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 Presented by Mr. Samuel Agnew of Philadelphia, Pa. 
 
 Agnezv Coll. on Baptism, No. 
 
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\ 
 
 VINDICATION 
 
 OF THE 
 
 Sentiments and Practice 
 
 OF THOSE, 
 
 WHO BELIEVE IN GOD'S EVERLASTING COVENANT, 
 
 AND APPLY THE SEAL 
 
 TO THEIR INFANT OFFSPRING ; 
 
 IN 
 
 SIX SERMONS 
 
 ON 
 
 ROMANS, iv. 11 12. 
 
 By JOHN ^MITH, a. m. 
 
 PASTOR OF THE CHURCH IN SALEM, N. H. 
 
 EXETER : 
 
 Printed by C. Norris &f Co. 
 
 1812. 
 
MEW-HAMPSHIRE DISTRICT, ss. 
 
 BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the fourth day of July, hi 
 the thirty-seventh year of the Independence of the United 
 States of America, John Smith, a. m. Pastor of the church 
 in Salem, New-Hampshire, hath deposited in this Office, the 
 title of a book, the right whereof he claims as Author, in the 
 following words, to -wit : 
 
 " A vindication of the Sentiments and Practice of those, who 
 believe in God's everlasting covenant, and apply the seal to 
 their Infant Offspring ; in Six Sermons, on Romans, iv. 11 — 12." 
 
 In conformity to the Act of the Congress of the United States, 
 entitled, " an Act for the encouragement of learning by securing 
 copies of Maps, Charts, and other Books to the Authors and 
 Proprietors therein mentioned," and also " an Act for the en- 
 couragement of learning, by securing copies of Maps, Charts, 
 and other Books to the Authors and Proprietors therein men- 
 tioned, and extending the benefits thereof to the Arts of design- 
 ing, engraving, and etching Historical and other Prints." 
 
 R. CUTTS SHANNON, 
 Clerk of New -Hampshire District. 
 A copy of Record. 
 
 Attest. R. CUTTS SHANNON, Clerk. 
 
ADVERTISEMENT. 
 
 THE substance of the following dis- 
 courses was delivered to the people of 
 my charge. After the publication of 
 them was contemplated, and proposals 
 issued, I made some alterations and ad- 
 ditions, partly in consequence of sug- 
 gestions from respected friends. More- 
 over Mr. Daniel Hardy, jun. whom I 
 requested to inspect the sermons with 
 particular attentions, made considera- 
 ble alterations, and large additions, 
 which I thought proper to adopt. 
 There are many more pages, than 
 were mentioned in the proposals. The 
 discourses are submitted to the candour 
 of the publick, with a desire, that, 
 through divine grace, they may be a 
 mean of promoting the Redeemer's king- 
 dom* 
 
I 
 
 SERMON I 
 
 Romans, iv. 11 — 12. 
 
 And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal 
 of the righteousness of the faith, zvhich he 
 had, being yet uncircumcised : that he might 
 be the father of all them that believe, though 
 they be not circumcised ; that righteousness 
 might be imputed unto them also ; And the 
 father of circumcision to them, who are not 
 of the circumcision only, but who also walk in 
 the steps of that faith of our father Abra- 
 ham, which he had, being yet uncircumcised. 
 
 _T or the salvation of lost men, Christ was 
 constituted Mediator before the foundation of 
 the world. After the fall, the covenant of grace 
 was revealed, in which God offers eternal life to 
 sinners through Christ. In pursuance of his 
 gracious purpose, God made a covenant with 
 Abraham, of peculiar importance to the world. 
 For the promotion of the grand design of the 
 Abrahamic covenant, the Sinai covenant was 
 given. " When the fulness of time was come, 
 God sent forth his Son, "to suffer upon the cross, 
 " that repentance and remission of sins might 
 be preached in his name among all nations. "~ 
 If 
 
Thus the Holy Scriptures gradually unfold the 
 scheme of redemption. 
 
 Abraham was called to sustain an important 
 and peculiar relation to the church of God. In 
 his family God established the church, which 
 was to be "an eternal excellency, a joy of many 
 generations.' ' Separated from the rest of the 
 world, to receive the promises, he was consti- 
 tuted the father of all, who should walk in the 
 steps of his faith. To him God made peculiar 
 promises concerning his posterity, concerning 
 the Messiah, and concerning the church in 
 general. He "believed God, and it was count- 
 ed unto him for righteousness." Circumcision 
 was a seal of that righteousness, in which Abra- 
 ham became interested by faith. All believers, 
 whether Jews, or Gentiles, are interested in the 
 same righteousness. 
 
 The apostle Paul shows, that Abraham's 
 circumcision was not essential to his justifica- 
 tion, because he believed and was justified, be- 
 fore he received circumcision ; that believing 
 Gentiles were entitled to the blessedness of a 
 justified state, though uncircumcised ; and that 
 Abraham was the father of all believers, wheth- 
 er Jews, or Gentiles. 
 
 But why is Abraham called the father of all 
 them that believe ? Not, because he was the 
 first believer, nor because he was the first man, 
 
that was interested in the covenant of grace. 
 Abel, Enoch and Noah were eminent believers 
 before Abraham's time, and were interested in 
 the covenant of grace. But God made an ev- 
 erlasting covenant with Abraham, by which the 
 church was established in his family, consisting 
 primarily of his natural descendants, but even- 
 tually embracing believing Gentiles, and to 
 continue to the end of the world. 
 
 Circumcision, the token of this covenant, 
 is called by the Apostle, in our text, "a seal 
 of the righteousness of faith." The design 
 of this covenant's being made and sealed with 
 Abraham, was, to constitute him the father of 
 believers. " Faith was reckoned to Abraham 
 for righteousness' ' — ' * in uncircumcision. And 
 he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of 
 the righteousness of the faith, which he had, 
 being yet uncircumcised : that he might be the 
 father of all them that believe, though they be 
 not circumcised ; that righteousness might be 
 imputed unto them also ; and the father of cir- 
 cumcision to them, who are not of the circum- 
 cision only, but who also walk in the steps of 
 that; faith of our father Abraham, which he had, 
 being yet uncircumcised." 
 
 Our text contains this important doctrine ; viz. 
 
 God made and sealed his covenant with 
 
 Abraham, that he might constitute him thefath- 
 
8 
 
 er of all, whether Jews, or Gentiles, who should 
 walk in the steps of his faith, from that time to 
 the end of the world. To illustrate this doc- 
 trine it is proposed, 
 
 I. To explain God's covenant with Abraham, 
 and show the design of the seal ; and 
 
 II. To show, in general, what it is to walk in 
 the steps of the faith of Abraham ; and to make 
 a particular application to Christian parents. 
 
 I. I am to explain God's covenant with Abra- 
 ham, and show the design of the seal. 
 
 1. God's covenant with Abraham was a gra- 
 cious covenant, and promised spiritual bles- 
 sings, as well as temporal. 
 
 It does not appear to be a clear and full defi- 
 nition of this covenant, to say, merely, that it 
 was the covenant of grace. This does not dis- 
 tinguish Abraham from saints, who lived be- 
 fore him. They were interested in the cov- 
 enant of grace. 
 
 Faith, implying love and obedience to God, 
 is the condition of the covenant of grace. Up- 
 on this condition, eternal life is freely offered 
 to sinners ; and by grace they are influenced 
 to comply. God is pleased to lay himself un- 
 der covenant engagement to save all true be- 
 lievers. Christ is the Mediator of the cove- 
 nant of grace. " Whosoever believeth in him 
 
shall receive remission of sins"* and have 
 everlasting life." The faith of Noah was 
 compliance with the condition of the covenant 
 of grace; and he " became heir of the righteous- 
 "ness, which is by faith, "f In the same right- 
 eousness were interested all the saints, who 
 lived before the Abrahamic covenant was made. 
 But God's covenant with Abraham may 
 be considered, as a new dispensation of the 
 covenant of grace, containing particular prom- 
 ises to him, and requiring of him particular 
 duties. Though this dispensation contained 
 promises and duties peculiar to Abraham, yet 
 it comprehended all the spiritual blessings of 
 the former dispensation, and the substance of 
 all the gracious promises, which were to be re- 
 alized, by the church, in all succeeding dispen- 
 sations. "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 shew thee ; and I will 
 make of thee a great nation, and I will bless 
 thee, and make thy name great, and thou 
 shalt be a blessing: and I will bless them 
 that bless thee, and curse him that curseth 
 thee ; and in thee shall all families of the 
 earth be blessed." — " Unto thy seed will I 
 
 * Acts, x. 43. f Heb. xi. 7. 
 
10 
 
 give this land."* In these promises, which 
 were made 430 years before the law was given 
 at Sinai, the gospel was preached to Abraham. 
 Alluding to this passage, the Apostle says, " The 
 scripture, foreseeing, that God would justify 
 the heathen through faith, preached before the 
 gospel unto Abraham, saying, in thee shall 
 all nations be blessed. "f These promises im- 
 plied, that Abraham himself, and a great nation 
 of his lineal descendants, and finally all nations, 
 should be blessed, in Christ, the Mediator be- 
 tween God and men ; that the church should 
 be blessed, and the enemies of the church 
 cursed, to the latest generations. They con- 
 tained the substance of all the solemn truths of 
 the gospel. In short, it is certain, that better 
 promises are not to be found in the Holy Scrip- 
 tures, than are expressed, or implied, in God's 
 covenant with Abraham. 
 
 This was a gracious covenant. The bles- 
 sings were freely promised. Says Paul, " If 
 the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of 
 promise ; but God gave it to Abraham by 
 promise. "J The condition of this gracious 
 covenant, as afterwards renewed to Abraham 
 in more explicit terms, was such an observance 
 of circumcision, as should be expressive of 
 
 * Gen. xji. 1—7. f Gal. iii. 8. % Gal. iii. 18. 
 
11 
 
 faith. Such a condition was consistent with 
 the covenant's being a gracious covenant.— 
 Says Paul, " The promise, that he should be 
 the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, 
 or to his seed, through the law, but through 
 the righteousness of faith. For, if they," 
 who "are of the law, be heirs, faith is made 
 void, and the promise made of" no "effect. 
 Because the law worketh wrath ; for where 
 there is no law, there is no transgression. 
 Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by 
 grace ; to the end the promise might be sure 
 to all the seed ; not to that only, which is of 
 the law, but to that also, which is of the faith 
 of Abraham, who is the father of us all."* 
 Abraham believed, and was circumcised ; and 
 according to the gospel, " He that believeth, 
 and is baptized, shall be saved." Abraham be- 
 lieved, and it was imputed to him for right- 
 eousness ; and circumcision was a seal of the 
 righteousness of his faith. " With the heart," 
 says Paul, " man believeth unto righteousness ; 
 and with the mouth confession is made unto 
 salvation."f It became Abraham afterwards 
 to live in a manner correspondent to the digni- 
 fied and happy state, into which he and his 
 family were brought; and it becomes Christians 
 
 * Rom. iv. 13—16. f Horn. x. 10. Compare Acts, viii. 36—37. 
 
12 
 
 to walk in a manner worthy of their high vo- 
 cation. 
 
 2. The covenant made with Abraham, secured 
 the continuance of the church, among his nat- 
 ural descendants y in the line of Isaac and Jacob. 
 God said to Abraham, " I will establish 
 my covenant between me and thee, and thy 
 seed after thee, in their generations, for an 
 everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, 
 and to thy seed after thee.* " In Isaac shall 
 thy seed be called" — " I will establish my 
 covenant with him, for an everlasting cove- 
 nant, aiid with his seed after him."f God 
 said to Isaac, " I am the God of Abraham thy 
 father ; fear not, for I am with thee, and will 
 bless thee, and multiply thy seed, for my ser- 
 vant Abraham's sake. "J The same prom- 
 ise, essentially, was renewed to Jacob concern- 
 ing his seed. " Thy seed shall be as the dust 
 of the earth," &c.§ 
 
 It appears then, that God established an 
 everlasting covenant with the seed of Abraham, 
 of Isaac, and of Jacob. But who were the seed, 
 on whom the promised blessings were to 
 be bestowed, from generation to generation? 
 The natural seed of Jacob were, as a nation, 
 to receive great temporal favours, and to enjoy 
 
 * Gen. xvii. 7. f Gen. xxi. 12. xvii. 19. \ Gen, xxvi. 24. 
 b Gen. xxviii. 14. 
 
13 
 
 great privileges in regard to religion.* And 
 God showed them great mercy from genera- 
 tion to generation, in remembrance of the gra- 
 cious covenant, which he made with Abraham, 
 and confirmed to Isaac and to Jacob. But the 
 promises of the covenant were to be fully real- 
 ized by a spiritual seed, who should walk in 
 the steps of Abraham's faith ; a succession of 
 pious persons; of real saints. Such persons 
 are members of Christ ; and the Apostle con- 
 siders Christ and his members one, and calls 
 them jointly the " seed" of Abraham. " Now 
 to Abraham and his seed were the promises 
 made. He saith not, and to seeds, as of 
 many, but as of one, and to thy seed, which 
 is Christ."f 
 
 That they were to be a spiritual seed, the 
 promise itself makes evident. Jehovah prom- 
 ised to be their God. This implies all spiri- 
 tual blessings. The gospel, in its most per- 
 fect dispensation, promises no greater good to 
 believers, than to have Jehovah, or God in 
 Christ, for their God. 
 
 Equally evident is it, that this spiritual seed 
 were, primarily, Abraham's seed in a natural, 
 as well as in a spiritual sense — children by lin- 
 eal descent, and children of promise. St. Paul 
 
 * See Deut. x. 15. f Gal. iii. 16. 
 2 
 
14 
 
 says, "I have great heaviness and continual 
 sorrow in my heart. For I could wish, that 
 myself were accursed from Christ for my 
 brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh : 
 who are Israelites : to whom pertaineth the 
 adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, 
 and the giving of the law, and the service of 
 God, and the promises : whose are the fath- 
 ers, and of whom, as concerning the flesh, 
 Christ came, who is over all, God blessed 
 forever. Amen. Not, as though the word of 
 God hath taken none effect. For they are 
 not all Israel," that " are of Israel. Neither, 
 because they are the seed of Abraham, are 
 they all children : but, in Isaac shall thy seed 
 be called. That is, they" who " are the chil- 
 dren of the flesh, these are not the children 
 of God ; but the children of the promise are 
 counted for the seed."* The Israelites had 
 great privileges ; and among them were a spir- 
 itual seed. 
 
 To the Israelites, as the natural seed of 
 Jacob, pertained the adoption ; (see Acts iii. 
 19, 25, 26.) anda filial spirit towards God, cor- 
 respondent to that adoption, was possessed by 
 some of the Israelites, in every generation. — 
 Hence, though, in the time of the Apostle, 
 
 * Rom. ix. 2—8. 
 
15 
 
 they in general were perishing in unbelief, and 
 heh&dgreat heaviness, and continual sorrow in 
 his heart, on their account ; yet he sorrowed, 
 not, as though the word of God had taken no 
 effect, or as though God's promise to Abra- 
 ham had failed of its accomplishment. For 
 the promise did not imply, that all the nation 
 of Israel should be true believers, and Abra- 
 ham's spiritual seed, but, that there should be 
 a succession of pious per 'sons, Israelites indeed. 
 What," says the Apostle, " if some did not 
 believe? Shall their unbelief make the faith 
 of God without effect?"* " Hath God cast away 
 his people? God forbid."f Some, and even 
 the great body of the Israelites, did not believe ; 
 but God was true and faithful to his promise. 
 He had " not cast away his people, which he 
 foreknew." There was " a remnant, according 
 to the election of grace." 
 
 The covenant made with Abraham is to be 
 considered, as containing not only a promise 
 of the divine favour to all those of the natural 
 seed of Jacob, who should walk in the steps of 
 Abraham's faith, but also an absolute promise, 
 that some of that seed should so walk, and be 
 so blessed. But this absolute promise was 
 not to be fulfilled, nor the church to be con- 
 tinued, without means. 
 
 * Horn. iii. 3. f Rora. xi. 1. 
 
16 
 
 The promises of the covenant were not to 
 be accomplished without the faith and obedience 
 of Abraham. God mentions the obedience of 
 Abraham, in offering up Isaac, as a reason, why 
 he would fulfil the promises. " By myself have 
 I sworn, saith the Lord ; for because thou hast 
 done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, 
 thine only son ; that in blessing I will bless 
 thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy 
 seed, as the stars of heaven, and as the sand 
 which is upon the sea shore ; and thy seed shall 
 possess the gate of his enemies : and in thy 
 seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed : 
 because thou hast obeyed my voice."* The 
 faith and obedience of Abraham were means 
 appointed, by which God fulfilled his promises. 
 Abraham was required to walk before God, 
 and be perfect, to keep the covenant, to put 
 the seal of the covenant upon his infant offspring, 
 and to command his children and household 
 after him. God said, " I know him, that he 
 will command his children, and his household 
 after him, and they shall keep the way of the 
 Lord, to do justice and judgment ; that the 
 Lord may bring upon Abraham that, which 
 he hath spoken of him."f God fulfilled his 
 promise, in consequence of Abraham's doing 
 * Gen. xxii. 16—18. f Gen. xyiii. 19. 
 
17 
 
 his duty. Indeed, the promise implied, that 
 Abraham should have grace to do his duty ; it 
 implied both the means and the end. 
 
 The faith and obedience of parents were 
 among the appointed means of continuing the 
 church in succeeding generations. The con- 
 duct of parents was, in no small degree, con- 
 nected with the state and character of their chil- 
 dren. Hence, though the promise was abso- 
 lute, that the church should be continued in 
 the line of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, yet no 
 unfaithful parent could reasonably hope for 
 spiritual blessings to descend upon his children. 
 The covenant itself shows, that it was God's 
 immutable counsel to communicate such de- 
 grees of grace, in every generation, as to con- 
 tinue a succession of pious persons. But cov- 
 enant mercy was not secured to the seed of the 
 unfaithful. The immutability of the promise, 
 therefore, was no excuse for neglect of duty ; 
 but a motive to parental faithfulness. 
 
 In perfect conformity with the grand design 
 of the Abrahamic covenant, the Sinai covenant 
 was given. God assured the Israelites, that, 
 if they would keep this covenant, he would 
 fulfil to them the promise which he made to 
 Abraham. " If ye hearken to these judgments, 
 
 and keep and do them" — "the Lord thy 
 
 2* 
 
18 
 
 God shall keep unto thee the covenant and 
 the mercy, which he swore unto thy fathers.' 1 * 
 Under the Sinai covenant, the religious instruc- 
 tion of the rising generation was solemnly en- 
 joined ; and, as a motive to parental faithfulness, 
 blessings were promised for children. In 
 the following manner did God address his an- 
 cient church. " Only take heed to thyself, and 
 keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the 
 things which thine eyes have seen, and lest 
 they depart from thy heart all the days of thy 
 life : but teach them thy sons, and thy sons' 
 sons.f — Oh ! that there were such an heart 
 in them, that they would fear me, and keep 
 all my commandments always ; that it might 
 be well with them, and with their children 
 forever !$ — Thou shalt love the Lord thy 
 God with all thine heart, and with all thy 
 soul, and with all thy might. And these 
 words, which I command thee this day, shall 
 be in thine heart. And thou shalt teach them 
 diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of 
 them, when thou sittest in thine house, and 
 when thou walkest by the way, and when 
 thou liest down, and when thou risest up."§ 
 The psalmist Asaph expressly declared to the 
 people of Israel, that God established means of 
 * Deut. vii. 12. f Deut. iv. 9. J Deut. v. 29. § Deut. vi. 5—7. 
 
19 
 
 religious instruction, in the time of their fath- 
 ers, for the benefit of children. " He establish- 
 ed a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law 
 in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, 
 that they should make them konwn to their 
 children ; that the generation to come might 
 know them, even the children" who "should 
 be born, who should arise and declare them 
 to their children : that they might set their 
 hope in God, and not forget the works of 
 God; but keep his commandments; and 
 might not be as their fathers, a stubborn and 
 rebellious generation, — that set not their heart 
 aright, and whose spirit was not stedfast with 
 God ;" — who " kept not the covenant of God, 
 and refused to walk in his law."* In view 
 of the covenant faithfulness of God, the psalm- 
 ist David says, " The mercy of the Lord is 
 from everlasting to everlasting upon them 
 that fear him, and his righteousness unto 
 children's children ; to such as keep his cov- 
 enant, and to those, that remember his com- 
 mandments, to do them."f Parents in the 
 ancient church might hope, that, if they were 
 faithful, God would bless them, u and their 
 offspring with them ;"{ they might hope, that 
 their serving God, would, by divine grace, 
 * Psalms, Ixxviii. 5—10. f Psalms, ciii. 17, 18. J Is. Ixv. 23. 
 
20 
 
 be made a mean of their children's serving 
 him. Accordingly, Joshua says, " As for me 
 and my house, we will serve the Lord."* 
 And Solomon says, " Train up a child in the 
 way he should go; and, when he is old, he 
 will not. depart from it."f 
 
 From this view of God's covenant with 
 Abraham, it appears, that the Israelites had pe- 
 culiar advantages, and that their children might 
 derive great benefit from circumcision, or from 
 the gracious covenant, which was ratified by 
 circumcision. To this question, " What ad- 
 vantage, then, hath the Jew ? or what profit is 
 there of circumcision ?" the Apostle answers, 
 " Much every way ; chiefly, because" " unto 
 them were committed the oracles of God."f 
 The Jews enjoyed divine revelation, containing 
 promises of covenant mercy for them and for 
 their children. To them pertained the cove- 
 nants, and the promises ; and all the precious 
 means of continuing the church among their 
 descendants^ from generation to generation. 
 
 3. The covenant made with Abraham, se- 
 cured to his seed the possession of the land of 
 Canaan, 
 
 Canaan, as a type of the heavenly land, 
 was an important blessing promised in the 
 * Joshua, xxiv. 12. f Prov. xxii. 6. J Rom. jii. 1, 2. 
 
21 
 
 covenant. When God ratified the everlasting 
 covenant with Abraham, he said, " I will give 
 unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land 
 wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of 
 Canaan, for an everlasting possession ; and I 
 will be their God."* The seed, to whom 
 God promised the land of Canaan, was the 
 same, as the seed, to whom he promised to be 
 a God ; a pious seed among Abraham's natur- 
 al descendants. Hence David said, "O ye 
 seed of Israel his servant, ye children of Jacob 
 his chosen ones. He is the Lord our God ; 
 his judgments are in all the earth. Be ye 
 mindful always of his covenant, the word, 
 which he commanded to a thousand genera- 
 tions ; even the covenant, which he made with 
 Abraham, and of his oath unto Isaac, and 
 hath confirmed the same to Jacob for a law, 
 and to Israel for an everlasting covenant ; say- 
 ing, Unto thee I will give the land of Canaan, 
 the lot of your inheritance."! 
 
 Many of the Israelites were not suffered to 
 enter into Canaan, on account of their unbelief. 
 The promise, that the little ones, the children 
 of those, who were men of war, when they 
 went out of Egypt, should enter the land, may 
 be considered as an absolute promise ; but as a 
 * Geo. xvii. 8. f I. Chron. xvi. 13—18. 
 
22 
 
 promise not implying, that all, who should en- 
 ter Canaan, would be pious. The covenant 
 made with Abraham may be considered, as 
 containing an absolute promise, that " a great 
 nation" of his natural seed should enter that 
 land, without implying, that they would all 
 have true faith.* Moses, near the end of the 
 fortieth year of the journey ings of the Israelites, 
 said, " Ye have been rebellious against the L o r d 
 from the day that I knew you."f What is 
 here said of the character of the Israelites, not 
 only serves to illustrate what the apostle Paul 
 taught the Roman and Galatian Christians, 
 that the inheritance, which God gave to Abra- 
 ham and his seed, he gave by a gracious prom- 
 ise, but also makes it appear probable, that 
 some, if not many, who entered Canaan, were 
 not, at the time of their entering it, true believ- 
 ers. The instructions and admonitions, which 
 Moses gave the people, show, that circumci- 
 sion in the flesh was not a sufficient qualifica- 
 tion for their entering the promised land. See, 
 particularly, Deut. x. 12 — 16. In the 16th 
 verse, Moses says, " Circumcise, therefore, the 
 foreskin of your heart, and be no more stiff 
 necked." (Indeed, many entered Canaan, be- 
 fore they were circumcised in the flesh.) J But 
 * See Deut. ix. 4—6. f Deut. ix. 24. } See Joshua, v. 3. 7. 
 
23 
 
 it may have been the case, that, after all the 
 instructions, counsels, and warnings, which 
 Moses gave the people in the land of Moab, 
 and after the covenant transactions, which 
 there took place, some, if not many, entered 
 Canaan, who were not true believers. How- 
 ever, if any, or ever so many, entered Canaan 
 without true faith, they had not, as to their own 
 character, a covenant right to the promised 
 land. Those, who had, as to their own char- 
 acter, a title to that land, according to the gra- 
 cious covenant made with Abraham, had a 
 covenant title to the heavenly happiness, of 
 which Canaan was a type. In the promise of 
 Canaan to the patriarchs, was implied the prom- 
 ise of an eternal inheritance. Encouraged by 
 this promise, they " looked for a city which 
 hath foundations, whose builder and maker 
 is God."* They did not receive the end of 
 their faith in the enjoyment of the earthly 
 Canaan ; but " they desired a better country, 
 that is, an heavenly."f 
 
 To Christians the sabbath is a type of heav- 
 enly rest. " There remaineth," saith the apostle, 
 "a rest to the people of God."J This word 
 rest (or sabbatism) probably intimates a day of 
 holy rest, weekly, in the present world, while 
 * Heb. xi. 10. f Heb. xi. 16. \ Heb. iv. 9. 
 
24 
 
 it signifies an everlasting day of rest in heaven. 
 But many enjoy the external privileges of the 
 christian sabbath, who will not enter into heav- 
 en. And many of Abraham's natural descend- 
 ants dwelt in the earthly Canaan, who, on ac- 
 count of unbelief, were unqualified to enter in- 
 to the heavenly. 
 
 4. God engaged, in his covenant with Abra- 
 ham, to make him the father of believers of all 
 nations. 
 
 " He brought him forth abroad, and said, 
 Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, 
 if thou be able to number them : And he 
 said unto him, so shall thy seed be."* — "As 
 for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, 
 and thoushalt be the father of many nations" — 
 a father of many nations have I made thee."f 
 It is certain, that God designed more by these 
 promises, than that Abraham should, be the 
 natural father of many nations. He designed, 
 that Abraham should be the father of believers 
 of all nations ; the father of a spiritual seed, 
 who were to be collected out of every nation, 
 including all, whether Jews or Gentiles, who 
 should believe, from that time to the end of 
 the world, 
 
 * Gen. xr. 5. f Gen, xvii. 4, 5. 
 
25 
 
 But how are believing Gentiles the children 
 of Abraham ? since, by nature, they " were 
 without Christ, being aliens from the com- 
 monwealth of Israel, and strangers from the 
 covenants of promise, having no hope, and 
 without God in the world."* They are 
 the children of Abraham by union to Christ, 
 who is emphatically the seed of Abraham, The 
 whole body of Christians, consisting of Jews 
 and Gentiles, is that " seed," w hich was to 
 serve Christ, and to " be accounted to the 
 Lord for a generation."! To the churches of 
 Galatia, consisting partly, if not chiefly, of Gen- 
 tile converts, the apostle writes thus : " Know 
 ye therefore, that they " who" are of faith, the 
 same are the children of Abraham." — " Ye 
 are all the children of God by faith in Christ 
 Jesus." — " If ye be Christ's, then are ye Abra- 
 ham's seed, and heirs according to the prom- 
 ise."} For the promise was to Abraham 
 and his seed. Believing Gentiles, as well as 
 believing Jews, were predestinated by God to 
 the adoption of children to himself through his 
 dear Son, Jesus Christy to whom they are by 
 faith united. "And if children," says Paul, 
 
 then heirs ; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with 
 
 Christ."J| 
 
 * Eph. ii. 12. f Ps. xxii. 30. \ Gal. iii. 7. 26. 29. 
 5 Eph. i. 5. |i Rom. viii. 17. 
 
Believing Gentiles belong to the same 
 church, that was established in the family of 
 Abraham. They " are no more strangers and 
 foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, 
 and of the household of God."* It was im- 
 plied in God's covenant with Abraham, and 
 afterwards " revealed unto his holy apostles 
 and prophets by the Spirit, that the Gentiles 
 should be fellow heirs, and of the same body, 
 and partakers of his promise in Christ by the 
 gospel."f 
 
 A multitude, which no man can < number, 
 of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and 
 tongues," will, at the last day, be acknowl- 
 edged, as the children of Abraham. God said 
 to his ancient church, " Behold, I will lift up 
 my hand to the Gentiles, and set up my. 
 standard to the people ; and they shall bring 
 thy sons in their arms, and thy daughters 
 shall be carried upon their shoulders." — f 
 Enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them 
 stretch forth the curtains of thine habitation ; 
 spare not, lengthen thy cords, and strengthen 
 thy stakes. For thou shalt break forth on 
 the right hand and on. the left; and thy seed 
 shall inherit the Gentiles "^ Arise, and 
 shine ; for thy light is come, and the glory 
 * Eph. ii. 19. f Eph. iii. 5,6. \ Is. xlix. 22. § Is. liv. 2, 3. 
 
27 
 
 of the Lord is risen upon thee." — "The 
 Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings 
 to the brightness of thy rising. — The abund- 
 ance of the sea shall be converted unto thee, 
 the forces of the Gentiles shall come un- 
 to thee."* These promises imply a general 
 accession of the Gentiles to the church of God— 
 a full accomplishment of the promise made to 
 Abraham, and renewed to Jacob in Bethel. 
 
 "Thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth ; 
 and thou shalt spread abroad to the west and 
 to the east, to the north and to the south : 
 and in thee, and in thy seed, shall all the fam- 
 ilies of the earth be blessed, "f, Jesus says, 
 " They shall come from the east, and from the 
 west, and from the north, and from the south, 
 and shall sit down" — " with Abraham, Isaac, 
 and Jacob" — " in the kingdom of God. "J 
 
 5. The everlasting covenant, which God made 
 with Abraham, is distinct from the Sinai cov- 
 enant^ and comprizes the blessings of the new 
 covenant, -which, in the book of Jeremiah, and 
 in the epistle to the Hebrews, is contrasted with 
 the Sinai covenant. 
 
 Concerning the Sinai covenant, Moses said 
 to the children of Israel, " The Lord made 
 not this covenant with our fathers, but with 
 * Is. Ix. 1. 3. 5. f Gen. xxviii. 14. % Lake, xiii. 29. 
 
28 
 
 us, even us, who are all of us here alive this 
 day."* God confirmed the everlasting cov- 
 enant with Abraham in Christ, or towards 
 Christ, (eis Christ on) that is, with special ref- 
 erence to Christ, as the seed, by way of emi- 
 nence, 430 years before the Sinai covenant 
 was given ; and, as the apostle Paul tells us, 
 the covenant made with Abraham was not dis- 
 annulled by the law, or Sinai covenant. The 
 Sinai covenant was added to the Abrahamic, 
 " because of transgressions, till the" glorious 
 seed should come, to whom the promise was 
 made." It was designed as a " school -master, 
 to bring" the Israelites " to Christ, "f It 
 was to " wax old," and, having done its office, 
 to " vanish away." But the everlasting cov- 
 enant, made with Abraham, contains a sum- 
 mary of all gospel blessings, and is never to be 
 abolished. This covenant was established 
 primarily, with believers in the natural line of 
 Abraham, but, eventually y with believing Gen- 
 tiles also, who are called the seed of Abraham. 
 So long as there shall be a church in this world, 
 Abraham will have a seed on the earth, and 
 this covenant will be established with them. 
 
 The Abrahamic covenant will be remem- 
 bered by God, even when " the fulness of the 
 
 * Deut. v. 3. | See Gal. iii. 17—25. 
 
29 
 
 Gentiles" shall have " come in". " For," says 
 the apostle, " the gifts and calling of God are 
 without repentance."* This is the covenant 
 spoken of in Ps. cv. "He hath remembered 
 his covenant forever, the word which he com- 
 manded to a thousand generations," that is, 
 " forever." Compare Ex. iii. 15. and Is. lx. 15. 
 The covenant, the blessings of which are 
 enjoyed by Christians r is called the new cov- 
 enant, in distinction from the Sinai covenant. 
 Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when 
 I will make a new covenant with the house 
 of Israel, and with the house of Judah ; not 
 according to the covenant, that I made with 
 their fathers, in the day, when I took them 
 by the hand, to lead them out of the land of 
 Egypt ; because they continued not in my 
 covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the 
 Lord. For this is the covenant, that I will 
 make with the house of Israel. After those 
 days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into 
 their mind, and write them in their hearts ; 
 and I will be to them a God, and they shall 
 be to me a people : and they shall not teach 
 every man his neighbour, and every man his 
 brother, saying, know the Lord : for all shall 
 know me, from the least to the greatest : for 
 
 * Rom. xi. 25—29. 
 3* 
 
30 
 
 I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, 
 and their sins and their iniquities will I re- 
 member no more. In that he saith, a new 
 covenant, he hath made the first old. Now 
 that which decayeth and waxeth old, is ready 
 to vanish away."* The covenant, that God 
 made with the Israelites, when he brought them 
 out of Egypt, was the Sinai covenant. 
 
 The Sinai covenant consisted of the ten 
 commandments, (see Deut. iv. 13.) which 
 were given by Jehovah to the Israelites, while 
 they were under the conduct of Moses, and 
 which were written by God on tables of stone ; 
 of those moral, judicial, and ceremonial pre- 
 cepts, which God delivered to Moses, to be 
 communicated to the people, and which were 
 written by Moses in a book ; and of promises 
 to the obedient, and threatenings against the 
 disobedient.f This whole covenant, as a cov» 
 enant, has Ceased to be in force. " For Christ 
 is the end of the law for righteousness to every 
 one that belie veth." " The law was given 
 by Moses ; but grace and truth came by 
 Jesus Christ." Though Christ came not 
 
 f In certain places, God promises, by Moses, to show mercy 
 to the penitent, in remembrance of his covenant with Abra- 
 ham ; but these promises are not to be considered, strictly 
 speaking, as a part of the Sinai covenant. 
 * Heb. viii. 8—13. 
 
31 
 
 to destroy, but to fulfil the law, and the proph- 
 ets, who were sent to call back the revolted 
 people to the law, and to predict the glories of 
 the gospel dispensation ; yet, under the gospel 
 dispensation, men are not required to practise 
 any part of the law, except what is of a moral 
 nature. In what manner our Saviour fulfilled 
 (or completed) the moral part of the law, we 
 learn, in some measure, from his sermon on the 
 mountain. And those parts of the law, which 
 were a shadow of good things to come, and 
 served to separate the Israelites from other na- 
 tions, were fulfilled, when those good things 
 came through Jesus Christ, and the middle wall 
 of partition between Jews and Gentiles was 
 broken down. Jesus, the Lamb of God, was 
 the antitype of all the Levitical sacrifices, and, 
 by his death, took away " the sin of the world." 
 Jesus has made in himself of two " one new 
 man," " making peace ;" and reconciled Jews 
 and Gentiles " unto God, in one body, by the 
 cross."* 
 
 The Levitical priesthood, (compare Num. 
 xxv. 13. and Heb. vii. 12.) and all the cere- 
 monies of the law, were " everlasting" in this 
 sense, that they continued from generation to 
 generation, till they had answered their full in- 
 
 *Ephe. ii. 14—16. 
 
32 
 
 tent, and were superseded by those better 
 things, which they typified. The spiritual 
 worship of the gospel dispensation, or of the 
 kingdom (or reign) of heaven, is often, both in 
 the Scriptures of the Old Testament, and in those 
 of the New, represented in a way of allusion 
 to the Levitical service. See, particularly, Is. 
 lxvi. 21. Zech. xiv. 16, 20, 21. and Rev. 
 viii. 3. 
 
 With respect to each other, the Sinai cove- 
 nant is called the first, and the new covenant 
 the second. The new covenant is called a 
 better covenant, established upon better prom- 
 ises. Jesus, the mediator of the new testament, 
 or covenant, whose blood is called the 
 blood of the everlasting covenant, is the surety 
 of a better testament, and the mediator of a 
 better covenant, than that, of which, in a cer- 
 tain sense, Moses was mediator, and which 
 was " dedicated" not without blood. " For 
 this cause" Jesus " is the mediator of the new 
 testament, that by means of death, for the re- 
 demption of the transgressors that were un- 
 der the first testament, they" who " are call- 
 ed, might receive the promise of eternal inher- 
 itance."* The new testament has better sac- 
 rifices, than the Sinai covenant, and brings in 
 
 a better hope. 
 
 * Heb. ix. 15. 
 
33 
 
 In the Sinai covenant, God promised bless- 
 ings to the obedient ; but in the new covenant, 
 he promises the Holy Spirit, to sanctify the heart. 
 The Israelites kept not the Sinai covenant ; 
 and God regarded them not. They promised 
 obedience ; but many of their hearts were im- 
 penitent. " They remembered, that God was 
 their rock, and the high God their Redeemer. 
 Nevertheless they did flatter him with their 
 mouths, and they lied unto him with their 
 tongues."* But the promises of the new 
 covenant secure to those, by whom they are 
 realized, a new heart and a new spirit. God 
 says, " I will give them an heart to know me, 
 that I am the Lord, and they shall be my 
 people, and I will be their God : for they 
 shall return unto me with their whole heart "f 
 The Sinai covenant required holiness, and prom- 
 ised the favour of God to the obedient. It was, 
 therefore, a good covenant, established upon 
 good promises. But the new covenant secures 
 to all, in whom it takes effect, holy obedience, 
 and eternal life. It is, therefore, a better cove- 
 nant, established upon better promises. To 
 have the laws of God written in the heart " with 
 the Spirit of the living God," is a greater 
 favour, than to have his laws graven by him on 
 
 * Ps. lxxviii. 35, 36. f Jere. xxiv. 7. 
 
34 
 
 tables of stone. In the Sinai covenant, God 
 said, " Behold, I set before you this day a 
 blessing and a curse : a blessing, if ye will 
 obey the commandments of the Lord your 
 God, which I command you this day ; and a 
 curse, if ye will not obey the command- 
 ments of the Lord your God."* As this 
 covenant cursed the disobedient, and contained 
 no promise of the Holy Spirit to renew the heart, 
 it was, to the rebellious Israelites, the ministra- 
 tion of death and condemnation. As the new 
 covenant secures to those, with whom it is made, 
 spiritual life, and the righteousness of faith, it 
 is the ministration of the Spirit and of righteous- 
 ness. " If the ministration of condemnation" 
 was glorious, " much more doth the ministra- 
 tion of righteousness exceed in glory, "f Says 
 Paul to the Galatians, " Christ hath redeemed 
 us from the curse of the law, being made a 
 curse for us:" — that the blessing of Abraham 
 might come on the Gentiles through Jesus 
 Christ ; that we might receive the promise 
 of the Spirit through faith."J 
 
 The Sinai covenant answered the end, for 
 which it was given ; but, as to grace and effi- 
 cacy, it was not sufficient for salvation. See 
 Rom. viii. 3, 4. Israel could not attain to a 
 * Deut. xi. 26—28. f n. Cor. iiL 7—9. % Gal. iii. 13, 14. 
 
35 
 
 justifying righteousness, while they sought it 
 not by faith, but as it were by the works of the 
 law."* In this sense, the Sinai covenant was 
 not faultless. In respect to efficacy for the 
 salvation of those, who were under it, it was 
 not without defect ; it could not take away the 
 depravity of their hearts, nor remove their guilt. 
 Thtywere in fault. " For ; finding fault with 
 them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith 
 the Lord, when I will make a new covenant 
 with the house of Israel, and with the house 
 of Judah."f 
 
 It appears, then, that the everlasting cove- 
 nanty established with Abraham, is distinct 
 from the Sinai covenant. Blending these two> 
 covenants has been the occasion of much mis- 
 conception concerning the duty and privileges 
 of the Christian church. Hence has arisen the 
 notion, that the Abrahamic covenant was abol- 
 ished, at the same time with the Jewish ritual ; 
 and that the end of the Levitical institutions 
 was the end of the ancient church. 
 
 The Sinai covenant was given, not to dis- 
 annul the Abrahamic, but to prepare the way 
 for the complete accomplishment of the prom- 
 ises of the Abrahamic, in the bestowment of 
 the blessings of the new covenant. The new 
 
 * Rom. ix. 31. t Heb. viii. 8. 
 
36 
 
 eovenant, which the Scriptures contrast with 
 the Sinai covenant, instead of being opposed to 
 the Abrahamic, is made with believers in ful- 
 filment of the great mercy, which God prom- 
 ised to Abraham, and to his seed. " Jesus 
 Christ was a minister of the circumcision, 
 for the truth of God, to confirm the promises 
 made unto the fathers ; and that the Gentiles 
 might glorify God for his mercy."* The 
 gospel was before preached unto Abraham. 
 The new covenant is made with the houses of 
 Israel and Judah ; that is, with all the spirit- 
 ual seed of Abraham. God promised to Abra- 
 ham, that he would be a God to him and to 
 his seed ; and in the new covenant he promises 
 to be a God to believers. According to the 
 new covenant, believers have that righteousness, 
 which was sealed to Abraham ; and their sins 
 and iniquities will be remembered no more. 
 
 6. God's covenant with Abraham was sealed 
 by the sign of circumcision. 
 
 ' ' God said unto Abraham , Thou shalt keep my 
 covenant therefore, thou, and thy seed after 
 thee, in their generations. This is my covenant, 
 which ye shall keep, between me and you ; 
 Every man child among you shall be circum- 
 cised. And ye shall circumcise the flesh of 
 
 * Rom. xv. 8, 9. Compare Gal. iii. 14. 
 
37 
 
 your foreskin ; and it shall be a token of the 
 covenant betwixt me and you. And he that 
 is eight days old shall be circumcised among 
 you, every man child in your generations ; he 
 that is born in the house, or bought with 
 money of any stranger," who " is not of thy 
 seed. He that is born in thy house, and he 
 that is bought with money, must needs be 
 circumcised: and my covenant shall be in 
 your flesh for an everlasting covenant. And 
 the uncircumcised man child, whose flesh of 
 his foreskin is not circumcised, that soul shall 
 be cut off from his people ; he hath broken 
 my covenant."* 
 
 Circumcision was God's seal, ratifying his 
 covenant. Whatever God, in his covenant 
 with Abraham, promised, concerning him, or 
 his seed, was ratified by circumcision. It was 
 implied in the covenant, that God would con- 
 tinue a true church, and, consequently, that he 
 would circumcise, or renew the hearts of some of 
 his natural seed, from one generation to another, 
 and, at length, renew the hearts of many of all 
 nations. Outward circumcision was a sign, or 
 visible representation, of spiritual circumcision, 
 or of a renovation of heart. This appears from 
 many figurative expressions in the Scriptures. 
 
 * Gen. xviii. 9 — 14. 
 
 4 
 
38 
 
 Moses said to the children of Israel, " the Lord 
 thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the 
 heart of thy seed, to love the Lord thy God 
 with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, that 
 thou mayest live."* In Jeremiah it is said, 
 " For thus saith the Lord to the men of Judah 
 and Jerusalem," — " Circumcise yourselves to 
 the Lord, and take away the foreskins of 
 your hearts, ye men of Judah and inhabitants 
 of Jerusalem ; lest my fury come forth like 
 fire, and burn, that none can quench it, be- 
 cause of the evil of your doings. "f The 
 command to the Jews to circumcise their hearts, 
 was just the same, as a command to have a new 
 and a penitent heart. It was the same as this ; 
 " Make you a new heart and a new spirit, "f 
 Under the Jewish economy, an uncircumcised 
 heart was an impenitent heart. By the prophet 
 Jeremiah, God threatened to punish the house 
 of Israel, because they were " uncircumcised in 
 the heart ; ."§ By the prophet Ezekiel, he 
 charged Israel with rebellion, because they 
 brought into his sanctuary those, who were 
 " uncircumcised in heartland. " uncircumcised 
 in flesh ;"|| "uncircumcised in heart;" that 
 is, those, whose hearts were unsanctified. Ste- 
 
 * Deut. xxx. 6. f Jer. iv. 4. \ Ezek. xviii. 31. 
 § Jer. ix. 26. || Ezek. xliv. 7. 
 
39 
 
 phen said to the impenitent Jews, " Ye stift- 
 necked, and uncircumcised in heart and ears, 
 ye do always resist the Holy Ghost : as your 
 fathers did, so do ye."* Though the Jews 
 were circumcised in their flesh, yet remaining 
 impenitent, they were considered as uncircum- 
 cised. Says the Apostle, " Circumcision ver- 
 ily profiteth, if thou keep the law, but if thou 
 be a breaker of the law, thy circumcision is 
 made uncircumcision" — " For he is not a 
 Jew," that " is one outwardly ; neither is that 
 circumcision, which is outward in the flesh : 
 But he is a Jew," who " is one inwardly ; 
 and circumcision is that of the heart, in the 
 spirit, and not in the letter, whose praise is 
 not of men, but of God."f — For we are the 
 circumcision," who " worship God in the 
 Spirit."f — " Ye are circumcised with the 
 circumcision made without hands, in putting 
 off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the 
 circumcision of Christ. "§ 
 
 Though many received the outward sign of 
 circumcision, who never had the thing signi- 
 fied, yet this did not alter the nature of the ev- 
 erlasting covenant, nor the design of the seal. 
 Circumcision was not only a sacramental sign 
 of a new heart, but, when submitted to by 
 * Acts vii. 51. f Rom. ii.25— 29, J Phil. iii. 3. $ Col. ii. 11. 
 
 
40 
 
 Abraham, and other pious parents in Israel, 
 was a proper expression of an obedient temper. 
 It was an explicit consent to the covenant ; a 
 public confession of their faith ; and a solemn 
 dedication of themselves and their households 
 to God. 
 
 Circumcision w T as a seal of the righteous- 
 ness of faith. It sealed to Abraham this truth, 
 that he was justified in consequence of his faith ; 
 and it sealed this general truth, that God " jus- 
 tifieth the ungodly" through faith. Abraham 
 was made the father of all who should believe. 
 All, of whatever nation, who are "of faith, 
 are blessed with faithful Abraham," and 
 justified in the same way. After the gospel 
 dispensation took place, those of Abraham's 
 natural seed, who were, also, his spiritual chil- 
 dren, desired " to be found in" Christ, " not 
 having" their " own righteousness, which" was 
 " of the law, but that, which is through the 
 faith of Christ, the righteousness, which is of 
 God by faith;" and righteousness is impu- 
 ted to all sinners, whether Jews or Gentiles, who 
 believe in " Jesus Christ the righteous," whom, 
 when he " knew no sin," God " made to be 
 sin for" men, " that" those, who believe, 
 " might be made the righteousness of God in 
 him;" Jesus Christ is " the head," whom we 
 
41 
 
 are to " hold," and " into" whom we are to 
 " grow up"— " in all things." It is through 
 the merits of Jesus, the illustrious seed of Abra- 
 ham, and the beloved Son of God, that right- 
 eousness was imputed to Abraham himself, 
 and to all his spiritual seed in the ancient 
 church, to all who walked in the steps of his 
 faith. 
 
 The Lord said to Abraham, " My cove- 
 nant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting 
 covenant." Though the rite of circumci- 
 sion was not to be used forever, yet the cove- 
 nant, of which circumcision, while it was to be 
 practised, was to be a token in the flesh, is 
 strictly everlasting. Moses gave the people 
 circumcision ; (not that it was of Moses, but 
 of the fathers.) After the Sinai covenant was 
 "added," all, who received circumcision, were 
 bound to keep the whole law.* When the 
 Sinai covenant vanished away, circumcision 
 was no longer to be observed. But circum- 
 cision, considered simply, as a token of the 
 covenant made with Abraham, has its place 
 amply supplied by baptism ; which, on a num- 
 ber of accounts, as may appear in the sequel, 
 is more happily suited to the Christian dispen- 
 sation. The admission of proselytes into the 
 
 *See Acts, xv. 1, 5. & Gal. v. 3, 
 4* 
 
42 
 
 ancient church, and the circumcising of them, 
 prefigured the preaching of the gospel to all 
 nations, and the baptizing of them, according 
 to the commission of Jesus to his apostles.* 
 
 * It may appear plain from the tenor of this discourse, that 
 the covenant made with Abraham, as spoken of in Gen. xvii. 
 which Stephen (Acts, vii.) calls the covenant of circumcision, 
 is not so distinct from the promises made to him in Gen. xii. 
 that the law, which did not disannul (the apostle Paul says, 
 cmk akuroi, doth not disannul) these promises, was able to dis* 
 annul that covenant. 
 
 But it may not be amiss to make a few remarks upon this 
 point. 
 
 Though the apostle Paul in Gal. iii. 17. has a particular ref- 
 erence to the time, in which the promise, Gen. xii. 7. was made, 
 (for the promises recorded in Gen. xii. 1 — 3. were made to 
 Abraham in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Charran. (see 
 Acts, vii. 2, 3.) yet it is to be observed, that the promises,* 
 which were made in Gen. xii. 1 — 3, 7. were renewed, and 
 in some respects, more explicitly, in Gen. xvii. when God 
 changed his name from Abram to Abraham, making him " a 
 father of many nations ;" and it is irrational to think, that the 
 law, which did not disannul the gracious promise made to A- 
 braham 430 years before, was able to disannul the gracious cov- 
 enant, of which circumcision was appointed the token, though 
 not 430 years, yet above 400 years before. And, when the 
 apostle speaks of the covenant's being " confirmed" he has, 
 perhaps, particular reference to Gen. xvii. see Gen. xvii. 7. 
 According to the words of Stephen, God "gave" Abraham, 
 ♦'the covenant of circumcision ;»* that is, God renewed the 
 covenant, which he had before made with him, and appointed 
 circumcision a token of it. The apostle in the 3d chapter of 
 Gal. taken together refers to the gracious promises in general 
 made to Abraham. In the 6th verse he refers particularly to 
 
43 
 
 what is recorded in Gen. xv. And though in speaking of A- 
 braham's seed, in verse 16, he refers more particularly to Gen. 
 xii. 7. still the land there promised to his seed, is the same 
 land that is promised in Gen. xvii. 8. In this sermon all the 
 gracious promises made to Abraham are considered, as com- 
 posing one covenant ; and this way of considering the matter 
 is agreeable to what the apostle shows in Gal. iii. and Rom. 
 iv. taken together. In Rom. iv. 13 — 22. the apostle has a 
 more particular reference to Gen. xv. and xvii. and to the 
 time when Abraham "was about an hundred years old." 
 See verse 19 ; and compare verse 13. with Gal. iii. 18. The 
 "everlasting possession'* promised, Gen. xvii. 8. is strictly 
 everlasting, considered in its typical import as comprizing 
 the everlasting joy, to be inherited by those, who shall be 
 admitted into "the holy city, new Jerusalem, "when there 
 shall be " a new heaven and a new earth." 
 
SERMON II 
 
 Romans iv. 11, 12, 
 
 And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal 
 of the righteousness of the faith, which he 
 had, yet being uncircumcised : that he might 
 he the father of all them that believe, though 
 they be not circumcised ; that righteousness 
 might be imputed unto them also ; And the 
 father of circumcision to them, who are not 
 of the circumcision only, but who also walk in 
 the steps of that faith of our father Abra- 
 ham^ which he had, being yet uncircumcised* 
 
 XXaving, in the preceding discourse, ex- 
 plained God's covenant with Abraham, and 
 shown the design of the seal, I proceed, 
 
 II. To show, in general, what it is to walk 
 in the steps of the faith of Abraham, and to 
 make a particular application to Christian 
 parents. 
 
 The various steps, by which Abraham 
 manifested his faith, are distinctly marked in 
 the holy Scriptures. 
 
 In obedience to the Divine command, he 
 separated himself and household, from his 
 native " country, and from'' his " kindred, and 
 
46 
 
 from" his " fathers house."* " By faith Abra- 
 ham, when he was called to go out into a place, 
 which he should" afterwards " receive for an 
 inheritance obeyed ; and he went out, not 
 knowing whither he went."f 
 
 We may see the faith of Abraham in the 
 peaceable and benevolent temper which he ex- 
 ercised towards Lot, his brother, that is, his 
 brothers son,% He believed the promises, which 
 God had made to him, Gen. xii. 1—3, 7. and 
 was not anxious about their fulfilment. He 
 lost nothing by his peaceable conduct. For, 
 when he had given Lot his choice, where to 
 dwell, Lot, under the direction of Divine Prov- 
 idence, made such a choice, that " Abraham 
 dwelt in the land of Canaan," and the Lord 
 confirmed to him and to his seed forever the 
 promise of that land, promising to make his 
 " seed, as the dust of the earth." 
 
 Trusting in God, and feeling a sympathy 
 for Lot, Abraham pursued and conquered Ched- 
 orlaomer, and the kings that were with him. 
 This was a pledge of the future victories of 
 the promised seed ; and the bread and wine, 
 which Melchizedek, in his priestly office, 
 brought forth to Abraham, might signify the 
 blessings of the covenant. Abraham likewise 
 *Gen. xii. 1. f Heb. xi. 8. j Gen. xiii. 8, 9. 
 
m 
 
 exercised faith, in his conduct towards Mel- 
 chizedek, and towards the kings of Sodom. 
 See Gen. xiv. " After these things the word 
 of the Lord came unto Abraham in a vision, 
 saying, Fear not Abram, I am thy shield, and 
 thy exceeding great reward."* 
 
 Abraham believed the promise of God con- 
 cerning a numerous seed. While he was yet 
 childless, God promised him, that his seed 
 should be as numerous as the stars of heaven. 
 " And he believed in the Lord ; and he count- 
 ed it to him for righteousness, "f This prom- 
 ise had ultimate reference to his covenant seed, 
 which were to consist of " many nations. 3 ' 
 Hence St. Paul says, that Abraham " against 
 hope believed in hope, that he might be the 
 father of many nations, "f 
 
 With faith, Abraham received the partic- 
 ular promise of the birth of Isaac, God said 
 to him, " Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son 
 indeed ; and thou shalt call his name Isaac : 
 and I will establish my covenant with him for 
 an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after 
 him."§ " He staggered not at the promise of 
 God through unbelief ; but was strong in faith, 
 giving glory to God."|| 
 
 *Gcn. xv. 1. f Gen. xv. 6. \ Rom. iv. 18. 
 \ Gen. xvii. 19, j| Rom. iv. 20. 
 
48 
 
 Abraham received the seal of the right- 
 eousness of faith for himself and household. 
 He had faith in God's covenant, before he ap- 
 plied the seal ; and this step was an evidence 
 of his faith. He received the sign of circum- 
 cision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith, 
 which he. had, yet being uncircumcised." 
 
 Abraham commanded his children and 
 household after him to keep the way of the 
 Lord, to do justice and judgment. The prom- 
 ises of the everlasting covenant were not to be 
 fulfilled to Abraham, without his doing his 
 duty ; but in consequence of his obedience. 
 God said to Isaac, " I will perform the oath, 
 which I sware unto Abraham thy father ; and 
 I will make thy seed to multiply, as the stars 
 of heaven, and will give unto thy seed all 
 these countries ; and in thy seed shall all the 
 nations of the earth be blessed ; because" 
 " Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my 
 charge, my commandments, my statutes, and 
 my laws."* Thus it is written, " Abraham 
 shall surely become a great and mighty nation ; 
 and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed 
 in him." This promise was absolute. But 
 in order to its accomplishment, it was necessa- 
 ry, that Abraham should do his duty, as a 
 
 * Gen. xxvi. 3, 4, 5, 
 
49 
 
 parent and head of a family ; that he should re- 
 strain and instruct his household ; and God 
 said, " I know him, that he will command his 
 children and his household after him, and they 
 shall keep the way of the Lord to do justice 
 and judgment; that the Lord may bring upon 
 Abraham that which he hath spoken of him."* 
 
 In obedience to the Divine command^ Abra- 
 ham consented to sacrifice his son Isaac upon 
 the altar. 
 
 God said to him " Take now thy son, thine 
 only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee 
 into the land of Moriah, and offer him there 
 for a burnt offering, upon one of the mountains, 
 which I will tell thee of."f Obedience to this 
 command was a peculiar manifestation of his 
 submission and faith. " By faith Abraham, 
 when he was tried, offered up Isaac ; and he that 
 had received the promises, offered up his only 
 begotten son; of whom it was said, that in 
 Isaac shall thy seed be called : accounting, that 
 God was able to raise him up even from the 
 dead; whence also he received him in a figure. "J 
 In consequence of Abraham's not withholding 
 his only son, God solemnly confirmed his gra- 
 cious promises. 
 
 * Gen. xviii. 18, 19. f Gen. xxii. 2. \ Heb. xi. 17—19. 
 5 
 
50 
 
 Another expression of Abraham's faith is 
 noticed in Heb. xi. 9, 10. " By faith he so- 
 journed in the land of a promise, as in a strange 
 country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and 
 Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise. 
 For he looked for a city, which hath founda- 
 tions," the " builder and maker" of which "is 
 God." 
 
 Thus Abraham believed God, and, from 
 step to step, manifested his faith by his works. 
 By faith he was justified, and his whole life af- 
 terward was a life of faith. " So, after he 
 had patiently endured, he obtained the prom- 
 ise;"* that is, obtained the things, which had 
 been promised. (The word promise is here 
 used objectively; as it is in other places. f So 
 u the promise of the Spirit' 7 J means the prom- 
 ised Spirit.) Abraham obtained the things, 
 which had been promised : for in consequence 
 of his persevering faith, God has been fulfill- 
 ing his gracious promises to him from age to 
 age; he has sent into the world Jesus Christ, 
 that unspeakable and all comprehending gift ; 
 and Abraham, when he died, entered into ev- 
 erlasting peace, 5 with a sure title to a glorious 
 resurrection, and the blessings of that heaven- 
 ly kingdom, in which many from the different 
 
 '* Heb. vi. 15. f See Heb. ix. 15, x. 36. xi. 13, 39. 
 | Gal. iii. 14. § Is. Mi. 2. Luke, xvi. 22, 25. 
 
51 
 
 quarters of the earth shall sit down with Abra- 
 ham, Isaac and Jacob. 
 
 Abraham and other ancient saints " died 
 in faith, not having received the promises, [that 
 is, not having received the things promised, as 
 Christians receive them : Heb. xi. 39, 40.] 
 but having seen them afar off, and were per- 
 suaded of them, and embraced them, and con- 
 fessed, that they were strangers and pilgrims 
 on the earth." They desired a " heavenly" 
 country: "wherefore God is not ashamed to 
 be called their God ; for he hath prepared for 
 them a city." 
 
 In the faith of Abraham and of all the an- 
 cient saints, in the faith of the apostles, and all 
 true Christians, there is only a circumstantial 
 difference. To the ancient, and Christian church, 
 there is one Lord, and, essentially, one faith. 
 Under every dispensation, saving faith embra- 
 ces Christ, and unites the soul to him ; it 
 works by love, and is expressed by obedience 
 to the Divine will. 
 
 Abraham was the covenant father of such 
 only of his natural seed, as walked in the steps 
 of his faith. He received the seal of the right- 
 eousness of faith ; that he might be the " father 
 of circumcision to them, who are not of the 
 circumcision only, but who also walk in the 
 
52 
 
 steps of that faith, which he had, being yet un- 
 circumcised." Abraham was commanded to 
 do some things, which were not required of his 
 natural covenant seed ; but as to the substance 
 of his faith and obedience, they were to walk 
 in the same steps. They were to love God 
 with all their hearts, to embrace the promise 
 of the Messiah, to put entire confidence in the 
 truth of whatever God revealed, and to practise 
 all the duties, which he required. 
 
 Abraham, who was justified by faith, and 
 died above 300 years, before " the law was 
 given by Moses," obeyed God's " voice, and 
 kept" his " charge," his "commandments," his 
 " statutes, and" his " laws." Previously to the 
 giving of the law, the Lord, by Moses, said to 
 the children of Israel, " Ye have seen what I did 
 unto the Egyptians, and how I bear you on 
 eagles' wings, and brought you unto myself. 
 Now, therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, 
 and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar 
 treasure unto me above all people : for all the 
 earth is mine. And ye shall be unto me a 
 kingdom of priests, and an holy nation." Ac- 
 cording to what our Saviour says, " many proph- 
 ets and kings" " and righteous men" walked in 
 the steps of Abraham's faith, desiring to see 
 and hear, but not seeing and hearing those glo- 
 
53 
 
 rious things, which Christians have the blessed- 
 ness to see and hear. In the xi. of Hebrews, 
 those many ancient saints are spoken of with 
 honour, and some of their names are mentioned. 
 By faith they wrought righteousness, endured 
 bitter sufferings, obtained great victories, re- 
 ceived signal mercies, and experienced won- 
 derful deliverances. By faith they were ani- 
 mated to pursue that noble conduct, which, 
 while some of them on account of that conduct, 
 were exiled, as it were, from the world, show- 
 ed that the world was not worthy of them. 
 Hence we see, that, though wickedness so 
 much abounded among those, who by circum- 
 cision were the professed people of God, there 
 were among them many true saints. Even in 
 the time of Elijah, there were " seven thousand 
 men," who did not worship Baal. 
 
 All the ancient saints " died in faith" [except 
 Enoch and Elijah, who without dying were 
 translated.] " All" of them, " having obtained a 
 good report through faith, received not the 
 promise : [the glorious things promised] God 
 having provided some better thing for" Chris- 
 tians, " that" the ancient believers " should not 
 be made perfect" " without" the believers in 
 Jesus. Those, who are called by the gospel 
 5* 
 
54 
 
 of Jesus, effectually called, "receive" that "eter- 
 nal inheritance,"* which was virtually prom- 
 ised to Abraham and his seed* They now re- 
 ceive it, in this sense, that they have a bright 
 prospect of it in the gospel, through which 
 life and immortality are brought to light , and 
 they receive the " Holy Spirit," which was 
 promised, and which is "the earnest of" their 
 " inheritance."! 
 
 It was the duty of the Israelites heartily 
 to conform themselves to the Mosaic law, after 
 it was given. All its commands were to be 
 obeyed with faith. The penitent and obedient 
 walked in the steps of Abraham's faith ; and 
 righteousness was imputed to them. Thus 
 Zacharias and Elizabeth walked, and thus they 
 were blessed. But the circumcision of the 
 impenitent and unbelieving became uncircum- 
 eision. 
 
 The Israelites were forbidden to mingle 
 with the heathen nations. They were consid- 
 ered a holy seed ; and commanded to make no 
 covenant with those nations, among whom they 
 dwelt, but to keep themselves distinct from the 
 rest of the world ; J that they might be a pecu- 
 liar people, a holy nation. 
 
 * See Heb. ix. 15. f See Eph. i. 13, 14. J See Deut. vii. 2. 
 Ezra. ix. 2, and Ps. cvi. 35. 
 
55 
 
 The Israelites were to apply the seal of 
 the covenant to their infant offspring in faith. 
 This was required of them in their generations ; 
 and, when strangers united with them, they re- 
 ceived the seal for themselves and their house- 
 holds. Thus God's covenant was sealed with 
 his ancient church, both parents and children. 
 Without the seal of the righteousness of faith, 
 none might partake of the passover, nor come 
 into the sanctuary of God.* 
 
 The Israelites were to teach their children 
 concerning religion. It was expressly enjoined 
 upon parentsto lay up Divine commands in their 
 own hearts, and teach them diligently to their 
 children ; that God's law and statutes might be 
 made known to after generations. When be- 
 lieving parents circumcised their children, but 
 did not teach them the way of the Lord, and 
 restrain them from sin, they departed from the 
 steps of Abraham. Some true saints neglected 
 parental duty to the ruin of their children. Eli 
 was a good man, but his sons made themselves 
 vile, and he restrained them not ; and this prov- 
 ed their ruin. But some parents in Israel were 
 faithful, and covenant blessings descended to 
 their children. Samuel had a pious and faith- 
 
 * Ex. xii. 48. Ezek. xliv. 7. 
 
56 
 
 ful mother, who sincerely devoted him to God. 
 Solomon had a faithful father, who trained him 
 up in the way he should go. Timothy's moth- 
 er and grand mother were persons of unfeigned 
 faith, by whose pious care he was taught the 
 holy Scriptures from a child.* These were 
 remarkable instances of God's covenant faith- 
 fulness to pious parents. 
 
 It was the duty of the Jews to obey the 
 Christian dispensation when it was introduced. 
 Had the Jews followed the steps of Abraham, 
 they would have gladly received Christ when 
 he came. He said to those who rejected him, 
 " If ye were Abraham's children, ye would do 
 the works of Abraham. But now ye seek to 
 kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, 
 which I have heard of God : this did not Abra- 
 ham.'' — " Your father Abraham rejoiced to see 
 my day ; and he saw it and was glad."f Lit- 
 erally, Abraham, your father, joyfully leaped, 
 that he might see my day ; and he saw it, and 
 rejoiced. " The just shall live by faith." In 
 the gospel of Christ, " the righteousness of 
 God is revealed from faith to faith;" J from the 
 faith of the Mosaic dispensation, to the faith of 
 
 * II. Tim. i. 5. iii. 15. f John, viii. 39, 40—66. 
 | Rom. iii. 17. 
 
57 
 
 the Christian dispensation. It was the duty of 
 the Jews to obey the law of Moses. It was 
 their duty to hearken to John the Baptist. 
 When Christ came, it was their duty to obey 
 him ; and it was for rejecting him, that the 
 Jews in general were deprived of their visible 
 church privileges. " Because of unbelief they 
 were broken off."* But some of them believ- 
 ed. Simeon, Anna and others, who were wait- 
 ing for redemption in Israel, were true children 
 of Abraham, and rejoiced to see Christ, when 
 he was an infant. Others believed on him 
 after hearing his gracious words. " As many 
 as received him," while he abode on earth, or 
 after his ascension, whether Jews, or Gentiles, 
 were " Abraham's" spiritual " seed, and heirs, 
 according to the promise." They became the 
 children of God by adoption ; being " born, 
 not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of 
 the will of man, [or a man, that is, a male, an- 
 dros~] but of God." 
 
 Like Abraham, Christians u walk by faith, 
 not by sight." In imitation of the faith and 
 submission of Abraham, they are to believe all, 
 that God has revealed in the Scriptures of the 
 Old and New Testaments, however sublime 
 and mysterious some of the doctrines of the 
 
 * Rom. xi. 20. 
 
58 
 
 gospel may appear, and to deny themselves, take 
 up their cross daily, and follow Jesus. They 
 are to manifest their faith in Jesus and love to 
 him, by keeping his commandments. Thus 
 walking with God, they will from time to time 
 receive cheering manifestations of the Divine 
 favour ; Jesus and his Father will come to them, 
 and make their abode with them. If Abra- 
 ham, who lived about 1800 years, before Jesus, 
 the glorious seed, was born, leaped with joy, 
 that he might obtain a prospect of the Saviour's 
 day, and when, by a lively faith, he had a 
 clearer prospect of it, than he had before enjoy- 
 ed, was glad ; how ought those Christians, whcr 
 I've above 1800 years since the birth of Jesus, 
 to love the Saviour, and rejoice in his salvation ! 
 All Christians, in every age, ought to cleave to 
 Jesus, as their only hope, as "the Lord" 
 their " righteousness ;" accounting " all things 
 but loss for the excellency of the knowledge 
 of Christ Jesus" their " Lord." Desiring to 
 " win Christ, and be found in him ;" not con- 
 sidering themselves, as " already perfect,"' as 
 having " already attained" the great object of 
 their wishes, but pressing towards the mark 
 for the prize of their high vocation, " looking 
 for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto 
 eternal life." They are to be imitators of those, 
 
59 
 
 " who through faith and patience inherit the 
 promises ;" particularly of Abraham, who hav- 
 ing " patiently endured," " obtained the prom- 
 ise.' ' Christians " have need of patience ;" 
 that having " done the will of God," they may 
 receive that incorruptible, undefiled and unfad- 
 ing inheritance, which is reserved for them in 
 heaven. Being " compassed about with so 
 great a cloud of witnesses, " it becomes them, 
 laying aside every weight, and the sin, which 
 so easily besets them, to " run with patience 
 the race" set before them, " looking unto Jesus, 
 the Author and Finisher of their " faith," con- 
 sidering what he endured, and how he is exalt- 
 ed, and remembering that those only, who en- 
 dure to the end, will be saved in Jesus with 
 an everlasting salvation, and be glorified with 
 their Lord. Under Jesus, as the Captain of 
 their salvation, they are to "fight the good 
 fight of faith," taking to themselves the pano- 
 ply of God, that they may be able successfully 
 to oppose all their spiritual enemies, and trust- 
 ing that they shall be more than conquerors, 
 through him who loved them. When from 
 time to time they obtain spiritual victories, 
 they will be cheered with the gracious presence 
 of the " King of righteousness," and " Sing 
 
60 
 
 of peace," who is a priest forever after the or- 
 der of Melchisedec. 
 
 " His dearest flesh he makes" their food," 
 " And bids" them " drink his richest blood." 
 
 Thus he gives them spiritual life. This 
 he does, especially, when they enjoy the privi- 
 lege of eating bread and drinking wine in 
 solemn remembrance of their Saviour's death. 
 Waiting upon the Lord in this ordinance, and 
 in other ways, they "renew their strength*" 
 Abraham gave Melchisedec the tenth of all the 
 spoils; and Christians are to ascribe all the 
 glory of their salvation to their divine Mel- 
 chisedec. 
 
 Christians are to imitate Abraham in his 
 peaceable and affectionate conduct towards 
 Lot. Jesus says, " Blessed are the meek : for 
 they shall inherit the earth." " Blessed are the 
 peacemakers : for they shall be called the chil- 
 dren of God." Christians are, as far as they 
 can, to live peaceably with all men. Among 
 themselves they are to endeavour to " keep the 
 unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace ;" con- 
 sidering, that they are brethren. All men are 
 brethren, as the children of Adam, and, in a 
 certain sense, the offspring of God. But 
 
61 
 
 Christians are brethren in a peculiar manner. 
 It would be happy, if in controversies upon 
 religious subjects among themselves, and with 
 others, they would think of Abraham; and 
 would rest satisfied, that the truth, as it is in 
 Jesus, however it may be opposed, will ulti- 
 mately prevail. Though it is proper for a Chris- 
 tian firmly to maintain every thing, that he is 
 sufficiently persuaded is true, and of importance 
 to the welfare of the church, he ought always 
 to make a distinction between the fundamental 
 truths of the gospel, and those things, which 
 are not fundamental. Jude refers to funda- 
 mental truths of the gospel, when he teaches 
 us to contend earnestly for the faith once deliv- 
 ered to the saints. When we contend earnest- 
 ly for the faith, for fundamental truths, we are 
 to exercise meekness. In the language of 
 Paul, the ministers of Christ are to "be gentle 
 unto all men," — " in meekness instructing 
 those that oppose themselves ; if God perad- 
 venture will give them repentance to the ac- 
 knowledging of the truth." But of how small 
 importance are some things, in which some de- 
 nominations of professing Christians disagree, 
 compared with the importance of fundamental 
 truths ! Is not the disparity almost, if not quite 
 6 
 
62 
 
 as great, as that between paying tithes of mint, 
 rue, anise, and cummin, and observing the 
 weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, 
 faith, and the love of God ? These weightier mat- 
 ters especially, according to our Saviour, the 
 Scribes and Pharisees ought to have done, not 
 leaving the payment of those tithes undone. But 
 while they paid those tithes, and omitted the more 
 weighty matters, they showed their hypocrisy. 
 Let professing Christians think of these things. 
 By such considerations may the writer of these 
 discourses be suitably influenced in the sequel. 
 
 The way is now prepared to make a par- 
 ticular application to Christian parents ; and 
 show what it is for them to walk in the steps of 
 the faith of Abraham. 
 
 This implies, that they have that faith, 
 which is the indispensable condition of the ev- 
 erlasting covenant. " They," who " are of 
 faith, the same are the children of Abraham."* 
 " The blessing of Abraham" comes on " them 
 through Jesus Christ." They keep the same 
 covenant ; they belong to the same church ; 
 and, with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, they will 
 inherit the same kingdom, prepared from the 
 foundation of the world for all true believers. 
 As to the substance of Abraham's faith and 
 obedience, they are to walk in the same steps. 
 
 * Gal. iii. 7. 
 
63 
 
 1. Christian parents should detach them- 
 selves and their families from the sinful cus* 
 toms and pursuits of the world. 
 
 Abraham was called to forsake the idols 
 of his native country, and to devote himself 
 and his family to the service of God. With 
 faith he obeyed. Christian parents should re- 
 nounce their love to the world, and devote 
 themselves and their families to the service of 
 God, looking for eternal happiness in heaven. 
 Trusting in Jehovah, as their God, they should 
 live, as strangers and pilgrims on earth, serving 
 God, with their children, who are heirs with 
 them of the same promise. 
 
 2. Every Christian parent should believe, 
 and properly consider, that the church is to be 
 continued by the regeneration of the children 
 of Christian parents, as one great mean. 
 
 Abraham believed the promise, that his 
 seed should be as numerous, as the stars of 
 heaven. That promise is daily fulfilling, part- 
 ly, in this way : the children of Christian par- 
 ents become true believers, and subscribe with 
 their hands unto the Lor v.* For it is, partly, 
 by regenerating the natural seed of Christian 
 parents, that God fulfils his promise to pour 
 
 * Is. xliv. 1—5. 
 
64 
 
 his Spirit upon Jacob's seed, and his blessing 
 upon his offspring ; which promise respected 
 those gospel times, when the blessing of Abra- 
 ham should come on the Gentiles through 
 Jesus Christ, and they, with the Jews, should 
 receive the Spirit through faith. In the church 
 under the Mosaic dispensation there was a suc- 
 cession of pious parents and pious children, 
 from generation to generation ; and in that way, 
 principally, though not wholly, the church was 
 continued : strangers were added from time to 
 time, as a prelude to the general accession of 
 the Gentiles. The Christian church is not 
 now continued -wholly by the regeneration of 
 the children of Christian parents. It may be 
 enlarged by the conversion of many, who are 
 without ; yea, by the conversion of multitudes 
 among nations not now favoured with the light 
 of the glorious gospel. But it is justly noticed, 
 that in revivals of religion in Christian countries, 
 the subjects of grace are more generally among 
 the children of Christian parents. Nor is this a 
 just occasion of murmuring to any, who live 
 under the gospel. It is the duty of unrenewed 
 parents to repent and believe, and unite with the 
 church. They have opportunity to enter into 
 covenant with God, and to give up their chil- 
 
65 
 
 dren to him ; and, if they do their duty, the 
 promise is to them, and to their children. 
 
 3. Christian parents should dedicate their 
 children to God in baptism ; and should do it be- 
 lieving, that they need renewing grace, and an 
 interest in the righteousness of faith. 
 
 That infant baptism is a divine institution, I 
 shall attempt to prove in the sequel. Suppos- 
 ing, at present, that this is granted, I would here 
 remark, that Christian parents should have con- 
 sistent views of the state of their children, when 
 they give them up to God in baptism. Cir- 
 cumcision was a sign of a new heart, and a seal 
 of the righteousness of faith. The command 
 of God to Abraham, to put this seal on his in- 
 fant offspring, implied, that they needed renew- 
 ing grace, and an interest in that grace, by 
 which God justifies believers. 
 
 By nature, children are the same now, as tliey 
 were in the time of Abraham. Christian 
 parents enjoy better means of knowing the state 
 of their children. Having all the light, which 
 the Scriptures afford, they may clearly see, that 
 their infant offspring are in such a state of spir- 
 itual death and of condemnation, that they must 
 be renewed, and interested in the righteousness 
 of Christ, in order to be saved ; and that, in 
 this way, the covenant of grace provides for 
 6* 
 
66 
 
 their salvation. All this is signified by infant 
 baptism. The washing of infants with water, 
 in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and 
 of the Holy Ghost, as a sacramental sign of reno- 
 vation, and a seal of the righteousness of faith, 
 signifies, that they need " the renewing of the 
 Holy Ghost;" and an interest in the righteous- 
 ness of Christ. Though infants have no 
 knowledge of Christ, and are incapable of faith, 
 yet they may be renewed by Divine grace, and, 
 being, in covenant, connected with believing pa- 
 rents, they may have an interest in Christ's 
 righteousness. But, if parents do not believe^ 
 that their infant offspring need a new heart, and 
 an interest in the righteousness of Christ, why 
 should they apply to them the outward sign and 
 seal of these blessings ? 
 
 4. Christian parents should bring up their 
 children in the nurture and admonition of the 
 Lord;* praying with them , and setting a pious 
 example. 
 
 They should imitate faithful Abraham, who 
 commanded his children and his household af- 
 ter him to keep the way of the Lord. It is not 
 sufficient for Christian parents to believe in 
 their hearts, to confess Christ with their mouths, 
 and to have their children baptized ; but they 
 
 * See Eph, iv, 4. 
 
67 
 
 are to train them up in the way they should 
 go, in order to have good ground to hope, that 
 they will be renewed and saved. 
 
 Parental faithfulness is essential to the fulfil- 
 ment of the promises, and an important mean 
 of the continuance of the church. By this it is 
 not meant, that unfaithful parents can make 
 void the promises, and destroy the church. For 
 God will cause some parents to be faithful, and 
 some children to be trained up in the way they 
 should go ; and by one mean and another he 
 will cause the church to be continued. Thus 
 he did in the Jewish church ; thus he has done 
 in the Christian church ; and thus he will do 
 to the latest generations. Some parents in Is- 
 rael were faithful, and covenant blessings de- 
 scended to their posterity ; and the true church 
 was continued, through every generation, from 
 Abraham to the coming of the Messiah. Some 
 Christian parents, in every age, since the incar- 
 nation of Christ have been faithful ; some chil- 
 dren have been trained up for God, renewed by 
 his grace, and saved; and by this mean of 
 God's appointment, among other means, the 
 church has been continued. 
 
 By the pious instructions of Christian parents, 
 accompanied with Divine power, serious im- 
 pressions are sometimes made on the minds of 
 
68 
 
 young children, and they are distinguished for 
 early piety. But if children are not truly 
 pious when young, a religious education is a 
 barrier against errors, and is of peculiar advan- 
 tage to all, who, at any time, become truly re- 
 ligious. 
 
 Christian parents should restrain their chil- 
 dren from sinful practices. Abraham com- 
 manded his children and household ; and for this 
 he was approved by God. Christian parents 
 have authority from God to command their 
 children; and children are divinely command- 
 ed to obey their parents. Parents, having this 
 authority, are, in some measure, responsible for 
 the conduct of their families. If parents are de- 
 termined not to restrain their children from 
 fashionable vices, not to keep them from scenes 
 of vainty, let them not pretend to give them 
 up in baptism ; lest they profane an ordinance 
 of God, cast a stumbling block before others, 
 and bring reproach upon Christianity. 
 
 To render effectual their instructions and re- 
 straints, and to obtain spiritual blessings from 
 God, for themselves, and for their children, 
 Christian parents should practice family prayer. 
 Abraham had an altar for worship, and called 
 on the name of the Lord. Christians are com- 
 manded to pray " always with all prayer and 
 
69 
 
 supplication in the spirit." They have this 
 gracious encouragement to social prayer, that, 
 "if two" shall agree on earth as touching any 
 thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for 
 them " by God." For, where two or three are 
 gathered together in the " name" of Jesus 
 Christ, " there" he is " in the midst of them."* 
 The blessings, which families, as such, need, 
 and the blessings, which, as such, they receive, 
 render family devotion a reasonable service. 
 Parents, who neglect this duty, cannot main- 
 tain a suitable religious influence over their fam- 
 ilies. Religious instruction will appear unim- 
 portant, and, probably, prove ineffectual, unless 
 connected with daily supplications to the throne 
 of grace for the influence of the Holy Spirit. 
 
 Christian parents should set a pious example 
 before their families. Abraham kept the way 
 of the Lord himself, and commanded his fam- 
 ily to walk in his steps. His precepts were 
 enforced by his own example. If Christian 
 parents keep the way of the Lord themselves, 
 they may, with peculiar propriety, and probable 
 success, command their children to do the 
 same. But, if they teach their children to walk 
 in the narrow way to life, and walk themselves, 
 in the broad road, their example tends to de- 
 
 • See Mat. xviii. 19, 20. 
 
TO 
 
 stroy the influence of their own instruction. If 
 children are taught, by careless parents, to 
 pay serious attention to religion ; by -worldly 
 minded parents, not to mind earthly things ; by 
 profane parents, not to take God's name in 
 vain ; by scoffing parents, not to deride relig- 
 ion ; by sabbath breaking parents, not to pro- 
 fane God's holy day, nor neglect Divine wor- 
 ship ; may not the children be tempted to ask 
 their parents, Why do you not set us a pious 
 example ? 
 
 5. Christian parents, when they give their 
 children to God in baptism, and while they 
 train them up in the xvay they should go, ought 
 to believe, that their faith and obedience may 
 be the means of the salvation of their children. 
 
 The birth of Isaac may be considered, as a 
 type of the spiritual birth of the seed of the 
 covenant. Agar and Sarah, with their respec- 
 tive sons, represented the two covenants ; Agar 
 and Ishmael, the Sinai covenant ; and Sarah 
 and Isaac the everlasting covenant. Sarah, the 
 parent of Isaac, represents the church, the pa- 
 rent of a spiritual seed. St. Paul says, " Jeru- 
 salem, which is above, is free, which is the 
 mother of us all." By Jerusalem, which is a- 
 bove, he means the church, which has a spirit- 
 ual seed according to promise. "Now we 
 
71 
 
 brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of prom* 
 ise;"* one part of the meaning of which ap- 
 pears to be, We have been born of God, accord- 
 ing to the promise, which he made to the church. 
 Abraham received Isaac by a special promise. 
 He " was strong in faith, giving glory to God/' 
 Christian parents should have a strong faith in 
 the promises of the everlasting covenant, con- 
 cerning the spiritual birth of the seed of the 
 faithful. They should believe, that their chil- 
 dren, in particular, may be bom of the Spirit, 
 in consequence of their faith and obedience. 
 
 This does not imply that parents can merit sal- 
 vation for their children ; nor does it imply any 
 thing inconsistent with the doctrine of free grace. 
 To renew and save a child is a work of God's 
 free grace ; but God works by means, in ac- 
 complishing his gracious purposes ; and the 
 faith and obedience of parents are among the 
 appointed means of his saving their children, 
 and continuing the church. Because Chris- 
 tians ask, God gives them the Holy Spirit ; but 
 it is a gracious gift. Because they pray for 
 Zion's prosperity, God converts sinners, and 
 builds up the church, but it is by grace that 
 sinners are converted, and believers are com- 
 forted, and wholly sanctified. Because Chris - 
 
 • Gal. iv. 26-28. 
 
72 
 
 tian parents exercise faith, obey the voice of 
 God, and keep his covenant, he pours his Spir- 
 it and blessing upon their children, and saves 
 them by his grace. 
 
 In signal temporal deliverances, typifying 
 salvation by Christ, Children were saved by 
 means of the faith and obedience of parents. 
 " By faith Noah, being warned of God of things 
 not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an 
 ark to the saving of his house ; " by which he 
 condemned the world, and became heir of the 
 righteousness, which is by faith." * This was 
 a type of salvation by Christ ; and, by Divine 
 grace, children may be renewed, and become 
 interested in the Saviour, in consequence of the 
 faith and obedience of Christian parents. 
 
 The faith and obedience of parents in sprink- 
 ling the blood of the paschal lamb, were the 
 means, appointed by God for the temporal sal- 
 vation of the first born of Israel, when the first 
 born of Egypt were slain, But the first born 
 of Israel were saved by distinguishing mercy ; 
 and, at that awful crisis, parents did not imag- 
 ine, that they had merited the favour, which 
 God showed to their children. 
 
 The deliverance of Israel from Egypt, and 
 their taking possession of Canaan, represented 
 
 * Heb. xi. 7. 
 
7S 
 
 the eternal salvation of the church. But pa- 
 rents did not leave their children in Egypt ; 
 they did not abandon them at the red sea, nor 
 forsake them in the wilderness, From these 
 dangers children were saved by the mercy of 
 God, but by means of the faith and obedience 
 of their parents. Like Israel, fleeing, with their 
 little ones, towards the land of promise, Chris- 
 tian parents, with their children, should pursue 
 their journey towards the heavenly Canaan. 
 
 The believing application of parents to Christ, 
 while he was on earth, was the mean of their 
 children's being healed of divers diseases. We 
 have no account of his refusing to heal a child, 
 when the parent applied to him in faith. He 
 is the great Physician of the soul, and can heal 
 the spiritual diseases of children, as easily as 
 other disorders, which may distress them ; and 
 who will presume to say, that the faith and 
 obedience of Christian parents are not means of 
 spiritual good to their children ? When some 
 " infants" were brought to him, not, as it ap- 
 pears, that he might cure them of any particu- 
 lar disorder, but that he might " touch them" — 
 " put his hands on them, and pray," " he took 
 them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, 
 and blessed them."* Was Christ partial be- 
 * See Luke, xviii. 15. Mat. xix, 13. and Mark. x. 16 
 7 
 
74 
 
 cause he did not heal the diseased children of 
 such parents, as did not apply to him ? What, 
 if suoh parents had murmured, and said, Why 
 does he not treat all children alike ? Though 
 we do not apply to him, must our children suf- 
 fer on this account ? If Jesus is the Saviour of 
 the world, and has come to do good, let him 
 show impartiality. Our children are as good 
 as others. — Who would not have been shock- 
 ed at the impropriety of such language ? But is 
 it not equally improper, for parents under the 
 gospel, to use similar language, while they neg- 
 lect their duty to their children ? 
 
 6. Christian parents ought, in a certain 
 sense, to imitate Abraham in that submission 
 and faith, which he exercised, when he offered 
 Isaac upon the altar. 
 
 They ought to exercise submission and faith 
 respecting the temporal and eternal welfare of 
 their dear children, and respecting the comfort 
 they may hope to enjoy in them. When their 
 children are sick or distressed with any calam- 
 ity, they ought to exercise submission and 
 faith respecting themselves, as afflicted, respect- 
 ing the recovery and relief of their children, and 
 respecting their children's eternal state. When 
 their children die, at what ever age, they are to 
 feel resigned to the will of God in respect te 
 
75 
 
 themselves, from whom he has taken away thfc 
 comforts, which he gave, and submission to God 
 in respect to the condition of their children in 
 eternity. 
 
 Christian parents are to exercise submission 
 with regard to the salvation of their adult chil- 
 dren, who are remaining in unbelief. It can- 
 not be expected, that all the children of all 
 Christian parents will be saved. We have 
 reason to expect, O awful the thought, that 
 against some of them the door of heavenly 
 blessedness will be shut. When Christian pa- 
 rents behold their children living impenitently, 
 they have reason to fear, that they will perish 
 in sin. Being conscious of a neglect of pa- 
 rental duty, they know not, but that the impi- 
 ety of their children is, in a certain sense, ow- 
 ing to their unfaithfulness. They should, in 
 this view, be clothed with humility, and submit 
 the salvation of their children to God, who will 
 have mercy, on whom he will have mercy. If 
 these adult children die, without manifesting 
 repentance and faith, the parents ought to be 
 still, and know, that the Lord is God. 
 
 But Christian parents should exercise faith 
 in the power and grace of God. Abraham 
 believed, that "God was able to raise up" Isaac 
 " even from the dead;" " whence also he re- 
 
76 
 
 eeived him in a figure."* The figurative res- 
 urrection of Isaac represented the resurrection 
 of Christ, of whom he was a remarkable type, 
 the spiritual resurrection of all those, who are 
 said to rise with Christ, and to be quickened to- 
 gether with him, and their resurrection from 
 the grave to eternal life. If the children of 
 Christian parents appear, when they die, to die 
 in the Lord, the parents ought to trust in the 
 power and grace of God, hoping that their chil- 
 dren will obtain a resurrection to an unspeaka- 
 bly better life. When their children, in this 
 mortal life, appear to be dead in sin, they ought 
 to trust in the power and grace of God, and 
 humbly hope, that he will quicken them to 
 spiritual life. In this confidence and hope, they 
 are diligently to use the proper means for the 
 quickening of their children ; humbling them- 
 selves before God for their past deficiencies, 
 and neglect of parental duty, imploring his for- 
 giveness, beseeching him to enable them from 
 this time to be faithful to their children, and to 
 bless their endeavours to promote their salva- 
 tion. However discouraging may be the 
 prospect with regard to any child, let the pa- 
 rent not cease to labour for his spiritual good ; 
 
 * Heb. xi. 19. 
 
77 
 
 considering, that what he says and does, may be 
 recollected by the child, and prove a mean of 
 his salvation, when he himself is resting in the 
 grave, is comforted in the bosom of Abraham, 
 and is with his Lord Jesus in the heavenly par- 
 adise.* 
 
 * Pious Samuel was the child of pious parents. So remark- 
 able was his piety, that nothing appears, in the Scriptures, 
 against him, from his childhood to his death. How great a 
 grief must it have been to him, when he was old, that his sons 
 did not walk in his steps ! 
 
 7* 
 
SERMON. Ill 
 
 Romans, iv. 11, 12. 
 
 And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal 
 of the righteousness of the faith y which he 
 had, yet being uncircumcised : that he might 
 be the father of all them that believe, though 
 they be not circumcised ; that righteousness 
 might be imputed unto them also ; And the 
 father of circumcision to them, who are not 
 of the circumcision only, but who also walk in 
 the steps of that faith of our father Abra- 
 ham, which he had, being yet uncircumcised. 
 
 In the preceding discourse it was taken for 
 granted, that infant baptism is a Divine institu- 
 tion. In proof of this, I shall now offer some 
 arguments. 
 
 Argument 1. Infant baptism may be argued 
 from the connexion, which, according to God's 
 covenant, subsists between believing parents 
 and their children. 
 
 The Christian church is the ancient church 
 continued under a new dispensation, under 
 which it is enriched with great blessings, and 
 enlarged by the accession of the Gentiles. 
 
80 
 
 There subsists between believing parents and 
 their children under the gospel, a connexion sim- 
 ilar to that, which subsisted between parents and 
 children in the ancient church, according to the 
 covenant established by God with Abraham, 
 when he constituted him the father of many na- 
 tions. In the ancient church, circumcision, 
 which was appointed a token of the Abrahamic 
 covenant, and may be said to- have been a seal 
 of it, was applied to infants^ Baptism has, in 
 a certain sense, taken the place of circumcis- 
 ion, and may be said to be a seal of the same 
 covenant, considered as including that new cov- 
 enant, of which Jesus Christ is the Mediator. 
 It appears proper therefore, that infants should 
 be baptized. 
 
 The perpetuity of the covenant connexion 
 between parents and children is exhibited in the 
 law of Moses, in the Psalms, and in the prophets. 
 See Deut. vii. 9. Ps. cv. 8, 9, Ezek. xxxvii. 25. 
 
 That there was to be such a connexion be- 
 tween parents and children under the gospel^ 
 appears from the following passages in Is. lxv. 
 23. Jer. xxxii. 38 r 39. and Zech. x. 9. " They 
 are the seed of the blessed of the Lord, and 
 their offspring with them." " And they shall 
 be my people, and I will be their God. And 
 I will give them one heart and one way, that 
 
81 
 
 they may fear me forever, for the good of thenv 
 and of their children after them." " They 
 shall live with their children." 
 
 Do the scriptures of the New Testament any 
 where show, that the covenant connexion be- 
 tween believing parents and their children is 
 dissolved by the gospel ? No. Nor are they 
 silent upon this point. They expressly favour 
 the idea, that such a covenant connexion re- 
 mains under the Christian dispensation. 
 
 That the blessings of the kingdom (or reign) 
 of heaven were first offered to the Jews, and of- 
 fered to them, as having a primary title to them, 
 according to God's gracious and everlasting 
 covenant with Abraham, and according to the 
 gracious promises, which, in pursuance of that 
 covenant, God had made to his people from 
 time to time, is manifest from the whole tenor 
 of the New Testament Scriptures. From these 
 Scriptures, also, we clearly see the way, in 
 which God proposed to extend mercy to the 
 Gentiles. The blessings of the gospel were 
 to be offered to them, and enjoyed by them, in 
 consequence of the gospel's being rejected by 
 the Jews, as a nation. Christ said to the Jews, 
 u The kingdom of God shall be taken from 
 you, and given to a nation bringing forth the 
 fruits thereof."* 
 
 * Mat. xxi. 43. 
 
82 
 
 When these words were spoken, the king- 
 dom of God had not come ; it was only at 
 hand ; and the Jews as a nation, by their aw- 
 fully wicked treatment of the Son of God, fail- 
 ed of obtaining the blessings of the kingdom, 
 and brought upon themselves a miserable de- 
 struction. But such was the title of the Jews 
 to the kingdom, as children of the prophets, 
 and of the Abrahamic covenant, on which ac- 
 count they are styled " children of the king- 
 dom,*'* that the kingdom is represented to be 
 taken from them ; as if they had come into 
 possession of it. 
 
 If the Jews had such a title to the blessings 
 of the gospel, as descendants of Abraham, Isaac 
 and Jacob, and as those, to whom pertained the 
 promises,! w T as there not a connexion between 
 parents and children in respect to this title ? for 
 children, as well as their parents, were in cove- 
 nant with God. Some of the Jews embraced 
 the gospel. Is it not rational to think, that the 
 children of those believers still had a covenant 
 connexion with their parents ? But all Chris- 
 tians will agree, that in respect to gospel bless- 
 ings, there is the same connexion between 
 Christian Gentiles and their children, as be- 
 * Mat. riii. 12. f See Rom. ix. 4. 
 
8S 
 
 tween Christian Jews and their children. " There 
 is neither Jew nor Greek." " There is neith- 
 er Greek, nor Jew ;" " but Christ is all, and in 
 all/' 
 
 It was foretold of Christ, " He shall feed his 
 flock like a shepherd ; he shall gather the lambs 
 with his arm, and cany them in his bosom."* 
 When the " good Shepherd" came and gave 
 his " life for the sheep,"f he did not sever the 
 Jambs from his flock. Feeble believers are 
 Christ's lambs. Are not the infants of believ- 
 ers, also, his lambs? How believing parents 
 felt for their offspring, in the time of our Sav- 
 iour's ministry on earth, and how he regarded 
 little children, we may learn from the account 
 respecting the little children, or infants, who 
 were brought to him, that he might " touch 
 them," or " put his hands on them, and pray."f 
 A few words were said concerning this account 
 in the preceding discourse. It will be proper 
 here to be more particular. It appears, that 
 these children were brought to Jesus, that they 
 might receive spiritual benefit. The disciples 
 rebuked those, who brought them. Jesus " was 
 much displeased," " called" the infants " unto 
 him," and said unto the disciples, " Suffer lit- 
 
 * Is. xl. 11. f John, x. 11. $ See Mat. xix. 13—15. 
 Mark, x. 13—16. and Luke, xviii. 15—17. 
 
84? 
 
 tie children," or " the little children, to come 
 unto me, and forbid them not, for of such is 
 the kingdom of God," or u the kingdom of 
 heaven." " Verily I say unto you, whosoev- 
 er shall not receive the kingdom of God, as a 
 little child, shall in no wise enter therein." 
 " And he took them up in his arms, put his 
 hands upon them, and blessed them."* The 
 phrase, " the kingdom of God" or " of heaven" 
 that is the kingdom of the God of l heaven ,f ap- 
 pears to be used in these passages, as it is gen- 
 erally used, in a comprehensive sense, denoting 
 that kingdom, which begins in this world in 
 grace, and is to be considered, both as visible 
 and as invisible, and which will be hereaf- 
 ter consummated in glory. " Of such is the 
 kingdom of God," that is the kingdom of God 
 belongs to such,J and to such only. The 
 kingdom of God belongs only to infants, and 
 to those who resemble infants. That the word 
 "such" includes infants themselves, appears 
 from our Saviour's giving this, as a reason, 
 why those infants should be suffered to come 
 
 * See Gen. xlviii. 8 — 20. Jacob laid his hands upon the 
 sons of Joseph, and blessed them, imploring for them the bles- 
 sings of the Abrahamic covenant, and predicting their great- 
 ness, as tribes among the people of God. 
 
 f See Dan.4i, 44. t See the Greek construction. 
 
85 
 
 unto him, " of such is the kingdom of God," 
 and from his treating them so affectionately, 
 and blessing them. If the kingdom of God be- 
 longs to infants, and if under the former dispen- 
 sation, that is, under "the law and the prophets," 
 there was a connexion between parents and chil- 
 dren, according to the Abrahamic covenant, 
 may it not be inferred, that there is a similar 
 connexion between parents and children un- 
 der the Christian dispensation ? 
 
 In view of the declaration of Jesus, " of such 
 is the kingdom of God," let us consider his 
 declaration in John, iii. 5. " Except a man be 
 born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot en- 
 ter into the kingdom of God." This passage 
 is evidently parallel to that in Tit. iii. 5. To " be 
 born of water" is undoubtedly the same, as to 
 have " the washing of regeneration." " The 
 washing of regeneration" plainly means bap- 
 tism, as emblematical of the " renewing of 
 the Holy Ghost." The kingdom of God 
 in John, iii. 5. is to be understood in the same 
 comprehensive sense, as in the declaration, " of 
 such is the kingdom of God." In order to 
 enter into the kingdom of God, a person must 
 be baptized, and must experience the renewing 
 of the Holy Spirit. In order to enter into the 
 kingdom of God, considered as visible in this 
 8 
 
86 
 
 world, in a regular manner, a person must be 
 baptized ; as almost all Christians agree. The 
 Greek word tis, in John, iii. 5. rendered a man, 
 is comprehensive, it signifies, literally, any one, 
 and includes infants. Since, therefore, no one 
 can enter into the kindom of God, unless he be 
 baptized, and be renewed by the Holy Spirit, 
 and since this kindom belongs to infants, it ap- 
 pears proper, that they should be baptized. 
 What infants in particular ought a minister of 
 the gospel to baptize? When we reflect on the 
 tenor of the Abrahamic covenant, and on the 
 connexion which subsists between Christian 
 parents and their children, and when we com- 
 pare Gen. xviih 19. with Eph. vi. 4* and ob- 
 serve, that the infants, who were brought to 
 Jesus, were brought by persons, who had faith, 
 it appears proper to say, that baptism is to be 
 administered to children, when they are present- 
 ed by parents professing faith, or by other pro- 
 fessors, who are willing to consider themselves 
 solemnly engaged to bring up the children " in 
 the nurture and admonition of the Lord." 
 
 In Eph. v. 25, 26. it is said " Christ"— 
 " loved the church, and gave himself for it ; 
 that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the 
 washing of w T ater by the word." Here is 
 doubtless a reference to baptism ; and' the wash* 
 
87 
 
 ing of water appears to mean baptism, as em- 
 blematical of a spiritual purification. Those, 
 who are capable of believing " the xvord" and 
 have not been baptized, ought to believe, be- 
 fore they receive "the washing of water." But 
 are not infants a part of that " church," which 
 Christ " loved," and for which he " gave him- 
 self?" and ought not the infants of believers to 
 be sacramentally sanctified and cleansed by 
 baptism ? 
 
 Our Saviour, bewailing Jerusalem, said, 
 u How often would I have gathered thy chil- 
 dren together, even as a hen gathereth her 
 chickens under her wings ; and ye would not !" 
 Jerusalem's children comprehended parents and 
 their offspring* Would not Jesus have gather- 
 ed both ? 
 
 On that day of Pentecost, of which we have 
 an account in Acts, ii. the Christian church may 
 be said to have been established,* and the king- 
 dom of God in a certain sense to have come.f 
 Did the apostles, on that wonderful day, say 
 any thing, from which we can infer, that the 
 
 * See Acts, ii. 47. " The Lord added to the church" 
 f See Rom. xiv. 17. and Col. 1. 13. compared with John, 
 vii. 39. and Luke, xvii. 20, 21.— When Jerusalem was des- 
 troyed by the Romans, the kingdom of God may be said to 
 have come with power. See Mark, ix. 1. and xiii. 30. 
 
88 
 
 covenant connexion, which had subsisted for 
 ages between parents and children, was dissolved 
 by the Christian dispensation ? To the Jews, 
 inhabiting Jerusalem and Judea, and convened 
 from distant regions, and to proselytes,* Peterf 
 
 * See Acts, ii. 10. 
 
 f Jesus said, (Matt. xvi. 18.) "Thou art Peter; and upon 
 tills rock I will build my church. " Upon this rock ; (not 
 upon Peter himself; see Acts, iii. 12. but) upon the great 
 truth which Peter had confessed (Matt. xvi. 16.) that Jesus 
 is "the Christ, the Son of the living God." This truth is, 
 in one view, the foundation of the Christian church, in distinc- 
 tion from the ancient church. The words, rendered " Jesus 
 Christ," I. Cor. iii. 11. which ought to have been rendered, 
 Jesus the Christ, probably mean, Jesus is the Christ. See 
 Acts, xvii. 3. and xviii. 5. In another view, Jesus Christ 
 himself is the foundation. Compare Is. xxviii. 16. with 
 I. Pet. ii. 3, 4. The " precious corner stone," the sure 
 foundation was to be laid " in Zion." Therefore, though the 
 Christian church is in a certain sense new, yet it is the ancient 
 church continued. In confessing that Jesus was the Christ, 
 Peter confessed, that Jesus was the illustrious seed promised 
 to Abraham, and the glorious Son of David promised in the 
 prophets ; and agreeable to what was remarked in the first 
 discourse, it was through the merits of Christ, who was in the 
 fulness of time to be manifested, as the Saviour of the world, 
 that blessings were bestowed upon Abraham, and upon the 
 ancient church. To signify what honour Simon, the son of 
 Jonas, should have, as the master builder, that should first 
 lay the foundation of the Christian church, by proclaiming, 
 that Jesus is the Christ, seems to have been, at least a part 
 of our Saviour's design in surnaming him Peter, or Cephas, 
 (See Mark, iii. 16. and John, i. 42.) How emphatically the 
 
89 
 
 said, " Repent and be baptized every one of 
 you [literally, Repent, and let every one of you 
 be baptized'] in the name of Jesus Christ, for 
 the remission of sins ; and ye shall receive the 
 gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is 
 unto you, and to your children, and to all, that 
 are afar off, even as many as the Lord our 
 God shall call." 
 
 The great promise, which God made to 
 Abraham, and renewed to Isaac and Jacob, and 
 to their seed, and which may be considered, as 
 including all the succeeding promises in the 
 Bible, is thought by some to be the promise, 
 referred to by the apostle in this passage. When 
 God took Abraham into covenant, he made him 
 the father of believers, the father of many na- 
 tions, and promised to be a God to him, and to 
 his seed after him in their generations. This 
 promise certainly implied the remission of sins, 
 and the gift of the Holy Ghost. It implied all 
 the miraculous operation, and renewing, and 
 sanctifying influence of the Holy Ghost, neces- 
 sary, to continue the church, from one genera- 
 tion to another, to the end of the world. Ac- 
 
 Apostle proclaimed the great truth, Acts, ii. 36. According 
 to the apostle Paul, who laid the same foundation at Corinth, 
 "Christ crucified" was "unto the Jews a stumbling block, 
 and unto the Greeks foolishness." 
 
90 
 
 eordingly, God says in Isaiah, " I will pour 
 my Spirit upon thy seed." "My Spirit," 
 " and my words" " shall not depart out of thy 
 mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor 
 out of the mouth of thy seed^s seed." " Thus^ 
 saith the Lord God, Behold, I will lift up my 
 hand to the Gentiles, and set up my standard 
 to the people : and they shall bring thy sons in 
 their arms, and thy daughters shall be carried 
 upon their shoulders."* By the prophet Joel,, 
 God says, " It shall come to pass afterward, that 
 I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh : and 
 your sons and your daughters shall prophecy ; 
 your old men shall dream dreams, your young 
 men shall see visions : And also upon J;he servants, 
 and upon the handmaids, in those days, will I 
 pour out my Spirit, "f All these promises are 
 in perfect conformity to the original promise, 
 made to Abraham; and the accomplishment 
 of each one is part of the accomplishment 
 of that great promise. Some think, that, when 
 the apostle says, " the promise is unto you, and 
 to your children, and to all that are afar off, ev- 
 en as many as the Lord our God shall call," he 
 has particular reference to the above cited 
 prophecy of Joel, which he had cited near the 
 beginning of his discourse. This seems prob- 
 * Is.xlir. 3. and lix. 21, and xlix. 22. f Joel, ii. 28, 29. 
 
91 
 
 able, especially when we take into view the a* 
 greement between the latter part of Acts, ii. 39, 
 and the latter part of Joel, ii. 32. But that in- 
 fluence of the Spirit, which is promised in Joel, 
 is to be considered, as comprising, not only 
 what are denominated the miraculous gifts of the 
 Spirit, but that influence,, which all true Chris- 
 tians experience. This is sufficiently evident 
 from the words " all flesh," and from John, vii. 
 37—39. That gift of the Holy Spirit, which 
 is promised in Joel, and in the other prophets, 
 implies the remission of sins, and is connected 
 with salvation.* When the apostle says, " For 
 the promise is unto you> and to your children" 
 it is plain, that he refers more or less directly 
 to the Abrahamic covenant. The same apos- 
 tle preaching at another time r says, " Ye are the 
 children of the prophets, and of the covenant, 
 which God made with our fathers, saying unto 
 Abraham, " And in thy seed shall all the kin- 
 dreds of the earth be blessed. Unto you, first, 
 God having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him 
 to bless you, in turning away every one of you 
 from his iniquities.' l f 
 
 The promise, Acts, ii. 39. was to the apos* 
 tie's hearers, and to their children. It was, 
 likewise, to those Jews, proselytes, and Gen- 
 * See Acts, ii. 38. x. 43. and ii. 21. f See Acts, iii. 25, 20, 
 
m 
 
 tiles, afar off, whom the Lord would call, and 
 to their children.* The apostle, not then un- 
 derstanding that mystery of the gospel, which 
 respected the G entiles ^ did not know the full 
 meaning of what he said. He spoke under 
 Divine inspiration. If in speaking of the chil- 
 dren of those, whom he addressed, he has any 
 particular reference to what he has cited from 
 Joel respecting " sons" and " daughters," (see 
 Acts, ii. 17.) it is, however, to be considered, 
 that the promise in Joel, when it speaks of 
 " sons" and " daughters," coincides with the 
 tenor of that covenant, in which blessings were 
 promised to Abraham's seed in their genera- 
 tions. We must think, that some of those, 
 who, in the prophecy of Joel are called " your 
 sons and your daughters," made a part of the 
 
 * That by ** all that are afar off, " are meant not only 
 those Jews and proselytes, inhabiting distant regions, who 
 were not present at the feast of Pentecost, but also Gentiles, 
 appears from comparing the words "all, that are afar off," 
 with Joel, ii. 32. with the words " all flesh," Acts, ii. 17. 
 and Joel, ii. 28. with Is. xliii. 6. and xlix. 6, 12, 22. and 
 Ix. 4, 9. and lxvi. 19, 23. and with Eph. ii. 13* 17. and from 
 comparing Acts, ii. 21. with Rom. x. 12, 13. 
 
 f It appears from Gal. iii. 9, 14, 29. that for believing 
 Gentiles to inherit the blessing of Abraham, implies, that they 
 receive the Spirit promised to God's people, in pursuance of 
 the Abrahamic covenant. 
 
93 
 
 assembly addressed by the apostle, and were 
 comprehended in the word "you" when Peter 
 said, " For the promise is unto you:" for in 
 that assembly, it must be supposed, there were 
 " young" persons, and " old," as well as per- 
 sons of a middle age.* But probably, it will 
 not be denied that the word " children," Acts 
 ii. 29. (teknois) is capable of including infants, 
 and even children then unborn ; and no suffi- 
 cient reason appears for the apostle's adding these 
 words, " and to your children," unless the idea 
 was to be expressed, that there is a covenant 
 connexion between parents and children in re- 
 spect to the enjoyment of the blessings of the 
 gospel. It has been suggested by some author, 
 that the words, " and to your children," were 
 added with reference to the imprecation made 
 by the Jews, " His blood be on us, and on our 
 children,"! But it was not necessary for Pe- 
 ter to add the words concerning children, in or- 
 der to comfort the people in respect to that im- 
 precation ; for, if they themselves, notwithstand- 
 ing the imprecation, had the offer of salvation, 
 they would have naturally thought, that the 
 same offer might be made to their children. 
 Should it be said, that the Jews were not yet 
 prepared to learn, that there was to be under the 
 * See Acts, ii. 17, 18. f Matt, xxvii. 25. 
 
94 
 
 new dispensation no covenant connexion be- 
 tween parents and children ; the question, how- 
 ever, remains to be answered, what was the rea- 
 son of the addition of the words, "and to your 
 children?" The sentence would have been 
 complete without these words. The present 
 reasoning from Acts, ii. 38, 39. will not be ma- 
 terially affected, whether we consider the call- 
 ing, spoken of in the 39th verse, an effectual 
 calling, (See Rom. viii. 30. and I. Cor. i. 26.) 
 or take it in a general sense. (According to 
 Matt. xxii. 14. persons may be called by the 
 gospel, and so called as to seem to comply, and 
 yet not obtain salvation.) In whatever sense 
 " the promise" was to those, whom Peter ad- 
 dressed, and to their children, it was "to all" 
 those " afar off,' ' to whom the glad tidings of 
 salvation were to be sent, parents and children. 
 When parents are called, their children are call- 
 ed ; and the more evidence there is that parents 
 are effectually called, the greater reason there is 
 to hope, that their children will be saved. 
 
 Let us now see, what Paul, that eminent a- 
 postle of the Gentiles,* teaches respecting the 
 
 \ * See Rom. xi. 13. " He," who " wrought effectually in 
 Peter" for "the apostleship of the circumcision' * wrought 
 effectually, also, " in" Paul "toward the Gentiles." See 
 Gal. ii. 8. in the Greek. 
 
05 
 
 covenant connexion between parents and child- 
 ren. Writing to the Corinthian church, which 
 consisted of both Jews and Gentiles, he says, 
 " If any brother hath a wife, that believth not, 
 and she be pleased to dwell with him, let him 
 not put her away. And the woman*' who 
 " hath an husband that belie veth not," ** if he 
 be pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave 
 him. For the unbelieving husband is sancti- 
 fied by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is 
 sanctified by the husband : else were your chil- 
 dren unclean; but now are they holy."* The 
 apostle styles the children of a family " holy" 
 when only one of their parents is a child of A- 
 braham by faith in Jesus Christ. 
 
 By " unclean" and " holy" the apostle does 
 not mean illegitimate and legitimate, as some 
 have suggested, if the words are taken in their 
 general sense ; for the terms unclean and holy 
 are not so used in the scriptures of the New- 
 Testament ; and the believer and unbeliever, 
 spoken of in this passage, must be supposed to 
 have been lawfully married. 
 
 Perhaps, those, who have made the sugges- 
 tion just mentioned, have not used the words 
 
 * I. Cor. vii. 12—14. 
 
96 
 
 illegitimate and legitimate in their general sense, 
 but have intended to communicate the follow- 
 ing idea ; the apostle means only to let Christians 
 know, that in such a case as he supposes, it is 
 not wrong, but consistent with Christian holi- 
 ness, for the believer to dwell, as a consort, 
 with the unbeliever, and to have children. But, 
 if this is all his meaning, could he not have ex- 
 pressed his idea much more clearly ? If this is 
 all his meaning, was it not strange for him to ap- 
 ply the epithet " holy" to the children ? Can 
 so strange a way of speaking be found in any 
 other passage of the scriptures ? 
 
 Nor, by " unclean" and " holy," does the 
 apostle mean personal internal pollution and ho- 
 liness. But these terms are manifestly to be 
 understood in that relative sense, in which the 
 church of Israel, including children, was called 
 a holy people, and a holy seed, in distinction 
 from heathen nations, which were called un- 
 clean, as not belonging to the visible church, 
 nor interested in the blessings of God's cove- 
 nant. 
 
 The Israelites, being in this sense a holy 
 
 people, were forbidden to inter-marry with i- 
 
 dolatrous nations.* But in the time of Ezra, 
 
 the holy seed had mingled themselves with the 
 
 * Deut. Tii. 3— ft. 
 
97 
 
 people of those nations, contrary to the express 
 prohibition of God's law ; and were command- 
 ed to put away their strange wives, and such 
 children as were born of them.* Such wives 
 and children were not to remain connected with 
 the church, the holy seed, but were to be con- 
 sidered as unclean, and as having no right to 
 the privileges of God's covenant. They were 
 put away. To that particular case the apostle, 
 probably, had reference, in the words under 
 consideration. Such of the church, as had un- 
 believing husbands or wives, might feel a dif- 
 ficulty in view of the law of Moses, and of the 
 case in Ezra's time ; and others of the church 
 might feel a difficulty respecting their brethren 
 or sisters in such circumstances. But the a- 
 postle informed the church, that, if either the 
 husband or wife were a believer in Christ, and 
 the other an unbeliever, they were not to be 
 separated, if the unbeliever were willing to dwell 
 with the believer, nor were their children to be 
 accounted unclean. The unbeliever, he taught 
 them, was so sanctified by (or in) the believer, 
 that the husband and wife might dwell together 
 consistently with holiness, and their children 
 would be holy — relatively holy, holy in a covenant 
 sense ; as if both of the parents were believers. 
 
 * Ezra, ix. 2. and x. 3. 
 9 
 
98 
 
 Is it not proper, that children, who are thus ho- 
 ly, should be baptized ? Might not such a be- 
 lieving parent hope, that the seed would be " a 
 godly seed?"* 
 
 That there is a covenant connexion be- 
 tween Christian parents and their children, ap- 
 pears from the account, which Paul, in chapter 
 xi, of his epistle to the Romans, gives of God's 
 dealings towards the Jews and the Gentiles. 
 In a particular manner, the allegory, which 
 he there uses, without being strained beyond 
 its proper scope, greatly favours the idea of 
 such a connexion. 
 
 Of Israel, or the ancient church, it is said 
 in the prophets, " The Lord called thy name, 
 a green olive-tree, fair and of goodly fruit, "f 
 " His branches shall spread, and his beauty 
 shall be as the olive-tree." J God planted this 
 tree, and made the Israelites "the natural 
 branches." In general, they were fruitless 
 branches. God enriched the tree with the bles- 
 sings of the gospel. 
 
 The generality of the Jews " the natural 
 branches," " because of unbelief," " were bro- 
 ken off. "5 Believing Gentiles were " engraft- 
 ed in among" those of the Jews, who believed, 
 
 * See Mai. ii. 15. f Jere. xi. 16. J Hosea, xiv. 6. 
 § Read Rom. xi. 11—29. 
 
99 
 
 " and with them" partook " of the root and 
 fatness of the olive-tree," as enriched by the 
 Christian dispensation. When the unbelieving 
 Jews were broken off, their infants were brok- 
 en off with them, as to having a place in the vis- 
 ible church. But were not the infants of believ- 
 ing Jews spared ? Did they not remain with 
 their parents in the olive-tree ? They were nat- 
 ural branches, as really, as their parents ; and 
 they did not exercise that unbelief, on account 
 of which they should be broken oiF. 
 
 The apostle speaks, as if the Jews were to 
 " be grafted" " again" " into their own olive- 
 tree." " Blindness in part is happened to Israel, 
 until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in." 
 that is, shall have come in. As concerning 
 the gospel, they are enemies for the Gentiles' 
 " sake : but, as touching the election, they are 
 beloved for the fathers' sakes." 
 
 As in general, God does not repent of his 
 " gifts and calling ;" so he does not repent of 
 the covenant, which he made with the fathers, 
 Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, of any of his gifts 
 to them and their natural seed, nor of any of 
 his promises respecting that people. He made 
 choice of that nation for his peculiar people, 
 and remembering the covenant, which he made 
 with their fathers, he will gather them again in- 
 
100 
 
 to the church. Will not children be gathered 
 with their parents ? Will the natural branches 
 be stripped of their tender sprigs and buds, 
 when they shall be grafted in again ? " Israel 
 shall blossom and bud, and fill the face of the 
 world with fruit."* It seems proper to consid- 
 er this passage, as referring not only to the time, 
 when salvation should come to the Gentiles, 
 but, also, to that glorious period, when the 
 " heart" of the natural seed of Jacob "shall 
 turn to the Lord," and "the vail shall be tak- 
 en away" from their heart. f " Their children, 
 also, shall be, as aforetime ; and their congre- 
 gation shall be established before" the Lord. J 
 Will not their worshiping assemblies consist of 
 parents and children, connected in covenant ? 
 If not, will their children be as " aforetime?" 
 But, if, when the Jews shall be grafted in again, 
 the children of Jewish believers will have a cov- 
 enant-connexion with their parents, it is plain, 
 that the children of all, who now believe, of 
 whatever nation or kingdom, are connected 
 with their parents in the same manner* 
 
 What is said concerning the salvation of 
 households very much favours the idea of a cov- 
 enant connexion between parents and children. 
 
 * Is. xxvii. 6. f See ii. Cor. iii. 15, 16. |Jer. xxx. 20. 
 
101 
 
 Jesus said respecting Zaccheus, a Jew, 
 when he believed, " This day is salvation come 
 to this house ; for" as " much as he, also, is 
 a son of Abraham. For the Son of man is 
 come to seek and to save that which was lost."* 
 Does not this passage imply, that there exists 
 between heads of families and their households, 
 under the gospel, a connexion similar to that, 
 which was formed in families by the Abraha- 
 mic covenant ? Does not " that which was lost" 
 include infants ? 
 
 Cornelius was one of those Gentiles, who 
 were termed proselytes of the gate, because 
 they worshiped the true God, but remained in 
 uncircumcision. This devout man " feared 
 God with all his house, "f An angel said to 
 him respecting Peter, " Who shall tell thee 
 words, whereby thou and all thy house shall 
 be saved. "J The latter part of this passage is, 
 literally, thou shalt be saved, and all thy house. 
 There may have been no one in the house too 
 young to understand Peter's words. But, if, 
 there were any young children, would not the 
 angel's mode of expression naturally lead Cor- 
 nelius to hope, that those children would be 
 saved in the way of covenant connexion ? 
 
 * Luke, xix. 9, 10.. f Acts, x. 2. {Acts xi. 1 1 
 9* 
 
102 
 
 Paul and Silas said to the trembling jailor 
 of Philippi, " Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ 
 and thou shalt be saved, and thy house."* 
 These words are not to betaken in the most lite?-- 
 al sense. Otherwise, they would signify, that 
 the salvation of the jailor's house would certainly 
 follow his faith. But they evidently favour the 
 idea of a covenant connexion between heads of 
 families and their households. 
 
 The same idea is favoured by the injunc- 
 tion, which Paul gives to parents, (Eph. vi. 4.) 
 concerning the education of their children. 
 Parents may be encouraged by this injunction 
 to hope, that, in observing it, they shall be in- 
 strumental of spiritual good to their children. 
 
 Although the covenant connexion between 
 parents and children, which I have been en- 
 deavouring to prove, is not acknowledged by 
 those, who deny infant baptism, yet, in order 
 to complete the present argument, it will be 
 necessary to illustrate what was said, when the 
 argument was stated, at the beginning of this 
 discourse, that baptism has, in a certain sense, 
 taken the place of circumcision. 
 
 Jesus Christ, before his ascension, said to 
 his apostles, " Go ye," " and teach all nations, 
 baptizing them in [or into] the name of the 
 
 * Acts, xvk31. 
 
103 
 
 Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost 5 
 teaching them to observe all tilings, whatsoever 
 I have commanded you : and lo, I am with 
 you alway, even unto the end of the world."* 
 To this passage in Matthew, the following 
 passage in Mark is parallel. " Go ye into all 
 the world, and preach the gospel to every crea- 
 ture. He, that believeth, and is baptized shall 
 be saved ; but he that believeth not, shall be 
 damned."! " To every creature ;" literally, 
 to all the creation, " He that believeth ;" that 
 is, he that believeth the gospel, which you 
 preach. " Teach all nations ;" literally, make all 
 the nations disciples ; that is, so preach the gos- 
 pel in all the world, that persons among all the 
 nations may believe *, may become disciples. 
 " Baptizing them," all the nations ; baptizing 
 those persons of all nations, who believe the gos- 
 pel, who become disciples. % " Teaching them 
 to observe all things, whatsoever I have com- 
 manded yow." The declaration, which Jesus 
 made to his apostles, " He, that believeth, and 
 is baptized, shall be saved ; but he, that belie- 
 veth not,§ shall be damned," is not applicable 
 to infants. They are incapable of believing 
 the gospel ; and they are incapable of unbelief. 
 Thus the commission, given to the apostles, ac- 
 
 * Matt, xxviii. 19, 20. t Mfiifkj xvi. 15, 16. J John, iv. 1, 2. 
 $ Ho apistesas* 
 
104 
 
 cording to both Matthew and Mark, has noth- 
 ing in it express concerning infants. But the 
 commission respects baptism, as an important 
 thing ;* infants are capable of being baptized^ 
 and there is nothing unreasonable in the bap- 
 tism of infants, in itself considered, unless there 
 was something unreasonable in the circumcision 
 of infants.. The apostles were directed by our 
 Lord to teach those who should become disci- 
 ples, to observe all things, whatsoever he had 
 enjoined upon them. In order to fulfil this 
 part of the commission, it was necessary for the 
 apostles to teach believers to show a tender re- 
 gard towards infants. Moreover, in view of 
 
 * An unwillingness in any one of those, to whom the apostles 
 preached, to be baptized would have shown him to be des- 
 titute of saving faith. How ready the eunuch was to be bap- 
 tized by Philip, the evangelist ! In any age, and any place, a 
 person may show such a disregard to baptism, as is inconsistent 
 with true faith. That baptism is not important, cannot be infer- 
 red from what Paul says, I Cor. i. 1 7 . Paul had not such a par- 
 ticular direction to baptize, as those, who were apostles before 
 him. But he baptized some persons. So important was bap- 
 tism in the view of Peter, that he commanded Cornelius and 
 bis friends to be baptized, after they had received the Holy 
 Ghost. When Christ commissioned the apostles to preach and 
 baptize, he said, " And lo ! I am with you alway, even unto 
 the end of the world." So, according to Paul, the ordinance 
 of the hory supper is to be observed, till the Lord come. These 
 two ordinances have never become unnecessary in the church, 
 
105 
 
 these words, " teach all nations, baptizing 
 them," let us reflect on the following promises, 
 made to Abraham ; " Thou shalt be a father of 
 many nations."* In thy seed shall all the na- 
 tions of the earth be blessed, "f Let us also 
 remember, that, while one nation enjoyed the 
 oracles of God, the token of the Abrahamic 
 covenant was applied to infants. Thus, in cer- 
 tain respects, the commission, given to the a- 
 postles, implicitly favours infant baptism. But 
 it contains nothing eocplicit concerning infants. 
 The apostles were directed to baptize disciples ; 
 those, who should believe, were to be baptized. 
 But, in order to determine, whether the infants 
 of those, who should believe or become disci- 
 ples, and receive baptism, were to be baptized, 
 we must attend to the Scriptures in general. 
 Will any one say, if the commission given to 
 the apostles, is silent respecting infants, it be- 
 came the apostles, and it becomes all ministers 
 of the gospel, to let infants alone, as to baptism ? 
 This does not follow. Though the commis- 
 sion, of which we are speaking, is silent re- 
 specting infants, we may find, in the volume 
 of the Scriptures, sufficient reason to feel per- 
 suaded, that infants are to be baptized. Would 
 
 * Gen. XTii. 4. f Ge n. xxii. 18. 
 
106 
 
 the apostles have felt it right to treat infants, 
 as having no place in the Christian church ; 
 when they remembered, that the great body* 
 of those males, who had been in the visible 
 church from the days of Abraham, were cere- 
 monially introduced into it in the time of infan- 
 cy ; and when they remembered the declara- 
 tion of the Lord Jesus, " Of such is the king- 
 dom of God ?" From the mere silence of the 
 apostolic commission respecting infants, it can- 
 not be inferred, that infants are not to be bap- 
 tized, unless it can be inferred from the same 
 silence^ that they are to be neglected in every 
 respect, Jesus did not let alone those infants, 
 who were brought to him. It appears, that 
 they were not brought to be baptized. But 
 he did for them all that was desired. He treated 
 them with tender affection, and gave them such a 
 blessing, as all parents desire for their children, 
 when with suitable feelings they present them 
 before the Lord, to be baptized. It was de- 
 clared to the apostles, " He that belie veth, and 
 is baptized, shall be saved." What, if any one 
 should infer from the silence of the apostolical 
 commission respecting infants, that no infant will 
 
 * Not all. See Ex. iv. 24, 26. Josh. v. 2—9. Moreover, 
 some proselytes had joined the church, taking " hold of" God's 
 M covenant." See Esth. viii. 17. Is. Ivi. 6. and Acts, ii. 10. 
 
107 
 
 be saved ? Whence do believing parents derive 
 their hope concerning the salvation of their chil- 
 dren, who die in infancy? From other pas- 
 sages of Scripture, and from the Scriptures in 
 general. But those same other passages, and 
 the Scriptures in general, favour infant baptism. 
 These words of Christ to his apostles, " He 
 that believeth and is baptized shall be saved," 
 are considered by some, as implying, that faith 
 ought to go before baptism. It is granted, 
 that faith ought to precede baptism, in all cases, 
 in which the passage just quoted is literally ap- 
 plicable. But this passage, though in its spirit it 
 is applicable to mankind in general, is not literal- 
 ly applicable to infants ; nor to all adults ; but 
 only to those persons, whose duty it is to believe, 
 and who at the same time have need of bap- 
 tism. Abraham believed in the Lord before 
 he was circumcised ; but Isaac and Jacob were 
 circumcised, before they believed. When 
 proselytes joined the ancient church, they pro- 
 fessed faith before they were circumcised, but 
 their infants were circumcised with them. 
 The mode of expression, " He, that believeth 
 and is baptized," agrees with the circumstance, 
 that the christian church was about to be es- 
 
108 
 
 tablished, and the gospel to be preached to 
 those, who after believing would, of course, 
 need Christian baptism.* 
 
 Accordingly, those, who gladly received 
 Peter's words, were baptized ; the Samaritans, 
 who believed Philip's preaching, were baptized; 
 the Etheopian eunuch, also ; and many of the 
 Corinthians, hearing Paul, believed and were 
 baptized. That the words of Christ respect- 
 ing faith and baptism, in Mark, xvi. 16. had a 
 more particular reference to the first believers, 
 
 * It is highly probable, if not certain, that of the twelve 
 apostles, (that is, the eleven and Matthias) every one had 
 been baptized either by the son of Zacharias, or by some per- 
 son, whom that figurative Elias had baptized ; and we may 
 consider John, iii. 5. as having been fulfilled, even as to bap- 
 tism, in all the apostles. Compare Acts, i. 21 — 26. with Matt. 
 iii. 5, 6, 11. Luke, iii. 21. and vii. 29, 30. and John, iv. 1, 2. 
 It was no more necessary, we may say, for the apostles, who 
 administered Christian baptism, to receive this baptism them- 
 selves, than it was for John the baptist to be himself baptized. 
 But it is probable, that many of those, who received Christian 
 baptism on the day of Pentecost, had been baptized by John. 
 The apostle Peter said, Let every one of you be baptised. 
 Whether Appollos ever received Christian baptism, or not, 
 Paul baptized the twelve disciples, whom he found at Ephe- 
 sus, though they had been baptized unto [orto] John's bap- 
 tism ; possibly, however, not by John himself. But these 
 things afford no argument for the repetition of Christian bap- 
 tism. 
 
109 
 
 is manifest from the two next verses, where our 
 Lord told the apostles, what " signs" should 
 follow those, who believe. But with respect 
 to all times and places, adult persons to whom 
 the gospel is preached, who have not been bap- 
 tized, ought to be baptized after believing* 
 But, if it appears from the Scriptures in general, 
 that the infants of believers ought to be baptiz- 
 ed, no Christian will think, that those persons, 
 who have been baptized in infancy, as the chil- 
 dren of believers, ought to be baptized after be- 
 lieving. The phrase, Believe and be baptized, 
 is often repeated by one person and another ; 
 and possibly some think, that there is such a 
 text of Scripture, or, at least something in Scrip- 
 ture, amounting to a command to all persons, 
 to be baptized, after they believe, or after they 
 first profess faith.* But there is no such text, 
 nor any thing amounting to such a command. 
 
 * First profess faith. So far those, who deny infant bap- 
 tism, are willing to depart from the literal meaning of Mark 
 xvi. 16. There is perhaps no Christian in the world, who 
 will go so far, as to say, that it is the duty of every individual 
 to be baptized, after he believes. On the other hand, those, 
 who infer from the verse in Mark, just mentioned, that no 
 persons ought to be baptized before they believe, or profess 
 faith, either must take it for granted, that infant baptism is 
 wrong, or must infer, that it is wrong, from the mere silence of 
 that verse respecting infants. 
 10 
 
110 
 
 That baptism has, in a certain sense, taken 
 the place of circumcision, appears from the fol- 
 lowing considerations. 
 
 (1). Circumcision was a mark, by which 
 the ancient church was distinguished. 
 
 Other nations were termed uncircumcised. 
 Baptism, as a kind of mark, distinguishes the 
 Christian church. This is manifest from the 
 apostolic commission, to which we have been 
 attending, from Eph. v. 25, 26. from Gal. iii. 
 27 — 29. and from other passages. The pas- 
 sage in the epistle to the Galatians runs thus. 
 " For as many of you, as have been baptized 
 into Christ, have put on Christ. There is nei- 
 ther Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor 
 free, there is neither male nor female : for ye 
 are all one in Christ Jesus. And, if ye" are 
 " Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs 
 according to the promise ;" heirs according to 
 the promise, since the promise was to Abraham 
 and his seed, and heirs to the blessings promis- 
 ed, which blessings imply an " eternal inherit- 
 ance." This passage plainly shews, that bap- 
 tism is a distinguishing mark of the Christian 
 church; and it clearly indicates, that baptism 
 has, in a certain sense, taken the place of cir- 
 cumcision. Two important ideas conveyed 
 are these. Once the Jews were circumcis- 
 
Ill 
 
 ed ; now people of different nations are baptiz- 
 ed. Once males were circumcised ; now males 
 and females are baptized. In Acts viii. 12. it is 
 said, " They were baptized, both men and 
 women." 
 
 Circumcision was a permanent mark in the 
 flesh. In this respect baptism differs from it, 
 and is suited to the peculiar spirituality of the 
 Christian dispensation. But baptism is a kind 
 of mark of the church ; by which persons are 
 visibly set apart for the service of God. 
 
 (2). The emblematical signification of cir- 
 cumcision, was in some respects similar to that 
 of baptism. Baptism emblematically signifies 
 that purification, which consists in regeneration, 
 or the renewing of the Holy Spirit, and the 
 remission of sins. That baptism is an emblem 
 of the renewing of the Holy Spirit, appears 
 from Tit. iii. 5. That it is an emblem of the 
 remission of sins, appears from Acts xxii. 16. 
 compared with Rev. i. 5.* That it is an em- 
 blem of both appears from Acts i. 5. and ii. 39. 
 These two blessings are contained in the new 
 covenant. In Heb. viii. 10, 11. regeneration 
 is promised ; and in verse 12, the remission of 
 sins. Since these two blessings are bestowed 
 
 * " Be baptized, and wash away thy sins." " Washed ns 
 from our sins in his own blood." 
 
112 
 
 upon believers in consequence of the death and 
 resurrection of Christ, there is in baptism a par- 
 ticular reference to his death and resurrection. 
 See Rom. iii. 24 — 26. and iv. 24, 25. and v. 
 9, 10. and vi. 3— 11. Eph. i. 7, 19, 20. 
 Col. i. 14. and ii. 12, 13. and iii. 1 — 11. I. Pet. 
 iii. 21. Compare Rom. x. 9. with Acts viii. 
 32 — 37. Circumcision was a seal of the right- 
 eousness of "faith;" which righeousness in- 
 cludes the remission of sins. See Rom. iv. 6, 
 7. Though circumcision was not strictly em- 
 blematical of this righteousness, that is, of justi- 
 fication, though it was not strictly emblematical 
 of the remission of sins, yet it may probably be 
 considered as a remote emblem of the shedding 
 of that precious blood, which cleanses believers 
 from all sin. But circumcision was strictly em- 
 blematical of regeneration ; though it was a less 
 striking emblem of it, than baptism. When an 
 infant was circumcised, one thing implied, and 
 emblematically signified, was, that he needed a 
 change of nature. Circumcision was emble- 
 matical of that renovation of heart, which all 
 the pious in the ancient church experienced; 
 (See Acts vii. 51. Rom. ii. 28, 29.) and remote- 
 ly of that renewing of the Holy Spirit, which 
 all Christians experience. (See John vii. 39.) 
 This may appear from what was said in the first 
 
113 
 
 discourse. But it will be proper to make some 
 further remarks upon this point. We read in 
 Deut. xxx. 6. " And the Lord thy God will 
 circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy 
 seed, to love the Lord thy God with all thine 
 heart, and with all thy soul, that thou may est 
 live." This passage appears applicable chiefly 
 to gospel times j and not only much favours the 
 idea of a covenant connexion between Christian 
 parents and their children, but when compared 
 with Tit. iii. 5. shows, that circumcision had in 
 some degree, the same emblematical significa- 
 tion, as the apostle Paul attributes to baptism. 
 From Col. ii. 11. it appears that circumcision 
 was emblematical of "putting off the body of 
 the sins of the flesh, for Paul speaks of this 
 " putting off," as a spiritual circumcision. But 
 is not baptism, evidently emblematical of the 
 same " putting off? See Col. iii. 9, 10. Eph. 
 iv. 22—24. and I. Pet. iii. 21. The apostle 
 Paul says to the Philippians, " Beware of the 
 concision." That is, Beware of such Jewish 
 professors and teachers, as would constrain 
 Gentile Christians " to be circumcised ,-" (See 
 Gal. vi. 12.) and, as far as their influence in this 
 respect extends, mangle the church. " For we 
 are the circumcision," who " worship God in 
 10* 
 
114 
 
 the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have 
 no confidence in the flesh." See Philipp. iii. 2, 
 3. The apostle, when he says, "we are the 
 circumcision, ' ' uses two figures. By a metony- 
 my, the Jews were called the circumcision. 
 (See Gal. ii. 9.) By adding a metaphor, the 
 apostle calls true Christians the circumcision. 
 He evidently considers circumcision, as a sign 
 and emblem of the character and state of true 
 Christians. But baptism is a sign and emblem 
 of this character and state.* 
 
 (3). Circumcision, (according to the first dis- 
 course J may be said to have been a seal of the 
 Abrahamic covenant. It may be said to have 
 sealed that covenant to those, to whom it was 
 applied. As a divinely appointed token of the 
 covenant, it encouraged their hope of the favour 
 of God, and at the same time reminded them of 
 their obligations to him. When Abraham was 
 circumcised, he virtually expressed his hope in 
 God, and his desire to " walk before him" 
 and be ' f perfect. ' ' Any one, who had been cir- 
 
 * How strange it is, that Dr. Jenkins should represent the 
 apostle Paul, as giving, in Philipp. iii. 2. the reproachful 
 name of concision to circumcision itself; since in the next 
 verse, by the figurative use of the word circumcision, the a- 
 postle speaks so honourably of circumcision itself, considered 
 as a badge of the ancient church. 
 
115 
 
 cumcised in infancy, when he reflected upon 
 his being a circumcised man, must, if he had 
 suitable feelings, have been encouraged to hope 
 for the blessings of the covenant, and impress- 
 ed with his obligations to love and serve God, 
 as his God. When the law was " added" at 
 Sinai, circumcision, which was required, also, 
 in the law, bound the Iraelites to observe the 
 law. After this, circumcision at once sealed 
 the Abrahamic covenant and the Sinai covenant. 
 In other words, circumcision was a seal of the 
 Abrahamic covenant, with the Sinai covenant 
 added. In due time the Sinai covenant gave 
 place to the new covenant. Baptism may be 
 said to be a seal at once of the Abrahamic cov- 
 enant and of the new covenant. In other 
 words, baptism may be said to be a seal of the 
 Abrahamic covenant, with the new covenant 
 added. Baptism is emblematical of the bless- 
 ings of the new covenant, in which God prom- 
 ises Israel and Judah, that he will be to them 
 a God, and that they shall be to him a people ; 
 a promise corresponding with the tenor of the 
 Abrahamic covenant. Baptism is, therefore, a 
 token of the new covenant, as added to the A- 
 brahamic. And since baptism is manifestly de- 
 signed to encourage those, who are baptized, 
 in hoping for the blessings promised, the bless- 
 
116 
 
 ings, of which baptism is an emblem, and to 
 engage them to be the Lord's and live hence- 
 forth not to themselves, but to him, who died 
 for them, and rose again, it may be said to be 
 a seal of that "perpetual covenant," "in" 
 which they "join" themselves " to the Lord ;" 
 a seal of the new covenant, as added to the A- 
 brahamic, or of the Abrahamic covenant, with 
 the new covenant added. When Gentiles i i sub - 
 scribe with their hands unto the Lord," they 
 " surname" themselves "by the name of Israel" 
 and thus become, through Jesus Christ, a part 
 of that body, with whom the new covenant is 
 made. 
 
 That baptism may be said to be a seal of 
 the Abrahamic covenant, considered as includ- 
 ing the new covenant, further appears from Gal. 
 HI. 27 — 29. before cited. If those who have 
 received Christian baptism, with suitable feel- 
 ings, have " put on Christ," it may with pro- 
 priety be said, that, when a person is baptized, 
 he at once solemnly professes a desire to be the 
 Lord's and receives a sacred token of the favour 
 of God through Christ. * He professes a desire 
 
 * According to Dr. Doddridge, Mr. Locke makes a remark 
 of the following kind. When persons " put on Christ," they 
 are so covered with Christ, as a garment, that God, looking 
 
117 
 
 to be "joined unto the Lord,"* to have the 
 God of Abraham, and the Father of Jesus 
 Christ for his God and Father, to be one of A- 
 braham's seed, and an heir ; a partaker of the 
 eternal inheritance, an heir of God, and a joint 
 heir with Christ. He expresses a hope of an 
 interest in the Abrahamic covenant, a hope of 
 obtaining the blessings of the new covenant, a 
 hope, that God will be his God. When a per- 
 son is baptized, with such views and feelings, 
 he receives a token, by which he is encouraged 
 in hoping, that he shall have an interest in the 
 Abrahamic covenant, and in all the promises 
 made in pursuance of it, "all" which " are yea 
 and amen in" Christ ;f particularly in that com- 
 prehensive promise, which is called the new 
 covenant ; and that he shall receive all those 
 blessings, of which baptism is emblematical. 
 When a person, who has been baptized in in* 
 fancy, reflects on his baptism with suitable feel- 
 ings, he must feel, at once encouraged by his 
 baptism, as a solemn token, in hoping for an 
 
 upon them, sees, as it were, nothing, but Christ; and "all" 
 Christians, being so covered with Christ, are viewed, as one 
 person, and are said to be *' one in Christ Jesus." 
 
 * See I. Cor. vi. 17. 
 
 f See II. Cor. i. 20. and vi. 16—18. and vii. \. 
 
118 
 
 interest in the Divine covenant and promises, 
 and bound by the same solemn token, to love 
 and serve the Lord Jesus Christ. When a 
 person in the ancient church was circumcised, 
 he was devoted to Jehovah, to the God of Abra- 
 ham, to the God of Isaac, and to the God of Ja- 
 cob. God has been manifested " in the flesh." 
 Jesus, the son of God, has appeared to redeem 
 those, who were under the law, and to " be for 
 salvation unto the ends of the earth." The 
 Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the 
 world ;" and Jesus, having been highly exalt- 
 ed, " and having received of the Father the 
 promise of the Holy Ghost," has begun to a pom- 
 out " the " Spirit upon all flesh." Persons are 
 to be baptized " into the name of the Father, 
 and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost." 
 
 Thus it appears, that baptism, in a certain 
 sense, has taken the place of circumcision. It 
 has not taken its place in all respects. On a 
 number of accounts, as was intimated in the 
 first discourse, baptism is more happily suited 
 to the peculiar nature of that dispensation, 
 through which life and immortality have been 
 brought to light, that dispensation, which is the 
 ministration of righteousness, and of the Spirit. 
 The difference between circumcision and bap- 
 tism -™rpc»>r^/| s with the difference between 
 
119 
 
 the Jewish dispensation and the Christian dis- 
 pensation. The difference between the two or- 
 dinances may be further illustrated by the fol- 
 lowing remarks. 
 
 One design of circumcision was to distin- 
 guish the Israelites from other nations. It was 
 the pleasure of the only wise God, the Most 
 High over all the earth, that the seed of Jacob 
 should be to him a peculiar people. Circum- 
 cision was well adapted to discriminate natural 
 descent. But Baptism is to be administered 
 to all nationsy and happily signifies, that Jews 
 and Gentiles, all mankind need the forgiveness 
 of sins and sanctification. 
 
 Baptism, as an emblem, is well adapted to 
 the Christian dispensation. Though circum- 
 cision was an emblem of a change of nature, 
 yet the Israelites gloried in their natural de- 
 scent, as the children of Abraham, Isaac and 
 Jacob. But baptism very clearly holds up to 
 view, that those who are " the children of the 
 flesh " "are not the children of God." When 
 an infant, a few days old, is baptized, it is 
 signified to all the spectators, that this child is 
 spiritually unclean, and " must be born again." 
 How forcibly are we reminded, that, " except" 
 we " be converted and become as little chil- 
 
120 
 
 dren " we " shall not enter into the kingdom 
 of heaven." 
 
 Infants were, according to express com- 
 mand, to be circumcised on the eighth day 
 from their birth. But a number of things 
 might be said, to show, that it is not necessa- 
 ry, either to defer baptism till the eighth day, 
 or always to administer it so soon. 
 
 Females were incapable of receiving cir- 
 cumcision. But they were interested in the 
 Abrahamic covenant, and obliged to observe 
 the Mosaic law. They were members of the 
 church, as really as the males. See Ezek. xvi. 
 20, 21, where God calls both males and fe- 
 males his children. See, also, Luke xiii. 16. 
 We may consider the covenant, as sealed to 
 the females by the circumcision of the males. 
 In other words, if all the males, properly be- 
 longing to a household, were circumcised, we 
 may consider the covenant as sealedto all thtper- 
 sons, who properly belonged to it, whether male 
 or female. But females are capable of being 
 baptized ; and baptism is to be administered to 
 them, as well as to the males. In this respect 
 baptism is happily suited to the nature of the 
 Christian dispensation which removes a num- 
 ber of distinctions between the sexes, made in 
 the law of Moses, and restores things to the 
 
121 
 
 state in which they were at the beginning." 
 See Matth. xix. 8.* 
 
 Moreover, though circumcision itself was 
 not that bondage, which the Israelites were un* 
 able to bear* (See Acts xv* 10,) but only in* 
 
 * In proportion as Christianity prevails, it improves the con* 
 dition of the female sex, who in every age and nation have ex- 
 perienced such cruel treatment from the men. The law of 
 Moses made provision for the happiness of females. The gos- 
 pel of Christ proceeds further* and aims to bring every woman 
 to be such to her husband, as Eve was to Adam in the garden 
 of Eden. But let no person understand what the apostle Paul 
 says, " There is neither male nor female," with such latitude,, 
 as is plainly repugnant to certain distinctions, which the same 
 apostle has made. Let no one, from that general declarations, 
 infer, for instance, that it is right for a woman to do in the 
 church every thing, which it is right for a man to do ; for this 
 would be in the face of the apostle's particular exceptions. 
 See I. Cor. xiv. 34, 37, I. Tim. ii. 8—12. The apostle takes 
 things from the beginning, and shows, that according to the 
 -original formation of man and woman, the woman ought to be, 
 in a certain sense* subject to the man, though, in another sense, 
 they are equal. See I. Cor. xi. 7 — 12. and I. Tim. ii. 13. See 
 how the apostle describes the duties of husbands and wives 
 in Eph. v. 22 — 33. The Greek word rendered men, in I. Tim. 
 ii. 8. is such, as cannot include females. We need not however 
 know any thing about Greek, in order to understand, that ac- 
 cording to the doctrine of Paul, as well as that of Peter, there 
 is a distinction between what is proper for a man, and what is 
 proper for a. woman. "But," says Paulj "if any" one i* 
 " ignorant, let him be ignorant." 
 11 
 
122 
 
 troductory to it, after the law was given, (Gal. 
 v. 1, 3.) yet circumcision itself was attended 
 with some pain and trouble. But baptism is 
 an easy thing, and, in this respect, suited to the 
 Christian dispensation, which requires nothing 
 hard.* There is no such difference between 
 circumcision and baptism, as takes away the 
 force of the present argument. 
 
 There appears to be nothing in the nature 
 of baptism, to render it improper to be admin- 
 istered to infants. When baptism is adminis- 
 tered to any person, it signifies his need of the 
 remission of sins and the renewing of the Holy 
 Spirit. Infants need the remission of sins and 
 the renewing of the Holy Spirit ; and it is no 
 more impossible for them to exercise faith, 
 than it was impossible for Isaac, when eight 
 days old, or any infant in the ancient church, 
 to exercise that faith, which Abraham had, in 
 uncircumcision. 
 
 It has been asked, how can baptism be said 
 to have taken the place of circumcision, since 
 circumcision was practised in the time of the 
 apostles, among the Christian Jews ? Baptism, 
 according to what has been remarked, has not 
 
 * We are not, however, so to understand what Peter says, 
 Acts xv. 10. as to make it contradict what the Psalmist says," I 
 esteem all thy precepts concerning all things [that is, altogeth- 
 er] to be right." 
 
123 
 
 taken the place of circumcision in all respects ; 
 particularly, of circumcision, as sealing the Si- 
 nai covenant. This covenant was not at once 
 to " vanish away." If the Christians among 
 the Jews had considered circumcision unneces- 
 sary, as a token of the Abrahamic covenant, 
 they would have considered it necessary, as re- 
 quired in the law of Moses, and as a seal of the 
 Sinai covenant. This question, however, may 
 be answered, by another question ; how can 
 king Solomon be said to have succeeded king 
 David, since solomon began to reign before 
 his father's death ? 
 
 It has been said, that, if baptism has taken 
 the place of circumcision, it is nothing ; be- 
 cause the apostle Paul says, " Circumcision is 
 nothing." I. Cor. vii. 19. If the person who 
 thus speaks, desires to know the apostle's 
 meaning in this place, let him read the whole 
 verse, and the preceding verse, and compare 
 these two verses with Gal. iii. 28. and v. 6. 
 and vi. 12 — 16. and Col. iii. 11. But was 
 not circumcision something, before baptism 
 took its place ? What does this same apostle 
 say upon this point ? What profit is there of 
 circumcision ? " Much every way ; chiefly, be- 
 cause" " unto them [the Israelites] were com- 
 mitted the oracles of God. For, what, if some 
 
if! 
 
 did not believe, shall their unbelief make the 
 faith of God without effect ?" make it a vain 
 thing to trust in God ? See Rom. iii. 1 — 3. 
 
 It may be asked, though believing Gentiles 
 are, spiritually, Abraham's seed, what interest 
 have their natural seed in the covenant of 
 grace ? The same interest, (according to what 
 has been already remarked) as the natural seed 
 of those Jews, who believed the gospel. Fur- 
 thermore, let it be considered, that the children 
 of those proselytes, who, in the time of the an- 
 cient church, heartily took hold of God's cov- 
 enant, had the same interest in the covenant, 
 as the children of those of Abraham's natural 
 seed, who walked in the steps of his faith. 
 
 From what has been said concerning cir- 
 cumcision and baptism, it appears, that no par- 
 ent has a right to have his children baptized, 
 merely, because he himself was baptized in his 
 infancy. If his children were baptized upon 
 this principle, they would be baptized, not up- 
 on his account, but upon the account of his 
 parents, or of some person, upon whose ac- 
 count he himself was baptized. When a par- 
 ent among the Israelites was truly pious, was 
 circumcised in heart, and felt disposed faithful- 
 ly to do his duty to his children, he might with 
 
125 
 
 propriety hope, that his immediate offspring 
 would be blessed, and of course have some 
 hope respecting their children. The like may 
 be said with regard to Christian parents. It 
 was not necessary, that circumcision should be 
 performed by a priest or Levite. Parents them- 
 selves had liberty to circumcise their own chil- 
 dren. It was the duty of a parent, when he 
 had a child circumcised, to take this step 
 with the same faith, with which Abraham had 
 taken it. When a minister of the gospel is re- 
 quested to baptize a child, it is improper for 
 him to do it, merely because he is requested 
 by a parent, who was himself baptized in infan- 
 cy. It is manifestly improper to baptize the 
 child, unless it would be proper for him, ac- 
 cording to Mark xvi. 16. to baptize the parent 
 himself, if he needed and desired baptism, and 
 unless the parent appears to be disposed to bring 
 up the child in a manner corresponding with 
 baptism. As the kingdom of God belongs on- 
 ly to little children, and those, who resemble 
 little children, to such only baptism belongs. 
 But in a christian country a man's requesting 
 a minister of the gospel to baptize his child, 
 may give little evidence of his having that faith. 
 with which salvation is connected, and of 
 11* 
 
126 
 
 resembling a little child ; whereas those, who 
 brought little children to Jesus for his blessing, 
 by that very thing, gave considerable evidence, 
 that they had faith, and that they had them- 
 selves become, in a degree, like little children. 
 
 Argument 2. Infant baptism is, in some 
 measure, favoured by the accounts of the bap- 
 tism of the households of Lydia, the jailor and 
 Stephanas. See Acts xvi. 14, 15, 31 — 34. and 
 I. Cor. i. 16. These accounts, when candidly 
 considered, will be allowed by persons of all de- 
 nominations, to favour infant baptism, in a 
 greater or less degree. 
 
 We do not know, that there was one young 
 child in either of the three households. But is 
 it not probable, that there were some young 
 children, in the three households, collectively 
 considered ? There is nothing in the above ac- 
 counts, nor in any other passage of Scripture, 
 contrary to such a supposition. 
 
 What is said, I. Cor. xvi. 15. in commen- 
 dation of the house of Stephanas, does not show, 
 that at the time, when this epistle was written, 
 every individual in the house had addicted him- 
 self to the charitable work of ministering to the 
 saints. If this was not the case, still the house, 
 as a house, might truly be said to have addict- 
 ed themselves to that service. Much less does 
 
127 
 
 the passage show, that, at the time, when Paul 
 baptized the household, which is supposed to 
 have been a considerable number of years be- 
 fore the date of this epistle, there was no indi- 
 vidual in the house too young to exercise " faith 
 in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints." 
 When it is said respecting the jailor, Acts 
 xvi. 34. that he rejoiced, believing in God with 
 all his house, " it is rather uncertain, whether 
 the Greek adverb, rendered " with all his house," 
 Was intended, grammatically speaking, to ex- 
 press a circumstance of the verb, rendered, " re- 
 joiced," or of the participle rendered, " believ- 
 ing;" nor is this material. If all the jailor's 
 house believed, who were capable of believing, 
 he may be truly said to have believed in God 
 " With all his house." We are not obliged to 
 understand any thing more by what is said of the 
 house of Crispus, Acts xviii. 8. though there the 
 Greek phraseology is different ; nor by what is 
 said of the nobleman's house, John iv . 53. But 
 the most literal rendering of the passage in Acts 
 xvi. 34. is rejoiced, through for vjithj all his 
 house, (panoiki) having believed in God. It 
 appears probable, that the adverb was intended 
 to go, in construction, with the verb, and give 
 us a more lively idea of that joy, which filled 
 the jailor's heart, and filled his habitation. It 
 
128 
 
 was a joyful time to the jailor, and a joyful 
 time to Paul and Silas. The jailor rejoiced 
 through his house. From Acts xvi. 32. it is 
 manifest that some of the house, besides the 
 jailor himself, were capable of believing ; and 
 if all of " his," who were capable of believ- 
 ing, partook of the " like precious faith," he 
 had reason to consider salvation, as having 
 come to his house in a glorious manner. It 
 cannot be inferred from the 3 2d verse, that ev- 
 ery one of the jailor's household was capable 
 of faith. But, if any should suppose, that eve- 
 ry one of the jailor's household was capable of 
 faith, and did believe, still the account of the 
 baptism of his believing household, would add 
 force to the remarks before made upon the 31st 
 verse, and, favouring the idea of that covenant 
 connexion, which seems to be there exhibited, 
 would, in this way, favour infant baptism. 
 Should any say, that it can no more be infer- 
 red from the 33d verse, that every one of the 
 jailor's household was baptized \ than it can be 
 inferred from the 32d verse, that every one was 
 capable of believing, it is a sufficient answer, 
 that, as has been before remarked, there is no 
 absurdity in baptizing infants , unless there was 
 an absurdity in circumcising infants* 
 
129 
 
 The account of the baptism of Lydia and 
 her household still more favours infant baptism. 
 It is said, that the " Lord opened" her " heart ;" 
 and we do not know, but that all her household 
 believed with her. But we have no account, 
 that any one of the house besides her believed. 
 If it be supposed, that any of the brethren, spok- 
 en of in the 40th verse, belonged to Lydia's 
 house, it will be only a conjecture ; and to sup- 
 pose, that they all belonged to her house, would 
 be an unreasonable conjecture.* 
 
 The arguments from the preceding accounts 
 of household baptism, will appear to have the 
 greater weight, when we consider, that we have 
 no account in the Scripture, of the baptism of 
 any person in particular, who is represented as 
 the head of a family, without having reason to 
 think, that the family were baptized. It is true, 
 that we have but few accounts of the baptism 
 of particular heads of families, or of any par tic* 
 ular persons. 
 
 The apostle Paul says, I. Cor. i. 14. "I 
 baptized none of you, but Crispus and Gaius." 
 Since we have ample reason from Acts xviii. 8. 
 to think, that all the house of Crispus were bap- 
 tized,! we have considerable reason to think, 
 
 * See Acts xvi. 9, 10, 12, 17, 18. Philippi. i. 1, 5. 
 
 f They might be baptized by Silas, on Timotheus : see Terse 5. 
 
130 
 
 that the family of Gains were baptized ; for he 
 seems to have had a family ; see Rom. xvi. 23. 
 When the gospel comes to the head of a 
 family, is not this its language? " Come thou, 
 and all thy house into the ark."* " By faith 
 Noah" — " prepared an ark to the saving of his 
 house, f ' ' He and his household were ' ' saved, ' ' 
 says Peter, "by water." "The like figure 
 whereunto, even baptism doth also now save us, 
 (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but 
 the answering of a good conscience toward 
 God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ. "J 
 We are not saved by mere baptism, we must 
 have that spiritual purification, and that union 
 to Christ, which are signified by baptism. 
 Noah's house were saved from the deluge by 
 sovereign mercy; they were saved by water, and 
 in consequence of his faith and obedience. If 
 the children of Christian parents be saved from 
 endless ruin, it will be by sovereign grace; 
 they will be saved by that renewing of the Ho- 
 ly Ghost, which is signified by baptism ; and 
 they may be saved in consequence of the faith 
 and obedience of their parents, who, having 
 been baptized themselves, devote them to God 
 in the same ordinance. 
 
 * Gen. vii. 1. f Heb. xi. 7. * I. Pet. iii. 20, 21. 
 
131 
 
 Argument 3. Infant baptism is favoured by 
 the silence of the Jews, on this subject, in the 
 time of the apostles. 
 
 If the Jews had understood by the doctrine 
 and practice of the apostles, that under the 
 Christian dispensation there was to be no cove- 
 nant connexion between parents and children, 
 would they have never offered an objection 
 against the gospel on this ground ? But we 
 have no account in the Scriptures, that they ev- 
 er offered such an objection. 
 
 In the time of St. Paul's ministry, there were 
 "many thousands," of believing Jews, at Jeru- 
 salem, " all zealous of the law," and of their 
 ancient custom of circumcising their children. 
 So tenacious were they of this custom, that 
 they were much dissatisfied with Paul, because 
 they had been informed, that he had taught the 
 Jews " to forsake Moses' saying, that they ought 
 not to circumcise their children."* The time 
 had not yet come for the believing Jews to cease 
 from the observance of the ceremonial part of 
 the law of Moses. It had seemed good to the 
 Holy Ghost, and to the apostles and elders and 
 all the church at Jerusalem, Acts xv. not to re- 
 quire believing Gentiles to be circumcised, and 
 
 * Acts, xxi. 20. 
 
132 
 
 observe the Mosaic ritual.* But, while the be^ 
 lieving Jews were " zealous of the law," at the 
 time of which we speak, we must not think, 
 that they considered their children as connected 
 with them merely in regard to the Sinai cove- 
 nant ;f they, doubtless, considered their chil- 
 dren, as connected with them, also, in regard to 
 the Abrahamic covenant, and in regard to the 
 blessings of the gospel. They were not yet> 
 it appears, fully enlightened respecting the new 
 covenant. They did not yet clearly see, how 
 the old Sinai covenant was vanishing away. 
 But so far as they understood the new covenant, 
 they, doubtless, thought, that, since their chil- 
 dren were connected with them in the Sinia 
 covenant, and bound to observe it, (See Deut. 
 xxix. 10—13.) they were connected with them 
 in respect to the blessings of that new covenant, 
 (See Jer. xxxi. 31 — 34. andHeb, viii. 8 — 12.) 
 which was making with the house of Israel ; 
 which took nothing away, but gave exceedingly 
 
 * At the same time, the believing Gentiles were cautioned 
 against a sifl prevalent among those, who knew not God, and 
 directed to abstain from a few things, which were forbidden in 
 the law of Moses, and, which might be peculiarly offensive to 
 the Jews, among whom they dwelt ; as Moses was read in the 
 synagogues in every city. 
 
 t See Rom. ix. 4, 5. 
 
133 
 
 great mercies, which did not exclude infants, 
 but bestowed blessings upon " the least," and 
 upon " the greatest;" especially, since it was 
 not with infants of a few days, that God found 
 " fault;" and since from that same book of 
 Jeremiah, it appeared, that there was to be a 
 covenant connexion between parents and chil- 
 dren in respect to the blessings of the gospel. 
 (See Jer. xxxii. 39.) Moreover, since the whole 
 congregation of Israel, parents and children, 
 had been, in a certain sense, baptized, unto Mo- 
 ses in the cloud and in the Red sea, (See I. 
 Cor. x. 2.) and had received a kind of baptism 
 at the dedication of the Sinai covenant, (See 
 Heb. ix. 18 — 20.) must they not have thought 
 it proper, that Christian baptism should be ad- 
 ministered to infants ; at least, if they under- 
 stood the nature of this baptism, as signifying 
 that regeneration, of which even infants have 
 need ? Though they were not fully enlighten- 
 ed in regard to the mystery of the gospel, they 
 were so far enlightened, as to consider believing 
 Gentiles, entitled, without circumcision, to a 
 participation of the blessings of the new cove- 
 nant. The admission of Gentiles into the 
 church does not militate against the idea of a 
 covenant connexion between Christian parents 
 and their children. The admission of Gentiles 
 12 
 
134 
 
 into the church did not lessen the privileges of 
 believing Jews ; nor did those Jews consider 
 their privileges lessened. The conversion of 
 the Gentiles caused great joy. Would not the 
 believing Jews, therefore, have thought strange, 
 if they had understood by the doctrine and 
 practice of the apostles, that there was no cov- 
 enant connexion between parents and children 
 in respect to the blessings of the gospel ? What, 
 if those Jews, who, before the result of the coun- 
 cil at Jerusalem, were earnest to have the believ- 
 ing Gentiles circumcised after the manner of 
 Moses, had been answered in such a way, as 
 this ? You wish to have them and their children 
 circumcised and required to keep the law of Mo- 
 ses. What propriety would there be in circum- 
 cisi?ig their children, as they must do, if they 
 circumcise themselves ? For there is no kind 
 of covenant connexion between believing Gen- 
 tiles and their children, nor indeed between believ- 
 ing Jews and their children. How would such 
 doctrine have affected those Jews, who reject- 
 ed the gospel, and, after the Gentiles were call- 
 ed into the church, were the more prejudiced 
 against the gospel, on that account W 
 
 * The Greek of Rom. xi. 30, 31. ought, perhaps to have 
 been rendered thus. For, as ye formerly disbelieved God, but 
 now kave obtained mercy through their unbelief; so also, they 
 have now disbelieved your mercy, that they, also, may obtain 
 mercy. 
 
135 
 
 The present argument from the silence of 
 the Jews, whether believers or unbelievers, in 
 respect to infant baptism, will have the greater 
 weight, when we consider, that the Jews, in or 
 about the apostles time, baptized those who be- 
 came proselytes to the Jewish religion, both 
 parents and children. Whether this custom of 
 baptizing proselytes was introduced, before or 
 after Christian baptism was instituted, learn- 
 ed men are not agreed ; nor is it material to the 
 present argument, at what particular time the 
 custom was introduced* It seems to be the 
 opinion of all, that it was a custom in or about 
 the times of the apostles, when a man became 
 a proselyte to the Jewish religion, to baptize 
 him and his household, before the males were 
 circumcised. This custom shows us, what ideas 
 those Jews, who practised it, had of the unclean- 
 ness of Gentile children as connected with their 
 parents, and of the covenant connexion between 
 those Gentiles, who took hold of God's cove- 
 nant, and their children. 
 
 Argument 4. It appears plain from histo- 
 ry, that infant baptism has been practised by the 
 church in general, from the apostolic age to the 
 present time. 
 
 It was not disputed for eleven hundred years. 
 Dr. FFall, in his history of infant baptism, says, 
 
136 
 
 " For the first four hundred years, there appears 
 only one man, Tartullian, who advised the de- 
 lay of infant baptism in some cases, and one 
 Gregory, who did perhaps practise such delay 
 in the case of his own children ; but no society 
 of men so thinking or so practising, or anyone 
 saying it was unlawful to baptize infants. So, 
 in the next seven hundred years, there was not 
 so much as a man to be found, who either 
 spoke or practised any such delay, but all to 
 the contrary. And, when about the year 1130, 
 one sect among the Waldenses or Albigenses, 
 declared against the baptizing of infants, as inca- 
 pable of salvation, the main body of that people 
 rejected that opinion, and those of them, who 
 held that opinion, quickly dwindled away and 
 disappeared ; there being no more persons heard 
 of, holding that tenet, until the rising of the 
 German anti-pedo baptists in the year 1522." 
 
 As infant baptism appears to have been the 
 uninterrupted practice of the church, till a pe- 
 riod between fourteen and fifteen hundred years 
 distant from the times of the apostles, it is the 
 less strange, that there is but little to be found 
 on the subject, in the writings of the ancients. 
 They were not called to defend the practice, 
 for none disputed it. In their writings on oth- 
 er subjects^ they sometimes had occasion to 
 
137 
 
 mention infant baptism, as the universal prac- 
 tice of the church. 
 
 Justin Martyr, who wrote about forty years 
 after the apostles, mentions persons then living, 
 sixty, or seventy years old, " who were made 
 disciples to Christ in their childhood." These 
 persons were made disciples in the time of the 
 apostles. Because the apostles were directed 
 to baptize those, whom they made disciples, 
 Justin appears to consider baptized children, as 
 disciples. 
 
 Irenaus, who wrote about sixty years after 
 the apostles, speaks of " infants, little ones, and 
 youths," being regenerated unto God, evident- 
 ly using the word regeneration so as to include 
 baptism. This was what the ancients general- 
 ly understood by being " born of the water," 
 and "by the washing of regeneration." 
 
 Origen, who lived about a hundred years 
 after the apostles, declared infant baptism to 
 have been the constant practice of the church. 
 He says, " The church had a tradition or com- 
 mand from the apostles to give baptism to in- 
 fants." He brought the practice of baptizing 
 infants to prove, that they needed " forgiveness 
 and mercy." " Infants," says he, " are baptiz- 
 ed for the remission of sins," 
 12* 
 
138 
 
 Cyprian, who was constituted bishop of Car- 
 thage in Africa, in the year 248, declared de- 
 cidedly in favour of infant baptism. In his time 
 a council was called at Carthage, consisting of 
 66 bishops, to decide this question, whether 
 an infant might be baptized before he was eight 
 days old. It was not a question, whether infants 
 were to be baptized, but whether their baptism 
 should be delayed till the eighth day, accord- 
 ing to, the law of circumcision, The council 
 unanimously agreed, "that an infant might be 
 baptized on the second or third day, or at any 
 time after its birth." 
 
 Saint Ambrose % Saint Chrysostom, Saint 
 Hierome, and Saint Austin, wrote, nearly at the 
 same time, and about 280 years after the apos- 
 tles ; and according to their united testimony, 
 infant baptism was then the universal practice 
 of the church. Ambrose informs us, "that in- 
 fant baptism was practised in his time, and in 
 the time of the apostles." Chrysostom says, 
 " Persons may be baptized, either in their in- 
 fancy, in middle age, or in old age." Austin 
 informs us, that u infant baptism is one of those 
 practices, which were not instituted by any 
 council, but had always been in use" — that 
 " infants were to be baptized for the remission 
 of sins" — that " he had never heard or read of 
 
139 
 
 any Christian, Catholic or sectary, who held 
 otherwise" — that " no Christian of any sort, 
 ever denied it to be useful or necessary." Hie* 
 rome says, " If infants be not baptized, the sin 
 of omitting their baptism is laid to their parents 
 charge." 
 
 Hierome and Austin brought the practice of 
 baptizing infants, to prove the doctrine of orig- 
 inal sin. Pelagius and Celestius, their antago- 
 nists, whether they felt more or less embarrass- 
 ed with that argument, did not deny the duty 
 of infant baptism. Because Pelagius denied 
 original sin, some thought he must of course 
 deny infant baptism, and actually charged hinx 
 with it ; but he repelled the charge, as ground- 
 less and slanderous, and says " men slander him, 
 as if he denied the sacrament of baptism to in- 
 fants, and did promise the kindom of heaven to 
 any person without the redemption of Christ ; 
 and that he never heard of any, not even the 
 most impious heretic, that would say such a 
 thing of infants."* Since the year 1522, when 
 a sect arose in Germany, and declared against 
 infant baptism, the denomination of baptists has 
 continued and considerably increased. But the 
 
 * A more particular account of what the fathers have said 
 on this subject, may be seen in Reeds Jpology, from which 
 these historical quotations have been chiefly selected. 
 
140 
 
 number has been, and still is, comparatively 
 small. Professing Christians, in general, con- 
 tinue in the belief and practice of the important 
 duty of giving baptism to infants. 
 
 From what has been brought into view, it ap*. 
 pears, that infant baptism is not, as some sup- 
 pose, a thing lately introduced into the church. 
 The denial of infant baptism appears to be a late 
 thing. 
 
 Let the nature of the present argument be 
 understood. It is not meant to be suggested, 
 that the mere practice of the church in regard 
 to baptism, since the apostolic age, even if it had 
 been more completely uniform, than it has been, 
 to the present age, would of itself, be a sufficient 
 warrant for infant baptism ; nor that we should 
 have a sufficient warrant, if to that practice we 
 should add the opinions of the Christian fathers, 
 or of any uninspired men in respect to the mean- 
 ing of Scripture. But when we consider what 
 has been the practice of the church in regard to 
 baptism since the days of the apostles, as far as 
 we learn it from the writings of the Christian 
 fathers and from history, when we consider that 
 infant baptism was universally practised in the 
 church, and practised not as an invention ofman y 
 
141 
 
 but as a Divine institution, we have, evidently, 
 a strong argument, that infant baptism is agree- 
 able to the doctrine and practice of the apostles. 
 
 Let no one imagine that infant baptism is one 
 of those inventions, which were originated in the 
 dark times of popery. Luther and Calvin, who 
 were instrumental of so much light to the church, 
 did not think infant baptism one of those cor- 
 ruptions, which it became Christians to put 
 away. 
 
 What history tells us, and what we conjecture 
 concerning a particular matter, which history 
 brings to view, are two things. Because it ap- 
 pears from history, that in times of great dark- 
 ness and corruption, there were Christians, who 
 lived at a distance from the great body of pro- 
 fessing Christians, and maintained great purity 
 of doctrine and manners, some persons are dis- 
 posed to conjecture, that they were baptists. 
 But, if we learn from history, that they were re- 
 markably pure, and yet do not learn from his- 
 tory, that they were baptists, history, in this 
 respect favours infant baptism. 
 
 History itself so manifestly favours infant 
 baptism, whatever different degrees of force dif- 
 ferent persons may allow to this argument, that 
 
142 
 
 it seems to be almost necessary for those, who 
 consider infant baptism wrong, to admit, that 
 there was probably a time, in which the practice 
 was universal in the church, and that the prac- 
 tice became universal soon after the time of the 
 apostles. 
 
SERMON IV. 
 
 Romans iv. 11, 12. 
 
 And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal 
 of the righteousness of the faith, which he 
 had, yet being uncircumcised : that he might 
 be the father of all them that believe, though 
 they be not circumcised ; that righteousness 
 might be imputed unto them also ; And the 
 father of circumcision to them, who are not 
 of the circumcision only, but who also walk in 
 the steps of that faith of our father Abra- 
 ham, which he had, being yet uncircumcised. 
 
 J. proceed to answer certain objections a- 
 gainst infant baptism, and against the reasoning 
 of those, who argue in favour of it, which have 
 not yet in these discourses, received a formal 
 attention. 
 
 Objection I. God's covenant with Abra- 
 ham, Isaac and Jacob, as it respected their nat- 
 tural seed, was a kind of civil contract, relating 
 to the temporal concerns of the Hebrew Com- 
 monwealth; circumcision, and what is often 
 called by Christians the Jewish church, were 
 both abolished with the ritual institutions of 
 the Sinai covenant, a new church was establish- 
 
144 
 
 ed, with which the infants of believers have no 
 connexion, and consequently these infants 
 have no right to baptism. Although enough 
 may appear to some persons to have been 
 said in the preceding discourses, to obviate an 
 objection of this import, yet, as it may still seem 
 to others to be of considerable weight, it may 
 be well to give a particular answer. 
 
 I will endeavour to show clearly from 
 Scripture, that instead of its being right to call 
 the Abrahamic covenant a civil contract, the 
 Jewish church was truly a church, and was nev- 
 er to be abolished. It is not meant that the 
 members of the Jewish church in general were 
 real saints, but that true love to God, and sin- 
 cere obedience, were what he required of them, 
 and what they professed ; and that some of 
 every generation were real saints. It is not 
 meant that the Jewish church was equal to the 
 Christian church ; but, that, the Christian 
 church, is essentially the same with the pre- 
 ceding Jewish church, though in a certain 
 sense it is new, being under a different and far 
 more glorious dispensation. The Christian 
 church is the Jewish church continued, enrich- 
 ed with grace and truth, and receiving Gen- 
 tiles into its bosom. 
 
145 
 
 (1.) Love to God and to men was required 
 of the Jewish church. 
 
 Moses said, " Hear, O Israel-; the Lord 
 thy God is one Lord. And thou shalt love 
 the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and 
 with all thy soul, and with all thy might."*-*- 
 " Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self."f 
 " On these two commandments," says Jesus, 
 6 ' hang all the law and the prophets. " J " Love," 
 says the apostle Paul, " is the fulfilling of the 
 law. "J 
 
 (2.) A solemn profession of true religion 
 was made by the Jewish church. 
 
 At Sinai all Israel promised sincere obedi- 
 ence. When Moses read the book of the cove- 
 nant in the audience of the people, they said, 
 " All that the Lord hath said willjvve do and be 
 obedient." And Moses sprinkled them with 
 the blood of the covenant. || They all made a 
 public profession of true religion. Hence Mo- 
 ses said to them, " Thou hast avouched the 
 Lord this day to be thy God, and to walk in his 
 ways, and to keep his statutes, and his com- 
 mandments, and his judgments, and to hearken 
 unto his voice."** 
 
 * Deut. vi. 45. f Lcvit. xix. 18. J Malt. xxii. 40. \ Rom. 
 xiii. 10. {| Ex. xxiv 7. ** Deut. xxiv. 17. 
 13 
 
146 
 
 The Jewish church, in the time of Joshua, 
 in the time of Josiah, and after their return from 
 captivity in the time of Nehemiah, publicly 
 and solemnly renewed covenant with God ; 
 professing true love, and promising sincere obe- 
 dience. 
 
 (3.) False professors in the Jewish church 
 were accused of flattering God with their 
 mouthy and lying unto him with their tongue. 
 
 When he afflicted them, "then they sought 
 him : and they returned and enquired early after 
 God : and they remembered that God was their 
 rock, and the high God, their Redeemer. Nev- 
 ertheless they did natter him with their mouth, 
 and they lied unto him with their tongues : 
 for their heart was not right with him, nei- 
 ther were they steadfast in his covenant."* 
 Their hearts'" not being right with God was a 
 violation of his covenant, because his covenant 
 required a right heart, and they professed to 
 have hearts right xvith him ; otherwise how 
 were they guilty of flattery and falsehood ? 
 God's covenant with the Jewish church mani- 
 festly required them to love and glorify him. 
 Hence he said " to the wicked," u what hast 
 thou to do to declare my statutes, or that thou 
 
 * Psa. Ixxxviii. 34— 3T. 
 
147 
 
 shouldst take my covenant in thy mouth."* 
 He declared his abhorrence of the service of 
 the hypocritical nation ; that their sacrifices and 
 solemn meetings were an abomination in his 
 sight, f Most pointedly did Christ reprove 
 the leading and influential members of the Jew- 
 ish church, for their omitting the more weighty 
 matters of the law, judgment, mercy, faith and 
 the love of God, for their hypocrisy and wick- 
 edness. He said, " Wo unto you, Scribes and 
 Pharisees, hypocrites ; for ye make clean the 
 outside of the cup, and of the platter, but with- 
 in ye are full of extortion and ex cess." J 
 
 (4.) The same blessings, essentially, were 
 promised to the Jewish church, as are promised 
 to the Christian church. 
 
 The promise of blessings was not made to 
 hypocrites ; but to true saints, who entered in- 
 to covenant with all their hearts. To such Je- 
 hovah promised forgiveness of sin, righteous- 
 ness, strength, and peace ; he promised to con- 
 tinue his loving kindness to them ; to give them 
 grace and glory, and to withhold no good thing 
 from those, who walk uprightly. 
 
 (5.) The Israel of God was to continue for- 
 ever. 
 
 * Psa. I. 16. f Is. i. 2—^5. \ Matt, xxiii. 25. 
 
148 
 
 u As for me, this is my covenant with them,.. 
 saith the Lord. My Spirit that is upon thee, 
 and my words which I have put in thy mouth, 
 shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of 
 the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of 
 thy seed's seed, saith the Lor i>, from hence- 
 forth and forever."* — " For, as the new heav- 
 ens and the new earth, which I will make, shall 
 remain before me,, saith the Lord, so shall your 
 seed and your name remain, "f 
 
 Though these promises were given, whea 
 the church was under the Sinai covenant, yet 
 they were given in pursuance of the everlast- 
 ing covenant, which God made "with Abraham, 
 with Isaac, and with Jacob." In- remembrance 
 of this covenant, he delivered his church from 
 Egypt, and gave them the law at Sinai, for 
 their instruction, until the coming of Christ. 
 But all the instruction communicated to them, 
 in the law and by the prophets, was for the pur- 
 pose of accomplishing the great design of the 
 Abrahamic covenant, and continuing the church. 
 
 The continuance of the ancient church, is 
 evidently implied, in a number of figurative 
 representations in the Holy Scriptures. That 
 church is called Zion ; the Zion of the holy One 
 
 *Is. lix. 21." fls. lxvi.22. 
 
149 
 
 of Israel. "* " Of Zion it shall be said, this and 
 that man was born in her ; and the Highest 
 himself shall establish her."f The Zion of the 
 holy One of Israel was not to be destroyed with 
 the Jewish ritual. For it is written, " The 
 Lord hath chosen Zion ; he hath desired it for his 
 habitation. This is my rest forever : here will 
 I dwell ; for I have desired it. "J "I will make 
 thee an eternal excellency, a joy of many gener- 
 ations. "§ The Christian church is called 
 mount Sion," " the city of the living God, 
 the heavenly Jerusalem." || 
 
 God called his ancient church his holy moun- 
 tain, in allusion to mount Zion, on which Jeru- 
 salem was built. He says, " The Lord will 
 be the hope of his people, and the strength of 
 the children of Israel. So shall ye know that I 
 am the Lord your God dwelling in Zion, my 
 holy mountain."** But under the Christian 
 dispensation, this mountain was not to be de- 
 molished, but to be highly exalted, and to be a 
 place, to which all nations should repair. " It 
 shall come to pass in the last days, that the 
 mountain of the Lord's house shall be estab- 
 lished in the top of the mountains, and shall be 
 
 *'Is. lx. 14. fPsa. Ixxxvii. 5. JPsa. cxxxii. 13— 1/5. 
 f Is. lx. 15. H Heb. xii. 22. ** Joeliii. 16, 17. 
 
 13* 
 
150 
 
 exalted above the hills, and all nations shall flow 
 unto it. 5 '* 
 
 God compared the Jewish church toa" vine 
 in a very fruitful hill," which brought forth 
 wild grapes, "f But it appears by the words 
 of Christ* that God's ancient vineyard was not 
 to be utterly destroyed. The Jews, who wick- 
 edly withheld the fruit from the right owner, 
 were destroyed ; and the vineyard was let out 
 to others. "$ Gentiles are now employed as la- 
 bourers in God's vineyard. 
 
 By what Paul says of the good olive tree, it 
 appears evident, that believing Gentiles belong 
 to the same church from which the unbelieving 
 Jews were excluded. Though the " fatness" 
 of the good olive tree has been greatly increas- 
 ed by the Christian dispensation, it is the same 
 olive tree. Believing Gentiles were " cut out 
 of the olive tree, which is wild by nature, and 
 grafted contrary to nature into a good olive 
 tree. "§ It is contrary to nature *, or different 
 from the usual method in grafting, to take 
 branches out of a bad tree, and graft them in* 
 to a good tree. It is also contrary to nature 
 for ingrafted branches to bear the same kind of 
 fruit as the tree into which they are grafted, 
 
 * Is, ii. 2. f Is. v. 1—4. | Matt. xxi. 33—41. \ Rom. xi. 24% 
 
151 
 
 But, however contrary these things are to na- 
 ture, they have taken place, and still take place. 
 Branches wild by nature are grafted into the 
 good olive, and bear good fruit. " How much 
 more" will " the natural branches be grafted" 
 again " into their own olive tree ?" The an- 
 cient good olive tree still lives, and flourishes. 
 Before the gospel came, it bore some good 
 fruit ; now its branches are more fruitful in good 
 words and works ; and much more numerous, 
 than before the natural branches were broken 
 off. It will at length exceedingly flourish ; 
 will have a great multitude of branches ; and 
 will bear an abundance of good fruit, " unto the 
 glory and praise of God." 
 
 Agreeable to this, God expressly promised 
 to enlarge his ancient church by the accession 
 of the Gentiles. " The children, which thou 
 shalt have, after thou hast lost the other, shall 
 say again in thine ears, the place is too strait 
 for me : give place to me, that I may dwell. 
 Then shalt thou say in thine heart, who hath 
 begotten me these, seeing I have lost my chil- 
 dren, and am desolate, a captive, and removing 
 to and fro ? and who hath brought up these ? 
 Behold, I was left alone ; these, where had they 
 been ? Thus saith the Lord God, behold, I 
 will lift up my hand to the Gentiles, and set up 
 
152 
 
 my standard to the people ; and they* shall bring 
 thy sons in their arms, and thy daughters shall be 
 carried upon their shoulders." * " The Gen- 
 tiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the 
 brightness of thy rising." — " The forces of the 
 Gentiles shall come unto thee." — The sons of 
 strangers shall build thy walls, and their kings 
 shall minister unto thee ; for in my wrath I 
 smote thee, but in my favour have I had mer- 
 cy on thee."f 
 
 (6.) By the preaching of John the Baptist, 
 it appears that the ancient church was not to 
 cease, but to be continued under the Christian 
 dispensation. 
 
 At the close of the prophecy of Malachi, 
 the last of the Jewish prophets, about four hun- 
 dred years before Christ, God said to his an- 
 cient church, "Behold, I will send you Elijah 
 the prophet before the coming of the great and 
 dreadful day of the Lord t- And he shall turn 
 the heart of the fathers to the children, and the 
 heart of the children to their fathers, lest I 
 come and smite the earth with a curse." By 
 Elijah the prophet, in this place, is meant John 
 the Baptist. He was the immediate messen- 
 ger to prepare the way for Christ, to "go be- 
 
 * Is, xlix. 20— 22. f Is. lx. 3, 5, 10. 
 
153 
 
 fore him in the spirit and power of Elias, td 
 turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and 
 the disobedient to the wisdom of the just ; to 
 make ready a people prepared for the Lord."** 
 He was "a prophet — and more than a proph- 
 et." He did more than the prophets, who 
 went before him. He was instrumental of mani- 
 festing Jesus as the light of the world, and sac- 
 rifice for sin. He showed him to the people, 
 saying, " Behold the Lamb of God, which tak- 
 eth away the sin of the world !"f He pointed 
 him out to the people, as the Son of God, who 
 would baptize with the Holy Ghost. But " he, 
 that is least in the kingdom of heaven, is great- 
 er than he. "J At the time of John's ministry, that 
 state of the church, which is called the kingdom 
 of heaven, had not commenced, but was at hand. 
 He did not live to be acquainted with the death, res- 
 urrection and ascension of Christ, and to partic- 
 ipate those spiritual blessings, which began to 
 be poured out upon the Christian church on the 
 day of Pentecost. He was sent to prepare the 
 Jews to believe in Christ, by whom the new 
 dispensation was to be introduced. But he 
 did not teach them, that their church was to be 
 abolished, and a new one founded, from the 
 privileges of which, the children of believers 
 
 * Luke i. 16, 17. f John i. 29. f Matt. xi. 9— 11. 
 
154 
 
 were to be excluded. Speaking of the church 
 as a vineyard, he did not declare, that all the 
 trees should be cut down, and the \fineyard it- 
 self destroyed ; but he said, " The axe is laid 
 at the root of the trees ; therefore every tree, 
 which bringeth not forth good fruit, is hewn 
 down, and cast into the fire."* Instead of say- 
 ing, that the everlasting covenant would cease, 
 and that Abraham would no longer have a cov- 
 enant seed on the earth, he declared, that " God 
 was able of stones," or of impenitent Gentiles, 
 " to raise up children unto Abraham."! He 
 did not attempt to turn the hearts of parents 
 from their children, by telling them, that the 
 .seed of believers were no longer to be the sub- 
 jects of promise, nor to reeeive the seal of the 
 covenant. No words, of such dreadful im- 
 port, with respect to the rising generation, were 
 spoken by John the Baptist. His doctrine was 
 more evangelical. To turn the heart of the fa- 
 thers to the children, and the heart of the chil- 
 dren to their fathers, that parents and children 
 might escape the curse denounced against sin- 
 ners, was one important design of his ministry. 
 In the spirit and power of JE lias, he called up- 
 on the Jews to repent of their sins, and attend 
 to the concerns of their own souls, and the 
 
 *Matt.iii. 10. fMatt. iii, 9. 
 
155 
 
 souls of their children. He preached with suc- 
 cess. Many of the children of Israel did he 
 turn to the Lord their God. 
 
 (7.) Christ did not abolish the Abrahamic 
 covenant and the ancient church ; but he con- 
 firmed" the promises made unto the fathers?' 
 and opened the way for the union of Jews and 
 Gentiles in one Church. 
 
 When Jesus died, " the vail of the temple 
 was rent in twain, from the top to the bottom."* 
 Once the Gentiles " were without Christ, be- 
 ing aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, 
 and strangers from the covenants of promise, 
 having no hope, and without God in the world." 
 " But now " they who formerly " were far off, 
 are made nigh by the blood of Christ." For," 
 says the apostle Paul, " he is our peace, who 
 hath made both one, and hath broken down the 
 middle wall of partition between us; having 
 abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law 
 of commandments contained in ordinances;" 
 " to make in himself, of twain, one new man, so 
 making peace ; and that he might reconcile 
 both unto God, in one body, by the cross, hav- 
 ing slain the enmity thereby ; and came and 
 preached peace to you " who " were afar off, 
 and to them that were nigh. For through him 
 
 *Matt. xxvii. 51. 
 
156 
 
 jve both have access by one Spirit unto the Fa- 
 ther* Now, therefore, ye are no more strang- 
 ers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the 
 saints, and of the household of God : and are 
 built upon the foundation of the apostles and 
 prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief 
 corner stone; in whom all the building, fitly 
 framed together, groweth into an holy temple 
 in the Lord : in whom ye also are builded to- 
 gether, for an habitation of God through the 
 Spirit."* This passage shows, that the Chris- 
 tian Clinrch is, in one sense, new, and, in anoth- 
 er, the ancient church continued. 
 
 If the ancient church ended with the Jew- 
 ish economy, how has the blessing of Abraham 
 come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ ? 
 how are they by faith in Jesus Christ u Abra- 
 ham's seed, and heirs according to the prom- 
 ise ?" how are Gentiles, by faith in Jesus Christ, 
 grafted into the same olive tree, of which the 
 Jews were the natural branches ? how is Abra- 
 ham the father of all them that believe ?" and 
 why did God reveal it " unto his holy apostles 
 and prophets by the Spirit ; that the Gentiles 
 should be fellow heirs, and of the same body, 
 and partakers of his promise in Christ by the 
 gospel ?"f 
 
 * Eph. ii. 13—22. f Eph. iii, 5, 6. 
 
157 
 
 Let us dwell still longer upon this impor- 
 tant point. 
 
 That what is called the Jewish church, was 
 truly a church, appears from John i. 11. " He 
 
 came unto his own, [that is, his own property, 
 estate or house] and his own [people] receiv- 
 ed him not." (In general, they received him 
 not. ) The same thing appears from John iv. 22. 
 which, if the Greek were rendered literally, 
 would stand thus. Ye worship what (i. e. that 
 which) ye do not know ; we worship what (i, e. 
 that which) we know. For salvation is from 
 (or, out of) the Jews* Salvation began with 
 the Jews, and was communicated from them to 
 other nations. 
 
 If the Israelites had not been truly a church, 
 before the gospel came, would Paul have spok- 
 en, as he did in Acts xxvi. 6, 7, ? — " for the 
 hope of the promise made " by u God unto our 
 fathers : unto which hope our twelve tribes, 
 instantly serving God day and night, hope to 
 come."* 
 
 How clearly it appears, that the congrega- 
 tion of Israel was truly a church, from Heb. iii. 
 5, 6. " Moses verily was faithful in all hisf 
 house, [not his own house, but God's] as a ser- 
 vant," — " but Christ, as a Son, over his ownf 
 
 * Compare Acts xxiv. 14, 15. \ autou. \ hautoxt. 
 14 
 
158 
 
 house; whose house are we." See verses 2 — 4. 
 The Christian Church, though, in one sense, a 
 new house, is, in another sense, the same house 
 of God, of which Moses was a part, and in 
 which he acted faithfully, as God's servant. A 
 house, considered as a family, may come under 
 new regulations, be greatly improved, and have 
 the number of its members greatly increased, 
 and be still the same house. Moses told the 
 fathers, that God would raise up unto them, of 
 their brethren, a Prophet, like him, to whom it 
 would be their duty to hearken, and that who- 
 soever w r ould not hearken to this Prophet, would 
 be destroyed from among the people. When 
 this Prophet, the Son of God, came to his own 
 house, the unbelieving Jews were excluded 
 from the house, and believing Gentiles were ad- 
 mitted, to associate, as brethren with those Jews, 
 who believed, and to participate the new privi- 
 leges and joys, with which the house was 
 blessed. 
 
 According to the whole tenor of the epistle 
 to the Hebrews, in which the new covenant, in 
 distinction from the Sinai covenant, is more 
 particularly spoken of, than in any other part 
 of the Scriptures, the Israelites were truly a 
 church, and the Christian church is that church 
 continued. The gospel time is called "the 
 
159 
 
 time of reformation,"* because the new cove- 
 nant is better than the Sinai covenant, which 
 was vanishing away. But there is a great dif- 
 ference between reforming and destroying. 
 
 How can we entertain the idea, that the Is- 
 raelites were not truly a church, but only a kind 
 of civil community, when we reflect on " the 
 giving of the law, and the service of God, and 
 the promises?" when we think of the holiness 
 of that law, which God gave them, and of the 
 awful majesty, and solemnity, with which he 
 gave it, of the service in the tabernacle, and 
 temple, where he condescended to dwell in a 
 peculiar manner, and of the words of the pro- 
 phets, whom he sent to call back his sinful peo- 
 ple to his law, to denounce threatenings against 
 them ; and also, to foretell, what glorious things 
 he purposed graciously to do for his people in 
 his own times? There is not a book in the Scrip- 
 tures of the Old Testament, however short, ex- 
 cept the book of Job, which does not more or 
 less explicitly represent the natural seed of Ja- 
 cob as the church of God ; and, according to 
 the prophets, the seed of Jacob, (which seed, 
 as it was revealed after the incarnation of Christ, 
 included those, who are not the naturul seed of 
 * See Heb. is. 10. 
 
160 
 
 Jacob,) were to be the church of God forever. 
 The Scriptures of the New Testament, in their 
 whole tenor, recognize this truth, that the natur- 
 al seed of Jacob were the church of God, as 
 a fundamental principle of Christianity ; and, 
 at the same time, unfold this additional truth, 
 us one of the glories of the gospel, that those of 
 all nations, who believe in Jesus Christ, are 
 accounted children of Abraham, and of Jacob. * 
 
 As it was through faith in Jesus Christ, 
 that the Old Testament Scriptures were to make 
 Timothy wise unto salvation, so, without a 
 knowledge of the Old Testament Scriptures, 
 much of the New Testament Scriptures would 
 be obscure. Yea, the New Testament itself, 
 that is the Testament, of which Jesus is Media- 
 tor, reminds us of the Old Testament which was 
 ratified at Sinai. Little do some persons consid- 
 er what they say, when they speak so lightly as 
 they do of circumcision, of the ancient church, 
 and of the Old Testament Scriptures. 
 
 Shall we say, that an " heir" is not an heir, 
 because, being a minor, he is under tutors and 
 governors ?" Because that mystery, which lay 
 hidden for many generations, was at length re- 
 vealed, that the Gentiles were to be fellow heirs 
 
 * See GaJ. iii. 29. and vi, 16. 
 
161 
 
 with the natural seed of Jacob, in respect to the 
 blessings promised in the ancient prophets, 
 shall the Gentiles say, that those blessings were 
 not promised primarily to that natural seed ? 
 Because Paul, the distinguished apostle of the 
 Gentiles, was enlightened respecting the mys- 
 tery of the gospel, and saw, that the Christian 
 dispensation far exceeds the former dispensa- 
 tion in glory, did he speak, as if there was no 
 visible churchy before the Christian church was 
 established ? By no means. 
 
 That the ancient Israelites were truly a 
 church, is so manifest from the whole tenor of 
 the Bible, that it is strange how any professing 
 Christians can deny it. But do not some teach- 
 ers among those, who deny infant baptism, act, 
 in regard to the ancient church, or, in regard to 
 the church in general, considered as comprising 
 both the ancient and the Christian church, a 
 part similar to the part acted, in regard to the 
 Christian church, by those, whom the apostle 
 termed " the concision f 9 ? They may act such a 
 part more or less ignorantly ; but how severe 
 is the wound, which they give the church, 
 when they cut off all that part of it, which ex- 
 isted between the time when Abraham receiv- 
 ed the sign of circumcision, and the day of 
 14* 
 
162 
 
 Pentecost, when Christian baptism began to be 
 administered ! 
 
 When I speak of the ancient Israelites, as a 
 church, I am not disputing for a word. But it 
 may be queried, whether Stephen did not ap- 
 ply the word church to the congregation of Is- 
 rael.* May not the natural seed of Abraham, 
 Isaac and Jacob, be said to have been a churchy 
 as called out from the world,f to be a holy peo- 
 ple to God, and to " enjoy in the land of Ca- 
 naan, an inheritance, typical of that eternal in- 
 heritance, for which Christians, having received 
 " the first fruits of the Spirit," are now waiting ? 
 
 What, though the ancient church was a na- 
 tion ? It was a nation specially favoured by the 
 Most High, who is " the governor among the 
 nations ;" and a nation to which he said, " O 
 my nation. "J What nation had " statutes and 
 judgments so righteous ?" for what nation did 
 God do such wonderful things ?§ To what na- 
 tion did God make such glorious promises ? 
 
 How greatly those err, who speak of the Isra- 
 elites, as a kind of civil community ! Do they 
 speak of them in this degrading manner, be- 
 
 * Acts vii. 38. f See Gen. xii. 1. and Deut. iv. 34. 
 % See Is. li. 4. and compare Ps. cvi. 4, 5. and I. Pet. ii. £, 
 10. and Deut. xxxii. 21, and Rom. x. 19. 
 $ See Deut. iv. 6—8, 30—40, and vii. 6—10. 
 
163 
 
 cause their civil affairs were governed by laws, 
 which they received from God ? Not only in 
 moral things, and in sacred things, but even in 
 civil things, they were to be governed by God's 
 laws. In all respects they were to be a holy 
 people to God. 
 
 Will it be said, that they proved a rebellious 
 people ? Though that church was not pure in 
 respect to the conduct of its members, but the 
 most of the time very unholy, still it was a 
 church. When God found " fault" with the 
 Israelites for breaking the Sinai covenant, Jen 
 xxxi. 32. these words, " although I was an hus« 
 band unto them," show, that they were a church. 
 Some of that church from age to age, were re- 
 al saints. The eleventh chapter of the epistle 
 to the Hebrews gives us a concise biography of 
 eminent believers from Abraham, and even 
 from Abel, down to the time of the gospel. 
 When it is said, Jer. ix. 26. " All the house 
 of Israel are uncircumcised in the heart," the 
 words are not to be taken in their most literal 
 sense. " What saith the answer of God unto" 
 Elias, who lived in a time of prevailing idola- 
 try ?* In what manner did God promise in 
 Jeremiah, to purify his church? Not by de- 
 
 * See Rom. xi. 4, 
 
164 
 
 Straying the church itself, not by removing in- 
 fants from the church ; but by making with the 
 church a new covenant, far different from the 
 Sinai covenant. In making this new covenant, 
 he performs " the mercy promised to" the " fa- 
 thers," and remembers "his holy covenant" 
 with Abraham. 
 
 The ancient church, was in a number of re- 
 spects typical of the Christian church. This 
 does not show, that it was not itself a real 
 church. On the contrary, the circumstance, 
 that, in the prophetical parts of the Old Testa- 
 ment Scriptures, and in the New Testament 
 Scriptures, particularly in the last book of the 
 Bible, the Revelation, which reaches to the end 
 of time, the Christian church is figuratively re- 
 presented in the way of beautiful and sublime 
 allusion to the ancient church, greatly honours 
 that church, and strikingly holds up the idea, 
 that it was truly a church. When the light 
 of that church came, and the glory of the Lor j> 
 rose upon it, it became the Christian church ; 
 which will at length appear arrayed in resplend- 
 ent glory and everlasting joy. 
 
 Objection 2. If infants are to be baptized 
 into Jesus Christ, why ought they not to par- 
 take of the Lord's supper ? 
 
165 
 
 Answer* There is no absurdity in consid- 
 ering the infants of believers members of the 
 church, without considering them members in 
 full communion. The eucharist is to be cele- 
 brated in a pious remembrance of Jesus* 
 Those, who partake of the Losd's supper are 
 required to" examine" themselves, and to take 
 heed, lest they eat and drink unworthily, not 
 discerning the Lord's body. Christ himself is 
 our passover, on whom we are to feed by faith, 
 and, particularly, at the table of the Lord. In- 
 fants are incapable of discerning the Lord's 
 body, and of examining themselves. 
 
 We can see reasons why it was proper, that 
 young children should partake of the feast of 
 the passover, which though a solemn feast, was 
 literally a feast, and satisfied animal hunger, 
 while it afforded useful instruction to the mind, 
 bringing to remembrance the mercy of God in 
 sparing the first born in the houses of the Isra- 
 elites, at a time so terrible to the Egyptians. 
 According to what was said in the preceding 
 discourse, it appears proper, that infants should 
 be devoted to God in baptism. But it appears 
 suitable, that, before they be admitted to the 
 Lord's supper, they should subscribe with their 
 own hands the same dedication, which their 
 parents subscribed for them ; that is, should 
 
166 
 
 "confess" with their mouths " the Lord Jesus," 
 believing in their hearts, "that God hath raised 
 him from the dead." 
 
 Objection 3. Infant baptism is a useless 
 ceremony. Instances of piety are not more fre- 
 quent among those who have been baptized in 
 infancy, than among others. 
 
 Answer. " What if some" in the ancient 
 church " did not believe ?" Was it no privi- 
 lege for persons to belong to that circumcised 
 people, to which " were committed the oracles 
 of God?"* 
 
 What if some, in Christian countries, do 
 not heartily embrace the gospel, is it no privi- 
 lege to be favoured with that blessed word of 
 salvation, of which millions are now destitute ? 
 
 * In our text the words, " though they be not circumcised," 
 hate a grammatical relation to the word, " believe ;" and the 
 meaning of this member of the sentence is, that, if any per* 
 sons, though they are not circumcised, believe, Abraham is 
 their father. The Greek words, rendered, " though they be 
 not circumcised," literally signify, through uncircumcision ,' 
 and convey the idea, that in ancient times, while the oracles 
 of God were so much confined to the circumcised, those, who 
 were not circumcised, had a difficulty to go through, in respect 
 to believing. But God, in the fullness of time, removed that 
 difficulty ; and then multitudes easily believed through uncir- 
 cumcision, that is, notwithstanding the difficulty, which circum- 
 cision had kept in the way. How God removed the diffi- 
 culty attending uncircumcision, we may learn from Col. ii. 14= 
 
167 
 
 Is it no privilege to enjoy that public ministra- 
 tion of God's word and ordinances, which many, 
 who live in Christian lands do not enjoy ? In 
 a parish or Christian society, where the gospel 
 is publicly ministered, and the Bible is in ev- 
 ery house, what, if some children of pious par- 
 ernts prove irreligious for a time, yea, never ap- 
 pear to become pious ? are not the children of 
 pious parents more highly favoured, in respect 
 to religious advantages, than the children of 
 wicked parents in the same parish or society ? 
 What, if some persons, who profess religion, 
 and come to the communion of the Lord's sup- 
 per, afterward manifest, that they are not true 
 Christians ? is it no privilege nor duty for any 
 to come to the table of the Lord ? What, if 
 some, who are baptized upon a profession of 
 faith, afterward, manifest, that they have not 
 faith, is baptism an unprofitable thing ? What, 
 if some parents, who have their children bap- 
 tized, are little impressed with the importance 
 and solemn nature of baptism, and afterward 
 virtually retract what they have done, and in- 
 stead of bringing up their children " in the nur- 
 ture and admonition of the Lord," to whom 
 they have devoted them, leave them to follow 
 " the course of this world?" is it of no advan- 
 tage to children to be baptized, and to receive 
 
168 
 
 a correspondent education? What, if some 
 parents, whom charity, on the whole, regards 
 as true believers, are greatly deficient respect- 
 ing the religious education of their children f 
 are not all children highly favoured, whose par- 
 ents, with a good degree of fidelity, "bring 
 them up in the nurture and admonition of the 
 Lord ?" It cannot be reasonably said, that, 
 since the oracles of God are not now confined 
 to one particular nation, there is no necessity 
 for baptisms taking the place of circumcision 
 in any se?ue. For it is manifest, that in any 
 place, where the religious privileges, which are 
 enjoyed by the families of the society in com- 
 mon, are ever so great, there is a greater pros- 
 pect of the salvation of those children, whose 
 parents are pious, than of those, whose parents 
 are destitute of the fear and love of God. This 
 will be granted both by pedobaptists and anti- 
 pedobaptists. It follows from the necessary 
 connexion between parents and children. Be- 
 sides what the children of pious parents cannot 
 avoid seeing in their parents, and hearing them 
 utter, (and they see and hear different things 
 from wliat other children see and hear) pious 
 perents will endeavour to promote the salvation 
 of their offspring, whose souls are evidently 
 more entrusted to their care, than the souls of 
 
169 
 
 other children, and whom they have so much 
 better opportunity of instructing and admon- 
 ishing. Moreover, all will grant, that, if there 
 be a covenant connexion between Christian 
 parents and their children under the gospel, the 
 prospect of the salvation of these children is 
 still greater. The necessary connexion be- 
 tween parents and children favours, (in the way 
 of analogy) the idea of a covenant connexion 
 between true Christians and their children. 
 
 The present objection then comes to this ; 
 that though the children of some parents are in 
 a more happy condition, as to the prospect of 
 their salvation, than the children of others, yet it 
 is of no advantage to have them baptized. But 
 if infant baptism appears to be a Divine institu- 
 tion, it would be wicked for any one to speak of 
 it, as a useless ceremony, even, if he could not 
 perceive any good consequences, nor in any mea- 
 sure see, how it should be useful. JVe can see, 
 however, how infant baptism tends to produce 
 good effects. The gospel raquires all parents' 
 to " bring up their children in the nurture and ad- 
 monition of the Lord." But professing Chris- 
 tians are apt to be very negligent in respect to 
 this important duty. With regard to this duty, 
 even those parents are apt, after all, to be great- 
 15 
 
170 
 
 ly deficient, who devote their children to God 
 in baptism. But certainly infant baptism tends 
 to impress the minds of parents with the im- 
 portance of this duty. When a parent first ded- 
 icates a child to God in baptism, he solemnly 
 binds himself to perform this duty 5 when after- 
 ward he dedicates a child, he renews his obli- 
 gation ; and every time he sees baptism admin- 
 istered to any child, he is solemnly reminded 
 of his own obligation. Does not infant baptism, 
 therefor, tend to produce happy effects in regard 
 to what is so important to the church, and to 
 civil society, the religious education of children? 
 and will not a child be likely to receive benefit 
 from being told, what a solemn thing was done 
 for him, when he was incapable of acting for 
 himself ? 
 
 That instances of piety are not more fre- 
 quently seen among those, who have been bap- 
 tized in infancy, is doubtless, greatly owing to 
 the negligence of parents, as to fulfilling their 
 covenant vow respecting their offspring. 
 
 But it is not true, that instances of piety are not 
 more frequent among those, who have been 
 baptized in infancy, than among others. Ex. 
 perience proves the contrary. As amidst all 
 the corruptions of God's ancient people, a sue- 
 
171 
 
 cession of pious persons was continued among 
 those, who received the seal of the covenant in 
 their infancy ; so, although many professing 
 Christian parents are unfaithful to their chil- 
 dren, and many baptized children irreligious 
 and profane, yet some Christian parents are in 
 a degree faithful ; and principally among those, 
 who have been baptized in infancy, religion has 
 been continued from one generation to another. 
 It is very evident, that the greater part of the 
 professing Christians of the present day, were 
 baptized on their parents account ; and where 
 are we to look for true Christians, unless among 
 professors ? In the late revivals of religion in 
 New England, the hopeful subjects of renew- 
 ing grace have been chiefly among those, who 
 received baptism in their infancy, or childhood. 
 Many, and it is presumed, the greater part of 
 those, who now belong to the baptist churches, 
 in New England, were baptized on their parents' 
 account, and since they became adults, have re- 
 nounced their infant baptism. How many of 
 them, since they professed religion, have been 
 drawn away from other churches ? If such are 
 true Christians, can they all say, that they have 
 experienced no benefit from their infant bap- 
 tism ? can they all say, that thev have received 
 
172 
 
 no grace from God, as keeping covenant and 
 mercy with their believing parents ? 
 
 Infant baptism appears to be one of the im- 
 portant means, which God has instituted for the 
 salvation of sinners ; and it is liable to no ob- 
 jection in respect to its utility, but what is 
 common to all Divine ordinances. The utility 
 of baptism in general, of the Christian sabbath^ 
 of a preached gospel, and of the Lord's supper, 
 is, by many denied. How often has it been 
 said by the opposers of Christian doctrines and 
 duties> that those, who are baptized, and come 
 to the table of the Lord, who pray in their fam- 
 ilies, and attend public worship have no more 
 religion, than others. With no less improprie- 
 ty, it is said by many, that infant baptism is a 
 useless ceremony. AH such suggestions arise 
 from profane unbelief, and are highly reproach- 
 ful to the Author of all Divine institutions. 
 
 Our Saviour says, " Take heed that ye dis- 
 pise not one of these little ones."* If, by lit- 
 tle ones we are to understand principally believ- 
 ers, who excel in humility, or weak believers^ 
 yet it is possible for a person to transgress the 
 spirit of our Saviour's caution, by speaking 
 contemptuously of infants, and of infant bap- 
 
 * Matt. xviii. 10. f See Matt, xviii. 4, 6. and Rom. xiv. 1. 
 
173 
 
 tism.* It may have been the case, though it 
 does not seem probable, that the little child, ^ 
 whom Jesus set in the midst of his disciples, 
 was then a believer. He was so small, that 
 Jesus took him in his arms.f Let no one dis- 
 pise young children, and show, that he himself 
 does not resemble them. Let us remember 
 the children, who in the temple cried, " Hosan- 
 na to the Son of David." Let us bear in mind, 
 that God perfects praise " out of the mouths 
 of babes and sucklings.' ' 
 
 When the glorious promises of the new 
 covenant shall have been more fully accom- 
 plished, when the Jews shall have been restor- 
 ed to the favour of God, and the new covenant 
 shall have been more completely made with the 
 house of Israel, including Jews and Gentiles, 
 who knows, but that all the children of Christ- 
 ian parents will receive grace to "know'' the 
 Lord, J in their childhood ? If this shall be the 
 case, will there not appear a propriety in their 
 being baptized even in infancy ? But such a 
 change in the state of things would not alter 
 the nature of baptism. 
 
 Objection 4. There was an express com- 
 mand to circumcise infants ; but there is no ex- 
 
 * See Matt, xviii. 5. and Luk4 ix. 48. j Mark is. 36. 
 
 | Seerfeb. viii. 11. 
 
 15* 
 
174 
 
 press command to baptize infants ; and whereas 
 the Scriptures expressly speak of the baptism 
 of women, they contain no express account, 
 that infants are baptized. 
 
 This is the most important objection, that 
 can be brought against infant baptism. But 
 after what has been said in these discourses, it 
 will, perhaps, be unnecessary to say much in an* 
 swer to this objection. 
 
 Though the Scriptures* contain no express 
 command to give baptism to infants, nor any 
 express example of it, yet we may have suffi- 
 cient reasons for regarding infant baptism, as a 
 Divine institution. If we have sufficient rea- 
 son for regarding it, let us not be too solicitous 
 to know, why there is no express command, 
 nor express example. 
 
 We may imagine, that it would have been 
 happy, if the Scriptures had spoken more fully 
 and particularly, in various respects, of bap- 
 tism, and given more circumstantial accounts 
 of the baptism of multitudes, and of individu- 
 als. But the concise manner, in which the 
 Scriptures speak of baptism, is calculated to 
 try the dispositions of mankind ; whether they 
 will humbly, diligently and prayerfully en- 
 deavour to learn and do their duty respecting 
 baptism ; and whether one Christian will be 
 
175 
 
 suitably candid towards another, that thinks and 
 practises differently from him in this respect. 
 To answer the objection more directly. Let 
 it be remembered, that there is nothing in the 
 Scriptures against infant baptism. There is 
 nothing said, from which it can be inferred, 
 that infants ought not to be baptized ; nor any 
 account of the administration of bapt|pn, from 
 which it can be inferred, that infants were not 
 baptized. And is there nothing in the Scrip- 
 tures in favour of infant baptism ? Is there not 
 much in the Scriptures in favour of it ? And are 
 not the Scripture arguments in favour of it, 
 greatly confirmed by the practice of the churchy 
 since the time of the apostles ? 
 
 One reason, why it might be important to 
 specify men and women* is, (according to what 
 was remarked in the preceding discourse) that 
 in the ancient church females* did not receive 
 the token ©f the Abrahamic covenant* If cir- 
 cumcision never had existed, it might seem more 
 necessary, that there should be something ex* 
 plicit about the baptism of infants, than about 
 the baptism of women. From what is said in 
 Gal. iii. 28. we may know, that the baptized 
 persons spoken of in verse 27, included females. 
 
 * See Acts viii, 12, 
 
176 
 
 But, at the same time, the 28th verse shows, 
 (as was remarked in the preceding discourse) 
 that baptism has, in a certain sense, taken the 
 place of circumcision. If there never had been 
 an express command to circumcise infants, it 
 might have been necessary, that there should be 
 an express command to baptize infants. There 
 Was a church, before the Christian church was 
 established. Infants were certainly members 
 of the ancient church, and had an interest in the 
 gracious and everlasting covenant, which God 
 made with Abraham, 
 
 If the infants of believers were not to be 
 members of the Christian church, nor to have 
 any covenant connexion with their parents, is it 
 not strange, that this is not expressly mentioned? 
 Instead of any express mention of this, the con- 
 trary is expressly favoured. If at the time, 
 when the apostles were commissioned to publish 
 the good news of salvation to all mankind, this 
 gospel had been an entirely new thing ; if it had 
 not been predicted in the prophets, and predicted 
 even to Abraham; if there had been no church; if 
 infants had not been in the church; if baptism 
 had not been administered by the son of Zacha- 
 rias, nor by the disciples of Jesus, and if Jesus 
 had not shown a tender affection to little children, 
 and spoken, as if the kingdom of God belonged 
 
177 
 
 to them ; then it might have been necessary thai' 
 the apostles, when they received their commis- 
 sion to go into all the world, should be express- 
 ly directed to baptize the infants of believers. 
 But, as things were, it might be plain to the 
 apostles, that they were to treat the infants of 
 believers, as members of the church, and bap* 
 tize them. 
 
 We know, that if the apostles had received 
 a commission to proselyte all nations, circum- 
 cising them, they could have had no doubt a- 
 bout circumcising infants.* When certain 
 Jews thought it needful to circumcise the believ- 
 ing Gentiles,f there was nothing expressed a- 
 bout circumcising the children of those Gen- 
 tiles ; but we know what was implied. When 
 it was said, " Ye must be circumcised and keep 
 the law," the meaning was, Ye must be circum- 
 cised, and circumcise your children, and keep the 
 law. 
 
 As further answering the present objection, 
 some things will be applicable, which will be 
 offered in answering the next objection. 
 
 Objection 5. Infant baptism is a tradition^ 
 and ought not to be practised. 
 
 * Dr. Doddridge makes a remark of this import . 
 t Acts xv. 1, 5, 21. 
 
178 
 
 Answer. Such traditions, as agree with the 
 word of God are good, and ought to be follow- 
 ed. Infant baptism appears to be a tradition of 
 this sort. Any doctrine of faith, or rule of prac- 
 tice, handed down from one to another, either 
 verbally or in writing, is a tradition. St. Paul 
 uses the term in this sense. " Brethren, stand 
 fast and hold the traditions, which ye have been 
 fctught, whether by word or our epistle,"* "Now 
 I praise you, brethren, that ye remember me 
 in all things, and keep the ordinances, [literally, 
 traditions^ as I delivered them to you."f 
 " Now we command you, brethren, in the name 
 of our Lord Jesus Christ, that yc withdraw 
 yourselves from every brother that walketh dis- 
 orderly, and not after the tradition, which ye re- 
 ceived of us. "J Whatever God has revealed, 
 that has been handed down to us, in the Holy 
 Scriptures, may be called, in such a sense, a 
 tradition. But, is the religion taught by the 
 apostles to be rejected, because it has been hand- 
 ed down to us by tradition ? Must we disre- 
 gard the sabbath, forsake the house of God, live 
 without religion in our families, and leave the 
 rising generation unbaptized, lest we should im- 
 itate the steps of our fathers ? 
 
 * II. Tties. ii. 15. 1 1. Cor. xi. 2. % II. Thes. iii. fr. 
 
m 
 
 If the dedication of children to God, inasa- 
 ered rite, by which the everlasting covenant of 
 his grace is sealed to them is a tradition, it is a 
 tradition, which appears to have been followed, 
 by the saints in general, ever since the time of 
 Abraham. Need Christian parents nowbe afraid 
 to walk in the same steps ? 
 
 It is said, Is. L 12. " Who hath required 
 this at your hands, to tread my courts?" God 
 required the Israelites to tread his courts. But 
 who required them to tread his courts with 
 wicked hearts ? Who required them to tread 
 his courts, as . if this would of itself ren- 
 der them acceptable to God, while their con- 
 duct in other respects was so evil, and their 
 46 hands" were •" full of blood." Accordingly, 
 it may be said, who requires a professing Chris- 
 tian to tread God's courts, presenting either 
 himself, or his child, for baptism, as if this ex- 
 ternal performance of duty, would of itself se- 
 cure to him or to his child, the favour of God ? 
 But God was " pleased with the sacrifices of 
 righteousness, with burnt offering, and whole 
 burnt offering." He was pleased with those of 
 his ancient people, who observed circumci- 
 sion and the ceremonies of the law with obedi- 
 ent hearts, and suitably regarded the more im- 
 
180 
 
 portent parts of the law. He is pleased with 
 those Christians, who perform their duty in re- 
 spect to baptism with believing hearts. 
 
 It becomes Christians, in this age of the 
 world, to be imitators of all those, in whatever 
 age, who "through faith and patience" have 
 obtained an eternal inheritance. It becomes us 
 to be imitators of Paul and the other apostles, 
 as they were imitators of Christ. It becomes 
 us to " remember" those pious men, who in 
 different ages have ruled the Christian church, 
 and other pious Christians, and to imitate their 
 "faith" and practice, so far as their faith and 
 practice were agreeable to the Divine word. 
 
 Serious persons, who denominate infant 
 baptism a tradition, must mean that it is a tra- 
 dition of men, handed down from age to age, in 
 books, in discourse, and in practice. If infant 
 baptism is not according to Christ, but accord- 
 ing to " the tradition of men;" (see Gal. ii. 8. 
 if it is such a tradition as is mentioned in Mark 
 vii. 11 — 13. it wouljl be wicked to follow it. 
 If infant baptism had been introduced into the 
 church, even a thousand years ago, by some 
 man, without other authority, than his own i- 
 deas in regard to the meaning of the Scrip- 
 tures, and his own opinion in regard to expe- 
 
181 
 
 diency ; or, if a number of men had joined in 
 this matter ; if those men had appeared to have 
 been, in some respects, ever so pious ; and, if 
 the practice of infant baptism had afterward be- 
 come universal in the church ; the practice of 
 it, in the present age, would rest on a poor 
 foundation. But the pedobaptists consider in- 
 fant baptism, as having been handed down 
 from the apostles* 
 
 Why do Christians, in the present age, con- 
 sider the^r^ day of the week, as a day to be 
 kept holy to the Lord ? Because, in addition 
 to a few intimations in the Scriptures, it appears 
 from the history of the church, that the frst day 
 of the week has been observed, as, in a peculiar 
 sense, " the Lord's day,"* ever since the time of 
 
 * Compare, in the Greek, Rev. i. 10. with I. Cor. xi. 20. 
 See also, John xx. 19, 26. Acts xx. 7. and I. Cor. xvi. 1, 2. 
 The commandment, " Remember the sabbath day," is in the 
 midst of those ten commandments, which, though addressed 
 immediately to the Israelites, are applicable to all nations. 
 The observance of the fourth commandment is highly impor- 
 tant towards the observance of all the others. We may be sure, 
 that the apostle Paul in Rom. xiv. 5, 6. refers chiefly to the 
 mere ceremonial part of the Mosaic law ; nor do we know, 
 that he has any reference to the weekly sabbath of the Jews. 
 If, "the sabbath days," or sabbaths, in Col. ii. 16. include the 
 weekly sabbath of the Jews, it may be the duty of Christians 
 to keep a weekly sabbath. " The sabbath was made for man ;" 
 not only for the Israelites. It was instituted, at the creation 
 
 16 
 
182 
 
 the apostles. Yea, how do we know, in the 
 present age, except by tradition, zvhichis the 
 first day of the week ? Let all persons who 
 object to infant baptism as a tradition, take care, 
 
 of man. As it pleased God to make all things in six days, 
 and to rest on the seventh, to rest one day in seven, in a regular 
 s accession, may be said to be in a certain sense, according to 
 the nature of things, and in that respect a moral duty. On 
 which particular day mankind were to rest, seems to be a 
 positive matter, capable of being charged by a particular man- 
 ifestation of God's will. When we rest on the first day of the 
 week, we celebrate, at once, the work of creation, and the 
 work of redemption. The Jewish sabbath appears to have 
 been typical of that spiritual rest, which Jesus Christ gives to 
 believers, (a rest superior to that, which, Jesus, that is, Joshua 
 gave to the Israelites), typical in a certain sense, of the Lord's 
 day itself; and typical of that eternal salvation in the heav- 
 enly state, to which Christ will bring the people of God. While 
 Christians are waiting for that eternal salvation, they also, 
 need a weekly sabbath, which may be, in a more lively man- 
 ner typical of the rest reserved. Though in this world, Christ 
 gives them some sweet rest, fanapansinj, yet they will not 
 enter into God's rest (katapausin,) till it shall be no longer 
 necessary for them to work. See, in the Greek, Matt. xi. 29. 
 and Heb. iv. 9, 10. Accordingly, Christians esteem the Lord's 
 day a blessed day ; not only, as suspending daily labours, but 
 as a day, on which they may more fully enjoy their spiritual 
 rest, have peculiarly refreshing foretastes of the everlasting 
 pest, be much animated to live daily to him, who died for them 
 and rose again, and be enabled the better to enjoy then* spir- 
 itual rest in the midst of their secular labours, and, as a day, 
 which glorifies the Lord, and greatly promotes the enlarge- 
 ment of the church. 
 
183 
 
 lest they favour ^.principle, which tends to q- 
 verthrow the church, and Christianity itself. 
 
 There is a wide difference between " teach- 
 ing" and receiving " for doctrines the com- 
 mandments of men," even when they are con- 
 trary to the Scriptures, and observing those 
 traditions, which are agreeable to the Scrip- 
 tures, and which appear to have been handed 
 down from the apostles. Against the Chris- 
 tian church the gates of hell were never to pre- 
 vail. Christ gave to his church apostles, proph- 
 ets, evangelists, pastors and teachers ; "for the 
 perfecting of the saints, for the work of the min- 
 istry, for the edifying of the body of Christ : 
 till we all come in [rather into or unto] the uni- 
 ty of the faith, and of the knowledge of the 
 Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the meas- 
 ure of the stature of the fulness of Christ : that 
 we henceforth be no more children, [in this res- 
 pect, viz.] tossed to and fro, and carried about 
 with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of 
 men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie 
 in wait to deceive ; but, speaking the truth in 
 love, may" " in all tilings" " grow up into 
 
184 
 
 him , ' ' who "is the head even C hrist .*** Does 
 not the nature of such a church seem to showy 
 that it might not be necessary to have every 
 thing important to the good order of the church 
 explicitly taught in the Scriptures ? 
 
 * Eph. iv. 11—15, 
 
SERMON. V. 
 
 Romans iv. 11, 12. 
 
 And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal 
 of the righteousness of the faith, which he 
 had, yet being uncircumcised : that he might 
 be the father of all them that believe, though 
 they be ?iot circumcised ; that righteousness 
 might be imputed unto them also ; And the 
 father of circumcision to them, who arc not 
 of the circumcision only, but who also walk in 
 the steps of that faith of our father Abra- 
 ham, which he had, being yet uncircumcised, 
 
 Oince those, who deny infant baptism, 
 generally hold, that no persons are visibly 
 Abraham's seed, who have not been baptized in 
 the mode of total immersion, I shall now en- 
 deavour to show, that it is proper to baptize by 
 sprinkling, or affusion, or in some mode, which 
 does not imply total immersion. 
 
 1. There is no command to baptize by im- 
 mersion. The command is to baptize. The 
 Greek word is baptizo, rendered in English 
 baptize. Baptizo is derived from bapto. It 
 is^granted, that bapto signifies dip, though not 
 16* 
 
186 
 
 invariably. In Rev. xix. 13. u bebamenon 
 haimatiy" perhaps, ought not to have been ren- 
 dered "dipped in blood," but stained with blood. 
 Compare verse 15. and Is. lxiii. 1 — 3. But 
 bap to is never used to denote the ordinance of 
 baptism. Batizo is the word used, which has 
 not, precisely the same signification with bapto 
 its primitive. 
 
 According to a late judicious writer, such 
 kind of derivatives are twice as likely to differ 
 from their primitive words, as to agree with 
 them, in signification. According to him, bap- 
 tizo properly signifies to wet, or wash, wholly 
 or in part, with or without dipping.* The 
 mode of baptism, then, cannot be ascertained 
 by the signification of the word bqptizo ; for it 
 signifies to wash, without defining the mode. 
 In Matt. iii. 11. we read " baptizo humas en 
 kudati ;" and in Mark i. 8. u ebaptisa humas 
 en hudati;" but in Luke iii. 16. " Hudati 
 baptizo humas," without the preposition ; and 
 in Acts i. 5. " ebaptisen hudati ." In whatever 
 mode John baptized, it is plain, that in the two 
 last instances, it would be improper to render 
 the verb immerse. It appears by the general 
 
 * See Sweat's Critical Investigation of the mode of Baptism* 
 
187 
 
 account given of baptism in the New Testa, 
 ment, that it denotes washing ; and our transla- 
 tors seem to have been wise in rendering bap* 
 tizo, baptize, and baptismos, baptism, when 
 either John's baptism, or Christian baptism, is 
 spoken of. The command to baptize is not 
 the same as the command to immerse ; nor is 
 it the same, as a command to wash by total im- 
 mersion. JBaptizo, and the verbal noun bap* 
 tismoz, sometimes, in the New Testament, 
 pretty evidently signify washing, in a mode 
 different from total immersion. 
 
 We have an instance of this in the washing 
 of the Jews, when they came from the market* 
 " The Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they 
 \nipsontav\ wash their hands oft, eat not." 
 " And when they come from the market, except 
 they [baptisontai\ wash, they eat not."* Prob- 
 ably, baptizomai in this passage means more 
 than washing the hands merely. The Jews, 
 we may suppose, considered themselves more 
 than usually defiled by being in the market. 
 But, though baptizomai in this passage proba- 
 bly means more than washing the hands, yet it 
 does not appear to mean total immersion. For 
 had the Jews considered themselves so defiled 
 by having been in the market, that it was ne- 
 
 * Mask yii. 3, 4, 
 
188 
 
 cessary for them to wash their whole bodies, 
 would they not have viewed it equally necessary 
 to wash their clothes? The clothes of a person 
 would have been denied before the greater part 
 of his body, and would have needed washing 
 more. In certain cases, the Israelites were com- 
 manded, in the law, to wash their clothes, and 
 bathe themselves in water. 
 
 In many cases they were required by the 
 law to wash their clothes, without being requir- 
 ed to wash their flesh ; but in no case were per- 
 sons required by the law to wash their flesh, 
 without being expressly required to wash their 
 clothes ; except that the high priest was requir- 
 ed to wash his flesh, when he put on those 
 holy garments, which he wore only one day in 
 a year, and when he put them off, after his sol- 
 emn services in the sanctuary. If the Jews 
 had felt themselves obliged by the tradition of 
 the elders to wash their whole bodies, when the 
 law required no such washing, would not their 
 superstition have led them to cleanse their 
 clothes ? But are we to suppose, that the Phari- 
 sees, and all the Jews, every time they came 
 frpm the market, before they ate, washed their 
 clothes, and bathed themselves in water ? 
 
 Another instance, in which baptizo signifies 
 washing, without total immersion, we have in 
 
189 
 
 thes following narrative. "A certain Pharisee 
 besought Jesus to dine with him ; and he went 
 in, and sat down to meat. And when the 
 Pharisee saw it, he marvelled, that he had not 
 first {ebaptisthe^ been baptized] washed before 
 dinner."* Jesus had been among a concourse 
 of people. The Pharisee, probably, considered 
 him defiled, much in the same manner, as if he 
 had been in the market, and wondered, that he 
 was not baptized before dinner, or washed as 
 the Jews were, when they came from the market. 
 But did he expect that Jesus would be im- 
 mersed before dinner ? If this Pharisee had 
 water pots standing in his dining room, after 
 the manner of the purifying of the Jews, did 
 he wonder, that Jesus was not washed by total 
 immersion, before he sat down to dine ? Does 
 not baptizo in this instance, appear to signify 
 such a washing, as the Pharisee supposed might 
 be decently performed, at a water pot, in a 
 dining room ? It is worthy of notice, that 
 Mark uses exactly the same Greek word, to 
 express the baptism of Christ by John, The 
 Pharisee marvelled, that Jesus had not first 
 [ebaptisthe'] been baptized ; and Jesus \_ebap- 
 tisthe] " was baptized" by " John in Jordan." 
 
 * Luke xi. 37, 38. 
 
190 
 
 If baptizo evidently signifies a partial washing, 
 in one ease, why may it not be so taken, in the 
 other ? 
 
 It is doubtful, whether all those washings, 
 which Mark calls baptismous,* were performed 
 in the way of total immersion. Is it not likely, 
 that the Jews, in their superstitious washings, 
 in some measure, imitated those washings 
 which their law required ?f The writer of the 
 epistle to the Hebrews, speaking of the rites of 
 the Mosaic law, says " divers washings ;"J 
 " diaphorois baptismois" divers baptisms. The 
 law required various washings ; washings were 
 to be performed on different occasions, and in 
 different ways. Moses washed Aaron and his 
 sons with water, in the presence of the congre- 
 gation. § Aaron and his sons were to wash 
 their hands and feet at the laver, whenever they 
 went into the tabernacle, or ministered at the 
 altar of burnt offering. || Aaron was to wash 
 his flesh " in water" or " with water," on the 
 great day of annual atonement. IT Though it is 
 likely, that when Moses consecrated Aaron and 
 his sons, he gave them a very different washing 
 from that which they were continually to give 
 
 * See Mark vii. 4. f See Lev. vi. 28. and Numb. xix. 18. 
 
 JHeb. ix. 10. § Lev. viii. 3—6. || Ex. xxx. 18—21. 
 
 "S Lev, xvi. 4, 24, 
 
m 
 
 themselves, yet it is plain, that he did not im- 
 merse their whole bodies in water, nor wash their 
 whole bodies in any mode. 
 
 We must suppose, that Aaron, on the great 
 day of atonement, was to give himself very diff- 
 erent washings from that, which the priests 
 were continually to give themselves ; but we 
 do not know that he was to wash all his flesh. 
 If we should suppose, that he washed all his 
 flesh, it would not certainly follow, that he did 
 it by total immersion. He was commanded 
 to " wash his flesh in water," before he put on 
 the holy linen garments ; and he was com- 
 manded, when he put off those garments, to 
 " leave them" in the holy place, to " wash his 
 flesh with water in the holy place, and put on 
 his" usual " garments." The manner, in which 
 he was to wash his flesh at either of the times 
 on that day, was not specified. It does not ap- 
 pear likely, that he totally immersed his body. 
 
 Water mixed with the blood of a bird, was 
 to be sprinkled seven times upon him, who was 
 to be cleansed from the leprosy. In the same 
 manner was a leprous house to be sprinkled 
 that was to be cleansed.* 
 
 * See Lev. iv. 7. 51. 
 
192 
 
 Water mixed with the ashes of a heifer, was 
 to be sprinkled upon persons and things un- 
 elean by the dead.* 
 
 At the consecration of the Levites, water of 
 purifying was to be sprinkled upon them.f 
 
 In various instances of legal defilement, 
 persons were to wash their clothes, and bathe 
 their flesh in water. 
 
 In no case the law expressly required per- 
 sons or things to be totally immersed in water. 
 No things were implicitly required to be totally 
 immersed ; unless a thing cannot be "rinsed in 
 water,'' "go through the water, "J and be 
 washed in every part, without being all under 
 water at once. As for persons, in no case 
 was one person required totally to immerse 
 another ; and no person was even implicitly re- 
 quired ever to give himself a total immersion, 
 unless it was impossible for a person to wash 
 all his flesh, without being all under water 
 at once. 
 
 It is plain, that our translators ought not 
 to have rendered baptismois (in the epistle to 
 the Hebrews) dippings; nor would it have 
 been proper for them to render it washings by 
 dipping. They did the best that could have 
 been done, in rendering it washings. It is un- 
 
 * See Numb, xix. 9—20. and Ex. xxxi. 19—23. f Numb. 
 *iii. 3, X See Lav. vi. 28, and xy. 12. and Numb. xxxi. 23. 
 
193 
 
 reasonable to consider 'baptismois, in this place, 
 as meaning only such washings as were per- 
 formed by total immersion. It is rational to 
 consider the washings, as called divers, not 
 only because they were to be performed on 
 different occasions, but, also, because they were 
 to be performed in different ways ; and it is 
 perhaps proper to consider them, as including 
 even those washings, which were performed 
 by sprinkling. Though baptizo and baptismos 
 seem most applicable to washings, in which 
 pure water is used, yet they seem applicable to 
 washings, in which water is mixed with other 
 ingredients. 
 
 The command of Christ to his disciples, to 
 u Go," " and teach all nations, baptizing them 
 in \_into~\ the name of the Father, and of the 
 Son, and of the Holy Ghost,"* cannot be judi- 
 ciously considered, as a command to dip, or to 
 wash by dipping, unless it can first be proved, 
 that dipping is essential to baptism. 
 
 But, as appears from what has been said, it 
 cannot be inferred from the signification of the 
 word baptizo, that baptism necessarily implies 
 the dipping of any part of the body. 
 
 Much less can the command of Christ be 
 considered as a command wholly to immerse 
 
 * Matt. xxTiii. 19. 
 
 17 
 
194 
 
 the body, or to wash the body by a total im- 
 mersion. 
 
 It is very evident that the Baptists lay 
 more stress upon the mode of baptism, than is 
 wan-anted by the mere signification of the word 
 baptizo. If it should be granted, that this verb 
 always signifies either to dip or immerse, or to 
 wash by dipping or immersion, it would not 
 follow, that total immersion is essential to bap- 
 tism ; for even then, a person might be said to 
 be baptized, if only a part of his body, if only 
 his head, were put into water. Nor is there 
 any command in the New Testament, to wash 
 the whole body. 
 
 2. In the Scriptures, no instance of baptism 
 is recorded, in which immersion plainly appears 
 to have been the mode. 
 
 We read in our translation, that Jesus 
 " was baptized of John in Jordan," and that he 
 came " up out of the water."* In this passage 
 when it is said, " in Jordan," the Greek word 
 is eis. This preposition sometimes signifies 
 at. One said to Jesus, " Let me first go, and 
 bid them farewell," who " are \eis ton oikon 
 mou\ at my house, "f When it is said, that 
 Jesus " was baptized of John in Jordan," the 
 
 * Mark i. 9, 10. f Luke ix. 61. 
 
195 
 
 translation might have properly been, was bap- 
 tized by John \_eis ten Jordanen] at Jordan, 
 The words in Mark i. 10. rendered " out of 
 the water" ought to have been rendered, from 
 the water. The Greek proposition is apo, 
 which, in the New Testament, is rendered from, 
 oftener, than all other ways. There followed 
 Christ " great multitudes of people \_apo tes 
 Galilaias~] from Galilee."* " If one went unto 
 them \apo nekron\ from the dead, they will 
 repent, "f The same preposition is used in the 
 account of our Saviour's baptism in Matt. iii. 
 16. The passage in Mark might have been 
 well translated thus. Jesus came from Naza- 
 reth of Galilee, and was baptized by John at 
 Jordan. And straight way coming up from the 
 water, fcfc. — 
 
 But, granting our translation to be most cor- 
 rect, that Jesus was baptized " in Jordan," it does 
 not necessarily follow, that he was baptized by 
 immersion. Jesus said to a blind man, " Go, 
 wash [m] in the pool of Siloam." — u He went 
 his way, therefore, and washed, and came see- 
 ing."f Here eis, which might have been trans- 
 lated at, is rendered in. The blind man wash- 
 ed in the pool. But was he immersed ? It is 
 
 * Matt. iv. 25. f Luke xvi. 80. * John ix. 7. 
 
196 
 
 plain, that he was not. The verb niptomai is 
 used ; and he probably washed chiefly his eyes, 
 which Jesus had just anointed with clay. But 
 yet, he washed in the pool ; and this he might 
 do, by taking water in his hand, and putting it 
 to his eyes, without even stepping into the 
 water. Likewise Jesus may be said to have 
 been baptized in Jordan, if he did not even step 
 into the edge of the water. 
 
 It is said of the multitudes, who came to 
 John's baptism, that they " were baptized" by 
 u him in Jordan."* Here the Greek word is 
 en, which properly signifies in y though not in- 
 variably. In the New Testament, it is some- 
 times rendered at. " Ye have a custom, that 
 I release unto you one \_en\ at the passover."f 
 But, admitting the proper translation of en to 
 Jordane to be " in Jordan," John might bap- 
 tize the people in Jordan, without wetting the 
 soles of his own feet, or of the feet of those 
 whom he baptized. If their faces only were 
 wet with the water of Jordan, while they stood 
 on the edge of the river, it may with as much 
 propriety be said, that they were baptized in 
 Jordan, as that the blind man washed in the pool. 
 
 The baptism of the eunuch by Philip has 
 been confidently, but it is thought, injudicious- 
 
 * Matt. iiL J6. f John xviii. 39. 
 
197 
 
 ly, urged, as a plain example for immersion. 
 We read in our Bibles, "They went down 
 both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; 
 and he baptized him. And, when they were 
 come up out of the water, the Spirit of the 
 Lord caught away Philip."* The Greek 
 words, in this passage, rendered into, and out of 
 are eis and ek. Eis sometimes signifies to. 
 An instance of this we have in Christ's words 
 to Peter. " Go thou [eis ten thalassan~\ to the 
 sea, and cast an hook."f In John xx. 4. eis 
 is necessarily rendered to instead of into ; for 
 in the next verse it is said, "yet went he not 
 m." Ek is sometimes rendered from. For 
 instance ; it is said of the queen of the south, 
 " She came \_ek~] from the uttermost parts of 
 the earth, to hear the wisdom of Solomon. "J 
 The passage, therefore, respecting the baptism 
 of the eunuch might have been properly render- 
 ed thus; They went down both to the water, 
 both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized 
 him. And when they were come up from the 
 water, &fc. 
 
 Eis is to be rendered into, when the na- 
 ture of the case requires it. If Philip could 
 not have baptized the eunuch without going in- 
 to the water, it is proper to render the Greek 
 
 :; Acts viii. 38, 39. f Matt. xvi. 27. t Matt. wii. 42. 
 
 17* 
 
198 
 
 accordingly. But to say, that immersion is es- 
 sential to baptism, because Philip went into 
 the water to baptize the eunuch, when it can- 
 not be made to appear, that he went into the 
 water, unless it can first, be proved, that immer- 
 sion is essential to baptism, would be arguing- 
 ing incorrectly. It was necessary for Peter to 
 go to the sea, but not into the sea, in order to 
 cast in his hook. It was equally necessary for 
 Philip to go to the water, or to have water 
 brought to him, in order to baptize the eunuch. 
 But, until it can be proved, that immersion is 
 essential to baptism, there appears to have been 
 no necessity, that Philip and the eunuch should 
 go into the water. As the same Greek word is 
 used in both instances, this circumstance affords 
 as much evidence, that Peter went into the sea, 
 before he cast his hook, as that Philip went in- 
 to the water, before he baptized the eunuch. 
 
 With what propriety, these instances of bap- 
 tism have been urged as plain examples for im- 
 mersion, the reader will judge. The plausible 
 manner, however, in which they have been re- 
 presented and urged, has caused some, first, to 
 doubt, and then to deny, the validity of their 
 baptism. After hearing it repeatedly affirmed, 
 that John baptised by immersion, that Christ 
 
199 
 
 was immersed in Jordan, that Philip immersed 
 the eunuch, and that we must be willing to fol- 
 low Christ into the water; many, either not 
 able or not disposed, to examine the subject, 
 have believed, that total immersion is essential 
 to baptism ; and consequently have renounced 
 the seal of God's covenant, already put upon 
 them, and gone down into the water, supposing, 
 that they were following Christ, and imitating 
 the example of the eunuch. 
 
 It appears from what has been said, that 
 the mode of John's baptizing cannot be infer- 
 red from the prepositions used in the account. 
 
 On the other hand, do not the circumstan- 
 ces, attending the baptism of Jesus, and of the 
 people, who were previously baptized, favour 
 the idea, that the mode was different from total 
 immersion ? It is reasonable to think, that Je- 
 sus was baptized in the same mode, in which 
 the people were baptized ; and that the same 
 mode, which John used, was used by the dis- 
 ciples of Jesus, at the time when John was bap- 
 tizing at Enon, and by the apostles after the as- 
 cension of our Saviour, 
 
 Though Jesus was baptized, undoubtedly, 
 in the same mode, in which the multitudes 
 were baptized, yet baptism did not signify th£ 
 
200 
 
 same thing to him as to them. It was to them 
 the baptism of repentance for the remission of 
 sins; but Jesus " knew no sin." May not the 
 baptism of Jesus be considered a ceremony, by 
 which he was, in part, consecrated to his work, 
 as the Messiah, the Saviour of sinners, the Lamb 
 of God, who was to take away the sin of the 
 world ? When the Holy Spirit descended upon 
 him, he may be said, in the language of Peter, 
 to have been anointed with the Holy Ghost ; 
 anointed to the office of Prophet, Priest, and 
 King. 
 
 . Though Jesus was not to be a priest on 
 earth, after the order of Aaron, but a priest for- 
 ever, after the order of Melchisedec, yet part 
 of what he did on earth, he may be said to have 
 done in his priestly office ; especially his offer- 
 ing up himself as a sacrifice, that " by his own 
 blood" he might enter " into the holy place." 
 May not his being baptized by John be said to 
 answer to the washing, which Aaron and his 
 sons received from Moses, as the first part of 
 their consecration ? The baptism of Jesus may 
 have answered to that washing, even if it differ 
 from that washing as to the mode. It is very 
 plain, that the mode, in which Aaron and his 
 sons were washed, was far different from total 
 immersion, though it may be difficult to say 
 
201 
 
 precisely, what it was. It is probable, that they 
 were washed with water from the same laver, 
 at which they were daily to wash their hands 
 and feet. As the period, during, which the 
 Priests and Levites were to officiate, began 
 when they were thirty years old,* so Jesus was 
 baptized, when he was about that age. When 
 Aaron had been washed, and the holy garments 
 had been put upon him, he was anointed. 
 When Jesus had been baptized, he was anoint- 
 ed with the Holy Spirit. The anointing oil 
 was poured upon Aaron's head. The precious 
 ointment run down upon his beard, and went 
 down to the skirts of his garments, f 
 
 Afterward, upon Aaron and his garments, 
 and upon his sons and their garments, a mix- 
 ture of blood and anointing oil was sprinkled. 
 In a correspondent manner, Jesus, the High 
 priest, was distinguished from those, who believe 
 in him, and compose what Peter calls a royal 
 priesthood. Godjgave to Jesus the Spirit not by 
 measure. Concerning Jesus it is prophetically 
 said, " God thy God, hath anointed thee with 
 jthe oil of gladness above thy fellows. All thy 
 garmentssmell of myrrh, and aloes, and cassia.f" 
 To Christians the Holy Spirit is given in a 
 
 * See Numb. iv. f See Ps. cxxxiii. J Ps. xly. Compare 
 Ex. xxx. 23—25. 
 
202 
 
 measure.* They receive from Jesus grace for 
 grace. The Holy Spirit is said to be poured 
 out upon them, and to be shed upon them a* 
 bundantly.f 
 
 That mixture of blood and oil, with which 
 all the priests were sprinkled, may, perhaps, be 
 considered, as typical of that remission of sins 
 and influence of the Holy Spirit, which are sig- 
 nified by Christian baptism. The same things 
 may have been typified by the mixture of blood 
 and water used in cleansing the leprosy, and in 
 dedicating the first testament, that is, the Sinai 
 covenant. The same things may have been 
 typified by the mixture of the ashes of a heifer 
 and running water, with which the Levites 
 were sprinkled, and with which persons unclean 
 by the dead were sprinkled. Not only the 
 priests but the Levites in general typified the 
 Christian church. The Levites were dedicated 
 to God, in the room of the first born of all the 
 tribes ; and the Christian church seems to be 
 what is meant, in the epistle to the Hebrews, 
 by "the general assembly and church of the 
 first bonu" 
 
 Though John, the baptist was the son of a 
 priest, what he did in baptizing, he did as an 
 
 * See Acts ii. 38. and v. 32. Eph. iv. 7. and I. John ii. 20. 
 f See Acts x. 45. and Tit. iii. 6. 
 
203 
 
 extraordinary prophet. His baptism was au- 
 thorized not by the law, but by the special com- 
 mission which he received from heaven, " to 
 make ready a people prepared for the Lord."* 
 His baptism evidently differed from those wash- 
 ings, which the law required, in two respects 
 (1.) John baptized with clear water; whereas 
 the law did not require one person to apply 
 clear water to another, in any case, except the 
 consecration of the priests, (2.) According to 
 the law, individuals, in various cases of defile- 
 ment, were to bathe themselves ; but no per- 
 sons, who had not some particular defilement, 
 were required to bathe themselves, nor to be 
 washed by another in any mode, except the 
 priests ; whereas John baptized people in general. 
 As the priests at their consecration, having 
 no particular defilement, received a washing, 
 similar (in a degree) to that, which persons hav- 
 ing defilement gave themselves ; so Jesus, not 
 defiled by sin, when he was about to enter on 
 his public ministry, received the same washing, 
 which the multitudes had previously received, 
 * c confessing their sins. ' ' Thus it became Jesus 
 " to fulfil all righteousness," that is, to do the will 
 of God in all respects. It was the will of God, 
 that Jesus should be baptized, and by that cere- 
 
 * See Luke i. 5, 17. and xx. 4—6. and John i. 31, 33. 
 
204 
 
 mony be sanctified to the service of God, as the 
 Saviour of sinners. His baptism may be con- 
 sidered as one thing implied in that sanctifica- 
 tion of himself, of which he speaks, John xvii. 19. 
 
 Hence it appears, that the great thing, in 
 Which Jesus is to be imitated, with regard to 
 his being baptized, is his disposition to humble 
 himself, and to do the will of God in all respects. 
 
 As there is no express command, nor plain 
 example for baptizing by total immersion, this 
 mode cannot be supported, unless by inference. 
 It will, therefore, appear entirely without found- 
 ation, when we consider, 
 
 3. That there is no instance of baptism re- 
 corded in the Holy Scriptures, which admits of 
 a fair inference in favour of total immersion. 
 
 From what is said of John's baptizing in 
 the river Jordan, and at Enon, some have con- 
 fidently concluded, that he baptized by total im- 
 mersion. 
 
 In respect to his baptizing in Jordan I have 
 already spoken. 
 
 He baptized " in Enon near Salim, because 
 there was much water there."* This has been 
 considered, and perhaps, justly, as one of the 
 strongest arguments, that can be brought from 
 the Scriptures in favour of immersion. But the 
 
 * John iii. 23. 
 
205 
 
 Greek words, rendered much water ^ are "hudata 
 polla" and literally signify many waters. Though 
 they sometimes denote a great quantity of water,** 
 probably in this place, they mean many little 
 rivulets. Travellers tell us, that there are no 
 large streams in Enon. It appears very unlike- 
 ly, that there were many large streams. The 
 many waters, into which one large stream is 
 sometimes divided by obstructions, and which 
 move so rapidly, as to make a great noise, 
 would be inconvenient for immersion. 
 
 But why, it may be asked, did John first bap- 
 tize at Jordan, and afterward choose a place, in 
 which to baptize, where there were many waters, 
 unless he baptized by immersion ? To this it 
 may be replied, that John preached and baptiz- 
 ed in the open air ; multitudes of people attend- 
 ed his ministry ; the climate was warm, and 
 water scarce ; such multitudes, with the beasts, on 
 which perhaps many rode, might have been un- 
 able to subsist, except in certain places, where 
 there was plenty of water. If John did not bap- 
 tize by immersion, there might have been, on 
 the whole, sufficient reason for his choosing to 
 preach and baptize in places, where water could 
 easily be obtained. 
 
 * See Rev. i. 15. and xix. 6. 
 18 
 
206 
 
 The place, where Lydia and her household 
 were baptized, was " by a river side."* Hence 
 some have concluded, that they were baptized 
 by immersion. Some think that many had 
 been immersed in this river, and that for this 
 reason prayer was wont to be made by the riv- 
 er side. But Paul and Silas were the first, that 
 preached the gospel at Philippi. After " abid- 
 ing" there " certain days," " on the sabbath," 
 they " went out of the city by a river side, 
 where prayer was wont to be made," that is, 
 probably, where there was a proseuche, or house 
 of prayer, and they "spake unto the women, 
 that resorted thither." Here the Lord " open- 
 ed" the " heart" of Lydia, and she and her 
 household appear to have been the first, that 
 received Christian baptism in that city. That 
 they were baptized by immersion, cannot, with 
 the least degree of probability, be inferred from 
 the circumstance, that the place, where Paul 
 and his companion sat down and spake, was by 
 the side of a river. 
 
 According to the representation of the 
 apostle Paul, the Israelites " were all [parents 
 and children] baptized unto Moses in the cloud, 
 and in the sea,"f Hence some have inferred, 
 that immersion is the proper mode of baptism, 
 
 * Acts xvi. 13. f I Cor. x. 2. 
 
207 
 
 But were the children of Israel immersed in the 
 waters of the Red Sea ? Certainly, they were 
 not. The pillar of cloud was behind, between 
 them and the Egyptians ; the waters of the sea 
 were divided, and stood as a wall on their right 
 hand, and on their left ; and they went through 
 the sea upon dry ground.* If they were wet, 
 it was by sprinkling, and not by immersion. 
 But we need not consider them as having been 
 literally baptized at that time ; much less need 
 we consider the apostle, as referring to the par- 
 ticular mode of administering Christian baptism. 
 Since the cloud was near them, and the wateF 
 of the sea was near them, when the Lord was 
 so honouring Moses, as the captain of their de- 
 liverance from their Egyptian bondage, they 
 were, in a certain sense, baptized unto Moses. 
 
 As in our translation it is said, "in the 
 cloud, and in the sea," the preposition in being 
 repeated ; so in the Greek the preposition en 
 is repeated ; " ente nephele kai en te thalasse." 
 Therefore, according to the apostle, the Israel- 
 ites were baptized in the cloud, besides being 
 baptized in the sea. But what took place with 
 them respecting the cloud, that resembled im- 
 mersion ? On the whole, is it likely, that the 
 apostle had any reference to the mode of bap- 
 
 * Ex. xiy. 10—22. 
 
208 
 
 tism ? Likewise when the apostle Peter speaks 
 of a resemblance between the preservation of 
 Noah and the other seven souls in the ark, and 
 the salvation of believers by baptism,* can we 
 draw any inference from the passage concerning 
 the mode of baptism ? 
 
 From the prophetic representation given in 
 the Psalms of Christ's being overwhelmed 
 with sorrow, in connexion with Christ's calling 
 his last sufferings a baptism , some have inferred, 
 that, to be baptized, we must be overwhelmed 
 in water. Says the Psalmist, " Save me, O 
 God, for the waters are come in unto my soul. 
 I sink in deep mire, where there is no standing : 
 I am come into deep waters, where the floods 
 overflow me. I am weary of my crying, my 
 throat is dried ; mine eyes fail while I wait for 
 my God."f In this passage the Psalmist 
 gives a figurative description of the sufferings 
 of Christ. Respecting the same sufferings, 
 Christ says, " I have a baptism to be baptized 
 with, and how am I straitened, till it be accom- 
 plished !" Even in the garden of Gethsemane, 
 Jesus said, " My soul is exceeding sorrowful 
 even unto death, "f 
 
 The Psalmist's representation of those suf- 
 ferings, which Christ calls a baptism, ought 
 * I. Pet. iii. 20, 21. f Ps. Ixix. 1—3. % Luke xii. 50. 
 
209 
 
 to excite in us ardent love and gratitude to our 
 Saviour ; but they do not appear to teach us 
 the mode of water baptism. Ought the person, 
 who is to be baptized, to have water applied in 
 such a manner, as to " come in unto his soul," 
 or vital parts ? Ought he to be put " in deep 
 mire, where there is no standing," or nothing 
 to prevent him from sinking ? Ought he to be 
 cast " into deep waters," to have " the floods 
 overflow" him? Is he to be left in a place of 
 danger and distress ? How far short the mode 
 of baptism by immersion comes of what is lit- 
 erally signified by the figurative expressions of 
 Jhe Psalmist ? The sufferings of Christ were 
 so great, that he was, in a certain sense, literally 
 baptized with his own tears and blood. 
 
 But our Saviour, when he calls his suffer- 
 ings a baptism, does not seem to refer to the 
 mode of water baptism. It is observable, that 
 the Scriptures no where represent water bap- 
 tism, as having any thing in it dreadful to nature. 
 Though immersion in water has something in 
 it terrifying to some persons, yet there is noth- 
 ing in it, which is worthy to be compared with 
 the sufferings of Christ ; and though some may 
 think, that they exercise considerable self de- 
 nial in being immersed in water, and so imi- 
 tating as they imagine, the example of Christ, 
 18* 
 
210 
 
 when he was baptized by John ; yet the great 
 question, for the trial of our self-denying dis- 
 position, is that, which Jesus put to James and 
 John ; " Are ye able to drink of the cup, that 
 I shall drink of, and to be baptized with the 
 baptism, that I am baptized with?"* Paul 
 desired to " know" " the fellowship of 
 Christ's " sufferings, being made conformable 
 unto his death."f 
 
 The reason, why Jesus called his sufferings 
 a baptism, will, perhaps, appear from the fol- 
 lowing considerations. He was made " per- 
 fect through sufferings."} By his own blood 
 he entered in once into the holy place, having 
 obtained eternal redemption for us. "J When a 
 person is baptized, he is by that rite conse- 
 crated to God. By a kind of baptism Aaron 
 and his sons were consecrated priests. Moses 
 washed them with water. By a kind of bap- 
 tism, (though not pure water was used) the 
 Levites were consecrated to their office. Those 
 multitudes, whom John baptized, were by that 
 rite consecrated to the service of God. They 
 confessed their sins, and expressed a desire 
 from that time to do the will of God. Every 
 person, who receives Christian baptism, is by 
 that rite dedicated to God. When Jesus was 
 
 * Matt. xx. 22. fPhilipp. iii. 10. JHeb.ii. 10. $Heb.ix. 12. 
 
211 
 
 baptized by John, we may consider him, by 
 that rite consecrated, in a certain sense, to the 
 great work, for which his Father sent him into 
 the world. Now, since by baptism a person 
 is consecrated to God, our Saviour's sufferings 
 were a baptism, in that, by his sufferings, he 
 was consecrated High Priest forever. He was 
 consecrated High Priest by his sufferings, in 
 this sense, that it was necessary for him to die, 
 as a sacrifice, in order to be prepared to offi- 
 ciate in the heavenly tabernacle, as an Interces- 
 sor for the people of God. When he had been 
 baptized by John, and anointed with the Holy 
 Ghost, he began his ministry, as the Saviour of 
 that which was lost ; but in order for him to be 
 prepared to sit King on God's holy hill of Zion, 
 to sit at God's right hand, to intercede for all, 
 who should come to God through him, to pre- 
 pare mansions for them in his Father's house, 
 and to save them to the uttermost, it was nec- 
 essary for him to experience something vastly 
 different from that baptism, which he received 
 from John ; it was necessary for him to die a 
 bitter death, and to be " raised up from the 
 dead by the glory of the Father," and be " de- 
 clared the Son of God with power, according 
 to the Spirit of holiness."* 
 
 * Rom. i. 4. 
 
212 
 
 As the baptism of Christ by John may be 
 considered, as answering to the washing given 
 to the priests at their consecration ; so the pas- 
 sion of Christ may be considered, as answer- 
 ing, at once, to the sacrifices offered at the con- 
 secration of the priests, to the sacrifices offered 
 by the high priest, to .make the annual atone- 
 ment, and to the washing, which the high priest 
 gave himself on the day of that great atonement, 
 , previously to his entering on the solemn ser- 
 vices of the day. As the high priest gave him- 
 self that washing, according to the requirement 
 of the law; so Jesus, in obedience to his Fath- 
 er's will, whose law was in his heart, voluntari- 
 ly laid down his life, that he might with his 
 own blood appear, not in " the holy places 
 made with hands," but in " heaven itself," and 
 "make reconciliation for the sins of" his 
 " people." 
 
 The following expressions of the apostle 
 Paul have been urged by the Baptists in favour 
 of immersion ; " Baptized into Jesus Christ ;" 
 Baptized into his death;" Buried with him by 
 baptism into death;" Buried with him in bap- 
 tism, wherein also ye are risen with him, 
 through the faith of the operation of God, who 
 hath raised him from the dead"* 
 
 * Ronr. yi. 3, 4. Col, xi. 12. 
 
213 
 
 These are figurative expressions, represent- 
 ing the union of believers to Christ, and their 
 interest in the benefits purchased by his death, 
 and ensured by his resurrection. They are bap- 
 tized into Christ. " He is the head of the body, 
 the church." Believers are the body and mem- 
 bers of Christ. Hence, as members of his 
 body, they are said to be erucified, dead, buried, 
 and risen with him. May not the apostle be 
 setting forth the death and destruction of sin in 
 the soul, without suggesting, that there is any 
 thing like a burial of the body in baptism ? 
 
 These passages, in the epistles to the Ro- 
 mans, and to the Colossians, have been thought 
 by some Pedobaptists, who consider sprinkling 
 as a scriptural mode of baptism, to refer to bap- 
 tism by immersion. Those Pedobaptists have 
 supposed, that, in the times of the apostles, bap- 
 tism was administered sometimes by immer- 
 sion, and sometimes in a different mode. These 
 passages, taken by themselves, may appear to 
 favour immersion ; but it seems rather unrea- 
 sonable to suppose, that, in the times of the 
 apostles, modes of baptism very different from 
 each other were practised ; and such strong ar- 
 guments may be drawn from the Scriptures in 
 favour of a mode different from immersion, that 
 
214 
 
 it will not be proper to consider these particu- 
 lar passages, as teaching us any thing concern- 
 ing the mode of baptism, if they will admit of 
 a satisfactory explanation, in which the mode 
 may not be brought into view. 
 
 From what the apostle says, in the passages 
 under consideration, it is evident, that baptism, 
 in whatever mode it is to be administered, has 
 a great respect to Christ's death and resurrec- 
 tion. This idea of baptism is agreeable to 
 what the apostle Peter says; "Baptism doth 
 also now save us" — " by the resurrection of 
 Jesus Christ."* A person, when he receives 
 Christian baptism, professes to believe in God 
 " manifested in the flesh," and " justified in the 
 Spirit." He professes faith in the blood of Je- 
 sus, who "once suffered for sins, the just for the 
 unjust, that he might bring" sinners " to God ; 
 being put to death in the flesh, but quickened 
 by the Spirit." He professes to "believe in 
 him, who raised up Jesus, our Lord, from the 
 dead ; who was delivered for our offences, and 
 was raised again for our justification." He 
 professes faith of, or in,f the operation, the 
 
 * I. Pet. iii. 21. f Compare in the Greek, Col. ii. 12. with 
 Gal. ii. 20. 
 
215 
 
 powerful operation of God, who raised Jesus 
 from the dead, and who will give all believers 
 a glorious resurrection, that they may, in this 
 respect, " be conformed to the image of his 
 Son," " the first begotten" from " the dead," 
 " the first born among many brethren." May 
 not this help us to understand what is meant 
 by being " baptized for the dead."* Though 
 this phraseology seems singular, the apostle may 
 mean no baptism different from that, which has 
 been common to the great body of Christians. 
 
 Christian baptism, according to the general 
 account of the ordinance in the Scriptures, is a 
 washing. This washing, agreeable to what was 
 said in a former discourse, is significant of a 
 spiritual washing, which consists in regenera- 
 tion, and the remission of sins. 
 
 Now baptism, as signifying each of these 
 two things, has such a respect to the death and 
 resurrection of Christ, that without bringing 
 into view any particular mode of baptism, we 
 may, perhaps, see a reason, why the apostle 
 Paul, writing to the Romans, and to the Colos- 
 sians, used the figurative expressions under 
 consideration. When a person is baptized, if 
 
 * I. Cor. xv. 29. 
 
216 
 
 he has that faith, which he professes, he hopes 
 for remission of sins through the death of Jesus, 
 who rose again; and he trusts in Jesus, and in 
 him, who by his mighty power raised Jesus 
 from the dead, for spiritual and eternal life. By 
 faith he receives the remission of his sins ; and 
 by faith he is spiritually quickened with Christ, 
 and spiritually rises with him. Further, his 
 baptism is to him a sign of the remission of his 
 sins, which are never to rise to his condemna- 
 tion, and a sign, that he shall be quickened, 
 that he shall receive grace to " walk in newness 
 of life," and shall obtain a resurrection to a glori- 
 ous immortality. Moreover, as burial is a sol- 
 emn manifestation of death; when the believer^ 
 who reckons himself to be " dead," " to sin," 
 " to the law," and " to the world," "but alive," 
 "to God through Jesus Christ," makes a sol- 
 emn manifestation of these sentiments, by re- 
 ceiving baptism, he may be said figuratively to 
 be buried with Christ, and to rise with him. 
 
 That baptism, even when it is represented, 
 as having respect to the death, burial and res- 
 urrection of Jesus Christ, is to be considered as 
 a -washing, appears from I. Peter iii. 21. In 
 this verse the apostle teaches, that baptism saves 
 
217 
 
 us " by the resurrection of Jesus Christ." In 
 the same verse he teaches, that we are not sav- 
 ed by the mere " putting away of the filth of 
 the flesh," that is, by mere baptism ; which ev- 
 idently implies, that baptism, considered in it- 
 self, is a washing. Burial, in a literal sense, 
 is not putting away the filth of the flesh, but 
 the body itself. It is true, (according to what 
 was said in a former discourse,) that baptism 
 is emblematical of "putting off the body of the 
 sins of the flesh" ; but of this it may be emblem- 
 atical, considered simply, as a washing, in what* 
 ever mode it is administered. 
 
 If, as I have been endeavouring to show, 
 the Baptists have neither command, nor exam- 
 pie, for baptizing by total immersion, nor fair 
 inference in favour of it ; it follows, that those 
 of them, who deliver pathetic discourses upon 
 the self-denial of going into the water — of fol- 
 lowing Christ into the watery grave, " speak 
 a vision of their own hearts and not out of the 
 mouth of the Lord."* 
 
 4. Several instances of baptism are mention- 
 ed in the New Testament, in which it is im- 
 probable that immersion was the mode. 
 
 On the day of Pentecost, at the third hour 
 of the day, or about nine o'clock in the morn. 
 
 Jcr. xxii. 16. 
 
 19 
 
218 
 
 ing, the apostles were speaking with different 
 tongues ; about three thousand persons were 
 added to the number of the disciples, and, as is 
 generally understood, were baptized the same 
 day.* Now when we consider, that the place 
 where the assembly was held, in the city of 
 Jerusalem, was not convenient for immersion ; 
 that some of the converts had come from a great 
 distance, and all had come without any design 
 of being baptized ; and that we have no account 
 of their making preparation at the time for im- 
 mersion ; we think it very probable, that they 
 were baptized in a more simple mode. 
 
 It is remarkable, that what was said on that 
 day of Pentecost, the day, when the Christian 
 church was first established, favours infant bap- 
 tism ; and that what was done, favours a mode 
 of baptism different from immersion. 
 
 Concerning the baptism of the eunuch, we 
 have no evidence, that the water was sufficient 
 for immersion. If the water was sufficient, we 
 have no evidence, that Philip and the eunuch 
 went into it, that they even stepped into the 
 edge of it. Had we evidence, that they went 
 into the water, we could not hence infer, that 
 the eunuch was immersed. It is not probable, 
 that he changed his clothes, nor that he was im- 
 
 * Acts ii* 41 . 
 
219 
 
 mersed, and in his wet clothes pursued his jour- 
 ney. It is probable that he was baptized by 
 sprinkling, or affusion. 
 
 Paul was baptized, probably, not by im- 
 mersion; according to the account in Acts ix. 
 18, 19. and xxii. 16. He was in the house of 
 one Judas, when Ananias came to him. " He" — 
 " arose, and was baptized. And, when he had 
 received meat, he was strengthened." He had 
 been three days blind, and without eating or 
 drinking. It does not appear that he left the 
 house, nor room ; it was proper that he should 
 " arise." 
 
 Concerning the baptism of Cornelius and 
 his friends, Peter said, " Can any man for- 
 bid water, that these should not be baptized, 
 who have received the Holy Ghost, as well as 
 we?"* This manner of expression naturally 
 leads us to think, that they did not leave the 
 house to go to the water, but that water was 
 brought into the house. 
 
 It does not look likely, that the jailor and his 
 family, at Philippi, went abroad at dead of night 
 to be immersed. Philippi was under the Roman 
 government. The j ailor was charged to keep Paul 
 and Silas safely. " At midnight Paul and Silas 
 prayed, and sang praises" to " God," in the 
 
 * Acts x. 47. 
 
220 
 
 prison . Suddenly there was a great earthquake, ** 
 the prison doors were opened, the bands of all 
 the prisoners were loosed, the jailor was alarm- 
 ed. " He called for a light, and sprang in, and 
 came trembling, and fell down before Paul and 
 Silas ; and brought them out, and said, Sirs, 
 what must I do to be saved ? And they said 
 believe on the Lord Jesus Christ ; and thou shalt 
 be sayed, and thine house. And they spake 
 unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that 
 were in his house. And he took them the same 
 hour of the night, and washed their stripes, and 
 was baptized, he, and all his, straightway. And 
 when he had brought them into his house, he 
 set meat before them, and rejoiced, believing 
 in God, with all his house."* 
 
 The words, "Anagagon te autous," render- 
 ed, "And, when he had brought them,' , seem 
 literally to signify, either, And having brought 
 then up, or, And having brought them again. 
 The word anagagon, seems to imply, either, 
 that the place, where the jailor set meat before 
 Paul and Silas, was higher, than that, in which 
 he and his household were baptized ; or that, 
 when he " took" Paul and Silas, he took them 
 out of the house. But, if we consider the lat- 
 ter idea, as implied, we are to remember, that 
 he took them, to wash their stripes* 
 
 * Acts xvi. 21—34. 
 
221 
 
 5. While Jesus and his disciples were bap- 
 tizing inJudea, and John was baptizing inEnon, 
 there arose a question between some of John's 
 disciples and the Jews about purifying. Jesus 
 was baptizing in one place, and John in anoth- 
 er. This offended some of the Jews, and gave 
 rise to a dispute, in which baptism was spoken 
 of, as a purification. See John iii. 25. 
 
 But how did the Jews purify themselves 7 
 When Jesus was at the marriage, in Cana of 
 Galilee, where he made the water wine, " there 
 were set there six water pots of stone, after the 
 manner of the purifying of the Jews, contain- 
 ing two or three firkins a piece. * It seems 
 then to have been the manner of the Jews to 
 purify themselves by washing at these water 
 pots. But are we to suppose, that it was their 
 manner to immerse themselves in a water pot, 
 containing two or three firkins. As for those 
 two kinds of washings, which the Jews in gen- 
 eral, were, through the influence of the tradi- 
 tion of the elders, accustomed to observe, one 
 always before eating, and the other before eat- 
 ing when they came from the market ; we are 
 informed what the former was ; a washing of 
 hands ; and from what has been before said, it 
 appears, that the other was not a total im- 
 mersion, 
 
 * John ii. 6. 
 
 19* 
 
6. According to the Scriptures, sprinkling 
 appears to be a suitable mode of representing 
 that spiritual purification, of which baptism is 
 emblematical, according to Eph. v. 26. and 
 which, in 1 Pet. iii. 21. our translators call 
 " the answer of a good conscience towards 
 God," that purification, by which a person is 
 cleansed from the guilt of sin, and from its pol- 
 lution. 
 
 In the ancient church persons and things 
 were to be sprinkled in various cases. Persons, 
 in different cases, were to be sprinkled with dif* 
 ferent mixtures. Some things were sprinkled 
 with blood ; others, with the mixtures, with 
 which persons were sprinkled. 
 
 In certain cases, persons,, considered un- 
 clean, cleansed themselves by washing their 
 clothes, or by washing their clothes and bath- 
 ing their flesh. But in those cases, in which 
 persons were to be sprinkled, and afterwards to 
 wash their clothes and bathe their flesh, it is 
 manifest, that what they did for themselves > if 
 it can be called a part of their purification, was 
 a very small part. When, for instance, a per- 
 son was unclean by the dead, what he did in 
 washing his clothes and bathing his flesh, though 
 necessary to be done, was of very little impor- 
 tance, in comparison with what the clean per* 
 
223 
 
 son did for him, in sprinkling upon him the 
 water of separation.* 
 
 The writer of the epistle to the Hebrews, 
 says " divers washings, and carnal ordinances ;'* 
 that is, ordinances pertaining to the flesh, and 
 appointed for the purifying of the flesh. If we 
 take " divers washings" in a comprehensive 
 sense, and " carnal ordinances" in a compre- 
 hensive sense, we may consider " carnal ordi- 
 nances," as including " divers washings;" and 
 then the meaning will be divers washings, and 
 other carnal ordinances. But, certainly, the or- 
 dinance of washing the clothes, and bathing the 
 flesh, if it was an ordinance in the sense of this 
 passage, was a more carnal ordinance, than the 
 ceremonies of sprinkling. In the case of a per- 
 son who was unclean by the dead ; if we con- 
 sider what the person did for himself as a part 
 of the ordinance of his purification, it was a 
 more carnal part, than the sprinkling. But 
 baptism, as performed by immersion, though it 
 does not exactly resemble what the unclean 
 person did for himself, yet is much more like 
 that, than like what was done for him by the 
 clean person. Let us keep in mind, that the 
 law never required one person to immerse an- 
 other in water. Now, when we consider the 
 
 * See Num. xix. 11—20. and Heb. is, 13, 
 
224 
 
 spirituality of the Christian dispensation, is it 
 rational to think, that baptism was intended 
 more to resemble the more carnal part of the 
 legal purifications, the part which the person 
 was to perform for himself,* than the far more 
 important and less carnal part, which the priest 
 was to perform for the leper, or which the clean 
 person was to perform for the unclean ? 
 
 That the spiritual purification, of which bap- 
 tism is emblematical, as far as that purification 
 consists in the remission of sins, or in a cleans- 
 ing from the guilt of sin, may be properly re- 
 presented by sprinkling, is manifest from those 
 passages in the New Testament, in which the 
 blood of Christ is spoken of, as, in a figurative 
 sense, sprinkled upon believers. The apostle 
 Peter says, " sprinkling of the blood of Jesus 
 Christ." The blood of Christ is called, Heb. 
 xii. 24. " the blood of sprinkling." See, also 
 Heb. ix. 14. and compare Heb. ix. 19, 20. 
 with Matt. xxvi. 28. Therefore, when it is 
 said, Rev. i. 5. " Washed us from our sins in 
 his own blood," where lousanti is used, we 
 are to consider a figure as used upon a figure. 
 Louo is capable of denoting a total washing ; 
 though it does not necessarily denote such a 
 
 * What the person was to perform for himself, perhaps, was 
 typical of what II. Cor. vii. 1. requires Christians to do. So 
 considered, it appears important* 
 
225 
 
 washing. This passage appears to teach us, 
 that, when the blood of Christ is figuratively 
 sprinkled upon believers, they are as complete- 
 ly cleansed from the guilt of sin, as a person's 
 body would be cleansed from filth, were it 
 wholly bathed. The psalmist David says, 
 *' Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean ; 
 wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow." 
 Hyssop was one of the things accompanying 
 the blood and water, with which the people* 
 were sprinkled at the ratification of the Sinai 
 covenant, and the blood and water, with which 
 lepers were to be sprinkled. See Is. i. 18. and 
 1 John i. 7. See, also, in the Greek, Acts 
 xxii. 16. where a compound of louo is used. 
 
 That the spiritual purification of which bap- 
 tism is emblematical, when that purification is 
 considered, as a cleansing from the pollution of 
 sin, or as the renewing of the Holy Spirit, may 
 be properly represented by sprinkling, appears 
 from Ezek. xxxvi. 25—27. "Then will I 
 sprinkle clean water upon you, and * shall be 
 clean : from all your filthiness, and from all your 
 idols will I cleanse you. A new heart also will 
 I give you, and a new spirit will I put within 
 
 * See Heb. ix. 19. It is, perhaps, uncertain, whether the 
 people themselves (or some of the people, representing the 
 whole congregation) were sprinkled, at that time, or thfr 
 twelve pillars, as representing the people. 
 
226 
 
 you : and I will take away the stony heart out 
 of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of 
 flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, 
 and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye 
 shall keep my judgments, and do them." Re- 
 specting this passage, which was to be fulfilled 
 in gospel times, let us attend to the following 
 things. 
 
 (1.) Here is a reference to the sprinkling of 
 the water of separation. (2.) In no case, 
 under the law, clean water was to be sprinkled 
 upon any person. The water of separation, in 
 which the ashes of a heifer were mixed with 
 water, might typify, as has been already obser. 
 ved, the application of the blood of Christ, 
 which was in due time to be shed, and the in- 
 fluence of the Holy Spirit. The reason, why 
 the water in this passage in Ezekiel is called 
 clean, may be, that this sprinkling was to take 
 place, after a complete expiation for sin should 
 have been made by the blood of Christ. ( 3 . ) The 
 sprinkling with clean water, in this passage, is 
 not Christian baptism itself; for it is spoken 
 of as what would be performed by God him- 
 self, and is a figurative representation of what 
 God would do for his people. Yet (4.) since 
 this sprinkling appears to be spoken of, as a 
 figurative representation not only of the remis- 
 
227 
 
 sion of sins, but also, of that renewing .of the 
 Holy Spirit, of which, according to Tit. iii. 5. 
 baptism is emblematical, it follows, that sprink- 
 ling is a proper mode of representing this reno- 
 vation, in baptism. Not only so; but (5.) It 
 is reasonable to think, that in this passage there 
 is some reference to that ordinance , which was 
 in due season to be instituted, for the emble- 
 matical purification of the church. It is said, 
 Is. Iii. 15. " So shall he sprinkle many nations." 
 It may be objected, that, since, according 
 to the apostle Peter, baptism, considered in it- 
 self is the putting away of the filth of the flesh, 
 it is not properly emblematical of a complete 
 spiritual purification, unless it is so administer- 
 ed, as completely to take away the filth of the 
 body. For an answer to this objection, which 
 may possibly arise in the minds of some, the 
 following things may serve. (1.) Baptism, as 
 administered by immersion, is not suited com- 
 pletely to cleanse the body. (2.) In the pas- 
 sage, which has been cited from Ezekiel, sprink- 
 ling is spoken of, as emblematical of a complete 
 cleansing. It is said, "From all your Jilthiness, 
 and from all your idols, will I cleanse you." 
 (3.) Water, so far as it is applied to the body, 
 tends to cleanse it; and the application of a little 
 water to the body may be emblematical of a 
 
228 
 
 complete spiritual purification ; as the Lord's 
 supper, in which, we eat but little bread, and 
 drink but little wine, is emblematical of that 
 spiritual feast, in respect to which we consider 
 Jesus, as saying, " Eat, O friends ; drink, yea, 
 drink abundantly, O beloved." 
 
 In Heb. x. 22. there appears to be a direct 
 reference to baptism ; and the use of the word 
 leloumenoi, in this place, may by some be 
 thought inconsistent with the mode of sprink- 
 ling, in baptism. Let the following things be 
 noted. (1.) The washing of the body, in this 
 passage, may be considered, as answering to 
 the sprinkling of the heart from an evil con- 
 science, which is spoken of immediately before, 
 and which taken in a large sense, comprehends 
 all the purification, of which baptism is emblem- 
 atical. See Heb. ix. 14. and 1 Pet. iii. 21. 
 Moreover, it is observed, that the expression 
 " pure water" is here used, as " clean water" in 
 E zekiel. (2. ) The body may be washed, with- 
 out being washed in every part. (3.) Though 
 louo is a proper word to denote a thorough bath- 
 ing, yet (as was said before) it does not neces- 
 sarily denote a total washing ; much less does 
 it necessarily imply a total immersion* * (4.) 
 When a person is baptized by immersion, (ac- 
 
 * See in the Greek, Acts ix. 37. and xvi. 33. and IF. Pet. ii. 22. 
 
229 
 
 cording to what was before remarked) his body 
 is not so fully washed, as it would be, if he were 
 to bathe himself. (5.) It appears from the con- 
 text of the passage under consideration, (see 
 Heb. x. 19 — 22.) that the bodily washing, which 
 the Christians received in baptism, answered in 
 a certain sense, to the washing, which the law 
 required the high priest to give himself prior to 
 his engaging in the solemnities of the great day 
 of annual atonement. As was said in the for- 
 mer part of this discourse, it is not likely, that 
 the high priest, at that time, washed himself by 
 a total immersion. (6.) On the whole, we can- 
 not from this passage determine the mode of 
 baptism ; but we may consider the passage and 
 its context, as exhibiting to us this idea ; that, 
 as the high priest, before he put on the 
 holy linen garments, and went into the holy 
 place with the blood of beasts, washed himself, 
 *so Christians receive a kind of bodily washing 
 at their baptism, when by profession* they 
 put on Christ, through whose blood they are all 
 encouraged to enter into the most holy place, 
 and to draw near to God. 
 
 After the remarks, which have been made 
 upon louo, it will be unnecessary to say any thing 
 respecting the use of the verbal noun loutro in 
 
 f See Heb. x. 23. 
 
 20 
 
230 
 
 Tit. iii. 5. or respecting the use of the com- 
 pound of louo in 1 Cor, vi. 11. in which the 
 Corinthian Christians are represented, as having 
 been washed, sanctified, and justified. The 
 spiritual washing here spoken of, perhaps, com- 
 prehends the sanctification and justification. 
 There may be an indirect reference to their 
 baptism, which was emblematical of their sanc- 
 tification and justification. 
 
 In Eph. v. 26, in which loutro is used, there 
 appears to be a direct reference to baptism. This 
 passage and its context seem to teach us, that 
 the spiritual purification, which is signified by 
 baptism, will prepare the church to be present* 
 ed to Christ, as a virgin is presented to her 
 spouse. * 
 
 Peter said to Jesus, John xiii. 9. " Lord, 
 not my feet only, but also, my hands, and my 
 head." Jesus replied, "He that is washed 
 [that is, he that has been washed or bathed ho 
 leloumenos] needeth not, save to wash his feet, 
 but is clean every whit : [that is, needeth not 
 afterward only to wash his feet, but is entirely 
 clean] and ye are clean," See John xv. 3. As 
 when a person has bathed himself, his feet are 
 liable immediately to be defiled ; so those, who 
 have been cleansed through the word of Christ, 
 
 * See 2 Cor. xi. 2. 
 
231 
 
 and sanctified by his Spirit, need afterward, in 
 the course of their Christian walk, to receive 
 frequently from Christ a figurative washing of 
 the feet. 
 
 What would be a complete washing of the 
 body according to the custom of one country, 
 would not be a complete washing according to 
 the custom of another. Whether leloumenos, 
 in this passage, means a bathing of the whole 
 body, is not material. When Jesus compared 
 that spiritual purification, which his disciples 
 had received, to the complete washing, which 
 a man gives himself, it is not likely, that he had 
 any reference to the baptism, which his disci- 
 ples had received from John, his forerunner. 
 If he had any reference to that baptism, still 
 we are to consider, that that baptism, if it was 
 administered in a mode far different from total 
 immersion, might be emblematical of such a 
 spiritual purification, as the disciples of Jesus 
 had received. On the other hand, from what 
 has been before said in this discourse, it appears 
 unlikely, that John administered .baptism in the 
 mode of total immersion. Furthermore, if Pe- 
 ter had been totally immersed by John, or, if 
 he had thought it proper, for one person totally 
 to immerse another, in a ceremonial way, would 
 he not have been apt, when, in his zeal, he said, 
 
232 
 
 " Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands 
 and my head," to have gone further, and ask- 
 ed Jesus to wash his whole body ? 
 
 All the passages of Scripture have now been 
 brought to view, which it appears important to 
 consider, in attending to the mode of baptism. 
 For in this discourse a fair statement has been 
 intended to be given respecting the mode of bap- 
 tism ; as in the two preceding discourses, a 
 fair statement was intended to be given re- 
 specting the subjects of this ordinance. 
 
 It will be but justice to acknowledge, that 
 ecclesiastical history, while it greatly favours 
 infant baptism, seems, in some degree, to fa- 
 vour the mode of immersion. It appears, that 
 at an early period, after the times of the apos- 
 tles, immersion was generally practised. Let 
 it be remembered, that at the same time infants 
 appear to have been immersed, and infant bap- 
 tism to have universally prevailed in the church* 
 
 That history does not favour immersion in 
 so great a degree, as it favours infant baptism, 
 will be manifest from these two considerations. 
 
 (1.) To administer baptism by immersion 
 would not be so great a departure from the a- 
 postolical practice, if sprinkling or affusion was 
 practised in the times of the* apostles, as to bap* 
 tize infants, if infants were not baptized in -the 
 
233 
 
 times of the apostles. The question, to whom 
 is baptism to be administered, is more impor- 
 tant, than the question, how is baptism to be 
 administered. Furthermore the Christians ap- 
 pear soon to have felt at liberty to use their dis- 
 cretion, in some measure, as to the mode of bap- 
 tism. For instance, there is an account, that 
 in* the second century, persons, when they were 
 baptized, were immersed three times. But, 
 perhaps, few of those, who suppose, that the 
 apostles baptized by immersion, will suppose, 
 that they immersed a person more than once. 
 Now, if those can, account for that triple im- 
 mersion, who suppose that the apostles practis- 
 ed a single immersion, we may, on nearly the 
 same principles, account for the practice of im- 
 mersion, if we suppose, that the apostles prac- 
 tised sprinkling or affusion. 
 
 (2.) In the early times, though immersion 
 was the usual mode of baptism, it appears not 
 to have been considered essential to baptism; 
 sprinkling or affusion was sometimes practised, 
 and, as it appears, with general approbation ; nor 
 does it appear, but that it was practised with 
 universal approbation. It was practised, it ap- 
 pears, particularly, when the person to be bap- 
 tized was sick, or when certain circumstances 
 would have rendered the administration of bap- 
 20* 
 
234 
 
 tism to a well person by immersion difficult. 
 According to Reed's Apology >, even so early, 
 as about the middle of the second century, a 
 number of persons were baptized by sprinkling 
 or affusion, whose baptisms are particularly men- 
 tioned in history. According to the same au« 
 thor, Cyprian did not think, that those early 
 Christians, whom he called the ancients, view- 
 ed immersion, as essential to baptism. 
 
 . Some persons seem to have strangely re- 
 presented the Christians in the early ages, as 
 considering immersion essential to baptism, and 
 yet occasionally administering baptism by sprink- 
 ling or affusion, because they had superstitious 
 ideas of the importance of baptism. They 
 might be, in some measure, superstitious re- 
 specting baptism, but, if we should even sup- 
 pose, that they considered baptism, as essential 
 to the salvation of every individual, still, if they 
 had considered immersion, as essential to bap- 
 tism, they would- not have hoped, that sprink- 
 ling or affusion would prevent any person's 
 perishing. 
 
 When we attend to the nature of Christiani- 
 ty, as laying comparatively- little stress on ex- 
 ternal rites, and when we consider, that this re- 
 ligion was designed to bless all nations in all 
 climates, to bless old and young, and people of 
 
235 
 
 all conditions; is it not reasonable to think, 
 that baptism is such a washing, as can be giv- 
 en even to those, who are brought low by u> 
 firmity and disease ; who -by this sensible sign 
 may be assisted in " looking for. the mercy of 
 our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life," 
 
SERMON VI. 
 
 Romans iv. 11, 12* 
 
 And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal 
 of the righteousness of the faith, which he 
 had, yet being uncircumeised : that he might 
 be the father of all them that believe, though 
 they be not circumcised; that righteousness 
 might be imputed unto them also ; And the 
 father of circumcision to them, who are not 
 of the circumcision only, but who also walk in 
 the steps of that faith of our father Abra- 
 ham, which he had, being yet uncircumeised. 
 
 Jlxaving endeavoured, in the preceding dis- 
 courses, to illustrate the gracious covenant, 
 which God made with Abraham, and the de- 
 sign of circumcision, as its seal ; to point out 
 the duty of walking in the steps of Abraham's 
 faith, with a particular application to Christian 
 parents ; to prove, that the infants of believers 
 ought to be baptized ; to answer some objec- 
 tions against infant baptism, and against the rea- 
 soning of those, who argue in favour of it ; and 
 to show, that sprinkling is a proper mode of bap- 
 tism; I now proceed to some inferences and 
 reflections* 
 
237 
 
 1. We infer from this subject the vanity 
 of all attempts to destroy the churchy built on 
 the everlasting covenant, which God made with 
 Abraham, on the truth that Jesus is the Christ, 
 the Son of God, and on Jesus Christ himself. 
 
 It is the church of Christ. It was given to 
 him " before the foundation of the world," as 
 a recompence for his sufferings. He hath lov- 
 ed it " with an everlasting love." God " creat- 
 ed all things by Jesus Christ ; to the intent that 
 now, unto the principalities and powers in heav- 
 enly places, might be known by the church the 
 manifold wisdom of God, according to the eter- 
 nal purpose, which he purposed in Christ Jesus 
 our Lord."* For the sake of the church, 
 " God executeth his decrees, in the works of 
 creation and providence. ' ' He called Abraham, 
 established with him a gracious covenant, con- 
 tinued his seed a distinct people, and reproved 
 kings for their sakes ; and in the fulness of time 
 Christ came, and purchased the church with his 
 own blood. " All" authority has been "* giv- 
 en unto" Jesus " in heaven and in earth. "f 
 The Divine power was manifested in the salva- 
 tion of the ancient church in Egypt, at the Red 
 sea, in Babylon, and in various persecutions. 
 The Lord said, " But thou, Israel, art my 
 
 * Eph. iii. 10, 11. f Matt, xxviii. 1&. 
 
238 
 
 servant, Jacob, whom I have chosen, the seed 
 of Abraham, my friend. — Fear thou not, for I 
 am with thee ; be not dismayed, for I am thy 
 God : I will strengthen thee \ yea, I will help 
 thee ; yea, I will uphold thee with the right 
 hand of my righteousness. "* In supporting 
 the Christian church in times of great persecu- 
 tion, in establishing and continuing the church 
 in this land, especially, in remarkable effusions 
 of the Holy Spirit, in different parts of the world, 
 God has manifested his power and grace. 
 Thus has he performed " the mercy promised, " 
 and remembered "his holy covenant; the oath 
 which he sware to" "Abraham,"! and' his 
 promise and oath to his son Jesus Christ.f 
 
 The church stands on a firm basis, even the 
 promise and oath of Jehovah. The Divine 
 counsel concerning the church is immutable ; 
 and " the heirs of promise" have " strong con- 
 solation." 
 
 The standing church, including all, who 
 love the Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity, is an 
 olive tree of the planting of the Lord. At no 
 time has it been destitute of living branches. 
 Christians now partake of the root and increased 
 fatness of the ancient olive. They live by faith 
 In the promises, which supported the Jewish 
 
 * Is. xli. 8—10. t Luke i. 72, 73. } See Ps. ex, 
 
239 
 
 church, and the promises of the New Testament 
 Scriptures. In vain are all boastings against 
 this tree, or any of its living branches. Its en- 
 emies are but an ax. The ax is not able to lift 
 up itself. Why then should it boast against 
 the life of the tree ? 
 
 The standing church is God's vineyard. If 
 some of the vines are impure, bearing grapes of 
 gall, and bitter clusters, the vineyard must not 
 be destroyed ; " for a blessing is in it." If the 
 Owner, for a time, " take away the hedge," 
 " and break down the wall," and " lay it waste," 
 he will again build the wall, set up the hedge, 
 and repair the old waste places,. Though the 
 church be greatly afflicted, though, in some 
 instances, stated pastors be removed, the 
 regular enjoyment of Divine ordinances inter- 
 rupted, and false teachers be suffered to bring in 
 heresies, yet God will overrule all this for good. 
 His vineyard will not be perpetually over-run 
 with briars and thorns ; though they set them- 
 selves against him in battle, he will go through 
 them, and burn them together." 
 
 The standing church is God's holy moun- 
 tain, the mountain of the Lord's house. Though 
 mountains of opposition may seem to rise high, 
 they shall flow down at the presence of the 
 Lord. " And it shall come to pass in the last 
 
240 
 
 days, that the mountain of the LORD's house 
 shall be established in the top of the mountains, 
 and shall be exalted above the hills." 
 
 The standing church is the spiritual Jerusa- 
 lem. Its enemies say, " Rase it, rase it, even 
 to the foundation." But it stands on an ever- 
 lasting foundation. It " is mount Zion," " the 
 city of the great king," " which cannot be re- 
 moved, but abideth forever." " God is known 
 in her palaces for a refuge." 
 
 The certain and final fall of the standing 
 church is predicted by many, as they wander 
 from village to village, professing to be teach- 
 ers of religion. They tell their hearers, that 
 stated ministers and ordinances are coming 
 down ; the standing church is falling, it is fall- 
 ing. One builds a wall, and lo ! others daub 
 it with untempered mortar, and say, Lo ! here 
 is a true church ! Lo, here is the temple of the 
 Lord ! The enemies of truth gather around, and 
 listen with avidity, hoping, that the time is near, 
 when regular churches, and stated ministers, will 
 cease. Who can but bewail their delusion and 
 folly ? What Christian can but pity their blind- 
 ness, and pray, that their eyes may be opened ? 
 
 The church must stand. Though it is to 
 be afflicted, it is not to be destroyed ; in vain 
 are all attempts for this purpose. The enemies 
 of the church are a rod in the hand of the Lord. 
 
241 
 
 Let not the rod shake itself against him, that 
 lifteth it up. It has not power to destroy, nor 
 even to afflict without God ; and he afflicts in 
 loving kindness and tender mercy, with a view 
 to purify the church, and establish it more and 
 more upon the sure foundation. The Lord 
 Jesus hath said, that " the gates of hell shall not 
 prevail against" his " church." 
 
 2. Christians may be reminded of their 06- 
 ligations to " love one another," as brethren, 
 by reflecting on the blessed truth, that Abraham 
 is "the father of all" those who "believe." 
 
 Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of 
 Abraham, is the Son of God, whom " the Father 
 sent" " to be the Saviour of the world." His 
 name corresponds with his mission. Jesus, de- 
 rived from the Jewish language, signifies Saviour. 
 Christ, derived from the Greek language, signi- 
 fies Anointed. Jesus Christ was anointed, by God 
 the Father, to be the Saviour, not only of the 
 Jews, but also, of the Greeks; to be the Sav- 
 iour of "all" the " nations." All, who believe in 
 Jesus Christ, become children of Abraham, and 
 children of God ; and God sends forth into their 
 hearts " the Spirit of his Son," "crying, Ab- 
 ba, Father." According to a remark of Dr. 
 Doddridge, the Syro-Chaldaic word Abba, and 
 the Greek word Pater, both which signify 
 Father, being joined,* happily denote the union 
 * See Rom. viii. 15. and Gal. iv. 6 
 
 21 
 
242 
 
 of Jews and Gentiles in those devotions, which 
 they address to God with a filial heart. 
 
 When Jesus expired on the cross, " the vail 
 of the temple was rent in twain from the top to 
 the bottom." Those, who believe in him, are 
 encouraged to enter into the most holy place 
 " by the blood of Jesus.' ' Jesus also broke 
 down " the middle wall of partition," which 
 separated the Gentiles from the Jews. To a 
 part of the temple Gentiles had access ; on the 
 wall of partition was an inscription of this im- 
 port ; No foreigner must enter here. But those, 
 who once were " strangers ancj. foreigners," are 
 now " fellow citizens with the saints, and of the 
 the household of God." 
 
 At the birth of our Saviour, " a multitude of 
 the heavenly host" sung, " Glory to God in the 
 highest, and on earth peace, good will toward 
 men." "Oh! that" mankind "would praise 
 the Lord" for his wonderful love in the redemp- 
 tion of sinners ! Let " the Gentiles" " glorify 
 God for his mercy." "Praise the Lord, all ye 
 Gentiles ; and laud him, all ye people." 
 
 Abraham was constituted " a father of 
 many nations." It was promised to Abraham, 
 Isaac and Jacob, that their seed should be "as 
 the stars of heaven," and "as the dust of the 
 earth." Sarah was to be "a mother of na- 
 tions ;" and the relatives of Rebekah, when 
 
243 
 
 they blessed her, said, " Be thou the mother 
 of thousands of millions." The LORD said 
 to Israel, " I will bring thy seed from the east, 
 and gather thee from the west. I will say to 
 the north, give up ; and to the south, keep not 
 back : bring my sons from far, and my daugh- 
 ters from the ends of the earth." Let Gen- 
 tile Christians rejoice, and bless God, that they 
 are reckoned among the seed of Jacob, and are 
 adopted, with believing Jews, as " sons and 
 daughters" of " the Lord Almighty." It was 
 said of God's ancient people, "Ye shall eat 
 the riches of the Gentiles, and in their glory 
 shall ye boast yourselves." How ought Gen- 
 tile Christians to be affected, when they con- 
 sider, that, in a certain sense, the reverse of 
 this is now the case ! Are not believing Gen- 
 tiles now eating the riches of the Jews, and en- 
 joying their glory? Are they not "with joy" 
 drawing " water out of" those " wells of salva- 
 tion," to which the Jews, as a nation, though 
 perishing with thirst, have no heart to come ? 
 Are they not deriving comfort and delight from 
 those ancient Scriptures, which when the Jews 
 read, there is a vail upon their heart, since they 
 will not listen to the joyful sound of the gospel, 
 nor receive those Christian Scriptures, which 
 cheer the souls of believers, and which at once 
 reflect light upon the ancient Scriptures, and re- 
 
£44 
 
 eeive light from them? Let us rejoice in the inti- 
 mation, which the apostle Paul gives, that, when 
 " the fulness of the Gentiles" shall have " come 
 in,"* there will be a glorious accession of the 
 natural seed of Jacob to the Christian church. 
 The " fulness" of the Jews will " much more" 
 enrich the world, than their " fall." The elder 
 son (in the parable) had no reason to be angry, 
 when his prodigal brother was welcomed home ; 
 for their father had " enough, and to spare ;" 
 he ought to have rejoiced greatly at his broth- 
 er's return, and kind reception. His tender fa- 
 ther, when he went out, and " entreated him" 
 to come into the house, said, " Son, thou art 
 ever with me ; and all that I have is thine." 
 Let us remember this; and "not" "boast" 
 " against the branches" of that " good olive 
 tree" by " the root" of which we are sustained. 
 Let us " not" be " high minded, but fear." 
 At the same time, let us rejoice, that the para- 
 able of the two sons is not to be applied in the 
 strictest sense. Though all things belong to 
 the Jews, yet to believing Gentiles, as well as 
 
 f By " the fulness of the Gentiles," Rom. xi. 25. perhaps, 
 are meant the elect among the Gentiles, who shall be brought 
 into the fold of Christ during the time of God's long suffering 
 towards the Gentiles, (compare Luke xxi. 24.) and prior to 
 those awful judgments upon the nations, (see Rev. xvi. 17 — 21) 
 which shall be introductory to the glorious reign of Christ spo- 
 ken of in Rev. xx. 4. Ought not Christian nations to tremble ? 
 
5245 
 
 to believing Jews, it is said, " All things are 
 yours." The Jews had, by no means, reason 
 to be angry, when the Gentiles were received 
 into the house of God. For the gospel brought 
 to the Jews an inheritance much richer, than 
 they had been expecting for so many ages ; 
 and the Gentiles' being admitted, as their fellow 
 heirs, did not diminish their inheritance, but in- 
 creased it. But, what, if, while the elder son 
 remained out of doors, loath to come in, the 
 prodigal had begun to grow proud, and had 
 said, that his brother never was a dutiful son, 
 and that he himself had as good a right to their 
 father's estate as his brother ? — The elder son 
 remains yet without the house ; but will he not 
 at length come in, cordially bid his younger 
 brother welcome, and be glad even to have him 
 his fellow heir ? 
 
 There was an earnest of this in the time of 
 the apostles. Believing Jews " glorified God," 
 who had " granted" "also to the Gentiles" 
 " repentance unto life."J. The Gentiles who 
 had been " dead," were made " alive again" 
 by the gospel, and the restoration of the Jews 
 to the favour of God will be as " life from the 
 dead." Let us ardently desire, and humbly 
 pray, that the fulness of the Gentiles may come 
 in, and that Israel may be saved. 
 
 \ See Acts xi. 18. and xv. 3. and xxu 19, 20. 
 
 21* 
 
246 
 
 In the meantime, let all Christians, being 
 the seed of Abraham, and the children of God, 
 " love one another," as brethren ; " forbearing 
 one another in love ;" and " endeavouring £tak-< 
 ing pains] to keep the unity of Spirit in the 
 bond of peace." " There is one body, and one 
 Spirit, even as" believers " are called in one 
 hope of" their "calling; one Lord, one faith, 
 one baptism." 
 
 Ought not those, who seem to renounce 
 the everlasting covenant, which God made 
 with Abraham, and who at the same time 
 claim an exclusive right of coming to the 
 table of the Lord, to consider, whether their 
 own principles do not exclude them from 
 the visible church ? They deny the validity 
 of baptism, as given to infants, and as ad- 
 ministered in the mode of sprinkling, and 
 refuse to commune with Pedobaptists in com- 
 memorating the death of Christ. But might 
 not we with more propriety refuse to com- 
 mune with them ; since they appear to have 
 gone out from us, and to have made themselves, 
 in a certain sense, " strangers from the coven- 
 ants of promise?" Yet we offer to recognise 
 them, as brethren, at the table of their Lord 
 and ours ; and we do this upon the supposi- 
 tion, that they do not understanding^, delib- 
 erately and absolutely renounce the everlasting 
 covenant. We charitably believe, that some 
 
247 
 
 sincere, humble Christians have received sec- 
 tarian principles, in consequence of the indefat- 
 igable zeal, with which they have been propa- 
 gated, and still, as to the essentials of religion, 
 walk in the steps of the faith of Abraham. 
 
 We are willing to recognise, among the 
 spiritual children of Abraham and of Jacob, and 
 the children of God, some, who (to reverse 
 what is said in Is. lxiii. 16.) seem to be igno- 
 rant of Abraham, and not disposed in a suitable 
 manner to acknowledge Israel. Yea, we hope, 
 that among the Baptists, there are worthy min- 
 isters of the gospel, and pious Christians, who 
 regard the ancient Israelites as a church, and 
 the Abrahamic covenant, as everlasting, and 
 desire to be Abraham's children, and to walk 
 in the steps of his faith, and yet do not consid- 
 er the arguments, which are brought for infant 
 baptism, as sufficiently strong. Let Pedobap- 
 tists, therefore, receive Baptists, as their breth- 
 ren in the Lord. 
 
 At the same time, we cannot consistently so- 
 licit the ministerial aid of those religious teach- 
 ers, who not only hold to close communion, 
 but view it very important to destroy all other 
 churches, and to build up their own, as being 
 the only Christian churches. 
 
 Do not some religious teachers and profess- 
 ing Christians act a part too similar to the part 
 acted by those, whom Paul terms the concision. 
 
248 
 
 while they say, Unless you be baptized according 
 to our mode of baptizing, we cannot treat you, 
 as members of the visible church, though we 
 hope that you will be saved, and that you and we 
 together shall at length " sit down with Abra- 
 ham, and Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of 
 heaven," 
 
 Do not some true Christians keep them- 
 selves separated from those, whom they them- 
 selves regard as fellow Christians, by a partition 
 wall, having this inscription? No person, that 
 has not been baptized by immersion must enter 
 here. 
 
 Did not Jewish and Gentile Christians as- 
 sociate together, and feel as one, in the times of 
 the apostles ? Let this be seriously considered 
 by those, who refuse to hold free communion 
 with other Christians, while they entertain dif- 
 ferent sentiments from theirs about baptism. 
 
 It is to be deeply lamented, that different 
 sentiments concerning baptism have produced 
 such a division, as now exists in the Christian 
 Church. Though baptism is an important 
 thing, can any Christian be justified in endeav* 
 ouring to maintain this division ? Some Chris- 
 tians refuse to hold free communion with those, 
 who entertain different sentiments from theirs 
 respecting baptism, even though they regard 
 them, as true Christians, and as having a sin- 
 cere desire to do the will of the Lord concern- 
 
249 
 
 ing baptism in particular. Let not the intelli- 
 gence of this division reach the Ganges, nor the 
 Nile. 
 
 " Pray for the peace of Jerusalem. They 
 shall prosper, that love thee." 
 
 " How good, and how pleasant it is for 
 brethren to dwell together in unity I It is like 
 the precious ointment' ' poured upon Aaron ; 
 the emblem of that " one Spirit," which is 
 imparted to all true Christians, as composing 
 " one body." See 1 Cor. xii. 13. 
 
 3. This subject teaches us, that none, but 
 believing parents, have a right to baptism for 
 their children. 
 
 Abraham had justifying faith, before he 
 received the seal of the covenant for himself 
 and household. Without faith parents cannot 
 now please God, when they have baptism ad- 
 ministered to their children. If they do not 
 walk in the steps of Abraham's faith, they are 
 not spiritual children of Abraham. 
 
 Unbelieving parents do not separate them- 
 selves and their families from the sinful prac- 
 tices of the world, nor with their households 
 call upon the name of the Lord. They do not 
 trust in God's everlasting covenant, nor really 
 give their children up to him, when they have 
 them baptized. They do not set a pious ex- 
 ample, nor " command" their " children" after 
 them " to keep the way of the Lord." 
 
250 
 
 Is it not the case, with many baptized chil- 
 dren, that they are not trained up in a manner 
 essentially different from that in which others 
 are ? that they are not carefully taught the Holy 
 Scriptures, instructed in the things of religion, 
 admonished and counselled respecting their sal- 
 vation and their duty, nor restrained from those 
 fashionable amusements, which are according 
 to the course of this world ? 
 
 It is no just cause of complaint against a 
 minister, that he is unwilling to baptize the chil- 
 dren of those parents, who do not, in some de- 
 gree, manifest faith in Christ, love to God, and 
 a humble intention of training up their chil- 
 dren according to the gospel. What spiritual 
 benefit can those parents think their children 
 would derive from baptism ? 
 
 For unbelieving parents, under the influence 
 of worldly motives, to request baptism for their 
 children, and for ministers to gratify them in 
 this request, is a perversion of the ordinance. 
 This perversion has furnished the opposers of 
 infant baptism with a specious argument, which 
 they use too indiscriminately, and, it is to be 
 feared, with no small success. They appeal to 
 facts, to prove, that infant baptism is a useless 
 ceremony. It is asked, Of what profit is infant 
 baptism ? Are baptized children more religious 
 than others ? Let ministers and churches faith- 
 fully perform their duty with regard to the ad- 
 
251 
 
 ministration of baptism, with regard to their 
 treatment of baptized children, and with regard 
 to church discipline in general. Then, such 
 parents only, as make a credible profession of 
 faith in Christ, will receive baptism for their 
 children ; and it may be hoped, that baptized 
 children will be brought up " in the nurture 
 and admonition of the Lord." Then, may it 
 not be hoped, that all will acknowledge the 
 parents and children of the church to be " the 
 seed, which the Lord hath blessed?" ac- 
 knowledge the parents to be "the seed of the 
 blessed of the Lord, and their oifspring with 
 them?" 
 
 Happy is that head of a family, who may 
 be said, like Aquila, like Nymphas, and like 
 Philemon, to have a church in his house ! May 
 not this be applied, with some propriety, to 
 every pious Christian, who has a pious partner 
 and pious children ? 
 
 4. Great is the impropriety of rebaptizing 
 those, who have been baptized in infancy. 
 
 Baptism, as applied to infants, as well as to 
 adults, is a seal of the everlasting covenant. It 
 is God's seal ; and for a person to consider it 
 a mere nullity, because he was not active in the 
 application, is highly improper. God's seal is 
 not to be set aside by man. The eternal God 
 never breaks his covenant, nor alters the thing, 
 that has gone out of his lips ; and there can be 
 
252 
 
 no just occasion for applying the initiatory seal 
 a second time. 
 
 If parents are not sincere, when they pro- 
 fess faith, and when their children are baptized, 
 the insincerity of the parents does not destroy 
 the validity of baptism, with respect to the 
 children. The children receive a seal of God's 
 covenant ; and, if God renews them by his 
 grace, they realize what was signified by their 
 baptism. They have no right to renounce the 
 seal. They have experienced the mercy and 
 grace of that covenant, which was sealed by 
 their baptism ; and why should they deny the 
 utility of the seal ? 
 
 5. We learn that it is very sinful to ridicule 
 the sprinkling of infants. 
 
 It appears, that all Christian parents, not 
 only have a right, but are bound, to give their 
 infant offspring to God in baptism. It likewise 
 appears, that sprinkling is a scriptural mode of 
 baptism. To treat with ridicule a solemn insti- 
 tution of Heaven, and one so important, as 
 respects the continuance of the church, and the 
 spiritual interest of parents and children, is ex- 
 ceedingly wicked. 
 
 It is not the case with all, who oppose in- 
 fant baptism, that they treat it with derision ; 
 some of them appear serious and conscientious. 
 But there are persons, who treat infant baptism 
 with derision, in their preaching, conversation 
 
253 
 
 and writings. Others approve their sayings, and 
 cast a sneer of contempt at the sprinkling of 
 infants. This solemn institution has become 
 a subject of derision, not only in the lips of 
 professed infidels ; but in the lips of some, who 
 profess to be Christians, and even teachers of 
 religion. 
 
 Will they ridicule Abraham, for applying 
 the seal of the covenant to his infant offspring ? 
 and the ancient saints, for walking in the steps 
 of his faith, in this respect ? Will they scoff at 
 the Israelites in Egypt, for sprinkling blood on 
 their door posts, as a mean of saving the first 
 born ? Will they ridicule the account of the 
 apostle Paul, that the chosen tribes, both par- 
 ents and children, were " baptized" "in the 
 cloud, and in the sea ?" Will they deride the 
 apostle for saying, that the children of Israel 
 were baptized at the Red sea, since they were 
 not immersed ? Will they deride the religion of 
 our forefathers, who held to the sprinkling of 
 infants? Will they deride the sacraments of 
 the church of Christ, for ages after his ascension, 
 because they were administered by those, who 
 held to infant baptism ? Shall such treatment of 
 little children be ridiculed, as corresponds with 
 the example of our Saviour, and with his words, 
 " of such is the kingdom of heaven ? ' ' Shall the 
 apostle Paul be ridiculed, for calling the chil- 
 22 
 
254 
 
 dren of believers holy ? Are Christian parents to 
 be by such ridicule turned aside from the steps 
 of the faith of Abraham ? No. Soon will the 
 unhallowed lips of scoffers be silenced. 
 
 Baptism is a solemn thing. If any ridicule 
 the administration of it by immersion, which 
 some Christians consider the proper mode, they 
 commit great wickedness. 
 
 6. We learn, that those parents, who have 
 
 young children unbaptized, ought to give them 
 
 up to God in baptism, trusting, with humble 
 
 gratitude, in his everlasting covenant. 
 
 If the parents have not been baptized, they 
 
 are first to devote themselves to the Lord in that 
 
 ordinance. 
 
 It is the case with many young children, that 
 
 they have not received that seal of God's cove- 
 nant, which their parents received in infancy. 
 Let the parents of those children attend serious- 
 ly to a subject, which so deeply concerns the 
 spiritual and eternal interest of their dear and 
 precious offspring. 
 
 Will you not pei A m for your children 
 that office of kindness, which your parents per- 
 formed for you ? Have you not already too long 
 neglected an important duty, which you owe to 
 God, and to your children ? you have been in- 
 strumental of bringing them into existence ; and 
 their early weeping and crying signified, that 
 they had come into a world, in which " sin hath 
 reigned unto death. ' ' They then implored your 
 
255 
 
 compassion.* They still implore it. Their 
 pains, their diseases affect your hearts. But is it 
 enough to take care of their bodies ? Can you 
 do less for them, than to afford them the sacred 
 emblem of the gift of that grace, which reigns 
 " through righteousness unto eternal life, by 
 Jesus Christ our Lord?" 
 
 The longer you neglect this duty, the great- 
 er will be the temptation to continue in the neg- 
 lect. In your serious and reflecting moments, 
 it will be painful to think of the state of your 
 children, while they are growing up around 
 you, without the seal of God's covenant. In 
 this case, you may be in danger of entertaining 
 contemptuous thoughts of infant baptism in 
 general ; and in danger of embracing error, to 
 quiet your consciences. How many parents, 
 by neglecting their duty, put themselves in the 
 way of temptation, and then yield to its influ- 
 ence ! While their children are babes, they 
 neglect the dedication of them to God ; this 
 duty afterwards appears more difficult; and 
 they are under strong temptation to hearken to 
 such suggestions, as appear to furnish them 
 with an excuse for their neglect, and to justify 
 their past conduct. Perhaps, they are repeated- 
 ly told by one and another, that there is no com- 
 mand to baptize infants ; that believers are the 
 only suitable subjects of baptism, and immer- 
 
 * According to Reed's apology, this idea was suggested by 
 Cyprian, in the third century. 
 
256 
 
 sion the only valid mode ; that Christ was bap- 
 tized in Jordan ; that the eunuch went into the 
 water, and came up out of the water ; and that 
 we must believe, and be baptized, and leave 
 little children to believe and be baptized for 
 themselves, after they become adults. By 
 such suggestions they are made to imagine, that 
 they have neglected no duty, in refusing to give 
 up their children to God in baptism. They 
 become established in the opinion, that infant 
 baptism is not a Divine institution ; and their 
 children are trained up in an error, which they 
 themselves embraced, as an opiate for their con- 
 sciences. Is it not to be feared, that there are 
 many such instances ? 
 
 While such parents are rendered quiet res- 
 peering their children, are they not apt to re- 
 main quiet respecting themselves ? If they are 
 told, that we must believe, and be baptized ; 
 how few of them appear to be in earnest about 
 believing ? 
 
 Let me urge you to shun this temptation 
 to error, by attending to immediate duty. " Re- 
 pent," " and believe the gospel ;" make a pub* 
 lie profession of religion ; give up your child- 
 ren to God in the ordinance of his own ap- 
 pointment, and educate them according to his 
 word. If you thus do, you yourselves will be 
 heirs to the heavenly inheritance, and salvation 
 will come to your houses. Should your child- 
 
257 
 
 ren die in infancy, you may trust in the merey 
 and faithfulness of God, and have hope and con- 
 solation concerning them ; should their lives be 
 continued, you may humbly and cheerfully 
 hope, that God will pour upon them his Spirit 
 and his blessing. 
 
 7. We learn from this subject the importance 
 of beginning early to give children religious in- 
 struction and admonition, and of persevering in 
 this xvork. 
 
 Parents ought to teach the religion of Christ 
 to their children, as soon as they are capable of 
 receiving instruction. If they themselves have 
 embraced a religion, which they view of infinite 
 importance, it is reasonable, that they teach it 
 to their offspring. This, we have seen, is 
 agreeable to the design of the everlasting cove- 
 nant, is according to the express command of 
 Jehovah to the ancient church, and is expressly 
 required of the Christian Church. 
 
 Timothy knew the holy Scriptures of the 
 Old Testament "from a child ;" and they were 
 " able to make" him " wise unto salvation, 
 through faith in Christ Jesus." Children 
 should be taught the Holy Scriptures, of the 
 Old and New Testament, " nourished up in 
 the words of faith and of good doctrine," and 
 admonished respecting their duty. 
 
 Among the helps, with which God has fur- 
 nished the Christian church from time to time,, 
 22* 
 
258 
 
 in regard to the religious education of children, 
 parents have derived great assistance from Ae 
 Westminster Assembly's Shorter Catechism. 
 
 Christian parents, you are careful to nourish 
 the bodies of your children ; will you not en- 
 deavour to afford them " the nurture" " of the 
 Lord," that they may be nourished up to ever- 
 lasting life ? Will you not endeavour to instil 
 into their opening minds that instruction, which 
 tends to promote their eternal salvation ? Should 
 you not rejoice if your children should, in some 
 measure, like Jesus, increase, not only " in stat- 
 ure," but " in wisdom," " and in favour with 
 God and man ?" Kind parents are never weary, 
 as long as they live, of giving their children that 
 admonition, which may conduce to their world- 
 ly happiness ? Do not be weary, as long as you 
 live, of giving your children the " admonition of 
 the Lord" Admonish them to seek the Lord 
 with all their hearts. Tell them of their bap- 
 tism. Tell them, how ready the Lord is to be 
 found by them, and to make them blessed for- 
 ever. Admonish them from time to time of 
 their duty, in all things. Endeavour to restrain 
 them from sin. Do not provoke them to an- 
 ger ; but treat them with tenderness and affec- 
 tion. Teach them to respect the ministers of 
 the gospel. Use your influence to have schools 
 furnished with such instructors, as will be like- 
 ly to promote the education of children, not on- 
 
259 
 
 ly concerning literature, but, also, concerning 
 religion. 
 
 Happy are those children, who have such a 
 mother as Eunice. Though her husband was a 
 Greek, she appears to have been greatly bless- 
 ed in her care for Timothy's soul. Unhappy, 
 in a greater or less degree, is that man or wo- 
 man, whose partner does not assist in the relig- 
 ious education of children ! Greatly to be piti- 
 ed is that man or woman, whose partner ob- 
 structs that education. Very happy are child- 
 ren, whose parents are so happy, as Aquilaand 
 Priscilla ! 
 
 Christian parents, reflect on the nature of 
 baptism. As your children, according to the 
 import of their baptism, are to consider them- 
 selves, not their own, but God's, who has made 
 them, and bought them with a price, and to 
 account themselves " dead" "unto sin," and "a- 
 live unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord;" 
 so you ought to consider them, as belonging to 
 God, and not aim to derive sinful delight from 
 them, any more, than if they were dead. 
 
 It is explicitly said by some, that it is use- 
 less, and even injurious, to teach children 
 Christian doctrines ; that the minds of youth 
 should be free from the influence of a religious 
 education, in order to be better capable of judg- 
 ing impartially with regard to religion, when 
 they become adults. Hence the catechising, 
 
260 
 
 and religious instruction of children in schools, 
 and in families, have been opposed by some, 
 and by some laid aside. But how contrary to 
 the Holy Scriptures is such treatment of child- 
 ren ! Is this training up children in the way 
 they should go ? The minds of children may 
 be compared to a field, in which some kind of 
 seed will be sown. Why should the enemy be 
 suffered first to sow tares ? After the growth of 
 the tares, will the soil be better prepared for 
 good seed ? No ; experience proves the con- 
 trary. Corrupt seed, being sown in such con- 
 genial soil, will take deep root ; and afterward 
 there will be, comparatively, but little encour- 
 agement to sow good seed. Multitudes of chil- 
 dren have been neglected by their parents, till 
 their minds are so filled with error, that all at- 
 tempts to instruct them are like sowing among 
 thorns. The mind of a child is capable of re- 
 ceiving good instructions ; it is a room, which 
 may be filled with valuable treasure. The ad- 
 versary claims it as his own, and endeavours to 
 fill it with his goods ; and his servants are ac- 
 tive. But the servants of Christ should be vig- 
 ilant, and take great pains to fill it with true 
 riches. 
 
 It is evident, that teaching children the 
 Christian doctrines has a tendency to influence 
 their minds in favour of the truth ; and equally 
 evident is it, that teaching them the duties of 
 
261 
 
 religion has a tendency to influence their minds 
 in favour of good conduct. If it is wrong to 
 influence their minds, in the former case, why- 
 is it not equally wrong in the latter ? But 
 must not children be taught, not to take God's 
 name in vain, to remember the sabbath day, to 
 honour their parents, not to murder, nor com- 
 mit adultery, nor steal, nor bear false witness, 
 nor covet, lest their minds should be so influ- 
 enced in favour of good conduct, as not to be 
 capable of judging impartially with regard to 
 true morality, after they come to mature age ? 
 How corrupt the principle, that children are 
 not to be taught the doctrines and duties of the 
 Christian religion ! If Christian parents and 
 ministers, in general, were to act on this prin- 
 ciple, would not Baptist churches, as well as 
 others, be in danger of being destroyed ? Such 
 a principle tends directly to root out all true re- 
 ligion, to destroy the churches of Christ, and to 
 fill our towns with infidels. It may be the 
 painful task of the future historian to detail its 
 wretched effects on the civil and political state 
 of our country. But it is the immediate and 
 indispensable duty of the ministers of Christ to 
 point out its more tremendous effects on the 
 eternal state of parents and children ; and 
 to raise their warning voice, and speak " with 
 all authority," against a principle so corrupt in 
 its nature, and dangerous in its operation. 
 
262 
 
 It may be asked, Why this solicitude about 
 children ? God will take care of his church. — It 
 becomes the pious to rejoice, that God will take 
 care of the church, whoever despise the insti- 
 tuted ministry of the word, and whoever neg- 
 lect children ; and to remember, that ministers 
 labour in vain, unless God gives the increase, 
 and parents instruct and admonish their chil- 
 dren in vain, without his blessing. But it 
 pleases God, in taking care of his church, to 
 use and bless means. Ministers must preach 
 the gospel, and warn and teach every one ; and 
 parents must nourish their children with relig- 
 ious instruction, and give them religious admo- 
 nition. 
 
 8. Let perishing sinners humbly " lay hold 
 upon the" blessed " hope set before" them in the 
 gospel. 
 
 Let them with penitent hearts believe in 
 Jesus Christ, the Lord and Saviour, who has 
 made reconciliation for iniquity, and brought 
 in everlasting righteousness ; that they may be 
 blessed with faithful Abraham ; that righteous- 
 ness may be imputed to them, and that they 
 maybe heirs, according to the hope of eternal life. 
 
 Let those, who are young, be affected by 
 
 this gracious encouragement : " I love" those, 
 
 who "love me, and those" who " seek me 
 
 early shall find me."* Let them remember 
 
 their Creator and Redeemer. 
 *Proy. yiii. 17. 
 
263 
 
 Young children, come to Christ. Since, 
 while he dwelt on earth, he " called" to him 
 the infants who were brought, received them 
 affectionately, and " blessed them," he will 
 graciously regard you, if you will come to the 
 throne of grace yourselves* 
 
 Let those, who have long neglected the great 
 salvation, attend to the things, which pertain to 
 their everlasting " peace" before they be hidden 
 from their eyes. The vilest sinner, who re- 
 turns to the Lord with all his heart, will find 
 mercy, and be abundantly pardoned. 
 
 Let old and young, while it remains an " ac- 
 cepted time," and a " day of salvation" take 
 heed, lest they receive " the grace of God ia 
 vain," and incur a tremendous condemnation ; 
 a condemnation far more terrible, than those 
 will receive, to whom the word of salvation 
 lias not come. 
 
 Let those, who have not yet received bap- 
 tism, " arise and be baptized, and wash away" 
 their " sins, calling on the name of the Lord." 
 
 Children and youth, whose parents have 
 devoted them to God in baptism are under 
 peculiar obligation to devote themselves to God, 
 according to the signification of their baptism, 
 and to make a public profession of religion. 
 
 Christian parents have covenanted with God 
 concerning their children. They have bound 
 themselves and their children to the Lord, Thus 
 
264 
 
 it was in the ancient church. The children of 
 Israel appeared before the Lord with their 
 " little ones," and entered " into covenant with 
 the Lord, — and into his oath," that he might 
 establish them " for a people unto himself."* 
 By this solemn covenant they bound them- 
 selves and their children to the Lord ; and 
 their posterity of remote succeeding genera- 
 tions were punished, because they forsook the 
 covenant, which God made with their fathers.f 
 Joshua had a right to resolve, that as for him- 
 self and his house , they would " serve the 
 Lord." By this very reasonable resolution, 
 he bound himself and his children to the Lord. 
 Samuel considered himself bound to the Lord 
 all the days of his life, by a solemn vow, which 
 his mother made concerning him.J The Rech- 
 abites, in a certain case, considered themselves 
 and their children bound forever, by the com- 
 mand of Jonadab their father. § 
 
 Christian parents have a right, and it is their 
 indispensable duty, to bind their children to the 
 Lord, in covenant ; and children, as soon as 
 capable of knowing their duty, ought, with pen- 
 itent and believing hearts, to recognise their 
 baptismal obligation, by a public profession of 
 religion. While their hearts are impenitent and 
 unbelieving, they reject God's covenant. 
 
 The children of Christian parents, in gener- 
 *Deut. xxix. 10. 11. fDeut. xxix. 25. fl. Sam. i. 11. 5Jer. xxxv. G. 
 
265 
 
 al, have opportunity, at any time, of recognising 
 the bonds of the covenant, and confessing Christ 
 before men. This confession is necessary to 
 entitle them to the external privileges of adult 
 members of the church, in the present world ; 
 and, if they cordially confess Christ, they have 
 a title to eternal life. He says, " Whosoever 
 shall confess me before men, him will I confess 
 also before my Father," who " is in heaven. 
 But whosoever shall deny me before men, him 
 will I also deny before my Father," who " is in 
 heaven."* 
 
 Reflect on your baptism. Think of all that 
 God has done for you, and of all that Christ has 
 done and suffered for you. Think of all that 
 your parents have done for you. Dear child, 
 " if thou be wise," thy father will " have joy 
 of" thee, "and she" who "bare thee" will 
 " rejoice." " Hear the instruction of thy father, 
 and forsake not the law of thy mother.' 'f 
 
 Let every child, who has a pious father, con- 
 sider him, as thus speaking. " Let thine heart 
 retain my w r ords ; keep my commandments, and 
 live." " I have taught thee in the way of wis- 
 dom ; I have led thee in right paths. "J 
 
 Let every son, who has a pious mother, con- 
 sider himself, as addressed by her in the follow- 
 ing manner ; and let every daughter accommo- 
 
 * Mat. x. 22. 23. f Prov. ix. 12. and xxiii. 21.25. and i.8 
 tProv. iv.4.11. 23 
 
266 
 
 date the address to herself. " What, my son ? 
 and what, the son of my womb ? and what the 
 son of my vows?"* May not this address be 
 thus paraphrased, with respect to your case ? 
 What ought I to wish for you, my son, the son, 
 whom I tenderly love, the son, whom I have de- 
 voted to God in baptism ? What counsel ought 
 I to give to you ? And what ought you to wish 
 for yourself? What will you do, to manifest 
 your affection to me ? What will you do, to 
 please him, to whom I have devoted you? Con- 
 sider, what answer such questions deserve. 
 
 "If thou be wise, thou shalt be wise for 
 thyself; but, if thou scornest, thou alone shalt 
 bear it." 
 
 Let me urge baptized children to consider 
 their peculiar obligations to be the Lord's. 
 Your parents gave you to him in your infancy, 
 and had the seal of the everlasting covenant put 
 upon you. They made public declaration, that 
 they had chosen him for their God, and for the 
 God of their children. Thus they devoted you 
 to God in your helpless infancy, and bound you 
 to him in a perpetual covenant, before you were 
 capable of choosing your own Master. But 
 you are now capable of choosing, whom you 
 will serve ; and you are under special obliga- 
 tions to choose the Lord for your God, to ac- 
 knowledge his covenant, and to confess Christ 
 
 * ProF. xxxi. 2. 
 
267 
 
 before men. While you refuse thus to do, you 
 practically declare, that you do not approve the 
 solemn transaction of your parents in giving you 
 to the Lord, that you will not be his servants, 
 and that Christ shall not reign over you. But 
 will you thus forsake the God of your fathers, 
 and cast off his covenant? "What iniquity 
 have" you, or " your fathers found in" him ? 
 Why will you exclude yourselves from the 
 blessings of the kingdom of God, and expose 
 yourselves to endless misery ? In one sense, 
 you are now " children of the kingdom ;" but 
 if you reject God's covenant, and continue im- 
 penitent, your state will be the more wretched. 
 You will finally prove to be such " children of 
 the kingdom" as " shall be cast out into outer 
 darkness ; there shall be weeping and gnashing of 
 teeth." Many, who have enjoyed less privileg- 
 es, than you enjoy, will " come from the east, 
 and from the west, and from the north, and 
 from the south, and" will " sit down in the 
 kingdom of God ;" but you will be " thrust 
 out." 
 
 9. Let those, who, having been baptized 
 in infancy, are inclined to be baptists, reflect on 
 what has been said, and seriously consider the 
 impropriety ', and the ^evil consequences of re- 
 nouncing their infant baptism, and of disregard- 
 ing, in such a sense, the everlasting covenant. 
 
268 
 
 Do you hope to be saved without being in 
 covenant with God ? By what covenant do 
 you hope for a title to heaven, if not by the 
 everlasting covenant established with Abraham, 
 and comprehending that covenant, of which 
 Christ is Mediator ? By virtue of the Abra- 
 hamic covenant, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, all 
 the holy prophets, and all the ancient saints, 
 were saved. By faith in Christ Jesus, the glo- 
 rious seed of Abraham, and the beloved Son of 
 God, the apostles and all the primitive christ- 
 ians became Abraham's seed, so, as to be heirs 
 of salvation. God's promise and oath to A- 
 braham now afford "a strong consolation" to 
 all, " who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon 
 the hope set before" them. After serious re- 
 flection and consideration, can you think, that 
 the everlasting covenant, made with Abraham, 
 ceased, at the end of that economy, which was 
 founded upon the Sinai covenant ? that the seal 
 was no longer to be applied to infants ? that 
 the apostles did not baptize the households of 
 believing parents ? and that all, who have been 
 baptized only in their infancy, have not really 
 received Christian baptism ? Can you delib- 
 erately and conscientiously say, that all the Di- 
 vine ordinances, which were administered 
 in the church, for the space of between 1400 and 
 1500 years after the apostles' time, were null 
 and void ? that professing Christians were un- 
 
269 
 
 baptized ; that ministers were not regularly or- 
 dained, and had no right to administer ordinan- 
 ces ; because professing Christians, for that 
 space of time, practised infant baptism ? From 
 the reformation of which Luther was so instru- 
 mental, down to the present time, infant baptism 
 has been generally practised in the church. But 
 can you considerately say, that Christians, in 
 general, since that time, have been unbaptized ? 
 that ministers in general, even all of every de- 
 nomination, except the Baptists, have intruded 
 into the sacred office ? that they have had no 
 right to administer baptism and the Lord's 
 supper? and that the churches over which 
 they profess to have been made overseers by 
 the Holy Ghost, are not regular churches ? 
 All this you implicitly declare, when you re- 
 nounce your infant baptism. But are you pre- 
 pared thus to treat the solemn institutions of 
 Christ, and the great interests of his church ? 
 I intreat you to pause and consider, and hum- 
 bly ask wisdom of God. 
 
 Consider, what will probably be the con- 
 sequence of renouncing infant baptism, *and 
 joining a Baptist church, as it respects your 
 own enjoyment of Divine ordinances. You 
 will, as things now unhappily are, not be suf- 
 fered to commune with Christians of anothef 
 denomination, nor be disposed generally to 
 
 23* 
 
270 
 
 worship with them ; and, if you do not live 
 near a Baptist society, you will, of course, fall 
 into a neglect of public worship. 
 
 You have noticed professing Christians, 
 who have renounced their infant baptism, and 
 their former religious connexions, to join with 
 the Baptists. You have seen, with what warm 
 expressions of kindness they were received, 
 and treated, by their new friends; and with 
 what zeal they attended public worship with 
 them for a time, though the distance was con- 
 siderable. But you soon discovered an abate- 
 ment of their zeal, and a gradual falling away 
 into a neglect of Christian duties and Divine 
 ordinances. After this change in their senti- 
 ments and conduct, did you consider them 
 better Christians, than before ? Instances of 
 this kind are too numerous; and too many 
 families are thrown into an unsettled state, as 
 to religious worship on the sabbath. Will 
 you likewise leave your own church, and throw 
 your families into that state ? 
 
 Should you separate yourselves from the 
 church, with which you are now connected, 
 your families will be essentially injured. 
 Should you join a Baptist church in a neigh- 
 bouring town, you cannot constantly attend 
 warship and ordinances there. You will be 
 likely to form a habit of neglecting the public 
 duties of religion ; and your example may 
 
271 
 
 ruin your families. When you go out of town, 
 to attend worship yourselves, your children 
 must be left at home. If they sometimes at- 
 tend meeting with a congregational or presby- 
 terian church, it will be under circumstances 
 peculiarly unfavourable to their spiritual inter- 
 est ; probably not without much prejudice 
 against the preacher. They will learn to think 
 and speak lightly of preaching in general. 
 Their habit of neglecting public worship will 
 increase, and become inveterate. The sabbath 
 will be spent in a sinful manner. The evil will 
 not terminate in your own families ; but their 
 example will influence others ; and the morals 
 of the whole neighbourhood may be corrupted. 
 In how many instances is the sabbath profaned, 
 religious instruction despised, and Christian 
 duties contemned, by youth, in consequence of 
 parents, renouncing the everlasting covenant, 
 and infant baptism, and withdrawing them- 
 selves and their families from public worship 
 on the Lord's day ? Are you solicited to walk 
 in such steps, and seemingly with much love, 
 and regard for your spiritual interest ? Heark- 
 en not to the solicitation, till you have seriously 
 considered the probable consequences. 
 
 Between you and the church, with which 
 you are connected, there may be difficulties ex- 
 isting, on account of which you may be under 
 peculiar temptation to withdraw. If your breth- 
 
272 
 
 ren consider you as an offender , and require 
 that Christian satisfaction, which you are un- 
 willing to make, this may influence you to wish 
 to leave them, and join another church. You 
 may think, that the way, in which the Baptists 
 sometimes admit members, presents to you a 
 good opportunity. By them a regular dismis- 
 sion and recommendation may not be required,, 
 and being confident of a kind and affectionate 
 reception, you may be under great temptation 
 to join a Baptist church. A different motive 
 may influence your mind. Through covetous- 
 ness, you may be unwilling to do your duty in 
 respect to supporting the gospel, and be induc- 
 ed to join those, who boast of making the gos- 
 pel free. Examine whether you have any such 
 views ; and consider the awful criminality and 
 danger of acting from such motives. If you 
 escape the discipline of the church here, you 
 must come to trial at a higher tribunal. It is 
 better to confess your sins now, than to have 
 them appear unrepented of and unpardoned at 
 the judgment day. How will you then view 
 the small sum you may have gained by refus- 
 ing to help, according to your ability, in sup- 
 porting the gospel ? What comfort did Judas 
 derive from his thirty pieces of silver ? Who- 
 ever through covetousness leaves any church of 
 Christ, imitates Judas in some degree. 
 
 But, if you are conscious of being influenc- 
 
273 
 
 ed by no such motives, yet, before you re- 
 nounce your infant baptism, you ought serious- 
 ly to consider the consequence, as it respects 
 the peace of Christian families. The Baptists, 
 at present, are, in general, tenacious of close 
 communion. — This causes divisions in Christ- 
 ian families, and separates even the nearest 
 Christian friends. The husband must say to 
 his wife, or the wife to her husband, the parent 
 to the child, or the child to the parent, the broth- 
 er to the sister, or the sister to the brother, i" 
 have renounced my infant baptism ; and, unless 
 you will do the same, I can have no more com- 
 munion with you, in special ordinances. 1 hough 
 I believe, that you are a sincere Christian, and 
 that we shall meet in heaven, yet lean never again 
 commune with you at the table of the Lord. Are 
 you prepared thus to separate yourselves, not 
 only from the church of Christ in general, but 
 from your nearest Christian friends ? But you 
 may ask, did not Christ say, " I am come to set 
 a man at variance against his father, and the 
 daughter against her mother, and the daughter 
 in law against her mother in law ; and a man's 
 foes shall be they of his own household?"* 
 Christ did say this. But he did not say, I am 
 come to set a pious son against his pious father, 
 a pious wife against her pious husband, a pious 
 daughter against her pious mother ; and a be* 
 
 * Mat. x. 35. 36. 
 
274 
 
 liever's foes shall be they of his own believing 
 family. Such separation in Christian families 
 is not required, nor even allowed, but is for- 
 bidden by the gospel. 
 
 You may think, that your Christian friends 
 ought to go with you. But they think, that it 
 is not their duty to renounce in such a manner 
 the everlasting covenant, which God made with 
 Abraham and his seed, and to deny the validity 
 of their infant baptism. Let it be very serious- 
 ly considered, whether it be right for you to 
 take such steps. Do not proceed without 
 carefully attending to the nature of such pro- 
 ceedings, and to the consequences. 
 
 Can you deliberately approve the practice 
 of close communion ? Some persons, perhaps, 
 have not known, till after they have been im- 
 mersed, that this practice would be required of 
 them ; otherwise, they might not have consent- 
 ed to immersion. Lest the mention of this 
 practice may be omitted by those, who are urg- 
 ing you to go into the water, it may be proper 
 particularly to remind you, that close com- 
 munion, that great evil, is a practice, which is 
 viewed by almost all the baptists, as indispen- 
 sable, according to their own principles. Here 
 let me ask, can you deliberately embrace prin- 
 ciples, which forbid you to commune, not only 
 with your nearest Christian friends, but with 
 
275 
 
 the greater part of Christians? Are such prin- 
 ciples according to the word of God? 
 
 Before you renounce your infant baptism* 
 consider another thing, which claims your se- 
 rious attention. Is not such a renunciation 
 one step towards an open denial of the Divine 
 authority of the Holy Scriptures ? It may 
 not appear so to you ; but in how many instan- 
 ces has it proved to be the commencement of 
 a desperate career of infidelity ! The everlast- 
 ing covenant made with Abraham, the seal by 
 which it was ratified, and the ancient .church, 
 are sometimes considered so much in the light 
 of civil and political institutions, that unwor- 
 thy views are entertained of the Scriptures of 
 the Old Testament; these unworthy views 
 very naturally lead to a light esteem of the 
 New Testament Scriptures, which evidently 
 have a close connexion with the ancient Scrip- 
 tures, to a denial of the sabbath, and, at length, 
 to a denial of Christian doctrines and duties in 
 general, and to a public avowal of infidelity. 
 There are not a few baptized infidels in our 
 country, who, at first, publicly renounced what 
 their parents did for them in their infancy, and 
 afterward reject the whole Bible. 
 
 Though such opinions of God's ancient 
 covenant, and of the Old Testament church, 
 lead directly to a rejection of all Divine Reve- 
 lation, and though many have folio wed the nat- 
 
276 
 
 ural course of their own principles to this aw- 
 ful end ; yet not all, who renounce their infant 
 baptism, make such shipwreck of faith. While 
 some have hastily thrown off religious restraint, 
 and made rapid progress in the path of skepti- 
 cism and infidelity ; others seem not fully to 
 know the tendency of their own principles, con- 
 tinue serious believers in Divine Revelation, 
 and are to be regarded as sincere Christians. 
 
 As to those, who deny infant baptism, and 
 run the greatest lengths in skepticism and in- 
 fidelity, they often, upon denying infant baptism, 
 appear at first to be engaged in religion. They 
 frequently become ardent in their zeal, even to 
 enthusiasm. But such zeal and enthusiasm, as 
 are unsanctified, prepare the mind for greater 
 hardness and stupidity. From one extreme to 
 the other the way is natural and easy. Hence, 
 In too many instances, a zeal, which begins 
 with renouncing infant baptism, ends in an o- 
 pen rejection of the Holy Scriptures. 
 
 Consider well, what consequences may 
 follow your denying the right of infants, to a 
 place in the visible church, and relinquishing 
 that place, which was solemnly assigned you, 
 before you were able to ask it. 
 
 Review the whole subject ,' and compare 
 what has been said with the Bible, looking to 
 God for the Holy Spirit, to lead you into the truth. 
 nms. 
 


 
 MV