J,JeK(£^^-^ ^ /^/^. ■'S DISCOURSES ON BAPTISM. YYL. Water Baptism, John's Baptism, Christian Baptism, Believer's Baptism, Infant Baptism, Believing Parents AND THEIR CHIL- DREN IN Covenant WITH God, Being Buried with Chjrist in Baptism Illustrated. TO WHICH IS ANNEXED MRS. JACKSON'S CONFESSION. BOSTON: PRINTED BY DAVID CARLISLE, No, 5, Court Street. If06. THE UNIVERSALITY AND PERPETUITY OF THE OBLIGATION UPON CHRISTIANS OBSERVE THE RITE OF BAPTISM WITH WATER; OR, WATER BAPTISM A STANDING ORDINANCE OF TH1 GOSPEL. S E R Ml O 1^^ ACTS, X. 47. Can any man forbid water, that these, should not be baptized, v/ho have re- ceived the koly gliost as well as we i 1 HOUGH the religion of the gofpel IS a pure and fpiritual fervice, not incumbered v/ith ceremonies, yet being adapted to the nature of man, it does not wholly omit pofitive duties. It enjoins two fimple, eafy, and exprelTive rites, as figns and means of moral goodncfs and vital piety ; viz. baptifm and the Lord's fupper. Baptifm with, water has been almost luiiverfally by chriflians be- lieved to have been appointed by the author of the difpenfation as a standing ordinance. The apos- tles evidently adminiftered it to converts, JevvifK and Gentile, in token of their admiiTicn into the number of Chrift's followers, and as a public ac-^ knowledgment of the admitted perfons, that they were his difciples, and owned him for their Lord [ 4 ] and Mafter. There is reafon to fuppofe, that this rite was uniformly obferved by all profeflbrs of chriftianity, in the age immediately fiicceeding the apoflles, and therefore had the fanftion of both apoftolic inftruftions and pra^ice. It is believed that the early hiftory of the church does not point to a time when it was confidered as a novelty, or when the propriety and necefTity of the ordinance were called in queflion. The nature and defign of this fjrvice have been varioufiy explained, and without doubt grofsly mif- taken and perverted in fubfequent periods. In our times, not only the mode and fubjvcls, but even the obligation and ufe of the ordinance, have become matters of difpute with fome, who name the name of Chrift. There are thofe who contend againft forms with a precife formality j and there are oth- ers who feem to think pofitive duties of no value, becaufe moral duties are fuperior ; and fome have probably been led to difparage rites altogether, from difguft at the abufes attending them. Different fefts in modern times have maintained that baptifm with v/ater was not commanded by Chrift ; and that though it was adminiftered by the apoftles and firft mdnifters of the church, yet they did not confider it as a gofpel, ordinance, but as a ceremony to be ufed or negleded according to their difcretion. Hence they have inferred, that if baptifm be lawful, yet it is not required. One fed: profefs to account it a Jewifli carnal "ordinance, which is abolifhed. Another talk of there being but one chriftian baptifm, that of the Holy Ghoft and of fire, at the fame time admitting that if any wifh for water baptifm, either by fprinkling or im- L 5 J^ merfion, for themfelves or their infants, they iiiay be gratified. In the following difcourfe we drdll attempt to Ihow that baptifm with water is ajiand" ing ordinance of the go/pel All unbaptized perfons fhculd be baptized in teilimony of their fiiith, en- gagements, and privileges as chriftians. The quef- tion of the riglit of children to this rite, and of the mode of adminiilering it, is 'not now to be confid- ered. The text has refpecl to a fentiment of thofe who decry the rite in qucfllon, viz. that baptifm by the fp'irit is all which is meant by baptifm in the New Teilament. From this paflage it appears, that though the defcent of the fpirit, or fpiritual bap- tifm had preceded, yet the appftle Peter alleges this as a reafon for baptizing with water after- wards. 1. The firft clafs of argument in fupport of the univ.erfal and perpetual obligation of this pradice- is derived from Chrift's commiflion to his apoflleso " Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghofl, teaching them to obferve all things whatfoever I have commanded yoUo And lo ! I am with you always even unto the end of the world." Here we fay is the inftitution of water baptifm by Jefus Chrifi: ; a general account of its ^neaning and defign ; and a flrong intimation of its perpet- ual obligation. Here our Lord exprefsly appoints that water fhall in a folemn manner be applied to^ believers. The apoflles are not only to teach or .^ difcipkj but to baptize % and to baptize in the paf*- * Matthew, xxviii. 1 9j 2Qi A2L [ 6' J fage under confideration, mull niean to make aa application of water. Though water is not ex- prefsly mentioned in the commiilion, there is not the lead realbn to doubt that it was intended. Words are always to be taken in their literal, prop- er, common, and obvious fignliication, unlefs they be otherwife explained, or unlefs feme good reafon appear for underftanding them otherwife. Now it is certain that the literal, proper, common, and obvious fignification of baptifm is a wetting, bath- ing, or afperfing wdth w^ater. There is no necelli- ty, there is no ground for affixing a different meaning to it in the pafTage before us. It w^ould be contrary to all the approved rules of interpreta- tion — it would confound the meaning of language, and render it ufelefs to any purpofe of inftrudion. Where baptifm is ufed with relation to the defcent of the Holy Spirit, it is ufed in a figurative fenfe, and the Holy Spirit is exprefsiy mentioned. That the apoflles nmfi have underllood Chrift in his commiffion to intend water baptifm, may be infer- red froin the received and general fenfe of the word ; and from the circumftance, that during the whole tenii of his perfonal miniftry, they had prac- tifed baptifm wuth water.* That they did under- ftand him to intend this baptifm is evident from their fubfequent conduft ; for in purfuance of his commands, they proceeded to baptize all their con- verts. This commiffion, therefore, contains an in- jundion of the Author and Finifher of our faith, delivered to his firft ambaffadors, to apply water to the fubjed in admitting him into the number of chriftiansp and implies the obligation of thofe who ♦ John, iii. %2, iv. 1, 2, 3, r 7 J heard the gofpel, not only to believe it, but to tef- tify their belief by fubmitting to this application. What is faid thus Tar may be allowed, and yet the perpetuity of the rite be denied. To fhow that it was not to be a cuftom peculiar to the apoftolic age, we may draw arguments from the character of Chrifl as a divine teacher of the world, from the nature and ufe of the ad: to be done, and from the very language of the commiflion to the apoftles. Is there not ground for the following remarks ? " Jefus Chrift was fent of God to promulgate a di- vine difpenfation of religion to mankind, to deliver dodrines of univerfal concern, to enjoin laws of univerfal obligation. All his injunctions muff be underftood to be univerfal ly binding, unlefs he himfelf fee fit in fome way to limit them, or fome- what in the nature of the things or circumftances of the injundion limits them. This general prin- ciple is true, not only of his moral precepts, but of other precepts, pecuHar to himfelf and his religion. Thus, for inftance, the diredions and promifes, which he delivered concerning offering prayers to God in the name of Chrifl, though addrelled di- redly to his immediate followers, v;ithout any ex- prefs mention made of his future difciples, yet have been underftood by all chriftians as obligatory on themfelves, and a fufficient foundation for their pradice." Were nothing faid by Chrift, intima- ting that not only his immediate ambafiadors, but all his minifters in all future times fhould adminif- ter baptifm to believers ; and that all believers in fucceeding ages fhould afk and receive it, it would ftill be our duty to inquire whether any thing in the nature or circumftances of the injundion, con- C 8 ] fined it to the perfons, to whom it v/as firft: deliv* ered. Now the reafons on which baptifm is found- ed are common to all ages. This ordinance was dire£i:ed to be given and re- cieved in or into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghofl, and in the name of Jefus Chrift ; i. e. in token and acknowledgment of our relation to them, and their relation to us ^ and particularly as a fign that we look upon our- felves as the difciples of Jefus Chrift, obliged to hearken to his dotlrine, to follow his inftrudtionsy and to obey his commandments ; and that we de- fire to have an interefl in his mediation. The words of Chrift's commiflion to his apoflles repre- fent baptifm &s a folemn initiation into the chrif- tian profeffion ; and all its engagements and privi- leges. Other pallages teach that it typifies in a particular manner the neceflity of moral purity and righteoufnefs. * '' Chrifl: gave himfelf for the church, that be 7night fandify and cleanfe it with the. wajhing of water by the wajdJ*^ Thefe are moral ufes of the ceremony not confined to any age of the church. As all perfons of all times are interefted to pay due regards to the Father, Son, and Holy Ghofl \ and to exercife the faith, and truft, to make the refolutions and vows that belong to chrif- tians, fo are they alike interefted in a rite which exprelTes thefe a^s and difpofitions. — Hence be- eaufe the words of the commiiTion do not limit the duration of the obfervance of baptifm ; and there is nothing in its nature, or the circumftances of the times to limit it, we have reafon to think it intend?- ed to be perpetuaL * Rom. vi. 3, 4. i Peter, lii. 21. Ephef. v, 26. [ 9 ] On the other hand, the words flrongly intimate that it fhould be continued. They enjoin upon thofe to whom they are addrefled two a£ts, that of teaching or making difciples, and that of baptizing. They contain an encouragement to thefe fervices, which is the promife of the prefence of the Re- deemer to the end of the world. The duration of the duties is to be fuppofed coeval with the dura- tion of the promife. This conflru^lion is confirm- ed by the very general terms of the direftion in Mark, xvi. 15, 16. " And he faid unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gofpel to ev- ery creature. He that believeth and is baptized, fhall be faved ; but he that believeth not Ihall be damned." We cannot think that baptifm would be mentioned in fuch a connection, as an ad necef- fary to "exprefs and accompany faith, unlefs it were *'' important, and required to be obferved by all be- lievers. 2. The praftice of baptifm with water by the apoftles, during the Lord's perfonal miniftry, af- fords arguments in favour of the ordinance in quef- tion, John, iii. S2. After thefe things came Jefus and his difeiples into the land of Judea, and there he tarried with them and baptized, iv. 1, 2, 3. When therefore the Lord knew how the Pharifees had heard that Jefus made and baptized more dif- ciples than John ; though Jefus himfelf baptized c not, but his difciples, he left Judea and departed * again into Galilee. Chrifl is faid to do what the apoflles did, becaufe they a£ted by his diredlion. Had our Lord no defign in this ? It muft proba- bly have been intended to be introductory to chrif- tian baptifm. C 10 1 3. Another proof is taken from John, iii. 5. compared with verfe 26 of the fame chapter. " Jefus anfwered, verily, verily, I fay unto thee, ex- cept a man be born of water and of the fpirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven." As if he had faid to the Jewifh ruler, " you mufl have new principles and a new character, and in token of your converfion be baptized with water, in or- der to become a regular member of my kingdom.'* In the fame chapter, v. 26, it appears that they who received Jefus as the Saviour were baptized. 4. The do6tnne of this difcourfe is confirmed by thofe numerous palfages which diredly or impliedly fpeak of baptifm by water, as a (landing ordinance in the fpiritual religion of Jefus Chriil, according to apoflolic practice. Rom. vi. 4. We are buried with him by baptifm, Ephe. iv. 5. One baptifm. Col. ii. 12. Buried with him in baptifm, Heb. vi. 2. Doflrine of bap' fifms, 1 Pet. iii. 21. Baptifm doth now fave us. Ads, ii. 33. Be baptized every one of you. Every ONE OF YOU. 4lfl verfe. They that gladly received bis word zvere baptized, viii. 12. They were bap- tized both men and women. No distinction of SEX AS IN circumcision. 13th verfe, Simon be- lieved and was baptized, 1 6th verfe^ Only they were- baptized in ihe name of Jefus, SSth verfe. Here is water ^ what doth hinder to be baptized ? 38th verfe. And he baptir^ed him^ i x . . 8 . Sa ul r eceived fight ^ a nd arofe and was baptized, a, 47.| Can any forbid that thefejhoidd not be baptized? ^th verfe. Peter commanded them to be baptized. Commanded. xvi. 15. Lydia was baptized and her houfehdd, ?tZ^ verfe. The Jailor was baptized^ he and all his. firaightway, xviii. 8. Many of the Corinthians he^ Iteved, and were baptized. xix.^S, And when they heard this ^ they were baptized, xxli. }6. Arife , and be baptized^ andwajh away thy fins, Rom. vi. 8. Were baptized into Jefus. 1 Cor. i. 1 6. Ibap- tized the houjehold of Stephc^^Ms, x. ii. And were all baptized unto Mofes in *ihe cloud, xv. 29. Elfe whatfhall they do, that are baptized for the dead? Gal. 111. 27. As many^ as have been baptized, Thefe are fome of the principal places in the New-Tef- tament, where baptifm and baptize are ufed : and they ail mean the ordinance of water baptifm or allude to the ufeofit, as z flanding ordinance. Other palTages, which do not affert, plainly allude to water baptifm. Tit. iii. \S, « Not by works ^ of righteoufnefs, which we have done, but accord- mg to his mercy, he faved us by the wafliing (or lover) of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghoft.- Rom. 6. 4. « We are buried with him by baptifm." The apoftle has this exhortation to chrifhans, « Having our hearts fprinkled from an evil confcience, and our bodies wafhed with pure water, let us hold faft the profeflion of our faith without wavering." 5. The apoftles were unanimous in adminif- tenng baptifm as an appointment of their Lord and mafter after he had afcended. They baptized all their converts without one exception, that we canfind on facred record. Ads, ii. 38. ii. 1 . They positive- ly commanded their converts to receive the ordi- nance Aas, X. 48. " And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord Jefus." Is t reafonable to fuppofe that all the apostles in all 5arts of the world, among Jews and Gentiles, in all [ 12 : * Trlfent of the church from the earlieft pe- • :^ f Samtv through fourteen centuries, m T h°lf 5 thTSh tandLy of ^.ater bapt fm :s tbebehet ot tne ngiu ^lu ; j m»y as »" Pf»»tf„ i° „„ S promife to mention of water. Ibe f^fwer is, u ^^^ fon to conclude that any '^f ^Jf^oC Sp^t, we not the figurative bapt fm of the my v .^ E i^ 3 Spirit isjntended, unlefs it be exprefsly fo termed. Chrift, not the apoflles baptized with the Holy Spirit, and being baptized is alfo diftinguifhed from receiving the Holy Spirit. It has been faid that though the apoflles did baptize with water, this was not done in purfuance of Chrift's commifTion. Paul faid that Chrift fent him not to baptize, but to preach the gofpel, and he was thankful that he baptized fo few. John's baptifm, it is pretended, had not ceafed, and when the apoflles adminiflered the rite, they either con- fidered it as John's baptifm, or did it in compliance with the prejudices and wifhes of the people, who were attached to fuch an ordinance. To thefe ob« jedions it is replied, 1. It is not corred to fay the apoflles did not profefs in adminiflering this rite, to do it by vir- tue of Chrifl's authority. If the ' contrary does not appear, it is our duty to prefume that they had fuch authority ; but their baptifms were adminiftered in the name of Jefus Chrifl. One of the obvious and acknowledged fenfes of the phrafe, ading in the name of Chrift^ is adling by his direftion, as his meffenger, according to the rules and fpirit of his religipn. 2. Paul is fpeaking not of his mifTion generally as an apoflle, but of his being fent to Corinth. His faying that this was not to baptize but to preach the gofpel, is not to be taken abfolutely, but compara- tively. Examples of fuch phrafeology in the fcrip- Jtures are frequent. See Jeremiah, vii. 22. Hofea, vi. 6. Matth. ix. 13. John vi. 27. Preaching was his principal bufmefs, and he rejoiced that he had baptized no more, not becaufe he was not author* 1^ [ 1* ] ized, but becaufe in their divided ftate, and their wicked and foolifh contefts about different teachers, this people might fay he " baptized iii his own name," as the head of a party. 3. As to John's baptifin, Paul thought that thofe, who had received it, ought yet to be baptized in the name of Chrift. Ads, xix. The apollles ad- miniftered no other baptifm than that which Chrift inflituted. 4c To fuppofe that the apoftles baptized with- out any warrant, in compliance with the prejudices •and inchnations of the Jews, is to fuppofe fome- iiung again (I fcripiure and reafon, for it appears continually in this hiilory, ■ that they did baptize in the name of J ejus Chrijt^ by his authority and war- rant. Moreover, the moft exprefs inftances of water baptifm, mentioned in fcripture, were of Gentiles who had not been accuftomed to the "water baptifms praftifed among the Jews, and had no previous biafles or partialities upQU the fubjed. When the Jews were baptized on the day of Pen- tecoil, it was not done in condefcenfion to their defxres, but in confequence of the exhortation of Peter. The fame may be obferve^ of the Gentiles, who were baptized at the houfe of Cornelius. Other objedions againft the perpetuity of this rite are taken from our Lord's wafliing the difci- ples' feet and direding them to do it to each other, from Paul's circumcifmg Timothy, St. James di- recting that the fick be anointed with oil — and the decrees of the firfl apoflolic council at Jerufalem. In r^fped to the iirft circumftance, it was an ex- ample not of a particular act to be performed, but of a fpirit and temper to be exercifed and difpla)'^d [ 15^ J by all. Could it be fhown that walliing one an- other's feet, of which Chrift gave an example and command to his apoftles, would be as ufeful in ail ages and places as it was then in Judea, that it was. underftood in a (Iricl and hteral fenie, and prac- tifed immediately and conflantly by them and their fuccelfors, and delivered to the church as a com- n-.and, v/e might think ourfelves obliged to regard wafhing one another's feet as a iiated duly of our rehgion. Paul's circumcifmg Timotliy was dictated by a reafon peculiar to the times. The ordlruince of circumcifion was not then ckcUircd to. be aboLih.">d ; and Timothy, born of a Jew^ might well fubmit to the rite, in order to aid his rc'C-ption with t!;e Jews. The anointing the fxk in the name of the Lord was an appointment for their rjiiraczdous cure. But the age of miracles has palled away. The ^V- cree of the famous apoftolic council at Jerufalem was adapted to the cafe and circumflances of the Gentiles at the time, excepting one article of a moral nature. Let us make an improvement of the doctrine here mentioned. Our firft duty is to direct our ferious attention to the defigns and ufes of this ordiiiance. It has been affirmed to be a vain and unprofitable obferv-^ ance. Did Jefus Chrifl impofe on his church a ufelefs and abfurd rite ? It is inftruclive and bene- ficial, as It teaches us our finfulnefs, our need of re- newal — as it brings to our view the objefts of our faith, love, fear, and hope ; and as it implies our engagements and vows to "live the lives we live ia the flefh by the faith of the Son of God.'' Let us jarn to confider this appointment with refpe£t and gratitude ; for it teaches us by a ftriking fign fonie of the mofl important dodrines, truths, and duties of our religion. ^ 2. Who are the proper fubjeds of this baptifm, will be a matter of inquiry in another place. Gen- erally it is to be received by all who confefs that Jefus is the Chrifl ; who avow belief in his reli- gion, and give credible evidence of fmcerity in their profeffion, that they are the real difciples of Chrift. Such perfons may enjoy the rite for themfelves and their infant feed. 3. With regard to the mode of adminiftering the ordinance of baptifm. It is the application of water in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghoft, or in compliance with the command of Chrift. This is elTential to chriftian baptifm, which being once performed is not to be repeated to fatisfy the millaken notions of baptized perfons.* * Some perfcns who have once received baptifm have exprefTed a wiih to receive it again and been urgent in their application. 'I'here is nothing in the nature of the ordi- nance or the terms in which it is piefcribed, favourable to the opinion that baptifm is ever to be repeated. It is a form of initiation into Chrift's church, though vicious members are to be caft out of the church, there is no inti- mation given in the fcriptures that when fo admitted they are to be baptized again, 2 Cor. ii. 68. Baptifm is an outward fign o£ being in covenant with God ; a token of obligation on the perfons who have received it to fulfil the conditions of this covenant and to obey the whole law of God, when it is once performed according to the prefcribed rules all its outward effects take place, baptifm is good and is not to be renev/ed . *' One of the ends of baptifm, obferves Dr. Burnet, is that we are all baptized into one body, we are made members one en: 4. Would we prove ourfelves the true difciples of Chrift, let us feel and teftify an unfhaken at- tachment to all divine inflitutions. We fhould ef- teem them. We fhould love them. We fhould conflantly and diligently attend upon them. Ordi- nances are the helps to falvation, provided by a wife and gracious God. Their appointment dif- plays his love and grace, his goodnefs and patience, his wifdom and condefcenfion. Let our eye be to God, to blefs and fanctify to us all the means of religion, which he has ordained. of another y 1 Cor. xii. 13. We are admitted to the foclety ofchiiftians, and to all the rights and privileges of that body, which is the church. And in order to this, the out- ward adlion of baptifm when regularly gone about is fuf- ficient ; a fecond end of baptifm is internal and fpiritual, it reprefents regeneration, Tit. iii. 5. our being dead to fin, and buried with Chrift and our being r'lfen and quickened with him and made al'iiie to God, Rom. vi. Col. ii. It is a juft and natural diftindion to fay that the outward effefts of baptifm follow it as outwardly perform-ed ; but that the inward effeds of it follow upon the inward aAs. This difference is to be obferved between inward a6^s and out- ward aftions, that when the outward action is rightly per- formed, the baptifm mull be confidered good j and not to be renev;ed, but if any one has been wanting in the inward aAs, thofe may and muft be afterwards renewed or exerted and the want made up by repentance and obedience." It may be proper to fubjoin the following remarks, " as to the nceejfity of baptifm, fome feem to have laid too great a ftrefs upon it, as if it were abfolutely neceffary in order to falvation, grounding their argument chiefly on John iii. 5. Mark xvi. 16. Neverthelefs it will be readily allowed that for any to abftain from baptifm, when he knows or has fufficient means to know that it is an inftitution of Chrift, and that it is the will of Chrift that he fhould fubjefl himfelf to it, in fuch an aft of difobedience to his authority, as is inconfiftent with true faith." Doddridge Lee, page 372, vol. 2. [ 18 ] 5. It is the duty of all people to be qualified to enjoy the ordinance of baptifm. All parents fhould fee that they lofe no time, to enjoy it for themfelves, if unbaptized, and for their children. What is re- quired of you, dear friends, is to feek and know God; to defire, to know, and do your chrillian duty; and to honour your Maker and Redeemer in the ap- pointed ways. Give yaurfelves no reft, till you have obtained reafonabie evidence that you are meet for gofpel ordinances. It is a mournful thought, that fo many live in the total negled of this edifying and holy facrament of baptifm. Ei- ther' they do not feek to knov/ the will of God, or knowing, they difregard it. Unbaptized children ! Unbaptized parents ] Unbaptized youth ! Do not contemn or poftpone a compliance with your chrif- tian obligations. Behold now is the accepted time ; now is the day of falvation. Today if ye will hear his voice ; there may be no morrow for you ; no more time — no more feafons of grace. 6. From what hath been faid, let all who have enjoyed the ordinance of baptifm, feel the facred bonds thereof, and feek divine grace to enable them to live up to their baptifmal vows. Let parents who have come forward and had baptifm for their Children, and have devotejd them, therein, to God, to be his, and for him, bring them up in the ways of Religion — teach them to pray — and pray with, and for them in their houfes : — in- strud: and govern them for God — fet a pious ex- ample before them — and teach them their baptif- mal dedication — the meaning and import of it, as above explained, and as a peculiar privilege binding them to be the Lord's. — And let fuch parents, far- C 19 ] ther examine their own hearts and ways, and fee if they gave up their Children, in the baptifmal dedi- cation, in outward appearance only, or in sincerity and in truth, hoping and trulfting in God's mercy and truth for them. — And let parents who never prepared themselves to bring their Children to God in baptifm, when they look on their dear infant flock, feel a deep fenfe of their fm, in the negle£l of their duty to them : and fo pity.^ and fo love them, as to come forward, and give them up to God in baptifm. — and let unhaptized youth realize their duty, and never give themfelves rest, till they have dedicated themselves to God, in his covenant and baptifmal inftitutioii, to be his in life, his in death, and his for ever. AMEN. N. B. T/je foregoing difcoiirfe is chiefly derived from two Sermons of Nathan Perkins^ D, jD. eri- titled^ " Baptifm by water 7iot a piece of fupcrflition ; hut appointed by Jefus Chrift^^ and a Difcoiirfe on the Divine Infiitution of Water Baptifm^ by Moses Hemmenwat^ D, D. THt NATURE AND DESIGN OF JOHN'S BAPTISM, ILLUSTRATED IN TWO SERMONS. BY JOHN CRANE, D, D. FasTOH of TUS CoNGREOATIONAL CaVRCa in NORTUBRIVttS. B «r SERMON L ACTS, XVIIL 25. Knowing only the baptism of John. 1 HIS was faid of the eloquent Apol- Jos, who was one of the greateft teachers in the fchool of John the Baptift. This mode of expref- fion imports his imperfed acquaintance with the dodrines and inftitutions of the gofpel. It places him back, in a time when lefs per fed notions of chriftianity prevailed. He needed more inftruc* tion, in order to be completely furnifhed for preach- ing the gofpel. When, therefore, Aquila and Prifcilla perceived his ignorance, " they took him unto them, and expounded unto him the way of God more perfedly." ApoUos then knew only the dodrine and baptifm of John. ?Ience we con- clude, that John's baptifm belonged to a difpenfa- tion lefs perfed than the chriftian difpenfation. The principal inquiry is, what was the defign of John's baptifm r Are we to confider it a chriftian ordinance, or a Jewifli rite ? Shall we place it un- der the gofpel, or the legal difpenfation ? In order to take a proper view of the fubjed, it muft be ob- ferved, that the difciples of Chrill, under his di- C 8 ] region, adminlftered baptifm. I now propofe t# confider John's baptifm, and the baptifm ufed by the difciples of our Lord. It will firft be made to appear, that John's bap-^ tifm, and that of the difciples under our Lord's di- redion, were defigned to anfwer the fame purpofe. In doing this, let us pay particular attention to the character and preaching of John, and alfo to the preaching of the difciples, who were fent out to^ preach during our Lord's miniftry. The charac- ter given of John, in the prophets, is that of a fore- runner of Chrift. It was foretold, that John fhould be fent to prepare the way of Chrifl. Ifaiah, xl. 3, " The voice of him that crieth in the wildernefs, prepare ye the way of the Lord, make ftraight in the deferta high way for our God." When John came, the firfl words which he uttered, were, " Re- pent ye : for the kingdom of Heaven is at hand.'* The principal defign of John's preaching was to give notice of the immediate approach of the Mef- fiah 'y to inform the Jewifh nation, that Chrifl was at hand, and to prepare the people to receive him. Such was the great Redeemer, and fuch was his divine miflion, that a forerunner was neceffary to proclaim his immediate approach. This informa- tion was fuitable to prepare the people to receive him. Luke, i. 76, 77, " And thou, child, (John) fhalt be called the prophet of the higheft : for thou fhalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways ; to give knowledge of falvation unto his people by the remiilion of their fms." John's preaching was chiefly defigned to pre- pare the Jewifh nation for the reception of Chrift. The twelve and the feventy difciples were fent forth upon a fimilar errand. The directions [9 ] which our Lord gave the twelve difciples are found in Matthew, x. 5, 6, 7, " Thefe twelve Jefus fent forth, and commanded them, faying, go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not : but go rather to the lofl iheep of the houfe of Krael. And as ye go, preach, faying, the kingdom of Heaven is at hand." The commifTion, which our Lord gave to the feventy difciples is found in Luke, x. 1 — 1 1, " After thele things the Lord appointed other feventy alfo, and fent them two and two before his face into every city and place whither he himfelf would come.** And among other things, which he gave in charge to them, he diredled them to fay, " The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you.*' The particular directions which our Lord gave to the feventy difciples clearly difcover the princi- pal defign of their miflion. They were fent, two and two, before the face of Chrift, into every city and place which he intended to vifit. They were required to go before the Saviour, and give notice of his coming, that all the people might be in rea- dinefs to receive him. This was the object con- templated in John's preaching. The fame may be faid of the preaching of the twelve difciples. Chrift faid to them, Matthew, x. 23, " But when they perfecute you in this city, flee ye into another ; for verily I fay unto you, ye (hall not have gone over the cities of Ifrael, till the Son of man be come.'* The language of Chrift to his difciples, on this oc-^ cafion, was this ; when you preach in one city, and they begin to periecute you, do not ftay to contend with them, but flee to another place ; for your time is fliort to make me fufficiently knowa to the cities of Ifrael. B2 . C 10 ] John, and the difciples of our Lord, were employ- ed in giving information to the Jewifh nation, that Chrifl was at hand, and would foon ered the Gof- pel kingdom, John proclaimed a MefTiah about to come. The difciples of Chrift proclaimed a Mef- fiah already come, who would foon appear among the people. John publifhed his melfage and ceaf- ed. At, or near the clofe of John's miniftry, the difciples began their miffion. The preaching of John and that of the difciples united in one defign^ The conclufion is, that as John and the difciples were fent out for like purpofes, fo John's baptifm and that of the difciples were ufed for the fame end. Nothing, perhaps, exhibits more fully the im* portant mimon of our Lord than the preparations made for liis reception. John was fent to give no* tice of his coming, and introduce him to his pub- lic miniftry. The twelve and the feventy difciples were commiflioned to go forth, two and two, and communicate the interefling tidings, that the Mef- fiah had come, and would foon make his appear- ance, in the cities of Ifrael. As, therefore, the preaching of John and that of the difciples united in defign, it is highly probable, that John's baptifm and that which the difciplea ufed, in the time of our Lord's miniftry, were de- ligned to anfwer the fame purpofe, or rather were the fame kind of baptifm. The principal inquiry yet remains ; is John's baptifm to be placed under the Chriftian, or Jew- ilh difpenfatidn ? Before I proceed to examine this queftion, let me confider the inftance of John's baptizing Chrift. While John was baptizing the Jews, Jefus came to liim and prefented himfeff for. C II J' baptifin. Matthew, iii. 13, 14, 15, " Thencometli Jefus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him : but John forbad him, faying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comefl thou to me ? And Jefus anfwering faid unto him, fuffer it to be fo now ; for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteoufnefs. Then he fuffered him.'* It feems that when Jefus offered to be baptized by John, John would have modeilly declined that honour, faying unto Jefus, I have need rather to be baptized by you, than you to be baptized by me, that is, in other words, you are by much the greater perfon. I can baptize with water only ; but you ihall baptize your difciples with the Holy Ghoft, I have fms to repent of, and be cleanfed from j whereas you are entirely without fin, and confe- quently you can have no need of the baptifm of re- pentance for the remiilion of fins. For thefe and the like reafons, the honour feems too high for me» Unto John Jefus replied, " Suffer it to be fo now.'* I did not come to defire baptifm of you without a divine direction. I acknowledge what you allege is, in general, true. I am your fuperior, and am without fm ; but it is my Father's good pleafure^ that as Aaron, the high prieft, was confecrated by the prophet Mofes, fo I fhould, in this manner, and by you, as an extraordinary prophet, be introduced to my miniflry as Mefliah. Whatever I know to be the will of my Father, I am ready to perform ; , and fo ought you to be ready to do alfo. For thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteoufnefs ; that is, not to comply with every moral duty only, but every pofitive inflitution alfo, or every appoint- ment of God. Then John fubmitted, and confent- «d to do what Jefus defired of him. [ 12 1 If it fliould be objected, that the baptifm of John was the baptifm of repentance for the remiffion of fins, and that as Jefus had never committed any fin, he could have no occafion for the baptifm of repentance, nor for the remiffion of fins. Why then did Jefus go and defire the baptifm of John ? or why did he not acquiefce, when John would have declined baptizing him ? In anfwer to this objedion it might be replied, that the fame divine inflitution may, to perfons in ditferent circumflan- ces, anfwer different ends and purpofes. Here let it be carefully obferved, 1. That the baptifm of Chrifl by John was not deligned to manifeft his repentance. When John adminiftered baptifm to the Jews, their baptifm fignified repentance. " I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance.'' Take away the idea of repentance, and you take away the principal, if not the only defign of John's baptifm, when the Jews were the fubjeds of it. But no repentance was intended to be manifefted in the baptifm of Chrifl by John. For Chrifl; was not a fmner. Hebrews, vii. 26, " Who is holy, harmlefs, undefiled, fepa- rate from finners," — 1 Peter, ii. 22, " Who did no fin, neither was guile found in his mouth." When Chrift offered up his life a facrifice, he was without fin. Hebrews ix. 14, " Who through the eternal Spirit offered himfelf without fpot to God." Baptifm then was not applied to Chrift, for the fame purpofe for which it was applied to the people of Ifrael. In them it fignified their repen- tance. In Chrift it fignified no repentance, 2. Neither did Chrift receive baptifm from John, as a token of his being wafhed from fin. Baptifm, under the gofpel difpenfation, is expreffive C 13 ] of a man's being cleanfed from fin. So it is un- derflood in the words of Ananias to Paul, Ads, xx. 16, " Arife and be baptized, and wafh away thy fms." But it is certain, that Chrifl did not receive baptifm for this purpofe. He could not ; for he had no fin to wafh away. He, who was pure, could not be wafhed from fin ; nor was it poffible that he fhould receive a token of being wafhed from fin. The baptifm of Chrifl by John was ufed for a different purpofe, than baptifm was intended to exprefs, when either Jews under the legal, or believers under the gofpel difpenfation were the fubjeds of it. S. Neither did Chrifl fubmit to be baptized by John, as an exanvple to the Jewifh nation, or be- lievers among the Gentiles. Chrifl was a great and fhining example to the Jewifh nation, in all'his adions which are imitable. He is an example to all believers, in all ages of the world, as far as his praftice was defigned for imitation. But in the in- flance of his fubmitting to be baptized by John, he was not a pattern for the people of Ifrael to follow j nor is his baptifm by John an example of imitation to believers under the gofpel. Had Chrifl defign- ed that his baptifm by John fhould have been an example of imitation to the Jews, he would prob- ably have fubmitted to it at a much earlier period than he did. John had almofl finifhed his minif- try, when our Lord was baptized. John had bap- tized almofl all the people, who received his bap- tifm at all, before Jefus came to him to be baptized. Jefus was among the lafl, who received baptifm by John. Luke, iii. 21, " Now when all the people were baptized, it came to pafs, that Jefus alfo being baptized, and praying, the heaven was openedJ* C 14 3 Chrift did not defign to lead the Jewifh nation down the banks of Jordan, in imitation of his bap* tifm ; for he came to John too late, to fuppofe that he meant his baptifm as an example to the Jews. The greater part of the people, who fubmitted to John's baptifm, had been baptized before Chrift came to John. Neither could Chrift, in his baptifm by John, mean to be followed by believers, in gofpel times. For his baptifm did not import the fame thing, nor was it ufed for the fame purpofe, for which bap- tifm is ufed by chriftians. If the mode of admin- iftration was the fame in John's time, as it was af- terwards, it was defigned for different purpofes in Chrift, from what it was in chriftians ; and there- fore it became virtually another, and a different rite. No man can fubmit to chriftian baptifm, in imita- tion of Chrift's baptifm by John, if regard be had ta the things fignified by Chrift's baptifm. For no inftance of baptifm among men, can in any cafe mean the fame thing, which Chrift's baptifm meant. There being nothing fignified in Chrift's baptifm, which is fignified in chriftian baptifm. Therefore following Chrift, in his baptifm, is totally without foundation. 4. Chrift's baptifm by John was a conformity to fome law, which had refpedt to that occafion only. When Jefus came to John, he faid to him. Suffer it to be fo now ; for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteoufnefs. Fulfilling of righteoufnefs muft have refpe£l to feme law already in.exiftence. And Chrift, in fubmitting to be baptized by John, fulfilled righteoufnefs, or conformed to fome di- vine rule. But the righteoufnefs, which was per- I J5 ] formed, in Chrift's baptifm by John, had refpeft to what paifed between John and Chrifl at that time. It was confined to that occafion. Whether this righteoufnefs is iraitable by men will be determin- ed, when it is conlidered what divine rule was brought into ufe in the baptifm of Chrift by John. Therefore, 5. Chrift's baptifm by John mufl be confideredl as his obedience to divine appointment, in refpeft to the inauguration of the priefthood. To obey a pofitive, or inflrumental precept, is fulfilling right- eoufnefs, no lefs than obeying a moral command. It was the fpecial command of God, that Aaronr and his fons fhould be confecrated to office, by wafiiing with water, or baptifm. Exodus, xxix. 4^ " And Aaron and his fons thou fhalt bring unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and fhalt wafh them with water." See alfa Exodus, XXX. 18, 19, 20, 21, concerning the mode of walh- ing. The hands and the feet were to be wafhed with water. Mofes, an extraordinary prophet, by God's diredion was defignated to perform the in- augural fervices at Aaron's confecration. John, an extraordinary prophet, was by divine authority de- fignated to introduce Jefus to his miniftry, by bap- tizing him. Jefus had now arrived to that period of life, at which the priefts, under the legal difpen- fation, might be confecrated to the fervice of the fanduary. It was the command of God, that no prieft, under the law, fhould enter on his public miniftry till he was^thirty years old. Numbers, iv, 23, " From thirty years old and upward until fifty years old fhalt thou number them ; all that enter in to perform the fervice, to do the work in the taber- nacle of the congregation,'* Jefus was now quail- [ 16 ] lied for the prlcfthood, in refpecl to his age. Luke, iii, 23, *' And Jefus himfelf began to be about thir- ty years of age." This was faid of him, at the time when he received baptifm from John. And here feveral confiderations deferve attention upon this fubje£l. I fhall mention to you the refemblance between Mofes and John j the transferring of the priefthood ; the vifible confecration of Chrift, and the frequent allufions to the ancient inaugurations of prophets, priefts, and kings. 1. There is a refemblance between Mofes and John. Mofes and John were both of the fame fam- ily, the tribe of Levi. Mofes, the greatefl prophet that then had ever arifen, introduced Aaron to the priefthood. John, as great as Mofes, introduced Chrift to his public miniftry. Mofes was not wafh- ed himfelf ; but at the command of God he wafh- ed Aaron. So we have no account, that John was baptized ; but he was fent of God to baptize Chrift. Mofes refigned his, ofHce to Joihua. So John refigned to Chrift. Mofes foon died, after he had given up his office to Jofhua. So John foon died, after he had baptized Chrift, and introduced him to his public miniftry. Mofes pointed out Chrift. So did John. Mofes prepared the way for Aaron's introdudion to office. So John pre- pared the way of Chrift, and invefted him with his ,office. Between Mofes and John there is a fimi- larity. Mofes was a fpecial agent appointed of God to bring forward the legal eftablifliment. John was a fpecial agent appointed of God to ad- minifter baptifm to; Chrift, at his introdudion to his public miniftry. 2. The priefthood was regularly transferred from the order of Aaron to Chrift, ia his baptifm. C 17 ] No man, under the law, might take the office of prleft, unlefs he was regularly called of God. ^ And Chrift jdid not take this office upon him without the command of God. Hebrews, v. 4, 5, 10, *' And no man taketh this honour unto himfelf, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron. So alfo Chrifl glorified not himfelf to be made an high priefl ; but he that faid unto him, Thou art mv Son, to day have I "begotten thee. Called of God an high prieft, after the order of Melchifedec." A modern author has this obfervation upon the fub- jed, " Chrifl: did not ufurp the prieflhood, or take it upon himfelf at random, without rule and or- der."* Chrift abaiifiied in his death, the order of Aaron, ?.nd was invefted with the priefthood of a higher order. Hebrews, vi^ 20, " Even Jefus made an high prieft for ever after the order of Melchifedec." It is undeniable, that the priefthood was changed from the order of Aaron to a higher order. He- brews, vii. 12, " For the priefthood being changed,^* This change in the priefthood was completed at the death of Chrift. The baptifm of Chrift by John was the inaugural rite, by which he was regularly introduced to his prieftly office, or rather publicly and openly declared to be the true Meffiah. Though Chrift received an unchangeable prieft- hood, yet theLevitical priefthood was not abolifhed, nor ^/as a change made in the law, until the death of Chrift. The Jewifh ritual remained till Chrift offered a better facrifice, than could be offered un- der the legal difpenfation. Hebrews, x. 12, " But this man, after he liad offered one facrifice for (ins, for ever fat down on the right hand of God." * Chaplin, page 97. [ ISO 3. The baptifm of Chrift by John may be con- fidered as neceffary to his vifible confecration to office. Had not Chrifl entered upon his public niiniftry, in fuch a manner, as to fhew that he was the true MefTiah ; had he not been confecrated ac- cording to divine appointment, the Jews would not have been cenfurabie in rejeding him. Chrifl en- tered upon his public office in a regular manner, and according to divine rule. John was defigna- ted, as the proper officer to adminifler baptifm to him, and his baptifm, with its attending circum- ilances, was his vifible confecration to office. Here then you fee the principal defign of Chrifl*s bap- tifm by John. It was the rite, which denoted his confecration to the high office to which he was introduced. Hebrews, vii. 28, " For the law mak- 1 eth men high priefls, which have infirmity ; but the word of the oath, which was fmce the law, maketh the Son, who is confecrated for evermore." 4. The frequent allufions to the ancient inau- gurations of prophets, priefls, and kings, juflify us in confidering the baptifm of Chrifl, as the intro- ductory ceremony to his offxe as Meffiah. Allu- fions to ancient ufages and ceremonies are frequent n the New Teflament. It cannot be doubted that the number of the spoftles was twelve, in allufion to the number of the twelve tribes of Ifrael. It is probable, that feventy other difciples were fent out after the apof- tles, in allufion to the number of the Jewifh fanhe- drim. In the epiflle to the Hebrews, Jefus is rep; refented as the chriflian lawgiver, in allufion to Mofes, and the chriflian high priefl, in ailufion to Aaron ; and preferred to both of them, being called an high prieft for ever, ^fter the order of Melchif- I C 19 I edec. And elfewhere Jefus is called the great higfi prieft of our profelTion. I fliall here give you my fentiments in the words of a learned writer.*" " The two things with which our Lord was baptiz- ed, were water and the holy Spirit. Let it be fur- ther obferved, that the Jewifli high prieft, and the other priefts of that nation, were initiated into their facred office by baptifm, or being waflied with wa- ter. See Exodus, xxix. 4, Leviticus, viii. (5, 7y and their anointed with oil, which was poured up- on the high prieft's head. Exodus, xxix. 7, Le- viticus, viii. 12, and xvi. 32 ; to which there is a- fine allufion, Pfalm, xxxiii. 2. Our Lord, as has been abundantly obferved, is a high prieft of a high- er order than that of the family of Aaron.- And after he had been baptized, or waflied with water ^ he was anointed with the facred undionof the holy Spirit, that oil oi gladnefs above his fellows. For he received the Spirit, in a more honourable manner, and in greater plenty, than any of the prophets^ They had it in a limited degree, but Jefus without meafure. If we confider him as the great prophet of the church, then we may remember, that he was initiated into that high and facred office by baptifm and the holy Spirit." At his baptifm he was endued with the power of working miracles. Thus qualified, he began his miniftry. It had been prophefied of him, many ages before, Ifaiah, Ixi. 1, 2, where the prophet introduced the Meffiah, as fpeaking and faying con- cerning himfelfj " The Spirit of the Lord God i& upon me, becaufe the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek.'* This very paflage our Lord read in the fynagogue at Caper- * Dr. Benfoc's Life of Chrifl C 20 ] naum, and declared it to be a prophefy concerning himfelf, which was then adually fulfilled, Luke, iv. 16. In allufion to that, he is called, Adts. iv. 27, God's holy Son, or fervant, whom he anointed. The word PvIelTiah in Hebrew, and Chrill in Greek, figniiies the anointed. And chriflians, who in the apoftolic age had fo generally miraculous gifts of the Spirit, are faid alfo, 2 Corinthians, i. 21, to be anointed of God. And in John, to have had an unftion from the Holy One. Kings alfo ufed to be inaugurated, by being an- ointed with oil. Thus God expreffed himfelf con- cerning David, the progenitor of the Mefliah, Pfaim, Ixxxix. 20, " I have found David my. fer- vant ; with my holy oil have I anointed him." And our bleiTed Lord, who was fet upon the throne cf David, and who was adually king of this fpirit- ual kingdom, was anointed at his baptifm with the holy Spirit, that oil of gladnefs above his fellows. So that, in whichfoever oT his offices we view the bleiTed Jefus, whether as prophet, prieft, or king, the baptifm with the holy Spirit was highly proper, to initiate him into his high, facred, and diftinguifti- ed miniftry. Taking into confideration the numerous allu- fions to the ancient ceremonies, at the inauguration of prophets, priefts, and kings, it is natural to con- clude, that the baptifm of Jefns by John was his regular introduction to his office, as the Meffiah. It was fulfilling righteoufnefs, in relation to the law, for confecrating men to the prieflly office. It was a praftical conformity to divine directions, for in- troducing men to the priefthood. Chrift was " A miniiler of the fanduary, and of the true taberna- cle, which the Lord pitched, and not man.'* S jB R M O N IL ACTS, XVIII. 25. Knowing only the Baptism of John*. 1 HE inquiry, refpecling the baptifin of Chrift by John, being finifhed, it now remains to eonfider John's bap lifm, and that ufed by the difci- ples under our Lord's miniflry. And here I fhall be underftood to fpeak of John's baptifm, when ad* minillered to the Jewiih nation, including the bap- tifm of the difciples under the direction of Chrift. " Though Jefus himfelf baptized not," yet his dif-^ eiples, for a time, did baptize. The main queftioa now to be decided, is, whether Jbhn's baptifm is to be placed under the chriftian, or legal difpenfation.. In other words,was John's baptifm chriftian baptifm? I anfwer, it was not. The following reafons are now offered to prove, that John's baptifin was not chriftian baptifm. 1. The ends propofed by John^s baptifm were different' from thofe of New Tef lament baptifm-. The principal defign of Joha's baptifm was to mani- feft, or point out Chrift to the Jewifh nation.— John i. 31. "And I knew him not; but that he fhould be made manifeft to Ilrael, therefore am I come baptizing with water." But New Teftameat C2 [ 22 ] baptifm is deSgned for other purpofes. Believers are faid to be baptized into the death of Chrifl. Romans, vi. 3 " Know ye not, that fo many of us as . were baptized into Jefus Chrifl, were baptized into his death ?'' John's baptifm could not be ufed for this purpofe. For Chrifl was not crucified. 2. John's whole miniflry mufl be placed un- der the legal difpenfation. John was a prophet, but he lived and died under the legal difpenfation. — John the Baptifl was a minifler of the Jewifli, not the chriftian church. Luke, vii. 28, " For verily I fay unto you, amongthofe that are born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Bap- tifl : but he that is leafl in the kingdom of God is greater than he." Thefe words evidently fuppofe that John's miniflry pertained to the legal difpenfa- tion. They make John one of the greatefl proph- ets, who had ever appeared under the Mofaic eftab- lifliment ; but they make him inferior to the leaft in the gofpel kingdom. As John was the lafl prophet under the Jewifh difpenfation, he lived, as it were, in fight of gofpel times, and therefore was the greatefl prophet that had arifen ; but compared with the gofpel flate, he was inferior to the leafl in the gofpel kingdom. Chrifl, therefore, places John*s miniflry under (he Mofaic economy. John feemed to confider himfelf and his miniflry in this light, when he fpoke of himfelf and of Chrifl. John, ii. 30, " He mufl increafe,but I mufl decreafe." By which he intima- ted, that the difpenfation, under which he minifler- ed, was about to come to an end. The conclufipn is, that as John is placed back in times anterior to the gofpel day, he did not adminifler ordinances peculiar to the gofpel church. Therefore his bap- iifm was aot chriflian baptifm. [ 23 ] S. The legal difpenfarion actually continued till the crucifixion of Chrifl. Much has been faid in favour of giving an earlier date to gofpel times. It is prefumed, however, that no man woi^ plead in fupport of this fcheme, unlefs he were driven to it, in defence of fome peculiar favourite tenets. In oppofition to the fyftem, which makes the gofpel kingdom commence under the miniflry of John the Baptift, I bring forward the example and dodrine of Chrifl. Chrift, throughout his whole miniftry, both yielded and taught obedience to the ceremonial part of the Jewiih law. He attended the appointed feafts. He kept the Jewifh paflbver with his difciples, even the very night in which he was betrayed. To the cleanfed leper he faid, Mat- thew, viii. 4, " But go thy way, fhew thyfelf to the pried, and offer the gift, that Mofes commanded, for a teflimony unto them." Did our Lord teach obedience to rites, which were already abolifhed ?' If the ceremonial part of the law was abrogated ; if gofpel times had commenced, why did he give an example of obedience to the ceremonial law ? Why did he teach and praftife in conformity to the Jewiih ritual, if it was done away ? The Jewifh rites and ceremonies were in being during the miniflry of Chrift, or they were not. If they were fet afide, why did Chrift give them fupport, by his example and direction ? \Vithout hefitation, it may be declared, that the legal difpenfation, with all the Jewifh ritual, continued through the miniftry of Chrift, even to his death. It remained in full force until the vail of the temple was rent in twain. This is clearly the doftrine of the Bible. Hebrews, ix. 8, " The Holy Ghoft this fignifying, that the way into the holiefl of all was not yet made mani- feft, while as the firft tabernacle was yet ftandin^* C 24 ] Here it may be obferved, that the firft tabernacFe was flanding till the death of Chrift. Gifts and facrifices might be offered in it, till the death and crucifixion of Chrift. Therefore the gofpel difpen- fation did not commence until Chrift put away fm by the facriftce of himfelf. This receives confii'- mation from the following words, Hebrews, ix. 16, 17, " For where a teftament is, there muft alfo of neceffity be the death of the teftator. For a tefta- ment is of force after men are dead ; otherwife it is of no ftrength at all while the teftator liveth." Accordmg to thefe words. New Teftament times cannot be dated earlier than the death of Chrift. For a teftament does not begin its operation till the death of the teftator. The death of the teftator is neceflary to give life and exiftence to the teftament. Common fenfe teaches us, that a teftament does not begin to be in force while the teftator liveth. In order to explain away the import of this text, it may be faid, as fome have affirmed, " that a tef- tament is made, fignedjfealed, and witnefled, before the teftator dies, and he whofe will is a fovereign law, to govern in all the concerns of his teftament, may, if he pleafe, bring things into that ftate before his death, which he intends they ftiould be in after- wards/'* This author aflerts that the teftator's will is a fovereign law. I add, it is while he lives. His will, and not his teftament is the law, during his life, but this does not prove, that the teftament of the teftator becomes a law during his life. It does not. ITierefore according to this writers ftatement. New Teftament times did not begin till the death of Chrift. Confequently John's baptifm beloHged to the legal, not the chriftian dii'penfation. * Edward Clark. [ 25 ] 4. The copimifHons with which the twelve and the feventy difciples were furnifhed during our Lord's miniftry, afford additional evidence, that John's baptifm belonged to the legal difpenfation. The commillions which the twelve and the feventy difciples received from Chrifl are recorded, Mat- thew, X. 5—14, Luke, ix. 1 — 5, Mark,iii. 14, 15, and Luke, x. 1 — 1 1. Here are all the inftances of Chrifl's fending out his difciples to preach. In their commiffion, we find feveral particular direc- tions given the difciples, for the rule of their con- duct. Their whole duty was pointed out. They were authorized to do all that Chrifl: wanted them to do. But they were not authorized to baptize. — The adminift:ration of baptifm was not included among the articles of their infl:ru61:ion. The omif- fion of baptifm cannot be imputed to forgetfulnefs, but to defign. Had John's baptifm, or the bap- tifm ufed by the difciples under Chrifli's direftion, been chriftian baptifm, or had the chrifliian difpen- fation begun its operation, we fhould have found a command for baptizing in the infl:ru6lions given to the twelve and the feventy. For New Teflia- ment baptifm is an ordinance of the gofpel, and as foon as the New Tefl:ament difpenfation commen- ced, Chrifl: commanded his difciples to teach and to baptize. Matthew,xxviii. 1 9, " Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghofl:." Whoever will carefully examine the particular di- rections, which our Lord ga^^e to the twelve and the feventy difciples, will find, that he did not de- fign that his difciples, at that time, fhould admin- ifl:er baptifm. The omiflion of baptifm, in our Lof d's infl:rudions to his difciples, on this occafion. C 26 ] evidently fupports the couclufion, that John*s bap- tifm was not chriftian baptlfm. Chriftian baptifm could not begin, till there was a command for it. There was no command for it, in the foremention- ed inflruflions to the difciples ; confequently neither John's baptifm, nor the baptifm ufed by the difci- ples under our Lord's diredions, was chriflian bap- tifm. 5. It is evident, that John's baptifm belonged to the legal difpenfation, becaufe there was no inftance of water baptifm, from about the time of John's im- prifonment to the refurredlion of Chrifl. From the death of John, till the refurredtion of Chrift, there was an interval, or fpace of confiderable length, in which no mention is made of the prac- tice of an Inftance of w^ater baptifm. In this fea- fon, there were doubtlefs proper fubjeds for bap- tifm. The want of inftances of baptifm, it is prob- able, is not to be afcribed to- the want of proper fubje6ls. Neither muil the omiflion of baptifm be imputed to the negle£l of the difciples. For had it been the fault of the difciples, Chrift would undoubtedly have reproved them for their negligence. But no reproof of this nature is found in the Evangelifts. When the feventy returned to Chrift, and gave- him fome account of their miffion, our Lord did not fuggeft to them any failure in their duty, or the omlfTion of any performance, which pertained ta their office. We are therefore juftified, in fuppof- ing, that the difciples did not baptize, in this fpace of time, becaufe Chrift did not command them to baptize j fmce therefore we find no inftance of John's baptifm, or that of the difciples, or any other water baptifm, from the death of John to the refur- [ 27 ] re&ion of Chrift, we have fatlsfactory evidence, that no water baptifm, before the refurreftion of Chrift, was chrillian baptifm. 6. John's baptifm was not chriftian baptifm, be- caufe it was not performed in the name of the Ho- ly Trinity. This needs no proof. Chrift was not declared to be the Meffiah when John began his miniftry. But the fubjedt is placed beyond doubt in the account given us. Ads, xix. 1 — 7^ " And Paul finding certain difciples, faid unto them, have ye received the Holy Ghoft, fince ye believed ? and they faid unto him, we have not fo much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghoft. And be faid unto them, unto what then were ye baptized ? and they faid unto John's baptifm. Then faid Paul, John verily baptized with the baptifm of rejien- tance, faying unto the people, that they fhould be- lieve on him which ftiould come after him, that is on Chrift Jefus. When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jefus" It may be obferved, that the twelve difciples, mentioned in the words now quoted, appeared to be ignorant of tl^e ufe of the Holy Trinity in baptifm. They faid, we have not fo much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghoft. They had been baptized un- to John's baptifm, but appeared not to have heard the Trinity named in their baptifm. From this confideration, we may conclude that the Holy Ghoft was not named in John's b'o'.ptifm. Confe- quently John's baptifm was a different kind of bap- tifm, from New Teftament baptifm. Indeed, the queftion which Paul a{ked them, fuppofed there were different kinds of baptifm. If not, what pro- priety was there in his queftion ? t 28 ] Moreover, the twelve difclples before mentioned were rebri^.-ized. This is plain. For -when Paul had explahied to them the nature of John's bap- tin:i, and ' old them, that it was merely preparatory to ihAr receiving Chrift, then they were again baptized by Paul. What further proof is wanting to convince us, that John's baptifm was not chrif- tian baptifm. For had it been the fame kind of baptifm, which is ufed under the gofpel difpenfa- tion, it would have been needlefs and unwarrant- able to repeat it. In this place, give me leave to recite to you the words of Dr. Benfon upon the fubje6l. " When Paul had finiflied his journey through the upper part of Afia Minor, he returned to Ephefus, and there found twelve perfons that were the difciples of John the Baptift. And being willing to impart un- to them fome fpiritual gifts, if they had not received any already, he afked them whether they had re- ceived the Holy Ghoft. They replied, that they had not fo much as heard, that the Holy Ghoft had been poured out, or that any perfon had been bap- tized therewith, as John the Baptift had predicted. No, faith the apoftle ; not without wonder ^nd fur- prize ; what not fo much as heard of the effufion of the Holy Ghoft ? Pray, unto what then were ye baptized ? They anfwered, we have been baptized only unto John's baptifm. The apoftle faid, John did indeed prepare the way for the coming of the Meftiah, by baptizing with the baptifm of repen- tance for the remiifion of fnis. When they heard this, they were baptized again, and that in the name of the Lord Jefus Chrift." A late author, * to evade the force of the argu- Dr. Baidwin, [29 ] merit drawn from this palTage of fcripture, makes* the account given in thefe verfes, Paul's account of John's do6trine and baptifm. This certainly makes nonfenfe of the account. For it is faying, that thofe on whom Paul laid his hands were the people whom John taught, and that all the men whom John taught were about twelve. It is undeniable, that thefe twelve perfons whom Paul found, were baptized again. It is alfo proba- ble, that fome of the three thoufand, who were baptized on the day of pentecoft, had been bap- tized before by John. For they were Jews and Jewifh profelytes, fome of whom had lived in Ju- dea, and had been concerned in the murder of Chrift. As John's baptifm had been adminiflered to the greater part of the Jewifh nation, doubtlefs many of thefe converts had received John's bap- tifm. If then it be admitted, that fome, who had been bapdzed by John, were baptized again after the refurredioti of Chrift, it follows, that the apof- tles did not confider John's bapdfm to be chriitian baptifm. There is abundant evidence to fupport the belief, that John's baptifm belonged to the Jew- ifh, and not to the chriftian difpenfation. 1. From what has been faid upon this fubjedt, we learn that neither John's baptizing the Jews, nor his baptizing our Lord, are examples for-our imitation. Baptifts are fond of taking a ftand near the waters of Enon and Jordan. They fay much about following Chrift down the banks of Jordan. A late author* has traced the origin of the bapdfts to Enon and Jordan. This man is uncommonly fanguine in his alTertions, and for one who had, according to his own declaration, but juft emei^ed * Mr. Merril's 3even Sermons, D C 30 J from darknefs, feems by no means to abound with modefly. In his hiftory of the baptifts^ he carries back their origin to John the Baptift. The fame imagination, which could form the image of baptifls at fo early a period, might, if the fame reafon had urged him, drove him back to the antediluvian age, and there found the name, or the fubftance of the baptift religion among the people of the old world. He has told us, that great and learned men have been perplexed to find when the bap- tifts firft began. But ftrange ! his imagination could furmount all difficulties, and without proof or evidence make the origin of the baptift religion coeval with John the Baptift. What he calls a min- iature hiftory of the baptifts is mere conjedure, un- fupported by teftimony. With as much propriety, another man might conjecture, that the name and fubftance of the baptift religion was unknown in the world, till after the twelfth century. But not- withftanding all that this aoithor has faid to the con- trary, it may be aflerted, that no man has author- ity to adminifter chriftian baptifm from any com- mand or example which exifted before the refur- reftion of Chrift. The authority for adminifter- ing chriftian baptifm is derived from tlie commif- fion wi;iich our Lord gave to the apoftles^ after he arofe from the dead. Matthew, xxviii. 19, " Go ye, therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghoft." Johji's baptifm belonged to the legal difpenfation. We may not imitate Chrift in hi.s baptifm. For it was not defigned for our imitation. There is as much authority for follow- ing Chrift in his fafting forty days — walking upon xk^ watej-^iiding into Je^ufelem on api afs— work- C SI ] ing miracles — dying between two thieves — or mak- ing his grave with the rich in his death, as in hi» baptifm by John. In oppofition to the fentiment now advanced, baptifl writers urge, with the ap- pearance of plaufibility, that the gofpel kingdom began its operation with John's miniftry. It muft always be evidence that a caufe labours, when it is neceflary to prefs in its fupport, arguments which are falfe, or to deny what is fully revealed in the Holy Scriptures. One author* in the baptifl: in- tereft, with apparently greater zeal for the defence of his peculiar tenets, than love to the truth, has denied that Chrifl was a Jew. This feems to be done to prove that the gofpel began with John's miniftry. After quoting from a late publication thefe words, " Ch rift was born a Jew, be lived a Jew, and died a Jeiv^* he then makes the follow- ing aflertion ; *' This in a literal fenfe is falfe."-— But who, even on the baptift fide of the queftion, will give credit to fuch affertions ? Jefus faid. Rev* elation, xxii. 16, "I am the root and the offspring of David." The apoftle fajd, Hebrews, vii* 14^ *' For it is evident that our Lord fprang out of Ju- da." If then David was a Jew, Chrift was a Jew, If the tribe of Judah were Jews, Chrift was a Jew, Moreover, Chrift was called a Jew, and taken to be a Jew, John iv. 9, " How is it that thou being a Jew, afkeft drink of me, which , am a woman of Samaria ?" He was called the king of the Jews. Pray for what purpofe did Matthew and Luke, in their gofpels, trace the genealogy of Chrift ? To prove that he was not the Son of David ? No : but fo prove that he was the feed of David according to promife. * Mr. Edward Clark of MedfiaJd C 32 ] Another writer,* who pleads ftrongly in favour of making the gofpel difpenfation begin with John's miniftry, has fupported his opinion, by an argu- ment drawn from the four firfl verfes of the firft chapter of Mark : a llender argument in fupport of a hypothecs of fuch magnitude. The words in Mark are thefe ; " The beginning of the gofpel of Jefus Chrift, the Son of God ; as it is written in the prophets," &c. But why did not this author carry back the gofpel difpenfation to Abraham's time ? He might have proved with as much force of argument, that the gofpel began in Abraham's day, as he has that it began with John the Baptift. The gofpel was preached to Abraham. He has evidently forced a conllruftion upon the four firft verfes in Mark, which may feem plaufible, but which will not bear examination. All his argu- ment refts upon the word beginning of the gofpel. Read it as it means, and his argument is loft. The beginning of the narration of thofe fa£ts which re- fpe they would have exhibited a niodefty much more becoming chriilians than what now appears in their writings. Since the baptifls are not able to bring pofitive conclufive proof, that in all cafes baptifm in the New Teflament does mean immerfion only, they feem to be tenacious of an article of their faith^ not fo much becaufe they have fcriptural reafons for it, as becaufe it is a fevourite idea in their fcheme. Take away John's baptilm, as an example, and the confequence is, they mufl refort to times fuc- ceeding the refurredion of Chrifl, to determine whether baptifm is immerfion or not. It has al- ready been obferved, that there is no proof, that C 37 3 John baptized by immerfion. Confider candidly the inftance of Paul's baptifm, Ad:s, ix. 9 — 18. Paul appears to have been baptized in the fame place, where he had remained three days. The circumftancGS attending his baptifm, are fuch as naturally lead us to think that he never went out of the houfe to receive baptifm. " And he received fight forthwith, and arofe and was bap- tized." No man, in reading the account of Paul's converfion and baptifm, would ever fuppofe that he was plunged all over in water. It is highly improbable, that the jailer and his houfe were baptized by immerfion. Paul and Si- las had been confined in the inner prifon. The jailer brought them out of the inner prifon, and probably placed them in his own apartment. It was a late hour in the night when the jailer 'was baptized. It is not faid that they went cut of the houfe to a river or to any water. Nothing is faid about their return to the houfe again. Nothing is faid about their changing garments on this occa- fion. Nothing is faid, which makes it even prob- able, that their baptifm v/as performed by immer- fion. Peter's fpeech, at the baptifm of Cornelius and his friends, imports the application of water in a manner different from immerfion. " Can any man forbid water, that thefe fnould not be bapti- zed, which have received the Holy Ghoft as well as me ?" This form of fpeech, taken in connexion with their being baptized ■ at the command of Peter, makes it probable that they were baptized in the fame place where they were ; and that water was brought in fome veflel for the purpofe. [ 38 ] Without having recourfe to other inftances of fimilar import, it may be obferved, that there is no pofitive proof that baptifm, in the apoftolic age, was in any cafe performed by immerfion. It cer- tainly cannot be proved that immerfion was invari- ably in ufe, from any circumftances attending the adminiftration of baptifm. No mention, in a fm- gle cafe, is made of changing garments on the oc- cafion ; a circumftance, the omiflion of which it is difficult to account for, upon the fuppofition that baptifm was invariably performed by immerfion. If any perfon, after all, fhould believe that the apoflles baptized by plunging all over in water, be- caufe it is faid that they reforted to the water, when they baptized ; and at the time of adminiflering- baptifm, they went down into the water, and camfr up out of the water, let him confult the following extrad from the Rev. Ebenezer Chaplin's Treatife on the Nature and Importance of the Sacraments, relative to the words in queflion, page 123^ — 127. ^'Prefuming on the candour, and indulgence of my readers ; I obferve, that the words under confider- ation, are a part of fpeech called prepofitions. The Greek word in thofe places tranflated In, is En. The word exprefling, Jefus went up Out of the wa- ter, is Apo, The word expreffing, Philip and the Eunuch went down Into the water, is Eis. The word exprefling they went Out of the water, is Ek. ** Now I could eafily have told, that thefe prep- ofitions, and all others, take various conftruftions, and different words, in tranflating from one lan- guage to another ; according to the different cir- cumftances attending, events related ; and accord- ing to the different Idioms of languages.. And I C 39 3 could haVe given a long catalogue, of thofe various conflrudions, from the Lexicon and Didionaries ; without coiling me any labour. But as thofe con- ftrudions in the Lexicon, are grounded on all the Greek authors extant : and as I from the begin- ning, profefled to go folely by the Scriptures ; I have given myfelf, the trouble, and labour to ex- amine all thofe four prepofitions, through the books wherein they are ufed, relative to baptifm, viz. Mat. Mark, Luke, John, and Acls. I have ex- amined thofe prepofitions, in all thofe five books, how they are tranllated in every place, where they are ufed.* There are of all that I have examined, 2859. En is ufed 1033 times, of w^hich 47, are rendered in adverbs. 25, The fenfe is involved in other words, fo that tliere is no diflind: word in Englifh, anfwering to En^ in the Greek. The reft, 964, ^e rendered in Englifh prepofitions, feven- teen different ways ; viz. /«, by^ witb^ a?nong^ witb- in, for, under, at, through, on, before, unto, into, of to, about, over. It is tranflated in, more than all the reft ; but it is rendered at 53 times, by 44, with 42, anwng 45, en 30. The reft are lefs, as 10, 7, &CC. " I will give the reader examples of thofe I have ipecified. Examples of En tranflated. " IN — Mark, i. 4. John did baptize En, in the wildernefs. * I have aimed, to make the examinadon corredl ; yet very proba- ble, in fuch a multiplicity of words, there may be fome errours : But it may be relied on, there are noiie fuch as zSq&. the objed: ia view ; viz. to give the common reader, a general Idea, of the various couftrndion* of word%ia tcanflatiiig fram oae language to aaother. [ 40 2 AT — ^John, xviii. 39. Ye have a cuflom, that I fhould releafe unto you one En, at the PalTover. « BY— Mat. xii. 27. If I En, by Beelzebub caft out Devils, En, by whom do your children caft them out. " WITH— Ads, il. 29. His fepulchre, is En, with us unto this day. " AMONG— Luke, i. 42. Bleffed at thou En, among women. " ON — Luke, X. 31. And paiTed by En, on the otker fide. Apo Examined. " Apo, is the Greek word, tranflated out of, in Mat. iii. 16, and Mark, i. 10. Where it fays, Je- fus went up out of the water. This word Apo, I have found ufed 423 times, in thofe five books I have examined. 6, are rendered adverbs, 1 1 , are involved. The reft 406, are rendered in Englilh prepofitions, thirteen different wavs ; viz. From, of, out of,for,fince^ off, with, at, away, by, out, ago, upon. It is tranflated /re;;?, 235, all the reft 172 ; fo thdl from is many more than all the reft. Of 92, out of ^2, for \\,fince 7. Examples pf Apo tranflated, "FROM — Luke, xvi. 18. Whofoever mar* rieth her that is put away, Apo, from her huft}and committeth adultery. " OF — Mat. vii. 15. Beware Apo, of falfe prophets. " OUT OF— Mat. vii. 4. Let me pull out the mote, Apo, out (?f thine eye. " FOR— Luke, xix. 3. And he fought to fee Je- fus, who he was, and could not Apo, for the prefs. , E ^1 ] "SINCE— Mat. XXIV. 21. Then fhall be great tribulation, fuch as was not Apo^ fince the begin- ning of the world. Eis Examined. " Eis^ is the Greek word, tranflated into^ Ads, viii. 38, Where it fays, they went down both into the water. " This word Eis^ I find ufed 955 times, in thofe five firfl books of the New Teflament. 1 7, are rendered adverbs. 36 are involved. The reft 902, are rendered in Englifh prepolitions, feven- teen different ways ; viz. Into^ in^ unto^ to^ for^ of^ by^ among, again/i, at, upon, toward, throughout, on, from, concerning, before. It is rendered into 388, to 1-88, unto 97, in 86, on 4^5, for 23, at 18, againji 18, the reft are lefs, as 10, 8, &c. Examples of Eis tranflated. *' INTO — ^John,'iii. 24. For John was not yet caft Eis, into prifon. " TO — John, ii. 2. And both Jefus was called, and his difciples Eis, to the marriage. " UNTO — John, vii. 8. Go ye up Eis, unto this feaft. "IN — A6ls, viii. 23. For I perceive that thou art Eis, in the gaul of bitternefs. " ON — Mark, xiv. 6. She hath wrought a good work Eis, on me. " FOR — Mat. V. 13. It is thenceforth good Eis, for nothing. « AT— Luke, iv. 61. But let me firft go, and bid them farewell, which are Eis, at home. " AGAINST— John, xii. 7. Eis, againfi the day of my burial hath fhe done this. E C 42 ] Ek^ Examined. " Ek is the Greek word in A£ls, viii. 39, tranflat- €d out of. And Avhen they came up Ek^ out of the Water. *' This is found 446 times, in thofe five firil l)ooks*of the New Teftament. 4, are rendered ad- verbs, 6, are involved. The remainder 435, are rendered in Engliih prepolitions, thirteen differ- ent ways ; viz. Of out offrom^ among^ by^for^ on^ away^ with^ off^ unto^ fince^ at. It is rendered ^ l9\,from 102, out of 11, on 30, with 17, the refl are lefs, 6, 4, &:c. Examples of Ek tranflated. " OF — John, i. ] 3. Which were born not £'.r,* &f blood, nor Ek, of the will of the flefh, nor Ek, ^the will of man : But Ek, (7/*God. " FROM— John, vi. m. Ek, from that time, many of his difciples went back. " OUT OF— Ads, vii. 3. Get thee Ek, out of thy country. < Ek before a coufoaaut. FIVE SERMONS CN CHRISTIAN BAPTISM; IN WHICH THI PRIVILEGE OE BELIEVERS, TINDER THE GOSPEL, RKSPtCTINO THE MODE AND SUBJECTS OF BAPTISM, IS ESTABLISHED AND ILLUSTRATED, BY JEDIDIAH CHAPMAN, V. D. M, Pastor of the Church of Christ at Orange Pale. SERMON L ON CHRISTIAN BAPTISM. MATTHEW, XXVIIL 19, 20. Go YE, THEREFORE, AND TEACH ALL NATIONS, BAPTIZING THEM IN THE NAME OF THE FA- THER,' AND OF THE Son, AND OF THE HoLY Ghost ; — Teaching them to observe all THINGS whatsoever I HAVE COMMANDED YOU : AND, LO, I AM WITH YOU ALWAY, EVEN UNTO THE END OF THE WORLD. My dear friends^ and beloved brethren^ It is my prefent defign to addrefs you on the ferious and important fubjeft of Baptifm. — Treating this point, as God fhall enable me, in a courfe of ^ermons, I fhall endeavor to handle the fubjed with great plainnefs and candor, not feek* ing fo much the appiaufe of man, or the convic- tion of thofe v/ho differ from us, as the eftablifh- ment of your minds in the truth. The words which I have now read are joyful, folemn words. They ^vere fpoken in a very affeding fituation — they are feme of the lafl: words of our bleffed Lord and Saviour to his dear difciples. In the preced- E 2 C 46 J ing chapter, we have an account of his crucifixion and painful death on the crofs — In this, of his joyful refurreclion and appearance to the apos- tles, whom he informed of his acceptance with God as the Mediator and Savioiir, and of his great power in heaven and earth. He gave them the commiffion in our text — " Go ye, therefore, ' and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghoft ; — Teaching them4o obferve all things what- foever I have commanded you : and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world." I fhall here mention feveral things of great im- portance to the fubjeft before us, in which all parties agree ; and heg you will keep them in view-, through the enfuing difcourfes. Firji, Our bleiTed Saviour^s command, in this text, is equally binding on all his minifters, in all ages of the world — that they are to preach the gofpel to every creature, and to teach all who are capable of inilrudion,. in all the do£lrines he has revealed in his word. Seco7id, The minifters of Chrift are to baptize among the nations, " in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghoft,'' all thofe, and only thofe. who, according to his revealed will, are the prop- er fubje6i:s of baptifm. Third, All his minifters, by this, are bound to teach the nations to obferve and obey all things, whatfoever he hath commanded ; all the laws, or- dinances, and inftitutions, which, according to the j fcriptures, are in force under the gofpel difpenfa- f tion. Fourth^ Let it be well obferved, that according to this promife, Chrift will be with his minifters, to fupport and comfort them — to blefs and fucceed them in the glorious work unto the end of the world. Thefe things being obferved, I Ihall proceed to confider our text, with reference only to the fa- crament of baptifm — and fhall endeavor to fhew, I. That baptifm with water is an inftitution of Chrifl, to be a (landing ordinance in his church to the end of the world. II. I fhall fpeak of the mode of baptifm as it re- fpefts the controverfy between us a'tid our brethren called Baptifts. I. I am to fpeak of water-baptifm, and fhew that it is an inftitution of Chrift, to be a ftanding ordi- nance in the church to the end of the world. There is a baptifm of the Holy Ghoft, and with fire, agreeably to Mark, i. 8. " I, indeed, have bap- tized you with water, but he fhall baptize you with the Holy Ghoft." Luke, iii. 16. " He fhall bap- tize you with the Holy Ghoft, and with fire.'' But its adminiftration Chrift has referved to himfelf. We no where read of his commanding any to ad- minifter fuch a baptifm. Son\e, indeed, fmce the apoftles' d ay, have undertaken to do it ; but we expert they will Itand reproved in the great day of the Lord. That baptifm by water is an inftitution of Chrift, is very evident from our text. " Go, fays Chrift, teach, or difciple all nations, baptizing them," &c. They are commanded to teach, and they are con\uianded to baptize. The fame precept is alfo recorded, Mark,, xvi. 15, 16. " And he faid unto them. Go ye into all the world, and preach the gofpel unto every creature. He that behiveth, and is baptized, fhall be hvei ; but he that believ- eth not fhall be darpned/'- — We accordingly find' [ 48 ] the apoftles, and primitive miniftors of Chrift, bap- tizing all whom they difciplined to him. On the day of Pentecoll, when three thoufand were added to the church in one day, the apoftles called on :hem to repent, and be baptized. The Quakers, and fome others, deny that baptifm with water is to be continued in the church ; but the contrary feems evident, from the very face of the command. The apoflles, and fucceeding miniflers of Chrift, were commanded to tt^ach, to preach the gofpel, and to baptize all nations ; and in faithfully teaching and baptizing, Chrifl promifes to be with them to the end of the world. Our blefled Saviour, likewife, exprefsly enjoins on the apoftles, to teach his difci- ples to obferve all things whatfoever he hath com- manded them ; but baptifm by water was the com- mand which had jufl then proceeded from his fa- cred lips. Tt is manifeft that the primitive church received the pradtice from the apoftles, and obferved it is a command of Chrift. The defign of baptifm as a feal of the covenant, and badge of the Chriftian profeflion — its ufe as an initiating ordinance into the church, and its obvi- ous fignilication, all plainly fhew it to be a (landing inftitution in the church, and to "be adminiftered with water, to all proper fubjefts, ^' in the nam.e of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghoft," by all the fathful miniflers of Jefus Chrifl. IL I am now to fpeak of the mode of baptifm. Before I proceed, two remarks are worthy of particular notic^. 1. As baptifm is merely a pufitive inftitution of Chrift, nothing, with regard ta its mode, fhould be made effcntial, bui. what Chrift has exprefsly trjoin- ed. This obfervation muft be too evident to meet [ 49 ] With any oppofitlon. Should any think this or that mode inoft decent, convenient, or fignificant, let them anfwer a good confcience, where the fcriptures are iilent ; but let them not make it eflential to baptifm, unlefs it is exprefsly enjoined by Chrift. 2. No denomination of Chrillians has a right to fet up one mode of baptifm as eflential, and exclude all other modes without exprefs fcripture warranty or fome pofitive proof, that it is the will of Chrift, the great king and head of the church. The reafon of this is plain. Since it is the prerogative of Chrift to appoint the ordinances of his church, it muft belong to him alone to determine, what fhould be confidered eflential to them. For any, therefore, to determine the exclufive mode of bap- tifm, or make anv thing eflential to it, which Chrift himfelf has riot appointed, is not only very uncharitable to their brethren, but alfo a great pre- furaption on the prerogative of Chrift. Our breth- ren, the Baptifts, my hearers, hold with us, that baptifm muft be adminiftered, by a regular minif- ter of Chrift, with water, in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghoft ; but, they aflert, that it muft be done in the mode of dipping, or plunging the whole body under water, otherwife it would be no chriftian baptifm. Let us now candidly ex- amine this matter. The queftion is not, whether dipping or plunging is baptifm, but whether plung- ing or dipping is the only mode of chriftian bap- tifm. It is not fufficient for them to prove in the cleareft manner, that plunging is a proper mode of baptifm ; but they ought to prove, and muft prove, if they do any thing to the purpofe, that plunging is the only mode of baptifm by water in- ftituted by Chrift. Inattention to this circumftance. [ 50 ] I believe, has been the occafion of much doubt and confufion in the minds of fome, if not the fource of real impofition, in this point, on many chriftians. But, I hope, your minds may be free from all fuch impofitions, and that you may be able, in the truth, to ftand faft in the liberty where- with Chrifl has made you free. Let us now, keeping thefe things in view, con- fider the words of the inftitution, as we have them in our text. " Go ye, therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghoft, Teaching them to obferve all things whatfoever I have com. manded you : and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.'* Here we have the plain command to baptize, but not any thing pofi- tive refpeding the mode. Does this prove that plunging is the only fcripture baptifm ? — Would not one of the baptifls have expreffed it differently, if he defigned to eftablifh dipping the body under water as the only mode of baptifm ? Since the bap- tills aifert, that the true meaning of the word bap- tize, is to dip or pltmge under water, this mufl command fome attention •, but as it will lead us back to the original language in which the gofpel- was written, waters too deep for moft of you, my dear hearers, I fhall firft lead you where you may fee for yourfelves. 1. We affert, that the word baptize does not now generally fignify to plunge or dip any thing under water ; nor is it any where confined to this fignlfication alone, but among the baptifls. — They fay, on the contrary, that we have perverted the word to fupport our own practice, — We therefore affert. [ 5-1 ] 2. That the word baptize did not, in our Sa- viour's time, alv/ays fignify plunging or dipping. Luke, xi. 38, " And, when the Pharifee faw it, he marvelled, that he had not firft wafhed before din- ner ;" or, as it is in the original,. that he was not firfl baptized. We all know that baptizing here does not mean the dipping or plunging of the whole body under water, but only the v/afliing of the hands. But is the word baptize here mifap- plied and perverted ? Who has done it ? It is alfo certain, that this word is ufed by infpi- ration to fignify divers v/afhing without any refer- ence to the mode, Mark, vii. 4, " And frcfm the market, except they baptize or wafh, they eat not." The word baptifmous^m this and the eighth verfe, de- ferves particular attention. Being in the plural number, it muft fignify various modes of wafhing, of cups, pots, brazen veiTels, and of tables. The word is likev/ife applied to the many kinds of cere- monial walkings. Heb. ix. 10. *' Oniy in meats and drinks, and divers b'iptifms or v/afhings." Some of thefe walhings or cleanfmgs were per- formed by pouring, othei c by fprinkling, and fome of them could not be doup by dipping or plunging. There are many other places in the fcriptures where the word is ufed to fignify any kind of wafh- ing or cleanfing, even where there is no dipping. Some of our brethren, the Baptifts, may, perhaps. Hill infill;, that according to the bed lexicographers and mod approved mailers of the original lan- guage, this word fignifies dipping or plunging only. It may therefore be neceffary for their fakes, to pay fome farther attention to this matter ; though if all the Lexicons in the world fliould confirm their appropriate meaning of the word, it ought to C 52 ] have no weight with you contrary to the known ufe of it by divine infpiration-^However, for your better fatisfadion, I have examined a number of lexicographers, and find, that all of them allow the word baptizo^ to fignify any kind of wafliing, or cleanfing with water. This matter I believe, will be clear beyond all doubt, to any one who will take the trouble to examine Hefychius, Budeus, Scapu- la, Stephanus, and Dr. Leigh's Critica Sacra. They are all acknowledged to be great mailers in the Greek language, and they allow the word to figmfy wafliing in general. In their Lexicons and Commentaries, they fay, baptizo lavo\ which fignifies, beyond all difpute, wafliing in general — baptifma lavatio^ ablutio^ wafli- ing, ablution, which we all know may be done, and is often well done, without plunging the body all under the water. It is of no force to fay, that the word alio fignifies to wafli by dipping, or plung- ing ; becaufe it then allows of other modes of bap- tizing befides dipping. This is granting all we contend for in the text, that our blefled Saviour did not command and fix any particular mode of wafliing with water in the facred inftitution of baptifm, and that he does not require dipping or plunging, any more than fprink- ling or pouring, but only baptifm. Some fay, that the word baptizo is derived from bapto^"^ which all allow to fignify dipping or plung- ing only, as the dyers do when they mean to tinge, or form a bright colour ; and, therefore, it mufl: have been the defign of our Savi6ur to fix the mode of baptifm by that v/ord. — But this is nothing ♦ Even the word hcpt/r does not always fignify to dip or "plunge. It is uied in Dan. iv. 33, where it fignifies to loet ox ffrinkle. [ 55 ] to the p.urpofe. If our Saviour defigned to eftab- lifh the mode by the word, why did he not in the inftitution of baptifm, make ufe of bapto inftead of bapfizo, which would at once have carried the al- lufion more llrongly, and forever fixed the mode of baptifm to plunging only, as the Baptillis would have it ? — It is more than probable that the word baptizo was ufed by our Saviour, and not bapto ; becaufe it carried the beautiful allufion of the oth- er, but left his church at liberty to ufe the various modes of adminiftering the holy ordinance accord- ing to the different climes and feafons — according to the different circumftances and necefTities — and according to the various infirmities of his dear people. It was his maxim, " I will have mercy and not facrifice." — But not to weary you with thefe re- marks, we fhall return to the law and teftimony — I imagine you fee that the mode of dipping as the only true baptifm, is not enjoined by our Saviour in the words of the inftitution, where we (hould moft certainly have found it, had it been his de- ^ign — let us examine fcripture example rerpe<^ing the mode of baptifm. There we have a right to expedl fome pofitive proof, that dipping is the onlj* mode, efpecially fmce it is not pofitively and ex- prefsly enjoined in the words of the inftitution. But if all the examples of baptifm we have record- ed, were moft evidently performed by plunging, it would no more than prove that plunging is one fcriptural mode, or at leaft it would not alone prove, that it is indifpenfably necelTary to baptffm. The baptifm of our bleffed Saviour, by John, in Jor tan, claims our firft attention. Matt. iii. IG, " An.'; .!e- fiis whenhe was baptized, went ftraightway o<.t q^ t 54 3 the water.*'- — This may be true hiflory, though he were not baptized by plunging. His coming up out of the water may have no refpefh at all to the mode of baptifm ; for it was manifeflly after he was baptized. Here we might mofl furely have expelled it to have been eftablifhed, were any one of the modes of baptizing to be the only true bap- tifm. But we are ftill left without any thing cer- tain to determine, whether our bleiled Saviour him- felf was baptized by fprinkhng, pouring, plunging, or fome other way. — Mark ,alfo fays, " Jefus was baptized of John, in Jordan ;" but refpeding the mode, he is wholly (ilent. — He might have been baptized by either mode, efpecially as there was water enough for dipping. — The fa6: that Jefus came up out of the water after he was baptized, cannot with any certainty prove, that he had b^en plunged all under the water upon that folemn oc- cafion. The next example is John's baptizing at Enon, John, iii. 23,. " And John was alfo, baptizing in Enon, near to Salem, becaufe there was much wa- ter there ; and they came and were baptized." This does not even prove that John baptized by plunging, much lefs that dipping is the only mod^ of baptifm. Where there were fuch multitudes of people as reforted to Johi^, much water muft have been neceffary for their ufe, had he baptized by pouring or fprinkling. John, notwithllanding all that appears to the contrary from thefacred hiflory, might have ufed all the modes on different fubjeds, according to then* fcx, age, and circumftance. On the day of Penicccrrt, when there were three thoufand added ^ the church in one day, is it not very improbable C '55 ] that any of them, fmce it is incredible that all of them, were baptized by plunging ? The baptifm of the Eunuch is another example recorded in fcrip- ture — we have a particular hiftory of this in the 8th chapter of the Ads of the apoilles — " and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the Eunuch, and he baptized him ; and when they were come up out of the water, the fpirit of th(^ Lord caught away Philip/' This is a very particu- lar defcription of the folemn tranfa61:ion upon which the Baptifts mufl infift, as a clear and pofi- tive proof, that plunging is the only fcripture bap- tifm. But I hope, in a few words to fhew, that this is fo far from proving, that dipping is the only fcrip- ture baptifm, that there is not any certain proof whether the Eunuch himfelf was baptized by plunging, pouring, or fprinkling. Here let it be Aoticed, that the Greek prepofition m, does not always fignify, into, as it is here tranllated, but is often tranflated, to or unto — and ek tranflated, out of, very frequently fignifies,/rc;7; any thing. Agree- able to this, the paflage may be thus read — " And they went down both to the water, both Philip and the Eunuch, and he baptized him ; and when they were come up from the water," he* I may now appeal to any impartial mind, that if * Some fuppofe that the modeoi baptifm is clearly afccrtained, by it» bieing faid of Chrift and others, that at the time of their baptifm they went down into the water, and came up out of the v/ater. If fuch will turn to the biftory of Ifrael'stranfit over Jordan, they will find it re- peatedly^ aflerted that they went down into Jordan, (the fame river in which Chrift was baptized,) and came up out of Jordan, and wet the folesof their feet only. If Ifrael went down into Jordan, and came up out of Jordan, and were not plunged .all over in Jordan, as it is certain they were not, then Chrifl's going into, Jordan, and coming up out of Jordan, furmflie$ no evideuce that he was baptized by plunging. [ 56 ] any one fliould read this hiftory, who has heard ©f baptizing only by pouring water upon the perfon baptized, whether he will not immediately fay the Eunuch was baptized in that way ; and whether he who has never feen the ordinance adminiftered only by fprinkling of clean water, will not as cer- tainly conclude, that Philip baptized him by that mode ? — But could this poflibly be the cafe, if there were in the text any clear and certain proof in favor of plunging ? We will now confider the pafTage more critically — " and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the Eunuch.** The going down into the water could not be the baptifm here recorded ; becaufe Philip muft then alfo have been baptized, fince they both went down into the water. But the plain fa£l is, that the going down into the water, is no part of the baptifm here, but a diftind thinj: — " And he baptized him.'* This fentence contains the baptifm, and all that is certain about the mode in which it was adminifter* ed. After the Eunuch was baptized, it is faid^ " they both came up out of the water." Does this prove th?.t the Eunuch was plunged ? and why not Philip ? Since he alfo came up out of the water. Should it be granted that the Eunuch was dipped, which is by no means certain, it will not eftablifh dipping as the only fcriptural mode of baptifm. Neither will it prove, that it is eflential to the right adminiftration of the ordinance, efpecially as it is not made necefiary by him, who is the acknowledg- ed author of the facred inflitution. Let us now confider thofe particular paiTages of facred fcripture, which are brought to prove that plunging is the only true mode of fcripture bap- tefm — ^I'he fij*fl I fhall take notice of is inColoflians^ [' r,7 ] >ii. 12, and the parallel text in Romans, vi. 4, " Bu- ried with him in baptifm, wherein ye alfo are rifen with him through the faith of the operation of God, ;tvho hath raifed him from the dead. Therefore 'we are buried with him by baptifm into death : that like as Chrift, was raifed up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even fo we alfo fliould walk in newnefs of life." It is very clear that the defign of inipiration in thefe woi-ds, was not to ef> tablifh any particular mode of baptifm. It was to fliew, that ail thofe to whom he addrefled himfelf, who were truly baptized into Jefus Chrift, had really the internal change figniiied by baptifm. They were baptized into his death, as the apoftle exprelfes it. They were really dead, and buried with Chriil as to fin, and with him were rifen again ; and they alfo were really alive- unto God, and kould not defire to live any longer in fin. ■ This is true with refpe6l to all thofe who have this internal fpiritual change, by the wafhing of regeneration, and fprinkling of the blood of Ghrifl fignified by baptifm ; though they were baptized only by fprinkling. They are truly and fpiritually baptized into his death — ^I'hey " are bu- ried with him by their baptifm into death ;" and they alfo " are truly rifen with him through the faith of the operation of God^ who hath raifed Chrifl from the dead.** Let us not, my hearers, Le too flrenuous, but candid and generous to our brethren, who feem to be a little ftraitened on this fubje61:. Let us allow, that the apoflle has reference to the external mode of baptifm. It will then prove that plunging is an allowed mod€ — But grant that it was an approved mode ; grant that it was a mode of baptifm prac- F 2 C 58 3 fifed in thofe warmer climes ; and, flill farther, grant that it was the only mode pra^lifed by the apoftles, even then it will not by any means follow^ that plunging is the only chriftian baptifm. It is not exprefsly commanded, and exclufively enjoined by our Lord and Mailer, in the original inftitution y neither any where elfe in the facred. fcriptures, is it intimated to be his will. Some, to prove dipping to be the only baptifm,. have made ufe o£ 1 Cor. x. 2. *' And were all baptifed unto Mofes, in the cloud, and in the fea.*' But it is probable^ that they who imagine it to the purpofe, are ftill where our fathers were, under a cloud, and have not yet paiTed through the fea. Should any think it refers to the mode of chriflian baptifm, I ihall only obferve, that the fpray of the waters on the right and left, and the mift of the cloud above, as tbey pafled through the fea, gently fprinkling them, do as aptly reprefent, to an im- partial mind, the mode of fprinkling. But the apoftle,. Eph. iv. 5,1rays, " One Lord, one faith, ©he baptifm." It is true that we acknowledge but onejbaptifmby water, even that inftituted by our blelTed Lord in our text ; but flill there may^ be diiferent ways of applying the water in the facred walhing, fuch as may anfwer a good confcience, and may moil aptly reprefent the manner of his death with Chrifl, as to fm, and his rifing again to fpiritual life. The three modes ufed in the proteftant church, taken together, may mofl fitly reprefent the out pouring of that all powerful influence of tbe Holy Spirit,, by which the command comes Home to the guilty foul : by which fin revives, and the finner is overwhelmed in death. They may 'aifd rep/efent that fpiritual wafhing of regeneratioa. C ^-9 1 and fprinkling of the precious blood of Chrift, by which the foul is cleanfed from fm and guilt, and rifes with Chrift to a new fpiritual life and 'com- fort, through faith J which is of the operation of God. On the whole, it at lead is evident, that our brethren the Baptifts ought to be a little lefs pof- itive on this fubjed:, and more modefl and char- itable toward thofe who differ from them in that refpedt. They hold that without dipping or plung- ing the body all under the water, there is no chrif- tian baptifm ; efleeming themfelves, from this principle, the only chriftian church in the world : they will hold no chriflian communion with any of the proteftant churches. The Epifcopal church adminifters baptifm by pouring, and thofe of their communion ufe that mode. We think the mode of fprinkling as fcrip- tural as pouring or plunging ; but yet we can ufe either mode as may befl anfwer a good confcience to him who is baptized. The mode of baptizing, by fprinkling clean water, we think was holden forth by the Jewifh types, and clearly foretold of the chriftian church in Ezek. xxxvi. 25, 26, " Then will I fprinkle clean water upon you, and ye ftiall be clean from all your filthinefs, and from all your idols will I cleanfe you. — A new heart alfo will I give you, and a new fpirit will I put within you ; and I will take away the ftony heart out of your flefh, and I will give you a heart of flefh.'* It is exprefsly promifed to Chrift, in Ifa. lii. 15, "So ftiall he fprinkle many nadons ; the kings ftiall fliut their mouths at him, for that which had not been told them ftiall they fee j and that which they had not heard, flialL [ 60 ] they confider." This mode of baptifm is very ex- pVefTive of our being wafhed and cleanfed from our fins, filth, and pollution, by the precious blood of Chrifl, which is, therefore, called the blood of f|)rinkling. Heb. xii. 22 — 24. " But ye are come unto Mount Zion — and to Jefus the Mediator of the New Covenant, and to the blood of fpriiikling, that fpeaketh better things than that of Abel." — 1 Pet. i. 2. " Eleft according to the fore-knowl- edge of God the Father through fandification of the Spirit unto obedience, and fprinkling of the blood of Jefus Chrifl." Upon the whole, it is clear to me, beyond a doubt, and I ferioufly think it will alfo appear to every impartial mind, that it was not the defign of Chrifl to confine his church in the adminiftra- tion of »baptifm, to either of the modes which have been mentioned. He, therefore, has given fuf- ficient light in his word, to countenance the ufe of either mode, as the circumflances and necefTities of his people may require. To afcertain the proper fubjeds of this ordinance, is a matter of much greater importance. I fhall, therefore, proceed upon that fubjecl, after making a few remarks. 1. Our brethren are mofl certainly wrong and fchifmatical, in rejecting all other chriftian churches, on account of their difference in the mode of ad- miniflering baptifm. They have no fufEcient war- rant to make dipping or plunging effential to the very being of baptifm. — We do not doubt that many of them think they are right ; but it is Very clear to me, that fach have never thoroughly and impartially examined the facred fcriptures, or have not yet learned what that meaneth, " I will have jKiercy and not facrifice." C 61 -] 2. We may, and ought to own thofe minifters and churches which Chrifl Jefus owns, and blefles with his graces, prefence and influence in the ad- miniftration of his word and ordinances, agreeably to his precious promife in the text. — We believe he thus owns fome of the Baptiil churches and minifters ; and, if we make the comparifon, we trull fome of our minifters and churches are noth- ing behind them. Should we not then blefs God together, and love one another as brethren ? Who objeds to this ? Let him anfwer it to our Lord and mafter. But rather let him now, in love, receive the light and truth as it is in Jefus — let him learn to be lefs bitter and cenforious — let him be more modeft and charitable towards the church of Chrift, and let him not makea fchifm where Chrift makes no difference. 3. It is of great importance as matters now ftand^ that we all fhould critically and impartially exam- ine the facred fcriptures on this point. Important for us that we may know and have our minds ef- tablifhed in the truth ; and be able to " ftand faft in the liberty wherewith Chrift has made us free." Important for the Baptifts, that they may be lefs zealous in matters non-effential ; but more zealous in the things that make for the peace, and the edifying of the body of Chrift in love ; left fome of them fuffer lofs when they ftiall be faved fo as by fire, and others ftand reproved in the great day of the Lord. | I|IH|M I « I IMW «I « I P I Mi i - i HifKiU'm-J i ^ pii n i' M wiiLW -m m u i n nm i^ m i miv *»' n» i mj SERMON IL THE QUALIFICATIONS IN ADULTS FOR ADMISSION TO BAPTISM. ACTS, VIIL 37. And Philip SAID, if thou believest with all •i^l thine heart, thou mayest. 1 HIS was the anfwer given by Philip, an eminent preacher of the gofpel, to the Ethiopian Eunuch's requeft to be baptized. " See," faid the Eunuch, " here is water ; what doth hinder me to be baptized ?" Philip replied, '^ if thou believed with all thine heart, thou mayeft.*' — The Ethiopi- an anfwered, *' I believe that Jefus Chrift is the Son of God." Upon this profeflion he was bap- tized. There are two queftions about the proper fub- jeds of baptifm. One refpeds adult perfons — the other infants. Our text has immediate reference only to the former, and is a proper anfwer to that queftion. [ 63 3 We fliall, therefore, now proceed to confidef, who, among the adults to whom the gofpel is preached, are to be baptized, or what quahfications in fuch are necefTary to baptifm. Let it here be well remembered, that as the facred fcriptures are the rule, we mufl neither increafe, nor diminifli the quahfications therein prefcribed. — I fliall, there- fore, call your attention, I. To the facred fcriptures on this fubje£l»— And then proceed, II. To prove the necefTary qualifications for adult baptifm, from the nature, ufe, and defign of the facred inftitution. The enquiry now before us is, who among the adults, that live under the light of the gofpel, and are capable of hearing and underftanding its folemn and interefling report, are to be baptized ? — The obfervations which fhall be made in this difcourfe, are to be underflood with reference only to thefe. The other queflion, refpeding infants, mufl be dif- tin6lly confidered in another place. On this fubjed, my brethren, v^e have the Bible open before us ; but the text claims our firfl at- tention, becaufe of its place at the head of this dif- courfe ; " If thou believefl with all thine heart, thou mayefl'* be baptized. This text mufl be al- lowed to import, that if thou dofl not believe with all thy heart, thou mufl not be baptized — I may not baptize thee. It is evident that Philip here in- tended two things by his anfwer. 1. To refer the Eunuch to his own confcience before God. 2. To obtain fome credible evidence of the true flate of his mind. The firfl being clear, the Eunuch read- ily and folemnly anfwers the fecond in the follow- ing emphatical words^ — / believe that Jefiu Q4driji is C 64 3 the Son of God. What kind of faith Is here requir- ed by the Evangelift, is the only queftion that re- mains to determine the fenfe of the text ; for it mufl be fuppofed, that the Eunuch profefled the fame faith which Philip required. Some imagine it to be on- ly what is called an hiftorical faith — a common bare affent of the underflanding to the hiflory of the gofpel — fuch as thofe commonly have who are educated under its light. But how this can be called believing with all the heart, can hardly be conceived, fmce the very definition wholly excludes the heart. Others fuppofe it is the faith that, in fome meaf- ure realizes to the mind the folemnity and impor- tance of the fa6ts holden up to view in the gofpel, which mufl greatly affed the foul, and make the fmner tremble ; but does not imply any change of heart, or real conformity of it to the things believ- ed. — But how can this be a believing with all the heart, which is, according to the fuppofition, a be- lieving againft the heart ! — ^Thus the apoflle fays, " The devils believe and tremble." But let the fcripture explain itfelf, and we fhall not here be at a lofs. Rom. x. 9, 10. '^ That if you flialt con- fefs with thy mouth the Lord Jefus, and fhalt be- lieve in thine heart that God hath raifed him from the dead, thou flialt be faved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteoufnefs, and with the mouth confeffion is made unto falvation.'* To be- lieve in the heart, and with the heart, is a faving faith in fcripture-language ; " For with the heart man believeth unto righteoufnefs." It is alfo ob- fervable, that the true ronfeflion with the mouth flows from a believing heart , for thus coafeiiioo is made unto falyati^n. [ 65 ] It IS evident, that in order to baptifm, the Evan- gelid required faving faith in Chrifl, and that of one alfo who was not a heathen. It feems, hence, clearly to follow, that of thofe to whom the gofpel is preached, no one is to be baptized but the believ- er, and he only upon giving credible evidence of his faving faith in Chrifl Jefus. This agrees with the mod obvious fenfe of the commidion, Matth. xxviii. 19. Mark, xvi. 15, 16. " Go ye, there- fore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghofl. And he faid unto them, Go ye in- to all the world, and preach the gofpel unto every creature. He that believeth and is baptized ihall be faved ; but he that believeth not fhall be dam-' ned.'' It accords with the do6lrine Chrifl taught long before, fee John, iii. 5. " Jefus anfwered and faid unto him, Verily, verily, I fay unto thee, except a man be born again h. cannot fee the kingdom of God. Jefus anfwered. Verily, verily, I fay unto thee, except a man be born of water, and of the fpirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." It alfo feems to have been the uniform pradice of all the apoflles, according to the infpired records of their condud. Ai^s, ii. 38—41. " Then Peter faid unto them, repent and be baptized, every one of you in the name of Jefus ChrifL, for the remif* fion of fms, and ye fhall receive the gift of the / Holy Ghofl. Then they that gladly received his word were baptized ; and the fauie day there were added unto them about three thiufand fouls." True repentance necefTarily implies a change of heart ; therefore to give up ourlelves to be bap- tized in the name of Jefus Chril, as called unon G I 66 J in the text, pre-fuppofes a fa^tog faith. — ^It pre- fuppofes that faith, which is conne£led with the forgivenefs of fins. But to clearly determine the matter, it is added in the 41 ft verfe, " then they that gladly received the word," which is the fame as believing with all the heart, " were baptized." Here it is manifeft that the apoftles baptized none of the many thoufands, who heard them preach on that folemn occafion, but thofe who appeared . cor- dially to embrace the gofpel, A£ls, viii. 12, 13. *' But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jefus Chrift, they were l>aptised, both men and women. Then Simon himfelf believed alfo," &c. Simon was baptized only on the fuppo- fition of faving faith, and was rejected immediately when it appeared, that he was in the gall of bitter- nefs, and bonds of iniquity. I find no example in this facred hiftory, of adult perfons, who were baptized, but what confirms the fame thing.* Upon the whole, it is very evident, that though the apoftles preached the gofpel to every creature, to Jews and Gentiles, yet they baptized no adult perfons, unlefs they made a profeflion of real re- ligion, and gave credible evidence of faving faith in the Lord Jefus Chrift. Thus it appears from fcripture, that nothing ftiort of true and faving faith renders an adult perfon a proper fubjed of chriftian baptifm. — I ftiall now proceed, II. To argue the necefiary qualifications for adult baptifm, from the nature, ufe, and defign of the facred inftitudon. Under this head I ftiall endeavor to ftiew, from * See the mfl*nce of LydJa and the Jalter— Aa«, irl 15—34 [ 67 ] a rariety of coi||||Heratibns, that faith in Chrift, and nothing fhort of it, qualifies an adult perfon for baptifm. This will appear,^^, from the ufe of baptifm as an initiating ordiaance into the church. Our blefled Saviour, fpeaking of adult perfons, fays/ John, iii. 3. " Except a man be born again he can- not lee the kingdom of God." In the 5th verfe-— ; " Except a man be born of water, and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. And in John, xviii. 36. " Jefus anfwered, my kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of thi» world, then would my fervants fight, that I fhouldf not be delivered to the Jews ; biit now is my king- dom not from hence." The apoftle alfo aiferts, Titus, ii. 14, " That Chrift gave himfelf to redeen* us from all iniquity, and to purify unto himfelf a peculiar people, zealous of good works." If the church of Chrift is to confift of a peculiar people, feparated from the world— if a man muft be born of the Spirit to enter into this king* dom, it muft follow that baptifm^,, which introduced an adult perfon into the vifible church, as a quali- fied member, ought not to be adminiftered to any of thefe but upon credible evidence, that they are thus qualifi^. This is exa<^ly agreeable to the anfwer of our queftion, in the Shorter Catechifm, which fays, " That baptifm is not to be adminifter- ed to any who are out of the vifible church, until they profefs their faith in Chrift, and obedience to him." 2. From the defign of baptifm, as a feal of the covenant of promife, both on God's, an5 on our part. In this covenant are promifes to the church in general, and to the believer in particular, for C 68 ] himfelf and his children, as I ihaJi ihew on another occafion. But nothing fhort of faith in Chrifl brings an adult perlbn into this covenant, and en- titles him to the promifes. The promifes are yea and amen, only in Chrifl Jefus, agreeably to 2 Cor. i. 20. Since it is by faith only that a perfon, who a£ls for himfelf, or who, according to the gracious conftirution, afts for others, agrees to the covenant, or takes hold of the promife, it is a great abfurdity to adminifter baptifm, which is a feal of the covenant to any adult unbeliever. Faith, there- fore, in Chrift, or an hearty agreement to the cove- nant on our part is abfolutely neceiTary to baptifm. 3. Adult baptifm is a public folemn profeflion, that we do forfake our fms, that we renounce our idols, and give ourfelves and ours to God through Jefus Chrift. But no perfon adlually does this ex- cept he has faith in Jefus Chrift. Philip, therefore, faid, " If thou believeft with all thine heart thou mayeft" be baptized. Confequently true faith is a neceiTary qualification in adult baptifm. But to fum up the whole, and bring it before you in one view — If adult baptifm fignifies any thing fpiritual on the part of the baptized, if it feals to him any promife for himfelf, or for his children, it muft fuppofe real faith. For example : the waftiing away of our ftns by the blood of Chml: muft cer- tainly fuppofe faith in Chrift, or elfe it fignifies that which is not true. If it feals to adults the prom- ifed bleflings of the new covenant for them.ielyes, or for their children, it is only through Chrift, and neceffarily fuppofes faith. In whatever light we confider the fubje6l, faving faith appears to be a qualification efRnlially neceiTary for adult baptifm. All the inftances of adult baptifm, we have record- C 69 ] cdin the facredwiptures, are full on this point.- They clearly fhew, that the apoftles, and primitive difciples of Chrift did not baptize any to whom they preached the gofpel, on the fuppofition of a mere hiitorical faith, or becaufe they were only ferioufly afFeded. Fehx trembled, but was not baptized. And, no doubt, many others trembled under the powerful preaching of the apoflles on the day of Pentecoft ; but we do not read that any of them were baptized, except thofe who gladly received the word. When the apoflles went out to the Gentiles, they preached the gofpel to vaft multitudes ; " but we do not find that they baptized any adults, either men or women, except thofe who made a credible profeilion of their faith in Chrift. We have fufficient light, therefore, whether we look diredtly to the fcriptures, or reafon on the nature, ufe, and defign of this inftitution, to fhew us that faith is an eifential pre-requifite to adult baprifm ; or that this ordiiiance fnuft not be ad- miniftered to any but through the qualifying influ- ence of this grace. The reafon is obvious. All the promifed blellings of the covenant of grace are treaiured in Chrift for his church and people, and flow out to ^m only through faith. This alone unites us to him, and gives us a gmcious title to the privileges and bleflings granted to believers, either for themfelves or their children. The apof-* tie addreffed the multitude on the day- of Pentecoft, exadly in this connexion. PrefTmg on them the call to repentance, faith, and baptifm, by this very argument, he faid, " Re- pent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jefus Chrift, for the remifTion of fins — - C 70 ] For the promife is to you, and tO[jj||rour children." It is plain, that there is neither force nor propriety in this, unlefs repentance and faith were neceffary to baptifni, and to the enjoyment of the bleflings and privileges of the gofpel church. . That which qualifies an adult perfon for baptifm, gives him, through this ordinance, an equal right to enjoy all the privileges and bleflings of the free citizens of Zion. But nothing Ihort of faith in Chrifl can give an adult perfon, before God, and nothing fliort of a credible profellion of it can, in the view of the church, give him a right to the en- joyment of all thefe bleflings and privileges. Faith in Chrifl, therefore, mufh be confidered as an ef- fential qualification for adult baptifni — And, upon the flridefl examination, this will be found to be agreeable to the pradlice of the church in purefl times. It alfo has been the fentiment and praftice of the moft pious and fuccefsful miniflers of Chrifl in every age of the church — and it agrees with the confeflion of the faith of our church, and I believe of all the befl reformed churches in the world. This difcourfe fhiJl now be clcfed with a few re- marks. 1. Baptifm is a folemn inflituticn. It is un- doubtedly of equal authority and fokmnity with the holy ordinance, the Lord's fup*r. Some feem to have loofe ideas of baptifm, and of the qualifications neceffary for its proper fubje^lr, who, at the fame time, are very fuperflitious refpefting the holy fupper. But, according to fcripture, they arc both on the fame foundation — both equally foL'mn and facred. They have one author. They are feals of the fame covenant ; and they are both fccranaents of the new teilament, and require the C 71 ] fame qualification»in adult perfons — in both we have to deal with a heart-fearching God ; and we ar J to give up ourfelves in covenant to him, through Jefus Chrift, to be his for ever. — The fin of coni- ing unqualified to both, is equally heinous — the profanation of either is equally dangerous. — He who comes properly qualified to baptifm, ought to blefs God, and come cheerfully to the Lord's fupper. 2. The true church is founded on the rock Chrifl Jefus. Since baptifm is the initiating ordi- nance into the church, faith in Chrift is neceffary to baptifm in adult perfons. A credible profellion of this faith is the ground upon which baptifm is to be adminiflered to any adult perfon. According- ly we find that when Peter profefTed his faith in Chrift, our bleffed Saviour anfwered, (Matt. xvi. 18.) " And I fay alfo unto thee that thou art Pe- ter, and upon this rock I will build my church ; and the gates of hell fhall not prevail againft it." There may be other churches, and indeed thofe mufl be other churches, who are not built on this foundation, and make not any, or a different profef- fion. — They may be numerous and flourifhing ; but they certainly will be entirely confumed when every man's work fliall be tried by fire. 3. The church of Chrift ought to hold the or- dinance of baptifm, very dear and facred. This not only fignifies and feals to believers the ineftima- ble bleflings and privileges of the new covenant, but is the ordinance of admiffion into the church. Oh ! how careful fhould the miniflers and church- es of Chrift be in their condu6t, left this facred or- dinance be profaned ! They fliould always be vigi- lant, left any jDhould proftitute it to purpofes for- [ 72 ] eign to the facred defign of its inflitutlon. The world fhould know that minifters have no right, but from Chrift, to adminifter baptifm to any. Every one ought to know, that it is not a matter of favor with them, which they may beftow^ at pleaf- ure, but at their peril. The word of God is their rule : and we all know, or ought to know, that when this facred inflitutlon is mifapplied and abufed, it is always attended with fome of the worft confequences, both to the church and to the fouls of men. 4. They who defpife and wilfully negled this ordinance, cannot be chriftians. Though we do not hold that baptifm is abfolutely neceffary to fal- vation ; yet fnice it is a pofitive inftitution of Chrifl, and enjoined on his church as a {landing ordi- nance, they who wilfully negled it, they who de- fpife it, are certainly chargeable with continued difobedience to him, and muil be confidered as deftituie of the diHinguiihing qualifications of chriftians. 5. All thofe who are baptized are under moft folemn obligations to live holy lives — they are giv- en up to God — they are fet apart for him — they ought to give up themfelves wholly to God and his fervice, and to live foberly, righteoufly and godly in all manner of converfation. For them now to live in fm, and to purfue the ways of the wicked, is to deny their baptifm j is to difown the God of their fathers, and to load their fouls with aggravated guilt. Be perfuaded then, all you of this charad;er, to renounce your tranfgreffions, fpare your own fouls, and give glory to God through Jefus Chrift. Some of you have folemnly ac- knowledged thefe obligations before God and his r 75 ] people 'y and have fealed the covenant at the Lord's table : you ought, therefore, to love and ferve him, whom you have thus acknowledged to be your God and Saviour. Confider, oh ! confider how aggravated your fms mull be againfl fuch folemn ties ! Can you think any obligations fo facred, fo folemn, fo often confirmed, as thofe which you ar« under, to forfake all the ways of hn, to live to God, and to ferve him with your whole foul ? ma* SERMON IIL INFANl^ BAPTISM. GAL. IIL 29. And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abra- ham's SEED, /.ND HEIRS ACCORDING TO THE PROMISE. Respecting the etemal council of God the Father, and the defign of his grace to- wards our loft world, we are informed, John, iii. 16, That " God fo loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whofoever believeth in him fhould not periih, but have everlafting life." To complete this glorious work of falvation ; to redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto him- felf a peculiar people ; to deftroy Satan's kingdom, and to bring glory to God in the falvation of Tin- ners — Jefus Chiift was appointed Mediator of the New-Covenant. It pleafed God, foon after the fall of man, to reveal this gracious defign, and fet up his church and kingdom on earth, which he has fupported in every age of the world. To the members of this kingdom, God has, at different times, promifed certain bleffings, and granted cer- I <5 ] tain privileges gradually difplaying the riches of his grace and goodnefs, in a variety of liicGeilive difpenfations. The firil gracious intimation is re* corded, Gen. iii. 15, vi^here it is promifed, that *' The feed of the woman lliall bruife the ferpent's head." It pleafed God more fully to reveal this glorious defign to Abraham. With him he ef- tablifhed a gracious covenant ; a covenant v^hich contai.Vid certain proniifes. To him he alfo grant- ed certain bleflings and privileges, both for his nat- ural and fpiritual feed, (Gen. xvii. 7.) Upon this I fhali hereafter have occafion to fpeak more fully. — God thus conftituted him the Father of the Faithful. He thus eftablilhed his covenant, that they fhould not only pattern his faith, but that all his fpiritual feed or children fhould alfo inherit the fpiritual bleflings and privileges of the cove- nant of promife. This the apoflle, more than once or twice, exprefsly afferts in our context. *' Know ye, therefore, that they which are of faith, the fame are the children of Abraham. And the fcripture forefeeing that God would juflify the hea- then through faith, preached before the gofpel un- to Abraham, faying, In thee (hall all nations be bleffed. So tl^n they which be of faith are blefled with faithful Abraham. That the blefling of A- braham might come on the Gentiles through J^fus ChriH: ; that we might receive the promife of the Spirit through faith. For ye are all the children of God by Faith in Chrifl Jefus."* Then he funis up the whole in our text. " If y^ be Chrifl's, then are ye Abraham's feed, and heirs according to the promife." That the promife here mentioned, con- tained fpiritual blelfmgs and privileges 5 that God • Ve/fM, 7,8,9, 14, 2€, [ 76 ] granted thefe to Abraham as the Father of the Faithful ; that it was one of thofe bleflings con- tained in this covenant of promife, that infants were to be received with their parents into the church, and have ihe feal of the righteoufnefs of faith adminiflered to them — that this blefling, or privilege of Abraham, is now come upon the Gen- tiles, through faith in Chrift, as is afferted in the i4thverfe — and that all who are Chrift's,'are A- braham's feed and heirs according to the promife as expreffed in our text, feem to be inconteftible truths. The do<^rine inferred from the words of our text, in this connexion, as the fubjeCc^of the enfuing difcourfe, is. That believers under the gofpel difpenfation have a right to baptifm for their infant children, or that the infants of fuch are to be baptized. To illuftrate and eftabliih this doctrine, it is pro- pofed by divine afli (lance to ihew, I. That God did gracioufly grant unto Abra- ham, as the father of believers, that infants fhould be received into the vifible church with their pa- rents. II. That God commanded, that 'the feal of the righteoufnefs of faith fhould be adminiflered unto them. III. That this great privilege is, under the gof- pel, confirmed and continued to believers. Or that the infant children of believers are to be bap- tized. I. I am to (how, That God did gracioufly grant unto Abraham, as the father of believers, that in- fants fhould be received into the vifible church with their parents. I 11 ] That the truth of this may clearly ai^pear, fever- al things command particular attention. 1. At a time when religion was very low in the world, and when the vifibie church was almofl ex- tin^, God called Abraham out from the wicked world, in order to fet up his church and kingdom in his family.* 2. tWhen God had tried and proved Abraham *s faith and obedience,! he eflabliflied hj's covenant with him as an everlalling covenant, and fet up his church in Abraham's houfe.| Here we fee certain commands enjoined on Abraham ; certain inllitu- tions for him to obferve, and certain bleilings and privileges granted to him for himfelf, and for his feed. Thefe blefiings were to continue in the church, and to defcend to his children through fuc- ceeding ages. This w^as an everlatting covenant. "■' I will be a God to thee, and to thy feed after tnee.'* S. Let it be ftridly obferved, that the fpiritual blefiings contained in this covenant, were granted to Abraham as a father to the faithful. They are fummed up in thefe emphatical words ; " I will be a God to thee, and to thy feed after thee." The Jews themfelves underftood it in this view, but con- fined the blefiings, both fpiritual and temporal, to Abraham's natural feed through the law. This grofs mifi:ake the apoftle correds, in the chapter containing* our text, by clearly fiiewing, that th^y were defigned for his fpiritual feed alfo, through the gofpel, whether Jews or Gentiles. The true fi:ate of the matter was this — The vifible church at that time was almofl fwallowed up^in a deluge of « Can. Chap. 12. f Chap. 15, iG. \ Otup, if, H [ 78 : idolatry, and wickednefs — but God was pleafed to call forth Abraham, and begin a new difpenfation of grace to his church. To difplay more fully his glorious defign, he gave richer promifes, and grant- ed more ample privileges. This was to be an everlafling covenant, Gen. xvii. 7. " And I will eftablifh my covenant be- tween me and thee, and thy iieed after tiee, in their generations, for an everlafting covenant, to be a God unto thee and thy feed after thee." 4. In this difpenfation of his grace to his church, he exprefsly granted unto Abraham this great priv- ilege, that infants fhould be received into the vifi- ble church with their parents ; and he ordered that the fign of the covenant fhould be adminifler- ed to every male child at eight days old. The fame day, in obedience to the divine command, wa^ Abraham circumcifed, and his fon lihmael.* Here, my brethren, was fomething new and glo- rious — Abraham, through this covenant, no doubt, faw Chrift, the glorious head of all his fpiritual feed, and was glad, as our bleffed Saviour obferves.f Under this difpenfation you fee that God ap- pointed and commanded, that infants fhould be re- ceived into the church with their parents. Infants, by circumcifion as an initiating ordinance, were ad- mitted into the church. Thus the apoftle fays, A6ls, vii. 8. " And he gave him the covenant of circumcifion. And fo Abraham begat Ifaac, and circumcifed him the eighth day," &c. It is very evident that the church once pofielfed this ineftimable privilege of giving up their chil- dren to God in the covenant of promife j and it it * Saaefis, xvii. f Joha, viii. SS. [ 79 ] as evident that by the fpecial command of God, the faithful, in the only true church, enjoyed the fame through fucceeding ages. They alfo had many precious promifes for their children recorded in the facred oracles, all which are yea and amen in. Chrifl Jefus to behevers. — Of this I fnall have oc- cafion to fpeak more freely in another place. II. I propofe to (hew, that God did command^ that the feal of the righteoufnefs of faith (hould be adminillered to infants. To prevent a •difficulty from arifing in your minds, I would here obferve, that no fign nor feal, which is wholly legal, and re- fpecls only temporal bleffings, can, with any pro- priety, be called a feal of the righteoufnefs of faith. Thofe who believe tlv^ facred fcriptures, cannot doubt, that God comnianded circumcifion to be ad« miniflered to infants of eight days old.* . It is commanded, that not only Abraham muft circumcife his own children, but it is exprefsly commanded, that his feed after him mufl be cir- cumcifed in their generations. So flridt was the command, that every uncircumcifed male child was ordered to be cut oif from God's people, becaufe he had broken the covenant. Some, perhaps, may fay, that this is nothing to the purpofe, for circum- cifion was a carnal, legal, bloody ordinance. They may fay, that it was a covenant of works, and could have no refpeft to Chriftian baptifm. As for fuch^ let them take heed left they be found to oppofe the apoille, and contradict the fpirit of inspiration. But, my hearers, let your minds be calm and at- tentive. Circumcifion was a feal of the righteouf- nefs of faith. The very fame circumcifion which ♦ Genefis, vii. 10—12—14. I 80 ] God appointed, and commanded to be adminifter- ed to infants, who were, by it, admitted into the covenant of promife with their parents, was a feal of the righteoufnefs of faith. — Faith is not of works, but of grace. Whatever ends circumcifion might be fuppofed to anfwer in this, or the fucceeding difpenfation, yet it was here a feal of the righteoufnefs of that faith, by which a believer is jufllfied and faved. The apoftle Paul referring exprefsly to this com- mand of circumcifion, and fpeaking of the bleifed- nefs of thofe.whofe fms are forgiven, fays, Romans, iv. 9^ 10^ 11, 12. " Cometh this bleflednefs then upon the circumcifion only, or upon the uncircum- cifion alfo ? for we fay that faith was reckoned to Abraham for rightequfnefs. — Kow was it then reck- oned ? when he was in circumcifion, or in uncir- cumciiion ? Not in circumcifion, but in uncircum- cifion.— And he received the fign of circumcifion, a feal of the righteoufnefs of the faith which he had, yet being uncircumcifed : that he might be the fa- ther of all them that believe, though they be not circumcifed, that righteoufnefs might be imputed unto them alfo : — and the father of circumcifion to them who are not of the circumcifion only, but v/ho alfo walk in the fleps of that faith ©f our fa- ther Abraham, which he had, being yet uncir- cumcifed.". Having proved to you that circumcifion was a feal of the righteoufnefs of faith, and having proved, that God himfelf commanded it to be adminiftered to infants as a (landing ordinance in his church, under the Abrahamic and Mofaic difpenfations of the covenant of promife, it, therefore, mufl be ev- ident to every impartial mind, that the true church [ 81 I once had this grant from heaven, and that the menr- bers of the vifible church did once, and for a long, time enjoy this great, this interefting privilege. They did give Hip their infant offspring to God, and in token of this the feal of the righteoufnefs of faith was adminiflered to them. Thefe are the points which were to be eflablifh- ed under the hrit and fecond heads of this dif- courfe* But before I proceed to the next head, it may be neceffary to anfwer fome obje^bioris, v/hich •have been thrown in the way of the truth, and which may fliil be lurking in fome of your minds. It has been faid, that the law given at Sinai dif- annulled this covenant with Abraham ; that the law was four hundred and thirty years after this ; and that, fmce it was an entire new difpen- fation, attended with many' new ceremonies, it mufl have rendered the Abrahainic difpenfation ufelefs. In confequence of this remark, fome have faid, that all arguments drawn thence are of no weight, and tend only to confufe and deceive weak minds. All this is very plaufible, indeed, and may have great weight with fome ; but it is eafy to fliew every candid mind that th« aff^^rtion is falfe, and that the objection has no force. 1 . Though it fbould be granted that the Abra- hamic difpenfaiion ceafed, when fucceeded by the Mofaic economy ; yet it will by no means follow, that the covenant of promife v/as made void. Neither will it follow, thart any of the blef- fings and privileges once granted to believers, were taken away. Thefe may (1-and good, and promifed bleflings be more clearly holden up to view, and more liberally beflowed on the church, in a new- way, by the fucceeding difpenfation,. agreeably to^ H2. [ 82 ] the gracious defign of God, more fully to dlfplar his mercy. ■ 2. It is certain, that circumcifion, as a fign of the Abrahamic covenant, and as a feal of the rightooufnefs of faith, was continued under the Jewifh difpenfation ; that the privileges granted to the church were continued— that many of the bleffings promifed to Abraham, as the father of believers, were enjoyed by the Jewifh church, and that God beftowed thefe bleffings on that people, as tho God of Abraham, the God of Ifaac, and the God of Jacob. It, therefore, muft follow, that the Abrahamic covenant was not made void by the Jewifh difpenfation. 3. But what is more than all, we have the apof- tle's exprefs declaration on this head — a declara-' tion, which, v/hen properly confidered, mufl for ever filence all fuch objedlors. Gal. iii. 17. " And this I fay, that the covenant that was con- firmed before of God in Chrift, the law which was four hundred and thirty years after cannot dlfannul, that it fhould make the promife of none efied.'* If the law, or Jewifh difpenfation, had made void this great promife, or privilege, it would now have been of none eifeft. — The blcflings could not have come upon us Gentiles. III. It is here propofed to fhew, that the priv- ilege once granted to Abraham, as the father of believers, that infants fhould be received into the vifible church with their parents, is confirmed un- der the gofpel, and is continued to believers. Hereit would be eafy to fhew, that all the prom- ifes, blelTmgs and privileges of the church, con- tained in every difpenfation, in all their true fpirit- ml meaning, are, under the gofpel, confirmed and C 83 ] continued to believers ; but we are confined, hf the narrow limits of our difcourfe, to only one privilege. But let it be our prefent comfort, that this is not fmall. 1. Every fpiritual privilege once granted to the church by its great King and Head, remains in full force until repealed. This may be thus illuf- trated — God once granted unto Abraham, as a father in the church, the privilege of giving up himfelf in covenant. This remained in force under the Jewifh difpenfation to all his feed, and as it is not yet repealed, remains ftill in force to all his fpiritual children. This, I believe, will hold good with refpedl to all the fpiritual bleiiings and privileges God has granted to his church in every age. Modes and fhadows may be changed, but the fubftance ftill remains. It has been proved, that God did grant and confirm unto his church the privilege- that infants fliould be received into the vifible church with their parents, and that the feal of the righteoufnefs of faith (hould be given unto them. This, unlefs it has been repealed, moft certainly remains as an inheritance for be- lievers, which they may enjoy as members of the vifible church, and true children of Abraham. For to ufe the apoftle's argument, believers are all one in Chrift Jefus, and if ye be , Chrift's, then are ye Abraham's feed, and heirs according to the promife. If believers have now an undoubted right, by heirihip, to all the privileges of the covenant of promife granted to Abraham, which are not re- pealed under the gofpel, we may boldly affert, that if this privilege is not now repealed, the com- mand of God is now on all true believers to give [ 84 ] up their infants to him in covenant ; and, as a toKen to this, ought to have adminiflered to them that which is now the fign of the covenant, and feal of the righteoufnefs of faith. But we beheve, and confidently affirm, that all the fpiritual blellings and privileges formerly granted to the church are now in full force. We have particularly proved, that this privi- lege alfo was once granted, it, therefore^ remains confirmed under the gofpel, and continued to be- lievers. Thofe who undertake to releafe chriftians from this command of God, and deny believers the inefliimable plcafure of giving up their dear in- fant offspring to God in covenant through Jefus Chrifl, ought now folemnly to prove, that this privilege is made void by the gofpel. The burden of proof now lies upon our brethren, the Baptifts. Here we ought alway to put the laboring oar into their hands, and then let them labor fmce they will undertake it. But, alas ! their tafk here is as difficult as it is unthankful. — Our bleifed Saviour- charges us not to think that he came to " defhroy the law and the prophets." (Matth. v. 17.) The apodle alfo affures us, that all the promifes are yea and amen in Chrifl Jefus, (2 Cor. i. 20.) Agree- ably to this we may be afTured that Chriil came to- be unto his dear people all that the law typified of him — to fulfil all that the prophets foretold of him, and to beftow all the fpiritual blefTrngs prom- ifed in his word. But let us calmly hear, and let us without prej- udice examine what our brethren the Baptifls fay to prove that this privilege is repealed by the gofpel, 1 . It is faid that this covenant belonged to the Jewifh difpenfation, which was wholly done away [ 85 ] by ChriH:, and that confequently it is now of no force. Anf. 1. But though we allow that the Jewifh difpenfation is now wholly done away — though we alfo grant that this privilege belonged to it, yet it will not follow that this, or, indeed, any of the fpiritual bleflings and privileges are now re- pealed. We muft here diftinguilh between a dif- penfation, and the blejflings difpenfed. The for- mer is the way in which the latter are difplayed and communicated. The Jewifh difpenfation was only the manner which God ch ofe, by various laws, types and fhadows to difplay and communi- cate the bleflings of his covenant to the Jv^wifh Church. It is eafy to fee, that one difpenfation may entirely ceaie and give place to another, and yet all the covenant bleflings and privileges . of the former may be continued, and, indeed, many more added and enjoyed under the latter. This, in fadl, has been the cafe in the church through various fuccelTive difpenfations, as might very eafily^ be fhewn, were it neceffary. 2. But we utterly deny that the covenant of promife containing the privilege for which we con- tend, ever belonged to the Jewifh difpenfation. We affert the reverfe, that the Mofaic difpenfation be- longed wholly to this, and was added four hundred and thirty years' after, for fpecial reafons as the -apoflle fays.* Since, therefore, the giving of the law did not difannul the covenant of promife, the taking of it away, certainly could not deflroy the privilege for which we contend. Neither could it make void the folemn command by which it was enjoined, nor hinder the blefling of Abraham, in this refped, from coming on the Gentiles. This is * Gal.iii. 17, 18. C 86 ] moil: evidently the true Hate of the matter. When the Jewifli dirpenfation was taken away, the cove- nant command and promife, with all the fpiritual privileges and bbffmgs, came under the gofpel difpenfation confirmed to true believers, the fpirit- ual feed of Abraham, the true heirs according to the promife. Thus it is eafy to fea, how the blef- fmg of Abraham is now come on us Gentiles. To this it is objected that the promife of the land of Canaan is done away. Though this objec- tion is not fo very evident in every refpc6l ; yet grant it, and then the heavenly Canaan remains to the church, which v/as the fpiritual meaning of the original promife. That circumcifion is abolifhed by the gofpel, is another objection. But notwith- flanding this, the fpiritual bieffings fignified by cir- cumcifion, remain under the gofpel ; and Jefus Chrift fulfils it to his people by circumcifmg their hearts, dhrift, under the gofpel difpenfation, has alfo inflituted baptifm, to be the fign of the cove- nant, and the feal of the righteoufnefs of faith. This, therefore, is called by the apoflle the circum- cifion of Chrift. Col. ii, 11, 12. "In whom alfo ye are circumcifed with the circumcifion made with- out hands, in putting off the body of the fms of the flefh, by the circumcifion of Chrift, buried with him in baptifm," &c. Baptifm now remains under the*J^ofpel an ini- tiating ordinance into the church. It is now the fign of the covenant of promife, and the true feal of the righteoufnefs of faith. From this there is not the leaft evidence that the command is repeal- ed, and the granted privilege taken away ; but, on the contrary, it clearly Ihews, that they are ia full force on believers under the gofpeL mmnimtmammm SERMON IV. INFANT BAPTISM. GAL. III. 29. And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abra- ham's SEED, AND HEIRS ACCORDING TO THE PROMISE. IN the preceding difcourfe, this dodrine was inferred from the words of our text, viz. That believers under the gofpel difpenfation have a right to baptifm for their infant offspring, or that the infants of fuchare to be baptized. In illuftrating and eftabhfhing this dodrine, we have fhown. That God did gracioufly grant unto Abraham, as the father of believers, that infants fliould be re- ceived into the vifible church with their parents : That God commanded, that the feal of the righteoufnefs of faith fhould be adminillered to them : — And, That this great privilege is confirmed and con- tinued to believers under the gofpel ; or that the iiifant children of believers are to be baptized. I 88 ] On this lafl: prppofition we remarked, that every fpiritual privilege once granted to the church by its great 'King and Head, remains in full force until repealed. That this privilege is not repealed, and that the command of God is new on all true believ- ers to give up their infant offspring to him in cov- enant, to receive the fign of the covenant, and feal of the righteoufnefs of faith. We examined what the Baptifls fay, to prove that this privilege is repealed, by the gofpel, viz. that this covenant belonged to the Jewifh difpenfa- tion which is done away by Chrift. — This reafon- ing we found to be inconcluiive — we called you to diftinguifh between a difpenfation and the blefiings difpenfed — and fhowed that the covenant of prom- ife, containing the privilege for which we contend, never did belong to the Jewifh difpenfation, but that the latter was added four hundred and thirty years after, and when it was taken away, the cov- enant, command, and promife, with all their fpirit- ual privileges and bleffings, came under the gofpel confirmed to true believers. Thus the blefliiig of Abraham is now come on the Gentiles. We proceed^to remark, that though the Jewifh difpenfation be aboliflied — though circumcifion be done away, yet the grant is not repealed — the priv- ilege remains to believers — the com^mand is in full force, and fmce baptifm is the circumcifion of Chrifl, and a feal of the righteoufnefs of faith, through the adminiflration of this, the blefling of Abraham may now come upon the Gentiles. Some, to prove that this privilege is now repealed, and that infants are cut off from the church by the gofpel, bring Matth. iii. S, 9. " Bring forth, therefore, fruits meet for repentance : And think C 89 ] not to fay within yourfelves, we have Abraham to our father : for I fay unto you, that God is able of thefe ftones to raife up children unto Abraham." Upon this I would make the following obferva- tions. 1. The infants of behevers are here either in- tended, or not intended. If infants are not fpoken of in this place, it is nothing to the purpofe, for which it is cited. But fhould any fay, that the in- fants of believers are here intended, and are by this cut off from the church as well as others, it will al- fo as certainly follow, according to verfes 10 — 12. " That fmce they cannot bring forth ' fruit, they will alfo be hewn down, and caft into unquencha- ble fire." 2. The truth is this, adult perfpns only are in- tended by John in this addrefs. They are trees full grown, which muft bring, forth good fruit, or be excluded the church by the gofpel, and be hewn down, and cafl into unquenchable fire. — The Phar- ifees and Sadducees prefumed that they had a good right to baptifm, merely becaufe they were the natural feed of Abraham. But John fhewed them, that under the gofpel this would be of no avail to any adults, who do not bring forth good friiit. This implies what v/e contend for,' that all who bring forth fruit meet for repentance, fhould, un- der the gofpel, inherit the covenant-blefling of Fa- ther Abraham. Others think that, what the apoftle fays, in his epiftle to the Hebrews,* refpe6:ing God's making a new covenant and deflroying the old, fully re- peals the grant, command and promife for which Hebrews, viii. 7, 8, 9. I [ 90 ] we contend. But it will be evident to any one, at leaft to every impartial mind, who attentively reads this and the following chapter, that the apofllc here refers only to the law given at Sinai, or ti^e Jewifh difpenfation. This, we have proved, may be abolifhed, and the privileges which God had be- fore granted his church, with the command by which they were enforced, remain unaffeded. Whatever, in the Jewifh difpenfation, was defigned by the old covenant, which was taken away, it could ;iot difannul the covenant which was before confirmed in Chrift, it could not fo difannul it, as to make void any of the fpiritual privileges and bleflings. For thefe were before confirmed in Chriil to believers.— (Gal. iii. 17.) It alfo appears from this whole epiftle, that the apoftle was laboring to convince the Jews, that God's defign in the abolition of the Sinaic econo- my, containing many coftly, carnal, and bloody or- dinances, and a worldly fanduary, was to m/ake w^ay for the gofpel difpenfation, a difpenfation which, inflead of ccntra<5Ling the bleffings and priv- ileges of his dear people, fhould eftabliih them on a better foundation, with gr'eat additions,- and fliould increafe their fpiritual bleflings in heavenly places in Chrifl Jefus. Here certainly can be nothing like a repeal of the grant made to Abraham. It is worthy of particular notice, that in giving a viev7 of the new covenant, the apoftle makes ufe of the lame exprelTion which God ufed with Abraham. By this he doubtlefs intended to Ihew, that the privi- leges granted to Abraham are confirmed and con- tinued to believers under the gofpel. But if the Abrahamic blefling refpeding infants is confirmed 'and contiiuicd to believers under the C 5i ] gofpel, it is moft certain that the Command alfo comes clothed with all Che wcighc of the vaftly fu- perior lii^ht and grace which diilinguifn the gofpel diipenfatioi;!. We may., with much greater propri- ety, infill, that the Baptifts ihould point out a re- peal of this command— that they rfiould point out an exprefs proliibition of !afant-baptifm in the New Tellament, with much greater propriety, I fay, than they can demand of us a new command for a privilege once granted to the church, a privilege always enjoyed before, and a privilege fo clearly eflablifhed and continued to believers under the gofpel. We cannot, we dare not give up this priv- ilege of believers without fome exprefs warrant from God. An exprefs command from him is as neceffary to nullify, as to eflablilh a pofitive inlli- tution, to revoke as to grant a privilege to the church. — The Chriftian church thus underftood k^ and both circumcifion and baptifm were at firft adminiflered together even to the Gentiles, till cir- cumcifion was exprefsly prohibited by infpiration, and baptifm alone eilabliilied in the church, as the fign of the covenant, and feal of the righteoufnefs of faith. But there is no prohibition of the privi- lege granted to the church, refpeding their infant feed ; it, therefore, remains to believers under the fandion of the divine command, end is fealed to them for their children in the ordinance of baptifm. , We have no necellity of a new command, fmce baptifm is now the feal of the righteoufnefs of that faith by which we become the feed of Abraham, and heirs according to the promife. We might, with the greateft propristy, reft the controverfy here, for the Baptifts cannot fhew any prohibition of thfl privilege in tlie facred fcriptures — believe [ 92 ] and be baptized refpe^ls adult perfons in the firft inftance, and their offspring through them, as is proved. If the grant is no where repealed, it is mofl certainly continued to believers under the gof- pel difpenfation. But in addition to this, we think it IS eafy to fhew, that this privilege is confirmed to believers in many places in the New Teftament. We have fhewn from fcripture, that God did grant this privilege unto Abraham as the father of be- lievers, and that he did command that infants fhould be received into the vilible church with their parents, and enjoined, that the feal of the righteouf- nefs of faith be adminiftered to them. When, therefore, we find the apoflle declaring, that they who are of the faith are the children of Abraham,* that they, are blefled with faithful Abraham,! that the bleffing of Abraham is come on the Gentiles through Jefus Chrift, (Gal. iii. 14.) and then de- claring, in our text, that if ye be Chrifl's then are ye Abraham's feed, and heirs according to the prom- ife ; we mud firmly believe that this Abrahamic privilege or bleiling, as well as others, is confirmed to believers under the gofpel difpenfation. The apollle, in his epiftle to the Romans, af- firms very clearly, by a flriklDg fimilitude, that the Gentile believers were to enjoy, at lead, the fpirit- ual privileges and bleflirigs granted to the Jewifh church, Romans, xi. 16, 17. " For if the firfl fruit be holy, the lump is alfo holy : and if the root be holy, fo are the branches. — And if fome of the branches be broken off, and thou, htm^ a wild olive tree, wert graff :d in rrncrig ihtmy and with them partakefi of vl fatnefs of the olive • Gal. iii. 7. i Verfe 9. C &- ] tree.'* For whether by the root is meant Jefus- Chrifl, or Abraham, and by the olive tree is un- derflood the church, or the covenant, yet being grafted in by faith they, partook of the root and fatnefs of the oHve tree. — This cannot be under- ftood of the enjoyment of any thing fhort of the fame fpiritual privileges and bleiiings, of which the Jews were deprived. But the Jews once enjoyed this Abrahamic privilege refpeciing infants, and are now deprived of it by their unbelief. If Gen- tile believers, under the gofpel, are cut off from the privilege of having their infant offspring admit- ted with them into the vifible church by baptifm, then though they partake of the root, yet are they cut off from the fatnefs of the olive tree — a con- fequence which is both unnatural and abfurd. It is evidently contrary to the apoftle's defign ; and it greatly weakens, if not wholly deflroys the force of his reafoiiing in this place. Our bleiled Saviour very feverely reproved thofe difciples who forbad that little children fhould be brought to him, that they might receive- his bleiTiQg, On that occaiion, he gave them a command, wliich may be con- fidered as binding upon all his difciples. He re- plied, " fufler littie children to come unto me, and forbid them not ; for, faid he, of fuch is the king- dom of God :'' Or, in other words, fuch as are brought to me by faith for my bleffing, belong to my church, or kingdom on earth. The order which immediately follows refpecling the admiiliou of adult members into this kingdom, feems to fa- vor this fenfe of the words, (Mark, x. 14, 15.) This command alfo feems to be a plain confirma- tion of the former privilege granted to his peoples Thus the apoftle learned of Chrift, and^faught the I 2 C 94 ] Corinthians, (1 Cor. vii. 14. and onward) that if either parent was a behever, the children were, by God's appointment, fet apart for him, or confe- crated, as the word, tranflated holy, often fignifies in the facred oracles. To bring the matter to a point — That the in- fant children of believers are to be baptized, is a necclTary confequence of the proportions which have been already eftablifhed. In whatever light we take them, either togetlier or feparately, it will clearly follow, that the infant children of believ- ers are to be baptized. God granted unto Abra- ham, as the father of believers, that infants fhould be received into the vifible church with their pa- rents ; and he alfo commanded that the feal of the righteoufnefs of faith fhould be adminiflered unto them. But we have proved that this great priv- ilege is, under the gcfpel, confirmed and con- tinued to believers, confequently the infants of believers, under the gofpel, are to be received into the vifible church with their parents, and, by the command of God, mud have the feal of the righteoufnefs of faith given to them, which is the chriflian circumcifion or baptifm. 1. God did grant unto Abraham, as the father of believers, that infants fliould be received into the vifible church with their parents. All true be- lievers, under the gofpel, are Abraham's feed, and as his children they are the true heirs, in Chrifl, of this privilege, therefore, by the divine appoint- ment, their infant children m.ufl be received into the vifible church with them, and are to be cir- ^jumcifed with the circumcifion of Chrifl j or, in otfher words, they mufl be baptized. C 9- ] 2. God commanded that the feal of the righ- teoufnefs of faith fhould be adminiflered to ii-\fants, who are received into the church with their pa- rents. Gircumcifion was once this feal in the church, but, under the gofpel, baptifm is the feal of the righteoufnefs of faith ; therefore, by divine appointment, baptifm mufl be adminiflered to thofe infants, who are admitted into the church with their parents under the gofpel difpenfation. 3. The great privilege, that infant children fhould be received into the church with their pa- rents, and have the fign of the covenant, the feal of the righteoufnefs of faith, adminiftered to them, is, under the gofpel, confirmed and continued to believers. Hence it clearly follows, fnice baptifm is the feal of the righteoufnefs of faith, that when adult perfon., upon their repentance and faith, are admitted into the gofpel church, their infant children are to be received with them, and to be baptized. Thus the apoflle Peter, on the day of Pentecofl, in the application of that mofl fuccefsful fermon, applies the promife exadly to this purpofe. He enforces on his affecled audience the gofpel call to repentance, faith and chriilian baptifm, by this ineflimable privilege. A6ls, ii. 38, 39. " Then Peter faid unto them. Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jefus Chrifl for the remiflion of lin^, and ye fhall receive the gift of the Holy Ghoft. For the promife is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God fhall call.'* It may not be improper here to take notice of fome other pafTages of the facred fcriptures, which may be confidered as dlred: proofs of infant baptifm. The commifiion of our blelTed Saviour on this C 96 ] point, claims our firft attention. Matt, xxviii. 19. Though it is brought by the Baptifts as an objec- tion ; yet, properly confidered, I think it is fo far from' being in their favor, that it will afford a convincing proof of our dodrine to any perfon free from prepofTefTions, 1. The apoltles were commanded to go out into all the world. Till then they had been confined to the Jews, and both circumcifion and baptifm were adminiftered to thofe who embraced the gof- pel, and to their infants. There was not the leaft hint antecedent to this, that infants were to be ex- cluded, but much to the contrary, as has been fhewn. The apoftles themfelvcs did not know that it would be lawful for them to go out to the Gen- tiles ; much lefs that infants, as the Baptifts affert, were to be cutoff from this privilege in the gof- pel church. They were here commanded to; teach all nations, and preach the gofpel to every crea- ture. It is probable that even the Baptifts do not imagine, that this immediately refpeds infants, as to the external teaching and preaching of the word, they being wholly incapable of this. But it certain- ly does fome way refpect them. The words are plain — The command is exprefs-— Go teach all nation^ — Go preach the gofpel to every creature. Surely our Saviour, who fo tenderly took the dear little ones into his gracious arms, who fo affedlion- ately bleffed them, I fay furely he did not forget them on this moft interefting occafion — Surely he was not ignorant of the tender feelings — Surely he was not a ftranger to the pious breathings of the pa- rental heart of his dear people in ages past. On this occafion, when the hfeofa thoufand poor Ifli- maelites was at ftake, he had not forgotten the C 91 'j burll of Abraham's fatherly heart, " Oh, that Ifhmael might live before thee !" Gen. xvii. 18. Nor was the compaiiionate Saviour infenfible to thofe pious parental defires of true believers to- wards their infant offspring through ail future ages, much lefs can any fuppofe, that he excludes them from the race of intelligent creatures, to whom the apoftles were to preach the gofpeL We muft either deny that they are part of all nations — we muft alfo either deny that they are rational crea- tures, or we muft fuppofe that they are fome how included in the apoftle's miffion. 2. The apoftles are hereby commanded, to teach ( matheteufate ) to difcipie all nations, and preach the gofpel to every creature. Since then it is cer- tain, that the teaching and preaching of the gofpel does fome way refped infants, I confefs, upon th« Baptift's plan^ I am utterly at a lofs how to un- derftand it, unlefs it be v/holly to exclude them from chriftian baptifm, from the church, and from heaven ; and either to ftrike them out of exiftence all together, or to plunge them headlong into eter- nal damnation. But if we underftand the com- miffion in the plain and natural fenfe, according to the circumitances in which it was fooken, as an honeft, pious Jew would take it, and ay it is clear the apoftles und'rftood it, the whole matter is plain. The teaching and preaching of the gofpel, were to difcipie infants -by baptifm with their believing parents, as had been a common known cuftom among the Jews, when they profelyted a heathen to the true religion. T'he comrnifiion was exprefs — It was very eafy to be underftood by thofe to whom it v/as given — fmce they were well acquainted with the command L 9s ] by which infants were to be received into the church w^th their parents — fmce they knew this had al- ways been the praclice — and fmce they had never heard any thing to the contrary drop from the blef- fed lips of their diviae rnader, but much in favor of fuch little ones, was it poflible for tKem to under- ftand it in fuch a manner, as to exchide the infants of believers from the church and from baptifm ? Upon the w^hole, it is with me beyond all doubt that the apoftles fo underllood their bleifed mafler, as fu! 'y to warrant and oblige them to receive iiv fants into the vifible church with their beheving pa- rents, and baptize them. Agreeably to this they pradifed, when it is faid that Lydia and her houf- hoid v\^ere baptized — when the jailer and all his were baptized, and when Paul baptized the houfe of Stephanus, &c. It thus continued, no doubt, through the apoftolic age ; and from the beft ac- count we liave in hiftory, infant baptifm v/as gene- rally, if not univerfally, practifed in the church more than twelve hundred years, though much corrupted. Notv/ithftanding fome have tince call- ed it in queftion, yet, through all this long fpace of time, there was no church or fociety of chriflians which denied infant baptifm, except thofe who de- nied all baptifm with water. We have a particu- lar authentic hiflory, both of the firfl rife and prog- refs of this fed that denied infant baptifm. It firil appeared in Germany at the place called Munfler, foon after the reformation from Popery. If we grant, as the Baptifts affert, that infant- baptifm was neither allowed nor prfidifed by the church in the apoitoiic age, it is utterly impolFible that it fhould have been introduced in any fubfe- quent period of the church. They, therefore, [ S9 ] might as well aiTert that it never has been pradifed. Let us now candidly examine this matter. — Some confidently affirm, that this pradice was firfl intro- duced into the church in the dark days of Popery. This cannot poffibly be true. It is eafy to fhew from the moft authentic writers in thofe times, that it was praflifed in the church long before ; and, if I miftake not, fome of the Baptift writers them- felves allow that it was practifed in the African church before the dark period of. Popery, But be this as it may, it was not then firft introduced into the church. If it was not the practice in the apof- tles' day, it muft have begun in fome of the fuc- ceeding ages before Popery. — It is generally allow- ed that it commonly prevailed through all the churches after the fourth century. Mr. Tombs, on the part of the Baptifts,* exprefsly fays, that St. Auftin's authority carried it in the following ages almoft without control ; but St. Auftin moft fol- emnly profelfes, that he never heard of any in his time that oppofed infant-baptifm. We have only the four fird centuries to examine. We are cer- tain that the pradiice v/as firfl begun in one of them. Let us, therefore, go back and fee if we can pofli- bly find when it was firfl introduced into the church. — Our brethren, the Baptifls, are, with us, equally interefled in this inquiry. St. Auilin, who lived in the fourth century, fpeaks of it as prevail- ing in his day ; and that it was not decreed by any council, but had been ever in ufe. The fame au- thor, in his difpute with the Pelagians about orig- inal fni, brings infant-baptifm as an unanfwerable proof of original corruption. This was about *Part l,Se»£tion8. C 100 ] A. p. 390. We alfo have a number of writers through the whole of this century, who fpeak of infant-baptifm, but fay nothing of its introdudion. As Siricius, A. D. 384, St. Ambrofe 374, Greg. Nazianzen 360, Optatus 306, the Council of Eli- berius 305, and many others, mention infant-bap- tifm as a thing in common ufe in the church. Thus, we fee, it was not firft introduced in the fourth century.* In the third century, there are feveral remark- able teftimonies concerning infant baptifm, which make it very evident that it was net fir ft intro- duced in that day. About the middle of this cen- tury Cyprian called a council of flxty fix miniilers or bifhops on this queftion, " Whether infants might be baptized before they w^ere eight days old ?'^ This council unanimoufly agreed, there was no necelfity for fuch a. delay. In confequence of this, a letter, w^hich was figned by Cyprian, was written to the churches, to notify to them the refult of their deliberation. Origen, who was born lefs than an hundred years after the apoftles, and fiouriflusd in the be- ginning of this century, fpeaks often of infant bap- tifm in his homilies on Original Sin, as an eftab- lifhed practice in the church. In one place he ex- prefsly fays, that the church had a traditional order from the apoftles to give baptifm to infants. This clearly {hews, that infant baptifm was then an ufage in the church. Tertullian alfo, who lived about the fame time, m.entions infant baptifm as no nov- elty in his day. He pleads for the delaying of the baptifm of infants on account only of the danger * HiO-ory of Infant Bapdfni, part 1, chap. 7, 8, to the 2Sd. Dr.Tor- bafitts HiXl.' Theology. [ 101 ] which might atterrd the introdudion of fponfors* This can properly apply only in thole cafes, where parents were unbeheve^s, or were fick. Jacob Paniehus obferves, in his Annotations on this place, that Tertullian had reference to fuch.* From thefi obfervations, it is clear that infant baptifm was not firfl: introduced either in the third or fourth century. It certainly was not introduced in the fourth, becaufe we find it in the third — nei- ther in the third, becaufe it is there fpoken of as a common undifputed practice. Our inquiry is now reduced to the limits only of two centuries, and it is clear to me, that infant baptifm muft have been introduced into the chriftian church in one or the other. Let us now carefully examine the mat- ter with refpecl to the fecond century, the age that immediately followed the apoilles and firll minlfters of Jefus Chrift. All the immediate fucceiTors of the apoflles muil perfonally know, what was the practice of the apoilles themfelves. The churches alfo muft know whether their infants were baptized or not. If the minifters and churches knew that infant baptifm had never been practized by the apoflles, it is utterly impofTible that it iliould then have been introduced into the church without making great dillurbance. It mud have met with the greatefl oppofition, both from the minifters and churches, of primitive zeal and purity. W^re that fa6t, is it credible that we fhould not have heard fomething of it, when fome of the wi'itings of thofe Fathers have come down to us ? — Two of them are frequently mentioned on this fubjett, but not a word that there was any controverfy in the * Dr. Forbcfius' Hift. Theolcgy. [ 102 ] church refpe6llng infant baptlfm. Irenelis, who flourifhed about the middle of tlils century, \vas acquainted with Polycarp, St. John's difciple, and alfo faw and converfed with thofe who had feen Jefus Chrift. He mentioned infant baptifm as no matter of difpute. Reckoning up feveral forts of perfons who were born again unto God, he cx- prefsly mentioned infants among them. It is natu- rally fuppofedthat he there muft mean their being born of the water, or baptized, as many of the Fathers ufed the word in this fenfe, as infants could give evidence of no other regeneration. Juftin Martyr, who is fuppofed to have been born about thirty years after the death of our blefled Saviour, in his Apology, written in the year 140, mentions perfons who were difcipled to Chrift in infancy. He alfo fpeaks of baptifm i being to us inftead of circumcifion. Ignatius lived in the end of the firft century. He converfed with the apoftles, and fuffered martyrdom under Trajan, A. D. 107.* But from none of thefe have we a word refpeQing the firft rife of infant baptifm in their day. Since we have now purfued our inquiry back to the firft century without fuc- cefs,I woufd juft make one remark here on the whole. If infant baptifm is fuch a grofs error and corruption — if its introdudion deftroys the very being of the church, it is utterly incredible, if not impolfibke, that the pra6lice of it could have ob- tained, either in the fecond, third, or fourth cen- turies, without its rife and progrefs being montjon- ed, or even that there were ever fuch heretics in the world. This remark obtains great weight when we confider that St. Auftin, in the clofe of • Dr. Forbftfiiifc' Hift. 'i Iieology. C 103 ] ttie fourdi century, wrote a book, giving a partic- ular account of all feds that were, or ever had been in the church — (he enumerates eighty-eight with their ieveral tenets.) — And when we find, in the writings of the Fathers, an account of all the particular errors, and fmallcil: departures from the fai;h avid praa melancholy truth, that in the pref- ent day, the vifibility of the peculiar bleffrngs of the covenant of promife have almoft difappeared^ To this, perhaps, more than to any thing elfe, it may be attributed, that fo many parents, who hold to the covenant, are fo eafy in the negleO: of bap- tifm for their children ; and alfo, that fo many wholly deny infant baptifm. - Had the adminiftra- tion of infant baptifm never been corrupted — had the church .kept up the primitive difcipline over both parents and children ; and efpecially, had parents always been faithful to their children, ac- cording to the covenant, we have the greatefl alTur- [ -117 ] ance, that all the peculiar covenant bleiTmgs would have been enjoyed by believers and their children. The world would then have known, that thefe are the feed of the blelTed of the Lord, and their off- spring with them. III. I am now to fhew how parents may be in- terefled in the covenant of promife, and enjoy the peculiar bleiTmgs and privileges of it, for themr felves, and their children. Two things here are the fubjecl of inquiry — 1 . How parents may be interefled in the covenant of promife. 2.. How ihey may enjoy the peculiar bielliiigs and privileges of the covenant refpecl:ing themfelves and their children, under the gofpel difpeufadon. With refped to the fird, it is clear from what has beea faid, that parents muft be true believers in order to be interefled in the covenant ; or in fcripture language, they muft be Chrift's, and confequently Abraham's feed, to be heirs accord- i.-g to the promife. The apoille fays exprefsly, " if any man have not the fpirit of Chrifl he is none of his/* Romans, viii. 9. — Therefore he is not interefted in the covenant of promife, and can have no right to its privileges. But how parents, under the gofpel, may enjoy all the peculiar blefnngs and privileges of fuch, for themfelves, and for their children, mufl now have a more particular difcuffion. Some, through ignorance and unbelief, rejed and defpife them. Many acknowledge the cove- nant, and have their children baptized, and yet do not appear to enjoy any of its fpiritual bleilings : and fome, who are interefled in the covenant, and ,appear really to give up their children to God in L 2 [ 118 ] bapfifm, yet feem to lofe the parental blefling. Pa- rents need all thefe promifes and bleflings — they are treafured up in Chrift for them — they are clear- ly propofed, and freely offered to them, in the cov- enant of promife. But O how affecting ! how dif- treffmg mud it be to mifs of them, whatever may be the caufe ! To illudirate this matter, I would fuggefl a few things.— Parents, I befeeeh you, give your mofl ferious attention — look to God for his blefling, and may the Father of light give you underftanding. To give yourfelves and your children to God, and to his church, in covenant, through Jefus Chrift, is neceffary, in order to have an intereft in the cove- nant. — Covenant bleflings are given in a covenant way. ivr/?— To infure the enjoyment of thefe blefT- i^ngs, parents muft believe, and take hold of the covenants Not to believe is, perhaps, in God's view, to re]e6l the covenant — not to take hold of it, and depend upon it, is probably to flight the covenant with all its bkffings. This, perhaps, may be the very reafon, why fo few parents enjoy thefe peculiar parental bltiTmgs. It is highly reafonable, and it is agreeable to the analogy of faith, to fup.- pofe, that when God makes gracious propofals to parents, and tiiey believe them, take hold and de- pend upon them, as propofed, that the bleflings are fure, and the enjoyment certain. Secondly — Let parents go to God as to a father, through Chrift, and a &- thefe covenant bleflings-— let this be a continual fervent prayer. It is reafon- able, and, in fome refpeds, it feems neceflary to the very enjoyment of them, that parents fliould afl^ thefe bleflings of their heavenly Father. " Afli,," C 119 ] fays the bleffed Savioui*, " and ye fhall receive/* The apqille James fays, " If any of you lack wif- iom, let him afk of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not, and it fhall be given him. But let him aflc in faith, nothing wavering.'* — If parents, therefore, are fo ignorant of the cov- enant, and fo faithlefs refpecting its bleffings, that they do not afk for them, it is no wonder that they fail of their enjoyment. Thirdly — Let parents be faithful to the covenant refpeding their children, in training them up in the way they fhould go, and in bringing them up for God, agreeably to his will. This is of the lau: importance, and feems to be a condition of the en- joy ment of covenant bleffings refpecling their chil- dren. Parents, who are not faithful in this, do break the covenant. They make light of the prom- ife, and thus lofe the bleffing. But, on the other hand, thofe parents, who are faithful, and bring up their children for God, agreeably to the tenor of the covenant, may depend on the enjoyment of the bleffings in their fullell extent, with regard both to themfelves and their children, and with re- gard to time and eternity. Should any fay, that this is carrying the matter too far, and that, by proving too much, we overfet the whole, and prove nothing. Should any fay, that the faithfulnefs nec- effary to obtain this, is wholly unattair?able in this imperfedt (late. I anfwer, that the objection is ve- ry plaufible, and probably, with fome, has more weight than merit. But let us try its weight in a iimilar cafe. According to fcripture the Chriftian mud be faithful in order to enjoy the covenant bleffing for his own foul. For the unfaithful will doubtlefs be ihut out* — Bat how is this I Can a be- . C 120 ] - Kever in this imperfect flate be fo faithful with re- Ipect to the covenant, as to enfure for himfelf the promifed bleffings for time and eternity ? And why not in the cafe before us ? efpecially as '806. BY REV. ELIJAH PARISH, Pastor or tub Chur,»h of Christ in that place. ^*- SERMON. COLOSSI ANS, II. 12. Buried with him in Baptism. Religion is the beft inheritance of man. It fills the heart with peace, and hope, and joy. Religion afUftsjiian to dired his own pow- er's, and to govern his own pailions ; to fee God in all events, to acquiefce in fevcrefl trials ; to endure forrows, and enjoy profperity. I'he (hafts of mife- ry aru broken ; their poifon reaches not the heart, warmed with chriftian love. The gathering clouds of anxiety, which ob(lru6l every profped of de- light, are fcattered by the rays, beaming from the fun of righteoufnefs. The breaft throbbing with guilt and reniorfe is foothed and cheered by a view of Calvary, and the Saviour bleeding dn the crofs. The prefent world afflimes a new complexion, and futurity opens with undefcribable fplendor. The gofpel appears excellent ; its do^lrlnes reafonable, and confident j its duties practicable, and pleafant ^ its promifes, fatisfying and glorious. M2 C ISO ] The adamantine heart is diffolved by the perva- ding influence of the gofpel ; lions and lambs are united ; and hoflile fpirits become friends and brothers. They are allied to angels ; they are in union with God. They are one with Chrift, as he is one with the father. They are the fons of God, are entitled to thrones of glory, and enjoy heaven, while on earth. Gofpel truth is the fountain^ of this felicity. But errors dangerous, often mingle with truth ; the effects are deplorable ; the prof- pedt is melancholy. Many errors incorporated with the chriflian fyf- tem, many abfurdities, which bewilder the minds of men, have their origin in figurative exprefTions. Giving thefe a literal interpretation, or fuppofmg them to mean more than the author defigned, equally diverts the reader from truth and fafety. A mifapplication of fcripture figures has, frequent- ly, been the occafion of opinions, abfurd ; of rites^ fuper (11 tious and injurious ; of dod:rines, wicked and impious. The moil irrational parts of the pa- pal religion, the mod: ridiculous rites, adopted by fanatics, have been the offspring of figures, mifun- derflood. In the text and context is a fucceffiort of figures, defigned in different ways, to illuftrate and enforce the fame fa£l. Verfe 11." In whom alfo ye are circumcifed with the circumcifion, 7nade without hands^ in putting off the body of the fins of the flefh by the circumcifion of Chriff." That is, in putting off the old man, you are circumcifed with- out hands ; the work is effected by the Holy Spir- it. — You are born again, which is fpiritual circum- cifion. " Circumcifion is that of the heart'' This renewing of the Holy Spirit confifts in putting oflT C 131 ] the body of fin, in renouncing fm, and reforming the life. Or, we are " buried with him in bap- tifm." As the burial of Jefus Chriil gave evidence, that he had really died, the juft for the unjuft ; that he had yielded himfelf a facrifice for fin ; fo we in our fpiritual circumcifion or baptifm, the fig- ure now ufed, fhow ourfelves to be really dead to fin, crucified in the lufts of our minds. As Chrift, when buried, was dead and feparated from the world ; fo in regeneration we become feparate from fin. We are new creatures, having put oft the old man. We are buried from the wicked indulgen- ces and purfuits of the world. The death, burial, and refurredion of Chrift, are, not only caufes, but types and fymbols to rep- refent the death of our fins, our putting off the old man, and becoming new creatures.* No r-eference is made in the text to the water of baptifm, any more than to the knife of circumci- fion in the preceding verfe. The Writer is fpeak- ing of that baptifm, and of that alone, in which we '' are rifen with Chrift, through the faith, which is the operation of God.'* This certainly can be nothing lefs \\\2in fpiritual baptifm, or regeneration; for the moil violent advocate for dipping, or plung- ing, or burying, will not pretend, that this, necef- farily, is conneded with " fkith ;" he will allow it may be pojjible for a man to be plunged and buried in water ^ and yet not have " the faith, which is the operation of God.*' If he allow this, and allow this he muft and will, then our text is no fupport of his caufe. It cannot be water baptifm, which is mentioned. ♦ See Poors Synopfij on the text, Henrjr, Edwards, Cleavelaad, Guife, Watts, &c [ 132 ] Were not this the fad, nothing could be inferred refpedling the 7node of baptifm. It would then only fignify that, as Chrift was buried and feparated from the world ; fo we in baptifm are buried and feparated from a world of fm. llie zeal for the literal conflrudionof this figure may, perhaps, be extinguifhed by indulging it in other inflances. St. Paul fays, " I am crucified with Chriil." Would any perfon fuppofe from this, that he had been led to Calvary, nailed to the crofs, and pierced by the foldier's fpear ? Chriftians are faid to be " circum- cifed in Chrift." Does any one infer from this that all chriftians experience the bloody rite of tne Jews ? Or, becaufe chriftians '' are partakers of Chi'ift's fufferings,'* are all chriftians, therefore, betrayed by Judas, fpit upon, buffeted, and crown- ed with thorns ? Or, becaufe St. Paul fays the Phil- lippians were his " crcivn^^ were they,, therefore, formed into a crown of honor, and worn as a badge of future glory ? Or, becaufe the facrament reprefents the fufferings and death of Chrift, are all worthy communicants crucified ? Were our Baptift brethren conliftent with themfelves, fuch would be their explanation of thefe paflages of fcripture. It immediately follows our text ; " wherein al- fo you were rifen with him fhrough the faith of the operation of God, who hath raifed him from the dead." Wherein, or in which baptifm "we are rifen," adually " rifen with Chrift by the faith" which God gives to the new creature. You, who have this fpiritual baptifm, rife like Chrift above the feltllh motives, and fenfual purfuits of a fallen world. You feek the kingdom of God ; you af- pire after divine good. Perfons, born again, like Jefus Chrift, feparate their hearts from the world, and rife to a divine life. That this is the only true conflrudion of the text, may be inferred from a correfponding paffage. Rom vi. 4. " Therefore we are buried with him by baptifm into death, that like as Chrifl was raifed from the dead by the glory of the father, even fo we alfo fhould walk m newnefs of life." By fpiritual baptifm we partake the privileges of Chrifl's death. By dying to fin ourfelves, as we do in the new birth, we refemble Jefus Chrifl: in his death, who died " to make an end of fin.'* As Chrift was raifed from, the grave ; fo we, not in water baptifm, but in regeneration or fpiritual baptifm, are " raifed" to walk in newnefs of life. Old things are done away ; all things are become new. If we have experienced this fpiritual bap- tifm, we fhall have the fpirit of Chrifl. We fhall be feparate from the world of fm, as Chrifl was in the grave, and we fhall like him rife to a holy, a new life. We obey a new mafler, feek a new way of falvation, a6l from new motives, to accom- plifh new defigns ; we choofe new companions, experience new forrows, and new joys. As if bu- ried, we are feparate from our former lives. Doflrine, In regeneration we are new creatures* In attending to this, we fhall fhow in a few partic- ulars that chriflians are new creatures, and then the reafonablenefs of this change. 1. Chriflians are new creatures. Thofe, who experience the change, mentioned in the text, have a new temper of heart. Before regeneration, they fought worldly pleaf- ure ; they are now mortified to the world ; they were before, lovers of the world, they are now [ 134 ] crucified to the world ; they before lived only for the world, they are now dead to the world ; they are " buried" from the world. Once, they idolized the diftindlions of life ; now . they rife above thofe diftindions ; they are inde- pendent of thofe diftindions. They do not. lean on them for their richeft: felicities. Though they do not hate the world, nor defpife it, nor value it below its worth ; though with fubmiffion, they Hill defire its advantages, as Far as they conceive, their comfort or ufefulnefs may be promoted ; yet they are patient, they are happy without them. Once, they made hade to be rich ; they envied ; they coveted the fplendid dwellings, the fpacious poffefiions, the rich treafures of their opulent neighbors. Now they rejoice in the riches of others ; the happinefs of ojjiers makes t;hem happy. Once, they were not contented with a good name, which is better than precious ointment ; they fought the friendfhip, the praife, the applaufe, the admiration of the world. Now they ftand in their lot ; they defpife not thofe below, nor envy thofe who climb. Once, they were haters of God ; their hearts were enmity againft God ; they faid in their hearts, " No God," or they wiihed no God exifted. They were alive, all life without a knowledge of the di- vine law ; but the commandment has come with power, ilain their corrupt palTions ; they are dead to fin. Now the love of God is fhed abroad in their hearts ; they love him with their warmefl afFedions. The almighty power of God is their ftrong tower of defence. The Lord rcigneth ; they are fafe and happy, he will do all his pleafure, make the wrath of man to praife him, and care- [ 135 ] fully reflrain the remainder of wrath. This fills them with hope and faith. The omnifcience of God is the comfort and joy of good men. All their diftreifes and dangers are known to him ; the fofteft whifper, the moil fecret wifh, mufl inftantly reach his throne. This en- courages them, not only to play the man for their God, knowing that his eye is conflantly upon them ; but to open their hearts before him in all their wants. The mercy, the grace, and forbearance of God, opprefs pious hearts with a fenfe of obliga- tion. Often with ftrong cries,- having no adequate words, they make known their fenfe of divine goodnefs, of fparing mercy. The mercy of God, as exprelfed in the gofpel, fills their hearts with fentiments too tender and fublime for utterance. In filent wonder and gladnefs they contemplate the merits of that blood, which cleanfeth from all 'lin ; they love God ; they delight in God with ail their hearts. Inftead of rolling fin as a fweet morfel under their tongues ; inftead of faying to others, " fland by, I am holier than thou ;" inftead of thanking God, that they are not as other men, they loathe and abhor themfelves ; they feel themfelves, the chief of fiilners ; they judge and condemn them- felves ; they repent in dull and afhes. Oh wretch- ed men that we are, they cry, " who fhall deliver us from the body of this death ? When we would do good, evil is prefent with us. We are more brutifh than any men ; we have not the under- ftanding of men. We will accept the punifhment of our fins ; we will bear the indignation of the Lord. Wherefore fhould living men complain for the punifhment of their fins." [ 1S6 ] Thofe, born again, inftead of defiring Jefus Chrift to depart out of their coafl, view him as al- together lovely, choofe him as their city of refuge, their ark of fafety, their hiding place from the floinj). To them Jefus Chrifl is precious. They give up all other hopes ; they facriiice all other dependen- ces. Jefus Chrift is the Lord, their righteoufnefs. Their expreffive language is, " Lord we believe, help thou our unbelief." Their motives are changed. Before th^y had put off the old man, they were thenifeh^s, the objejft of all their defires, their love, their purXuJt^. T^iey had no affedion^ more generpus ; no de/jgn, tnore elevated; no wift, more noble, than to promote their own intereft. Nattiral meft love their own- felves ; they look every one; on his own things But men renewed by the Holy Ghoft have the charity, which feeketh not her. own.: Whf» the honor of God feemeth expofed, like .the qap tain of Ifrael, they folicitoufly enquire of God* ^* Wh^t wilt thou do unto thy great name?*' " I ajn con- cerned for the honor of thy name 5 wilt thou;nol: proted thine own glory ?" On the trembling mount of Sinai their lawgiver, had epjipreffed tbe fame dignified fentiments. , When God w^s threat* ening to " confume" hi^ people,: Mofesjenquires, " Wherefore fliould the Egyptians fpeak and i^y, for 7nif chief Ai^ he bring them put to flay, them] in the mountains, and to confume them from the fac/e of the earth ?*' " Why ihould the ruin, of Ifrael caufe thy rectitude to be deeded and rfepytj^iieh^il among the heathen ?" Men, born again, buried with Chrift, have alfoa concern for the good; of others, for- th^/happinefs and falvation of their ^eaemie^v' iThe importui^e. C 137 J impaflioned intercefTions of Abram in behalf of Sod- om, exprefs the fympathetic, benevolent folicitude of pious fouls. He prays, that the people may be fpared, that they may be fpared for the fake of fif- ty righteous ; he then prays they may be fpared for the fake of forty and five ; that they may be fpared for the fake of forty, for the fake of thirty, for twenty, for ten. Abram was fafe himfelf, his dwellings, his flocks and herds, were fecure from danger; yet was he concerned, and alflided, and diftreffed for his neighbors, expofed to the anger of God. Such is the fpirit of renewed men. They have the fpirit of Chrift. He loved us and died for us, while we were enemies ; fo do his people love their enemies, blefs thofe, who curfe them, and do good to them, who defpitefully ufe them, and perfe- cute them. They pity their wicked enemies ; they are concerned for their welfare ; they are alarmed at their dangers. Often when they fee their enemies indulging refentment, or other malignant paflions, they long to cry out, Hke Paul to the jailor, " Do thyfelf no hrirni." Such are the feelings of pious parents, neighbors, and miniflers ; with bleeding hearts are they often ready to exclaim to thofe, who unreafonably oppofe themfelves, " Do thyfelf no harm ;" " do not deftroy thy precious foul." The great objed of thofe, born again, is to an- fwer the purpofes of their exillence. They deiire to honor God, to build up his caufe, to promote his religion, to extend the triumphs of his gofpel^ to comfort and eflablifh his people, to convince and perfuade his enemies, to fandify and fave their own fouls. United to God, and the caufe of God, they are one with Chnft ; they are one themfelv*es ; they have one motive, one fpirit, one faiih, one charadir, N E 138 ] 2. The condu3 of thofe, buried with Chrift, or born again, is changed. Such are new creatures. Their internal baptifm, wrought " by the operation of God," produces a vifible reformation. How different is the vifible appearance of St. Paul, a meffenger of the gofpel, from Saul the Pharifee. Then was he furioufly haling men and women to prifon ; then could he aflifl in the exe- cution, and exult in the dying agonies of a holy martyr. Now is he ready to fpend and be fpent in the caufe of Jefus ; now all things are lofs and drofs, compared with the knowledge of Jefus Chrift ; now he could wifh himfelf accufed, that his brethren might receive this divine redeemer. See Zacheus, while a collector of the revenue, abufmg, and defrauding, and falfely accufing his fellow citizens. See this fame Zacheus, exercifmg the faith of the gofpel, fitting at the feet of Jefus, making ample refiitution for all his frauds, and doing to others, as he would wifh others to do to him. See the Jailor, while a man of the world, " thruft- ing the difciples into the inner prifon, making their feet doubly faft in the itocks," exercifmg the utmoft rigor of the law. See the fame Jailor, experiencing the change mentioned in the text, he wafhes the ftripes of the difciples ; like the good Samaritan, he pours in wine and oil, to heal their wounds ; like his divine Lord he binds up the broken hearted, he opens the prifon to them that were bound ; he gives liberty to his captives. He fpreads his table ; he fets meat before them. He does them good, be- caufe they are the difciples of Jefus. [ 139 ] Nor does he confult " with flefii aad blood ;^* he waits not to confult his neareft friends ; he waits, not to go abroad to Enon or Jordan ; but thejcimc hour of the nighty before he fpreads his generous table, he and his family are baptized. Thofe, who are buried and rifen wdth Chrift, •-ire prepared to worfliip God in the beauty of fioli- nefs, to do good to all men, efpecially to the houf- hold of faith. Obferve the man of prayer. Alone he con- verfes with his heavenly father ; in public he in- creafes the folemnity of the congregation. At one time he whifpers a feeble wifli at the throne of mercy. At another time his defires kindle, his religious affedions glow \ his prayer is ardent^ importunate, impailioned, and rciidli'fs ; he cries, " I will not let thee go, unlefs thou blefs me." Such are the fait of the earth 5 the light of the world. We are fecondly to fhow the reafonablenefs of this character, or of this change. I . This change of charader is reafonable, be- caufe God requires it. He is a God of wifdom., and by him a^lions are weighed. In wifdom hath he made and directed all things, and in his wifdom, he hath required this change. He commands men to make them new hearts, to repent, and believe in Jefus Ohrilt. He hath commanded men to turn their feet into the paths of his teftimonies, to love the Lord God with all their hearts, to be crucified to the world,. and dead to fm. He hath commanded all men to be holy in all manner of converfation, to be per- feft as he is perfect. Here is fufEcIent evidence that the change of our hearts is a reafonable duty^ [ 140 J 2. The change we have confidered mull be rea- fonable, becaufe it tends to the general good. True religion breathes glory to God, peace on earth, and good will to men. True religion 15 in union with all the attributes and works of God. She cordially approves the plan, formed in eternity ; file labors to carry it into execution. All things were created by God and for him, to promote the honor of his majefty. Religion approves, admires, and adores the wifdom of God, and her devout prayer is, " glorify thyfelf, roll on thine unchange- able purpofes, and do all thy pleafure." She joins in the fongs of angels ; (he unites in the labors of God. This change of heart is a reafon^ble duty, be- caufe it fa ves the foul from ruin; it gives peace and falvation. The wicked and all, who forget God, fhall be turned into hell. The impenitent and unbelieving muft have their portion in the lake, vv'hich burneth with fire and brimftone. In the day of judgment they muft depart accurfed into ever lading fire, prepared for the devil and his angels. Faith, which is the operation of God, de- livers the foul from this deftru6tion, the thought of which is fo diflrefling and overwhelming. This faith works by l®ve, and purifies the heart ; it is coiinefted with the wifdom, which cometh down from above. The ways of wifdom are pleafant. The godly have great peace of mind. The forrow of the world worketh death, but blefled are they who mourn with pious forrow, BlefTed are the pure in heart ; they fliall fee God. He that be- lieveth fiiall be faved. 4. The change of heart, contemplated, is rea- fonable, becaufe God has furniihed us with all the natural powers, needful for fuch a change. r T4'r I God has given us a mind to know, a confcience to feel what is right and wrong, a judgment to weigh confequences, a heart to will according to our pleafure. We have all the powers and facul- ties, neceiTary to produce this new charader and life. God gives us a power of choofing and refu- fing. He commands us to make us z new heart. We may choofe the good and refufe the evil. It is, therefore, reafonable in God to fay, " choofe ye this day whom ye will ferve ; if the Lord be God,, follow him." It is reafonable for him to com^ mand all men every where to repent. REFLECTIONS. 1 . We fee how great a blefFing is a nevv^ hearts A new heart, or that internal baptifm, which is the operation of God, " is more precious than rubies." Such favored perfons, like Chrift, have been cruci- iied ; they are dead and *' buried" to fm. They are rifen with Chrift to a new life. They are chil- dren of God, and heirs of his proifiifes ; they are joint heirs with Jefus Chriil. Their names are in the book of life. They are called.^ juftified, fanc- tified, and will be faved. They poiTefs that pearl, which is of great price ;• they have chofen die good part, which ihall never be taken from them. Had they been admitted to fail on the tide of pleafure, tJhat tide woiild' have fallen, or they would have been wrecked on fome frightful coaft, tor- tured with the pangs of felf reproach, remorfe, and defpair. Had they rioted in wealth, this might have taken wing in a moment, or their hearts might have fick- ened at their own luxuries, and their fplendorsj^.. - N2. [ 142 J ceafed to charm. Had reputation and honor been their portion, this, like^a cloud of the morning, might have fuddenly vanifhed from fight ; but a new heart is an inheritance more permanent than the everlafting hills, a portion, more fatisfying, than all the kingdoms of this world. 2. We may fee the importance of literature to found theology. , Not to mention more important reafons, the figurative expreflions of fcripture render philolog- ical fludies neceflary to every divine. Authors of all countries and ages ufe figures, but none are more bold than thofe of the facred fcriptures. The writers of th€fe holy pages difplay a boldnefs of conception, a loftinefs of fancy, unrivalled by the bards and orators of other countries. Homer, a fun among earthly luminaries, " his eye with the fine phrenzy rolling," fuppofes the vengeance of Jupiter will make a mountain tremble ; but in the cool, difpafTionate narratives of the prophets, " by the prefence of 'the Lord," or by the diftant ^ voice of the Lord," " the everlafting mountains are fcatrered, the perpetual hills bow." " Lebanon and Sirion fkip like unicorns." " The illands and mountains are not found." Illiterate men are peculiarly liable to make ab- furd explanations of figures j the more frequent and the more bold the figures, the more danger from illiterate teachers. Figurative expreflions often agree with the ob- jed: to be illuftrated only in one point. Chrift is reprefented as a ^' lion," as coming like a " thief." Is he, therefore, cruel, or does he take w^hat is not his own ? Such bold figures may be perverted m a fhocking and impious manner. I^ is, therefore,. of infinite importance to the Church of Chrift, to the chriflian religion, to the caufe of God, to the fouls of men, that thofe, who publicly explain fcripture, fhould be men of literature, men ac- quainted with language and the principles of good writing. It is hazardous ; it is prefumptuous for the man, imperfedly acquainted with his mother tongue, to explain volumes, written in ether lan- guages, in other countries, in other ages,* and in a different (late of fociety, often referring to cuf- toms and manners, unknown to thofe illiterate teachers. Thofe circumftances, unavoidably, give a peculiar complexion to thefe writings, and call for correfponding information in thofe, who ex-- plain them. What then are the profpedts of that denomination whofe religious teachers, with few exceptions, are illiterate men, unacquainted with the flru6ture of languages, and the rules of good writing.* * Not the leaft poflible unkindnefs is entertained againfl: our worthy Baptifl brethren. When they preach evangelical truth we are pleafed : but when they criticife languao;e5 ; when they torture fcripture figures ; when they violently extort meanings, unknown to the ancient church, the truth mull be told. If any are jealous our reprefentatioa is not juflr, we refer them to Mofliiem, vol. 4. He fays " The anabaptilb. however divided on oth- er fubjedls, were agT'eed in their notions of learning and philofophy, which in former times they unanimouily confidered, as the pefts of the chriftiaa church, and as highly TT J EXEMPLIFIED IN Trfl CASE OF Mrs. Elizabeth Jackson. Be- fore THE Congregational Church, in WiLLIAMSTOWN, VeRMONT J AND THE BAP- TIST Church, in said town — June 3, 1805. .STATEMENT, FROM REV. MR. THOMPSON. J3Y requefl: of fome of my pious friends, who are cordially engaged for the promotion of religious truth, I itate the following fads refpe6l- ing Mrs. Jackson ; and atteft the truth of her Letter, including her confefTion, which fhe fent to the Elder and Baptift Church, where flie received her baptifm by immerfion. Mrs. Jackson, with her hufband, are perfons of decent abilities, and approved piety ; they werne both received into the Congregational Church, in Peterfham, in MalTachuietts ; they, a few years ago, removed to Williamftown, in the (late of Vermont, where they have fmce lived ; and have fupported a good and regular chriftian charader. They have conftantly attended divine worfhip, with their congregational brethren, when favoured with preaching ; but at other times, efpecially upon week days, have attended the minifl ration of the [ 152 ] Baptifls. — In the latter part of the pafl winter, and in the fpring following, the people's attention was much excited in religious concerns, and preaching ^nd.cof.ferences, were frequent — efpecially among the baptifls. Mrs. Jackson's mind became un- ufuaily.aft'ected and folemn. At their meeting for exai^ninations and for baptifms, fhe gave .evidence of great anxiety of mind, by fighs and tears. Upon being af.ced the caufe of her great difliref^, Ihe re- plied, '' I am troubled about haptifm/' — It is to be noted, that flie had been, more than a year be- fore this, by the conveifation of a baptift, much confufed in her mind, and alaioft perfuaded to give up her infant baptifm. The queflion Wctb then put unto her, whether fhe did not feel it her privilege to go into the water, and be baptized ? Her reply was, that file did not, then. But by the expref. fions of zeal and affeftion, or through the multi- plicity of words, with v/hich fhe was furrounded, fhe not only confented to the ordinance, but re- ceived it then, and was received in fellowfliip with the baptifl brethren. After being fenfible fhe had taken a wrong ftep, fhe requefled a conference with them ; that the path of her duty might be made clear, and fearing left fhe fliould make bad worfe, and there- by in creafe. the injury file had done the caufe of Chrifl. But, in converfation with them, fhe be- came more eflabliflied, that duty called her to ap- pear in the congregation of God's people, and ex- hibit her feelings and views of the nature of her pait condud. She freely prefented to me the con- fefHon, and defired me to read it in public ; which was done upon the firft fabbath of June, 1805. t 153 ] If i can judge, in fuch cafes, fhe gave good ev- idence of godly fincerity and brokennefs of heart, whenever I had opportunity of converfation with her upon the fubjecl. She is a perfon of an ami- able mind, as to her natural temper ; and has a good underftanding in the great truths of the gof- pet ; and is far from any enthufiafm or conflitu- tional unfleadinefs of mind — but appears, in gene- ral, to deliberate well on whatever Ihe does. LAIHROP THOMPSON. WiUia7)iJh'wn, June 3, 1 805. REVEREND AND BELOVED, I, ELIZxiBETH JACKSON, take this early opportunity to let you, my brethren and fif- ters of the baptift denomination, ufually meeting on the Eafl hill, (fo called) know what I have done, and my reafons for thus doing. Aftl: R I had received baptifm, in your ivay^ and on feeing my infant child, and calling to mind my covenant vows, iw giving up myfelf to God, and to his Congregational Church in Peterfliam, and in giving up my children in baptifm -, by each and ev- ery of thefe traiifa6tions, I put my own hand (in faith, I truft) to the holy feal of Baptifm, which my parents firfl put upon me, in my infancy ; and made that baptifm my own, by the a^t of faith which I hope, God, by his gracious Spirit, gave me, a poor, undone fmner, before I vifibly covenanted with my God, and his holy people. I SAY, refleding upon what I had done when among you, my dear chriftia,n friends, I had no reft [ 154 ] iior comfort, njght nor day 'till I was brought ta confefs my fiiiful folly ; and loathe inyfelf for my fhameful departure from my God, and for the vio- lation of his holy covenant, which I had trifled with and trampled upon. When I had for rowed and wept, with broken- nefs of heart, in fecret ; and had confefled my wicked departure from my God, by breaking his holy covenant before his people, among whom I love to worfhip, I found a fweet peace return to my foul, which had been a flranger to my breaft, for weeks. The Confeflion I made public yefterday, I will now tranfcribe to you ; and wifli it may be read publicly among you. I afk your forgivenefs. Oh ! beloved, pray for me ! who am lefs than the leaft of all God's mercies. My ConfeiTion now follows : — *' In my infancy I was dedicated to God, in baptifm, by my parents : and when I had arrived to adult years, (as I humbly hope) I was brought to embrace that righteoufnefs of faith in Chrill: Jefus, of which water baptifm is an outward feal ; and profelling, publicly, this my faith, and entering in- to covenant with God's people, I think I under- flandingly took my infant baptifm, and made it my own ad ; and thus acknovv'ledged the fame faith which my parents did, and of which ihe baptifm I had already received, and in my perfonal dedication renewed, was an outward feal. " But, afterwards, having fome fuggeflions of- fered, as though what my parents had done could not anfwer my duty for myfelf ; I was, for a time, confiderably tried upon the fubjed. t 355 ] " But, without due confideration In examining for the light of the fcriptures upon this important point ; in a hafty and inconfiderate manner, I con- sented to receive that ordinance again, by immer- fion : in the doing of which, I humbly conceive, I have not only renounced all that my parents had done for me, in baptifm ; and what I had done, by- receiving it as my baptifm ; and what I had done for my children : But, alfo, I have trifled with this divine inflitution, and have broken covenant with God, and have juflly offended the great, Head of the church. For which, I defire to take fhame to myfelf ; and to humble myfelf before God and men ; and afk pardon and forgivenefs. *' To God, I earneftly pray, that he would gra- cioufly pardon this my grievous offence againfl him, and his holy inflitutions ; and again lift on me, a vile finner, the light of his countenance. I afk the forgivenefs of all my chriflian friends, whon> I have offended by this my hafty, wicked, and un- juftiliable condud. *' By the grace of God aflifting me, I engage, for the future, to be more confiderate and circum* fpe6i in my walk ; and to honour my holy pro- teffion, by a humble walk with God, and fteadfafl- nefs in the faith and order of the gofpel. *' I fmcerely afk the prayers of all God's people, that I may be preferved from all errours, in fu- ture ; and carefully adornrthe dodrines and infti- tutions of God our Saviour, in all things ; and, at laft, be found to divine acceptance. Amen." My chriflian brethren and fifters : I have no fault to charge upon you ; — to myfelf be all the folly, fliame, and guilt. I have done what I could, in public retraftion, from a fincere defire that the injury I have given Chrift, in the world, may, in fome meafure, be wiped away ; and you and all other churches and chriftians, be built up an holy people, in the Lord ; and Satan rage in vain, and vent his malice to no purpofe, except his confufion and utter deftrudtion. I WISH for the honour to fubfcribe myfelf, your fifter, (though mod unworthy) in the common faith of Jefus Chrift, our bleeding Saviour. ELIZABETH JACKSON. FOR the fatisfadion of all, into whpfe hands this confeilion may fall, I hereby certify, from perfonal acquaintance, that the Rev. Lathrop Thomson, is a gentleman of unblemilhed moral character, fin- cere piety, and of refpe6lai>le {landing in the chrif- tian miniftry. His ftatement, communicated to me, prefixed to the confelTion, may, therefore, be re- lied on, as a faithful narrative of fa£ls ; and not to be evaded, by the evil furmifmgs, and uncharit- able refledions, of prejudiced or incredulous read- ers. WALTER RING, F aft or ^ a Churchy in Norwich^ Conned icuU FINIS,