H ■ 4, : BAPTISM BAPTISM: ITS INSTITUTION, ITS PRIVILEGES, ITS RESPONSIBILITIES. REV. J. H/4lTCOMB, M. A., Incumbent of St. Stephen's, South Lambeth, London. Author of " Bible Studies ; or, An Enquiry into the Progressive Development of Divine Eevelation." LONDON: WILLIAM HUNT AND COMPANY, HOLLES STREET, CAVENDISH SQUARE. MDCCCLXVI. CONTENTS Preface .. Preliminary Remarks PAET I. THE COVENANT BLESSINGS OP ADULT BAPTISM. Chapter I. — Pre-requisite Conditions for a Right Reception of Adult Baptism ... 3 ,, II. — Covenant Blessings attached to the Right Reception of Adult Baptism 9 ,, III. — Covenant Blessings attached to the Right Reception of Adult Baptism treated more particularly ... 24 Section i. — Regeneration ... ... ... 25 ,, ii.— New Birth ... ... ... 38 ,, iii. — On being "In Christ," by Ingrafting and Incorporation ... ... 51 „ iv.— Sanctification ... ... ... 73 ,, v.— Adoption ... ... ... ... 81 ,, vi. — Election ... ... ... 96 ,, vii. — The Communication of Sacramental Grace ... ... ... ... 103 VI CONTENTS. PART II. THE RIGHT RECEPTION OF BAPTISM BY INFANTS. Introductory Statement ... ... ... ... 123 Chapter I. — The Language of St. Peter to the Pentecostal Converts ... ... 129 ,, II. — A Review of the General Language of the New Testament in regard to Children ... ... ... 137 Section i. — The Testimony of Christ ... ... 137 ,, ii. — The Testimony of the Apostles ... 142 (a) The Way in which the Apostles spoke of Children to their Christian Parents 142 (b) The Way in which they addressed them- selves personally to the Children of Christian Converts ... ... 146 (c) The Manner in which they spoke of whole Christian Households ... ... 149 (d) The Manner in which they spoke of the Christian Covenant as mainly identical with the Abrahamic ... ... 152 Chapter III. — A Brief Examination of Certain Erroneous Reasonings by which Infant Baptism is often opposed 166 ,, IV. — Historic Evidence of Infant Baptism 177 CONTENTS. Vll PART III. THE COVENANT BLESSINGS OF INFANT BAPTISM. Preparatory Remarks Chapter I The Communication of Sacramental Grace to Infants II. — Infant Election III. — Infant Adoption ... IV. — Infant Sanctification V.— Infant Incorporation into Christ VI. —Infant New Birth ... VII.— Infant Regeneration VIII. — The Responsibilities and Blessings of Christian Parents, in reference to the Education of their Baptized Children IX. — The True Nature of Sponsorship X. — The Relation of Confirmation to Infant Baptism XI. — The Practical Value of Baptism in the Experience of Believers ... Conclusion Index 185 187 198 204 210 216 227 237 251 262 276 287 298 307 EEEATA. On page 34, in the 8th line from the top : — Instead of " by placing a," read " by omitting the.' On page 117, in the foot note : — Instead of " Sandy's " read " Sandys'." On page 179, in the foot notes : — Instead of " lit " read " lib." 1 S ° V ' p §> '<© _ „ - PEEFACE Eon some years past many of the Evangelical clergy have been unwilling to give any prominence to their convictions upon the subject of Baptismal grace and privilege ; in part, because they have strongly depre- cated doctrinal controversy, and in part, because they have been afraid of false interpretations, and sectarian criticisms. It is high time that they should eman- cipate themselves from this unnecessary bondage ; declaring their opinions in all honesty and manliness, and no longer leaving their flocks uninstructed on one of the most important doctrines of Christianity. The immediate consequence of this reserve has been, that a large proportion of our laity have not only learned to undervalue the sacrament of Baptism, but have gradually fallen away from their allegiance to the Book of Common Prayer in which its blessings are so Scripturally enforced. Greatly to the injury of the Church of England, and to the advancement of Dissent, they have brought themselves to believe that the faithful preaching of the Gospel is necessarily antagonistic to the language of our Liturgy upon this X PREFACE. subject; and that if the Evangelical clergy were really consistent, they would never rest satisfied till they obtained a Revision of the Prayer-book. We have brought this state of things upon ourselves, and have no one else to blame. Whenever men are afraid to speak out plainly, they are sure to be mis- understood; and thus the very object of their silence becomes defeated. It has been so with ourselves. The present work is, therefore, presented to the Church in vindication of what the author believes to be the opinions of large numbers of the Evangelical clergy on the doctrine of Baptism ; and for the purpose, if possible, of bringing back the minds of our disaffected laity to see the true harmony which exists between the Bible and the Prayer-book in relation to it. Lest it should be said, however, that he has spoken in these pages more strongly upon Baptism than is consistent with the general scope of what is called Evangelical teaching, a few quotations shall be at once introduced from the writings of two men, who though now departed to their rest, will ever remain faithful and honoured types of the school to which they belonged: viz., the Eev. Charles Simeon, of Cambridge ; and the Rev. Edward Bickersteth, Rec- tor of Watton, Herts. Mr. Simeon used the following language : — PKEFACE. Xi "St. Peter says, 'Repent, and be baptized, every one of you, for the remission of sins ; ' and in another place, ' Bap- tism doth now save us.' And, speaking elsewhere of baptized persons who were unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ, he says, ' He hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. ' Does not this very strongly countenance the idea which our Reformers entertained, — that the remission of our sins, as well as the Regeneration of our souls is an at- tendant on the Baptismal rite ? " a Again, — " In the Baptismal Service we thank God for having regen- erated the baptized Infant by His Holy Spirit. Now from hence it appears that, in the opinion of our Reformers, Re- generation and Remission of sins did accompany Baptism. But in what sense did they hold this sentiment ? Did they maintain that there was no need for the seed then sown in the heart of the baptized person, to grow up, and to bring forth fruit ; or that he could be saved, in any other way than by a progressive Renovation of his soul after the divine image? Had they assented, or countenanced any such doctrine as that, it would have been impossible for any enhghtened person to concur with them. But nothing can be conceiv ed more repug- nant to their sentiments, than such an idea as this : so far from harbouring such a thought, they have, and that too in this very prayer, taught us to look unto God for that total change of heart and life, which, long since their days, has begun to be expressed by the term Regeneration." b It will be seen from this last sentence, that Mr. Simeon's view of the word Regeneration exactly agrees with the one laid down in the following pages. c a See "Life of Simeon," by Cams. P. 304. Large edition, b Idem. Pp. 301, 302. c See pages 25—28. Xii PREFACE. The same may be remarked from another extract: — "The Israelites as a nation in covenant -with God were highly privileged ; for to them belonged the adoption and the glory and the covenant, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises. (Rom. ix. 4. ) The same, I doubt not, may be justly said of all that are baptized ; indeed we doubt not but that our Reformers had that very passage of Scripture in their eye, when in our Baptismal Service they instructed us to thank God for having regenerated the baptized person by His Holy Spirit ; and in our Catechism, to speak of children as b}- the ordinance of Baptism 'made members of Christ, children of God, and inheritors of the kingdom of hea- ven.' These expressions are doubtless strong ; and so are St. Raul's expressions respecting the benefits of circumcision ; and every blessing which he asserts to have been conveyed by cir- cumcision, we may safely and truly apply to Baptism. By the very admission of persons into covenant with God, they are brought into a Xew State, and have a Right and Title to all these privileges. " d The testimony of the late Eev. Edward Bickersteth is no less clear and out-spoken, as the following pas- sages will prove : — "That His sacraments might be perpetually observed, and that we might receive inestimable spiritual advantage, it has pleased our merciful Saviour to make them effectual means of grace to the believer." e "Origen, writing in the beginning of the third century, in his Homily on Lev. xii , says, ' Let it be considered what is the reason, that whereas the Baptism of the Church is given for the Forgiveness of sins, Infants also are by the usage of the d Idem. Pp. 545, 546. e Page 70. PREFACE. Xlll Church baptized ; when, if there were nothing in Infants that wanted forgiveness, the Grace of Baptism would be needless to them. ' And again, on Luke xiv. , he says, ' None is free from pollution though his life is but the length of one day upon earth ; and it is for that reason, because, by the sacra- ment of Baptism the pollution of our birth is taken away, that Infants are baptized.' " f "Baptism is the sign, the means, and the pledge of Forgive- ness, and a real help to assure our souls of it. " g "As to the Baptismal Regeneration of Infants, let us re- member the only limitation in administering ordinances which seal blessings to those that receive them, is moral unfitness ; but in the case of Infants, there is no such unfitness. " h ' ' The term Regenerate is founded on the expression born of water, used by our Lord ; and, laver of Regeneration, used by the Apostles in reference to Baptism. " i "The true Remedy between the sound Catechism of our Church and its beautiful Baptismal Service, and the actual state of the baptized as well as of those who join in that Ser- vice, is not by lowering the expressions of our Formularies to meet the lowered tone of our congregations and their weak be- lief in the promises. The Scriptural remedy is of another kind — the faithful and full preaching of the doctrines of the Gospel, and the unspeakable blessings and privileges which God has assured to the believer in His Covenants of Promise. Let these be realized, and all is harmonious and consistent. The office of the Church is not to part with its savour, but to be the salt of the earth ; not to hide its light, but to put it on a candlestick. And for ever blessed be our God, that our Reformers had faith in God's word not to flinch from the full statement and exhibition of the riches of His grace. " i f Page 81. g Page 85. h Page 168. * Page 208. J Pages 196, 197. XIV . ;■* PREFACE. These quotations are given to show how clearly, comfortably, and ex animo their venerated authors re- ceived the language of their Church on this important doctrine, and how little they would have sympathized, had they been now living, with those ill-instructed though well-meaning churchmen who desire to have our Baptismal Service altered. They are given more- over, that our Nonconformist bodies may see how a clergyman, who bike Mr. Bickersteth, lovingly recog- nized their personal Christianity on the principle laid down by St. Paul in Eph. vi. 24, did not of necessity play truant to his own school of Church doctrines, or sacrifice his conscientious adherence to the Prayer- book. They are given moreover in the fervent hope that they may contribute, in some measure, toward greater unity of feeling among the Church clergy. Agreement among us, so far as practicable, is as- suredly much to be desired. Many are at the present moment sighing for stronger bonds of union ; bonds strong enough to preserve the pure faith of the Gos- pel without compromise, yet large enough to unite men of earnestness and moderation in a spirit of mu- tual respect and brotherly love. If this unpretending volume should in any way contribute to results bke these, the author will be amply rewarded. r rt & <£ PEEIIMINAEY EEMAEKS. If there be one thing clearer than another in regard to the controversy upon Baptism, it is, that as, from the nature of the case, Scripture chiefly speaks of its effects with relation to Adults, the first duty of an inquirer is to see what it says concerning them, — reserving all consideration of its effects upon Infants to a future period. Again ; before this latter question can he satis- factorily entered into, the Scriptural authority which we have for administering Baptism to Infants ought to be seriously examined. Our proposed review of this important and inter- esting controversy will, therefore, take the order here suggested. We shall begin with the way in which Baptism is spoken of by the Apostles in direct refer- ence to Adults. We shall then describe the Scriptural authority which we have for holding that Infants may rightly receive Baptism. And, lastly, we shall discuss the extent to which the covenant blessings of this sacrament, as administered to Adults, may be applied to Infants also. XVI PRELIMINARY REMARKS. It may be desirable, however, upon the threshold of these inquiries, to state as briefly as possible a few of the doctrines which will be found to underlie their contents ; because nothing more fairly anticipates criticism than some kind of previous acquaintance with the principles upon which a book is written. In the present case, all those who take extreme views, either on the Calvinistic or the Sacramentarian side of theology, will certainly be adverse critics. Those, on the other hand, who, like Hooker, maintain the doctrine of grace in consistency with the general love of God and His willingness to save all mankind, and who acknowledge in the Sacraments an effectual ac- companying power of the Holy Spirit to those who rightly receive them, will probably read the follow- ing pages with a more favourable judgment. In consistence with these principles we shall assume — ( 1 ) The love of God for the whole world, in the gift of His dear Son Jesus Christ. (2) The general manifestation of that love, by the gift of His Holy Spirit in various measures and degrees of grace. (3) The salvation of those only, whose lives are answerable to that degree of grace which is thus offered or afforded to them. (4) The certainty of the final perseverance of all PRELIMINARY REMARKS. XV11 to whom the grace of faith in justification is effectually given. Such were the views of the great Hooker. And if there be one human teacher more than another to whom the writer of this treatise would pledge his own opinion, it is that illustrious man. There can be no doubt that, to many miuds which have been educated in a certain school of theology, the idea of God giving grace to a soul not fiually effectual to salvation, appears crude, self-contradictory, unscriptural, and opposed to the fundamental principles of the Divine Sovereignty. Nevertheless Augustine, than whom no one ever more upheld the doctrine of Divine Sovereignty, most clearly distinguished between the grace of Grod, which might be lost, and the grace of final perseverance, which was indefectible. a Indeed, this forms one of the greatest points of separation between the writings Augustine and Calvin, and can never be too strongly remembered by those who are in the habit of regarding authors as identical in their teaching. The Puritan theology of this country chiefly followed Calvin, and denied the doctrine of God's preventing and co-operating grace in any souls except those of the elect ; they made all grace to be of necessity saving and effectual to the end ; and although many of them allowed the truth, that God gave His a Z>e Dono Perseverantice. XV111 PRELIMINARY REMARKS. Holy Spirit to work in the hearts of some who were finally lost, b yet they seldom formally or dogmatically allowed such a work to be any personal communication of Grace, properly so called, thinking it would interfere with the doctrine of election. c The question is one of words, more than of reality ; for if it be conceded that God gives His Holy Spirit to work in the soul concurrently with the human will, striving with it and co-operating with it, and yet that such a soul may be finally lost, we obviously each agree to the same thing, although one party may call this truly Grace, and the other party (to uphold a more metaphysical and philosophical theory of election) may refuse to call it by that name. That such a work really is carried on, the scriptures make plain. Thus our Lord tells us, there are some who believe " for a while," and even rejoice in the "Word of God, yet at last fall away (Luke viii. 13) : others, in whom the Word brings forth b See a remarkable extract from Goodwin's works, quoted below, in the chapter on Sacramental Grace. Part I. See also Matthew Mead's "Almost Christian Discovered" (xv. 1, 2, 3, 4) ; where he says, "A man may have the Spirit only transiently, not abidingly. The Spirit may be in a man, and yet not dwell in a man. " c The following statement of Thomas Adams, the Puritan, is an exception to this. " There is a grace that works freely, but not effectually ; which may be had and lost." — Exposition of 2nd. Ep. of Peter on ch. 1, v. 2. PEELIMINARY EEMARKS. XIX a certain kind of good fruit, only the fruit conies not to perfection. (Lukeviii. 14.) St. Paul, again, describes some who have been enlightened, and have even tasted of the heavenly gifts, and have been made partakers of the Holy Ghost, who have nevertheless fallen away be- yond the reach of repentance. (Heb. vi. 4 — 6.) St. Peter also describes some who have escaped the pollu- tions of the world through the knowledge of their Saviour, and have known the way of righteousness, who have, nevertheless, been entangled and overcome, and lost at last. (2 Pet. ii. 20 — 22.) Now these overtures and inward actings of the Spirit we call, Grace ; being the grace of God in the Gospel of Jesus Christ imparted to the souls of sinners for their salvation. Owing, however, to inscrutable causes, concerning which we can only bow down our heads and be silent, this grace, although illuminating and exciting, fails to be really renewing and saving. Hence such persons, like the Galatians, may "fall from grace." (Gal. v. 4.) Like some mentioned by St. Paid, to the Corinthians, they may " receive the grace of God in vain." (2 Cor. vi. 1.) Like others mentioned by the same Apostle, to the Hebrews, they may "do despite to the Spirit of grace." (Heb. x. 29.) But throughout all their experience, we hold that these persons never could have had any effectual justifying and renewing grace ; otherwise they would have persevered to the end. XX PRELIMINARY REMARKS. This distinction of terms, whether rightly or wrongly, will he found to underlie the whole of the present volume. Another principle which will he found to underlie the present volume, especially its third part, is the necessity of a strict separation between the guilt and condemnation due to original sin, and the guilt and condemnation due to actual sin. The real point of contact between these two forms of sin is, the infection of our depraved nature, — and in that respect they are inseparable, being mutually related to each other as the acorn is to the oak, or the invisible seeds of leprosy to their full-grown development. But the idea which is expressed by infection is very different from that which is expressed by guilt and condemnation ; inas- much as the former still exists in a justified believer, while the latter are wholly remitted. Hence, although we may fmd it impossible to disconnect the moral purification of original and actual sin, it is not only impossible, but absolutely necessary, to disconnect them in relation to the remission of their guilt and condemnation. For the guilt and condemnation of Original sin stand on an entirely different ground from that on which the gudt and condemnation of actual sin stands. In reference to Original sin, we are adjudged guilty and condemned, not for anything done by ourselves, and for which we are morally PRELIMINARY REMARKS. XXI responsible ; but for something done by Adam, long antecedent to our birth, and with which, as free moral agents, we were in no sort of way connected. We do not mean to say that we are not justly held liable to condemnation on this account ; for, the infection of a corrupt nature having been transmitted to us, it seems impossible that an infinitely holy God should not impute to it the guilt and condemnation due to that transgression from which it originally sprang. The ground, therefore, upon which we are held guilty and condemned through Original sin is, strictly speak- ing, imputative, and is thoroughly independent of our own personal responsibility. Not so, however, in reference to Actual sin. The ground on which guilt and condemnation cover us in relation to our own personal transgressions, is not imputative, but real. We are held guilty, on this ground, for our individual acts ; we are solely condemned for the violation of our own personal responsibilities. Such, then, being the distinction between the character of our guilt and condemnation at birth under Original sin, and of our guilt and condemnation by practice under Actual sin, it follows that there may be an equal distinction in the character of their remission through atonement. We are aware that some theologians regard any separation between the forgiveness of original and actual sin, as subversive of XX11 PRELIMINARY REMARKS. the sacrifice of Christ. The very opposite opinion will be maintained in these pages. We believe that as Adam sinned, and thereby brought guilt and condemnation upon the whole world in a manner perfectly distinct from the way in which guilt and condemnation have since been personally contracted, so our Lord Jesus Christ has specially removed from the whole world the guilt and condemnation of that one original sin, in order that no one should be hence- forth condemned, except for sin actually committed. In other words, the effect of the atonement is such, that under the covenant of redemption none are ever con- demned by the imputation of the sin of Adam, but only by the guilt of their own sins, — that is to say, of those sins for which they are only themselves morally responsible. This view, so far from militating against the integrity of the Atonement, really illustrates its perfections ; inasmuch as it shows how the dealings of the Divine government under redemption have been brought into strict harmony with those eternal and immutable principles of righteousness, which God himself announced to His ancient people, when He said, — "The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son ; the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall PRELIMINARY REMARKS. Xxiii be upon him." (Ezek. xviii. 20.) Apart from the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ, this statement could never have been made ; for an infant, not committing actual sin, must then have borne the iniquity of Adam's original transgression. But Christ, having redeemed the whole world from the penalty due to that first transgression, He has power to remit the guilt and condemnation attached to our original sin, leaving us answerable only for the sins which we subsequently commit in our own proper persons. It may suit a hard, stiff, metaphy- sical form of Calvinism to repudiate this, and represent it as stultifying the doctrine of saving grace. But such an opinion is only sectional in the Church of Christ. Viewed in connection with the great body of the most enlightened divines of all ages, the doctrine here laid down may be regarded as truth. At any rate, it is well that the readers of this volume should be informed of its adoption in the coming argument upon the benefits of Infant Baptism. Another principle which will be found to run throughout this treatise is, the existence of a visible Church of Christ, credited generally with all the blessings of the covenant, although an invisible section only of it will at last inherit those blessings. The kingdom of heaven is continually compared by our Divine Master to an aggregation of elements of XXIV PKELIMINAEY EEMARKS. unlike character in one visible and indivisible body. Thus the Gospel net is described as containing both good and bad fish, — the separation not taking place till the end of the world, thereby proving the permanence of its visible unity. Again ; the whole Christian Church is compared to wise virgins and foolish virgins, in one body (Matthew xxv.), and to faithful and unfaithful servants, in one household (Matt. xxv. 14 — 30); all of whom are represented as having received certain gifts to be improved and used, though some neglected to do so, and were cast away in consequence. These and many other passages which might be mentioned plainly show, that while Grod has an invisible Church, known to His own Divine mind and everlastingly elect, according to His hidden counsel of wisdom — a Church which shall be manifested hereafter at the Redeemer's coming (Rom. viii. 23), etc. ; yet that, under the pre- sent dispensation of grace, all Christians in the visible Church are to be welcomed as having a true standing in the covenant, and blessed with its promises and privileges, until finally and everlastingly cut off from them. This will appear more and more plainly in the body of the work, and, therefore, need not now be defended. It is only introduced here to prepare the mind of the reader for the general drift of what is to follow. Let us add only a few words more on the subject PRELIMINARY REMARKS. XXV of Regeneration, and with that we will conclude these preliminary observations. The doctrine of Baptismal Regeneration has, of late years, been a constant source of disquietude to the Church ; in part, because some of our divines have enforced it on the basis of Roman Catholic interpretation, openly teaching the principle of an opus operatum, which both our Reformers and early Fathers universally disavowed ; d and in part, because the meaning of the word Regeneration is not properly agreed upon, — some controversialists using it in one sense, some in another, — so that there is no wonder we have inextricable confusion on the subject. Regeneration is generally held by our Noncon- formists, to be "that work of the Holy Spirit by which we experience a change of heart It is expressed in Scripture by being quickened ; having Christ formed in the heart ; a partaking of the Divine d Thus Jerome writes, when speaking of those who had heen baptized into the Church of Christ without any genuine faith ; "Of these, it must be said, that they received the water indeed, but did not receive the Spirit." In Ezek. xvi. 4. And so speaks Cranmer : ' ' The outward sign doth neither give us the Spirit of Cod, neither yet grace, — that is the favour of God. For if through the washing in the water the Spirit of grace were given, then should it follow, that whoever was baptized in water should receive this precious gift." — Sermon on Baptism. XXVI PRELIMINARY REMARKS. nature." e When, such is the definition of the word, any necessary concurrence of Baptism -with it as an instrumental cause of its production, naturally excites opposition, and leads to the most violent denunciations against what is called an unscriptural dogma. Is this, however, the sense in which the word Regenera- tion is used in Scripture ? Is it that which was under- stood by the writers of catholic antiquity? Is it that which the Church of England adopts in her services for adult and infant Baptism. ? The following pages will reply to this in the negative, exhibiting Regene- ration as a spiritual change of state, instead of a spiritual change of heart ; — a change of state which, in the case of adidts duly baptized, follows this change of heart ; and, in the ease of infants duly baptized, is graciously intended to lead on to such an inward change. Regeneration, therefore, by Baptism, when understood in this sense, involving only an altered relationship to God, and the impartation of accom- panying covenant gifts and privileges, is a very different doctrine from that before described; and assertions uttered or written against the latter, have no true bearing on the former. We are not going to argue the point here, for that is done in the body of the present treatise. All we desire to do now is, to impress on the mind of the reader that, e Quoted from Buck's "Theological Dictionary." PRELIMINARY REMARKS. XXV11 whether rightly or wrongly, Regeneration will not be regarded as synonymous with a moral renovation of heart; though, of course, its covenant blessings must always be associated with that great change, and cannot be said to exist in their fulness until it has been effected by the Spirit of God. If one word more be needed by way of introduction, it only remains for the author to assure his Non- conformist readers, and more especially the Baptists, that in speaking strongly upon the points from which he differs with them, he does not for a moment wish to depreciate their experience of personal religion ; and that should he, in any of his expressions, have wounded their feelings, he asks their forgiveness, begging them carefully to distinguish between oppo- sition to a theological creed, and hostility to individual character. PART I. %\t toflmitt lltamrjss of ^ptrlt Sadism. "The Sacrament of Baptism is one thing ; and the Conver- sion of the heart is another thing ; but the Salvation of man is completed in them both." St. Augustine. CHAPTER I. PRE-REQUISITE CONDITIONS FOR A RIGHT RECEPTION OF ADULT BAPTISM. When our blessed Lord instituted Baptism, He said to His disciples — " Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved ; he that believeth not shall be damned." (Mark xvi. 15, 16.) Afterwards, when St. Peter addressed the multi- tude on the day of Pentecost, he said — " Repent and be baptized every one of you." (Acts ii. 38.) Scripture here gives two most plain pre-requisites for a right reception of Adult Baptism ; viz., faith and repentance. About this there can be no difficulty. The only issue which can be raised upon it is, — whether the Apostles admitted per- sons to Baptism as soon as they made a profession of faith in Christ ; or whether they closed the door against those who made hasty professions, 4 GIVEN, ON PROFESSION and only administered the rite to such as gave well-sustained proofs of a vital, saving faith. This point, however, is no less simply determinable by an appeal to Scripture. As a matter of fact, how did the Apostles act ? When the three thousand were " pricked in their hearts " at the feast of Pentecost, were they not all baptized on their immediate pro- fession of faith? It is written — "the same day there were added three thousand souls." Whe- ther all these were possessed of vital, saving faith, being converted to God by an inward renewal of their hearts, it is impossible for us to say. That they possessed an illuminating faith by the power of the Holy Ghost is unquestionable ; but as we know from Heb. vi. 4 — 6, and also from 1 Cor. xiii. 2, that this is a gift of God to the church, which may fall short of saving grace and effectual conversion, it is not at all improbable but that some of these so-called believers or saints may have had the one without the other. At all events, no time was allowed for testing the fact. They solemnly professed their repentance and faith ; and on that profession they were immediately baptized. The same may be said of the jailor at Philippi. The earthquake happened at midnight ; OF TKUE REPENTANCE. 5 yet it is written — " He took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes, and was bap- tized, he and all his, straightway." (Acts xvi. S3.) Now here there was certainly no time left for any long examination or testing of the man's faith. Most probably, under these peculiar circumstances, it was hearty, and genuine ; yet it might on the other hand, from the extraordinary nature of the case, have been impulsive. — At any rate, there was no hesitation on the part of the Apostle. The man's profession having been solemnly made, after due enlightenment in the word of the Gospel king- dom, Baptism was held by St. Paul to have been rightly received. Let us proceed to a still more striking case. It is written in Acts viii. 13 — "Then Simon him- self believed also, and was baptized." Now we must bear in mind that these are not the words of any human speaker. Here the Holy Ghost Himself speaks, through the pen of St. Luke ; so that on divine testimony it is declared, Simon Magus "believed." Nevertheless we know full well from what follows, that he had no saving faith, no real conversion. In what sense, then did the Holy Ghost say that he believed? We b GIVEN, ON PROFESSION think the nature of the case will easily allow us to suppose that he was convinced of the truth of Philip's testimony concerning Christ ; that he was overpowered, for the time, by the genuine charac- ter of Philip's miracles, and satisfied that his mis- sion was from heaven. In other words, he may have submitted his mind to Christianity, and re- cognized Christ as its divine Author, although his heart remained unconverted. At all events, with this express testimony of the Holy Spirit — " Then Simon himself believed also," we have no right, by reason of his subsequent conduct, to maintain that his previous profession was hypocrisy. Nor can we doubt (as no rightly taught person supposes him to have had either repentance or faith in the true and saving sense of those words), that Philip felt justified in administering baptism to him, simply on his solemn profession of those pre-requisites. Had he first been put upon a course of probation, the hollowness of his belief in Christ would soon have become transparent ; but following the Apos- tolic custom, Philip made no such delay : he at once accepted his profession of faith, and, assumed in the gentleness of Christian charity, that the ordinance was being rightly received. OF TRUE REPENTANCE. 7 There can be little doubt, however, that the Apostles, while they never refused Baptism where true faith was professed, always administered it to adults on the supposition that the faith so pro- fessed was a living justifying faith, proceeding from a renewal of the heart, as well as from an illumination of the mind ; for the eunuch of Ethio- pia was strictly enjoined to confess so much, — " If thou believest with all thine heart thou mayest." (Acts viii. 37.) The truth is, Scripture gives the same title of faith, both to that which remains permanent and saving, and to that which is tem- porary and unavailing. Take, for example, our Lord's explanation of the parable of the Sower. Those "on the good ground " are described in Luke viii. 15, as believing permanently ; those " on the rock," in verse 1 3, as " believing only for awhile," and then "falling away." The faith of the Ethiopian eunuch seems to have been of the former kind ; that of Simon Magus, of the latter. It represented, in other words, no true principle of spiritual renovation, but one only of spiritual illumination which simply affected his mind, while it left his heart untouched. Hence it did not lead to his justification, because, as St. Paul 8 DUTY OF MINISTERS. says, it is "with the heart man believeth unto righteousness." (Eom. x. 1Q.) From this brief review of Apostolic practice in relation to Adult Baptism, it would seem that Scripture sanctions us in assuming it to be always rightly received when those who come forward as candidates for it make a solemn profession of true faith and repentance, and give for the time being some reasonable evidence of it. Whether this be a right reception of the Sacrament in the sight of Him who knoweth and searcheth the heart is another question, and one with which, as ministers of the sanctuary, we have nothing to do. It is simply our business to demand these solemn vows of repentance and faith in their full- est and highest sense. And, these being rendered unto us, accompanied by reasonable evidences of their sincerity, we are not only not at liberty to refuse Baptism, but are bound, like the Apostles, to regard it as having been rightly received, and to pronounce the blessing accordingly, whatever that blessing may be. CHAPTEE II. COVENANT BLESSINGS ATTACHED TO THE EIGHT EECEPTION OF ADULT BAPTISM. (Summed up in general terms.) The object of this chapter will be to point out that general summary of covenant blessings which St. Peter attached to Baptism, when he delivered his first evangelical announcement of sacramental doctrine to the multitudes assembled in Jerusalem, on the Feast of Pentecost, saying — " Eepent and be baptized, every one of you, for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." (Acts ii. 38.) Other blessings may be traced to Baptism in different parts of the New Testament, and some may be mentioned also as inseparably bound up with these ; but, at present, we only refer to the two herein noted ; viz., "Eemission of Sins," and "The gift of the Holy Ghost," which, speaking generally, may be said to sum up all the rest in themselves. 10 THE THREEFOLD CURSE The first of these — " Eemission of Sins," involves a change of state or standing in the sight of God. The second of these — "The gift of the Holy- Ghost," involves a change of privilege, or grace bestowed upon ourselves. But before these covenant blessings are im- parted, it must be borne in mind that "Bepent- ance toward God, and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ" are presupposed, which, when possessed in their full power, involve also a change of mind, will, and heart ; i. e., a moral renovation of nature. Thus three great changes are brought to view in the history of Adult Baptism ; one preceding the Sacrament, implying a moral and spiritual awakening to renewed life ; and two directly resulting from Baptism, — viz., a change in spi- ritual state or standing before God, and a change in spiritual gift and privilege. To understand the peculiar force and significance of these three great changes (which really lie at the root of the whole of this controversy) it must be remembered that the fall of man brought in three great correlative curses ; viz., Infection, Con- demnation, and Helplessness. In other words, AND THREEFOLD CHANGE. 11 we are infected in respect of our Nature; con- demned in regard to our State ; and helpless in relation to all divine grace and Privilege. It is on this account that, when speaking of man as " born after the flesh," we are obliged to describe him as lost. For while he is separated from God, both by the infection of sin and by the condemna- tion of the law, so he must remain for ever sepa- rate, as far as nature is concerned, on account of his having none of the gifts and privileges of grace. Such, then, being our threefold curse, the Apostles were sent forth with the Gospel of grace in their hands to produce a threefold change ; viz., the renewal of an infected nature, deliverance from a condemned state, and an investiture of divine privilege. For which purpose they had but two instruments ; viz., the Word to be preached, and Baptism to be administered. It will be our object, therefore, to show in what way these two instruments performed their respective parts. Nor will it be in any way difficult, if Scripture only be adhered to. For it is obvious that the Gospel, or Word of God preached, was at this 12 TRUE FAITH AND REPENTANCE time no further used by the Holy Spirit than to work repentance in the hearts of the multitude. We are told that being convicted in their con- sciences, they repented and believed ; after which they listened to the Apostles' proposal, and were baptized. As remarked already, it is not certain whether the whole of this vast crowd possessed true repentance and faith in the highest sense of the terms. Probably not, if we may judge from the conduct of Ananias and Sapphira. But, at all events, they were admitted to Baptism on the profession of it ; and it was only in relation to the assumed pre-existence of this qualification that St. Peter said — " Kepent, and be baptized, for the remission of sins." This is clearly stated by Dr. Waterland, when he says, in relation to Adult Baptism — " Preventing grace must go before, to work in the man faith and repentance, which are qualifications previous to Baptism, and necessary to render it valid." a Now faith and repentance, in the highest sense of the terms, flow only from a renewed nature and life. That this is true of Faith there can be no question ; for it is one of the " fruits of the Spirit." a See his Sermon on Regeneration, p. 14. PROOFS OF A CHANGE OF NATURE. 13 (Gal. v. 22.) And where the Spirit brings forth " fruit " there must be a renewed or spiritual life. Indeed, St. Paul speaks of the Holy Spirit " puri- fying their hearts by faith." (Acts xv. 9.) The same Apostle writes also in another place — " The life that I live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God." (Gal. ii. 20.) And such is the testi- mony of all our best Divines. Take Dr. Barrow for example, who says — "Faith Is the root of our spiritual life." b Or, go back to the Homilies of Queen Elizabeth's reign, where, in one place, faith is distinctly called "the root and well-spring of all newness of life ; " c and, in another, " the first entry into Christian life." d A similar testimony is delivered in regard to the renewing grace of Kepentance. Hooker says — " The well-spring of repentance is faith, — first breeding fear and then love ; which love causes hope, and hope resolution of attempt : " I will go to my Father, and say, I have sinned against b See Dr. Barrow's second Sermon on the Creed. c Second part of the Homdy concerning "Worthily Receiv- ing the Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ." Epi- logue. d Third part of the Homily for Rogation Week. Introduc- tion. 14 CHANGE OF NTATUEE heaven, and against thee." That is to say, "I will do what the duty of a convert requireth." e Dr. South says — "Repentance saves not, as it is a work, or such a number of works ; but as it is the effect of a renewed nature, and a sanctified heart, from which it flows. " f But why should we quote any human testimonies when Scripture settles the question by speaking of those who are ■ renewed unto repentance " 1 {juwaumtigBim ef Ely, 190. Buck's Theological Dictionary, xxv. Oalvin, IS, 19, 23, 58, 104, 115, 110. CardwelFs History of the. Conferences, 40. Church Catechism, 224, 204. Chrysostom, 215. Confession of Faith, of France, 58. Confession of Faith of Scotland, 81. Council of Trent, 103. Goodwin, 65, 110—112. Greenhill, 70. fiTeary, Matthew, 131, 197. Homilies, the, 13. Hooker, 14, 69, 110, 127, 197, 201—203. Hopkins, Bishop, 77. 7/ow, 21, 22. Ireua'us, 179. Jerome, 109. /eweZJ, Bishop, 106, 118. Justin Martyr, ITS, 179. Latimer, 118. Leighton, Archbishop, 90, 100, 105. Lightfoot, 43. Liturgy if the Church of England, 102. £tf*/aration, xx., xxi. (1) Original. Distinction between the guilt and con- demnation due to, and the infection resulting from, 1S8 — 190. Remitted, on the right reception of Infant Baptism, 190—192. (2) Actual Remitted, on the right reception of Adult Baptism, 17 — 19. Remitted, on repentance and faith, after Infant Baptism, 192, 193. Sponsorship. General principle of, 127, 128. More fully explained, 202 — 275. Sprinkling. Allowable in Baptism, shown from Scripture, 299—306. LONDOX : WILLIAM HUNT AND COMPANV.