and fi-om, 
 and the numerous places that can be produced where they 
 are, and muft neceflarily be fo rendered ; befides, the 
 fcripture allufions of all divine bleifings, under the phrafes, 
 fprinkled and poured out ', befides the ancient feal oi God*8 
 covenant with his people ; and initiating ordinance into his 
 church, to which Baptifm fucceeded, being applied but 
 to one part of the body ; befides, our hordes exprefs de^ 
 claration^ that the wafhing of the feet, (a lefs noble part 
 of the body than the face) with a bafon of water, was 
 as effectual as if the whole body had been wafhed ; be- 
 fides all thefe ftrong arguments, not to add Nebuchad- 
 nezzar's Baptifm with the dew of heaven ; let but 
 Chriftians confider, the multitudes that v/ere baptized at 
 Jordan and Enon, who fcarcely went out provided with 
 
 * " This fymbol of fprinkling was that which God himfelf 
 ** chofe, and appointed as a meet and apt token of the com- 
 ** munication of covenant mercy. — This rite of fprinkling, 
 " was that alone in all facrifices whereby their continued effica- 
 ** cy unto purification was exprefled, thence is the blood of 
 " Chrid called the blood of fprinkling, becaufe of its efficacy 
 '* unto fuidification, as applied by faith." Owen on the 
 Kebrcvvs, Vol. 3. p. 378. 435. 
 
 t Ads ii. 33. 
 
 changes 
 
[35] 
 
 changes of raiment for dipping; let them refle^l on ths 
 three thoufand^ that were converted and baptized in one 
 day, yea in a few hours in the city of jerufalem ; who 
 could not have time to go to their re.'ped^ive homes 
 for other drefles, and if dipped naked, as we may chari- 
 tably fuppofe fome women among them, how indecent 
 and immodeft, yea what a hubbub would it have made 
 in the ftreets of the holy city ? Or who that reads of the 
 jailor and his family being baptized at midnight in his 
 own houfe, can think it was by dipping; and even ia 
 the cafe of the Eunuch it is improbable^ as he was then 
 journeying. \ 
 
 Really, Sir, I have often wondered, how you efpe- 
 cially, or any of your denomination, can withftand fuch 
 powerful evidence, if not demonjlration^ from rejfon and 
 Icripture, for Baptifm being lav/fully adminiftered by 
 fprinkling. If the Do£lor will continue to urge the prac- 
 tice of the fuperflitious Jews, in wafhing the whole 
 body ; afk him, why he doth not make his Profelytes 
 imitate them altogether ? If the whole body muft be 
 wafhed, it is neceiTary it be uncloathed, elfe the body 
 is very little more aiFe6led, or wet, than by water's being 
 poured on the face ; but if needlefs, w^hy do our brethren 
 fo infifton a perfon's being plunged entirely under water : 
 It is well known, that fome (if not for their nofes) for 
 part of their gar7nent5\it\ug above water, have been over- 
 whelmed again; but is not thxsholngfiipei-J'iitious^ and 
 contentious about dipping cloaths *. It is unaccountably 
 ftrange, that Dr. Gill or any man, fhould cenfure Pa- 
 pifts for baptizing BcUs^ &c. and yet quarrel with his 
 pious brethren, and divide the Church of Chrift, about 
 baptizing garmeJtts : I fee no reafon to retra6l, what I once 
 faidy refpe^ting his performance ; that fomething befides 
 Dr. Gill's knowledge and learning, muft be qucilioned. 
 
 Though I have fpoken my mind freely to you; I am 
 perfuaded, you will not confider and pray for me, as '* one 
 *' of the blind Sodomites groping in the dark, feeking 
 
 • Baptifmus vero five immerfio, noa veftiiim eftj fed humanl 
 •orporis. Voffius de Baptifmo. 
 
 Y 7: *« the 
 
[ 36 ] 
 
 " the living among the dead," which you remember, 
 was a petition oftered up by one of the Doctor's lay 
 preachers, immediately after feimon, on behalf of poor 
 fpiinKlcd Chriftians : But to do him juitice, he prayed 
 likewifc (forgetting I fuppofe all that his Dodor had juft 
 be'ore faid againlt fprinkling) that we mi. ht all be 
 Jpriiikled uith the blood of Chrift : In return, may he, 
 tr.e Do£^or, and all bigots of every party and fe6t, be 
 c^ ered with humility, and have a large un6lion of 
 Chriftian love and charity ! 
 
 You may fay, what avails this long letter about ths 
 fK;i-: of Baptifm^ as I know that the Antip^dobaptijis in 
 Holland, think it immaterial whether perfons are dipped, 
 or fprinkled, and do fprinkle or pour water on moft that 
 they baptize ; and you add, the proper fubjet^s, is the chief 
 point of controverfy : I grant it, and therefore fhall foon 
 lay before you, fome of the chief arguments, that Bap- 
 tifm ought to be adminiftered to the children of Chriftian 
 parents, with great efteem, I am. 
 
 Yours, 5ic» 
 
t 37 ] ' 
 
 LETTER V. 
 
 Proves that hfants are lawful Members cf ChriJTs Church* 
 
 Sir, 
 
 WITH the fame freedom, as I communicated my 
 thoughts to you on the mode^ in my laft letter ; 
 in this I {hall fpeak of the fnhje^s of Chriftian Baptifm. 
 That water baptifm is a divine inftitution, ai;d to be 
 much efteemed, and dulyobferved by Chriftians, we arc 
 agreed in; thot;gh perhaps itill differ as to the quantity 
 of water to be ufed in it, and the way of its being ap- 
 plied to the body ; but this is with me, not fo material, 
 •were we agreed as to the proper fubje6ls : But notwith- 
 ftanding all Dr. Gill's fhrewd animadverfions, and po^ 
 lite language beftowed on me, I cannot but ftill differ 
 from him, and you in this point. You remember, that 
 he laid, I injurioufly represented him, as to his treatment 
 of all thofe that differed from him ; but that the charge 
 of his reprefeiiting the Paedobaptifts, as unlearned^ and 
 ignorant of the Scriptures^ is jufr, my laft letter fufficiently 
 proved; as doth his own fermon : All the learned to be 
 Aire, know that Bocrm^oo figniftes only to dip or plunge ; 
 if they fay it denotes fecondarily, to wajhy 'tis becaufc 
 what is dipped is wafhed : And furely the Paedobaptifts 
 have not one text of Scripture in proof of Baptilm by 
 fprinkling ; and yet wonderful! All thefe fame learned 
 men would never be dipped, and the whole Chriftian 
 world (a few hundred perfons excepted) will not re- 
 nounce fprinkling for themfelves, or their children. 
 
 But ad rem, view the Do6tor in print ; " The Bap-*' 
 *' tifm of infants muft be v/rong ; fmce there is no com- 
 " mand of God and Chrift for it * ; and as there is no 
 *^ precept for the Baptifm of infants, fo no precedent 
 ** for it in the word of God f ; I defy the whole world 
 *' to give one fingle precedent, I condemn it as unfcrip- 
 *^ tural and unwarrantable J ; and where is the good 
 
 • Sermon, pag, ii, 'f Ibid, p. 15. J pag. 17. 
 
[ 38 ] 
 
 *' kn{cy it is an abfurdity of abfurdities to affirm thzt 
 " Baptifm comes in the room of circumcifion * :" PFeil 
 do?ie Goliah ! Who would but have thee for a Cham- 
 pon ! You know. Sir, when preaching he bad defiance 
 oftner by far \ but dcn't the words he acknowledges- in 
 print, very plainly prove, that he adually reprefented 
 the greater part of the Chriftian world, as fools^ and ig- 
 norant of the Scriptures ? And doth not he treat ali chil- 
 dren without exception as unclean^ not fuftering them to 
 be admitted into the church of God ? How he could 
 infinuate, that he did not look on Paedobaptifts as unclean^ 
 is amazing ; when he would not fit down with one of 
 them at the Lord's Supper, nor admit him into his 
 "church as a member, were he Mofes, Elias, St. Paul, 
 or an Angel from heaven. 
 
 The only proper fubjeSfs of Baptifm, are according to 
 the Do6tor, " repenting finners, believers in Chrift, dif- 
 " ciples of Chrift, and receivers of the Spirit of God." 
 But can any man have the Spirit of God, or of Chrift, 
 and not be all the reft ? Why fuch a fourfold diftinaion 
 then ? The reafon is obvious. Sir, that he might re- 
 ceive all the profeffing world into his church, except 
 " harmlefs infants ; Simon Magus profefl'ed himfelf a psnitent 
 fmner^ a believer in and a Difciple of Chrijl^ and on this 
 profefiion, though he had not the Spirit of Chrift, he 
 was baptized : So that the next time. Dr. Gill brags, 
 • *' That he hath precedents enough ready, for baptizing 
 *« adult perfons believers," You may inform him he 
 hath a Scripture precedent ready, for baptizing an adult 
 perfon an unbeliever 5 but I fear his own experience hath 
 furnifhed too many precedents of this kind : What avails 
 his faying, " 'tis time enough to talk of infants Baptifm, 
 *' when 'tis clear and evident, they have the grace of 
 *' God in them, and a meetnefs for the kingdom of Hea- 
 *' ven," for if he was never to dip any perfon, till that 
 was clear and evident, was he to live Methufalah's years, 
 he would never baptize another : Surely, Philip had as 
 good a fpirit of difcernment into a man's faith and fin- 
 cerity, as the Do£tor can pretend to, and yet he baptized 
 Simon Magus 5 but I fear from the well known zeal of 
 
 • pag. 12. 
 
C 39 ] 
 
 your champion, let a perfoii but make a declaration, that 
 he believes in Chrift, and defires to be dipped, he would 
 foon go with him, as an excellent Chr'iftlayi into the water, 
 to do it: Is there not too great reafon to fay, that a de- 
 fire to be overwhelmed in water, is the cleareft proof \n 
 the world with fome, o^. 2i per fori s meetnefs for the church 
 and table of Chrift ? But I would hope Dr. Gill goes 
 farther, with rcfpc£l to his people s qualifications and meet- 
 nefs for the kingdom of God above: On this point I 
 cannot but conclude, that as believing parents have 
 ftrong encouragement, from the covenant of God and 
 his gracious promife (which we fhall foon fee extends 
 to them and their infant feed) to devote their children to 
 God in Baptifm ; fo Minifters have hence greater encou- 
 ragement^ and ftronger foundation to baptize, and receive 
 them into God's vifible church, than to baptize and re- 
 ceive any, on their own bare profeffion^ who may deceive^ 
 and impofe upon them. 
 
 But this leads me to remark, that your man of war 
 that bids defiance fo often to the whole world, is alfo a 
 man of ivit ; '« 'Tis abfurd to fend us to the old teft, for 
 *' a command to obferve a new teft-ordinance, 'tis a grofs 
 " abfurdity to f«nd us fo far back as to the 17th chapter 
 '^ of Genefis, for a warrant for the ordinance of Baptifm, 
 *' we might as well be fent to the firft chapter of that 
 '' Book *.'* But, Sir, who ever referred him, or any 
 other perfon, to the 17th chap, of Genefis, to prove in- 
 f ant Baptifm? Yourfelf acknowledged, you remembered 
 none; and confident he could no: produce one of the 
 leaft note, I afked him, v/hether this was not a wilful 
 mifreprefentation ? And it fully appears to be fo, for in 
 his anfwer, to prove my ignorance of the controverfy, 
 or ra-ther his own blindnefs, or want of judgment ; he 
 fays, " the very laft writer on the (ubje6l," and produces 
 a quotation from that Gentleman's unanfwerablc perfor- 
 mance t ; a quotation, which none but one whofe fight 
 and realbn were very near extinguifhed by bigotry, and 
 fo could not diftinguifh, between iyifant Baptifin, and the 
 right of infants to the initiating feal of God's eovennnt, 
 could ever have produced. It directly proves, what I 
 
 • Sermon, pag. i.i. f Eullwick*s. 
 
 hAd 
 
t 40] 
 
 bad before told him, was as clear as the fun fhining at 
 noon day; that God's covenant with Abraham included 
 infants, that they were thereby ordered to have a fign, 
 the token of his peculiar regard put upon them, and to 
 be ever after confidered, and treated as members of his 
 church. That this covenant was of grace, not of works, 
 that it had not merely temporal, but chiefly fpiritual pro- 
 mifes and bleflings annexed to ir, is moft evident ; as 
 «lfo that it includes children vrith their parents ; I wih 
 efiabUfi 7ny covenant between me and thee^ and thy feed after 
 thee.) in their generations for an everlajling covenant \ to be a 
 'God unto thee, and to thy feed after thee, and I ivill give unto 
 thee and to thy feed after thee, the land of Canaan fr an 
 everlafting poffcffion, and I luill be their God * ; Though 
 the land of Canaan is included in this covenant, yet no- 
 thing can be plainer, than that the blefUngs of grace and 
 falvation, and of eternal life in heaven, typified by the 
 land of Canaan, are included and chiefly intmdcd in that 
 comprehenfive promife, / vjill be their God. ,Doth not 
 the promife imply an intereft in all that God hath, and 
 is, fo far as is neceflary to the happinefs of a creature ? 
 From the genuine fenfe of the various places where the 
 phrafe occurs afterward in Scripture, God being our God., 
 it muft include grace and glory : Our Savior proved, that 
 the Covenant was of grace, and that its bleiTings reached 
 to eternity, when he fiienced the Sadducees with, / am 
 the God of Abraham^ Szc. God is not the God of the deaa 
 but of the living f : Befides, Sir, doth not the Apoftle 
 fay, that yefus Chrijl was a Mini ft cr of the circumcifion for 
 ibe truth of God, to confirm the prcmfcs made to the father s.^ 
 and that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy % ? Nov/ 
 who were the fathers, to whom the promifes were 
 made, but the V^xtnTiVchs Abraham, Ifaac and Jacob ? And 
 what were thef prornifes, but that God would be their God, 
 and the God of their feed, and that all nations Jhould be bleffed 
 in the Meffiah, that ihould fpring from Abraham. Surely 
 the DocSlor will r^ot fay, Chrift came to confirm the tem- 
 poral and carnal promifes made to the natural feed of 
 Abraham j for within forty years after his death, Canaan 
 ceafed to be their inheritance. But what need I dw«ll 
 
 * Genefip, xvi), 7. 8. f Matt. xxii. 32. 
 
 I Konidiis, A.V. £), 9. 
 
 ♦n 
 
• r 41 ] 
 
 ©rt this, "St. Paul In the fourth chapter of the R.omansy 
 and the third of the Galaiians^ hath to a ckjnotTjhatimy 
 proved that the Covenant made with Abraham was a 
 fpiritual one, and the fpititual and eternal blefiings that 
 were included in it, were viftbly fcaled to him and his feed^ 
 by circumcifion ; and if we be ChriJTs^ then are zue Abra- 
 hatns fced^ and heirs according to the prcmife '^^. If an Apof- 
 tle may be believed, the Covenant was of grace, a fj^iri- 
 tual, and everlafting one^ other wife the difpenfation by 
 Mofes muft have fuperceded it ; but is not his language, 
 this I fay^ the Covenant that was confirmed before of God in 
 Chrijl ; the law zvhich ivas four hundred and thirty years 
 after ^ cannot difammll, that it fhould make the. promife.of no 
 effeif f : So that 'tis not impertinently nor without rea- 
 ibn, you fee, the Dodlor is referred to the feventeenth 
 chapter of Genefis ; not for a proof of infant Baptifm^ but 
 for -^ proof of God's taking children into Covenant with him, 
 and ordering a viftble token or fign of it to be fet upon 
 them, for the comfort of their parents. Now, Sir, fee- 
 ing the Covenant of God is everlafting, and his promife 
 to believers and their feed ftandeth fure ; as the s;rcat 
 blefling of Abraham was, that his children fhould be 
 taken into the divine Covenant together with himfelf, 
 that they fhould have God for their God, and have this 
 promife fealed to them by a divine ceremony ; how comes 
 it to pafs, that the children of Abraham's fpiritual feed are 
 excluded the Covenant, and muft be deprived of the feal ? 
 Is it not very ftrange, that an Apcjlle fhould fay, The blef- 
 ftng of Abraham mufl come on the Gentiles ; and that, Chriji 
 came to confirm the promifcs ?nade to Abraham^ that the Gen-^ 
 tiles ?mght glorify God ; if fo great a part of this blef?ing, 
 and the contents of the promifes^ were witheld from the 
 Gentile church. Is it not ftranger ftill, that children fhould 
 be included in the Covenant of grace, and ordered to be 
 taken into God's vifible church, and be continued in for 
 near tvuo thoufa?id years ; and at the coming of Chrift be 
 deprived oi their fhare o^ fpiritual prdfnifs and privileges^ 
 be cnfi out of God's church, be denied the vifible fign and 
 pledge of their relation to (lod, and be treated ^s Scythians 
 and Barbarians. Really, Sir, 'tis incredible to think, 
 that children fhould ftand in a vifible relation to God, 
 
 * Galaiians, iii. 79, f Galatlans, iii. 17. 
 
 G under 
 
under the law given by Mofes ; and when grace and truth 
 came by Jefus Chrift, by his Gcfpel of peace (which is 
 every where repreiented as increafing the privileges and 
 bleflings of mankind, and conferring greater benefits on 
 the people of God, than they enjoyed under Judaifm) 
 they fliould be cut cff^ and deprived of the blefling : 
 What think you, a Jew would have faid, if he found 
 that his believing in Chrift would exclude his children 
 from the church of God, and the privileges they enjoyed 
 under the Jewi fh difpenfation *; and v\^hat think you, 
 his children would have thought of Chrift and chriftianity, 
 if as foon as their parent became a Chriftian, they were 
 deprived of all vijible relation to God^ or his Church ? Tell 
 it not at Ciath, ptihlifi it not to the Jeivs^ left the cir^ 
 itimcifed {hou\d triumph, and be more abundantly hardened 
 in tlieir preiudices and clamor againft Chrift and his 
 Gofpel. 
 
 I have faid, thp.t children 'WQre members of God's vifible 
 church for near two ihoufandyears^ that is from Abraham to 
 Chrift; but I might have faid for above four thoufand years', 
 yea I may add that every Covenant God made with men, 
 included children : 'Tis moft evident that the Covenant 
 made vAih Adam^ includcrl his children, and that they 
 weie interefted in it ; elfe how CTiVnt ficknefs and death on 
 his offspring, even u^on thun v/ho fm not adually, as 
 ^e had done f ? Witnefs alfo that with Noah % ; that with 
 Abraham |j ; thatv/ith Alofes and the Ifr a elites § ; that with 
 the Tribe of Levi ^ Sic. * * : Children were ever efteemed 
 la their T^iinority, one with their parents, and treated ac- 
 cordingly. But as children were real members of "God's 
 church from the beginning ; To when the vifible church 
 was to be more confpicuous, in the days of Abraham 
 circiunclfeon v/as appointed to him and his children, as a 
 badge of diilindioUj from the reft of the world, and by 
 
 • 'Tis plain fiom A^s xxi. 20, 21. the believing Jews, 
 thcu:;iu their children had a right to enter with them into the 
 church of Chriil, or were proper fuhjeds of it, elfe they would 
 lipt have difpu'ed about their circumcifion. 
 
 t Romans v. 12 — 14. % Gen, vi. 18. and ix. 8, 9.' 
 (j Gen. xvii. 7. § Deut. x;iix, lo, n, 12. 
 
 * * Numb. iii. 12, 15, 
 
 it 
 
[43] 
 
 h they were received into the church of God; znd from 
 that time to the coming of the Mefliah, this was the 
 iniliat'nig ordinance into the vifible church ; he the Lord 
 of all, changed the rite, and appointed one neither pain- 
 ful nor grievous, Bapiifm^m its room. Now, Sir, feeing 
 there is not a Covenant mentioned in Scripture as betv/een 
 God and men, in which children were not included ; 
 feeing children were members of God's vifible church 
 frcm the begininng {for in Adam's family the viiible church 
 began), feeing that for two thoujand years they were re- 
 ceived into it by 2iVif,bJefton^OT external rite, by God's ex- 
 prefs CQ-mmand (.who would have them marked for his pro- 
 perty, and at feveral times claimed them as his) feeing 
 that the yewijh churchy and the Chrljiian^ are not diffe- 
 rent churches, but one und the fame church of Gcd^ under 
 different adminiflrations and ordinances ; feeing that cir- 
 •cumcifion and Baptifm 2.x^ feals of the fame Cove^ianf^ and 
 appointed for t^at fame ufe and end; why fhould not the 
 members of God's vifible church, confift of the famefub- 
 ]cd:sfi-r2ce Chr'iji^ as before him ; why fliould not the pri- 
 vileges of the members, parents and their children be the 
 fame? Why fhould not children of Chr'Jlians have an equal 
 right to the fame promifes, and to the new and outward 
 feal of them ; as the children of Abraham scd^ of Ifrael had 
 to them, and to the old feal ? Or, fince neither God nor 
 Chrift have revoked their privileges and right ; why fhould 
 men cut them off^ declare they are not interefted in th:: 
 Covenant of grace, and refufe to adminifter that rite to 
 them, by which only their vifible relation to God, and dif- 
 tinction from the reft of mankind is manifefted, and by 
 which alone they can be received into his church. 
 
 Yqu deiire me to confider what the Do6tor hath faid 
 on this head, " 'tis an abfurdity of ahfurdities to afHrm, 
 *' that Baptifm comes in the room of cii-cumcifion, fince 
 *' Baptifm was in force, and ufe, long before circumcifion 
 *' was aboiifhed; circumcifion was not abolifhed till the 
 *' death of Chrift, but Baptifm was adminiftered 7nany 
 *' years before^ to multitudes by John^ and by the order 
 *' of Chrift, and by hisApoftles. Now where is the good 
 *' fenfe of faying one thing fucceeds another, when the 
 *' one faid to fucceed, was in ufe and force long before 
 G 2 '• ths 
 
[44] 
 
 ** the other ceafed *." Excellent logician and chronohgcr / 
 I hope ihe D. D. had not his dipio??ia for his fkill in chro- 
 nology, unleis he calls three years, many. From the be- 
 ginning of John's miniury to the death of Chrift, at the 
 greateit extent was but five years, and from that of the 
 Apoftles but three : Long htfore, mar.y years indeed! But 
 doth the Dr. think, that the multitudes baptized by John 
 yjc^zChrijiians\ or did John's Baptifm initiate perfons and 
 bring them into the church of Chriil ? I hope he is not 
 fo weak to think it, for how was it then, that the nuinher 
 cf the Difcipks and their names (even after the afcenfion 
 of Chrift) fhiould be only about one hundred and twenty f. 
 But why doth your champion boafl qI many, or three years ? 
 As in feme places he quotes AjLimnnides, we may hope, 
 he hath read thatwriter, either in Hebrew or Lati7i ; if he 
 hath, that author and other cabalillical and tu;mudical 
 writers (his favourite companions) inform him, x.]\2itBap- 
 iijm was adminiftered. 7:iany centuries cf years before John 
 Baptift was born ; anc ihat by this external rite, the 
 Jews received their Proft iytes, men, women and children. 
 How could the Dodor now, fo artfully qaeftion, " whe- 
 " ther it can be faid to be the cuftom of the Jewifti 
 '' mijiifteis to baptize paients and their children ;" yea 
 he f::ysj, '^ furelv, it cannot be faid ;):;" but his chief 
 ©racles, the yeivijh Rabbis, tell him they did ; and fo have 
 perfono infinite'y better verfcd in Hebrew antiquities, than 
 he can pretend to; the mention of them as his opponents 
 muft ceitciinly frighten him : Dr. Lightfoor, Dr. VVhitby, 
 the grea' Se'den, iJuxtorlF, Grodus, &c. net to fay hi§ 
 own great Apoftle Dr. Gale|l. The Gentiles were al- 
 ways ccnrdcicd an I flikd by the Jews, unclean; and as 
 waihin^s were .^pointed under the law, as a means of 
 purification fr m their own legal uncleannefs, and they 
 were told, ot.e ordinance, one law and one manner foall he 
 for you andjlr the Jlranger ihat fojourneih vjith you ^', no 
 wonder the) received them into their church \>y the puri- 
 
 * Sermon, p 12. f Atfl?, i, i ^, 
 
 i Sermon, pag. 15. Note. 
 " ^- mail be acknowledged that the Jews do generally alTerfe 
 ** thtfe ih.n-s." Gale's Sermons, vol, ii. pag, 21S. 
 § Numb. Av. 15, 16, ' ' 
 
[45] 
 
 tying rite Baptifm^ as v/cU as by circumdfun ; and na 
 man of learning and honedy can deny, but that when the 
 Gentile profclytes of righteoufnefs, were received into 
 the Je Willi church, all ihc'ir children were Incorporated vfith 
 thejn, and became of the houfhold of God. Now, Sir, 
 as our Lord adopted this rite of wafliing, or Baptifm^ for 
 initiating members into his church ; is it not reafonable 
 to fuppofe, he would have it applied to the fame fub- 
 jeds, parents and their\hi:dren \ as was the cuftom of the 
 Jews for centuries before ? Or if he had intended to ex- 
 dude children ; would he not have given a prohibition^ that 
 his Apoftles might not have a^ted according to the co?n- 
 mon ufage of the Jews, and the church of God in paft 
 ages; you muft excufe me, if I fay, he certainly tvould : 
 But did he in his great commilTion to them. Matt, xxviii. 
 19 ? By no means, but moPc evidently included children j 
 without demurring on the antecedent^ and relative^ and 
 difagreement of gender^ in their commilTion (like the Doc- 
 tor, * which a mere novice in Greek knows are not un- 
 common) they could underfrand it no other way, than to 
 baptize the parents^ that through their preaching embraced 
 the faith of Chrift, and all their children with them ; as 
 was the ufage at that and in former times under a more 
 rigorous difpenfation, receiving parents and their children 
 into the church of God, by baptifm and circumcifion : 
 Suppofe our Lord, Sir, had not changed the rite, but 
 ordered his Difciples to go^ difciple all nations^ circumcl" 
 fing them in the name of the Father^ he. Would they not 
 have thought themfelves directed, to circiimcife the children 
 of Chriftian profelytes or believers, as well as the parents, 
 if not every male of the family ? But the ^-jcry words of the 
 Apoftles commiilion, include infants j and as they muft 
 have concluded themfelves ordered, to admit children 
 with their parents into God's vifible church ; had the 
 word been circumcife^ inftead of haptixe ; why fliould not 
 we fuppofe them dirc6led, to baptize children P Efpecially 
 as the great defign and end of the ordinances of circum- 
 cifion and baptifm, are the fame ; the abfcilTion of flefli 
 in one^ and the application of water /;/ the other ^ both 
 feprefent men's corruption and defilement, and the ne- 
 
 * Sermoiij pag. 14, 
 
 ce^Iity 
 
[46 3 
 
 ceflity of their being cleanfed, and purified from BcMy 
 and finful principles; and the Do£lor himfelf acknow- 
 ledges, that one was the iniiiai2??g srdlnance into the 
 church of God before Chrift ; and that Baptifm is ap- 
 pointed for the fame end^ under the Gofpel difpenfation ; 
 and yet om doth 72&t fucceed another. Pray advife him to 
 TciraSiy or be a little more confijlent ; if he would but 
 feriouily and free of prejudice read Col, ii. ii, 12. he 
 would never more ajpri, that Baptirn:^ came not in the room 
 of circumcifion ; but declare it to be a grcfs ahfurditj^ 
 to deny it did not : For the Apoftle's argument, accord- 
 ing to common fenfe^ is, that as Baptifm reprefents and 
 feals the fame bieffings, as did circumciiion, therefore it 
 was needlefs for Chriftians to be partakers of circumci- 
 fion^ efpecially as Chrift's circumcifion had put an end 
 to that ceremony, and they were bapdfed into him, and 
 one with him. Well, Sir^ fince it is fully proved, that 
 children were always m£mhers of God's vifible church i 
 and received into it by circumctf&n, and alfo by haptifm^ 
 (if their parents were profelyted Gentl^les) fince 'tis plain, 
 the Apojtle^ commiffmn included children ; and their Lord 
 did not order them to deviate from the pra6lice of the 
 church in the ufe of that rite, as to the fubjeils ; fince 
 children were never ll&tied etd of the Covenmrt of God^ or 
 reje£^ed hy Chrift, as improper fuhjeSIs of his church (of 
 which there is not a fhadow in all the facred records ;} 
 and lince Baptifm moft evidently fucceeds circumcifion, for 
 as without the laft, none could be members of the church 
 of God, in former ages, fo lince Chrift, who aholifbed 
 arcztmcifan, none can ftand in a vifible relation to God,, 
 or be members of bis church, but hy Baptifm^ who dares 
 forbid water to children, that they may be baptized, 
 and fo under thh gracious^ as well as under the legal dif- 
 fmfatlon^ be a i^z^ 'uifihlyy and a^ually devoted to their 
 Maker? 
 
 But, Sir, the text I Cor. vil, 14. if there were m more 
 in the New Teftament, is a fufficient authority, for Mi^ 
 jiifters to receive children into their Lord's church by 
 Baptifm ; you muft indulge me in faying, I never yet 
 faw or heard any tolerable explanation of this pafTage 
 l^iven by any of your brethren i fife were your children 
 
 unclean^ 
 6 
 
[47 ] 
 
 'unclean, hut now ihey are holy. In what fenfe were the 
 children of believers, more holy than thofe of Pagans ? 
 Surely, the marriages of heathens were as lawful as thoie 
 of chriftians, and their children born in wedlock, as legi^ 
 iimate ; what other diilindion can there be, or could 
 the Apoftie mean, by unclean and holy ; than that the 
 children of infidel and idolatrous gentiles, itood in m 
 covenant relaihn to Jehovah, and had ?io right to the pri- 
 vileges of his church ; but the children of chrlftian pa- 
 rents, or if only one was a believer, the unbeliever was 
 fo far fan6lilied to the believer's ufe, ihc.t the children 
 proceeding from them, were holy ; (not merely lawfully 
 begotten, but) as the Jews were ftiled an holy nation, fo they^ 
 were not to be accounted as the children of unclean Gen- 
 tiles, but were to be feparated from them, to be counted 
 among the people of God, and fet apart to him, by the 
 initiating ordinance and feaL Suppofe, Sir, it had been 
 faid to the Jews, that, though one parent fhould be un- 
 clean, or a Gentile^ yet if the other was a Jew, their 
 children would be holy ; %vould not every one among 
 them, immediately have underftood what was meant 
 thereby ; even that the children w^ere peculiarly related 
 to God, to be confidered as the natural feed of Abraham 
 the fame, as if both parents were Jews ; that hence 
 they had a right to com.e into the congregation of the 
 Lord, and they would accordingly have circumcifed 
 them ; 'tis evident, the Apoflle P^z^/underilood the Holy 
 Ghoft to mean this, and hence he took Timothy in 
 right of his mother, and circumcifed him*. In connec- 
 tion with this text, I may cite another of the fame pur- 
 port, Rom. xi. 1 6, 17. It not only proves that" the 
 Jewifh and Chriilian Church is one and the fame ; and 
 confequently, the memhers, and the privileges cf the 7nem- 
 bers Ihould be the fame ; or at leafl, not be curtailed un- 
 der the gofpel difpenfation ; but, demonftrates the right, 
 that children of chriftian parents, the branches of the holy 
 root^ have to admiflion into the church of God : Surely 
 if believing gentiles are grafted into the church of God, 
 inftead of the unbelieving Jews and their feed, who are 
 broken off; their children ought to be grafted in with 
 them ; elfe the Jews before Chrift, had a great privilege, 
 
 * A(Ss xvi. I, 3. 
 
 which 
 
[48} 
 
 which was dc>^ycd to them under the gofpel dirpenfatJony 
 thcugh hclieversy and to believing" gentiles alfo; but the 
 ApoiHe's fliling the branches^ or childrat^ hcly^ is a de- 
 monftration, that they fland in as viftble relation to God 
 as ever, and have a right to the token or pledge : And doth 
 he not in the 24 ver. of the fame chapter fay, that the 
 natural branches y the Jews, fiall again be grafted into their 
 civn olive trecy the church of God i now think you, that 
 their children will not be grafted, or entered with them ? 
 doubtlefs they will, Confider what the prophet fays, with 
 rcfpcct to this happy event : Their children alfo fhall he as 
 cforetime^ arid their congregation JJ)all be ejlablijhed before me^ 
 and ye foall be my people^ and 1 will be your God *. Now, 
 Sir, if the children of chriflians are as holy^ as thofe of 
 the fews ; if they are declared by infpiraiion to be foy 
 Jianding in a peculiar vifible relation to God; and if the 
 children of the Jews are to be grafted in again to the 
 church together with their parents ; what reafons can 
 be afTigned, why the children of believing gentiles, 
 fliould not by baptifniy be grafted in with their parents, 
 to that church, v/hich for above 4000 years always re- 
 ceived and embraced them, and iie-ver rejcSted them, I 
 cannot but cry out, Gh Prejudice^ Oh Bigotry^ hew blind 
 are \ our votaries ! 
 
 You remember, the Do£i:or's paraph rafe in his fermon 
 on Liik-e xviii. 16. or Matt. xix. 14. [zuhich he pleafes) 
 and how much that text grappled him ; and that with all 
 his torturing, he cotdd not, and cannot but fay, it clearly 
 proves the Redeemer's love to infants, and his readinefs to 
 receive and blefs them. And really. Sir, thofe whom he 
 took up in his arms and blcffed^ or that are capable of 
 divine blefiine, I fliould be afraid to call: out of his 
 church, and alTert they have no right, to be received into 
 it. You knov/ I quefrion'd whether y^?;?:^//;/;;^ within, did 
 not tell him, while he was wrefling the Vv^ords ; that 
 they proved, children were as dear to God, under the 
 chrijiiany as under the Abrahainic, and Mofaic difpenfationsy 
 ahd that they were real miCmbers of the church of Chrift: 
 Our Lord's words are, of fuch is tlu kingdo?n of Heaven j 
 
 * Jer. XXX. 20. 22. 
 
 which 
 
[49] 
 
 which you grant, fignifies fometimes the kingdom or 
 church of Chrift here, and in Ibme places, the king- 
 dom of glory above ; the Do6lor may take which fenfe 
 he pleafes ; if the former^ they are exprefly declared by 
 the great head of the Church himfelf, real fuhjeds of his 
 kingdom among 7nen ; if he prefers the latter fenfe^ they 
 are ex confelTo, partakers of the heji bUJfmgs God can 
 beftow on the human race above ; and if fo ; pray^ why 
 fliould they be excluded from part and lot, with the 
 blefled on earth ; if members of the invifible Church, 
 why not of the vifible ? I fee you laugh at his reply, that 
 *•' the kingdom of Heaven, cannot defign the church of 
 '' Chrift under the gofpel difpeniation, becaufe 'tis not 
 ^^ national, but congregational, confifting of men*, 
 '' gathered out of the world by the grace of God, and 
 ^' who make a public profeilion of Chrift ; which in- 
 '' fants are not capable of, and fo cannot be real fub- 
 *« jeasof itf.'* 
 
 You fay, this deferves no reply, hut pity for the writer f 
 but how happened it, Sir, that the children of Jews and 
 profelyted Gentiles ^ who were as incapable of making a 
 public profeflion of religion, as the infa-nt feed rf chrif- 
 tians ; were real fubjeSfs of the Church of God ? But 
 leaving him to ftudy this knotty queftion, and blufh for 
 his quibble ; you defire me to take notice of his other 
 reply, ov folution of the text, 1 was almoft in hopes, you 
 would have overlooked this, for the Dodlor's fake j for 
 Jirange ! though our Lord declares totidem verbis^ that 
 of infants is the kingdom of Heaven ; he contrariwife af- 
 firms " in fadt, they themfelves are not Intended, only 
 ^' fuch as they, fuch who are comparable to them for 
 " meeknefs and humility, for freedom from malice, 
 '* pride and ambition ;]:." But I will rather believe his 
 mafier^ than him, or any man whatever ; his round and 
 pofitive afjertionsy will go but a little way, efpeclally when 
 
 * Men gathered, why had he not faid women alfo : Sorely 
 women ought not to be excluded from the chorch of God, 
 though by his exprefiion he reje^^s them, as well as children. 
 Kcad Gal. iii, 28. | Scrm. p. 14. note. % Ibid. 
 
 H fcrip- 
 
[ so] 
 
 fcripture is dlre^ly againft hhn ; according to his expla- 
 nation and view of Chrift's words and conduit ; had 
 Jheep^ lamhs^ or doves been brought to him, he might have 
 been angry with his difciplcs^ for forbidding the bearers 
 to come near and prefent them ; and have not only faid, 
 fuffer them to be brought^ but have alfo taken them into his 
 ar?m, laid his hands upon tkcm^ and il^JJed them^ and then 
 pronounced, that of fuch as they^ (who are comparable to 
 them for temper, meeknefs, &c.) is the kingdom of 
 Heaven : Rifum teneatis amice ! yourfelf declare, (ac- 
 cording to a learned friend's obfervation *) that there is 
 no jvfi conneSfion^ between Chrill's difpleafure at his dif- 
 cipies, for keeping Infants from him ; and his giving as 
 the reafon of it, that tiot to them^ but, to grown perfons 
 quite different fubjc^s^ his kingdom belonged. Had our 
 Lord's intention and reafon, been what Dr. Gill hath 
 a'lrerted, he certainly might as well have taken fheep, 
 &c. into his arms as the Children ; but indeed. Sir, his 
 embracing Infants in his arms, and blefUng them ; his 
 exhorting his difciples /^ tahe heed not to dej'pife fuch little 
 ones^ not one cf thejn^ declaring that they have Angels to 
 attend themj ; and that of fuch is the kingdom of Hea- 
 ven, they are part of his church and kingdom ; fully 
 prove that they are beloved of God, member i of his vijible 
 Churchy and ought to be ejleemed^ and treated as fuch^ by 
 all his minijhrs %, 
 
 Here I would beg you, to give the Doctor fome friend- 
 ly, and 'neccjfary advice : if he pub]iflies another edition 
 of his fermon, or any thing more on the fubjeSf ; caution . 
 him, for decency s fake ^ to give the apoflles of Chriji a little 
 better character, if he doth not me; he fays '' thefe 
 " children might be difeaied, and fo brought to Chrift 
 
 * Tov.'good. t Mate, xvili. 2, lo. compared with 
 
 Mark ix. ^\6, 
 
 J Even Dr. Gale oppofes Dr. Gill on this text ; he confefTes, 
 til. t Chriir did in faU intend the infants tkemel~jes^ and net 
 fuch as they J and draws an arguif.ent from thence to iilence 
 parents fears concerning their childrens fafety and happinel>, 
 ihould they die unbaptized. Grik's Serm. V. 2. p. 179. 
 
 «« to 
 
r 51 ] . 
 
 *' to be cured of their difeafes *." If this was really the 
 cafe, what monjlers muil the Apoftles be, to reje6l, and 
 endeavor to put them and their tender mothers away, 
 when they knew a touch of their mafter's hand, yea a 
 word from his lips, would have cured them, and prej'erved 
 their lives. Knowing a little what parental affedtion is, 
 I cannot but think, he is dejiitute of it^ or bigotry forces 
 him to fay and unfay jull to ferve his own turn : But 
 his character of the Apoftles, is not to be wondered at, 
 fnice he plainly cenfures the wifdom, and goodnefs, and 
 moral governraent of God his maker; aflerting, that 
 children ought jiot to be admitted into the vifible Church, 
 till it appears they are of the invifiblef. But, why did 
 God command the?n to be admitted of old, and continued 
 them in his vifible Church, thoufands of years ?' Why did 
 not Adam^ Noah^ Abraham^ Mofes^ the Prophets and Jeiu- 
 ifi Priejls argue, as Dr. Gill ; and of their own head, 
 without divine authority^ exclude them ? Truly, Sir, be- 
 caufe they modejily refieited, that God excelled them in 
 wifdom, and well knew who were the moft proper fub- 
 jects of his own Church ; and they had likewife clearer 
 Views of his grace to their Children, and \nqxq more grate- 
 ful for it. The Do(?i:or himfelf acknowledges the necef- 
 fity of Infants being regenerated, before they can enter 
 the kingdom of glory ; muft he not then either damn all 
 that die in childhood ; or maintain that fome are born 
 again of the fpirit : And \\ of the fpirit^ why not of water ? 
 if they are fandlifyed, by the Holy Ghoft's being ilied 
 i^'cyjiv poured out upon them ; why fhould not water, 
 which is but the emolem, be "Aio poured out upon thern in 
 Baptifm P 
 
 Again, Sir, doih not A^ls ii. 39. conne(Si;ed with Gal. 
 iii. 7, 16, 17 and 29. fully authorize the minifters 
 of Chrift, to receive children into his vifible Church ; 
 which can only be done^ bv Baptii'm. All who are be- 
 lievers in Chrift, are Abraham^ s feed ^ arid heirs according to 
 the pro'itiife j and as the covenant of God with Abraham, 
 is of grace, and in full force ; fo the promife and blef- 
 fmgs contained In It abide, and extend by fcripture au- 
 
 * Serm. p. 13. f lb. p. 14. note. 
 
 H 2 thority^ 
 
[52] 
 
 ihortt)\ not merely to them that believe, but to thdr 
 children ; the promife is to yoit^ and to your Children ; not 
 to vour Children, when grown up to adult years^ and ca- 
 pable of making a public profeflion of their faith ; for 
 what advantage then had the ^ew or the Gentile believer^ 
 of old', or what advantage hath the Chrijlian now, either 
 parent or child, above the Ethiopian, or the Indian Sa- 
 vage ? The Apoftle's meaning w?y/? he ; the promife is to 
 you, and to your Children in their infantile Jlale ; they 
 have a right, to all the grants and privileges of the gra- 
 cious covenant, God made with Abraham ; and as his 
 Children received the appointed token and fign of it, fo 
 your feed are to be baptized ivith water, v/hich is the 
 chrijlian circumcifton, the appointed token and feal under 
 the gofpflf and become 'vifible members of Chrift's Church : 
 You will bear with me, if I add ; that the expofition 
 which the Do6lor and others of your brethren, give of 
 thofe paiTc'ges, hardly agrees with common fenfe -, they too 
 much fatisfy themfelves, wiih faying, '' that the fenfe is 
 *' not that the Pasdobaptilb give ;" and yet they will 
 not give us a better, one more natural and jujL 
 
 You join with the DocSlor, in opinion, '* that if In- 
 *' fants are real fubjedls of the church, they muft have 
 *' an equal right to the Lord's fupper as to Baptifm, of 
 '' v/hich they are equally capable*." Far from it. Sir : 
 Your champion VvmII inform you, that one ordinance 
 initiates into the Church ; and the other efabliJJjes ; was 
 not Simon Magus a real fubjc^ of the Church, and yet 
 I believe Dr. Gill would not chufe to fay, he had an 
 en^icil right to the Lord's fupper as to Baptifm ; but Chil- 
 dren are not fo much excluded from the fupper, for want 
 of a right to it. Sir, as for want of a proper capacity for 
 it ; which cannot be ji-iftly faid of them with refpecl to 
 Baptifm. Li Baptifm, the fubje61:s are to be wholly paif- 
 five, if the fcripture Baptifms under the lavy, (fprinkling 
 water and blood, &c. upon the priefls, the people, the 
 book of the law, utenfds of the tabernacle, &c.) are 
 to be our precedents ; and I could almoft appeal to your- 
 felf, whether the natural idea, which the word Bap-^ 
 
 * Serm, p. 14. r^ote, 
 
 tifn 
 
C53] 
 
 lifm conveys, is not pajjlve-, that of water's being appliad 
 to the body, and not the body's being applied, or plunged 
 into the water; but in the fupper, the word of God 
 requires thofe who partake of it, to be a^ive -^ they muft 
 be of years fufficient, to examine themfelves refpe6ting 
 their knowledge, faith, love, repentance and other ^i- 
 ritual things ; they are not only to take the elements, and 
 eat, and drink, but muft be capable alfo, of difcerning 
 the Lord^s body, of underjlanding the meaning of the chrif- 
 tian fymbols, and in the exercife of chrijiian graces re^ 
 ceive them. 
 
 You fiy, " the Do6lor hath proved, that faith and 
 *' repentance are fcripture prerequifites to Baptifm, and 
 " that on this the Controverfy hinges." Doth it Jo? Then 
 if any candor is left, if the mind is open to convi^iion, the 
 controverfy muft foon be at an end : I know the Do6tor 
 infifled much in his preaching, as he hath in his printed 
 fermon*, on the order cf words in fcripture ;theApoftles 
 commifiion, was go, teJich, and \'\2i\'\ngfirji taught, then 
 baptize them ; fo repent and be baptized, and he that be- 
 lieveth and is baptized ; and again, the Corinthians hear- 
 ing, believed^ and were baptized. Alas, Sir, what a pity 
 it is, fuch ftrefs fhould be laid on the placing of words ^^ 
 efpecially by Dr. GUI, v/ho ought to have been the laji 
 man in the uni'verf, to have done it ; I have already been 
 obliged to let John againft Gill, now I am forced to fet 
 C///againft John. Hear what he fays, " The Apoftle 
 " Paul in recounting the feveral bleftings of divine grace 
 " Rom. viii. 30. places vocation before juftification, as 
 '' fomething antecedent to it, from v/hence it is con- 
 " eluded that vocation is in order of time before juftiii- 
 *' cation : to which I reply ; that the order of things is 
 ''^frequently inverted in fcripture. The Jews have a faying 
 " that there is neither iRrft nor laft in the law, i. e. it doth 
 " not always obR^rve to put that firft, which is firfi ; and 
 '' that laft which is laJl, hut frequently changes the order ; 
 ^^ fo that Jir icily, nothing is to be concluded from tljence^ 
 " And as this is obvious in the law, and in the other 
 
 * P. 19, 20. f 'Ts faid Mark ?. 4. that John baptifed 
 and preached. 
 
 <' writings 
 
t54] 
 
 *' writings of the Old Teftament, fo It Is, In the hooks of 
 ^^ the Nnv Teftament \ where it is eafy to obferve, that 
 *' the order of the three perfons in the Trinity, is not 
 *' always kept to*;" with other inftances he adds. You 
 fee. Sir, he is crujhed under the weight of his own argu- 
 ments ; John Gill hys^ the order of things is frequently invert- 
 ed and changed in fcripture^ both in the Old and New Tefla?nent'y 
 fo that nothing fir i£lly is to he concluded from thence : And yet, 
 the order of words y h Goliah*s fword, fpear^ helmet^ and 
 coat of ma:'y when he marches forth for adult Baptifm. 
 Kere I might give over, for the mighty man is fallen ; his 
 own words have taken hold upon him ; and he certainly 
 is not able to lo.k up ; but as you exhort me to be -merciful -, 
 and to confider, that more eminent^ confijhnt^ and learned 
 mcny than he, have objected '^ that faith and repentance 
 *' are fcriprure qualifications for Baptifm ;" and think 
 yourfelf, " that children ought not to be baptized, be- 
 " caufe not capable of believing," I will lift the Doctor 
 up, and return him his fvvord, " Infants are not capable 
 *' of believing and repenting, and therefore not to be 
 *' baptized, or admiited into the church of God." But 
 furely, they are as capable of thcfe things ^ and as worthy 
 to be members of the vifible church, as the Ifraelite in- 
 fants i who ncverthekfsy were commanded to be circurn- 
 cifed ; and fo became debtors to do the whole law of God ; 
 and why therefore, fhould not children of Chrijiian pa- 
 rents be baptizedy and fo become debtor s^ or be laid imder 
 jftrong obligations, and early engagements^ to obey the 
 precepts of him into whofe holy name they are baptiz- 
 ed f: If the Do6i:or ftill obje6ls, " they are not capa- 
 *'• ble of making a public profelfion of their faith at bap- 
 *' tifm :" Truly, Sir, as goody and as long an one^ as the Re- 
 verend Mr, Carmichael did at his ; which you well remem- 
 ber, was only a long and deep. Oh ! You retort, " What 
 *' ufe is baptifm of to children, what beneiits do they 
 *' receive by it?" But may not I aflc in return, of what 
 ufewascircumcifiontolflimaeland Efau, andtothejewiih 
 
 • Giirs do£lrine of Juftification. p. 70. 
 
 •|- That children may be brought under religious, as v/ell as 
 civil obligations by their parents, the word of God abundantl/ 
 declares. 
 
 chil- 
 
rss] 
 
 children ; and what benefits did they receive ? Yea of 
 v/hat ufe or benefit v/as Baptifm to multitudes baptized by- 
 John in Jordan and at Enon ; or to Simon Magus, and 
 to numbers of thofe, who have renounced their infant 
 Baptifm, and been dipped by Dr. Gill and others, at adult 
 years ? But notwithjianding many who are baptized, are 
 never the better for it; yet, God will \).2c^q. 2. vijlble church 
 in the world, and his vifible feal is to be fet upon them, 
 whom he prefcribes ; he hath declared, children to ftand 
 in a covenant relation to him, and always treated them as 
 fuch ; it is not for men then, to d'ljcrhnmate^ and be wifer 
 than God', and as I would fooner baptize a child, on the 
 Covenant and promife of God and t\ic. parent' s f'ith^ then 
 an adult perfon (who may deceive me.) on his verbal pro- 
 fejjion ; fo as the bounties of providence are fanrSiified' to 
 our ufe, by prayer and thankfgiving, I doubt not, th^i 
 ordinance of Baptifm is itequcntly fan3ifed to the fubjec^, 
 as well as other divine .injlitutionsy to the.m that attend 
 upon them. But fhould no real benefit redound to the 
 infant baptized, any more than to the adult perfon ; yet 
 fliould it be taken away by death, before years of dif- 
 cretion ; parents have this to comfort them ; that^j/ Bap" 
 tifm they devoted them to God, and he vifibly received 
 them into his church ; the feal of bis gracious covenant 
 and cf fpiritual blefiings v/as fet upon them, ^nd there- 
 fore juilly conclude, that he is a God in covenant to them, 
 that becaufe he loved the father's^ therefore he chofe their 
 feed'^'\ and hath taken them" as his heirs, to dwell with 
 himfelf for ever, and pofTefs an incorruptible inheritance. 
 I confefs. Sir, it furprizes me, to hear you object againft 
 infants Baptifm, for their want of faith, repentance, and 
 incapacity of receiving any benefit by it ; benefit they have^ 
 and may receive ; you acknowledge they rniift have grace^ 
 if they ever inherit glory;- and have not you and the 
 Do(3or, read in the New Tejlament, of One who w^as 
 baptized, without faith, znA without repentance -, and v/ho 
 was more incapable of receiving moral benefits by Baptifm^ 
 than Dr. Gill can pretend infants are ; { w^as going to 
 cry out. Behold, Sir, for your joy ; but I had forgot; how- 
 
 ♦ Deut. iv. 37. 
 
 ever. 
 
[5M 
 
 ever, you will fufFer me to fpeak to tnyfelf and others ; 
 Behold aU ye Chriftian i>are?its, for your comfort and cjiahlifn- 
 ment in this matter^ tois inflame is no other then Jefus the 
 great head of the church ! You doubtleis are convinced, 
 ^ir ; but I hear the Doctor faying, *' I willnot, unlefs 
 *' one come from the dead,'* or " unlefs you fnow me 
 •' expr^fs commands for infant Baptifm." Why, what are 
 all the texts and proofs I have produced y^ but fo many exprefs 
 commarids and zvarrants ; more exprefs^ than any he can 
 iliow me, for not keeping the fewijo fabbath^ but the firft 
 day of the week ; or for not abjlaining from blood and 
 things fir angled \ or for admitting women to the Lord's 
 Supper ; or for his manner of plunging them into the zvater ; 
 ory^r rtfufing to adinit children into God's vifible churchy ox for 
 cajling them cut : I have ihowed him many, and can fhow 
 him ma?iy ?nore exprefs commands, for receiving them into the 
 church of God, by the appointed initiating feo I -^ Jet him, 
 or any other x€i{on,f/jow me butonetext^ where God blotted 
 them out of his covenant; or Chrift reje<SLed them as 
 improper fubjeds of his church and kingdom ; or where 
 either refuted to acknowledge them as theirs \ I will lay 
 my hand upon my mouth, and my mouth in the duft, 
 and the next week, beg the Doclor to baptise me^ either by 
 fpr inkling, or dipping, which he pleafes *. 
 
 . But, I find fripture precepts will not fatisfy Dr. Gill ; 
 he objeds there is fio fcripture precedejit : ''I defy the 
 *' whole world to give one fingie precedent f :" of what? 
 The Old Teflament, and his rabbinical writers alfo, will 
 give him a thoufand precedent?, of children's being re- 
 ceived into the church of God ; " Aye, but where is 
 " one precedent of infant Baptifm ?" Why if children 
 of Gentile Profelytes were received into the Church of 
 God, under the Mofaic difpenfation, zs it is certain they 
 were; it was by Baptifm, as well as by circumcifton ; and 
 as the Gofpel of grace, that broke down the partition 
 wall between Jew^s and Gentiles, and made both one ; 
 cannot be fuppofed, (without great f caudal to it) to have 
 cut off children from the covenant and church of God; 
 
 * Provided it befummer. f SeJin. page 17. 
 
 there 
 S 
 
rs7i 
 
 ihere was no other way of receiving them Info it, (By the 
 Apoftles and firft preachers of Chrift) but by Baptifm : 
 But how, Sir, could the Do6i:or fo far forget himfelf, and 
 act fo gi'ofsly inconft/lent ; as to affirm there was no prece- 
 dent for infant Baptifm in the word of God, and what 
 is Jlill worfe, with fo much afTurance, defy the whole 
 world to give a fingle precedent j and within a few pages of 
 his defiance, he gives one himfelf: *' The Ifraelites were 
 *' baptized in the cloud and in the fea, and with great 
 " propriety may it be called a Baptifm, as that is, by im- 
 *' merfion *." A more unfortunate inftance for immerfion, 
 I proved he could not have produced f; but pray. Sir, 
 be ingenuous ; were not the children of the Ifraelites, bap^ 
 fixed at this time^ as well as the parents ; or was there 
 another miracle wrought to prevent it ? You cry, forget^ 
 ful inconfiflint Do5ior I Come, this is one fcripture injiance^ 
 or precedent ; and notwithftanding your fkilful advocate'^ 
 judicious reafonings upon them ; I believe the houfiolds 
 baptized hy St. Paul, will produce y^;^/^ more; atleaft %vill 
 prove^ that the Apoftles a6led, as the Jews did under the 
 Jaw; as iho. faith of the parents^ or head, entitled the 
 children and houjhold to circumcifion, fo liicewile to bap- 
 tifm^ and they had it. 
 
 You remember, how the Doctor in preaching, com- 
 plained of the unfairnefs of the Paedobaptifts ; in putting 
 him and his brethren, to prove there were no children in 
 the fcripture houfholds ; and at laft, how he vaunted, 
 that/?^ was capable of proving this negative %, I liftened 
 with great attention for the />r5^jr, but heard none, but 
 hare ajfertion : As to the jailor*s family indeed, I obferved 
 to you, he proved there were no children there, becaufe it 
 . is faid, he believed in God with all his houfe : He hath now 
 added, '' He that can find any other in his houfe, be- 
 " fides all that were in it, muft be reckoned a very fa- 
 " gacious perfon §." You muft. Sir, reply with me ; 
 
 • Sermon, pnge 26. f Letter itr. page 26, 
 
 \ Sermon, pa^e 16. But fuppofe he could have prpved th^^c 
 were no children in the houfholds 5 it is moll evident from fcrip* 
 lire» had there been any, they would have been baptized. 
 { Sermon, page 17, 
 
 I that 
 
that "John GUI himfelf is that very fagadous per f on : Should 
 you, or any other perfon, notjuft oihh jupra fize^ fay, 
 that Chr'tjl died for all men *; tajhd death for every ?nan f; 
 gave himfelf a ranfom for allX ; and that, God would have ail 
 men to be faved^^ he. he would certainly with ay^wrz}^ 
 fervor of jpirit^ affirm, that all \i\ thcfe pafTages, and that 
 emphatical phrafe^'i^'^ry many did not mean or include^//, 
 hwtjirenuoufy infiji on it, that there were thoufands if not 
 inill'ions excepted. Tell DoSlor fagacious^ to remember 
 his darling axiom, " what proves too much^ proves no- 
 *' th'mg ;" Is it not eafier to reconcile the phrafeology^ 
 with the jailors having children in his houfe j than it is. 
 Sir, to luppofe, that every individual in it, fhould have 
 new hearts^ penitent fpiritSy and faving faith, in the 
 fime nick of time^ to be baptized all together at midnights' 
 jTruly it is, and the Doctor's argument is fo weak, that 
 for once I will help him to a much better, borrowed 
 from one of his brethren : *' It may very much be 
 " queftioned, vvhecher the jailor had any children, feeing 
 *' it hath been obferved, that for many years together, 
 ** not one child v/as born to all the jail-keepers in all 
 *' the county of Efiex." This is demonjlration ! but 
 query j if every jailor had a river^ or large pond in his 
 houfe ? Elfe, the inftance of t\\Q fcriptv.re jailor and his 
 families, being baptised Jiraightway^ in the fame hour of 
 the night ; will quite demol'.lli your dipping fabric. But 
 was the fame enquiry alfo made into every Lydia s family 
 through the county ? Suppofe none of them had any 
 children ; what proof is that, there were none in the 
 fripture Lydi.'U? It is a pity, Dr. Gill had not follow- 
 ed the exa'.T.ple of hi:^ ingenuous and warm predeceflor 
 Dr. Gnle ; who after faying " it is eafy to (liew ; that 
 *< all thofe •^\\o were baptized in the fcripture families, 
 '' heard the word preached, believed in Chrift, rejoiced, 
 '* and received the Holy Ghoflj|," mentioned Crif- 
 pus, the Corinthians, and thejaiior; but /^/>/y omitted 
 Lydia and her houfliold ; he wifely judged, if he pro* 
 duced it, it would make his he<irers Jiare^ if not con*' 
 
 * 2 Cor. V. 14. -j- Heb. ii. 9. % i Tim. ii. 6. 
 
 ^ Verfe 4. || Gale's Sermon, Vol. 2. page iSo, 
 
 found 
 
[59] 
 
 fiund him ; the word of God faith, The Lord opened her 
 hearty and jhe was baptized and her houfl)old : Infidels muft 
 from this text, fee ilie had no children under her roof, 
 and that every one oi the family, heard the word preached^ 
 believed in Ch'iji^ &c. &c. and were baptized on their ow7i 
 profejjion of faith ! This is 2ijtifi condujion without doubt ; 
 worthy of Dr. Gill,' as well as Dr. Gale -, but the belt 
 excufe for them, I think, is that they have not read the 
 paffage : There is not a word infcripture^ of any of Ly- 
 dia's houfhold believing, or their y^ much as attending, to 
 the words of the Apoftles, but of hers only ; and yet 
 when Jhe believed, we are told Baptif?n was adminijlered 
 to her, and her houficld; after the fame manner, you fee, 
 as t\\t former feal W2L% applied to Abraham, and the fezv- 
 ijh hoiif/holds. Dr. Gill hath indeed in his printed Ser- 
 mon *, ailerted, " That thofe in Lydia's hoiife were 
 " brethren, whom afterwards the Apoftles went to fee, 
 " and whom they comforted, and fo not infants." But 
 he hath not referred us to the text for this ; doubtlefs for 
 fear of being dete6led ; but. Sir, if you will turn to A6ls 
 3(vi. 40. you will foon difcover, either your champions 
 honejiy, ox judgment, as well as his refolution ; And they 
 went out of the pr if on, and entered into the houfe of Lydia : 
 And when they had feen the brethren, they comforted them^ 
 and departed. What can be plainer, than that the bre- 
 thren, were the Chrijiian believers of the city, and not 
 Lydia's natural brethren ; befides is it not a little w^on-^ 
 derful, that there fhould be feveral brethren grown up to 
 men, living in one houfe, and a fijler be the mafter of 
 the houfhold ? His reafoning concerning the houjholdof 
 Stephanas, yon confefs is futile, and fuffer me to add, be^ 
 neath a Jcbool boy. 
 
 Thus, Sir, I have freely given you,- fome of the 
 many reafons of ray faith and practice, refpedi^ig Bap^ 
 tifm ; why I prefent my own children to God in that 
 jordinance ; and why I Baptize thofe of chriftian parents : 
 JtVas I writing profefledly to Pa:do Baptifis-, many more 
 things might be offered, that would greatly tend to re- 
 lieve^ and Jirengthen their 7ninds on this fubjeif^. You fee 
 
 * Page 16. 
 
 I 2 we 
 
we have all the reafonable proof in the world ; that as 
 Chrifl ^iccepted the faith of parents, and for it healed and 
 blefied many of their children ; fo his Apoftles baptized 
 ivhole hoiijholds on the faith of the parents. If the faith, 
 an J profeinon of jews and gentile prrf elites entitled all 
 their children to part and lot, in the church and heritage 
 of God under the mofaic difpenfafi'on ; why fhould not 
 the fame privilege and right, appertain to the children of 
 believers in Chriji ; and if they received natural benefit from 
 Chrift, in having their maladies cured, on account of the 
 faith of their parents j why may we not fuppofe, they did^ 
 may^ and do receive Tit. i\mts^ fpiritual benefit and blejfings^ on 
 the fame account ; Really, Sir, to fuppofe the contrary, 
 would be to fay, God is more inclined to, and delights 
 rather in jujlice^ than in mercy ; that they have fufFered, 
 and OQ ftfFer, on account o'i their firjl parents difhedlence^ 
 is unJ niable ; and 'Hany injlnnces might be produced from 
 facre : and profane hiftory, of childrens fufFering through, 
 or being nvolved in the guilt and punifhment of their 
 parents evil deeds* j and why (hould they not be con- 
 fidered on the other hand as parts of pious parents, and 
 from their relation to them, be dijlinguijhed, and blejfed 
 of God and of men, under lae Chrijiian, as well as tht legal 
 difpenfation P 
 
 You fee, Sir, lue have fcripture authority, and precedents 
 enough, for admitting children into Gods viftble church ; and 
 for confide ring and treating them as his property, and the 
 ?nc?nbers of Chrifi*s kingdom ; as Dr. Gill was fo full of 
 his dtfys ; you remember, I defy'd him, to produce one 
 fcripture luarrant, or precedent, for refufing children the feal 
 and tcken of God's covenant with his profeffing people, (which 
 they enjoyed near 2000 years,) or for excluding them the 
 Church of God: You likewife remember, he provoked me 
 to defy him, to produce one fcripture precept, or precedent 
 for delaying the Baptifm of children of chrijiian parents, till 
 groivn up ; or, for baptizing adult perfons born of fucb pa- 
 rents^ (which ^re his fubjedts of Baptifm.) But behold hif 
 
 * Dr. Gjil would do' well to confider Gen, xvii. 14. Exod. 
 XX. 5. I Kings xi, 12, 13. 2 Chron. xxx. % Jer. xlix. lu 
 
 Pf. xxxvii. 25. Scz, 
 
 Sermon 
 
[6i ] 
 
 Sermon and notes ; my defiances are in full force ; he hath 
 nou been able to produce any warrant or precedent^ to turn 
 againit me, or to defend himfef. He thinks it Indeed, 
 *' unreafonable to exped: and require Scripture precedents 
 <f" of the Baptifm of adui: perfoiis, born of Chriftiai* 
 *' parents* ;'' yet yuu know, a mere novice in chro^iology 
 would not; think it fc^, on the fame dccount that he doth ; 
 *' fuch inftances would req lire length or tiriiC, a courfe 
 *' of years." Bui the Ja?n<' oracle that fo '^o'dly aiTerted 
 before him, '' k hath been often and fully proved to de- 
 ^' monftration, <hat the word baptize fignifies only to dip 
 *' into the water \\' informs him alfo, '^ that fome of 
 •^ the chii.'jren of the firft ronyirts were at the time of 
 '« the Appitles writing nisKpiftle to the Romans, which 
 *' was a corji'lrabU titne after the firft foundation, even 
 ^"^ fifteen years ^ mc.iibers of -hat church :|: :" Now as one 
 of his jBoft z,ea:ui:s brethren, thought ^]f^^?7 jt-^ri-, fuffi-p 
 cient f:»r chili 'ren to grow up and be baptized, and re- 
 ceived iiiLo -he Ciiurch ; (\xr€\y fixty years after Chrift^ 
 which you know is the compafs of the new tejla7nent hijhry, 
 mull Se a length of iime^ and courfe of years^ fufficient ta 
 fur/iifh many precedents of fuch perfons, had that been the 
 Scripture praSiice. 
 
 As the Do6lor hath not pleaded antiquity in his favor 
 in hio printed ibrmon, we may conclude, he is at length 
 convinced 'tir againft him; though in a late publication, 
 (which I cannot ar prefent animadvert on) he hath de- 
 ck' red infant Baptifm^ to be a Popijh ijivention and faclery : 
 
 What doth this manifeft. Sir ? it fhews but I fparc 
 
 him : He muft be an ignoramus in chronology and eccle- 
 fiaftical hiftory, that thus afferts ; for who knows not, 
 that the firji Pote^ or univcrfal Bifl)op^ was Boniface IIL 
 in the feventh centur) Jnno 606 || ; and the Do(^or him-r 
 felf muft know, if not from his own learning and read-* 
 ing, yet from the references of his opponents ; that Ju- 
 gufiin in the fourth century maintained that the Chrif- 
 
 ♦ Sermon, pag. 17. Note. f Dr. Gale's Seripons, vol. ii, 
 pag. 144. I Jbid pag, 203. 
 
 II Tiie title Pa^a was not peculiar to the Bilhops of Rome, 
 but was given to all Bifhops in the firft centuries of the church ; 
 We frequently meet wi:h Papa or Pope Cyprian, &c. : in Boni • 
 frc« the third, the ?opacj begun. 
 
 tiaa 
 
tian church had always held and almays praclifed infant 
 Baptifm : And in another place, fays, '^ that infants 
 *' arc to be baptized, is the authority of the univerfal 
 *' church, without all doubt dtVivciQd by Chri/i and msJpcf- 
 " tUs.i'' And his cotemporary Pelagius, whofe intereft it 
 was, to have denied and objected againil his opponents, 
 the non pra flics of infant Baptifm, by the Apoilles and 
 primitive church, declares himfelf, " to be defamed and 
 ••' ilandered by Ibme, in their reporting him, as denying 
 " the facrament of Baptifm to infants,'* and adds, 
 " that he nc'ver heard, no not of an impious heretic^ who would 
 " fay this concerning infants."' And 'tis very remarkable. 
 Sir, that in all the lifl-, of what are ftiled heretics and 
 herefy'Sy from the Apoftles time to the eleventh century, 
 you meet with none that deny mfant Baptifm * : But not 
 only in the fourth, in the third century alfo, there are 
 proofs of it J Cyprian, and a council of fixty fix Bijhops, and- 
 Qrigen, wrote of, and praclifed infant Baptifm : Yea, in 
 thefnond ccjitury, CUmens Rcmanus, and henctus were like 
 minded, and fujlin Martyr, alfo, Vvbo lived within 
 forty years of the Apoftles. Inflead of infant Baptifm 
 b-ing a Pcpif) inve^ition, and one of their relicks, adored by 
 Pro.eftants ; an oppofition to, and the denial of ir, is 
 rather to be attributed to Pcpijh corruptions and errors : 
 Tcrtullian, vi^hom your champion hath fo much gloried in» 
 y/ould have the Baptifm of infants and others, even grown 
 perfons, delayed for fear of their afterwards falling into 
 jin ; but inftead of denying infant Baptifm he fully proves 
 'twas the practice of the church in his time (the fecond 
 Cintury)zsid infills on its being performed by fprinkling, in 
 cafes of necelTity even by lay perfons : His notion was, that 
 Baptifm wafhed awaylin. This tenet was adopted afterward 
 by the Romijh church, and I really believe, firft led fome 
 \i\ thz eleventh C£77iury, to obje^l: againit infant Baptifm; 
 you fee, your griat Dr. Gale ftrenuoully urges this no- 
 tion, ^' one ufc and end ^nd defign of Baptifm, was 
 *' for the lemifTion of fms f. It certainly doth conduce 
 
 * We rea i indeed of Hemerobaptifts, who every day unlefs 
 thsy were baptized, did not eac ; nav, and unlefs they cleanfcd 
 wi'-h water their beds ar.d tables or platters, and cups and feats, 
 would not make any ufe of them. Clem. Apoft. Conft, Lib, 6, 
 l"ea.6. 
 
 t Gale's Semen, vol. iir pag, 193. 
 
[ 63] 
 
 *' to the purging and purifying us from, ^nd the remilliori 
 ** and wafhing away of all the fins we have committed *. 
 " Unlefs they are fo wafned away by Baptifm, they will 
 ** remain upon us unremitted f ; thefe are J?is very words^ 
 and a truly Popifn tenet; and couid I believe it with all 
 my heart, I muftbemyielf an advocate for Antipsedobaptifmi 
 (unlefs in cafes of neceflity). I fhculd not only refufe 
 Baptifm, to all till Vi\f'j were adult^ but put off my omn 
 Bapilfm to the laft hour of life, and advife every friend tc^ 
 do the fame ; for then v/e fhould be, pofitiveiy fare of the 
 remijfion of our fins ^ and of fabatien. 
 
 «; 
 To this fatal err or ^ which the church of Rome hath, 
 eftablifhed by laws and canons ; I cannot but attribute 
 t\\Q rife of your fe^ : But- whatever was the caufe, tell 
 Dr. GV//, it greatly concerns him to produce a 'body of . 
 Chrifians before the eleventh^ or any writer of iioie^ before 
 th^fixteenth centurjy who u'ere againft baptifmg the infants 
 of Chriftian parents, and for limiting that ordinance to 
 adult perfons: 'Tis certainly, a jufi conchfton^ that if any 
 are to be charged with innovations^ and human inventions ^ 
 and with aSiing without fcripture warrant or precedent^ 'tis 
 Dr. Gill in denying children the appointed token and feal 
 of God's covenant with, and favor to them, and in his 
 excluding them the vifible church. If they were ftruck 
 out of the Covenant, and call out of the church of God ; 
 'tis not unreafonable (as they were four thouland years in 
 it) to demand feme proof -ivhen^ if not a clear reafon or 
 two whyj 'Till then, I know not how you can help con- 
 cluding with me, that God, is a God in Covenant with the 
 children of Chrijiians^ as he v/as with thofe of the Pa- 
 triarchs a7id Jews -^ and therefore^ his feal of Baptifm mighty 
 ought ^ and Jhould be applied to thi?n. 
 
 I intended to have fummed up the number, and fet 
 before you the force of the feveral arguments, advanced in 
 this and my former letters ; but that I may not be tedious, 
 Ihall referve this for another epiftle ; till when am, 
 
 Yours J kc^ 
 
 * Ibid. pag. 19^, f Ibid. pag. 199. 
 
r 64 ] 
 
 LETTER VI. 
 
 Recapiiuhtes the chief Arguments again/} Dr, Gilly ani 
 concludes with wholefome advice to him9 
 
 S I R, 
 
 I Beg leave to ofFer you one letter more, on the fub- . 
 je& of Baptifm, which according to my promife, fhall 
 be as brief as poflible ; not to reinforce what hath been 
 advanced againfl Dr, Gill^ with any auxiliaries (though there 
 are many troops at command) I fhall only recapitulate byway 
 ofqueftioil, fome of the chief arguments, I have ufed in 
 defence of my own belief and practice. 
 
 Have I not as much right to fall out With a man and 
 vilify him, becaufe his face is not like mine ; as becaufe 
 his religious opinions and judgment, are different from 
 mine \ 
 
 If I cannot reach the fame flandard as another^ or if 
 I differ with a Chriftian brother in a few indifferent 
 things ; why fhould we not agree to differ, and yet love, 
 communicate with, and behave towards each other as 
 brethren \ 
 
 Why fhould a man infift on the right oi private judge- 
 ment for himfelf, and refufe it to others ; or for their 
 ufmg it, cenfure and treat them, as fools, unlearned, 
 ignofant of the fcriptures, and unclean ? 
 
 Is it reafonable, for a man to complain of having what 
 he hath done, and is conftantly doing to others, return* 
 ed unto him again ; or fhall the illiberal, uncharitable, 
 paffionate man, complain of being gently reproved ? 
 
 Is that man a pertinent judicious preacher, whofe dif- 
 courfe hath not the leafl reference to, conne^lion with, 
 or foundation in his text r 
 
 How could the Apoflle not mean^ or include the mo-^ 
 rkl law in Dr. Gill's text ; and yet rather defign the 
 c^ief branches and fum of it,? 
 
 h Wh/. 
 
[ 65 ] 
 
 Why Ihould the Holy Ghoft, and Dr. G'llVs charac- 
 ters of the moral law, be fo widely different ; or why 
 ihould the moral law be ftiled a iieiy law, grievous, the 
 miniftration of condemnation and death, Sec. and yet 
 the fum of it, love to God and our neighbour not de- 
 ferve, or be diftinguiihed with the fame epithets ? 
 
 What fort of an embafiador muft he be, who repre- 
 fents his fovereign as a tyrant and an Egyptian tafk- 
 mafter -, when the firft words of his inftruftions, and all his 
 own experience from the hour of his birth, prove him 
 gracious and merciful ? 
 
 What muft Chriftians think of the fervant that endea- 
 vours to fet afide, what his mafter came to eftabhfh and 
 perfect -, Or that would perfuade men they are not- bound 
 to obey, what his Lord hath ftri^lly enjoined him and 
 them, to fulfill to a tittle. 
 
 What reafon can be given, or Scripture produced, for 
 aminifter's exalting pofitive inftitutions, and external rites, 
 above moral precepts ? 
 
 Is it not an odd way of inftruding men in righteouf- 
 nefs, and building them up in holinefs, to tell them 
 they are not under the law, and the Gofpel hath no 
 commands, but is all promifes ? 
 
 What authority is there to fay men are juftified and 
 pardoned, when they continue in unbelief, and their 
 adions prove them children of difobedience and of wrath f . 
 
 If an ungodly perfon, as fuch, is juftified and abfolved ; 
 how can the divine perfedtions be vindicated^ and the 
 word of God be true ? 
 
 How can a being that never finned, yea, how can a 
 non-entity, be charged with guilt or pardoned ? 
 
 If men are juftified pardoned and freed from punilh- 
 ment from eternity, how can they be juftified by and 
 through faith ; or what occafion is there for preaching, and 
 other divine inftitutions, or v/hat need have men to fear 
 fin, and abftain from it ? 
 
 K If 
 
[66] 
 
 If the purpofe of God juftifies men from eternity, why 
 doth it not glorify them alfo ; or why (hould not the 
 world be created from eternity ? 
 
 If Chrift's commands are not grievous^ and dipping in 
 cold countries, is grievous, tending to endanger the 
 chaftity, health, and even life of his minifters and 
 people ; how can dipping be Chrift's command ? 
 
 Can we fuppofe the companionate Jefus inftituted an 
 ordinance for his Difciples ftri«£l obfervance, of which 
 many through weak and infirm cpnftitutions, &c. &e^ 
 cannot fafely partake, and by which many have been in- 
 jured, (if not fallen into their long fleep ?) 
 
 As iron conftitutions, brawny arms, and great ftrength 
 of body, would be neceflary, if dipping was the only 
 lawful mode of Baptifm ; fhould not our Lord or his 
 Apoftles have given fome rules, for the choice of fuch 
 perfons to minifter in the church ? 
 
 If wafhing the whole body, is neceflary to Baptifm, 
 why is not the body naked ; or if the naked head and 
 Ihoulders are fuiHcient, why not the face, the chief part 
 of man ? 
 
 "Why fhould circumcifion which afFe(3:ed but one part 
 of the body, be fufficient and acceptable to God, and Bap- 
 tifm the feal that fucceeded it, be the reverfe, unlefs the 
 whole bodv, or rather the naked face and garments are 
 
 afFeaed? 
 
 Is that man confiftent, who cenfures Papifts for bap*« 
 tizing bells, 5cc. and yet divides the church and mem- 
 bers of Chrift about baptizing cloaths ? 
 
 What greater virtue and efficacy, is there in a large, 
 than in a fmall quantity of water's being applied to the 
 baptized ; are they the holier that have the moft, or doth 
 the more water, naturally make the baptized more fiery 
 and zealous ? 
 
 Why 
 
[ 67 ] 
 
 Why fhould men make alterations in, and deviate 
 from one pofitive and folemn ordinance^ more than 
 another ? 
 
 Why fhould the leaft quantity of bread and wine be 
 fufficient and effedual in the Lord's Supper, but a large f 
 pool of water or a River be eflential to Baptifm ? 
 
 How can any man maintain that P^Trli^w fignifies 
 only to dip, when all the learned, and the word of God, 
 tell him it alio fignifies to wafti, to pour water upon, 
 and to fprinkle ? 
 
 Why fhould men infift, on the Ifraelites being baptized 
 in the cloud and in the fea as a proof of Baptifm by im- 
 merfioni when the Egyptians were. the perfons immerfed 
 in the fea, and the Ifraelites were only fprinkled from the 
 cloud, and with the fpray of the waves as they palled 
 through the channel on dry ground ? 
 
 Were the A poftles baptized with w/W/, or Vf'iXh foundy 
 as of wind ; or really with the Holy Ghoft ? 
 
 If it is thought fufHcient to have the fpirit poured out, 
 and the blood of Chriil fprinkled, upon us, for the pu- 
 rification of the confcience and falvation of the foul ; 
 why is not the fprinkling of v^ater in Baptifm fuiticient 
 for the body, without being dipped all over ? 
 
 Why fhould the Scriptures declare the feveral fprink- 
 lings under the law, were Baptifms ; or fcile thofe per- 
 fons baptized, whofe hands only were wafhed, if the 
 whole body's being dipped, was effential to Baptifm ; 
 or how could our Lord tell his Apof!les that they were as 
 clean, when their feet only were waiiied, as if theii 
 whole body had been fo ? 
 
 Why fhould men lay fuch flrcfs on going into the 
 water, and coming out of it, when the Greek words ft? 
 and iK as properly fignify to, and from, and efpecially when 
 it forces them to find caves in mountains, and in men's 
 bodies for Chrifl to go into ? 
 
 K 2 What 
 
[68 ] 
 
 What greater reprefentation of a burial is there, in a 
 man's going voluntarily into the water, and then join- 
 ing with another, to put the other half of his body 
 under water, for a moment or two, than in water being 
 poured on him ; or when a dead body is buried, is it by 
 earth being poured in upon it, or like adult dipping ; or 
 are all that are dipped, adlually buried with Chrift ? 
 
 If Scripture allufions are to have any weight, why 
 fliould cue that is forced, be preferred to three natural 
 and obvious ones. 
 
 Is it reafonable to fuppofe the Eunuch was dipt all over 
 inthemidit of his journey ; or the jailor and his houf- 
 hold, who were baptized at midnight; or the three 
 thoufand men and women that were baptized in Jeru- 
 falem, who muft then go home through the ftreets in 
 fad plight ; or the multitudes that were baptized pro- 
 mifcuoufly by John at Jordan and Enon, who all muft 
 have changes of raiment, or mull ftand and travel in wet 
 cioaths ? 
 
 As Baptifm is the em.blcm of regeneration, in which 
 the fubjeCts, are according to Dr. Gill wholly paiTive; 
 why fhould they not in the other, which they are when 
 fprinklcdj but not when dipped ? 
 
 V/hy fnould Antipa?dobaptilIs in England, lay greater 
 ftrefs on dipping, than their brethren in Holland ; who 
 many of them adminifter Baptifm by pouring water on 
 thefubject ? 
 
 If the JewiOi and the Chriftian churches, are but 
 cne and the fame Church of God, under difiercnt ad- 
 minilrrations and ordinances, why fhould not the 
 privileges be equally extended to pitrents and their 
 children ? 
 
 Hov/ could the blefTmg of Abraham come upon the 
 Gentiles, if their children are not included in the. co- 
 venant and Church of God, and are deprived of the 
 leal r 
 
 Why 
 
[ 69] 
 
 Why fliould the cri.-rinal fcal and token of God's cor 
 venant with his people, by v/hich their children were ad- 
 mitted into his church, be applied to them by divine 
 command two thouiand years; and when a more gracious 
 and extenfive difpenfation took place, the feal be refufed 
 them by men,' v/ithout any fcripture warrant, or the 
 leaft revocation of the privilege ? 
 
 Why ftiould infants be caft out of the vifible church, 
 without a pofitive exprefs command ; as they were taken 
 in by one ? 
 
 - Why fhould not God be a God in covenant with the 
 children of Chriftians, as well as with thofe of the Pa- 
 triarchs and Jews ? 
 
 If children are now excluded the vifible church, are 
 not the privileges of the Chriftian difpenfation, lefs than 
 thofe of the mofaic ? 
 
 Gan it be fuppofed, that the believing Jews would 
 have fo readily embraced the Gofpel, if their children 
 muft not have entered the church with them, but be 
 looked on and treated as the children of unbaptized In- 
 fidels ? 
 
 Why did the believing Jews difpute, whether their 
 children fhould be circumcifed, if they did not efteem 
 them proper fubjects of Chrill's church? 
 
 Why fliould the children of believing parents be treat- 
 ed as unclean Gentiles, Handing in no relation to God; 
 when the Apoftles have pronounced them Holy, and de- 
 clared that the promifes not of the temporal covenant, 
 but of the covenant of Grace extend to them ? 
 
 Why fhould children be debarred from the fign and 
 feal, when they are acknowledged capable of polleinnp- 
 the thing fignified and fealed, fpiritual blefiings ? 
 
 Why fhould it be thought that Baptifm did not fuc- 
 ceed circumcifion, one being the initiating ordinance 
 into the church of God befbre Chrill, and the other ap- 
 pointed 
 
[ 70] 
 
 pointed for that end> by, and fince Chrii! ^ or why 
 ihould not Baptii'm be applied to the fame fubjeds^ in- 
 fants novv'5 as circumcifion v/as of old ? 
 
 Why fhoold faltb and repentaisce be made pre-requi- 
 Utes for Baptifm, or initiating perfons into God's vifible 
 charchj any more under one difpenfation than another ? 
 or why are not the children of chriflian pairertts^ as proper 
 members of the Church, as the children of Jews and 
 Piofelyted Gentues f 
 
 How could the Apoftks underlland their commifiion 
 any other way, thaii to baptize and receive children with 
 their parents into the vifible church, jiiilefs prohibited ; 
 as it had been, the practice of the Jews for centuries be-r 
 fore^ jefpe<3dng their Profelytcs ? 
 
 Why fhonld the order of words be more inMed on, 
 in one text of fcripture thzn in another^ elpecially in that 
 of the Apoftle's commiilion^ as ali the jewifh childrcB 
 were firft circumcifedj or made difciples, and then 
 taught. 
 
 Why v/ere infants taken into our Saviour's arms and 
 blelied by him^j and declared members of his kingdom or 
 church in earth and in heaven ; if they were rtot proper 
 fubje^Stsj and he did not intend they fcould be treated 
 as favourably under the Gofpel^ as during the legal dif- 
 penfation ? 
 
 Muft not thofe taat are members of the kingdoin of 
 glory, be interefted in the covenant of grace, why then 
 fiiouid children be denied thefealof the covenant f 
 
 Why fhould men iQfii(Q to receive thofe into the vifi- 
 ble churchy whom Go^i graciously receives into Heaven^ 
 and on wlicin he confers the htii of bleiTings ? 
 
 Why fliould not there be children in the houfholds 
 that wet e baptized, as well as in mod others; or why 
 fhould not they be baptized on the faith of their parents, 
 i.s well as the children of the Patriarchs and Jews be 
 circurxicifcj en the faith of theirs ^ 
 
 If 
 
[71 3 
 
 Why fliould God punifh children for tlie fins oF pa- 
 rents, and not blels them for their parents faith and holi- 
 neis, or why ibould he be more merciful to the bodies 
 of children and others, for the faith of parents and 
 friends, than to their fouls ? 
 
 If Ch rift was baptifed without faith and repentance, 
 and who was incapable of receiving any moral benefit 
 thereby, why fhould not children be Baptized 5 or what 
 greater benefit do adult perfons receii^e. at their Baptifm, 
 3ian do children ? 
 
 Why ihould it be thought Hoisafonable, to require 
 fcripture precedents of perfons Baptized at adult years 
 who %vere bom of chriftian parents, when the .hifiory of 
 the new teft includes 60 years after Chriil: ? 
 
 What exprefs command or precedent is there for dip- 
 ping the whole body under water, or for delaying the 
 Baptifm of children born of chriftian parents, or for 
 Baptiiing them at adult years ? 
 
 How came it to pafs, that the chriftian church uni- 
 verfally pra6lifed infant Bapt'fm from the days of the 
 Apofties, and no body of chriftians till the eleventh, and 
 no writer of note till the fixteenth century oppofed it, if 
 'twas not the will of Chrifl, and the pradife of his 
 Apofties ? 
 
 / 
 
 Sir, thefe queftions are a fummary of the feveral let- 
 ters you have received from me, on Dr. Gill's late Ser- 
 mon on the fubjeds and n?ode of Baptifm: If they do 
 not make you iikeminded with myfelf ; I am perfuaded, 
 you.v/ill now think, 'tis not without feme Jhong reafotis 
 1 diflent from you : Though the whole chrijVian vjorld 
 (very hw individuals excepted) is with 7710 ; I lay no 
 ftrefs upon that ; yet when we ferioully refl --fl, is it not 
 ftrange, that for fo many ccniuries^ Chrift {hould fuffer 
 his minifters and people univerfally to err, in i-wo fo ma- 
 terial articles^ as the proper fubjeSis of his vifible Churchy 
 and the initiating ordinance into it ? But not to enlarge ; 
 what hath palTed between us, inftead of difiblving our 
 
 friends 
 
 8 
 
fflendflilp, will I truft, rather knit us the clofer, and 
 make us more readily, .put on charity, ivhich is the bond oj 
 perf.dhiejs. Probably your obfervaticJn will be true " that 
 *■' 7iiy. Letters. if .publijhedy Ufill mah the Doctor fnarl^ and 
 *' preach and print againjt meJ^ But, Sir, iiitprrn him, 
 that unlefs he writes to the purpofc, unlcfs he haves off 
 to quibble^ and evadc^ and heg the qucjiion, unlefs like a 
 D. D. (without the ihameful lols of charity and good 
 rnanners) he gives fair, ingirntious, and folid anjwers, to 
 'tlie ieveral queftions propoied, and argunnents advanced ; 
 lie may write and write again, without any notice taken 
 cf him : ^^<i^ hirrx alfo, not to produce any more quo- 
 ta tlcns ai%d charitable conceffions from the learned, as on 
 bis^de; when he knows their fentiments, writings, and 
 prqSiice, were dirc^lly againfl: him 5 this is worfe than 
 ifiling them Dunces ; 'tis making them fclonioujly to Jlab 
 thejujehes. You may alfo afiure him, fhould he pour 
 on me all the opprobrious names, which diftinguifh his 
 former writings trom o:her mens ; I fhall not be in 
 .the leait (lifappointed, or difquieted ; but be ilill ready 
 as a brother, to reprove, exhort, forgive and throw the 
 mantle cf charity over him. In the exercifc of that divine 
 grace, charity, and in obedienbe to all the moral precepts 
 of God and of Chrift, let us. Sir, go on unto ptrfeSiion ; 
 receiving and loving one another, as Chrift hath received 
 and loved us. This is the defire and'refolution of. 
 
 Dear, Sir, 
 
 Your's, &c. 
 
 FINIS. 
 
Ji^p 
 
 
 
 mm 
 
 
 /^i 
 
 mi 
 
 
 
 
:^t i^: 
 
 ' li'i 
 
 ,\s*u- 
 
 
 i 
 
 ?^\x^ 
 
 1*r rr 
 
 '' <?* ,«^