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Mij(/iiicd on :v to j)t'rt'(jr: lihertv ill ai Jth, That institutions. Supper ; ai <«erve thorn, to do, hoth ChristiaxV Reader. Whrn any man brings forward strong claims and great jirctcnsions, ,t ,s absolutely noce.sary that he should shoj ihe toundation on which these ar« built. If this is not dono \U6 conduct may justly be charged with folly and presump, t.on. And in the same proportion as those claims relate to ""Jitters of importance, should his evinly revealed will ^ Ood IS contained m the Scrij)ture3 of the Old and New Battism you are de£ It, and for infallible D lliis little p: before you crdinaace, have to de| .1 sense of voured in i inent marl plainly tau here trans( reader, to God ALONl If humai upon^ in p acknowled for Mr. Ri professors, find within quaintcd \ names in t them: any written wo plain and Luke, Jot 5IX witnes to by them this imporl idea of ete God of bis ind great )uld shoir I not tlono presumpr ns relate tor their 3r exam- ist prove n his fa' le lawful would be nsidered the con- 3ater im- ^att. 16. doctrine m. 5.39. publicft' one by NKLING, iich this low Mr. ze, into iple en- for those led will nd New INTR0DUCTT05. jT.^stnmrnt*, as j^ivf^n to us ; 2nd, TIkU whatt^vor God hx\% ,iij(/ined oil his people* in that word it is their boundoa dvi- tv to j)erf()rin ; Si\, That no man or set of men, aie ui libcTtv in any respect to ulkr the appointments of God ; H\[, That in the New Testament we find but (wo positix; institutions, or ordinances, namely Jiapihm and the Lwd's Supper ; and that all christians are solemnly bound to ot- 5erve them, in that %imy which Christ has authorised us to do, both by his word and cjcamplc. Bai'tism is one of these ordinances ; and supposing that you are desirous of knowing the will of Christ respecting it, and for that purpose you have been consulting the only infallible Directory, viz, the word of God, my design in lliis little pamphlet is to assist you all I can, by bnnginir before you every passage of Scripture that relates to this ordinance, with the cJiapter ami verse, that you might not: have to depend on the word of man, but of God. Under a sense of my own insufficiency, I have humbly endea- voured in a few notes, which I have at their commence- ment marked— Note— to point out, what I conceive is plainly taught in the passages of scripture which I have here transcribed; but at the same time I would exhort my^ reader, to allow his mind to be influenced by the word of God ALONE. If human traditions and men's notions are to be depended upon, in preference to the commandments of God, 1 must acknowledge that I have engaged in an unequal combat: for Mr. Richey has brought forward a host of ' 'father s, professors, doctors," &c. Stc. to prove what I could never tiitd within the lids of the Bible. (But as 1 am not ac- quainted with any one of them, neither can I find their names in the Bible, I am therefore not bound to believ«5 them: any farther than what they say corresponds with tht^ written tcorcio//rtt//i.) While I have to reply upon the plain and simple evidence given by — Matthew, Mark, Luke, Joh.v, Paul and Peter; so that you see I have but 5IX witnesses to examine, and only one Reverend referred to by them.— Psalm 111, ver. 9. And while we examine this important and all concerning subject, let the solemn idea of eternity be much impressed upon our minds. May God of bis tender raercy remove, and keep far from our y tNTEODCCTIOrr. ra.na., all prr:jnflice and unboly feelinjr., ,,jd rrivc us '.'i.. iHllj ofthatwi.doiT, that Cometh from a W ! I should not have known that it was ncccssirv f« m i rom Mr. R s preface; as I never appeared before iholu ^10 as a writer but onco befjj And as he *^^^^^^^^^^^ fcis tntdhgcncc^' so reasoiyably - c/aim« /it'., reader's ,„ .-J^cnc, on account oa« being - the production of ht i morethan a/orm;rA/," „,ay I „ot as reasonably expo he same ' indulgence," seeing that this is - the prody tionofhttle more than a week?" CBpeciaily so. when I can assure him. that /had no access to Mr Ri/hey'sZn «uscript9! My reader will find in this little wo.7l sJTli :!™.^''' ^"^WbutGon, who is the auxhoh oVoul Without detaining you any longer, we will proceed tf cxamme all those passages of Scripture that will give usany iHfprmat.on, cither as to the ,ubjecU or mode ot' B.ptisv and will take them up in the or^er they stand before u« I the ''un^nutilatcd word of God/' and ^hich we s^' ^k, 33 our •' anly adequate ^uuk,'* What As the S important s ing, and bi And as all account of each one ii lament, an First, Wt Matt HE phct Esaio derness, I str.iight."- NOTE.— «eem as tli jHoneer, w ionimandt Luke 1. 1 M.VRK.- sond my n thy way I dcnce her^ and he ass to prepare phets for J; LUKE.- Zacharius ay of the God. Ar pic prepai NOTE.- was to go ored instr [»ve us lihj iry to mrik t iearnetl ii re (he pnb. le with all eader's }«. ion oflittlij hly expect he produc- 0, when J chey^s ma- ork I shall lOB OF OUR >roceed tt ivc us any Baptis.m: fore \i9, m shall taktt What the Scriptures say on Bapti«m. SECTION I. As the Scriptures give us no earlier information on thi«5 important subject, we shall begin with themiiwion, preach- inw, and baptizing of John, the forerunner of Jesus Christ. And as all the evangelists are prepared to give us some account of John, and the method he pursued, we will hear each one in the order in which they stand in the New Tes- tament, and get all the information we can. First, What the Scriptures my of John's divine missicn, and the design of it. Matthew. — *' This is he that was spoken of by the pro- phet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wil- derness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make hid paths straight." — chap 3, ver. 3. \oxE. — According to the statement here given, it would «cem as though John's otlicc was somewhat like that of a pioneer, whose business it was to clear the way for his iommander, and the army who were to follow after. — Luke 1. 17. M.vRK. — " As it is written in the prophets. Behold, 1 send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee." — chap. 1, ver. '2. Note.— The evi- dence here given, exactly corresponds with the former one; und he assures us, that John was a messenger sent by God, to prepare the way for Christ; and refers us to tho pro- phels for a proof of it.— See Isa. 40, 3. ami Mai. 3. 1. Luke, — " The word of God came unto John the son ot Zacharius in the wilderness."— chap. 3, v. 2. " And ma- ny of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God. And he shall go before him— to make ready a peo- ple prepared for the Lord." — chap. 1, ver. 16, 17, J^OTE. — This evidence also declares, that John's ihisfeion was to go before the Lord: and that he should be the hon- ored instrument of preparing the Jev:is to receive the gos- i ■ ^i^'AT THE scRirruREssAr Sslfil:™"- "-'' "' ""' •'"" »■'"" •'"•'" "- ovangcl., ,. , a» to the maUcr 0/ it ' "' ance t« n 11 L ' '. /? " Pleached the baptism of rcDcnt- people " rultit. ' ^'"ir^K ^^'^ ^'' -^' «^>'i"«" »"to to J-.or after irthaVi^^^^ '"'" ^'""^ ^'^^^^^d iNOiB.— ihe statements g ven bv the fmii- P,-....« v * may vea nitn-h^ t^ k« i ^j , ■'^ "^"*^ l^vaogehsts been awfully corrupted by the traditions of men bv " tVr rTJer'^S^hn r ^ '^ *'^ i •^^^•" «»^--e"n:^ cListI tWhK K ^^'''' Preachmg, and not bapHzino- • and that is, on Christ Jesus " ""^"'^ "^'^' ^"'"' of Vntwin".' fror^'"' '.^^* ^'^"u' "^^ '''^''^ ^^'^ <^««i^ous oi Knowing from Scripture, what description o^ nerMon.. /k" lll-L t '«''' "■' P"?"-™*''. whether by sp,M. information, sel before you "loieiore, tor jour MATTHxw.--.But when bo «a,vVa.,y oVtl.oKrtee. »d Sadduco. com* to his bajUism, U, Ld unto tboTo cnci&tion of le wrath to ,r rcpeiitanc ave Abrahni able of the Uid now als( liorefore eve itwn down ? vith water u i mightier tl le shall bapl ihap. 3. ver, Mark.— ^' Jiulea, and liim in the ri , vcr. 5. Wo are n nf this impo volumes an( far the grea only to fill \ of prejudice who writes to believe t scriptures ? Are they n —Arc they Is it not ou 29. If so, "fathers,'' scnpinres. With y "what the red to. T nnd here a sins before says he pi which sho! Were info di'Tstandin guide, we bout infan liiui. tbut Jvangclist ose name r Mitiicss ;lieve." — t his cro- •'; lor Jio od ; and ist, prca- pent }'e: V 1 <> •out Jor- ission of frcpent- unto tlio i should 9. 4. mgelists nfallibbj God, to ong the ion had y " tur- hristian ^g : and ^rt. See (C n'- Id er him, Icsirous persons n what sprink- )r your ariseea lem, O ON BiriisM. pncration of vipers, %vho hath warned ycu to rtre from ,0 wrath to come ? Bring torth therefore, fruit« nu-et rrcpeiitunce; and think not to say within yourselves, Wft ave Abraham to our father : for I say unto you, tliat God ublo of theso stones to raise up children unto Abraham. Uid now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees ; hcrefore every tree which bringeth not forth good Iruit is Hwn down and cast into the fire. I indeed baptize yo« vith water unto repentance : but he that cometh alter me sinighticr than I, whose shoes 1 am not worthy to hear : ,e shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with hre hap. 3. vcr. 7 to 11. „ ,, . j r Mark —And there wont out unto him aJl the land ol Iiulea and they of Jerusalem, and were all baptized of im in the river of Jordan, confessing their sins."— chap. 5. Wo ate now brought, my christian friend, to that part of this important subject on which (perhaps) hundreds of volumes and j^amphlets have been already written, and by far the greater part of them worse than useless, tendtnsj only to fill ihe head full oUnen's notions, and the heart hill ofnreiudice: and each one serving for another to quote who writes on the same subject after him. Ought we not to believe the Scriptures, rather than what men smj of the .cvintures ?— Arc not tlic Scriptures the wm^d of Cod t— "\re they no* able to make those wise who believe them ? -Arc they not profilable for doctrine ? 2. Tiin. 3. 15. IG. Uit not our duty to obey God rather than m^n .^ Acts o. '9 If so, let you and I, while others arc consulting the '^fathers/' endeavour to obey Christ, by searching the scrinlnres. John. 5. 39. , • a With your permission, we will now briefly examine -what the scriptures say " in the passages already refer- red to They tell us, that John preached ''repentance, nnd here allow me to ask, could i.xfants repent ot then- sins before they knew what sin was ? Ihe word ot Gon says he preached, "That they should believe on him which should come after him, that is on Christ Jesus. Were infaiils capable oneliering before tviey had got ««- derstandim- '^ if not, and the scriptures are to be our guide, we must conclude, that as not one word is saiu a- bout infants or little children being brought, or coming t.. liiui that ho certainly baptized none, or ao'vi one oHh^ in BSB IIVT TIIC; SCRIPTURES SAT evangelists won Id have aaid something about it : and (ioiil would never have suflered us to he left in the darken suhject of 80 great impoitanee. And we need fear no con trudiction IP saying, that wo are neither hound to beliett dcd Rom 4 ^15*^ ''"'" "'''*^''''' '"'*'^'' ^"''''" ""' *^^'"'"«" And it is evident also, if we believe "what the serin tures say," that John did not baptize all who applied io him for baptism : for though Matthew and Mark both s- that on their y confeasin^r tk^,i, sins,'' John baptized all Je- rusalem and Judea, kc." that is to say, great numbers not only Irom the city, but from every part of the surroundinff coimtryol all Horts of persons ricli and poor, pharieecK and publicans, men and women: xMatthew assures ua in substance, that he baptized norw but humble penitents; for when he saw ''many of the self-righteous and high-minded) Pharisees ancl (cavil- ling) Sadduces come to his baptism," instead of baptiz- ing them as they expected, he gave them a very hursh reprtof, incaUingthcm a ''generation of vipers V' And why did he refuse to baptize Mem in particuJar; because It IS evident, he admitted none to jiis baptism, but on a pro- lession (>f their repentance : and tliat he required an evi- dence ot It from every applicant, (Christ aJone excepted ) Hence he commanded them to " bring ^brth therefore Jruits meet for rcpentauce," as a profession with the lips IS not sufficient : for if the roo/ of repentance be in the heart, vta fruits will be seen in the life.— Mat. 12, ver 33 Had tlic Baptist required more from those " Pharisees and Sadducees than what he did from all others, we can liardly suppose they would not have told him of it after so severe a reproof ; but their silence goes to prove that they knew ALL who were baptized of him, came '' con- fessmg their sms.^' ' Wc shall in the next place, examine - what the scrip- tures SAY as to the manner by which the ordinance of BAPTISM was administered, whether by sprinklino- pour- in^r, or immersion. But unless we firmly adhere Io what they do say, and not what Mr. R and others, say they ought to say, wc shall be benefited nothing by them li' men will not believe and be satisfied with°what God has revealed, they must forever grope aboiit in the dark, and be lost m endless coDJectures, 3omQ fancying one thing, ttiiilo others ii would over pi iiiit understan — 1» ng man « redly, unless ,illiVJr. Rich letter attend Ifirs," who 80 !;:i answer, Vi aj to the man The cvang nf him in the dcr, to notice from the scrij you might tb of them is a for any one t your sight. gays: that wi " wore ail b{ is a very sm formed of tw boiug called ther, at, by, lieve that Jo occasion, in But why ( ftl to sprinki i^rcater case he could ha for a man tc that it is mi it is when t ♦he water oi would have far from hoi flufliciont fo the scriptun and that o night ho w not read of we must CO Joha to baj and (iod dark on a r no con- to beliett coniman- lie scrip. pplied to t)oth sc;- tid all/c- ibers not rounding ^hurisecK zed noiKj y of t\m I (cuvil- f baptiz- •y hursh !" And becauat; >n a pro- an evi- cepted.} ereforc, the ]ip ♦ » ,lulo otlicrs inu-inc unolhrr. Can wo Buppr.Rc tl»al God would ever civc us hi>^ will in such obscurity i!>at we could „at understand it, and then puni«ii us !"or not pei lornnnp it? -i, ng man able to underntand ihc bible, or read it cor- rectly, imlesfl ho is well acquainted with ' Cwvcrk f. It not v.,ll iVJr. Richey be kind enough to tell xxn whether wc had letter attend to hh reading oHt, or to those ^-Oreck .tr/.o- Inrs " who so widely differ fro.-n /aj*? And till we rcceivj> !- inswer, wc shall tittend to '^ what the ocnpturetJ say, as to the warmer ofbRpti/ing. i, , »• 4 The evangelist Mark tells us, " they were a bapti/xd of him in the river of Jordan.'' Vou will do well, my roa- acr, to notice particularly those four words, transcribed from the scriptures, and which I hnve put in italics, that you might the more ixsadily distinguish t^^rn. 1 he first of them is a H, and I suppose it would he a difticult tasft for any one to persuade you was pari, while you retain your wght. We must believe then, that it means what it fiavs: that without exception, those whom John »>«pt»'^€(l " wore ail baptized of him in the river Jordan. 1 he next is a very smnll word with a very great meamng, and 1* formed of two letters i n: and if it were to save me from boiug called " crazy," I could not make them to spell ei- ther; «/, by, or 7viih. And am tliereforc compelled to be- lieve that John baptized all. whom he did baptize on tha. occasion, tn the ni?c)' Jordan. But why did he take them in the river, if ho only war..- fd to sprinkle them, seeing he might have done it vvith "rcater ease and expedition by the side of the river, than he could have done in it?— for surely it is not necessary lor a man to understand " Gretk'', before he can know, that it is much easier to walk when out of the water, than it is when in it. And had his commission been to po^i^ ♦he water on those he baptized, we can hardly suppose he would have taken, or led, the inhabitants of Jerusalem so far from home as the river Jordan, while there w'as water flumciont for that purpose quite close to Jerusalem: lor the scriptures assure us that the brook Cedron was tUGr<*, imd that our Lord and his disciples crossed it in tae .light ho was betrayed. John 18. ver. 1. But as we do not read of their going either over a bridge, or m a boat, we must conclude, that there was not water sufficient lur John to baptize ix ; and feeliog himself bound to iclow M i^ ^T 10 WHAT Tlir: SCRII'TIRES ? VY his Lord's directions, (and not his own inclinations resorted to the large river JoRD\y, where lie had watei enough to immerse, or hury, or plunge the wiiolk hod IS. I call the river a large one, because the scripturi give mc to understand it is. ne© Joshua, chsp. 5 ; an appear? to be a very plain reason why John led the peopl so many miles to baptize thera. From what haa been said, my reader may infer in what manner the forerunner of Christ administered the ordin- ance of baptism. SECTION II. Hliat the Scriptures say, On the Baptism of JESUS CHRIST. Matthew.-^*' Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jor- dan unto John, to be baptized of him. But John forbad him, saying I have need to bo baptized of thee, and com- cstthoutome? And Jesus answering said unto him,— Suffer it to be so now : for thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness Then he suffered him. And Jesus, when ^^giesg unme he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: aiidl'mip^R have lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw tlieiL' (i^Qjyj Jq tJ- spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting uponlj^pj^j-^p hav< him." — chap. 3. ver. 13, IG. Mark. — " Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized of Jc'in in Jordan." Chap. I. ver. d. Luke. — It came to pass, that Jesus also being baptized And praying, the heaven was opened, and the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said. Thou art my belo- ved Son ; in thee I am well pleased. And Jesus himselt' began to be about thirty years of age." — chap. 3. ver, 21, 23. |n:4itut»on was eighty stoop or Ik; waters, is 1 urprised on r' ohn was the j link himself gi isicd upou it a becometh U End a passage, he plural num S, he meajit . aithlul servan example, " to [iflincs nil of us [)ut exception, nne tliiqg and (rave a most i lie knew no si Would the Sa JoHX, — '*And John bare record; saying, I saw th« Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him. And I knew him not : but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me. Upon whom thou shalt see the spirit descending, and remaining on him the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost.— And I saw : and bare record that this it* the Son of God." chap. 1. ver. 32, 34. Note. — After reading these passagcsof scripture on the «ubject of baptism, what more can we say ? Surely no Christ's subn friend, we ar< would not be baptized by a cavil at, and The ^ircums,t certainjy imp he not buried his future d( obliged to M Emx^ish, whi where find tl unnecessary cwn judgrno! whether Chi immersing of ly more bine the omission ded us to do ted bv his A ON BAPTISM. u ,.hty stoop on the part of tl^^^^^^^^^ ^^^ ^^^^ In was the greatest ever bom of woman he did not I himself nreat enough to baptize hi^ Lord ; till lie m- t up::^ it^f J:;ld^' su^e! it to be so .o^^^^- )ccometh US to fultill all righteousness V^ e cdniioi r,nd a nassaee wherever ^.he Saviour B^yokB oH^^'^f "^/^ e I'r" 1^ nber ; and therefore inust condu e that by S he meant John also, and not only him, but all h b ow a hi servants. It became Christ, as our surety a^U Ipe ''to fulfil all rights and surely it be- xampic t fr commandments with- ;::;:„ on John' rl. k^^. Cl..ist ^'="®' '"' „ S JbJ put 'oft- by John, b;.t wovW be and w liantiKd l>y a urmnt. What is it then that makes rncn av at and reCuse to come to the haplxsmoftkeLord ?- The .froumstance of our Lord's coming up ovioftlu ira(or, «r ai~pUes that he «.«. -J"-'"'" '''V'L'VmWem" o ' he not 6um5 under, or .mm«:s.d in ''• "f./" STfee his future death aivd resurrection, I should <=" ^^'/^^^^ oWigedtoMr.il. if he, would condescend o jell me m En^lkK what brought h.m IN he ""^^^ ? /"J I ^^^ °°^ where find th^tl.e ever d,d any l^ung 'h^t^^s^'^fl'^^;' "^ unnecessary. I shall .now leave my reader to «^^J^^»« h^" own indtrmont for I th nk it may easily be (tetcrmineo, Xt ."er^risl was ,n example of sr™^'"^^^''''' "^l;" tv inorp bindincT than example, ihuic q^n a- om ssion of-that which o'ur Lovd has -'«?/;-■— ded us to do, but given us an example, whudi was .mita. t«d by his ApoBtlci.-Lct US take .t for our pattern. i '1 It ir 9 ' J': 12 WHAT THE SCRlPTURrs SAT SECTION III. er Christ wil Ijey him ? M ant baptism, 1 ,ordis very q\ or precept What the scriptures smj, On CHRIST baptizinr^ by his disciples. Three of the Evangelists have nothing to say ahout our J^ord's haptizing or of his disciples doing so, while he was with them: we shall therefore .|)ay particular attention to what the one has to aay. JoH.H — ''After tl^ie things, came Jesus and his disci- cj^m' beeau pies into the land of Judea : and there he tarried with ' them and baptized. And they came unto John, and said unto him, Kabbi, he that was with thee beyond Jordan, to whom thou bearest witness, behold tiie same baptizeth, and all meit come to him. John answered and sa-id, a man can receive nothing except it be given him from heaven. Ho must increase, but I mmt decrease. — chf^p. 5, ver. i22, 'Jr3, 26, 27, 30. " When therefore,, the Lord knew how the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and bacptizeci more disciples than John, (though Jesus himself baptized not, but his disciples,) he left Judea, and departed again into Galilee" — chap. 4. ver. I, 2, 3. Note. We have no particular account of Christ's ser- moua, in the rerses just read ; but it is plain that he made disciples, and that he made them before be baptized them ; hat is, he prevailed with, and persuaded marry to embrace his doctrine, and to follow him as their instructor ; — ad- mitted them by baptizing them ; not himself, but by his disciples. Jesus is said to have baptized more disciples than John ; (" though Jesus himself baptized not/*) but he did it as a Master ; he employed his disciples to do taat part of the work, that he might apply hinjseif to the more important part o^ preaching , and making disciples ; while John baptized only as a servant. It is evident ako, that though the disciples did the work, it was called the Lord's mat the John.— ^^'Ai ^ame, and we; Note. Tb< futlieient to pi (ian the better jy it ; but as And if Scripti us, we are at by immersion. .ilnon, — becQ says, there cc (er for the p says, that the choice oHittl very small vc tkir fingers med way of U8, that Johr MUCH leader t baptism ; show:ing, that what his ministers do according to his direction, he acknowledges as done by lijmself — Our Lord's direction and practice too, was to '* Teach'^ — ''Preach''' — ''Make disciplesr" — and then "baptize."— Can Mr. Richey inform us, what part of the scriptures can authorize any one to act contrary to the command and ex- ample ©four Lord and his disciples ? — And, how any man can be a disciple of Christ, who folIows^ himself ami th* <"fathcrf,'* instead of Christ ?— Matt, It-, 24. And whav IVhat the Luke.—" publicans jus John. But ■ :nV. Wiat the Scriptures say, on John's lust baptizing. joiix —-And John also was baptizing in^non, near to J- ", because there w.s .nuch water there ; and the. „me and were baptized."— chap. 3, ler. -^ No'te The na Ja?e just read, though a very short one ,s ,.ffic"nt to prove, tlmt John elid not thh.k the '.oaer m Jor- f r b^te'r, on'account ol' his "--8 ''"P"-^,''^;';; J;T/ „ it • but as occasion required, removed to other watere^ 'Z[( Scripture, reuso.. and prcr,cntcuslo,yrc o g udc , „e arc at o»- ^^^^^;^;,r:;'"L°"' a brpti'tSglN bv immersion, ihe Sicnpiurts say, n^ .u^,^ '' Tipnmn izeo more i^^on —because there was much water there. Ueason izcd notj;," there could be no .necessity for going into Muciiu-a- gain int,^ | ^^ Vr the purpose of sprinkling?. And, presen custom 1- , hat those^vho practise sprinkling, nvanably make Zee omttle water, because they must have . «« J a vcrv '^mall vessel : not to put the child ix. but the ends ot Sr fi^'ers only. How can we believe .a th.s newfh- S'vay of baptizing, -hilc the scriptures so J^a^nly ted U8, that Jo/in was IN .IDnou baptizing, because there was MUCH water there ? bis disci ried with and said I Jordan, i)aptizeth, i(.\ , a niiiij I heaven. i. ver. '21, new how izeo more rist's sei- t he made ed them ; r embrace or ; — ad- at by his disciples ot,**) but to do that the more ;fl ; while iUo, that le Lord's icco-rding ijmself — Teach''— ►TIZE." — 4ur€» can ! and ex- ■ any man ' ami th» SECTION V. Whai the Scriptures say, Of John's success, in gemral 1 vKv _-«' And all the people that heard him, and the publ cans justified God, being baptized with the baptisin o John. But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the coua- .,1 of God against themselves being not baptized of him. lUit wisdom is justified of all her children, -cha^). 7. ver. .)Q Of) "Tl Note The words now before us, show the contempt that w'l; put upon John the Baptist -"^.^his proceedings ; hut hv xvhom ?-not by the common 'people , no tor they •' Ju^d him" and regarded him. iNeUher was u t.« y,(4an« that treated him and his proceedings vilh suU Jl SAY onntcmpt ; though tlioy vrvto mcnofill famo at=iJ had moj r.il.s; i\(i, lor tiiey ulso ''jufiiifwd God,'" i\i)(\ .•i|>')n.vr(l ( .ioiiuHi conduct, as plainly appesus in thrir hc\i)nt thii I'll arise CH and lau'ijcra rejected the counsel ot] i':c>i\, — And lor why ? — heca.tjo the former stood so hi(j;lj ia| Tie churcli, nod had "-ot so mn.-h reli'>,iou in tlieir licads, th:^! tht'y could not think of submitting to John's baptism, a« it was not likely to make thoni any better. l>ut this a- ros« from the want of religion in their hearts; for true ;j-ri'rt: always makes those who carry it to sloop under if Vnd tho latter, who were famed for their p;rcaf. harmn^, ;ind especially for their knowledge of the scriptures, could not think of submitting to John's instruclions. But let itli(^ remembered, that tho' they *' rejected ike counsel of God,'' in rcfusiiig to be baptized, it was "ao.vimst TiiKMSi:i.vl:s!" SECTION VI. \ll hat the ScrlpluiXo say, On ChriaVs represeniaiion of hii oii'ii snff'criw^'s . INIattiiew. '* But Jesus answered and said, Ye know not Wiiat ye ask. Are ye able to drink of the cup that I Bhivli drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism tlint 1 iim baptized with? They say unto him, We arc able. And he saith unto them, Ye shall drink indeed of my cup, and be baptized with the baptism 1 am baptized with: but to sit on my right hand, and on my left, is not mine to give, but ii iihall be i^ivcn to tlwui for whom it is prepared of niy Fa- thor. — chap. '10, ver. 22, 23. MARfc. (He bears the same testimony as Matthew."— chap. 10, ver. 38, 39, 40. LuKH. — " But I have a baptism to be baptized with; aad how am I straitened till it be accomplished !" chap. 12. ver. 50 Note. — My reader will perceive, that these passage* of scripture now read, must be undefstood in a figurative sense, as our adora'ole Redeemer is comparing his great sUrtbrings to a baptism. And if we only reflected on the jiature and extent of his suiferings, it would not take ua bYart to determine whi^li would the most fullv repr^«if,nl thenl ; whether it would be by ttie sprinkling a little Wii-* tct" <^rt liiiBi or tho plunging of the u^/wle bod^ i»* it ! Leii |us remembe 1— ho had till lus from dro^ Into tlio jloi iiiu.r.^'i'd I'A ii h'^jxilr ! L i\'.\ tlu! cold ; !or the pou! crushed thO; '.fi'oan ' Fatl {Hui then jut v':ci'whclmin IVlKit the MvTTHRV V) Galilee, taeni. Ant ))nt some tj( Reiving, Al earth. Go them in the tiie Holy G soever 1 ha [alway, evei ver. IG, 2C Mark.— world, and holieveth a lieveth not Note. — ut this ji- ; for true ) under it. ' learning, res, could !ut lV>t itb(^ 'of God," .isiiLvi's!" liion ofim Ye know 2vp that I ism that I able. And ■ cup, and : but to sit ) give, hut of my Fa- tthcw."'— znd with ; !" chap. ! passages figurative y iiis great ;ec] ou the )t take us reprejifnt little AVii-* *it! Lei '^.S' BAI'TISM. t.. |\is remember, tint, he was riuflering for a guilty wo»:!ii : —he had thrown iiimseli'iutQ u sea of sorrow, to nn'-ve^t. ius froin drowning in an ocean ofwrttla ! Ho cast iiirut:*.!! L;!.) tlio foad-i ti) keep iirf out of the Jlamry. ! ilv \Vu-- tiur.rfil ill dfif) diihrs^!, to keep ns Ironi HiuKing in rk,*/- dcyuilr ! Look at him in the ' garden !' see him slretoli* '' ThoniV and the a am thousand so postles' doc ini^ favour ' tiie church ( )1. ver. 37, NOTK. make now, Apo.-slles, ii that tiiey b( and such w irioa, that ^ " they wer red, '■' IVh rest as wel doctrine Jo before, tho railed upoi tlieir repe one of you so shamefi as us, " s mise" (of see and hei the 16, 17 and 29, or "'promise^ ON BAPTISM. 17 Thoir I) ;s wluitsoi lere can 1 nations; w, cr. pal) lumdod li iito all thi ' but no oni use ho saij es / He is disciplcl it which' hi rthcr adds) vcd." H ;— No,-i[ in favour oi He that h le gospdtj 1 not ; anij . until theil jay, he tb dl be damn] rail nothin» as an oulj !Xt sec ho\ state, tk ed to be tlu lis design iu' the certain • faith mi^rli! )f those who and faithful OLY Spirit 10 informati' es perfectli ich they re- ird doing ^ ills piv then, encou'l undertaking. f state, thai when referring you to the Acts of the Apostles, I shall call my evidence forward by the name of Luke. SECTION VIII. What the Scriptures say. Of Ike Baptism on the day of Pentecoat. j,,TKE — *' Now when they heard this, they were pricKod in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of tho anostles, Men ani brethren, what shall wc do? I hen 1 <- Iter «aid unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one ot you wi tlic name of Jesus Christ, for the remission ol sins ; uud ve shall receive the sift of the Holy Ghost : for the prom- ise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that an- afar off, even as many as the Lord our (xod shall call. '• Thc>nthcy that gladly received his word v/ere baptizci.: and the same day tlfero were added unto them about thrtM- thousand souls. And they continued steadf^istly m the A- nostles' doctrine and fellowship ; praismg God and hav- Lr favour with all the people. And the Lord added to tiic church dailv such as should be saved.' Acts, chap. Iver. 37, 38,' 30, 41, 42,47. NoTK. Whatever might bo the mistakes that rnca make now, about the commission given by Christ to his \!)o.^lles, it is certain that they well understood it ] and that thoy begun at the right end of it, by preackmg hrst ; ;md such was i'no effect produced by a plain scriptural ser- mon that when the Lord's death was charged upon theiri " they were pricked in their heart," and earnestly enqui- red '■' What shall «•« doV Peter then, speaking for tho rest as well as himself, said, ''Repent,'' which was the doctrine John the Baptist and Christ had preached to thera before, though they did not receive it. They were agaia railed unon torcpent and make apuhhc acknowledgment ot tl;eir repentance: for ho adds, "And be baptized every oiic of you in the name of '' Jesus Christ,'' whom you have so shamefully denied and put to death; ** and 7yc," as well as us, "shall receive the Holy Ghost."—'* For the pro- mise" (of the Holy Ghost, the effects of which you no^v see and hear) is unto you and to your children." &c.— Read the 16, 17 and 18th verses of this chapter, and then secj th'- ^-r^nH'-'-" i5«ipi. rnTfiiva ihom tn — .Toel. chao. 2, vor. ^i? and 29, and then I think it must appear plain, that it is th ^' promise" of the Hohj Ghost to which the Apostle alludes; B WHAT THE 8CRIPTURE8 SAY and which infants were not capable of receiving. It next said, "Then t!iey that gladlij received '.is word, were baptized.'* If'I am not becoming too troublesome, Will Mr. Riclicy be kind enongh tointbrm me, whether 'word' in Engtish, means brkast in Grce/c?— for it' it docs, I must ngrce'^with him, and say the Apostles baptized t7i/an/s ; but if it docs not, and means what it says, I must still be com polled to believe there were no infants among the num- ber thcv bapth d, because they could not " gladly reccitf ihc wo.u)," and we have no account of their baptizing an) other than those who did gladly receive it. SECTION IX. Wiat the Scnpturcs say about PhiUp Baptizing at Samark Luke. " Then Philip went down to the city of Sama- ria, and preached Christ unto them. And the people witli one accord gave heed unto those things that Philip spake, hearing, and seeing the miracles which he did. And theru >'as great joy in that city. But when they believed Philip preaching the things con ccrnin>^ the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Clnist they w'erc baptized, both men and women. Then Simon himself believed al' >: and when he was baptized, he con- tinued with Philip, and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs which were done." — Acts. chap. 8, ver. o, G, 'i Note. Philip here spoken of, was not an apostle, but having used the ofiice of a deacon well, he was advanced to Ihe^'degroe of an evangelist ; and sent forth to proclaim the gospel. And his conduct, as well as the success that attended his ministry, fully proves that he well understood the nature of his mission; for, as Christ and John the Bap- tist had done, and the Apostles then did, he began by prka- cuiNO Christ. The Samaritans were expecting Chri-jt w;uld comG, (John 4, 125) and Philip 'preached Cnmi as bein« ;^-' 'f^^^ to do When they were brought together, l-hilip iiearu ,im reading the scriptures that spoke concernmg Christ 1; "found Mm ignora'nt of Christ, notw.thstaijding he h d been to Jerusalem where the Apostles were preach " Christ and multitudes had believed on h.m I he prcadcr began at the same scriptures, (Isaiah 53) and prtacm^r "c^^u ^ ^ ^^^ ^ riinr(\ i« said about preached unto imn Jesus • u«t ..^. » ff":„;:,iv too • for baptism till this is done, aud done effectually too , toi m THE SCUIPTlTtES SAf when tlipy caino to a convenient place and the eunu 'Ii d« sired baplhm, Philip would not administer it until the cun-l didate had piofosBed to hcJicve on tiie *' Son of God.^* it was not a mere .taj/t»£»-, or assent'ui(}; to tho truths he had] heard preached thiit would do for the evangelist, he there- Ibi'o puts the matter home to him, '* If thou beiievest with] all thine heart thou mayefit," lie immediately declares •' i\ believe that Jesm Clinnt ti the Son of God.** — And this wan just such a bdiefna the Son of God required. John 9. .%•; yVnd on this tho professif^n of his faith ^^ they WENT DOWN BOTH INTO the wafer, both Philip and the ev. nuch ; and, he baptized him." If Philip did not haptii'.e Iiim hy iinmersion, why did they hoth i;o down inlo the wa- ter ? It would have been paying " respect to whom re- spcc-t is due," to have baptized the eunuch as he sat in his carriajje, if it could be done by sprinklijig, seeing he was one of" i^reaf authority," and from that circumstance we !nay suppose had plenty of vessels in his baggaj^e, in which •Ujlittle water might have been carried to him; if not, u little in the hand would have done. But it admitted of no dispute in Philip's day : so ' they went dovvv both INTO the water,' and came " Wont of the ivafer." And i/ children and servants are entitled to bapliam on account of their parents and masters becoming believers in Christ. i-i it not something very strange, that the " Spirit of the Lord** should have *' caught away Philip" before he had finished his work ! for he did not allow him to baptize the Eunuch's servants, nor even give him time to inform him that it was his duty to have them baptized. Why does Mr. Richey treat with so much contempt, thi.H trnhj pious convert ^ SECTION XI. JVhat the scriptures say, On the Baptism of PAUL. Luke. — And Annanias went his wav, and entered into the house ; and putting his hands on him, said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even .lesus that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou rnightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost.— And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been o/v/^ap nnn was baptized.'' Acts, chap. 9. ver. 17, 18. " And he tti\n\, T!ie God of our fathers hath chosen thee, that thou i.houldc.'it kn (lent hear th' witness untc And now wl wash away 1 c:hap. 2'i, V' NOTK. ; before his l.ord knew pears, that or make hi a proper s\ vessel" of him, he di( hiug/ii by proisable 1 urged as j But surel; Dama^cu did Naam in them ? Damascui wash in t not imme tlio wash on hini v mediatcl rose anc Christ, What Luke people, (iod to the pro lieveth Whi fell on circum came \ poured ON BAPTISM. 21 dost witness Af) Idcstknowhis will, and soo hear the voice ofhirf uiou* ' that Just One, nndshonl' thou slialt he hi^ th. For i\nd hoJird, ir luv; »"'^-' - , , ^1 . K„tf noon and nijiuu. — „,a„ all men, ol »h«t 'ho" >, t en .. .^^^^^^ ^^^^^^ iptl was rhap. h away thy sins 2i2/vcr. H, 15, 1^ the account Pavil g^ vt IS of himsolt ^„„.._Accovding to inoaccou ...;■-,. ^ j_^^^ „,, beforo his conversion '"^ ""f ,■"'', : ihoiial. it «!'- l,„rd know how to brmg hm. o s sen*^» ^^^^^,j n__,_^^ ,_.,,_ „, that ho had to .''t^l'^aUr, agreed in Paul being Ir make him to «e. I belu^ve nil arc ag _^ ^. ^^^^^^ a proper subject lor W";'". »^«'^» ^'^ j^..^ ha^. called ,L,V of God'. ; ""V,! L fcS-cd .ill l'<^ >«»' fi^«' •"■"" hi,,., ho did not attcmp to ^J^X^^et\e«sM >t very im- ,„„,/„ by Annania.; but some lave U^^^g,^_^ . ^^^ ^„, probable that he was ''"l'''^.'^ 'i'^.ter in those parts.— urged as a reason the '«""''', °f*h'!p"ul was then at Bu't surely t'-y/^S^^^^/raf W H ^^.''"here ; or why Damascus, and hat th^X h"^ "° [^ ^j, body by dipping did Naaman the leper w"' '» ""'^ andPha/par rivers of in them ? He asUs "« ,f°' ^,^Xs of Israel ? n,ay I not Damascus, better than all thVTn", 5. 12. And would wash in them, and be f <'>''' T^^^^' ,„„,.« fitly represent not immersing the whok l>"'}\''',^^l^l'Zum« a few drops. ,1.0 ..asfting «•»»!/ »/''"/'rf',.umbira the emss, butim- on hia. would ? He d.d ■>»'/'""'. it was his du y, he o- a,ediately, on being conv.neea th«t 'jas^^^ ^^^ X^^^ ^^ rose and was baptized. »-et o» w Christ, keep the command of Christ. SECTION XII. mat the Scripture, .ay OfiUBaj>li^ of Cometo and /its House. L.K».-"And he co™-naed - '^J^roV^^^^^^^^^ people, and to tesffy that 1 '' ''V:.X^ro hi„ give all iJio be the Judge o ,'^»•^^^„»"^h,tisnamewho^^fverbe- thc prophets witness, that through tiis na n lieve^th in him shall 'ec*'"" ;,\™'Xds the Holy Ghost While Peter yet spake these words, i ^^ ^^ ^^^ foil on all them which heard the word. An ^^ j^^^^ ^^ circumcision which believed were a..„...j..._^.,-^ -^^ came with Peter, because tlia on the Ge^t. ^^^^^ poured out the gift of the Holy Gho.st. t or t y 'lis. ^^ l-f^.;^ WHAT TiiL scr.ivTLni..< say t)i',;.'n s[)«ak with tfin^^ucs, an-l inngnily God. Then asisl ^'hnl On wcrciJ Peter, (Jan any man i'oioid water, tljat tllc^;e sliouiT Aud on the Sf Ui)rc |>rayer [miiI s[>Hke un And a cert ,fthe city of Iwbose heart I ithings which laptized, an( jve have judg jinv house an< Ads, chap. NOTK. M m^ she had ronunand to But as Mr. 1 ilaled word o iMode p. 15» enquire, wh husband ? — 1 and then in diose childr along with i ■' "unlettered ! her huabani I w'iii iu act the disciple once monti does it foil' infants ? — ta!?k to tra' I iiimurcd if that there things car God, and P I mu«t sa\ II build infai But wlii us? Let sKrtrioN xiii .se shoiill GhoMt i\>\ y.ii/.i-tl iui ilC A|)u;-| fc is r,«)t * pr,.rich- s in such lies, and vwo, re in- to know, iMioi. — ed looter md near jmpanicd But be heir bap- ildrcn of " as they dd not be i well as •The ill- i^ondertul in," &c. into the :. What 5 trouble, VRrscs in ^red reu- hoso wIjo chap. 22. uici havi! 3 baptize ime time? ut surely learned," 5aKc also o lad a fail- unletter- sual mvU- n'hitt Ihc S'^riplnn.i siuj and li'.r Ihusiiwld Of the bcijAhm of Lijdh d on And \vi) NV(?r< in that city n!)idin{i; cart :nn day 8. Ml 'the Habhath wo wnnt out of the city by a river side, .._.. r.r.t ».. V>.. in:uli3 : and we sat down. Ml KlU wont Uc'unto the women rhori! prayer was be made which re«or nd we sat down, ted th'dhtr. And a certain worn III nam(!d Lydia, a seller of purple, r,fthe city of Toy 'i^''"'* which wori^liipped God, heard nn hose heart the Lord open icd that she attended unto the 9 which were sppken o f Paul. And when she was ll^nUzed a^d her household, she besouj^ht .., saymg If pti have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into d abide ihtn. And she constrained us." — ilia jve Imv house _. \cts, chap. 16 ver. 12 to 15. NoTF Mone can dispute Lydia's right to baptism, sce- ,n. she had first heUcJ, and it was agreeable to Christy oommand to baptize all ^«l-vers.-Mark ^^verMb - i> * . M- li has cnwased to enquire trom the uim.M\' t; aorrf «/Go1'' who ar. the' ",«(,,■.« <, of hapti.m " 'tdc p 10. I should take it .s a great lavour .f he would ho IS ; and have been led to hcl.eve she was a wo- , a tiv'e business ; and think it very ^''""f. ' '« h di.ciMos .hould so so often to her l'""'" »"^J^-J once mot'ition her Imsbmd. And if she hat^ a liushatnl, rf^how that .he ,n«st hove children -;^- "--^ '- infunls '-if it does, she must have had a troublosome 4^0 travel with them; for she was then =>''»" /^'«« Imnured miles from Thyntira ! Doe. .t ;>';•»)- "»«;»" that there are young children in every ^'''^^Ip^^^^^^. things cannot be proved from the ' ""'"t'^^f ..^t ■• lion", and not by " l^'"'^'^^''''"-- '^'''^'"''■"jt^ti^^Xo 1 ratirt say that Lydia's house is a very poor foandatioft to build infant baptism upon. r. , • , . , ••. .V. ,««.nniniT« and oninions ol men to- US? Let u#he^- vtmiU Unim^-r^ w-.-IS,l loi, ujsvv irv^'ti- .•..•»iv --fi J thy house." There is no doubt but this awful event had alarmed the whole of the Jailor's house, or family, who luul probably Iconsequcnces whfu Paul cc C/U-IS/,-' ALL must have si think, it woul Ricliey himse infuuts in his tho Lord am " inteUigenc Idkred'' tha knowing wh^ pveach ''the ill every hou they cannot be depende( -Silas, prcac the Jailor's as him, is c the Jailor * wliat they ] not one ret was baptizi he did take uud was bi baptized " refreshed 1 IJad they not lave l is i^aid, he the river S for we lea ver. 13. Wlicd thi Lukr, ' and pcrsi and Timi scd in tl Christ. J his samol )ut of the! riicn thevi ^parted.'! rison and] )la»n ther • them?''l R " rorO' 5 not the r-side, a my have J heart. Jailor )ra5ig iPj nd Silas. ;t I do to >rd JesuB And they that were ir of the d, he and them into believing 29 to 34, I to keep lem from L^ers rea- , and the lor ; and prisoners , had not that Paul 3 that ho erness of aved ?"— desired to cr, ''Be- ivcd. Qfid jvent had »ily, who ON BAPTISM. 25 knowing the dreadful R„,hey lumseU, 'IV">^,\"1' ^^ unto him the word ot i„/li,i(s n his house "'^- I •. ;,„„«^ '■ IhopeMr. Ks t LoaD a„d 10 «////<«' »"•« » ''\t ^ „k i .e more " m- yu-red" than what I lea ly am. uu ^ j to Lowing whctl>er H -^ - """'*;/ "^ 'i^,\hl $»,» he'finds pvoach " the word of the Lo.d to all J ^^^^ „ every house ho «'««7 V 'T^For f the 'cripture is to ,hey cannot understand Ji,u -I o-M^^^ ^J^^^^ ^„j liciooendedupon, wo aie uouuu Lord to all in Silas preached or spal As it „„t have been done without t;Amg • e m o ^ ^^ is .aid, he "he took thcu," is it """'^"^^^fb.^ti.od Lydia? the ri«r Strjmon, where 'h^/ '>''f, '^^t'^'^i^,, ,vU „ear. See lor we '.earn from scripture, that that nvcr vcr. 13. SECTION XV. imttkc Scriptures sauOfthe Baptise of CAspus and his House. L.„.. ..Andhero.onedm..e^.agogue^e. -llSTht^l^reprivoifMae^onia^J^^^^^^^ = a2t.^rcVspt ::^^:^rX synagogue he- t^** *■ i •f1 • for to every canaia rtau^i .. -, r - .^ 4 BELIEVING i« God .«(A ALL hrs J. I IJ:-r'''- ^^'U\^ tiii: scriptures say IJcvcd on the Lord witli nil his liouse; and many of the Cg-_ . , . rinthians hearinij, believed, and were baptized." — Actsfr"'^'^ '^ J"/ chap. 18, vcr. 4, 6, 8. |";n r— i)ut b ■ Note. — Although many persecuted Paul, while nt Co-I'^" ' — ^'"1; 1;* rinth, and rciectod the doctrines he preached, we leari)|''"* '/''" ' ' from these verses, " that many of the Corinthians eelik-^'^'''/ '^*'!' l^, vtii) and Vr'ere baplized. What a triking difierence bc-l^"^''" ***'^ twccn Mr. Richey's " method," and the Apostles' nietjjod!- Mr. R's '• method" is to "sprinkle, wfants,— the Apostlcs'li"*'"*''^'"'^ ^ - - - - ■ Tiie hous to be baptiz not here giv left us in ui 1 have a wi were not. ;,'(T," yea ; very a;rcat ho is. Paul. first fruits selves to tl ver. 13. Note. is, they w^ that obcyc — " and a that is, \h the saints unless the our day. What tnelhod — to baplize kelievers: and I fear no contradiction i\mn scripture, when I say 'Jicm ONLY. Iklicvins:, here ixa in every other case, goes before Ixipiizinii-. We learn also, that Paul's manner was to " nason and persuad' the Jews and Greeks," and not to snacrnt and ri(/uti/c them to brinji them to his wav of thinking. Amon^ those who were converted to Christianity at Co- rinth, we find " Crispus — with all his house" are mention- ed: and there is no room to doubt about their being Ai.r, haptized, as ibey were all believers, and speak nothing in favour of infant baptism. The opinions of men may be iXood and wo may rerpect them, but the commandments of God are heller, and must outweigh them: for to bring the opinions of men to illustrate the Scriptures is like bringing a candlti to add lustre to the Sun. The word of God is a /awi]/ that all the wind of men can never blow out. Ps. 119. 105, Paul. — Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were you baptized in the name of Paul? I thank God that I baptized none of you, but Crispus and Gains; lest any should say 1 baptized in mine own name. And I bap- tized also the household of Stephanas : besides I know not whether I baptized any other. For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel." — 1. Cor. chap. 1, ver. 13 to 17. Note. Paul laboured at Corinth for about eighteen months, and like one who had souls lying near bis heart, he strove hard to bring them to Christ. ** He reasoned and persuaded the Jews and Greeks," so that " many be- lieved and were baptized ;" and a Church was formed there, to which he afterward wrote two epistles. In the lirst he appears grieved to find them so divided among themselves, each contending lor their favourite minister as though their servant had been their Saviour, and thcj had been baptized in their name. Did Paul wish them to LuK E.- Corinth, came to unto the licved ? as heard r« «t 1 /I 11 rk f ralvi \.tit\ they sai verily hi the peo] fiS BAPTISM. 27 of the CoJ I."— Acts' :1c at C(. wc lean) ins EEL IK- rence bc- 3^ method! Apostles' itradictiou vinp:, here Wc Icnrn rsiiadr the de them to nty at Co- e mention- being Ai-r, ak nothing en may be idmcnts of ' bring the :c brinijinj; d is a lamji 119. lOo. d for you? thank God jraius; lest And I bap- I know not me not to lap. 1 , ver. L," • I •.„ more " kUVv'n,." thin lis " unhWred'-hu-.h- rei^ir:.!™ .« urn u.„ ..r ,;p -;';^-r :;i::^ ^ ' _ . • . ^, 1 .K„* T v.oi'i.'/pd none c» it eighteen * his heart, e reasoned ' many bc- ^•as formed )s. In the led among te minister , and thcT sh them to t:;^;;:-c^. .e„t ,„« not .» m..*- ^- jo r.« . - idiat is more than those can sa> , ^\.K) lu^inw lyi'eachlnjx. :« tKr^ lnts at Co';^.rPa;a"t:ling passc^d t'^-g^tijirf nHfi came to Kphesus : and fi.n". We nave as heard whether there be any "^'y ^^'^iV^j , a„o1 ...;,i ..„,„ .l,.m imto what then were ye haptizcu . Ji^ they said, unto John's baptism. Then sa.U »_^Y, „no :,::VoS^:i^-ra-iet:rorr lit; 2S WHAT THE SCRIPTURES SAY come after him, that is on Christ Jesus. ^ Wlicn thoy hoixt Ihls, they were haptizod in the rigrric of tljo Lonl Jesus. AnJ.when Paul liad laid Ids hands upon thoni. the Ho Ghost came on them ; and they spake witli toiijzuo::! jimi prophesied. And all the men were about twelve." — Acts, chap. 19, ver. 1 to 7. Note. I shall leave it for the " inlellvj:cnt reader tol determine whether these persons were baptized twice : and lead tiie pious reader's attention to what is more impoitant. Were they proper subjects of baptism ? — If that be tho question, we hesitate not to say tlieij were : and the des- cription given of them proves they were ; for they were '' disciples, ''^they had '' believed,"— thoy received ih " Holy Ghost,"— they ''prophesied," they were " men" their number was *• about hoelve.'' If I thought Mr. Rick- ey would not take it amiss, and think me " unlettered,'' I should like to know whether, in all his search after " i«- ie/%e»ice," he ever met with ''twelve' such infants as these. ^ I have faithfully endeavoured to lead my reader's atten- tion throu;t ho ^^^s'^:^^'tt;s:::l. or brought «;' o' ^';„>': '."^ IT r I-- 5- '■ ^■-'-' 'it C^Tr'aslllIiafer more favourable to a growth lu hoUness. , . - . ,• " • 1 olcn to be '' buried with hm m haptisni. 'vliether sprinkling, or hmwsmg . IHe eareful to have yo-.r ;.ear( sprinkled from an ec^ con- ,., ';,L, and your hod.ash:«- , a**^*! ■•*,« 51 WHAT Tlin SCRIPTLRKS SAY nadc nicinbt' Quostioti. I low if:it tint the? children of christian parniit! ^.^ (rood a rii» hnvo not the muno riiflit to baptism, as the ciiildrca of Jc\v«| ' ' ' isli j)ar(Milj} hud to rircunirision r Amswct. a child horji fjlMcwish pnrnnts Wiis 67 iir'Ji, Ji'v, bc'uvT n descendant of.laccb, and as stioh luid a rigl; to circutnciaion, Ui5 an out ward «.'vidcn(c of hi;; being Inn' of the seed of Abraham. — stc, Cilcn. 17. 10, 11, I'i. Bui c-fiild born of christian parents, is not horn a chrltlian and lias therefore no riirht to the Hi'j;u of his being in cove ho .Jewish c istcnt, if we ij'unl coinrni liority for 01 (Question, rdinance of lid seing th' ir either, oi nant, until he is ** horn a^rain,^' and by J'o.itli has entereimjoction to into that covenant which haptisni represents ; for to bap-i Answer, tizo one who is not a heliever, is to represent him to boliakc a disti what he rcalbf is not ; as it is certain that none are thcl,, the gosp< «/)tnfw«/ children of /aJ/Zt/'u/ Abraham, but those that fct-pnm the foil Here in Jesus Christ, and do the works of Abraham ; and||' Qod hyfo infants can neither believe nor work, sec the following pas sjigcs. — John. 8. 39. Horn. 4. 16. and Rom. 9. 7. Gal. 3. 7, 29. Question. If children are not to be baptized, what docs this passage mean, *' Suffer the little children to come un- to me, and forbid them not : for of such is the kingdom ol heaven "—Mark. 10. 14. Answer. It means just what it says in the sixteenth verse, *' He took them up in his arms and hhssed iheinf they brought ^Miem to him to bless them, and not to bapih them ; for it it certain he never baptized any. See John 4. 2. And had he at any time commissioned bis discipblcn of belie to baptize children, they certainly would not have rebuked Is ganctifiec those who brought them. — See ver. 13. Men may iNFEiiiified by tl tliat they were baptized, but the word of God declares that Eyt now an tiiey were not, tor he baptized none. I Answer, Question. But does not the baptizing of child-en makcftjajrifige j, thorn members of Christ's Church, and entitle them to itifcojnted by privileges ? »f this, is Answer. I am not quite certain that I understand yourjonic of th i.malk: foi 8. Itisth cquircs ; c rd to the L quired, ai actcr, disti )ut the who )l'o)jt' infani ould be hi iher difFert Question question ; but if you mean the whole body of christians m\ united under Christ their head, as spoken of in Col. 1. 18, or any particular branch of that church who worship God iii| Christ a3 uescriueii rs 1 . 2. you ilt fonrlilv nPre.ClVBJ m\s lawful [vife who V |lie law thi f nfrtct *V» *%»■»■* irom the passages quoted, it is impossible: for all the mem- Jod wife as one be uich as arc *' sandi/ed," — saints which call upon the nami^our childr if Jesus Christ our Lord'' ; and if by baptism they wereF !Lin parent leu of Jew. a by bir;h . liiul a riL'i;! ON BAPTISM. 35 nadc nicinb rs ofthat clmrcli they would ccrtniiily liav« tHgood a right to the Sucraiucnt oftlic Lord's supper, ns» ho .Jewish children iuid to tlie passovcr, so that to be con- istcnt, if we estuhlish infant baptism, we must also establish iifanl communion, seeing wo have no more scriptural au- „ .. liority for one than the other. being Iwi'M (Question. lUu have not infants as jTrcat a claim to tlie ri. Buiiilrdinancc of daptism i\s fevialcs bave to the Lords suppei: ; L c/iri.i/mnEnJ seing there is no express authority in the word of God nj5 in covc-l,!- either, ought you not, to be consistent, to huvetke same »as entcredliijoction to the one as tlic other ? for to bap-| Answer. To object to female communion would be to him to bo|,ake a distinction to which the New Testament is opposed: >ne are thcio, the gospel makes no dilTerence in sex, as is evident (se that fct-lrnm the following passages, '' For ye arc \h\Jhe children raham ; an(]||' Qod by faith in Christ Jcsiis — there is neither male nor !-..:__ .... ,;;mvle: for ye art all one in Christ Jesus.^' — Gal. 3. !26, It is the character niu] not the sex, that the gospel cquircs ; and all such children of God must be admit- 0(1 to the Lord's table, because they answer the character equircd, and because the same book that requires the cha- actcr, distinguishes neither sex nor nation. And if, thro"-^ Hit the whole range of scripture we could find an example )(flne infant being baptized, from that example all infants rould be baptized without any distinction of sex, or any ilher difFercncc. Question. But do nc t the scriptures say that the child- bis disciples Icn of believers are Ao/t/ ? For the unbelieving husband ave rebuketlig sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanc-r may iNFEiilified by the husband : else were your children unclean; declares thatljut now are they holy." — 1 Cor. 7. 14. I Answer, *' To the pure all things are pure,"" Tit. 1, 15. lild-en makcftjajrifige jg j^ divine institution, and a compact Jbr life ap- c them to italojnted by a holy God ; and the apostle being convinced If this, is here endeavouring to remove a doubt which erstand yourlomc of the christians at Corinth entertained, whether it christians aslvjis lawful for a believer to abide with the husband or [1 Col. 1. 18,lvife who ^yas not a believer ; as, in a similar case under irship Godiii jlie /„,„ ii^^y ^g^.^ commanded to separate. The Apostle all the mem-|ind wife as they were before the one became converted ; f Christ, are|hc one being sanctified by, or to the other ;— *' else uere tpon the /iam«|our children unclean^'' being born of unlawful intercoursQ' m they wereF lowing pas 7. Gal, 3. 1, what docs to come un- kingdom ol le sixteenth ised them ot to bapii:t See John S6 WHAT Tlin SCRIPTURES SAV ♦ ft fiftrkes coiA) (neii's^ notion (-Question.- Mr. Richcy, tainent whei IS reference Answer. ihiit, as the / ;>(). so is th Rev. 1. 10. nicmbrancc t!)3 end o( tl his (leatli. 1 ciples of oil to be the ch while we cr because the " 6u/no«>," yc beirifT husband and wife, and consequcntli your children /fl»/i///j/ begotten, ''are they liohj.'' It i impossible for the /«i//i. of the parents to change the natui of their children ; for if lioliness could he propagalci from parents to children, then would they need no convcr sion ; and in consequence of their natuie being "/fo/i// the merits of Christ's blood would not be needed by them — much less would they need hajHizing, which is u figure of c/t;an.s/rt«- from sin. — See Act:^ 22, 16, David was slia pen in iniquity, and conceived in ftin, and so are all chil tli-en. — Psa, (31, 5. We were '' hij nature the children c wrath, even as others." — Eph. 2. 3. Question, Will you allow me for my own satisfaction, to ask you a few plain questions about Mr. K's book, tu which your's professes to be a reply. Answer, If you will promise to let them be short ; foi I am in haste and must shortly take my leave of you, Question, Your conditions are accepted ; and my first •question is, do you think that Mr. Richey's " .SVioW an/ 'script^^rul method with antipedobaptisfs," sustains its title ■ Answer, It certainly does not ; but that may be owinc to a tifpoirraphical error ; for if the letter " D" was strud out of the second word, and TI inserted in its stead, it would then strikingly sustain its title. Question. How can Mr R. truly say that his work was " the prodMction of little more than a fortnight,''' if he had access to Mr. Crawley's manuscripts i' — See preface. Answer- You must bear in mind that I am " wdeik cd ;" and your question would take a man of ^Jr. R's " iu' telligence'' to answer it. Question. Why does Mr. Richey unblushingly deny that " the JVeiv Testament is the only rule of christian or dinances," and bring forward the " talented Wesleyan' to prove his assertions, if he has uo authority from tin word of God for so doing } — p. 13. Answer, You must remember that Mr. R. is an " intei li^ent reader," and therefore he well knew, that if he ad 'mitted that Christ and his Apostles had left us a pcrfr ^ . rule, his labours to prove infant baptism would be a// /osipcriptures < because thtre he can find neither precept nor example tiinewt their ' support it. But this supposed defect is happily made upl'^e have be 3>y .:ub3tituting Wesley's rwies,— Watson's osseWtOTis,-! nations of t ■ tiuestioii \!cc : see .' and we r is si j- dlscovered, is not .so. — J Question " I shall p •-All FORM, Answer. trnrij to a ' ON BAPTIMM. 37 riiukes ro»A»icn/rtr)/, his own, and a wliolchost of other ^eu'f* notions and opinions, .See John chap. o. ver. 41. (Question.— My next qnes>fion, in the one proposed by Mr. Richcy, p. 1.3.—" Witliout au appeal to the Old Tes- tament where shall we find— an authoritative appointment IS reference. to the Christian ordinance of the Sahhathr" Viiswer. In the Nrw Tkstamf.st ; for thero we learn, that as the aairamait i.s called *!io Lord's supper, 1. Cor. 1 1 >i). so is the Christian Sahtrnth called the Lord's day : Rev. 1. 10. because tho end of it>j institution was the re- jncnihrancc of the /^oj-fCs resurrection, Mat. 2a, 1—0. a« tip end o( the Lord's supper wai the commeinoration of hii death. 1. Cor. 1 1 . tH'y- And that the Apostles and dis- ciples of our Lord understood the ''first day oj the week,'' to be the christian sabbath there can be no room to doubt, while we credit what is written in the M'w Testament ; because they employed that day in his worship and ser- vice see Acts "iO. 7.— I. Cor. Hi. i. and although ray answer is short, .1 have no doubt but you will leel better satisfied with one- scripture proof, than with ten thousand of men's conjectw*cs, qv.estion. Wfeo told Mr. Richey that When our Lord iiiHtituted the drdiwance of the .Sacrament, or Lord's Sup- |.er, with his disciples,— "they kept it with unleavened bread,— drank the wine of Palestine, and reclined upon couches or trictiniums ?'' — p. 18. Answer. That is a question which will require a better ^choh,r tlian I am to answer : but I can assure you, that ncitiier the Old, nor the .Yeii) Teatamc7H scriptures ever told him aey such tliinjrs. But it is more than probable, unless some of the " taUiers," told him so, that after fif- teen years— 5/6/ica/, and Tneolo, attached to it, in order lo make the reader believe it v.'a.-» the Apostle Paul's langucige, I coiild scarcely refrain from crying out, it is n forii^ery ! see j). "iS at bottom, and '2'J at top. But it is very likely he thought that his read- ei'-i were all like many of iiis hearers ; and that whatever he said or wrote, would ever be taken as unquestionablj •^ood without any examination. (Question, \Vhy does Mr. llichey o]>ject to immermn on account of the indtUcacy of the ordinance as adminis- tered to females ?" p. 40. Ansv/er, I believe he makes this objection for the want •■'ra better one ; for it iscertniidy not a srrij)tur;d one : and had he lived undor t!ie Jewish dispensation, he no doubt would have found gioat fault with the " iiidclirnry-' of cir-f "" ^'''^^ ^^^^ iMHTicision ; but more especially with the '" iudeticacy^^ „f»\oul(.t prove rnnny thints of the New Testament, _Q ui" .rlVom the forms of expression employed in it, in reter- ^O ihoTl lice 10 baptism, nun the ori-inal mode of its administration cwith precision or indubitable certainty gathered, — low dctro !ie so awftdUj ridicule the mya« of an ordinance, i; himself acknowledges the ficriphircs do nol forbid ? p. 5'2.^ Answer. It may be that when he " cmmicd the sword,'' i40 it was with a determination to cut his way throu^ii icrv thin'— Mark 1 a, M '-And he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them,'' v»'ithout baptizing them himself, or telling any mie else to ♦lo it ; ver. 16. which uuikes it appear cvid'/^nt, (hat it is not ba|)tizing a child, thatmak>€s it fit for Christ to receive it. If infants, or others, die, who were never capable of o.xcrcising faith in the merits of the Redeemer, we can liave no room to doubt of their salvation, so lonjr as it i-; wri'ten, ' Tho Wood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us" from all fin.' I.John 1. 7. To suppose that the "kingdom of heaveix" is shut against children, till a little water has been sprinkled on their faces, is to deny the Savioar'^s de- claration, " Of such is the hingdom of heaven." And ha- ving no scripture to inform me upon this subject, I am at a loss to know ; what part of the performance it is, that can open heaven to the ciiild, if it was once locked a- gainst it. Unless I may be allowed to suppose, that when the minister puts his fingprs into the bowl, that may bo considered as putting tiie key into the lock, and the turn- ing his wet fingers on the child's face as the turning of the key, while at the naming of the child the door flies open. 75aptism was designed for believers in Christ, as an out- loard sign of an inward change : and, reason and scripture botli- prove that inAints are not capable of believing what they are utterly incap'ible of understanding. Horn. 10. 17. ileb. 11.1. Question. If this be admitted, what must we do for cur children ? Answer. Do all that God has required you to do for them; hut never do what he has not required. Endeavour all that in you lies, both by precept and example, to bring them up ill the nurture aud admonition of the Lord. — See Kph. 6. 1. TeuGh tlicm as early us posaibie to know themselves, their ignorance, hoiplessness, g'Hlt and depravity. To know God, hi'' ^ *ure, attributes, and the relatione iu Inch he star lirist, in hi ;nn\v the wa; S:nptnres of perform th ncrit it, or y •lev need it. ill respects, ,!i their mil [1(1 whcnev pubUc, privt !io\v importa riBr.E above i>salm. 78. 1 requires, yo with him wh lit whose a in mind that John. S, 4, (!!." — Rom. Question. allow me to children in 1 dressed ?-^ named throi Answer. probable : b to affix the but examini ilmi there s who had o saints. Ar aniples. W ,'inces, he c le prophel self to his ( the night, 1 John. 21. I he address address to (lOD, that world ;" s calls them chyrch at me 1 fo foe! L«j)tizred Ave 'rev. v.-hic!i -ii ii;j;! not Iuw3\v t!u'v ;il to COIll';. kinnr?loiii fvom up ill ied them,'' )ne else to , (liat it is to receive capable of r, wc can iig as it i-Y 9 from all ingdom of water has ionr'^s do- And ha- , I am at it is, that looked a- that when t may bo the turn- ling of the lies open. s an oul- scripture what 10. 17. ON BAPTISM h.ch he Stands connected with his crcntiircs To k^o^'^ iirist in his person— offices- /ore and HuJJcnngs.— io inow the way of salvation, as marked out to us in the Wwtuves ofdernal truth. Encourage them all v6u can nirform their several duties, reward them when they Jrit it or you have promised it, and correct them when lev need it. Show them constantly a good example, iiv 11 'respects, pray with them and for them, and impress up- l their minds, the necessity of praying lor themselves, -id whenever it is practicable, have them with you m lubUc, private, soeial and family worship. Show them r,,y important it is, tliat they becomd a'cquainted with the iBiE above all other books : See i2. Tim 3. 15, 16, and ing kre do for for them ; iir all that 5 them up ) Eph. 6. 2 mseives, v ity. Tu latiune iu m salm 78 1—8, and having done what the word of God requires, you may with safety venture to leave the event, v,ith him who is the wise disposer of all events, and with- out whose aid we nothing good can do. And always bear in mind that " six is the trangres-sion of the law; fc.ee I, John. S, 4, and " where no law is there is No tansgressx- (II."— Rom. 4. 15. • . Question As the thought has just occured to my mmd allow me to" ask, is it not very probable that there were children in those churches to which the Epistles were ad- dressed ?— and especially as children are so frequently named throughout the New Testament ? Answer If you mean infant children, \t is very nn- m-obMc : but this mistake grows out of our bomg too apt. to affix the idea of in/anc?/ to children ; whereas it we uul but examine those epistles, we should soon find, that chu- dmi there spoken of Were such as had understanding, and v.ho had once been sinners, but were then professed .^aints. And here I will give you a few, out of in^ily, ex- amples. When Christ was reprovingthe Scrcbcsnndlha- /isis, he calls them "the children of them which killed ,,e pJophets.-see Matt. 23. 31. Wh-^n he showed him- sdf to his disciples , after they had been jishing through the night, he asked, Children, have ye any meat r seo John°M 5 It is evident, they were not infants, which he addressed on either of those occasions.—yAUL in his address to the Romans, calls them " saints ' and thaiiks God, that their "faith is spoken of througho-.:t the world ;" see Rom. 1. 7, 8. and in chap. 8. ver. 16, 7 ho calls them " children of Goa.-— >vi:cn wruing to uc cliyrch at Corinth", he addresses them as beini- ' scm':t-;ii Jcsits ni ]-hiIlippi." kc Sec c!iap. 1. vcr. 1. To tiie church at Colosse he writes '* To the SAINTS and lwijiiful niiETiiar.v in clirist whici are at Colosse."— Col. 1. '2. When writing to the churcli oi'tlie Thessalonians, he speaks of their '' work of fallh. aid laltt-itr of loiH'., and puliaue of hope," and calls* thci;i " i:iii:Tin;K::''ij;;LovLLD." Seel. Thess. 1..'], d. And m cliap. '2. ver. 11, reminds them how he had '' c.ihoi-tcd nm comforffd'' and cluirged cvnij <>nc of I'jem as a faiiicr dol':: his chddirn." In beginning his epistle to thr: li«;hrc\vs, he says, " (;lod — hath in these lusL days apohcti iuUo «,s k, his Syn," See licb. 1. J , '2. And ii4 chap. i'2. ver. ."i, ho says, ''Yc iiave forgotten the exhortation which spcuk- eth unto you as unto childhen."' James addrc^sses tlieiu as brethL-eii, chap. 1. ver. '2. — Peteii, when writing to tb christiaLis who were scattered abroad, declares that tlioy, with himself, were " inuiOTTEN again to a I'n'cly hopch the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,"' See. i Pet. I. 3, o. iVnd in ver. IS, 14, exhorts them to " fiof. to the end," Sec; '• an obedient children.'" The Apostle John in writing, says, " I write unto you, lillh chihiren heeous'' uoiir s'uis arc fji'^^ivcn yon for his name's sake." — 1. John, b lo I hope my reader, that the passages I have referred you to, find which I hope you will read with attention, arc sufficient to convince you, that the churches to whom the Apostles wrote, were composed of true and real saints: that is to say, real bclieverti, or at least those who profcs- cd to be sadi. Ijut where infant baptism prevails, how vastly di'ibrent is the case ! As we walk through ouil alreets, ]iowof:en are our ears otfendcd ou hearing the uTTfui oaths and im our hearts c iii^f througii ;is we walk ou seeing oi S\nnATii-iM and (Quaker litesc ! (-Question Home parts KMider it in Answer. (jiiently coi list brethn iiut ibundal iho world ii lo assure li was inxmcri might l)e o i.ANO they \r.e or snow il-id out, l lie more di llian for a \vcr(^ as w: obey the 1 such childi (rtuestio (lueSvions, loss to bo iiope 1 ha is the lain reason vvl: a believer Answei those wlic rtncwin'j; I iiig recei\ why the s doubt rec Cornelius man forbi HAVE 1 ON DAPTISM. 13 calls thci M)Ri:.\" i t tlu! cum. siiys, 'N tliu: calhi ;1." Sou calls tlu'ii( IVfJc. S( lul "Jai.V in clui}). .;, 0(1 as dici IMjIlipiai!- li|)|)i." ictions by our pedoba[»- list brethren, rmnon tells us, that they are entirely with- uut foundation. For we believe, that there is no part of the world inhabited by man, but where, if a physician were to assure his patient, that unless the whole of his body was immersed in water a recovery was impossible, water iiright be obtained. If they had no other resource in lei.- i.ANi) they would be led to discover thatyijv will melt either {rx or snow ; while in tho hot countries they would soon md out, that rain was waler ; and there would be but lit- tle more ditliculty in obtainirg water for a whole fainily, than for a single individual. And it is evident, that it' men wore as willing to obey the Saviour, as they would be to obey the Dodor, in extreme cases, they would never make such childisk objections. (Question. As you have so candiuly answered all my ques.iong, allow me to state candidly to you, that L i)ro- Ibss to be a believer in the Lor-d Jesus Christ ; and as I iiope I have received the baptism of the Holy Ghost, v/hich is the ikin^ si'j^nified by water baptism, can you show anv reason why I should now be baptized, after being so lon<> a believer ; seeini; it can make me no better ? Answer. None are proper subjects of baptism, but those who have received "the wmihinpr of regeneration, and rcncwln'X of flic Holji Ghost ;" Titus, 3. 5 ; and your liav- ing received the thins; si}>;nlllcd is the strongest (il reasons; why the sie bapiiz- uniinpor- the in tor- have but a favour ;d in bap- to change ON BAPTISM, ATy )lain one: ft or truth, 1 as your ic, as my common, nd to the c in bap- ht up, ol iCiit to the V.c]eva.i Mrthodi^t SaVrbath School, vhere with r:U.- Un; nd t..ach.rs I was in.tructrd i'^ '^^^^^ ,7;;; ":; ,J,nues and beliefs of that church : and ^v^"^'' ''^^^ '^. "n an impro.sion on my nnnd. that for ye.rs a tor 1 had .rionced the pardonin- love of God, 1 looked upon n r denomination, of christians as King a d^'"^- ' - n-moaning people. And consequently never Nv^ent n^rar ,,. of themrno, not even to try to put them nS^^ ; f " Vor the Baptists, the thought never came mo mmd It rhaps //.., Ure right : for I believe 1 ^^^-^'^^^^^ erred going to a Jews' synagogue to oneol their churchts &for^har reason never went to hear them i^^r n .e f, ' ul believed all that the different preachers «|^'^\«^f ^^^^ ,ul as they all told one tale, bemg all Methodists, I o rse believed aM were right, espec ally when they told e that John AVesley said so: for that made it unques- ona hly true. I continued unmoved in all those doc r.nes P \y the pious and learned, but /a/a/e tounderc^ M Fhodism, till after 1 believed it to be my duty to preach .Upel OfChrist to others; and then m cons.qucn o .fhuvinff none of John Wesley's works to go to, and be- .unable to purchase any, I was of necessity compelled lo^cxamine mv bible, in order to obtain what I needed to preach to the people. On examining the ^^^"P t"'';^-' J: Lnd it impossible to prove Irom thein, the t "t of J ,\u^e doctrines I had been taught to beheve were the on^ ,me doctrines of the bible : and consequently had to giv^ il.eni up, for others which I considered were plainly taugh MHhatbook. And thus my sentiments became changed unpoints of doctrine. „♦ „ll ♦« llut baptism, was a thing that did not appear at all to concern me, as T considered the baptism oi the Holy Gho^t was all that was required: and behevmg had receiNe that, the other I looked upon as a "nonessential, not worm looking after. . ,..v:io i; To "he second part of your question, I answer, ^vhlle li- ving in AlexandeJ, 1). C. in the United States, 1 onned a slight acquaintance with the Rev. S.-— ^— "' ^"V." in t.s? minister of that city, who mformed me that on a ce tain day , he was going to baptize some persons m tie uur and requested me to attend. 1 promised him to do so but had it not been for my word's .ake, 1 should no have doae time before the day arrived, did I repent my V course to- m ok !' t. •' i^ bargain. The day on d hour came — i bent I i'^ll :! AV WHAT TiiK srniPTurvrs say r-si(lc, — the people were collccti can t!ic service— I kept lar enough out of the way thiit 1 mi.rht not hear whut lie said: But as soon as they began sin"rin<- and mny\v.^, a wonderful change took phiee =n niy'fedings and views,-it reminded me of the prnnitivo (>hristianiVworshipping God by the "nr.r-:jaL; ;— Acts \u. ]} But when I saw the candidate's whole body huncd la iheiralcr. and then rise up o;;,' of (he (cx'rr, a solemn con- vidion sei/.:^d my miad— that it was not tuat insuvnnicap.t thin.r I had taken it to be; and therefore I resolved upon seardiin- the scriptures on that subject, which I aceord- in^'iv did. And began first, by cxauamng t.io dilicrent ^'lwuseliolHi;i/.i;-'J of all who believed, to be baptized— and consequently mine. t ^ » <\fter I became convinced of its bemg my duty, I Avcnt and requested a Baptist minister to baptize me, but this he could not do unless I joined their church; and as I was a. this time a minister in the Meth.dist Protestant church, could not do so: for to give up preaching for the sake ot being baptized, was more than I consiacred myscd reqiu- reuum -t | ,va( to es tizeone, (not naming myseU) without joining their churcii,|,,,l^, ^^^.j^^ nnd from whom I received an answer in the neganvc. |vi,.^tevcr c I onuimonred preaching, and baptized many others belore|. ^^^,.^,^^, ence sent a Minister this way who would Jfi^P; jmy of its A le to any I toak up my cross aciuai-y, ^vu^vm ^ .*.»- -v -- -Buct. Nci ON BAPTISM. 47 in groilt ir ne lik- elier bc- y, thiit 1 \y began place in primitive ■Acts Ki. hnricd in ^,mn con- iTiiiilcanl vecl upon . accord- cUiTcrent ts among ; but not D \vron<];, ight. in ;ul passi'.- tiier they louji — ^^se- inced that d of God , baptized 1 the duiif ized — and ty, I Avent but this he IS I was at churcli, 1 he sake ol self requi- it, I have 5. &i.c. 3 preached, woukl bap- loir church, negative.— lers, beibre would bap- L cheerfully rtually lonil Wnc "B ^i in consequence of the discipline of the church i„ V. hirh 1 still belonged imnoping it upon me as duty, 1 con- tinued to hapti/e infantH, thcrugh strongly against niy own frelin'rs ; till at length I grew so weary of the burden, that on a Sabbath evening before a crowded congregation, • publiclv throw it off, by declaring I could baptize no noie children, unless some one would give me authority Horn the word of God for so doing. And though some, who oucrht to proclaim ditTerent things, say I havft turn- ed baptist, and changed my doctrines," others w-lio have cat regularly under my ministry know, if I have, it has not licon since I have been in HalilVix. CHRISTIAN READER. I am now about to take my Hve of yon, having fulfilled my engagement, in laying bdore you '' what the scriptures say on baptism ; ami also Ihavc endeavoured to answer all those questions, kvhich I could naturally suppose you to asic on the subject 'of baptism -.—And though we have had but little to .uy about Mr. Richey's book, there is no doubt, I believe liut sufficient has been said to convince the sincere inqui- HT after truth, that though he calls it a ' scriptural method tit has 720 resemblance to the mkthod pursued by (^Hiuvr and his ApcsUcs. i t - \nd as it rejrardsthe observations /have maue, i nopo vou will not allow them in the least degree to iniiuence [vour mind, as the present is a subject too sacred and im- portant, to suffer our minds to be biased by the tf^l^e, or [0 say the least, uncertain reasonings ot men. ISut 1 would advise you to read attentively all the passages ot cripture as well as those referred to, again and again ; mdthen exercise vour own judgment upon them indepenU- ntlv of what I haVe t^aid ; for I may have made many mis- ake's, but it 13 certain the umrrlns word oj m^pimhon can iiiiike tiojic. \ml believe mc, my pious friend, my only design itf vour good, snd God's glory ;— for 1 am m every other rc- R)c>ct^quite disinterested, as I have im parly to please, no h-eed to establish— and am at this time dependant on no l)()dy of christians for a support : neither am I in any way ^vhatevcr connected with that body of christians called [' Bnplists " nor even countenanced, that I Know ot, by jmy of its Ministers , nor do I feel myself to be accountu^ ,)le to any man, or set of men, but to God alone tor my con- duct. Neither urn I influenced by any one to delcnd what :i^ ■■%i- '. "i^ « '■■ ".It •43 ^^'^i\^ the scriptures say, &c. Mr. Crawley Has wrrt ton, having neither had or read i)ook, and y OH may therefore depend upor the sincerity rj tny heart ; even should you co*isider nie .mistaken in ml viowfl. It is also well known to the Searcher of heartsj tluit al thirf time 1 may be ;iaid to be sutJerinR the lossol nil ih'm^A ; but it is in, and for, the cause of God thnlf txm caUod to suffer : and I Uad rather otVend all the worl irevii day, than offend God once on one day. I Take the word-ofGod, fon you. And when you loek at the ordil .dinuncc of baptism simpbj in itself, be careful not to attach any thing of a savinfr nature unto k. Neither should youl look upon it as cin act oi' submission on your part ; biill keeping your eye of faUh fixed upon Christ, look uponitl as an exalted privilege that you arc permitted to tread in .hissteixs. ^ • n Do not put it off on xiccount efyour not bemg /i/, or mi^l Ihij the Saviour requires no ajthev fitness than to t'eell your need of, and faUh in, him. And having thus public- ly professed yourself; to be a christian, endeavour m al! things to live like on£ ; and if other christians differ from you consider it nothing strange : but remember that though' as Christians, wo cannot all ihinJc alike, it is our duty and privelege to love alike.— See. John 13. 3.5. A c/im iian without love, thore cannot bo a»^' more than a man witli- put a sold A for /art' .is the soul of religion. Some Christians are contending alitor faith, and othera all for works : but do you strive for both. A Christian lives to love aud work, thotfgh he does not| jicork that he might live. "Let no man deceive you/ Christ's people are a lovinp:, prayins:, and ux>rhmg pcoylo, >and all this grows out of their beting a believing people. T»t o 14 1. John 3. 3. Endeavour to serve God, and you may depend upon God serving you.— Isa. 41, 10. ^ Nothin»| can harm you but sin, and nothing can save you biitgr: «* And now, (readerj I commead you*o Ctod, and to ta« isord ofhii 'gruce.." Fajslbwbll. ^1 1- A > it. a I I