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 TXAVING Utely had an opportunity of readino: your lettet^ tn 
 -■•'* defen-'c of infant sprinkling, I siiall take the liberty to offer a 
 few remarks upon themf I have not the least disposition to queitbn 
 the purity of your molives, in writing. As a professed disciple of 
 Christ, and as a public teacher of hif religion, you had an uh*. 
 doubted right to state your reasons, for practising a? j'ou do, and 
 also to oppose any principles, or practice, which appeared to yon 
 unscriptural. Uaiformity is beautiful in all things, and especially 
 in religion. Our Lord prayed for his disciplrs, that they might 
 all be one, and w* find this prayer remarkably answmjf in the 
 primitive church, when the multitude of believers were ol one 
 heart, and one nui;d, having one Lord, one fait^ and one baptism. 
 It is to be lamented tha^ siijcc that time, professing Christian^ have 
 divided into many sects, and many errors in principle and prac- 
 tice, have prevailed among them: I cannot but hope however .j 
 that light is increasing in the world, and that Chriijtians are find- 
 ing their way back to gospel principles and practices, I think that 
 controversy on religious subjects, when conducted with a proper 
 spirit, and with a desire \q know the truth, has a tendency to do 
 good in this resperit.- -The subject on which you have written, 
 though it dQcs not immediately nffecl the vitals of religion,' yet is 
 of considerable importance, as it inquires who are the proper sub- 
 jects of the visible kmgdom of Christ ? and how they ar« to be 
 introduced into that Ifingdom f As a l»aptist I am not sorry to 3ee 
 yoti oppose i« this pnbttc manner^ the distinguishing principlcl 
 which we embrace, as. it aflbrdi an opportunity of bringing the 
 subject fairly before the public (four principles and practice 
 are founded on tht word of God, they w*ll bear the light ; if liiey 
 are not, let them fall. It was only the hpuse built on the sand 
 which fell, when tried by thestormi while thiit which wm fpqnded 
 on a rock, remained unshaken. 
 
 The purport of your lettern is to proye tha< infants are proper 
 subjects for baptism, and that sprinkling is a scriptural mode of 
 a^lannislping that ordinance. As t differ from you in Loth these 
 particulars, I «hall offer my reason* for so doing, ai|d f tru#t 1 dUli 
 be enabled to do it with a Christian spirit. \ 
 
 Your first letter does not seem to have any iiamediate bjftartnff " 
 upon thfe subject, except as it states that baptism is a substhutr' 
 fpr circumv.ision. I have no hesitation in admitting that there is a 
 general resemblance between cireumcision and baptism^/.e^ they 
 both draw a visible line of distinctkni, l>etween the profeii^ine pe<t 
 plepfGod, and the world; hut I conceive that we cannot di«co- 
 vcf from the law of circumcision, who are fit subjects for baptism, 
 as the covenant of circumcilion has waxed old, and vanished 
 away, and a new and better covenant has been brought in, which 
 embraces the believing Jew and (ientUe ; and it is fpon this new 
 
 :^'i°ia^3. 
 
■ /■ 
 
 «0Tc«ant tlMt w« art to learn, who art interested io it, and what 
 laws they art to obey. f - , . . 
 
 t.iT L V«"?«'»t •" ^'avour of infant baptism, is drawn froin 
 Jewish Phjatl;^ tfe baptism. Yxm reroarle, page 7, '* that the ordi- 
 t ^ J f^T* "^* "*' appear to have originated with ohr* 
 JJonJ^ anerhis ATMsiles, but to have been adopted by them from 
 tat Jejwsh church:'* and you inform us in the wordu of an Ehk- 
 iwlvprelate, " that the Jewt constantly baptized evopy proselyto 
 
 K . 2["^?^f ^''.***®™ ^^"^ **»^ "*^'°»»' from the time of Moses; 
 anu that this baptism was administered to infants as well as grown 
 persons* " appears to me, that, by resorting to this argument, 
 1^ ^ive up the argument drawn from circumcwion. If. christian 
 ^ftptism b*f onlv a coniintration of Jewish proselyte baptism, it can- 
 wWbfc a substhtrte for ch^uracision, therefore oneorthe other of 
 twst'argumenls mttet be given up. But further I would observe, 
 ;?*'* **JI? ei^idcnct that nposelyte baptism existed in our Lord's 
 li»e.-^hat^the Jews had divers immersions or baptisms, enjoin. 
 W» on tMm by the law of Moses in cases of ceremonial unclean- 
 ft^ir.I"KJ ,^"V?' do«\not appear from the scripture, nor 
 IkiSL^^i?''^.'**"*'*^ hwtQrir,thaphe Jews ever practised any such 
 !IiH!l^ **.«*[""« of one person |A water, by anoth^, as a 
 ITiS^STS^'Jl^i^/ *^7?'"« °^'^''^" the baptist, and he professed 
 U^uf71 ^T^fid for this Vurpoie ; and it was generally admitted 
 r^^tli ZV "'"^^Pt'sm was from heaven and not of meji.— 
 i^wu^' ' *^' *^' '?!! have a command to circumcise proselytes. 
 "^Wheft a stranger U;ittkeep the passover to the Lord, let all his 
 Sf ^- t"T,"?^**^?? «P<* ^»»«? »«t him come near and keep it. 
 one lawshaH >- to him that is home-born, and unto ihestranger.^ 
 
 S?lrfj ^^'"i"^.*?^*^*^ command for proselyte hapti8m,1iere 
 je shouW havefoand it, but it is in fact exclud4 Ii^ssaid one 
 
 I4W shall be to Ijim (hat is home-born, and to the stranger; and- 
 
 tL^lI Sf 11^ ^^^ ^' 1*1^ ^*P*"" ""^ the home-born, so there is 
 k^» thj^slranger. Phrther, we have an account in the 3l8t 
 
 Srll^* flPr'^ff"^^ °^ i^ ceremonies that were to be used, 
 ,1^ Ji?^s^°"^i**"^ ^ ftmale: captive taken in war, (a heal 
 a!1^3!1^{!^' 'f ** i "^^IJ^" ^*^*»^ ^^'^^^^ to a Jew, would un. 
 
 rtWittakv of her being baptized. It appears to toe that this amotmts 
 !fcL ?2*!L 5^'!?"'^ i^* *^^ ^^ **«^ «° ^"C'* ordinance among 
 rtSS:iJl^A™^5 P**'"^?- ?''• ®" ^b^J'^es that there is no 
 A«ifton*of this ^lytc baptism in the Old or New Testament, 
 
 t^ .^£**^ w^^^**'*i*^^*¥"' ^**'' »^« fiHt three or Wceri^ 
 
 LT^*^^1**^^^'.''£J^"!*' '*^^^ of some 
 
 ^rnediiedobaptisis. The learned and laborious Dl Benioft 
 
 S2Ct^\!l?''^'^-'^ -V-^ inst^Bc^ of one p^H^nH washing aho- 
 r^!^^SX.!J^k?I*'7^*^^^''**"' P""*^^^^^^^^^ o^ sanctification, ex- 
 apart lor the offifccof jiriests, Lin«, yiii. & - ^ 
 
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 tI|M)g,as that,9f baptiziog the pro^eljtes thai go over to; U^efi), 
 tbofig^ Uiey, ana said to r|)^ke them wa^ themselves.'^ 
 
 3. tffB a^ks "" whir,c U ih^r^ any iniiindtiop of! such a pcac^ce, 
 6(i/br< the coding of our Lord? If ^ny one couli^, produce ■ any. 
 clear. te^thpQDv.of that kind, from the Old Testament, Apocripha, 
 Jpscphu^, or Philp, th»t would he of great moment." 
 
 4. He adds, '>'' In former Umes (that is, sifter the coming of our 
 Lord), proselytes coming over from healheniso^ to the Jewish re- 
 ligion, u^ed to wash tl^cfpsclycs, which is a very different thinz 
 from bapt'sm, or one person^s being washed by another, tliough I 
 must own I cannQt see how infants could wash themselves*"—* ■ 
 l^enson on St. Paul's £{>isiIos, vol. 1. dis. 8. 
 
 Dr., Jennings-r-'-^ Hut ivlier all it remains to be prqvcd» not pnly. 
 tbnt.Chrislino bnniigin was instiiuted in the room of proseIy|fi| 
 l^piism, but ihn the Jews h'ld ariy such baptism iq our Saviour!& 
 timot The cai-liest accounts we have of it are in the Qlishna and 
 Gemara ; th^ former compiled, as the Jew^ assert, by Rabbi Juda^^ 
 is the second centiiry ; though learned men in general bring it. 
 sey.eral centurieg lower; the latter not till the seventh century. — - 
 There in not a word of it in Philo, npr yet in Josephus, though h^t 
 gives an account of the proselyting of the Idumeans by Ijyrca-. 
 nMS.''-^Je'Vvi8h Antiquities, vol. 1. p. 136, 
 
 Dr. Owenhr-" The institution of the rite of baptism is nowbere. 
 mentioned in, the Old Testament, nor was it ever used in the adi 
 mission of pposclytes, while (he Jewish Church continued. No 
 loention of it occurs in Philp, in Josephus, in Jesu.<^ the Son oC 
 SiracH, nor in the EJvang^lical H4story. This Rabbinical opin^ 
 ion therefore owes its rise to the Ante Mishnical Doctors, after tli^. 
 destruction of their city. The opinion of same learned men there? 
 fore about the transferring of a Jewish baptismal rite (which in, 
 reality did not then exist) by the Lord Je$us, for tl^ use of hia 
 disciples, is destitute (^ all probability.''^ Theolo^ouQiena, L.5, dig.4« 
 
 Df* loLrdmr-Y'* M fpr tbe-bsvptism qf Jewish preselytes I take , 
 i(it6 be a mtrejwiion ofihe Rahhins by whom we have sufl(erted. 
 oiirseWet to be imposed uponi^—^Lett^rs^ tq and frpm Pj» 1)o4-k 
 dipidgc, p. 2I75» 
 
 ~ From what has. bi^en said I-(bink ifc. will appear eivident,. that- 
 tl^m was no sucb divine institution as proselyte l^ptism, that we,^ 
 l^ve no reaftob to believe, there was any such practice amoi)gtb^, 
 Jewa in ocir L«ord's time« aa<i t|kat when it did exist, it was merely^, 
 at tradition of the Habbinv and was essentially. diiCsrent fj^om, 
 Ghriatian baptism* It will follow that, the baptism of John^' 
 was the onily baptism in ij^t previous to ou;r X<ord's giving com'^ 
 mand to his disciples to.l^ptize^ and a$, John bapt^^.l^s.di&ci-^ 
 p}e& ia Jordan, coHu^ing; their ftlnst luj^r. pif^cticc: .«'i^[ fo^fverrct. 
 main opposed tQ.tofant sprinkling* 
 
 You n<^t proc^d to consider t^kc comiQajp4<|iven by. <m. Lfont; 
 
peparaforv ; b.n ' • '' ^*^" ^^J^cediZ ? ^'' ^'•'^'Piu, that 
 
 [^principles of the Go,nH '^' '^'""''^"'^n, meanrh '^ '''^« 
 
 feheveth shall be savX' 'STff^'"'"? ^hieh ft SV^^ iT^^"'^"- 
 things which ChrintZA ^^^ *<^achinff chL^« I **'' ^^^^^ 
 '"'sslon, means al7;».?*l'^°"""3nded in thl ?. I ^"^ o^s'Tve all 
 
 w the furlher- kno.S''^ "?^' that he m^c^b, ^r^-^''*"^^ that 
 teusate (rendered hv'^^ "^^^^^ Saviour. ^Th^T^r '" ^^*^^ «nd 
 teaching, is eWden^^/ ^"': ^'•anslators teach\ J i ^'^ '^'"'^ "^a^he- 
 
 i^ '•"."«< its'* ''^"fr"™''^^^^^^ ""^ 
 
 ' no doubt imports to make 
 
 
 I 
 
 ii^ 
 
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 ^isciplM ; liMt di^ij,|e is Dot an ».ibi:rarj dMlgnation ; it ajniifiet 
 a ^4i-n r, or a»j W*o u, tanght, which ik ixpresTive of loachine a* 
 t^^ecbusoieo that a person can no more be n disciple without 
 being truiyht, than he can be a conven without being Converted." 
 — aecMLcan on the Apostolic Commission, page 16. 
 
 iill nn;innr''K V'*"*'^l'" ^^'^f '"''''^'^ '* ^°' therefore, convert 
 all nations, bapti^n? them, &c.- And he remarks in them, 
 
 Iv enlTnrK' "•'"•^::1'J^ ^h-"^*^ ^»»"g« ^hich our Lord here distinct: 
 o fZ ?^ ^K "PO'^tl'^ to execute, viz. to convert them to the faith, 
 to .nu,;i e the convmA into the church by bapiism, and to instruc 
 the baptiredin al the duties of the christian lifc-.^-Four go pHs 
 and no e on the place. This is the language of common^'sense 
 fnl of th '"'^''^''''^y ''l^<^ ^very candiS person as the tn^ m " nl 
 ing of he passage ; and it forever forl,ids7he b.pti«ni of all per- 
 «ons old or young, who are not converted, disciplcd, or t.iiht. 
 
 baCsm t'elf ''k t""."'''r '^"^-^''''"S previous tobaptifm,or 
 baptism Itself. If djscipling the n^nions mean baptizini; them it 
 
 them It %:^l^'r '\Tf"^^' ^'^^^'P'^ »" "^'^"«' ''-'P'-^ 
 u c : .1 ^"/ '^""'' '''""'^ '^^ ""''•« ^'^in repetition and sens* 
 
 n^.K ''^''^•^>'''" T ^''''^' translation. If discipling mean 
 
 omethmg previous to baptizing, I would ask what tha/sor^ething 
 
 IS, and how It IS performed in the case of infant baptism. This corS 
 
 mission I. what every gospel minister professes to act under, and I 
 
 think every one who practises infant fcaptism should seriously en- 
 
 who arc incapable of professing faith in the Saviour? 
 
 wh.n'V'l''' ?, n V^^"" ^'*'^* ^^ '^'^^^'" *^« '^^ ^'^y of Pentecost, 
 lmoit.l Ti^'v'^'"''''-'^'''' '^"^^^ baptize,^, ami r.t the 
 TZ,\T '''*''^ u^^ P'^'"'-'" ^^^« ""^° t*^^™ ^"d 1 heir cliildren, 
 
 in^hP t Vlh'^ T' "?¥' P':^?'' **^" "' ^^^^ »^' POS^!« ^""<^^^ to 
 jUi 7a lT^^'^'"'• h<^ 9«otes the following promise frora 
 Joel-" And It shall come to pass in the last d?ys, (saith GodJ^ 
 
 nrnf .^% f P':'^P5^^y' ^c-" In the 38th rersc hesays,--Re. 
 
 S% fi?h^'^'''''^ '''jy ^"*'' ^^y"* •'»*''^ '^^"'e of Jesus 
 
 the HoirAnrT^^^^ ^"^^^^ shall recefvo ti.e g.Tt of 
 
 en arf to a7, J"'''''?^^"''^'" ""•« J^'.^'^J to yo«r child- 
 
 our God shall r. pi t1 "'"*' ^'^ •*^^? *** "^^^^ ^« ^'^« '^^^^ 
 our uod shall calU" 1 he promise is of potiring oot of the Holr 
 
 s'!ImThe^*^,rw'''"\^^ "^"^-« an'dmiiiculousoperaUonC 
 so that they should prophesy. The persons upon whom he wasta 
 be poured out were them, and their ,ons and £gbter^ atdX e 
 flritX-',^;'^' viz. the Jews, scattered in flrefgn countn^ 
 £t lefw^r^" ;\P'^'' !?^ nnderstc^ that the 
 
 aLi^ls thL r 3" *"^T'^'™'^ ^"<^ ^ baptized, he 
 
 assuies then God would pour out his Spirit upon them >nd their 
 
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 s. 
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 rhUdrcn; the Jewt thnt Were afar 6(f wtd t^i^tr c!»ltiifr*n,*eir*« nt 
 many of them a« God should ciftll by his grace. Butyhathfls 
 this to do with Infant baptif<ni ? nothing at all. IVe do not read 6f 
 God's calling infants by his grace, and tnivbling them to prophesy. 
 This is so evident that nuiiy poilobaptisls give up this place as 
 having no allusion to lnf:inl bapiirfin: among this namber are, 
 Whitsius, Limborch, Vencma, Dr. Owcii, Hammond, Whitby anVl 
 Doddridge, — See Judson's Sermon on baptism, pjtgc 22. 
 
 Vour next argument is from the baptism of the hoiiseholds meii- 
 tioncd in Scripture ; and yon inform us in a note, that there were 
 five households baptized. But this I think is a mistake j Vou tvill 
 find there are bni three households mentioned as being bnptired. 
 The persons who were baptized with Cornelius were his kinsmeti 
 and near friends, whom he had sent for. Neither is it said that 
 the household of Crispus wtTe baptized, though it is said thai they 
 believed. You obseivc that it would be extraordinary if there 
 should be no Infants in these households; but we have a similar 
 case in the Old Tcstamenit ; there were four households in the ark, 
 and yet but eight persons. But we will examine the circtimstan- 
 ces connected with the baptism of these households. The ftrfet 
 mentioned is that of Lydia : It appears that she was a woman 6f 
 Thyatyra, residmg in rhilippi for the purpose of trade. It do«» 
 not appear that she had a husband or children. It is more proba- 
 ble that her household was composed of assistants in her business, 
 who believed and were baptized. For we are informed that when 
 Paul and Silas left the prisoh, they entered into the house of Lyd- 
 ia, and comforted Ihe brethren. These brethren must have been 
 her household, as we do not -read that Paul had made any coti- 
 Terts at Philippi, but the family of the jailor and that of Lydia. 
 On the subject of Lydia's household, fir. Whitby says, " Artd 
 when she and her household were instructed in the christian faith, 
 •and the nature of baptism required by It, she was baptized, and 
 lier household." The Assembly of Divines, in their note on this 
 text, say, " Paul and Silas entered into thife house of Lydia, doubt- 
 less to corifirm them in the faith which they had preached to them. 
 Xiydia and hers, hearing of their deliverance, could not but be com- 
 forted and confirmed in the faith. " In the case of the jailor and hi» 
 household, Paul and Silas " Spake unto him the word of the Lord, 
 and to all that were in his house ; and he rejoiced, believinpf in God, 
 with all his IWhise.'" M'Knight on these words, '' havittg believed 
 in God, with all his house,*' says, "who it seems were equally im- 
 pvcased with Paul's sermon as the jailor hiimself xvas.''Calvin on this 
 Subject also observes, " In which alsd the- imtce 6f God iflustrious* 
 1y appeared, because it suddenly brous'ht the whole family to a 
 pious consent." The third household is that of Stephanas, con- 
 cerning whleh M^Rnight thus writes ;— " The family of Stefrhanas 
 Seem sul to Kateb^en ^dialts kt the time thef were birptiiJ^d ; fbr 
 ihey are said, 1 Cor. «vi. 1'5, to have devoted thefns^lv^s to the 
 ibmistry of the sate.*' Tiratte.of theiftitos, -^Siitbte^ l€oiHb^. 
 
 
tr 
 ' m. OxtgH^^* It thMrTort seems tba^ tht fenriiy iX Stfp)r*hn 
 Wtr^ all ndult believers, nnd sp were bspined upon their own prr- 
 lonal protWsion ot f\ith in Christ."- No(c on 1 Cor. I, 16. Her* 
 we ftiitl k?atiK'd |'wdob:ipiis(.S when their system was <hiI of sigbt, 
 Admiiling that theM» households worr all professed belicvew in 
 C hriiit. Vou also obHcrre that infant baptism is just in a siroihir 
 predicament ulth il.'i Christian sa^/bath, viz* — no coramajui for 
 •iiher. JUui thoug'i we have nn eipross coniniand for keejiihz the 
 first d:\j of the wtc'^ as ;i day of rest ond worship; yet, we havf 
 Ihc example of liic Apostles and primitive Christians: Acts 20, 7, 
 »nd I Cor. 16. And it is also termed the Lord's day : Rev. 1, l(V 
 And this is a KiifTioicnt warrant for us^ to go and do likewise : anit 
 couM it be shewn tlial the Apostlcii ever bnptrjBcd aft infant, we 
 t»o>;Id not hefiiiatc to iinit;'tc them ;. but while this cannot be 
 proved, ilu'ip will remain an essentinl difference between rhewar^ 
 rant for keeping the first day of the work, andthat for baptieing; 
 tnfants. Ywi proceed to charge lis vriih iw« trdmendous coDsr^ 
 quen(tes, as resulnng from our obiection, that want of faith inca- 
 jkadiiates infants for baptism. The fir>tis^ that it charges the Al-» 
 Unighty with folly in ordainin^^ circumcrsion, wliicb' wa* " a aitaA 
 of the righl<*oufine88 of faith" lo be adinintsttred to Jewish tofsnt^ 
 Of eight days old.'* In nnswer to this 1 wotrld observe, that yon- 
 do not (fuote the expresKJort correctly. !t is never saidm scrip*' 
 hire that circumcision is a seal of the righicousncss (>f ftith g«ce« 
 rally as you quote it. It is said, Rom. 4, 1 \u^^ And hiS' (Abra* 
 hatti) received tiid sign of circumcision; a seal i?f the fi^kttrOvK- 
 i»es« rtfilhe faith luhich ht had, yet^ being uncii^dumcised." A seal 
 is for coftfirmation qf some transacli<>n which has already tikcn 
 place. Abraham bad already exercised strong faith in the pro* 
 nrtiscs of God. Ar, r^ proof of the rightcoushess or acceptahleocss 
 df this faiih in God's sght, he gave him cirtnimcision, «nd the to- 
 Ven^tnt of which it was a siq^j or tts^ccn. But when eircumeision 
 Wis administered to an infant or unbolievirig adult, it could not 
 be a seal of the righteousness of the faith whic^ th*y nlprady had, 
 when they in reality, had none. To all others rt was a s^n or to- 
 ktn of the covenant.— See Gen. 1 7, 11 . Rotfi. 4,' 1 1. Bm further 
 !• would observe 5 circtfmci^ion was a naliimal mark of distinction 
 to sepiirute the seed of A^braham after the flesh, from" all other.peo« 
 ]1^«. When Gt»d ftcUxted the seed of Abraham to \je the drpcsi- 
 tarics of t.'ie orncles of God, nnd to preserve the light of divine 
 tftifh in the woHd till xhd coming af the' Saviour, one grcatobjert 
 in view in givinsj them the ceremonial law wds, to pS-es^t^ve them 
 distinct fr6m other nations, idolatry had then geijeral'y prevail- 
 ed through the world; and lo preserve them from *thc con- 
 tji*ion, it was necessary to prevent their having inuch inter- 
 course^ with the idoflatrous ttations. licnce the ceremonial law 
 ^ricraHy tWilerroefd "a woH of partition" to divide them from 
 the gerttlksi litis was <f»ne giiwt chd whirih cirr'umcisicn wm lO 
 •iiwirer. ^ It was a mark 4n the fl«ph which jcould never be erasci, 
 
 B 
 

 l*^ '^hi<t\^^ngjmhta tht 
 
 10 
 
 oAef 
 admi* 
 
 i Bi^tTrecl to i„Lt . 2''irwarto'^rr°T ^"» ^^'4 "-- 
 
 ^ere wa» a proprietv in il Iff I.? *^*™*'^ ^~^ national mark. 
 
 the eigi»,i,dS for tha^^a^ e! An? J^^^^^^ °"» 
 
 «d mfant baptism he would^v* .^ ^T* ^'^^^^^ ^'^^ *»<^ ^PP^nt- 
 peopleshoufi have nrdi?u:.^tv Tk -'^' 1'^ ^'^*^^ '^^ »»i* 
 70U see, dear brother wl^n^^. l ^'^^i'^ thrir duty. Thu» 
 in appoh>ting cS?^\s7o5 to ^ '^''^." ^^ ^'"^'•^'^^y with X 
 
 those. with toWr wha c^S^- ^^ **^ .^^"^* ^« o'^'v charge 
 
 to the passion* andTcS^ie.^f vi. '"^ *^''^ '? '''^^ ^'ou appeal 
 {ngthe words of f^uKd s'btJ^'^^^^ 
 W(i'. commission incLc inf^^f" 1 aa obse,^e that ifour 
 
 )^d, i, also iriciJ^iMhr; and LlW f' /k ^^1^ ^^^'^ '^^"'g '^^P' 
 
 thatjhecowmaiKJto«4acharnaS- '!^^^ We believe 
 maad to^ « preach tfre rS^l f„ If "' " ef^valcni lolhecom- 
 
 f it i» to teach or i^iTth, Sl'^'"""'" '"^"^ ^^''^ '"^'^^^inS 
 tuBan family wj^ ha?nrrb^^???^* "" T'^ '"dividual of thS 
 <Jo not b€lie4 th^the tc^r^ • ^*^? ?^ "nden.t.ii.rfir^g. IVe 
 fanes orthaTthe^ct KJenXf "^^ ^^^ ^' ^'^'^^'^ ^^ in- 
 not believin^z it/ jfTnc^ w^L'^Jv^^^^^^ '*' of damned for 
 that believetg and "banW,^^?!! ^^^^^f'^^ it »s said - He 
 e^h rfht shall be damaeWht li^ "T'H "'^^ '^^ ^^^'-^^ ^^^''^v- 
 the gospel. I heuT^uJ!hZ ^^'''^ """^y ^^ thoBc who hear 
 
 transgression of L firs m:^i^°L^,^t"'» ^re implicate J i^ the 
 Harare, a„d to be Kable ?o h^lf • 1? ^^ P^^f^^rs of a depraved 
 - ^ «ot assert that thej tift b^S±?^%\"^ ?*^''«»- But we ^ 
 scriptures de «ot siy s J ariS^e dTnt '' '*!' ^i'' ^ ^^^^ «« the 
 what is wnitcn. 6n tl^ c^ZjVl'i P^*^**"^ ^? ^^ wise above 
 cv of God that an mf.ms dTh^rh\I'>;T«^>i ^" the mer- 
 ployment of a heavenly stat^4d .^^^^ ^•=»'- '^^ '^' 
 
 ms of the Saviour Lbioi^kM-^^^^^'^*' ^"^^^ ^"^ ^"ff^'-. 
 the peopte of GbdV ' ^''^ '"'*" '^^' ^^« which remains for 
 
 ^ren, that he shouW put Lr hands on ^?^ «Jto. hi„» little chiU 
 Asrrpir* refe^feed them. But TcL li^ IV"f- V'^^J ^"^ ^^e 
 come umo tm, and forbid fhem ^t • fo^lf '^u '"I' "'^^^^''^n to. 
 heaven, And h. kid h^ Wl.^n tS^^ '^S*' J' '^^ ^'"^^^^ «^ 
 
 
t all oAef 
 Jing adnai. 
 
 a$ if then 
 ^int(>c] out 
 
 sappoint- 
 [ tbkit hi» 
 u Thus 
 viib folty 
 ^ infants : 
 y charge 
 ) the okl 
 
 b all th« 
 i appeal 
 'f spej»k- 
 it if Our 
 ing bap- 
 } for it 
 believe 
 fiecom- 
 
 I of the 
 :. We 
 i to in- 
 
 Kd for 
 
 bf-Iiev- 
 
 obear 
 gene- 
 in the 
 rarecl 
 *e flo 
 ►s the 
 ibove 
 nler- 
 e em- 
 uffcr- 
 isfor 
 
 frora 
 cbiU 
 the 
 Q to 
 m of 
 fe.'», 
 hrri 
 
 ^^ 
 But 
 
 . U 
 
 1 would.adk what proof is this of it. When Joseph brought hif 
 ckiWrcn (o receive hit* fath<TV blessing on hit dj-ing bed, was thil 
 a proof that he thought hie father to be the Messiah. It appears 
 to me that these people thought our Lord to be a good man, a pro- 
 phet; and knowing that the praj^crs of a righteou* man avail tth 
 much, they naturaliy desired his prayers irt behalf of their chil- 
 dren. You further inform ui (hat this was the form of consecrat- 
 kig children to God in those days, I would ask, why you term 
 our Lord's puttit^g his hands' on thc«e children, and praying, iiB 
 consecrating them to God? The scripture doet» not term it so, and 
 why should we. But further I would ask how many ways the 
 Jews had of consccraiing their chiidrfn to Goil. You inform us- 
 chat cipciimcision was the rile of initiation, the way of dedicating 
 their children to God \ if so, why should they want another way ;■ 
 or if this was the way of TOnsccrating childrea to God, when wai 
 it chana'cd into baptism. I would propose three questions on this 
 passage, which, with their answers, I think will ehow that it 
 proves nothing in favour of infant baptism. ). \ e these chil- 
 dren brono:ht to our Lord to be baptized? The aitt^er .is, Sfo^ 
 they were bnwight that he might put his hands on them, and pi*ay# 
 2. Did oor Lord baptize them when brought. The answer ft; 
 Ifo, he put his hands on them, and pray«d, Surely our Lo^d kfiew^ 
 the proper method of dedicating children to Gbi. Baptiem vai 
 then in use ; he had been baptised of John in Jordan, a§ an ex^ 
 ampic to his followers ; and if these children were brought \6 bd 
 dedicated to God, or admitted mto hts kinjrdoro, was not this t 
 inost favourable opportui^ity to baptrzc them, and thus give ani 
 example to his ^isciplts tin . the end of lime, But again, Di4 
 our Lord give aiyr direction to his disciples to baptize them ; of 
 did he give any intimation that the time shouU come when I'n- 
 fanu wouW be baptized. ! answer, he did not. . When our l»ord 
 aaid, Suffer the little children to come unto me, it appears to bo 
 merely applicable to that instance, a*id not intended for any genei 
 ral direction. Our translators harve rendered it in Mark, Suflcr 
 «A« liule children- In Afatthew and Luke, Suffer little childicn. 
 Butihose who arc acquainted with the original inform us, that tha 
 article is inserted ia aU the evanjafclists in the Greek. Had our 
 translators rendered it sulfer the little children, in each in^tnnce 
 it would have made a considerable diflferenoe in. the meaning. With- 
 out the article, the words seem to form a ptMral direction concern- 
 ing little children; but with the article they, evidently form a 
 ,j7aWicu/ar direction concerninc; ihosf, rhildren whose approach the 
 disciples were prevcnting.-Sce Judsion's Sciraon on bap'ism.p.SO. 
 As every circumstance in this passage is unfavourable to iiift^nt 
 bapt1«im, the whole weight of yotif argumrnt must rest on the words 
 *' for o( such is the kingdom of heaven.*' Doe» he mean of such 
 in age aud si?e, or of such in humility and docility pf disposition. 
 His subsequent remark determines in favour of the Isircr nienn- 
 in^: for in Mark and Luke it follows, " Whosoever shall not sc- 
 
M^ children spiritually iS.^^^ "^"^ ^f mch hb weZ 
 
 o^rve, ^hat j,our acgurjd^,?,?; ^^.^ ^^^^ But I uoul^ ds<, 
 ^?Jibj prpvnff too murii v ^'" ^'"s Passage destroys 
 
 (io baptism as the Jewish children hlw?^ '"''' "'^' '^^ ^"^h a right 
 wliy oqr children ha vf „ot 1'" ^^ll, to..c.rcumcisi<,«. J also Jsk' 
 
 from t!v« passage in favour of iiff^nf"^^'' .^^^^''b'^''"^«^ 
 
 ¥;>l^ssj.ouareVp,redrdcLdttr/''''" '' "^ "^ ^^'^SK 
 > Vqu iflform U3 in a nofP »k1. r"^ <^omniuniQn also. 
 
 t^Aiss,^bMtsar^s,irS^Va^^^^ 
 
 ?.!;. and i'^Wlaimng^.ha airfo t ' r^ '^ were spiritu! 
 
 in a state of justificaUon. * anrK^ar !£""'[' ^"^^ ^^>' '^ '«^« be 
 confusion in.j^^ur ideas on ihhZTJ^ TV^r? *' ^ wonderful 
 5*tuaj ,n a scriptural sense rlTS^^.u ' *''°"^^ ^^'"^ to be epi- 
 
 MQ^V^d that .vbich is biJ; oHho .nf'?^ '' ^•^!'"^^ f^^ fl^^t* 
 inf«- that to be spiritual 1^^^.,^ u , P'*"" '^ *P"''t-" H^nce J, 
 « Y^ ^«' " ^at rS irsyrboltl r '^ ^'?*^ ^P'"'-'^- You 'eU 
 
 H depraved, crJures, in tl^bSi?^^ ^^'^ S"''^/ 
 
 »ng influences of his §p rit-" An^l°^^^''^» ^^^ '^^ «anctify- 
 
 fugh^tohe^pplie^tXflnt. 1 taJ^*;f ?" '^"'^"'^/'^^^ baptist 
 I't've tifatt iflfents are guilty and dP^ « for granted that yo« he, 
 bethacase, how can »hl^ 1 • '^^''*^ ^'•^^t"''<^s. Nowifthi, 
 Spirit ? or, C7r th.T be "C^'^ "'"^°"^ b^'>? bor^ if h' " 
 j:l.urclH^.hi|e in a^tate of ttir^/^ V?^ ^^^ ^^^ ^ ^os^^ 
 the doctr ne of onVinal ..» «! T^"^ """^^ ' think, ffive ml 
 
 M in baptisi^orX'; "„* m.VrdS^\r^^^^ ^^ -S 
 jccts for qyr Lord's kii»«lanrw1^i.h«^'^^ «^ s»bt 
 
 priesthood, to offer up ^Irilualsin-fi'^ «P'ntiial -house, a holy 
 Jesus Christ." *' '^P'^^uai sa^rificcii acceptable to God by. 
 
 believers and u^^Tbelie^rsT^^c^^^^^^^^ 'be childroj::^ 
 
 as unclean. You suppose that thi 3ur "^"^^ ^^^«»' '^^ other 
 renof the heathen am? thJe of ttctt;*^^^^ ^"^^^^" '^' '^bild. 
 nier be,ng dedicated to idX Ld^t7 7' *"*""' ''^'^ *" '^'' ^'^"^ 
 bapfstn. This is a Hew exLL„ t^ ^**^^^? the true Qod by • 
 forced and uonatnral on* f^J " l,"^' ^'^^ 'i '^PP^^» tfee nJi 
 i-ily contend that thfe h^u'rS..^^ ?t ,^'''^"' *'edoI>apti8ts «eBe- 
 
 Of t^e parents bein« s believer l.l I u''*^^^ ''"'"^^^ ^rom one 
 
 I' 
 
be cpii- 
 h as were' 
 
 •rd fiioant 
 B church, 
 hey iwve. 
 :h u right 
 
 1 also ask' 
 's supper 
 It draw a 
 
 weighty 
 
 spiritual, 
 ! spiritu- 
 is to be 
 inderful 
 
 l>e spi- 
 
 than IQ 
 he flesh 
 Fence i 
 (on teU 
 
 inctify- 
 )aptisni 
 r'OH he-j 
 'if this 
 of ih(j 
 gospel 
 :ive up 
 enera* 
 ^ subt 
 a holy 
 ad by. 
 
 J you 
 ronof 
 other 
 child* 
 e fop* 
 k1 by 
 most 
 
 I th!9 
 
 TODft 
 
 nu, tQ 
 
 f 
 
 fi¥<» b0rmMs.<ift'eeift«iieitIier Qfik(> f^c- v » wm a beiifrfr. If«i»cf 
 Ihfy have contended -t^iat nhtre bqih -he paents were unbeliert. 
 •re, the of^ildren hft4 oq right to b^pcism. Vou observe that " yov^ 
 think it eyjde*)t, th»ij tb^ difficMlty which the Apostle solved ori» 
 ginated in the siuiepf the phildren, provided gne party coutinuc4 
 9- heathen." It appears to nie there is not a shadow of reagon in 
 your supposition, Any pert^on who ivad^ ihe chupter with aUen* 
 tion will see that the difficulty concerned the j)ropriety of enter- 
 jng into the i^arried state, and continuing in it in different cas^ 
 The Apostle introduce* the chapter thus ; '' Now concerning tM 
 t,hir)gs wlnn-epf ye wrote unto me, it is good for a man not to touch 
 a woman, &,c." This shews ntarria^e was the subject on which 
 they had wrote to him. Mr. Scott on this passage supposes that 
 as the Corinthians had come out of a state of heathenism, some of 
 them pleaded for the lawfulness of fornication, while others had 
 imbibed the sentinients pf the Pyihagorwns, and to have de^m.e4 
 marriage Itself incofisistenl ui:h chrisii;>n puviiy, or at le^st imrai* 
 cal ip intellecjual iinprovement, They had written to the Apos* 
 tie on this Bul»ject, and the seventh chapter is an onswer to tiieiif 
 inquiries. The Apostle says in his iiuprovement of the ?t^bject, 
 verse 27, " Art thou bound iuuq a wife? seek not to be loosed :" 
 which shews that some of them had thoughts of leaving thci* 
 wives. 'I'o dissuade them from this he says, verse 10, *'>Unto tU<? 
 married I command, yet not 1, but the Lord, Let not the wife de- 
 part from her husband." He here addresses manied fierfons, 
 where both parties were ehris-ti'dns, and refers to where our Lord 
 had dt'clarcd ^ th^ marringe covenant to be perpetual; and thai 
 having been joined by the Lord, men should not put them asun- 
 der. Bui as a doubt might arise, v\ hethcr our Loid's words wouid 
 apply lo a case where one was a heathen, and the other a chris- 
 tian ; he goes on to give directions in this case, and saya, ver. 12, 
 " But to the rest speak I, not the Lord \ If any brother hath £| 
 wife that b^lieveth not, and she be pleused to dwell with him, let 
 him not put her away." Here the Apostle si^spends their living 
 together upon no other condition, but the willingnoss of live unbe* 
 lieyer. He makes no mention of any agreement to bapt4xe their 
 children as you suppose, nor any mention of their being dediealedi 
 \o idols. It is as if he had said, Diflt'rence of religion is not a sufj 
 flcient reason (w dissolving the marriage tie. Our Lord ha|d^ 
 cid«d that nothing but adultery or death can do this. Ther.efof« 
 it is your duty to live together,' If the uubelievingparty is willing^ 
 If it were not so,' if marriage waa unlawful a^noug christiin« j or (f 
 difference of reh'gipn dissolved it, then your Kving together w^ul4 
 be unlawful, and your children wo«ld*be unclean or illegitj^iajj^ 
 i& th^ sight of God, as being begotten ia a ^lafe th^i God hadi imh 
 sanctioned or made b"wf«l.' Bm now, lef ing j oir Uviug.to^ih«j( 
 is approved yrf<Sod, your «M)<irfn arc holy^pr iegitiwato a» being 
 in a Btate wppointed by God. If i Ws- be the tru« meaning ^^A^ 
 tpt«.tlieQH estAbli9H«$ w^diff^r^M^ be(5iN>^ tht ^^kjl^rci) 5)f b$g 
 li«v«n and those of unbelievers. It only proves that marriage i» 
 
! » 
 
 I 
 
 ««sertion ^ith respect co thesi^tlr^fh.l'iA^^ *?* ApwsileV 
 
 «Vur|, that is, it i8 a lawful chill in GodV acC„ tm • ""* 
 finned b» the wmuU ;„ .i,« ' '".'"""'"' ^'^couiit. This i» con- 
 dendit Tht ^T f- " "l Wnxl- 0«r translators have rcn. 
 
 ihen it is ..till iTfevoiMblf Mftn^t^r'''*'- *'°^''''''»«' 
 rfgf./.o det^and ,rCo„X thS.'l^ ?:t;^"h 5^C ';'^,' ' 
 
 ^* WMwent &«■» «u.i««t o/yaw deaoiniaSCi^U 
 
iA all; and 
 
 ■n just as 
 )e 10, as to 
 Qstle urges 
 irty wai a 
 ch respect 
 ( mere I J' a 
 'fulness of 
 exposition, 
 id to God, 
 God also; 
 :• But in 
 onsistent. 
 ore than 
 a lawful 
 ild Hows 
 the same 
 is is con- 
 lave ren« 
 e ar« i.> 
 has hftn 
 ^k to tb« 
 ;eChap» 
 
 further 
 various 
 
 re born. 
 
 Onscicn- 
 
 te their 
 
 be ques» 
 
 You in- 
 
 ?re^ to 
 
 la ted to 
 
 cement 
 
 to €X« 
 
 belie v» 
 aent of 
 in bap- 
 fscour- 
 lent on 
 ic text, 
 moan 
 ave a 
 
 veen- 
 » hear 
 sestu 
 
 niMt to «ontmj to 'Sca-ipittre and experience, and «o dangtroiM 
 to the souls of men. 
 
 Your next argument is drawn from the address of the Apostle to 
 the churches of Ephesus and Colosse, in which you suppose he 
 considers infants as members of those cliurchcs. That there were 
 parents and children in the primitive churches, no one can doubt 
 who reads the New Testrmifiit ; for we read of whole household* 
 believing, rejoicings and being baptized, viz. — The whole of the 
 household who had come to years of understanding. But 1 think 
 we no where read of infant* being baptized, or of their being con- 
 sidered as church members* The day in which the Apostles lived 
 was a d;iy of great grace j and God was pleased sonr.etimes t<> 
 give his word abundant success in the conversion of w hole fami- 
 lies. In some of those families there would be children or des- 
 cendants from twenty or thirty years of age, down to infants at 
 the breast. Perhaps some would be converted to God as young as 
 ten or twelve years ; and God would thus perfect praise out of the 
 mouths of babes and sucklings. In such cases they would receive 
 the word gladly, be baptized, and added to the church. But 
 their thus professing faith in the Saviour would not dissolve the 
 connection between them and their pnrrnts. It would still be ne- 
 cessary for their parents to instruct and admonish them ; and it 
 would be necessary for them to be exhorted t^abey their parents 
 in the Lord. We are told, that our Lord, when twelve years of 
 age, went up to Jerusalem, and sat among the Doctors, hearing 
 and asking them questions. Yet we are told immediately after, 
 that he went down with his parents to Nazareth, and was subject 
 unto them. Our Lord was then sufficiently old to be a member of 
 a gospel church : yet he was subject to his parents ; and where 
 would have bce4 the impropriety of such an exhortation to him 
 as was addressed to the children at Ephesus and Colosse. We 
 are apt to affix the idea of infancy to the word children ; but %ve 
 are told by the learned, that the word in the original, in the pas- 
 sages you allude to, means dcsccndints generally, withQut respect 
 to age or sex. Of course nothing certain can be learned with re- 
 spect to their age from this term, and the very circumstanre of 
 the A|v>stlc'5 ihstruotinp; and exhorting the.ti shews that they were 
 not infants. That the Epistles to the churches in the New Testa- 
 ment were addressed to persons who had come to years of under- 
 
 ipistie to tne r^pr 
 which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus :" and 
 again, " you hath he quickened, who were deod in trespasses and 
 sins :" and aa^ain, " Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby 
 ye are sealed to the day of redemption," and " vc were some- 
 timea darkness, but now are ve light in the Lord. With what 
 propriety could such, things oe said to infants, ,ot to aU persona, 
 who had been sprinkled ia tbcir infancy. Is it not ihc^ evidciit 
 
/ 
 
 ?f the Churches of Ephc us and ^n r^''"'.'^", ^^ ^'^ "^"'^^'•» 
 j«Me infani^j as k would not be T i!!" "''''''' "^ ""^^'"^^ y^^ 
 
 Js ccMnp ete tDn)i)tcr9 wiih the < h L ^1/ I ^"'•^' "^^^'^ '" 
 
 Included thus in the chu ch w.thour L ! V"'" '^'' ""^ ^"^"^^^ 
 tJon, what cat, be morrr-Vidr^ tlnn t fu^^'''' 'r'' ^' "^''^"^ 
 thurch in the mind of ^hXTude " I?. w7 Tn ' P""'' ^'^ ^^^^ 
 *« parents are meiribers ^ » h. K ^''"^ *^''*'^''''« °^ c^^-isti*^ 
 
 t^on^', if thej c^ie in a,l,n,l-^'''''' '^ "'''.'^ their parent* 
 
 ^he Lord's 4per a„5vi' J^ ';'^'^' ^^V^' ^* ''^^" j'lv hive a ,v,ht tj 
 
 church. YoiKCenU'^ '• "''"'''■" ' '''' ^^'^"^ ^*^»^^ 
 themsdvee by Sr 1 ' ? ' L'^'' V' f ^'^^^ ^«'-^J'K defeat 
 
 Children to cTer^^^r X ' of H .^."^. ""^'l^"" ^^''^^'^ '^" ^our 
 
 Vbu furihc^obseivrth t Ta t ;" ''Y^/'^ <^^'"<"ant baptism. 
 tft^ntheGOmniorscns^'of^h.!^ k°"'' '''"'^ '^^"'^ ««PIH>s« 
 
 hi. Jl» uimlt l«Tc ;^ ' -H '"^ '^ ^''' ii'^ protection^:! 
 
 fHher goodsenTe or n^etvt vn> 1 '*'"*' t *'^P^'-^»'«n than of 
 
 nor M bo infci-rcd from thT fi n?c! r ?[ "^.m^ ^'^^t of reason, 
 ^dependant enti^^^t^ ^^ Sl^-^^^^ bul 
 
 after he r*-e ved n Z^ \ Z circumcise his male children 
 ffio gocpS tVeVer; ;-n^ ir^ L^ ^cmitfatided them to preach 
 
•aptiftm pre- 
 m; nvembers 
 course you 
 Qth r^isi>^^ 
 7 come in 
 iiiiil loliow, 
 
 oi (listiifc 
 part of the 
 I of chrisfi*: 
 eirparciHS 
 ir parents, 
 
 a r-,^ht 10 
 !is of the 
 Jiy defeat 
 it all ^our 
 I can with 
 
 baptism. 
 
 ^ suppose 
 >iely t^f a 
 
 ucatJhg a 
 first de4i' 
 :tion and 
 inUst say 
 tJ than of 
 BapiiiJoi 
 reaaon, 
 iJtics, but 
 ^se(J(lent. 
 nsfances- 
 ircumei- 
 childroit 
 wh? not 
 nor was 
 t h»» du- 
 ll*.' chil- 
 placing 
 sent oHt 
 
 preach 
 believ- 
 mmand 
 did he 
 i^eving : 
 ny one 
 r Jb^hri 
 trt. If 
 
 17. 
 and M M-y in presenting our Lord in tl»e temple tu induce us (• 
 baptize our childron. But you no doul>i recollect that vhore 
 Luke nienlious this event he gives a qiiot;uion from the law wliich 
 thry were under, to ^hevv that it was rccjuired. Now, all we a«k 
 is the satnc dirociioii. Give us a comrajnd' or an example from 
 the New Testament, and we will cheerfully present our children 
 to the Lord. 
 
 You also inform us that the duty enjoined in the following words 
 of Moses, is not to be contined to the Mosaic dispensation. '• Ve 
 stand this day all of you before the Lord }(*ur God, your little 
 ones, your wives, and thy stranger that is within tliy camp, that 
 thou shouldest enter into covenant with the Loid thy God, tha» he 
 may establish thee to-day for a people unto himself; and that he 
 may be unto thee a God."' VVhut naiioa do you conceive has suc- 
 ceeded into the place of the Jews. God was their political Sove- 
 reign; he had taken them to be a people near unto himself above 
 all the people of the enrth. But that covenant made with the 
 seed of Abraham nfier the flesh, has been lonej since done away, 
 and there is now no nation on the earth that iias a rii^ht to claim 
 the character of the people of God. Neither would it be practi- 
 cable to assemble uny nation for that purpose. The good people 
 in Scotland once attempted this in their solemn league and cove- 
 nant: but it soon fell through; and so will all attempts to blend 
 the old and new covenants together. 
 
 Your la^st argument in favour of infant baptism is drawn from 
 ecclesiasiical history. Here I would oberve, your firat and last 
 arguments are drawn from sourc.es which we place no great con- 
 fidence in, viz. human authority. We think that as the scripture 
 Is the only standard of the christian's fairh and practice, God has 
 given us sufficient means of knowing his will from that, especially 
 on a point which is the duly of every believer. You inform us 
 on the authority of some learned jorn. thnt the Jews baptized all 
 proselytes who carne over to them from the heathei\ nations, wit'i 
 their children, from the time of Moses; and you make this a pnn- 
 cip;il foundation for infant bnptism. We look into the Bible, and 
 find a command for circumcising proselytes, but no command for 
 bi^ptizing them, nor any account of the practice ; and another 
 man. equally learned with your informant, declares that no such 
 .practi<':e exiv'lcd among the Jews in our Lord's time. What m'lsf. 
 the plain unlettered christian do? Miist he h?.vn Hebrew and 
 consult the Jewish Rabbins, before he can obtain satisfaction res- 
 pecting a gospel ordinance. Is it becaiise there is no lav.giver in 
 Israel that we must be thus sent to Baaizchub the erod of Kkron 
 for counsel ? Again, a plain man has doubts on the surjrct of 
 infant baptism; to silence them you refer hifu to Eccksr\3tical 
 History. Must he learn two languages, and inquire what the 
 Greek and Latin fathers hive said on tho subject. Mu*( he be 
 able to reconcile all the various and discordant accounts eiven 1 y 
 pope«, councils, and fathers, before he can luake up his *mhid ^ 
 
IS I i 
 
 tained from any sotce wC"^ '"forrnation w hich can be oU 
 Baptists who have h?d Tn ""f '"" ^f '"'''^'^ " '« ^O'Tcct. 
 or L earl, ai:::^^.;;:;^{^S^^--^^^^ wnting. 
 
 is no mention ^frtU I .t thf h"' '^ ^^'^'""^^ '' ^'"'^ ''^=»' ^l^^'e 
 this be the case it ZiTL, f ^ """ ""^ ^^^ ^^^«"'' century. |f 
 I.. niake two e^trac ts fron th/fJC'^ Tl 'K' ^'''''''' ^-^ Only 
 
 in neither of he e t inf it t nf" °^ '^' ^''' ^^° ^^"'"'''^s, anJ 
 also that you Sw the pr.c^ ^'T "^'"""'"^'- ^ «^«^''-e 
 fiint bapti.4i. You date ^vonr ov°. ^'^ *"""""' '" ^^^O"** o^'in- 
 Christ/butfromiredeatLnh' A^'^^TTu"^' ^''^"^ the birth of 
 The unwary r^.der 1 in S^^n^' ^^n '''''"^"' ^^« '^'^^' A- D. 100. 
 but that yoi reckon t me in thf n^n '''"^ '^^ ^>'"''^' "«' *^«t'^i"? 
 Christ. You-" first evSoneei^^ ^''^"^ ^'^^ ^^'''^h of 
 
 A. D. i,W. H words are '^i" "i ^'"''^'^ ^^'« ^^''o^^ «'^«"t 
 and seventy years ddulr; • i"^' P""'""'' ■^^^"g "'^ '^f sixty 
 
 command .odrsd^prortotrUhe^CiL ^'''" ""' 'H"" *?"- 
 «as previous to baptism : Tr our L^rd "IJ ''^^"^""S 'hat 
 •iKciples than John." He 111 iJf, ""'^' ''"^ bapt,,.ed nioie 
 den/himsMt; and take ud hi, rr„./, .%"n ""L" •^""1" » """• 
 be h.-s discipk." thinTthi^ rn^ 1 1 '' "^'l"" ^••"' '"^ ™"l'' "ot 
 Youn? Timothy is said, oh,l I "r"''''?. '"'^ "^ =>n infant. 
 yet I ?onchKleT,o o^e Jul . , ; tT. "','i ''"P',''';" f™'" » '^''ild ; 
 m..s: have learned thei^nil. , """" "t'*' »" '"'""'• "^ 
 but he was baptLecUran li ■'^y ' ""'' ' ''"•« >>° d""''! 
 
 had been ma/e a dtwe rf^afd L" ''Tn" ™' "<« ""'"'•« 
 disciples mentioned b^ Ju ',in ' '° "" ''°"'" " "»* ""h "'«e 
 
 «p™ inffm ;!:I^tifr*sTvf :.S ",1'- •'"«'= ^'^' '" ™"'""S 
 
 eond century, C^u^tKartv Id ' r^'I^u?™^;?,:'' "> "-- 
 the testimony of Insfm If ..««.• 'rrnaru,*. v\'jth respect to 
 
 m-^ke it in a*^ny view";" 1X^7'^^'""^'^^'"'"^^^ ^"5^""'^^ to 
 There isapas^alrirenarnf m ' /"^k'"^^"^ of iniant baptism. 
 is e^fuivocal.- Your „ext wkneTL "^ ^" ^'''^T^ ^''' '^' P"'"^".^- 
 " Not disdaining nor Sn^ " f ''"'''^'' 1'^^ '^-^'^ «^ ^'^"^'r 
 . breaking in h s own peS " t.^^'^-Tr ^""''^'^ "'-^^^re, nor 
 but sanctify,W everv sevei!f u'"^^'' 'l-, ^^^ ^^ ^■"'- ^^^nkind. 
 For he ca^e fo rvZalfp^^l ^^^^^ % ^•'!:^' 
 
'J to wliich 
 place. We 
 :an be oh-, 
 is correct. 
 IP writings 
 no mention 
 ry, though 
 
 that there 
 lit II ry. If 
 
 You only 
 uries, and 
 
 i observe 
 our of in- 
 rc birth of 
 ^.D. 100. ' 
 t Noticing 
 ! birth of 
 ote about 
 s* of sixty 
 ^om their 
 5lin, ema- 
 \ in cx- 
 But in 
 ord gave 
 ling that 
 ed more 
 
 a man 
 )uld not 
 1 infant, 
 a child ; 
 mu He 
 3 doubt 
 until he 
 h these 
 
 larking 
 the se- 
 pect to 
 uity to 
 iptism. 
 mssn^e 
 Christ, 
 e, nor 
 nkindy 
 him. 
 ho by- 
 child, 
 rw^gh 
 
 19 
 
 fjints, &r." Chnpin in his strictures on MoorrV reply to hi-; let- 
 ters, observes, th.it this ))nssagc is generally viewed by the learned 
 as spurious, and for proof it refers to Du Pin, — vol. 1, p. 67, 68, 
 nnrl 71, and to Gale, p. 464. But if it be genuine, it does not 
 prove infant baptism. The whole force of your proof from this 
 author rests ujion the word regenerated, which you contend means 
 bi-iptizcd in this place ; it would then read, " for he c?ime to save 
 all persons by himself; all, I mean, who by him are baptized un- 
 to God." How can it be said persons arc baptized by iC'hrist un- 
 to God when he baptized none. It may with propriety be saidj 
 all who are saved are regenerated by Christ; for he is a quicken- 
 ing Spirit, who gives life to those who were dead in trespasses and 
 sins. Le Clorc, in remarking upon those ^vords, says, " We sie 
 nothing here concerning baptism, nor is there any words relating 
 to it hi the imnjediitoly preceding or following words." — See.Iud- 
 son on baptism, p. 35. The first christian writer jvho mentions 
 infant baptism is Tertullian, who wrote about the beginning olthe 
 third century, and he opposed it. His words are, as transliled 
 by Du Pin, " Jesus Christ says indeed, Hinder not little children 
 from coming to me ; but that they should come to him as soon as 
 they are advanced in years, as soon as they have learnt their re- 
 ligion, when they may be taught whither they arc going when 
 they are become christians, when they brein to be able to know 
 Jesus Christ. What is there that should cinpel this innocent age 
 to receive baptism. And since they are not yet allowed the dis- 
 posal of temporal goods, is it reasonable that they should be in- 
 trusted with the concerns of heaven." Professor Veneina ob- 
 serves on these words, that Tertullian would never have op))oscrl 
 the baptism ot infants if it had been at that time an established 
 custom of the church ; for he was very tenacious of tradilions; 
 and had it been a tradition he would not have failtd to mention it." 
 — See Venema, as quoted by Judson, p. 34. 
 
 Erasmus — " Paul does not seem (in Rom. 5, 14) to treat about 
 infants — It wof nat %/tt the custom for infants to be baptized"* 
 Luther — " It cannot be proved by tHe Sacred Scriptures that in- 
 fant baptism was instituted by Christ, or begun by the first (Chris- 
 tians after Christ.''! M. De La /?o7ue— '.• The primitive chMrch 
 did not baptize infants ; and the learned Grotius provea.'it in his 
 annot. on the gospel.J Mr. Chambers — " It appears that none 
 were baptized but adults in primitive times." Bishop Rarlojc — • 
 *' I do believe and know that ther* is neither precept nor example 
 in Scripture for pedobaptism, nor any just evidenco for it for about 
 two hundred years after Christ." — Letter to Mr. J Tombs. 
 
 pear! 
 
 From these writers and a host of others, (all pedobaptists) it ap. 
 ars that there is no proof of the existence ofinfan? baptism till 
 
 * innot. on Rom. 5, 14 t .'/. R.^s Vanity of Infant /iVf/wm, 
 part 2, ;). 8, | StcnnlCs .^nszcer to Russcn,p. 188. § Cyclojwdia^ 
 Art, Buptisnu 
 
IM 
 
 (i 
 
 ^crthat it should i./vcr bo on/.^''' ' ""1' '"" '^ ^''^ '''^ 
 Testament, nor i„ any ChrLian w^r"?'""'' "''^'''^'' '" '^^^^ ^'^^v 
 alter the (Icath of our Lord '''"'^'' ^^'' mure than K'.O years 
 
 are tak-.« Irom a corrupt L tin te on hr« 'r"' ' ""' ^'"^'^'"' 
 
 ^hich.3 produced iVpPoTof ,• ''^•'"'' ^''''^ olOrigcn, 
 
 which represents the Zl L 1 • ^'''^T' .''^"'"'"-^ « ^'-'^"^e 
 
 't--^. l^'herefore Dr/ H^T| acknou T^r'^ '^' !"""" '"''^" «/' ^^^ 
 inuchpuzzlethecisr .ni r , Sfs " »hi.i thii does vcrv 
 
 be thi;e undersS' ^ ' .^ 'Lf 'l^^^' 'I'^^'r ^^'•'^^ ^^ 
 J« are endued with the inn ron^^^ " P "' ^^^^''' ^■'""'^'*^" "'^n 
 Iiis.oflnf. Bap. Part I '^"'3.;"'" ^"^ s.nipi.cuy of inihms."- 
 
 vo^t CanClt'^^'^^'-nC^^^^ of.ehi.hops con- 
 could not tell by his Mi: :\ /'f'^:-"^« f '^.iu^^ a rouniry bi.hon, 
 
 ;H^pli.dtoCypnan, vvhVcS "« therefore • 
 
 this ;s a proof th^Mi,! .» u .- ^"""^'i on fhe occpfiou. All 
 
 any lans'hu^Vn o ' ;• ,''^^; '-^llJCr "^.-- ''^'^-; -' -ttled by 
 Prnctised, would nolFidus h ve kn u- r"'"'. ^'^' ''^'"'''^>« ^'^^^^ 
 renbnned was not rs em a? Ard IL" ^'^ 'l' 'T' '^'''''" '' ^^--^^ 
 baptism might be perforn r 1 m . < ."'' ^'^^ ^'^'^''^'^^ ^'^'-^^ 
 
 ciKld,don\Ssavan^rbou^^^^^ '^'''^^^ °f ^»'e 
 
 but advance a variA; oftr "^^^^^^^^^^^^^ trad.t.on of rhe church, 
 
 ^'^r'i^ed before the ef d/th d V /hV/?'^ 't' '"'^'"'« "^^y ^^ 
 fant., come into the '.vor d beecln^ fl t .^^ \^'"'! ^^" " ^^at in- 
 tenr.-V7his council is indeedT^Poo ^ ^ ? ^V'^^'"' ''''' ^'^^ 
 ed at that time in Africa but if ^.1- !"^":'' bapfi.m prevail- 
 there; and it does nc^^Vnne.r :M•^''""^^?^•*. ''''' ^ ""^- t^"? 
 
 oMin.chmore ^^uHr :'t^^^ of inH^nts was of 
 
 ^ti^rr parrs of the world LdwiKf . .''''"• '^'^" *" ^"^'^^ °^ 
 e^ necessity of it. For vou v'H nnf f ! ''" ^'""'^" "*' ^^^^ ^»'^«t. 
 nnore ancie;. mention of^ Si curom til n -"V '''' ^"""'^''^ ^ 
 tha^e.-- .^ ,,cf. on Mat. 1 9. h. ^''" '"^ ^'^''^ ^^""^'^ o^" Car- 
 
 rit^ilirwliTdetei^fll^^r^o";^'^^^ ^^'"ted a necessary 
 
 ui oincr people, as appears by the history ^ • 
 
' centuries ; 
 pfihm w;is 
 iHioiintrd 
 1 'He- New 
 i:)0 J cars 
 
 irnrd thnt 
 t bnptisin, 
 «1 that it is 
 
 this ron- 
 oi' Origcii, 
 
 a clause 
 //• of the 
 ioes \ cry 
 itccii is to 
 *'inn mm 
 lauts." — 
 
 ops, ron- 
 ^' l)i«hop, 
 bf bap- 
 iiercfore 
 on. All 
 Mlled hy 
 vs boon 
 n ii was 
 ricd that 
 of rhe 
 church, 
 may be 
 that in- 
 "ics and 
 prcvaiJ- 
 w thing 
 er part 
 
 was of 
 
 .«ia, or 
 ' ,i?rrat- 
 ncils a 
 )fCar- 
 
 Pssary 
 1 held 
 
 •e ex- 
 .522. 
 tizing 
 )ry of 
 
 ft 
 
 the Emperors Conatantlne, Conpfantius, Throdosius, Valmtinian, 
 and of (jratinn in St. Aml>ro?«p; and also by the orulicms and 
 homilies of (ircj^ory Nazianzen, and of S*. Uasil, upon this sub- 
 ject."— Right use of thr Fathers, l\. 2. C. 6. p. 149. 
 
 CurccLaus-" Tht bcipliam ofivfants in ihr t:co first centuries after 
 Christ waif altogether unlnwnn ; \ ut in the ihird and fourth was 
 allowed by some tew. In the (ilih an<J follow ing ages it was gone- 
 rally received. The custom of baptizing infants did not begin 
 before the third age after Christ was born. In the former a^es no 
 trace of it appears ; and it was introduced without the command of 
 Christ." — See this author as fiuolcd by .bidson, p. 36. 
 
 ri/n'»j?rt-"The ancient christian church from the highest anti- 
 quity after the fiposiolic times, appears generally to have thought 
 that baptism is absolutely necrssary for all that would be saved 
 by the grace of Jesus Christ. It was therefore customary in the 
 ancient church, if infants were greatly alllicted and in danger of 
 death, or if parents were afTrctrd with a singular concern about 
 the salvation of their children, to prej^ent their infants or children, 
 in their miHority, to the bishop to be bnptizcd. But if these rea- 
 sons did not urge them, they thought it better and more for the 
 interest of minors, t. at their baptism should be deferred till they 
 arrived at a more advanced aqe, which custom was not yet abo- 
 lished in the time of Austin, thoiigh he vehemently urged the ne- 
 cessity of baptism, while with all his might he defended the doc- 
 trines of grace against Pelagius."— See Judson, p. 36, 
 
 Salmasius — " An opinion prevailed that no one could be saved 
 without being baptized, and for that reoion the custom arose of hap- 
 tizing infants^ — Judson, p. '/?5. 
 
 From these witnesses and a number of others that might be ad- 
 duced, it appears evident that soon after- the apostolic age, cor- 
 ruptions began to creep into the church, and that it soon began to 
 be supposed that baptism was essential to salvation. The conse- 
 quence of this was, that in the latter part of the second eentury, 
 some in Africa began to bnptize infants, and by the middle of the 
 third century it generally prevailed in Africa, but that it did not 
 generally prevail in other parts of the christian world (except 
 where there was immediate danger of death) till the fourth or 
 fifth century. Infant baptism then did not arise from the com- 
 mand or example of Christ or his apostles, but from a supposition 
 that baptism was essential to salvation ; and as this appears to be 
 a mistaken notion, it ought of course to be givei up. You inform 
 us that for the first 400 years after the birth of our Lord, there 
 were but two men who opposed infaru baptism, and that for the 
 next 760 years there is not so much as one man to be found who 
 either spoke for or practij.cd a debv of infruit baptism, but all ihe 
 contY-ary. This is a tale that has been often told, but it will be 
 believed only by those who have heard only one side of the ques- 
 tion. In A. D. 418, the Melevitan Council at the instigation of 
 Austin decreed the necessity of infant baptism in the following 
 
I 
 
 'fl 
 
 terms :-». h j,, ,|,^ pic,,,,^. ^, '* , , 
 
 <iejucth th u infant. no.Tl.'n oHh ^^'u' '"■^'"'' '^^' -'»-'^vcf 
 
 Now, if thcr€ wore im Jrso .. ' r"' ""l ^^^C' P' 202. 
 Po^ecJ infant baptisr/ ^'fe^ \ '^ ^'^"'' ^''^ ''^-nicd or op. 
 
 fy of choosing one s:u- of ru t V;'/'''''/^'''^^''^ ^" l'«''' n. -ess;: 
 
 ousnr.s had ro^pcc^-nouiK ILdo';;; '^'' 7,^'^^ "^-''nrighto: 
 «'/'o/H God hath not cursedr ^ '"^ •''«^' '^^"^'' *''«'^ ^ ^ur,t 
 
 fulness V. hicli a m^uj of an v iZ, -^ ^"^ '-eadmcss and chpri- 
 
 ;on and persuasion of no s^e. cVn ^,1" '"'^""'"•'^' '''"" ^'"^ '^P ' 
 the Anabaptists ; si„ce the re hi S ' """ '•"'''' ^^^" ^^.'t of 
 hundred j^ears past hat Invehr, I " "''"'' ^'"* '^"'^^ ivvelve 
 
 have more checVfull/a d s tfc.^^rV'''^^^"^'/ P'^nishod, or 
 themselves to the most cru: U^^'V''''"';^^"^' '-^'''^ ^ven oiriej 
 J) e.''-_« The Anahmiists .r. a ^ "''''"^"^' '^^-^^^ these poo- 
 
 modern thinr S,r h-Ti.?od in ^ . "'r^^'' ''' t'»'« horcs. a 
 P^y 10 Walkc., p. n lun^l^'::r «^ Austin."-,„ Rees' i! 
 
 of Austin, and^he cherf2e f i^/h r'l'' u'""^^ ^'•""» 'he time 
 cause of religion. If this be tn e Z Ju"^ '^'y ''^''^'^ hi the 
 that m)ne could be found wLdemVr.'r"' °'^^^ ^«««'^rtioa 
 , Dr. 3fo./,e,m-" The tru. nrf i"^?''^ ^^P^'^^"^ ^^r 760 vear. 
 the denomination of AnaMn i?,> ? ''^'' •"' ^^'^ ^vhich acSed 
 nre of baptism to those"wrame o^er^'tT .f '"'""^^^"^'"^ ^ "- 
 derived that of Monnonites, from thnLl '''"* ^"'""^""'on. and 
 o^ve the greatest part of their nrc^rmfll •""•?' •T".^^ ^^^^^'^ ^hcy 
 
 ascertained.''U'er. H?,'r ^rr/ss"""^'^ ^'^^^^ - ^° 
 
 when one sev^t of the \V«M ^ i . ^'^"' ^o» in'orm us that 
 
 of infants, as behV t albtei^''''""^ J'^^'"^^ '^^ ^^P i-h'? 
 
 people rejected their Son f ^^'j'*^'""' 'he main body of that 
 
 ;rhat the Waldenses "^e r^;"t^^^ ^°«.'^ dwindled ai.;. "''' 
 
 admitted by tho«!e whn T ^'^"^f^^'b' »^-. • • Is h Doint ffrnenn«- 
 
 .hey beiie^.jt:„:^;^ i;:!;;^^':^; "'- 'v^-r ' -^^ 
 
 more Ihanacalumny raised aSf/Z' ' 'i'': "' ' '"''^ ='<■• "» 
 IS an accusation (KmcrSlhl^^T} ■ "^ ""'' ""emies. This 
 l^Pfism. In ^.e^r -Ja'r ;«'" :^»'"f ">»'« "ho deny infant 
 
bo haiJti/Pi] 
 !02. 
 
 nicd OP op. 
 anri?hcni J ? 
 
 10 n«'es.sj. 
 
 !«// / tarsa 
 
 '—"If the 
 «n'i chorr- 
 Hie oj)in- 
 an th;it of 
 <^- twelve 
 ishcfj, OP 
 
 n oHored 
 
 H'SO pPO- 
 
 kiiui the 
 bcrcsv a 
 :ees' iia- 
 uf'i ene- 
 he timri 
 :l in the 
 sscrtioii 
 years. 
 C(juireJ 
 
 a new 
 on, and 
 
 11 thoy 
 emotfst 
 It to be 
 
 hinlc it 
 :t is to 
 
 IS that 
 »tizin5 
 f that 
 
 ?ra]Iy 
 tthat 
 'i\ no 
 This 
 nfant 
 iptist 
 h he 
 the 
 I'by. 
 
 . 53 
 
 ))np!.smal wAfor. hut l.y the h\ou of Chrisl." A minister ul.a 
 htld to infant baptism, both prr:i( hod and printed th:,( this was 
 xv/ant damning doctruie; aiifl so great was the c <mour rai.M d on 
 thi8 occasion, that when Collins walked the stn^et, the people 
 would exclaims There ^ors ("oHins, who holds ihc daninMion of 
 inlaiits. Thiii also ^yoij tell IIS, that " our roasoiiinj^ brinj:,, in its 
 tram all the horrors of inlani danmatioii/' It appears to mc that 
 this IS partly the result ol' prejudice, and partly for want of better 
 arguments. You condud-^ b^ observing, that whenever on oppo- 
 nent of infant baptism r;'.;> It^ his appearance in the primitive 
 church, he bad always to oppose the tidi- ofcu-t(.ni; and ilint even 
 so late as thosixteenih century they would not have been able to 
 form a party .^ illkienlly strong to attract the attention of the world 
 orthc chhith. It appears to mc that this argument .vould be 
 much more consistent from a membrr of the church of Rome 
 than from a protesianf, who professes to believe the Bible to be 
 the standard of the christian's faith anrl practice. Would not this 
 argument condemn John Huss and Jerora ol Prague, as well as 
 the baptists: they certainly preached unpopular doctrines, and 
 were burnt lor it by the council of Constance. But there is one 
 thing more I would observe from Ecclesiastical History, whi-h 
 eiilirely docs away with your arguments from this source, viz. 
 1 he practice of intant communion. It a})pears that at an early 
 period ol Christianity it was believed th:Yt baptism and the Lord^ 
 supper were essential to salvation; this led to administering both 
 those ordinances to inlants. To prove this I shall make a few 
 extracts. Salmitmis and Suiccrus—'' Because the eucharist was 
 given to adult catechumens when they were washed with holy 
 baptism, without any space of time intervening; this also was 
 done to inhiwis aficr pedohaptism was mtroduced:-—Jmhon, p. 38. 
 JJr. Prustly—^' It is remarkable that in all christian antiquity 
 we always find that communion in the Lord's Supper immediately 
 tollowed baptism ; and no such thing occurs as that of any person 
 
 *'. vmga n ;ht to one of these ordinances and not the oUer." 
 
 i.. dress on ^jiving the Lord's Supper to children. 
 
 The History of the Church, written by an impartial hand, says, 
 ;• In the tim(^ oi Cyprian (254) it was usual for children and suck- 
 ing infants to receive the sacrament. And therefore when a little 
 sucking girl refused to taste the sacramental wine, the deacon vi- 
 olentlv forced it down her throat."— Page 1 ] 2. As I presume 
 you will admit that infant communion is a human invention, what 
 reason can ])e viven why infant baptism is not so also ? These 
 two practices were found existing together in ancient times ; they 
 were supported by the same arguments ; and what reason can be 
 given why they should not be laid aside together. Everv arj'u- 
 ment made use of in support of infant baptism, will operate with' 
 equal force in favour of infant communion. 
 
 The remainder of your second letter is taken up in proving that 
 It IS wrong to rebaptizc. In answer to this I would observe, that 
 
/ii " 
 
 11 ■ H 
 
 ^f" do not belieVj* iHfanfc ».. k ^^ . . 
 
 «.ion of chris,fa„,W ; „",t, her do T t r^ '"•^'''°« ^ ?""« profe,. 
 
 I remain, &c. 
 
 Dear Sir, LETTER I/. 
 
 shall state our obiectionsv/ .?.;''•''' '^"^ ^°""d 'hem wanth H 
 we nnd .such thingi r^uui re f s " ^^'■''^''^^''^^^- '^^^^ ^rst I ffa 
 ^-n as cannot be^disr ^ ^ tl^l^l^l"^ q-liHcations for'b: ;! 
 1 he baptism of John was termS \ '^ '"P""'^'"^^ '"^"^ <aith. 
 pause he required a pro'bs ioTof r! ' ^'"'^^''^ «f repentar.ce, be- 
 " .n those whom he b^pJl: "'i?/, ff'^^^^^-'^'^' and fruits mee for 
 ?"d allJudea, and all he reiion V T'^'l' ""^ ^° h"» Jerusalem 
 baptized of him in Jorda^ !"■;":" ,'^""^- ^''"^^'^ '^^ -^Jl' 
 saw many of the Pharisees rrcr^'^'^' ""'' ^"^ vvhen he 
 he said unto them, oZZrltn'f'"''' '?""' '^ '^'« ^ap^ism 
 JO flee from the w;a(hto come R '''r'' V'"" ^''^ ^^''^''nod v^J 
 for repentance, and think not to l"'"'^ w •'' ^'^^''^^'^'-^ ^^i's mm 
 Abraham to our father for ^^ ^"*"n yourselves, we have 
 stones to raise up chnd;rn o Ap' T'^^^" ^^^ '« ^^^^ of S 
 apiK-ars hereto requi fa perscm.lt^^ ^' ^-^- ^o ' 
 
 frmts answerable thereto, h ordL/to T''." "^^^^^^'^^"ce, and 
 that hey could have a her' dirlrf • ^ bap ism ; and he denies 
 Abraham. This aeems to hew 7 JiS '^J' ^^ ^ ^^^^^"' ^om 
 cumcsion and baptism A ZJ ?^^ difference between cir- 
 thing that entitled to crrumr?J'"' ^'T .^^'"'^^'^ '^'^^ 'he ve v 
 
 j^;nshchu,.h. B^tS::;;"!-^:^; r L r ^7''^^^^ «"^ 
 
 which was then at hand, roanirrd n.k 'he kingdom of heaven, 
 ance and faith in comin^^ 'o he S ^'^^''S^''»f'ons, viz. repen" 
 they myst believe on hm who In u''*' ^^'' ^^^^ told hetn 
 Christ Jesus.-See Act 9 ^^ Now .t'"!? '^'^'' ^'"^ ' ^''^^ -ron 
 would nut entitle to a .tand nt in the M' tT'"'. ^''^'" ^''''■^ham 
 a descent from any holievrv^ill 9 vv T' »''''"'^' ^^^ will say 
 - 0/ Pentecost insistinc. on |^ T' ' ,^^ ^"^ *^^ter also on the dav 
 t'f d every one of you foMhe r?" ' '""^'-:' ^'^'^' «nd be bZ 
 when the Eunuch aVed «teirr.'^ Again wefiS 
 
 the answer was, " ff thou be^veVt lhTn?i'"'' J" ^'' ^^P^^^^d; 
 est." We never find the Scrinln'L . •" '^'"^ '^^^""t thou may. 
 
 vour of infant.. U it no ttn^fo r?''? ''^ 'f ^^^'^^ '" '^' 
 "Of to baptze anr wi,„ ,' "" 'conclusion i lat we oii^hf 
 
 Watered .0 an infant. Fur her i„ a ^J° ''""''<' "hen admi- 
 
 '■ '" ■*" '"'= baptisms rccoi-ded ia 
 
'ubiic profps* 
 ^g to be bap- 
 ^^n in theso. 
 t'^c; buuiil 
 ^'ou. 
 
 'Ji 
 
 i^int baptism 
 » Wcinting, I 
 fifst is, that 
 >n,s fop biip- 
 ' and iaitii. 
 'tarico, be- 
 s meet for 
 Jerusalem, 
 and were 
 when he 
 baptism, 
 irned you 
 fuits meet 
 
 1 we have 
 
 2 of these 
 9. John 
 
 I nee, and 
 e denies 
 ent from 
 een cir- 
 he very 
 ' of the 
 heaven, 
 repent- 
 Id them 
 ^t is, on 
 bra ham 
 vill say 
 :he day 
 e bap- 
 ^(i find 
 3tized ; 
 J may- 
 5 in fa- 
 ought 
 tance. 
 -icnce' 
 admi- 
 led ia 
 
 S'.;ri|.UirR, we find no nn^ntian of (.!»*• !,t;iS:is!o of vib iri!'i;i*. »i' mi 
 an iifiuk who did wA profess fiiith. l-'roui ilw b»'n(ijiiiing of Joh'i''» 
 ministry till our L(»rds deiih, we hivf n.) ;>.<.ioiuit of ih'^ bAl.-fistn 
 of any lufaius. On the day of pri.tci o>r.. it is said, as m:\uy A<i 
 reccivrd i]\v word t;t illy \v*M-e I»;i}niz."'d ; and the same driy th^rc 
 were 3i)0(> added tu ih(Mii. Thfse 30!Hj must have had a j'Tcat 
 number ofcliUJi-cn. If these were all b.iuti/A'.d on the fji'.h of 
 their parents, is ii not surprising that iishoalil be pas.■^(•d o\i>!- i!4 
 silence. Again, we are told, Act.s -t, that the nj;nt.(r of thcrri 
 who believed was .>>000 ; still ihi re is no mention of infants. In 
 Acib 6, we are told that multit.ud< s of believers were added to tiie 
 Lord, both men and women. Ycr in rdl these instances no men- 
 tioti is made of infmt blp^i^m. Vv'r know t!ii^ is not the casft 
 v,hnro pe(Jobnpf!=.t mission iri.'s trav. j and b;!pti7.e. In th^jr 
 Journals LJioy Generally \\r.[v. how many iufints, and !i'>iv many a- 
 dnlls, thoy have bapti/.ed. Is it not surprisini^ tint the sacrer} 
 historian should have been less corrcei. than modern mis.iionaries 
 are, if indeed infants wcw then bapil/c] -is now ? The Oih chap, 
 ot A'-ts gives us an aerount of the introdut- rion of th*' go?pcl inta 
 Samaria, and its efRrts ; thrit when th- y be1ic\ed Philip preaching 
 the things concerning the kingdom of ("Jod, and th j rame of Jpsu* 
 Christ, they were baptized both men and wonirn.'' IHnfant bap 
 tisai be one of the things; of the kingdoia of Gad, wo would natural- 
 ly suppose that Philip would have preached it, an?] that !he effect 
 would follow in the baj>tism of children as well as men and women. 
 But as this is not mentioned, what is the natural inferenre but that 
 *' they had no such custom, neither the clmrches of God.'*' Acts 
 10. 9, Informs \is of Paul's preaching at Corinth and that many of 
 the Corinthinns hearing bduvcd una ,uere. haptizrdv^ The" Acts of 
 the apostles contains a brief history of !iie church for about jOyeafa 
 after the denth of our Lord, and in pdnicniar it mentions tlic plant- 
 ing of man\^ churches and \he miiteriitls <if which ttiey wrre com- 
 posed, viz. '-those wdio received the word gladly, and multitiides 
 of believers both men and women/* If the iaiants of all r.he^c per- 
 sons were baptized, can any person tell us wdiy itis p-ns*.^j over 
 in total silence. I will mention ont' place in which it app-Mrs to me 
 certain that if inf\int baptism had been in use, it would hav*; bcea 
 mentioned. In Acts 21, we l;nd the believing Jews had imbibed a 
 prejudice against Paul, because he Ind persu;tded the Jews who 
 were among the Genriles to forsake Mos^^s, ami not to f.ircumr,ist} 
 their children. To do away with this prpjulice I'aul was advice*! 
 to join those men who had avow on thv-^m. and lo purify himself, 
 &.C. Now h;id infant, baptism been then in u^r, and l)''cr consi- 
 dered as a subsiitute for eir< umci'^ion. !u)W easily could Pi'ui havo. 
 cleared hitu"^''!!'. Would he not h:\\\^ said. •~-^' Drrthrcn. yu 
 know infant baptism has come in the place of circn.Tic^^i.i.a, and 
 though I have tauiht them tint to circumcise their c-iiMri n ; vet 
 I have bapii/.ed llicm ii;>ic;id of it, \iv\ know bv)'!"?";^. i** ^'\\v 
 circumcisicn m a new shape." Fuiihcr. if these Jews were of- 
 
 D 
 
cil 
 
 S::ff;:^n:'^^trv na^lir r'i^^ "'"? ^'^^ -— -^^ ^^-r 
 
 own ; and carj^^^^j: ;t:S^ tKlt'S^'^T^rl ^^'^'^ 
 cumci.0 and bapti.^e th.ir children To c "^ '''?'^ ^"'^^ '''"' 
 tioi^*not appear from Scrinu?nr """ "I' '^^ ^^'^'^'e, it 
 
 thai our Lord eve co.w;Td ^'- ^f"^"" "">>' '^"^'^^^^'"^^^ ^'^'"Vr 
 tlure ever was one ha p i ' n v J^hn ^S'" '" '^^^^'^'"^''' "'* ^^-^ 
 
 Lord. If rhi. be not T^^nr "" ^T'' ^^'''''^''' '^'^'^^ ^^»' our 
 
 1 do not knovv "ha ^^ d t' ''v ^ '" "^^^'''^ "^^'"^ '^P"-^^ 
 .ornescripuu-c forh^li:,,^,, hZT^'^f "' ^'t^ '^'"^ 
 
 tie. ever brou^dir an inP nf '-^ P"V"' ^^^^^^ «"«• '^'^i-d or his apos- 
 ever had a S to t tCn f 1 1^^^^' ^■'^^"•^^^^' «^ ^^"^^ ^^oy 
 th.l right waf ll^^^ J r Yon^^oT '' T'''''^ '' '^'''' ^^^^" 
 lute certainty, the opt m '^'^ ''^'^ i^/^S^r^h abso- 
 
 arc exactly i, a SvV ForH I ■'f^''^^'^'^ ot infant baptism 
 
 declaration f;.r or^ L.t^he t^cul^'^'^r"""" "" '^''^' 
 this concrssion i* almost enui^alim t -> o • '^^l'"'' '" '^'' ^'^^^^ 
 tlier. If it cannot Trnrov >d h ^''""•^' "I" ^^'^ Point alto^e- 
 
 ture it.ust of:::,lf ,7to th'^Sd ''^Th'"^'^ '"" ''^^' 
 declaration of Scnpturc for or .1 ^^ r '''^'*^ " no express 
 presume you would nTsnv ^ho^^i"'' '''^'''^ ^omn,„nion ; yot I 
 ^tpra4e-are t;>ct}y"oL^t;d"''^" "^' the opponents of 
 
 " ^J-;'?s d;:Sc;;[th!ir^^^'sr^'"!?"^ ^^p^--' -• ^^^^ 
 
 ween thef church anTt^eVoH^ Onr f''' 7^^'^^'l^^"^'^>^k-^ bet. 
 *' Ye are not ofthe w' rirbt Pi' ^^''\ '^^^^'^o his diseiples, 
 «-orld.-^ And he lerlarc that hil v''^ '^'°''" ^°" ^^ °^ ^f''^ 
 AH the churches of wh'ne J^d:::'t^i:%''^''^''''''' 
 tompo.sedofprofcssedbel.HVP. o» I "'^^^^' ^(^^tament were 
 wheliAnnani^atSlfj!^!;^ ^^^^^ 
 
 i^ere struck dead to shew the Lordl dotesta.tu. In "''''"^^ ^^'y 
 to deferothers who were in t lil.r , If. A • " °^ ^JPO^n.^y, and 
 this efTor-t ^^nffh^ re7 Ih '^'r'.'f ' ^l'"™ J^'^Sf^'™' ^"^^ '^ had 
 no man join him el /otltm-i^^ /?.''' ?' "^' ™^'i^vers) durst 
 nddressed: «. Ye aLo ^ I'.r ^^^^ ^''•^^'P es of Christ are thus 
 house, a holy i^L^Cf a^ '^"' ''" "^"''^ "P ^ ^Pi'-i'"^! 
 to Cod by i^^T^hS *' ^'^ "P'^P'7"" ^^^'-'^^^^ ^crrpta ble 
 d.M iph-ne amont hm elves iT? ''"^ ^'''^^ ''^^■^ ''''''^''<^ ^ 
 law before tlir. uniu't .nrJ \m --^ ''7'^. '^^"^ured for gomr; to 
 hr ,hoir bre Iren "^ Thov 1 '""^^ • '^''^• ^''"'^^•'•ences :rdins;ed 
 
 from their o.mm miion fc '''' '''^r ''' ^^^'"^^^ ''''^^ 
 
 . iinmun.on. rhcy were separated from the world. 
 
 )v thf <;f,ron<]jcst f'"- • ^■-' " - - 
 
 Olio faith, and one ban 
 
 tm 1 
 
 ptisf 
 
 r)ut it' 
 
 ; havmtr ''oneT.orfL 
 
 s a tendency to destroy this state of 
 ? r. IV^'r'^ ^'^^ -h«J- P"Pui-tion ofte 
 
 is evident that infant 1 
 
 lai 
 
 tilings, and to brin^ 
 
 a f^h'ii.rh fo i>n . 1 »;'f'"'^^'o" oi me lane 
 
 ^ -ikuch to be composed of a number of belicv 
 
 land. Let us 
 
 SI I 
 
 ppose 
 
 crs, and thai they 
 
ifismg thfir 
 mciscd ilieir 
 lid both cir- 
 e whole, it 
 nitic hibiory, 
 p<l. or that 
 Lord, or his 
 ^atii of our 
 int loaptisui, 
 Kouid bring 
 ^iJi'd issiirh 
 r his apos- 
 • that thoy 
 shew when 
 jnrds abso- 
 nt baptism 
 no- expr'i'^s 
 to me that 
 >ini alto£:e- 
 'oni Scrip- 
 19 express 
 on ; yet r 
 3onetits of 
 
 viz. That 
 akes bct- 
 diseiplcsy 
 yat of the 
 s world."^ 
 ont were 
 ch. And 
 lem, Irhry 
 ri.^y, and 
 ndithad 
 rs) durst 
 tnrethiis 
 spiritual 
 rrpta ble 
 rcir.ed a 
 goinj;; to 
 ■tdj listed 
 
 nde hiiTi 
 v/orldy 
 10 Lorrl, 
 r.t hrtp- 
 to bring 
 "ippose 
 It ihey 
 
 '.'» 
 
 I'V 
 
 briRg cdl their chihlren into the church. The ron^erjurnr?' wilf 
 Ite that the church will increase with the gradual ut( rease of their 
 fainiiie.'-, and hi a few years ihc' parents will Imve gone the way 
 ol all llesh, and their children will have occupied their pluces • 
 but perhaps nor one-iourth of their children are true belie vers.' 
 The power will then i^e in the hands of the majority who know 
 no' (rud, and ol)ey not his gospel. VVc sec it to be <o. not ov'iv in 
 r< hgiuus. bijt literary societies. If any learned sori.iy uerV \^ 
 aihnit all their childj-cn as n)eml>cr5 of the sori. tv. it nouh! -y'lia 
 fall into r.onten>j)r. b(eau^e the children would not inherit tlie xa- 
 lenl.s of the paienf.^; and experience shew.-, jjvit piety h not h^fr- 
 ditary, any more than geuiu> or laionts. E\ery Vliurch th^n, 
 which praelises infaiii. baptism, and acts ronsislor.tly wiiJi it. c;ir- 
 rics in its own hosom the -.cods of dissolution, .ind is jjuvin- the 
 %vay, or rcducnig the church into a mere worldly societ\' in 
 which there niay be indeed some pion- ])ersons. but in wiiich'niore 
 nominal chnrfians ivill be the mrijority. But _)un will perhaps 
 reply, We guard against this, for Iho'ugh we br.piize our children, 
 yet we Jo not admit them to the Lord's Saj)per, nor consider tlicni 
 as infull eommuiiion til] tiiey exhibit synpfoms of pietv. ,1 an- 
 swer, this shews the iucoii.-isteucy of nifu nt bapiL-ni in a very 
 striking light : for jf bitpti^m Ije the door into the visibiv church 
 of Christ, and infants are fit subjects of \hni <irdin;uice. t.hey have 
 a right to all the privileges of* the hou.>e of Cod. Those who 
 practise infant baptism then ought eitlicr to give it up or lo revive 
 the practice of infant communion, or to shew w hv they separate 
 these ordinances. Rut we have naother oi-jcciion to mfa it bap- 
 tism, viz. That if has a tendency to injure' those who have V.een 
 the subjects of it, by supporting that princijile of >eJl-ri-hieot\sness 
 which is so natural to ftdlen man. You rejjresent Dr^D^v ighl -^^s 
 addressing the children w'lo have been V);)ptized in infini v it» 
 these terms : '^ God has called you my young friends into his\'i>i. 
 ble kingdom in the morning of life. He has ptiblirly seah d you 
 as his children, and planted you in the nursery o( Ids ehurrh, k.<:."^ 
 Do you think, sir, that this is the language of'*ruth and sobJrness, 
 or that the Apostles would address unregenern'e persons in this 
 way ? Do you not think it would be more scripturnl and prolit- 
 nble to tell them that they possessed depraved natures, and that 
 they were under the inllu. nee of a carnal mind, which was enmity 
 against God; and to t(>li them, that indos they were born a-'ain 
 thev could not enter into the kingdom of God. You su})pose^hat 
 inlant bap(i^m has an advantojre ovej- ndult, berause ii furnishes 
 the parent with motives to urge the child to a life of ol>edience to 
 God. You t^kc no notice of faith and repentance. I should sup 
 pose th.it withcuf thrse no pei-son, old or > 
 
 of obedience to God. bi short, I 
 
 oung, could live a lih 
 iptism supposes the person to l)c 
 
 alrearly in a state of favour and aeeej)tance with God ; ;uul to be 
 consistent, those who practise infant bnptism must suppose all 
 their children to be in the way that leads* to life, and 'that Ihvy 
 
ni 
 
 fi 
 
 ^ ,! T'T -'ii . ^^ ^'" '^•••S'""^nt <--'^n any person use to u^^■e 
 l)ujon= to lMMhuiirirc])e,auncf,nioro powerful tlun the love of 
 ;::' '''S7 ^"'' ;^ >;»./« di^' lor snu.er.. l>.u,! knew of not.o, he 
 ^^>^, Cod *as in Christ, reeonciling the world unto hini,.e!r, not 
 ^npuung their Lrespa..,cs unto then./' And in con.enneme of 
 
 ^ncd;d n.r >d" ^!"i'^'^"*^^'' ^^' ^^^'-'^^ '•c.ou.ht men to be re- 
 cuntikdfo uk!. In,,, an argument that every plou. person 
 
 S-:^ loir'n' M '^'''"^'""- ^^^'^^ J^^-'^-^'^'^^ ^f^'^" '^^'^■^'- children 
 01 J plou.^ pedotK-piiM. over those of a pious hupti.st? 'I'he child- 
 
 rt). ol a pious bapii.t have tlie advantage of his praters, instru- 
 ^lua. and example, and of the preaching of the gospel; ami when- 
 ever thc^; be levc m the Lord Lus witfall thei!^ heart's, the doors 
 9t u.. chuich are wide open to receive then.. They have the 
 pnvi lege of lollowmg their Lord and Muster into the liquid gravel 
 ^^u thuspubnclv taking up their cross, and acknowledging them- 
 ^dves to be on lLc Lord-s s'.de. But for a pious pecfobapisto 
 
 s Loth t '"'' '^^' ^Jf ^'' ^'""^^'''^y ''^'^ "'^^"^ - ^-^ ^^hildren^ 
 IS both erroneous and dangerous. It is erroneous, because we 
 
 ^tad of no person s being sealed as the childreu of God, but tho^e 
 
 who were scaled by the Spirit of God to the day of reden.ption : 
 
 ^Dd 1 presume no person will say this means baptism. It is dan- 
 
 IX?'. fT''^^;?'''^ such pel-sons to think ^hemselvs ha 
 better state than others, which is directly contrary to the spirft 
 of he gospel, which requires the sinner lo be stripped of every 
 sell.justiiy.ng plea, and to come to.Christas perishing and helples-s 
 for bfe and salvauon. But again, it is an injury to "such mrfcms 
 b^e K h. a teadencv to prevent them U puf,Iicly' ^^1:^ 
 SingUui.t before men, when they are converted to God. It is be- 
 tjuently the case where revivals of religion take place, that the 
 J^oungcoaverts see their duty « to be buried with Chr st in bap! 
 ti.m' plainly; but they are told by their parents, " W hi 
 
 tt Trnh/r' '" '''^^>' '"'"T^'' "''' youVromn;thenantof 
 Kv'.L " .7 ':'^"^'"V'"Syf"'' baptism, and by being rebapiized 
 
 bv 1 re'." •'•"''ir ^'f^'-' V''' "^"^^ ^'' kept'in bondage 
 by thi. reasoning all their lives, and prevented from acting acroi- 
 cUng to the dictates of their own conscience and the word of God 
 bomc compromise the matter, and are immersed in the name of <he 
 
 i.?- £:.f1^'''*'^" -"'^'^ ,"'^'''' was immersed himself, and who 
 
 doc. not believe in it as the scriptural mode of bnntism. U'hi'e 
 
 hose who do come out and follow the dictates of conscience ami 
 
 h. W'ord o God boldly, have generally to encounter the fi ovvns of 
 
 ncnds and relatives. I lu,vc here laid before you the principa 
 
 1 ea.ons why we reject infant ba,>tism ; whether tiley will be sufllci- 
 
 en to luMi! r us in your r.nmion, or to bring you over to us, I know 
 
 God lUr^ f ''■'. "'"'^' ''" '""^''^ ^'y "^^^ ^^'«'''' ^'"^ Spirit of 
 Vod, auil ltd in iJic n-ht way in pnnciplc and practice. 
 
 I remain, &c. 
 
' and <!nn- 
 isc to urge 
 le iov<^ of 
 '1' nonr, he 
 iniseir, not 
 M[ucn(c of 
 I to be re- 
 )iJs pcrsitn 
 p children 
 I'he child- 
 s, instruc- 
 i/id whfn- 
 ihc doors 
 have the 
 lid grave; 
 iiig thcm- 
 baptisi to 
 
 ren. 
 
 child 
 cause we 
 hut tho--e 
 eiiipLion : 
 It is dan- 
 ves ill a 
 lie spirit 
 of every 
 I helpless 
 persons, 
 r coiiAs- 
 It is (Ve- 
 that the 
 it in bap- 
 Ve have 
 ' name of 
 bafHizeJ 
 bondage 
 ig accor- 
 ofGod. 
 ne of tlie 
 ind ^^■}lo 
 While 
 nee and 
 (•owns of 
 )rincipal 
 e snflici- 
 , I know 
 Spirit of 
 
 pRAR Sir. 
 
 '::> 
 
 LETTFdl ML 
 
 nVAV: purport of your ihird letter is to prove that sprinklin'^ and 
 
 of 
 
 pouring are Icmiimaic modes of adiuiiwsi.M 
 
 liig the ordinance 
 
 f baptism. As J our arLMimenfh hue noi saiisfied me oft! 
 
 of this, I shall i/iv 
 
 le truth 
 
 sul)] 
 
 my reasons for disseming from you on th 
 
 IS 
 
 :i'?.l*„..; !!"'" P'"!"^'^'''* ^>'Si»'/'ent is, iliai the word 'baptize and 
 '*" " ' " '" ' lf>t'*;pi«ss the action of bajuism, 
 
 its derivatives, which are used 
 primarily mean to cleanse. The only aui 
 for this use of the word is Dr. Dwioht. J( 
 
 Uoctor IS wry unhappy in his choice of a proof of 
 
 nority whicn you bring 
 tpp<''»»'S to me that the 
 
 Ih 
 
 wori 
 
 Ifc observes that the 
 
 this meaning of 
 
 wonl originally meant 
 
 to dye, tinge, stain, or colour. But the r|iiesiion is, if if oric^inallr 
 meant to tinge or ^\yc, how comes it now to mean to cleanserwhich 
 IS the very oposite of dyin-. 'i o dye signifies to communicate a 
 s am, to cleanse signiiies to take out a stain. Between dying and 
 cleansmg there is no resemblance ; but between dyin<r and im- 
 mersion there is a vi^vy striking one ; for whatever i.s dyed is im- 
 mersed m the li-iuid for that i.urpse. Trom this then I thmk 
 eveiy candid person will conclude that to baptize is to immerse. 
 
 Your next argument is, that it is sometimes used in Scripture 
 where it cannot be translated immersion. You instance the fol- 
 lowing passage Mark 7,4, " where we read of the baptisms (so it 
 is in theorigmal)ol pots, and cups, and table., or beds:" and you 
 think no one wUl maintain that these were dipped in order to be 
 cleansed. But [ think you will fmd those who are most convert 
 ant with Jewish cu.^tom^ of opinion, that these baptisms were liter- 
 al immersions, ami might have been so rendered by our transla- 
 tors. By referring to Lev. 11,32, you will find that all vessels 
 which were dehled, were to be put into Water or immersed. Their 
 tables were not like ours, but tluy were courses or beds on which 
 they leaned while at their meals; and they were washed by be- 
 mg put into water. Dt^. Gill on this text savs, '' The Jewish ca- 
 non ran thus, a bed that is wholly flefiled, if he dip it, part bv part 
 IS pure. See also Stackhousc' ^iist. of the Bible, p. 12 U YoJ 
 rlso mention that when the Jews returned from, the market except 
 they washed (Greek, baptized) their hands they ate not. That 
 this washing ot ihcir hands, and even their whole bodies, was bv 
 immersion, there are many evidences. 
 
 Scaliirer—^^ The more superstitious part of the Jews, every dav 
 before they sat down to meat, dipporl the whole body. Henci 
 the 1 harisees' admiration at Christ ; T-uke l ]. 38. Judson, p. 7. 
 Ur. Focock says concerning this bapii/Jnic their hands ; "The 
 greatest and most notorious uneleaniiess of ilie hands reached but 
 to the perch or wrist, and was r.leansed by dipping or immersing 
 them up so hio-h." Dr. I-fannnom! on this text says, " Washinc 
 ot any part, as the hands here, by way of immersion in water, «s 
 mat IS opposed to cfiusion or pouring frater on them."-Gale p. Vo%. 
 
rl 
 
 must be rcmembcreri ihcv were truli.im.w.f tl i ? •^.'. '^ 
 
 washing, or u,„„o,.i„,;.s wl„ I, o ^I o, c r d ,^,:1!'"""'-""'^ 
 stance you brine is il,.|, ■) iii , I '-'"•■""•etl. Xhc next m- 
 
 ^o4i.o„t..-£;-;r:;;-=.::t:^^S- 
 
 hat both those comrcturcs are mere fictions invented to serve ^ 
 
 Bmmmmm 
 
 person that .he apoatle did not mean' thaf he~li e"r^l,v ll ''' 
 ized but they passed through something that was fia^ ■ Hw. "^^ 
 bap ,sm ; for he, ays in the following veVse thauhelici , h"„ 
 w, dernes, wa, Christ. He cenaini? mean no mo e by ,1, ex 
 prcss.on han ihat the rock was figurative of Chri^T So^', ,, .j"' 
 the Israelues were baptized in ,he eioud and in th^ sea he m'Unf 
 .hat by gon,g down m(„ the sea as into a i;rave, thev vere n'nr 
 at.vely ,„>mersed or buried in it; and when th;v en^er-ed ouTof 
 «, . tresemb ed a resurre.;t,on ; and so when und'er the do d ° 
 might be said to be buried or immersed in it J)r Phr = ^ 
 . jnent on , Pet. 3 2,. he endeav™,rMo ^te,^ ;f p Hdi;;!"': 
 
 tXr" ;iih.H!.,^;;'' ""' ""^" """ '™' »- ^-'i 'o i' sa e V; 
 
 a... Now we know^ ^tt ^:l^C;^!::^z:!::. 
 
it inij[^hl be 
 iinursions, 
 rccily. li 
 ish elders, 
 pfl ; lirnce 
 Js, for th(j 
 
 persliiious 
 It next in- 
 f»vt> ii, Di- 
 en nu iui- 
 i-> olijccti- 
 iri.c-s to be 
 I. •J'-\ and 
 Is no re;i. 
 Crotins, 
 'jbaptists, 
 >'s iiu)iitr' 
 
 Aom thtj 
 u 1 Cor, 
 ignorant 
 I passed 
 lie cloud 
 Ism was 
 ipou the 
 or them 
 tians. — 
 ized by 
 5 to nie 
 serve a 
 il more 
 vard to 
 ? chap, 
 candid 
 \y bap. 
 I live of 
 ; in the 
 ;iat ex- 
 saying 
 meant 
 figiir- 
 out of 
 I they 
 > com- 
 !ing i.s 
 od by 
 tcnfls 
 2; the 
 imer* 
 
 3; 
 
 tion in strict propriety of bpecili, the ark only wfts baptized, 
 the water did not touch the iniiabiianis. So in passing through 
 the soa they might be stld to be baptized without the water touch- 
 ing iheni. 'i'he celebrated VViisius„ in commenting on this pas- 
 sage, says, " How were the Israelites b;i|jtized in the cloud and 
 in the -lea, seeing they were neither immersed in the sea nor 
 washed in the clond ? U i> to 1)C considered that the apostle here 
 uses the term baptism in a ligurative sense. The clouds hung over 
 
 their heads, and so the watcT is over those who are baptized 
 
 The sea sm-rounded them on each side, and so the water in re- 
 gard to those that are baptized."— See .bulson on baptism, p. g. 
 lie also quotes the following persons as giving the same comment : 
 — I^irretinns, Knatchbiill, Croiius, IJruunius, Catakcr, Camero, 
 Bengehus. Marckius, Tool, Hammond and Whid)y. 
 
 ^ on say at the conclusion of this ari!;ument. " It follows then 
 St. Paul being the Judge that to be i,)>rinkled is to be baptized." 
 But how could you say so ? Paul says no such thing ; il is only 
 Dr. Owjght says so, yow also argue from the pouring out of the 
 spirit upon the apostles being termed a baptism, that pouring is 
 baptism. But, my dear sir, you must know tiic dilTerence be- 
 tween a word being used literally and figurativv'fj. When we say 
 a person is drowned in the water, we mean that ho is suflbcated 
 in it, and this is the primary and literal meaning of the word ; but 
 when we say a person is drowned in tears, we use the Word in a 
 figurative and improper sense. You must admit according to the 
 meaning you attach to the word, that it is nsed fis-iiratively, when 
 the pouring out of the spirit is called baptism. 'Vou contend that 
 It means to cleanse or wi.sh. I presume you v/rll not say, the a- 
 postlcs were literally washed or cleansed *in the spirit, when pour- 
 ed out upon them. Vet whcm the sound which was the symbol of 
 the }y\\\no. Spirit filled all the house where the desciples were sit- 
 tmg, it bore strikinsj resemblance to literal baptism. Abp. Til- 
 lotson, in commenling on tliis everir, savs. '' If filkd all the house. 
 Phis IS that which our saviour call.s hapllzinrr 7>'ilh the Ilohj GhosU 
 So that, they who sat in tln.^ house were as it were immersed in the 
 Holy Glvost. as they who xvere Ijuricd in water, were overwhelm- 
 ed or covered all over wiih v;ater. which is the proper notion of 
 baptism." Sermon ir*7. 'i'Jie followir.o writers are also quoted 
 by Mr. Judson as a-reeing with the almve : Cyril, Guntlerus, 
 Ikenuis, Le Clero, Casaubon, Leigh, Pp. Hopkins and Bp. Rey- 
 nolds. Thus we see that many eminent writers, who were not 
 baptists, consider thnse figurative bni)tisms as having an evident 
 allusion tomimersion in water, and thus cHnnrni us in the opinion 
 that baptism and immersion are terms of the same imfwrt. 
 
 Your next argument in favour of sprinkling is derived from the 
 circumstance that there are many baptisms recorded in ^cripturo, 
 Avhen there is no mention of there being much rvafer there, and as 
 you srq.pose water could not be found to immerse I hem, vou con- 
 clude ihey were sprinkled, i'ou observe that Luke had his rea- 
 
i 
 
 sons OP no infofmn.g tis tint tlu- .iOoO diVi|>!es on the dav of urn- 
 t.TO.st, haul of (arsus, (Jurndu.s, ^c. we..t down into, Jr lo. ,h(> 
 wafer anri t.l,at ihese masons aiv r.ot voi;y iuvourablo to il,e dor- 
 r.f.c of imnuTsioM, WhaLclu yo„ Uiink, drar.sa',could ha^ehc•(..l 
 the reason; I ho,,e;you(lMl,no; su.^j.d luni lo ],ave been a UuuiU, 
 who would parmularly n.cntion ihc circu-nslan* e wh,Mi thov ucnt 
 downinto, and eame up oui of, ti.ewaier; l.at when there was 
 not water enoui^h for ii.nnerMoa would wi^ll to puss h;.s!ilv over 
 It without n.entionin^ the mode. I cannot suppose that he would 
 have concealed the cur.nusiancc iVo.n us, or have pa.s.se.1 it over in 
 haste. 11 the CHudidates were .sprinkled, I think the historian 
 wou d have told us so plainly. If 1 am rightly informed there are 
 word. smtaMe to express the action, of pcoi-in- and ^prinklin;,^ i,i 
 the Greek lan-ui.jre; an.l d the aOOO or unvoth-r iKM-sons had 
 water poured or sprinkled on them for haprisio, whit reason ran 
 be given why the scripture do^^s not emplov these words ? |» the 
 Greek translation of Lev. 9, 6, 8, The three terms are all used la 
 the following manner :-- And the priest shall (hop.n) dip his f.n^^er 
 in the blood, un,\ {prosfrauei) sprinkle of the blood sev(>fl times be- 
 fore the Lord, and shall (^!cch.i) pour all the },:ood of (he bullock 
 at the bottom of the altiir." Here we find the rhreo words to ex- 
 press baptizing, p€;nrin- and sprinklm-, are xvry ditlbrcnt in the 
 
 original, nnd are translated by three difiVrent words Sec Baldwin 
 
 on baptism p. 91.' We see also from this text that to baptize 
 does not mean to wash or cleanse; for the ])riost did not wash or 
 cleanse his fin-er in the blood, b.u, he dipped it for the purpo>e of 
 takmj!^ up the blood on his timber to sprinkle it brn^re the Lord — 
 In short sir, I think when the scripture says the 3000 were bnplized. 
 It is lavourable to the doctrine of immersion, and so in every other 
 instance. It does not a])p-ar to me. that the scripture ever menliV 
 onsthe circumstan<a>s connected with bi.jui.sm, for the sake of 
 shewing us what baptism is. The meaning of the word baptize 
 was certainly well known as it was a word in common use. The 
 circumstances connected with baptism, are merely mentioned in- 
 cidentally. It is certainly not necessary then- in order to prove 
 that baptism is immersion, that it should be always mentioned thait 
 there was much water or that they went down into, and came up 
 out of, the water. The circumstances cvhirh vou suppose to be 
 unfavourable to immersion in the case of the SOOOare, Ist.that there 
 would not be time to immerse 3000 in One dav% 1 would observe 
 that It is not saifl they were all b.ptized in one dav. The words 
 are " and as many «s received the word sjladly were baptized!- 
 and tJie sanie day there were added to them a!;oat 3000 souls.""---' 
 ^ow I am not sure, neither are vou. that they were ail baptized 
 the same day. They mi^ht be'added to them by professing to 
 receive their word, and joining themselves lo their' company and 
 yet not be baptized on the same day. We read Aots 9, 2G. thttt 
 when Patil came up lo .Ternsakm after his ronvorsion '• He is 
 said to >n himseii to the disciples of JesuSj but thai they were 
 
ay of pdrt*?, 
 or lo, ih(? 
 
 liie tlo(> 
 ha\ e bc(;n 
 
 a lj;ij>ti.>f, 
 they went 
 there \vri3 
 slily ovcp 
 ho would 
 lit over in 
 
 historian 
 tliere are 
 iiti<liri<i^ in 
 •sons liad 
 ^;>:^oii fan 
 s ? In the 
 II iisolI im 
 his (inger 
 tinjos ()e« 
 [i l)ulloc[c 
 \h to ex- 
 )nt in the 
 Baldwin 
 • baptize 
 
 wash or 
 u-poso of 
 Lord. — 
 btiplizedy 
 ry other 
 cv montir 
 
 sake of 
 
 1 bajHize 
 e. The 
 ioned in- 
 to prove 
 ned th:«t 
 came np^ 
 ise to be 
 lat there 
 observe 
 c words 
 <ptizedf; 
 :)ul>.""--- 
 ■•;j}>tizcd 
 'ssing to 
 my and 
 ?G; that 
 '• He is 
 ly were 
 
 A? 
 
 aK *fi'»i^8f ))llW» ^4 '^14 *l«^' belicvf he \\^ a di.si.iplo." N'ovy 
 \ikimu<g h«Wii€:if ip ijic disfiiplea was ec^uivalcnt to the ioQi) htwz 
 jjfrftjtd tQ \\\¥{n> Vet it did no| mean boii^tf baptized, ^r he haj 
 f)een j^jiptj^f CfJ at pc^mancus ; but it mcjint his publjcly uniting hioi» 
 §(;l[ with the dijscipics, ^ind avowinij their spntimeuta ^c. iiut acf- 
 
 W«U«Po ^.^^t ^^^^^' ^^?rM n^ll '^^jHl*'^^ *?P \\^9 V*"^c da;jr, I think ihiT« 
 WQUl^ b^ 09 want of time. We rcac) that the number of the di^r 
 cjples vyho yyerc to^piher prcytous to the day qf pfnlecost vy^ris 120, 
 "jiie 70 (iifjciplcs whom ouc Lord hiid srnl qiu to Ofcj^ch, and th^ 
 ) ? fipostles wprp nq doubt of this nifqibor. ij' 60 persons wf re cm*^ 
 ploypd in l^apiizjng, it would be but 60 each. To prqve (o vou 
 \]^^\ this would be casjly dope, I shall mrntion k Circumstalui 
 Vyhicji ioqk pjace ^ fcyv yciirs ago in the iTnited Slates r—Mfl 
 pitn«»?l Mcrin, the pastor of a pc^obijptist church m rfedccvyicfe, 
 lyjajne, pmbracpt) Jl]e dpcirjne of believers bpptisnj, and prc<jrfic(| 
 03 the siihjecl to jii^ people j tl^e result was, that thp baptist mjni*- 
 ^•r was invited to bury a pumbpr of th^m with thcjr Lord in baij* 
 li.sijf) ; find QO pqrsons were imjneriSed ii^ the space of 40 minutes! 
 I^his proyeij thq|L it ^'9"!^! k^ "P gre.al diSicuhy to immerse aUQd 
 In Qne t|i^y, whcpe fh^rc werc^o many Jjdfiiini.sfrat9rs."" 
 
 Tj^e ppjct obsjacie jvl^jch you fifid is a wqni of ^y^lcr. In rcdr 
 lo i\i'\§ I would cjj>.servc, ithat thiere were In the 'erpple at Jenisa^m 
 l\}p moltep seaj ^nd a numbf^r of la vers of Ijrass for ibe dipping (jjT 
 ihe priest^. T\w<i >vas also tf^c pooi of Pethpsda'j and that of i?iio^ 
 j)lp, yv'her.e pprspijs bathed ^nd ,dippe,d tHeipselve? o}\ certain occa- 
 jSi.ons? 5 .Johij 5, 1. We n^ust also remeaiber that jhe J,cv;s lyere Jiy 
 fhp ppf^t^nt p.ractic.c pf impBcrsing ih^mselyts on religious aCr 
 ppyn|t,§, and there/ore wpulcl have many cpnvenipncies ibr that 
 purjposjB in sq Ijjrgc a cihf as Jeru^atejii. Maimoridjps, ^ Icarnc^ 
 Ijfjewi§ii liabb.ij says, *' Whenever in the law^ wasbing; oiling ft<^i) 
 pr.of the clpthcs is mientioncd, it mean;? notbing else "than the dip* 
 ph}^ PJfil^c .\ybole body in a l.aycr j for if any man dijp? hiin«iHf aijl 
 pver (except t^e tjpof hisjiltle finder, He is still In His uncjeannipss.'^ 
 J.uds.08,, p. 7. Mr. Fot^t also ^^marksj " Wcwho^re ?io littile 
 j^gjpcjl \p .wc(§jlii;ig the jyl\olp Ijody, (either in a commQn or rrH^tous 
 jjray, are ?i|>tt<9 jy.onder where and How *uch prodigiO'.is nHriibefj 
 gs ,a;*e qjie;it|oned in the Nejy 'fcstament to be ba|Uizcd, .co-rld hie 
 acc,<?mmp4ated, if they ^ve^e inwaerMfl in water. I^ut ;t rv^ccls 
 paly .to be <;p|n.si(,iered that the pripcipal srene of baptism Iny in a 
 <;Quntry vrhere im.i'Version wai» c|uitej\imiiiar,aiid niwst by tih? vo- 
 fy l^jvjs qJT their r,eJigio,n come jntQ daily u^e tKcon^h ai!.t parts of 
 J^ejl?,n|d, 5Lnd,tl\en the >yopder will cease. For, as biijliop Patrick 
 pb^eryes, ((/Om. on Ley. 15, 12,) there arc so Uptnny washin£,-s 
 jpucp^cribed (in the l^iw .of" Mo^cs) tbat it is.reasot'iablc tQ believe 
 A^ieire iyere not only at Jesriisalpm, and in ;».li other citic.s; but irt 
 ^'.eXf yiU?.gc seyer^l b?tA»'n5 d?j'';\c^s? contrived .for these legal p«.- 
 fi5<;fi|t,\q>p^,.t^^ m«n njti^h,t>v,it(iout"rnuch jaboiir, be abjc to fulfill 
 linage jjM'ec.^)ts.V-rrKp9ty, If tt(y;s to Ushop I^oadly, p. 29." 
 it3»RS'***'^<^l*^.*^*fc*-1^<^i^'5^iP]??^*^^^^^ aot e;iclucled from tjbe 
 
i\ \ 
 
 i4 
 
 tf mp c i»r public buthin-pltirf.. ; but they had farour with all ih« 
 
 pc..^>.e: bnut I ihmk ilu-y would find a phco or places sufficient 
 
 for nim.rs.ng all the disciples in Jerusalem ar iisVicinitv TJ L 
 
 next ohstacle that you iind in the way of immrrsion i^ ,ni the 
 
 persons baptized would come without a change of cIo h„ ,"? 
 
 you think to m.„Krse ihcm with liicir clothe? on woulS iposc 
 
 them to cortam disease and death. One would ^fn.ost s upi'^o c 
 
 by the horror which you entertain of water, that you h-.d "^^ Su 
 
 the hydruphoUa. But I apprehend the primitive* di.eloswJo 
 
 not so much alarmed at it. Da y.u sup .o.c that in a tntrv so 
 
 warm as Judea, and m the warmest season of the year, r ,^ "Zr ff 
 
 a peopjc who were constantly in the habit of I JhiiiJ ...' °,f 
 
 T \t" 'r ^'"«" ".^ ^*''^^^^^ ''^^ ^^'^'^ 1'-°'" - ^v«'>t of Chan' b 
 of clothes niier mimersion ? If you do, J think very feu'J^ll 
 You inform us from Dr. Dwight thnt the irtnnner in w ^c luho i' 
 raeh C3 were baptized in tiie Red Sea, was by a rainTh kh th6 
 cloud, poured Ml upon them. If thai wereTho^asc W.u wo' 
 men, and ch.ldr<jn must have been all wet ;. and^ I think in Ch 
 circumstances they could not change their clothe.. Ye ot ec 
 ro danger of disease and death in their remainin;' all nightlv hei?- 
 wet clothes. But m the case of the 3000, thry'could no be m 
 mcrscdand sta.id in wet clothes.; it would'subiect th ni To ccrt.Tn 
 disease and death, m prejudico. how strong an i.fi.nre do t 
 thou exert over the hearts of men ! Th« nextvi.P Ik ii i^^ • 
 i^ that of the jailer and his f^mHy, You ^^o;^: ha yo 'iS 
 t evident that they were never out of the prison walls ? and you 
 inquire where a water sufilcicntly clcop for their immerfonroul 
 be found at midnight ? Ih r.pfy (6 this, I shall quSrrna'^ ,1 
 
 ^ir. sJ.udson was a missionary .-^ent ont to the East, by a pedobnn^. 
 
 Tect ofrn^^/l^r"'"' ^'' '''' P^^^'^^^ '''' ^' revie'Ived'thcluC 
 £ . ? ' P T''"' ^? '^"S-^S'ng in ^ mission r^mong the heo- 
 then ; and the result was, he was obliged to give up infant .pr'nl 
 klmg, and become a baptist.. After stating the sa^me obferS 
 which you bring ng.inst the immersion of The jailer and hii fnm^l • 
 ^, he thus proceeds: " This case can prc.^ent no difficulty ,otl^ 
 minds of any of yon, my brethren, who mtry have been within 1 1- 
 yarc of he prison in this efty, (Calcutta) or arc .cquain ed witH 
 the fact that prison yards in the East, as wri! a«.the yLrds'npd 
 gardens of private fiouses,. arc usually furnishod .^ifii tanks vV 
 cisterr^ of water.- p. 7. The fact is-'that the obfec^ion? "hat arc 
 brought againit immerbidn from these cases. ari«o from ihe srn' 
 pontionMhat the habits and manners of (ho Kasc are simiParTc 
 ours. But an acquaintance with the history of that country re^ 
 nioycs all these objections at once. If there were cisterns of water 
 m the prison yards and in the yards and gardens of private bouc^ ' 
 cs generM ly .n the East, there wmdd be nS difficuu/in finding i 
 simable place or the i.^mersion of the jailer and hif am y a^nd 
 ail oihcrs mentioned in Scripture. In iHe cSise of the bop^^ni ol ' 
 
 
f/iih nil ihe 
 PS sufTicicnt 
 ^'fy. The 
 S that the 
 othcs; and 
 "Id expose 
 ^t suppose 
 
 ^k1 caught 
 iplcs were 
 counlry so- 
 :«Md nrtiong 
 th;it there 
 of changp 
 / few will., 
 ich the h- 
 tvhich th6- 
 I m^ri. \vo» 
 ik in svirftt. 
 t } ou sec 
 ;ht in their 
 lot be im^ 
 to certain 
 rnce dost 
 i;i!l notice 
 yon think 
 nnd you 
 fon con hi 
 • IJrissnge- 
 Calcutta, 
 pedobnp:- 
 I the jiulv 
 the h ca- 
 nt spriri- 
 5^jcctiort 
 his fnmi- ' 
 (y fo the 
 ithin the- 
 ted uitH 
 irds nnrr 
 nks, viz;. 
 that arc 
 ihe sijp- 
 miFap tc 
 ntly rc^ 
 ofivat.et' 
 ifp hou.«- 
 inding: ,1 
 ilv, and 
 pu'sni o£' ■ 
 
 3« 
 !the> Eunuch, you are at much pains to prove that the wrvtfr U 
 which ho was b;\pti7,ed, was not more than ankle .tcrp. 'j'his at- 
 tempt to set aside immersion appear-, to ujc to display more real 
 Uj;»n^g.H)d policy. On this case 1 shall make a quotation froi.i 
 Dr. Wall.— »• That immersion was the prat.tice of the primitive 
 church IS so plain atul clear, by an Lnllniic number of pas'ja^'cs, that 
 qnc cannot but pity the weal: ewtleavuur;; of such pedubaptists ag 
 would luamtain tii!,> negative of it.— It i^a great want of fTudence 
 »s well as hontMitv to refuse to :;ranl to nn adversary what is cer- 
 tainly lrc«', and may be pr.n-p,] so. ' k creates a je.doaay of all the 
 rest that one says.''— Hii. ofln. Bap. Tart 2, p. -162. 
 . I h id som.; h.»pes that I shoiild be a]»le to remove your ohjec. 
 lions, and briu,^' you over 10 our side.; but *vhon I read your ub- 
 serv uiort^ on tliis case, I nui almost compelled to give it up. For 
 whru Luke says nothi«<;- of their going d^wn into the water, or 
 .comia;^ up out of it, yoki tliiuk that a decisive proof against immer- 
 sioii. And when he says tlvey x:ame to a certain water, and bo;li 
 vervt down mto.it, and came up.out of it, you will ML allow it any 
 wcigb.t»n lavourof immersion, because ho ha.s uottold us what 
 wulvr It was,_ nor how dee^j it \vn^, 1 suj)p(.)5c it would l>c difficult, 
 if not impossiWe. tq determine wiih certainty where it was, or how 
 deep was the watej ;.,bul I will Jivontion i!m? opinii^n of one or two. 
 Jerome, who wr^re on the spot, de.scrir)cs the town ofBeihsorcn, 
 and mentions the fountain in it, in which he saith, " the Acts of 
 the .^posile.> relate that the Kunuch of Queen Candacc was bap- 
 tized hei-e by i^hilip."— Baldwin on baptism, p. 82. 
 
 Borchardus is of opinion, that it watj •>. Nehel lvv:ol, that is, the 
 Brook of the Cluster, froHi whence the spies carried the ffranes.' 
 To the left of thi* valley, for the space of a mile, runs a ri'vjir in 
 which 1 hihp baptized thf Eunuch of Queen Candace, not far 
 from Sicelech."— See Di-.Gill on this foxl. 
 
 Another argument which you bring in favour of pouring and 
 sprinkling 15, that as bajitism is svmbolical of- our interest in the 
 I)lood of Clirist, and t)iesaftcl,if/ing influi^nces of his Spirit, and 
 the application oft'hese blessings to us being frec^uently spoken of 
 under the- idea of sprinkling and pourings you infer <hese are the 
 most pwper sigi>s of the.fhiag signitied. I should think that ho 
 who instituted baptism w,is the l>est judge of what was mo«t p'-o- 
 per to signify to us the blessings of his grace; and I should think 
 the meaning of the word baptism, and the circumstances connec- 
 
 ted with it, \V-Quld be the best means of enabl 
 
 what baptism, is, and not the figurative J 
 
 w 
 
 ing us to ascertain 
 inguage of prophesy, 
 
 ore baptism is not at rdl aljuded to.. . Amotig the proplwtic |)rts 
 
 sages which you have bwught fo prove that pouring and 
 
 Iding are baptism, I find tije foilowin 
 
 sprin- 
 
 And I will put my Spi 
 
 rit within you." What are wq to infer from this that drinli. 
 baptism! Drinking fs the only method that I know of lo put 
 tor wiihm us; and- it is. just as goo<i a proof that drinkine i,s 1 
 
 ti5m 
 
 lag IS 
 ua- 
 
 )ai»- 
 
 1, as your other quotations are that poaring and sprinkling 
 
r ... 
 
 9t 
 
 m,r Lard and his Aj^o.th-!» iroun u|K>n '.Vm. B„t li anmn^, to 
 eiTr r//rM,\L, I J • .^'k.^ ^"^ i" *" ^^"^ ^'^F'ti^^^d into Mu% 
 
 lh«l«e rtft .1,,/Ih ^k •L^ll'' •*''''7''ctiofl. V*. also otmerN^ 
 
 H!^«,me«,„„ ,„ ,h, p™h„« out „r ,he 8>,(rit on ,he *v oVf^Z 
 {tS\ll In vu T^ /"'"''• *'"^'> *■** a syWi'Xit »f llW Spirit 
 W utf M ^^itl, f1^'**^ «ero«,,inft. life 1 U,i«k tee*?"": 
 
 Df^Wh frcrih Itbhiahuel'fe vtftis • 
 
 And sinners pUtrtg'd B<ineath tiidt fedod. 
 
 Is fee a ftiWif^lb > thIH'c tni t^lth<^ 
 
 imTftei.s.6ft is ind^^hUv^nrl Jghtb%f rivSiZ ^l^Ht t2^ 
 ^s its bl^ught '«<a inf:t ^ immirh -dfWr L^W. v^ff^* ^I^ 
 
 t;^?^^« f .; ""f '^t^!^' *\^ ^ci^cffrrptRh.^d »fe puwwsef ^: 
 
rffit touM 
 
 i?,H Hi find 
 rrs n«it one 
 Id tubscrve 
 » kl'rp it fh 
 fl And hifl 
 itntb Bnt 
 itiintcnts to 
 »j«rtmplfe of 
 tppoars to 
 crsion hrtd 
 ftorti. «, 4. 
 into Jciiin 
 I'c buricil 
 sfoifiod up 
 ho ishoald 
 Irarly al- 
 inion wirh 
 
 f the* .Spi- 
 hihg Voiy 
 
 ly of p'ph- 
 
 r»e .*ipiiit, 
 
 !o(M?^ ■X'^- 
 
 fmd the 
 
 Itiittw tile 
 
 ng in it. 
 
 I fot^ose 
 
 <?«, thiit 
 4ip 4»ffs 
 
 W IV'. 
 
 I wotrfd 
 
 vr 
 
 n^siptiflt, He nMUnt la imanrt^p, ;iiHl i^nt he »ad kift ApoiUei wrre 
 ifttint'r««^ i and the multiiudus of primilivc br.lievurs, both oieur 
 ami wonu'n, vs'cn: irainorieii. It n|i{<oor» to mv thai sui:h chorrgtts 
 iHHhifettt nuihini; b<JUUv moat invcicrmc fMTiuilic«. I thini; the 
 liord Je»u(i poHftoascd a^ «;i'iat purity «« Dr. Uwight ; jret he com* 
 mundccl aH<J f raciiscU imiuf r^ion. 
 
 Yuiir hist ar^untPiit in f;noiir of sprinkling is in the words of 
 thi^ inoru amiai>lc mid cRTidid DotkU'tdgf. IJc Kay», '•^ Ai some 
 ttho iniitU on itpmersion allow of a chunj^e iu soom; circumetancM 
 aft to the »dtnini«(irMtion of the itiuhj^mt, both ns to time and ||e«« 
 tune 4 and the form of th« rJcmentA ; wr may oh the tame princi- 
 ples allow of some variniion htM€ ffom what was gencrniJy 
 pmctised at first, e»p«otHUy \\* l\w coldne^^ of thr climate and (he 
 general disuM* of bathing atnotig uk, keciu to requive it, and it m 
 in the very nature of our rcli>;ion to require mercy rather than sa- 
 drifice. We are billing to atlmit that hoiiio circumfct^nneii cdm* 
 nected with tko a(hninistratit)n of liapti^^in niul the Lord's Su})pcr, 
 may be varied without departing from the desipjn of the institution. 
 But we also believe there is mniethiuj; tf^seiUial to both these or- 
 dinantm which coimot be given up uithout departing from the 
 design of the institution. The principal design of the Lord's Sup» 
 tter apficars to be to cxNntneinol'aie thb MiiferMm and death of 
 Imtnanuel, and to represent hi» broketi body and shed blood lui 
 the apiritual food of his dibci pies. lietice it appears to be essen- 
 tial, that bread should be brok'^^o and di«tnbuted amoi^ the dis- 
 42ip(es, '<«nd wine nodred out atvi diftttibuted, to represent the bro- 
 ken body and «tM>d olood of o<ir Kfdrcnier. Yet this may he 
 dewe,bna some cit^:umi>taficefi differ from those attending the first 
 ec4el*ttion of tivijioivJihance. When our f«or(i first administered 
 thiR opdifiance to his di«cif.4es, it was eveinng ; the bread used wan 
 in all probability, unleatene<J broad ; and tlic disciplos were in a 
 iKMHininig pOBture, as the custom wa« «Mle lit went. Yet 
 nene of the^ things are essential to this ordinance. While we 
 ittiitate ear Lord in hUmwe; ihe ekmr>e«as, i« breaking the braaxjl 
 andfKMrtng the wine, wd dietriibu^ii^ and receiving them in re-r 
 nernbmncc <rf Jiisdyir^ lOve, we i"i|ch(,ly odoiinisler and receive 
 tikis erdkitmoe. W katevtr we^ be the ihne of the day, the kind 
 er K^ahtity ^f the breod and wipe, or 4l>c posture of the body. 
 B«tif we-deny the CYvp to the d^isciples, atKiif we give a whole 
 wafer withont breaking it Ho each •coaimwnicattt, w»e do »ot ob<^ 
 l>ttrLord^s -ooncmaiKd^ imd iiiere m no mentor iai oC hisbcokeni 
 body and shed blood, and in fact it is not ^he «anw ordiBaAce. 
 ' Bfeptiiiii w «Btc«d*d' to be li wgn •«(( re^tencratioR, tjr that the 
 )iei«on bvi^ieed h Joorn of t*h<» Spirit. Iltince ihes« tw^ ere Xre- 
 j^fif^t^y •conrie£4«^d in i»«tripHi!w; 5— ^** Kseept a csdd be koss dT 
 tUftfter iiTM* of ithe?Sf7in»t, 4« -rsm not "OKt^r istio Obe kingrfow ^ Opd." 
 Mn^,v6^>atad T-fe. 3, #. " A<^<H>tKii>^ to hu mm^y he cav<i^ ufi 
 
 Itoi^'Oitastr' ,-.,...... .. ^ ;.; 
 
m 
 
 if 
 
 n 
 
 honed ^e cL!^ J^; ^ 'trS^^"^?'r^- • '^'^"^ ''^^^^^ ^^ 
 «J .von, in the name of rosus c'lS T/ . ' ''''•''''^' ''''y «"« 
 And Ar.nanias Urns exhoi^o.J P S ' ^^' ''^''"''''^^ 
 thou ? Arise, and be b ''fz^j't^dl" ^ ^"^' ."°" "'^^ ^-'•'^^^ 
 the name of the l^ord '' ' ^ ^''''^' ^^'^^ «'"^. calling on 
 
 spirit of God-; Eph. 5, 25 oc . .'f'pf ^"^';'«^•^" 'W the word and 
 and gave himUlflbriih'wh'^T'''^"^'" ^"^'^^^ ^^e church, 
 the Ashing of water bv thelo,^'"'-^ '' ""'^'^-^ ^"^ ^'^'^"^^ " ^Z 
 
 4. It exhibits the (fojith h„..;'.i i 
 thereby he fulfilled all ri. I.^.o '^^^^^^^^ T ^'"'''.7''*'" °^ ^^^^'^N 
 commun/on with and co; >; Z?n f' f '^^ the Christian's 
 
 expressl. declare., ;.::f^|S stTitT'" r''''^ '^^ ^^"^^'« 
 80 many of us as were b.pt ."f^i" ' t ^ ^i "'''' ^''^ '^°' ^^^^^ 
 
 ;he^^o,,of.he..ther;;et^s:^;^^^^^^ 
 
 ■th^ '^^^r ^^S!^f S:!^^"--^.^-- -P-nt these 
 
 burial, and a .•esnr|.<£ " ^l^Sn'i^ ' r'f ""^- ^"^ ^ ^^^^^• 
 things. It is the most c^p^" ^^^^"^^ f ^'^^pP'-^^enis the«e^ 
 ing, and it also representTi e'aTh ' i ^^'1 °"^^ '"''^^ °^ ^^'^^h- 
 . sprinkling, and pouring a rrvTr^imne^?? '''^'r'''''' ^ ^^^^' 
 and they do not at all resr r r.on?- ''^^'^'^'^''^ %»»'cs of washing j 
 
 formityfoourLord:1;h:S huri^r.^^r'''"'"-^^'^'^ ^"^ ^^^> 
 jve conceive, that immersion .hd mi'? M^"^« 
 
 ^'^P'is.n. At the same S' .ve^dmiTTT •"'^"'' '^^^^'^lian 
 vary, in the administration nV I- 'h^tcnTMrostancc,^ may 
 
 nihWstered by dTy" or Cn^^^ ordmance. Whether it he S 
 
 there be many, o^VewS 'wt T''"'. ? ^'''^'^ ^^'^^ 
 cJayornot; whetherVb'e SiUrecrhnhr^" on the Lord's 
 pond, lake, or cistern ; or Th^ZJTf i^P ?"*'' °'' '" » '''V'^'-, 
 inersion, or three, w^do Jt tl ink r. 1' "'^ ''joncim: 
 believe immersion to be essenf hl^ '■ ?u ''''^"^'"'- ^"^ ^'« do 
 
 Jjjptismandimme 'ion tbetordl^r^^^^^^^^^^ ''' ^^'^'^^'^ 
 We contend that pouring a^dTn.' m- ^^^"^^'^^.^'^e ««nie import. 
 
 pressed by differed wdrl ^n/n^J^?^^ -"'^ '^'^''''^' '-''^s -x- 
 con^equenitly not bapTn.;' ' ^''f''"^'^ *" ^ ^'«'*^''<^'«^ «ay,' and 
 
 ivhatever. W« do not conceiVe thaf fhjf 'V"?"!^''^''^"^^ 
 «lfer .iny of our t.ord, comm.iH, fL^. "^^'^h, ^.^'^ ^^^^er lo 
 
hut- 
 
 Si 
 
 (irdtnanres of the gospel; that so much cofruption an J fiupcrstitloiir 
 crept in among professing christians.' If wo once aclrait, that ijtie, 
 church lias power to alter one of God's commands; where will 
 it stop. If she has power to altr r oiic, she has power to alter all f 
 and to odd, nnd diminish, as she thinks proper. 
 
 In cases of real necessity, it is right to o^nit those things whicb 
 cannot consistently be done; and ihcrc the rule will take place 
 "Godwin have mercy and not sacrifice." But it never can be 
 right for us to niter a positive institution on any pretcnc;e whatever* 
 God commai^detl ihe Jews lo circunicise their mnU' children on thp 
 eighth d;iy, but it appears it was nc;^locted for 40 years, while in 
 the wilfiern«^ss ; and they were not censured ihr it, because they 
 could not consistently perform this rite, while Iraveliitig from, 
 place to place. But if they hnd substituted some other rite, in- 
 stead of circumcision, would God have accepted it at their hands ? 
 So in the case of baptism, (lod has made ii the duty of every be- 
 liever, to be baptized ; but if any are |)liicrd in such cii?cumstan- 
 CCS that they cannot do it, he will have merry, and not sacrifice 
 Thus in the case of the thief, when he believed, he was in such 
 circumstances that lit* could not be baptized, it was not required 
 of him ; but we do not find the Saviour j)roviding sprinkling as a 
 substitute for baptism in his case. So in our case,. God requires 
 every believer to be baptized ; but if our climate is so cold for a 
 part of the yenr^ as to render baptism dangerous, let it be deferred 
 till a suitable time ; in such a case God will have mercy, and not 
 sacrifice ; but it can be no reason for oar altering a divine institu- 
 tion, as God' has- now^iere given us permission so to do. 
 
 Your concluding quotation from Dr. Clarke, does not'appf nr ta- 
 me, to possess "by any hicans, that critical accuracy, \^hi(•.hyoH' 
 claim for it. Peter suys after speaking of tlu f^ouls who were- 
 saved by water in the ark "The like figure wlirrcvinto, or (l.c aii«- 
 titype of which oven baplisavdoth also now^ sa\c us (iiot the j^'iit- 
 ting aWay of the filtlr of the fiesh, but the ansvv- r of a good con- 
 science towards God) by the resurrection of Jusus Christ." Tde . 
 apostle hf^re teaches us, that baptism saves us, by showing hew we- 
 are to obtain a good gansciencc towanls God, viz. by the dcath^ 
 and resurrection of Jesus Christ. 1' tlvink it will be admitted by 
 everyone who is acquarnted- with the gospel way of salvation^ 
 that the only way in which a guilty conscience is pacified, and to- 
 have a good conscience towards Godi, is by the death of Christ 
 for our sinsy and his resurrection for our Juslifiration. This is re- 
 presented, and applied to eyery true believer in baptism^ But thc- 
 Dr. takes no notice at all of thi«, but ascribes the govd conscience 
 entirely to the operations of the Holy Spirit, typified by baptism. 
 J think we should not so insist upon the operations of the Holy 
 Spirit, as to Jieglcct the deafK and ressurectipn of the Lord Jesus ; 
 as it is s^fd " his blood cleansoth from all sin." I admit', that it 
 is the Holy spirit that leads us to the Saviour, bnt it is the deathr 
 »ad HfesHrrectiou o£ JesUs TCC«i?GdJ})r f^ith, which gives the gui£l/ 
 
 y^ 
 
M 
 
 fro,. b.lng dashed ^iZ Itrlk' 'm.^^X. ZIT'J 
 jraa not immersed in the water; it h only rue in m,; Vf^ 
 ^.p ve.^el, wkhthe enormous Voldit of mcnanimX;..!?* 
 Vr,lon», whieh it contained, mnst h:,Ve sl^nufeTaJir nearl^S; 
 ^^top; «nd probably, the billow. u-onW .ome Lerjoll ov^? »? 
 
 fiedWsmwa. .his ..-They «.^ figuratively burifd la^thl 
 ark, and m the w.,ter for. time, and iLy t he «^ emerged from 
 
 1 c\er rs buhed in bapdsnirtl walc^r, and rises again to nciviies« «f 
 KL'nVr/T""''^' "^'' communion with, hi»^Lor.l and^^^ 
 Hojnng thfit ho^vcver, we ni-iy differ in our explication of S 
 
 Ctk^'L'"^ 'r^' '^'^^^^ ^ ^^^ conscience toS^ ^3 a«3 
 •be iho meairt of lurnmg many to righteousiieas, * ^ 
 
 I remain, ^, 
 
 ♦ . 
 
 LETTER IV. 
 Djur Sm, 
 
 ^^h^r T^ r-.!i Re^<^em*f had glorified his ^uv^U Vt^ 
 ther, and finished the work he had given him to do on latih 
 JtJgare xip the Ghost, and w«8 laid in tbe^c^rave Buf |lh diS 
 not Ion-; mam dominion over him, h«roseS>«n thre^t^te. 
 ^^^h y^onquemv, a«d showed himielf to his dlsci,>CCS^ 
 ing his resurrection, by vnany infallibfe proofs. t'lJioJ iThilZ 
 tmtfw to glory, he commanded his d.CipJea iaZZri ^hZ 
 «atiotis or the eartfi 5 and to baptize tben, in the name of tUri*! 
 «r, and of the Son. and of the Holy Gfco.t. mvwf^Jt 
 taciin^nnderthishJ.beofnmand; bat we ^\^Jf^%ZltZ 
 t«m w. It IS the duty of a fattfeful servant io^mSeJtwT^Z. 
 ^tand h.s master's ^.itj, t*»at he niay bei.«)le to pS^I^ k ,St 
 
 tJiillS!!' ^"^^^'^^'IV ^^'fi't^-i that<«vir^latorsb«r,j 
 S^.?^I'1;2L''^?2^ into-EngJfefa. b»rt bav* rained iheTu 
 |ma^'wora, ptittin^ ,t fcio our letters, and ticcani,«Kiali«g *t i^w 
 
 ^ft^f S^^!^"!*^:**^^ ^^ "»*^^^ fcuneraitn, and itAic^^vJio^ 
 
xty ihink, 
 
 1' ohfit;i»vo, 
 
 : tbattUi: 
 tanlsi. It 
 
 fe, wkifh 
 renting ft 
 S the 3H1 
 rt. Thi« 
 
 and pr^ 
 dearly to 
 I over it. 
 u-k, typi- 
 d b th« 
 ed from 
 i lh<} ha- 
 wiiios^ of 
 
 Master. 
 
 of thi» 
 od, Bad 
 
 1 tarthy 
 nth c}i4 
 
 t 9faaM 
 i«»in ,? 
 
 le .ori- 
 
 iv;!io»le 
 rnvnf 
 
 s 
 
 fei'eek J and Wfe believe ilie Orlcks to l>(^ the iiiosl uhcxc^jptlon^Ulb 
 lviifi*s«f*8,a^ to the precise meanihgtof a llvofdih th(^ii'6wnlaiiku%^« 
 AgHiti wfe afe mforlfictl, that Uic inspired jiehmeh faatb ulW nj6 
 other weird thdti bitplo arid itS derivalivts, 10 fcciiv(?jr the Id6a dt 
 Irnmereitiri, in the New Tcstatrient ; nor fislv^ thby igver tfsfid tlfe^ 
 ^ord in any citbft- bcuHi. It is this which is (jfe^d, ivh^n th« tit] 
 iiian entreats that Lazaros may be shd to dip iHfe fij) iif his ttti^ 
 ih water ; when Christ Kayi?, He it is to whom f 5KaH ti^6 a A^, 
 IrWirt rhare i/JppeW it ; and #heh in th^ revel5t|lbn ehrL<ttire» 
 
 grcserfted as clotftcd ih a tciSiutc d//!^«d in blbdtl.— See Judstfii'i 
 ermon, p. 3. 
 
 tiow if thi? bfe frTie, k appears fo nfd cvrdfctit t6 a tfefnon^trl^ftj 
 (Hsit tli6 word baptain^ ii^ derf^iiili<'i&« nicrfn l6 d^ jSlun^e, or Sti- 
 tecrrse. 1 believe it fs admitted that the Greek » a verj^ cM^^ 
 larnKuaige. fl' the \VOrd bapto dO not signify Co ftirimbrse, iti ffti 
 l;un and literal sen^u, fe itf rtot siirprtsYn^j; that i&e^ ^Jifcrc^ ^f^^ 
 it! not choO.se *om6 crthW- v^brd that vrbviid? No on^ ca*A;j^Vwn(l 
 that ir mearm to wsisii orcl^afiste in these^hislartricet. IfJ&e flr^ilf 
 of Lazards Wa'S not to be dipped' for (he s1a8;c' of cleiinsmg' ; ft^rSep 
 ilfSs the* riop to b^ di'p^i^' for cfehnisfng'. k Will bii a'dmiVteif /S A 
 this word, like every other may be somctiiiies tifeed f^fatlv^jfTy j 
 fertt 2^rery cn^ knows ift^t ili^ p'ritha'r^ and JitCraT sihise bifa* Wdrd 
 liB' nm to Be dctiernrfn^dby its fi|<ii'ittj\'b apj^libation. TMri iH iif(« 
 perhaps a word in our language C^t a' riiorti prtJCisfe drlff <KiflfiitA 
 hieaniti^ than the Word" dip. Yet MiHbn s)vys': 
 
 ** And' tlio' ntrt mortirfl yeta^ ci^ltr sHuOa^itig dfeW 
 Dips me all o'er." \ , -. 
 
 ffhatteasbnable persbn wxJtiW attcrih'pt fb prbVe frbtn' tills tliW (6 
 tiip itteans tosprinlek ; and jii^ aVahsurd it i* to' a'ttdiflpt to pi^e 
 iflhat tb baptize mfeans to spr ifiW/Hi Dr.Clta pin jE;i\^s thfe follbi^^^if Ij 
 instances (letters, p. 44) of the use of the w;ord in the Gt^ek ti^s* 
 ration dftht 'did Testamerit. KJibd. l'2i ^j".— And j-^eshfilV t^Vb a 
 ^tich oT h'i*s6^, rtnd rfin it. li<?v. 4V B — Ahd tHfe'*ift5^t sh^l rf?i) 
 ftik finger, VeHe l7.~And the pVJtftt shall rfi» hi*^ iWgft. Jn/bcri? 
 <jf the mbd. Chap.' 9, d.— AnH hfe dfpped hisfifr^r ifith* Wddcf^ 
 C?Hap. 11, 32;-i-What?bbVerVc?ie4 it be, it ratasWpuf inV6 x^'MiH 
 Chap. 1^, 6.— Ai fbr the living bir3, he'sltai take it jmd^Ke' c'eait*. 
 wobas&c. aiid shall tBp ttett. Verste l^.-^Arfd iHe'bVWt shtfH 
 dip his right finger in the oil. Verse 51. — And he*E!reHHft|te th^ 
 <Jedar-*bod; fee. and rf^ th€ln4h*^hb', bibb?. NuSr. 1^, 19.-An<l 
 «'elirilnper:sbtt!}ir^ll tajw ItJrSteo^, afiarf^it' i^ th« wj»t>r. DctVl 
 5S, 2I.— Let hrfrf dih ha feeiihbii. Jbs. , Sj 1 5. — And the'feft of 
 t)iepHc«i(^#tt^^'<ftOT»ed'iri ihli'brrtA <^'ihc 'ife^rK Riith"?, H.- 
 Wtfiy nibrs^ in tliA t^fiiii^. \'^M\ lV2^.-i^And'i/»W it 
 ihVHM3r,<^)$; Sf'Kinj^y^l^^'RM^WfeWt^cdbWn t\hfi dit^ 
 
certain ly suffic ic rU )x4 l^l,?^ ^ ,'''^^"' '" ^*^« ^J°« J- Here i, 
 
 . 'Jf nng dc.v ^>, ,ne\| o'er N. '^iT f^''^^'^ ''J''' •^^-^^^^ '^^^' 
 
 V^a!d,.a, and be covered u^ , J M ' '^^"''' '.V" .^''*^ §^^«^ ^^>" "^ ^f 
 . • As a lurt-her proof oih! n ^a . .^^ n?'' "' '?'' ''"^'"^'^ ^^'1^^^^- 
 
 Jangunges, ought (o be r^>od JudirK n f r ^^-t'^'"'-" "'^o other 
 nient has been tnn^'^f, i -^ .^ i ^^ (jieck. Tho New Testa- 
 
 .ter',p. 37. Now hiTt '^ inimcrsc.~S<>e CuHpi.:\s Let- 
 
 Bhouid have di^;:; rX B'ur I 'Zll"' '^" ""^ ^^^'^^^ -^» 
 
 a F.r. or ,1,. I,,:,,, J,;,'' ^^2 'r' 'V '?''"«.''; '? '"P 'V' l^oJv ; or 
 ,Commri,t. «l a:^,:3 ■ 6.* '■ "■'"'"■ '* '^"' '" l"-' (-"Pti^en.'-- 
 
 dj is immersed , hj ^h7^ " 'i '"''^^^^!<>"' ^'^en the ^^hole bo- 
 
 waoh. oxcem br rr>. in, ^^'••*"*HC;'.— ^oi• docs bapi zo ..iijiuu ,» 
 
 thvn to be imne^e fn .r ,^ ^^^^^^^"^ water .igni/les ,oo/A.r« 
 bapusm.''~Fp-s -^ u 'A ' ?^V, *^^ ''^ ^'^'^ ^^xremal.eerenionv of 
 Acts J9, 3. ^ *' ''^ ^'^^'"- ^''»"'»- An'^ot. in Mark 7, Va^lj 
 
 m^^j; be entirely roverni And Z' '."'1'^'""^ '" w.i^xh^t i| 
 Jilted among ufc ccncr^L /r : '^'°"S\^ !^^ ^^"«ft>'V '"s r^w aT^o- 
 immersed, b| h!^-^ ^ ^1^^^;--^^'^-" are not emlrciy' 
 
 they oui;ht to be comne^c v tn'^ •^'•''", ^'^^'"•. "evcrU.cIesll 
 Tom I. p. 72. ■^'^ ^ ^ordfvidcntl^ requires ^/."lopcra^ 
 
 Bnl TtlSl^^^;,;;-^^^^^^ :^^ ^^^ same p^,^3e ^ 
 
 both in -cred:..u;Lr;1n?VSSLF"^'V"^^^^i^'"' 
 p!nngo, to immerse: and wis r^,^ ^? "^^'v '^^"/f'^* ^^ ^''P* ^^ 
 of th^ Latin lather , //4^ the tenii'f ^J /'^^'^"^ '^'V theolcle.t. 
 
 ^^'> 
 
 ■ •■ ^ — •-'^1, 
 
 f 
 J 
 
much str<»>R on the nrpposiMon f'n, which mfiy'dpnnf* "with, as w#!F 
 as in. did not the whole phraseolo|;y in rc*ird to thi.s, ceremony, - 
 concur in evincing the same thing. Aeconiingly the biipiized 
 are said to unabnnein^ to ari«<e, to emerge or ascend IVoaioi' oirt.of 
 the wsUer. Had thv word baplizo beca' here employed in the 
 sume sense ofrrtino, I f^prinkle, (which, as /t/r <t,s' / knou\.it 7ifver. 
 is in imy ;usc, tucred or iCclfsiaslical.) The €^\prii»"'ion uould - 
 doubiU^ss hfjve b»'rn, I spRinUlc ihce wilh Wt^leK fc^* When' 
 therefore lh»* Grcel; word bapiizo is adopted, .1 m;^y' say, rather 
 than tnuislaled -itito uuxlrrn l.ingiuiges, the jpodo of con^iruction 
 ought to be jjrescrved'^o far ns may conduce l6 Aiig.^est iw original 
 import, It h to 1-e regretted that wt} have. so much evidence, and' 
 even good and learned- nieiv idlow.the.ir jiipl^mcnts to he AvarpeJ', 
 by the sentiments at.d •rusto.nsof the i»ecl whiphtthcy pretci;. /rhp- 
 true parti<;<n, of whatever. dettomiViiition, alw-;iy» inclines to cor-' 
 H'ct the diction of the Spirit b^thuiTof the part^^v/'-T'-^''""^^, of tUe 
 
 FourtJospels vol..4..p.i3, 2i. • ^, ': ' 
 
 He aisq a!iseirv0S7r-*>'For this reason I should think tI»'o word 
 iwmtrtiio'HrihHiCt name than baptism, 'were vvc now at iibtrty to. 
 make a choice.'"— Prelim. *Ris. p. 22, '23, 24', '., " ■• 
 
 If the meanitig of the word baptis;^ be iiot- immersion, I woviM' 
 ask w^hat should induce tht^e men to say 4iich thi'ng§? Mt could- 
 not be the eti'ect of partialityio their own practice ; for tiky did ' 
 not practifcip ihimcrsiorts ■•Dr. .Campbell in particulars was oneof" 
 the ablest ^ireek scholars in ovu* ncvtion, and a minister; of l.he. 
 church of'Scotlaiul, and principal of a'^ college ; yet .4ucli \vas,lu»': ....' 
 candour and love of truth, that by bj>» tranyknion, he coindrtnn^- ; . 
 bis own-^ifantice. But we have further evidence that baj>tisn» . ['. 
 means invmcrsion from the places chosen to perform if. John bap.'-. 
 lized in the riv^r Jordan \ Ohrist was baptized m Jorihuf ; mA 
 after the ordin'\nce came up out of the iraler. iHxWiip and the «unuch - 
 7eent doim botjiinto ihtucfter, and after baptism ctwie xtp oxii of t/«« 
 ww/«r.— See Mark 1, 5, -Mark 1, 9. 10. >cts"8, 3^,' 30-. 
 
 It is true you bring a jirofasion of criticism froiti. Dr. Dwight, to • 
 shew that it might be translated, John baptized at J'bnlaii, or by 
 Jorxlan, or wiih Jordan. But 1 would ask if John' s))rinklt;d, what 
 need of his going to Jordan at ail ? Do those wh6 sprinkle go ',o 
 rivers in order to perform it. Furihor, the Nc\y Testament was 
 translated by men who practised* i^prinkHng ; and there is sniTiri- 
 ent evidence that they did nei'wish. to favour the baptist. \Ve. do • 
 rot, as you fupposc, ' reel o«fcr catiso upon verbal t riticism, uppn 
 the smallest and most equivocal jbarticles in the IJre^k langnigf. 
 We are willingthat commbri sense sJiould jud^c whether out trans- '■ , 
 lators havenbt rendered thesiB particles right in 'the * insUir^ces 9J- V 
 hided to. 'We havCinonecd ofcritiasntat all in this rise. We 
 think it evident upon the first, reading of our translation, that John 
 baptized in Jordan. Neither do we contend that going down in o 
 the water i<! immersion ; for it is said that after they both went 
 down into the water. Phiiip.baptizcd the eunucli, which is what 
 
u 
 
 
 ^^}-i '*^^ His n^aiut' oa ^^^ ^'^v'^' «»^"v, for ought J. 
 
 cp«C(five this to, ho a nrbof fl?.. J • ^ ^^. '^^^'^ ^^«^e-" W.Ci 
 
 tbanl, whose sUo^TlT^ ,^^^^ is mightier* 
 
 oi^rvp, tha^ adeuttinc tharrr>U'< K • ''^ r«P'y to thisrwoajd^ 
 ^nm we aay^^noT43l\olint'?ri^^^^^^^ '•nrjmionin JohX, 
 
 rromJhe^Cujprd* that. JoHn'iKn^r ' ^ ^««^' "o evidenoa. 
 
 Jt appears to njcthaflouconf--^^^ 
 
 P^rfcciIyOistii^t r^t tL? ^"^"^ ^*'?' **»«'^ to^eth^rxhit are. 
 
 tapMsn/ %ir4^ ^JH^ and water. 
 
 pouring out of the Hoi vsSwWk "^J*^ ,*^*» Mrraordioary 
 
 thcirlieads. and theyT "re Tnl^ 
 
 ivories ofGod in various 1ao4a«L '^^P;^^^^'^ thejvomieJfol 
 
 allusioD.to bcinff iiTmll!^A^^^ 7^" '^^* ^^^°*^ ■ ^*aptism,in. 
 
 had Wn regea^rarcd p4?»^^ ^^-^'^^ °TH>sd«. 
 
 good ajen. This bamism^?!^^* ^ Wtwie^ and so had all other . 
 
 sons ia »Srk.niiraai^fi cS'^^J^^'*^^ ^^ « eaabWd the prr* 
 
M!Cl««»wilb ily »«. wiU »mwav fyom. cbn kiHowing pttssa^es« it 
 Act» d, we isiik Fltkilip^ prcttoiuask^ lu the Sciutarkaiia^ cud mcn)|r «[f 
 tbMft feMlirwd, 9UKi> wtriie bupiized. Naw^ I »upp»t it wt tl be ad> 
 i|itttadihi» «a«obfistian bapiisuvaak wa* after th* cbj o( peirt^ 
 cost ; and ^et it is said, verse 16, the Holy Ghost had fallettopicili 
 Bi»i]i<t> 00 tbem^ viz^ in hi»eKtrnoffdiaary mAuences aitti miraaufdus 
 Of«raitioDS« But tvhen Peiar amd Johi» carop down and pv»ftA 
 fon them, Mfed' iaad theiF hand» on tlxeiw, they rvc«ived the Hoiit 
 Ghostw Again, in Acts 10 vro find, while Petef waft preachtB^, 
 th« Holiy Ghosb fell on Ccicnelius, aod chose who w^e wkk bkA^ 
 andthffy sfioko witb tongues, acrd roegnified God; this w^»tbe 
 bapttsia of the HMy Ghoett mtd i'lro; hnt (bis* was not Utcralcbn^ 
 tian baptism ; for Peter inuoiriiid^ who could forbid wotet, se«ai|; 
 thev> had received the Holy Gbosi ? And he commandijd ihedi 
 lo^ be ba|>ti7,ed in tho name of thn Lord. Jbha tfcknowle4%«4l 
 lha(th«LardJcsut was mightier th»ii he, and that while he onlf 
 baptizc'd with water, thei Saviour wxnikl baiptize with the Heliy 
 Qhost and with fire ; but what proof wras. this that hisr baptism 
 vr9» Mtt christian bnptiam ? May not every obristian oliiMiiteT 
 make the ftame profession ^ I pvesume no christian mmisteir in 
 bis-senses would My tbav he was equ*! with the Saviour, or'that 
 he baptised with ih^ Holy Gbo^t and fire. ' As an addidonal proof 
 that Jobti^S' bnptism was not.chri«(iaabnptism, you refer to Acti 
 I9y iJ^flu where" you^ supposre sapi« of John^s^ disciples wert' re^ 
 baptised; This is a passage that has^^ been muth canvassed; and 
 many have, thought as you do. But on reftecring maturely on th« 
 s»bjecty \ think yon will admit that this opmion is; premature; 
 Robinson iu bis His. of baptrsmi,p« 6.14, thur states the subject: 
 Paul— Have ye (twelve) received the Holy Ghost since ye be^ 
 lievedf 
 
 Twelv€*-We haN** notso much as heard w^iether there' be stiif 
 BoiyGhoat. 
 
 PM*— IntO'what then wcfe ye.b«iptiBedfi 
 
 TWelv«-«lfito John's baptism. 
 
 PAuI,! — John verily baptized' witb the' bftplism of repe»ttAnc«i 
 eayinff unto the people^ thnrtthcty should believe on Um^ which 
 should comc> after him, that is on ChristJcstts^ aivdthey who un« 
 d«r»t4!>od thi* (that is^ John^ testimony^oncerning^ thei Saviour,) 
 were baptized intu^ th« name of thfc Lord Jestw.^' Th* meanirig of 
 the apostle geeros tobiei, that aithotgfa John hid not made use of 
 the name of Jtm» in tb^adnMni^ti^iQn of bjfptiaai, bur of ont of 
 the names of the Messiah perhttpl^ fit (ktis-c^iig himself at 
 firsts not^hviuwin^ tfa^tpevaon; ytitwiitiihtt, and hts dn^ipl^s wtr«f 
 a&orwQfrdfl.infermied Jteu$ wa«<^ihfe nantei, and' Jesm of ^/UKitAr 
 thtEs perso*>« th)P» th^y.tnrte»«to©U llitewa«tv«« to be M>diftciplcfti| 
 
 H«4iu4 kuid^up<x«»«liMii^ ;iB|<iinw4y9rw^9C^ t.hdk|fi^^'' taHigtm 
 
% 
 
 1 
 
 name of Jesu, ChrU anf h- Iv n" Vu^'u'""' ^'«'' ""^ "'« 
 Ghost; ''^*='"^'^^^"^^Kv on hands, tt> communicate The Holy 
 bapil^^flJ^t'll^i^^ttl:^ -cl that JohnV 
 
 baptism, fop it is evident th'v:!^^ I ^'-'^ "''^ "^"'''^•"^ 
 
 .he bap'ismof™n.„t^, 'e" 'i^^:';;! * '!-.«iW.i-hcs,, .nd preach 
 
 o people rr^parrdfnrtheulT Now if hi I 'f'" '" "'^^' ''^'^<'' 
 
 me was his banNsLrf^r how l^f, krr'''''.'''''S^'°'"''! "^ "!'" 
 /..rf, Apol.o''s .aVo:; c!i lohnTjrcipUrl^YS.^r .' •' 
 
 .augh. u ,^;i;:fth;^^^^^^^^ «- , 
 
 his dea.h? Thr;.fo,^ »^ r,;;'l .ri'cd vfAL^ ^;'pl.^ed imqf 
 mlo dcalh, thit [•I-,. ,<, ri . - ,- ■ ,"" "'"' ''" ''apusm 
 
 to. bury them under .he ^■.^^^AZ^Xtm^r^ ^'^" 
 Hhulw-.. I. being ,„ e.pr«,lrd.*red /e"e>%om et cY' 
 2, 19,) that we are Inmtd vitkCM.I mL/L^" 11 EV^" t' *^" V 
 under ^ater, antl ,hc argument toobli^-'t rf 'cSZ'; rv'' "^ 
 death br dying .0 sin, being talo,.„ fro^ CJoe-ZfZ';^ *' 
 
 and „pp™ved by our church, (ehurd^ o/ Sanif ™d ^ 
 
 I 
 
of this insiiiuiioh, cm- arty license irom any council of therhur«!b$ 
 being ihai wiiicii ihe iioraanist still urgcth lo jusiily, h'- -Tusal of 
 the cup to the laity, it were to bu wished lUnt thi;< cuj«lom might a- 
 g»in beot'gcneialuseaiid aspertjj/i, oniyadnuitctl asol.ok.l, in the 
 
 case o!' the c///uc " or in present datij^er ol death." Note on Rom. C4. 
 _ Hero Ave.ijce icfnod pedobapiLsis, when c'omuHntitit; on these 
 pabsigi. s, adnjuunj/; uil that we coiuend lor. I uinitrsipn is the only 
 traiisL..iou olilic »vord b^^jhisni ihiiicouhJ at all suit these passages. 
 Let 113 ^.•!? how ii»e ivonj washing, wliich yon contend js the mean- 
 ing of upiisn), vscmid ^'.n^v, c. u .vould then read ''io many of 
 usas v.cre washtd into Jesui Ciiiiii, were washed into his death. 
 
 'Iherclore, we arc oi.i.-.-u wilii iinn by immersion, into death."' — 
 To be immersed ifio anything, is perlcclly in<ellij£;ible, but we 
 can barely conct-ive how a person could be poured, washed, or 
 sprinldeti into any tinnar, or person, licncc it appears, there was 
 a gre It deal of pruprit ty in iJr. Campbcirs observation " that im- 
 Citrsiun eould be a beuer nume than baptism," because the mean- 
 ing of the word would innm-diately strike every reader. 
 . The Ivist argument I shall uscj. will be drawn Irom ecclesiastical 
 history. • ,. 
 
 Groa'ui— '• That baptism used to be .performed by immersion, 
 and not by pouring, ap{)ears both, from the proper sisnificalion of 
 the word, and the places chosen lor the admirvistration of the rite, 
 John 3, 23; Act 8, 38, and also from the many allusions of the a- 
 poslles. which cannot be referred to sprinkling-^'—^Vpud Poli Sy-i 
 ttops ad AIhI. i.^G» 
 
 ViDinga—'' The act of baptizing, is the immersioji of believers' 
 ;in water. This expresses the force of the word. Thus also, it 
 was performed by Christ and the apostles.."— A pUorismi Sanct. 
 Theolo^, Aph. 884. , ; 
 
 Ca/i;m>' From these words, John 3, 23, it may be inferred 
 that baptism wijus adudni^itcred by John and Christ, by plunging 
 the whole body under water. Here we perceive how baptism 
 was administered among the ancients, for they immersed the 
 whole body in Water."— Comment on John 3, 23; Acts 8, 33. 
 
 4/r,i^/%'- Baptism in strictness of speech, ih that Jtind of ab- 
 hition or ly ashing. which consists in dipping, and when appUed to. 
 the xhnstwn institution, so called, . it was used by the primitive 
 christians, in i^o other sense than that of dipping; as the lenrncd 
 Groiius,and Casaubon well observe-'* Die, Dr. Seatt's edit. 1772,, 
 Slackhousc. Accordingly, several authors, have shewn, that wei 
 
 read 
 
 no where in scripture, of any one's being baptized, but by 
 
 nicrsiorv.; apt 
 
 1 fro 
 
 im- 
 
 m acts of councils,- and auniont rituals, have, 
 'ifnajersipn continued asmuchaspossi* 
 
 Prove4*^?M!^»sraarm(Tof , .^_,,^, ._.. ,.., _,__, 
 
 Lie, for ihirtem hmxdrtd ijtars after Chrtst."'||is. af thfe|^le,|J.g^ 
 
It 
 
 Je^. Hve., w,r« i«i,ira^ by John into Z ^S^oTfX 
 
 tei^ in the secanci ct,nt«.jf without the puhlic iCmblTo. ii, Zl. 
 
 immersion."^! how ad.i It {persons that desired lo be baDJj«7 
 received th« sacrament of h^ptinm, arcording to them^^fnZi 
 
 if.Jl .r ^'^r^hp'a'nly refer to this cuMom (JitMnrrHon \ 
 
 A8th.s was //k«(,r,^^„g/ tf;,o,/«/,>;,,^y;e., «o itcontini^dTo b^S;i 
 t^m*/ p./,c. 0/ the church, for m.ny «.„, J^" Je sam^ 
 
 f^^'T'^^^"' %* " r' ^''' "-^^^ ^.y ^*>^ -r^«^ ^^ Vapours 
 ?iJL^i.*^' r^'^'"'-'' "«'n<^"*«n af^^o. The only heretics a^aiiSt 
 
 te a H! chap"'ir""' ^ '^"'^^ ^' ^'" ^"^"^^ ' ^'s-- 
 
 X^. 5roiu«r*oH~« But th<Tefo^- as there is so much fbe mor» 
 reason (o redre^.nt th* rite of immersion, «, ilm onfyT^tZT^e 
 c^ baptism, W* /A. .n7yon,.that catrrniswer th?en^ds of i s^! 
 sutution, and those thmgs which were to be signified by it "si^ 
 
 pradtid^ of th« primitive ch«rch «^ ^reeablo^thereto, JndS 
 p^ciiceDfiheG.eek church to this 4y dav. Fo^Xca^ 
 H^nk^e.th«. throne or the o^her would Lve been *o tenaci^- 
 of.wtKjublesomea rue, were it' not that they were well assi^. 
 as they of the pr.mu.vc church might very wdl be, of its bS 
 
 R3rpf*r ^^''^^^""""'"^^^ ^^^''«- ^»^P- 
 
 • S»/m(i»ni*-^«'The ancients did nm baptrze otherwise than Hv- 
 SThSHll'7i?" *"■ ^^"ii^^f'^CiPt clinies- or persons conffn- 
 Z!»!l^^*.r ' ^^'bo were baptized in a manner of which thtv 
 S^X^h^"^K'?.'fc.i"^'r*'l^^'-' «» those who plunge undi 
 STrv TK w^'^ body nftd waterpoured upon it--(Cyp. 4, 
 BH^.7.) Thus Navatus, when sicle received baptisftUbeing *«I 
 tprmkltd not 5ap/(m/» Euscb. 6 Hi»; C. 4^. ^ 
 
 .^i?rt/'^^'r7^"'^^^*^"^^'" ^^^*^*^ ancient dhurche?, was not 
 sJ^rinWing, bulifnmersion; m pursuance of the sense of the word' 
 ,£''£ to i.^^^°*'n^i"«^toehtv and ex^Tnple, of orrr'btessed Sa* 
 
 tl^jJZ^ '^^'-'^r'^.?^'^^^^'^^ •" thth- estcfem, that' 
 tljey^id'nctt^account It lawful to rWieiTe him intothe cl^tr, ^o' 
 
 SS^X^^f^'^^Ji?'^^'*'^ ' whetKeir tfey^ td^Br^. 
 
♦» 
 
 In th<^ sivhij 
 his iiidiil- 
 
 Cypn(mi—'^''^n Trply to thr qucr.tionnrl' Mngnus. 
 Mcramrnts, when necessity ol)lig('S ; rtmi (io.l grants 
 gcncc, abricJgcmtMits of divine thing- will confer the wMc on he- 
 lievers." — See .ludson. p. 12. 
 
 Corudins—'' He (Novation) foil into a grievous distemper, anrl 
 it being supposed that he would die inimediatelj, he rpceivrd 
 bnpiisni, b.'ing sprinkled with water on the bed where he lay, / 
 tliattan be »'er/»M'<//m/»<f.sm."--lbid. p. 12. 
 
 I might bring a nnnibcr of other (juutu lions to the same purpose, 
 b\it I presume you are sensible that all antiquity is against the 
 practice of pouring or sprinkling, as you have not brought the 
 quotation from ecclesiastical history to support if, though you 
 have relied so much on this source of argument to prove the ngUt 
 of int'ants to baptism. We here also see clearly how pouring ariJ 
 sprinkling came into use instead of immersion. It came to be be- 
 lieved that baptism was essential to salvation. Houce persons iii 
 dying circumstances, who had not been baptized, were sprinkled, 
 in hopes that this would be accepted as baptism ; but knowing 
 that it was another rite than had been commanded, many doubt- 
 ed whether it could be considered baptism. Af length however, 
 as such cases laultiplied, and the power of the church to J»br»dgc 
 sacraments began to be admitted, and sprinkling was f«>"na to bo 
 so much the easiest, the church of Rome abridged both the 
 Lord's S«pper and baptism. In the lord's Supper bread oijly 
 was administered to tlie laity, and sprinkling was substituted tor 
 immersicn. This was the state of things at the Refonnation. The 
 reformers restored the Lord's Supper to its original Miite ; but 
 though both Luther and Calvin admitted that the word bapii^ixl 
 meant immer^.ion, and that the Apostles so practiced, they retain- 
 ed sprinkling. . . , . .v-. 
 Crt/tm—'' We sec here what wns the baptismnl T\t(^ am on;: the 
 ancients, for ihey plun^fd the rihole hodij !n ihe vaftr. "Sow it h 
 the custom for' the minister to sprinkle only the liodv or head. 
 He excuses this sprinkling by saying, " II is certain thjj.j'ovanfi 
 nothing which makcth to the substance of baptism. W Ixe.reloi « 
 the church did grant liberty lo herself from theM^r\nxn^ to ihar>g6 
 rites someiehat, excepting the substance.'*— Com. on Acts B. 38. 
 
 When the Reformers dissented from the church of Rome, my 
 professed to go upon this principle, viz. The Holy Scripture 
 was the christian's only rulfi of faith and practice, and that what- 
 ever could not be fairly proved from that, ought to be rejected, arid 
 while they acted upon it, their opponents were confounded, but 
 when they plead that the church has power to change ordinances, 
 4hev ov<jrturn their own foundation stone. For if the church 
 have power to alter baptism, 5he has also the Lord's Supper ; and 
 •every doctrine and precept in the word of God. Bui let us inquire, 
 ,h«wi the church power to alter any ordinance or doctrine, or 
 precept given by God ? If so, this power must be denvrd fmni 
 heaven or ffom incn. Has she received anj such power from 
 
 G 
 
id 
 
 Mn tl.lnTv no person will prrtcml she has.' Tl.e Jewish rhurrfi 
 luil the piiinlul nie ofcirciimc' 
 
 icd 
 
 th< 
 
 :wiori, on 
 j:o not find they over ihcght themidv.., «t „„rny lo cnnner it 
 for somcihing easier. And I would a»k in what part of the Novv 
 1 e^tamrnt arc christians authorised to depart from the commands 
 of thoir lawgiver. If God has not given permission surely men 
 have no hght to do sa. In ihi. letter I think it has been proved 
 th^f thcnlain and Ineral meaning of the word br^ptism, as used by 
 our l.ord and his apostles, is immersion ; and that if it ever mean 
 washing, It IS in a sceoirdary sense, derived from the fact that 
 Whatever is immersed in water is washed. 
 
 ^ That this ordinance was not intended to be adminisfered in differ- 
 '""Xf' '^*' ^- '^«^'^c"^ f'-om the following considerations. 
 J. 7he mcamng of the word, which is precise and definite. 
 
 r. {li.<?cjampleofourLord, his apostles, and primitive belier- 
 m. It IS evident that immersion is more difficult to be performed 
 than pourirtg or sprinkling; and if pouring or sprinkling answer- 
 ed the divine command, we hare no reason to think thai a river 
 would have been chosen as a place suitable for baptism, or that 
 wc should have ever hcafd of persons going down info the water. 
 
 3. Hnp i,.m './as intended to represent a washing, a death, 9 
 tuna and resurrection, which cannot be doiie by pouring or 
 sprinkling. "^ ' ° 
 
 4. If baptism could be performed by pouring and spr inklmg, as 
 wcU as immersion, it would hare a tendency fo produce divisions 
 among the drscipl*s of Christ. As there w'ould haVc been s«mo 
 tpound for their saying, I was immersed, and I Mran sprinkled, I 
 had water poured upon mc. The gospel ordinance wonid have 
 laid a foundation for division aud rtlfcnation of aflection. Our 
 Lord pray.-d that his disciples might be all ONE in sentiment, af- 
 fection, and practice ; and as a immdafion for it, t be f bad omc 
 l^rd, one faith, one baplism. You inform us that the clivers ban- 
 tisms spoken of ; Heb. 9, 10; mean the diilcrent ap^)!kations oi 
 ^.i.er under the law by immersion, pouring and sprinkling. Now 
 If immersion, pouring, and spthiklingbeeach baptism, they wouiti 
 nor be me but divers baptisms, yourself being the judge. 
 
 Hence we conceive it to be very absurd to .<ay as you do, that 
 the manner of administering this Qrdinanfce is a matter of pure in- 
 difterencc, as it supposes that fJod has given a command to hi» 
 people, that IS so equivocal in its nature, that it is lcl( entirely fo 
 the will of the administrator or candidate how it is to be perform- 
 ed. Let us suppose a case fn which the candidate and adminis- 
 trator were of difierent opinions as. to the modo of admiiistra- 
 tion. According to your ideas, the Bible dpterminrs in favour 
 of neither. Must the candidate give up hlf oj-i.non, and be 
 baptized in a way that he does not conceive to be sc-iptural ? or 
 must the administrator give up his opinion, and bapfize in a way 
 that^ he does not conceive himself to be authorised f Accordin«- 
 je this chri8lians arc left with regard to this ordinance, aslsfa^ 
 
51 
 
 w:>s in 
 
 tlip lime of the jiulgcs; tvartj vne m¥st tU thai iiihiih iV rjW 
 
 til his own eyn. 
 
 tli-< 
 
 „..,...^ ctlcr Stilled our reasons for bclicvii .^ 
 
 nieriion. and ihiit lilonc, is buptism, I submit them to your •eiious 
 coDsidtTiitiorj, aod c«^nclude in the words of Mr. Foot iii his letter* 
 to Bishop HQadk7— •' It is cvidcjit to your Lordship thiil wht-n 
 our blessed Saviour ^aid milo the apostles, Go, teach all nalloufi^ 
 bapliziii" thtin, thy understood him to mean dlpp'm};. Here tlu'ro 
 is ont only rule and law for all nations. No provi^ioQ tor making 
 a dilleronce between warm climiitcs and cold. Not lh« lc;iist hmt 
 of txi'o rites, of which the administrator may take his r/ioi.:« accor- 
 ding tp his own prudence and discretion; but there i^o»e law, o»« 
 institution for all nations upon the face of ihy earth:— 6?o, icack 
 ftnd dip llum. W hy then, my lord, do wc not ac<iuiescu in ihii 
 conimaud, but change it by our own rcfsoning."' 
 
 " Your Lordship will sulVcr me to add there is not so great a 
 diflcrencc ]icl ween circumcising a finger and the foreskm, as be- 
 tween covering the whole body in water, and tprinklmg a fevf 
 <lrops upon the face It would be circumcision still, only ot -a 
 dilFcrent part; bathing and s})rinkling (he book of God always coiir 
 sider* as two ioslitutions (juite distinct."' p. p. 20—34-. 
 
 1 reuiuin,cLc. 
 
 CitAPTER V. 
 
 Dear Sir, . . „ mi 
 
 rpHIS letter, which will be somewhat n • ellai ecus, will con^ 
 •»- elude my observations. My first remarks will be upon 
 your motto, in which Dr. Clarke infonus us that " It is no wonder 
 the great mass of childr4't\ are sq wic ked when so few are put un- 
 der the care of Christ by humble praying believing pareuis. It 
 appear* to me that the Dr. provides a veiv inadequate remedy 
 for the wickedness of children, viz. infant baptism. Among the 
 great mass of children whom the Dr. complains of, certainly a 
 great proportion of them have been sj^rinkled in infancy, Tiic 
 Ijaptists and Quakers are the only people who do not sprinkle their 
 £hildreni and 1 do not know that they are wicked above all other 
 children. In the darkest and most superstitious ages and among 
 ihe most wick9d of those who have borne the christian name, infant 
 baptism has always prevailed ; and yet it has never checked the 
 ' torrent of inifjuity, nor do 1 think it ever will. Baptism in con- 
 nection with believing, is a bcauiiful and significant ordinance, and 
 • has a gracious promise annexed to It. But separate from faiik it 
 has no command nor promise, and yve have no reason to believe 
 any blessing attends it. 
 
 Again, why dees the doctor connect faith, humdity, and prayer 
 in tbp narents with infant baptism. Surely he would nolmfer thut 
 all who practise it are such. Are ihere not great numbers who 
 have their children sprinkled merely from custom, or under an 
 idea that it makes them christians, and who know not God, and 
 pbey not the Gospel. Mr. Scolt (author of the commentary) in 
 his life lately published, mentions his winning money from a lad/ 
 
I 
 
 Wt cards at a christening. V is to be feared this is a spccimep of 
 the manner in which such things are freijuently conducted. The 
 tainistcr after professing to initiate the child into the church of 
 Christ, sit« down with the company to a fashionable anutsoment* 
 
 Again, the doctor says, '* Let every parent that fears God bring 
 Hp his children in thai fear, and by laaptism let each be dedicated 
 to the floly Trinity." The first part of this advice is certainly 
 good, founded on the word of God ; but the latter part is a new 
 cumraandmcnt by his authority, and has nothing to recommend it 
 but his private opinion. He further adds, '• Whatever is solemii- 
 Iv consecr ited to God abides under his protection and blcs- 
 sir.g.'' The '>ocior's opinion, as far as I can learn it, is, that God 
 •tus engaged to bestow saving grace on all those children who 
 -bsive been dedicated to God in baptism, and whose parents are 
 faithful in pcrfprrain;; their duty towards them. In this opinion 
 i cdunot agree, i\< i sec no foundation for it in scripture ; and it 
 ^ppears to be contradicted by exi)erience. If God has entered 
 into a covenant with all believers to save their children upon cer- 
 tain conditions ; then where these conditions are performed, their 
 children will be all infallibly saved. But we very seldom see an 
 instance either in scripture or by our own observation, wheie all 
 the children, even of pious parents, are truely pious. Now where 
 p:^rt of the children of piwus parents are righteous and part wick-, 
 cd, shall we say it was owing to the pardal fulfilment or covenant 
 engagements, by the parents. We road that our first parents had 
 two sons, Cain and Abel; one was a child of God, and the other 
 a sinner eicceedingly. To what shall we attribute this, to a dif, 
 fercnce of instruction, citample, &c. ? or to the sovereign grace of 
 God, which alone constitutes us heirs of salvation ? I believe that 
 the prayers, example and instructions of pious parents are grea^ 
 blessing*, and are often made use of in the hands of God to make 
 gracious impressions on the hearts of children ; and I can hearti- 
 fy agrrc in urging all who fear God, to bring up their children in 
 (he nurture and admonition of the Lord. But when the Doctor 
 wrges believers to baptize their children, and declares that in cons 
 Bccpience of it they shall abide under the protection and blessing 
 of God, I conceive he is not on scripture ground, and is entitled 
 to no attention. 
 
 The Dr. further says^" Those who are dipped or immersed in 
 water in the name of the Holy Trinity, I believe to be evangelic 
 rally baptized. Those who are washed or sprinkled I believe to 
 be equally so." I think it has been proved in these letters that 
 baptism and immersion are synonimous terms ; if so, how ridicu-. 
 Ions are rhe Doctor's assertions ! The sum of what he says a- 
 tnounts fo this : I concede to you that dipping is immersion, and I 
 \pxpect you to concede lo me in return that sprinkling is immersion. 
 Why did you liof. dear sir, get a motto from the Bible ? It is true 
 it would be hard to find onesuiffible to your work ; but could one 
 be foMU'l. it would l)avr far more force with us than the writing* 
 of ujiy uninspired man. 
 
 I 
 
. I 
 
 You obscrvt, p. 25, ^ that your design is to shew that there >if 
 not all tlie reason which has hern preicruJcd for your opponent* 
 to arrogate to themselves the title of baptists, as though they aion« 
 acUninisiered the qidiiiance of baptism in a scriptural Bianner.** 
 1 thiwk however you have advanced nothing that will dcpriv« us 
 of this appellation. You have not made it appear that the word 
 baptize literally used, ever means to pour or to sprinkle. Doctor 
 Campbell says it never does in any use, sacred or classical, as faf 
 ,9S he knew. Npw, if to baptize does not moan to pour or to sprin- 
 kle, why should those who practise these riles be called Baptists f 
 Luther ii> his translation of Mat. 3, 1, says, " In those days came 
 John the </f>/icr."— See I^qb. His. p. 395. Why was John tprmr 
 ed fhe baptist or the dipper? because he baptized or dipped his 
 disciples. This accounts in a satisfactory way for our being calf, 
 led baptists J and 1 have no doubt but we shall have this appella- 
 tion, till christians s^hall have generally returned to the good ohj 
 way, Our ppinciples have certainly been on the advance since 
 the Reformation from Popery ; and especially of late year« both 
 in England and ihe Unitied States. In that country there has 
 been much controversy on the subject j and the consequence has 
 been that several miui»ters and a u^lmbe^ of private christianis 
 have embraced the doctrine of l)€licvers' baptipua. Many of them 
 have joined baptist churches, while some have remained in Me» 
 ihodist and Cqngregational church«s, after being baprtized upon $l 
 profession of their laith. In England also these principlci prevail 
 
 In reading the life of Mr. Scott, (authoi of the commentary, SixJ) 
 lately, I fiiul him complain in a letter, that all arguments in behalf 
 of infant sprit»kling, couhl not satisfy his people, but many of them 
 who had been converted by his ministry, would go off to a neiglv 
 -bouring villt.^e, and be immersed by the baptists. What couW 
 be the reason that this great and good man could not satisfy his 
 people upon this subject. Docs it not seem that as the stars in 
 their courses fought against Sisera in ancient times, so the apostles, 
 •the stars of the Ne^ Testament, fight against infant sprinkling ? If 
 so it must certainly fall. I cpme hpw to make a few observations 
 upon your in^provement of the subject in your letters. Your first 
 reflection is—" It k not a little to be regretted, that this ordinance 
 is so rarely made a theme of discuosion in the desk ;" and you ac- 
 knowledge your own faults in this resper^t Permit me to act as a 
 comforter on this occasion, i cpnceive there can be no blame at- 
 tached to you for omitting to pueach in support of infant baptismi. 
 You know it is a scripture maxin^ that H where there is no law, 
 there is no transgression." Now VQU admit yourself, there is no 
 law for infant baptism iir scripture } and your reasoning in its 
 favour, is only by way of inference and analogy. We are exhort- 
 c<l in scripture to preach Mr 7J»orrf, and rightly to divide <^e word! q^ 
 truth; but I conceive we shall not be blamed for not preaching mor6 
 than the Bible contains. You proceed to enquire wby such a 
 dIflVrence is made (by ministers of the gospel) betweeii two instt- 
 ^ti0J4S of Chri&Cs Baptism aud the Lord's aupper iuvested mih th* 
 
* 54 
 
 same authority, solemnitj, and influence ; and you obserre, that 
 ' whatever may be the ground of this distinction it cannot be a 
 
 Fh^iff"^ " ^ M "'^ ''? •"H"'''^^^"' ^^"^l"'''^^- Let us examine 
 
 the difference generally tnado between these ordinances bv nedo 
 baptists. 1. There is a dirterence in their origin ; according to 
 your account, baptism originated with the Jews ; and as we have 
 no account of a divine command lor it, in all probubilitv, it had 
 po other origin than the Jewish Ral.bins. Here then is an import- 
 ant dillerence. 1 he Lord's supper was instituted by Jesus Christ 
 baptism was ordv adopted by hi^l from the Jews, 
 
 Again you make a differencp between the subjects of these two 
 ordinances, baptism is administered to infants, the Lord's supper is 
 not. You also make a differciice between the administration of 
 these prdinances. I belie v« no minister, who i^ a man of piety, 
 and judgement would think himself at liberty to deviate from the 
 exampleof the Saviour, in breaking bread, and pouring wine, &c. 
 but m the ordmance of baptism, you think it to be a matter of 
 pure indifference, how water is applied, or i^ what quantitv. If 
 It be applied in any way whatever, in the name of the TrinitV, vou 
 think It to be sufficient. Now can any one suppose, that while 
 this difference is made in practic«?, that preaching ^yi\l ever put 
 them upon a lev^l ? Let us inquire how this difference took place. 
 Jn primitive times these ordinances were both confined to professed 
 disciples. Our Lord equally honoured both, by submitting to the 
 one, apd administering the other* In process of time these ordi- 
 nances »vere considered essential to salvation, and were adrainis- 
 terediomfants; still they were considered equally sacred, and 
 were not separatea as to the subjects. At length the doctrine of 
 a real change of the elcn^ents in the Lord's supper, into the body 
 and blood of Christ took place. ]| then began to be thought im- 
 proper to give the Lord's supper to children, and infant communion 
 Jell into disuse, fhiitgs were in this state, at the reformation when 
 the reformers rejeclcd the doctrine of Iransubstimtiation, but still 
 continued to act as if they believed it. For they continued to baiv 
 tize infants without bringing them to coranjunio., and this has con- 
 tinued even since, among pedobaptists. Now the baptists are the 
 only people who act as jf they considered these ordinances as vest- 
 ed with the same authority, solemnity and influence. We believe 
 that when John was sent to make ready a people prepared for the 
 l^ord, Ood commanded him what to preach, and whom tobar)lize, 
 and those who were baptized by him were then qualified for a 
 place in the visibly kingdom of oiir Lord. And that the gospel 
 church, or visible kingdom of our Lord was then opened, and men 
 began to press into it, though not fully established, nor clearly 
 dispj^ayed till the day of pentccost; Baptism then was institnte'd 
 by God, and first practised by John, afterwards honoured by our 
 Lord, in submitting to it. and enforced upon all his disciples, till 
 the end of the world. The Lord's supper was instituted by the 
 baviour himself, and also enforced upon all his disciples till the 
 end of lime. Here then both these ordinances were of God, and 
 
 i 
 
i 
 
 A 
 
 «.5 
 to Were pifl^e(^ upon a level. We also confine both these ordinate 
 CCS to the sarne subjects, viz. the professed followers of the Savi- 
 our, and we coHsider ourselves, equally bound by our Lord's 
 command and example, to administer these ordinances as they 
 were first delivered to the saints. Dr. Duight declares himself 
 at a loss to determine why such a diflVronce should be made be- 
 tween these ordinances ; perha|)S what has been said may solve 
 the diificulty, and may also show how these ordinances maybe a- 
 gain placed in the same state in which our Lord iiiRtituted them, viz. 
 by confining himself td^he same^ persons, to whom the Lord's sup- 
 per is administered, professed believers, and administering it in the 
 s»ame way which the apollles practised; but while infant sprink- 
 ling is substituted for believers, baptism will always appear an 
 uninteresting ceremony. You also quote the Dr. as saying " How 
 many persons are there in the christian world, who have been de- 
 dicated to God in their infancy by baptism, and who yet never 
 thought of a single privilege, realised a single obligation, nor per- 
 formed a single duty created by this ordinance f' 1 would ask 
 Dr. Dwight what duties, oblip;,;*- ons, or privileges baptism creates? 
 for my part, I knOw of none. ■' j the duty of all men, where the 
 gospel comes, to believe and obey it. But it is not baptism that 
 creates this a duty. It is the excellence of the gospel, the evi- 
 dence of its divine origin that accompanies it, its suitableness to 
 our state, &c. After censuring such persons for their ignorance 
 and wickedness, he thus proceeds — " God has called you, my 
 young friends, into his visible kingdom in the morning of life. 
 He has publicly sealed you as his children, and planted you in 
 the nursery of his church." This to be sure is a fashionable strain 
 of preaching, to consider all who were baptized in infancy as 
 christians and children of God ; but it appears to me to be very 
 unscriptural and dangerous to the souls of men. John says that 
 as many as received Christ, to them gave he power to become the 
 children of God even fo them who believe on his name, who were 
 born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, pQT of the will of 
 man, but of God;" and Pvd addressing the Galatians says, " Ye 
 are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus ;" but Dr. 
 Dwight has got a new way of making children of God, even by 
 natural descent from believers and baptism. He supposes some 
 of these persons to be ignorant of their own baptism, and of every 
 christian duty, privilege, and obligation, and yet considers them 
 the children of God, planted in the church, &c. There is some- 
 thing so absurd in this, and so contrary to scripture, that I am as- 
 tonished that you should bring it forward. If all who are sprin- 
 kled in infancy become by this act the children of God by regenera- 
 tion and adoption, it is indeed an unspeakable blessing, and you 
 do well to contend for it ; but if they are by nature the same as 
 o.her children, viz. " children of wrath even as others ;" how dare 
 any one call them children of God, and thus lull them asleep, as 
 if they were in a state of favour with God. For my part I believe 
 
tKc apostles Would hav^ sioflRfiecl their fennels to ht €ia off, before 
 they would have writicri siicb things, aad i think it a strong pi-oof 
 Of the bad tendancy of infant baptism, when it leads ij$ advocates 
 to such an unscriptural way of addressing unrcgederatet^ persons. 
 In cot)cludin>; you observe, " That it would hr>v« beoa'preaunipti- 
 on in you to have attenapicd this work single l:*nd?d, and to have 
 obtruded any kind of a work upon the puWic without that sanction 
 (hiatjb property derived from a deference to surcat nJ^lle% and dis- 
 tinguished abilities; and thatyour chief co»^«ttk>n i8,feyou have 
 been able to fortify your cause, arid adorn^tir pa§e6 by auch ex- 
 cellent citations." But why dear »ir,shmi^^u be afraid to under- 
 feke this work single handed ? Yon ki^DaVid had such confi- 
 cTei^ce in his God, that he refused to fight tjjc Lord's battle in bor- 
 rowed armour, because he had not proved it, and ho encoiuUered 
 his opponent with a sling, and stone ; but you- come to us in a well 
 polished Loai of mail, furnished oy men of greui name and distin- 
 guished abilities. It is tn^o such parts of the subject as related to 
 the -neanin^ of words, and to historical facts, must in a gi^t de- 
 
 Sree be decided by the testimony of learned men ; but where 
 119 is not the case, the scripture ought lo be our only guide ; 
 tnd it appears to me to be a poor consolation that is lo be derived 
 from the sanction of great names, when wc have not the wordoi 
 Cbd to support us. 
 
 fn what I have Written, f am not scnsibJe that I have lieen uw- 
 ^rany undue bias in favour of the principles, and practice* whicli 
 I have advocated. My pai*ent8 (who I hop- are now in heaven,) 
 tvere pedobaplists ; and 1 was I suppose sprinkled in infancy; an«5 
 ] have relatives and friends who are dear to me, who stilJ continue 
 this practice. Moredver I am sensible that I am acting foi* eter* 
 nity; and that r-ll my, thoujijhts, words, and actions will W review- 
 ed by theJudj^e of all the earth , and that surh of them a» are 
 > wrong will be burnt up as ^' wood, h.ty, and stubbfe :" even should 
 1 be so happy as lo be saved, I am willing to acknowledge tho 
 piety and tafents of many excellent men, who practise infant 
 sprinkling; but ! cannot follow them any further than fhey follow 
 Christ. As far as I know my own heart, my desire is to profwote 
 the interests of pure and imdefiled religion, in principle and piac- 
 tk:e ; and not merely to defend the denomination to which I be- 
 long. I have spoken my mind plainly, bot I have not wished to 
 give unnecessary offence. If I have in any instance manifested a 
 wrong spirit, or said any thing that has the appearance of beinr 
 personal, forgive, and pi-ay for me. If I have ad danced any thini 
 erroneous, \ shall be happy to be set right; and may the Lord 
 jgive us^ understanding in all thing*. If after having reconsidered 
 these things, we sbonld still retain our present sentiments, I hope 
 -we mav finally meet in the presence of God and the Lamb, where 
 <ftll darkness shall forever flee away, and wc ^hf»ll be of one heart 
 and on^ mind. 1 remain yours affectionately and respcctfuMy, 
 
 WlLLUMJiLpiR^ 
 
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