I 
 
 '>i''.'r. J:^. 
 
 
/O '^07 
 
3 ^nw 
 
I' "■', ■ 
 
A, 
 
 LETTER 
 
 T O T H E 
 
 First Congregational P^dobaptist Church, at 
 Rutland in Vermont : 
 
 TO WHICH IS ADDEDj 
 
 A COLLECTION OF 
 
 OBSERVATIONS, HYMNS, LETTERS, &c. 
 
 Taken from the works of Mr. Nathaniel Emmons, 
 Mr. John Wesley, and others. 
 
 In this collection may be seen, Da.RoaBiNS's ac- 
 count of a late revival of religion at Ply- 
 mouth, IN Massachusetts. 
 
 Bv PETER PHILANTHROPOS ROOTS. 
 
 <^.KiiV\i % the chief ruler of the fynagogue, bel'teiied on tht Lord tuith all 
 bis houfe : and many of the Corinthians hearing ielieved, and luere bap~ 
 ti;,eJ. 
 
 Acts xviii. 8. 
 
 His difciples 
 
 —• To them ITiall leave in charge 
 
 To teach all nations what of him they learned, 
 And his falvation ; them who (hall believe 
 t3aptizing in the profluent ftream 
 
 Ml t TON, P. L. B. xti. 
 
 HARTFORD: 
 
 PRINTED AND SOLD BV 
 
 HUDSON Sf GOODWIN. 
 
E F A C E. 
 
 HAD I not been a candidate for the gofpel minif- 
 try ; perhaps, by the help of what I once thought 
 probable arguments, I might have kept myfelf eafy in 
 the traditional praftice of infant baptifm. But I exped- 
 ed before long, if I fhould live, to be ordained, and 
 called upon myfelf to baptize : and I felt it a very 
 folemn thing to fay, I perform any ad whatever in the 
 name of the Trinity : — in the name of the Great God of 
 heaven and earth, I was fully fenfible that whatever 
 was to be done in the name of the Trinity^ could not be 
 a totally indifferent, nor even a light thing. 
 
 I KNEW, if infant baptifm were warranted by Chrift's 
 commifTion to his apoflles and their fucceffors, or any 
 where elfe in the woi d of God, it muft be wrong for 
 chriftian minifters to neglect it — or fo much to negled: 
 attending to the fubjeft, as not to fee for themfeives, 
 and be able to fliow their hearers fome clear fcriptural 
 command, (or at leaft permilfion) for the practice. 
 .* But if there be nothing in the facred volume to jufti- 
 • fy the baptizing of thofe, who do not appear to be 
 taught, or difcipled^ that is, brought to love Chrift fu- 
 premely*; then I felt that it muft be awfully wicked 
 and impious for any one to fay refpecling an infant 
 (or any other perfon)vv'ho gives no evidence of being 
 taught, or of loving Chrift, ""I baptize this perfon in 
 in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the 
 Holy Ghoft." Good men may have done it ignorant- 
 iy : but if there be no fcripture warrant for the prac- 
 tice, can any ' good man, except it be ignorantly, 
 
 • Luke v4- 25- --33. 
 
(or becaufe he erroneoufly believes it has rcripture fup-* 
 port) allow hiinfelf to baptize infants ? Can any real 
 chriftian be prevailingly convinced, that the bible does 
 not juflify infant baptifm — or can he be fo far convin- 
 ced as repeatedly to fay, to be candid and honeil he is 
 three quarters a baptifl ; and yet declare ffomtime to 
 time in the face of a whole congregation, that he bap- 
 tizes infants ifi the name of the 'Trinity ? May I not fur- 
 ther afk. Will not every perfon who has a fuitable re- 
 gard for the name of the great Jehovah, if he be only 
 doubtful about the matter, much rather be excufed, 
 than to baptize them ? 
 
 A SENSE of the folemn tranfaftion to be performed, 
 when any one is baptized, led me to ftudy and fludy 
 again, to find good evidence in fupport of infant bap- 
 tifm : and the refult of my lludies you may fee in the 
 following pages. 
 
 1 KNOW it may appear jflrange, if not ridiculous, to 
 fome, that, after fo many able writers, I fhould under- 
 take to publilh any thing refpecting this fubject. But 
 many of my old acquaintance, and others^ are frequent- 
 ly alking me, how in the world I became a baptift ! 
 And I choofe rather lo give them my reafons in print, 
 than always to be giving them by word of mouth. 
 
 Some fay to me, " you believe, that your father and 
 many others, who have baptized infants, were pious, 
 good men — and you hope that you had religion fom^*. 
 years before you became a baptift, why was it necefla- 
 ry for you to alter your fehtiments at all ?" Anfwer, 
 Pious men, and thofe too 'who are the moil knowing 
 as to many things, may, through ignorance, negled 
 fome branches ot their duty ; but for us to allow our- 
 felves in the negleft of any thing Ghrift has command^ 
 ed, after we are brought to know what is required, 
 Ihows the want of love to riie dear Redeenler. 
 
 Others fay to me " you have changed your reli- 
 gion." But this is not true. A man's altering fome 
 of hisideas, if he ftill hold, to the fame fundamental 
 truths, which he held to before, cannot with any pro- 
 
priety be called a change of his religion. I am no pa- 
 gan nor papift. I now believe the fame important 
 truths, refpeding the ftate of man by nature — the ne- 
 ceiiity of regeneration — the way of life and falvation 
 by Chrift alone — the necefTity of holinefs of heart and 
 life as a prerequifite for heaven, which I believed be- 
 fore. I have the fame idea, that none ought to be ad- 
 mitted as members of a vifible gofpel church, except 
 thofe, who appear to be lively Jiones^ or true faints, as 
 my father had before me*, and the fame which I had 
 before I was abaptift : although he and I too (for a 
 time) both held to infant baptifm, which I now think 
 inconfiftent with this article of primitive chriftianity. 
 
 The fubftance of this letter, except the quotations 
 from other authors, was written at Bofton in the month 
 of June, 1792 ; foon after I was baptized : and it was 
 fent to the church at Rutland in Vermont, which 
 church I joined under the paftoral care of my own fa- 
 ther fome years before his death. 
 
 Those v/ho take pains to }>erufe this performance, 
 (though they fhould find but little or nothing new) 
 will at leaft fee in what light ol^ arguments prefented 
 themfelves to my view : aiW af)erhaps fome perfons, 
 who have hitherto wholly neglected the fubjecl, may, 
 for the fake of reading a new book, be brought to at- 
 tend to old fcriptural arguraents. 
 
 I SOMEWHAT expefl:not to be treated with total ne^- 
 gle<Sl : I think Mr. A. H. a worthy pasdobaptifl minif- 
 ter told me, fhould I publifli, if no one elie anfwered 
 me, he would : and poflibly fome may be excited to 
 preach on the fubject. I really wifh thofe minifters, 
 who practife infant baptifm, Avould preach on it much 
 oftener than they do. They mufl view it as a part 
 of practical religion, and if it be according to the fcrip- 
 tures, it will bear the light as well from the pulpit as 
 from the prefs : but many congregations rarely, if ever 
 
 * See a printed fermon preaclicd by Bamajab Roots, A. M. at thecon- 
 ftltution of a church at Rutland, from i. Peter, H. 5, Ye alfo as lively 
 Jlonescne built up a fpiritual houfe j an holy prirjihsod, to offer up fpiritual 
 facriJiciSf acceptable It G'.db^ 'fffux Chrijf. 
 
VI 
 
 hear their miniflers" offer to give a reafon in public, 
 why infants ought to be baptized. Would they but 
 frequently handle the fubject, this would excite atten- 
 tion to it, and they would undoubtedly convince fome 
 of their hearers, if not themfelves, that the pradlice is 
 totally deftitute of fcriptural fupport. 
 
 I AM perfonally acquainted with Mr. Samuel Mills, 
 a pious, learned gentleman, who had for many years 
 been a prefbyterian minifler in the ftate of New-York ; 
 but being led to preach a number of fermons in fa- 
 vour < '.nfant baptifm, he was brought to attend very 
 clofel)/ to the arguments commonly ufed in its defence ; 
 but the more he attended to them, the more he felt 
 them give way ; and at length, after a long ftruggle to 
 fupport the caufe, he perceived it had no fcriptural 
 foundation : therefore he was cheerfully baptized by 
 elder Enoch Ferrifs^ as the anfiver of a good conjcience : 
 and he is now a baptift preacher. 
 
 Before I was baptized, but when I was exercifed 
 in mind about the matter, it was frequently my peti- 
 tion at the throne of grace, that I might be kept from 
 embracing error ; but if T were in an error, that I might 
 be enlightened ; I thiriP f I can flill pray in the fame 
 manner, both for myfelf and others. 
 
 P. Ph. R. 
 
^^^^:- LETTER. 
 
 ir«' 
 
 71? thefirfl Congregational PMDOBAprisr* Church, 
 at Rutland in the State of Vermont, 
 
 DEAR friends, for whom I have a tender regard, 
 and whom I view in general as real friends to re- 
 ligion : May you " grow in grace, and in the knowledge 
 of our Lord and Saviour Jefus Chrift :" and never " fall 
 from your own fteadfaftnefs," as to thofe truths^ which 
 you now embrace: but if in any thing you be in. an 
 error, may you be enlightened. 
 
 However difagreeable the thought of diffenting 
 from you, and the greater part of my prefent connec- 
 tions, and Chriflian acquaintance ; yet after {lri£t ex- 
 amination, I have been obliged, from a confcientious 
 regard to duty, to renounce my former profeflion as to 
 the propriety of infant baptifm : and propofe in what 
 follows to make known to you my views and feelings 
 as to this fubjeft. 
 
 In that glorious time, never to be forgotten, Decem- 
 ber 1783, when it pleafed Almighty God, in a remark- 
 ble manner, to revive religion at Rutland ; and to 
 manifeft his power and grace in the conviftion, and as 
 we truft, in the real converfion of fmners, I was exci- 
 
 * Pffidobaptifts are tkofe, who lioid Ihedo^Srine of infant b.iptifm. 
 
ted to attend to religion in fuch a fenfe as I had never 
 don€ before. I had new views of divine things. The 
 bibje (which now appeared to be a new book,) became 
 my companion. I had been taught from a child, that, 
 " the fcriptures of the Old and New Teftament, are 
 the only rule to direct us how we may glorify God, 
 and enjoy him ;" and now I applied myfelf to the ftu- 
 dy of them, efpecially of the New Teftament, with 
 great delight. 
 
 Among other things I obferved, that Chrift fent 
 forth his minifters " to teach all nations, baptl-zing 
 them*:" and that many " \\G.zxiVi<y^ believed^ and were 
 baptized : and that this was fo far from being the bap- 
 tilmof the Holy Ghoft, that perfons having received the 
 Holy Ghoft was given as a reafon why they fhould be 
 baptized with waterf ." But I found nothing fo ex- 
 prefs in favour of infant baptifm as I defired. I requef- 
 ted my honoured father, who had baptized many in- 
 fants, to fhow me what foundation the fcriptures affbr^v 
 us for this pradlice. ' ^''■ 
 
 And about this time I read a pamphlet, publifhed 
 by Mr. Ifrael Holly, in favour of ihfant baptifm. I 
 likewife found that the apoftle faid of fome children, 
 " but now are they holy|." By this I concluded he 
 muft mean they had a right to baptifm, the very thing 
 which I defired to prove. On the whole my mind 
 became fo eafy, that, on the fixth of June 1784, I u-' 
 nited with you (that is, with the poedobaptift church 
 at Rutland.) 
 
 In September following I began to prepare for col- 
 lege ; and wj^n at college my mind was again exer- 
 cifed about this matter. I converfed with Mr. Smith, 
 one of ihe Tutors, and profeflbr of languages on the 
 fubjeft ; he faid he would preach on it, and accordingly 
 he did ; and if I miftake not, obferved in the clofe of his 
 Sermon j that enough had been faid to fatisfy every 
 unprejudiced mind." To which I replied, to myfelf, 
 
 * Mat. %%. 19. t Afts, 10. 47. X I Cor. 7. 14. 
 
** then my mind is prejudiced." For tho* I was prevail- 
 ingly on his fide of the quellion^ yet I was- not fat- 
 isfied. 
 
 After this I heard Mr. Ripley, profciTor of divinity 
 at Dartmouth College, on the fame fidbjed : he hand- 
 led it with great ingenuity and candour. 
 
 I ALSO read with attention a pamphlet written by Mr. 
 Timothy Allcn^ and another by Mr. Elijha Fijh, with an 
 appendix, taken from the Rev. David Boftwick : And 
 after I graduated, I read Mr. Jofeph Lathrop of Weft- 
 Springfield, with an appendix by Mr. Nathan Perkins, 
 And what I found aflerted as to the antiquity of in- 
 fant-baptifm, gave me much eafe : and I rather con- 
 cluded, tho' I found no plain inftance recorded in the 
 bible, that it muft have been the praftice of the apoftles. 
 I fuppofed more could be faid for, than againft it : and 
 at times I thought the arguments in fupport of it, were 
 quite fufficient, and conclufive. 
 
 *In June 1791,1 went to Nobletown, one part of 
 Hillfdale, in the*ftate of New- York : and during my 
 refidence in that place, which was ten or eleven months, 
 my old doubts, about the propriety of infant baptifm, 
 were raifed again. And after a confiderable time, I 
 ventured to do, as I had never done before, viz. to 
 confider what real weight there was in the arguments 
 on each fide of the queflion : and now indeed the fab- 
 ric, which I had taken fo much pains to build, began 
 to crumble to the duft. 
 
 I HAD gone along with the current of the times and 
 faid, 
 
 " The church is really the fame under the prefent 
 as under the former difpenfation ; for fome of the bran- 
 ches were broken off and the wild olive tree was graft- 
 ed in upon the old ftalk^ amongfl the remaining bran- 
 ches of the good olive tree ; therefore as children were 
 formerly included they muft be now. Baptifm comes 
 in the room of circumcifion ; therefore as God's peo- 
 ple of old were required to circumcife their children, 
 
 B 
 
10 
 
 we muft baptize ours. There was once a pofitive com- 
 mand to put the mark of God's people on children, 
 therefore we muft have a pofitive command not to 
 baptize them before we may omit it.** 
 
 Bui!" when I was made willing to examine this rea- 
 foning, I readily perceived, (though the gofpel was 
 preached to Abraham, and the fpiritual church is re- 
 ally the fame under every difpenfation) that the polity, 
 or external rites and ordinances of the gofpel church, 
 are very different from thofe of the Jewifti, in which 
 their civil, and religious inftitutions were blended to- 
 gether. It has been commonly fuppofed, that the chil- 
 dren of the Jews were born members of their church : 
 but the members of the gofpel church are thofe " which 
 were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flefh, nor 
 of the will of man ; but of God*.'* They are thofe, 
 who, at leaft by profeifion, are " created in Chrifl Je- 
 fus unto good worksj.** They all if they be not falfe 
 profeiTors, are as lively ftones in this building. Says 
 an apoftle, " ye alfo as lively ftones are built up a fpir- 
 itual houfe, an holy priefthood, to ofter up fpiritual fac- 
 rifices, acceptable to God by Jefus Chrift}." Thofe 
 \f\io Jl and by faith are the only perfons, who have a juft 
 right to the gofpel church, and thofe who appear to be 
 true believers, are the only peifons, whom we ought to 
 receive and view as vifible members ; and when the 
 life of any one, who has profefled, and appeared to be- 
 lieve in Jefus Chrift, makes it manifeft he does not 
 ft and by faith, he ought to be cut off. An infpired 
 writer declares, " for as many of you as have been 
 baptized into Chrift have put on Chrift§." So, that 
 to be condftent and baptize infants, we muft fuppofe 
 them regenerated in or before baptifm. But how ftiall 
 we judge who are, and who are not the fubjetls of this 
 change, unlefs they be perfons capable of exhibiting 
 fome evidence in their lives ? 
 That baptifm is regeneration, or at leaft, that it takes 
 
 * John, 1. 13 t Eph, a. 10. X Peter, a. j. ^ Gal. j. a. 7. 
 
place in bapti/m, appears, from the bed information t 
 can obtain, to have been the idea of thofe, who firft 
 began the pradice of baptizing infants. Accordingly 
 the moil ancient authors, who fpeak of infant baptifiti 
 tCall it regeneration^ 
 
 They feem to have fa^llen into this error by under- 
 {landing John 2. 5. " Born of water," in a Hteral 
 fenfe. By a firailar miflake the church of Rome were 
 led to embrace the erroneous dodrine of tranfubftan* 
 liation, and to bring infants to the communion. For 
 they fuppofed, unlefs their children were baptized^ 
 which they underllood of being " born of water,*' and 
 unlefs they partook of the bread and wine in the facra-* 
 ment, which they underftood o^ eating the fiejh of the 
 fan of man, dpd drinking his b/ood-f, that they could not 
 be faved. Accordingly by quotations from ancient 
 hiftory we have inftances of infant communion as ear^ 
 ly as any of infant baptifm. And indeed the argu- 
 ments, which are generally brought to prove the one, 
 do quite as much toward proving the other. 
 
 But not to digrefs, " if ye be Chritl's then are yA 
 Abraham's feed, and heirs according to the promifef ." 
 That is, if ye be united to Chrift by faith, then are ye 
 Abraham's fpiritual feed, and interefted in the fpiritu- 
 al bleflings, (not indeed in the land of Canaan, and in 
 thofe temporal privileges, which belonged to his na- 
 tural feed, whether they were pious like him or not, 
 but in what is infinitely better) even in the fpiritual 
 bleffings contained in the covenant made with Abra- 
 ham. " Therefore," fays the apoftle, " it is of faith 
 that it might be by grace; to the end the promif<5 
 might be Jure to all the feed," not to all Abraham's nat- 
 ural f^QQ.^ nor to all the natural feed of believers, (who 
 v :.ld dare to fay this ?) but to all Abraham's fpiritu- 
 .i' feed, whatever their defcent may have been, even 
 to ail nations, as the apoftle further obferves, " not to 
 that only which is of the law, but to that alfo, which 
 
 John. 6. S2- 
 
is of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us ali." 
 I CAN here adopt the words of Mr. Cyprian Strong 
 in his inquiry, &c. which was written by this worthy 
 psedobaptifl minifter profeifedly in favour of infant 
 baptifm. 
 
 " Is it not evident, fays he, that the children of belie- 
 vers, after the flefh, were not confidered as the children 
 of God and interefted in the promifes. which were 
 made to Abraham ? Let us attend to the account, which 
 the apoflle Paul gives us of this matter, Rom. ix. 6 — 8. 
 His words are thefe " For they are not all Jfracl lubich 
 are of Ifrael ; neither becaufe they are the feed of Abra- 
 ham, are they all children ; hut in \{2i2iZjhall thy feed be 
 called.^^ The apoflle then explains himfelf thus. 
 iThat is, they -which are the children of the flefh, thefe are 
 not the children of God, hut the children of the promifa 
 are counted for the feed. ^* It is obfervable, theapof- 
 tle contrafis the children of xheflefj to the children of 
 the promife ; and denies, that the former are reckoned 
 for the feed, while he coi\fines the feed to the latter. 
 By the children ofthefleflj the apoflle, doubtlefs, meant 
 the natural offspring of Abraham and other believers. 
 By the children of the promife, ho. evidently meant to 
 diftinguifh thofe, who had an intcrefi in the promfds 
 made to Abraham. That the children of the fiefh are 
 not, asfuch, interefledin the promifes or covenant, he 
 illuflrates by an example. There was facoh and Efau, 
 both of them the fons of Jfaac ; yet one was chofen 
 and the other rejected ; although they had the fame 
 claims, as being the children of a believing parent ; 
 and one in diflinftion from the other had not forfeited 
 the bleffings of the covenant : for they were chofen 
 and rejefted, before they had '' done either good or 
 evil, that the purpofe of God, according to eleftion 
 might ftand, &c." By this it appears, that God did 
 not confider himfelf as being under any covenant obli- 
 gations, even to the children of Lis fervant Jjaac ; and 
 he dealt with them, as having -Sl fo'vcrcign right, to do 
 with them as feemed good in his fight. The inflancc 
 
^3 
 
 of Ifaac and ijhnael, who were the children of Abra- 
 ham, and yet, one was counted for the feed while the 
 other was caft out, is alfo an example, which teaches 
 us, that the children of believers after the flelh, are not 
 confidered as being interefted in the covenant." 
 
 And again, he fays, " I would further attempt to 
 fliow,ih what fenfe we are to underfland the term feed m 
 thepromife. In order to which, I would obferve, that 
 although the term feed in the promife, was reflrided 
 to Jfaac in diflinftion from JJhniael, yet it comprehen- 
 ded Ifaac' syt^^c/, in tlie fame fenfe that it did the. feed 
 pi Abraham ; as appears from Gen. xvii. 19. It is of 
 importance to obferve further, that the promife made 
 to Ifaac and \n& feed was made to him, as a type of Jefus 
 Chrift, and of thofe who were given to him in the cov- 
 enant of redemption ; and fo the termy2Y?(i ultimately 
 pointed at Jefus Chrift, and thofe who were given him 
 by the Father ; and comprehends all true believers, 
 in every age of the world. Thus it is explained, by 
 the apoftle Paul, Gal. iii. 16. " Now to Abraham and 
 his feed were the promifes made. He faith, not and to 
 feeds, as of matiy ; but as of one, and to thy feed, which 
 is Chrifi,^^ The apoftle exprefsly teaches us, that al- 
 though Ifaac was mentioned as the feed, yet he was 
 refpecled as a type and reprefentati've of Jefus Chriil ; 
 and that the term ultimately and in the fullefl fenfe 
 refpecled Chrift Jefus. 
 
 " FARTHERMORE,it is necclfary to obfcrvc, that in 
 Chrift Jefus, xhefeed ultimately reipefted in the prom- 
 ife, was comprehended, all that v^txe given to Chrift, in 
 the covenant of redemption ; or «//that believe, in ev- 
 ery a^e of the world. That the ttimfeed is applica- 
 ble to Chrift Jefus, in his mediatorial capacity, and 
 comprehends all that are given to him is evident, from 
 what the apoftle Paul further fays, in the before cited 
 Gal. iii. After the apoftle had laid, that Chrift Jefus 
 was the feed referred to in the promife, he adds ; v. 26 
 and onward, ^'' ye are all the children of God, by fait h in 
 Chriji Jefus ; there is neither few nor Greek, life, for 
 
'4 
 
 ye are all one in Chrtft Jefus. And if ye be ChriJPs 
 (i. e. believers) then are ye Abraham*! feed, and heirs 
 according to thepromife. It is evident, from thefe words, 
 that the apoflle confidered, all that believe, in e very- 
 age of the v^^orld, as being comprehended in Chrift, as 
 the feed. Hence, in v. 9. of the fame chapter, the a- 
 poftle fays, " they which be of faith*' (let them be who 
 , they will) " are bkjfed with faithful Abruham** 
 
 And the apoflle Peter encourages his hearers tore- 
 pent and be baptized from the confideration ; that the 
 bleflings of the gofpel extend to all of ev^ry age and na- 
 tion, who cordially embrace the truth. His words are, 
 *' repent and be baptized every one of you in the name 
 of Jefus Chrift, for the remifGon of fins, and ye fhall 
 receive th e gift ot the Holy GhofL For the promife is 
 unto you, and to your children," [not to your infants 
 only, but to your children of whatever age ,whether ten, 
 twenty, forty, or any other age,] " and to all that are 
 afar off, even as many as the Lord our God fhall call*.** 
 Here indeed it is limited to as many fls the Lord our 
 Cod fhall call, 
 
 Mr, C. Strong brings this text as an objeftion to 
 what he had proved, viz, " that no covenant relatior^ 
 doth exift, between God and children, on account of 
 their being the children of covenant or believing pa- 
 jrents." 
 
 Now as I think his anfwer is according to truth, 
 ! fhall give you both the obje6jbion and anfwer, in his 
 own words. 
 
 " Objection. It is faid, KQl% ii. 39, " The pro^ 
 uiife is unto you, and your children, and to all that are 
 afar off, evtnas 7nany as the Lord our God fiall call',** 
 which words contaip an exprefs affirmation, that the 
 promife is unto children, as well as unto parents : and 
 fo are direftly oppofed to the fentimept advanced, in 
 the preceding feftion. 
 
 " Answer. The whole ftrength of the objedion for- 
 med on this paflage, depends upon the truth of the 
 
 * Ads, 2. 38,39. 
 
15 
 
 two following propofitions ; namely, that the promife 
 fpoken of in the text, is the fame promife which was 
 made to Abraham ; and, that by children is meant, 
 the natural feed of believers. I am not infenfible, that 
 fuch a fenfe and interpretation of the words has very 
 generally been entertained : and, in that view of them, 
 they have been confidered, as a capital proof of the 
 dodrine of infant-baptifm. But, if the words are 
 to be confidered, as holding forth an intereft in and 
 title to the covenant of grace, refpeding the natural 
 feed of believing parents, we muft unavoidably con- 
 clude, that the intereft and title of fuch children, to 
 the bleiTings of the covenant of grace, is as exten/i've 
 and abfoluie as that of believing parents : and, that 
 their falvation is as certaift'as the falvation of parents ; 
 for their intereft in the covenant or promife, is expreff- 
 cd in the fame terms. As much is affirmed concern- 
 ing children as parents. But, this cannot be admitted, 
 as being in reality the cafe. We muft, therefore, con- 
 clude, that there isfome miftake implied in theobjedion, 
 relative to the meaning of the objeded text. — And, I 
 apprehend, that a little attention to the words, will 
 convince an unprejudiced mind, that they have no ref- 
 ped to the promife made to Abraham ; but that they 
 folely refped a prophecy or predidion, of the prophet 
 Joel, concerning the effufion of the Holy Spirit, in the 
 la/i days ; or under the gofpel difpenfatioM. In the 
 beginning of the chapter, which contains the words 
 under confideration, there is an account, of a very ex- 
 traordinary operation of the Holy Ghoft, on the mind* 
 of the multitude, who were aflembled together, "in 
 one place,** on the day of pentecoft. Although the 
 minds of the moft were amazed and aftoniftied, yet fome 
 mocked and derided the apoftles, as though they were 
 ** full of new wine.'* Peter ftands up and addr^ffes 
 them, in thefe words (. i6) " This is that which ivas 
 fpoken by the prophet yoelJ* He then proceeds to re- 
 herfe the prcdidion at large, v. 17. " And it /hall eome 
 
i6 
 
 to pafs in the laji days, faith God, I will pour out m^ 
 fpirit upon allfiejh, is'c, that is, upon Jews and Gen- 
 tiles. After he had made it evident, that what then 
 took place was the fulfilment of a prophecy, which 
 refpetted the gofpel day, or the time of the MefTiah, he 
 proceeds to fhow, that that day was in fadt come ; — ' 
 that Chrift was crucified and rifen as was foretold by 
 David, in the i6 Pfalm. From all which Peter makes 
 this inference, v. 33 : that Ghrifl being raifed and ex- 
 alted, and having received thepromile of the Holy 
 Ghoft, He hathjhed forth this which ye now fee.^^ It 
 was evident, from comparing the promife of the Holy 
 Ghoft, in the laft days, made by the prophet Joely 
 with what then took place, that the Meffiah had comey 
 and that the gofpel day was introduced. What the 
 apoftle advanced had its eifeft, and produced full con- 
 viftion, in the minds of many of his hearers — They 
 " were pricked in their heart,'* and enquired, " Men: 
 and brethren, what Jhall we do /"' Peter rephes, " Re- 
 pent, and be baptized, every otie of you, in the name ofje-' 
 fus Chrift, for the rcmiffton cf fins ; and ye fjall receive 
 the gift of the Holy Ghoji ; for the promife is unto yoU 
 and to your children, isfc. What promife muft we fup- 
 pofe the apoftle had in view ? It muft be the promife 
 of the Holy Ghoft, which was made by the prophet 
 Joel ; for no other promife had been mentioned, in the 
 whole preceding difcourfe : an-d this promife is here 
 mentioned, as a reafon, why fuch as ftiould repent and 
 be baptifed might expert to receive the Holy Ghoft ; 
 as Peter, in the words preceding, had declared they 
 fhould. 
 
 It is to be remarked, that the pro?nife^ fo called, was 
 not a covenant, but a predidion or declaration of what 
 was to take place, under a particular difpenfation ; or 
 '■^ in the lad days'' They to whom the apoftle, was 
 addrefhng himfelf, were fubjedb on whom, \.h.t prophe- 
 cy ox prediction w^lZ ixA^Mn^. The apoftle, therefore, 
 calls upon them, to repent and be baptized ; and there- 
 by acknowledge and fubmit to the chriftian difpenfa- 
 
17 
 
 tion, which they then faw, with fuch ftriking evidence, 
 was introduced. The apoftle when he faid, '•^ the prq^ 
 mife is to you^* Sec. was not teaching them any coA^e- 
 hant obligation, which God was under, either to tbem 
 or their children ; but, that the prediction, as to the 
 fulfilment of it, refpe6ted them and future generations : 
 And, it being fo evident, that the chriftian difpenfation 
 was introduced, he calls upon them to fubmit to it, by 
 being baptifed. The prophet Joel, apphed the promife 
 or prediction to " the lad days,'* — the gofpel day i 
 and the apoftle Peter further explains itj by faying, 
 that the fulfilmeiit of it v/as not confined to thofe, 
 who then heard him fpeak ; but it was extended to 
 fheir children, and iheir childrens children, even to 
 the laft generations. 
 
 " It hence appears, that it would be mifapplying the 
 promife mentioned, in the paffage under confideration, 
 to confider it, as being the promife which was made 
 to Abraham : and a greater mifapplication and abufe 
 of it, to infer from it, that children are intei'efted in the 
 covenant of grace, becaufe their parents are ; for the 
 promife appears to have no reference to the Abraham- 
 ic covenant ; but i* reftricled to a particular prophecy 
 tind predidion. Indeed, there is nothing of the nature 
 of a covenant, contained in the promife under confid- 
 eration ; it is clearly a prediction of what fiiould come 
 to pafs, in the laft days ; and when the apoftle told 
 his hearers, that the promife, was to them, &c. he 
 meant no more, than that the promife, as to the ac- 
 complifhment of it, refpected them, — their children 
 aad fuccceding generations, both Jews and Gen- 
 tiles. 
 
 " It appears evident, therefore, that the paffage un- 
 der confideration cannot be confidered, as containing 
 any objection to what has been advanced ; for it 
 hath no refpeft to the Abrahamic covenant, or cove- 
 nant of grace, nor to the natural feed of believers as 
 fuch." • (See Mr. Strong's Enquiry, p. 37--40.) 
 
 C 
 
i8 
 V 
 
 On the whole, I could make out nothing in favour 
 of infant-baptifm from the famenefs of the church. 
 
 But it is faid, " Baptifm comes in the room of cir- 
 cumcifion, and therefore as there was once a pofitive 
 command to circumcife children, we mufl not omit to 
 baptize ours, unlefs it be exprefsly forbidden : and 
 where is it forbidden ?" And to make the matter plain, 
 it has been faid, " Should prefident Wafhington re- 
 quire all his friends to wear a red rofe, (anfwering to 
 circumcilion) and to fee that their children wore the 
 fame ; but afterwards fhould he fay, my friends, in- 
 {leadofthe red rofe, it is my will that you hencefor- 
 ward wear a white one (anfwering to baptifm) would 
 they not all put the white rofe on their children, tho' 
 he ihould fay nothing about them." 
 
 But let me ftate the cafe more accurately. Should 
 prefident Wafhington require all his male friends to 
 wear a red rofe, and to fee that their ?nale infants only 
 .wore the fame ; but at the fame time declare, that the 
 females in thofe families, where the rofe was worn, 
 fhould be included with the males, and viewed as be- 
 longing to his peculiar people 'without this external 
 badge : But fhould he aftervi^ards command his friends 
 to wear a white rofe inftead of the red one, would they 
 not all put the white rofe on their males only, and fup- 
 pofe their females to be Hill included without this 
 badge ? Surely they would. 
 
 But when I came to examine this matter, I found 
 it no where faid, inftead of circumcifing, now baptize. 
 But on the contrary, I found, (whatever fimilarity may 
 be traced between circumcifion and baptifm., the palf- 
 over and the Lord's fupper,) that the gofpel ordinan- 
 ces are not ta be confidered as coming in the room of 
 thofe ancient rites. It is very plain from the twelfth 
 of Exodus, that all the Ifraelites ate of the paiTover. 
 But thofe only are to partake of the Lord's fupper, 
 who are capable of examining themfelves, and of eat- 
 ing and drinking underilandingly \ left they fhould eat 
 
^9 
 
 and drink unworthily, " not difcerning the Lord's 
 body*.'* 
 
 And thofe only are to be baptized, who are capable 
 of fubmiting to this ordinance in the way of obedience* 
 Baptifm is " not the putting away of the filth of the 
 flelh, but the anfwer of a good confcience towards 
 God." It " doth now fave us — ^by the refurreftion 
 of Jefus Chrift," in no other way, only as by it, we 
 perfonally make a confcientious profeflion of our faith in 
 Chriflf. But, 
 
 Should it be granted that baptifm, in any fenfe, 
 comes in the room of circumcifion, ftill it would make 
 ■nothing for the common practice : bec-aufe there is an 
 evident alteration as to the fubje^s, to whom it is to 
 be applied. Only males were cirtumcifed, but all are 
 to be baptized on a prefejjion of their faith ^ both men 
 and women. It was not lawful to circumcife any until 
 they were cerimonially clean, on the eighth day ; but 
 what was barely cerimonial is now done away, and was 
 then only typical of fpiritual cleanlinefs. And as we 
 are now to regard only what is fpiritual, it is no more 
 lawful for us to baptize thofe, who exhibit no evidence 
 of being ivajhed^fan^l'fied^ 2Xi.di julii fed in the 7i&me (f 
 the Lord Jefus, and by the fpirit of our God\ ; than it 
 was lawful for them to circumcife before the eighth 
 day. 
 
 And here I cannot but obferve, how they, who fay 
 that baptifm comes in the room of circumcifion, by 
 fometimes baptizing before the eighth day, and often 
 omitting it till afterwards, break the very command 
 on which they build their whole fcheme. " God faid 
 unto Abraham — -he that is eight days oldfhall be circum- 
 cifed among you every man child in your generations, 
 he that is born in the houfe or bought with money of 
 any ftranger, which is not of thy feed. He that is 
 born in thy houfe, and he that is bought with thy 
 money mull needs be circumcifed§.*' Accordingly 
 
 ■■ ! Cor. 11. 17—34. + I P:t. j.ai. % ^ Cor. 6, 11. f> Gen. \t\z-i-:, 
 
Paul relates that he was " circumcifed the tigbih day\.^^ 
 And we read refpefting the circumcifion ci John the 
 baptiil. " And it came to pafs, that on the eighth da\' 
 they came to ch"cumcife the child§." And refpeding 
 our Saviour, it is written, " and when eight days were 
 accompliflied for the circumcifmg of the child his name 
 was called Jefusjj." The eighth day was appointed 
 by God. and that day was punctually obferved by his 
 people. Though children were ever fo fick and likely 
 to die, they might not be circumcifed until that time, 
 and undoubtedly many of them died uncircumcifed. 
 Nor was it lawful whenever the eighth day came, to 
 omit the circumcifion of the child, on account of its 
 being a week day, or the fabbath ; a rainy day, or a 
 bufy, hurrying time of year ; nor for the want of a 
 pried at hand to perform the bufinefs ; nor for the 
 want of fine, gay clothes for the child to be dreffed in ; 
 nor on any other account, except in cafe of abfolute ne- 
 ceffity, like that of the children of Ifrael, when jour- 
 neying through the wildernefs. The Lord blamed 
 Mofes for his neglect. If infants ought to be baptized 
 becaufe they were circumcifed, then the fcriptures af- 
 ford us no excufe, neither for baptizing before, nor for 
 neglecting their baptifm after the eighth day ; any 
 more than for negle£ting it, until they are capable of 
 afting for themfelves. 
 
 But we are fo far from granting that baptifm comes 
 in the room of circumcifion, that, we think, altho' 
 circumcifion was of the fathers, yet a little attention 
 will be fufficient to (how, that Chrifl's apoftles confid- 
 ered it as belonging to the Jewifh ritual ; and there^ 
 fore no more to be continued now, nor any thing elfe 
 in itsjiead, than other things, which were peculiar to 
 the former difpenfation. St. Paul fets this matter in a 
 clear light, " behold I Paul fay unto you, if ye be cir, 
 cumcifed Chrifl fhall profit you nothing. For I teflify 
 ^gaii^to every man that is circumcifed, that he is a 
 
 X Phil. 3. 5. ^ Luke i. 59. f| Luke a- 21. 
 
21 
 
 debtor to keep the whole law*," Plainly including 
 circumcifion with the reft of the ceremonial law. 
 
 Again, it is evident that baptifm came not in the 
 room of circumcifion, from the confideration that none 
 but minifters have a right to baptize ; but even wo- 
 men in old times might adminifter circumcifion, 
 though they were uncircumcifed themfelves. (fee Ex. 
 4. 25.) But were any unbaptized, or even baptized 
 woman to adminifter baptifm, I believe no fenfible 
 proteftant would view fuch adminiftration to be vahd. 
 
 Had " the churches of Gala^ia" underftood that 
 baptifm came in the room of circumcifion, it is ftrange 
 that they who had undoubtedly been baptized, fliould 
 ftill be fet for circumcifion : though it is not to be 
 wondered at, that, when circumcifion was laid afide, 
 and nothing placed in its ftead, they fliould ftill con- 
 tend for that ancient rite. 
 
 It is ftrange that the apoftle, who faid fo much 
 againft the Judaizing Chriftians, never mentioned that 
 baptifm came in the room of circumcifion, which, if 
 true, would have been an argument the beft calcula- 
 ted to eafe their minds in laying afide that ancient 
 practice. It is ftrange, that the firft minifters of the 
 gofpel, who (according to the plan of fome) had been 
 adminiftering baptifm to infants, becaufe it came in the 
 room of circumcifion ; fliould notwithftanding, be fo 
 ignorant of what they had been about, as to find it 
 neceiTary to call a council, to enquire whether they 
 ought ftill to pra<5life circumcifion. And when we 
 read the fifteenth of Acts, and attend to the confulta- 
 tion of the apoftles about circumcifion, it is indeed 
 ftranee, that we find not fo much as the leaft hint, 
 that baptifm comes in the room of it — -Jlrange^ do I 
 fay ? It is not at all ftrange ; for they never viewed the 
 matter in this light — fuch an idea was not known in 
 ;he d?iys of the apoftles. 
 
 It is true there was once a pofitive command for cir- 
 cumcifmg w<r//^-children, on the eight day \ and now 
 
 * Gal. 5. 2, 3. 
 
23 
 
 we have pofitive declarations of fcripture, which jufli- 
 iy us in laying afide the practice. And unlefs we have 
 a pofitive command for baptizing, infants as well as 
 believers, we have no right to baptize them : and where 
 have we kny fuch conimand ? Or where is there a fm- 
 gle example recorded ? Or any folid foundation for 
 fuch a practice, in the word of God ? 
 
 In times pad, I had frequently mentioned houfehold 
 baptifm to eilablifh myfelf and others in the belief of 
 infant-baptifm. I reafoned as follows, " It feems, faid I, 
 that the keeper of the prifon was baptized, he and all 
 his, ftreight-way in the fame hour of the night, in which 
 he him.felf believed*, And Lydia was baptized and 
 her houfeholdf. And the houfehold of Stephanas}, 
 Now faid I, whether infants belonged to thefe houfe- 
 holds or not ; we cannot think it probable that the 
 whole of thefe families were convided, and converted^ 
 fo as to be baptized on their own profelfion of faith, 
 and that too in the fame hour in which the heads of 
 the families believed and were baptized ; therefore we 
 niuft conclude, that the houfeholds mentioned in thefe 
 places were baptized on the faith of their parents : and 
 if fo, then it is now the duty of believing parents to 
 fee that their children are baptized." 
 
 But when I came to examine thefe paflages of fcrip- 
 ture, my former reafoning from them appeared weak. 
 I found no more evidence that the jaylor had children, 
 ivho were baptized on the account of his faith, than 
 that he had a wife baptized on the fame account ; for 
 if he had a wife, flie was undoubtedly his^ and belong- 
 ed to his houfe, or family. I alfo found it exprefsly 
 faid of the jaylor, and his, that " they (the apoftles) 
 fpake unto him the word of the Lord 2.nd io all tbat 
 ivei-e m his houfe. Therefore I concluded, whether he 
 had infants, or not ; infants were not included in the 
 *'ali that v^^ere in his houfe:" for I didnot think, that the 
 apofties would have preached to thofe, who were not ca- 
 
 Afts i6. 33. f Adts 16. 15. I I Cor. i. 16. 
 
pabie of underftanding any thing of what was deliver- 
 ed. I likewife, found it affirmed of the jaylor, that he 
 " rejoiced believing in God with all bis honJeJ* I know 
 fonie have v/iflied to underfland the Greek, rendered 
 in our tranriation*iX'7V/9 all his boiife^ to mean ibmething 
 elfe. But all the Lexicons which I have had oppor- 
 tunity to examine, jullify our tranflation, by render- 
 ing^ the word, cum tota domo : nor do thofe who find 
 fault with the prefent tranflation, bring any paiTage 
 v/here panciki is diiferently tranflated. Had it been 
 rendered, he rejoiced with all his houfe, this would have 
 equally proved, that his houfe w^ere behevers ; for none 
 but believers do really rejoice in God. On examina- 
 tion I could find nothing in this paffage to prove in- 
 fant-baptifm. The word of the Lord was fpoken to 
 them ail, all believed, and were baptized. 
 
 I THEN attended to what- is faid of Lydia, " fne v/as 
 baptized and her houfehold." Here I found no more 
 evidence, that fhe had children baptized on her faith, 
 than that fhe had a huiband baptized on the fame 
 account. For if fhe had a hufband, I fuppofe, he mud 
 have been included in her houfliold. And as fhe aj)- 
 pears to have been a woman of a good charafter, even 
 before this, one who " worlhipped God," it is mofl 
 likely, if fhe had young children, fhe alio had a huf- 
 band. But finally it does not appear whether fhe had 
 hufband, or children, or whether her houfehold con- 
 filled of fervants only. Whoever they were, it feems 
 by the laft verfe in the chapter, they were called " breth- 
 ren,*' and were fuch as the apoilles " comforted." 
 
 As to the houfehold of Stephanas, it appears, that 
 they were the friends of Chriif, and " adicled them- 
 felves to the miniflry of the faints." Hear the apoflles 
 own words, " I befeech you, brethren, fays he, (ye 
 know the houfe of Stephanas, that it is the flrfl fruits of 
 Achaia, and that they have adided themfelf to ~the 
 miniilry of the faintsf ." 
 
 Thus it appears that infants were not included in 
 thefe houfehoidsr But the baptifts are not obliged to 
 
 + I Cgv, j6. i;. 
 
24 
 
 prove a negative. In order to baptize infants on thu 
 baptifm of houfeholds, it mufl be proved that infants 
 were baptized in thefe houlholds ; but this never has, 
 nor ever can be proved. 
 
 After all my ftudy, Icouldmake out nothing from 
 houfthold-baptifm, for the baptizing of infants. I •^oimd 
 that there rmght be houfehold faith, as well as houfehold 
 baptifm. " Crifpus the cheif rultr of the synagogue be- 
 
 LIUVED ON THE LoRD WITH ALL HIS HOUSE*." And 
 
 when the noble man's fervants had informed hi in at 
 what hour the fever left his fen; It is wrirten, " fo 
 the father knew that it was at the fame hour in the 
 which Jd'ds faid unto him, thy fon liveth ; and him- 
 self BELIEVED, AND HIS v»'-HOLE HousEj." Further- 
 more it is evident that in fcripture-languaLTC, the phrafe 
 all bis buiife does not always include the infant child, 
 even when it is'certain there was one in the family: 
 For we read " And the man Ekanah, and all his houfe, 
 went up to offer unto the Lord the yearly -facrifice, and 
 his vow. But Hannah went not up :" (here it is faid 
 all his houfe went up, there is no exception of any per- 
 fon but Ha?2?iah, and now comes the reafon why flie 
 ^yent not up, from which it is evident there was an in- 
 fant child included in the phraife,all his houfe,) " for fhe 
 faid unto her hufband, I will not go up until the child be 
 weaned, and then I will bring him, that he may ap- 
 pear before the Lord and there abide for ever. And 
 Elkanah her hufl^and faid unto her, do what feemeth 
 thee good, tarry until thou have weaned him, only the 
 Lord efhabiifh his word : fo the wom.an abode and gav§ 
 her fon fuck until {he weaned him." (i. Sam. i. 21, 
 22, 23.) This is perfectly agreeable to the common 
 mode of expreiling ourfelves : we fay fuch a family are- 
 allyerj kind and ever difpcfed to do good. We mean 
 thofe of the family, who have come to years capable of 
 manifefting their kindnefs, and difpofition to do 
 good. ^ 
 
 % 
 
 • Afts j8. 8. + John 4. 5_j. 
 
25 
 
 Our psedobaptift brethren, in general, baptize only 
 young children on their parents account ; but houf- 
 holds include thofe, who are feventeen, twenty and 
 thirty years of age : therefore the argument from 
 houfhold baptifm, if there be any weight in it, is as re- 
 ally againft thofe who do not (when parents profefs re- 
 ligion) baptize all the adult children in every fuch 
 houfe, as againfl the baptifts themfelves. 
 
 I CONSIDERED alfo, that converdons took place in a 
 more fudden, and extraordinary manner at the firft: 
 commencement of the gofpel-difpenfation, than they 
 ordinarily do in our day. 
 
 Not being able to prove infant-baptifm from cir- 
 cumcifion, nor from the baptifm of houfholds ; I re- 
 viewed the other arguments in favour of the common 
 pradlice. 
 
 I HAD often quoted in fupport of infant baptifm, 
 " I Cor. vil. 14. for the unbelieving hufband is fane- 
 tified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is fandified 
 by the hufband : elfe were your children unclccin ; but 
 now are they holy.''* But now examining the whole 
 verfe, I found that infant-baptifm was no more proved 
 by it, than the baptifm of adults, that is, of children of 
 any other age ; (it is not faid your infants, but your 
 children,) and that the baptifm of children was no more 
 proved by it, than the baptifm of the unbelieving huf- 
 band, or wife. 
 
 Both our tranflation, and the original make the un- 
 believing parent to be fanftified, or to be holy, as re- 
 ally as the children ; for in the original, to be fandlifi- 
 ed and to be holy from the fame Greek-root, and in 
 our language the words are fynonimous. And the ho- 
 linefs of the child being derived from the fandification. 
 of the unbelieving parent, it cannot be fuperlor to it, 
 therefore, if that holinefs give the child a right to bap- 
 tifm, the fandification or holinefs of the unbelieving 
 parent muft give him or her a right to the fame. 
 
 But after all the apollle is not treating of baptifm, 
 D 
 
26 
 
 nor of a church-date ; but only of the lawfulnefs of a 
 believer's continuing to live with his, or her, unbelie- 
 ving companion, and of their having children toge- 
 ther. 
 
 I alfo attended to Mark x. 1 4. " fuffer the little chil- 
 dren to come unto me, and forbid them not : for of 
 fuch is the kingdom of God :" which paffage, with the 
 parallel places in Matthew and Luke, is fometimes 
 brought to fupport infant-baptifm. On examination 
 it appeared, that if Chriil meant to fay, that little chil-- 
 dren, or infants, belonged to " the kingdom of God ;" 
 he mud mean the invifible kingdom of grace, or the 
 kingdom of glory ; for he immediately adds, " Verily I 
 fay unto you, whofoever fhall not receive the kingdom 
 of God as a httle child, he fhall not enter therein." 
 But perfons of all defcriptlons have entered into the 
 vifible church ; tho* behevers only are fit members. 
 
 I HAVE been almoft ready to fmile fometimes, when 
 I have heard people plead, that the gofpel difpenfation 
 did not commence till after the refurreftion of J.efus 
 Chrift , and thence argue, that John's baptifm was not 
 Chriftian baptifm j and then within two minutes bring 
 this text to prove that infants belong to the vifible 
 church under theprefent difpenfation; which difpen- 
 fation, according to their own fcheme, had not as yet 
 taken place. 
 
 But obferve Chrifl does not fay of them, but " of 
 fuch is the kingdom of God." The truth appears to 
 be this, fome perfons having knowledge of Chrift, and 
 viewing him to be fome eminent man, if not the MefTi- 
 ah, defired him to blefs their children, as Jacob blefl'ed 
 the fons of Jofeph*; and as it was ufual for eminent 
 perfons to do ; — and that Chrift was wiiling to receive 
 them ; and took advantage of this opportunity to- 
 teach his difciples humility — to teach them that they 
 muft receive the kingdom of God as helplefs creatures, 
 or they Ihould * in no v/ife enter therein.' And not 
 only this pafiiige, taking the whole together, carries this 
 
 * c. 
 
 a. 4-- 9- 
 
27 
 
 fcnfe ; but this fenfe agrees with other texts of fcrip- 
 ture. 
 
 When the difciples difcovered their pride^ and am- 
 bitious defires about being " the greatefl in the king- 
 :dom of heaven," " Jefus called a Httle child unto him, 
 andfethimin the midfl of them, andfaid, Verily I fay 
 un-o you, except ye be converted, and become as little 
 children ^^ (not as the little children of believers only, 
 but as little children indefinitely,) " ye fliall not enter 
 into the kingdom of heaven. Whofoever therefore 
 fhall humble himfelf as this little child the fame is grea- 
 tefl m. the kingdom of heaven. And whofo fliall re- 
 ceive one fuch little child in my name, receiveth me. 
 But vv^hofo fliall offend one ofthcfe little ones, which be- 
 lieve in me, it were better for him that a millllone 
 were hanged about his neck, and that he were drown- 
 in the depth of the feaf.'* 
 
 Here Chrifl fays, " one fuch little child^'' and " one 
 of t'hefe little ones, which believe in me :" yet we do 
 not underftand him to affirm that, that little child, 
 whom he had fet in the midfl of them, was a believer. 
 ]5utv/e might with as much propriety, as to under- 
 ftand him in Mark x. 14. to afl'ert that thofe children, 
 •v/ho were brought to him, belonged to the kingdom 
 of God. 
 
 The vifiblc, gofpel-church is not comppfed of any 
 who cannot make a profeilion of religion ; but of thofe 
 who at leaft by profeflion, " have put off the old man 
 with his deeds ; and have put on the new man, which 
 is renewed in knowledge, after the image of hini that 
 created him. Where there is neither Greek, nor Jew, 
 circumcifion, no-r uncircumcilion, barbarian, fcythian, 
 bond nor free : but Chrifl is all, and in all|." (and 
 Gal. 3. 27, 28 29.) 
 
 The more I examined the arguments in. favour of 
 infant-baptifm, the more and more, I felt myfelf to be 
 without foundation. 
 
 T- Mat. \%. I --6. \ Col. J 9. 10, «[. 
 
28 
 
 I TOOK notice, thai where children were inchided, 
 they were often mentioned in Icripture. When Chrift 
 had miraculoufly fed a large number, it is obferved, 
 " And they that had eaten were about five thouf^md 
 vcLcnbcfides 'women and childi-en,"' And of thofe who 
 had left Egypt, it is faid, " And the children of Ifrael 
 journeyed from Ramefes to Succoth about fix hundred 
 thoufand on foot that were men, befides childrenlj." 
 But I found it no where faid that any certain number 
 were baptized, and befides childre?2. 
 
 Amongst us when parents are converted, and make 
 a profeffion of religion, there are often a number of 
 children to be baptized, what a multitude of children, 
 according to this practice, muft have been baptized,- 
 when fo many gentile parents were converted, yet there 
 is no mention made of one. Strange indeed ! 
 
 A^D now I could not but obferve, how plain the 
 fcriptures are, as to thofe things, which relate more 
 imediately to pradice ; fo that good men, where there is 
 nothing peculiar, in their fituation to prejudice them 
 againft the truth, do, without hefitation fall in with 
 their duty. But it is quite otherwife as to infant-bap- 
 tifm. Altho' if it be a fcriptural doftrine, it is a moil 
 pradical matter, and a duty incumbent on every belie- 
 ving parent, to fee that his children are baptized ; yet 
 many (if not mofl ferious people, who think much 
 about the fubjed) even where they have every external 
 circumftance to prejudice them in favour of the com- 
 mon practice, and againft the contrary, cannot em- 
 brace it without great difficulty. But at length, by 
 exerting themfelves to find fomething in favour of it, 
 and perhaps being alTifled by their friends to fomeglof- 
 fes, or feeming arguments, they reil in fome meafure 
 eafy— and this they do, without ever duly confidering 
 what can be faid againff the auguments w^ith which 
 they fupport themfelves. 
 
 I KNOW this to have been the cafe with myfelf ; and 
 that many of my pious friends, who are now fettled 
 
 I! Ex. 12. s?. 
 
29 
 
 down In the pradicc of infant-baptifm, were much ex- 
 erciied about the matter, before they could get them- 
 feive, eafy in their prefent fituation. 
 
 On the whole, as I had concluded to ad like a pro- 
 teftant (not like a Roman- catholic) and to take the 
 fcriptures (not the pretended infalibility of men) for 
 my rule of faith and pradice, I perceived that my for- 
 mer fcheme was without foundation ; and that the 
 feeming arguments, with which I had attempted to 
 fupport it, would not bear to be fcrutinized. 
 
 Thus without building on the baptifm of "John^ nor 
 as yet fuppoimg the mode to be elfential, whether by 
 
 • fprinkhng, or immerfion, I became an anti-p^dobap- 
 tiil in fentiment. 
 
 Here it may be obferved, I did not find it at all ne- 
 celTary to deny, in order to change my fentiments as 
 to this particular, that the covenant made with Abra- 
 ham was the covenant of grace : fuppofing it to be fo 
 indeed ; yet St. Paul in his epiftle to the Gallations, 
 efpecially in the third and fourth chapters, has fully 
 fhown, that thofe who are only " born after the fleih,'* 
 are not to be viewed as in covenant, nor counted for 
 the feed : faith he, " If ye be Chriil's, then are ye 
 Abraham's feed and heirs according to the promife.'* 
 
 -" And they that are Chriil's, have crucified theflefh, 
 with the afiedions and lulls.'* 
 
 And now I began to feel that I was adling an incon- 
 fiflent part ; unbaptized and yet a preacher, appear- 
 ing in the character of a candidate for the gofpel min- 
 iftry. And I began to difclofe my views, and feelings 
 to pgedobaptifl miniders, and candidates, though I 
 faid nothing to other people on the fubjed:. And as 
 I did not vv^ifh to be a baptifl, unlefs the truth made me 
 one, I was determined to look on both fides of the 
 queflion ; and accordingly I borrowed Rice in favour 
 of infant-baptifm, and Dr. Gill's reply to a pamphlet 
 entitled, " The baptifm of infcmts a reafonable fervice^ 
 
 founded upon fcripture^ and undoubted apofiolic tradi- 
 tion." 
 
30 
 
 Amx) fmce that time I have read Hemenwa}' in fa- 
 vour of infant-baptifm, and Mr. Clark's anfwer to 
 Dr. Gill ; and alfo fome pamphlets publiihed by Mr, 
 Cleavland, Dr. Gill, and fome others on both fid-es of 
 the queflion. 
 
 And it appears to me, that Dr. Gill has fully anfwer-. 
 ed all that I have ever read, or heard brought to prove 
 the baptifm of infants from its antiquity. And I am 
 furprized that fome late authors (liould undertake to 
 prove from yii/iin Martyr, Iranous, Tcrttdion, Origen^ 
 Cyprian ivitb his council offtxty-ftx biJJjops, Aufcin and 
 Falagiom^ with fonie others, that infant-baptifm is an 
 apollolic tradition ; and at the fame time, take no no- 
 tice of Dr. Gill, who has fully anfwered them before 
 they wrote*. 
 
 In further examining the fubjecl I was led to pay 
 fome attention to the mode, and foon found that the 
 proper fignification of the word baptize^ js to dip, or 
 walh by immerfion ; nor is there the kail evidence, 
 that, when water baptifm is intended, the word is .ever 
 once ufed in the New-Tefliment, to fignify any thing 
 lefs than to dip, or put into waiter. 
 
 I KNOW we read in Heb, ix. lo. of divers ivajhings^ 
 or haptifms^ as it is in the original. The apoflle is here 
 fpeakingj^f Old-tellament tiraes, and by looking back 
 we may eafily fee Avhat thofe divers baptifms were. 
 "When a perfon was ceremonially unclean he was re- 
 quired to luaflj his clothes and bathe himjelf in ivater.\ 
 Here indeed was a baptifm both of his clothes, and of 
 himfelf: water was not fprinkled or poured on ; but 
 they were wajloed and bathed in ivater. Again refpect- 
 ing unclean reptiles, it is written, " And upon whatfoe- 
 ver any of them, when they are dead, doth fall, it fliall 
 be unclean ; whether it be any vefTel of wood, or rai- 
 ment, or fkin, or fack, whatfoever veffel it be, where^ 
 in any v.'oikis done, It mujl be put into icatcr.*' Not 
 iprinkled or have water put on to it ; but It mnJl be 
 
 * See fome ewtraCb i'n.in Dr. GUI at tiie end of this letter. 
 
 -' Seethisrcpciteriiy o.tiuijiandcdinthe W. of Leviticus and elfewliere. 
 
fill into ivatcr\. No wonder therefore, that we read 
 of divers baptifms. Again in the vii. Chap, of St. 
 Mark, we find the fame Greek word, which is ufed 
 for baptifm applied to the wafliing of hands, cups, 
 pots, &c. It is evident that this was not a com- 
 mon, but a ceremonial wafliing when they had been 
 to the markets and the Hke, and therefore it was un- 
 doubtedly performed by immerfion : for to put into 
 water, was the way, as you fee by the paflkges above ci- 
 ted, to make things ceremonially clean by wafliing. 
 Dr. Harzvoiid in his edition of the Greek Teltament, 
 in a note on this chapter, fays, " they plunged the arm 
 up to the elbow. KeyJJers ti'a'uels Vol. \. p. 1 4. Edit.- 
 diiodccijiw, Confult alfo, Bcaufobrcs ■pojihumous ;v- 
 77iarks in locJ'* Therefore it may be faid with great 
 propriety that they baptized their hands. When peo- 
 ple only waih their hands in an ordinary wav, thev 
 commonly wet them all over, and that too by immer- 
 fion. 
 
 But I believe the Greek word fur baptizing u rare- 
 ly, if ever ufed for the ordinary wafliing of the face, 
 hands, or feet, (nor is it ever, unlcfs they are dipped) 
 but the word commonly ufed :*s nlpto. As in Mai. 
 6. 17. and waJJj thy face. Juhn 9. 7. ^^o ■wajh \n ibs 
 pooJ^ and 13. 5. and bcran to ^xajb the dij'dplts feci. 
 I. Ti?n. ^.lo.ifjtc haveivajhcd the faints feci. The 
 wafliing of other foul, or dirty things to nuike iheni 
 clean, is ufually expreffed by the Greek \rord, kuo ; 
 as in 2. Pet. 2.22. The few thai -n-as zvaj/jed, to 
 her wallowing in the mire. The inera a<il of Iprink- 
 ling, or pouring is never called zcja/Ijjn^ in the New- 
 Teitament. 
 
 But undoubtedly there arc fonie v, ords in the Greek 
 language, which exactly anlwer to flic Englifli v;ords, 
 pour J fpr inkle ^ and dip ; and what arc they ? What is 
 the Greek, which e2:actly anfwers to x\iz Engiifli word^ 
 
 , f Lev. XI. j2. 
 
pQur ? Not baptc^ nor its dtrivative ahaptho, but cheo, 
 and its compounds, a"s a little attention to the Greek 
 will plainly fhow. If I miftake not, the only places in 
 our tranflation of the New Teilament, where we find 
 pour^pouredy oi pourings are the following, viz. Mat. 
 26. 7, 12. Mark 14. 3. Luke 10. 34. John 2. 15 and 
 13. 5. y^ds 10. 45. Rev. 14. 10. and 16. 1,2, 3,4, 8, 
 10, 12, 17. and not in one of thefe places do v/e find 
 a word, which has the leaft limilarity, or relation to the 
 word ufed for baptifm. 
 
 And now what is the Greek which exadly anfwers 
 to the Englifh word Jprinkle ? Not bnpto nor baptlzo 
 nor are thefe words, or either of them, ever once fo 
 tranflated in the New Teftament. I think the follow- 
 ing are the only places in our tranflation of that book, 
 vih.QT& fpr'mkle or fprinkUiig^ are to be found, viz. Heh. 
 9. 13, 29. and 10. 22. and 11. 28. and 12. 24. and 
 1. Peter ^ 1. 3. and the original does fully prove, that 
 ranti%o is the Greek, which does moil exactly anfwer 
 to the Englifh word fprinkk: ; for it is the only word 
 (in fome of its branches) ufed in all thefe places-; ex- 
 cept Heb. II. 28. where the word ufed more properly 
 fignifies pourings or rather the pouring of one thing on 
 anothor. Raino the root of rajitizo^ is fometimes ufed 
 for fprinkling. 
 
 But what is the Greek, which exaftly anfwers to 
 the Englilh word dip ? Not cheo nor rantizo ; but cer- 
 tainly hapto, from which the word baptize is derived. 
 This affertion, the original of every place, where we 
 have in our tranflation dip, dipped^ dippeth^ or dipt, 
 will fully juflify. See Mat. 26. 23. He that dippeth his 
 hand ivithme in the dijh. Mark, 14. 20. It is one of 
 thetivelve, that dippeth with ?tie in the dij7j. Luke 16. 
 24. that he may dip the tip of his finger in water. "John 
 1326. Ifhall give a fop, when I have dipped it. And 
 when he had dipped the fop. Rev. 19. 13, vcfiure dipt 
 in blood. Bapto 2ind bapiizo 2.re fynonimous, the root 
 is the very fame ; and they are both ufed for dipping ; 
 
JL 
 
 jufl as raino and rantizo are both ufed for fprink^. 
 ling. 
 
 1 HOPE the candid reader will pardon the intrufion 
 of this Greek. Our tranflation is fo plain, there would 
 have been no need of it, had not the practice and 
 preaching of manyj bewildered ^the minds of fome, and 
 led them to fuppofe that the Greek words for fprink- 
 ling, pouring, dipping and baptizing, were all one and 
 the fame* 
 
 It may be obferved that the original is nearly retain- 
 ed in the word baptize ; had the Greek been as nearly 
 retained in the word for fprinkling, it would have been 
 rantizc) and now I do not believe, that rantifm is bap-^ 
 
 I WILL addj that Burkitt, and Pool, and other expo- 
 fitors of the p^edobaptifls, as well as the baptifts, under- 
 fland, Rom* VI. a* Therefore we are buried with him 
 by baptifm into death ; that like as Chrift was raifed 
 up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even fo 
 We alfo (hould walk in newnefs of life.'* (and Col. 2. 
 12.) to allude to the ancient mode of baptizing, which, 
 fay they, was by immerfion. And, if this was the an- 
 cient mode of baptizing, and there has been no new 
 revelation of late, and no new kw^giver fince Chrift^ 
 it muft be the prefent mode. Thefe paffages prove the 
 fubjefts to be adults 5 for they only are capable of 
 making a profeflion of being dead to fm, and alive 
 unto God : and the mode immerfion, by which they 
 profefs their faith in a rifen Saviour, and their confor- 
 mity to him in his death and refurredion. 
 
 There are many paffages of fcripture, which (how, 
 that baptifm is as really, and as much defigned to repre- 
 fent the burial, and refurre£lion of Jefus Chrift, (who 
 was delivered for our ojfences^ and raifed again for our 
 jujhf cation) as that the Lord's fupper is defignedto rep- 
 refent the broken body, and the blood of Chrift. The 
 apoftle Peter fpeaking of the falvation of Noah and his 
 family in the ark, fays *' the like figure whereunto, even 
 
 E 
 
34 
 
 baptifm, doth alfo now fave us"—" by the refwrettion 
 ofjefus Chriji^\ plainly fhowing that baptifm has re-^ 
 ference to the refurredlion of Chrift, and his refurrec- 
 tion includes that of his members at the laft day. Noah 
 and his family were not fprinkled, nor poured on ; 
 but they were like perfons alive from the dead :•— they 
 emerged from the ruins of the old world. 
 
 A RioiHT underflanding of baptifm may afiifl: us, 
 perhaps, to underftand i Cor. XV. 29. " Elfe what 
 ]lhall they do, which are baptized for the dead, if 
 the dead rife not at all ? Why are they then baptized 
 for the dead ?'* (The fame word in the original, 
 which is here tranflatedyor fometimes fignifies, concern- 
 ing, refpcding, or with reference to any thing ; as in 
 Rom.. IX. 27, " Efaias alfo crieth concerning Ifraet :'* 
 where the fame greek word is ufed.) The apoflle 
 through this XV^ chapter to the Corinthians is prov- 
 ing the doftrine of the rcfurredion. He lets them 
 know, that the truth of the chriftian religion (lands 
 or falls with this dodrine : — 'that this : is the gofpel 
 %vhich was at firfl preached unto them, which they re* 
 ceived, and by their baptifm profeffed to believe. 
 " Novv^ ifChrillbe preached that he rdfe from the 
 dead, how fay fome among you that there is no refur- 
 redion of the dead ? But if there be no refurreftion of 
 the dead, then is Chrift not rifen-^and if Chrift be not 
 raifed, your faith is vain ; you are yet in your fms — • 
 but now is Chrift rifen from the dead, and become the 
 firft fruits of them that llept — the laft enemy that ftiall 
 be deftroyedis death — Elfe what fliall they do, which 
 are baptized for the dead, if the dead rife not at all ? 
 Why are they then baptized for the dead ?'* 
 
 Baptism was undoubtedly obferved by the Corinthi* 
 ans, and the apoftle argues from their own practice. 
 As if he had laid. What do you mean by baptifm ? 
 If the dead rife not at all, why then are you baptized 
 for, or with reference to the dead ? Why do you keep 
 up -Hi figure, or reprefentation of a refurreciion from the 
 dead, if the dodrine be not true ? If there be no re- 
 
35 
 
 furreclioR, baptifin Is a mere idle, infignificant ceremo* 
 ny : and you are very inconfiftent with yourfelves to 
 deny the doftrine, and ftill to keep up by your baptifm 
 •\ figure or reprefentation of the refurredion from the 
 dead*.'* 
 
 Therefore if the Greek word for baptizing, were fome- 
 times ufed for fprinkling or pouring, it could not with a- 
 ny propriety be fo ufed with reference to chriftian bap- 
 tifm: for one of the principal things, impHed and defign- 
 cd to be reprefented by this gofpel inftitution, (viz. a hu^ 
 I'ial and rejurreSlwi) is wholly loft, when immerfion is 
 neglefted. No one would fuppofe a corpfe to be buri- 
 ed were a little fand to be fprinkled or poured only on 
 the face : therefore it is evident, that the fprinkling or 
 pouring a little water on the face, cannot reprefent a 
 burial. 
 
 I HAVE been informed, that, where we read baptize 
 in the New-Teftament, the Dutch tranflation is dip. 
 And were I X.ofprinkle aperfon, I could with as good 
 a confcience fay, I dip you in the name &c. as to fay, I 
 adminifter chriftian baptifm to you. 
 
 Some have faid, it is no matter as to the quantitty of 
 w^ater, three drops are as good as ari ocean. And 
 why may we not with as much propriety fay, " All the 
 water in the world will do no good, and therefore we 
 will ufe neither a drop, nor an ocean." I fuppofe we 
 reed not the fea, nor the largeft rivers to baptize in ; 
 
 * Since writing tlie above I have feen a large bible containing the 
 Old Teftamentanil the New, with anotations&c.---" By Samuel (JJark :" 
 printed in London in the year of our Lord 1690 : in which 1 find the fol- 
 lowing paflage. 
 
 •' If there be no refurredion, what (hall they be the better/(v. 32 ) 
 who are expofed to giievous fufiisrings (as the word is taken, Mat. xx 22. 
 Luke, xii. 50.) for psofefling and maintaining the refuvreiftion of fome 
 that are dead, viz. Chrift, and the Saints. Or thus, What fliall tRsy 
 that are baptized, b^ the better for that fignificant ceremony, ofrifing 
 a^ain out of the water after they had been as it were, buried in it ; (Roin, 
 vi. 4.) wliich is a being baptized for the dead, I.e. to give aiturance, 
 that aiter'they are dead they iliali be raifedagain by the po.werof Chrift." 
 
 Tluisyou fi;e, that more tlian an liundred years ago, this learned and 
 pious divine unHerftood baptifm metaphorically to beoverwheiming fuf- 
 i'erings, but \\\tx^^.\^^ zjignif.c^nt ccrcmonv of rijing again out cf t/jf "u^uer^ 
 after :tcy had been, as it •v.tre, buiied in it. For my part, I do not woti- 
 <ifr, that fo long 3,s, I thought fprinkling was baptifm, I was puz^ieit t» 
 find out any fcnfc, or meaning to what the apoftle here fays. 
 
3^ 
 
 but we niuft have a fufficient quantity to anfwer the de- 
 fign of the inftitution. As in the Lord's fupper, it is 
 not material as to the particular quantity of bread and 
 wine. A perCon may take two fpoonfulls, or four ; 
 but were any one to take fo fmall a piece of bread, 
 as to have it wholly loft in the mouth, and fo fmall a 
 quantity of wine, that there could not be an eating and 
 drinking, the defign of tjie inftitution would not be 
 anfwered. So in the other cafe, we need not aji ocean : 
 but if there be not a fufficient quantity of water, for a 
 perfon to be dipt or buried, the end of the inftitution 
 cannot be anfwered, 
 
 I AM fo far from fuppofing, that the baptifts exclude 
 proper fubjefts from this gofpel ordinance, that I firm- 
 ly believe they are the only people in thefe ftates, who 
 do, from principle, pradife any real water baptifm at 
 lall : all other denominations only rantize, or fprinkle 
 inftead of baptizing. 
 
 If baptifm were only the wetting of one part of the 
 body, we fhould undoubtedly have had fome part par- 
 ticularly pointed out ; or elfe have been informed, that 
 it might be applied to any part indefinitely j but no fuch 
 thing is to be found in the ©ible. 
 
 I HAVE indeed read one author, who labours much 
 to prove, that the face ought to be baptized. But if 
 his main argument for infant-baptifm, viz. that itco^"'; 
 in the room of circumclfpn^h^ well founded, he has cer- 
 tainly made a dreadiul miftake. This argunlent as 
 fully proves, that xhtfame part ought to be baptizedy 
 which was formerly circumcifed, as that the fame fub- 
 je£is, who formerly received circumcifion, ought now 
 to receive baptifm. And the filence of the New-Tef^ 
 lament refpefting any other part of the body is quite 
 as ftrong an argument in fupport of this afi'ertion, as it 
 is in fupf>ort of infant baptifm itfelf. 
 
 Should Prefident Waftiington require each of his 
 friends to wear a red rofe on the right Jhoulder^ and 
 alfo require that each child in every family ftiould wear 
 one on the jamc Jbouldsr j but lliould the prefident 
 
afterwards command his friends to wear a white rofe 
 inftead of the red one, would they not all put the white 
 role on the right Jhoulder, though he fhould fay nothing 
 about it ? Surely they would. 
 
 If Abraham or any one after him had cutoff, orcir- 
 cumcifed the end of his fons nofe, I prefume that no 
 one will fuppofe, that in fo doing he would have com- 
 plied with the inftituted right of circumcifion : or that 
 it ought to have prevented the child from being cir^ 
 cumcifed afterward. Therefore, if baptifm be in the 
 room of circumcifion, we have no right to confider the 
 baptifm of a nofe, or face, asanfwering the end of the 
 inttitution. But we may be aifured, that baptifm never 
 came in the room of that ancient rite. 
 
 Thus you fee, my friends, that I have become a tho- 
 rough baptift. I have been baptized, and am now a 
 member of the firft baptift church in Bofton, under 
 the care of the Rev. Samuel Stillman, D. D. 
 
 Thus, dear friends, I have frankly opened my mind 
 to you ; I have told you what I have been — what I am 
 •—and why I am a baptift. Had I negleded to have 
 been baptized, becaufe I was fprinkled when an infant, 
 I (hould have made void a commandment of God thro' 
 the traditions of men. And, 
 
 I CANNOT but feel difagreeably to hear fome people 
 f^H as if the obfervance of baptifm, and the Lords fup- 
 per, were of no kindof importarce. This impeaches 
 the wifdom, and goodnefs of him who has inftituted 
 thefe facred ordinances. 
 
 Can we fuppofe, or are we inclined to fay, that 
 Chrift has commanded fomething, which might have 
 been as well omitted. If a parent commanded his 
 child to do the le'aft thing imaginable, we fliould think 
 it very wrong for the child to fay, it is a little thing, 
 a ma-.ter of indifference, I love my parent, but I need 
 not regltrd this trifling command. Every parent feels 
 1 hat his authority is flighted, when his commands ref- 
 pecting the fmalleft things are difregarded. And fhall 
 we ^vbo profefs to be the difciples of Chrift, fet up our- 
 
felves as being wifer than he. Were he to command 
 us to perform fome indifferent adion, if ^'e did not 
 obey, we fliould (light his authority. Independent of 
 God's command, it was an indifferent thing, what 
 tree or trees of the garden our firft parents ate of, and 
 God faw fit to make ufe of fuch an indifferent thing, 
 as the ted of their obedience : but when they ventur- 
 ed to tranfgrefs he faid to Adam, ** Haft thou eaten 
 of the tree whereof I commanded thee that thou (houl- 
 deft not eat ?" God had commanded him. Would 
 it have been accceptable to his maker for the man to 
 have plead,// was an indifferent thing. When Saul 
 negleded a " mere pofitive inftitution," or command, 
 and that too, apparently, with a very pious intention, 
 God fevercly reproved him, by the mouth of his pro- 
 phet Samuel, " Wherefore then didft thou not obey 
 the voice of the Lord, but didft flee upon thefpoil, and 
 evil in the fight of the Lord ? And Saul faid unto Sam- 
 uel, yea, I have obeyed the voice of the Lord, and have 
 gone the way which the Lord fent me, and have brought 
 Agag the king of Amelek, and have utterly deftroyed 
 the Amalekites. But the people took of the fpoil, flieep 
 and oxen, the chief of the things which have been ut- 
 terly deftroyed, to facrifice unto the Lord thy God in 
 Gilgal. And Samuel faid, hath the Lord as great de- 
 light in burnt-offerings and facrifices as in obeying the 
 voice of the Lord ? Behold, to obey is better than facri- 
 fice ; and to hearken than the fat of rams. For rebel- 
 lion is as the fin of witchcraft, and ftubbornefs is as 
 iniquity and idolatry : becaufe thou haft rejeded the 
 word of the Lord, he hath alfo rejefted thee from bein^ 
 king*." 
 
 It is not certain that any thing may not be of great 
 importance, merely becaufe we do not view it in thatii 
 light. It is always of importance to obey God's com- 
 mands J w^hether we fully underftand the defign of 
 them or not. But we mull be very blind not to fee 
 
 • I Samuel 15. i?--»3- 
 
59 
 
 gf eat and noble ends to be anfvvered by thofe inftitu- 
 tions, which point dire£bly to the great Atonement, 
 
 I THINK no real chriftian can allow himfelf in the 
 negledl of any of his Lord's known commaiids, howe- 
 ver greatj or fmall they may be. And will not every 
 friend of Chrift, be feeking to know all his commands ? 
 Chrill hath faid, " Ify^ love me, keep my commandments 
 — he that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it 
 is that Icvethmc' — ye are my friends, if ye do (not barely 
 fome things, nor even the greateft things only, but) 
 •whatfoevcr I command you.^—And 'why call ye me Lord^ 
 Lord, and do not the things ivhich I fay ? 
 
 To conclude. Although We do not think alike in all 
 refpefts ; yet I hope, as to thofe things which are the 
 mofl eifential, that we are not fo far a-part, but what 
 we are really ", built on the foundation of theapoftles, 
 and prophets, Jefus Chrifl himfelf being the chief cor- 
 ner ftone* 
 
 And if we be right as to the fundarilentals of religion, 
 we fhall be " kept by the power of God through faith 
 unto falvation." And whenever we arrive to that 
 world of light, where we Ihall fee without prejudice ; 
 then we Ihall be perfeftly agreed in all our ideas, and 
 perfeQly conformed to the image of the fon of God in 
 all the defires of our hearts. 
 
 That this may be the happy lot of each one of us, 
 is the unfeigned prayer of your fmcere and affedionate 
 friend, 
 
 PETER Ph. ROOTS. 
 
 p. S. It msY not ht amifs inthispl3«, juft to mention the different 
 I'jrts of psedobaptifts in New-EnglaRd. 
 
 Epifcopalians are conliderably numerous in thefe ftates. If they 
 hnd not been new modling the Rjtl/ric, they would have been the fame 
 in profeffion as the church of England. 
 
 Prcfbyterians, on the fame plan with thofe in Scotland, are but fe^r 
 ih number. 
 
40 
 
 The moft numerous clafs of paedobaptitls ,ih l\'cw-Engldndi are aU 
 moft without a name. Their miniftcrs and churches senerally ftylc 
 themfelves congregationalijis ; but they are as often, if not oftener called 
 pre/by teriiuu. Thefe all hold that miniftcrs or elders only have pwv.er 
 to ordain church officers : and they generally profefs to believe, that 
 this power has been handed down from the apoftles in an uninterrupt- 
 ed line of prefbytcrian ordinations to this day. They have no ruling 
 dders in their churches — they believe bifhops and elders are the fam« 
 as miniftcrs, who labour in word and dodrine. Excepting their fenti- 
 ments about ordination, they are indtpendtnt in their church govern- 
 ment. If they call a council from other churches, it is only for advice. 
 Thefc congregational prelbyterians are divided among themfelves on 
 other fubjeds. Some are Armenians, and fome are Calvinifts — fome 
 hold to the half-w?y covenant — fopae are Stoddardeans, and fome are 
 Edwardeans. 
 
 Thofe who hold to the half-way covenant, to called, admit perfons to 
 come before the church, and openly {jrofefs to believe the fcriptures* 
 and to put themfelves underthewalcli: and care of the church, (though 
 the church for the moft part take no care of them) and to have their 
 children baptized, or rather fprinkled ; when at the fame time thefe 
 perfons are not fuppofed to be truly religious ; ner do they defign to 
 partake of the Lord's fupper, unlefs they get more light, and fome evi- 
 dence of a change in themfelves. I have beeii informed, that fome of 
 thefe churches, being convinced that the fcriptUres know nothing of 
 half-way members, have voted to confider thole, who have been thus 
 admitted, as members in full communion ; and fo have got rid of the 
 name of hatf-way members, by making them members in full, without 
 their own confent. Whtre the haltWay pradice is in vogue, the grea« 
 ter part of theyoung married people, fo foon as they begin to have chil- 
 dren, o<zv« the covenant, as it is called, and have their children baptized. 
 — The Stoddardeans hold that the Lord's fupper is a converting ordi- 
 rance, and therefore admit thofe to full communioli, whom thty do 
 notconfider as being the fubjeds of the new birth. — The Edwardeans 
 admit no adults except thofe who profefs to exercifc evangelical repen* 
 tance and faith ; nor do they baptize the children of any other. In 
 fome places, after the minifter has obtained a comfortable degree of fat* 
 isfaftion, relpefting thofe who tvifli to become church members, they 
 give hima relation of their experieucc in writing, which he reads before 
 the church and congi-egation. Others call a church meeting, and the 
 perfons dctiring to unite with them, give a verbal relation of the exer- 
 cifes of their own minds ; and any member pvefent has opportunity to 
 afk them all the queftions he pleafes, refpefting their experimental, or 
 doftrinal acquaintance with religion. The church, to which the fore- 
 going letter is direifted, is one of this fort. 
 
 There is one more denomination of pssdobaptifts in New-England. 
 They are commonly calkd/epamtcs, but they Ityle tlKmfelves congre- 
 gationalifu, oxjlritl congregationali/is. They, like the firft fettlers who > 
 came to Plymouth, hold that every church has power to ordain her 
 own officers. They ufualiy call iu minifters to affift in their ordina- 
 tions ; but this they do notconiider asabfolutcly Reccffary. They ad- 
 mit none to communion except thofe, who profefs faith in Chrift, and 
 whom they conlider as being experimentally acquainted with real 
 religion. 
 
41 
 
 ^rie K.y4iinuierd &ateru^elL 
 
 PARTICULAR METRE. 
 
 FAREWELL, my brethren in the Lordj 
 The gofpel founds the jubilee ; 
 Mv ftam't-ing tongue fhall fpeak aloud, • 
 
 From land to land, from fea to fea : 
 And as I preach frorn place to place, 
 I'll truft, alone in God's free grace. 
 
 Farewell, in bonds and union dear, 
 
 Like Airings you twine about my heart % 
 
 I humbly beg your earneft prayer, 
 'Till we fhall meet no more to part : 
 
 'Till we fhall meet in worlds above 
 
 Encircled by eternal lovf. 
 
 Farewell, my earthly friends below, 
 Though all fo kind and dear to me, 
 
 My Jefus calls, and I mufh go 
 To found the gofpel jubilee : 
 
 To found the joys, and bear the news 
 
 The Gentile worlds, and royal Jews. 
 
 Farewell, young people, one and all, 
 
 While God fhall grant me breath to breathe, 
 
 I'll pray to the Eternal all, 
 
 That your dear fouls prepar'd may be, 
 
 That your dear fouls prepar'd may be 
 
 To reign in blifs eternally. 
 
 Farewell, to all beneath the fun ; 
 
 And as I pafs in tears below. 
 The path is ftraight, my feet fhall run, 
 
 And God will keep me as I go : 
 And God will keep me in his hand. 
 And bring me to the promised land. 
 
 Farewell, farewell, I look above ; 
 
 Jefus, my friend, to thee I call ; 
 ^y J*^y5 "^y crown, my only love, 
 
 My fafeguard here, my heaven my all : 
 My theme to preach, my fong to ling, 
 My only hope in death, Amtn^ 
 F 
 
|x|xixixixixixix|x ixixixixl 
 
 fL/ome Cyx^iac^d from Q)n.. ^ohn ^llL 
 
 DR. Gill fays, " It Is pretty much that infant-bap- 
 tifm fhould be caiied an undoubted apoftolic tradi- 
 tion, finceit has been donbicd ofhy fome learned Pie- 
 dobaptijis themfelves j nay, fome have affirmed that it 
 is not obferved by them as an apoftolic tradition, par- 
 ticularly Curcellaus* , and who gives a very good rea- 
 fon for it : his words are thefe ; " pcedobaptifm was 
 unknown in the two firft ages after Chriit ; in the 
 third 2iid fourth it was approved by a few ; at length, 
 in thcjifth and following ages it began to obtain in 
 divers places j and therefore this rite is indeed obferv- 
 ed by us as an antient cuJio7n, but not as an apojlolic 
 tradition.** Bifhop Taylor calls it a/r£'/^«(^<?«iapoftoli- 
 cal tradition > and fays, that the tradition cannot be 
 proved to be apoftolical. Here's a tradition no body 
 can tell from whence it comes, and who received it, 
 and handed it dawn ; for there is not the lead men- 
 tion of it, nor any pretended to in xh&jirji century, or 
 apoftolic age. But let us attend to what evidence 
 is given of it in the next ox fecond century. 
 
 Two paftages are produced out of the writers of 
 this age, to prove this undoubted apojlolic tradition ; the 
 one out of juJUti Martyr ; the other out of Irenaous, 
 That from Ju/lin is as followsf j " fevetal perfons 
 among us, men and women, fixty and feventy years of 
 age, oi ek paidoon ematheeteutheefan to Chri/le, who freiu 
 their childhood ivere injirudcd in Chrijl, remain incor- 
 rupt :" for fo the phrafe, on which the whole depends, 
 Ihould be rendered — and which is no other than a ve- 
 rification of what the wife man obferves, Prov. xxii. 6. 
 ^}'ai?i up a child, is'c, 
 
 • Inftitut. Rel. Cluift. 1. x.c. is. f Apolo^ j. p. *2. 
 
45 
 
 The other paflage is out of Irenasous, and (lands 
 thus| ; " he (Chrift) came to fave all, all I fay, qui 
 per eum renafcuntur in Deum, who by him are born 
 again unto God, infants, and little ones, and children 
 and young men and old men." For fo the words are 
 to be rendered, and not baptized unto God : for the 
 word revafcor is never ufed by Irenosous, or rather by 
 his tranflator in fuch a fenfe ; nor had it as yet obtain- 
 ed among theantients to ufe the words regenerated 2Xid. 
 regeneration ior baptized and baptifnu — Befides to un- 
 derftand Irenaous as fpeaking of baptifm, is to make 
 him at leaft to fuggeft a doctrine which is abfolutely 
 falfe ; as if Chrifl came to fave all, and only fuch, who 
 are baptized unto God. — ^No doubt many are faved 
 by him, who never were baptized with water at all : 
 and on the other hand, nothing is more true than that 
 he came to fave all and only thofe, who are regenera- 
 ted by the fpirit and grace of God, of whatfoever age 
 they be. Upon the whole, what thoughtful man will 
 affirm from hence, that infant-baptifm is an undoubted 
 apojiolic tradition ? and feeing thefe two teflimonies are 
 the only ones produced in favour of infant-baptifm in 
 ^tfecond century ; and the latter Dr. Wall* confeffes, 
 is the Jirjl exprefs mention tfmt ive have met with of in- 
 fants baptized ; tho' there is no mention at all made 
 of it in it, any more than in the former ; he mufl have 
 a. Strong faith to believe, and a good aflurance upon 
 fuch evidence to aflert, " that the baptifm of infants 
 was the undoubted pra^ice of the chriflian church in its 
 pureji 2.ndfir/i ages ; the ages immediately fucceed- 
 ing the apojlks" Let us now proceed to the third 
 century. 
 
 Tertulian is the firft man that ever made men- 
 tion of infant-baptifm that we know of ; and as he was 
 the firft that fpoke of it, he at the fame time fpoke 
 againft it, difiuaded from it, and advifed to defer it ; 
 and tho* he was (^Vi^fingular, as our author fays, irt 
 
 I Dialog, cum Try ph. p. 272. * Hift of Infant-baptifm, par. r. ch. j. \^. 
 
44 
 
 this his advice ; it fhould be obferved, that he is alf© 
 quitejingular in his mention of the thing itfelf ; there 
 being no writings of any cotemporary of his extant, 
 from which we might learn their fenfe of this affair. 
 We allow that infant-baptifm was moved in the third 
 century ; that it then began to be talked of, and be- 
 came a matter of debate, and might be praftifcd in the 
 African churches, where it was firft moved. We do 
 not deny th.t probability of the prafticeof it then, tho* 
 the certainty of it does not appear ; it is probabk it 
 might be praftifed, but it is not certain it was ; as yet 
 it has not been proved. Now here v/e ftick, by this 
 we abide, that there is no mention made of it in any 
 authentic writer before Tertullian^s time, and this wri- 
 ter hi mfelfelfe where * obferves, that " by his time, it is 
 well known, a great variety oifuperjiitious, and ridicu- 
 lous, and foolifh rites were brought into the church.'* 
 The date of infant baptifm cannot, we apprehend, be 
 carried higher than his time ; and we require of any 
 of our learned Paclobaptiji brethen, to produce a fm- 
 gle paffage outof any authentic writer before Tertulli' 
 an^ in which infant-baptifm is exprefsly mentioned, or 
 clearly hinted at, or plainly fuppofed, or inanifcjily re- 
 ferred unto. This being the cafe, as we own it began 
 in this century, and might be practifed by fome, it 
 might be needlefs in a good meafure to confider after- 
 teftimonies ; however, I fhall not think fit wholly to 
 negleO: them. 
 
 Orgien is next quoted, and three paffages out of 
 him J fhewing that the baptifm of infants is a tradi- 
 tion of the apoftles, and an ufage of the church for the 
 remiffion of fins ; but it fliould be obferved, thatthefc 
 quotations are not from the Greek ofOrigen ? he wrote 
 much in that language, and there is much ftill extant 
 in it ; and yet nothing is produced from thence, that 
 can fairly be conftrued in favour of infant-baptifni ; 
 though many things may be obferved from thence,; in 
 
 * The difTcnting gentleman's liird letter, &c, [>■ 
 
45 
 
 favour of adult-baptifm. The three paffages are quo- 
 ted out of fome Latin tranflations, greatly interpolated, 
 and not to be depended on. His Hoinillies oir Leviti- 
 cus, and expofition of the epiftle to the Romans, out of 
 which two of them are taken, are tranflated by Ritffi- 
 nus ; who, with the fornier, he himfelf owns, ufed 
 much freedom, and added much, and took fuch a li- 
 berty in both, of adding, taking away, . and changing 
 that as EraffHus * fays, whoever reads thefe pieces, it 
 is uncertain whether he reads Origen or RuJJinus ; and 
 VoJJtus obfervesf, that the former of thefe was interpo- 
 lated by Ruffinus, and thinks therefore, that the paf. 
 fage cited was of the greateil authority againll the Pela- 
 gians, becaufe RujJinus was inclined to them. The 
 Homilies on Luke out of which is the other paffage, 
 were tranflated by yerom, of whom Du Pin fays J, that 
 his verfions are not more exa6l than Ruffinus^s. Now 
 both thefe lived at the latter end of the/<}«^/>6 century ; 
 and it looks very probable, that thefe very paffages are 
 additions or interpolations of thefe men, fince the lan- 
 guage agrees with thofe times, and no other ; for no 
 cotemporary of Or/g-^n'j-, nor any writer before him, or 
 after him, until the times oi Ruffinus, Jero?n and Auf- 
 //«, fpeak of infant-baptilm as an ufageofthe church, 
 or an apoftolical tradition ; in fhort, as bilhop Taylor 
 obferves§, " a tradition apoftolical, ifitbe not con- 
 figned with a fuller teftimony than of one perfon fOri- 
 gen^J whom all after-ages have condemned of many 
 errors, will obtain fo little reputation amongft thofe, 
 who know that things have upon greater authority 
 pretended to derive from the apoftles, and yet falfiy ; 
 that it will be a great argument, that he is credulous, 
 and weak, that ihall be determined by fo weak a proba- 
 tion, in matter of fo great concernment." 
 
 Cyprian wi[h his council of 7/.v(y-/7.v bifhops, are 
 brought as witnelTes ofinfant-bap^ifm, a little after tht! 
 middle of the third century. Wc allow that as infant- 
 
 * In Rivet. Ciitici Sacii, 1. %. c. la. p. aoz. t Hift Pelaj;. par. 1. 1. 
 2. p. 14.7. X ^'^- Etcl. Vol. 1. p. iji. ^ Liberty; of propniefying, p. 320. 
 
46 
 
 baptifm, was moved for in Tertuliian*, time, fo it ob- 
 tained in the African churches in Cyprian's time ; but 
 then by Fidiis the country bifhop, applying to the 
 council to have a doubt refolved, whether it was law- 
 ful to baptize infants until they were eight days old, it 
 appears to be a novel praftice ; and that as yet it was 
 undetermined by council or cuftom, when they were 
 to be baptized ; whether as foon as born, or on the 
 eighth day, or whether it was to be left to every one*s 
 liberty : and it fhould alfo be obferved, that in this age, 
 infant-communion was praftifed as well as infant-bap- 
 tifm ; and very Hkely both began together, as it is but 
 reafonable, that if the one be admitted, the other 
 (hould. 
 
 And now we are come to a very remarkable and de- 
 eiftve teftimony as it is called, from the writings of 
 Aufiin and Pelagius : the fum of which is, that there 
 began a confroverfy between thefe two perfons about 
 original fin, the latter who denied it, was prefled by 
 the former, with an argument taken from the baptifm 
 of infants for the remilTion of fms : with which Pela- 
 gius feemed exceedingly embarraffed, when it greatly 
 concerned him to deny it if he could ; and had it been 
 an innovation, fo accute, learned, and fagacious a man 
 as he was, would have difcovered it ; but on the con- 
 trary, when he was charged with a denial of it as the 
 confequence ot his opinion, he warmly declaims it, and 
 complains of a flander ? and adds, that he never heard 
 that even any impious heretic denied it, or refufed it 
 to infants ; and the fame fays Aitjiiny that it never was 
 denied by any man, catholic or heretic, and was the 
 conftant ufage of the church ; for all which vouchers 
 are produced. To which may be replied. 
 
 [Here for the ^vant of room I muft pafs over the Doftor's i, 2, 3 and 
 4 remarks : but he obferves,] 
 
 5. Pelagius fays no fuch thing, that he never heard, 
 no not even any impious heretic who denied baptifm 
 to infants. His words indeed are*, nunquamfe vel 
 
 • In Aug. (Je pecxato originalii 1. 2. c, 18. 
 
47 
 
 iftipium aliquem h<zriikuM audijfe qui hoc^ qtiod propofu-' 
 it, de farvuUs diccrct ; that be never heard ^ no not any 
 i?npkui heretic, that would fay concernifjg infants, what 
 he had propofed or mentioned : the fenfe depends upon 
 the meaning of the phrafe, quodpropofuit, what he had 
 propofed or mentioned, of whom, and what that is to be 
 underftood j whether oi Auflin^ and the ftate of the cafe 
 as propofed, and fet down by him ; fo our author feems 
 to underftand it, fmce by way of explanation he adds^ 
 'u/'s. that urJjaptizcd infants are not liable to the condan ^ 
 nation ofthefrjiman, and that they are not to he clean- 
 fed by the regeneration of baptifm : but this gentleman 
 has not put it as Aujlin has dated it, which is thus ; 
 " it is objected to them (the Pelagians) that they will 
 not own that unbaptized infants are liable to the con- 
 demnation of the firfl man, and in eos tranfiffe originale 
 peccatum regeneratione purgandum, and that original fin 
 has pafl'ed upon them to be cleanfed by regeneration ;" 
 and according to this fenfe the meaning cannot be, that 
 he never heard that any heretic denied baptifm to infantsj 
 but either that he never heard that any one (houid fay, 
 that unbaptized infants are not liabk to the condemna- 
 tion of the firfl man, and that original fin had not paffed 
 upon them to be cleanfed by regeneratior ; but then this 
 is to bring the wicked heretics as witneffes againfl him- 
 felf, and to make himfelf worfe than they : or the 
 meaning is, that he never heard that any of them 
 fhould fay, that unbaptized infants are liable to the con- 
 demnation of the firfl man, aild that original fin has 
 pafled upon them to be cleanfed by regeneration, which 
 15 mofl likely ; but then this makes rather againfl, 
 than for the thing for which it is brought ; fmce it 
 makes the heretic as never faying that infants flood in 
 need of being cleanfed by baptifm : or elfc, quod pro- 
 pojuit, what he had propofed or meriiioned, refers to Fe- 
 lagius, and to the flate of the queflion as he had put it ; 
 reprefenting that he was charged with promifing the 
 kingdom of heaven to fome, without the redemption 
 etf Chrifl \ and of this he might fay, he never heard 
 
48 
 
 the mofl impious heretic fo fay J and this feems to be 
 the lenfe by what he fubjoins ; " for who is fo igno- 
 rant of what is read in the Gofpel, not only as to at- 
 tempt to affirm it, but even hghtly mention it, or even 
 imagine it ? Moreover, who fo impious that would ex- 
 clude infants from the kingdom of heaven, dum eos 
 baptizari ^ in Cbrijis renafci put at ? whilft he thinks, 
 or is of opinion that they are baptized and regenera- 
 ted in Chrifl ?" for fo it is in my edition* of Aujiin ; 
 putat^ and not 'vetat^ as Dr. Wall quotes it ; and after 
 him this gentleman : and Pelagius further adds, " who 
 fo impious as to forbid to an infant of whatfoever age, 
 the common redemption of mankind ?*' but this, Auf- 
 tin fays, like the reft is ambiguous ; what redemption 
 he means, whether from bad to good, or from good to 
 better : now take the words which way you will, they 
 can't be made to fay, that he had never heard that any 
 heretic denied baptifm to infants, but that he denied 
 the kingdom of heaven to them : and indeed every one 
 muft allow, whoever is of t-hat opinion, that infants are 
 by baptifm really regenerated in Chrift ; which was the 
 prevailing notion of thofe times, and the light in which 
 it is put ; that they muft belong to the kingdom of 
 heaven, and fhare in the common redemption by 
 Chrift. 
 
 6. Auftin himfelf does not fay, that he had never 
 heard or read of any catholic, heretic, or fchifmatic, 
 that denied infant-baptifm ; he could never fay any 
 fuch thing ; he muft know, that Tertullian had oppo- 
 fed it ; and he himfelf was at the Council of Carthagey 
 and there prefided, and was at the making of that ca- 
 non which runs thus j " alfo it is our pleafure, that 
 whoever denies that new-born infants are to be bapti- 
 zed — let him be anathema :** but to what purpofe was 
 this canon made, if he and his brethren knew of none 
 that denied infant-baptifm ? AuJlin himfelf makes men- 
 tion of fome that argued againft it, after ^this mannerf ; 
 
 * Ed, Antwerp, by Plantine, 1576. f De libero Arbitrio, 1. 3. c. 23. 
 
49 
 
 " men are ufed to afk this quedion, fays he, of what 
 profit is the facrament of chriilian baptifm to infants, 
 feeing when they have received it, for the moil part 
 they die before they know any thing of it ?" and as be- 
 fore obferved, he brings in the Pelagians faying*, that 
 the infants of believers ought not to be baptized : rind- 
 fo Jeramj, who was a cotemporary of his, fpeaks of 
 fome chriflians^ qtii dare noluerint baptifma, who refujed 
 to give baptifm to tlieir children j fo that tho' infant- 
 baptifm greatly obtained in thofe times, yet it was not 
 fo general as this author reprefents it. 
 
 Every hor.e/l man that receives 'infant-baptifm upon 
 the foot of tradition, ought to receive every thing elfe 
 upon the fame foot, of which there is equaiiy as full, 
 and as early evidence of apoftolic tradition, aS of this : 
 let it then be obferved, 
 
 I. That the fame Aufiin that aiTerts infant-baptifm 
 to be an apoftolic tradition, affirms infant-communion 
 to be fo likewife, as Bifhop 1'aylor\ obferves ; and thus 
 Aufiin fays§, " if they pay any regard to the apofioUc 
 authority, or rather to the Lord and Mailer of the a- 
 poftles, who fayt!, that they have no life in themfelves, 
 unlefs they eat the flelh of the fon of man, and drink 
 his blood, which they can't do unlefs baptized, will 
 fometimes own that unbaptized infants have not life." 
 — and a Httle afterj " no man that remembers that he 
 is a ehriftian, and of the catholic faith, dciiies or doubts 
 that infants not having the grace of regeneration iii 
 Chrift, and without eating his Helh, and drinking his 
 blood, have nO life in them 5 but are hereby liable to 
 everlafting punifhment ;" by which he means the two 
 facraments of baptifm^ and the Lord's fupper ; the nei 
 ceffity of both which to eternal life he founded upon a 
 miftaken fenfe of 'John iii* 5. and vi. 53. as appears 
 from v/hat he elfewhere lays§; where having mention- 
 ed the firft of thofe paffages, he cites the latter, and 
 
 * De peccator. merit. 1 2. c. 2j t Ep. ad Lsetam. T. I. fol. ig M. 
 X Liberty ot prophefying, p. 119. ^ Ep. 106. Bonifacio, coMtr, Pelag. 
 ^ De peccator. merit, and remilt. 1. i. c. 2», 
 
 G 
 
^0 
 
 adds ; " let us hear the Lord, t fay, hot indeed fpeak* 
 ing this of the facrament of the holy laver, but of the 
 facrament of the holy table ; whither none rightly 
 come unlefs baptized. Ezcept ye eat myjiejh, and drink 
 my bloody ye Jtnll have no life in you ; what do we feek 
 for further ? what can be faid in anfwer to this, unlefj 
 one would fet himfelf obllinately againft clear and in- 
 vincible truth ? will any one dare to fay this, that this 
 paifage does not belong to infants ; and that they can. 
 have life in themfelves, without partaking of his body 
 and blood ?" And the neceifity of this, as well as of 
 baptifm to eternal life, he fays* the Africa7i chriftians 
 took to be an antient and apollolic tradition. Innocent 
 the firft, his cotemporary, was alfo of the fame mind ; 
 and the giving of the Eucharill to infaats generally ob- 
 tained ; and it continued fix hundred years after, un- 
 til tranfubftantiation took place ; and is continued to 
 this day in the Greek church j and if we look back to 
 the times before Aujlin^ we fhall find that it was not on- 
 ly the opinion oi Cyprian, but was pradifed in his time. 
 
 The following extr,afls are taken from Elder Baldivin's 
 Reply to the remarks of the Rev. Noah Worcester, ^c. 
 
 HAVING thus mentioned the places chofen by 
 John, we fhall next take notice of the place 
 where Philip baptized the eunuch, which you fuppofe 
 to be a matter of necefTity rather than choice ; be that 
 as it may, the account informs us. — they came unto a 
 certain ivaier ; fuppofcd by Mr. Poole to be a fountain 
 in a town called Bethfora, or a river called Eleutherus, 
 which in that road muft be pafTed over-j-. 
 
 Jevom dcfcribes the town of Bethforon, and men- 
 tions the fountain in it, in wdiich he faith, " the Ads 
 of the Apoflles relate, that the eunuch of queen Canda- 
 ce was baptized here by Philip|.'* 
 
 ♦ Ibid. c. %\. t i'ol. in loc. % De locfs Kcbracics, Fol. 8j. 5. 
 
5t 
 
 Borchardus is of opinion, that it was " Nehel Efcol, 
 that is. The Brook of the Clujier^ from whence the fpies 
 carried the grapes ; to the left of this valley, for the 
 fpace of a mile, runs a river, in which Philip baptized 
 the eunuch of queen Candace, not far fromSicelechJ." 
 
 Thus we have traced John and his candidates, and 
 Philip and the eunuch, to the water-fide ; we are now 
 prepared to confider the confequent adion. It is faid 
 of John, that the people who went out to him, ivere 
 baptized of him in jordan, — And Jefus, when he ivch 
 baptiT^d, ivent up Jirai^htivay out of the WATJER(fv 
 It is added by Mark — And it came to pafs in thoj'e days^ 
 that fefus came from Galilee, and ivas baptized of fohn 
 in Jordan^ andjiraightivay coming up out of the 
 WATER. It is faid of Philip and the eunuch, — they 
 ivent down both into the water, both Philip and the 
 eunuch ; and he baptized him ; and when they were come 
 up out of the water, he went on his way rejoicing. 
 
 Now, Sir, can any perfon compare thefe accounts 
 for a moment, and not fee the manifeil agreement in 
 the a6lion of John and Philip. Let the rite be perfor- 
 med in what mode foever, it is evident jt was the fame 
 in the people whom John baptized, and in the Saviour, 
 and in the eunuch. You obferve in this lafl indance, 
 there is " no account of any particular mode whatever.** 
 I muft take the liberty here, again to diffent from 
 you : for, I conclude it is a very particular account of 
 the mode of plunging. Were you to be informed by 
 a perfon of your acquaintance, that he faw a minifter 
 who was a Itranger to him, go down into the water 
 with a candidate, and that he baptized him, and that 
 they came up cut of the water, — I am perfuaded, with* 
 out hefitation, you would conclude that they were 
 Baptiils ; and the account here given would decide 
 the point in your mind, and perhaps in any other per- 
 fon's, in what ?fiode the ordinance was adminiiLered. 
 Again, if inftcad of faying they wxjnt down both into 
 
 ♦ Pol.jnloc. t .De locis Hebraicib, Fol S9. 6. + Dcfiipt. teria; 
 ""-anv^. c. 9. in Dr, Gill ia loc. fj Matt. iii. 6, :6. Mark i. 9.' 
 
52 
 
 the water, it had been faidthat the candidate afcended, 
 or was carried up the pulpit ftairs, (which is now the 
 cuftom in many places) it r/ould afford a ftrong pre- 
 fumption in favour of aifufion. 
 
 Although what has been offered may be confidered 
 as ample proof of the queftion in difpute, yet being de- 
 firous of giving you full fatisfaction, I fhall proceed to 
 lay before you one confideration more, which appears 
 to us of confiderable weight in the prefent cafe ; and 
 that is, the native fignification of the Greek verb, hap^ 
 iizo, to bapti%c, which we fuppofe neceffarily requires 
 dipping. We are fully fenfible at theiame time, that 
 this fenfe has been controverted by many men of emi- 
 nent abilities ; notwithflanding^ we think the evidence 
 greatly preponderates in our favour. Nor fhall we 
 think it a difficult tafk to prove the fenfe for which we 
 plead, from Pssdo-baptifts themfelves ; and that too, 
 from fome as learnec, and judicious as any whofe names 
 adorn the biographical page. This kind of evidence 
 I conclude you can have no reafonable objedion to, be- 
 caufe you cannot fufpeft^them of any defign again ft 
 themfelves, nor will they make any conceffions to fen- 
 timents which they oppofe, farther than truth obliges 
 them to ; therefore, I may fay of their evidence in the 
 prefent cafe, as David did of Goliah's fword, there is 
 none like it, 
 
 I may have occafion hereafter to mention fome wri- 
 ters of a much earlier date, but I fliall here begin with 
 Luther. In his tranflation of the New Teftament, he 
 has rendered the Greek work to baptize by the Ger- 
 man taufen^ and in his words he hath exprefsly decla- 
 red, that the baptifmal verb taufen, fignifies to immerfe, 
 or to plunge into the water.* Thus Matt. iii. i. Zu- 
 der zcit kam Johannes der taiiffer ; In thofe days came 
 John the dipper. To this we may add the teltimony 
 of the Genevian oracle, Calvin, who fays, " the word 
 battize fignifies to dip : and it is certiiin that the man* 
 
 » On. Dc baptifmo. in Robinfon's Hift. Bap. p. \y.. 
 
53 
 
 ner of dipping wasufed.of the ancient churchf." 
 Shall I add to this, the teftimony of that celebrated 
 Profeflbr of divinity, Witfius. " It cannot be denied 
 (faith he) that the native fignification of the word Bap- 
 tien and Baptizein, is, to plunge, to dipj.'* Full to 
 the fame point are alfo the words of Vitringa. " The 
 acl of baptizing, is the immerfion of believers in water. 
 This expreffes the force of the word. Thus alfo it 
 was performed by Chriftand his Apoftles.'*|| 
 
 If you pleafe, we will now look at the ancient Helve- 
 tia Confeffion, firfl written in the year 1536, by or un- 
 der the direction of Bucer, ten years before the death 
 of Luther, and afterwards publiihed again by the paf- 
 tors of Zurich, in 1566 : in which we have the follow- 
 ing unequivocal declaration : " Baptifm was inftituted 
 and confecrated by God, and the firfl that baptized 
 was John, who dipped Christ in the water in 
 'Jordan ; from him it came to the Apoftles, who alfo 
 did baptize with water.'* 
 
 The Confeffion of Saxony, written by Melandhon, 
 in the year 1551, perfectly agrees with the above; I 
 will now tranfcribe it. " Baptifm is an entire aftion, 
 to wit, a dipping, and the pronouncing of thefe words, 
 I baptize thee in the Name of the Father ^^ and fo on*. 
 Thefe two laft are not to be confidered merely as the 
 teftimony of two men, or two particular churches, but 
 as including a number of churches in two large diftrifts. 
 
 As Mr. Poole was juftly efteemed a learned and 
 critical expofitor, you will perhaps be willing to hear 
 his opinion in the prefent cafe. " A great part (faith 
 he) of thofe who went out to hear John, were baptized^ 
 that is, dipped in Jordan,'^ " To be baptized is to 
 be dipped in water ; metaphorically, to be plunged 
 in alHidions : I am, faith Chrifl, to be — overwhelmed 
 with fufferings and afflidionsf ." To this we may add 
 
 ^ Inftitut. Chrift. Relig. L. iv. C. xv. \ jg. 
 ; (Econom. Feed. L. iv. C. xvi. % 13. 
 '' Aphorifml Samfl. Theolog. Aphorif. 884.111 Booth. 
 * Hnrmony of ConfefTions, Pi 395, 404. 
 f Annot on Njatt. iii. 6. and xx. 2s. 
 
54 
 
 the teftimony of Mr. Daniel Rogers : " None (faith 
 he) of old were wont to be fprinkled ; and I confefs 
 myfelf unconvinced by demo nft ration from fcripture 
 for Infant-fprinkling. It ought to be the churche*s 
 part to cleave to the inftitution, which is dipping ; and 
 he betrays the church, whofe officer he is, to a difor- 
 derly error, if he cleave not to the inftitution, which 
 is to xlip. That the minifter is to dip in water as the 
 meetell acl, the word baptizo notes it. For the Greeks 
 wanted not other words to exprefs any other a£t be- 
 fide dipping, if the inftitution could bear it." ",To 
 dip therefore is exceeding material to the ordinance ; 
 which was the ufage of old, without exception of coun-. 
 tries, hot or cold*.** 
 
 The above quotations are all made from Psedo-bap- 
 tlft writers, to which I wifti to add one obfervation from 
 a late learned hiftorian : — " A linguift (fay's he) de- 
 termines himfelf by his own knowledge of the Greek 
 language, and an illiterate man, by the beft evidence 
 he can obtain from the teftimony of others, whom by 
 his condition he is obliged to truft. 
 
 " To the latter it is fufficient to obferve, that the 
 word is confeflfedly Greek, that native Greeks muft un- 
 derftand their own language better than foreigners, 
 and that they have always baptized, and do yet baptize, 
 by immerfion. This is an authority for the meaning , 
 of the word infinitely preferable to that of European 
 lexicographers ; fo that a man, who is obliged to truft 
 human teftimony, and who baptizes by immerfion, be- 
 caufe the Greeks do, underftands a Greek word exact- 
 ly as the Greeks themfelves underftand it ; and in this 
 cafe the Greeks are unexceptionable guides, and their 
 pradice is in this inftance fafe ground of adionf.** 
 This laft remark is confirmed by Dr. Wall, who aflures 
 us that " The Greek church, in all the branches of it, 
 in Europe, Afia, Egypt and Ethiopia, has always pre- 
 
 •Treatifcof thetvvo Sac. Part I. Chap. v. and vili. in Booth's Pscdo- 
 bap. Hxam. p. 23. 
 
 + Robinfon's Hift. of ^aptifmi p 5, 6. 
 
55 
 
 iei'ved the cuftom of dipping infants In baptlfm, that 
 were in health, and able to bear it."{ By the term 
 alivays, we mufl underlland from the time when they 
 firfl began to baptize infants. 
 
 I will not for the prefent trouble you with any more 
 quotations from P^edo-baptifts, but will hold myfelf 
 engaged to produce five times as many, whenever there 
 ihall be a reafonable demand. I conclude, if human 
 teftimony can ellabliih any point, we mud allow, from 
 the difinterefted nature of the evidence now confidered, 
 that the native fignification of the Greek verb baptize^ 
 (which muft determine the proper fenfe of our Engliih 
 word to baptize) to be fairly fettled. 
 
 If the inllitution requires no more than to fprinkle 
 a few drops of water-in the face, any perfon muft be 
 ftangely fuperftitious to be immerfed. And on the other 
 hand, if it does really require immerfion, then thofe 
 who only fprinkle muft fall materially ftiort, and have 
 fcarcely the (liadow of the ordinance. To fuppofc 
 that fprinkling, pouring, or immerfion, are all indiffe- 
 rent, is in fact to fuppofe that nothing is comftianded j 
 or at leaft no more than fprinkling-}-. When perfons 
 believe this, there is an end to immerficn ; for men 
 are not generally fond of doing more than is required* 
 This, Sir, your practice demonftrates. You believe 
 either way anfwers the inftitution ; but you, with oth- 
 er Paedo-baptifts in general, choofe fprinkling ; I think 
 it probable that I ftiould do the fame, could I be con- 
 vinced that your views were right. It is alfo probable, 
 
 :f Defence of Hift. of Infant. baptifm, p. 14.S. 
 
 t The three terms in difpute are all ufed in L«v. \\. 6, 7, in the follow- 
 ing manner ; *' And the prieft thall (bap/ei) dip his finger in the blood, 
 and (profranei ) fprinkle of the blood feven times before the Lord ; — and 
 rtiall (ekcheei [a] ) pour all the blood of the bullook at the bottom of th? 
 altar. 
 
 That thefe rites were not the fame and to be ufed indifferently, the fol- 
 lowing familiar tranrpolition will abundantly fhow : — - And the prieft ftiali 
 four his finger in the blood, and (hall dip of the blood feven times be- 
 fore tiie Lord ; and Ihall fprinkle all the blood »t the bottom of th« 
 altar. 
 
 [i.yStptuagi?tnt in Uc, 
 
56 
 
 that John the baptifl, Chrift and his Apoftles, Philip, 
 and the ancient Chriftians, had they viewed the matter 
 in the fame Hght which you do, would have invariably 
 adminiftered it by fprinkJing : for there could have 
 been no poffible occafion which would have required 
 immerfion, in cafe the other way would equally well 
 exprefs the defign. 
 
 From a careful retfofpeclion of the arguments made 
 ufe of in the courfe of this lengthy Sedion, the candid 
 •will be able to judge, whether we are unreafonable, in 
 faying that inwierfton is effential to the right admini-' 
 ftration of the ordinance. That I have not exaggera- 
 ted fober fadt, will be made evident by a quotation 
 which I Ihall now fubjoin.* Dr. Wall, who has been 
 mentioned, was fo highly efleemed by the EngHfh cler* 
 gy for his learning and zeal in defending Infant-bap- 
 tifm, that in a general convocation j Feb. 9, 1706, 
 they palled the following vote ; " Ordered, That the 
 thanks of this houfe be given to Mr. Wall, Vicar of 
 Skoreham in Kent, for the Learned and excellent book 
 he hath* lately written concerning Infant-baptifm.*' 
 Yetnotwithftanding this gentleman's profound learn- 
 ing, and all the advantages he had derived from his 
 painful refearch into the remotefl depths of antiquity, 
 to procure materials of defence, — he was obliged to ac- 
 knowledge, that Dr. Gale had drawn him into a dif- 
 pute upon the mode of baptifm, " wherein (faith he) 
 he he knew, that the examples of fcripture and other 
 antiquity, and the full perfuafion of that people, and 
 of all the Eaftern church to this day, is on his fide; 
 and I had the difadvantage to plead for a way of bap- 
 tifm, of which the bed I could fay, was, that it wasfuf- 
 ficient for the elTence of baptifm ; but could not de- 
 ny the other (except in the cafe of danger of health) 
 to be the fitted*.'* It muft be acknowledged, that 
 Dr. Wall was under .mod painful difad vantages in 
 vindicating his caufe : for he had not only to oppofe 
 
 • Pefence of the Hift. Inf. Bap. p. 404. 
 
57 
 
 the learned Dr. Gale, but the full convI£lion of his own. 
 mind, that fcripture example, and the whole current 
 of antiquity, were againfl: him. 
 
 Upon the whole, this much is certain, that there is 
 neither exprefs command, or example, either in the 
 law of Moles, or in the gofpel of Jefus Chrifl, to fprin- 
 kle water upon new-born infants, as an initiating feal 
 of any covenant whateverf . Therefore, we may fay 
 with Dr. Whitby, whofe words fliall clofe this Sedion 
 — " The argument is always good : We read of no 
 fuch dodrine in the fcripture ; therefore it neither is, 
 nor can be any article of faith, becaufe we have no oth- 
 er rule of faith befides the holy fcripturesj." 
 
 + It is abundantly evident, tliat many perfons who were born of Chrif- 
 tian parents, and educated in the Chriftian faith, were not .baptized until 
 they came to adult years, and made a perfonal profelfion. 
 
 Helena, the mother of Conftantine, was a very devout and zealous 
 Chriftian, yet he was not baptized upon her faith. Nor did he dedicate 
 his own children to God in baptifm by virtue of bii faith : for we are in- 
 formed by Socrates, that his fon Conftantius, whofucceeded his father ia 
 the empire, was baptized by Euzoius when he was preparing for hisexpe- 
 ditivn a^alnii Julianus, and immediately after ended his life at Mopfiu 
 crenia, twenty.fiveyearsafier the death of his father.-i— £<■<•/. Hiji. Lit. 
 ti. Chap, xlvii. 
 
 Bafil, thefonof Bafilibilhop of Nicexic, was baptized in Jordan when 
 far advanced in years. 
 
 Gregory the great, the fon of Gregory, bifliop of Nazianicen, was borrt 
 while his father was bifhop, and yet not baptized until he was twenty, 
 
 fomefay thirty years old. See OJiander's Book, Cent. iy. L. 3. and 
 
 Roil ft/on' s Hijl. p. z^o. 
 
 Grotius fays, that Chryfoftom was born of believing parents, and was 
 educated by Melitius, abilhop, yet not baptized till the age of twenty- 
 
 one. 
 
 Erafmusteftifies, that Jerom was born in the city ofStridon, of Chrif- 
 tian parents, was brought up in the Chriftian religion, and was baptized 
 ifi the thirtieth year oi" his age. 
 
 VolTius affirms, that Nedlarius was chofen bifhop of Conftantinople be- 
 fore he was baptized. 
 
 Theodofius, the emperor, was born in Spain ; his parents were both 
 Chriftians, and from his childhood had been trained up in the Niceae 
 faith ; was baptized at Theifalonica, by Achalio, when he was upwards 
 
 of thirty years old. Vide Juitius, Jtenitr, /», 68, Rob.f.Z^G. Eccl, 
 
 HiJi. Lib. V. Chap. vi. 
 
 X Annot. in Matt. vi. 9. 
 
 H 
 

 t SHALL now lay before the reader fsjne cxtrocts^ taken 
 
 frojn '•^ A Dijfertation on the fcriptural qualifications 
 
 for admijfion and accefs to the Chrifiian facraments, 
 
 life. — By Nathaniel Emmons^ A. M. Mini/ier of 
 
 the Gofpel in Franklin,** ( Maffachufctts ;) as' his tef 
 
 iimony in favour of the Bapti/is, 
 
 "As CERTAIN ALSO OF VOUR OWN POETS HAVi SA!D." 
 
 St. Paul. 
 
 CHAPTER 1. 
 
 '^ A definition of the Church* ■ 
 
 THE fcrlptiire ufes the term church in three Iqw- 
 fes, which have fome reference to the lubject be^ 
 fore us, and which, therefore, deferve to be diflinct- 
 ly confidered. 
 
 I. The fcripture fometimes ufes the term church, 
 to fignify the whole num'ber of mankind who fhall 
 finally be fanclified and faved. The Apoftle, fpeak- 
 ing of Chrifl*s fupremacy, EpheH i. 22, 23, fays, 
 *' That God hath put all things under his feet, and giv- 
 en him to be head over all things to the church** In 
 the third chapter, he further fays, " That God crea- 
 ted all things by Chrifl:, to the intent that now unto 
 the principalities and powers in heavenly places, might 
 be known by the church the manifold wifdom of God.'* 
 And in the next chapter but one he fays again, " Huf- 
 bands, love your wives, even as Chrifl loved the church, 
 und gave himfelf for it ; that he might fanftify and 
 cleanfe it with the wafhing of water by the word, that 
 he might prefent it to himfelf a glorious church, not 
 having fpot or wrinkle, or any fuch thing ; but that it 
 ihould be holy and without blemifh/* In each of thefe 
 paffages, the Apoftle ufes the word church, to compre- 
 hend all the eled, who fliall finally be brought to the 
 kingdom of glory. And this is what is called the uni- 
 *verfa! ifivifibk church. 
 
59 
 
 2. By the church, the fciripture fometiines intends 
 the whole number of God's profejjin^ people in all 
 parts of the world. While the Jews were the only 
 profefling people in the world, they were called the 
 church of God. Hence the Apoftle, Heb. ii. i2, re- 
 prefents Chrift as faying to Ifrael, " I will declare thy 
 name unto my brethren, in the midft of the church 
 will I fmg praife unto thee." OfMofes it is faid, 
 *' This is he that was in the church in the wildernefs." 
 In I Cor. i6i. 28, the Apoftle fays, " God hath fet 
 fome in the church, firfl apoftles, fecondarily prophets, 
 thirdly teachers, after that miracles, &c." And fpeak- 
 ing of himfelf as a perfecutor, he fays, " I am the leail 
 of the Apoftles, that am not meet to be called an apof- 
 tle, becaufe I perfecuted the church cf God." The 
 church here means God's profeifmg people, or the 
 univerjal vifible church-^ But, 
 
 3. The church is more commonly ufed in the New- 
 Teftament, to fignify a particular fociety of chriftians, 
 who ufually meet in one place to worfliip God, and en- 
 joy the ordinances of the gofpel. Thus we read of the 
 church of God at Corinth, of the church of the Thef- 
 falonians, and of the feven churches of Afia. Thefe 
 were all congregational churches, or fuch fmall focie- 
 ties of chriftians as might conveniently come together 
 for religious worlhip. 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 The covenant of grace conftdered. 
 
 Sec t. I. 
 
 The general nature of covenanting, 
 
 THERE is a wide diftinction between covenants, 
 declarations, and promifes. A fnnple declaration cre- 
 ates no obligation, but only exprefles the prefent in- 
 tention of the mind. If a man declare today, in the 
 prefence of others, that he will go to a certain place 
 
6o 
 
 tomorrow, this fimple declaration lays him under no 
 more obligation to go to the place mentioned, than if 
 his intention had lain a fecret in his own breaft. It 
 he alters his intention, he may perhaps be charged 
 •with ficklenefs, but not with faliehood. An abfoiute 
 promife excites expedation, and of courfe creates ob- 
 ligation. When a man makes an abfoiute promife, he 
 binds himfelf to the perfon to whom he makes h. And 
 that perfon may either diffolve, or confirm his obliga- 
 tion to fulfil his engagement. A conditional promife 
 is made upon the fuppofition of a certain contingency, 
 and becomes binding, only in cafe that contingency 
 happens. Suppofe a man (hould promife to do a cer- 
 tain piece of work for his neighbour, provided he 
 fhould procure affiflance, or recover his health ; in that 
 cafe, the obHgation to performance would depend en- 
 tirely upon the taking place of the contingency, upon 
 which it was made. 
 
 But a covenant is a mutual contrad, flipulation, or 
 agreement, between two or more parties, by which 
 they bind themfeives to eJich other, upon certain con- 
 ditions. Every covenant requires the confent of the 
 parties concerned. If a covenant be propofed by one 
 party, but is rejefted by the other, there is no cove- 
 nant made, nor either party holden. Mutual confent 
 is the only thing which gives fanftion to a covenant. 
 But after the parties have given their mutual con- 
 fent, the covenant is confirmed, and neither of them 
 can refufe a performance of the conditions, without a 
 violation of their covenant engagements. 
 
 Thefe are the peculiar properties, which diflinguifh 
 a covenant from a mere promife, or a mere declara- 
 tion ; and which are eifential to every fpecies of cove- 
 nanting, whether human or divine. A covenant be- 
 tween God and man is of the fame general nature, as 
 a covenant between man and man. Qod can no more 
 enter into covenant with men, without their perfonal 
 confent, than they can enter into covenant with each 
 other, without their perfonal confent. If we meet 
 
» II i»» 
 with any thing in fcripture therefore, which is called 
 a covenant, but which, at the fame time, does not con* 
 tain a mutual promife or engagement between two or 
 more parties, we are obliged, by the nature of the cafe, 
 to explain it in a figurative, rather than a literal fenfe. 
 Thus the promife which God made to Noah, that he 
 would never deflrqy the world again by a flood, is 
 called in fcripture a covenant, and the rainbow is re- 
 prefented as a token or feal of the covenant. But fmce;' 
 we find this divine proniife was made without any pro- 
 mife or confeut on man's part, we are compelled to 
 confider it as an abfolute promife, and not as a proper 
 or literal covenant. God often fpeaks after the man- 
 ner of men, and ufes words in i large or figurative 
 fenfe, when the natural connections in which they 
 ftand,or the particular fubjed to which they are ap- 
 plied, will clearly determine their proper meaning. 
 
 But fome, however, object againft the placing of 
 human and divine covenants upon the fame founda- 
 tion. They argue that God, who is a fovereign, has 
 a right to take his creatures into covenant, without 
 their previous confent. This is the fentiment of 'a ve- 
 ry ingenious and elegant writer. Speaking upon the 
 fubjed, he aiks, " Has not God a right to enjoin fuch 
 duties as his wifdom fees fit ? Muft he confult hjs crea- 
 tures, to knov.' what laws he may make for them ? Was 
 not the covenant in the plains of Moab, made with 
 little ones, as well as with the men of Ifrael ? With 
 thofe who were not, as well as with thofe who were, 
 then prefent I Are there not moral obligations which 
 refult from our rational nature, and from our place in 
 the creation, as well as from ourfpecial covenant rela- 
 tion to God ? Shall we conclude that all thefe obliga- 
 tions are void, for want of our previous confeiu ? To 
 contrad between man and man, who Hand on the foot 
 of equahty, mutual confent is necefiary : but God is 
 a fovereign. When he promifes us certain ble^lings, 
 and enjoins particular duties, as conditions of the blef^ 
 fings, he takes us into covenant, whether we had pre- 
 
iSz 
 
 vioufly confented ornot*/* The force of this reafon- 
 ing depends on three gropbfitions, the truth of which 
 we will dillindly confider. 
 
 1 . That God has a right to lay mankind under cov- 
 enant obligation, by his own fovereign aft. 
 
 2. That he has a right to bring mankind into cov- 
 enant, without their confent. And, 
 
 3. That he brought fome of the children of Ifrael 
 into covenant, in this fovereign way. 
 
 1. Let us confider whether it be true, that God has 
 fi right to lay mankind under the obligations of a 
 covenant, by his own fovereign aft. It is readily al- 
 lowed, that God' has a right to give fuch laws and to 
 grant fuch favors to men, as his infinite wifdom fees 
 beft. But the obligations which refult from fuch afts 
 of divine fovereignty, are totally different from the ob- 
 ligations which men lay upon themfelves, by a cove- 
 nant tranfaftion. When they covenant with God, 
 they voluntarily promife to obey his commands. And 
 it is this voluntary promife, which creates the bond of 
 the covenant. Though G'od has a right to command 
 men to covenant, yet his command, without their con- 
 fent, cannot lay them under covenant obligations. As 
 God is not obliged to enter into covenant with his crea- 
 tures, fo his entering into covenant with them is an 
 aft ,of condefcenfion. In this fenfe, he does not enter 
 into covenant with his creatures, on the foot of equal- 
 ity. But though we admit his condefcenfion, yet we 
 deny his fovereignty, in his covenant tranfaftions. 
 When he condefcends to covenant with his creatures, 
 he always covenants with them on the equal terms of 
 mutual confent. For it is impofTible, in the nature of 
 things, that he fliould make a covenant, any more than 
 a promife, for his creatures, by his own fovereign aft. 
 
 2. Let us confider whether it be true, that God^an 
 bring mankind into covenant, without their confent. 
 This is fuppofed in the reafoning above. " When 
 
 * DoiftorLathrep's Difcourfe in the American Preacher, page 58, 59. 
 
6^ 
 
 God promifes us certain bleffirigs, and enjoins particu- 
 lar duties, as conditions of the bieffings, he takes us in- 
 to covenant, whether we had previoufly confented or 
 not.'* The language of this proportion is, that when 
 God propofes a covenant to men, he actually takes 
 them into covenant, whether they accept or reject the 
 propofal. This, we have jufl fliown, is not within the 
 province of divine fovereignty. 
 
 But we would futher obferve, if God takes men in- 
 to covenant by the bare propofal of it, then he takes 
 every perfon into covenant to whom he fends the gof- 
 pel. For the gofpel " promifes certain bieffings, and 
 enjoins certain duties, as conditions of the bieffings," 
 to all to whom it is fent. But have all the Jews and 
 Gentiles, who have heard and rejected the gofpel, been 
 taken into covenant ? Have all the thieves, and drunk- 
 ards, and deifts, and atheifts, who have heard the 
 gofpel in this land, been taken into covenant ? If this 
 be true, then they are all vifible faints, and have a right 
 of accefs and admiffion to fpecial ordinances ; and we 
 ought to receive them to baptifm and the Lord's fup- 
 per. This confequence neceffarily flows from the 
 principle, that God takes men into covenant by propo- 
 fmg the covenant to them, whether they receive or 
 reje6l the propofal. But if it be abfurd to call and 
 treat the openly vicious and profligate as vifible faints ; 
 then it is equally abfurd to fuppofe that God can bring 
 mankind into covenant, without, and contrary to their 
 own confent. It only remains to inquire, 
 
 3. Whether it be true, tliat God indeed took fome 
 of the children of Ifrael into covenant, who neither 
 heard nor confented to the covenant. This is fuppo- 
 fed. And the fuppofulon is entirely built upon that 
 noted paflage in the xxixth of Deuteronomy. " Nei- 
 ther with you only do I make this covenant and this 
 oath : But with him that fl;andeth here with us this 
 day before the Lord pur God, imd alfo with him that is 
 not hereixfithus this day.'* The plain literal meaning 
 ©f this text of fcriptufe is, that God entered into cov- 
 
^4 
 
 enant with fome of the Ifraelkes, who neither hear^ 
 nor confented to the covenant. But we cannot ad» 
 mit this literal fenfe of the paflage, for various reafons. 
 
 1. Becaufe it is contrary to the nature of things, that 
 God ihould take men into covenant, without their 
 knowledge and confent. This is evident from what 
 has been faid under the two lafl: particulars. And 
 whenever any paflage of fcripture, in its Hteral fenfe, 
 contradi£ls the nature of things, we always fuppofe we 
 ought to look out for fome different meaning. 
 
 2. It appears from the preceeding words, that God 
 required all who were prefent to give their explicit con- 
 fent to the covenant. " Ye fland this day all of you 
 before the Lord your God ; your captains of your 
 tribes, your elders, and your officers, with all the men 
 oflfrael, your little ones, your wives, and thy'ftranger 
 that is in thy camp, from the hewer of thy wood, unto, 
 the drawer of thy water : That thou fhouldeft enter 
 into covenant with the Lord thy God, and into his oath, 
 ■which the Lord thy God maketh with thee this day." 
 According to the reprefentation here, God propofed 
 the covenant to the Ifraelites, and required them to 
 give their explicit confent to it. And agreeably to the 
 divine injundion, they all avouched theLordto be their 
 God, and to keep the covenant and the oath which he 
 propofed to them. But why all this formality and fo- 
 lemnity, if there were no occafion for it ? And there 
 was no occafion for it, if God could have taken them 
 into covenant without their knowledge and confent. 
 
 3. It appears, by a {landing ftatute in Ifrael, that 
 God meant to take that people into covenant, from 
 generation to generation, by their own explicit confent. 
 This ftatute is in Deut. xxxi. 9, — 13. And Mofe« 
 wrote this law, and delivered it unto the priefts the 
 fens of Levi, which bare the ark of the covenant of the 
 Lord, and unto all the elders oflfrael. And Mofes 
 commanded them, faying. At the end of fevcn years, 
 jn the folemnity of the year of releafe, in the feaft ot 
 tabernacles, when all Ifrael is come to appear before- 
 
tYie Lord thy God, in the place whichhe fliall choofe ; 
 thou (halt read this law before all Ifrael in their hearing. 
 Gather the people together, men, and ivomen, and chil- 
 dren, and thyftranger that is within thy gates, that they 
 may hear^ and that they may learn, and fear the Lord 
 your God, and obfef ve to do all the words of this law ; 
 and that their children, which have not known any thing, 
 may hear, and learn to fear the Lord your God, as long 
 as ye live in the land whither ye go over Jordan to 
 polfefs it/* All the circumftances here mentioned 
 naturally lead us to fuppofe^ that this reading of the 
 law was defigncd to give the adult an opportunity of 
 renewing, and the youth an opportunity of entering in- 
 to covenant with God; It was t© be on the fabatical 
 year, which was devoted to religious duties* It was to 
 be in a particular place appointed by God. And it 
 was to be for the particular benefit of the children or 
 youth. Such a reading of the law was calculated, in. 
 a peculiar manner, for covenanting. And no doubt it 
 was appointed for the efpecial purpofe of giving every 
 youth in Ifrael, from feven to thirteen years of age, an 
 opportunity of making a publick and explicit covenant 
 with God. Hence there is no reafon to fuppofe thaf 
 any of the Ifraelites, from Mofes to Chrifl, were evec 
 taken into covenant without their knowledge and con- 
 fent. 
 
 4. If we underiland the text under confideration in 
 a literal fenfe, it will prove more than the advocates of , 
 the literal fenfe will be willing to admit. The plain 
 literal declaration is, that God entered into covenant 
 with him that was abfent, as well as him that was pre- 
 fent. And this will prove, that God may take men as 
 well as infants, into covenant without their knowledge 
 and confent. But moll, if not all the advocates for the 
 literal fenfe, do not wifh to extend the argument fo far. 
 All that they ever adduce it to prove is, that God may 
 take infants into covenant, without their loiowledge 
 and confent. They generally fuppofe, that adult per«? 
 
 I 
 
66 
 
 fons cannot be taken into covenant without, and mucti 
 lefs contrary to, their own voluntary engagements. 
 This is certainly Dr. Hemmenway's opinion; For he 
 fays, page 1 1, i2, " Though the propoials of the cove- 
 nant are of important concernment to all mankind, ef- 
 pecially to thofe, who have offers of divine grace made 
 to them, yet a rejeded tender of the covenant does not 
 give one an intereft in it. And though the call of the 
 gofpel lays a bond of duty on all to whom it is {t\\t,yet 
 ibe bond of the covenant, as the exprelTion is commonly 
 underftood, properly lies only on thofc who have corns 
 under vows or engagements of obedience, either by 
 their ownperfonal a6t, or by the reJHpitlatioyi of thofe wha 
 are author fed to eft for thenu When thofe who are 
 not under covenant bonds difobey the call of the gof- 
 pel to them, requiring their confent to its propqfed,. they 
 are guilty of refufmg the covenant. But when thofe 
 v/ho are under covenant bonds violate them, they are 
 guilty of perfidioufly breaking the covenant. A cir- 
 cumltance which enhances their difobedience.'* The 
 Doctor here fuppofes, that none but infants^ who have 
 fome to refiipulate for them, can be taken into covenant 
 without confentingtothe covenant. Asto adults, who- 
 are capable ©fading for themfelves, he is clearly of 
 the opinion, that nothing fliort of their own voluntary" 
 2idi, Can bring them under the bond of the covenant.' 
 But if the text before us proveS;^ that infants may be 
 brought into covenant- without their knowledge and 
 confent, then it equally proves, that any adult perfons 
 may be laid under the bond of the covenant, without 
 their confent. And if this be true, then God mav 
 now take all the Heathens on the face of the earth into- 
 eovenant/without their knowing or embracing the gof- 
 pel. But this fentiment is too grofs for any to admit, 
 and therefore the literal fenfe of the text we are con- 
 fidering, can by no means be adopted. This leads me 
 to obferve once more, 
 
 5. That v/hen we are told God took the abfent as 
 well as prefent into covenj^nt, the true and obvious 
 
— 
 
 meaning is, that he meant to propofe the covenant to 
 iill, and to require all, as opportunity prefented, toemt 
 brace it, and lay themfelves under covenant obligations 
 to obedience. God intended that the covenant hepro- 
 pofed to Ifrael in the plains of Moab, Ihould be propo- 
 sed to all that nation from time to time, and from age 
 to age, juft as Chrift intended that the gofpel which he 
 commiffioned his Apoftles to preach to all the world, 
 ihould eventually be preached to all nations on the 
 ^ace of the earth, before the end of time. 
 
 It now appears, we truft, that all covenants are of thft 
 fame nature, and ftand upon the fame foundation ; 
 that they all require the mutual confent of the parties 
 concerned ; and that it is as inconceivable, that God 
 •fliould enter into covenant with men, without their per- 
 fonal conlent, as that they (hould enter into covenant 
 with each other, without their perfonal confent. We 
 have dwelt the longer on the general nature of cove- 
 nanting, becaufe it feems to lie at the foundation of thS 
 prefent difpute. And if the obfervations we have 
 made are juft, they may throw light on the particular 
 covenants to be confidered in the following fe(5lions. 
 
 ..,•:■ : . X. 
 
 Sect, II. 
 
 The covenant of grace precifely /lated, 
 
 THE gofpel promifes eternal life to all who believe 
 in the Mediator. This gracious propofal which God 
 makes to fmners, comprifes all the eflential properties 
 of the covenant of grace. It concerns two parties. It 
 requires the mutual confent of two parties. It con- 
 tains a condition to be fulfilled on the one fide, and a 
 promife to be performed on the other. And both 
 the promife and condition are founded in grace. 
 When God makes this gracious propofal to fmners, 
 he requires their immediate acceptance. But fo long 
 as they refufe to accept, they have no right to the bluf- 
 fing offered. For the covenant of grace, Uke all other 
 
68 
 
 covenants, mufthave the fanchion of mutual confent, 
 before it can mutually bind the parties concerned. 
 The finner muft believe in Chrift, before he can claim 
 the promife of eternal life. But the firft exercife of 
 faith confirms the covenant, and gives the believer an 
 infallible title to the kingdom of heaven. If he fhould 
 lofe his reafon or his life the next moment after ber 
 lieving, he would be fecure in the favor of God. This 
 reprefentation of the covenant of grace, perfectly ac- 
 cords with Chrift's own reprefentations of it. He fays, 
 ^' God fo loved the world, that he gave his only be- 
 gotten Son, that whpfoever believeth in him ihould not 
 perilh, but have everlafting life.'* Again he declares, 
 " He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that 
 fent me, hath everlalling life, and JJjall not come into 
 condemtjatmi." And again, in his lafl; commiffion to 
 the Apoflles and to their fuccelTors in the miniftry, he 
 commands them to propofe the covenant of grace to 
 ^11, in thefe plain and comprehenfive terms. " He 
 that believeth and is baptized Ihall be faved : But he 
 that believeth not Ihall be" damned," According to 
 this infallible definition of the covenant of grace, it 
 contains neither more nor lefs, than the promife of 
 Godtofaveftnners^ through faith in the Mediator. And 
 agreeably to this definition, every minifter may preach, 
 and every perfon may argue, without being expofed to 
 error. 
 
 Sect. III. 
 
 Tie covenarit of grace dijiingui/hed from the covenant of 
 redemption* 
 THE work of redemption was devifed before the 
 foundation of the world. The three facred perfons 
 in the ever bleffed Trinity, mutually agreed, that each 
 of them fhould bear a diflinct part in carrying into 
 execution their wife and gracious purpofes refpeding 
 nian. And this eternal mutual compaft or agreee- 
 ment between the Father, Son, and Holy Ghoft, is 
 
69 
 
 vhat we mean, and what is commonly underllood, 
 by the covenant of redemption. Now between this, 
 and the covenant of grace, there is a wide difference. 
 This will appear if we compare them in a few partic- 
 ulars. The covenant of grace fubfifts between God 
 and believers ; but the covenant of redemption fubfifts 
 between the Father, Son and Holy Ghoft. The cov- 
 enant of grace was made in time ; but the covenant 
 of redemption was made from eternity, Man has a 
 part to perform in the covenant of grace ; but man has 
 no part to perform in the covenant of redemption. 
 Belides, the covenant of grace is the fruit of the cove- 
 nant of redemption. It was in confequence of the eter- 
 nal purpofe of the ever blelfed Trinity to fave fmners, 
 and of the abfolute certainty of Chrift's fulfilling his 
 part in the covenant of redemption, that God could, 
 immediately after the fall, promife to fave fmners, 
 through faith in a Saviour to come. This great diver- 
 fity between thefe two covenants, renders it highly 
 neceflary to keep them diftind in our own minds, and 
 efpecially when we pretend to arguefromeitheirofthem. 
 
 Sect. IV. 
 
 The CGvenant of Abraham^ though founded oKj yet dlf- 
 tindfromj the covenant of grace, 
 
 THESE two covenants are fo nearly arjd neceflarily 
 connected, that they are often confidered as one and 
 the fame covenant. But if we carry in our minds the de- 
 finition which has been given of the covenant of grace, 
 we (hall find that it does, by no means, apply to the 
 covenant of Abraham. This fhows, that there mud 
 be fome diftin6l:ion between the covenant which 
 God made with Abraham in particular, and the 
 covenant of grace which he makes with believers 
 in general. And in treating the fubjedb before us, 
 it becomes verv ncceffary to point out the peculiar 
 properties of the covenant of iibraham, by which 
 
70 
 
 it is difUnguillied from the covenant of grace. What 
 is commonly called the Abrahamic covenant, is fum- 
 marily contained in thexviith chapter of Genefis, from 
 the firft to the tvi^enty fifl verfe. Between this and the 
 covenant of grace, feveral points of difference may be 
 eafily obferved. 
 
 1. Faith is the condition of the covenant of grace : 
 but circumcifion was the principal condition of the 
 covenant of Abraham. When God propofed the cov- 
 enant to him, he propofed circumcifion as the condi- 
 tion of it. Verfe i o, " This is my covenant, which 
 ye fhall keep between me and you, and thy feed after 
 thee ; every man child among you Ihall be circumci- 
 fed." This condition, peculiar to the covenant of 
 Abraham, diftinguifhes it from the covenant of grace. 
 
 2. The covenant of grace refpefts the believer only ; 
 but the covenant of Abraham chiefly and ultimately 
 refpe£led his pofterity. So it is faid verfe 7. " And 
 1 will eflablifh my covenant between me and thee, and 
 thy feed after thee, in their generations, for an everlaft- 
 «ig covenant.** Agreeably to this reprefentation, we 
 find .a number of very fmgular and important bleffings, 
 which God promifed to beftow upon Abraham's feed 
 as a fulfilment of his covenant with hi?n. In par- 
 ticular. 
 
 I. God engaged to diflinguifli Ifaac and his feed 
 from Iflimael and his feed. So we read, verfe 18th, 
 19th, 20th, 2ift. " And Abraham faid unto God, O 
 that Ifhmael might livebefore thee ! And God faid, Sar- 
 ah thy wife ihall bear thee a fon indeed, and thou fhalt 
 call his name Ifaac : And I will eflabUlh my covenant 
 with him for an everlafting covenant, and with his feed 
 after him. And as for Ifhmael, I have heard thee ; be- 
 hold I have bleifed him, and will make him fruitful, and 
 will multiply him exceedingly : Twelve princes fhall 
 he beget, and I will make him a great nation. But 
 2ny covenant will I ejlahlijh iv'ith Ifaac, which Sarah fhall 
 bear unto thee.** This promife has been vifibly fufill- 
 ed from age to age, in the continued feparation be-? 
 tween the Jews and lihmaelites. 
 
71 
 
 2* God engaged in his covenant with Abraham, to 
 giv^e his feed in the Hne of Ifaac, the land of Canaan 
 for a perpetual polTefTion. Verfe 8. " And I will giv« 
 unto thee, and to thy feed after thee, the land wherein 
 thou art a ftrangef, all the land of Canaan, for an ev* 
 erlafting poffeffion." Agreeably to this article in the 
 covenant, God did, at the time appointed, deliver the 
 feed of Abraham from their bondage in Egypt, and 
 carry them through the wild^rnefs to the land of prom- 
 ife. When God appeared to Mofes, and told hinj 
 that he was about to deliver his people from their prei 
 fent burdens, and condud them to a land flowing with 
 milk and honey, he plainly intimates, that he was gQ-» 
 ing to do this, in covenant faithfulnefs to Abraham* 
 See Exod. iii. 6,-17. And we find a fimilar repre- 
 fentation of the matter in Duet, i. 8. vii. 7, 8, 9. " Go 
 m and poCefs the land which the Lord fware to your 
 fathers, Abraham, Ifaac, and Jacob, to give unto them, 
 and to their feed after them. The Lord did not fet hia 
 love upon you, nor choofe you, becaufe ye were more in 
 number than any people : For ye were the feweft of all 
 people : But becaufe the Lord loved you, and becaufe h& 
 would keep the oath which he fware unto your fathers^ 
 hath the Lord brought youout with a mighty hand, and 
 re<leemed you out of the houfe of bond-men, from tho 
 hand of Paraoh king of Egypt. Know therefore that 
 the Lord thy God, he is God^the faithful God, which 
 keepeth co-venmit and mercy with them that love him, 
 and keep his commandments, to a thoufand genera- 
 tions." This fame divine faithfulnefs, Nehemiah alfci 
 acknowledges in a devout addrefs to God. Neh. ix* 
 7, 8. " Thou art the Lord God, who didft choofe 
 Abram, and broughteft: him out of Ur of the Chaldees, 
 and gaveft him the name of Abraham : And foundeft 
 his heart faithful before thee, and madeft a covenant 
 with hiin, to give the land of the Canaanites, the Hit- 
 tites, the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Jebu- 
 lites, and the Girgafhites, to give it, I fay, to his feed, 
 and haft performed thy words, for thou art righteous.** 
 Such a donation of the land of Canaan to Abraham's 
 
7i 
 
 feed, clearly diflinguifties the covenant of grace which 
 extends to the believer only, without any refpeft to 
 his prefent or future offspring. 
 
 3. God engaged, in his covenant with Abraham, to 
 raife up the Mefliah from one branch of his family. So 
 the Apoftle exprefsly tells us. Gal. iii, 16. "Now 
 to Abraham and his feed were the promifes made. He 
 faith not, And to feeds, as of many : But as of one. 
 And to thy feed, which is Chrift." This article flip- 
 ulated in the covenant, God faithfully fulfilled. For 
 it is evident from the genealogy recorded by Matthew 
 and Luke, that our Lord fprang from the line of Abra- 
 ham. Here is another mark of dillinftion between 
 the covenant of Abraham and the covenant of grace. 
 
 4. God promifed to the father of the faithful, to 
 keep up the vifible church, and maintain a conftant 
 fucceffion of pious men, in his family, until the ap- 
 pearance of the promifed MefTiah. Verfe 7. " I will 
 eftablifh my covenant between me and thee, and thy 
 feed after thee, in their generations, for an everlafting 
 covenant ; to be a God wito thee, and to thy feed after 
 thee — A7id in thee Jhall all thefamiles of the earth he blef- 
 
 fedJ* Chap. xii. 3. Accordingly we find, that God 
 did fet up the church, and maintain a conftant fuccef- 
 fion of pious men, in Abraham's family, until the ap- 
 pearance of the Son of God in the flefh. Simeon, An- 
 na, and others, were waiting for the confolation of If- 
 rael, when Chrift was born, and publicly devoted to 
 God, according to his own inftitution. And after the 
 Jews were cut off for unbelief, God continued the vifi-* 
 ble church, and made the fpiritual feed of Abraham 
 fucceed in the place of his natural pofterity, fo as to 
 fulfil the promife> that in him all the families of the 
 earth fhould be bleffed. The blefTmgs of Abraham 
 have come upon the Gentiles, and we are now enjoy- 
 ing the happy effects of the divine faithfulnefs to Abra- 
 ham. Thus it appers, that the covenant of Abraham 
 ought to be confidered as totally diftinft from the cov- 
 enant of grace. 
 
7Z 
 Sect. V. 
 
 S'truii co-vcnani^ though founded on, yet dijlln6l from^ the 
 covenant of grace, 
 
 [Here Mr. Emmons lays before the reader, * fcripture evidence that 
 God required, and the Ifraclites made a credible profijion of real godli- 
 ncfs, vrhen they eiittrcd into the Sinai covenant.' He brings many 
 pirfin fcriptures, but I muil content myfelfwith mentioning only hia 
 fixth argument.] 
 
 6. THE Ifraelites were finally broken off from the Si- 
 nai covenant, by unbelief. This the apoftle fhows at 
 large in the eleventh of Romans. But how could 
 they have been broken off by unbelief, if that cove- 
 nant had not implied their profeflion of faith in the pro- 
 mifed Meffiah ? If they had never profefled to beKeve 
 in a Saviour to come, then their rejeding him after 
 he appeared, could have been no violation of their 
 covenant obligations, nor confequently any juft caufe 
 of their being call out of covenant. But . if they had 
 publickly and folemnly profeffed to believe in the pro- 
 mlfed MeiTiah, then their vifible rejeftion of Chrift in 
 the days of his flelh, was a vifible evidence of their 
 breach of covenant, and a fufficient g;"ound for God to 
 difown them, and cafl them out of his vineyard. The 
 manner, therefore, of their being cut off from the 
 Sinai covenant clearly fhows, that before they were 
 cut off, they were confidered and treated as true be- 
 lievers or real faints. 
 
 I proceed to ffiow, as I propofed, that this covenant 
 was diftindt from the covenant of grace ; or God's 
 promife to fave finners, through faith in the Media- 
 tor. Though this might be argued from the various 
 points of difference which have been mentioned, yet I 
 fhall fugged but only two confiderations, which appear 
 to be decifive on this head. 
 
 I. The covenant of grace exifted about two thou- 
 fand years before the Sinai covenant. God propofed 
 the covenant of grace immediately after the fall. And 
 many, in every age, from Adam to Mofes, complied 
 
 K 
 
n 
 
 ■with it, and fecured its fpirltual and eternal bleflmgs^ 
 Indeed Mofes, and Aaron, and all the pious ifraelitets 
 •who had lived in Egypt, entered into the covenant of 
 grace before they came to mount Sinai. So that the 
 Sinai covenant muft have been diflinci from the cove- 
 nant of grace. Befides, 
 
 2. The covenant of grace has exifted near two thou- 
 fand years fmce the Sinai covenant was dilloived. The 
 Apoflle Paul, in his epiflles to the Romans, Gala- 
 tians, and Ephefians, largely proves, that the Mofaic 
 difpenfation ceafed at the death of Chrill. And Chriil 
 himfelf intimated, that this Ihould be the confequence 
 of his fulfilling the law. But the covenant of grace 
 has been in full force, ever fmce, as well as before, the 
 abrogation of the Sinai covenants Thefe two confid- 
 erations feem to put it beyond all doubt, that the Sinai 
 covenant was diftinQ: from the covenant of grace. 
 The Sinai covenant was calculated for a particular 
 people, time, and place ; but" the covenant of grace 
 is calculated for all nations, times and places, from the 
 fall of man to the day of judgment. 
 
 Before I conclude this chapter, I would make a few 
 remarks upon what has been faid, in order to illuftrate 
 more fully the covenant we have been confidering, as 
 well as the general fubject, upon which we are profef- 
 fedly treating. 
 
 Remark i. The foregoing obfervalions may fhow 
 us, why God owned and treated the Jews as his pecu- 
 liar people, when they revolted from him, and became 
 extremely corrupt. This w^as owing to his double re- 
 lation to the feed of Abraham. In his covenant with 
 Abraham, he engaged to preferve and blefs his feed. 
 And, therefore, notwithftanding they perfonally broke 
 their covenant with him, yet he continued to diftin- 
 guifli them, with outward bleflings on their father's 
 account. He often treated them better than their 
 conduft, or bis covenant relation to them required. 
 Though he uniformly fmiled on them when 4:hey were 
 obedient, yet he did not uniformly punifh them, when 
 they were difobsdient He delayed for many ages to cut 
 
them off from his coveijant after they had deferved to be 
 cut off, and d ifperied among the nations. This was not 
 bccaufe he meant to reward their outward conduct 
 and gracelefs duties ; but becaufe he meant to keep 
 covenant with Abraham. While Abraham lived, he 
 faithfully kept covenant with God. And fmce Jhis 
 death, God has faithfully fulfilled his covenant with 
 him, by preferving and bleffmg his feed. 
 
 Remark 2. It appears from what has been faid in 
 this chapter, that the covenant of grace has always 
 been the fame. It is a covenant in which God enga- 
 ges to fave fmners through faith in the Mediator. 
 This covenant we have feen is founded on the cove- 
 nant of redemption, and defigned to carry it into exe- 
 cution, and therefore muff: remain the fame, until the 
 defign of the covenant of redemption is completed. 
 Accordingly the fcripture reprefents men's being faved 
 through faith in the Mediator, from the fall of Adam 
 to the coming of Chrift, and from the coming ofChrift 
 to the end of time. None of the covenants which we 
 have been confidering, had any tendency to alter the 
 covenant of grace. The covenant of redemption was 
 the foundation of the covenant of grace ; and the cov- 
 enant of grace was the foundation of the covenant of 
 Abraham and of the Sinai covenant ; and it is plain, 
 that the covenant of grace could not be altered by a 
 covenant upon which it was built, nor by thofe which 
 were built upon it. 
 
 Remark 3. The preceding obfervations may teach 
 us what we are to imderfland by the different difpenfa- 
 ttjom of the covenant of grace. Some feem to make 
 no diftinftion between the covenant of grace, and its 
 different difpenfations, 'm. different ages. The firfi: dif- 
 peiifation commenced with Adam, the fecond with 
 Abraham, the third with Mofes, and the fourth with 
 Chrift. Thefe different difpenfations of the covenant 
 of grace, are often mentioned, refeired to, and reafon- 
 ed from, ^vithout being explained. But, perhaps, it 
 may be of fervice to explain them. As the covenant 
 
of grace has always been precifely the fame, fo there 
 has been nothing in the covenant itfelf to diftinguifli 
 it, from time to time, or to mark its different difpenfa- 
 tions. Thefe, therefore, mufl be certain things, which 
 are diftinft from the eflence of the covenant, and 
 which may be properly called its appendages. The 
 covenant of grace, fmiply confidered, requires only 
 faith in the Mediator : But God has been pleafed, at 
 different times, to enjoin other duties befides faith in 
 Chrift, upon thofe who embrace the covenant of grace. 
 And thefe duties may be called its appendages, as they 
 are enjoined wholly on the ground of it. From Adam 
 to Abraham the appendages of the covenant of grace 
 were plain and fimple, and fuch as naturally refulted 
 from it. God required believers to offer facrifices, 
 to profefs religion, to attend public worfhip, and to" 
 form churches or religious focieties. Thefe particu- 
 lars, it is true, are not diftindly mentioned in the fa- 
 cred hiftory of thofe early times, but yet perhaps they 
 may be fairly colleded from it. Thofe before the flood 
 certainly built altars, and offered facrifices in public. 
 The fons of God were dillinguilhed from the ions and 
 daughters of men. Hence it is natural to conclude, 
 that they made a public profeilion of religion, formed 
 churches, and worfhiped God in a public and focial 
 manner, Thefe, or fimilar duties, enjoined upon thofe 
 who entered into the covenant of grace, were the ap- 
 pendages, by which its firft difpenfation was dilliu- 
 guifhed. In Abraham's day, another peculiar duty was 
 added, which formed the fecond difpenfation of the 
 covenant of grace. This duty was the rite of circum- 
 cifion. God required Abraham and his feed after him, 
 from generation to gen^ation, to circumcife their male 
 children, at eight days old, and all their profelytes, 
 whenever they admitted them to their ov n peculiar 
 privileges. This divine inftitution continued to diffin- 
 guifh the fecond difpenfation of the covenant of grace, 
 until the days of Mofes, when the third commenced. 
 Then God made the Sinai covenant with the feed of 
 
77 
 
 '.•• • \ ' 
 
 Abraham, and gave them a large code of new laws, 
 rites and ceremonies, in addition to all the, foregoing 
 appendages of the covenant of grace. And as this 
 illuitrious difpenfation was principally defigned to pre- 
 pare the way ior the coming of Chrift, fo it continued 
 until Chrill appeared and made complete atonement 
 for fin. Then the fourth and laft difpenfation of the 
 covenant of grace commenced, and fet afide all thofe 
 appendages of it, which were typical of the promifed 
 Meffiah, and which ferved to diflingulfh the feed of 
 Abraham from the reft of the world. Inftead of the 
 facrifices under the three firfl difpenfations, inftead of 
 circumcifion and the paffover under the fecond difpen- 
 fation, and inftead of all the civil and ceremonial pre- 
 cepts under the third, Chrift required his followers 
 only to profefs religion, to unite in religious focietles, 
 to I'ubmit to the ordinance of baptifm, and to celebrate 
 the memorials of his own death. Thefe few plain and 
 fimple duties are the appendages of the covenant of 
 grace, under its laft and moft perfect difpenfation. 
 Thus it appears that the different difpenfations of the 
 cov enant of grace are not different modes, or forms, or 
 articles of the covenant itfelf ; but only different du- 
 ties added to it, or founded upon it^ v/hich become 
 binding in confequence of embracing the covenant. 
 And thefe duties are properly termed appendages, be- 
 caufe they have been added to and taken from the cove- 
 nant, without making the- leaft alteration in it. 
 
 This account of the appendages of the covenant of 
 grace, feems to be fully confirmed by Doftor Hemraen- 
 way himfelf, who very juftly mentions and defcribes 
 the duties which are enjoined on believers in particu- 
 lar, in confequence of their embracing the covenant of 
 grace. Pie fays, page nth, " Some precepts of the 
 gofpel are immediately directed to all to v;hom the call 
 of the gofpel is fent, and demand prefent obedience. 
 But others are immediately direQed to thofe ivho are In or 
 under the fpecial bond of the covenant, and cannot be re- 
 gularly obeyed by any but thofe li-ho are firfi admitted in- 
 
io the number ofGod*s people, by ajlipulatlon or ccnfenf^ 
 When they have thus taken the bond of the covenant 
 on them, there ViXt further duties immediately enjoined, 
 duties which bel&ng n9t to thofe who are not in cove- 
 nant wMeywcZ', particularly irjingthefpecial ordinances ^ 
 •which are appropriated txchifivdy to the church." 
 Such duties can be no other than proper appendages, 
 of the covenant of grace, and ought to be confidered 
 m this light. 
 
 Remark 4. It appears from what has been faid, that 
 there is no propriety in arguing from one difpenfation 
 of the covenant of grace to another. Though the 
 covenant of grace has always been the fame, yet one 
 difpenfation of it has fuperceded another* Therefore, 
 we cannot determine what are the peculiar duties of 
 believers under the prefent difpenfation of the covenant 
 of grace, from what were the |>eciiliar duties of believ- 
 ers under any of its former difpenfations. Do6lor 
 Hemmenway has followed other writers in arguing 
 from the former difpenfations of the covenant of grace 
 to the prefent, and endeavoured to prove what the pe- 
 culiar duties of believers are under the prefent difpen- 
 lation of the covenant of grace, from w hat they w'ere 
 under its fomier difpenfations. But this mode of rea-. 
 foning is by no means conclufive. It was the duty of 
 believers under former difpenfations of the covenant 
 of grace, to offer facrifices ; But can we hence infer, 
 that this is their duty now \ It was the duty of belie- 
 vers under former difpenfations of the covenant of 
 grace, to circumcife their children and attend the paff- 
 over ; But does it hence follow^ that thofe duties are 
 flill binding ? Or can we juflly conclude, that it is the 
 duty of believers now to circumcife their children, or 
 even to baptize them, bccaufe it was once their duty 
 to circumcife them \ The truth is, we mull learn the 
 peculiar duties of believers under the prefent difpenfa- 
 tion of the covenant of grace, from the difpenfation 
 itfelf, which enjoins all the peculiar duties which be- 
 long to it. If believers are now to baptize their chil- 
 
79 
 
 dreh, as undoubtedly they are*, it is not becaufe they 
 were once obliged to circumciie them. If believers 
 are now to attend the Lord's fupper, it is not becauie 
 they were once obliged to attend the pafTover. The 
 reafoning from the appendages of the covenant of 
 grace, iiiflead of the covenant itfelf, has been a fruitful 
 fource of error among chrillians. The Papifts plead 
 that there ought to be priefts, and biihops, and a pope 
 at the head of all, in the chriftian church, becaufe there 
 were the levities, the priells, and the high priefls, in 
 the jewifh church. The Epiicopalians found their 
 praclice of wearing facerdotai robes in the difcharge of 
 their minifterial office, on the cufiom of the Jewifli 
 clergy, in wearing robes for ornament and for beauty. 
 And the congregationaliUs reafon on the fame ground, 
 in fupportoftheduty of unregenerate men to attend 
 the chriftian facraments. But ail this reafoning is in- 
 conclufive, whether v/hat they mean to prove by it be 
 true or falfe. We have no right to argue from paft 
 appendages of the covenant of grace, which have been 
 fet afide, to the prefent appendages of it. The chriftian 
 difpenfaiion, which is allowed to be the freeft from 
 types and figures, plainly fpeaks for itfelf. And we 
 ought to look into the clear difpenfation of the gofpel, 
 in order to difcover the peculiar duties of believers, at 
 this day. By purfuing this method, we niay, per- 
 haps, avoid fome of the darknefs and confufion, 
 which has attended the facramental controverfy in 
 particular. 
 
 CHAPTER HI. 
 
 None but red! faints in the. covenant of grace. 
 
 |OCrOR Hem men way fuppofes, that not only 
 true believers, but all who are baptized, are, in 
 Ibme fenfe, in the covenant of grace. But if we have 
 
 • He h.is no where oflcred to give us any leafon, why infants (Tiould be 
 baptized. 
 
So 
 
 given a juft definiLlon of the covenant of grace, then 
 none can be in it but true believers. /The covenant 
 of grace, we have faid, is, " The promife of God to 
 fave fmners, on the condition of their beHeving in 
 Chrift." According to this definition, beHeving in 
 Chrifl is the fole condition of the covenant of grace, 
 and therefore all who believe in the Mediator, comply 
 with the condition, andfo are not partly, or in fome 
 fenfe, but completely in covenant with God. If faith 
 is the condition of the covenant of grace, there can be 
 no medium between being completely in and com- 
 pletely out of it. The believer is completely in it, 
 and the unbeliever is completely out of it. The belie- 
 ver is entitled to all the bleflings of it, and the unbe- 
 liever to none. All the promifes of God are hi Cbri/i, 
 yea and amen. Believers are in Chrift^ and therefore 
 all the promifes apply to them. Unbelievers are out 
 of Chr'i/l, and flrangers from the covenant of promife, 
 and therefore have no title to covenant bleflings. 
 
 The only way to avoid the force of this argument is 
 to fuppofe, that men may be true believers in the fenfe 
 of the covenant of grace, without being true faints, or 
 the fubje£ls of real hohnefs. But this fuppofition is 
 contradicted by the whole tenor of fcripture. It is faid, 
 *' As many as received Chrifl, to them gave he power 
 to become the fons of God, even to them that believe 
 on his name ; Which were born not of blood, nor of 
 the will of theflefh, nor of the will of man but of God." 
 It is faid, " Whofoever believeth that Jefus is the Chrlit, 
 is born of God." It is fliid, " No man can fay that Je- 
 fus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghofl." And it is 
 alfo faid, "The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, 
 long fufiering, gentlenefs, goodnefs, faith.^* Thefe 
 texts fully prove, that faving faith, which is the 
 condition of the covenant of grace, is the fruit of the 
 Spirit, and exercifed by real faints only, or thofe v»^ho 
 fcave been born of God. According to fcripture, 
 therefore, none but real faints are, in any fenfe, 
 in the covenant of grace. Though finners, \yho have 
 never been renewed, may believe, in fpeculation, that 
 
the gofpel is divine, that Chriil is the only Saviour^ 
 that all who embrace him from the heart fhall be faved ; 
 and though they may profefs to believe in Chrift, and 
 really hope to obtain eternal life, yet they are not in 
 the covenant of grace, nor entitled to any of its blef- 
 fines. 
 
 C H A P T E R IV. 
 
 None are required to profefs religion hut real faints, wh& 
 are in the covenant of grace* 
 
 WE have fhown, in the lall chapter, that none 
 but real faints are in covenant with God. 
 "\^eare nowto enquire, whether he requires any but 
 thofe who are in covenant with him, to make a public 
 profeffion of religion. There is a diftinclion betweea 
 moral and inftituted duties. Moral duties refult from, 
 the nature of things,, and are binding previous to a dir. 
 vine command ; but inftituted duties derive their ob;- 
 ligation from the exprefiion of divine authority. Thus 
 to love God is a moral duty, but to profefs to love him 
 is an inftituted duty. In order, therefore, to deter?- 
 mine who arc bound to profefs to love God, we mulb 
 enquire on whom this duty is enjoined. And fine© 
 faints are efTentially different from fmners, it is natural 
 to fuppofe, that God fhould require peculiar duties of 
 faints, which are expreilive of their peculiar obliga- 
 tions and affeftions. They have, been made the fub- 
 jeds of his fpecial grace. They have been admitted 
 into covenant with him. They have devoted them- 
 felves to his fervice. And they truly feel a fupreme 
 affedion and attachment to his charader and intereft* 
 He may, therefore, with propriety, require them to ex- 
 prefs the genuine feelings of their hearts, by an open 
 profeflion of real godlinels. 
 
 Philip required the eunuch to profefs faving faith, 
 before he admitted him to baptifni. And though this 
 
 L 
 
82 
 
 is a fingle inllance of requiring a true believer to pro- 
 i^fs religion previous to baptifm ; yet fince Philip ad- 
 ed, in this inftance, agreeably to Chrift's laft commif- 
 fion to his Apoftles and their lucceflbrs in the miniftry, 
 we may fafely conclude, that all real faints are as much 
 required to profefs religion as to fubmit to the ordi- 
 liance of baptifm. And, indeed, thefe duties ftand up- 
 on the fame foundation, and are infeparably connefted, 
 in Chrid's commiflion to his miniftcrs. " Go ye in- 
 to all the world, and preach the gofpel to every crea- 
 ture* He that believeth and is baptized fhall befa- 
 ved ; but he that believeth not ihall be damned/* This 
 commiflion renders a public profeflion of religion a 
 divine inftitution under the gofpel. For it requires 
 minifters to preach, and men to believe ; and believers 
 to profefs their faith, and minifters to baptize them, 
 on the ground of their profeflion. 
 
 Though God requires all where the gofpel comes, 
 to comply with the covenant of grace; yet fo long as 
 any negleQ: to comply, he does not require them to 
 profefs that they have complied. If God fhould re- 
 quire men to profefs religion before they have it, he 
 would require them to profefs a falfehood. But fmce 
 this is inconfiftent v*^ith the divine chara£ler, we may 
 be allured that none but the real fubjeds of grace are 
 required to make a public profeflion of real godlinefs. 
 God makes the fame diftin£tion in precepts as in prom- 
 ifes. As h^ promifes life to none but real faints ; fo 
 he requires none but real faints to profefs religion. If 
 finners fuppofe they are real faints, yet God does not 
 promife them life on that fuppofition. So if any fup- 
 pofe they love God while they are deftitute of love, 
 yet God does not require them to profefs the love of 
 which they are delUtuie. As the promife in the one 
 cafe, fo the precept in the other, is given to faints only. 
 The profeflion of religion is properly an appendage of 
 the covenant of grace, and therefore is enjoined on 
 thofe only who are in ithe covenant of grace. God's 
 requifitions depend, not on the faife opinions, but on 
 the real characters of men*' He requires only thofe 
 
»8 
 
 who have religion, to profefs religicai, and diftijiguiih 
 themfelves from the reft of the world. But I (hall not 
 enlarge on this point, fince it has been abundantly pro- 
 ved by Mr. Edwards, ^nd is freely acknofwlfedgid by 
 DodoT Hemmenway. He fays, page 20, " The belief 
 of the heart is prefuppofed in the proleiiion af the 
 mouth. And a profeflion of faith which is a duty, goes 
 before a rightof admiffioa tothei^daloikiinanc^and 
 privileges of jcj^ernai commanion in an inftituted 
 church,'* And again, page 1 1 ," Some precepts of 
 the gofpei are immediately direfted to aM to whom th^ 
 C4II of the gofpei is lent, and demand prelent dbedi* 
 ence. But others are immediately directed to thofe 
 who are in or under the fpecial bond of th^ co\''6nant.*' 
 A public profellion of religion prop^ly Mong^ to 
 this clafs of duties. -:..;;.; r / 
 
 !— :l-.-i,jji-i,i|iL [ iBi . i I I I II irtBB&aata. 
 
 C H A P t E R T, 
 
 tffible faints defctibed, 
 
 IT is a given point, that all n^ifibk/akits 'BX^ proper 
 fubjeds of fpecial ordinance. If it Gould-oidy 
 be determined, therefore, who ar^ vififek faints^ onft 
 part of the prefent controverfy wtjuld be complete'ty 
 fetded. But this has never been done ; though 'it is 
 probable, that all men have prec-ifely ^the fame ideas 
 upon this fabject. Different writers have d^f<^ibied vi- 
 fible faints very differently. Doctor Hemmenway, in- 
 deed, differs from all who have 'gone before "hirti'M this 
 difpute. He fays, page 41, *':Iti6 <?/»/<?r«^/, and ni^ 
 irt/^r»^/holinefs which fo^ms the ehara'^fcr of a A^fibl^ 
 faint, asfuchJ^ Again, « :It toiift be the 'viflbiltty ^itf 
 that holinefs which is viftbky that is, of external ' holi- 
 nefs, which denominates a vifible faint.** According 
 to this defcription, a vifible faint is any perfon who 
 bears the mere refemblance of a real faint. But the 
 mere refemblance of an objedV, is^nev^jtaken for the 
 object itfelf. The pidure of a dove is the refemblance 
 
of a dove, and the picture of a man is the refemblance 
 of a man. But who ever took the picture of a dove, 
 for a real dove ? Or the pidure of a man, for a real 
 man ? Should a perfon go into a painter's apartment, 
 which is covered with pidures of rational and irration- 
 al creatures, would he fay when he came out, that he 
 had feen a multitude of men and animals? Though 
 images bear a ftili nearer refemblance of certain ob- 
 jefts,, yet they are neVer fuppofed to be, the real objeQs, 
 whofe refemblance they bear. . When Cefar faw the 
 Itatue of Alexander, did he imagine; he faw Alexan- 
 der himfelf ? When the Papift bows before the image 
 of Chrift, does he take the image to be the real perfon, 
 who expired on the crofs ? -•' - . t 
 
 Now a perfon who bears the mere refemblance of a 
 faint, is no more a vifible faint, than the image of a 
 man is a vifihle man. We find men every where, who 
 belive the Bible is the word of God, who attend pub- 
 lic worlhip and family prayer, and who live externally 
 fober, honeft, exemplary lives. Thefe men, in all 
 thefe refpefts, bear the refemblf\nce of real faints. But 
 this refemblance does not conflitute them r/ZzZ*/^ faints. 
 For all their orthodoxy arid moraUty may be the frijit 
 of mere education, or of a defire to a^ppear well in t|ie 
 eyes of the world. And we have no r eafon to believe, 
 that they are governed by any better motives than 
 thefe, unlefs they give us fome other, evideace of real 
 ,holinefs. But if thofe who bear the mere refemblance 
 of real faints are not viftbk faints j then the queftion ftill 
 returns. Who are ? .' » i 
 
 . I anfwer, thofe who appear to profefs r^^?/ holinefs. 
 This; all mull allow. For however they may defcribe 
 mfihU faints, yet they cannot, believe any to be of this 
 charafterj unlefs they appear, in their view, to be real 
 faints. Of this there is a lllort and eafy proof. Let 
 any man, who has been confidered as a 'vifible faint, 
 only exhibit clear evidence of being wholly deftitute 
 of real holinefs, and he will immediately ceafe to be a 
 infible faint. Judas was once a vifible faint. All his 
 
fellow dlfciples viewed him in this light. But did they 
 view him fo, after he had betrayed his Mailer ? By no 
 means. This inflance of his condinSl fully convinced 
 them, that he was totally deftitute of love to Chrift, 
 and immediately transformed him, in their view, from 
 B. vifible [2Lmt to a vifible fmner. 'o' ■. ' 
 
 , if it be true, that a infible faint is one who appears 
 to profefs realhoHnefs, then it only remains to inquire 
 >vho exhibit this appearance. And here it is evident, 
 that none'but thofe who .'exhibit a good life, a good 
 :creed, and a good profeffion, exhibit the appearance of 
 >eal holinefs. For, 
 
 .....I.. Though a good life does not prove the heart to 
 be good, yet a bad life proves ' the heart to be bad. 
 "Whoever, therefore, exhibits a vicious life, exhibits a 
 vicious heart, v/hich is totally inccnfiflent with the ap- 
 pearance of faving grace. 
 
 i\ 2. No man can appear to be a real faint, who does 
 •not appear to believe the fundamental dodrines of the 
 gofpel.. Though the bare belief of thefe doccrines 
 does not prove any man to be a faint, yet the denial 
 of them proves him to be deditute of the love of the 
 truth, which is inconfiftent with ".real holinefs. A 
 good creed, therefore, is as neceiTary as- <t good life, in 
 order to conditute a 'vifible faint, • . 
 
 3. None can appear to be real faints, who do not 
 profefs to have that love which is the effence of true 
 rehgion. Love is the fulfilling of the law. And love 
 belongs to the heart. The heart, therefore, is the 
 feat of all holy affections. But every man is befl ac- 
 .quainted with his own heart, and if he is honell, can 
 give us the bed evidence of his inward views and feel- 
 ings, by his own declaration. And this renders the 
 profeffion of real holinefs, or vital piety, abfolutely 
 neceffary, in order to conflitute a vifible faint. A good 
 life and a good confeiTion of faith are only negative 
 evidence of faving grace. But there ought to be fome 
 pofitive evidence that the heart is right with God. 
 And this can be exhibited no other vv^ife, than by a pro- 
 
«5 
 
 feffion of thofe exercifes of heart, which conftitute a 
 real faint. For however moral and orthodox a man 
 may appear, yet if he fays that he has no love to God, 
 no repentance of fm, no delight in holinefs, we have no 
 right to fay or believe that he is a real faint, and of 
 confequence, he cannot be a vifible faint. But if a man 
 be moral and orthodox, and in addition to his good 
 lile and his good confeflion of faith, ferioufly declares, 
 according to his belt judgment of his own heart, that 
 li€ loves God, hates fm, and delights in hoUnefs, he 
 then appears to be a real faint, which is precifely the 
 fame as a vifible faint. Thus morality, orthodoxy, and 
 a profeilion of that in which true holinefs confifls, con- 
 ftitute vifible faints. And though fome things which 
 Doctor Hemmenway fays, feem to contradiQ: this de- 
 fcription of vifible faints ; yet he fays other things, 
 which perfectly agree with it and confirm it. 1 hefe 
 at« his own words, page 62, 63. " If by a profeflion 
 of godlinefs we mean fuch a profeflion as gives evidence 
 ofchriflian piety, as being the proper expreflion of the 
 faith and holinefs required in the gofpel in order to 
 falvation ; this I think fhould be exhibited in order to 
 admifllon into an inftituted church. There fliould be 
 a credible profefTion of aflent to the foundation princi- 
 ples of the chriftian dodrine, of confent to the new 
 covenant ; and that without known hypocrify or re- 
 ferve. In a word, a profejjion exprejjive of the faiih^ 
 temper^ and refolutions of a true chrijlian^ as defcribed 
 in the gofpel. If this be what is meant by thofe who 
 require a profeflion of godlinefs, or faving faith as a 
 term ofchriflian communion ; this is no more than 
 what Mr. Stoddard has alfo declared as his flieadfaft 
 perfuafion." This pafl'age favours the fentiment ad- 
 vtoced in the beginning of this chapter, that probably 
 all men have precifely the fame idea of vifible faints^ m 
 cantrafied with real faints. Though they may differ 
 in their ideas of real faints, yet they muft all agree, that 
 vifible faints are thofe who appear to be real faints. 
 
C H^A P T E R VI. 
 
 The right of admiffion iafullcammtmim* 
 
 THE duty of admiffion, and the duty^ of accefs to 
 fpecial ordinances, are diftin^ duties, which re-* 
 quire a diftin<5l confideration. In this chapter, I fhall 
 confine myfelf to the duty of admiffion. And hero 
 the queftion is. Whether the church may admit any to 
 communion, but fuch as appear to be real faints ? i 
 know fome object againft ufmg the phrafe, appear to hd 
 faints^ as though it carried the idea, that the church 
 may make their own fancy, inftisad of real evidence of 
 grace, the rule of admiffion. But there feems to be 
 no juft ground for this obje^ion. For, if the church 
 are to judge of the qualifications of thofe whom they 
 admit to communion, they are to judge according to 
 apparent evidence. Evidence which they do not fee, 
 is no evidence to them. Suppoiing they are fo blinded 
 by prejudice, with refped to a certain perfon, that 
 they cannot difcover the evidence which he really ex» 
 hibits of being a good man ; yet fo long as the blinds 
 nefs of their hearts prevents their feeing the goodnefs 
 cf his, they ought not to admit him to communion. 
 Their firft duty is to call the beam out of their own eye, 
 and impartially attend to the evidence of grace, which 
 the proponent exhibits, and then receive him in th^ 
 Lord as becometh faints. God has made it the duty 
 of the church to admit thofe to fpecial ordinances, who 
 appear to be real faints. The church, therefore, mufl 
 ad according to the evidence of grace, which they dif- 
 cern in thofe who offer themfelves for admiffion. If 
 they appear to them to be real faints, they ought to 
 admit them ; but if they appear to theni to be deflitute 
 of grace, they ought to rejed: them. God has given his 
 rules to imperfect creatures. It is to be expeded, 
 therefore, that a church may, through inadvertence, 
 prejudice, or partiality, admit fome to communion, and 
 
debar others from It, whom they ought not. But yet 
 their guilt will not donfifl in ading according to the 
 evidence which they do fee, but in not attending to 
 the evidence which they might fee. Their duty is to at- 
 tend to evidence with impartiality, and to a6t according 
 to it. And this fliows that they muft admit thofe, and 
 only thofe, to communion, whom they think are real 
 faints. They are- not required to ad on certainty, but 
 on probability, becaufe they cannot look into the hearts 
 of men. They mull have evidence enough to convince 
 them, that the man whom they admit, is more Hkely to 
 be a true believer than a falfe profeffor. No evidence 
 ihort of probability, can juflify them in admitting any 
 perfon to full communion. If a Cafhier muft have any 
 evidence, that each piece of money which he receives 
 is genuine, then he muft have evidence enough to con- 
 vince him, that each piece is more likely to be genuine 
 than counterfeit. Or if a Muftermafter muft have 
 any evidence, that each foldier whom he admits into 
 the army is found, then he muft have evidence enough 
 to convince him, that each foldier is more likely to be 
 found than unfound. Thefe cafes direclly apply to the 
 fubjedt in hand. God requires the church to admit 
 found and none but found believers to communion, fo 
 far as they are capable of judging, by the rules which 
 he has given them to govern their conduft. It is their 
 duty, therefore, to apply thofe rules to every particu- 
 lar perfon with candor ; and to receive or reject him, 
 accordingly as he appears to them, either qualified or 
 unqualified for admillion. They are not required to 
 be infalHble, but they are required to be honeft. And 
 to be honeft, they muft admit none to their chriftiim 
 fellowfhip, but thofe whom they charitably think arc 
 more hkely to be friends, than enemies to God. But 
 fince this is one of the cardinal points in the prefent 
 difpute, it may be proper to offer a few plain argu- 
 ments to eftabiifii it. 
 
Hg 
 
 Argument I. 
 
 None ought to be ad7nitted into the vijtble church but 
 fuch as appear qualified to promote the end of its inJiitU'- 
 tion. 
 
 The vifible church is a religious fociety, founded oil 
 religious principles, and defigned to promote religious 
 purpofes. Such a fociety God inftituted immediately 
 after the fall, and has preferved in the world, from age 
 to age, to the prefent day- It appears from the nature 
 of this fociety, as well as from the reprefentations of it 
 !n fcripture, that it is calculated to anfwer a variety of 
 impor'ant ends. In particular, todiftinguilh thefriends 
 from the enemies of God ; to difplay the beauty and 
 importance of religion j and to propagate it among 
 mankind to the lateft generations. Thefe valuable 
 purpofes are happily reprefented by a very fenfible 
 writer.* 
 
 " A vifible church was eflablifhed, in order to con- 
 tinue it, and carry it on fucceffively throughout all ages. 
 Had Mofes and the Prophets, Chrift and his Apoftles, 
 only taught, and by miracles proved, religion to their 
 cotemporaries ; the benefits.of their inftrudions would 
 have reached but to a fmall part of mankind. Chrif- 
 tianity mud have been, in a great degree, funk and for^ 
 got in a few ages. To prevent this, appears to have 
 been one reafon, why a vifible church was inftituted \ 
 to be like a city upon a hill, a ftaiiding memorial to the 
 world of the duty which we ovv'e to our Maker ; to 
 call men continually, both by example and inflruftion, 
 to attend to it ; and by the form of religion ever be- 
 fore their eyes, remind them of the reality ; to be the 
 repofitory of the Oracles of God ; to hold up the light 
 of Revelation in aid to that of nature, and propagate 
 it throughout all generations to the end of the v/orld." 
 
 Now, if the vifible church be a fociety defigned to 
 
 * Bifhop Butlw. 
 
 M 
 
90 
 
 anfwer thefe religious purpofcs, then it is eafy to pef<» 
 ceive who are properly qualified to be admittedas mem- 
 bers of it. The ends for which any focietyis formed, 
 naturally. point out the proper qualificationsof its mem- 
 bers. A fociety for the promotion of learning, fliould 
 be compofed of men of learning. And for the fame 
 reafoq, a fociety for the promotion of religion, fliould 
 be compofed of men of religion. Saints love God, but 
 iinners hate him. Saints love the caufe of God, but 
 fmners wilh to deftroy it. Saints love fmners, in one 
 view, and hate them in another, but fmners are totally 
 bppofed to faints. This contrariety between faints and 
 fmners is abundantly alferted in fcripture. Solomon 
 afferts, that an unjuft manisan abomination to thejuftj 
 " and he that is upright in the way is an abomination 
 to the wicked." Chrifl forewarns his followers of the 
 fpirit of the world towards them. " If the world hate 
 you, ye kndw that it hated mebefore it hated you. If 
 ye were of the world, the world would love his own ^- 
 but becaufe ye are not of the world, but I have chofeii 
 you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. 
 Remember the word that I faid untoycu. The fervant 
 is not greater than his lord. If they have perfecuted 
 me, they will alfo perfecute you ; If they have kept my 
 laying, they will keep yours alfo. But all thefe things- 
 will they do unto you for my name's f^e, becaufe 
 they know not him that fent me.*' Agreeably to thh- 
 Paul declares, "The carnal mind is enmity againfl 
 God : For it is not fubject to the law of God, neither 
 indeed can be. So then they tliat are in the flelh can- 
 not pleafe God." And again he fays to the Ga latians, 
 '* Now^ we brethren, as Ifaac was, are children of the 
 promife. But as then, he4:hat v/as born after the flefh 
 perfecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even io 
 it is now." llius the whole world are divided into 
 faints and Tinners, who are diametrically oppofed to 
 each other. Saints ^re friends to God and to his king- 
 dom J but fmners are oppofed to God and to his king- 
 dom, and to all v.ho wifii to promote itr 
 
hbpe which is laidupforycu in heaven^ tvhereofye heard 
 before in the word of the truth of the gsfpel ; which is 
 come unto you, as it is in &11 the ivorldy and brijigetb 
 forth fruit as it doth alfo in you^ fmce the day ye heard (f 
 it, and knew the grace of God in truth. He fpeaks with 
 ftill ftronger alTurance, with refpeft to the Theffaloni- 
 anSi Knowing, brethren beloved, your eledion of God, 
 For our gofpel came not unto you in word only, but alfo ifi 
 pozuer, and in the Holy Ghqft, The Apoftle Peter ad- 
 drefies profeffors in general as the fubjefts cf faving 
 grace, and entitled to the kingdom of heaven. Peter ^ 
 an Apofile^of fefus Chrifi, to the fir angers fcattered 
 throughout Pont us, Galatia, Cappadocia, Afta, and By- 
 ihinia, eled according to the foreknowledge of God the Fa'- 
 ther, through fandif cation of the Spirit, unto obedience, 
 and fprinkling of the blood of Chrifi ; grace unto you, and 
 peace be midtipUcd. Blefjcd be the God and Father of 
 our Lord Jefus Chri/i, which, according to his abundant 
 mercy, hath begotten us again unto a lively hope, by the ref- 
 urre&ion of Chrifi from the dead, to an ifihcritance incor- 
 ruptiblc and undefikd, and that fadeth not away, refer- 
 ved in heaven for yeu, who are kept by the power of God 
 through faith unto fahation^ ready to be reviuled in the 
 iafi time. Wherein ye greatly rejvice, though now for a 
 feafon (if need be J ye are in heavincfs through manifold 
 temptatio?2s : That the trial of your faith, being much more 
 precious than of gold that per ijheih, though it be tried in 
 the fire, might be found unto praife and honor and glory y 
 at the appearing of Jefus Chrifi : Whom havifig notfeen 
 ye love, in whom, though now ye fee him not, yet believing^ 
 ye rejoice with joy unfpeakable a7id full of glory : Re- 
 ceiving the end of your faith, even the falvation of your 
 fouls. -* 
 
 Paul and Peter here fpeak to ail profeffors of reli- 
 gion, as though they judged them to be faithful to the 
 Lord. They addrei's them, juft as they would addrefs; 
 thofe whom they iuppofed to be real faints. And ihey 
 exprefs that charity towards them, which they might 
 properly exprefs towards perfons profefTmg godlinefs. 
 
96 
 
 It is natural, therefore, to underfland them as giving 
 their real opinion of thofewhom they had baptized and 
 admitted to fpecial ordinances. But fome infinuate 
 that they are fpeaking only of the vifible feparation of 
 Chriftians from Heathens, and call them holy, beloved, 
 elected, fan6lified, and faved, in allufion to the Jewiih 
 church, who were feparated from other nations, and 
 on that account (tiled a holy people, a peculiar treafure, 
 a kingdom of priefts. This objeiStion refutes itfelf. 
 For the Jewifh church were all real faints by profeiTion, 
 as we truH has been fufficiently proved. And if this 
 has been proved, then the defcription of4:he Jewifli 
 church being appHed to the Chriftian is a clear demon- 
 ftration, that the Apoftles confidered the profelTors of 
 chriftianity as real faints. The allufion which the A- 
 poftles are fuppofed to have to the Jewiih church, fixes 
 the meaning of their exprelTions, and obliges uz to un- 
 derfland them in their highefl and beft fenfe. 
 
 Now, if the Apoftles admitted none to the chriftian 
 facraments, butfuchas they fuppofed were chofen of God, 
 called to be faints, predeftmated to holinefs, and enti- 
 tled to the heavenly inheritance, then we may juftly 
 conclude, that none, at this day,- ought to be admitted 
 into the church, but fuch as the church fuppofe are re- 
 al faints. The Apoftles were governed, in the admif- 
 fion of members, by the fame rule, which is given to 
 all their fucceffors in the miniftry. Their rule was 
 Chrift's commiiTion. And Chriit's commiflion is the 
 only rule of minifters at this day. The Apoftles have 
 explained Chrift's commifTion, by their practice. And 
 their practice is an infallible guide, fmce they atted, in 
 all their pubhc conduct, under the immediate direction 
 of the divine Spirit. This argument drawn from the 
 practice of the Apoftles abfolutely fettles the point, that 
 the church ought to admit none to the tabic of the 
 Lord, but fuch as they fuppofe, in a judgment of charity, 
 are true believers, or the fubjefts of laving grace. 
 
^7 
 C H x\ P t E R Vili. 
 
 Sec t. VII. and X. 
 
 'The DoHot'^s opinion, that habtized infants belong id the 
 "viftble church examined. 
 
 WE grants that G'od may fanftify Ibme baptized 
 infants ; and we will not deny that he has 
 abfolutely engaged to fart^tify them all, if their pa- 
 rents faithfully difchnrg^ their covenant obligations ^ 
 but yet we cannot allow, that baptized infants, whe- 
 ther fandified or unfandified, belong to the vifible 
 church. For, 
 
 1. They cannot belong xo it, by virtueof their owii 
 acV. They can neither make, nor accept any propo- 
 fals. They are unacquainted with the name, nature^ 
 and obligation of a covenant. They do not fo much 
 as know, that a vifible church cxifts. Sucn. weak and 
 ignorant creature?, therefore, cannot belong to th(i 
 vifible chuirch, by virtue of their own act. 
 
 2. They cannot belong to it, by virtue of their pa- 
 irent's aft. Believing parents may covenant with God 
 about their infant feed, but not for themi They may 
 engage to love them, to pray for them, to inHruct them^ 
 to rellrain them, and even to ufe every argument and 
 motive which they can think of, to perfuade and mor->. 
 ally compel them to join the vifible church. But yet 
 they cannot, by thefe or any other methods, lay them 
 under covenant obligations, to profefs that they love 
 God, when they are cojifcious to themfelves, that they 
 have not the love of God in them* Believing parents 
 may lay themfelves under covenant obligations to God^ 
 to their fellow men, and to their children^ by virtue of 
 their own aft. But their own aft of covenanting 
 for themfelves^ can never lay their children under cove- 
 nant obligations, to read, or pray, or attend public, 
 worfliip, or make a public profelfion of religion, or 
 pej form any other duty, whatfoever. It is true^ in- 
 
 N 
 
9^ i 
 
 deed, the baptized children of faithful parents are un- 
 der fuperior obligations to feligicn. But their fuperi- 
 or obligations wholly refult from their fuperior advan- 
 tages for light and inilrumon, and not from any cove- 
 nant obligations laid upon them, by their parents* 
 Covenanting is a perfonal ad:. And no perfon can 
 lay any one under covenant obligation but himfelf. 
 There is no poffibility, therefore, of believing parents 
 bringing their infant feed into a vifible church, which 
 is a voluntary fociety, formed by a voluntary compact. 
 
 3. Baptized infants cannot belong to the vifible 
 church, by virtue of God*s aft. Thofe who cdnfider 
 the infants of believers as belonging to the vifible 
 church, generally fuppofe that they are brought into 
 it, by the fovereign ad of God. They fuppofe God 
 takes them into covenant with himfelf, and gives them 
 a (landing in the vifible church, by his own fovereign 
 authority, without their knowledge or confent. This 
 was the general opinion of the firft churches in New- 
 England. " They agreed. That the children of the- 
 faithful are church members, with their parents j and 
 that their baptifm was a feal of their being fo.*** And 
 this feems to be the opinion of many at this day.. But, 
 in ftating the nature of covenanting, we have endeav^ 
 ored to prove, that it lies not within the province 
 even of divine fovereignty, to take any of the human 
 race into covenant, without their own perfonal know- 
 ledge and confent. And if this be trucy the undenia- 
 ble confequence is, that no infants are brought into the 
 vifible church, by the fovereign acl of God. The ele* 
 gant and ingenious Writer we have frequently had 
 occafion to mention, fays indeed, that God has a fove* 
 reign right to take his reafonable creatures into cove- 
 nant, whether they yield their confent or not. But 
 he has faid nothing to fhow how a covenant can be 
 made by one party, in oppofition to the confent of the 
 other J nor how a divine command can conftitute a 
 
 ♦Mather's Magnaliai page 19. 
 
99 
 
 <:ovenant obligation ; nor j^oia any perfon can be bound 
 lo fulfil a promife or engagfement which he never made. 
 And until thefc things are fhown, we fhall conclude, 
 that it is as eafy to prove, that baptized infants are di- 
 vines or philofophers, as Ito prove, that' they are in. 
 covenant with God, and members of the vifible church. 
 Now, if we have made it appear, that the infant feed 
 of believing parents are not members of the vifible 
 church, then Dodor Hernmenway^s opinion on this 
 head is completely refutedl and of confequence, all the 
 arguments which he has drawn from it. 
 
 One other obfervation vjrill conclude my remarks. 
 The Doftor's Difcourfe dii'ectly tends to deftroy the 
 appearanceof religion in the vifible church. He inti- 
 mates, that it is a natural coiifequence of what he main- 
 tains, that thofe who were baptized in their infancy 
 may be admitted to communion, without a public con- 
 feffion of religion. He uies the iQrm reccgfiize inftead 
 of admit, when fpeaking of thofe coming to fpecial or- 
 dinances who were baptized iny their infancy. If fuch 
 perfons are only to be recognized as members of the 
 vifible church, then it neceflarily follows, that they 
 have a right to all the external privileges of it, without 
 ^formal admiifion. This inference Mr. Williams has 
 drawn from the church-memberfhip of baptized in- 
 fants, in a Dialogue which he has lately publifhed, and 
 repubhfhed. And this very Dialogue Dodor Hem- 
 menway has, in connexion with a number of truly 
 great and refpedable names, recommended to the pub- 
 lic notice and perufal. Mr. Williams's Dialogue is 
 v.'holly defigned to carry the Dodor's real fcheme into 
 praclice. Let us fuppofe, therefore, that our churches 
 iliould adt upon the Do6lor*s fcheme, as Mr. Williams 
 has explained it, and receive to their communion all fo- 
 ber perfons, who were baptized in their infancy, with- 
 out a public profeflion of religion. Would not this 
 practice bring many unqualified perfons to the facra- 
 ment ? Are there not fober Arians, fober Socinians, 
 fober Univerfalifts, fober Deifts, and even fober Seep. 
 
lOO 
 
 tics ? Are fuch perfons as tlVefe properly qualified to 
 tinite with the people of God, in commemorating th^ 
 dying love of the Divine Redeemer ? But what cari 
 exclude fuch from the table of the Lord, if no public 
 profellion of religion be required, in order to their re- 
 cognition as members of the church in full communion? 
 And when the church is cornpofed of fuch unchriftiaii 
 charaftersjwhat appearance of religion will it exhibit to 
 the world ! 
 
 Though our venerable forefathers allowed, thatbap- 
 tized infants belong to the vifible church, yet they 
 would not admit even fuch., at adult age, to come to 
 the facrament, without a piiblic relation of experiences, 
 as well as a public profelfion of religion. Doctor Cot- 
 ton Mather lays, in his Memoirs of the Life of the rev- 
 erend JohnEUotj that "the churches oi 'New-England 
 have ufually been very itrid in iheir admiffion to 
 church-fclloivjhipj and rcQuired very fignal demonftra- 
 tions of a repenting and believing foul, before they ^ 
 thought men fit fubjefts to be intrufted with the rights 
 of the kingdom of Hca'vcn*'.''* He fays, page i8§, it was 
 Mr. Eliot's opinion, that " the fubjetls to be admitted 
 to church-feilowfliip, ought to be fuch as a trying char- 
 ity^ or a charitable trials fhould pronounce regenerated' 
 And again he fays, that Mr. Eliot *' could nat com.- 
 prehend, that a church-flate can arife from any other 
 formal caufc^ but the confent, concurrence, confedera- 
 tion of thofe concerned in it ; he looked upon a rela- 
 tion unto a chiirchjas not a natural^ or a violent^ but a 
 ^voluntary thing, and fo that it is to be entered no other- 
 wife than by an holy covenant ^ or as the fcripture fpeaks^ 
 by giving ourjehcs Jirji unto the Lord, and then one unia 
 another." 
 
 But we fhallhave the beft evidence of the real opin- 
 ion of our pious anceftors on the fubjed before us, 
 from " the Atifwer of the Elders and other Mclfengers 
 cf the Churches, aifemblcd atBofton, in the year i662> 
 
 ••* Msgnaliaj E. iii. p. J97. 
 
lOI 
 
 to the QjLieftions propounded to them, by order of the 
 Honored General Court." In the fourth propofition 
 of the anfvver to the firft quellion, we haA^e their opin- 
 ion clearly flated, refpefting the propriety of admitting 
 perfons to the Lord's table, by virtue of their infant 
 church-memberfhip. The fourth propofition fays, 
 *' Thefe adult perfons are not therefore to be admitted 
 to full communion, merely becaufe they are :indconfi/iuff 
 members, without fuch further qualifications as the 
 Word of God requireth thereunto. In the Old Tefta- 
 nient, though men did continue members of the church, 
 yet for ceremonial uncleannefs they were to be kept 
 from full communion in holy things. Lev. vii. 30, 21. 
 Num. ix 6, 7, andxix. 13 — 20. Yea, andthepriefts 
 and levites in the Old Teflament, had fpecial charge 
 'committed to them, that m.e\\/hQiild not partake in holy 
 things^ unlefs duly qualified for the fame, notwithftan- 
 ding their OTd';7zZ'd'r//6/^, 2 Chron. xxiii. 19. Ezek. xxii. 
 26. and xliv. 7, 8, 9, 23. And therefore much more 
 in thefe times, where moral fitnefs and fpiritual qualifi- 
 cations are wanting^ memberjbip alone, is not fufficient 
 for full communion. More was required to adult per- 
 fons eating the pajfover, than mere MEiviBERSHipjthere- 
 fore fo there is now to the Lord*s fupper.*" 
 
 Though the firft minifters in New-England, were 
 great and good men, yet it appears from thefe quota- 
 tions, that they adopted premifes, from which they 
 were afraid to draw the natural conclufions. But 
 Doftor Hemmenway and Mr. Williams are more con- 
 fiftent. They maintain, that baptizedinfants are mem- 
 bers of the vifible church, and therefore conclude, that 
 when they arrive to adult years, they ought to be re- 
 (ogni-zed as members in full communion, without any 
 public profeffion of religion. But did many of their 
 admirers fee this to be the necclfary confequence of 
 their Doftrine, refpecting the church-memberfhip of 
 baptized infants, we prefumc,they would heartily rejed 
 
 * Magnalia; £. y. p. 70* 
 
it, as injurious both to the piety andpurity of our chur-f 
 ches. The Dodor, aware of this, but only once fug* 
 gefls his notion of recognition. And Mr. Williams, 
 •to fave appearances, concedes that a ptiblic profefTion 
 of religion may be admitted for a^ particular purpofe.* 
 But, however, he fpends many pages to point out the 
 expediency of laying the practice afide. Nor is he a- 
 lone in this opinion. Many churches lay alide confef- 
 iions of faith, and admit members without any pubhc 
 evidence of their belief of the eflential doctrines of the 
 gofpel, and without any pubhc evidence of their expe- 
 rimental acquaintance with rehgion, Thefe are large 
 ftrides tov/ards that perfect liberty and catholicifm, 
 which the Dodor'sDifcourfe, Mr. Williams's Dialogue, 
 and the efforts of their refpecl:able patrons, have a ten- 
 dency to introduce into the prefent churches of Chrift. 
 Is it not a veryferious andimportantinquiry, Wheth- 
 ]£r the church ought to open their arms fo wide, as to 
 take into their bofom, thofe whoexhibitno appearance 
 of religion, nor the leaft regard for the caufe of God f 
 If they lay afide a public profeffion of religionas a term 
 of communion, they may expe<Et to lofe ail brotherly 
 love, all chriftian difcipline, and all appearances of vi- 
 tal piety. And when they have loft all thefe diftin- 
 guifhing excellencies, they may expect to lofe their in- 
 fluence Over the minds of men, and fall under the re- 
 proach and contempt of the world. But on the other 
 hand, if they fteadfaftly adhere to the direttions of 
 Chrift and the example of our pious anceftors, in the 
 admiflion of members, they may humbly hope, that 
 God will vifibly approve their fidelity, and add to theii" 
 numbers daily fuch as ihall be faved. 
 
 [So far Mr. Emmorn.l 
 
 * Dialog^ie, Ballon Edition, page i^,n. 
 
105 
 
 ■^■i III 11 ■ 
 
 THUS, reader, you have had opportunity to perufe, 
 and examine feme of the reafonings of a judici- 
 ous, fenfible divine. Befides what is contained above, 
 he has faid, page 122. " Before we can admit — tp par- 
 tial communion we mud find a Scripture warrant to 
 feparate what God has joined together, namely, bap- 
 tifm and the Lord's fupper. Thefe ordinances, as 
 they refpecl the adult, Hand upon a level. And the 
 qualifications for the one are rhe fame as the qualifi- 
 cations, for the other.*' And I will add, "Thefe 
 ordinances as they refpecl the" infant, " fland upoa 
 a level. And the qualifications for the one are the 
 fame as the qualification for the other." We have no 
 more fcripture for infant-baptifm than for infant-com- 
 munion — that is, none at all for either. 
 
 I canuQt fludy what Mr. Emmons can advance in 
 favour of infant-baptifm. Other psedobaptifts fay, the 
 covenant made with Abraham was the covenant of 
 grace ; and as he was required to circumcife his chil- 
 dren, we ought to baptize ours. But Mr. Emmons 
 fays, " that the covenant of Abraham ought to be 
 confidered as totally diilindt from the covenant of 
 grace.". And again, " That there is no propriety in 
 arguing from one difpenfation of the covenant of grace 
 to another." He fays, " The truth is we muft learn 
 the peculiar duties of believers under the prefent dif- 
 penfation of the covenant of grace, from the difpenfa- 
 tion itfelf, which enjoins all the peculiar duties which 
 belong to it. If believe^ are now to baptize their 
 children — it is not becaufe they were once obliged to 
 circumcife them.*' 
 
 Other psedobaptifts fay. Infants were formerly in- 
 cluded with their parents in the vifible church, and 
 therefore they ought to be now ; and if fo, then they 
 ought to be baptized. But Mr. Emmons fays, " God 
 required, and the Ifraelites made a credible profeffion 
 of real godlinefs, when they entered into the Sinai cov- 
 enant." And again, he fays, " We cannot allow, that 
 baptized infants, whether fan£tified or unfandified, be-. 
 long to the vifible church»" 
 
1 04 
 
 Now as his penetrating genlous and love of the 
 truth have led him to remove the main pillars, which 
 liave for many years fupported infant-baptifm, notwith- 
 {landing all the difpieafure, which he undoubtedly 
 knew, he would incur from a great majority of the 
 advocates for the praftice ; I cannot but hope, he will 
 foon be enabled to get this human tradition itfelf quite 
 out of the way ; and that he may become as (launch 
 an advocate for baptifm only on a profeffion of faith, 
 as he now is for communion only in that way. 
 
 I have fometimes thought it probable, that I fhould 
 have been a baptiil years before 1 was, had it not been 
 for an idea held up by fome, namely, that God has 
 gracioully promifed parents, if they will be faithful in 
 the difcharge of their duty towards their children, that 
 he will certain-y fanclify them j or at lead that they 
 fliall not die unregenerate. ~ 
 
 But when I was brought to attend clofely to the 
 fubje£l, I could not fee, even if the idea were ever fo 
 well fupported by fcriptuj-e, that it would juflify the 
 baptl:^ing of infants. Nay could we be fure refpeQ:- 
 Ing any infant, that he were certainly fan«3:ified) and 
 therefore belonged to the univerfal tnvifible churchy even 
 this would not jullify lis in baptizing him. Baptifm 
 is that by which, each one, who receives it,' ought to 
 make a perfonal profeffion of his faith in Chrift : it is 
 the anfwer of a good confciencc* 
 
 Should any unbaptized adult give us ever fo *goo J 
 evidence of his being a real faint \ but before baptifm 
 lofe his fenfes, we fhould h*v^e no right to baptize 
 him, although we believed him to be a faint, and truly 
 in the covenant of grace : For no perfon, adult or in- 
 fant, fandified or unfanftified, in covenant or not, 
 ought to be baptized, who does not under flandingly 
 fubmit to this gofpel inflitution. 
 
 The members of every church ought cordially, by 
 their prayers, to dedicate themfelves and their children, 
 and all that they have to God : and to watch over one 
 another, and to fee, as far as in them lies, that each 
 
I05 
 
 member lives in the habitual performance of all ch-rif- 
 tian duties : particularly that every parent pray for 
 and with his children, and endeavour to bring them up 
 hi the nurture, and admonition of the Lord. 
 
 And indeed the children of faithful parents, bapti- 
 zed or unbaptized, as they are favoured with, a pious 
 education, " are under fuperior obligations to religion. 
 But their fuperior obligations wholly refult" (not from 
 their baptifm, if they have ever been baptiled, but) 
 " from their fuperior advantages for light and inflruc- 
 tion." 
 
 From the preceding extrads it may be obferved, 
 that thofe congregational and prefbyterian churches, 
 which admit perfons " to come to the facrament, 
 without a public relation of experiences, as well as a pub- 
 lic profeffion of religion j" are much farther from the 
 practice of the firfl fettlers of New-England, than 
 even the baptifls themfelves. 
 
 How many are the inventions of men ! Even of good 
 men ! Mr. Enwions and Mr. C. Strong fay. Infants 
 are not members of the vifible church, and " that no 
 covenant relation doth exift between God and children 
 on account of their being the children of covenant, 
 or beheving parents ;" but that they ought undoubt-« 
 EDLY to be baptized on fome other account. — Dr» 
 Hopkins 2Sid. Dr. Wejihj, "that the feed mentioned 
 in the promife to Abraham refpe6:ed and comprehend- 
 ed his natural pofterity ;'* and if parents dedicate their 
 children to God, by baptifm, as they ought ; taking 
 hold of the covenant for them by faith ; and perform 
 their duty towards them in other refpeds as they may, 
 and as many parents have done ; their children fhall 
 certainly be faved ; and therefore the children of be- 
 lieving parents ought to be baptized : though they do 
 not promife them the earthly Canaan. — Dr. Lathrop 
 and Mr. Williams have fome other fcheme. And 
 how many other fchemes there are I know not : But 
 one thing is evident ; If a houfe divided againft itfelf 
 cannot Oand, infant-baptifm muft furely fall, 
 
 O 
 
io6 
 
 Thefe gentlemen, mentioned above, are noted char* 
 afters, whofe followers are vaftly numerous. And 
 their different fchemes are not barely different argu- 
 ments brought to prove the fame thing ; but they are 
 direftly oppofite, one to the other. 
 
 In a few centuries after the apoftles, profeffors of 
 Chriftianity went down into Egyptian darknefs ; but 
 now for many years, they have been emerging from 
 ihat darknefs, and laying afide thofe fuperftitious prac- 
 tices, which were then introduced. But (the high 
 places, ii. King. xv. 4.^ infant-baptifm is not yet remo- 
 ved. Perhaps all denominations (unlefs thofe in the 
 Valleys of Fiedmont may be an exception) have more 
 or lefs of popery ftlU cleaving to them. I will not 
 except even the baptifts. But our * psedobaptift bre- 
 thren certainly have fomething, which they are excee- 
 dingly perplext how to maintain on protellant princi- 
 ples ; for the more they endeavour to prove infant- 
 baptifm from the bible alone, -the more dark and 
 obfcure it appears. 
 
 The advocates for infant-baptifm, when they are 
 driven from every other hold, generally fly to the fol- 
 lowing as their lafl refuge ; " It is no where forbidden 
 in the New Teflament, therefore as Abraham was re- 
 quired to circumcife his children, we mufl baptize 
 ours." This is loofe reafoning indeed. " Abraham 
 was commanded to circumcife his male infants on the 
 eighth day ; therefore, without a command, we mufl 
 baptize our infants, both male and female, fometime 
 in infancy; but it is no matter on what day.** Were 
 they pleading for circumcifion, and could they fay. 
 It is no where abrogated in the Neiv Te/^ament, this 
 would have much more of the appearance of an argu- 
 ment. — Or were they pleading for the continuance of 
 Tithes, they might fay, " Tithes were not of Mofes, 
 but of the fathers, Abraham gave tithes, and they were 
 continued under the Mofaic difpenfation, and they are 
 not forbidden in the New Teflament ; therefore peo- 
 ple, ought at this day, to give a tenth part of all their 
 
lo* 
 
 income to their mlnifters.** This reafoning would not 
 be half fo bad. 
 
 As infant-baptifm is not exprefsly named and forbid- 
 den in the New Tejiamcnt^ (any more than infant-com- 
 munion) if it could only be found any where in the 
 Old^ the advocates for thepradice might urge its con- 
 tinuance now, with nearly as much propriety, as 
 Mr. John Cotton urged the killing of heretics. 
 
 Mr. Roger Williams one of the firft fettlers in the 
 {late of Rhode-Ifland, and who gave name to the town 
 oi Providence ^vjz& banilhed from Maflachufetts for his 
 religious fentiments. Some time after he publifhed a 
 book under the title of The bloody Tenet of perfecution 
 for confciencefake. Mr. Cotton wrote aa anfwer to 
 him, which he called, The bloody Tenet wajhed -and 
 made white in the blood of the Lamb. This was printed 
 in London in 1647. ^^ ^^^^ ^^' Williams publilhed 
 a reply in 1651, intitled. The bloody Tenet yet more 
 bloody by Mr, Cotton* s endeavour to ivajh it white. 
 
 As Mr. Williams ** pleaded that the civil fword was 
 never appointed by Chrifl for an antidote or remedy 
 \n fpiritual evils and dangers ; Mr. Cotton denies it, 
 and fays, " It is evident the civil fword was appoint-- 
 *' ec^ for remedy in this cafe, Deut, xiii. and appointed 
 " it was by that angel of God's prefence, whom God 
 " promifed to fend with his people. Exod, xxxiii. 2, x, 
 ** And that angel was Chriil, whom they tempted in 
 *' the wildernefs. i Cor. x. 9. Therefore it cannot 
 ** truly be faid, that the Lord Jefus never appointed 
 *' the civil fword for a remedy in fuch a cafe : For he 
 " did exprefsly appoint it in the old teftament ; 
 ♦' nor did he ever abrogate it in the new. The reafon 
 ** of the law (which is the life of the law) is of eternal 
 ". force and equity in all ages. Thou fJoalt furely kill 
 ^'^ bimbecaufe he hath jaught to thrujl thee away from 
 " the Lord thy God j this reafon is moral, that is, of 
 *' univerfal and perpetual equity to put to death any 
 *' apoftate feducing idolator, or heretic, C. p. 66, 6'j.** 
 In Backus*s Hifiory of the Baptifts in New-England, 
 Vol. I. p. 165, 166. 
 
4^ *|* ^ •#• ■'I* ■4* "^ ' "^ ■^■^ 4i^ •'I* ^ 'i* -^ *§!■ ^ 
 
 I^Jye follow! fig paffages are fome of Mr. Ed. Smarden^s 
 ■ gleanings: and they are here publifhed as the Rev. 
 J OH N Wesley^ s tejiimony in favour of the Bapii/is. 
 
 "As CERTAIN ALSO AS YOUR OWN POETS HAVE SAID." 
 
 St. Paul. 
 
 The following arc Gleakings.^ gathered from Mr. Wes-^ 
 
 ' 't ley's Notes C7Z /Z?^ New Teftainent. 
 
 IVIat, iii,,i6. " T ET pur Lord's fubmitting to bap- 
 * i.- i tifm, teach us an holy exaftnefs 
 
 in the obfervance of thofe in(|titutions, which owe their 
 obligation merely to a divine command. Surely thus 
 it becometh all his followers to fulfil .all righteo-ufncfs.'* 
 
 Afts" X. 47.' ** Van any nian forbid water, thai thefe^ 
 fjjould hot be baptiz^dyWbo ha-v/e r-e'ceivcd the Holy Ghofl? 
 He does not fay they have the. baptifm of the Ipirit, 
 therefore they! do hot need baptifm with wateir; but, 
 juft the contrary, if they have receiyed iY^p ^P^P.!^. t|ien 
 baptize them'with w^ater. ' . -^ ,, y. • - ' ''", 
 
 HoW eafily is this queftion decided, if we will tak^ 
 the, word of God for our judge l! Either men have re- 
 ceived the Holy Ghofl or not. , If they have not, re- 
 pent, faith God, and be baptizedy and ye ffjall receive the 
 gift of the Holy Ghoji. If they have, if they are already 
 baptized witii tlie Holy Ghoft, then who can forbid wa- 
 ierV ■ ;:-.,.'.■ ■. '. ■ V: 
 
 Rom. vi. 4. " We are buf(ed zy/VZ* ^/w-^Ailudilig to 
 the antient manner of baptizing by immersion^— /y?*^/? 
 as Chrift %vas rai fed from the dead by the ^/orj/— glorious 
 •power of the Father, fo we alfo by the fanie power ihould 
 fife again ; and, as he lives a tieNv lifb in Heaven, {0 We 
 JIooiddzvalkih7iewnefsoflife. 'This, fays the Apdftle, 
 our very baptifm reprefehts to us.** 
 
 The following are Gleaninga from his Ecdefiaftical 
 Hiftory : 
 
log 
 
 Century i, Part ii. Chap. iv. Seft. i. "The rites, 
 inftituted by Chriil himfelf, were only two, and thefe 
 defigned to continue to the end of the church here be- 
 low, without ANY VARIATION. Thcfc ritcs were bap- 
 tifm and the holy /upper, which are not to be confider- 
 ed as mere ceremcnies, but alfo as ordinances, accom- 
 panied with a fanftifying influence upon the heart of 
 true chriftians." 
 
 Cent. I , Part ii. Chap. ii. Seft. v. " Nor, at firft, 
 was the diftindion made between chriftians of a more, 
 lefs, or perfect order, which took place afterwards. 
 Whoever acknowledged Chrifl as the Saviour of Man- 
 kind, and made a folemn profeffion of his confidence 
 in him, wasiMMEpiATELv baptized, and received in- 
 to the church." 
 
 Cent. I, Part ii.Chap. iii. Sed. iv. "In the earli- 
 eft times of the church, all whoprofefTed firmly to be* 
 lieve that Jefus was the only Redeemer C5f the world, 
 and who, in confequence of this profeffion, promifed 
 to live in a manner conformable: to the purity of his 
 religion, were received among the difciples of Chrift. 
 This was all the preparation for baptijm then required; 
 and a more accurate inflru£tion in the do<51:rines of chrif- 
 tianity was to be adminiftered to them after it." 
 
 Cent. I, Part ii. Chap. iv. Sect. viii. "The facra- 
 ment oi baptifm was adminiftered in this century, in 
 places appointed for that purpofe, and was performed 
 by IMMERSION OF THE WHOLE BODY in the Water.'' 
 
 I fhall introduce a few more quotations from Mr. 
 Wefley's works to fhew how the beft inftitutlons, are 
 by degrees, altered and corrupted by the folly of fuch 
 men as would fain be wifer than God. 
 
 .In his Ecclefiaftical Hiftory, Century the 2d. Part ii. 
 Chap. iv. Sect. i. he fays, " There is no inftitution fo 
 excellent which the corruption and folly of man will 
 not in time alter for the worfe, and load with additions 
 foreign to its nature and original defign. Such was the 
 fate of chriftianity. In this century many unneceflary 
 rites and ceremonies were added to the chriftian wor» 
 ihip 5 thefe changes, while they deilroyed the beauti- 
 
no 
 
 ful fimplicity of the gofpel, were pleafing to the grofs 
 Hiukitude, who are more dehghted with the fplendor 
 of extern alinftitutioris, than with the native charms of 
 rational and foHd piety." 
 
 Cent. 2, Part ii. Chap. iv. Se£l. ix. " The facra- 
 ment of haptifm-^Ti^ adminillered publicly twice every 
 year, at the feflivals of Eafler and Pentecofl, or Whit- 
 funtide either by the Bijhop or the Prejhyter, in confe- 
 quence of his appointment. The perfons that were to 
 be baptized, after they had repeated the crecd^ confef- 
 fed and renounced their fms, and particularly the Devil, 
 and his works, were immersed under water, and 
 received into Chrift's kingdom by a folemn invocation 
 oi Father, Son, and Hely Ghoji, according to the ex- 
 prefs command of our bleffed Lord. After baptifm 
 they received the Jtg?i of the crofs, were anointed, and, by 
 prayers, 2ii6. ijiipofition ef bcmds, folemnly commended 
 to the mercy of God, and dedicated to his fervice ; in 
 confequence of which they received milk and honey, 
 which concluded the ceremony.** 
 
 From hence we may obferse, how early the ordinance 
 of baptifm was loaded with " Additions foreign to its 
 nature and original defign." And, in a few centuries 
 afterwards, infants were fuppofed to be fit fubje£ts for 
 it. 
 
 Some obfervations on the public baptifm of infants in the 
 Church of England. 
 
 THOSE who firft began to baptize infants, and the 
 Epifcopalians after them (if they go by the an- 
 cient Rubric,^ are nearer in appearance (though not in 
 reality) to the apoftohc practice, than their diflent- 
 ing psedobaptift brethren. For it is evident from 
 the directions for the public baptifm of infants in " The 
 book of common prayer, and adminifiration of the facta- 
 mentf Isfc. — according to the ufe of the Church of Eng- 
 land,'* that they baptize none but thofe, who, in ap« 
 
Ill 
 
 pe?.raiice at leaft, are baptized on a perfonal profeffion 
 of faith. 
 
 Diredlon is given to have baptifm adminiflered on 
 public occafions, Sundays and other holy days, '* be^ 
 caufe in the baptifm of infants^ every nian prcfent may be 
 -put in remembrance of his own profession made to 
 God in his baptifm ;** that is, he is now to remember. 
 HIS OWN PROFESSION, which he made, when, perhaps, 
 he was not ten days old. It is true he cannot remem- 
 ber other things which took place at that early period ; 
 but if there were any fuch thing as his own profeffion 
 made to God in his baptifm^ it is but reafonable to fup- 
 pofe, that he fhould remember that tranfadion. But 
 what did he profefs ? Why furely a great deal. When 
 he was about to be baptized, it wasfaid of him, " This 
 
 INFANT MUST alfo FAITHFULLY FOR HIS PART PRO- 
 MISE by you that are his fureties, (until he come of age 
 to take it upon himfelf) that he will renounce,'* (that 
 is, he himfelf mufl now by them promife) " that he 
 will renounce the devil and all his works, and con- 
 ftantly believe God's holy word, and obediently keep 
 his commandments,'* 
 
 After this the minifter repeats the creed, and inter- 
 ogates the child, thus, " Dofl: thou believe in God 
 the Father, Almighty Maker of heaven and earth ? 
 And in Jefus Chrift, his only begotten Son our Lord ? 
 &c." 
 
 Anfiver* " All this I fledfaftly believe. 
 
 Minifter, *' Wilt thou be baptized in this faith ? 
 
 Anfiver, " That is my defire. 
 
 Minijler, " Wilt thou then obediently keep God's 
 holy will and commandments, and walk in the fame 
 all the days of thy life ? 
 
 Anfiuer, ^ " I will." 
 
 Here it is evident, that the queftions are put to the 
 infant, and the anfwers are confidered as his ; although 
 it is true they are uttered by the God-fathers and God- 
 mothers. (Or to fpeak lefs profanely and more proper^ 
 ly, odd-fathers, and odd-mothers.) 
 
112 
 
 Now if any perfon ever fo young, profeiTing faith iR 
 Jefus Chnkj faithfully for his part promife, that he will 
 renouuce the devil and all his works, and conftantly 
 believe God's holy word, and obediently keep his com- 
 mandments, and walk in the fame all the days of his 
 life, he ought fureiy to be baptized. Nor do I know 
 of any baptifl, who would be difpofed to forbid water, 
 that any perfon really, y^'///j/M//y, and underftandingly 
 promifmg, and profelTmg all this, lliould not be bap- 
 tized. 
 
 As to the mode too, it is evident that the Church of 
 England did formerly (however they may difpenfe with 
 it in our day) prefer the apoftolic praftice : for it is 
 written in the Rubric, " Then the pried (hall take the 
 child into his hands , and flo all fay to the Godfathers and 
 God-mothers^ Name this Child. And then namingit af- 
 ter them, ( if they fhall certify him that the child may 
 well endure it, J hef]:all dip it in the zcater difcreetly and 
 warily, faying, N. I baptize thee, in the name of the 
 Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghoit. 
 Amen. 
 
 ■ But if they certify that the child is weak, itfhallfuf- 
 ficeto pour water upon it, faying the af oref aid words. ^^ 
 
 It feems fprinkhng would not do a.t all. If the child 
 be hale, and may well endure it, it is faid the priefl 
 "fhall DIP IT IN WATER." " But if they certify that 
 the child is weak,^^ (there is no other exception, only 
 if it be weak and cannot endure dipping) '-^ it fkdll 
 fvffice," it is not fo good, but then as the child is fick, 
 " itfhdlfiffi.ce to pour water upon it.** 
 
 " Then the priejifhall fay, — We receive this child 
 into the congregation of Chrift's flock ; and do* fign 
 him with the fign of the crofs, in token that hereafter 
 he fhall not be afhamed toconfefs the faith of Chrift. 
 crucified, and manfully to fight under his bHiner againfl: 
 fm, the world, and the devil ; and to continue Chrift's 
 faithful foldler and fervant unto his lifes end. Amen. 
 
 " Then the priefi Jhall fay.— -S&tm^ now, dearly be- 
 
 * Here the frirj} JJjttH make a crofs u fan the cbH^d: ferebead. 
 
US 
 
 loved brethren, thdit this child is regeneraieznd grafted 
 into the body of ChriftS Church; let us give thanks 
 unto Almighty God, for thefe benefits, and with one 
 accord make our prayers unto him, that this child may 
 lead the reft of his life according to this beginning. 
 
 " Then /hall the prie/lfay,'^We yield l;hee hearty 
 thanks, m oft merciful Father, that it hath pleafed thee 
 to regenerate this infant with thy holy fpirit, to receive 
 him for thine own <■/:?//</ by adoption, and to incorporate 
 him into thy holy Church. And humbly we befeech 
 thee to grant, that he being dead unto fin, and living 
 unto righteoufnefs, and being buriei^ with Chrift in 
 his death, may crucify the old man, and utterly aboliih 
 the whole body of fin ; and that as he is rticide partaker 
 of the death of thy fon, hemzj alfo be partaker of his re- 
 furredion ^ fo that finally with the refidue of thy holy 
 Church he may be an inheritor of thine everlafting king- 
 dom, through Chrift our Lord. Amen." 
 
 We find no account of infant baptifm in the bible^ 
 nor in any other authentic hiftory until the third cen- 
 tury ; but in this century^ hiftory informs us that, /k- 
 fant'baptifm, i?ifant communion, godfathers and god-mo^ 
 thers were all in ufe. They are all connedted, and 
 were introduced about the fame time, and they un- 
 doubtedly all ought to live or die together. 
 
 When fome had eroneoully imbided th^ idea, that 
 baptifm wa5 regeneration, and that it was impoflible 
 for anunbaptized perfon to be faved^ they felt as if it 
 were neceflary for them to baptize their infants, and 
 their fick, who had not been baptized. But as infants 
 were not capable of making a perfonal profeffion of 
 their faith in Chrift, and as they could find no fcrip- , 
 tural warrant for baptizing without fuch a profeflion ; 
 they were obliged to invent their godfathers and god- 
 mothers, and to confider their anfwers as if given by 
 the infants themfelves. 
 
 And as they thought it might haften the death of a 
 fick perfon, whether an adult or an infant, to baptize 
 
 P 
 
,1.14 
 
 hiiT!, theyinynSQrted ppunng, ol" fprinkling, inftead df 
 baptizing. -And, if we may give credit to hiflory, for 
 cfpme hundreds of years after Ghrift, and even after 
 infant-baptifm was introduced, all except the clinicks 
 (that is, thofe who w^re fick or confined to bed) were 
 baptized by immerrion. 
 
 . A rational and : conliftent Bibki/i, would fuppofe, 
 that to be confined by ficknels, would as fully jullify 
 the neglect ofbaptifm, as the tiegleft of the affembling 
 of ourfelves together for public worlhip. There is no- 
 thing in the fcriptures to juftify a negled in the latter 
 inftance, when it can be confijflently avoided, any more 
 than in the former. But God ivill have mercy and not 
 facrtjice. But when thefe human inventions, infant- 
 baptifm and fprinkling, were firft introduced, baptifm 
 was viewed as abfolutely necefTary for falvation ; but 
 hearing and obeying the word of God, were then, as 
 they are in our day, confidered as matters of lefs im- 
 portance. 
 
 ^he reader is now requejied to obferve^ fromthe folloix)- 
 ingextrads, the great difference refpe6ling the fubje6ls 
 of baptifm^ betiveen the Adts of Mr. David Brainardy 
 as 7'ecorded in his yourna^, and the A6ts of the Apof- 
 ties as recorded in the New Tejiament. 
 
 In the Acts of Mr. Braimlrd, it is ^-written, 
 
 LORD*s Day July 21, 1745. — ^' I baptized my in- 
 terpeter and his wife, who were the firft I bapti- 
 zed among the Indians.'* 
 
 ftdy 0.6. — " Baptized my interpreters children." 
 Lord's Day^ November 3. — " I baptized fourteen per- 
 fons of the Indians, fix adults and eight children :— 
 And there was not one of the adults I baptized, but 
 what had given me fome comfortable grounds to hope, 
 that God, had wrought a wprk of fpecial grace in their 
 hearts." 
 
i»5 
 
 November 4.—" Baptized a child this day.— I have 
 now baptized in all forty-feven perfons of the Indians, 
 twenty-three adults, and twenty-four children." 
 
 Lord*s Day, January 5. (1745, 6.) " Baptized two 
 perfons this day ; one adult and one child." 
 
 Lord's Day, February 9.—" Baptized three perfons, 
 two adults afld one child : the adults, I have reafpn to 
 hope, were both truly pious." 
 
 April 2^. — " Baptized fix children this day." 
 
 Lord's Day, June i. 1746. — "I then baptized ten 
 perfons, five adults and five children." ' 
 
 Let us now examine the Acts of the Apoftles. As 
 both they and Mr. Brainard preached among the hea- 
 then, if the praftice of both refpefting (he fubje^ts of 
 baptifm, were aHke, we may exped to find a fimiJarity 
 iri their Journals. '■ Therefore, 'Z,w'^' ■] 
 
 Pleafe to read ASls ii. 41. viii, 12— -17.^ ™' it^^^' 
 jx.^iS.x. 47,48. xvi. r4j i'5,4o'. xvi. 27 — 34. xviii. 
 8: xix. I — 7. xxii, 10— r6. ' 
 
 Thefe paflages, which- contain all the inftances re- 
 corded in the Acts relating to the adminiilration of 
 baptifm by the Apoftles, make their condudj ref- 
 peftingthc fubjefts and mode of baptifm, appear' juft 
 like the conduct of the baptifts in our day. 
 
 Were a perfon ' unacqtiaihted with the chara6tcrs ot 
 Brainard and of the Apoftles, but acquainted with the 
 different denominations, and praftice? of chrillians in 
 this land to read the above quotations; and then be 
 afked, 
 
 " Ofwhat denomination ofChriftians, do you think, 
 was David Brainard ?" 
 
 Would he not reply 1 — " It is probable he was a 
 Prefbyterian ; it is certain he baptized infants or chil- 
 dren, of whom he expreffes no fatisfadlory hope or ev- 
 idence, that they were new creatuaes ; but he bapti- 
 zed men and women on quite a different footing : fov 
 he fays, ' there w'as not one of the adul'ts I baptized, 
 but what had given me fome comfortable grounds to 
 hope,- that God had wrought a work'of fpecial grace 
 in their hearts.' 
 
ii6 
 
 " Brainard rarely^ if ever,. baptized a number of a- 
 dult,§^;wittiout baptising a number, of .children at the 
 fame trmeijBut^ he ; repeatedly baptized children (of 
 jwhom he fays.>n$)thing about having any ' reafon to 
 hope they were.truly pious ;) when he baptized no a- 
 dults at all :. therefore he was, certamly a. pgedobaptift/ 
 
 Should the perfon then be afkedj; — " ©f what de- 
 nomination of chriftians, do you think, were the Apof- 
 tles?" 
 
 Would he not reply ?—" They were nothing but 
 Baptifls ; there is no account df their baptizing mep, 
 women and children^ adults and infants together, nor is 
 there any account of their ever babtizing any infants 
 alone, when they baptized np adults, It is evident 
 they had only one babtifm ; for they baptized only pro- 
 feffed believers ; but they could not fee the heart, and 
 therefore they might b^iptize fome, A\ho were " in the 
 gall of bitternefs, and in^thebond of iniquity." But 
 It is quite pl^in, that they baptized only thofe who, 
 they thought, were.beHevers., Pray attend to their 
 language, all along ;, " T^hey that gladly received his 
 v/ord were baptized/' ,". when they believed Philip, 
 preaching the things concerning the, kingdom of God 
 and the name of .Je(us Chrift, they were baptized both 
 men and women." Children are not added here, as 
 they are in the Ads of Mr. Brainard, " The Eunuch 
 faid, fee, here is water ; what doth hjnder me to be 
 baptized? And Philip faid. If thou believed with alt 
 thine heart thou mayefl. " And he anfwered and faid, 
 I believe Jefus Chrift is the Son of God." " Can any 
 man forbid water, that thefe fliould not be baptized 
 which have received the Holy Ghoft, as well as we.*'' 
 And the houfeholds they baptized were perfon s to 
 whom they fpake the word of the Lord, and whom they 
 called brethren and comforted. " Crifpus, the chief 
 ruler of the fynagogue, believed on the Lord, with all 
 his houfe : and many of th6 Corinthians hearing be- 
 lieved^ and were baptized." After Paul's converfion 
 A^nanias faid to him, " And now why tarrieft thouf 
 
117 
 
 arife and be baptized and walh away thy fins." Thefe 
 Apoflles, as they are called, never fay any thing about 
 baptizing infants, nor exhort their hearers to get their 
 infants baptized. It is evident they were Baptifls. 
 
 " Such, it is likely, would be the language of a 
 Granger to thefe writings : And fuch, it is certain, is 
 the language of many ferious people, who have long 
 ftudied them. 
 
 t^ UoUectlon of aCutnnd, o?i ^Joahtum, 
 
 HYMN I. Particular Metre. 
 
 The practice of ancient Christians. 
 
 I. "^EVER does Truth more ftiine, 
 i-N With beams of Heavenly light. 
 Than when the fcriptures join 
 To prove it true and right : 
 Than when each text doth each explain* 
 And all unite to fpeak the fame. 
 
 1. Thus Peter, who obey'd, 
 What Jefifs faid, was wife, 
 And preach'd as he was led, 
 *' Repent and be baptiz'd : 
 Thus Philip did to th' Eunuch fay, 
 If you believe in Chrift you may. 
 
 J. Paul preach'd the words of grace, 
 Whole houfeholds did believe. 
 And were baptiz'd to Chrift, 
 Whofe Gofpel they'd receiv'd : 
 Thus Baptifls were of ancient date. 
 As facred hiftory does relate. 
 
 4. We fee tis po new thing, 
 To teach, and then baptize, 
 SoChriftians firft began, 
 Chrift's ordinance to prize ; 
 This makes us cheerfully obey. 
 And go as they have led the way. 
 
 5. [Arife my foul ! arife! 
 And {how thy faith and love. 
 In Jefusbe batiz'd. 
 
 And let the churches prove 
 
 Thy faith, tliy zeal, thy ardent flame, 
 
 Thy heart on fire for Jefus name. 
 
ii5 
 
 6. Who from the dead arofe, 
 (As he himfelf is God,) 
 Which teaches us and fhows, 
 Our ranfom-pfice is blood : 
 That we fhould henceforth live anew 
 And lives of love and praife purlue.] 
 
 \Many of the following Hymns were compofed by Mr, 
 John Fellow s,~] 
 
 HYMN II. Long Metre. 
 
 The Commission. 
 
 I. nPHE heavenly King who came tofave, 
 / X Had gain'd the conqueft o'er the grave .; 
 
 The pow'rs of Death- and Hell laid low j 
 And greatly vanifh'd every foe. 
 
 a. And now he flood prepar'd to ri/e, 
 Majeftic to his native fkics ; 
 Affume the robes he once laid down ; 
 And take his fceptre and his crown. 
 
 3. Hislov'd Apoftles round him ftand> 
 Attentive to his laft command : 
 
 When from his lips thefe accents broke ; 
 The heav'ns applauding while he fpoke. 
 
 4. " Rejoice, my friends ! ye chofen few, 
 " Vaft is the prize obtain'd for you : 
 
 " High in the heav'ns I fix my throne ; 
 " And the \rhole fpacious earth's my own. 
 
 J. " Go therefore ! Go, at my command ; 
 " And bear my name thro' cv'ry land : 
 *' Whoe'er belitves what you proclaim ; 
 ** Baptize him in Jehovah's name. 
 
 6. " Then kindly teach them all my ways, 
 " And from their lips to found my prajfe ; 
 " My prefence fhall your work attend, 
 " Till time his circling courfe {hall end." 
 
 6. Thy juft command, Lord, we revere ! 
 We firft thy facred truths decjare ; 
 Then in thy holy name Baptize 
 The men that our high meflage prize. 
 
 HYMN III. Common Metre. 
 
 The Ordinances of Chr'tjl to be preferred in the] 
 primiti've Simplicity, a ThtfT. ii. 15. 
 
 LORD, how delightful to sur eyes 
 Should all tby precepts be ! 
 
iit 
 
 O how fhould wc pieretvc and prize , 
 What was ordain'd by thee ! 
 
 How full of thee, moft gracious Godi 
 
 Thy gofpcl rituals Ihine ! 
 Their nature, end, and ev'ry mode 
 
 Loudly proclaim them thine. 
 
 Should human prudence ever dare 
 
 To frame thy laws anew, 
 How vain would the attempt appear ! 
 
 And how prefumptuous too ! 
 
 Forbid it Lord ! let ev'ry heart 
 Thy wife commands fevere j 
 
 And never from thy word depart. 
 But learn thy worlhip there. 
 
 H' 
 
 HYMN IV. Long Metre. 
 
 Baptifni necejfary to Communion, but not to Salvation. Eph. iv. 5. 
 
 'OW amiable, Eternal God, 
 Is Zieny thy moft blefs'd abode ! 
 We would within thy courts appear. 
 And join thy faints in worfliip there, 
 
 a. But where her tow'rs fublimely rife. 
 The river full in profped: lies : 
 Like Shiloh's hallow'd brook, that flow'd 
 Clofe by the oracle of God. 
 
 3 . Invited to the holy place. 
 Thro' the fair ftream our feet muft pafs 3 
 Such is thy will ; Lord, we obey. 
 And come in thine appeinted way. 
 
 4. Yet Chrift our condefccnding King, 
 Up to his courts above will bring 
 Thofe pious fouls who, through miftake, 
 A difTrent path to Zion take. 
 
 5. Not men, nor means can limit him. 
 Not falling drojis, nor flowing ftream ; 
 He who created man at firft 
 Remembers that we are but daft. 
 
 6. Yet whatfoe'er weak men maintain, 
 But One Baptifm will ftill remain : 
 Which tho' Chrift's wand'ring fheep may mifs, 
 He will not lofe one foul of his. 
 
 M 
 
 HYMN V. jIs the 113 Pfalm. 
 
 Sprinkling )io Baptifm. Luke xii. 50, 
 
 Y foul with humble love purfue 
 The folcmn taik thoa haft in view i 
 
Jt20 
 
 Why Oiould'ft thou murmur or repine > 
 Had not thy Saviour when on earth 
 A Baptifm painful unto death ? 
 
 How dreadful His, compar'd with thine ! 
 
 Think how the wide extended main, ' 
 Exceeds one firtgle drop of rain ; 
 
 Such were the floods, and ftorms of woes, 
 Which overwhelfn'd his righteous head. 
 When ftandingin the finncr's ftead. 
 
 He greatly dy'd to fave his foes. 
 
 Baptifmal waters were defign'd 
 
 To bring this wond'rous fccHe to mind. 
 
 And rcprefent it to our eyes : 
 Can we fuppofe the wrath fo fmall. 
 Which he endur'd to fave us all. 
 
 That fprinkling may for this fuffice t 
 
 Rather than fuch an abjedt thought. 
 Degrading what my Lord has wrought, 
 
 Should take pofleffion of my foul ; 
 Let me in my Redeemer's name. 
 Be plung'd beneath the furging ftream. 
 
 Where the vaft ocean's billows roll ? 
 
 HYMN VI. Long Metres 
 
 Philip and the Etiniuh. Ads viii. 36- 
 
 I. nPHE facred page proclaims a.broad, 
 JL The glories of the fovereign God ; 
 Whofe Providence and Graqe unite. 
 To bring his great decrees to light. 
 
 a. From Ethiopia^ z fun-burnt plains, 
 Where fultry fiimmer ceafeU'fs reigns, 
 An Eunuch chief, of wealth and fame, 
 Towoffliip in the temple came. 
 
 3. Returning home the thoughtful fage 
 Perus'd the deep prophetic page ; 
 Of Jesus read, as on he went. 
 
 But doubted whom the Prophet meant. 
 
 4. By heaven's Command, that moment came 
 Philips a follow'r of the Lamb : 
 
 Him the enquiring prince reCeiv'd, 
 And all the word's lie fpake, believ'd. 
 
 5. Then of his duty well appris'd 
 The Eunuch widi'd to be Baptiz'd : 
 A filver ftream ran full in fight, 
 
 He alks, and foon receives the rite. 
 
 6. He journeys on without delay. 
 In Christ, rejoicing all the way, 
 And tells the Ethiopian race 
 
 The wonders of redeeming Grace. 
 
Hi 
 
 j. Thus willing foul* fucceed> and cUins 
 Within God's houfe a place and naxijr, 
 Better (his gracious proquife runs,) 
 'Than that of daughters, or of fons. 
 
 H y M ;N' mi. longMtn^ ; 
 
 '^btfgurative Meaning of the Ordinance of Baptifm. rgPc^ iii. ix^ 
 
 1. /^ OME, all ye fons df Grace, and view- ' 
 V-4 Yourbleeding SAViouR^sloVfc to y^U'i 
 Behold him fink with heavy woes, 
 And give his life to lave, his foes I 
 
 a. When you behold the facred wavci 
 You fee the emblem of his Grave : 
 Come ! all who would his laws obeyj 
 And view the place where Jesus lay. 
 
 3. But not Death*% adamantine chain,! 
 Could long the mighty LoRP, detain : 
 Behold him chearthc heavy gloom ; ' 
 A nd rife refulgent from the tomb. 
 
 4. When you afcend above the. flood. 
 Then call to mind the riling God : 
 Ye faints, lift up your joyful eyes, 
 Exulting fee your Saviour rife. 
 
 J. Ye too, are buried with,yourLoRi>» 
 Who in the water own his word : 
 Andjoyfully behold therein, 
 An emblem of your death to fin. 
 
 6. Frefh from the ftrcam, and fill'd with love | 
 Far from the tents ef guilt remove : 
 Nobly from ftrength to ftrength proceed. 
 And rife to ev'ry worthy deed. 
 
 HYMN Vm. Short Metre. 
 
 Infiints devoted to God^ but not Baptized, Ads vUi. 361 ic iJ* 
 
 I. /^ REAT Saviour, cqndefcend 
 Vjr To blefs our riling race : 
 Oh may their willing fpirita bend 
 To thy vi^orious Grace ! 
 
 a. *Twould give lis vaft delight 
 Their happinefs to fee : 
 Our warmeft wiflies all unite 
 To lead their fouls to thee. 
 
 But all the race of men, 
 - Are heirs of fin and ftiame : 
 Nor dare we, till they're born agais, 
 Baptize them in thy name. 
 
122 
 
 4. They only who believe, 
 
 Compofe thy church on earth :- 
 Her arms are open to receive 
 None but of heav'nly birth. 
 
 f . Great Goo, thy Spirit pour 
 Upon our inrint feed *, 
 Oh, bring the muchdefir'd hour 
 Which makes them thine indeed ! 
 i. May they receive thy word, 
 Confeisthe Saviour's name. 
 And follow their defpifed Lokd 
 Down to the facred ftream. 
 
 7. Then we our willing race 
 Will to thine altar bring ; 
 There to adore thy fov'reign Grace, 
 And thy falvation ftng. 
 
 HYMN IX. Common Metre. 
 
 Tht Believer conjirained by the love of Chrijl to follow Jbirti inhis Ordinances. 
 
 a Cor. V. 14. and 15. 
 
 I. T~\ EAR Lord, and will thy pard'ning love 
 J-' Embrace a Wretch fo vile I 
 Wilt thou my load ofgiltremoTe 
 And bicfs me with thy fmile. 
 
 ». Haft thou for me the crofs endur'd 
 
 And all the fhame defpis'd ? 
 
 And fhall I be afham'd, G Lord 
 
 With thee to' be BaptizM ? 
 
 i. Dear LoRt), the ardor of thy love 
 Reproves my cold delays : 
 But now my willing footfteps move 
 In thy delightful ways. 
 
 4. I connotftill rebellious ftand ! 
 Let fear and fhame be gone .! 
 This ordinance is thy command ; 
 Thy will my God be done. 
 
 J. [Now I can bid my friends farewel. 
 To pradiceCHRisr's command : 
 This is the road that chriftians go, 
 The way to Cana'ns land. 
 
 6. Young people all, embrace his call. 
 His blefled truth embrace, 
 That you may find tfue happinefs, 
 «*nH fee hinx face to face.] 
 
125 
 
 HYMN X. Common Mitre, 
 
 the Baptifm of Repentance. Adsxix. 4. 
 
 I. /^OME, all ye humble fons of Grace, 
 v-i Who feel the weight of fin ; 
 Confefs before Jehovah's face, 
 How vile your hearts have been. 
 
 «. If you fincere repentance feel 
 For ev'ry hateful ftain ; 
 Jesus your broken heart will heal, 
 Jesus will make you clean. 
 3. To the Baptifnial water come 
 
 Christ's own appointed way, 
 The emblem of your Saviour's tomb ; 
 O ! come without delay. 
 
 <|. Welcome you are, and you alone. 
 This facred rite to Ihare ; 
 To nat'ral men can ne'er be known 
 What heav'n has taught us here. 
 
 5. Herewith admiring eyes we view 
 Our dying, rifing Lord : 
 Thro' Grace refolve to live anew 
 Obedient to hia word. 
 
 €. Eternal God, thy pow'r difplay 
 To wound and heal the heart : 
 Thee may thy people all obey, 
 Nor from thy will depart. 
 
 ••A 
 
 HYMN XI. Long Metre. 
 
 The Penitent. Ads xvi. 13. 
 
 LAS, my foul ! how black thy ftain ! 
 Thy guilt how great ! Thy hopes how vain ! 
 How heavy the enormous load ! 
 How dire the vengeance of a God ! 
 
 %. How fhall I 'fcape, where fljall I turn ! 
 Does not his wrath relentlefs burn , 
 Againft the men who durft defpife 
 The mighty ruler of the Ikies ! 
 
 3. Does not his juftice urge the claim 
 Due to the honours of his name ? 
 Methinks I fee his arm difplay 'd 
 
 To crufti the wretch his hands have made. 
 
 4. Yet his kind hand the ftreke delays, 
 The lifted arm of vengeance ftays ; 
 O ! may I then lift up my eyes. 
 And hope for mercy from the fkies ? 
 
 i. Yes, I behold a ray of light 
 
 Beam thro' the darknefs of the nigkt ; 
 
114 
 
 Yonder I fee the crofs a{)pclir. 
 
 And all the tempeft driving there. 
 
 6. Now from my fight the clouds remote. 
 And heav'n's pure azure fhines with Iotc j ■ 
 Bright as a fun, my Loro, I fee, ' 
 He groan 'd, he bled, he dy'dfor me I 
 
 7. Amazing Grace ! and ftiall I ftill 
 Prove difobcdient to his will ; 
 Shall I decline thro' ihame or fear 
 To feek his grave, and findhim there J 
 
 8. Ah no ! dear Lord, the wat'ry tomji 
 Belongs to thee, and there I come : 
 Thence may I in thy libencfs rifcj, 
 Aftd follow thee above the Ikica. 
 
 HYMN XI!. Commm Metre. 
 
 The importance of Divine Injiitutions. Ads ii. 38, 
 
 I. C TRUCK with the brigbtnefs of thy crown, 
 *^ Almighty King of Grace 1 
 We lay rebellious reafonings down. 
 And to thy word give place. 
 
 ». Our thoughts attempt thy ways in vain j 
 Kow oft w^ blindly fear ! 
 And When our reas'ning pow'rs we ftrain, 
 'Tis but to err the more. 
 
 3. But error fhrinks before thine eye : 
 
 Thou fit'ft enthron'd in light : 
 Hcav'n Earth, and Hell uncover'd lie, 
 And open to thy fight. 
 
 4. Then may we to thy ways adhere. 
 
 And follow thee alone : 
 Teach us thy wifdom to revere, 
 And to diitruft our own. 
 
 5. If thine exampTc, and thy word 
 
 Condn<^ us to the flood ; 
 Shall human wifdom be prefer'd ! 
 Shall we be deaf to God ; 
 
 6. What, if the World*s contemptuous pride 
 
 Thy facred truths gainfay : 
 Shall that fet thy commands afide ! 
 And fhall not we obey ! 
 
 7. We own thee. Lord, fupremely wife. 
 
 Thy ways are right and fit ; 
 Our wifdom in obedience lieSj 
 'Tis honour to fnbtAH. 
 
125 
 
 HYMN XIII. Long Metn. 
 
 ^ fhe Ifraelites Baptized in the Sea. i Cor. X. 3. 
 
 ?• '\"X7'^EN I/raencft th' Egyptian coaHiy 
 
 VV With fpecd they pals'd o'er Zom*s plains 
 "' Their leader wais the Lorb of Hosts ; 
 He broke th' infulting tyrant's chains. 
 
 3. Their march they took by heav'n's command ; 
 Acrofs the d.cep their journey lay : 
 Nor mufl they enter Canaan's land, 
 Till firft they'er buried in the fea. 
 
 3. Hard were they prefs'd on cv'ry fide j 
 
 On right and left huge recks appear. 
 In front the fea, vaft, horrid, wide, 
 While Pharaoh thunders on the rear, 
 
 4. The tribes ftand ftill in wild difmay ; 
 
 But heav'n in mercy hears their cry : 
 "March on" fays God" without delay ; 
 " I'll found falvation from on high." 
 
 5. Advancing where the furges roar, 
 
 They wonderful deliv'rancc found : 
 In fafety reach'd the farther fliore. 
 And faw their proud oppreflbrs drown*4? 
 
 6. So Ifrael's fons, the heirs of Grace, 
 
 Freed from the cruel yoke of fin, 
 Muft thro' Baptifmal waters pafs ; 
 And thus the way to heav'n begin. 
 
 7. Tho' they with trembling fteps attend, 
 
 Opprefs'd with fears of various kind ; 
 
 Yet they at Christ's command defccnd. 
 
 And rifing, leave their fears behind. 
 
 t. Now like the Ifraeliti/h band. 
 
 They fing their great Deliverer's praife, 
 March boldly to the promis'd land, 
 And reap the fruit of conqu'ring Grace. 
 
 HYMN XIV. Long Metre. 
 
 The Duties of Baptized Chriflians. Mat. iv. i. 
 
 S. TTTHEN the Eternal Son or God, 
 
 VV Had been Baptiz'd in Jordan's flood j 
 To the lone defert he repairs. 
 And fore temptation firmly bears. 
 
 %. Should you that have been now Baptiz'd, 
 Be thus with Satan's darts furprij'd ; 
 Lift up to heav'n your wifhful eyes. 
 Your hope, your help in Jesus lies. 
 
 3. Never prefume to think or fay 
 
 The ftream has w^fh'd your fins away : 
 
12:6 
 
 Never depend on what's your own. 
 Nor truft to works or duties done. 
 
 4. Each rite which truth and love ordain, 
 Points to the Lamb that once was flain ; ' 
 Our wand'ring thoughts to him thty call. 
 The centre and the foul of all. 
 
 5. Baptiz'd with Christ, be it your aim 
 To dignify the Chnfli^a nanne : 
 With him afpire to things above, 
 And put on Christ in faith and love. 
 
 HYMN XV. Common Metre. 
 
 The duties of Baptized Cbrif/ia7is. 1 Pet. ii. 9. 
 
 I. ~ST^ happy converts who have trod 
 X The way your Saviour calls ; 
 Have given up yourfelves to God, 
 And dwell within his walls. 
 
 a. With higheft rev'rence, as is due, 
 Regard his righteous laws ; 
 Your Saviour now commits to you. 
 The honour of his caufe. 
 
 3. Thepow'rs of i7if//with watchful care 
 
 Will each advantage take ; 
 And pour the thunder of their war 
 Thro' ev'ry breach you -make. 
 
 4. A wicked world with ceafclefs fpitc 
 
 Will mark the way you go : ^ 
 
 Be then your condud fair as light, 
 And filence ev'ry foe. 
 
 5. Shou'd cares and troubles crofs your road^ 
 
 And many fuch there may ; 
 Each day addrefs your cries to Goii, 
 And watch as well as pray. 
 
 i. Let Christ your fervent love demand. 
 His laws be your delight ; 
 Strong in his ftrength rejoicing ftand> 
 And put your foes to flight. 
 
 7. He'll free your fouls from all diftrcfs. 
 And make each trouble ceafc : 
 His ways are ways of pleafantnefa, 
 ^nd all his paths are peace. 
 
 HYMN XVL Short Metre, 
 
 The Dnties of Baptized Chriftians. C©1. lii. 1%.. 
 
 I. A LL you that in the flood 
 
 ^^ Have own 'd your holy Lord ; 
 
127 
 
 And to his people join'd yourfelves 
 According to his word. 
 
 ft. In Zio7i you muft dwell, 
 Her alter ne'er Ibri'ake ; 
 Muft come to all her folemn feaftSf 
 And all her joys partake. 
 
 3. She muft employ your thoughts, 
 
 And your unceafing care : 
 Her welfare be your conftant wifli, 
 And her increafe your prayer; 
 
 4. With humblenefs of mind, 
 
 Amongft her Ions rejoice : 
 A meek and quiet fpirit is 
 \ With God of higheft price, 
 
 5. Never offend or grievfe 
 
 Your brethren in the way ; 
 But Ihun the dark abodes of ftrifc. 
 Like children of the day. 
 
 i. Highly in love efteem 
 
 Your Paftors in the Lord ; 
 The means of life on them beftoWj 
 Who labour in the word. 
 
 HYkN XVIL LengMtire. 
 
 Difconragements removed. John viii. is. 
 
 I. 'Y'E youths and virgins all, who wait 
 i Continually at Zion's gate ; 
 Ye who delight in Wifdoni's ways, 
 And love to fpeak Immanael'spraife. 
 
 a. Ye who your native vilcnefs mourn. 
 And to the great Redeemer turn : 
 Who fee your wretched ftate by fin ^ 
 *' Ye bleffed of the Lord, come iH." 
 
 ^. Let not the world with.Chrift divide 
 The wav'ring heart of his young bride ^ 
 Nothing in, earth, or heav'en above, 
 Like him, is worthy of yotir love. 
 
 4. All that is dear on earth forfake, 
 And Jefus for your leader take : 
 Follow the Lamb where'er he goes ; 
 Nor dread the number of your foes. 
 
 5. Confer no more with flefh and blood, 
 Prefs on ! by whomfoe'er withftood ; 
 Your Captain fhall the conqueft gain j 
 Earth, Uellf and 5/« fhall rage in vain. 
 
 6. Profefs your faith in Jefu's name ; 
 Follow him baldly thro' t^e Arcaiu ; 
 
121 
 
 Your fellow faints in ancient diys 
 
 Thus own'd their God, and lov'd his wayi. 
 
 Steady like them obey your Lord ; 
 Enter his Church ; feaft on his word ; 
 Till Angels thro' the fkies proclaim 
 The marriage fupper of the Lamb. 
 
 H Y M ]^T XVIIL Long Metre. 
 
 The Blood ofChriJl cUanfeth from all Sin. i John it- %'> 
 
 I. TESIJS, itiy Saviour and my King, 
 J To thee my grateful heart I bring : 
 Thou art all glorious in my eyes : 
 On thee my whole dtpendance lies. 
 
 ». Thou haft been flain, OLamb of God ! 
 Thou haft redeem 'd me with thy blood : 
 Thine atm alone can fet me free ; 
 My whole falvation refts on thee. 
 
 3. I will not build en what's my own,- 
 Or truft to works or duties done ; 
 On thee alone my hopes I place, 
 My only refuge is thy Grace. 
 
 4. Not mine own arm can me fuftain : 
 No outward wafliings make me clean i 
 N© works of mine my debt can pay : 
 No tears can wafh my ftains away. 
 
 5. No ordinances can atone, 
 
 But only make my Saviour known ;' 
 They may as emblems brightly fhine. 
 But all the work, my God, is thine. 
 
 6. The fountain thou haft ever been, 
 Whofe ftreams can wafh away my fin i 
 Wafli me, oh ! wafh me, in the flood* 
 That evcr-cleanfing ftream, thy Blood. 
 
 HYMN 5tiX. Ung Metre. 
 Thi Ordinances of Chrifl tend to promote praSical Godlinefi. Rom. Vi. i. 
 I. A LL you that in the facred flood 
 
 -Tx Have humbly own'd your Saviour God; 
 His great command lies on you ftill j 
 All righteouinefs you muft fulfil. 
 
 With fcrup'lous care the hypocrite 
 Attends to each external rite, 
 While Juftice, Truth, and Faitli depart* 
 And all religion of the heart. 
 
^ip 
 
 J. For weightier matter* of the Lavr, 
 He feels no zeal » nor love, nor aw$ ; 
 And feeks by rituals to atone 
 For fins and follies he has done. 
 
 4. But the enlight'ned foul purfues 
 The call of God With diff'rent views t 
 He round a nobler centre tnoves, 
 And he obeys becaufe he loves. 
 
 5. Ifhe attend the preached word, 
 He waits a vifit from his Lord ; 
 Or at each ordinance appear, 
 
 He humbiy hopes to meet him there, 
 
 6. And if IWMANUEL thews his face,) 
 And blefs the feafon with his grace ; 
 With ftrength repcw'dthe faint proceed* 
 In heav'nlylove ilid righteous deeds. 
 
 M 
 
 H y M N XX. i. M, 
 
 Salvationin tht (trk ajigurecff Baptifni 
 
 1. "1 X^HEN th' artti6nt\Krorld God's PatienCe try*<J 
 
 V V Arid long hi« thrcatriing vengeance dar'd, 
 The righteous Noah favoiir found, 
 His family alone wais fpar'tl. 
 
 2. In fecret chaimber-s of ^tlie A^k 
 They all fecure frcJih dariger lie, 
 
 When th' ocean's bank's wete broke, andfloftdl 
 Burfl throi^gh t<he windows of the Sky. 
 
 3. Proud Waters o'e^ the mountains roll j 
 And common ruin V^idely fpread j 
 
 Yet the blefs'd Patriarch*s houfe futfvivesj 
 When all mankind befide were dead. 
 
 4. At the Almighltx's 3,wful word. 
 The obfequious floods retire again ; 
 And Noah from-l^is miftick .tornb 
 Peoples the ruin'^d earth with men, 
 
 5. So to rellore a world o*er whelm'd 
 With guilt and mifery, dead in Sins, 
 
 Our S AVroURt-in^Wqm the^favcj ^ ; 
 Another race of jhenbe^in?'; '" '" i 'V! i 
 
 6. Hew Creatures of a h^^Veply forrrt, 
 Whofe fouls his' faci^d intake bear ; 
 While dead to fm, they live to 6pij 
 And-fpotlelji-in- white robes appear, 
 
 7. Bury'd in their Redeemer's Grave, 
 With him they live, with him they rife % 
 
 R 
 
13© 
 
 Wliile the loft race of human kinci 
 Delug'd with fin and ruin lies. 
 
 8, O happy fouls whom grace revives 1 
 Their bodies too their LORD will raifc, 
 Refin'd and fit for holy fouls, , i,. 
 
 To fee his face, and fing his praife. 
 
 HYMN XXI. L.:M. 
 
 Buried with Chtiji in Baptifm. 
 
 I. /^UR Lord was once all plung'd in Tears^ 
 V>^ And bath'd in bloody Sufferings too : 
 What Fountain was requir'a to wafh 
 Our guilty Souls, his wounds wilT fhow ! 
 
 s* This wondrous grace to repTcfent 
 Baptifmal waters were defign'd, 
 In v/hich our LORD, was bury'd too, 
 Co his great Father's will refign'd, 
 
 ^ Thus penitents who die to fin, • • '; • y' 
 , W;th him are; l?ury'4 in his Grave ; v v 
 Thus quicken'd to a life divine, 
 Their fouls a refurreftion have. 
 
 4* And tho' their bodies turn to duft, 
 This holy fymbpl does ^ffivre^ 
 . The refurreftion of the juft 
 Shall render them all bright, and pure. 
 
 g. Made liHe his body ours fhaU be. 
 
 When Chrift, who is .our life, appears ; 
 Who to procure us lifej\ya&<€>nce 
 Baptiz'd ia hii own blood aad Tears* 
 
 ' w 
 
 H Y ivi N xxtr: c. ii/. 
 
 Baptized intfie Cioud.and in the Sea. 
 HEN from Egyptian,,{laveiy; 
 
 The Hebrews, .wore Ted^srm'd, 
 The parted Seas ari^,t:pyerir}gcloud 
 A grave to Ifrael fdem'jd : 
 
 t. But foon the joyful tribes emerge, 
 And flltedupdn the fhore, 
 With grateful Hearts and tuneful tongues 
 Their Saviour's Name adore. 
 
131 
 
 g. He made tV obfcqulous waves retire, 
 His favourite tribes to favc ; 
 Made them a way to liberty, 
 Where Egypt found a grave. 
 
 4. Thus Jacob's fonsbaptiz'd of old 
 To Mofcs in the Sea,' "" " 
 Sav'd by God's arm, themfelves devote 
 His ftatutes to obey. 
 
 g. So from the Bondage of our Sins, 
 Redeem'dby fovereigti grace, 
 We thro' his watry fepulchrc 
 Our Saviour's footficps trace. 
 
 ^. Our Sins, the worfl: of Enemies, 
 Are in a figure, drown'd ; 
 To a new life our Souls are rais'd, 
 With tender mercy ctown'd. 
 
 7. To thee, O Jefus, may wC live. 
 Devoted to thy fear ; 
 Thee will we love, thee will wcpraifc, 
 And all thy laws revere. 
 
 HYMN xxnr. L. M. 
 
 1, TXTHEN fam'd Bethefda's waters flow'dj 
 
 V V By a defcending Angel mov'd j 
 The wona'rous Pool a fovereign Bath 
 For every pain and ficknefs prov'd. 
 
 2, Hither diftemper'd crouds repair, 
 Hither the feeble, lame, and blind ; 
 The firft who fteps into the fpring, 
 Leaves his difeafe and pains behind. 
 
 J. That languifhing and dying fouls 
 A nobler cure might freely meet, 
 The Son of God came down and ftir'd 
 Baptifmal waters with his feet, 
 
 4. Lord, in this rite we thee would own. 
 As the firft Chriftians led the way : 
 Here we juft fee the vale of death, 
 Then view the Refurreftion Day. 
 
 5. Tis by thy death our fouls are heal'd, 
 Our broken hearts aiTuagc their pain ; 
 Our Spirits ^rc with life infpir'd, 
 
 They breathe, they move, they rife agaig.- ^ 
 
i3« 
 
 6, With lowly minds, and lofty fongSj 
 Let all admire the Saviour's Graee^ 
 Till the great rifiag Day reveal 
 Th' immortal glory of his face. 
 
 HYMN XXIV. Long Metre. 
 Sprinkling falls Jhort of ^aptifm — Infants not te i(f B<ip\izei. 
 
 1. T>LANTED togethetas we read, 
 X. In likenefs of his death, 
 
 I think we mull be all agreed, 
 That fprinkling's fomcthing lefs. 
 
 2, For how does fprinkling Ihow his death^ 
 
 In any fenfe at all ? 
 Dipping I'm fure muft be the mode, 
 All others fhort will fall. 
 
 J. Primitive praftiee likewife fhows, 
 They to tlie water came ; 
 Philip did with the. Eunuch go 
 Into and out again. 
 
 4. We do not find a bafon fent 
 
 To bring the water near ; 
 No, Chrift our Lord' to Jordan ■wtni. 
 
 And was baptized tkefe. ■' ' "I ''^nl'^j^ }' 
 
 5. Both men and women were baptiz'd,' 
 
 By fcripture we are iJiown; 
 But not a child of infant fize, 
 No, not fo much as one. 
 
 6. At firft, Chriftians true faiith prbfeft'd, 
 
 Before this aft wa^ done : 
 Subjefts and tnode art ftill the fame, 
 We to the water come. " i:..- <,■■' 
 
 7. Chrift vyre'll praife, our rif'n, glpnousKi^g^ 
 
 Obey and give him thanks;, J' |; ._•, ^ 
 Once he was bury'd in the grave,' '^ • i 
 And once down Jofddu's banks* 
 
 HYMN XXV. CQmmo^■ Metre. 
 
 A practical improvement of Baptifm. Col, iii, I. 
 
 |« Attend, ye children of yiour Qd«l ; 
 Ye heirs of glory hear; ^ V^-' -P 
 
*S3 
 
 For accents fo divine as thcfe 
 Might charm the dulleft ear. 
 
 «. Baptiz'd into youv Saviotir's death, 
 Your fouls to hn muft die, 
 With Chnft your Lord, yc live anew, 
 With Chrift af jcnd on high. 
 
 3. There by his Father's fide he fits, 
 Enthron'd divinely fair ; 
 Yet owns himlelf your brother ftill, 
 And your forerunner there. 
 
 4. Rife from thefe earthly trifles, rife 
 
 On wings of faith and love ; 
 Above your choiccft treafurclies, 
 
 And be your hearts above. 
 
 5. But earth and ftn will drag us down, 
 
 When we attempt to fly ; 
 Lord, lend thy (Irong attraftive power 
 To ra^fe, and fix us high. 
 
 6.i We wifh to join theblefled throng, 
 Who fing around the throne, 
 Begin anew the living fong, 
 GRACE, GRACE, and GRACE ALONE. 
 
 w 
 
 The following Ode may with propriety, be ufed at any 
 time ; but it is peculiarly adapted to a baptifmal occa- 
 fion^ or to the funeral of a pious perfon* 
 
 Submijfton : — A Sapphic ODE. 
 
 HY fliould vain mortals tremble at the fight of 
 Death and defliruclion in this vale of trouble 
 Where pain and^nguifh fill the world with horror, 
 Sounding with death groans. 
 
 Death will invade us by the means appointed, 
 And we muft all bow to the king of terrors ; 
 Nor am I anxious, if I am prepared, 
 
 What fhape he comes in. 
 
 Infinite goodncfs teaches us fubmiffion, 
 Bids us be quiet under all his dealings ; 
 Never repining, but for ever praifing 
 
 God our Creator. 
 
 Well may we praife him « a ll his ways arc pcrfcft, 
 Though a lefplcndencq, infinitely glowing, 
 
 
1 ^4 
 
 Dazzles in glory on the fight of mortals, 
 
 Struck blind by luflre. 
 
 Good is Jehovah in beflowing Sunfhine, 
 Nor lelshis goodncfs in the dorm and thunder ; 
 Mercies and judgments both proceed fromkindnef;;, 
 ' Infinite kindnefs. 
 
 O then exult that God forever reigneth ; 
 Clouds, which around him hinder our perception. 
 Bind us theflronger to exalt his name, and 
 Shout louder prail'es. 
 
 Then to the wifHom of* my Lord and mafter, 
 1 will commit all that I have or wifh for ; 
 Sweetly as babes flccp will I give my life up, 
 When call'dtoyield it. 
 
 Saints by immerfion J'ving faith profefs in 
 jefus, who dy'd for vile and wretched Sinners, 
 That we fhould henceforth live to him, who only 
 Saves us from ruin. 
 
 Then, as Chrift Jefus from the earth arofe, and 
 As we rife from the liqiiid grave when baptiz'd, 
 Sp Saints lliall wake to evcrlafting life, and 
 Sing eeafelefs anthems. 
 
 • Well may the finceie ChrinTian be jefigned to all the events of Di- 
 vine Providence : For the gofpel contains exceeding great and precious 
 promifes lor all, v.ho truly love Cod, who arc the called according to hie 
 purpofc! ' The real faint has forriething to fupport himunderall the dif- 
 iTcultiv'S and trials ot the prefcnt life : Yea, when called, he may cheer- 
 fully refign his body to the duft, 3.nA/iueetly_Jeef in the grave ; for, by 
 liis baptilin he has profelled cordially to believe in a buried and rifea 
 Savioury v.'ho has become the firft fruits of thern.that llept ; and that 
 when he 'ill appear, all his real friends, and followers Ihall be raifed 
 in his Ubcnefs, and alfo appear y,'itb him in glory. ♦' For if we believe, 
 that Jefus died, androfc again, even fo them alfo which fleep^ in Jcfus, 
 will God bring with him - — For the Lord hipifelf iball dcfcend from 
 hcaven with a ihout, vvith the voiceof th» archangel, and with the trump 
 ot God : and the dead in Chrift Ihall rife lirft : Then we," that is, the 
 faints, then on earth, " which arc alive, and remain, (hail be caught up 
 together wi«h them in the clouds, to meet the Lord ia the air : and fa 
 Ihall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore, comfort on? another witk 
 rfiefe words," i , TheHaloniaus, fourth chapter. 
 
^3S 
 
 MxfrdSl of.aLetierfrointhc Reverend Dn. Robb!ns, 
 Mini/ier of Plymouth, Majfachufcts, in America .^ t» 
 his Friend in England.; dated 31/? May 1793. 
 
 I AM. happy to inform you, that there is a great num- 
 ber of places in the United States, where there has 
 been, and (till is, a happy appearance of a glorious work 
 of God, in the revival of religion ; which affords a 
 joyful evidence that God has not forfaken our guilty 
 land ; but that he is determined to %ork for his own 
 name's fake, and, by " building tip Zion to appear in 
 his glory." — But O ! how fhall I, with becoming grat- 
 itude and humility, defcribe to you the joy which the 
 friends of Zion have had, in beholding the wonderful 
 Work's of God's grace in this town, for about four 
 months paft ? I have never feen any thing like it, du- 
 ring my miniftry here for thirty-three years. The di- 
 vine Work began in January laft. Nothing fpecial in 
 Providence, no mortal iicknefs, no particular calamitVi 
 had taken place among us, to roufe the attention of the 
 people. We had been for a long time in a ftate of 
 awful eareleffnefs, as to the things of another world. 
 Duriiig lad fummer tmd fail of the year, there appear- 
 ed an uniifual flupidityi Irteligion, profartenefs, and 
 diforder among the youth, profligacy of manners, er- 
 ror, delufion, and an amazing inattention to the word 
 and Ordinances of God, and to divine things j feemed 
 to mark our character as a people > Though even then 
 we had fome wreftling Jacobs, who ufed to meet week- 
 ly for focial prayer, and earndlly to implore the efFu- 
 fion of the Holy Spirit. But the general appearance 
 was exceeding dark ; and pious Chriftians were ready 
 to look out for fome fore and terrible judgment upon 
 us* Indeed it appeared to me that we were nearly 
 ripe, either for ruin, or the difplay of fovereign grace, 
 and that God would foon fayj " I have feen their fr6- 
 ward ways, and will dejiroy^ or I will heal them." The 
 event feems to have proved that free and infinite grace 
 had determined on the latter. It pleafed God, as with 
 "a ftill fmali voice," by th^ fecret but powerful influ- 
 
136 
 
 ence of his bleiled Spirit, to awaken the attention of 
 one, and another, and another, to a folemn concern for 
 th€ welfare of their immortal fouls. This at length 
 became known to many others j and there being 
 fomething peculiar in the cilxumflances and charaders 
 of thofe who were firfl awakenedi, it excited rather an 
 unulual furprife in the minds of thofe who heard of it^ 
 and foon appeared to have a defirable effeft uponj ma- 
 ny. From this f^iiall begirining the work has ever 
 fmce increafed- — till it has become in a great meafure 
 general, as to ferious impreffions throughout the town. 
 Very many there are, I may fay fcores if not hundreds, 
 whofe minds are folemnly impreifed with the impor- 
 tance of everlailing things. Indeed the face of the 
 town, and the general appearance and conduft of the 
 inhabitants, are furprizingly altered* There is a re- 
 markable 'vif.ble reformation of manners, efpecially a- 
 mong the youth and children, who had been before ve- 
 ry rude and diforderly* With refpett to the latteij 
 there is fomething very extraordinary and; afFedingi 
 There is reafon to hope that feveral of thefe children 
 have at this time experienced a faving change^ Thcfe 
 hrfl propofed the plan, and the r^ft readily came into 
 it, to meet twice a week, in the evenings, for religious 
 exercifes and converlation about their fouls, and the 
 things of another world* They have held thefe meet- 
 ings now for three months or more, in dift'erent hpufes^ 
 by the confent of their parents. They frequently a- 
 inount to fixtyj feventy, eighty, and once at my houf^ 
 to the number of ninety-two. They are by therafelves. 
 Thofe whom I mentioned as hopefully converted, com- 
 monly lead in their exercifes ; and the reft behave, 
 though lb numerous, with the greateft ortjer, fiience, 
 and decency. And it is truly aftonifhing to hear (for 
 they have been overheard frequently by others) the ex- 
 prefllons, the fervour, the folemnity, which are mani- 
 feftin the prayers and praifesof thefe young creatiiUres. 
 They are generally from about the age of feven to fif- 
 teen years — Others, of diii'erent.ages, have; alfoi their 
 
^37 
 
 i-eligious meetings for conference and prayer, reading 
 and fmging, &c. almoft every evening in the week, in 
 Various parts of the town. On Sabbath days, fuch 
 crowded aflemblies, and fuch awful folemnity in our 
 congregation, have never been feen in our day. They 
 appear as if hearing for eternity. We have not hoWi 
 ever had many as yet joined to our communion. I do 
 not encourage them to be fudden in this matter, al- 
 though they may give hopeful evidence of love to 
 Chrift. About twenty have been added to us, but a 
 great many more entertain hopes of having pafTed front 
 death to life : And very many others are now under 
 ferious concern, and appear to be convinced of fm, and 
 anxious in the inquiry " What fhall we do to be fav- 
 ed ?'* Indeed it has appeared, for fome time, that 
 *' God is truly in this place.** Numbers have been 
 brought to bow to the fceptre of Chrift, being " mad^ 
 willing in the day of his power." The dear friends of 
 Chrift, at the fame time^ as you will natui-ally fuppofe, 
 are filled with joy and praife, at thefe tokens of the 
 triumphs of their glorious Redeemer over Satan, thefe 
 iiew trophies of his victory over the powers of darknefs. 
 We have been fome times ready to hope, that this is 
 the commencement of that joyful period, fo ofteft fpo^ 
 ken of in promifeand prophecy, and which has been 
 fo long and fo ardently defired by all who love the ap- 
 pearing and kingdom of Chrift, tbe latter day glory of 
 the Church : At leaft that it may be regarded as fome 
 drops which are a prelude of a more glorious and plen- 
 Wi\x\Jhower of divine influences. May the Lord haften 
 it in his due time ! ■ 
 
 Extra6lef a Letter from a minijier in the United States 
 of America., to his friend in England. 
 
 Philadelphia, May lo, 1793. 
 
 WE have reafon to regret that the kind of preach- 
 ing, which was adopted by the primitive min* 
 ifters of the Chriftian churches, by the reformer? from 
 
 S 
 
I3S 
 
 popery, and by the Scotch and ilnglifh divines of fhrf 
 laft century, has been fo much negleded of late* 
 Though the great body of Prelbyterian and Independ- 
 ent minifters in this country are decided friends to the 
 principles contained in the Weftniinfler Confcffion of 
 Faith, yet there are fome who inchne towards Armini- 
 an fentiments ; and of the profeffed Calvinifts there 
 are not a few who are unacquainted with that fpiritu- 
 ahty in preaching, which at once enters the heart, and 
 warms the rehgious afieftions. Our miniflers in the 
 weflern parts of Pennfylvania and Virginia are, how- 
 ever, in general, warm experimental preachers : In- 
 deed there has been a very general effufion of the Spir- 
 it of God upon the chiirches in that quarter for feveral 
 years pad. I have been a witnefs of mofl remarkable 
 feafbns of grace amongft the people in many counties 
 of Virginia fince the year 1786. Many hundreds of 
 the moft vain and carelefs creatures upon earth have 
 been turned to God amongft the Prelbyterians j and 
 a number of valuable young minifters have been for- 
 med, who are likely to prove of great fervice to the 
 church. In Kentucky, a new iettled-country border- 
 ing on the river Ohio, nearly a thoufand miles from 
 this city, there has been a remarkable revival of the 
 power of religion in many congregations fmce laft 
 ipring. But, alas ! in our cities along. the coaft, Bof- 
 ton, New-York, Philadelphia, and Charlefton, the 
 true fpirit of evangelical piety is much diminifhed. 
 We are not fo much engaged in preaching a& we ought 
 to be ; and a carnal worldly fpirit reigns too much a* 
 mongft our profeffors of religion, who are comparative- 
 ly few, if we confider the nunibers who are entirely 
 and openly devoted to the fervice of Satan. 
 
 The Meihodifts in the late Mr. Wefly's connexion 
 have been very numerous in Maryland and Virginia 
 for fome years, but are now much on the dechne. 
 And indeed it is very remarl?:able that they who con- 
 tinually preach the poffibility of final apoftacy in a 
 Chriftian, in order to excite their people to greater 
 Watchfwluefsj Ihould be the mioft prone to inilability. 
 
'39 
 
 of any denomination that I know. The caufes of this 
 perhaps, in general may be, their pronouncing too ear- 
 ly and decifively perfons to be Chriflians, who are on- 
 ly learning the rudiments of true rehgion, and their 
 difpofition to depend too much upon that exertion 
 wliich a momentary excitement of the pallions creates, 
 without applying conftantly and dependantly to the 
 fountain of divine influences treafured in the blefled 
 Savior according to the tenor of the covenant of grace. 
 
 The Baptifts are very numerous in the fouthern 
 States. Some of them are Arminians, too many An- 
 tinomians, but the majority are real Calvinifts, a good 
 deal acquainted with experimental religion. 
 
 [The foregoing extracts were taken from the Evangel' 
 uaiMagizine.il 
 
 [The following extrads were never before printed.'^ 
 
 From an aged Bapti/i Minifler to one newly ordained* 
 
 P e, July 1 8, 1788. 
 
 Rev. and Dear SIR, 
 
 YOURS of the 20th ult. was duly received, and 
 would have been anfwered before this, had not 
 a croud of bufinefs prevented. To talk of the impor- 
 tance of the work of the miniflry^ and our incompe- 
 tency for the difcharge of the duties of that office is one 
 thing J but really to feel them is the great important 
 matter. This drives us to an Almighty Saviour, 
 whofe promifed prefence is our great qualification. 
 Great circumfpedion, indeed, is neceffary in a young 
 minifter ; for his future fuccefs much depends on the 
 honourable manner in which he begins and difcharges 
 the duties of his miniflry in the firfl years of it. Too 
 attentive to your ftudies you cannot well be, if to- 
 gether with your attention to fludy you take heed to 
 yourfelf, and to the flock of God over which you arc 
 fet. It is but too common for young minijiers, after 
 meeting a kind reception amongfl: a people, to releafe 
 
t4Q 
 
 their attention to their ftudies j and fall into a com, 
 mon place mode of preaching, which, if it does not 
 difguft, foon renders their miniflry uninterefling to 
 their hearers ; but I have reafon to hope better things 
 of you. A near walk and converfe with God, is that 
 which arms a minifter with the greatcft power. May 
 you be favoured with thefe. 
 
 Pleafe to accept my befl wifhes, Yours &c. J. M. 
 
 "Srom a young Lady, ta a Mini/ier frem nvhofe ■preaching 
 Jbe received /piritual comfort* 
 
 W- April 3d. 1788. 
 
 THUS Sir, I have taken the liberty to exprefs to 
 you fome of my trials, and darkeft hours ; now 
 I will take the freedom to inform you of fome exer- 
 cifes more pleafing. Very lately as I was contem- 
 plating on eternal things, Chrift appeared more pre- 
 cious than ever. God's mercies are unfathomable, 
 they endure forever.— Jefus is altogether lovely, the 
 chiefeft among ten thoufand ; in hhn my foul mofl 
 delighteth. This verfe in Dr. Watts*s hymns dropped 
 fweetly into ray mind — 
 
 " Thou whom my foul, admires above, 
 " All earthly joys, all earthly love : 
 *' Tell me, dear Shepard, let mc know, 
 •' "Where do thy fweeteft paftures grow." 
 
 J cannot think of going back into the fmful vanities 
 and pleafures of the world again. I do not fee any 
 thing worth fetting my affedion upon, ftiort of Jefus 
 Chrift.-r—I am much concerned for my fellow youth, 
 who are yet out of the ark of fafety : I pity them but 
 cannot help them. 
 
 Sir, you will pleafe to excufe the freedom I have 
 taken in writing, and I mufl beg the favour of an an- 
 fwer. — I hope you will remember me in your prayers. 
 My requeft to the throne of grace, is, that I may con^ 
 tinue to the end, live to God's glory, and not wound 
 
141 
 
 the caufe of Chrift.* Sir, you will accept my beft 
 
 wifhes for your health, and that you may be fuccefsful 
 in the gofpel miniftry. I am, honoured Sir, with all 
 due refped, yours, &c. P. W. 
 
 Another fro7n the fame Perfon. 
 
 W , Marched, 1790* 
 
 Rev. Sir, 
 
 I RECEIVED your mod welcome letter, by the 
 hand of Mr. D — , and fain would I make you fen- 
 iible, with what pleafure I perufed it ; but am una- 
 ble—Your letter was very unexpefted, therefore the 
 more endearing. Your inftruftion I prize : hope you 
 will pleale to write every opportunity ; your advice 
 will ever be accepted, as it is ever needed.- — You hope 
 \ am acquainted with the deceitiulnefs of my heart : 
 I truft I am in a meafure. I find it toT^e a fmk of fin 5 
 the feeds of all the iils that grow are therein. lam 
 prone to fin, and fin I Ihall, while in this v/orld of 
 temptation. I truft however, that I have feen the 
 time* when I had a God to go to for comfort and fup- 
 port, and I believe him to be the fame, he changes 
 not : — but 1 change ; and am ready often to call in 
 queftion, and fcruple whether I was ever adopted into 
 God's family. I often aflc myfelf whether I love hoh- 
 nefs,/cr holincfsjake ? Whether I hate fin ? I am fen- 
 fible if ever I am happy, I mud be holy. If ever I 
 were redeemed from the guilt, and doininion of fin, 
 I am the lead of God's children ; and yet, if I know 
 any thing about my heart, I can fay as a friend of mine 
 not long fince, faid, in a letter to me, " If I love not 
 the people of God, and feel not my heart united to 
 thofe who are determined to ftem the torrent of fin, 
 I know not what I love." But my ftupidity, my iji- 
 
 * This pious young lady, in this was indulged ; (he lived and main, 
 tained her religion, ufltil September, 1792, when Ihe died of the Small. 
 pox in BoAon. 
 
142 
 
 gratitude ! 1 am farprized, that I am no more rJarmed 
 at it. I fear that this will yield you but little fatisfac- 
 tion. I was at a lofs about writing ; but to manifeft 
 my filial regard, I have written the genuine exercifes 
 of my mind. 
 
 " My foul doth wifh mount Zion well, 
 *' What e'er becomes of mc, 
 " There my befl friends, my kindred dwell, 
 " And there I want to be." 
 
 I am with every fentiment of refpeft, yours, &c, 
 
 P. W, 
 
 A o^dfrom the fame Per/on, 
 
 March 8, 1794. 
 Rev. and very dear Sir,v 
 
 I HAVE not been a little affecled at the thought of 
 not feeing you, fmce you left W -, which is 
 
 more than three years — yes, three long years fmce 
 I faw him, whom by the grace of God, I may call my 
 piritual father ; but I will not repine. Friends I 
 dearly love, but they are not my fupport. God I truft 
 is my all, it is in hi?n I enjoy peace and. fatisfadion, 
 fuch as the world does not give, no ; nor can Satan 
 rob me cU The caufe of religion I know to be a good 
 one. And oh ! Chrift's love to fmful me. " Why 
 "was I made to hear his voice V* Why the vileft of the 
 vile ? The chief of linners — free grace, unmerited 
 mercy ! God I trufl, hath made me willing to bid adieu 
 to all the tranfitory objeds of rime, and to fuffer afflic- 
 tion with his people* But oh how few returns of love, 
 hath my Redeemer found ! I am alhamed I love him 
 no more, and dedicate myfelf no more to this bed of 
 Mafters. I long to be more humble, more holy ; and 
 to have this fmful, proud heart more conformed to 
 God. Shall the happy period come, when fip, our 
 word enemy before, fhall vex our eyes and ears na 
 more? Jefus is the fource of all happinefsj afolid 
 
M3 
 
 foundation to build our hopes upon.- And though our 
 enemies are llrong, and povyerful j yet in and through 
 him, I exped we iliall come ofF conquerors. — ^I wiih 
 you fir, a thcufand bleffings. Oh! may I be prepared 
 to meet you in another world, where the thought of 
 parting, or of abfence, fhall never difturb the feelings 
 of your unworthy child. 
 
 P. W. 
 
 The author of the Letters from which the foUow'mg Ex^ 
 trads are made^ is a man of liberal education j but 
 •who J until within a few years, has been far from any 
 appearance of or pretentions to religion. He now rs- 
 Jides in the Di/lrid of Mai?ie, where, we hope he hat 
 become a new creature, Thefe Letters lOerc wriUen 
 to a Minider at Newton, whoin the author had ne- 
 ver feen face to face : hut the minijicr jirjl wrote is 
 him. 
 
 September 25, 1793. 
 Dear S I R, 
 
 WHAT a happy circumflance it is to the real 
 friends of the once meek and lowly Jefus, 
 (but who now wears on his vefture and on his thigh, 
 this majeftic infcription. King of Kings ani Lords of 
 Lords) that neither time nor diftance can feparate their 
 
 hearts. The Letter I received from you by Mr. 
 
 afforded me real 'comfort and fatisfadion. I am fully 
 confident the friends of Zion muft ever pray and rejoice 
 for and in her profperity : and to hear of the difplay 
 of the dear Redeemer's power on any of our fellow 
 mortals can't but afford refrefhment to the fouls of ali^ 
 who have themfelves once tailed that the Lord is in- 
 deed gracious. Oh ! my dear Sir, what great, what 
 aftonifhing wonders, has the great Jehovah wrought 
 in thefe (fo lately) dark regions of the Eafl ; and all 
 feems to be effected by fuch means and inflrumentSj 
 that he that glorieth muji indeed glory in the Lord. Oh \ 
 
144 
 
 that we had but hearts to afcribe, and language to ex- 
 prefs the thoufandth part of the glory due to his holy 
 name for the wonders of redeeming love. When the 
 fubjeds of the all conquering grace of God have ex- 
 changed mortality for immortality, they will be then fit- 
 ted to engage in a more perfeft manner in the feraphic 
 theme, and eternity will be juft long enough for the 
 noble employ. 
 
 " Had I ten thoufand thoufand tongues, 
 His name, liis love ; tne fong of fongs. 
 
 Should be my dear employ ; 
 O for a fvveet feraphic flame 
 To praife my Lord, to fmg his name 
 
 The life of all my joy." 
 
 As you were pleafed to exprefs in your letter a de- 
 firc of being informed refpefting the Hate of our affairs, 
 it is with pleafure I inform you that a church was em- 
 bodied in this place on the firfl Wednefday in Auguftj 
 confifting of twenty one members ; Elders P. — S. and 
 C. — with mefTengers from their refpedive chur- 
 ches, aflifted on the folemnbccafion : fomehave been 
 added fmce to this httle branch of the church militant, 
 and we have an agreeable profpeft of ftill more j for 
 the bleft Redeemer feems to be ftill working wonders 
 on the hearts of the children of men, even the rebell-* 
 ious, and many ftubborn hearts are brought to bow to 
 the fceptre of King Jefus.— -I feel fenfible that the wholg 
 gofpel armour is very neceffary for every chriftian, and 
 that the fame Almighty power which was neceffary to 
 bring fuch a miferable, proud, unhumbled wretch as 
 myfelf out of darknefs into his marvelous light, muft 
 be continued or I Ihall certainly go aftray, for fuch a* 
 nother wretched heart as mine, I believe, was never 
 wrapt in flefh. When it pleafed a fovereign God to 
 bring me to a fight and fenfe of myfelf, I thought I then 
 had a view of it in all its deformity, but I can now fay^ 
 as the Queen of Sheba in another cafe, the half was 
 not ihown me* 
 
145 
 
 hi another letter dated Dec, 31, 1793^^^ zvrites thus. 
 Dear SIR, 
 
 I FIND no truth more frequently verified than this 
 obfervation of our Saviour, *' without mc ye can 
 do nothing." i\nd how ftrange it is, that with the 
 addition of my own experience witneffing to the truth 
 of the above allertion, I fliould attempt to perform any 
 duty in my own iTirength : but I kno\V my proud-, 
 hard, unbelieving heart needs humbhng ; and I delire 
 to blefs God that he knows it, and I trufl will do it. 
 How well might the pen of infpiration declare the heart 
 of man to be deceitful above all things, and defperate- 
 ly wicked. — How fondly I pleafed myfelf that the Ca- 
 naanites were all driven out of the land, but alas ! they 
 are fhovving their heads everyday: but; Jefus is the 
 blelfed captain of our falvation : all the croffes and 
 trials we meet with are intended by. him to beat 
 down, keep under, and weaken the old man, and 
 flrengthen the Hew, which is created after God ill 
 righteoufnefs and true hoHneis. Oh ! what comfort 
 it affords that the feed of the woman Ihall finally be 
 more than conqueror over all ; and I pray that I might 
 every day experience more and more of this conqueft 
 in my heart ; and that I might daily die to felf and (in> 
 and rife more and more into the image of the blefi'ed 
 Jefus. When you are addrefling the throne of grace, 
 may you have a petition on your heart for fuch an un- 
 profitable fervant as myfelf. 
 
 In another letter dated June 2, 1794, he \<rrii:es thus. 
 My dear Sir, 
 
 I THINK I feel both guMty and afbamed that I have 
 two of your letters unanfwcred, which adminiflered 
 comfort tome at tiie time of their reception, andoltea 
 fmce when I get pretty low, I read them, and the pe- 
 rufal revives my drooping fpirits ; and others, to 
 whom I have taken the liberty to read them, have had 
 their hearts cheered* But when I confider the vanity, 
 
 T 
 
146 
 
 darknefs and ignorance of my mind ; the perverfenefs 
 and flubbornnefs of my will ; with the diforder, irre- 
 gularity and diftemper of my affeftiotis with refpefl to 
 things fpiritual and heavenly. I feel alhamed of, nay, 
 I abhor myfelf. I find in myfelf a pronenefs to foolifh 
 imagination, and vanities that profit not,- T think I can 
 adopt the language of Ifaiah the prince of prophets. " I 
 am an unclean thing, and my righteoufnefs as filthy rags, 
 and I fade as a leaf." Did I not find the great apoftle 
 of the Gentiles groaning under the burden of indwell- 
 ing fin, the devout pfalmift praying for quickning 
 grace, and thofe around me in whom I can't but be- 
 lieve is the fpirit of Chrift, making the fame com- 
 plaint with myfelf ; I fhould hardly entertain a hope, 
 that ever I had been favingly wrought upon by the pow- 
 er, fpirit and grace of the heavenly phyfician : but, 
 the greater and more intimate acquaintance I get with 
 the children of God, the more ready I am to lay^ 
 
 " That my fong and my complaint, 
 " Is but the voice of every faint." 
 
 I find the chriftian hfe to be like the land of Canaan, 
 a land of hills and valleys, whiqh was watered with the 
 dew of heaven ; and I have reafon to blefs God, that 
 the dew of heavenly grace is fometimes poured into' 
 my foul, and oh 1 I long to polfefs a thankful heart, 
 and no longer remain barren and unfruitful in God*$ 
 vineyard. 
 
 The empire of our adorable Redeemer feems to be 
 increafing in this part of the land ; more particularly 
 in this and the neighbouring fettlements. Our little 
 Church when embodied laft Auguft, confifted of 1 1 
 now we are in number fifty, fo that you fee the bleifed 
 Lord of the harvefl has been adding unto this branch 
 of Zion (agreeable to our prayers) fuch as (I truft) 
 have experienced the power of divine grace upon their 
 fouls. We feem to enjoy the unity of the fpirit, in a 
 wonderful degree, there does not feem to be one dif- 
 cordant, jarring fentiment in the whole : but all ap- 
 pear to be well grounded in the Dodrines of the Gof- 
 pel, and perfe<^ly united in the faith, order and difci- 
 
pline of God's houfe ; and oh ! that we might for years 
 to come know experimentally the pleafures refulting 
 from brethren dwelling together in unity. Surely we 
 may fay (tho in the wildernefs) " our lines are fallen 
 to us in a pleafant place, and that we have a goodly 
 heritage." About a month ago ten were baptized and 
 joined the Church in one day, and the laft Lord's day 
 in May five more, among whom was an aged woman 
 upwards of 60 years, fhe was a flrict formalift, and a 
 kind neighbour ; but a fall which fhe received from 
 an horfe Ibmetiuie pad, which endangered her life, 
 was the means in the hands of him who fits at the 
 helm of the univerfe, ruling all things after the coun- 
 cil of his own will, of awakening her to a fenfe of her 
 condition, and fhowing her how fhe had fallen from 
 God, and that her nature was oppofed and her heart 
 enmity to him. But the bleifed Phyfician not only 
 healed her body, but applied the balm of Gilead to 
 her foul, not only continued her natural life ; but 
 raifed her to a new fpiritual and divine life. With joy 
 fhe followed her Redeemer's fteps into the watery 
 Grave, and now fhe goes- on her way rejoicing, fmging 
 redeeming love, and praifing free, fovereign grace, for 
 calling her at the eleventh hour, into his vineyard. 
 
 lean hardly fupprefs my defire of enlarging on this 
 delightful theme, but I nmft flop. I little thought 
 when I began this letter, of extending it to its prefent 
 length. But oh ! when we meet on Zion's hill, adorn- 
 ed with the righteoufnefs of the dear Redeemer, the 
 blefTed theme of redeeming love, will commence ne- 
 ver to be interrupted. 
 
 We have had various winds of Doctrine prefented 
 us ; but, our fociety have not been much carried alx)ut 
 with them. Amongfl the variety we have had a Mr. 
 
 ' , a kind of a Weflean Methodifl, denier of total 
 
 depravity, final perfeverance, predeftination, and I can 
 hardly tell what ; tho' fome things in him agreeable ; 
 but what he is, I know not j the fearcher of hearts 
 does. 
 
143 
 
 I wifli you to write me often and above all to 
 pray for me. May your foul be in health and profper, 
 and the work of the Lord profper in your hraids, and 
 Newtown fhare in the Redeemer's Grace. I mull at 
 prefent take my leave of you, my tinknown, intimate 
 friend. £• W. 
 
 THE folhwingfcnous Addrcfsto the clergy by a Minijler 
 of the Church of England ; was firfl publijhed in Lon- 
 don, but reprinted at Bofton (N. E,J 1756. Jlnd 
 as it is worthy to be efieemed and often read^ by Minif- 
 ters of all denominations I have now been at the expejicc 
 of getting it printed again. 
 
 Reverend and dear SIR, 
 
 CI URIOSITY may excite you juft to give the fol- 
 A lowing Pages a curfory View ; but permit me to 
 alk lor a ferious Moment, when your Thoughts are com- 
 pofed, and you are in no Danger of an Interruption : 
 Then fit down, and read what is here humbly prefented 
 to you, give every Article its due Confideration, and 
 may it, through a divine BleiTmg, prove a happy Op- 
 portunity, and be made elfedual to anfwer thg great 
 Ends for which it is intended. 
 
 You are by profefiion a Minister — a Leader of the 
 People — a Shepherd in Ifracl — a facred chara(^er in- 
 deed 1 an honourable employment ! Yet venerable as 
 it is, how many are deplorablv infenfible of the great 
 importance of their truli, are aftuated by mercenary prin- 
 ciples^ are ignorant of the moil intercfiingfubjecls of 
 chriilianity, Trnd^ro. rcgardlefs of they^/^/j committed to 
 their care i As this is the cafe with too many who are 
 engaged in the facred office ;. and as the confequences 
 ^re inexprellibly melancholv both to themfelvesand the 
 people they preach to, fo give mc leave to addrefs You, 
 Sir, upon the iubje£l of your MinistryJ I won|d do it 
 with the higheft refpecl to your character, with all de- 
 cency and humility, with an undiflembled regard for 
 your belt intereft, & therefore with all chriftian free- 
 
149 
 
 dom and faithfulnefs* — Thus hoping your mind is pre- 
 pared to attend with candour and ferioufnefs to thefew 
 hints that may drop from my feeble, though friendly- 
 pen, I take the liberty to afk you the following weigh- 
 ty and momentous queftions. 
 
 W/jat is the Mejfage you carry to your people ? Many 
 will be ready to receive it without inquiring whether 
 it is agreeable to the word of God or not, becaufe it 
 comes from you. This then fliould engage you to in- 
 quire of what kind it is, and ftir you up to take the moft 
 diligent care that it be in every refped: fuitable to the 
 gofpel of Chrift, and to the circumftances of thofe a- 
 monpft whom vou labour. — What Doctrines have you 
 been preaching ? The generally deipifed, hutfoul-qza'rk- 
 ning truths of the adorable Jefus, or the naturally 
 pleafmg, but deitrudive errors of infidelity ? — Have you 
 been reprefenting the fall, with its inconceivably 
 awful confequences in the ruin of the v/hole human 
 race ? — Have you been opening the glories of the Ever- 
 lading Covenant, and exhibiting the great My fiery of 
 Redemption ? — Have you been difplaying the excel- 
 lencies of our Emmanuel, and propagating, what the 
 deluded world calls, \h&fooHJ}:) and ah fur d dotlrine of 
 the Crofs ? Have you been feeding your immortal hear- 
 ers with "pwre gofpel provijiojij and fatisfying their fouls 
 with the Bread of Life, or flarvingthem \\\th.e?npty Dec- 
 lamations, and fine eloquent Harangues upon fome Mo- 
 ral Virtue ? Have you, in fine, been preaching id fm- 
 ners and to faints, been endeavouring to divide the 
 Word aright, and to give to every one his portion in due 
 fcafon ? — I would beg leave to fuggeft to you the fol- 
 lowing examination : — " Come, my foul, let me enter 
 *' upon a moft neceflary and important fcrutiny. I 
 " have profefTed myfelf a Minifter of Chrift theie ma- 
 " ny years, but have I ever inquired into the MeiTage 
 " 1 have carried to the people ? Have I carefully con-. 
 *' fidered the Doctrines I have preach'd ? Have I ever 
 '- yet ferioufly afeed the queftion, whether it is Truth 
 " or error I am founding from the Pulpit ! Have I not 
 
15© 
 
 " been contented with a mere round pfpreac/jtng, and 
 " never been concerned to inquire what I have enter- 
 " tained my congregation with ? And, if fo, is it not 
 ** time to awake out of my fecurity, and exain'me into 
 " that, upon which fo much depends ? What, what 
 " are the Principles I have been inculcating ? the 
 " Foundation! have been laying, and the Superflruft- 
 " ure I have been building upon it : Inquire, inquire 
 " my foul, before the returning fabbath, left I fliould 
 " be at ht^ifmnifhing, inftead of feeding, thofe that 
 ** hear me. — Again^ 
 
 WJjat ends have you bad in view in your miniftry ? 
 What was it that prevailed upon you to enter into holy 
 orders ? Were you really moved by the Holy Ghoft * 
 to take upon you the fclemn charge, and undertake the 
 cure of fouls? or was it a defire of popular applaufe, 
 a thirft for honour, or a hope of worldly gain ? Did 
 you think it an eafy w;ay of getting a Subfiftance, of 
 pHviding for 2^fojniU^ and of living with reputation ? 
 Have thefe been your gYQZtfprings of afiion, or have 
 you had the|-/6/r)'of God, the honour oi Chrift, and the 
 falvation of miT^ioxtdX fouls in view 1 Has this been all 
 your aim, and is it for this you defire to live to preach 
 the cverlafting gofpel ? Have you been concerned to 
 attend to the various important parts of your minijiry ? 
 As you are fet for the defence of the gofpel, have you 
 endeavoured to vindicate, and maintain, and fet in a 
 proper light, its glorious dodlrines ? Have you labour- 
 ed after the converfion oifinners ? Have you adminif- 
 tered comfort to God's people ? Have you preached the 
 gofpel to the poor J attempted to bind up the broken-hear- 
 ted, proclaimed deliverance to the captives, and the acccpia- 
 hie 7^earof the Lord ? Have you done this from the pul- 
 pit ? Has it been the end you have been aiming at in 
 private converfalion ? Have you vifted your Flock, 
 the poor as well as the rich, the Afflicted, the Dying ? 
 
 * The fiift jquc/lion in the etrcHnation of deacons, A queftion which 
 you bavealieady aniwcred. Cod grant you may not have tiitied with him 
 in fo Tolema an affair, in declaring the Holy Ghoft movfcd you, when fonie 
 worldly prorpcit wa? the Motive !--- 
 
$51 
 
 Of what kind I^avc your vlfits been, and with what 
 views ? To gratify a fenfiial appetite, to fpend an hour 
 in unprofitable difcourfe, or to reprove, exhort, com- 
 fort, as you law occafion ? — Thefe, Sir, are important 
 heads of Inquiry. — Again, 
 
 In ivbat manner have, you attendcdto the great ends of 
 yotir Tm?i}/fry ? How has it been, and how is it ftill with" 
 you in the pulph ? Have you beenliiting up your voice 
 like a trumpet, and have you addrefled all forts of fin- 
 ners, reprefentcd to them the dreadful condition they 
 are ia, warned them of approaching judgments, prefled 
 them to feek after an intereft in the Redeemer, expof- 
 tulated with, and befought them, with all the tender- 
 nefs and affedion of a niinijkr of Chrift , to attend to 
 the things that belong to thsir peace ^ before they are for 
 ever hid from their eyes ? Or have you gone through 
 the work of the day in a cold, lifelefs manner, efteem- 
 ing it rather a burthen than a pleafui e, and having lit- 
 tle concern upon your mind for the fouls of thofe that 
 heard you ? How has it been with you in ihtfiudy ? 
 Have you there made confcience of folemn prayer ? 
 Have you carried your people daily to the throne of' 
 grace, wreftled with God for them, wept over linners, 
 and committed them to the infinite compailion of the 
 great fhepherd ? Have you been importunate with God 
 iox firength to enable you to go on in your work with 
 growing pleafure — for dircilion^ in the choice of fuiiable 
 fiibjeSls —for the divine prefencc with you in your pub- 
 lic work — for wifdom to condud: your converfation a- 
 right — for courage -^nA faithful ncf — for a lively Zeal— 
 for a grozvifig love to Chrifl and fouls, and in fine, for" 
 a glorious and divine power to accompany the whole 
 of your labours, that they may be made efiedual to the 
 falvation of every one who hears you ? How is it in 
 converfation ? Have you been recommending Chrift, his^ 
 gofpel, and his fervice, with afFedion to thofe around 
 you ? Have you been ready, according to your charac- 
 ter, to begin and incourage the moft important fubjeds 
 of converfation ? Have you been willing to remov^e 
 
^ .1 I. . 
 
 doubts, to flrengthen the weak, to fatisfy Inquirers, and 
 to attend to the Requefts of thofe who have defired 
 your advice and inftrudion ? In fine, have you been 
 lively, ferious, and warm for your mq/}er*s glory, be'eri 
 concerned to fpread the knowledge of his gofpel, and 
 to advance his kingdom and intereft wherever you were 
 called ? — Let me go farther, dear Sir, and alk you — 
 
 What has been your example.^ Have you been concern- 
 ed to live in the difcharge of thofe duties to which you 
 have exhorted your people ? Haveyou guarded againft 
 thok/ins, of which you have warned them, and from 
 which you have endeavoured to dilTuade them ? Have 
 you been fober in your behavior, moderate in the ufe 
 of your enjoyments, and regular, uniform, and heaven- 
 ly in your converfation ? Upon the whole, has it been 
 your great concern to walk in the fteps of our deareit 
 Lord, to have the fame tonper that was in him, and ill 
 the whole of your conduct to fliow the Chriftian and 
 the Minifter ?— Thefe, Sir, are quejiions peculiarly fai- 
 led to your work and charader j quejiions which I am 
 perfuaded you mufl acknowledge the great importance 
 of, and the reafonablenefs, necellity, and advantage of 
 ferioully attending to. How happy (hould I be, could 
 I perfuade you to enter yourftudy, andih tlie nion: ^o- 
 lemn manner, and as under the alt-feeing eye of God, 
 take them onebyone, and put cldfely toyour own foul! | 
 
 Thus I have endeavoured, with all faithfulnefs, to 
 point out.fome of the important branches of your ;«//:» 
 ijierialivork, and the manner in which you fbould at- 
 tend to it. What fliall I now fay to prefs you duly to 
 confider it, and to excite you to a diligent difcharge of 
 thofe duties you are called to? Methinks, Sir, you 
 iliould not want the leaf! argument to ftir you up to the 
 greatefl activity and zeal in fo delightful, fo honourable 
 
 X They are all qiiefiions built upon, and wkatniay bcjuftly cxtra^cd 
 from the ordination fervice relating to Deacons and I'lielts, and which you 
 have brought yourfelf under tlicmoft fekmn engagements to attend to ; 
 therefore you muft be convinced of the propriety of n-.y puttin;; them to 
 jroii in this addrcfs, and of thcreal love andconccrn I have for your foul 
 herein. 
 
153 
 
 honourable, foimportant an employment. You believe 
 the fcripture to be the word of God, I make no doubt. 
 You muft therefore be convinced, that religion is no 
 farce, no human invention, but a divine inftitution ; 
 and does it not therefore require all your regard, efpe- 
 cially as providence has placed you in the Character of 
 a teacher of others ? Fain, fain would I move youj melt 
 you, convince and quicken you ! I can but attempt it, 
 it is God Avho muft open your eyes, and faften the con- 
 viction upon your mind. In hopes of this I would chear- 
 fully caft in my mite, and offer to your confideiation 
 the following things ; accompanying them with an 
 hearty prayer, that they may anfwer fome faving pur- 
 pofe to your foul j and earneftly intreating that you 
 would not ftop here, and read no farther, but view the 
 whole, carefully examine every hint as to its truth and 
 importance, and weigh all in the ballances of reafon 
 and Scripture-, 
 
 The firft thing I would mention is, your people have 
 immortal fouls. And have you no tendernefs for 
 them ? Can you look upon them with as little regard 
 as you do upon your Horfe or your Do^ ; are they not 
 tending to eternity as quick as the wings of time can 
 carry them, and can you negle6; them ? Are they not 
 direfting their courfe towards the heavenly World, or 
 the dark regions of Htll, and is it indifferent to you to 
 which it is they are moving ? What, be altogether un- 
 affeded with fuch a thought ! Are fome of them fwear- 
 ers, others drunkards ; are fome breaking the fabbath, 
 and others running into all manner of e:xcefs of riot, 
 and will you, can you fee all this^ and lit as an uncon- 
 cerned fpectator ? Have you no zeal for yoiir Mafter ? 
 Can you fee the fnare laid, fouls entangled, and hurri- 
 ed by the great adverfary to his dark habitations, and 
 not endeavour to prevent it, or find the leaft pity in 
 your breaft for them ? Will you not warn them of 
 their danger, call loudly upon them to aVvake ? Will? 
 you not tell them that Eternity is near, lead them to the 
 mouth ®f the bottomlefs pit, and fhew them the terror^ 
 
 U 
 
154 
 
 of the fecond death ? Will you not try to win them, to 
 allure them by the glories of immortality, or melt them 
 by the love, the am.azing love of the Son of God ; 
 What (for I cannot leave off, I mufl purfue fo impor- 
 tant a fubjedl) are there any, are there many of your 
 congregation, who iire abfolutely flupid, hurrying on 
 to everlaftingdeftrudion, and will you not try to rouze 
 and awaken tliem ? Will you not befeech them by the 
 mercies of God ? Will you not intreatthem in Chrifl's 
 ftead to be reconciled unto God ? Will you not exhibit 
 all the riches of his grace, all the glories of the great 
 Emmanuel, and all thebleflings of a falvation fo dearly 
 purchafed, to move and engage them to repentance and 
 new obedience ? Was one of your brute domefticks to 
 be in a languifhing condition, your tender heart would 
 feel fome pity for the poor animal : and can you fit ftill 
 and fee precious fouls perifhing, fouls of more worth 
 than all the world, fhall they fink in endlefs ruin, and 
 you not drop onelingle tear ? What, their minifter not 
 take one flep to lead them todhrifl, to efcape the wrath 
 to come, fure it cannot be ! — But if negligent as to 
 the means to awaken them, fure you cannot take thofe 
 means that tend to harden them ! You cannot be a 
 companion with them in drunkennels, and revel with 
 them in their fcenes of criminal pleafure : You cannot 
 fit with them in public view at the card-table or lead 
 a dance at a ball or an affembly 1 Is it pofTible ! You, 
 fir, well know how the matter flands. Confider, con- 
 fider your people have fouls. And further — 
 
 Remember, thefe fouls are in the courfe of divine 
 Providence committed to your care — you have profelfed- 
 ly taken the charge, the overfight of them, and bro't 
 yourfelf under engagements to infpecl their conduft, 
 and to do air'you can to lead them into the knowledge 
 of the gofpel, to promote their fpiritual advantage, to 
 walk before them in all the duties of the chriftian life, 
 to encourage them in their purfuitsof the better world, 
 to pity and fympathize with them under all their diffi- 
 culties, to bear theip upon your heart, and to feek not 
 iheirs but thetm^^Qodi, by his providence in opening 
 
^55 
 
 a way for your coming aniongft this people, has called 
 you to all this work. ' How then will you fulfil your 
 engagements, how perform your promifes, how anfwer 
 yourcharader, ifyou are negligent ?— Do you dif- 
 charge that truft, God has committed to you ? Sp ma- 
 ny precious fouls ; fometorouze, to awaken, others 
 to encourage, and comfort ; fome to call in, others to 
 build up ; lure, 'tis an important charge ! So many to 
 be taught and inftruded { and inftead of attending to 
 your duty^ are you at places of diverfipn, fquandernig 
 your time in company, and drinking towards^ the 
 bounds of excefs ? Are you taken uo in ufelefs fuend- 
 ihips and unprofitable vifits, or trifling away life in 
 eafe and floth, doing nothing ? Inftead of talking to 
 them of Jefus and falvation, and recommendnig the 
 great duties of felf-examination, mortification, medi- 
 tation, &c. are you amufmg them with empty fpecula- 
 tions? Inftead of calling them into a ferious mqui4:y 
 into the foundation of their hopes of eternal life, are 
 you bolftering them up with the expeftations of hea- 
 ven, and lulling them into a pleafing but dangerous 
 fecurity ? Inftead of cherifliing their coiivictions, and 
 encouraging them in their fmall beginnings, are you 
 endeavouring to darken thefe dawnings of grace, to 
 lauf^h them out of all religion, and to difcourage them 
 in tie purfuits of falvation ?— They have committed 
 their fouls to your care. Precious as they are, they 
 have trufted you with them, look to youforinftruction, 
 and from vou exped all fuitable direaionandailiftance 
 . in their way to a better world. See what confidence 
 they have repofed in you, and fhould not this make 
 you deligent ? Can you be unfaithful ! What, they 
 lodged fo great a truft with you, and you, fo carelefs ! 
 The greater their dependance upon you, the morefliould 
 you be concerned to feek their everlafting good, and 
 direft them in the way to happinefs. But, 
 
 Laaiy cofijder the certainty and Solemnity of a day of accounts. That 
 you expcft to be called before the judge of all the earth, to be tried, 
 examined, and lodged in a world of joyro forrow, I would not call 
 in queftion. If you believe not, if you exped not thele things, or \X 
 you think religion a vain and trifling thing, why arc yo\^ a Jdmilter . 
 
156 
 
 why appear in that facred charader ? why preach and pray ? Do vott 
 never th,nk upon the awful day, when you muft give an ac W of 
 your flevvardft.p, wlien your congregation will appear dhe^asfwift 
 wnnefies againft you, or teftify to your faithfulneT' So ycu neveJ 
 coniider the ur,part.a hty of the Judge, the ftricfrnefs of the trial with 
 the certam and moft important confequences ? Jefus, whowiTbe tj^ 
 Jndge, knows all you have done. Ke lus aH your negtace vaur 
 ca|-elefrnef., your unf.ithfulnefs, Sec. wrote down in his IS AlUhc 
 pitnoplcs and Ipnngs from whence you have afled, all vour ends and 
 views are mnmtely noticed by him.i Think, mv dear S r! hi7k upon 
 the c ay , how folemn .'-The vaft, the numerous aiTembly ga he ed^nS 
 you hear your name piled upon ; you fummoned toVanf K'^c 
 an account, and receive your fentence I Critical moment, moment W J 
 
 Oftl.ejudge,(ofeeafm,leupon his countenance, and to hear him 
 %ing, come, thou faUliful fervant, thou haft been faithfuHn dedariiS 
 rj. y^lV"'^ P'-">^otingmycauf..come.«..r //../"," Zff%; 5 
 f,by Lord\ How great the happinefs, to have many to appear a.Vour 
 Joy and crown of rejoicing in that day !-But to ilt the Judee wit^art 
 t^rn n Tf ".' '"^ '" ^'^'r H^ ^«'^^' "^"'"^ terrible than thundfr,7a Tn." 
 butVft \t?n '"f T^'?^''^^}^ ^^"-^"t, thou haft had the care o foul! 
 ^ thnn h!f> r^ "eghgent, and not attended to thy important charge • 
 ind ton^r f 7'^' ""'"^ to go on from one .d of rebellion to anotSr 
 -^n rl P ^ °r ^'■^'> "^'^^^'^^ ^y^rnm them of the danger, and ureff- 
 "v^Sn^Fir^'^™''' ^Pr V^^'-^^-^'thou curfcd cSre.^nS 
 tvaJafting I'ire, prepared for the Devil and his Angels Worldlv 
 
 Eft lld'/ni '^^ T '• P^P"'^"ty was all thy ambition 'thcTethoJ 
 haft had, and now forrow, d.ftreffing forrow iball fill thy foul, and thy 
 
 S ThmX'f '^P^.^'"'''? ^^ fellow-moKtals, Ihall rot fJr ever'.-PaS 
 tu Thought ! To have the weight of fo many fouls lying upon you. 
 
 ieenVr'n^H? "'"'f 'i'^-- ^et^inks I hear one upbraidin^g your neg 
 ligence, and faying, had it not been for you, I perhaps had not npWfh 
 ed I trufted you with my foul, but you nev'er ?orre1ed mrproflnt 
 r;f aU'^pTme f^ta ^^ ^°. ^^^ ^^^er ^^'vation^y^^nrd?4°ttt 
 his'forro vfnl^y deftruftive Ignorance !-Hark, another lifting up. 
 his lorrowful head, and faying, I Avas under conviftions, and upon the 
 mqmry what I fhould do to be faved, , but you difcodrlged E my 
 purfmts of Heaven ; you told me all would be well, if I attended Sit 
 on Sundays at Church: thus, through your in/uence f K into a 
 kthargy took up ^v.th the form, and^ftopt fhort of the po«^r of reli- 
 gion, and now am ruin'd for ever .'-Diftreding fcene I To lave one 
 aflei another rife up and thus upbraid you ! To have th'^ir blood re- 
 quired at your hands! Every refledion 'will wound your foul and 
 pierce you through.v.'ith inexpreflible, everlaftingforrows ' 
 
 ^ 1 hu:., my dear Reverend reader, I have endeavoured to drop a few 
 r.mtsi hints of the greateft importance,a,s they relate to the p?ace 5 
 your ow« foal, the fuccefs of your miniftry, and the manner^of your 
 laft appearance I hope you will take kindly this httle attempt 'T s 
 
 ni.:^Z'':^'^^Jf''' P'^-^^'>"- 'TisyourowncoXtllm 
 
 ;?'t ' W f h? X u ^'"'' P^°P'^- ^« "«t ^^ C""o°s '■" inqui- 
 ring about the author : he xvants nopraife : And hopes he is reeanl^efs 
 
 rea dedC'r'V'r^;'^'^ ''^ "^ "P^'^ '"'"• Ifl^is nam VStu 
 ipSn'^t T?^. ''"*^'*'T7'*"^''^^'^'^ be inftrumental in pro- 
 nioting lib kedocmer's inttrcft, 'tig all he defiies. 
 
i 
 
mim^mm