■*% <^ PRINCETON. N. J. ^ %C^^ I'CC'-' /^^^ -'^ '77. .^'cZ^ / f <^-_ /^:i:; . ' ■^^ / i^. ^ t' TBE VINDICATED BY THE SCRIPTURES. BY DANIEL %ERIIILL, A, M. faster of the Chureh of Christ, in Nottingham- West, N. H. FROM THE SEVERE ACCUSATIONS ; THE INGENIOUS^ BUT VERY MISCHIEVOUS, SOPHISTRY, OF NATHANIEL S. PRIME, Paster of the Presbyterian Church, in Cambridge, N. Y . CONCORD, N. H. fJRIWTED BV HILL & MOORE. 1819. LET^ bell ing kx ence ; ai wh© hav Son of Gov. Allofthisdesei are here style heloved of Goo spirit of Christ in . and his people. Sut live to the things of been led by the Spirit o. to forsake all things for hn. The business of the prest or acquit you, of error ; but, t ment of the magnitude of the t^veen the Baptists and Pasdobapt. is of ancient date ; but of late, son FOF infants . tliose lustbe itution it did ia he YOU, od , (as . great 1 among a, to admit i^ould so per- iDother ttiing. tptists say) 1hat nose Gonstituiion ^, belongini^ to the nese, would make a landment and pattern A' Christ would beccne -e very much force in Mr. e can be no coiJiprcmise he- '.. t p. 246. :j: p. 248. J p. 298, 299. Deut. 18. 15, 19. 9 ing" controversj might soon slumber in peace. But it is the life of error to clip, or counterfeit, the king-'s coin. T« compel the Scriptures to say more, or less, than they do. You find, that God in his word, hath exprest himself in a clear, distinct, manner, in a way eas}^ to be understood. Truth is pleased with this plaia and simple dress. But error is always for show and mystery. She persuades the multitude, that the things of revealed re- lig-ion are so wrapt in a cloud, as not to be understood, feut by those who are adepts at discovery. This geuep- ally believed, the work of error is more than half ac- complished ; and the most adroit deceiver may lead o£f the largest company. This being the most prolific source of separating con- troversies, which have long disturbed and distressed the people of God, a short illustration of it may prove profitable to many. One preacher, or writer, proclaims what he knows, and then proceeds to asserting, imagin- ing, supposing, or guessing. A second and a third, to an hundred, do the same. This occasions a very gen- eral observation, and question ; "One tells us one thing, another a different thing. Whona shall we believe V You, Brethren, know, that it is the practice of both preachers and writers to publish what they know not. There may be exceptions, but this is a very general thing, with those who set up for leaders in religion. This has occasioned the whole mystery of iniquity. This is the only thing which prevents you, and your Brethren among the Baptists from running together in the things of the kingdom of God. Let your preachers and writers say and publish but what they know, and let the Baptists do the same, there could be no divisions, for truth hath not fiilen out with itself It is, therefore, im|"'0«sible, if ten, or ten thousand, should speak the truth concerning the things of the kingdom of God and ©f the Lord Jesus Christ, that there should be any dis- cord amongst them. It is hence evident, that all the controversies which rend the people of God andaiif;nate them t.Vom each other, arise from the incorrect asser- tion«, daring imaginations, bold suppoiitions, or pr*- 10 s'dmptaous guessings, of those who would be thought leaders of ^Gd's people. You may be ready with a very anxious question, What can we, hearers and readers, ^o, to put a stop to these nerer sufficiently to be deplored controversies ? The answer is equally ready. Be honest toward God and j^ourselves, willingly become fools for Christ and the gospel's sake, and the work is more than half do»e. For God by Isaiah, speaking of gospel times, says,* " An highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called the way of holiness : the unclean shall not pass over it ; but it shall be for those : the wayfaring men though fools shall Bot err therein." The fair exposition ■ ap- pears to be, that, in gospel times^ the way of gospel prac- tice, shall be so plain, that common Christians, or those who are willingly considered fools, for Christ's sake, may understand it, and that the unclean, the impenitent, have no portion in it. But you may reply, have not the greatest, the wisest and the best of men been always on the side of the Paedobaptists, and against the Baptists ? In the judgment of the v.'orld, it hath been thus ; and they were equally against Christ and his Apostles. This argument is a very principal one with the Papists and pagans, and it is also a favorite one with the Frotestaat Pasdobaptists at the present day. But, it is an argument which ver}'^ illy becomes a christian, and on which none can rely with. safety. All, who put confidence in it, trust to an arm of flesh, and have not yet cmsedfrom man. Yeu know this is quite a flourishing argument with Mr. P. He, speaking of the Paedobaptists, says, " They are the very Churches, which, as in every past age, are at the present time doing a hundred fold more to promote the cause of Christianity., than all their reviiers (the Baptists) ha\ e done. I am bold to aflirm, (says he) that the writings of o?ie individual of the Pcedobaptists^ the first President Edwards, are of tenfold more worth, than all the writings of j'^our denomination in this coun- try, from its first settlement to'the present day."t It may be, that, as we pass along, we shall be obliged * l.«aic..h 35. g, t p. 245, 24«. 11 t© see, and notice, some incorrect assertions^ daring imag- inations^ bold suppositions^ or presusnptuous guessings of Mr. P. Should he have employed no such weaknesses, but have told us the plain Bible truth, then will his book grow in our esteem, as we pass aiong-. At least, he maj'^be perfectl}' at ease, whilst it shall pass in re- view : for, if it be truth, it will, like pure gold, sustain no loss by passing the crucible. It has been an axiom with the Baptists, and a some- what general opinion with the Protestant Pasdobaptists, that the Scriptures of the Old aii^ New Testament are a swjfficient rule of faith and practice. This is still the theory of many Protestants, but the practice of none. Mr. Prime avows this sentiment, but denies it in the ■next sentence.* " Forms of worship or religious rites, says he^ are positive institutions ; and are, therefore, obligatory no further than they are explicitly revecthd.'^ This is very correct. But what is his following sen- tence ? " That the mode of baptism is so distinctly re- vealed, as to prove that immersion is essential to its due performance, we most unequivocally deny: and I pledge myself to establish the position." How^ he has perform- ed his pledge, we may see in its proper place. It is proper here to remark, that, if immersion be not reveal- ed as essential to baptism, we have not discovered, nor has he told us, where wre may find the application of water in any other way, essential to the due administra- tion of the ordinance. It thus appears, if Mr. P. be cor- rect, that what is essential to the due performance of baptism is not explicitly revealed, and, the inevitable consequence, from bis positioa, is, we are not obliged to the performance of it. Mr. P. will discern his mistake, and that but oae way is open for his safety, and that is, to join with the multitude of his Paedobaptist brethren in saying, that immersion is explicitly revealed, and nothing else, as the mode, or matter, of baptism. Whilst Paedobaptists generally confess the above, but practice differeatly, they claim the privilege of changing modes and forms to suit their own eonyenieace ; but Mr. P. * p. 252. 12 fcas committed himself, by confessing the truth, that " Formsof worship or religious rites, arc positive ivstitu- tions : and are therefore, obligatory no further^ than they are explicitly revealed.''^ To be entitled to self consis- tency, Mr, P. must conclude, that immersion is essential to a due performance of baptism, or that the administra- tion of the ordinance is not oblig-atory. Whilst Mr. P.'s errors will have no quarter, his per- son will be treated with respect. It is, however, not a very easy task so entirely to separate the man from his appendages, as to treat ♦he latter with severity, and the feelings of the farmer be in perfect quiet. Mr. P, is, doubtless, a gentleman in character, and is certainly a man of considerable talent, and has deserved well of his Brethren, provided zeal and labour, in such a service, deaiand praise. He certainly has managed his ca^jse vpith more adroitness than many, and is second to but few, if inferior to any, especially in positive declal^ations. It coald not have been expected, that he would have embellished his pages with many new ideas. All the sources of argument, for Paedobaptism, have been so re- peatedly explored, and with exquisite diligence culled, that nothirg new was to be expected. However, the principal artillery of his Brethren he hath placed, and worked to tke best advantage. If, therefore, it can be shown, that his ground is not tenable under these advan- tages, it affords, at least, a doubt, whether the Pgedo- baptists would not do well to relinquish their system. In one thing Mr. P. is deficient, not to say, faulty. H« has seldom, if ever, named page, or volume, where his quotations from the ancients, or moderns, might be found ; this may leave a doubt, in the minds of some, whether the quotations have not come through various hands, and lost the truth in their passage. For instance, " I have proved, (says Mr. P.) that the whole Church was Paedobaptist for 1500 years. Dr. Gill admits that there is no evidence to the contrary during 700 years."* No page, nor book is mentioned, where Dr. Gill hat ■aade the like statement. Now those, who are ae- ^p, 242. IS .^uainted with Dr. Gill, will imagine, that Mr. P. has quoted from some spurious production. Especiaijy when tney shall read what the Dr. has said upon this Yerj subject. Says thd^Dr. m his brief lliustratiotis, 6lc. Chapter ii. con. 4. " Christ has nowhere promised, that his doctrine and ordinances should not be perverted : • but, on the contrary has given clear and strong intima- tions, that there should be a great failing away, and de- parture from the truth and f}rdinances of the gospel, to make way for the revelation of Antichrist ; and though it will be allowed, that during this period mfant baptism prevailed,jet it did not universally obtain. There were witnesses for adult baptism in every age : and Christ had a c«UKCH#h the -wilderness^ in obscurity, at this time, namely, in the vallies of Piedmont; -i^'ho were, from the beginning of the Aposkicy^ and witnessed against it, and bore their testimony against infant baptism.''^ When gen- tlemen write for the instruction of the public, and suffer themselves to be so far misled as to quote Authors not merely incorrectly, but completely opposite from what they have written, they should very carefully mention page and volume, otherwise their own veracity may be questioned. Especially, when such instances occur frequently, as we shall be obliged to notice as we pass along. It may be displeasing to some of you, my Brethren, that it has fallen to my lot to enter the list of controver- sy with Mr. P. and it may be unpleasant to more that I have addrest my thoughts to you. Why should this give offence ? Was I not for many years, what you now are? Do I not know your doubts and diflicul ties more than many ? Am not I acquainted with the means by wl^ch you are prevented from looking at the subject with impartiality? Do I not know what it takes, to make a real Baptist, even the power of God, and that, sometimes, he uses means to effect it? If he have been pleased to make me one, and I have found the truth to have made me free ; then is it not a duty which I owe to ray God and you, to endeavour, that what I now am, you soon may be ? You know, that I have hazarded a 14 thousand hard, and evil things, to be said against me, for venturing to address you, on the present subject, and in this way. Even before you took these letters into hand, it may be, that you heard many bitter things against them, and their Author. But, Brethren, 1 beseech you re- member that to be disciples of Jesus will cost the for- saking of all you have, and your prejudices will be a part. I beseech you to remember one thing more: yeu are not absolutely sure that the Baptist system is wrong. They surely appear to hav^"" one symptom of being right. They have all manner of evil said against them Jalselif. Of which you may be more fully sensible, be- fore the close of the present discussion. Perhaps, by this time, the reader has made up his mii^d to proceed no farther. Well, sir, you will have many to join you. " For he, that doeth evil, hateth the light, neither will Gome to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved." Brethren, 1 have one more request. 1 beseech you, deny me not- It is, that you honestly and devoutly pray the Father of your spirits to keep you, on the one hand, ivom embracing error^ 'AVifk on the other, from rejecting th« truth. Truth is strong and will prevail. I know that with you is a mighty host, a potent arm of flesh. B'Jt, it may be, that, with the Baptists, is the Lord their God to help them. He may have heard the scoffs and the letter words which have been pronounced against them. It is mwch to be lamented, that the present controver- sy should have so divided the people of God. They ought to be united, and all rally, for the common de- fev.ce, round one standard, the standard of truth. God coaimands this, and says to his people, who are in that CO lununity, which is spiritually called Egj'pt and S|d- om,»' Come out of her, my people, that ye be not par- tak^^rs of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues/'* Whether the Baptist Churches, or the Pasdobaptist compose this community, the people of God there found, should come out. Then would the people of God be as ^Revelations xviii. 4. 15 an army with banners, and cease to wound each other t« the destruction of the wicked,asitis feared,they now do. There is but one way, which presents hope, by which this greatly to be desired object may be obtained. That way is, let each one, and the whole, cease from man^ and hearken to the Lord^ as dear children. Then shall they be of one mind and of one judgment, all speaking the same things, and no divisioas among them. Supposing this to be our present disposition, then am I ready to grasp the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God, and, by it, to attempt, in the name of Zi- on's God and King, to wrest, fiom my opponents, the ar- mour in which they trust. This attempt may occupy our whole attention in the following letter. For which »ay God prepare us, for Jesus' sake. I am, ke. LETTER III.. Belotfd Brethren, The question before us, for discussion, is bi*" with momentous consequences. It is more weighty, thnv h!1 mort li cr©wns and kingdoms The mifichty object song-ht is, whether the Paedobaptisr Churches' compriise the visible Church of Christ, tlie kingdom of heaven, or of God on the earth ; or whether the Baptist Churcht;8 m\ke up this community. If one does, the other does not. For, as Mr. P. says, '• If one is right the other must be wrong, and all attempts to unite th«m, must he as unsuccessful, as tne att^'mpr to weld iron and clay." You kaow, that the Paedobaptists challenge as th« joundation^ and Constitution of their Churches, whai they term the Mrahamic Covenant. The business now to be endeavoured is to lay the axe at the root of their pretensions, and, by the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, to show, that the gospel Church cannot be built upon the principles which they assume, as the ba- sis of their Churches. Since the Paedobaptists claim as the Constitution of their Church, the Covenant of Circumcision, which they name the Abrahamic Covenant, we cannot be too careful, fhat we understand correctly the covenant of Circumcision, which was made with Abraham and the Covenants of proniiise, which were revealed unto Abra- ham. That you may possess every help, which the Lord has giten, by which to understand these covenants, I may here set down all, which the God of Israel said to Abraham, relative to them, and what explanations the Spirit hath revealed in the Old Testament. These great things are thus related. Genesis xii. 1,2,3,7. "Now the Lord had said unto Abram.get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will show thee; and 1 will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be :i blessing. And I will bless ihem that bless thee, and curse him that curs- eth thee ; and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. And the Lord appeared unto Abram, and said, unto thy seed will I give this land : and there builded he an altar unto the Lerd, who appeared unto him." Genesis xiii. 14 — 17. "And the Lord said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art, north- ward, and southward, and eastward, "and westward: for all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed forever. And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth : so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered. Arise, walk through the land, in the length of it, and in the breadth of it, for I will give it unto thee.'" Chapter xv. 5, 6,7, and 14, 15,16, 18. " And he 17 brought him forth abroad and said, look now toward heaven, and teli the stars, if thou be able to number them. And he said unto him,sovs1iaU thy seed be. And he believed in the Lord; and fie} counted it to him for righteousness. And he said unto him, I am the Lord that brought thee out of Ur of the Chaldees, to give thee this land to inherit. And also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge ; and afterward shall they come out with great substance. An-d thou,.shalt go t(J thy fathers in peace ; thou shalt be buried in a good old age. But in the fourth generation they s|pa.ll come hither again : for the iniquity of the Am@rites is not yet full. In that same day thf. Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, unto thy seed have I givea this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates." Gen. xvii. 1 — 8. "And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the Lord appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect. And I v^v'ill make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly. And Abram fell on his face : and God talked with him, saying, as for me, behold my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations. Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram ; but thy name shall be Abraham ; for a father of many nations have 1 made thee. And I will make thee exceeding frn.itful, and I will make nations of thee, and kingf shall come out of thee. And I will establish my covenant between me and thee, andthy seed after thee, in their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee. And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stran- ger, all the hmd of Canaan for an everlasting possession ; and I will be their God. 9 to 14. And God said unto Abraham, thou shalt ke^p- my covenant therefore, thou and thy seed after thee, in their generations. This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you, and thy tism. Hence, ai>o, all, which Dr. Heed, Mr. Prime and their brethren have said of the covenant of circrjmcision being the covenant of grace, and containing ail the precious promises made to the Israelites and to the gospel church, is no mor^ th^n their presumplnons guessing : for it con- tains no promise, more tlsan it shall be a token of th^ covenant of promise. It is therefore this covenant of circnrnci<-ion, ^md this only, which, in the first instance, gave to Abraham and his tamily visible distinction finm all other nations and tril>es of the earth : and it is this covenant and can be no other, of which Mr. P. says, (|-age ?2,) "The covenant made with Abraham is the coKsrnuTio^ of the church — that compact which forms th< basis, or gives eoc'stence to the crmmunity." For the preceding co\enanis of promise contained x)o exprest CO nstihitiG?!, com pRCi^ or basis, which gave visible exr^t- ence to any new coi/imunity. Nor was there any such community in exi«;tence, or covenant revealed, by which to form it, till more than twenty years after the cove- nant of promise was confirmed of God in Christ. Hence all the credit and authority, which Mr. P. claims, from the beginning to the end of his b(fk, for the church- mcrnherskip of Jci^inh.. or * hrisiiun infants, on account of the covenants of promise, or any corcnant^ which existed prior to the covenant of circumcision, are mtrely imoginary. Whfn this covenant existed, it gave, (and we freely own it.) vi'^il'le form and comeliness to a nevy and distinct comnunity. But this covenant ha« nothing to do in giviisg form, or visible existence, to the gospel church. When Mr. P. and his brethren shall understand this, it is hopt d, that they will ingenuously confess it, and aHo vvilii " should be io- £3 terested in the covenant of promise of eternal life. Wc by no means say uut what God hath commHuded parents to tfach. their children the great things of God and their duty ; speaking to them of those Hiings when they rise up and when they lie down ; when they go out and when they come in ; giving tht-m iine upon line and precept upon precept. Nor do we say but what God has encour- aged us to hope that our faithful endeavors may be at- tended with his power and grace to the salvation of our - households, in the same sense in which he encourages all his faithful ministers to hope that a blessing may at- tend their labors. But what we say is, that God did not make any covenant of promise to Abraham, nor has he iiPthe volume of Revelation mentioned the like to any other mere man, that upon his faithfulness to bis house- hold, thsy shoJild ali partake of the great saiVrjtisn, Nor has be any where intimated, that their salvation was suspended upon their being circamcised or bnplized. Hence, if ah the promises whicb were made to Abra- ham and ail the covenants which were made with him, were equally made to and with ali pious parents since, even then, whnt manv very incorrectly assert would not be true, that God hnth suspended the salvation of the children after the llesh upon the faithfulness of the pn rents. Having viewed as carefully a? our abilities permilted all the promises and covenants, which were revealed and made by the Lord to, and with, \brfjham, this appears a fair, unequivocal, ^and irresi-tible conclusion, from the Old Testament, That provided the covenant uf circum ci-ion be the foundation of the P»dobaptist Church, as their most learned and strenuous preachers and writers earnestly contend, then their Church at best can be no more than a token of the true, regular and gospel Church. For we have found on indubitable evidence, th>it the covenant of circumcision was but a token of that covenant of promise, which includes ChrisI who is the foundation of the gospel Church, and his word, in ih& New Testament, the constitution. This evidence is doi'.hly g!]nrded — on the one hand, the covenant of cir- cumci^!fep was not made till Abraham was ninety ye^r^ 24 •Id and nine, whereas the exceedingly ^reat and pre- cious promise, which is the foiindation or chief corner stone of the gospel Church, was made to Abraham when he was seventj-five ; on the other hand, God hath pro- nounced the covenant of circumcision to be a token of the other. However, as the covenant of oircumcision is the ba- sis, or constitution, upon which Psadobaptist Churches must stand, or else crumble to the dust, like the baseless fabric of a dream, we shall carefully inquire what ex- planations the spirit of truth hath revealed in the '^e.w Testament. For v/e believe equally in the li^ew Tes- tament as we do in the Old, and if there he any thing ip either which will help them, we cordially 'wish them help. We are willing to go dowft,if they can go up upon the principles of the truth of God. Both eannot go up. One must go down. To examine the pretensions of our opponents a little further, we turn to the New Testa- ment, where we find the following passages to have some bearing on the subject. Acts iii. 25. ''Ye are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, say- ing unto Abraham^ and in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed." Acts vii. 8. " And he gave him the coveBant ©f cir- cumcision." Romans iii. 1,2. "What profit is there o{ circumcision? Much every way ; chiefly because that unto them were committed the oracles of God^ Chap. iv. 9, 10, 11, 12, 13. "We say that faith was reckoned unto Abraham for righteousness. How was it then reckoned? when he was in circuaicisior.'?or in uncir- cumcision ? JVot in circumcision^oxii in un circumcision. And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the right- eousness of the faith., which he had, yet being uncircum- cised, that he might be the father of all them that be- lieve, though they be not circumcised ; that righteous- ness might be imputed unto them also. And the father of circumcision, to th«^m- who are not of the circumcis- ion only, bnl who also walk in the steps o^ that faith of our father Abraham, which he had, being yet uncircujn- 25 eise8. For the promise that he should he the heir of the world, was not to Abraham or to his seed, through the law^ but through the righteousness oi faith.'^'' Chap. ix. 6, 7, 8. "iN"ot as thoug'h the "word of God hath takea none effect. For they are not all Israel which are of Israel. Neither because they are the seed o{ Abraham are they all children^- but in Isaac shall thy seed be called. That is, they who are the children of the Jlesh^ these are NOT the children of God ; but the children of the pro- mise are counted for the seed^ Gal. iii. 6, 7, 13, 14, 16, 17, 26, 27,28. 29. "Abraham believed God aad it was accounted to him for righteousness. Know ye therefore, thai they which are of faith the fcame are the children oi' Abraham. Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the lar/, being made a curse for us ; for it is written Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree. That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ, that we might receive the promise of the spirit through faith. — Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith no^, And to seeds, as of many^ hut as of one, and to thy seed, -which is Christ. And this I say, that the covenant that was con- firrii'^.d before o/GocZ 2w Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect. — For ye are all the children of God hy faith in Christ Jesus. For as ma- ny of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is nei- ther hond nor free, there is neither male nor female, for they are all one in Christ Jesus. And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abrahamh seed, and h&irs according to the promise.'''^ Chap. iv. 28, 29,30,31. "Now we, brethren, as Isaac urns, are the children of promise. But as then, he that wus born after the flesh, persecuted him that was born after the Spirit^ even so it is now. Nevertheless, what saith the scriptures ? Cast out the bondwoman and her «on, for the son of the hond woman shall not be heir with the «on of the /r^e woman. So then, brethren, we ar« not dbildren of the bondwoman, but of the/rce." 3 26 Chap. V. 2, 11. "Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you Bothing*. — And I, brethren, if 1 yet preach circumcision, why do 1 yet fiuf^er persecution ? i/ien is the offence of the cross ceas- edy Chap. vi. 12. "As many as desire to make a fair shew in the Jiesh, they constrain 3^0 u to be chxiimciscd, only lest they should suffer persecution for the cross of Christ.''^ Eph. ii. 12. "Ye were without Christ,being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the cov- enants of promise " Heb. vi. 12, 13, 14, 15, 17. "Be n®t slothftii, but fol- lowers of them who through faith niad patience inherit the promises. For when God made promise to Abrahanj, because he could swear by no greater, he sware by him- self saying, surely blessing I will bless thee, and multi- plying I wil! multiply thee. And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise. — Wherein God, wil- ling more abundantly to shew unto ihe heiis of promise the jmmutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath.'''' In these passages is contained the sum of what is said in the New Testament relative to the covenant of cir- cumcision, and of the covenants of promise. It is appre^ hended, that 3'our ministers will concede that, if the con- stitution of their Church be not found in the passages se- lected, it is not to be found in the New Testament. It is not, indeed, to be supposed, that they would look into the New Testament for the constitution of their Church since they do not for the members or subjects of which it is composed. On this point, snys Mr. P. " an explicit revelation (in the New Testament) would be altogether needless."* if all their writers harmonize with him, the enquiry might he here suspended upon the principle of their concession, that the constitution of their Church is not explicitly recognized in the New Testament. But a short consideration of these passages may not be un- profitable for you, nor without advantage to those, whose Church hath received her constitution from Jesus Christ an ] her visibility from the observance of Ai* ordiHancef . * .Page 21. 27: In these scriptures quoted, ih^ corenant of circum- cision appears a distinct thing from,ftiie covenant of pro- mise, though having a relatio^^#jthvii.. It aiso appear* that the principal adrantage of-jDircanacision was, that the oracles of God were committed to the circumcised : jet faith was reckoned to Abraham {or righteousness be- fore he was circumcised ; that the promise, tbflthe should be the heir of the world, was not made to him, or to his seed through the law, but through the rig|it&(iusnes»*of faith : and that he received the sign of circumcision^ a seal of the righteousness of this faith, which he had beiore he was circumcised. It is also evident, that even Abra- ham's children had no just pretension, on account of be- ing his^ to claim a right to the promise ; for '' They who are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God ; but the children of promise are counted for the seed.'^'' It is further manifest, that we Gentiles have no lair claim to be Abraham's children, unless we be of faith, and that the blessing of Abraham must come on us {hroa;;^h Jesus Christy that we may receive the promise of the spirit through faith. For the promises, which were made to Abraham, v/ere essentially made to Christ, and confirmed of God m Christ 430 years before the Sinai law was given ; and that we must be Christ's through faith in him. as all those profess to be, who are baptized into him, or we cannot be Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise. Those, who are of the above descriptions, are, as Isaac was, the children of promise, and, for the present, will be persecuted by those, who are born after the flesh, because they make a distinction between Vachorbd woman and the free and between their children. It is still further evident, that those who hold the covenant of circumcision as the basis, or constitution of their church, have no material profit from Christ's appearing in the flesh, but are in the situation of the ancient Israelites as to church state, and have the veil yet upon their mind, and thus escape per- gec^ltion, because, in such a practice, the offence of the cross ceaseth : and in this way they obtain their object, they make -a fair shew in the world, ajjd suffer "no perse- •iition for the cross of Christ. 28 The following conclusions appear to flow naturallj from what we have passed over : 1. That the constitution, basis or visible existence of the Pasdobaptist church cannot be that covenant of promise, which was confirmed of God in Christ 430 years before the law, for in that there are found n© rules, statutes, ©r ordinances, by which t© constitute any distinct, visible society. 2. That as it was the covenant of circumcision, which constituted Abraham's family into a distinctive form ; so it is a predilection in favor ©f that in practice, so far as circumstances permit, which now gives visible dis- tinction to the Paedobaptists. 3. That, though we may be Abraham's children and heirs according to the promise, yet no evidence appears, that our children can be Abraham's grand children, so as to entitle them to the same promise. 4. That the very popular idea, that circumcision is a seal of the covenant of grace, is a mere fergery, hav- ing no countenance from eiiher the Old Tesl'dment or from the New. The idea of infant baptism or sprinkling being a seal i?^, if possible, stili mofe absurd. 5. That circun>ci5ion was the seal of the right eovsness of Abraham's faith, and of no other person's, and thus was he distinguished by the Lord, as an example, or father, of the faithful. 6. Thai the Paedobaptist church is very similar to the ancient Jewish church, a mere image of it, with a few things dissimilar. 1 do not say that their practice is iike to that of the Jews ; but I might say, that their leaders have a similarity, at least in some particulars. " They reject the counsel of God against themselves, not being baptized with the baptism of John, which is the only ordinance of baptism which hafh the honour of being from heaven."* Also, in that " They shut up the kingdom of heaven against men ; taking a way the key of hiuis^leJ.ge ; for they neither go in thcmscWes^ neither do they suffer them that are entering^ to go in."i * Lv.ke vii. 29, 30— Matthew xxi. 25. t Matthew xxiii. 1.^— Lvk« xi. 52. 29 In our next, we may begin to hear Mr. P. express his sentiments with emphasis, and the nature of his evi- dence. May the spirit of the Lord guide me in writing, and you in reading. Affectionately yours. LETTER IV. Dear Brethren, Tlie controversy now on hand, and which may open as we proceed, is not merely a controversy be- tween men, between the people of God, but, on the side of the Baptist, or Pasdobaptist ; it is also against the counsel, word and kingdom of God. If the Paedo- baptists, in church building, are at an agreement with the revealed will of that grreat Prophet, of v.iiom Mo- ses in the law did write, then am I found, at least, ignor- antly fighting against God and his Christ. May the God of truth and grace prosper his own cause, and all who willingly defend it. Mr. P. on page 18, causes his Lebbeus to say, " I per- ceived from the method you pursued in the discussion of ihe subject 3'esterday, that the smaeness of the Je-wish and Ghrisiian churches is regarded as the foundation of i\\e\v whole, system/'' To which, on thi next page, he thus replies, ••' IVe do., indeed., consider the sameness of the church -ds the foundation of our scht/ne ; and, if this point is established, it is impossible to avoid the conse- quences. Your ministers are fully sensible of this, and hence their constant endeavours, by sopln-try and ridi- cule. h\ dogmatical assertions and empty declamations. 30 to make their people reject the sentiment.— The same sovereign act, that removed the one (church) establish- ed the other in its place, and on the same foundation." Thoug-h we are not altogether pleased with BIr. P.'s manner ei.expression, yet we are with his explicitness. If he can make his position good, we can easily dispense with his manner. But his declaration, that " The same sovereign act that removed the one^ established the other in ■lis place ^ and on the same foundations'''^ must be number- ed among his incorrect assertions ; it is, at best, but a bold guess ; for we have no swch account in the Bible. To prepare the way to prove the sameness of the two churches, Mr. P. tells us, " Infant membersliip was instituted in the ancient chureh 430 years before that law (the ceremonial) had existence." This is another of his incorrect assertions, for, as we have before pro- ved, there was, at that time, n© covenant revealed,which instituted membership in any church for infants, or adults. To gain upon his readers is^ doubtless, his ob- ject"; and another remarkable passage to the same point, is in pages 28, 29, where he makes the Bap- tist ministers express, by the mouth of Lebbeus, a wish, that the Pasdobaptist would not so frequently use the word seal in reference to gospel ordinances, " as it sounds Jewish, or rather popish in the ears of Baptists." To which he thus replies, "If they had said, it sounds too evangelical^ or apostolical for their scheme, they would have eome much nearer the truth : I am sure there is nothing Jewish in it, for the wore/ was never used under that dispensation with reference to religion. It is a term of pure gospel origin, and the apostle declares that it was applicable to circumcision, for he calls it a SEAL of the righteousness of faith. And as to its being popish, I shall only observe, that if that church had derivfid all its doctriues and precepts and maxims, and terms from the gospel, as directly as this term, it had never been the scourge and reproach of the christian world. I cnn assure you, my friend, we shall never lay aside gospel terms in condescension to the prejudices of the Baptist." 31 Mr. P. should, most certainly, be very sparing- of*fiL« accusations of sophistry. He here insinuates, that the word seal>) as applied to gospel ord, and with every living creature upon the eyrth^ that there should no m'v.^ be a geueral dehige, of this description ?| Is th? h.mv coven ?.:t of this description ? * Page 31.— t Pages 38, 39.— :{: Gea, ix. 32 "Ndf Nor was the original covenant made with Abra- ham. But Mr. P is correct in sajing, that the original covenant m«de with Abraham was not annulled by the ceremonial law, and also, that with this, and with n& other^ the 430 years correspond. But in his inference he greatly errs, for that covenant says nothing relative to church membership, mnch less, if less than tiothing can be, does it institute infant membership. Mr. P. presents, after having prepared the wa}-, five set arguments, upon the strength of whicl*, he rests the cause. To these arguments due attention should be paid, and full weight given. He thus states the First. " The first argument which 1 adduced in sup- port of that sentiment, (the sameness of the Jewish and Christian Churches) was drawn from the sameness of the covenant v,'bich the Lord made with Abraham and his seed, and that upon which the Christian Church is founded. I iinll make of thee r great nation^ and make thv name gr' at : and thou shall be a blessing. And I tn-ill bless them that ^'less thee ; and curst him that curscth thee. Gen. xii. 2, 3. Of this covenant, circumcision^ as I have already shown, was, in due time appointed the seal."^''^ This argument, upon which Mr. P. has spent much la- bour, and time, will occasion, unless it be in the dra- pery, but very little controversy between him and us. For we, at once concede, that the promise contained in the passage quoted, comprises the seed of the w-oman, which was to bruise the serpent's head, and so comprises the grand foundation of all our hopes; for all the treas- ures of God are laid up in Christ, and all the promises are in him, yea, and in him, Amen^ to the glory of God the Father.' But, that this covenant contained the con- stitution of either the Jewish, or Christian Church, or so much as mentions aught relative to infant membership in either, is what we cannet acknowledge without evi- dence. He has well proved what we have n© wish to deny; but that, which alone could make any thing for the sameness of the Jewish and Christian Churches, he has not proved at all. What he has proved has no more ^ Pages 39, 40. 53 apparent bearing upon his grand object, than it has u|^h Abel, Enoch and Noah's belonging to the Jewish or |^s- pel Church. They were sav.*d by that seed of the wo- man which was born of the Virgin Mary, and she was of the seed of Abraham. That ^ame seed was included in the covenant of promise, made to Abraham, Gen. xii. 2, 3, and particKlarly mentioned by Paul, Gal. iii. 16, and by which all that believe are ^aved, whether they belong to the Jewish Church, or the gospel Church, or to neither. What Mr. P. tells us at the close of the statement of his argument, that circumcision was appointed the seal of this covenant, requires no other reply, than it is to be added to the number of his presumptuous guessings. For he neither has shown us, nor can show us,' any such thing. Mr. P.'s very perplexing difficulty, and that of his Brethren, is in having never known, or in always for- getting, when they write upon the subject, that neither the Jewish^ wov-Ckristian Church is built, or constituted as to its visibility upon tl.'O co\enant of promise, or what some term the covenant of grace. This covenant might have been, and multitudes saved, and yet no Church ever built, had this been the will of God. But it pleas- ed God to have it otherwise ; he therefore chose after he had several times revealed the covenant or covenants of promise more and more distinctly to Abraham to man- ifest his pleasure, that Abraham and his household and descendants should be a community visibly distinct from the nations round about them. To effect this, God gtjve unto Abraham the covenant of circumcision. So it pleased God, in the beginning of the gospel dispensation, not only to manifest the same covenant of promise siill moro clearly, than what he had done to Abraham; but to add distinguishing ordinances, by the observance of which the community of visible Christians might be vis- ibly distinct from all thQ world besides We, therefore, with all readiness agree, that the Jewish Church is built, as to its visibility, as much upon the covenant of prom- ise, as is the Christian Church, and that is, just none at 5l\1 ' The distinctivencssj visibility, or perfect line of 34 demarkation of the one, takes its rise from the coven- anWjf circumcision, and is whollj dependant upon it. On the other hand, the distinctiveness, the visibility, or line of demarkation, of the other, takes its rise from the Baptism of repentance for the remission of sins, and is Tvhoil}' dependant upon that. The Lord, who gave the covenant of circumcision, which is a covenant of com- mandment, named, m ith perfect distinctness, who should compose the community, which should be separated by it. The same Lord instituted the gospel ordinance of baptism, and as distinctly pointed out the persons, who might compose the community, which sheuld be separ- ated by that ordinance. Let Mr. Prime and his Breth- ren understand this plain subject and be obedient^ and it w ill save them a world of very perplexing study. It will indeed cut the Gordian knot, and givejo}' on earth and in heaven too. This my beloved Brethren, would cause you and the despised Baptists, who are yet every where spoken again«t, to run together, Rot only into the name of the Lord Jesus, but also into his ordinances, with exceeding joy. You will by no means understand me to say, either that the ancient saints, or later Christians are not built on Christ, as their rock and everlasting refuge. Nor that the Jewish Church, or gospel Church, was not built upon the word of Christ, as revealed to his servants. For they were both thus built and each according to the distinctly prescribed form revealed for each. Had-* Mr. Prime understood thi? matter, before he wrote the lengthy detail of his first argument, he would not have told us, that " The children of believers are now born into the covenant,*"* and that " being born within the pale of the covenant, constitutes membership in the fold of Christ. And whenever a child is born to a believing parent, the moment, that it becomes a mem- ber of his familj^, it becomes connected with the Church, and is to be recognized as soon, hs it may be done by receiving the appropriate seal of the coven- ant." And then adds, ** This is precisely the light in * P:i-e 48. 35 which circumcision was regarded under the formejj^is- pensation.''* Yes, we know this to be Jewish, a^ it was rig-ht then ; it was the thing" commanded. But it is not Gisristian, nor right now; because under another dia^jensation, and not commanded. Nothing farther appears neces?ary, in reply to his first argument, yet a tew words, relative to an important subject, whicn he dvveils upon in the detail, may not be oui of season. He streagiy urges parental duty and parental faithfulness. Had he plac^id his persuasions wholly, as he has in part, upon the command of God, and upon the great and many encouragements given both in the Old and New Testament, that such fidelity may be crowned with success, they would have been very weighty, and highly deserving the attention of pious parents ; and calculated to administer solemn conviction to the callous hearts of ungodly parents. However, the good should not be castaway, on account of its being founded upon a wrong principle. To be sure, this en- couragement to parental fidelity does not appear to be any part of the covenant of proiaise^ or to grow, unless indirectly, out of it. For in that, there is no doubt ex- prest, or human conditionalit}^ iavolved. In that^ there is no if provided^ if so be, Abraham shall walk before me and be perfect, then wilt I bless him, and all the kindreds of the earth shall be blessed in fiim, that is in his seed, which in Christ. But God commands Abraham to be thus, and says, I know him. that he will command his children and his household after him, and tl^ey shall, Mr. P. before he closed, gave some symptoms, that he began to think in the same way, for in page 85, he illustrated the encouragement given to parental faith- fulness, by the expectations which may be indulged by a fiiithful minister of Christ. Here is the principle up- on which the Bible manifestly places it. Here would we meet Mr P. and encourage him to reprove his own de- nomination, aad ours also, ^ith a degree of severity. Mr. P.'s next argument is now to pass in review. ''Mj ^ Page Qi. 3G second argument, says he, is, that the same principles ot harness and obedience^ were required oi the Jewuh^ ihat are requirt^d of the Christian church."* This argument, as here stated, has never, to my knowledge, been depte^d, nor can it be, by any, who are suitabiy acquaint6(i >vith revealed truth. But then, it has no more be airing upon tue point in controversy, r.nd no moie proves the sameness of the Jewish and Christ- ian churches, than it proves that the families of Adam, Seth and Noah were each the same family. Of this, Mr. P. appears not insensible, for he hmiself, by the mouth of his iiciitions opponent, Lebbeus, directly re- plit'S, ^'Tbis argument proves nothing to your purpose, unless you cnn make it appear, that these principles of holiness and obedienee Tcere made the terws of abmission, or condition of a standing in that comniunityy To which Mr. P. personally, thus replies, " TAi> is precisely what I calculate to do.-' But in this he has failed ; utterly failed. But he has proved, abundpntly proved, what we have no disposition to deny, that the Israelites were commanded to be holy, and that they were under moral obligations to be devout, and not hypocritical, when they ottered sacrihces, and perform- ed other religious duties, which were enjoined by the ceremonial law. After turning the question mto sever- al sh-^pes, if by i-ny nteans he might work out an affir- mative answer, he cunfessf s. not in iuet so many words, but cle^.riy enough for af) to .understand, that a profes- sion of^holiness is ^'OT necessary to a standing in the Jew- ish church, cr to con'^titute membership in it. His Tvords are ^^ They were born mi (i the church,*" page, 122. Also in pagf* 65, he expresses himself a little m* re fully '•'• it is," says be, "* the being born tsDith^n the. pale of the covenant, that constitutes membership " This is exactly the truth, or^ at least, within eight days of it. FGr*the Jewish children, when horn, or when circumcised at eight jiajs old,vvere asabsoiuteiy mem'^'^TS of that commuDity which was eneircied hy the cowr- -it of circumcision, as they were at any after period of iife. *Page 86. 37 ^^ /^;: Indeed, BIr. P. contends, that it ^i* not th« ordin|Uice which constitutes membership, biit.'>'% which member- ship is recognized. A person m\s9\ become a memher of any society before he can receive, the badge or mark of membership."* Yon may indee^b^, a little surprised,' that a person of Mr. P.'s good i^ense, should confess all this, and a s^reat deal more, simiiarUo it, sgnd after all contend, ''that a personal profession of godliness, or that principles of holiness and obedience were rxquired^ er made the terms of admission^ or condition of a standing in that comm-nity."t You ought not to fault Mr. P. for not having argued, or done better; he has done as well as any man could. No man can do more, than make a contradiction look plausibly. He has done this : and had not his neighbour come to search him out, many might have deemed his system defensible. We p*^ r- fectly knew, and he might, in the outset, had he not possessed a predilection in favor of a system, which he too incautiously adopted, yet it must be a fruitless labour to endeavour to prove, tha^ principles of holiji ess and obedience were terms of admission, or condition of stand- ing in ci society^ into which were received, in its first formation, and according to its original and unalterable constitution, and by the command of God, the whole family, yes, all the subjects, of one cf the most potent princes of that day. The constitution required that- every male, not under eight days old, should be circum- cised, whether born in the house or bought with money. " And Abraham tosk Ishmael his son, and all that were born in his h©use, and all that were bought with his money, every male among the men of Abraham's house, and circumcised the flesh of their foreskin in the snlf- snme day, as God had said uato him. ''J This commu- nity, thus constituted and thus commenced, was more highly favoured by heaven, than any other portion of the great family ol' m">.n, for many generations, as is aluindantly witnessed by the writings of Muses and other prophets. No other nation had God so nigh unio them, nor statutes so just, nor laws so pure j and besides, Je- * Page 65.— t Page 86.—; Gen. 17. A 38 suifChrist, the only Saviour, was by types and shadow^, reve aled to them, as the efficacious sacrifice, who would come, and, by the sacrifice of himself, take away sin. Not only so, but they were exp^jcitly told, that in Abra- ham's seed all the kindreds of the earth should be bles- sed. To the renowned Abraham, and to this community as it grew into the Hebrew nation, God made many great, and very precious promises, and they are handed down to our day, for the instruction and comfort of all that love the Lord God of Abraham. Kere we might close our answer to his second argu- ment, v/ere it not, that he appears to bear rather hard upon the Baptists, for considering the Jewish Church to be in several respects typical of the Christian. In his 88th page it is thus exprest. ^* Now I ask you, where is there any thing in the Baptist Church, to answer to the type of infant membership in the Jewish Church? Such a distinguishing feature in the type, must be expected to have a corresponding feature ih the antitype. But where is there a shade oHikeness — the least degree of sim- ilarity 1 I defy Argus himself to discover the resembfanee. There is nothing corresponding in the antitype; that is, provided the Baptist Church is the true gospel Church," Were I to meet Mr. P. I might just observe to him, I have but two eyes, whilst poetic fiction attributes to Ar- gus an hundred, yet I seem to discover some resemblance. Abraham's seed after the flesh w^ere to receive, at eight days old, the " badge, or mark of membership in the Jewish csmmunity," and were entitled, by God's direc- tion, to receive much instruction. In like manner, his seed after the common faith of God\s elect, are to re- ceive, whilst babes in Christ, the baj3ge or mark of membership in the Christian community, and are enti- tled, by the direction of the Lord Jesus Christ, to be fed with the sincere milk of the word, and thus nourishc-d up, by the word of faith and good doctrine, unto eternal life. I might enquire, if there did n@t appear a shade of likeness^ some small degree of resemblance ? I am in- clined to believe, Mr. P. would admit the fact. Indeed, 1 am inclined to believe, that had he n© greater objec- tion against the Baptists, than the want of the above re- v«emblance, he vvoald be able to discover a considerable likeness between the type and the antii3'-pe, and would, himself, acknowledge, that the Baptist church had more favourable symptoms of bein?^ the gospel church, than his book seems to allow. We shall endeavour to re- move his dilliculties 0ut of the way, one after another, as they may occur in prosecuting the present labours. In page, 125. '-A 'third avo--r.Pnt, sajs ]\lr. P. in fiivour of thesunieness of lli:; ::, is derived i\om the application of the some ii..r;;vo a> express the rela- tion, between God and the church mider both dispensa- tions." To give this argument the best possible bearing upon the important subject in debate, he takes a number of the most kind and endearing epithets used in the Old Testament, by the Lord, towards anciest Israel, and some predictions, which have an appropriate application to the gospel church, and contrasts them with expres- sions and epithets, which are used in the New Testa- ment, to express the relation which the Lord bears to the New Testament church, and the kindness which he hath towards her. We have no disposition to gain-say the very tender and interesting relation, which God bore to ancient Is- rael, his chosen people, his peculiar people, which he redeemed for himself, and bare as on eagles' wings, to whom he was an husband and a God. Instead of deny- ing this, we are »filled with wonder, at- his excee^iiig kindness and long-suffering towards Israel, seeing she so often and so treacherously departed from the Lord, who was married unto her. But the time, at last, came, when he put her a-a-ay, and gave her a bill of divorce- 'iiient,^ and said, '^She is not my wife, neither am I her hii9- hand:'] All, which appears necessary, in order to show the inappiicableness of this third argument, is, to observe that, if a man have had two wives, and the first, by rea- son of her having treacherously departed from her hus- band, have received a lill of divorce, the tender expres- sions which he used, and the loving and lovely compar- " Ji'reHTiiahiii. 8. — t Hosea ii. 2. 40 i^ons, which he made with relation to her, while she continued his chaste and loving wife, have no aptitude to show, that the one put away for her treachery, is the same with the second, whom he now has ; and who is, in fact, chaste and lovely ; and of whom the husband now says the same things, as of the first, with many ad- ditions. The truth is, Mr. P. has undertaken to prove too much, and therefore it is, that he labours in vain for arguments ; for none can reach th? subject. Who would have thought, that a person of his knowl- edge in things civil and religious, would have undertaken to prove, that a chaste and loving wife, which any per- son now has, is the same with a repudiated, divorced wife, who was put away for her treachery ; and thgit the present one is but the old one continued ? What husband would helieve the thing to be true, merely from his having spoken very affectionately of the first, both in direct and figurative language, in the day of her es- pousal, and during her chastity ; and having, since her divorcement, made use of much the same language, with relation to the second : and suppose the husband should be told, that on account of the similarity of his expres- sions towards each, it was evident, that in his estimation, the two women were but one and the same, or that the second was but the first continued ; would he admit the position ? Yet says Mr. P. '•'•From the facts it is evident^ that in God^s estimaiion^ the church has been the ^ame in eroery o^e.'** It is rather pleasing, that Mr, P. should make u«!e of such arguments ; because it assures us, that he had no good ones at commaad. Were this the place for it, we would show, that the Lord's estimation is very different from Mr. P.'s suppo- sition. We would mention what the Lord saith, Isaiah liv. 13— Ix. 21 ; Jeremiah xxxi. 31, 32, 33, 34 ; Daniel ii. 44 — vii. 27 ; Ephesians ii. 15, &c. But instead of attending to this, Mr. P.'s next argument calls for our consideration. '• I now proceed," says he, " to a fourth argument in support of the sameness of the Jewish and Christian * Page 132, 4i churches, which is founded on the nature and design of the special ordinances of the two dispensations."* Because there is a likeness between the special ordin- ances of the two dispensations, it no more follows, that the Jewish church is the same with the Christian church, than it does, feecause there is a iikeaess between some special things in my family, and some special things belonging to my neighbour's, that, therefore, his family and mine are the same. But I apprehend, that Mr. P. would have the force of this argument to rest in the yiafure and design of these ordinances. If so, then we reply, as to their Viature^ there is a very great dissimi-. Irrlty. As to the tirst, one is passiiig under the knife in the Jewish dispensation ; the other, under water in the Christian. As to the second, it was, with the Jews, the eating of a lamb roasted with bitter he?bs and bread un- leavened; with Christians, ihtt eating of bread and drinking of Avine. But, the design of these institutions is of higher im.pert. That of circumcision was to mark the difference between Abraham's famih^, and all other fiimiles of the earth. That cf baptism to mark the di'-linction between Christ's family and all others. That cf tlic passover to bring to remembrance God's special mercy in sparing Israel, wliilst Egypt was destroyed. That of the supper to bring to remembrance our Great High Priest and sacrifice. Many more, and important things, may be designed, by these very ^reat and inter- esting institutions. But no one such design, nor all put together, show the differdnt communities practising these different institutions to be one and the same. No more w^ould appear necessary upon Mr. P.'s fourth argument, were it not, in the detail of it, he hath drop- ped some things which ma}'- mislead his readers. " Cir- cumcision," says he, '• was an external sign of internal grace ; — this is not circumcision which is outward in tbe tlesh. Baptism is called the circumcision of Christ. The place which they (baptism and circumcision) occu- py, is precisely the same. The latter was the jirst seal of the covenant. This, I have shown you, was the core- * rage 13S. 42 nant of grace. Baptism is now the first seal of the cov- enant (of grace,) by which membership in the Christian church is recogfnized, and 'without which., no person can be properly admitted to the Lord's table.*'* In this short quotation, Mr. P. has the following incorrect as- sertions. 1st. "Circumcision was ?iXi external sign of inter- nal grace." If so, it must have been, for ought he knows, almost uniformly a false sign ; for there is no direct eridence, that more than one of the circnmcised, appertaining to Abraham's household possest internal grace ; nor is there any evidence that many of the mil- lions of Israelitish infants, to whom circumcision was ap- plied, had internal grace. Besides, 2d. It is a contradic- tion to common sense, to say ^' that circumcision is an ex- ternal sig7i.,'^^ and yet " that circumcision^ which is outward in the Jlesh., k not circumcision." 3d. "Baptism (says he) is called the circumcision of Christ." It is not so sailed in the Bible. 4th. That " the place, which they (baptism and circumcision) eccup}'', is precisely the same." 5th. " That circumcision was the first seal of the covenant of grace anciently." 6th. "That baptism is now the first seal of the same covenant ;" and 7th. " That by baptism membership in the church of Christ is recognized." iVow this is ail guessing ; not a word of it, in the connexion, or sense, in which Mr. P. asserts it, is found within the covers of his bible. I would not so much blame Mr. P. for asserting and gues«ing (for I know the poverty of hi» system as to argument,) were it not that his thus asserting and guessing may do injury; leading and strengthefling the erroneous to per- sist in error< But to assert or guess seven times within the compass of about ©ne page, and prove nothing, is rather a heavy tax upon eur patience. " I will," says he, " only add here, that if baptism were not appointed by eur Lord in the room of circum- cision^ and so understood by the Apostles, then that rite was never abrogated bv Jesus Christ.f If the command to baptige did not supersede circumcision, the a our Saviour did not abrogate that rite at ail; and the Apostles acted witkout authoritj', in discontinuing it. "J * Pages 134, 135.-~t Page 136.— :{: Pages 138, 139. 43 Then circumcision is, in fact, not abrogated, if we may believe the principles which Mr. P. has laid iewn, pa- ges 20, 21. "It requires," says he, " the same authori'r ty to repeal a law, that it did to enact it. — When the Lord has once delivered a precept, not limited in its na- ture, we know, that it must be obligatory until he expli- ciily repeals it." The rite of circumcision was not limit- ed in its nature ; at least, not limited to begin or expire with the law as Mr. P. earnestly contends, and as we •admit. Therefore, if the Lord Jesus did not abrogate it by constituting the ordinance of baptism, it was never abrogated by him. Ke certainly did not then abrogate it, because, as Mr. P. says, "it must be obligatory until he explicitly repeals it." It cannot have been repealed by any other person, because, as Mr. P. says, " it takes the same authority to repeal a law, that it did to enact it." Hence, if we may believe Mr. P.'s reasoning, and we are not disposed to contradict it, for it gives us pleasure to agree with him when we can, the rite of circumcis- ion is not abrogated. This does, indeed, appear to be the fact ; and to it, manifestly agree the reasonings and the judgment of the Elders and Apostles, at Jerusalem : Acts, 15th and 21st chapters. To be sure, the rite, if not abroga- ted, and so of necessity in force, had no bearing upon the Christian church ; for it seemed good unto the HolyGhost, and to the Elders and Apostles, that the Gentiles should not be required to be circumcised after the manner of Moses. Nor indeed to observe baptism, or any other rite in its room, for, say the Apostles, Acts xxi. 25, '••As toiiching the Gentiles who believe, we have written and concluded^ that they observe no such thing." At the same time, many thousands of Jews, who believed, %vere zeal- ous of the law, at least, of the law of circumcision. Hence, Mr. P. and the scriptures, appear to bring us to the following conclusions. 1. That the rite of circumcision is not abrogated. 2. That, as circumcision was not ordained for the Gentiles, Gentile believers should not observe it. 3. That if infant baptism came in the room of circum^ cision, yet Gentile believers hnve nothing to do w'tb it, for tl.py we 5 6 to oh^srve no such thing. 4. That Jewish believers were for a considerable 44 iiaie inouig-cd in the practice, though not ebhgated to the observance, of circumcision. 5. That unbelieving Jev.s are yet bound hj the law of circumcision. This is probably the truth. For oth- erwise how would the predictions, which relate to Ju- dah and Israel, have a known accomplishment. Cir- eumcisicrn had no dependance upon the ceremonial law fsrits origin, it appears not to be dependant upon that law for its continuance. Circumcision was necessary be- fore that lavi^, it appears necessary since. 6. That the Jewish Church, though divorced from the Lop<^, and her house left desolate, yet appears to retain her visibility, and upon the principle, or constitution, Vfhich first gave her visibility. 7. That professing Christians, who say, they are Jews, or the Jev.-ish Church continueJ, are not.) but must lie. V ::\. ii- 9. — iii. 9. 8. That the only plausible plea for infant Baptism is come to nothing, and worse. 3Ir. P. has but ene more set argument to present in favor of the Jewish and Christian Churches being one and the same, and that he snys '"' is drazcti from the ex- press declarations of scripture.'^ To this argument we wish to pay due attention, for we know, that by the scriptures, ail our professions and actions must be weighed. The texts, which he sets down as express declaration^ of the unity of the two Churches, are 1. Matthew, sxi. 43. '^ The kingdom of God shall be taken from you and given to a nation bringing forth th2 fruits thereof." " The kingdom of God, he says, cannot here mean the gospel church, for that was not yet organized : and even admitting that it had been, these unbelievers did not possess a standing in it^ and therefore it could not be ta- ken from them.''t Here he has two things very contrary from scripture ; and one very much against himself ; unless he means to tell us that the gospel church was never taken from the Jewish nation. For he here pronounces, that it could *Pa§e 14S,— t Page 144. 45 ttotbe taken from them, unless they had a standing in it. He elsewhere declares, that the Jewish nation was ex- communicated before the gospel church was organized^ and therefore they could never have any standing in it, and hence according to Mr. P. the gospel church could never be taken from them. Surely the Jewish ehureh state does not appear, either to be taken from them, or given to any other nation. For they are as much a visi- ble people, and as much in a church 5tate, according to Mr. P.'s definition of a church, (being called out and sep- arated from others) as they were before the law wag given ; and perhaps as much as they were in the seven* ty years' captivity. Hence, his text is nothing to his purpose. Mr. P. ought to have known, before he entered the deep waters of church controversy, that the Jewish church, or nation, is never called the kingdom of God, ©r the gospel church, or by any other name, which char- acterizes it as the peculiar people of that Prophet, which Moses in the law* did say should come. Had he knowQ ^either the old Testament or the New, with relation to the gospel church, he would Hot have told us, that the gospel church could not be taken from the Jews, unless they had a strmding in it. For both Moses and the Prophetsinformf «s, that they, were to have no part in it^ but to be excluded from it, unless they were righteous, taught of God and heard Jesus Christ.! In telling us, that the kingdom of God, the gospel church, was not yet organized, he errs, not knowing the scriptures. For a considerable time before this, John the Baptist, who was certainly equal to Abraham, had come and made ready a people prepared for the Lord/f If Abraham, by the command of Go^, could circumcise his household, and constitute them into a church ; could not John, by administering the counsel of God^ the Baptism from hea- ven, to the penitent, the Lord's spiritual household, con- stitute them into the gospel church ? If he, of whom Christ testifies, that among them, that are born of wo- men, there hath not risen a greater prophet than John the * Deut. xviii. 15, 19.— t Deut. xviii. 15, 19. 3x. 21— John, vi. 45.— -ij: Luk©, i. 17. 46 Baptist, could not organize the g^ospei churcb ; yet did not Jesus Christ perform this, when he called together his disciples, whom he would, and of them chose, and or- dained tvyelTe, ih^ threatened to be takea from the Jews. For Christ s;:ii(h, Mat, xi, 12. ''From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven suffereth violerice, and the violent take it. by force ;" and in Luke xvi. 16. '*The law and the prophets were until John : ^ince that time the kingdom of God is preached and eve- ry man presseth into it.'''* Also, When he was asked by the Phaiisees, when the kijigdom of God should come, he replied, that it was within them, that is, it was then amongst them ; or in Judea though they knew it not. Thus perfectly plain is it from the word of the L@rd, that the kingdom of heaven, the gospel church, was then organized, yet the blind' Pharisees could not be- lieve it, nor submit to it; for, whilst all the people who hearkened to Christ, and the publicans justiiied God, be- ing baptized with the baptism of John, the chief priests and elders of the people could not tell whether John'^ baptism was from heaven or of men, they therefore, Avith the Lawyers, the Doctors of Divinity, rejected the ooungel of God against themselves, not being baptized of him.* To these scribes, Pharisees and chief priests Jesus said, ''The kingdom of God shall be taken from you and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits there- of." Upon these cavilling leaders and priests, for their ignorant perversions of the scripture, and deceptions imposed upon the people, with respect to John's Bap- . tism and the kingdom of God, Christ pronounced heavy vvoes, saying, " Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men : for ye neither go in yourselves ; neither suffer ye theui that are entering^ to go i/i."t To the Law- yers, tlae teaching priests, wlio had so deeeived the peo- ple, as to John's Baptism, and the subjects Ijf it, that they * Lukie Yii. 29, 30— Mat. xxi. 23, 25.— t Mat. x\iii. 13. 47 knew not what io Relieve and do, S'^sus «^id, *'Wo6 yfilo you Lawyers ! (for ye haTe taken away the k^@y c^l'j^nowU edge) ye entered notin yourseiveF-, ^x^thitn]ihu.i vi^re entering in ye hindered."* It is easy >to i]iscoy.^r why such cavilling priests should be nnacqitainted with the Mngdon\ of God, and why publicans and harlots might be expected to enter it before then>,t It need hardly to fee mention oJ to yon. that the king- dom of God and of heaven, the s:ospei Ch\irch, miiBt of necessity have been 3s'^t up when I'hris-t s-jys, " It v, as suffering violence, (from Herod and the Scribes, Phari- sees and chief priests,) men were pre??ing- into it: it was in the midst of them -, and the priesf^ were ergy;;cd to keep the people in ignorance of it, and from entering into it. Nor was it otherwise, than what mie.lit hare been expected, that God would remove the go;| ci church from among such hardened cpposers ; ar;d send upon them judicial blindness. Blay God open the eyes of Mr. P. and his Brethren, before a similarly awful curse shall be pronennced against them, and npnn onr guilty land for their sakes. It is perfectly oh'Tkious, thit his great design is to take away the keij cfkiiowledgc^ and to prevent men from entering into the king>tree? Seeing that both root and branches of this good djo^e tree were of their nation, and first constituted intsi'^a church among* them. Seeing also, that it was first senr to them, and the great Husbandman was one who had been, in a very peculiar sense, their God, and the grr^at ovv'.^er and disposer of the whole, was, as man, their kin of blood, and of their royal line, and was born to be king-, and had made a great feast amongst them, and shovtn IMP greatest friendship towards them, and strong * £im. ii. 15. 55 ly urg^ed their attention. How mu®Ii more shait these, though now out-cast Jews, which be thus, the natural branches, be graffed into the olive tree, which is, in the above sense, their own ? Surelj they shall be graffed into their own olive tree, the kingdom of God, the gos- pel church, which Jesus planted by the ministration of John, not by JVIoses, though he wrote of it. Then shall they no more reject the counsel of God, which is the baptism of John, against themselves. They will then no longer pretend ignorance of the origin of John's bap tism, nor claim a privilege in it from their being Abra- ham's children ; but they will then know, that the Bible reveals but one baptism, as a Christian ordinance, and that no person has a right to it, but those who are Christ- ians, or who are the children of God, by faith in Christ. Then will the}' gladly be a constituent part of the good olive tree, which was, at the first, composed of the bap- tized, believing Jews in the land of Judea, but which has since spread and become great, like the mustard tree, and then shall they thankfully partake, with the fulness of the Gentile nations, of the root and fatness of the olive tree, the gospel church, or, it may be more cor- rectly, of the gospel itself. It is indeed a wonderful thing, that such an olive tree should be planted in our world, make its first stand in Judea, be so long and so obstinately rejected by the Jews, and that they, at last, should be brought to em- brace it with exceeding joy. With respect to this very matter, Paul says, verse 25, I would not brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, (lest ye should be wise in your own conceits,) that blindness in pjiW is happened to Israel, nntii the fulnes« of the Gen- tfles be co!no in. Nor, brethren, would I have you ig- norant of this wonderful and precious passag«», which, if ^od may give you justly to apprehend it, 'vili not only settle the controversy about the unity of the ancient Jexvlsh and the lat^r gospekchurch, but will also show you what the gospel church is, and that you should speedily join it, re^iirdless of the reproach. Have we not nr-i^rn to believe, that blindness in part hath happened lo Mr. P. and his brethren, whilst they can produce such a pn=sage ns thi?, suggesting- that it is an express declarotion of scripture of the unity of the Jewish an spirit, and baptized with the baptism from heaven, IN the river of Jordan, confessing their sins ? It has appeared unnecessary to follow Mr. P. in his various remarks and iHihtakes, relative to the 11th of Re- mans. It was sulilcient for our purpose to exhibit the truth: that, when seen, will put down error. However, a few of his unguarded, or erring, expressions may be noticed for his good, for we sincerely wish him one of the richest blessings, the purchase of the truth, at the expence of his errors. He does not appear so wilful- ly errcufOiis, as he is mistr.krtigly so. He has seen, through a misguiding medium, many things, which we have passed over, and many which we may yet notice. We may here ju-t remark the following mistakes. 1. Says he, page 159, " The good olive tree, with its holy root, was planted in the calling of Abraham, and his posterity are the natural branches.*' If Paul had been of the same mind, he could not have told us, "If the root be loiy, so aret/ubrarche?.'' Fimg, falling and be- 57 ing cast away, but not of their being broken off. We read of some elect branches, which were oiice incorpo- rated with the corrupt, and cast away Jewish tree, ©r church, being broken off, and ©f these branches being the first fruit ; and of Gentiles being graffed in amongst tbese holy branches ; which Paul terms the good olire tree ; into which the infidel Jews, when converted, shall be graffed. It may be said to be their own olive tree^ because when first a tree, it was not only found in Judea, but wholly composed of their brethren. Could Mr. P. and those of his brethren, who are holy branches of the root Christ, understand this important truth, they would cease their present controversy, and, knowing that the gospel church is not the Jewish church continued, but constituted out of the remnant^ the election^* the holy branches^ which were broken off from that corrupt and divorced church, would joyfully embrace the good olive tree, the gospel church. We are no where told, in the Bible, that the Gentiles are graffed into the Jewish tree, or church, nor that the Jews shall ever be graffed into that charch ; but that the Gentiles were, and that the Jews shall be, graffed into a very different community, among a people, who are taught of God, all righteous, at least all professedly so.j 3. " There is, (in this passage, says Mr. P.) a number of verses about the sameness of the Jewish and Christ- ian churches, which establish most conclusively, the propriety ©f infant membership under the present dispensation. This is all the evidence we wish to de- rive from the passage ; and this is so plain, that all the sophistry of your denomination cannot obscure it from tho€e who think for themselves, and understand what is, and what is not, logical reasoning." Here our author affords us nearly as many mistakes as lines. He tells us, first, that there is, (in Romans xi. 15 to 25,) a number of verses about the sameness of the Jewish and Chris-, tian churches. Secondly, that they establish, most con- clusively, the propriety of infant membership under the present dispensation. Thirdly, that this is so plain^SiC, * R«man3 xi. 5, 7 t Isaiah liv. 13— Ix. 21. 58 Siirelj there is no need of sophistry to show, that Mr. P. is very wide in his calculation. For tiie very first verse of the passage assures us, that the Jewish church was cast away. The second verse, taken in its connec- tion, tehs ns, that the gospei church was composed of the first fruits of the gospel among the Jews, such as were converted to the Lord, or made holy. The third verse mforms us, that this remnant, this elect few, who heard .r Jesus Christ, were excommunicated by the envious Jews, or otherwise broken off from them. It also appears to be equally hostile io infant membership, as to the unity of the t\vo churches. For it informs us, that the goppel church, in ihejlrst fruity or in its small origin^ in its fullness, in its roo/ and branches^ is holy, or made up of the manifest children of God : the plain, lo- gicial reasoning is, that infant membership, comprismg our children who are born of the liesh only, is of neces- sity excluded. May the Lord give you, my brethrea, and jour teachers, to understand this passage better be- fore they write again. Mr. P. from adopting a number of false premises, ap- pears very naturally and manifestly to be led to adopt a multitude of false conclusions. The following false pre- mises have impelled him into many of his erroneous no- tions, and serve to fasten him and his brethren in their anti-gospei scheme. 1. That the Jewish church was excommunicated, and that too from itself : which is an absurdity.* For they had before agreed to put out ail believers,! from their sj^nagogue or church. 2. That the same sovereign act which removed the Jew'ish church sat up the gospel church. | Whereas the gospel church, the kingdom of God, was set up within the Jewish church, § persecuted by the Jewish church, and taken from the Jewish churcb,'Tr whilst that church . remained entire, and as distinct from the gospel church, as now does the woman, who sits upon many "Oi-aters, re- main entire and distinct from the woman who was driven into the wilderness. * Pasje 13P. — t John ix.22 — Mat. xxiii. 13 — Luke xi, 52.— X Pa^e^lSg.— 5 Luke xvii. 21.—^ Mst. xxi. 43. 59 3. "That the lump ofthe Jewish nation, or ch^ircb, was broken off from the Jesvish church." Wher-'w-, it was the few holy branches^ which were found in her, that were broken off fiorn her. He savs, " That the apos- tle declares, that the imbelieving Jeiscs are broken off from their own olive tree, anri were broken off frcni that into which the Gentiles were graffed :'* and that -'It is cxpressiy declared, that the_y are to be graffed iiito the original stock from which they were broken off. '* Now all this, which onr Author so roTjndi^ assert?, and no doubt believes, IS all mere guessing. The Apo.stle sa^s no sucJi thing. The unbelieving Jews were not broken off from that into which the Gentiles were graff- ed: but the believing Jews were broken off from the Jew- ish church, and the Gentiles were graffed in among these believing, these holy branches, after they had been broken off from the Jewish tree, or church, and formed or constituted, into the good olive tree, the first gnsjjel church. Into this good olive tree, in which tne intidel Jews never were, and from which they were nev- er '.roken off, are they to be graffed in, when God's set time for their conversion shall come. Mr. P. has presented us with but one more, of what he terms express declarations of scripture in favor of the unity ofthe Jewish and the gospel churches. This is in Ephesians, ii. 11 to 22. In treating upon this pas- sage, Mr. P. does little more than repeat some of the same mistakes into which his erroneous system hurried him whilst considering the preceding passage, and which we have already detected. Little therefore ne?d be added, and perhaps nothing would have been neces- sary, were it not for three things. First, Mr. P. s;^ys, '' that he has shown by several express texts of .scrip- ture, that the Jewish and christian church is essentially the same: and that some of these express texts all 'he inge- nuily of the baptist church have not been able to expiain awa\."t Second, "That if human language can expv^ss the unity of the Jewi-^h and christian church, it is here expressed.'" Third, There af^pears a very express and * Pages 164, 166, 168, 161.--tPage 174. 60 palpable untruth between Mr. P. and the Apestle Paul. -i? to the ilrst, we readily concede, thata/Z the ings- nnity of tiie baptist church is not equal to the task ; but we s ij that the spirit of the Lord Jesus is able to discov erto a child that no one of all his express declarations oi scripture expresses any such thing as he has, with much labor, endeavored to compel them to testify. As to the second, this passage says nothing about the unity of the Jewish and christian church. Paul tells the holybrethren of Ephesus, verse 12, That they, were, in time past, alien?5 from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants, (not covenant* as Mr. P. expresses it) of promise ; but (verse 19,) are now fellovv citizens with the saints, (that is with the holy brfiiiches which were broken off t) and of the household of God: thiit is, of the gospel church, or of the good Olive tree, into the which they were graffed ; as were alao the Eonjan converts. As to the third, Mr P. says, "If human ' language can express the unity of the Jewish and Christian church, it is here exprest by Paul." Paul says, verse 15, that "Christ abolished m his death the enmity^ even the law of ceirimaadinents.. contained in ordinances., for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace.'''' Now Paul had before explained, in Romans xi. 17, how -Ms gne new man hud been made of twain: how that some of the holy branches, (not all, for some were the7i disciples secretly^ as well as now) were broken off from the cast awiiy Jewish tree, or church, and with them Gentile c^"! verts were graffed in, and with them did partak^ of the root and fatness of the olive tr( e. Here the irat- ter, as exprest by Paul, is so plain, that common travel- ler? in the gospel rond need not err. Of twain, of con- verted Jews, and converted gentiles, Christ hys made in himself one new ma7i. Mr, P. says it is the olh man^ with some external alterations. The Apostle sa}s it is a y.Kw man. ?Oay the Lord soon tnke away the veil ; then this con- troversy between Mr. P. and the Apostle of the Gentiles, *?a§e 174. — tivotu. xi. 17. 61 and between the professed Jewish church continued, and the gospel church, will speedily terminate. •* I shall only add here, says, Mr. P. that the idea of a two fold, but essentially the same churchy runs throug'h the Apocalypse."* I confess it strange, that such an idea should run through the Evangelists, Epistles and the Apocalypse, and yet no one place to be found Avhich, when examined, appears to contain any such idea, but directly the opposite. The truth is, our author's labor, zeal and diligence are worthy of a better cause. He has done what he could ; but, as yet, appears to havo proved nothing. Beloved brethren, examine for yourselves, examine for the truth's sake ; for God, not for a party. Foi iliC truth of God, and the honour of Jesus of Nazareth, are deeply interested in this controversy. Either 1 am pleading against God, and perverting his word, or 3'ou have been taught, by your erring prophets, tc^ believe very erroneously. In the Apocalypse, or Revelations, there is not mefe- ly an idea of a two-fold church, but emphatically, two churches or communities. Both claiming to be the gos^ pel church. One is avowedly built upon the very prin- ciules for which Mr. P. and many of your learned priests Yery zealously contend, upon the covenant of circum- cision. ^'She sits upon a scarlet coloured beast, and upon many waters, ruling over the kings of the earth, and says of herself, I sit a queen, and am no 'widow, and shall sec no sorrmd.'^'^ She claims to be the universal church. The other has ever been a little tlock, hated by the world ; ];-isbeen in the wilderness most of the time since Jesus ascended to heaven ; been little known in the world, but despised, reviled, and persecuted by the great, powerful, and learned advocates of that church, which professes to be the Jewish church con- tinued. For this little, abused church I pl*=ad ; for the other Mr. P. pleads. God be gracious and prosper the ri>r!U. Fao-eni. 62 if you have read Mr. P.'s book, you have seen some of the reproaches and hard censures, which he has un- sparingly cast upon the baptized church of the Lord Jesus. We have p^st over numbers of them in silence. But in that part of his book, which is to occupy our next attention, there is such a quantity of false accusations and unprovoked abuse, that we shall need much grace and patience not to cast back the imputations where they, justly belong. Had he lived in a day and in a country, where truth was proscribed, and its advocate, by law a criminal, his book would be very much, what might have been expected. May you and I examine carefully, reprove with meekness ; and buy the truth at the expense of our errors. In the mean time, I am Your willing servant, for the truth's sake. LETTER V. Beloved Brethren, YOU are born of God, and beloved by him. There are seasons in which the honour and truth of God are the j©y of your heart. Could the gospel highway of Chris- tian duty be opened plainly before you, whilst your heart should be glowing with divine love, you would be constrained to cast away every traditionary garment and come to Christ, and with joy follow him through evil as well as good report. Our united prayer should be, that these letters may come to hand whilst your minds may be light in the Lord. So shall you know how to choose the good and refuse the evil. 1 know the unpleasantness of doubting the correctness of our chosen system, and the pain and reproach of changing. But, if your system 63 be not of heavenly origift, you have travelled too long in it, and the sooner relinquished the better. My request is, that you be heartily wilUng, and devoutly careful, to buy the trutk^ and that you sell it not. You must ju']ge for yourselves, whether all Mr. P.'s arguments, which we have noticed, have been shown to be illy founded, whether they be all built upon error, and contain nothing but appearance, no reality. If he have one text of scripture in favour of his scheme, there can be none against it. For the word of God is not yea and nay. It would be infinitely derogatory to the Lord to have his word found for and against the same thing. Many of the Pasdobaptists acknowledge too much, ei- ther for the honour of God, or for their own. Mr. P. is more correct, he says of the two systems, " if one be rights the other must be wrong.'^'' If there be one word of the Bible for sprinkling, or for baptizing, visible un- believers, upon the faith of others, for the gospel ordin- ance of baptism, the whole is for it. You should there- fore no more say, " The Bible appears as much for the Baptists, as for us," for the bible is not deceitful in its appearances. If it be any for the Baptists, relative to the subjects in debate, it is all for them. Nor should you any more say, with relation to the gospel Baptism, " One drop of water is as good as the ocean." This is trifling with the ordinance, and with him who appointed it IC he hath commanded a drop^ it is greatly erring to use a fountain. If he hath commanded immersion, it is solemn trifling to use a drop or to sprinkle. If, we mistake not, we have met every argument up- on which Mr. P. has appeared to put confidence, and shown that they were not founded either in scripture or reason. We have in no instance, avoided any of his ar- gufflLents, through fear; nor have we knowingly treated any one of them with prevarication, or sophistry. We shall now proceed to meet other of his assertions and ar- guments. May the Lord prepare both you and me to give them all the weight which they merit, and to be de- ceived by none^ Whilst we may find Mr. P. very posi- tive and severe, if he have the truth with him, he may He justified in the one, and we have no occasion to com- 64 plain of the otker. But should we find that he has mig- 9eu th€ truth in every instance, his condition will not be eijviabie. He has, as he no doubt imagined, shut us out of the Bible, aiiowing us no place there ; his object now is, to allow us no place in the Christian world, and to pre- vent us from receiving any countenance from ancient history. In page 175, he tells Lebbeus, " That his precise mean- ing {by what he has observed) is, that there were no Bap- tist Churches m the Chnstmn 'world previous to Zuing- ]ius and Caiviu." There is probably more truth in this saying than even Mr. P. himself will readily admit. Let it be a little varied, and ne admit it true. Let it be va- ried thus, " There were no Baptist Churches in (what is called) the Ghristian warld^ previous to Zuinglius and Calvin, nor have there been any, in the same Christian world, since, even to the present day." Let it stand thus, and we have no objection to it ; we fully believe and ad- mit the fact. We know that the Baptist Churches were, from their origin, not of the world, but chosen out of it, ■and hated by it. We also know from the ecclesiastic his- tory of what is termed the Christian world, as well ai from the Bible, that when the world became Christian \)y the VOTE or mandate of tbe Roman Court, that the Church of Christ was persecuted by the beast which was, and is net, and yet is. That is, Roman pagan, which used to persecute the Christians, was put down, and so was noi the pagan power, or beast; but yet this same power or beast, imder a new name, existed ; and now under tbe very specious name of the Christian world, pursued the same business of killing the saints of God, not because thej^ were Christian?,but because they would not be 50 good Christians as the Christian world, so cal- lecl, had commanded all men, at least all professors, to be. Hence arose tbe anathemas^ the c^irse.?, against all those who were such vile Christians as DOt to have their Chil- dren haptized within the time prcKcrt^ed, or before they were one year old. By thisfir,rce persecution against the Baptists, or against those who held that the gospel ordi- d&nci s were for those, and those cnly, who mrniifestly possessed gospel hearts, were ihe saints of God driven 63 into the wflderness, into the place which God had pro- vided for them. Thus did .the Christian world drive from her presence those who -would not join her, and of whom she was not worthy. With these Baptists, of whom very many evil and bitter things were said then, as well as now, the Christian world was but little plagued even for 1260 years. Yet, at times, their sentiments spread in various parts of Europe, but by burning, hang- ing;, drowning or massacreing such as were, or supposed to be infected with them, the Christian world prevented a general or very extensive spread of these hated senti- ments, till the time of Luther. Then, as Mosbiem in- forms us, the Baptists arose (or appeared) in various countries of Europe, at the same point of time. But their origin, or whenee they came, he knew not. In- deed, "Their origin, says he, lies in the remote depths of etniiquity.'^'* These were so severely opposed, and so roughly handled by the furious and unrelenting opposi- tion of the Christian world, composed of Roman Catho- lics and reformers, that they, in measure, disappeared; and it is, but within a fe^ years, that they have gained any considerable standing in society : and even new the mouth of slander is widely opened against them. These two, the Psedobaptist church or christian world, and the Baptists, have ever becH distinct and separate commu- nities, since the existence of both commenced. Mr. P. is therefore more correct, than, at first view, we might have considei-ed him to be. Whatever might have beea his intention ; the fault, which we lay t© his charge, is, in not going far enough. He should have said, '• There were never any Baj^ist churches incorporated with, or belonging to the christian world." One solemn consequence appears irresistibly to follow, £r HKi the above observations, and from what Mr. P. and hiS brethren universally profess to believe: namely, If tbe PtEdobaptist church, or what is otherwise called the Christian world, be the church of Christ, then the scrip- iires cannot be tnie. For sue has never beer tlrivea v\i(i ■^lc?^hthv., vol, A, C ar 66 (he wilderness, kc. as the church of Christ was to have l)eeii, but has risen tiinmphantly over all opposition, and reigned over the kings nnd nations of the earth. She has, in fact, bpen nighly the opposite from what the scriptures predicted the church of Christ should be ; and has in her characier and conduct appeared very similar to the Mother of Harlots and lier daughters. It belongs to Mr, P. and his Brethren to do away this consequence if they be pble, otherniae they may find themselves in not the best company. But we will hear Mr. P. again, for he has yet many accusations to allege against the Baptists. In pages 175, 176, he rouudlj' asserts, "That there is not a w€»rd of truth in it ; that the Baptist church had ex- isted by a regular and uninterrupted succcssioYi from John the baptist. — Instead of going to the land of Judea, for the origin of your church, you need go no further than the city of Munster. And instead of regarding John the Baptist as your patron, John Bockhold, if not Thomas Miiiizer, is the legitimate founder (if the terni legitimate may be applied to a lawless fanatic) of your sect. Your Church is not as old as the Christian Church by almost 1500 years. — These facts are derived from any authen- tic history ofthe Church ; — the Baptist Church is a mere mushroom, that vegetates in the night, without seed or root ; and languishes and dies beneath the rays of the sun." As to the first part of this heavy account, " that the Baptist Church had not a regular and uninterrupted suc- cession frem John the Baptist," we are not very solici- tous to ansvv^er, further than to say, and from the author- ity ofthe Bihlv^, and by the mouth ofthe Lord Jesus Christ, *■' The law and the prophets were until John : since that time the kingdom cf God is preached, and every man presseth into it, Luke, xvi. 16 ; and again Jesus sailh, Matthew, xi. 12, From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence and the violent take it by force." I may add one text more, be- ing spoken by Luke, vii. 29, " All the people that heard him, and the publicans justified God, being baptized with the baptism of John." 67 From the^e texts, the following- things are certain. 1. That the kingdom of Gocl,caIled also the king-dom of heaven, was set up, constituted, or had actual existence, before, or about the time, in which John was beheaded. For, from or since that time, Jesus saith, this king-dom wae, by one party, persecuted, suffered violence from them, even so that they took it by force ; whilst others were fleeing from the wrath to come, and pressing into it. 2. That those, who were constituted into the king-- dom of heaven, or joined it, were precisely what we now call Baptists; for they were baptized in the river of Jordan confessing their sins. 3. That the P^dobaptist church, or what Mr. P. terms the Christian world, cannot be the kingdom of God, or of heaven, (unless he be very incorrect in the time and circumstances of its institution,) for he says, that the church to which he and his brethren belong, was com- menced just before Christ suffered, or not till that time. Whereas the kingdom of heaven, the gospel church was set up, not far from the commencement of Christy's min- istry. It will not do for Mr. P. to alter his dates, for that would spoil the succession of his Church from the Jewish, or destroy their unity. If he do not alter the origin of his Ghurch, it cannot be the same with the gospel Church, because their origin, and circumstances will be very different. Me is therefore reduced to this dilemma, either relinquish the notion of his Church and the Jewish being the same ; or no more claim to be the gospel Church. This will also cast him into another dilemma. If he give up the unity of the two Churches, his infant membership goes by the board. If he do not, both he and his infants, are members of a Church, but of a foreign one, n^t the Church of Christ. This re- duces him to a very narrow place, in which he must become what is now called a Baptist, or have no fair claim to membership in the visible kingdom of heaven. The next thing charged to our account is, ^' Instead of going to Judea, for the origin of your Church, you need (says he) go no farther than the city of Munster, And instead of regarding John the Baptist as your pa^ 68 ron, John Bockhold, if not Thomas Munzer, is the Je- gitimate founder of your sect." This accusation, which he dwells upon, and spends maey pages turning of it ever, that he maj^ blacken the character of the Baptists by associating the ra with the mad-men of Munster, sug- gests to my mind the wickedness of Nero, who sat fire to the city of Rome, and charged it upon the ChristiaRS, that he might set the common people in a rage against them. Mr. P. ought to have known somewhat mere of the tragic Munster scene, or to have said less. '4t was not the Baptist'^> who began that insurrection, but a Pasdo- bapti«t minister, of the Lutheran persuasion, whose name was Barnard Rotman, or Rothman, and the fanatical «cene was carried on by him and other Piedobaptists, for sometime before 4iny Baptist appeared to have any hand in it.*'* After the horrid scene had been commenced, and, for some time, been progressing, sonee, who were, at least, nominally Baptists, very indiscreetly joined ♦heir Paidobaptist brethren. As the affair, which ap- pears to have been a politicai one, succeeded not, the reproach must fall somewhere. At first, it was charged where it manifestly belongs, to the Lutherans, or to the Reformers ; but after being considerably bandied about, it appears to be, by general consent, laid to the account of the Baptists : with just as much propriety and for the same reason, for which the Christians were charged with setting fire to Rome ; because they are hated by the world, whether pagan, or, falsely named. Christian. This has not been meriioned thfit the reproach of that day might attach to Mr. ?. or to bis brethren. For the truth is, no person, now living, ovghi to bear reproaeb for the disastrous sccnenvhich transpired nearly three hundred years since. If Mr. P. have very ir/judiciously brought this affair to public view, and should be some- what mortjfied at having the truth disclosed, it may augment his future prudence. Fiis third assertion, that the Baptist church is not se old by one thousand five hundred years as is the Chris- tian church, we have already seen to b^ his mistake, fvr *Cr(>s. Nl?. Enz. Ear^. rr-f. p. 25- . 69 we have proved it to be of the same a^e, and the same thing ; and to be, at least, two years older, than the Psedobaptist church. This difference in age is fouiuied upon Mr. P.'s calculation relative to his own church. Were the subject examined upon principles of facts, his church might be found more than two hundred years younger, than the gospel church. But two j'ears, or two hundred equally destroy the sameness. Ke and his breth- ren are invited to remove the charge, if they be able. It may yet make them serious and stop their railing. His feurth mistaken assertion, relative to the moderR date of tiie Baptist church, that the facts which prove it are derived from mty authentic history of the church, would receive no attention, it being so notoriously incor- rect, were it not, that some of the common people may half believe it. If Mr. P. believed it, he owed it to him- self, and to the public, to have either quoted" some pas- sage from some authentic historian, or io have named one, that we might have possessed the facts, or known where to find them. He has named I)t. Wall, but Dr. Wall is not a church historian, but a disputant upon in- fant Baptism. He has named Dr. Gill, but quoted him as saying directly opposite from what I have shown, that he had said. Whether Dr. Gill had in his younger years made the concession, which Mr. P. lavs to his ac- count, I know not. It is sufficient for us, that he bore his testimony to the contrary, and gave his reasons. Mr. P. has mentioned one church historian and made from him a very lengthy quotation, but even the quotation condemns the a isertioa, and assures us that Mr. P. is verj' incorrect in supposing that Muoster gave origin to the Baptists. Moshei^ji, after saying many evil and bit- ter things against those, whom he terms Anabaptists, and singling out op 2 .v'kcH he terms "the most pernicious faction of all," s • - >:. •!• v j.v this dstestable faction, which in the year \b9,: ,a\j their fanatical work,'' &:c. To make the mfjst of it, it was some Baptists of the baser snrt, who joined, with some Paedobaptists, who might not be /.unlike them. But it no more proves, that there nas the origin of th-^ 3iptir-ts, than it proves, that there was the ""iMg^in of txie caristian world. Besides, M«sheim had 70 before said, that the origin of this sect lay concealed in the remote depths of acdlquitj. We shall have r>cca- sion to take farther notice of this subject as we pass along. As to the hard condemnatory sentence, '' That the Baptist system is a mere mushroom^ that vegetates in the night, wiihout seed or root," &c. we choose to pass it over vTithout note, or comment. On page 178, Mr. P. gives another of his too bold as- sertions; says he, speaking of Tertullian, " He was the ONLY MAN in all antic!uity<, whose writings have come dovvn to us, who has said any thing at all against the practice of baptizing infants. This (he adds) is the pre- cise fact." This is so precisely contrary from the fact^ and there is such a cloud of witnesses against what he hai?so imprudently asserted, and these witnesses so gen- eraiij known, where the present subject is controvert- ed, that it may be deemed almost useless to refute it. But lest some of you should by this and similar unfound- ed assertions be hindered from believing and obeying the truth, two or three witnesses against Pvlr. P. may be now heard ; and the first shall be Mr. P. himself. To such a witness, when he is constrained to condemn him- self, it is hoped, that both you and he will pay due atten- tion. In page 180, his words are, "When the senti- ment, that Baptism actually washed away all moral pol- lution, and that sins committed after the reception of that ordinance, were so heinous^ as to be 7text to nnpardoiia- ble, began to obtain, — it was no uncommon thing at that period^ for those viho were converted to the gospel faith to delay their baptism io the cl«se of life." What could be more against infants being bnptiz?d, than this very sentiment. That sin committed aflcrocaras was next to un- pardonahle. If this deterred converted parents from being themselves baptized, much more from having their young children. Besides, this practice, so far as it prevTiiled. precluded the baptizing of infants altogether. This speaks loudly against infant baptism. Therefore some of the ancients must have spoken against infant baptism besides Tertullian, or how came Mr. P. by the information, that it was no uncommon thing for even con- verted adults to ba afraid to submit to \\. It would in- 71 deed be cruel to compel infants to receive what their parents durst not. Justin Martyr shall he our next evidence against Mr. P. and against infant baptism being a primitive practice. The quotation which 1 am about to set before you, is taken from the Apology, which Justin Martyr made be- fore the Roman Emperor, in defence of the X'hristiang, who were accused'before the heathen Emperor, of vile practices, as we are now ; his apology may therefore be considered as the general sentiment of the Christian Church in his day, as much as Dr. Reed's apology, or Mr. P.'s book, may be considered the sentiments of the Paedo- baptists in the present day. It has therefore uncommon weight in it. " I shall now lay before you (says Justin to the Emperor) the manner of dedicating ourselves to God through Christ, upon our conversion ; for, should I omit this, I might seem not to deal sincerely, in this ac- count of the Christian religion. As ma7iy therefore, as are persuaded and believe^ that the things taught and said by us are true^ and moreover take upon them to live ac- cordinglj^, are taught to jorc?^ and ask of God, with fasting the forgiveness of their former sins ; — and then and not till ihen^ they are brought to a place of water, and are WASHED in the name of God the Father, and Lord of all, and of our Saviour Jesus Christ. — The reason of this we have from the Apostles ; — for haying nothing to do in our Jirst birth, but being begotten by necessity^ or without our own consent. — The penitent, who now makes bis second birth^ (or his public putting on the Lord Jesus) an act of his own choice, has called over him tUe name of God the Father, &c." This witness Mr. P. summoned on his side the ques- tion, as we ma}' soon see. But, unless he can be prevail- ed upon to testify pro and god, he will do their side but little good. Here his testimony is a complete prohibi- tion of infant baptism. His language is so particular and definite, that it cannot, without offering apparent vio- lence to coram®n sense, be misunderstood. He says, As MANY as believe, praj^, ask God the forgiveness of their sins, &c. THEN and kot till then, they are brought to a place of water, &c. Not only thus, but he explains it 72 still more definitely, hy saying, our first h'lrth. is of neces- sit}-, but our second, or baptism, iss of our own choice. The reason of this, says he, we have from the Apostles. " This is indeed true, for the writings of the Apostles per- fectly harmonize with his state men t."'=4= We shall here name but one more, and that is Wala- fridus Strabo^ who lived in the 8th century, and says, '^ That in primitive times the grace of Baptism was wont to be given to those oniy^ who were arrived to that ma- iurity of body and mind^ that the}'' could kno-SD and under- stand what were the benefits of Boptism.''^] It might be here asked of Mr. P. If none but Tertul- lian spake against intant baptism for mar.y centuries af- ter Christ, how it came to pass, that Augustine and many others in the fourth and fifth centuries pronounced "cur- ses against such as opposed it, and forbid those who prac- ticed it, to suffer the Baptists, or those who rejected in- fant baptism U) ^xbiuvrk ftny such thing in their ear V Eut another of his mistakes calls for our attention. On page 181, He, speaking of Tertullian, says, "The Baptists never pretend to quote his words, but merely make this broad assertion, "That he is the first of the Fathers who speaks of infant baptism, and at the same time speaks against it," which carries great weight with those people, who are ignorant of what he does say. They consider it as overwhelming evidence against the Pasdobaptists, and this is the manifest design of the assertion. — This, then, according to their own conces- sion, is all the testimony, that the Baptists have to bring against infant baptism during the first 1100 years of the Christian era." What could provoke Mr P. to step so wide of the truth, and bear such false testimony against the Baptists, we are not obliged to show. However, it becomfs us to show, that he must have been unacquainted with the merits of the present controversy, or he could not, very innocently, have thus expressed himself. This I have showed already from Justin Martyr and from Strabo. * Booth's Pa^f^ohaptitm, vol. 2, pages 110, 111.— t His. Eng, St. Yol. 1, page 54. 73 Besides, we utterly deny making any such concessioB, that Tertullian-s evidence is all which we have against infant baptism during the first 1100 years of the Christ- ian era. We can produce 50, if not 500, of the most learned men of his own denomination, who bear their united testimony, that many, from century to century af- ter the commencement of the third,did not,and would not, yea,that very many refused,at the risk of their^lives,to a- dopt the rite of infant baptism. We have not time,even to mention their names, but we will mention where a host may be found, in Booth's Paedobaptism, 2 volumes : Crosby's His. of the English Baptists, 4 volumes. An example of their testimony may be given, in an in- stance or two. Says Grotius, " Many of the Greeks, from the begin- nmg to this day, observe the custom of detaiyiing "the Baptism of their children, until they are able to make confession of their own faith ; and then concludes, by saymg, he has not brought this to overthrow the bap- tism of infants, but to show the liberty, antiquity and difterence of the custom."* Gregory Naziamzens of the fourth, mentions those who were not baptized by reason of infancy, and he himself, though a bishop's son, and educated a long time under the care of his father, was not baptized till he became a youth, as is related ia his afe.t Curcellaeus says, "P^dobaptism was not known in the world the two first ages after Christ. In the third and aourth It was approved by a few. At length in the fifth and following a-es, it began to obtain in divers places. And therefore, we ohserve this rite indeed, as an ancient 'Zmtom,hxii not as an Apostolical tradition "J A volume of such testimony might be produced, from Jieirown au hors,m favour of the h.pfists, and in oppo- sition to wiiat Mr. Prime has asserted. It IS quite a misinke m him to say,'^They,('thebaDti==ts^ .ever pretend to quote his (Tertullian's) T^^rds.' '^ Thi Baptists have repeatedly quoted them, and we will quote * His. En. B.pt. Vol.1, Pref. page 51.-tibid. pajje 50.-iIde.nr 74 Uiem again, theugh one wonld have thought that Mr. P. would not willingly have prompted us to it. His words are, " Baptism is the seal of faith, which faith is hegun and adorned by the faith of repentance. We are not^ therefore, washed, that we may leave simtm^, but because we have already done it^ and are already purified in our hearts * Dr, Gale (upon these words of Tertullian) makes the following reflections : " Are these the words of a man^ that thought baptism might be given to infants ? Are infants already purified in heart ? Have they left sm- iling ? and are they therefore washed ? Have they any such faith as Tertullian here speaks of ? and yet he says, baptism is the seal of this sort of faith particu- larly ; and therefore, doubtless he thought the seal could not be regularly applied, where this faith was wanting." Pages 512, 513. ., . , , Again says Tertullian, " Jesus Christ saith indeed, hinder not little children from com-ing to me, but that they should come to him as soon as they are advanced in years, as they have learnt their religion, when they may be taught -ashither they are going, when they becom^ Chris- tians, when they begin to be able to hioio Jesus Christ.— Tliose who shall duly consider the great weight and im- nortance oiihis divine sacrament, will rather be afimd of makino- too much haste io receive it, than to defer it, tor some time, so they maybe the better capable of receiv- ing it more worthily."! . . , ^ , From what Tertullian hath written, or is said to have written, two things are asserted beyond q^est'on. 1st, That he was a Baptist in sentiment. 2nd, Ihat m his day, some were for bringing forward children, at an ear- lier age, than he judged expedient. Upon which R.g- altius! a Pa^dobaptist, makes the followmg remark: ^'Fromtheageofthe Apostles, says he, to the time ot Tertullian, the matter continued mambigua, doub.tlal, or various-; and there were some, who, on account oi our Lord's saying, svffer little children to comeimtome, thougfci he gave no order to bapiire them, did baptize eve^i ner< ■ *Depenetentia, .chap. 6, page 125.-~t booth's Po^aoh.^ll.n:, vqI. 2, pages 92, 93, 75 horn infants, and, as if they were transacting some SEei^ TIk baiain with AlWhty God, brought sponsors and BONDSMEN to be BOUND foF Mem, that when they were ZwZp^they should NOT depart from the C^mna. faith ; which custom Tertulhaa d.d Dot hke. This practice of having sponsors and bondsmenjov in- fants, when they are baptised, whick is a somewhat gen- era 'if not a universal practice, is a standmg testimonj, 'hat neither ancient, nor modern Paedobaptists do m he r consciences believe, that God requires the baptism of infants, or of any unbelievers ; for if he required the thing, bondsmen for their good behaviour would no be needed to procure their admission. Nor wouid sponsors be needed, if the rite of infant sprinlding were ©f God. But now, the sponsors, in perhaps nine tenths of the Pa^dobaptist Churches, are obliged, m the name of the inconscious infants, to declare, that they renounce ■ the world, the flesh, and the devil ; that they stedjast.y helieveGoAh holy words, and will obediently keep his commandments; and when the bondsman for the babe hath said, and promised in behalf of the child, as though the child did itself speak, " 1 forsake the devil and all his works, the vain pomp and glory of this world, with all covetous desires of the same, the carnal desires ot the flesh, so that I will not follow, nor be led by them." And also added, "I do stedfastly believe in God the Father Al- mi«-hty. Maker ofheaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ his%nly begotten Son our Lord," &c. Then says the priest, '' Wilt thou be baptized in this faith ?' ' Ans. "This is my desire. "t All this is an implicit confession that repentance and faith are required in baptism, and that infant baplim is a mere imposition. Such hypocrisy God requires not. This same dupiicity, and trifling with God, is still prac- tised, by the Paedobaptists generally, if not universally. You may find the same mummery, and solemn mockery in the Episcopalian Kubrick for Baptism. Much the same, though greatly disguised, is in the most refined Pgedobaplist Churches, and accompanies the sprinkling of every child. Your ministers, before they sprinkle "^ Eng. bap. page 52.— t Public baptism* 76 your children, require you to enter into bonds for theuii j and they would sprinkle the children of ail sprinkled parents, were they not doubtful of their being sufficient bondsmen. But in refusing such bondsmen, they are inconsistent with themselves, and compel multitudes of very moral parents to violate the law of baptism ; pro- vided your ministers tell us the truth, when they say, as Mr. P. does, that baptism came in the room of circum- eision and is to be administered to the same subjects. Td be sure, this is ail a mere delusion, yet Mr. P. labourg very hand to prove it. To accomplish which, he not only wrests the scriptures,as we have already seen, but perverts the words of the ancient writers,and denies what they have said, and compels them to say what they never said. An instance of this is now before me, ift his 182d page. His words are, ^'Justin Martyr, who wrote about forty years after the Apostolic age, says, •• We have not received the carnal^ but spiritual circum- cision, by baptism ; and it is enjoined on all persons to receive it in the same manner.'''^ "Here,says Mr.P.iajp- iisrn is distinctly recognized as coming in the place of cir- cumcision, and as applicable to the same\subjects.'''' This is the way he treats the ancients,and that too, with much a<«surance, as though you would unquestionably believe him, in opposition to your sense and reason. Had he not afforded us the short quotation, he might have liad a higher claim upon our credulity. Justin says, '*''We haveisoT received the carnal circumcision by bap- tism." But by baptism we have received the spiritual circumcision, or, by that, have manifested our repent- ance and faith, as he says in a quotation, which has been already set before you, where he speaks of persons professing repentance and faith visibly in exercise, and '' Then, and not till then, are they brought to the wa- ter, £ic. and it is enjoined on all persons to receive it, baptism, in the same manner, confessing their sins," &c. This must be his meaning,if we allow him to explain him- self. But whatever be his meaning, one thing is cer- tain, he says not a wordofthe ordinance of baptism com- ing in the place of the carnal,or fi^.shly, rite, ordinal ce, or covenaat of circumciision : nor of its bein^ ajpptica= 77 ble to any persons, but of its being enjoined n^on alf; just as Peler saj's, '''Repent and be baptized every one of In his next page, he treats Irenseus with little less rudeness, than he had just been dealing out to Justin Martyr, and he might have, with nighlj as good a grace brought in Paul, to complete his triumvirate. He in- troduces Irenaeus as saying, " He (that is Christ) came to save all persons, who by him are regenerated unto God. infants, little ones, youths aad elderly persons.-' Then- to make Irenaeus intend baptism by regeneratfcn, he quotes agaip. "When Christ gave his Apostles com-r mand of regenerating unto God, he said. Go, and teacli all nations baptizing them," &-c. He theii^ brings m Justin Martyr, as a side-way evidence, that Ixenseus does mean baptism when he says regeneration. '^In like manner (saj^s he) Justin Martyr observes,. '^ They are rcg-enerated in the same way of regeneration, in which we have been regenerated; for they have been washed with water in the name of the Father^ and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost." To complete this business, the words of Paul to the Gal. ill. 26, 27. "For ye are all the children of God by foith in Christ Jesus. For as many: of you as have been baptized into Christ, have put ou Christ^'''^ should be added. Which of these three, Irenseus, Justin, or Paul, comes the nighest to saying, that baptism is regeneration, it might be difficult for a casuist to solve. One thing how- ever is certain, neither of them mentions infant bap- tism, nor can mean any such thing, 'hy what they say, • unless they had drunk down,, that notoriously papistical heresy, that baptism is regeneration. But Mr. P. is ready with his conclusion, and says, "The sense ia which it is used is nmnifest, and therefore it is evi- dent that these testimoaies are decidedly in favour of infant Baptisna." Could it be proved, that that error of errors, which produced infant baptism, had become prevalent in the Church in the days of Irenaeus and Justin Martyr, as it had io the times of Origen and Cyprian, Mr. P. irould 78 have more to justify bim, than it appears, for the pres- ent^ reasonable to allow him. His fault appears to be in hurrying forward the mystery of iniquity, which did, indeed, begin to work in Paul's day ; this errant heresy, that BAPTISM TAKES away our pollution, and is to be given to infants for the remission of sins, we know^ as well as does Mr. P. kept step by step, with infant baptism. We also knew, that where this heresy prevails infant baptism will bear no control. This hereej^ is the legitimate progenitor of infant baptism and of the man of sin. That baptism secures salvation is the life of the mother, ofhar^ lots^ and that it goes, in a greater, or less degree, to the salvation of infants, is the life of her davghiers. But thatlreneeiis was a rank papist, and so is to be understood, to intend, that Christ came to save all persons, who are baptized, infants, little ones, &,c. when his words are, »'He came to save all persons, who were by him rcgener- ijited to God^'''* &c. is more, than I am ready to yield to Mr. P. Nor can I say, but what 1 think him rather fast, when he says, that, in Origen's time, which was the for mer part of the third century, it is incredible to suppose, that ''this sentiment Tsaas disputed by any part of the church.'^' Nor does it appear certain, that this mother of the papis- tical heresy was considered to be universal in the church, even in the days of Cyprian and of the famed African council in which he presided. But, about this time, it appears, that the woman, the church of Christ, fled into the v/ilderness, disappeared, and was no more consider ed to be any better, than a mushroom^ without seed, or root, and good for rothing, but to be devoured, or trod- den under foot. Not far from Cyprian's time, the man of sin became somewhat triumphant, and the world, in the beginning of the next century became Christian in name. From this time and forward, those who held that repent- ance and faith should accompany baptism, were but- smally known,they had fled from the presence of men, and where and when known, they ivere treated with as much rudeness, and mere cruelty, than they are now. Their general place of residence appears t© have been amongst the almost inaccessible Alps. There was also a retreat for a very considerable number of them, in Cal- 79 abria, now called Wales, till Austin came into Enwlancl, at the close of the sixth century, and converted ttie En<^- lish nobility, and of course the peasantry, from paganism to popery. When that section of God's hidden people were massacred, because they would not hearken to Austin, in baptising their children^ and in observing two other papistical rites.* It appears, so far as I have been able to discover from various histories, and from the dissonant testimo- nies relative to the two interesting sections of the great multitude which has claimed to be called Christian, that the section, which is denominated Paedobaptist, became the dominant, or ruling section about the year 257. At which time, it appears to have been, what Mr. P. con- tends took place at an earlier date, that professed Chris- tians had, somewhat generally, fallen in with the sen- timent, that baptism was regeneration, or that baptism washed away the pollution of nature. Those, who adopted this belief, were violent for the baptising of in- fants, and considered thos€, who did not, as guilty of great evil. Infant Baptism was the Shibboleth of those times. These parties may be thus defined. One held, that Baptism takes away the pollution of na- ture. These baptiz-ed their children, without a pro- fession of repentance. These are denominated Paedo- baptists. The other held that Baptism was inefficacious without repentance. These required, as a necessary prerequi- site to Baptism, a profession of repentance, or a confes- sion of faith in Christ. Of course, they refused to bap- tize inconscious babes. These are denominated Baptists. We may now use these terms understandingly, hav- ing defined them according to their prime, or original import. It should not be understood, that all the Psb- dobaptists hold to the efficacy of infant baptism to the extent, to which the renowned fathers of that denom- ination did ; but all that baptize their children hold, that there is efficacy in the ordinance, when there is, and can be, no expression of penitency in the subject. In * His. En. Bt. vol. 2, p. 21- 80 g'eneral, its efficacy is still believed to reach to the sal- vation of the child. As is the case in the Church of En- gland, as well as in tha Church of Rome, accordingly, after the rite is performed, the Priest is directed to say, '' PVc thank thee^ most mighty Gobj that it hath pleased ihee^ to REGKi\ ERATE this chUd. to make it jx member of thy king* dom^ and annviK of glory.'''' Notwithstanding about the year 257, as we have be- fore mentioned, the Baptists appear to have, generall}^ lied from the presence of men, and to have entered in- to their hiding-place, yet there were very many individ- uals, who, though amongst the Pasdobaptists, did not adopt their distinguishing sentiments. Not only so, but there were societies, from time to time, springing up, which renounced infant baptism, and were called by reproach- ful names, and had the worst of slanders uttered against them, and some of them were charged with most hein- ous crimes, and reviled with a» little mercy, as is shown by Mr. P. to the Baptists in our day. The Pasdobap- lisis then, or about that time claimed, the exclusive privilege of being the Church of Christ. They appear to hyve run this claim as high, if not higher, than what Mr. P. now does. lie confesses himself unable to de- termine whether the Baptist Churches are churches of Christ, or not. Fie puts into the mouth of Lebbeus the following question. -'Do you regard our Churches., as Churches of Christ ; and our Elders, as regularly author- ized ministers of the gospel ? " To which he replies, " I candidly acknowledge, that this question is the most dijfflcult io anszu-er of any you have proposed, since We commenced our discourse." * He makes many obser- vations, which go to the m^akipg up of a negative answer, but has not the courage to avow it. Now, Brethren, the principle being settled, that, after the Paedobaptists had risen to preeminence, they claim- ed to be the only Church of Christ, and drove the Bap- tists into the place which God had prepared for them, you can the more easily understand what Mr. P.'s saints testify and what credit to attach to their testimony. He^ Pages 196, 197. &l with apparent triumph, informs ns, " That St. Ambrose,'^- who wrote in the fourth century, " expressly declares, that infant baptism was practised in hi& time, and in the time of the Apostles." " St. Crysostom, who was born A. D. 355, obsertes that persons may be baptized either in their infancy, iri middle eige. Or old age, and that infants were baptized, although they had no sin," &c. "St. HicaoAffi," of the fourth century, says, "If in- fants be not baptized, the sin Q^ omitting their baptism is laid to their parents' charged *' St. Austin" (St. Augustin, who was a famotis dispu- tant against the Donatists, who rebaptized all who went over to them from other sects,- is probably the person intended) " who was cotemporary with Hicrome, men- tions infant Baptism as one of those practices which was not instituiedhy any council, but had always been in use." *' He says," "The whole Ghtjrch of Christ had always held that Infants were baptized for the forgiveness of SINS.'' " That he had never heafd^ or read^ of any Chris^ tiaii^Catholic or sectary, 'osko held otherwise.— iv any oae^ gays he, should ask for divine authority in this matter.^' He proceeds to give four reasons to evince the divine authority of infant baptism. 1. The whole Church practices it. 2. It was not instituted by councils. S. It Wris ever in use, (and) may be believed, very reasona- bly, to be a thing delivered, or ordered, by the Apos- tles. 4. From " how much the sacrament of Baptism does avail infants^ * Mr. F. has quoted too much from these canonized saints. No person, who suitably aireids to their testi- monies, will, or can, believe wiiatthey say, or' what he says of them. One ot them says, '''•Infants had no sin." Another says " The whole Church of Christ, had con^ stantly held that infants were baptized tor ihe. forgiveness of SIN." The same one says, " That he had never heard of any Christian, Catholic or sectary, who held otherwise.''' Yet, wiibin two lines af '/vards, brings for- ward an objection, proposing the unanswerable diffical- * Pages 186, 187, 82 ty, wh^re is yotJr divine' authority ? and proceeds to si- lence tliie objector, with, no doubt, the best arguments, which ^xe had at harld. It appears a very unreasonable supposition,' tbat Augustin,^ a man of no mean talents^ should very seriously set himself itjto deep controversy with what is even less, than a man of straw ; with what, he had never either hfeard, or read of, as being- adhered' to by any, either good, or bad. The only reasonable solution of the absurdity is, that the capital declaration charged upon Austin, or Au^Ustin, in a mere interpola- tion, a mere forgery. How Mr. P. could tell us, that these fathers of the Paedobaptists " are not found dis- puting the point with opponents, d'educing • arguthenls to justify it, or removing objections agains't it," when he, himi^elf, introduces, at least one, in the very act, is left to his own consideration. We are not, however, very careful to answer what Augustin, or Pelagius, said, or are reported to have said, in the fourth or fifth centuries : for by this time, the Paedobaptists appear to have possessed themselves of the Roman empire very generallgr, and to esteem themselves to be, as they were called, the cHRrswiAN WORLD. By some accounts, however, they appear io have been, yet more vexed with the Baptists and their sentiments, than what Mr. P. seems willing to allow. .Were it not, that there are unquestionable authorities, that there was at this time existing seme remains of the hard controversy between the Baptists and Pasdo- baptists, we should have no reluctance in admitting, that the former had all escaped from the fury of their persecutors, and hidden themselves in the pavilion which God had spread for them. Then, it might be true, that many learned men, as learned as were Au- gustin and Pelagius, had not heard of the Baptists, or at most not heard, that they were of the Christian Church, or so much as a sectarian part, or limb of it. For more attention to Mr. P.'s ancient authors, you probably will not require, nor he wish. Our next attention is deservedly turned to Mr. P. himself,, who, after bringing forward the ever to be lamented frenzy, and deplorable fanaticism, which pos» 8B messed the multitude at Munster, and which terminated in a tremendous slaughter, says, '-We do not charge ,your denomination, with all the extravagancies of those fanatics., Shortly after their association, they were greatly reformed and reduced to a considerable degree of ord£.r by Menno, a popish Priest, who went over to them, and became the Apostle of the sect. But %n them you behold the .true origin of the Baptist Church : and /rom ^/lem you derive the distinctiye principles of your denomination-"'''* . It seems next to impossible to restrain an honest mdig- jiatioa against a man, who has such unequalled effront- «ry as to palm such a notorious falsehood upon the un- suspecting credulity of his brethren. May God forgive -the man, whilst it^is my duiy to expose his wickedness. We attach but little fault to the first sentence of the above quotation, for in it he concedes more, than some of his br&thren have done,'^ that all the extravagancies of these fanatics are not to be charged tc the Baptists;'' well might he accede thus much, for, as I have before proved, it was ,the Pasdobaptists, who began auditor ^ome time, continued those tumults, at Muostei^ beiore any Baptists were known to join them. His second sen- tence, that they were shot- tlj after greatly reformed and reduced to a. considerable degree ot order by Men- no, a popish priest,.who went over to them, and became the apostle of .the sect, is doubtful. If his meaning is, that that misguided section of the Baptis^ts, who, leav- ing their brethren, vvertaver and joined, that misguid- ed section of the PaBdobaptfsts,. who were prosecuting the insurrection at Munster; if his meaning be, that these were greatly reformed by Menno, and that he be- came an apostle. to them, and to many others in that re- gion, he may not be for from the truth. But if he would be understood, ;that l^Ienno was the tlrst, who introdu- ced order amongst the Baptists, generally., he is very in- correct. One would be inclined to believe, that lie could riot purpose. to reproach the Baptists, on account of a Popish priest ^oing over to them, ond hiilpins' Pages 194, 195^ 84 tJiem. For it would seem, that he could not have for- gotten, that all that section of the Paedobapiist Church, called Protestant, as well those, who began the tumults atMunster, as those who were the most evangelical, came out from, or began to come out from the Popish Church about that time. But his last sentence contams one of the most atrocious slanders, and flagitious false- hoods, which I have ever seen committed to paper. There is not a semblance of truth in it. \f here be not a premeditated and malicious slander, the author of it is less criminal, than what he may appear. Speaking of the extravagancies of the Monster ianatics, he says, '■'-In them you hehold the true origin of the Baptist Chvrch: and from ihem^ are derived^ihe distinctive principles of your denomination/''^ The extravagance and baseness of this unfounded calumny would appear more pardonable, and capable of some palliation, bad it not been that the author of it had before him, at the time, Mosheim's tes- timony to the contrary. Mosheim was no friend to the Ba{)tists,/^tthe time he wrote these very harsh and se- vere criminations, which Mr. Prime has extracted in his very long note, his imagination was very fruitful and his mind apparently much heated against the Baptists. Yet he was not so buried in opposition, but what he could discriminate between the Baptists- generally, and that faction to which he attributes the tumults of Mun- ster : and he did thus discriminate, and Mr. P. has, per- hai)S without observing it, quoted this discriminating pas- sage, beginning in the 22d line of his first lengthy ex- tract from Mosheim. Where he says,^* the most perni- cious faction of all those "who composed this motley mul- litude., was that which pretended that the founders of the new and perfect Church, already mentioned, were under the direction of a divine impulse, and were armed against all opposition by the power of working miracles." It was this detestable factioji, says Mosheim, that in the year 1521, began their fanatical work, under the guid- ance of Munzer," &c. "• In them (in the madmen of Munster) you behold,says Mr. P. the true origin of the B'- ptist Church : and from them are derived the dis- tinctive principles of your denomination." With a? 85 much truth, and with equal propriety might it be said to the g9od people of Massachusetts, 'Un Shay's insur- rection, you behold the true origin of your State : and from their insurgent reveries are derived the distinctive principles of your government." In his note, which follows on the same 196th page and continued to the 197th,there is a string ef mean and grov- elling slander, accompanied with many very unfounded assertions. I will not say, that he has embraced that doctrine, " That lying is justiiiable in supporting a good cause," but thus far it may be safely said, that he is, manifestly, not an enemy to that doctrine. I will just notice one sentence in this note, and, perhaps, taken in its connection, the mildest sentence in it. '' Now, says he, observe, that the Old Testament is all done away, — that Jehovah was raerely a king or temporal governor to Israel — that the Jewish religion was a carnal religion, well adapted to please the carnally minded, and did not require real holiness, are well known to be the funda- mental sentiments of the Baptist scheme." This, at lea.^t, is all mistake. The following* is thought a sufji- cient reply. 1. Though I have been a Baptist nighly fourteen years.and am acquainted with more or less of the Baptists in each of the New-England States, and with some in different parts of New -York, yet have I never known any Baptist, to believe any one of the articles which he here lays to their account. The Baptists know, and so does BIr. P. that whilst real holiness was requir- ed ©f all the Israelites, who were able to understand moral obligation, that neither real holiness, nor a pro- fession of it, was indispensable to a standing in the com- munity, or Church of Israel. To be born in the house, or bought with the money of Abraham was, sufficient in his day, and if the law has not been since changed, it is sufficient still. 2. Provided every Baptist believed, what it is presumed not one does, even all which he charges to their account, yet his allegation would be e- qually unfounded, for not one ^Tthe things named is any more a fundamental sentiment of the Baptist scheme, than it is of a Turk or Papist. 3. Mr. P. ought to ac- 8 86 quaint himself with the fundamental sentiments of the Baptist scheme before he ventures upon any more as- sertions thus rude and extravagant. It is laying a heavy tax upon our charity, to require a belief, that he kn«w no better, when he thus wrote. 4. I may just mention one fundamental sentiment of the Baptist scheme, and it is this. That a person should give evidence of repentance towards God, before he be baptized ; and not be bapti- zed upon the responsibility of bondsmen^ that he should repent afterwards. Brethren, it is painful, that good men should be so wedded to a system, which cannot be defended by th« truth. Could Mr. P, have defended his principles upon fair gospel ground, he would not have descended to such prevarication aad unfounded assertion, as you have seen him practising. You must judge for yourselves, wheth- er Mr. P. has produced for the support of Psedobaptism any thing more, than incorrect assertions, unfounded sup- positions and imaginary arguments, or mere sophistry.— • Has not the word of God failed him in every instance, in which he hath attempted to press it into his service: and even should we now grant, that he has proved from the fathers of the Paedobaptist Church, that infant bap- tism was, in some instances, practised in the second cen- tury, upon the parents procuring bondamen^ that their children should, when of age, renounce the world, the flesh and the devil ; and that in the third, the sentiment was embraced by very many ; and that by the fourth, or fifth century it overspread the cities and fair provin- ces of the Roman empire, so that the Baptists were un- known ; and that the Pasdobaptists had from that time to this made up what is called the Christian world ; and al- so, that they had all along considered themselves to have been the Jewish Church continued, and that they indeed had been thus, as far as times and circumstances could permit. Would you, who are the people of God, be gratified with the concession ? Would you find it safe, or prudent, to continue your connection with sueh a church? For then, the Paedobaptist Church must have been that WOMAN which sits upgn many waters^ and hath ruled over fhe kings of the earth. Thus by granting to Mr. P. all 87 which he hath any fair claim to, he hath,vvith much lahor and zeal,proved,what vvoiald probably have given no small oifence,had any one undertaken to have proved it for hijn. For if the Pasdobaptist Church be what he has proved her to be, or has indeed appeared to prove, ( leaving out that part which he attempted to prove, but could not,) she answers, most minutely, to that woman, who had written upon her forehead, Mystery, Babyxon the GREAT, the Mother of harlots, and abominations of the earth. I leave it with you and him to review his arguments, for I confess myself to be more than half convinced, that his arguments are invincible, and that there is no avoiding the conclusion, that the Paedobap- tist Church is the very woman, who saith, " / sit a queen^ and am no widow., and shall see no 9orrow.^^ If Mr. P. or any of his brethren can fairly extricata me from this awful conclusion, to which his arguments have irresistably impelled me, I should consider it an in- valuable kindness. In the mean time, I am, Dear Brethren, your willing servant, for Jesus' sake. LETTER, VI. Beloved Brethren, You are weary of this controversy, and would gladly have it terminate ; so would I. Were it not for the magnitude and importance of it, I would not have detain- ed you so long. A fair decision of the subject involve* the glory of God, and the interest of his kingdom upon the earth. Everyjudicious and reflecting mind grant8,and must 88 grant,after the subject is duly canvassed.that thePasdobap- tist Ghiirch is, and beyond all coHtvoversy must be, char- acterized by one of the two figurative women, who char- acterize two commufiities of professing christians. One of these is the Church of God, the other is a pretender, and intoxicates the nations by her fornications. You wilt find an account of these women, in the Revelations. Particularly in the 12th and 17th chapters. Your Church,^ which considers her children, who are born af- ter the flesh, to be children of promise, and counte'd for the seed, is one of these women, and the Baptist Church is the other. For there are but two manners, cr ways of Church b-iilding, and so there can be but two gen- eric, or kifid, of Churches. One way is, to admit none but upon a personal profession of friendship to God, made by the individual person admitted. The other way is, to admit professing parents and masters, with their unbelieving children, servants, or slaves. These are the only two ways, which the nature of the case admits, of Church building. One is the Baptist way, the other is the Fasdobaptist way. B}'^ one of these ways is the gospel Church built up, by the other, the Mother of harlots. These are simple facts; they are mere axioms. It is presumed, that none of your proph- ets or priests, will seriously controvert them. They may, and no doubt will earnestly desire, that the Paedo- baplist Church m.ay be considered the woman mention- ed in the 12th chapter. They may earnestly contend, that this is the case. But will they contend, that the ^Baptist Church answers to the woman in the 17th chap- ter? They mast do both, or their contention is fruit- less ; for these two women are found in the t'wo commu- Bities, for there is not a third amongst all that observe Christian ordinances. Once solve this interesting prob- lem, " Which answers to the chaste bride of Christ, the Baptist Church, or the Pjedobaplist?" and the pres- ent controver:/, Michael and his angeli? fighting with the dragon, and his, may close. To assist in solving this infinitely solemn and weighty problem, the following things may be here noted. 89 i. Jesas saith, " the kingdom of heaven shall be likeEk ed unto ten virgins."* j 2. Which community appears most like virgins ; that which comes as individuals, each one confessing her own sins, and receiving Christ for herself; or that which comes, each one bringing a family of children with her. 3. Jesus told his Church, that she should be hated of all men for his name's sake, he persecuted^ have her name cast out as evil, be driven into the wilderness,) and yet preserved; that she should abide in the wilderness 12tiO years. t 4. Which Church answers to the above predictions, that against which Mr. P. says various kinds of evil falsely, and which has been despised, persecuted and tormented bv the Pagans first, and then by the Christian" wov.LD, or IS that Christian world itself this church? b. The Paedobaptist Church has, for more than 1400 years, ibecn in great renown, governing the governors of the world, possessing (as they have boasted,-) all the learning, t ients, wealth and piety in the world. She ha-i empiial.icail}'' said, I sit a queen^ and am no widow^ and shall see no sorrovy. But some may reply, the above is applicable to the Roman Catholic Church. True, and what are all Paedobaptist churches in the world? Are they not, in fact, all the same generic Church? Where were the Presbyterians, Congregationalists, &c. three hundred years ago? Either no where, or in the bosom of the PapisUcal church. What are they now? A part of that chiuxh reformed. Wiiat specific^ or dis- tinctive, name have they assumed? Tiiat of the refor- ^tcd church. Not a new church, but a section of the old a- mended, or reformed. Your divines have no other way to i^how, that they have any claim to a standing in the regtjh\r, perpetuated cliureh of Chri^^t, than to aliow the Roman catholics to have been, that church : Tho^ some of your ministers consider her to have betn the Mother of harlots. If she be the Mother of harlots, then your =>" Mait. XXV. 1,— tMatt. x.'22— xxiv. 9— v. ll—Luk*? vi. %-t. -^--ilev. xii. 6, 14. 90 churches are her daiighters. If she be not thus, *hen she is the true church, and your churches are parts of the same. This matter, brethren, belongs to your ministers to discuss. If you are the gospel churchy then we are that woman, who sits upon many waters, ruling over multiiucit;=, and nations, and peoples, and languages ; and have made the inhabitants of the earth drunk with our vicious coiiduet. 6. If you, or your teachers, can ascertain, which chCirch, whether tlie Baptist or Paedobaptist, have been accustomed to having children, and not by the Lord — then it would be easy to determine which church is to be considered the Bride, the Lamb's wife. The. chaste wife has no children but by her husband. It is other- wise with an harlot. A mother of harlots may have been still more extravagant. Suppose the Lord, the hus- band of the church., should this day visit the church in Roche, assembled with his horrid Majesty the Pope at her head, and all her baptized children about her, and should ask. What Church is this? Whose are these children ? By whom did you have them ? Would not the answer be, 1. The most holy church of Christ, over which his holiness the Pope presides. 2. The children of-the church. 3. Our ministers regenerated them un- to God by baptizing them. Let the same questions be proposed to the Episcopalian Church of England, would not the answers be very similar? But say you of the Presbyterian, or Congregational Church, we are more reformed, than is the British church. Grant it, and what would be 3'our answers? Would they not be, 1. We are a branch of the reformed church of the Lord Jesus. 2. These are children of the church, lambs of the spir- itual flock of God. 3. Would hot confusion prevent an answer? What could you say ? It will not answer to reply as did your Mother and your eldest sister, for you do not believe, in ministerial regeneration by baptism. You would, probably, be fairly put down ; for by the 3d question it is implied, that the Lord acknowledges them not as his. Your priests may tell you, that this subject is too delicate to discuss ; yes, and did you ever kno?/ an harlot, who thought it not indelicate to address her by 91 her proper epithet ? This subject is of too high impo?- tance to be winked out of sight. It infinite iy concerns one of the two churches. For one is infinitely guilty of the most atrocious whoredoms^ or the other is guilty for not calling her children after the flesh, the children of God, when Paul says they are not.* Mr. P. has spared no labor to prove your church in the right. To him we must turn again, lest what is yet behind should serve to retain you in error. As it has been my object to notice every sentence, in which Mr. P. has appeared to place considerable confidence, so we now being upon a part of his book, in which his confi- dence seems to rest, we shall transcribe several passa- ges, which are in the neighborhood of each other. 1. ''•We prove, says he, that when the hovi first or- ganized his church into a regular community, it was com- posed of professing believers and their households ; and that the existing seal of the covenant was, by divine di- rection, applied to both." 2. " Now we say, and we have an undoubted right to say, to our opponents ; The laboring oar is yours :— prove that the original constitution of the church is altered ; — prove that the infant seed of believers have ever been excluded from the covenant. Produce the passage from the word of God, in which this evidence is contained, and we will surrender the point." 3. "Conscious of the correctness of this demand, and of their utter inability to comply with it, yo«r people have been driven to the direful Hecessity of vilifying the ancient church, reducing it to a mere shadow^ and degrading the Almighty God of Israel to the ignoble station of a temporal king. This is the very foundation of your whole scheme ; and a rotten one it is in very c?eec?." 4. " They (the Baptists) say, " The gospel requires a profession of repentance, or faith, as a qualification for baptism." We admit it without hesitation, for the same did the Lord require of old." 5. ''We are as strenuous advocates for believers' baptism, as you are." *Rom. ix. 8. 92 6. " We never administer the ordinance but on a credible profession of faith. We do not pretend to baptize i?ifants without it." 7. ^'■Wemark the children as set apart for the Lord, because their parents are the Lord's. Thus we produce direct and positive evidence in support of our practice, and you can furnish nothing but negative evidence against it."* One would be ready to conclude, from the mtiltitude of mistakes which have escaped our author's pen, that he wrote his book to be believed, not examined. But it is a part of duty, which I owe to you, and to others, to examme it, and to remove the more dangerous stum- bliiig blocks out of the way of God's people. In the above quotation. No. 1, contains thrt'o mistakes. First. When our Lord first organized his church into a regular community it was not composed of believing parents and thcrr households. Not a word is said of believing ho^ise- holds being received into the church, or belonging to it for more than twenty years, after it was organized into a regular community : unless it be our hordes hoiise-hold of faith. He at a certain time called together his disciples^, whom he zn'outd^ and of ihem he chose and ordained twelve^ that they should be "di'ith him^ and that he onii^ht send them fcri'i to preacJi, The kingdom of heaven, the gospel cl)urch was set up about the time, in which Jolm the B'-iptist was beheaded. For from that time the kingdom of henven was preached, and, as our Lord says, some prc-i^sed into it, whilst it suffered violc.iiee from othersf It couid not be thus joined and thus per-secuted before it was a community : and it must have bef n organized regularly, because it was the work of the great AJ aster Builder, whlat, ^, 1.2— Luke xvi-. IS^ 93 into Christ's Church, upon the faith of either parents, or masters. Secondly. The existing seal of the covenant has NEVER been applied to parents or children bj men. If aught may be termed the seal of the covenant., it is the Holy Spirit. The bible knows, nor mentions, any other. It is a gross imposition upon the community, for Mr. P. and others to fill their books and mouths with so many untruths, about circumcision and baptism being thesEALof the covenant. Neither is ever so called, nor once intimated in ail the bible, as a seal of any cov- enant. They appear disposed to crowd down the impo- sition by a continued repetition. Thirdly. No seal of the covenant, could, of course, have been applied by divine direction. Nor is there any divine direction.^ as Mr. F. well knows, for the application of baptism to any households on account of the faith of either parents, or masters. In the quotation. No. 2, he requires us to do three things, upon complying, he promises to surrender the point. We wish to take hira at his word, and that he may uot violate it. First. ''Fro\^e that the original constitvMon of the church is altered.'''^ His requirement is unquestionably this, '• Prove that the constitution of the Christian Church is BOW a diiferent thing, from wh;it the constitution of the church in Abraham's family was, when the}' were distinguished as a church or community by the religious rite of circumcision." This we conceive to be no very difficult labour. For first, the constitution of the church in Abraham's family was the covenant of circumcision. It could not be the covenant of promise, in Gen. xii. 2, 3, for that was revealea to hira 24 years before Abraham's family bad any more tlie particular shape of a church, than h^d Noah's family, or than had Lot's ; and had no other covenant been revealed, his family would have continued to this day, without any revealed, ritual, con- stitution. The covenant of circvmciaion is therefore, without controversy, the constitution of (he church m 94 Abraham's family : gnd, according to divine command, it, or what it enjoined, was to be applied to all the males in his house, whether his own sons, or others born in bis hcuse, or bought \vith his money. The constitution of the gospel chuich is 'the ordinance of baptism. These, both the cfevenant of circumcision and the ordinance of baptism, were appointed by the Lord, they differ the one from the other. The or2^:nai constitution of the church is therefore altered Secondly. Says he, " Prove that the infant seed of believers have ever been excluded from the co\ enant." Here he must, to have any self-consistency, intended by covenant^ the covenant of promise. For he appears, through his book, to make the burden of his evidence in favour of children to be, their having a title, through their parents, to the covenant of promise. It is now our part to show, that the seed of believers have been excluded fiora such a covenant. We will begin with Abraham's family. Says Paul, Romans ix. 7, 8. "Nei- ther because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children ; but, in Isaac shall thy seed be called. That is, ihey which ar'* the children of Wiejiesh^ those are not the children of God : bnt the children of the promise are counted for the seed'''* We have selected, as a se- cond evidence in point, the family of Isaac. Of which Paul svjys, Romans, ix. 10,11,12 and 13. "And not only thi>5, but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even hy our father Isafic. (For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the jmrpose of God according to election might stand, not of works^ but of him that calleth,) it was said unto her, The eider shall serve the younger. As it is written, Jacob have I loved.) but Esau have I hattd."^^ Here it appears that all Abraham's children, Isaac only excepted, were excluded from the covenant, and half of Isaac's. Our Hext evidence is contained in the words of the Saviour, Mat.xiii. 24, 25. "The kingdom of heaven is likened un- to a man who sowed ggod eeed in his field. But while men slept, his enemy came aud sowed tares among the wheat^ and went his way." — I purpose to name but one evidence HJore, out of the muliitude, which might be mentioned, 95 and that is in Mat. xxv. 1. **Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins." Now, if the kingdom of heaven be likened unto a man who sowed good seed in his jield^ and likened unto ten virgins ; the children after the flesh only, like Ishmael and Ksau arc excluded, of course, according to the constitution of the kingdom of heaven, the church of God. I ask Mr. P. caa the kingdom cf heaven be likened unto a man who sowed Goen seed in his Jield^ if the constitution oi the church not only permits, but requires, beiievmg parents to bring with them into the church their seed according to the flesh, which is corrupt? I ask again, " Can the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ienvirgins^"' if the constitution requires that households of unconverted children should be brought with believing parents, who are themselves, spiritually virgins ? but if their children are to be brought with them, and to be styled, whilst impenitent, the children of the church, would the church any longer be likened unto virgins ? would they not have more the appearance of harlots, having chil- dren, but not hy their husband ? It cow seems incum- bant upon Mr. P. either to show, that we have not com- plied with his request, or to surrender the point. But should Mr. P. refuse to surrender the point, and still allege '*• that the place, which infant circumcision and infant baptism occupy, is precisely the same, and that the latter has come in the place of the former, and occupies the very same place,*'* and should he yei sav to the Baptists, as he does page 201, "It is your business to furnish the precept^ or example against it ;" we would just observe to him, that all PaBdobaptists, who are not of the Jewish nation, and thai are believers in Christ, are forbidden to circumcise their children j or baptize them, or to sprinkle them, or to admipister unto tiicm any other thing, which is considered to come in the place of eircumeision. This principle, this important subject, which the Holy Spirit knew would great]y agi- tate the minds of men in after ages, was settled by a council of Elders, at Jerusalem, in the year 60, aad re- Pages 134, 135, 96 corded in Acts xxi. 25, for the comfort and confirmatios of such as keep the ordinances, as Christ delivered them to his people, and in these words, " As touching the GENTILES ■zschich believe, we have written and conclu- ded, THAT THEY OBSERVE NO SUCH THING." This DCCds neither note, nor comment, it is precisely in point. From what we have just passed over, it appears, that all Mr. P. and the multitude of the Paedobaptist prophets have said about the infant i^teS, or aduU seed, of be- liever's being included in the covenant of grace, or the covenants of premise, or the covenant which was con- firmed of God in Christ, or any other covenant, which secures their salvationupon parental faithfulness, is a mere Arminian, or popish delusion of supererogation. If any were included in such a promise, we might have expected to have found an instance of it in the family of either Abraham, or Isaac. But we have found the re- verse in both. Number third of the quotation contains a cluster of mistakes. '^'Conscious," says he, " of the cor- rectness of this demand, and of their viter inability to comply with it, your people have been driven to the direful necessity of vihfying the ancient church, reducing it to a mere sJwdezv, and degrading the Almighty God of Israel to the ignoble station of a temporary king. This is the very foundation of your 7it)holc scheme ; and a rot- ten one it is, in very deed." Here his mistakes are, First, In charging us of being conscious of the correct- ness of his demand; for we consider it, as belonging to him, to prove his practice rigbt, and not demand of us to prove it wrong. Secondly, In telling the pubhc, that we are conscious of our utter inability to comply with his demand ; for we have readily complied with it, in our answer to No. 2, and have never, torn}' knowl- edgpi, manifested any conscious inability in the case. Thirdlj^, In proclaiming that we have been driven to the direful necessity of vilifying the ancievt chvrch. We feel no such necessity ; nor are we pleased, that he yVe/s such a nece55% of vilifying us. Fourthly, In ac- cusing us of reducing the ancient church to a mer^* shad- ow. The accusation we consider unsupported. Fifthly, 97 In laying to our account the degrading of the Almighty God of Israel, to the ignoble station of a temporary king. Where have we done this thing ? I confess I am rather at a loss, as to what has provoked him to lay this thing to our reproach. I confess that it is my im- pression, that whilst the Almighty God of Israel is Lord of lords, and King of kings, and King in time, as well as in eternity, he was and is still, in a special sense King of tke Israelites. As saith the prophet Isaiah xxxiii. 22. The Lord is our judge, the Lord is our lawgiver, the Lord is our King, he will save us. Sixthly. As he comes towards the close of this sentence of very in- oorreet assertions, he grows rather warm, and says : " This is the very foundation of your whole scheme ; and a rotten one it is, in very deed.'^ Now, the good man, had he afforded to himself one minute's sober reflection, might have known, and his own good sense would, prob- ably, have admonished him, that there cquid not have been a word of truth in his assertion, even were the Baptists guilty of the charges which he had, very incon- siderately and very unjustly, been placing to their ac- count. For such things have nothing to do with the foundation of the Baptist scheme. At most, they cin be no more, than excrescences, or bad fruit, growing out of their scheme. Could he have maintained this to be the case, he would have proved, that their scheme was imperfect ; but, as it is, he has performed liitie more, than to exhibit himssif to view as an imperfect ju^ge. In number fourth,of the passages quoted, he has given us two truths,and one non-de8cript,or indesci-ibabie some- thing. The two truths are, one, "The Baptists say.the gospel requires a profession of renentance ovfuit'i, as a quiiljication for baptisn.'^'' The oiher,-'for the same did the Lord require." His non -dercript is, '• v/e admit i\^ says he, without hesitation." He labors to explain tue business, by setting off the rep^QtaDG^^-or faim of the. parent to the score of the c^iid, or d ild rt-i. . But jf faith or rf^pe^ntauce, /be repaired as a qaaliucatioo lor baptism,did not the parent, or parents, stand m need of 98 \9 hat they possessed to constitute their own qualification for baptism ? Or will it do to divide it aDd subdivide it, so that one man's faith will answer for ten^ or for aa hundred. Mr. P. may reply, children are baptized af- ter the parents have been baptized and received into the church, it may be j^ears after. So that their chil- dren are not baptized upon that particular faiths which was the qualification of the parent, or parents, at their baptism. But suppose it should so fall out, that the pa- rent or master of the house should be baptized, at the same time with his household, as was the case with the jailor; how would he fritter up one man's faith to an- swer for so many at the same time. Indeed, this is, manifestly a mere make-belief Repentance and faith are not articles of barter and traffic. This looks, as tho' it proceeded from the Vatican., it certainly is not named in the Bible. To what straits men are driven, to keep up some slimsy appearances of conformity with the gospel ! If our Author had said, to be a child of a believer is the requisite qualification for baptism, he would have been consistent with his own errors. But to say that faith is a required qualification for baptism,and that a child may be qualified without possessing it is a solecism. Did ever any person before hear, that qualifications for sta- tions, offices, or employments were transferable ? 1 may receive favors on account of another's qualifications, but by what means qualifications may be transferred from one to another, I have yet to learn. I should say such management bespeaks a difficult cause. In No. 5 he says, '^ we are as strenuous advocates for believers, baptism, as you are." This is an imposing assertion, which it is presumed no person, in the world, believes. It, therefore need not posse s oar further at- tention. In No. 6 1 e says, *^ We lunr administer the crdincnce^ but on a credible profession of faith. We do not pretend to baptize infants without it." If he means, by we, the Presbyterian Church, in Cam- bridge,N. Y. where he is minister, m,y reply would be short, being unacquainted with his actual practices. If bv ws. he intends the Pasdobaptist Church generally, he 99 js incorrect in extreme. If he weuld be understood to include the Reformed Church merely, he would still be very wide of the truth. If he would comprise the Presbyterians and Congregationalists only, he would even then be incorrect. I apprehend, that he intends the same thing, by administering the ordinance, and bap- tizing children, though he seems to make a distinction, when he says '* We never administer the ordinance, but upon a credible profession of faith," and then immedi- ately adds, " We do not pretend to baptize infants with- out it." If he intends a difference, il is anew device, and we shall consider that he meant none. We shall also take it for gi anted, that what he has affirmed he would have to be understood of the purest part of the reforiEed Paedobaptist Church. For he, doubtless, knows that the great body of the Paedobaptists, not only the Papists, but the Episcopalians also, make as farcical a mockery in the christening of their children, as ever the Philistines did in the worship of Dagon. Having their godfathers and godmothers, their sponsors, promis- ers and bondsmen, as though they were ready to indem- nify the Lord, should any of the sprinkled children prove refractory, and not renounce the world, the flesh and the devil, with all the pomp and vanities of this world, as their bondsmen, in the manner of ventrilo- quists, promise for them. Now Mr. P. not only knows, that this is the practice of the great body of his denom- ination, but also, that this is manifestly pla;, iv^' tricks with the Almighty. Yet he will plead for the V^unda- tion of the practice, with bis full strength; and also practice the same thing in essence though under a re- formed garb. Could he find like iniquity amongst the Baptists, he would not merit censure, though he should expose the truth, which would be saying the worst he could. But he manifestly thinketh, that he doeth God service, whilst he is fulfilling the scriptures in saying all manner of evil against the Baptists without cause. We hope God will not lay this sin to his charge. But we must expose his mistaken assertions, lliat we may not suffer sin upon hiai and his brethren. We have conclu- dedj thutm the declaration, '^ We never administer the 100 ordinance, but upon a credible profession of faith," he intentionally includes none but the Congregational and Presbyterian Churches, which are unquestionably the most reformed sections of the reformed Church. (The Baptists are not included in the reformed Church, for they were never subject to the .Pontiifs of Rome, and of course could never come out of that Church ; for what was never in, cannot be taken out.) Even of these, of the most reformed portions of what is styled the Re- formed Church ; it is very incorrect to say, " They never administer the ordinance ; but upon a credible profession of faith." It has been, if it be not now, very- much the reverse. It is a singular fact, if it fee one, that Mr. P. never heard, or in some book read, that there vva-s for many years, a very general agreement with the ministers and Churches in our land to do other- wise. They feared, that the ark of God would fall, or their Churches become extinct, unless they sprinkled the children of moralists, who made no profession of having either repentance, or faith. They therefore formed an unhallowed Covenant, (and none is hallowed, which includes bondsmen, who, whilst bankrupts them- selves, undertake to be bound to God for the fidelity of others) by which parents were encouraged to deal de- ceitfully with God, that they might ingratiate their chil- dren into his fivour. I have long detested the practice, yet repeatedly seen it in operation. I may give 3'ou a sample of what I have seen to be practised by a Presbyterian, or by a Congregational minister, and I have seen not very dissimilar things per- formed by both. The last time, save one, in which I was present, when the rite of sprinkling a child was pertormf^d, was, say ten years since, when by stress of wcnther, the vessel, in which I was a passenger, was driven into Cape-Harbour. When I could be landed with safety, I visited Provincetown and Mr. Parker, who was the clergyman of the place. From whom I re- ctived many expressions of the most unaffected hospi- tality. We were, manifestly, mutually pleased with ihr- interview. His house appeared to be filled with plenty, and his heart with urbanity. Hi? domestics had 101 participated liberally of the same philanthropic spirit. Bf his particular solicitation I consented to lead in the public exercises of the day. The forenoon being past and the interim commenced, a young sea-captam, of very pleasant deportment, entered the habitatiorL.of my very friendly host. He soon communicated his import- ant errand, by observing, "Mr. Parker, I wish to have my child sprinkled." Mr. Parker replied, "You must take the covenant." " Yes, said the young captain, I expect to; but if I do, I shall not keep it." Well, sai4 the very civil parson, you must take it upon you. I then broke silence, and requested of the frank, and apparently very honest young man, why he wished for the sprinkling of his child. He promptly answered, it is the custom. I then asked him, if the Lord required it of him? or whether it were not a mere custom, or traditionary business ? He appeared not ready with his answer, I turned to Mr. Parker, and asked by what au- thority he did such things ? He as readily repHed, " 1 don't know. It is customary. 1 have always practised thus, and my predecessors before me." Tfte young ciptain exclaimed with a degree of astonishment, "Mr. P.irker, this is a strange thing 1 " His meaning appear- ed to be, " this is a strange thing that the minister did not know why his child should be sprinkled." He thought, there must be an important reason for it ; though for himself, he knew not what that reason could be. I then asked him, " would it not be well to postpone the matter of sprinkling the child, till you have search- ed the Bible upon the subject ? Then if God requires you to bring your child, yon can do it because it is com- mindcd; if it be a mare custom, or tradition of mtia, you can omit it. He consented, that it miarht be pru- dent to put the matter by for the present. 1 then turn- ed to Mr. Parker with a query, whether it would not b€ as well to put the business by for the** present, till he should know by what authority he practised such things. Plis reply was, I do not know but it will, and added, we will have a Church meeting and enquire into the inat- Ur. Upon both agreeing tiaus towrapitup, I retired q* 102 to meditate npon the ^lifeject of discourse for the after- noon. Aftei 1 went o»t, Mr. Parker bethought himself that matters had gone rather too far to end jast there, arid says to the young man, the Deacon has carried the basnjn of water into the Meeting-House, the people will expect a child to be sprinkled, or baptized; it may cause considerable conversation, or wonder, if the mat- ter be omitted. The complaisant young man consented to have it, just as Mr. Parker thought best. Thus they unwrapped the matter, as Mrs. Merrill, who was present, informed me afterwards. I returned to the room, and we immediately proceeded to the place of public worship. I kaew nothing of the change, till af- ter the close of the discourse, at which time I beckoned to Mr. Parker to lead in the closing prayer. He arose, called forward the young man, and propounded to him the covenant, in which were many promises to be made, but with respect to them the covenanter had, no doubt, a mental reservation, for he had previously informed the minister, that he should not keep them. But when he had bowed assent, and prayer had been offered, the rite was performed, and the p riest returned to the pul- pit, motioning a request, that I would close by prayer. I manifested my dissent, intimating, that 1 had nothing to do with such things. Whilst retiring from the Meet- ins:- House I observed to Mr. Parker, that upon my mind was a certain text, which was this. Without faith it is impossible to please Him, ih?it is God. With relation to this business just transacted, you had no faith in it, as you conceded, before the meeting opened. The young man had none, as he also informed us. Unless the child had, there was none in the parties concerned ; and for mvself, I doubt its being pleasing to God. The pleas- ant m-rm shook^his head, saying,! don't know that it was. After we entered his dwelling, I mentioned, that anoth- ei- text struck mf mind, and that it was, H'hatsoever is net of faith is sin. I farther observed, as the sprinkling ©f the child was not of faith, I had a serious qvcy, whether it were not a piece of abomination. He, t«f ^ a shaking his head, seriously replied, '* 1 dont know but it is." 103 i have related the above, that I mi^ht show you from real life, or actual service, that Mr. P. i« incorrect in saying, " We never administer the ordinance ; but oa a credible profession of faith." He is not merely in- correct, but the reverse of what he has said, is, taking the whole Pasdobaptist Church into the account, almost infinitely nearer the truth. For I should say, not one to fifty of those who practise infant Baptism, or sprink- ling, require any profession of experimental religion. There are a considerable number of Churches in En- gland, and comparatively more in our own nation, who require a profession of repentance to accompany an ad- mission to the Lord's supper, and also to the baptizing of their children. These persons have Hot courage enough to renounce the traditions of their fathers, and obey the Lord and be baptized, and so join the Baptists ; and they have too much light to follow the multitude of th-^ir brethren in their more gross hypocrisy. They, therefore, pursue, a kind of middle course, and are greatly inconsistent with their own scheme, and will not agree with the Lord's. What Priest in Israel ever thought of requiring a personal profession of experi- mental religion of a circumcised Israelite, as a qualifi- cation for the circumcising of his son. No such right was ever conferred on a priest in Israel : nor has any Paedobaptist minister a right to require it now. If they be right in their principle, let them pursue it; if wrong, let them renounce it. Their principle is, that Baptism has taken the place of circumcision, and to be adminis- tered to similar subjects. If so, it is sulficient, that I have been baptized, and not cut off for some flagrant wickedness, to constitute my perfect right to have my children baptized. Not only so, bai no prie.st may upon the pretence of God's disple;isure5 forbid my child be- ing baptized, for he is not only accessory to my child's breaking the covenant, and being cut off from God's peo- ple, but forces him to it. Let Mr. P. or any of his con- sci«ncious brethren extricate themselves from this sin, if *bey be able. Let ihe godly among the Paedobapiists und'jrstand their own S3'^st€m, and they must either re- turn to their mother, the Churcii of Kome, or repeat of 104 their error ard be b-iptized confessiao- their sins, f^ach one for himself. There is no half wu}/ in this business. It is riiere mockery to say as Mr. P. does. We do not pretend to baptize children without a credible profession ef faith. This is halving matters between Christ and the Mother of harlots. Either Austin was cor rect, in baptiz- ing- by prosy the British subjects, ten thousand in a day, upon the faith of the British King- and court;* or the Baptists are correct in demanding that every one should be baptised upon bis own faith Austin went upon the Paedobaptist principle brought into full operation. The other is the Baptist principle. There is no con>promise between the two. One is right, and the other must be wrong. Consider, take advice and speak your minds. God abhors this half-way business, steering between God and the world to please both. Once more, in No. 7, says Mr. P " We mark the chil- dren as set apart for the Lord, because their parents are the Lord's. Thus, we produce dij-ect ani} positive evi- dence^ in support of our practice, and you can furnish nothing but negative evidence against it" Here is still nothing but assertion, no evidence, either direct, or pos- itive. 1 appeal to Mr. P. himself, whether he did not thvs express himself, because he had nothing else to say, or because he despaired of producing aught of more weight than bare assertion. He is a man of sense, and knows, that there is no weight in his argument, or rather that he employed none, lie asserted a number of things, and then said, '' Hence we mark the children as set a- pari for the Lord, because their parents are the Lord's,*'^ and then adds, "Thus we produce direct 'dud poaitive ev- idence," &c. Brethren, you m^Bt answer for yourselves, and you have a right to thmk for yourselves; but you have no right to think contrary from the truth, when the light is b^-fore you. Cease from man, then may you follow God. He that will save his life shall lose it. I am as ever your willing servant for the gospel'e sake. *His, British Bap. Vol. 2 p. I85 Pref. LETTER VII. Beloved Brethren, Notwithstanding the Lord promised, that in gospel times there should be an highway of holiness; which should be for the clean, and that the unclean should not pass over it ; and that it should be so plain, that the hon- est traveller should not err in it, : r miss his way :* yet you see that either the Baptists, i.r the Paedobaptjsts, have missed this way. In each of these communities, it is believed, are found many travellers. !- -ne or the other, the travellers are not honest, not ^^ri.r.g to be counted fools, for Christ's sake and the gosp' i s, or the promise appears to fail. The Baptists say, that this gos- pel highway of holiness is for the clean, for tho?e whose hearts are purified by faith, whose repentance is mani- fested by their fruit, and that the unclean have no ti^ht to walk in it. The Pseiobaptists contend, that this hig-h- way of Tioliness is nothing more, than the ancient Jew- ish way, a little differently staked out; and that, wh*^re the father, mother, or master, is clean, this confer^ a right to the unclean, unconverted, household of childnja and servants, to travel on this highway. The Baptists say, '*• If this be correct, there must be some express pre- cept, or unquestionable example in the New Testament to justify the practice." Mr. P. replies, ^^ With the greatest propriety, we deny this."t You have seen, ia Vile last letter, how he progressed in showing, that the Paedobaptists needed neither precept, nor example, from the New Testament, to support their practice. In thi'^, you will perceive his labor to gain, out of the New Tes- tament, some encouragement for his scheme. If the Pgedobaptisls be correct, and are indeed the visible Church of Christ, it is to be sure a surprising provi-leoce, that they are compelled to such a variety of dark, and *Isaiab, xxxv, 8. — tPage 200,. 106 dubious arguments, to give to their scheme any plausible altitude. Whilst the Baptist scheme is minutely detail- ed by Christ and bis Apostles : as I hope to show you by and bye. But for the present, we must attend to Mr. P. wbo says, ^'Seeing that our Saviour and his Apostles ac- knowledged the Abrahamic covenant as the constitution cf the Church, as I have abundantly shown^ there is just as much evidence of infant membership in the New Tes- tament, as we should expect to fmd ; and that is a distinct recognition of the/aci. Thus our Saviour declares '"''Svf- fer little children to come unto 7/ze, and forbid them not* for of such is the kingdom of God. '''^ See Mat. xix. 14 — Mark, s. 14 — Luke, xviii. 16. In this quotation he manifestly treats Christ and his Apostles rather radely ; in bringing thezn forward as a- beltors of a cause, of which they appear never to have approved, nor ever to have spoken a word in its favor ; and then says, he has abundantly shown that they have. He next proceeds to inform us, that there is evidence of infant membership in the New Testament, and as much as we should expect to find ; and that is, a distinct acknow- ledgement of the fact. I If there be such acknowledgment, he was bound to tell us where. He has nam- ed three texts, and quoted one, and the other two are, DO doubt, the same thing, related by the other Evangel- ists. But what is this text to his purpose ? 1 appeal, Tvith a degree cf confidence, to Mr. P. that the text, be- ing eliptical, would, with the elipsi> supplied, read thus. Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them D'^t to come unto me, for cf such as come to me is the kingdom of heaven. It ow if the above be the plain lit- eral reading of the text, the figure being removed ; then two things are obvious, one, that these children, ■who come to Christ, are such as are mentioned in the next chapter but one, ioth and IGth ver. --And when the chief priests and scribes saw the umderful things that he did, and tlie children crymg in the temple and saying, Hosanna to the Son of David : they were sore displeased, and said unto him, hearest thou what these say ? And J(Miu- saith unto them, lea; have ye never read, out of the rno'jtr.> of babes and sucklings, thou hast jterf^^cted praise? Or they are such believing litlie ebiidrfcn, as, 107 are mentioned in the preceding chapter^ which is the xviii. 6. The other obvious thing i?, that the kingdom of heaven is composed of believing little children, and of SUCH as are like unto them : or still more obviously, just as our Lord expresses the matter, in the very following verse to the one which Mr. P. quoted, Mark, x. 15,^'Fer- ily i say unto you, whosoever shall not receive the king- dom of God as a little child, he shall not enter ihercin.^'^ One thing more appears equally obvious, and that is, that this text hath nothing to do with Mr. Prime's scheme, unless it be to demolish it. For it informs us, that no one can enter into the kingdom of heaven, or hath any right to it, unless he come to Christ, or be converted and become as a little child, or receive the kingdom of God ivith a childlike meekness. Hence it is m.anifcst, that parents and masters cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven, the gospel church, bringing a number of im- penitent infants and servants with them. Of such is the Paedobaptist Church; but of such is not the kingdom of heaven, the Lord Jesus Christ the King, being jvidge» Is it not surprising, tbat Mr. P. could tell us, that sjjci\ a text was a distinct recognition of infant membership ? In the remarks which he makes upon the text, the fol- lowing one is worthy of a moment's attention. "• If the phrase, (the kingdom of God) says he, be applied to the gospel Church, which indeed is by far the most frequent application, it is explicit warrant, (for infant membership) a positive declaration that the gospel Church, like the ancient, is in a great measure composed of infants. Bui this is more than I ask, and mere, than Baptists will ad- mit, as long as any method of torture for a text of scrip- ture remains."* It is not exactly manifest, what should constrain him to express himself, just as he has. For we not only are ready to admit, that the kingdom of God, or of heaven, in this text, and in the collateral texts, in- tends the gospel Church, but also that we know of no other sense, in which they should be understood. Wc ljIso not only admit, but earnestly contend, that the king- dom of heaven, the gospel Church, is composed, not *Fage 205, 108 merely in a great measure, but altogether of such at were the little children of whom Christ spake, and ex- cept Mr. P. be con-vorted from his hard opposition.HE can never enter into it. We do not believe, that the king- dom of heaven, the gospel Church, is composed of incon- icious infants, nor does the text intimate any such thing ; for then the parents would be, implicitly, excluded, for of 5wc^, says the text, of such little ones as come to me, is the kingdom of heaven. If this intends inconscious babes, the parents cannot become such, but if the mean- ing be, the little ones who believe in Christ, then all the humble in heart may enter. The next text which he perverts is Mat. xxviii. 19. Go ye, therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, &c. He observes, '•• that the word, teach, signifies disciple, or make disciples of — and that, "it plainly declares, that they are to be made dis- ciples before they are baptized." In the next para- graph he says, " They (the Apostles) were to make dis- ciples of all nations by requiring a credible profession of faith of all adult persons, and then acknowledging their infant seed as disciples^ (or scholars) to be trained up in the school of Christ for the Lord's service." Who in- structed him to make disciples in this expeditious man- ner? One thing is certain, there is nothii g in the orig- inal, nor in the translation, which h: s a shade of likeness to his exposition. Mr. P.'s pen appears like a leproiis person, it defiles every thing it touches. That he has defiled this text, nothing rriore is necessary to show it,than to transcribe the paraliei text in Mark, xvi. 16, 19, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every crea- ture. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved. What he says upon the jailor and his household does notseem to require any considerable attention, for be concedes, '• That common readers of the bible are apt to suppose, the conversion of the whole famiiy is asserted in Acts xvi. 34," and as this appears the simple truth, an^ as he produceth nothing against it, save his own dtxlar- atioii, and that, in opposition to a venerable rompan}' of learned di\ ines of his own denomination who translated it, nothing more need be added. In a similar way we 109 might dispose of what he says of Lidia's householcl, wer^ it not, that he too boldly asserts, "We are distioctly in- formed that the Lord opened her heart, but not a shad- ow of evidence is there, that any more of her household were converted."* Exactly the reverse of what he hath erroneously asserted, is contained in the last verse of the same chapter, which is, "And they went out of the priis- on, and entered into the house of Lidia ; and when they had seenthe brethren^ they comforted them^ and departed." There is also a shadow of evidence that more, or less, of Lidia's household were converted, from the circum- stance of their being with her at a prayer-meeting, where Paul found them, verse 13. The next text which he introduces in this coanexion is, 1 Cor. vii. 14. " For the unbelieving husband is sanc- tified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband : else were your children unclean; but now are they holy." This text of itself, destroys Mr. P.'s whole scheme. For such a thing was never legalized in the Jewish Church, that a believing Jew, should sane* tify a correlative, who was an unbelieving Gentile. The Jews were forbidden to intermarry with the Gentile na- tions, in, and about, Canaan. Deut. vii. 3. Those who had done this were compelled to put away their wives and the children born of them, Ezra, chap. x. and N"ehemi- ah xiii. 23. But in this 7th chapter of 1 Cor. those who, in the gospel Church, had such correlatives^ were for- bidden to put them away, nor were their children to be repudiated, but as such marriage, or matrimonial com- paionsare sanctioned by .the gospel, so are the children holy, or reputable, as originating within the covenant of lawful, marriages. This text no more proves infant mem- bership, or infant Baptism, than it proves infidel mem- bership, and infidel Baptism. For the unbelieving hus- band and wife are pronounced as holy as are the children. This Mr. P. might have easily knswn, had he paid pro- per attention to the text, and then would have knowa that it was nothing to his purpose; but directly against *?age 209. 10 110 ills scheme of the sameness of the Jewish and chrisfiaJi Churches. Mr. P. spends several pages, profeisedly in discussing the answer to this question : " What good can it do to baptize infants?'* In his observations, he tel s us, .''I'hat God hdiS commandedit,^'^ "That Paul has anucipa- ted our objections against it," "That they, (the cir- cumcised) had the oracles of God^ by virtue of which their children enjoyed a religious education, which, ac- cording to the divine constitution, was the appointed . means of their salvation. — The very same ad-vantages re- sult from infant Baptism.'^'' It is a felicity that truth is consistent with itself, and requires nothing but truth to defend it ; and that truth forbids, that one fair argument should lend its aid to error. Hence it is, thai Mr. p. has as many mistakes as he presents semblances of ar- gument, as every unprejudiced person may discover, who reads his book with understanding. In the present instance, his three assertions are totally destitute of truth, God has never commanded infant Baptism. Of coursp Paul could not anticipate any objection, which the Bap- tists might make against it. His other mistake is veiy reprehensible, not merely because it contains an untruth, but because it contains a very great and mischievous one. Many people, for want of thinking, may be indu- ced to believe it. No serious Christian who thinks for himself, will believe, that our being favoured with the j&racles of God., and the salvation of our children^ are among the advantages, which result from infant Baptism. This superstition is more aggravated, than that of the Hindoos, who, to save their children, cast them into the Ganges. His next labour is, to deal out reproaches against the Baptists, in his region, for not finding explicit warrant for domestic devotion ; or for what he considers their con- sequent practice, also for not catechising their children, when there are not more than two or three answers which interfere with their system ; aa also for not preventing their children from intimating, that the catechism is the work of man and not to be received, (implicitly) "^ 1!^ the truth of Jehovah." But to the question,. What good can it do to baptize infants ? he has said more, than we have found to be correct ; for as there is no command for it, so there is no profit in it. There is much profit, or advantage, in having the oracles of God : in bringing up our children in the knowledge and fear of the Lord send his word ; in asking them questions upon the great things of revealed truth, and teaching them proper an- swers, or in catechising them : and the fault of this omission amongst the Baptists in that part of the coun- try round Mr. P. is manifestly to be charged upon him and his brethren. For bj; his own concession there are two or three answers which interfere with the Baptist sys- tem. He does not occupy the most pleasant station, whilst reproaching the Baptists, for not teaching their children the traditions and commandments of men, which pervert the right ways of the Lord. But, says he, there are not more than two or three. Yes, but does he not know, that one leak will sink a ship ; and one gospel or- dinance prostituted draws the dividing line between the two Apocalyptic women. It is presumed, that one of these two or three answers is following the question, ^'To whom is baptism to be administered ?" An answer mare completely confused, more filled with truth and error, nicely mixt, was, perhaps, never invented. Aa. "Bap- tism IS NOT Te BE ADMiNiSTERSD TO ANY that are out of the 'visible Churchy till they frofbss theik faith in Christ AN© gbedielVCE to HIM : but the infards of such as are mem- bers of the visible Church are to be baptized.'''^ Take that part, which is in small capitals, and nothing is more true ; whilst the part in italics is equally untrue, being lao where read in the scriptures of truth. Taken to- gether it looks like one of Satan's temptations, truth and falsehood intermixt. To make the best of it, it is but a tradition of man's invention. What makes him and his brethren so angry is because the Baptists do not choose to believe what he cannot prove, and what they know io be but a mere superstition. Let them expunge from their catechism what God gave them no liberty to put in, and then if the Baptists will not join them, reproach will be juatly theirs^ But till tais be done, the reproach 112 iifists deservedly upon their revilers. Brethrea, this may seem rather severe, but is it incorrect ? What he says, whilst labouring to fix distinctly the standing which your children have in the Church, howr they attained to it, and how the}^ may have it changed, IS not a subject requiring- much attention for the present. We know, that if your scheme be correct, that your chil- dren belong to the Church, and that whilst your Church, for eight hundred j^ears, brought them to the commun- ion, and nurses chewed a little bread and fed them, and gave them a little of the wine, they were unquestiona- bly more correct, with their own theory, than at pre- sent. But as the Paedobaptists have been always chang- ing in relation to their means and methods with the ia- faut part of their Church, so Mr. P. is at a loss what to do with them. However, he hath undertaken to decide in a novel way, not harmonizing with either law or gos- pel, but contrary from both. ^'When children, siys he, cease to be members of the parent's family and set up an independent interest for themselves, m that same in- ■Haiit^ their connection with the Church ceases, if they have not previously made a vcluut-^ry surrender of themselves to Gud."* This is not mentioned as a fault of his, for there is no question, but he.has us jiistifiable a claim to introduce alterations with relation to the stand- ing of believers' children, as his forefathers had. to in- troduce themjn the first instance. If a daughter, at fif- teen, should marry, and marry a brother in the Church, too, she is unchurched, in the very act, unless she has previously complied with some device, which some m.nu or body of men, has invented for her, for the Lord haf h never provided any such instrument. I mention it, as iHther an hard case, having no precedent in either law or gospel. However, he iancies it would be of great se-vice to have this well understood, and faithfully at- tended to. The same kind of benevolent fancy produ- ced 'he wh^ie system of infant membership, infant hap- tis.i>, infant sprinkling, infant communion, witli all the: race of godfathers, godmolhersj spon^or.s r;nd boudsmen j 113 DID from his.^'^ The Baptists believe, that as the *. Pages 229,230, 233,^34. scyenth day sabbath was a commemorative day set apart, at the close of the work of creation, so the first day sabbath is likewise a day of remembrance, to bring to mind, that on that day the Saviour rested from more than creation work, having the preceding evening, or night, ceased from his own wcrks^ of redeeming man^ as God from his, of making him. Jesus, our Lord, not on- ly rose, triumphantly, and rested from his own works^ on the first day of the week, but repeatedly showed himself to his disciples on the same day of the week, and shed forth the Spirit on that day. In addition to this, we have apostolic example, that on the first day of the week, the disciples came together to break bread, or to the communion, and Paul preached to them. Acts XX. 7. This was also a day for manifestation of Chris- tian liberality, in alms giving. * To crown the whole, this is manifestly, and emphatically, called the Lord's BAY. f This we consider to furnish divine authority for the Christian sabbath. We never had a thought enter our heart, to conceal this, as Mr. P. says, from the vul- gar eye. Nor is it, as he too boldly asserts, one of the SECRETS of the Baptist scheme to reject the divine au- thority of the Christian sabbath, and yet conceal the thing from the vulgar eye. It is a very rude thing, not to say a very base one, for him to publish to the world, the illiberal and unfounded charge, "that the kno-wing ones among the Baptists find it for their interest to keep the common people in ignorance of their sentiments on this point." Whilst he has charged the grossest duplic- ity upon the Baptist ministers, and told them that a re- jection of the sabbath was a necessary part of their syg. tem ; he appears himself to be verily guilty of the enormous sin, which he falsely laid to their account, or palmed upon their system. He boldly asserts "that there is no explicit warrant for the change of the sab* bath." We do not say, that there is an explicit command^ but we hold there is explicit example^ and this the Bap- tists consider explicit 'warrant. We are warranted to d» that for which we have the example of either Christy * Ui Cw. xvi. 2.— ♦ R. lit. If. 120 «r his apostles. In the present case, we hare the ex- ample of both. But he not only asserts, that there is no explicit warrant for the change, but virtually tells us, that there is no warrant, or evidence of any kind, for observing the Lord's day, as the Christian sabbath : for he says, '•'this and infant Baptism stand upon the very same ground, as to mode of proof." He and his breth- ren may have made this very incorrect assertion so ma- ny times, that some of the Baptists in his region may have believed it ; and of necessary consequeace denied that there was divine authority for the Christian sab- bath. He appears determined to crowd down infant Baptism, or the belief of it, though it be at the ex- pense of the Christian sabbath. He knows, or ought to know, that one does not stand upon the same ground with the other, as to mode of proof. Is there another ordinance for infants spoken' of in the Oid and New Testament, as there is another day for Christians, or the people of God ? Is there an account of Christ's attend- ing the Baptism of infants once and again, iis-ihere is of his attending once and again a meeting ttitl(his disciples upon the first day of the week? Have we information, that the disciples convened for the baptizing of infants, as we have of their convening for celebrating the first day of the week ? Have we any example, that the apostles gave direction for the preparation of infants for baptism, as we have of their instructions to Christians for laying up alms, &c. for the first day of the week? In short, have we, in the Bible an ordinance called in- fant baptism, as we have a day, called the Lord's day ? It is a little surprising, that he should have the assurance to lay it, as a reproach to the Baptists, that they reject the divine authority of the Christian sabbath, when he, almost at the same breath, tells us, that there is no ex- plicit warrant for it ; and in the next, couples it, as to evidence, with infant Baptism, for which there is net a shadow of evidence, either in the Oid or New Testa- ment. But what may seem the most surprising of all, is, that he should charge the leaders of the Baptists of dn- 121 plicity, and of deceiving the common people, when his whole book, so far as we have yeffexarnined it, is iilue less, than one continued imposition upon the commoa sense of mankind. If he has given us so much as one individual, fair, logical, or scripture, argument in favour of one of his principal topics, which he has so abundant- ly laboured,! have not been able to discover it. He has verbal 1/ triumphed over the Baptists, and spoken of their logic, awd produced his own. I find no fault with the form of his syliogisms, but the defect which I allege is, that either in hi* major, minor, or conclusion, there is perpetually the want of one very importa/jt article, and that is ^^/t^-. He is not so much to be bla- med for thi'S, as he is lOr embarking in so bad a cause, un;lertaking to defend what is mdefensibie, and labor- ing to provi what is n ;t capable of proof. In this way he may cast a mist before many a pious mind, and shut up the kingdom of heaven against men ; and whilst he will not go in himself he may hinder some who are entering in. Mat. xxiii. 13. You, brethren, will judge for yourselves, whose system leads to the rejection of the Christian sabbath. Another deformity which he announces, as having found in our camp is, 3. That the Baptists forsake Mo«es ; yes, all the Old Testament. '• 1 now remark, (sa^. she,) another aw- ful result of your .-ystem. It leads you to reject the whole of the Old Testament, as being any part of the revealed will of heaven to the Christian Church. If any refer- ence is made to it to prove a Christian duty, your only ansrsD-er is, " That is all done away, — it is no rule for the faith, or practice of Christians."* Now, brethren, you know, and every understanding, pious, Paedobaptist, who is acquainted with the Baptists", knows, that there is not a word of truth in what he here asserts ; but the con- trary is the truth. The Baptist system teaches men to e'^teem (Mory word of God to be precious, and his stat- utes concerning all things to be right. But what pro- u 122 yokes Mr. P. almost to madness is, that the Baptists will not believe in infan* sprinkling, implicit]}, but re- quire evidence, either out of the Old Testament, or out of the New. This he is unable to produce. The Baptists are still obstinate, and refuse to yield assent till evidence shall be afforded. JHe rails severely : but this produces no conviction. Let him, or any other person, bring forward one sentence out of the Old or New Testament which so much as mentions, that it ever came into the heart of God to command infant sprink- ling, or infant baptism, then would he be justified in re- proving us were we found disobedient. But he appears disposed to supply the deficiency of his arguments by the roughness of his address. Another deformity which he charges as being an inhabitant of our camp is, 4. Ignorance, '•'l am bold to affirm, (says he) that the writings of one individual of the Paedobaptists, the first President Edwards, are of tenfold more worth, than all the writings of your denomination, in this country, from its first settlement to the present day." He has ventured no argument in supp&rt of his bold affirmation, and we shall propose none m retutation. The next abomination which he charges upon the contents of our camp is, 5. Close Communion. "Again, (says he,) your system virtually excon.muricates ihe great 1 orly of ihe real discijdes of Christ, "iou reject communion with the whole Paedobaptist Church, which, some of your denomination are arrogant enough to say is not a church of Christ. If so, pray how long was Jesus Christ without a church on earth ! I have proved, that the vhole church was Paedcbaptist for 1500 yfais. J'r. Gill admits, that there is no evidence to the contrary for 700 years. '^Ciose Communion, I must confess, has a frightful aspect ; not, however, to the uninfoi tr.ed, and less con- scientious part of the Christian wot'd : hut to the in- telligent and conscientious Christian."* * Pages 241, 243, 123 In the above quotation he has asserted four thing$ which are incorrect ; and stands self-condemned. - 1. ''That the Baptiirt system virtually excommu- nicates the great body of the real disciples of Christ." This is a heavy charge, and as devoid of truth, as it is of candour. The truths, which the Baptists are obliged to believe and practise, are sufficiently disgust- ing to carnal minds, and prejudiced saints, without the addition of falsehood to set their opponents in a rage. The Baptists say, 1. That the Lord Jesus Christ did, whilst upon earth, set up a kingdom, according to the scriptures. Ban. ii. 44. — Mat. xi. 12 — xxiii. 13. — Luke xvi. 16. 2. That, with relation to the things of this kingdom, we were to hear Jesus Christ, rather than Moses. The Lord, by Moses, commanded us thus to do. Deut. xviii. 15, 19. 3. That none but visible saints are entitled to admis- sion. Deut. xviii. 9. — Dan. vii. 27. — Acts iii. 22,23.^ Mat. 3d chapter. 4. That the only prescribed manner of admission into this kingdom is by being buried and raised again, with Christ, in baptism Mark i. 5, 9. — Acts ii. 41, 42, — aom. vi. 2 to 5. — Col. ii 12. 5. That such as have not been admitted into the kingdom,do not belong to it. Mark x. 15. — Luke xi. 52. 6. That those, who do not belong to this kingdom, have no expressed liberty to partake of the communion of the body and blood of Christ. And therefore, 7. That what is termed close communion is gospel communion, and what none can depart from, without transt^rressing the laws of Christ. This is the Baptist system, relative to certain out- lines of the visible kingdom of God, the church of Christ, or of its constituent parts. But this excommu- nicates none of the real, or pretended disciples of Christ, who belong to the Paedobaptists. But treats llicm as being just where they are, pbstinately rejecting the counsel of God^ the baptism of repentance, against themselves, not b'3ing baptized with the only christ- ian baptism, which John was sent to introduce. For 124 preaching and prRctising these plain truths, which none 01 our adversaries are able to gainsaj, they take liberty to speak all niaaner of evil against us, falsely. What causes our opponents to be so angry at our refusing to receive them, i*, their inability to prove their right to come. Mr. F. and his Presbyterian brethren are inli- niteiy mare angry at the Baptists, for refusing to admit their plea, the baptism, or sprinkling of impenitence, for a qualification of communion, than they are at a large majoniy of their Faedobaptist brethren, who have, in lact, excommunicated them, and denounced them as being out of the pale of salvation. Their mother Church hath denounced, not the Presbyterian merely, but all the Protestant Churches as being in a state of condemnation, and in the high road to damnation. Yet ^Ir. P. tells us, that this their mother, the Papistical Church, is a true and regular Church of Christ.* Kii words are, '^If the constuution of the Church still in- cludes the infants of believers, ■whick ha^ been proved^ then those Churches, which have adopted that constitu- tion^ must be the true and regular gospel Churches.'''* The Papistical Churches have as fully adopted that constitu- tion, as has the Presbyterian Church at Cambridge, op m any other place. Hence the Popish Churches are as true and regular gospel Churches,fas are Mr. P.'s and other Presbyterian Churches. But the Popish Church and hierarchy have issued their thundering excommuni- cations against all the Protestants, yet Mr. P. appears as mild as a lamb towards them. But because we tell him the truth, therefore his anger is stirred. We excom- mynicate none of them. We plainly tell them, that the King hath not expressed his pleasure, that they should approach. We ask for their tol'en. They pro- duce none bearing the roj/ai stamp. We therefore re- ceive them not. They are angry. At whom ? At the servants ; because they dare not accuse the Master. We say to them, embrace the baptism of repentance^ for the remission of your sins, and no longer reject this cmmsel »f God against yourselves; and w« willingly receive 125 /on.* Mr. p. replle?, *'The bigotry, the arro^^ncc', ani the uncharitableness, of your system, sicken mf very soul.'"t A Jewish high priest would have hardly expressed himself more roundly ; yet this is the man who is so desirous of communing with the Baptists at the table of the Lord Jesus. Whilst, nighly at the same breath, he pronounces, ^* That there can be no com- promise between the two systems. If one is right the other must be wrong, and dl attempts to unite them mast be as unsuccessful, as the attempt to weld iron and clay. "I 2. Says he, "I have proved, that the whole church irvas Pasdobaplist for 1500 years." This is not merely contrary from fact, but so universally known to be so, by all who are versed in ecclesiastical history, that it might pass unnoticed, were it not, that some of his rea- der? might be deceived by the overbearing assertion. Mr. P. has proved no such thing. An hundred witnes- ses, of his own denomination, men renowned for talents and literature, might be named, who will testify, that Mr. P. has in this insfance, gone very wide of the truth. 3. He has the assurance to tell us, " That Dr. Gill admits, that there is no evidence to the contrary foF "700 years." We ask where, or when, in what page, or in what book, did Dr. Gill admit such a notorious falsehood ! Was it in conversation, at the time, in which Mr. P. heard one Baptist minister, and another, speak not with due respect of the Christian sabbath? We do not accuse Mr. P. of saying thiEgs which he believed not. Bathe certainly said very many things, which he knew not: and which are known by others, to be very incorrect. Should he write again, it might make for the honour of his cause, to accompany his assertions, accusations and seatences of condemnation, with a little evidence of his correctness, and of our guilt. He has laid many and grievous things to the charge of the Bap- tists, which he is not only unable to prove, but for the publishing of which he will find occasion to mourn. ♦ Luke iii. 3— vH. 29, SO.^t Page 246.— ^ Page 246. 11* • 126 He otig-ht to inforni us, where his witnesses, or their testimony may be found; he ought not so to pre- sume upon the ereduhty of the public, as to assert, that a variety of witnesses testify thus and thus, and yet pro- duce no evidence of the facts but his own declarations. Let him name the book, chapter, or page. 4 " Close Communion has a frightful aspect, says he, to the intelligent and conscientious Christian." Here Mr. P. appears at great odds with himself, to- tally inconsistent, and condemns his whole perforniance, as being a mere forgery. He here affords weighty ev- idence, that he<3oes not, in heart, believe what he has written. "Is the Baptist system a mere mushroom, which vegetates in the nighty without seed, er root, and languishes and dies beneath the rays of the sun?"* Are the " Baptist principles distinctively derived from the fanatics of the Munster insurrection" ?t Is their "sys- tem so perverse, that there can be no accommodation, no compromise with it :" " that it cannot unite with the Paedobaptist system any more, than iron with clay ?|" Do the Baptists deny the constitution of the church of Christ, renounce all the Old Testament, deny the sab- bath, or the divine authority of it ? In short, are they the filth and off-scouring of the world, kc. kc. so that Mr. P. cannot determine whether their Churches can be allowed so much as the lowest place in the Christian Church, or their ministers to be reckoned with the low- est of the PsBdobaptist clergy ?§ Have the present sentiments of Baptists been derived down to them, through the medium of the vilest fanatics and heretics, which have ever been a vexatious and tor- menting scourge to the Papists, who were the true and TPi^ular gospel Church, till the IGth centurj', and did these sentiments then, by being digested into i^ae Mun- ster f^matical, tumultuous insurrection, prodiSl some form and system, so that their adherents were wrought up into a Baptist Church, and the first, that was ever in the world ? So that "' In them you behold the true ori- * Phg:e 176.— t Pages 1S4, 195.—$ Page 24Q — J Pages 195, 196, 197, &c. 127 gin of the Baptist Church : and from them, ari; derived the distinctive principles of the Baptist denomination. '■* Is all this true, and much more, of the Baptists, and yet is it a frightful thing to the Pasdobaptists, that these Baptists refuse to commune with them ? if so it must be to that part of the Paedobaptists, who are uninform^- ed and have made shipwreck of faith and conscience too. No, says Mr. P. " Close Communion, / 7niist con' fess, has a frightful aspect, not, however, to the unm- formed, and less conscientious part of the Christian world ; but to the intelligent and conscientious Christian.''^ Impossible! What! To the intelligent and conscientioui Christian, does it present a frightful aspect, that those same Baptists will not commune with the Pasdobaptists, with those who hold, that sprinkling the impenitent, the natural seed of believers, will seal them in -he Cove- nant of grace ? Yes, brethren, this frightful aspect, this noise, and bustle, which your prophets make, pro- fessedly against the Baptists, because they will not SRnc- tion their errors, by communing with them, present the evidence of a thousand arguments ; yes, evidence irre- sistible, that they themselves do not believe the unhal- lowed reproaches and false accusations which they ut- ter and industriously circulate amonsr the people, th it they may not understand the things of the kingdom of God on earth. Thus they shut up the kingdom of God against men : they will not go in themselves ; and them that were entering in, they hinder. I Such imposition, brethren, as is palmed upon you, is insulTerable. G. 1 will soon reprove it in vengeance. Your ministers, specially, the prophets, or public \*;r iters, amongst them, are in an evil case, in a trying dilemma. Are the Baptists what they represent them to be, then not aa intelligent, conscientious man would commune ^rith them. Are they not ? Thei> those who thus represtnt them, are deceived, or deceitful, slanderers. But wheth- er the Baptists be, or be not, such a AmaticaJ tribe, as their accusers portray them to be, there is an Tidiscri- bablc baseness in the manner in which they are treated. * Page 195, and the note, 248.— t Mat. xxiii. 13. 128 jfn (he first vhre*, yout priests describe them, as though they were not \ orthj to be se<; with the dogs of their flocks, and then tread them down, as the mire of the street, bpcause they refuse to conrimune with their ca- lumniators, at the Lord's table. Such deceivableness ©f nnrig-hteousness will not long continue iinrebukcd. May God open your eyes, and the eyes of your priests, that you and they may behold the things of the king- dom of God, and enter it. Thus prays Your willing servant, for the truth's sake.. LETTER IX. Dear Brethren, Whilst the prudent foresee the evil and hide them- selves, the wicked pass on and are punished. You have heard some of the innumerable revilings, con- temptuous railings, and false accusations with which Mr. P. has loaded the Baptists, their sentiments and system. It is not our wish to answer him according to his folly, nor do we possess a disposition to revile, or provoke him. It does not belong to us to avenge our- selves. God will, in his set time, avenge his own quar- rel. We wish to repel the attacks, which are made upon the truth, and when implicated ourselves, to show our innocency. It is our desire, not merely to -exhibit the weakness of Mr. P.'s arguments, but also their dan- g^erous lefiuency. It is not enough, that his boasted ar- tillery do not annoy us; it is partly our care, that it re- coil not upon him and his brethren to their perpetual wounding- At least, it is a part of our solicitude, that you may foresee the evil, and prudently hide yourselves. 129 You "have seen how Mi. P. whilst he has been plying the Baptists with his keenest shafts of wit and satire, has stretched out his fraternal hand, and embraced the Jesuits, Monks and Friars with all the Papistical hierar- chy and iaity, as being safely inclosed among the true and regular gospel churches. Even the hoiy fathprs of the infernal inquisition are not excluded his chi^rity. ♦' Those churches, (says he,) which have adopted that constitution, which includes the infants of believers^ Di'jst be the true and regular gospel ehnrches.^'' But be- cause the Baptists hold, that none but those, who receive the word of the Lord Jesus gladly, have a gospel right to be baptized iato him, there is nothing too base, or de- grading to be laid to their charge. When he had nighly exhausted his steres of obloquy, he would expose the weakness and wickedness of his own system, rather than forego the irresistible temptation to speak evil of those, who were to be hated of all nations for Christ's sake. An instance of this was presented in the last* letter, where he accused the Baptists of denying the divine authority of the Christian sabbath. Whilst he falsely, not to say, maliciously, lays this to the reproach of the Baptist system, he dares, and that with a mani- fest expectation of being believed, to say, that there is no explicit warrant for the change of'the sabbath.* Not only so, but upon his principle^ he does, page 252, sap the foundation of the Chiisliani sabbath. ^^ Forms of worship, or religious rites, says he, are positive institu- tions; and are therefore, obligatory no farthe", than they are explicitly revealed.^'' This is correct ; but what has he in his zeal against the Baptists, told ds, '••That there is no explicit warrant for the Christian sab- bath." 1/ no explicit warrant for tlie day, then no obli- gation to observe it. Thus is he fallen into the pit^ which hs very unadvisedly dug for the Baptists. Into aaotherpit not less uncanstian has he also fallen, ani dragged his whole system into papistical disgrace and r'.n I. Into this hath he plunged himself and his brethr-.n, whilst endeavoring to take awa/ Lie ke^ of 13a knowledofe, by scouting from the Christian code, the conn-^ei of God, the baptism which is from hejiven, and which Wris introduced by John. Aft^r labourins^ with his full strength to prove, that John's baptism, which he confesses was the baptism of repentance for the ren?is- sion of sins, was not Christian baptism ; and having in his erroneous imagination accomplished his object, he tri- umphs over immersion, as being put down with it ; an^l then finding, that no other baptism is recorded in the bible, is obliged to say, with the papists, ^'•This is left to the DiscKETioN of the Chukch." Thus, my belovtd brethren, you see that Christian baptism with the Christ- inn sabbath are gone down together; not by the Bap- tist system, but by that which your leaders unr) priests have been obliged to adopt in their unhallowed o})posi- tion against that people, who keep the ordinances as revealed in the Bible. Thus do they make void the lavir of Christ by their traditions. There is no* way of re- treat for Mr. P. but to avow the sentiment of the moth- er of harlots, that she hath a right to enact modes, rites and ceremonies for Ihe observance of the church of God. For he has correctly said, that "Forms of \\'orshi|), or religious rites, are positive institutions ; and are therefore obligatory no farther than they are ex- piicitiy revealed"; and his erring system has compelled him to say, as to what baptism is, '*This is left to the discretion of the church."* It therefore cannot be ob- ligatory upon an^''. It would be a mean subterfuge, for him to reply, that baptism is commanded, but the form, or thing to be done, is not. This would be charging Gcd foolishly. It would be charging upon his legisla- tive inaccuracy the foundation of the present controver- sy. This is degrading the Christian Legislator, even below what he unjustly alleges against the Baptists, *^ That they have reduced the Almighty God of Israel to the ignoble station of a 'temporal king." But was there ever a temporal king, who regarded either his own honour, or his subjects' tranquillity, who would command a new thing, about which nothino^ could b^ *Puge 295. 131 known, but by his own prescriptions, and yet, not pre- scribe how that thing- was to be performed, and even in the law itself, make use of an equivocal .word, so tb it the most loyal subject should not be able to know the will of his. beloved prince. This foliy and gross impo- sition Mr. P. lays to the reproach of Jesus Christ but *''TH[S (says he) is left to the discretion of the church." To what church ? To the church of Rome ? or to the Presbyterian church ? For he utterly refuses this liberty to the Baptist church. He has neither informed us with what church this discretionary power is lodged, nor fur- nished any clue by which it may be ascertained. 1 his, brethren, is an imposition of the grossest stamp. I'his is what all your ministers wink at, and practice upon, if they do not unite their active zeai in fastening the de- Ct^-piion upon you. Mr. Pr; ve lias laboured excessively to convince you, that you know nothing, that he knows nothiaoT, and that the churches know nothing, what is to b^ performed, when a person is baptized : but the church must guess at something, and when the church has guessed, you must be obedient. Every church, except the Baptist, has this privilege of guessing ; and they have full liberty to guess any thing but the truth : and when they have guessed, all, within the atmosphere of any particular church, must abide the guess^ which has been discretionarily concluded upon. To chain you in ignorance, and to secure you from be- lieving what he implicitly acknovvledgcs was the matter of John''s Baptism, he pledges himself, ^' To establish, that the mode of baptism is not so distinctly revealed^ as to prove that immersio}} is essential to its due perform- ance.''** After labouring through more than 40 pages, to do away that baptism, which neither the ancient, nor modern Scribes and Pharisees have knonn what to do with, he comes to the conclusion, that it is left to the dis- cretion of the Church, whether to immerse^ sprinkle, povr^ or authorize something else, for the something to he done in the ordinance of baptism. Thus he l',f5Vf« !)is brethren in profound ignorance. Bui^ brelUren, ihe 132 BihU has no such confusion in it This the Baptisfi know, and wish you to know it too. The Baptists knew thai there is one baptism, and that the Bible speaks of but one, as a Christian ordinance, and that this baptism was from heaven^ and that it was the counsel of God ; and that whilst it was rejexiea by the Pharisees and lawyers, many of the comiuon people, and the "pwbVvcdLns justified God^ being huptized wiih the bapti>nj of John.* '1 his baptism, Mr. P. vainly imagines, he has done away, as to the matter of it, and has lelt you, at your on n discretion, to find .mother, if you be able. However, he has, veiy iLiadveriantly, left you a clue, by which you maygathtT what baptism is, yet even this he has endeavoured to take away, but tbund hiiiiself unequal to the task, lie has. therefore, dismissed it as a citadel too strong to be demolished, that baptism when admini.'-tered by John, was immersion. I: baptism, when administered by John, is immersion, what is it when administered by Peter ? If baptism, yesterday, was immersion, what is it to driy ? It appears a waste of time to foiiow Mr. P. through all his inconclusive arguments against iUjmersicn for Baptism, and against John's baptism being thf- Christiaa. For he has left them all at our own discretion^ whether we will attach wejcfht to them, or not. For not one of therii touches the point m either case. But we might seem not to do justice to him, or to ourselves, unless we selected, and exposed, the weakness of those argumems, which, if ary, had the appearance of pinusibility. Did we know the arguments, in which he places the most eonfidence, tlic-e w-e would select. Mr. P. obs^rAes to Lebbeus, '"All the arguments that your denomination use in favor of immersion may be re- duced to two generai heads, viz. 1. The import of the original word. And, 2 The circumstances attending the administration of 'the ordinance, as expressed in the sacred record."! '* In regard to the tiist, the Baptisis assert, that the Greek word, baptize, always implies immersion," He is h< re not far from correct. For the Baptists have said, ii^d *Mat. xxi. S5.— Aiavk, xi. 30,— tuke, vii. ^9, SO.— + P. %j2. 133 still say, that the word baptizo, is never used in the scriptures, nor, to their knowletig'e, in any other Greek writini*-^, lor sprinkling, ponring^ or for any other similar application of water ; but that its appropriate and unde- viating" sense, in which it is used in the holy scriptures, is immersion, burying-, over\vhelmins:and the like. We have called upon our opponents to show us, if they can, that the word is ever used, by Greek authors, in writings, sacred or profane, in a sense different from what we al- ledg-e. The most, which they have done, and the most, v^'hich \te believe them able to do, is to bring forward some figurative instances, in which they apprehend, the word might have been differently employed, but they have no certain evidence, that it was. All tbeir cpposi^ tion, and the whole of their sprinkling system, resting upon such conjectural evidence, we are not appalled by the one, nor disposed to embrace the other. Mr. P. has vveli said ''* That our arguments in favor of immersion may be reduced to two general heads." " The import of the original vvord, and the circumstances attending the administration of the ordinance, as they are set down in the sacred record.*' We ask, what hum- ble Christian, in order to obedience, would require more, than to know, the meaning of the zivord of command^ and the circumstances, which Jesus, his ]i,ord, has left on re- cord, to designate the steps of obedience ? It is, indeed, a thing to be wondered at, that any gen- tleman of talents and erudition should ever, seriously, have attempted to put down immersion^ and to have run up sprinkling or pourings or to put them upon a level, as the thing com.'Tianded, in the ordinance of Christian bap- tism. It is presumed, that Mr. P. will not pretend, that there was, for the first thirteen hundred years of the Christian era, so much as a single society of any descrip- tion, which profes.^edly believed, that anv thing short of immersion was commanded by Christ, or that pracfised,' for the ordinance of baptism, either sprinkliHg, pourirjgj or any other application "cf water, short of the entire im- iriersion of the body in water; save, when the v con- sidered necessity compelled them ; that- they mfght save 134 the souls of the sick, by pouring a quantity of water upoa their bodies. Those, who changed the "^gospel subjects of Baptism, by substituting their own children, instead of the Lord's ; yet did not put away the ordinance itself, till a late period. Dr. Wall, a noted Paedobaptist, not an infant sprinkler, considers John Calvin, the first, who la- boured to defend pourings for baptism, which, says Dr. Wall, scandalized many, but sprinkling he reproaches as being the most scandalous thing, which is termed bap- tism. Calvin, though he wrote in defence of pouring, yet says, "It is certain, that the ancient practice was immersion." J. B. Pomeranius, who was a companion of Luther, in a book, which he published in the German tongue, A. D. 1542, says, "That he was desirous to be a witness of a Baptism at Hamburg, in the year 1529. That when he had seen the minister only sprinkle the infant on the top of the head, he was amazed; because he neither heard, nor saw any such thing, nor yet read in any his- tory, except in cases of necessity, in bed-rid persons. In a general assembly therefore of all the ministers of the word, that was convened, he did ask a certain minister, Fritz by name, who was, sometime, minister of Lubec, how the sacrament of baptism was administered at Lu- bec? Who, for his piety and candor, did answer grave- ly, that infants were baptized naked at Lubec, after the same fashion, altogether, as in Germany. But from whence, and how, that peculiar manner of baptising had crept into Hamburg, he was ignorant. At length they did agree among themselves, that the judgment of Li> ther, and the divines of Wirtemburg, should be demand- ed about this point : W^hich being done, Luther did write back to Hamburg, that this sprinkling was an abuse^ which they ought to remove. Thus plunging was restored at Hamburg.''''^ But says Mr. P. '^ The question is, what is the import of the word baptize^ as it is used in the scriptures ? Does it there always signify immersion? If so, then we yield the point. But if there is a single exception, our oppo- *Hi£. Eng. Bt. vol. I. pref. p. 22, 23. 135 nents are down.'*-^ To Mr. P. and bis brethren, we re- ply, that, till they can produce an exception^ they on^bt to'^be silent. Says he, '' To the law and the testimony, therefore, we make the appeal." " Permit me tben to refer you to Mark, vii. 4, where it is said of the Pharisees, When they came from the market except they wash (in the original it is baptize) they eat not. And many other things which they have received to hold, as the washing [baptizing] of cups, and pots, and of brazen vessels and of tables. "t Had Mr. P. been as well acquainted with the tradition and practices of the Jews, as he is with those of that vast community, self-styled the Jewish Church continu- ed ; or had he understood the text itself, he would nev- er have prest it into such a foreign service, unless it were merely as an imposition upon the community. I ask, did not Mr. P. know, that the traditions of the El- ders required of the Jews, that, when they had been to the market, where there might be Gentiles, and, per- haps, some unclean meats, and where their clothes might, and, perchance some part or parts of their bodies too, might touch some Gentile, or some unclean meat, or per- son, or thing, they should bathe themselves in water ? Did he not also know, that the same tradition command- ed all Jews, when they had been in any promiscuous as- sembly of Jews and Gentiles, or in any assembly, where there might be some unclean persons, that they should bathe themselves in water, before they ate ? Did he not also know that the same vain traditioiiary law obli- g'ed the superstitious Jews to put their cups and pots, their brazen vessels and tables, under water, when they were suspected of being ceremonially unclean ? Did he. not know, that he directly contradicted the Bible, whilst labouring to bring Lebbeus into the belief of his erroneous application of this text. When he said to him, ^'•U learned writers have clearly shown, what, by the way the Bible does not, but directly the contrary (Exo. XXX. Lev. viii. !N"am. xix.) that ceremonial washings were performed by putting all over wider water: can any learned, or unlearned men tell how they baptized *?age 254.^tPage 254. 136 their couches, or beds.*' Did, or did he not, know,thatiri" stead of quoting the above passag-es, he ought to have quoted Levit. xi. 32, which might have prevented him from contradicting the scriptures, and Lebbeus from be- ing tieceived. This would have inlx)rmed him, and all who might have read it, how couches, beds, brazen ves- sels and tables, under certain ceremonial defilements, were to be cleaned, and how the Pharisees would cieatise from anj other defiicment, which, by their oral law, they had added to the one there mentioned. The text is, ^^And upon whatsoever any of them, when they are dead, doth fall, it shall be- unclean : whether it be vessel of wood, or raiment^ or skln^ or sack^ whatsoev- er vessel it be wherein any work is done, it must be put INTO WATER, and it shall be unclean until the even : so it shall be cleansed." If he did wot know these things, he is comparatively innocent. But if he did, he is chargeable with a known and gross imposition upon the common people. i^csides, had he understood the text, he would have kao'.vn, that it was, like every other text, nothing to his purpose. Let any unprejudiced person, of common discernment, read the 3d and 4th verses in connection, 'and it would be difficult not to see, that there wa5 a stnkmg and intended difference made between the Phar- isaical superstition practised jn the 3d verse and that in the 4th. They were, though at home from one meal to another, not to eat, without washiug'their hands oft^ or 'Xi}ilh exactness : But, as in the 4th verse, when they came from the MARisET^ where they had been exposed to vari- ous kinds of defilement, and knew not on what part of thx-ir bodies, or clothes, such defilement might rest, they were not, according to their superstition, to eat, except they baptized, or immersed, themselves. This text, instead cf iiitima+ing any such thing, as Mr. P. preteiids, sLows us, that the word, baptizo, when not used with relation to the ordinance of Baptism, has the same import. The above remarks, will also do awa}^ the mistaken gloss, which he hath given another tviC Luke xi. 38, where it is said, '-The Phnrisees mar- veiled that he (Jesus) iiad not first washed, (baptized) 137 before dinner." ''Will any man, in his senses, sa3'S Mr. P. believe that the Jews, never ate a meat without im- mersing themselves f* We answer, NO. But, accor- ding- to the oral law, or traditions of the elders, no man mig-ht cat, after having been in a public assembly, as was the present case with our Lord, without having first immersed himself. We ask Mr. F. to deny this. He ought to do one of three things, either deny it; or con- fes"? he is unacquainted with the vain traditions of the Scribes and Piia.:;3ees; or that he intended an unusually fiaretation destroys the force of the Apostle's rea- soning, when it only destroys the force of his own. Second In saying "by uniting c/ec^// and {he resurrection in the act of baptism," destroys the whole force of the Apostle's reasoning, whereas this is the identical reasoning of th« Apostle, and it contains more force, than Mr. P. is able to meet. The very words of the text are, >'• Buried with him in baptism^ .wherein also we are risen with him." Third. In alleging, that this makes immersion all in all, the whole sum of the Christian profession and practice, Where^iS, it makes immersion, or the act of baptism, but a miniature exhibition of what the subject professes to he, dead unto sin ; and of what he wishes to practice, a new life of obedience to him who died for him. This appears the essence of the Apostle's argument,and which he employs in urging his brethren to walk in newness of life. We know that this, rightly understood, would demolish Mr. P. 's system of unbelievers' baptism. It therefore concerns him to do it away, or to renounce his * Page 267. 139 system. His bold, but unsuccessful attempt may excite some of his friends to read with carefulness, and so witli profit, the 6th of Romans. In his next paragraph, he puts into the mouth of hh Lebbeus an unusual slander, with the manifest desig-n of fixing a notorious falsehood upon the Baptists. '' It hns been said by those, who have carefully consulted lin- g" 'ists, that no word can be found in the Greek language to express immersion but the word now in debate." To which Mr P. repiiea, " that is notoriously false." It is presumed no learned Baptist ever made the expression. If Mr. P. invented it for the purpose of slander, he may thiiik differently of it another day. He cannot honora- bly saj*^, that his purpose was not to lay it to the reproach of the Baptists : for he put it into the mouth of a ficti- tious one, for whose conviction he had been long labor- ing. We know that it is not the only word which may be used, when immersion is intewded, but we kno'v of no other word, in the Greek languag-e, which so exactly | ur- ports a momentary tm-mersion^ such as takes place at tie administration of the ordinance of baptism, as does the WQT^haptizo. Nor has he named any. If we mistake not, we have noticed, though contrary from our intention, every objection which Mr. P. has bid against haptizoPs never purporting any thing short of im- mersion, except what he says of the baptism of the Mo- ly Ghost, and the baptism by s^nff-^ring. With respect to the one, every Greek scholar, who has attended to the subject, knows that it might be more literally rendered " baptized in the Holy Ghost," than with. With relation to the other, he observes, " We sometimes say a man is overwhelmed in sorrow, to express the idea of extreme agony." These instances are, therefore, like all the others which he produced, not certainly to his point ; and if not certainly to his point, not at all : he is at most just where he was when he began ; h^ believes that baptize does, sometimes, signifv something short of immersion, but cannot prove it. This he ought to have known, and he was obligated, both to God and men. lo have known, before he published his boM as''ertif.!!S and presump- tive guessings. Then would he not, in the way he now 140 fea^, have encouraged the erroneous, hardened the wicked, and made the hearts of many of God's people sad. His next attempt is to do away the other argunnent in favour of immer.siof;, which is founded upon the circum- stances attending the administration of the ordinance, as they are expressed in the sacred record. Here he niakes his first attnck upon the Greek prepositions. " Great stres«, says he, is hiid upon the expression, They "dcent douDU INTO the tDater^ and came up out of the water. Ev- ery person, says he, who is the least acquainted with the Greek language, knows that here, they (the Greek pre- positions) niigiit have been rendered to Sindfrom. with as much propriety as into a:)d out o/'.'*''' We do not ac- cuse him, in thi's instance, of a wilful mistake, but of a great one. He here takes for granted, the verj thing which should be proved ; and asserts what neither he nor any of his brethren knows to he true. Prepositions m Greek, as well as in English, are used to show the re- lation which one word bears to another. When they are translated from the Greek into the English language, the}' are used to express the same relation betweeli the English words, as they exprest whilst sliowing the rela- tion between Greek words. It is thereiore not a very literary declaration for any one to assert that Greek pre- positions which occupy a particular station, and express fi particular relation, in a Greek senlcnce, may when the sentence is translated, be themselves translated into one English preposition as well as into another. Mr. P. has, at least, \ery inadvertently, made the above anti- literary assertion. The same has been declared by ma- ny of his brethren. If they have thus transgressed, merely through want of thinking, and not with a pur- pose to darken counsel bywords ivithout knowledge, that thus they might establish their error, their fault is comparative)}' small. But if they have knowingly pnlm- ed this imposition upon the public, their sin is aggravated. We have never, to my knowledge, appeared to con- sider prepositions to be our first or second line of either * Fage 267. 141 offence or defence ; but even these voluntarily enlist themselves on the side of truth. We say to Mr. P. to Dr. Reed and all others, who have vainly labored to re- move the little^ but plain, auxiliary assistance which pre- positions alTord to the Baptist cause ; that the Greek pre- positions eis and ek^ could not, where they stand connect- ed with (he ordinance of baptism, as in Acts viii. 38 and 39 and elsewhere, have been translated to and from^ without doing- violence to the language. Of this the translators of the Bible, who were all Pgedobaptists, ap- pear to have been fully convinced. They, therefore, liQifornaiy translated it as it should be. The method, which Mr. P. and his brethren have too successtijlly a- dopted with the unlearned part of the community, is worthy of the cause for which they employ it, but it is a pitiful and meaa straiag'em,un worthy of men professing either talents or literatnre. They put into' the mouths of the common people questions like the following. Do you suppose, th-at when it is said, Christ went into the mountam, he went into the earth? They spread before the unlettered, by their myriads of publication'*, a varie- ty of sentences, »ut of the Greek, in which eis and eh are translated ifo andyro,7i, and la som*^ of which it would make a very awkward appearance to render them into and out of. All this we know, and we also k;».ovv iha base imposition which such management is caicu'atsd to pro- duce amongst the common people. Ssich coverin->' may serve a purpose whilst men are sleeping ; but should they awake, and they will awake, not mere contempt will be poured upon their d.^.'ieiv<»rs. His next attack upon i\\e circamsrinc!;? attending the ordinance of baptism relates to the p'aC'jr-\yhere John was baptizing — which were the river Jordtn and Enoa, because the »-e was m!JC.^ t(y.':«/'L-. P. but the literal translation of the much water is-manv wa- ters. Very well, and dor^s he liot know, that kiuiata jmU la. many waters, are pu* for seas ? We JList ask Mr. P. one qnestion. Why was it not said {ha^ John was preach- ing \\ 3ov<\vi'U\'\ in Enon, 'jocrisa there was much wa- ter there ? provided tnese waiers were mentioaed only 142 to inform us that the people with their beasts had plenty of water ? As he has allowed us no other circumstance as re- corded in the Bible, favorable to immersion, he has at- tacked no more. But, beloved brethren, for your con- sideration I here set down a few circumstances which are recorded in the sacred volume ; together with th«2 practice of the Baptists, leaving one blank column for you to fill up, showing that your belief and practice also agree with the Bible. The fir-st column is loft for you. The second is the Bible, which we and you claim as our only sure rule of faith and practice. The last exhibits the faith and practice of the Baptists. PiEDOBAPTlSTS. BIBLE. BAPTISTS. Texts for The subjects of Subjects of bap- infants being baptism. tism as held by the subjects of Those who bring baptists, baptism. forth fruits meet for Those who afford repentance. Matt, evidence that they iii. ch. He that be- are penitent. Matt, lieveth. Mark xvi. iii., IS. If thou belie- Those who mani- vest with all thine fest a broken heart heart. Acts viii. for sin. Acts ii. ThC/penitent. — Those who appear Those'were prick- to have believed on ed in iheir heart, the name of the on- Acts ii. ly begotten Son of Those whoglad- God. Mark xvi. 16. ly received Peter's Acts viii. g'ospei word, ^cts^ Those who gladly iii. receive the gc?pel of the grace of God. Acts iii. The prac- The Bible for the The practice of tice of thePae- ordinance of bap- the Baptists relative d'bnpti-sts in tism. The circum- to the ordiiiance of a-bnii-i: tering sta^ices are, bciptism. . the orduiaiice. 1. They woit 1 Th? rninisler down into the wa- and the caiidiciate l^o 134 ter. - Acts Tiii. down into the water, 2. The pen Kent, 2. The professed &c. were baptizccr penitent is baptized IN the water or riv- m4he^-ater. er. Mark i 5. * 3. As to tjn^' thing" 3. As to the act of perfornij^jfi they baptizing. The per- were bjifried by buf- son is buried by bap- tisiny''Ani\ ixv bap- tism and m baptism, tistn. Rom. vi. 4. — in the very transac- Col. ii. 17. tion. 4. Be fare the or- dinnnco is consider- ed to he completed, 4. They were the person is raised . raised in baptism, aa^iun in baptism. Col. ii. 12. And then, ;. 5. They came up 5. An attending ■.straightway out of circumstance is.tli_^ the water. Mat. iii. come up out of the 16. They carae up water, the minister out of the water. & the baptized per- Acts viii. son. In the short sample which has just been exhibited, you cannot but see that the scriptures are very plain, both with respect to the gospel subjects of baptism, and what baptism is ; and also that the Baptists believe and prac- tice this jjZai/t Tiya?/. You will probably inquire, Do not the scriptures also point out some other and different way ? If they do, that other and ditTerent way is doubt- less for you, and your blank column is waiting to receiv^e it. One thing you are bound to shun, that is, forgery. Better have your column stand forever blank, than thus fdled. Your priests may propose filling it for you. But remember, brethren, your priests cannot answer for you. God hath given you his holy word, and the things of the kingdom of God, and those which concern the Lord .Je- sus Christ are plain, so that he that runs may read, and God expects you to read it. He expects you to under- stand, that no farther than you forsake all that you have. 144 can you be Christ's dif'ciples. He requires you, by. Moses and the prophets, by Christ and his aposties, to h<^ar that great prophet who was to come into the world, and who has come and taught, as never man taught. With relation to the subject now before us, he has taught en- ough for the Baptists, even all that they believe and practice; but not enough for you. Is he deticient ? or do you require too much ? You may be told, that you agree with the Baptists so far as they go, but that they do not proceed far enough. Very well. For this very reason, we have left the blank column for you to fill up with the passages, where Moses, or the prophets, or Christ, or his apostles, hiive directed you to g'o farther ; or that infants and households of unbelievers should be baptized bv proxy, or by having bondsmen for their good behaviour procured for them : and also where sprinkling or pouring is defined to be the matter of gos- pel baptism. We know that 3'^ou and yoiu- preac])ers feci straightened in thii pariicuiar. We also know the why they «re straightened. It is because y©ur oral larv', or traditions, are not justified by the written word. Could they find your system in the written word of God, as they find it in Mr. P.'s written traditions, they would not be obliged to syy so man^y hitler, cruel, base and false things to put the Baptists out of countenance, and to keep up yo'^" own. iou nm^t, brethren, think it a very hard case that the word of [h<: Lord should have been so cYpres?:ed that the Bapiists, who are n sect of iornorant, bisroted, mischievous heretics, should" seem to be j'lstified by ir ; whilst you, v/ho are the true and reg- ular- gospol churches, are left, to say >he least, too much in i-;^ ^'nrk relative to gospel practice. HHnng to re- car >;nly as could he wished. This must have been bv design, or through forge tfuluess. It could not have bnen through irriorance, for the Lord knew how to e^ipre.-;.-: his mind. r tended the ordinance of baptism, after cur Lord ascend- ed to heaven, were the same, or equally clear and easy io be understood, as when John was the administrator, ©r Vfhen Christ made and baptized more disciples than John. After Christ ascended up where he wa.^ before, the circumstances, i^ttending the ordinance of baptism, or the particular acts performed, were, 1. The minister * Matt. Tfxviii. 19.— Mark xvL 16— Acts ii, 38. t Acts ii. 38,41.— xviii. 8. 149 and the subject came to a certain water. '2. They both went clown 177^0 the id-a^er. Acts viii. 38. .3. The subject was buried by baptism^planted in baptism^ huriedin baptism., Rom. vi. 4, 5. Col. ii. 12. 4. The subject was r«weci in baptism. Col. ii. 12. Then 5> They both came up out of the water. Acts viii. 39. All this we have mi- nutely set down, relative to the ordinance of baptism, and this too, even after your preachers will allow it to have become christian. Here is every part and particular of the Baptist praclice. No Baptist minister could set down his own practice with more exactness. Therefore, Thirdly. We have no necessity of retaining- John''s bap- tism, as being christian ; for the reason which j'our min- isters allege. Nor have they any occasion to boast ; even could they justify themselves, whilst they treat the baptism of John, with but little more respect than they do the Baptists. Their avowed object in doing away John's baptism, or in removing from it the honor of its being christian, is, that with it, they might put down im- mersion from being the thing commanded in baptism. When Mr. P, had arrived at the point in which he con- cluded, that all claims in tavcrof John's baptism being christian, were silenced, he introduced an objector, say- ing, '' If it is true that John's baptism is done away, — it is no proof at all for the baptism of infants. Very true, flays Mr. P. we do not argue it for that purpose. But it tirests out of the mouths of our opponents all the cir- ciimstaniial evidence in favor of immersion. It leaves no ground of declamation about rivers and ponds^ or lakes, and the people o-owjj- down into thentatej-^ and coming up out of the water. Jill these are swept away «t a dash "^'^ You know, brethren, that wl)at he here thus says, is but a mere flourish, that there is no truth in it. He did not expect to be believed, by- the reiiecting part o{ the community' ; unless he judged them to be more easily imposed upon than can be reasonably expected. In the cii'cumstances which attend baptism, wliilst John was administering, there is one which favors immersioa * Page 287. 13* 15B which is not expressly named whilst the Apostles were baptizing ; but then there are three circumstances which were named after Christ's resurrection, and which favor immersion, and which were not expressly mentioned whilst John was baptizing. If any one is desirous of ascer- taining the circumstantial evidence in favor of immer- siea both before and after the Saviour's resurrection, the following schedule may furnish the means. BEFORE. AFTER. And were all baptized of They went down into the him IN the river of Jordan, water. Acts viii. 33. .Mark i. 5. Buried with him by bap- Jesus was baptized of tism. Rom. vi. 4. Planted John IN Jordan. Mark i. 9. in the likeness of his death. Jesus when he was bap v. 5. tiaed went up straightway Buried with him in bap- out of the water. Mark iii. fi^m^ whgrein also ye are }&. KiSE.v with him. Cor. ii. 12. They c-,\n\e u^ out of the woAer. Acts viii. 39. The circumstantial evi- The same kind of evi- dence for immersion, be- dence for immersion after- fore the resurrection is, wards, is, they went down they were baptized in the into the water, they were river, and they came up bukied in baptism, planted straightway out of the wa- in the likeness of Christ's .ier, death, (not in the likeness of . his dying) buried and raised again in baptism,, and canaft up out of the water. We, indeed, claim the evidence on each side, and we have a right to it, for it appertains to baptism; but, would they allow us either, it would ruin their super- stitious rite of sprinkling. But, specially, would they, after rejecting the baptism from heaven, which was in- troduced by John, allow as the baptism as practised by the apostles, and the evidence which they aiford us, as to what it is ; immersion, for the act performed in the or- dinance of baptism, would rest in safety, till they should he able to furnish, at least, one instance of a person be- ing buried and raided in baptism by sprinkling. If ou may 151 think me to l>e nighly trilling with jour sprinkling sub stitute for baptism. T^OjIjrethren, it is no trifling matter, that jour priests have trifled awaj the Lord's ordinance of baptism, Tind cheated jou out of the knowledge of it. Though immersion, or the ordinance of baptism be not particularij in danger, bj the rudeness with which m-a- ny have treated John and the counsel of God, which he was sent to unfold, yet the kingdcn: which Jesus came to set up in our apostate world, is in danger. The word -and promise of God are also in danger ; and it is either ignorance of the Lord Jesus Christ and oif his kingdom, or hatred towards* both, which have prompted them to the measure, as we hope to show. We maj now take their arguments into consideration. "I will (sajsMr. P.) now proceed to establish the position, that John's baptism was not Christian baptism. i. This is evident fi^om ihe object of John's administra- tion. He was sent in compliance with an ancient proph- ecy^ for the exclusive purpose of preparing the waj of the Lord. When interrogated as to his character and the object of his mission, He confessed and denied not, but confessed, I am not ihe Christ. But / am ihe voice of one crying in ihe -Wilderness, mdikestrmght the waj of the Lord, as said th^ prophet Esaias. John i. 19, 2.S. Here then (sajs Mr. P.) was the object, the exclusive object of John's embassy."* Were it not for swelling mj book more, than I wish, 1 would gladlj quote everj word which he here sajs of John and his mission. If I mistake not, I have inserted e\ery word, which could afford jou a hint, for what pur- pose John was sent : I apprehend, however, that it would be impossible for anj person to gather, frcm what he has said, anj consistent idea of John's embassj. Those who read Mr. P. and believe him, must of neces- sitj be deceived. He not onlj withholds the larger part of the truth, but perverts what'he exhibits. I n^aj not be able to set before jou the exclusiv e object of John's mission, but I maj set before jou seme important reali- ties comprised in it. * Paj-e 273. 152 Instead of his being- sent in coaipiiance with an ancient prophecy speciallj'-, he was sent in agreement with many, and specially in agreement with the last which the Old Testament contains, and in ii, not his mission only, bvit his work is assigned him. " Behold I will send you Eli- jah the prophet before the coming of the great and dread- ful day of the Lord. And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children^ and the heart of the children to the fathers^ lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.'"'* The angel, that appeared to Zacharias, and announc- ed that he should be the joyful father of a son, whose name should be John, thus spake he of him. '' Many shall rejoice at his birth. For he shall he great in the si^ht cf the Lord.) -R^d shall drink neither wine, nor strong drink : and he shall be filled "jcith the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's wo7nb. And many of the children of Is- rael shall he tarn to the Z,o?' of death^ to guide our feet into the way of peace.'"' f John began his ministry by saying, "Repent ye, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand," and proceeded to reprove sharply the hypocritical Pharisees, and the unbe- lieving Saducees, when they came wishing to pervert * Malachi iv. 5, 6. t Luke j. 13 to 17. t Luke i. 67 to 69. ]33 his baptism, aod said unto them, " O jEfeneration of vi- pers ! IV ho hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come ? Bring" forth therefore fruits meet for re/pcniance^ and think not- to say within yourselves, We have Abra- ham to our father. The axe is laid unto the root of the trees : therefore every tree which bring-eth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire."* " He went into all the country about Jordan., preaching' the bap- tism of repentance for the re^iission of sros/'t Of this man, Mr. P. speaks with the coklness of a Sto- ic, and says," Hisininistry was no part of the Christian dispensation: consequently his baptism was not Chris- tian baptism,'' U Mr P. knows no better, he is to be pitied ; if he does, he is to be detested. Is the preach- ing' of repentance towards God, and faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ, accompanied bj the power of God in turnin* the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to ih& fath.ftrs, no part of the gospel dispensation. I.*; it no part of the gospel, to turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God, ySy ffoing- as the herald of Jesus, before him, in the spir- it and power of Eiias, turning the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, and thus make ready a people for the Lord Jesus to receive as the Go.^pel €hurch or consiituie into the Gospel Church ? Is it no part of the gospel dispensation '•'• To give knowledge of salvation unto the people by the re- mission of their sins, to give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, and to guide ouf feet into the way of peace ? Is it no part of the gospel dispensation to go from place to place, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of si\s ? In short, is it no part of the gospel dispensation, to make Christ manifest unto the people.^ and to proclaim peace, pardoo and salvation through his name ?| Is all this no part of the gospel dispensation ? And therefore, must the hap- tism from heaven, which was published, and the prac- *Matt.ni. - ^ t Luke iij. 3. t John i. 31, 154 tice of it introduced by a man, specially sent from God for tiie purpose, be set aside, as of little value, having been introduced, no person knor^s for what ? Christ Je- sus thought very differently of John from what Mr. P. does. •• Ellas truly shall first come, said the Lord, and restore all things : but I say unto you, that Elias is come already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they listed. The law and the prophets were uniil John: since that time the kingdom of heav- en is preached and every maa presseth into it."^'* Mark tells us, that John's ministry and baptism were " The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ the Son of God As it is written in the prophets. Behold I send my mes- senger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way be- fore thee. The voice of one crying in the wilderness, prepare ye the w^ay of the Lord, make his paths straight. John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the bap- tism of repentance for the remission of sins. And there went out unto him all the land of Judea, and they of Jerusalem, and were all baptized of him in the river of Jordan, confessing their sins."t Here Mark testifies" that the ministry anri baptism of John were the begin- ning of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Mr P. says, "His ministry was no part of the Christian dispensation : con- sequently, his baptism was not Christian baptism " Christ saith " The law and the prophets were until John : since that time the kingdom of heaven is preach- ed." Mr. P. says, the law and the prophets were until Christ was crucified, and John*'* "• ministry was no part of the Christian dispensation."' Peter justifies Johi's baptism, and preaches, in nigbly the same words, as did John. " Repent, says Peter, and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the remis- sion of sins. "I Tht^e passages of scripture and observations have net been here set down to do away Mr. P.'s fir^t argu- m -Tit, but to show you what John's ministry and bap- * Mat", xvii. 11, 12. Luke xvi. 16. t ^;:.rki. 1 to 5. $Acts ii. 33= 155 tism were. That you mig-ht. of jourselve?, know^ that Mr. P. understood neither, but had perverted both. He has been compelled to a perpetual round of error and darkness, from rejecting-, or not understanding what, the kingdom of heaven is, by whom set up, and when ; of what it was composed, and what the introductory or- dinance is. This blindness of his h:is led him to reject, from John's embassy, the great work for which he was sent, To make ready a people prepared fop. the Lord. Mr. P. found no use for this w-ork, nor for such a peo- ple in building such a Church as he has chofen to constitute^ and name it, '•'• The true and regular gospel Church^ He has, if we may thus speak, caused Christ to set an ex- ample of disorder and confusion, when he first organ- ized the gospel Church, constituting it of unbaptized persons, and then breaking bread, or administering the Lord's supper, to them, whilst they were unbaptized : whilst, in his book, Mr. P. has seen fit to put matters into better order, and tells us, '^ That baptism is an es- sential prerequisite to communion^ and without which no person can be properly admitted to the Lord's supper, t His second argument is, ^' The object ^nd import o? John's baptism were essentially different from Chris- tian baptism. — Christian baptism is a token of the cov- enant of grace — an external sign of internal grace — a seal of the righteousness of faith — the mark of mem- bership in the Christian church. In all these particulars it differed from the rite which John administered.'^ — *' The conviction demanded in the two cases was totally disrtinct. — The profession demanded in the baptism of John, was nothing more, than a recognition of that great article of the Jewish faith, the appearance of the Messiah, accompanied with this addilionul circumstance, that it was nigh at hand. The faiih required by the apostles included a persuasioH of all the miraculous facts, which they attested, comprehending the preternatural conception^ the Deity, the incarnation and atonemeni, the rniriicles, the death and the resurrecticn of the Lord Jesus. Hence, as the import of these two i^itcs is + Pa-es 1S5, 13^. 156 essentially different, they must be entirely distinct : con- sequently John's baptism was not christian baptism" Here you have his second argument and his manage- ment of it ; which are now to be examined. " The object and import of John's baptism, says he, were essen- tially different from christian baptism." The object and import of John's baptism, as well as his ministrj', were to " make ready a people prepared for the Lord^"^^ as saith the Holy Spirit by the mouth of Zacharias. Paul, by the same spirit saith, " J®hn verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is on Christ Jesus."* This, instead of being es- sentieflly different from the christian baptism, is essen- tially the same. This was the baptizing of the peni- tent, teaching them that they should believe on Christ Jesus. The christian baptism is baptizing the penitent, teaching them to believe on Christ Jesus, observing all things whatsoever he hath commanded. We readily grant that J olin's baptism is essentially different from the sprinkling of infants and unbelieving households, teach- ing them nothing ; and the christian baptism is equally essentially different from such a corrupt and anti-christ- ian superstition. Hence Mr. P.'s argument is, in its po- sition, false. But we will hear its illustration. '" Chris- tian baptism, says he, is a token oi the covenant of grace." If thus, was not John's baptism equally so, when the penitent were baptized in the river of Jordan, confessing their sins, and received the ordinances as the Lord's tok- en of the remission of them ? Bnt, says he, chrij-tipn baptism is an external sign of internal grace. Then Mr. P. and all his brethren do, upon priaciple, violate it ; and would universally reject it, could (hey bring their infant baptism into full operation. Says he, agam, It is a seal of the righteousness of faith, Who told him this ? Sup- pose it to be 80. VVho told him to apply a seal of the righteousness of faith to those vvho have none ? But says he, once more, " It is the .caik of membei'ship in the christian church." This is lather an instance of his * Lukei. 17. — Actsxix. 4. If)? guessing. The Bible appears to speak of it, as being aa introductory ordinance, rather than a mark of previous membership.* Here, in four instances, he has profes- sedly deiined christian baptism. '■' In ail these particu- lars, he sajs, it diftered from the rite which John ad- ministered." We should say, that it agrees with each of his particulars, so far as his particulars correspond with christian baptism; and infinitely more than do his particulars, or christian baptism, with infant sprinkling. j3ut he may reply, " What I intentionally proved was, that John's baptism was, in object and import^ essentially ditferent from the sprinkling of unbelieving households.'' To this we cordially agree. So is every instance of christian baptism recorded in the Bible equally hostile to his impenitent, spnnkling, substitutes, as he has a- bundantiy proved to us, by his extensive and ineffectual labors to prove the contrary. He has not only produc- ed no scripture example for his practice, but, if his defi- nitions of christian baptism be correct, that it is " an ex- ternal sign of internal grace ^ and a seal of the righteous- ness of faith," his infant and household baptism is a gross perversion of the christian baptism, and must be- an a= bomination in the sight of God, and will soon be an ab- horrence to all flesh. As to the different faith which he says was demanded of the subjects of John's baptism, from what was demanded when the apostles baptized, and which he informs us that Mr. Kail stated, we are not very careful to answer, otherwise than merely to state that provided his definition of both be correct, neither surpasses the faith of devils, between which we have no anxiety to choose. Hence, as this faith hath indeed nothing to do with John's baptism, it cannot make it un- christian. His third argument is, '' Christian baptism was origin- ally, as at the present time, administered in the njfme of the Triune God, Father, Son and Holy Ghost ; and this form is essential to the administration of that holy ordi- nance." This is what logicians term begging the ques- *= Acts ii. U 153 tion. He takes for granted the thing to be prored. At the same time he destroys his last and principal argu- ment, which he builds upon the supposition that John's disciples were re-baptized, and in support of it quotes Acts xix. In this chapter we find no mention of Mr. P.'s christian baptism. We do, at most, find that certain dis- ciples were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. < The fact is, we have no account in the Bible, that the repeating of the sacred name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, was always, if ever, essential to the Chris- tian baptism. At the most, it appears to have been an appendage, which Jesus added, when he extended the mission of his Apostles to the Gentiles. Nor does it certainly appear, that the renewed and extended com- mission comprised any thing more, than that the ordin- ance should be performed in the name of the Lord Je- sus, in whom the fulness of the Godhead dwells bodily. Peter manifestly understood it in this sense, when he ad- dressed the broken heaited Jews, on the day of Pente- cost, thus : " Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins.'''^ As this third argument has no weight in it, and if it had, it would spoil another which he ^values at a higher rate, we dismiss it, and turn to his Fourth argument. " Those, says he, who identify John's bxiptism with christian baptism, involve them- selves in a monstrous absurdity.''^ Instead of making Cbvi^t the founder of the christian church, they ascribe this honour to John ; and reduce the great King and HEAD of the Church to the capacity of one of John's disciples. '' Every person can see, that there is no truth in this. When Christ gave the law^ by the ministration of angels, did he lose the honor of being legislator to Is- rael ?r Or did he reduce himself to the capacity of one of those angels? Nor is he any the less the founder of the christian church, by preparing and sending John to be the agent. Nor does it in any way, degree or man- ner reduce the Lord to the capacity of one of John's disciples. Mr. P. has, at his own expence, said, that ••' there are those, at the present day.'who publickly ad- vocate the sentiment that the greatKing and head of the 159 Church is reduced to the capacity of one of John's dis^ ciples." There was no necessity of utterin* this un- founded assertion. Nor was it necessary for him to tell us, because Christ had no sins to confess, no occasion for faith, nor was baptized in his own name, therefore he was not baptized with John's baptism, nor with Christian baptism. Repentance, faith, and the name of the Lord Jesus, are appendages of baptism. When a sinner is baptized, repentance is required, and whilst John was the administrator, faith in a Saviour to be revealed • when Peier was the administrator, faith in a Saviour al- ready made manifest. , When a Saviour was to be bap- tized, neither was required. But this changed not John's baptism into another thing. The subject was different, and so were the circumstances. A voice from heaven proclaimed^ this is my beloved Son, in whora I am well pleased. And the Spirit of God descended like a dove and lighted upon him. If John were not sent to ad- minister two baptisms^ this was John's baptism ; and if he was, this was one of them. One would think that this might emphatically be styled Christian baptism. When Christ was the subject, and the Father and Spir» IT attended. Did Mr. P. believe himself, when he said, " The mod- em Baptists are fond of believing., that Christ became one of his (John's) disciples ?" Did he believe it true, when he said, '' I do not hesitate to say, that it (Christ's baptism) was in compliance with that precept of the cero- monial law, which respected the consecration of the priests ? Exodus xix. and Levit. viii." Would not Mr. P. have come nigher the truth, to have hesitated a little, and with humility said with the Apostle, " That there was need, that another priest should arise after the order of Melchisedeck, and not be called after the order of Aaron ? For the priesthood being changed, there is made of neces- sity a change also of the /a2)y." Heb. vii. 11,12. Again says our author, " It was at the age (thirty years) that Christ was baptized by John ; washed in Jordan, — re- ceived the unction of the Holy Ghost. — And all this was done 271 o^ecZiewce to an EXisTi^'G STATUTE, and there- 160 fore was a fuljUnient of righteousness."* This is j^rt- sumption io he, reproved. Where is the existing statute, which required the Holy Ghost to descend like a doTe and light upon Christ ? or where is the statute which re- quired Christ to be baptized in Jordan, and that to© when he was about thirty years of age ? Let Mr. P. liToduce the existing statute, QT^^et him confass to God, that in his zeal against the people of God, and being mad against them, he sjiiike falsely in vindication of an egregious error. But says he again, " ^t all events, he did not receive a baptism which any christian can imitate. '^'^ This still adds to his imprudent assertions. There is nothing to hinder any christian from imitating Christ in his baptism, except it be a proud heart, or a misguided judgment ; for he has left us a righteous example, that we should follow his steps ; and we may consider this, as one part of his righteous example, which it became him to fuHil, or accomplish. We may thus consider it, till Mr. P. shall produce hi?> existing statute, v^-hich he has too rashly announced, but is not able to shew. Christ may be imitated in his baptism, for aught that appears to the contrary, as easily as in any other part of his ho- ly example. The circumstances which attended his baptism are another thing ; and which are no part of the heavenly example, or the all-righteousness, which it became him to tullil as a pattern for us. We aow turn to Mr. P.'s last argument against John's baptism being christian. How it may seem to others, I cannot exactly state ; but, I confess, to me it is not very entertaining business seriously to reply to the pretended arguments of an opponent, when he does not present so much as a semblance of rational argumentation, supply- ing its place with bold suppositions and bolder assertions. But we must hear his last professed argument, which is, *• 5. That John's baptism was not Christian baptism, is evident from the fact, that the Apostles, in their ad- ministration, paid no respect to the former, but admin- istered the Christian rite to John's disciples in common with others." There is no reason in this nominal ar- Pa«re 282, 161 gument, because there is ne truth in the position. It is a bold and daring* assumption. It is also an imposition upon the community for a g-entleman, professedly ac- quainted with the scriptures, thus to assert a palpable un- truth. Did the Apostles baptize the Church to which the three thousand were added, without distinction, or making none between them and the young converts ? Did the Apostles baptize one of the more than five hun- dred brethren, 'who were together, and saw the Lord after his resurrection ? Did the Apostles ever baptize one — ^yes, did they baptize so much as an individual, who was previously baptized by John ? 1 do not say, that they did not ; but if they did, it is not so recorded. The 19th of the Acts, which Mr. P. has pressed into his service, cannot prove the point, nor afford him counte- nance, but with those who carelessly attend to the cir- cumstances. The place, where the disciples were, who are mentioned Acts xis. was hundreds of miles from Judea ; and it was now nighly thirty years after John was beheaded ; besides, they were manifestly young convrrts : and nothing appears in the connexion to show, that they had ever seen John. Further, it is doubtful, whether they were re-baptized ; at least, the matter is not so pikin, as to leave the subject indubitable. Calvin, one of the most learned men of your denomina- tion, and who may be styled the father of the Presbyte- rians, was, perliaps, as confident, that they were not, as Mr. P. is, that they \yere. For myself, I have been rather inclined to think they were. ^ When Paul was at Ephesus, the preceding autumn, no mention is made of di=:cip!cs. He preached in the synagogue of the Jews ; probably some were awaken- ed. Acts xviii. 19, 20. Apoilos came and spent, per- hnns, the principal part of the next winter; he appear- ed to know nothing of the mirijculous influences of the Holy Spirit, and there is no account of his having ever be^^n authorized to administer ordinances ; vet he was mighty in the scriptures, and some, to the number of a- 14* 162 bout twelve, appear to have been broug-hi into gospel liberty.* These young converts were, probably, erro- neously baptized by the zealous Apollos ; and, if so, were afterwards correctly baptized by some of Paul's company. This may, therefore, be considered a scrip- tvre, and so a .sufficient^ example for re-baptizing those, who have been baptized erroneously. There must have been some good reason. We are not obliged to assign it. Whatever the irregularity might be, this ar- gues not, that the counsel of God, the baptism from heaven, which was rejected by the ancient Scribes and Pharisees, should be rejected by us ; or that it is not Christian baptism. But it argues, that there have been circumstances, in which it was correct to re-baptize.. What these disciples intended, by saying, that they had been baptized unto John's baptism, probably was, that they had been baptized with, or in water, which baptism John was sent to introduce ; they having not, as yet, heard of the baptism, with, or in, the Holy Ghost ; which baptism was introduced by Christ. These persons, through the instrumentality of Paul, were tlien, as it appears, baptized with the Holy Ghost, for the Holy Ghost came upon them, and they spake with tongues and prophesied. Whether these disciples were again baptized with water, is the question, and a ques- tion which still hangs in doubt. But, if they were, it seems still to leave Mr. P. in all- his dilliculty ; for, ac- cording to the account, they were not baptized with his christian baptism. They were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus, and Mr. P. says, in the name of the sa- cred THREE, is essential to Christian baptism. In h[s remarks upon this, his last argument, he has told us many things, which are as foreign from the truth, as is the position which he, at first, asserted. Amongst other things, he tells us, 1. "■ That the great body of the Jewish nation receiv- ed John's baptism." This he must have said, in his haste ; one minute's reflection might have taught him differently. Jesus made and baptized more disciples, than John, (though Jesus baptized not, but his disci- *Aclg xviii. & xix. chap. 163 pies.)* If Jesus made3.nd baptized more disciples than John ; John could not have baptized the great body of the nation. Besides, there is great reason to believe, that there were but a few, compared with the whole, that were baptized at all. 2. That, '' In the 19th of Acts, we have the fact ex- plicitly declared, That the Apostles, in their administra- tion, paid no respect to John's baptism, but administer- ed the Christian lite to John's disciples in common with others." This is boldly treading uponTorbidden ground — asserting what is not named either in the 19th of the Acts, or in any other passage of scripture. There is not a word of their being Johns's disciples ; nor is there any appareat probability, that they had ever seen John. They had been baptized with water, and, perhaps, er- roneousl}'' ; and if so, were doubtless re-baptized. 3. Speaking of this IQth of Acts, he again says, " This plain statement of facts, in which some of John's disciples are declared to have received Christian bap- tism, has produced great trouble among the Baptists.'' We are indeed troubled, not at the facts, which are sta» ted in the passage, but at the bold and daring perversion of God's word, by which the common people are shamefully imposed upon, having the key of knowledge very wickedly wrested from them. John's disciples are not here mentioned. Much less, that they receivGif Christian baptism, after having been baptized of him. Brethren, if there be any weight in Mr. P.'s argu- ments against John's baptism being Christian, we wish you to discoverit; we confess, that we see none. They appear to us as light, as is his treatment of the Baptists, vain and indecorous. He is greatly, not to say wholly, unacquainted with the sentiments, system and strength of the Baptists, and of the kingdom to which they be- long. He-has considerable knowledge of the arguments, or pretended ones, which have, from one generation to another, been employed to hinder young converts from entering into the kingdom of heaven, and to retain older ones in the traditions, with which they have been * John iv. 12. 164 bound. He has managed these arguments with as much subtlety, boldness and bitterness, as most of his brethren would have done ; yes, he has surpassed many who have travelled before him. Those who love dark- aess rather than light, will, no doubt, rejoice in his darkness. So far as the blind lead the blind, both fail into the ditch. In the close of my address to you, the following ob- servations may deserve a place, as growing out of the various subjects which we have passed in review. 1, That in doing away Mr. P.'s arguments, and in exhibiting the truth in the room of his mistakes, we have not resorted to the wisdom of words, but have adhered to that simplicity of style, which the unlearned may easily comprehend. Nor have we resorted to that wit and banter, which have been no ornament to the pages of our opponent. If the Pasdobaptist system be the system of the church of Christ, it would be profane- ness to ridicule it, or them for it. If it be not, their sit- uation is sufficiently deplorable, without insult. 2. That the present controversy is one, in which both heaven and earth are deeply interested. You are therefore bound to attend to it. No small part of the duty which you owe to God and to man is involved in it. An humble, prayerful and obedient attention to this sub- ject, you owe to your children, to your houss holds, lo your neighbours, to your country, to the human family, to God and to his Christ. The glory of God on earth is deeply interested in it. Your present usefulness and future crown are concerned in it. Your present peace, and joy, and those of your Baptist brethren, have an high interest in the solution of the subject of the pres- ent debate. If what we say be true, you are, probably, mere interested, than you have hitherto iir.agmed. If it be not, your security and justitication require stronger support, than what Mr. P. has afforded. You must pos- sess a thousand doubts, for 3'our system of faith and piactice is suspended upon a thousand suppositions ; not on° of which has Mr. P. been able to substantiate. At Ic^.^t, we have not been able to discover so much as one fair argument brought to bear in favour of so much as 165 one sentiment, which is peculiar to your system. Thus obstinate is truth. It will not be founfl on both sides of a contradiction. We ask you, What point in your system has he proved ? Has there not been a link of straw in every argument which he has advanced ? He has asser- ted much and boldly, but what have been his evidences ? He has proved to you, that either your system^, or the Baptists, must be wrong. But has he proved, that your system is right ? He has proved, that your church and the Jewish are similar ; but has he proved that the gos- pel church and the Jewish possess this similarity ? He has sufficiently shown u?, that you sprinkle all your in- fants, because Abraham circumcised part of his ; but has he shown, that the Lord hath ever commanded such a thing ? He has afforded more proof than we required, that you practise the baptism oi' impenitence, but has he evinced, that it is from heaven? He has asserted, abun- dantly, that John's baptism is not Christian baptism ; but his witnesses did not agree. He has told us, that the Lord commanded his apostles to baptize, and some to be baptized, and has asserted, that God has not told the one, what is to be done, nor the other, what is to be received, but has "left it to the discretion of the church,^^'^ but has he proved, that such a deficiency is justly charge- able upon the word of God ? If so, the claims of the Baptists and Pasdobaptists may be equally balanced, and thus the present controversy be lasting as the world. He has told us, that infants and unbelieving households are members of the gospel church, and that " an expli- cit revelation (upon the subject) would be altogether needless,"! but has he exhibited evidence of either? He has repeatedly told you, that the covenant of cir- cumcision was ihe covenant of promise, or of grace, but failed in his evidence. He has repeated, times without number, that circumcision was a seal^ a seal of the cove- nant of grace, but where is his proof? He has said, that baptism was a seal of the same covenant ; but where are his witnesses ? In short, he has told you ev- *Pa<=es294,295. t Page 21. 166 ery thing, but what you have need to know, and proved nothing : nothing which shows, that the Pasdobaplist church and the gospel church are one and the same ; but much to show that the Psedobaptist church is formed after the model of the Jewish, which we readily grant. Is not his whole performance one continued imposition upon the Bible, upon the church of the Lord Jesus, and, especially upon you, to bind you in ignorance of what the gospel church is ? 3. That your church cannot be the church of Christ, for it possesses none of the characteristics of that church. The Baptists are not blameable for this, they cannot help it. They did not hinder you from being so. They warn you of the fact. The}'' labour to convince you of it. Some of your priests return railing tor the kindness ; but they are unable to show you, that the P3e«lobaptist church does so much as in one particular, answer to the description of the gospel church, as it is given either by Moses, or the prophets : by Christ, or his Apostles. Moses tells you, that none should be entitled to mem- bership in the gospel church, or among the people of the Prophet, Jesus Christ, but such as should hear him, or believe ©n him.* Isaiah says, speaking of the gospel church, "They shall all be taught of God, be ail righteous "t Jeremiah say^, "They shall all know the Lord, from the least to the greatest. *"| John tells us, that repentance is a pre-requisite to membership. Christ tells the same, and directed his disciples to give public information of it in their preach- ing.§ Paul tells us, that none have membership in the gospel church, but such as are the children of God by faith of Christ, or such as thus profess, or appear.lF All the Bible is against you, as to your church building. Your system is corrupt from the foundation to the top- stone. Neither the Old Testament, nor the New, knows any thing of such a church as yours for a gospel church, * Deut. xviii. 15, 19— Acts iii. 22, 23 — t Isaiah liv. 13— Ix. 21. — :|: Jere. xxxi. 31 to 33— Heb. viii. 8~x. 16. 17.—} Mat. iii. 2— iv. 17,— Mat. X. 7— Markvi. 12— x. X&.— ^ Gal. iii. 26. 167 unless it be a spurious one. You have no precept, ne example, no similitude, in any part of the Bible for such a church as yours, for a gospel church. Your churches have no more likeness to any of the New Testament churches, as gathered by the apostles, then lewd women have to virgins. Many of your Presbyterian and Con- gregational churches contain a goodly number of God's people ; but they contain in their system the same seeds of corruption, which have produced the enormous apos- tacy of the church of Rome. Mr. P.'s book, to be sure, has a show of humility in will worship, but is filled with those identical principles, which will, when they may have their perfect work, bring you back to the mother •f harlots, from whom you came out, when you took the specific name of Protestant. Your Scribes, Phari- sees, hypocrites, will be very angry with me, for having told you so maay plain truths, and even the pious indi- viduals, who may be found amongst your clergy, will not be pleased, so long as the veil of delusion, which is inseparable from your system, shall make your light darkness. Again, your church, as you may assure yourselves from indubitable and irresistible facts, cannot be the gospel church : for the gospel church was to be driven into the wilderness, into the place which God had pre- pared for her, there she was to prophesy in sackcloth, few in number, comparable to two witnesses, for 1260 years, and after this they were to be persecuted, over- come and killed, and their dead bodies were to lie in the street of the great city, for three days and an half and the inhabitants of the earth were to rejoice over them; but after this their enemies were to be confounded.* To all this the Baptist church has answered, but your church has not had a trait, or feature of it ; but has been hating the gospel church, persecuting of it, and vainly railing against it, as Mr. P. has, (and as I hope) ignor- antly, done. Your church has never had* two wings, ns of a great eagle, given to her, that she might go, ■f Rer, xi. & xii, 6, 168 with speed, from the face of her enemies ; but she has made the world totiemble before her. Your church has had every appearance of being that great citj^, which ruleth over the kmgs of the earth, but as to her being the Church of Christ, she has not so much as* one fair claim. You may reply, thatyou have a goodly nuK'ber of godly ministers, and, sometimes, great i-evivais of religion, an^ thousands brought, mani- festly, to the knowledge and love of God and their duty. This we have no di.sposjtion to deny : and had not ihese godly ministers been blindr d by the traditions of the man of sin, and by such spurious, yet fallacious argu- ments as fill the production8 ot Peter Edwards, Mr. P. and many others, they would have taught the humble converts the things of the kingdom of God, and have led them to the Lord's ordinance of baptism, and not to sprinkling, man's substitute. But, instead of this, these very ministers, whose faithful labours God hath crowned with success, have joined with the multitude of the ungodly clergy to shut up the kingdom of heaven against these very converts, who, otherwise, would have obeyed" the Lord and been baptized. These godly ministers do, at times, find that the place where they re- side is too strait for them. They sensibly perceive a difficulty. They know there is not plain evidence for baptizing the manifestly impenitent ; they also know that sprinkling is, at best, but a doubtful baptism. Yet such a flood of hard opposition, and many other trials, accom- pany the renouncing of the far spread traditions of men, that the people of God who are found among the clergy, and in many of their churches, too often shrink from* the godlike action, the giving of truth af^ir hearing. Hence many who are half convinced do through the fear of man worry through life leaving their names to be used in support of- those errors which they had not the cour- age to renounce. Thus do they unintentionally strength- en the hands of the erroneous, and make the heart of God's people sad. Beloved brethren, we beseech you by the mercy showed you by the Lord Jesus Christ, and for the truth's sake, and for the kingdom of heaven's sake, that you cease from man, and dare to follow the 169 Lamb of God whithersoever he goeth : that you be not cheated out of your cross, or your crowa, by the deceitful arguments, and cruel mockings of those, who lie in wait to deceive. 4. That it is worthy of your notice, brethren, into what absurdity and contempt, the Lord hath suiTered Mr. P. to plunge himself, in his rude opposition to the gospel baptism. After having ignorantly, or wilfully, perverted a number of passages of scripture, with re- lation to the word baptiao, and asserted many things contrary from the truth, without having, in a single in- stance, proved, that baptizo is ever used for any thing short of immersion, he reduces himself to the follow-" ing contemptible position. "For myself, then, /c?o6e- lieve^ says he, that they were (on the day of Pentecost) baptized by sprinkling ; and that probably not one by one ; but as many at a time as could conveniently approach the administraior.^'''^ In the next page he informs us, that the Lord has used such an equivocal word in relation to his ordinance of baptism, that there is no knowing what he means by it; we must therefore determine, among our- selves, as well as we can, what is best to be done. His words are, ''It is certain that no particular mode is certi- fied by that word : (baptizo.) This is left to the discre- tion of the CHURCH." To what Church ? the Roman Catholic of course ; for she, if any, has the fair claim, to be judg'^5 being a large majority of the Pasdobaptist Clrarch. Brethren, if yeu will follow a man, who has, confessedly, plunged himself into profound fgnorance, and who has xreated the ordinance of Baptism more contemptuously, than the Mother of harlots ra? usually done, reducing it to the level of a popish priest^s sprink- ling his holy water, you will be deservedly ignorant. Mr, P. is not different from your other priests, who have written in defence of their superstitions, otherwise than he has exceeded them in boldness, and, as a conse- quence, has surpassed their in folly. We have inteution- ally omitted no part of his book, which has a shade of *Page 292, 293. 15 170 plausibility ; and we have not merely found Mene Tekel Hiitten upon every part ; but we have found it replete witn popish superstitions, pervertions of scripture, and cruel defamation. With regard to his covenant, his seal, his church, his church membership, and his baptism, he hath but a lean preeminence over the Church of Rome. Indeed all Paedobaptist churches are generically one. They diiferonly in the quantity and filthiness of their fornications, their principle is illegitimacy ; having their chiidren born into Christ's family, but not of his Spirit. 1 his is the mystery of iniquity. This is the prolific sin of the Mother of harlots; audit is the characteristic of all her daughters. She with all her daughters make up one enormous community, or apostate church, named in Revelations, xvii. 5. Babylon the Great. From such a church, my Brethren, God commands you to come out. His word to you i?. Rev. xviii. 4. Come out q/' her my PEOPLE, that ye he not partakers of her sins, and that ye RECEIVE NOT of HER PLAGUES. The' plagues of the Lord of hosts are already in store, or nighiy to be poured up- on her guilty head; a few more volumes of reproach and contempt poured upon God's church and pe/)ple, and /?<:> -ins will be filled up ; and then, in one hour, will her j'/'i-^ment come, a:- is stated in Rev. xviii, chap. Then wiil that church, which is beloved of God ; but of which Mr. P. and myriads of others have presumptuously spo- ken with daring and l3nng contempt, rejoice, for her cap- tivity will be ended But, brethren, if you islUI he de- ceived, and will not be admonished by either God, or iKen. you will soon find, that 3'Our way to heaven lies Ihroufifh the plagues of Babylon. Now is your time to escape. Improve it speedily ; or you may soon be invol- ved in death, and mourning and fiimine, having no door of escape, by which to flee to the mountains. Babylon''s measure of blasphemy and cruelty is nigbly full, and her cup of vengeance may ba ready mixt ; "For her sins h;*ve reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities : and will soon reward her as she hath re- warded the people of the saints,, and dovhle vnio her donb- le according to her works ; and will give her torment and sorrow enough." Of these piagues, brethren, you must 171 partake, if you still continue with that great multitucle, which has been long reproaching and blaspheming the Church of the living Cod, and even God himself. For God will hear their reproaches, and he will not always keep silence ; but will arise in awful vengeance, and will put down the lying vanities of your deluding proph- ets. J 5. That your Church has a very confused notion of what they term the Abrahamic covenant; or rather,they appear to have no knowledge of it. They treat the sub- ject as though the covenant of promise, and the special covenant of grace, which was confirmed of God in Christ, and the covenant of circumcision, were all one and the same thing: whilst the covenant of circumcision, which must be the Abrahamic covenant, if there be a cove- nant, which may be thus termed, is as distinct from the covenants o^ promise, as is the token given fey any friend, or potentate, distinct from the thing, of which it is a remembrancer. 6. That notwithstanding all the promises are in Christ, yea, and in him Amen, to the glory of God the Father ; and notwithstanding God spake unto Moses, and by him, that he would raise up a prophet, whom Israel and the Gentiles were commanded to hear in all things ; yet the Faedobaptists do manifestly adhere more to the covenant of circumcision, and depend more upon it, as to the sub- jects of their church, and the manner of building it, than they do to all the things which have been spoken by Jesus Christ the Lord. They indeed tell us, that it was unnecessary for Jesus Christ to trouble himself to reveal any special directions in the New Testament, relative to the subjects which should compose his king- dom. Says Mr. P. " An explicit revelation (with re- spect to this point, or infant-membership) would be al- together needless." Yet, in the same sentence, he ob- serves, '• I believe I can shew you, that the New Testa- ment [< not silent on this point." Though it would have bee-i altogether needless to have had any thing express- ly revealed in the New Testament on this point ; yet he alleges, that there are, as he has abundantly labored to show lis, some dark, dubious and almost plain rerek' 172 tions, in the New Testament upon this ?ery poi&t. What a palpable self-contradiction is it, for him to tell us, that an explicit revelation on this subject, would be altogether needless ; when, for the want of it, he and his brethren have been obliged to guess, suppose and as- sert a tfeousand things, which they cannot prove ; and also when he himself has been laboring, page after page, to g^ive his scheme some show of plausibility, urging one text afcer another to look favourably upon it, and ail this for want of one sentence of explicit revelation to justify his scheme ; and yet, says he, it would be alto- geth*r needi'^ss A man, who will thus say and do, has noclaioi to br -lelieved. He knew, that he could find no explicit revelation for his anti-christian scheme. He p.' obably thought to make the best of it, by denying, that any was needed. But this was making the worst of it, to utter such a palpable falsehood, which no person in the sober exercise of common sense would believe. For if his scheme be true, such a r^. relation is infinitely needed. But to do thus, that he might prevent the com- munity from discovering the truth, and that he might fasten them in the belief of a liejis duplicity and wicked- ness to be detested. It is also treating the New Testa- ment vvith great indecorum, t© say, that it doth repeat- edly reveal in a dubious and almost ex|.' cit manner what would be altogether needless to have plainly ex- pressed. The f ct 's, your priests find very little use for the New Testament in their church building ; hence they wish to believe, that it is nighly silent upon the subject. It is true, the New Testament contains no di- rections for building such a church as yours ; but it con» tains all the information needed in erecting and conduc« ting the New Testament church. Your church is a shadow of an Old Testament church in gospel times, just what God never required. It is an insult to God, a provocation to Christ, and what God will utterly destroy. Your priests have been zealously employed in taking from you the key of knowledge. They have spared no pains to envelope you, as in gross darkness. There is little hope of your rescue, unless you will resolutely hearken to the Prophet of prophets, the Lord Je«us 173 Christ, and cea«e from those whose carnal interest lies in deceiving you. This plain dealing may cause many cA yo^jr priests, who make long prayers^ and for a pre- tence uf piet}' devour widow's houses, to deal out iheir reproaches ; but such of your priests as fear God may observe the matter. 7. That so far as we can trace, from the ancient fa« thers, the baptizing of children, it grew out of, and vras accompanied with, the superstitious error of its being re- generation, or that it was given for the remission of sins. 8. That the Paedobaptisis ought to blush, whenever they would lay to the reproach of the Baptists, that tiiey hold baptism to be a saving ordinance. For, first, the baptists universally hold, that no person hath a right to the ordinance, or is a fit subject of it, till he be in a saved state. Secondly, the Paedobaptists c^n trace their practice to no other origin ; and they are inconsistent with themselves, and with the traditions of the fathers, in which they trust, to practise the one, without believ- ing the other. 9. That neither Mr, P. nor bis brethren appear to know any thing about the time when, or the manner hew, the kingdom of heaven, the gospel church, w^as first set up ; or whether it be yet set up. Some of them f5x upon one time, some upon another. Some imagine one manner, some a very different one. Mr. P. has hit upon both time and manner differently, perhaps, from all, and equally fereign from the truth. He very boldly affirms, p. 19, '•' That the sam.e sovereign act, that re- moved the one (dispensation) established the other in its place, and upon the same foundation." He informs us, that this took plpce, when our Lord entered Jerusa- lem, the last time, before he suffered : and that he then pronounced the sentence of excommunication upon the unbelieving part of the Jewish nation. Yet he seems to doubt his own correctness, for he finds that the hand writing of ordinances was not blotted out, till nailed to the cross ;. and therefore he says, ^' Then^ and not till *hen^ the ceremonial law was completely abrogated,''' • 1 f'.* 174 One would be inclined to believe, that the gospel dispen- sation could not be established in the place, and upon the same foundation, of the ceremonial law, whilst that same law was but partially abrogated. He has therefore left us in as absolute uncertainty, when the gospel dispensa- tion commenced, or whether it be yet introduced, as we were before. Cojald Mr. P. and his brethren explain to us two texts of scripture, they would then know, and we should know, that th-ey had never, in time past, understood what the kingdom of heaven, the gospel church, is, and of coarse they cannot understand its constitution, or when set up. These are, first, Mat. xxiii. 13, " Woe unto you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites ! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men ; for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering, to go in." The other is, Luke xi. 53. '^ Woe unto you, Lawyers ! (for ye have taken away the key of knowl- edge) ye entered not in yourselves, and them that were entering in ye hindered." No person can be blamed for shutting up the kingdom of heaven against men, or for not entering it, or for hin- deri:^g others, till it be in existence : nor can any take a- way the key of the knowledge of it, till there be a key to explain it. Let them uaderstand their present la- bors against the counsel of God^ the baptism from heaven, which was introduced by John, and against the church which practises it, and the above texts will, then^ be easily explained. But should Mr. P. and his breth- ren still refuse to underrt lad them, they may, before they are awars, oegin to feel the Woes there denounced ar inst those, who shut up the kingdom of heaven a- g iinstmen ; or take away the key of the knowledge of it. -vhich is the baptism of repentance. 10. That the title to Mr P.'s book was a sheer im- position upon the public. Not merely because he was unacquainted with the subject of which he wrote. Net merely because he implicitly confessed his defiiciency of knowledge, nnd yet published what he knew not : nor merely becnnse he gave us, in the issue, a very vain nnd merely fanciful account of wlicit iie imagineU m.^at be 175 the mode when christian baptism was first administered. But because, whilst he had no knowledge of what chris- tian baptism is, and because, whilst he told us, in the body of his work, that nothing could be known about it ; but for himself he believed differetitly from his own practice, and from every body's else, that the adminis= trator took a quantity of water in some vessel, or engine, and cast it upon as many as he could ; and because, whilst he informs us, that the infinitely wise God hath employed a term so infinitely equivocal, that no one, however devoted to the Lord, can understand wh?it he means by it, but thai the matter is left to the discretion of the church : because, whilst he explicitly, and by fair implication, proclaims all this, yet has the assurance to decoy the public attention by the following very mis- judged and deceptive inscription on his title page, Jlfa^ miliar illustration of Christian Baptism : in which the proper subjects of that ordinance^ and the mode of admin' istering are ascertained from the word of God, and the history of the Churchy <^c. Such management is worthy the cause in which it is employed. Mr. P. has not been the subject of his multiplied blunders, and some of them of the first magnitude, because he is destitute of pene- tration, or has not a sufficient quantity of logical sense or acuteness of thinking to trace the line ; but because he undertook to periorm what is impossible to be done. That which is wanting cannot be numbered, and that which is false cannot be proved true. Both which he has strongly endeavored; but he has labored for the wind. Brethren, you sensibly feel a difficulty. You cannot but know, your chamj.non hath cast himself and ail his breth- ren into the back ground. After great labor, deep re- search, abundant arguing and much contempt cast upon such as adhere to God's plain and pure word,he is brought to believe, what he would be ashamed to practice, and what probably every other person would be ashamed to believe, that Chri^ti0^ bapti'^^m was, in the first instance, a minister taking a vessel filled with water, besprinkles all around him,withia the limits of his strength,by which J 76 h« prr ^?/'<'c t^i.A baptizin^: shower.* 'SYc '^>o rot wish to rl.ic'^: . :'• or iris brethren, for their havii)^ reduced ti.<: ;■-;:.- ,: n i tfiejr chrif^tiar} baptism into such a coi- tempiible posilion. We wish tha^ ^rou may soor behold, with detestation, your an-lichristinn superstition. God appears to have plunged Mr. P. in (ie;i:sioD, ard given him to infatiali'Tj, as a just reward for his daring abuse and contempt of God's ordinances and [seople. We do rrttbus speak, because \,\ci posse?^ ill vAW towards him. No — we pify him, we prav for In'm ; we desire that God will r.ot lay this Hn to his charge. His confused.and gu> perstiliotis notions of bajiisnn are not different in kind from those of his brethren; they are more extravagant, because he has been more bold and contemptuous,against the truth than they ; but their notions are oi the same kind. For a priest to oip his fingers in water, and pass a few drops fo a child's or parent's face, is equally a per- versioif of God''s ordinance of baptism, as though he should t^ke the bason and sprinkle half the assembly by forcibly emptying- it all at once. Beloved brethjen, my intentif-n was to have sot before you a more distinct and separate view of the things of the kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ, than I have. Hovvever the sum of the matter has been set down, and 1 have already exceeded the limits which I prescribed to myself All which I wished to set bcibrc you, may be foimd in the predictions of the prophets and in the say- ings ofJesus rhrist, and the writings of his apostles: to theseyou should give earnest heed. You have yourchojce whether 3'ou u ill hearken to these, or to the traditions and commandments of men, by which Mr. P. and many others have made void the commands of Jesus Christ O'.r Lord. You must either cease from those who cav^e 3 ru to err, or you must go with them. If you lo^ e mmister, father, mother, brother, or sister, or any otLof-* w<)rldly good, more than you do Christ ; you are yet not worthy of him. !f you prefer a multitude in error, rather than Christ alone, you are. not worthy of him. If you cannot bear reproach for him who bore the cross for 177 you, you make an ungrateful return. But, peradventure you rt^ply, How shall we know what is the gospel way ? Are yoa willing to know ? Then answer me one ques- tion. What is the baptism of repentance ? This is the g-ospel definition of the gospel kingdom. There is no other. This shows you that the subjects, the proper sub- jects, are penitents^ for it is the baptism of repentance ; and it is for the remission of sins, or a token of it. This intimates that you should be buried with Christ in bap- tism^ for as you are defiled all over, so you need to be washed, or cleansed, all over. Christian bap.ism is a token^ NOT a seal^ of the forgiveness of sins.* Besides, the plain and literal signification of the word is burymg or immersion, and none of your priests, or scribes, have been able to prove to the contrary. Also, every place where any circumstance is mentioned looks thus, and not a single instance is named which has a sprinkling cir- cumstance attached to it. Besides, it is an infinite insult to Jehovah to say, that every circumstance looks like im- mersion, and yet sprinkling may be the thing which he intended. Your priests little consider what insult and reproach they offer te God, by their weak and fond ar- guments which they produce for their sprinkling substi- tute for the Lord's ordinance of baptism. Be deceived by them no longer. Be entreated to believe God rather than man. When the scripture appears against your present practice, be entreated to go and unbosom your- selves unto God, and not to the false expositions and glasses by which you may be again hardened against the truth. When the word of God convinces you of one du- ty, be entreated to make it still the man of your coun- sel, and be willing that it should convince you of anotk- er. Brethren, I intreat you to be thoroughly convinced^ that truth, with all the trials attending it, is better thaa error. I beseech you by the legacy of truth which yoa would leave to your heirs, by the love which you bear to the suffering people of God, by the mercy of God to- wards you, by the allegiance which you owe to the Lord Jesus, and by the crown of glory whifth you hope to re- ^- Acts xxii. 16, 178 ceive of him at the judgment day, and wear in his glo- rious presence forever, that you hearken to God and not unto men in this matter ; that you readily learn of Jesus Christ, and that you willingly know and do the truth ; then will you speedily repent of your hurtful traditions, •bey the Lord, and be baptized. 'With desire for the union of the people of God, and for the conversion of the world, I am. Very affectionately, Yours/ LETTER XI. m To the people of Ged^ amongst the P(edohaptist Clergy. Brethren in the Lord, You and your pious brethren, have, for many hun- dred years, lamented the general want of real piety amongst the clergy. It is saying no more, than what has been believed, and lamented by, perhaps, every godly minister in what is called the Christian world, to slite, that a majority, in every age, since the history of Padobaptist preachers commenced, have, manifestly, not been born of God. Not merely this was believed by Luther and Calvin, and other Reformers, but much more; they considered the irreligion, the profligacy, and enormous wickedness of the clergy, in their day, to be beyond sufferance. They, therefore, at the hazard jof their lives, lifted their voices against the flagitious prTC- tic'es and abandoned courses o£ the priesthood generally. This excess of vileness in the clergy, which consisted not merely in their simony, and effeminacy, but in their ignorance and extravagance, and in short, in almost eve* 179 ry kind of enormity, had no inconsiderable influence in occasioning- the Reformation. Y"ouknow, th;it the Pasdo- baptist Clergy, in what are called the dark ages^ were well nigh as ignorant as they were vicious ; many of them not being able to write, or scarcely to read. By the great and persevering labours of Luther, Melanc- thon, Zuinglins, Calvm and other faithful men of God, your church, at least that part of it, which is styled the Reformed, is greatly changed. Yet, brethren, you have to lament a majority of those, in holy orders, as persons knowing not God. I have been lately informed, t-hat the pious Paedobaptist ministers, who are numbered with the clergy of the church of England, have, not long since, made a general calculation, and, in a judg- ment of charity, they conclude, thnt amongst 20,000 clergymen, thepe are 2,0Q0, of whom a comfortable hope may be entertained. Of the clergy in our own country, it is beijeved a better account might be given. However, unless a great alteration has taken place for the better, since my departure from them, it is deemed not uncharitable to say, that a majority of them are unacquainted with the spirit of the Religion. of Christ. From these, I neither expect, nor ask favour. N'-r, brethren, even of you, who love the Lord Jesus Christ insincerity and in truth, have I any particular favour to solicit on my own account ? But for your own sake, and for Christy's sake, and for his kingdom's sake, I entreat you to review the principles upon which you, as Predo- baptists, stand. Bring them to the standard. If they be true, they will bear the light, they will stand the scru- tiny ; and when weighed in the balance of the Sanctu- ary will not be found wanting. Would you be sure to be right, you mwst cease from man, and willingly be, as to reputation, as was your Lord and Master; you must willingly be in repr'-r.i.ch, where he cannot be in honour. You rau=t not be 'm- willing to examine first principles. You know that your system greatly rests upon what you term the Abra- hamic covenant. You ought to know what you mean by this covenant, anm which is from heaven, and which is honoured as beii;g the counsel of God ; for which you have substituted the counsel of men. You are in confusion relative to bap- tism; 3'ou know that you have no certfnn knowledge as to what it is. Sometimesycu believe, and sometimes you flonbt. If I ask you to place j^our fini^er upon the piissnge of holy writ, in which your practice is enjoined by the Loid. you hesitate ; you are in manifest uncer- tainty. If with presuming boldness you reply. In the 17th. chapter of Genesis; then, upon my requesting^ 16 . ' 182 who told you thns, your difficulty returns. You knovt, that God hath not told you thus. You are ashamed to say, The Church has so decreed. After all your labor and anxiety with relation to baptism, as to what it is, and the subjects of it, you evidently know nothing about it. AH this confusion, intermixed with much anxiety, hath happened to you, for rejecting", as the Jewish priests did, the counsel of God against yourselves, not submitting" to the baptism from heaven. By what authority do you state, that the gospel dis- pensation and the gospel church began at, or about, the time in which Jesus suffered ? Some of you name one time, some another : and some, like Mr. P. hardly agree with themselves. The confusion originates from your having forsaken the word of God, that you might keep your own traditions. The word of God is plain, and as perfectly intelligible as to the commencement of the gos^l dispensation and the gospel church, as it is when the Jewish dispensation and church commenced. The Jewish dispensation commenced when Abraham circumcised the males in his household ; this gave to his family their first distinctive visibility. Abraham instruc- ted his household previously, but circumcision was the mark, or badge of distinction. In like manner the gos- pel dispensation began, when John administered the or- dinance of Baptism. Baptism was the badge of distinc- tion. When John had baptize d one, the gospel dispensa- tion was manifestly commenced, as was the Jewish^ when Abraham had circumcised one. As both Abraham and John progressed in th^ir work, so the dispensation? advanced and the churches grew. Both were directed as to what was to be done, and to whom, Abraham was to circumcise his children and householel. John was to baptize with the baptism of repentance^ the Lord's children, which was his household. Wonderful things were to transpire with relation to each community. A- brj'ham's family was to be in bondage four hundred years; afterwards to be delivered wiih great renown. The Lord^s family was to be oppressed 126* years; af- terwards, 1o fill the whole earth. Many other notice- ftble things are recorded of both. But what has been 183 said is sufficient for our present purpose, which is m show how and Ziehen the gospel dispensation and the gos- pel church commenced : and with this the words of Christ appear perfectly to harmonize. Matt. xi. 12 to 15. From the days of John the Baptist until qioth)^ the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force For all the prophets^ and the law prophesied VN TIL John. And if 2/e will receive it, thii is Elias who was for to come. He that hath ewr^ to hear, let him hear. Also, in Luke xvi. 16. The Zatsy and the prophets were until John : since that time the kingdom of God k preached^ and every man presseth into it. Thus was the kingdom ef God, the gospel church, commenc- ed. We do not say, that it was officially organized, and constituted into a regular and organic community till Jesus called together his disciples, his prepared peo- ple, and of them chose and ordained twelve ministers, that they might be with him,and that he might send them forth to preach.* Here, the kingdom of heaven is preached, set up in the midst of the Jewish ndi.tiou^t persecuted by «07we, pressed into by others, twelve missionaries ordain- ed ,■ yet the Pharisees and priests could not see it, nor -believe in it ; but took away from the people the key of knowledge, by rejecting John's baptism; and thus they shut up the kingdom of God against men, they would not go in themselves, and them that were enter- ing in they hindered. They by their exampje, and ig- norant opposition, hindered men from entering into the kingdom of heaven, the gospel church begun. The same criminal blindness is upon all the PsBdobaptist priests and churches to the present day. I was, for ma- ny 3^ears, thus blinded. Dear brethren, do you begin tc «ce ? if so, shut notj'^our eyes. Dare to see the now despised, but precious flock of God. Dare to see the long oppressed, degraded, despised people and church ©f God. Dare to see and know that people that has been driven into the wilderness, but kept as in the hol- Jow of God's hand. Dare tosuifer reproach with that choben people, which is hated and reproached by the *Markiii. 13, 14. Jobnxv. 16. 1' ijpke xvij.fl. 184 world, bat beloved of God and soon to be hoBere<3. You are now among-st that people which spiritually is ealled Egypt and Sodom ; like Moses, choose to suffer afBiction with the people of God, rather than enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season. You must either Come out, OT die in Egypt. Should you attempt to leave E- gypt, Pharaoh and his court will oppose. Should you actually depart from E^ypt, Pharaoh and his host may pursue you. The ungodly clerg-y, and specially those who have a show of godliness, who appear as whited sepulchres, beautiful without, whilst within they are full of hypocrisj'' and covetousness, will be violent in their opposition : from these, you need expect no favor. They follow Christ, or pretend to, for, the loaves, and will deny him for the same. From such characters you may expect a torrent of abuse. They are enemies to the cross of Christ ; and their zeal against the church «f Chri't,andforthe spr i' kling of the ungodly, is occasio'ied by their love of the praise of men, and fear of the re- proach of Christ. I know, brethren, that you are, in Tn-^asure, neuters in this controversy. You cannot op- pose the truth, with that persevering virulence, with which the hypocrites among you do ; and yet, being de- co\ ed by the prejudices of education, and cunning cnf- ti:)e.-s of the subtle, vou are cheated out of the truth, reiaiive to the kingdom of God, and retained, though, at time-, waveringlv, in the belief of the traditionary a- boLiinations of the man of sin. You must come out 5000, or die in BTbylon. You must soon forsake the de- lusive commandments of men, or have no honour in the wars of Emmanuel. God will ere long send deliver- ance to his p.'ople. Our earnest desire is, that you may turn to be with tliem. So may you do exploits, and be, in a degree like so many Moseses, brought up at cou»'t. By your means Zion may arise. This would be g:lorious for you. Dare then look at truth. He not ter- ritied aithe cost. The expence is merely thfe giving u;- of all you have. The relinquishment of your stolen goods, and the hearty delivery of yourselves, s )ul and body, for the Lord's service. Siiould you tarrv where vou are, men will praise you, but God wiii not. ^iiouid )'Q\i 185 venture the wrath of the enemy, and turn to be vvith the true Israel, the honour, which cometh from God only, will be yours, and the reproaches of the enemy will brighten your crown of glorj. But,if you do, altogether, hold your peace at such a time as this, then shall salva- tion come from another quarter, and you and your Mother's house shall be burnt up. Brethren, this sub- ject will command your full attention, when a few more rolling suns shall have passed over you. Why not now seize the precious moments as they fly? Why not now lay your belief and practice along si^e of God's word, and resolutely rescind what with that will not agree ? Would you make short work of this business ; then bring your church, the P^dobaptist community, to the stand- ard. Enquire, honestly enquirey fervently enquire, does the Paedobaptist church, which is styled the Christian TS!orld, does she now, has she ever answered to the gospel church, whi«h John introduced, which Jesus organized, and which the world hath ever hated ? When was this Christian world in the wilderness 1260 years? when did she for that length of time prophecy in sack- cloth ? May Jesus by his Spirit bring you up speedily to the help of the Lord, to the help of the Lord against the mighty. Then shall you escape the plagues which are in near readiness for Babylon^'s destruction, and be youi"- gelyes crowned with glory, honor and peace. Thus prays your willing servant for Jesus' «ake. 16* LETTER XH. To 'xhom it may concern^ and when. Dear Brother in the Lord, YOU may have often heard some of your pious breth- ren in the ministry observing, that they have pos- sessed doubts, and, at times, been anxious relative to the subjects and ordinance of gospel baptism. These doubts and trials they usually conceal, till their minds are calm again ; or, for some reason, very seldom concede, that they have difficulties for the. present With such iftstances I have been somewhat familiar. There is, per- haps, not an instance amongst the Psedobaptist preach- ers, where real piety is possessed, that these doubts have not occasionally occurred. Their scheme, their mate- rials and their manner of Church building have so dif- ferent an aspect from what was performed, as well as from what was professed and preached, by him who made ready a people prepared for the Lord, so different from what was said and d©ne by him* who spake as nev^ er man spake, so different from what is recorded by the Apostles; m short, so different from what appears the plain import of the New Testament ; that they are con- strained to hesitate. Sometimes by one means, and sometimes by anothiir. their doubts subside. Some have but little anxiety, others have it increasing upon them^ and at times are greatly anxior.s. They are- like per- sons caught in a snare, and are uncertain as to the means of escape. Said one, were 1 to begin my ministerial life again, I would be a Baptist. Said another, I was nighly a Baptist once, but (now) I think it not best to be a Baptist, if their scheme is right, it would make so much noise. Said a third, if I may but know what is the truth in this matter, I would obev, noise or not. With each of the above d< scriptions of p«*rsons I have had a personal and fritm liy acqunin; ince ; ihat too 1 efore I waa .a Bajjlist myself. Smce, i have bad several Paedobajv 187 tist pr«acher«, who were in no small difficulty, as to the order of Christ's house, call upon me, that conversiUinm might be had upon the subject. Seme of whom have joined the baptists; one or two, for want of light, or through a deficiency of courage to meet the torrent of opposition, and other attending trials, have, as yet, con- tinued as they were ; hoping", no doubt, to arrive at the kingdom above, though they look back, and thus prove, that they are not fit for the kingdom of heaven below. You, my dear brother, will not understand me to inti- mate, that it is needful for you to be freed from your doubts and join the baptists, that you may secure an in- terest in the everlasting favor of God ; Jesus hath alrea- dy done this for you. But I would strongly intimate to you, thatthe Lord hath need of you, that his host hath great need of you, and that you have great need of the honor which will attach to your turning, in the day of battle, to be with the true Hebrews, the people of the saints. There has been, in our world, but one people, V, ho have the honor of being styled, the people of ihe SAINTS. To this people is promised the kingdom, and the dominioB, and the greatness of the kingdom, under t^'ie whole heavens. This people are not the Jewish church continued, but the kingdom which the God of heaven promised to set up within a given period.* This people were composed, in the first instance, of visible saints; of parents and children whose hearts were mu- tually turned by the power of the Lord, and under the preaching of John the Baptist, to each other, and to the Lord. None but visible saints have ever been add^d to this people, nor will any others be ever suifered to join them. This people have, all of them, been i aptrzed with the baptism of repentance, a token, or badge, that they are turned to a right understanding. '1 l^ev hj'Vf rcn- ft'ssed their sins, and up©n such contrssicD been baptized. ^ his people, and thisonl}', have anv g<^'i{>el claim to tSe title of the kingdom of heaven, or the gnspel chnrrh. This people have come out of" their iv'utt^r qnartprs, Xhf^ir i2oO years exile from the face of meii. The ijaid tum- *Daii. ii. 44. — ^vii. 27. 188 bat between these and thsir persevering appoAors, i'^ presented hy Michael and his aagek fightiag with the dragan and his, is now apparently commenced, or com- mencing. The enemy, by Mr. F. Mr. Beacher, and oth- ers, are proclaiming their prowess, numbers and great- ness, on the one haPxd: and on the other, defying the ar- mies of the living God. The champions of the enemies of this people of the saints either have much courage, or they affect more, than they possess ; and very many are those who follow them. Whilst but few of this people appear to be harnessedfor the war. Even toomany of their leaders seem not to be fully apprised, that the enemy are marshalling their hosts, and putting ever}' thing into readiness for a general and vigorous attack. One great object of this letter is to cast within the purview of youF judgment and heart, some auxiliary truths, whilst these hosts are engaged only in some few sharp skirmishings; that, if the will of God be so, you may speedily leave that host, which thinks, even again, to tread down the people of the saints of the Most High, as the mire of the street. If you shall not come out directly, be careful, that you turn to be with the people of the saints^ when the battle shall be generally joined, otherwise you may di^ without honor. Are you still doubting, still undetermined which the host of the Lord is,w-hether the baptists, or the paedobap- tists, or whether there be so much differenee as to ren- der it imperiously your duty to forsake the latter, that you might join the former ; then take into deep consider- ation the two hosts with their distinctive badges. The first, the baptists, are the only visible and known com- manitj', that has ever been in our world, which answers to the description, which is given by the Lord, of that people to vvl om the kingdom and dominion and the greatness of tbe kingdom under the whole heavens was to be given. They are the onlu cof/imunity^ which hath, upon principJe, received none into their 7iumber but saints. Tbeir badge is like their principle, the baptism of re- p.:ntaace, betokening that none but the peflitent are to be admitted. The othcir ho-^t, the P^dobaptists, a'^e, by principle, a inised muliitude, comptjseil of sopje 189 saints and many sinners. The best that can he said of any part of their host, and at their best estate, is, that it consists of beli ving parents, or masters, with their impenitent households. Their badge is like their prin- ciple, the baptism of impenitence. If their badge could be brought perfect!;/ to harmonize with their principle, another penitent vs/ould never be the subject of their re- ligious rite, which they term baptism. An objection may present. The Bnpti^ts are not all real saints, or have not been so. Grant it. There may be Judases, Simons and Alexanders now, as there were in the primitive times of this people. But now, as well as then, they are all professed saints ; they never have, Bor do now, receive any others. Many other objections may offer themselves. But my wish is, that the command of God to come out, to- g-ether with the need this people has of you, may, at once, decide your mind to come out, at every hazard. Would yon, and your doubting, halting brethren, by the gface and spirit of the Captain of our fcost, like so ma- ny Samsons, break the cords and withes with which tl^e Philistines have bound you, many a ten thousand might fall by your means, and many, very many, in the Lord's camp, who are now sleeping on, and taking their rest, might be roused to full action. It is hoped, and with eonfiJence expected, that you and your doubting breth- ren, many of them, will turn to be with the true Israel ; and that your turniog will be, as life from the dead to the oppressed, despised and hated people of the saints. This people are already very highly favored of God, by his affording them such an equal and excellent govern- Bient, and by giving them favor in the sight of the rul- ers, so that their enemies are greatly put down, and thej have full Uberty to stand for (heir lives. Think not, !{»! ay you, that I thus speak, because I ennceive the little flock to be in absolute dapger, sheuid you lend them no help. No, my dear brother, if God should live, this people shall have the dominion, whether any instrumental honor shall be yours, or not._ Bnt my wish, the wish of my heart, is for your deliver-" an«e, and that the d«ciarative glory of G«d may be ad- 190 yanced by yoar means. It is you I seek, and what would anarraent jour endless joy. I know the trialg which you hav^e fslt. I hav^e endured the evils vrhieh you may expect : ( desire for you the pleasures which have attended my pains, the joys which have sweetened my sorrows. I beseech you, resist not the lig'ht, trifle not with the conviction, which by the word and spirit of God do at times arrest your mind, lest the pride of your heart should provoke God to destine you, as Israel of old, to die in the wilkmess. It is vary dangerous to barter away God's vvord and God's ordinances for our convenience. To be faithfully for Ged, you must have much grace. He is able to afford it. To bear the re- proaches of sinners and misguided saints, you will need much fortitude. God can give it. To sustain the tri- als within, and the numerous and nameless trials with- out, you must have the presence of him, who saith, Lo I AM wfTH YOU. Ask and it shall be given you, even all you need. Perhaps you would not be displeased, should I mention a sketch of some of the trials through which the Lord hath led me. This I may do by subjoining some ex^ tracts of a letter, which, sometime since, I wrote to a Paedobaptiat minister, who has since been baptized, whose mind was more anxious, than, perhaps, yours has ever been. Previous to inserting the extracts, I may just observe, that the whole ef this letter is for any and every godly Paedobaptist minister, ©r preacher, who is in present anx- iety concerning the tilings of the kingdom of God. Extracts of a letter to A. B. " Dear Brother, in the Loud, " Your trials have often brought mine to remem- brance. 1 have bemoaned your lingering condition, and have been waiting to see what the Lord would do. FreV quenlly have I thought of directing a lin<» for you. At one time it has been upon my mind just to propose the following question. " Hew can ye believe, who receivs: -HONOUR ON P. OF ANOTHER ?" At another time T bays 191 ihou^ht of relating", Why I am a Baptist. Yon may have seen several pamphlets with this motto : Why I am not a, Baptist. Such as those written by Noah Webster ana John Crane. When I think of such men and their work*', 1 am filled, at times, with a mixed emotion, par- taking of pity and disg^ust. They reason and write as blind men define colours. No one who can speak or write against the haptisin of repentance for the remission of sins^ which is the baptism from heaven, knows any more why he is not a Baptist, than does one posses«^ed of a carnal mind, why he is not a penitent. Persons can reason but from what they know, and as no one, who is not a Baptist, knows what it takes to make one, so no man can tell exactly why he is not one. But, dear sir, your case has often caused roe to won- der why God left me not in the same. I greatly desired to find a resting place on this side Jordan. When I could no longer apply a little water to a manifest unbe- liever, and consider it gospel baptism, my mind was strongly solicitous to discover something which might satisfy my disturbed and distressed soul, short of going over to that sect ivhich is every where spoken against. I read, meditated, day and night, fasted and prayed, that the Lord would show me what was truth and dut3\ and made, that I am conscious of, but one exception • and that was, That He ivouid not show me that the Bapti.^ts were right. Whilst I w^as submitting my deplorable situation to the Lord without one verbal condition, and but one known in my heart, and that one condemned as being UBchristian, it pleased Him to retain me, for days. for weeks, and for months, as in Egyptian darkness, relative to gospel ordinances, shutting me up to the faith, till I was willing to submit^ without so much as a mental reservation. Then, through grace, boundless grace, I was prepared to hear and obey. From that day to this, I have been ready to declare both publicly, and pfivately, why I am a Baptist. It is because the Lord made me one. This is the great reasim ; this ie the snm of all the reasons, why I am a Baptist. By nature I am like all other men ; by grace I am, what 1 am, hke all the other children of God, a pooa 192 sinner saved : I then was, whilst in the confused churcfe, like all other preachers of rig-hteonsness there, unwil- ling to destroy the things which I had been long building, and meet the heavy trials, which mi^'ht be calculated upon. This may be your present condition, or you miy imagine, you have advanced farther, even to be wiUing to be a Baptist, if that i^ right. You may also fancy, that you have reasons to offer why you are not a Baptist. So has the impenitent and the infidel, but they are reasons, which when weighed, will be found wanting. I have been pained for you and am still, lest yon provoke God to leave you, where I once should, very gladly, have been left myself, with such plausible reasons, as might have prevented my being a Baptist. It will cost you much to be a Bapti'st, very much i& be a consistent one : but iike every other piece of deny- ing one\s self for Christ, it hath attached to it the prom- ise of an hundred fold in the present time, and in the world to come, eternal life. You probably consider me to be a kind of Sectarian, and a rigid one too ; are not you considered the "^ame with regard to the doctrine of grace ? and why are you thus rigid ? because, you believe the honour of God re- quires it. For the safne reason I labor to vindicate, not the doctrine of 2:race only, but the doctrine of the kingdom also. My wish is, instrumentallv, to rescue you and yoiir brethren from dishonouring Go;l and fidt- terin^ men to their htirt. Your former practice of sprinkling unbeliever*, and, perhaps, by this time, you have returned to it j^gain, has three great eviU in it. Jt invokes the Trinity to sanction whnt never camp into his heart to commuid, but what man invented, and what God abhors. It flatters carnal mr-n, teaching th-im that they have some part and lot in the gospel, whilst they have none. Acts viii. 21. It d'^ceives many of God's p^^ople, and procures for them, as well as for the im- penitent, who are deceived by it, severe plagues, which will soon corpe, and not tarry. You, dear sir, and your br-^tbrcrj, litt'f^ think what vou are doinsf, when '■)«. commit the first-born sin of the Mother of huriuts. 193 You may think that you are doing God service, whett you profess to apply the gospel baptism, which is the baptism of repentance^ to the manifestly impenitent ; but, sir, the period will come when you shall know, that, by doing thus, you do service to the Prince of the Power of the air, the spirit which still worketh in the children of disebedience. You, sir, may not willingly admit, that there are but two generic classes of profes- sing christians, that hold to external ordinances ; that these two - idence of grace ; the other, by allowing believers only to he baptized. You may be still more unwilling to con- cede that these two classes, or churches,- are represent- ed by the two Apocalyptic women, one of which said in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow ,• and the other was driven into the wil- derness. However unwillingly these things may be believed, yet the scriptures unequivocally thus represent them. Besides, these two churches have, from their beginning, hitherto answered to the account given of them by the Spirit of inspiration. One of these women is the Moth- er of Harlots (with her family of daughters;) the oth- er, the Bride, the Lamb's wife. They are both known by their manner of having children. The former pro- fessedly receives into her bosom, to nourish, those who are burn after the flesh only : the latter, those only, who are bf gotten of her Husband. I uppose any branch of tne family of Harlots to be collected (hovt-ever elegant their attire, or shining their profession) and an angel from heaven should be dele- gated to proro.^e the following questions 1. Who is your husband? 2. Whose are all these children? 3. By whom did you have them ? — What would be their answers? To the first, The Lord Jesus Christ. To the second, The children of the Church. To (he thi-d, * 1 leave it with vou to answer. We may shut our eye^. we may stop our*^-ars ; l>j7t we cannot get ivher-^ 6rod wjii not see us, nor where truth wiU not Hnd n^ if \ 194 Bear brother, wherever may be y«UP residence^ whatever may be your name, or estimation in society, you must forsake all for Christ, or follow him but par-' tially. The honour which cometh from men, or from misguided Christians, is ©f short duration, and of small value, I bid thee*a cordial adieu, saying in the words of the Prophet — " How long haitest thou between two opinions ? If the Lord be God, follow him. But, if Baal, then follow him." With sincere desire, that you may not refuse the cross, nor let another take thy crown, 1 am, with great good will, yoursi LETTER XIH. To the People of the Saints of the Most High. X)early Beloved, TO you, who have received a kingdom which can •never be moved, it is given to suffer on the behalf of Christ. You are not of the world, but chosen out of the world, and hated by it. A part of the sufferings, which you were to sustain in the world, was, to be reviled, persecuted, and to have all manner of evil spoken a* gainst you falsely. You have made a good profession before many witnesses. You have confessed your sins against God ; and professed fiiith in the Lord Jesus Christ ; and been buried with Christ in and by baptism ; wherein also you have been risen with him. To this j-ou have been brought by that faith which is of divine op- eration. You have been separated and set apart for God. You have given in your names to be for God. Of you it is expected, that you not only believe on Christ, but also that you willingly suffer for him. The 1% eye of God is upon you, the eye of the world is up«^ you, and the eye of misguided professors is upon you. More is expected of you, than is looked for in thatcom- muoitv, which is termed the Christian world. More should be found in you. Whilst they are zealous in maintaining and extending their superstitions, be ye not less zealous in naaintainiog, in spreading, and practising the truths of God. To you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God ; but to them ibat are without, parables are yet continued. Your privileges are great, and many of them pecu- liar. Your system of faith and practice is so plainly re- vealed, that he who runs, may read. You have kept the ordinances as Christ delivered them to the saints. Ye have been been buried with Christ in baptism, where- in also ye have been risen with him, through the faith, which God wrought in you, by the effectual working of his mighty power ; and ye are sealed to the day of re- demption, by that holy Spirit of promise. To defend the rectitude of your faith and practice, you have mere- ly to understand and speak the truth, which is freely given to us of God : You have no occasion to resort to traditions, and commandments of men, and other lying vanities, to justify the practices enjoined upon the peo- ple of the saints. But the Paedobaptist prophets, as well as the heathen priests, have to resort to fable and fency, andto arguments the most delusory and false, that they may retain the people in the belief of their debasing superstitions. Thus Mr. P. maintains the de- lusion amongst his own brethren, and says to them, " You have adopted a constitution, which, at once, involves an exalted privilege, and an immense responsibility. It is the same constitution, which the Lord established, when he organized his church."* By the constitution, he in- tends the covenant of circumcision, for by no other cov- enant was any church organized in Abraham's family. The Bible in Actsxxi. 25, directs us,' Gentiles, net to ob- serve this covenant, nor any other thing which might be like it, or presuming to come in the place oi it. In * Page 301. 196 the same address fo his brethren he says, " You are dai- ly praying and labouring for the introduction of the lat- ter day glory. Remember, one of the preludes of that blessed period is " the turning of the hearts of the fa- thers to the children, and the hearts of the children to the fathers." " Until this event be realized, says he, you will look in vain for the revelation of that glorious day." What good effect does he suppose this can have in forwarding the millenial day ? For this was the busi- ness upon which John the Baptist was sent, and which bj his ministry he effected ; but his ministry^ says Mr. P. was no part of the gospel dispensation. But now, whilst addressing his brethren, and John the Baptist is, for the moment forgotten, he can tell them, that this is the cause, without which, they may, in vain, look for the introduction of thai glorious day. How inconsistent i» error ! In his address to pious parents, his words are : " Out of regard to you, the Lord has made gracious promise* concerning your children. He has permitted them to be sealed with the seal of the covenant. Sprinkling a little water in the face, is a seal of special privileges."* You know, brethren, that ao lie is of the truth. Were Mr. P's system of the truths such managenient would be useless in its defence. Inconscious babes, and impeni- tent minors, sealed with the seal of the covenant, and sprinkling a little water in the face being a seal of spe- cial privileges : What popish impositions ! Surely the prophets prophecy falsel}", and the priests bear rule by their means, and deluded must that people be, who love to have it so. It is shameful imposition ! To the sprinkled children he says, "Ye children of the covenant. How highly are you distinguished ! The SEAL of Abraham's God has been impressed on your fore- heads. The Lord has marked you as his property, in a peculiar sense, and has provided special means for you to be trained up in his service." This is not merely destitute of truth, in every part, but appears to contain a species of high profanity. If the covenant of cir- 'Sumcision be not for believing QmtiUs^ th«n b^ 'feeiD|f 197 sprinkled, they cannot be put into it, and their sprink* ling being" not of God, it can be no distinguishing favour : nor has the Lord thus marked them for his property, nor in this way provided any special favour for them. But what appears peculiarly profane is, his assertion^ that " The seal of Abraham's God has been impressed on their foreheads, by a few drops of water sprinkled in their face." All this is authorized by the priests, and performed by their hands ; and, t© give it currency, Mr. P. has thus employed great swelling words of vanity. When the people shall discover the cheat, then will the overbearing impositions of the priests bring upon them- selves that abhorrence which their works so abundantly merit. These are the Scribes, Pharisees, hypocrites,of our (lay,who are as graves, which appear not, and the men that walk over them,are not aware of them. For«f priest to say, that sprinkling a few drops of water upen a child's face is The seal of Ahrahavi's God impressed on its forehead^ whilst it is nothing but a most deceitful de- vice, invented by former priests to bring men into bondage by their superstitions, is highly censurable. The sentiment is as foreign from the Bible as darkness is from light. A more gross and anti-christian super- stition is scarcely to be found in the annals of Popery. Dear brethren, should priests succeed in deceiving the people of America, generally, into a full and fer- vent belief of their Ij'ing vanities, we shall probably have the infernal Inquisition, and it will be thought ser- vice done to God, to kill, slay, and cause to perish,, all those who are such unfeeling infidels, as not to have their children sealed with the seal of the Almighty God of Abraham, by having it impressed upon their fore- heads by some priest s])rinkling a few drops of water upon the face. No such thing, nor any thing resem' tling it, is found in the oracles of God. You ought, unquestionably, to bear your unequivocal testimony against such fanaticism. This sprinkling business is calculated to fix parents and children in the belief of a lie, and to produce a ^vorld of proud hypocrites. Could parents believe, that they, by the assistance of a priest, I?* 198 were sufficient to seal their children with the seat of Abraham's God, and in this way have the Lord mark them as his property in a peculiar sense, and were children induced to the same behef, would not both imagine, that all was well, provided the seal was good, and the Lord should know his mark ? This superstition, infant sprinkling, is no small part of the leaven of the modern Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. A tradition more profoundly hypocritical is rarely, if ev- er, found. It teaches and exemplifies hypocrisy in a regular and systematic manner. It is, in its nature, cal- culated to make a world of hypocrites. Religious hy- pocrisy is believing, loving and practising showy super- stitions, which make void the law and commands of God. Infant sprinking is all this in the highest degree. Says Mr. P. It is a token of the covenant of grace: — an ex- ternal sign ef internal grace — a seal of the righteousness of faith — a mark of membership in the christian church — a seal of the covenant — a seal of special privileges— a seal of Abraham's God, &c. &c. Now all this is mere showy superstition which makes void the law and com- mands of God our Saviour ; and it lies at the founda- tion, and is the chief corner stone upon which mystical Babylon is built. This superstition the Paedos believe, Jove and practise. From this leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy, as naturally flow an hypocritical ©hurch and a column of hypocritical clergy, as a stream does from a fountain. To spread, defend and urge the belief, love and practice of this hypocrisy, Mr. P. and many others have written volumes, filled with sophistry and falsehoods. This superstition inculcates upon chil- dren, and upon parents too, tiie necessity, importance and privileges of hypocrisy. The advocates ©f this su- perstition are so much the more zealous to defend it, as they are deficient in evidefice. The low abuse, the fallacious slander, the unfounded arguments, and subtle sophistry, to which Mr. P. and his brethren stoop in de- fending their system and in opposing the Baptists, are so maay swift arguments that their cause labors, and cannot be 'supported by honorable means. This is also evidence;, that their cause is superstitioB. Truth neither requires 199 Her will stoep to such manag-ement. But all tkis is need- ed to retain the multitude in the belief of their supeF- etition, and in the practice of their hypocrisy. What can be more totally false, more profoundly superstitious, than the idea, that sprinkling a few drops of water upon a child's face, according to the device of subtle priests, God having never mentioned the thing, should seal the child in the covenant of grace, seal special privileges to (he child ; should seal the child in the forehead, as being God's peculiar propertj^, seal it with the seal of Abra- karn?s God ! Such outrageous superstition and hypocrisy are no common sins. They are crying abominations, which should be reproved and testified against upon the house-tops. Woe to the blind priests, who are the hypocritical re- toilers of such gross impositions ; and woe to the com- m.unity which is thus imposed upon by the cunning craft- iness of those who lie in wait to deceive ; for the plagues prepared for Babylon will soon fall upon both the decei- ver and upon the deceived. Woe also to such watchmen in Zion as behold these abominations, yet loving the praise of men more than the praise of God, would not have the people warned. In his closing address, which is made to the children of unbelievers, he says to them, ^' It is indeed your unhappiness, that you were not born within the pale of the covenant. But, you have the Bible to read, and the day and means of grace to enjoy." Here is one of hi«! deluding superstitions, together with a precious truth confessed, which destroys his principal arsrument in fa- vor of the good arising from sprinkling children. The superstition is, the unhappiness of not being born witf^iyi the PALE of the covenant. This is iike his Jervi^h Church continued, his seal of the covenant, his infant idember' ship, his extensive sprinklings^ by tvbich the priest would baptize, say, 100, at eveiy cast of the water, and the whole host of his anti-christian errors. The precious truth confessed is, that unbaptized chihVen have the oracles of God. On page 213, be told ns, that the prin- eipal. or chief blrf-sing, which rcsirlfpc^ from baptizing childreoy was their having the oracles of God commit- 200 ted to them. But now the unbaptized children have the same. There is therefore, according to his own concessions, but .'•mall advantage to be expected frona sprinkling any more of them. Brethren, whilst Mr. P.'s system and arguments have past in review, and we have found one to be of no val- ue, and the other without strength; yet are all his re- proofs without occasion ? Have we at all times, been sufficiently solicitous to regard with joy and sacred delight that honourable da}', in the morning of which our Lord burst the bonds of death, and rose triumphant over death and the grave, having completed the great work of our redemption. Besides, have there not been too many instances, at times, and in some particu- lar places, of a want of a suitable carefulness in family government, and in giving line upon line, line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little, for the admonition and christian instruction of our beloved little ones? Has not this remiss^ness, where it has existed, been greatly occasioned by the verj' mis- chievous effects which our brethren have had the mournful occasion to witness, as being produced by the two or three foul) daiion superstitions, which the most re- ligious and orthodox of the Pa3dobaptists, have incor- porated with the system of their otherwise very chris- tian instruction. Seeing that the sprinkled children more strongly imbibe, and more tenaciously retain, the errors, than the truths, thus early inculcated ; have not some of you, by this means, been induced to a reprov- able negligence. This negligence, however, may not be so extensive as our opponents insinuate, and as they, through prejudice, are constrained Xo believe. Our children may not be so read}' as theirs, with their an- swers io creeds and catechi-ms of clerical construction ; but can they claim superiority when the scriptures, ei- ther of the Old or New Testament are the subjects of investigation? Our brethren have, perhaps, somewhat generally pursued the practice, which 1 have, long since, adopted in my own family. Whilst catechizing the children is not wholly omitted, the usual course is, after the public exercises, to let the children and house- 201 bold read from ten to twenty chapters, or more, of th€ precious book of God, accompanied with questions, and observations, which may inform the opening minds, as- sist the memory, and impress the heart. With this method, our opponents may not he pleased : but to me it is pleasant. For thus have my children opportunity to drink at the fountain's head. To receive the pure tvord, which is able to make them wise unto salvation. They may not be so prompt in rehearsing what mea have written, but more ready to relate what God hath Spoken. But, brethren beloved, if the fuults alleged against las by our opposers may be palliated, or found to be small ; yet have we not faults of considerable magni- tude, which we may justly charge against ourselves? For instance, 1st. Is it not a fault, which involves criminality, thaf we suffer a most heaven provoking sin upon our Fasdo- baptist brethren, whilst instead of restraining them, we hardly reprove them. A more flagrant sin against the cause and kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ, is not found in the vocabulary of the Man of sin, than the sprinkling of impenitent households. Yet this sin, which exchanges the kingdom of God for a spiritual brothel, is so winked at, that it gives offence to some professing brethreii to have its abominations exposed, save when some of God's people are to be publicly ad- mitted into the society of the people of the saints ; or when we are obliged to repel an attack. Whilst we know, that a day of unusual plagues, and of divine ven- geance, is nearly breaking, for the utter destruction of what is falsely termed the christian world, can we be innocent, and not sound an alarm, so that the people of God amongst them may hear f Are we innocent, whilst we treat their characteristic sin, as though it were of the venal class, when it is the one for which ven- geance is announced ? Is it not criminal to be so fearful of their displeasure, that we will suffer them to be burned up, rather than inform them that their house is ©n fire ? You may reply, *^ Should our Elders be bold »nd f;»itkfisl like the ^rst gospel herald, preaching th& 202 baptism of repentance for the remission of sins throu^b all the region ; or like Jesus himself, going through every city and village, preaching and showing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God; or should they, like Paul, from morning till evening expound and testify ihe ■ kingdom of God^ persuading them concerning Jesus, the multitude of the Jewish Church continued woald be ready to behead, crucify, or stone them. Besides, they would set the common people in a rage against our Ei- ders." Suppose all this should be the result Have Bot 3'our Elders enlisted for soldiers in Emmanuel's host ? Soldiers expect to die in combat, should the cause reqaire it. Do you think that they are afraid to die for the name and cause of the Lord Jesus ? You should rather encourage them, than dissuade tliem from preaching the distinguishing things of the kingdom of heaven. Yes, you may subjoin, ^^but this would pro- duce much disturbance, and more good will probably be done by preserving peace." Had the Lord Jesus been of the same opinion, he would never have come to set fire upon the earth. Had John thought thus, he would »ot have lost his head. Had this been Paul's f-entiment, he would not have been in stripes, imprisonments and deaths so oft. Another objection may present itself to the minds of some. *^ Times are greatly changed." Tes, brethren, and for this very reason, our fault is en- larged, if we venture not every 'thing, which must now he risked, in vindicating the things of the kingdom of God. The beast which was, and is not, and yet is, presents but few terrors in our land. The pagan civil power, influenced by the pagan pricists, destroyed many of the people of the saints. After it was put down, and rose again to aid the ambitious superstitions of the priests of the christian world, its violence and its rava- g'es were increased against those who kept the ordinan- ces as Christ delivered them to the saints. But, in our land, and specially in our day, the civil power declines ihe office of a beast, that on it the priests of the chris- tian world might trample down the people of the king- dom. We know, or h?.ve opportunity to know, by the iiard and cruel falsehoods, and slaaders, which arr? 203 $>oiirer] npoB n« without mercy, what xve might expect from the chief priests vi the Jewish Church continued, were they furnished, according to their wish, with a suitable beast to ride upon. But whilst they are obliged to be on foot, though they may form many mischievous -devices, yet they are not able to accomplish ihem. Through the infinite kindness of God the civil power in our highly favored land cannot become a beast so long as our excellent constitution shall be defended. So long as our opponents, for want of a mystic beast, shall be ©bliged to walk, we need fear them not. They may put into full operation ttieir engines of deception, false- hood and slander. Against which we should set up the te'uth, undisguised truth, the whole truth, relative to the things of our Lord Jesus Christ ; and bis kingdom, which, shall never be destroyed, but shall break in pieces and consume all the combinations and communities* of the enemy. Let the gospel banner be fully waving, and all the artillery of heaven, which is committed to our use, be in full operation ; then, if God have not furnished us with sufficient weapons, and ordnance, for the holy war, and we fall in the hard contest, the defeat will not be charged upon our cowardice. Brethren, it is time t© awake, to look well to your uniform, to dress by the christian standard, to ply your weapons which are migh- ty, through God, to the pulling down of strong holds. Let none be caught parleying with the enemy, propos- ing some inglorious truce. This is the part of a coward, or a traitor. Let it not be fiamed in our camp that the enemy are Apakims, their cities walled up to heaven, and we unable to go over and take possession. As yet, not so many of the Lord's host, as composed Gideon's little army, have been fairly brought to action. Let three hundred, guided by Gideon's God, go forth and preach, as John did, the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins, or as Jesus did, the glad tidings of the kingdom of God : it would put into darkness that vaia superstition, impenitent sprinkling, and loosen the joints of their harness, who now vaunt themselves agaiast the church of God. Their strength and fortress, like the walls of Jericho, would be levelled with the ground. 204 Brethen, encoiirag-e your elders in this matter. Say txj them, as Jonathaa's armor-bearer said unto him, " Do all that is in your heart ; turn ye ; behold we are with you according to your heart." The enemy might think as lightly of such a company as Goliah did of David, and like Goliah they would melt before it. Something like this must take place. Blessed are they who shall offer themselves willingly to the help of the Lord. 2. Are we not faulty, for not having more fervently implored the special favour of God to be, and rest, op- en our National and State governments ? Our safety and prosperity, under God, exceedingly depend upon these not being seduced to become a mystic beast, upon which our enemies might sit to our very great annoy- ance. Very many in our country have thought, and probably still think, that the civil authority cannot be in better service, than to be employed as such a beast. Ev- ery thing which either artifice, flattery, favor, or partial threatening, can effect, will, no doubt, be yet essayed to bring about this object. It is of the abounding mercy of God. that they have not been able extensively to encom- pass their purpose. In some of the State governments they have smally prevailed. But with all their exer- tions, they appear, for the present, rather upon the los- fng hand. Yet their zeal and courage are scarcely abat- ing. God hath already given us great liberty, compar- ed to what was allowed to our forefathers Yet, in Ne^- England, we have not all we could »visti, or as citizens have a right to. All that we wish is, that we may enjoy a perfect equality as citizens, and that ihe government would suffer no law, statute, act, or resolve, to exist, which interferes in matters of religion, for the truth needs no such thing, and error is not worthy of it. We may not have snfficien^iy understood the temptations to which our governments have been exposed, from the pressing solicitations of the clergy, nor those to which they may 3^et be exposed by similar application?. Nor have we been able fully to appreciate the iafinite im- portance which it is to truth, that the gov?»rnment should be sternly fi)i :>f^ n'^t to interfere in religious thing-s Otherwise than to reraove the shackles which their an- 205 cestors may have imprudently forg:ed. On both these accounts, ought we not more fervently and unitedly to beseech the God o^ heaven,that he would have the Na- tional and Stale governments in his holy keeping, that we might lead quiet and peaceable lives, in all godliness and honesty ; having no dictator but God in matters of revealed religion, which are peculiarly between him and our immortal souls. The present times are highly momentous. Our ad- versaries are much engaged to encompass our ruin. They could be scarcely more engaged, were their cause good, and their object attainable. There appears noth- ing but what they will rise or stoop to, that they may do us harm Mr. P. has afforded a sample of some of the bold and base devices which they are practising a- gainst us. Dear brethren, thT)se of you who were nev- er Paedos. can have no adequate conception of their profound ignorance of the gospel church ; nor can you duly conceive of the confused notions which they en- tertain of the kingdom of God^ or rather how they have uo notion, or idea, of it. Whilst our adversaries, and many pious men amongst them, are exerting themselves surpnzingly to bring for- ward an host of learned young men for the ministry, and many of them hopefully pious ; they think to takfe the ground, and thus effectually to check the progress of the Baptists. Yes, whilst they are putting forth ex- ertions worthy of the kingdom of heaven, they are speaking of, and treating, that very kingdom, as not de- serving their attention ; this they do, many of them, for want of being instructed more perfectly in the ways of God. If there be many pious, as is ardently hoped, amongst those who are now, by very uncommon liberali- ty, assisted in the acquisition of needed literary infor- mation, there is reason to apprehend that the Lord hath need of more, or less, of them, in the gospel church, and will appoint them stations there, as he has already done with relation to a few. Whilst it gives us pain' to have a solitary instance, in which a Baptist Elder shouidprove himself to have so ioY> 18 206 ed this present world, as to sell Chri.'t for thirty pieces of silver, or more ; it affords pleasure to have the erro- Deoiis forsake their errors, and venture the reproach of men, and the loss of all things, for Christ and the gos- pel's sake. We may expect many of the piop.s youth mow educating for the ministry, to be thus minded, pro- Tided two things be found in us. One is, fervently to ask it of God. The other is, to accompany our prayers with tideiity ; f^iithfully exhibiting and vindicating the right ways of the Lord. Too many of us are yet a- shamed of the cross cf Christ. We are afraid of the reproach of men. We would leave them in ignorance, as most of the people in America still are, rather ihiia ri«k their displeasure by telling them the truth. This is a great sin, but not an uncommon one. May the Lord our God give us repentance and reformation ; then shall we behold many of the preachers and members of the Pcedobaptist chuiches, forsaking their infant sprink- liug and embracing the Lord's ordinance of baptism. Brethren, permit me just to remind you of the higU importance of livinor sobt^rly, righteously and godly in this present evil world ; that, so far as duty towards God and men will permit, you live peaceably with all men ; giving none occasion of offence to the Jewish church continued, nor to the people generally. Maintaining a godly conversation in the sight of all men. Thus sltull your adversaries have no evil thing to say of you, unless falsely. Every thing is to be nobly won soon. It is high timp for every christian to do his dutv. The decree, not from Cyrus, Darius, or Artaxeixes, but from the G'^d of heaven, will soon be in urgent operation ; then shall our adversaries be compelled, willingly, or against their will, to gerve in the various ways by which the gospel church may be profited. A little while more, and our w.irfare is ended, and our reproach wiped away. En- eourage and animate each other to endure hardness as good soldiers of Jesus Christ, through a few more try- ing conflicts, and you are crowned with victory, witfai gtory and honour. Beloved brethren — by the desire of many of you who feiido m the state of Isew-Yoik, I catered, a few weck^ 207 since, upon the important work, which appearet?, by. Providence,lo be assigned me. By jour urgent request, 1 hand it to jou and the public sooner than 1 could hnve wished, ISTct having liad it in my power, in so limited a space, to do that justice to such interesting subjects which their greatness deserves, and which, in a more leisurely period, I might have more acceptably [perform- ed. But through the kindness and mercy of God, I have done what I could. . Now, brethren, I cheerfully commit it to 3'ou, as it is, and commend it to God ; be- seeching the God of Abraham, and of Isaac and of Ja- cob, that he u ill cause it to be, as a message from him- self to hi> misguided children, to whom it is principally addressed ; and that he will give them more fully to be- hold THAT SEED of Abraham, in whom the families of the earth are blessed, and more perfectly to hear and obey that Prophet of whom Moses in the law did write. Dear Brethren, I am, with concern for Zion's prosperity, your fellow servant in the kinirdom of the LORD JESUS CHRIST. DANIEL MERRILt. Sottingkam-WesU May 7, 1819. Page 7, line 7th frorrj the bottom, for th.at^ read yet, 4, 15th line, for Ldhtus^ read Ltbbtus. 18, 7lh I. from bottom, for o, read of. And for to justice^. read to ds justice. 22, 4th 1. from bottom, (of Hence ^ read /ferf , 37, 19th I. from top, for ?ye/, read that. 44 12fh I. from top, for Land, read jLo/rfi 4», 25th h from top, for prophet., read prophets. 66, 28lh]. from top, for 6/a?ic/ie*, read //(e branches. 68, 9th 1. from top, for heard o/, read heard. 72, 17th 1. from top, for practiced^ read practised 84, 20th 1. from top, insert period after the word Baptist^ and begin the next word Avith a capital. ' 142, 16th 1. from bottom, zi'ter those insert who. 162, 12th 1. from top, dele. /ie. 163. 14th 1. irom top, for receive^ read reaired. Coy'Riglit secured accorfling io Law. jm?'t ■"-*««;.: Ste; .fm #^ yi^m^